Hello again, everyone, and welcome back to my Halo - Terminator crossover. Now, one of my reviewers reported that a possible 'Mary Sue' or 'Gary Sue' was inbound, given how the previous chapter went, even though it was a good one. I want to say thank you to that reviewer, and I've made changes to account for this in the Halo 3 story arc. Still, I am very happy to see that a lot of people were pleased by the previous chapter. Thank you very much for your support, and I hope to see you in future chapters. As always, leave a review and enjoy!

Disclaimer: I do not own the Halo or Terminator franchises. They are the respective properties and trademarks of Microsoft Game Studios, 343 Industries, Bungie, Carolo Pictures, Hemdale, Skydance Productions, 20th Century Fox, Lightstorm Entertainment, etc. Any material original to the franchises belongs to their respective developers, producers and publishers. Any material not original to the franchises is of my own invention. I do not own any music listed in each chapter. Any music listed belongs to it's original composers and/or artists.


Delta Halo

Near Control Room

November 3rd, 2552

As soon as R'tas said this, Thel knew that it was time to go to work. Looking around, he watched as the Sangheili and other aliens that had joined his side walked through the door and came out, weapons at the ready as they advanced. "Arbiter," one of the Sangheili asked, "Is that Wraith…"

"It is on our side," Thel reassured him. "Relax." Looking towards the entrance to the Control Room, he said, "We have to get inside the Control Room. Tartarus has sealed himself inside, so we are going to look for a way inside. We will have to head up the beach, though, if we are to find a way in." Looking at some Ghosts, a Revenant, and a Spectre that were unattended, he said, "Take those vehicles and assist R'tas and I in stopping the Jiralhanae. Otherwise all will be lost."

"You saved our lives," another Sangheili said to him. "It would be rather ungrateful for us not to listen to your words. We will follow your lead." With that said, they began to move towards the vehicles, weapons ready as they got inside. Moving out as well, Thel got into the Revenant, with one of the Sangheili manning the vehicle with him, while the others got into the other vehicles. That meant that the Grunts, Jackals and Skirmishers had to hoof it for now, though the Skirmishers and Jackals would be able to keep up with them thanks to their biology. Driving up the beach they began to move through a series of small mesas that were scattered throughout the sandy area, with each column preventing them from being able to see around each bend. As soon as they rounded one of the bends, they found themselves facing Brutes that were using Ghosts, with the ape-like aliens firing on them as soon as they were visible. Dodging evasively, the Sangheili began to act as a single, cohesive unit, with the Ghosts and Spectres handling the enemy infantry, while the single Revenant and Wraith they had neutralized any vehicles they had. Thel was particularly pleased when the Sangheili in the Gunner/Passenger seat blew up a Ghost with a single, well aimed Plasma Mortar, blowing it apart in an instant.

A loud beeping sound from the Revenant's console drew his attention, just in time for him to dodge an incoming Plasma Mortar. Looking up ahead, he spotted a Wraith that had come from the other side of one of the bluffs. Keying his COM, he said, "R'tas, there is a Wraith up ahead. Can you destroy it?"

"My Wraith is at your command," R'tas replied, boosting forwards before firing at the Brute controlled Wraith. The Brute controlling the vehicle was able to dodge the first few shots, but the fourth and fifth shots impacted with devastating results. Moments later, the enemy Wraith exploded, with plasma and shrapnel flying everywhere as the vehicle's power supply detonated. All that was left now was a smoking, flaming ruin of a vehicle. With the enemy Wraith neutralized, they proceeded forwards, keeping an eye out for any more Brutes in the area. The sandy floored canyon they were in snaked to the left and right chaotically, often hiding Brutes just around a bend, while other bends had little, if any, activity at all. Moving up, they fired on some more Brutes that were controlling a Spectre, blasting the enemy vehicle apart with ease. As they moved forwards, Thel immediately noticed that something was wrong. As soon as he did, they entered a clearing in the canyon that was massive. Up ahead, he could see a Forerunner structure, with an entrance located at the bottom of the canyon floor. In front of the structure was a Scarab, fully armored and ready for use. There was also a large section of the canyon wall that split open, with the edge being a sheer drop.

