Reunion, guilt and departure.

- Orbiting the glassed Forerunner planet -

- Spirit of Fire -

- During the past 48 hours -

The activity throughout the support vessel was as fast as the news spreading out about the past two decades. Most of the crew became disheartened hearing about the glassing of their home planets. They had resigned themselves to serving aboard the Spirit of Fire, believing that it's the only home they have left.

Cutter was monitoring the progress of repairs made to his ship. He was still very uncomfortable being surrounded by Covenant ships, and it was hard to believe they're allies.

Serina's hologram appears by the holotable. "Sir, an Orbital Drop Shock Trooper would like to speak with you. She is just outside the bridge."

Cutter sighs. "Let her in."

An ODST enters the small bridge and marches over to the captain, then stands at attention and salutes. Cutter returns the salute.

"At ease." he says, and they lower their arms.

"Permission to speak sir." she asks.

"Granted."

"Sir, I am requesting permission to serve aboard the Spirit of Fire."

"Hmmm..." Cutter considers it. "What's your name and rank?"

"Private First Class Forge, sir!"

The captain's eyes widen slightly. "Are you-"

"Sir, Sergeant Forge was my father." she winces behind her helmet. She just interupted a superior officer.

"I wish to serve with the solders my father led. They are all I have left of him."

Cutter thinks about it for a few moments, and thankfully, Serina backs her up.

"Sir, I have just gone through Private Forge's service record. She graduated at the top of her class; she fought against the Covenant Loyalists during the Second Battle of Earth ; and, she has experience with known firearms as well as melee combat."

The AI decided to leave out the fact that she has been known for recklessness. The reason she left that out was because it brought good results.

Cutter nods, having made his decision. He salutes Forge. "Welcome aboard Private. Report to your squad leader when you leave the bridge."

She returns the salute then leaves, smiling behind her helmet.

- - -

The mess hall was abuzz with gossip, chatter and suspicion. The most active topic of discussion was the news that they're twenty-three years in the future.

A dark-skinned Marine is leaning against a wall beside a holopad. He holds a chocolate bar in hand and is about to put it in his mouth when he stops. His eyes look to this right at the holopad and Serina is standing there, staring intently at him and the chocolate.

"Go on, keep eating." She says eagerly while making very detailed scans. The solder has not put it in his mouth yet and he appears frozen in place by the awkwardness.

Professor Anders puts her food on a tray then leaves the mess hall. She walks down the hallways of the ship towards her lab. She's become obsessed with the new information Cortana has provided her, and she was ordered by the Captain to get something to eat, otherwise she might starve herself.

- - -

The Spartans come aboard the Spirit of Fire to meet with Red Team. To the three of them, it's only been several months since they had seen Blue and Grey teams, but to them, it's been decades.

The IIIs feel nervous and uneasy. It's like they're meeting distant relatives at a family reunion. The craziest thing of it all, because Red Team was in cryo for so long, they're still in their early twenties, about the same age as Tom and Lucy.

Dr. Halsey used up almost her entire budget on making more Mk. VI suits for the Spartans, so they had spares. They gave them to Red Team, whom were eager to test the improvements.

They turn to face the Chief and stand at attention.

"Sir, we request permission to continue to serve aboard the Spirit of Fire." asks Jerome.

... He hesitates, because he was reluctant to part with his old teammates so soon after regrouping. Nevertheless, he nods to them. "Granted." Next he salutes, and they return it. All of the Spartans salute the Chief.

Fred and Olivia are back on their feet and into their armor again. Fred was not going to miss seeing his old squadmates again.

- - -

During the repairs of the Spirit of Fire, the Arbiter uses the Shadow of Intent's gravity lift to deliver a Slipspace drive to the human vessel. Then he leaves the bridge.

Rtas 'Vadum finds him in his quarters. Thel 'Vadam has his Energy Sword drawn and he's burning something into the wall. Upon closer inspection, he sees that it's the Mark of Shame.

"I rightfully deserve this mark, brother." He says while staring at it in the wall, his free hand covering where it was burned into his body. "Those humans on board that ship... I slaughtered countless families. I led fleets to burn worlds. Their homes and keeps are incinerated. I had thought they were heretics and vermin. One of my oldest comrades tried to persuade me that the humans showed capacity for honor, but I ignored him. I was blinded by obedience and religious zeal. I killed him when he stood up to the Hierarchs when it seemed the two of us would be condemned."

