Chapter 2 - Wait, what?
Chapter 2 - Wait, what?
“I'm bored,” the unicorn guard said to his colleague, arranging the rifle that he carried over his shoulder. The other unicorn, also wearing the armor of the night watch, said nothing, but stifled a yawn. Overseeing the entrance to the astronomy dome during the night was one of the most boring posts.
Not that there was a great difference with the situation in the rest of the west wing, but at least the restricted access section of the archives had some occasional visitor more or less authorized, more specifically the prized pupil of Celestia, the young princess Twilight Sparkle.
Compared with the frantic activities that take place during the day, the corridors of that section of Canterlot castle could be considered deserted during the night. A great part of the staff members that carried out their duties during the day were in most cases asleep in their beds, leaving most of the halls empty, save for the sporadic patrolling guard. The majority of the nighttime activities of the castle took place in the main body of the building where Night Court is held by Princess Luna herself. Even though it’s small compared with the Day Court, ponies of all social classes went to ask audience to the younger of the royal sisters for the most various reasons.
The court duties usually occupied most of the princesses time, forcing her to stay in the throne room when she wasn't performing one of her so called dream-walks, hunting for nightmares. So it was with a certain surprise that the two guards saw the blue alicorn approach in great haste from the corridor, followed closely by one of her personal guards, the lieutenant Midnight Blossom. The young thestral mare struggled to keep up with the night princess, disadvantaged by her shorter legs when compared with that of the alicorn.
“Open the door,” the princess of the night said with a tone that didn't allow argument, her face stoic.
The two unicorns hurried to accomplish the order, opening the heavy oak wooden doors and promptly stepping aside to allow the princess to enter.
“Lieutenant, what's happening?” one of the guards asked Midnight Blossom once the princess was inside the room.
“I know as much as you, corporal. A few minutes ago the princess was holding court, when suddenly she stood up and disbanded all the meetings for 'matters of high priority', before rushing here,” the thestral said, shaking her head. “Let's go, she might need us,” she said while stepping inside.
Even though this wasn't the first time that she saw the hall, Midnight Blossom couldn't help but gape in amazement. The huge circular room was over fifty meters wide, built by blocks of black basalt cut and disposed with millimeter accuracy to form a tall forty meter tower, topped by a huge dome of glass supported by steel bars. On the floor there was a mosaic representing an accurate model of the solar system, with Asgard in the precise center of the hall and the others celestial bodies disposed around. The walls were lined with alcoves which housed relics that had belonged to prominent scientists and scholars of the past.
One in particular seemed to have caught the interest of the princess: a light blue crystal about the size of a fist and shaped vaguely as the head of an arrow, with the surface filled with mysterious geometric incisions. The strange artifact was discovered by her parents hundreds of years before she was born, in a cave in the middle of the tropical jungles that occupied the southern hemisphere before being submerged by the ocean.
With extreme delicacy Luna grabbed the crystal from the niche and lifted it up to face level, then she closed her eyes and touched it with the tip of her long horn. She remained still for several seconds, a concentrated expression painted on her face, before she widened her eyes suddenly, gasping loudly.
“Princess Luna, my lady, are you okay?” the young thestral mare asked worried, rushing toward her.
“Don't worry, Midnight. Give me only one moment,” she said gasping slightly, putting back the artifact in the alcove. “Impossible,” Luna muttered astonished after a few moments, shaking her head. “It has shifted.”
“Shifted? What has shifted, princess?” Midnight asked with a puzzled expression.
“The moon. The moon has shifted from its original orbit,” Luna answered, looking her in the eyes.
The eyes of the thestral widened completely. "What?! How is this even possible?"
"I have no idea, my dear friend, but one thing is sure: I must put remedy before the anomaly becomes too big."
The alicorn prepared herself psychologically to the task. It wouldn't be easy nor quick. It was one thing to guide the moon on its regular orbit, an action that requires only a minimal, almost insignificant part of her powers. But correcting a change, even minimal, of orbit caused by external causes? THIS was a different matter altogether.
