[h2][b]Narak 'Chorna - The [i]Immaculate Aegis[/i][/b][/h2]

[hr]

Narak gave a grunt that could be construed as a brief laugh, even to one unfamiliar with Sangheili mannerisms. "Your replicators sound reminiscent of the Flood, except in an artificial form. The Flood were a parasite that threatened to consume all life of our galaxy. They were insidious, deadly, and intelligent. The Forerunners created a weapon that killed themselves, and all other sentient life in the galaxy, just to cease the otherwise-unstoppable Flood. It is fortunate that you were able to destroy your threat without as much death." He remarked. 

Overall, Narak did agree with McKay's assessment of the scale of their project. Indeed, even "months" seemed like an optimistic estimate, considering how long they had been working with Humans of his own universe on understanding their technology. Though, McKay's final comment was still more of a hit against Narak's pride than he might have initially assumed. Compared to others of his kind, however, Narak was one with much less of a propensity to react with violence. Most of what he felt was simple frustration towards himself, though he showed that frustration openly. "The San'Shyuum were almost as much of parasites as the Flood, leeching off of the understanding of the Huragok, while pretending to be the masters of all the Forerunners left behind. They defeated us in the War of Beginnings only through that technology. Before the San'Shyuum, before the Covenant, my people, on their own, broke free of our own planet. We created our own starships, learned to use slipspace, settled our own colonies. We had mastered...crude versions of the technology you see here on the [i]Immaculate Aegis[/i]. Make no mistake, I am not like a youngling toying with an arum. I understand the workings of a plasma weapon, or a pinch-fusion reactor. I understand, to an extent, the physics of a repulsor engine, an anti-grav field, or a slipspace borer. One of my colleagues reverse-engineered the Humans' most advanced armor system and created a version of her own for their use, simply to prove that she could."

Narak gave a sigh, lowering his head noticeably. "But...our science was so shamefully stunted by our time in the Covenant. Until recent years, I did not even know our technology was not operating at its potential. We have always been a warrior species, but the Covenant allowed us to be [i]only[/i] a warrior species. There are few like me, few who believe the pursuit of knowledge is as worthy as skill with a blade. I do not think most of my brothers realize how dire the problem is. I might understand our technology to an extent, but it is clear to me that there is so much [i]more[/i] I must learn. There are aspects of mathematics and physics on which I am, as Fiona has described it, 'playing catch-up'. I believe she will be of greater assistance to you than I will be."

In the midst of the conversation, no one had yet been giving any instructions to the Huragok, Floats Easily. Without a task to dedicate itself to, it was easy for it to become bored, and curious. In McKay's vest, it saw a device unlike any other that McKay was carrying, and unlike anything it had seen. For a Huragok, new technology was almost an irresistible curiosity. While McKay was absorbed into his work, the Huragok reached out a tentacle that split into many, microscopically fine cilia at its end to grab his lifesigns detector. Despite the Huragok's fragile appearance, it had quite a firm grip and was easily able to take the device for examination. It could interface with the device directly, very quickly bypassing the need for an ATA gene in order to activate it and learn its functions.