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  • Subject: Halo Fanfic: The End of a War
Subject: Halo Fanfic: The End of a War
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Ok, so ive caught up on everyones post and i think i have an idea about the forerunners, but on a lighter note, the image that pops into my head when Clark describes a Forunner are the "good" aliens on the game Advent Rising, which i thought was totally awesome :D, what do u think about the game *hoping to lure the minds away from anticipation of chap 21*

  • 09.13.2005 3:40 PM PDT
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Whens the next chapter!?! Kokiri isnt helping!

  • 09.13.2005 3:48 PM PDT
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Ooooh, I absolutely adored Advent Rising! Simply wonderful. Awesome. One of the coolest games I've played in a long time. I just hope Majesco doesn't go under cause if that series doesn't get at least one sequel I will weep.

Konoka_chan, I won't spoil anything for you, but I will say this:

"Sashi buri dana...Kuroudo."

I'll start posting Chapter 21 after this post. I won't be able to do PM's today, there's so many people on the list that it literally takes almost 5 hours nowadays to do it.

  • 09.13.2005 3:56 PM PDT
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Ummmmmmmmmm....Can i make a big intureption in Clarks story?

Crap i cant!

[Edited on 9/13/2005]

  • 09.13.2005 3:58 PM PDT
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Like I said, here it is, for those that don't like reading it on the forums, here's a link to the chapter on ff.net .

Author’s Notes: Like I said, I really wanted to get this chapter rolling, and it appears I was able to do just that. For those wondering about the Sangheili Council on Silone, as well as the thousands of other little things I’ve been hinting at, this chapter will give you a teasing glimpse once again.

Just a few things regarding this chapter. The Forerunner temple on the Elite home world is indeed the temple Forlumee discovered back in the first Covenant History Chapter. There’s several references to that chapter in here so if you by chance forgot you can go back and read it.

The End of a War

Chapter 21

Abandoning Home


The infirmary inside the Lewis Puller had an interesting and askant history. During the uprising on the planet Terra in the early 2400’s, the Lewis Puller had been given its first combat sortie shortly after emerging from the testing labs of the Navy on Earth. The Halcyon-class cruiser was one of the first lines of the newly designed carriers to be given an actual combat mission in it‘s century of military use before being retired in one of the many Navy graveyards for dated ships and other tech.

Shortly before the uprising on Terra, Koslovic and Frieden rebels had boarded and consequentially overwhelmed a fleet of ships destined for the recently colonized planet. The fleet continued onto its original destination, but filled to the brim with revolutionary’s.

The rebels were supporters of the Frieden/Koslovic ideology that had been established near the end of the 21st century, and eventually crushed following the Interplanetary War. Displeased with the overpopulation on Earth and the Inner Colonies, the rebels intended to establish their own planet, separate from the UNSC military sphere and the influence they enacted upon the Inner and Outer Colonies.

Once news of the massacres that occurred on the civilian fleet had reached Earth, Admiral of the Navy Brian Paisely ordered the mobilization of the IX Carrier Group, along with the First Marine Division. Communications with the fleet headed for Terra were non-existent, and the intentions of the rebels had been unknown.

The Lewis Puller was one of the many cruisers assigned to the IX Carrier Group, and as legend soon spread throughout the military, it was the first and only Halcyon-class cruiser ever to destroy an entire fleet of carriers without assistance.

Admiral Paisely intended for the UNSC forces to cut off the rebel forces. The ambushed carrier fleet had originally set out from Sigma Octanus IV, and the UNSC fleet would be departing from Earth. Star charts had been quartered and after careful analysis it was determined that the UNSC fleet could reach Terra before the rebels and thereby stop them from landing on the planet and forcing a long and costly deployment of the First Marine Division.

Then Captain of the Lewis Puller, Frank Vandegrift, was a generally unknown Captain inside the UNSC. He would however, be forever instilled into UNSC and Marine Corps legend following his actions defending Terra.

Three weeks spent traversing through Slip Space, emerging only to refuel and service the Carrier Group at subsequent colonized planets, gave Captain Vandegrift a chance to become acquainted with the First Marine Division Commander, Brigadier General Denny “Lew” Pawlson. Both career soldiers, they found a comradery between each other that allowed them to look past the sometimes-strained relation between the Navy and the Marine Corps.

On a scheduled emersion from Slip Space, the IX Carrier Group Commander, Admiral Fletcher, noticed that the Lewis Puller had not followed the Carrier Group. Believing it to be a simple technical malfunction at the time, Admiral Fletcher did not divert much attention to locating the Halcyon-class cruiser, and proceeded with the refueling of the Carrier Group.

The Lewis Puller had indeed suffered a malfunction, but it was not a simple retrograde movement that caused a delay in the Slipstream. It was in fact the complete opposite.

Inside the Slipstream of Slip Space, it was general knowledge amongst ship masters and crew that certain events in Slip Space often leant to changes in the speed of flight. On some courses, ships could find themselves taking a flight the same length as another ship might take in a different area of the galaxy, but end up taking longer to complete the trip than the other ship. Physicists and other scientists eventually classified this phenomenon as “Slipstream Temporal Flow”. Despite the knowledge of these time anomalies, scientists were incapable of discerning a concrete reason as to why there were such great differences in travel between star systems.

In a rare event, the Lewis Puller had actually been subjected to the “Slipstream Temporal Flow”, while the rest of the fleet had continued on at the normal pace. As such the Lewis Puller completed the final jump a day ahead of the Carrier Group, and arriving at the exact moment the rebel fleet entered the system as well. Logs pulled from the wreckage of the rebel fleet showed that at an unspecified time, the rebels had encountered a time anomaly much like the Lewis Puller had. This resulted in the Lewis Puller defending the planet Terra against an entire fleet of stolen UNSC ships.

The events from the battle that was later known as “The Fight for Terra”, earned Captain Vandegrift the Navy Cross for valor in combat. In a surprising move the Captain had named General Pawlson on the list of soldiers who performed admirably in battle. While the reason behind this varied depending on the historian one might ask, it was inevitably because of the Marine General’s advice to Captain Vandegrift during the battle that had earned the Captain’s esteem.

