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Alien Brethren: Chapter 18: Revelations
Posted By: Alex L (Greek Elite)<yoshi64y@aol.com>
Date: 6 June 2006, 12:24 am
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Chapter 18: Revelations
"Up humans," snarled a Brute whom had just entered the cell room where Kaskut, Woodword, and Baxter were resting in.
The prison shield shimmered and faded out as three brutes entered the cell, Brute Shots readied.
The Sergeant sighed, "Is this the part where we die? Because if it is, I'd just like to say fuck you, to you all."
"Quiet, scum," barked the Brute, "Your death is not at hand. Rather your release has been decided."
"Our release?" Woodword asked, finding it impossible to believe.
"Yes…now move!"
"Not until we get Alei, Whelski, and Hailey back," Baxter snapped.
"Their fate and decision of release is not in your hands, human. Now get moving before I decide to kill you myself."
Baxter looked over at his lieutenant. He said nothing, rather sense the stubbornness and persistence in his Sergeant's eyes.
"Let's just follow along, Sergeant," Woodword murmured to his fellow Marine, "As long as we're alive we'll still have the opportunity to save them later."
Baxter just stared at Woodword for a moment before finally getting up, unwillingly, and followed the Brutes.
"This was so fucking stupid," cried a human, imprisoned in a more primitive yet still alien barred, cage. He wept tears of insanity and fear as he moaned and whined of his troubles. "Why the hell did I join up with those damn Marines on Earth?"
"Would you shut up you ignorant human!" Barked a Brute whom was also captive inside his own cage not too far away from the human.
"Hey, I'm having a rough patch in my life because of you fucking aliens!" The human shouted back.
"You mean the Derelict," the Brute corrected, "They are the reason why you are here right now."
"You damn aliens are all alike! I don't care what the hell you are, you all can kiss my…"
"ALL SILENCE FOR THE CHAMPION!" Roared an Elite whom had just entered the large, spacious room, leading a large group of Elites.
Both captives went dead silence as the Champion stepped forward, eyeing both of them.
"What do you want with the other three captives, sir?" Asked an Elite behind him whom lead three other Elites that restrained a Jackal, a Bugger, and an Elite whom bared the colors of a Heretic.
"In the other three cells for now," Champion said, nodding to three other empty cages.
They were in the cargo bay of Champion's ship, located near the hangar. It was large and mostly barren, save for a handful of scattered boxes. Champion's pacing footsteps echoed flowingly through the cargo bay as the three other captives were urged to their prisons.
He eyed up the human carefully for a moment and turned to one of the officer Elites, "You claim this human is the outlaw named Baxter?"
"It is, great one," confirmed the officer.
Champion examined the human carefully once more, "Unfixed eyes, unshaven face, pathetic stance…are you sure this is the Sniper I called for?"
Two officers murmured silently to one another before the one had replied, "He had no Sniper along with him. We confiscated merely a Human Shotgun with a few of their grenades…no Sniper at all."
"Then this is the wrong captive!" The Champion growled ferociously, pointing at the misfortunate human.
"But, Great Champion, he is indeed the one called Baxter. He responded to such title and his military necklace reads his name," pleaded the Elite officer.
Champion turned back to the Human and glowered at him; speaking to him in a low tone, "Are you the one called Baxter?"
"W-Why? A-are you going to kill me if I am?" The human's voice was filled with terror.
"If you're the one we're looking for you'd be far too valuable to waste," Ebak growled.
"Y-yes. My name is Baxter…Sean Baxter," the man confirmed nervously.
"Sean Baxter…" Ebak said, echoing the name in his mind, "Why is it you were not armed with your signature weapon of choice?"
"I just recently tagged along with my platoon, your highness ," Sean said, adding on the humble title for a few sympathetic points, "They don't award newcomers with Sniper Rifles right away…"
"Then you are not the Sniper?" Champion questioned.
"N-no…why are you going to kill me now?" Asked Sean whose voice was full of fear again.
"I'll kill you myself if you don't answer my questions!" Barked the Champion, "Now who the hell is this Sniper and why do you have his name?"
"He…he's my son," Sean squealed, "John Baxter is my son. Last I heard he was a Marine Marksman…which is probably the Sniper you're looking for."
"Most likely he is," Champion concluded, thoughts rattling his mind once more. He glanced over at his officers whom seemed frightened when he met his glance. "This John Baxter shall be presumed to be alive. Though you have brought me the wrong Baxter I'm not entirely disappointed."
Ebak's eyes dug into Sean's for a moment with a grim, sickening gleam, "He shall still be an appropriate specimen to our…experiment"
With that Champion waved in the doctor, whom carted in a hovering lab table. Resting upon the table were five jars, each containing an abnormal looking Flood Infection form. Each red, dwarf sized parasite, scurried around in their captivity, urging to feed…urging for freedom.
"W-WAIT!" Yelped Sean, "I-I thought you said you were going to let me live!"
The Champion let out a mighty chortle before saying in glee, "The Flood don't kill, human…they consume the living."
"UGH!"
"OOF!"
"OWIE!"
