Sorry about the major time gap between the release of this chapter and the previous. I did not intend for this hiatus to happen. Anyways, I'm here and happy to release this chapter. As has been said, I do edit these chapters continuously.
Chapter II: Map and Key
1328, JUNE 28, 2571 (MILITARY CALENDAR)/
MWGA SPACE, MILKY WAY ALLIANCE STATION
A great mega structure of new floated within a nebula. It was well beyond that of enemy territory, which meant that it was between the Perseus arm and the Sagittarius arm nearby the Orion Spur. Half the galaxy was under the Milky Way Galactic Alliance's control. The only reason for the Alliance to not control the entire galaxy was due to the fear of the unknown.
The Andromeda galaxy was purely under control by the Republic, which was led by a fellow named Caluum Fallire, the rogues' former-medic and clone trooper. It had been completely dominated due to Galactic Empire having controlled its entirety at first, because most of the civilizations there hadn't reached a technological to be perceived as a threat to slow the Galactic Empire's conquest.
But, the Milky Way galaxy had been classified by the Galactic Empire, before its fall, as a hostile environment. Indeed, the Milky Way galaxy was dangerous because of its diversity. This diversity made any external, invading force weary of the galaxy. However, the Galactic Empire still invaded the galaxy. It thought the native civilizations of the galaxy were inferior, save the UNSC.
The Empire's relationship with the UNSC was mutual. The Galactic Empire offered safety and prosperity to the UNSC, and the UNSC's intelligence branch, ONI, would give information in return. Of course, this alliance did not go unnoticed and eventually, ONI ruled over the UNSC, which became its military.
Gryllisus sighed as his fleet neared the outer perimeter of the station. He was an old creature, over a thousand years to be exact. In fact, the members of the group that was born with were around the same age, some slightly younger or older. This was the result of the telomerase experiments that were conducted by the Legio Mechanicae.
The Legio Mechanicae is a somewhat xenophobic Theocratic-Phobocratic Oligarchical civilization of which is obsessed with the ideals of immortality, power, and the necessity of knowledge. In search of immortality, or at the least, extension of life, they would frequently experiment with organic and synthetic compounds. This civilization was an age old one, dating back with the formation of the Covenant.
These experiments that were performed hosted a species of cricket, Gryllus Bimaculatus, as the subjects. This was due to the expendability of the insects and that the results would be much quicker seen. This experiment hosted strength, intellect, and life expectancy increments. The first group of specimens was tested with strength and life expectancy serums. Finding this test to be successful, they began human testing. Much to their dismay, however, they found the substance to be too volatile. But, this did not stop them.
They continued the test by modifying eggs with the strength and life expectancy serums. Once born, they placed them in incubation tanks. What they found intrigued them. The specimens grew immense, measuring to grow to a maximum of two meters in height. Their external structures changed dramatically. Once they were released from incubation, they were moved to compounds to be observed.
The scientists then chose candidates for telomerase experiments, which were modified to allow for increased intellect. Gryllisus and Kronos were chosen for this, as well as ninety-four others.
The old first generation Gryllian sighed at the horrid memories, but relished in the fact that once news was leaked several hundred years after his and his colony's escape, the Legio Mechanicae broke out into a civil war. Though the Loyalists may have won the civil war, they still lost much territory and Gryllisus had gained separatist allies from it. Though, these separatist mostly kept to themselves. He hadn't heard word from them for some years.
He drew out from his thoughts and looked upon the main screen as a deckhand shouted that they would be exiting slipstream space in several minutes. He prepared for the non-hostile confrontation with the Colonial fleet that would surely intercept them. The entire scene played out before he even entered it. The ancient creature had become accustomed to these situations.
Once the hail was called to them, Gryllisus ordered for the link to be established. He was met with a masculine male with a graying goatee. "Gryllisus, I presume?" He spoke, his voice deep and powerful. It demanded respect in which Gryllisus gladly gave.
"Indeed, it is me, admiral. I apologize for the damages done by my brother, firstly." Gryllisus said with distain in his voice.
"No need for apologies, emperor. Kholo is an enemy to all and is no longer associated with your empire." The man nodded.
"Indeed he is no longer. What has occurred here?" The ancient creature inquired.
"Kholo came in in the midst of a battle between us and Xenomorph remnants. He wiped many of us out, utterly destroying the aliens," He informed, "He had his forces board the station and soon left."
"He was searching for something and found what he wanted." Gryllisus deducted.
