Ch. 13 Arrival
Well here we are at chapter 13 and its getting closer to the Chiefs slave- I mean wedding. Should be a fun time for all...unless you are Xenophobic in which case you wouldn't be invited XD.
Some news for this fic, as much as you all might not like this but this fic is actually only a couple chapters away from the end. I can already hear the complaints but remember this has to end sometime so I will do my utmost to end it in a satisfying way for all my readers.
In other news, my grandfather is doing better now that he has some meds to help him but it is confirmed stage four prostate cancer so yes it is a death sentence. The doc said that the hormone treatment should help slow its growth and give him about another year or so but that's it; luckily he has had a full life and still wants to plant a garden when Spring comes around so at least he's back to normal.
Disclaimer: I own nothing, all characters are copyright of Bungie and 343.
"Are the visitors quarters prepared?" Dava asked a servant as the servant bowed.
"They are my lord." the servant replied. "Shall we prepare dinner?"
"Yes but have the cooks make some human food as well if they can; we do not wish to offend our guests." Dava replied as the servant bowed again and departed. "It is a wonder that the party agreed to push the date back a week."
"A wonder or a surprise?" Falo asked as Dava turned to him.
"Both, why are you still here by the way?" Dava asked as Falo snorted.
"Is my old friend that desperate to get rid of me?" Falo asked with a slight tilt of his head.
"No just wondering if your Keep had gotten tired of you and kicked you out yet." Dava replied as Falo snorted.
"I run the Keep remember, they can't kick me out." Falo replied as Dava stared at him. "Oh fine, my mate would have that power but you and I both know she won't."
"Is that why she beat you at the championship last year?" Dava said as Falo's head sunk in sadness.
-With the Chief-
"They are arriving in a few hours and we still have no leads on where Selmon went." The Chief said as Cortana shook her head.
"At least he made a fatal mistake in leaving this." The Chief said as he stared at a little chip in his hand.
"After running from you and an ambush by the Elites its not surprising but he was too well trained for a normal spook." Cortana said as the Chief said nothing.
"Trying to engage the Chief in close combat is a death sentence." Dubbo replied as he cleaned his MA5B. "Whoever he was had some balls."
"Are you thinking what I am as well Chief?" Cortana said as the Chief nodded.
"Spartan." The Chief said simply.
"Possibly a Spartan-I or II but Spartans-I's were deemed failures and only a handful of II's made it out to the field." Cortana said as the Chief shook his head.
"The way he moved was more in line with the augments of a II but how did one get out of the facility?" The Chief asked as Cortana sighed.
"The ones who didn't make it were cremated but there was one body missing when the count was checked. It was assumed that it was a miscount and forgot about though." Cortana replied as the Chief frowned behind his helmet.
"Even those minor mistakes can be costly in the future and it seems to be that way." The Chief replied sternly.
"It's not all bad yet Chief, we still have proof of his involving here and we do have some idea what he is after." Stacker said with a grin.
"It still doesn't help us with ONI Stacker. We still have no concrete proof of their involvement and what little records of his conversation with that other person gives us nothing." Cortana replied as Stacker grunted.
"Another sweep under the proverbial rug and another denouncing of a "mad man". "Dubbo said as the Chief shook his head.
"There's nothing we can do about it except wait." The Chief said as Stacker nodded with a grimace.
"And that's the worst part." Stacker said as the Chief nodded.
-Flashback-
"Arresting me for what?" Selmon asked calmly as the Chief approached.
"Murder." The Chief replied as he cracked his wrists.
Selmon only grinned. "You have no proof Spartan and I would be careful who you accuse, it could be "damaging" for your career."
"We do have proof and we have enough evidence to arrest you." The Chief replied as Selmon stopped grinning.
"And where is this supposed evidence?" Selmon asked with a raised eyebrow.
The Chief held up a small chip. "We have evidence of you entering a room followed by two guards and you left without them. Furthermore, the footage in the room mysteriously disappeared but luckily we were able to recover it."
"Damn A.I." Selmon muttered under his breath.
"So whats it going to be Selmon?" The Chief asked even though he knew the answer. He wasn't disappointed when Selmon drew a knife and hurled it at the Chief with speed that actually surprised the Chief. If that wasn't enough, as soon as the Chief caught the knife Selmon charged him quicker than a normal human and the Chief found himself dodging and blocking more often then he was use too. 'Fast and those punches aren't being pulled...he's not a normal Marine or a Spook.' The Chief thought as he caught Selmon's arm in a vise grip. "Nice try."
"I know." Selmon said as he dropped a grenade. The Chief's vision went white as Selmon broke free and ran.
"He's running and he has flashbang's." The Chief said as Cortana raised an alarm. It wasn't long before he heard the sounds of plasma weapons being fired. He got to the hallway where the sounds were coming from only to see Selmon jump out a window and into the forest below the keep. "He's gone and we have no way to track him."
"We'll scour the forests, he won't get far." Luka said as he stared out the window.
"Be careful, he isn't a normal Marine." The Chief said as Luka nodded and left with his men. The Chief left to search Selmon's room after a moment in thought.
-Flashback end-
"Which means he'll be on his guard until tomorrow." The Chief said with a tone of caution.
