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  • Subject: [Story] Halo 3: Insurrection (Part Nineteen out) - Halo 3 Epilogue
Subject: [Story] Halo 3: Insurrection (Part Nineteen out) - Halo 3 Epilogue
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  • last post: 01.01.0001 12:00 AM PDT

Haha, Wolver! You shouldn't have given me the link, now I'll take all of your readers!
Just kidding, good work. Though this isn't new to me.
This is Chuckles, by the way.

  • 06.30.2009 11:53 AM PDT

I'm Shoot U up. I've been a member here since January 12th, 2006. I'm a proud member of the Ninja Academy, as well as Team Timeout. Feel free to send me a message. Join Teamtimeout!

I realize that this thread hasn't had a post in 3 days, however, I would like to commend the author on his work.

I took around an hour today to read through the whole thing, and I was impressed. I look forward to the next installment. This is getting very, very good.

  • 07.03.2009 4:52 PM PDT
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this is pretty good, some obvious plot problems, but i suppose we can forgive you, as its the best fanfiction ive read so far

  • 07.04.2009 3:26 PM PDT
Subject: [Story] Halo 3: Insurrection (Part Twenty out) - Halo 3 Epilogue
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I love the complainers that complain about the complainers complaining.

Must...Get...Part...21

  • 07.05.2009 10:21 PM PDT
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It just ends?! :'(

  • 07.22.2009 4:55 PM PDT

For now, yes. In the mean time, check out one of my other fan fictions.

As for getting part 21 done...blame writers block.

  • 07.22.2009 4:56 PM PDT

I just started reading this today and I couldn't stop

I await part 21



by the way u r awsome

  • 07.22.2009 7:05 PM PDT
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Do not waste your tears, I was not born to watch the world grow dim. Life is not measured in years, but by the deeds of men.

Posted by: goldhawk
We should know better, because we are better.

This is amazing! One of the things that I love about the gallery forum is all the great fan fics!

  • 07.23.2009 10:24 PM PDT
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I love the complainers that complain about the complainers complaining.

I wants part 21 sooooooooooooooooo bad

  • 07.24.2009 10:46 PM PDT
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This is my first post. I just read all of the story you have written so far. The storytelling is wonderful. There are a few grammar errors but the story itself is great!

  • 07.27.2009 4:19 AM PDT

By the power of truth, I, while living, have conquered the universe.

Posted by: Spiker99
This is my first post. I just read all of the story you have written so far. The storytelling is wonderful. There are a few grammar errors but the story itself is great!


The main reason for grammar errors is because the text has to be copied into a processor so it can be posted here.

  • 07.27.2009 10:55 AM PDT

During my week long respite from the wonderful world of the internet, I was bored. Hey, it's been raining, and television sucks. So, I decided to read Insurrection again, and then wrote a few parts to it. Hope you enjoy. Oh, seeing as how the last part came out sometime in July, you may want to read the whole thing again. Oh, and a warning. Below part is pretty long.

Part Twenty one: New toys

"Today's the day John." A voice spoke from a terminal beside his bed.

"We storm the Citadel, and find a way out of here. Nothing more, nothing less." He replied curtly, preparing the leave the room he had slept in for the night.

"But don't you find all of this amazing? The architecture, the technology, the sheer impossibility of it all!"

"Right now Cortana, all I'm concerned with is surviving. Any word on Johnson and the others?"

"No, not yet. And I can't contact them either, that Mendicant Bias is keeping up a strong firewall, presumably to stop the other monitor attacking him again.

"Forerunners have Firewall?" He goaded with a smile on his face.

"You know what I mean chief. Come on now Spartan, the others are waiting for us."

John nodded, and went quiet. It was strange, being reunited with his fellow Spartans, when he had given up hope of seeing them again after being told one the way to Crow's Nest that they were MIA. He loved them as his siblings, but he couldn't help but feel disconnected from them. They shared a tight bondage he had once known too; Halo, the Flood; Sangheilios, everything had changed for him. He had seen too much in his time.

Seeing Mendez and Halsey again was equally disconcerting; especially with Mendez. At the end of his training, when Mendez told him that they would never see each other again, John had steeled himself to block out any emotions he felt for Mendez, who was as close to a father as John would ever get. Not for the first time, he wondered about his real parents. Were they still alive? Probably not, the Covenant had probably killed them long ago. John truly felt alone in the universe.

"I'll always be here Chief." Cortana said softly, and John felt a surge of gratitude.

"I know." He replied, and shook away the depression.

A voice then called over to him.

