Chapter 12: Punishment.
Fiddling with the ancient device in my hands, I try to calm my nerves to no avail.
Rtas, Bero, and I were summoned to the bridge when we arrived back onboard the ship in order to report to the minor prophet that was stationed there. Apparently it was protocol for the leaders of the group to deliver the offering personally, and since I was the one that found the artifact, Rtas gave me the honor of doing it myself.
Even though I'm exhausted and just want to sleep.
Despite the recent battle still fresh on my mind, I felt a sense of complete numbness. The sounds around me felt dull and muted and the deep purple of the aircraft I was in seemed more gray than before now that the adrenaline filling my veins was now gone.
"Are you well, Sohm?"
Hearing Bero's voice behind me, I turn and look up to the master swordsman. The silver-gray slitted eyes of the sangheili looked down to me with a cold, but still present comfort that I definitely needed.
Glancing away from my commander for a moment, I take the time to fully examine my surroundings. We were inside a phantom, most likely the same one we arrived in not too long ago, but I felt like everything had changed.
The previously packed phantom, filled with everything from unggoy to sangheili, was now half empty. The only ones remaining were sangheili warriors, most of which were battered and attempting to clean their dented and stained armor. Most of these warriors were not even from my lance, all of them survivors from Rtas's lance which didn't take as heavy casualties as the other two.
Though they still took losses.
Looking down to examine myself, I found myself in a very similar situation. Dents, dirt, and blood covered me from head to toe causing an involuntary shiver to go through my body.
I found that no matter how hard I tried, I couldn't relax. My heart was still pounding loudly in my ears, and the images of dead or dying aliens still remained fresh on my mind.
Looking back up to Bero, I simply shake my head. A moment of silence comes and goes before I try to voice my feelings.
"I'm just… I don't know." I hang my head in shame as I feel myself rubbing my sore, still bleeding, arms. "I don't understand…"
Surprisingly, the elite reaches his hand down to grip my shoulder comfortingly. "The first battle is always the most jarring. Worry not, the shock shall pass."
While I appreciated the gesture, the shock wasn't exactly what I was speaking about.
"Why did they fight?"
Tilting his head, his grey eyes bored into me. "What?"
Clenching my fists, I see the image of the brute chieftain flash before me. His hateful crimson eyes unwavering at the loss of his arms.
"The jiralhanae… Why did they wish to fight us so much?"
The sangheili seems to mull over my question for a moment before he speaks up.
"Some of the jiralhanae clans have chosen the path of war rather than peaceful assimilation into our Covenant." His tone was surprisingly soft, one I have heard before. It was the same tone he used when teaching me my faults on the battlefield, only now I could properly appreciate it. "Change is an odd thing. It brings out the worst in some of us, even when that change might be for the better."
Looking back down to the forerunner artifact in my hand, I run a talon over the softly glowing lights. Mulling over his words, I remember most of my mother's history lessons said the same.
But it's so much different seeing it in person…
Those brutes truly hated us with every fiber of their being. People I have never met before wishing harm upon me with such fervor caused me to shiver a bit as the crimson, hateful eyes of the jiralhanae chieftain flash before me for a second.
"My people were no different, you know…"
Blinking the image away, I look back over to Bero. Needing to angle my head upward to examine his eyes, I found him staring blankly off towards nothing in particular.
"At the formation of the Covenant, some sangheili resisted and fought all the way up until their deaths. Their refusal to change, and the bloodshed that followed, was entirely pointless and wasteful in the end…"
The sangheili looks back down to me, a sad but determined fire in his slitted eyes.
"I won't tell you that every enemy you face deserves to die… but when someone makes the choice to fight against you, be it on their honor or faith or some other ideal, you must decide if you wish to stand for your own ideals or be trampled by theirs."
Having said all he wished to, the sangheili turned and walked away.
Thinking about his words for a moment, I realized he was right.
Stewing on the death I caused is pointless. What was I going to do about it? Roll over and die just to try and stop an inevitable fight?
I knew that the logical conclusion to that thought was stupid. Of course I wouldn't just roll over and let myself die if I could help it, but the guilt I felt in the back of my head was still there.