"I'd presume so. One strange thing we found was that someone aboard the station was someone of significance. From released information, this man was a former member of ONI. We could not find this man, alive, dead, or even as vaporized matter."
Gryllisus growled inwardly. He despised the organization that wrecked the galaxy. "Then that man was taken hostage and prodded for information. Kholo found what he wanted out of him. Most likely, that man is dead."
"They also took another man."
Gryllisus then knew what was occurring. The man that they have taken along would be the one to activate the artifact. This artifact was no doubt Forerunner, else they would have not brought him aboard as well. Though, there was the possibility that that man was also captured for information. But, that was only a possibility.
"They are after an artifact."
"As always, Kholo would always be the one to chase things that should not be chased. He's an idiot and no less." Darian commented spitefully, though lightly as to not interrupt the Gryllian emperor.
"There is a great possibility that this artifact is Forerunner. We do not know how much power he would attain if he were to obtain it. We cannot allow this. We wish for you to join us in stopping him." Gryllisus offered.
"I will gladly join to destroy that gods damned monster." Darian accepted.
The two forces joined intelligence, trading coordinates and battle plans. The Colonials would enter first and strike, attracting the attention of Kholo's fleet so that Gryllisus's fleet could strike it from behind. From there, his vessel could unleash forces to attack groundside. Once then, they would have a chance at capturing Kholo. It would be a small window, however.
The Battlestars jumped and nearly instantaneously appeared nearby the intact moon of the planet. Darian looked upon this planet and reveled at the utter damage done to it. The atmosphere was thin and the surface black and brown. Craters scarred its once lively surface. Mountain ranges were decimated. Red rivers glowed upon the dark side of it.
"Sir, enemy contacts inbound! Two-hundred and counting!" a deckhand shouted.
"Ready the cannons and get the missiles in their silos! Fire laser batteries! Unleash everything!" Darian ordered, his voice booming. "Nuclear missiles are authorized at safe distance!"
Swift missiles raced the void, red laser lances cut through and nuclear missiles chased behind the cannon fire. Many of the standard missiles were intercepted by pulse lasers, which seemed to take out nearly every one of them. However, the nuclear missiles exploded beforehand, wiping the shields off nearby vessels and vaporizing others.
"Gigaton-yield nuclear missiles expended! Fire megaton rated missiles!"
The next barrage followed with lesser damage, but still destroyed vessels but with less severity. Just then, the enemy ships returned fire, launching rapid plasma torpedoes at their targets. They arced over, struck, and shields popped with the swarm of plasma. The next barrage vaporized or simply cut through the ships. Their lead vessel, a battlecruiser, fired beam of energy from the middle of its hammerhead-like bow. The beam wore through the shields and blasted half-way through one of the hanger-bays of Darian's ship.
"Hanger-bay A-2 is out of commission!"
"Fire the magnetic accelerators!" Darian ordered.
A minute flicker of the lights signaled the heavy charge of the magnetic accelerator cannons. In several seconds, a flash of light released two rounds of nine-meter long ferric tungsten at a nearly a fifth the speed of light. The round burst through the shields, sliced through with the bow of the ship folding inward, and continued through the battlecruiser with chunks of metal following.
Lights flickered behind Kholo's fleet as the Imperium's fleet entered. Bolts of plasma arced through the void to the rears of the enemy vessels. The ambush was effective.
"Sir! The base is upon the planet!" a deckhand shouted within Gryllisus's ship.
"Prepare to go groundside." Gryllisus ordered.
Hector awoke with a start, hearing the voices of two of the insectoids guarding his cell. He groaned at the scent of the room, as it was putrid. It smelled of blood and death. He looked about, noting that there was only a metal bunk. However, there was neither a toilet nor a sink. He understood why this chamber was like this. Most prisoners here never lived long.
A large, bulky Gryllian appeared before the two guards. "Kholo wishes for the human to be present. He needs him for a great purpose."
The shield barrier dimmed and Hector, thinking he would die no matter what end, lunged through and tackled the smallest of the trio. Though, small was truly larger than he was, he managed to ground the creature and thus began to lash at its face.
That was when he felt pain explode from his back and his entire muscle structure tightened. The tackled creature shoved him off as electricity stunned Hector. He saw the creature that had electrocuted held a huge baton that was throwing off arcs of plasma.
"I believe you set it up too high, Rollo. That setting would knock a Krogan on its ass." The tackled Gryllian roared with laughter, the other chuckling.
