Snippet #1317225

Damien locked eyes with the Arbiter as he spoke to him and felt a slight shudder down his spine. It wasn't what he was that caused it, it was what he said that did it. As if he'd been read as easily as an in flight magazine. Which, of course, they would not be getting. He held the gaze and nodded once in acknowledgement. The Arbiter had worked closely with the Master Chief and if there was anyone that could speak well of a Spartan if would be him. Still, he did not doubt the Spartan's ability, just their ego. He gave a quick "Thanks..." in an unusually sombre tone that surprised even himself. It wasn't like him to get like this before a fight, he usually just took his orders and got to it. "Then you'd better work your ass off" he added (In a somewhat less serious tone) slipping on his helmet and grabbing his assault rifle, readying it with a crack as it loaded. "'Cause we ODSTs don't like to lose either. See you on the ground." He gave a two fingered salute on his way past, content in the knowledge that he at least had the Arbiter to keep the peace.

There was yet more comfort in hearing his fellow trooper talk at length about the dangers of the drop to the Spartan sniper who was not in command. He stopped and chimed in his two cents worth to Scott as he passed. "You'd be right in saying that Mother Nature has claimed more of us than the Brutes have. Best of luck on your journey down." Behind his opaque visor Damien grinned as he gave Cross a clap on the shoulder before continuing his way to the Pelican. He climbed aboard without a word and sat himself down in a seat closest to the exit. It was his job when drop time came to lay down some covering fire as the others hit the ground.

Despite his new-found compempt for the Spartans Damien found himself perhaps not looking forward to but ready to embrace the rivalry that would come along with it. His own Covenant kill tally had been long lost as he assumed was the case with all included in the mission but that was not to say he was going to make things easy for the 'super-soldiers'. We'll show you who's just another bunch of squadies he thought to himself. The further thought occured that perhaps the entire cherade had been put on to encourage this rivalry and give a little more awareness to the task but he doubted it.