Chapter 1

February 11, 2531/Covenant Cruiser Pious Expectation

Ripa 'Moramee, the 17th Arbiter in a glorious line of Arbiters, stood by a currently empty energy cell. The human "Professor Anders" was to be held here, or at least until enough information could be gleaned from her supposed intellect.

Intellect.

The Arbiter huffed in grim amusement. Even the notion of these vermin holding sentient intelligence made the Sangheili warrior feel blasphemous.

The doors to the prison slid open. The human female was led by a pair of Majors, their red armor glowing a purplish hue in the dim blue light. They cast the human at the Arbiter's feet, standing at attention.

Ripa chuckled sadistically as the female struggled to her knees, being kept from standing by the guards. "Do you know why you've been brought here, human?" he asked coldly, turning to examine the tools behind him.

"You mean why have I been taken unnecessarily?"

"Silence!" the Arbiter thundered, whirling to face the impudent human. "You will answer in a manner that is relative to the question. Do you know why you are here?" he repeated angrily.

Ellen glared up at him, carefully choosing her words. "No," she said through gritted teeth, "I don't."

Ripa chuckled, "Predictable. You humans know only what you're told, you have no intuition. You are here because you chose to interfere with our Great Journey. You trespassed into a holy relic, and somehow your filthy fingerprints made the device react. How?"

Professor Anders searched her memory in confusion. "The device?" she wondered aloud, "What - "

"Do not play games, human!" Ripa snarled. He grabbed Ellen by the neck, lifting her pathetic weight off the ground. "The star-chart you activated on your ruin of a planet, how did you awaken it!?"

Ellen struggled for breath, clawing uselessly at the Elite's armored grip. "I don't… Touched it!" she gasped.

Ripa tossed her to the floor, scoffing in disgust. "Useless," he growled, "You vermin act yet do not know why. You will be kept here until you decide to show me a useful reason for your pathetic life to continue. Detain her." He snapped to the Elite guards. As he stormed from the room, Anders was roughly shoved into a prison cell, the plasma barrier keeping her secured. Tomorrow Ripa would try again, and every day for as long as it was necessary.

Next time he would show less mercy.