Chapter three
Allies at best, Enemies at worst
Are the small creatures hostile or friendly? What will happen when they come in contact with the Sangheili search and rescue team, also are they the same contacts clustered around that large tower sixteen miles from Retributions arm's position.
Kursk ran after the Hunchback as fast as he could; with all his strength he threw the spear, and missed. Grabbing another from a hunters pouch strapped to his back, he threw it; just as the animal was turning to avoid slamming into a tree. It stuck the Hunchback right under it's left shoulder and through it's Heart. Killing it instantly. Tying both front legs, and back legs together, he tossed the beast over his shoulder to carry it back home; he looked back at the place where those large beast had been before the Hunchback came out of the grass, and they gave chase. He was scared to think if these beast attacked the village. He needed to report back on what they had discovered here. He looked at his hunting companion, Kempis, "we need to report are find to the tribe council." Kempis looked at Kursk with a understanding nod. They both started the long trek back to the village. "I explored more of the large tower near our village" Kempis informed Kursk. Kursk stopped dead in his tracks. He looked at Kempis with a glare that would kill a Hunchback. "You do realize I must report this to the council." Kempis looked hurt, "but you can't, it will mean I lose the privilege to hunt for two days." They resumed their walk. "You know the Council forbids anyone from going it there, what were you thinking?" Kursk informed Kempis. Kempis looked down in shame, and did not say another word. "let's just get back to the village." Kursk told him.
Thel 'Vadam came into the dropship via the gravlift, and immediately headed for the cockpit. Risze 'Votam was sitting in the co-pilot's seat when he entered. He motioned for Thel to come over. "Are signal is being blocked by the canyon walls. He pointed them out for Thel to see on the ship's dorsal cameras, so right now are radios work, but trying to get a transmission to Night of Retribution will be like punching a titanium wall." "Can it be fixed?" inquired The Arbiter. "Yes, but that would mean this dropship is leaving the planet." Thel let that statement sink in for a minute. "If this ship leaves then we are without an extraction" he silently thought to himself. "Is there another place we can conceal the ship?" He asked the pilot. The pilot turned in his seat, and checked the short range scanner; he turned back to The Arbiter, and shook his head, "No, not within five miles of here." "Alright, Risze go inform Xero and Curo, that we are going to investigate the tower before the dropship returns, and to grab the rest of the food, ammunition, and med-kits. Risze left the cockpit to go inform the others. Thel set down in the now vacant co-pilot's seat; he turned to the pilot, who was checking the ship's fuel status, the pilot turned back to face Thel. "Even if I could stay, we only have enough fuel to last about another eight hours, and it would take four hours round trip to come back from Night of Retribution." "Ok, when you reach Night of Retribution inform commander Ral 'Taham of our status, and show him this, Thel gave the pilot a copy of the video recording that Curo had filmed, the pilot placed the data chip into a slot right next to the short range scanner's display. The display beeped three times before showing the video, which started as Curo was leaning over the boulders. The image jumped to show one of the creatures, who seemed to be starting right at the camera. The image jerked down, as Curo tried to better conceal himself; when the image again showed the creatures, both of them was looking to their right, away from the camera. The image moved has some rustling was heard by both creatures, and they pulled out spears, and what could only be described as a small kangaroo with horns and big floppy ears, came out of the bush and ran as soon as it saw the hunters, which gave chase.
The video ended, and the chip ejected itself from the console. The pilot grabbed the chip and placed it into a data chip storage unit on the console near the co-pilot's seat. "What do you make of the that?" Thel asked him; the pilot bounders the question for a good full minute, before shrugging his shoulders. Thel moves out of the co-pilot's. "Just make sure the commander receives it, and all the reconnaissance data we have." Thel headed into the crew compartment and finds it empty, "good they must have all the stuff set up," he thought to himself. He headed for the gravlift, when he's feet touched dirt he made a bee-line for the path leading out of the canyon. Two minutes later after signaling the pilot that every thing was in place; the gravlift's energy field disappeared, as the pilot engaged the phantoms belly thrusters. Rising the phantom out of the canyon, putting more dents into it along the way; the ship headed up and rocketed toward Night of Retribution.
Three hours later, all four Sangheili were heading out to find humanities grand champion, The Master Chief. "Alright, warriors listen up; we are now four hours behind on our current objective, they had stopped and rested about thirteen miles from the canyon, before he left Thel Vadam had downloaded all the short range and some of long range scanner data. Which, now in the form of digital maps, was being shown to the rest of the Sangheili search and rescue team. "We are here," The Arbiter indicated there position, only two miles from the crashed ship. Which is only one mile from the tower, and I want to be here, he indicated another position only a two and a haft mile from the tower. "We will scout it out, and find out how many contacts are present." Thel looked at the sky; which at that point had become a purple-pink hue as the sun slowly slip below the horizon. "Ok",he looked at each member of his team to determine a good guard rotation, we will sleep for eight hours; I also want a two hour guard rotation. Curo 'Kudom you will start us off followed by Risze 'Votam, Xero 'Zalcam, and back to me, than we start it over again for the next four hours. The team moved to find a good place to sleep, except for Curo 'Kudom, who went to find a good over watch position. Satisfied that everything was in order; Thel Vadam pitched up a tent to get himself some much needed rest, as did everyone else.
