"Stay behind me, Doctor." I told doctor Halsey as several Elite Minors -led by a Major- approached them.
"Sheila, you can't kill them all," The Doctor warned me, the sounds of the Covenant assault on Miridem was in my ears. Nobody other Human but me and the Doctor had survived the Covenants initial attack on the convoy escorting the Doctor to the excavation site "And they can't have me alive; kill us both, now!"
"I can beat them, Doctor." I reassured her. I wasn't going to die here. And I had a plan; kill these bastards, commandeer one of the vehicles transporting them, and get back to the city where EVAC would be.
The Elite Major held its hand out to stop its Minors from engaging us "The Demon is mine." The Major said with my translation device telling me what it said.
The Minors nodded in respect as the Major grabbed its' two energy swords sheathed on its thighs' MWHS. It was odd for an Elite to have two energy swords. But I put the thought side when the Major tossed me one of its' swords.
I made no attempt to catch it, and it simply hit my chest plate before falling to the ground.
The Major gritted its mandibles and let out a light hiss "Have honor; duel me."
Honor wasn't on my agenda, and I quickly raised my Assault Rifle and shot at it with it and its' Minors dodging out-of-the-way before the Major twisted around and leaped towards me.
It bought its' hoof up and smashed it into my stomach. I staggered for a moment, but the Major was fast, and it grabbed my Assault Rifle and ripped it out of my hands. I was about to hit it since it was close, but I felt a large burning pain go through my chest.
"Sheila!" The Doctor exclaimed.
I looked down to see the Major had stabbed its' energy sword into my chest. I attempted to lift my arms to attack it, but the pain was too much. I fought for my life, but the Major ripped its energy sword out of my chest and swung it around before slicing through me.
I spat blood all across my visor as I fell to the ground, desperately trying to cling onto my life.
But I felt the life leaving me... I- I...
November 8, 2547 [0928 Hours] Human Military Calendar.
Unknown Location, Installation 06.
Red-098...
Do you hate him for what he did to her? Do you hate him?- Personal emotions irrelevant.- I will make you hate him. But first, I must break you.
A scene suddenly appeared. It was outside the school on Harvest, Nai was 16, and she along with dozens of students and parents had gathered around to watch Christina -surrounded by Solicitors- converse with the teachers of the school -also surrounded by even more Solicitors.
"This is absurd." Christina scoffed.
"You're right, it is." The lead teacher coldly agreed.
Nai had a smile on her face. But she wasn't behind what ever happened; this was on Christinas' own accord.
"Yeah, it is," Christina scoffed "and I'm going to sue this shit-hole to the ground over this crap; I said I would change, and I will."
The teachers began to laugh "You said that when we found you and Mr Teddison in the supply room," The lead teacher countered "But nothing changed? Did it? You were preforming these disgusting acts in a school! We should have fired you after the first incident; not risk being sued by a hundred angry parents."
Christina spat in the lead teachers' face with the crowd of people and some teachers and Solicitors letting out exclaims and grunts of disgust.
The lead teacher calmly wiped the spit away "You know, it's people like you that reminds me the Universe is an evil place. But I will never allow anyone to inflict that evil on these kids why they still have time for their innocence."
"Let's go." One of the Solicitors with Christina said with Christina letting out a scoff before turning around and making her way to the Solicitors vehicle.
"She really is disgusting," Nais' mother -who 098 just noticed- remarked before turning her head around to face Nai "Courtney, I'm so, so sorry."
Tears began to appear in Nais' eyes, and she hurried towards her mother where she hit her mother across the face with the crowd letting out exclaims of shock "The years I had to deal with that bitch because you wouldn't listen to me. What type of mother do you call yourself?"
Tears appeared from Nais' mothers' eyes as she held the side of her red face. And all of a sudden, Nai landed another hard hit before calmly turning around and walking into the school with everyones' eyes on her.
