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After Fate: Revelations
Posted By: Nosolee<crugg2005@gmail.com>
Date: 6 September 2005, 10:22 pm
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After Fate, Chapter III
Revelations
Covenant Holy City: High Charity, Ninth Age of Reclamation, Wkehu 'Delevi's quarters
Meep!Meep!Meep!The beeping continued until 'Delevi awoke and patted the flashing hologram. It reminded him that he had a stored message and he suddenly remembered where it was from. Opening the message sent from Ucundus, a small hologram flickered to life, bearing a cloaked figure. He watched with unflinching, yet dreary attention as it spoke:
"You know my voice and I suggest you be alone when you hear it. Before I continue make sure you are the sole listener to this message."
There was a pause, 'Delevi's heart thumped within his chest from excitement and confusion. He knew who the hologram was, but logic told him that it was impossible. It spoke again.
"Your time as a member of the "Holy" Covenant is approaching its end, 'Delevi. Civil war is brewing. You must listen to what I say with patience and tolerance, for I, your brother, speak 'heresy'." The word sent chills down 'Delevi's spine and he felt dizzy. Something pleasant, however, stirred within him. Something kept him drawn to the hologram's words.
"The hierarchs conspire against us Sangheili, brother. The alliance is slowly being dissolved as we speak by the acid seeping from Truth's mouth. He has found a race far more obedient, and far less intelligent to replace and dispose of us. The resentment stemming from the struggle that the Prophets and Elites fought centuries ago is being realized once again, now that the Great Journey is beginning. Another installation has been found, another Sacred Ring.
I will explain more when you arrive. But watch, soon you will see—the Elites will lose their foothold in the military, then in the guard, the hierarchy, and ultimately the Covenant. Truth, in all his wisdom, conspires against us; yet in his foolishness he is blind to the real truth. Such ignorance will be his…and our destruction, if he is not stopped.
This message has been coded so skillfully by a Human construct that you need not fear danger. I suggest, however, that you dispose of it immediately. When Obedience approaches listen to what he says and follow his orders. He knows the true truth. Farewell for now, 'Delevi. 'Krrana and I eagerly await your arrival."
The hologram flickered and cut, leaving 'Delevi frozen with conflicting emotions. He watched it again, and a third time just to hear his brother's voice. It had been four years since he heard anyone in his family speak, and now they were all alive. 'Delevi didn't care that 'Drrana spoke heresy, it was the most comforting heresy he heard in a long time. He had suspected Truth's motives and had long forgotten how to fear the council. He wanted to see his brothers, he wanted to take a Phantom to Ucundus that very minute, but he knew that he must conduct the situation carefully and patiently.
Dressed in his ornamental armor and headset, he set out for the morning council meeting.
UNSC Destroyer Sabine, Approaching Deserted Colony World, Ucundus.
10.20.2552 (Military Calendar)
"Get ready ladies, we're dropping in five minutes. Make sure the LZ is clear, so on and so forth, you've heard the dribble drabble before. Once the Samnite crew has the ship repaired we're jumpin' to Earth," York shoved the heavy ODST helmet on his head as he walked down the row of SOEIVs. He stopped at his own pod and opened the hatch.
, "Best of luck, sir," A marine walking down the aisle passed a quick salute.
"Thanks, Lang," this was York's second drop, he was, in effect, an infantry marine officer, not an ODST. The first drop was in an emergency, now he just wanted to do it for, as he said, "shits and giggles."
"Are you sure about this, sir," an ODST opened the pod next to his. "I mean, you haven't been trained for this type of insertion."
"I'm sure. There's nothing going on down there anyway."
"Alright, sir."
"It's damn right. 'Feet first into hell,' right? That's the motto?" York asked the ODST who was now securely in his pod.
"Un huh," the Helljumper nodded.
"Then to hell we go. Some excitement for a change, I'm tired of all this wanderin' around on a ship," he closed his pod and it became immediately claustrophobic. He opened up a COM to the other five ODSTs.
"We're dropping into the field in front of the abandoned Delta Base 148, its mostly flat. Be careful, there's some debris lyin' about."
"Understood, Lieutenant."
"Okay."
"Roger."