As soon as he moved through the area, he heard Bero telepathically shout, Look out!, prompting him to look to his left. As soon as he did so, a Phantom came into view, it's weapons powering up as soon as it cleared the lip of the cliff side. As soon as it did, it began firing it's weapons, lobbing plasma bolus' at the vehicles while firing any direct fire weapons that it had on it's underbelly. Immediately, the Sangheili threw their vehicles out of the way, with the Ghosts and Spectres clearing the area to allow the Revenant and Wraith to neutralize the enemy Phantom. Dodging to the left, Thel fired on the enemy Phantom, with R'tas throwing in his own Plasma Mortars in the process as well. While most of the bolus' missed, more than a few impacted the Phantom, smashing glowing craters into the hardened nanolaminate armor, while tearing off some of the guns on the vehicle. Moments later, the Phantom, having taken critical damage, detonated explosively, temporarily blinding Thel and the others before the blast faded. With the Phantom's destruction, there were no more hostiles left.

Thank you, Thel said to Bero.

You're welcome, Bero replied. I'm sorry that I didn't catch it any sooner than that. As he spoke, Thel noticed that Bero sounded tired, as though he was running on his last reserves of energy.

Have you eaten recently, he asked. You sound tired.

I haven't, Bero replied. Now that you mention it, I do feel quite hungry. I'll grab some rations to eat, and then I'll rejoin you and the others. Still, now that we are approaching our final objective, what are we to do once we stop Tartarus.

Thel had to admit, the moment Bero said that, he knew the telepath had an excellent point. Once they defeated Tartarus, they had to warn the Kaidons on Sangheilios in order to prevent the Brutes from wiping out their species. We'll need someone to go and warn them, he thought, someone that can show them the truth, and leave no doubt about it… someone that has telepathy. The moment he thought about it, the more he realized that Bero was uniquely suited for the job. He was young, honest, and thanks to his telepathy, he would be able to convince the Kaidons of the dangers that were coming their way. They'll listen to him, he thought. I cannot go back yet. I still have a task to complete, and I must lead the war effort from the front. Looking at Bero, he said, We will have to warn the Kaidons at Sangheilios of the threat. I think it should be you that should do that.

Me, Bero asked, surprise in his voice. Why me, Arbiter? I am not nearly as influential as you are, nor am I as experienced as you.

You're perfect for the mission, Thel said reassuringly. I bear the mark of shame in my people's eyes. They will not listen to me, but they will listen to you. You are held in high regard at Sangheilios due to you surviving, and rejecting, the Parasite infesting your flesh. They will listen to you, therefore, you will go to Sangheilios and warn them of the danger. I have to remain here at the front and coordinate our efforts. Should I find the time, though, I will come back to Sangheilios and help you. Can you do that for me… please?

For a few seconds, Bero was silent as he considered Thel's words. While he knew that Thel might not have a problem at all, he could see his points, and quite clearly. Without someone to rally behind, the Sangheili might become disorganized, or worse, fracture into multiple factions that would be easy for the Brutes to wipe out. After a moment, he said, Alright, I will do it. Just remember, I am only doing this because you asked me to. You are my superior, Arbiter; you are the one that is in command, not me.

That is all that I can ask for, Thel replied. Once we have defeated Tartarus, then we will go our separate ways for the time being. Still, thank you, Bero.

For what?

Everything. With that, the mental conversation ended.

Turning to face, R'tas, who was getting out of the Wraith, Thel could tell the older Sangheili had been waiting for him to finish his mental conversation with Bero before speaking. Pointing to a Brute controlled Carrier that was visible in the sky, he said, "The Jiralhanae control that Carrier, Arbiter. I'm going to board it, and then take command of it. Once you are inside, you will need to find someone that can take command of the Scarab. Since Tartarus has most likely locked himself inside the Control Room, the Energy Projector on the Scarab is the only thing that will grant you a chance of getting inside."

"Agreed," Thel nodded, Getting out, both Sangheili approached each other before clasping the other's forearm in a traditional warrior's greeting. "May your mind and blade remain sharp," he said to R'tas.

