User:Dragonclaws/Truth-Justice

Chapter 6: Truth, Justice, and the Covenant Way!

With one quick movement, John swept the bayonet across the Jackal, cutting it in two. He breathed a sigh of relief as he collected his enemies’ dropped grenades. The patrols were increasing; he had to be getting close to one of their main areas. So far, they didn’t seem to know he was onboard; something John would take advantage of as long as he could.

Suddenly, his motion censor picked up a hostile close behind him. Grabbing the Brute weapon, he swung around to find a glowing gold orb hovering in the air not ten feet away. This was what made the friend-or-foe signal.

“What lies before me?” the orb demanded in the language of the Prophets, automatically translated by the MJOLNIR armor. A new Covie? John raised his Brute weapon and fired at it. The grenade passed directly through and bounced off the wall behind, exploding as it hit the floor. The orb was completely unharmed.

“Ah, so this is a human,” the orb said. “A soldier come to kill us?” it asked laughingly, circling John’s head. He slammed the bayonet into it, only to hit nothing but air. This is a hologram, he realized. Some Prophet’s projection? A quick look revealed no obvious projectors nearby. Maybe this is some aspect of the Forerunner ship, he thought.

“Where’s Truth?” he asked it, thinking perhaps it would answer. The Prophets were so arrogant, it was not impossible.

“You seek truth? You have found it; for I am the first,” the orb declared, flaring white. “I, however, would never share my secrets with your kind.”

“You’re the Prophet of Truth?” John asked somewhat doubtfully. The hologram’s voice did not sound at all like what he had heard in High Charity. Nor did Truth seem the type to play games, as this projection was doing now.

The orb’s light faded to a dull yellow. “Oh, so you seek the High Prophet, do you? To kill him?” The orb shone a dark honey color as it spoke with delight, “Might you be in fact, the so-called ‘demon’?”

John gritted his teeth. This was a waste of time. He turned and started to walk away from the hologram.

“You would disregard me?!” Cried the orb, flaring white in anger. “Fine. Do as you will.” The orb vanished as suddenly as it had appeared.

***

“So you understand your orders?” Cronus questioned the Sangheili. Discomfort at taking orders from a Jiralhanae was evident on the shimmering blue image’s features. Good, he thought, grinning inwardly.

“Yes, Excellency,” the Sangheili answered with tight jaws. Cronus terminated the connection with a laugh. Tightening his grip on his battle scythe, he approached the High Prophets’ quarters. The Honor Guards let him pass at once; they knew who was leader. In a circular room of silver and cobalt, two Prophets floated one unit from the ground. The first was a healthy forty-year High Prophet wearing an ornate robe of crimson, as well as a solid gold headdress and crown. The second, his more youthful master, the Prophet of Justice, wore simply the dark red robe of a Councilor. A healing coil was wrapped around his leg-a remnant of battle. When the Sangheili had attacked, one managed to do some damage before Cronus had sliced its throat out. He was pleased to see his master with the last of the Hierarchs. After the High Prophets of Mercy and Regret fell in battle, the High Prophet of Truth had requested that the Prophet of Justice join him in his voyage. Although nothing had been announced yet, he was sure the Prophet of Justice would be the first replacement. He briefly wondered who the other replacement might be. Perhaps the Prophet of Joy?

Forgetting such distractions, he touched his scythe to the ground and kneeled before them. “Noble Prophets of Truth and Justice,” he said. “I have instructed Ship Master ‘Comgubee as you ordered.”

“Very good, Cronus,” the Prophet of Justice bade, while the High Prophet of Truth watched regally from the side. “You may begin the assault.”

“Yes, my Lord,” Cronus said, leaving for the ship’s control center.

“Jiralhanae!” He roared into the pit as he entered the control center. Unlike most ships of the Covenant, the Divine Wrath’s control center was triangular in shape. A section covering two points contained navigation and weapon consoles had been dubbed “the pit” due to the final point raised on a sharp wall taller than two Jiralhanae. At this level, the Ship Master could watch over the pit, as well as view the large display which filled the far wall.

“Yes, Cronus?” his Jiralhanae answered, hands properly at their sides.

“The Prophets must enter an ancient temple on the planet,” he said. “It is time we rid ourselves of these pests! Begin targeting sequence.”

“Yes, Cronus!” His soldiers chorused, hurrying to obey. Soon after, targeting data appeared on the display. Over twenty Human ships were in range and targeted.

Cronus grinned with pure malice. “Fire Celestial Cannon!”



“

John stopped as he picked up numerous targets on his motion censor. He quickly determined that the hostiles were not in his immediate vicinity, but rather in an alternate room alongside his corridor. Careful, he continued onward, noting the hostiles seemed to moving straight and orderly. Not Grunts or Jackals, he thought. Elites? He found it surprising, as no Elites seemed to be patrolling the halls.