I've been trying to stick to my old posting schedule, but unfortunately there were a few issues with the site yesterday, so this one's coming to you guys late. Again. swear, I will do my best to get the next one on time. In the mean time, please enjoy this one here, and feel free to tell me what you think.
Finding Junior quickly becomes one of the best things that's happened to us. After listening to Tucker's story about us, the Alien hybrid agrees to do whatever he can to help. It seems that this has as much to do with his loyalty to his father as it does his own beliefs about justice. I can see why Tucker's so proud of him. Luckily, he apparently has a lot of influence among his people, due to his work to keep peace between humanity and his own people as well as the legend behind his father, so his word will hold some weight among his people.
Junior talks us through the complicated but surprisingly short trial process for the Covenant. He convinces me to lead a ship back to our home base and bring back some of the others, though he agrees to leave the kids and younger teens out of this, which I'm thankful for. They don't need to be involved in this any more than they already are. Also, though I don't want to say it, I don't think they'd handle being in a Sangheili base very well. Past events have caused many of my younger siblings to fear the aliens. Though I've tried my best to help them past this, I'm still glad they can avoid contact with the Covenant for now.
It's an oddly surreal feeling, returning to the Covenant base again. Nick is waiting for us in the hangar, eager to see both myself and Tinu, who insisted on coming despite my telling her that was already the plan. It almost feels normal, to have my brother greet us like this. It almost feels like home, if not for the alien base and the lack of a young, excited boy shadowing Nick.
I can almost feel my chest tighten a bit at the thought. I haven't thought about Lico much in the past few days. There's just been too much to do to give me time to think. If I'm honest, I've been glad of this. That failure still burns deep in my chest, somehow feeling worse than so many others. Perhaps it's because Lico was so young, or the involvement of my clone, but I doubt if I'll ever stop feeling an ache when I recall his name.
I whisper a quiet apology, knowing he would have wanted to be here. He probably would have insisted on coming as well, even if I was advised to leave kids at home. He always wanted to meet a Sangheili, and see what similarities and differences they shared with himself. I think he would have loved working with Junior.
Gold steps up to my side as I think this, wrapping an arm around my shoulders. "I miss them too," he says, having apparently read my thoughts without even seeing my face.
I nod, leaning into his side. "I'm sure they're glad we made it here, though."
"Boron and Neon probably made a bet about it," he says. I smile at the joke despite the sadness it causes.
Boron seems to be standing right alongside Lico in my mind, another particularly painful failure of mine. The guilt I feel over him is even stronger than all the others, since he died by my own hand. I still don't understand how Gold can stand to look at me, knowing what happened. I glance up at him and see the same pain I feel written on his face.
"I'm sorry," I whisper. I never apologized before. There was never a good moment, and when there was, it seemed like Gold stopped me somehow. Still, I feel it needs to be said. He needs to know that despite my attempts to hold myself together, I do feel remorse for my actions. I hate what I did.
"Don't," he says quickly, words harsher than I'm sure he intended. "I… I need to keep the blame on mom. I can't let myself think it was you. So please, don't apologize. I… I can't handle that."
I nod silently. There's so much I wish I could say, but I know it's useless. Nothing would ever be enough, or ever make it better, and he doesn't want to hear it. I fear his willful denial will collapse someday, though. I don't want to know what will change between us then.
Gold clears his throat and nods as well before backing away from me. "We should go find Junior," he says, lacking his usual happy tone. "He said to talk to him once everyone's here."
I agree and motion for everyone to follow us. We're about to leave the hangar when I realize Yttrium isn't here.
"Where…?" I begin, spinning around as I look for her. I catch a glimpse of curly hair atop one of the alien ships and can't help but smile. Simmons is standing at the base of the vessel, looking up nervously as some of the Sangheili guards approach. I begin to hear my sister's muttered comments as I near the group.
"These designs are fascinating," the mechanic says, sounding happy for a change. "I've never seen this kind of alloy before. Its conductive properties must be…"
"Y-yttri," Simmons says hesitantly, looking at the alien guards. "I don't think they want you up there."
"They won't mind if I take a peak," she dismisses.
"I think they do mind," Simmons counters a bit more forcefully, though the nervousness is still prominent in his tone. "You need to come down. Now."
It's the closest I've ever heard anyone come to giving Yttrium an order, aside from myself, and I half suspect she'll either ignore it or yell at the sim-trooper. Instead she sighs and quickly slides off the top of the ship, landing in a slight crouch next to the maroon soldier. She glares up at the aliens who'd edge closer and loops her arm through Simmons' before walking past me to join the rest of our family.
I smile as I watch them pass, Simmons looking bemused and Yttri wearing her usual scowl, though I can tell she's actually very happy. I'm glad they've managed to bond like they have. She hadn't been the same since her partner abandoned her during the attacks, but I think that's changing. I'm glad my sister's found a way to heal.
I'm sure the rest of our family can follow suit. If Yttri can find happiness, it must be possible for the others as well.
When we find Junior he motions for us to follow him. He explains that he's taking us to tell our story to some sort of council. I wish once again that I knew more about their society, especially how it's changed since the war. Junior tells me the council has already read the documents we brought and heard Dr. Han's statement, as well as ones from Tucker and Wash. All they need now is to hear from our family and the rest of the sim-troopers before they make their final decision.
"Isn't that a little fast?" Tinu asks as we pass through a long corridor.
"No, they're pretty efficient about this stuff," Tucker says. "Trials for these guys tend to not take very long."
"What happens if they don't believe us?" Yttri asks, an edge of distrust and suspicion in her voice.
"Well, considering what you're accused of doing, they'd probably decide to execute you," Tucker says. The answer doesn't surprise me. I always knew that would be our fate if we couldn't prove our innocence. "But we won't let it come to that." Junior then begins speaking, and Tucker translates for his son. "He says he believes you're innocent. He won't let you pay for another's crimes, even if it means he has to break some rules." Tucker grins. "He learned that part from me."
"It'll be fine," Gold says reassuringly. "Worse comes to worse, we at least know how to run. For now all we can do is trust that they'll hear us out."
"Fine," Yttri nods as we reach the door to the hearing chamber. "Are we going in together or alone?"
"One at a time," Tucker answers. "They don't want you guys influencing each other's stories. Junior and I'll be there to translate, though."
"Makes sense," she says, sounding slightly less sullen than before.
"They want you in first, Silver," the teal armored soldier says, waving me toward the door. I glance back at the others quickly, eyes staying on Wash a moment longer than necessary, before following Tucker.
It'll be fine, I tell myself. Just recount every horrible memory you've ever tried to forget. Nice and easy. You can do it. I begin to wish Manny was here and stop myself halfway through the thought. This will be hard enough without digging up that old pain.
Tucker directs me to a raised platform in the center of the room, and I see a half circle of similar seating areas facing it. Representatives of various species of Covenant are here, though it's obvious the Sangheili are in charge. I wait as they give a small speech, listening to Tucker's bored translation. Apparently he's been through this part before. Once they finish, the sim-trooper directs me to begin my story.
I take a deep breath before diving in.