"Chief! Get over here, we're waiting for you!"

Mendez. The only constant in John's universe, or at least, that's how it was before Cortana. John jogged over.

"Nice to see you awake." That was Fred speaking, only to receive a punch in the arm from Kelly, which would have broken a normal man's arm.

"He must be exhausted Fred, give him a break would you?"

John didn't speak. He had never been able to 'chat' as the other Spartans could, in his opinion, it was meaningless. Linda shared his opinion, a lone wolf.

The Spartan IIIs were also murmuring amongst themselves. They had their helmets off, giving him a clear look at them. They were young, but they were Spartans, no doubt.

He then turned to Mendez.

"Sir, I need a weapon. We all do."

The CPO was quick to reply with a wizened smile upon his gnarled face.

"Not a problem Chief. You and the rest of the Spartans, follow me."

He led them towards a building, worn and weathered. At the entrance of it was a door, probably mechanised, which had been ripped apart by an explosion of sort.

"I found this when we first got here. Looked different from the other buildings, but unfortunately there was this door. Little bit of C4 sorted that out nice and proper."

Mendez shoved against a broken half of the door, and after a moment it gave away.

"And look what I found."

John gasped as he entered, the room was stocked with weaponry; alien, but not Covenant.

"Sir." Cortana said in amazement. "This is Forerunner." It wasn't a question.

"It would seem so." Mendez replied as John went over to a rack and grabbed what looked like a rifle. It looked a lot like a streamlined version of the weapons Sentinels used, it was long, smooth, and had strange couplings running of the butt of the gun and back into the tip of it.

"Why would a village have weapons like these?" He wondered, smacking the gun against his palm. Nice.

"Hell if I know. All I care about is whether or not they shoot. Which they do. Go outside back and try it, I set up some targets the other day when I was testing them."

John complied whilst the other Spartans were grabbing various weapons; heavy, light, melee, there was a who lot of choice.

He stepped onto the ground at the back of the building, and saw Mendez has set up fragments of the door he'd blown up, propped up against some bricks.

The Spartan, without the aid of his Mjolnir, manually lined the sights up with the foremost target, took aim, and fired.

The burst of energy that emitted from the weapon was amazing, immense, clear power, but near no recoil. The burst punched clean through the fragment of Forerunner metal, and straight through the bricks too.

"Wow, now that is nice. Why don't we have anything like that?" Cortana commented wryly from one of the Forerunner hologram terminals.

John stepped to one side as the other Spartans came out with their weapons of choice. Each round fired destroyed the target instantly, some of them vaporising it.

"I'm definitely keeping this." Fred remarked upon his weapon, which resembled a shotgun. Kelly held in her hands two Forerunner pistols, and Linda, as always, had gone for a sniper. It looked menacing. Tom and Lucy both held rifles similar to the ones John held, as did the other threes. Lucy was an enigma to John, not once had she spoken. Perhaps she was shy, although that seemed an odd trait for a Spartan to possess.

Eventually, everyone was kitted out and familiar with their new tools of destruction.

"Well, that's the weapons sorted out. Where exactly is our armour sir?" John asked Mendez, who grimaced.

"The Doctor stole them while you were all sleeping, the Mjolnir and the SPI. Dunno what she's up to, but you can expect it's something good."

*************

"Fleet master, the human ships are pressing hard!" R'tas's right hand Sangheili spoke, and R'tas agreed.

"Indeed they are. Their already mighty ships are but strengthened by the energy shielding we somewhat foolishly dolled out to them. But we have fought shielded ships before, the rebellions within the old Covenant; the traitorous Brutes! We can best these humans, but mere force shall not do so." The Sangheili Fleet master spoke wisely.

"What would you have us do revered one?"

"Load up a lance of Seraphs with power drainers, scores of them. They work on personal shields, why not ones belonging to ships?" R'tas said, even though he himself was unsure of the plan he was formulating. His second in command also hesitated before giving the order.

"Fleet master, power drainers have never been used in such a way. What if your plan should fail?"

"Then we must pull out, and allow the humans to win. I dislike to lose, Sub-Commander," R'tas replied to the Sub-Commander's fears, and after a moment the Elite nodded.

"I understand Fleet master," he said, activating a communications link to the Shadow of Intent's docking bay. "All Seraph pilots, prepare to launch, but first, load up with power drainers, many of them...."

The sub-commanders voice faded to R'tas as he concentrated on the carnage before him. War was raging outside, pointless, useless, yet at the same time necessary war.

The human in charge of the attack was smart, R'tas had to give him that. Which meant he had to be smarter.