Civil conflict between families... if your pathetic races' politics are to this magnitude and beyond... your subjugation will be swift and severe- Negative. We will engage and eliminate you- you still breath words like that? After all you have witnessed of your sister... your false mental state has not broken to let through the stronger one. Perhaps... something more recent will inflict the anguish I desire onto your mentality.
Another scene appeared. It was the Captains' quarters of a Charon-class light frigate. Nai was the age she was at the current time, and she was on her bed crying.
"He-he-he doesn't lov-love me," The Captain cried to herself "He-h-he doesn't lo-love me-me."
"Captain," Timmys' avatar appeared on a holo-tank by the sealed door "Lieutenant Colonel Keyes is worried. And I can't say this from personal experience, but it's always better to cry with your best friend by your side."
The Captain let out a sniff and raised her head "Okay, se-send for h-her."
098 noticed the Captains' hands were twitching uncontrollably.
"No need," Timmy replied "She's right outside your quarters, and she wasn't going to take no for an answer anyway. She just told me to ask you so she knew what type of mind you were in."
Timmys' avatar disappeared, and the Captain couldn't help but smile at Keyes' actions as the door opened with a hiss, and Keyes walked in and sat herself next to the Captain on her bed.
"Don't ever assume that I'll never be here for you," Keyes hugged the Captain "You should had called for me earlier."
The Captain let out a sniff before she began crying again "This isn't like any other time, Lynda. I can- I can't handle this; I-I-I-I can't do this shit anymore."
Keyes pulled the Captain closer and began to hold her closely as the Captain cried heavily "You're stronger than any of us on this ship; you can hold on," Keyes reassured the Captain as she held her tightly in a hug "And whether Red likes it or not... he will come around; no matter what ONI did to him, nothing will break that bond that you have always talked about."
Irrelevant, irrelevant, irrelevant- You are beginning to panic... you do not want to see what you have done to her... you do not want to face the truth... the dark deep truth that you are false... you were never meant to created- Negative. Personal feelings irrelevant- Why? It is not a fact that you cannot defeat your foes while you have true emotions... It is the fact that you do not want to go back; you do not want to remember... Ah! But you do want to remember! Deep down you want to remember. But this... mental state is forbidding you from remembering...-Negative. Personal feelings are irrelevant- "Are"? You are breaking... your rhythm of speech is disintegrating. I only need to enact on one final effort to obliterate your false characteristics.
Scenes and images began to appear and disappear out of nowhere. Each scene and image lasted for only a moment, but 098 could see everything, could understand everything.
Nai was in constant pain... She gave up everything because of 098... her child, her love, her relationship, her friends... her life. She had suicidal thoughts regularly, and she hated everyone and everything because of her pain.
But now memories began to appear. And 098 saw his life before the SPARTAN II Program... he saw that he was a happy, energetic child. But he was quiet and shy... but he had Nai... Red had Nai.
I'LL KILL HER! I'LL KILL HER! HALSEY! HALSEY! HALSEY! HALSEY! HALSEY! HALSEY! HALSEY! HALSEY! HALSEY! HALSEY! HALSEY! HALSEY! HALSEY! HALSEY! HALSEY! HALSEY! HALSEY! HALSEY! HALSEY! HALSEY! HALSEY! HALSEY! HALSEY! HALSEY! HALSEY! HALSEY! HALSEY! HALSEY! HALSEY! HALSEY! HALSEY! HALSEY! HALSEY! HALSEY! HALSEY! HALSEY! HALSEY! HALSEY! HALSEY! HALSEY! HALSEY! HALSEY! HALSEY! HALSEY! HALSEY! HALSEY! HALSEY! HALSEY! HALSEY! HALSEY! HALSEY! HALSEY! HALSEY! HALSEY! HALSEY! HALSEY! HALSEY! HALSEY! HALSEY! HALSEY! HALSEY! HALSEY! HALSEY! HALSEY! HALSEY! HALSEY! HALSEY! HALSEY! HALSEY! HALSEY! HALSEY! HALSEY! HALSEY! HALSEY! HALSEY! HALSEY! HALSEY! HALSEY! HALSEY! HALSEY! HALSEY! HALSEY! HALSEY! HALSEY! HALSEY! HALSEY! HALSEY! HALSEY! HALSEY! HALSEY! HALSEY! HALSEY! HALSEY! HALSEY! HALSEY! HALSEY! HALSEY! HALSEY! HALSEY! HALSEY! HALSEY! HALSEY! HALSEY! HALSEY! HALSEY! HALSEY! HALSEY! HALSEY! HALSEY! HALSEY! HALSEY! HALSEY! HALSEY! HALSEY! HALSEY! HALSEY! HALSEY! HALSEY! HALSEY! HALSEY! HALSEY! HALSEY! HALSEY! HALSEY! HALSEY! HALSEY! HALSEY! HALSEY! HALSEY! HALSEY! HALSEY! HALSEY! HALSEY! HALSEY! HALSEY! HALSEY! HALSEY! HALSEY! HALSEY! HALSEY!
