Solipsis: A Halo Story

That was the price Arkarum had to pay after betraying the Banished. Once upon a time, he was a member of Atriox's War Council, but now, he was nothing but a disgraced warlord, condemned to wander across the stars, seeking one thing and one thing only.

Forgiveness.

An holographic figure took shape in front of Arkarum's eyes, casting a faint, orange glow upon his scarred face. It seemed to be some form of celestial body, not big enough to harbor life, and yet, doing so. Red, blinking circles signaled points of interest across the planetary surface. One of them interesting enough to catch his attention.

Not for a good reason.

"Tarkat!" Arkarum roared his lungs out. "Get over here!"

"Yes, warlord?" a young jiralhanae stepped out of their shadows, asking subserviently.

"Is this the world you talked me about?"

"Yes. It is." Tarkat nodded. "Oth Solkon shall be the name."

"Tell me what is so special about it..." Arkarum ordered.

"A world seed, made by the old gods, lies in vaulted halls, entombed, waiting to be unraveled by us. We will face no resistance, and once the artifact is in our hands, our debt with Atriox shall be settled. Finally, we will feel the light and heat from our beloved Oth Sonin on our hairy fur..."

"Lies!" Arkarum struck his fist on the holotank, violently cracking the screen and flickering the image for a brief second. "Nothing but lies..."

"Father?" unintentionally, Tarkat's relationship with the warlord slipped from his mouth.

Arkarum swiped his sturdy fingers across the holographic screen, enlarging the image.

"What's this?" Arkarum asked, albeit retorically. No response was given. "A human settlement. You said we wouldn't face resistance. And yet, here they are..."

"Father. This has to be a mistake..."

"Silence!" Arkarum interrupted. "If those humans tell the Apparition we are here, the false god will summon her Warden, and he will hunt us, down to the last man. Are you seeking to impress me? Or to kill your old *daskalo*?"

"I... I didn't wanted to..."

"You didn't wanted? You didn't wanted to brough us to a trap?"

"Easy, Arkarum". Akoth, a kig-yar prince of Ruuhtian descent, interrupted. "You don't have to worry about *their* Created..." he mockingly added. Many species seemed to disregard their involvement with the Created uprising. The IA's so called themselves the sheperds of their own creators. But that responsability resided with humanity and humanity only. Not even in death, the rest of the galaxy was going to recognize the Created as their own.

"Explain yourself..."

"My boys intercepted some of their comunications." Akoth answered. Some of his vocabulary and speech mannerisms seemed to be human-like, maybe as a result of working with them in close. Something Arkarum disliked. "Saddly, they are with the Created. But not under the watch of one of those Guardian freaks. They are on their own. And it seems they would like to keep it that way..."

"How protected they are?" Arkarum deflected the question. Altough Akoth's intervention was almost impertinent, he brought an interesting fact. One that could change the tide of the fight to come.

"Not much. A bunch of those Armiger guys. A garrison of auxiliary troopers. Volunteers. To fight against pirates and insurrects. But they are not expecting a full scale invasion..."

"Then the element of surprise is on our side". Arkarum smiled. "Good..."

"Atriox will provide..." Tarkat put his hand across his chest, seeking his father's approval.

"Akoth..." Arkarum growled, seemingly ignoring his son.

"Yes, warlord?"

"Get out. Leave us alone...

"As you wish, warlord... "Akoth nodded.

Before leaving, the kig-yar got up close to Tarkat, and whispered to him:

"Good luck, cub..."

"Keep your pity to yourself. I don't need it..." Tarkat answered.

"I'm just saying. You are going to need it..."

"Akoth. My patience is running out..."

"On my way, chief!"

Akoth exited the control room, leaving only Arkarum and his son. The young jiralhanae put his head down, too fearful to even look at his father's eye.

"Mask your scent". Arkarum ordered. "All the crew can smell your pity. And they don't want to feel it on their noses..."

"Yes, father. I understand..."

"No! You don't understand!" Arkarum screamed. "If you did, we wouldn't be having this talk. Showing pity is a synonym for weakness. And weakness it's not a luxury we can afford..."

Tarkat gargled in answer.

