It looks like the FDA are here.
"Noble team," Keyes said. "As you may have guessed, were sending you to check out the covenant cruiser we've spotted. We need you all to see why it isn't moving, but even so, the residual push from its engines is driving it towards Reach. Now, go in, execute, and move out."
"And if we encounter any resistance?" Carter asked.
"What do you think?" Emile said cocking his shotgun. "We send them a little 'gift' as usual."
"But, that's where the second part to this mission has gotten our comms confused." Keyes said. "As far as we know, they brought something aboard that ship, and then the whole ship lost power. Afterwards, we didn't hear a single noise."
"They brought something aboard?" Carter asked. "Do we know what it could have been? Could it have just caused the blackout?"
"A blackout doesn't cause an entire covenant cruiser to panic." He said before cutting off the comm.
The five spartans looked at each other before forming up and exiting the waiting bay.
Passing normal soldiers and engineers, they came to the docking bay's door. Carter put in his code and entered, inside they were all immediately saluted by the regular soldiers of the UNSC. Going down the metal stairs, they passed by warthogs awaiting drop, pelicans in repair, or ordnance being shipped to the various ships or rocket hogs.
"Sir's, ma'am," the pilot saluted them as she sat in her seat aboard a pelican. "Please be seated and strap in. I'm not in the mood for another trip of dodging plasma canons backwards."
"Whatever you say, Alesha." Emile said getting in.
She grunted, sinking lower into her seat before only the top of her visor could be seen over the wheel. Getting conformation of the passengers seated, she started the engine. The lift took them further up into the ship; stopping they turned finally before she hit the switch and the engines started.
They blasted through the exit port, halfway there, four panels slid over behind them and the front ones opened up letting the vacuum suck them out quicker. Boosting the engines, they shot through the opening and finally emerged into space.
"Alright, approaching covenant vessel." The pilot said. "Closing in at five-hundred meters. Increasing speed by two percent." She said making the pelican hum audibly.
The pelican quickly came upon the vessel. The human ship in comparison was nothing more than a fly, and the inhabitants knew how dangerous it was for a fly to be so close to a zapper. Going to the side of the ship, the pelican stopped inches away from the shield protecting them from whatever could be in there. With a final decision, it entered.
The pelican set down close to the exit, just barely touching the shielding. The back ramp lowered down letting the spartans exit. Carter came out first, rifle raised. As the others filed out in suite, June came out last, the barrel of his sniper resting on Kat's shoulder. When she stopped, she felt it and swatted it away.
"We've talked about that June," she said. "One more time and I'll bend the barrel so far you'll shoot yourself in the head."
"I need a good place that has resistance for my rifle if I needed to shoot." He shrugged. "Alright, I'm turning on my... Oh dear god. What the hell happened here?" He whispered looking around. "Word of advice, when you turn on night vision, don't look around."
The rest of the team looked uncertainly at each other before turning their night vision on. They all let out a collective gasp at the sight in front of them.
Blood was puddled on the floor, Elites and Jackals hung from wires by their necks, the Jackals by their side by a chain, Grunts had been sliced and stabbed alongside Hunters. A walkway had been blow up from the black scorch marks on it, a pile of burnt and partially disintegrated corpses lay underneath. The only light offered was from the ruined red lights that gave the occasional flicker, or the sparks arcing on the walkway.
"What the hell could have done this?" Jorge said. "It looks like a massacre."
"Whatever it was," Carter said beginning to walk forward. "It was either alone, or if there were any others, hard to kill. Kat, you stay here and keep the radio alive. Emile, you're with me, and June you go with George. We'll take the top, you two scout around down here; report anything you find."
"And if there's a survivor?" Jorge asked.
"Yeah, if being the hooker." Emile muttered.
"We'll take whatever it is, back to the ship. That way if the camera's are out here, we can have visual conformation. Now, move out!" Carter ordered.
Kat got to work immediately, opening a case beside the pelican; Emile and Carter were making their way towards a nearby gravift, and June and Jorge were going past the corpses.
Opening the doors to the lift, they both stopped and raised their guns, Emile raising his shotgun while getting onto a knee. When it opened, Emile took a step back as a head rolled out; kicking it away he carefully stepped inside.