Red could see again. He was a large circular chamber that was lit up by lights coming off of the engraved Forerunner walls and pillars. But in the middle of the chamber, there was a single light... the Index. Red was right near the Index; it was right there.
He still couldn't move any inch of his body. But he saw out of the side of his vision that there was Flood slime and sacks along with various other hive material going up behind him. And it didn't take Red long to figure out that he was being held up into a wall of Flood slime and matter by slime and matter. And that Flood wall of slime and matter was the Gravemind.
Alas! I have broken you!- I will not inform you of Earths' location- Fool! Have you not already learned? I know all that there has been, or is!
More images flashed through Reds' mind. Everything that had happened and was happening came into his mind. No matter where in the Universe, Red could see it as clearly as day.
He could see that his SPARTAN brother and sisters were currently fighting on a planet, he saw the UNSC Spirit of Fire drifting in space, he saw Jorge quietly sit by himself as he mourned for Reds' disappearance and possible death, he saw the locations of each Covenant home-world, he saw the size of the Covenant fleets, and so, so much more.
Such abilities to see what Red was seeing should be impossible. But Red also saw what type of machinery the Gravemind had integrated itself with. And it wasn't all Forerunner machinery. There was an advanced alien artifact -more advanced than anything the Forerunners had created. And Red knew -through the Gravemind- what it was... Precursors...
Now do you see the truth? The truth behind everything?- Affirmative. It's... It... I will engage and defeat you; I won't let you destroy us as you did the Forerunners- You believe you can defeat us? The Forerunners were a numerous race with advanced technology, and they stood together. Humanity is not numerous, with primitive technology, and they do not stand together. And to make matters against your already faulting odds, I can witness any plan to stop us designed and set in motion. I will learn, adapt, and rip the Universe asunder with minimal effort.
That all too familiar pain was still there. Red felt like he only knew the agonizing pain that seeped through his body. He wanted it to stop, he wanted to cry; not for himself, but for Nai.
Do you want to know of this "Christinas'" fate?- Affirmative- she died of natural Human weaknesses but a mere two cycles ago.- She managed to escape the Covenant?- Yes. She proceeded to live against her pathetic limitations. And she proceeded to survive on Erde-Tyrene until she passed away from her pathetic life- Good.- You have hatred? Of course! I shall make you hate him- No need... Personal feelings and emotions are now relevant...
I already hate him...
November 8, 2547 [0934 Hours] Human Military Calendar.
UNSC Kryptonite's Officer Lounge, Installation 06.
Thel 'Lodam...
Thel hated these stupid gatherings.
Everyone and everything was here. Thel, his men, the Human leaders, the Monitor, and the Monarch. And the future was about to be decided. But it wouldn't be decided when the Humans would not stop arguing among themselves.
The Humans were arguing about how they would escape, what would happen to the Demon and their Captain, what will happen once they got back to Earth. It was odd as to how very few of them realized that the answer would reveal itself if they would be silent.