"Fleet master, the Seraphs are launching," Sub-Commander Kadavr' told him, and R'tas nodded.

"All Seraphs, prepare for evasive manoeuvres! Charge towards the human flagship, and hold for me orders." The Sangheili leader spoke, and received confirmation from the pilots of the Seraphs.

************

  • 08.21.2009 11:16 AM PDT
Subject: [Story] Halo 3: Insurrection (Part 21 is out!) - Halo 3 Epilogue

"Captain sir, we've got Seraphs inbound towards the ship!" Lieutenant Elexni shouted, and Daniels nodded.

"Seraphs? Their weapons won't phase our shields, ignore them Lieutenant, concentrate on the Elite cannons instead," the captain ordered, yet he still couldn't shake off a feeling there was more to the Seraphs than he though. Regardless, there was no way he could order a ceasefire on the capital ships on a suspicion. And so he merely watched with confusion as the Seraphs drew ever closer.

Typical naval combat chatter echoed across the bridge of the flagship Galapagos, 'MAC Cannon 1 is off-line', 'Deploying Longswords', 'Launching Archer missile pods!'

But only he knew of the secret weapon the Galapagos possessed. Stored deep within the cargo hold, within a lead casing, was a NOVA bomb. Aptly named, the bomb was capable of destroying entire planets. Daniels had his orders from Lord Eden; in the event that it looked like they were losing, he was to activate the NOVA bomb, jettisoning it into space shortly before jumping through slip space to safety. Only the Galapagos had the recent technology to perform an instantaneous jump however, if activated, the bomb would not only destroy the Elite fleet, but his own. So it was only to be used as a last resort.

Daniels would never have the opportunity to use this last resort however, for at that moment, the Seraphs passed over the UNSC Galapagos, and with the order from R'tas Vadum', jettisoned their cargo. Over one hundred activated power drainers fell through zero G, propelled by the momentum of the Seraphs and the artificial gravity of the UNSC Destroyer below. They hit the ship, and the Galapagos was plunged into complete darkness.

"Report!" Captain Daniels shouted through the black veil, suddenly aware the smart AI of the ship had blinked out of existence.

"Captain, I don't know! Nothing is working, none of the computers, shields are down, MAC cannons are disabled, and the engines have blinked out! Sir, we're losing altitude." Lieutenant Elexni screamed, and Daniels could tell she was panicking. He swore, losing altitude wasn't good.

The radio piece in his hat suddenly activated, relying on it's back up power cells, and a swarm of cries instantly sounded in his ear.

"Galapagos, what's going on over there? This is the UNSC Kestrel reporting, you're losing altitude! The Elites..." Static flooded the radio. "...hitting us hard...need....your heavy....come in Galapagos!"

Everything was going badly, Daniels knew. He drew out a torch which he carried on his person, and shouted an order.

"Everyone to the lifeboats, immediately! We're abandoning ship!"

*************

"It worked Fleet master!" Sub-Commander Kadavr' cried, and everyone on the Shadow's bridge cheered in victory. R'tas allowed himself a slight smile.

"With their destroyer neutralised, we can pick off the rest of their ships with ease. Send in boarding parties, try to take the crews alive. We will be hailed as heroes back upon Sangheilios!" R'tas bellowed, prompting another bout of cheering.

"Noble one, I'm picking up human lifeboat signatures departing from the destroyer we disabled, what would you have me do? I have a lance of Vampires ready and willing to take them out."

R'tas held up a hand.

"Have the Vampires take them into custody, no more, no less. Enough blood has been spilt today, I wish not to spill further," he whispered, and Kadavr' frowned ever so slightly before complying with the order. Surely the Fleet master didn't show compassion for these humans?

*************

"Here it is." Halsey pronounced grandiosely, and John gasped. Before him was his armour, as well as the armour belonging to the other Spartans. But they looked...different. Woven into the green plates of his MJOLNIR was pieces of Forerunner alloy, blue beams surged across it occasionally; the suit looked alive. It seemed lighter, and picking it up confirmed the fact.

"MJOLNIR Mark Seven!" Halsey proudly stated, "Well, then again, seeing as how it's not a complete new suit I suppose you could call it six-point-five, but it doesn't matter. I've utilised the vast Forerunner technology in this shield world well, your energy shields are now six times stronger, the plates are tougher, yet they're even more flexible. Enhanced armour to user interaction, this thing will move a long time before you mind decides to."