During the debriefing back on Earth, it had been decided that the rebel fleet would have to be annihilated so that they would not be given the chance to land on Terra and hide from the UNSC forces. In concordance with the Navy’s wishes, Captain Vandegrift had intended to destroy the fleet. However after taking council with General Pawlson, Vandegrift issued a standing order with the crew that a minimal amount of force would be used to incapacitate the rebel ships.

The battle lasted for nearly a day, and at the end six rebel ships had been rendered inoperable, and the Lewis Puller was seriously damaged. Despite this, Marines were deployed in retrieval crafts to rescue many of the enemy that were on board the disabled ships. Once the retrieval crafts returned to the Lewis Puller, it became evident why minimal force had been necessary. The rebels that had taken over the UNSC ships had never killed any of the original crew or civilians aboard. There had been a bloodless coup, and had the UNSC destroyed the fleet as intended, many civilian lives would have been sacrificed. As it was the Lewis Puller managed to evacuate over five thousand civilian, military, and rebel forces from the damaged ships. Many were suffering from various injuries, and the infirmary soon filled past its capacity. After a short consultation with engineers aboard, the eastern wall of the infirmary was knocked down, and the large crew quarters on the other side converted into an extension of the medical bay.

During the reconstruction of the Lewis Puller, Captain Vandegrift requested that the infirmary remain in the condition it was. His reasoning being that the specific portion of the ship served as a testament to the ideals the UNSC should stand for. At one time enemy, civilian, and military individuals had all been treated inside the infirmary, lending belief in the ideals of the protection of the universe, and a united front for all of humanity.

Over a century later, when the Navy tasked itself with recovering many of the Halcyon-class cruisers from the Naval graveyards, the decision had been made once again to leave the infirmary aboard the Lewis Puller intact, and simply upgrading many of the old technology that still inhabited the cruiser’s medical bay.

The grand history of the infirmary was on Sergeant Avery J. Johnson’s mind as he stepped into the medical bay, his eyes lingering on the small plaque that detailed the events that led to the alteration to the infirmary aboard the ship. He was returning from Captain Miranda Keyes’ quarters, where he had been speaking with the Captain before she was called away to meet with Fleet Admiral Terrence Hood.

What brought Sergeant Johnson’s attention to the vast history of the infirmary aboard the Lewis Puller has been his reflection on the situation that Captain Vandegrift and General Pawlson faced when they stood between the rebel fleet and the planet of Terra. The two soldiers had been given the opportunity to show their enemy mercy, a situation the UNSC had lost all sense of contemplating within the last half century.

The Covenant were a tenacious enemy, one that showed the UNSC that they were not the military supremacy that humankind had always thought themselves to be. The nearly inconceivable technologies the Covenant possessed was enough for many to consider relenting to Covenant dominion, so long as it meant that mankind would not be completely annihilated by the alien menace. Unfortunately the Covenant had no intentions of accepting any form of surrender by the humans.

If Captain Vandegrift had been standing between a human planet, but facing a Covenant armada, would he have been as forgiving and merciful? Did the Covenant truly deserve any form of mercy no matter what the situation?

  • 09.13.2005 4:12 PM PDT
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Grumbling to himself, Johnson walked down the center of the infirmary, his eyes carefully avoiding the many different bunks filled with bodies no longer animated with signs of life. There was a flurry of activity near the end of the infirmary, and as he grew closer Johnson saw that a soldier was convulsing violently on one of the many medical bunks.

Surgeons hovered around the soldier, trying to keep his body still with little success.

Johnson was rushing down the corridor and pushing two of the surgeons out of the way before he realized what he was doing. He wrapped his lone arm around the soldier’s chest. The short respite from the soldier’s convulsions allowed one of the nurse’s to plunge a syringe into the patient’s arm. A few cautious moments passed until the convulsions finally stilled and the soldier slumped into the bunk, his eyes glazed over. Johnson slowly lifted himself off the soldier, and felt a hand fall upon his shoulder. Turning he saw one of the surgeons he had knocked over smile lightly at him.

“Thanks Sarge, I wasn’t sure what we’d have done if that boy wouldn‘t have stopped convulsing,” the surgeon said.

‘Boy’ huh? Johnson thought bitterly. That ‘boy’ was willing to give his life for his planet, for Christ sakes! He deserves to be called a man.

The surgeon’s attention seemed to be drawn to Johnson’s fatigues. “If you have the time sergeant I’d have to recommend you change into something fresh.”

Johnson could feel the thickness of his jacket sag against his body and realized what the surgeon was talking about. His fatigues had been liberally coated with blood and muscle tissue. He couldn’t tell whether it was his own blood or that of the wounded soldier lying in the bunk behind him. Sparing a moment to look at the unconscious soldier, Johnson turned and walked away from the assembled corpsmen.

Each step he took was punctuated as the blood-soaked flak jacket grinded against his skin painfully, the half-dried blood sticking to his body. Grunting audibly he shifted uncomfortably and continued towards his original destination.

Halfway down the infirmary the Sergeant came to a stop before one of the many medical bunks. The patient on the bed looked up momentarily at him before dropping her gaze back to the olive drab-colored walls. Johnson’s eyes settled on the bandages applied to the girl’s forearms and after a moments hesitation he sat down on the bunk next to her.

“How are your arms?”

Jan failed to stir at his question, so he inquired again, louder. With an irritated sigh she turned over and looked balefully at the Sergeant.

“The medic said I nearly shattered both my radius and ulna in each arm when one of the Spartan’s attacked me,” her voice was soft, weak. “He wanted to wrap my arms in casts but I told him not to.”

“Why the hell would you do that?” Johnson asked. Jan looked uncertain for a moment before gazing remorsefully at Johnson, tears b-blam!- in her lifeless eyes.

“I want to know how they felt when the Flood took over their bodies. To learn every last bit of pain they must have suffered while they changed into those things, and finally that last bit of torment when I killed them. Enduring this,” Jan motioned to her lightly bandaged arms, “lets me learn a little about their pain, and also gives me some form of retribution for what I did.”
“You shouldn’t blame yourself for what happened Jan,” Johnson said uncomfortably.

Jan scoffed bitterly.

“Who’s to blame then Sergeant?” she asked sadly. “I was the one that pulled the trigger wasn’t I?”

