HALO 2: An exchange of hats

The Elites are done for. Regret’s murder has propelled us to the heights we have craved.

Soon, the Holy Ones will give us the word and we will rise up against the Elites, but for now, we take their place.

Heretics, every one of them. Pah! Religious words for a necessary eradication. If only the Prophets knew what Tartarus was planning.

Us Brutes are lining up, preparing to march out to the Prophets’ inner sanctum entryway and relieve the current guard. My belly aches for this moment.

“Brutes, advance.” The call is out. We march forward onto the skyway. The Elite Honour Guards turn their heads as we approach them. They know what is coming.

They remove their helmets, drop their spears, remove armour, and off they slink to their quarters.

Brute brothers are fighting each other for the discarded relics, brutal punches are swung, the air is thick with betrayal. It’s glorious. The Brutes are in ascendance.

The scrabbling for Honour Guard positions isn’t even interrupted by the Arbiter’s arrival. He stares us down disapprovingly. Arrogant beast. Your armour won’t save you from the fires.

I stand next to my brothers lining the skyway to the Prophets. We are the protectors now. The Elites will soon be cast out, and nothing will stand in our way.

They will heading on their Great Journey earlier than they ever could have planned. Fools. 

HALO 2: Whispers near Io

Signalman Willis is nervous, and with good reason. With all the heightened tension, the ships coming and going, and Command not saying a word about anything, nervousness is to be expected.

Willis checks over his screens again. There have been reports coming from probes out near Jupiter of slipspace activity, but so far nothing has actually been seen.

Cortana’s holographic form springs from one of the many projection pedestals dotted around the monitoring hall. “Willis, we had another one?” She says in her usual calm tone.

“Yes, ma’am. Another whisper logged near Jupiter. I’ve sent some more probes but they’re coming back with nothing.” Willis watches as Cortana places her hand to her head.

“Upload to the Control Deck’s computers. Lord Hood will need to see this.” Says Cortana.

“Uploading, ma’am.” Willis’ fingers are a blur as he uploads the reports, but his eye is caught by one of the screens. “Ma’am, I’ve got something else.”

The screen shows another whisper in the darkness, but there’s a cluster of them around Io, one of the moons of Jupiter. “Ma’am, something big is happening there.”

“Roger that, Signalman. Punch it up on the Control Deck’s screens.” Cortana’s form stayed where it was and she turned her back to Willis to address Lord Hood on the Control Deck. “Another whisper, sir, near Io.  We have probes enroute.”

She turns back to Willis. “They’re coming. Get to your evac point, Signalman.”




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