"Hey, scumbag! This is Garuda's -PERSONAL- shuttle platform! Only he or his lot have the authorisation to utilise this! Pay up fifty-five creds or taste my blaster!"

Four thugs under the employment of Garuda the Hutt had their weapons aimed at the single, towering Sangheili whom were just glaring at the lot, silently. The four thugs consisted of three humanoids, and the fourth one was a race somewhat similar to the Sangheili (Trandoshan). They didn't even see it coming.

"What are you glaring at?! Pay up or I'll cook you up for a nice, tasty squidmeal-...What in the?!"

[img]https://media.giphy.com/media/gOWd9MFeddSWQ/giphy.gif[/img]

Five phantoms, hovering beside the platform appeared from thin air and opened their side doors. Revealing several weapons aimed at them. In the thug's confusion, four shots were fired upon them. They dropped like flies. Civilians in the vicinity began to run and scream. The phantoms hovered closer to the platform, close enough that Spec-Ops troops began to disembark. The Fleet-Master exited last, offering the decrepit spot they were in a glance. 

"The non-believers live like filth and live as filth. Disgusting. Engage cloak and scout the perimeter. Ascetics, join the scouts and see if you can find some trace of the Creator's presence. I want a report within the half-hour. Move!"

As the Fleet-Master gave the orders, he could hear reports of newly arrived ships within the sector. In which he merely grunted at and told them to keep the position. As a perimeter was secured, the leader of the Ascetics spoke over the comms.

"Fleet-Master! I've located the entry to the source we're looking for. It is heavily guarded and lies by some abandoned ruins on the outskirts of the city. It will require all of our current troops in the vicinity to clear it. It seems like the local chief in these parts keeps some of his treasure by the source."

The Fleet Master growled in response.

"The infidel dares to hoard his treasure at the feet of the Creator's shrine?! We will advance at once and will be reinforced soon enough."

As he finished the announcement, the Fleet-Master began barking orders at his troops, and they responded quickly. The Sangheili began to prepare themselves to assault the entrance. Quietly and under stealth, as they knew that the local authorities would soon investigate what had just happened on the platform. In the meanwhile, the various ships in the vicinity began to see weird signals coming up-and down from the planet to an apparently empty spot in space. One could almost think that someone on the surface was talking to no one? Just an empty spot of space. Soon, an encrypted signal began to pop up for the more advanced ships in the vicinity and could see that the signal was sent to an unknown location. Something was afoot. 

Within the various Battle-Cruisers, armed Covenant troops began to fill the various transport ships. Should the situation get out of hand, they would reinforce the Fleet-Master and his soldiers. The assault on the entrance began soon after. The habitats of the city could hear the distant firefight. Have the war finally caught up to the refugees of various backrounds? 

(Just imagine the backround being the dusty town they're in)

[img]https://media.giphy.com/media/dWOqGPvAxSta0/giphy.gif[/img]

[hr]

[i]The Marked Planet, some moments later.
Pious Transgression, aboard the Illuminated Consecration.[/i]

"Arbiter! We've received a signal from Fleet-Master Rah, they've found a potential spot of Forerunner presence. The Fleet-Master believes strongly that they are onto something big. They are about to confront the local forces in the area. What do you wish to do?"

The Prophet listened intently to what the Bridge-Officer had to say, nodding slowly to himself. He moved his gaze towards the Arbiter to see what his intentions were.

"Prepare to move the Pious Transgression to his locations and be ready for combat. Scan the area and mark potential hostiles. Have my personal Seraph prepared for descent. Alert the scouting groups of our intent, but inform them to continue their search." 

The bridge-officer simply nodded in agreement and began to fulfil the designated orders. The Arbiter turned towards the Prophet.

"If you wish to not partake in the operation ahead, I can arrange for you to be moved to a more secure location, Hierarch."

The Prophet simply waved the offer away.

"No need, Arbiter. I trust that my security will be held in high regard on this ship during the operation while you are on the surface. Now, let us continue the holy duty that the almighty Forerunners assigned us to."

Some moments later, the Pious Transgression entered slipspace. It would take time, however, before they reached Aurora.