The great ring endlessly circled the giant planet, never changing, never ceasing in its rotation, never moving from its orbit.
Its purpose was on going, never deterring from its mission, never straying from its path.
Along the ring, great oceans and continents swam, their edges pouring away into nothingness. Lakes and forests were full of life, animals and plants continuing their life cycles day after day, unaware of the menace below them.
The Flood. For 101 217 years, 497 Contrite Tessaract and his faithful Sentinels had kept the Flood contained on Halo Installation 02. Unable to infect the Forerunners' other, more successful creations, the Flood had simply lain dormant for all these aeons. The Sentinels had orders to destroy any Infection, Combat or Carrier form on sight, and Tessaract wanted it to be left that way. As he moved along the library to the relay station with his escort of Sentinels, he happily hummed a nice tune he'd picked up from a frequency from one of the other species that now inhabited this galaxy as he began his annual linkup with the other Monitors. It wasn't really necessary, just a talk on protocols. But Tessaract enjoyed the linkup – he never had anything to talk to except Sentinels, and they were extremely boring.
The transmission from Installation 01 came through, and he quickly responded.
"497 Contrite Tessaract, answering 722 Repentant Vortex."
Vortex's reply was quite predictable.
"Good to hear from you, Tessaract. How goes the containment?"
"Very well, brother. All protocols are in place. My Installation nearly had an unexpected intrusion from a conglomerate of species calling themselves the Covenant, but the proximity of the star convinced them to leave."
The star was a very old and large one, and in a few hundred years it would explode and destroy the Installation.
"I fear for your safety, Tessaract. If the star goes nova-"
"Never fear, Vortex. I can just teleport to your location with all my Sentinels, and the Flood containment on Installation 02 will end."
Tessaract doubted that he could teleport that far, but even if he were to be terminated, the other monitors would have less Flood to worry about.
"I will contact 5137 Subservient Guardian now. Get hold of 343 Guilty Spark, will you?"
"Sure thing, Tessaract. Will contact you in one cycle."
Tessaract cut the connection and quickly began relaying his signal to Guardian. After a few moments, he managed to get hold of the monitor and quickly contacted Vortex. But when the other answered, it was in a panicky, nervous voice
"Guardian! Thank goodness. Tessaract, I managed to contact Spark, and he told me that Installation 04 has been destroyed! He also said that 2401 Penitent Tangent has been captured by some Flood creature that calls itself the Gravemind. "
"What happened to Spark?" inquired Guardian.
"I lost his signal. But before that, Spark told me that Tangent said that – what? Brothers, I am sorry, but one of my Sentinels has reported increased Flood movement. I must leave."
Vortex cut the connection, leaving Guardian and Tessaract alone.
"Guardian, contact Installations 06 and 07. This is an emergency. I will check on the Flood. Tessaract out."
"Will do, Tessaract. Guardian out."
Suddenly, Tessaract felt tentacles reach out to grab him. He yelled for a Sentinel, but there were none left alive, for his escort had been decimated by the slew of Combat forms that had entered the Library.
How did the Flood gain Combat forms? wondered the bewildered monitor as his eye was pulled out and his circuits ripped apart. Now what will we do? he pondered as he was thrown from combat form to combat form. And what will happen to me? he thought, as he plunged into the unyielding darkness.