Authors Note: I forgot to mention last chap this will be updated weekly. Thanks to Luke-1539 for proofing this.
Disclaimer: Halo, Sangheili, Rtas and Thel belong to Bungie Studios. However, Original Characters, like Zeno, belong to me.
Chapter 2: Revenge
He never thought he would come face to face with the man that left him behind again.
Zeno felt every muscle in his body tense and his blood pressure rise: he could hear his hearts beating in his ears. His fists clenched and eyes narrowed as he focused solely on Yuteri. He saw only him and nothing else. Images of the mistreatment he was given flashed in front of his eyes, followed by images of him ripping the man to pieces. Bit by bit, limb by limb, denying him a quick death like he denied him.
Then pain snapped him back to his senses, brought him back to reality. Looking at his hands, he saw that he had clenched his fists so hard that his claws had penetrated the bodysuit and dug into his flesh, drawing blood. If I act out of rage, he will kill me rather than the other way around, he realized, putting his hands down again. Zeno took a couple of deep breaths to calm himself. Patience. Think things through.
Over the last couple of months, when he wasn't practicing, on a mission, or spending time with Miko, he had been researching. His research had been on Yuteri's activities, using the public records that were accessible by anyone. Limited in terms of data, but he found what he was looking for regardless. He had not been the only one to suffer under Yuteri's warped sense of perfection.
Zeno had cross-referenced the service and medical records with the names of the Sangheili that had died while under Yuteri's command. Nearly half that had died had some sort of physical disability, whether by combat or genetics, or some other fault. Sangheili that had no apparent problems doing their duties until they were transferred to Yuteri's unit. The survival rate in this unit was among the lowest in that fleet and now Zeno realized why his supreme commander did not want to send a full squad to this location: Thel likely knew something about this unit's history.
And yet no one bothered to look deeper, or if they had, decided not to do anything about it.
It made Zeno sick.
"You cannot be my reinforcements," Yuteri's cold voice said, snapping him out of his contemplations.
"Technically no, sir," Miko replied. "I am SpecOps Miko…."
"I do not care about your names," Yuteri snapped. "I want to know where my reinforcements are."
Miko was taken back by Yuteri's rudeness, but continued on regardless. "We were sent here to assess the situation here before any proper reinforcements will be sent."
"Assess the situation? Is it not obvious?" The field master gestured to his scant troops. "I have scraps left for a unit here."
"What happened to the rest of your unit, sir?" Miko asked, though Zeno could tell his partner's patience was already waning.
"Dead, or ran away like the cowards and weaklings they are. I had to kill one of them myself for his cowardice."
Yet, that major was laying facing this camp, Zeno thought, feeling his hands clench again. He was not running away, he was confronting him.
"I find it unusual for one unit to have such a high rate of death or desertion," Miko commented.
"Does not matter what you think here, specops," Yuteri sneered. "Why don't you go scout our perimeter since your foolish supreme commander seems to not trust my judgment in regards to reinforcing established positions. I will just have to make do with you two and the rest of my useless unit."
Miko growled lowly. "Come on, let us do as this guy wants, for now," he said lowly.
Zeno nodded and started to follow. He figured getting away from this man for the moment would allow him time to think clearly. The longer he remained in Yuteri's presence, the more likely he would snap and do something rash. Only, he would not get the chance to clear his head.
"No, the tall one stays here," Yuteri hissed, pointing right at Zeno.
He felt his hearts stop for a moment: did Yuteri recognize him? So far, the field master had not really looked at him, so it was hard to tell. If he did, then dealing with him would end badly for certain. But if not….
"So I am to do this perimeter sweep on my own?" Miko said with a snarl.
"You are a specops right? You should be able to handle it. If not, then you did not deserve to live anyway."
Zeno could see the look on Miko's look of absolute shock on his face and a seething anger in his eyes. Anger and shock that was mirrored in his own mind. Yuteri was being not only blatant, but down right disrespectful. It seemed that over the months since Zeno had been in Yuteri's unit himself, the man had gotten even worse.
He waved Miko to go on ahead, and then pointed to his helmet. Miko nodded in understanding and headed off. While he was out of earshot, Miko would make his report about the situation here. In the meantime….
"You are a quiet one." Yuteri commented, drawing his attention. "Good, had too many back talkers as of late."
Zeno watched as the field master looked him over, yet he saw no signs of recognition in his eyes. Either Yuteri was good at hiding his shock or he really did not recognize him. Why should he? Zeno thought, a plan now in his mind. As far as he knows, I am dead. Which was perfect, as far as he was concerned. He checked to see where Miko was. Good, out of sight, he thought: Zeno did not want Miko to see what he was about to do.
The moment the field master had his back to him, he grabbed him from behind, ignited one of his kisens and thrust the blade into his back. He had aimed the blow so it had not pierced either of his hearts, or anything else needed for immediate continuation of life. Thus not likely fatal so long as the field master got treatment, but Zeno was not planning to allow for that.
The field master gasped and tried to pull away, but Zeno kept his free arm around his neck, pinning him against his own body. "How…How dare you!" Yuteri gasped through clenched mandibles.
