Summary/Disclaimer: Time for another chapter of Pirated Pains. Enjoy the 2000-word chapter. I don't own Halo, Microsoft, and 343.
(CCS-Class Battlecruiser Harbinger of Absolution.)
Zeth was aware of how rare a battlecruiser was after the collapse of the covenant. Only warlords and Kig-Yar controlled them. The Harbinger was the largest ship within his forces. Zeth slowly stalked towards the cargo bay of the cruiser as he passed an engineer who was busy messing with the wires of the cruiser.
He looked at the hologram who showed several Kig-Yar warships in his fleet. Zeth also noticed that one of the CRS-Class light cruisers had returned… Alongside a Kerel patternCAS-Class Assault Carrier and at least 2 other battlecruisers.
"Shipmaster?" Zeth heard as he pivoted on his heel. "They are here. The greeting party has been set up." Zeth heard while he started to shake his head.
The evolved Kig-yar closed his eyes as he started to think. How bad was the galaxy if the arbiter had reached out towards him and his men? He wasn't stupid as a pirate and mercenary commander.
"And the gekz and supplies, Flul?" Zeth asked as he slowly started to walk towards the hanger bay.
"Transferred," Zeth heard before he nodded. "Why are we not simply raiding? The Banished and Swords of Sanghelios were nothing more than targets before now." Zeth heard while he started to shake his head.
he looked at Flul, an Unggoy clad in an imperial class harness that had been modified by Flul who tapped on a datapad next to him.
"Arbiter desires treaty," Zeth responded as he rolled his eyes. "King-yar are soldiers for the covenant, for the banished. He's been watching us." Zeth added while he cleared his throat.
"It's still odd," Flul responded while he rolled his eyes.
Zeth rolled his eyes while he shook his head with an amused laugh. He was amused by the Unggoy more than irritated whom most of his people considered trash. He did not. Any soldiers who flocked to his army were aware of what he was like. He also wondered if Atriox wanted to recruit him and his warriors into his ranks.
'I do not bow my head to a warlord who murders his soldiers for failures. I have my kingdom that has been able to flourish without the covenant to bother us.' Zeth thought while he shook his head.
"And the crew?" Zeth asked while he raised an eyebrow. "We both know what they would do without Swarm to keep them in line," Zeth stated with a smirk.
The amount of Kig-Yar and Sangheili who wanted the power he commanded. He was the smart one who sat on the throne and kept their army intact. He had built this army, he had kept them in order, and he was the commander and ruler of this army.
Only an idiot would challenge that sort of power in the galaxy. Then again? It seemed there was no shortage of said people in this cosmos.
"Flul?" Zeth asked as he snapped his fingers. "Tell the pilot to set course… Then tell them I will be down in a minute." Zeth stated before he cleared his throat.
The grunt nodded before he waddled towards the bridge. He was indeed interested if they wanted this type of war. There were dozens of soldiers in his army, hundreds perhaps… But Arbiter had an entire planet behind him. That was more than what he was could say about Eayn or T'Vao.
(5 minutes later)
The type-57 phantom docked inside the hanger which was greeted by 4 Kig-Yar who were clad in storm armor. They all held Type-54 plasma pistols. A lance of elites clads in storm harnesses exited the craft and looked around the hanger.
Kig-Yar, Unggoy, and what looked like Yanme'e zoomed around the hanger. The elites kept their hands on their Type-55 storm rifles as a silver armored elite emerged.
He was about to speak when the doors hissed open and Zeth exited with another squad of Kig-Yar. He said nothing as the armored warriors all rotated towards him before he started to clear his throat.
"Rtas Vadam," Zeth stated as he shook his head. "The second in command of my new employer," Zeth added, his talons clicking on his armor.
He wanted nothing more than to speak his mind…. He didn't, it didn't help his army or his clan when it came to surviving. Zeth looked at many of his men that had their hands on their weapons. Zeth snapped his fingers and watched as many Kig-Yar lowered their hands.
"Move supplies," Zeth ordered as he started to rotate before he started to sigh. "You have the gekz?" Zeth asked as he tapped on the wall.
The elites all shared looks their leader started to clear their throats. Zeth knew what happened if a battle broke out here. His men could handle the Swords of Sanghelios. Their fleet on the other hand? Zeth was well aware of what happened if their fleet attacked his flotilla which would decimate them.
Zeth sighed while he placed a hand on his temples. He damned these insane warriors who were led by faith rather than any sense of morality and such.
"First we need to discuss the mission permitters." The elite stated before he started to cross his arms.
"You mean these soldiers at the moment who know that we are headed to one of the Halo Rings?" Zeth asked with an eyebrow raised as his men looked at each other.
