A/N: A special Thanks to Grunt Lord for doing the editing to this story. I hope you all enjoy it.
Chapter 2 Second Chances
Shadow of Intent
"Arbiter, what has happened here?" R'tas Vadum ask in a concerned voice, "We have traveled back almost four hundred years."
The Arbiter looked at the communications officer, Ilb Garas, and said, "I want you to pull up our history for this time period."
The Ilb doing as the Arbiter asked, looked up quickly and said:, "Excellency, I have found something."
"On the view screen," the Arbiter said in a tone full of concern.
The view screen flickered to life. The information had the Arbiter's mandibles dropping. It read The Legend of the Lost Fleet. The Arbiter read aloud, "A mysterious fleet appears with the leader of the Sangheili at the command of the flag ship. He will wear armor unlike no other."
Commander R'tas said quickly, "Brother, that legend was before we joined the covenant. But that fleet never showed up. We were looking for them when the Prophets showed up. We must get to Sangheilios. We have gone back for a reason. We have the chance to fix our past! We have thatopportunity to never, join the Covenant."
"You are correct." the Arbiter said quickly, "Contact the Citadel. Tell them we are returning to Sangheilios. We will tell them of our alliance. And we shall return in a few days," the Arbiter turned to Ilb Garas and said. "Mark on the star charts where the Citadel is, since this is a different time we will need to recalculate the start charts.
"Tell the fleet commanders to Set a course for home," the Arbiter said, "open a channel to all the ships. We must tell them what is going on."
"By your word, Arbiter," was the reply from the bridge crew.
"R'tas, let's make the most of our second chance. We will never get that again," the Arbiter said in a solemn voice.
"Arbiter, the communications channel is open, you may begin at any time," the Ilb said in a low brassy voice.
"My brothers," the Arbiter began in a voice full of anticipation, "I have important news for us all." The Sangheili on all the ships came to attention. The Arbiter continued, "We all have been given a second chance. The storm we encountered has propelled us back in time. The Covenant we knew doesn't yet exist. Unfortunately, Truth will still live. However, we have the upper hand, for he hasn't been born yet! The Sangheili we will encounter will think of us as a prophesy coming true. No one is to reveal the future to our brothers. They are not and I repeat not,to know of the Prophets. We have to keep them from joining the Covenant. And if this new alliance we made will help then more power to it. I want each and every one of you to brush up on our history for this time period. I want you to remember what we have been through. Remember the betrayal! Remember the Covenant slaughtering our brothers and sisters, our mothers and fathers! Remember how the Prophets would kill us all, for nothing! But in remembering all that I want you to forget the Covenant. Forget the life we had with them. We have new allies now. If we need them, or if they need us, we will be there as they will be there for us. I want all of you to read the article on Legend of the Lost Fleet. For that is us,"
The Arbiter finished and sat on the gravity throne. "Take us home," was all the Arbiter said.
The Navigations officer was setting the coordinates for the slip space jump. Peace is what is left on the other side.The Arbiter smiled to himself at the thought. He touched the mark that was once burned into his chest. That mark will take on a new meaning now. It will not be shameful, the Arbiter lifted his mandibles into a smile at the thought, the name Thel Vadam, will have honor once more. The whole Sangheili race will have honor once again. We will be-
"Arbiter, you have an incoming message from the Human vessel Normandy," Ilb announcement shot Arbiter into the present.
"On screen," the Arbiter said in a tone full of authority.
The view screen flickered to life with the face of one of the Asari. "Esteemed Arbiter," Liara said in a soft feminine voice, "I need to have a word with you. It is concerning the mark you have. Could we meet in the park on the Presidium? I promise it won't take long. I'm uploading a map of how to get there to you as we speak."
The Arbiter replied, "We will have to make it quick. We need to return home with the news of the alliance."
"I will be quick. I wouldn't disturb you if it wasn't important." Liara added in a tone that had a light hint of curiosity in it.
SSV NormandyThe screen flickered off in the communications room.
Commander Shepherd came up behind Liara and said in a concerned voice, "I hope you know what you are doing."
Liara replied, "I know the Protheans and that Sangheili as they call themselves has a Prothean mark on him. I will be fine. If they wanted to hurt us then they would have done so already."
The Presidium
Citadel
The Arbiter and his two companions R'tas Vadum and N'tho Sraom, arrived at the designated spot, of a slightly large statue without incident, besides a few worried, and slightly curious looks from other aliens at the strange weapons they had hanging from their sides.
The Arbiter said to R'tas in an almost whisper, "Redluohs ym revo gnikool ton siht ot desu teg tsomla dluoci, Rehtorb. Renroc txen eht dnuora si ymene eht fi gnirednow."
The Sangheili found where Liara told them she would be, and to her word she was there. She stretched out her hand. The Arbiter took her hand in his large four fingered hand and gave it a gentle shake.
"I am glad you took the time to see me," she said softly.
"The pleasure is all mine," the Arbiter replied. "Besides, my curiosity, got the best of me. How did you know I had a mark on me?"
"You can see the edge of the outline here on your armor," she pointed to the part of his chest that wasn't covered by armor. "May, I see the whole mark? It's alright if I can't. The part that I can see, well, it looks to be Prothean."
"Prothean?" the Arbiter questioned, "I do not know them. This mark is from the Forerunner. But I will show you, however, not here."
They moved into an area that seemed to be deserted. "This is the Forerunner for Mark of Shame," the Arbiter sighed as he removed his chest armor and revealed the spot where he at one time, was so greatly hurt.
"Thank the goddess. I was right, this is a Prothean symbol. But it is not what you think. That is the Prothean symbol for Heroism and high Honor."
"Prothean? I do not understand what they are? I know only of the Forerunner," the Arbiter said in a low voice.
"Prothean, Forerunner, they are all the same. The Hanar call them the Enkindlers. The Humans called them Neanderthal. Their race was destroyed long ago by the Reapers they created. The Protheans created the Reapers. To combat a parasitic virus-…"
"The Flood," R'tas Vadum added. As the Arbiter replaced his chest armor.
Liara was shocked that these Sangheili knew of the ancient parasite.
"How did you know of them? We just recently found writings about them."
"We found an ancient Forerunner…Prothean facility that had the parasite on it. It used to be a research facility. I lost a few good Sangheili warriors to the blasted parasite," the Arbiter said as the memories of Threshold came flooding back. R'tas Vadum and N'tho Sarum bowed down their heads in respect. "We destroyed the facility to contain and destroy the parasite."
Liara's head snapped up and she said, "You have battled the parasite? No wonder you wear the Mark of Heroism. You are indeed a decorated hero. The Mark of Heroism was only given to the bravest of all Prothean warriors."
"I was shamed, for a mistake, when I received this mark." The Arbiter growled as his temper started rising and the memories of that awful day came flooding back to him the, stress of it all almost knocked him to his knees, "I was disgraced, but then given another chance. I was given this sacred armor of our most Holiest of Warriors for a chance of redemption. Now, you are telling me, I have a symbol of honor on my chest all along?!"
"Y-yes," was all Liara could muster to say.
He then realized he had frightened her. "I'm sorry for that, it's just hard to believe."
"It's…it's all right", She turned to a data pad and said, "Look, here is the Mark of Shame of the Protheans. See how it has two extra lines through it."
The Arbiter's mandibles dropped. He thought he would never be free of his shame. But it never was shame. The Arbiter looked at R'tas and said "Stehporp eht yb dlot eil rehtona."
