:D - my face upon seeing this update on Sunday.

Finally got the time to read it, I was not quite sure what to expect but this is simply exemplary and exceeded all expectations.

The pacing and tension in this chapter was masterfully done. The new meat sent to the carrier and not receiving the reception they expected. And what a reception they eventually received.

The prose, world-building and descriptions are superb. You gave the Assault Carrier an almost leviathan like feel to it, its awe inspiring size illustrated by its sheer volume of its interior and the cargo it holds and Covenant opulence and feel. A stark contrast to the tight and utilitarian human ships.

And I can see what I think to be TheAmateur's influence woven in seamlessly with your own, reference to the Warrior Creche's (of which I have yet to see reference of in official material). New to me are the new details regarding the Sangheili ranks and sub-classes like Obedientaries. Only recently discovered this information to be official via Halopedia after reading this chapter; its nice to see that 343 is expanding upon such topics and quite well at that too. Certainly captured the Covenant feel and helps reconcile both the increased detail of the armor in the progressing games and ever changing art style as well. All of which has been beautifully incorporated and explained in this chapter. Its the little details that often add so much to a setting and story and I am glad to see it.

You really made it clear how powerful, hated and feared the Sangheili are to people like Trau. As soon as Trau fell asleep I could see him getting gripped by the throat before it even happened. And what a scene that was, Trau's fear and shock was palpable. To be confronted by them in such a manner would terrify anyone.

Terror and fear soon escalated by Field Marshal 'Modalee. Certainly not a fair Vtan 'Arume or his ilk as shown in Katsuhiro's Enemy of my Enemy or Niro 'Ovarumee of TheAmateur's RRR. But a brash, callous, discriminating narrow-minded glory hound with a sizable blood streak. Who only tolerates the rest of the Covenant's races only because the Prophets will it. Between the Field Marshal and File Master 'Moramee, we have one end of the spectrum of Elite's Trau will be dealing with. And yet we have Field Officer Veran 'Kuribasamee. A harsh but fair man by comparison, at least as fair as can be expected from an Elite towards underlings.

All of this of course illustrates Trau and his peoples continued dislike and hatred of the Elites. The Prophets may be the head of the Covenant but they are a distant authority one can mostly ignore. Out of sight, out of mind, more of an idea than beings made real. Where as the Elites are the physical embodiment of the Covenant's tyranny that is easy to hate due to constant interaction. Wove in Trau's little history lesson perfectly and loved the details and thought that went into it.

And soon to be in combat within hours. I always forget how quickly the Covenant ships can traverse slipspace and how that would effect Trau's entrance to combat. I still found myself expecting at least a months time before combat, if only to let everything settle and give time for more world-building and such. To so quickly enter combat after abbreviated training does not allow for any time to adjust mentally or for additional preparations to be made. It will certainly be jarring for Trau and 4th Lance but at least his friends are there for him and the Senior Minor's and Major's as well, a good note to end on.

I did note what appeared to be the following errors,

"I simply assembled with the others our assigned rows"

"but no still no"

"forcing me to watch their fell work"

A simply superlative chapter, the long wait was certainly worth it. I look forward to the next one, when ever that will be.

Looking forward to the next chapter!

It is an amazing and interesting story I am hoping to read more. I really wonder when there will be a new chapter I really am looking forward to see what happens next. I am wondering if there will be a chapter where the main character who tells his story will tell when he started to feel that the war isn't a legitimate one and if he knew instances of desertion, how he felt when he saw how the campains were with the killing of civilians and when he saw his team mates dying.

I must say that I was most surprised to see this new chapter was published, again my phone gmail notifications failed to load and notify me. Between this story and From the Wreckage, I was unsure what I would be getting next but I will take what I can get. ;)

Now on to the review and hopefully I can talk about this chapter without rambling half-thoughts and hyperbole. (not likely)

As always the training depicted was brutal, light on overall in-depth details this time but not necessarily empty; the new brutality of the accelerated regime being expressed well by the few lines explaining the daily routines and activities. And from Trau getting beaten for like that, vivid and visceral. And some new details on the armor system itself, very basic but with some nice little enhancements. Equal their Covenant is not, but not brainless either. Not unlike the disparities between the units of many empires and nations. As someone who always viewed the Kig-Yar and Unggoy standard issue kit as being relatively basic, the new details are most welcome as always.

But the instructors and company electing them to lead and follow them into battle was quite the surprise however. I was honestly expecting them to give them their farewell and final bits of advice to the new soldiers before they were shipped off. Although not without the possibility of Nix and maybe Xen giving Trau a final farewell and words of warning in person. Quite the unexpected move I must say. But does that mean they are still sort of unsure as to the quality of their new troops? Eager to just try and protect them as compensation? Oh more questions.

And of course the drinking, all fun and games until Trau layed eyes on Elln and oh boy. I was already enjoying their drunken antics, seeing the new soldiers minds let loose with alcohol. The close bond of comradeship on display.

But when I read that line of, "Someone who was sitting at a table some way off at the counter from the newly christened warriors of Vara. Like us, however, she wore the armour of a T'Vaoan Minor."

I just snickered/laughed at the moment from genuine surprise at something completely unexpected. For a moment I was wondering how you would be weaving this into the story and you again surprised me. This was not an awkward forced moment to read through but a way of learning more about Kig-Yar society. It is interesting how Females are the dominant sex but outside of commanding ships and their place in society, I must admit I have never thought about them serving as ground troops. Really triggered quite the perspective change in how I view them in game and as a whole. Comparing Kig-Yar society to humanity and how we humans tend to portray and conceptualize other species in terms of sex and gender in sci-fi, really gets the intellectual side of my brain running. It is by taking a fact like that and exploring it like this that forces the reader to think. To reflect on how we perceive the world and out values. A tip of my hat for that brilliance. And for making Trau look like a fool, LOL.

