Hello again, everyone, and welcome back to my Halo - MechWarrior/BattleTech crossover. Thank you all for your support and feedback. I greatly appreciate it.
I'm going to be reopening another poll that I closed a little while ago, one where there are choices for any crossovers with BattleTech that you would like to see. If you see a choice that you like, go ahead and choose. If there's a choice that you don't see, let me know in the reviews, so that I can add that choice.
Either way, thank you for this wonderful opportunity, and I hope to see your reviews in future chapters.
As always, leave a review and enjoy!
Disclaimer: I do not own the Halo or MechWarrior/BattleTech franchises. They are the respective properties and trademarks of Microsoft Game Studios, 343 Industries, Bungie, FASA Corporation, FASA Interactive, Catalyst Game Labs, Piranha Games Inc, etc. Any material original to the franchises belongs to their respective developers and producers. Any material not original to the franchises is of my own invention. I do not own any music listed in each chapter. Any music listed belongs to it's original composers and/or artists.
Delta Halo
Near Possible Index Location
November 27th, 2552
While the drama on High Charity was unfolding, another one was in the making on Delta Halo. The silence near the top of an ocean cliff side was interrupted as a gold-yellow portal opened, before two individuals were hurled through the portal. Thel let out a shout as he landed on the ground, catching himself before he face planted into the dirt. Bero wasn't as lucky, as he landed hard into the ground, his head being buried somewhat.
Getting up, Thel waked over and helped Bero up, with the latter spitting out some dirt that got into his mouth. "Bero, are you alright?" he asked.
"I am unharmed," Bero replied as a tentacle he grew cleaned out the last bits of dirt in his mouth. Shuddering, he said, "I am glad to be away from that foul beast. Every second I spent in that… thing's presence made me fearful."
"At least we are away from it," Thel agreed. He too didn't like being near that thing. Looking around, he was about to move forwards when his nose tingled with a sensation that he knew all too well. Looking around, he found, much to his surprise, a Plasma Rifle lying on the ground, along with a smear of blue-purple blood on the ground.
As he moved along, he spotted someone on the ground: a Sangheili that was lying against a rock. Said Sangheili was holding both hands over a gaping wound in his torso, his eyes filled with pain as he heard the two approach. "A-Arbiter," he gasped out.
"Save your strength," Thel told him as Bero moved closer to examine the wound. "What happened to you? Who did this?"
"The Brutes have… betrayed us…" the Sangheili Minor gasped out. "T-the Councilors… I…" He coughed vigorously once, before slumping over. Within seconds, the last spark of life in his eyes faded forever.
Bero bowed his head in sorrow as he reached over and closed the Sangheili's eyes, making the dead warrior appear as though he was asleep. "Rest now," he whispered. "May your soul find the halls of it's ancestors, and reunite with them in the afterlife." Standing up, he said, "Arbiter, the warrior told us that the Brutes -"
"I heard it too," Thel nodded. "Foul beasts, the lot of them! I knew that the Brutes were up to something, and now that I've seen it with both of my eyes…" Frowning, he looked away before saying, "If what Tartarus told me was true, then the Prophets have betrayed us. I must know for certain, though. The Oracle he has will likely show us the truth. For now, we must focus on saving what Sangheili we can."
"On that we can agree," Bero nodded. "My claws and my sword thirst for Jiralhanae blood." With that, the two proceeded forwards, weapons at the ready.
As they did, they heard gunfire from up ahead. Ducking into cover, Thel leaned out to see a Brute shooting the corpse of a Sangheili with a pistol that had a large pair of blades on the end, a Brute Spiker if he recalled correctly. Long, white-hot spikes were blasted into the dead Sangheili, mutilating the corpse.
One of the Brute's friends, though, was disgruntled by this. "Let's just throw them over the edge," he growled.
"Where's the fun in that," the first one taunted.
Just then another Brute approached the two. "Hey!" he snarled. "I already checked there!"
"Just making sure…" the first one replied.
