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  • Subject: Novelmachnima (and other such stuff)
Subject: Novelmachnima (and other such stuff)

some ask for recon, some ask to be unbanhammered, i on the other hand, just play.

Hello everyone. My name is...uh, call me Crypto. I am the head (tee hee) of the group called novelmachinima. Great name right? No, yea you're right. Anyway, its a group that supports people to right a book, novel, or script that they want to also make into a machinima. hense the name novelmachinima. What stories we are looking for:well, pretty much anything that can use halo 3 footage or a game that can make a movie that is entertaining and all the actors have the game. Also if you want a story to be made into a machinima, there are some rules. No spaming, no put downs, and you must join the group. Well their you have it. Here is the link. and to keep this thread current, i will post my story on here for you to read, enjoy!

-Thanks Crypto

  • 12.27.2008 5:45 PM PDT

some ask for recon, some ask to be unbanhammered, i on the other hand, just play.

link

  • 12.27.2008 5:48 PM PDT

some ask for recon, some ask to be unbanhammered, i on the other hand, just play.

Prologue

The year is 2557, 5 years after the master-chief and the arbiter completely eradicated the flood from earth. Though the prophet of truth is dead, the covenant holds a strong grudge on the earth and humans for destroying their religious leader. However, they are not life threatening, the covenant is, fortunately, small in numbers after the attack on earth.

With the elites back on their home planet and the humans rebuilding their homes and lives on earth, everything seems peaceful. But not for long.

Chapter 1: mad scientist

Doc, its what everyone calls him. His name was unknown to everyone, even himself, after being a prisoner of the covenant doing the prophets bidding for so long. Some say it drove him insane, some just believe he is just shy after what he had been through. After the elites finally broke away from the covenant, he was released from his imprisonment. And after the master chief and the arbiter destroyed the halo ring, the threat of the flood was only a nightmarish memory, for the most part.
Being the doctor that he was, Doc took a sample of the flood, but it was not small, it was an entire infected form of a brute ultra. At first the shipmaster objected to the proposal of taking even one spore of the flood back home, dead or alive. However, Doc knew how to talk to people, it was how he got out most of the beatings that most prisoners of the covenant received. And because of these usual beatings, there were not that many prisoners. So after persuading the shipmaster that it was the only sure fire way of finding a weapon that could destroy the flood with out destroying everything else in existence, he had no choice but to accept.
For precautionary reasons, and personal reasons known only to the shipmaster himself, he built Doc his own laboratory for the experimentation of the flood-infected form. When Doc requested assistants for the project, the shipmaster forced no one to the task and merely explained to a trusted few, so as to not let the public know of any experiments with the flood, the requirements of their job.
So as to avoid any outbreaks of the flood, they must report to the shipmaster himself three times a day, once in the morning, once in the afternoon, and once at night. They will work in twenty-four shifts, except for Doc because he has no home and will practically live there, and when the shifts are over the lab will be unlocked so as to let the assistants leave and go home until the next shift. As soon as the next assistant is in the lab, the lab will be locked up to avoid the flood getting out if an outbreak were to occur.
These conditions were very dangerous considering if there was an outbreak, no one could escape. Nevertheless, the elites are a very courageous race and there were plenty of elites willing to give up their lives so that if the flood were ever to come back, they would be ready.
So after getting his assistants, Doc went straight to work. His assistants helped out when ever he asked, but he never really explained what they were doing or what they were accomplishing. Doc mostly kept the most important information to himself and the shipmaster, or so they would guess. The Lab was, at first, the most hi-tech lab the elites could build, it was buried deep underground in the desert.
The lab was soon called, by Doc’s assistants, cold storage because of the cold temperatures to keep the flood fresh and because they were stored in lab for long periods of time. Because of these conditions, the lab eventually became old and decrepit. Also installed in the lab was a oracle much like guilty-spark 343, only it was connected to the ceiling in room next to lab with no weapons and no metal issues, to give any information the forerunners might have and answer any questions the elites have for it. It was merely called the oracle.
The main part of the lab was a room with three tubes running all the way from the floor to the ceiling ten feet above. Over the years of wear and tear, only one tube remains with the original infected form still intact, with only a few nicks here and there from the samples taken for study and experimentation. It was time to change shifts for the assistants and for Doc, break time.
During the changing of shifts, no one was allowed to work for, again, precautionary reasons. During this time, Doc would just stand still and marvel at the tube with the flood infection form. Because he was so focused upon what was now, his life’s work, he did not here the footsteps of an unexpected guest.

