Chapter 10: Drastic times calls for drastic measures

FOURTH CYCLE, 100 UNITS (COVENANT BATTLE CALENDAR)/HIGH

CHARITY, LIBRARY OF THE ANCIENTS

Ameigh put the holo-book back into its socket on the floating shelf. She had already
memorized most of the contents, something that hadn’t been too hard. She had read it before
after all. It was about the legend of Ameigh Broley. Of herself.
According to the legend, just when the war between the Sangheili and the San ‘Shyuum
was reaching its climax, the gods – the Forerunners – had created a being that was a hybrid of
the two races, telling the two races to unite under one banner. And so it became. The Sangheili
and the San ‘Shyuum formed the Covenant together, and from then on ventured the galaxy for
more Forerunner relics. While in this process, the Covenant absorbed other races and
converted them to the Path.
With that legend in mind, they had created Ameigh using Forerunner technology. Since
then, she was treated as if she had been the very same Ameigh that forged the Covenant, being
sent by the gods to help the Covenant in its time of need. She was gifted with the wisdom and
lifespan of a San ‘Shyuum, but the skill in battle of a Sangheili.
As Ameigh casually walked down the barely lit corridor towards the exit, the door opened
with a low sound. Through the opening an Honor Guard Ultra and two lesser honor
guardsmen entered, their eyes pointing towards Ameigh. She stopped, waiting for the white-
armored – with smaller ornate armor pieces added onto the normal harness with a deep orange
color, along with a matching helmet – Sangheili to approach and stop in front of her, his arms
crossed.
“Ameigh.” he said calmly. “It’s been quite some time. I thought you perished buried under
your books.”
“I suppose I can take more weight than you thought, Amrot, my friend.” she replied,
chuckling silently. Amrot chuckled a little as well, but soon his expression got serious again
underneath the tall helmet-headdress.
“I have a message from the hierarchs.” He moved his head closer to hers in a snake-like
fashion, now only whispering. “They are waiting for you in the Mausoleum of the Arbiter. I
can’t say more. You go first, while I and my guardsmen follow you from a distance.
Understood?”
“Why this secrecy?” she whispered. She saw his face look grim, and she realized it was
important he didn’t say it. “Understood” she quickly added.
She moved through the exit and out onto the lit streets of High Charity. Kig-yar, Yanme’e,
Unggoy, Sangheili and San ‘Shyuum filled the streets, rushing to do whatever things they had
to do before the evening. Ameigh looked up at the far towers; the Mausoleum would be
located at the top of the third tower from the left, not too far from the hanging gardens. At this
time of the day, the city’s artificial sun was starting to darken and shrink in size, as part of the
programming.
Such magnificence, Ameigh often told herself. And yet, it could be a dangerous place.
___________________________________________________________________________

“They WHAT!?” Regret’s blue-ish hued hologram spat.

“The humans and the heretics had just left when we arrived, probably because we arrived.”
Rkod said with as much confidence as he could muster.
He had just a cycle ago arrived at Iloom, but the humans and the Kig-yar had just left. But
they had left their mark; ninety-seven percent of the colony’s ground forces had been taken
out, including the governor, Councilor Kavar, and his guardsmen. Without a doubt mostly the
demons’ deed. While there was only a relatively small presence of ground forces on Iloom,
they had been killed too efficiently with too little casualties, which made it obvious the Kig-
yar wasn’t responsible.
In addition, the colony’s main databank had been compromised, likely downloaded to a
storage device. And there weren’t just secrets about bank accounts on that mainframe. It also
included summaries of most relics or scriptures ever studied at the Iloom research center. If
the humans and Kig-yar got their hands on those secrets…
“You incompetent fool!” Regret continued, still angered. “Do you not see how important it
is that we stop them? This matter has already caused enough unrest within the Covenant.
There are riots where Kig-yar extremists and other heretical elements fight against the
Security forces within High Charity itself!”
“Who’s the fool here?” Rkod replied angrily. “I am the one following them, all you do is
sitting on your thrones and tell me when I fail and when I succeed. Tell me, how well would
you do yourself in a situation like this?”
He realized too late what he had done. Regret’s face was becoming red out of anger. “How
dare you! We have executed members of the Covenant for lesser insults!”
“I am starting to wonder if you are really fit for this job.” Mercy added. “All you’ve done
so far is fail us, bringing no results.”
“Hierarchs, give me one more chance, I won’t fail.” Rkod pleaded.
“We will.” Truth said calmly, scratching his throat. “But not as the Arbiter. Neither as a
Fleet Master. You will start from the beginning, the position you were in when you first joined
the military, as a Minor Domo.”
“A..Are you sure about this, my hierarch?” Rkod asked, disheartened. He simply couldn’t
believe that he would have to work his way up the rank ladder again, it had taken him several
years to reach his current position.
 Mercy and Truth looked at Regret, who finally nodded in agreement. “We are sure.” Truth
continued without a change of tone. “Simply executing you would be a waste of our time and
your abilities. However, we have to make sure you cannot hurt the Covenant, directly or
indirectly. You have shown yourself unfit as a commander of this mission, and as our arm.
Give up your sacred armor and keep it safe until we have appointed a new wearer.”
“Also” Mercy said “Make sure to give us a list of all your high-ranked officers so that we
can appoint your replacement as commander of your fleet.”
“O..Of course.” Rkod replied, trying not to sound disappointed.
“Finally” Regret continued, still angry and red in the face “give yourself the mark of
failure; that should make the punishment fitting enough. If you want to regain your honor and
avoid execution upon the end of the mission, make sure to at least reach the rank of Ultra until
then. If you succeed, you’ll be forgiven.”
Before Rkod could reply, the three hierarchs’ holograms faded away.
___________________________________________________________________________

