abstract
| - For some the Great War never ended. All manner of Covenant hardliners still seek to end humanity just as humanity plots against their erstwhile neighbours. Terrorists plague many outer colony systems and anywhere bordering the frontier is at equal risk. In forgotten outpost just inside the Frontier, one such terrorist plots his revenge. Rahs 'Tarn slowly placed the curveblade back on the table, his large hands moving with a practiced dexterity as the blood gently dripped off the blades sharpened edge. He worked his manibles around as he slowly looked over the rest of his tools, what to test next? What did he still need to learn? Next to him was a human. Strapped to the floating table by a pair of glowing plasma restraints he lay there motionless as the alien next to him picked through his collection of medical implements. The human was dressed in blood sodden rags, incisions, slowly healing scars and puncture wounds. The palid nature of his skin as well as the pained, resigned expression on his face told only of the constant pain he was in. Rahs had to give the creature credit, he had lasted a lot longer than his last subjects. Clearly culling from the military stock yeilded better specimens. Reaching down Rahs plucked a large injector, an implement aquired from a group of Kig-Yar mercenaries he'd raided for supplies a few weeks ago. The Sangheili stared a the deep purple liquid in the tube for a second. A toxin from a Kayarcs and modified by Rahs to attack human cells. Looking down he saw the human staring at him. Once his eyes would have widen and struggled as Rahs set to work. Now he just stared with dull weariness, his glazed dead eyes told of his surrender to his captor. Slowly Rahs stabbed the injector through the skin of the humans arm, letting the fluid flood through his veins. Within seconds he had begun to scream. Ignoring his cries Rahs moved to the holoscreens to his right, examining the toxin as it begun its work. Rahs had chosen the Kayarcs posion specifically because it targeted the afflicted's nervous system to inflict full body paralysis. This modified version Rahs had made did the same, except it burned their nervous system out. Behind him the human continied to struggle, his weakened frame fighting against the bonds that held him in place. Watching his struggle against his fate gave Rahs a measure of satisfaction, a small piece of revenge of what they had done to Rahs and his brothers. Rahs watched, in complete silence, as the human slowly died in front of him. Studying him on the holoscreens, studying how his body gave in to the toxins running rampant through his body. He was dead moments later. The toxin was more vicous that Rahs had expected. But then it's target was never meant to be a common human. The intened recipeient was one with a far stronger constitution. Before his revenge could begin he needed one last test subject. Before the revenge that had planned for so long it consumed his waking moments, a revenge he had thrown out all rules of fair conduct and honour. Before that revenge could begin. He needed a Spartan. Once he had one of their kind to perfect his equipment on, then his work could begin. And all daemon kind would feel his vengance.
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