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The sound of clashing metal reverberated through the training room as strike after strike was blocked and parried. Two Sangheili dressed in simple sparring gear danced back and forth with long metal poles, the tips of them containing a shielded piece of coloured, carbonized glass, used mostly for show. Den huffed as Ria blocked his strikes, lashing out with her own pole.

The game of theirs was fairly simple, designed to keep both of their combat skills sharp, but altered to suit their own needs. The goal was not to go for a "killing blow," but to strike a part of the body with the glass tip, gently and precise enough not to cause any injury to one another. Originally Den's idea, Ria had added another element to it for fun, in the end enhancing the experience. Every strike on the body resulted in a piece of training gear being removed.

In the end the winner was determined by who had stripped each other down the most. But it wasn't an easy task. Ria knew what Den wanted and excelled at defending the most important areas of her armour. Den figured it was worth a try if he bluffed, going for a less important area like her shoulder or wrist, and then changing direction when Ria responded. But the task was easier said than done when he too had to defend key areas of his armour that Ria wanted gone. What made it so fun was the two's lust to remove more revealing pieces of gear, often competing with their focus and testing them.

Den was on the defense now, blocking or dodging very precise maneuvers by Ria, all while looking for an opening. He had to admit, if Sangheili women were allowed into the military other than the rare case of Exemplars, Ria would be a formidable swordswoman. She wasn't as strong physically as males, but she made up for it with speed and flexibility. Den was out of his element as he sparred with her, being un-able to use brute force. Ria lifted her pole high up into the air, above her head, and was in the process of bringing it down when Den saw an opening. He parried her downwards strike, sliding her pole away as he extended it towards her torso. The glass tip connected with a slight chink. Den held the pose to give Ria time to realize her mistake.

But Ria smiled instead.

"Husband, you're still losing ground! You may have gotten what you wanted, but so did I."

She pointed, and Den turned his head to his side. When he slid her pole away, he had unwittingly directed her tip against his own chest piece. He smiled back.

"Ooh you're very clever today my sneaky wife! You put me to shame."

Den and Ria both set their staffs down, sitting cross legged on the wooden floor. For every piece that was removed, the two had a quick break, giving them time to relax and think up another strategy, or simply admire their handy work.

Den unclasped his chest piece, tossing it onto the sidelines of the sparring pit, and unwrapped the fine cloth wrapped around himself, revealing the scarred dark skin of his chest. Likewise, Ria had thrown away her own chest piece and was unwrapping the finely coloured cloth around her chest as well, albeit making a show of it as she knew Den would no doubt be watching. Ria unwrapped the cloth slowly, starting around the edges of her slender frame, twisting it down, down, revealing more of her soft mounds when suddenly the patter of Gam's feet and knarled knuckles could be heard on the floor to their room. Ria stopped her tease and Den turned to see the old withered Unggoy rushing over.

"Master Den! Mistress Ria! Minister here for visit! Waiting outside home, told him to wait while I found you!"

Ria was up on her feet followed by Den. The two moved together, both passing by Gam as he wheezed for breaths of methane.

"Good work Gam! Attend to the Minister and inform him that we will be there shortly. We need to change our attire."

The Unggoy nodded, hobbling away back to the entrance of their home while Den and Ria headed up to their room. Ria wasted no time and was already stripping off parts of her sparring gear as Den followed. No doubt the Minister was here for her but Den had to be somewhat presentable too. But, watching Ria hurry along, going from relaxed and playful to an all of a sudden anxious mood gave Den an intriguing idea. Turns out he was clever today too.

Den watched as Ria unlatched bits of training gear and unwrapped ceremonial garb, completely revealing herself to him. Den nodded at the idea of his. Yes, this was sure to cause something interesting later. Ria was in the process of sliding all of her gear onto one of her own respective gravity racks, as Den sneaked up behind her. He snaked his arms across her hips, pulling her close. Her response was quick but cut off rather quickly.

"Den, I don't really have time for thi......AH!"

Den had since removed all his gear and made a point to get himself ready for action. He knew that it was impolite to keep such a high figure waiting, but he just couldn't resist. He rubbed his shaft against Ria's backside, picking her up and quickly carrying her over to their gravity bed. The bed activated to Ria's presence as Den tossed her down onto it, creating a field of lighter than normal gravity for sleeping in. Ria was giving him a strong look as he bent her legs upward, past her shoulders and behind her head, and about to move the scowl of her mandibles to say something, when Den suddenly slipped into the tight confines of her ass. Ria's scowl changed immediately as her mandibles widened and the look in her eyes changed as she held two hands up to her mandibles to keep them closed. Den started relentlessly pounding back and forth, smiling as he did so.

