- last post: 01.01.0001 12:00 AM PDT
"A free world," the Arbiter echoed softly, letting out a short, bitter laugh.
"The Admirals will more than likely agree that we need to form an alliance with the Elites, and the other ex-members of the Covenant. When that time comes, I expect that you will request the use of Honor Without Mercy to return to your home planet, and rally the remaining members of your race," the Demon said. The Arbiter was surprised for a moment, that the Demon had made such an astute observation.
"Yes, that would be my intention," the Arbiter replied. "The Covenant home planet has likely erupted into war, and I must return to the home planet of the Sangheili and alert my brethren."
The Demon nodded once.
"If it comes to pass that it occurs, I shall be occompanying you," he said simply, and watched as the Arbiter stared at him in shock. "You are surprised?"
The Arbiter quickly slipped his mind from the gridlock it had entered and stared at the Demon incredulously.
"What if the Covenant manage to pull another fleet together and attack this planet? Without your skill in battle, it would be near impossible for the rest of your forces to fend off the Covenant attack."
"The technisions at ONI have managed to outfit our battle cruisers with plasma cannons, much the same as those the Covenant battleships are equipped with. The difference is each of our ships have also been given the program developed by Cortana that improves upon the style of fire that your ships employed. When the Covenant finally return they will be given a much larger surprise than they received the last time," the Demon said smugly, before dropping his voice down to a serious tone. "Form whatever conclusions you may about my thoughts and intentions, but I do not wish to see anymore people suffer needlessly, and that includes your people, and the others."
The Demon looked as if he wished to stop speaking, but he forced himself to continue.
"I...I want to save as many people as I can. There has been too much sacrifice for this war, and I want it to end."
I did not expect this, the Arbiter admitted to himself as he watched the Demon from across the table. His bloodthirsty hatred on the battlefield is only one facade of his real personality. The Covenant has once again misled us, believing him to be nothing more than a machine created by the humans as a mindless weapon to be used against us.
On his own accord, the Arbiter stood from his chair and walked around the table to where the Demon sat. Without any compunctions, the Elite extended his hand towards the human. The Demon watched him for a few moments before getting to his feet and grasping the Arbiter's wrist, and pumped it once. The Arbiter couldn't help a smile from gracing his face as the Demon neglected to release his hand right away.
Surprising both warriors, the door to the interrogation room suddenly opened, and the two Marines stepped into the room. The Demon had quickly released the Arbiter's hand and stepped back, before the Marines had seen what the two were doing.
"Master Chief?" one of the Marines asked. "Admiral Cortez requests that you bring the Elite back to the council room."
The Demon nodded once, and turned to the Arbiter.
"Come with me."
Will I be given a chance to redeem myself? the Arbiter thought as he exited the room behind the Demon. Or will I meet my death?
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"Has our transportation been arranged?" the creature asked, aboard the Jiralhanae vessel. An orb-like object appeared, held in the grasp of a long tentical.
"Not at the moment. The sentinals are presently fixing the outer layers of the ships damaged in that scuffle. Several of the other ships have suffered almost seventy percent structural damage," the orb replied.
"Good, our journey is clear, and the course is set. We shall head for the destination in these creatures navigation devices, and the Reclaimer you seek shall be found."
"Oh how wonderful!" the orb proclaimed. "I grew worried when the Reclaimer left, but now that the Installation has been destroyed, we must head to the Ark and set off the other Installations."
"Yes, our goal is the Ark," the creature replied.
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Jan sighed to herself as she drummed her fingers on the table she was seated at. The Covenant designed to sit there must have been either the Elites or the Brutes, because the chairs and table were much larger than she was used to. Her feet dangled in the air, and her head just barely rested on the tabletop comfortably. As much as she hated to admit it, Jan was bored.
The newly excommunicated Covenant members may not have been openly hostile, but they certainly weren't friendly. After being cheerfully forced back on the ship by the Master Chief, she had been purposely ignored by everything and everyone aboard.
Maybe I should have taken the Chief up on his offer, and gone back to see Gilly and Gladys. At least I'd have somebody to talk to.
With another exagerrated sigh she slumped back in the chair, ruefully noting that the chair she was situated on must have been bolted to the ground, and provided no alternative directions to turn the chair in.
"Most people would enjoy a lull in the action around here," a female voice announced. Jan shot up in the chair, and searched for the owner of the unfamiliar voice. She was slightly disturbed when there appeared to be no one around her.
"Um, hello?" Jan called, raising her voice slightly.
"Right here," the voice said, and with a slight flurry of activity, the pedastal situated on the table became alight, and in a moment the small figure of a woman was standing before Jan.
This must be the Smart A.I that travels around with the Master Chief, Jan thought, recalling something Commander Keyes had said to her.
"Uh, hi, I'm Jannisary James, but you can call me Jan," she said by way of introduction.
"I know," the A.I said simply, her voice smug. "You are seventeen years old. Lived with your father for most of your life, moving from city to city, trying to avoid the ONI personel that thought you would make a good Spartan 2.0 candidate. Nineteen days ago your father, James James, was shot three times and killed by a gangster by the name of Thin Kinkle, while he was trying to stage your rescue. You consequently escaped shortly thereafter, with the assistance of an unknown assailent. A week later, three unknown individuals broke into a warehouse that was a known headquarters for Thin Kinkle and another gangster by the name of Monster Ann. The body of Think Kinkle was discovered, along with the still living Monster Ann. Several of the men later arrested at the facility attested that the intruders were three females, but nobody could corroborate their claims. A few days later you applied for membership in the UNSC, but were turned down because you were underage."
"You do get around don't you," Jan responded lazily, though she was slightly disturbed that the A.I could have so much in-depth information on her.
"Given all that information, I would like to know just how you came to be following the Master Chief," the A.I said, and Jan knew an order when she heard one.
"Jealous are we?" Jan asked, grinning. The deadpan look she received from the A.I wiped the grin from her face. "Alright."
Half an hour passed and finally Jan had finished recanting each endevour she had had with the Master Chief. The A.I seemed to want particular details, about what the Master Chief did during battle, and his interactions with others.
"So the Master Chief allowed you to come along with him on his mission to finish off the Covenant fleet?" the A.I asked, slightly incredulous.
"What can I say? Maybe he wanted company," Jan shrugged, then let a coy grin flash onto her face. "Plus, I'm very persuasive."
The A.I seemed to let the comment go without comment. Jan shifted on the chair as the A.I stared off into space for a moment.
"So how long have you been with the Chief?" Jan asked suddenly. The A.I stared at her, but did not answer. "I mean, have you been with him ever since he started fighting against the Covenant?"
"No," the A.I said slowly, after a long moment. "The Master Chief had many engagements with the Covenant before I joined with the unit."
"Uh huh," Jan said nodding. "Was he as distant back then as he is now?"
"There are, many reasons the Master Chief is the way he is," the A.I said warily. Jan picked up on the hesitation.
"Oh don't worry, I know about the other Spartans. The Master Chief told me."
"He told you?" the A.I asked, her tone unconvinced. Jan nodded.
"Aboard the Cairo, while he was trying to talk me out of going along with him. Just a few hours ago he took me to go see the other three Spartans, the ones that were aboard the Malta and the Athens when the Covenant blew them up."
Jan nearly laughed at the silence that came from the A.I. From her interactions with Durga, she knew just how annoying Smart A.I's found it when people knew information that they did not, and the influx of info she had just thrown at the A.I must have ticked her off.