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This topic has moved here: Subject: [Story] Halo 3: Insurrection (Part 41 is now available!) ~ 24 Feb
  • Subject: [Story] Halo 3: Insurrection (Part 41 is now available!) ~ 24 Feb
Subject: [Story] Halo 3: Insurrection (Part 41 is now available!) ~ 24 Feb

Posted by: ajw34307
Posted by: Wolverfrog
Posted by: lach
firefly much?


Eden's a Firefly fan. He's got the boxset, film and everything. Watched them all dozens of times. Always quotes it.

>.>
<.<

Well, I'm a Firefly fan. And I sometimes just let little things I think fit the moment slip in there. If it bothers anyone, I'll stop it.


It's not that it bothers me, nice to have some outside references linking to our world, but sometimes it's not too subtle how it's put in. I'm not saying stop but maybe tone it down a bit, and as a suggestion, maybe you could go back and bring some of the earlier parts up to speed canonwise.

otherwise, I really enjoyed that part. Eden, that -blam!-, is bound to have his luck run out soon!


Yeah, alright then. I've retconned a lot of things since starting this I know, and I intend to go back through it soon and edit it to show this.

  • 03.10.2010 10:32 AM PDT

Acta Non Verba

DarkFus10nz

Check out www.nextgenwalkthroughs.com for the ultmate walkthrough experiace!

awsome storyyyyyy

  • 03.10.2010 12:29 PM PDT

Dude you should make this a book. not kidding

  • 03.10.2010 4:46 PM PDT

only problem with that is a gun shot was fired...idk just sounded out of the ordinary for you i feel like it should be more descriptive or something

  • 03.10.2010 5:59 PM PDT

Posted by: Dropship dude
No, acnboy. Spartain Ken 15 is a lesser being. Much like the bacteria that lives in your shi­t.
Posted by: mike120593
My shi­t bacteria takes offense to that comparison.

Don't make me lel. You won't like me when I lel.

Hella epic, I'm gald to see that this will finally be finished, then we can release it to the world!

  • 03.11.2010 2:25 AM PDT

Posted by: The Stig 521
only problem with that is a gun shot was fired...idk just sounded out of the ordinary for you i feel like it should be more descriptive or something


I didn't want to elaborate on it, for reasons that will soon be revealed...

  • 03.11.2010 7:58 AM PDT
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Do not waste your tears, I was not born to watch the world grow dim. Life is not measured in years, but by the deeds of men.

Posted by: goldhawk
We should know better, because we are better.

Posted by: Wolverfrog
Posted by: The Stig 521
only problem with that is a gun shot was fired...idk just sounded out of the ordinary for you i feel like it should be more descriptive or something


I didn't want to elaborate on it, for reasons that will soon be revealed...
Eden is dead or soon will be.

  • 03.11.2010 10:21 AM PDT
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wort wort wort

Posted by: Wolverfrog
Posted by: lach
firefly much?


Eden's a Firefly fan. He's got the boxset, film and everything. Watched them all dozens of times. Always quotes it.

>.>
<.<

Well, I'm a Firefly fan. And I sometimes just let little things I think fit the moment slip in there. If it bothers anyone, I'll stop it.
no it dosent bother me its awesome

  • 03.11.2010 4:12 PM PDT

Posted by: Wolverfrog
Posted by: The Stig 521
only problem with that is a gun shot was fired...idk just sounded out of the ordinary for you i feel like it should be more descriptive or something


I didn't want to elaborate on it, for reasons that will soon be revealed...


yeah i figured but i dont know just sort of sounds out of place to me but your the genius here

  • 03.11.2010 5:34 PM PDT
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wort wort wort

Come on wolver, can you please post more true sangheili. This is good but true sangheili is just amazing

  • 03.12.2010 6:41 PM PDT

I am a god! I am prescient!
I am religion!
I see the future, I see the past
Follow me, follow the vision.
I have become the ultimate power, I am protection.
I am messiah, I am a tyrant.
i show the path to redemption to man and the universe!

Amazing story.