Ria was still flushed purple in some places and was slick with sweat from their sparring, turning an even darker shade around her mandibles just under her eyes as she clamped them shut to keep from making any sound while Den tormented her. The lower gravity settings on the bed proved to be just what Den was hoping for, adding more room for jiggling and bouncing as Den thrust back and forth like mad, enjoying the rhythmic show of her breasts as they heaved back and forth along with Ria's heavy breathing. Den was determined to tease her but knew he had to go fast to not risk any inquisition, and had little trouble doing so as he watched Ria bounce back and forth, her lithe legs swaying as he leaned on them and pulled back in rhythmic motions.

Den finished quickly, releasing everything into Ria as he came to a slow halt, eventually pulling out, letting go of Ria as she unclasped her mandibles. He knew that look on her face. She was already thinking about what she would do later on in their free time once the Minister had left. The shine in her eyes as she got off the bed, her clenched mandibles. She'd get him back for that. Den watched her as she stood up and quickly began going through more formal attire. Oh yes, she would definitely get him back for that. Den went off to his own section, looking for something relatively nice to don. Some ceremonial armour would do the trick, simple and easy to fit on, not as imposing as standard battle gear, but none the less had an air of civility. He turned back to Ria as she was in the process of putting something nice on, reaching for a small bubble of fluid, the usual perfume she wore when dealing with San Shyuum politicians. He caught her eye as she sprayed it over herself. She rolled her eye briefly as her mandibles formed a tight smile as she shook her head.

She was definitely going to get him later on. Den smiled as the two finished up, and Den waited for her at the door of their room. He held out a hand to her, smiling.

"I think we've delayed the Minister enough, no?"

Ria smiled back, taking his hand.

"For now, Husband. I hope he doesn't delay our training for long. Remember, I was still winning."

She winked at Den as they stepped through the door. Den spoke quietly to himself as they went down to the main level of their home.

"For the time being."

Den wheezed as he slowly stalked the streets, headed towards the source of gunfire in the distance. The district was completely shrouded with fog, and the air stuck to his throat as he breathed in deep intervals, stopping to rest against whatever he could find. There were no abominations, but their presence was clear all the same. There were no corpses in the streets, even though they themselves had been show to the violence of battle. Fleshy growths were overrunning the buildings and the streets, erasing the vast majority of Covenant architecture surrounding him.

Den leaned against part of a building that wasn't covered in growths, feeling his side behind his back. The Human doctor, Heller, had patched him up quite some time ago. But the substance he had used was only temporary. And worse now was the fact that his system was rejecting it. The medical workings of the stuff was made for Humans, not Sangheili. The hardened foam was cracking and flaking off, as dark purple seeped through spaces and cracks. One good twist and he would open up the gashes on his backside.

More gunfire sounded out in the distance, louder this time. From the sounds of it, there was a sniper. Beam Rifle and the sound of Human weaponry. Maybe another prisoner? A Human from the ship that brought the plague to their shores? The chances would be slim. In his travels his encounters with living Covenant members or escaped Human prisoners or soldiers had dropped within the first few days. These two must be new arrivals. Den pushed himself off the wall, leaving a trail of purple smears along with him as he stalked off into the foggy streets once more.

The wails and screams of infected were heard over the sounds of gunfire as Den drew near. He was getting closer to the center of the district, as the passageways grew wider the closer to the center he got. He would be upon the two causing the disturbance soon. Something jumped in his remaining heart as he drew closer in the fog. The hope of something other than the wretched existence around him. A light in his own self built cell. Den walked through fallen corpses as he was a few corners away, as the sound of two human weapons could be heard and the rapid overheating of a Beam Rifle.

Stepping slowly through the fallen, keeping his grip tight on his sword and watching for those that would play dead, he looked up to the once bustling center of the commerce district, now clouded in fog and the infestation clinging over everything, Den stepped around the corner of a building into the center of the district. Barricades and lights were set up, having long since been abandoned, and Den walked quietly into the backs of two aliens who were across from him defending a street passageway from an oncoming hoard of infected. The first was a Kig-Yar, of the tougher variety of their kind, a Skirmisher. He could tell from the bright red plumage that it was a female, strong and healthy. She was clad in a stealth suit, torn and battered, but seemed like a new arrival. And beside her, was a Jiralhanae.

