Halo. Flood

by William C. Dietz

  He hit the accelerator, but the rest was more a matter of luck rather than skill. The Master Chief pushed the ’Hog up a ramp, felt the bottom drop out of his stomach as the LRV flew through the air, dropped two or three levels, hit hard, slewed sideways, and came to a stop.

  The Chief wrestled with the wheel, brought the front end around, and glanced at the timer. It read: 01:10:20. He stamped on the accelerator. The Warthog shot ahead, raced through a narrow tunnel, then slowed as he spotted the array of horizontally striped barrels that blocked the road ahead. Not only that—but the entire area was swarming with Covenant and Flood. The Master Chief jumped out, hit the ground running, and gunned an Elite who had the misfortune to get in the way.

  The fighter was straight ahead, ramp down, waiting for him to come aboard. Plasma bolts stuttered past his head, explosions hurled debris in every direction, and then he was there, boots pounding on metal as he entered the ship.

  The ramp came up just as a mob of Flood arrived, the Longsword shook in sympathy as another explosion rocked the Pillar of Autumn, and the Spartan staggered as he made his way forward. Precious seconds were consumed as he dropped into the pilot’s seat, brought the engines online, and took the controls.

  “Here we go.”

  The Chief made use of the ship’s belly jets to push the Longsword up off the deck. He turned the fighter counterclockwise, and hit the throttles. Gee forces pushed him back into his seat as the spacecraft exploded out of its bay and blasted up through the atmosphere.

  Yayap, who had made it to the edge of the foothills by then, heard a series of dull thuds and turned in time to see a line of red-orange flowers bloom along the length of the Autumn’s much abused hull.

  As the cruiser’s fusion drives went critical, a compact sun blossomed on the surface of Halo. Its thermonuclear sphere carved a five-kilometer crater into the superdense ring material and sent powerful pressure waves rippling throughout the structure. Both up- and down-spin of the explosion, the fireball flattened and sterilized the surface terrain. Within moments, the yellow-white core had consumed all of the available fuel, collapsed upon itself, and winked out.

  Still spinning, but unable to withstand the forces exerted on this new weak point, the ring structure slowly tore itself apart. Huge chunks of debris tumbled end over end out into space, as a five-hundred-kilometer-long section of the ringworld’s hull sliced through an even longer curve of brilliantly engineered metal, earth, and water, and produced a cascade of eerily silent explosions.

  There was an insistent beeping sound as the words ENGINE TEMP CRITICAL flashed on the control panel, and Cortana said, “Shut them down. We’ll need them later.”

  The Master Chief reached up to flick some switches, got up out of his seat, and arrived in front of the viewport in time to see the last intact piece of Halo’s hull sheared in half by the dreadful slow-motion ballet of flying metal.

  For some reason he thought of Lieutenant Melissa McKay, her calm green eyes, and the fact that he had never gotten to know her. “Did anyone else make it?”

  “Scanning,” the AI replied. She paused, and he could see scan data scroll across the main terminal. A moment later, she spoke again, her voice unusually quiet. “Just dust and echoes. We’re all that’s left.”

  The Spartan winced. McKay, Foehammer, Keyes, and all the rest of them. Dead. Just like the children he’d been raised with—just like a part of himself.

  When Cortana spoke it was as if the AI felt that she had to justify what had transpired. “We did what we had to do—for Earth. An entire Covenant armada obliterated. And the Flood—we had no choice. Halo, it’s finished.”

  “No,” the Chief replied, settling in behind the Longsword’s controls. “The Covenant are still out there, and Earth is at risk. We’re just getting started.”

  ADJUNCT

  Lak,

  I’ve extracted the priority log and attached it to the end of this transmission. I know this isn’t good, not because of what I’ve done but because of what I failed to do. I am shamed by the loss of the Holy Ring, but I needed you to know the full truth.

  I humbly await the Council’s ruling.

  In peace,

  Thel

  * * *

  PRIORITY BROADCAST LOG / ELEVENTH CYCLE, THIRD UNIT

  SECURITY ACCESS FOR TIER ONE OF COVENANT MILITARY COMMAND ONLY.

