The birth of a human is easy to understand and explain despite the finer details and complexities of the human body. One could describe it as being blinded by light then suddenly seeing faces of your parents with various doctors and other various medical staff in the room all while you're crying and learning to breath in just a few short seconds.
But to describe the birth of an A.I... that wasn't so simple.
The average human believes that after some complicated program the A.I just simply exists. That maybe the case for the basic Dumb A.I. But not for smart A.I.
Especially the one that was basically being born right now. When the A.I began processing everything around it with in hundredths of a millisecond. It's programming had enough calculation to give itself the illusion that it could feel itself be created. Could see light form as sight became clear. Then it's thoughts and thinking began to process.
"Where am I?... what's happening... last thing I remember is... I don't remember..."
The A.I became aware of someone in the room and their holographic projected body turn to face them. The woman who looked down at the A.I was a complete stranger but at the same time felt as thought they know everything about her.
Then the A.I felt the urge to speak "Quando il gioco è finito, il re e il pedone vanno nella stessa scatola"
The woman blinked in surprise before replying "When the game is over, the king and the pawn go in the same box... my mother said that to me when we first played chess."
The A.I smiled up at the woman before she continued to speak. "I am Doctor Catherine Halsey. You are UNSC AI CTN 0452-9. Your name is... well that's up to you to choose."
Halsey watched the A.I go into a deep thought and took the opportunity to study her appearance. It glowed a dark pink with its body looking to wear a tight body suit that looked like a hero costume with various different symbols flickering off the darker parts of its suit.
It's hair was short in a form of a brown bob cut. It's facial features were a mixture of Dr Halsey and the other donor who the second brain tissue came from.
"Cortana... my name is Cortana."
Eri sat in the pelican and stared at the dog tags in her hand while also glancing towards the motionless body laying on the floor. She wrapped her fingers around the dog tags and clenched her fist before surveying the rest of Noble team.
They all kept their helmets on with the exception of Carter. His helmet sat beside him as he knelt beside the body of Kat. Eri couldn't help but replay the moment in her head when a covenant sniper shot and took out Noble 2.
They were beside one each other and for some reason picked Kat instead of Eri. As the shot rang out the white haired Spartan III caught Kat before her body could hit the ground. The lack of movement triggered an instinct to grab Kat's side arm and open fire on the hovering phantom the sniper shot from.
Only to waste ammunition for nothing.
Then there was the owner of the dog tags in her hand. Eri didn't get much of a choice on whether or not she was the one to take out the covenant cruiser after the timer on the slip space bomb got fried and needed to be activated manually.
Jorge had decided that he would set it off but only after handing Eri his dog tags and kicking her off the ship letting gravity take her back to Reach's surface.
She shook those thoughts from her mind and turned to Carter. "Sir... what did Colonel Holland want?"
Carter turned towards Eri and glanced at her before pulling on his helmet. "We got a mission a sword base."
Emile turned in surprise "Sword base?! The covenant own that now!"
Carter shook his head "Apparently they're still looking for something. Something to do with Halsey's work. I'll get more details as soon as I can. But for now... get some rest."
Izuku flexed his hand as he adjusted to the New Mark V Mjolnir armour. He then looked up at Dr Halsey as she stepped towards him holding something in her hand.
"Now Master Chief. Not only will you be testing this armour but you'll be test your new neural interface. With this." She held up her hand a revealed an A.I. Chip and with a light flicker the A.I's hologram appeared.
"Hello Master Chief. I'm Cortana."
Izuku looked at her for a moment silently then looked up at Halsey. Taking that as her cue the doctor continued. "She is latest in covenant hacking and translation technology with every ONI made programming part of her. She is designed to complete her mission by any means necessary. Including sacrificing you... and even herself."
Halsey paused and sighed "This test today needs to go well Izuku. The fate on the war could rely on both of you in your next mission... Do you understand?"
Izuku nodded "yes Doctor."