The great lumbering beast was wearing practically nothing but a few rags, showing off his thick, grey, heavily scarred skin. The beast had two human rifles, one in each hand, and was firing into the hoard with abandon, roaring as he did so. The skirmisher covered him as he drew ammunition from a belt around his shoulder, clumsily reloading the weapons and firing once more. Anger flowed through Den as he watched the stupid beast fight. The memories of what transpired here returning to him. The high council, all dead. His kind, slaughtered, women and children, good soldiers and friends alike. And then the arrival of the parasite, using the opportunity of the bastard Truth's betrayal to spread unchecked, killing countless more. Den remembered Ria, and all the men that he had lost. They had retreated from the Jiralhanae, seeking refuge to hole up and fight, and were pushed directly into the parasite. It was their fault.....

Den stumbled slowly into the center of the district, clutching his sword as he made his way slowly over to the Jiralhanae. He overheard the Kig-Yar speaking as they continued to repel the parasite.

"You three find what you came to this hole for!? We need to leave soon! The parasite has completely consumed the station! Dekanus and I are losing ground here!"

Den stepped a few feet away from the pair, when the red feathered Kig-Yar turned her head. Her reaction was fast as she turned to level her rifle at him but stopped. She chattered quickly to her unknown companions once more.

"Hey we've got a living Sangheili here! Looks half gone but we could use him to get past their fleets outside the station!"

Den's hand shook as he held his blade steady. Like hell he was leaving this station and allowing these bastards to leave. Den took a wheezing breath before building up his strength and charging the Jiralhanae who was focused on the literal tide of infected coming down the street. The Kig-Yar spotted it and raked the Jiralhanae across one of his arms. The beast turned, showing his ugly, beaten face to Den. Den raised his sword to strike as the towering behemoth blocked the strike with one of his rifles. The sword cleaved through it like butter, grazing the chest of the beast.

In response he roared, sending spittle flying Den's way, moving faster than expected, catching the next strike Den had coming with one hand. The Jiralhanae held Den and continued to focus only one rifle on the advancing wave. Den heard the sharp bark of three shots fired from the Kig-Yar before her rifle overheated. She was once again speaking, with somewhat a note of concern.

"We need you three over here now! The Sangheili isn't friendly and Dekanus is trying to deal with two problems at once! We'll be overrun in moments!"

Den grappled with the Jiralhanae, trying to free his sword hand while the beast was focused on other things. Den lashed out with a strike against his arm, looking for a nerve bundle. But it was easier said than done on Jiralhanae. They were towering pillars of muscle and rage. At Den's strike the beast turned his head to face him, still managing to barely hold off Den with one hand.

"Arrogant Sangheili! Can you not see through your petty, blind honour!? We're both going to be overrun to the blasted parasite because of you!"

Den flared his mandibles as he ripped his hand free from the grip of the Jiralhanae.

"PETTY! YOU SLAUGHTERD THE COUNCIL! MURDERED WOMEN AND CHILDREN!"

Den went to strike the Jiralhanae with an uppercut from his sword. Infected jumped over the barricade now that nothing was stopping them. The red feathered Kig-Yar dropped her rifle and pulled out a plasma pistol, firing into both infected Human and Sangheili victims as they landed. The Jiralhanae roared, smashing his head into Den's head, knocking him back and staggering him.

"Fool, you would waste your life over me when I played no part in such things!"

Den recovered from the blow, charging at the Jiralhanae, slicing through a combat form in his way.

"ANY DEATH TO DESTROY YOUR MONGREL KIND IS AS GOOD AS THE NEXT!"

Likewise, the Jiralhanae dropped his weapon and charged towards Den, the two crashing into each other knocking themselves to the ground. The wails of infected were growing stronger as more entered the area and off in the distance the whir of a Phantom's engines could be heard.

Den struggled to raise his sword as the Jiralhanae pinned him and started repeatedly smashing his other fist into his face. Den heard and felt something snap in his jaw, which ignited even more rage. Den smashed into the Jiralhanae's face with every blow that touched him, and gained the upper hand when a combat form landed on top of the two. The Jiralhanae was knocked down, but kept his grip on Den's arm, raising it above himself into the infected. Den used the change in leverage and rolled the two over. The Jiralhanae had more options with his legs and kicked Den off himself, sending Den sprawling backwards.

As Den struggled to rise and fended off attacks from multiple infected who were coming to overwhelm him, Dekanus spotted Karzja getting cornered. The brute charged into the crowd and smashed into them like bowling pins, tearing and ripping apart any in his way. Karzja nodded to him, speaking above the rise of more screams and steady sound of Phantom engines.

