Outcasts, page 6
If the possibility that it still existed worried her enough that she was hunting this human xenoarchaeologist with armigers and Forerunner harriers, then ‘Vadam had to do everything in his power to find it himself—because he had spoken the truth to ‘Ayomuu. He could not allow a Guardian-killing weapon to fall into the hands of his adversaries.
Or into Cortana’s.
As virtuous and noble as the AI had been when she helped ‘Vadam and John-117 defeat the Flood, she was quite mad now.
‘Vadam spent the next few units in contemplative silence, admiring the precision with which the Seraphs from the Varo’dai destroyer cleared mines—and wondering who had placed the shell around the planet in the first place. From the launching delay when a decoy passed one of the mines, and their corkscrewing approach pattern, they appeared to be self-targeting Jaet-pattern plasma torpedoes from early in the war against humanity. The Covenant World Registry, which he had consulted during the long journey from Sanghelios, made no mention of a mine shell around N’ba. All the entry noted was that the frigate Radiant Arrow had been lost here early in the war, and that eight cycles later, another frigate, the Steadfast Strike, had been destroyed on the planet’s surface by a squad of “demons.” The Prophet of Truth had deemed the two misfortunes a sign of divine displeasure and forbade all Covenant vessels from entering the system.
‘Vadam had never seen such a record before, and he found it odd. Demons was the Covenant term for Spartans… and with good reason, if one was on the receiving end of their attacks. But what a team of Spartans had been doing on such a remote, uninhabited world, he could not imagine… any more than he could imagine why a Covenant frigate would have descended through those brown clouds to land on the surface all those years ago. It was tempting to attribute such enigmas to the Guardian killer’s presence, but he knew better. In war, such events happened for their own reasons, or for no reason at all, and seizing on them to support an unverifiable theory was a sure way to blind oneself to the real danger.
At last, Shipmaster ‘Xiaqt stepped to the edge of the contemplation pit. “We are synchronizing orbits with both kaidons’ transports. They will be aboard shortly.”
“I will speak with them in the Obedientiaries’ Mess. Have the Oath Warden join us.”
‘Xiaqt dipped his chins in distaste. “Shall I warn the kaidons?”
“Yes, Shipmaster. That might be wise.”
‘Vadam turned back to the observation bubble and spent the next twenty centals watching ‘Talot’s corvettes continue their mapping operations. They were well above the mine shell, high enough that even with interferometry and phased-array antennas, their imaging radars would produce maps with error margins measured in dozens of units rather than fractions. And with tens of thousands of plasma torpedoes between them and the ground, the mines themselves would produce backscatter that further reduced accuracy.
The obvious solution would have been to suspend mapping operations and help Varo’dai clear the mine shell, especially since it would have to be done anyway before any attempt to reach the surface. But ‘Vadam was not about to second-guess the two kaidons. Certainly, they had discussed the matter and decided to divide the tasks for a reason he did not yet understand.
At length, he felt the soft shudder of a successful docking and knew the first of the kaidons would be aboard shortly. He climbed out of the contemplation pit and went aft to the Obedientiaries’ Mess.
‘Ayomuu was already seated at the first saddle on the starboard side of the table. ‘Vadam took the saddle at the aft end of the table, effectively flipping the cabin orientation and placing the Oath Warden on his left—a position that would not be interpreted by the arriving kaidons as one of power. ‘Ayomuu merely tilted his head in amusement, perhaps satisfied that ‘Vadam had not actually ordered him to take a less prominent seat.
Ghe ‘Talot arrived, then stopped in the doorway to consider the seating arrangements. A small warrior with a proud bearing, he was perhaps twice ‘Vadam’s age. His scar-laced face and dented skull attested to the ravages of the Blooding Years on Feldokra, which had once been a Covenant fortress world and home to countless war factories and weapon stores. He wore no helmet, but was ornately armored in the gold harness of a kaidon. He carried both a plasma pistol and energy sword.
“Welcome, Ghe.” ‘Vadam extended an open palm. “Have any seat. This is a mess cabin, not an audience chamber.”
