"It's bio-coded," he explained, seeming a little sad as he did, almost like he was sorry to offer her hope and then take it away. But of course he wasn't really. "Still, I'm surprised. I didn't think you capable of killing someone so coldly. Just like father, I see." Savara sank to her knees, all the strength that had momentarily gripped her fading away. Tears sprang into her eyes, and for the first time in years she wished her father was with her. "My father knows I'm on High Charity. He'll come for me--" "He's already on High Charity," Pel answered lazily. "Far too occupied with duties to concern himself with you, his little embarrassment. I don't think he's even so much as uttered your name since stepping onto the grid--" "What do you want? You said I know nothing, why am I still here?" she demanded through sobs, looking up at the impassive face of Pel. "High Councillor Restraint has been assassinated," Pel explained. "Not because of heresy or anything like that he just knew too much." This more than anything before frightened Savara. Not because Restraint was dead or because he knew something important enough that whoever these people were would kill a High Councillor, but because he was telling her this. People didn't tell the living their darkest secrets. "What does that have to do with me? I've never even met Restraint!" "No. But your lover has, and then some." The temperature of the room dropped a few degrees. For a moment Savara stopped worrying about herself. "... Sorran?" she whispered. Pel nodded, that pretentious grin still plastered across his face. Anger filled her with adrenaline. "Sorran's dead, you sick bastard!" "Unless he's died in the past hour, I don't think so," Pel chuckled, rising to his feet. All the pain vanished as bewilderment flew about the room. Suddenly Pel wasn't a torturer or kidnapper or evil; he was hope. "What do you mean?" she demanded, hearts sinking when she saw him leaving the room. "I've visited his grave, he's dead!" "You're a smart girl," was all the answer she received. Pel turned around for a second and threw an object at her knees. "Figure it out." The door closed behind him. Tears returned and so did the pain, nearly sending Savara to unconsciousness. She willed herself to stay awake fearing she'd never open her eyes again if she didn't, and looked at the object Pel had thrown her. An Arum. [i]Figure it out.[/i] * They'd spent ten whole minutes in silence, just walking along in the rain with the Huragok dutifully following them like a loyal pup. Ahkrin finally broke the quiet. "Quite a tale." An understatement if there had ever been one. As soon as they'd left the manor, Sorran had launched into his story. How he'd cheated death, the secret of the Halos, everything that happened since Ahkrin and Zharn had thought him dead. "You don't believe me," Sorran stated. "I believe you're alive," Ahkrin retorted, that thought still strange to him. It had been so long since he'd put grief for Sorran's death behind him, and unlike Zharn he'd fully dealt with it by now. Sorran was dead and he'd accepted that. Except the only person who'd died was the scholar. From the ashes had risen a warrior, and as Ahkrin looked across he saw how his friend has changed; he no longer walked with a slouch, carried himself with a self-confident air as if believing that he could handle anything that threw itself at him. As alien a thought it seemed, Ahkrin believed he could too. But although this Sorran was different to the one he'd known, it was still Sorran. Still his voice, his appearance, still that brilliant academic brain that Ahkrin envied. "Every time I mention the Halo array being a weapon of mass destruction your fists clench as if you want to strangle me, Ahkrin." "They do not," Ahkrin protested, looking down at his hands. Clenched. "... Oh." "Once we're safe I'll show you proof. Zharn too." "... Zharn's a fleetmaster now, Sorran," Ahkrin told him. "A lot of things have changed since--" "I know," Sorran replied smartly. "I've been keeping tabs on the two of you. Well, as best as I could from High Charity." "This is too much, Sorran. You being alive, being an honour guard, saying all these... things. Why you?" "Restraint trusts-- [i]trusted[/i] me. The future of the Covenant is quite literally in my hands." "So you'll be the one to make the tower come toppling down," Ahkrin smiled satirically. "Well, let's say what you think is the truth [i]is[/i] the truth. What then? The Covenant will splinter, civil war would be inevitable. We're all warriors, Sorran. We don't have scientists or engineers or scholars--" Sorran raised a brow at that. Ahkrin threw his hands up in the air. "You know what I speak of! Offer a Sangheili a blade or a book and almost anyone would choose the blade." "We'll prepare for that day and deal with it when it comes," Sorran assured Ahkrin in that confident way that unnerved him; Sorran wasn't confident. He was bumbling, naïve and needed Ahkrin or Zharn to hold his hand. That's why they'd befriended him in the first place the poor kid wouldn't have lasted a week on his own. But now... "To be candid, Sorran, I don't care. Right now we need to get off this station." "Savara too," Sorran interjected, gravity sweeping over him. Ahkrin stopped. "She's here?" he asked. "Well, that complicates things. Does she know you're--" [i]still alive.