A/N: The fics going a little faster than I'd like it too, but the Battle of Reach will be big, so I should be ok.
Kalimee was quiet for the next few days, largely keeping himself except for the occasional get-together. He thought about his training mostly and why he was even here in the first place.
Kalimee grimaced, or tried to rather, as he remembered the beating he'd had after finishing last in the training exercise. His performance hadn't improved much after that. He definitely would never make SpecOps or become a Field Master like his father or even a Commander like his brother. He would likely never pass Major. To go far you needed courage and honor, neither of which Kalimee possessed.
The blows came swiftly and silently, it was amazing how the instructor could inflict so much pain so silently, most likely a former Special Operations officer, they sometimes made their way into the Instructor corps. It wasn't that Kalimee couldn't feel the pain inflicted by the heavy blows, uncushioned by training armor. It was really that he felt it didn't matter whether or not he succeeded. He wasn't likely to do well in the infantry. Shipboard operations, that's what he'd likely do, slave away running an engineering room or a plasma turret, if he was lucky becoming a Ship Master in a decade or two. He shuddered at the thought.
Kalimee was quiet for the next couple days, largely keeping to himself, going on the occasional simulator mission with his Unggoy. Wiwik had more than proved himself on those, Kalimee still wondered whether to subject him to the hazards, and extra food nipples, of SpecOps work. All it took was a recommendation from a superior, either Kalimee or the senior squad master. Even Ship Master Ecktumee could give it, although it was rare for a fleet officer to do so.
"Some Kig-Yar bet an Unggoy he couldn't finish his food nipple in ten plasma shots, would you like to watch?"
"No thank you, Hakimee."
"You will miss it," the other Sangheili said as he walked away.
With deliberate slowness the human rounded the corner, its assault rifle raised to its shoulder. It calmly swept the stone walls of the forerunner structure.
Hoke and another of his species approached, careful to keep their avian fingers off the activation buttons to their shields for the moment. Hoke prematurely charged his plasma pistol. The human turned and fired a short burst into him, he stumbled, activated his shield, and released a charge of plasma.
Cutting through the air, the superhot ball and a few smaller shots of the other Kig-Yar struck the human in the face, melting its features as it let off a few more rounds, bouncing harmlessly off Hoke's shield, before falling.
Unknown to the Kig-Yar, a second human had approached from behind and unleashed a hail of bullets into the unprotected rears of the aliens.
Hoke furiously ripped the sensors and pain emulators off his small frame and left. Brushing aside a few Unggoy he made his way to his squadroom. He was in no mood to chat about his day in the simulator and luckily his squad respected that.
Hoke had served in the Covenant for nearly two years now. He had never been called a great Kig-Yar, he had been rejected for sniper school three times, much to his dismay.
I only want to kill some humans. The Particle Beam rifle was the way to do that. He didn't want to spend his days hauling around a puny little plasma pistol like an Unggoy. That was for well...Unggoy.
Hoke looked back at the family village. The small huts dotted the green landscape as a Covenant Phantom flew overhead, ferrying Kig-Yar to their assignments throughout the fleet. Fulfilling their Great Journey and punishing those who would destroy all the forerunner had created. Someday Hoke would be on one of those Phantoms. Someday he would proudly raise his shield and battle the enemy, battle for his race, his Great Journey.
Hoke advanced and formed into the battle line, crouching behind his shield as he and his brethren formed an impenetrable barrier from which the Covenant would rise to glory.
The instructor, an older Kig-Yar with a bent frame from years of war, walked in front of the line, pointing out any flaws in the luminous line of protection. Hoke knew within his gut there would be no mistakes with him.
The Elder reached Hoke's station, turned a quarter turn, until he faced Hoke. The young Kig-Yar concentrated on the area in front of him, certain he was going to pass, that he was going to make it, maybe even gain a coveted spot in a sniper unit.
"Initiate Hoke," the instructor snapped his beak. "Lower your shield..."
Hoke pushed a button on his shield to deactivate the blue aura.
"Three degrees."
Hoke woke in the night. He scanned the room with his powerful observant eyes, he saw nothing out of the ordinary. If there had been, the eyes of a Kig-Yar, the scouts and observers of the Covenant, would have seen them clearly as if it had been day on the fields of a planet.
Still, something wasn't quite right. Hoke could see clearly, but it was as if 'clearly' wasn't so clear anymore. It was as if everything was distorted.
A Sangheili in silver-white armor emerged from the distortion. Hoke rose to greet it, grabbing his plasma pistol just to be safe.
"Greetings Minor Kig-Yar," the Sangheili said.
"Greetings, Excellency," Hoke replied to the SpecOps commander.
"I need volunteers for a special mission," the Sangheili said flatly.
Hoke was silent.
"You want gold shield?" Hoke needed no further persuasion.
Hakimee walked into the control room of the Warrior's Oath blind, not literally, not to the outside world, but as in not knowing what he was wanted for.
