SGTLEGENDKILLEЯ
Fate Continuum
Chapter 5: Ryau Cinotee
July 29 2552 8:45AM
Tallaham Residence, Varo, Sanghelios
D'rok stood silently in front of the full body holo-reflextor in his living room. His eyes traced the handsome curves of his full uniform which he wore now. His helmet was held firmly in his arm at his side. His new set of black armor fit nicely over his dark grey, almost black, body suit; reflexive curves shined over the black glossy curves, subtly noticed, yet only matched by the dark red trim around the collar of the chest piece. The dark red trim was in several places and served no other purpose but for identification to differentiate him from a Major to an Officer. His eyes glanced down at his helmet; it held glossy curves too, although the trim stood out more that it had so on the chest plate. The trim runs around the ends of the eyepieces then back in a line to the end of the helm's end; over the right eyepiece, in mock of his injury and for customary purposes, D'rok had a fake scar painted over the eye piece.
D'rok closed his eyes and let a deep exhale seep from his unclenched mandibles. When once opened again, his eyes drew to the shoulders of his chest plating where his newly designed team emblem for his Operative team was permanently painted in oil based acrylic. The emblem was painted on both of his shoulder guards and on his back. The design was Sangheilian skull painted perfectly in the drawn, shined curve of a grey shield. Above the skull lay three name crests, listed from top to bottom in seniority starting at top: Tallaham, Retmaree, and Valakee; who are the three leading members in the group. Even though that K'an and Sig were not officer's they held power and seniority over any new members in favor of selection of D'rok. Under the skull, just below the mandibles, was the Team's acronym, all in Sangheilian equivalent of 'FBP', standing for Far Beyond Provocation.
A pair of soft thin hands gripped the lower uncovered half of his upper arm from behind him. The hands were pleasantly warm against his dark body suit; this causes his eyes to close for a moment before he looked down at his companion's watching eyes.
"You look amazing, D'rok" M'riana smiled as she cooed to him, moving closer to him into an embracing hug on his elbow.
"Thank you, Love" he smiled back, now admiring her pretty eyes as they met.
"Anything for you, my sweet" She spoke softly as she purred. She reached up, taking his cheek in her fingertips, and met him halfway the height difference with a kiss. "But we must depart now." She told him as she hugged him.
"Unfortunately yes; we must head to the Spaceport, your shuttle leaves before mine."
"We are on the same ship?"
"Yes but weapons masters and apprentices must report before everyone else arrives."
"Well I knew that." She tightened her embracing hug on him "Then we should get going"
"We are already packed to leave. All of our belongings are in the Revenant"
He smiled, letting go of her to put his helmet on his head, and taking her hand he begins to politely lead her to the vehicle. Once she was in her seat he slid into the driver's seat. He backed the Revenant from its weather covering bay and onto the road. Switching it to gear the Revenant's turbines spun madly and the levitating craft began to rocket quickly to the Varo Spaceport.
D'rok slowed the Revenant to a gliding halt alongside the curb at the shuttle terminal. He met M'riana at her side with her things quickly. She took them from him and set them down to hug him.
"I will see you sometime later, D'rok" she told him.
"Ok, be careful" he looked down at her.
"Don't worry for me" she giggled "I have a present for you, that I build for you, I'll have it sent to your room when I can. Goodbye" She kisses him again and then left up for the shuttles ramp.
After she left, D'rok drove his vehicle to the vehicle holding center; it took longer than expected as some of the roadways were blocked off in preparations for a pre-campaign motivational parade. Once the Revenant was parked, D'rok turned his keys and registration into the lot guard and began to walk passed the parading and celebration.
It was a happy time in Varo this morning; though there was always a pre-campaign celebration, it was always calming for D'rok to watch. He kept watch as he walked past the countless lines of Sangheilian infantry and the following lines of support vehicles and artillery batteries. Overhead the occasional Banshee or Phantom would pass at low levels.
Soon after he passed it all the streets would be seen as desolate except for a stray group of families of young warriors headed for their random destinations. Soon D'rok had almost reached the transport's entrance; he was close enough to now tell it was empty, only the Sangheilian check guard sit there, bored in his booth. D'rok stepped up to the check guard, gave him his ports of passage, and began to wait.
