Chapter 1: Forced Marriages
UNSC Admiral Samuel Kluge and the Sangheili Imperial Admiral Xytan Jar' Wattinree shook each other's hands for the first time in their lives. They were aboard the Covenant battleship Relentless Pursuit. Since the Great Schism, the Elites had sided with the humans in a bloody civil war against the San'Shyuum (Prophets) and their followers.
They locked eyes, mortal enemies at first, now allies. Even now they felt reluctant working alongside each other. They had never thought, in their entire lives would something like this happen.
Until now.
An uneasy silence ensued, neither one knowing what to say.
Eventually the human broke the silence.
"Well, we're on the same side now," Admiral Kluge stated the obvious fact.
"Preposterous! Blatant treachery!" A voice behind him blustered. Stunned, they turned around as the door behind them opened.
The voice belonged to Colonel James Ackerson. Blustering furiously, he pointed to the Elite.
"First I get sent on this damned ship with no explanation, and when I finally get one THESE creatures are our new allies! The sheer irony of it! They try to kill us all and then they want to join our side!" The colonel was as red as a tomato, almost beside himself with rage.
Xytan Jar' Wattinree's cocked his head at him and glared with such intense fury that Colonel Ackerson took an involuntary step back.
The Imperial Admiral was adamant. "You are right on the account that we tried to kill you all. If the Great Schism had never happened I would have glassed your home planet. But now we are on the same side."
"None of us wants it this way. I do not want it; he does not want it. Fate and fate alone has forced us together. And together we must fight to win."
"How can we be sure you don't have plans of your own? After all, you were working for the Prophets before this, weren't you? So why join us now?" The colonel would not budge.
Xytan Jar' Wattinree's eyes momentarily flashed with anger. His hand moved towards his deactivated Energy Sword hilt, but he decided against it at the last moment.
"Those treacherous Brutes that replaced us! Them and the Prophets! Next to them, you appear as the better side," he snarled reluctantly. With another snarl, he left the room, shaking his head.
Admiral Kluge watched him go, surprised. He turned to Colonel Ackerson with a bemused expression on his face.
"You know, Colonel, you certainly know how to turn allies into enemies real damn fast."
The colonel grimaced. "He was so winded up it didn't take much. He really needs to learn to control his temper."
"Don't we all," muttered the admiral under his breath. "Okay, Colonel, gather all our forces. Especially the Spartans," the admiral said aloud.
"What?!" exclaimed the colonel. "Oh no, not them again! It's always them. They're far to overrated. Just use any old Marine for this!"
"Just do it!" Admiral Kluge insisted.
"Yes, sir," Colonel Ackerson replied reluctantly. He turned to leave.
"And Colonel? One more thing."
The Colonel turned around, a questioning look on his face.
"Remember who's in charge here."
On the surface of Installation 07
Ricoh and the other Spartans stepped into the hangar of the Avenger of Truth on an island. Zorro' Zamamee turned to him.
"My forces will guard the ship. You and your team can scout the installation," Zorro' Zamamee suggested.
"Right on, Zor. Now, let's go!" Ricoh gestured to the other members of his team. There was Juliet, their team's engineer and computer hacker. There was Leo, a head taller than he, the group's heavy weapons specialist.
Two more Spartans darted out of nowhere. They were Scott and Tanya, the team's scout and explosives expert respectively.
And the last member of the team materialized out of nowhere beside him. She was Alexandra, the team's spy and sniper.
"Okay, everybody grab a Banshee and scout the area." Ricoh slid into the nearest Banshee. The rest soon followed suit.
The Banshees took off in perfect synchronization, in a V-formation before splitting up over the island in twos.