Chapter VI
Legacy Of The Precursors
Chapter VI
It took a long time to calm down the hysterical blue vixen. "What happened?" Fox demanded worriedly. "You were standing there and then you fainted."
She was still sniffling and the other women were tending to her. "I-I got into his mind." She hiccuped.
"And?" Miyu asked.
"Suffering...so much suffering." Was all the traumatized vixen could say.
"Alright just relax." Fay mummered gently as she brought Krystal into a hug to calm her down. Slippy feeling uncomfortable had left somewhere.
Fox walked over to Wrath as he knew him. "Wrath, hey are you alright? I know Falco can be a dick sometimes...hey can you hear me?" Fox nudged him softly. The helmeted head looked up.
With a roar of blood rushing back into his head Conner looked up into the concerned sea green eyes of the vulpine, Fox. "Hey can you hear me?"
"Yes." Conner said emotionlessly.
"Are you...okay?" Fox asked slowly.
"I'm fine." He replied simply.
"Good....uh," Fox fumbled for something to say. "Uh...you wanted to go to the practice field right?" He was wringing his paws nervously.
The spartan, even though sitting down, was eye level with the vulpine. "Yes I did, you can take me there?"
"Sure can!" Fox said loudly returning to his old self.
"That would be most appreciated."
The large spartan stood up slowly. Fox was amazed that the powersuit didn't emit any noise. In fact it seemed to make him quieter. "Okay then follow me." Fox said tail flicking in the direction he wanted to go. Conner was about to follow when he paused.
The blue vixen.
She was shivering in the arms of the collie woman, Fay. That was strange. "What happened to her?" He asked Fox.
Fox hesitated. "She...uh...well...uh...tried to read...uh your mind." He hoped that the spartan wouldn't freak out. He really didn't want to see anything like that again.
Fox watched alarmed as the spartan walked over to Krystal. But was surprised when he told Fay to move, and when she did, gently lifted Krystal into his armored arms and carried her back to Fox. An astonished Miyu and Fay in tow. "Let us go." Is all he said.
"Uh...sure." Fox said haltingly. They walked until they arrived at the huge open field right outside the building that had members of the cornerian armed forces or CAF as the pilots called them.
Krystal was cold for some reason. She was shivering as Fay tried to warm her up. She was thankful for the upbeat collie's help. She was always so nice and positive about everything. A good friend. When the warm paws of her friend disappeared she was confused. That was at least until she felt armored arms encircle her and lift her up ever so carefully. Curious she looked up to her helper. It was Conner. He looked down at her through his red visored helm as he carried her in his strong arms. She began to feel a different kind of warmth, on the inside. It was welcoming and protective. It made her feel content. All the horrible things she had seen in his mind drifted away, like leaves in the wind.
She could feel the powerful stride of the spartan, like coiled up springs ready to burst at a moments notice. Her mind was so distracted by the warm fuzzy feeling she didn't even notice that he had set her down on a bench and walked off. "Hey Krys are you okay?" Miyu asked. "You look out of it."
"Oh! I'm fine." She said quickly. As she studied the retreating form of her savior. "It was actually kind of nice."
"What?" Miyu asked, confused.
"When he held me...it was nice." Krystal said, now she was blushing.
"I'll bet!" Fay said
"How was it?" Miyu wondered. She tried to play it off but Krystal knew she was interested
"He made me feel safe and warm." Krystal said with a faint smile on her muzzle.
"Sounds nice." Miyu said with an air of indifference. Although Krystal could see her watching the spartan as he walked on to the field with Fox alongside. Slitted irises watching his every move.
"This is it?" Conner asked. It was actually very large and had closed of sections that looked like arenas.
"This is it." Fox affirmed.
"It will have to do...You have training bots?" Conner said in surprise as he saw a squad of light armored dogs fighting with a equal sized team of robots in a walled off arena type environment. They traded bolts of red energy, occasionally a dog would yelp signaling a connected shot. It reminded him of his time at the facility. Except he didn't have a squad and the UNSC didn't have robots.
"Technically they're war droids. But when our soldiers train they are set on nonlethal." Fox explained.
"So....they can be destroyed?" Conner asked as he saw one get its wolffish cranium popped with a successful sniper beam.
"Yeah we just fix them up and set them out again. I have the highest combat score!" Fox proclaimed proudly. "Twenty of them against me and I won."
