Chapter 12- Execution
At the space station Vessel of Retribution that was above Sanghelios.
Thel'Vadam was having a conversation with Rtas'Vadum in the Council Chamber. The room was filled Elite Councilors conversing and Honor Guards protecting the leaders of the Covenant Separatists.
"How are the station's conditions?" Thel'Vadam asked.
"Very well, the Engineers are repairing our ships and vehicles, the Methane Suite is suitable for the Grunts and we have provided them with food from the food nipple and other types of food suitable for them, the Hunters are adapting to the space station as well as the Engineers." Rtas'Vadum said.
"Good, now do we have any information on what the Loyalists are doing?" Thel'Vadam asked.
"No, we have no information, they haven't attacked any of our planets." Rtas'Vadum said.
"It is not like for the Brutes to go into a defensive position." Thel'Vadam said as he wondered what they were planning.
An Elite Major approached them.
"My apology for interrupting, but Lord Hood has arrived." The Elite Major said.
"Good, send him in." Rtas'Vadum said.
Lord Hood entered along with two Marines.
"Hello Arbiter, Shipmaster, I have very good news." Lord Hood said.
"What is it?" Thel'Vadam said.
"Well, we've received a transmission from Forward Unto Dawn."
"What do you mean?" Thel'Vadam asked confused.
"Well, a while ago we received a transmission, from Cortana. We tracked the transmission, and it came from Onyx. We believe he's there." Lord Hood said.
"I must go and find him." Thel'Vadam said.
"Yes, he'll help us win this war once and for all." Lord Hood said.
"But sir, wasn't Onyx destroyed?" One marine asked.
"Well the transmission came from Onyx's coordinates." The other marine said.
"I will go to figure it out and save the Spartan." Thel'Vadam said.
"Arbiter go aboard one of our Supercarriers, lead a fleet, and rescue the Spartan." Rtas'Vadum said.
"Two frigates will go assist you as well, if that's alright with you." Lord Hood said.
"Yes, is there a Supercarrier and a fleet that has infantry and vehicles ready?" Thel'Vadam asked.
"Yes there is." Rtas'Vadum said as he beckoned two Honor Guards.
"Yes your Excellency?" One of the Honor Guards asked.
"I need you to escort the Arbiter to one of our loaded Supercarriers so he could lead a fleet." Rtas'Vadum said.
"As you wish."
The Honor Guards escorted Thel'Vadam to the hanger bay. It was full of many Seraphs, Cruisers, and Carriers. Also Elites were assigning infantry to ships and loading vehicles onto the ships. The Honor Guards walked towards an Ultra Elite who was assigning infantry onto the ships. The Ultra Elite saluted the Arbiter as soon as he saw him.
"I am honored to be in your presence Arbiter." The Ultra Elite said as he saluted.
Thel'Vadam nodded.
"The Arbiter requires a loaded Supercarrier, are there any available?" One of the Honor Guards asked.
"Yes, many are ready, they are over there." The Ultra Elite said as he pointed towards twenty Supercarriers.
Thel'Vadam approached one of the Supercarrier.
"This one will do." Thel'Vadam said.
"Do you wish to depart now Arbiter?" The Ultra Elite asked.
"Yes." Thel'Vadam said.
"You may enter the Supercarrier, I will call the crew to prepare for departure." The Ultra Elite said before he entered the Supercarrier along with the Arbiter.
As the Ultra Elite guided Thel'Vadam to the control room, Thel'Vadam noticed several Grunts, Elites, and Hunters were staring at him. He even heard some conversing.
"The Arbiter is commanding our vessel?" A Minor Elite asked.
"I guess so, I feel honored to be commanded by such a glorious warrior such as the Arbiter." A Major Elite said.
"Arbiter here now we safe." A Grunt said.
"Mighty one here, he's so strong." Another Grunt said.
Thel'Vadam and the Ultra Elite reached the bridge of the Supercarrier. The Ultra Elite approached the stand, pressed a button and began speaking.
"Attention all personnel, your new shipmaster until further notice, is Thel'Vadam, the Arbiter, you are to follow his orders on this important rescue operation, that is all." The Ultra Elite said before he looked at Thel'Vadam.
"May the Forerunners be with you." The Ultra Elite said.
"May the Forerunners be with you as well." Thel'Vadam said before the Ultra Elite saluted and left.
Thel'Vadam left to the bridge of the Supercarrier. He pressed the intercom button and began to speak.
"Everyone at your stations, we are going to engage a slipspace jump in three minutes." Thel'Vadam said.
Suddenly an Elite Zealot approached Thel'Vadam.
