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  • Subject: Halo Fanfic: The End of a War
Subject: Halo Fanfic: The End of a War
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truth you speak, they are building numerous fusion reactors, and the one in France was merely a test one that a bunch of countries grouped up on, and the US subsequently dropped out of when we saw the 100+ billion price tag(big whoop)
Fusion power is what is used in most sci fi stuff, and it is incredibly efficient, just look at the sun, its doing pretty well on thermonuclear fusion. though most reactor now use up more energy than they create, since keeping a 50,000,000 degree temp in a magnetic bubble isnt very easy.
anyway, yeah their are several reactors.

  • 05.04.2005 7:55 PM PDT
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well just dont stress yourself out for hte next chapter Mr.C take it nice and slow so it will be good.

[Edited on 5/6/2005]

  • 05.05.2005 7:21 AM PDT
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Posted by: Mr_Clark
Just a quick little update before I dissapear for a little while.

NBA Street V3 is absolutely terrible. One of the worst games ever conceived in my opinion. I guess its true, EA is an evil monster. Anyone that can take NBA Street V2, and turn it into this, has to be the devil incarnate.

Anyways, I can't stand seeing it anymore, so I'll go return it tomorrow on my way to pick up my (hopefully) repaired laptop.

Also, seeing as how I'll be returning Street V3, I might as well play some Halo 2 online tomorrow, to help reaffirm my belief that not all game companies are evil, so I'll add those that requested me to add them, and accept the requests sent by those that sent requests. So I'll keep my fingers crossed that my router is in working condition.

This post is actually nothing but nonsense, so I'm breaking my desire to keep this thread from being cluttered with useless stuff like this. Oh well.



Yes EA is evil, ive been boycotting them ever since they monopolized the foot ball market....bastards.

  • 05.05.2005 5:51 PM PDT
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im bored

  • 05.05.2005 7:47 PM PDT
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Well we can't have that can we?

I suppose I'd better give you guys something to think about, seeing as how I've been somewhat absent these days.

So I'll come right out and say Chapter 17 will be delayed a fair bit, but in the meantime I shall give out a few questions and tasks to everybody.

If you read the gaming/whatever blog in my sig, than you'll know I commented on the input of symbolism and allusion in this story. I have indeed placed a fair amount symbolism in here, and there's a really big piece that if you guys can crack it, it'll reveal to you one of the fates of a certain character.

I'll give you a little hint. It involves a common characteristic that seems to be present in the majority of Jan, and the Master Chief's scenes together.

  • 05.05.2005 10:00 PM PDT
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serpensium_4 = totally awesome/cool

i like screaming my lungs out too!;)

just to tell u mr clark, im not really good with brain thingys i recently got a 56 percent on my math test.............so for the stupid people like me of course could u send pm or something?

[Edited on 5/6/2005]

  • 05.06.2005 1:16 AM PDT
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Oh no, I won't be actually giving anybody the actual piece of symbolism, it could in fact spoil a lot of future plotlines if I were to do that.

I'm just interested to see if anybody can pick up on some of the stuff I've been putting in. I know for a fact that it's quite hard for an author to put symbolism into a story without it standing out like a sore thumb, so don't feel too bad if you can't find what I hinted at in the other post. I'll be pleased if nobody does detect it, but it would be nice if one other person were to catch on.

I will of course be giving an in-depth review of this story once I finished, detailing every single important detail, symbolic reference, references, and all that other stuff. The one between Chief and Jan is very important, and the idea the symbolic happenstance represents will come to fruition in the later bit of this story.

  • 05.06.2005 7:54 AM PDT
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How many more chapters are you planning on writing?

  • 05.06.2005 9:35 AM PDT
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WOOT!
i scream this indiscrimanently at large events.
anyway, more questions clark, i am eager to receive somthing to ponder to pass the time.

  • 05.06.2005 9:52 AM PDT

Kero 'Zenuree
Officer aboard the Reverence-class cruiser Intangible
Dn'end Legion

Yep, can't get enough of those tricky riddles to figure out.

  • 05.06.2005 3:25 PM PDT
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Can't wait for next chapter, keep up the good work.

  • 05.07.2005 6:50 AM PDT
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oooooo! i get the symbolism stuff (took me a while) hey guys you gotta check this out - its really important to the rest of the story. here it is...

oo look a bee -buzz buzz buzz it goes, buzz buzz buzz. hmm, im sure i was gonna say something important a second ago - you know, before that bee showed up again, wait wait, its coming back to m... hey theres that bee again! there he goes, just watch him - hehe, hes so dumb - you cant fly through windows stupid! hehehe. what was i going to say again? ah well, i figure if i cant remember it it cant have been that important asnyways.

so long!

