The stage: The engine room of the Covenant ship The Reluctant Messiah.
The characters: A crazed, 12-foot tall Jiralhanae Chieftain, and a vengeful 6-foot tall Super Saiyan.
The scenario: One fights to avenge his home and his family. The other fights for generally unknown reasons. Only one will win...
Brackus leapt from pillar to pillar, each bound carrying him closer and closer to his target. He watched the Saiyan pull the swords from his belt, and inwardly he grinned; he didn't want to crush the monkey in the first blow and without a fight. He began spinning the hammers in his hands, and on the final leap at the floating Saiyan, reared back with both and slammed forward, intending to hit the glowing Saiyan full in the chest with both.
Archis crossed both Plasma Swords in front of him, and allowed the energy blades to absorb the impact from the hammers. There was no shockwave as the plasma was not really a 'solid' surface, so upon striking, the hammers could not produce the shockwave effect. Archis' hands, however, were tingling from the strike and the effort to fend off the rage-driven Brute, and the force of the impact caused the Saiyan to float down to the ground.
The Brute pressed both hammers into Archis' swords, growling and glaring, trying to overpower the Saiyan, and the Saiyan pushed back. It looked to be a stalemate. They were both standing on one of the many platforms where a company of Covenant soldiers would have gathered before launching an attack, with the power coupling manifold in the back, behind Archis, though separated by a large open space and a nearly 700-foot drop.
Suddenly the Brute pulled away with both hammers, causing Archis to lose his balance. Brackus did an impressive back-flip in place as Archis tried to catch himself, and brought both hammers up into the Super Saiyan's chest. Both connected at the same time and resonated shockwaves that sent the warrior flying, flipping and tumbling through the air. To the Brute's amazement, the Saiyan still had a firm grip on both energy swords even as he flipped uncontrollably through the air.
Archis slammed into the power manifold, denting the casing and sticking there for a bit. He shook his head, coughing, trying to catch his breath. He couldn't take another hit like that. He powered down the sword in his left hand and reattached it to his belt, then shifted the sword from his right hand into his left. With his free right hand, he grabbed one of the spiked grenades he had brought with him, and pressed the button to activate the spikes.
Forcing himself out of the metallic dent, he planted his feet on the wall and stared directly at the Brute. Brackus roared something unintelligible, obviously blinded by his rage. Archis launched himself at his adversary, bringing his sword up over his chest as if to slash at his foe in a downward, backhanded motion. Brackus responded by raising both hammers, intending to smash the Saiyan into the floor upon arrival.
Seconds before Archis came within smashing range, he disappeared. Brackus had already begun his swinging motion, and he couldn't stop himself before the hammers collided with the ground. The shockwave didn't affect him much, but it did throw him off balance. Out of the corner of his eye, he spotted Archis reappear, and he spun around to try to meet him. He was too slow, and felt something heavy stick into his back with a high-pitched hum. He already knew what it was.
The explosion from the grenade sent the Brute flying forward, off of the platform and hurtling to the depths below. He still had a grip on his hammers, so he reared back with both of them, and waited. As he neared the splattering point, Brackus swung both hammers downward, connecting with the ground and creating a heavy backlash shockwave that cushioned his body as he landed. Except for the jolt of the sudden impact and the slight disorientation, he was still in one piece and still ready to fight.
The shockwaves sent ripples through the air throughout the engine chamber. The following roar from the Jiralhanae confirmed Arhis' suspicions: Brackus was still good to go. Which was fine to him. He'd rather rip the Brute apart limb from limb than see him taken out by a single grenade to the back. Placing his fingers on his forehead, Archis spotted his energy on the ground below him and teleported down to meet the enemy.
Brackus seemed to sense that he was coming, as just as he appeared, he felt a single hammer connect with his chest. The force required to cushion his body as he landed had completely decimated one of his hammers, and left the other hammer sparking, the mechanism that created the shockwaves completely mangled and disabled by the impact. Still, it was a melee weapon, and it could still be used.
