TIME FRAME: This chapter happened before and after the event of Quarantine Zone Halo 2.
Chapter 10 Revelations
Zen woke up with the feeling of someone rubbing his neck. He purred happily as he liked the sensation. Zen opened his eyes and saw that it was Nira who was doing this.
"Good morning." said Zen.
"It's actually PM." replied Nira smiling down at Zen.
"Oh." Was all Zen could muster to reply as he snuggled closer to Nira, their bodies pressed together.
"I like this." whispered Zen
"Me too… But Zen we need to get out of bed now; or else we won't be able to eat dinner and will miss the mission briefing." Zen flashed a playful grin and held her even more tightly.
"Well screw the mission; I want to be with you, like this, forever."
"Oh, Zen; as much as I don't want to go, we really need to go to the mess hall. I'm hungry." Zen sighed and the two of them sat upright.
The 2 approached their armor piles and started gearing up. Since Zen's armor was easy and not complex as an Elite armor would be, he finished first. He casually checked the pockets of his armor and was surprised to find something tucked in it. He took it out and his widen with shock. It was a remote; not just any remote but the remote he 'created' that could detonate the bomb he 'left' at the city and at the lap of the Prophet of Truth.
Now he truly understood what the phrase "shape the future" meant. He truly did shape the future when he was at that other world. If what he did could somehow affect the sequence of events that were about to unfold then they would obviously would have won the war. But there was something wrong with his logic. He saw the chief and Stahn on that other world. They didn't die like he was told yesterday.
'So that must mean they are still alive.' Zen thought concluding his inner debate.
'I have to give this remote to Master Chief and tell him to detonate the bomb when they get off the city they were in; And tell him to promise me that he won't leave Cortana behind since the remote detonation problem has been solved.' Zen was so deep in thought that he didn't notice Nira was staring at him.
"Something wrong?" she asked.
"No, its nothing." said Zen shaking his head, snapping out of his deep thoughts.
"Ok… C'mon lets go." said Nira beckoning him to the door.
* * * * *
The 2 arrived at the mess hall which was filled with Marines, Kig-yar and Sangheili who were eating. Some tables contained mixed groups of aliens and humans chatting happily whilst some contained only one species.
They scouted the tables and found Z'jo and Zide eating at a table. They took their meals and joined them.
"Hey guys." said Zen casually taking a seat across Z'jo and Zide. Nira sat next to him.
"Hello." said the 2 simultaneously. Z'jo took a sip from his drink.
"Hey there, love birds." said a voice behind Zen and Nira. 2 hands slapped their shoulders and both almost choked in surprise. Sergeant Johnson sat behind them.
Z;jo choked from the drink he was drinking and was coughing; Zide dropped the food he was holding from his hands and landed on his plate, his face wide eyed and his mouth was open.
"Love birds?" asked Zen trying not to blush. He wasn't wearing his helmet; he just placed it on the table. "What's that supposed to mean?" he said glaring at Johnson.
"Don't you deny it lover-boy; I know you two got something on." he said to both of them.
One word crossed Zen's mind. BUSTED; He didn't want to discuss his relationship with Nira especially when Nira's 2 brothers were right in front of them.
"Well good for you. But don't dwell on it. Least of all here." said Nira looking around to make sure no one was eavesdropping other than his 2 brother who were stood like frozen statues, still recovering from the shock and listening attentively.
"I gotta ask did you guys really do it? Cause I caught you earlier that time getting it on." he said with a teasing grin. Z'jo and Zide mandibles twitched.
"NO!" exasperated Zen, trying his very best to keep his voice down. "But it's not like we can't do it, we didn't do it, because we're not ready yet." Johnson cast him a wary look then he's watched rang.
"Well I got to go." he said looking down his watch. "Use protection you two." and he left.
"What. Just. Happened?" asked Zide speaking for the first time after there long conversation.
'Time for some explaining to do.'thought Zen.
"Wait let me guess." said Z'jo. "You two are in a relationship aren't you?" he asked.
Zen bit his lip and nodded the same time Nira did.
Z'jo let out a deep sigh and stared at his food.
Zen waited but only received silence, from Nira's brothers.
"What, no argument?" asked Zen looking at Z'jo and Zide. "About me being human? About her being a Sangheili? About us not being compatible?
Z'jo let out another sigh.
"Zen, I, for one, don't mind whom my sister chooses as her boyfriend or consort. As long as she's happy, I'm happy. And Zen if it even comes to the matter I don't mind having you as my brother-in-law." Zen was taken aback by this statement.
"Nira," continued Z'jo. "Don't worry. If ever Father freaks out and tries to kill your consort will protect him, right Zide?" asked Z'jo.
"Heck yeah, I always wanted to kick father's ass, if he's still alive of course." said Zide.
"Why is he dead?" asked Zen curiously.
"No… We don't know exactly." said the 3 siblings at the same time.
"Well come on, we wasted enough time as it is." and the group stood up.
"Oh, and Zen and Nira." he said turning to them. "Please keep the surprises to a minimum or tell me in advance, I don't think I can withstand another shocker."
Zen and Nira just smiled at him.
* * * * *
The mission was practically easy enough to understand. Z'jo, Sergeant Johnson, Nira, Zen, Zide, Miranda Keyes and a couple of heretics and Marines were going to go to the library, the location on where the Index was supposed to be. When they got to the Index, they had to get it and get the hell out of the library.
Easier said than done; along the way they met Covenant forces which were also on the same mission. The fighting was intense. Along with the Covenant they also had to fight the Flood who seemed to be everywhere. The fighting was so intense that only Zen, the 'Evanam siblings, Johnson, 2 marines (McKenzie and Perez) and Miranda survived the ordeal.
