First Clue - Audio/Text

[whistlesatengineers]

[ The first sound out of the comm was a suspicious thump thump thump. Someone’s testing to see if it’s on, maybe? After that, someone whistles what sounds like the acknowledging warble a computer might make. After that is a long, tense pause, followed by a grunt. The audio flicks off, but typing starts after a few more moments. ]

Gunney? Dare?

[ Another long pause before the typing continues. ]

This isn’t New Mombasa. This probably isn’t even Earth, is it? Where am I?

[ More importantly, where are his guns?!]

Comments

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[whistlesatengineers]

Figured that out. Thanks for the tip. It means I have no reason to try again, either.

[ While he doesn't have his end of the audio turned on, he snorts in amusement. ]

Sounds like someone woke up on the wrong side of the bed.

[defiant-rage.livejournal.com]

If that is supposed to be some sort of idiotic human expression, I will inform you that I slept just fine.

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[whistlesatengineers]

Hey, it's not that

[ Whoa. WHOA. Hold it RIGHT there. Right there. A longer pause. ]

You're not human.

[defiant-rage.livejournal.com]

Of course not! Does my voice really sound human to you? Just because I speak English does not mean I must conform to your race.

[Indeed, Ripa's voice is probably far deeper and harsher than would be normal for a human.]

[whistlesatengineers]

[ This is the first time he's ever actually heard an Elite say something beside 'roar' and 'wort wort wort'. Still, there's only one assumption he can make at this point. Which he flicks the audio on to say. Holy lord almighty, it speaks! ]

Covenant bastard.

[defiant-rage.livejournal.com]

[Ripa is unfamiliar with New Mombasa as he's from a point in time long before the Covenant ever found Earth. But when the ODST snarls the name of his affiliation, the Arbiter knows they're both from the same universe.]

Forerunner's blight! Your race is a scourge, and I will continue my duty of exterminating you!

[whistlesatengineers]

[ As far as he knows, the only aliens out there are Covenant, and he just fought through a city full of them. That and he's never really happy to see them.]

Not before we get rid of you planet-glassing monsters!

[defiant-rage.livejournal.com]

Mere wishful thinking, human! Before I was brought here, I was about to unearth a fleet left to us by our gods! With that many ships we could have ended your race easily!

[whistlesatengineers]

Well, we're still kicking your asses! Even ships left by the Forerunners won't save you!

[defiant-rage.livejournal.com]

Insolent pest! Have you even seen the fleet?

[whistlesatengineers]

I don't have to, planet killer. I just know that you'll lose.

[defiant-rage.livejournal.com]

If it takes my death, then so be it. But your kind will not defeat the Covenant. The Prophet of Regret and his superiors will see to that!

[whistlesatengineers]

The fates of you and your freakish friends were sealed when you showed up in New Mombasa. It doesn't matter how long it takes, but you're all going down because everything you use was stolen from a dead species.

[defiant-rage.livejournal.com]

Stolen? You cur! The gods left them for us! I am not surprised that you do not understand such holy matters.

[whistlesatengineers]

Holy matters my ass. Whatever happened to 'Thou shalt not take what doesn't belong to you in the first damn place'? They didn't just pick up and leave their stuff for anyone. They might have left it as a reminder to not mess with it.

[defiant-rage.livejournal.com]

[Ripa pauses at first, and then it occurs to him that the human is attempting to try and quote some religion.

When he does realize this, he starts laughing. It is a mean, cruel sound, not uplifting like laughter should be.]

You have such a limited scope of mind. They left keys and scriptures! Artifacts and relics! If they did not want it to be "messed with", why would they have left them for us?

[whistlesatengineers]

[He didn't pay much attention in Bible study, sadly. It's the best he can do.

And that laugh? Bonechilling. It makes him grateful that he so rarely speaks anymore. Typing doesn't betray that note of fear he's trying to quell.]

You sure you translated those 'scriptures' right? Because it's just as likely they left all of those artifacts and relics and writings as a warning to not repeat whatever they did that got them all disappeared.