Balaho Pride

High Charity, Golden City, Lower District, Halls of Knowledge
A plasma mortar from a nearby wraith engulfed the front portion of the Unggoy’s defensive lines around the captured research facility. The unfortunates caught in the blast vanished in an instant, leaving only a crater and carbonized ash. In response, those of the second line quickly moved up, wielding heavy weapons,  they opened fire on the tank and the surrounding covenant soldiers, decimating the entire group.
From his makeshift command post within the building, Hoblo, acting Captain-General of the Unggoy garrison of this sector, watched  the incident play out before him through his monocular. A flashed over his mouthpiece, seeing the tank’s destruction also bring about the end to several Sangheili stationed near it. The haughty fools deserved their fate,though the same could not be said for the group of covenant Unggoy panicking and attempting to flee. The poor souls were lanced through by several Kig-Yar snipers on overwatch, a clear sign of attempting to maintain discipline.
“Mighty Forerunners, grant them the mercy they deserved,” Hoblo spoke softly, reciting a prayer recalled from his days as a Deacon. Watching the battle for a moment longer, he sighed, turning his attention back to the command center. A dozen other Unggoy occupied the room, acting as his command staff. Passing by several examining a display table showing the current battle, he moved towards a group of radio operators. near one of the walls. Approaching an orange-armored individual by the name of Dibwurb, the youngster paused as his superior caught his eye.
“Y-yes my Captain?”
“Any updates on Commander Rapidid’s progress?” The Unggoy in question had been sent, alongside several representatives from other Unggoy factions of the rebellion, to broker a peace treaty with the covenant leadership. Rumors had circulated that one of the Hierarchs had actually been sympathetic to the Unggoys’ plight, though how true that was no one truly knew for sure. The look of concern passing over Dibwurb’s face as he set down his headset, betrayed his answer.
“Well..yes, er no. A flight of banshees took out his group and the others on their way to the meeting. The only message we have received from the High Council is for our immediate surrender.” For a few heartbeats, Hoblo simply stared dumbfounded at his underling.
“Those arrogant Zap-jelly mouthed-” his rant was suddenly cut off, as the main holo table in the center of the room began flashing a red warning light. Several of the staff panicked at the possibility of a new assault before Hoblo calmed the group.
“It merely a transmission,” he mumbled, pressing a button nearby. A hologram of a Sangheili appeared before the group. Standing above all, he was clad in ornate armor, Hoblo instantly recognized him as an Arbiter.
“Unggoy, heed my words. You have fought long now, brought great ruin to the holy city, threatening all that we have built over the Ages. Thus, for your sins against the Covenant, your punishment has been deemed sufficient.” The small hologram shifted, changing now to a scene from another location.
It took Hoblo several minutes to realize he was seeing Balaho, his species' home. Likely taken from an eye probe, the machine panned over a cold, rocky outcropping that played home to some primitive Unggoy village. Hoblo suddenly became aware of the silence in the room, and outside the command center as well. Fearing the worst he quickly moved to a nearby window, only to be met by the same display, magnified over the battlefield.
Both Covenant and Unggoy forces had ceased combat, transfixed instead on the display above. The appearance of a covenant carrier entering the scene brought a sense of fear in the Captain-General, they wouldn’t dare..For a few moments the warship merely hovered over the freezing ocean, and Hoblo noticed some natives leave their small hovels, watching the vessel themselves. Before long,  a warm glow began to appear under its bow.
“What…what they doing,” one of Hoblo’s attendants questioned from behind, though the Captain’s brain couldn’t fully process what he saw.
“For your sins,” the Arbiter’s voice spoke over the visual, “your planet likewise, shall taste the flames of wrath.” Realization hit Hoblo, as the plasma released from the ship and, like a fallen star, dropped into the waters below. A cloud of steam, melted rock, and ash surged outwards from the impact sight, blotting out the vessel itself, before expanding outward. Frozen in the moment, Hoblo could recall a tale told by a  San ‘Shyuum speaking during a seminary. A tale of the ancient enemy of the Forerunners, and how it swept all aside.
Like those ancient myths, the cloud of destruction swept outward, consuming all in its path. Quickly it closed in on the helpless Unggoy village nestled in the rocks. He noticed out of the corner of his eye as some of the others turned away, but he refused. Those that perished, who had done no wrong to be given this fate, deserved that much at least.
The village, and the probe, vanished in a flash, before the scene shifted again, this time over a larger population center. Unlike the primitive hovels before, these homes bore the likeness of covenant aesthetics. Hanging above the city, a group of five corvettes parted the clouds, before releasing a barrage of plasma down on the inhabitants below. Again Hoblo refused to look away, even as again the scene shifted, this time to a cruiser already in the process of reducing a farming village to ash and magma.
“My clutch mates,” one of the younger attendants moaned quietly, falling to his knees in shock as the cruiser brought its beam to bare again. Several more locations repeated the process in one way or another, before ultimately shifting to a view from orbit. The murky blue-green of the world was postmarked by various glowing dots. Several covenant warships passed before the scene, no words had to be said, the Covenant’s intention was clear. Hoblo felt the gaze of his men, and turning towards the holoscreen one last time, he appeared to weigh his options. He felt his plasma pistol slip from his grip as he turned back to the now teary-eyed radio operator.
“Dibwurb, contact the Arbiter.”
Category:The Weekly