Halo 2 Forum
This topic has moved here: Subject: Halo Fanfic: The End of a War
  • Subject: Halo Fanfic: The End of a War
Subject: Halo Fanfic: The End of a War
  • gamertag:
  • user homepage:
  • last post: 01.01.0001 12:00 AM PDT

Great Chapter Mr. C!!!!

  • 08.27.2005 6:16 PM PDT
  • gamertag:
  • user homepage:
  • last post: 01.01.0001 12:00 AM PDT

that was an excellent chapter.

Well done Mr Clark!!!

  • 08.27.2005 8:10 PM PDT
  • gamertag: MC719
  • user homepage:

I will always place the mission first.
I will never accept defeat.
I will never quit.
I will never leave a fallen comrade.

That chapter was awesome, my favorite part was when the Master Chief stopped that charging Elite, that was cool. I can't wait for the next chapter. Nice job Mr. Clark.

  • 08.27.2005 11:26 PM PDT
  • gamertag:
  • user homepage:
  • last post: 01.01.0001 12:00 AM PDT

This chapter defies all explanations of beauty.
If i searched for a decade I would not find a suitible descripition of the immense joy and excitement that erupted from within my being when reading this.
Thank you, Mr. Clark, my life has meaning once more.

[Edited on 8/28/2005]

  • 08.28.2005 9:59 AM PDT
  • gamertag: [none]
  • user homepage:

as I was lying on my bed at the night gazing the stars wondering one thing; Where the hell my roof went.

I am a Zombie.
Proud member of B.net since -04

Mr_Clark.

I am here to speak about your latest chapter.

It was indeed great chapter.

I was greatly surprised about Councils and Arbiters conversation.
Sacred Armour laid before Council, and Aunlum gaining back his rank as Fleetmaster.

Without replying John turned deftly and stepped through the twisting rubble inside the chamber. As he reached the double-set doors, the Spartan cast one final glance at the Covenant city before leaving the room, never to set foot inside the ship ever again.

Hmm... What is that supposed to mean? Does Halsey make his visit on Silone and what does that Forerunner do. He seems to play with lives of every single race.


-HaloXenon-

  • 08.28.2005 12:06 PM PDT
  • gamertag:
  • user homepage:
  • last post: 01.01.0001 12:00 AM PDT

Still busy as a uh...busy person I suppose. I have started an outline of Chapter 21 so I'm making movements in the right direction.

I'll post the chapter on the forums soon, though I'm not too sure about sending the PM's, that takes hours to do, and I just might wind up skipping it this time around.

I've been listening to the Grandia III soundtrack, anybody else? I'm not liking it as much as the Dreamcast version of Grandia II (the true version), but it has its moments.

  • 08.28.2005 6:36 PM PDT
  • gamertag:
  • user homepage:
  • last post: 01.01.0001 12:00 AM PDT

Awesome chapter Clark! Cant wait for 21! Keep up the excellent work!

  • 08.28.2005 10:23 PM PDT

Official Town Drunk of Sandwichia. Nation of the Flood.
MBT - Impossible Just Happened
* How is it that "Fat Chance" and "Slim Chance" mean the same thing?
* If you choke a Smurf, what color will it turn?

XBOX User Space profile

amazing chapter (as usual) i just bookmarked ur story at fanfiction.com so i canread it without interuption although i do like to read the odd idea put out by ur readers and send ur story to bungieget i published right now i am the last post i feel so special and if ne one asks if i am mental the answer is probably yesbut who knows just dont ask and im bored i readall the chapted like 2X alrdy and there all great cant wait 4chapter 21

[Edited on 8/28/2005]

  • 08.28.2005 10:43 PM PDT
  • gamertag:
  • user homepage:
  • last post: 01.01.0001 12:00 AM PDT

its great! o yeah mr clark have u read the book called digital fortress? dan brown is very talented

  • 08.28.2005 10:59 PM PDT
  • gamertag:
  • user homepage:
  • last post: 01.01.0001 12:00 AM PDT

OMG THAT WAS GREAT.
It felt a little short though...
The council is so stupid.

  • 08.29.2005 1:33 AM PDT
  • gamertag:
  • user homepage:
  • last post: 01.01.0001 12:00 AM PDT

very good but i thought it seemd short but that coulda been that i read fast so who knows

  • 08.29.2005 3:40 AM PDT
  • gamertag:
  • user homepage:
  • last post: 01.01.0001 12:00 AM PDT

I'm able to access everything but chapter 20? Hmmm........

FanFiction.Net Message
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Chapter not found. Please check to see you are not using an outdated url.

  • 08.29.2005 7:34 AM PDT
  • gamertag:
  • user homepage:
  • last post: 01.01.0001 12:00 AM PDT

Free time is here! There's more mistakes in this version of the chapter, mainly because I have discovered its my version of Microsoft Word that is completely messed up, and am forced to use other programs for now. Anyways, still no PM's sent, which sucks, but I seriously just don't have any time to send them.

Author’s Notes: We’re heading into the final stretch here. Not much left. Maybe five chapters plus an epilogue.

I realize there hasn’t been much forthcoming in the spectrum of shedding light on the many…many different plotlines. This of course can be quite frustrating for people, especially for those who have been around since the start. Nine months is a long time to wait.

Thankfully you can take to heart that I’m not one to leave any plotlines open, or unresolved.

This story will definitely be finished in a somewhat satisfying manner. Take from that what you will.

The End of a War

Chapter 20

Where’s the Welcoming Party…?


Honor Without Mercy thrummed with power as it descended through the upper layers of atmosphere that covered the Sangheili home world of Silone. As the dense clouds parted before the massive flagship, the regional distinctions became clearer. In contrast to the industrialized planet of Danrun, Silone was covered in a lush, natural beauty. Much of the landscape lay untouched; a symbol of the heritage and honor the Sangheili gave their birthplace.

From the bridge of the Covenant flagship, the Arbiter watched his home world as a myriad of emotions ran through him. This planet was where he was birthed, and grew up, learning the ancient beliefs of the Covenant, and the pivotal role that the Sangheili played. He had also spent much of his youth learning of the Sangheili history, of what their way of life was before the introduction of the Forerunners and the Great Journey. Such memories brought a sense of nostalgia to the Arbiter.

His time on Silone was also where he had learnt of his father, and his many heroics in battle. He learnt of Gao Kinlumee’s passing as well, perishing during the Taming of the Hunters. His father had been requisitioned as the Commanding Officer during the Lekgolo uprising, leading the forces of the Covenant into beating down the insurgency the rampant creatures attempted to inflect upon the Covenant.

As a child the Arbiter had received much attention while he grew up. The offspring of a famed commander, and an orphan after both his father and mother passed on. It was a rare event to have both parents pass away, leaving a Sangheili child to be raised by the Councilors.

The last memories the Arbiter possessed of Silone was that of pride. He had excelled at his studies, and shown his worth as a master tactician in understanding the intricacies of space travel, and the use of the Covenant war ships. From there he had been taken to Danrun, where the Arbiter began his training to become the fleet commander he once was.

