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2020-11-09
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Sangheili and Large Cats

Chapter 11: Sangheili and Large Cats ch11 a engineers touch

Chapter Text

As soon as they stepped out of the Prophet’s room and into the hall, a small Unggoy in the remarkable jet black of the Special Operations branch of the Covenant military approached them. It looked R’tas up and down quickly first and then turned to Kipo and nodded, turning and waving for them to follow.

 

“Your new guide.” One of the Honor Guard explained in brief when R’Tas hesitated to follow. “Follow.”

 

Dutifully, he did exactly that, following along behind the shuffling little creature while it muttered irritably to itself. He felt safe to guess that it was because of his hesitation over following it, but didn’t truly care terribly. So long as the little cretin kept its unwanted opinions to itself, at least.

 

More importantly, Kipo was being very quiet. Enough to worry him into asking, “Are you alright, Kipo?”

 

“Mhm.” She nodded and shrugged, turning a curious look on a trio of armored Sangheili as they passed them by, “Just… Thinking. That’s all.”

 

“A dangerous game for you...” She shot him a glare and he rumbled a laugh, waving her off, “I jest, of course, Kipo.”

 

“Uh huh.” She elbowed his forearm as they walked and grunted, quietly, “Jerk.”

 

“You can always talk to me if you have concerns.” He told her, raising his voice meaningfully and adding. “Presuming, of course, that we have time to spend on such concerns?”

 

“Special Operations several decks away.” The Grunt answered quietly, turning to talk to them and shuffling to the side while he did, rather like one of the small crustaceans he’d seen on the beaches on occasion. “Have time. Can take longer way if want more.”

 

“That will not be necessary.” He nodded his thanks and the squat creature turned back the way they were headed. To Kipo he said, “See? We have time to talk, if you need it.”

 

“I just…” She shrugged, “I don’t like being sent off to hurt people so we look good , you know?”

 

“That isn’t why we are being-”

 

“No, that isn’t why someone isn’t being sent. Someone is being sent because they’re hurting people, we don’t know what they’re going to do, and they need to be stopped.” Kipo cut in to say, gesturing between the two of them with a hand. “ We are being sent to hurt them so that we look good.”

 

“I suppose you’re right.” He admitted after a quiet moment, “But such is the way of the world we live in, I fear.”

 

“I know, and I don’t like that.” She sighed and shrugged again, “But it’s nothing we can do anything about. So I’m aggravated, but just… Gotta deal, ya know?”

 

“I understand.” He nodded and let the topic die there. More than a few times, he had disliked his lot, or the things happening around him. But, as she said, sometimes you just had to force yourself to accept things the way they were and move along. Instead of letting the silence linger, though, he asked, “Have you considered what kind of equipment you wish to take yet?”

 

“I’m… Thinking about it.” She answered coyly, rubbing the back of her head when he gave her a look and explaining quietly, “I mean, you know, I have a couple ideas. But I don’t think people will be happy about my picks.”

 

“They aren’t the ones using the equipment.” He pointed out simply, “They get no say, unless they are your superior. Even then, your Lance ought to have been built with an understanding of your chosen weapons.”

 

“If you’re sure…”

 

“I am.” He nodded simply, “Just be sure of your choice.”

 

“Alright.” She nodded in kind, smiling a bit more warmly, “I-I’ll do as you say, then.”

 

“Good.” He nodded, “So long as you perform your duties well I am sure few will question your decisions.”

 

“Yeah, I guess-”

 

“We here now.” The little Unggoy grunted suddenly as they reached a wide set of dark violet double doors flanked by a pair of Unggoy guards who watched them sharply. The Unggoy waved a hand at the door and added, sharply, “Armory. You go in. Get your stuff. I wait.”

 

“Very well...”

 

“Thank you.” Kipo cut in when he took a step forward. R’Tas hesitated for it, and then sighed and turned to see the female kneeling, gently patting the Unggoy’s head and smiling warmly. “I appreciate you bringing us all the way down here! What’s your name?”

 

“Um…” It hesitated for a moment, but leaned into the affection and answered quietly, “Kipkip.”

 

“Well, thank you again, Kipkip.” She smiled, standing and waving the creature off as it shuffled away unsurely. When she turned to him she met his confused gaze with a pout and crossed her arms. “What? I’m just bein’ nice.”

 

“Indeed.” He rumbled a laugh and waved her off, “Did I say anything?”

 

“No, but you thought it…”

 

“You can read minds now?”

 

“Only yours.” She smirked and shrugged, “You kind of have an obvious face, ya know?”