‘Talot dipped his head, then went straight to the head of the table and perched himself on the saddle. “It is good to sit with you again, Arbiter.” ‘Talot cast a wary eye in ‘Ayomuu’s direction, then looked back to ‘Vadam. “It has been a long time since we could speak in person, old friend.”
“Too long,” ‘Vadam agreed. ‘Talot’s manner was familiar bordering on arrogant, perhaps because he wanted to impress on ‘Ayomuu that an Oath Warden was no one’s equal here. “I am grateful you came.”
“How could I not? Feldokra is a hard place to live, but your ongoing support makes it possible.”
“We support each other.” The deep-sea mines worked by ‘Talot’s clan supplied Kolaar Manufactorum with many of the rare elements required for its most important production materials—or at least they had, until Cortana restricted shipments of elements used primarily for the manufacture of weapons and matériel. “As we always have, and always will.”
“So long as it pleases the Tyrant.” A low rumble sounded deep in ‘Talot’s throat, then he added, “If her restrictions continue, my clan will be eating what it mines—not refining it. I hope this weapon is real, Thel.”
“I believe the Arbiter hopes so too.” The voice came from the cabin doorway, where a tall Sangheili female with a sinewy build and lustrous green eyes stood awaiting permission to enter. “But there is only one way to turn hope into knowledge.”
‘Talot’s eyes flashed and quickly shifted away, and ‘Vadam realized he might have erred in assuming the two kaidons had formulated a plan in his absence.
“Welcome, Olabisi.” ‘Vadam extended a palm toward the table. “Join us.”
Olabisi Varo’dai considered her options only briefly before taking the middle saddle on the side of the table opposite ‘Ayomuu, a neutral position that also had the advantage of elbow room. She wore a sleeveless gold tunic belted at the waist, with the well-worn handle of an energy sword hanging on her right hip. Unlike ‘Talot, she did not have a long history of trade relations with the Vadam clan to protect. She had come out of gratitude for the aid ‘Vadam had provided in helping her clan settle on a new world following the destruction of Saepon’kal.
Once she was seated, ‘Vadam said, “Thank you for coming.” He did not offer food or refreshment, as the sharing of sustenance was an expression of unity that no kaidon would extend to an Oath Warden. “You know Ghe ‘Talot?”
Varo’dai’s attention remained locked on ‘Vadam. “We met after I arrived, but we have not found time for a meal together.”
“I see.” ‘Vadam turned to ‘Talot. “We will have to remedy that soon, will we not, Ghe?”
The old kaidon’s jaws clenched tight—which was more surprising to ‘Vadam than it probably should have been. Ghe ‘Talot was a staid traditionalist who supported ‘Vadam’s aspirations as much out of self-interest as idealism. He believed a united Concert of Worlds would need a powerful military, and that such a powerful military would need the rare elements his clan mined on Feldokra, as well as the dozens of former Covenant armories scattered across his state. And Olabisi Varo’dai was his opposite—a pragmatic female compelled by necessity to lead a life of radical nonconformity.
Olabisi had been forced at a young age to become the figurehead matriarch of a usurped keep. To ensure her survival, she had secretly trained a loyal cadre of female rangers, whom she had eventually needed to call out to defend her first nest. The loyal rangers had taken her enemies by surprise, slaying every usurper in the clan and securing her status as the first female Marshal of Varo. Decades later, when a failed ambush above Saepon’kal resulted in the detonation of the NOVA bomb, she had convinced the master of a late-arriving flotilla to forsake his original mission and begin rescue operations. Afterward, ‘Vadam had arranged a charter of colonization on an uninhabited world in the Emauzs system, and Olabisi Varo’dai had been chosen by the grateful survivors to become the first kaidon of Om’a’Varo—which meant “daughter of Varo” in the old Saepon’kal dialect. ‘Vadam was not sure whether the world’s name was meant to honor Olabisi or the home continent of most of the Sangheili she had saved, but he suspected it was both.
Now Olabisi Varo’dai had come to N’ba not because it profited her keep, but simply because the Arbiter had asked it of her. ‘Talot would no doubt consider it naive to commit warriors and vessels without a tangible benefit to one’s own clan. But Varo’dai was the kind of kaidon ‘Vadam needed if he hoped to see the Sangheili Concert of Worlds stand proud.
