And now onto the shore leave! This will cover a diversity of topics, particularly with Kyle's sections. Enjoy!

...

01230 Hours, February 22, 2683

New Mombasa Combat Arena, Earth

Sol System, Forerunner Cluster

...

"World renowned superstar Jared La Rosa lines up his shot on an unsuspecting opponent's cabesa," La Rosa muttered under his breath with a smirk as he did just so with his sniper rifle. "The crowd waits in anticipation while he savors the thrill of the kill. Double point multiplier if he strikes between the eyes."

Feeling he set the shot up enough, he pulled the trigger and struck his opponent in the neck. The man collapsed to the ground in a shimmer of blue light as the other three soldiers pointed to La Rosa's direction.

"Close enough," La Rosa muttered to himself as he displaced from his location, simulated rounds whizzing over his head. The itch to go to a combat simulator had been bugging him for weeks and thankfully New Mombasa had one in the heart of the city. It was nowhere near as flashy as the ones on Reach or Edmonton, but it was a perfectly serviceable training ground for teams on the off-season. Fortunately for him, today was a recreational use day. Which was good because those punks who challenged him deserved to be put in their place.

"He's over there!" One of the other soldiers shouted in the distance.

"Oooooh!" La Rosa taunted. "I'm quaking in my boots!"

He about faced to avoid their return fire. Good! They took the bait. He dove behind a wall, rolled into the hallway of a nearby building and ran to the opposite side. He could hear the other soldiers outside scattering about to flank him on multiple angles. Now for a little stealth action! He twirled his rifle like a flag and gripped it with the butt facing towards him. A pair of footsteps approached his position. He lifted his rifle back like a baseball and quietly muttered to himself.

"Bottom of the ninth…bases loaded…Jared 'Casey' La Rosa is up to bat…"

He spotted the soldier's shadow and grinned as he swung. The rifle slammed into the soldier's helmet, knocking the poor bastard onto his back. With another twirl, Jared aimed at the soldier's head and fired.

Two down!

As he ran out of the building, he looked back to see the soldier's motionless body disappear in a shimmer of blue light like the first one. Thanks to the advances in combat arena technology, players could actually use lethal force and not kill anyone. Once a player received enough critical damage or a killing blow, their armor would lock and a device built into their arena suit would warp them back to their "home base" or out of the arena. Not that La Rosa would be too bummed if he killed these guys after how rude they were. It just meant he didn't have to hold back.

He rounded a corner and spotted two other soldiers coming towards him. A quick glance to his side revealed a stairway to the second floor of the building. He ran full speed up it as the soldiers fired, his shields shimmering as rounds bounced off them.

"He's heading up to the second level!" One soldier shouted out.

"Very astute, Sherlock!" La Rosa taunted again.

"We're gonna kill you, Helljumper!" Another soldier said.

La Rosa chuckled. It was cute how they thought they were going to win! As he reached the top of the stairs, he spotted what he was looking for. A large 'man cannon,' essentially a gravity launcher that propelled players across the arena, was at the edge calling his name. The bullets flying behind him were enough motivation to answer the call.

As they reached the top of the stairs, he jumped into the cannon, twisted in mid-air and aimed at the soldier to the right. With a crack, his shot connected where the soldier's right eye would be, sending him rolling down the stairs before disappearing.

"Yes! Multiplier!" La Rosa cheered flying in the air. He timed how long it would take to land as he plotted his next step. He didn't know if the other soldier would follow or not, but they were probably angry enough to try any crazy tactic to catch him off guard. And he still had no idea where the other remaining soldier was, so he had to keep a careful watch. A few seconds later and he landed on the ground with a roll...

…just in time to miss a sniper shot. He rushed behind some rocks as another shot ricocheted near his face, blowing simulated dust at him. The guys who designed the arenas have done their best over the years to make the matches feel as real as possible. He still remembered when it was nothing but generic landscapes with just a little polish.

