A Somber Lull
Twenty-Fourth Solar Cycle, 151 Cycles: 9th Age of Reclamation [August 30, 2552: 0646]
DDS-Class Carrier Leveling Strength
SpecOps Major Ryau 'Cinotee
Ryau walked down the corridor and sighed. The ship beneath him rumbled as it left the system. He reached out and grabbed a wall strut to steady himself. He was halfway to the Lance room, but a sudden thought crossed his mind. The planet he had been trained on, spent many years of his life, the people he had worked with, had all just been reduced to glass.
He had been trained to deal with emotional trauma when he was young, but his world getting turned upside down when he found out Naki was Michelle completely messed with his mind. All that training went out the window. Lost memories had returned and brought the repressed emotions and urges back from the depth of his body.
Those Marines he met on Reach were probably dead now, as well.
Ryau slowly walked down the corridor of the Carrier, wandering the halls until he found what he was looking for. The doors parted into the large open chamber and Ryau looked around. The room was dimly lit and he followed the carpeted path. Objects of Forerunner origin floated on pedestals every few meters and a multitude of hanging fabrics muted the usual open repercussions of the hangar like space. Members of the Covenant were hunched over in prayer to their Gods.
He came to a stop in front of a mural, it was a visual rendition of the war between the San 'Shyuum and the Sangheili. A visual history of the Covenant. Ryau sighed and looked down at the floor.
"Are you alright, brother?" Someone asked beside him.
Ryau glanced up, a Sangheili Major was standing nearby, looking up at the mural. "I believe so..." he trailed off.
"Are you sure?" The Major asked.
"I...I think everyone I know may have just died on that planet." Ryau looked down again.
"Oh.. might you have a seat?" The Major turned and waved his hand over to the benches that ran parallel to the carpeted walkway. Ryau nodded slowly and took a seat, the Major sat to his left. The Major took a breath. "Friends...Friends will always be lost in military engagement... as much as it is horrible to deal with, it is just another factor that one must come to peace with.
"I know... but.. everyone I trained with..." Ryau paused and thought up some sort of lie. "Their ship was destroyed before we left."
"I am sorry to hear that, would you like to talk about it?" the Major asked.
"...There isn't much I can talk about," Ryau got quiet. "I never really considered the thought that they'd all die."
The Major turned his head. "Is your faith being challenged?"
"No... it's just that.. I don't know."
The Major seemed very persistent on helping Ryau. "Do you have any questions?"
"What do we say, what happens to those who die?" Ryau asked.
"Before the Great Journey... those that fall wait until the divine wind guides them to the path with all others that believe. Until then, they remain in limbo. As that is what is taught by the hierarchs."
"I just don't know what to think." Ryau said. He knew that was meant for the Covenant soldiers, and that they didn't believe in the Humans getting the same treatment. Before the Major could continue talking, he shushed himself and nodded up to a female Sangheili that had just stepped onto the platform .
She was a priestess, dressed in hanging fabrics and clothes. She spoke about the history of the Covenant, and the basis of the Great Journey. Ryau recognized a lot of it from what the Unggoy Deacon had said when Ryau had first been captured.
The priestess clasped her hands together. "Thousands of Solar Cycles ago, the Sangheili and the San 'Shyuum revered the Holy Forerunners, yet as each he their own beliefs of what was sacred and what was not. When our great races met, we clashed and through battle, we Sangheili saw the true light.
The Gods left behind their technology as gifts for their followers. As aids for us to follow their righteous footsteps and transcend into paradise. Not objects to remain in temples, untouched. We Sangheili, and the San 'Shyuum united and formed the Covenant. With the Gods watching above, the ancient words of the Writ of Union were written to combine our great races.
Though as all know, we are not the only kind in the Covenant. Centuries ago The Gods lead us to another group of believers. the Kig-Yar, the Unggoy, and Jiralhanae were brought into our holy empire with the Gods blessing. We all work together to find the path to glorious salvation.
The Great Journeys holy path is windy and full of challenges. The Humans, a species that has fallen too far from the path to be saved, are one such challenge. So with heavy hearts the Hierarchs ordered them cleansed." She stopped and stepped away from the podium. "The path has many temptations and methods to walk... How many of you have come here for the first time?"
