June 28th 2560

Installation 07 - Zeta Halo - Polar North Quadrant

Location Identified - UNSC Infinity Crash Site

"Chief… I think I got it!"

"Show me."

The Master Chief, Sierra-117, humanity's chosen savior, surrounded by what was once the pride of the UNSC fleet, steps swiftly back to his companion atop the barely functioning A.I pedestal.

The twisted and mangled metal that made up Infinity's bridge, or what was left of it, creaked and groaned under the weight of the mountain above it. The once great human warship, a symbol of peace and ingenuity, had now been reduced to a crumbling heap of mangled steel. It was a miracle she was even still intact after the crash.

"I've compiled all the recordings that weren't completely destroyed in the crash onto a single file." His A.I companion chirped, unnaturally enthusiastic considering the mess that the two found themselves in. "I'm relaying it to your suit now."

As if on queue, his MJOLNIR suit's operating system displayed a message on the top left of the spartans visor. He telepathically opened the message, and asked to display its contents. Dozens of recordings were displayed to him, all organized by date and time, some dating all the way back to the ship's commissioning ceremony.

"Chief, whatever you're looking for, make it fast, I'm not sure how much longer she's going to hold under all that rock." The familiar voice of Esparza broke through the suit's communications module.

"Not to mention that those Banished patrols are set to come back any minute now."

"Hey Chief! We're ready and waiting to destroy those sorry monkeys when they show their ugly faces." Another voice, one belonging to Lieutenant Keas, invaded the Spartans helmet. "All you gotta do is give us the go ahe-"

"Negative Lieutenant." The spartan commanded swiftly. "Do not engage the Banished unless necessary, hold your positions, I won't be much longer."

"Copy that Chief!" The combined voices of Esparza and Keas complied.

The spartan swiftly turned off the external communications module and turned his attention to the curious A.I.

"Chief." She asks sheepishly. "What is it that you're looking for? I mean, look around? There's nothing left for us here."

117 stared at her for a moment, awkward silence filling the dead air, but finally he spoke.

"Infinity was carrying a weapon, something that Cortana wanted but never obtained. It was aboard this ship when we arrived at this ring a seven months ago."

The A.I looked at him confusingly.

"But, I thought that I was the weapon, the one that Halsey created to defeat Cortana?"

"You were the weapon to contain Cortana, lock her down for retrieval, but not even you could destroy her. What was on this ship, was meant to end her reign, once and for all."

"So whatever other weapon there is, it was Roland's job to utilize it, not mine…"

117 stared at her, waiting for her to remember who it was she was modeled after, why he didn't fully trust her. After a moment he answered for her.

"You… Cortana…" He stammered, trying to find the words, not wanting to replay what happened at the Nexus.

"Because you were a copy, Lasky entrusted the deletion protocols to Roland. He wasn't going to take any risks."

The A.I simply laughed, awkwardly at 117's statement, her memory triggered by the subtle reminder.

"Ha, I suppose… I suppose that makes sense."

She then turned her back towards the spartan, her eyes darting around the ravaged bridge.

"What weapon could have done that?" She asked. "I mean, she destroyed herself by destroying this ring, disintegrating the auditorium, if it took that much force, that much power to delete her…"

"I don't know, but whatever it may be, I don't want the Banished to know either."

She laughed out loud at his statement for a moment, and when she did, a sense of joy was brought into the distraught room for a moment.

"Knowing you, you're going to destroy it?"

"Affirmative."

The A.I turned her eyes back to the armored spartan, and she crossed her arms, reminiscent of her donor.

"Do you disagree?" He asked her.

She shook her head vigorously. "Nope, I completely agree actually. Whatever this is, the Banished have no business putting their grubby little fingers on it… so, let's find out where it is shall we?"

The spartan nodded firmly at his companion, and through his neural interface, started the first recording, the recording when Infinity entered the system seven months ago.

On screen text shone through his visor, giving the following information.

UNSC Infinity INF-101 Black Box Data Decrypted, Information Below

Ship Class: Infinity Class Supercarrier

Commanding Officer: Thomas J. Lasky, Serial Number 98604-72690-TL

Primary Shipboard A.I: Roland Serial Number RLD 0205-4

Date: December 12th 2559

Mission: OPERATION BISMARK

Subtitles: ON

Recording begins below.

