A most Noble Covenant (Halo Sangheili story)

[BoSPaladin]

Nitan were a clan disgraced Kel opined mournfully looking towards the sky and the vessels above the planets surface that drifted about Serene and magificent.

Oh not officially. According to records Kaidon Yir Ika-Nitan'ee had served the prophets faithfully and for his service been allowed to retire to the world of Selhi with full honours, where he and his clan had been gifted a keep and land to oversee. Were this the Homeworld of Holy Sanghelios that might be reward enough. But Selhi was a poor world whose place within the covenant was largely to provide foodstuffs to the rest of the Empire. And Keep Nitan was poorer than most of the planet. A fortress with a few paltry thousand warriors overseeing several circles of farming villages worked by Sangheili farmers, and then further out, Unggoy. Methane and food edible for them was shipped in. Vast tonnes of grain and large grazing prey-beasts were exported to feed the maw of the ever hungry Covenant as the Unggoy worked the less productive land.

The Sangheili warriors assigned to the planet and the garrison duty thus were all that was needed to maintain order among weak peaceable Unggoy. Elders with their glory days of hunting pirates long behind them. Unblooded young warriors unproven and without honour. All assigned to a sleepy world that served loyally and dutifully. There was Kel reckoned, perhaps a certain honour in that. If that were all.

Yet the planet was not even for Kaidon Ika-Nitan'ee alone to rule over.

His keep was but only one of several. A half dozen other Rival clans dotting the surface with similiar keeps and estates, all of them with far less storied accomplishments than his Kaidon, but twice every rotation Summer and Winter the Kaidons held council as if all were equal. Kaidon Yeral'ee a cripple missing an eye to Kig-Yar pirates. Clan Jukal a dishonoured Clan exiled from Sanghelios for some political intrigue gone awry.

Selhi's only industrial centre and Nominal Capital was the unimaginatively named 'Spire' A city that had been built around an ancient deployment spire. Dwellings for Unggoy and Yanme'e dotting up like mushrooms around it. Cargo transports delivering their tithes, being serviced and maintained in the faux-city. And returning to their home keeps with supplies as necessary. Weapons and armour for guards, tools, chemicals, breathing apparatus and foodstuffs for menial workers. And above them all, living in richly appointed apartments near the top of the Spire? A Junior San'Shyuum Staffer Cad Vello who'd failed from one ministry to the next for giving unpopular sermons until eventually being assigned to administrate a planet that "Aligned with his beliefs." And kept him out of the way of Politics.

Added all together of course. A peaceful insignificant agricultural world. With a San'Shyuum who'd made enemies across many ministries and kept his preaching about "Love!" And the glory of the Sacred forerunners and how they gifts they had left behind was for the San'Shyuum to lead the lesser races on the path to ascension. "The path is long, but wide enough for all!" A refrain that Kel had heard almost every year in the San'Shyuums speeches, or once, in person, on the special occasion that he had accompanied a class of his fellow childlings to give thanks for the San'Shyuums wisdom as they delivered a tithe of produce.

And so it was that Kel found himself stood upon the roof of the keep staring up at the night sky and the blinking lights of ships overhead. Because of the planets other clans, and the warriors who were assigned garrison duty without an honourable kill to their names their dishonour stained his planet, his clan, and himself by association. Worse, Cad Vello's political ineptitude meant Selhi was shunned by the honourable ministries for when it came time to recruit warriors. And so it was, that past time when Sangheili younger than him would have already served in glorious purpose Kel found himself trapped in training and by nearly all still considered a child. His only likely prospects at employment being if he entered the service of his uncle directly and resigned himself to serving in a garrison posting for the length of his career, earning no glory, kills or honours as he oversaw Unggoy menials, or worse, as a face saving measure perhaps he might beg his uncle for permission to labour as a farmer.