As he put his back to cover, he retraced his steps since the match started. He had already used three shots. He could only use two more if he wanted to win the bet. He could do it! He moved to a crouch and slowly peeked around the corner looking for the sniper. That punk had to be at that team's base. He fixed his zoom as he scanned both levels of the base. Just a flicker of light from their scope or a poorly timed movement was all he needed.

"He's behind the rocks!" A voice shouted over the intercom.

Shit! Their buddies outside the arena were helping them.

"Cheaters!" He shouted as he ducked, missing another shot. They were going to play dirty, huh? It wouldn't help them.

Then he heard the roaring of a vehicle engine. The other soldier had found a warthog and was driving right towards him. The fact it wasn't slowing down cued him to the plan. They were going to ram the warthog into the entrance he came from hoping to block his escape, forcing him to exit out the side where he was exposed to sniper fire.

They really didn't know whom they were dealing with!

He ran back the way he came in right as the warthog was about to slam into the entrance. With a fluid jump, he dove right under the vehicle as it rode over him and crashed. He turned and aimed the rifle to the driver's side as the soldier jumped out. What luck! The soldier's nuts were right in his line of sight.

One perfect shot later and the soldier was down for the count. La Rosa suddenly felt an impulse and rolled out from under the vehicle as a sniper shot hit his previous spot. Now it was just him and this jackass!

"You can call it quits, you know!" La Rosa shouted to wherever the sniper was. "You wouldn't be any less of a man!"

"Good thing I'm not a man then!" A distinctly black female voice shouted back.

"….touché!" He admitted. "But you're still going down!" He calculated how far away she was based on her shout. She hadn't left the base, but she was moving. She wanted to lure him into the base to sneak attack him.

"One minute remaining!" A voice shouted over the intercom. Shoot! He was going to have to take the bait. He bolted from behind the warthog towards her base. He quick scanned the front of the building. No sign of her. At least not yet.

He arrived at the entrance and put his back against the left side with his rifle raised. After counting to three, he entered the building breach style. It was dark and way too quiet. He knew she was setting a trap. He just had to think faster than her. Switching on his light, he slowed his steps and listened carefully. She was nearby. He thought of the possible places she could be hiding. As he reached the center of the bottom level, he looked up to the open ceiling leading from the second level. She wasn't there. Then where…

By the time he figured it out, she was already behind him. He quickly spun around, grabbed the barrel of her rifle and lifted it above him as she fired. She tried to stealth snipe him from right behind the head. Clever girl!

Before he could react, she kneed his rifle out from his hands. It landed on the ground as he grabbed her rifle with both hands and slammed her against the wall. He would have pummeled her to critical damage right there, but he had to keep within the bet. He pulled at her rifle trying to take it from her, which was tougher than he thought. She was strong!

He twirled the gun out from her hand and tried to aim it. However, a kick to his chest caused the rifle to fly out to the ground. He took a badly timed moment to catch his breath as she wrapped her arms around his neck. Though he technically couldn't be choked to death, his arena suit could register prolonged pressure around his neck as such. He shook around and flailed his fists behind him to no avail. His shields were decreasing rapidly.

He moved the two of them back and forth, slamming into walls and trying to roll out of her grip. She continued to hold on though, countering his moves. Shit! This called for something especially drastic.

Then he thought of something.

He allowed her to forward slam him into a nearby wall. Before he hit it though, he stuck a leg out and shifted their momentum. He hoped this worked! He used both legs to walk up the wall and positioned both hands onto her shoulders as he slipped himself out of her arms. With sheer luck, he flipped himself over her and pushed her into the wall. His landing was less than graceful though, as he met the floor face first.

He quickly grabbed the nearest rifle he could find. It was hers, but he didn't care. Right as she turned, he aimed from the ground at her face.

"Bang," He said slyly as he fired.

The woman's suit locked up and she fell to the ground. He heaved while letting his adrenaline cool down. A few more seconds and the woman disappeared in a shimmer of blue. He won! The arena level disintegrated around him, reverting back to its generic empty state. He chucked the rifle away and swaggered weakly to the tinted window where he knew the others were watching.