While this was going on, Thel looked at Bero and motioned with his hands. Nodding, Bero knew exactly what to do. Silently taking his armor off, he morphed into the semi-liquid form he'd taken on while attacking the Sentinel Enforcer at the Library. Flowing forwards, he altered his body until it appeared exactly like the ground. Before long, his gelatinous form surrounded the Brutes, who were none the wiser.
Then, on a motion from Thel, Bero struck. Before the Brutes could react, gelatinous tentacles burst from the ground, wrapping around their limbs and mouths, preventing them from fighting or calling for help. Then, several bladed tentacles pierced through their chests, silencing them in short order.
Letting the bodies drop, Bero regrew into his normal form. "That went well," he remarked. Thel was about to nod when a loud, grumbling sound erupted from Bero's torso. "Oh, it appears as though I need sustenance. Go on ahead, I'll see what I can scavenge here."
"Are you certain, Bero?"
"I am." While he was reluctant to move ahead without support, Thel understood that Bero needed to eat. As such, he proceeded forwards, weapons at the ready as he advanced. Eventually, he came to a larger area that had a central column of rock in the middle of the depression, along with a ramp that led upwards to what appeared to be doors. Occupying the area, though, were Brutes, one of which was wearing the armor of a Major.
Apparently, they knew something was up, as the Brute Major growled, "Go see what's taking them so long!" Nodding, the two Brutes moved up, unaware of the shimmer of light that was right next to them. That single error sealed their fates.
Moving with the speed of a viper, Thel surged out of the craggy alcove that hid him, his Energy Sword piercing through the chest of the last Brute. A loud screech of pain ripped out of the Brute as his heart was ripped apart; shocked, the other Brute turned around, only for Thel to cleanly lobotomize him.
"He's here!" one of the four Brutes that hadn't left shouted. "It's the Arbiter!"
"Kill him!" the Brute Major roared. With that, the four Brutes charged, firing their Spikers at Thel. The projectiles, while fast, could still be dodged, with Thel darting to the left and right to throw off their firing patterns. Jumping forwards, he sliced the chest of one Brute open before moving to engage a second. One that Brute was also dead, he moved past the others and attacked the Major.
Before he could react, a furry fist flew through the air and smashed into his face. Thel gasped as his vision went gray for a split second, his body flying through the air before smashing into a rocky outcropping behind him. Recovering quickly, he narrowly avoided a Spiker round flying into his face. When the Brute grabbed his neck and began to squeeze, though, he knew it was over.
Fate, though, seemed to have different plans, as suddenly, the Brute Major was ripped away from him. Gasping for air, Thel looked up to see Bero holding the Brute back, his powerful muscles bulging and straining from the effort. "No one attacks my Arbiter and lives to tell the tale!" Bero roared, before pulling the Brute in two different directions.
The Brute Major screamed, a loud, roaring sound that echoed in the area. A loud, wet, tearing sound erupted from the Brute Major as Bero pulled it's body in half. Dark red blood splattered the ground, along with internal organs and viscera as Bero ripped the Brute in half, it's lower body in one hand and it's upper body in another. With a loud, defiant roar, he threw the blood soaked pieces at the remaining Brutes.
Shocked by the sight, the Brutes had little time to react before both Thel and Bero were on top of them. For a brief few seconds, things were a haze of dismembered limbs, flashes of plasma and blood as the two tore the remaining Brutes apart. Letting his arms drop to his sides, Thel looked at the two Brutes, who were now nothing more but dismembered, mutilated corpses.
I've never felt fury like that before, he thought to himself. Looking at Bero, he found that the younger Sangheili had tentacles and other appendages growing out of his body. The Sangheili shape-shifter's face was a mask of rage. On top of that, Thel thought he smelled something; when he took a whiff, he was surprised to find that it was amplifying the anger he felt. "Bero?" he asked.
"WHAT!" Bero snarled, turning with such speed that even Thel jumped back with surprise. Seeing that, Bero relaxed, absorbing his tendrils as he frowned. "I… I am sorry, Arbiter. I… I did not… I did not know I could do that."
"You had a smell that was exacerbating my anger," Thel explained.
"Pheromones," Bero realized. "I must be releasing pheromones that are reinforcing the emotions inside of you. I… I apologize for doing so."