“Hello, Doc. How are you today?”

Doc jerked his head around not expecting anybody for another few units, especially not the voice he heard.

“Why hello, shipmaster, what a pleasant surprise.” Doc said very sincerely.

“Yes well I figured, I have never really been here in person for awhile so I thought I would drop by.”

Doc knew there had to be more purpose than just a kind visit for a few minutes, the shipmaster was a very important elite, and he had to have a more important agenda.

“Well, as you can see, everything is fine.”

“What about the broken test tubes?

Doc was not completely shocked by the question, he knew that was an obvious part of the room even a dumb grunt could not miss.

“Actually, we still have the one.” As soon as he had said it, Doc knew it would sound like he was mocking the shipmaster so he quickly added, “Which is all we need.”

The shipmaster took no note of the comment, and if he did, he sure did not show it. He just started to massage the left side of his face where he lost half of, what a human would call a mouth, in battle and said, “I give you a funding, a big funding, which you always take every piece of currency. Yet you can’t get this lab equipment running properly.” He paused as if to think how to string together his words. “You have been down here for almost five years, with the best equipment currency can purchase. I even let you pick it out yourself, and yet you haven’t made any progress, or so you tell me.”

Doc knew this would happen, he was expecting it sooner but the time had come, he would really have to talk his way out of this.

“I uh-”

“Your time to speak is over, I am shutting the experiments down. All samples, including that,” he was gesturing towards the tube, “will be terminated.”

Doc was horrified, his work was not yet done, but he did not show it.

“Shipmaster, if you would be so kind as to give me more time, I truly believe I am on the verge of a break through.”

“Really,” the shipmaster sounded intrigued, as if someone was telling a juicy secret, “can you show me some results?”

“Not exactly, I-”

“Then, unfortunately, I can not waste anymore time or money on these experiments.”

Doc used his math skills along with the experiment he was doing, and came up with a number.

“Give me a month, two at the most.” He did not mean to but he sounded a little desperate. The shipmaster mulled it over, rubbing the side of his face which, as Doc noticed, did while he thought.

“Six weeks.”

“Thank you.”

“If you have something by then, you will get to keep the lab. If not, it will be over.”

At that, he turned around and left the same way he came, up the ramp, around the corner, and then he was gone.Doc watched the shipmaster until he was sure he was gone. He was sure He had only a few more units until his next assistants would come in. He had to move quickly. He took a deep breath and then, he himself left the room. But not to the teleporter that lead to the surface, no, he was heading to the room with the oracle.

As soon as he got through the doorway, he headed to the ramp. Where he would be able to talk to the oracle without raising his voice. Once he was at the top of the ramp, he faced the oracle who had been looking at him ever since he came into the room.

“Hello oracle.”

“Greetings, doctor, how are you doing?” the oracle had such optimism in his voice it was very unsettling.

“Fine, password delta.” It was a password to a secret section of the oracle that only Doc knew about, because he was the one who programmed it.

“Password accepted, what is your command Doctor?”

Doc sighed, “The shipmaster has limited our time on project flood-117, I need you to go to the surface, unseen, and keep an eye on the experiment.”

“As you wish, Doctor.” And with that the oracle released it self from its cocoon on the ceiling, floating in mid-air for a few units, and flew all the way to the teleporter leaving blue lines from its flashing body to streak in the air. Along the way, camouflaging itself so as not to be seen.Doc stood there thinking about what had happened and what will have to happen if he will be able to keep his job and home. He also thought of the possibility that he could be called crazy and be killed. He pushed those thoughts from his mind, he had to prepare before his assistants arrived.

Thanks for reading-Crypto

  • 12.27.2008 5:49 PM PDT

OH HAI THAR!

more please

  • 12.28.2008 11:51 AM PDT

some ask for recon, some ask to be unbanhammered, i on the other hand, just play.

Chapter 2: Bad dreams

Darkness. It was almost completely dark, except for a creature in the middle of John’s vision. The creature only grew bigger the more he concentrated on it. The closer it got, the more details were visible. It was about the size of a Phantom drop ship, with green mist all around its body. It had no eyes, nose, or ears. It was a giant dark green orb with a stem coming from the bottom of the orb going down thousands of feet below into a forever-dark realm. When it started to speak, a long crack went from the left of the orb to the right. When it spoke more green mist poured out of its mouth with a tongue that had three pointed tips much like a plant leaf. When it spoke, it seemed like the whole room shook with each syllable. It also had a deep booming voice.

“You are my child, the legacy of our race.”