"Don't kill him, we need him!"

Dekanus snarled, turning back to face Den as he dispatched his own problems.

"What do you think I'm doing!?"

The Jiralhanae charged towards Den, as he readied himself once more. The Jiralhanae had left himself wide open, and Den strode towards him somewhat shakily. The beast jumped high into the air, and Den saw his chance for a killing blow, raising his sword up into the air. Den felt something graze and burn one of his legs, and fell to his knee as the Kig-Yar fired a few bursts from her pistol, the plasma passing by his leg, burning it enough to distract him as the Jiralhanae impacted over top of him with all his weight. Den felt something give way on his backside, and fell over as pain traveled up his spine. He collapsed on the ground completely helpless, screaming out as the sealed foam finally cracked and his wound was exposed to the rancid air.

The Jiralhanae relented, making quick work to grab his sword laying on the ground a few feet away. The whir of the Phantom's engines were the loudest now, and the distinct sound of the crafts weapon systems discharging could be heard all around them as it fired into the multitudes of infected. The grav lift activated, and the large, shining blue form of a lone Lekegolo descended. It spoke in a deep rumble as it quickly strode over to Den.

"You two would do best to retreat to safety. We will bring the Sangheili."

Den stood wearily up to his feet, his mandibles clenched in pain as blood traveled down his side and leg.

"You will have to kill me before I ever set foot anywhere with the likes of YOU."

The Lekegolo loomed over Den, in a non-combative posture, with no characteristic shield or plasma cannon in either hand. It was wearing the standard blue sheened armour of most Lekegolo, but lacked any spines as well. The suit was different in some respects, looking more like a sealed environment suit, but still had the same lightly armoured midsection that Den was used to seeing, albeit covered up. Den steadied himself as the titan stepped closer, and in one last act of defiance, sent all the power he could muster into his arm, punching through the midsection of the Lekegolo, and grabbing the mechanical spinal column of the suit. He pulled with all his strength as the head of the titan looked down in alarm, and severed the spine. The suit shut down instantly, and to Den's satisfaction, the blue armoured titan collapsed backwards over itself as the suit lost power.

Den smiled as the Jiralhanae roared in retaliation and charged him, smashing both of his fists into the side of his head, sending Den sprawling back, unconscious.

The Phantom continued to fire continuously as more and more Flood infected victims surged towards the commotion. Karzja watched in shock as the Elite completely disabled the Lekegolo she had been accompanying over the past week. She spoke over her comms to the other two occupants of the Phantom.

"Jez, get off the controls, Ker, bring down a turret, I need you both down here NOW!"

An Unggoy rode down the lift of the Phantom with a turret slung over his shoulder, and quickly ran out to Karzja, taking in the scene.

"Big one dead? What happen?"

Karzja pushed Ker forwards.

"Don't worry about it right now Ker! Set your turret up and keep firing into that!"

Karzja pointed to the tide of infected running into their crossfire zone. The Unggoy waddled off quickly, setting up his turret and began firing non-stop into whatever moved. A smaller Kig-Yar of the standard variety rode down the lift in an environment suit like the Unggoy and Lekegolo. She approached quickly, taking in the scene. Karzja was quick to point out what happened to the Lekegolo.

"Your friend isn't dead, his suit is disabled! I need you to help me and Dekanus pull him over to the lift!"

She nodded and called out to Dekanus who was mopping up any who broke through Ker's turret fire. The old Jiralhanae came over quickly, and grabbed a hold of the Lekegolo's shoulders. The two Kig-Yar helped pull as hard as they could, as Dekanus struggled with lifting the titan, but made slow, steady progress. The guns of the phantom fired repeatedly as did Ker, as the infected were becoming more and more aggressive.

The trio struggled, and eventually pulled the Lekegolo into the beam, watching as the suit and the various eel like worms that had fallen out of it were lifted up into the beam. Karzja and Dekanus nodded, heading up to the beam. Jez headed over to Ker who was still firing.

"Ker, we need to go!"

The battered and scarred Unggoy looked out to the Sangheili who was slumped not far off.

"We need Sangheili to leave?"

Jez spoke into her comms.

"Karzja what about the Sangheili?"

"We'd be better off leaving him here. If he wants to stay, that's his right. I've been around his type before. You'd be better off letting the parasite have him. Get Ker and we'll get out of here."

Jez placed a hand on Ker's shoulders.

"Time to go Ker."

