Fallen Star (IC) - FLASHBACK

[kartoffelfogel]

Though blood may run when all is done

I will remain unseen

Though meteors drop and life does stop

I will go between

Mind and might might strive and fight

It matters not to me

For tools of war are all they are

And all they'll ever be



Through smoke and fire and righteous ire

They have scores to settle

With songs so loud and flags so proud

They will test their mettle

Though they come to kill by other's will

It's at there own expense

Though spears may fly and I may die

I'll ask no recompense.

--The Hunter Lifts His Blade, from the oral tradition of Templar's Rest




Beta Chandrasekhar System
Templar's Rest
Sanctum of the Magistrate, Ascended Obelisk

The Magistrate sat in her hover chair, slowly gliding out onto the balcony of her Sanctum. Her Honor Guards moved softly behind her, their grace seemingly contradicting their ornate and heavy armor. The soft hum of her chair mingled with the buzz of the glowbugs that pervaded the second autumn air, creating an almost musical effect.

She waved her hand. The Honor Guards retreated, and the balcony's shield flickered for a moment, doubling in intensity. She heard the sounds as the Honor Guards returned to the interior of the Sanctum. She knew they would still watch her from windows, but for now, she had the illusion of peace.

She trained her eyes toward the sky. Three moons dominated it, and she watched them, meditating silently.

The stars too.

Their infinite dance...

...movement?

One of the stars appeared to be...moving. No, not appeared. It was.

Her jaw gaping in shock, she watched as it grew larger and larger. Finally, a shape could be discerned.

It was a ship!

But why would a Covenant ship go so low into atmosphere? More importantly, why would it do so without her permission?

It fired.

A single torpedo crashed into the shield above her.

Sirens exploded--the Honor Guards came rushing in.

Then, suddenly, as they rushed toward her, a single drop pod (no, seriously, a drop pod. This is not a euphemism. In case any of you were getting excited) crashed down in front of her.

She gaped as the door opened.

Legra 'Adantee stepped out. He activated his Energy Curveblades. He lifted them towards the Magistrate's neck. Before the power of the blades, her personal shields flickered into nothing.

The Honor Guards stopped in their tracks.

"Greetings, False Prophet."

"I hold you hostage. The Rising Hope holds your city hostage. Make sure to tell your guards--both your personal ones and the ships assigned to this planet--not to be so easily fooled."

"Huntsmaster." The Magistrate croaked. "What are you doing?"

Legra lowered his head.

"What needs to be done."


And behind him, the Magistrate saw more drop pods launching from the Corvette...like falling stars.



Covenant Objectives:
1. Seize the Sanctum without Legra killing the Magistrate.
2. Seize the city without the Rising Hope bombing it.

Heretic Objectives:
1. Take the city!
2. Buy enough time for the CNV Shadow of Faith to show up.
3. There is one Frigate in orbit, assigned to protect the planet. Kill it.

[Huka]

Inquisitor Til 'Muramai
Aboard Heretic Corvette Rings of Freedom, en route to Beta Chandrasekhar System

---

Damaged hulls sparked and dead corspes littered the halls, most in pieces, others with surprised and pained faces. The ship practically dead itself in its slipspace trip to its destination.

Yet, in the bridge, Fourteen Sangheili warriors stood with the ship's previous masters just recently.

Twelve black-armored Special Operatives were working in the crew pit or checking the corspes as their unquestioned leaders; two large Sangheili warriors in the personalized harnesses of Special Operations Ultra stood doing in their own activity.

Standing at the end of the walkway, the heavily-scarred Inquisitor known as Til 'Muramai had his long arms crossed as he watched the feeds of the Heretics attacking one of Templar's Rest's cities. The dim light reflecting off his white armor, very complex tattoos scarred into his harness that recorded his achievements and kills. Only another Muram clansman would really understand them and if one saw him now, they would shudder at the sight.

Snarling, he looked down at the more experienced ex-pilot, "How much time till we arrive at Templar's Rest, N'Har?" He asked. "Three demi-units, Holy Inquisitor." N'Har answered.

