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Isaac awoke in complete darkness. It was the sort of absolute darkness that makes one question if they are blind.
The floor beneath Isaac was solid, cold and sterile. He couldn't remember what had happened. He had been on his home colony, Harvest, going for an afternoon jog in the countryside, but from then on his memory was a disturbing blank. He was still wearing his tracksuit, he could still feel it damp with his sweat, his memory loss was surely not very large.
His first thoughts were that perhaps he was being held prisoner by outer rim pirates or rebels, perhaps to be bartered with or ransomed. It wouldn't have surprised him, things had been escalating to this kind of point over the last few years, the UNSC having difficulty dealing with criminals over such vast distances.
In an instant the room was flooded with light, blinding Isaac, his retina scorched cruelly by the instantaneous jump from total darkness to intense light.
It took nearly half a minute of repeated blinking to regain his vision, but for the next few minutes he shut his eyes, even the light that was glaring through his eyelids was painful.
A disembodied voice, metallic and cold, echoed all around him. It made Isaac feel vulnerable and utterly scrutinized, of which he was indeed both.
"Hello Isaac."
Isaac kept his eyes shut, but he replied out to the echoic walls of the chamber.
"Who are you?" He demanded.
"I am an alien, Isaac."
This was not a response Isaac was expecting, and he certainly wasn't sure he believed it, but after a moment he questioned on.
"How do you know my name?"
"I know far more about you than I care to Isaac." The voice replied quickly.
"What do you want?"
"I want to ask you some questions, Isaac, and I want you to answer truthfully..." the voice answered, "...and if you do not answer me truthfully, I shall extract the answers I want via other means." The voice added menacingly.
Isaac sensed danger, it was like being caught on a train that couldn't stop, and was eventually going to hit something.
However he forced this feeling out of his mind.
"OK, I'll answer your questions." He replied confidently, despite the fact he wasn't.
"Isaac, there are several sentient races in this galaxy, but this was not always the case.
A long time ago, before life existed on any of our homeworlds or your homeworld, there was a single sentient race. This race was incredibly developed, they were united in the goal of discovering the secrets of the universe.
However at some point in their history, they were wiped out, for reasons we are still uncertain of.
But their destruction was not without leaving a legacy behind, and inheritors to receive that legacy.
You see, Isaac, all the life that exists in the galaxy now, is derived from this race. Before their destruction they implanted many worlds with life, genetically the same as their race, but far less evolved. These life forms on these many different planets all evolved in their different ways, shaped by their environments. However they all retained certain similarities, such as eyes, skulls, spines, limbs, organ systems and other attributes.
My own race was the first to venture off it's homeworld, and soon we discovered the legacy of technology our ancestors left behind for us. It was then that the Covenant was born. An empire with the goal of discovering all the other descendant races in the galaxy and leading them.
We have discovered many of these descendant races. As I'm sure you have realised, Isaac, your race is also descended from this ancient race I speak of."
This was a lot to take in, but Isaac was broad-minded, he could comprehend it. He also knew what was coming next.
"So," He replied slowly, "Now it is humanity's turn to ally with the Covenant? If you're asking me what I think humanity would make of this, then let me assure you, it has been my race's greatest hope that if we discovered another intelligent race, we would be able to make peaceful alliance."
The voice spoke again.
"Yes Isaac, it would be an alliance, but not the alliance your race has envisioned.
Your species as individuals is used to having a lot of freedom. I have no need to lie to you Isaac, your race would serve my race, as do all the other races in the Covenant. You would have to let go of all you know and are accustomed to, we would tell your people what they would do, we would be your masters."
All of a sudden things had turned from excited anticipation to grim foreboding.
"What do you mean?" Asked Isaac in a piercing tone, "You're going to try to take us over?"
"Am I correct in assuming your race would not willingly accept this?"
Isaac gave a short, angry laugh.
"You're damn right!"
The voice paused.
"This is as I predicted. Isaac. Your race is different from all the others who have joined the Covenant. Unlike these other races, your race has developed technology and it's own intergalactic empire. Our technology is less overwhelming to you, as you have your own. Therefore there is little incentive for your race to let go of what you have and come under our command."
Isaac couldn't believe what he was hearing, it was so unreasonable.
"You don't have to take us over! We can still live together in peace, but as equals!"
The voice came down swiftly on his argument.
"There is no such thing as peace among equal nations, Isaac. As long as two nations are free of each other, then they are also threats to one another. History has proven this time and time again. We can eliminate this danger by ruling all. If we cannot rule your race, Isaac, we will eliminate it."
Isaac's blood went cold.
"There is so much we can offer each other!" He protested.
"Your race has nothing to offer us, other than it's unquestioning service to our race. Your technology is not as developed as our own, and we are already aware of your culture and history, neither of which are more than points of intellectual curiosity. We cannot allow your race to exist if it will not surrender all it has to us."