"There is nothing to forgive," Thel replied. "You are still learning the full extent of your abilities. All that I ask is that you do not influence me, or any allies we make, in such a manner without warning us. Am I understood?"
"Yes, Arbiter."
Seeing Bero bow his head in shame, Thel gently lifted the other Sangheili's head up. "I am not angry with you, Bero," he told the younger Sangheili. "I am merely concerned for you safety. Do you understand?"
"I do, Arbiter," Bero nodded as he got his armor back on. "I will endeavor to do better."
"Good. Now, we must make haste."
Walking back up the incline, both Sangheili were about to move through the door when it opened, with a SpecOps Sangheili walking out. Spotting the corpse of a fellow warrior, along with Bero and Thel's blood covered armor, he gasped; running over to the other Sangheili, he knelt down and felt for a pulse. "By the Prophets," he gasped, sorrow in his voice. "What have these Brutes done?"
"They have betrayed us," Thel replied. "Even now, they are slaughtering more Sangheili by the second. We must do what we can to save them."
"We must," the SpecOps Sangheili nodded. Getting up, his sorrow quickly morphed to rage, with the Sangheili roaring loudly. Turning to Thel, he said, "They have shed our kin's blood… and for that, they must DIE!" Both Thel and Bero roared in agreement.
As they did so, Thel thought he heard a sound. Turning around, he watched as three Orbital Insertion Pods slammed into the small clearing behind him. Popping open, he watched as three more Sangheili, two Minors and a Zealot respectively, got out. "A Zealot!" the SpecOps Elite remarked. "So much for a subtle approach."
"Bah!" the Zealot grumbled as he reached their position. "Over so soon?" Looking at Bero, who had gotten his armor back on, he said, "Ah, a fellow Zealot, and the Arbiter as well!" Putting his fist onto his chest in the traditional Sangheili salute, he said, "It will be an honor to fight by your side, Arbiter."
"I take it you are aware of events that are transpiring as we speak," Thel asked.
"That we are," the Zealot replied. "It is a dark day for all of us. We must make haste! There are more foul Brutes to kill!" Nodding at that, Thel proceeded through the door, weapons at the ready as he and the others advanced.
Moving through the door, they advanced through a series of hallways before moving through another door. This time, they found themselves entering what appeared to be a large cave of some sort. Forerunner platforms were present in certain areas, making travel through the cave possible. Up ahead, Thel spotted two Unggoy, as well as some more Brutes in the area.
Upon spotting the Sangheili, both Grunts let out frightened yelps before fleeing as fast as their stubby legs would permit them too. "Haha!" the Zealot with them laughed. "Long have I waited for this!"
At that moment, another Brute entered the area. Spotting the Sangheili, both of his eyes went as wide as they could go. "Not all dead?!" he gasped before roaring, "RAISE THE ALARMS!"
With that, things quickly escalated. Firing his Plasma Rifle, Thel silenced the Brute before he could get away. Loud howls of pain erupted from the furred alien as his flesh was charred and cooked by hot plasma. Advancing forwards, Thel and the others crossed the Forerunner platforms to the other side of the cave.
There, several more Brutes that were accompanied by Kig-Yar were present. The Brutes fired on the Elites with the weapons they had, filling the air with small grenades, as well as white-hot spikes. Moving into cover, Thel fired on the Brutes, while Bero moved towards one of the rock faces.
A loud roar of pain caught Thel's attention. Looking back, he watched as a white-hot spike pierced a Sangheili Minor's shield before embedding itself into his flesh. "By the gods!" he roared. "MY FLESH BURNS!" Roaring as he got into cover, he desperately worked to pull the spike out.
"Where's Bero?" Thel shouted. He got his answer when one of the Brutes was knocked to the ground by a large boulder, the massive rock crushing the Brute's head, sending blood and brain matter splattering everywhere. Looking around, Thel spotted Bero drawing his Energy Sword, before charging forwards.
Against a master swordsman that had practiced long and hard like Bero, the Brutes stood no chance. One Brute charged forwards, only to have both arms and his head sliced cleanly off. Kicking the corpse, Thel knocked one of the three remaining Brutes down, before using the dead corpse as a springboard. Grabbing the third Brute with his hand, he enhanced his muscles, allowing him to throw that Brute into a large rock column.
