[b]Part Ten - Insertion[/b] "Sorran! Board the Phantom, lest I order a lance of Unggoy to throw you upon it!" Zharn shouted at the Sangheili Minor, who didn't turn his gaze away from Savara, who he was holding hands with. The Sangheili Ultra sighed, and turned to Ahkrin. "This is truly disgusting. I should kill Convalescence for introducing them to each other." Zharn spat, and was rewarded with a mocking smile from Ahkrin. "Methinks you are envious brother." the Stealth Sangheili replied softly, and Zharn tensed. "I am not envious! I am an Ultra, Ahkrin; I could have any mate which took my fancy. Some Warriors, however, unlike others," at this he shot an icy glance at Sorran, "have restraint." "Of course. I'll go fetch him." Ahkrin chuckled back, hopping off the Phantom, striding towards the love struck couple. "Sorran! Come now, Zharn is getting testy." he barked, and the Sangheili Minor finally broke his stare with Savara. "I must go, my love. I shall return, fear not." Sorran breathed longingly, and now it was Ahkrin's turn to feel sick. He grabbed the younger, smaller Sangheili by the scruff of his neck, and began to pull. "Stay strong my sweet!" Savara cried after Sorran as he was dragged towards the Phantom, and thrown upon it by Ahkrin. Sorran stumbled to his feet, gazing sadly at the [i]Immortal Repentance[/i] dock. "Pilot, close the hatch before his eyes dry up. You can blink, Sorran." Zharn commented dryly, and the door of the Phantom swung shut. Sorran nodded, snapping out of his trance, and took a seat in the troop bay, checking his weapons. The Unggoy and Kig-Yar beside him scooted nervously out of the way of this Sangheili, this Sorran who was so important he was friends with an Ultra. "Disengage us from the cruiser pilot!" Zharn ordered the Sangheili garbed in Flight armour, who was flying the Phantom. The pilot nodded, and the Phantom released it's gravity lock, free-falling through space. The small vessel then engaged it's engines, and Sorran felt himself be moved swiftly away, down towards Eridanus II below. Ahkrin sat down next to Sorran, causing yet more Unggoy and Kig-Yar to shift anxiously. The Stealth Sangheili folded his thick arms, and leaned over to speak with Sorran. "This will be you first major operation?" Ahkrin questioned, and Sorran nodded silently. "Don't worry, Zharn instructed me to look after you. Stick with me, and you'll be fine." "My thanks to you brother." Sorran muttered gratefully. Zharn then came, and sat opposite the two conversing Sangheili. The Unggoy and Kig-Yar jumped up completely, and moved to the other side of the ship. Zharn chuckled. "So. You and Savara." the Ultra stated, and Sorran squirmed. "Yes?" he asked, and Zharn reclined back in the chair, stretching. "You make a good couple. Are you considering her to be your mate?" Zharn replied to Sorran's question. The Sangheili Minor flushed. "I-I haven't really thought--I mean, I shan't have much opportunity to return to her." Sorran stuttered out. "I'm sure she'd wait for you. And whenever you went back, you could impress her with tales of your bravery and escapades." Zharn spoke back, and Sorran realised he was being serious. "I know not if I shall survive this attack Zharn. Or any future ones. How could I commit myself to someone, knowing that one day, they may be left widowed?" Sorran explained, and Zharn nodded understandingly. "It's your choice brother. But yes, for now we shall concentrate on surviving this battle. Have you chosen which weapons you want to use?" Zharn asked of Sorran, who nodded. "Plasma rifle and a needler, as well as the sword at my hip. They should see me through." the Sangheili Minor replied, showing the weapons to the Ultra. Zharn nodded in approval, and then sighed. "I must rally the troops; recite the writ with them." the Ultra spoke, standing up in the Phantom. The myriad of Covenant soldiers fell silent, all eyes on Zharn. "When we joined the Covenant, we took an oath!" he cried. "According to our station! All without exception!" the rest of the Covenant chanted back, including Sorran. "On the blood of our fathers...on the blood of ours sons, we swore to uphold the Covenant!" "Even to our dying breath." the crowd recited back. Sorran grimaced; he hated the way the Prophets had ordered all Sangheili and other military personnel under their command to recite this before every mission. "Those who would break this oath are Heretics... Worthy of neither pity, nor mercy! We shall not hesitate before striking the human infidels with the wrath of our Lords!" Zharn shouted. "We shall grind them into dust! Scrape them as excrement from our boots!" Sorran always found that part a little strange; considering the Sangheili didn't wear boots. The Prophets had obviously overlooked that fact when creating the ritual. "And continue our march to glorious salvation!" Zharn finished, and the clamour in the Phantom began once again as the Covenant soldiers chattered amongst each other. "Very inspiring." said Ahkrin dryly as Zharn sat down once again. The Ultra dug his friend in the side with his elbow, irritated. "Indeed. How long now, pilot?" Zharn inquired of the Sangheili at front. "We are nearly arrived noble one. I am slowing down the Phantom, preparing to land." the pilot called back, and Zharn nodded. "Where are we landing? In the human city?" Sorran asked. "In a way. More specifically, the 'slums' at the edge of the town, it is the area least protected. From there, we shall march into the city, and begin the attack." Zharn replied, loading his Carbine with plasma 'bullets'. "We've landed. Opening hatch now. Good luck Warriors." the Pilot spoke, and the hatch unsealed, revealing grimy shacks, some of which were already burning. Some poorly dressed humans were running around, screaming, being cut down as they did so. Sorran grimaced, and prepared to leave the Phantom. Before he could however, he felt Ahkrin's hand hold him fast. "Wait up Sorran; we go together, and stay away from the main attack force. We shall fight in the manner of the Stealth Sangheili; with grace and striking out of the shadows." Ahkrin told the Sangheili Minor, who nodded. Zharn looked down at the two, smiling. "Try to keep each other alive. May the Gods be with you." the Ultra told them, leaving the Phantom, already barking orders. Eventually, Sorran and Ahkrin, along with the pilot, were the only three remaining in the Phantom. "Pilot, take us high above the clouds. I and Sorran will drop into the main city via Orbital Insertion Pods." Ahkrin ordered the Sangheili commandeering the ship, who hesitated. "Are you sure? They can be dangerous noble operative." the pilot replied uncertainly. Fear gripped Sorran. Dangerous? "Worry not, we shall be fine. Take us up, at once. Sorran, lower yourself into a pod, quickly." Ahkrin indicated the row of five pods embedded in the wall of the Phantom, before sliding into one himself. It looked awfully small. Still, Sorran was not one to disobey a superior, and so he himself delved into the pod, disliking the way he couldn't move. He heard a voice emanate from inside the pod, that of Ahkrin's. "Now Sorran, when these pods are released, they shall fall down to the ground, inside the city. The impact will probably break your shields, but you probably won't die. Just follow my lead, and be courageous." the Stealth Sangheili soothed. It wasn't very soothing. [i]Probably[/i] won't die? Before he could reply though, the pods disengaged, and Sorran was silenced. [Edited on 10.04.2009 12:41 PM PDT]