"Stupid human, inferior and weak." The smaller one growled and kicked the prone human. It held back its kick, but pain still forked through Hector's nerves.
"Enough of your play, we must move immediately." The messenger growled impatiently. "Else Kholo will have your heads."
Instantaneously, the larger guard threw the stunned man over his shoulder and carried him through the vast complex of corridors and massive halls. Huge, gray wall with intricate engravings surrounded them. Blue lights shone dully from above. Ornate trusses released these lights. It was a sight to behold to Hector, as he had never seen such beautiful construction from an ancient civilization.
Pillars stood high, struts seemed to keep other structures afloat, and baffling spires did things normal structures could not. The room was massive and he and captors boarded a huge anti-gravity gondola. They crossed the expanse of the structure while it floated across the vastness of the massive atrium. Occasionally, Ravager-class star fighters raced passed, scanning the gondola's occupants.
The sheer magnificence of scale nearly put him in a trance. Large spires rotated the great centerpiece that was at the center of the room. It was a huge, blocky stalactite structure with many glowing lines running over it. Then the gondola stopped and the captors, bearing him, walked among large walkways and hall before they met a door. The door peeled open and they walked towards the great stalactite structure. He simply stared at it in awe.
His attention was held until the Gryllian he was slung over threw him to the ground. He pushed himself up from the ground, dazed from the impact. He opened his eyes and looked around until they settled upon the silhouette of a huge creature with glowing green, blue-ringed eyes. Of course, this creature was Kholo. He stepped forth into the light, showing off his impressive battle armor.
"Ah, Hector. You appear here for a deed greater to the galaxy than any other done beforehand. You shall guide us with your gift that the Forerunners have bestowed your species. Of which we shall rid the galaxy of its evils and bring forth the greater, most lawful good. All you need to do is understand and comply." Kholo spoke, his voice the most convincing.
It was also the most deceiving, "I'll never 'comply' with you bastards! You have no idea what you're getting yourselves into. Gods knows what'll happen! The last 'great' artifact that was activated that was activated destroyed an entire planet! You idiots don't know what you're after!"
"Impudent human! How dare you speak so ill of a great civilization! How dare you speak foully of the Forerunners!" Kholo roared. Swiftly, the Gryllian grabbed him and dragged him across to a large console with many glowing symbols. Upon getting close, Kholo threw him towards the console. "Activate this artifact, or see your family destroyed!"
"Don't you threaten my family!" Hector spun on his heels and ran towards Kholo. He was stopped short of his desire to kill the Gryllian as he was sent by to the console by an invisible force. He opened his eyes and looked at Kholo, whose arm was extended and palm facing him.
The creature approached him, "Activate this artifact. Or see your family in ruins. See your civilization in shambles."
Hector stood defiantly, growling almost. But the Gryllian did not seem entertained and he quickly grabbed Hector's arm. His other hand landed on the back of the man's head and he shoved him into the console. Kholo moved Hector's hand over the largest pad on the console effortlessly and soon the man's hand was pulled onto it.
The console flickered in luminosity and a brief hum filled the room. Lines of light moved through the crevices towards the central stalactite structure's tip. There was a brief moment of silence that followed, amplifying the anticipation of every living thing inside the atrium. The lights within the room flickered and then a great holographic map of the galaxy filled the expanse of the room.
Hector looked around with both shock and awe. The map had kept up with the time, completely mapping the controlled territories of the entire galaxy. Some of these territories he had never seen before. Territories of which the Legio Mechanicae, a well-known faction that isolated itself from the other civilizations, were moving through. The clash appeared constant. Whatever the faction was out there on the other side of the galaxy, it was holding off the machine-men.
His attention was cut short when Kholo roared with victory, raising a fist. Kholo turned to his inferiors and raised his hands as if he were preaching, "The Forerunners have blessed us with a great map! We shall use this map to find the artifact that belongs to us! A key of which will grant us all access to the Forerunners' gifts! We will become the ones to guard this galaxy! We are the ones that are the rightful owners of the Mantle!"
"Gryllisus, my dear brother, does not understand this great need! He believes that he will not need these powerful gifts to keep guard of the galaxy. He does not understand the right of the Mantle as a superior species and force! But, with this tool, we shall find the artifact, cease the constructs of the former-owners of the Mantle, and show our prowess and prove that we are the rightful owners of the Mantle!"
