Editing Absolute Record

{{Status|Canon}}
[[File:HE20 Absolute Record.jpg|thumb|300px|The Absolute Record]]
The '''Absolute Record''' is a [[Forerunner]] artifact repository spread across multiple sites associated with the [[Janus Key]].{{Ref/SpOps|Id=Key|Key}}{{Ref/Site|Id=Grim|URL=https://www.halowaypoint.com/en-us/forums/db05ce78845f4120b062c50816008e5d/topics/canon-fodder-7-8-16-crown-jul/923e6171-8801-47c0-95cc-0c6c1dac13ef/posts?page=2/|Site=Halo Waypoint Forums|Page=Canon Fodder 7/8/16: Crown Jul|Quote=Part of it is that we sometimes are a victim of our own attempts at simplification for a wide audience, as well as establishing/oversimplifying Jul's intent. Part of it is that the Absolute Record is... weird lol. Statement has been adjusted to provide some clarity and distinction between some of the physical, philosophical, and digital elements of this particular Forerunner site/artifact/repository.|Quotee=Jeff Easterling|D=20|M=12|Y=2019}}{{Ref/Site|URL=https://www.halowaypoint.com/news/the-new-halo-encyclopedia-is-out-today|Site=Halo Waypoint|Page=The New Halo Encyclopedia is Out Today|D=11|M=03|Y=2023}} One of the Absolute Record's local facilities was overseen by the [[Contender-class artificial intelligence|Contender-class]] [[ancilla]], [[Invariant Bias]].{{Ref/Comic|Id=he20|HEsc|Issue=20}}

==Overview==
The Absolute Record served as the primary repository of information and archival data for the Forerunner [[Ecumene]], and served to detail and catalog all Forerunner devices and technology. The record worked alongside the [[Domain]] to serve effectively as a local backup for information stored in the Domain, with the Absolute Record's local nodes preserving vital data clusters and working in parallel with the Domain to help index Forerunner civilisation.{{Ref/Book|Id=Enc22|Enc22|Page=358}}

Repositories for the Absolute Record exist in a number of locations, including one such facility buried between [[Mount Kilimanjaro]] on [[Earth]] - close to the site of the [[Portal at Voi]].{{Ref/Reuse|Enc22}}{{Ref/Novel|Id=HR48|HRen|Chapter=48}} The [[Ariel Forerunner complex]] and its [[monitor]], [[The Knowing]], was a similar installation charged with archiving and recording information - though it is unknown whether the site was associated with the Absolute Record.

==History==
In [[2557]], during an encounter with [[343 Guilty Spark]] beneath [[Mount Kilimanjaro]] on [[Earth]], a personality imprint of the [[Librarian]] stated that she would go to the Absolute Record once their conversation was over to join her other personality imprints who had already gone there. Though the Librarian offered to allow Spark to join her, he chose to remain on Earth to help his friends amongst the crew of the ''[[Ace of Spades]]''.{{Ref/Reuse|HR48}}

In [[2558]], the Librarian's stored personality on [[Requiem]] instructed Doctor [[Catherine Halsey]] to take the [[Janus Key]] to the Absolute Record{{Ref/Reuse|Key}} and was later sent there itself by [[Fireteam Crimson]].{{Ref/SpOps|Key|The Search for Halsey}} After the [[Battle of Aktis IV|events]] on [[Aktis IV]], Dr. Halsey and [[Jul 'Mdama]] managed to acquire both halves of the Janus Key.{{Ref/Comic|HEsc|Issue=16}} After several months, Halsey was able to pin-point the exact coordinates of the Absolute Record by analyzing the completed Janus Key. With their destination revealed, 'Mdama's [[Jul 'Mdama's Covenant faction| fleet]] set course for the Absolute Record. However, unbeknownst to the Covenant, a [[UNSC]] team consisting of [[SPARTAN-IV program|Spartans]] [[Sarah Palmer|Palmer]], [[Gabriel Thorne|Thorne]] and [[Holly Tanaka|Tanaka]] as well as [[Henry Glassman|Dr. Glassman]], and [[Office of Naval Intelligence|ONI]] operative [[Ayit 'Sevi]] managed to infiltrate a {{Class|CAS|assault carrier}}—''[[Breath of Annihilation]]''—within 'Mdama's fleet, with the intentions to reveal the location of the Absolute Record to the UNSC.{{Ref/Comic|Id=HE19|HEsc|Issue=19}}

When the fleet arrived at an apparently artificial gas giant, the Janus Key reacted and a [[slipspace portal]] opened nearby. However, [[slipspace]] ruptures destroyed two [[Covenant cruiser|cruisers]] within the fleet and damaged ''Breath of Annihilation''.{{Ref/Reuse|HE19}} While the Covenant fleet recovered, Thorne and 'Sevi attempted to regain contact with the UNSC on ''Annihilation'' while Palmer, Tanaka, and Glassman traveled to ''[[Song of Retribution]]''—'Mdama's [[flagship]]. Shortly after, ''Song of Retribution'' entered the portal alone and arrived at the Absolute Record, where the installation's [[Contender-class artificial intelligence]] detected the [[human]]s aboard the carrier.{{Ref/Reuse|he20}} Halsey and Jul exited the ''Retribution'' with a security force of [[Sangheili Zealot|Zealots]], but the custodian AI did not relinquish control to her immediately as she expected. Instead it summoned the other humans hiding inside 'Mdama's ship, killed all the Zealots when they attacked the local [[Aggressor Sentinel]]s, and assembled both factions for a test for who would be the true master of the Absolute Record.{{Ref/Comic|Id=HE21|HEsc|Issue=21}}