A loud CRACK echoed in the cave as the Brute's head was crushed immediately, leaving a grizzly mess behind. The four Brute, panicking, attempted to flee, only for a tentacle to wrap around the Brute's upper body, pinning it's arms in place. Grunting, Bero retracted the tentacle, which was one of his mandibles, before plunging the Energy Sword he had into the Brute, instantly killing it. Turning his attention back to the one he knocked over, he stabbed his sword through it's skull.
The moment the Kig-Yar saw this display of martial might and swordsmanship, their resistance immediately collapsed. "Don't kill us!" one shouted, dropping his weapons and shield as he prostrated himself to the Sangheili. "They forced us to help them! We wanted no part in this!"
One of the Zealots moved to attack when Thel lowered his weapon with a hand. Walking forwards, he said, "If you wish to live, then retreat to the area behind us." Without a second thought, the Kig-Yar immediately bolted, running for the area Thel mentioned as fast as they could.
"It would have been easier to silence them, Arbiter," the Zealot remarked.
"Sometimes, mercy is the better course of action," Thel countered. "If we silence all that are in the way with no thought for mercy, then what does that make us?" Even Bero had to admit, Thel had a good question, one that left the Zealot pondering over it, even as they advanced.
Just as they were about to, Bero spotted the wounded Minor, who was still trying to get the spike out of his arm. "Let me tend to that," he told the younger Sangheili. Pulling on the spike, he gently removed the offending projectile. "Bind that wound. We have more work to do."
With that, they advanced through the doorway, through a hallway and into a multi-level room, with a second level that had a door. Much to their surprise, though, the room was littered with corpses. "What happened here?" one of the Sangheili asked.
"They were ambushed," Bero remarked. "Look at the wounds. All of them are located on the skulls of the Brutes and Kig-Yar here. Someone took advantage of being an ally of theirs. A clever tactic for when you wish to kill an enemy without a struggle."
"A cowardly tactic, though," the Zealot accompanying them frowned.
"Were we not the same one, before the Covenant?" Bero asked. With that, they proceeded forwards through another multi-level room, before moving through another large door. Moving outside, Thel found that they were approaching a large clearing, with a large ravine that led deeper into the region. The clearing was also occupied, with a mixture of T'Vao and Unggoy.
Thel was about to raise his weapon when one of the T'Vao, a male that had a large scar across the right side of his face, proceeded forwards, his orange armor glinting in the sunlight. "Arbiter," he croaked out, indicating that he was an old T'Vao as well. "Do not assault us. Our intentions are to help you. We silenced the Brutes in the areas you traveled through to reduce the workload on you."
"I see," Thel remarked, noting how some other T'Vao were moving Brute corpses into a large pile. Looking at the older T'Vao, he said, "We must reach the Control Room for this ring at all costs."
"I was aware of that. That is why I have prepared some Ghosts, a Revenant, as well as a Spectre for your use, Arbiter. Our vehicles are yours to command."
"Good," Thel nodded. Looking at the others, he said, "Bero, you and I will man the Revenant. Zealot, your and your men will pilot the Spectre. The rest of you will take the Ghosts or move on foot."
"We obey, Arbiter," the others replied. Nodding at that, Thel walked over to the Revenant and clambered inside, calmly pressing icons while Bero got into the gunner/passenger seat. Moments later, the Revenant came to life, it's anti-gravity engines working with a muted humming sound. Once all the others had their vehicles fully powered up, they began to advance forwards.
It wasn't long before Thel found he had made the right choice to take the vehicles provided for him and his men. From what he could tell, they were traveling through a series of ravines that had large pockets between each one. Moving forwards, they entered a forested area that was the scene of a pitched battle. Sangheili and other Covenant supporting them were locked in a battle against Brutes and their supporters.
Keying his BattleNet Transceiver, Thel had the Spectre and Ghosts proceed forwards to provide fire support. Moving fast, all three vehicles advanced, moving in-between the Sangheili and Jiralhanae before opening fire. Brutes screamed as their bodies were reduced to charred husks of meat and bones. One attempted to flee, only for the Zealot controlling the Spectre to boost forwards, splattering the Brute all over the ground. "Hah!" he roared. "Cowards!"