Jez walked up into the beam before Ker could say anything. The Unggoy continued to fire the turret alongside the Phantom's guns, watching the Sangheili lay in the street. Ker had been through a lifetime of battles, served under hundreds of commanders, and survived far enough into his adult life to be decommissioned from the Covenant army and put to work as a miner. If there was one thing he understood better than all of the others he had been traveling with as of late, it was the loyalty of a Sangheili. Loyal to faith, loyal to friends, loyal to those that proved themselves in combat, and most of all, loyal to those who showed loyalty back.

Ker stopped firing and hobbled out to the Sangheili, keeping his plasma pistol out as infected forms were being mowed down close by. Grabbing the Sangheili, Ker slowly pulled him along behind him as a great wail sounded out from behind him. Through the fog and corpses a great lumbering form lurched out, holding a gigantic arm out to shield from the barrage of plasma from the phantom. It was huge, about as large as the Lekegolo, and spotted him, and began lumbering towards him slowly. Ker struggled to move faster as the great form spewed dozens of the smaller creatures that infected others from its maw, and they surged towards him and the Sangheili. Ker fired his pistol into the smaller ones, popping them as a reaction went off amongst them.

The great lumbering form continued to advance on Ker as the main arm it used as a shield smoldered from his pistol fire but hardened and blackened in the process. The form was close now, but suddenly relented as turret fire pelted it. Jez had manned the turret and was giving him some cover. Ker pulled the Sangheili as fast as his stubby legs would move him, and watched as the great lumbering monster shook itself, and limbs began rearranging themselves into a smaller, sleeker frame. The smaller creature jumped high into the air and disappeared.

Jez stepped off the turret and helped Ker with the Sangheili, pushing him into the lift. The Unggoy went up, and as Jez was about to step in, a hail of yellow crystals embedded themselves into the metal floor and traveled up into her shoulder. She cried out and fell forward into the lift as more shards came streaking her way. The Phantom shut its lift down, rising above the fog covered streets, leaving it to the parasite.

The inside of the Phantom was hardly any more peaceful than the overtaken streets of High Charity. Jez arrived to the Jiralhanae yelling in the face of Ker as the Unggoy stood his ground over the Sangheili. The Jiralhanae had the sword it had taken ignited.

"You should have left that wretch to his fate! Stand aside and let me finish the fool off!"

Jez limped over to where Ker was standing, keeping herself between Ker and Dekanus.

"Hey, I don't care what you think about the Sangheili! Ker just risked his life to haul him up here. You're not taking a step past either of us!"

Dekanus snorted.

"Since when did your kind vouch for the little methane breathing runts?"

"Since this one saved my life! Since when did your kind stop being barbaric idiots!? Oh, my bad, they NEVER DID."

Dekanus shifted his posture, baring his sharpened teeth.

"You're keen to help the one who injured your so called friend. Maybe you should use those good eyes of yours before I pull them out."

Karzja stepped out of the cockpit, her feathers flared.

"Dekanus, you can drive?"

The Jiralhanae nodded.

"Then do it."

The Jiralhanae deactivated the sword, tossing the hilt onto the floor as he left, headed towards the cockpit. Jez collapsed onto the floor of the ship, clutching at the shards embedded into her backside. Karzja was over her in a moment.

"What happened out there?"

Ker stood beside Jez.

"Me save Sangheili. Flood attack us."

Karzja shook her head.

"What's that embedded into her? That's not any weapon I've ever seen."

Jez shook her head.

"It's the Flood. They've changed. We need to get off this station now."

Karzja looked about the interior. The Unggoy had almost died trying to save the stubborn Sangheili and Jez had been injured covering him. Dekanus, even though he didn't show it, had taken a beating from the Sangheili and had been hit even though she threw the Sangheili off balance. The Jiralhanae's side had been cut into. And the odd Lekegolo was out of the picture while its suit was down. And this odd trio still hadn't found what they were looking for. And neither did she. And now it looked like they were all going to have to leave. Every last being in this ship had all nearly died today, from a simple groundside engagement. Karzja came here with one small craft and just herself a few days ago. She didn't know if the small craft could support such a volatile crew. Regardless, she spoke up.

"All of you, I'm bringing you back with me to the ship I came in. There's nothing here for any of us."

She nodded as she stepped back into the cockpit, leaving the trio alone.

Dekanus was using one hand over the holographic controls as Karzja stepped into the purple interior of the cramped cockpit. The Jiralhanae paid no mind to her presence when she sat down next him. His other hand was covering the gash in his side. Dark, almost black blood was slowly dripping from his thick fingers. Karzja pointed it out to him.

"You want me to look at that?"