John was dumb founded, he tried to sound confident but he sound like a scared child.

“What….what are you?”

The way John reacted seemed to please the creature for it laughed a deep terrifying chuckle.

“In time, my son, for now you must grow strong if you are to bring our species out of the depths of extinction.”

John woke with sweat all over his body, but he soon was cooled down by an unknown source. After a deep breath, he tried to rub his hands through his hair. He was surprised to hear a metallic clank an inch from his face as if he was wearing a helmet. When he looked at his hands, he saw a black bulletproof material covering his entire body, with a green metal-like material on top of that. When he tried to feel the top of his head again, he heard the same sound as last time. He started to feel the helmet on his head with his armored hands. It had a visor on top, to keep the sun out of his face, and where his eyes should be was a transparent material so that he could see in front of his face.
When he tried to get up, it seemed as if the armor did it for him. He looked at the surroundings of the room he was standing in. He was standing at the end of the room, on the other side there were two corridors leading who knows were. He was on a ledge six feet across and three feet width, with three stair steps going down, heading to the corridors. Behind him was a window that was the length of the entire wall, but only 6 inches width. Through the window, was a room filled with the same mist that was emitted from the creature in John’s dream. Upon seeing this, he looked away sharply and shuddered. He was still shaken by the nightmare.
Sitting back down, he put his back against the wall opposite of the room with the mist. He began to relax and think about his predicament. He was in a mysterious room with armor that was not his own and he did not know who he was. He knew he had to have amnesia, he could not remember his name, birthday, address, nothing. On the far wall, on the wall in the middle of the two corridors, their was a gun and a metal rode about six inches in length and about the width of his thumb. He just pulled his knees up to his chest and rest his head on top of them.

“Greetings project flood-117”

John blotted upright. What he saw was like nothing he had ever seen. It was a flouting orb about the size of a soccer ball. Every couple of second, the orb would flash a light blue glow. It had a blue sphere that, john guessed, was its eye because it seemed to stare at him.

“My name is The Oracle, but you may call me Oracle.” As the Oracle talked, it seemed to be very happy because it had much optimism in its voice.

“Hi.” John was to befuddled to say anymore. Oracle apparently read his mind because he then said, “You are very confused, if you have any questions, I would be happy to answer.” He, she or it, emphasized on the word happy.

“Who am I?’, John asked with much curiosity.

“Your name is project flood-117, but the doctor also refers to you as John.” So John finally knew something about himself that you could not tell by looking at him.

“Where am I?”

“You are in an abandoned lab referred to as Isolation. It has a electric wall going all around the building going up 100 feet high.”

“Who put me here.”

“The doctor, of course, most call him Doc.” John was getting a little frustrated, the robot was answering his questions, with as little detail as possible that would help him understand what was going on.

“What am I wearing?”

“You are wearing the classified Mark V Mjolnir armor.”

“how do I get out of here?”

“You can not leave, not just yet.”

“Why not?” John was infuriated.

“You are not ready. We have only six weeks to prepare you. Now, go pick up your human smg and energy sword and lets get started.” Oracle was gesturing towards the weapons on the other side of the room. John didn’t know what was going on, but he figured if the floating ball annoyed him anymore, he could just shoot at it. He smiled to himself.

  • 12.30.2008 3:17 PM PDT

some ask for recon, some ask to be unbanhammered, i on the other hand, just play.

This has been my favorite chapter so far. I hope you injoy reading it as much as i did writing it.

Thanks-Crypto

Chapter 4: first fight

The training was not to hard. John felt that he had done it before, but he had no memory at all, including combat. The energy sword was like an extension to his arm, but the smg was a different story. John thought it would be just point and shoot, but it was a lot more complicated. It took a few tries to hit his mark on the targets. It was even harder when Oracle started to pick up objects and moved them around the room and said shoot (Oracle had the ability to pick up objects up to size of a warthog).
When John was getting irritated at Oracle for starting to throw the objects at him. When he was about to shoot at him (he just decided it was a him) he noticed that Oracle had stopped, not only that, but he was looking at the ground as if pondering something. Oracle never changed expressions, so John had to guess. Then suddenly Oracle said something that really was meant to be said cheerfully.

“We have to leave now, take the right corridor to head to the surface.”