Ryau didn't feel like calling himself out, so he kept his arms down. However a few other Sangheili did lift their hand into the air. The priestess nodded, "There is a point in everyone's life where they have not quite experienced their driving force behind their own personal Journey. So, anyone who raised their hand, please come up to the platform."
The handful of species stood and slowly made their way onto the stage below the mural. They spoke together in hushed voices, Ryau couldn't hear what they were saying from where he was, but it was over quickly. In closing, she gave a prayer for all others that have yet to fully experience the enlightenment of the Great Journey to find their personal paths soon.
Ryau sighed as the event wrapped up. He knew that most of the Covenant religion had been formed from a miss-understanding of Forerunner inscriptions and protocol, but there were parts that were adapted from older Sangheili religion, which may have some truth somewhere.
Ryau stood quickly and waved to the Major. "I need to get going... farewell."
"Goodbye, brother. I will see you around here again," he replied.
Ryau hurried out of the room and into the corridors. All that talk of religion and belief was unsettling and made him feel uneasy. He figured he should go to the Lance room where D`rok and the others were, Ryau could probably get some sleep there.
Before he had even reached the next corridor intersection, Sig appeared. "By the Gods! Ryau, There you are!" He was seemingly upset about something.
Ryau stopped walking. "Huh? What is it, Sig?"
Sig sighed. "I need your help, Ryau. K`an has gone out drinking, and he shouldn't. I tried to stop him, but he wouldn't listen!"
"Why shouldn't he?" Ryau asked, as far as he knew, a broken bone didn't prevent someone from drinking if they wanted.
"He was just shot recently! His leg has hardly been set and he demanded a hover chair from the nurse and left!"
Ryau sighed. "Where is he now?"
"He is headed for the bar in the nose of the ship. I believe it is on deck seven." Sig said.
"Alright then, I'll go talk to him." Ryau said, and started walking towards the bow.
"Will you need assistance, Ryau?" Sig began to follow.
Ryau put his hand up and stopped Sig. "No, I can handle this."
"Okay, good luck Ryau." Sig said, he sighed and walked back towards the Lance room.
Ryau found his way through the bowels of the ship thanks to the gravity conveyor. It dropped him off at the intersection of two major corridors. Since he didn't think K`an's hover chair would be able to take the lift system, he should be coming down one of these two halls. Sure enough, after a few minutes had passed, along came K`an in his mobile chair. Ryau stepped out from the wall and stopped him.
"K`an," Ryau said.
He hovered to a stop. "Hello Ryau... are you here to stop me as Sig tried?"
"Well, Sig did tell me to try," Ryau said. "But I'm not." He walked behind K`an's hover chair and began to push it in the direction of the tavern.
K`an just shook his head and resumed hovering forward. "You may have not noticed this, but Sig worries way too much. I mean... really... I am fifty-two solar cycles old! I can go to the bar whenever I wish."
"I don't know why he thinks that going to the bar is a bad idea," Ryau said. "But, I know for a fact that I could use a drink" They came to the entrance to the tavern. The large door slid open to a fairly stereotypical scene, bar table in the center, and various chairs around the room.
"Well it has something to do with the 'recovery' process. And about how 'The alcohol will mess with the bones as they fix back together' as he says. but whatever... I've broken bones plenty of times and no alcohol has ever stopped them from healing."
"Is that what the nurse says? I doubt Sig has medical training," Ryau asked.
"I don't know what she thinks... but I'll ask her later when I get back to the hospital room." K`an wiggled his eye ridges. Ryau chuckled and pushed K`an up to the counter. He took a seat beside him. K`an sighed and looked down. Suddenly he laughed, "I guess I owe you a drink."
"So you say" Ryau nodded.
"Well I do, do I not?" K`an glanced over to Ryau.
"I think so"
"Is it my choice?" K`an asked, a smirk slowly appearing on his face.
Ryau nodded again, "If you think that's fair." He sighed, he was doing plenty of nodding today.
"Of course." K`an chuckled very slightly. "And you'll drink it?"
Ryau paused for a moment to contemplate if that was really a good idea, but then he decided to go against his better judgment. "Sure."
