Hey
I'm back.
Author's Note:
Hey peeps, this is officially my longest chapter ever. This is where most of the stuff is going to get explained. This was originally going to be spread over five chapters, but I condensed it down and got this, which I think is better. So, this is where the title gets explained, kind of. Please read this, details are important and will come up later in the story.
Read on my fellow fans…
(I don't own HALO and I never will)
One with the fic…
"Brigid," Kyle said, shaking her shoulder, "Brigid, wake up."
"Huh?" Brigid asked, drowsy, "What is it?"
"Your turn on watch," Kyle said, "Sarge says that you and Jo need to get to the bridge as soon as you're up and have some food in you."
"I'm on my way," Brigid said, sitting up. As she did Brigid felt her the stitches on her ribs stretch and she clasped a hand to her side.
"You all right?" Kyle asked, half-asleep.
"Yeah," Brigid answered, "My leg's just asleep, that's all. I'll be fine in a minute." Brigid grit her teeth and straightened, then started limping towards the medical bay. Jo was already there.
"What hurts?" Jo asked.
"I'm fine," Brigid said, getting a shot of adrenaline and slipping an advanced morphine compound into her sleeve, "Just need to wake up."
"Yeah," Jo said, pulling over Brigid's left arm, "That's why your sneaking this morphine out." Brigid ripped her sleeve away.
"Sarge is going to start noticing the missing supplies," Jo said, "He's already had Firefly programmed to alert him of any medical bay entries."
"He can't know," Brigid said, "He'll put me back in cryo-sleep."
"I know," Jo said, "Here." Jo pulled up Brigid's sleeve and gave her the shot. "Firefly can't tell him if he's asleep." Jo smiled. "Come on, lets get some chow." Brigid smiled, Jo had already probably re-programmed Firefly and told Sarge that she would handle it.
"You're the best," Brigid said, pulling down her sleeve. "What's for breakfast?"
"Just grab something fast," Jo said, pulling out a biscuit, some bacon, and an egg. She slapped everything on the bread and handed it to Brigid. "Eat on the run." Brigid inhaled the food before they were even out of the kitchen. "Are you sure that you're not a black-hole in disguise?"
"Yeah," Brigid said, licking her fingers, "Black-holes bow to my power." The two went to the bridge and sent Sarge to get some sleep. The two sat and Jo materialized a deck of cards from one of her many pockets.
"Whatcha feel like?" Jo asked. "Egyptian Rat Screw, Black Jack, Rummy, Gin, or B.S.?"
"ERS," Brigid said, "We haven't played that one in a while." Jo shuffled the cards and dealt out 26 to each. They continued to play the game until a small beeping sounded on a panel.
"It's something outside," Jo said, "I'll go check it out."
"No," Brigid said, "I'm faster then you are, you can lock the ship down if I get caught." Brigid picked up a shotgun and a pistol, attaching the former to her belt as she walked out the door. She sealed it behind her and sealed her helmet. She was now wearing her full MJLONR suit, Killjoy was with her and had made the specific adjustments to the suit to fit Brigid a little better. Her shin guards had practically been cut in half to fit her frame, but they were definitely better then the hybrid of armor she had been wearing. Brigid moved silently despite the near-two-ton suit that enclosed her. Brigid opened a small panel of the ship and jumped down onto the jungle side of the ship. Killjoy showed the location of the disturbance on her HUD and she turned right toward the end of the ship. Along the way Brigid kept her back to the ship and her eyes towards the woods, she wasn't about to get caught with her pants down by a squad of Covenant. She was alerted when her back was just over the disturbance and cocked the weapon.
"Killjoy," Brigid asked, "Are my motion sensor's in place?"
"Yes," Killjoy replied, "One sec, I'll activate them." Brigid felt a hum near the power cell on her back and a small circle came up on her HUD. "You'e covered." Brigid slung her weapon and turned to the panel.
"Kiilljoy," Brigid said, "Record this." Brigid opened a channel to Jo's headset. "Jo, I need to fix something. I'll call in when I'm on my way back."
"Is it plasma scoring?" Jo asked.
"Doesn't look like it," Brigid, "Not at least any scoring that I've ever seen. Looks like something that happened entering the atmosphere." Brigid ran her hand over the gash, if it was a plasm sword it was a weak one, it had barely penetrated the outer layer of steel. Brigid took a welding tool from her belt and closed the gap quickly. She felt something move behind her the moment she set the welding tool back in her belt and spun with her rifle at the ready. She slowly began sidestepping toward the open ship and flicked her rifle from side to side, trusting her eyes more then her instruments. She walked slowly and silently towards the forest, not wanting to disturb a twig if she needed to start running.
