Dekd Nok

Perhaps the most feared leader of the Kig-yar in recent history, Dekd Nok, born Dekd, was a of the Kep Clan who later rose to become a leader of the Kig-Yar Pirates after their rebellion during the Great Schism. After the death of then-Pirate Lord Kred Vek in the 2580's, Dekd forced his way into the position of Pirate Lord and took the surname Nok, after Kig-Nok, the Kig-yar god of war: Dekd would continue to lead his pirates to harass the AUR, particularly the traitorous Kig-Yar Union, and pledged his support to the Prophet of Deliverance during the AUR-Remnant War, only to withdraw his forces from the conflict shortly before the devastating end of Operation: FIRE. When the Necros Swarm revealed itself and began its genocidal campaign against the Alliance, Dekd initially kept the Kig-Yar Pirates separate from the conflict, not wishing to become involved, but not long into the war the Pirates moved to Kig-Yar Union space: after Dok'G-Lak, one of the Union's rulers, attempted to ally with the Necros with the help of the Necros Sympathizer Tarom Lineage that shared Union space, Dekd and his long-lost sister Vor'N-Ulu began the brief Kig-Yar Civil War, in the end creating the Kig-Yar Regime after expelling the Machina and killing Lak.
==History==
===Born To Kill===
Dekd Nok's history began prior to his own birth, as Dekd's chldhood would be profoundly affected by the events that surrounded his father, the Pirate Prince Huka. Always independent and a troublemaker, Huka used his position as a Pirate Prince to take a large portion of the Kep Clan and join a rogue Jiralhanae faction at the planet of Chaos where they would make a bid for control of the Covenant. However, before the plan could be initiated, the faction was destroyed by the efforts of both a UNSC strike force and a Covenant fleet: in the ensuing chaos as the rebels attempted to flee, Huka was killed by Riker-012, asking the Jiralhanae Chieftain Romulus, leader of the rebels, to ensure his mate and children's safety. Romulus promised to do so, but he was unable to aid Huka's mate, Nest Queen Piki, as he was taken captive by Usze 'Taham and escorted back to to receive a Heretic's trial; sending a brief message, Romulus managed to warn Piki of the impending danger, but the action was left to Piki to undertake.
Huka's hatchlings had just hatched, however, and Piki was loath to move them for fear of the exertion killing them. When at last she decided they could wait no longer, it was almost too late: other Kig-yar warlords had learned of Huka's death and had come to kill Piki and Huka's hatchlings. With great difficulty, Piki managed to escape with several of the hatchlings, leaving the other eggs behind with a broken heart, as they were all smashed by the warlords: in the end, Piki reached a trusted friend of Huka's named Gyle, and gave Gyle and his mate the hatchlings, imploring the pair to keep the hatchlings safe in any way possible. Piki left immediately, not wishing to risk the hatchlings lives, and in the course of her flight she was killed by the warlord Nero, who swiftly took Huka's place as Pirate Prince and instated his own mate as the clan's new Nest Queen.
Gyle and his mate raised the hatchlings as their own, and Dekd grew to be a strong young scoundrel like his father: when he was seven years old, his foster family was killed by a gang of Kig-yar mercenaries, forcing all the children to the streets, though several were separated during the attack on their home, including Dekd's twin sister Ulu. Forced to live and learn on the streets, Dekd and two of his siblings joined gang after gang, repeatedly being thrown out after nearly dying at the hands of the threatened leaders, but each time Dekd gained more followers: soon enough, he formed his own mercenary faction and waged war on the mercenaries that had killed his foster family; he won, killing their leaders and taking the others as food and soldiers, but he failed in his goal to find his sister Ulu.
In the following years, Dekd's group of mercenaries grew, as did his skill in combat, until he became one of the most sought after mercenaries within the Kig-yar: at the age of eleven, his large guild attracted the attention of Romulus, once more a Chieftain, who was on Eayn to acquire Kig-yar for the assault on the Human world of . Gaining audience with Dekd, he questioned the Kig-yar of his past and learned enough to make the conclusion that Dekd was Huka's son: Romulus told Dekd as much, but Dekd demanded proof, which Romulus provided through a holo-still of Piki wearing the same pendant as Dekd. Shrewdly, Dekd made an alliance with Romulus and began plotting his bid for power over the Kep Clan, beginning with the assault on Arcadia.
Knowing full well that money is life to both Kig-yar and , Dekd called on his soldiers to ready themselves for a . Traveling to the Mu continent upon arrival, Dekd's forces managed to wipe out the remaining Humans and steal their riches while the main force looked into the Forerunner ruins: scouring the Humans logs like the heretic he was, Dekd discovered the mentions of towns that were destroyed on the Covenant's first visit to Arcadia, which promptly visited, discovering even more loot. Confiscating it all, Dekd returned to Eayn richer than he had ever been before, but found he still was not powerful enough to challenge Nero.