K`an immediately waved the bartender over. The older male walked over. His crimson armor denoted that he was a Major, this was probably his job aboard the ship. "Give us two 'Pelt Burners' please," K`an asked.
The tender nodded and walked over to his work station to craft the beverages. Ryau heard the name and became worried, "Oh God, what's this going to be..."
K`an let out a hearty laugh. "Don't worry, Ryau... You'll be fine. Just remember; you drink with me, you drink for keeps!" The bartender returned with two cloudy red drinks. He set the relatively smaller glasses in front of K`an and Ryau. "Have you ever drank a Pelt burner before?"
Ryau gulped quietly. "No, I haven't."
"Heh," K`an scoffed. "Do you know what they are?"
"No, not at all." Ryau said.
He smiled and sat back in his chair, as if it would help recall the story. "Well... most don't really know why they are named as such, however I am a well versed connoisseur of alcoholic crafts." He reached for the drink and uses his other hand to showcase the red concoction. "A 'Pelt Burner' was the end result of a surprisingly non violent argument between two Sangheili and Jiralhanae brewing companies... Long story short, the Jiralhanae said that the Sangheili could never make stronger alcohol than they could... and after many rounds back in forth... this was created.
It was a drink to completely trump the apes, it was made so well and so strong that the Jiralhanae judges couldn't handle it. It churned them harsher than anything they could make by far, and claimed defeat. That is, one hundred percent, truth and history. Look it up" K`an handed Ryau the other glass. "Now lets drink."
"Is this the kind of drink that you take down all at once, or a little at a time?" Ryau asked.
"For your throat's sake, down it." K`an said.
"Well... here it goes." Ryau held the cup up to his throat, paused for a moment, and then poured it down. The alcohol burned as it traveled down to the stomach. Ryau gagged and coughed, but managed to set the glass back on the bar.
K`an slammed his glass on to the counter. "Yeah!" He laughed. "What do you think, Ryau?"
Ryau coughed again and held the drink down in his stomach. "It really does burn."
He chuckled. "We don't have to have another round." The tender returned to check in on them, and K`an held up his hand. "Something lighter, please... For what it's worth, Ryau. Tonight's on me, enjoy yourself, alright?"
Ryau sighed, exactly what he needed to do, "Thanks."
"Well... what were you up to before Sig found you?" K`an asked. The tender returned with another set of glasses with a lighter, more pleasant smelling drink.
"I was... in the worship room." Ryau said quietly. He took a glass and a sip of the new liquor.
"Oh?" K`an asked, interested.
"A priest was giving some sort of sermon..." Ryau began.
"Oh, spare me the details." He interrupted Ryau, waving his hand. "I'm not much for the whole 'worship and sermon' stuffing that is involved with the Covenant. It just always kind of bothered me that there seems like there is no freedom for anything else... it's just like..." K`an began to speak in a mocking authoritative tone. "If you feel the need to stomp on our religion, let it be known that you may do so in the privacy of your home, but if you say that shit in public, we'll kill you." He shook his head. "No thank you."
"Hey..." Ryau chuckled. "That's pretty much what they say."
K`an looked around at the other patrons in the bar. "Come on... let's go to the booth in the corner... talk like this shouldn't be so open."
"Hmm... agreed." Ryau said. The two gathered their drinks and moved to a booth in the back corner where they would have more privacy for their slightly heretical conversations..
Twenty days had passed since Reach fell, and Ryau walked with Naki through the corridors of the Leveling Strength. He had been keeping track of how long he had been 'captured by the Covenant, and there was something about the current date that had Ryau thinking. "September nineteenth... Why does the nineteenth feel so important in my head."
He just couldn't place his finger on the source of the importance. Sure, it was D`rok's wedding day, but that would not make him feel like he was missing something. "Naki... does the date September nineteenth, ring any bells?" He asked.
Naki stopped her stride and looked over to him, with a confused expression on her face. "I... I don't know. Something in the back of my head..."
"Same with me. Hopefully something will jog our memory." Ryau sighed.
Over the last week and a half he hadn't seen much of D`rok as he was with his future wife, and Ryau and Sig had battled it out in a holographic strategy game. Though, in that short amount of time, K`an had managed to get with half the females in the medical ward, and Ryau was pretty sure that Alea had been hanging out with him whenever she wasn't working with Naki.