Ship Master Ecktumee and a few Major and SpecOps Sangheili were standing on the command platform. Hakimee walked up as Ecktumee rose a hand in greeting.
"Minor."
"Yes, Excellency."
"I hear you had good marks on zero-gravity operations in training, is that so?"
"Yes, Excellency."
"I will tell you what I have in mind," the Ship Master said softly.
All was explained to Hakimee. A new operation was in the works. The human homeworld had been found and the Prophets wanted it destroyed as soon as possible "to fulfill the hopes and values of all the Covenant, and to wipe the filth away from that which is sacred." The planet was heavily defended, with twenty large cannon ready to destroy any Covenant warships attacking. A unit of "Ranger" Sangheili would be on call for any sabotage or other zero gee operations but were short one. That was where Hakimee would come in.
"I will do it, Excellency," Hakimee gave what he knew would be the only acceptable answer.
"Good, Sub-Commander Raremamee will show you to a suitable environment armor."
"We have located the human homeworld!" The shuttle bay filled with the shouts and cries of the assembled Unggoy, Sangheili, and Kig-Yar. The few Hunagok on duty, oblivious as always, continued on their work, chirping in disgust if they found personnel sitting on wires.
"All squad leaders are to report to the control room at 9 Unit tomorrow for further briefing," Ecktumee continued. "That is all, return to your stations." The troops slowly filed out.
"The human orbital guns are powered by multiple generators on the ground. They must be neutralized at all costs. The Infidels are expected to have air support so you will be going in via orbital insertion pods. Kalimee stood up.
"Yes, Minor?" Ecktumee asked.
"I thought only Special Operations Forces use insertion pods, Excellency."
"Then that'll be your lucky day," the Ship Master said dryly, "The Fleet's SpecOps units will assault the human command center in prototype dropships."
The briefing continued.
"Once our warriors of the fleet will create a holy door with which our ship will make a slipspace jump to a low orbit. You will be dropped as soon as we have coordinates for the generators. The Fleet Master of Particular Justice has allowed the use of fuel rod guns in this assault which will be issued one to a squad.
Fuel Rod Guns. Resistance must be heavy. Kalimee looked around the room at the thirty or so Minor Sangheili and ten Majors. How many of us will live? Kalimee shook the thoughts out of his head. That was cowardice...or heresy.
"will be available in limited quantities. You are dismissed."
"Minor Kalimee!"
Kalimee turned to see Minor Hakimee dash up to him.
"Yes?"
"I wanted to wish you good faith for the assault."
"It is not for two Sangheili suns."
"I will be leaving the ship tonight."
Kalimee's jaw expanded.
"I will be on special duty. I will join you later if I can." Kalimee nodded.
"May the Forerunner bless you, Minor Kalimee."
Hoke gazed in awe at the prototype dropships. Unlike the normal U-shaped vessels, these were more of a bloated wedge, with a miniture gravity lift and three plasma cannons to bombard the enemy and clear the landing zone. Commander Irkomee had said the new craft were twenty percent faster than ordinary dropships. Hoke clicked his beak in admiration.
Just a few more Units and he would be able to prove the power and superiority of the Kig-Yar and the Covenant. A hangar intercom crackled.
"All units report to dropships. The fleet will arrive at the home of the infidels shortly.
Hoke walked up to the ship, stood under its blue circular apparatus, and was raised into the heavens and into Glory.
Meanwhile, the seven Zero Gee Sangheili readied their enviromental protectiong gear, checked their weapons, and began to make their way to the assault boat which would carry them to their objective, whatever and wherever it may be. They were prepared for anything.
They climbed in and the assault boat readied itself for the call to battle.
The soldiers stood with a slight hunch, three to a side as the senior Sangheili paced up and down.
"When we joined the Covenant, we made a vow.
"Thou in faith will keep us safe, whilst we find the path."
"Any and all who oppose us, would block the path to out salvation, must be silenced at any cost.
"We will grind them into dust."
"And decide the fate of our faith!"
A few anxious units passed as the massive Fleet of Particular Justice, three hundred warships and all, arrived in a high orbit of the planet Reach. Twenty massive MACs and dozens of UNSC ships awaited them.
The first plasma torpedos, pulse lasers, and shipboard MAC rounds were fired as the assault boat bearing Combat Team Nine exited the hangar of the assault carrier Cleansing Flame, using a Covenant frigate as cover from human guns, it made its way towards a human station comprising a large metal ring.
After conferring with the pilot, the Leader turned back to his Sangheili.
"We have received orders to capture a nearby human space station. It is believed to hold locations of other human installations and perhaps even data on force deployments. Two other teams will be coming in with us using modified insertion pods.
The assault boat slowed to a relative crawl, and the big door in front opened as the Sangheili inside braced themselves. The human outpost was dead ahead.
The Leader gave the signal, and the Sangheili let go of the ship, fired their thruster packs, and piloted themselves into the cold vacuum of space.