And a poignant dream, one can get a sense of who his father was. For that man to be that emotional with returning him home for the last time. A man of honor and well liked he was.

And so the new soldiers are going to be in battle soon. And while certainly well trained at least compared to what I would perceive other member species to be, they are still part of an army of conquest and genocide. Perhaps best exemplified by that line,

"If the war was as bad as I'd heard, we all needed to be hardened. The training did have its intended effect, I would find - but in many more ways than I'd probably imagined."

Needless to say I do look forward to how you portray that.

All of these characters and people going to battle but if what I think is going to happen does happen, then most of these comrades are going to be dead by 2552. And what character growth will happen in that time...

Another good chapter to get. I look forward to more patiently. :D

And I spotted these typos and possible grammatical mistakes.

"liveson"

"if your drill instructors do their damndest make those three weeks count" (I did the google searching and damndest is used right and it was approved by but I am not sure if adding "to" after it would be necessary. It would read better to me if it did but not sure it it is needed.

"He paused a Krel brought forward a box," (as)

"shoulder patron" (pauldron)

"yelling it out at the top of his lungs." (not sure if "it" was necessary, it works but it reads awkwardly to me. ymmv)

"Yet there we was" (he was)

"Amidst all the drinking, the swearing, the good times that we happening - I then noticed someone else."

(the good times that were happening?) This sentence does read a bit awkwardly to me.

"I looked into her eyes for the first were a deep, mysterious brown - a rare genetic trait among our people." (for the first time, which were)

"I was stood" (remove "was")

Quite the enjoyable story. I just realized that both humans and forrunner have those 'smushed faces' and are the only ones that I know of, along with the strange elegance. Thanks for making this story.

very disposable training processes. Not much value for life. Beyond moral things, i would be wondering why this training was necessary if the humans where so easy.

Its rather amazing how people will follow if they see someone can do it. Reminds me of when I have played Planatside 2(MMOSHooter, 100 player fights, on high pop over 100 players per side with 3 factions in the same corner of the map sometimes.) Led the charge a bunch, as medic of all things, and people would follow and claim the hill after me. I would also be left scratching my head as how i didnt die as the dudes right behind me did.

I havent really had the money to buy the expanded universe Halo stuff, so its rather fun for me to see it put together plus what you are adding. Much more alive that reading wiki pages.

This start kind of reminds me of another story I've read. I forget what is was, wait, Name of the wind? I think it was that book.

This is really quite enjoyable. Ive been looking around for Halo fanfiction that arent combat focused. A lot to explore/have fun with in Halo, and the written word isnt as good at combat as other mediums are, but is generally better at what im looking for. Im still really hoping for a good story that focuses on a 'disaster relief' crew working on alien worlds. Both to help inter-species tensions and for personal reasons.

I think its rather fitting that the covenant hate each other more than humans, generally. They abused each other a lot over the years.

Nice to see an update, this story is really good! I hope you keep writing!

I really want this to be a movie this is by far one of my favorite stories I've read in years, great stuff man.

This pleases comrade Stalin. No gulag for you. For now.

Saw the email notification of this and the message at work, my resulting smile swallowed my whole face. :D I left work in a sour mood but was all but destroyed like that coin when I sat down to read this chapter when I got home. Oh lord great stuff but were do I begin.

That soup...well as a particularly picky eater (ashamed of being so myself) what was described reminds me of what I would see at some Asian households and restaurants. Except more extreme if that is the right way of describing it. I don't envy Ian for his mixed reaction to smelling and trying it. And the additional info on the Kig-Yar lore and mythology; those murals...the additional background history on the irs-van and kut-van. Kill-squads... well I have some ideas of the things that are attached to that loaded phrase. I just gobble this stuff up. And Kreth... oh so awkward.

And while I am no statistician I am sure that gauging a recruits marksmanship potential will need at least a bit more than one shot from a pistol. And from my knowledge, pistols are very hard to shoot accurately even at very short ranges under even calm conditions. But being issued a Carbine and then the info on the weapons and history, just wonderful as a guns nerd myself.

And that briefing... it occurred to me recently how Nix's lecture to Vek and the others was like Sgt John Basilone's lecture to those Marine recruits in that one The Pacific episode. This was just like another one of your those; you can just visualize it so well. It is stunning how similar (and yet different) the T'Voan's and Kig-Yar are to humans in a way with how they train and treat their soldiers compared with say the Elites as TheAmateur so wonderfully depicts. How they value them enough to brief them with accurate knowledge; how they seem to actually care. That their representatives cared enough to give them enough training time even if it is getting reduced (not good). The historical parallels of the effects of war-time pressure are very apparent. I really don't like facing Jackals in game, they are annoying; but you and this story makes me like them. Admire them actually.

As always your writing is impeccable. The scenery and imagery and descriptions are top notch as always. I am honestly unsure how you and others create the little details and background info to enrich your worlds. From the things like the weapon info, soup names, unit names and cultural history and factoids, I have always been blown away at your creativity. I have surmised that your knowledge of history and probably extensive reading of books has helped make this possible; its something I have noticed of many great authors I follow on this site. The best writers are readers themselves and a great writer you have proven yourself to be.

As always I look forward to more. :)

It's awesome you're back. Love the details and world building, showing the different sides.