K`an and Sig were already at the wedding area, them being long time friends with D`rok. Ryau and Naki were invited as crowd patrons. The two had gotten their armor polished just before the day, and Ryau thought it was even cleaner than the day he had first seen it in the cell.
The news that D`rok was getting married had spread throughout the fleet, thanks to slipspace communication, something Ryau knew Humans had yet to achieve. Although it was still impossible to travel between ships while they were in the other dimension, the wedding would be broadcasted to the other ships as some kind of entertainment.
Ryau and Naki entered the auditorium and found their way to the seats that had been assigned to them. Since there were so many attendees, everyone that said they were coming got a seat. They took their seats as the ceremony began.
A San 'Shyuum was standing at the center of the stage, waiting for the others two parties to arrive. After a moment, K`an and Sig walked out in front of D`rok. They walked up to the San 'Shyuum and the two Major's moved to flank the Officer. D`rok and the San 'Shyuum shared a nod. "The alter now welcomes Special Operations Officer D`rok Tallaham." The San Shyuum said. "And now I invite M`riana 'Casmee to the altar."
Ryau looked to the other side, as the door slid open. D`rok's future wife came out with her companions. Her bronze armor shone brightly in the lighting of the amphitheater. She took her position and her escorts moved back to their positions on either side, mirroring K`an and Sig.
"Welcome. Sir and Miss." The San 'Shyuum bowed to the two. "Let us begin." He nodded towards the crowd, and began. "A millennium ago, two races from different worlds were in a great feud. But within time, they united and formed a writ of union... Now... today, we celebrated two Sangheili of different keeps to form their own writ of union, a bond of blood and love. 'Tallaham, born of un-unionized Sanghelios territory and by hail of the State of Zelso; and 'Casmee, born of the State of Vadam and by hail of the State of Zelso... Today, the two have chosen to unite their keeps under one name." He paused to smile to the two. "Tallaham? Would you care to share how you two met?" He glanced towards D`rok.
"The two of us came to know each other about two months ago just outside of the Varo-Cleavete Spaceport. I was driving home when I found this lovely female struggling with her luggage on the side of the road. I kindly stopped and offered the service of my vehicle as transportation." D`rok chuckled to himself. "And... we almost got to her residence when the main road was rendered unusable due to a storm. We decided to just stay at my place of rest until I could take her home. The rest is... just childish love and happiness... and no one really wants those details." He laughed, which triggered laughing in the audience.
"Very well..." The San Shyuum continued on with the sermon. "These two have chosen to unite two families in a sacred bond, to walk the sacred path together and go as one onto the Great Journey... D`rok 'Tallaham and M`riana 'Casmee, one, together for eternity. We are gathered here to celebrate their commitment to each other. 'Tallaham, do you take 'Casmee to be your wife?"
D`rok smiled. "Yes."
"And 'Casmee, do you take 'Tallaham to be your husband?" The San 'Shyuum asked.
"Yes I do," She smiled happily.
The priest nodded towards K`an and one of M`riana's escorts. The two stepped forward and offered the two each a small box, with gifts for one another. D`rok took the box from K`an and removed a gold necklace from inside. He carefully placed it around M`riana's neck. She returned the gesture and slowly placed a ring on one of D`rok's fingers.
The San 'Shyuum smiled, and began his closing words. "Now let the two be one." And at that moment, D`rok and M`riana kissed, by what Ryau could guess was locking their jaws together. The crowd clapped and cheered. Alcoholic drinks were handed out from the back and slowly made their way foreword.
Ryau got a glass and passed one to Naki, she smiled and accepted the glass. She took a drink. "You know, this is the the first wedding I've been to as well." Naki said.
"It's a nice ceremony," Ryau said, taking a drink himself. "Once this war is over, we-"
A shot from a Carbine sounded from the stage, followed by by a barrage of more. Ryau turned and saw D`rok on the ground and one of M`riana's escorts with a Carbine, firing on K`an. Another sound opened up as Sig returned fire. It seemed that everyone had still had weapons on them, must have been some kind ceremonial thing, Ryau only had the energy blades on his wrists. He pushed his way through the crowd.
