Well, I had one of those inspirational moment and wrote the rest of this chapter. I can never stick to self-imposed restrictions. This chapter was very fun to write, especially the ending. Enjoy! [b]Part 22 - Breaking Point[/b] "Admiral Cole," Zharn remarked as he entered the UNSC [i]Everest[/i]'s captain's quarters. A man stood facing a small window, looking down at Eridanus II. A wide desk separated the two, decorated with the captured images humans called photographs and other personal effects. His wrinkled old hands were firmly clasped behind his back, which was as straight as a tree trunk. Cole was much smaller than Zharn, but he emanated the power of a giant. Cole didn't turn around, didn't even give any reaction to show that he'd heard Zharn. The Sangheili Ultra shifted uneasily, and at his unprompted movements heard the sound of five rifles being brought up and levelled at his unshielded back. Paranoids. Cole let his shoulders rise and fall, before walking to another part of his room, still not acknowledging Zharn. Finally he stopped at a wall which was adorned with a wide glass shelving unit, containing rows and rows of medals and commendations. "All of this," the human Admiral finally spoke, motioning at all the gleaming metals pinned to the wall. "All of it means nothing. After you attacked us life ceased to hold any meaning other than survival." Zharn was about to reply, when suddenly the Admiral turned around, marched on Zharn and struck him heavily in the side of a jaw with a blunt object. It hurt. The Sangheili fell to the ground as a result of both the blow and the shock. When his eyes focused once again he found himself staring down the barrel of a human pistol. Zharn sometimes found it surreal how something so archaic and primitive could end life. "There are laws which would prevent me from doing the things I could do to you. But the laws don't apply to you, only humans. So you just remember that when you are dealing with me, Elite." The words were venomous, and filled with raw hatred. Cole suddenly turned away, and spoke over his shoulder to the marines who were acting as Zharn's jailor escort. "Take him to advanced interrogation." It took a few seconds for the sergeant to reply. "What do you want us to find out, sir?" she asked, curiously and yet disgustingly eager. "Nothing," Cole replied in a hoarse, detached voice, the words laced with poison. They hit Zharn like a low blow to the gut. They weren't going to torture him for information. They were simply going to do it because they could. "No!" he protested as rough hands grabbed his shoulders. He managed to shake one of the humans off, but soon gave up when the cold steel of a battle rifle was violently rammed into the back of his skull, dazing him. "Understood, Admiral." * * * * * * * * * * * "Guard!" Ahkrin shouted in the language of the humans. The nearest marine reluctantly inched a few metres away from his post towards him and the chain of Covenant he was manacled to. "What?" the marine demanded in a hostile tone, looking for all the world like he wanted to bring his assault rifle up and gun them all down. "This Unggoy's methane supply is arduously low. He will die lest it is replenished," Ahkrin told the guard. The small Unggoy behind him named Tatat nodded in affirmation. The marine studied the two of them for a short time, before shrugging. "Not my problem," the human said, turning around and walking off. Ahkrin's concerned expression turned to one of anger. "Of course it is your problem, fool! You are his jailer and as such owe it to him to keep him alive," Ahkrin shouted at the guard. "I don't owe that little bastard anything," the marine called back at him. "If I had my way I'd throw you all out of the airlock and bring out the popcorn while watching you explode, but unfortunately the Admiral has other plans. We're to give you food and water. Admiral didn't say anything about methane." "And your kind wonders why it has been judged unworthy," Ahkrin spat, shaking his head at the human's lack of empathy. The marine's eyes blazed, and he marched over to Ahkrin with anger. "What did you just say?" the human demanded, standing on the very tips of his feet and staring at Ahkrin in the eyes with a feral expression. The Stealth Sangheili did not baulk. "I said you're an coward who has no honour or integrity. Like most of your--" [i]Thwack![/i] The fist smashed into Ahkrin's jaw and sent his head sharply reeling to the left. He flexed his mandibles, tasting blood, and turned back to face the human. "Is that the best you can do?" he taunted with malice, spitting the blood welling up in his mouth at the human's face. The marine didn't flinch, and only brought up his