Those brutes decided that was where they wanted to place their feet and stand. Their ideal, correct or not, was they didn't wish to be ruled by the prophets. Our arrival was the fight they wanted to have, and it just happened to be us that provided the challenge.
Feeling the phantom slowing down, I was jarred out of my thoughts as we arrived at our destination. The hum of the gravity engines straining filled the cabin for a moment as the aircraft pulled in for a landing.
Eventually slowing to a stop, the hatch to the gravity lift opened and one by one, each of the battered special operators filed out.
Making my way to the exit portal, I am forcefully pushed out of the way as the sound of an annoyed growl fills my ear.
"Back of the line, kig yar."
Grunts of agreement and warbles of anger resound from around me as I look up to the grouping of warriors, all staring me down with some even placing their hands on their weapons.
Feeling rather intimidated, I take a step back and bow my head.
Stupid caste system.
Eventually, all of the sangheili made their way off the ship, allowing me to finally step out of the phantom and back onto the softly glowing purple ship.
The busy, but peaceful surroundings of the cruiser's hangar filled me with a sense of calm I have not had since the bombs went off.
Rtas and Bero were standing off to the side, waiting for me. After they managed to get my attention, I joined them before the three of us began our walk toward the bridge.
Before we left the large hangar, I watched as the remaining battered elite spec ops all turned and went their separate ways without so much as a word, heading to get the rest I desperately wanted but could not have.
Expanding my search around the hangar, I could see the peaceful buzz of unggoy workers continuing on with their work. Some of the drop ships that assisted us were slightly damaged from small arms fire, drawing the maintenance workers to them like a moth to flame.
The scene was so… normal.
Following my commanders, I felt completely out of place. The flashing images of exploding plasma grenades and ferocious brutes still fresh on my mind as I watched the peaceful scene pass before me until the door hissed shut behind me.
Sighing, I continue to follow my superiors through the brightly lit purple hallways of the ship. Compared to the last time I wandered it, the ship almost seemed abandoned. I knew in the back of my mind that most of the combat personnel were deployed to take care of the remaining brutes below, but without the normal buzz of activity, the ship just seemed so barren.
After a few twists and turns through the maze-like corridors, we arrived at our destination.
As the door hissed open, I got my first view of the bridge. The command center looked so massive to me, every place I looked having a glowing terminal or display. The sheer amount of computers and workers it took to operate a ship of this size was amazing to watch, even as the ship remained motionless in orbit over a planet. The hushed conversation between each of the officers as they went about their duties was interesting, if a little over my head with the technical details.
All around me, sangheili officers and unggoy menial workers manned each of the consoles quietly as the large screen that showed tactical data covered a large circular wall. A gold armored sangheili was talking to a hovering san'shyuum near one of the raised platforms nearby, gesturing idly to a holographic image of the planet.
Ignoring the organized commotion around us, my commanders and I strode confidentiality toward the floating san'shyuum with me closely behind. When we reached about five feet from the floating prophet, we all fell to a respectful kneeling position.
Rtas was the one that spoke up. "Holy one, we have retrieved the relic as requested."
The prophet turns the hover chair away from the display of the planet, visibly excited. His long three fingered hands were clenching and unclenching in anticipation. "Good, good! Bring it here!"
Carefully standing up, I make my way over to the san'shyuum and hold up the small forerunner device to the floating alien.
The prophet swiped the device out of my hand so quickly, I could only stand there for a moment gaping.
Looking up to the prophet, I examine him closely. The large bulbous eyes that were protruding out from his face were focused intently on the forerunner sphere as he mumbles under his breath. The words were almost too soft, but since I was directly next to him, I heard them clearly.
"Now to see what secrets the ancients have for me today…"
My blood froze at his words, absolutely baffled at the sentence. I couldn't do anything, standing there with my mouth wide open as I looked up to the giddy prophet. He continued to simply poke and prod at the artifact with his long bony fingers, completely ignoring the world around him.
The whole reason we went through all of that, simply because a prophet wanted a trinket to fiddle with?!
I didn't know why, but the thought infuriated me. The thought that all that death and destruction wasn't actually the idealistic battle of wills that Bero made it out to be, but instead was initiated at the whims of this prophet caused my gaping mouth to click shut and my hands to ball tightly into fists.