John fastened it on, it felt a lot less cumbersome. As he secured the modified helmet onto his head, the suit activated fully, and his HUD displayed. It was similar to his old one, but if felt more advanced. The world seemed clearer, and immense power surged through his veins. He noted with surprise that the Forerunner Rifle interfaced with the suit, displaying both ammo count and weapon condition. Taking Cortana's crystal chip, he slotted it into the back of his helmet, and felt the cold rush he always did when the AI interfaced with him.

"Wow, this feels a lot better than that old rust bucket you used to have. A lot like Halo's control centre actually. Hey, it's even got storage space!" Cortana exclaimed, and John smiled at her pleasure, "Finally, somewhere to dump the files on Halo without running the risk of damaging your fleshy brain as I do normally," she finished, and John's smile faded.

"Brain damage?" he asked perceptively, and felt embarrassment emanate from his digital companion. Before she could answer though, Fred interrupted.

"This is all pretty amazing ma'am," Fred began, after he, Kelly and Linda had put on their own suits, "but what about the Spartan III's SPI?"

It was a good point, as Tom, Lucy, Ash, Olivia, and Mark stood at the doorway of the threshold looking hopeful. Halsey pursed her lips.

"I didn't design the SPI, Ackerson did. Only he and the tech staff who worked on it would know how to fully utilise it," the doctor replied, and the 'threes' looked crestfallen for a second, before masking it with a look of cold indifference. Halsey smiled, "however, I managed to add a few new features to it. The one I'm sure you'll appreciate most is the addition of energy shields; not too strong, weaker even than the ones on the Mjolnir mark five, due to the fact your suits power source is a weak one and not even Cortana could gain access to the SPI's internal systems so I could upgrade them, but the shields should be enough to see you through."

"Also, I've upgraded your camouflage systems with Elite technology, you'll be pleased to hear," she continued, relentless, "of course, once again due to the SPI's power source, I had to limit it. So if the enemy concentrates hard, they will see a slight apparition in the air. But it's a large step up from the previous system. I've also toughened up the plates with Forerunner alloy, so you should be able to withstand multiple blasts from the Sentinels now without being blasted to bits."

The third generation of Spartans nodded, and smiles graced their lips. They suited up, and activated the suits. John noted that in their suits too ran the strange beam of power, underneath the plates, barely detectable. Tom activated his camouflage, and John was surprised. Even he, with his super enhanced vision had trouble discerning him. Halsey had made an understatement.

"If the other Spartans had had these...maybe we'd all still be..." Ash muttered, breaking off in mid sentence. Olivia placed her hand upon his shoulder consolingly, and John frowned. Whilst he could understand the young man's pain at losing his brothers, a pain which John knew all too well, it wouldn't bode well for him to lose his cool during a fire fight.

"Are we all ready to attack then?" Linda asked, and John pursed his lips thoughtfully.

[Edited on 08.23.2009 6:21 AM PDT]

  • 08.21.2009 11:16 AM PDT
Subject: [Story] Halo 3: Insurrection (Part Twenty out) - Halo 3 Epilogue

"I'd hoped that Johnson and the others would be here by now," he remarked, and then shook his head, "but I suppose it makes no sense to delay. Every day more and more Sentinels are being built."

"Should we move out then sir?" Fred asked him, and John raised his eyebrows within the confines of his helmet.

"If I recall correctly, you're the ranking officer now sir. It's your decision." John noted, and it was true. Fred was now a Lieutenant Junior, higher ranked than his own Master Chief Petty Officer. Fred looked uncomfortable with this.

"Ah yes, I forgot about that..." he remarked. It wasn't that he was unaccustomed to leadership. Over the years, John had entrusted Fred with command of Red team often. But, Fred had to admit, John was a better leader in his eyes. Still, rank was rank, "very well then. Everyone, prepare to move out. Will you be staying here Doctor?"

Halsey looked up, and nodded.

"Yes, I'd just get in the way. I've had basic training, but I'm no Spartan. Don't worry, Mendez will also remain here to protect me. He's not as young as he once was. A brilliant soldier still, but no longer fit to keep up with you Spartans. We'll monitor the situation from here; Cortana will feed us information," the doctor explained, and Mendez nodded. The chief petty officer still seemed resentful though, and John could sympathise.

"Understood," Fred affirmed, and he turned to the others, including John, "right everyone, let's get moving. That citadel won't storm itself."

******************

"Tell me human, what is your name?" R'tas asked, leering down at the officer before him, yet not unkindly.

"Captain Daniels, commander of this fleet," the human replied stiffly, and R'tas's honour guard growled warily. R'tas ignored them.

"And you are the ranking officer present am I to presume?"