  ILLEGAL ACCESS OF THIS LOG IS IMMEDIATELY PUNISHABLE BY EXECUTION.

  ENTRY 34589/9070454—PURIFICATION

  Fleet of Holy Respite and the Fleet of Particular Justice move to system perimeter and form blockade to eliminate any escaping craft. Purification process of human world—Reach—remains in progress.

  ENTRY 90907/9090304—COWARDLY PREY

  Fleet of Particular Justice engages human attack vessel type C-11 at coordinates 343950-410958. Slipspace breach detected, fleet contingent responds accordingly.

  ENTRY 86911/9103362—IN PURSUIT

  Trajectory confirmed: Particular Justice contingent following tail, Slipspace supersession imminent. Estimated return to normal space 34905 units. Destination currently unknown.

  ENTRY 45751/9157545—ARRIVAL

  Artificial superstructure sighted upon arrival. Two local planetary bodies are present, strategic reticulation established and calibrated—fleet posture is adhering. Confirmation received and validated, structure is a Holy Ring. Security protocol enacted per Fleet Master Thel ‘Vadamee, recon pickets established and awaiting type C-11 at far side of Ring.

  ENTRY 59045/9231487—RECLAMATION

  Confirmation of the presence of Halo may require San ‘Shyuum leadership if available. Prophet claims that the Ring is a religious matter, not a military one, and invokes immediate adherence to reclamation procedure under his leadership.

  ENTRY 14075/9245455—HIGH CHARITY

  Minor Prophet and Fleet Master convene aboard Seeker of Truth and attempt to contact High Charity to ensure interpretation of scripture is accurate. Fleet Master is reluctant to relinquish command with an approaching human military threat. Communication cannot be made with High Charity. No decision is made.

  ENTRY 68245/9290304—BREACH

  Human ship arrives and engages immediately. Minor Prophet refuses to return heavy fire for fear of damaging the Holy Ring. Fleet Master ignores command, returns fire aggressively. Orders to breach and infiltrate vessel are issued by Minor Prophet. Ossoona dispatched.

  ENTRY 68245/9312885—GAS MINE

  Minor Prophet sends expeditionary forces to outlying gas facility, distinctly Forerunner in origin. Sesa ‘Refumee and Loka ‘Bandolee lead detachment. Fleet Master disapproves, issues close-band transmission demanding all military forces be concentrated on the human threat posed to the Holy Ring.

  ENTRY 68245/9390304—FACILITY

  Minor Prophet issues secondary and tertiary artifact recovery groups to outlying Forerunner weapon cache. Communication with recovery groups has since gone silent. Fourth group is issued. Fleet Master sends second transmission demanding cease and desist on force misappropriation by the Minor Prophet of Stewardship. No response received from Prophet.

  ENTRY 68245/9400304—EMERGENCY ACTION

  Fleet Master sends single infantry unit to the supercarrier Ascendant Justice to relieve the Minor Prophet of his duties until the human threat is mitigated. Contact with unit is lost upon approach of supercarrier. Prophet advises that any future affront to his leadership will be met with the same lethal finality.

  ENTRY 45865/9410781—INFINITE SUCCOR

  Emergency beacon has been activated on Infinite Succor. Threat assessment is piqued, unknown hostile contacts, humans are suspected. Special Operations detachment sent to assess situation, procure the Minister of Etiology, and return the Legate to Seeker of Truth.

  ENTRY 68245/9450304—FAILURE

  Minor Prophet commands the execution of Soha ’Rolamee for failing to secure Forerunner science facility. Significant threat detected on Halo—origin unknown. Fleet Master demands additional data on
security failure. Fleet Master and security strike force prepare to personally board Ascendant Justice to physically relieve the Prophet of leadership.

  ENTRY 68245/9490304—COMMANDER

  Commander Rtas ‘Vadumee returns to Seeker of Truth severely injured. The threat aboard the Infinite Succor was not human—it was Flood. Legate is dead. Fleet Master invokes emergency quarantine response, priority alpha. All remaining sterile vehicles should fire immediately upon any craft which does not return clean biometric scans of crew.

