Section II: The Flood

--------------------

Chapter Five

1335 Hours, September 31, 2547 (Military Time) / Pelican-419, Airborne above Halo, Harbinger System

----------------

Pelican-419 led the other pelican into the canyon where the control room resided. The two dropships flew over the bridge spanning the canyon, headed for the top of the pyramid which was at one end of the canyon. The pyramid had a platform above the door, but the platform was covered by a dome, so the pelicans couldn't land there.

"Come in Pelican-507." Petra hailed the other pelican over the comm. channel. Pelican-322 had left with the wounded to get fixed up and get the soldiers healed.

"This is Pelican-507. Where are we going to land, Petra?" The other pelican responded.

"We're going to drop off at the doormat. Just back into the opening in front of the hangar doors." Petra replied.

"Roger that." The pilot of Pelican-507 answered.

Pelican-419 flew up to the top of the pyramid, and spun around. It slowly backed into the top of the pyramid, and Skyhunter opened the hatch. Dav led the Lieutenant and the other marines out the back, and Skyhunter flew up out to let Pelican-507 drop off its marines. Once they were all outside the pelicans, Skyhunter called,

"Any signs of the Covenant?"

The great hangar door that led into the control room was open, and there was a huge hallway that turned to the right. There seemed to be no place for anything to hide in the hallway.

"I don't see any. I'm amazed we beat them here from the Cartographer." Dav replied.

"Um… Sir?" A marine called cautiously. "You might want to see this."

Dav trotted over, Parsons following him. There was a small contingent of Covenant crates, hidden behind where the hangar door slid back into the wall. They were not organized well, and one of them had fallen over.

"Petra, do you suppose that these were placed here in a hurry?" Dav asked the AI.

"I don't know. If the Covenant have already been here, I wonder why they haven't activated it. I think we should get in there fast, and maybe we can use it against the Covenant." Petra replied.

"I like that idea." Dav said. "Alright! Let's get into the control room! Come on!"

He led the 40 marines through the hallway. It was huge, but relatively short. They turned the corner, and saw a hundred or so meters away a great room. It had a big hologram of Halo in its center, and had a narrow walkway that led out to the hologram. Just at the end of the walkway was a holopanel. There were no Covenant in the area, but above the holopanel was a hologram of Forerunner script.

Dav and the marines strode swiftly down the hallway until they reached the holopanel. They could only fit about four people abreast on the walkway.The Spartan looked at the holopanel in front of him, searching for the best place to insert Petra's AI chip.

"Try that terminal there." Petra said as Dav looked over the holopanel.

He reached in back of his neck and pulled out Petra's AI chip. He inserted the chip into an opening in the holopanel, and the chip disappeared as if it had gone into a normal control panel. A giant Petra appeared among the Forerunner symbols that made up their script.

"This is amazing! The knowledge… so much, so fast!" Petra reveled in the rush of knowledge from the control center.

"Alright Petra, let's focus. Halo, weapon. How do we use this ring against the Covenant?" Dav asked her calmly.

"Right." Petra thought a moment, then muttered to herself:

"'Installation-04 can be activated by reunifying the Index with the Core –'"

"Wait, say that again?" Dav interrupted the AI.

"'Installation-04 can be activated by reunifying the Index with the Core.'" Petra read it again.

"Where is the Index? We need to get it before the Covenant does." Lt. Parsons asked.

"Hang on…" Petra thought for a moment. Her figure was suddenly frozen by fear. "'The Index is in the Library. However, access is restricted, and it is prone to have Flood outbreaks.'"

"Petra," Dav said slowly, "what is the Flood?"

"Gp. Get back to Alpha Base now." Petra's voice was urgent.

"Not without you!" Dav reached for the holopanel.

"There's no time – " Petra was almost pleading now. "Alright. I'll explain on the way."