"Can!" He shouted pointing at them with an insidious smile. He exited out a nearby door and began chucking pieces of his armor onto the floor.

"That doesn't count!" A tall blonde haired man with a buzz cut shouted at him. This was the guy who had challenged him in the first place, but didn't have the guts to actually fight. Something about 'officiating the match.' Behind the man, the rest of his team stood by their lockers putting away their gear and grunting unsatisfied.

"The rules were completely fair," La Rosa defended. "Five minutes. Five bullets. You never said anything about whose gun I could use."

"There's no-"

"It's just as unfair as helping your buddies from behind the scene. If you want to argue semantics, we can have an arena official review the match's vid. I don't think you want to wait that long though, especially if he's just going to say you lost. Now pay up!"

They stared down each other for a few seconds before the blonde man conceded and opened his omni-tool.

"That's a good boy," La Rosa said as he walked away. "Maybe next time we can go 'mano y mano' so your people can see what a punta you really are."

He walked past the other soldiers and nodded. Most of them looked away or pretended they didn't see him. However, the female soldier met his eyes with a stern glance. He noticed her name, Greenwood, on her armor.

"You got talent, Greenwood," he said. "Keep practicing. Maybe one day these guys won't have to hold you back." She nodded and resumed taking off her armor.

He turned to see a dumbfounded and wide-eyed Resolme still by the window staring at him. "The match is over, greenhorn." He chuckled without breaking his stride. "You can blink now."

Resolme quickly caught up as they exited. "I….I don't know how-" He stammered.

"There's nothing to really say," La Rosa said. "I kicked their asses!"

"You didn't have to do that."

"And what, let them get away with calling you those names? No one bad mouths our greenhorns except us."

Resolme looked back to the arena. "God! That's pro level stuff you just pulled."

"Yup…" La Rosa said as he reached into his shirt. "You can be a Blood Dragon fan, a Reckoner Knight fan or any other fan you want to be. And there's nothing wrong with that. Anyone with half a brain knows the current Blood Dragon line-up are going to own this year."

He pulled out what he was looking for. Looped in the chain of his dog tag were two arena combat championship rings. Like anything of value, he kept them close to his heart.

"But any arena combatant worth his salt should know one simple rule," he said proudly, "Don't screw with a Grey Warden!"

"Ha! Tell me that's not true," Kyle chuckled.

"No kidding," David said as he drank from his glass. Ever since they arrived at the Korean restaurant, David had been chewing Kyle's ear off with stories. Some of them were things Kyle knew little to nothing about, but at least David made them interesting to listen to.

"We offer Kitt a sizeable sum for the job. He told us how much he wanted to work in vids, especially with…oh, how did he put it? 'The extravagant and exhilarating advances in extranet distribution.'" David joked putting on a stuffy accent. "Did this guy step out of the 22th century?"

Kyle's eyes drifted to the other people around them. Kim entertained Emma across the table while Sandra and Joseph discussed something that was certainly outside his demographic. It's not that he wasn't paying attention to David, but he just found the scene charming. In spite of the Korean restaurant's flaunted style and cleanliness, there was something that still made it inviting for a family. It was also surprisingly multicultural for being such a specific cuisine, with human, Asari and Unggoy servers bouncing between tables. At least the kids were behaving themselves. Heaven knows that rowdy and obnoxious kids can ruin the atmosphere.

"Didn't the guy know you were paying him by the episode?" Kyle asked returning back to David.

"Right? He was only doing two or three episodes, but it's a prestigious job. And he's one of those awards hungry types, so that should have sweetened the deal," David continued. "So we're preparing to shoot the first episode and everyone's excited. I mean, who would believe we got Francis Kitt to get off his stage and do vids?"

"And then…?" Kyle anticipated the 'but' moment.

