- soulguard
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- Exalted Mythic Member
“Enough!” Timnaldee roared. “Elder, I have seen the Captain in combat, and we have spoken together aboard my ship. This human female is a strong leader and I acknowledge her honor. Never have I heard her words in anger until now. If she came too seek revenge, then it would have been within her right to do so, but she did not. The weapon could have been used at any moment against us, and we would have had no defense. Elder, we owe the humans greatly. How many of their worlds have burned under our aggression because of blindness?” Timnaldee’s words struck a cord in the elder’s heart, and Simyaldee chuckled from his corner. He stepped up and approached the group.
“I believe these talks should continue at another time.” Simyaldee stated as he bowed to the elder and nodded to his friend, now Supreme Commander. “Your words serve you well, Commander. You have truly changed during these past few days. It is humbling to see you say such words when less then a week ago you saw no place for a grunt sergeant. Now look at you, coming to the aid of a human.” Simyaldee grinned as he looked to Captain Monroe. “We all change, Captain; it is because of the mistakes we make in our past, that we understand the need for change. Even within our military forces, these words are true. I believe we should put aside this discussion and let our tempers calm. We have a mutual enemy to interrogate at this moment.”
Vornaldea released a heavy breath and turned to the Mirratord Second, “Lieutenant Simyaldee, your words have always been beneficially to the High Council. Today is no exception. Let us venture to the holding cell. Captain Monroe, I must insist on you joining us. I believe you will find it very beneficial.”
“Very well.” Captain Monroe simply replied.
Timnaldee turned to Simyaldee as the group began to walk toward the holding cell several decks below, “What of the fleet?”
“We have begun repairs on various ships, mostly those that are heavily damaged. This ship is well equipped, and even though it is old, it operates at nearly its full potential. We have brought engineers on board and they have quickly repaired any systems we have overlooked. The humans also have a very skilled worker amongst them. This human female was able to do several repairs before the engineers arrived. Thanks to her we were able to take off without incident.”
“And the Watchmen incident? What of my child?”
Simyaldee gazed ahead and dared not look into the eyes of his friend, “We will discuss it in due time.”
“Now, lieutenant!” Timnaldee ordered.
Simyaldee did not let his friend waiver his decision, “In due time, Commander!” Simyaldee walked away and followed Vornaldea and the other honor guards into the spiral walkway leading down to the holding cell. Timnaldee stood alone in the hall and came to the realization that he son was either dead, or being held in a prison cell. But the manor in which Simyaldee had rebuked him made him think the worst. His mate was gone, and now his only child. But why, why did he have to lose his young? Timnaldee released a solo roar of pain as his heart swelled in agony. His family was gone.
Simyaldee stopped and lowered his head as his friend cried behind him. He had hoped that they could talk alone, but Timnaldee had easily pieced it together. However, he was still not aware of the full story; that he had killed his friend’s son.
The doors to the holding cell opened and in walked three honor guards, followed by elder Vornaldea and a human. Catherine had never seen her before but was pleased to see another human face. She stood from her make shift chair and walked toward the group.
“And you are…”
“Ma’am, Captain Megan Monroe of the Rogue Fantasy.”
“Understood.”
Kelly quickly stepped forward in her monstrously large armor, “Did everything go according to plan?”
“Yes. Except we had no idea we would become prisoners.”
Catherine sighed softly, “Don’t let that bother you. It’s just a technicality. There are worse things.”
Vornaldea then stepped forward, “Doctor, what have you learned from the prisoner?”
“Kelly and I persuaded him to tell us the truth. Quite frankly, I don’t know what to make of it. Kelly, bring him out.” Kelly walked to the back of the holding cell and powered down an energy shield. She then turned a corner and no one could see what she was doing, but they could clearly hear the plea’s of terrified creatures. Kelly rounded the corner and was dragging the small body of a young prophet, Mercy.
“A prophet?” Monroe questioned. “I thought they were bigger then that?”
Catherine folded her arms across her chest and thumbed her chin, “Prophets are more then seven feet tall, head to toe, but this one is young. It appears that they continue to grow even when they are old. Our only knowledge of them is of the Hierarchs, and they are hundreds of years old. No telling how old this one is, but he is just a copy.”