"How dare you to pass judgment on others," Zeno replied quietly, his voice cold and hard with the hatred he had for this man, hatred that now bubbled to the surface of his mind anew. "How dare you take it upon yourself to judge who is fit to live or not."
"And you have the right to judge me?"
Zeno ignored that comment. "Jilo…Beho…Veta…Cewilo…Xanto…names ring any bells? I have more if those do not…."
"Them?" Yuteri coughed. "They were genetic undesirables. Undesirables I purged for the sake of our species."
"Undesirables that likely have qualities that aid in other areas," Zeno hissed. "There was a man I knew once; he was told he had great potential. Yet because of one flaw he was cast off and left to die. Others, who saw past that flaw, recognized his talents for what they were and gave him the chance he deserved when they found that man. Therefore, that man still lives, and serves the Covenant proudly and with honor." He moved his face closer to Yuteri's and whispered into his earhole. "You know this man, Yuteri…."
"I know of no such man!"
Zeno shifted the blade a bit, making Yuteri scream in pain. "You do know this man!" He growled, tightening his grip on him. "Because the man I speak of is standing right behind you, causing you this pain you feel right now! I am Zeno 'Ribalee…The one you left behind on Truy V!"
"Impossible!"
He violently ripped the blade back out of him. Yuteri again screamed in agony and staggered forward, clutching his side and turning around to face him at last. By then, Zeno had removed his helmet and dropped it to the ground next to him. When Yuteri looked at his face, his eyes finally widened with the light of recognition. "You recognize me now, Yuteri?" Zeno said coldly as he stalked toward him, his other kisen now in his hand and lit. "I am the one that survived your judgment and now I pass judgment onto you."
"You have no right!" Yuteri suddenly animated, bringing his own sword to bear. Zeno parried the incoming strike, then pinned Yuteri's sword arm against an adjacent wall: the field master yowled in pain.
"Neither did you." Zeno said calmly, and then plunged his other kisen into the field master's chest. Yuteri stared down at the sword in shock, Zeno then ripping both swords out of his person. He watched as the field master staggered with one hand on his chest. Then his eyes rolled back into his head and he crumpled to the ground, the life in him gone.
Behind him, the two minors were wide eyed in shock. Off to the side the Unggoy cowered in fear. In front of him, revealed by the field master's falling body, Miko was staring with mandibles agape.
"What…What have you done?" Miko said, his voice trembling slightly in shock.
"I removed a threat," Zeno said calmly, turning off his swords and placing them back on his hips.
"You murdered a fellow Sangheili!"
"This Sangheili murdered dozens of innocent ones," Zeno hissed as he put his helmet back on. "The major we found being just one of them."
"That major was…."
"Killed with a plasma round. Yuteri here admitted to killing him himself."
"Yuteri!?" Miko's eyes were very wide now. "This is Yuteri?"
"Was." Zeno could not help the smirk on his face.
"So…Anko sent us here, knowing the history between you two…."
"I do not believe the commander knew the field master was Yuteri, remember that the information he was given was vague."
"Still, protocol dictates that he should have given his name when making his request."
"His request was possibility first made to his own fleet, whom failed to give his name when passing it on to ours."
"Regardless…You had no right to do this!"
"And who would have, Miko? How many more innocent Sangheili would he have killed before someone took action? What I did, has likely saved the lives of many others."
"Have you even thought about what would happen to you afterward?"
"I care not for what happens to me. I…." Zeno's words died on his mandibles. Not because of something he realized, but because of something he now heard. There was a crashing, rumbling sound coming from the forest, and it sounded mechanical in nature. It was getting louder.
Miko, however, did not seem to notice. "So you realize now that you are not the only one that will be…."
"Miko down!" Zeno grabbed his partner by the chest plate and pulled him behind the wall. A second later, there was a thunderous boom and an explosion where Miko once stood. The three Unggoy were blown away, their cries of pain and death echoing in the Sangheili's. Zeno briefly activated his camo and poked his head around the wall. Trees only sparsely populated this particular set of ruins and on the far side of the ruins was a human tank. He didn't see any human infantry, but he knew there had to be some somewhere. "One tank," he said, pulling his head back behind the wall and deactivating his camo. "No infantry that I can see."
"If there are any, they are likely working on flanking us," Miko muttered, forgetting about Zeno's crime for the time being. "Anko is sending reinforcements, but it will be a few moments."
"We should warn them of the tank at least." The wall behind them shook as a tank shell hit it, sending dust and small pieces of debris falling down on top of them.
Miko agreed. "Commander, the field master is dead. There is a tank at our location, pinning us down." Zeno was thankful Miko didn't exactly explain why Yuteri was dead. At least, not yet: Zeno knew he would have to face the consequences eventually.
~Acknowledged. I will inform the spirit to drop the reinforcements in a more secure location. Be advised this will delay their arrival.~
"Understood, commander. We will hold out the best we can."
"You two." Zeno looked at the two minors, whom both looked confused as to what to do. "Keep a look out for enemy infantry on that side of the forest. Shoot any you see."
