Forerunner: The Next Generation

Halo Future: Forerunner

Act Two, Part Four: Letting Go of the Past


July 14, 1250 Hours (Military Time), Sarek Residence, Sangheilios

Kopak slowly took off the Ossoona armor. The cold, dingy metal scraped past his wounds, bring grunts from his mouth. Years ago, he would've screamed at the burning sensation passing through….

Twenty years ago, Atmosphere of Earth, above Reach

"When we joined the Covenant, we took an oath." An Elite Commander recited.

"According to our station, all without exception!" the other Elites cried.

"By the blood of our fathers, we carry their honor on our shoulders!"

"Live to uphold their name, or die with shame!"

Kopak listened half-heartedly at the chants of his fellow Elites. Unlike the others, he was simply a rookie, brought in after a pitiful fight against those Demons… "Spartans". He glanced over at the left. The only friends he did have were N'tho and Sephir, and he would be stationed several klicks away from their posts.

"Don't worry, Kopak. You'll be fine." Sephir assured.

But Kopak knew that he wouldn't be fine. He would never live up to the reputation of the Supreme Commander… his father. To him, his name was as valuable as a Grunt with a broken food nipple.

The Phantom came to a halt, slowing down before descending onto the rocky terrain below. Though the planet was a symbol of their enemy, the planet was full of jewels that were to be considered beautiful… from a human perspective anyway.

"Split up. Squad one will take mines; squad two will take the command posts stationed around the planet. By the will of the Prophets… this planet shall be ours!" the Elite commander roared.

Kopak had just enough time to nod at N'tho and Sephir before heading into the mines. The six Elites in front of him all held high class Plasma Rifles, while he had a standard Carbine and Plasma Pistol for newcomers. The group walked silently for minutes before his worst fear was realized: a Spartan group was waiting.

"Open fire!" the Commander barked.

Kopak and the other Elites fired at the hulking cyborgs, fear evident in their eyes. Plasma grenades were thrown around wildly while soldiers from both sides ran blindly at one another. Kopak stayed behind, opening his Carbine clip once more. He fired beam after beam at the Spartans, running out once to pick up a Plasma Rifle. He fired it quickly, watching as the Spartans ducked and poked their heads out to shoot at him. One Spartan quickly ran out to the onslaught, holding an Assault Rifle and dodging plasma. One Elite took out a sword and charged forward at the Spartan. The Elite sliced him down with no problem; it was until his victory roar that he realized the other Spartans had a clear shot at him. He fell to the ground lifeless, blood squirting from his mandibles.

There were three people left on each side. The Spartans had gained part of the terrain, and the Elites were backed up to the entrance.

"Come brothers! For our GODS!" the Elite commander cried.

Kopak charged forward with his comrades, screaming. The plasma bolts fired from his rifle, and before he knew it, there was a bright flash of light.

The present

Yes, Kopak remembered that day all too well. He touched the burn on his chest lightly, letting his nails scrape. Though the day after was much worse than the one preceding it…

Twenty years ago, Sick Bay, Sangheilios,

Kopak's eyes opened with a flutter. Around him were Sephir and N'tho, his mother and brother, his shipmaster, and his father.

"You are alive!" his cried, throwing his arms around him.

"Calm down, Koru. The wounds haven't fully healed." Sephir smiled.

"How long have I been here?" Kopak asked.

"Three days," N'tho answered.

"What happened?"

"One of the Demons threw a flare, then they threw a plasma grenade at Admiral Revan." The shipmaster said.

Kopak struggled to rise from his bed, grunting and groaning.

"What happened to me? I feel like I've been shot with a Mauler," Kopak joked.

The shipmaster looked down, mandibles drooping.

"When Revan was stuck, you were very close to his right side. After it went off…"

Kopak lifted the sheet off slightly and looked down. In the middle of his chest was a dark purple burn in the shape of what might've been Revan's handprint.

"Because of the burn, you'll have to be here for a long time." His mother spoke.

"How long?" Kopak asked.

"3 years." N'tho stated.

The present

Kopak grimaced as he thought about the memory. To any Covenant soldier, three years was a fate worst than death at the time. He shed the remaining armor and walked to his bed. Draping the covers over his body, he closed his eyes and thought back to the moment he was let out of recovery…

Seventeen years ago, Sick Bay, Sangheilios

Kopak looked at himself in the mirror. The scar had been completely healed up, and after three years of staying in recovery, he had been allowed to leave. He traced a claw over the scar, hissing slightly in pain.

"No armor can ever hide that mark." A voice said.

Kopak turned around. His father stood at the door, wearing a long purple cloak and headdress to match.

"Nothing ever will." Kopak replied.

"It is good to see you out of rehabilitation."

"It is good to see you too father. Or should I say, Supreme Commander of the Ascendant Justice?"

His father smiled. He had been promoted a few days ago, and starting first thing today, he would be leading a Covenant fleet to victory for their lords.

"My only regret is that you can't be in my fleet, my son."

"It's not a problem. When we meet again, I will be on the path to honoring your legacy. Take care… Garen Sarekee."

The two Sangheili bowed and headed out of the sick bay and into the glowing sunlight. It would be a good beginning.


Well, there's number 11! Up next: The death of a character from the original Halo series along with a secret concerning the Keyes family is revealed in: "Dark Secret, Part I": "You Are Not the Father!" From now on, there'll be updates to the story once a month. R n R!

If you haven't checked my profile, I announced my blogger site, www.samuraiofhell., and my DeviantART page, RaxusKuruk-294. on the former site, I'll be reviewing TV shows and games, along with posting previews of the next chapter for whatever story. On the DA site, I'll be writing other stories that don't fall into the category.

In other news, I finally got my Xbox 360, along with Halo 3, the source of the story! And for my final announcement, it is with great pride that I announce a new story: Ultimate Alien Force!