"I found something suspicious sir." He said nudging the bodies. "Look at that one." He said pointing his gun at the intestine-less one.
Carter looked down, getting onto his knee he picked up a single greyed feather. Nodding to Emile, he put it on his fellow spartan's helmet. Emile looked at him chuckling slightly. Pushing the controls, Carter and him began up.
Entry level
"What do you think could have done that?" June asked peering behind another corner. "I've never even seen Emile do something that gruesome before."
"How should I know?" Jorge said. "Maybe they got the big guy up."
"Who?" June asked. "117? No. No way he's here." June said shaking his head. "I would have liked to meet him though."
"I heard he was a better shot than you." Jorge joked.
"Please, I'm not giving him that much credit." June said. "Hey, hold up. I think I see something up ahead."
Jorge stopped and raised his Gatling gun; they both stared ahead. The only thing visible was the dark lighting of the hall, and a door ahead with an arm poking out from it. Carefully, they went forward, taking light steps.
Going to the door, they froze when the arm moved. Seeing it still again, they proceeded forward again, their boots echoing throughout the hall with each step. When they did get to the door, the last steps they took felt like their feet were made of lead. Nudging June, Jorge started to spin the barrel of his gun as June reached to open the door.
Putting a hand to the middle, he pressed the holographic lock. It opened and a dead Elite fell at their feet. Looking up from it, they straightened out again.
Dead Grunts were littered around the floor, Elites were hunched over the monitors and consoles. It was a small room, with the bodies and blood it seemed even smaller. They entered, something immediately catching their attention.
Jorge walked over to an Elite laying against the back wall, above him in blood was written something but it was unreadable from the dripping of it; turning back to the Elite, he leaned down and pulled out the sickle from its throat.
"Sir," June said. "We've found something strange. We've just pulled a sickle out from a dead Elite's neck. Over."
"We found a feather in a pile of dead Rangers," Emile said. "Carter is looking over some others where we found some hay. Kat, do you-"
"Quiet!" Kat whispered. "I think there may be something near me, but it's not showing on my motion sensor. Over."
The team was quiet; quickly they all rushed back the way they all came. Emile and Carter rushing to the gravlift while June and George barreled through the halls.
Pelican
Kat had her pistol out; looking around she saw nothing. She tensed when she heard a sudden scrapping noise, her eyes saw her motion sensor flicker momentarily. A red dot appeared briefly again, following the scrapping sound.
She aimed her gun to the right, tensing as she saw an Elite slowly moving towards her, back against the wall. It looked over at her and lifted a hand, putting it down multiple times, it continued to move towards her, its needle rifle pointed upwards.
"Carter, I've got an Elite moving towards me. Over."
"Stay there, and do not engage. I repeat, do not engage. Over." Carter said.
"I don't think it's focused on me, sir." She said. "It made a motion for me to put down my weapon, but made no attempt to aim its own at me. Sir, I think it's... Scared of something. It keeps staring up instead of at me, I can practically see its gun rattling in its hands. Over."
"... Proceed towards it with caution. Keep your weapon raised, and keep your defense up. Over."
She didn't respond, instead she started forward. Slowly she began walking towards it, it stopped and looked at her. It made a motion for her to stay back, she complied as it lowered its own weapon. It got away from the wall, almost magnetically being drawn back to it, it kept its eyes above it as it began walking towards her. She raised her gun, leveling it with its head.
"Alright, that's close enough." She said getting its attention.
It stopped and looked at her. It was gripping its gun so hard that it had cracks in it, its eyes danced around wildly, and its legs seemed almost paralyzed. It hooked its bottom mandibles together before speaking.
"Human, do you have any communication?" He asked.
"Listen, I'm the one in control here. You-"
"No, you listen!" He hissed dropping his gun to hold with one hand. "He will kill you all. He's watching us, I know it. He will do to you as he did to the others." He said pointing towards the other covenant.
"Who is 'he' exactly?" She asked.
"He call's himself, S-Scarecrow." The Elite stuttered. "May I... May I go into the back of your ship? It is not safe here. He can see us, he can reach us from above."