"Calm yourself," Thel chided. "There are more ahead. We cannot afford to lose our wits at this time!"
"Understood, Arbiter." With that, the group continued to advance forwards
As they did so, Thel heard a groan from his right. Looking in that direction, he found Bero holding his head, wincing as though he was suffering from a migraine. "Bero, are you alright?" he asked.
"I don't know," Bero replied. "I feel like there's a pressure in my head, but I know I am not ill. Something is changing inside of me. I simply do not know what."
"Remain vigilant," Thel replied. "If anything changes, inform me immediately." With that, they proceeded forwards.
The further they proceeded along, the more evident it became that the Brutes were starting to get desperate. Before the Arbiter had arrived, they had been dealing with isolated pockets of resistance, which could be snuffed out quite easily with brute force. Now, they were dealing with a coordinated team that was cutting through their defenses with more ease than most.
This quickly became evident in the ravine ahead. Moving forwards, Thel moved through a ravine that had a series of rapids, with water gushing at high speed over rocks that were in the riverbed. As he rounded the corner, he found a large supply of what appeared to be Methane Recharging Stations, as well as a stone bridge over the area ahead.
Suddenly, a plasma beam zipped past his head, causing him to instinctively duck behind the armor of the Revenant. "Sniper!" he reported. "Bero!"
"I've got it," Bero replied, pulling out a Beam Rifle that a Sangheili had handed him before they got into the vehicles. Taking aim, he was silent for a moment, before he pulled the trigger of the weapon. The energy beam cut through the air, spearing a Kig-Yar Sniper through it's head, atomizing it's upper head in an instant.
At the same time, Thel spotted one of the Brutes firing at the methane containers as they approached. Eyes wide, he immediately pulled the Revenant back with enough force that it slammed into the vehicles behind him. It proved to be a prudent decision.
There was a loud WOMP-BANG as the methane containers detonated, with blue flames pouring into the air. While a single container of methane on it's own wasn't much cause for concern, there were enough containers that the area shook with the force of the detonation. Thel felt the Revenant wobble from the force of the explosion, as well as a wave of heat that he felt through his tech suit.
When he looked past the Revenant again, he spotted a small crater where the methane containers were, as well as some dead Brutes, their smoking bodies charred and burnt to a crisp. The fools blew themselves up in the conflagration, he realized. They must be quite desperate to use a tactic like this. Either way, they have failed in their attempt to destroy us.
Moving along, he was about to talk to Bero about something when a plasma bolus flew overhead, smacking into the canyon wall. "Wraith!" Bero shouted, pointing up ahead. Looking ahead, Thel spotted the stream, which traveled down a waterfall into a pool of water below his position. Up ahead, he spotted Forerunner architecture, in the form of buildings built into the rock walls, as well as walkways that connected the two structures together. Further ahead, a symmetrical structure was present.
Down in the pool, though, was the vehicle that Bero had shouted about. The Wraith, upon seeing that it missed, fired again, this time, with the shot landing a little ahead of the two. Boosting forwards, Thel jumped the vehicle over the waterfall and down into the pool. The pool's small, he thought, and the Wraith's big. He won't have much room to maneuver, so I can get in behind him and fire at his weaknesses.
With that in mind, he quickly moved to the rear of the Wraith. The Wraith, unable to turn quickly enough, was soon at Thel's mercy, with the rear exhaust vent exposed. Bero, spotting the opportunity, unleashed a firestorm on the exhaust vent, bathing it in pure, high temperature plasma. Within three hits, the Wraith exploded, the powerplant overloaded by the plasma.
At the same time, the Spectre following them opened fire, killing the Brutes that were on the upper level. Leaping out, Thel ascended the ramp and began moving forwards, crossing over a bridge and through a door on the other side. Finding a door, he and the others stacked up on the door before moving inside.