Both were unpalatable choices. Though he knew he was lucky to receive any choice at all. For many sons of farmers their only path was to enter the trade of their mothers and their grandmothers before them. They at least didn't have to face the dilemma of trying to figure out whether is was more or less dishonourable to be a failed warrior or to willingly be demoted from warrior to farmer without even trying as the former.

"Kel?" A voice asked softly, his mother disturbing his reverie by stepping out onto the roof. Sister to the Kaidon, unmarried, tall and muscular. Yaz Nitan was the head of the household when her unmarried brother was away at Kaidon councils or in meetings with the planetary administrator. It made for both a blessing and a curse. A blessing in that great things were expected of him and he was fortunate enough to receive training at the hands of his uncle first-hand. A rare honour normally only reserved for the most promising of young warriors. On the other hand, those very same boons meant he would dishonour his clan by not excelling with all the attention lavished upon him.

"Honoured Mother." Kel greeted her politely. For a moment caught in indecision between the childlike instinct to bow to his superiors, and on the other, wishing to assert himself as an adult by nodding his head as one might to a social equal. Childlike instinct won out, mostly, bowing though perhaps not as deeply as he should have.

For her part his mother accepted his greeting with a wry sparkle in her eyes, Kel glaring at her suspiciously as she placed two long shafted deactivated energy halberds in the weapons rack besides the doorway. The worst part was, he flushed with a memory was that despite females not serving in the military all Sangheili daughters were trained alongside their clanmates in childhood, and despite regular sparring sessions, long since fellow males had ceased training with females Kel still had yet to defeat his mother in one of their sparring sessions. His one small saving grace, was that she at least kept their training private.

"Promise you won't hate me?" She said suddenly. Looking up to the heavens and letting out a heavy sigh. Her hand placed upon his elbow comfortingly, voice soft.

"I could never hate you mother. No matter how much you humiliate me in the service of making me a better warrior." Kel sighed wearily. His mother blinking slowly in surprise at that, her gaze flickering back to the weapons she had brought before meeting his eyes dancing with mirth. Composed as she was, the de-facto Lady of the keep she didn't let out any uncough whuffs of laughter but instead controlled her expression, the only thing that escaped her control a slight twitch of one mandible.

"The training weapons? Not for you actually. It was not you I expected to meet here."

"It wasn't?" He asked.

"Indeed Nephew." Kaidon Yir announced strolling casually into the night air to meet them, firmly closing the doorway behind them and waving his hand over the pad, it chiming softly to indicate they would not be disturbed short of an assassin cutting their way through the door.

"Then I shall leave you both. Honoured Uncle. Honoured Mother." Kel offered, bowing deeper to his uncle.

"No. Stay, my sister and I have matters to discuss that concern you as well." The Kaidon announced with an irreverant wave of his hand.

"Of course Kaidon." Kel acknowledged respectfully. Yir nodding his head slightly at that.

"There is an opportunity for you Kel." His mother began softly. "Our clan has been offered a rare honour."

What honour? Kel imagined. Sometimes visiting shipmasters that were delivering garrison troops to Selhi would feast in the Kaidons halls, was one perhaps offering a position under their command? For a moment he allowed himself the fantasy that A Shipmaster serving the ministry of Fervent Intercession might perhaps be recruiting a tithe of warriors and he could aid in recovering forerunner relics from that of lesser species who might misuse them, earning himself the rank of zealot. That dream alas, was swiftly crushed.

"Artisan-Forger Allak'ee is ageing and requires a new apprentice. He saw fit to offer the chance to us first. You're sharp of wit, diligent in your lessons, and a devout believer in the Great Journey. We know your heart is set on a Ministry posting aboard ship, but of all your creche-mates we thought you best suited." His mother offered.