"Very good." He said before turning his head, "Are you ready, Brother?"

[Spartan 999]

Special Operations Inquisitor Sorsa 'Xirsasai

[/center]

Sorsa stared forward at the viewscreen, indigo blood making strange patterns on his grey-white armor. Arms folded across his chest, he loomed over all the other Sangheili in the room like an ominous monolith. Til turned his head, inquiring of his readiness. He shifted his head to look at his Inquisitor brother, the dark crimson lights on his armor seeming to smolder as he did so.

"Yes." He rumbled, booted feet shifting on the blood-spattered floor. "I look forward to dealing with the Heretics."

[Huka]

Inquisitor Til 'Muramai

Clicking his tusks, Til purred at Sorsa's response, and waited till N'Har alarmed them the ship was slowing in exit. "Excellent. The moment arrives, begin our plan."

N'Har was nervous but he nodded, "As you command." Using his quick fingers and knowledge of piloting, he had the ghost corvette finally enter real space, where the screen greeted with the beautiful void of space, with the colony world Templar's Rest sitting in the center of the screen.

The Special Operatives' expert eyes could see the figure of a Covenant ship hovering on the screen, quickly indicated by the ship's targeting.

"Begin." Til ordered and N'Har commanded the Rings of Freedom to make a dive into the planet's atmosphere, near Ascended Obelisk. Just then someone tried to hail the ship, Til's appointed Communications Officer looked at him, but he didn't respond. It was clear that the Heretics were trying to call their falling comrade.

The screen started to have flame-red edges in due time and the features of the planet started to become more clear.

Til almost forgot how mountainous the continent was. Seeing this as well, N'Har quickly readjusted the ship to a little suitable angle before the ship crashed into the forests that was known as North Abyss.

A ship screamed as it ripped through the forests and ridges before it finally crashed into a mountain.

Quicker than one would expect, Til fell out of a hole in the corvette's hull, his dark cloak ripped and tattered, but he was unharmed...except for a simple headache.

Growling, he looked at his surroundings before stepping aside for the others to get out.

[kuran]

Phma 'Refumai
CNV Shadow of Intent
Edge of the Beta Chandrasekhar System

Phma leaned back in his command throne, studying the latest reports. From what they could gather, Templar's Rest was lightly defended in comparison to some worlds, and the Heretics badly needed supplies. He discarded with disgust a report that indicated that they had only two weeks of food left, and equipment to fight two, perhaps three, engagements before being depleted and unable to fight.

The Humans, for all of their assistance, were unable to provide everything needed for the various races of the Heretics, and so they were forced to raid where possible. Today would be one such raid.

"Attention," Phma's voice crackled over the ship's speaker system. "We will be arriving near the orbit of Templar's Rest within twenty units.(20 minutes) Attend to your battle stations. Combat teams to prepare for ground assault and counter-boarding operations. Flight crews to your ships. To war, brothers!"

Cutting off the link, he turned his head to face the Sangheili warrior beside him. "Rakath, what do you think of all of this?"

He hated giving the smug fool the satisfaction of asking his opinion, but there was no denying that Rakath was a valuable asset at times.

[Spartan 999]

Special Operations Inquisitor Sorsa 'Xirsasai

[/center]

Sorsa stepped out of the ship, mandibles clicking rapidly in mirth.

"That was fun." He growled, head turning slowly from side to side as he surveyed the landscape. "Mm...Templar's Rest. Haven't been here in years. It feels...good to be back, even with the, eh, circumstances."

Sorsa drew the needle rifle off his back, four-fingered hand clutching it tightly.

"Your lead, brother."

[Huka]

Inquisitor Til 'Muramai

“The Hunt begins again.” Til mused as he took the lead with his plasma glaive extended and ready. His fellow warriors at his side or behind him with various weapons, the large strike team moved quick and careful. No doubt the crash have disturbed the dormant Moonbeasts and other creatures as well as alarmed the Heretics of the crash.

