Yar was sitting on a rock, enjoying the warm of the sun. He was thinking, in a period of deep meditation.

Then a hand clamped down on his shoulder, and Yar nearly fell off. He whirled round to see the sweaty face of his commander Vora Oracee.

'Six Spartans. Back there,' Vora panted, gesturing in the direction he had come running from. 'You were lucky they missed you. Come. I already called in a Phantom to pick us up.'

'W-wait,' Yar hopped off the rock, still disorientated from the interruption. 'Shouldn't we try to fight them?' A sudden chill struck him. 'jano? Kraz? Where are they? Where they killed?'

'No. They're still fighting them. Come, Yar! There is no time!'

Yar suddenly found himself unable to move. Everything was just happening too fast. First, the commander of his squad whom he had admired and respected, had just run from battle. And he was leaving his comrades behind.

'Yar...' Vora's face looked pained, which was yet another first. 'Remember our orders.'

'Our loyalty is to our brethren, not the prophets!'

'Yar,' Vora said firmly. 'We came here for a reason. To find the holy artifacts that our glorious ancestors left behind. Just before you left, I have unearthed this.'

He took out a small, flat white disc. Yar looked at doubtfully.

'Our faith...our belief in the Great Journey must transcend anything. We need to get this artefact back to the Covenant at all costs.'

Yar understood the logic, but wasn't happy about it. But what could he do?

'Yes sir. I agree,' he lied.

Just then, the hum of an approaching Phantom cruiser reached them.


Jano spotted the object rolling by his feet, cursed and dodged to one side just as it exploded. His shields collapsed, a piece of shrapnel embedded itself into his thigh. Cursing, he rolled behind cover.

Kraz fell back beside him, his whole armour stained with blood.

The truth finally began to dawn on Jano. Both of them were not going to get out of here alive. This was it. This was the end.

He turned to Kraz. 'I hate you, you cretin.'

Kraz chuckled, incapable of fear due to his insanity. 'Fret not, brother! He will come to save us.'

'Who?'

'Our glorious commander!' Kraz reloaded his weapon calmly, as if it was just another ordinary day where they weren't about to be killed. 'He didn't abandon us. There's a reason why he told us to act dishonourable. He has a plan.'

'No he does not.' But still, a faint flicker of hope rose in Jano's heart, extinguished immediately when he peered out from his cover. He saw him. There were two Spartans who had pursued them, but the big one wasn't much of a threat. It was the grey one, the one he had very nearly killed. The grey Spartan was the smartest of them all, the most deadly fighter he had ever encountered. Near perfect aim, expert tactical thinking...he was the deadliest of them all.

Jano hated that grey human with all his heart.

'On three,' Kraz was saying.

Jano whirled on him, his frustration spilling out like a volcano. 'A thousand hells on you, you accursed worm. Can't you see we are doomed?'

He gripped his sword. He was going to die, of that Jano was certain, but the question was, what to do with that knowledge?

'One.' Kraz ploughed on.

Rage suddenly surged through Jano's body.

'Two.'

Suddenly a liberating feeling flowed through his veins, as if an invisible weight had been lifted off his body. Yes.

'Three!' Kraz shouted joyfully. 'For the Great Journey – '

'Curse the journey!' roared Jano, spearing Kraz through the heart.

A moment later, he was blasted in the back by a shotgun. Jano Huzamee, damned heretic, was gone seconds later.


Yar looke down, seeing but not comprehending. As the trees flash past, all he could think about were Kraz and Jano. In his heart, he knew they were both probably dead.

He was so absorbed in his thoughts that he didn't notice when the Phantom landed. He felt a tap on his shoulder and hopped off the Phantom, in front of a human structure.

Yar frowned. 'Where are we?'

'You underestimate the might of the Covenant. They have already taken over this base.'

Several Unggoy walked into their view, and upon, seeing them, jumped to attention. As the two zealots proceeded further into the facility, Covenant species of various races, even fellow Sangheili, went out of their way to salute when they passed.

