Chapter 3: The Alien in Sheep’s clothing

1032 HOURS, FEBRURARY 28, 2535 (MILITARY CALENDAR)/UNKNOWN

COVENANT SYSTEM, ABOARD SMALL COVENANT VESSEL OF UNKNOWN
CLASSIFICATION

Randal felt a strong urge to knock the ODST medic out with a good uppercut as his shoulder
shook with pain. While it would probably heal and be better, the medic was far from gentle,
patching together the wound as crudely as possible while muttering angry words to himself. In
fact, the medic, whose name was Rourke, had to be issued a direct order from Commander
Ponton to just start treating him.
“There,” he finally said, and continued with giving the wound a hard punch. “You’re all
patched up. Just do us all a favor and don’t get wounded like that again, k?”
Randal suppressed his willingness to throw the ODST’s head against the purple-hued wall
of their new ship. He would maybe need the medic again, sadly.

The ship appeared to be a very small class of Covenant ship, maybe not even originally
intended for military use. Doctor Halsey had theorized that it was some kind of exploration
vessel that had been called back and refitted for military usage. But it was just a theory, since
they were unable to question the ‘Jackals’ that now piloted the ship while a team of ODSTs
stood behind them with guns raised, ready to fire at any surprising movement. Sadly, the team
hadn’t been able to take their translation software from the Prowler before abandoning it, and,
even if the aliens had such software themselves, they were not willing to go retrieve it,
because their voices still just sounded like screeches and hisses.
Doctor Halsey had wanted to study the Jackals a bit closer, which nearly resulted in her
being one finger shorter. Lieutenant Commander Al-Cygni and Jacob Keyes had done similar
attempts, with similar results. One thing was clear, however; they didn’t like being watched or
studied like lab rats.
The watching and research had led to one good thing at least; Alexis-109 and Halsey had
managed to learn how to pilot the craft on their own, so soon they would replace the Jackals at
the steering panels. But Commander Ponton wanted to keep the creatures alive, hoping to be
able to question them when they returned to UNSC space. If they ever returned to UNSC
space.
Randal decided to head for the room that the Commander had decided would be the
planning room, although no one was really sure what the room was really for. As he entered
through the open door, he noticed the Commander, Al-Cygni, Keyes and Joshua-024 were
already present. On approval of the Commander, he sat down in between Keyes and Joshua.
 “As I said” Ponton said with confidence. “Our next target should be this orbital shipyard in
the next system that the data points out. Destroying that will hamper their ship production.”
“Are you sure?” Everyone turned around. Nobody had noticed that Halsey had entered the
room. “After all” she said with a slight pause while cleaning her glasses on her coat “isn’t this
vessel proof that the Covenant doesn’t necessarily need shipyards? That they’d just convert
civilian vessels into warships, like with this one? I doubt it would deal a particular blow to
them.”
“Then what do you suggest” Ponton replied with hatred “that we just wait here until the
Covvies find us? We could strike them while we had dirt under our feet, but we don’t stand a
chance in an all-space battle.” Halsey sighed quietly as she put her glasses back into place.
“Personally, I think we must do everything in our power to find their homeworld and
capture or kill their highest leadership; then we might be able to either cause a split in the
Covenant or force them to a truce.”
“Well problem is” Ponton said with a smug grin “we don’t know the goddamn location of
their homeworld! And even if we did, how are we su-”
“Sir!” Sergeant Johnson bursted in through the opening. “Sir, we got three smaller
covenant vessels on our tail, I think you may want to take command.”

Ponton sat down in what everyone presumed was the commander seat, while Alexis and
Halsey took their respective stations where the jackals previously sat. As for the jackals, they
were now tied up on the floor and under the careful watch of sergeants Johnson, Byrne,
Mobuto and Jackson. Ponton looked at the TACMAP and there were a total of three ships
closing in on them fast.
But just as he was about to issue orders, the ships slowed down and ultimately stopped.
Even more strange, they didn’t seem to charge their weapons. Rather, something on the bridge
beeped, which Ponton finally presumed meant that something were trying to call the ship.
Halsey pressed a button she presumed to be the one for answering the call, and in place of the
TACMAP, an image of a jackal sitting in a command chair appeared.
“Humans” it said. Ponton noticed the hisses in the background, and realized they had
translation software installed, which would let them talk. Question was what this jackal
wanted with Ponton and his team. The Covenant races were supposed to wage war on
humanity, yet this Jackal commander didn’t do any attempt at attacking them.
“Humans” the creature continued “I speak to you for a bargain.”
“What kind of ‘bargain’?” Ponton replied with as much neutrality as he could.
“Me, Zealot Ped, suggest an alliance” the creature said, seemingly without effort. “It
would be beneficial for both of us.”
Ponton heard Sergeant Jackson and Mobuto coughing violently, undoubtedly meaning ‘it’s a
trap, dammit’, and Ponton could feel everyone else’s eyes on him. Personally, he didn’t think
it was a trap, but he also felt that this ‘Ped’ and his goal weren’t entirely noble. If he had to
guess, he’d say Ped would ally with him because he wanted something, which the alien
apparently hoped Ponton and his mean could help him achieve.
“If you are part of the Covenant” Ponton started “then why do you want an alliance?”
“I do not represent the Covenant you know and fear” Ped replied calmly “I’m a Heretic in
their eyes for wishing to lead my people to glory. And seeing the damage you caused to
Rhomegra, I know we can help each other out. If you help my rebellion spread and then to kill
the Covenant leadership, the Kig-yar, my race, will take that leadership’s place and take
control of the Covenant, a Covenant that will spare and maybe even embrace you humans as
part of it. A human-Kig-yar Covenant suppressing the other covenant races and controlling the
galaxy doesn’t sound so bad, right? You get your survival and power, I get my people’s power
and all the technology we need. What do you say?”
A human-jackal-controlled Covenant? It didn’t sound so bad, in fact it sounded too good to
be true. So good that Ponton realized that he and Ped would be unable to fulfill the
requirements. And he still doubted that Ped would fulfill his end of the bargain. But still…if
they succeeded, humanity would’ve been saved. Billions of lives would be spared, and dozens
of worlds would be left untouched. He decided he had to take the risk.
“I accept your offer, Zealot Ped” he finally replied after a few minutes. Ped looked pleased,
as far as Ponton could see alien emotions at least. But he felt the confused and occasionally
angry looks of his fellow humans sting into him like knifes. But he knew he had done the
right thing. This was their only chance to secure peace between the Covenant and the UNSC,
and put an end to this useless struggle.