John was so overwhelmed with joy that he did not ask Oracle why he changed his mind out of the blue, he simply nodded and stride happily to the corridor with Oracle in hot pursuit. Soon Oracle was in front of him and John had to half jog half run to keep up with the flying orb. When the tunnel ended, Oracle took a sharp left with John close behind. Oracle stopped behind a rock, which John figured he wanted him to hide behind.
Before John could ask Oracle what was the hurry, A red dot appeared on the bottom left corner of his vision. It was a radar no doubt. In the center was a yellow dot whenever he moved. Next to John’s dot was, John guessed, was oracle’s dot. Oracle’s dot was also yellow. Meaning that the red dot was no friend, but a foe.
Soon, there were two, no three, wait four. Four big red dots, but where were they coming from? John looked up at the sky to see four purple, flying vehicles. John turned to Oracle, without taking his one big blue eye off the aircrafts he said “Elite Banshees, the flying vehicle of their race.”

“What are they doing here?”

“They are going to destroy the base,” Oracle then turned to John, Oracle never said anything without a optimistic tone, but this time he didn‘t, “and they are going to kill you.”

Doc made it through the teleporter. When he arrived at the surface, a elite was standing with his back away from Doc doing something that Doc took no notice of. As quietly as he could, he slipped out of the teleporter room and out the door way. He went down the hallway and slipped into a empty dark room. He turned off his cameo, and walked out as causally as he could. Few Elites walked by Doc, even fewer acknowledged him.
Doc did not mind, in fact, this made him ahead of his schedule. Priority one: get out of the lab and government base as quick and as quietly as possible. Just a few more minutes and he would be at the front gate. Then he would have to take a banshee to get to Isolation, if he wasn’t to late.

“Kill me?!”

“they will attempt to, yes.” Oracle said again without a hint of optimism.

“How do you know you they are going Kill me?”

Doc almost forgot to warn Oracle about the elites heading to Isolation when he was in spotting distance of the front gate. He quickly sent a message to Oracle saying, “Get out of there, protect John at all cost.” After that he walked quickly to the front gate and showed his ID to the guard.

“It had been a while since you have been out of there.” The guard smiled very friendly.

“Yes, too long.”

Doc walked away from the guard in a daze. It had been five years, five long years, since he had been out side. He took a deep breath of fresh air, and scanned the landing zone for the shipmasters banshee.

“Doc sent me a warning back in the lab” Oracle was now talking in his happy tone again, as if he just heard a joke.

The banshees were landing now. Four big elites in red armor climbed out of the cockpits. They were talking in casual voices, even though John was a hundred feet away, he could hear them clearly.

“You two go down in the lab and set the charges to blow this place sky high, if there are any problems, contact us over the radio. We will stay up here and make sure nothing happens to our escape route. Move out!”

The two elites being sent to place the bombs both gave a loud battle cry, turned, and jogged to an entrance that was not the same way Oracle had brought John. John let out a deep breath that he did not know he was holding in. The Elites would not see him or Oracle as they would go in to the lab, but now there was a problem. The Elites going inside the lab would be setting a bomb that would destroy the lab and himself if he didn’t get out of there, but Isolation was surrounded by a wall that no one could jump or climb over (the wall was crawling with electric sparks, very deadly).Which meant that the only way out was to take one of the four banshees and fly away, but their was two Elites guarding the vehicles, and John did not think that they would willingly give up their rides.
Darkness, it was complete and udder darkness. John knew this place all too well. The creature appeared in front of John the same as before. It gave a dark, evil chuckle and said, “My child, may your worries be diminished, your sorrows erased. I shall grant you save passage out of this land of darkness and to the path of freedom.” The creature pulled its head back and strike at John like a snake would strike its prey. John was placed in the mouth of the creature, darker than the realm he was just in.

Doc soon found the shipmasters Banshee and took off from the desert government base and off to Isolation. It had been a while since Doc rode a Banshee, but it was something a Elite never forgot to do. It would take Doc about half an hour to get to Isolation, that wasn’t good enough. By that time, the base would be in shambles, and John would be either dead, or long gone. The death of the Shipmaster would be all for nothing, and that was not an option.

John opened his eyes to the same seen as before he blacked out. He tried to turn to Oracle, to ask him what they should do, but John couldn’t move his body. At least, not on his own. He found himself looking at the elites by the banshees, and then at his feet. He back stepped about ten feet, and then he took an impossible jump all the way to the elites. In mid-air, John pulled out his energy sword and swung it at the closest Elite. The attack cut open the stomach of the Elite, spilling out the organs of the poor being. John wanted to scream no, it was a horrific site, but all that came out was the wicked battle cry from the voice of the creature in John’s dreams.