"So that's it then is it?" Snapped Isaac furiously to the alien he could not see, "You cannot dictate us so you're quite happy to murder trillions of innocent people? Can't you bastards see that is wrong?"
"Do not try to apply morals to us or our actions!" The voice retorted coldly, "Morals are a concept invented by the insecure. Life exists to survive, Isaac, and only life that has the will to survive, and to destroy that which threatens it, will continue to exist.
Your race has the potential to be a threat to us, Isaac, and we will destroy you."
Isaac gave an angry snort.
"So, you alien bastards are looking for a fight, huh? Well listen up ET, you couldn't have picked a worse enemy than the human race. We're pretty fucking tough. We've got the UNSC, with a huge armada of warships."
The voice replied, and despite it's cold, anonymous tone, Isaac was sure he could here a note of cruel mirth.
"I do not doubt the formidability of your kind, Isaac. In my opinion, your race has the potential to become the most powerful race to be seen in this galaxy since our ancestors. However I shall not allow your race to develop to this point, we shall wipe you and your fledgling empire out while it is still young and weak, you shall fall before our might. I am very well aware of your armada, Isaac, and believe me, our own fleet outnumbers yours many times, and our warships are far more powerful than yours. Our victory is inevitable."
Isaac shouted back defiantly,
"Don't be so sure you son of a bitch! We human beings are tough, we have gotten this far, and we can beat you! Because we've got something you cowards don't have... backbone! We aren't afraid to take on enemies who are stronger, we don't need to go around murdering innocent people. It's because of this that we'll beat you if you take us on!!"
The voice replied, and there was definitely some cruel amusement hidden within it.
"Up to this point I admired your race, Isaac. I believed it had an incredible amount of stamina. But now I see that it is not stamina you are displaying, merely defiant ignorance. You will not defeat us, but please, demonstrate to me your 'backbone.'"
Suddenly their came a hiss in the chamber. Isaac swung around to see a humanoid figure standing in a doorway. It was huge, nearly half again as tall as him. It wore blue-chromed, iridescent armour that looked like the chitinous shell of a beetle.
It had demonic hooves and from it's elongated, skull, just beneath the rim of it's smooth helmet, shone two chilling, pupil-less eyes that glittered like little chips of ice.
Most frightening of all- on it's forearm, the giant alien wielded a glowing blade that looked like it was composed entirely of intense blue light.
The creature advanced towards Isaac with terrifying intent in it's stride.
Isaac backed to the wall, when he realised that this was exactly what these bastards wanted, for humanity to curl over and be stamped on. Well, he wasn't going down without a fight.
Isaac roared in rage and charged towards the alien. He brought his fist back and threw his whole weight behind a punch at the creature's waist.
However the blow never hit the creature.
A steely claw slashed down and clamped Isaac's incoming forearm like a vice.
For a split second Isaac was frozen, his arm held mid-punch by the creature's crushing grip.
Then the creature gave his arm an agonizing, jerking twist, breaking his wrist and elbow and splintering his forearm.
Isaac stumbled back in dazed, stuttering pain.
Then that same steely claw grasped his neck with blood-stopping pressure.
The creature lifted Isaac effortlessly off the ground with it's one arm, the other arm bearing the blade was relaxed.
Isaac could feel the pressure building in his throbbing temples, he gripped the creature's forearm feebly with his left arm, his right arm dangled in agony, splintered and broken at his side. His face began to bead with cold sweat, his eyes were beginning to roll back into his sockets.
The towering alien drew Isaac's pale face towards it's own.
For a brief moment the creature examined him, then it snarled.
Isaac looked weakly into the creature's face. It's mouth had opened it's four jaws like a terrifying flower, it's gums venomous yellow and lined with razor teeth. It's breath had a vinegary smell.
Isaac thought the creature was going to bite his face off.
The blood flow to his head was almost gone.
He was losing consciousness.
Then with a sudden, powerful slash, the creature lopped Isaac's head off with a clean cut, his arteries and throat re-fused shut by the hell-like scorch of the blade.

The White Prophet watched from another room on a large screen as the disciple of the 4th Chapter [the Elite] examined Isaac's face. It was understandable, he was the first Covenant of his kind to see one of these creatures, and the young disciple would likely see and kill many more in his lifetime.
The White Prophet turned away before the Elite cut off Isaac's head, departing from the viewing chamber. As he exited he heard through the audio players- the sound of the Human's head bounce and roll as it hit the floor.

The White Prophet proceeded to float with the eerie silence of a spirit down a cathedral-like corridor. The sheer, purple-iridescent walls mirrored the shafts of bright sunlight that pierced through ornate crystal windows that lined the upper parts of them.
The White Prophet laughed as he considered how the Human had tried to argue with morals.
Had the White Prophet believed in morals he would surely be feeling indescribable guilt upon his conscience.
After all, one could say his claws would bear the blood of trillions of lives.
But of course, the White Prophet felt no such guilt.
He understood the nature of life too well for that...

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