Outcasts, page 27
“I serve the gods through him.”
‘Vadam was disappointed by the answer, but not surprised. The reply had been a familiar and favorite dodge of junior officers needing to sidestep the instructions of the San’Shyuum magistrates who had traveled with the great Covenant fleets as religious overseers.
“And I owe him my life,” ‘Lakosee continued. “He bought it at what seemed a small price, but which I fear offended the gods and landed us here.”
“And what was that price?”
‘Lakosee looked away and did not answer.
“Whatever happened, you are not here because the gods took offense. You are here because the Hierarchs sent the Silent Shadow to punish Fleetmaster ‘Kvarosee. And the Hierarchs are no more.”
‘Lakosee slowly turned back to ‘Vadam. “Is that true?”
“You know it is.” ‘Vadam pointed toward Vale. “A Spartan stands not twenty paces away… in peace. Would that be true if the Hierarchs still led the Covenant?”
“No,” ‘Lakosee admitted after a moment. “I cannot see how.”
“Then tell me what your fleetmaster did. Whatever it was, the gods were not offended. I can promise you that much.”
“Arbiters now speak for the gods? What a place the galaxy has become.”
“I am not claiming to speak for the gods. I am only telling you the Hierarchs were lying when they did. Whatever their reason for sending the Silent Shadow after Fleetmaster ‘Kvarosee, it was not because the gods commanded them to.”
“The Hierarchs lied? Of all your mad claims, I find that easiest to believe.” ‘Lakosee let out a long breath. “Very well. After the Battle of Zhoist, the Minor Minister of Artifact Survey attempted to blame Fleetmaster ‘Kvarosee for the destruction of the Ring of Mighty Abundance, as well as the attacks that destroyed two of the Ten Cities of Edification. I grew angry.”
“And?”
‘Lakosee dropped his chins. “Cut off his head. Fleetmaster ‘Kvarosee reported the death as a combat casualty.”
“I see.” ‘Vadam glanced toward ‘Kvarosee, struggling to reconcile the merciful superior in ‘Lakosee’s story with the irrational zealot he had been dealing with—and he saw a way to earn ‘Lakosee’s honest cooperation. “Nothing Fleetmaster ‘Kvarosee has done would prevent him from returning to Sangheili society—and you with him.”
‘Kvarosee gurgled something unintelligible.
‘Lakosee barely glanced in the fleetmaster’s direction. “You can do that?” he asked almost in disbelief. “Lift our shame?”
“You have no shame to lift. The Hierarchs are gone, and the Covenant is no more. You would be welcomed back as heroes. I would see to it.”
‘Kvarosee groaned what was either a warning or an objection, and this time ‘Lakosee looked toward his Worldmaster and allowed his gaze to linger.
“There is no need to decide now,” ‘Vadam said. “Consider it an open offer.”
He hardly needed another religious zealot establishing a base of operations in Sangheili space, but the offer had to be made. It would have been a terrible dishonor to abandon a marooned fleetmaster due to some vague fear he might cause trouble later.
More important, ‘Vadam needed ‘Lakosee’s trust.
When ‘Lakosee remained lost in thought, ‘Vadam turned to ‘Ra’ashai. “Blademaster, will you do me a kindness?”
“Be gentle?” ‘Ra’ashai sounded disappointed.
“As gentle as is safe.” ‘Vadam considered offering to set and bandage ‘Lakosee’s broken arm, but decided against it. The major had served with the Covenant during a time when Sangheili warriors still considered it a sign of humiliation to spill their own blood, and any offer of medical attention would be taken as a suggestion that he was not courageous enough to bear the pain. “We still cannot leave the fleetmaster free to interfere.”
Finally, ‘Lakosee clacked his mandibles in resolve and looked back to ‘Vadam. “I know you are offering your help because you wish to enter the Inner Sanctum, but I cannot take you.”
“That is unfortunate.” ‘Ra’ashai activated his energy sword and pushed the tip close to ‘Kvarosee’s missing mandible, but continued to speak to ‘Lakosee. “My promise to spare the Worldmaster’s life holds only if you do as ‘Vadam wishes. If you do not… I have always found the Worldmaster’s piety a bit overbearing.”
“I did not say will not. I said cannot. The humans have sealed the vault. Otherwise, the Worldmaster and I would already be inside ourselves.”
