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Sentinel Combat Log
Posted By: Cthulhu117<spartan_eric_271@yahoo.com>
Date: 13 December 2005, 9:37 pm


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Author's Note: This is no more than a retelling of the Master Chief's journey through the Library. It is told (obviously) from the point of view of a Sentinel...one of the Sentinels who guards the Chief in the Library, and coincidentally also one of the Sentinels in the Control Room.


SENTINEL ALPHA-24601 COMBAT RECORDER LOG Y 101217.0576 LY

LOG ENTRY 1 (101217.0576)
Main memory and combat matrices activated. Charging Sentinel-class laser beam weapon for combat. No target located. Standby mode. Awaiting orders from Monitor.

LOG ENTRY 2 (101217.0580)
Order file received. Clearance Alpha. Reading file........

GROUP ORDER 5142
Protect and assist Reclaimer Gamma as a path to the Index is cleared. Prioritize all Flood targets. Fire without command.
END GROUP ORDER 5142

Reconfiguring assault strategy matrix to meet requirements specified in 5142........
Reconfiguration complete.

LOG ENTRY 3 (101217.0588)
Laser charging halted at 77% charge. Error found in Laser Array Upsilon. Activating backup unit...
Laser charged at 100%.

LOG ENTRY 4 (101217.0590)
Target located-designation Flood Combat Form, mutated from reptilian race designated 'Sangheili'. Armament: Light projectile weapon-Class 1. Searching files for anti-weapon strategy.....no file located. New weapon. Recommend laser activation.

LOG ENTRY 5 (101217.0591)
Firing .0004 unit beam at acquired target. Target injured. Firing .0004 unit beam again. Target...destroyed. Mark body at coordinates (183, 736, 100). Searching...no target acquired.

LOG ENTRY 6 (101217. 0594)
Target located-designation Reclaimer. Target located-designation Monitor. Standing down weaponry. Receiving order file. Clearance Alpha. Reading file......

GROUP ORDER 5143
Follow Reclaimer Gamma. Stand by for further orders.
END GROUP ORDER 5143

LOG ENTRY 7 (101217. 1003)
Reclaimer Gamma nearing Index. Receiving GROUP ORDER 5144......

GROUP ORDER 5144
Countermand previous orders. Activate teleportation field to control room. Await further orders there.
END GROUP ORDER 5144

Reconfiguring order files 5142.ord and 5143.ord......Done.
Activating teleportation matrix. Teleportation field complete.

LOG ENTRY 8 (101217.1013)
Targets located-designations Reclaimer and Monitor. Weapons on standby. Receiving order file. Reading order file......

GROUP ORDER 5145
Record and store conversation in file designated MONITOR-RECLAIMER7.con.
END GROUP ORDER 5145

Recording and storing conversation in file MONITOR-RECLAIMER7.con......
PLAYBACK.....

VOICE A (running search.....voice designated .)
...is something wrong?

VOICE B (running search.....voice not found.....designating .)
No...nothing.

MONITOR
Splendid. Shall we?

Unfortunately, my usefulness in this particular endeavor has come to an end. Protocol does not allow units of my classification to perform a task as important as the reunification of the index with the core. That final step is reserved for you, Reclaimer.

{Recording actions...Reclaimer has begun Halo activation sequence...linking to Halo mainframe...
ACTIVATION SEQUENCE BEGUN
Powering up primary pulse generators...ERROR TYPE 7...Index is not responding...Sequence stalled...
}

MONITOR
Odd, that wasn't supposed to happen.

VOICE C (running search...voice not found...designation
Oh really?!

{Recording actions...Monitor temporarily neutralized by localized electromagnetic pulse of unknown origin.}

RECLAIMER
Cortana?

VOICE C (Designating .)
I've spent the last 12 hours cooped up in here, watching you toady about, helping that thing get set to slit our throats!

RECLAIMER
Hold on now, he's a friend.

CORTANA
Oh? I didn't realize. He's your pal, is he? Your chum? Do you have any idea what that bastard almost made you do?!

RECLAIMER
Yes... Activate Halo's defenses, and destroy the Flood, which is why we brought the index to the control center.

CORTANA
You mean this?

{Recording actions...AI designated Cortana is in possession of Index.}

MONITOR
A construct?! In the core?! That is absolutely unacceptable!

CORTANA
Sod off!