  • 01.02.2009 8:24 AM PDT

some ask for recon, some ask to be unbanhammered, i on the other hand, just play.

Chapter 5: escape from Isolation

“No!” The elite that was standing next to his dieing friend was enraged by John’s fatal attack. John wanted to say how sorry he was and grief for the unknown soul that he just destroyed by just one slash with his arm. Unfortunately, John was not controlling his body, it was the evil creature that haunted John whenever he closed his eyes. John then approached the other Elite with the energy sword. The Elite had already pulled his sword out when his friends blue blood was spilled. The energy swords collided in the air, but before the other elite could make a new counter attack, John pulled out the msg on his left thigh. He shoved it in the Elite’s maw and squeezed the trigger. The shot killed the Elite instantly, and it was horrible. John wanted to look away but he was not in control. On the Elite’s limp body, was the detonator to the bombs. John pulled it out of the Elites belt and examined it. It was rigged to explode thirty seconds after activation.
Out of the corner of johns eye, the radar was blinking with two red dots. It was the other Elites, and if the creature controlling John didn’t hurry up, He would get attacked by the angry aliens. John boarded the Banshee closes to him and took off just in time to see the elites exiting the lab. John pulled out the detonator and eagerly pressed the button.
The elites were so close to their Banshees, their were about to climb in their cockpits but the bombs detonated before they were even able to activate the machines. The caverns within the lab echoed a explosion that even rattled John’s teeth. Fire and smoke engulfed both the Elites and their Banshees, burning both of them alive. As John grieved for the lives the creature just took, and the creature laughed hysterically, the explosion engulfed John’s Banshee.

It had taken forever, but Doc was finally had sight on Isolation. If the instillation was still there, then he was not to late after all. As if by queue, Isolation suddenly erupted with such a huge explosion, Doc had to cover his face in fear it might melt off. When he looked up again the only thing moving that was not on fire was a damaged Banshee.

John had gain back control of body again just in time to escape the clutches of a inferno death sentence. Then an annoying blinking noise was getting louder and louder. The blast must have temporary deafened John because he soon realized that the he could barely hear anything, but it was slowly returning. Usually gaining back the sense of sound would be a enjoyable moment, but it was a more fearsome one. The Banshee had taken incredible damage, it was a wonder it was still flying. The craft was flashing red every second signaling that the aircraft was unstable. This would mean that John was going to need to land as soon as possible. Alas, John’s plans were interrupted by a very angry but determined elite.

No! it was all he had in the world and his race destroyed it without so much as asking for a explanation. Absolute not! Who ever was driving the Banshee leaving Isolation, was very unlucky. They would not get away with this. Doc looked around the dashboard, but no weapons. This Banshee was a civilian model. Only the Military was able to have weapons on their banshees, and they didn’t use those unless they were in war. Then Doc had an idea. He would run right at the banshee. The impact would destroy both Banshees and their passengers, but Doc had nothing to lose. Doc accelerated towards the banshee. It would not even see him, he grinned wickedly to him self. Suddenly, he saw something by the Banshee. It was floating right by it. It was round and spherical shaped, Oracle. What was Oracle doing flying by the Banshee of the enemy, he was supposed to stay with John. Wait, what if, no it can’t be! It was too late, Doc realized that it was John in the Banshee. He was so focused on his revenge and rage that he didn’t consider that that was a possibility.

As the two Banshees collided, a huge wave of a blue plasma blast engulfed Doc, Oracle, and John in a gigantic wave of light. Hurtling Towards the surface, John flew insensible towards the ground while Doc found Oracle and held on tight. Even though at this speed, Oracle was able to control his flight pattern, Doc felt safe. He could only hope that John would make the fall undamaged, but inside, he knew it was over. To Doc, this is the way his world ends.

  • 01.18.2009 6:26 PM PDT

some ask for recon, some ask to be unbanhammered, i on the other hand, just play.

Chapter 6: revelation

This scene was starting to annoy John. The endless, dark room with the creature in the middle of it all. John was, again, standing in mid-air or on an invisible floor. The creature did not say a word and only examined John with a wicked evil grin. John finally broke the silence with the question he had all the way from the beginning of this mess.

“Who are you, and why do I keep seeing you in my dreams?” John yelled at the creature with a mixture of hatred and fear. The creature only laughed at the question. John forgot his fear and yelled at the creature with all the hatred he felt. The hatred for the lives of the Elites it killed were a huge portion of the outburst.

“Stop laughing and answer the question!’ The creature immediately stopped it’s laughter and grew angry himself.