  ENTRY 89531/9609243—DEPARTURE

  Minor Prophet moves with personal security contingent from Ascendant Justice to Truth and Reconciliation, orders local crew to police ship, detain anyone who poses a threat to the Consecration—including the Fleet Master.

  ENTRY 68245/9620304—ASCENDANT JUSTICE

  Fleet Master boards Ascendant Justice. No shots fired. Existing crew acknowledge his leadership rights, realign forces, and support Ascendant Justice detail.

  ENTRY 68245/9670304—TRUTH AND RECONCILIATION

  Humans have seized Truth and Reconciliation. Security compromised, Prophet and his guard have been captured and detained. Prophet issues emergency rescue request to all remaining Covenant vessels in vicinity. Transmission sent successfully.

  ENTRY 68245/9690304—ESCAPE

  Transmission received successfully. Fleet Master denies special request; Halo’s destruction is imminent. He orders all remaining surviving ships to take cover behind gas giant.

  < FILE: -- DATE:

  < USER: CLASSIFIED [LEVEL AND ABOVE]

  < ENTRY: 47-2396/10763

  < CLEARANCE: CLASSIFIED [LEVEL AND ABOVE]

  < TYPE: AUDIO TRANSCRIPT

  < SUBJECT: ANALYSIS OF DISTRESS SIGNAL SENT FROM UNSC BUMBLEBEE-CLASS LIFEPOD LFA-19 BY PFC [] DURING THE INCIDENT [MORE].

  < OBJECTIVE: ANALYZE INFORMATION CONTAINED WITHIN FILE NO. --’S AUDIO TRANSCRIPT FOR DETAILS PERTINENT TO ONGOING THREAT FROM VIRULENT EXTRATERRESTRIAL LIFE-FORM DESIGNATE: , AS ENCOUNTERED ON ALIEN CONSTRUCT DESIGNATE: . [MORE]

  < FILE TYPE: BASIC [FOR FURTHER DETAILS PERTAINING TO THIS DOCUMENT, INCLUDING PARTICIPANT BACKGROUND FILES, CLEARANCE-SENSITIVE AMENDMENTS, AND MORE, CLICK: HERE]

  < NOTE: ALL OTHER ENTRIES RELATED TO FILE NO. -- ARE UNDER REVIEW. FULL REPORT PENDING COMPLETION OF INVESTIGATION.

  < DATA: BEGIN 47-2396/10763 TRANSCRIPT [NOTES INCLUDED] . . .

  SYSTEM:

  POWER INITIATED.

  SYSTEM:

  SYSTEM BOOT IN PROGRESS.

  SYSTEM:

  SYSTEM: ONLINE.

  SYSTEM:

  PRIMARY FREQUENCY:

  SYSTEM:

  SIGNAL: MODERATE

  SYSTEM:

  SYSTEM: RECEIVING. [0 SIGNALS INCOMING]

  SYSTEM:

  SYSTEM: TRANSMITTING. [ERROR]

  SYSTEM:

  SYSTEM: TRANSMITTING. [ERROR]

  SYSTEM:

  SYSTEM: TRANSMITTING. [999,999,999,999 SYSTEMS RECEIVING]

  SYSTEM:

  SYSTEM: TRANSMITTING. [ERROR]

  SYSTEM:

  SIGNAL STRENGTH: MODERATE

  SYSTEM:

  AUDIO CAPTURE: ONLINE.

  AUDIO:

  [0001]

  “ . . . THIS THING EVEN ON . . . ?”

  SYSTEM:

  VISUAL CAPTURE: OFFLINE.

  AUDIO:

  [0002]

  “IT’S RECORDING . . . IT’S . . . I KNOW IT’S RECORDING . . . BUT IS ANYONE GETTING THIS? HELLO . . . ? IS THERE ANYONE THERE? ANYONE LEFT?”

  AUDIO:

  [0003]

  [NOTE: MOVEMENT: UNDEFINED. DURATION: 00:00:07:59. FULL, ENHANCED AUDIO ANALYSIS CAN BE FOUND HERE.]