So there is danger at any corner; may it be beast or heretic, it didn’t matter to Til. They will die if they stand in his way.

The journey was hastened and well-paved thanks to Til and Sorsa’s knowledge of the area, carefully as beasts occasionally passed their way, but no Moonbeasts yet.

When they started to hear the skirmishes in the Ascended Obelisk, a couple Phantoms flew by and disappeared to the city.

"The Heretics are going to pay." Til murmured.

[z]

Rakath V'keelaii

Rakath stood with his arms cross in a temporary replacement to his commander armor, Covenant Ultra sprayed black. The armor was a familiar feeling to him, he'd almost missed it.

He waited for Phma to talk to him at all, standing at his own terminal on the Bridge and pressing down buttons, planning a strategy.

"I think we are both fucking insane..." He said, looking over a hologram of the planet in front of him his near-red eyes scanned over it, his lover jaws moving slightly. "I do not like this... It doesn't smell right.This plane is so loosely guarded. There has to be something going on."

Roma V'keelaii

Sitting cross legged in the med-bay on a working table, the young shanghelian woman sighed. Her father had been so protective of her since her arrival to the Shadow of Faith that she had not set foot on the ground... She wanted to fight, but she knew they wouldn't let her.

That is why... Roma took up her plasma pistol and her family sword and made her way down to the hanger bay, slowly sneaking aboard ones of the Phantoms, hiding in a cargo port.

This would prove interesting later.

[Spartan 999]

Special Operations Inquisitor Sorsa 'Xirsasai

[/center]

Sorsa activated his camouflage, readying his needle rifle. The forest was deathly quiet in the wake of the crash, as if horrified at the grievous damage the ship had inflicted upon the landscape.

As the group of Special Operators stalked through the forest, Sorsa could feel hostile eyes boring in on him. A hiss echoed through their part of the forest, which was accompanied by several more hisses. Moonbeasts.

Sorsa turned as he saw a shape materialize out of the gloom, its form massive. The Alpha growled, fangs bared as it tensed up. Its face bore a long scar, which seemed to be a metal sword wound upon closer inspection. It seemed to have healed, and was just a jagged mark across the creature's face.

The Alpha sniffed the air briefly, then snarled. Its eyes locked on Sorsa, legs bending in preparation for a pounce. Sorsa readied himself, head flicking back and forth when he saw more shapes manifest themselves as even more moonbeasts.

"Just like old times...except with better technology." The Inquisitor growled, sliding the needle rifle onto his back. He flicked his hands, grinning as the dual basket-hilted energy swords flared to life.

Roaring, the Alpha sprang at Sorsa, the other moonbeasts following suit.

[kartoffelfogel]

Shipmaster Djath 'Gradaree
CNV Rising Hope
Above city of Ascended Obelisk

Djath had made hard choices.

But he had also made the right one. And in the end...so did his crew.

Although they had yet to make contact with the Heretics under the command of the now-fabled Rakath...there was no doubt about it. In the eyes of the rest of the Covenant, he and his crew were traitors.

But Heretics? No. He disliked the term. He was a Separatist--his motivation was of freedom from the rule of the Prophets. In his heart...he still believed in the promise of the Great Journey. He had always chafed under the command of his superiors, of the ignoble war against Humanity, of the senseless groveling not to gods but to mortal Prophets.

But when that Ultra...when Legra crashed into the hangar of his Corvette, he never thought it would come to the day when he would act on his convictions. Yet come...it had.

Now...now he was laying siege to Templar's Rest--a planet of his own Covenant.

A dim display alerted Djath that another ship was approaching.

Ah. At last.

The Heretics arrive.

[Huka]

Inquisitor Til 'Muramai

Growling in bloodthirst, Til twirled his glaive, and lunged at the incoming wave with his fellow operatives. Stomping a Moonbeast's head into the ground, feeling its head split like a melon, Til swatted another aside with his staff, backhanded a third, and impaled the fourth.

This moonbeast slid nearly all the way down the metal shaft and Til had his face to the Moonbeast, and roared in bestial joy at the sight of the creature. The beast hissed before dying from it wound and its killer kicked the body out of his weapon.