The Monitor put the survivors to the test by querying them about how they would respond in a hypothetical scenario, but Halsey grew impatient and hacked the [[ancilla]]. With it disabled, she took control of the facility and allowed herself into its central chamber.{{Ref/Comic|Id=HE22|HEsc|Issue=22}} At it she could activate hidden [[design seed]]s planted around the galaxy, and also took the opportunity to cut off her alliance with Jul by attacking him and his reinforcement warriors with Sentinels. In midst of the attack, Palmer, Tanaka, and Glassman aided the ancilla's backup program (stored in a Sentinel) so it could regain control of the Record.{{Ref/Comic|Id=HE23|HEsc|Issue=23}} The facility was damaged after Jul 'Mdama ordered ''Song of Retribution'' to fire into the Record in hopes of disabling its defenses. The momentary power interruption allowed the ancilla to regain control and overpower Halsey, taking the Janus Key from her and denying her further access. The Covenant recovered Halsey and fled the Record aboard the ''Retribution'', unaware that she had attempted to betray them.{{Ref/Comic|Id=HE24|HEsc|Issue=24}} The local facility was heavily destabilized by multiple slipspace warps.{{Ref/Site|URL=https://www.halowaypoint.com/en-us/universe/characters/jul-mdama|Site=Halo Waypoint|Page=Jul 'Mdama|D=23|M=07|Y=2021}}

Following the death of The [[Harbinger]] in [[2560#May|May 2560]], the [[Installation 07]] [[sub-monitor]], [[Adjutant Revendicate]], attempted to contact the Absolute Record with the intent of entering information into the repository. The monitor was briefly questioned on its intent by Invariant Bias, who demanded to know what information Revendicate wished to withdraw, before being corrected. The Contender then proceeded to scan through the information provided by Revendicate - an [[Halo Encyclopedia (2022 edition)|up-to-date recording]] of information about the current state of the [[Milky Way]] galaxy gathered from various sources - before agreeing to accept the data into the archives.{{Ref/Book|Id=Enc22p6|Enc22|Page=6-7}}{{Ref/Book|Id=Enc22p487|Enc22|Page=487}}

Other points of access to the Absolute Record still exist, although the distinction between physical and digital elements of this Forerunner repository remains unclear.{{Ref/Reuse|Grim}}

==Production notes==
[[File:SA AbsoluteRecordConcept.jpg|thumb|250px|Concept art of what appears to be the Absolute Record for ''[[Halo: Spartan Assault]]''.]]
The Absolute Record's visual depiction in the eponymous ''[[The Absolute Record]]'' arc of ''[[Halo: Escalation]]'' is based on an unused concept piece produced by [[:Category:Images by Andrea Susini|Andrea Susini]], a concept artist who worked for [[Vanguard Games]] on ''[[Halo: Spartan Assault]]''.{{Ref/Site|URL=https://www.artstation.com/artwork/k4ae2|Site=ArtStation|Page=Halo: Spartan Assault|D=22|M=05|Y=2023}} The precise intent for the use of this piece is unknown, but it is possible it may have originally been intended for the [[X-40]] environments during the [[Halo: Spartan Assault co-op missions|Flood co-op missions]].

The Absolute Record is used by [[343 Industries]] as the in-universe basis for a number of real-world lore posts. The ''[[Halo Encyclopedia (2022 edition)]]'' is framed in the opening and closing pages of the book as a database of information deposited into the Absolute Record by the sub-monitor Adjutant Revendicate, following the events of ''[[Halo Infinite]]''.{{Ref/Reuse|Enc22p6}}{{Ref/Reuse|Enc22p487}}

Entries from the Absolute Record are also used by 343 on the official @Halo Twitter account. Starting in [[2023]], the regular [https://twitter.com/search?q=%23FictionFriday%20(from%3AHalo)&src=typed_query&f=live #FictionFriday] data drops are framed with Invariant Bias' sigil in the top-right corner, and are themed into Vehicle, Weapon, Character, Enemy, [[High Value Target|Target]], and Tech databases.

==Gallery==
{{Linkbox|gallery=yes}}
<gallery>
File:HE16 Next destination The Absolute Record.jpg|The Janus Key revealing the Absolute Record's location to Dr. Halsey and Jul 'Mdama.
File:HE20 Absolute Record Ancilla.jpg|Invariant Bias, the Forerunner ancilla that oversees the Absolute Record.
File:HE21 Retribution.jpg|The {{Pattern|Kerel|assault carrier}} ''[[Song of Retribution]]'' inside the Absolute Record.
</gallery>

==List of appearances==
*''[[Halo 4]]''
**''[[Spartan Ops]]'' {{Fm}}
*''[[Halo: Escalation]]''
*''[[Halo Mythos]]'' {{Mo}}
*''[[Halo: Renegades]]'' {{Mo}}

==Sources==
{{Ref/Sources}}

[[Category:Forerunner installations]]