Halo: A Soldier's Mercy
October 25, 2569 (UNSC Calendar)
Planet Caribbean, Habi System, October 25,
As the name of the planet implies, the outer colony Caribbean, it is a true sight to behold, true to its name the surface of the planet, also been colonized 45 years before the Harvest contact.
In principle the surface of the world is mostly archipelagoes with the main and the only continent 1.5 size of larger than Australia on Earth, near it been only islands of varying sizes scattered across a vast blue ocean. 3 were the size of Madagascar while one the size of Borneo and many others of varying shapes and sizes. It is a world of mostly temperate climate, many of the small islands been lush and green, some with temperate forests while others been more tropical, some on the extremes in the far north or south were however known to have big mountains covered in permanent snow and ice. The world been one of the few outer colonies left untouched by the war.
The sole continent of the planet is Novo Havana is where the main population of the planet from a total of nearly 2.8 million people lives in the capital city of Caicos with a population of 1.000.000 inhabitants in a coastal city in a natural anchorage, which made it both a space and aquatic port, to the west there were the one of the island of New Helgoland where the second city of 600.000 of Novo Caracas been to the north of the planet while Gibraltar the third one of 400.000 been to the south of the main continent to the north. While on the fourth major island of Majapahit surrounded by the other islands was the city of New Sao Tome with the population of 300.000, the rest of the population living on scattered settlements across the islands, most islands been home to farm or fishing settlements or left untouched for holyday makers. The interior of the continent were varying, to the south been a harsh desert, while to the north a strip of harsh mountains settled by scattered mining operations.
The city of Caicos was mostly human with tall buildings from glass and concrete but there were also purple-colored dome shaped structure as prefab that were made by the old Covenant that stood tall and proud, this been due to the immigration of ex-covenant species to the colony after the war, their number representing 15 percent of the population, some districts been mostly predominant in alien architecture. And the pedestrians where aside from humans one could see kig-yar of all 3 subspecies that walk the street with some Unggoy that were mostly for business purposes (in a nearby system there is a habitable planet but with methane base atmosphere where the Unggoy had settled and turned it into a second Balaho upon been discovered, despite been 1.0 smaller than their home world). Of course tourism is a very popular thing for the planet in the summer due to the 28 hour day and 345 day year, the days were among the best if it was summer of course. The evenings were of course even more so due to the twin small frozen moons that rotate around the planet in the sky. The evenings were of course where one could go and listen to open-air music performances in the Caracas Park where musicians were singing two cello and one on a mobile piano.
One individual listening to the music was an elderly T'Vaoan Kig-Yar with graying feathers and with small green eyes in a long white robe standing near on a bench, he kept himself away from a small group of 5 unggoy that were also there as they did the same thing, since they were more interested in goofing-off, one trying to imitate one of the cello musicians. Taking a deep breath after listening to the song he started to walk, his clawed hand touching the bar placed near so that one could look towards the ocean. Such nights was making him sometimes melancholic. His destination was a house that was also a kig-yar teahouse similar to the one in Tilu City, back on Eayn with of course a human architecture where traditional Kig-yar architecture was added. He entered inside just when the closing time was.
"Good evening father." Said a younger T'Vaoan Kig-Yar who was the owner of the teahouse who was running it with his own mate.
"Good evening." He said to his son.
"Have you been to a concert in the park?"
"The evening is too nice to stay inside." Said the elder one as he took a breath.
"Until the rain starts." Called a female T'Vaoan as she activated the holo-news.
'And now the weather, according to experts, a big storm will be coming in the future days, the storm it seems will bypass Caicos but rain will pour for at least 3 days on end. We recommend people that don't have a particular business are advice to stay inside if the storm comes towards the city.'
"How many times did this flat face tried to make a big deal for a possible coming of a storm to the city." She commented.
"Heard he wants to participate in local elections for city council, he should not try publicity right now."
"This is how human politicians work, making publicity out of everything like city vendors." She said as she closed the door.
"Well Yen it is not like it will not be obvious if they have the chance star early."
"Nork I am pretty sure he will not gain much if he does that." He said before the news shifted to another subject.
"Recently there had been a disappearance of 2 17 year old teens after a trip on a boat in the sea and coast guard; authorities are mobilizing search for them on the sea. If anyone has any information please report to the office." Said the news before been turned off.