"He still doesn't know that its been moved and that works to our advantage." Cortana said as the Chief grunted.
"Are you still upset about it Chief?" Dubbo said with a grin. "It's just pre-wedding jitters."
"Easy Private, the Chief has had a hard day and all with being banned from certain areas until tomorrow." Cortana teased as Stacker and Dubbo laughed.
"I hate you all." The Chief said angrily.
"Ah relax Chief it's all in good fun, now get your normal fatigues on...it's bachelor party time and we can't have you behind a wall of steel!" Stacker said as Cortana howled with laughter.
"No." The Chief replied simply but Stacker only grinned.
-A couple hours later-
"I will say it again, I hate you all." The Chief said as he once again wore normal Marine fatigues and sitting in a Sangheili version of a bar. Dubbo and Stacker were drinking some green liquid that seemed to bubble violently and Sangheili around them were ingesting it very quickly.
"Relax Chief...It's *hic*...all in good fun." Dubbo said as he fell off his stool and was out like a light.
"Yea, all in good fun." The Chief replied as Stacker swayed. "Being inebriated to the point that you couldn't stop a finger from being pointed at you isn't good fun.
"It's a bachelor party but minus the loud music and strippers Chief so lighten up!" Stacker replied cheerfully.
"You do know we have to meet the arriving party in two hours right?" The Chief said with a nod to Dubbo on the ground.
"Ah we'll be fine, just a small guys night out before you can no longer enjoy being free." Stacker said as he picked up his drink. "Here's to the Chief and not being afraid to be romantic with an Elite." The Chief only shook his head.
"This stuff...*hic*...is pretty strong." Stacker said as he took a long drink.
"Lightweight humans!" A Sangheili said from the other side of the bar. Stacker responded by throwing his half full glass at him and missing.
"Oh no..." The Chief said with a frown as the glass broke on another Sangheili who got up and started swinging at everything in sight. The bar degenerated into a brawl after that and the Chief had to start using his reflexes to avoid drunken brawling and dragged the two knocked out humans from the bar and dragged them down the road. "I seriously hate you both right now."
-With the Arbiter-
"No." The Arbiter said simply.
"Aw come on, it won't kill you." Kela said as she held out a dark and gold robe.
"I will not be wearing that tomorrow, I have ceremonial armor from my mother that I promised I would wear at such an occasion." The Arbiter replied as Kela sighed.
"It's a wedding, not a battle." Kela said sternly but the Arbiter didn't budge.
"I will not be wearing something that cannot defend my person in the case of an attack." The Arbiter said flatly. "Besides, I highly doubt the Spartan wants someone who isn't ready to fight at a moments notice."
"You're hopeless you know." Kela said as the Arbiter snorted. "Nervous yet?"
"No, just anxious and a little pissed off." The Arbiter said as Kela nodded.
"About the human that escaped; do you think he will try and ruin it?" Kela asked as the Arbiter nodded.
"Oh he will but he won't succeed. After all, I made a promise and I will keep it." The Arbiter said calmly as Kela tilted her head.
"A promise?" Kela asked curiously.
"I said that if he tried to ruin this then he will find my sword in his throat." The Arbiter said with a dark gleam in her eyes.
-Scene Change-
"Been a while Master Chief." Hood said as he stepped off of a Pelican. "Have you been keeping yourself well?"
"Yes sir." The Chief said as he saluted.
"At ease Chief." Hood said as the Chief lowered his salute. "I am going to warn you now that there are IV's with us so be careful."
The Chief eyed Hood from behind his helmet and nodded slightly with a bad feeling. "You are aware of the situation sir?"
"I am Chief and as much as I don't like it, I understand it. I told her before that I can't forgive them but I am willing to move past it and this might be a step in the right direction." Hood replied as the Chief nodded. "He escaped and possibly made it to another Keep then?"
"Yes sir, they took the rest of the day to search but he was long gone." The Chief replied as he saw Dava approaching. "Here comes the welcome party sir."
"Fleetmaster Hood, it is an honor to meet the one who has commanded an impressive fleet." Dava replied as he bowed to Hood.
"More than once and it is an honor to meet the parent of a strong fighter." Hood replied with some calmness in his tone. He would have to thank Cortana for the tips on how to act in front of a leader when he could.
Dava was visibly surprised and impressed at Hood's praise for his daughter. "I thank you sir and it is my honor to allow you the use of my Keep for the duration of your stay."
"I appreciate it but if I may ask something?" Hood asked as Dava nodded. "Where are the other two human Marines?"
"Drunk and passed out sir." The Chief said simply as Hood raised an eyebrow. "Don't ask."
"I see, well then I suppose a tour wouldn't be impossible to manage?" Hood asked as Dava motioned for him to follow.
"Not at all, please follow me." Dava said as he began walking. Hood and a small squad went with him as the Chief stayed behind. There was something he had to check and he needed access to a UNSC computer to do it.
And I will cut it right there. The humans have arrived for the summit and the wedding right around the corner. I wanted to write the Chief in a bar brawl but figured that he wouldn't waste his time with a bunch of drunken Elites. If you all want to see that then I guess I can work it into the wedding chapter then lol.
That's all I got for now so read and review and I will see you all later!