"The same to you," the Sangheili Ultra nodded. "Good luck, Arbiter. You will need it." With that, R'tas began heading back down the beach in order to link up with a friendly Phantom, while Thel and the others proceeded onward, heading towards the door into the Forerunner structure. As soon as they approached, Brutes that had been hiding behind a number of rocks and columns in the area popped out of cover and opened fire, using whatever weapons they had available to ward off the incoming threat. Moving swiftly into cover, the Sangheili, as well as the Jackals and Skirmishers, opened fire, sending plasma flying directly at the Brutes. That was when they had a rather pleasant surprise. Apparently, not all of the Brutes approved of the regime change, as Thel and the others were quick to learn. Before any of them could react, one of the Brutes tackled another one, before using the blade on the Brute Shot he had to stab the fallen one through the eye, killing it instantly. Getting up, that same Brute opened fire on the others, catching them off guard and allowing Thel and the others to move up.

"Traitor," one of the Brutes roared. "You are helping them!"

"Of course I am," the defecting Brute replied. "I do not approve of what you've done. Killing innocent children and Sangheili?! That is not what a warrior does!" A moment later, those two Brutes slammed into each other, with both falling to the ground as soon as they impacted. Fists were hurled as the two Brutes began fighting each other in a no-holds-barred brawl, scattering blood and bits of fur all over the area. Fortunately, the defecting Brute was more skilled than his attacker, as he silenced that Brute before getting up. A few small cuts were weeping blood, and he had more than a few bruises on his face and chest. Still, he held himself with pride and dignity as he walked towards Thel and the others. "I'm sorry that I waited this long," he said to Thel. "This was the earliest opportunity that I had to join your side."

"Apology accepted," Thel replied, with the others lowering their weapons. Looking at the Brute, he realized that he had seen him somewhere before. Then the memory hit him like a Wraith. "I remember you," he gasped. "You were escorting me to the Mausoleum, where I became the Arbiter!"

"That is correct," the Brute replied. "I have always held the Sangheili in high regard, especially since one taught me how to fight when I joined the Covenant. When I learned of the Change of the Guard, I realized that something horribly wrong was happening. When I learned of Sangheili being killed, I was… shocked at first, then that shock was replaced with blinding rage; they even killed childlings simply because they were Sangheili, and that is not what a honorable warrior does!"

"How did you avoid being discovered?"

"I've always been an intelligent Jiralhanae, so I decided to play my hand intelligently. I kept a solemn face, working with the other Jiralhanae so that I wouldn't be found out. I figured that if I took every opportunity I had, I would be able to find a group of Sangheili that had a chance of surviving, then I would make a break for it. As you can see, that has proven to be a wise decision." Bowing to Thel, he said, "My weapons and blades are at your command, Arbiter. You are worthy of leadership, not that foul Tartarus."

When he heard this, Thel was surprised, but pleasantly so. Apparently, not all of the Brutes wanted to kill the Sangheili species. Some of them were intelligent enough to realize what was really going on, and had decided to play the hand they were dealt, so that they would survive long enough to encounter skilled Sangheili, then they would defect. Still, he had his doubts, so he turned to Bero and asked, "Is he telling the truth?"

"Yes," Bero immediately replied. "I can sense his memories and thoughts. He has always held our species in high regard, and I can feel an immense amount of confusion as to why the Jiralhanae are doing what they are doing. He will help us in any way he can."

"I see." Turning back to the Brute, he asked, "What is your name?"

"Thrormand, Arbiter," was the reply.

"Thank you." Looking at the now identified Thromand, he said, "Thrormand, we need to stop Tartarus from using the Sacred Icon, but he has locked himself inside of the Control Room. Can you help us capture that Scarab so that we can get inside?"

"Yes." Thrormand nodded.

"Anything else you can tell me?"

"Yes, Arbiter. The other Jiralhanae have some Sangheili Councilors hostage, as well as a number of Hunters and others that were the Councilor's bodyguards. In addition, they have a number of Humans that are being held captive. One of them had this cap on their head. Smelled strange as well."

"I know who he is talking about," Bero said to Thel. "That was the one I rendered unconscious at the Library holding the Sacred Icon."

"Can you take us to them," Thel asked.