"Greetings Arbiter, I am honored to be on under your command again." The Elite Zealot said.
"Again, what do you mean?" Thel'Vadam asked with a confused face.
"Oh, you don't remember me?" The Zealot asked.
"Wait, Veer, is that you?"
"Yes, I haven't seen you since we were on board Retribution's Thunder(Covenant Destroyer)."
They both shook hands.
"Veer, what have you been doing since our return from that mission?"
"Well, I have been in command of a fleet, but during the Great Schism my fleet managed to help fight back the infestation on High Charity, while fighting Loyalist, but after the infestation got out of hand, and Loyalist forces retreated, I ordered my fleet to go to Sanghelios to help protect it from Brute forces. Then I was told the Prophet of Truth was killed by you. After that I continued to help protect Sanghelios from any Loyalists attacks, I even helped defend Sanghelios a few weeks ago. I was then told that the Vessel of Retribution was finally built, so I decided to come for a visit to see you again."
"Wait, are you in command of this fleet?"
"I am second in command, until this mission is over. I am here to assist you in rescuing the Spartan." Veer said.
"Arbiter, the ship is ready to depart for a slipspace jump." The navigator said.
"Initiate the slipspace jump when we are out of the hangar." Thel'Vadam said before he sat in a gravity chair.
"Ready the fleet, we are departing the vessel of Retribution in 3,2,1, now." The navigator said as the Supercarrier left the hangar bay along with 3 Assault Carriers, 6 CCS-class battle cruisers, and 2 UNSC Frigates.
"Now, begin the slipspace jump to Onyx." Thel'Vadam said.
The fleet made a slipspace jump to Onyx, when they got there Onyx was heavily damaged.
"Prepare 5 Phantoms so I may depart to the surface, Veer take command of the fleet until I return." Thel'Vadam said.
"Yes Arbiter." Veer said.
Thel'Vadam left in one Phantom along with four others to the planet of Onyx.
"We are almost at the location of the beacon, keep going North." Thel'Vadam said.
The Phantoms continued North, after a few minutes they encountered the half of Forward Unto Dawn, it was crashed near a Forerunner structure.
Two of the Phantoms landed near the crash site and dropped of Thel'Vadam and a lance consisting of five Grunts, two Minor Elites, and one Major Elite from the gravity lift. They entered the crashed section of Forward Unto Dawn, as they were walking by the wreckages of walls from the inside of the ship, they began to hear a voice.
"I wonder if anyone will find us." The voice said.
They followed the sound of that familiar voice.
"I wonder if the beacon even made it to them."
They continued to follow the feminine voice until they reached the entrance of the room where the voice was coming from. They entered the room and found Master Chief in a cryotube and Cortana on a nearby pedestal.
"Its you, I guess you finally got the distress signal." Cortana said.
"Yes." Thel'Vadam said before he looked at Master Chief in his cryotube.
"I'll open it." Cortana said before she opened the cryotube.
Master Chief awoke and shook his head as his vision began to clear up. He lifted himself out of the cryotube.
"Welcome back Spartan." Thel'Vadam said before he handed Master Chief an assault rifle and some grenades.
"It feels good to be back." Master Chief said before he had Cortana uploaded into his neural interface again.
"Just like old times." Cortana said.
"Wow, now we have the demon on our side." One of the Grunts whispered to another Grunt.
"What's up?" Master Chief asked.
"I shall tell you once we return back to the ship. But now, let us enter this Forerunner structure." Thel'Vadam said.
They entered the Forerunner structure, it was the Core room Antechamber.
"Why are we here?" Master Chief asked.
"This Forerunner Construct, it looks very interesting, bring down the Phantom full of Engineers to inspect this construct." Thel'Vadam told one of the Phantom pilots before a Phantom dropped off seven Engineers.
The Engineers began inspecting the Forerunner Construct.
"While they are inspecting the construct let me tell you what happened since you were gone." Thel'Vadam said to Master Chief.
At Dosaic
Jarburus approached the Prophets of Desire and Loyalty.
"You have requested my presence noble Hierarchs?" Jarburus asked.
"Has the execution of the Unggoy been done?" The Prophet of Desire asked.
"We have sent them to Eayn just as you requested but they are fighting back, but I know soon they will be killed and fed to the Kig-Yar."
"Now we have a new assignment for you Chieftain." The Prophet of Loyalty said.
"What is it?" Jarburus asked.
"You are to quell this new rebellion of Brutes, I am sure it will be easy for you and after you have completed that mission, you are to recover an Oracle from one of the Sacred rings. Is that clear?"
"Yes Noble Prophets."