Sending out his forces repeatedly over the course of the following two years, Dekd sought both riches and loyalists through his exploits. After aiding the fleet of Holy Commander Ameigh Broley in the Hyperion Nebula Campaign, Dekd and his men escaped from the losing battle along with the rest of the Combined Fleet of Indefinite Might, exiting slipspace in the Paris IV system. As the began, Dekd plunged his ship to the surface of the planet, sending his forces to disable the shield generators and anti-air batteries: with his position secured, the Kig-yar attacked the nearby cities, looting them of goods and destroying their defenses. Soon enough though, the UNSC forces composed themselves and formed a defense, and in the final push the Dagger's Blow, Dekd's own ship, came under by a team of Marines led by one : Dekd and his Black Claw warriors killed most of the team, and Dekd wounded Johnson, but in the end the ship was destroyed in the attack, forcing Dekd to save what loot he could and stow it secretly within the last Covenant ship as they retreated.
Humiliated by this defeat, Dekd went on to plan more carefully and learn the art of retreat: while Dekd would send a force in retaliation when the siege fleet returned to Paris IV, Dekd himself did not return, and instead he focused his main attacks elsewhere, among them being the highly successful . Taking careful stock of what he had, Dekd prepared to take his rightful place as Pirate Prince of the Kep Clan, only to be interrupted in his plans by the sudden announcement that the homeworld of the Humans had been discovered: moving a large force into the system, Dekd attacked the Earth's moon, hoping to take a large trove of loot and weaponry back to his fortress. Yet, things began to go wrong during the assault, as the effects of the Great Schism showed themselves, and Dekd's forces were suddenly caught in a crossfire between Sangheili and Jiralhanae forces, having no love for either side. Taking what he could, Dekd jumped back to Eayn, only to find that things were not alright at home either.
===Rebellion===
Upon returning to Eayn, Dekd found that the Kig-yar were in the midst of their own upheaval, with a large portion fighting off Jiralhanae slavers in a rebellion for independence, while numerous warlords were fighting one another for power over a chaotic populace. Examining the situation, Dekd quickly saw his opportunity: allying with the powerful warlord Kred, another Kep Clan member, Dekd proposed a plan that would require cooperation on both sides of this new alliance. Revealing himself as Huka's son and rightful heir to the Kep Clan's throne, Dekd proposed that the duo worked together to eliminate Nero and recover the Kep Clan's total allegiance: if Dekd were allowed to be Pirate Prince of the Kep Clan, he would pledge all his forces to Kred and aid him to become a Lord over all of the other Kig-yar clans.
Kred accepted, and together the pair rallied supporters and managed to break into Nero's fortress, with Dekd dealing the usurper a death blow and taking the throne for himself. Calling for all Kep Clan members to pledge their loyalty to himself as the new Pirate Prince, Dekd and Kred began gaining power over the other clans, and as the alliance grew and consolidated itself, Kred announced himself as Pirate Lord Kred Vek, taking the name of Vek, the Kig-yar god of death. With Eayn almost completely united, the Kig-yar fought back against the Jiralhanae oppressors, killing them and sending the survivors fleeing from the system.
Establishing the Kig-Yar Pirates, Kred Vek began to expand outwards, taking advantage of the confusion of the Great Schism to gain power, territory and infamy. However, as the Great Schism began to wind to a close, the USR stepped in and imposed an ultimatum: all Kig-yar and Kig-syo were to hand over their territory and submit to Sangheili authority or they would be killed. Kred Vek denied the ultimatum, backed by Dekd and his supporters, but the action incited mass unrest among the self-preserving populace: Kred would not back down though, having just won his freedom, and when the Sangheili swept in, Kred, Dekd and the Pirates were long gone, leaving only the “traitors” behind.
Having removed themselves beyond the bounds of the fledgling Alliance of United Races, the Pirates began to flourish, and Dekd took the world of Qarag'ta as his own, making it a fortress for the Kep Clan and the Pirates. From here, Dekd would repeatedly launch assaults on the Alliance, with particular expeditions made to harass, capture and murder members of the traitorous Kig-yar, now formed into what was called the Kig-Yar Union. For years, Dekd and the Pirates would continue this behavior, engaging in major conflicts only when they saw profit or it was easily within their reach, such as the Battle of the Mirror.
The largest conflict that Dekd involved himself in during the Rebuild Era was the Battle of Eriador, where Kred Vek led a large force of Pirates to attack the bountiful, mineral-rich Sangheili resource world of Eriador, which they easily took control of due to the small amount of defenses. When Ameigh Broley arrived to reclaim the world, her small fleet was easily defeated by the Pirates, as Ameigh had expected disorganized rabble instead of the actual threat she encountered: Dekd's forces had moved swiftly when the fleet arrived, managing to steal three ships and disable two more, as well as aid in the deaths of half the Sangheili force. Unfortunately for Dekd, due to the efforts of Sangheili commander N'tho 'Sraom, the Sangheili managed to counter-attack, and a special operations strike force disabled their main defenses, forcing the remaining Pirates to retreat after a week's conflict.