"Oh, how rude!"
Baxter, Woodword, Kaskut, and the chipper Oracle (16807 Remorseful Incentive) all plummeted towards the sandy ground from where they had been dropped off by a Phantom, which soared out through towards the horizon.
Behind the four allies were two armed Brutes and a Jackal.
"Gee…thanks a lot…Covie bastards," Baxter groaned, getting to his feet and brushing the sand off his pants.
"Ugh…Kaskut, just be happy to be off smelly ship! Beach be much more brighter," Kaskut chimed, admiring the vast ocean off to the East side.
"Admire your surroundings while you may, Grunt," growled a Brute from behind whom caressed a Brute Shot in his hands.
"The Prophets merely told us to release you," spoke the other whom was armed with a crimson Plasma Rifle, "They said nothing about not being able to kill you."
"EEK! KASKUT TOO YOUNG TO DIE!"
"We'll give you five seconds to run," the Brute carrying the Covenant grenade launcher offered, "Just for the sport."
Woodword's fist clenched dangerously, his eyes narrowed, and his lips pursed, "I'll give you just 2…"
And in the blink of an eye Woodword sprinted forward to the Brute with the Brute shot and in less then two seconds he made his attack at the grizzly alien: one fist to the jaw, and a single, graceful movement of his arm around the Brute's neck, giving it a violent snap.
As the second Brute reacted to such a daring move Baxter quickly looked around for a means of seizing the attack. Desperate for any sort of weaponry, Baxter took hold onto Remorseful Incentive whom buzzed and hummed defiantly.
"HEY UGLY!" Baxter called out, getting the second Brute's attention, "THINK FAST!"
With that, John hurtled the monitor at the Brute's head, making a juicy thud as they both collided. The Brute fell with a concussion as the monitor swiveled up in a helix movement, sputtering sparks and flashes of green light.
PING!
Woodword felt a hot, heavy impact to his shoulder from the remaining Jackal's Covenant Sniper whom took the opportune moment to fire. In a fury of rage, Woodword sprinted for the vulture resembling alien and tackled it to the ground. Having been disarmed, the Jackal began clawing furiously at the Lieutenant with its feeble claws. Kyle Woodword showed little reaction to the feeble attack as he reached for both the Jackal's bottom and top jaw, and with one swift motion he forced them both apart, snapping them with the satisfying sound of bone cracking.
The Lieutenant turned back to the Grunt and Sergeant, covered in both his own and the Jackal's blood. He gathered all the weapons and tossed Baxter the Particle Beam Rifle, and Kaskut the Brute Plasma Rifle, while he made himself familiar with the hefty Brute Shot.
"Everyone Ok?" He asked.
"Me be fine," squeaked the Grunt.
"I'm good," Baxter said, feeling a small ping of glee having a powerful and ranged weapon to manage again.
"I am simply wonderful," chimed the monitor, whom began hovering around the three. The floating AI gazed around at its surroundings and blinked joyfully, "Ah…home sweet home."
"Home?" Baxter asked.
"Yes, reclaimer. We are currently on Installation 03, where I was constructed and ordered to monitor. Oh so much I must catch up and report on. Oh how much I've missed…so very disappointing."
"You're not ditching us, are you?" Woodword asked.
"Well…for the time being I may accompany you reclaimers, but once your business is finished on this installation I should return to my duties."
"Good to hear," Woodword chimed, "We'd have it no other way."
Just then a roaring filled the air as a fiery, smoking object came soaring through the sky, tailed by several Phantoms.
"A Pelican!" Baxter exclaimed.
It soared past them, declining dangerously into the far distance; the Phantoms tailing dangerously behind.
"We're not alone any more," Baxter noted, "The UNSC followed the Call of Hope's path!"
"If there be good humans, there sure to be heretics too!" Kaskut peeped happily.
"Monitor," Woodword said, turning to the floating AI, "Can you get the coordinates on that Pelican's crash site?"
"I am deploying a grid of the area as we speak, reclaimer. How fortunate you all are to have a native monitor to this installation. Oh joy, how much I may do now!"
"Arg! We're taking heavy returning fire from the human ship!" Roared a Brute from the cockpit of one of the Phantoms over the COM link and to his captain.
"We're going to break from formation," the captain announced to his crew and over the COM link as well, "We're going to head into the forestry where Derelict and Heretic forces have been spotted."
"But sir, that's a human bird!" Argued the pilot, "They're crammed with readied patrols, a human vehicle, and will probably order in reinforcements. We should see to their extermination immied…"
"What we need to see to is our own survival…as well as other reported Covenant forces in the forestry. The Derelict have already destroyed and captured numbers of our forces and began their release on the flood. That is our main priority, do you understand?"
"Yes captain," grunted the pilot obediently.
"The Derelicts have already settled on the installation?" Questioned a voice from the infantry hold of the Phantom.
"Yes, exile," snarled the captain, "Now silence!"
"My name is Arbiter," Alei growled from the hold, igniting his violently glowing Red Energy Sword, "Not exile…"
"The infestation went well, did it not doctor?"