Ameigh now stood on the bridge. She simply had to cross it and she would be in the
Mausoleum. The bridge was covered with a long row of honor guardsmen on each side,
standing ready.
Amrot had now walked up to her side, his guardsmen on each side behind them. “Sorry
about the secrecy” he started “but with the riots and assassinations as of late, we couldn’t take
any risks.”
“It’s ok.” She assured him. “But what is this about assassinations? I haven’t heard anything
about it, only the riots.”
“It’s been kept secret.” Amrot said “A number of high level assassinations have occurred
this week. It could either be the Masters of Ascendance, or the Silent Whispers, or both, we’re
not sure. The point is, we feared that you would be a target for assassination, so the hierarchs
insisted that I escorted you.”
“I see.” They reached the door at the end of the bridge. It opened automatically and they
passed through. After entering through another door, they walked in the Mausoleum. But
Ameigh couldn’t spot the hierarchs anywhere in the large chamber.
“Sorry” Amrot said while retrieving a device from his belt “another security measure.”
He tossed the small device to the ground, and the holograms of the three hierarchs appeared.
Amrot and his guardsmen instantly bowed.
“Ameigh” Truth started “how good it is to see you again. You have to excuse us for this
method of conversation, but leaving our Sanctum has been very…unappetizing lately.”
“Do not apologize, my hierarch.” Ameigh said, bowing slightly. “However, I have
determined by now that you needed me for something important, this wasn’t just for a
friendly conversation.”
 “Indeed it is so, Ameigh.” Mercy said. “Our most recent arbiter has repeatedly failed to
stop the humans and their Kig-yar heretic allies. This matter has distracted us for long from
other matters that require attention, these assassinations for example.”
“Currently, we believe the deeds to be near solely assassins from the Covenant of the
Silent Whispers, due to how well they have been performed, despite the fact that the targets
were ministers, vice ministers and councilors.” Regret continued. “However, whether it is the
Silent Whispers themselves who have sent their assassins to do this, or if they are hired by
someone else, or if it is a mix of both, remains uncertain. But the facts remain; their assassins,
inspired by their heretical perversion of the Great Journey, are responsible, and they must be
stopped.”
“My pardon” Ameigh said curiously “but how are we going to stop them if we can’t find
their agents?”
“It is true that we have been unsuccessful in finding their agents here in High Charity,”
Truth replied “however we know of a way to stop more from coming here.”
“You want me to take out one of their fortress worlds?” Ameigh interjected.
“Your brain surprises even me sometimes” Truth said with a slight grin. “Indeed, we want
you to take out one of their fortress worlds. If we take one of them out, they will be afraid to
send away more agents, and will instead focus on rebuilding and fortifying their positions.”
“We have readied a flagship, the assault carrier Majesty of Shadows, for your use.” Regret
said. “You’ll take it to the Whisper’s Faith system, where you will meet up with a detachment
from the Fleet of Particular Justice under Ship Master Thel ‘Vadamee. He has dealt with
heretics before, so I think you will find him useful.”
“Finally” Mercy added “the Majesty will have a new arbiter armor with it, so that you can
give it to its new wearer. He will be with Ship Master Thel’s task force.”
“Pardon me, Hierarch” Ameigh interrupted “but won’t that result in two arbiter armors at
once? Are you planning to have two Arbiters simultaneously?”
“Drastic times calls for drastic measures” Regret replied, seemingly without thought. “If
we have to tamper slightly with one or two traditions in order to save the Covenant, so be it.”