Months! MONTHS! I for some time had completely forgotten to update my story! Holy Hand Grenade! Why? Anyway, i want to thank Mrs-Storm for reminding me that i have something to live for in my pitiful excuse for existing. One reason might be that i have discovered the gamer version of crack cocaine, FINAL FANTASY! I can't stop playing! Anyway, updates from now on will be sporatic, but i will try to get them out. I have a job that takes up a lot of time now, so i can't say when my next post will be. Please enjoy this, even after so long.

Opening the door to Nuso’s quarters, Reese walked in and collapsed into one of the chairs. She didn’t care about it being uncomfortable. She was so tired a slab of rock looked comfortable.

“You were gone for some time. I was beginning to get worried.”

“Worried about me? Why?”

“You seem to trust your new environment quite well.”

“Everyone’s really nice here. Far different from what I expected after being kidnapped.”

“Yes. Quite dissimilar from what the Covenant soldiers make us out to be. I see you taught some kids a few things about humans.”

“Not by choice at first. But...the eyes, I couldn’t resist.”

“Strange how I was never issued such treatment. Even if I did enjoy my time learning how humans train their own fighting forces. How very, very strange this thought is.”

“You’re leading up to something.”

“You are ever the insightful one, doctor. I will come to the point that a piece of information came to my attention that has brought some suspicion into the game. Seems you lied to me about a few things. For one, just exactly what you were doing on the Black Arrow. And what a neural spike and an uplink servo-motor are doing connected to one another. It might explain what the devices implanted into the two Hunters I battled were. And genetic experiments on a warship? Seems so...familiar somehow.”

There was no reply. Nuso wasn’t even looking at her to know an expression of horror was creeping along her face. Her next statements would dictate whether or not she would set off the bomb or not.

“No response? No excuse, no admission, not even a plea? That is very disappointing, doctor. I was hoping you’d try and put my mind at ease that you were going to use me as some sort of doll with which to play with. Is that what this final mark is on the back of my neck? Some entrance point to my nerve center to override my mind so you can use me like a machine?”

Turning around, Nuso looked right into Reese’s eyes. His pupils were dilated, his mandibles twitching, every sign pointing to sheer fury rising in him. It was contained, but even he had his limits.

“Argue with me. Tell me you had nothing to do with it. That you were not going to break your own ethical code of conduct just to test a theory. You very well know it would be impossible to capture as many bodies as you would need to build and army.”

Slowly standing to look Nuso in the eyes, Reese held her gaze for a moment, but she looked down; she couldn’t look at him. His stare was so intense it felt to her like he was drilling through her head. She couldn’t hide it from him.

“We didn’t need to.”

“Come again?”

“We only needed to capture three or four. That’s what my job was. To take samples and splice them together. Take the genetic code apart and weave out any imbalances. We were making perfect soldiers Nuso.”

“...That means...you were making clones?”

“The base you were trained at? It doesn’t serve the same purpose anymore. Every building you saw, every barrack, every office; they’ve all been cleared out. They’re filled with cloning systems now. We were cloning you.”

No response. Not a single breath. The only sound was fists clenching till tiny drops of purple liquid began hitting the floor.

“Heh. Clones. Of course. Spartan threes never did pull their weight well enough. So why not improve? Move on, use something else. It all makes sense.”

“We were doing what was necessary for our own survival.”

“The ultimate excuse for the ultimate sin. How can I argue with that? So how many Nuso’s are there?”

“At one time, but only shortly, there were two. One original, one replica. When stage three of your training, the implantation came, we had little knowledge of just exactly how we would go about doing the operation. A duplicate was made, than dissected. Only then were we able to properly isolate what needed to be done.” He could sense a lie, and if she had stayed silent he would have likely harmed her.

“Dissected. You made some doppelganger of me and tore it apart just so you could turn me into some monstrosity to annihilate your enemies. Some things can be forgiven, Amber. And others are simply unacceptable.”

That was the first time he had ever used her first name when speaking directly. Reese looked up and saw Nuso’s back. He was walking back over to the window.

“I thought you were going to kill me.”

“Maybe I was. But something stopped me. I looked at your eyes and saw something. I saw despair. I saw you hated what you have done. As much as I have despaired over myself. Crying myself to sleep night after night until I learned to forget pain. The same despair that keeps us going, that holds us together. You know what I am talking about, do you not?”

“That you have nowhere to go. No one to trust and nothing to live for.”

“Exactly. And that Amber is what keeps us both alive. We are almost identical in that regard. And if we are the same, then killing you would go against everything I stand for, if that means anything anymore”

“You are being very morbid, Nuso. You do have something to live for. You can make a life for yourself.”

