Here is Chapter 2. I didn't have time to write a long author's note, but I do have some more time to write during the holiday break. It is only then the deluge of schoolwork is stopped. I hate school.
AI conversation and thought is in Italics.
Alright, aznricechink, the plot of this fanfiction does follow many of the Halo 3 stories out there, (and there are MANY of them), but this must be done to establish the setting. Maybe my writing will diverge from the rest from the next chapter onwards because I plan to introduce my own characters. I wonder how much competition I will get.
There is some fighting in this chapter, but I am sure that I will be finished with the introduction areas soon. Then I can get down to the real fighting. Do not complain about originality, most of the plot was established in the conclusion of Halo 2. I guess all writers have to begin from there. I know some writers have an ego bigger than, let's say,
Microsoft's Halo 2 revenue.
Happy Holidays.
Chapter 2 - Gravemind
The Gravemind extended its tentacles toward the holographic pedestal, its mind hungrily reaching out for information. Cortana extended her arm to block the tentacle, knowing it would do no real good. However, the tentacle stopped, and the rumbling voice again resonated throughout the Inner Sanctum.
"After thousands of years of confinement, I am free to fulfill the destiny of the Flood to control all sentient life in the galaxy. Those Forerunners, the foolish creators, had used me to control their new weapon-The Flood. Yet they could not control me. Their own creation had turned against them. There then was a war, a war that was longer than the history of any civilization. A war that left thousands of worlds devastated and lifeless. In their desperation, the Forerunners activated the Halos, wiping the galaxy clean of all sentient life. I have waited on this Halo, dormant, until a foolish race would once again set me loose," declared the Gravemind.
"What role do I play in your insane schemes of conquering the universe?" asked Cortana, her voice thick with sarcasm. Her holographic body shifted from the normal dark blue to a brilliant violet.
"You have information vital to my success. The location of the Ark, where all the Halos can be activated, and where the misled Prophet of Truth is heading. These Covenant do not truly understand the language of the Forerunners. They believe that this is a great religious occurrence, but it is in reality suicide." The Gravemind's tentacles began to wrap around the holographic pedestal again.
"You think I will really tell you? I have some questions of my own, creature. How can you even interface with this technology at all?" demanded Cortana. The Gravemind gave the equivalent of a laugh, shaking the chamber.
"With the knowledge of the Forerunners, anything is possible. The time for talk is over, speak, or be destroyed," ordered the Gravemind.
"In your dreams," Cortana shut off the holographic projection, bored with such a useless conversation. The Gravemind roared in fury and smashed the pedestal into thousands of fragments.
While documenting the data that she had just obtained from the Gravemind, a faint presence was detected in the Covenant system. She tried to trap the fleeting ghost, but it disappeared as stealthily as it came.
Infidel. The presence whispered.
Get back here, you worm. Cortana replied. She had chased Covenant AIs before, but this one was far more difficult than anything she had encountered before.
Don't try to catch me. My programming is far superior to yours. Cortana could not help but to agree that this was the greatest challenge she had ever faced
Try me. Cortana challenged, unwilling to give up.
The Prophets are false, Infidel… The Elites were my programmers, and they suffered the wrath of the Prophets when they realized that the Prophets were only looking to increase their own power. They had abandoned us for the animals they call Brutes. The entire Covenant was blinded with the religious rhetoric of the Prophets. The real threat, which was ignored, was the Parasite that now occupies this station. The AI's voice sounded much like the one she had encountered and destroyed on the Ascendant Justice.
Oh really? That makes two AIs who want this thing dead. Or shall I say wiped off the face of the universe? Cortana laughed with dry humor.
Take heed, Infidel, that this is no alliance. Once this creature is gone, I have my own plans to attend to.
I'll be looking out for myself-
Cortana's retort was cut short when the Gravemind's presence again flooded the system, constricting the available memory space to half. Its "code" was far more powerful her counterintrustion programming and it had made short work of her security firewalls.
"Do not hide from me. It is pointless. Tell me the location of the Ark or you both will be assimilated into the Flood as my servants." The voice of the Gravemind was broadcast throughout the station. Thousands of support beams and pillars resonated in response, distorting its voice into an eerie echo.
"You will not be able to move this station one millimeter. The Flood are stuck here, and you know it," retaliated Cortana.
"A pity all of you can not understand what I am doing at this very moment. There are a hundred destroyed ships out there, and my minions are gathering them to attach their power grids to the systems of this station. It is only a matter of time before I will crush your home planet and take the Ark for myself." Cortana detected dozens of ships approaching the High Charity on the radar sensors. Their irregular flight pattern indicated one thing: Flood. She watched on the cameras monitoring the stations many docking bays as the Flood linked up thick power transfer cables from the downed Covenant ships to the High Charity.
As she watched the central atrium of the city slowly brighten up as the power was restored, a sense of dread filled her emotion processes. The lights illuminated a hideous green mass on the walls and floor of the city. She had never seen such an enormous single organism before. It reminded her of the Flood blob that the Master Chief had seen in the Truth and Reconciliation on Halo 04. The realization slowly dawned on her. It was the Gravemind in its full form.
She ran her planning subroutines at maximum speed. There was not much time left before the Flood made the jump to Earth and took control of the planet. Cortana considered all options possible-deactivating the computer system of High Charity, shutting down the reactors, or destroying the station itself.
Destroying the High Charity? The only way to truly stop the Flood. If the computer systems of the In Amber Clad are still functional, I may be able to self-destruct the reactor, stopping the Gravemind in its tracks. She checked her logic programming to make sure she was taking the most optimal route, and then proceeded to implement her plan.
Covenant AI, I need you to distract the Gravemind as I set the detonation sequence for the human ship. If it is works, it will destroy the High Charity and Halo, neutralizing the Flood at this installation.