I had issues with some of the things human military personnel did while on duty, but it's still a great read.

  • 03.16.2010 9:53 PM PDT

This is incredible!

  • 03.18.2010 7:20 AM PDT

Good, I'm unbanned. And with a new part of Insurrection ready too. And I've nearly finished Part 44 as well. Can't stop the signal.

The tide turns. Well, sort of.

Part 43 - Thrown together

Eden frowned. He hadn't fired, he was sure of it. No, he definitely would have remembered something like that. Suddenly, he felt himself break into a cold sweat. Peculiar. He looked down at the Captain with blurry eyes. Why were they blurry?

Captain Daniels was staring up at Eden, wide eyed and relieved. The Admiral opened his mouth to speak, and found he couldn't utter a sound. His hands began to shake, and unwillingly, he dropped his gun.

A strange warmth began to spread across his torso. Eden begin to feel faint, his legs felt like jelly and his mind was in a similar state. The next thing he knew, he was quivering on the ground, lying down in a red puddle. Had he spilt the wine?

He distantly heard voices, but it was as if they were calling to him from the other side of a football field. Eden suddenly felt a flash of pain, and cried out. The pain brought temporary clarity, and Eden began to have the first inkling of what had happened. With incredibly shaky hands, Eden felt the moist warmth which had spread across his entire coat. And in that moment, the Admiral realised the terrible truth.

He was bleeding. Badly. The gun shot he'd heard hadn't been his own.

Still shaking, Eden pushed himself up, forcing himself into a sitting position. When his eyes finally uncrossed, he found a long, gun barrel rammed square between his eyes. The wielder of it was someone who Eden thought dead.

"You!" he gasped, staring at Chief Petty Officer Mendez. The grizzled instructor of the Spartans nodded grimly. Eden suddenly broke out into a coughing fit, and realised that even if Mendez didn't shoot him, he was a dead man.

"Me," Mendez agreed with a fierce grin, and suddenly his finger pulled down on his weapon's trigger. Eden shut his eyes tight, but death didn't come. Instead, the click of an empty weapon sounded, echoing around the room. Mendez swore, and tossed the ammo depleted rifle he held aside, reaching for a sidearm.

Suddenly, an explosion smashed into the blast door outside, completely wrecking it. All three human heads turned to the source, and yelped in surprise as three Flood forms flew through the man-sized hole that had been created as a result of the explosion.

Mendez drew out his pistol and turned away from Eden, whose vision was starting to blur again. The grizzled CPO fired two shots, which smashed into the cavity of a Flood form where the infection form rested. The figure toppled to the ground.

The other two Flood forms carried onward, ripping the flustered mech unit to pieces as they did so. One smashed into Mendez, grappling with the abnormally strong man fiercely. Another paused before the helpless body of Eden, a gruesome smile on its hideous face as it smelt his warm, freely running blood. Eden drew a small knife from his belt, but was unable to move his arm the distance needed to swipe at the Flood form with, which was now reaching down with eager, sharp clawed hands.

Then it was slammed into the wall by an 8-gauge shotgun blast, plastering the office's interior with the disgusting biomass. Eden looked up at his saviour, and saw CPO Mendez looking down at him with disgust.

"I should kill you for what you've done. But in light of the current circumstances, that would be stupid," Mendez growled down at him, indicating the lifeboat pod, which was now aflame and crumpled, with multiple breaches in its small hull. "It seems as if their intention was to wreck our means of escape. One managed to toss a grenade in."

"There's a Longsword in the docking hangar," Eden gasped out, his voice a mere whisper. "Don't leave me here to be turned into one of them, please."

Mendez scowled, before signalling to the Captain, who held a full canister of biofoam and a syringe in his hands.

"You're coming with us Eden, three people have a better chance of making it out of here alive than two. But first, you're going to have to unlock the fleet. Or else we'll just leave you for the Flood to find," Mendez threatened, and Captain Daniels nodded. Eden's eyes grew wide, but he shook his head firmly.