Brigid used her shotgun to nudge aside a branch and look into the dense foliage. She crept closer and something moved to her right. Brigid back-flipped away and kneeled, her rifle aiming directly at a Covenant Elite, who was holding two plasma pistols at the level of her head. Brigid, for some reason or another, waited. She did not fire at the Elite, he was not firing back at her. Brigid took this time to really look at the Elite, the armor he wore was different colored, almost like it had been scrounged from other bodies. Brigid watched the Elite for a few more moments and then lowered her shotgun.
"Brigid," Jo asked through her com-link, "Brigid are you all right?"
"Fine," Brigid said, "I just need to check something out."
"Are you insane?" Killjoy asked, the Elite lowered his own weapons, "Why aren't you shooting him!"
"Because he's not shooting us," Brigid replied. "Open a channel so that I can talk to him."
"I cannot believe I'm doing this," Killjoy said, "Channel open."
"Do you speak English?" Brigid asked. The elite nodded. "Sorry if this is a strange question, but why aren't you shooting me?"
"What have to done to me?" The elite asked. "There has been no fault here."
"Um," Brigid said, "Gee, how do I say this, the Covenant hate humans." The elite flinched a mandible, but said nothing. "Well, you kind of destroyed my planet, that's why we're here."
"Did the Covenant follow you?" The elite asked.
"You're the only Covenant we know existed," Brigid said, slinging her weapon, "But I don't understand."
"Come with me," the elite said, "I doubt you will believe me unless you follow." The elite turned and began walking into the dense jungle. Brigid took one step foreword.
"ARE YOU INSANE?" Killjoy practically screamed. "You should be shooting that covenant bastard, not making friends! They call you a super soldier and a Spartan…."
"Killjoy," Brigid said, interrupting the rant, "KILLJOY!" The spunky AI silenced. "I don't think that he's Covenant."
0.o Killjoy
The elite said nothing as they walked through the forest. Brigid scanned the area as she walked and Killjoy was taking video footage and uploading it directly to Firefly should this turn out to be nothing but a trap.
"Where are we going?" Brigid asked.
"My camp," the elite replied.
"I'm going to need more then that," Brigid said, "If you're not Covenant then who are you?"
"We're The Belegerea, the Resistance," the elite said, "Like I said before, you probably will not believe me since our races have long been at war. Still, we exist." He led her through thicker foliage and Brigid still had trouble moving so soon after her surgery, she almost stumbled a few times, but always caught herself. Brigid followed the strange elite until she heard a waterfall crashing against the rocks in the distance. "My name is Oren," he said, "I am a leader among my people. You will not be harmed. Come, if you are here it is not by chance and there is much to discuss."
What Brigid saw as she approached the top of the waterfall astounded her. Below was, what appeared to be, a Covenant Colony. Her eyes took in grunts, elites, and about six hunters. Brigid knew enough about military tactics that, if they ever got angry at the squad in the ship, they would not survive for long.
"Jo," Brigid said into her com-link, "Update: I am not hurt in any way and I am not in captivity. I will be back when I can make it and will give you periodical updates. Brigid out." Brigid did not give Jo a chance to respond, Jo would have locked on to Brigid's position and come after her as fast as a warthog could go. Brigid opened an outer channel. "What do you do here?"
"We survive," Oren said, "And with us we carry the truth of Halo and of our people. How the Covenant came about, and the treachery of the Prophets."
"What's a Prophet?" Brigid asked. "And what's a Halo?"
"It is a holy Hierarch of the Covenant, Halo is an artificial world that was built by an ancient and extinct race to contain certain predators," Oren answered as they walked down into the camp, "And the Prophets ate the reason there is galactic war. Here we sneak out spies into High Charity and slowly whisper the truth into those who will listen to reason. Belegerea has existed longer then the Covenant. We have tried to speak with humans, but most times they shoot our spies before our message can be delivered."
"We do not know much about your culture," Brigid said as they reached the bottom of the hill. "We only know of the Covenant, and they aren't the most forthcoming of people."
"We should not speak until we are safely inside," Oren said, "There are not any spies that we know of in the system, but I would not trust even those in our company." Brigid remained silent, but continued to record the images that she was seeing for Jo and Sarge. Killjoy was still whispering in her ear exactly what mental state she thought Brigid was in.