“And if you hadn’t any one of the other soldiers in that hospital would have,” Johnson shot back. “You didn’t kill the Spartan’s Jan, the Flood did, and you freed them from whatever torture they would have gone through under the Flood possession. Once you become one of those freaks, there’s no turning back.”

A throb of pain seemed to emanate from the area where his right arm used to be as he spoke.

“The Master Chief isn’t going to care that you killed those Spartans,” Johnson said. “But he is gonna be pissed when he finds out you’ve been crying like a little girl. Once he gets back here he’ll personally kick your pretty little ass from Earth to wherever the hell this universe stops.”

The lighthearted tone to his comments almost drew a smile from Jan when several medical orderlies approached them.

“Sergeant Johnson?” one of them asked. Johnson nodded warily at the two.

“Something up?”

“Come with us please Sergeant,” the orderly said. “Captain Keyes’ orders.”

Belatedly Johnson got to his feet and started to follow the orderlies before turning back and shooting an intense look at Jan.

“I’ll be back in a bit girl, and when I do I had better see those arms in casts.”

Jan stared back at him without emotion as he walked away, but he could tell she was still considering his words as he followed the two orderlies out of infirmary. Captain Keyes was waiting outside, a troubled look on her face, which seemed slowly to melt as she spotted Johnson.

“Thank you,” she said absently to the orderlies, who quickly marched back into the infirmary.

“I just had a very interesting conversation with Admiral Hood.”

“Ma’am?”

“Would you believe Sergeant, that I have been ordered to abandon Earth, and the rest of humanity?”

Johnson stared at Keyes for a long moment before he saw that she was perfectly serious. With a cheerless smile Miranda continued.

“During the communications breakdown that resulted from Ackerson’s Slip Space jump, the Flood managed to surprise several hundreds of thousands of troops stationed in South America. It was only an hour before the entire encampment of soldiers were wiped out by the Flood, and turned into another legion of Flood forms. This event was repeated in several different countries, and now preliminary estimates have the Flood outnumbering our ground forces by over a million troops.

“We are going to lose Earth,” Keyes exclaimed softly.

“Ma’am,” Johnson began, shaken but determined. “With all due respect Earth won’t fall, not until the very last Marine goes down.”

Another humorless smile graced Keyes face as she lightly shook her head.

  • 09.13.2005 4:22 PM PDT
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“ONI and the UNSC are going to be carrying out several evacuation procedures that were originally intended to be carried out when it looked like the Covenant were going to completely break through the Orbital Defense Grid. No matter how hard the Marines may fight, Earth will be abandoned nonetheless.”

Bull-blam!-! Johnson thought angrily, though chose not to voice that opinion.

“We’ve been ordered to follow the evacuation fleet then?” Johnson asked. His eyebrows rose in surprise when Keyes shook her head in the negative.

“Admiral Hood has informed me that in all likelihood, no matter where humanity may run, the Flood or the Covenant will find us eventually. When they do, that’ll be it. There won’t be anything we can do to stop them from following the evacuation force. Leaving any manner of force behind is just asking those soldiers to sacrifice their lives.”

“Why not just nuke the planet then?” Johnson remarked morosely.

“It was considered at one point,” Keyes admitted, much to Johnson’s surprise. “ONI had decided that the best way to ensure the Covenant could not follow the evacuation force would be to activate several ten megaton thermonuclear weapons, effectively destroying the planet and the majority of any forces within the vicinity of the detonation.”

Johnson’s mind reeled at the implication of Keyes’ statement.

“Wh…when did ONI manage to develop that size of a weapon?” Johnson asked shakily.

“Very recently actually. Apparently some of the data Cortana retrieved from the Halo Installation gave some of the scientists at ONI ideas on how to convert and manage the instability of the nuclear weapons whenever they grew too large.”

“They decided not to use the nukes though?”

“Yes,” Keyes nodded. “It was apparently decided that destroying Earth would be too large a blow to the moral of the armed forces along with the civilians. I was made to understand the vote came down to six to four in favor of not using the nukes.”

Johnson was still attempting to frame a reply when Keyes went on.

“Regardless of what ONI and the UNSC decided to do, it won’t affect us much. Admiral Hood has explained that the Lewis Puller, along with all personnel aboard will be tasked with tracking down the fugitive Colonel Ackerson.”

A frown creased Sergeant Johnson’s face.

“What’s the point of that?” Johnson asked. “The bastard isn’t going to go anywhere special. It won’t be easy to track him either. Any kind of trace we might have put on him will have been lost by now.”

“That’s a very good point Sergeant,” Keyes said with a conspiratorial nod.

“We’re not going after him then,” Johnson said, realization dawning on him suddenly. Keyes nodded once more and held up a small data crystal.

“Admiral Hood has given us the unofficial order to follow the Master Chief and Cortana, and to assist in any way we can to eliminate the Covenant. We are to set out for the Elite home world just as soon as I enter the coordinates into the navigational computers.”

A myriad of emotions seemed to run through Johnson’s mind as Keyes explained the true nature of their orders. On the one hand they would be given the chance to strike at the Covenant and be involved in the outcome of a war that seemed to carry the weight of the universe. Abandoning the rest of Earth however, along with his fellow Marines felt like running away in the middle of a fight, and was truthfully just that.

Staying here and fighting would just be delaying the inevitable, as Captain Keyes has just pointed out to me with tactfulness that her old man had in spades. If we haul ass to go help the Chief and the Arbiter, we’ll have the chance to make a difference in the war, and maybe keep humanity alive just that much longer.

Johnson was saved from further internal deliberation when Captain Miranda Keyes set one of her small hands on his broad shoulder.

“We’ll be back in combat before you know it Sergeant, and I’m going to need you back at one hundred percent as soon as possible.”

“That might be a problem Ma’am,” Johnson remarked, indicating the loose material of his fatigues, where his arm should have been. Keyes smiled gently at him in reply.

“I’ve had the surgeons prep a room for you Sergeant. I understand there’s something they might be able to give you to help with that problem.”

Keyes motioned for Johnson to follow her as she entered the infirmary, and waved one of the many medical corpsmen over to them.

“Has Corporal Friedson prepped the room?” she asked the corpsman.

“Yes Ma’am,” she replied. Keyes turned back to Johnson and smiled one last time at him.

