Arbiter's Side Journey

The Arbiter's Side Journey

The Arbiter awoke underwater, confused as to how he was alive. The last thing he remembered was evacuating The Ark on the ship with the Demon... and now he was a...Crab? Realizing he could breathe just fine underwater, he gathered his bearings and headed towards the shore. As he walked, he thought about how this could have happened. He assumed the slip-space travel somehow transported him here and into the body of a Crab. He never fully understood that technology, but hoped to get back to his old self one day.

As he approached the shore, he heard a few Fish and a Crane conversing about some traveling. He thought it wise to keep some distance, out of sight, and listen.

"- There's only room for one, so ol' one-eyed will go first. Then I shall come back and get the rest," said the Crane.

The Crane then scooped up a Fish and flew away. The Arbiter climbed an elevated rock and observed the Crane. He noticed the Crane stopped in some trees and ate the Fish. Curious as to what was happening, he hid again before the Crane came back and listened.

"Ol' one-eyed seems happy enough in those cold waters! Who's next?" said the Crane.

"Me! Me! Me! Me!" exclaimed the remaining Fish.

The Arbiter now realized that the Fish were being lied to and being flown to their demise. It reminded him of the lies the Prophets spewed to his people. He remained hidden as he thought of a plan to stop the Crane, one that would work in his new Crab body. A few hours had passed and he realized that his new body was vaguely similar to his old one. Instead of a suit of armor and sword, he had a sturdy shell and sharp claws. Yes, he now had a plan and moved to where the Fish were. When he got there, he saw one Fish left and told it to scram. Now he patiently awaited the Crane's return.

"Hey Crab! Might I interest you in some cooler waters?! I can take you just down the lake!" the Crane yelled as he neared the spot the Fish had previously lain and noticed only a Crab remained.

"Perhaps," said the Arbiter, "and how do you plan to take me?"

"Why, just jump in my beak," the Crane said as he landed and opened his mouth.

"How about I hold on instead? I trust my grip more than your beak," explained the Arbiter.

The Crane thought for a second as his belly was somewhat satisfied. But alas, he hadn't had crab in a while and figured he could treat himself today.

"I suppose you have a point. Go ahead and latch on!" he said.

The Arbiter held firmly around his neck and was taken to the same place the fish were eaten. He saw the bones of the fallen. With this sight, he became angered.

"Don't worry, I'll only eat you slowly," said the Crane.

"If you want to hear me beg, you will be disappointed," said the Arbiter as he tightened his grip.

The Crane, realizing the situation he was in, exclaimed hoarsely, "Hold on! How about we forget this ever happened! I'll let you go on your merry way!"

"Were it so easy," said the Arbiter, before a crisp "Snip!" was heard.

He watched as the lifeless body of the Crane collapsed at his legs. It reminded him of the Prophet he had slain not long ago. After a moment, he moved on to try to find his way back to his old self.

Author's Note

I added elements from the Halo universe (several video games, books, comic books, and even a couple of movies) to the story of "The Cunning Crane and the Crab." I changed the original Crab from the story into the Arbiter from the Halo universe. I tried to make the story a condensed version of some of the Arbiter's journey in the Halo universe. In "The Cunning Crane and the Crab," the Crab encounters a Crane, who had previously tricked many Fish and eaten them, but caught on to the Crane's ruse. He proceeded to play along with the Crane until the Crane made his actual intentions clear, wanting to eat him, so then the Crab killed the Crane and lived on happily ever after.

To explain the Halo part a bit, there were Prophets who were the leaders of the Covenant in the Halo universe. The Covenant is basically a cultish religious empire made up of several alien species. They had more advanced tech than the human species at the time, which made them a brutal and tough enemy. The Prophets had been lying to their followers and silenced/killed anyone who spoke out against them. This is one the main reasons the humans and Covenant went to war. The Arbiter eventually learned of their lies and got his people, the Elites/Sangheili, to join the humans and turn against the Covenant. The Arbiter also personally vowed to take down the Prophets, and did by literally stabbing the head Prophet in the back. The role of the Arbiter, in the Covenant, was one of shame and redemption. An Arbiter would be appointed to an Elite who failed their duties, such as not preventing a sacred artifact be destroyed in this case, and had been branded with the mark of shame. Said Elite would then be given an opportunity to become an Arbiter, if deemed worthy, and be sent on important but suicidal missions to redeem themselves. Worthiness typically depended on their rank, devotion, and combat skills. However, this Arbiter evaded death many times and turned on the Prophets before they could kill him and became a symbol of leadership and hope to the other Elites. The Prophets then decided to turn on the Elites as a whole, leading to a civil war. The Ark is a massive "sacred" weapon that has the capability of wiping out all life in the universe if other weapons are in place to magnify its reach and power. The "Demon" referenced in the story is actually a human Spartan II, basically a genetically engineered super soldier, know as The Master Chief/Spartan 117/John who the Arbiter became allies and friends with during his journey. Spartans are special units that are typically among the highest of the Enlisted ranks in the military. This mean that Officers in the military can give them orders. The title is also a reference to the Prophet's "Great Journey," which was basically their plan to activate the Ark and kill all life.

Hopefully that explains the Halo part enough, but feel free to ask any questions. I also looked into the definitions of the word "arbiter' and the cultural significance of a crane. An arbiter is defined as "the one who judge" or "a person who settles a dispute or has ultimate authority in a matter," and I think that is very fitting for the character. However, the crane is seen to have both good and bad qualities.

Bibliography

"The Cunning Crane and The Crab" by W. H. D. Rouse.

Image Information: Illustration by W. Robinson. Source: The Cunning Crane and the Crab