"No. You're not going anywhere. Now, go wait in front of the ship's gun. And do not move, or I will shoot you myself." She ordered.
Hesitantly, he nodded while keeping his gun to his chest. As he approached the front of the ship, the other spartans came into view and immediately had their guns trained on the Elite sitting directly in front of the Pelican's gun. Approaching slowly, Carter came up to Kat, a cautious look behind his visor that was matched by her own cautious one.
"Kat, what's going on with him?" Carter asked.
"He seems to be in shock," she said. "He spoke directly to me. Lowered his weapon and asked if he could hide in the pelican. He said he can see us, and that he can get us from above. Do you think-"
"Hey, who lit the grill?" Emile asked. "Because I certainly didn't light that over there."
They all looked to the middle of the bay. A fire was lit in a small capsule, before June could look in his rifle, the Elite put a hand to the barrel. Pointing their guns at him again, Emile with his shotgun directly pressed against the Elites head; June looked up and saw the Elite shake his head. The Elite pointed up, June looked and saw something disappear past the edge of a walkway.
"We must go," the Elite said. "He will do the same to you, as he did to the others." He said pressing his back against the pelican. "We are not-you!" He pointed at Jorge. "You carry one of his weapons! No, no, no... You have doomed us all." He hissed, swinging his arm to the side for emphasis.
"Please," Emile said. "How tough can he be?"
"Very tough, crow." A voice said echoing throughout the hangar.
They all formed a tight circle, Jorge and June in the middle. As they listened, they all looked on their motion sensor.
"I'm not reading anything." Carter said. "If you move anywhere near us, we'll know the second you do so!" He yelled. "Now, give yourself up, and relinquish your weapons!"
A sudden laugh boomed across the hanger. It slowed into a near hiss.
"Are you giving me an order, crow?" He growled. "You are poorly educated in fighting. I am the one in control here, and your friend has something that belongs to me."
The Elite stormed past them, gun raised above them. They turned and raised their guns at the griffon as he stood with his scythe.
"You there," he pointed the blade towards Jorge. "You've found my sickle. Thank you for your consideration of others belongings," he said jumping down to meet the spartans gaze. "And I would sorely like to continue having it on my being. Now."
"Sir?" He looked towards Carter.
"No." He said. "Whatever you are, you're coming with us for questioning."
The griffon sighed, tsking and shaking his head.
"You poor, stupid crows," he sighed. "You just do not seem to understand your place. I am the Scarecrow!" He yelled swiping the blade from the spartan. "And I'm here to ward you all off from my harvest."
Before Jorge could grab him, he took to the air. Disappearing into the darkness, they all watched him with night vision as he went over another walkway.
"It sickens me," he said. "Seeing the crows use such feeble devices to try and stop me, but no matter, no crow has ever escaped me before. You will be no different. I will let the large one go though, he has caught my interest just as the sangheili has. You will all learn to fear the name, Scarecrow."
"Fuck you tweety!" Emile yelled. "Come out so I can shove this shotgun up your ass and blow your brains out!"
"As you wish, crow."
A screech was heard, he turned to see the griffon gliding down at him rapidly. Raising his shotgun, he blocked the first strike from his scythe, the second scratched his helmet.
Landing, Scarecrow stared at him through the hole in his mask. His dim yellow eye looking at Emile's orange and grey helmet. He lunged again, Emile putting up his arm in defense and then putting his shotgun out to fire.
Scarecrow saw his weapon before hand, hooking the blade of his scythe quickly around the back of Emile, he pulled himself forward and used his talons to scratch through the helmet. Feeling the glass break under his talons, he let go and jumped off as Emile shook his head free of the fragments.
Just as he was about to raise his scythe to finish the spartan off, a sudden bursting sound caught his attention.
He looked to the side just in time to put out his talons in a last ditch effort to stop the wraith from hitting him.
It slammed into him, pushing him onto the front edge. It quickly hit the back wall and stayed in a acceleration before stopping to a hover. The drivers hatch opened up and the Elite came out, obviously shaken as he emptied his stomach contents. It was only a few meters away before he looked up again, holding his gun as a soldier would, he shakily ran back to Emile.
