Ch. 4 Into The Keep
Well here is chapter 4 and not much else to say. I hope you all like it.
Disclaimer: I own nothing, all characters copyright of Bungie and 343.
The Chief wasn't too concerned with the fact that they were on a Sangheili cruiser but the rest of the party were nervous. They ranged from a slight bit of paranoia to full blown reluctance to go anywhere on the ship except for their quarters. They personal that made up their party were Gunnery Sergeant Stacker, Private First Class Chips Dubbo and a new Admiral named Luke Selmon. Apparently Selmon was a newly made Admiral that was recommended for this mission by Harper but the Chief highly doubted that story. Selmon kept throwing the Chief glances every now and then as if he was sizing him up.
Cortana noticed this but left it alone for now. "So Chief, any news on the planet?" She asked teasingly.
The Chief didn't even flinch. "Why would I know anything like that? Isn't that your job?" he asked back with a trace of humor.
Cortana would've smirked if she could. The Chief had just walked into it. "Well you would know more, considering how you spend a lot of time with the Arbiter-" She trailed off as Selmon's head shot up but Stacker and Dubbo merely shook theirs.
The Chief walked into that and he knew it. "Cortana, we usually go through the customs and traditions they have that we need to adhere too. I didn't ask her about the planet itself."
Stacker looked like he was slapped. "Chief, you spend hours talking to her and you never once thought about asking her about the terrain and climate?"
The Chief just shrugged. "It slipped my mind, Sergeant."
Now it was Dubbo's turn to look stunned. "Isn't that a first Sergeant? The Chief forgot something?"
The Chief only shook his head. "We will be told when we arrive so don't get worried."
Selmon narrowed his eyes. "Are you fraternizing with possible enemies Spartan?"
"No, sir. I am learning what to do so we don't offend the Sangheili when we land." The Chief said without hesitation.
Selmon didn't look assured. "Be careful Spartan, one might think you are looking to betray your race." He said as he turned back to what he was doing.
Cortana knew something else was up. "Chief-" She started but he cut in.
"I know Cortana; he's not here on Hood's order. He's here for something else and I have a pretty good idea what it is." The Chief replied with a glance at Stacker, who nodded. Selmon needed to be watched and he was almost certain ONI put him here. ONI knew they couldn't arrest him now but they would watch him and report even the slightest problem if it suit their needs of putting him in a cell.
"Does the Arbiter know?" She asked warily.
"She does know and he gets shadowed everywhere he goes." The Chief replied with a smirk. "He doesn't even piss without someone knowing about it."
Cortana barely contained a laugh. "Payback is sweet but you want to know what would really set him off?"
The Chief cocked an eyebrow as the Arbiter walked in. "And what might that be?"
Cortana broadcasted the conversation to the Arbiter. "If you and the Arbiter hit it off."
The Arbiter almost lost her footing when she heard that but the Chief didn't look amused. "Cortana stop planning for that, it isn't going to happen."
"Not with that attitude Chief. Think positive and the outcome will surprise you." Cortana said as the Arbiter regained her footing and cleared her throat.
"We will be exiting slipspace in a few minutes. I assume you know of our planet?" She asked hesitantly.
Stacker spoke first. "The Chief never asked you so we don't know."
The Arbiter inclined her head. "I see, well let me inform you all about while we have time."
She proceeded to give them a rundown of Sangheilios and the climate. It wasn't a very difficult conversation but the fact that they would be sweating bullets during the day followed by near freezing at night wasn't a favorable condition to them. Much of the planet was forests and hills and few parts were sprawling cities with temples as the main focal point. She also discussed the different Keeps and their status in the political arena, which Selmon found highly interesting as he made a note to find out which ones can be leaned on. During a lull, Dubbo had a question. "Do you belong to a Keep?"
The Arbiter glanced down for a moment. "I did before I was declared a heretic for the first ring."
"Oh…uh…sorry, I didn't mean to bring that up." Dubbo said hesitantly.
The Arbiter shook her head. "My former Keep is one of the oldest and most respected. When I was declared a heretic I was cast out of it which made me drop my Keep suffix."
"Suffix?" Stacker asked.
"My full name was Thela 'Vadamee, but when I was cast out it became Thela 'Vadam." She replied solemnly.
"Your parent did nothing?" Dubbo asked.