He stood there for several moments; in the time which seems to elongate by the lack of activity, D'rok glanced over at the benches for those in wait, where a lone Special Operations Major presently sat; he read the screen of a Data Assistant. The Major looked lost, sighing at his unknown read; the hint of worry was present in the young Sangheili's eyes, as if he was late for something. D'rok smiled slightly, thinking it would mostly it would be his first deployment based on his age; it was possible to reach Major rank before deployment, depending on skill and academic achievement in the academy.
D'rok started to walk over to the Sangheili, as he got closer he stopped to notice a Sangheilian couple running towards him in pursuit of a young female child. To his surprise, the little girl ran to him and hid behind his leg, she was clearly frightened. D'rok turned to face the rushing couple.
"Carless woman, I told you to hold her!" The male, a Major, barked loudly at the female as they stopped just in front of D'rok. D'rok looked down quickly at the fearing child then back to the couple.
"What happens to be the problem, sir?" D'rok asked concerned.
"Not that it is your quarrel, but my mate is too imprudent to control the child!" The male said harshly.
"Nihn, please..." The female begs, turning her head to the ground, uncertain what to do.
"S'hean i said silence!" The male shouted, turning to her suddenly raising his fist.
Before the male could make a fool-hearty action, D'rok quickly took hold of the male's wrist where it had been raised. D'rok stood firm, holding back the male's arm; silence took hold of the tense air for several moments. Every present person watched intently at the rapid cascade of events; the benched Major had even risen to defensive hooves.
The male turns his head back, looking at D'rok, now enraged further. "You dare stop my actions towards me wife!?" The nearly deranged male screamed.
"I will not allow you to beat this woman shamefully in public; so yes, i do interfere." D'rok sent the male a cold stare.
"Let go!" the male screams; the Major stepped closer from his bench, his hand was near his hipped weapon.
"There are two options for you: You can stop this childish nonsense or, and judging by your current actions you wish too, we can contest." D'rok warned the male, the male gives some tugs of his arms, leading D'rok to become more hostile. "Do not look at me in that manner unless you wish to fight, and you'll lose, I guarantee it!" D'rok raised his voice.
The aiding Major quickly took the female and her child from the fight to ensure their safety, just as he did the male tore his hand from D'rok's grip. The male took a step back and reached for his hipped Plasma Rifle. D'rok was at the ready, sword drawn, by the time the male had pulled the weapon from its clip; the male stopped at D'rok's ready, in-sighting yet another moment of tense pause.
"A drawn weapon demands blood! It is unlawful and illegal to take out a weapon in public" The male yelled in verbal protest against D'rok quick draw.
"You drew first!" D'rok shouted back
"You restricted my wrist"
"You were about to commit an unlawful assault upon a woman!"
"What does it matter!?" the male shouted back.
"It matters in the courts of Zelso; clearly you are not from here, sir; now stand down!" D'rok stated finally with a growl.
A 'halt' was given by the hurried feet of the Varo Spaceport enforcement, the male was apprehended for the conflict and only a few minutes later D'rok and the Major where released. As they went to leave, D'rok stopped to speak to the female; the young girl was hugging her mother, crying.
"Little miss?" D'rok spoke kneeling closely to the girl. The little girl looked at him sniffling.
"Come here, I have something for you; a gift" he told the girl sweetly, coaxing her from her mother's arms.
D'rok reached into a small bag strapped to his belt; out from it he took a small trinket of a necklace. He hung the necklace by its chain to show the girl of the metal piece which had been crafted into shape. Bent gracefully with curves and angles of blue; the Forerunner symbol of "Hope" hang attached to the chain.
"This was given to me some time ago, I want you to have it; I have a feeling it fits you" He told her. Happily the girl reached for the chain and D'rok helped her put it over her head and around her neck. The chain was a bit long for the child's size, but it looked good on her. The girl smiled brightly then hugged D'rok's chest plate, happily she purred with her cheek against his armor. "Little one" D'rok told her after a moment of the little embrace. "Please take care"
D'rok stood and watched the little girl run off to her mother, he smiled; the little girl reminded him of his sister from long ago, back in his 'past-life'. He assumed she would be safe now, at least for a while; public violence was shunned when around the sight of civilians.
Finally he turned to the checkpoint, delayed now, and began his approach. At the checkpoint, the young Major was now trying to get through, he seemed to have a difficult time entering. With a roll of his eyes, D'rok approached the two and informed the guard that the Major was with him. Whether the Major was or not, D'rok never hesitated to help someone through checkpoints; it was, after all, how he met his loved one.
