Halo Clairvoyance
Advanced Drawing Assignment
By Gary Cogdill
//January 20th, 2555, On board Thoughtless Resolve orbiting unknown planet orbiting Keplar System//
The room was mostly silent except for the soft humming of the motors from the control panel, and only lit with iridescent blue of the hologram. The silence was finally broken by a low, raspy voice. "We've received a message from the High Council to follow the Brutes onto the planet and exterminate the fleet and all the ground forces" The voice was that of Nira, one of the highest ranked officers in the covenant army. The Assault Carrier's control room was illuminated by the purple tint of the lights surrounding it, and glowed violet on the elite's skin and armor.
"No offense Elite, but that will take too much time, time we do not have." said the humans' commanding officer, Patterberg scolded. Nira knew the human was right. If the scouting parties were spotted on the planet the Brutes could quickly escape his grasps. Nira clenched his fist and growled in disgust over the thought of the dirty Brutes escaping. Turning around to look at the image of the human captain he continued on. "Indeed Captain Patterberg, but the Brutes are surprisingly only fast at fleeing."Smirked Nira.
"I have a feelin' that those ugly bastards are going to show themselves." the Captain commented back with his own snarling smile, the lines of his face defined themselves a little more as the corner of his lips curled up. Nira had grown in admiration for the humans, they'd survived the covenant's genocide with honor and valor equal to those of his own kin, and for 25 years they had never surrendered.
"What we need to do is send down some of your special operation soldiers and I'll send down two of my Spartans, Nira." Patterberg suggested. A cold feeling crept up Nira's back, and he straightened himself up with this. Spartans, the humans ultimate weapons that slaughtered so many sangheili brethren in combat. It wasn't long ago that all of the covenant thought of them as unholy demons sent to stop the Great Journey, and in the end they did, but for a good reason. The thought of the unstoppable, enhanced humans being on his side eased the fear of them only for a short while.
Nira scratched his helmet as he contemplated Patterberg's plan. "Whad'ya say split chin?" Patterberg spat. "Let me think for a moment Patterberg!" Nira snorted in annoyance. Nira slowly sat down in the control room's gravity seat, and lowered his head. Nira didn't have any objections to the plan but wanted to appear to the human that he was thinking, they may be on the same side, but it doesn't mean he didn't have contempt for them.
Finally Nira spoke and lifted his face to the monitor, "Agreed, send your Spartans down first, and then I'll let my spec ops down to assist them in reconing the Brutes; this mission will happen tomorrow. When they spot and map out all the camps the cleansing will start." Patterberg's image nodded as Nira waved his hand over the hologram to end the transmission with the human. He slowly stood and rested himself on the chair as the blue light faded away. Suddenly the control doors opened and he heard foot steps. A minor entered the control room with his new, blue combat harness glittering in the violet and blue hues of the light. The minor was young and strong; spitting image of what Nira Farem used to be over 40 years ago.
The young elite hesitated in the doorway, and Nira could tell that he was nervous. Nira turned around and held out his hand. "Go on brother what is your message?" He nodded to the minor. The minor must have not heard him as he still was scoping out the control room like it was his first time, in
awe of the overwhelming authority of it.
"Your Excellence," He finally breathed, "I came here to ask you if I may join my spec op brothers in slaughtering the jiralhanae?" He asked nervously.
"How do you know of this operation minor!?" Nira asked in a furious tone.
"I overheard while I was traveling to the summit to repair a banshee."
The minor was still worried he might be punished for his stupidity rather then his bravery, and took several steps forward to try and hide his anxiety. Nira paused and examined the young recruit, looking him up and down while he stepped down from the gravity seat. Nira tried to be stern, but something in him still saw himself in the minor, and saw something special in the sangheili soldier.
"Tell me sangheili, what makes you more qualified than someone above you?" Nira sneered lowering his shoulders and raising his gaze. "What is it that you have to gain from all of this?" The minor fell silent, then breathed in and walked forward. "I have nothing to lose, and nothing to gain. I don't have any qualifications other than I know this is what I'm meant to do." Nira smirked. "You remind me of myself when I was younger. Young, dumb and eager to please, but most of all you have the thirst for adventure like I once had." Nira placed a hand on the minor's shoulder. "I will also give you a spec op harness, but do not say anything about this minor! I don't want all of our ranks thinking I'm too weak for my position as Fleet Admiral." Nira looked at his other energy sword. He gripped it and held it out to the minor. "Survive this operation and I will give you my blessing to promote you to major." The minor slowly walked up the steps to the Fleet admiral.
"I bestow my other energy sword as a good luck charm for you." Nira slowly let go of the hilt as it landed in the minor's hands. The minor gripped it as his eyes shined in awe of the holy weapon. "It brought me luck on more than one occasion, but I'm sure you won't need it." The minor glanced down towards the sword. "One more thing I must ask you Minor." Nira said.
"I will answer it with the best of my abilities my excellence" He knelt down in front of Nira.
"What is your name?" The sangheili lifted his head
"My name is Ilte' Arcod, and I won't fail you Fleet Admiral I promise you my life."