By the 2590's, the Pirate Lord was becoming rather old, and in his old age he had begun to be senile, forgetful and lax: because of this, in 2594, the UNSC sent the Special Commando Unit on their first mission to prove their worth, and due to Kred's lack of regard for danger, he was assassinated within one of his own fortresses. In the days that followed, the Kig-yar resorted to their ages-old tactics of fighting for control, but it was Dekd, his Black Claw assassins and the loyalties of the Kep Clan that won out, with Dekd brutally assuming command of the Pirates, killing those who opposed him and set several of his followers and relatives in positions of power. Once his power was secured, Dekd announced himself as the new Pirate Lord, taking the surname Nok after Kig-Nok, the god of war, an appropriate nod to be sure.
As the Covenant Remnants began to build up their forces and prepare for a war with the AUR, the Prophet of Deliverance began attempting to secure the assistance of the Kig-Yar Pirates in the conflict. Initially, Dekd refused these offers, but with time his greed managed to secure his loyalty, albeit very fragilely. When the Battle of Kanna took place in 2607, Dekd Nok aided the Remnants in beginning the war, raiding Kanna alongside his warriors and attempting to bring the agricultural world down: the effort failed, but Dekd nevertheless came out richer than before, and continued to send his forces to attack for the remainder of the AUR-Remnant War. However, as it drew quickly to a close in 2612, Dekd foresaw the Remnants loss and withdrew a large portion of his forces from Pious Ascension before the devastating end of Operation: FIRE. Retreating to Qarag'ta, Dekd licked his wounds and counted his treasures, hoping to avoid a major conflict for some time yet: little did he know that a greater foe than anything within the AUR was fast approaching, one that would drive Dekd and the Pirates into the arms of their hated enemies.
===Necros War===
===Kig-Yar Civil War===
==Appearance==
Similar in appearance to most Kig-yar, Dekd's skin is a mottled brown, disrupted in some places by vivid green Covenant tattoos, particular on his right shoulder; in addition, scars cover numerous places across his body, most notably several large ones across his chest and left ribs. Dekd's large, spike crest is a brilliant red-orange, while his beak is a subdued tan-yellow, chipped and scratched across the surface from numerous fights, with the edges around his mouth worn jagged from years of scrapes with fellow Kig-yar. Dekd's eyes are a red-orange, while his right eye is replace by a cybernetic attachment, having been torn out years ago by Kred Vek in a fit of rage; the cybernetic eye interfaces directly with the View Finder used for sighting targets at long range. In addition, Dekd's left hand is missing a finger, a birth defect he has had all his life.
For garments, Dekd Nok has two sets, one for war and one for all other purposes. His war garments are simple, made of black and brown materials that are suited for dirt and grime, and that will not tear or deteriorate easily; on top of these, he wears his Commander's Combat Harness, and outfits one arm with a bladed gauntlet and the other with his prototype Ultra Heavy Point Defense Gauntlet. Outside of battle, Dekd Nok dresses in radiant clothing made from fine silks and cottons, all dyed in red or black and embroidered with Kig-yar symbols of war, riches and fame; underneath his clothing, Dekd always wears a protective vest to deal with knives or bullets from would-be assassins, and throughout his wardrobe he keeps multiple knives and a Needler.
==Mental Report==
Often stated to be beyond insane, Dekd is an inconceivable combination of deadly tactician and psychotic killer. Capable of composing complex plans and forming intricate schemes that plan out possibilities for years to come, Dekd is a highly skilled commander in military matters who knows what to use against which enemy, and he values the art of retreat above all others. However, Dekd is not one to treat failure kindly, and he honors the strong over the weak every time, ensuring that his warriors are the best of the best: those who fail within the Pirates are either made slaves, eaten, or executed through one of Dekd's numerous methods, which are said to be the most inhumane killings in the galaxy.
Beyond his lack of sympathy for failures, however, Dekd has also been noted to suffer from numerous mental disorders: one of the most commonly noted is his alcoholism, as the Kig-yar is known to have taken to fermented beverages like few in his species have, keeping large storerooms on Qarag'ta, filled to the brim with looted alcohol from across AUR space; it has been noted, however, that Dekd's constitution appears to allow him to drink copious amounts of alcohol without a fear of becoming drunk. Beyond this most obvious trait though, Dekd is also noted as having a nigh insatiable blood-lust once he begins killing, which becomes rather deadly when coupled with his cannibalistic nature, as he has been reported slowly ripping apart and eating failed commanders alive. Even worse, Dekd's mental derangement manifests itself in numerous forms, including bipolar disorder, conscience-lacking sociopathy, and most often Sadism.
==Sources==
===Literary References===
*Halo: Operation HELLFIRE
*Survival of the Fittest, Season 3
*Survival of the Fittest, Season 5 (Non-canon)
==Related Pages==
*Vor'N-Ulu
*Kig-Yar Pirates
*Kig-Yar Union
*Kig-Yar Regime
Category:Kig-Yar