Summary/disclaimer: Time for another chapter of Fallen Faith. Enjoy the 1800-word chapter. I don't own Halo, Microsoft and 343 do.
(2532, Covenant Holy City High Charity.)
Dire, Rtutan, Lekan and Buto all bowed before the Prophets, Dire bit back a growl as he knew about the fact that the Hierarches didn't bleed on the battlefield like their Sangheili officers did as the High Prophet of Truth over the relic.
"Such a find… And from a disgraced Commander… Formerly nearly a Heretic… You have done well, Shipmaster."
Dire heard the Prophet say before handing the relic to a hulking Jiralhanae behind him as he turned back to Dire.
"You have done well, Zealot… You may wait outside, Tartarus will tell your reward and new assignment…"
The Prophet of Truth ordered as Dire and his compatriots rose to their feet before walking outside as Dire motioned for his crew to return to Harbinger.
"Prepare Harbinger for departure, I will return to the ship after my meeting with the Hierarches…"
Dire ordered as Lekan nodded and led the others past the Sangheili Honor Guard, Dire waited another 10 minutes before Tartarus walked over towards Dire.
"The Hierarches have decided to gift you the rank of Supreme Commander… They have also decided to assign a new addition to your crew."
Tartarus stated, he sized up Dire as the Sangheili stared the 9ft Brute down, he refused to be intimidated.
"Why wasn't my staff informed of a new addition? The Hierarches would have told me if another warrior was added to my ship."
Dire growled as the hulking Jiralhanae simply laughed.
"They don't have to do anything, Sangheili, now get out of their chambers and return to your ship."
Tartarus laughed as Dire growled before a voice cut him off as he turned to face him.
"You are Supreme Commander Dire 'Kogramee?"
Dire heard as he turned, standing behind him was a Sangheili clad in the Purple Armor of a Special Operation Sangheili Officer as he looked at the Sangheili whom spoke up a few seconds later.
"I am Special Operation Officer Shale 'Zantakai, I was assigned to be in charge of the Fleet of Glorious Inquiry's Special Operations Forces."
Shale said while Dire looked at the Sangheili, they were slimmer then usual and she was a bit shorter then him along with having different Special Operation armor then he was used to seeing. Dire was silent as he looked at her as he crossed his arms.
Shale was a female, Dire could guess by her name but her appearance only confirmed it as Shale seemed to share his sense of disbelief.
"You are female, how did you join the Special Operations Division?"
Dire asked as he turned and started walking down the stairs, Shale followed him, she judged the tone of voice Dire had used when he had asked her.
It wasn't anger or annoyance, it was more curious then anything else as they walked down the stairs where a type 25 Spirt waited to deliver Dire back to the Harbinger.
"I was singled out for my swordsmanship skills and had been granted the title of commander after my mission to the Human world of Meridian… You are surprised by my appearance?"
Shale asked as Dire turned to face her, he shook his head as he spoke.
"Slightly, but not entirely…Female Sangheili in our legions are not unheard of… It is my crew that may take issue to you… I have no problem with you… Just unsure of you, but if you have earned your title, then your skill speaks for itself… Come, let us return to Harbinger and depart, our mission remains…"
Dire muttered as the Spirt lowered its booms towards them as they climbed onto the dropship as the dropship flew towards Dire's flagship.
(SDV Heavy Corvette Harbinger ofResolve, 5 minutes later.)
"A FEMALE!? OUR NEWEST OFFICER, THE COMMANDER OF OUR SPECIAL OPERATIONS IS FEMALE!?"
Buto roared as he stalked towards the group as Dire watched the Sangheili Ultra round on them, Dire watched the Sangheili draw his sword as Dire stared at him.
He was aware that Buto was a firm supporter of the old Sangheili culture, Dire understood that, there was some old ways of Sangheili culture that Dire had that drove him towards his current goals. He still knew that drawing a weapon meant it could not be sheathed once it was drawn until blood was split.
"Buto, to your station, now!"
Dire hissed before Buto swung his blade at Shale, he reached for his own when Shale drew her own T-1 Energy Sword, it crackled to life, as red as the blood of Humans.
Dire and the rest of the bridge crew watched as Shale flawlessly deflected the strike before lashing out with a kick which sent Buto crashing into the walls of one of the stations as she sheathed her weapon.
A drop of blood ran from Buto's face as Dire was speechless as Shale walked towards the rest of the Special Operation Sangheili to inform them of her transfer.
"I am sorry for that, Commander, I will introduce myself to Buto once he wakes up."
Shale stated as 2 of the Special Operation Unggoy dragged Buto towards the medical suite, another stopped to clean up the blood as Dire looked at the spot where Buto had crashed into with a clear face of impression.