“You dare speak to me with that tone?’ The room shook with the question.

“Yea, you know what, I do! You killed those Elites without any remorse! They did nothing to you, and-” The creature interrupted John with a shout that almost knocked John off his feet.

“Those creatures were a threat to you, I was trying to help!”

“You didn’t have to kill them!” The creature seemed to have calmed down now.

“Oh, but you wrong my son. They where sent to kill you, and everything else at that facility.”

“Would you just tell me who you are already?” The creature paused. Perhaps it was considering to finally end the mysterious act.

“ I guess you of all my children deserve to know the truth. Do not interrupt me, for I will only explain this once. I will start with my name. I am the Gravemind. I am what you would call a leader of a race called the flood. The Flood is a parasitic organism that lives off other organisms. Many eons ago, a race called the Forerunners, held the Flood prisoner. We were too much for them so we managed to break out of their grasp. In their fear that we would take over the universe and destroy all life, they activated a last resort instillation called Halo. It destroyed everything, allowing the universe to start over, but you can’t get rid of us that easily.”

John was overwhelmed by the information he just heard. He still had a lot of questions.

“ Ok, so… how do you keep appearing in my dreams. I can’t even close my eyes without you starring at me.”

“ I am not just in your dreams. I am in your sub-conscience. We share the same body. In a way, I am you.”

Pain overwhelmed John’s body. He tried to open his eyes, but even that was painful. This time he only tried to open his eyes a fraction. He was looking at the sky, it was a dark shade of blue but everything was still visible, the sun must have just left. John slowly turned his head to the right, trying not to strain himself. He saw a fire, something was cooking just above it. On the opposite side of the fire was a Elite in red armor. The Elite must have noticed John’s movements, because it stopped coxing the fire and glanced up. It smiled, and spoke to John very friendly.

“ I was wondering when you would wake. We have much to talk about.”

“Wha- who?” It was all John could manage. The Elite only chuckled. It smiled and said, “Don’t strain yourself, you are lucky to be alive. Oh, I almost forgot. Hello, you can call me Doc.”

  • 01.18.2009 6:26 PM PDT

some ask for recon, some ask to be unbanhammered, i on the other hand, just play.

Chapter 7: storyteller

For the next couple of hours, though doc protested against it because he thought John should rest, they talked about themselves. Doc talked the most. He told John about his life, his imprisonment in the Covenant, and anything else that didn’t involve what was happening now. After awhile it was John’s turn to talk. He didn’t have much to say. He told Doc about how he woke up, and explained that he didn’t remember anything before Isolation.

“so you don’t recall anything at all, nothing?”

“No..”

But when John told Doc about the Gravemind, and all that it said, Doc was not only intrigued, but terrified.

“What did the Gravemind say?”

“He didn’t say much, he kept calling me his child and son, and he told me that he was a part of me. He said that he was me.”

There was a long silence after that.

“Do you know who the Gravemind is?”

“Yes, but I don’t understand. How can he be me if he is a parasitic organism and I’m human?”

“I have no idea.” If Doc was a poker player, he would be broke. He was the worst liar, well only liar, that John had ever met. He knew that Doc knew more than he let out, but unfortunately, he was the only friend he had.

“So what do we do now?”

Doc told John about what recently happened. The lab, the order to destroy Isolation, the murder. It took awhile for John to recover from hearing Doc say that he killed another living thing, especially another Elite. But after Doc explained that it was to save John’s life, John felt better. Though he kept a eye on Doc, wary of what he might do to him. That feeling soon faded, if doc wanted to kill him, he could have done it while he was asleep.

“Alright. So… You’re a fugitive from the law and I am, what?”

“You are also a fugitive from the law.”

“What did I do?”

“ You were a small time thief on the run from the human authorities. You smuggled yourself on a freighter heading here. I found you and you agreed to help me as an assistant.”

“What were you working on in your lab?”

Another long pause.

“The flood.”

  • 01.18.2009 6:29 PM PDT

some ask for recon, some ask to be unbanhammered, i on the other hand, just play.

Chapter 8: Escape route

The pain was worth it to John so that he may punch Doc right in the jaw. After the maneuver, John collapsed and almost fell unconscious again. Doc rushed over to help John, forgetting about his own injury, but John swatted him away. Doc understood and went to his little knapsack he had by the fire. He pulled out what looked like a first-aid kit. Doc disinfected the wound and then rubbed a crème on it. The blood flow stopped instantly. Doc then looked at John, John looked away from Doc disgusted.

“I’m sorry if what I said upset you. It is not what you think.”