Naki was caught up behind as gunfire erupted from the fringe of the audience. She pulled her Plasma rifle off her hip and fired back. "Ryau, where are you going?" She shouted.
"I have to go help D`rok!" Ryau activated his energy blade and stabbed a bronze armored Sangheili that had begun to fire on Sig from the base of the stage. His blade cut through their neck and they dropped to the floor. Ryau pulled himself up onto the stage, but suddenly there was a rumble from the back end of the ship.
There was a defining wash of static and the ship groaned. Ryau froze, it sounded like a sudden deceleration from slipspace. First came the rumble, then the continued momentum. The ship stopped, and the internal dampeners did everything they could to help, but Ryau was sent sailing across the polished floor.
Ryau slammed into K`an, knocking him away from his support. The two Sangheili slid towards the edge of the stage, and not a moment later, they fell off. K`an landed first, falling into what would stand as an orchestra pit. Ryau went over a millisecond later, landing on top of K`an.
There was a loud crack as K`an's brace broke under Ryau's weight. He screamed and Ryau rolled off as fast as he could. Ryau knelt down to check on K`an's injuries, only K`an growled and slammed his fist into Ryau's unarmored side. "You stupid motherfucker!" K`an screamed in Ryau's ear.
Ryau coughed at the blow, "What the hell, K`an." He placed his hand on the ground to take the weight off his midsection.
Sig and Naki both dropped down from the stage to join K`an and Ryau. The shooting had stopped right before the ship decelerated. "Are you two alright?" Naki asked, catching her breath.
"No I'm not fucking alright! My fucking leg is broke thanks to that fucking fat ass!" K`an shouted through the pain as he pointed to Ryau. "What kind of stupid fucking question is that?!"
Naki knelt by Ryau. "Ryau, what happened to you? Did you get hit?" She asked.
Ryau shook his head, "No, I'm fine. Just gotta catch my breath."
"Naki, Ryau! Help me with his leg!" Sig said from beside K`an. Ryau moved over and held K`an's leg steady as Naki used her own wrist blade to slice through the useless brace. K`an grunted while she removed the torn plastic and metal from around the wound. Sig gave K`an a dose of painkiller just above the broken bone. "Okay, help me rest the leg."
"What!?" K`an protested.
Sig held K`an as Ryau took hold of the leg. With a few quick pulls and jerks, Ryau had managed to get the bone back into place as best he could. K`an growled and clenched his mandibles from the pain, he relaxed when Ryau and Naki moved away.
"What just happened?" Ryau sat against the edge of the stage and slid down onto the floor.
"I don't exactly know." Naki sighed, and joined him. She placed her hand up to her head as if she was listening to the radio. After a few moments. she seemed to have a better understanding. "It was like the whole wedding was just a ploy, after the explosion M`riana and the others fled the chamber. Commander 'Vadumee and the Shipmaster have organized a ship wide search." A silver armored Sangheili dropped down from the stage and began to talk to Sig. "Well, there is Commander 'Vadumee now." Naki said.
"We dropped out of slipspace didn't we?" Ryau asked.
"Yes, thankfully they only sabotaged the drives power supply. The Huragok's are already working on it, though it will take some time for it to warm back up," Naki said. "The fleet continued on without us."
"I knew it felt like an emergency drop out. They've probably left the ship by now." Ryau suggested. "Do we have any slipspace capable small ships?"
"Most likely. The search party probably won't find any of them." Naki commented.
The two had been ignoring what Commander 'Vadumee and Sig had been talking about, until Ryau heard his last name dropped in conversation. "...persuasion towards 'Cinotee, 'Cimutee, and yourself to take him back to your barracks. I would give aid to the task however I am currently required here." He said.
Ryau glanced over to the other group of Sangheili, "What of K`an?" Sig asked.
"A much as it would please me to have him spaced, I will bite thy tongue and make sure that he gets his medical attention." 'Vadumee shook his head slightly.
Naki sighed. "I'll stay with him until the medical team arrives."
"Ooh, I get to stay and flirt with the lady!" K`an joked. Naki responded silently and slowly pressed her boot onto K`an's leg with a smirk. Ryau looked to Naki and chuckled.