"Yes," Thrormand nodded. "I just need to get ammunition for by Brute Shot and my Spiker. Give me a moment." Walking over to a supply crate, he grabbed some ammunition before kicking another one open. This one held what appeared to be powered armor of some kind, and it was uniquely shaped and fitted for a Brute. "Powered armor," Thrormand explained. "We only just got it today. I've always been clever with my hands, so I was able to install an Energy Shield inside of it. Took some time, but I'm glad that I'm a patient Brute." Pulling it out, he quickly put the tech suit on, before getting the armor on proper, which mounted on in a similar fashion to a Combat Harness. Once he was fully dressed, he was covered from head to toe in bronze colored armor. "Lead the way, Arbiter." Nodding at Thrormand, Thel moved inside of the structure, weapons ready as he, the other Sangheili and their newfound ally moved into a hallway. "Be careful," Thrormand said to him. "The other Brutes have a Shade Turret up ahead. We'll need heavy firepower to take it out, or someone that can cloak."

"I can cloak," Thel replied.

"Good. That will make things much easier." Continuing to move through the hallway, they came to a room that traveled up a level via a ramp on the right side of the room. The upper level had no railing, with meant that it was a twelve foot drop down to the lower level that way. A few Brutes were in the area, and one of them was manning a Shade Turret. As soon as they entered, the Brutes opened fire, sending plasma flying in their direction. Cloaking, Thel dodged to the right and moved up the ramp, before tossing a Plasma Grenade that stuck onto the Brute's back. The ape-like alien screamed as the grenade detonated, injuring the others while killing it. One was about to charge at him, only for Thrormand to charge up the ramp and smash into the Brute, before stomping on his head… hard. Blood and brain matter splattered the ground as the suit amplified Thrormand's strength, allowing him to easily crush the hostile Brute's head. Firing his Spiker, he nailed two more to the wall, with a spike going through their heads.

With all hostiles down, they advanced forwards, with the hallway they entered leading to a bridge that crossed over a short chasm, which was all the way down to ground level, since they had traveled upwards some distance. Hearing a buzzing sound, Thel watched as some Drones flew into view, chittering as they did so. Instead of attacking, they simply buzzed around the group, with one of them hovering in front of Bero. "It's alright," he told the others. "They're on our side. The ones we convinced earlier were able to tell them the truth. They'll assist us in any way they can." Relief suffused Thel's veins as the Drones flew off, allowing them to reach the other side without incident.

Passing through another hallway, they came to a large chamber with a partition in the middle, similar to some of the chambers they had been in earlier while heading to the beach. This time, however, Thel found himself facing a barricade that was constructed out of supply crates and anything that was available. A single Sangheili Major was behind the barricade, as were two Lekgolo that were standing nearby. As soon as he saw the Arbiter, he gave a loud shout before saying, "Lekgolo, hold your fire!" Clambering over the barricade, he said, "Arbiter, your presence is a welcome omen. These Lekgolo and I have been assailed from all sides since we entered. If you need assistance, my weapons and men are at your command."

"Thank you," Thel replied. "We need to free the Sangheili Councilors that are trapped here and kill Tartarus. Can you assist us?"

"Yes," the Sangheili Major nodded. "These Lekgolo will fight by our side." Turning to the Hunters, he said, "Assist the Arbiter however you can."

"We will," the Hunters replied, their voices more felt than heard.

As they turned to head forwards, Thel knew their chances of success had just grown exponentially. Moving through the structure, they entered what appeared to be a cave of some kind. There was a fog filled chasm that split the area in half, and what appeared to an rocky ramp leading to the other side. The Brutes were here as well, with each one waiting for someone to stumble their way; one was also manning a Shade Turret, and was more than ready to kill. As soon as the others came out, the Hunters stopped and, hunkering down, fired their Fuel Rod Cannons several times, blasting apart the Brutes on the other side of the chasm. The one manning the Shade Turret was lucky, since it was well protected. Looking around, it thought it heard some kind of liquid, then everything went black as a pair of mandibles ripped it's head clean off. Making a disgusted sound, Bero dropped the Brute's head, with some spittle coming out of his mouth as he cleaned off his mandibles. Yuck, he thought. What possessed me to do that?! Worst. Decision. Ever. He spat a few times to make sure no fur was stuck in his mouth. Once he was done, he rejoined the others, who had reached the door a few seconds earlier.