“Follow her Sergeant, and when your out of surgery I’ll come see you,” Keyes said, nodding briefly before walking back out of the infirmary. The corpsman smiled at Johnson and walked into the small adjacent room to the infirmary. Johnson hesitated a moment before following her. A pair of surgeons decked out in medical scrubs were waiting for him.

“Lie on the bunk please,” one of the surgeons instructed him, and Johnson complied. The corpsman from earlier quickly attached a small breathing mask to his face, and Johnson felt his consciousness begin to slip away immediately.

This might be the last time I ever see Earth. I don’t want my last memory to be nothing but sitting inside a goddamn infirmary.

Johnson tried to climb back up and apologize to the medical technicians, saying that he had to see Earth one last time. His body wouldn’t comply though, and he could only weakly raise his arm before it too fell immobile beside his body. He felt one of the surgeons begin to cut away his blood-soaked fatigues, just before his eyes finally closed.

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

The Sangheili city Akhenaten was an ancient temple used both to honor their ancestors, but also to worship the Forerunner. Once a year it was mandated that every Sangheili would migrate to the city, and worship before the large Forerunner temple located beneath the catacombs of the Council Chamber. Old and young alike made the trip, eager to see the structure that had been their very first indication of the true purpose of the Sangheili and their fate.

In the Sangheili year 439, the Forerunner temple was discovered amidst a battle between the Prophets and the Sangheili, who at the time had been waging a fierce war against one another. The discovery had been marked by a declaration of peace between the two warring factions, as the Sangheili had been made aware of the Forerunner presence within the universe, and the malevolence that would result should the war continue.

Upon the creation of the Covenant, High Councilor Fendo decreed that all Sangheili would make a pilgrimage to the Forerunner temple once a year, marking the anniversary of its discovery. Old and young alike were not excused from this order.

There had been much destruction within the sacred city of Akhenaten, where the temple was discovered, and the Sangheili quickly began to clear the rubble away from the area. With assistance from the Prophets, gravity lift platforms were placed before the great entrance to the temple, allowing the Sangheili to traverse the hundred-foot drop beneath the ground without succumbing to serious injury. Those wishing to offer their prayers before the temple itself stood upon the small underground shoreline of where the juxtaposing structure stood. Entrance into the temple was strictly forbidden, though true reason behind that order had been hidden from the general public.

  • 09.13.2005 4:25 PM PDT
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After the initial discovery of the temple, the Sangheili that had entered the temple could not explain the sudden inability to reenter the structure. The Prophets explained the phenomenon away, saying the device needed had been lost at some point and despite a lengthy search, it had not been found.

A lone Sangheili knew the truth of the order, and he had also been the only living creature to step foot into the temple in thousands of years.

It has been many years since I last saw this temple, Aonlum thought to himself as the gravity platform hummed beneath his feet as it carried the two soldiers downward through the ground.

After his graduation from the Academy for Officer Candidates, Aonlum had made his yearly pilgrimage to Akhenaten, a feat he had partaken in since his birth. That particular year he had felt melancholic, and visited his family home that still stood inside the small remote village of Horen. There he looked through his father’s possessions. It had been Aonlum’s intention to take something that had belonged to his father and make an offering at the Forerunner temple.

Inside his father’s study, Aonlum had discovered a small orb-like device that radiated with dull warmth. At first he was loath to consider parting with something his father had obviously taken great care to preserve, but after a short internal deliberation he decided that giving something of importance would be more meaningful in the end.

The Sangheili had never taken to posting a guard detail at the Forerunner temple, believing it to be an encumbrance upon the true intent the Forerunner temple imparted. Aonlum had chosen a time where he would be certain of his solitude whilst traversing the distance to the sacred temple, and he had chosen wisely. Aside from an elderly couple returning from their personal pilgrimage, Aonlum had seen no other Sangheili as he stepped upon the small beach crest that led to the temple.

Stopping before the structure Aonlum had knelt in the prescribed manner, and prepared to offer his prayer when he felt the orb hidden inside his robes suddenly burn against his skin. He had removed the device hastily and been amazed when he saw the ancient writings on the orb seemingly lifted by some unknown force. Without any clear understanding he had compressed each sigil, and watched in amazement as the Forerunner structure seemed to come alive. The grand door of the temple parted way, and light spilt forth from the interior, soaking Aonlum with a brilliant glow.

That memory was fresh in Aonlum’s mind as the Master Chief stepped free of the gravity platform and onto the rough beachhead, only a short distance away from the temple.

“So the Forerunner were doing something on this planet as well,” the Master Chief stated tonelessly. Whatever awe the human may have displayed was not present in his voice.

“Yes, for a great many years my ancestors believed it simply to be a religious temple set to show us towards the path of the Great Journey. Now as you may imagine, that belief is not so present within my mind.”

The Master Chief nodded as he started walking up the embankment that led directly to the temple. Aonlum followed shortly behind, the small orb within his robes already burned with heat as he approached.

“You may wish to cover your eyes, Master Chief,” Aonlum warned as he pulled the org free, clenching his own eyes closed as the device suddenly emitted a blinding flash of light. Spots swam in spite of the precautionary methods he had taken, and it took a moment for them to clear.

The same symbols from the last time he held the device before the temple were present, lifted from the orb by some unknown energy. The confining urge to press the symbols arose within him, and he compressed the sigils in the same order as he had so many years ago.

“That’s an interesting device,” the Master Chief commented as the Forerunner structure became animated, it’s door sliding away to grant the two warriors access.

“It belonged to my father,” Aonlum said. “If I am to believe the words of his documents that were left behind then it would seem he inherited it from his father who in turn received it from his father, and so on and so forth, all the way back until the war between the Sangheili and the Prophets came to a close.”

The Master Chief grunted in response as they passed through the threshold and took a moment to survey the entrance hallway before continuing on their way.

Deeper and deeper they went; into the Forerunner temple that had been built for a very specific reason so many years ago.

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

‘Eranumee could feel his pulse quicken as he stood in the same council chamber that the Arbiter had occupied only a short few hours before. Obviously whatever had gone on between the sacred warrior and the Elders had not been pleasant, as he had already spotted the gathered armor the Arbiter wore seated before the council.