Rumbling… Silence… BANG

Shipboard A.I Roland: Infinity's exited slipspace Captain.

Captain Thomas J. Lasky: Is the crew at battle-stations?

Roland: Affirmative sir.

Captain Lasky: Start perimeter scan, deploy reconnaissance squadrons to cover our flank, I don't want anything getting through.

Roland: Sir.

Lieutenant Helmsman Jet: Captain, the battlegroup is exiting slipspace behind us.

Captain Lasky: Open a channel… Battlegroup Saratoga, regroup into combat order 17b, all ships continue state in being, at battlestations… All ships report.

Captain Conners: UNSC Ardent standing by.

Captain Rhine: Captain Rhine, UNSC Mulsanne, Destroyer Task Force Zeta in formation Captain Lasky.

Captain Churchill: This is Captain Churchill, UNSC Pillar of Autumn II reporting Sir, MAC guns charged and missile tubes flooded.

Fleetmaster Rtas Vadum: This is Fleetmaster Vadum of the Assault Carrier Shadow of Intent, shields raised, and fighters deployed, we are prepared for combat.

Captain Lasky: Are we in range of the Installation?

Roland: It's right off our bow captain.

Captain Lasky: Raise the blast shields.

(Mechanical Whirring)

Murmurs: Woah… oh my god… I never thought I'd live to see one of these things…

Lasky: Chief? Is that it?

Master Chief Petty Officer John-117: Yes sir.

Lasky: The gun pointed at the head of the Universe… If I was naive I would think that it's beautiful. What did it take for you to destroy one of these Chief?

Sierra-117: A lot of firepower and… great cost.

Lasky: … Are there any hostile signatures?

Roland: Not yet sir, we're still out of scanner range.

Lasky: Roland, I want all personnel ready to disembark to the surface on my command, Chief, get yourself to the hanger, whatever the Banished are going to want with this ring, we're going to beat them to it.

Sierra-117: Sir.

Roland: Preparations are nearly combat ready sir…

FAST FORWARD…

Roland: Sir! Multiple Banished distress calls! All frequencies.

Lasky: What's happening out there?

Roland: Multiple Banished warships are in the middle of an engagement over the ring… oh no…

Lasky: Roland?

Roland: Sir, it's Cortana, the Banished, they're engaging a Guardian…

Lasky: Bring the ship to Combat Alert Alpha!

(ALARMS BLARING)

Lasky: Lieutenant Chi, open a channel to all frequencies.

Lieutenant Chi: Sir?

Roland: Sir, if I may, what are you doing?

Lasky: We share a common enemy with the Banished Roland, that Guardian has more firepower than both our fleets combined.

Roland: You're going to offer them our help?!

Lasky: Only against Cortana, are the drop teams ready for deployment?

Roland: Yes, On your command, but are you serio-

Lasky: Good, Lieutenant, the channel please?

Roland: Sir, on the behalf of this ship, this is crazy! What you're doing is near treason!

Lasky: Treason or not, I am not risking our ships in the face of that thing, Roland the second it's taken out, I want you to monitor the Banished battle net, if they plan anything you tell me and we'll send them straight back to the stone age, that's an order.

Roland: Sir yes sir…

Chi: Sir, the channel is open.

Lasky: This is Captain Thomas J. Lasky of the UNSC warship Infinity to any Banished forces on this frequency. On the behalf of my and Fleetmaster Rtas Vadums governments, we are ready and willing to offer you support in the face of overwhelming odds. Our intentions are strictly honorable, please respond.

War Chief Eschuram: (laughing) So the humans have finally come, just as Atriox had predicted. I am War Chief Eschuram, chief commander of the Banished. You captain have no honorable intentions, you wish to utilize the power instilled in this ring, rip it from our rightful grasp, and enslave us as once the covenant did. No captain, I reject yours and that feeble minded shipmasters offer, for it is a lie, and you know it. We have beaten the covenant, and we have beaten even you, we shall beat Cortana the same, and this ring will be ours.

Lasky: This is your final chance War Chief. Accept our terms, or be destroyed.

Eschuram: (Laughing once more) Terms are only as powerful as the intentions behind them Captain, and yours hold no power. Your time, humanities time, is coming to a close, and not even you, and your warship can stop it.