"Never! I won't give in, not now!" he wheezed out, coughing up more blood as he did so. Mendez looked at Daniels, who shrugged.

"Let's go," he said to Mendez, and the two of them began to walk away, leaving Eden lying in his blood like a beaten dog. Eden watched them go, determined to stick to his guns. A bone chilling shriek of Flood origin suddenly sounded across the ship's hallway, bringing with it all the terrible implications. Eden broke down.

"Wait!" he shrieked, exhausting the last of his strength to call Mendez and Daniels back, who turned around with raised eyebrows. "I'll do it! Don't leave me."

Eden was sickened with his own cowardice, but then reflected that it wasn't a good idea to leave the human fleet locked down forever anyway. Eventually, the Flood would overwhelm the Elites and Covenant, and then they'd turn on the helpless UNSC. His only regret was that the alien scum would be saved.

"Give him the adrenaline shot -- not the biofoam," Mendez ordered the Captain, who nodded, despite being of a much higher rank than the CPO. With age brought command.

"This'll give you a boost," Daniels muttered, jabbing the syringe into Eden's arm and injecting the strength imbuing fluid into his blood stream. Eden felt his energy return, and his eyes began to clear. "You'll still die of blood loss in a few minutes though unless we give you the biofoam -- unlock the fleet."

Eden shakily stumbled to his feet, applying pressure to his bullet wound with a trembling hand. Slowly, he staggered towards the console, trying to remember the authorisation code for fleet control. With a sigh, he typed in the code, and after a second, the light flashed green.

"Unlock fleet," he commanded the computer system with his voice, suddenly feeling sick. The computer system acknowledged his instruction, and instantly control returned to the pilots of the UNSC ships.

"Is it done?" Captain Daniels asked, moving towards Eden.

"Yes, you treacherous bastard. See for yourself," Eden muttered bitterly, scowling. His knees suddenly buckled, and he fell to the floor. Mendez quickly injected his wound with biofoam, sealing up the bleeding flesh and saving his life.

From the observation window of the UNSC Galapagos, Graham could see the UNSC fleet begin to stir, as engines fired up and weapons began to reactivate. With a sudden grin, Graham activated the fleet communications systems.

"This is Captain Daniels, acting commander of the UNSC. We had an incident, but the situation is under control," he began, before being interrupted by a quick talking man with a French accent.

"Captain, this is Lieutenant Commander Dominique. What the hell happened--never mind. What are your orders?" the Lieutenant questioned Daniels, who was beginning to breathe easily.

"Cut a path through the Flood ships and save the Elites and Covenant, then retreat with them to the other side of Sangheilios. We need to reorientate the fleets, make sense of it all," Graham instructed Dominique, and the rest of the UNSC pilots.

"Affirmative sir. I can see the Galapagos is in trouble. Do you wish me to dispatch a Longsword strike team to assist you?"

Graham mulled the question over for a few moments, before reaching a decision.

"Negative Commander, it's too dangerous. We have infected on board. Just be ready to receive us should we make it out alive," he commanded Dominique, who agreed.

"Will do Captain. Bonne chance." The link cut out.

Graham turned around to look at Eden, who was staring at him with pure, venomous hatred.

"Well done Captain, you beat me. Is this the part where you gloat?" he demanded sadistically, face set in a pose of utter depression.

Mendez grabbed the Admiral's shoulder roughly, shoving an MA2B into his bloodied hands.

"No Eden, this is the part where we fight our way to the Longsword," the CPO informed Eden, handing Graham a heavy Sangheili Plasma rifle. It felt like it was made of pure lead, the Captain could barely lift it. Still, it would do the job.

"You're giving me a weapon? That seems a little foolish, even I have to say," Eden exclaimed in surprise, noting that the rifle he'd been given was fully loaded.

"Well then, you won't question my wisdom when I order you to take point will you Eden? Try anything funny, and you'll regret it," Mendez let the veiled threat hang in the air.

"I understand, Chief Petty Officer," Eden replied stiffly, nervously moving in front of Graham and Mendez.

