Ares
O.D.S.T. Major
Admin
God's out on business. Whaddya need?
Posts: 947
|
Post by Ares on Sept 6, 2010 9:16:34 GMT -5
The High Prophet of Obedience rolled his eyes in exasperation at Lachlan's stinging remark. Almost as if on queue, one of his platinum-armored Mgalekgolo bodyguards fell into step right behind Lachlan, and proceeded to stomp behind him very noticeably, making its presence very noticeable. Somehow, the fervent religious zeal was present and visible even on a huge collection of worms. Simply the way they moved was just... religious. The Mgalekgolo on the other side of the humans seemed to move differently, though. Its demeanor seemed just as zealously devoted to the same cause, but... it was different. This hulking behemoth seemed to stand next to Jack with almost an air of reverence. What the humans didn't know about this new collective of alien zealots was that there was now more than one viewpoint... the Mgalekgolo messing with Lachlan was a follower of Tolerance, and a conservatively beliefed hunter. The one that was observing Jack with a sense of almost careful reverence was a follower of Obedience... a new leader of the underground movement that deemed humans to be the way to Transcendence, not the destructive Rings. A nearby Drone watched Otto with wide eyes and a worshipful face, while a Kig-Yar viewed the same man with a look of hungry disgust. Obedience drifted into the Gravity Lift, shooting up several floors. He floated into the impressive stateroom (seen HERE), guiding his violet throne to the huge table beneath the arch-studded upper balcony. In this covered space lay a long table with Unggoy, Yanme'e, and even several Kig-Yar hastily fixing the long table, a number of different-sized seating arrangements, and laying out food. At the far side, a gargantuan female Yanme'e with a swollen egg sac waited, as did a gaudily-robed Kig-Yar. The Prophet stopped and turned to face the others. "Welcome to the stateroom of the Transgression of Faith. Do have a seat." He looked pointedly at Vatarus and Autumus, the two Jiralhanae following Tolerance like lost puppies. "You," he addressed them, "do not have seating here. Would you prefer... a cushion? Pets tend to utilize those next to their masters."
|
|
|
Post by IndigoWolf on Sept 6, 2010 11:37:17 GMT -5
Zarra snickered quietly, covering her mouth to hide her laughter, as one of the Prophets disrespectfully addressed the Brutes. "I think I may actually like him," she whispered to Anau.
|
|
|
Post by Spec-Opp Spartan on Sept 6, 2010 14:45:08 GMT -5
" A shame that your Stateroom can not hold all of the guests you invited Obedience....quite embarassing really but no matter if you must have some of your guests stand then Vatarus and Autumus will have to do so " said Tolerance shaking his head in a scolding manner at Obedience for a) not having enough room for everyone he invited and b) for putting the humans and Sangheili those who had ravaged Dosiac, the brutes homeworld, over those who where loyal to the New Covenant.
|
|
Ares
O.D.S.T. Major
Admin
God's out on business. Whaddya need?
Posts: 947
|
Post by Ares on Sept 6, 2010 20:17:27 GMT -5
Obedience glanced over at Tolerance as he drifted to his position at the head of the table, directly opposite the Yanme'e Hive Queen on the other side of the long table. The youngest Prophet replied coolly, "O Contrare, First Hierarch. I invited all the leaders of the Covenant. And one of the requirements of a leader is that they make their own decisions... not mindlessly lap up every word of another." His emerald eyes fell upon the 15 foot-tall Hunter, clad in intricate jade armor of a design never seen by humans. "Xytane Jai Murgo, for instance. He is a dynamic leader of his people. Hive Queen Yasumo. Kig-Yar Magistrate Har Jak. You, the High Prophet of Tolerace. You all are inspirational leaders who try and show their people new futures rooted in the honor and respect of the Covenant." Obedience glanced pointedly at the Jiralhanae. "Then... you have lap dogs. They simply do as told so that they may receive their treats later on in the day."
Zaku observed this trading of ideology with careful caution. From what he could see, the older Prophet appeared to have the support of the one with the red eyes and the pipe. The younger one seemed to have the backing of the one with the purple crown. The older appeared to be a hardliner, whereas the anti-Brute one appeared to possess a more progressive ideology. This could be milked for usefulness...