Much to his surprise, there was no one in the room. In fact, the room was being used as an armory, as Thel spotted multiple Covenant weapons that were arranged neatly in the room, like some quartermaster had laid them out for planning. That wasn't all he found though, as he spotted a crate nearby. Moving the crate into the light, he saw a symbol that made him frown somewhat.
"What is it," the Zealot with them asked.
"It appears as though the Brutes are taking trophies," Thel remarked. Pulling the crate out, he said, "There are Star League weapons in here as well. The crates are locked, though, and the Brutes have not found a way in."
"Anti-theft measures," Bero guessed as he looked at the keypad. "UNSC cargo crates have a function that fuses the mechanism shut if someone attempts to open it without the codes. The SLDF might have a similar system, but without destroying the lock."
That was when something odd happened. Just as Thel was about to move it underneath the table in the room again, an audible click came from the crate. Moments later, it opened, revealing a weapon that was inside. Thel immediately recognized it as one of the plasma weapons that the Heretic Elites at the Forerunner gas mine used.
Pulling it out, he looked the weapon over. Aesthetically, it was a blend of the flowing, organic sculpting that the Covenant used, and the geometric, functionalist aesthetic the Star League and UNSC preferred. Activating it, he was surprised to see that it hadn't been genetically locked yet, as the weapon activated without blowing up in his face. Looking at the display, he saw the familiar numbers his species used, along with a power meter, temperature gauge and other functions.
"How did that crate open up?" the SpecOps Sangheili with them asked.
"I don't know," Thel replied truthfully. "Wait… there's a note right here." Bending down again, Thel pulled out a small piece of what looked like paper. Reading it, he found that it said, 'For the Arbiters Eyes and Hands Only – M.K.'
Someone wanted me to have this, he thought, confused. I wonder why. Perhaps I'll learn more further ahead. With that, he proceeded forwards, while the others resupplied their weapons.
Advancing outside, Thel was about to move forwards when he spotted movement up ahead. Suddenly, spikes filled the air as Brutes opened fire on their position. Getting into cover, Thel leaned out and, taking aim with his new rifle, pulled the trigger.
In that moment, he got a taste of what the SLDF had learned from Covenant weaponry. The rifle pushed back, but not as hard as he would've thought. At the same time, a purple-white bolt of plasma shot out of the muzzle, flying faster than most plasma bolts usually did.
While that was well and good, it was what happened to the Brute up ahead that got his attention. The moment the plasma bolt hit, the Brute was dead. The intensely hot plasma bored through the Brute's skin, melting and charring flesh as it penetrated inside. Upon hitting the thoracic body cavity, the plasma rapidly expanded, superheating the air inside. Water inside of cells boiled, before the cells themselves were flash-cooked into meat.
The Brute screamed as it's insides were almost instantly cooked, falling to the ground dead seconds later. At the same time, the others opened fire, with some even having gotten Human weapons, as some Brutes fell as HEAP rounds tore through their bodies. Eventually, the Brutes there were dead.
Proceeding forwards, they passed through a cave, inside of which was a door. "I'll go ahead," Thel told the others. "Bero, you come with me." Nodding, the two went through the door.
Upon exiting it, Thel found himself in a massive canyon. It was at least a kilometer wide, with fine grained sand that covered the ground. To the left, he could see massive stone columns that extended into the sky. To the right, he spotted a Forerunner structure past a large gulf of water. The Control Room, he realized.
Just as he did, he spotted a complication: a Wraith that was approaching. Weapon raised, he prepared to fight a futile battle when the Wraith came to a stop. Moments later, the canopy opened, with an old friend emerging from the interior of the tank. "R'tas?" Thel asked, surprised.
"By the rings, Arbiter?!" R'tas asked, the same emotion in his voice. "The Councilors? Are they -?"
"Murdered, by the Brutes," Thel replied.
"Vile beasts!" R'tas growled, smacking the top of the Wraith with a fist. "The Prophets were fools to trust them!" Looking down, he asked, "Who gave you that weapon?"
"I found it," Thel replied truthfully. "How did it get there?"
"I ensured it," another voice spoke, one that he thought he'd never hear again. Turning to his left, Thel was shocked when an Sangheili appeared, the shimmering aura of a cloaking field fading. The armor it wore was olive drab and gray, the colors of the Star League from what Thel recalled. It was the eyes, though, that had his attention. "I know you," Thel remarked.
