Wherever I Need To Go, I Go

I handed the flamethrower back to the specialist, and leaned backwards, stretching my arms up and out. I sighed with a relieved breath.
“Thing’s a tad bit of load, eh?” asked the specialist.
“Yes,” I replied. I picked my pack back up, along with my rifle, and checked it. The specialist walked away. I looked behind me, noticing the Twilight Knight departing the base with those Human supersoldiers and those former Covenant xenos. I lazily cradled my rifle in my hands as I observed. The lead Sangheili seemed to be speaking to them at length, but they were all stopped by the sound of an incoming aircraft. It was some sort of VTOL carrier craft, and from it disembarked more Humans, with one particular one flanked by several Human soldiers. Here entered this Human, an officer by the looks of it. He had what Humans call a “moustache,” which is essentially facial hair located between a Human’s nostrils and its upper lip, although in the officer’s case, it was shaped in a half-square above and around his mouth. His head was smooth, save for some hair he perhaps chose to keep in the shaving, which fell down into a tailored, wavy wisp. The officer wore body armor, had an eyepiece, and carried a rifle, but he was still in service dress, as best as I could discern.
Then, the Twilight Knight, scanning his environment, laid his eyes upon me. I felt his sudden, piercing gaze, despite his mask covering his face, and I nearly physically recoiled. I almost stepped back once, even flinching slightly, as his eyes and mine locked. Then, he beckoned me towards him with a gesture. “Hey!” he said. “You there, come over here.”
I obliged the Knight, approaching the group. “What’s your name?” he asked.
“Senior Legionary Bryndaryn, sir,” I answered.
“Sr. Lg. Bryndaryn,” continued the Twilight Knight, “you were the one who set that Proto-Gravemind on fire, right?”
“Yes, sir.”
“And it didn’t say anything? You didn’t hear it or anything else try to talk to you, right?”
I was confused. “No,” I said, shaking my head in the negative. The Knight relayed the information to the former Covenant xenos in High Sangheili, albeit very brokenly.
“The guy says he no to hear nobody,” said the Knight.
“Actually, it’s, ‘The guy said he heard nothing,’” I corrected.
The Knight paused and looked at me. He then pointed. “You know Sangheili?”
“Yeah, a little bit.”
“Can you translate?”
“Sure, I think I can.”
I stepped forward a bit more into the group. The Human spoke some words, and the Sangheili translated, saying, “Captain Nestorenko here says he our joint superiors are most pleased with our mission success, and that we will extract once Imperial forces have secured this area of the planet.” I informed the Knight.
“By ‘we’ he means only the special forces,” said the Knight. “The regular rank and file have to stay. Includes you, too, Bryndaryn.”
“It is in the job description, sir,” I responded.
“Indeed it is,” uttered the Knight. “Keep going.”
The Sangheili translated some more of the Human officer’s words. He said, “It’s a good thing we managed to neutralize the Flood outbreak here in such an early stage. God knows how quickly these outbreaks can spread out of control.”
“Tell him we agree, and that we Erdellians are always ready to lend a hand when it comes to matters of international importance like this.” I did so through the Sangheili, who was an ad hoc translator for everyone present.
“Commander ‘Kalar,” said Nestorenko, “it has been far too long since last we met. And far too short our meeting today is.”
“That may be,” said ‘Kalar, who was our translator. “but let this day be a reminder that our shared struggles can only be overcome through cooperation.”
Then, the Humans had their own brief conversation. The Sangheili managed to quickly translate it.
“Master Chief,” started Captain Nestorenko, “you’ll now come aboard the Sikorski for your debrief. Then, we’ll take you to your next op. Are you ready?”
“Affirmative, sir,” responded the Master Chief.
“Outstanding,” said Nestorenko. “Follow me.” The captain then looked to us. “It was a pleasure working with you gentlemen. Happy Holidays.” Nestorenko smiled, then led the Humans to the VTOL craft, where it departed shortly thereafter.
“The Humans do indeed have a few holidays occurring in rapid succession to one another around this time of their year,” said the Sangheili.
“Sangheili have the New Year around this time, too?” the Knight asked.
“Yes,” responded ‘Kalar.
“Heh, that’s funny,” I said. “You know, my birthday’s today.” I said that while looking down at the Sangheili’s boots.
“Oh, Happy Birthday,” said ‘Kalar. The Knight also uttered the phrase.
“You’re a summer cub then?” asked the Knight.
“Wait, you’re from Zond?” I questioned. “Like, Krekker?”
“Yeah, I’m from Dranadar,” said the Knight.
“Oh, no way, I live in Lusia.”
“Wow, that’s crazy. So how’d you get all the way out here? You got mobilized?”
“Yeah, got conscripted right out of lyceum.”
“Really? You had them waive your student exemption?”
“My General Weighted Academic Score was too low to grant me exemption. Even then, my Natural Martial Disposition Score was rated as ‘Favorable.’”
“Ah.”
“So, have you ever thought about returning to your studies?” asked ‘Kalar.
“Oh, you remember,” I said.
“I did, and now I wonder if the battlefield is your home now or not.”
“Well, I think that… I am… I am… a little comfortable here. I think. Probably.”
“You think?” asked the Knight.
“Well, I never thought of myself as a killer.”
“You’re not a killer. You’re just serving your country. That’s more honorable than anything I can think of. Look at that. You’re a hero.”
“Ah, everyone’s a hero these days.”
“So you said it was your birthday today. How many winters you got?”
“Twenty-seven.”
“Ah, not bad. I’ve got twenty-nine, two ahead.”
“Careful now, don’t want me catching up, do you?”
We shared a chuckle, the Knight and I.
“Well, since it’s your birthday,” he went on, “I might as well bestow upon you a gift.” From one of his small packs he took out a small bar. “Some pashan for you.”
“What is pashan?” asked ‘Kalar.
“It’s a candy,” I responded. “You can eat it for many hours, you need to eat it slow.” I took the bar and ripped off the wrapping. I placed the fluorescent purple bar into my mouth and started chewing. It had the consistency of wet clay, but had a distinct salty/sweet taste. To swallow it quickly was considered wasteful. “Thanks, sir.”
“Not a problem.”
“Interesting,” said ‘Kalar. He then turned to one of his Sangheili comrades. “Mik, do you have any grenades left?”
“Just one, why?” asked Mik. He handed ‘Kalar the plasma grenade.
“Happy Birthday,” said ‘Kalar, tossing the grenade to me with a light underhand throw. I quickly caught it.
“Consider that the group gift,” said Mik, gesturing to his whole squad of former Covenant xenos. Another chuckle was shared between us.
“So, what are the man of honor’s plans for today?” asked Kai ‘Kalar.
“The same as tomorrow,” I responded. “Wherever I need to go, I go.”
Category:The Weekly