After only a few moments of silence, the prophet turns his chair around. Floating toward an exit portal, he waves his hand absentmindedly toward me and my commanders. "You may leave now."
All those people died simply because this san'shyuum who was sitting comfortably on his chair wanted a small metal ball?
Grinding my teeth, I speak up. "A lot of people died to retrieve that artifact you know."
The prophet's chair stops halfway to the door, his long neck poking out from the large metal back of his throne. His old eyes examine me closely for a moment, squinting his eyes in confusion before he turns around fully.
"Who let a kig yar onto the bridge?"
My anger disappeared, only to be replaced with stunned disbelief as I stood there baffled. It took me a second to fully comprehend what he said, but once the words sunk in, my anger came back in full force. I was the one that handed him the device, and he didn't even bother to see who gave it to him?
Feeling a large hand grip my shoulder, I hear Rtas say behind me.
"This is the one that retrieved the artifact from the planet below, holy one."
The prophet's examination continued for a moment before he nodded.
Bringing his three bony fingers up to stroke his chin, he began to speak.
"Their sacrifice was necessary. The Great Journey is only made possible by those willing to die for it."
Seemingly satisfied with that answer, he nods. Smiling to himself, he sits fully back down in his chair and floats away.
What? That's it?!
I could easily tell the prophet came up with that on the fly, using the line as an attempt to misdirect me. The lazy, almost half hearted attempt only made me clench my fists even more tightly than before.
Unable to help them growing anger and frustration growing within me, I let out a deep growl toward the retreating san'shyuum. I guarantee this prophet has never even held a weapon in his life, yet he ordered us to go and fight his battle for him? Does he even know what we went through for that?
Sadly, the noise was heard as the prophet's chair whipped around faster than I thought it could. Staring at me, the san'shyuum's large amphibious eyes bore down on me hatefully. The soft, absent tone of the prophet was replaced with unrestrained malice as he pointed directly at me. "What blasphemy is this? You question my authority kig yar?"
Realizing my small unintentional outburst could cost me a lot more than I thought, I wisely remain quiet. Looking over my shoulder, I see the armored forms of both of my commanders standing over my shoulder stoically.
Bero's deep voice cut through the tension like a hot knife through butter. "I'm sure she is simply tired from her first real taste of combat, your holiness." His silver slit orbs looked down to me calmly. "I assure you that such an outburst will not happen again."
The angry san'shyuum looked me up and down for a moment, seemingly sizing my commanders up before he hovered closer to us.
"Keep your insubordinate underlings in check, Rtas. This is your only warning."
Rtas's response was short, though I could tell there was an undertone of anger. "I will make sure she is punished accordingly, holy one."
Shifting from foot to foot, I felt my feathers flatten themselves on their own as I watched the small stand off between the three higher ranking officials. Unable to move out from between them, I remained as motionless as I could.
I am so dead.
Oddly enough, I noticed most of the sangheili officers have left their stations to form a loose circle around us. The ornate gold armor of the shipmaster stepping closer to Rtas and Bero behind me.
For a moment in time, the two groups stared at each other, neither of them backing down. The anger and unrestrained malice in the prophets bulbous eyes making way for wariness.
Silence filled the area before, with a grunt of disgust, the angered prophet spun around and made his way back toward the exit.
The moment the door slid shut behind the prophet, the entire bridge nearly exploded with sound. Communications officers began talking loudly, and the gold armored shipmaster turned casually over to my commander.
"Why the gods gave me such a dishonorable worm to house on my ship will always puzzle me."
Rtas glances over, before nodding and placing his hand on his chest in a salute. "I truly feel sorry for you brother."
The shipmaster shakes his head, the ornate glowing helmet moving back and forth with his movements. "The woes of leadership continue on." He then turns his gaze to me, causing me to continue my squirming. He simply grunted before returning his attention back to my commander. "Your losses were more severe than expected then?"
Rtas growls, "The initial reports were wrong, and we ended up drastically outnumbered. Of the three lances involved in the assault, only fourteen warriors remain."