"What? Did a kateukal ate your tongue?"

"Then? You don't have anything to say?"

"I just wish you appreciated my efforts for once. I have done everything to gain your favor. What have I gotten in exchange?"

"We are Banished". Arkarus interrupted. "Our bloodlines do not matter here. Stop trying to win over me. You are going to kill us both if you don't stop..."

"Just like you do with Atriox?"

"Do not bring Atriox into this!" angered, Arkarum grabbed his progeny by the neck and put a jiralhanae knife, usually used to shave fur, on his throat.

"I'm sorry, father. I didn't mean to..."

"Enough! You can call me father again, only if we return to Doisac. Until then, stay quiet and do as you are told... Understand?"

"Yes. My lord..."

"Get out of my sight!" Arkarum violently pushed his son away and then, turned back to the holotable. "I have orders to give..."

Tarkat nodded and then left the control room, leaving Arkarum in the dark.

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"My fellow Banished! Listen to me" Arkarum roared through the speakers of the *Ghost of Ratanak*. "We failed Atriox. And as punishment, we were tasked to pay it with blood. The blood of our enemies. Ravaging and pillaging world after world. But each day we got closer to pay our debt, it was more and more difficult. Not anymore. Oth Solkon has been found. And there lies the key to return to Doisac. To fight once again in the frontlines, and break the yoke the Apparition has on the galaxy. But we will not do it, not without putting up a fight. Humans, loyal to *their* Created, have made this world their home, desecrating this holy world with their footsteps, and contaminating the atmosphere with their breaths. Not anymore! We will cleanse this world from their pressence. Today, we will be architects of our destiny! Not the humans, not their Created! For the Banished!"

Joyous war chants echoed across the halls of the *Ghost of Ratanak*, and drilled upon the hearing membranes of Exra 'Kasum, who tried to distract herself sharpening the edge of her curveblade, using a jiralhanae grinder that, while brutish, was a clever creation. Their creators, not so much. For Exra, the jiralhanae were nothing but uncultured savages who only knew how to kill, pillage and rape everything in their paths, all in the name of *The Banishment*, some sort of rebel manifesto recorded by Atriox himself.

"Kasum. Come here..." Baruuk, a rugged-looking sangheili, clad in a heavy, golden harness and helmet in hand, approached Exra, who seemed to be self-absorbed in her toughts. "Kasum?" Baruuk put his zygodactil hand upon Exra's half-naked shoulder, being slaped back in response.

"In the name of the old gods, what do you want?" she asked.

"Sorry to upset you. But the boss has a job for you..."

Exra sighed and stood up, following Baruuk's footsteps across the wide hangar bays of the *Ghost of Ratanak*. Rows of Dovotaa's Workshop Sky Protectors were being ensembled *in situ*, as lances of warriors were arming themselves, preparing for the days to come. The sangheili commander brushed aside every unggoy, kig-yar and jiralhanae that stood on his way, with the young sangheili mercenary following after him.

Parked in a dim-lit corner of the bay, a ramshackled Phantom, once of the Ru'swuum-pattern, lied in wait. His purple carcass was snatched and scavenged, replaced by a hulk of oxidized scraps. What seemed to be a t'vaoan was sleeping, his back laid on of the dropship's doors, and an unggoy mule of kfav breed tried to put on his combat harness by himself, visibly struggling while doing so.

"Wake up, nishum!" Baruuk knocked on the door of the Phantom, waking up the kig-yar skirmisher.

"Wait! No!" the kig-yar cackled. "It wasn't me! It was Ik'nak! Please" Soy amigo! Soy amigo del Sindicato!"

"What are you talking about?" Baruuk asked.

"Oh. Baruuk. It is you. I mistook you for someone else..." the kig-yar put his hand across the sangheili's pectorals.

"Take your feathered hands out of my chest..."

"Of course. I was just going to do that..." the t'vaoan laughed nervously, as he put his hand away.

"He is Bok Rug. Doesn't know when to shut his beak up..."

"I noticed..." Exra replied. Baruuk laughed in response.

"He is a good scout. Best in the *keleth*..."