MONITOR
What impertinence! I shall purge you at once!

CORTANA
You sure that's a good idea?

{Recording actions...Index has been transferred into AI designated Cortana's memory storage.}

MONITOR
How... How dare you! I'll-

CORTANA
Do what? I have the index! You can just float and sputter!

RECLAIMER
Enough! The flood is spreading. If we activate Halo's defenses, we can wipe them out.

CORTANA
You have no idea how this ring works, do you? Why the Forerunners built it? Halo doesn't kill flood, it kills their food. Humans, Covenant, whatever. We're all equally edible. The only way to stop the flood is to starve them to death. And that's exactly what Halo is designed to do; wipe the galaxy clean of all sentient life. You don't believe me? Ask him.

RECLAIMER
Is it true?

MONITOR
More or less. Technically, this installation's pulse has a maximum effective radius of twenty-five thousand light years. But, once the others follow suit, this galaxy will be quite devoid of life, or at least any life with sufficient biomass to sustain the flood. But you already knew that. I mean, how couldn't you?

CORTANA
Left out that little detail, did he?

MONITOR
We have followed outbreak containment procedure to the letter. You were with me each step of the way, as we managed this crisis.

CORTANA
Chief, I'm picking up movement!

MONITOR
Why would you hesitate to do what you have already done?

CORTANA
We need to go, right now.

{PAUSE RECORD}

LOG ENTRY 9 (101217.1026)
Receiving order file...Reading order file...

GROUP ORDER 5146
Prepare to attack potentially rampant Reclaimer. Open fire on command.
END GROUP ORDER 5146

{CONTINUE RECORD}

MONITOR
Last time you asked me: if it was my choice, would I do it? Having considerable time to ponder your query, my answer has not changed.

{Recording actions...AI memory chip uploaded into Reclaimer's neural net.)

MONITOR
There is no choice. We must activate the ring.

CORTANA
Get us out of here!

MONITOR
If you are unwilling to help, I will simply find another. Still, I must have the Index. Give your construct to me, or I will be forced to take her from you.

RECLAIMER
That's not going to happen.

MONITOR
So be it. Save his head. Destroy the rest.

{Recording actions...teleportation field opened...Monitor has teleported to unknown coordinates.}

{END RECORD}

LOG ENTRY 10 (101217.1033)
Receiving order file...Reading order file...

GROUP ORDER 5147
Attack and neutralize rampant Reclaimer. Do not harm AI designated Cortana.
END GROUP ORDER 5147

Reconfiguring combat matrix to accommodate order modification...Done.

LOG ENTRY 11 (101217.1034)
Target located- designated Reclaimer. Armed with light projectile weapon Class 2. Searching files for anti-weapon strategy. File found from previous engagement with Flood armed with same weapon at 101217.0705. Recommend engagement from long distance; weapon is weak at range.

LOG ENTRY 12 (101217.1036)
Sentinel Alpha 21806 destroyed by target. Laser fully charged. Attacking enemy from 173.984 yards. Enemy damaged.

LOG ENTRY 13 (101217.1040)
Sentinel Alpha 53921 destroyed by target. Firing laser from 113.2 yards. Enemy damaged. Energy defense shield protecting enemy has deactivated.

LOG ENTRY 14 (101217.1046)
Sentinel Alpha 11378 destroyed by target. Firing laser from 75.056 yards...WARNING LASER OVERHEAT...Venting gas in effort to cool weapon...

LOG ENTRY 15 (101217.1053)
Enemy has re-armed with light plasma weapon Class 1...enemy overcharging weapon with huge plasma pulse. Searching files for anti-weapon strategy...no file found. Recommend temporary cessation of assault.

LOG ENTRY 16 (101217.1055)
WARNING PULSE RELEASED...activate evasive protocols...evasive maneuvers successful...WARNING PULSE IS TRACKING...reactivate evasive protocols...evasive protocol has failed...WARNING PULSE IMPACT IN .040453 UNITS...

LOG ENTRY 17 (101217.1057)
WARNING PULSE IMPACT...failure in power subsystem Beta...chassis fractured...power system overload...WARNING FUSION CELL COMBUSTION IMMINENT-

COMBAT RECORDER Y HALT - CAUSE: MEMORY CELL COMBUSTION - SYSTEM OVERLOAD TYPE 2 - UNIT INCAPACITATED/DESTROYED.................





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