- last post: 01.01.0001 12:00 AM PDT
Status Update
Work on Chapter 17 has begun, and while it is indeed going smoothly, I see bumps in the road ahead. The release date is scheduled sometime next week. No specific date as of yet.
For now I'd just like to throw a couple ideas out there for you guys to mull over.
Do the Prophets, or at least, the Prophet of Truth and whatever higher Prophet he answers to, know about the true purpose of the Halo Installations? Several different examples have been presented that lend to that belief, while still others persist that such a feat is not capable.
As a few people commented, 343 Guilty Spark's comments on Honor Without Mercy are quite troubling, and lends to the belief that a separate installation exists on the Sangheili/Elite home world. Is he speaking about the Installation that Forlumee discovered back in Chapter 12, way back in the Second Age of Abandonment? Or perhaps another installation?
From the Prophet of Truth's reaction to the news that the Forerunner ship is headed for the birthplace of the Prophets, obviously something is on that planet, or installation, that he does not want to see. But what could it be? Some have thought maybe it could be the Flood? Maybe some kind of new creature? I'll give you a hint though, to help keep you from beating me with clubs. What's awaiting those of the Forerunner ship is far more sinister than anything you could imagine.
Last thought for today is in regards to the SPARTAN III's that Ackerson sent off to Delta Halo. Evidently something has gone wrong, judging from the conversation Jan eavesdropped on. Some of you have guessed that they ran into Gravemind, but didn't Johnson kill him way back in Chapter 8? If he's dead, than what attacked the Brute fleet? I suppose the question I should be asking is, what was Gravemind initially?
Hmmm, so many questions, and no answers. I'm truly evil.
Finally, away from the evil musings on my part, I'd like to address a topic I've been seeing in many of the PM's that have been thrown my way.
Apparently many people are troubled over the 'slowing down' of this thread, and have pointed out that while this thread has just reached the 1500 post mark, the other fanfic threads are growing much stronger than this one.
Well, I'd just have to say that I think its a good thing this thread is not still exploding in size. The majority of people that look at these forums and are interested in fanfiction have come and are presently reading this fanfic I've sculpted, and to be honest I don't mind it when they neglect to post in this thread after reading a new chapter, or commenting on something that I said that caught their eye in a PM to me.
I put such musings like the three separate scenario's way up at the top of this post to give those that check up regularily for updates a chance to keep themselves involved. Certainly I don't necessarily have to, as I have a PM system in place, that almost always keeps everybody informed of a new chapter. I do it because I want the people that do hang around to have something to think about or comment on.
I've said it before, I really don't care if this thread drops down to page 234 while I'm creating a new chapter, especially if there's nothing to talk about. I dislike bump posts, and as such I try to put as much information into one post as possible, like this one, which has grown far too large as it is.
So, in short, I won't mind if at the end of this fanfic craze, this thread is way at the low end of the spectrum. Post counts and such are of little consequence to me. You've all seen me get quite excited when on fanfiction.net this story has gotten a high review count, simply because the reviews on that site are typically critiques and comments about the story, and show that in little more than 6 months between stories, I've grown immensely as a writer.
What really matters to me is that there's some people out there that find my writing, and the worlds I mold to be interesting, and fun to read. If at the end of a story, I can say that at least one person read it all the way through, and found it to be enjoyable, than overall the whole project was a success, and the huge community of fans I've developed here on the forums and over on ff.net is truly mind-boggling sometimes. I try to put it in words just how much I appreciate the support shown to me by the readers, but since I'm best at writing, I do so in my work. The quality of chapters I produce, and the care that goes into making sure no loose ends are created, is because of all of you. So thank you all very much.
The size of this thread at the end of the day is of no real consequence to me. If everybody else has threads reaching into the 10,000 post areas, that won't hurt me. I won't sit in my room and sob to myself wondering why I've been cursed. Instead I'll pat myself on the back, tell myself I did a good job, and just keep writing, cause in the end, it all comes down to the writing, and if you don't have that, than however many posts you've got is inconsequential.
[Edited on 4/29/2005]