- ThunderCavaler7
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- Honorable Member
This sig will Self-Destruct in 3.... 2.... 1.... Thank you for your time. Cookie?
Here's the Cole Protocol as stated from the Halo Wikia:
" 1. Activate selective purge of databases on all ship-based and planetary data networks.
2. Initiate triple-screen check to ensure all data has been erased and all backups neutralized.
3. Execute viral data scavengers (Download from UNSCTTP://EPWW:COLEPROTOCOL/Virtualscav/fbr.091)
4. If retreating from Covenant forces, all ships must enter Slipstream space with randomized vectors NOT directed toward Earth, the Inner Colonies, or any other human population center.
5. In case of imminent capture by Covenant forces and boarders, all UNSC ships MUST self-destruct.
Violation of this directive will be considered an act of TREASON and pursuant to UNSC Military law articles JAG 845-P and JAG 7556-L, such violations are punishable by life imprisonment or execution. "
In this case, it can be assumed that Cortana had all of the most vital data regarding Earth's slipspace vectors and other humanity-related data, and when Master Chief had landed, Keyes had focused more on keeping his team alive rather than initiating the Cole Protocol since all vital data had been removed from the ship.
HOWEVER, there is a small discrepancy regarding the end of first Halo, as we clearly see Spark going through the memory banks of the Autumn and commenting on "Lost knowledge." We can assume safely that he's either fixing the ship to disconnect the self-destruct sequence and had picked up this knowledge from fallen datapads or other small little things from the remains of marines and that this information was not vitally important or tactically significant to the humans and Covenant, but it is also entirely possible that the Autumn also had a separate storage bank or a backup of Cortana's data that the Covies were unable to access but Spark, being a sophisticated AI made by the guys WHO MADE THE FRICKEN HALO RINGS, was able to access it. Still, if they were aware of this, then the Cole Protocol should have been activated and the Autumn should have gone up in flames.
THEN AGAIN, this was made before the Cole Protocol was ever officially stated (iirc), so maybe Bungie didn't plan this in advance and this was a plot hole.
THEN AGAIN, they have the Halo Story Bible with then, so maybe this is leading up to some big thing we're not aware of, or some small detail we're not aware of.
THEN AGAIN, maybe we're just overthinking this.