The shipmaster clicks his mandibles, obviously agitated. "It seems as if we will need to visit the training facility again soon to replace your losses, though that might not be for a while yet."
Rtas seemed a bit confused by his words. "Sir?"
The shipmaster then turned back towards the holographic display, pressing a rune off to the side changing it from a planet to a general overview of the galaxy. "We are being transferred to patrol around Sangheilios for a long while yet with no future battles planned. Your lance can rest for the time being."
My commander seemed to perk up at the knowledge, saluting once again with a bit more vigor. "By your leave, shipmaster."
The shipmaster returned the salute with equal vigor. "Victory to clan and kin. Dismissed."
And with that, my leaders turn and begin to make their way to the door. Realizing I am being left behind, I spin around and move quickly to follow.
"Kig yar."
Stopping in my tracks, I turn back to the shipmaster and give a professional salute. "Yes, shipmaster?"
The elite studies me for a moment before he grunts. "Next time keep your emotions in check around that prophet, kig yar. You will live longer that way."
"Yes, shipmaster."
You don't need to tell me twice!
Waving his hand lazily toward the exit, he dismissed me before returning to the holographic display.
Relieved, I made my way to the door, slipping through before it closed behind me.
"-killed in there."
In front of me, my two commanders seemed to be talking animatedly amongst themselves.
Bero grunts, "Do you not remember growing up? The blunders we all make in our youth?"
They must be talking about me. I realized.
I knew I couldn't have made their life any easier with my small outburst, causing guilt to well up within me. I spent the last two months of basic training getting the idea that you should never disobey a higher caste hammered into me, but at the first real opportunity I screwed it up.
At the very least Bero seemed to be defending me, but I knew that some kind of punishment was coming. Sterling myself for whatever it might be, I stand there quietly.
Rtas's anger seemed a lot more subdued as he examined the other sangheili for a moment.
"If this is the choice you wish to make, my friend, I will not stand in your way… But know that many of our kin will shun you for it brother."
Bero seems to shift his weight a bit at what Rtas said, before nodding solemnly. "I know."
Rtas seems to think his words over for a moment before he glances over to me. For a moment, his orange eyes seemed to glow with an intensity I have not seen from him as he examined me closely. He seemed to be focused intently on Destiny for a few moments, but they do not linger long.
"Sohm 'Bir, is it?"
"Yes, sir."
After a moment longer, he sighs and shakes his head, appearing almost exasperated.
"I am going to leave your punishment for your…" He pauses for a moment, thinking for a moment before he continues, "Insubordination to Bero, but before I do so I wish to make one thing clear."
Stepping closer to me, the nearly eight foot tall commander used his height to emphasize his authority.
"It is not your responsibility to worry about the lives of the warriors under my command. That duty falls onto my shoulder alone. From now on, you will hold your temper and tongue in check unless one of us tells you otherwise, clear?"
Snapping into another salute, I bow my head. "Yes, sir."
Rtas nods, seemingly satisfied. He turns back to Bero, giving him one last look before he heads off down the hallway.
Watching my commander make his way down the glowing purple corridor, I sigh deeply. I knew my outburst was going to have consequences, but I was willing to meet them with as much strength as I could muster.
Turning to meet Bero's gaze, I steady my stance and prepare myself for whatever might come next.
"You performed much better on that planet then I would have expected given the circumstances. Your aim remained true and you bravely held your ground against much larger opponents…"
Blinking, I shifted my weight from foot to foot once again. Compliments were not something I was expecting, and the tone was respectful.
"Your quick thinking and combat performance has earned you a promotion to the rank of kig yar major. Tomorrow you will make the necessary adjustments to your armor in order to signify your new position."
Stunned, I stand there for a moment completely baffled. My mouth opening and closing for a moment with no sound coming out, I finally manage to organize my chaotic thoughts with a single sound.
"Huh?"
Snorting, the sangheili continues with a mirthful tone as if what he said was some kind of joke only he knew. "You have promise, and while Rtas didn't outright say it, you impressed him by standing up for the honor of our fallen comrades."
I decided to interrupt. "Sir, I thought I was going to be punished for-"
The swordsman turns and raises a hand over his shoulder as he begins to walk down the corridor, preventing me from continuing. "Get some rest. I will find you after you wake tomorrow."
