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Shadows of Archon II (part 20) - Second Strike
Posted By: Wado<wyamauchi@msn.com>
Date: 3 October 2002, 7:15 am
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Aboard the ship Destiny's Blade, the original Cortana plots a course to Archon. "We need to get Val to help, I'm preparing the stargate," said Cortana. "788, have you ever been to Archon?"
"No I haven't," replied 788, "and I don't think I ever will." 788 bows and looks at the floor.
At that moment a Forerunner Cruiser appears out of cloak between Destiny's Blade and the stargate. It is the Praetor's cruiser.
"How did you know 788?" said Cortana, but 788 didn't answer.
Over the comm comes an incoming transmission saying, "Well we did not expect that you could actually destroy Astragoth."
"You knew about that thing in the asteroid, why didn't you warn us?" said Cortana.
"We knew about him but not where," replied the Praetorian Elite. "We have been searching for him ever since he escaped Halo installation 04. Yes, he was one of the many we imprisoned there. Tell her about it 788GS."
"Yes master," said 788. "Installation 04 was not just a research facility but also a secret prison for our worst criminals. Astragoth was one of the worst. So bad was he and the others that we destroyed their bodies and imprisoned their spirits in stasis chambers buried deep inside the installation. It was he who the Covenant freed and feared, and it was he who tried to trick 343GS into activating the installation's weapons."
"You lying scum," said Cortana.
"Please Cortana, I was only following orders," said 788. "We had to..."
"Enough 788GS," said the Forerunner Praetorian Elite. "You don't have to tell her everything. Suffice to say Cortana that Astragoth needed a place to regenerate his body. He eluded us when he went to his old temple in the asteroid. We knew he was around, but not exactly where. We searched to no avail, but when you came along, we knew that Astragoth would sense the power of the Shadowguard armor and try to get it for himself. We planned on killing Astragoth ourselves after you led us to him, but somehow you did the deed for us."
"So you used us as bait," said Cortana, "and you didn't even say thank you. Well we will be on our way now."
"Not quite so fast Cortana," said the Praetorian Elite. "Lower your shields so that we can transport 788GS back to us."
"Lower shields? I don't know about that," said Cortana, "but to get rid of this scumbag machine... Yes, go back to your masters, 788."
"Don't do it Cortana," said 788. "If you do they will teleport Val away. They want the Shadowguard armor too."
"What insolence!" yelled the Praetorian Elite. "Lower your shields and we will severely punish 788GS."
Cortana's hologram looks at 788 who is floating silently looking towards the floor. "Praetorian Elite, are you not forgetting something about where we are?" said Cortana.
Indeed this is the outskirts of Sanctum, the Elite home system, and the stargate is broadcasting quite a location beacon to any and all ships around. Over one hundred Covenant warships are converging, among them twenty of their mightiest cruisers.
As the Praetorian Elite's attention is momentarily distracted, Cortana guns the engines on Destiny's Blade. 788GS slams into the walls, even with the inertial dampeners, the G-forces are enormous. Destiny's Blade loops in a spiral around the Forerunner cruiser and into the stargate. A second later, they appear over 300 light years away at the Archon home system.
"Welcome to Archon," said the voice of Commander Aspasia of the Archons. A dozen Archonian Akirakon class cruisers fade out of cloak around Destiny's Blade.
A little while later, as Val is being attended to, Princess Kira arrives with the commander of the Shadowguard, Prince Allen ShadeStalker. 788GS lowers to the ground, a sign of deep respect, and Cortana's hologram kneels.
"This is Prince Allen, commander of the Shadowguard," said Princess Kira, "and he has brought news that you defeated the insane Forerunner known as Astragoth. I see he did not exaggerate."
"Yes, it is true and 788GS helped greatly in the endeavor, your highness," said Cortana.
"Is that so," said Princess Kira. "Come both of you, there is much to tell you about these insane Forerunners and the Life Tree."