fist and drove it into the side of Ahkrin's face once more, with more force. Ahkrin was dazed for a moment, but was determined not to let the scum with no honour triumph over him. He stood his ground, breathing deeply as an eye began to swell shut. The marine was still glaring at him, and the two of them had an audience of everyone in the room. Several Sangheili looked like they wanted to tear the marine's throat out for hitting a helpless prisoner. Even the humans were frowning at the marine's actions. "Pathetic," was all Ahkrin said through the blood and pain. The marine's face contorted with pure rage, and he reached down to his side. Ahkrin suddenly found himself staring down the barrel of a magnum, and knew that the marine fully intended to use it. [i]I need to learn when to shut my mouth.[/i] "The rest will soon follow you," the marine vowed, flicking the safety of the pistol. Ahkrin screwed his eyes tight. [i]Bang![/i] It was a few seconds after the gunshot when Ahkrin realised he was still alive. Tentatively, he opened his eyes and saw the marine on the ground, rolling around and crying as he cradled a bleeding arm. "Take this man to the med-bay. As soon as his arm is patched up you will escort him to the brig where he will remain until I decide otherwise," Admiral Cole commanded two of the other guards in the room, who nodded curtly. The Admiral held a pistol in his right hand, which was still smoking. The mess heaped at Ahkrin's feet was lifted up by two of his fellows, who cast a furtive look up at Ahkrin as they bent down. Cole threw the pistol on the floor with disgust, shaking his head as the marine with no honour was taken out through the large door to the med-bay, the human equivalent of a convalescence chamber. The Admiral paced around the room, staring at the hundreds of Covenant prisoners held in this detention block, which was one of many. "Let this be a lesson to all of you," Cole shouted, and Ahkrin realised that he was speaking to the other humans in the room. "All of these Covenant are prisoners of war. And they shall be treated with the same courtesy you would show a human POW, unless I say otherwise." There was grumbling at these words, and Ahkrin caught a few words of dissent. Cole flared then, and raised his voice so much so that it was like rumbling thunder. "That is an order! And whilst you are on my ship my word is law. Disobeying this order is treason, and you know what we do with traitors. That's all." The Admiral turned to leave, and Ahkrin heard a small gasping noise behind him. The Unggoy who was running low on methane. Ahkrin knew that it might be suicide, but spoke up anyway. "Admiral!" he shouted, and could almost feel every other person he was chained to flinch. Cole paused, and slowly turned around, staring at Ahkrin with disdain. Ahkrin realised he wasn't going to get a reply, and so plowed on with his request. "This Unggoy is running out of methane. He shall die if he does not receive more. I'm sure there are many more on this ship in the same predicament." Admiral Cole stared at him for a few moments, face completely unreadable. Finally he nodded. "Fine. The little bastards will get their methane. But only for as long as they cooperate." * * * * * * * * * * [i]Air.[/i] Bubbles swam past his eyes as the oxygen escaped through his lungs. [i]Air.[/i] He tried to bring his head out, but was held firmly in place by rough hands. His eyes grew wider as he bucked and struggled ever more desperately. [i]Air! Now![/i] His mind was making demands that his body couldn't meet. Midnight began to creep into the edges of his vision, and the struggling began to stop. And then suddenly-- [i]Air![/i] Zharn coughed and spluttered as his head was finally drawn out from the bucket of water which sat on the floor before him, his knees raw from the attempts he'd made to escape the rough grasp of the three humans restraining him. One breath. Two breaths. [i]Submerged.[/i] * * * * * * * * * "I did not think that the humans took prisoners," Orpheus said to Ahkrin, shaking his head. The deep voice resonated with the other Covenant prisoners jammed into their cell, a conglomeration of Unggoy and Kig-Yar, for the most part. A carefree Huragok floated above their heads, almost completely unaware of the situation it was in. "They usually don't," Ahkrin replied curtly, edging away from the Jiralhanae as best as he could. Orpheus sighed as he noticed the Sangheili's movement. "Hey! No talking!" a young human outside the cell door shouted at them, brandishing about his shotgun with ridiculous bravado. Ahkrin pushed past the small Unggoy in the cell, moving up to the door. The young marine noticed him and brought up his shotgun.