And yet, the Arbiter mused. All that I spent my youth studying, training, and obsessing over was for nothing. It was all a lie, a fabrication on the part of the Prophets. The shame I felt after the destruction of the first Halo, and the humiliation that came afterwards, all of it was for nothing.

Returning to Silone was bittersweet. He had left filled with devotion for the Covenant, for the Great Journey, and now he was returning intent on rallying the Sangheili for war against the Covenant. To unify them with the remaining human race, to whom the Sangheili had spent many years fighting with unyielding fury.

“Arbiter,” one of the Sangheili spoke from his position before the navigation terminal. “Our landing zone has been cleared, though the officer in the dry docks wishes for us to allow the Attrition to land first.”

The Arbiter considered that for a moment. Allowing the Attrition to dock first would guarantee that the pilot ’Eranumee, would have plenty of time to fill the Sangheili Commanders in on what was transpiring on Danrun. Not a bad thing necessarily, but the Arbiter was wary in trusting that the Sangheili pilot would not also let slip that inside Honor Without Mercy an Arbiter was aboard, along with the Demon and a Holy Oracle from one of the Sacred Rings. The Demon’s presence was something the Arbiter had not fully taken into account as of yet. Regardless of whatever words he spoke, the Sangheili would look upon the Demon as nothing more than their most fearsome of enemies.

Casting his gaze about the bridge, the Arbiter realized that the Demon was no longer there.

Where could he have gone? The Arbiter mused for a moment, before waving his hand dismissively at the Sangheili navigator.

“Send our acknowledgement,” he instructed. “What we have to tell the Council will take a great deal of time, and I shall need to prepare before I visit with the elders.”

-----------------------------------

Several decks below, the Master Chief emerged from a shadowed hallway, marching listlessly down the raised walkway that led into the main communications networking facility aboard the Honor Without Mercy. The metal deck beneath his armored feet clanked audibly as he moved, the sound alerting all those in the vicinity. Grunts, Elites, and even a pair of Hunters parted before the Spartan, allowing him to pass unheeded.

John could feel the wary eyes of the excommunicated Covenant members upon him, but he chose not to show any outward signs of notice. If all they wished to do was stare at him, he didn’t mind. John had spent his entire life being stared at by soldiers, comrades, enemies…even his friends.

News of the ships arrival inside Silone had spread quickly throughout the creatures onboard, and a sense of relief tinged with apprehension seemed to have risen. John didn’t share in any king of relief. Only a few hours before, he had felt something; much like the feeling he got in battle when something was hiding from him, waiting to pounce. The Spartan was no stranger to abnormal paranoia. A soldier needed to stay alert on and off the battlefield, something COP Mendez had drilled into his head throughout the long, arduous training process so many years ago.

The feeling had only seemed to intensify as time went on, and John had excused himself from the bridge. The uneasy feeling.

Honor Without Mercy was of a very grandiose design, with its many twisting hallways and open courtyards. The Prophet of Mercy seemed to have liked all the pomp and circumstance that came with being a hierarch, and saw fit to design his personal vessel as he saw fit. The ship was nearly double the size of the UNSC halcyon-class cruisers.

The communications relay room bled off into another series of corridors, John stepped through another set of double-sliding doors, and he emerged inside the enormous ceremonial chamber that the Prophet of Mercy had used to deliver sermons to the inhabitants of the ship. The chamber had also been the scene of the battle between Sergeant Johnson and Gravemind. Judging from the amount of debris and body parts, there hadn’t been much of an effort to clean the place.

Stepping carefully through the wreckage, John came to a stop before the large viewing porthole that had been cut into the western wall of the chamber, allowing the occupants to gaze out into space. The view granted to the Master Chief was of the Eastern sector of the Sangheili capital city, Corinphi. He was taken aback shortly, as the seemingly archaic design of the buildings and structures stood out proudly within the city.

“Beautiful isn’t it?” Cortana’s voice filtered down throughout the chamber. John knew through enough dealings with the A.I that trying to locate her was pointless, so he remained gazing out at the city.

“It’s certainly different than I imagined,” John admitted.

  • 08.29.2005 12:21 PM PDT
  • gamertag:
  • user homepage:
  • last post: 01.01.0001 12:00 AM PDT

“I’ve dug up as many mentions of the Elite home world that I can find in the ship’s databanks, and from what I could gather it would seem the Elite High Council wished for their original way of life on the planet to continue; even as they became assimilated into the Covenant,” Cortana informed him. “Using some of Honor Without Mercy’s scanners I was able to detect several stationary plasma cannons however. They seem to be placed in positions that would be capable of protecting individual cities, instead of the planet itself. It would appear the Elite’s didn’t expect to find themselves facing an invasion force any time soon.”

“They’ll likely come to regret that soon,” John replied. “If this planet is so limited in Covenant technology, then did we make a mistake by coming here?”

“Oh there’s plenty of ships,” Cortana said quickly. “Some of the orbital star ports around the planet look like they could service hundreds of Covenant carriers. Regardless of that fact, I don’t think the Arbiter would have been willing to go along unless we alerted his people first.”

For all the good that seems to be doing, John mentally grumbled. His gaze slipped past the city and settled on the horizon.

“Have there been any transmissions from Earth?” he asked.

“Nothing yet,” Cortana informed him. “Even using HGB burst transmissions it will likely take almost a week for any transmissions sent from Earth to reach us. There’s plenty of ground for them to travel before they get here.”
John grunted back in return, folding his arms across his chest as Honor Without Mercy began drifting further closer to the ground.

“Chief,” Cortana’s voice said hesitantly. “I’ve configured our landing vector and synched it with the autopilot. Do you think I could…?”

“Sure,” John replied, “Is there a pedestal somewhere nearby?”

“By the collapsed section of the deck,” Cortana said.

Shuffling his feet John turned and started back through the chamber, away from the large viewing window. He understood the apprehension Cortana felt when asking him to allow her back into his suit. It was always uncomfortable feeling someone else’s presence inside your own mind, and to be the one doing the intruding must have been at least slightly unsettling.

It hadn’t been long since John had once disliked Cortana’s presence inside his suit. Since those first few moments of awkwardness however, he had since begun to welcome Cortana’s intrusion. She was an invaluable asset in battle, and had saved his life numerous times. Perhaps most important of all, Cortana was a voice that was with him, even when he felt completely isolated.

The pedestal platform appeared before the Master Chief and he set his palm upon the center. A flash of light and the feeling of warmth traveling through his body was the only indication that a foreign entity had entered his body.

“The Arbiter is preparing to dock, we should get back to the bridge,” Cortana’s voice said inside his helmet.

Without replying John turned deftly and stepped through the twisting rubble inside the chamber. As he reached the double-set doors, the Spartan cast one final glance at the Covenant city before leaving the room, never to set foot inside the ship ever again.

