At least Zharn was free of this all, commanding his fleet. Sorran thought it ironic that his friend was probably safer warring against the humans than here, in the one place in the galaxy they should be safe. Then there was Savara. High Charity was a large place, she could be anywhere. Perhaps Ahkrin was right; perhaps it [i]would[/i] be better if he never came back into her life again he'd be taking away everything from her just to be with him, and that was selfish. He also wondered if they should just leave Kym and Gilyi where they were, safe with Master Katoth'ee. Sorran knew the man would guard that with his very life and then some, and he doubted the Covenant would pursue them after Hem's death. [i]That's not the reason I don't want to go back for them. I don't want to tell them Kym her father's dead... that he died betrayed by me, and at the hands of a coward.[/i] Sorran suddenly had a desire to lash out at something. He'd never been good with responsibility or leadership. That's why he'd chosen to bury himself in books; they never demanded his time, could never be hurt by his actions, never depended on relied or looked up to him. He looked over at his small satchel in the corner; all he had to his name, save for the damaged, flame-licked armour resting on the floor and his weapons, which he kept clipped to his belt. Driven by a sudden impulse to hold his things, he went over and opened it, rummaging inside. Small keepsakes of lives which might as well have belonged to other people. His certification from the college of scholarship. He remembered well the day he'd earned it... not even three years ago. It might as well have been thirty. He'd been one of three Sangheili in a crowd of hundreds, most of the rest all San 'Shyuum. His fellow two Sangheili were both the youngest from their houses of aristocracy, sent to the college by their elders to get them out of the way. He'd been the only one from the working class. Where all his other graduation brothers and sisters had had all their houses and kin blanketing the hall where the ceremony had taken place, the only one there for Sorran had been his sister. She'd always been the only one he'd known to ever support his decision to be a scholar. All his other distant family and once-friends had effectively disowned him the moment he'd chosen to take up a book rather than a sword. Then his sister had died a few months after his graduation, and he'd been alone. Settled into the dull monotony of working at High Charity's great library ever day, shunned by his San 'Shyuum colleagues for not being of their kind and spurned by his own species for not being what they called a 'true Sangheili.' Then all those years of study had been made worthless when the war against humanity intensified, and he'd been drafted. At first he'd resented it, but thinking back... he'd hated working at the great library. Perhaps it was true what they said; that every Sangheili yearned to be a warrior, and would feel discord until that was so. Laying aside his certification with a fond memory, he rumbled around in the bag some more. His hand closed around a small silver chain. Frowning for a moment, he pulled it out and held the small pendant attached to it in the light. [i]Of course,[/i] he realised with a smile as he recognised the object. Back on Eridanus II... the old human he'd come across after orbital entry, the one whose life he'd spared. He'd prayed to some god of his upon seeing Sorran, completely taking Sorran aback, who'd believed the humans to be faithless heathens. That had been one of the first things to significantly challenge his perception of their people. Everything had changed that day, when he'd killed the Jiralhanae. He wondered how differently things might have gone if he hadn't been wounded by the old man's son, forcing Ahkrin to take him into a nearby house. He'd have never discovered that child, cowering behind the curtains... never would have been forced to kill the Jiralhanae. Never would have been sentenced to death by Truth, never saved by Restraint. [i]Amazing, how the smallest thing can change one's life forever,[/i] he wondered, staring at the pendant. Moved by sentimentally, he opened the clasp on the chain and managed to fit it around his neck, tucking the pendant into his shirt. Sorran suddenly felt a tapping on his back. He turned around to see the Huragok right in his face, pointing at a small object on the far corner of the room. His transponder. "It doesn't work, we're too far underground," he told Wind. It shook its head firmly. [i]--No, I fix,[/i] it signed proudly. [i]--Someone speak to you.[/i] Sorran rose up from his memories and marched over to the transponder device, looking at its butchered chassis; wiring spooled out from it like an overgrown bush, and he could see sparks dancing about inside. But the light shone on it, showing they had a signal. And he had a message. He pressed the 'play' button, and pointed its projector into an empty space before him. The hologram system folded out from it, showing a familiar face. "Jajab!" he exclaimed with surprise as he saw the Unggoy's bearded face appear. Sorran felt a grin cross his face; he'd thought him dead. "[i]Sorran, I don't know if you or Hem are alive,[/i]" Jajab began on the recording, worry and strain blanketing his tiny voice. "[i]If you are, come find me. I'll be waiting by Lake Charity until two days from the time this message is sent. Please, help.[/i]" With that, the message ended and the hologram crawled back inside the transponder device. Sorran was already gathering together his armour. Easily Caught By Wind made a little urgent noise; he looked up and saw it moving its limbs about again. [i]--You are going to help?[/i] it asked him. Sorran nodded. "He's counting on me. I won't be long; keep this room locked." [i]--What about master-killer?[/i] it persisted. [i]Do not leave me alone with him. Please.[/i] "If I tell Ahkrin, he'll try to stop me from going. I've got to go alone." [i]--He hurt,[/i] the Huragok whimpered, its eyes b-blam!- with tears. Sorran stopped, and put a hand on its neck soothingly. "He didn't know what he was doing then," Sorran told it softly. "I've known Ahkrin a long time, he's my brother. He won't hurt you again, I promise." [i]--It calls,[/i] Wind signed, moisture ebbing away from its eyes suddenly. Sorran frowned, wondering if he'd misinterpreted. "What?" he queried. The Huragok looked at him with a quizzical expression. Sorran frowned, patting it dismissively on the head. "I'll be back soon. Remember what I said." Sorran lowered his helm onto his head, and stalked over to the door. Lake Charity wasn't far from here. He'd find Jajab and be back before anyone knew he was gone. It would be hard to break news of Hem's death, and harder still to explain it. *