Decimus: Difference between revisions

In [[2559#January|January of 2559]], the Banished arrived in force at [[Installation 00]] aboard the ''[[Enduring Conviction]]''. Decimus personally led the subsequent attack on the [[human]]s at the [[Henry Lamb Research Outpost]]. He and a contingent of Banished ground forces massacred everyone in sight easily. Following this, Decimus was charged with establishing a system of power extraction and excavation across multiple sites on the Ark. In addition to plundering the massive [[Forerunner]] installation's resources, he also directed the collection of salvage left over from the prior [[Battle of Installation 00]] in [[2552]]. Over the next few months, these endeavors grew in scope. Accessing a [[cartographer]] allowed the Banished to take control of the installation's local [[portal]] network, which made travel and coordination between many sites much more effective. When the {{UNSCship|Spirit of Fire}} arrived at the Ark on [[2559#May|May 15, 2559]], one of the first things the Banished were required to defend was one of these sites where Decimus was in charge of resource gathering. Around R-6029-4452 according to a [[Sangheili]] method of keeping time, a base under the control of Decimus was destroyed by [[Jerome-092]] and [[Strike One]]. At first, the Jiralhanae general was unaware as to why contact had been lost with his contacts at the base, but it wasn't long before the attack and the humans' presence became known to him. At first, he called for [[shipmaster]] [[Let 'Volir]] to target a newly-built UNSC [[firebase]] with [[pulse laser turret]]s as a short show of force. As the [[marine]]s and the Spartan were undissuaded, however, Decimus finally appeared on the battlefield himself. From the ground, Decimus not only took on the many fighters himself in close-quarters combat, but also repeatedly ordered the shipmaster to target his own location briefly and with precision, as he was protected from the lasers by a powerful [[energy shield]] that his mechanized power armor could encapsulate him in for short periods. When it became clear that he would not be able to fend off the attack, Decimus retreated but the ''Enduring Conviction'' continued to bombard the area, killing UNSC and Banished troops alike, ostensibly to keep the humans from learning anything from the operation. He was ordered to report to Atriox immediately following this loss. Decimus would not step into the fray again until two days later on May 17, when UNSC forces were making a push to cripple the portal network by destroying its central hub. He had been reassigned to protect the portals after the extent of the network was discovered by the enemy. Decimus, enraged, made a bold stand against the aggressors, wherein he coordinated with the ''Conviction'' similarly to the previous engagement. The combined fire of the many humans present eventually killed him at this time.

Decimus was ruthless and extremely bloodthirsty, boasting almost unparalleled, raw physical strength. Fighting for the glory to kill, Decimus was considered to be the embodiment of every horror story that has been passed around through the [[UNSC Marine Corps]] about battling [[Jiralhanae]]. When he served the [[Covenant]] during the [[Human-Covenant War]], he took particular delight in hand-to-hand combat with the outmatched soldiers of the [[United Nations Space Command]]. Decimus respected strength above all else and held the traditional Jiralhanae belief that "might makes right"; [[Atriox]] gained Decimus' absolute loyalty after he successfully rebelled against the Covenant,<ref name="gamestop"/> becoming known as his right hand. As befitting his rank, Decimus had his own personal Jiralhane Warlord lieutenants but he also relished the chance to make a personal appearance on the field against particularly stubborn enemies. Decimus' bloodlust often whipped troops under his command into a frenzied rampage. While the Jiralhanae who make up [[Atriox's Chosen]] share their

leader's cunning, Decimus encouraged more base traits in his warriors, chief among which was the unquenchable thirst for blood. Decimus still harbored some resentment against the [[Sangheili]] that serve the Banished due to how they treated the Jiralhanae in the Covenant. As such, Decimus took a sadistic joy in ordering the Sangheili of the Banished on dangerous, and often suicidal, missions.<ref name="gamestop"/> Like Atriox, Decimus despises the Covenant and its [[Covenant remnants|remnants]].<ref name="finals countdown">[https://www.halowaypoint.com/en-us/news/community-update-the-finals-countdown '''Halo Waypoint''': ''The Finals Countdown'']</ref> Unlike many in the Banished, Decimus secretly continued to harbor a belief in the divinity of the Forerunners right up until his death. Orda Val 'Saham, a Sangheili guard who reported to him, noted that he regarded the Forerunner architecture on the Ark with reverence and awe. In his eyes, 'Saham saw what he regarded as a fatal longing and a tragic need to be struck dumb and blind by the promise of a wondrous destiny.