Moving through the door, Thel could tell that they had entered a possible holding chamber, as he could hear Brutes milling about on the other side. The chamber was large, with the area that he was in being large enough to house a Phantom lying on it's side with room to spare. Two ramps to the left and right traveled up before fusing to form a single ramp moving forwards, before branching into two pathways that led to the left and right, all to the same area. A number of crates were present, and were filled with ammo and weapons. Grabbing whatever he needed, he cloaked before moving forwards, to get an idea of what was on the other side. On the other side, he could see a large number of Brutes that were milling about, as well as some Lekgolo that were present as well. A number of Sangheili Councilors were trapped in the cells, as well as Skirmishers, Sangheili and Jackals that were loyal to the Sangheili. Turning around, he found that Bero was standing nearby, behind a pillar, his eyes closed for some strange reason. That reason became clear when suddenly, the two Hunters in the area up ahead opened fire on the Brutes, prompting Thel and the others to charge. He moved to free a Sangheili Counicor amid the chaos, only for that Sangheili to shout, "Save the others first! Get the Kig-Yar and T'Vao out first! We can be rescued last!"

"OK," he shouted, moving to a cell that had some Sangheili Zealots trapped inside. Firing his weapon, he destroyed the force field projector, freeing the trapped aliens. Having spotted what was going on, Thrormand tossed up a few Energy Swords to Thel, who handed them to the Zealots. "Here, take these," he shouted.

"Thank you, Arbiter," the Zealots nodded gratefully. "Now, we will have our thirst for revenge by silencing these Brutes. Is the one in bronze armor on your side?"

"Yes, he defected to us as soon as he encountered us."

"Excellent. It's good to see that not all of the Brutes are trying to kill us." With a roar, the Zealots leaped down to the bottom level, joining the chaotic fray that was down below. Moving on to the other cells, Thel freed as many people as he could, before finally freeing the Councilors. As soon as he did, more Brutes entered the chamber, these wearing Powered Armor. The resulting firefight was short, but intense, with the freed prisoners and Thel's forces facing off in a massive brawl. After just a minute, despite their Powered Armor, the Brute reinforcements were dead. With all enemy combatants down, they moved on through the hallway, which opened up to reveal a platform up ahead. he could see a number of Brutes, all of which were keeping some Humans hostage. Just as Tartarus said something, Thel and the others entered, drawing the attention of the Brutes. In the ensuing pandemonium, he spotted one of the Humans jumping onto the Scarab and getting inside, presumably to use the vehicle against the Brutes. That proved to be unnecessary as the Brutes were quickly terminated.

Turning to face the Scarab, he watched as the Human inside began to speak. "You sure as hell don't like me and I sure as hell don't like you," Johnson said to the Arbiter. "All of that won't matter if we don't act soon, though. Mohawk's got the Index; if we let him be, he'll activate this ring, and we'll all die."

"Tartarus has sealed himself into the Control Room," Thel replied.

"Well, I just happen to have a key," Johnson beamed, powering up the Energy Projector on the Scarab. "Come on, grab yourself some wings. He's gonna know we're coming." Right on cue, a pair of Banshees flew in, with the Elites inside landing on the platform and getting out. Nodding to the Elites, both Bero and Thel got into each one, powering them up before taking off. At the same time, the other Sangheili and the Skirmishers got onto the Scarab, while the Hunters and Kig'Yar remained behind to guard the Councilors until they could be extracted.

Flying forwards, Bero shouted, "Look out! Jiralhanae controlled Banshees!" As soon as he said this, several Banshees flew towards them, weapons blazing as the Brutes opened fire. Dodging to the left, Thel opened fire while Bero dodged to the right before firing, with the two maneuvering to prevent the Brutes from destroying their Banshees. Firing off a Fuel Rod shot, Thel smiled as the Brute failed to dodge in time, with the bolus of energy blasting the enemy fighter apart. Snarling as plasma bolts pinged off of the Banshee's shields, he threw the fighter into a hard right, rolling before catching sight of the Brute that fired on him. Firing the Plasma Repeaters, he blew the damned thing apart, sending the Brute inside down on a long fall. Nearby, Bero easily handled the other Brutes.