  • 05.07.2005 7:24 AM PDT
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I'm putting everyone out of their misery here. If you've sent me an e-mail/PM/some form of communication, asking me if your guesses about the symbolism was on the mark, than read on, as I will elaborate here.

A symbolic scene, a meeting between two worlds, and the starting of the end.

When I spoke about the symbolism and allusion placed in certain scenes, which foreshadowed developments with the characters, I spoke of what was simply in the text of this story.

When I wrote the now infamous line:

Like father, like son

in my Autho's Notes at the end of Chapter 14, we all assumed I was speaking about the Arbiter's family line, even though I haven't revealed just what his real name is (it will be revealed though, so don't fret) that was a simple bit of foreshadowing on my part. That was not the sumbolism I mentioned previously.

Here's the two definitions of symbolism that should tip you guys off to what I'm speaking about:

1. The practice of representing things by means of symbols or of attributing symbolic meanings or significance to objects, events, or relationships.

2. Revelation or suggestion of intangible conditions or truths by artistic invention.

With that out in the open, I will now digress upon my real intentions about how I have used symbolism in this story, particularily with Jan and the Master Chief.

Let's take a look at their first real interaction together (this is from Chapter 4):

John couldn’t recall what happened next. He was certain he must have someone hit the Pelican, otherwise he would have fallen into orbit of Earth and burned through reentry, slamming into the surface with enough force to punch through a Covenant ship from head to toe.

“I wouldn’t move around too much if I were you,” a voice off to his left announced. John strained his neck and forced his eyes open. Kneeling down near him was a young girl wearing a flight suit. A frown creased his face when he realized that his helmet was missing, and he quickly shifted into a sitting position, pushing the pain that movement produced to the back of his mind.


He took a moment to take in the room before getting to his feet. This was some kind of flight deck, but it lacked any military identifications. He was about to inquire when he heard a gasp from behind him.

“Could you cover up or something?” the girl squeaked out as she hid her face in her hands. Confused, John glanced down and saw that it was not just his helmet that had been removed. All of the Mjolnir armor had been taken off, and what appeared to be a comforter had been laid across him when he was unconscious.


Alright, now skip ahead a few chapters to Chapter 9, when Jan and the Chief have just been rescued by Honor Without Mercy after they put a couple of nukes in the middle of the Covenant fleet:

John groaned audibly, bringing a gloved hand up to his face. When the force of the Fury warhead detonation had reached their small escape pod, the force of the impact had slammed the Master Chief into the side of the craft. Spots swan in front of his eyes as he tried to reorient himself. When his hand contacted his bare skin, the Spartan frowned in confusion.

With his vision cleared, John stared out the front cockpit, and a cold lump formed in his stomach. They were in a docking bay, and the design was Covenant.

His helmet lay below his feet, but the Master Chief ignored it as he climbed out of the cockpit and walked to where Jan hung limply in her seat. He approached her cautiously; his face creased with worry as he brought a hand gently to the girl’s shoulder and shook her.

When a moan of discomfort left Jan, the Master Chief felt a smile tug at his lips. He unfastened the clasps keeping her in place and let her slump forward against him.

“Can you stand?” John asked her softly. Another groan escaped Jan as she pushed against him slightly.

“Am I dead?”

The Master Chief couldn’t stop the smile from gracing his face this time.

“It doesn’t look like it, but were not out of the woods yet,” he said, glancing out the front of the pod. He wrapped one arm around Jan’s waist and pulled the M6C handgun from her holster. “I need you to stay here Jan, the Covenant picked us up and once they check this pod their going to realize they made a mistake.”

Leaning down John set the girl lightly upon the ground. As he pulled back up Jan clung weakly to the arm that had been supporting her.

“Are…are you going to leave me?”

Her voice was brittle, as if the slightest touch would break it. John inhaled deeply and knelt down to see her face.

“No, I won’t leave,” his voice was soft. “I have to go for a bit though, but I’ll be back. I promise.”

Jan smiled weakly at the Spartan before unconsciousness overwhelmed her and she slumped back against the escape pod wall. John reached back to pick up his rifle just as the hatch for the escape pod swung outwards.


Hmmm, anyone picking up a common thread there?

So, two instances the Master Chief had his MJOLNIR armor forcibly removed without his approval. Obviously the Spartan doesn't like to have his armor taken off, especially in a battle situation.

In the first scene, the Master Chief's only concern was to retrieve his armor right away. He's uncomfortable without it, and feels open, weak, and exposed. This is obviously based more towards his desire to keep himself covered, away from prying eyes.

The MJOLNIR armor acts as a shield, both against physical threats, and emotional. It would take a finely attuned eye to catch any kind of motion the Spartan would give off to identify what his mood would be, and I imagine the Master Chief approves of that. With his armor, he isn't a normal human, he's a Spartan, a weapon of humanity feared by his enemies.