"Yup."
"Sure, sure."
"From what?" one ODST asked.
"Damn, Andy, why you gotta be the one to always ask questions?" another spoke.
"'Cause, I wanna know."
"A Covenant ship," York replied.
"Oh, okay."
"Now get ready," York ordered.
"Okay."
"Roger."
"Alright."
"Yes, sir."
"Mmhmm."
The pods hissed.
"Drop time, ladies," the captain said over the COM.
"That's what I like to hear!" York shouted. The ODST next to York opened a private COM with Andy.
"Doesn't he seem a little over excited to you?"
"Yeah, what do you expect?"
"Hah." Cathoom! Cathoom! Cathoom! The six pods dropped out of the belly of the Samnite and plunged towards the surface of Ucundus.
"How's it feel, Lieutenant?" Andy shouted through the COM.
"Woo!" was the reply. The pods hit the planet's atmosphere and began to shake.
"Wuguhugugugug…"York sputtered as his pod fell further and further. He felt his stomach lurch and his heart beat faster than, what he thought, humanly possible. The pods all cleared the atmosphere and burned like six comets. The chutes of each SOEIV released and pulled the pods backward, their thrusters activated and they began to slow.
"There it is, boys, soil!" York had a whole view of the land as the pod slowed, the ocean and hills to the West, a large forest to the East, and Delta Base with the abandoned city behind it to the North. The pods thundered towards the center of the area, where a large field, pock marked with the remnants of the destroyed Covenant ship stretched towards the South.
"Touchdown in five, four," an ODST said over the COM, "three, two…" the pods each pummeled into the ground and kicked up dirt upon their impact. York's door burst open.
"Status!" York shouted. "Harley!"
"Fine, sir!" Harley walked out of his pod.
"Reid!"
"Fine."
"Andy!" York waited a moment and looked around. "Andy!" There was no response.
"Fuck, is Gordon here?"
"Yes, sir," Gordon said as he stepped past a large piece of blackened-purple debris and into York's view.
"Where did Andy's pod land?" York asked.
"I don't know exactly where sir, but I know its this way," Harley pointed northwest of their position. They walked cautiously past walls of the four-year-old debris that York remembered so painfully. They walked for about five minutes when they found it. Not Andy's pod, but the Covenant ship.
"Woah…" one of the ODSTs remarked.
"Is this the ship you were telling us about, Lieutenant? Fate?" Gordon asked with a hint of anticipation in his voice.
"Yes." York responded coolly. The four soldiers stood facing the long side of the massive ship. Its belly was nestled firmly in the ground, and Gordon felt a chill run down his spine at the might of the destroyed battlecruiser. The ship's long, bulbous bow was missing, however, and the part from which is was immediately separated was completely black and burnt. Ripples in the hull emanated from the explosion point all along the side of the ship. Holes that once spewed flames and smoke could were rusted and flaking. The back end of the ship, once elegantly smooth and curved was crumpled like a crushed can.
"That's her alright," York said lowly. The moment of amazement quickly ended when York shouted again. "Andy!"
"Sir! Over here!" Reid ran to a spot where the SOEIV lay. It was on its side next to the cruiser. The hatch was facedown in the ground.
"Damn it," Gordon said to himself.
"Andy, can you hear me in there, Andy!" York banged on the side of the pod.
"We have to flip it over," Reid said.
"We can't, it's too heavy for the four of us to do it alone," York opened up a COM with the Sabine.
"This is Lieutenant York to Captain Bronson, the LZ is clear of hostiles," the others spoke among themselves as York radioed to the ship.
"Why did we choose to drop here with all of this damned debris?" Reid asked.
"It's the flattest area within five miles of the LZ, it was supposedly the safest," another answered.
"But, still…woah!" Reid raised his weapon.
"What?" the others were alert now. York continued to try to get in touch with the captain.
"I repeat, we need immediate assistance, a pod has made an unsuccessful drop. Is anyone there," he stopped the COM, "Something's blocking our transmission, York turned to the other ODSTs. "Ah! What the hell…" The officer felt a quick prick in his neck, fell onto his back, and stared as the shimmering Ossoona lifted his unconscious body.
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