Chapter 1: The Sacred Icon
Halo Installation 05, Library of the Index
7th Cycle, 5th Division, 3rd Stage, 9th Age of Reclamation (Covenant Holy Calendar)
1320 hours, October 26, 2552 (UNSC Military Calendar)
Tartarus impatiently looked over the pilot's shoulder. "We should scout ahead," he said, "to see how much longer it will take the Arbiter to reach the Icon."
The pilot turned around. "But shouldn't we be protecting the Arbiter?"
"He can take care of himself while we are gone." Tartarus was somewhat confident in the Arbiter's abilities to defend himself, but he couldn't wait for his chance to dispose of the Arbiter once and for all. "Now hurry up and see if we can find where the Icon is."
The Brute piloting the Phantom nodded and turned back around to the controls. The Phantom then left the gondola that the Arbiter was riding on and went speeding down the tunnel. Soon enough, the ceiling started to rise and the tunnel widened. The cavernous room that they entered was like a central dock for the special gondolas. The room was shaped like a large donut with the docking platforms in the middle of the circular cavern.
"That must be where the Sacred Icon is held," Tartarus said in awe. "When the Arbiter runs inside there, set me and the others down on the ledge. We will follow him in and take care of him. But let us go back and see how he is doing."
The Phantom turned around and sped back the way they came. They reached the gondola and could see the Arbiter fiercely battling several Flood Combat Forms.
"What is that beast up to? I could use some help right about now," thought the Arbiter as he sliced off the head of another Combat Form. He had found out that his energy sword was very effective against the Flood, as long as he was able to behead the creatures or impale their chests before they could do any severe damage. He turned around and ran his sword straight through two Combat Forms running at him, impaling both on his sword. Out of the corner of his eye the Arbiter saw the Phantom returning to the gondola. Suddenly, several Combat Forms jumped down from a ledge that the gondola passed under. Suddenly the familiar voice of a Jiralhanae sounded in his helmet.
"I'll thin their ranks!" Tartarus said over the comm. link. "Take them out!" he shouted at the pilot.
The Arbiter was grateful when he saw streaks of plasma striking the Flood. He was thankful to have a short break. He walked towards the front of the gondola and saw the wide cavern open up in front of him. There was a feeling of awe about this large room, even though it was just a dock. The Arbiter stood at the front of the gondola taking in the view when the gondola lurched to a halt and Tartarus's voice snapped him out of his trance.
"Hurry, the Humans are already inside, Arbiter!" Tartarus bellowed over the comm. link. He leaned over the pilot's shoulder again, "Drop us off where the Arbiter went in. We must catch him before he leaves."
Tartarus went to the back of the Phantom and signaled for the other Brutes that it was time. Tartarus stepped onto the gravity lift and dropped down to the ledge below followed by his companions. They ran through the opening in the wall and looked for the Arbiter. They saw him just as he ran through another passageway and disappeared. As they chased after the Arbiter through the short narrow tunnel, Tartarus heard shots being fired and barked a command in his native tongue for the group to slow.
---------------
"Sergeant! Stay down!" Commander Miranda Keyes was unaware that here companion was unconscious, but she didn't have time to find out. That Elite had materialized out of thin air and attacked the Sergeant. She pulled out her Sub-Machine guns and unleashed a hail of bullets at the strangely armored Elite. Unfortunately, her aim had been shaky because of the unexpected attack. She had only taken down the Elite's shield and heard a bullet ricochet off the armor plating before it ducked behind a fallen Enforcer for cover.
"Johnson! You all right? Johnson!" Miranda was hoping for an answer, but Sergeant Avery Johnson's body lay motionless on the floor. Out of the corner of her eye she saw the Elite leap into the air at her. She turned to fire her weapons but she wasn't fast enough. The Elite swatted the SMG's out of her hands and she suddenly felt as if the gravity had shifted towards the wall to her left. She didn't feel herself land on the shoulder of the large Brute because she too was knocked unconscious.
