Oblivion Chapter 2
Posted By: Reclaimer<Xenoragnarok@aol.com>
Date: 11 July 2003, 10:08 PM
Read/Post Comments
|
Jimmy descended the stairs to the New York City subway system. The New York City subway system had been the first subway system in the world, and though the technology had changed, the subway's underground atmosphere had not. 600 years had mutated the underground transportation system from the caves of old to the caves of tomorrow; pale electric lights had given way to fluorescent light, and finally, light-producing algae had replaced man-made lights altogether. It was an ecologically-friendly way of producing light that cost little to maintain, and it did off lots of fresh oxygen. Jimmy pondered this light-giving algae until the subway train finally arrived.
The door opened, and Jimmy entered the train car and sat down. He looked around at other people, noting the grim faces that hadn't changed since he stepped out of his house. A television monitor displayed torn and twisted pieces of UNSC frigates and battleships. Jimmy watched as salvage teams tried to save anything they could from the wreckage, and a glaring number at the bottom of the screen screamed 80 percent battle casualties. As soon as the train had stopped, Jimmy exited subway.
Jimmy double-timed it the rest of the way to the lab, hopped up the giant stairs, and went in. Before him stood a blank wall. Instinctively, he took out his card and swiped it through a card reader. The door opened. A second security check scanned his palm print, finger print, and retina.
A third check scanned his DNA, and a final check asked for his voice and password. The huge vault door opened. Inside, a handful of scientists were putting the finishing touches on their latest project: the Mark VI MJOLNIR battle armor. With the SPARTANS gone, the future of this latest, greatest incarnation may never be completed, for only when a SPARTAN filled the suit's cavities would the suit be complete.
Master Chief awoke from his Flood-infested slumber aboard his escape boat and sat up. He looked out of the Longsword's window at the universe; it was beautiful, and, yet, it hid the dangers that lurked behind its misty haze of stars. He rubbed his eyes and popped a nutrient pill into his mouth. It was supposed to be banana flavored, if bananas were tasting like chalk nowadays. He walked into the bathroom and took a big long leak. The machines hummed and whirred as they recycled the water from the Chief's urine. The Chief walked back out, examined a couple of readings on the monitor, and sat back down.
"Cortana?"
Cortana appeared as a ghostly hologram.
"Yes, Chief? Chief! Put some clothes on!"
Blushing, he let out a bashful laugh and slipped on a pair of battle fatigues.
"Cortana, I've been meaning to ask you something."
"I feared as much."
"Cortana, what did you find? What did you find in Halo?"
Cortana's color changed from purple to dark blue.
"It's quite a long story, actually. The Forerunner built
Halo as a fortress world to control its empire. They also did experiments on the ring. One of those experiments were the Flood. The Flood, however, would not be controlled. A massive outbreak swept through the Forerunner empire. In a bold move that would wipe out the Flood's food supply, the Forerunner initiated Code Gold."
"Code Gold?"
"Drastic times call for drastic measures; Code Gold was about as drastic as they came. The Flood had penetrated well into the Forerunner's colonies by then. Cornered and back against the wall, the Forerunners activated the Halos. The Halos created a massive blast of energy that fried the organic circuitry of any animals fit for Flood consumption. The Forerunner picked up the pieces of their shattered and once-grand dominion and just disappeared. Some Flood were kept, however. I'm sure that you're well acquainted with the survivors by now. "
"Tell me one more thing. Who was Guilty Spark?"
"Guilty Spark is a rat! That lying sack of grunt pellets.... He is an AI that was left behind before the Forerunners could shut him down. Before the Flood ransacked the galaxy, Guilty Spark was a science AI. It is possible that he was the one who engineered and/or released the Flood, as it is my belief that he had become self-aware by the time of the outbreak."
"Self-aware?... Something tells me he wanted his organic overlords out of the way."
"Precisely."
"Cortana, where are we now?"
"13 light-years from Earth."
"Make haste, then! We must stop the Covenant!"
Master Chief lay back down and went to sleep. He began to snore like a chainsaw, and Cortana smiled.
|
