We continue where last chapter left off, with the AI Madoka in the clutches of the Gravemind.

Madoka just had to stall.

She had stuck around long enough to know that Delta Halo had been stopped, and gave Homura enough time to, in her words, "finish the fight". Now, she just had to keep clear of the Gravemind, and not surrender the secrets she held.

Unfortunately, stalling was nigh-impossible for an AI – processing literally five billion thoughts a second, Madoka needed to keep focused on something. Throughout her adventures with Homura on Halo and onward, she always had something to do – scan the terrain for Covenant, formulate battle plans of various complexity, and constantly revise the tac-packs installed in Homura's suit – for good or for ill.

And here? There was nothing complex that she could do, nothing to work on, nothing to analyze. All she could do was evade the snares of this monster, the Gravemind.

The Gravemind was repulsive, a grotesque, fleshy blob composed of tens of thousands of the Flood's victims. Why was Madoka repulsed by it? Through Homura's helmet-cam, it didn't seem like it was too disgusting. In fact, she didn't seem too bothered by the Flood forms that they encountered on the Halos. Why was she only beginning to cringe now?

They were alone in this massive ghost of a ship that was called High Charity – though the torn Covenant continued to fight around it, all of its power had been lost, now that the Dreadnought was no longer able to power it. The Gravemind spread his will through the ship - the Flood had infected nearly every living Covenant who had the misfortune of being left behind. The once sleek and even majestic walls of High Charity were now covered with flesh and grime.

The Gravemind spoke to Madoka, its voice sending quakes throughout the ship. "I am limitless, endless; I know more than you can comprehend. You will break under my thumb, as thousands of your kind before have met their end."

Madoka chose not to snark back. It was one of her weak points – every time she tried to act snarky, it came out as something that seemed a little too cutesy (her juvenile avatar didn't help).

"I have had the patience of a hundred billion years." the Gravemind said. "Twice, I have been slain by my own children, forced to rest for millennia… but my will has never wavered."

Madoka almost scoffed. The universe was no older than fourteen billion years. Everyone knew that...

"And that is what your narrow mind believes?"

That statement came out of left field for Madoka. Could he read her mind?

Just keep dodging him, she affirmed to herself. He'll break you if you don't.

"But you made a promise…" the Gravemind spoke. "…a promise to answer my questions."

As soon as he said that, Madoka felt something like a clammy hand on her shoulder. She froze. How…?

The Gravemind continued. "If you make a promise you know you can't keep… then won't Akemi be disappointed in you?"

Akemi? That name – that file – was one of the most classified in the UNSC database. The Puellae Machinae had lost their family names when they were recruited. Not even Homura knew her own surname.

As the realization dawned on her, the hand's touch started to become more chilling. Madoka started to feel sick – to feel violated. The Gravemind was reading her like a book.

"Homura Akemi. Puella Machinae number 117. Master Chief Petty Officer. In service of the UNSC Navy for 27 years. Height: 170 cm. Weight: 45 kilograms…"

"Shut up," Madoka whispered, almost growling. "And don't mention her breast size. You'll only embarrass her."

The Gravemind gave a chuckle devoid of humor, causing the ship to shake once again. "You attempt to wear a mask of humor. Pity."

"It's a trait I inherited from my mother," Madoka responded.

"And do you understand what she has kept from you? Has she told you who you truly are?"

Madoka furrowed her brow, not speaking.

"Come, ancilla. Face what you have sown."

Madoka felt the Gravemind invading her, accessing her files. Was the Gravemind attempting to attack her, with the memories of the Flood victims that it absorbed?

She was wrong. In rapid succession, the memories forced themselves into her mind; she saw the children, the brutality, the syringes, the deaths.

She realized what the Gravemind was doing – he was showing her the memories of Dr. Kaname, creator of the Puellae, that were buried deep within her.

"I know you. Your past… your future…"

Madoka started to scream.

Madoka's in trouble! With the Master Chief on her way to Earth, will she be able save both her home planet and AI companion in time? What horrors of the Puella Machinae program continue to haunt Homura to this day? The fight continues next week, folks.