Ninth Age of Reclamation

36th Cycle, 176 Units (Covenant Battle Calendar)

Fleet of Inexorable Obedience, Assault Carrier Pious Rampage

High Equatorial Orbit, Planet Zhoist, Buta System

Tel ‘Szatulai found his hand resting on the hilt of his energy sword . . . again. It was an unconscious action that had arisen with the summons to attend Fleetmaster ‘Kvarosee, and the nearer he drew to the Pious Rampage’s High Battle Sanctum, the more powerful it became.

And that was a problem. He had been summoned from the Sacred Whisper in the middle of a combat vigil, and now he was allowing his resentment to subvert his focus.

With a battle coming.

‘Szatulai reached the sanctum and paused at the threshold. The two Sangheili sentries snapped their carbines to present arms, clearing the entrance and indicating he was free to enter. ‘Szatulai ignored them and remained where he was, thinking only of controlling his breath and effusing his anger on each exhalation. The Spartans would come to him in their own time; he would not bring them any sooner by crouching in his observation blister, staring out at the emptiness to where he thought they should be.

After a time, a sentry dared to speak. “You are free to enter, Blademaster. They are expecting you.”

They. Of course, it would have been the San’Shyuum who sent for him, who believed that the Covenant should be able to command their enemies as they did their acolytes.

Without responding to the sentry, ‘Szatulai entered the sanctum. He was immediately confronted by a two-story tactical holograph of the Zhoist planetary system, complete with its moon, its libration-point outposts, and the complex of orbital fleet-support stations known as the Ring of Mighty Abundance. The Fleet of Inexorable Obedience was shown in its shielding circle. Even the positions of the outpost squadrons and fighter patrols were posted. What was lacking, of course, was any hint of where the enemy stealth craft might be.

On the near side of the holograph stood fifteen aides and plotters, all busy conversing with each other and pretending they had not noticed ‘Szatulai’s arrival. Fleetmaster ‘Kvarosee was alone on the far side of the compartment, glaring at the holograph as he paced back and forth. The fleet’s San’Shyuum magistrate, the Minor Minister of Artifact Survey, sat in his antigrav chair by the corner behind ‘Kvarosee, stroking his chin wattles and swinging his long neck from side to side as he watched the fleetmaster pace.

When Survey noticed ‘Szatulai approaching, he floated his chair forward and extended a spindly finger toward ‘Kvarosee. “He’s been like that since the attack on Outpost Three.”

‘Szatulai felt his hand dropping toward his energy sword and tried to go around. Survey blocked his way, and ‘Szatulai found himself glancing around the compartment, wondering if anyone would be troubled enough by the San’Shyuum’s death to report it and risk the Silent Shadow’s retaliation.

“Perhaps you can make him see what a mistake this was,” Survey said.

“Mistake?”

“That.” Survey flung a slender hand toward the holograph. “Surely you see what the humans are doing?”

“Launching a stealth attack on Zhoist, as I predicted,” ‘Szatulai said. “What do you see?”

“A diversion!” Survey said. “A small force sent to hold us here while they attack High Charity!”

That illogical nonsense again. ‘Szatulai sidestepped Survey’s chair. When the San’Shyuum tried to block his way once more, the Sangheili pushed the chair aside and continued toward ‘Kvarosee. He noticed that his hand had returned to the hilt of his energy sword and did not remove it.

‘Kvarosee continued to pace and did not stop until ‘Szatulai placed himself squarely in front of the fleetmaster.

“You summoned me, Fleetmaster.” ‘Szatulai’s tone was intentionally flat and hard. “I was in the middle of a combat vigil.”

‘Kvarosee’s gaze finally swung from the holograph, and ‘Szatulai was not surprised to see that the fleetmaster’s eyes had gone soft with uncertainty. It was clear that Survey had been working on him, filling his head with reasons to return the fleet to High Charity.

