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Author Topic: Precious Cargo - Chapter 2 - Reunion  (Read 1952 times)

Offline jokerman

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Precious Cargo - Chapter 2 - Reunion
« on: November 16, 2009, 10:34:04 PM »
<boring stuff>
The following story is copyrighted material and all rights belong solely to the author.  Any reproduction or republication of any or all of this publication without the explicit and expressed written consent from the author is strictly forbidden.
</boring stuff>



Chapter 2 - Reunion


The Spartan had stealthfully climbed from the large rotting blind and was standing on the branches that had hidden him moments before.  A foot on different branches, one higher than the other, the Spartan stared down the rocket launcher site at the Elite.

“So, it’s you then.  Just you?  All alone?  You over estimate yourself, Elite.  I won’t bow down so easily.”

“Nor would I expect you to.  But as I said, the war is over.  I did not come here for you”, the Elite said as he lowered his head slightly, still keeping his eyes on the Spartan.

“Then why are you here?”

“That is no longer of any matter”, replied the Elite.  “Suffice to say that I am here.  The next move is yours.”

“Well, I never was one to walk away from a fight, especially of it means that I get to trash your slimy hide.  But I have a question first”, the Spartan said looking deeply into the Elite’s eyes.  “Since when did you start calling me… ‘Spartan’?”

The Elite lifted his head, standing tall and ready to fight.  His body heaving with each breath in anticipation of an attack.  His green eyes seemed to pierce completely through the Spartan.  The Elite closed his eyelids halfway as a low grumbling noise came from deep inside his body.

The Spartan contemplated the moves of the Elite.  He stood on the balls of his feet, balancing on the branches ready to jump in any direction and fire a rocket at the ground under the Elite, wherever he may be headed.  Each stood ready for the other to move first.  Both prepared for the fragile truce to be shattered in an instant and fatal blows to ensue.

Finally, the Elite took a deep breath, tilted his head back slightly and said,  “I met another like you.  Another… Spartan.  When I first came in his presence, I immediately knew the stench.  I had smelled it before.  It was yours.  The other one fought with honor, not only for his race but also for mine.  The Covenant was wrong.  We were deceived by the Prophets and their heresy.  But now the Covenant is broken and the war between my race and yours is over.”

“And the war between you and me?” the Spartan said as he tensed his muscles and bent his knees slightly more.

Again he heard the grumbling noise come from the Elite.  It came from deep within the Elite’s essence.  A sound of conflict, a sound of the past fighting to reach the surface, a sound of vengeance.  The Elite still breathing heavily said, “True, we do have a history.  The other Spartan showed us that we were wrong about the humans.  And I realized that I… may… have been wrong about you.  Our war may never end Spartan, but for now our battle is done.”  With that, the blade in the Elite’s left hand shrunk and faded back into the handle with a crisp sound.

They stood facing each other for a long time, each still waiting for the other to react.    Ready to live, ready to die.  Ready to fight or just walk away.

Finally, the Spartan said, “I have heard that the war was over before.”

“Not from an Elite you haven’t”, the imposing figure quickly replied.

The Spartan grunted in agreement.  The Elites were many things but they were not liars.

The Spartan took a deep breath and lowered his weapon.  “I don’t need to waste my ammo on you.  I need my weapons for all of them”, he said motioning over his shoulder to the noise of the creatures in the jungle.

The Elite turned his head into the direction of the Spartan’s gesture.  “Yes, they are formidable prey.”  Looking back to the Spartan he said, “And you may stay here with them; it is of no concern to me.  I have done what I came to do.  Now, I must go back to my ship and continue on my way.  I was preparing a meal when we got your signal.  I do not wish to be kept from it any further.”

The Spartan’s head lifted slightly, “Food?”


« Last Edit: November 17, 2009, 05:19:09 PM by jokerman »

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