Lasky: So be it, the choice is yours War Chief… Ensign, charge forward MAC batteries, and flood the missile tubes Lieutenant, get this ape off my ship.

(Proximity Alarm Blares)

Roland: "Captain! Proximity Alarm! Slipspace Ruptures! Multiple signatures! They're on top of-"

(MASSIVE CRASH)

Coughing, Spitting, Muttering, Screaming…

Lasky: Roland Report!

Roland: Multiple Collisions at these locations sir, the hull has been breached shields are offline, the reactors leaking radiation! Core energy levels are dropping!

Ensign: We've been boarded! Sir, reports of multiple Banished raiding parties, lots of them!

Lasky: Deploy security teams!

Captain Conners (intercom): UNSC Mulsanne, we are under attack! Banished warships have exited slipspace right next to us! Holy fuck… they've rammed the Infinity! Captain Lasky! (Proximity Alarm) OH SHI- (Static)

Roland: Sir the Mulsannes gone, she's been rammed straight through, banished warship on collision course.

Lasky: Helm! Take evasive action! Concentrate forward firepower!

Lieutenant Jet: Too Late!

(EXPLOSION, MASSIVE CRASH)

(Coughing, groaning, screaming)

Ensign 1: Fire on the Bridge!

Ensign 2: Get the sprinklers on!

Roland: The engines are offline!

Fleetmaster Vadum: Captain Lasky! Status report!

Lasky: Fleetmaster!? We've been rammed by multiple Banished warships! We've lost engine power and are being boarded!

Rtas Vadum: Understood, we will cover you, focus on your ship. All ships fire at will! Burn their mongrel hides!

Spartan Commander Sarah Palmer (Radio): Captain! Christ Tom please tell me you're okay!

Lasky: Palmer! Thank God, I'm fine, Infinitys being boarded, we've lost engine power. I need you to coordinate with Roland and get every Spartan on this ship deployed!

Palmer: Consider it done sir! Marines! Strap up!

Master Chief (Radio): Captain Lasky, Blue Teams encountering heavy banished resistance in the hangar, what are your orders sir?

Lasky: Chief!? Oh thank heaven, Chief, I need that hangar secured, do whatever it takes to hold it!

Sierra-117: Sir yes sir, we'll hold them off. They've made a mistake coming here.

Roland: Brace yourselves!

(MASSIVE CRASH AND EXPLOSION)

Roland: Sir! Hull integrity is failing, I don't know how much more we can take!

Ensign: Banished ships are encircling us captain! Enemy fighter squadrons are making an attack run. They're preparing to fire!

Lasky: Launch all fighters to intercept! Port and starboard batteries fire at will!

Enisgn: Aye sir!

Roland: The Weapon is ready for deployment sir!

Lasky: Deploy Her!

Roland: Starting injection sequence.

Lasky: Fireteam Osiris, do you read me? Captain Locke, please respond!

Captain Jameson Locke: Fireteam Osiris reads you Captain.

Lasky: Captain, I need you and your team to get down to the dorsal deployment bay, I'm routing you coordinates now. Get down there and secure the artifact, I don't want a single banished finger touching it!

Locke: Understood sir, we're on our way, Osiris out.

FAST FORWARD

Spartan Commander Griffin: Sir, it's time to get you to safety.

Roland: He's right Captain, Infinity is breaking apart, we're caught in the rings gravitational field.

Lasky: …

Griffin: Sir! It's time to go!

Lasky: So that's it then? Just like that?! GODAMMIT! Roland, start gestation procedures, you're coming with us.

Roland: Infinity will continue on an intercept course with the ring, I don't know if she'll make it.

Lasky: So be it… (Through intercom) To all crew! This is the captain, the Infinity is lost, Abandon Ship, make your way to the nearest escape pod, rendezvous coordinates will be relayed shortly, godspeed people, Lasky out. (Through channel) Shipmaster Vadum? The Infinity is lost, we're abandoning ship.

Rtas Vadum: A regrettable decision captain, Shadow of Intent is standing by to receive survivors, we are holding our own.

Lasky: Negative shipmaster, this battle is already lost! Get you and the rest of our forces out of here! Retreat back to the Warspite!

Rtas Vadum: I will not make useless sacrifices of our warriors captain! I can receive survivors, and I will receive survivors for as long as I can! Get yourself aboard my ship, I will deal with the spineless animals.