Rtas looks at his comrade. "We all believed that the humans deserved annihilation... once." He pauses... "Do you think the Prophets were right? That if word of what the humans could be leaked out, would the Covenant be destroyed?"

The Arbiter punches the wall with his fist, leaving a formidable dent. "The Prophets were wrong from the very beginning of the Covenant. All those centuries wasted, used to search for devices that would bring death to us all. These past years of war have been spent on genocide..."

He drops his sword and leans against the wall with both hands. "I am shame, brother. The line of Vadam hangs by a thread. That thread is this armor, and so long as I wear this armor, I cannot kill myself. It is the destiny of the Arbiter to die fighting for a cause... Originaly, it was the Prophets who would hand down the cause... but now?..."

He seems on the verge of a break-down. Rtas puts a hand on his shoulder.

"You fight to redeem the honor and blood of our race. We cannot change what we have done to the humans. Were it not for them, we would still be searching for the Halos and we would all die. You can use your strength and your wisdom to create ties of peace with the humans. You are still alive, therefore you can use this life, and whatever is within your power, to repair the damage that can be fixed. Huragok are not the only creatures with this capibility."

His words seem to have worked. The Arbiter stands up and faces his comrade. There is one more thing he reflects on, his hand once again pressing against where the Mark is.

"Sangheili have always put nobility and honor above all else. Since I got this..." indicating the Mark. "I believed that I had lost everything."

Rtas waits a moment, before responding. "You have regained our loyalty, if nothing else."

His words have a profound effect on the Arbiter. He now feels more at peace with himself.

Rtas looks behind him at something beside his cot. "What is that?" It's covered in cloth; it is long and possibly quite heavy.

The Arbiter turns his head and glances at it out of the corner of his eye. "A trophy, you could say." he says in an dry voice.

Together they leave the chamber. The Arbiter stops and puts a hand on Rtas' shoulder.

"I am appointing you as Shipmaster, for the time being. You will command this ship and this fleet once more."

Rtas says nothing at first, then asks. "What will you do?"

- - -

The Spartans regroup at the hangar, where a Pelican awaits to take most of them back to the Prowler. A Phantom arrives and the Arbiter descends. He approaches them and stands in front of the Master Chief. N'tho and Usze also exit the dropship.

"Your Admiral has informed me of your mission. I wish to accompany you."

The super-solders glance at eachother. The Chief receives blue lights on his HUD. He nods and welcomes the Elite.

Another figure approaches them. Samus Aran looks around her at all the Spartans. She performs the "smile" gesture on her helmet where her mouth should be, and the Spartans, momentarily taken aback, return it. She addresses the Chief.

"Who knows when we'll see eachother again? If we don't..." She holds out her hand. "It has been a rare priviledge and an honor to fight beside you."

They shake hands.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xpAB3kkIXg4&feature=related

<< MORPH BALL FUNCTIONALITY REPAIRED >> her suit tells her, reading the message on her HUD.

"The feeling is mutual." The Chief replies. He salutes her, and the Spartans follow suit. Even the Arbiter, who salutes in his own way by bringing his fist to his chest.

N'tho and Usze stand beside Samus. The Arbiter indicates them with a nudge of his head. "I am leaving them here. I am certain they will be alienated by the crew of this ship, however I do not see any other way for warriors to see past their differences than by fighting for the same goal."

The two Elites nod. They are prepared for this.

Red Team reluctantly seperate from the rest of the Spartans and stand beside Samus and the Elites. Samus asks the leaving group.

"Where are you going?"

Adriana chuckles. "If we told you, we'd have to kill you."

"You can try." challenges Samus. Still, they "smile" at each other.

The Chief, Arbiter and the Spartans climb into the Pelican and the pressure doors close. The six-person group composed of Samus, the two Elites and the three Spartans of Red Team watch the dropship rise up and fly out of the hangar.

Outside the ship, it returns to the Prowler.

- - -

Once preparations are complete, Cutter, Hood, Rtas, and Mike contact eachother. Lord Hood is the one who speaks.

"The Leviathan, the Aegis Fate, the Shadow of Intent and its fleet will remain in this system. We have matters to discuss, including our next course of action. Good luck on your missions and we'll hope you will all come back with good news. Hood out."

On that note, the Prowler and the Spirit of Fire leave the group in different directions. They activate their Slipspace drives and vanish.