It continued on like this for quite some time, as the Scarab could only move so fast through the area. Eventually, they reached the beach leading to the Control Room, with the Scarab quickly moving into position at the water's edge. "Clear out of the way," Johnson told Thel and the others. "It's about to get real hot. Hey, bastards! Knock, Knock!" Realizing they had to move, both Sangheili immediately cleared out of the way, moving until they were out of danger. They were just in time. Moments later, the Scarab's energy projector fired, sending a stream of green-white energy at the Forerunner door. In a showcase of Forerunner engineering, the door held, but a second stream of energy tore through it, sending shrapnel and debris outwards from the door. As soon as the explosion had ended, Thel and Bero immediately flew towards the door, getting out as soon as they were over the platform. Not wanting to wait, they immediately charged inside. The Scarab's energy beam had caused a considerable amount of damage. The structure inside had partially collapsed, with sparking electrical lines and fires that were burning everywhere. Smoke filled the pathway that remained, forcing Bero and Thel to hold their breath until they passed through a Forerunner door. Fortunately, no enemy contacts were present, allowing them to move on towards the Control Room.

Inside the Control Room, Tartarus was starting to get exasperated and irritated. First, he had heard reports that the Elites had rallied, and were heading for the Control Room. That was irritating enough, but what was even more irritating was that the Human woman before him was being extremely obstinate. Not once had she followed his orders to put the Icon into the device. "It's this simple," he growled at the woman. "Take the Icon into your hand and put it into the machine, now!" He roughly shoved the woman towards the console.

"Careful," Guilty Spark said, concerned for Miranda's safety. "This Reclaimer is delicate! Please be more careful with her!"

"One more word, and I will rip your eye out of it's socket," Tartarus roared. Turning to Miranda, he growled, "Which is nothing compared to what I will do to you if you do not obey."

Moments later, he heard a voice he never thought he would hear again. "Turn, Tartarus," a deep, resonant voice commanded.

Tartarus' eyes, for the first time in his life, went wide. "Impossible," he gasped. Turning around, his eyes widened even more when the Arbiter walked inside, as though he'd returned from the dead. "You should be dead," he gasped.

"I had some help," Thel replied, motioning to Bero and the other Sangehili and Skirmishers behind him. "Tartarus, stop this madness that you are pursuing. The rings, this Halo, they are not what you believe them to be."

Growling loudly, Tartarus said, "Take care with your words, Arbiter. What you are saying is heresy!"

"Is it," Thel asked. Turning to the Monitor, he said, "Oracle, what is Halo's purpose?"

"I can-"

The Monitor was promptly interrupted when Tartarus grabbed it and roared, "NO! Not another word!"

"Hey," another voice growled. Turning around, he watched as a Human, along with several Sangheili Zealots and Skirmisher Champions walked inside. "Don't shake the light bulb." As the Brutes began to growl, Johnson said, "If you want to keep your brains inside your head, Mohawk, I'd suggest you calm your boys down." After Tartarus did so, Johnson said, "Go ahead, son."

"The Halos," Thel asked the Monitor. "What are they truly?"

"Weapons of last resort," the Monitor replied. "They were designed to eliminate all life in the galaxy, hereby rendering the Flood harmless. Each species within 3 galactic radii, died as planned. Would you care to learn more?"

Looking up at Tartarus, Thel said, "Tartarus, the Prophets have betrayed us."

Roaring loudly, Tartarus threw the Monitor into Johnson, knocking the man over before forcing Miranda to put the Index in. "NO," he roared. "What you speak of is heresy! The Great Journey will commence now, and the Brutes, not the Elites, shall be the Prophet's escort!"

"Oh really," Miranda Keyes asked.

Hearing her words, Tartarus was about to act when he noticed something odd. Looking at the Index, he watched as it was ejected from the slot, flying into the air before landing on the ground. To his shock, it simply disintegrated, shattering into dozens of small pieces on the ground. "What," he gasped, shock plainly evident in his eyes.