Thel kept his arms crossed over his chest in annoyance. Anve, Freyn, and Suras were at his side, and Kri and the Unggoy were over at the Human "bar", watching the Humans argue in amusement.
This is ridiculous. "SILENCE!" Thel finally parted his mandibles and roared as loud as he could.
Everyone immediately stopped and looked at him. This arguing explains a lot. "No wonder we are winning this false war when all you do is argue among yourselves like fools," Thel hissed through his gritted mandibles "Now, shut up and let the Monarch and the Monitor speak."
Nobody decided to continue, and they all remained silent as they turned to look at the floating orbs.
The Monarch decided to begin first "A popular argument I have had the displeasure of hearing (Good, it is blunt about its' annoyance as-well) is argument about who is now in command of this ship when the Captain is in her 'state of pain'. And from what I have researched by hacking into your Data-streams, the Reclaimer designated: Commander Juan Cortez should take command. But I also understand that there is an agent belonging to the Reclaimers' intelligence and secret services known as ONI. And that agent has the authority to take command of this ship and its' Reclaimer crew if the designated Reclaimer needs to."
"I see no reason why I must take command," The Human named Rhine stated "So that means Commander Cortez is know the Commanding Officer of the UNSC Kryptonite."
Thel had to clicked his mandibles in annoyance at this topic "Now that this argument is cleared through, can we get back to the topic of leaving this dreaded ring and ending the fake war?"
"Yes," The Monitor said this time "I have engaged in designing a plan to assist the Reclaimers in their priority task. The plan will also destroy the Flood on this Installation... along with this Installation itself."
Thel cocked his head in puzzlement. Curious... Halos' destruction is a priority as much as stopping the fake war.
"How?" The Human named Lynda questioned the Monitor in a curious tone. Be silent and it shall reveal its' plan! You Humans are so foolish! Thel simply rolled his eyes, and thanked the fact that he wore his helmet so no-one nor nothing could see his displeasure and annoyance.
"Allow me to elaborate, Reclaimer," The Monitor began "The quarantine zone around the Library has failed; Flood forces are spreading across this Installation at an alarming rate. But in-case the Flood contained on this Installation escapes from their designated containment facilities, and all other protocols fail, one final fail-safe remains. Upon my activation, a gravity well device build into this systems' artificial sun will pull this Installation into the designated artificial sun, effectively destroying all life forms on this Installation."
"I assume we ain't gonna be here when that happens?" Lynda questioned the Monitor.
Of course we will not be here; let it finish. "Of course not, Reclaimer," The Monitor reassured them "I still have engaged in designing a plan to assist you, Reclaimers. After I have finished briefing you on my plan, I shall make haste to use the Seer on your ship, Reclaimers. Once I have confirmed that your ship is devoid of Flood Spores, of Forms, I shall lower the anti-gravity well for ten minutes (Moments) for you to leave this Installation."
"What about the Covenant ships?" Lynda questioned the Monitor. Let it finish, damn it. "The ships on the ring will try to escape once the well is deactivated, and the ships in space will engage us once we leave Halos' atmosphere."
"Allow me to finish, Reclaimer," The Monitor replied. Yes, allow it. "Now, I will activate this Installations' defensive weapons grid, which will effectively destroy all Meddler ships outside this Installations' atmosphere. (Gods blood! All the blinded that shall fall over this! This cannot be the only way!) And if any Meddler ships attempt to leave this Installation when the anti-gravity well is deactivated, they will be engaged and destroyed by the this Installations' defensive weapons grid as-well -thus eliminating any potential for them escaping with Flood Spores or Forms aboard their ships. (They will die anyway)."
There was no other way, so Thel decided not to protest. His men must had figured this out as-well, for they did not protest. But Thel could still see them uncomfortable over the idea; he would be sure to reassure them at a later time.
"Once your ten minutes (Moments) are up, the anti-gravity well will be reactivated, and this I shall initiate the fail-safe protocol."
"Are you staying on the ring?" Juan asked the Monitor in a concerned tone.
