Halo: The Silent War

Chapter 10 - The Failure

Human Planet Arcadia - Ninth Age of Reclamation

N'Thela roared as he saw N'Thet tore apart by the aliens' primitive weaponry, cursed heretics. Now fuelled by rage, he swung his sword at the remaining aliens and cleaved them apart one by one, limb by limb. A red mist had settled on his armour and skin making him look like a predator that had gorged on its eventually helpless prey.

The heretics sky weapon had been too effective on his warrior and he knew if he were caught in the open by it, he would suffer the same fate. He summoned Rhetvu to bring the ship round to the hole and evacuate him. He would have to go back to N'Thuza empty handed and suffer humiliation, at least Rhetvu had been injured and N'Thet had completed his journey by dying in battle.

N'Thela could hear the familiar yet comforting whirr of his ships' anti-gravity drives, his warrior's presence in the ship had scared of the aliens' sky weapon just long enough for an Unngoy to get a lock on him with a gravity lift. N'Thela could feel himself get lighter and he was pulled away from the wretched dirt that the aliens desecrated with their filthy footsteps and into the ship. He made his way to the cockpit as Rhetvu piloted the ship away from the battle. The aliens' sky weapon was now following them and showering the ship in in hail of bullets and missiles.

"N'Thela the ships deflectors cannot hold against this sustained firepower for much longer. We will succumb to their weapons eventually," exclaimed Rhetvu,

"Initiate a slip space jump and escape back to N'Thuza's fleet."

"Are you crazy my lord? In an atmosphere?"

"Just do it."

The ships slip space drive sparked into life and the ship disappeared into a blue lighting storm back to whence it came with its occupants bearing no gifts for their master. 

***

N'Thuza sat on his chair in the command centre of his ship. N'Thela had just returned unsuccessful with one of his warriors injured and the other dead. The Unngoy around him on the bridge knew not to do anything to further his anger unless they want to incur the wrath of the warrior. N'Thela entered the bridge, the Unngoy fell silent. His presence boiled N'Thuza's blood but he could not unleash his rage on one of his own.

"You promised me a gift upon your return N'Thela, yet you return empty handed and I'm disappointed," N'Thuza said to his subordinate,

"There were many aliens and they had much more powerful weapons than I anticipated," N'Thela replied looking at the floor as not to meet the gaze of N'Thuza,

N'Thuza's jaws twitched with anger, "You are an incompetent fool. You should have fallen on your own blade instead of coming back here shrouded in shame. You dishonour my name and this fleet. I would've expected better of one from my own keep"

N'Thuza got out of his chair and walked to the viewing window near the command centre and he looked out towards the vitrified planet that had cooled and now it was just a black wasteland floating lifeless in the emptiness of space. He summoned N'Thela to stand at the window with him. N'Thela's footsteps echoed in the bridge behind. When he got to the window, he gestured towards the planet with his hand.

"Fortunately for you, your stupidity and ineptness can be cured," N'Thuza said, "Redeem yourself by bringing the relic to me with the head of the alien who protects it."

N'Thela remained looking at the window knowing full well that N'Thuza was right. He had shamed himself in search of the relic as he was arrogant in his skills as a warrior and his abilities as a leader. The puny aliens had taught him the most valuable lesson that N'Thuza could not teach him, humility.

"Fail me again and I'll have your head but if you succeed, I might consider giving you a ship in the fleet." N'Thuza marched off to the command centre, his footsteps waning in the distance, and murmur from the Unngoy returned to the command centre.

N'Thela knew the laws of his religion and people, he should've fallen on his blade instead of coming back defeated and dishonoured by an inferior alien race and he was fortunate that N'Thuza didn't execute him as soon as he stepped foot on his ship.

He looked out on the burnt planet contemplating how he could overcome the new enemy he had just made. N'Thuza was right if he succeeded, he could have a ship and a warrior's title but it would be a perilous journey and N'Thuza knew this.

N'Thela turned away from the planet in disgust, not at its destruction but in disgust in himself and he stamped back to his quarters on the ship. He had to plan what to do next, it was not in his nature or any other Sangheili's nature to plan as they prided themselves on their superior skills in combat. He stood at the window, much smaller than the viewing window on the bridge, and stared out at a ridiculously small collection of stars. I will not fail you again master that I am sure of he thought