"These beasts are nothing to us!" He howled as he twirled his glaive upward, splattering ingidio blood about, "Carve through to the Ascended Obelisk!" With that said, He somersualted forward to his next kill with a snarl.

Swinging his glaive like a club, he sliced a handful of Moonbeasts in pieces, moving with the momentum, spinning into a deadly whirlwind, and flipped through the air, dropping on a somewhat large Moonbeast, crushing its body easily.

Growling, he looked back at his masterpiece, having killed several of the wave, and chuckled, "Helios Typhoon."

[Kenny]

Heretic Special-Operations Tavise

CNV Shadow Of Intent

The heretic was currently pacing down the corridors of the ship. Thinking of things.
"Have I made the right choice? I have left many of my fellow brave warriors behind and maybe even dishonored my family. Was joining the Separatists really the right choice?" Tavise thought to himself, stopping for a second.
He resumed thinking about what changes he would have to make. While not being the most "honor-bound" Sangheili, he had more than some of his older comrades as Special-Operations back in the Covenant.
"No" He concluded. Tavise knew he belonged with the Heretics, and should never have to listen to the Prophet's lies again!

With that the tall Sangheili walked to the drop pods, waiting for orders to deploy onto Templar's rest. Maybe he would find himself seeing an old friend during this battle. Though which side he was unsure of.

[Spartan 999]

Special Operations Inquisitor Sorsa 'Xirsasai

[/center]

Sorsa rolled under the Alpha's leaping attack, swords deactivating so he wouldn't stab the ground or injure himself. He came up on his feet, knees bent as he spun 180 degrees, swords flaring to life and cutting into two moonbeast's hides. One was bisected at the shoulder, while the other had its back leg chopped off. It howled in agony for a moment, then was silenced permanently as one of the regular Special Operators shot it in the back of the head.

The massive Inquisitor now faced the Alpha as it turned as well, mouth wide in a furious bellow. It charged, only to have Sorsa sidestep and cut a bloody groove in its side with his left sword. The Alpha's spike-tipped tail lashed out, catching Sorsa in the shoulder. He crashed into a moonbeast, knocking it to the ground.

Sorsa flipped to his feet, mandibles wide under his helmet. He stabbed down at the fallen moonbeast, ending its life. The Alpha fired a volley of quills, which Sorsa wasted no time in dodging. An unfortunate Special Operator was hit in the back, the quills penetrating his shields and piercing one of his hearts. He fell, blood spilling from his opened jaws.

The Alpha flinched as plasma fire hit it in the side, burning through its hide with some effort. In retaliation, the Alpha pounced on a Special Operator, closing its mouth around the Sangheili's head. It bit clean through the bone and sinew, then whirled and threw the bloody head at Sorsa, then charged as a follow up.

Sorsa knocked the head away, grimacing as more indigo blood splashed on his armor. He vaulted into the air as the Alpha closed, spinning so he landed feet-first on the Alpha's back and facing the its head. He stabbed down with a sword, grinning as the plasma blade cut through the Alpha's spine.

The Alpha collapsed, screeching in pain. Sorsa jumped off its back, feet thudding on the hard forest floor. He turned to look at the struggling Alpha, then approached it from the side. With a single stroke, he severed the Alpha's head, just like the first time he had killed one, all those years ago.

Seeming to lose heart, the remaining moonbeasts started retreating, vanishing into the forest within seconds.

Sorsa glanced at Til, nodding his readiness. Hopefully there wouldn't be another Queen this time, but one could never tell...

[kartoffelfogel]

Huntsmaster Legra 'Adantee
Sanctum of the Magistrate

Garbed once more in his green and silver hunting armor, Legra was once again facing the Magistrate of Templar's Rest, and her Honor Guard, just as he did when he was awarded the title of Huntsmaster during the last Sanctified Hunt.

Only a few differences.