Justin watched quietly, and Alastair observed just as silently. The pair of Spartans slowly sat down in the smaller chairs that were more well-sized to human... well, in actuality, these looked like human chairs. And GOOD ones, at that. Very good ones. Justin thought that they might actually be... mahogany? What was a Covenant High Prophet doing with hand-carved, mahogany, human chairs? This was... curious.
|
|
|
Post by IndigoWolf on Sept 7, 2010 15:23:58 GMT -5
Temperance ignored the argument between his fellow Prophets, he respected the Brutes' strength as guards, but when it came to their leadership he didn't care either way. Insted he watched the guests intently, picking out, among the Sangheili, a female. He had once had a few female Sangheili servants, excelent dancers, that he had been quite fond of, but they had all been killed or fled during the schism. As a result, he had found the split with the Elites very inconvenient. Though perhaps, if they could make amends with the Sangheili today, he could hire replacements. He smiled musingly for a few moments, planning, then turned to the other Prophets. "Enough bickering! Let my servants fetch us all drinks to put our minds more at ease, then perhaps we may talk more civilly."
|
|
Spartan-777
O.D.S.T. Major
The Violent Cartographer.
Posts: 802
|
Post by Spartan-777 on Sept 7, 2010 16:13:44 GMT -5
Darman shifted uncomfortably. He didn't like this place. Guards where everywhere, and he was unarmed... at the moment. He remained silent, letting the others do the talking while he surveyed the room. He paused, his mind working furiously. There weren't many ways in or out, and they all seemed to be well-guarded. But he forced himself to relax. A team of Spartans, unarmed or not, were within arm's reach of the highest political figures the Covenant had left. Had these beings wanted him dead, they would have done so already. He loosened up, just a little, and waited for events to unfold.
|
|
Ares
O.D.S.T. Major
Admin
God's out on business. Whaddya need?
Posts: 947
|
Post by Ares on Sept 7, 2010 17:41:12 GMT -5
Obedience paused, and nodded to Temperance. The fleshy San 'Shyuum nodded, his long, thin wattles bobbing around. "Of course, brother. Let us put aside our difference in this matter for the time being." He waved a hand impatiently at one of his Unggoy. The 5 foot-tall creature darted off to join his fellows in the stateroom's galley. Seemingly moments later, the Unggoy Servant was walking around the table with three of his comrades toting around a cumbersome tray with multiple types of drinks- everything from the mild alcoholic Ty'jaen Hemrin cocktail to a milky fluid with a sickening golden-white color to a margarita-esque drink, colored bright shades of purple, gold, and green, and in a distinctively shaped glass.
The Second Hierarch looked around to all present. After giving them all a few moments to arrest a drink of their choice from the Unggoy servers, he cleared his throat, and then spoke.
"Leaders of the New Covenant. Leaders of humanity and the Sangheili Reformate. I welcome you all to my flagship, the Transgression of Faith. The reason I have brought you heretics-" his voice sent forth no malice, disdain, or even mild disrespect- "onboard with as little weapon-toting as possible is because I believe that only together can our mighty New Covenant make long strides towards salvation... and eventually, transcendence, as did the mighty Forerunners. While all here," he looked to Tolerance, and even cast a small glance at the group of Spartans, "may not agree with this action, I wish to usher in an age of peace between our great civilizations. Thus, I will ask... would humanity and the sangheili be interested in an alliance of some sort with the New Covenant?"
The question seemed innocent... but there was no mistaking the fact that there was a total of sixteen Mgalekgolo, all bond brothers divided from the same humongous parent coalition, all twelve feet tall, and all clad in gold-and-platinum armor. And all would be ready to obliterate everything at the table, if their master wished. The San 'Shyuum gave this obvious threat a gentle touch by putting on a smile so practiced that its sincerity was near-unquestionable. His hands were upturned, as if basking in his own holy aura, and his followers all looked on with expressions of sheer religious zeal.
|
|
|
Post by Danny on Sept 7, 2010 23:31:26 GMT -5
Anau was suddenly interrupted glaring at the Prophet that was eyeing Zarra when one of the others asked for an alliance. He wanted to bang his fists on the table and spit in the Prophets face. There were so many things that needed to be yelled in these Prophets faces. Their lie and the Rifters, these fools! Instead, though, he looked to Zaku with a slight shake of the head.
Jack caught sight of this and shifted awkwardly in his seat. No one was talking, and it probably wasn't his place to say anything, but... "Would this be a permanent alliance?" He asked, "Because I don't think that's going to happen, maybe a temporary truce to deal with the Flood."