“It is not that I can. It is whether I wish too. There is nothing in life I desire more than death. But neither is there anything I fear more. As if the very thing you have searched for your whole life is right before you, but overwhelming fear prevents you from finishing your task. I feel as if I am caught in a trap that will not release me.”

Looking down, Nuso saw Reese looking up at him. She placed a hand on his long face and smiled warmly. He didn’t pull away. He wouldn’t let himself. She wanted nothing but for him to be happy. It occurred to him she felt compelled to it. She was human, they worked differently than Elites did. She felt guilty, and so she was trying to atone. It made sense.

“You are tired and I have upset you. You need rest.”

“What about you?”

“I need to think about a few things. I guess it is just something I do to relieve pressure.”

It was some time, but Nuso finally heard Reese fall into sleep.

He had to get his mind onto something else. He needed a weapon, something of his own. He hated using anything generic, he preferred something entirely custom. Building things kept him occupied; exactly what he needed at the moment.

---

The morning came slowly. Amber opened her eyes and shot up. Everything came back to her quickly, the argument and Nuso’s unexpected reaction. Maybe he was growing up, or regressing. She couldn’t decide. She heard the door open and turned to see Nuso in the door. He didn’t speak; he just stood there with his eyes closed. After what seemed like hours, he turned his head to her, his eyes still shut.

“Funny how what we first envision turns out entirely the opposite of expectation. In our minds we can create and recreate: a scenario, a single moment, an entire lifetime, in both thought and dreams. But reality holds something else.”

“What do you mean?”

“I wanted to make a sword. I ended up with a staff. Is that not humorous? I had an idea for a sword, but... why something so mind numbing as that? Sangheili have always used swords; it bores me. So I will fight with something new. How much my original intent has changed surprises me. Interesting, hmm?”

Sighing, Nuso stepped closer and finally opened his eyes. They looked somewhat different, maybe it was the hue. But they had an odd glow to them that wasn’t there the night before.

“What I am trying to say, is that if you start out with the intention for good, and it is turned away from your expectations, then you are not at fault. I harbor no ill will or grudge against someone who has only done as she was dutifully ordered.”

“That is very profound, Nuso. I think we’ve made progress with you.”

“I am inclined to agree. I am sorry if I upset you last night. I should not blame you for such things.”

“It’s alright. Though there is one thing I would like to know.”

“Yes?”

“Most often you emulate human speech, but now you’re talking with a finesse I’ve never heard before. What sparked this sudden change in vocabulary?”

“I am speaking in my native language. There are few slurs and slang to be used in that tongue. I placed a translator on you the first day we were here. No one in this whole planet has spoken a word of English.”

“And, have I been translated to them as well?”

“No. We understand that language as it is the same that the Prophets use. But when in company of our own kind, we avoid that dialect entirely.”

Standing up, Amber walked past the impossibly tall Elite into the next room. She saw a massive pole-like device. It was as long as Nuso was tall, about nine and a half feet. But on each end were four blades, gleaming dangerously in the morning sun.

“What do you call it?”

“The Redeemer. Instead of using any normal spear end, I used swords as blades. See, the two on each end, parallel to one another facing outwards. I will enjoy teaching myself to use it appropriately. Too bad I ran out...” His sentance was cut short.

A slam came from the entrance, and the door opened. A rather flustered looking Zealot spotted Nuso and bounded right over.

“Forgive my intrusion, but a Covenant cruiser and three escorts just appeared in orbit. A contingent was sent down, your presence is requested immediately.”

“Mine? Well, I guess that makes some sense. Doctor, would you like to come along? Wear that cloak over there and keep hidden. All trainees wear them during official business when outsiders come. How I know that...I am unsure. But it would be best for you to keep out of sight.”

Practically leaping into his armor, Nuso grabbed a pole from the other room and was out the door in a flash. Amber moved out as well, but Nuso was gone. When she walked out of the building, she saw a massive ship slowly descending towards the ground. It wasn’t big enough to be a frigate or any other capital ship, but too small to be a dropship. This chassis was unfamiliar to Amber in almost every way.

Making sure to pull the long hood all the way over her head, a small light screen on the inside allowed her normal vision as she walked along. Following the ship till it landed heavily in a large plain outside the city-base. She immediately spotted Nuso inside a massive crowd of armored Zealots. She had never seen so many all packed together before. It was strange now that she thought about it. At once she had never seen more than maybe two dozen. Now there were what looked to be hundreds, where were they all the time?

The ship opened to reveal a grav lift and Elites began to drop from it. Red armored Elites with energy swords at the ready. Then Brutes came down, and even she could feel tension immediately rising in the group as she mingled with it. Finally, a lavishly adorned Brute with a huge hammer dropped down. He set the weighted end down and surveyed the Zealots.

