9th Age of Reclamation
Yojimbo, Arca Generanda System
Forerunner complex below the surface of Yojimbo
Sangheili Shipmaster Woran'Darhomee
The facility was much like a labyrinth. Often we found ourselves traversing the same paths, over and over, and at times we believed we were advancing only to arrive at a room we had entered long past. I could not falter, however. The Prophet of Truth himself handed down this task to our battle cruiser, the Relentless Interdict. Our only excuse for failure would be death. Otherwise… I did not want to think about it.
"Shipmaster!" One of my Sangheili pointed out a hovering machine. Perhaps this was one of the Sentinels of which the Oracle spoke.
It regarded us with a single eye, clicking and whirring. "Non-Reclaimer bioforms found in Sector Eight-Seven-Two. Course of action: immediate neutralization."
I yelled something to my soldiers, but not even I knew what it was. Many of us ran. There was a group of Unggoy bold enough to raise their weapons at the Sentinel; before they could register what was happening, an orange shaft of light seared their flesh, killing them instantly. They were only Unggoy. They would not be mourned.
There still remained a fear that if I survived, sharing their fate would be preferable to the consequences I would have to face.
1040 Hours, July 8, 2549 (Military Calendar) \
Yojimbo, Arca Generanda System
Forerunner complex below the surface of Yojimbo
ODST Spec. Ops, Phillip Aitken
I called to the Monitor, which was leading us down the long corridors of the Forerunner complex. "Hey, Paradigm, are you sure this is the right way?"
"Of course it is the right way. I know this facility better than I know my own circuits." Inquisitive Paradigm went back to humming quietly to itself.
"So, Captain, what's the plan? Let's say the Covenant beat us to the Keyship." Pillsbury rolled his shoulders. "What'll we do?"
"Any suggestions?"
"Well," Behm began, "I'd sure like to just blow the bastards up." He tapped his rocket launcher, on his back while he had Panama Red out. "The Sentinels do their job right, we won't have too many to worry about."
"We'll put that in the 'Maybe' column, Pyro."
"I like 'Maybe.'" I could actually hear the grin.
I spoke up. "Cap, I've got an idea. The task force is most likely being led by Elites. Their culture revolves around honor."
"I'm listening."
"If you challenge his honor in a duel, there's a possibility he won't just have his men shoot us down. That is, if there are any left. Propose a fight to the death with energy swords so he thinks he has the advantage. If you can beat him, then just pin him down and let him live. Not only will he be dishonored personally, but he'll have failed his mission. Those two things combined would be enough for an Elite to wish he had died."
Captain Shepard thought about it. "It sounds good, but it kind of depends on my winning and surviving, doesn't it?"
"Yeah, but tell me you don't think it's the best idea I've ever had."
Our captain said nothing, and I knew he approved.
9th Age of Reclamation
Yojimbo, Arca Generanda System
Forerunner complex below the surface of Yojimbo
Sangheili Shipmaster Woran'Darhomee
Much of my force was dead. They had been killed by the ones the Oracle called Sentinels. The intensified rays of light they used as weapons overloaded our shields. "You are not Reclaimer," they would say. My only remaining soldiers were three Sangheili. I had no other recourse but to continue until we found the Relic.
When we finally arrived at the room containing the Relic, there were several humans waiting for us with the Oracle. Had it led them through the complex to this chamber? "Oracle!" I yelled. "What is the meaning of this?"
"You mean to use the Keyship to destroy the Reclaimers! This cannot be allowed to happen!"
"Easy there, Paradigm," one of the humans said.
Another, presumably the leader by his stance and the symbol on his shoulder, stepped forward with his weapon. "Relax, Light Bulb. I've got this." He addressed me. "You! In the gold armor! You understand English? I want to negotiate!"
"We don't negotiate with heretics!"
"Hold on," the human said. "You're at a disadvantage here. We outnumber you about two to one. You're hardly in a position to be saying that. I want to have a duel with you, using energy swords, to death. None of our men can interfere. If I win, you will be dead and your soldiers will return your body to your commanders. If you win, my troops will leave, and you can have the Keyship."
Heretic scum! He must have known that I would not be able to refuse. But how?! It was no matter. "I accept your challenge as well as the terms! But you must remove your helmet!"
"Deal." He unsealed it and lifted it from his head, handing it and his weapons to a comrade. I gave my plasma rifles to my lieutenant and stepped forward to meet the human leader. He held out his hand for one of my swords. Although it disgusted me to see it in a human's hands, he would be easily beaten. We stepped away from each other and ignited our blades.
"What is your name, human?"
"I am Captain Michael Shepard, commanding officer of the ODST Special Forces assigned to the UNSC Lady Fortune."
"I am Shipmaster Woran'Darhomee, commander of the Magnanimous Splendor.Have you made peace with your creator, Michael Shepard?"
"I haven't spoken to my father since I left Earth thirty years ago, and he's been dead for ten of them."
Humor. I was often told humans deal with the rigors of facing a life-or-death situation in this way.
The duel began.