---------------------------------

High Councilor Pondomee’s ship, the Attrition, slowly settled down in the private docking bay afforded to the ship inside the large station that had been developed just outside of Corinphi. Lan ‘Eranumee, the pilot, unclasped the helmet required for such small Covenant crafts, and stood. The other Sangheili aboard had already begun to debark, though without any set orders they were simply gathering before the ship as the Sangheili technicians hovered around.

‘Eranumee took the chance to stretch his body. He had spent many days glued in the pilot’s seat, and he had paid for it. With nothing but stimulants entering his system to keep him aware and alert, the prolonged consciousness seemed to be coming to a head, now that he was up and moving. With a growl he tried to push back the overwhelming exhaustion as he debarked from the ship, walking down the short gangplank (the Attrition had not been given a gravity lift due to its small size) to join the gathering of his shipmates.

It was only a few moments before ‘Eranumee spotted an entire Sangheili guard detail approaching them. Taking the initiative he stepped forward from the collected soldiers and awaited the armed Sangheili, as they grew closer. The guards parted before ‘Eranumee, and an elder stepped forward. He was decked out in ceremonial robes, and held his hands composed behind his back.

‘Eranumee had been away from Silone for many cycles, but he remembered the actions required of an officer when meeting a fellow Sangheili elder. With a deft bow, the Sangheili pilot fell to his knees and placed his head near to the ground of the hanger bay. Behind him, ‘Eranumee could sense the other Sangheili doing the same.

“You may rise,” the Sangheili elder, said his tone even. He waited for the assembled Sangheili to get back up to their feet before continuing.

“I have heard the reports sent forth by your ship when you first entered this system. I must say they carry an unbelievable tone. As well it would seem another ship; the Prophet of Mercy’s flagship has entered our system as well and if the reports are to be believed an Arbiter is aboard, carrying a message very similar to the one that you have brought before us.”

“Everything in my transmission is the truth my lord,” ‘Eranumee said earnestly. “The Arbiter’s message I do not know, but I request a moment of your time to explain something I saw when speaking with him before I landed.”

The Sangheili elder eyed ’Eranumee warily before nodding, and with a wave of his hand the guard detail dispersed, taking with them the other Sangheili warriors from the Attrition. Once they were relatively alone, the elder looked at him and wordlessly motioned for ‘Eranumee to continue.

“Shortly after entering the system from the jump we made from Danrun, I received a hail from Honor Without Mercy. When a link had been set up with our ships, I was granted a view into the bridge of the ship. Aboard I could see not only an Arbiter, but a Holy Oracle as well,” ‘Eranumee informed the Elder, who looked surprised at the announcement.

“That is indeed troubling,” the Elder said. “We had heard whispers of trouble at the location of the second Sacred Ring. Perhaps the Arbiter has brought us a message from the Prophets.”

“I am afraid that might be the case,” ‘Eranumee conferred, before continuing hesitantly. “But, my Lord, there was one other presence on the bridge of the ship that startled me.”

The docking bay began to tremble as the expansive outer doors near the far end of the chamber began to part, and Honor Without Mercy slowly pulled its way inside. ‘Eranumee felt a slight sense of awe as he stared at the enormous ship. In the deep immensity of space, it was easy to overlook the sheer size of the crafts the Covenant used. The flagship was a monument to thousands of years of development and architecture within the Covenant.

“My Lord, I saw the Demon aboard the ship as well,” ‘Eranumee said suddenly.

“What?” the Elder snapped his head back around to glare at ‘Eranumee in surprise. “Was he in captivity?”

“No sir,” ‘Eranumee replied. “He seemed to be moving freely about. I questioned the Arbiter and he said that there were more changes than just the Prophet’s treachery.”

“You should have said something earlier,” the Elder grumbled. Turning he caught the eye of his guards and motioned towards Honor Without Mercy, which had just completed it’s docking maneuvers.

“Cover the gravity lift of that ship! The Demon is aboard!”

While the Elder had specifically been talking to his guard detail, the many other Sangheili in the dry docks heard this exclamation and stared at the large Covenant flagship in fear. As the guards quickly moved to cover the gravity lift, they were joined by many of the other Sangheili that had been aimlessly about inside the hanger.

A deep intensity gripped the occupants of the docking bay, and ‘Eranumee moved closer to the Covenant flagship, hoping to catch sight of whatever action may take place. Pulsating power emerged from the ship as ‘Eranumee came to a halt, and the bright purple energy filtered down from the small gravity lift. The tense atmosphere seemed to heighten as the first figure drifted down, soon followed by another.

The Sangheili ‘Eranumee had identified before as the Arbiter was the first to come down the lift, and the second figure ‘Eranumee recognized as well.

“Demon!” one of the guards bellowed, the energy blade at his side jumping to life. With a strangled cry the Sangheili charged at the armored human.

“Wait!” the Arbiter shouted, placing himself in front of the Demon and effectively cutting the two off. This fact did not seem to deter the Sangheili guard as he continued his charge. The Demon seemed to realize this before the Arbiter, and quickly shoved the sacred Sangheili off to the side, setting himself into a defensive stance.

  • 08.29.2005 12:22 PM PDT
  • gamertag:
  • user homepage:
  • last post: 01.01.0001 12:00 AM PDT

The guard swung viciously, cutting through the air with a high arc, slicing through the position where the Demon had been standing a moment before. The Demon was no longer there however, much to ’Eranumee’s surprise. He hadn’t even seen the human move. The Sangheili guard had overextended himself with his swing, and the Demon grasped the arm that held the energy blade and with a simple chop the guard’s hand cracked audibly. The energy blade fell to the ground, the concentrated plasma winking out of existence.

While the blade had fallen, the Demon was not immobile. He had twisted the Sangheili’s arm further, locking it behind the guard’s back. From the holster at his waist the Demon had removed a small handgun and placed it up against the underside of the guard’s neck. The maneuver had occurred within the blink of an eye.

The entire docking bay seemed to be in shock over the amazing display of grace and deadly precision the Demon had just demonstrated for them. That surprise seemed to melt while the Arbiter pushed himself back up to his feet.

“Release him, Demon,” the Arbiter said roughly. He had obviously disliked the rough treatment.

‘Eranumee watched as the Demon slowly relinquished his hold on the Sangheili guard and stepped back, holstering the pistol. The guard cast an angry glare at the Demon as he cradled his injured hand.

“I apologize for the surprise,” the Arbiter announced to the occupants of the docking bay. “It was not my intention for the Demon to arrive here in such a surprising manner, and I did not think you would have been alerted to his presence either.”

That last remark seemed to be directed right at ‘Eranumee, and he felt cowed for a moment under the direct anger that seemed to radiate from it.

“I understand the sense of confusion that must have arisen from this, but I do not have the time to explain things at the moment. I will need to speak with the Elder Council as soon as possible.”

“You are right that this has arisen some confusion, Arbiter,” the Elder that had spoken with ‘Eranumee earlier said, his voice seemingly dripping with sarcasm, especially the last word.

“I hadn’t even realized that another Arbiter had been selected.”

“Elder Forsun,” the Arbiter replied, his scorn equally evident. ‘Eranumee could easily tell there was tension between the two. “My selection as an Arbiter was appointed by the Prophet Hierarchs, and approved by the council on High Charity.”