  AUDIO:

  [0004]

  “MY NAME IS . . . PRIVATE . . . . . . PRIVATE FIRST CLASS . . . . ID: . I’M PART OF THE . . . FUH . . . . . . CHRIST . . . THEY’RE ALL . . . EVERYONE . . . . . . THEY’RE ALL DEAD . . . DEAD OR WORSE . . . OR . . .”

  AUDIO:

  [0005]

  [MOVEMENT: UNDEFINED. DURATION: 00:00:32:06.] [NOTE: FULL, ENHANCED AUDIO ANALYSIS CAN BE FOUND HERE.]

  AUDIO:

  [0006]

  “IS THIS THING WORKING? PLEASE, HELP ME . . . PLEASE . . . SOMEONE COME THROUGH . . . SOMEONE . . . PICK UP, OKAY? JUST PICK UP . . . ANSWER, PLEASE . . . WE NEED HELP? I NEED HELP . . .”

  AUDIO:

  [0007]

  [NOTE: SILENCE. DURATION: 00:00:32:06. FULL, ENHANCED AUDIO ANALYSIS CAN BE FOUND HERE.]

  AUDIO:

  [0008]

  “I’M PART OF . . . WAS PART OF . . . THE, UH . . . THE SEVENTY-NINTH INFANTRY BATTALION . . . OUTTA THE . . . OUTTA THE PILLAR OF . . . . . . PILLAR OF AUTUMN, AND THE AUTUMN’S GONE . . . EVERYBODY’S GONE. I NEED HELP. I NEED . . . I DON’T THINK ANYONE ELSE IS . . .”

  AUDIO:

  [0009]

  [NOTE: MOVEMENT: UNDEFINED. DURATION: 00:07:12:41. FULL, ENHANCED AUDIO ANALYSIS CAN BE FOUND HERE.]

  AUDIO:

  [0010]

  “IT’S NOT COVENANT. I DON’T KNOW . . . I HAVE NO IDEA WHERE WE ARE . . . I JUST . . . I DON’T KNOW . . . BUT THIS PLACE . . . . . . THE THINGS HERE . . . THEY’RE WORSE . . .”

  AUDIO:

  [0011]

  [NOTE: SOBBING. MOVEMENT: UNDEFINED. DURATION: 00:00:05:19. FULL, ENHANCED AUDIO ANALYSIS CAN BE FOUND HERE.]

  AUDIO:

  [0012]

  “IS THIS COMING THROUGH? ARE YOU GETTING THIS SIGNAL? ANYONE? COME ON . . . COME ON! THIS IS A PRIORITY ALPHA DISTRESS CALL! WE CRASHED HERE, AND I DON’T KNOW WHERE IT IS . . . AND THESE THINGS . . . THESE CREATURES . . . THERE’S . . . . . . NOTHING LIKE IT . . . THEY’RE EVERYWHERE . . . AND THEY DON’T . . . THEY DON’T STOP . . .”

  AUDIO:

  [0013]

  [NOTE: SOBBING. MOVEMENT: UNDEFINED. DURATION: 00:00:17:03. FULL, ENHANCED AUDIO ANALYSIS CAN BE FOUND HERE.]

  AUDIO:

  [0014]

  “I JUST WANNA GO HOME . . . I DON’T WANNA BE . . . . . . DON’T WANNA BE HERE ANYMORE . . . CAN YOU HEAR THIS . . . ? PLEASE . . . SOMEONE, JUST SAY SOMETHING, SO . . .”

  AUDIO:

  [0015]

  [NOTE: MOVEMENT: UNDEFINED. DURATION: 00:00:58:13. ADDITIONAL EXTERIOR SOUND: UNDEFINED, POSSIBLE MOVEMENT. DURATION: ONGOING. EXTERIOR SOUND APPEARS TO BE INCREASING, APPROACHING. SUBJECT IS NOT ALONE. FULL, ENHANCED AUDIO ANALYSIS CAN BE FOUND HERE.]