"Disappeared probably on an island, this world has lots of them where lovers can simply vanish." Said Nork as he went behind the account table.
"At least they can be found." Said the elder kig-yar as we wanted to go to his room to sleep before his son came with a book in his hand.
"By the way father, maybe you would like to read this." Said Nork as he handed him the book.
"The Path of Fac?" He asked.
"It is the personal war time story from a member of our kin, Trau Fac. That lives on the planet Byzantium. The one who published his story is named Ian Crawford it seems that during the war his planet was invaded and he and his family and neighbors came across the lance lead by him, it seems he and his group wanted to dessert the army and they had spared their lives while taking their escape ship. I wonder how many episodes like those had been."
"There had been other instances too for that I am sure; it is not a singular event." He said taking the book and went to his room, his room was typical kig-yar style but with some aspects of human furniture. Going to his bed by the window he passed the book on his desk, in a sense his room was what some humans could consider near Spartan like. It was simple, despite he and his son been the owners of a popular teahouse which became a trend on some human colonies when they opened with migration. Of course as he placed the book on the desk he took a long look at the book as he give a sight before rolling up the sleeves to take a look at his arms, his scarred arms from the war. He was an old veteran who never imagined in his younger years that he will come to end up as a merchant and a business owner on a human world. However with this life, he had one feeling that could not go away, the feeling of regret for how the war went for him.
"It is not a single event, the mercy of a soldier." He said to himself as he recalled things from his past as a soldier of the Covenant.
The ninth age of Reclamation (Covenant Calendar)
The news of the beginning of the war caught many by surprise, many had in fact the new enthronement of the new triumvirate of Prophets was met to varying degrees. The most faithful members of the covenant religion had immediately joined in this holy crusade against the humans. Some others view as a way to go on some adventure or for monetary gains, or simply were driven by euphoria in the first days. It was not however the case for him Zar Vrill, he was 12 cycles at the time so he was not eligible. He lived back then on a plantation with his father, mother and 6 brothers and 3 sisters (the most privileged). He was among the youngest, one sister Zin had at the beginning of the conflict joined the naval academy given command of a scout ship, while 2 of his elder brothers Par the first born and Merg the second joined the army when they got the opportunity after a month.
The war in essence had progressed with mostly propaganda of a quick victory that was promised for a year, before the year became a second year and then a third and then a fourth. During that time Merg was proclaimed KIA in the second year as for Par he came back from the front a totally hollowed individual in the fourth year, the only good thing that came from the war was only the loot that was brought or sent to the family, his brothers joined for different reasons Merg for a sense of adventure while Par to support the family. Par in the four years had in essence become an experience soldier but he did not want to talk about what was like. What he brought back from the front as loot helped him a lot financially however he felt ashamed for losing one his younger brothers.
Another brother the third one, Gorn had also decided to enlist with a new crop of troops in essence due to wanting to become rich, thinking that taking a lot of loot and he might have done so had it not been killed right in the first campaign when jumping from his dropship that crashed after been hit by human AA missiles and he was blown away by a human rocket launcher in a field. As for their elder sister Zin she had vanquished with her ship, or more rather she was declared lost with all hands when she scouted a system and was probably intercepted by human patrol ships.
The war dragged on and the whole thing became a background thing, the recruitment stands were always present in the main square in towns and cities on T'Vao and on other kig-yar settlements but the enthusiasm that accompanied it was no more but there were however people who would go to recruitment offices due to many reasons but not war enthusiasm or too much religious fervor. Beyond that as he became a teen he went to a tavern or a teahouse where he would listen to what some were talking about he had heard returning veterans about hard fought battle and about the usual boasting from who knows what individual who went. Aside from the boasting he caught was also about the horrors like, what the humans call the Spartans for them the Demons who wreck havoc upon legions of the Covenant and killing everything living in sight with veterans recalling becoming the sole survivors of units. As he listened to them he also heard unfamiliar music that was given in the evening from unfamiliar instruments or unfamiliar origins, that been at first. He of course enjoyed the music, the one that was played in records in tea houses and taverns were calming ones.
"Do you like it chick." He once heard a veteran that was finishing his tea.
"It is a very nice tune. Who composed it?"
"Humans did." He started as Zar looked surprised as the veteran drank his tea.
"Such records were taken from campaigns and sold around in tea houses and taverns." He said with a degree of regret.