Emile, still shocked by the fact a wraith had just nearly missed him, jumped slightly when he felt a pair of hands on his shoulders. He was picked up by the Elite before being let go. They both stared at each other, Emile looking directly through the hole in his helmet and directly into the Elite's eyes.
"Uh... Don't come so close next time." Emile said gruffly.
"Do not anger the demon next time." The Elite shot back.
"You," Carver said walking up to the Elite. "You just killed whatever that was. Now, I'm going to-"
He was interrupted when a loud screeching cut through the air. They all turned sharply and saw the wraith, with sparks on the sides, being pushed along the floor. With a grunt, it stopped, a talon appeared, followed by a head and then a body as Scarecrow dragged himself out.
He was breathing heavily, while leaning onto his scythe he was staring directly at the Elite.
"I-I'm impressed..." He said wheezing. "I-I hope... Hope to combat you again, sa-sangheili." He said before collapsing.
They all just stared at the downed griffon, Emile took a step back as the Elite turned around.
"Now may I hide in your ship?" He asked Kat. "I wish to inflict no harm against any of you. I only wish to keep away from, Scarecrow." He visibly shuddered.
"Get on," Carter said. " Kat, tell Keyes we're bringing a sangheili and... Whatever the hell that thing is."
"A griffon." The Elite said. "He is a griffon. Half lion, half eagle."
"Tell Keyes were bringing a griffon and sangheili onboard."
"Shouldn't we tie him up?" June asked pointing at the griffon.
"Yeah, use a cable lying around." Carter said.
"No," the Elite said. "He will want that, back." He pointed at the group of Jackals hanging by a chain. "I wish not to upset him."
"You just trucked him with a wraith," Jorge said. "I don't think 'upset' is the word I'd use to describe what he feels toward you. I'd suggest you scram and get in the back. Now."
The Elite nodded, seeing the griffon begin to raise his head before falling back down. He quickly ran to the back of the ship with Jorge following closely.
"Sir," Emile said. "When we get back, can I take leave to get a new helmet?"
"After, we speak to Keyes." Carter said. "After."
You will fear the scarecrow.
His pod was drifting along in space with only one purpose; to send him into the farthest sun made. But his pod had long since stopped, pulled back and to the sides by planets, or pushed off course by a small asteroid. His pod was just a simple metal tube, the inside was partially filled with hay, but to the prisoner, it was completely frozen, brittle to even the gentlest touch. He also frozen. He was Alive, but immobile.
Not to far away though, he had caught a ships attention. The inhabitants curious as to why it was giving off a strange energy signal, yet was just floating around aimlessly in the void of space.
It made its way towards him, slowly but surely flying towards it to come up from above.
The covenant cruiser stopped directly above the pod, sending down a small gravlift, they began pulling it up. As it entered the artificial atmosphere of the ship, a split formed in the metal and steam began to escape. The prisoner inside opened his eyes and grinned. As it stopped and the floor was closed again, a group of Elites, Grunts, Jackals and a Hunter gathered around it.
As one one of the Grunts, a Grunt hero, went up to it with a scanner. He stopped feet away from it and cocked his head to the side, hitting the scanner again, he looked back at the pod before showing a Zealot the scans. The Zealot shoved the Grunt aside before activating his energy sword, going up to the pod he placed the tip on the crack and ran it along the side. He jumped back when a pair of talons came out and took hold of the metal. Pulling it away, they disappeared before a creature sat up.
It had a mask with only one eye hole on the left, it's beak stuck out but had a piece of cloth draped over it from the mask, it had a vest on it with a few straw sprigs sticking out from the shoulders. On it's legs were a pair of brown pants that just reached the ankles. Hanging on it's back legs were a pair of sickles, on its back it carried a pitchfork and a scythe.
It got out, a few pieces of hay falling to the floor as it moved. It looked up at the Zealot before noticing the energy sword. It went past the Zealot and to a Grunt. It shook in fright as the thing stared down at it.
Quickly turning away, it went back to the Zealot before going back to its pod. As it was searching through it, the Zealot went up behind it and put a hand to its shoulder. It looked over at the hand before a deep chuckle came out.