"And then we get a call from his agent saying he's not interested anymore. I'm all, 'What? What could be so important that he would break contract and bail?'" David then chuckled. "The agent then told me…" David slipped into a goofy British accent. "'Mr. Kitt has found a new venture that would be more suitable and challenging for his skills.' That's when I saw a story on an entertainment news site for his production of Hamlet with an Elcor cast!"

"Elcor?" Kyle said surprised.

"I kid you not. Francis Kitt's Hamlet is an all elcor production. THAT'S more interesting than a miniseries on the Great Schism?"

"He does realize it's easier to fit Mgalekolo through a needle's eye than make an Elcor act?"

"That's what everyone said. Kitt had some defense how it's about judging 'Hamlet by his deeds and not his emotions.' You know, to placate the arty types."

Kyle shrugged. "Guess making a theater guy play for the other team was too much to ask for."

"Yup," David sighed. "Who would have thought live theater would see such a revival over the last few decades? Ah well…I'm directing the pilot episode now, so good for me."

"On that short a notice?"

"Sure. I've been working on this show for so long I can recite the script in my sleep. Kim knows that," David joked as he nodded towards Kim.

"Oh yes," Kim played along. "It's mesmerizing. It's like someone narrating a Terrence Malick film."

"Har dee har har!" David mocked. "You're lucky Kyle doesn't watch old movies so he can't get that joke."

Actually, Kyle had seen quite a few older films. David obviously introduced everyone in the family to some of the classics, but Kyle had seen a few on his own accord. David was right though. He had no idea what the hell a Terrence Malick movie was.

"Sorry, I could talk entertainment all day," David said as he 'waved' the conversation away. "This is about you, Kyle. How long has it been since we last saw you?"

"Too long," Kyle replied.

"I'll say," Kim chimed in. "Mom and Dad were surprised when they found out you were coming back. Oh, and they said sorry by the way."

"What? Sorry that they couldn't drop everything and visit me on a day's notice? Shocker! I thought everyone was made of money like you guys are," Kyle joked. He was surprised that he was in such good spirits at the moment. Maybe it was the anticipation of actual Earth made food.

"They really wanted to come," Kim said flatly.

"I know, I know. I'll give them a call later," Kyle said retracting his jokey tone. Kim didn't usually joke about family, even if she was perfectly fine teasing David.

"They're doing fine though," David said. "But you can bet they were stunned to hear you found the Master Chief."

"Yeah!" Sandra piped in. "Grandpa didn't talk for forever after Dad said that. He looked like this." She then made a goofy 'stunned look' face that probably wasn't too far off from the real reaction.

"First we resurrected theater and now Earth's most famous hero," David said to Kyle. "Only logical progression is to bring back the dinosaurs."

"What's a dinosaur?" Emma asked.

"I'll tell you later, honey," Kim smiled looking back to Kyle. "Dad's very proud of you."

"I'm sure he is," Kyle said. Despite some of the tougher edges his father earned from the ODST, he respected and cared for that man.

"Is that ours, dad?" Joseph said as he pointed to an Asari carrying a large tray of fresh dishes.

"I think so," David said signaling her over. "Took long enough."

The Asari arrived at the table and started laying out the plates to their respective person. "My apologies for the wait," she said cheerfully. "I hope everything is to your liking."

"If this kimchi tastes as good as it smells, I will be very content," David said to her as she placed a dish of pork and…some other stuff in front of him. Kyle hadn't tried much Korean, so he went with a safe dish of stir-fried chicken. He still couldn't pronounce the proper name for it though!

"Let me know if I can bring anything else for you," the Asari said politely moving to another table.

"Alright, don't make a mess everyone," Kim said to the children. "We don't want to look nasty before church."

…that was something Kyle didn't expect to hear.

"What now?" He said befuddled.

Kim turned to him surprised. "I thought I told you we were all going to church today."

Kyle shook his head. "I don't recall that."

"Well…that's what we have planned. There's a service today."

"You're coming too, right Uncle Kyle?" Emma asked him innocently.

