117649 Despondent Pyre

117649 Despondent Pyre
Biographical information
Began service:	Before 97,445 BCE
Ended service:	c. May 28, 2560
Gender:	Female personality
Color(s):	Teal illuminations with silver and black casing
Political and military information
Affiliation:	Forerunner ecumene
Functionality:	Monitor of Installation 07

"WE'VE GOT A NEW CONTACT, UNKNOWN CLASSIFICATION!"

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07-117649 Despondent Pyre was a forerunner ancilla, monitor and the caretaker of Installation 07.^[2]

Biography[edit]

After the firing of the Halo Array, and the subsequent survival of the Xalanyn, the Grand Edict charged Despondent Pyre with guarding the Xalanyn's prison, and informed her that Offensive Bias was assigned to the ring to aid in this.^[3]

After the United Nations Space Command established a presence on Installation 07 in 2555, around three hundred researchers were contracted by the Office of Naval Intelligence to study the ring as part of the Zeta Halo project. However, monitor 117649 had not yet been discovered by any research detachment. Doctor Luther Mann theorized that it was possible that the monitor had heard about humanity's and the Covenant's presence on other installations—which led to the destruction of Installation 04, the partial glassing of Installation 05, and the destruction of Installation 04's replacement—and decided to remain hidden from the researchers.^[4]

By March 3, 2558 it was noted by Catalog that 343 Guilty Spark had filed several minor reports on 117649.^[5]

Around December 2559, Cortana, leader of the Created, went to Installation 07 for unlock its secrets. Although Despondent Pyre accepted Cortana's control over Zeta Halo's weapons, she denied her access to the ring's secrets, fearing the human AI could release the Flood. When Cortana revealed she knew there were more dangerous things than the Flood on the ring, 117649 again refused Cortana's requests. When the UNSC Infinity arrived into the installation, Cortana dismissed the Monitor.^[6]

Six months later, during the Installation 07 conflict, 117649 Despondent Pyre was terrified by the return of an individual called the Harbinger and moved to protect the Conservatory. The monitor sought the Reclaimer's help. However, she was ambushed immediately by the Harbinger and her skimmers, eventually being destroyed afterwards despite resisting. After killing the monitor, the Harbinger extracted Despondent Pyre's encephalon in order to start the Reformation that would rebuild the Silent Auditorium.^[6]^[7]

Trivia[edit]

Following in line with the pattern of exponential numbers of base 7 as the names for the Halo's monitors, 117649 is equal to 7 raised to 6th power.
Despondent Pyre's chassis differs considerably from all previously seen monitors. Instead of the design seen on other Halo installation monitors such as 049 Abject Testament, 343 Guilty Spark, or 2401 Penitent Tangent, Despondent Pyre's chassis seems to consist of four curved plates surrounding her central eye that move whenever she speaks. Her associate sub-monitor, Adjutant Resolution, shares with her a very similar chassis design (although more spherical overall and more prominent protrusions around the eye).
Despondent Pyre is voiced by Sarah Elmaleh in Halo Infinite.
Despondent Pyre is the only monitor to not have complete knowledge about the installation they maintain.