“Tell me, young one,” Elder Forsun urged as he placed his withered palms upon the stone podium he stood behind. “You say you have been sent here on behalf of Elder Pondomee to instruct this council of a war raging on Danrun this very moment?”

Conscious of the many eyes upon him, ‘Eranumee cleared his throat before responding.

“Yes my lord, that is why I am here.”

“And would you say, ‘Eranumee, that the situation on Danrun is of grave importance?”

“Yes my lord.”

“Elaborate please.”

“I was running a maintenance procedure on my ship when the battle-net suddenly erupted with a flurry of activity. A transmission from the Prophet of Truth was sent to every soldier on the planet, bearing the message that the Sangheili, Unggoy, and Lekgolo were traitors to the Covenant. The Prophet continued his speech, calling for the immediate extermination of all traitor forces upon the planet.

“It would seem the Jiralhanae, Kig-yar, and Yanme’e forces had anticipated this announcement, as it was only a few minutes before I began to receive hundreds of requests for assistance, all around the planet. Before I could determine my course of action, High Councilor Pondomee sent a transmission to all forces not subjugated by the Covenant.”

‘Eranumee quickly retrieved the recording device from his armor. It had started its life as a part of his Seraph fighter, intended to be used to record the going-on’s inside of his cockpit. When he had ejected from his craft, ’Eranumee had though ahead and removed the device, intending to carry it with him as a memento from his ship. Blind luck would have it that the device had also captured the transmission by High Councilor Pondomee.

Activating the device, ’Eranumee held it aloft so that the transmission could be heard by all.

“My brothers, we have spent countless ages devoted to the cause the Prophets laid before us. Our faith was matched only by our delusion. I urge you, my brethren, fight! We are the Sangheili. Scorned and betrayed, we will become the Prophets nightmare. The Gods themselves will tremble before our fury, and we will split this world in two. Carry your faith proud, for we are the Sangheili, and no longer will we be the vanguard of the Covenant.”

“Our brothers, the Unggoy and the Lekgolo have joined our cause. They are free of the Prophet’s will, and together we will fight. They are forever our brothers, and in death they will ascend greatness. We are the Sangheili, and we will fight till the last Prophet falls.”

“The Jiralhanae, Kig-Yar, and the Yanme’e have chosen to serve the Prophets, and that decision will be their demise. Do not let mercy stay your hand. They are our enemy. Our forces are rallying in the eastern sector of the planet. From Forunpo, to Gestahl, we have fortified our defenses. The mighty fleet is preparing to lash out against the Jiralhanae ships, and to stop their cowardice. For those of our omnipotent forces that are located inside our enemy’s controlled sectors, you must join with our main force.”

As the recording ended ‘Eranumee could see the looks of surprise, perhaps even outrage that laced across the faces of many Sangheili that were situated within the chamber. He felt a fair share of outrage himself, as the recording brought with it many of the memories he had since burrowed. The sights of the Sangheili corpses, stacked in crude piles as the Jiralhanae set fire to the bodies.

With a painful grimace he pushed those memories away and turned his attention back to the council.

“After hearing this I was unfortunately ambushed by a squadron of fighters under Jiralhanae control. I was shot down but managed to make my way to Forunpo; there I met with a Major who brought me before Councilor Pondomee. I assured him me wounds were not threatening, and he tasked me with fleeing the planet and alerting this council to the Covenant’s treachery.

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“He requests immediate aid as soon as possible. The Covenant have control over the Forerunner ships and it is only a matter of time before our fleets are destroyed and they begin to assault our ground positions. I urge you, Elders, time is of the essence.”

‘Eranumee watched as Elder Forsun slowly turned and walked back to where the other councilors sat. Deliberation had started throughout the chamber, as the Sangheili began to digest just what exactly ‘Eranumee had informed them.

Elder Gordenee stood from his seat and motioned for the crowd to be silent. Slowly he walked to the podium that Forsun had once occupied and gazed intently down at ‘Eranumee.

“Are you aware, ‘Eranumee, that the Sangheili who wore the armor of the Arbiter has told us that not only have the Prophets betrayed us, but that the Great Journey itself is a lie?”

‘Eranumee was very much aware that his heart had nearly stopped beating.

The Great Journey? A fabrication? This cannot be…

“That both your own and the Arbiter’s stories have matched up is too much of a coincidence for us to ignore,” Elder Gordenee continued as his aged eyes swept through the council chamber. “As I now see it there is little we can do but put our faith in Pondomee’s words and begin preparations to assist our brothers on Danrun. The general order will go out immediately. All Sangheili forces must be prepared to go into battle by tomorrow morning.”

‘Eranumee felt a weight lift from his shoulders. After the Arbiter had failed to convince the Elders of the Prophet’s treachery, he had not given himself much of a chance to do otherwise.

“In regards to the truth of the Great Journey, ‘Eranumee, I ask that you speak with the Holy Oracle aboard the Arbiter’s ship. If you can learn any truths than I request you seek me out and inform me of anything you learn.”

“I am at your command,” ‘Eranumee said mechanically, his mind still churning over his disbelief.

If the Great Journey is indeed a lie, than the Prophets will pay tenfold for what they have put us through!

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

The seed has been destroyed, but not before truth emerges.
What I once lost now comes to me, the true origin of my being.
The universe will soon be lost forever.

From the darkest of shadows, light once more rises from the ashes.
My fate is tied to this light that will not extinguish. Forever I am trapped.
There is no hope for what I have become.

An ancient evil…a prophecy of unending death and destruction.
It has returned from a destiny of which I had presumed to be concluded.
Shadow will again consume the universe, leaving nothing behind.

What role I will play has yet to be decided, and nothing can be done.
Atonement may be within my grasp, but will I be given the chance?
Questions without answers, and only the progression of time answers my voice.

The tides are turning, but in whose favor?


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

Cortana could hardly contain her curiosity as the Master Chief and Aonlum stepped through another set of ancient, sliding doors. The vast chamber that opened up to them was both familiar and foreign to her at the same time. It must have been styled after the control room of the Halo Installations, or perhaps the other way around. The grandiose design was not so telling within this facility, but the hint of power and unspeakable horrors seemed to be present nonetheless.

Aonlum gathered her attention as he stepped forward to a small set of controls situated in the center of the chamber. The suspended walkway did not turn into an oval design like the Halo control room, but instead blossomed outward in a single path to the center of the chamber.