“Open wide the dome,” she ordered the guards.
One of the unicorns hurried to execute, running to the other side of the hall. He opened the door in the wall that housed the control panel, then pulled down a big lever. With the noise of gears in action, barbells releasing and electric motors, the massive dome made of glass and steel split along twelve rays in as many segments that opened outward like the petals of a flower, revealing the night sky in all its beauty.
The Princess took position in the exact center of the round hall, her head facing the moon.
She widened her wings to their full extension, pointing her hands toward the moon, while her eyes and horn started to glow due to the flow of mana that was channeled in her body, ready to be released in form of magic.
'It will be a long night,' Luna thought grimly.
Pain. The first thing her brain registered when Tarya woke up was the pain. All of her body ached, her muscles and skin burning as if she was seared by massive sunburn after an intensive training session.
'Wait, if I can feel pain, then I'm alive. And if I'm alive... it worked! The ship is save,' she realized. The young Zealot cautiously opened her eyes, but she soon regretted it. In her current condition the light of the room was almost blinding. "Ugh, my head. It's as if a Mgalekgolo(1) hit me with its shield," she groaned, assuming a sitting position on the bed on which she lay.
"Easy there, miss. You remained unconscious for several hours. And besides, in response to your previous affirmation, I highly doubt that a Mgalekgolo would risk hitting your cranium. Your head is so hard that the shield would break by hitting it,” a sarcastic male voice said.
She tried again to open the eyelids, this time with more success. Slowly, the blurry spots became defined images.
The first thing that Tarya noticed was that her armor and undersuit had been removed, replaced by a pair of white shorts and a band wrapped around her chest.
Then she took notice of her surroundings. The young zealot was in a rectangular hall lit by an orange light that mimicked the sun's rays, in contrast with the classic blue lights that illuminated the rest of the ship, the distinct smell of blood, disinfectants, and medicine filled the air. Arranged along the long sides of the room were rows of beds, some empty, some occupied by more or less seriously injured Sangheili. Female nurses wearing the characteristic green armor of the medical personal roamed from bed to bed, checking the conditions of the patients using holographic terminals.
“Great,” Tarya groaned, rolling her eyes. She was in the last place every Sangheili wanted to be. “The infirmary,” she said annoyed.
“Oh, don't make it sound worse than the reality. I did not even have to sedate you,” the same voice said.
The young zealot finally turned her head, looking at her interlocutor. An average sized male Sangheili wearing green minor armor was beside her bed, intent to control her physiological values on a holographic terminal. The Forerunner rune of the medicine, a reversed T surrounded by a ring, was painted on his chest plate identifying him as a member of the medical personal, while a red line on the helmet indicated his rank of head physician. But it was another characteristic that distinguished doctor Nax Toruo from the other Sangheili on the ship. In the first few days after the Great Schism, Nax lost his right arm because of a close encounter with a gravity hammer. The original limb was now replaced by a prosthesis made in Covenant alloy.
“Well, technically you were already stunned,” admitted the doctor without taking his eyes from the terminal.
'Let's see, green armor, artificial limb, terrible sense of humor... yeah, he's definitely doctor Toruo,' Tarya thought, rolling her eyes.
“Nice to see you again, doctor. Busy day?”
“You have no idea,” Nax admitted. “Over one hundred crew-members hospitalized.”
“I guess you'll be glad that your services are much required,” she asked mindlessly, looking at the beds occupied by the wounded. Her still foggy mind was unable to take notice sooner of the implications of her comment.
The Sangheili finally turned toward the Zealot, glaring her with a serious and hurt gaze. “Miss Rutaen, if you think that I enjoy seeing our brother and sisters coming here, screaming in pain for the injuries, than you'll be very disappointed that I don't. Maybe my profession is not the most popular job among the Sangheili, but if it wasn't for us medics half of our race would be dead by now. So, spare me your sarcasm and try to show a little respect,” he snapped.
Tarya couldn't help but feel like shit for saying such a thing. Among the Sangheili the profession of the doctors was seen for centuries as dishonorable, considering them as individuals that took away the honor of a warrior by making him bleed on the operation table.