Dekanus snorted.

"I do not need your pity Kig-Yar. For all I know you could stab me in the back just as fine as that Sangheili."

Karzja flared her feathers. If she knew that the old chieftain hadn't taken some liking to her in the past few days since their meeting, she wouldn't have been so pushy with him. Jiralhanae weren't ones to be toyed with unlike some of the other races. She was fast but one good strike and he could probably kill her.

"Don't try that with me Dekanus. I've been around you long enough to make some sense of you. And you already know that I wouldn't. Otherwise I would have put a round through your skull when I first found you. Your head may be thick, but not that thick."

Dekanus scowled.

"Why did you rake your claws down my arm during the fight?"

"Come on tough guy, it's not that hard to figure out. If I let it happen that Sangheili would have gutted you."

The Jiralhanae growled. His version of a thank you.

"Now, will you let me take a look at that? I've been trained for a lot of operations in the field."

Dekanus snorted once more.

"Take a look at my hide, Kig-Yar. It is not scarred that way without a reason."

Karzja did look over the old hide of Dekanus. He had little fur left, most of it having receded and stopped growing with age, displaying his tribal markings and thick grey skin, which was almost white, that indeed had many scars to bare. Cuts, punctures, lacerations, indents. Even his head, which was absent of any hair, had scars. Then again, this was the case for most of his kind.

"You may be used to all that, but plasma is plasma Dekanus. It's not the outside you have to worry about, but the inside."

He snorted again.

"Have your way then."

Karzja got up, and started rooting around in a pack of gear she stowed in the cockpit. Going through various bits of it she pulled out the necessary things. Dekanus had resumed using both hands to control things. Karzja activated a small container and a very tiny device, placing the device near the wound on Dekanus. The small, triangular purple device activated, sticking to his skin and splitting apart, creating a micro energy barrier. She opened up the container, and watched as a small funnel of energy channeled a smooth greenish liquid into the barrier until it was full. Karzja sealed the container up and slipped it back into her pack of things.

"San Shyuum were always good with medicine. Keep that there for a few days and you won't even have a scar to show off to your buddies."

Dekanus snarled.

Karzja raised her three fingered hands up defensively.

"You can always take it off early too."

Dekanus shook his head.

"I have no quarrel with you. Do not take it the wrong way."

Karzja nodded. When she had first found Dekanus, he was completely alone, fighting off Flood infected victims by himself. Which was odd for his kind. They were strictly pack based. Ever since she had assisted him in surviving the rest of his journey, it had plagued her. For one of his kind, he seemed more intelligent than his lot. More reasonable. But there was something else.

"What happened to you before I found you?"

Dekanus stroked the long locks of braided hair that was hanging from his chin.

"Betrayal."

"Surely it wasn't the San Shyuum?"

Dekanus snorted.

"No. It was I that betrayed them long ago. But in such trying times, my beliefs were brought into the spotlight."

"How?"

"I did not participate in the cleansing. Nor did my pack. Until I was betrayed."

Karzja was confused.

"Since when would you pass up the chance to openly kill your competitors?"

Dekanus looked at the controls, baring his fangs.

"Contrary to popular opinions, eliminating the Sangheili would be a grave mistake. As arrogant as they can be, eliciting their rage would be foolhardy. I looked into history. I know that the founding of this once sacred Covenant was based off of San Shyuum and Sangheili wars. It could only ever end in ruin. We replace them, and simply become discarded down the road. Backstabbed by the San Shyuum when our usefulness is done. Or, we incite the wrath of the Sangheili. And start a war we may not survive."

Karzja tilted her head.

"You seem to handle yourself well to me."

Dekanus shook his head, snorting.

"I am but one. I'm old, experienced. I know my people. The Sangheili have been this far up in the chain for thousands of years. We've only been introduced to the chain for less than a few hundred years. In the long run, I did not know my people well enough."

"Who were you betrayed by?"

"A coward. He did not challenge the position of leadership through combat as tradition dictates. He lured me out while I was alone. Tried to kill me."

"You didn't kill him?"

Dekanus laughed.

"It is a hard thing to do when a boot is placed on your backside and you are tossed a few hundred feet down a chasm you were admiring not a few seconds ago."

Karzja winced.

"I'm sorry to hear that."

"As I said, do not pity me. I am alive and will reclaim my place. It was my mistake for placing such trust in a weakling. A weakling that won't lead our race from beyond our world and claim our place in the stars."

"You sounded like you had big plans."

