Two months later
March 29th, 2552
For most of the last two months, Humanity and the Covenant had rarely fought each other. The loss of Takra seemed to have caused much dismay to the UNSC, but the losses were high to the Covenant as well. Although it was another victory for them, they too had suffered heavy losses and had to take time out from the war to reorganize and regroup. This had only allowed the UNSC to regroup as well and to allow more civilians to escape to Earth and the other colonies of their home system. There was word as well that Humanity was preparing a new kind of soldiers to fight in the war. When they would be launched into battle, the Covenant did not know but their leaders believed that these new kind of soldiers Humanity was preparing to launch into the war against them had come too late and would not be a threat to the Covenant.
Bridge of the Honourable
On the bridge of the assault carrier, Honourable, the mood in the air was quiet and tense. The Elites on the control panels were slightly nervous as behind them, their leader who was, as usual, sitting in his silver chair. However, the reason they were so quiet and tense was because a holographic form of their prophet Truth was talking to Vadumee. The holographic form was emanating out of the end of the armrest of the chair.
"Are you are ready to do your duty for the Covenant and the Great Journey?" Truth said to Vadumee.
"Yes, my prophet," Vadumee said.
Ever since the battle of Takra, he had become more…well more tough and dedicated to this Great Journey. Not many knew why, but some zealot and major Elites suspected that it was to do with the fact that just a month or so earlier, the prophet of Truth had predicted that they were getting closer to finding a great place that was created by their gods. This had created a kind of power vacuum for place of who would be sent to look for this great place. This had had a great effect on two particular beings. They were Vadumee and Vadamee. Their friendship had been strained greatly over the last few months and since the prophet Truth had predicted the Covenant finding the great creation of their gods, they had been going further than ever to gain the place in finding this creation.
Vadumee had been confident in this. He had destroyed the Human world of Takra and had also aided in defeating the majority of the Humans over Lupo and Eucia I and Eucia II. He had even aided Vadamee in destroying the Humans on and over Tura II after Vadamee had lost many ships in trying to Tura I. There was no doubt he would be earned the place in finding the creation of their gods. He was even surprising himself as now he was suddenly dedicated to this Great Journey even more than he had been before, but all of that had been forgotten about now and he was more confident in getting the task of finding the creation.
"Vadumee… You will not be looking for the great creation of our gods," Truth told him.
At first, Vadumee's happiness and eagerness continued to flow through his veins, but once the words of his prophet sank into him like quicksand, all of that eagerness and happiness was suddenly swept out of him like a great wind blowing it away. What! H-he was not being given the task to go and look for the great creation of their gods? This…this was not fair!
"W…I…I am sorry, my prophet!" he gasped. "B-but…did I hear you say: I will not be given the task?" he repeated.
Truth's holographic form nodded. "Yes, Vadumee. And I dearly hope you are not going to question my decision,"
Vadumee really wanted to! He wanted to tell Truth what he thought of his own decision, how he felt and why he was not being given the task, but he knew that in doing so, he was virtually giving himself a death sentence. He took a shallow breath to calm down and looked up at the holographic form of Truth.
"Of course not, my prophet," he said in a low tone. "But I do wish to ask why I have not been given the task, sire,"
"You have already performed your excellence in fighting the Humans in the war, Vadumee," Truth replied. "I and neither can the Covenant risk giving you a new assignment. You must continue your juggernaut against them and destroy them,"
Vadumee swallowed and took another deep breath as fury and anger burned through him like a wildfire. It was not fair! This was an insult! He had made the Covenant victorious! Maybe he was good in fighting the Humans, but if there was anyone who deserved to be given the task of finding the creation of their gods, it was him!
"I do wish to ask one more thing of you, my prophet," Vadumee said after a few seconds of silence.
"What is it?" Truth asked in a voice that sounded as if it were getting annoyed of continuing to talk with Vadumee.
"W-who…will be given the task of looking for the creation of our gods?" he asked.
He had a feeling it would be someone who had not done nearly as good as him in this war so far or had done nothing in the war.
"The task will be given to Vadamee, your old friend," Truth told him.
Vadumee growled under his breath, trying to keep it quiet from Truth. "Vadamee," he repeated, trying to keep his tone normal but inside he was seething with fury and anger.
"Yes," Truth replied. "Now I must go, Vadumee,"
Truth's holographic form faded away from the armrest, disappearing into thin air. Vadumee growled and pounded the armrest of the chair where Truth's holographic form emanated from hard with his fist. This was an insult to him! An absolute insult! It was…it was just not fair!
"It is not fair! He grumbled to himself. "It is just not fair!"
What he really could not believe was that Vadamee had been given this task. Vadamee of all Elite shipmasters! Why had he been given the task? He had done almost nothing in this war. He had only fought over Lupo and over Tura and those were the only two planets he had cleansed of the Humans! Vadumee had done more than twice that amount of what Vadamee had done. He had defeated the Humans on Eucia I, Eucia II, over Lupo in helping Vadamee and Takra, which was a world Vadamee could never have taken in a million years! It was absolutely ridiculous he had been given this task.
Vadumee sighed. Well, there was nothing he could do about it. The only thing he could hope for, though this was almost impossible, was that Truth would change his mind and let him find this great creation rather than Vadamee.
Hopefully Vadumee thought as he looked up through the bridge window at space. Hopefully, the gods will bless me and allow that to happen.