A valid point. "No, Reclaimer," The Monitor reassured them "I can control both the fail-safe protocol, and the anti-gravity well through a network grid. I will leave this Installations' atmosphere once the anti-gravity well is deactivated before I initiate the fail-safe protocols."
"What about after that?" Juan asked the Monitor. Another valid point. "Will you be stuck in this system or something?"
"I have the function to traverse through the denial of locale (The Void) if protocol dictates it. Once this Installation is destroyed, I shall return to the Ark to oversee the construction of a new Installation 06."
A new one? "Another one?" Lynda questioned the Monitor in an alarmed tone "What if the Covenant come across this ring again?"
"Fear not, Reclaimer," The Monitor reassured them "As soon as the new Installation 06 -designated: Installation 06B- is in position, I shall activate this Installations' defensive weapons grid and anti-gravity well to prevent any Meddlers from making physical contact with this Installation again -unless the Reclaimers dictate otherwise."
"Be it a sin on me to interrupt," The Human called Wade -that Thel disliked due to it always watching him and his men- broke in "but I believe it necessary to redirect this briefing to the topic on how the Kryptonite will leave the all-service tunnel without being engaged and destroyed by the Covenant ships that are without a doubt waiting outside the sealed entrance for us."
At least it is smart. And it has a welcomed advanced vocabulary. "I can confirm that the Meddlers have some of their ships waiting outside the nearby exit to this all-service tunnel," The Monitor began "And there is no room for your designated ship to turn around, anyway. So I deemed it required for your designated ship to continue down the all-service tunnel until your designated ship reaches another designated exit to the all-service tunnels -a exit that shall be safe from the Meddlers' ships. But there is a flaw with this objective: the size of your designated ship will slow the process of moving through the tunnel to a safe designated exit from the average time of seven hours, twenty minutes, and nineteen seconds to two days, two hours, forty-eight minutes, and forteen seconds."
That is a long time... and there will be many unneeded casualties in that time. "That's too long," Lynda grunted in annoyance "can't you just have your 'defensive weapons grid' thingy destroy the ships outside the entrance up there?"
I already understand the Monitors' inevitable answer "Impossible, Reclaimer," The Monitor replied. As I theorized. "I am 100 percent certain that the rubble from the ships will damage the designated entrance to the all-service tunnels. And this designated ship is too large to turn about; you have no choice but to continue to a junction, Reclaimers, which is the designated location you must proceed to."
"Wait," Anve broke in with a click of his mandibles in unison "what of the portal the Demon arrived to this ring by?"
A topic that has not been brought up yet. How could we go so long with no mention of this?
"Damn," Lynda muttered "why the hell is this being brought up now?" Exactly.
"The portals' activation was not within my control," The Monitor began "But I can deactivate the portal if protocol dictates it. And I have deactivated the portal via widespread containment protocol -only to be followed if the Flood break out of the quarantine zone- 6 hours, 9 minutes, and 24 seconds ago -and counting.
"No possible escape for the Fleet-Master," Anve rubbed his lower mandibles. So that is why this question was bought to light. "he does not deserve his inevitable fate; no member of the Covenant -other than the Jiralhanae and Pity- deserve to die not knowing the truth."
Thel calmly walked over to Anve and placed a reassuring hand on his shoulder "Brother," Thel began "the risks for trying to warn the Fleet-Master are to great to risk the possible only chance we have to stop this fake war; many more of the blind will die unless these sacrifices are made."
Anve lightly nodded his head in sadness.
When no one else spoke, Juan clapped its hands together in conclusion "So, you scan us with the Seer, we continue down the tunnel until we come across this exit, we leave the tunnel once you deactivate the anti-gravity well, we leave the atmosphere and watch as this shit-hole is burned to Oblivion, and we then enter random slipspace vectors, arrive at those vectors, then head back to Earth with the Monarch and the Diverted. We get back, and we end the war -easy."
If you have just jinxed it, I shall personally tear you apart...