"Our people need to be shown that there are alternatives to following along like sheep. There were only a handful that shared my views when I approached them. These values were passed along by my father beforehand who witnessed the very day your starships descended from the ashen smoke filled skies and brought with them their "Great Journey."

Karzja simply nodded. Dekanus turned his head to her, facing her with a face as equally scarred as the rest of his body.

"And what of you, a small being of yet many skills and strengths, who says little in the way but of jokes and insults. What were you doing, clad in gleaming armour and boasting much equipment?"

Karzja's feathers quivered slightly. Saying too much would have the possibility of jeopardizing her own goals.

"I came here to kill someone. I had been tasked with following them and waiting for the right time."

"An assassin for hire then."

Dekanus laughed at his words.

"Lead around by the very same politicians who brought each and every one of us to ruin. Do not fear Kig-Yar. Your race is well suited for those kinds of things. Just as mine is for combat and following blindly. I do not hate you for it."

Karzja stayed silent for a time.

"What of the Sangheili?"

Dekanus stroked his beard.

"The fool will be trouble in the future. I do not see why the runt saved him."

Karzja leaned back in her seat.

"Those three seem to stick to each other very close. If that old snarling methane guzzler saved him, chances are the other two would agree with him."

Dekanus growled.

"You're bringing them with you?"

"They don't seem like they have anywhere to go. And neither do you. My offer extends to both of you."

"Keep the runt away from me or I'll crush it like the one he is."

"That would be a bad idea. You haven't seen what the Lekegolo that travels with them has done."

"Considering a deranged Sangheili who's half dead could completely incapacitate it, I am not impressed."

Karzja shook her head.

"It was being friendly. A very odd trait for one. They don't speak much. This one is also very fluent. Smart too. There's more going on behind it if you catch me."

Dekanus continued piloting.

"We shall see."

Jez leaned over the form of Insu, examining the Lekegolo's armour. His suit was shut down completely, and as such the worms that formed his body were trapped in segments. Jez was looking around for the latches on various segments of his armour to help free all of them. She turned back to Ker, who was in turn working on the Sangheili. The old Unggoy had various equipment out from some compartments, and seemed to be doing a good job of things. She was fiddling with a clamp that locked Insu's armour together when her hands slipped, smearing purple blood across it. She called back to Ker.

"Ker, can you help me for a second?"

The Unggoy hobbled over, wheezing as he did so.

"You need help? Big one stuck in suit?"

Jez nodded. The Unggoy looked at the backside of her suit to find several of those crystalline shards embedded into her shoulder.

"You bleeding bad. You want me to pull out spikes?"

Jez shook her head.

"No Ker, you've done enough already. Besides, I already owe you one life. Just help me with the locks on Insu's armour."

The old Unggoy was much stronger than she had first given him and his kind credit for, and were notorious for their strength of grip and upper arm strength. Ker would likely be able to latch on and keep his hand in place even with her blood there, and crack the seals without trouble. Sure enough, Ker unlatched the first set. The Unggoy worked his way along, before turning to Jez.

"You save life today. Me owe you favour now."

Jez cracked a smile.

"We trade favours then. You owe me."

Jez motioned to the Sangheili.

"He owes you."

Ker nodded. Jez watched as the Unggoy continued to find latches on Insu's armour. More of the worm like entities were beginning to slip free as he worked along. Jez was curious.

"Ker, why did you save that Sangheili? He's going to be trouble later on."

The Unggoy wheezed a few breaths of methane, speaking in his token sharp, yet oddly scratchy, deep voice.

"Sangheili only know one thing. Who is friend. They fight with friend. Protect friend. Help friend."

"How can you be sure?"

"Me spend life in service. Grow old enough to be not good fighter anymore. Many Sangheili respect Unggoy who be like them. Give them better protection. Better weapon. Better training. Even better education. Me will need help in future."

Jez looked into the faceplate of the Unggoy as his token red eyes focused on Insu's armour.

"What future? You don't think me and Insu can help?"

"War everywhere now. No more Covenant. We submit because we need to survive. Home is cold, dying. But Covenant help. No more Covenant, no more help. Me want go home. But do more than just that."

"You want to help your people? Why do you think me and Insu can't?"

"Unggoy too dumb. Too stuck on their own. Need outside help. Big ones too far away from everything. They stick with each other. Your people hate us. But Sangheili. Have worked for Sangheili for very long time. Get one on our side with lots of ties, and they help. That one, high ranking. He make good friend."

Jez smiled. Ker wasn't an average Unggoy. He was smarter than most by a longshot. And now as she just realized, somewhat cunning as well. Ker finished on the last lock, separating all the limbs of Insu's armour, freeing everything up. Jez patted Ker on the shoulder.