"Huh...can I use them?"
"Sure." Fox signaled for a husky in armor, who walked over and looked at the spartan with the usual awe filled expression.
"Wh-what can I do for you Mccloud?"
"My big friend here wants to set up a match." Fox said slapping Conner on the back. His paw hit the hard metal and bounced off painfully. "Ow." He waved his paw trying to make the pain go away.
"Sure I'm sure I can get a few of my friends to join in."
"No." Conner said seriously "I want to go alone."
"A-alright then. How many do you want to fight?"
"Forty five." Conner deadpanned.
The husky's muzzle fell as did Fox's. "You can't be serious."
"Deadly."
"Okay then I'll have the field prepared." As the dog walked off the spartan stopped him again.
"I want them on lethal."
The husky's eyes bulged and he began to splutter."
"That's not allowed."
"I don't care." Conner growled.
The poor dog looked to Fox for support. He had mysteriously vanished leaving the dog alone to face the wrath...of wrath.
"Uh-uh okay...I'll just set it up!" The dog said quickly before running down the field and to the small building, presumably for the management of the simulations. In preparation for his first fight in a long time he rebooted his armor's shield system, ran a diagnostic on the suit to find any faults. Then he unholstered his pistol.
The MX-34 laser pistol, or CARNAGER, was the leading handgun for spartans after the events on requiem and was designed off of the forerunner boltshot. It combined the hardlight weapon and the old standard issue magnum to create a powerful new piece of gear. Large enough to fit in a spartans grip and powerful enough to knock down a rampaging brute, it was the weapon of choice for most if not all spartan IVs.
His other weapon was much more special. It was a custom energy sword. Made by one of the only friends he had ever made. A sangheili zealot, Va'tam. They had gone on many missions together against the storm, the covenant remnants, and had saved each other's lives. In thanks Va'tam had crafted a weapon suitable for a brother, as he put it. He had heard of the human knights of old. Noble and honorable warriors of earths ancient past. So he had made it to emulate their weapon of choice, the longsword. Conner had only made one small request, he wanted the blade's color to be red. When Va'tam asked him why he had simply responded "vengeance." He had understood.
Conner stood waiting for the dog to comeback and point him to the arena. He occupied his time rubbing the activator rune on the hilt of his sword. Lost in his memories.
Fox was sitting with Slippy who had come back from his self imposed exile. "What's he doing?" Krystal, Miyu, and Fay were a short ways off talking amongst themselves.
"He want to go toe to toe with forty five war droids." Fox said slightly unbelieving.
"Wow!" Slippy exclaimed.
"Yeah." Fox left when he first thought Conner was going to erupt on the poor husky so he hadn't heard the demand for the droids to be lethal. While he talked with Slippy he saw Pepper, Peppy, and a penitent looking Falco emerge from the main building and walk over to him.
"Fox." Pepper greeted.
"Hi General."
"Where is Wrath?"
"Standing over there." Fox pointed a clawed digit.
Pepper and the new arrivals looked to see the tall intimidating bulk of the spartan as he stood in the middle of the field and stared at his sword hilt.
"What's he doing?" Peppy wondered.
"Waiting."
"For what?"
"He asked to fight with a group of the war androids, he was very persuasive. Now he waits till the field is ready." As Fox said that they saw a husky walk over and briefly talk with the spartan. He nodded and followed him down the field to a now cleared arena.
Then another rushed over to Pepper and relayed something to him that made the old dog frown.
The tired cornerians that had just exited froze when they noticed the metal behemoth striding over, each contact with the boot to the ground caused a noticeable tremor, it was led by an outsized dog. What was it? they wondered. Was it a new war droid? Experimental exo suit? An assault mech? The group of tired soldiers wondered at it as they watched.
"Is this the place?" It spoke in a deep dangerous voice.
"Yes sir, the droids will be placed momentarily." The dog said to the massive...thing.
"Excellent...thank you for your assistance."
The canine bobbed his head and left. leaving Conner there with the cornerians who stared at him. After a minute he couldn't take it anymore. "Can I help you?" He growled.
"N-n-no we-we were ju-just leaving!" The sergeant of the squad stuttered and ushered his men away. Conner sighed as he watched them go. He was getting too emotional again. He needed to vent. As he reached for the door he heard someone shout his codename.