"Very well." Sig looked down to K`an while ignoring Naki's retaliation. "I will come visit you after D`rok has come too, alright?"
"Yeah, yeah. You should be there anyway. We wouldn't want him to cry too much, would we?" K`an waved them all off. Naki rolled her eyes as K`an wiggled his eye ridges as he passed a growingly intoxicated smirk towards her.
As the group began to disperse, Ryau pulled himself onto the stage and reached back to help Sig up. They pulled D`rok off the ground and took him out of the auditorium. As they passed other Sangheili, they offered condolences to the unconscious figure. They had made it halfway to the Lance room before Sig decided to speak.
"I still have no idea what really happened. It was so quick.." Sig said. "What did you see?"
"Not much at first, Naki and I had just received our drinks when the shooting started. Out of the corner of my eye, she seemed to shove something underneath his chest piece... that's it," Ryau said.
"What after that though? Like, where did all the other militants come from?" Sig asked.
"They were with her..." Ryau said. "...like her bridal escorts and some of the crowd were responsible for the attack."
Sig sighed and looked down at the passing floor plates. "Well... what do you think the motive is though? Why would they do this today, to D`rok?"
"I don't know," Ryau admitted with a grumble. He didn't understand who the militants were supposed to be. They could possibly be Covenant Heretics, but why would they group on a ship and then sabotage a wedding.
"Okay then. Let's get him back to the barracks and then you may return to the amphitheater, if you wish," Sig offered.
"There isn't really a need to go back." Ryau shrugged.
Sig perked up. "Well I would love to actually have another male to talk to..." He paused to readjust his grip on D`rok.
Ryau's train of thought stopped, he didn't want to get into another session of long conversation with Sig. Just a few days ago, Sig had tried to inquire about Ryau's 'preferences.' While Ryau had nothing against Sig, he didn't like him that way. "Wait... Naki is back there, and I should probably apologize to K`an."
Sig gave a quick but saddened nod. "Yeah... you're right."
They finally reached the Lance room and carefully set D`rok in the cot closest to the door. Ryau and Sig used the quick release on the chest plate and removed all his armor above the waist. With a final nod, Ryau left Sig to treat D`rok's minor wound.
He walked back through the ship, and saw some of the damage the sudden deceleration had caused. The Gravity conveyors were out of service ship wide, Ryau had a twinge of sympathy for whoever was inside them when the ship dropped out. Panels had been thrown from their brackets and wires hung from exposed maintenance passages in some places. A trio of Unggoy walked by complaining that the Methane suites on a lower deck had been ruptured.
Ryau ran into Naki and a hover-chair riding K`an midway through the ship. "Is D`rok okay?" K`an asked.
"Physically? Just a small puncture wound. But mentally? I don't know." Ryau said.
K`an parted his mandibles to speak, but before he could respond, an announcement came over the ship wide speakers. "Attention, Slipspace drive has been repaired. Resuming jump operations... brace for sudden acceleration." The ship shuddered as its systems returned to working order, and it slid into the other dimension. K`an just sighed and glared around the room.
Ryau turned and walked behind the two as they headed back the way Ryau had come. The speed that the Huragok worked was apparent. Many of the broken panels had already been replaced in the five minutes since Ryau passed through, the pink creatures cheerfully floating back into their maintenance passageways.
Sig was alone in the Lance room when they returned. "Where's D`rok?" Ryau asked.
"He awoke and went into his private room to be alone." Sig said with a slight frown. "Commander 'Vadumee arrived while you were gone, they are talking."
Once again, the overhead speakers crackled to life. "Attention, Dropping out of Slipspace in 5..." The intercom began to count down in its usual fashion.
"Didn't we just re-enter Slipspace, less than half an hour ago?" Ryau asked Naki.
"We must have caught back up with the fleet." Naki suggested. "They might have either dropped out to wait for us, or we arrived at the destination."
"All hands! A...Attention to Forward camera!" The communications officer spoke quickly.
Naki activated the holographic window for the Lance room and tuned it to the forward camera's display. They all saw it, and Ryau realized why this day was so important. What they saw on the screen made Ryau whisper a long forgotten tune.
Naki looked to him, with her mouth agape. But she did not speak a word.
It was a Halo ring.
End of ACT I