His soldiers were well versed in war and all of them were not idiots when he told them this… Still? Zeth wanted them to know what came next. They were as much a part of this conflict as he was.
Still? He was well aware the Swords of Sanghelios were rather interesting soldiers and all of them had their orders.
"Indeed." Rtas stated while he frowned. "The Banished have dealt with the UNSC fleet at the moment. We need to make sure to deal with their forces." Rtas added before he crossed his arms.
"We are merely a pirate force if you've forgotten," Zeth said while he raised an eyebrow at the moment. "They outnumber our forces at the moment and there is no way we can damage their dreadnoughts," Zeth added while he frowned to himself.
The soldier said nothing at the moment as both were well aware of what happened at the ring. Zeth supposed that there was a new mission that only he could carry out.
"The Banished have many bases on the ring." Rtas stated as he shook his head. "The Arbiter has tasked you with hunting the Banished outposts and arming the humans on the base." Rtas added to which a half dozen Kig-Yar soldiers looked at him.
Zeth rolled his eyes at his men who were simply silent. He was interested in this. A hunt with an enemy? It sounded like the old days of piracy for them.
"We keep what we take," Zeth stated as he looked at the Sangheili commander. "The Banished will react to any soldiers that land on the ring. If we go? My men are free to kill and loot the Banished, many of them will die if we go into battle." Zeth added before he rolled his eyes.
"Fine, mercenary." Zeth heard from the soldier at the moment. "We need to depart for the ring. Handle the Banished while we deal with their reinforcements." Zeth heard as he nodded.
"Flul?" Zeth asked as the Unggoy slowly waddled over. "We must still be paid. It cannot be done after hand. I am not an idiot when it comes to matters such as this. We both know how well the Covenant abused us years before." Zeth stated as he crossed his arms.
Rtas sighed and handed the case to the small creature who retreated into the bowls of the cruiser. He said nothing before he started to command his men.
"All here, boss," Flul stated before he nodded towards his commander in the command.
"Set coordinates for the ring," Zeth ordered with a snap of his fingers. "The Banished will still question why we have dealt them so much damage. I will deal some damage to their forces and retreat to the ring below. We both know how bad staying in one area at the moment." Zeth said as he frowned to himself.
The mercenary and pirate lord was not a fool. The Banished were not easy to fool. They used modified Covenant gear as did many after the war. They were better armed and had no compulsions about human weapons as did many of his men. They were also no fools to combat themselves which meant a war on the surface of the ring was a close match of their marksmanship and guile vs their tenacity and cunning.
'One does not become a leader by being a fool. Atriox is not a fool at the end of the day, nor do I believe many of his officers are either.' Zeth thought before the Sangheili broke him of his trance.
"I have heard of the many soldiers who you had slain." Rtas said as he and Zeth faced another. "It was you who crafted the plan to deal with this ship that is now under the command of your soldiers. There are many rumors about you, Kig-Yar. I am aware of the skill you hold in war. Why do you suspect the Arbiter asked for you?" Rtas asked to which Zeth hummed.
"We are treated as pirates and thieves by your kind," Zeth stated while he crossed his arms before he shook his head. "We aren't slaves when it came down to it. I will not simply throw my men around before then. I still need to handle business when we are traveling to the ring." Zeth stated before he hung his head and started to best think how best to handle business when it came down to it.
He heard nothing from his ally as he frowned before he started to think about what happened next. He rubbed at his temples while he shook his head and hummed to himself while he frowned and sighed to himself a moment later.
He cleared his throat and tapped his fingers on the walls with interest as he frowned to himself. He was curious about what awaited them at the ring. The Banished would control the entire ring. They were sure to control the ring and had entirely locked it down to it.
He frowned to himself before tapping in commands in his console as he cleared his throat. Zeth said nothing as he crossed his arms while he cleared his throat and waited to see what happened next while he closed his eyes.
They had been hired for another mission and it was time for it to get off the ground. The sooner they were done with this mission? The sooner they were able to enjoy it at the end of the day while he watched the holograms of their fleet as their ship started to gear up when it came down to it.
He frowned to himself while he closed his eyes and then started to wait for another time to think of their move. Zeth prepared for his role in the battle to come to it. He slowly paced back and forth in front of the terminal while he frowned to himself once more.
He was rather curious how this battle would turn out when it came down to it at the end of the day.
Author Notes
Phew. Another chapter is done! I want to point out that the next chapter will be delayed at the moment. The next chapter will be delayed and such. The next chapter will be in 2-10 months and will show Zeth and his forces headed towards the ring which is 900-6500 words and sch at the moment. The next chapter might be hopefully soon at the time. Lighting Wolf out!