Namely, he was now a Separatist. And he was holding a blade to his Magistrate's throat. There was also the small matter of the fact that he was also holding the city around him hostage, and that he no longer had Til or Sorsa by his side--indeed, those two might now even be closing in upon him as a predator closes in for the kill.

"Drop your weapons." Legra shouted at the Honor Guards. They moved as much as statues do. With a snarl, he turned instead to the Magistrate.

"Tell them to drop their weapons...if you ever wish to watch another moonrise."

The Magistrate choked out the command, and against their instincts, against their wishes, the Honor Guards complied.

"Why..." The Magistrate continued. "Why are you doing this?"

Legra bowed his head. "Although I owe much to you...I have begun to wonder whether your kindness was a reward...or a recompense."

"What are you talking about?"

"You know damn well what I am talking about. You've been manipulating the Sangheili for centuries."

The Magistrate's eyes bugged out in fear--but they also flared in guilt. Legra smiled ruefully and pressed his advantage.

"For example...that temple. The one we're forbidden to go near..."

"But--but that was closed for its own protection!"

"Forerunner stone is indelible. Even high-powered explosives do little to mar their majesty. I think your people--the San'Shyuum--" here he used the word Sangheili were forbidden to call their Prophets. "--don't want the Sangheili to find something there."

Now the Magistrate broke into all-out panic. "No! Don't go near the Temple! I forbid you! Don't--"

Legra slit the Magistrate's throat.


The Honor Guards charged.

[Huka]

Twirling his glaive as he watched the beasts leave, Til snarled in slight disappointment before looking at the corspes around him. He had the urge to collect a few teeth and claws to add to his bracelet but there was no time. Seeing Sorsa signal his readiness, Til ordered the advance, when one of the sangheili moved to collect the bodies. "No, leave them. Their spirits now stand as the vanguard to the Great Journey. We must not slow or their deaths will be for nothing. Move quick and true!" He ordered before deactivating his blades and sprinting ahead. We must hurry to the Ascended Obelisk in time! In the following units, they passed occassional beasts but other than that, little trouble was given. Soon the city was well in their sight.

[z]

Roma V'keelaii

She felt the Phantom shake, and she heard talking just outside of her hiding spot. Pulling herself deeper into the cargo port of the Phantom, Roma held her sword close, her plasma pistol hanging form her hip and waited.

The ship shook a few times, and finally stopped. When she heard the doors open, Roma scurried out and crawled across the floor, standing and leaping out of the Phantom, screaming and landing hard on a patch of grass.

She could feel her breath speeding up, pressing the button on her wrist a few times, pumping air into her lungs and letting her breath clear again.

Looking to her left and to her right, Roma was utterly lost.

Pressing the button on her wrist again, her helmet linked with the Heretic network. on her visor, which Rakath, her father, had given her to help her if she was ever in this situation, Roma found her position.

"Ascended.... Obelisk...."

Roma began looking around slowly... So much... Chaos...

And from the corner of her eye, she thought for a second she saw two white armored figures moving. But when she looked again, they were not...

Hm...

Roma held her sword close to her chest and slowly made her way towards the city. She knew she stood next to no chance in a fight. But she could help the wounded!

Lighting the blade of her sword, she quietly made her way on, the red glow illuminating the light around her from the blade.

[Spartan 999]

Special Operations Officer Sorsa 'Xirsasai

[/center]

Sorsa's mandibles clicked as he looked over the city, camouflage making him a blur in the jungle. A Heretic Phantom flew overhead, then touched down somewhere in Ascended Obelisk. He glanced over at the blur that was Til, hands gripping his needle rifle reassuringly.

"You lead, brother." He said over the COM, lifting the needle rifle to his face so he could survey the city through his scope. "Take two Special Operators--the others and I will cover you."

[Huka]

Inquisitor Til 'Muramai

Acknowledging Sorsa, Til tapped on the invisible shoulders of Zaqi 'Jinudai and N'Har 'Kenabree. "We will hunt through the city to the Sanctum. Stealth and precision is our top priority, brothers." Then the three were off to their mission.