Lasky: Fleetmaster please, you must retreat!

Rtas Vadum: I am not making a suggestion captain, I am giving an order! I shall and will see you aboard my ship, I will hold off the brutes until then.

Lasky: Understood Fleetmaster… Lasky out.

Roland: Signing off sir, make sure it's not too bumpy of a ride for me will you?

Lasky: Fireteam Osiris? Is the artifact secure?

Locke: Yes sir, the banished have no idea it's here.

Lasky: Good work soldier, get your team to the closest pod, pray that the crash destroys it.

Locke: Understood sir, get yourself to safety, Osiris out.

(Shotgun racking, Sharp hissing sound)

Griffin: Packing heat sir?

Lasky: Get me to a bird, Spartan.

Griffin: Sir yes sir, Master Chief! Is the hangar still secure?

Sierra-117: Affirmative, banished reinforcements are incoming, do you have the captain?

Griffin: Escorting him down there as we speak.

Sierra-117: Understood, I'll hold them off.

Griffin: Give em hell chief.

END OF RECORDING #117 CONTINUE? YES NO

NO

SYSTEM SHUTTING DOWN

The Master Chief could only look down at the black box in disbelief, he was unsure about the order of battle, and now was swept up in thoughts about his captain's decisions. His companion chriped once more at his side.

"I've downloaded the map that Captain Lasky gave fireteam Osiris, I have the location of the weapon we're looking for! It's located way deep inside of the ship, but initial scans show - Chief? Are you okay?"

Sierra-117 simply continued to stare down at the battered machine below him.

"Chief?"

His hulking green armor suddenly turned towards the A.I. He spoke in a near angry tone, but his yellow visor gave off no indication of emotion.

"For the first time in… a long time, I'm… questioning the logic of my commanding officer…"

"Pertaining to what Cheif?"

"Lasky offered to help the Banished."

"Oh… yeah… I-I guess that he did… It must've been the most honorable plan of attack that he could think of, he was under a lot of pressure. I mean, having an entire fleet under your command, and with orders to capture a Halo Ring? I mean, seriously who wouldn't be?"

The spartan continued to only stare down at the machine, his mind for once focused on his own personal thoughts rather than the mission.

"Hey." The Weapon said softly. "Why don't you ask him about it yourself when we figure all of this out, yeah? … Affirmative?"

The Chief glanced towards her for a moment before outstretching his arm and granting her access back into his suit.

"Affirmative. Where's the artifact?"

"And I thought you'd never ask! Relaying coordinates now, I'd say it's best to take the service elevator on your right, let's get out of this place, I really don't want to stay any longer."

The spartan, unholstering his MA40 rifle from the suit's back holster, trugged forward towards the elevator, and on his way, kicked the black box with his food, finally causing it to fall apart.

"Thank goodness I downloaded the files." The A.I said begrudgingly.

The spartan simply ignored her comment, and reached the elevator, peeling back it's bent and battered titanium door, and throwing it onto the room's floor.

"The map shows that the artifact is several stories below us, in the dorsal hangar, considering these elevators are out of order, I don't think that we'll make it if we jumped, I'm going to try to get them back online."

The chief, silent and stoic as always, holstered his rifle once more and took a step back without comment.

"Wait, what are you doing?! No! I said that we wouldn't make it! Wouldn't! Do you even hear me!? OH MY GOD!"

And in one bulky swift motion, the green armor disappeared into the darkness below.

Authors Note: Hey everybody! I hope that you enjoyed my take on Halo Infinites intro scene. When I played the game I felt as if the beginning was rushed, and immediately had several ideas on what else could be going on outside of the Chief v. Atriox fight. Some of those first playthrough ideas made their way into here. I did admittedly mess with the cannon a bit by having the Shadow of Intent present at the battle, but to me I thought it made sense that the Swords of Sanghelios would join the UNSC in it's journey to Zeta Halo, and it could give a reason as to why Lasky and the other main characters are absent from Infinite's story. Either way though, I hope that you enjoyed my interpretation and I respectfully ask for constructive feedback on my writing. There's always room to improve as shown by me taking into consideration some feedback from my last published work, quick shoutout and thank you to PyreElegy who is working on the awesome rewrite of Christian Knights An Unexpected Alliance for your suggestion!