 

“I do?” He blinked, fingers drifting up to touch the side of his head curiously. “No one has ever said that to me…”

 

“Yeah, well, it’s true.” She chuckled, waving at the curious guard Grunts with a hand and a smile. “Your mandibles always purse differently depending on how you’re feeling, for one. And you get this glint in your eye when you’re joking, too.”

 

“Interesting…”

 

“I guess.” She shrugged again, waving a hand at the door, now, and asking, “Shouldn’t we get going, though? Kinda wasting time out here, aren’t cha, chatterbox?”

 

“I despise you sometimes…”

 

Back on Sanghelios, Vadum Keep’s armory was an ancient construction that had since been refurbished and modernized a hundred and one times. And it showed, in old, cracked stone reinforced my metal and crossed by wires concealed by large display panels and maintenance tables. The Minister’s ship, though, was far more modern and their armory showed. And for obvious reasons, too.

 

Their armory was larger, spread over two floors bridged by a pair of circling stairs in the corners to the side of the door. The floor he was on was ringed by recessed shelves and gravity fields that held every weapon and ordinance piece he knew of. The second, he figured, would be where the armor was kept, since he didn’t see any armor here. And the center of the room was taken up by disposal bins and work-benches manned by quietly working Elites and a single floating Engineer that plucked seemingly random pieces from its exasperated masters to work on before returning them.

 

That none complained, and some even seemed impressed with the weapons and tools afterward told him why it was tolerated.

 

“Speak, Minor.” He turned an nearly flinched at the sudden proximity of an Elite that came up only to Kipo’s head, and thus his shoulder, who was standing directly beside him. His armor was sleek and violet colored, with the all encompassing assault helmet of a more experienced operative.

 

And he chuckled when he noticed R’Tas’ surprise.

 

“You will adjust to our silent steps in time, Minor.” He spoke, flicking a look to Kipo when she stepped around R’Tas wider frame. Nodding, the warrior said, “Ah, you are the Sacred One’s chosen guardian. We were told of you.”

 

“Indeed, we are-”

 

“Kipo!” She cut in, leaning over and grinning widely. “Appreciate if you call me that, too.”

 

“...here to be properly equipped, according to the Minister’s orders.” R’Tas sighed wearily, shaking his head and adding, “And forgive her, she is… Not one to stand on ceremony, quite ironically.”

 

“It’s my ceremony, though?”

 

“It’s important.” R’Tas sighed, “And a sign of respect and dignity besides. I do not understand your dislike of this, even now…”

 

“Just feels weird.” She shrugged, “So I don’t like it.”

 

“We will call the Sacred- Kipo ,” the Elite corrected meaningfully with a bow of his helmed head, “as she wishes to be called. What is the harm, after all? She is unlike any other creature the Covenant knows of, so anonymity is irrelevant. And going against her wishes would be an insult without need, unless one of the Hierarchs’ orders elsewise.”

 

“I suppose…”

 

“Regardless, you both need your armor.” The Spec-Ops officer grunted shortly, turning and walking away without the faintest hint of a sound. “Follow.”

 

The armory upstairs was the same layout as below, lined by armor rather than weapons. Unlike below, though, only a single Sangheili was working up here, while three of the floating Engineers were busy in a corner. Working on what, R’Tas could not see past their bulbous forms, but they seemed entirely devoted to the task. And his superior paid them no mind, walking over to one of the hanging sets of armor and prompting him to follow.

 

“This,” the older Elite said, nodding at the Spec-Ops Minor armor, which was admittedly essentially a mirror to his own, albeit painted black, “will be your armor. It is fitted with limited stealth capabilities, as well as a more advanced communications device to work in tandem with your brothers. Its shields are somewhat limited, though. The power and internal systems normally diverted to shields are used in the stealth systems instead.”

 

“It will do.” R’Tas rumbled quietly, “And thank you.”

 

“You may thank me by doing your duty.” The other Elite answered simply, offering a pair of weapons as he turned to him. “A simple plasma rifle and an equally simple energy sword. The starting essentials.”

 

“So I have heard.” Many schools of Sangheili service armed their warriors thusly, after all. “Shall I get into my armor then?”

 

“Do so.” The Elite nodded, “I will oversee your charge’s arming as well while you do.”

 

He nodded and set to his task. Thankfully, the armor’s fastenings and strappings were more or less exactly the same as the Minor armor he’d come in wearing, so the task wasn’t exactly a difficult one. When he turned, though, it was to find the Spec-Ops warrior watching while the Engineers swarmed Kipo, whose arms were just visible above the writhing mess.

 

“What is happening…?”

