All was fairly quiet, as John adjusted his sights. It was one of the largest Sangheili-Human peace talks to date, and he was on guard duty.
And, almost symbolically, John's partner, and the designated marksman of the two, was an elite. Ripa 'Tenebrose. He was the lookout on the Sangheili constructed manor's parapet. Serving as a spotter, he slowly looked out over the plains.
Nothing. With orbital overwatch from both human and sangheili ships, nothing was going anywhere near this conference.
However, things on John's post were a little bit unsafe. There was an elephant resting in the room.
During John's "youth," he'd fought beneath a burning, orange sky during an evacuation. In his SPI armor he faced a talented young Elite Minor. With his sword broken, and John's gun melted by a plasma round, the two dueled barehanded to a standstill, until the elite was stricken and rolled into a ravine, and John was dragged to safety by his fireteam leader Zimm.
That elite was standing right next to him. The two recognized each other immediately, and almost raised their weapons in defense when assigned. However, neither made a move or said a word, accepting their posts.
It took a very long time, but Ripa eventually said something, cutting to the heart of the matter.
"Do you resent me, human?" His english was quite fluent. John turned his head, facing the sangheili Ranger.
"...No. I don't suppose I do." The Spartan looked Ripa in the eye. "Why?"
"During our skirmish, your visor shattered. I saw your eyes, but in my fury, I cared naught for what I saw. But, when I awoke from our battle, I thought long and hard on it." Ripa looked into the distance, his rifle low. "I knew little about human expressions, but I thought a demon incapable of passion, or rage. I was fighting for glory, and rationalized my rage. However, I became sure that what I saw was fear."
Ripa quickly qualified his statement. "No, not fear. Determination. While I fought for petty glory, you fought for survival. Our Covenant was a lie. Our vainglorious quest for a Great Journey was folly. A folly that led to a lopsided conflict that brings shame upon the sangheili even now."
John nodded. "Yeah, it was messed up, but I still don't hate you."
The Ranger looked at John, and simply said, "Elaborate." He was refreshingly direct, like any sangheili soldier.
"Well, I just do." John shrugged. "I know, if I was in your position, I would have done the same thing, and I'd want to be forgiven." The Spartan III looked out over the horizon. Without the haze of artificial light, the sky was brilliantly intense, a haze of scattered stars and blackness. "Everyone you meet is just a variation of yourself, under different circumstances. I'm nobody to judge."
Ripa furrowed his brow. "...There's something else. I cannot accept that answer."
"...This'll sound stupid." John sighed, and pointed his thumb inside. "The fact that our species is sitting down and talking about peace right now means there's hope. I can't poison that hope by being prejudiced against you guys. It feels like bad luck."
Ripa was quiet, and John decided to conclude his thought.
"I used to be very angry with you, but eventually I realized I was wasting my life, hanging on to all that hate. So...I let it go. Now, when I look at you guys, I just tell myself that there can be a world where we all work together if we all just...fucking try." John looked at the bright haze of astral light and darkness over the mountains in the distance. "And...well, it's just nice to think about."
Ripa snorted. "...If I may critique your philosophy, you care too much about the destination. True edification lies on the path." The Ranger looked into the distance, standing beside the Spartan. "But, I would like to join you on your path to true peace between our species. It is truly the Greater Journey, to venture towards unity."
John nodded, extending his fist. "Bump it."
"...Bump it?" Ripa, puzzled, looked at John's fist.
"Clench your fist, and bump it against mine. It's an old human display of solidarity."
Ripa clenched his fist, and bumped it against John's, and the two stood in comfortable silence. Once again, Ripa spoke aloud.
"It is a strange world, that a human might friend a sangheili." Ripa made a sound akin to laughter.
"Hey, in a world with massive rings floating in space that can eradicate all life, us being friends isn't too strange, is it?"
"Point taken, human."
And, almost symbolically, John's partner, and the designated marksman of the two, was an elite. Ripa 'Tenebrose. He was the lookout on the Sangheili constructed manor's parapet. Serving as a spotter, he slowly looked out over the plains.
Nothing. With orbital overwatch from both human and sangheili ships, nothing was going anywhere near this conference.
However, things on John's post were a little bit unsafe. There was an elephant resting in the room.
During John's "youth," he'd fought beneath a burning, orange sky during an evacuation. In his SPI armor he faced a talented young Elite Minor. With his sword broken, and John's gun melted by a plasma round, the two dueled barehanded to a standstill, until the elite was stricken and rolled into a ravine, and John was dragged to safety by his fireteam leader Zimm.
That elite was standing right next to him. The two recognized each other immediately, and almost raised their weapons in defense when assigned. However, neither made a move or said a word, accepting their posts.
It took a very long time, but Ripa eventually said something, cutting to the heart of the matter.
"Do you resent me, human?" His english was quite fluent. John turned his head, facing the sangheili Ranger.
"...No. I don't suppose I do." The Spartan looked Ripa in the eye. "Why?"
"During our skirmish, your visor shattered. I saw your eyes, but in my fury, I cared naught for what I saw. But, when I awoke from our battle, I thought long and hard on it." Ripa looked into the distance, his rifle low. "I knew little about human expressions, but I thought a demon incapable of passion, or rage. I was fighting for glory, and rationalized my rage. However, I became sure that what I saw was fear."
Ripa quickly qualified his statement. "No, not fear. Determination. While I fought for petty glory, you fought for survival. Our Covenant was a lie. Our vainglorious quest for a Great Journey was folly. A folly that led to a lopsided conflict that brings shame upon the sangheili even now."
John nodded. "Yeah, it was messed up, but I still don't hate you."
The Ranger looked at John, and simply said, "Elaborate." He was refreshingly direct, like any sangheili soldier.
"Well, I just do." John shrugged. "I know, if I was in your position, I would have done the same thing, and I'd want to be forgiven." The Spartan III looked out over the horizon. Without the haze of artificial light, the sky was brilliantly intense, a haze of scattered stars and blackness. "Everyone you meet is just a variation of yourself, under different circumstances. I'm nobody to judge."
Ripa furrowed his brow. "...There's something else. I cannot accept that answer."
"...This'll sound stupid." John sighed, and pointed his thumb inside. "The fact that our species is sitting down and talking about peace right now means there's hope. I can't poison that hope by being prejudiced against you guys. It feels like bad luck."
Ripa was quiet, and John decided to conclude his thought.
"I used to be very angry with you, but eventually I realized I was wasting my life, hanging on to all that hate. So...I let it go. Now, when I look at you guys, I just tell myself that there can be a world where we all work together if we all just...fucking try." John looked at the bright haze of astral light and darkness over the mountains in the distance. "And...well, it's just nice to think about."
Ripa snorted. "...If I may critique your philosophy, you care too much about the destination. True edification lies on the path." The Ranger looked into the distance, standing beside the Spartan. "But, I would like to join you on your path to true peace between our species. It is truly the Greater Journey, to venture towards unity."
John nodded, extending his fist. "Bump it."
"...Bump it?" Ripa, puzzled, looked at John's fist.
"Clench your fist, and bump it against mine. It's an old human display of solidarity."
Ripa clenched his fist, and bumped it against John's, and the two stood in comfortable silence. Once again, Ripa spoke aloud.
"It is a strange world, that a human might friend a sangheili." Ripa made a sound akin to laughter.
"Hey, in a world with massive rings floating in space that can eradicate all life, us being friends isn't too strange, is it?"
"Point taken, human."
Last edited by Bad John on March 6th 2016, 6:39 pm; edited 1 time in total
