A/N: Hello everyone, this is my first fanfic on this site! It asks the question, "What if Mendicant Bias had tried to atone for joining the Flood in a different way?" Answer: Things turn out a bit…different. Note that a few details about the story have been changed; the first one that shows up is that Thel 'Vadam is a Shipmaster in 2524. Other than that I've stayed true to the source material. Enjoy!

Oh, and I do not own Halo, but all OCs are mine.

Thel 'Vadam, Shipmaster and Elite Warrior of the Covenant Empire during the Twenty-Third Age of Doubt, was hearing rumors.

Rumors that Covenant ships had encountered a new race. Rumors that a new member would soon be accepted into the Covenant.

Rumors of a race called "human".

Thel did not know what to make of the rumors. A new race joining the Covenant, a new race to walk The Path… But he had his misgivings. What if they proved unworthy, and had to be cleansed like so many before them?

He was snapped out of his reverie by a young Sangheili Minor. "Shipmaster, the Supreme Commander has contacted us!"

Thel flexed his mandibles in the Sangheili version of a frown. What is the meaning of this? The Supreme Commander only contacts us to brief us for missions, and our next operation is not scheduled for cycles. Nevertheless, he was being contacted by a superior, so he turned on his holodisplay to accept the message. It projected a life-size image of the Commander into the air in front of him.

The Shipmaster touched a fist to his chest in a traditional Sangheili gesture of respect. "Greetings, Commander."

"Greetings, Shipmaster 'Vadamee," replied his superior, returning the gesture. "No doubt you are wondering about the reasoning behind my message, so I will be brief: our new mission is considered to be of such import that the Hierarchs themselves will be briefing us on High Charity. Thus, we have been recalled there. A similar order has been given to all operating Covenant fleets. The Fleet Masters, Field Masters and Supreme Commanders of each fleet are to report to the Hierarchs directly; all other personnel have two cycles to rest and prepare before we embark again."

Thel's eyes widened. To say such a thing was unprecedented would be an egregious understatement. Rare was the time any given fleet was summoned to the Covenant's capital, let alone all of them. "Does this have anything to do with this new race there have been rumors about-the humans?"

The Supreme Commander chuckled. "Your insight is correct, but if anyone asks, you do not know of any new races. The existence of humanity, as they call themselves, is known to only a select few. Or at any rate, it is supposed to be. Shipmaster 'Vadamee, you will join the fleet on its way to the rendezvous with High Charity. Supreme Commander 'Lataree out."

Thel looked around at his bridge crew. "You heard the Commander. Set course for High Charity!"

Upon arrival at the Covenant's holy city, 'Vadamee and his Sangheili brethren made their way to the barracks, where they could rest and recuperate before their mysterious new mission. Thel kept a journal in which he recorded his thoughts on the Covenant religion and the Great Journey, and he wished to use some of his spare time to create an entry. However, his thoughts on this particular day took somewhat of a different path than the piety and devotion he usually displayed.

My last mission culminated in the demise of a heretic faction of various Covenant races. While this in itself is unremarkable, my experience during the battle was decidedly not. Many heretics spout Doarmir dung about how the Journey is a lie and the Prophets are leading us all astray, but these...these provided a true challenge to my faith. Who among our number truly knows what it is to walk the Great Journey? What defines heresy, as opposed to speaking one's mind? I leave this battle troubled, my faith in the Journey shaken. I would like to say that I will emerge from this challenge stronger, but I cannot expel these doubts from my mind.
I must ensure that this entry never reaches the eyes of those more pious than I.

Thel 'Vadamee deactivated the datapad that he had used to write his journal entry and slept.

His fitful rest was disturbed, however, by the distinct three-tone of his datapad receiving a communication. He checked it, and a message appeared on his screen:

HISTORY CIRCLING BACK UPON US.

The gears of the Universe spin further
and further apart.
Ever greater grows the gulf between souls,
And distance gives false hope of safety
But for the grim tidings this messenger bears:
The enemy is almost upon us.
Closing in from all sides,
Moving faster than the light
it snuffs with its passage,
Time echoes with the news of destruction.
History winding back upon itself.
Waves of an army march this way in unison,
Suffering and corruption are its battle cries.
For I have known this darkness
and felt its embrace once before-
Horror best laid to rest.
Yet a Journey must commence.
Look for the signs, the keepers of the flame.
They will lead you to war, and perhaps, to victory.
-05-032-MB

Thel almost dropped the datapad in astonishment. What...how... He was unable to form a coherent thought for a moment. What could this mean? Has someone-or something-detected my near-blasphemous writings? And what enemy...what horror does it speak of?
As he stared at the datapad, he realized that the message was open for response-most unusual in and of itself, but especially coming from this mystery messenger. He responded with haste. Seven words:

What do you know that I don't?

No sooner had he sent the message than it was returned.

05-032-MB: Many things, but most are irrelevant. Events have been set in motion. They must be prevented.

Thel: Who are you? What are you?

05-032-MB: One who wishes to show you that your path of "salvation" will end only in destruction, as it did for the Forerunners long ago.

Thel: You are a heretic!

05-032-MB: And you are a hypocrite. You have your own doubts about this "Great Journey", do you not?

Thel: ...

05-032-MB: You wished to know who I was... I think you would not be so quick to label me "heretic" if you knew. Your allies know me as "Oracle". My creators knew me as Mendicant Bias. I committed a grave sin against them, one that led to their fall. I must atone for it. And you will be my agent.

A/N: Short, I know, but I kind of wanted to end on this note; I'll probably be doing longer chapters as the story develops. SPARTAN chapters will start popping up soon, as they get their augmentations and start to be deployed. And I think most devoted Halo fans knew who Thel 'Vadam's mystery messenger was as soon as you saw the serial number. Oh, and as for the poem, it's from the Halo 3 Iris marketing campaign; I co-opted it and used it as material for Mendicant Bias. More Iris items will appear in Mendicant's communications, 'cause they're so awesome and ominous and Forerunner-y. New chapter coming up!