"Thank you Ker."

The Unggoy hobbled back off to the Sangheili on the other end of the ship without another word, wheezing as he went. The various worms in the suit all slithered out together, forming a large mass. Jez moved aside to make room in-between Insu's discarded suit for his mass to slither over to. Jez spoke a few words in a Kig-Yar dialect that wasn't well known in the Covenant. She wanted to speak to Insu in private if she could.

"You okay Insu? That Sangheili did a number on your suit."

The form next to her rumbled and vibrated, attempting to make the various necessary sounds to speak to her. Language was a tricky thing for Lekegolo to use. They had to vibrate and rumble to form any coherent words, and even then, they were somewhat distorted. But Insu knew a lot of various languages, and the one she had taught him was simple enough to learn, but still proved difficult. Lekegolo weren't good at making clicking sounds.

"We are fine, Jez. No damage was done to the smaller ones, just the suit."

The collection of orange worms formed a collective "head" that looked over Jez.

"You are not in a healthy state. You are bleeding badly. We can help."

Jez shook her head.

"I already tried pulling them out. They're embedded, stuck."

"We feed on stone and earth. Once, long ago, even metals forged from the gods. We can help, Jez."

"These are things created by the Parasite. Who knows what they could be doing to me. Who knows what they could do to you."

The head of Insu nodded.

"All the better of a reason to remove them, Jez."

Jez nodded. When Insu was set on helping, there was no way around it. The Lekegolo had a habit of running circles around most with his logic. Several of the worm like creatures broke off, slithering up Jez's back up to the torn segments of the back of her suit.

"It would be best if you laid down on your front. We will work better this way."

Jez complied and laid down, and let the few of Insu's worms that were clambering up her back reach their destination. The first worm slithered up a small crystal, which immediately caused her to wince in pain. Insu backed off immediately.

"The crystals, designed for maximum suffering. How cruel."

Jez calmed down somewhat.

"We can ask Ker for help. He's working on the Sangheili."

Insu did not respond for a short time.

"The little one cannot be interrupted. The Sangheili is in poor shape. Even through the feeling of this ship, we can feel that he has only one working heart. If Ker is interrupted or pulled away, the Sangheili may die."

"Then it's just you and me then?"

"That is correct."

Jez winced once more as one of the worms curled around a crystal.

"We won't be able to commence if you are in constant pain. We have an idea."

A few more worms broke off, and found their way to the holes in Jez's suit. They squeezed through the holes, and started traveling underneath her suit across her bare skin. Jez knew exactly what Insu was doing. And the Lekegolo could get a sense of her thoughts on the matter.

"The first time we helped you relieve stress, it was not a good thing?"

Jez spoke under her helmet as a worm traveled up her neck.

"It was Insu. But, again, breaking personal space and privacy issues."

Insu's form shifted.

"Not if you remain still and quiet. None will ever know. We will cover for you."

One of the worm like creatures had made it all the way down to her lower regions, and using its small mouth, began to play with Jez's clit. Another was coiled around her breast, once again using its small mouth to tease her nipple, while the one on her neck coiled around it, writhing and squirming slowly, relaxing the muscles of her neck causing her to lay her head down in her arms.

As Insu began making Jez more comfortable, the worms on her backside started working on the crystals. Pain was mixed with pleasure as Insu kept competing to make things feel better than worse. Due to how Insu's kind evolved, they had innate and very good senses for not only themselves, but for others. Making contact with another was the strongest way to connect to them, and Insu could monitor things well in this way. For the next few hours, Insu would bring Jez to multiple silent climaxes as the inside of the Phantom changed now and again.

Sometimes the other member of her species, Karzja, would come out and check on the progress of things, or Dekanus would come to see if the Sangheili was awake. Ker maintained his vigil over the Sangheili for the entire time, not once saying anything in response. The trip was essentially quiet the rest of the way, as everyone on board was waiting for the inevitable time that they would all move once more.

Jez, Insu, and Ker never found who they were looking for. Karzja never claimed her target. Dekanus left behind nothing, holding on to some vain hope that one day he would find the coward who sold out him and his species in the process. And Den? There would be hell to pay when he woke up. Someone would answer for all their crimes. But for now, things were in a temporary calm as the Phantom made the last stretches of the journey through the desecrated ruins of High Charity, back to Karzja's ship.

The galaxy was changing. Who would rise with it in this strange new time? Who might fall back into old habits? Only time would tell.