"Look Killjoy," Brigid said, she appeared to remain silent since a channel had not been opened. "If you disapprove of the situation, next time don't tag along." Killjoy continued to mumble but remained nearly silent. Brigid looked around as they walked through the camp. It seemed as though everyone there was a warrior or a warrior in training. She saw women armed with plasma swords guarding boarders of the camp and several other warriors guarding different structures. Brigid was surprised by the efficiency of the camp. Oren led her through and brought her to the second largest buildings in the camp. Brigid felt wary as the door sealed behind her and two guards came with her. She was led before a chair, which was taken by one of the oldest elites she had seen, he had to be ancient, and a formidable warrior to have survived so long. He sat on his chair like one who did not wish to be in such a place of honor, he looked like he would be more at home on a battlefield smashing his plasma sword into whatever got in his way. Oren bowed low to the elite and Brigid nodded in her head in respect.
"You have returned Oren," the elite said, "And brought this with you."
"I am Private First Class McClain," Brigid said, "My squad was stranded on this planet when ours was destroyed by the Covenant."
"I am a former Zealot General of the Covenant," the elite said, "Now I am known only as Covesash, it means One who broke the Covenant. Oren, please report."
"It is as McClain has stated," Oren said, standing, "their ship rests on the edge of the jungle and they have not made any aggression towards our troops."
"I will speak with McClain alone," Covesash said. The three guards bowed and Oren took his leave through a different side door. "You have much to tell me." Covesash said, standing. He picked up a walking stick and motioned for her to approach the dais before her. Brigid moved cautiously and looked up into the blue eyes of the elite standing before her. "Walk with me, you must have many questions." Brigid left her shotgun in the chamber and Covesash led her through a back door into a long corridor. "This is the chronicle of our people, the true cronicle handed down through generations of underground resisters that have tried to usurp the Covenant since it's existence." Brigid watched as the lights came up and illuminated several tapestries on the wall. "In the beginning the Prophets attacked the Sanghelli and the wars continued on for centuries. Then the Prophets clouded the minds of our forefathers with tales of wonderful worlds called Halos. These worlds would purge the galaxy of evil, which the Prophets called your race. The Prophets knew that they would have eventually lost the war if they had not allied themselves with us. They said that you were the greater of threats and that we should defeat them. From the beginning there has a been a resistance against the Covenant made between the Prophets and the Sanghelli. Later more races joined the Covenant, and more joined our ranks. One day we found one of these Halos and discovered the truth behind the structure. The Forerunners were destroyed by Halo after they could not find a way to defeat the parasite that lived on the Halos. So, till this day we stay alive and lead those who will listen to reason away from the opression of the Prophets."
Brigid stared up at the tapestry, she had no idea that the culture of the Covenant went as deep as it did. She had no expression on her face as Covesash told her more about Belegerea and how they had come to that planet. Killjoy was still recording the data and could retrieve it if necessary. Covesash took Brigid to a garden and they stood talking for quite a while. Then Oren entered and called Covesash to a call from the nearby pedestal. While he was calling Brigid called Jo.
"Jo," Brigid said, "Jo, you there? Hello….anybody?"
"McClain!" Sarge snapped. Brigid winced at the worry in Sarge's voice. "Where in the hell are you."
"Wouldn't believe me if I told you Sarge," Brigid said, looking around the garden.
"You do know that you've been gone for almost twenty hours," he said, "Brian and Kyle have been sweeping the perimeter and the jungle ever since you didn't call in. In that light, what the hell were you thinking, traipsing off like that! You KNOW better then to just walk off in the woods."
"Sarge," Brigid groaned, "I'll be back when I can, then I'll give you a fell report and Killjoy can download the images so that you'll have some proof." Covesash finished his call and began walking slowly back to Brigid. "I've got to go, I'll call in when I can. I'm fine, don't worry about me, and call back Kyle and Brian, they need to stay in the ship."
"McClain don't you even think about…." Brigid cut the feed from her channel and Killjoy decided to make yet another appearance.
"I could upload the images now," she said.
"Yeah," Brigid said, "But then he'd make a Pelican drop on the camp and get torn to shreds. Lets stay here a little longer."
"I still don't see why you're trusting them," Killjoy said, "That communication could be an order to execute you."
"I don't think so," Brigid said, "Don't ask me how I know, but they're telling the truth." Covesash stood next to her.
"Do your people search the beach and surrounding jungle for you?" He asked.
"Yes," Brigid said, "They do."
"Oren," Covesash said, "Order the scouts not to fire on the humans, they mean us no harm."