Kyle was in a bind now as everyone's eyes fell upon him. Church wasn't a priority in his agenda, but he couldn't turn down the invitation now without looking like a jerk to the kids.

"…well, I don't have a 'Sunday best' to wear," Kyle sighed.

"Oh no worries," David in the middle of chewing his food. "Kim brought an extra suit. She figured you wouldn't have one."

Kyle gave a quick glare to Kim, who averted his gaze. He knew she hadn't mentioned church in any of her messages. She probably set him up for this moment to happen. They had his word now though, so that's all she cared about.

Kyle picked up a fork and twirled around his food. Looks like his shore leave was going to be more spiritual, whether he wanted it to be or not…

First came the slow rise of the intro. A chorus of men and women joined together in a steadily rising note accompanied by a shimmering sound. Then came the drums with a steadily, pounding rhythm accompanied by a distinctly Russian chant. Then came the electronic music. Each new piece built the song bit by bit, ratcheting the scale and the intensity.

That's exactly the kind of music Julianne Engelbrektsson liked!

The surge of biotic energy that rippled from her hands was enough of a sign that she should buy the album. She took the sampler earpiece off and examined the title on a display screen: The Complete Works of Jesper Kyd. She had never heard of this guy before, but he sure had some good music!

"Finding everything alright?" An alien voice said nearby. Julianne saw a Sanghelli dressed in the music store's uniform approach her. He was your typical squidhead. Young, thin and covered in omni-tattoos from his various fandoms. He more or less resembled what human hipsters used to resemble centuries ago. She particularly liked the Nine Inch Nails logo on his arm that waved around as his muscles flexed.

"It's pretty good stuff," she said looking at the display screen again, sliding through the items in her digital cart. There really wasn't a need to go to a brick and mortal store these days, since everything was streamed or purchased through the extranet. The squidheads loved being retro though and there was something cool about the experience of being in a place where 'professionals' could recommend music. Unlike the corporate imitators though, this store offered a genuine old school feel with simple interior designs and none of the distracting glitz. Only true lovers of music could enjoy the simple pleasures of a true music store and there were few lovers more dedicated to keeping the tradition alive than the squidheads.

"We don't get many on duty marines in the store," the squidhead said.

"Oh, I'm not on duty," Engelbrektsson replied. "Just passing through."

"Ah…stockpiling for the next tour. Well then, you need the best selections," the squidhead said scrubbing through menu options on the screen. "Kyd's early work is good, but you need some real classic material."

Engelbrektsson rolled her eyes, but let the Squidhead continue. The kid meant well and if the music could help her focus during a firefight, she was open to suggestions. Being a biotic support was nothing to scoff at. While it wasn't hard to fling nuimbskulls like La Rosa with her mind, using that much power without a stable mental anchor point. So far, music seemed to be the most reliable method for her and not just any genre. Her playlist contained easy listen, heavy metal, jazz, instrumental, classic rock, dub step, rap and everything in-between. Something about tuning in to the right frequencies helped her focus her energy immensely during the most stressful situations. And based on all the stories she has heard about L2 implant biotics overclocking their energy, she was going to take every precaution even if she had a superior L3 implant.

"I take it you are a human of a broad music palette," the squidhead said stopping at a certain album.

"Sure," Engelbrektsson said putting in the sampler. "I've got plenty of instrumental in my cart though."

"Oh don't worry," the squidhead replied. "This is something you probably haven't heard before."

Engelbrektsson would have scoffed at the Sangheili's cliché music lover expression until he pressed play and an alien sounding tune played. If she didn't know better, she would say the music sounded…Gregorian? The melody certainly had the air of a religious tune. She gave a raised eyebrow to the squidhead, who 'smirked' the way a Sangheili could.

"Pre-Covenant spiritual poems," the alien said. "They were largely abandoned once the new religion was set forth, but some splinter factions are trying to revive them. It's a very old dialect of Sangheili tongue said to be the closest to the original Forerunner language."