"I mean it Eden; if you so much as blink in my direction I will gun you down." The veil covering the threat had been removed.

Not bothering to reply to that ominous statement, Eden turned around, lifting his head up high and sniffing disdainfully, muttering curses under his breath.

"We're going to kill him, right?" Graham whispered to Mendez, who smiled morbidly.

"Hell yeah. Eventually."

"Good. Thanks for saving my hide."

"Don't mention it. I just want to escape this hell and get back in the middle of the action," Mendez growled, his voice regaining its normal volume level. The CPO then moved to a control panel, and opened the crippled blast door, revealing the dimly lit corridor beyond which would eventually lead to the docking bay of the battered Galapagos.

"Get moving Eden! We're right behind you."

* * * * * * * * * *


  • 03.28.2010 1:22 PM PDT
Subject: [Story] Halo 3: Insurrection (Part 43 is now available!) ~ 28 March

Imperial Admiral R'tas Vadum' had been about to self destruct the Shadow of Intent when the human transmission came through.

Several members of the Sangheili and Covenant fleets had done so already, knowing how utterly hopeless the situation was. They had failed Sangheilios. And no-one wanted to be mindless slaves of the Flood.

R'tas had always held the practice of suicide in contempt, but now he was contemplating it himself. Looking back, he realised how idiotic he'd been, but still, the nearly followed through action had some amount of justice to it.

The Flood had surrounded the Sangheili and Covenant fleets in an orb of sorts. The fleets were now engaged in a last stand of sorts, but the scenario could only end in one way -- complete destruction.

They'd fought valiantly, surely enough. The fleets had managed to take down nearly a third of the parasitic scum, with minimum loss. But that didn't matter now. They were trapped by an enemy with superior numbers, and there was no possibility of them escaping.

Then the UNSC contacted the Sangheili and Covenant fleets.

"Imperial Admiral R'tas Vadum'?" an accented human voice demanded over the communications link. For a moment R'tas thought he was hallucinating. Then he realised that the other members of his crew were responding visually to the words as well, hope illuminating their previously resigned faces. Unless they were all going crazy, which R'tas doubted, this was a real message. He isolated the signal, and replied.

"I am here. Who is this?" he questioned, voice hoarse from shouting commands across both fleets. The human replied with a bit of relief in his voice.

"Lieutenant Dominique of the UNSC Eiffel. I'm acting under the orders of Captain Graham Daniels, Imperial Admiral. How many of you are alive in that orb?"

R'tas brought up the fleet status screen for a moment, checking the casualties. They were low, for now.

"Many of us, although we are in a rather precarious situation. Most of the ships' shield systems are near depleted, and it won't be long before the parasite completely overwhelms us. What's the situation on your end human?" the Sangheili military leader replied, his voice gathering strength.

"The UNSC fleet is fully operational Imperial Admiral. Don't ask questions, I have no idea myself what happened. Just start your engines, and be ready to hightail it out of there. We're going to cut a path through the Flood for you. Tu comprenez?

"Affirmative human. Thank you," R'tas replied, closing the connection and opening up a new one which would broadcast to both the Sangheili fleet and Covenant one.

"You have fought well today Warriors! The bards shall sing of our exploits for many an age! But if we remain here, we shall be as lambs for the slaughter. The humans are back in the fight, and they are going to cut a path through the Flood! Be ready to leave as soon as an opening appears!" he roared over the communications link, before commanding his own crew to ready the Intent. The Assault Carrier hummed as its large propulsion system warmed up.

"R'tas? What's going on?" Equanimity demanded of him, setting up a private communications channel.

"I have no idea Hierarch, really. But we've been thrown a lifeline, and we should grasp it firmly. Ready yourself," he replied.

Suddenly, almost the moment R'tas had finished his sentence, Longsword fighters flew between the gaps in the Flood blockade, a legion of them targeting and destroying the parasite fighters which were hampering the retreat. The small, black V shaped fighters were accentuated with the roar of many Mass Accelerated Cannons, which smashed into a small portion of the Flood ships. They began to break off, and were quickly finished off by Elite and Covenant pulse lasers, the ships firing them flying towards the weak point.