"A-aye, sir," one of the minors acknowledged. Zeno meanwhile took the other side, while Miko watched the back.
The wall trembled once more, again showing them with dust and debris. "Do they even know they are damaging the works of the gods?" One of the minors growled.
"They are humans," Zeno growled in response. "They care nothing for the god's works."
"Perhaps they would if we could educate them," Miko muttered.
"Miko, that tank is not interested in an education!" The wall shook once again to punctuate that fact. In the distance, Zeno saw movement. On reflex, he fired his carbine and was rewarded with the sound of a human scream. "You were correct about them trying to flank us, Miko."
"Good to hear."
On the other end of the wall, the two minors opened fire, but Zeno could not tell if they actually hit anything. Then there was an explosion right beside the two minors: both screamed as they were blown back. Zeno risked a chance to look over his shoulder at them and saw that they both seemed unharmed, if only a little shaken.
"You two, take my spot," he heard Miko say. "Watch the back."
Zeno focused his attention on his end once more, hearing Miko's carbine firing. He fired his own carbine at another hint of movement; unfortunately, he did not hear a human death scream this time. With a disappointed growl, he again looked back to see how the others were doing: one of the minors was once again watching the opposite side of the wall and Miko was gone.
"Miko?" Zeno said, feeling panic fill his veins. Another tank round hit the wall, this time a large chunk of it fell to the ground. If the reinforcements do not get here soon, there will not be a wall left to use as cover, Zeno thought grimly, worried about where Miko disappeared to. Activating his camo, he once again poked his head around the walls edge.
The tank hadn't moved since he last looked, it seemingly content with assaulting the wall they were hiding behind. Its barrel suddenly pointed in his direction and Zeno quickly ducked behind the wall again, the earth beside him suddenly exploding and sending him to the ground. His shields whined in alarm, the blast having nearly taken them out completely.
"Sir! Are you alright?" One of the minors asked.
"I will be," Zeno replied, shaking his head. "Where did Miko go?"
"Not sure, sir. I saw him tap my comrade and he disappeared a moment after."
"Disappeared…Blood, Miko!" Zeno swore, it clicking together on what his partner had to be doing. He heard the tank he heard firing repeatedly now, only not at the wall. "Blood!" he swore again. "You two cover our flanks; I am going to give him support." When he saw them nod, he activated his camo once more and ran out from behind their cover.
The tank was focused on another set of ruins not far away, blasting at it repeatedly. Miko must be pinned there, Zeno concluded, and then took care to watch the tank himself. The human infantry must have been there simply to point out targets of opportunity to the tank, for the tanks barrel once again turned in his direction and fired. Fortunately, the round sailed over his head, impacting closer to the wall then to him. In his peripheral vision, he saw a shimmer of another Sangheili in active camo move. Good, Miko is unharmed.
The ground in front of him erupted with plumes of dust as gunfire from the tanks machinegun turret fired, forcing him to roll to the side and take cover behind a low wall. Then there was a scream, a human scream of panic. Zeno peeked over the wall and saw that Miko, fully revealed, was not only on the tank, but had just impaled the turret gunner with his sword. As he watched, Miko ripped the driver hatch of the tank itself and threw in a plasma grenade before diving away. A resounding boom erupted from within the tank and its main turret went limp. Relieved the tank was out of commission, Zeno stood up and deactivated his camo.
"Miko…," Zeno said as his partner approached him. "Next time tell me you are going to do something so foolish."
"I would say the same to you, Zeno," Miko said, a hard edge to his voice. Zeno got what he was referring to and turned his head away. A moment later, he felt Miko's hand on his shoulder. "I understand why you did it, but you must understand that consequences will likely be harsh."
"We will see."
As they headed back to the camp, they noticed the number of Sangheili had multiplied. It was evident that their reinforcements had arrived, many of them were familiar faces.
"Sefo. Bateli. Justal." Zeno said with a grin. "Good to see you again, brothers."
"Likewise, Zeno," Sefo said with a nod. "I see you two managed to take care of the tank on your own. Much to Justal's dismay."
"Show offs…I was itching to use this." Justal grumbled, a fuel rod cannon in his hands.
"When did you arrive?" Miko asked.
"Right after Zeno took off on his suicide run," Sefo replied. "You seem to have a thing for that, don't you Zeno?" Zeno blushed slightly.
"To be fair, Zeno likely only did so because I did the same before hand," Miko said.
"Both crazy Sangheili then," Justal said.
"They would not be in the SpecOps if they were not," Bateli said with a smirk.
"I am not crazy!"
"I beg to differ: I have seen the look in your eyes when you fire that thing."
"Enough." Sefo said to them both. "Zeno, Miko, while it is good to see you two again, you best get going. We can take it from here."
"Yes, we have our own mission to complete," Zeno agreed.
"No, you are both to return to the Seeker of Truth. The commander wants to talk to you personally about…." He looked down at the body of Yuteri. "Him."
Both nodded solemnly, Zeno emitting a long sigh. It seems those consequences would come sooner then he hoped.