"Perhaps you do," the newcomer replied. "Do you remember the foe that you fought at the Forerunner Gas Mine?"
The realization hit Thel like a freight train. "Sesa 'Refumee!" he snarled.
"It can't be!" Bero gasped, eyes wide. "This… this has to be a trick! I-I killed you there!"
'Refumee chucked, but it wasn't a menacing chuckle. It was the chuckle of a Sangheili who's plan had worked beautifully. "You did kill me," he replied. "Just not the real me. What you killed, Bero, was a clone of myself, a clone that matched me perfectly, both in the body and in the mind."
"How is that possible?" Thel asked.
"The Star League has many more wonders than you think," 'Refumee replied. "They have long since perfected the art of cloning. Not a surprising thing, since the governments that form the Star League have been around for nearly a thousand years.
"When they contacted me and my group, they offered me membership and amnesty in return for my services. When the time came, they cloned my flesh and bone, creating a clone that, to anyone that didn't know, would look and behave like the real thing. I must admit, even I was amazed, and more than a little frightened."
"Then how do we know you're not a clone?" Thel asked.
"You should ask your friend that, since he is, apparently, undergoing another metamorphosis," 'Refumee replied.
Whirling around, Thel found Bero standing upright, but something was wrong. The Sangheili's eyes had changed in color, with both eyes becoming a solid, dark blue color. "Bero?" Thel asked, worried. "Bero?!" Racing forwards, he shook the younger Sangheili, only to find that his body was immovable. Whirling around to face 'Refumee, he snarled. "What did you do to him?!"
"Nothing," 'Refumee replied. "I'm just as surprised as you are." Even though he distrusted 'Refumee, Thel realized he was telling the truth.
A moment later, Bero's eyes became the normal orange-brown color they were. Seeing this, Thel asked, "Bero, are you alright?!"
"I'm… fine," Bero replied. Looking at Thel, he said, "Arbiter, I know why my head was feeling so strange. I'm… I'm telepathic."
Before Thel could ask, he felt a pressure, almost as though his head was swelling. Moments later, he heard Bero's voice, only, much to his surprise, it was in his head. It's alright, Arbiter, Bero reassured him. You're hearing me speaking to your thoughts.
How is this possible, Thel asked.
You are aware that I can hear you, yes, Bero asked. Startled, Thel was about to apologize when Bero said, There is no need to apologize, Arbiter. Even I'm surprised by this newfound ability. When I froze in place, I felt my mind growing and expanding, almost as though there were walls that had been removed. I can hear your thoughts as though you were speaking them out loud.
Thel couldn't believe it. His long time friend, who had suffered at the hands of the Flood, had become telepathic?! It was almost too good to be true, unless… Looking at Bero, he said, "If you really are telepathic, then tell me if 'Refumee speaks the truth."
For a few seconds, Bero was silent as he walked closer to 'Refumee, before closing his eyes and placing both hands on the Sangheili's head. A moment later, he said, "It is him, Thel. He speaks the truth."
Hearing this, Thel relaxed, though questions still whirled through his head. Nearby, R'tas said, "Telepathy? If I had heard this coming from anyone else, Bero, I would be wondering if they had been driven mad. How did this happen to you?"
"My guess is the infection by the Parasite," Bero replied. "I must be gaining their ability to shape-shift, as well as their ability to communicate without even needing to speak." Looking at his hands, he said, "I must admit, this… unnerves me."
He was about to speak more when they heard a familiar droning sound. Looking up, they watched as a Phantom landed on a platform extending from the Control Room, with the doors opening. Moments later, the doors closed with a loud booming sound.
Looking at the door, R'tas said, "That is where the Councilors were meant to watch the consecration of the Icon. The start of the Great Journey."
As he said this, Thel had a flashback. For a moment, he heard the Gravemind's words in his head, reminding him of his mission. Looking at R'tas, he said, "I must get inside."
"Then mount up, Arbiter," R'tas replied. "I know a way to get through those doors."