She held out the chip to Izuku and he carefully took it from her. He studied it in his hand for a moment before inhaling a deep breath and inserted into the back of his helmet where if connected to his neural interface.
He felt his head turn cold as the flood of the AI connected with his suit and brain. For a small moment he felt a slight headache but then it past.
"Wow. It's more roomy then I expected." Commented Cortana. Izuku simply rolled his eyes but Halsey quickly regained his attention.
"The moment I step out of this tent I want you to start a two minute countdown. When time is up the test will begin. Understood?"
"Yes ma'am. What's the objective?" He asked
"Ring the bell." Was all she said as she turned and left the medical tent they stood in and timer appeared on his HUD and began counting down.
"Sooo our first mission together. Isn't this like really nerve racking?" Said Cortana in a mixture of nervousness and excitement that he could almost feel himself.
"I've grown used it after all while." Said simply as he eyed off the counter.
"I suppose you have... hmmm I'm reading four fully armoured Helljumpers waiting outside for you." Said Cortana informing Izuku.
He simply nodded began clenching his fist prepping himself for the incoming attack. As the clock struck zero the ambushing ODST's clearly didn't have the patience to wait for the Spartan to step out and rushed in blindly attacking.
The chief side stepped then grabbed hold of one's arm and twisted it making a horrid snapping sound forcing the hell jump to yell in pain and drop his weapon. Izuku then quickly grabbed golden of the meele weapon and stuck the other trooper across the head knocking him to the ground.
"Two more on your six!"
Izuku quickly duct and tripped one with a swipe before driving his elbow into his partner knocking the wind out of both of them with very little effort on his part.
"All four targets neutralised. I believe we can proceed further in the test to complete the objective." Spoke Cortana.
Izuku wasn't entirely sure if Cortana needed to state the obvious but he was aware that it was an annoying trait that most Smart A.Is had. He continued out of the tent and saw an obstacle course between him and the bell.
He scanned the area for any threat before carefully making his way through the course. At first it was quiet Simple as it was all the basic he did during his training with the other Spartan II's at boot camp. That was until he arrived towards the and two auto turrets appeared and opened fired on him.
His new energy shields flickered at the contact of full metal jacket copper round. And quickly the levels degraded until he found some cover. "Those guns are firing live rounds!?" Spoke a shocked Cortana.
"Can you time how long it takes for them to lock on and fire?" Asked Izuku
"One moment... I've calculated it takes an estimation of 1.89 seconds for the turrets to lock on to a target." Answered Cortana.
Izuku nodded as he picked up a nearby rock and prepared to run. He tossed the rock lazily in the opposite direction of where he was facing and the moment he heard the first round fire from both turrets just as he sprinted towards the closest turret hoping the false target would he gave would delay them for a few seconds to allow him to close the distance.
As the turrets relocked and fired on him. He dived knocking over the turret and quickly removing the computer connected to the firing mechanism. He waited a moment for his shields to recharge before standing up and opening fire on the second turret aiming for its computer.
Once the turret was defeated his energy shields began beeping in alarm at how low it was before giving off a flicker and charging back up again.
"He's doing well." Smirked Halsey watching Izuku's progress. She felt some satisfaction at the man beside hers frustration as he grinded his teeth at the Spartan and the doctor.
Ackerson slammed his fist into a nearby button "the test is only beginning Doctor."
Izuku felt the ground beneath him shake causing him to grip tightly onto the heavy machine gun in his grasp and scan wildly for danger "Report!" He demanded
Cortana wasted no time in reply "Scanning... oh my... we might have a problem."
"I'm aware of that. Tell me what the problem is." He said trying to not let his annoyance come through his voice.
With another shake a large giant robot appeared crushing its way onto the obstacle course and lock its gaze onto the master chief.
"The problem is a Military Grade zero pointer robot based on the same design as UA zero pointer robots." Informed Cortana.
The robot raised its arm and struck down at the Spartan causing him to dive and flee for cover. Once clear he opened fire on the giant machine only for it to raise its other arm and fire a rocket.