Engelbrektsson nodded as she listened intently to the music, which shifted into a tune resembling a violin playing over a duet. The tune was incredibly melodic and equally as melancholy. She felt a nerve twinge inside as the duet continued to harmonize.

"Softly sang the weary warrior," the squidhead spoke reading the lyrics matching the time code.

"Who went to war with no regrets.

With youthful eyes and sober temper,

Praying to the gods for swift resolution.

His hearts beating triumphantly alongside

Many who would never see home again.

Softly sang the weary warrior.

Draped broken and beaten on a slab

His sword boiled blue from every swing

With blood and tears and broken bones.

With every cut, three foes fallen.

With every fracture, four wives widowed.

Softly sang the weary warrior

Who finished his war with no regrets.

With youthful mind and sober temper,

Praying to the gods for swift resolution.

His hearts beat faintly, then fell asleep

As his soul was lifted to return home—"

Engelbrektsson then heard the squidhead jump as a shimmer of biotic energy erupted around her. The song continued to play in her ears as she had her eyes closed and some tears formed around the ducts. She felt herself becoming loss in the song, regardless of whether she knew the words or not. The squidhead then tapped on her shoulder, prompting her to open her eyes.

"Hey!" He said worried. "You alright?"

She took a moment to register the question while looking down to see her shimmering hands and arms. With a quick inhale, she centered herself emotionally until the biotic energy dissipated. Was she that distracted by the music that she couldn't pay attention to how much energy was outputting from her?

"It's…it's very powerful," she said looking back to the squidhead.

"Apparently," he noted. "So…you're a biotic?"

"Yes…is that a problem?"

"No! No, not at all. It's just…I mean, I just don't want any problems with…you know, that," he said pointing to her hands.

"I can keep it under control," she said noticing a few glances from the customers around her. Great…the biotic stigma seemed to be catching up to her. She had been in such an accepting environment for so long that she had forgotten that biotics weren't exactly the most accepted group among humans. She sighed and pulled up her omni-tool. "I'll take the album."

The squidhead nodded as he checked his own omni-tool and attempted to shift the conversation. "Yeah…yeah. So then when do you leave for your next tour?"

"As soon as the Master Chief feels comfortable being back on Earth, I guess," Engelbrektsson replied. "Or until the brass kicks us out to our next mission. Whichever comes first."

"Yeah, I…wait," the squidhead said noticing what she said. "Master Chief? Like the famous human warrior?"

Engelbrektsson nodded.

The squidhead's eyes bugged out. "Wha…when did this happen?" He exclaimed. "How?"

Engelbrektsson smirked. So apparently the news had not spread to everyone yet. She did a cartoony looking around gesture to see if people were listening and then leaned in to whisper to the squidhead. "Between you and me, I was with the team that found him."

The squidhead gasped. "Wow! Tell me, tell me, tell me, tell me!"

Engelbrektsson checked her omni-tool clock. Shopping for music was the only major event on her to do list, so she had some time to kill telling this guy what she was allowed to say. Hopefully everyone else was finding more fun ways to spend their time…

Kyle loosened the tie on his suit as he followed David, Kim and the kids down a crowded sidewalk. It was likely just a nervous reaction, because the tie wasn't tight at all. Why he was nervous he had no idea. He went to church every Sunday with his family when he was growing up. It's not like going again would kill him. Admittedly, it had been a while.

He didn't speak a word to Kim or David since they left the Korean restaurant. Kim's little kidnapping scheme still irritated him and he felt too much guilt to back out in fear of upsetting the kids. It was his fault for being caught off guard though, since he should have known Sunday equaled church in their culture.

"Are you sure this is the nearest chapel?" Kim asked David as the kids tailed along behind her.

"It's a little farther than I expected, but yes," David replied back navigating with his omni-tool map app. It was his idea to go by foot, as he wanted to recreate the old fashioned tradition of walking to church. However, twenty minutes of walking was certainly more than 'a few blocks away.' At least it wasn't raining.