"Yes." Kel agreed with scarcely a thought. His mandibles moving ahead of his thoughts, but his mind agreed. Sangheili Artisan-Engineers were respected. Skilled craftsmen and a few rare craftswomen, their work sometimes strayed close to heresy. The writ of Union stated that the Sangheili's role in the Covenant was as warriors, while it was for the prophets to decipher and create new technology. Of course, that had been millenia before the Covenant had grown to their current size, Sangheili numbers positively exploding while San'Shyuum enjoyed a quiet, sedate, carefully cultivated growth. As such, it was no longer reasonable or even possible for the San'Shuum to see to every piece of technology. The Huragok helped somewhat to be sure, the Unggoy could be employed in some menial factorum positions, and the Yanme'e maintained their own crude technological knowledge and were sometimes guided by the San'Shyuum in producing greater works than their own crude technology. And mass produced weapons were of course more than acceptable for a young warriors first term of service, but for Kaidon's, shipmasters and high ranking Sangheili, they could neither demand their armour be serviced by a San'Shyuum personally, nor entirely rely upon the craftsmanship of lesser species. So it was that a small handful of Sangheili Artisans were entrusted the duties of garbing honoured warriors for battle.

His uncles eyes sharpened into a glare at his response and his mother blinked slightly. "Think it over, it's an important role, we're asking a lot of you but this is a big decision." She pointed out carefully.

"I've decided. I wish to apprentice to Allak'ee." Kel announced confidently. Gin Allak'ee was, even if only by technicality in the military. As his apprentice he would be too, entitled to the same suffix upon his clan name. It was by leagues a far more honourable role than sitting guarding Unggoy and growing fat among the disgraced, elderly or simply those who'd failed to earn a kill in combat or even dirtying his hands farming himself.

"If you're doing this because of a girl-" Yir growled in warning.

Kel hadn't even considered that, his mandibles relaxing slightly in a dopey grin. Allak'ee was married with of course, only daughters. Or, at least no acknowledged sons. It happened sometimes, among rural farmers and other Sangheili workers. In small villages with the mother married, (or in this case the spire with the Armoursmith being the only male) rare instances of visiting nobles aside, some low status Sangheili knew their fathers. Sometimes then, an armoursmith might pass his trade on to his son. Allak'ee with only daughters had taught them his craft, and negotations were fierce among the clans for his daughters marraige contracts. Were Kel to excel as a student he might even find himself offered one of the girls hands personally. Failing that, the clans would be eager to find favour with the planets sole Artisan-Smith.

"Oh well now you've done it." His mother remarked rolling her eyes in exasperation. "There'll be no talking him out of it now."

"If it's for the good of the clan-" Kel pointed out defensively, trying and failing to hide a deep flush.

"Enough." Yir rumbled his voice low. "The offer isn't even official, not yet. Such matters require delicate negotiation, and by keeping this matter discreet it means neither his honour is hurt by a refusal, nor does our clan become shamed should he change his mind. We did have ten sunrises to consider the matter but with this... Hmm. we've reached Quota already this year, so we'll arrive at Spire slightly early to give our tribute. You will accompany the clan warriors and I for 'training'. And while the festivities are ongoing Allak'ee will assess whether you're suitable to be offered the role officially."

"Understood uncle." Kel nodded respectfully.

"Do you? Then understand none of this is set in stone. See that you don't disgrace yourself, listen to the Armourer and his wisdom. And speak to no-one of this." Yir ordered, his voice as serious as any command he had ever given as he guided Kel inside the keep before bidding him a good night and the door resolutely beeped locked behind him.

Retiring to the communal barracks for himself and his young clan mates he quietly padded into the room careful not to disturb their sleep, despite this, the disturbance of his entrance into the sleeping chamber had a light cool breeze accompany him and several resting elites regarded him with varying degrees of wakefulness before returning to sleep. And before too long Kel too, felt sleep fall upon him. It wasn't perhaps as glorious as his dreams. But perhaps, he could find a certain honour in this.

 

[RavenWolffe77]

Can't wait to see more!

I do wonder, though, when this is set... Will Kel have to survive the Human/Covenant War, or is this too early?