The captain hesitated before answering.

"No Fleet master, technically that would be Commander Sam. But he's...not in a very good state of mind at the moment, so I've assumed command. I don't even know if he's still alive. Did you kill him?" Daniels enquired, suddenly feeling sick. R'tas waved his hand absently.

"It is more likely that he is alive than not, my warriors captured as many alive as they could."

Daniels frowned in response to this, stroking his thin beard slightly.

"You're different to most Elites Fleet master. Most would've had us all butchered. What compels you to do this?"

R'tas didn't answer. What could he say? That, despite the ongoing war, he still wanted peace? That he still felt respect for the Spartan and the rest of his race?

Instead, he ignored the human's questions, and turned to answer the FTL communications link, which had been beeping incessantly for over five minutes. R'tas noted with confusion that it was from Sangheilios, on an emergency broadcast channel. It had better be good.

"This is Fleet master R'tas Vadum', what is the problem?"

For a few moments, all that emerged from the other end was static. Then it was cut by a long, drawn out scream. R'tas heard a rustle, and suddenly a Sangheili's voice spoke.

"R'tas, thank the ancients!" the voice cried, "Sangheilios has fallen! It's the....." whatever the Elite had been going to say was drowned out by a wave of static. "...all that's left. Oh lord, they're breaking through! Fleet master, please, help--" the voice cut off, but this time it wasn't static. A feral scream burst through, and a few moments later, it all fell silent. R'tas stood there, before the computer, in shock. The human captain's voice called over.

"Trouble in paradise Fleet master?" the man mocked, and R'tas strode over to him, grabbing the man by the neck. Daniels tried to prise away the Elite's hand, but it was too strong.

"What have you humans done? Why have you attacked Sangheilios? Has this battle been a trick, a diversion?" R'tas bellowed at the man, but all that came as a reply was a muffled scream. R'tas realised he was suffocating the human, and loosened his grip begrudgingly. Daniels fell to the floor on his knees, gasping for air.

"Speak or be forever silenced!" R'tas shouted, holding his energy sword at the captain's neck. Daniels looked up, eyes bulging.

"Fleet master, I assure you that whatever has happened to your 'Sangheilios', humanity had nothing to do with it. To the best of my knowledge anyway. Hell, we don't even know where the hell the planet is!" Daniels cried in defence, struggling to stand. R'tas frowned.

"If you are lying, I will kill every human we hold captive. Do you understand?"

The human nodded, rubbing his neck.

"I'm not lying. I assure you, if we were planning an assault, I would know."

R'tas hesitated, and nodded, sheathing his blade. He turned to Sub-Commander Kadavr'.

"Quick brother, set a course for Sangheilios. We must know what has transpired." The Fleet master ordered.

"We're already on the way honoured one."

  • 08.21.2009 11:17 AM PDT

(excited clapping)

  • 08.21.2009 1:27 PM PDT

Posted by: Dropship dude
No, acnboy. Spartain Ken 15 is a lesser being. Much like the bacteria that lives in your shi­t.
Posted by: mike120593
My shi­t bacteria takes offense to that comparison.

Don't make me lel. You won't like me when I lel.

Oh wow, a whole new tangent and finally some news on R'tas! Anyway, both the Forerunner battle and the Flood one are gonna be epic!

  • 08.21.2009 1:56 PM PDT

My main account.

This is an alt.

Love you man :) Keep them coming.

  • 08.21.2009 4:14 PM PDT
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Do not waste your tears, I was not born to watch the world grow dim. Life is not measured in years, but by the deeds of men.

Posted by: goldhawk
We should know better, because we are better.

I wonder how Rtas will reacte to see his world being destroyed? Great chapter btw! :)

  • 08.22.2009 7:27 AM PDT

We go head first into hell sir!

I started reading them today and I've read all the parts, this is amazing, I can't wait for the next part!

  • 08.22.2009 3:39 PM PDT

-eddy!
huh! What? It was the other guy, honest! ;)
'it was a sniper!' looks down at my sniper
uhh yeah? hes got one too. XD

wicked! cant wait for the next part
whats the ETA?

  • 08.23.2009 8:21 AM PDT

Well, today! I'll post it up in a couple of hours.

  • 08.23.2009 8:22 AM PDT

Here's Part 22, enjoy, and please comment.

Part Twenty Two: The Ancient One


"Entrance is clear; move out." Mark reported, and as one the unit of Spartans crept towards the great doors of the citadel, under the cover of the night. Few Sentinels were patrolling, and so they reached the entrance with no incident.