"How is fighting with them?" He asked with naivite "I mean they should not be this violent if they compose music..."
"You watch your tongue chick; don't want to be accused of heresy." The veteran said with a stern look at him.
"But as a summary what the propaganda tells is not the truth at all."
"Fighting them is harder than it looks?" Zar started.
"3 to 4 campaigns on some of their planets, planets which in essence I regret seeing those burned, after seeing them up close how they are." He said with a whispered and heavy voice full of regret which puzzled him.
"Don't tell me you don't have someone that knows of those things in your family?"
"I do actually an older brother of mine; he came back with good loot but pretty much hollow in soul."
"Obviously if he saw something he would have not wanted to see." He started finishing his tea as he left while Zar finished his and went back to his home to his brother who was now working in the field. Zar started to help him out if only to find him in a good mood or something and if he was able to talk. As they worked together, they heard Kar calling that he had joined the Covenant navy on a raider along with some of his friends on the same ship.
"A raider, probably he will have some success in living for a longer time although many raiders were also intercepted." Par started not happy as he continued to work.
"Par?" Zar started tracking his attention.
"What." He said although with a degree of annoyance.
"I-I was wondering, is this war harder then they show?"
"Do you believe what the Prophets say when they make their sermons?"
"I am not so big on the covenant faith, they did not banned our old faith."
"Heh, one thing about been more independent under the union."
"But what does this have to do with the war?"
"Knowing to think for yourself in some aspects would make you take better decisions, not to be a hero but to survive."
"The war is not as they say then."
"Never was." He said as he plunged his shovel in the ground.
"This war is nothing the covenant thought will be and in essence it did not prepare us for a war like this. The humans are literally fighting for their lives, they will fight without end to try to stop advance of the Covenant and will not go down without a fight."
"But in our case the war of the asteroids we fought before we accepted to become part of the covenant."
"I doubt that will be the case very much doubt it, especially when it comes to them been killed all around no matter what, no matter what." He said as he leaned against the shovel making Zar to think, was it the case for the civilians too no matter the age.
"I thought it will only be soldiers fighting in a war."
"Not with the wasteful strategy that is used, or what the orders are." Par said as Zar thought about this, what could be the situation with all that is happening, but by what Zar could see Par looking, it meant that things are really not good at all. Of course one has to be there because Par was surely not one to want to mention anything now what he surely witness was surely not something he wants to talk about. The time had passed and till he was 18 cycles old eligible for been recruited. In most cases the war and the army became really a background thing, the enthusiasm of the first days were totally gone, it was only seen as something normal now. It was of course not so much for the people who had lost family members however. But such was life some would say, problem was there were now many who worked in different jobs before joining the army whom they believed will help them better financially despite the danger some were with stupid adventure or some blind zealots. Zar was among the ones who wanted only to go for the financial part. He, however, was stopped by Par before going to enlist and he with a menacing look said.
"You go there Zar and despite what you believe they will have your soul no matter what and remember something, you go there, and you will see unprecedented things you will never manage to forget." He said
"I am not one to rush for things, but I am not having other prospects and to be honest, to be low paid crew member for a shipmistress is not a great career for many males." Zar said as Par seem to understand before grabbing him by the shoulder.
"Listen and remember this Zar, whatever orders you will get, whatever things you will do will always have consequences no matter what. And it will only lead to bad things."
"You think the four-jaws are bad can't blame you for that really."
"They are also pawns in the game of the ones that made this mess in the first place." He started referring to the prophet for sure.
"Do not say what I said now if you want to go, but remember at first it will seem fine until you see for real what all is about." Par said to Zar as the elder brother turned around to leave regret in his face in the view of Zar who went to enlist in the plaza. And true to his brother's words, the training was nothing but hell instructors were harsh and for many they were great tormentors for them, Zar which in essence meant repetition but it also meant going to some favorite spots on Eyan, the black Ravine, the deep marsh, the horrid stone mountain, the infernal geysers that splash boiling water on them. It was hell the training but was also the time to bond with his comrades like Gan the one with the jokes who tried to make anyone laugh, Hok the grumpy face but the always spot on individual, Vek the treasure gatherer or Mok the silent one or Zak the pious nutcase or Glep the tech nerd or Bef the sentimental one. Despite all been from different backgrounds they all became literally brothers whose relationship became only more official when the first campaign came. It was the human planet of Arcadia where they got their first battle scars, their battle was done outside the main human settlement but the fighting was very intense. In essence the planet for them was like their motherworld of Eyan, Bef did mention that the planet was making him homesick.
