Chapter Six
Age of Doubt/Age of Reclamation
Carriers Vengeance/
Covenant Cruiser
Bridge
The Sangheili Shipmaster, Sheal'Ahljm, perched atop the throne that looked over his bridge crew. As Sheal awaited his answer, he grew more irritated as the silence continued. A cluster of idiotic Unggoy shuffled their feet against the ground, occasionally whispering nervous remarks to the brother next to them. Another moment of silence passed, and Sheal was done waiting.
"Well?!" he roared, pounding his immense fist down onto the top of an unsuspecting Unggoy, shattering its methane tank and crushing its skull. Gas hissed from the fallen Unggoys mask, causing the entire crew to flinch in their seats. No one came forth, they all knew whoever delivered the bad news to the dangerous Sangheili would not live to see his methane tank refilled. They uncertainly muttered to themselves, until a lone Kig'yar slithered up to him, its eyes never meeting Sheal's. The elite glared down on him, barely containing his rage.
"We discovered the source of the corruption, o'great warrior Sheal'Ahljm." The Kig'yar, Zoune, groveled.
"And?" he asked, his curiosity getting the better of him.
"The human maggots erased one of the files, and then attempted to cover their armor-less-" Sheal cut him off, "What file?" the Sangheili snarled, his anger again returning like a hot flash.
"Something encrypted. The rebels have withheld the info they have promised for their lives. The humans guarded it most heavily…it is too protected for your crew to decipher remotely unless we upload it directly into the system." Zoune said quietly, motioning to the control unit.
"Then we must fetch The Carrier. Trace the location immediately. How important, exactly, to the UNSC scum?"
"They've already begun searching for The Carrier, brave and honorable-"
"Betrayal! Heretics! They have broken the agreement! I shall burn them all, spill their blood onto the planet's crust!" Sheal roared, smashing his fist into the Kig'yar, sending him spiraling across the room only to slump lifelessly to the ground.
"But majesty, the fleetmaster Keld'Narem has instructed us to keep The Carrier human alive," one of the deacon Unggoy squealed to his left, "to kill them all would be heresy."
Sheal slowly turned toward the Deacon, his paw resting on the energy sword attached to his waist. Sheal realized he had been given a great honor to carry out a fleetmaster's will, and would not betray his blood line because of the pathetic heretics. He straightened from his maddened cursing, and his eyes cooled to the point the deacon could see would be of reasonable judgment.
"Of course, Deacon, you are correct. But the heretic's treachery will not go unpunished." Sheal amended, his huge paws balling into clenched fists. "After they have been utterly annihilated, inform the fleetmaster so they may leave orbit. The Boardwalk of Justice will stay in the atmosphere to collect The Carrier. Now, little Unggoy, alert the crew. Set course for the heretic colony Aloide, along with the rebel humans."
"O' great and noble Shipmaster, what of the UNSC base?"
"Mediocre. They are insignificant filth." Sheal barked.
The crew bustled about the bridge, readying weapons and spreading the word, excitement suddenly buzzing through the air. Sheal sat back down onto the throne, watching his crew intently, his mandibles pulled back into a toothy grin. Sheal delighted in this part, he enjoyed every second of causing the humans pain and torment.
The ship lurched forward as its thrusters pushed it inwards towards Arcadia. There shields dropped only slightly when the planets fiery atmosphere tried to eat away at the hull.
Sheal could see the human base, and itched to say the words that would blow them to bits, but it was not the prophets will and not his decision to make. The fleet continued forward, coming to a screeching halt just above the heretic colony. The rest of the fleet was close behind, waiting for his orders to attack.
"Charge the plasma cannons, kill them all." And with that Sheal'Ahljm sat back, watching his fleet surround the human city.
Bryan sprinted down the steps, as another explosion rocked his two story wooden house. He was thrown against the stairwell and crashed down the rest of the stairs, his shoulders taking the brunt of the fall. When he somehow staggered to his feet, his vision was bloodied and black.
The windows in the small house had burst open from the first plasma shots that rained down on the colony, and fires raged inside. A red glow rushed in from the outside, giving it an eerie smolder. Everything inside the home was crushed and burning, all his precious memories ripped away in a matter of seconds.
Another explosion ruptured through the house, spinning Bryan onto his back and slamming his head against the wrecked table. Stars careened across his vision, but he chased them away and fought back to his feet. He suddenly remembered why he had crashing down the stairs with such urgency.
"Lisa!" he yelled, his voice drowned out by the screams and buildings tumbling to the ground just beyond his doors.
"Lisa!" Bryan screamed. No answer. He frantically scanned the room, until his eyes fell on a charred and broken figure. Lisa. He slowly shuffled over to her, his mind not wanting to believe what his eyes were thrusting upon him. A piece of glass was lodged in her temple.
Once more, Bryan found himself falling through another splintered door, and faltering onto the street three steps below him. His knees scraped against the ground and he felt warm liquid streaming from his open wounds. Bryan looked to the sky, tears clearing the dirt and blood from his mangled face.
Shark-like Covenant cruisers swarmed the city, covering everything in a cascade of lavender plasma. The sky was black with ash and soot, and in the distance red beams struck the ground like wild lightning bolts. Structures were ablaze, and people were leaping screaming from open windows, only to get vaporized by a wave of plasma. Massive cracks began to worm their ways into the asphalt at Bryans feet, and a few unlucky souls plummeted into them.
Bryan shook to his feet, turning to face the closest covenant dropship to him. I'm on my way Lisa, Bryan thought, as a red beam of light erupted from the bottom of the ship and made its way for him. The ground shook as it grew near, and Bryan was forced onto his knees. He closed his eyes, and spread his arms wide, soaking up the heat as a crimson radiance washed over his frozen body.