Things had begun to change after the Great Schism when, between the conflict against the Jiralhanae and the civil war, the number of deceased among the Sangheili had increased alarmingly. The need of soldiers was high, but so was the number of the injured in combat. If every one of them had resorted to the ritual suicide in order to regain their honor, the Sangheili race would be doomed. Thankfully, while still viewed with hostility by many, the more pragmatic philosophy of ‘recover from your wounds to fight another day’ was becoming more and more widespread. The key role of the medical teams was indisputable. Without their efforts, thousands of warriors wouldn't be able to give their contribution on the battlefield.
“I'm sorry, Nax,” Tarya said hanging her head in shame. “It wasn't my intention to disrespect your job. That was a poor choice of words.”
The facial expression of the medic softened as well as his gaze. “Now, now, Tarya. You don't need to excuse yourself. I know it wasn't your intention to cause offense. You just woke up and you're still disposing the effects of the medications,” he said while he rubbed his hand on his face. Just now the Zealot noticed the signs of tiredness in his eyes. “My team and I were in a state of alert since the battle with the Brutes and we have been working uninterruptedly for the last six hours. As you can imagine, stress and social interactions are not exactly the best of buddies.”
“I guess,” she muttered. “Wait, you said six hours? I remained unconscious for so long?”
“Yeah, and all this time your uncle came here regularly to monitor your conditions.”
The doors of the infirmary opened at that very moment, revealing the impressive figure of the Shipmaster.
“Well, well, well, speak of the Helioskrill(2)...” he trailed off looking as Vraal Rutaen crossed the hall.
The Shipmaster's face showed evident signs of tiredness, but his eyes lit up when he realized that his niece was awake.
“I see that the hero of the ship is again among us. Your nap did worry the whole crew,” he joked approaching the bed.
“You know that our lineage is tough, it'll take more than a bit of electricity to stop us,” replied Tarya, earning a chuckle from the Shipmaster. She then turned towards Nax. “But very likely I, as well as many others, wouldn't be here if it wasn't for the efforts of doctor Toruo and his team. Today they have demonstrated their worth.”
Vraal nodded. “I have to agree,” he said, facing the head physician.
The doctor shifted his feet slightly, not used to receiving compliments and a bit unnerved by the massive figure of the Shipmaster that now towered in front of him.
“Well, technically her condition wasn’t too serious. She didn't suffer any internal injuries or cerebral damage. The last side effects of the electric discharge on her neurological system should disappear in the next few hours, while the burns and the bruises will take a few days to completely heal,” he replied with slight embarrassment.
“Doctor Toruo, you shouldn't diminish the value of your actions. You have saved many lives today, not only that of my niece,” the Shipmaster said placing a hand on the shoulder of the medic. “On my behalf and of the whole crew, I offer our deepest gratitude for the work that you and your team have done.”
Nax was taken aback by the compliment, but recovered quickly and performed the traditional salute, placing his right fist across his chest on the left heart and bowing his head.
“Thank you, Shipmaster. You can't imagine how much your words mean for all of us. We are honored to perform our duty under your command.”
A series of screams and roars drew his attention to the other side of the infirmary. A pair of female nurses were trying without success to calm down a Major that didn't want to receive medical treatment.
"Doctor, help! We need assistance!" one of the nurses said urgently.
“Now, if you would excuse me, I have to sedate the Major Domo before he destroy the room,” Nax said nonchalantly wielding a disturbing device whose design resembled that of a human pistol, but instead of a firing chamber there was a vial filled with a clear fluid, while at the end of the muzzle there was a big needle.
Oblivious to the startled looks of the Shipmaster and the Zealot, Nax headed for his new 'victim'.
The Major Domo Ruyo Kovakan roared and struggled against the hands of the two nurses that were trying desperately to hold him. All of this was against his very nature. He was a Sangheili warrior, for Forerunners' sake! Bleeding from the forehead wasn't a good enough reason to drag him into this dishonorable place!
