Entry Four

SetFileAttributes (C:\Datapad\Administrator\Documents\EntryFour,txt, FILE_ATTRIBUTE_HIDDEN)

Day Six. 0200 hours.

Sullivan here, speaking for myself. (Duane doesn't know I'm recording this.)

My name isn't actually Sullivan, but I suppose it doesn't matter anymore. Hardly anyone knew my first name anyway.

It will take us another hour or so to reach the Moon, so I'm taking the time to reflect on the physical and mental state of my new Guardian. He is... not what I expected. And I've learned more than I could've imagined over the past five days.

Duane (or SPARTAN-B312, as he sometimes calls himself) is an enigma unlike any I encountered during my time in the Vanguard's spectral network. His physical prowess and grasp of military tactics is unparalleled; despite being newly resurrected, he decimated multiple Redjacks during "target practice," defeated a Fallen Archon a few days later and then held his own against veteran Guardians in the Crucible. The Vanguard is thoroughly impressed. In fact, his remarkable skill level is the reason Zavala sent us on an emergency mission instead of a low-risk supply run. (This may be our undoing, but I digress.) His apparent recollection of past memories is equally astonishing. The pre-Collapse "United Earth" government, the so-called "Great War" against the Darkness' minions, the purported systems beyond the Sol System... I have no way of proving whether these are all true, but the level of detail leads me to believe that he is not entirely delusional. I'll have to record all our future conversations. For both Ikora's sake and mine.

And another thing. A more detailed scan (taken a few minutes ago) proves he wasn't lying about his augmentations. Before his death, his DNA was significantly altered, in a way I cannot replicate. He seems rather desperate to get these augmentations back, so I hope we can find their source before he does something rash.

When I chose Duane, I had no idea he was so different. Other Ghosts were searching for "the one" - a Risen who would make history, restore humanity, or even become the "savior" the late Saint-14 spoke about - but I simply desired a strong warrior who could help me carry out the Traveler's will. So when I resurrected him, I based it on an objective analysis rather than my initial impressions. Even if we weren't truly meant to be, I thought, at least I would have someone by my side. We could work out our differences later.

Now, I'm more than sure I made the right choice. Together we will be more than just a Risen and his Ghost. We could become one of the strongest defenders of the Traveler and its chosen. We could help humanity in ways other Guardian-Ghost pairs can only dream about. And perhaps... perhaps we could finally unravel the mystery that is the Golden Age.

Someday I'll thank him for being my Guardian.


Entry Four

SetFileAttributes (C:\Datapad\Administrator\Documents\EntryFour,txt, FILE_ATTRIBUTE_HIDDEN)

Day Six. 0300 hours.

15 minutes until we enter the Moon's orbit. I'll make this quick.

I had no idea "Sullivan" had a name before I gave him one. But if he is happy with his new name, I won't bring it up.

As for what I know, or what I think I know, I am slowly coming to realize that the world is even more different than I initially thought it to be. The Traveler is not of Forerunner origin. The Fallen are an entirely new species, unrelated to the Covenant. The UEG and its technologies have been completely lost to time and will likely never be recovered. Therefore I cannot let my past color my perception of my current situation. I have to start completely anew. I have to forget.

[brief pause]

In preparation for the mission ahead, I have thoroughly briefed myself on the species known as the "Hive." They seem to wield supernatural abilities and are infamous for extinguishing Guardians' Light. I highly doubt it is actual "magic," as the Tower's reports claim; however, without knowing how their abilities work, I will have difficulty countering their attacks. Wizards will likely be the most dangerous, since they are shielded, have the ability to fly, and can emit a poisonous energy field. I will have to conserve rocket launcher ammo in case my scout rifle isn't effective. I also anticipate complications from Thralls, who swarm their victims in an attempt to take them down by sheer force. As I've mentioned before, veteran Guardians receive the better armor; and since my armor is a basic set, I'm not sure how many hits it can take before the plasteel gives out. I'll need to be especially careful.

The good news is that I'm used to facing "impossible" situations like this. And unlike the Guardians who wrote the reports on the Hive, I'm not afraid of losing my Light. My Light isn't the only thing I can wield against this so-called "Darkness."

Plus, you know what they used to say:

Spartans never die.

[end of entry]


Alert! Incoming message.

Sender: unknown.

Encryption level: Gamma.

Warning! Encryption not generated by Vanguard. Message may contain malware.

Decrypt message? _Yes

Message decrypted. Contents of message is as follows:

"Oly Oly Oxen Free, all out in the free, we're all free."