The journey into the city was difficult with the destructive chaos between the surprised Covenant warriors and civilians against the attacking Heretics.

By Til's orders, they weakened heretic forces as often as they could without blowing their cover, but they continued to drive through the city.

Suddenly a plasma projector exploded right infront of them. Roaring in surprise, Til found himself flying end-to-end, soon enough crashing into the side of a building on his back.

Snarling in pain, he fell forward on a knee, and gripped his chest as old pains started to act again. His vision was blurred for a moment and ringing dominated his ears abit longer.

Looking up, he saw a small lance of Sangheili; a Ultra officer with splatters of blood and a handful of Minors. He almost thought they were allies until he sensed something amiss. The Ultra turned his helmed head to Til and flared his energy blade in his hand. Heretic!

The Ultra pointed at him and the Minors, with dark eyes, started raise their plasma repeaters when a small sphere of blue fire landed on one of their legs. The caught Minor screamed, catching the others attention before most were blown apart.

The Ultra and the few survivors turned to see the black-armored Special Operatives attack with their own energy swords.
Zaqi sliced a Minor from the neck to the waist before kicking the wounded traitor into another as the Ultra clashed swords with N’Har.

N’Har and the Ultra seemed to be on equal terms but suddenly the Ultra changed his momentum, knocking the Special Operative abit out of balance, enough to trip him, and move for the final blow. At the last second, a small flurry of slender crystalline needles pierced into his chest, disabling his shields, and one stabbed into his leg.

Roaring in pain, the Ultra was distracted, too late to react when a clawed boot swept his legs from under him, and he was falling backwards to find himself looking at the white mask of the Inquisitor and the energy dagger going for his throat.

Til roared as his plasma blade stabbed into the traitor’s neck, staring into his dying eyes and twisted to make sure he was dead. Looking to see Zaqi helping N’har up, he snarled. The Heretics were clearly winning and he knew there was little time.
Just then, he heard chatter in the Ultra’s helmet. Removing the helmet and replace his mask with it, he listened carefully. The Heretics have taken over the sanctum and their leader, the name was static, have just killed the Magistrate.

Snarling at this atrocity, he pulled his helmet off. “We must get to the Sanctum! The heretics have taken it over.”

“How are we going to get inside, Inquisitor? That bombardment has damaged our stealth generators.” Zaqi said, his armor’s shielding sparking in its attempts to regenerate.

“Simple really.” Til said, looking at the Ultra’s corpse with a glint in his eye.

[kuran]

Phma 'Refumai
CNV Shadow of Intent
Beta Chandrasekhar System

...And with a bright flash, an orb of light, the Shadow of Intent arrived. It's position upon exiting slipspace was almost exactly in a low orbit of the planet. This was immediately found to be a rather poor choice.

"Shipmaster!" Came an alarmed cry from the crew pit. "Two SDV-Class Corvettes, one Frigate-class ship, in various positions around the planet!"

Phma really needed a coffee. "Open a hailing channel, system-wide."

Around the system, all of the ships would receive a message. "Attention, this is Phma 'Refumai of the Shadow of Intent. This system is now under the control of the Heretics. Lay down your weapons, power down your ships, and you will be spared. Resist, and be destroyed. The Prophet's have lied to you, allow us to show you the truth!"

Cutting the communication, Phma turned to Rakath. "Any plan? We can't do much with that Frigate."

[Spartan 999]

Special Operations Inquisitor Sorsa 'Xirsasai

[/center]

Sorsa glanced through his scope, monitoring Til's progress. A bright flare of light flashed down below. He zoomed out slightly, then started looking around. Til's group had engaged a small lance of Heretics, the three Special Operators cutting apart the enemies. Knowing Til would be fine, he looked around, switching to thermal as he did so.

High above Til and his group, a Heretic sniper was zeroing in on the other Inquisitor's position. Sorsa zoomed in, exhaled, then held the trigger down. Needle after needle whistled sharply through the air, thudding into the sniper's shields. He attempted to get into cover, but one of the other Special Operators beside Sorsa nailed him in between the hearts with one shot from a particle beam rifle.