"You have no idea who you're dealing with." He said turning around with a chain.
Wrapping it around the Zealots throat, he held it there as it struggled. Getting a talon free, he reached up and snapped the Zealot's neck.
Turning to the other covenant who now had their weapons on him, he chuckled again before taking out his scythe. He grabbed the grip, had the blade face away, and ran forward.
Dodging the plasma bolts with ease, he came up on another Elite. Twirling the blade, he made a solid cut across the Elites throat before sticking the blade through a Grunt. Taking it out with a spray of blood, he turned to the other Zealot as it made its way forward. Laughing again, he swung up in an arch and caught the Elite on the roof of its mouth.
Hearing a multitude of yells behind him, he took it out and sent it spinning towards the group of Grunts with active plasma grenades. It cut the head off one and cut open the methane tank of another. He watched in pleasure as they blew up, but what caught his attention was the Grunt flying around with the grenades. Flying to retrieve his scythe, he stopped in mid-air when a pink crystal zipped by. Glaring at the Jackal sniper, he took out his sickles before flying higher.
As he went up, he passed through two more levels, all of them with covenant swarming to where he first was. Smirking as he hacked a few Elites, a Grunt or even a Jackal on his way up. Reaching the ceiling, he folded his wings to the sides and dived down.
The Jackal's, stunned by his sudden take off were snapped out when a Grunt began screaming. They looked up just as Scarecrow came down on them.
He cut into the first, burying the first sickle in its eye, when the one next to it raised its rifle, he put it under his arm and sent the blade down its throat. He took them out from the corpses and turned to the other four Jackals. He turned his head when they put up their energy shields.
Flying back to the first Zealot, he took the chain and put it on his back. Turning back to the Jackals, they had formed a tight line and were advancing with the Grunt in front. Hearing a whirring, he saw the Hunter charging its fuel rod canon. Smirking again, he took out his Pitchfork and sent it flying like a spear. It hit the Hunter, the middle spike going through its neck as it let off a shot.
As it fell, the shot hit a walkway above and with a cry, more covenant came falling down in a heap. Turning back to the Jackals as they began to fire, he saw the grunt running at him with an active grenade in its hands. Taking off his chain, he looped it before spinning the loop above his head. He threw it forward, getting it around the grunts legs. With a heave and wing thrust, the Grunt went flying towards the recovering pile of covenant. It came free from its bindings and landed, a hiss sounded out as the grenade stuck itself on the Grunt.
It exploded, making a chain reaction between the Grunt's methane tanks, or the others grenades. Looking at the Jackals again, they had stopped and were looking at him. Taking the chain again, he lassoed them and flew up. As the chain length shortened, the Jackals were raised up; he flew over a walkway, letting the chain lift the Jackals and himself fall to the floor were he stayed there, hanging on it as the chain dug into their flesh.
Bored with waiting, he grabbed a nearby grunt body and set it on the chain. Watching the blood rain, he looked around and saw a lone Elite. He met its gaze and the Elite backed away. Chuckling he took out his scythe and took to the air.
Going up to another walkway higher up than the one that had been blown up, he landed without a noise as a squad of Elite Rangers went running by. Smiling to himself, he began to follow them.
He was relaxed and really enjoying himself. For who knows how long he was trapped from doing what he did best. As he was thinking, the Rangers had gotten onto a lift, and were raising their guns towards him. He narrowed his even though one was covered. Flying forward, he hit them before they could follow his path.
He cut into the first in a sidewards arch, it intestines spilled which he stuck the blade in and out from its back stabbing the Ranger behind him. Pulling it out, he sent it into the skull of the one on his left, using his tail he grabbed a sickle on his right leg and stabbed the Elite on the right, in the leg. He fell on his knee and then forward after he had been decapitated.
Holding the head on his scythe's blade, he noticed the lift moving down. Grinning as he felt the lift stop, he had an idea.
Outside the lift, the last group of Elites and Grunts were around the doors. Two more Hunters were also there, on the destroyed walkway were eight Jackal snipers, and alongside the Hunter's were Grunt canon fodder.
The doors opened an they all raised their weapons; one Elite lowered his and slowly approached the lift.