"Thank you officer" The Major told D'rok, walking backwards up the ramp to physically thank D'rok.
"Ryau Cinotee... That is your name correct?" D'rok asked, now seeing the Major's face
"Yes Officer, how did you know?" Ryau inquired
"I am the one recruiting you" D'rok smiled at Ryau, stopping to let Ryau enter the Phantom first. Once on the two stood next to each other. The Phantom did not wait long until it hastily took off for its destined ship. For a few moments at least it was quiet until a familiar female approached them; Naki Cimutee.
"There you are Ryau, I see you've met D'rok" She said
"Yes, I was afraid I wouldn't make it" Ryau admitted to her
"How are you doing D'rok?" She asked him, turning her head to him
"I'm fine...what are you doing here?" D'rok asked her
"I'm assigned with Ryau"
"For what?" D'rok question; she could mean trouble, there was little to no use for a scientist; something was up
"He's testing out our new armor systems"
"But don't you work in biology?"
"No, I study Forerunner Sciences" she corrected him, he rolls his eyes.
"Gods, are you going to just follow him around and carry things for him too?"
"I can fight"
"Yeah" He laughed "but why are you not with the jumpers? You clearly 'shoot better while falling' Naki"
"Oh you saw that..." She lowered her eyes for a moment as she gave an embarrassed blush.
"Nope, i just heard from a little 'bird'"
"That was an accident I'm usually much better" she assured him.
"Whatever you say, scientist" D'rok sighed and looked out the window silently for the rest of the ride.
Once the Phantom landed in the ship's hangar, D'rok got out and toke Ryau for a nice little walk towards a private café. Ryau followed closely as D'rok lead him into the café's hallway into one of the many open longue rooms. D'rok let Ryau enter first. Entering the lounge D'rok shut and locked the door. He gave Ryau a sharp look.
"Sit down!" D'rok spoke loudly. Ryau sat quickly, clearly nervous; D'rok tossed his data pad onto the table which Ryau had sit at. The clap of the data pad startled Ryau to jump slightly.
"What is it, Excellency?" Ryau asked in a shaky voice.
"First off, don't call me glorifying names! I will not hear it!" D'rok demanded with a snarl.
"Very well… what shall I call you?"
"You will address me by my name; D'rok Tallaham"
"The whole thing?"
"If it makes you feel better" D'rok chuckled.
"Very well" Ryau grumbled quietly
"Now..." D'rok sits and stares at Ryau for many moments; this was part of the intimidation routine "what makes me want you to follow under my order?" He asked as he cracked a smirk.
"Well..." Ryau started, sitting forward in his chair in attempts to overcome his uneasy feeling. "I presume you watched a recording of my pre promotion skirmish"
"No, that does not answer my question. Now tell me: what makes me want you to follow my orders?"
"You tell me, you wanted me"
"A good answer, but don't be stupid. I know you are smart enough to answer the question."
"Well I'm smart and I'm good in combat"
"And?"
"I'm someone you think you can trust"
"Correction, youth: You assume I trust you; I do not! Your first answer was correct, however" D'rok chuckled, soon to smile again. "What was the best mistake you have made in your career?"
Ryau looked down for a moment to contemplate on the question "I got nothing" He answered in a confused manner. "is that all?" Ryau asked after receiving D'rok's stare.
"What do you expect of me" D'rok asked.
"For you to be a good leader"
"Is that by appearance or are you just trying to avoid my questioning?"
"I-" Ryau stuttered.
"By my appearance!" D'rok shouted over the table. "Read the cover of the book!" D'rok continued to stare harshly at Ryau; he wouldn't let the new recruit get off easily.
Ryau looked over D'rok almost desperately, his eyes darting around madly; all until they landed upon his scared eye. "I expect you to be an experienced officer with an amazing sense of situational leadership." Ryau answered quickly, hoping this to be over.
"… Correct answer" D'rok smiled genuinely now "Welcome to Far Beyond Provacation, kid. We are bunked in the Special Operations room G18. I will see you there in 20 minutes" D'rok turned out the door and began to leave; he stopped quickly and looked back at Ryau, serious again.
"I recommend you start now; it's a long walk"