Welcome to the Blades' third story. After much thought, writing and planning, I will be undertaking this story, which will almost be entirely from scratch. Thus, this will probably be the most challenging, so I'm willing to step up to the plate.

Halo does not belong to me.

Subterranean location

Colony of Imbel Alpha, Slater System

January 9, 2502

A luminous light that seemed to come from no point or origin reflected off the awe of those who stood in the cavern. Nearly big enough to drive two UNSC elephants through with still plenty of room, the enormous discovery had been made just weeks after the assassination of the Secessionist Union head.

Standing at the front of the seven scientists who had been permitted to investigate was Doctor Jose Flores. Raised in the poor areas of Madrigal drove him as an only child to pursue a much higher paying job than what his family could provide. A childhood ravaged by terrorist attacks by the time of 2480 had him stowed away on an evacuation transport without his parents. Fresh out of school, he wound up on Earth, attending two European colleges and earning his various degrees, all culminating in his PhD in archaeology.

Standing next to him was his wife of a decade, Maria, who had a similar story.

Wearing gas masks to protect themselves from any hidden toxic fumes, they had made a fifteen minute journey in the hollow tunnels in silence, letting all of their voices in their heads do the talking.

However the crown jewel of the discovery was a pair of glowing boxes that lay flat on the center of the circular chamber. It appeared to have a massive forerunner glyph on the floor; however cracks from tectonic activity prevented anything from being deciphered. Inside the blue glow was a pitch black object that was on the box's bottom. As Flores approached the containers, they seemed to shift shape into more of an oblique appearance. Strangely the black thing inside also shaped to fit the bottom of the containers, almost as if it was a living thing stored inside. Up directly above the boxes were a trio or prongs and what seemed to be a hole.

"This is absolutely incredible!" One of the scientists couldn't hide her delight. "We could possibly solve so many mysteries with whatever this can be!"

Jose ignored her bubbly manner and continued studying. He looked back up at the only armed person that had accompanied them, Private Gelret. "How's our contamination levels?"

Gelret, a tall man dressed in an Army BDU and an assault rifle took out a small yellow palm sized device, extending out an appendage on its top and watching as the gauge calculated any airborne toxins. An ODST would have one of these measurements built in to detect anything harmful in the air. "Nah, levels are labeled as survivable by a huge margin. It should be okay to take the masks off." His voice was muffled from the mask that he wore along with the other crew, but then reverted back to their calm and friendly demeanor once he stripped the obstruction from his face.

Jose felt his hot face brush against a slight cool breeze in heavy contrast to the stuffy air that his mask had provided. All around him, the others had also taken off theirs.

"This is amazing." He breathed as he crossed the vast chamber to the center. The containers shifted their shape again, going back to their original shape once they arrived. Being about five feet long and two feet tall, the twin boxes looked as much as weighing an empty cardboard.

"Does anybody know what this thing is?" Gelret asked almost nervously.

Jose shook his head, Gelret was always trying his best to insure that he had authority over the group when it came to safety, yet at the same time, the man was only a private. When danger was ready to spring out, he was always the one to ask if it was imminent. Jose doubted that he had ever been though any action whatsoever.

"From what I can tell, it's definitely not ours of origin." The news of a highly advanced race that preluded humanity seemed to fascinate everybody. Jose had visited his alumni only to find out from its headmaster that studies of archaeology, particularly concerning the Forerunners had drastically jumped.

"I can't really tell what exactly it is and without equipment for analysis isn't making things easier. We'll need to get the first labs set up ASAP on the closest surface available."

"I can't allow you to do that." Gelret said, now with some authority and confidence flicking back into his voice, "This is past the minimum safety depth. We're more than half a mile down and unless you plan on running a mine, anything is restricted."

"I don't think those plan on moving anytime soon." Maria pointed back to the boxes, "They may look light but then again, how many times do we underestimate things?"

Gelret sighed, "Alright then, I'll see what I can do with Command." He was obviously not pleased due to his orders being to escort, not act as a counselor. Jose imagined that he was contemplating his chances of promotion or subject to the week's floor sweeper.

Jose waited with Maria until the rest of them had prepared for the journey back up.

"What did you see?" She asked her husband as he approached the artifact, noting that it changed back to the shape when he was close again.

"I just want to see if something happens."

Jose was now over the side of the closer box, observing the black object inside. He reached out a gloved hand to touch the box, surprised when his finger met resistance before it even could make contact with the bluish light surface. Now that he was closer, he saw lines that seemed to compose of particles that would have shifted when the boxes changed appearance to its angled look. He now saw a circle that slowly rose out, passing the point where if his hand was placed there it would be solid.

"Wait!" Gelret shouted, rushing over, "Don't touch anything!"

"Science ignores safety." Flores muttered to himself as he placed his hand on the blue circle. The icon suddenly rose even higher as he withdrew his hand. Slowly the glowing in the massive chamber began to fade until it was simply a dim lighting that barely reflected off the far walls.

It darkened even more as suddenly the second box did likewise. The black object shifted so then it shot up, morphing into various shapes now that it seemed to break free of its prison.

Jose and the others could only watch in awe as it began to spread around the room. Fear now crept up his stomach as the black object now appeared as a climbing liquid, clinging to the chambers wall, giving a healthy radius to the boxes where the crew was stored.

"What the?" One of the scientists stared in disbelief as it began to flow upwards again to the hole, where it suddenly seemed to multiply in volume.

Gelret squeezed the trigger, firing at the side wall. The assault rifle was known to be one of the most versatile and lethal against anything, armor, flesh, shields. This time, the bullets seemed to just disappear when they made contact with the liquid climbing on the wall. There wasn't even a splash for an impact. It was as if the liquid simply burned whatever came into contact with it before it could be affected.

Nobody could contemplate what the liquid was, even as it multiplied yet again as it spread over the chamber, before dripping, sputtering and then a full pouring down upon the crew.

All shall be revealed in due time. Although most of you will probably know what is going to happen to these unfortunate scientists. Thanks for reading and reviewing everyone, you give my writing purpose.