“I may have made a critical error in strategy, Blademaster.” ‘Kvarosee turned and pointed toward the tactical holograph. “The humans have attacked only our outposts.”

“So far,” ‘Szatulai said. It had appalled him to see the doubt in ‘Kvarosee’s eyes, but now he found himself awed by the fleetmaster’s honor. It had been ‘Szatulai who argued for a retreat to defend Zhoist, yet ‘Kvarosee was blaming only himself. “More attacks will come.”

“And how long must we wait?” Survey demanded, floating up behind ‘Szatulai. “Until High Charity itself has fallen?”

When ‘Szatulai did not reply, ‘Kvarosee allowed his mandibles to gape ever so slightly in amusement. He pointed his finger at the holograph again, this time wagging it so ‘Szatulai would look.

“The humans are making only minor attacks with a small force,” he said. “Three of their vessels have already withdrawn, and there are only a handful engaging now.”

‘Szatulai looked and saw one apparent engagement, where flights of Banshees and Seraphs were dropping down from the Ring of Mighty Abundance to engage a human craft in a lower orbit. He pointed at the fight.

“What is happening there?”

“Nothing to worry about,” Survey said. “Another diversion.”

“It was a surface raid,” ‘Kvarosee said, seeming to sense ‘Szatulai’s alarm. “A handful of stealth craft made comet-strike entries over the poles. Two of them survived long enough to attack sky lifts.”

“And?”

“And it was a feint,” Survey insisted. “They destroyed some equipment and killed some drudges.”

“But the sky lifts were unaffected?”

“Is that not what I just said?” Survey asked.

‘Kvarosee shot Survey a look that suggested he wanted to tie the San’Shyuum’s long neck into a knot, then turned back to ‘Szatulai.

“What troubles you, Blademaster?”

“That I was not told of this sooner.” ‘Szatulai turned and started toward the exit. “I hope there is still time.”

“Time for what?” ‘Kvarosee fell in at his side. “Three of their attack craft have been turned away or destroyed already, and the last will not make it out of orbit.”

“It doesn’t matter,” ‘Szatulai said. “Their ploy succeeded.”

‘Kvarosee grabbed ‘Szatulai by the shoulder—a liberty he survived only because of the honor he had shown earlier, when he had assumed sole responsibility for his imaginary mistake.

“Explain yourself, Blademaster.”

“As you wish, but listen well—I have no time to repeat myself.”

‘Kvarosee clacked his mandibles for ‘Szatulai to continue.

“The humans were not trying to destroy the sky lifts,” he said. “They wanted to use them.”

‘Kvarosee’s nostrils flared so wide they looked like a second set of eyes. “What?”

“Confirm it with the Planetary Lord, if you wish.” ‘Szatulai pulled free of the fleetmaster’s grasp and headed for the exit again. “But I must go. The humans are already in the sky lifts.”

“Then there is no problem,” Survey said. “Simply reverse the lifts.”

“And return them to the surface of a holy world? To defile it further?” ‘Kvarosee was clearly aghast. Zhoist was the sacred abode of the Ten Cities of Edification, which had once been a home to the Forerunners themselves. The entire planet was viewed as holy to the Covenant because so much of the knowledge that empowered its starship and weapons technology had been recovered from the ancient guild halls dominating the hallowed cities, and there were still thousands of artisans and engineers hard at work trying to understand the wonders that the Forerunners had left for them to discover—wonders that no infidel could ever be permitted to see. “I cannot believe a Minor Minister would utter such blasphemy.”

“I am only suggesting a way to undo your incompetence,” Survey replied. “The Hierarchs will punish you less for defilement than for losing an entire fleet station.”

“It would be more than defilement,” ‘Szatulai said. “If we reverse the sky lifts now, the Spartans will escape across Zhoist and bathe in the forbidden light of the Forerunners’ divine knowledge, and then who will be to blame?”

“Not I.” ‘Kvarosee motioned ‘Szatulai toward the exit. “Go and kill them while you still can.”