Standing there baffled for a moment, I nearly pinched myself to see if this was some kind of weird dream.
Promoted? Already?
Before I could stop myself, I shouted toward the departing elite. "Commander!"
Stopping before he could round one of the corners, he moves his snake-like head to where he could see me over his shoulder. "Yes?"
"Why did you give me a higher rank? I thought for sure I was going to be punished for…"
Seeing his mandibles twitch, he closes his eyes and shakes his head. "All promotions in the Covenant are based around merit. You earned your new rank with your actions in battle, so bear it with honor."
Before I could fully process his words, he rounded the corner and I was alone.
I couldn't exactly think, as my mind has gone blank at this point. Everything that I have been through in the last day has just been so overwhelming that the feeling of numbness returned. Only one thought pierced through the fog of my frayed nerves and stunning revelations.
I need sleep.
Setting a waypoint on my optical display, I begin to slowly make my way to my sleeping quarters.
((*v*)/)
Shivering, I groan as the dull ache of the injuries I sustained from yesterday make themselves known. Groaning, I begin to rub my cramped muscles as the drowsy fog of sleep slowly makes way for wakeful alertness.
Opening my eyes, I am met with the dimly lit room that I now live in. Lifting my head up to look around, I see that the thin pillow and small nest of blankets are balled up next to me, having been thrown aside in the middle of the night.
So that's why I'm cold.
Sighing, I plop my head back down onto the cushion.
I have no idea what time it is, but I knew I was still exhausted. Sadly I knew that sleep would not return to me anytime soon.
Lifting myself off the cushion, I duck under the shelf over my nest that holds my armor. The thick smell of smoke and sharp coppery scent of blood reaches my nose as I pass by.
Looking down to myself, I realize that my arms were still crossed with jagged cuts and dried blood. Numerous bruises could easily be seen as I more closely examined myself. Different colored dry blood covered my feathers, causing them to stick to each other uncomfortably in a way that I knew would take almost a full hour to preen all the unkempt and dirty feathers back into place.
I didn't need a mirror to know I looked terrible.
Walking over to the small bathing station, I turn the hot water on. Watching as the small basin fills up with warm water, I hum in satisfaction as I test the water with my talon.
Slowly lowering myself into the water, I sat there for a few minutes simply basking in the feeling of the warm water, relaxing myself against the curved basin for a while as I tilted my head back and let out a loud guttural moan of pleasure.
Even through the dim light, I was able to watch as the dirt and grime slowly seeped into the water and turned the clear bath into a brown mix of blood and dirt.
Some of my wounds stung as the water washed over them, causing my moan of pleasure to morph into a hiss of pain. Gritting my teeth, I try to get off most of the grime with my hand as I begin to groom myself.
Starting the long process of washing my skin and feathers, I ended up needing to refill the basin four times before I came away fully clean. Sadly, due to the small area of my room, the floor was completely soaked, and since I didn't have a towel I had no way to dry it off… or myself for that matter.
Simply sitting with my legs folded under me in the bath as I air dry, I began the long task of aligning each of my feathers correctly, picking out any burned or dead ones.
After almost an hour of the mind numbingly boring task, I felt satisfied that I didn't look like a banshee crashed into me. Standing up, I stretched with a renewed vigor and turned to get dressed.
Only to groan as I realized the dinged up armor was still very much dirty.
Great. Just great. At least I only need to wear it to the quartermaster so I can get my new set.
Feeling slightly thankful for my new unexpected promotion for the first time, I begin to awkwardly don the filthy armor.
((*v*)/)
Looking down at my new red armor, I felt a bit conflicted. On the one hand, I only had my old armor for what amounts to about three days, but on the other I didn't feel as if I fully earned it.
It had a few minor upgrades, but nothing too over the top. A small upgrade in the strengthening fiber within the undersuit, and a bit more armor plating, but nothing fancy.
Still no stinking energy shields.
At this point, I wasn't exactly sure what to do with myself. I knew Bero wanted to see me, but as he didn't give me a time or place to meet him anywhere, I was stuck wandering the ship yet again.