1120 Hours, July 8, 2549 (Military Calendar) \
Yojimbo, Arca Generanda System
Forerunner complex below the surface of Yojimbo
ODST Spec. Ops, Captain Michael Shepard
I played defensively. The Elite began by charging at me, his sword raised high. He'd be going for a diagonal slice. I brought up my sword to block it. I got lucky; I was worried I'd positioned it wrong. Keeping the blades locked, I sidestepped and brought my sword around, going for his legs. Elite knees bend in an odd way, so he was able to dodge with little difficulty. The asshole went for a decapitation, but I ducked at the last second. I could feel the plasma in the air above my scalp before I fell into a roll to put some distance between us.
As I figured out what I was going to do, I knew he was behind me and blindly spun around, bringing the sword up in an arc like I was gutting a fish. I rotated my wrist slightly to make the blow a diagonal cut. He had no choice but to block, but it was too late. The blade cut through flesh and bone, and 'Darhomee cried out in pain. I heard his energy sword hit the ground, and I dove to grab it while he clutched the cauterized stump where his right hand used to be.
"Pillsbury!" I shouted. He understood and dropped the three Elites Minor. Whether or not 'Darhomee was paralyzed with shock or fear I didn't know, but either way I took the opportunity to tackle him. The dumbstruck Elite hit the ground. I took his good arm and used the empty space between the prongs of one of the swords to pin it down. My knee was pressed hard into his chest, allowing him little breathing room, and I put the other sword at his throat.
"Dishonorable human scum!" 'Darhomee coughed, careful not to move his head too much. "Just end my life now! Finish it!"
I smiled. "Oh, no. You don't get off that easily. Hoffman, get me some braces to stuff this split-mouthed bastard into."
The squad had also removed their helmets. Most of them were smiling. "But Captain," said Hoffman, trying to keep the amusement out of his voice, "my braces are only designed for humans…"
"Exactly."
The look of pure terror in an Elite's eyes would stay with me until my dying day.
1210 Hours, July 8, 2549 (Military Calendar) \
Yojimbo, Arca Generanda System
Forest on the surface of Yojimbo, outside Forerunner complex
ODST Spec. Ops, Phillip Aitken
I had to admit the Elite looked hilarious inside the various medical braces. Miller was fiddling with a homing beacon. Captain Shepard and Sergeant McNally stood nearby with their arms crossed. Jacobs had called for Transport Warthogs to take us back to the Lady. Hoffman was making sure the braces held against the Elite's attempts to break free. Diamond was hitting the Grunt and Elite corpses in front of the door with his BR. Pillsbury was sitting on the ground next to me, cleaning his SRS. Behm, standing on my other side, was a bit disappointed he didn't get to blow anything up. Inquisitive Paradigm hovered next to Behm.
"Hey, cheer up, man," I said, slapping Behm on the back. "We did good today."
"Yeah… yeah, I guess. It would have been nice to fire my Spanker, though."
"Spanker" was slang for the M19 SSM Rocket Launcher, named for the large letters along the side: SPNKr. I patted his back again. "Maybe next time."
Behm smiled at the prospect of it. "Yeah. Next time for sure."
Inquisitive Paradigm bobbed up and down. "This has been a truly exciting experience, Reclaimers. I would very much like to come with you."
I exchanged a glance with Behm. "I don't think that's a good idea, Paradigm. They'll dissect you like a frog."
"Frog?" Its tone was questioning.
"Reclaimer saying," Behm explained. "Don't worry about it."
"But what am I to do? I can't let any other visitors in, and they cannot force their way through the door."
I shrugged. "You'll think of something."
"Yes… I suppose you are right." It floated away rather sulkily for an emotionless machine.
Miller shouted in triumph, and placed the device on the ground next to the Elite. "Jacobs," he said, "how long until transport gets here?"
"About five minutes, Miller."
"Perfect. The beacon is set to go off in twenty minutes, enough time for us to get the hell out of here before they locate the signal."
"Miller, you're a genius," said Captain Shepard approvingly.
0800 Hours, August 12, 2549 (Military Calendar) \
UNSC service station in orbit around an Inner Colony World
UNSC Lady Fortune (Soldier's quarters), docked to service station
ODST Spec. Ops, Phillip Aitken
"Reclaimer?"
I woke up with a jolt. We had jumped to a random point according to the Cole Protocol, and then made another quick jump to deep space, not too far from this planet. Commander Brown had found it unnecessary to put us in the freezers, so we were living normally. I felt like I had just gotten to sleep before Inquisitive Paradigm woke me up.
"Paradigm…?" I was still groggy, but after about five seconds it registered. "You're not supposed to be here!" The Monitor had stowed away on the Lady!
"But Reclaimer – "
"I don't want to hear it, Paradigm." I rolled back onto my stomach, taking my sheet with me. "I don't care how you got on here, but it was probably with the help of a cloaking device, right?"
"Yes."
I sighed. "I guess you can stay in here, as long as you stay cloaked, and do not, under any circumstances, leave. It might be better if you go into some kind of sleep mode…"
"Oh, thank you, Reclai – "
"That's another thing. My name is Phil. Now let me sleep."
It did. Jesus. I just hoped it wouldn't be discovered.
But I was one lucky son of a gun, so I had little doubt nobody but me would know about the Forerunner robot in my room.