“Leave me, honor-suckers! I don't need your stupid medications!” he roared at his 'opponents'.
Then he saw him. His great nemesis. The oncoming storm. The predator of the honor. The doctor.
“You!”
“Yes, me!” Nax said with a over cheerful tone. “So, my dear girls, what is the condition of the most scorbutic officer of the fleet?”
“He's got a nasty laceration on the forehead caused by an explosion. We should make a scansion of the cranium in search of eventual fractures, but he has no intention to cooperate,” said one of the two nurses.
“Don't worry. I'll handle him,” Nax said showing the strange syringe.
The eyes of the Major widened at the sight of the medical device, more specifically at the sight of the big needle.
“Keep that monstrous device away from me, cursed cyborg!” the Major yelled in panic.
“Now, now, Ruyo. Stop whining like an Unggoy. It's only a little injection. You will not feel the slightest pain,” he said slipping the needle without warning into the neck of Ruyo, making him scream horribly. “... Aside for the needle, of course,” the doctor deadpanned.
“You...are...pure...evil...” the major trailed with a slumbering voice before falling asleep.
Nodding satisfied with the result, the doctor activated the holographic room divider to work with some privacy.
“I'm glad I was already unconscious when I came here,” Tarya said in a weak voice at the scene she just viewed. “Really glad.”
The Shipmaster didn't reply. Instead, he pressed a command on the terminal, activating the holographic partition around the bed, and faced his niece. Now that they were isolated from the rest of the room, Vraal broke the expression of mock confidence and bravery that he had held until then.
“Uncle?” she asked unsure, taken aback by his sudden change of mood.
"I'm glad to see you're safe, Tarya. When the news that you were injured reached me, I feared the worst," Vraal murmured in a tone that oozed pain and concern.
Tarya found herself shocked to see her uncle, one of the bravest and proudest captains of the Sangheili fleet look so... vulnerable.
"I had to appear strong for the morale of the crew, but inside I was devoured by anxiety. And when I saw you unconscious on the bed for the first time, I've felt a sense of impotence like I haven’t felt since... that day.” His tone was weak, as if speaking was difficult, his mind clearly struggling to hold back painful memories.
That day. There was no need to say more. She knew what day he meant. The day when a task force of Jiralhanae raiders had arrived without warning on the colony world Lakawi, destroying the Rutaen Keep with all the inhabitants. Vraal and Tarya were the only survivors of their clan just because they were on Sanghelios to assist a meeting between the Arbiter and the UNSC. She will never forget when they'd received the frightful news, the horrible sense of suffocation that she had experienced, the roars of anger and pain of her uncle, the nights that she spent crying in her bed remembering the faces of her loved ones.
Chasing away the sad memories, she bowed her head, closing her eyes. "I'm sorry that you had to suffer so much by my fault, uncle,” she muttered. “But I don't regret what I've done. Like I said before, our lineage is tough. We may be the last of our family, but this should not prevent us from fulfilling our tasks. You taught me to be strong, along with the true meaning of sacrifice for a greater purpose and the respect of the duty. My duty was toward the ship and the crew. I had to do it. I could not escape, it would have been an insult to our deceased family members."
She felt suddenly the powerful arms of the Shipmaster tighten around her in an embrace and she returned the gesture. They remained so for several minutes, in silence, enjoying that special moment. When they broke the embrace she looked up and she saw her uncle looking at her with a gaze that showed pride. "My sister raised you well. The more I look to you, the more I can see the resemblance with your mother. She would be proud of you," he said with a sad smile. “I am proud of you.”
“Thank you, uncle.”
They remain in silence few minutes before she spoke again.
“So, how did I end up here?” she asked, changing the subject to a, relatively, less painful theme. “My last memories are quite blurred. All that I recall is that I was running in the duct before being struck by a voltaic bolt.”
A smile appeared on the face of Vraal, this time of true amusement and stupor. “Well, you see, when you passed out, your Huragok friend entered the conduit and dragged you out. You would not think so, but those adorable gas pockets are incredibly strong.”
“Zero risked his life for me?” she asked astonished.
