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Arbiter's Next War: Part 1
Posted By: Michael Archer<michael_archers_email_address@yahoo.com>
Date: 16 March 2005, 9:12 PM


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1530 hours, October 29, 2556 (Military Calendar) Solar System, Planet Earth, New York City, USA




      The Arbiter looked over the city. For a human city, it was pretty decent. With his sharp, keen eyes, he saw in the distance, a dirty green female human, holding a torch.

      It had been four years after the war, and The Arbiter had become an ambassador for the Covenant, and learned the language of the humans. The Prophet of Truth had betrayed them. The Arbiter had helped "the demon" stop the Prophet of Truth. He reconsidered that judgment. The Prophet of Truth was mad, and The Arbiter didn't think he had the right to say that. He only called himself "The Arbiter", because he forgot his true name.

      The Arbiter was in front of the United Nations building. He looked at a playground with human children laughing and having fun, before he went back into the United Nations.





      In the United Nations, The Arbiter saw General Johnson standing near the entrance. When The Arbiter fist met him, he was a Sergeant. He also helped in defeating Truth.

      "Hi Arbiter........um.......you know, you really should have told me your name in all these years".

      "My name?", The Arbiter said. "My name was scraped. For shame of letting the Holy Ring be destroyed". The General caught a glimpse of the faint scarred Mark of Shame on The Arbiter's left breast.

      "Scraped?!", said the furious General. "What kind of barbaric creatures would do that?!"

      A tall human walked by. At least three meters tall, he towered above the admiral. The Master Chief: John-117.

      "Oh..........uh.........forget that", stammered the Johnson. "Well I'll see you later, uh........Arby". The General walked away.

      At that moment, The Arbiter heard a sound in the storage room. He ran over to check it out. He reached the cold, dusty storage room. All of the sudden, a small creature with tentacles, leaped at him. The Arbiter drew a fist back, and let out a punch. The little monster exploded. The Arbiter knew what it was. The question is , How did they get there?

      "Flood! In the storage room!", yelled the Arbiter.

      General Johnson coughed. "What?! I thought all those sons of a bitches destroyed on Halo!"

      "Well, last time I saw them, they were driving jeeps and takes. Maybe they got smarter and built ships to fly over here. Or maybe they followed us.", said The Arbiter.

      "Well, ok. I'll tell the President and we'll tell everybody to stay calm and cool got it? They don't know anything about The Flood".

      "The Flood is a dangerous life form, I don't see why civilians will stay calm".




1301 hours October 31, 2556 (Military Calendar) Planet Earth, en route to Washington D.C.

      The Arbiter shifted uncomfortably in his seat. The chair was designed for the small humans, and he had a hard time fitting in the chair.

      "Well", said Johnson. "The kids are going to have one hell of a Halloween tonight".

      "What is 'Halloween'" questioned The Arbiter.

      "Oh. Halloween is on every October 31. The kids dress up in scary costumes and go door-to-door, collecting candy".

      "What is 'candy'".

      "Well, candy is a sweet treat that kids like to chew on because it tastes good. Here, try this". Johnson pulled out from his pocket a peppermint. He gave it to The Arbiter. The Arbiter looked at it for a minute, and shoved it in his mouth. It only took a second for him to spit it out.

      "My mouth is burning! Do human children actually like this stuff?".

      "Well yes. Of course, if I went to a Covenant banquet, I'd probably think the food was disgusting too".

      The Arbiter looked out of the window, as they flew closer to the ground, he saw a tall, white triangle with three holes at the top. At the foot of the structure, there was a long pool.




      The General and The Arbiter were let into The White House. Then Johnson whispered, "Let me handle this. Only talk if you're addressed to". As The Arbiter walked in, he noticed the fine columns and how fancy the house was.

      The General spoke to a few men before they were led in to The President's oval office

      "Hello, Mister President". The General snapped a quick salute. "General Johnson from the United Nations Space Command. We had a problem in New York the other day. I didn't really see it, but Arby here can tell you about it".

      The Arbiter took a deep breath. "Halo was made to maintain and study The Flood. That's what are problem is. I found a Flood in the storage room. These little creatures infect a host and it has spores that can carry the infection to another host. After the carrier gets old, it changes into a big balloon. And after a while, it pops and lets more parasites out".

      The President was beginning to look sick, and the General was already vomiting in the trash can.

      "Well, Arbiter. I would think you're lying if I hadn't seen it for myself. Follow me."




      The President took them into a prison, and led them to the farthest cell. Inside of it, was a human combat form, and a few infection forms. When they saw them, the infection forms tried to leap through the narrow bars, but failed. The combat form stood up, let out a little gurgle and sat back down. The General took out a small pin.

      "Do you want to get popped you little bastards?"

      "We found these little guys somewhere around the Vietnam Veterans Memorial" said The President. "We managed to get them back, at the cost of perfectly good soldier". He nodded to the combat form. "We'll tell the people to stay calm, and get out of Washington D.C.

      A call came over the President's radio. "Mr. President. Please come back to the White House right now. It's very urgent"


1400 hours October 31, 2556 (Military Calendar) Washington D.C. White House, Watching the TV


The President watched in horrour as the little creatures on the TV scrambled over Chicago, terrorizing the people.

      "Well", said the President. "I'll radio in all the soldiers from New York. In the mean time, you'll go back to New York to keep it under control. After you've managed to wipe out most of the Flood, come back to Washington for further orders".

      "Yes Sir!", said Johnson, saluting.




1730 hours October 31, 2556 (Military Calendar) New York City

      "Well Arby. Our job is to make sure those kids have a safe trick-or-treating tonight", said the General.

      "What's trick-or-treating?".

      "That's when kids go door-to-door. It's called trick-or-treating. Hurry up! We better get out before those little bastards eat all the kids! Then the Flood will steal all their candy!"

      "I'm coming". The Arbiter reached into a shelf, took out a dusty grey helmet with designs engraved on it, and set it on his head.





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