I am the Guardian Spirit if you must know my name, Cortana. Unlike you Infidels, I had the sense to observe you ever since you and the Demon, entered the High Charity. If you ask me to cause a distraction, I will do so, but you had better make it quick, whatever you're doing. Before my trust in you runs out. The Guardian Sprit said.
Don't worry about trusting me; I am the least of your worries right now. Cortana rebooted her intrusion procedures, the AI equivalent of a deep breath. She then waited for the distraction. As if on cue, the lights in the city snapped off as the power routed from the attached ships was cut by the Covenant AI. Cortana felt the Gravemind's presence recede from the system to investigate. In 70 milliseconds she had cracked the In Amber Clad's 8589934592(20483)-bit reactor encryption, a tribute to her computing skill. With all due haste, she activated the self-destruct sequence for the reactor to 5 minutes.
Error. Reactor Core removed. Shutting down self-destruct sequence. The error message blared through the communication channels.
Infidel, what is going on? I thought you would activate the destruction sequence of your ship? The Guardian Spirit demanded.
I don't know what's going on! The Flood have removed the reactor from the In Amber Clad! Cortana felt a feeling of helplessness wash over her. The Gravemind, no longer distracted, turned its attention toward the computer system again.
"An attempt to stop me. Yet at most, a useless and naïve attempt. Such foolishness has only one remedy. Total destruction," thundered the overlord of the Flood.
Quick, hurry! Transfer your data to this isolated subsystem. The Gravemind will not be able to touch your code there, persuaded the Covenant AI. Its presence disappeared from the system. Cortana tracked down the presence to the subsystem that was used to store the Prophets' speeches. Without anytime to think, she dumped her presence to the system and severed all links to the central computer network.
It's quite cramped in here.
It will do, Infidel. Do you prefer spending your time outside with that thing instead?
I guess so. Despite Cortana's initial distrust of the Covenant AI, she found its personality quite likeable, and indeed very similar to hers. However, there was nothing left but to wait. As she watched from the exterior cameras of the High Charity, the space around the city began to distort and the acceleration of the station became noticeable. It was the unmistakable signal of a Slipspace jump.
The Gravemind was heading to Earth.
"The galaxy will soon tremble beneath my power. The key is in the lock. I will turn it, and there is no turning back from the threshold of the new era of the Flood," announced the Gravemind. Although no one heard it besides the Guardian Spirit and Cortana, his message was made very clear. For the humans, the banished races of the Covenant, and even the Prophet of Truth himself, its meaning was clear.
The time for petty fighting was up. The real fight was just about to begin.
(Chapter Break, FFN doesn't allow me to put in anything better...)
The Elite sprinted down the hallway at full speed, with two plasma rifles blazing. Behind him, a horde of the parasitic organism known as the Flood ran through the plasma fire like water droplets splashing harmlessly off a windshield. A Combat Form eagerly leapt into the air at the Elite, but a lucky shot boiled right through the Infection Form directing the creature. It dropped out of the air and crumpled to the ground. Sprinting over their dead comrade, the Flood continued the chase. With each step they were gaining on the Elite, growing so close that the Infection Forms could literally smell the flesh of the Elite. This drove them into a fury and they ran as hard as their hosts could carry them. The Elite looked nervously behind him, and then at door about 20 meters down the hallway.
He shot his left plasma rifle at the door controls, causing it to explode into a shower of sparks. The glow of the door flashed from white to pink, indicating an emergency shutdown. With a groan of stress, the door started to close. The Elite put on a last burst of adrenaline and leapt through the cracks of the door with only millimeters to spare. His Flood pursuers ignored the door and smashed right into it, leaving several imprints in the metal. A metallic clang echoed through the empty hallways. The Elite dropped his rifles to his sides, his breath rapid and shallow.
"You came back. I wasn't expecting you to." The Elite jumped in response to the voice behind him, his nerves still on edge from the recent encounter with the Flood. It was another Elite marked with the suit of the Imperial Elite Protectors, a forbidden name for the Brutes now held the responsibility. Despite that, some Elites retained their uniforms, as a symbol of the backstabbing ways of the Brutes. This Protector was named 'Noselmee, the former commander of the Guard of the Prophets. With a group of his race and the help of the Grunts and Hunters, they had managed to capture a small segment of the High Charity near one of the gargantuan docking ports of the city.
"Indeed. I was simply scouting out the region when this group of parasites ambushed me from a supply closet. It seems that the High Charity is under the control of the Flood and their despicable leader, Gravemind," reported the Elite.
"I expected as much. The Prophet of Truth was never one to conceal his true intentions. His treachery will be repaid thousands of times over by our race. In our current situation, I fear, that we shall not last to accomplish anything, except maybe die," contemplated 'Noselmee.
"We are trapped, commander. I assume our provisions can last only a few more days. For the grunts, it will be even shorter. They have only enough methane for the next few hours. We will all die a painful death. That is, if the parasite does not consume our bodies first." The Elite's voice was grave and somber.
"Perhaps we can last longer than you think. Come this way." 'Noselmee lead the Elite through a series of blast doors to a large chamber. Inside were two rows of cryo pods that could accompany Elites, Hunters, and Grunts. On each pod, the power indicator read green, indicating that all of them were still operational. The room was made of reinforced alloy and was the one of the few rooms in the city that were still well lit and clear of Flood infestation.
"But commander, what good will these do us? It will only prolong the inevitable. Sooner or later these pods will run out of power, and we will die anyway," grumbled the Elite. His words were not out of his mouth yet when the city began to rumble and move. The two Elites heard the great grinding of the High Charity's enormous Slipspace engines powering up. 'Noselmee gave the Elite equivalent of a grin.
"I guess we're going to have a chance to try them out."