The Arcadia campaign was for them however not a pleasant thing, their lance survived intact due to been deployed at the outskirts of the city and they had managed to leave the system without much trouble, but for some it was enough to gather some things. This was their first campaign a minor raid, in the aftermath it was discovered that one of the high prophets wanted to activate a fleet of Forerunner ships to gain a quick victory, hope was then high for this but unfortunately it was not to be. The location of the place was discovered by humans and they managed to somehow destroy the whole shield world where the ships were along with many tens of thousands of warriors. It meant the war will drag on and so it did, the new campaign he went was a hellish one, the planet they were in was harsher then Arcadia and they had fought a hard battle. The drop was hardest of all, since their Phantom dropship was fired upon intensively and had many holes luckily it exploded only after their lance was on the ground.
"Better out then in." Gan joked but it was no better in an open field, since they had to find cover from human heavy ground fire at all time his and he was hit with a DMR bullet that luckily was only imbedded in his battle harness but managed to go on forwards. The battle in the city was hell, they had to stay in the hiding to not be killed by snipers while the Sangheili and Unggoy and even brutes were dropped dead by different types of fire.
"You know staying here kind of bites as humans will call it." Zak commented.
"Never knew you will pick an expression from them." Hok said at the irony.
"We should be fighting there in the streets not stay in a building."
"Don't be stupid, you don't get into the great journey for wanting to die."
"Who said I could die?"
"Everyone who thinks to not rush in the fire outside." Hok said the obvious before an explosion was heard outside, proving his point.
"Are we going to be retrieved?" Bef asked a bit troubled.
"Can't say for sure, maybe if we survive, and if this building will not collapse."
"Better we move out." Vek said as they started to move out on without noticing their sentimental one in a room that was abandoned now.
"Bef, come on." Zar said as he came to him only to find him holding a picture with a family with parents and a child.
"You know, it is not the time for sightseeing, since there is not much to see now."
"You know we should not be surprise that the humans fight this badly to make sure their own manage to escape, they try to make sure they might have a future. Wouldn't you do the same?" He asked without sounding sentimental.
"I come from a numerous family and 2 of my siblings are dead probably 3 in total. I mostly joined because there were no other options for me to make a living for my family."
"So we are on the same page here." He said as he placed the picture back while.
"Are you 2 coming out?" Vek called as the two left.
"And Bef, whatever sentiments you got, try not to show them, I heard from a senior veteran that in the fleet some places could be bugged to detect heresy."
"I did not think you will be concerned about us thinking how much you like to take some stuff to sell." Bef said.
"Hey I am not heartless, and besides when you live on a struggling plantation one takes as much as it could if he could better himself financially." He said as he pocked what appeared to be some small jewels with a gem on it.
"You know it is a bit odd, how come that we did not encounter human civilians so far." Zar asked.
"Because they tried to leave as soon as they could or because they were killed in numbers from what I heard in big massacres." Vek start as the two turned to him.
"How do you know that?" Vek asked.
"Zak muttered this out, when our lance was separated and mixed with another he came across such a thing, and he boasted about it, he even mentioned there was no military personnel there."
"You know I heard many professional soldiers that said when they fought before in rebellions in the past it would not be done like this. Well the small glassing of the gas-suckers homeworld was something else but still not in the field."
"Those are the orders of the Prophets they said, however strange is the fact some of those orders made clear the fact that they should literally exterminate them. Was it not the same when some other species of the covenant that resisted but now are inducted in it?"
"Heh, you really are not one to very keen with the official religion of the covenant if you say that about the prophets."
"I never was one to have time for religious things, and when you hear what they tell multiple times you tend to be get bored and see them as words of politicians, never interested in those things. I would not however say this to some who would rattle me out or in some place that could be bugged."
"Good thinking there." Bef said before lots of explosions were heard outside as they ducked to the ground.
"Are humans making a counterattack?"