"Wrath! Wait!" He withdrew his gauntlet reluctantly and turned around. It was that team of mercenaries and the general. They did not look happy.
"What's this about lethal droids!" Fox demanded.
"I requested it." He answered simply.
"Why? You could die!" Krystal asked, worried for him.
"I don't train with piecemeal enemies, it's all or nothing."
"Still, what if you get hurt?" Fay asked concernedly.
"Then I need to train harder." He said with his childlike simplification. He dismissed the matter. He was going to do it either way.
Conner noticed that the avian, Falco was standing to the side of the group dejectedly staring at the ground. He knew that a team needed all its members to function properly. He stuck out his gauntlet. "Forgiven." Was all he said.
The avian looked up and stared at the black armored hand. Then he looked up to the red visor watching him. Slowly he grasped the offered gauntlet. He could feel the power in it as it closed around his hand and shook it. The spartan could have snapped it like a twig if he so wished, 'and I would deserve it' Falco thought. "Thanks." Was what he said though.
The spartan nodded and in a rare moment of openness , that was slowly becoming...something, gave a little more information about himself. "You can call me Conner, wraths my callsign."
Falco returned the nod with a smile and said "alright then...Conner, nice to meet you." The team looked on happily to see the two at odds men reach an understanding and to learn a little more about the human.
"Now of you'll excuse me I have some things to take care of." The spartan slipped past them and into the door before they could object.
"He's going to get himself killed." Slippy muttered.
"I for one want to see him in action." Miyu said and went to the observation room tail swinging lazily. They followed her to where evaluators could judge the teams fought down below.
"I agree." Pepper said and followed. Everyone else wanted to see for themselves as well. So they shortly found themselves in the observatory.
Conner was standing in the center of the field. He was wielding his large pistol and the hilt of his energy sword. The opposite doors opened and out with a clamber came forty five war droids.
War droids were a fairly new addition to the CDF. They stood at six feet and were constructed of the strongest metals ever designed by cornerian scientists. Each sported a VANDEL blaster rifle and an energy dagger. Both, in this instance, set to lethal modes. The droids came in squads of five and approached the spartan.
"This isnt going to end well." Slippy muttered.
"Come on have a little faith!" Falco exclaimed surprising them all. "What? Can't a guy have a change of heart?"
"Yes a guy can." Fox said and patted his friend on the shoulder.
"Hey something's happening!" Fay shouted.
The droids got closer. Conner reveled in their confident pace. He would be happy to dissuade them. He thumbed the activation rune and with a snap hiss the crackling crimson energy blade erupted from within its confines. He slowed his breath and drew forth all his emotions of rage, sadness, helplessness, confusion, and pain. He had become wrath.
I'm a blur of movement too fast for the viewers to comprehend Wrath flew forward and lanced his gleaming blade into the chest cavity of one of the droids. He rammed the barrel of his pistol into the adjacent one so hard it actually went through the metal. He fired three pulses into its head vaporizing it while simultaneously dragging his blade up through the original combatants torso in a bright shower of sparks and tore it to the right plunging it into the chest of the droid on his left.
Two point five seconds had gone by.
Continuing his rampage Wrath barreled through the wreckage of the droid in front of him crumpling it as he smashed into the next one. It folded in on itself under the spartan's incredible weight. He scythed out a foot cutting one in half with the force alone. During the kick he fired a burst of energy from his pistol that tore into the armor of the nearby droids bypassing it completely to lay waste to the internal circuitry.
A droid lunged at him with a dagger of beaming energy. And they gasped as he twisted his helmet minutely causing the energized blade to miss him by a hairsbreadth. He thrusted his weapon into its chest and left it there. Then Wrath grabbed the metallic wrist and tightened his grip. The metal shattered as he brought his great strength down. He turned the jagged limb and stabbed it into the bots neck decapitating it, and with a flourish retrieved his sword
Wrath was a whirlwind of destruction as he decimated the droid attack force. In less then five minutes he had reduced them from forty five to thirteen.
"Amazing!" Pepper exclaimed.
It was starfox agreed. He was a living weapon. Not a single motion was without purpose. Each was crafted into a killing blow or disabling strike. It was almost effortless, the way he destroyed his foes...no not foes, victims. This was not even a one sided fight, it was a systematic slaughter.
"Wow." Fox muttered.