After crossing one more street, the chapel came into view. If there was one thing Kyle still remembered, it was how modest the buildings were. They had all the material and essential functions of a modern building, but their design was intentionally low-key. No flashy colors, small size, no complicated patterns and nothing too expensive in design. Well, except for that little spire that was high enough for people to see from a short distance. That and its contrast against the surrounding buildings certainly made the chapel stand out.

Kyle noted how funny religion was these days as they followed a diverse group to the building. There were ups and downs in religion's popularity depending on the current political and social climate. Some religions endured the test of time to have millions of currently practicing members. Others fell by the wayside for failing to adapt, making bad choices or simply becoming unpopular. And even more continued to be founded in an effort to stand out amongst a confused religious atmosphere. It was interesting to study historically, even if it was simply out of mere curiosity.

The last century brought about an unforeseen revival in religious interest thanks to the Human-Covenant War. The fact that it was brought about by religious fanatics certainly jaded many people, but others emerged from the rubble with stirred consciences and existential dilemmas. Kyle's grandfather was one of those people and it was his actions that led to his family into becoming churchgoers. Nothing like the near extinction of your species to awaken curiosity over the existence of an afterlife.

There was certainly no end of human religions to seek after. Christianity, Islam, Hinduism, Buddhism and many popular religions opened their arms to the hungry and grief stricken masses. Many faiths had to adapt their doctrine to accommodate the discovery of extraterrestrial life. Of course, like anything with religion, that brought up no end of controversy for how to appropriately accept other lifeforms.

However, an even more intriguing development was the intermingling with new races and their religions. Once the Covenant races became allies, they started sharing their own beliefs and philosophies with humanity. It was a good move on their part. What had previously been known as a misguided super cult was revealed to be a collective of diverse and intriguing theologies that sought understanding like any human faith. Most of those faiths had been cast aside or absorbed into the Covenant's doctrine prior to the war, but interest in non-Covenant dogma was slowly reviving the old beliefs. The Sanghelli faith was still the most well-known among humanity, but the Unggoy and Kig-Yar have also found acceptance within human culture.

Things only continued to expand from there. The fallout of the First Contact War and intermingling with the Citadel races opened new avenues for the religious amongst student and casual observer alike. The Asari religion Siari, the Athame Doctrine, the Salarian Wheel of Life, Drell polytheism, Hanar 'Enkindler' doctrine and more were quickly introduced into the already complicated religious atmosphere. Kyle was surprised people could even think with so many different voices shouting at them, but each faith managed to be fairly represented amongst the human population regardless.

Which made him all the more surprised that his church, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, was still thriving at all!

It was nowhere near the oldest Christian sect, but the Church had seen its fair share of compelling history over the last few centuries. It was one of the first major faiths that, right behind Catholicism, openly embraced and encouraged interaction with other alien races. The prophet and apostles at the time reiterated the idea over and over again that 'God's image' does not literally mean strictly human properties. Additionally, they promoted tolerance and forgiveness towards members of the Covenant races who had turned away from their violent crusade to seek enlightenment, along with tolerance to those who had no intentions of converting. They didn't make a lot of friends doing so, but the Church had never been very concerned with popularity.

It was also amongst the loudest voices for missionary work on a galactic scale, even outside of proselyting. Stories have been told of Church missionaries offering service across the galaxy to both human and alien alike. From establishing agriculture for developing colonies to running community centers on the Citadel, the Church's presence had been felt if even in small doses. Church promotion material still circulates inspiring photos of interspecies connection, including a famous photo with two human missionaries playing soccer with Turians, Salarians, Sanghelli and Unggoy. Despite general tolerance to it as a faith and the occasional alien convert, it was still a largely human religion.

So Kyle would have never have expected to see the person greeting them in front of the chapel doors.

"Enthusiastic greeting, welcome brothers and sisters to our chapel," a large Elcor wearing his race's equivalent to church clothes boomed with his droning monotone. Elcors continued to be a mystery for Kyle, more than wondering about how anyone could baptize an Elcor in the first place. Despite being incredibly huge and with arms that could crush cars, Elcors were one of the least intimidating races he had ever met. Something about their slow movement, monotone and overly friendly speech felt off to him. Still, he couldn't complain. If they weren't shooting at him, they were fine for now.