"I should return soon," Brigid said, "If they think that you have captured me they will attack."
"They would never get past our defenses," Covesash said, "We have prepared this place in the event that an onslaught of Covenant forces should discover us."
"You will have to ask Sarge about the time I was captured on Terran IV," Brigid said, "He got past eight Covenant battalions to break me out of there." Brigid was led to another room and invited to eat. Killjoy quickly ran a scan.
"There's no trace of poison," Killjoy said.
"Thanks mom," Brigid whispered, unlocking her helmet, "Want to chew it for me to?" Brigid removed her helmet and stripped back the black suit she wore beneath it from her face. Covesash froze for a moment before finishing setting out the meal.
"You have a smaller build then originally thought," Covesash said, "And you must have seen much battle." Brigid's eyes fell and lost their life-filled sparkle at the mention of her scars, it made her wish for the blessed covering of her helmet. "Have I offended you?"
"No," Brigid said, sniffing slightly and wiping a tear from her eye. "Just something in my eye." Covesash said nothing. But the way he stood suggested that he didn't believe her. The food put out was strange, but it was also very delicious. Brigid complimented Covesash on the meal., but he waved it off.
"I could never make Toprikla like my late wife," Covesash said as a young female cleared the plates. "Please, meet my daughter, Næla."
"Greetings," Næla said, making a small bow.
"Hello," Brigid said, standing. "I'm Brigid, it's nice to see some girls around here."
"There is a shortage of male warriors," Næla said, "That is why the females must be trained."
"Laksh," Covesash said, "We train females because of their excellence in espionage. The Covenant do not let their females become warriors, but it is mostly females who prepare and serve food, do the house work, and have higher clearance then some generals. Næla here is one of our best, we keep her behind to train the others." Brigid smiled and slid her helmet back on over her had, clicking the locks into place.
"Well," Brigid said, "I should be getting back to my squad."
"We would be honored if you brought them to meet us," Covesash said, standing.
"I'll see what I can do," Brigid said, "But their hate for the Covenant won't be easy to overcome. May I have your permission to show them some recordings that I took on the way in?"
"Thank you, and granted," Covesash said, "I was hoping to make some allies with the humans, if it were possible we could overthrow the prophets faster if we worked together."
"I know," Brigid said, "I will try. I know that one of my company would join me."
"I will send Oren and Næla with you," Covesash said, "They will speak for me." Almost on cue Oren entered and handed Brigid her weapon.
"This is an interesting weapon," Oren said, "Forgive me, but I took the liberty of examining it while you rested."
"Thanks," Brigid said. They did not talk on their way out of the camp, though Oren and Næla were both fully armed. Oren led the small group back towards the ship. Brigid was surprised by how little they talked, she could understand if they were nervous so far away from their people. It took them almost four hours to get back to the ship in the darkness. Brigid peered through the trees and saw the flood lights from the ships. "Killjoy, open a channel to the ship."
"Open," Killjoy said.
"Sarge," Brigid said, "Open the back, we've got friendlies coming in."
"Then why are two armed Covenant escorting you?" Sarge asked, "We're opening up with a fifty-cal!" Brigid held out her hand and halted the two Covenant with her.
"What is it?" Næla asked.
"I'm talking to my ship," Brigid said, "Sarge, open the back door and please don't be armed, hurting these two would make the colony four hours away very unhappy." Brigid smiled as the back door opened and Jo stood there with a rifle slung over her shoulder.
"Brigid," she said, running down the ramp and giving her a hug, "You bastard, don't scare me like that!"
"I'm sorry," Brigid said, "I don't think you'd believe me if I told you what happened."
"Well get inside," Jo asid, "All of you. Sarge is going to tan your hide when he sees you." Brigid set her weapon on the rack and motioned for Oren and Næla to do the same. The two set their rifles on the rack, but Oren kept his pistol and Næla kept her plasma sword. The two followed Brigid into the ship as Kyle and Brian appeared out of nowhere.
"BRIGID!" They yelled, tackling her.
"Ouch," Brigid said as the strain on her ribs greatened. "Ow, ow, ow, ow, ow, OW, OW, OW!" They backed off and smiled.
"We were worried," Kyle explained, sheepishly.
"I noticed," Brigid said, "Lets get to the common area so I can introduce our guests." Brigid led the group into the common area where there were couches as well as a display center. The tension in the room was high, everyone carried some form of weapon and Brigid could tell that Sarge was acting aginst this better judgment. Brigid took off her helmet and set Killjoy down on a pedestal, Firefly soon joined her.
