Section 0: The Micro Dyson Sphere

-Prolouge-

1300 HOURS,November 11, 2552(MILITARY CALENDER)

\UNDETERMINED LOCATION WITHIN FORERUNNER CONSTRUCT KNOWN AS SHIELD WORLD

"Linda can you see anything that looks remotely like a way out?" Linda was holding her SRS99D-AM sniper rifle and she sited down the barrel. "Negative. This reminds me of when Chief Mendez dropped us in the forest behind CASTLE BASE. We made it outa that one. "I remember, but atleast we had an objective there. And a we dont even know if theres a way out of this one."Kelly replyed. "Well i guess we just have a really long march ahead of us" Linda said jokingly. After days with no rest,Blue team finally stops and takes a .Cathrine Halsey was setting up her laptop and AI holopad for her micro AI Jerod. Senior Chief Petty Officer Franklin Mendez was going out with the SPARTAN III's to get water from the nearby stream. "Jerrod scan for any signals within range." told her tiny AI construct.

"Scanning...". He said. "Follow it by with radiation ranges gamma to x-ray" she said hastley. "Yes Doctor."

"And put some music on, Betoven's 5th." "Working... all request complete.I recomend a passive scan so we wont miss anything"

He suggested. It was almost impossible for any 'normal' human to work a AI like ,to the point were there is a detectible pause. But she was'nt a normal human. She is the creator of the SPARTAN II project. She is in there eyes a mother figure. In her eyes, she was there damnation. She was checking her data pad on recent encounters, on Reach, Ascendent Justice, The Halo array, The Flood and Onyx. In the back of her mind she was wondering 'I wonder if John is still alive. He must be, he has always been the lucky one, he survived so..' her thought was interupted by an alert on her laptop.

It said "UNSC-E BAND SIGNAL DETECTED, PRESS ENTER TO SEE MESSAGE" She said "Jerrod put it on my glasses".

A fine laser went into her retina and two small speakers played:

"This is an automated message from UNSC AI SERIAL NUMBER CTN 0452-9

"All UNSC personel heed and stand too

"Iam declaring genral emergancy BANDERSNATCH.

has only heard that once before. It was a ONI codeword for radiological Weapons of Mass Destruction or a slipspace incedent.

"The UNSC ship Foward Unto Dawn tried to escape the destruction of instalation 00 through the portal

"The portal collapsed, only one half made it too earth.

"Be advised SPARTAN 117 is on board in a cryonics pod.

"Our power is low and we do not have any slipspace capabillity's.

"Be advised we are orbiting a UNKNOWN PLANET, possibly another forerunner construct from the markings on the surface.

"Scans idicate a Nitrogen Oxygen atmosphere, with 8% trace gasses.

"Life support is critical, crypods are running on emergency Solar Panels on the ships hull. Reactor is critical.

"Star charts do not match any known systems. Planet orbits a class B-Medium sized star. About the size of Sol.

"We do not have any transportation to reach the surface of the planet. Remains of the Forward Unto Dawn has 4 emrgency peroxide based manuvering charges on the hull. If we activate them, we have a 50/50% chance of landing intact due to the lack of Titanum armor plating for atmosphere entry. This is UNSC AI SEREAL NUMBER CTN 0452-9.

"Message ends"

She sat there for a minute, thinking how the signal can reach them from possibly billions of AUs. She got up, dusted off her lab coat, and told her AI "Trace the signal. It has to be a internal source.

"Signal origin found , but it is fading in and out. It is estimated 4.5 kilometers at 3'oclock

"Ma'am, How can we be receiving anything from in the dyson sphere? Not even those Havok Nukes could punch through the portal?"Fred asked.

"Maybe, theres something the forerunners built that is also connected to the outside, picking up there signal. "That should mean a way out and too The Dawn. We need to find the signal source." He said.

"Done. Fred, i estimate if we can find the Forerunner comm relay we may also be able to raise Earth."

" I agree, but Doctor Halsey. What if were galaxys away from Earth, we dont have any cryopods. Even if we did it would take them hundreds of years to get to us, even through Slipstream Space. " Fred remarked. " We will cross that bridge when we come to it. Rite now we should get moving before the signal dies."Halsey exlpained. "Yes Ma'am."

"BLUE TEAM. ATTEN-TION" They all snapped at attention in unision. "I set up a waypoint based on the radio origin. Lets get there double time!"

"Sir! Yes Sir!" Blue team replyed and started gathering there equipment. Kelly-087 ran up to Fred. She asked him. "What do you think will be on the other side when we get out?" "I dont know, maybe John, Maybe a whole other army of covies, God forbid the flood. There mite be an army of Drones 10 times worse then the ones on Onyx. But whatever is on the other side Iam confident Blue team is ready for it."

Kelly laughed and said "Maybe,there will be a frigate with working cryo and slipspace drives."

"That would be the best outcome. Lets get moving"

"Yes Sir." Instead of saluting she put two fingers on her faceplate. SPARTAN sign for a for a smile.