"Don't know, but I would try to leave as soon as we can right now." Baf said with concern as they left. This campaign was hard, their legion sustained heavy casualties especially in the city not to mention the other legions also had lots of casualties, the fleet in essence had to leave the system to replenish, most of the casualties were unggoy but also a lot of kig-yar contingents were also gone. They afforded because of that a time of shore leave even they were not spared casualties, Vek was injured and had to be discharged completely while 2 of the seniors were dead. The campaign that came next was worst, a human ship a frigate class by their standards had in essence probably no more respected orders to remain in orbit but the shipmaster or mistress of it was a bold one, they went into the fire and started to havoc everything, it went where their dropships were flying and started to fire on them shooting down and destroying phantoms, leeches and spirits as well as lots of banshees. This alone resulted in lots of casualties those that were their reinforcements, his lance was already on the ground but that ship became in essence the campaign's nightmare, the ship had destroyed lots of dropships and support craft, the attack had to be halted for a time during which period Zar swore he had noticed lots of human ships escaping the system. In essence that frigate was their nightmare for the campaign and the whole place was in essence a meatgrinder. It was an attrition that was heavily sustained, they all had, however, to move on. But it was not to his liking because Zak was killed in battle due to his recklessness when they entered in the city and during that time Bef had been wounded badly and died in the field, and it was not only him but also others were killed from his lance. Only him with Glep and Mok, they had taken from other lances strays. That campaign was way too costly for However a sangheili minor took command of them and they had to comply with what he wants, one of them was to attack humans in a city, some of them been civilians, it included also a child but luckily, he did not hit him, after that he could not have any pride for that.
"Wish we did not do what we did." Mok said to them when they were alone.
"You know what they said about this, it is us or them." Zar said.
"Not when it comes to unarmed ones. It was a useless act."
"No use crying over this." Zar said as they turned to Glep.
"Hey Glep what do you think of all that is happened?" Asked Zar however he was too caught up in something.
"Ahh, guys I think there is something off."
"What do you mean?" Glep asked as the tech nerd made a sign to come closer to him with their bowls of food and pins of ale.
"I believe the Prophets are hiding something." He whispered.
"What are you talking about?"
"Do you know what a luminary is for?"
"Weren't those the devices that are used to detect forerunner stuff no matter how useless it could be?" Glep asked.
"They are and I found out that one or two planets that we attacked had been detected after the luminary had detected something, however it was not forerunner, it was the humans?"
"You know that what you said could be heresy." Zar said in a whisper.
"I know, but think, how come that we are attacking them, and we didn't even give them a way to become part of the covenant? The present Prophets only tell to go and destroy their colonies and eliminate all of them which makes them fight harder and harder." He said.
"It is a campaign of extermination, they are labeled as heretics according to them."
"Heretics, for what, for existing?" Glep said tracking their attention. "I heard a theory from a smuggler I sold the loot I got, it is said that there might have been a mistranslation of words. It is possible that the word 'Reclamation' is misspelled, the word is 'Reclaimer'."
"Are you sure of this theory?"
"It is said that on Trove they needed to take a human female in order to activate the ships, the high prophet was not able to do it." He said.
"So, you believe that there is something more to this?"
"I do, however the one who came with this theory had died in a mysterious way."
"Surely assassinated." Mok said.
"Right but if this the case, what are we now supposed to do we can't say this out loud?"
"It is each of us that decide what to do, however I am sorry, but I don't think I can do it anymore. Very many of us had gone in the last mission I am not forcing my luck." Glep said with a nervous look.
"And from what I know this information if the four-jaws hear it you are dead right away with their energy swords cutting you down." Mok said with a sight.
"Truth be told I did not join this army out of love for the covenant but because there was no better job. My brother Par returned in a bad shape after leaving the army to work on our plantation back home. Never wanted to tell." Zar said.
"It could have been the whole mess that this war is. No one knew it will take this long. Not only that but from what I could tell, the casualties really do mount, some of the Sangheili do start to be disillusioned with all this many of them are dropped down even with their energy shields with them been glory seekers and all. The unggoy are used of course as cannon fodder so no sense talking about them."
"How do you know that?"
"I am a silent one, which makes me a good listener when off duty."
"So what do we do, you Glep will leave the army I would stay for now to see where this will go." He said.
"You will surely give up when you encounter probably the same mission as your brother did Zar or something ever worse." Glep said.