Deciding to try and find my engineer friend, I set a waypoint on my optical display to the hangar and begin my journey.
Walking through the narrow corridors and glowing doors, I can see that most of the ship's crew are back onboard. Everyone seems to be continuing on with their previous duties as if nothing has happened.
Attempting to eavesdrop on any conversations I can hear, I don't manage to catch any useful information as the majority were simply speculating about where we were heading next.
After a while of waking, I turn into the hangar. Looking around for a moment, I see several phantoms and banshees being worked on by the maintenance crews. Small burnt patches caused by plasma bolts dotted each of the aircraft, though none of it appeared to be too bad.
"You! Replace the hull on that drop ship. It won't be able to enter any atmosphere by itself with it damaged like that… Yes you! Ugh, worthless unggoy… What I wouldn't do for an army of Yanme'e right now…"
Looking over, I see a sangheili ordering around a few irritable unggoy. They were all using various tools to repair a phantom that had a particularly nasty black splotch across the front.
Probably a plasma grenade.
Examining the workers doing their job for a moment, they managed to pry the crispy metallic shell off the ship using small gravity lifts, exposing some of the glowing inner workings of the phantom.
"Bbbbrrruuuuummmm."
Startled by the sound of an engineer behind me, I turn only to see the floating form of the balloon-like creature not even a few feet away from me. For a second I thought it might be a different huragok, but it raised one of its tentacles and waved it back and forth.
Relaxing my posture after a second, I give a bright smile as I returned the gesture. "Hello again, Floats."
The blob-like creature simply tilts his head before his six eyes blink slowly.
Feeling a bit embarrassed, I begin to rub my sore arms, embarrassed.
"Well, Sir Floats a Lot is a bit of a mouthful… so I shortened it."
Another slow blink.
Refusing to let the engineer get the better of me simply because I came up with a crappy nickname the first time, I meet his gaze unrepentantly.
After a few moments of this silent exchange, the engineer examines me for a moment before it lets out a high pitched squeal as his whole body shivers. Quickly drifting into me, the engineer's head leans forward and boops me on the muzzle, causing a giggle to escape me.
After a second, he pressed one of his tentacles on my chest and a small blue beam of light illuminated from the contact.
"Baaarrrruuuuuooo!"
Sir Floats a Lot tensed up as he reached forward pressed a few more of its glowing tentacles on my chest, applying more and more pressure as it began to push. The efforts of the huragok were quickly throwing me off balance, and I needed to brace myself in order to prevent myself from falling.
"Hey! Stop it! You are going to- Oof."
Falling onto the floor, the huragok began to quickly undo the straps holding my new armor around my wrists.
Angrily trying to throw the insistent creature off of me, I began to "Hey! Stop it! I just got this on!"
The movements stopped as he yanks some of the metal plating free and uses his long tentacles to hold the pieces over my head, out of reach.
Angrily grabbing toward my equipment, I futility squirm around, only to find out that somehow a creature that is lighter than air somehow is heavy enough to hold me down.
How does that even work?!
I growl as I look over me, only to find the engineer continuing to shiver. The strange whistle-like noises coming from it have slowly become more frantic and high pitched as I resisted whatever it was doing.
He almost sounds like he's whining.
Giving him a deadpan stare, I try to explain. "What are you doing? You can't just push someone over and undress them you know…"
The engineer tilts his head, using his tentacles to weave a series of signs in front of me.
Oh… right. Language barrier.
I must have expressed the realization on my face clearly, and the engineer takes a single tentacle and pokes me between my eyes, gaining my attention again. Looking up to Sir Floats, I see him drift off to the side, focusing his entire attention on my right arm.
"You will give me my armor back, right?"
The snake-like head of the engineer bobbed up and down, causing me to relax a bit.
"Well, I guess it's alright then. Next time at least try and ask okay?"
The six beast eyes of the engineer blinked once before he let out a soft, "Bbbbwoooooo."
The engineer then returned its focus on my arm, setting my already removed armor aside as it moves to continue working.
This communication problem is annoying, and learning his language with our only way of talking being nods and head shakes would take far too long…
Watching as the engineer deftly removes the rest of the armor on my arm, revealing the bare skin and feathers beneath.
