Author's Note: First Halo fic, so I hope I do the canon characters justice

Author's Note: Thanks to Kalshion for being my proof reader.

Disclaimer: I own nothing in the Halo universe, which is the property of Bungie Studios. However, any non-Halo species (and characters made from them) belong to me.

Chapter 6: Meant to be

The conversion turned to war stories for the next hour or so. Johnson got Vl'asuna a raw slab of meat to make up for insulting her earlier, which she devoured with relish. Eventually the Arbiter was forced to tell his friends how Vl'asuna saved not only his life, but everyone else's life on the Shadow of Intent.

"That was pretty gutsy of you 'Mura." Johnson remarked when the Arbiter finished. "No armor…no weapons besides what nature gave you…you took a big risk of getting turned into a fur rug."

"Had surprise on side." Vl'asuna said, getting better at speaking the more she spoke, though the Arbiter had to correct her pronunciation on a few terms so far. "My people used to hunting dangerous prey."

"I loved what you did with the Jackel though. Man how I hated those things…"

"Remind me of Posadori." Vl'asuna remarked. "Small predator. Deadly in large numbers."

"You eat em?"

"Not normally." Vl'asuna confessed. "Only when hunting bad."

"So you guys eat just about anything."

"Aye, save for the Mukata, Gurgen, and Gurde."

"Why not them?"

"Other sentients, though Gurde not so much."

"Your world must be rather primitive…else we would have detected the other sentient species due to their technology." The Arbiter stated. He remembered there were a couple of world were they did detect primitive sentient life: was one of them her homeworld?

"Technology forbidden." Vl'asuna said, her ears briefly folding against her head. "Nearly caused extinction of Mukata. Gurgen help them live new way."

"So they gave up technology to live the lives of cavemen?" Johnson commented. "Sounds like if anyone decided to invade they would be sitting ducks."

"No. Gurgen would protect." 'Vl'asuna said confidently.

"What, do they have technology?"

"No. Magic…and the god's blessings."

"Oh…great…more religious fanatics…." Johnson groaned.

Vl'asuna shifted an ear toward him, looking a bit confused. "The Covenant/Human war was due to religious beliefs." The Arbiter explained simply. "It would take time to explain it properly."

"I see." Vl'asuna said. "I explain my own….but not…familiar enough with speaking this tongue yet."

"It's alright. Perhaps in time you'll be able to explain it." The Arbiter said.

"As much as I'd love to continue chatting, I got a meeting to attend in oooh….five minutes." Johnson said as he rose from his seat, looking at his watch. "I'll catch you guys later to let you know just how boring it was…"

"I'll be at the practice range." Master Chief said, getting up and walking way. He never was one for conversation. Cortana left as well, saying something about some data she needed to analyze, leaving the Arbiter alone with Vl'asuna.

Not wanting to just sit around all day, he decided to explore the station a little. His leg complained when got to his feet, but he ignored it. Vl'asuna followed him, easily slowing her pace to his currently limping gait.

"Leg ok?" She asked.

"It hurts, but I'll endure." The Arbiter replied. "In a few days it will be back to normal."

Vl'asuna nodded and was quiet for a few moments. The pair entered a long corridor, with space and the Earth viewable outside. The Lipor stopped to admire it and the Arbiter wondered how much her species knew about other worlds beyond her own: he doubted she knew much. "World looks so small from here." She stated. "Makes one…." She grimaced, unsure of the word.

"Appreciate?" The Arbiter offered

"Yes. Appreciate…what little one truly has." She said thankfully, completing her thought. "So many other's out there."

"So you know of other worlds? Even though you live…simply?"

"Aye." She confirmed. "It in our teachings from Gurgen. Our world just one of many."

"How would these…Gurgen…know of other worlds if they are stuck on your own?" He asked out of curiosity. The more she spoke of her own world and culture, the more intriguing it became. For a planet to reach a high technological level only to turn their backs on all they had learned was unheard of. It had to be something really terrible that happened to make them do that and the Arbiter had to wonder if his people would have done the same.

"Ah but not." Vl'asuna said with a smile. "Gurgen from other plane, so know more easily what out there."

"Other plane?" This confused him. Did she mean another dimension?

"Aye." She confirmed. "Given physical form by gods to guard our world."

The Arbiter turned abruptly and stared out the view window. "Forgive me 'Mura, but I have trouble believing that."

"You have no gods?" He heard her ask.

"Those we thought were ended up being power hungry mortals like you and I." He said bitterly. "It was they that wanted the war between the Covenant and the humans, because they found out the humans were descendents of the beings of the ones we thought were gods. The Prophets wanted them destroyed so they could keep their hold on us all."

"False truths oft lead to misery…" Vl'asuna said, sorrow in her tone.

"Yes. Now my people are trying to atone for our sins." The Arbiter said. "For being so blind to the truth. My people are allied with the humans now, helping them rebuild." He sighed. "It's the least we can do for causing them so much pain."

"Noble." The Lipor said. "And honorable thing. Yet you not seem happy…."