"Ash, set a satchel charge on that gate." Fred ordered, and the young man nodded, brining out the explosives from a backpack he wore.

"Gladly." Ash complied, and he moved over to the left door. It stood very tall, but it was of no matter. They only needed to blow a Spartan sized hole to gain access to the citadel.

"Breaching..." Ash breathed, attaching the powerful explosives pack to the door. The device began to beep, and after a few seconds it exploded. Luckily, the whirring noises of the Sentinels above drowned out the noise.

"Move out." Fred spoke, and John complied with the superior officer's orders. He smiled faintly at the situation, and irony of it, "Mark, you stay out here and watch our backs. You see any trouble, hide and tell us."

The Spartan III nodded, taking post outside the door.

The Spartan team swarmed through the hole, and emerged within the citadel. Kelly whistled.

"Pretty fancy place." she said, and the others nodded. It was nothing John hadn't seen before, the architecture was very similar to that of Halo's.

"From my experience, Forerunner architecture, while beautiful, is very linear. They usually have the more important facilities of a building higher up." Cortana remarked out loud, and John agreed.

"Understood Cortana. Everyone move up." Fred announced.

John took a good look around the room. There were no stairs, but instead ramps. John wasn't even sure if Forerunner architecture included stairs, he couldn't remember ever seeing them. The team climbed up the eastern ramp of the room, softly and swiftly. They reached the top, and encountered their first problem.

"Multiple hallways..." Fred remarked, following it up with a curse,"but which is the right one? We're gonna have to split up. Master Chief, you take Kelly, Lucy, and Ash down the left hallway, and we'll take the right one. Keep moving up."

John nodded, and his small team moved over to him.

"I hear you blue leader." he said, and his Spartan team moved after him down the left corridor. Kelly fell in next to him as they moved further along, and further away from Fred.

"So, John," she said, using his real name, "how do you feel about Fred being in charge of the squad?"

John kept moving while he pondered the question.

"He's a good leader." he said simply, not wanting to offend anyone. Kelly laughed.

"Always a man of few words right sir?" she replied, shaking her head slightly, "come on, you're not the commanding officer now. You don't need to keep up appearances."

This revelation did stop him, because he was so surprised to hear the simple truth. Kelly was right, there was no need to stay closed up. Not any more.

"I suppose you're right. Fine, I think Fred's a good leader, like I said before. I just hope he can handle this pressure." John admitted, as they climbed up a ramp. He could sense Cortana listening in on the conversation with amusement.

"You don't feel usurped at all? I'm sure, if you'd been at Onyx, Kurt would have promoted you instead."

"Probably," John replied modestly, "but I wasn't at Onyx was I? If I remember correctly, I abandoned you all to go chasing after Halos."

Kelly laughed once again.

"Perhaps we abandoned you. We should have been there with you Chief, we should have been at Halo, the Ark, High Charity, everything. You're the best soldier I know, you never once forgot our duty. Not like us."

John had no answer to this, but Cortana did.

"If anyone here should be blamed, blame Doctor Halsey. She's the one who got you all involved with this place."

"I suppose you're right." Kelly replied, and John could tell she was troubled. He decided to change the subject.

"So Lucy, what's your story?" he called back over his shoulder, only to have Ash cough awkwardly.

"Ah, Lucy doesn't speak Master Chief. Not any more."

"Oh? Was she injured?" John replied curiously, concerned about her well-being.

"It's nothing physical sir, it's just shock, if Tom told me correctly." Ash replied, glancing over at Lucy whilst he did so.

John needed no further explanation. It was a sad truth that some soldiers, after seeing too much, just snapped. It was surprising that Lucy was still in active duty, and not a mental hospital.

"Well, perhaps one day she'll--" he began to reply, only to cut off in mid sentence, "watch out, Sentinel up ahead!" he whispered over a secure, undetectable channel. The Spartans instantly hit the ground, although it was probably unnecessary for Ash and Lucy to do the same, camouflaged as they were.

The sudden movement alerted the Sentinel however, and it drifted over. It was a lot bigger than the ones John had previously allied, and subsequently fought with.

"Threat analysis level - amber." the Sentinel spoke in a gravelly voice, "scanning hallway."

John hugged the floor, but it was no good. The Sentinel detected him, and floated right up to his face. John wasted no time, firing multiple blasts from his new rifle even as he lay on the surface of the ramp. The beams hit the Sentinel square on, and after a few seconds of sustained fire, it's shields dropped. The Sentinel retaliated with a blast of it's own, hitting John square in the chest as he strove to stand. His improved shields didn't even drop down by half. John smashed the Drone's red lens with the butt of his rifle, cracking it. He drew out a grenade, pulled the pin, and stuffed it within the cracked hollow of the lens.

