- Wolverfrog
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- Fabled Legendary Member
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"I have a feeling we're being watched," Kelly muttered. She was bouncing on the balls of her feet, and you could tell that the pace they were going at was killing her.
"We probably are. The Gravemind must have gotten a good look at us through the eyes of that sniper earlier. He knows who, and where we are," John replied confidently, peering at the numerous dark alcoves where Flood scouts could be concealed. He was always confident, even in the face of the Flood; or at least he was externally. Thel knew his true feelings about the parasite.
"Shouldn't we be worried about this?" Thel pondered, sweating slightly. The golden garbed Sangheili may be the physical equal of a Spartan, but that didn't mean he had the same amount of training or reserve. He was afraid.
"They're watching for now. They probably know we're too good for them," Fred answered, flipping his knife in the air, catching it with a deft movement after it had spun several times. Thel was still a little apprehensive of Fred, after he'd tried to kill him back on board the Cairo at Earth.
All the Spartans save John intimidated him. Their faceless helmets, their unwavering confidence, and almost psychic connection they shared with each other. A far stronger bond existed between them than Thel and any of his Sangheili brothers.
Thel had also always found it strange that the humans allowed their females to fight. Indeed, two of the Spartans beside him now were so. In the Covenant, females were considered a treasure to protect and keep from harm.
And yet the human women were mighty warriors in their own right, many were as skilled if not more so than their men. Thel smiled sardonically as he remembered the early days of the war, when Sangheili under his command had presumed the human females to be weak and helpless. They'd never made that mistake again.
"I would wager that many of the troops are battling outside. And don't forget the nuclear bombing and plasma bombardment continuously pounding this farced planet like a drum. The Gravemind is no doubt distracted," Galenus the Jiralhanae medic input wisely. Ah yes, the Brutes. Thel hadn't forgiven them entirely for their treachery and cowardice during the Great Schism. And he likely never would.
So how had the Sangheili believed that the humans would ever forgive them? They had been fools. As soon as the war had ended, the Sangheili should have dedicated all their resources to helping humanity recover. But of course, that hadn't happened.
We are a very cold and selfish race, Thel realised in an epiphany. He'd seen how the humans cared for each other, going out of their way to help the most miserable wretch. Thel had in the past seen the humans risk their lives to save a complete stranger.
All Sangheili cared about was honour and the honour of their clan. Thel made a vow to put a stop to that after all this was over. They could learn a lot from the humans.
"I am not entirely sure why we do not just glass this parasite ridden domain," the other Sangheili in the strike team, named Jahl, wondered. Apparently a cousin of R'tas -- Thel had never met him. He had proven to be an admirable warrior though. "Surely that would kill the Gravemind?"
"I'm afraid not, dear Sangheili," Mendicant Bias replied patiently, speaking for the first time in a while. The majestic looking Oracle was floating at John's shoulder, keeping his light dim. Mendicant had been useful himself, his weaponry systems had been disabled aeons ago but his knowledge of Flood anatomy had been invaluable in taking them out.
"Why not revered Oracle, pray tell?" Jahl pressed, humbled and respectful.
"The Gravemind is much larger than you think. Your world contains many Forerunner complexes beneath its earthy shell. The Mind has expanded throughout these; essentially, it now covers the entire planet, reaching right down into the core," Mendicant continued to explain it a calm tone.
"Then why do we not just glass this entire planet? I love Sangheilios, but I would rather see it destroyed than in the claws of an abomination!" Jahl argued fiercely.
"Sangheili, killing the Gravemind in such a way would not stop the Flood. It has expanded to numerous colonies and planets. The core of its mind would just transfer to another depositary elsewhere if we kill it in physical terms. The only way to truly strike a blow is to inject a virus into the entirety of the Flood network, preventing a new Gravemind from forming. I am that virus. Which is why we journey through this dank Citadel. Understand?"
Jahl's expression conveyed sheer confusion. Thel got the impression that he was not the most efficient plasma grenade in the cache of explosives, to speak metaphorically.
"Never mind Jahl, just trust me when I say this is the only way," Mendicant Bias finished with a frustrated sigh, turning back around. Somehow he knew the Sangheili's name. He knew a lot of things that he shouldn't have.
"I still don't--" Jahl persisted, causing Thel to groan. Mendicant turned around sharply, annoyed.
"Sangheili, please! I'm trying to concentrate right now, the Gravemind has been assaulting my consciousness ever since we first landed on Sangheilios. I have my hands full repelling him," the Forerunner AI snapped. John turned to him in surprise.
"I didn't know that! You should have said something Mendicant. Do you need help?" the Spartan leader queried in concern. Mendicant gave the mechanical equivalent of a grimace.
"A little help wouldn't go unappreciated, but this is not something an organic can do. Unless one of you has psychic abilities? I thought not. No, I will be fine. Just let me concentrate," Mendicant replied. "Also, I apologise for shouting Jahl, it was wrong of me."
He's always so courteous," Thel marvelled, staring at the once again silent Forerunner Oracle. John still looked concerned.
"Would another AI be able to help?"
Mendicant turned to him incredulously.
"Well, yes, but I don't think any of your constructs would be able to withstand the Gravemind's presence; it is quite overwhelming. Even another Monitor would have their metaphorical hands full."
"Cortana's held off the Gravemind before. She might be able to help now. I'll contact her," John answered, sure of himself as always.
AIs are certainly interesting beings. Perhaps it would be a good idea for us create some.
After a few moments of John attempting to contact the feminine Artificial Intelligence that was Cortana, she finally appeared. The two of them appeared to have a silent conversation for around two minutes. Thel had always found it fascinating how the AI could interface with his very mind; the humans were in many ways far more ingenuous than the Sangheili.
"She says she can, apparently she learned an effective way of fighting the Gravemind off when she was trapped on High Charity. Mendicant, I need to rest my hand on you."
John laid the palm of his hand, the gloved gauntlet covered with miniscule fibre optic connections which allowed Cortana to interface and "touch" the world through him. A soft blue nexus engulfed the Spartan and the Oracle.
Thel wished he could hear what was happening. Watching the no doubt interesting scene before him but without being able to see or hear was disconcerting as well as frustrating.
Five eerie and silent minutes later, a anguished howl rang deep through the echoing halls of the Citadel; something supernatural in origin. Shortly following this, John removed his hand from the Oracle's chassis, chuckling.
"What happened?" Thel demanded forcefully, eyes intent. The howl of sheer frustration and hatred still persisted, cutting into Thel's mind like a metallic blade scratched along glass.
"I managed to convince the Gravemind to leave Mendicant Bias alone. Well, 'convince' might not be the most accurate of terms actually. He'll be hurting sorely for quite a while now. That'll teach him not to expose his mind again," Cortana spoke through John's helmet, tones laden thick with smug satisfaction.
"Indeed, my thanks to you Cortana," Mendicant replied, the stress vanished from his voice. "You are indeed skilled."
"Will you be leaving now?" John asked his AI companion, a touch of upset in his voice.
"Actually, I think I'll stay with you for a while. You have a tendency to get yourself into trouble without me to guide your hand."
"Gee, thanks," John muttered dryly, but Thel could tell his friend was smiling beneath his mirrored scarlet visor.
"Are you not needed in the skies, honoured construct?" Thel questioned Cortana.
"I made a copy of myself. It's not as brilliant as the real me, but it'll do the job for a while. Oh! That reminds me. Things are looking a little grim in the orbital battle."
"What's happened?" Jahl asked, concerned. R'tas was leading the Sangheili fleet after all, and he was his cousin.
"Eden happened."
[Edited on 04.13.2010 11:18 AM PDT]