After allowing ‘Talot’s lack of response to hang in the air for too long, ‘Vadam turned to Varo’dai. “Tell me, Olabisi… how do we turn hope into knowledge?”
“It is no secret, Arbiter.” Varo’dai fixed her gaze on ‘Talot, an assertive posture that would no doubt irritate the old kaidon—and was probably meant to. “We clear the mine shell, then we go down and look.”
“How odd,” ‘Ayomuu said. “I could have sworn that was what your Seraphs are already doing.”
“It is.” Varo’dai glanced in the Oath Warden’s direction only long enough to part her lower mandibles as though she were about to regurgitate something, then returned her gaze to ‘Talot. “But far more of the shell would be cleared by now, had the kaidon from Feldokra committed his corvettes to the effort.”
‘Talot extended an arm toward Varo’dai and jabbed his finger against the tabletop. “As I told you, matriarch, my resources are better utilized studying surface topography.”
“Olabisi is a matriarch.” ‘Vadam was careful to keep his voice even and gentle, so ‘Talot would be able to guard his ego by viewing the rebuke as more of a suggestion. “But she is also a kaidon—one who sent a whole cadre of her rangers to me when the Blooding Years began. To this day, some remain with the Swords of Sanghelios. Let us address her by the more martial title.”
“A female kaidon?” ‘Talot angled his head away. “What fools did that?”
“Technically, a female high kaidon, as she leads all three keeps on Om’a’Varo.” ‘Vadam placed his palms on the table and leaned toward ‘Talot. “Ghe, when we turned against the Covenant, we changed the destiny of the galaxy. Now the Sangheili must change with it, or we are all lost. Olabisi has proven herself—not only as a capable leader, but as an honorable one. We will show her the respect she has earned.”
During the uneasy silence that followed, ‘Vadam realized that the delay in his arrival had cost more than time. ‘Talot and Varo’dai had allowed their differences of perspective to fester into an outright enmity preventing them from working together, and a critical task that should have been almost completed before ‘Vadam arrived was only half-done. Any advantage that he had hoped to win by moving quickly was lost. Now he would be fortunate to have a landing party on the surface before the Tyrant discovered where he had vanished to… or before Olympia Vale arrived with her own expedition.
After a long moment, ‘Talot finally met ‘Vadam’s gaze. “As you command, Arbiter.”
“It is hard to toss aside the traditions that have kept us strong for five millennia.” ‘Ayomuu’s voice grew smooth and intimate. “But if that is what the Arbiter demands of us, then that is what we must do.”
“It is what the times demand, not I.” ‘Vadam was beginning to wonder how much he still needed ‘Ayomuu’s cooperation. Given the Oath Warden’s obvious efforts to exploit the tension between ‘Talot and Varo’dai, it might be better for ‘Ayomuu to spend the rest of the expedition locked in a sleep pod. “Time is short, Oath Warden. Let us have no more of your interruptions. I would like to hear what Ghe has learned about N’ba’s topography.”
“Enough to target the areas we should map more precisely from lower orbits,” ‘Talot said. “We have identified thousands of anomalous mounds connected by roadways and dry riverbeds. They are spaced very regularly, at least a thousand xilapaces apart. They appear to be buried cities.”
Being a staunch Sangheili isolationist, ‘Talot was opting for the old Sangheili system of measurements. A pace was just under seven Covenant units or two human meters long, and a xilapace was a thousand paces… meaning the mounds in question were about seven million Covenant units apart, or two thousand human kilometers.
“That is a lot of territory for one city to control,” ‘Vadam observed. “Were there smaller mounds between them?”
“Not that our scanners could discern.”
“And certainly not from such a high orbit,” Varo’dai added. “Perhaps we can improve the resolution once we have cleared the mine shell.”
“I have no doubt.” ‘Vadam spoke quickly, trying to move the discussion along before ‘Talot could return the taunt. “But how will that help us figure out which mound to search? Or even know that it is a location we should be searching?”
“Wise questions,” ‘Ayomuu said. “Is it not a shame that we lack a xenoarchaeologist to answer them for us?”
‘Vadam shot the Oath Warden a warning look.