Then the opposite doors opened again and a large robotic ape even bigger then the spartan stomped out onto the field.
"What is that?" Slippy wondered
"That, is the kong heavy assault mech. The armor is made of starship hull plating. But it shouldn't be here, it's still in the prototype phase. Who authorized this?" Pepper sounded really angry.
Wrath froze. Thumping up to him was a robotic ape. His rational side, Conner knew it wasn't a brute. But Wrath didn't care, if it looked like a brute then to him it was a brute. He ignored the few droids still standing and barreled towards the titanic battle bot.
"What's he doing?" Miyu shouted. "He can't fight that!"
Apparently he could. Wrath threw his sword and it stuck into the ape bot's right leg. It kneeled and tried to stand. Wrath didn't give it a chance. With a quiet growl he impacted against its chestplate sending them both to the floor. Unrelenting Wrath vented in its body. Still growling like a feral beast he brutalized it. Gauntlets raining down blows on its chest caving it in. Wrath was firing his sidearm into its head as he pummeled it. Then with a mighty roar his fist punched into its side. He dug it around until he yanked out a glowing power core. Wrath crushed it in his gauntlets. The once powerful robot stopped moving.
Wrath got off of the wreckage, looked over to the thirteen surviving droids and scored thirteen perfect headshots in rapid succession. The droids stood stock still without heads before falling in heaps of useless scrap. Barrel still cooling, Wrath holstered it and retrieved his blade from the metal monster's leg. With a flick of a rune the sword deactivated and was placed on his waist. He then walked through the massacre of his own design and exited the arena without a word.
Miyu had only one thing to say.
"Damn."
They filed out if the observation room quickly to find the spartan leaning against a wall next to the door. He stood their silent and unmoving.
"That was so cool!" Slippy exclaimed as he ran over to the stalwart spartan.
"Good to see you in one piece." Fox said as he walked up. The spartan nodded. "You okay?" Fox was curious as to why he was so silent.
Conner felt better. He once more had his emotions under control acting like a spartan should. He no longer had the desire to talk, did not feel compelled to. He was back to his old self.
"I don know who put the prototype robot in, but rest assure I will find the culprit." Pepper swore to the spartan.
Honestly he didn't care who did it. It was a welcome reprieve from so long with out conflict. But to humor the old hound he nodded again.
"Are you sure your okay?" Fay asked disturbed by his silence. They must have thought something was wrong. There wasn't, he was just content once more. His emotions clamped back down under his iron will. They would not understand.
He decided to answer just to get then to stop asking. "I'm fine." He said, voice lacking any emotion what so ever. Before they could worry anymore he changed tactics. "We should get back to the briefing." He muttered before standing from his leaning position and walking back to Pepper's office. Every single cornerian on the field stared at him as he thudded down the field.
Krystal gazed concernedly at the back of the retreating spartan. It was strange. Before the fight he was emotional in some way, now he like a robot, much like the ones he had just destroyed. She was worried, and judging by the looks from the other women they were too.
"He's an odd fellow huh?" Pepper asked Fox.
"I've only known him a very short time but yeah, he is a little." Fox confirmed.
"Well we better go after him." Falco grunted and moved to catch up with the spartan.
"Falco is right we best be going." Peppy agreed urging Slippy to go faster, who was lagging behind for some reason.
The men all moved quickly, but the women hung back to talk. "I hope he's okay." Fay said to Krystal and Miyu, she was still worried for their new...friend? She didn't know if he was but she was worried nonetheless.
"I've seen his type before." Miyu grumbled. "All dark attitude and a seemingly uncaring air, although, his case is a severe one. I've never met one like him."
Krystal thought back to when she read his thoughts and went into his mind. "Oh he is anything but uncaring." She shuddered with the memory.
"Really?" Miyu said slowly. "Please do elaborate."
"Well I did enter his mind."
"Yeah...and?"
"I can't say its something he should...if he ever gets emotional enough to." Krystal replied offhandedly.
"Okay, well then if that's all we should be going." Miyu commanded and so the other girls followed.
Conner was the first one to reach the office, obviously. He took position by the desk. Then he waited. He did not wait for long. Falco was the second one to enter, then it was Pepper and Fox with Sliipy and Peppy in tow. A noticeable time later the women arrived. Once they were situated he began his interrupted tale once more.