"Well, if she will be commanding our Special Operations, I see no problem assisting her with her duties… She will be a fine addition to the crew."
Lekan stated, amusement as he chuckled as Dire looked at Shale and could only nod.
"Indeed, Lekan… Indeed."
Dire stated as he walked over towards the holotank, he motioned for another Sangheili to take charge of the weapons until Buto awakened.
"Plot our course into Slipspace, Lekan… Set our destination for the Vodin system… We will meet up with the rest of our fleet and then proceed to the planet."
Dire ordered as Lekan typed in the command as the Corvette jumped to Slipspace, Dire turned to the rest of his crew as he crossed his arms.
"We have 3 hours until we get to Vodin… Anyone who wishes to rest until our arrival is welcome to do so… But I want you to be completely focused on the assignment when we arrive…"
Dire ordered as he turned to Shale, she was speaking to the rest of the Special Operation soldiers in the bridge.
"Shale, we have 3 hours until we arrive at Vodin… Either retire to your quarters or use a Dream Shaper… I do not wish for any of the crew to be tired when we arrive at Vodin."
Dire stated as Shale walked towards him, she started into his dark blue eyes with her violet ones as she did so.
"If it is alright with you, Commander… I wish to stay on the bridge, I will use a Dream Shaper… But as a Special Operation Officer, I have a mission to run if I'm deployed… I will make sure the rest of the soldiers aboard the ship are ready for deployment when we arrive."
Shale explained as Dire nodded, he motioned for her to return to her station as he turned to Lekan.
"Wake me when we are 10 minutes from Vodin… I need some time to think on a battle strategy and clear my head…"
Dire stated as Lekan nodded, Dire continued out the door as Shale watched him as she turned back to speaking with the rest of the bridge crew and continued to speak.
(Dire's quarters, 1 hour later.)
Dire continued to slumber as he thought of everything that had happened so far, he knew the Prophets didn't trust him. They had given him Harbinger for a reason, they had granted him the role he had lost of Supreme Commander for a reason, that he understood.
What he didn't understood was why they had assigned Shale to his ship, he wasn't usually given missions that caused him to deploy many infantry, let alone Special Operation forces.
'Why was she assigned here… There are rarely female Sangheili in the Covenant, let alone a Special Operations Officer… She has skill with her blade, she wouldn't have been given a Bloodblade if she wasn't skilled… I must find out why she was assigned here.'
Dire thought to himself before the door slid open, Lekan stood in the doorway.
"Commander…. I realize you wanted me to awaken you when we arrived at Vodin, but we have arrived at the rendezvous point for the fleet… We are waiting for some of the fleet to arrive before we jump to Vodin."
Lekan reported as Dire turned to face the Sangheili officer, he wiped the sleep from his eyes as he did so.
"It is fine, Lekan… I simply am still suffering from the effects of behind woken up early… Contact the rest of the fleet and patch me through to their shipmasters… We will make the jump with the fleet to Vodin… We will defeat the humans and burn that planet to ash…"
Dire muttered, he cares not for the war in his mind, it was nothing more than an attempt to cement the Covenant and clear away another threat to their rule.
"I'm punching up the connection now, Commander… The fleet is outside our bridge window if you wish to view it."
Dire heard Lekan state as he walked to the bridge window and observed the Fleet of Glorious Inquiry.
He spotted 4 CRS class Light Cruisers, 2 CCS class Battlecruisers, an ORS Class Heavy Cruiser and 2 DAS Storm Cutters.
"I expected more Executioner class vessels in the fleet… Hmm… Mainly cruisers… Lekan."
Dire muttered as he turned to the navigations officer as he looked at his console and then back to Dire to speak.
"The connection didn't work, we have to resort to messages, I am sending them the regular messages that we would send in this case… We will arrive at Vidin in 2 hours after we jump, Commander."
Lekan reported as Dire shook his head in annoyance as he crossed his arms as he walked over to the Holotank.
"Prepare the rest of the crew for battle in an hour and a half then… I'm awake weather I wanted to be or not… Tell the rest of the fleet to prepare for a jump."
Dire ordered, resting his hands behind his back.
Author Notes
Phew, another chapter done! Yes, I know I said this chapter would be done on Wednesday… Why I'm uploading a chapter so early is due to the fact that I already have a story planed for then. As for Shale and how she was treated? Buto is one of the Sangheili who likes the old ways where the Sangheili Females stay and run the homes while the males fight, I didn't put that in there to put her down. Next chapter will be on Next, next Monday and will show the opening of the battle of Vodin. Until then, Lighting Wolf out!