"Hey," she said, wrapping her arm around her 'twin', "Have fun?"
"Humans are really idiotic sometimes," Killjoy said, "Hey! Want to see the footage."
"Yeah, in a sec Killjoy," Brigid said, sitting with her helmet on her knee. "Well, no questions till I'm finished." Brigid recounted her story of how she came in contact with Belegerea and, just as she thought, Sarge didn't believe her until Killjoy showed the footage of the colony and of Covesash talking with her in the garden.
"I'm still not sure," Sarge said, "No offsense with given company, but how can I be sure that this isn't just a Covenant plot."
"I can speak for my father," Oren said, "We hate the Covenant, and we always will."
"I didn't know Covesash was your father," Brigid said to Oren. Oren turned to her and nodded. "Hm."
"As I was saying," Oren said, "We are not Covenant. Um, excuse me, Killjoy?" The AI looked up at smiled, Oren looked befuddled on how to address the machine. "Would you lease show the footage of the tapestries." Firefly, now in control of the program, waved a hand through the air and froze an image from Brigid's suit.
"These thingies?" Firefly asked. Oren nodded and Firefly lowered her arm. Covesash's voice rang through the room.
"This is the chronicle of our people, the true chronicle handed down through generations of underground resisters that have tried to usurp the Covenant since it's existence." Brigid watched as the lights came up and illuminated several tapestries on the wall. "In the beginning the Prophets attacked the Sanghelli and the wars continued on for centuries. Then the Prophets clouded the minds of our forefathers with tales of wonderful worlds called Halos. These worlds would purge the galaxy of evil, which the Prophets called your race. The Prophets knew that they would have eventually lost the war if they had not allied themselves with us. They said that you were the greater of threats and that we should defeat them. From the beginning there has a been a resistance against the Covenant made between the Prophets and the Sanghelli. Later more races joined the Covenant, and more joined our ranks. One day we found one of these Halos and discovered the truth behind the structure. The Forerunners were destroyed by Halo after they could not find a way to defeat the parasite that lived on the Halos. So, till this day we stay alive and lead those who will listen to reason away from the tryney of the Prophets." Firefly cut the image just as Brigid would have walked outside.
"So," Oren said, "As you can see, we are by no means, Covenant."
"And I would not suggest the we are near the colony," Næla said, "A less passionate warrior will let you go with a warning, but those who do not know that you are foreign will probably assault and kill you for the insult."
"Covesash wishes to meet all of you," Brigid said, "He feels that if the forces of the resistance allies with the humans the war could be over years before anyone planned. They have Coveant technology that could boost the speed of researchers by years and they wouldn't have to rely on scrounged material that's been fouled in battle. It makes perfect logic, besides, if the x Covenant did follow us we stand a better chance with them then on our own."
"I don't know," Sarge said, "I'm going to need some more proof." Oren stood and nodded to Næla.
"I think that this will be all the proof you need," she said, unhooking her brother's chest plate.. When Næla stepped aside the whole room gasped. Branded into Oren's chest was a strange mark with two slashes through it. "This is the mark of shame, it was branded into both of us when our father left the Covenant. We were both children at the time. Covesash himself is not branded, they made him watch." Brigid lowered her head, the scars on her face mirrored nothing of the pain carried in Oren's eyes.
"My father has yet to forgive himself," he said, "Now perhaps you will believe us."
"It's enough for me," Sarge said, "I don't know about being friends, but I'll meet this guy."
"Well," Kyle said, "We should at least find out. It's only been a day since we got here and we don't know if the Covenant followed us. Our chances deffinetly lie in numbers."
"Hell," Brian said, "I just want to check out your weapons. I always thought that their plasma weapons kick ass." Jo laughed and everyone looked at her, she was the only one who had not said anything.
"One second," Jo said, crossing her hands over her chest, "I am receiving word from on high. And the word is why the hell not, I have nothing else to do." Brigid laughed and suddenly realized just how tired she really was after being up for almost a day. She yawned.
"Wow," Brigid said, "I beat. I think I'm going to get out of this armor and take a nap, or I can sleep in the warthog if your guys want to leave now."
"That would probably be best," Oren said, "Covesash will be worried if we do not come back tonight."
"We can take some supplies in the warthog," Jo said, "If we end up spending time there we'll have food and ammo."
"What about warthog tracks?" Brian asked. "If the Covenant did follow us they could use those to track us."
"We'll guide you a few klicks from the colony," Oren said, "They will be cautious if they do not know what they are going into. Besides, our scouts would alert us the moment a ship landed."