Timnaldee and Simyaldee ventured into the room without any words and both released a small growl as they gazed at Mercy sitting on the floor.
“Release me, demon! I have answered your ridiculous questions, now leave me be.” Mercy grumbled, but he was then slung to the ground without remorse. “Mindless barbarian. I will see the day you are beheaded for this harsh treatment.”
Vornaldea growled toward the quivering creature, “Silence, prophet, or I will not show as much patience as the human.”
Catherine stepped toward the wall and pressed her hand against a yellow glowing half circle, “The Keeper of the ship can assist.”
“Not that stupid hologram again. They have no belief, nor do they care to understand the need for our abilities.” Mercy pleaded, but to his dismay the hologram powered to life and a smaller, more life size version of the Keeper appeared before the group. It wore loose fitting robes, similar to those the prophets wore, but much more elaborate in design. The keeper’s sleeves covered strongly toned arms, but the most remarkable image was its face. Small horns lined its human shaped chin with large dark eyes that softly sat within its skull. Its skin was reptile in nature, leathery, with black hair running down the center of its head. The hair stretched to the floor and was nicely braided together. It had pointy ears that stretched outward from its head, and they twisted in any direction to discern the location of what it was listening to. It was a very odd looking creature, with signs of age marking its face.
“Is that a forerunner?” Monroe questioned.
“I am the Keeper of this Seed Installation and modeled in the image of…”
Catherine interrupted the Keepers tirade, “Not entirely. It is complicated.”
“Another Reclaimer has joined us. Perhaps you can tell me why the protocols …”
Again Catherine cut in, “No, she can not. As I’ve explained, we are not in control of this situation. I simply need you to answer some questions. To reveal certain things to those of us that are here.”
“Very well, reclaimer. I will answer what I can, just as before. Ah I see that we have left the Installation behind. It was destroyed along with the flood. Destroying the planet is sad, but it was a very affective way in eliminating the flood threat.”
“Left the installation?” Monroe questioned.
Catherine walked in front of the group and circled around Mercy as he sat annoyed in the middle of the floor, “Yes. This Seed ship was not the installation, as we thought. The installation was the city beneath it. This ship created that underground sanctuary, and it has done it twelve times on various worlds. The elite Inner Sanctum was Installation 012, the last city built to begin life on a new world.”
“Then this seed ship created life?”
Catherine sighed, “Yes. After the firing of the first halo, this ship traveled the galaxy and planted life on various worlds. It stopped at the elite home world. But it did not create human life.”
The hologram smirked, “Human life. Yes, species 011 was not grown from this facility. Species 011 were the Reclaimers, and their task were needed elsewhere. They are the protectors of the Ark. The Reclaimers were to bring back the forerunner Empire…”
Catherine again cut off the holograms tirade, “We getting ahead of ourselves. First, who are the forerunners?”
The Keeper simply replied, “The forerunners consisted of Species 001 and 002.”
“And we Prophets, were also members.” Mercy mumbled.
“No. Species 004, was a member of the higher class and thusly a member of the Empire, but not constituted as Forerunner. You were an elected member of the empire. You were placed in charge of overseeing laws throughout all systems.”
Catherine interrupted, “Why did you make Halo?”
All eyes peered at the holographic creature as it spoke, “For the sake of studying and containing the flood species. Their evolutionary growth was fascinating and …”
“What are the flood?” Catherine quickly interrupted.
“The flood are everything.” The creature’s response was simple, and for the first time everyone wanted the creature to explain.
“Please, tell us what you mean by, the flood are everything. Tell us just as you told me earlier.” Catherine walked closer to the hologram and leaned against the wall.
“The flood are an evolution of all combined life throughout the empire, with only a few exceptions. Their DNA is the direct result of a genetic mutation and eventual evolution of all members of the Forerunner Empire.”
“I don’t understand.” Captain Monroe blurted. “Is it saying that… we are the flood?”
The hologram turned to face Captain Monroe, “Yes. Species 011, reclaimers, are also a part of the genetic makeup.”