“I am Second Chieftain Zalifor! I have come in learning from the council that you and your cult have harbored a heretic fugitive! And even more disturbing account of an infidel within your midst! What say you to these claims?”

“You come under a banner of truce to make these inane accusations? What treachery has the council stooped to? They have no power or authority here!” A voice called from the crowd.

“I have the authority of my flagship’s plasma cannons!”

“There will be no need for such violence. I come out willingly.” Nuso’s voice pierced what now stood complete silence.

He pushed through and into the open area. The Elites and Brutes flanking the Chieftain all readied to pounce. But they didn’t move. Zalifor seemed surprised, but at the same time confident. Nuso strode up to within ten feet and just crossed his arms.

“I was hoping you would give us a reason to turn this place over. But I see your ignoble code had you walk right into my hands.”

“I think you take me for a fool who surrendered. You come with warships and threaten a world populated with innocents? You will not return with the prize you desire, Chieftain.”

“This is a planet devoted to training those who ignore the laws of the Covenant. There is not an innocent life here. And if you do not wish for them to be turned to ash, you would be wise to turn over your human pet and yourself over to the Prophets. They may even be merciful.”

For one moment, not even the wind made noise. Then it came, and very quickly. Nuso started laughing, hard. This was no chuckle, he was outright laughing directly to the Brute’s face.

“...Was that intended to be humorous? It certainly seemed that way. Ah, sorry about that. Now, where were we? Ah yes, now I remember.”

“You insolent heretic. You dare mock the word of the Prophets?”

“I would. In fact, I blew one in half. Kinda funny story actually, but you know that one.”

One of the red armored Elites roared something and leapt forwards. Zalifor moved to stop him, but he reached Nuso too quickly. The energy sword flashed towards its target. Nuso grabbed the assailant’s arm and just held it. The Elite looked at Nuso with surpirise in its face, he was no match for Nuso's strength, not by a long shot.

“Idiot. Do you think I was going to stand by and allow myself to be killed? You are far too weak and unskilled to do anything but dishonor yourself in the eyes of your peers. And for that, I will give you the undeserved award of death on the battlefield.”

Kicking the Elite back, Nuso grabbed his staff from his back and spun it. The blades hit shield, then armor, then flesh. In one swing the Covenant soldier fell into two pieces, purple blood quickly coating the grass.

“On occasions such as this, one on one combat is prerequisite to such a bold declaration on your part, Chieftain.”

“Not this time. Since you refuse to come willingly, this entire world will suffer for your arrogance.”

A steady thrum echoed through the air as a cruiser began to descend through the clouds. It finally came to rest some hundred miles away, waiting ominously.

“An invasion?”

“Of course not. We do not invade allies. We occupy them, and until our terms are met, we stay.”

“You understand that this is in violation of every pact we made with the Prophets. Retribution will be decisive. You had better save that cruiser. It is the only hip you have left.”

Pointing back to the city-base, four huge cannons slowly rose up from the four largest buildings. They aimed to the sky and each fired a dizzying volley of blue energy blasts. They shot into the sky, and everyone on the ground watched as three flashes appeared high above. Frigates being turned into miniature novas as they crumpled under the Zealot's defenses.

Zalifor turned and sprinted back to his shuttle. His guards immediately made a wall for him as he boarded the ship. It lifted off as the others ran through the opening and blazed through the sky back towards the cruiser.

“That was some efficient negotiating you did.”

“Perfect, giving the cannons time to charge.”

“And prime for firing!”

The compliments all mingled together as the Zealots all sat back and watched as the cruiser began to lift off. It turned upwards to space as a salvo of blue bolts hit it. The shields had no effect as the blasts pierced them and impacted on the hull. In a matter of seconds a huge mushroom cloud appeared as the cruiser was reduced to scrap.

Nuso leapt back, grabbed Amber and braced as the shockwave hit. It wasn’t as bad as she had thought, but if he hadn’t grabbed her she would have gone flying.

“You are alright?”

“I’m fine, just a little shook up.”

It was only a minute or two before only three figures stood in the field. Nuso looked up at Huri and crossed his arms again.

“I see you had no problem slaying one of our own, Nuso.”

“Do not criticize me uncle, I have killed multiple Sangheili in my time. Both by choice and otherwise.”

“I just hope that does not sink too deeply.”

“Unfortunately, I believe it already has. It is apparent that we have a spy in our midst. There is no other way the council could have discovered my whereabouts.”

“Yes. It will most likely be placed on my shoulders to flush him out.”

“I will help you.”

“What are you going to do when we find him?”

“What else? Gut him for endangering Doctor Reese. Come on, by spear is thirsty for more than just one death.”