"Jump!" he ordered the other Spartans, minus Kelly who had blurred past him moments ago, and they all dove out of the way before the grenade exploded in a flash of blue light, destroying the Sentinel.

"Nice move sir, you were nearly as quick as me then." Kelly remarked, standing triumphantly over the shattered remains of another Sentinel further along the hallway. John smiled, Kelly had always been quicker than him, quicker than any other Spartan, or sentient life form. She could outrun a Covenant Banshee if she needed to. She had too, in the past.

The small squad moved through the hallways of the citadel swiftly, dispatching the various Sentinels as they did so. The two Spartan IIIs, Ash and Lucy, worked well together. Better even than the IIs worked together.

"There's a doorway, up ahead." John noted finally, and saw a holographic switch near it. As always, without knowing how, John activated the switch, as if by some primal instinct, and the door slid open. Ash whistled in awe.

"I guess this is the penthouse of the place huh?" he spoke, looking around. It truly was beautiful, a large room announced with decoration: a pond in the corner of the room, with strange fish swimming around in them, alien birds flying beneath the tall, glass ceiling, shrubbery and trees, it was all very nice.

"There must be something in here that can help us get out of this sphere. Ash, Lucy, you go search the left of the room, Kelly, you go look in the right, and I'll head up front. Fred and his team should be hear shortly." John ordered, and the Spartans nodded. He himself slung the rifle upon his back, perceiving no threats, and strode forward.

"If we don't find anything, let's just say I'll be annoyed." Cortana remarked briskly.

"I'm sure we will." John replied reassuringly, and his AI companion was content, for then at least.

The front of the room was rather bare, to say the least. Nothing except a few ornate shrubs, and a small pond in the corner. Nothing that could show them how to leave the Dyson sphere.

  • 08.23.2009 11:23 AM PDT

The wall, at the northernmost part of the room however, looked strange. Out of place. The rest of the walls had various moss growing upon them, and cracks. Even Forerunner buildings succumbed to the might of time eventually, and this citadel didn't seem to have a monitor to keep things in order like the Halo rings. And so the fact that this particular wall looked as if it had been built yesterday unnerved John.

Apprehensively, he reached out with his armoured hand, and gently tried to brush his fingers against the wall. He tried. To his surprise however, his fingers passed through the wall, as if it weren't there. He could still feel them though, and wiggled them in experimentation, and wriggle they did.

"Now this is certainly interesting," Cortana said wryly, "well Spartan, are you gonna stand there all day moving your fingers or are you gonna see what's on the other side of the mountain? Metaphorically speaking of course."

John needed no further prompting, and with a held breath, he stepped through the fake wall, and emerged in another room. This room seemed holier though, more pure. Time had not seemed to ravage it.

The room itself was completely filled to the brim with only one thing; stasis pods. Scores of them. Not like the cryogenic pods the UNSC used, but nigh upon identical to the prisons the Spartan III Team Katana were sealed in. Cortana gasped.

"Chief, could these be--?"

"Forerunners." he completed. Something didn't seem right though, and so John drew out his rifle warily.

One particular stasis pod seemed dominant in the room, situated in the epicentre of it. Next to it was one of the familiar Forerunner switches he was accustomed to.

"Well?" he asked Cortana as he walked over to it.

"Unseal that casket chief." she intoned, curious. Bidden, John moved his hand towards the terminal, and felt it rest upon the mechanism. He once again instinctively moved his fingers across it, and suddenly the stasis pod came alive. John couldn't see through the looking glass' opaque surface, and so drew closer to the pod as it opened, keeping his rifle aimed at it.

Quicker than even Kelly could have done, a hand shot out, and grabbed John by his neck.

"Chief!" Cortana cried in fear as he felt himself hoisted up in the air. The grip was like that of a titan's. Impossibly, the dense metal around John's neck began to crumple as the grip tightened ever-more, and John felt himself begin to choke.

The assailant climbed out of the pod fully, and John appraised it. The distinctly humanoid figure seemed to be wearing what looked like a very sleek, very advanced suit of Mjolnir armour, but different colours. It was less of an armour and more of an extension of the skin. The armour itself was a dark hue of blue, whilst the visor's colour was that of platinum.

All of this was lost upon John though, as his oxygen starved brain cried for mercy. His sight blurred, and he felt Cortana fade, as his brain shut her out, to save what little energy it possessed..