The Shipmaster nodded. “I talked with him before. When I asked him why he risked being electrocuted, he said that for a friend he was willing to do this and more.”
Tarya was speechless. She knew that the Huragok felt sympathy for her, but she didn't know that he considered her a friend.
“I'll have to thank him profusely for this.”
“I fear that you'll have to wait. He's currently helping Osmotic Pressure and the engineer teams to repair the ship.”
“What is the entity of damage?”
Vraal's expression turned serious. "Heavy and extended, fortunately none of the primary systems were compromised and there were no structural damage. We suffered at least two hundred casualties between our kind and the Unggoy, while the number of wounded is one hundred and seventeen. Our current location is still unknown and long range communications with the fleet or Sanghelios are cut off. Add to the picture the impossible planet...”
“Impossible planet?” Tarya asked, clearly confused.
“Promise to not freak out?” Vraal asked with hesitation.
She hesitated a second. “Alright, shoot.”
The shipmaster took a deep breath before speaking in a tone as calm as possible. “The ship is currently located in a geocentric solar system and we are orbiting the planet at its center.”
“... I beg your pardon?”
(1) Mgalekgolo - Hunter
(2) Helioskrill - Predator native of Sanghelios
The character of Midnight Blossom belongs to Equestria-Prevails. I simply adore his works.
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A female sanghielli?! In the military!?!?
... Times really HAVE changed...
3974826 I have always been curious about the role of the female sangheili. Glad we can get a peek.
Major Domo..... Freakin Domo XD
3974826 The females were already in the military, although insignificant in number. I figured that after the great schism their role in Sangheili society has increased of importance (in The Thursday War, Raia 'Mdama realized that the females should participate more actively in the political and military life)
3974859 The Gravemind, the pack of Brutes, the Spartans. Nothing of all this could rival with the true plague of the galaxy. The syringe needles.
3974868
...
Oh.
3974871 In truth, they are not mentioned very often
http://halo.wikia.com/wiki/Weapons_Master
Awesome chapter. I liked the medics getting respect. I can also totally see Vraal and Shining armor trading stories on protecting their younger female family members.
3974880
I see...
Now I feel bad for teabagging every elite I ever killed...
3976961 Just the elites?
th07.deviantart.net/fs70/PRE/f/2012/055/3/e/thats_racest_by_thewabbajackx-d3d8xni.jpg
3974868 no female Sangheili have been seen in combat roles. Females are trained from a young age to fight alongside the males but are kept home to tend to their respective houses. This training allows the Sangheili to have a potent home guard should an attack on their homeworld ever make it past the males fighting on the front line.
5919139 aren't there female ship masters though? I definitely read that somewhere.
6070154 Yes, but it is very, VERY rare, and usually only in sanghielli legend.
"We suffered at least two hundred casualties among our kind and the totality of the Unggoy, while the number of wounded is currently one hundred and seventeen. Our current location is still completely unknown and long range communications with the fleet or Sanghelios are cut off. Add to the picture the impossible planet...”
"While the number of wounded is currently one hundred and seventeen."
"One hundred and seventeen."
117
Master Chief...
Nice one!
Why did they have to kill ALL of the grunts?
They are hillarious and add a sense of humour to the situation!
7792874 In the original version they were all killed by an explosion, but recently I edited some parts in the first chapter to keep them alive and use them later in the story.
Disregard my comment about the engineer thing before, I figured out what they look like
7793555 more enemies!
The grunts shout as they run towards the single human standing in their path. Suddenly it pulls out a SAW and it's all over for them
7792874
*pop* yaaaay!
8670695
I'm glad to see you're save, Tarya.
I'm glad to see you're safe, Tarya.
8755911
Thank you for pointing that out.
This whole part had me laughing my ass off!
8829422
I'm glad you liked that part
8829422
There’s a certain helicopter in the air and it goes soi soi soi.
8829422
They need a human doctor. I mean look at us were squishy and soft , and our doctors are downright terrifing
9035618
You should see the medic from team fortress 2 as an doctor with his syringe