Ailene overlooked the clean up effort and listened in on various Keeps around the globe reporting similar attacks over communication channels. Most of these battles were snuffed within seconds, but a handful of Keeps were not so lucky.
"The Prophets have betrayed us all," growled Lak as he came up to her side. "This attack was planned years in advance!"
"Yes it was," she agreed, masking her simmering anger. "We'll need to secure all Vadam territories quickly and thoroughly."
"Should we call for a meting of Kaidons, my lady?" another elder asked, striding up to her in full battle gear. "It will be a matter of time before enemy ships will fill our skies to burn our home and lives."
"We shall, elder. However, how do you think the other Kaidons would react to seeing a human on their planet alive and armed?"
Some activity around her stopped as the Sangheili warriors took a moment to picture how bad a meeting Ailene attended with any other Keep would go. Their Kaidon would kill them all in the most painful and creative methods possible if any imagined scenario came to fruition!
Ailene turned to look at the Keep itself when she saw her sisters-in-law storming up to her quickly.
"Uh oh," she paled and tried to hide behind Lak, but the elder knew better than to get in the middle of the brewing cat fight. Every male in the gaggle of female's path quickly got out of the way, effectively clearing a direct path to poor Ailene. "I'm screwed."
"Yes, yes you are," Lak said dryly, not at all showing any pity for his nephew's wife.
John had made it onto the In Amber Clad when Commander Keyes gave the command for the ship to give chase to the Prophet of Regret and they slipped into the Slip Space rupture behind the Covenant ship before it closed. Their ETA was roughly a week, so in the mean time he rested, made repairs to his armor, and prepared for the next fight. He also checked in with his soulmates when he could.
Ailene had apparently put down a sudden uprising from Brutes stationed on the planet she was residing on, even showing off her new hero gear while retelling the events to him and Thel. While the two men were not happy to hear that she had fought in the battle, John had to admit that her new Viking styled armor looked impressive and he knew Thel thought the same; neither of them had voiced that bit during their sporadic meetings. They scolded her for endangering her and the baby's life, not as harshly as her sisters-in-law and the female elders of her husband's clan had done. Still, she had protected her husband's family and Keep, and had given Thel much to think and pass on to his fellow Elites in the Covenant.
"Sounds like shit's about to hit the fan," said Johnson when John informed him and Cortana of this new development. They were on their way to the drop pods reserved for Hell Jumpers and anyone required to be on ground before any other unit could get there. "Let's hope we can stir the pot more before that happens!"
"Chief, you do know that we'll probably run into Thel out on the field, right?" Cortana said in his helmet, keeping this discussion private. "How will you identify him?"
"The bond is nearly completed," he said. "I can sense if he's nearby if I concentrate enough and if he's close by."
Thel knew his brethren were livid; they didn't show it, but they were enraged by the news that got around from Sangheili with Soul Bonds. They kept quiet as the Jiralhanae stripped them of their Honor Guard status and replaced them.
He passed R'Tas on his way to recieve his next meeting from the Hierarchs. The Shipmaster was visibly frustrated, yet he stilled nodded in his direction, letting him know that he'd gotten the news too.
"Politics, how tiresome!" he heard the Prophet of Truth grumble before addressing the Arbiter. "Did you know the Sangheili have threatened to resign from the Council over this exchange of hats?"
"We have always been your protectors." was his response, not voicing any other opinion.
"Indeed, but these are trying times for all of us."
"Even though the annihilation of the humans filled us with satisfaction," chimed in the Prophet of Mercy, "the loss of one of the Sacred Rings racked our hearts with grief!"
"Putting aside our grief, we renewed our faith in the prophecy that other Rings would be found, and look how our faith has been rewarded!"
It was then that Thel looked past the false prophets and gazed upon the second Halo the Covenant had found. He had to wonder if the demon was already on the surface of this ring, ready to destroy it if needed.