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Fortitude chuckled into his tea There was so San'Shyuum's impudence But he presuer toward the switch on his throne that would bring the Helios hurtling up the shaft…

"The High Council grows restless!" the Vice Minister blurted, then continued at a breathless pace: "The Hierarchs are impotent--the dilemmas on which they e of Doubt, Minister, and those with any sense know this is your doing above all others!"

Fortitude stayed his hand The youth had es of Doubt such as the present were about dealing with the fallout of previous chaotic periods, in this case the thirty- ninth Age of Conflict--that which had encooy rebellion and seen Fortitude's promotion to Minister His efforts to properly redistribute technology in the wake of that crisis had indeed done ely iain impressed by the Vice Minister's nerve

Tranquility had just ranked Fortitude's achievements above the Hierarchs'--the three San'Shyuuh Council These were thetheerous proclaer, suddenly fascinated by what the Vice Minister h, in retrospect, he should have known

"We find ourselves at the dawning of a new Age of Reclalyph "You are the one to lead us through it, and I--by e of steadfast devotion hence forth--humbly request to sit by your side" Tranquility stopped his chair directly before the Minister's, bowed deeply at the waist, and spread wide his arms "To assume with you the mantle of Hierarch"

And there it was, Fortitude thought, absolutely stunned Ambition laid bare

It would not be easy to unseat the Hierarchs To keep their exalted thrones, they would resist the declaration of a new age with all the influence at their disposal Fortitude would need to spend tremendous political capital--call in all favors owed for theht hi the Vice Minister's proposal? Had he gone ," he cautioned, his tongueof its own accord, "we must be sure the Lu by, awaiting your approval to--"

Fortitude pulled back as if stung "You have brought the Sangheili into this?!" His head began to throb, beating with panicked pain If the Sangheili took possession of the reliquary, who kne that er shot toward his throne's alarm

But the Vice Minister jerked forward in his seat and countered in a firm tone "No I have enlisted other witnesses Creatures that have proven themselves both loyal and discreet"

Fortitude scowled into the Vice Minister's eyes He sought a gliht help him step more confidently down a new and treacherous path But the Vice Minister's stare was all eagerness and cunning; honesty of a different sort

The Minister brought his hovering finger down on a different switch His tea's stasis-field collapsed in a silver flash, vaporizing the liquid inside "What of the ship that registered the Lu-Yar and Unggoy" Tranquility pursed his lips in an indifferent pout "I suspect mutiny"

"Tell those you have enlisted that if there are survivors--and if they have stolen from the reliquary--they are to be executed on the spot" Fortitude pulled thoughtfully at his waddle

"Otherwise, they shall remain in protective custody The reliquary was their find They deserve some small reward"

Tranquility spread a hand on his chest and bowed his head "It shall be done"

At that moment, the cleric's prescription finally took hold of Fortitude's headache The Minister closed his eyes, enjoying the rapid subjugation of his pain He ser San'Shyuureat and budding camaraderie

"A reliquary such as this has not been seen in our lifetimes," Tranquility said "Each of its holy objects is a blessing for true believers!"

Fortitude sank deep into the cri? He wasn't so sure

As Minister, he looked with dread on the nightotiations required to distribute thousands of new relics But as Hierarch, he could distribute the relics however he thought would best benefit the Covenant Fortitude licked afrom the field And none would have the power to alter his decisions

CHAPTER TEN

HARVEST, JANUARY 19, 2525

Avery found hi the rows of one of Harvest's vast orchards Branches brushed past him on either side, heavy with a fantastic mix of fruit: apricots, cherries, plums-- andreen skin beneath was so lustrous that it glowed like a thing on fire Sunday, he thought Sunday … But he wasn't sure exactly why

He discarded the apple and reached deeper into the branches Closer to the trunk, the air was colder Avery felt the frost-covered curves of a pear, and twisted it froht it to his lips and took a bite But his teeth had barely punctured before he got a raw- nerve jolt The pear was frozen solid Avery dragged his sleeve across his lips and was surprised to find he earing civilian clothes: a freshly starched white oxford shirt many sizes too small; a little paisley tie that barely reached his navel; scuffed, wing-tip shoes

"A boy isn't a boy that doesn't ruin his clothes…" Avery heard his aunt Marcille's voice, a breeze through the icy leaves

Suddenly, the branches shook in a whoosh of passing thrusters Looking up, Avery just caught sight of a Hornet aircraft passing low above the orchard Wings flashing in the bright sunlight, the aircraft banked and disappeared behind the trees on the opposite side of the row

Avery dropped the pear and ran off in pursuit

But now the farther he pushed through the branches, the warmer they became Water ran in rivulets doaxy leaves--dropped from the fruit like rain A rapid, artificial thaas underway Avery felt a huust of air that became unbearably hot the farther he pressed forward He closed his eyes, lids burning, and felt the branches give way to so into a roadside restaurant

Pushing through, Avery saw the door was one of the few things left standing The restaurant's roof was blown clean off Its walls were splintered and its s shattered All the tables and chairs were burned and smelled of smoke Toward the back sat a fas not covered in a layer of ash One of the children--the same boy Avery had hoped to save--looked up from a plate of pancakes and waved As Avery waved back, the boy took a bite and pointed to the food counter Avery turned and sao silver dress

"It's a for on the stool

"I know," Avery replied, reaching to straighten his tie But he no longer wore his hand-me- down church clothes Instead he found hi

Jilan frowned "Maybe I should have invited someone else" She pulled a purse from her lap--not the mirrored clutch she'd had at the solstice celebration, but the burgundy bag of the Innie bo for a lipstick

"Careful, ma'am!" Avery shouted "It's not safe!" He tried to leap forward and grab the bag

But his legs were leaden--rooted to the floor Avery heard the roar of Hornet thrusters, saw its shadow ripple across the counter The young boy at the table started to choke

"Relax," Jilan said to Avery "You'll be alright"

Avery groaned and dropped to a knee His arloved hands on the ash-covered floor to keep hih narrowed eyes he saw boot prints: the frantic footwork of et

Jilan repeated herself But this time her voice seemed to come from somewhere else--an echo from beyond the restaurant, but somehow very close to Avery's ear

"Relax You'll be alright…"

Avery did, and he was The powerful pharht aboard the freighter drained froined drain, and let himself settle to the bottom When his eyes finally opened they seemed to do so at quarter-speed