Chapter 25

Ahce's team held perfectly still as a pair of young griffins passed them. They were almost to their destination but the seemingly endless traffic was slowing them down. "This is taking to long." She growled once the griffins were far enough away. Xece placed a calming hand on the other elite's shoulder and she glanced back at him. Ahce sighed looking back at the invisible elite not caring that she couldn't actually see him. "You're right. I am just not a patient being." She said, all anger gone from her voice.

"I not a patient person ether. Luckily my want to not get caught and thus punched by my CO forces me to be patient." Max commented.

"You're a sniper; you're supposed to be patient. It's half the job." Ahce said as she began to move forward slowly.

"That would be true if I was a trained sniper, which I'm not." Max replied following the two elites. "I'm not like Xece. I'm not calm, silent, or awesomely kick ass. I'm just a good shot."

"Remind me to have Xece teach you a thing or two about sniping when we get off this planet." Ahce replied.

"Don't you mean if? The chances of us not dying on this mission are slim to none." Max corrected. "Three soldiers, no matter how good, can't beat an army alone."

"Cortana said she would handle that." Ahce assured him. "Now quiet, we're almost there. If there are guards, Xece take out the closest one, I'll take out the other one." Ahce ordered retrieving her energy sword. Xece followed suit leaving Max to feel out of place without a melee weapon.

"When is the UNSC going to make its own melee weapon?" He muttered.

The three soldiers slowed their movements. If there were any guards ahead they were sure to notice any movement. They moved in single file along the twisting hallways. There was a sudden drop off in foot traffic and the few who did pass the team wore flowing robes of bright elegant colors. Like a switch on a light the hallways became brighter and more decorated. Flags that were dyed a rich primary color and adorned with dark colored symbols hung from the walls around them. Ahce didn't need to look at them to know that the symbols were forerunner. It almost pained her to see another species worshipping the ancient race. It was only luck that this world had no connection to the Halos. The Covenant had obviously not found them until after the war, and for that she was glad. They would have been wonderful brothers in combat during the Great War but she was glad they had not been dragged into it. The humans never would have survived, and who knows, maybe the Master Chief would have failed in his destruction of the first Halo.

Ahce stopped suddenly when she spotted a pair of guards ahead of them. They stood outside the objective just as she had suspected they would. They were like statues standing guard over the entrance, the only proof they were alive was the slight movement from breathing. Ahce and Xece moved forward slowly being careful not to be seen. Ahce moved a bit out into the hallway readying to strike. "Now." She shouted and the two elites sprang forward.

Xece slashed forward cutting through the guard's spear. The second strike slit the guard's throat and it fell to the ground as life slipped form its body. Ahce's blade struck out twice like lightening cutting into the guard's chest in an X pattern. The dead guards lay on the floor and it wouldn't be long before someone noticed. "Open the door." Ahce ordered. Max moved forward tapping the controls. The large ornamental doors slid back. Cortana had unlocked all the doors on their rout. The three soldiers slipped through the door, closing it behind them. They deactivated their camouflage so they would be able to give nonverbal signals to each other.

The room they now stood in resembled a classic study. There was a soft light to one side of the room that released heat into the room. A set of chairs and a couch were arranged around the light with a short table in the center. The walls were a darker gray then the hallways while the chairs were a faded crimson. Ahce motioned toward the chairs and they moved forward behind the couch. Xece moved to the side of the couch and scanned around checking the seats. He moved back quickly to join the others. Xece held up one finger then pointed to a spot on the back of the couch.

Ahce nodded and shifted her energy sword to be pointing at the back of the couch. She moved, drawing her sword back and then stabbing forward though the couch. The fabric burned as the blade ripped though it. A pair of brown wings rose above the back of the couch as a frantic squawk of pain escaped the griffin's mouth. Ahce cursed under her breath. The griffin she had just killed wasn't a part of the council. It had only been a young servant who had fallen asleep where he didn't belong. Ahce pulled back removing her blade from the dead servant. There was no doubt that the council would have heard the sound. Ahce turned to order the others to find cover when something white and feathery slammed into her.

~team 1~

Kada and Omis sat side by side starring at the glowing lines around them. "I feel like we got the short end of the stick." Kada commented.

"How so?" Omis asked a bit surprised at her friend's use of a human phrase.

"Well we have to sit around doing nothing. The others are off gaining honor and we're just sitting here." Kada replied. Omis grunted a reply not knowing what to say. "How about we play a game?"

"We're in the middle of a complicated plan. Ahce would skin us for that kind of breech of protocol." Omis replied. "Beside, this isn't that bad."

"You're only saying that because they gave you a grav hammer." Kada pointed out.

Omis shook her head. "Hey Chief, how about letting Kada take that consol apart so she'll stop complaining."

Kada bumped against Omis with a bit of force. "I am not complaining." Kada shot back. A sudden look of confusion crossed her face. "Are we bickering?" She asked.

"I think we are." Omis replied.

"We've spent too much time with humans." Kada said as Omis nodded her head.

~end chapter 25~