COVENANT DESERT OUTPOST CAMP

SURFACE OF HALO: GAMMA (INSTALLATION 03)

1523 HOURS

Sangheili Commanders, Kwn ‘Nosel and Gseu ‘Ahrmonro patrolled around the camp, making sure each one of their soldiers wasn’t slacking off in any way or form.

The Venusian characteristic of the ring made every single day on it unbearable to spend. In order to survive these brutal conditions, all the Covenant units stationed on the ring scouted for natural resources of water which was thankfully provided on the surface by lakes or oceans. Still, the heat of the day slowed down the working performance of some of the troops, especially the Unggoy.

Thankfully by this hour, the temperature was starting to cool down a bit, and that the darkness of night was visibly approaching on one side of the ring.

At first, there was pretty much silence coming from the COMM stations which allowed the groaning and whining of a few Unggoy to be clearly heard, but then silenced when disciplined by the Commanders themselves, or the Kig-Yar who gladly accepted their role of being extra security eyes.

Just then, the COMMs’ buzzed to life as a transmission was being broadcasted.

“This is Shipmaster, Dzen ‘Nbek of the Savior’s Light. Does anyone read me?”

Apparently Dzen managed to escape his doomed carrier, via a Seraph, in the nick of time before it was obliterated into almost nothing.

Gseu went over to one of the COMM transponders to transmit back to Dzen.

“We read you, brother,” Gseu replied. “What’s your status?”

“My carrier has been neutralized by the human enemy. Requesting option for a landing zone.”

“I’ll send you the coordinates for this camp. Stand by,” Gseu instructed.

Soon enough, Dzen’s Seraph appeared in sight and steadily descended into an clearer area before being parked just inches above the ground.

“It’s great to have you with us, brother,” Gseu greeted when Dzen left the fighter.

“Likewise,” Dzen nodded. “But I don’t think ‘Mdama will be pleased for the compromising and destruction of my ship.”

“How did this even happen, brother?” Gseu asked.

Dzen explained everything to Gseu about the discovery of the planet called Equis, the beings that resided on it, and the human imposition to his plans--and how they destroyed his carrier.

Gseu was intrigued at Dzen’s story, but wasn’t really sure if he believed him. He needed some kind of physical evidence.

“Tell me this, haven’t you at least managed to obtain some kind of artifact from this planet?” Gseu asked, suspiciously.

“Only this,” Dzen replied, shamefully, and showed Gseu a crystalline object that was in the shape of a heart. Gseu just eyed it with curiosity, and skepticism.

“Well? What does it do?” Gseu asked,

“I’m afraid I don’t know,” Dzen replied, shaking his head. “The being responsible for it refused to give me the nature of its abilities, so I had to have her executed for her incompetence.”

“I see,” Gseu said. “This won’t change the fact through that ‘Mdama will be displeased with your actions.”

“And I’m willing to accept my punishment,” Dzen countered.

“Very well then,” Gseu said and strolled back over to the COMM transponder. “I’ll contact him at once.”

Before Gseu could interact with the terminal, another transmission came in--but its wave pattern was different. More specifically, it was human.

“This is Zealot, Hvu ‘Umam. I’m inbound with a human vehicle they call a Pelican.” Hvu transmitted.

This time, it was Dzen who responded to the transmission.

“This is Shipmaster, Dzen ‘Nbek. Is that really you, brother?” Dzen asked.

“Affirmative,” Hvu confirmed. “Requesting a landing zone now.”

“Send him the coordinates of this camp,” Gseu instructed, and Dzen did so.

Momentarily, Hvu’s drop ship came into sight.

Seeing that it was an enemy vehicle, most of the Unggoy fled in terror while the Kig-Yar got into their battle stance, but were ordered to stand down by Kwn.

When the Pelican finally touched down, Hvu climbed out of the cockpit in his full armor, and was welcomed by his fellow comrades. Dzen of course was the first one to speak up.

“How did you manage to escape the humans?” he asked. “Last time I remember, you were captured and imprisoned on their ship. I don’t understand.”

“I was assisted, brother,” Hvu replied with pride.

“Assisted?” Dzen puzzled with a raised brow. “You mean a rebel human helped you escape?”

“She wasn’t human,” Hvu denied. “She was one of the inhabitants of the planet we were stationed on.”

Dzen wasn’t sure if he should believe Hvu’s claim. Just like Gseu, he wanted some credible evidence.

“Hold on; she’s in the back,” Hvu said and went back over to the cockpit to open the back hatch of the Pelican.

When the hatch fully opened, both Dzen and Gseu--along with every other soldier in the camp glanced with curious eyes on a cyan-coated equine creature with feminine scarlet eyes, wings, and a multi-colored mane and tail. The look on her face expressed that she seemed a bit uncomfortable and uneasy when she looked upon the other Covenant soldiers in the camp.

“You have spoken the truth, brother. I am quite impressed if I do say so myself,” Dzen applauded. “But what do you intend we do with her? She doesn’t look she is faring well against the climate of this ring.”

They noticed that the equine was starting to pant from the exposure to the sudden humid air.

“I think that ‘Mdama would want to have a look at her, along with Halsey,” Hvu replied. “Besides, I made an oath to help her since she helped me.”

“An oath?” Dzen questioned. “Explain yourself.”

Hvu told Dzen how he came across the equine during his imprisonment, her ordeal, and what he promised her.

“I see,” Dzen confirmed. “Very well, then.”

He then turned toward Gseu and said, “You may still wish to mention my errors to ‘Mdama, but let him make this creature feel comfortable and welcome to our campaign. I hope that can be understood.”

“We’ll do what we can,” Gseu assured and went over to the COMM transponders to contact Jul’s carrier, the Song of Retribution.

Hvu then faced his equine compatriot and asked it in human language which it clearly understood, “Are you ready to have a new life with us in order to reclaim the honor that your own species had taken away from you?”

“If it means getting rid of those humans that interfered with the harmony of our world: then yeah, I’m in,” Rainbow Dash replied with a look of determination painted on her face. “Besides, I need to be loyal to some kind of side since it seems that my own friends have betrayed me. I wouldn’t know where else to go if I hadn’t met you.”

Hvu gave an approving nod.

“Good,” he said. “We agreed to make you feel more comfortable with us; and that you will soon become acquainted with Fleetmaster Jul ‘Mdama. I’m sure he will be interested in seeing such a being as yourself.”

“Uh...thanks?” Rainbow uncertainly replied. She really didn’t know how to react to the compliment.

“Do have any requests that you wish to be answered?” Hvu offered.

It didn’t take long for Rainbow to think of a need.

“Yeah. This heat is killing me. I need to take a dip somewhere.”

Rainbow then observed the distant land masses and water bodies which covered the entire arc of the ring which stretched across the entire sky high above her head.

“We’ll find you a transport ship,” Hvu said.

“Actually, I want to fly,” Rainbow insisted. “I’ve been stuck to the ground so long that it’s driving me crazy! Also that it’s caused my wings to get cramped and stiff from a lack of use.”

“If that’s what you wish, then so be it,” Hvu nodded. “Just follow along the ground and be careful not to fly too high. The atmospheric properties of Halos’ are slightly different than that of a planet.”

“Sure. Whatever to say,” Rainbow stated before flapping her wings to warm them up before she took off, leaving behind a technicolor vapor stream in her midst.

As Rainbow vanished from sight, Hvu thought to himself, Her mind may not be disciplined just yet, but she makes a potential soldier for our Covenant.