"Ram them!" R'tas commanded, bringing the shields of the Intent up to full, diverting power from the main plasma torpedoes to the close quarter pulse turrets and shielding systems. The rest of the Covenant and Sangheili fleets did the same.

The unfortunate Flood ships who had been unlucky enough to reside in the space the hole was being made in turned around in vain as the largest Elite and Covenant ships flew towards their weakened hulls. One pitifully fired out a plasma torpedo, which hardly phased the Assault Carrier it hit. The Sangheili and Covenant wouldn't be able to keep their shields at this strength for more than five minutes, but that was all the time they needed.

The fleet flagships smashed into the fractured portion of the Flood blockade, breaking out of the cage they had been encased in. The UNSC ships on the other side were laying down covering fire for them.

"Good to see you!" Lieutenant Dominique called to R'tas over the communications systems. His voice sounded weak and strained. "Open up a slipspace portal to the other side of the planet, we'll follow you through it."

R'tas relayed the human's wishes to the Sangheili and Covenant fleets, who obeyed without question. The Flood scows had abandoned their orb-like structure, and were now turning to engage the outnumbered non-infected fleets.

They never got the chance to. The Shadow of Intent fired up its FTL drive, subtly and smoothly cutting a gaping hole into slipspace. Ships from all factions flew through the portal, vanishing as they dropped into its purple and crackling vortex. Eventually, all that remained was the Intent and an armada of raging Flood vessels. If ships could be smug, then the Shadow of Intent certainly was as it eased into the slipspace portal it had created and winked out of sight, closing the rift in space as it did so.

Standing on his command bridge with his arms folded, Imperial Admiral R'tas Vadum' let out a deep breath he didn't even know he'd been holding. They'd survived.

[Edited on 03.29.2010 4:45 AM PDT]

  • 03.28.2010 1:23 PM PDT
Subject: [Story] Halo 3: Insurrection (Part 41 is now available!) ~ 24 Feb

By the power of truth, I, while living, have conquered the universe.

I see you've been too lazy to actually fix that "site" problem. :L

  • 03.29.2010 4:35 AM PDT

Posted by: ajw34307
I see you've been too lazy to actually fix that "site" problem. :L


Oh, shush. I was tired.

  • 03.29.2010 4:46 AM PDT

Posted by: Dropship dude
No, acnboy. Spartain Ken 15 is a lesser being. Much like the bacteria that lives in your shi­t.
Posted by: mike120593
My shi­t bacteria takes offense to that comparison.

Don't make me lel. You won't like me when I lel.

I was wondering when that ban would lift, what did you get it for? Nice part, by the way!

  • 03.29.2010 5:27 AM PDT

By the power of truth, I, while living, have conquered the universe.

Posted by: Wolverfrog
Posted by: ajw34307
I see you've been too lazy to actually fix that "site" problem. :L


Oh, shush. I was tired.


Haha, suuuuuuuuure.

  • 03.29.2010 7:31 AM PDT

Acta Non Verba

DarkFus10nz

Check out www.nextgenwalkthroughs.com for the ultmate walkthrough experiace!

awsome part

  • 03.29.2010 11:45 AM PDT

great part

  • 03.29.2010 1:31 PM PDT

The Hybrid a FanFic by Tehface

"Look for the signs, the keepers of the flame. They will lead you to war, and perhaps, to victory."

Wolver. Keep up the amazing cake.

And put a bullet in Eden's skull would ya?

  • 03.29.2010 7:19 PM PDT
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I love the complainers that complain about the complainers complaining.

They need to make a game out of this, or a movie.

  • 03.30.2010 1:45 PM PDT

This is great! But I wonder how Johnson and his squad are doing?

  • 03.31.2010 12:01 PM PDT

The Razor.

For the honour of the Mirratord.

Wolvers!! That last part was absolutely aweful!!! You should be ashamed of yourself!!!!