Indigo blood sprayed back, and the Heretic's corpse slowly rolled out of the window. It thudded a few feet away from Til, his mandibles wide in death.

"What's your status, Til?" Sorsa inquired over the COM, needle rifle clicking and whirring as he reloaded. "It looks like you took a bad hit from the bombardment."

[Huka]

Cracking his stiff neck, Til dragged the Ultra's heavy corspe, and clicked a tusk on the inner workings of his mask. "We are fine, Sorsa. Our situation getting more dire, the Magistrate is murdered and we are perparing to infiltrate the sanctum. What of you?" With his question, the Inquisitor flicked his wrist, flipping his hidden energy sword into his hand, and flared its blade.

[Spartan 999]

Special Operations Inquisitor Sorsa 'Xirsasai

[/center]

"Light resistance thus far." Sorsa replied, shifting uneasily when he heard about the Magistrate. "We've managed to stay out of sight, for the most part." He paused for a moment, glancing back at a spot where a Heretic sniper's corpse was hidden. "Will you require assistance in the Sanctum?"

[z]

Rakath V'keelaii

"Hmm... Can try to board it but that would not go well for anyone... I say disable it and keep out of its range. I am going to the ground." He said, turning and heading for the hanger bay.

Stopping at the door he looked back at Phma. "That is.. Unless you need me to play boarding party..."

Roma V'keelaii

Roma... was starting to feel stupid now...

She held her sword in each hand and moved along in a crouch. Through bushed and rocks, down a ways, up a ways, until she completely lost track. And when she head fighting, Roma got down behind a rock and slowly peeked out through the closest bush... The red light of her sword would most likely give her away... but she could watch for a few seconds.

She heard faint talking, and then peeked out.The lighting of the energy sword made her jump, the bush shook and Roma fumbled to turn off her sword, the old weapon making a loud hissing sound as it shut off.

[Huka]

"Nay, brother. I should be able to..." Til said before he heard a noise. Spinning to the nearby forestry, he heard the rustle. "Reveal thyself or be executed!" He roared as he stepped forward with his sword burning hot.

[z]

Holding her sword tightly, Roma slowly stepped out, as commanded and lowered her head. Pressing the button on her suit to pump air and keep her from losing control of her breathing. Looking up at the male in front of her, Roma crossed her hands behind her back, hoping he had not seen her sword.

"I am sorry we were... Hiding..."

[Spartan 999]

Special Operations Sorsa 'Xirsasai

[/center]

Sorsa looked down at Til as the other Inquisitor started bellowing at some plants. A slender figure stepped out, but he couldn't make out any details.

"Hold." He growled to the others, taking the particle beam rifle off his back and aiming at the newcomer. He zoomed in, looking the unknown over. A female Sangheili in a...strange suit. From his position, he could see the hilt of an energy sword clutched behind her back. He activated his COM, linking directly to Til. "Brother, be cautious--she has a sword. If she attempts to attack, I have her in my sights."

[z]

"I-I mean... I was hiding... Sorry, I am scared..." She said, lowering her hands and tucking her sword into her belt. Hoping once again it was not going to be taken from her. Closing her eyes, Roma looked down, her tinted black visor blocking her eyes still.

[Huka]

Til grunted and deactivated his sword, "One such as yourself shouldn't sneak around in this kind of situation. You'll get yourself killed." He said in a soft tone which was something he haven't done in a long time. Who are you and why are you here?" He asked His hand twitching as if ready for something.

[z]

"My name is... Roma... Roma Romanee V'keelaii..." She said, looking away wondering if she should have said that. "We... wanted to help..." She said, closing her eyes.

[Spartan 999]

Special Operations Inquisitor Sorsa 'Xirsasai

[/center]

Sorsa's eyes narrowed as he heard the female speak over Til's COM channel. He couldn't make out everything, except "V'keelai"...

"Til, I can take her out right now." Sorsa growled over the COM, mandibles clicking angrily as he spoke.