"Yes. Yes. That's me..." Bok Rug introduced herself. "But who's this one?"

"Exra 'Kasum. She will be your enforcer. That's all you need to know..."

"Wait. What?" Bok Rug asked. "Is this some joke or something?"

"Why? Do you have a problem?" Baruuk growled.

"No! Of course not! But I tought I was going to be the one...

Baruuk broke into laughter.

"I wouldn't trust you mi life, even if I had to! Of course I wouldn't trust you the lives of others..."

"Yeah. Not the first time someone tells me that..."

"And who's the unggoy?" Exra asked.

"Badab?" the unggoy turned to see, but doing so, he fell upon his back and started to twitch like a crab.

"That's his name. Badab. The only world that comes out of his mouth. Don't worry about him. He's good following orders. Won't cause you too much trouble..."

"Is there someone else I need to know?" Exra asked.

"Yes. A jir'a'ul. The name's Orkos. He was supposed to be there a unit ago. I'll look for him..."

"Baruuk. Wait..."

"What's wrong, Exra?" Baruuk asked.

"I have to tell you something..."

"And what is it?"

"I. I don't want to do this..."

"What do you mean?" Baruuk asked. If Exra wanted to not lead the mercenaries, he was going to ensure that happened.

"I don't want to be a member of the Banished anymore..."

Baruuk looked to the sides, surprised, and then talked to Exra in a low-pitched voice.

"Why would you think that? You are one of my best..." Baruuk asked once again, this time out of confusion. "What happened to you? When we found you on the streets of Kor Delban, I saw in your eyes a fire. A fire that only burns in the twin hearts of a warrior. You wanted to break the shackles of those who opressed you in the past... Why?"

"It's about what happened in Yonhe..."

Baruuk took a deep breath and then turned to see Exra.

"What happened in Yonhe was an unfortunate necessity. And I regret it as much as you..." Baruuk replied. "But you don't have to soften up. Close your hearts, Exra. It's the only way we are going to thrive within the Banished. We have to not be led by feelings, but by our goals. And we will do whatever we have to do to achieve them..."

Exra sighed.

"When the Banished went to Otraak, we made an oath. Everyone who joined our ranks, would do so, out of his own will. And I'm not one to kept you tied to our cause. If you have lost faith in Atriox's wisdom, then it is your choice and no one else's to stay. But you can't leave. Not yet. I propose you something. You lead those lowlifes into battle for one last time, and when you are done, you may leave if you desire it. But think carefully, Exra. We got you out of a live of misery in Karava. You may not have a place to return to if you leave..."

"I'll take my chances..." Exra answered.

"Then we have a deal. If you return, I'll negotiate the terms of your jubilation with Arkarum..."

"Thank you, Baruuk. You are the only one I can trust..."

Baruuk clenched his mandibles, making a roughly analogoues grin to that of a human smile.

"Stay here. I have to find Orkos. Remember. From strenght, fight..."

Exra saw as Baruuk departed, getting lost among the crowd. Exra turned around, just to see Bok Rug in front of her.

"You took me out of guard!" Exra claimed. "Don't do that..."

"I'm sorry...

"So. What are you looking at?"

"Uh. Nothing. Just wanted to talk to you...

"And what do you want?"

"If I'm not going to be the enforcer, can I be the second in command?"

Exra blinked for a second, thinking what to answer.

"No..."

"Why? Everyone needs a second in command. What if you die? Who's going to lead the others?"

"I don't intend to die today. Nor tomorrow. Not after..."

"Come on. You have to be prepared for every possibility..."

"Very well then. If I pick a second command, it won't be you..."

"Why?"

"Because you intend to betray me. I can see it in your filthy kig-yar eyes..."

"Not kig-yar. T'vaoan. Don't compare me to that rabble..."

"Whatever..."

Exra turned to see Badab, still struggling with his harness and heavy backpack. The sangheili dropped to her knees and helped the little unggoy back on his feet. She looked at his wide, black eyes, and he only muttered a word in gratitude.

"Badab..."

"You are welcome, little one..."

Exra clenched his jaws, as Baruuk did, giving a reasuring smile to the little creature.