“Oh yea. Then why did they try to shut down your work? Why can the Gravemind talk to me? What did you do to me?!”

“I was trying to find a way to fight and defeat the Flood. When I bought Isolation, it was merely to expand my research space. I needed a place were the government was not looking over my shoulder and breathing down my neck! They thought it was a act of treason, or that I was doing something bad with the Flood, But that’s not true! As for why you can talk to the Gravemind, I really don’t know. You have to believe me. We are in this together whether you like it or not.”

“Alright….alright I believe you. We are in this together. So what should we do now?”

“We have to get away, far away. Somewhere where they can’t look for us or find us.”

“But where?” Doc thought for a moment.

“Earth.”

“Earth?”

“Yes Earth. The human home world. New government, new race, they will never find us.”

“Alright, destination Earth. How do we get there”

“We will need a ship with slip space jumping capabilities. We need to get aboard a Elite carrier.”

“Anything else on your wish list?’

“A phantom aboard the carrier would be nice.”

“What is a phantom, and why do we need one?”

“It is a drop ship. We will need it.”

“Why?”

“So we can escape the carrier when it is searched at the human ship dock in the orbit of earth.”

“You mean that the ship can’t go to the Earth’s surface?”

“Why should it? Its only dropping off goods and then going home.”

“Alright, when do we leave?”

“In the morning. Now get some sleep.”

Chapter 9: hard trek

John and Doc’s sleep was interrupted by the elite military heading to the charred remains of Isolation. It was a few hours before sunrise. John felt way better than he did after he woke up a few hours before. They were heading for the nearest town. They needed to be careful because the Elites probably have a warrant for arrest, or worse. The desert would be a really harsh place for John, but fortunately he was wearing the mark VI Mjolnir armor which had its own air conditioning. Doc was not so lucky. They had to stop several times for Doc because fatigue, dehydration, and old wounds. Though Doc wasn’t tortured or beaten severally, he still got treated poorly, and now he was old.
A sign of life was found by Doc and John just before nightfall. It was lucky, they might be able to get to a motel of some other housing business in a couple of hours. They stopped to rest their legs for a few minutes and for a water break. Strangely, John did not feel thirsty, he also had not taken his helmet of the entire trip, he guessed that it must not be that important. After the break, they continued on into town and found a nice place to spend the night. In the morning they would ask directions to the nearest shipping port.
This time the got to sleep in. It was good for both of them to get extra rest. When John woke up he had a strange sensation something was wrong. He had not thought about it the whole time they were walking in the desert. Where was Oracle? He went and woke up Doc, who must have been having a pleasant dream because he looked like he was smiling, and drooling.

“Doc. Doc. Doc! Where is oracle?”

“Hmm?”

“Wake up! Where is Oracle?”

“What? Oh…” He reached for his nap sack and pulled out a charred an broken orb. Doc handed the orb to John, he took it with a bit of sadness. Sure he was annoying and way to optimistic, but he taught John to defend himself. He couldn’t help but feel sad. In the back of John’s head he could here the voice of the Gravemind.

“I could help, let me have control for a few moments, and your friend will be alive again.”

John felt reluctant to let the Gravemind have control over him again after what happened last time, but he wanted the Oracle back. He thought for a moment. If Oracle could teach him how to fight on his own, then John will never have to rely on the Gravemind ever again. “Ok.” John said to the Gravemind. Instantly John’s hands went to work examining Oracle body for working parts. The Gravemind dismantled Oracle in a matter of minutes. He was now at the core of Oracle. The blue orb that was Oracle’s eye, was in his hands. Doc was watching in sheer amazement, and so was John.
After a little bit of feeling of the blue orb, the Gravemind then took john’s index finger and pressed the orb. A perfect circle the size of the bottom of John’s index finger was pushed into the orb a quarter-inch. The orb glowed for a few seconds and then something ejected from the orb.
The Gravemind then pull the object out of the orb. It looked like a memory card or stick. The Gravemind then spoke in John’s head.

“Though the Forerunners are an advanced race far more intelligent than anyone could comprehend”, the Gravemind then took the card and stuck it in the back of John’s helmet. Instantly John felt like a cool liquid was poured into his brain. He then heard a voice in his head that was not the Gravemind.

“Greetings Project Flood-117”

The Gravemind then continued. “, they still trace back to humans.”

  • 01.30.2009 7:59 PM PDT

some ask for recon, some ask to be unbanhammered, i on the other hand, just play.