“Then tell us how to unseal it,” ‘Ayomuu said. Without his voicemitter, his voice sounded muffled and soft inside his helmet.
‘Lakosee shot the Oath Warden a disparaging look. “Do you not understand what it means to seal a vault? It cannot be opened from the outside… not without destroying it.”
“But you can do that?” ‘Ayomuu said.
“The Inner Sanctum was made by the gods. Even were I willing to try, I would fail.”
“Then let us go speak with the humans,” ‘Vadam said. “Perhaps they are just being cautious.”
He assigned a pair of warriors to stay behind with ‘Ra’ashai and ‘Kvarosee, then led ‘Ayomuu and ‘Lakosee around the rotunda to where Spartan Vale was waiting with her companions. As they approached, the ODST with the grenade launcher took Commander Petrov’s place looking after the large trooper on the ground, and Petrov and Vale stepped forward to meet ‘Vadam and his companions.
Petrov glared at ‘Lakosee and ‘Ayomuu in open hostility, but Vale merely looked the pair over and turned her attention to ‘Vadam. “Well. Here we are.”
“Yes, we are here,” ‘Vadam replied. “And you were here first. Congratulations.”
“Congratulations?”
“I will abide by our agreement. The Divine Hand will go to the UNSC.”
“Thank you.” Vale sounded a bit confused, as though she had not expected ‘Vadam to abide by their agreement. She glanced toward ‘Lakosee, then asked, “And by the Divine Hand, you do mean the weapon we came for? The Guardian killer?”
‘Vadam lifted his mandibles to the right. “The Divine Hand is what the inhabitants of the tel call it.” He gestured to ‘Lakosee. “Allow me to introduce Tam ‘Lakosee, adjutant to the former Fleetmaster Nizat ‘Kvarosee.”
Vale tipped her helmet toward the injured warrior. “We’ve met.” She allowed her gaze to linger on his broken arm for a moment. “That looks painful. I hope we’re done with our fighting.”
“If the gods will it. And it seems they have, for now.”
“The major has agreed to help us with the Divine Hand,” ‘Vadam said. “If you will allow him into the Sanctum with you.”
“I wish I could,” Vale said. “But we have a small problem with that ourselves.”
“Allow me to guess,” ‘Ayomuu said. “Her name is Keely Iyuska.”
Vale nodded to the Oath Warden. “Very astute. She slipped into the Sanctum during the firefight. We haven’t been able to follow her… or even get a good look inside.”
“How could she stop you?” ‘Vadam asked.
“It is not difficult,” ‘Lakosee said. “All she need do is desire to be alone. The Inner Sanctum will prevent anyone else from entering, if the gods are willing.”
“And the why is the same excuse she gave my client for breaking their agreement,” ‘Ayomuu said. “Keely Iyuska is an arrogant studymaster who believes her discovery belongs to ‘science,’ not to any single… entity.”
“Keely Iyuska did not suck marrow with an ‘entity,’ ” ‘Vadam replied. It was the first time the Oath Warden had slipped and almost revealed a clue to his client’s identity. “It was obviously a kaidon.”
‘Ayomuu rocked his head to one side. “You are free to believe what you like. But Iyuska is in there… with the Divine Hand, and we are—”
As the Oath Warden spoke, the archway behind him erupted into a spray of tiny white pinpoints that resembled nothing so much as phosphorescent diatoms floating in the Csurdon Sea. An instant later, a human face appeared in the archway, that of a pale-skinned human with green eyes and a meter-long braid of red hair dangling over her shoulder. She cast a surprised look at ‘Vadam and a worried look at ‘Ayomuu, then shifted her attention to Vale.
“So, we’re all friends now…? Okay, I guess so. Well, either way, you’d better get in here. We have trouble. Big trouble.”
The face withdrew, leaving only the white points behind, and ‘Vadam soon recognized them as glowing motes of tel dust. He and Vale spent an astonished moment staring first into the interior of the rotunda, then at each other, until ‘Ayomuu stepped toward the archway—and Commander Petrov moved to block him.
“Let’s have the Arbiter and Spartan Vale go first,” Petrov said.
“Very wise,” ‘Vadam said.