The platinum visor was looking at him speculatively. The figure was slightly taller than John, but perhaps smaller than an Elite. Yet the attacker had no problem lifting John and his heavy suit of Mjolnir in the air with but one hand. Only another Spartan was capable of such a feat, yet this was no Spartan. The figure then spoke, in John's language.

"I see the Gravemind has seen fit to send one of it's abominations of life into this last sanctuary, although quite why it has ordained you in such archaic armour is lost upon me. What sent you in here? Was it that interloper Mendicant Bias? Your vile master will be disappointed, I am all that remains now. There are no more hosts for it to feast upon." the voice sounded like a chorus of angels, yet clearly male.

The last part was true about Mendicant Bias, but clearly the figure, who John presumed to be a Forerunner, thought him to be a Flood form of some kind, wearing armour. John tried to tell the Forerunner otherwise, yet he found himself quite unable to speak. Not surprising, seeing as how he couldn't breathe. A normal human would have suffocated by now. John still had some strength though.

He gathered this small reserve of strength, and lashed out with his leg. He was rewarded with contact on the Forerunner's chest, and the figure was thrown to the floor, and John likewise dropped to the floor, landing sharply on his knees. He tasted blood.

John quickly struggled to his feet, and rose in time to see the already recovered Forerunner pick him up, and throw him down to the floor again. John managed to roll back up to his feet once again swiftly though, and held up his hands in a halting motion.

The Forerunner stopped in his tracks, but kept it's arms poised for combat. John wheezed, and rubbed his throat.

"Calm--" he began, before coughing vigorously, "calm down. I'm not what you think I am. I'm a friend."

This seemed to puzzle the Forerunner even more.

"Impossible. All that's left now are those on the Ark, and the vile flood. I'm all that's left of my race. You lie," he accused of John. The being clearly believed that all was as it had been when he had entered that pod. John shook his head.

"No; no I'm not a Forerunner. And I'm not one of the Flood. I'm a human," he explained.

"A human? Our chosen future Reclaimers? Impossible, humanity has not even developed primitive speech yet." the Forerunner replied sceptically.

"You must have been in that pod for a long time. Humanity is thriving, or it was before the Covenant war." John explained, finally managing to remove his helmet. The Forerunner stopped protesting as he beheld John's face.

"By the Precursors, you speak the truth! Reclaimer..." he said, walking over to John. Somewhat surprisingly, the Forerunner embraced John fiercely. A world away from the conflict a few moments ago.

"All this time, I thought I'd destroyed all life in the galaxy, in order to stop it. But it seems I was wrong, my beloved Librarian succeeded in sending you to the Ark. My dear, dear Librarian, Precursors bless her soul. Thank you for saving me from this eternal torment my dear son." the Forerunner cried out, and John shied away in embarrassment.

"I'm afraid I don't know what you mean Forerunner, but I'm sure Mendicant Bias can fill you in, once he decides to stop speaking in riddles." John fastened the helmet back onto his head, and was aware of Cortana's conciousness returning. She chose to be silent and listen though.

"Nothing to say?" John questioned silently, slightly confused.

"Hey, you two were engaged in mortal combat just a minute ago. Hearing a voice from within your head may make him suspicious again. I'll wait.

"Mendicant Bias? He is here?" the Forerunner exclaimed wildly, looking around the room.

"Well, not in this room, but--" John began to explain, only to be cut off.

"No, you don't understand. Mendicant Bias is allied with the Gravemind. Ah, I get ahead of myself, you must not even know what the Gravemind is."

"Actually, I do. I think I killed it. But anyway, Mendicant's turned over a new leaf, he's 'atoning for his sins', as he puts it."

"You killed the Gravemind? Are you sure? How did you--" the Forerunner questioned, and John held up a hand.

"Hold on a sec, I can't answer all your questions at once. Just who are you anyway Forerunner?" John queried, suddenly suspicious. This person had, after all, attacked him just moments before.

"Ah, my son, I'm sorry for piling you with questions. I am hungry for news, after all this time. But you are right, I can wait. My name, dear boy, is the Didact."

"Alright, Didact, should we open the other pods?" John asked indicating the thousands upon thousands of pods in the room, and the Didact shook his head wearily.

"No need to. They're all dead."

  • 08.23.2009 11:24 AM PDT

Aaah! Another cliffhanger!

  • 08.23.2009 11:40 AM PDT

Haha, yep, cliffhangers are my trademark. You've gotta love 'em.

  • 08.23.2009 6:10 PM PDT