Summary/disclaimer: Time for another chapter of Commander and the Zealot. Enjoy the 500-word chapter. I don't own Halo, Microsoft and 343 do.

Installation 05 November 2nd 12 days after raid on gas mine. CAS class assault carrier Vengeance of the warrior hanger.

Zesh was busy looking over his energy sword and then inspecting a type 27 Beam rifle when Nessa came by, she had a type 33 needler pistol, her energy sword, and a type 51 carbine on her back.

"The Prophets ordered us to retrieve the sacred icon. If the Heretic lies…." Zesh got in her face as she said so and spoke.

"I know, I must ask however, you could have killed me at any time, why does your blade stay its hand?" Nessa recoiled but growled under her helmet.

"I…. respect you, I have come to care about you, a dishonored Zealot, I am a fool…." Zesh cupped the Zealot's chin and looked into her blue eyes.

"No, the dishonor is mine, I do not know of these feelings, but I care for you as you care for me." He held her armored hands.

"I do not have a mate, Nessa. You deserve more, I am not worthy of a warrior like you." Nessa smiled and then spoke as she got ready.

"No, I will have no other but you, you care for your troops and show concern for them. If I am to have a mate, I want it to be you." And with that she turned on her invisibility to go and see to her own troops.

10 minutes later.

3 type 56 Lichs, 5 type 44 Phantoms, and 10 type 28 Banshees flew over and landed at the snow-covered camp of Rtas. 270 storm elites, grunts and hunters leapt off the dropships as they returned to Vengeance. The assault carrier hung over the infection zone as its pulse lasers kept flying flood at bay. Zesh dropped out of his phantom as Nessa walked with him.

"Rtas, you're a sight for sore eyes, Arbiter?" Rtas shook his head.

"Neither sight, nor word from him, commander. The flood blockade us and the humans are trying to retretive the sacred icon. I am glad to see so many reinforcements. It seems the gods favor us." Zesh nodded as Arbiter emerge red.

"Arbiter, we were beginning to think the flood claimed you, they block our path to the icon, we must break through." Arbiter nodded, Zesh taped an icon on his wrist gauntlet as several phantoms carried in ghosts and specters for the team. 100 storm elites and hunters jumped into the 7 phantoms as Zesh did as well.

"I will have met you at the hill under the icon, Rtas, I sent for more phantoms and Banshees to provide air support. Let us cut through this infection." Rtas nodded as the type 44 Phantoms lifted into the air and zoomed away. Leaving over 100 elites, grunts, Nessa, Arbiter, and Rtas.

"Let us begin our charge on the flood."

Author notes

And the final chapter for today done, I will be posting 2 more tomorrow if my computer works. Until then, Lighting wolf out!