As Princess Kira tells of long ago times, both Cortana and 788 listen intently, caught in a trance. Yes she speaks of a great race of world builders -- the Ho Pic people whose gardens grew the essentials of life as we know it. Amongst their gardens were the trees that produced water and a more evolved form that produced medicine and food, and yet the most evolved form that was a tree of knowledge, intelligent and majestic. These trees were the great Life Trees whose fruit and nectar produced true Ambrosia. The Ambrosia could turn one into a god, but like all things good and bad, what you were and what you become are all just part of who you are -- A god in power, a god in knowledge, but also a god in lust and a god in pride. Forerunners who drew power from their surrounding sought the Ambrosia. When the Life Trees refused and went into hiding, the Forerunners sought to genetically alter the less evolved trees to Life Trees. Whether they made deals with the devil or were fated to doom, we do not know, but they achieved their task and drank from the nectar of their creations. The Ambrosia was bitter and with the power came a bending of the mind. Great powers they did gain and Astragoth was one of the first -- first to become a god among Forerunners. The wars began and history repeated, as in what happened in a galaxy far away; once again came the infection, the plague -- it had a new body but it was still the Flood.
------------------------------------------------
Second Strike
Far away, back in orbit around Earth, John tries out his upgraded armor in a combat simulation.
"Chief, the upgraded armor is still a prototype so the systems aren't all functional yet," said Cortana, "but based on today's tests, everything should be working by tomorrow."
"The suit is working great Cortana," said John as he fires a burst into the head of a holographic Grunt, "and these new weapons are much better suited for all terran warfare than the old models. Don't be such a worry wart."
"I'm not a worry wart," said Cortana. "Why did you call me that Chief."
"I think I've been around you long enough to tell when something is bothering you," said John, "and hey, where are we heading?"
"You felt that Chief?" said Cortana. "Yes we are going somewhere. The Moon of Orion has set a course to the asteroid fields. The Covenant raiders are getting more pervasive in the area and are attacking mining settlements."
"Simulation off," said John causing the holograms to disappear. "So Cortana what is bothering you?"
"Chief, you don't remember anything between the destruction of Halo and when we were found drifting near Pluto," said Cortana, "but during debriefing you were placed under hypnosis and you recalled some incoherent memories. Well, Chief, I have no memory at all of those times. It's like I was shut off four years ago. Not even a displaced electron to indicate that I had a memory deleted. And now Dr. Hasley..."
"Dr. Hasley is alive," blurted John.
"Chief I asked but they would not tell me if she is alive or if it is her brain pattern in an AI, like myself," replied Cortana, "but Chief, the finding was that I'm nearly a 100% match with Cortana of four years with age progression, but not 100%. In fact, some of my brain patterns have the markings of Covenant technology. I could be a copy Chief. Maybe I'm a mole for the Covenant."
"Did Captain Keyes put you up to this?" asked John.
"Chief, it's no joking matter, I'm scared," said Cortana, "and I feel so violated."
"Don't worry too much Cortana, you're not a mole, I just know it," said John, "and besides, creating another Cortana would be like the Covenant shooting themselves in the foot, one Cortana was more than what they could handle."
"Master Chief to the bridge," said a voice over the comm.
By the time John reaches the bridge, the whole ship is on alert. John enters the bridge. "Master Chief reporting, sir," said John.
"Chief, I thought you might enjoy the action from the bridge," said Captain Keyes. "My brother Jacob was a tactical genius, let's hope it runs in the family. Take us in Helm."
"Sir, confirmed six Covenant corvettes at 200,000 Kilometers," said the scanner officer.
"Sir, urgent incoming message from Fleet Command," interrupted the communications officer. "Fleet command is reporting over two thousand ships on a trajectory to Earth -- at least two hundred are cruiser-sized or larger. Fleet command is ordering us back to Earth."
"It looks like the Covenant have called our bluff," said Keyes. "Helm, plot us a course back to Earth. Master Chief, we will need you in the XX1 and ready to launch ASAP."
As John heads to the XX1, he takes a look at the passing crew of the Moon of Orion. If John fails in his mission, this will be the last time he will see any of them.
-- Next, Three Strikes You're Out --
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