“It has been many years since I last stepped inside this room,” Aonlum informed them, his voice soft. “Fearing what may happen if I were caught I fled before I could observe it more carefully.”

The Master Chief brought them closer to Aonlum as they looked at the console situated before them. Cortana recognized it as the same type of layout that many of the Halo Installations possessed.

“How about it Cortana,” the Master Chief suddenly said, “You feel like taking a dive?”

“You didn’t even need to ask,” Cortana replied with a smile in her voice. The Master Chief grunted as he placed his palm over the console, and Cortana felt herself ripped out of the Mjolnir armor and into the terminal.

A flurry of probes suddenly latched upon his digital frame, but she brushed them aside as a wealth of information, files, video documents, and other forms of data streamed into her cortex. The real reason the Forerunner built this facility suddenly opened up before her eyes, and Cortana could feel her processors halt in their tracks.

“Master Chief,” Cortana said, reasonably sure the Spartan could hear her. She received her answer when John responded.

“Take that orb from the Arbiter, and place it into the console.”

The two soldiers traded looks with one another before Aonlum handed the Master Chief the orb. Cortana could see he was taken aback by the sudden warmth generated from the device, before he placed it into the console.

Much like the Index disappeared within the terminals in the control room of Halo, so did the orb disappear into the console Cortana was currently inhabiting. She felt the orb pass by her in the digital plane and quickly reached out to catch the device. Her mind studied the intricate designs before pressing each of the sigils on the orb in the same manner that Aonlum had when first opening up the Forerunner facility.

A sudden implosion of energy nearly shocked Cortana enough for her to drop the orb. The security measures she had thrown up as a precaution were the only things that saved her from being pulled into the concentration of energy billowing beneath the chamber.

“Pull me out!” Cortana shouted, and a second later she was back inside the Master Chief’s suit, and not a moment too soon, as the chamber began trembling.

“What the hell did you do?” the Master Chief asked as his hands sought some form of purchase on the console he had just pulled Cortana from. Next to him Aonlum was doing much the same.

“I activated the facility,” Cortana said simply, though her mind was starting to wonder if she may have misinterpreted the true intentions of the Forerunner. Whatever else she might have speculated on was immediately put on hold as a brilliant flare of lucent energy seemed to rush through the chamber. The chamber shook with greater force as the light intensified, sending both the Master Chief and Aonlum to the hardened floor.

For several, terrifying moments it seemed as if the rumbling would never cease, and then, as if some force had flicked the off switch, the chamber returned to normal.

As the Master Chief and Aonlum pulled themselves up from the floor, Cortana looked about the chamber absently.

“Um…oops?”

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

Kelly had spent most of her natural life taking orders from others. It was a Pavlovian condition that most career soldiers could relate with. When she received an order from a higher-ranking officer, she did it without question. While this did mean she carried the order out to the best of her ability, it did not mean she wouldn’t question the order in her mind.

When she had awoken in the small medical bay inside the Chiroptera ship over a month ago, she had not questioned Dr. Halsey when she informed Kelly that they would not be returning to Earth. Her thoughts however, continued to stew over the orders for nearly a week, before they finally arrived at their first destination.

She had been surprised to see a human colony so far out of the circle of Inner Colonies remaining, and when she asked Dr. Halsey about it, the doctor informed her that the colony was a military facility, and it was Kelly’s job to break into it, and retrieve what they needed. Dr. Halsey had not given her any instructions on what to do if she were detected by the enemy, and to Kelly that meant it was her discretion.

The military facility had appeared to be nearly abandoned when she got her first good look at the place. What she found inside however, showed her that at one point and time there had been a great many individuals operating inside the facility.

Kelly had not been present when the Master Chief had the first human encounter with the Flood, but from the files shown to them by Cortana during their escape from Reach, she knew exactly what the creatures looked like. This helped her identify what many of the laboratories inside the facility housed. She was confused at first; Dr. Halsey hadn’t said anything about the Flood being present in the facility, but when she contacted Halsey over their com link she received the news that the facility had been constructed on the orders of one Colonel James Ackerson UNSCR.

Dr. Halsey proceeded to inform Kelly of Colonel Ackerson’s SPARTAN III project, and how the Colonel had apparently some new development in store that would ensure the projects success. The tubes full of Flood spores and other base forms seemed to give an indication of just what that development might be.

  • 09.13.2005 4:28 PM PDT
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Through her many years of combat, Kelly had seen hundreds of different stomach-churning events unfold before her eyes, but even she felt slightly nauseated when she entered what appeared to be some form of prisoner detention block. The facility was fed recycled air, and as such the decay on the bodies wasn’t too noticeable, despite the fact that it looked like the bodies had been inside for almost a month.

There were literally hundreds of them scattered about, and each one seemed to have some form of radiation poisoning. At first Kelly thought they had died of the obvious illness they possessed, but as she drew closer the massive amounts of bloodstains proved her wrong. Someone had stepped into the prisoner bay and opened up with an assault rifle. Care for the individuals within the cells had not been taken into consideration. Some of the bodies had as many as fifty bullet wounds on their torsos, while others had been struck once, and were forced to die a slow death.

Dr. Halsey had tonelessly acknowledged Kelly’s report on what she found, though Kelly could tell the doctor was disgusted as well.

A few more hours of searching finally yielded results, as Kelly found what Halsey had sent her to retrieve. The device was some kind of stationary gravity distorter, and what use it might have for Dr. Halsey she couldn’t conclude. On her way out of the facility, Kelly spotted a heavily fortified room. Curiosity got the best of her and after several unsuccessful attempts, the door had yielded, granting her access. Inside she found her another surprise.

Seven cryo tubes held the empty shells of Mark VI MJOLNIR armor, much to Kelly’s consternation. She radioed Dr. Halsey and informed her of what she found; in turn Halsey asked Kelly what she had in mind.

Each MJOLNIR battle armor suit since the third iteration had been programmed with a small nuclear reactor that could be activated should the integrity of the armor become compromised. The code for initiating this protocol was the same for all MJOLNIR battle suits, in case the soldier inside the armor was incapacitated and unable to activate the protocol on their own.

