I'm sure that this plot has been done before, I've read at least two other accounts, but I feel like I can do something new, maybe better. Please, just give it a chance, and leave a review with any suggestions.
Chapter 1
"Please, reconsider."
The Arbiter laced his finger in a disgustingly human gesture that implied deep thought. "This isn't a punishment, brother."
Rtas snapped his remaining mandibles in an obvious show of annoyance. "I am sorry, but it feels as if I am being punished. To operate with the humans. To trust my life to them. The mission itself is not what bothers me. I understand the necessity of bringing these cowards and heretics to justice. But please, allow me to bring my own squad, Sangheili that I trust, that trust me. To expect me to work with the humans, that is too far."
The Arbiter nodded understandingly. "You do not trust them at all?"
"No brother, I am not ashamed to say that I do not. They have proven themselves brave and cunning and cooperative. But they have also shown themselves to be shortsighted and thoughtless, brutal and savage. I understood the need to align with them when the threat of the Flood and the Jiralhanae was imminent. I understand our continued cooperation; they have earned our help and loyalty. I respect them, but that does not mean I trust them."
"If the Master Chief was not lost, would you operate alongside him?"
"Yes, but I would always fear that he would put a bullet in my blindside," Rtas said sharply.
The Arbiter sighed. Truth be told, he understood his old friend's fears well. The Master Chief, Johnson, the human grunts that he worked alongside, he could never shake a feeling that they were plotting, waiting for him to let his guard down. Perhaps his fears were unrealized. With their enemies dead, the Arbiter and his remaining men were permitted to escape Earth and return home for the first time in what felt like decades. But that could just as easily be explained: they were still waiting, still plotting. Always waiting, always plotting.
As if sensing his doubt, Rtas pushed the question further. "Suppose this isn't a fringe group. Suppose this isn't some zealots who still disapprove of the treaty. Suppose this has been the human's plan all along. The Prophets, the Jiralhanae, and the Flood are removed. It is us and them."
"They are still far too weak to wage a war against us," the Arbiter countered.
"Which is why they are dealing in terrorism. Why they are chipping away at our soldiers. How many ships have we lost the past week? Ships of our soldiers, of our civilians. Perhaps, eventually, they will target you. Perhaps this entire request for one of us is a ploy to get to me."
The Arbiter chuckled. "That is very egotistical of you. Do you really believe that you are worth an assassin's bullet?"
Rtas allowed himself a chuckle. "I don't mean to brag, but I am shipmaster of the Shadow of Intent. I think my head could fetch quite a high price."
"Of course, brother. And I am the Arbiter. I am of a higher rank than you are. I think you have to do what I say. Please, make no mistake, I do this because you are the only one that I can trust with such an operation. I would do it myself, but I am tied up with these blasted politics. You, on the other hand, have much more free time than I. We are not presently at war with anyone, what is a shipmaster's place in a time of peace?"
Rtas rubbed his eyes. "I will not do this because of your rank, brother, I will do it because of our friendship. Because I trust you." He thought to himself. "But if I fall victim to the human's treachery, I will be one angry spirit."
"Of course."
---
"What is your name?" Rtas demanded. When the Unggoy stood there, dumbstruck and terrified, the shipmaster merely took him by the throat and gave him a furious shake.
"Kurr," the Unggoy cried, and he was set back down. "Everyone call me Kurr."
"An old comrade of mine vouches with his life for you."
The Unggoy stood very straight for a moment, as if he was trying to stand at attention. "I serve sir, as well as I can."
"Rtas," the Arbiter said, coming into the room. "You know the arrangement. You are not permitted to bring any Sangheili."
"I understand the arrangement fine, brother," Rtas said calmly. "The humans reason that if one Sangheili is equal to five humans, they should get five humans in a squad for one Sangheili. However, as you can plainly see," he said, tapping the missing portion of his face, "I am not a complete Sangheili. The Unggoy is equal to an eighth of a human. That is .025 of a Sangheili." He looked down at pitiful little methane breather that stood cowering at his hooves. "No offense."
"None taken, sir."
"The humans will not like this," the Arbiter sighed, though he had to admit, he enjoyed Rtas' logic. The humans had their loopholes, now the shipmaster had his own.
Rtas turned back to the Unggoy. "Commander Zulfar vouches for you, and I have the utmost respect for him. So I am going to let you in on everything. Have you any idea of the duty we have been charged with?"
"No sir, I do not."
Rtas sighed. "Three weeks ago we lost contact with a transport, the Blameless Grace. We didn't know what to suspect. Perhaps it was targeted by pirates, or perhaps there was a simple malfunction in the system that killed any communications. It was not until two cycles ago that we found it, adrift in an uncharted sector. Its contents were stolen and its crew slaughtered, left where they lay. It was brutal in scale, the volume of lives lost, to say the least."
"Jiralhanae?" Kurr asked.
"Perhaps. But human weapons were used. Only, human weapons in fact. Not even the smears of blood that accompany the impact of a gravity hammer, or the disembodied limbs that are the result of a Jiralhanae going berserk."
Kurr swallowed nervously. "You suspect the humans?"
"Just suspect," Rtas assured, though there was a shifting in his eyes that spoke of something deeper.
"The bond between the Sangheili and the humans is not yet cemented. Something like this could, quite easily, tear our union apart and throw us back into war," the Arbiter explained. "Should we accuse them of our suspicion, or should our suspicions be proven true, the fall out could be devastating. However, we cannot leave our fallen, justice must be served."
"So we must tread carefully," Rtas said, but he said it in an odd way. It was as if he just wanted to appease his fellow Sangheili.
"The mission, Excellencies?"
"We will be
working with a squad of humans to uncover the truth behind this
little excursion. It will be our responsibility to remedy any
complications that arise."
The Unggoy gave an enthusiastic
series of nods. "Yes sir."
"If you will excuse me," the Arbiter said. "I have other business to tend to. I just wish you luck on this mission. And try not to kill any of the humans while you are at it."
"Luck is no replacement for skill, brother. I cannot promise the other thing though."
Not my best opening, but it will get better. Reviewers get a cookie.