“All Arbiters’ must be approved by the council on Silone before being integrated with the sacred armor you are now wearing,” Elder Forsun pointed out.

“Whatever reservations you may have with my selection Councilor,” the Arbiter said, his voice strained. “I ask that you bring them up when I am before the rest of the council. Once there I will answer whatever concerns you put before me.”

‘Eranumee watched as the two Sangheili stared each other down. Finally Elder Forsun scoffed and turned away.

“Come this way then, Arbiter,” Forsun ordered. “The Demon will be taken into a holding cell while you explain your actions.”

“No he will not,” the Arbiter announced. Everyone inside the bay seemed quite surprised at this declaration, even the Demon himself.

“The matter is not for discussion,” Elder Forsun said. “He is the enemy of our people, and he will not walk freely on this planet.”

The Arbiter held his hands out to the side as he replied.

“The Demon is not here as my prisoner. He is an honored ambassador from Earth, and I will not allow you to disrespect him.”

Judging from the looks on both Forsun and the Arbiter’s faces, the matter was going to quickly degenerate further. ‘Eranumee took a short moment to curse silently to himself before he stepped from the collected Sangheili into the short open space between the two sacred Sangheili.

“My Lord,” ‘Eranumee said, nodding towards Forsun, then turning and doing the same to the Arbiter. “I will escort the Demon with a guard detail if that should prove helpful.”

Forsun and the Arbiter glanced briefly at him before turning back to glare at each other.

“Fine,” the Arbiter spat out. “Take me to the council Forsun.”

‘Eranumee released the breath he had been holding as Elder Forsun stalked away. Seeing how the dispute appeared to be over many of the Sangheili technicians began to filter away as well. ‘Eranumee was about to turn when he felt the Arbiter pass by him.

“If he is harmed in any way, I will not be so forgiving as the Demon has shown himself to be,” the Arbiter snarled coldly as he walked by.

The Sangheili pilot felt the tightly controlled rage within the Arbiter, and shuddered lightly. With a deep breath he turned, and came face to face with the Demon.

“Come along Demon, I shall take you wherever you wish to go,” ‘Eranumee said, hoping that his voice came out much stronger than he felt at the moment. He had spoken in the native Covenant tongue, believing the Demon to be in possession of translating software. The human had followed the Arbiter’s order after all.

The Demon seemed to glare at him for a full thirty seconds before motioning for ‘Eranumee to lead the way. It had felt much longer.

----------------------------------

Ordering Forsun to take me here was the right thing to do, the Arbiter mused to himself as he stepped into large chamber. But I wish there had been time to organize my thoughts.

The chamber was in much the same design as the Arbiter remembered it to be. When he had been much younger, his instructors had taken him and his fellow classmates to see the structure where the Elder Council of the Sangheili would meet and discuss the political upheavals of the planet.

Weathered stone was mostly present in the architecture of the building, and the fact that it still stood without many signs of decay was a testament to the Sangheili ancestors of the past. The chamber served dual purposes. For the majority of the time, the Elder Council would meet daily and discuss matters of importance and vote upon issues that were brought before them. At those times the chamber was open for public viewing, and the wide array of stone benches within the upper levels of the chamber were occupied by curious Sangheili. On rare occasions the chamber was converted into an interrogation room of sorts. At these times the public was not allowed access.

  • 08.29.2005 12:24 PM PDT
  • gamertag:
  • user homepage:
  • last post: 01.01.0001 12:00 AM PDT

As the Arbiter glanced into the upper portion of the council chamber, he saw that there were many Sangheili filling the row upon row of seats. Whatever the Elder’s may have thought about his appointment as an Arbiter, at least it seemed he would not be disbelieved outright.

“This council has been called to hear the words of the Arbiter, on the matter of the terribly distressing news that there has been a shift in the Covenant,” an Elder the Arbiter recognized as Forsun’s older brother announced from his seat amongst the other council members. The Arbiter searched his mind for a long moment but could not come up with the Elder’s name.

But I do recall, that he is at least somewhat more understanding and beholden that Forsun is. Age has not dulled his mind like it has Forsun’s, and that may be in my favor.

The crowd seemed civil as the Arbiter let his gaze slip into the higher areas of the chamber. Certainly much more civil than the last crowd he had been standing before.

“Elder Forsun you have the floor,” Forsun’s brother announced, much to the Arbiter’s dismay.

It had been a long time since the Arbiter had seen the council in action. When a separate party (the Arbiter) was making a case before the council, that party would be forced to answer the questions put forth by a council member. No matter what the question may be, the Arbiter would be forced to answer the questions put forth by Elder Forsun, and judging by the small smirk working its way onto the Sangheili’s face, he was going to have his work cut out for him.

“You may begin, Arbiter,” Forsun said grandly.

Taking a moment to shoot a short look at Forsun, the Arbiter cleared his throat and began to recant the events that took place only a short while ago, but felt as if they were from another lifetime.

-----------------------------------

“Doctor, I don’t think this station is completely devoid of life.”

Dr. Catherine Halsey took a moment to survey the docking bay for a moment and saw what Kelly was referring to.

The entire orbital station had been much larger than it first appeared when their small ship had first entered the system. The many docking stations leant towards Halsey’s belief that the station was of great importance to the Forerunner, and obviously was one of the reasons why the star chart had led her to this specific location.

On their approach it had appeared the station was abandoned, as there were no signs of activity within the lifeless husk. Once inside one of the many docking bays, that initial observation appeared to have been made prematurely.

Through the rather dimmed lighting provided in the docking bay, Halsey could see many scattered bodies amongst the wreckage spewed about. It was too dark to surmise exactly what those bodies were, but there was little doubt in Halsey's mind that they were Covenant. The thought that the Covenant may have found what they were seeking here chilled her slightly, but Halsey decided not to voice those thoughts aloud.

"Is there any we could turn the lights up?" Kelly asked as Dr. Halsey walked steadily down the gangplank provided by their small ship.

"Monitor?" Halsey asked Atoning Deviant. The monitor released a somewhat dramatic sigh before floating down through the docking bay towards a set of terminals.

"What do you think the chances are that the Covenant just happened to have all keeled over dead?" Halsey intoned softly as she stepped over a rather large bloodstain.

Kelly slapped a fresh magazine into her MA5B assault rifle as she replied, "Not likely Doctor, there isn't just Covenant blood spilt around here."

Dr. Halsey tried to strain her eyes against the darkness to see if she could discern what Kelly had seen, at the exact moment Atoning Deviant seemed to have found the lighting controls. The sudden influx of light startled her and she forced her eyes closed. She was about to ask Kelly for assistance when the sharp report of a rifle firing filled the docking bay. Halsey's disorientation was not helped when she failed to cover her ears against the loud noise. Once more she began to ask Kelly for help but was suddenly pulled along as the Spartan ceased firing and started to drag her across the docking bay.

With her vision returning Halsey could see that they were heading for an exit. Straining her head around she caught sight of the small Flood infectious forms crawling over the decayed bodies of the Covenant to swarm towards them.