Looking around the room, I could see that absolutely no one was paying us any mind, acting as if this was a daily occurrence. A few unggoy workers spared us a quick glance, but soon after returned to their work.
Feeling a pleasant warmth rise up from my arm, I glance down only for a gasp to escape me.
The huragok was focusing intently on me, emitting a soft blue light from its many limbs which was sleeping into me, but that wasn't what had my attention.
What had my attention, was that my cuts from the needler shard that sliced my arm up were disappearing before my eyes. The bruises that I gathered from the fight yesterday were quickly replaced with normal skin.
Woah.
After a few moments, it was over and the soft warmth that was surrounding my arm disappeared.
The engineer examined his work for a moment before he looked up, meeting my amazed stare.
"Wow! That was amazing! How did you even-"
"Bbbbbroooooooo."
Throwing my free hand into the air in frustration, I groan loudly. "Ugh! This is so stupid!"
The engineer shakes his head, before he moves to my other arm and begins the process over again.
There has to be a way to talk to him without… needing to… speak.
Feeling like an idiot again, I look up to the hyper advanced biological supercomputer.
"Hey, Floats…"
The engineer looks up from his work, tilting his head slightly.
Blinking for a moment, I reach up and undo my visor before holding it out to my friend. "There is a program in my optics that allows my allies to speak to me silently using a text channel… Do you think you could hack into it to talk to me?"
There was a brief moment of silence before my helmet was ripped out of my grasp by a very enthusiastic engineer.
Fiddling with the device with his tentacles for a few moments before handing me my helmet back.
Quickly replacing the optics over my head, only to find there was already a single word on the display.
"Hello."
Smiling brightly, I wave to my friend.
"Hello to you too!"
The engineer let out another happy whistle, before tapping on my helmet with another glowing tentacle. Immediately, more words came through even as the engineer worked on my left arm.
"You are wounded."
Snorting, I sit up before reaching over for my fallen pieces of armor and strapping them back into place. "Yeah, I kind of noticed. Thank you for healing me, by the way."
Another tap. "You didn't make it easy for me."
Laughing, I begin to strap my armor back on to my arm. "I'm sorry. I didn't know what you were-"
Suddenly, I feel a massive arm grab a hold of the back of my armor. Squawking and flailing wildly, I am lifted up several feet into the air before being forcefully slammed against the ground, causing a loud clang to resound through the hangar.
As I lie there groaning, I hear the sound of my engineer friend screeching loudly and the sound of an energy sword activating.
Gasping for air, I look up only to see the huragok pushed to the side forcibly and the two prongs of an energy sword pointed at my neck. Glancing down the length white-hot blade, I am met with the sight of Bero staring down at me from above. He held his position for a moment before he switched the blade off.
"Dead."
Flipping over to my stomach, I cough for a moment on the ground as I regain my bearings. After a moment, I glare hatefully up to the stoic sangheili.
"What was that for?!"
"BBBBRRROOOUUUUU!"
The elite simply looks between me and the flailing form of my friend before gesturing for me to follow him, yet again acting as if nothing just happened.
"Come, we have much to discuss."
Blinking for a moment, I groan as I try and gather up the detached pieces of my armor.
Stupid crazy sangheili.
After I gather up the remains of my armor, I look over to see my engineer friend staring at me, looking a bit less inflated then before.
Feeling sorry for him yet again, I nod to the sad huragok.
"Don't worry Floats, I'll be back again later. Maybe next time I can actually learn your real name!"
Thankfully, this seemed to cheer the huragok up a bit, causing him to reinflate again.
Turning, I ran to catch up to my commander. At the point where I caught up, he was almost to the exit.
The two of us turn into the corridor, hearing the signature hum of the hatch sliding shut before Bero turns to me.
"What were you doing back there?"
My commander's tone was dark, leading me to believe I might have somehow made a very big mistake.
Going over everything that just happened, I am unable to think of a reason why he would be so mad. Deciding to simply tell the truth, I meet his stern look unflinchingly.
"You never gave me a time or a place to meet you, so I decided to visit the only other friendly person I have met on this ship…"
Bero digests these words for a moment before his mandibles twitch a few times.