“I am only saying that Keely Iyuska is a determined human,” ‘Ayomuu said. “Had you told me that the UNSC was unlikely to send an expedition, perhaps I could have suggested a way to lure her onto yours.”
Before ‘Vadam could call for a security team to have ‘Ayomuu removed from the mess, Varo’dai locked gazes with the Oath Warden and asked, “What difference would that make? How can a human xenoarchaeologist find what is not there?”
An alarmed silence descended on the table, then ‘Talot finally asked, “What do you mean, not there?”
“Exactly what I said. The Tyrant has access to every record this Keely Iyuska does, and she is far more intelligent. If a human xenoarchaeologist can discern that there is a Guardian-killing weapon on N’ba, then so can the Tyrant. And yet… here we are. At N’ba. With no Guardian or any sign of the Tyrant’s forces of any kind trying to stop us. If the Guardian killer still existed—if it ever existed—surely we would have been attacked by now.”
“If that is what you believe,” ‘Ayomuu asked, “then why are you here?”
“Because the Arbiter asked it of me.” Varo’dai turned to ‘Vadam. “I will always answer your call, but I would not be performing my duty if I did not voice this misgiving. I have had patrols out since before the Raider’s Creche entered orbit. There are no enemy forces watching N’ba, and that makes no sense.”
“It does if the Guardian killer is still functional,” ‘Talot said. “Even the Tyrant does not have unlimited resources. Why send a Guardian if she knows it will only be destroyed?”
“Or perhaps she did send one,” ‘Ayomuu added, “and it has already been destroyed.”
Varo’dai raised her eyes to the overhead, but ‘Vadam was not so ready to dismiss their arguments.
“You did not see the Tyrant’s deployments in Vadam Valley,” he noted. “She was attempting to stop us there, desperate to capture Keely Iyuska. And when she failed, her harriers tracked the Sword of Harmony for days before we were finally able to free ourselves.”
“Then it sounds as if it is Keely Iyuska whom the Tyrant fears,” Varo’dai said. “Not us.”
“Is that not what I have been saying all along?” ‘Ayomuu asked. “The Tyrant fears Keely Iyuska because only she can find this weapon.”
“If the weapon exists,” ‘Vadam countered.
“Oh, it exists, Arbiter,” ‘Ayomuu said. “You would not be here if you did not believe that.”
Or at least believe it was possible, ‘Vadam admitted… but only to himself. The discussion was now circular, always ending up at the same points. He raised his hand, signaling for silence, and spent a few moments sorting through the various arguments, considering how likely it was that Keely Iyuska knew something Cortana did not, and whether the Tyrant could have some other reason for hunting the human. Was it possible that the xenoarchaeologist and Spartan Vale had not arrived at N’ba because they had already been taken? Did the absence of Cortana’s forces at N’ba suggest the Guardian killer no longer existed… or that it did?
The trouble was, all of these scenarios were plausible—but also disconnected, if not actually contradictory. The picture remained incomplete.
‘Vadam turned to Varo’dai. “Your patrols… what have they found here?”
“Asteroids and moons… what one would expect in an abandoned system.”
“But N’ba has not been abandoned for that long,” ‘Vadam said. “The UNSC and the Covenant fought here just decades ago. There should still be derelict communication and reconnaissance satellites in orbit, and likely vessel parts and debris—some evidence of battle. And the planet is surrounded by a mine shell, so you should have found slipspace alert beacons in the equilibrium points. Did you?”
“We came upon a few vessel parts in orbit, but no satellites,” Varo’dai said. “And we detected some ghost returns from one of the equilibrium points. When we investigated, we found beacon debris.”
“Were they modern beacons?” ‘Vadam asked. “Or from something earlier in the war?”
“We did not think to check.” Varo’dai glanced away. “In truth, I could not even tell you whether it had been a Covenant beacon or human. I apologize, Arbiter.”
“There is no need to.” As ‘Vadam spoke, he was careful to avoid looking in ‘Talot’s direction. “At least you launched the investigation.”
“Ah, battle debris… at the site of a battle… how interesting.” ‘Ayomuu glanced in ‘Talot’s direction. “I assume all of this actually means something?”