"What could be worst?" He asked not knowing he should not have asked that question. In essence the future campaigns were worst then the previous ones were harder and worst, he had been wounded in one battle with a bullet to the shoulder and was evacuated and while he was on the hospital ship he heard that his entire lance was killed when they were transported to another location, not only that but he also witnessed the destruction of 2 corvettes before their fleet had to actually retreat. The humans brought in more firepower than they expected. In essence it was his first loss for the covenant he experienced, and he also had his lance gone, making him now a Major. Although it was not something he wanted to have, not with his lance coming as the price. His new lance was formed right away, and another mission came, he tried his best to keep it alive as much as he could one of the things he thought was to keep them away from attacking too populated areas. Then came what was called by the kig-yar the Reth affair who as a big surprise it was publicized and despite Reth been killed some of the crew lived and formed secret societies of kig-yar sympathetic to the humans to one degree or the other. They said that there had been colonies that they had discovered and never were reported and of course the one that were doing this and were part of those societies were small merchants who started to prosper and smugglers that didn't care about the war. How clever were they, he knew of those due to having Glep as a connection and one of his remaining brothers Lep who was making good work with his shipmaster. Of course, those there from secret societies that had sworn to never divulge the names or locations or anything of the worlds, the quirks of been more independent under the Covenant. If you were not a fool that is as he felt, he was at that moment. However, the nail in the coffin came when he found himself leading his lance with a Sangheili minor an attack and cornered a group of unarmed civilians, they were literally cornered he would have ignored them if he was not overseen by a four-jaw who made one order.
"Kill the filth." He ordered and his talons were shaking, he had secretly watched pictures of human civilians when entering their settlements and somehow the spirit of his sentimental comrade Bef was talking.
"Do not do it." He might have heard him say but then the minor pulled out his energy sword activating it and then screams came and then silence before however the Sangheili had swinged his sword on someone, he opened his eyes and noticed that one of his subordinates Maj who was also a sentimental one that for adventure he have joined the army he had his head cutoff due to the fact that he had not fired his weapon.
"Weaklings." He said as he left them to join his crèche while Zar looked behind him, the bodies of his lance's victims among them been 2 children and somehow, he as a marksman felt his hand with talons now shaking for what happened. The rest of the mission he barely managed to concentrate and so did some others from his unit. The only satisfaction was that the four-jaw that had oversaw the event was killed by human sniper fire when they returned to the carrier that was also damaged during the battle in space. However, this was the final nail in the coffin for him however his problem was how was he going to do it when was his opportunity. The opportunity did not come however in the next mission where casualties were great even among his lance and he found himself separated from the others and he found himself in a building that lead to an evacuation ship where a group of civilians was passing by he however decided to not show himself he let them be, and hid himself in a dark corner during which time however he was noticed by a youngling, he might have screamed had not it's mother took him up and then he hid himself even deeper only to see a demon with this group that was intercepted by a group of gas-suckers and the demon with ease leveled them all.
Zar only stayed in hiding hoping he will not be discovered he stood there a few hours till a contingent of kig-yar and was evacuated to meet up with his lance that had 3 missing soldiers, all KIA. It was enough for him, he could no more do it. He decided to officially leave the army with his lance who no more wanted to go on, he went in another mission where his lance was sent on another campaign that ended with heavy losses, and during which time his lance had intersected with another group of fleeing civilians in a corner however he was alone again separated from his lance again. The people looked at him terrified but he only had his weapon pointed at them but did not fired he only pointed with one finger in one direction.
"Run, no turn back." He managed to say in English, during his time he picked some words whom he had memorized and practiced in secret, the humans were confused at this but complied in a hurry one of them was a child who looked in his eyes deep and what he seemed to have seen were not the eyes of a monster but one of an individual with a great weight on him and so he went in the direction where he could hide for a small time. Some time had passed before he met up with his other lance who had good news which was the case there was a small shuttle docked still on the airfield in the city, and they had managed to find a suitable ship which was a private small freighter belonging to someone that wanted to leave in a hurry on his own. He did not go further however because they had intercepted him and stole the freighter while a battle was raging on, UNSC forces came and were aiding the civilians into the transports that were leaving on mass, and nearby when the engines were starting Zar could have seen that nearby he saw the group that had left and he swore that he was noticed by the same youngling that was with that group, he of course his gaze was short lived since they in essence had left in a hurry, they left the atmosphere with the other human ships, ironically. They went immediately into slip-space.