I really need to learn what that means.
"You did not seek out the huragok for healing?"
My eyes widen as I realize where the miscommunication was. I remember from my time in basic training that the sangheili have a bit of a stigma against doctors, though it was one that I never will fully understand.
Pulling my hands up to placate him, I try to explain. "No, he started doing that by himself when he realized I was injured."
Bero studies me again for a moment before the mood seems to lighten a bit, though it didn't appear as if the situation was fully resolved quite yet.
"I care not what you do after you are fully trained, but while you are learning from me, you will keep any scars you gain so you can easily remember the lessons they bring you, understood?"
Wait what?
Deciding to voice my confusion, I speak up. "Um, sir? What training are you going to give me that involves-"
As quick as lightning, the swordsman activates his blade with a loud hiss. Hooking my foot with his leg, he yanks my leg towards him, throwing me off balance as I flail to regain my footing. I feel a fist crash into my chest throwing me to the ground for the second time that day.
Yet again looking up from the floor, I see the sword is in a similar position as to what it was earlier, the white hot superheated gas almost singing my neck due to how close it was.
"Dead."
Deactivating his blade, he offers me his hand, which I take reluctantly. Heaving next to my feet, I began to rub at the sore spot at the center of my chest that was definitely going to bruise tomorrow.
Suddenly, the violent behavior from earlier makes a lot more sense. I had a feeling I was only getting a small taste of what was about to happen to me. The mention of scars and lessons from the master swordsman before me caused me to quickly realize that this wasn't going to be like any of the basic training I had before, nor was it going to be like my old training from back home.
Somehow, the idea didn't scare me at all. I remember the fluid motions Bero used against his enemies yesterday, cutting a path through all that opposed him with ease. I remember his fearless attitude toward the prospect of facing greater odds and looking pleased at the idea.
"Do you understand what it is I am asking of you?"
Nodding, I look up to see the sangheili staring down at me with an unreadable expression.
"Prepare yourself, for the days ahead will be difficult. Unlike even me, you will be tested both by me, and the heat of real combat. Your training will be tough and the days will be long," The sangheili pauses for a moment, gesturing to Destiny which was still strapped to my hip, "But after I am through with you, you will be a master of that blade."
Placing my hand on my chest, I dip my head low.
"I am ready."
"Good."
The sangheili steps closer, before placing a hand on my shoulder comfortingly. Looking up from my salute, I see the sangheili's mandibles are spread open, but only slightly. It was the first time I recognized what the expression was.
It was a smile.
"I, Bero 'Kusovai, name you, Sohm 'Bir, as my sole apprentice."
—Author's Note—
Hey guys, long time no see.
I honestly thought this chapter was going to be longer, but it is what it is.
I think I'll do a bit of a time skiparoo with the next chapter. (Unless ya'll wanna see Sohm get her butt handed to her over and over and over again from Bero.
As for why she got promoted and didn't get punished? She got promoted because she is the only kig yar left in the entire spec op group onboard the ship. (Oof) and once Bero outlined his plan for apprenticeship to Rtas, he almost felt bad for her… almost.
The first story arc is almost complete. Only a few more chapters from my calculations (which are completely imperfect and most likely dead wrong) until we get to the next major scene I have planned.
Also, I feel like I didn't fully explain the combat correctly in the last chapter. The goal is to make it realistic. Obviously people can take a hit and not go down. When I said they are on "one health" I meant that pain exists, and a shot to the head will kill… for obvious reasons.
Also, if anyone actually cares about why this chapter took a lot longer then the previous ones, it is because I am no longer on my point by point chapter outlines anymore. The fight with that Chieftain was the last actual chapter outline I had. From now on I'm winging it in the general direction of the next major scene I have planned. I might do another point by point chapter outline for the next 12 or so chapters, but work is kicking my butt… so…
I had the idea of a blooper scene where I take all the training scenes from a bunch of different franchises and have Bero tell Sohm to do them all no matter how stupid they were (rimgar, to wax on/wax off, to shadow clone training) but I couldn't make it funny. So here's a note saying I tried. Gold star for effort.
Anyways, read and review, and if you like it, follow and fav!