This is a shield he's used for a long time, both when he had the armor, and without it. The only time he's ever felt as if he was in a safe place would be when he was with his other Spartan II's back on Reach.

The Master Chief doesn't see himself as a part of mankind.

That may sound ridiculous, but lets consider the facts. Ever since he was six years old, he's been isolated from the normal proceedings of mankind. The only interaction he had was with his fellow Spartan-trainees, and the few human instructors along with the many A.I teachers.

How could he feel a connection with the rest of the human race? The Spartans were trained to be different, to stand out and to not fit in with the norm. There is no facet of humankind that he can relate with, and there isn't any part of humankind that can relate with him. Earth is almost as much an alien world as the Halo Installations are.

Because of this the Master Chief hangs onto his MJOLNIR armor, keeping it as a shield against the rest of the world, and we see this in Chapter 4, when he first meets Jan.

What's different about the second scene?

Well, take a look at the Master Chief's actions. He once again discovered that his helmet had been forcibly removed, but he neglected to replace it. His concern was directed towards Jan, and seeing if she was all right. Sure it may not seem like much, but consider this. John and Jan were sitting in a docking bay aboard a Covenant cruiser, which the Spartan surmised to be full of Covenant ready to kill. Getting his helmet back and fastened so that his shields could be activated should have been his number one concern.

It wasn't though, Jan's well-being was higher on his priority list.

So what about the symbolicness of this scene?

His helmet was removed without his intention again, forcing the Spartan to once again confront his own humanity, but this time around he was receptive of the idea. When he went to Jan it was not as a Spartan, but as a man.

You'll recall he did frown however when he discovered the absence of his helmet, which shows that he is still troubled by having his cover taken away. This time around though, it wasn't as big a deal as before.

But what does this all really mean?

John is no longer looking at himself as just a Spartan, and he no longer sees mankind as something he must protect.

The reason this has happened is because of one thing, or I suppose I should say because of one person. That would be Janissary James. Her presence is what's making the Master Chief confront his own humanity.

  • 05.07.2005 9:10 PM PDT
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The scenario with Jan isn't just one of those girl meets boy and they all fall in love. This is far more complex.

The Master Chief is 41 years old, and I am certain the thought of having a family has never occurred to him. That doesn't mean however, that the instinctual nature that the majority of males possess isn't around. John is humanity's protector, and as such, those feelings of the need to shelter those he protects has been transferred to Jan. He looks after her, much in the same way a father would watch out for his daughter.

Instead of protecting an entire species, the Master Chief has a young girl before him, an example of what he's been fighting for, for so long. It wasn't long until he finally saw that if circumstances had been different, he would be almost exactly like Jan.

This is all very deep-searching stuff, and I didn't really expect anybody except perhaps an English teacher to see it, which is the reasoning behind my doing this large elaboration. There are quite a few other scenarios and other such events in this story that have deep meanings like the two scenes I've mentioned above, and some of them are even more hard to see than this one.

Everything that happens in this story, every little detail, all happens for a reason. Nothing occurs randomly.

The coordinates the Master Chief overheard back in Chapter 9 aboard the Covenant ship he and Jan infiltrated, to the facility the Covenant discovered in Chapter 13. It all has implications to the story, and you really shouldn't forget about them.

This is an obsessively long post, but since I've been quiet around here the past while, I suppose this should make up for it.

As for Chapter 17, all I can say is soon. Soon!!!!

Don't know exactly when, but it should be soon.

Edit: Wow, it stretched onto two pages.

[Edited on 5/7/2005]

  • 05.07.2005 9:11 PM PDT
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That was certainly a sizable read there Mr. C.

I'm one of the majority around here I'm guessing that didn't bother to read that deep into symbolic scenes and such, but it is quite amazing now that you've pointed it out. It makes me wonder what other little details like that you have stuck in this story.

Once again I'm speechless over the level of forethought and quality you put into this piece of writing. The fact that you'd insert scenes and devices that have such symbolic meanings, is truly mind-boggling.

Also, nice to hear Chapter 17 is coming soon! *laughs*

  • 05.07.2005 11:35 PM PDT
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Very interesting insightful stuff. Whatever english teacher you've had in the past Mr. C would be pretty proud of you based on all this work you're doing.

Very cool stuff, and since you say there's more symbolic scenes and reoccuring themes, I shall most certainly do a little searching myself.

  • 05.08.2005 4:56 AM PDT
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Hey, uh Clark, can you make Truth spot the Arbiter before he dies? I mean, we all can't watch Truth as he dies knowning he really did kill the Arbiter.