He stepped past ‘Ayomuu and paused before the archway, debating the wisdom of commanding the Oath Warden to wait outside. But ‘Vadam knew better than to believe ‘Ayomuu would obey—or that Varo’dai’s rangers would be able to stop him. In the end, ‘Vadam decided that—as always—the safest place to keep Crei ‘Ayomuu was close at hand, where he could be watched.
‘Vadam assigned Varo’dai to follow ‘Ayomuu with ‘Lakosee, then extended a hand to Spartan Vale.
“Shall we?”
“Thank you,” Vale said. “There’s no one I’d rather step into the unknown with.”
“Truly?” ‘Vadam was flattered by the unexpected expression of fondness… or perhaps he was encouraged by it. In many ways, he regarded Spartan Vale as akin to his human hatchling, for she had impressed him with her diligent studies of Sangheili culture and her obvious devotion to keeping the peace between the Sangheili and humans. In his daydreams, he could envision a day when they sat across from each other as important leaders, working together to create a civilization united in harmony and prosperity. “I am honored.”
But Vale was already pushing her head through one side of the archway. ‘Vadam motioned the Oath Warden to follow him, then went to the Spartan’s side and cautiously pushed his head into the archway next to her. A vast distance ahead, he saw Iyuska, a tiny red-haired human standing on a small disk of radiance in the heart of a black, infinite emptiness, surrounded on all sides—even beneath her feet—by drifting points of brilliance. Then he felt himself advancing toward her, still upright, but not walking… just moving.
As ‘Vadam continued to fall, or float, or slide, or simply move—whatever this mobile effect was—the points of brilliance began to arrange themselves in a long milky river flanked by clusters that he soon began to recognize as the constellations above N’ba—the long handle and curved head of the Pickaxe, the forked horns of Arbok, the six posts of the Crooked Fence. But instead of waiting for them to rise over the horizon, he could see them all at once just by looking in the right place.
Then he saw a trio of colored ovals chasing one another across the ceiling, and down near foot level where the floor should be, the green-tinged orb of N’ba’s second moon about to overtake the smaller half ball of the first moon, the fat egg of the third moon lumbering a full horizon behind them both. Zipping along in the same orbital plane, but much lower and faster, he saw the seven bright dots of the Sangheili flotilla. They were spread out in a loose diamond formation and surrounded by hundreds of swirling light pips so small that ‘Vadam hoped he was imagining them… even while he knew he was not.
The Sangheili flotilla was under attack.
No sooner did ‘Vadam realize this than the flotilla seemed to draw close enough for him to identify individual vessels. The light corvettes on the outer points of the formation were engulfed by clouds of tiny wedge-shaped craft that accelerated toward them on direct courses, taking no evasive action and relying on sheer numbers to overwhelm the Sangheili defenses. The attackers seemed to be firing streams of pulsed energy as they approached, but their primary weapon was their own mass, which they slammed into their targets without hesitation. All four light corvettes were destroyed in no more than the time it took to identify them. ‘Talot’s flagship, a heavy corvette, was in danger of suffering a similar fate soon, as was Varo’dai’s destroyer. ‘Vadam’s own Sword of Harmony fared better, its plasma turrets and screen of Banshee fighters annihilating most of the suicide craft as soon as they opened fire with their energy cannons.
‘Vadam tore his gaze from the battle and saw Vale beside him, her eyes scanning the starry dome as she searched for some sign of the UNSC stealth cruiser. They slid onto the disk of translucence without actually stepping.
The Spartan immediately turned to him. “They aren’t ours. We’re under attack too.”
She pointed toward the far side of the chamber, down where the gray half ball of N’ba’s first moon was just sinking past the midline. ‘Vadam spotted another sphere of light pips swirling just ahead of the moon, and they quickly grew large enough to identify as the same type of wedge-shaped craft attacking his flotilla. Their target was nowhere to be seen… but stealth ships seldom were.
The thought had barely crossed ‘Vadam’s mind before he grew aware of a long dark area where the starlight was blocked. As soon as he realized that, he noticed the fiery shell of a suicide craft being destroyed by UNSC point-defense guns. Then he saw the vessel itself, a long, sleek ship with baffled drive nozzles, an angular matte-black hull, and a trio of passive-sensor antennas protruding from a narrow prow.
“Remove your helmet,” ‘Lakosee said.
‘Vadam turned to see him and Varo’dai arriving at the translucent disk.