A few other cycles had passed till the war was over and the truth about the Halo rings was exposed. They had what would humans consider a death cult that could have got all destroyed for nothing. His lance had found their own destiny during this time. They had joined at first those secret societies that traded with humans in secret and they had become quite successful even making Venezia a base of operations with his brother Lep whom he found about that Par had died with a broken heart. Till the war was over Zar had discovered that despite all the efforts the Covenant made, there were still around a little over 300 human colonies still active a few of them the Covenant came but didn't glass them or were pushed back and did not bother with and the human population it seems that from 58 billion was now 30 billion in total. Among those colonies were Venezia, Byzantium and even Caribbean among those untouched. When the trade agreement and non-aggression pacts were made Zar had joined his brother Lep and started his new life. Before the war was over, he found a mate and had a son and a daughter and after the war he decided to settle on the human colony on Caribbean and opened his tea house which became popular. He however could not forget the image of the youngling that had managed to escape because he did not fire on them and let them be the two groups.
Present
"What a time, huh?" He said to himself before noticing that he had the book opened without even knowing as he had all the flashbacks in his mind before closing the book.
"It seems there are things in common." He said to himself before going to sleep.
The next day
The weather was mild rain for the most part in that day and the teahouse was a welcoming place for some who wished to escape the rain, in most cases it was good for business although it was not gathering that big of a crowd.
"For once the weather was right more or less." Murmured Nork as he assisted at the count as each was having their tea.
"In any case hope that the crew members of the merchant that came will like my variant of hok-vash stew with the local fish." Said Yen as she placed to a group of Ruthhians a plate that was their traditional dish with a bit of the local wildlife, one of them was what humans call the purple tuna, a fish that was bigger than the regular tuna fish that was found in abundance on the planet. This one along with some other fish that were imported from Earth for lakes and rivers. In any case Hok-Vash stew with the ingredients one could always add something from different planets to a add a local flavor.
"One can't refuse a local flavor." Said Zar as he stood at a table near the window as he looked at the rain, in most cases it was a calm one while in deep though.
"The journalist who interviewed this skirmisher I am telling you was not the only one who experienced this." He heard a human voice as he turned behind him, a slender man with brown eyes with black hair and glasses.
"When I was 10 me, my family and some others were cornered at one point on the streets of my homeworld. There was this skirmisher who was also a major I believe that had it's weapon pointed at us but did not fired."
"He didn't?" asked the woman that was with him.
"No on the contrary he seemed to indicate to us and even spoke to us the word 'Go no turn back' I will never forget that event."
"And you also met his gaze I believe." Started Zar in a casual voice tracking the man's attention.
"I also heard of this event, on Miridem if I don't mistake." Zar said in a calm voice.
"How do you know all that?" The man asked confused.
"At teahouses and taverns, some tend to mouth off things like that and one can hear something if he knows how to stay silent." Zar said before getting on his feet.
"Also one should never forget a place where a change of heart occurs." He started before the man noticed him closer especially the eyes and the man could not even know what to say.
"Confused? Are we?"
"W-why h-have you…"
"Did what I did?" he started as he leaned against the cushion he sat on. "When one is not blinded or deaf to hear or see hidden things in, one can have other thoughts. And also when you experience what I had one gains a big weight on your shoulders."
"What exactly made you not do it?" The man started with stress as he was sweating.
"Loss of friends, skepticism in the prophets, seeing the uselessness of all. Quite a list." He started with calm as he closed his eyes "Don't think there were no covenant soldiers reluctant to obey orders that seemed wrong despite from where it was claimed to have been given. The ones who did what they did were either forced or too blind to see things through. And because of those things I also lost a brother." Zar said as he started to walk past him.
"I wonder how many did the same as you or Fac did?" Said the man.
"There might have been more, but who knows how many survived to tell the tale."
"T-thank you, for showing mercy and sparing us." The man said as Zar turned to him in acknowledgement leaning his head and displaying a smile as he continued to walk, he had went behind the counter and up to his room, where he also had his own book where he was dictating his memoires vocally and were turned into text. Before activating it he looked outside towards the sea where it seemed some rays of light were showing in the distance coming towards him. Which made the old soldier smile warmly, he knew for a fact that whatever divinity there was out there it showed to him that he did what was right, he was not a bad individual.
"An act of real mercy is always worth it." He said to himself as he closed his eyes 'I made right by you brother.'
Author's note: This is a spin-off story with dedication to the wonderful story made by the talented fanfiction author H. , writer of the story The Path Of Fac. For one to understand this spin-off you have to read the original story by H. .
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