The Saiyan was sent flying through the air, connecting once again with the power manifold, this time at the best. He left another dent, and fell to his knees, coughing. He tasted copper and spat, seeing blood exit his mouth. Archis wondered just how much damage had been done. he could feel his power waning, and Brackus seemed unaffected by the fight. He looked up to see the Brute charging him, and rolled out of the way just as the Brute reached him, causing Brackus to slam head first into the base of the power manifold.
The floor shook from the impact. While Brackus stumbled around dizzily, Archis got up and retreated a distance away. He stood, looking at his foe, and decided to use a technique he had picked up from a Saiyan he met on Earth. He spread his feet to shoulder length apart and squatted, placing both hands, the base of his palms together, at his right hip, and he began channeling his Ki into his palms, while reciting the mantra for the move.
"Kaaaaaaa... Meeeeeeee..."
He was told that the slower he chanted the words, the more powerful the beam would be. He understood that from where he was firing, his original intent of destroying the ship by energy overload would be forfeit, but he didn't care. He was tired of being beat up by his foe.
"Haaaaaaa... Meeeeeeee..."
The light forming in Archis' hands was bright. The ball of energy had completely encased his hands and was beginning to flow outward, and the light from the energy had caught the attention of Brackus. He had shaken off his dizziness and was contemplating charging at the Saiyan again, but as he dropped low to charge again, a loud yell from his Saiyan adversary caught him by surprise.
"HAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!"
Archis thrust he hands outward as he yelled, aiming his beam of energy directly at the Brute. Brackus was caught completely by surprise, caching the entirety of the beam full in the chest and being carried with it through the metallic power manifold, through the wiring of the machine and out the other side.
The way a Ki beam worked, it defied physics. A Ki beam did not have an equal and opposite reaction unless another Ki beam of equal or greater force was being applied to it from the opposite side. So in order for the beam to dissipate early, the owner of the beam had to will the Ki energy away, and pull it back into them, a feat not many could do.
The beam faded as it exited the other side of the coupling, and Brackus' body was sent flying across the gap into the opposite wall, a flight of more than 3000 feet. The thud could be heard throughout the room, and Archis collapsed to his hands and knees, his tail fading back to its normal black. He was exhausted, and tried desperately to regain his energy.
Brackus wasn't dead yet. Brackus' roar of fury echoed throughout the hull. He no longer held his hammer. He no longer had any lasting armor. His left arm hung loosely at his side, and the vision in his left eye was obscured by the blood pouring from his forehead. But he was alive, and he was still ang- no, he was beyond angry now. His roars of fury turned into laughter, and he rose, shakily, to his feet.
"MONKEY!" he screamed, knowing the Saiyan could hear him. "You've put on a good show! I commend you for that, but it's over now! Just give up, and allow me to rend you limb from limb without any resistance!"
Archis coughed, finally able to stand. He leaned back against the wall and took deep breaths, trying to get his bearings once more. He heard the tauntings of his opponent, and inwardly groaned. He wanted this fight to be over already.
Taking a deep breath, he shot back, "What did I ever do to you to make you destroy my family and my home?"
The dark laughter of his opponent ceased abruptly, and Archis strained to hear the movement of his enemy. He heard nothing, for a while, until the sound of a large object flying through the air directly at him caught his attention. He ducked and rolled out of the way as a Spike Grenade lodged itself in the wall where he was a moment before, which detonated, sending the Saiyan flying away.
Archis landed roughly on the ground, skidding to a stop against another wall. The laughter of his opponent resumed as smoke from the explosion covered everything, making it hard to see anything.
"Your idiotic race," Brackus' voice sneered suddenly from the dark, "decimated the home planet of my race, all in the name of profit." Brackus' feet were thudding ever closer to where Archis lay. "We were lucky to have inhabited another planet by the time you monkeys and your leader Freezer got ahold of our first one. You refused to talk of peace, refused to make an alliance. From the moment you landed, you destroyed everything your eyes touched.