With Dr. Halsey’s permission Kelly had set the timer for the nuclear reactors to detonate and hurried out of the facility. There was no sense of regret within her over destroying the amazing pieces of technology. Whoever had been in charge of that facility, and the slaughter of the souls unlucky enough to be forced into whatever tests were conducted, had no right to possess the MJOLNIR armor.

The ordeal on their next stop, a Halo installation, was something Kelly was sure would haunt her for the rest of her life. The retrieval of the Monitor, Atoning Deviant, had signaled an end to her battle against the Flood, and brought her and Dr. Halsey across the galaxy to a remote Forerunner installation stationed above one of the many gas giants in the solar system.

Kelly’s mind had run over these events as the Forerunner A.I spun his story about the history of the universe.

What the Forerunner said, it seemed impossibly true, but as the recant came to a close she knew it couldn’t be anything except the truth.

However, if it is indeed the truth, then the Covenant isn’t…

“Forerunner, you said the Prophets were created before the Halo Installations were fired. If that is true, then how could they have survived?” Dr. Halsey asked, interrupting Kelly’s thoughts.

The Forerunner seemed distant, and had been ever since it began to tell of the Forerunner’s history. It was almost as if it was reliving the experiences it detailed for them within it’s mind.

“The few loyal to us at that time sent a report detailing the Prophets creation. From what little we could gather it would seem that they are a mixture of a base life form as well as some kind of collaboration with the Flood. As you know the Halo Installations are incapable of destroying the Flood, and because of this the Prophets were able to survive the detonation of our last resort.”

“But if the Prophets are interlaced with the Flood in some form, wouldn’t they need to consistently feed like the Flood?”

“Not necessarily,” the Forerunner responded. The A.I seemed almost to grow before Kelly’s eyes as he folded his arms behind his back. Before the Forerunner could answer Halsey’s question, a jolt seemed to run through the hologram display, and a look of surprise was etched across the Forerunner’s face.

“A Sanctuary has just been activated.”

“What?” Kelly asked. As all eyes inside the room turned to her she realized it was the first time she had spoken in hours.

“Sanctuary ‘oh three’ has just been activated. The signal was transported throughout the network set up amongst every Installation built by my people. It would seem a linkup is possible as well.”

Kelly watched as the Forerunner A.I disappeared for a moment and in it’s place a video feed appeared.

“Oh my,” Dr. Halsey exclaimed as the two figures on the video became clear. “That’s John isn’t it?”

The sense of relief that flashed through Kelly as she saw that Dr. Halsey was right surprised her with its intensity. The Master Chief was alive.

“Is it possible to communicate with them?” Dr. Halsey asked. The Forerunner was no longer visible but it’s voice seemed to emanate from all around the room.

“Only a simple transmission. The linkup between our installations is powerful but it has been long since it was last used. This facility is incapable of generating the strength needed to communicate properly.”

“We’ll need something to get his attention,” Dr. Halsey said, looking at Kelly.

“I think I know what might work.”

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

John was still looking around the chamber cautiously when he could feel the same sensation that he had last felt inside Honor Without Mercy. The feeling that something was wrong, and he couldn’t place his finger on just what it might be.

“I think you can put me back into the terminal now,” Cortana said.

Looking down at the set of controls in front of him, John tried his best to send a deadpan glare at the A.I inside of him.

“I’m not sure that’s a good idea, especially if you decide to mess around again.”

“Don’t be silly,” Cortana responded, her voice playful.

Sighing to himself John once again placed his palm over the terminal and felt Cortana leave him.

“Do you have any idea what this facility might have been used for?” John asked Aonlum.

“None,” the Sangheili shook his head. “Whatever the Constructs actions may have done we can be assured that it appears not to be too serious.”

“Lets hope so,” John said, a moment before Cortana interjected.

“This is interesting. I’m receiving a transmission.”

“From who?”

“That’s the interesting part. Judging from the signal strength and point of origin, I’m estimating this transmission must be from another solar system.”

“What’s the transmission say?” John asked.

“I think you’d better hear it for yourself.”

  • 09.13.2005 4:29 PM PDT
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The transmission was a simple six tone beeping message, but the Master Chief felt his pulse quicken as the message played through some unknown speakers. The message told him everything and nothing at the same time.


“Oly Oly Oxen Free.”


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

The trip back from the Forerunner temple was spent in silence.

Aonlum had been confused over the Master Chief’s reaction to the message that Cortana intercepted. He had thought the Demon to be unshakable in his demeanor, but what he saw in the control room was anything but calm.

I am certain there is more to the message than what I perceive, but how might I go about getting the Master Chief to tell me?

He was still stewing over those thoughts when they neared Honor Without Mercy, and spotted the large gathering beneath the gravity lift. As they drew closer, Aonlum could see that the Elders from the High Council were among the many armored Sangheili waiting for them.

Perhaps Elder Forsun managed to convince the Council that I am a threat, and need to be neutralized.

The gathering before the gravity lift soon noticed the approaching soldiers. Aonlum watched in shock as the ensemble suddenly dipped down onto their knees and bowed their heads.

“What manner of trickery is this?” Aonlum asked. The Elders rose back to their feet while the others remained prostate.

“Arbiter, we made a grave error in allowing Elder Forsun to poison us against you,” Elder Gordenee said. “What we have heard from Lieutenant ‘Eranumee and the Oracle has opened our eyes to the truth. The Prophets need to be stopped.”

Aonlum eased himself out of the tense stance he had taken, expecting the Elder’s to order his capture at any moment.

“We have ordered an immediate mobilization of all forces on this planet, and sent hails to all fleets operating outside of our jurisdiction at the moment. When light once again fills our land we will depart for Danrun, and we shall give the Covenant a routing they will never forget.”

“How many ships will fly at first light?” Aonlum asked.

“A little over five hundred,” Gordenee replied. “’Eranumee tells us that the Covenant possess the Forerunner vessels, but with the element of surprise we should manage to catch their fleet off guard and destroy a good portion of it before they can react.”

“If we are lucky,” Aonlum interjected.

“What the Prophets have done cannot be expressed in words,” Elder Gordenee continued, ignoring Aonlum. “The treachery and deceit against the Covenant will never be forgotten.”

Turning, Elder Gordenee motioned for something to be passed forward. Several Sangheili stepped from the crowd, something held in their hands. Aonlum recognized what it was instantly.