“What?” ‘Vadam asked.
“You must remove your helmet,” ‘Lakosee repeated, stepping onto the disk. “And your vambraces. The gods grant their power only to those who wear the armor of faith.”
‘Vadam suspected ‘Lakosee of trying to prepare him for some treacherous attack—but only until he recalled what ‘Ra’ashai had said about the strange Sanctum’s Hide armor worn by ‘Kvarosee’s followers. After demonstrating the control it bestowed over the environment inside the tel, he had explained that it worked only when grown directly on flesh.
When ‘Vadam did not comply immediately, ‘Lakosee asked, “Why are you afraid?” He swung his chins toward Vale. “You have your demon to protect you.”
“She is no demon.” ‘Vadam removed his vambraces. “But the rest is true enough.”
He passed the vambraces and his helmet to Varo’dai, then turned to ‘Lakosee and showed his palms. “What next?”
“Raise your hands, like so.” ‘Lakosee demonstrated, flinching slightly as he lifted both arms toward the ceiling. “Call the power of the gods into your body.”
The human studymaster, Keely Iyuska, craned her neck to look up at ‘Lakosee’s hands, then turned to Vale and spoke quietly in English. “What’s he saying?”
‘Lakosee shot her a look of disdain. Then, as Vale quietly translated for her friend, he turned back to ‘Vadam.
Before lifting his arms, ‘Vadam asked, “What happens after I raise my hands?”
“You will save your vessels,” ‘Lakosee answered. “At least the ones your enemy has not destroyed while you waste time asking unimportant questions.”
“I have never found asking questions of someone I just met to be a waste of time,” ‘Vadam replied. “Especially when he is pressuring me to act quickly.”
“As you wish.” ‘Lakosee let his hands drop. “Once the gods have granted you their power, the Rift of Eternity will open.”
After Vale had translated for her, Iyuska said in English: “Fascinating. But how exactly do they grant—”
“Silence, infidel.” ‘Lakosee used his good arm to push Iyuska away. She stumbled off the disk backward, then suddenly seemed a thousand paces away as she struck the rotunda wall between archways. “I am here at the Arbiter’s—”
Vale’s forearm landed on ‘Lakosee’s shoulder, driving him to his haunches. “She had better not be injured,” Vale remarked in Sangheili. “And you will answer me.”
“Or what?” ‘Lakosee demanded. “You will defile my body as you have already defiled the temple of my gods?”
Worried that the trust ‘Vadam had been trying to build was about to be lost, he gently lifted Vale’s arm off ‘Lakosee’s shoulder. “Perhaps we will have better results if I deal with the major, Spartan Vale. I will honor our agreement, of course. But we cannot allow the attack on our ships to continue, or we will all be as stranded here as the Worldmaster and his followers.”
Vale studied ‘Vadam a moment, then dipped her helmet and stepped back. She turned to Petrov and asked, “Will you check on Professor Iyuska?”
“Gladly.” Petrov turned toward the wall, but did not leave the disk of radiance. “Uh—”
‘Lakosee noticed her hesitation and motioned her away. “All she need do is step forward. The distance is… deceptive.”
Vale explained, and Petrov did as ‘Lakosee instructed. She was immediately at the wall with Iyuska. ‘Vadam caught Vale’s eye and shifted his gaze toward ‘Ayomuu, signaling her to keep watch on the sly Oath Warden, then turned back to ‘Lakosee.
“I simply raise my hands and… what?”
“Call down the power of the gods. I can think of no other way to explain it.”
‘Vadam no longer believed in the gods, but he had seen mystery enough inside the tel to accept that more was at work here than he understood. He lifted his arms and tried to open himself to the strange energies that inhabited this lonely place, to summon them down into the vessel of his body.
To his utter shock, it worked.
The “stars” above began to drop away from their places, to abandon their constellations and slip free of the milky river of light and become glowing motes of dust that fell, slowly, to collect on his upraised hands.
“It takes time to gather the power, even for the Worldmaster.” ‘Lakosee glanced at ‘Vadam’s hands, casting a disdainful eye at the thin film of dust motes gathered on them. “And your faith is not as strong.”
‘Vadam’s faith was completely absent, so whatever was drawing the dust to him had nothing to do with the Covenant or its nonexistent gods. He watched the glow build. “How will I know I have gathered enough power?”