Ahh I'm just kidding, It was awesome, as always. You really are an incredible writer, way better than me.

And I hear congratulations are in order. Everyone, a round of applause for Wolverfrog, the new Imperial Admiral of the Mirratord.

(Grrr you beat me....kidding :P)

I'll go and comment on Insurrection in the Mirratord. Or FF.net. Or both.

  • 04.02.2010 4:42 AM PDT
Subject: [Story] Halo 3: Insurrection (Part 43 is now available!) ~ 28 March

Not much action in this part, there will be next time though, don't worry.

Part 44 - Well it's better than walkin'


"Huh, a Behemoth. I haven't seen one of those in years," Johnson commented to nobody in particular, having a sudden flashback to the glory days in the SI team.

"The Sharquoi you mean? They have always been scarce in number. The Covenant hold the last existing one. That must be it," Relg replied, pausing for a moment. The Light of Helios carried himself with an air of arrogance which would of annoyed Johnson, had he not known deep down that he was exactly the same. Well, not exactly. At least he smiled every once in a while.

"It looks pretty swarmed," Johnson observed, watching the sheer amount of Flood forms congregating around the Sharquoi with plasma halberds grimly.

"Watch," Relg simply replied, chuckling in that cocky manner he always wore. Johnson cringed as the Sharquoi let out a shriek of pain as a halberd was sunk in its left leg. Enraged, the draconian creature bellowed out a jet of streaming plasma, incinerating the Flood soldiers holding the halberds into ash. With a wince, Johnson had another flashback to the glory days in the SI team.

"This presents a unique opportunity," Malkor pondered thoughtfully. This Elite was less arrogant, but somewhat annoyingly, deferred to Relg's decisions on every single occasion.

Relg looked across at his friend, and an unspoken recognition passed between them which Johnson missed.

"What?" he asked bluntly, afraid of the answer he knew he was going to receive.

"Sharquoi have been ridden in the past," Relg began tentatively. Johnson groaned.

"Forget it. There ain't no ruttin' way I am riding that Dragon," he aggressively replied, shaking his head.

"Sharquoi skin is abnormally tough. It would provide far better cover and mobility than a Wraith, Sergeant," Malkor attempted where Relg had failed.

"At least I know a Wraith won't eat me...as far as I know anyway," Johnson protested.

"Remain here if you wish human, I and my brother are proceeding to the Citadel as planned," Relg replied, smug as always. Johnson frowned, bit his lip, and finally gave in.

"Fine! We'll ride the Behemoth. Just one problem; how do you propose to climb it when it is all the way over there?" the Sergeant Major demanded, pointing at the far distance.

"That isn't much of a problem at all. Sharquoi are trained to respond to a high frequency that the Flood simply can't emulate. Sangheili, however, can," Relg answered, before opening his star shaped, armoured mandibles and whistling (if you could really call it that) at a frequency just below that of a dog whistle.

The Sharquoi's head instantly snapped up, as it turned away from the terrified Flood soldiers and looked towards the origin of the call. It swept aside the remaining Flood around its legs, and began to lumber to the spot where Relg, Malkor and Johnson stood.

"Whatever you do, don't make eye contact with it," Relg began to instruct Johnson hurriedly as the creature drew closer, "and don't even go near it until Malkor and I have assured it you are a friend."

The Sharquoi's graceful gait began to slow as it approached the three. Its sharp claws were stained with Flood biomass, which was giving off a burning smell.

"Sharquoi," Relg began respectfully, inclining his head. "We have need of your--"

The Dragon-like creature almost completely ignored the Elite when it saw Johnson, suddenly moving towards the startled Sergeant Major.

"Whoa!" Johnson cried out, aiming his DMR at the Sharquoi's head warningly. Malkor and Relg were staring at its advancement, ashen faced and immobile.

"Do not shoot human! You'll only make it angrier! Just stay very still, and try not to--" Relg was silenced once again as the Sharquoi did something completely unexpected.

Stopping before the frozen Sergeant Johnson, it dropped to one knee, bowing its head and looking the human straight in the eyes with pure respect and reverence.