  • 05.08.2005 5:25 AM PDT
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hey hey hey now THAT'S what i call an i dea!
Truth can die and not even suceed in a simple Arbiter quest, tee hee ;)

  • 05.08.2005 5:45 AM PDT
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Posted by: spec ops hunter9
Hey, uh Clark, can you make Truth spot the Arbiter before he dies? I mean, we all can't watch Truth as he dies knowning he really did kill the Arbiter.


Hmm, could you elaborate please?

The Arbiter isn't dying. Granted he's got a death sentence on his head, but that's not until the whole Covenant/Human War has ended. The Prophet of Truth is headed for the Prophet's home world, which is quite a ways away from the Elite/Sangheili home world.

Certainly a meeting between the two is something that just couldn't occur right?

  • 05.08.2005 6:58 AM PDT
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i think he meant that itd be sweet if truth saw the arbiter before he died because then hed die knowing that hed failed (in his goal of killing the arbiter) - in fact what would be even better would be if the arbiter killed (or did cause to e killed) truth - the delicious irony would not be lost on me i assure you.

also i was thinking about this while chief/jan/father/daughter thing - its pretty clear that jan feels that way bout the chief coz - as you so astutely quoted - she says something along the lines of 'youre not leaving me are you?' or 'dont leave me' (i forget the exact words) and the chief tells her that he isnt. it might just be 12 yrs of english lessons speaking here, but as we know from ilovebees, jans real father 'left' her (i say left - kicked in then shot 3 times is a somewhat more accurate, but less peotically pleasing, way of putting it) so now shes got this surrogate father figure she wants to make sure she wont lose him too.

not sure what the point behind all that was, but im sure there was one in there somewhere

  • 05.08.2005 1:09 PM PDT

Kero 'Zenuree
Officer aboard the Reverence-class cruiser Intangible
Dn'end Legion

Posted by: Mr_Clark: The Arbiter isn't dying. Granted he's got a death sentence on his head, but that's not until the whole Covenant/Human War has ended. The Prophet of Truth is headed for the Prophet's home world, which is quite a ways away from the Elite/Sangheili home world.

Certainly a meeting between the two is something that just couldn't occur right?


Yeah, you're right, it wouldn't be as easy as that. The story would have to take some pretty drastic turns, which would be really stupid.

  • 05.08.2005 2:38 PM PDT
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hey mr. clark when does the next chapter come out?

just wondering because i can't really get on to often and it would be nice to know when to make time

  • 05.08.2005 6:52 PM PDT
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For a guy who types with horrible sentence structure, you use some awesome adjectives in there. I admire you.

Although this sounds like a flame, it's actually a compliment. :D
Posted by: The Silky Carp
i think he meant that itd be sweet if truth saw the arbiter before he died because then hed die knowing that hed failed (in his goal of killing the arbiter) - in fact what would be even better would be if the arbiter killed (or did cause to e killed) truth - the delicious irony would not be lost on me i assure you.

also i was thinking about this while chief/jan/father/daughter thing - its pretty clear that jan feels that way bout the chief coz - as you so astutely quoted - she says something along the lines of 'youre not leaving me are you?' or 'dont leave me' (i forget the exact words) and the chief tells her that he isnt. it might just be 12 yrs of english lessons speaking here, but as we know from ilovebees, jans real father 'left' her (i say left - kicked in then shot 3 times is a somewhat more accurate, but less peotically pleasing, way of putting it) so now shes got this surrogate father figure she wants to make sure she wont lose him too.

not sure what the point behind all that was, but im sure there was one in there somewhere

  • 05.09.2005 3:47 AM PDT
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Chapter 17 is like an enigma. We all know of it's existence, but actually finding it and containing the damn thing long enough to work on it is quite difficult and hard to do. I'm guessing it'll appear sometime around Wednesday or Thursday. Hopefully by then, seeing as how this MTV Xbox 360 unveiling event thing occurs on Thursday, and I will likely be filled with either overflowing rage or unending love. In either scenario it will be unlikely that much work will go forth to my writing at such a time.

I have decided however to actually take the time and edit my writing from now on, seeing as how my half-assed approach is quite annoying to a lot of people. You can thank my girlfriend I suppose, who after a short retelling of this problem said I was being quite a quote 'dick' unquote. This is not something I enjoy being despite how often it seems to come forth through my writing .

So rejoice over this new development.

As I side-note I must ask, does anyone else out there play Polarium for the DS? If so, do you also find the puzzles after the 50th one to be insanely difficult? Hopefully you do, and I am not just an irrelevant moron.

  • 05.09.2005 6:21 AM PDT
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dude you totlally rock and are creative thanks for writing this im starved for more info on halo 2 and cant wait for the official books to come out thanks for satysfying my thist........ for the love of the game halo

  • 05.09.2005 7:08 AM PDT