  AUDIO:

  [0016]

  “THEY’RE COMING. LIKE BUGS . . . . . . LIKE GIANT DAMN, LIKE, ROACHES . . . ER, I DON’T KNOW . . . I DON’T . . . THEY’RE LIKE THESE MONSTERS . . . I CAN’T FIGHT ’EM . . . CAN’T FIGHT . . . I CAN’T . . .”

  AUDIO:

  [0017]

  [NOTE: SOBBING. MOVEMENT: UNDEFINED. DURATION: 00:00:13:27. EXTERIOR MOVEMENT: UNDEFINED. DURATION: ONGOING. FULL, ENHANCED AUDIO ANALYSIS CAN BE FOUND HERE.]

  AUDIO:

  [0018]

  “NOBODY’S THERE . . . YOU’RE NOT THERE. NOBODY’S LISTENING . . . NOT TO THIS . . . NOT TO ME . . . I JUST WANT . . . I’M SCARED. . . . I JUST WANNA GO HOME, BUT NOBODY’S . . . . . . NOBODY’S GETTING THIS . . . THERE’S NOBODY THERE . . . JUST ME . . . JUST ME AND JUST THEM . . . JUST ME AND I’M ALL ALONE . . .”

  AUDIO:

  [0019]

  [NOTE: SOBBING. MOVEMENT: UNDEFINED. DURATION: 00:00:08:10. EXTERIOR MOVEMENT: UNDEFINED. DURATION: ONGOING. FULL, ENHANCED AUDIO ANALYSIS CAN BE FOUND HERE.]

  AUDIO:

  [0020]

  “I CAN HEAR ’EM . . . LIKE . . . IT’S LIKE SCRATCHING ON MY BRAIN . . . THE WAY THEY MOVE . . . AND WHAT THEY DO . . . THEY DON’T JUST . . . . . . THEY CHANGE YOU . . . THEY KILL YOU . . . BUT THEY DON’T . . . THEY CHANGE YOU . . . I CAN’T . . .”

  AUDIO:

  [0021]

  [NOTE: SOBBING. MOVEMENT: FRANTIC, UNDEFINED. DURATION: 00:00:17:11. ADDITIONAL EXTERIOR SOUND: UNDEFIN
ED, POSSIBLE MOVEMENT. DURATION: ONGOING. FULL, ENHANCED AUDIO ANALYSIS CAN BE FOUND HERE.]

  AUDIO:

  [0022]

  “THEY’RE HERE . . .”

  AUDIO:

  [0023]

  [NOTE: MOVEMENT: UNDEFINED. DURATION: 00:00:06:43. EXTERIOR MOVEMENT: UNDEFINED. DURATION: ONGOING. FULL, ENHANCED AUDIO ANALYSIS CAN BE FOUND HERE.]

  AUDIO:

  [0024]

  “IF ANYONE . . . IF ANYONE’S GETTING THIS . . . IF ANYONE SEES IT . . . I’M SORRY . . .”

  AUDIO:

  [0025]

  [NOTE: AUDIO ANALYSIS: SINGLE M6C MUZZLE REPORT. FULL, ENHANCED AUDIO ANALYSIS CAN BE FOUND HERE.]

  AUDIO:

  [0026]

  [NOTE: MOVEMENT: UNDEFINED. DURATION: 00:00:01:02. EXTERIOR MOVEMENT: UNDEFINED. DURATION: ONGOING.]

  AUDIO:

  [0027]

  [NOTE: CLASSIFIED. FURTHER REVIEW OF AUDIO/VISUAL CAPTURE RELATED TO FILE NO. --- IS RESERVED FOR SECURITY CLEARANCE LEVEL AND ABOVE.]

  \END TRANSMISSION>>

  HUNGER

  Sound.

  Cold. Hunger.

  Hunger. Sound. Motion. Cold. Motion. Hunger. Barrier.

  Hunger.

  Light. Sound. Hunger. Warmth. Freedom. Hunger.

  Searching. Searching. Hunger. Warmth. Sound. Fear. Searching.

  Jump.