"This access way should provide the most direct path towards the room in which you are headed for," Atoning Deviant announced grandly as it floated into the exit the moment Halsey and Kelly did the same.

"Can you shut down this door?" Halsey asked quickly, watching the Flood approach at an alarming speed. Wordlessly the monitor drifted to the panel beside the door and sent a small electrical charge directed towards the panel. The door slammed shut, cutting off the Flood.

"The door is sealed," the monitor informed them, as if thinking they had somehow missed what had transpired.

"It won't take long for the Flood to wear down my ammunition Ma'am," Kelly informed Halsey as she cleared her assault rifle and swung it onto her back.

"Blocking them off is at least going to give us a head start," Dr. Halsey said aloud. "For now we should worry about getting to the central lab before the Flood have a chance to catch up."

The Spartan stared at the doctor for a long moment before turning around and beginning to dredge down the narrow corridor.

"Yes, Ma'am."

-----------------------------------

"-so after speaking with the human military leaders I requested that I be returned Honor Without Mercy, so that I would be able to reach Silone in time to warn the council of the Prophet's treachery and betrayal. The humans granted me permission to do so, on the condition that I bring along the Demon. I had no quarrel with this and allowed the human soldier passage onto the ship. When we arrived in this system I discovered a small Jiralhanae fleet waiting at the edge of the galaxy. I engaged them and destroyed the fleet. Shortly after doing so the human Construct detected a Slip Space rupture, which belonged to Councilor Pondomee's ship, the Attrition. It would seem the Jiralhanae ships had awaiting it's arrival, and intended to destroy it before the Sangheili aboard could deliver their message to this council. The message those aboard carry is much the same that I have brought before this council.

"The Prophet's have deceived us for millennia, leading us about as we searched in vain for the completion of their 'Great Journey'. My Elder's, the truth is that we are now faced with reality. What the Prophet's wished to give us was not salvation, but to push us into slavery. Using our strength we became their personal puppets to do with as they saw fit. The annihilation of the humans, the slavery of the Unggoy, and the forceful indoctrinate of the Lekgolo. All of these acts of heroism and honor that we believed them to be have lost all sense of meaning. We acted on the Prophet's behalf, and became nothing better than murderers, and dishonorable minions.

"My brothers, now is the time for us to act. We can strike back at the Prophet's, and redeem ourselves for the regretful actions of our past!"

  • 08.29.2005 12:26 PM PDT
  • gamertag:
  • user homepage:
  • last post: 01.01.0001 12:00 AM PDT

The Arbiter ceased his recant of the past month and glanced up warily at the sea of Sangheili in the upper levels of the council chamber. He saw on many of the faces looks of disbelief, outrage, and sadness.

Emotions that I myself experienced as the truth unfolded before my very eyes. Now it is up to the council to decide whether to believe this...

"That..." Elder Forsun spoke briefly before pausing to collect his thoughts. "That was quite a tale, but there are several things I find myself incapable of seeing any vindication for several of your claims."

"I will answer any question put before me," the Arbiter responded warily.

"It is true that there have been several instances in the Covenant's history where the Prophets and the Sangheili were not on the best of terms, but never before have we ever been given any indication that the Prophets bared us any ill will. What proof can you give this council that the Prophets are indeed behind this slaughter of the Sangheili on High Charity?"

"Before I was plunged into the ancient realm of the Flood leader, the Jiralhanae Chieftain Tartarus himself told me the Prophets had ordered my execution."

"Is it not by your own words that you described the Jiralhanae as blind, for not seeing the truth?" Forsun asked. "It is not a stretch of imagination to believe that the beast would have lied to you."

"Tartarus had no reason to believe I would survive my fall, what point would there have been to speak an untruth I had no reason to believe at that time?" the Arbiter countered.

"You have shown this council no real decisive proof that the Prophets are behind this betrayal," Forsun continued, undaunted. "What reason do we have to believe you?"

It was then the Arbiter realized that Forsun was determined to undermine his position. The creature was so intent on the rivalry of their youth that he would put the safety of the Sangheili below such a petty reason.

And he will get away with it too, unless I can appeal to the other councilors. Surely they are all not so blind as to ignore the truth that I am putting before them.

"My brothers, please you must here the truth, no matter how much it may pain you to do so. I myself felt burn of agony that the Prophet's betrayal has bestowed upon me. I cannot ever forgive the injustice we have been given, and now is not the time for petty fighting amongst ourselves. We stand upon the very cusp of our destiny as a race. Band together with the humans and we may wipe the Covenant from the face of the universe, and give the Sangheili back the honor we lost so long ago..."

“This council will not hear the ramblings of a heretic! A traitor!” Elder Forsun bellowed, slamming his fists against the hardened stone that he stood before. His gaze leveled on the Arbiter and he extended a long trembling finger towards him.

“You…you are the Arbiter of the Covenant. Not the Sangheili! Your words carry no sway within this chamber!”

The Arbiter felt his restraint snap and he removed the helmet from his head, and threw it to the chamber floor. The alloyed metal clanged against the surface and tumbled towards the podium at which Forsun stood. All eyes settled on the helmet, a symbol of the sacred protector.

“I have seen my brothers murdered by our former comrades,” the Arbiter’s voice was low, but slowly began to build strength. “Watched as they were slaughtered, unaware of the treachery and betrayal they had faced at the hands of the Prophets. I fought against my former allies and stole their lives, avenging my fallen brethren! Their lives are all I care about now!

“And you,” the Arbiter now leveled a glare at Forsun. “You dare tell me I am to be silent, while I listen to your words of cowardice and ignobility? Hiding behind a cloak of invulnerability you cast stones upon we who have given everything for the Sangheili!”

The Arbiter’s hands now tore away the chest plate of his suit of arms, letting it fall to his feet and exposing the large scar that adorned his chest.

“I bare this mark because I failed the Covenant. I withstood the shame so that I might once again bring forth honor to my family name. In the wreckage of the first Halo I returned as the Arbiter, and killed another Sangheili, one who knew the truth! That shame weighs greater upon my shoulders then this mark ever could!”

Trembling with ill-concealed rage, the Arbiter stalked towards Forsun, whose eyes grew in alarm.

“Don’t think you can stand upon this high mark and cast your contempt upon those that you deem to be beneath you!” the Arbiter shouted. Any desire to keep some form of decorum no longer resided within him. “What sacrifices have you made for our race? I have given my dignity, and my honor. Humans and Sangheili both died at my hands, and for what? For the Prophets lies!? Why was this council not directed at finding the truth!? We knew the Prophets concealed many truths from us, and yet nothing was done about it! How can you claim to have the Sangheili’s interests in mind, when you cannot even guarantee that you haven’t been corrupted by the very power you now hold!”

The Arbiter stopped his forward charge just before the stone podium that Elder Forsun stood behind. When he spoke again his voice was somewhat more composed.

