Family Ties

Two brothers enter terse negotiations in the face of the Created crisis.

The two Sangheili locked gazes from where each sat beside the smoldering fire. Silence filled the tent, beating down on Tuka ‘Refum like a great smothering hand. The dim light only forced him to see the his weakness more clearly in the face of his opponent’s strength. The warriors behind his foe were double the number of his own, sporting better armor and weapons. Tuka was smaller than his counterpart by nearly a head, garbed in only battered armor and his tattered cloak. A heavy weight pressed down on his soul.

Who was he to sit here in the face of this power? Who had he ever been to compare himself to such greatness?

Across the fire, Shinsu ‘Refum regarded his brother with the same cold indifference he had wielded even during their time in the Covenant. The elder ‘Refum sat straight, always poised and aloof. A word from him and his guards would fall upon Tuka and his warriors to slaughter them where they stood. Tuka’s life was in his hands, yet again.

But that’s the way things always were, Tuka thought with a surge of anger. Always me, judged in his shadow.

“You came.” Shinsu’s voice was edged with contempt. “But not at your own behest, I imagine. No, you still do that human’s bidding. Even now you could never work up the courage to face me of your own accord.”

The words alone were enough to force Tuka to drop his gaze in shame. But he could not allow himself to be humiliated in front of his warriors. Not this time. “I am loyal to my commander. Is that not what any warrior should strive for?”

“You imagine loyalty to such a creature is a virtue?” Shinsu’s voice hardened in disgust. “I warned you once before, but you still fail to grasp his true nature. Or perhaps you find him an easier master to serve because of it. I hear you call yourselves the Strays now. As kaidon of Refum I should disown you for that shame alone.”

“That creature saved our lives countless times over. He won our loyalty on the battlefield.” Tuka balled his hands into fists to keep them from shaking. “And you have won no such honor from me, kaidon.”

Shinsu’s eyes narrowed. “So you have some nerve after all. But you always did love using righteousness as a cloak. You could never face me without someone else’s command to hide behind. When I think of all the effort I went to keep you alive…”

Tuka felt every eye in the tent boring into him. He wanted to turn back to his own warriors for support, but such a show of weakness would doom him. There was no choice but to face this warrior—his brother, his enemy—and fight to the end. “Then correct your mistake now.” The words stung in his throat but he pressed on. Years of pent up anger welled up now, set loose by his impending demise. “You love committing crimes and calling them strength. How many people have you murdered already? What will one butchered messenger matter?”

“It will take more than that to goad me into killing my own kin,” Shinsu sneered. “You can do better than that, little brother. How many? Such things only matter when your enemy wishes to condemn you. How many has your precious Stray killed? How many has Thel ‘Vadam executed? How many do the Created slaughter every day, and the UNSC before them? Don’t foist your naiveté on me. I have killed my enemies, nothing more.”

“All my life,” Tuka spat back. “I’ve been forced to hear tales of the great Shinsu ‘Refum. Of your prowess with a blade, of your skill as a commander, of the might of your warriors. And all my life I’ve shuddered to hear them praise you for dowsing our name in blood. Thanks to you, no one will remember our father’s sacrifice. Instead they will remember your cruelty.”

“You self-righteous fool.” Real anger mixed with Shinsu’s contempt now. “War is cruelty. And this an age of war. First the humans, then our own kind, and now the Created. Victory is all that matters. All that has ever mattered. If you wanted inner peace you should have become a monk. Instead you joined the Covenant and swore allegiance to a human bandit. I have only ever done my duty as our father’s son and a warrior of Sanghelios.”

“And I have only ever sought to fulfill my own duty.” Tuka slammed a fist against his leg. “I never wanted fame or greatness. I never sought to change the galaxy. I only ever wanted to be a proud warrior, like my forefathers before me. I used to think that if I failed in that it was because of my own weakness. Now I see it was because of people like you, who poison and twist everything that is good about our people to shape us in your own image. Kill me if you must, but don’t you dare call me a disgrace.”

He had never dared to speak to anyone like this, let alone his own brother. His kaidon. But if Tuka was going to die here, he might as well speak what was written on his hearts. There was silence in the tent for some time. When Shinsu did speak again, the anger remained—but his flagrant contempt was gone.

“If that is how you truly feel,” Shinsu said quietly. “Then why did you come here?”

“I simply listened to your advice. The Created will destroy everything we hold dear if we do not unite against them. Isn’t that what you tell the other warlords when you demand their allegiance? I will never forgive you for the things you’ve done. But I will submit to your command. I will even accept your authority as kaidon of our clan. If it means fulfilling my duty, I would eat dirt.” His words shook and Tuka was sure his warriors were disgusted with his performance. But what more was there to say? It was the truth—his own truth.

“And to think Stray sent you as his negotiator.” A rare note of surprise crept into Shinsu’s voice. “You have much to learn about the galaxy, brother. You will not win any victories through debasing yourself.”

“But I do not want victory.” For perhaps the first time in his life, Tuka truly matched his brother’s gaze. “I only wish to live as I see fit. I am no great warrior. I cannot match your blade or your ambition. Humility suits a simple creature like me. I may disgrace myself, but I will never betray myself.”

They gazed at each other a moment longer. When Shinsu finally spoke, his voice was quiet. “You may be a fool, but you are not the coward I took you for.” It was as much a concession as Tuka was likely to get from his brother. “Tell your master he has my support once more. Perhaps with you at his side he will not fail me again.”

“He is not my master. He is my brother in arms.”

Shinsu sighed. Was that regret in his eyes? It was impossible to tell. “A human, your brother? I see. Go back to your brother then. And perhaps someday I will have cause to be your kaidon once again.”

Tuka gave Shinsu a hard look. “You are free to be so now, if you truly want it.”

Shinsu gestured at the warriors behind him. “You may be free to live as you choose. But I have other duties now and I cannot simply do as I wish, no matter what you may think of me. Go. We will meet again, I am sure.”

Tuka and his warriors left the tent in silence. He did not look back at his brother, but at least now he knew not to fear that Shinsu might plunge a blade into his back.