Hector backed away from the giant, zealous insect as many of his soldiers roars echoed through the atrium. He was stopped by the guards, though they did not focus on him as they were far too busy roaring and yelling excitedly.
It was at this moment that Hector realized that if they managed to get a hold over the artifact they sought, the galaxy would be doomed forever under their reign.
Gryllisus rushed through hail of plasma bolts, dodging the rapid projectiles but taking some. His shields took the brunt of the damage. He skid to halt behind cover, looking over a dead human whose head had been completely vaporized. He winced and returned fire to the enemy when Darian appeared next to him, firing explosive rounds at the enemy when he could. He had brought Darian groundside with him, due to Darian's pleas. He tried to ward him off, telling that an admiral is an important person and should not fight. It was not logical.
"Why do you come to the front lines? You're a damned emperor!" Darian said, exasperated. "You've got more responsibilities than I do."
Gryllisus simply grunted and said, "I have lived and survived over a thousand years of warfare. I have a greater chance of surviving this than you do, statistically."
"Don't use your logic against me, old one." Darian growled, though not seriously.
They peered over their cover and saw two dead Gryllians resting on the ground. With their path cleared, they continued through a doorway far from where the main battle was taking place. There, a great temple blocked the main entrance of the structure. Plasma and hypersonic rounds raced around. Mortars were exploding harmlessly against the Forerunner metal, but dangerously near infantry. It appeared to be a stalemate there.
Gryllisus and Darian trekked through a series of halls, avoiding any conflict if possible. It was like this until they grew closer and closer to their objective, the huge gondola. They made short work of the first infantry, took some time against the next, and then attacked the crew of the gondola as it travelled through a long tunnel.
Darian pulled his energy knife out of the skull of a lightly armored Gryllian when the tunnel opened up into the vast openness of the atrium containing the artifact Kholo was after. Gryllisus stared in horror, looking at the huge holographic map of the Milky Way galaxy. Many pinpoints marked the map, indicating where artifacts were. His eyes twitched as he looked at the remaining Halos and the dozens of shield worlds that pockmarked the galactic map. One dot, however, was red.
He turned his attention to the central hub in the atrium, pulling his rifle to scope in. He watched as Kholo grasped a splinter of metal. There, near him, was a human who was being bound by metal and energy cuffs and braces. Kholo, now, was looking in his direction. Gryllisus knew he saw him with his enhanced vision. It was one of the powers that were unlocked due to the training of becoming a Harbinger, leader of the Archangel divisions.
Particle beam fire pounded into the gondola's plating as it neared the central hub. Gryllisus and Darian dove for cover, readying their own marksman rifles. They fired upon the oppressors, putting them in the defensive. Once the gondola reached and locked to the central hub of the facility, the duo ran out. Gryllisus tackled the first gryllian, grappling and tossing him off the hub. Darian had used his plasma blade, slicing and gutting his enemy, of which Gryllisus found admirable.
They ran through a number of halls until they reached the console area, where Kholo was holding Hector in front of him. Kholo had a grin about him, staring down at Gryllisus and Darian.
"There is no escape, brother!" Gryllisus roared. "Surrender is the only option! Release the man and I'll ensure that your sentence be merciful!"
"Why, Gryllisus? I've tried and tried to make you understand the purpose of this mission! We can become great rulers of the galaxy! We can unite it under our rule, defend the inferiors, and crush the Legio Mechanicae once and for all!"
"Because it is not right, Kholo! The Legio Mechanicae were tyrants who wanted the same wish and look what they have done? Do you see peace? You want the galaxy to be under pure Gryllian rule! I will not allow that to happen, as it violates the intergalactic law of which I made. I... We want true peace, not peace by tyranny!"
"You are blinded, brother. But, I can not blame you for such a defect, for as long as you have lived, you have been corrupted by the lesser races by communicating with them." Kholo sighed and backed towards a pad. "However, when I bring the Imperium to rule, you shall see the greater light."
Once the man stepped upon the pad, Kholo whispered something and soon, a ring leaped from the ground. Once it returned to the ground, the two were gone. Darian could only stand silently and awkwardly. "A cocky bastard he is?"
"Yes, he is." was all Gryllisus could say as troops flooded onto the hub from another gondola.
"Sirs, the Cult's fleet is withdrawing." the voice of a human came. "What happened?"
"Nothing that you need to hear about, soldier." Darian cut in. "Contact the alliance. Tell them we've found another artifact, and a war criminal has a piece of it. They'll have the science department flooding into this place soon."