- Primo84
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"Sometimes life gives you lemons, and then you have to say 'f**k the lemons' and bail."
If you're reading this, you need to stop stalking me. If you can't stop stalking me, you might as well go here.
Less than two months passed between the Fall of Reach and the beginning of the Battle of Earth. On page 422, Black Box mentions something about an Andrew Del Rio "driving" her for a few years. That right there confirms that the project had existed well before Reach fell. While humanity was never really in a good position during the war, anyone who was paying attention knows that the fall of Reach marked when the UNSC really started to scramble. The idea of "why the hell are they spending money on that when they're close to losing the war" didn't really apply at the time the project began. Despite Black Box saying that this Del Rio person had been "driving" Infinity around for years, if that statement is to be taken literally, all it says is that the vital sections of the ship are sealed from the vacuum of space and that it has some means of propulsion. What it doesn't imply is how close the ship is to being battle ready. Black Box mentions on page 421 that the budget was large enough where ONI had to disclose the existence of the project to ordinary, "woodentop," UNSC higher-ups. If I recall correctly, even the SPARTAN Programs were on a need-to-know basis in the beginning.
Battle of Earth or not, humanity isn't just going to send in the product of one of its most expensive projects if it's nothing more than a maneuverable chunk of titanium. Earth was a last stand in a sense, but Glasslands tells us that it was far from the last human colony. I'm going to make an assumption that, even without Earth, Infinity could make a difference elsewhere.
Outlook of the ElitesThe Elites are -blam!-. Some people may see a problem between the events of this story and when the events of The Return take place, but I think it just goes to further show how dire the Elites' situation is.
The Arbiter said it himself, there's likely to be UNSC and Covenant elements out in space that are still hostile: 30 years of interstellar war and genocide don't end that easily."There is dissent on Sanghelios, but as far as the forces I command are concerned, hostilities are over. I cannot guarantee that dissident factions will obey me and the situation in our colonies is equally unsettled, but nobody's interest is served by continuing this war when we have so many other problems." Thel 'Vadam, page 359.The Arbiter doesn't speak for all of Sangheilios, and we see right there in Glasslands that there are rogue elements in Sangheili society that don't agree with the path The Arbiter is leading them down.
It's a problem that, realistically speaking, isn't going to clear itself up overnight. Because of this, I don't see any problem in continuity between Glasslands and The Return.
Ragging on HalseyThis is all conjecture, but regarding Mendez, I can't help but feel he's been mulling over the morality of his actions for years. When approached with the SPARTAN-III Project, he could have still been in a state of denial. The events on Onyx, seeing those he worked so hard to prepare for battle die, it changed him. There was probably a time where he was disconnected enough from the eventual fate of his former trainees that he believed it was all for the greater good, but seeing them die first hand did him in.
The thing with Halsey is, while we know she feels immense guilt on the inside, she keeps up this "don't -blam!- with me" charade for everyone else. It's all about not looking weak, if you ask me. Hell, even after learning her own daughter had died, she tries to hold it in so her Spartans don't see her cry.
Catherine Halsey is still with what she's done. On one hand, she's feeling guilty and telling herself that she deserves any punishment she has coming, and on the other, she's trying to justify her methods to Parangosky, and asserting that she (Parangosky) has no moral high ground to stand on.
But if I could walk out of here now, would I? I want my matrydom, don't I? I've done appalling things. I shouldn't be allowed to get away with it. But it suited Parangosky for decades that I did. What's changed now? Dr. Halsey's inner monologue, page 429.So Halsey starts off by saying she wants matrydom; she wants to be punished for the Spartan project because its participants went on to save humanity, and in her punishment, she'll take credit for all of it. In the very next sentence, she admits to the horrible things she's done, and that she should suffer for that. Well, which one is it? Is she the savior of humanity, or is she a monster? Both Mendez and Parangosky see here trying to rationalize on both ends, and they hate her for that.
Halsey is still working her way to where Mendez is in terms of mental state from essentially where Parangosky's mind is on the matter, but she's still somewhere in the middle. She wants to look strong and set in her ways despite that she's neither. Margaret sees her as some weakling in denial, and Mendez sees her as some soulless -blam!- telling herself that it's okay to commit atrocities so long as it's in the name of the greater good. So, in her ever defiant way, Halsey puts on a front for her inner turmoil, and it causes both Mendez and Margaret to lash out at her.
As for Mendez, here he is, coming to terms and repenting for the terrible things he was involved in, and in strolls Halsey with her "don't blame me, it was for the good of humanity" mentality. Wouldn't that piss most people off?
It comes off as extremely hypocritical, but there's a rhyme and reason for it.
Parangosky is much more set in her ways than both Mendez and Halsey. She states herself that she doesn't seek any moral high ground in respect to her involvement in the Spartan Projects: she knows she approved unspeakable things, and she doesn't care. Parangosky is convinced that the immoral things she has to do in her position save the lives and consciences of others. There are no ifs, ands, or buts about it with her.
Like she is toward Mendez, Halsey is coming off as very high and mighty to Parangosky, and it infuriates her. I think Margaret wants Halsey to know that she is no better than her. She saw the clones as a pathetic attempt to spare some feelings, and also misguided by the fact that it may have exacerbated the situation. (Naomi's mom killed herself; she probably wasn't the only one.)
We learn toward the end of the book that Parangosky intended on disclosing her entire involvement in the Spartan Projects before some sort of UEG board of inquiry, and these few quotes from her sum up her thoughts on her past actions perfectly:"I spend every day ending people's lives and manipulating them, doing things that most people in uniform would consider unconscionable. I'm not going to pretend there's some higher morality at work here, but I'm prepared to do the dirty work to spare the consciences of others, and my barbarous acts mean fewer people die than would have if I'd played by the rules. I think that's as near as I can come to tolerating my reflection in the mirror." Admiral Parangosky, page 431.
"State secrets are to protect society. They should conceal information like jamming frequencies, troop strengths, code words. They shouldn't be used to cover up our most bestial acts or save us from embarrassment. I've drafted a statement about my role in the Spartan program and I'll be handing it to the UEG's defense committee in due course. I'm going to die sooner rather than later, and I will not take this to the grave with me." Admiral Parangosky, page 434.
"I don't delude myself that there are moral ambiguities in my job. The things we did weren't ambiguous, not at all. I know I've done them and how bad they were, and if there's a hell, I'll probably burn in it before too long. But that's the kind of thing you can face when you're ninety-two. I'm prepared to do the very worst, and because I am, more people survive than get killed. But I'll take what's coming to me- and I'll make no excuses." Admiral Parangosky, drafting her evidence to the UEG Select Defense Committee, page 365.And this creates an extremely interesting dynamic. You have Mendez on one side, who seems to be recently set in his ways of feeling guilty about his involvement, and he resents Halsey for being conflicted.
On the other side, you have Parangosky, who is convinced that their actions are justified in their overall benefit for humanity, and she also hates Halsey for being conflicted.
Parangosky is black.
Mendez is white.
Halsey is stuck in that grey area in-between, and everyone resents her for it.
I feel like Serin Osman has completely legitimate issues with Halsey. She sees it as Halsey having stolen her life from her, killed her, and then abandoned her. Learning of the clone that was returned to her parents in her place makes it so that Halsey actually killed her [i]twice[i]. However, it's not really as significant as the Halsey-Mendez-Parangosky dynamic. Well, I'm done for now; if you made it this far, thanks for reading. Hopefully those of you I've insulted in other threads now understand why I think the things you're complaining about are stupid.
[Edited on 10.31.2011 7:00 AM PDT]