"Proper introduction," the Elcor continued to drone, "My name is Brother Urlyn. Is this your first time visiting?"

"Yes and just for today," David said. "We're from out of town. Sacrament hasn't started yet, has it?"

"Confident reassurance, no it has not. We are about to begin Sunday School."

"Yay!" Sandra said excitedly. "I hope the kids are nicer here than the last place."

Kyle looked back to see a nicely dressed Sanghelli exit from the building as other humans and a few Asari walked into the building.

"Salutations, brothers and sisters," the Sanghelli said as he shook Kim and David's hands. "Always a pleasure to have visitors."

"Informative statement," Urlyn said to the Sanghelli. "Brother Ak'Thom, you should show them where the classrooms are."

"Agreed," Ak'Thom said, "Getting lost would do none of us well. Please follow me."

The group proceeded to follow Ak'Thom and Urlyn into the building….except for Kyle.

"Hey Kyle," David said turning back to him. "Are you coming?"

"Uh, yeah," Kyle said hesitantly. "Just…uh, just give me a minute."

"Alright. We'll save a seat for you," David said as the group entered through the doors.

Kyle wandered a few steps away from the building and ran his fingers through his hair. He suddenly felt very uncomfortable. Was it fear? Guilt? Anger? He couldn't quite pinpoint it. It just didn't feel right. For some reason, the idea of his squad judging him for going to church ran through his mind. It was totally irrational, but he did so anyway.

He sat on the curb outside the building and sighed. He took a moment to reflect as a few stragglers entered the chapel. He didn't deny there may be a God out there. Heaven knows he has been in moments where only divine intervention could have kept him alive. He just had…doubts. Doubts about why he had to go through what he did in the First Contact War. Doubts about why better people than him died while he continued on. And doubts about…forgiving. He knew there were probably simple answers to these questions. Just not satisfying ones. Going to Church today was not likely to change that either.

A thought ran through his mind. He could leave. The others would be none the wiser and he could do something he wanted to do instead. He toyed the thought around for a few minutes, seriously considering it as an option.

He groaned. He was being a baby. It's church! If he could fight Jiralhanae and Batarians, he could sit through a church meeting. Just be polite, don't raise a hand for questions and it will be over quickly. It was like any other meeting he had been to. Just with more talk about Jesus and for three hours

With a deep sigh, Kyle stood back up and entered the building. He hoped three hours would be as short as he remembered it being...

Codex Entry: (Humanity and the Systems Alliance) Entertainment

Entertainment and dramatizations have important cultural significance for most races. Humans in particular have a proclivity to seek diversion, enlightenment and other functions through the arts. Over the centuries, their arts have evolved from drawing on cave walls to elaborate moving picture productions.

Following the Human-Covenant War, entertainment found itself both as a pariah and a necessity for recovery. While many decried to idea of trying to use the arts to divert from serious reconstruction, others saw it as a necessity for the same goal. Numerous enterprises were ruined from the ramifications of the war, but others endured or adapted to find new means to communicate to the masses.

Some artists chose to resurrect old forms of entertainment such as live stage theater to interact with local audiences on more intimate levels. Others chose to pursue the newly established extranet as a means for mass distribution. Comedy and historical stories dominated the scene for years, but more diverse genres developed as conversations about the Human-Covenant War and First Contact War became more frank. After a few decades, humanity's entertainment world re-emerged as a thriving enterprise.

Further growth came as intermingling continued. Sanghelli, Asari, Turians and other races art forms soon found audiences on Earth. Likewise, human entertainment was exported and marketed with cross-species appeal in mind. Human driven cinemas and stage productions found homes on the Citadel while human extranet programming continues to receive phenomenal ratings across the board.

To learn more about human and other species entertainment history, visit the respective extranet links.

Now to Part 3!