Disclaimer: I do NOT own the character, Nico. Nico is originally NH3's character.

Chapter III: Unwelcome Arrival

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0800 hours July 24, 2553 (Adopted Sangheili Calendar) Shadow of Intent / Orbiting Sanghelios

In high orbit around Sanghelios, the Shadow of Intent was prepared to defend its home world from any enemies to the Sangheili. At last, time to meditate, Nico thought.

"Commander," a lieutenant-ranked Sangheili gasped as he came running in Nico's quarters. "The High Council wishes to speak to you immediately."

Nico sighed, "Tell them that I will be on the bridge soon."

"Yes, sir."

"I really wished that today would be a day without any excitement," Nico muttered to himself unintentionally. Walking calmly, with the air of one who has gone through many wars, and lost many friends, Nico went to the bridge keeping his posture. "The High Council wished to speak with me?"

"Commander Nico," the head councilor spoke in a formal fashion, "you must know that we have a UNSC transport vehicle coming to bring the peace delegates from Sanghelios to Earth. This transport is to be first check thoroughly for weapons that may be used to assassinate the delegates. Further more, ---"

"High Councilor," Nico interrupted, "I know that it is not my place to interrupt the councilor; however, the Shadow of Intent is still under repairs from the last confrontation we came through. The sensors are malfunctioning, and we only have one Banshee that is able to fly."

"That is a problem, Commander," another councilor said with the utmost contempt in his voice. "If you have one Banshee, then use it to search the ship, not to make excuses."

"Councilor," the head councilor spoke again, "you forget your place within this council. You are not to even utter a single word, let alone chastise a ship commander for gloriously victory on the battlefield. The Shadow of Intent is barely able to keep a stable orbit without help."

"I forgot, Councilor," the councilor humbly said, "forgive me."

Suddenly, the bridge, which at one moment had been peaceful, was turned into a madhouse with the sensors screaming from left to right. "Commander," the communications officer exclaimed, "an unidentified ship has dropped out of Slipspace! Your orders, sir?"

"Open a communications channel," Nico ordered.

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0835 hours July 24, 2553 (Official UNSC Time) Bringer of Peace / Orbiting Sanghelios

After the jolt of dropping from Slipspace, Commander Richmond said, "Status report."

"Sir," the damage repair station officer replied, "we have lost artificial gravity on levels 10 thru 14, engines are offline, few members of the crew were injured due to the irregularity of the loss of gravity, and --."

"Commander," the communications officer interrupted, "the Shadow of Intent is hailing us. Should I open the channel?"

"Yes," Richmond ordered. "I see we are late in coming here to Sanghelios, my apologies."

"Actually," Nico said, "you are on schedule for pick-up. The delegates are ready to be transported to Earth for the delegations."

"Good," Richmond sighed, "we had some problems getting here. Both the Slipspace Drive and the artificial gravity had failed getting half way, also we found out that we had some Flood aboard, but that problem was fixed by our Sp--."

"If you had Flood aboard your ship," the head councilor shrieked, "you must not land on Sanghelios."

Richmond, who did not like being ordered by nonmilitary persons, muttered, "I had said we had taken care of the problem by wiping out both the Flood and the Flood spores on the ship. As for the landing on Sanghelios, we cannot under the risk that this ship will burn up on re-entry or not be able to escape the gravitational field of the planet."

"Commander," Nico politely stated, "currently, the Shadow of Intent is under repairs, would you also want our engineers to repair your ship?"

"I see that the Sangheili do have manners," Richmond complimented.

"Commander Richmond," the head councilor said, "we will send a transport for some of your crew to come to the surface; however, they must be unarmed and ready for anything."

"I will, Richmond out," Richmond said. "End transmission. "Shield, are you and your squad ready for land fall?"

"Yes, and I have given them the orders to be unarmed and ready for any scenario," Shield spouted.

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0856 hours July 24, 2553 (Adopted Sangheili Calendar) Shadow of Intent / Orbiting Sanghelios

"Commander," one of the many lieutenants Sangheili on board said, "the report you have requested."

"Good," Nico said, "I really do hate having to lie to the humans like that; however, I am curious as to what that thing was on the bridge on the right side of the commander."

"Probably some new armor for marines," the lieutenant stated.

"Then, how would you explain the other marines not wearing it," Nico retorted.

"Well, sir," the lieutenant stuttered, "maybe it is a prototype, as the humans call them, or maybe he has a special rank that allows him to wear it."

"Maybe," Nico cryptically wondered, "maybe, I will now take the flyable Banshee down to Sanghelios. Lieutenant, you have the bridge."

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0912 hours July 24, 2553 (Adopted Sangheili Calendar) Shadow of Intent / Orbiting Sanghelios

Both the employer and the hired saboteur now cloaked in the shadows, the employer questioned, "Why was the Bringer of Peace able to get here on schedule? I thought that I had hired you to delay the transport indefinitely."

"Sorry, master," the saboteur bowed, "the Spartan III's on board the ship prevented the problem and exterminated the Flood that I had placed aboard."

"I pay you the amount I do and all that I get is perfect plans ruined by an incompetent imbecile," shrieked the employer. "I have given you plenty of chances to redeem yourself. Now, I want you to kill off the Spartan III's and the delegates, and blame it on the humans."

"Master," the saboteur cried, nearly revealing himself, "you know better than anyone my requirements."

"Unfortunately for myself, I have sent the supplies on the transport headed to the Bringer of Peace," the employer moaned, "including an escape vehicle for you to survive long enough to receive your payment."

"Message received and obeyed," the saboteur muttered, "Pitch Night, out."

If he fails again, I had explosives planted on the escape vessel along with a second batch of Flood spores that will awaken if I trigger the heat module in the cargo hold, the employer, who had turned up the lights thought. Now I just have to deal with the rest of my problems in the High Council. The employer, who until this time was staying in the shadows, was none other than the "chairman" of the Board of Interstellar Policies, Xymir Kattaree.

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1000 hours July 24, 2553 (Official UNSC Time) Yermo / Sanghelios

After arriving on the surface, all former military regulations went out the window. "I will investigate the marketplace for supplies," Pollux said. "We don't know when we will need them."

Bandage, who stretched himself after being confined to a small area during the flight, stated, "I will need to receive more medical supplies at the rate that you guys go through them. No, Brimstone that is not a compliment."

"I will see if I can find a bathroom," Brimstone said with a look of extreme agony.

"Fine," Shield grumbled, "everyone investigate the city if you wish. I will go to the High Council Chamber as ordered." After ten minutes of being absolutely lost in a city he knew nothing about, Shield literally ran into some help. "Sorry, I did not mean to harm you, um…"

"Nico," Nico said.

"What?" Shield questioned while still seeing stars.

"Do you not remember me from the conference we had some time ago?" Nico reminded.

"Oh," Shield apologized, "I had forgotten you. My name is Colonel Norman Harmon; however, my squad members call me Shield as you may as well."

Nico, attempting to keep as much of a straight face as he could without bursting out in laughter, bluntly stated, "You were headed to the war college here in the Iruiru section."

"Oh, that could have been bad for your training Sangheili," Shield grunted.

"Why would that be, Shield?" Nico asked.

Shield admitted, "I am one of the few prototypes of the Spartan III Project." Nico's face, after absorbing this fact, had been drained of all the blood that it had. "So sorry for scaring you like that, I just never really had a sense of direction," Shield embarrassed himself.

"We had better go before you run into someone who is less forgiving then I," Nico said with a voice devoid of all emotion.

"Let's," Shield agreed.

This was so far the hardest chapter to do yet. R&R  ciao