 

“Your companion shed her robes and the Engineers lost their collective minds over her body glove.” The Elite explained simply, “Now, on my orders, they are putting her armor on while they inspect the divine apparel.”

 

“I see.”

 

“R’Tas, I think they’re eating me!” The girl squealed, having no doubt heard his voice while he spoke to the officer beside him.

 

“Nonsense!” He called back through a chuckle, “They’d only be eating you if they were using their tentacles!”

 

“Uuum!”

 

After a few more moments, the Engineers seemed satisfied and relented, nearly dropping the woman entirely as they floated back and away.

 

Her armor was of a lighter bent than his own, and consisted mainly of a pair of gauntlets and greaves that covered her limbs in layered, plated metal. Each was painted a dark blue, and covered in a dull gold spiraling pattern. A pair of light pauldrons were fitted to her shoulders too, dark scales stretching down from them to cover her back and link to a heavy, armored belt that hung around her waist.

 

“It is light armor, to be sure.” The Spec-Ops Elite murmured, “But it ensures you have a shielding system that we can predict. Important knowledge for your brothers in the Lance. They will use that knowledge to know when, and how, to support you in combat.”

 

“That makes sense, I guess.” The young warrior nodded, looking at the little hood in her hands and chewing her lip. Quietly, she asked, “Do I have to wear this, though? I hate hats and stuff like this…”

 

“It is to prevent you suffocating or being poisoned.” R’Tas answered her, paying his fellow a look for confirmation. When the Elite nodded quietly, he went on, “So yes, please wear it. For my own peace of mind if nothing else.”

 

“If you really want me to…” He nodded, and she sighed, “Fine, I guess I have to.”

 

The hood was matte-black and fit snugly to the shape of her head. It wrapped tightly around her throat, too, and ran down to latch onto the pauldrons and the thin strip or scales like the ones on her back. The front was a wide visor that encompassed her entire face and was tinted a dull silver edged in the same dul gold that patterned her gauntlets and greaves, which spiraled around the hood as well.

 

“So, uh…” She spread her arms and flicked a look between the two Elites in front of her. “How do I look?”

 

“Lethal.” The Spec-Ops veteran answered, “And ready for battle.”

 

“Like a sea-shell with legs.” R’Tas answered with a rumbling laugh that earned him a visored glare. Waving her off, he answered more honestly, “You look fine enough, Kipo. Where are her weapons?”

 

“Here.” He answered simply, producing the long, sleek form of a Carbine from his back and offering it alongside the same type of energy sword he’d been given. She took the weapons awkwardly, hooking the sword to her belt before looking over the Carbine curiously. “I was told you preferred more precise weapons to automatic ones, and while we don’t usually offer such to Minors, I felt an exception could be made.”

 

“Um, thanks.” She nodded, and then flicked a look to R’Tas anxiously. When he only nodded to his older companion, she sighed and asked, “But, um… Can I ask for one more exception?”

 

“I suppose there’s no harm in it…”

 

“I, uh, I want a shield gauntlet.” She said, rushing to add, before he could respond, “I just… I’m so strong, I figured I could use one to get in close. Surprise people and overpower ‘em. And, you know, keep my team safer.”

 

“I see the logic there… You are far stronger than what most would expect on seeing you, by the reports I was given at the least.” Humming, the Elite nodded and shrugged, “Very well then. I will send for a shield gauntlet for you. Normally I would not, but… I will make the exception for your status.”

 

“T-Thanks…” She murmured, caught between feeling put out for the preferentialism going on but feeling happy to get what she wanted, at least judging from her face. She shook it off, though, and asked, “So, um… The mission?”

 

“A simple affair.” The Elite answered simply, “You two will join my Lance in assaulting the installation the Heretics are using. Lance Two and Lance Three will assault elsewhere and cover our flanks while we perform a breaching maneuver, right through to the heretic leader himself. Once we fell him, we withdraw and leave Two and Three to mop up the facility.”

 

“We aren’t gonna stay and help?”

 

“No, we do not.” He answered, “We have the hardest job, so we’re expecting more expended resources and casualties. So, we pull out first, and leave the other two elements to handle the disorganized, panicked remainders.”

 

“He who reaps the fields does not mill the grains.” R’Tas offered simply, “Those who do the hardest, most dangerous parts of a task are spared the tedium and toil of the rest.”

 

“Alright, then…” She nodded, “Anything, um, else?”

 

“No.” The veteran answered, turning to leave and adding a parting. “Rest and prepare as best you can.  Tomorrow, we will drill together. But for now, you may enjoy your day as you wish to.”