- 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.