Lachlan then looked up from his selections of drinks and looked at one of the Prophets, Temperance, "By the way, we blew up another one of your Rings," he winked at him, "We've been busy, mate."
|
|
Ares
O.D.S.T. Major
Admin
God's out on business. Whaddya need?
Posts: 947
|
Post by Ares on Sept 8, 2010 7:05:17 GMT -5
Obedience faltered. He had been about to suggest something else, but... fight the what?! Then it clicked. The humans said they had destroyed a ring. They must have let the Flood loose... again. The youngest Hierarch couldn't keep in his hot-blooded response.
"What?!" he snarled. "The Parasite?! You let it out! Again! Wh- y- bu- just... Do you not understand the consequences of your actions? How did it even get out?!" Obedience turned his exasperated gaze to Katar. "Councilor," he hissed. "I know you do your best to make honorable decisions. Would you mind informing me under what possible circumstances you decided not to do everything you could to stop the Parasite?"
|
|
|
Post by Twisted Logic on Sept 8, 2010 8:39:55 GMT -5
Humility took a drag from his pipe, and blew a smoke ring around Jack and Lachlan. "What do you expect of these heretics, Second Hierarch? They obviously released the Parasite to spite our Lords, and revel in blasphemous hate! I told you it was a bad idea to invite demons and betrayers!"
His red eyes shone with disgust.
|
|
|
Post by IndigoWolf on Sept 8, 2010 9:52:39 GMT -5
"Betrayers?!" Zarra cried leaping from her seat, "We protected you with our very lives for centuries, and you repay us by having us slaughtered like animals! Your kind know nothing of loyalty!" Her outburst had drawn the attention of the guards, who shifted their weapons and watched her suspiciously until she fell back to her seat.
"Please, you cannot blame us for the mistakes made by our predecessors," said Temperance. "Nor should we resort to namecalling," he added frowning at Humility. "If these are the same enemies who were cunning enough to defeat us before, I doubt they are foolish enough to toy with the Parasite. Let them explain."
|
|
Oru-Hime
O.D.S.T. Captain
Oru-Hime, the Paper Princess
Posts: 259
|
Post by Oru-Hime on Sept 8, 2010 13:23:03 GMT -5
Lyra watched the Prophets with mild interest. They appeared to be arguing about something. She was too far away to hear anything but the shout of "You let it out!" She sighed moodily and watched the Spartans settling down into their chairs. She eyed the enormous Hive Queen she had so stupidly taken a seat by and scooted a few inches away.
|
|
|
Post by Danny on Sept 8, 2010 15:37:51 GMT -5
Lachlan scratched the top of his head in thought, and replied to Obedience, "Hey, don't get pissy at us, you guys released the Flood on 04, a mess that we cleaned up," "What the Human is trying to say," Anau spoke up, "Is that we both released the parasite on accident. Now, the Humans did help us then, because they understood the threat, judging by your words, so do you."
|
|
Ares
O.D.S.T. Major
Admin
God's out on business. Whaddya need?
Posts: 947
|
Post by Ares on Sept 9, 2010 12:36:21 GMT -5
Obedience sighed, and put his head in one of his hands. This was just great. The Hierarch finally replied, "I see, I see. It was accidental. Our highest priority must be to contain and eliminate the Parasite again... and preferably from orbit." The jade-eyed Prophet cast his eyes to Humility. "Temperance is right, Fourth Hierarch. Please be civil to my guests on my vessel. I apologize for my outburst. Try and restrain your own."
The High Prophet of Obedience turned back to the rest of the group, waving down the few Jiralhanae who had made their weapons obvious. Tolerance had brought his guards onboard... and armed. The Prophet's face had almost turned a shade of beet red when he inhaled and calmed himself. The Prophet sent an emerald glare to the Jiralhanae, and turned back to the guests. "I... thank you all for this knowledge. It likely has saved lives that would have been lost from ignorance of the returned Parasite. In exchange for this unexpected aid, is there anything I, the Second Hierarch of the New Covenant, could do for you all?"
|
|
Oru-Hime
O.D.S.T. Captain
Oru-Hime, the Paper Princess
Posts: 259
|
Post by Oru-Hime on Sept 9, 2010 17:57:52 GMT -5
Lyra wondered what to say. The Hive Queen was making her really uncomfortable. What did you say to a giant hungry looking insect who probably didn't speak your language. Lyra looked about noticing the angry looking Prophets and the armed guards. "Are we really that much trouble?" she murmured.
|
|