Suspended in the air above a great chasm was the Index, wrapped in its sheath. Miranda thought of how to reach the Index and saw a Flood tentacle hanging from the top of a wrecked Enforcer. She grabbed the leathery tentacle and took in a breath to steel her nerves. She hung off the ledge over the deadly chasm and reached for the Index. As her hand came within inches of the sheath the machine whirred and clicked open. He grabbed the precious artifact and said,
"Gotcha." in triumph. She gasped as the tentacle started to slip. She was just about to plummet to her death in the pit but someone grabbed the tentacle at the last minute. She looked up to see Zide struggling to pull her up.
"You know you could have asked for some help." he grunted as she grabbed her free hand and pulled her onto solid ground.
"The Index is secure." she said to him. Sergeant Johnson walked up to them and said,
"I'll call the guys." He switched on his comlink.
"McKenzie, Perez, how's our exit?" he asked. There was no response.
"You hear me, Marines!?" shouted Johnson; still no answer. He shouldered his BR55 rifle, and said to the 2,
"We've got trouble." Miranda readied her double SMG's, Zide with his Carbine. Then there was a blue explosion that came behind some wreckage. Zen's unconscious body flew from the air and landed on their feet. Then Z'jo and Nira came running behind the wreckage.
"The Covenant-"Z'jo began but a cloaked figure leaped from the wreckage they had come from and beat him in the back of the head. Z'jo fell soundlessly as he was knocked unconscious. Nira quickly turned around and started firing her Carbine at the clocked figure.
The figure rushed Johnson, threw his BR55 and lifted him into the air. It would seem that the figure was glaring at Johnson and he glared back.
"How ya doin'?" asked Johnson mockingly. The figure growled under his breath and head butted Johnson, knocking him unconscious too. He threw his body to Zide who caught him but fell down the floor hitting his head, knocking him out cold.
"Stay down!" yelled Miranda as she let loose with her M7s. They pelted the figure's shields and made them over charge. The active camo disappeared revealing a Sangheili with distinct looking armor. The elite grunted as a round hit his hip and he dashed for cover. Miranda and Nira stood with their backs hugging each other's, looking for the enemy.
"Team?! Are you ok?" called Miranda. They made no reply. Then the elite leaped from the wreckage again and gave a vicious club to Nira's head with his plasma rifle. It was hard enough that the force knocked her unconscious. Miranda gasped and turned to fire her M7s but the elite swatted them out of her hands. She was about to react but Z'jo shouted from behind her,
"Duck!" she did as instructed and Z'jo fired his Carbine. The shield less elite cried out in pain as five shots from the Carbine hit him three times in the torso, and twice in his right leg. He fell to his knees, too stunned to move. Miranda crouched next to Nira, trying to wake her up.
Z'jo approached the elite and kicked his plasma rifle away from him.
"Let's see who the Prophets chose to be their Arbiter…" he said as he finally recognized the armor as the Holy Warrior's armor. He kicked the Arbiter in the chest, he grunted in pain as he lay flat on the floor. Z'jo placed his right hoof on the Arbiter's chest and aimed his Carbine at the defenseless elite. He recognized the face of the elite who lay flat on the floor.
"Father!?" he said as he recognized his father's face behind the helmet. He recovered his composure and then said,
"I'm sorry… I have to kill you now." said Z'jo as he looked in the scope of the Carbine and aimed it at his father's head. He put weight on the trigger but hesitated. Thel didn't do or say anything. He just lay flat, breathing heavily.
"Z'jo" said Miranda, knowing that he could not kill his father. "We can-" she began but she was hit by a shock wave. Z'jo spun around in surprise as did Thel look up with wide eyes. Miranda was pulled backward like a rag doll and landed flatly on a brute's shoulder. Thel took his chance and grabbed Z'jo's Carbine. He then flipped Z'jo on the ground and threw the Carbine away. Thel stood and kept his hoof on Z'jo's chest.
"Excellent work, Arbiter. The Hierarchs will be pleased." said Tartarus. Thel had a hand resting on his torso where he had been shot by Hu'jiana.
"The Icon...is my responsibility."
"You are the biggest freaking idiot in the galaxy." Z'jo spat.
"I actually agree with him, Arbiter." said Tartarus casually as he shifted Miranda on his shoulder. Another Brute picked up Johnson and slung him on his shoulder like a sack of potatoes. Then the albino Jiralhanae added,
"Was your responsibility; now its mine." Two Brutes surrounded the Arbiter and Z'jo and aimed Brute shots at them. Thel unknowingly let his hoof off of Z'jo and he scrambled up and stood next to his father.
"A bloody fate awaits you and the rest of your incompetent race." Tartarus readied the Fist of Rukt "And I, Tartarus, Chieftain of the Brutes will send you to it."
Just then Nira, Zide and Zen started waking up from unconsciousness. The 3 stood up and was surprise that brute shots were aimed at them. They immediately raised their arms and joined Thel and Z'jo.
"What's going on?" asked the 3 simultaneously.
"When the Prophets learn of this, they will take your head." Thel said to him, completely ignoring Zen, Zide and Nira.
"When they learn?" repeated Tartarus before chuckling wryly. "Fool, they ordered me to do it." Thel reared his head back in horror.
"Some great Covenant." mocked Z'jo. Then with a pulse of his gravity hammer, he pushed 5 off the ledge to fall to their deaths. The 5 blacked out and wondered if they had died.
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