"Imagine our joy when we heard that your planet was destroyed. Can you not imagine the elation our entire race felt? And then a Sangheli scout returned as our proud race was joining the Covenant. The scout said that Saiyans still thrived. Your race still had your planet. Your race was still out there, seeking out and conquering other planets! OUR CELEBRATION WAS IN VAIN!"
A large vibration and thud filled the air directly in front of Archis as Brackus jumped and landed within inches of his head. He felt the large creature's hand grab the back of his neck, and forcibly lift him up. The two faced each other, and Brackus snarled.
"Those foolish Elders considered your race to not be a threat. They ignored my request to destroy your planet. So I stole a ship to do it myself."
Brackus turned Archis' body away from his eyes, and slammed him into the wall, making a dent as well as shattering a couple of the Saiyan's ribs. Archis screamed out in pain, unable to move anything because of the grip the Jiralhanae had on the pressure points in his neck... until the beast removed his hand.
"Our... planet," Archis began, "was destroyed. The Saiyans... your ancestors fought... are extinct... my race were... peace-loving..."
Hot, foul-smelling breath poured out around Archis' neck as Brackus leaned in close. "Lies..." The Brute stepped back, bent one knee and placed a hand to the floor, intending to charge the Saiyan and split him in half at the same time. "YOUR LIES, AND YOUR WEAKLING RACE, DIE WITH YOU!"
Brackus dug his foot into the ground and jumped forward, screaming a battle cry. At the same time, Archis got his second wind, powering back up to Super Saiyan and dislodging himself from the wall. As he fell on his back, the Brute passed over him, so he curled his knees into his chest and kicked upwards, his feet both connecting with the Brute's stomach and sending him soaring straight up into the air.
The movement caused an immense amount of pain to rush through the Saiyan, from his broken ribs. He was barely able to maintain his Super Saiyan form, rising to his feet and moving out of the way. A few moments later, the Brute came crashing down to the floor, and an audible snap was heard as he landed wrong on his left arm and snapped the bone in two.
Brackus' savage cry of pain and fury rose in volume as Archis stepped on his broken arm, right on the split, forcing the bones to separate. Archis was filled with vengeful fury himself. "HOW DID YOU KNOW TO LOOK FOR ME?"
Brackus writhed under the pressure from Archis' foot. It was a full three minutes before the Brute was able to answer. "The Covenant have probes around the Planet Mobius, where you were... the planet is one of their planned assimilations..." The Brute finally gathered his strength and wrenched his arm out from underneath the Saiyan's foot.
Archis lost his balance and stumbled backwards, allowing the Brute to stand. "Your foolish race fights everyone they come into contact with... even their own species. Mobius will fall to the Covenant, and there's nothing you can do to stop us. You had a better chance of beating us if you had partnered with your Saiyan friend instead of fighting him alongside that overgrown hedgehog.
"The time for talk has ended. I will not rest until I am wearing your blood, and your head." Brackus charged Archis, screaming as he held his arm behind him.
Archis waited. He'd had enough of this fight, and no longer wanted anything to do with the beast. He place the index and middle fingers of his right hand against his forehead, stepped to the side, and grabbed Brackus' shoulder as the Brute tried to stomp him into the ground. The two disappeared in an instant, and a second later Archis reappeared, the Brute nowhere in sight.
On LV-426, there is a large battle taking place. A horde of creatures with elongated heads and black, rubbery skin, drooling large amounts of saliva, are having a hard time bringing down a large, ape-like creature. The creature seems to be injured, one of its arms unmoving, but the remaining arm is proving to be more than enough for it. The ape has already ripped apart one of their comrades, and the black aliens were rather surprised when their acidic blood never touched its fur or its skin.
But they know that eventually it'll go down. It can't remain awake forever. Especially if it continues to scream into the night in its strange language, what is no doubt a warcry.
"ARCHIIIIIIIISSSSSS!"