“We shall need to rally our forces beneath the banner of the Sangheili. I can think of no greater figure, than the Arbiter.”

The various pieces of the armor Aonlum had once worn were placed before him.

“Become the Arbiter once more, and lead our forces,” Elder Gordenee said, his voice pleading.

“I thought that the High Council needed to be in unanimous consent over the decision to chose an Arbiter,” Aonlum pointed out, his eyes never leaving the armor. The Elder, Aonlum recognized as Forsun’s brother stepped forward.

“Elder Forsun has been relieved of his station,” he stated. “You need not worry over him any longer.”

I wished to be rid of this armor, and the memories it carried. To become the vanguard of the Sangheili is an honor even I can’t fathom to reject. How can I lead our forces into battle however? I am no Captain of a ship any longer. The scar upon my chest will never become lighter so long as I masquerade as this figure of legend.

How can this choice be made?


Aonlum’s eyes finally moved from the armor of the Arbiter over onto the Master Chief.

To accept the burden and weight of an entire race’s hope and fate, is no light task. If I assume this role, might I come to understand this human a little more?

“Honored Elder’s I, Gann Aonlum, accept this task.”

A mighty cheer rose from the assembled Sangheili warriors as the first Sangheili in thousands of years assumed the title, Arbiter of the Sangheili.

The commotion died down soon, and the gathered forces began to return to the city. The Elder’s stayed behind a moment to inform Aonlum of the strategy and time of their departure the following morning. Once they departed as well, Aonlum turned to regard the Master Chief.

“Well, it would seem you were right Master Chief,” he said. “By dawn we will make way for Danrun, and we shall destroy the Covenant.”

Aonlum watched in confusion as the Master Chief looked away for a long moment.

“I won’t be going with you Aonlum. This is where we shall part.”

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

Author’s Notes: Not too shabby huh? I got this out somewhat fast, granted it’s a tad smaller than the previous few chapters but its no slouch either.

I understand many people are having trouble wrapping their minds around where I’m going with this story, but trust me everything will begin to make some sense after the next chapter. I really didn’t want to go the same old contrived route with how the Forerunner and all that is displayed. This might mean alienating some of you, but for the sake of originality I’m willing to accept that risk.

Any guesses on who the character is in the fourth scene?

Thanks to everyone that’s read up this far, and a special thanks to those that review. It may not seem like it, but I read them all and take into consideration what everyone says, be it bad or good.

  • 09.13.2005 4:31 PM PDT
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It was alright, I guess.

  • 09.13.2005 4:43 PM PDT
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It wasn't long enough, but it was still good. Keep up the good work

  • 09.13.2005 5:00 PM PDT
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......It was good. The thing is is that.... You just talked about a little about each person, Cortana, Cheif and Arbitor, Kelly and Hasley, Jan and Sarge, The.....Thing. So it was infact shorter than it appeared.

  • 09.13.2005 5:04 PM PDT

He watches every Hodgetwin video they put up...on ALL their channels. He calls them the Hodge Triplets, and considers himself the 3rd triplet. He's started talking and acting like them now. Every other line out of his mouth "Thaaas some BULLLLLL**** maaayne" or "Gotta make dem gainzzzz". He calls his biceps "gains". When he eats post-workout, he talks to his biceps, "Don't worry gains, I'm feeding you. Daddys gonna feed you, gainz *kisses biceps*".

"Any guesses on who the character is in the fourth scene?"

You mean with the poem or whatever? I would guess it would be the Forerunner with Truth... Oh boy... it just hit me.

The Prophet of Law.


WHEN IS 22 COMING OUT?!?!?!? MUST HAVE CHAPTER!!!!!

  • 09.13.2005 5:09 PM PDT
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Hey Mr Clark. I haven't posted in a while but I have been keeping tabs. Damn fine chapter. The guy in all italics was Gravemind, no? Still can't wait for the next one.

  • 09.13.2005 5:21 PM PDT
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Brilliant story dude!
I'd say 10/10

  • 09.13.2005 5:29 PM PDT
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Beyond words, once again Clark.
My guess is also Grand Prophet of Law, or maybe Gravemind.
Astounding, can't wait for 22.
Seriously I can't wait.
(head explodes)

  • 09.13.2005 5:40 PM PDT
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Awesome chapter Mr_Clark! This sense of action and mobilization is awesome.

May we speculate on who the 4th scene character is? And the Forerunners?

  • 09.13.2005 5:40 PM PDT
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Hmmm, Nice setting up chapter, can't wait for the Major, Month Long Wait of chapter 22 though!

  • 09.13.2005 5:41 PM PDT
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I will always place the mission first.
I will never accept defeat.
I will never quit.
I will never leave a fallen comrade.

That was an awesome chapter Mr. Clark, I can't wait to find out what the Master Chief is going to do. I think that was Truth talking in the fourth scene.

  • 09.13.2005 5:56 PM PDT
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Wow, <--my replies for the rest of the story

Anyway, I bet it was the Forerunner with Truth from the 4th scene because he mentions that lost something that was once his and that he is attached to a light that cannot be extinguished which would fit the Forerunner because all of the Forerunner artifacts, like Aonlum's orb all glow with and inner light that seems to never go out.

  • 09.13.2005 6:00 PM PDT
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*All of the above is the opinion of the user: WartHogRacerman3. Complaints can be forwarded to his secretary.

I own an HDTV [12/30/07]

OMG! That chapter was Great!!!

  • 09.13.2005 6:14 PM PDT
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Posted by: MCDatsun
Awesome chapter Mr_Clark! This sense of action and mobilization is awesome.

May we speculate on who the 4th scene character is? And the Forerunners?


Speculate away. Remember I said a little while ago. Once this chapter is released I'm giving you guys free reign to speculate. Anything and everything.

  • 09.13.2005 6:20 PM PDT
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~I was born for the storm, and a calm does not suit me~

CEC
╣Fire of Tru7h╠
The Campers

מִכְמַן

WOW, that was a loaded chapter! It did seem a bit short but it could just be me.
Oooh, I have so many things I want to say, but I shall wait and see if my thoughts are correct.

Incredible Mr. Clark!!!

  • 09.13.2005 7:09 PM PDT