"shhhhh, do you want them to hear us?" Kursk looked at Kempis with a annoyed look. "How did he convince the council to let him come with me." Kursk thought to himself. "Since we discovered those new animals; they have entrusted us to find out more about them." Kempis informed him of their current mission. Right now both sat only two hundred yards from were the Sangheili team now rested. "Who do you think is the pack leader?" Kempis asked Kursk. "I don't know" He answered. They both started walking until they were only twenty feet from were the Arbiter rested. Being only two feet tall they could easily conceal themselves among the tall grass and bushes. "Should we introduce ourselves?" Kempis asked Kursk. "No if they find us….He shudder at the thought of what happened to his last hunting companion due to being spotted by a Hunchback den mother…I just don't want you to get hurt, besides a team always goes together, and we are only going to observe." Kempis looked at the ground and kicked a little pile of dirt which got blown away by the wind. Kursk walked over to him, and placed his right hand on his left shoulder. "Look you are the youngest one to be allowed to hunt, and I would not let it slip away by being careless, cause that is how you get hurt; rushing into the hunt without observing your quarry." Kempis looked up with a more brighter smile. "Now that is more like it." Kursk said with a smile on his face. They both started laughing until they heard one of the big animals stir in their nest; at that time both went to find a spot to better observe the new species on the planet.
Thel 'Vadam was floating in a void. Every time he closed his eyes he was brought back to that moment, that moment he will never forget, that moment which sealed his fate for his failure to protect the Sacred Ring. It's doesn't matter how many Jiralhanae he killed, when he killed Tartarus, or the bastard Truth. He will always feel his flesh burning as the Mark of Shame was placed upon his chest, even years after him being branded. He still can smell his skin burn, see Tartarus's smile, or hear himself scream at the pain of his failure….he woke with a gasp and grasped the left side of his chest; realizing it was only a dream. The Arbiter stood up, and walked out of his tent, he made sure to close the entrance flap, stepping on to the dew drenched grass, his feet making two toed impressions, he walked over to were Xero 'Zalcam was standing guard. "Anything to report?" He asked him. "No, nothing, this place is just to quit for my taste." He Responded; Thel sat upon a tree stump with his knees coming up chest level. "This place does remind me of home, before the war with the humans, doesn't it remind you have home Thel?" Xero asked the Arbiter. "Yes it does, I still remember my first day in training; When I was starting out my parents thought I was to young, cause most Sangheili start at ten years of age, but I wanted to prove my honor and browse in combat, so I started at eight years of age." Xero started to responded, but both Sangheili jumped up, weapons at the ready, when the bushes started to rustle.
Kursk awoke with a start; the sound of the blood cradling screams still ringing in his ears, as he heard his last hunting companion get ripped apart, "it was only a dream…it was only a dream." He keep telling himself. He got up, leaving a full body impression in the dew covered grass, and walked over to were Kempis lay, and shook his right shoulder, he rolled over with a groan, not wanting to get up. Kursk shook a little harder on his now exposed left shoulder. "Get up Kempis, we have a job to do here." He got up and left is own impression in the grass, "what if we are spotted?" Kursk shook his head, and signed. "Have you not learned from the lessons I have been teaching you, never be afraid, we might be smaller than these new animals, but we also have home field advantage." That seemed to cheer up Kempis's worries as he looked more eager to complete their scouting mission. "Ok, were do we begin?" he asked with a grin on his face. "You will observe from over in that grass." He pointed to some tall prairie type grass that was moving to the wind. "I will be over here, trying to find out whose the pack leader." They both moved to where they could best observe the animals.
Kempis was in a good mood. He was finally getting a chance to prove himself; after explaining what they had discovered on his hunt with Kursk; the council forgave his minor transgression, and allowed him to accompany his hunting companion to assesse the threat level of the newly discovered species. What he had observed from the aliens told him that if the village was attacked they could never stand a chance. "I hope they are a peace loving people like us." He said out loud to no one in particular. As He walked to where the creatures had made camp. He looked up to see the sun bleaching the sky a reddish orange color, "Must be time to head back to the village, can't be late for the morning council meeting." He started to walk with a more quickened pace opposite of where he was originally heading. As he walked, not paying attention, his right foot struck a tree root near the edge of the small embankment, and fell through some tall grass, which sent him barrel rolling through a bush, and he landed right at the feet of The Arbiter.
Sorry it took so long to post, but I hit a major case of writers block I like to call, "high school graduation is coming." As always please review, and start looking forward to chapter Four Broadening the Search.