Chapter 10: we’re in this body together

“What are you doing?” Doc said with amazement and shock. By this time John had gain back control over his body. The Gravemind had surprisingly kept his word. John didn’t know exactly what the Gravemind did, but he had a idea. If the voice John heard wasn’t the Gravemind’s, and the object that the Gravemind took out of oracle was some kind of memory stick, John could guess that the Gravemind had put Oracle’s brain inside His armor. But how? The Gravemind said that forerunners trace back to humans, but who were the forerunners?

“What?” John said.

“What did you do?”

John thought how best to explain this, But as if Oracle could read his thoughts he said to John, “Let me explain this to him.” Oracle did not bother to wait for John’s response because before John knew it, Oracle was talking out of some kind of external speakers in John’s suit.

“Greetings Doctor, how are you?” Oracle seemed different now. He didn’t have an optimistic tone anymore. It was as if the crash, and being inside John’s body, had changed him. Never the less, Oracle was still formal.

“Oracle?” Doc was surprised, yet intrigued.

“Yes doctor, it seems the infestation has installed me on project Flood-117 ‘s hard drive in his helmet.”

“How is that possible?”

“Well, as you know, humans come from the Forerunners, making their inventions and devices mostly compatible at the core.”

“This is amazing!” Doc must have seen a window of opportunities for science and evolution. Suddenly, there was a bang at the door. “Open up, heretic. Accept your fate for your evil deeds.” John and Doc’s heads whipped around to look at the door. The Elite military forces were here. This was not good. John scanned the room for an exit. A closed window presented itself. The rising sun shined brightly through the glass. John ran up to it and punched through it, shattering the glass. He looked out of the window. No fire escapes.

“Just jump, and roll when you hit the ground.” , Oracle said.

“Are you nuts?” John exclaimed in his head.

“Do it, or you will die.” Oracle said.

All the while Doc panicked and pulled out his energy sword to protect himself. John looked down at the ground, it was a long way down. He took a deep breath, and flung himself out the window.

“What are you doing?” Doc exclaimed, But it was too late. John was already soaring down to the ground below.

  • 01.30.2009 9:21 PM PDT

some ask for recon, some ask to be unbanhammered, i on the other hand, just play.

Chapter 11: on the run

The ground was rushing towards John as he hurdled through the air. A split second before he landed, he did as Oracle instructed, roll. John was relieved when he was on the ground. He could not believe that he had nailed an impossible feat, without a scratch. After John dusted himself off he looked up at the window three stories high. Doc was looking down in pure amazement. It seemed Doc had put away his energy sword.

“Doc, jump.” John yelled.

“Are you insane. I am too old and weak. I will die!”

“Don’t worry, I’ll catch you.”

Doc looked back at the door were the military were trying to get into. A few more hits and the door will be no obstacle to the Elites anymore. He looked back at John, who now had his arms out in a position to catch him. Doc took a deep breath and jumped out the window to freedom, or death if John didn’t catch him. Doc was heavier than he looked, and he looked pretty heavy. So when John caught Doc, it was a little stressful on his body, but John would survive.
John set Doc down, and motioned Doc to follow him. By the time they took a right turn into the street and out of the ally. The Elites had broken through the door to John and Doc’s room. They raced in, guns and swords at the ready, only to find a empty room, and a broken window.
It was still kind of early, so very few Elites were on the streets. The only problem was as long as John had on his armor, he would be easily found. They ran three blocks searching for something to cover John up. On the fourth block, there was an alley way. An Elite was laying on the ground. It seemed homeless Doc walked up to the elite and shook him awake. He handed the homeless Elite some kind of currency and asked for his cloak. The Elite generously accepted.
Doc remembered the instructions to the local shipping yard. It was about a half and hour before they arrived. They checked all the shipping schedules for the shipyard. Doc explained that they would not find the right ship that they wanted here. They would have to go to the central shipping center of this region of the Elite world. They found one that would leave in about seven human minutes. They half walked, half jogged, to the ship. With t-minus five minutes before departure and with the ship in sight of John and Doc, it seemed that this would go off without a hitch.
Unfortunately, the military must have seen there move because they were spreading all over the shipping yards. They needed to get to the ship fast, or all would have been for not. They snuck behind the ship and slipped into the loading bay. They found a large box, and hid away inside of it. It was dark until John turned his helmet lights on. They heard the landing bay close, and felt the ship take flight. They both let out a deep breathe that neither of them knew they were holding. All they had to do now was sit back and relax. They were safe, for now.

  • 01.31.2009 7:52 AM PDT