"No," Næla said, "He's right, it is to dangerous to leave tracks. I'll alert a scout and he can send a hover transport from the colony. Firefly, will you show me out of the ship?" Næla stood and walked outside the ship, lead by the life-size version of Firefly.
"What is we just piloted this thing into the forest?" Sarge asked.
"Sarge," Brigid said, "I doubt even you are that good. The ship will stay here, we can always come back and move it."
"The transport will be here in twenty minutes," Næla said from the doorway, "I suggest that you get ready."
"Firefly," Sarge said, "Shut down the ship and make sure the reactor is completely cool. Brian, get a standard weapon check and secure the armory. Jo, I want medical supplies for our people and a few foodstuffs. Kyle make sure we have field radio's and go into the security system, I want a rig so that we can lock it down and open it by remote. Brigid, get your armor ready and take care of the AI's. Everybody got a job?" All four nodded.
"Yes sergeant!" They said in unison.
"Dust off in nineteen," Sarge said, "You know the drill, get moving people." The four marines jumped up and started moving.
"Quite an efficient team you've got," Oren said, "We may request your aide in training the new recruits and young warriors."
"Careful what you wish for," Brigid said, taking Killjoy off the pedestal and sliding her into her suit, "He's hell when you put him in 'drill sergeant' mode."
"Drill Sergeant?" Næla asked, turning toward her brother, "Is that like a Junai?"
"Must be," Oren asked, "I guess we'll find out." Fifteen minutes later the transport got there and Brigid began to load it up. They took some weapons that Oren had liked, foodstuffs in case someone didn't like the food there, even though Brigid had found it very enjoyable, and locked down the ships.
"Well," Firefly said, sounding lonely, "I hope we'll be back soon."
"We will," Killjoy replied, "Don't worry, nothing will happen to her." Brigid smiled. They finished loading up and got on the transport. Brigid smiled on the ship as they pulled away and then fell asleep on the transport, when she woke up her armor had been removed as she was lying on a mat. She sat up and looked around, there was a light through the door and walked through it. Jo was leaning against the archway and looking in on the room, a glass of green liquid in her hand.
"Hey," Brigid said as Sarge and Covesash talked in the other room, "How long have I been out?"
"Meh," Jo said, "About twenty-two hours. You were exhausted."
"What's going on?" Brigid asked.
"It took Sarge and Covesash about five minutes to become friends," Jo said, "He's already asked us to join the Belegerea. Killjoy and Firefly have been integrated into the security systems and are working on teaching the Belegerea AI more advanced programming. Our ship is going to be moved to their hanger and they've arranged apartments for each of us with a guide until we can find our way around."
"Where are Brian and Kyle?" Brigid asked.
"They're talking with Oren and their Quarter Master," Jo said, "They want to work on merging the technologies to make them stronger. Brian's already working on a schematic to refit the Crimson Revenge with plasma cannons and shield generators."
"Sounds fun."
"They're also talking about mixing your armor with theirs," Jo said, "They talking about an invisibility pack, shield generator, and light to the point we can wear it."
"That sounds really fun," Brigid said, "Is there anything else going on?"
"Næla wants to teach us to be spies," Jo continued, "Covesash wants us to contact UNSC and convince them that Belegerea exists, and he also wants us to start fighting and see if we can lead a few open fights against the Brutes, Jackals and the other races who oppose them."
"Well," Brigid said, "That's not a lot to do at all."
"Practically nothing," Jo replied with a chuckle. The two remained silent for a few minutes. "How's your arm doing?" Brigid raised her twisted left arm and flexed her new hand.
"Fine," she replied, "It hasn't hurt since I came here."
"It's the water," Næla said, coming up a ramp on the left. "For some reason the water here contains an unknown compound that speeds up healing. Our scientists haven't been able to identify it yet."
"Killjoy will want a sample," Brigid said.
"She's already analyzing it," Næla said, "She insisted upon it as soon as she entered the system."
"Doesn't surprise me," Brigid said, "So, what are we doing?" Jo shrugged.
"As of right now," Jo said, "Nothing."
"Would you wish to settle into your permanent apartments?" Næla asked, "After that you could inspect your ship or visit the training area."
"Sounds good," Jo said, "Let's go." Brigid smiled and lifted herself off the wall, life with the Belegerea was going to be good.
Ok, I know it was long and semi-boring. But action's coming up. Promise.
Aa'menealle nauva calen ar' malta. (May your ways be green and golden.)
Hannon le. (Thank you)
Verya