Dead Rangers were littered around the floor of it, one had its guts spilled out and another was missing its head. As he leaned in to look, he saw the head crudely placed in a Rangers hand. Turning around, he was about to speak when a scythe blade went through the back of his head and out of his mouth. Taking it out with a 'schlick' noise, Scarecrow dropped from the top and immediately took to the air as the plasma began to fly. Looking at the amount of enemies, and at his weapons, he grimaced before flying up to a random walkway.
Running along that. He came to a door and immediately went through. Looking around he saw nothing and proceeded carefully forward.
The sound of a door sliding open caught his attention, going to a corner he watched an Elite leave a room filled with what looked like glowing tubes. Grinning, he slunk over there after having dispatched the Elite from behind.
The room had four main generators, and a single large console in front of the generators. He looked around in mild interest before seeing the small charges of electricity running through the generators.
"I wonder what would happen if I do... This!" He laughed sinking the scythe blade into a control panel.
With a few sputters and sparks, the generators stopped and the lights flickered before going off. A series of red lights turned on and he grinned, pulling out the blade as he heard the panicked noises of the covenant below.
"Now," he said to himself opening the door again. "It sounds like harvest season is here."
Running down the hall, his one eye showing glowed a dim gold as he moved throughout the darkened halls. The red lights casting shadows on him and making his blades shine like blood reflecting light.
Going down the same hall, he saw the door opened and a Hunter enter alongside Grunt canon fodder. As they saw him, the Hunter was charging its canon when he struck the light above him. It flickered, and when it returned, he was gone.
He came into its field of vision when he sunk his pitchfork into its head. The Grunts were taken out easily with a wide sweep from his scythe. Flicking blood off it, he sheathed both weapons and took out his sickles. Going to the walkways edge, he saw the snipers looking around towards the ground. Chuckling deeply, he took to the air again.
Flying over the snipers, he dived one and cut it across the chest. Quickly moving before the next on could see him, he came down on it and cut its throat in a scissor-like action.
Looking to the side, he saw the other two snipers looking at him. He threw his sickles and hit them in the chests. As they fell to the floor, he took out his weapons and threw the second body over the edge to fall on a Grunt. As the covenant looked up to where he was, he had already disappeared.
Up above them again, he looked at the last four snipers and flew off to the side. Hovering in the air, he pushed himself forward, one sickle out to the side. The first of the Jackals head came off, the next had a nasty gash left in its neck, the third had its bottom jaw cut off, but he grabbed the fourth instead. Flying above the others, he gave a shrill whistle startling many of the covenant as they looked up.
Having gotten their attention, he put the tip of the sickles blade on the Jackals belly. With a swift motion, its entrails rained down on its allies as they moved to get out of the way.
He dropped the body and took out his scythe again, putting both talons on it, he flew down and threw the ranks of covenant; cutting and slashing nearly all the Grunts, the last few chose to activate grenades but that only served to injure the others around them as he quickly killed them.
As the Hunter and canon fodder began firing, plating on the walls were blown away leaving the wires to hang out. Looking at them momentarily and noticing the dead Jackals he had hung, he grinned diving towards a random elite. He caught him by surprise as it was trying to see through the green fire and its own night vision. Scarecrow lifted him with some difficulty, but he managed to lift the struggling Elite to his wanted height.
Flying to the nearest cord, he wrapped it tightly around the Elites throat before letting go. The Elite struggled, trying to undo the cord as it constricted its throat. After a minute, and Scarecrow hanging the last two elites, it finally went limp.
Landing after hanging his newest catch, he looked back at the Hunter and canon fodder, rolling his eyes, he flew forward quickly, scythe in talon.
He caught the first of the five grunts across the chest; spraying the blue blood everywhere' he sent some onto the Grunts mask next to him. It squealed, rubbing its mask free of the blood. He cut the tubes running to its mask, with a hiss they fell limp and the Grunt began choking on the oxygenated air. He turned to the Hunter as it was bringing its shield down.
He jumped out of the way, watching the floor panels bend from the impact; he took his scythe and flew behind it. Seeing the large opening it its back, he sunk the blade deeply into the neural lines.
