Foundations/Enslaved

Enslaved is a short story in the Foundations collection that that focuses on the Unggoy Hugpy's life before his induction into the mercenary gang of Oru 'Vanuxee. It is the first of six short stories that will be written for the series.

Character Cast

 * Hugpy
 * Kig-Yar slave trader
 * Jagratius

Hugpy sat in the cold room, shivering with fear. Bugo was huddled up with the other two Unggoy, barely keeping warm. Hugpy could hear the voices outside, yelling and bargaining about his price. Hugpy was a slave now, even worse off than the Covenant's cannon fodder. ''At least I had own life. Almost like being slave, but not exactly.'' The withered Unggoy thought back to his forced service in the Covenant Empire. He still had to answer to his masters, but at least they were Sangheili. Those creatures were good masters. The Kig-Yar were not. Hugpy tried to remember exactly what happened, but his body was wracked with pain. Too much pain. I think I remember...

Hugpy and Bugo trotted around the generator, keeping their masks on tight to prevent oxygen or the produced carbon from entering their lungs. Hugpy waddled over to compactor. It had a loose screw. The Unggoy didn't know what to do. He kicked it, and immediately regretted it, a jolt of searing hot in his foot. That did nothing to shove the screw in. Maybe Bugo knew how? "Hey Bugo, you know how fix generator? If not, we screwed!"

No response. Hugpy did not like that. He wandered over to the other side of the generator. Hugpy looked down and screeched. Bugo was lying on the floor, struck in the head. Who would do this? He heard a footstep and turned around, only to be whacked himself. Hugpy fell hard, and gazed up at his assailant. It was a Kig-Yar, holding a taser. Hugpy tried to gasp, but it was too hard to with the throbbing in his head. With extreme effort, Hugpy managed to squeak out the words, "What you doing?"

The Kig-Yar chuckled and reached into a sack Hugpy had not noticed before. They reached in and retrieved two collars, striding over to Bugo and fitting one on his unconscious form. He went over to Hugpy next, and the bewildered Unggoy could only watch as the Jackal tightened it around his neck. Suddenly, the collar squeezed on Hugpy's neck, nearly choking him as the Kig-Yar stood up. The avian's eyes darted around the chamber, and now satisfied, the Kig-Yar finally spoke. "You don't know, as always, Unggoy. The Great Schism has begun, and the Covenant is broken. The Elites and Jiralhanae are at each other's throats, and the humans are taking advantage of that. I figure I should too, so you two will be my slaves. The Jiralhanae are backed by the Prophets, so I should just sell you to them at a reasonable price."

Hugpy could not believe it. One moment he was a member of the Covenant Empire, the next a slave. Hugpy tried to say more, but the Kig-Yar drew a rifle and hit him with it's butt. Next thing Hugpy knew, the world went black.