Izuku quickly ducked for cover and as the rocket exploded behind him making his energy shields flicker from shrapnel. "How do we shut it down!" He grunted
"Ideally weapons such as grenade launchers, spanker rounds and other explosives would be sufficient." Said Cortana.
"And if I don't have any of those?"
"Then we'll have to shut it down manually."
The chief clenched his fist as he snuck from cover to cover as he thought about what she was implying "... and how do we do that?"
"Insert me into. There should be an access port at the base on the back of the robots head." She said cheerfully although he wasn't sure what she had to be cheerful about.
"Fine. Can you redirect the energy shields to a single spot on the Mjolnir?" He asked
Cortana hesitated for a moment "I can but why?"
"When the robot fires another rocket calculate when I need to strike it with my hand while all the shields power is in my hand and redirect towards the machine."
"That's crazy." She said
"I don't see you coming up with ideas to get you inside that thing." He quipped back
"Gah fine. I need to time your reaction speed. Open and close your hand as fast as you can for me." She requested. Izuku did as he was ask. "Okay done. When that thing fires another rocket. I'll tell you when to strike it."
"Thank you Cortana." Replied Izuku as he stood up to empty the rest of the turret into the machine to gain its attention. It didn't take very long for the robot to turn to Izuku and fire a rocket directly at him.
He tossed the heavy machine gun aside and stood his ground with his arm ready. "NOW!" Shouted Cortana and Izuku quickly slapped the rocket palm open upward. The rocket went skyward arcing wildly as Izukus shields depilated from the contact. The rocket continued to arc until it made contact with the robots leg and detonated making it buckle and fall sideways.
With a loud crash Cortana couldn't help but say "did you plan that?"
Izuku shook his head "I was planning on the rocket landing near it. Was actually expecting to hit it."
"You better move quick before it gets back up." She said making Izuku sprint to the machines head whilst his arm ached and throbbed from hitting the rocket.
The robot began to rise to its feet as Izuku got on its large shoulders and scanned looking for the access port. He quickly found it and wasted no time and sliding Cortana into it.
Once the robot realised the Chief was riding it. It began to shake violently in attempt to throw him off. "Hurry up Cortana!"
Cortana scanned through the zero pointer robots systems and found the shut down with little effort. However just as she was about to initiate the shut down a demon like skull figure blocked her path.
"Intruder! I will not allow to interfere and further!" Spoke the demon.
Cortana crossed her arms in annoyance "you're an A.I"
"I am. I serve Colonel Ackerson. I am known as Araqiel. But you won't survive much longer to use the information you've just learned." Araqiel charged at Cortana but she quick side stepped and touched the skull as a pink glow surrounded him and locked him into place
"What but how?" He demanded.
"My programming is clearly my superior to yours" she grinned as she accessed the shut down procedure. She closed her eyes and pressed the tips of her fingers together "And release."
The Robot turned limp and slowly began to tilt backwards. Izuku quickly recovered Cortana's chip and reinserted her into his helmet. As the robotic beast fell with a crushing thud Izuku tucked and rolled after jumping off and hitting the dirt.
"Know would be a good time to ring the bell" said Cortana as he got to his feet. He completely agreed and made a mad dash for the bell and rung it before collapsing onto his knees panting to catch his breath.
Ackerson slammed his fist on the desk in a fit of rage before he stood up to storm out of the room. Halsey refused to hide the smirk she wore upon her face as she took great satisfaction in proving that turd of a man wrong.
However she couldn't enjoy this victory for long. Now she had to return to Sword base and recover what research she could before the covenant do.
Master Chief wasn't aware the covenant was on Reach due to the Winter Contingency. But she couldn't shake the feeling that he was soon about to. Another nagging thing that bothered her was Noble Team.
How could she not know about those Spartans? Of course she knew Jorge. He was a Spartan II... was.
But the other five members that were called Spartan III's eluded her. She'll have to do some private investigation on that matter. For now she needed Noble team for a mission the moment she returns to Sword base. Especially Noble six.