[/i] Ahkrin still couldn't bring himself to say it, was afraid that if he did then it was curse the blessing and it'd all be taken away. "I'm dead to her," Sorran lamented, suddenly bringing a hand up to his face. It was hard to tell in the downpour, but Ahkrin could swear he was crying. He reached out a hand, and let it fall upon Sorran's shoulder. Personally he'd never quite understood why touch assured some people, but he appreciated its effect. "Sorran... you knew her for less than a month. I know you were all ready to propose marriage to her after that time and she would have accepted, but... it's been a long time. If you show yourself to her now, it wouldn't be fair." "Fair?" Sorran demanded, anger colouring his voice once more. "Do not speak to me of [i]fair,[/i] Ahkrin. What I have seen, what I have heard and done in the past few months; no man should have to bear such burdens. But Restraint chose me, and Hem is dead." And with that, the reminder of Hem's death came crashing down on him once more. For a moment Ahkrin thought Sorran would sink to the ground in despair. Still thinking in terms of the old Sorran. This new one walked onwards, head downcast but still resolute. "I know why you grieve so," Ahkrin spoke softly, throwing sympathy and kindness into his voice. "Not just because he's dead, but because he died with his weapon pointed at you. Died when he might have pulled the trigger. You think he died hating you." "He did," Sorran muttered bitterly, and even through the rain Ahkrin could see the hot tears breaking through the cold-downpour. "He was my mentor, rescued me from execution and treated me like a son. But even after all he did, when it came to a choice between you and he, I picked you." "Do you regret it?" Rain fell, a crack of thunder in the sky. They turned another street corner, finding themselves progressively in the seedier sections of the station. A homeless kig-yar stirred in the corner, too weak to even beg. Sorran reached to his side and dropped a few golden coins by the kig-yar's feet. Ahkrin knew then that his friend hadn't changed so much as he had thought. On the exterior, perhaps. Inside though, he was still that kind, generous soul who personified all the traits Ahkrin wished he could have. What the humans would call being [i]humane.[/i] As if they were the only ones who could show compassion. "I don't regret it," Sorran finally spoke, words heavy. "You're my brothers, and that runs thicker than anything else. I am just thankful I was not the one to pull the trigger in the end... death does not sit well on my conscience." [i]Glad to hear it,[/i] Ahkrin thought with an inward smile, also finding solace in the realisation that he would do the same for his brothers. Perhaps he wasn't so heartless after all. At least, not when he was around Sorran or Zharn. "Still, we'll never know if you would have pulled the trigger. I don't think you would have; you're not like me, Sorran. That's what I like about you. "You didn't tell me what you know about the humans, Sorran," Ahkrin suddenly uttered, back on track. "When I asked you about what I'd found in Restraint's systems before, why the Covenant is so eager to see them extinct. You went quiet and changed the subject. Don't try to deceive me, Sorran I'm still the master of that field." That same paleness took hold of Sorran, confirming Ahkrin's worst suspicions. The war with humanity was a farce, for whatever reason. [i]He knows how many humans I've killed. Hundreds... thousands. He's worried that if he tells me all that's been for wrong reasons, that I'll be disgusted with myself.[/i] He wasn't far from the truth. Despite his curiosity, Ahkrin chose to let the subject lie for now. He clapped his hands dismissively, rubbing away the cold. "We're nearly there. These people aren't exactly... they're not very nice people, Sorran. But they owe me, and they'll honour that. Just let me do the talking and don't do anything rash." "Why would I?" "Because you're a better man than I." *