All this attention made Yar extremely uncomfortable. He hung his head. He didn't deserve this. None of them did.

When they reached the courtyards, they finally saw two other zealots, who walked over to greet them.

The first one was Tene Ursulee, probably the only female zealot in history. Behind her was an sangheili simply known as N. There were many rumours about N, but all anyone knew for sure was that he didn't talk and followed Tene everywhere like a loyal dog.

'Sir,' Tene bowed respectfully. 'I had received word that you found a forerunner artefact.'

'That is correct,' Vora said without any real enthusiasm. 'Have you informed the prophets?'

'Go right on in,' Tene indicated a door. 'Gled wants to speak to you.'

Vora, with the white disc that his two comrades had died for held tightly in his hand, walked towards the doors without another word. They opened, and closed behind him.

Yar was left alone, in awkward silence. He didn't know the other two zealots personally, so he turned away, to continue his musings.

'Wait,' Tene said.

Yar stopped.

'About your commander. Vora Oracee.' She was regarding him with cautious eyes. 'What's he like?'

Yar shrugged. 'I'd never had a more competent leader. But that's what everyone says.'

A loud snort interrupted him. Yar turned his head to see a rather scrawny Jiralhanae chieftain walked past them, holding his head up high. Tene started to say something, but Yar held his hand up. It wasn't worth starting a fight here, in a war zone.

'Anyway, why the question? Do you doubt him?'

'The exact opposite, Yar. I absolutely idolize him. I only just wish he would have been my commander.'

'From what I hear, Gled isn't too bad either.'

Tene rolled her eyes. 'Gled has no faith. Vora Oracee is the most devoted Sangeili I have ever seen. He spends hours researching our ancestors.'

Yar thought about Kraz, and then shrugged again. Everyone had their different opinions. 'Sorry, but I have to go. Meditation.'

'Crisis of faith?'

'Yeah, something like that.'

To his surprise, instead of sneering, which was what Jano or Kraz would have done, Tene nodded. 'You will find your way eventually. Good luck.'

The conversation was finished. She turned her back, and walked deeper into the courtyard. Yar stared after her, then realised N was staring back at him. Yar had entirely forgotten about him.

'Greetings,' he said politely, not knowing what else to do.

N gave him a single, almost invisible nod, and then turned his back, leaving Yar to figure out things on his own.


Gled Fatomee was the only other field marshall assigned to the attack on Reach, and also the only other Sangheili Vora actually respected. When he went into the small conference room, a video screen that had used to belong to the humans lighted up. Gled's face appeared.

'How are things on the Corvette, Brother?' Vora asked.

'Never better. Cease the small talk . I understand you have found a Forerunner artefact.'

Vora placed the disc on the table. Even in the dim lighting, it seemed to shine.

'Where did you find it?'

'The humans had kept it in a locked box.'

'Interesting...it may not be much of a stretch if we assume they know about our religion and are working to hide those sacred relics from us.'

'I don't think that's likely, Gled.'

'Leaving that matter aside...I heard you encountered a group of Spartans. Apparently they were so dangerous that you deemed it necessary to flee.'

Vora looked down, ignoring the deep feeling in his chest. 'The prophets orders were to – '

'I am not judging you, Vora. I'm just...commenting,' Gled looked at him cryptically. 'Anyway, I have contacted the Prophets. In a few minutes a Phantom will arrive to receive it, and we will being it up to the Supercarrier for inspection.'

Now that the official business out of the way, Vora had one burning question to ask. 'Do you know anything of this team of Spartans?'

'Yes. As a matter of fact, we picked up a stray Unggoy which witnessed the entire battle between the Spartans and your zealots.'

Vora moved nearer. 'And what did it see?'

'There was only one Spartan who killed them singlehandedly. A one in grey. He tricked Jano into stabbing Kraz and then killed Jano.'

Refreshing anger replaced the cold feeling inside Vora. 'And did it catch the grey one's name?'

'Yes. They called him Six.'

'Six...'Vora mused. He thought of his energy sword slicing through flesh. 'I hope to meet him very soon.'