“I have spoken with the human leaders, my former enemies, and I agreed to give them my life in exchange for reparations in regards to every malcontent I ever enacted upon their race. Such a small price that I can give them in the hopes of repairing a fraction of the damage I have caused.”

Thinly concealed gasps sprang forth from the collected Sangheili inside the chamber, and the Council stared at the downcast Arbiter with a fair degree of surprise.

“They could have had my head at any time, but I asked them to stay my execution only until I had ensured the Covenant would no longer be a threat to my people,” the Arbiter said. His head lifted from the ground and he gazed around at the entire Sangheili council. “But now that I see the truth of what my former leaders have become, I no longer wish for my life to be given for the likes of you. Beaten animals, tamed with the power promised to them from the Prophets. Cowards like you belong on the ground, sniveling for the scraps that are thrown to you.”

Turning smartly the Arbiter began to march away. Rage and contempt seemed to smolder off of his frame, and for a moment Elder Forsun could only watch the Sangheili. As it became clear the Arbiter truly intended to walk out of the chamber, Forsun’s wits returned to him.

“Stay your feet heretic!” the Elder Sangheili shouted angrily. That anger only blossomed as the Arbiter continued, completely ignoring the order. “Do not allow him to leave!”

The Arbiter finally stopped, when he found his path blocked by several guards, their energy blades drawn and poised to strike.

“You would strike me down?” the Arbiter asked as he turned back around to face Elder Forsun.

“The council’s word is law!” Forsun shouted. “I will not have a traitorous creature like yourself walk free after disobeying an order.”

“I am the traitor?” the Arbiter asked, his eyes burning. “I have done everything for this planet! For the Sangheili that walk amongst each other in this city of Corinphi, and the other cities built by my ancestors! I’ve known pain unlike anything you have ever felt!”

The Arbiter then paused, and for a moment the entire chamber held it’s collective breath, waiting to see what he did. With a defeated sigh the Arbiter let his hands remove the final pieces of the ceremonial garb he wore. Tossing the sacred armor to the ground, the Sangheili once again turned to Elder Forsun, his body free of any cover.

  • 08.29.2005 12:27 PM PDT
  • gamertag:
  • user homepage:
  • last post: 01.01.0001 12:00 AM PDT

“I will not serve this council, and I have no desire to hold onto the title of ‘Arbiter’. I shall cast it aside as I will your orders and decrees. My own course will be decided by myself. I will reclaim my name; the name given to me by my father and mother.”

The naked Sangheili closed his eyes and for a brief moment a ghost of a smile covered his face.

“No longer shall I be your Arbiter. I am Gann Aonlum, the son of Gao Kinlum.”

Once more Aonlum turned, and headed for the exit of the chamber. As he passed the stupefied guards, he threw one final comment at Elder Forsun.

“If you wish to have me stopped, do so with your own hands Forsun,” he said. “In one days time I will leave this planet and head for Danrun. There I will battle with the Covenant and see to it that my brothers are avenged. All who wish to fight alongside me are welcome, but I will hear no orders from this council.”

As he walked out of the council chamber, Aonlum felt the weight lifted briefly from his shoulders. The crushing guilt and rage that had engulfed him since the destruction of the first Halo now seemed to be a different part of him. Perhaps he could finally put those events behind him, and move on unburdened by his memories.

---------------------------------

John was quite certain he had never felt so out of place in his entire life. Standing before the large fountain in the middle of the street he could see the many different Sangheili that watched him with a mixture of fear and loathing. The scuffle that had occurred after he debarked from Honor Without Mercy had apparently already made the rounds inside the city. While the Spartan had done his best to ensure that he hadn’t actually injured the Sangheili that attacked him, something told him it didn’t matter to the others. The guards that had been ordered to escort him were more than likely there for his own protection.

“Makes you wonder if this alliance will ever actually work, huh?” Cortana remarked. John finally turned away from the gathered Sangheili and let his gaze slip down to the water that flowed about the fountain. His gloved hand slipped down and absently traced patterns on the waters surface.

“I think we’ve got company,” Cortana said, alerting John a moment before he sensed a presence moving up behind him. Straightening himself he turned, and was taken aback when he came face to face with a robe-clad Arbiter.

“Demon, a moment of your time,” the Sangheili requested as he motioned away from the gathered crowd. John obliged the Arbiter and followed him as they walked away from the crowd. The guards that had been shadowing the Spartan stayed behind as well.

“You look different,” John admitted, and he was prepared to ask the Sangheili about the lack of armor when he caught the glint in his eye.

“Despite our status in the Covenant, our Elders had decided that we were to keep the old way of life the Sangheili enjoyed before integrating ourselves with the Prophets,” the Arbiter replied, then quickly continued. “I have spoken with the Elders, Demon.”

John waited for the Arbiter to continue as they moved underneath an archway. Their path had begun to slowly move away from the heavily populated square and lead off into some of the more spacious parts of the city. The archaically designed aspects of the town seemed to be left behind as the two soldiers emerged from the narrow walkway and into a courtyard of sorts.

The lush green scenery was quite a contrast to the city itself, which seemed to be constructed of nothing but clay and stone. Tree’s and shrubbery encompassed the entire area, as small stone walkways led beneath the overhanging branches, intertwining with the rest of the paths near the center of the courtyard. There a large array of marble statues stood, adorned with lavish depictions of various Sangheili in many different poses. The Arbiter and John came to a stop before one of the statues. It displayed a large Sangheili garbed in what appeared to be ceremonial armor, not entirely unlike that which the Arbiter had previously worn. Within the grasp of his right hand the Sangheili held a spear that was nearly as long as he was tall. The Sangheili’s attention seemed to be drawn to the sky, as if he were looking towards the heavens in contemplation.

“Something tells me the talk didn’t go well,” John said finally, when it became clear the Arbiter would not say another word.

“That is an adequate summation, Demon,” the Arbiter replied, and John could hear the bitter tone in his voice. “The council has deemed me unworthy of addressing them about the Covenant. Even with the evidence presented to them from myself and the other Sangheili, Lekgolo, and Unggoy; they still refuse to believe that the Covenant could betray us.”

“The point seems a little moot wouldn’t you say?” John asked, then continued when he got a confused look from the Arbiter. “The Covenant aren’t going to care whether or not your council thinks they’ve been betrayed. As soon as we’re taken care of on Earth, I’d imagine this planet is going to be their next stop. Once that happens whatever arguments they may have had are going to be thrown away.”

The Arbiter sighed as he looked up at the statue.

“I do not wish to see this planet destroyed.”

“Nobody wants to see that happen to their home,” the Master Chief said simply. “But wishful thinking isn’t going to do much in stopping it from happening.”

“I know that,” the Arbiter said more sharply than he intended. “That is the reason we came here, so that I might rally my home world into lashing back whilst the Covenant are in disarray. There isn’t much I can do however, when my own people view me as a traitor.”

“A traitor?” John asked incredulously. The Arbiter inclined his head lightly to stare at him for a moment before his hands gripped the sash that held his robe closed. With a light tug he loosened the material, exposing his chest and the large scar that adorned it. John stared at it in morbid fascination for a moment, before the Arbiter quickly covered himself back up.