---------------
Tartarus and his Jiralhanae came to a large open room. In the middle of the room he could see a deep hole with the remains of Sentinels and Enforcers strewn all around it. When he was close enough, Tartarus saw that a Human was standing in the middle of the wreckage shooting at a blur that ran behind a large skeleton of an Enforcer. Tartarus decided that he better do something before the Arbiter gets killed, because if anyone was going to kill the Arbiter, it was going to be him. He thought he would surprise that Arbiter and take the Human just as the Arbiter was about to strike. And that's just what he did. He saw the Arbiter jump from behind the debris and swat the Human's weapons away. Tartarus realized that this Human had the Sacred Icon with it, so instead of pushing it off the edge he decided to take the Icon from it. He took out his hammer and thumbed a button on the handle. Suddenly the frail Human came flying towards him and he caught it on his shoulder. He set down his hammer and grabbed the Icon from it and put it in his belt.
"Excellent work, Arbiter. The Hierarchs will be pleased."
"The Icon is MY responsibility!" the Arbiter was furious at Tartarus.
"WAS your responsibility," retorted Tartarus. "Now it is mine." He put the Human he carried onto one of the other Brutes shoulders who was also dragging another Human by the foot. "A bloody fate awaits you and the rest of your incompetent race, and I, Tartarus, Chieftain of the Jiralhanae will send you to it."
"When the Prophets learn of this, they will take your head!"
"When they learn?" Tartarus chuckled. "Fool. They ordered me to do it."
And with that, Tartarus thumbed another button on his hammer, which was pointed towards the Arbiter. A pulse of energy blasted from the hammer and the Arbiter was thrown backwards and disappeared into the chasm behind him.
Tartarus turned to the others, "Quickly, we must return to High Charity and report our success. We will keep the Humans as prisoners. To the Phantom!"
---------------
Tartarus walked down the same hallway to the Prophet's Sanctum. The Humans were now conscious, bound, and following Tartarus at gunpoint. The door to the Prophet's chamber opened and the group walked in.
"Holy Ones, I come with good tidings. I bring with me the Sacred Icon and Human prisoners," Tartarus said proudly as he walked in. The Prophets turned from the large window where they were admiring the view of the sacred ring, Halo.
"That is good news. Excellent work Tartarus," the Prophet of Truth praised. "So I trust that the Arbiter has been dealt with?"
"Yes, Holy One. The Arbiter is no more." Tartarus knelt in front of the Prophets and bowed his head.
"And where is the Icon?"
Tartarus held out his hand, which contained the glowing green stick.
"Very good. The Great Journey is at hand, and all the Covenant has you to thank, Tartarus." Truth reached out and took the Icon from Tartarus. "There is one last step before the Great Journey can begin. We must unite the Icon with the Core in Halo's control room, and that is our last task for you Tartarus."
"It is an honor," Tartarus bowed his head again, "but why are you not going yourselves?"
"We are going to the Human's planet to finish the battle," the Prophet of Mercy chimed in with pride. "We hope to make short work of their planet, but if we take longer than expected starting the Great Journey in the middle of glorious battle will be even better."
"And what of the Humans?" asked Tartarus.
"You will take them with you," said Truth. "According to the Oracle, we need one of them for the consecration."
"Are you sure?"
"As hard as it is to believe, yes. We need at least one of them to start the Great Journey."
It looked like the female Human was trying to say something about this, but she could not make a sound due to the special gag the Jiralhanae had put on her. The Prophets ignored her.
"Very well, Noble Truth," said Tartarus reluctantly. "I will take them both and decide which one we need when we get there."
"Good," aid Truth. "Now that the Icon has been claimed and the Great Journey is around the corner we must make an announcement to the entire Covenant on High Charity. You go take the Humans and watch over them; Mercy and I will come get you when we are ready to leave."
"Yes, Holy One," Tartarus bowed once more and rose to his feet. He turned and barked a command for the group to leave. They obeyed and left the Hierarchs alone in their Sanctum.