"Surprise," Miranda shouted, pulling out an M6E that had been concealed in part of her uniform, inside of a specially woven compartment that was designed to defeat scanning. Firing her weapon, she caught several Brutes off guard, with those falling to the ground dead. Roaring in rage, Tartarus was about to swing his Gravity Hammer when something restrained him, before plunging a blade directly through his back. The last thing he saw was what appeared to be a Sangheili composed of liquid metal, then his sight went black, with his corpse tumbling to the ground as he dropped his Gravity Hammer. "Kalmiya," Miranda sighed, relieved as the T-1000B walked over to her after making sure Tartarus was dead. "Your timing is perfect."

"Thank you," Kalmiya beamed, her face in the Sangheili equivalent of a smile. "It's always satisfying when you get the drop on an enemy." Turning to face the other Sangheili, she said, "The Arbiter? It is an honor to meet you." She bowed in respect as she spoke.

"You are a Terminator," Thel asked.

"Of course I am. Is there something wrong with that?"

"No, not at all. Since you are an enemy of the Brutes, you are a friend of mine as well." Looking at the shattered Index, he said, "Is that it, or is that a clever fake?"

"It's a clever fake," Miranda explained. "When we recovered the real Index, SKYNET created a clever forgery using specialized materials. It wasn't easy, getting the forgery to look like the real thing, but thanks to Cortana's input, we were able to make the copy extremely convincing. The real Index is being taken to Earth for study."

"Indeed." Turning back to Kalmiya, he asked, "How long have you been here?"

"Not long at all. I disguised myself as part of the structure when the Brutes came here. My superiors found this structure before the Brutes did, so it was a simple manner of cloaking myself and following Commander Keyes in here." As she said this, Bero approached her, a curious expression on his face. For a moment, both sides watched as Kalmiya and Bero approached each other, a strange expression on both of their faces. Moments later, Kalmiya flowed over Bero, with her liquid metal chassis covering his entire body. After a few seconds, he liquefied his form, before flowing out from under her and reforming a moment later, with Kalmiya doing the same.

"What was that," Miranda asked, aiming her weapon at Bero.

"Relax," Bero replied. "I'm not an enemy. I'll explain later once we're somewhere safer."

"It's alright, Commander," Kalmiya said to Miranda as she slowly lowered her weapon. "I was just testing him." Looking at Bero, she said, "I'm curious as to how you acquired that strange ability. Perhaps we should talk some time later."

"That would be nice," Bero replied.

As soon as he said this, though, something began to happen. Hearing a strange beeping sound, Miranda turned to see a small, holographic icon that was blinking. As Johnson and the Monitor walked over, she asked, "What's that?"

"A beacon," Guilty Spark replied simply.

"What's it doing?"

"Communicating at superluminal speeds, with a frequency of…"

"Communicating with what?"

"The other Installations," the Monitor replied. Moments later, holograms of several more Halo's appeared in the air. "Fail-safe protocols. While the copy of the Index you had could interface with the ring, the system determined that it was a forgery, as you yourself stated. In the event of unexpected shutdown, or an unauthorized attempt to activate the ring, all the Installations are put into standby mode to be fired from a remote installation."

"Where is this installation?"

"Well… I am not…," the Monitor stammered.

"Listen, tinker bell," Johnson growled. "Don't make me."

Interrupting him, Miranda asked, "Where would someone go to activate the other Halos?"

Guilty Spark was silent for a moment, before he said, "Why, the Ark of course."

"And where, Oracle, is that," Thel asked, walking up towards the AI.

. . .

It had been several hours since they had entered this part of the Forerunner ship. Looking around, Chief could tell that they had emerged out of Slipstream Space, though he wasn't certain as to how he knew. Turning to Cortana, he asked, "Are we out of Slipstream Space?"

"Yes," Cortana replied. "We should be orbiting Reach. Since I was able to warn SKYNET, there should be a fleet of ships nearby."

As soon as she said this, Chief picked up a COM burst. "SKYNET, this is the Say My Name, we've got an unknown contact approaching. We've also got what appears to be a UNSC CNI Transponder in the outer portion of the ship."

"That is most likely Sierra-117 and Cortana," came SKYNET's voice. A moment later, SKYNET switched frequencies and said, "Chief, are you on board that ship?"

"Yes, sir," Chief replied.

"What are your primary objectives?"

"Sir, finishing this fight."