“That is the Mark of Shame,” the Arbiter explained. “After the destruction of the first Halo I was branded a heretic for allowing you to escape after the damage you caused. The Prophet hierarchs followed the will of the council and I was tortured at the hands of the Brutes. Before my execution was carried out, the Prophet of Truth and Mercy enlightened me. I could redeem myself by becoming the Arbiter of the Covenant, and following the Prophet’s every order.”

There was no accusation in his voice, but John felt the faint tinges of guilt inching their way through his conscience.

“Arbiter, I…”

John was cut off when the Arbiter waved his hand dismissively. A look of consternation touched the Sangheili’s face as he reached forward and ran a hand along the small plaque that stood in front of the statue.

“You owe me no explanation, Demon. Your actions were for your people, and I could never find fault with that,” the Arbiter said. “I have given up the title of Arbiter however, so please refrain from calling me that.”

That certainly piqued John’s curiosity, but he didn’t dare ask for the Sangheili to divulge anymore. Instead he asked what the Spartan should call him instead.

“Gann Aonlum,” he replied. “The name given to me by my father and mother, before their deaths.”

“Aonlum,” John said, and received an appreciative nod in return. “I suppose one good deed deserves another.”

Aonlum looked at John with a moment’s confusion before realization dawned on him.

“You no longer wish for the title of ‘Demon’?” Aonlum asked. “The name has it uses. Your enemies fear you without ever having seen your image.”

“True enough,” John replied. “I don’t have any problems with the Covenant thinking of me as a Demon, but I would rather my allies did not.”

John felt a small sense of satisfaction at the surprised look Aonlum gave him after that admission.

  • 08.29.2005 12:28 PM PDT
  • gamertag:
  • user homepage:
  • last post: 01.01.0001 12:00 AM PDT

“Very well, what would you have me call you?”

“Master Chief should be fine I think.”

Aonlum looked at him with a smirk before turning back to gaze at the statue.

“You’re in a good mood today,” Cortana’s voice said inside his helmet. John spent a moment wondering why he had asked Aonlum to call him Master Chief. While the two had bonded somewhat on the trip from Earth to Silone, there was still a wall between them. Soldiers have a hard time forgetting enemies, especially imbedded ones like the Spartan and the Sangheili had once been.

“Master Chief, what would you do if you were in my place?” Aonlum asked suddenly. His voice was soft enough that John would have missed it had he not been paying attention.

“I don’t think I’m really qualified to speculate…”

“Speculate,” Aonlum urged intently.

John took a moment to collect his thoughts before venturing forward.

“You said yourself that the council won’t listen to you because of your supposed heresy against the Covenant. I think it would be best if you took a step back and let someone else explain the truth to the council,” John explained, and seeing the immediate dislike for that plan in Aonlum’s eyes, he continued. “This isn’t about saving feelings, or trying to make a point of honor. Right now we’ve got the best chance we’ll ever have to wipe the Covenant off the face of existence. If we let personal grudges and hard-headed people deal with this problem, you Elites are going to find out the hard way what it feels like to be in the same boat as humanity.”

“You have a point,” Aonlum grudgingly admitted. John spotted the defeat in his voice and pounced.

“The other pilot we met after taking out the Brute fleet, ‘Eranu-something or other,” John said. “He’s been sent here in the ship of an Elite councilor from the Covenant home world. That fact alone is going to buy him some credibility with your council. He can argue the side of the Prophet’s betrayal; he’s seen it himself with his own eyes.”

“And what of the Forerunner and the Great Journey?” Aonlum asked lamely.

“Cortana has Guilty Spark under lock and key inside Honor Without Mercy,” John said. “It seems to take a kind of perverse joy out of explaining the true purpose of the Halo’s and the fate the Forerunner’s met because of the Flood. Something tells me it’ll be all the more enthusiastic about explaining that truth to the council, and if that fails, then to the public.”

Aonlum looked troubled for a moment before shaking his head in resignation.

"You make too great of a point for me to ignore Master Chief," Aonlum admitted. "Very well then, when the council reconvenes tomorrow I shall bring before them 'Eranumee and the Oracle."

"It might be wise to get out of the habit of referring to Guilty Spark as an Oracle," John said cautiously. Aonlum looked at the Spartan for a moment before nodding.

"I believe I owe you an apology," the Sangheili said. "When I had first seen you amongst your people I believed you to be nothing more than a weapon, created by your leaders. Now I see the error of that belief. What lies beneath that armor is a mind as independent as the rest of your race."

John wasn't sure what to say in response so he simply changed the subject.

"I think it would be best if I returned to the ship. Regardless of our intentions the other Elites don't seem to like my presence here."

Aonlum shook his head softly and nearly smiled at the Spartan.

"Before we do that there is one other destination I wish to show you."

"And that is?" John asked.

"The Forerunner installation in Akhenaten."

-----------------------------------

"It would appear that the Flood are breaking off their attacks for now," Atoning Deviant said grandly, surveying the destroyed lab with interest.

Dr. Halsey release a deep sigh as she stepped around the fallen glass tube she had been crouched behind. The Flood were persistent indeed, and she could see that Kelly's ammunition pouch had become far less heavy than when they first arrived inside the installation.

As if reading her thoughts Kelly announced that she was down to her last clip for the MA5B.

"We should be alright for now," Halsey said as she dug in her pockets for the small-encrypted data display that had the outlay for the entire facility. "It looks like the room right up ahead is holding what we're looking for."

Without a word the trio entered through the final set of doors and emerged into a large spherical room. Terminals lay scattered around the hanger, with a large open section in the center of the room. Elaborate hieroglyphs decorated the walls in a beautiful pattern. Dr. Halsey found herself drawn to one section, and lightly ran her hand across the etched markings. A gasp was drawn from her when warmth suddenly exploded throughout her body and a bright light began pulsating from the interior of the walls themselves.

"Is there something wrong Doctor?" Kelly asked as she checked the room for any signs of the Flood. The pair of Elite corpses on the floor had made her wary of the supposed sacred room, as Atoning Deviant had described it.

"No," Halsey responded as steadily as she could manage. With a quick glance back at the spot where her hand had fallen, she turned her attention to the many different terminals.

"I wonder what the real purpose of this facility is." Halsey asked herself aloud.

"This installation was developed to study the dormant habits of the Flood, and to see if a biological agent could be developed that would negate said ability."

A chill passed through Dr. Halsey when she realized that the voice did not belong to Kelly or the monitor, and she spun around sharply, surprise etched across her face as she stared blatantly at the figure situated in the center of the room.

"It is indeed a surprise I find myself facing not only a Reclaimer and a human, but a Series F-342-Class Monitor as well," the figure said. The deep, flowing robes the figure wore obscured its face and other features, which made it hard for Halsey to determine that the figure was indeed a hologram projection.

"Who are you?" Halsey asked. She had already guessed what the creature was, but the question had come out all the same.