"Gods above..." Malkor breathed, staring with awe at the strange sight before him. Johnson moved, and the Sharquoi's eyes followed.

"Does this usually happen?" Johnson questioned the two Sangheili, who shook their heads simultaneously.

"Never," Relg breathed, the arrogance completely vanished. "Usually, multifarious ceremonial signs of respect must be shown towards the Sharquoi, and even then it will sometimes ignore you."

"Then what gives? Why's it treating me like a god damn King?" Johnson demanded, letting his weapon drop to his side.

"Perhaps because you are human; a Reclaimer," Malkor suggested wisely. Johnson shook his head.

"Can't be. I fought one of these things before, it wasn't bowing to me then," he replied sceptically.

"Did you shoot it when you saw it?" Relg queried, an amused look on his face.

"Hell yeah. I wasn't just going to stand by and let it--"

"Well that's why then. It's survival instincts overrode its allegiance to you Reclaimers. If you hadn't shot it, then its altogether possible it would have fought alongside you," Relg finished, smug and arrogant once again.

"Interesting theology Relg, but time is ticking on," Johnson interrupted before Relg's shadow, who was known by most as Malkor, could praise the already big headed Elite for his shrewd observation. Relg nodded.

"Sharquoi, we have need of your assistance. Allow us to be ferried by your majestic form, so that we may--" the Elite gave up when he realised the creature wasn't paying him the slightest bit of attention. Relg turned with obvious reluctance to Johnson.

"Human, tell this awed Sharquoi of our plans," the Elite ordered him, which annoyed Johnson. Still, this was no time to point out that the alien lacked a UNSC rank.

"Hey, we need a ride," Johnson began bluntly. Relg and Malkor both made strangled noises as they observed how the human didn't speak with any tact or respect. "So if you don't mind, just lie down on your front and we'll hop on board."

"Blasphemous!" Malkor whispered, horrified. Relg shot him a look which clearly meant 'do not make an issue of this now.'

The Sharquoi evidently didn't care about Johnson's lack of reverence, for it sunk down on its stomach, to a height at which Johnson and the Sangheili would be able to climb aboard. The Sergeant Major eyed the sharp spikes on its back wearily.

"Where do we sit?" he wondered aloud, turning to Relg inquisitively. The Light of Helios pointed at small dents in the Sharquoi's back.

"Nestle yourself within those alcoves, and hold on to the scaly ridges surrounding them. According to ancient scripture, the divine Forerunners themselves rode these mighty creations into battle," Relg informed him, climbing onto the Sharquoi's back and positioning himself. Johnson followed suit, cutting his hand accidentally when he grasped a barbed scale at a wrong angle. He swore, before finally making himself comfortable -- to some small degree.

"I'll have to ask the Didact why his people didn't create seatbelts on these things," Johnson muttered, noticing how he was unsecured, and only able to hold on because of his grip.

"The Didact?" Malkor questioned him, sitting himself in a small alcove on Johnson's right. The Sergeant drew out a cigar from his old, worn pouch, lighting it and shoving it into his mouth. That made him feel a little more secure.

"I'll tell you later," Johnson replied to the Elite, not wanting to be on the receiving end of a volley of questions. "Relg! How do we get this thing moving?"

"Just state your intentions. It will understand what you mean, in a similar manner to the Huragok," the Elite answered him haughtily. Johnson nodded.

"All right then. Take us to the Citadel, and kill as many Flood as you can on the way...thanks." Johnson felt a little foolish talking to what he saw as an animal, but his words worked. With a sudden burst of energy, the Sharquoi rose up to its hind haunches, nearly throwing Johnson out of his 'seat'. He managed to hold on, but cut his hand even deeper in the process.

The Sharquoi began to trudge north, towards the Citadel front door. Johnson pitied any Flood soldier foolish enough to get in its way.

* * * * * * * * * * * *

Continued next forum page

[Edited on 04.06.2010 11:47 AM PDT]

  • 04.06.2010 11:45 AM PDT