The Arbiter sighed, wondering how to explain it to her in words she would understand. Subconsciously he put his hand over where his Mark lay: Vl'asuna noticed it.

"The mark you bare….you ashamed of it?" She asked.

He nodded, slowly. "I…received it as punishment for my failings in the Covenant before I learned the truth." He explained. "Along with that, I was tortured and humiliated in front of my peers, my name and rank striped from me. I only still live because the Prophets granted me a chance to redeem myself by becoming the Arbiter, become their sword and wrath. I was supposed to die on the mission they sent me, but I did not and when I learned the truth I turned against them."

"But now you cannot reclaim what you lost?"

The Arbiter shook his head sadly. "No. Even if I wanted to…the man I used to be is no longer who I am now. Yet…what am I now? The Arbiter no longer means, can no longer mean, what it did under the Covenant."

He looked down at her hopefully, hoping that his new friend would have the answer. However Vl'asuna, though she apparently understood his problem, either didn't know the answer or didn't know how to tell him since speaking his language was still so new to her. "I am sorry 'Mura." He said, scratching her behind her jaw bone. "I shouldn't burden you with my troubles…."

"Don't mind." She replied, rubbing her head against his hand. "Willing ear better then no ear."

"And I am relieved to have your willing ear." He told her with a faint smile. "Come, let us not loiter here any longer."

Above, with camouflage active, Tora followed his query. These maintenance cat-a-walks were ideal for following someone unseen, especially since he didn't know what capabilities the Arbiter's pet had: it always helped to take extra precautions. Now he just needed the perfect moment to strike. Fortunately the Arbiter and his pet were moving further and further away from heavy traffic areas, meaning it was only a matter of time before he got the perfect moment. Odd though that the Arbiter seemed to keep talking to the creature: had he gone mad? No matter, mad or not, he was to die.

The next area they entered was perfect in so many ways, from the cover the room itself provided to the ambience that would mask his attack and subsequent escape. With a smile he quickly set himself up to strike….

The pair continued on and eventually ended up in a large open area that appeared to be a garden of some sorts, going by the various flora in the room. Various trees, bushes and flowers were set in ways that were pleasing to the eye and there were a few benches strategically placed throughout the area under a few of the trees. The smell of the flowers was heavy in the air, Vl'asuna sneezed a couple of times because of it. Also in the air were the sounds of various animals, mostly birds, coming from a few speakers carefully hidden in the foliage. Above the Arbiter noted there was a walkway that went around the edges of the area, but due to the trees he couldn't see their purpose behind giving people the option of an aerial view over the place.

"Reminds me of home…" He heard 'Mura say, a slight tone of sorrow.

"You miss your home?" He asked.

"Aye, but do not mind being away. Meant to be by your side."

He was about to ask what she meant when suddenly his shielding was gone, then in the next instant he felt a searing pain in his neck. Reflexively one hand went to his throat and felt his own blood pouring out of the wound in torrents. He tried to speak, but his windpipe was punctured and blood was filling his lungs and mouth: he was both suffocating and bleeding to death.

His strength quickly failing, he fell to the floor. He could hear Vl'asuna calling to him, calling for help, but they were the only ones in this room, meaning help would be slow in the coming and likely not in time. The Arbiter felt Vl'asuna fruitlessly try to stanch the blood flow with her paws, her warm body giving him some measure of comfort that he wasn't going to die alone. Still, he didn't want to die, not like this.

So this is how it will end… He thought, regretful that he couldn't do more with his life. Would the human/Sangheili alliance hold without him? His perception of world around him fading fast, he prayed someone would take care of Vl'asuna for him. Perhaps Rtas 'Vadum will do this, as he had grown nearly as fond of her as he. As the world around him faded, he heard Vl'asuna saying something in what he assumed to be her native tongue. Though he couldn't understand the words, it almost sounded like a prayer….

Kwi Azuwezia, majak vur troth di waph, petranas suvo nomeno schakri seoyl de nomeno anmirjalin haurach…zyak lang lae wer Dask sotas…

Vl'asuna poured her heart into the prayer, repeating it several times, hoping against hope that it would answered. Dimly she was aware she was injured, her right shoulder burning, but she didn't care. She couldn't lose her maiken and her dear friend, not so soon. The ragged wound in the Arbiter's neck stopped bleeding, but she knew that didn't mean he would live: he could have simply run out of blood to bleed for all she knew.

She knew she had to get help, but her limited speaking ability in Sangheili, the only language she could communicate with others with, she doubt she could get the point across: she already did try to call for help in Sangheili, but was unable to call out very loudly. Plus she was reluctant to leave his side, fearing that whoever did this may finish him off while she was away. So she did the only thing she could do, she cried for help in her own language, though to everyone else's ears it would sound like an animalistic roar.

A/N: Some AD&D folks may (or may not) recognize the language I used, at least some of it since said language doesn't have words for all of ours (that is known anyway).

Arbiter: -grumbling- If things like this keep happening to me I am going to demand better life insurance….