"I am that which you have dubbed a Forerunner of course," the figure said before turning to Atoning Deviant. "Have you not explained everything to them? I had thought your protocol warranted a full disclosure to any and all human life forms you came across."

"They disobeyed Protocol's seventeen through thirty-seven, and I was forced to adapt to the changes made in my environment," Atoning Deviant replied, annoyance touching it's voice. "I had not anticipated that you would have left a copy behind, knowing full well the dangers present from doing so."

"Sacrifices were made," the Forerunner responded. "We couldn't discern if the final Monitor design would indeed function over the expanse of time we anticipated it would take for these creatures to evolve and eventually discover the Installations. There was no telling what might go wrong with your programming between the time we activated the Installations and when the humans finally caught up. The risk was necessary in my judgment, and it would behoove you not to pass any kind of doubts on that decision."

"You're an A.I?" Halsey asked hesitantly. The Forerunner turned and in a surprising move, gripped the edges of the hood that covered it's face and pulled the material back.

"In the basest of explanations, yes that would be accurate," the Forerunner said. The sloped appearance of it's skull seemed to indicate a falsity in the hologram projection, but as the Forerunner tilted slightly to gaze at Kelly, Halsey saw that the bone structure leading from the base of the neck did indeed indicate an unnatural angle.

The Forerunner are a separate species entirely, Halsey speculated to herself. The angle of it's body frame indicates that while it may indeed be a very powerful creature in terms of strength, the sloped shape of the skull creates a kind of centering for the brain, giving it a compact and large width. Almost half again the size of a normal human brain more than likely. The unnatural tint of the skin as well may indicate some form of adaptation to gases in their birthplace that led to this form of evolution within their species. Regardless their appearance is quite attractive, if almost wholly uni-sex.

"It would seem the Reclaimers have indeed been chosen and harvested," the Forerunner said as it gazed at Kelly, incased within the MJOLNIR armor. "As well, a monitor has made contact with a Reclaimer too, speaking volumes of truths that you have visited one of the Halo Installation. I find myself wondering why is it that my records show no indication of the Installations being activated. Would you care to elaborate on this?"

  • 08.29.2005 12:30 PM PDT
  • gamertag:
  • user homepage:
  • last post: 01.01.0001 12:00 AM PDT

"I..." Halsey found herself at a loss for words as the Forerunner glared at them.

"We spared you humans so that you would carry on the task we left within your ancestors. The sacrifices we made so that you would live were great, and it would pain me greatly to learn that humanity had betrayed us."

Halsey swallowed as she tried to shake away the fear that had gripped her when seeing the unbridled anger within the Forerunner.

"I can assure you, Forerunner, that we have every intention of carrying out your duty that was assigned to us," Halsey said determinedly. "But first you must disclose some information for me."

"The Sanctuary's is it?" the Forerunner asked. Halsey nodded in return.

"Yes, and also I would like to here the real reason the Halo's were activated," Halsey said. "What was it you Forerunner were so afraid of that committing universal genocide was the only solution?"

The Forerunner let a pained look cross it's face before looking away.

"I found documents in the archives on the Halo Installation describing a war," Halsey continued. "I cannot say whether this war was with the Flood, or if it was against something else entirely."

"The war was a product of ignorance," the Forerunner said softly. "If you will listen than I will tell you of our self-destruction."

-----------------------------------

Sitting stiffly in one of the elaborately designed chairs inside the Forerunner vessel, the Prophet of Truth felt bile rise in the back of his throat as he gazed at the face of the Forerunner that sat before him.

"You say the Prophet of Law did indeed form the Covenant?" the Forerunner asked, still using the ancient tongue

"Yes," Truth nodded. "It was his belief that with the Covenant it would be possible to salvage the entire Forerunner facility’s and keep the technology for the Prophets own use."

"So he has deceived the other entire Covenant?" the Forerunner asked, amused.

"As well as many of the other Prophets," Truth acknowledged. "Shortly after he was certain you Forerunner no longer hunted for him he had many of the remaining Prophets murdered, and set out to create a new generation of Prophets to use for his own purpose."

"How do you know this?" the Forerunner questioned. "Law was paranoid in the short time I knew of him. He would not have divulged such secrets unknowingly."

"The Prophets are not everlasting, as you know. The Forerunner created Law in an experiment with the Flood, and as such we age at an incredibly slow state and without the need to feed on other species like the Flood. Without that specific attribute however, the Prophets still age and eventually die out. Law was only able to copy some of the documents the Forerunner used to create him, and as such the Prophets he created himself are mere shells compared to him. He has lived for eons however, and as such his body decayed to the point where he could no longer successfully lead the Covenant. I was chosen as his successor."

The Forerunner stared at Truth for a long moment, and Truth forced himself not to look away. Finally a short laugh was emitted by the Forerunner as it got to it's feet.

"Perhaps he has not told you everything coward," the Forerunner laughed. "For being so forthcoming with that information I will spare you long enough to lead me to the Covenant home world."

"What?" Truth said in surprise. "I am to be spared?"

"I think it will be far more amusing to see your face when the truth is exposed, coward," the Forerunner explained. "The sustenance from your slaves has given me more than enough time to last the journey, but I assure you, since they were not harvested, I will begin to crave again before we arrive. Should you not take me directly to this, Danrun, I will ensure your death to be quite uncomfortable."

"Y-yes," Truth replied shakily. He watched as the Forerunner stalked off, and shuddered as he recalled the Forerunner's appearance. The Prophet of Law had described once, what their creators had looked like, and it had not prepared him for the real thing.

That is the least of my problems however. Once the Forerunner reaches Danrun, he will seek out the Prophet of Law and exact the Forerunner's revenge for his betrayal.

-----------------------------------

Author's Notes: I had many problems with this chapter. There were repeated rewrites and such, and I was forced to do a final rewrite of the last bit almost a few hours before posting this because of a computer error. Needless to say if it is a little convoluted please spare me any harsh criticism. I'll get on Chapter 21 right away, and I swear it will be much more forthcoming in the plot development spectrum. Lots of talking and such.

Please keep any wild speculation about the Forerunner to a minimum, I don't want anybody running around and spoiling everything for everyone else.

  • 08.29.2005 12:32 PM PDT
  • gamertag:
  • user homepage:
  • last post: 01.01.0001 12:00 AM PDT

Great Chapter Mister Clark, All except the fact that i can pronounce the arbiters new name but a great chapter none the less.

  • 08.29.2005 1:35 PM PDT
  • gamertag:
  • user homepage:
  • last post: 01.01.0001 12:00 AM PDT

that was a good chapter....the best part i thought was when the arbiter was telling off the elite council member..

  • 08.29.2005 4:06 PM PDT
  • gamertag:
  • user homepage:
  • last post: 01.01.0001 12:00 AM PDT

ooops posted twice

[Edited on 8/30/2005]

  • 08.29.2005 4:07 PM PDT
  • gamertag:
  • user homepage:
  • last post: 01.01.0001 12:00 AM PDT

? whats with all the doble posts lol look how i spelled double

  • 08.29.2005 6:12 PM PDT