"Yes, Champion, it was a complete success," the doctor replied, whom was strolling down the halls of Champion's ship casually.
"How long did you say it would take for the complete transformation to occur?" Champion asked.
"A few hours. Don't worry, the troops you sent to disperse the specimen will have enough time to plant them on the installation without having to witness the wrath of the transformation," The Doctor reassured.
"You truly are a genius, Doctor," Champion complimented.
"I am nothing compared to you, my Champion," the doctor replied humbly, bowing respectfully to his leader.
Finally the two had come to a decorated door, guarded by two brightly yellow armored Elites whom saluted as their Champion passed through the door.
Inside the guarded room was a familiar, flood corpse; more or less a corpse.
"Father…" Champion acknowledged his flood father whom was held captive by chains attached to the walls and ceilings. At the sight of prey, his father forced himself against his restraints, only to be seized so far away from the Doctor and Champion.
"A true specimen he is, my Champion," the doctor commented, "I can still sense the ties between you and your father."
"Yes…" Ebak said, heaving a sigh and taking much thought on the doctor's words. "Could you leave me and my father for a moment?"
"Yes sir," the doctor complied with a respectful bow, "I shall begin on your other two requested projects in the mean time."
"I acknowledge your labor," replied Ebak.
A moment of silence echoed through the room before someone else had entered upon the room.
"My apologies if I have disturbed you, my Champion," apologized a soft, familiar voice.
"You did not intrude, Kami," Ebak reassured turning to his handmaiden, "In fact I am glad you're here at the moment. There's something I need to say…"
"I am listening."
"I have thought much about my plans, my leadership, and my reign. All is fair and seems yet complete yet there is still so much that is empty. Besides my goal with the flood, besides my feelings for my unfortunate father, besides the wrath I wish to unleash upon Alei…there is something else."
"What is it, Ebak?"
"Kami…" Ebak said, his eyes completely connected with hers, "In front of my own father I ask for your acceptance of…Queen of the Derelict."
Kami seemed overwhelmed; her eyes saucer sized and almost teary. Champion's eyes also shimmered with nears of passions for the other Elite. She gazed at the floor for a moment, then at Ebak's father, that into his eyes once more and the answer rushed through her in absoluteness.
"Yes, Ebak…I accept."
"Agh! Back off!" Snapped the Corporal as she was violently shoved to the ground, before a highly secured door.
"Keep your whining for the holding center, human," the brute growled, thrusting her to her feet and prodding her to the secured door way which was guarded by two honor guard Brutes.
"Open it," grunted the Brute.
The doors opened responsively to the Brute's command as an honor guard had waved his hands over the door lock panel.
Whelski felt a final shove as she was flung into the room, the door closing tightly behind her. She got back to her feet and joy overwhelmed her pain and sorrow as she heard a familiar voice, "Samantha?"
She looked up to see Hailey, lying on a alien looking cot, accompanied by the female Elite Whelski had seen before. She dashed over to her dear friend and wrapper her arms around her and felt Hailey's do the same.
"Oh, it's so good to see you. I'm glad you're ok," Samantha cooed, "Everyone was worried about you."
"How's Baxter?" Hailey asked.
"He…misses you…a lot."
"And what about everyone else? Woodword? The Grunt? Alei?"
"I'm…not sure. They just took me and Alei out of the cell. They first took me to a decontamination station but I'm alright…it's just Alei I'm worried about."
"I'm sure he's fine," Hailey reassured.
"He comes from a sacred bloodline," commented the female Elite whom was dampening Hailey's forehead with a wet sponge, "He should manage himself…if his new title does not get himself killed."
"What new title? Exile?" Hailey asked.
"No…Arbiter."
"Arbiter?" Whelski asked, amazed.
The female Elite nodded.
There was a moment of silence that echoed throughout the locked in room. Whelski admired her surroundings: it was fairly large and decorative which nearly masked the fact that it was a prisoner hold.
"So where are we exactly?"
"My unofficial nursery," Hailey sighed, "But I like to call it a VIP prison."
"We're VIP?" Whelski asked.
"Very Important Prisoners," Hailey explained with a smug smile on her face.
"Why do you suppose we weren't just killed?" Samantha inquired.
"The Prophets need a human to activate Halo," responded the Elite.
Whelski sighed. She began pacing the room as thoughts wandered through her mind: The Call of Hope, The Prophets, Halo, Baxter, Woodword, Kaskut…
"This is driving me crazy!" Whelski shouted.
"What is it?" Hailey asked.
"It's…Alei! He's the Prophets' Arbiter now! And I know it seems weird that I have feelings for some guy whose not even my own species…but I'm so worried for him! What if he died in his duties? What if he turned on us? And the Heretics? I need to talk to him again! I need to see him again!"
"You're not alone," muttered the servant Elite.
"What do you mean?"
"I've known Alei longer then you have," she explained, "And I've always worried about his well-being in combat."
"You know him?" Hailey asked, astonished.
"How?" Wondered Samantha.
The servant looked away from the humans and curled her mandibles into what seemed like a depressing smile as she closed her eyes before a tear could shed, "I'm his mother."
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