The Hunter fell immediately, the Grunts scattered and Scarecrow lashed out quickly.
Staring down at the last Grunt body, he looked around and smiled. As he looked, something caught his eye; the Elite from earlier.
"Well, hello," he said going towards the shaken Elite. "It seems we have a buyer for this years produce. You're lucky you know, really lucky." He said reaching the Elite with a short flap of his wings.
Taking the scythe out in a flash of blue and silver, he put it to the Elites neck. It froze on the spot, the only part moving were its legs as they shook. Feeling the blade press down slightly, he lowered himself until he was sitting. Looking to the side, the griffon retracted the blade to sit by his side.
"Tell me, if you can," he said staring down at the Elite from the hole in his mask. "Can you understand me? If so, then speak, or nod."
The Elite stopped for a moment, slowly, he hooked his bottom mandibles together and spoke.
"I-I can understand you." He said.
"Well, as I've said, you are very lucky." Scarecrow said poking the Elite in the neck slightly. "I let you live for three reasons. One, so you can spread my name. Two, because you were smart enough to stay away from the masses. and three, you did what I didn't expect."
Looking to the side, he brought the blade to the Elites mandible and moved his head to look at him. Making sure it was pressed firmly, he leaned in to where his beak was nearly touching the Elites top mandible.
"Now, I see this is some kind of vessel, do you know how to move it?"
"Y-Yes."
"Then," he took the blade away, leaving a small cut in place. "Take me somewhere, somewhere where I may continue my harvest." He said gesturing towards the corpses. "While we go, we can talk. Now, get up."
The Elite got up, but was stopped before his Needle rifle was knocked away. The griffon nudged his head to the side, signaling for him to move.
As they went along, the Elite flinched every time he heard the wet sound of blood being stepped in. Looking around, he saw all the covenant, aside from him, dead. Elite were either stabbed, cut, or hanged. A group of Jackals had been hung and their sides were deeply cut into by the chains. Another part of the carnage was under a hole in a walkway; blackened remains still glowed a slight blue from the plasma overload on the exposed flesh of his comrades.
He went to another lift, the griffon quickly following and stepping behind him. Pushing the controls on the small console almost robotically, they waited in silence. The Elite jumped when the griffon spoke.
"So, you all, what are you exactly?" He asked. "A hydra and Diamond Dogs offspring?"
"I am sangheili," the Elite said. "Or, as the human heretics call us, Elites. What are you, demon?"
"Demon? Now that's a new one. I knew there was a fourth reason I liked you." The griffon laughed. "But, if you must know, I am a griffon. Half lion, half eagle. My name is unimportant, but you may call me Scarecrow. Now, how did you happen to chance upon my prison?"
"T-There, was a strange energy signature coming from it. When it entered the ship, it disappeared. What was the energy you were carrying?"
"Ah, yes, that," he hissed. "That energy, was from the ice keeping me frozen. When I was exiled from the whole of Equestria, both princesses used their magic to freeze me. And then that accursed Draconequus sent me flying into space using an oversized toy."
"Equestria? Magic? Draconequus?" The Elite said. "What are they? I have heard of none of them."
"Equestria was the country I started my little harvest in, magic is the energy that flows through every living thing or inanimate thing, and a Draconequus is a mix of many other animals. His name was Discord, the god of chaos. He had the ability to bend reality with a snap of his fingers, yet the fool only seemed intent on making candy clouds and chocolate dairy rain down."
Before the Elite could speak, the doors opened again. He was quickly pushed ahead into the control room overlooking the black expanse.
Terminals and monitors dotted around the middle floor, behind them was a large projection field showing what appeared to be a ship. The Elite, ushered by instinct, went to the nearest terminal and began tapping away furiously at the holographic symbols.
As he was doing so, the terminal flashed red and showed the ship on am external camera.
"Friends of yours?" The griffon asked looking at the hologram.
"No. Human soldiers." The Elite said. "We must hi-" he stopped, seeing the griffon had disappeared.
As he looked around in near darkness, a gun dropped down in front of him. Looking up he saw nothing. Steadying his nerves slightly, he began to walk along the dead ship. All the way, a deep laugh could be herd following each step he took.