The Arbiter shook her head again. "My parents were against me enlisting in the Covenant. Most females were told to stay in the Keep until they were of age then the family would find a suitable partner for marriage. The female did have some leeway in who she wants so it wasn't completely forced unless it needed to be. When I was of age I was one of those females that were going to be forced but the Covenant needed troops for the war so I volunteered and my parents were enraged when they heard the news. They never spoke to me after that until I became a Zealot then they were overjoyed at how fast I went through the ranks until it all came crashing down after my failure."
"They exiled you after that?" Cortana asked and the Arbiter nodded.
"They saw my refusal to marry as a blow to their honor but it was my failure that destroyed it. I haven't had contact with them since I became the Arbiter until recently." She replied. "They have offered to reinstatement me due to this but I like my name as it is. I am welcomed back to the Keep and that is where you will be staying during this time."
Selmon spoke up. "You decided to put us somewhere without asking first?"
"Would you rather be in a Keep surrounded by those who would like to slit your throat?" She shot back venomously. It took a lot debating to have them be welcomed into her Keep and she wasn't about to let her own plans go down the tube because of one human.
Selmon back down after that though he wasn't pleased. The Chief was smirking at seeing the Admiral put down but that went away when the Arbiter addressed him. "Spartan, you might want to be careful as your actions have reached home despite our best efforts. Be prepared to be hounded or challenged to fights because of the kills you have."
"There's a reason I hate cameras." The Chief sighed warily.
"Look at it this way, Chief. You might have some adoring fans out there now." Cortana joked and the Arbiter let out a small laugh.
"I would worry about the females more than that." Dubbo joked as well until he saw the Arbiter's face. "Did I say something bad?"
"That is an unfortunate problem that we might not be able to avoid. Some Keeps will do anything to increase their standing and to have a warrior of the Spartans caliber on the planet-" She left the statement hanging but the rest of them could finish it.
"Looks like you need to start hiding Chief." Stacker replied with a straight face.
"I knew this was a bad idea." The Chief replied as a voice over the intercom said that they were exiting slipspace.
"Gather your things, we will be landing soon." The Arbiter said as she walked out.
"I don't envy you Chief. Alien women want you and the men want to kill you." Dubbo replied as he laughed.
The Chief only shook his head. His life just got more complicated and he didn't like it.
-Scene Change-
"Well it looks…..inviting…" Stacker said as they stared at the massive fortress in front of them. It looked like an old earth fortress made of stone but it had plasma weaponry on the walls and Keep guards on patrol on the walls. On the other side of the doors was a big courtyard with what looked like younger Sangheili either sparing or using fake weapons while an instructor mentored them and the other side held various Sangheili in robes selling various wares to the people of the Keep.
"Do you all not have these structures on earth?" The Arbiter asked as they walked through the courtyard. All around them, Sangheili stopped their tasks to look at them and more than one bowed when the Arbiter passed.
"I guess being the Arbiter makes her important here." Cortana said lowly.
"Most likely." The Chief said simply.
"We did back in the Middle Ages but they eventually were phased out when they became too expensive to build and new technology made them obsolete." Dubbo replied in awe.
"I see, well I would love to give you all a tour later but right now we must meet the elders." The Arbiter replied as the main hall doors opened and some older looking Sangheili in grand robes walking toward them. The Arbiter stiffened but didn't make any motion as they walked past and out of the keep.
"Trouble?" The Chief asked as he eyed them.
"Possibly, they are from another Keep but they usually stay to themselves. They were one of the first Keeps to ask for me in marriage but I refused." The Arbiter replied as she gave a huff of disgust. "They thought I would marry simply for wealth or status but I never cared for that. They didn't take the refusal well and it almost led to a Keep war until I joined the Covenant. That they were here isn't a good sign."
The Chief didn't know why, but he didn't like the sound of that. Cortana felt his pace quicken a bit when he heard that and almost laughed. 'The Chief is worried about her and he doesn't even know it. This might be easier than I thought.'
Selmon looked back at the retreating Sangheili and had a small smirk. 'I think I found some potential allies if I play my cards right. ONI just might be on to something if we can gain a foothold on this planet.'
I will end it here for now. We see some filler but we also get inside the Keep and we see potential conflict brewing and the Chief is worried for the Arbiter for once. Some readers don't like slow going romances but they make for awesome stories when done right and so far the overwhelming response has been that this is damn good, so thank you for reading this so far and I hope you stick around for more!
Imagine the Keep as an old fortress style wall around a small college campus just made from stone and mortar.
Well until next time my fellow readers and Halo lovers!