ONI Directorate Memorandum Interrogation Findings

The ONI Directorate Memorandum Interrogation Findings are a series of reports documenting the investigation and interrogation sessions of individuals of interest to the UNSC, such as prisoners of war or intelligence assets. An artificial intelligence construct oversees an interrogator's questioning session and later generates a report from the recordings they have captured.

Subject 386
In December of 2530, the AI Solipsil compiled a set of excerpts for a report. They detailed the interrogation of Subject 386 by Fleet Admiral Preston Cole after the Battle of the Great Bear.

Contents

 * OFFICE OF NAVAL INTELLIGENCE


 * CONFIDENTIAL : DIRECTORATE MEMORANDUM INTERROGATION FINDINGS

UNSC Everest

28 December 2530

1230 Standard


 * "The Groombridge Subject"

This report was generated by AI Solipsil immediately following the interrogation of SUBJECT 386 - also known as "The Groombridge Subject."

SUBJECT 386 was a biological life-form captured in Waterford, Lemuria of Groombridge-1830 on December 24, 2530, at approximately 1805 hours. This interrogation was conducted on December 25, 2530, 0240 hours. The subject was confirmed deceased at 0417 hours. The following is a series of transcription excerpts from the interrogation of SUBJECT 386, as recorded by AI Solipsil.


 * RECORDED TRANSCRIPTION EXCERPT:

[SOLIPSIL] Current date and time is December 25, 2530, 0240 hours standard. We are in orbit above Groombridge-1830, aboard the UNSC Everest, within the ship’s biohazard unit R-12. This is UNSC AI Solipsil, service number SLP 0391-5. Lieutenant, please state your rank, name, and service number for the record.

[BARCLAY] First Lieutenant Richard Lionel Barclay, Office of Naval Intelligence, service number 00045-23994-RL.

[SOLIPSIL] Admiral, your rank, name, and service number for the record, please.

[COLE] Fleet Admiral Preston Jeremiah Cole, UNSC Everest, service number 03956-26127-PC.

[SOLIPSIL] Let the record show that SUBJECT 386 was captured from an enemy assault carrier which attempted to flee to the planetary surface during the engagement designated GB-5546. two heavily armed tactical strike teams retrieved SUBJECT 386 from within an enclosed compartment which survived landfall. The subject is approximately 2.3 meters in height and approximately 153 kilograms in weight.

[SUBJECT 386] [unintelligible]

[SOLIPSIL] The SUBJECT 386 is restrained and Lieutenant Barclay has a weapon drawn on the subject. Lieutenant, can you verify that for the record?

[BARCLAY] The weapon is drawn and ready to fire.

[SOLIPSIL] Thank you, Lieutenant. Admiral, you can begin.

[COLE] Can you hear me?

[SOLIPSIL] Let the record show that SUBJECT 386 has made eye contact with the admiral.

[COLE] Do you understand what I’m saying?

[SUBJECT 386] [unintelligible]

[COLE] If you can hear me and understand what I am saying, nod your head.

[SOLIPSIL] SUBJECT 386 has nodded its head.

[COLE] What is your name?

[SUBJECT 386] [unintelligible]

[COLE] Solipsil, is that thing working?

[SOLIPSIL] Let the record show that the admiral is referring to TSV-442, Everest’s onboard translation program. Yes, Admiral, it’s working. The subject’s not speaking any words recognized by our database.

[COLE] State your name.

[SUBJECT 386] [unintelligible]

[COLE] Barclay, I’m clearly confusing it. Please help me articulate.

[SOLIPSIL] The lieutenant has cocked the M6 sidearm and has placed the barrel at SUBJECT 386’s right temple.

[SUBJECT 386] That will not persuade me, human.

[COLE] Your name and rank…

[SUBJECT 386] You are not worthy to hear it.

[COLE] You’re going to die here, you know. You have absolutely nothing to lose. Give us your name and rank.

[SUBJECT 386] [laughter?]


 * [EXCERPT 01 ENDS] [EXCERPT 04 BEGINS]

[COLE] Why are you here? Why Groombridge?

[SUBJECT 386] It is just another human world. Like all the others.

[COLE] Just like the others? Then why the other worlds?

[SUBJECT 386] [unintelligible]

[COLE] What was that?

[SUBJECT 386] Even now, you stand without [unintelligible] or honor. You are unclean, human, and nothing can save you now.

[COLE] Unclean?

[SUBJECT 386] You are an affront to the gods, desecrating their temples by committing horrors with their consecrated [unintelligible].

[COLE] Temples? What temples? Who are these gods?

[SUBJECT 386] You are ignorant swarming maggots. You know nothing of the Great Journey or of our gods’ treasures, yet you [unintelligible] intend to destroy them. We will root out every single world you possess and lay waste to them one by one until there’s nowhere left for you to go.

[COLE] I seem to remember us destroying your ships yesterday. Did you think we were going to let you just waltz right in?

[SUBJECT 386] Yesterday? Three ships, human? You boast about [unintelligible] three of our vessels when you had five times that many, and lost almost all?

[COLE] We-

[SUBJECT 386] Our fleets approach from beyond the stars and they are far more vast than your [unintelligible] mind can fathom. There is no defense which you can muster. No escape.

[SOLIPSIL] Let the record show an increase in the heart rate of SUBJECT 386.

[COLE] We’re not afraid of you. We'll stand and fight.

[SUBJECT 386] And you will perish. By the billions.

[COLE] We'll stop you. I promise you.

[SUBJECT 386] Your [unintelligible] is weak. Nothing more than slithering [unintelligible] to be cut away and discarded.

[SOLIPSIL] Let the record show that SUBJECT 386 is moving within its restrains. Lieutenant...

[BARCLAY] Stay down! Do not move or I'll blow your [EXPLETIVE] head off!

[SUBJECT 386] We are the holy and glorious inheritors.

[COLE] Why are you attacking us?

[SOLIPSIL] Subject is slipping into some kind of arrest or seizure. Medics! Let the record show that SUBJECT 386's extensive injuries and trauma have—

[SUBJECT 386] You have been judged unclean! A scourge that must be burned away! Every one of your worlds will be reduced to ash.

[SOLIPSIL] Medic! Medic! Let the record show—

[SUBJECT 386] [unintelligible] destroy you all...

[SOLIPSIL] Medic! Let the record show that the subject's vitals have flatlined.

[COLE] We can't let them find her.

[BARCLAY] Earth?

[COLE] Earth.

[SOLIPSIL] Let the record show that as of December 25, 2530, 0417 hours, SUBJECT 386's vitals flatlined and, lacking the necessary understanding of its anatomy, the subject was not resuscitated. Transcription terminated.

"Vergil"
On November 15, 2552, nearly a month after the Battle of Mombasa, the AI Barca generated a report detailing the interrogation between Sergeant Major Avery Johnson and Quick to Adjust, the recovered huragok containing the Vergil subroutine of New Mombasa's Superintendent AI.

Contents
QUITO TERMINUS

CRIMSON WING

15 NOVEMBER 2552

1725 STANDARD


 * CLASSIFICATION : PRIORITY ONE ALPHA
 * OFFICE OF NAVAL INTELLIGENCE
 * CONFIDENTIAL : DIRECTORATE MEMORANDUM

//INTERROGATION FINDINGS

//URGENT//ADM T. HOOD

VERGIL

This report was generated by UNSC AI Barca immediately following the interrogation of ASSET RD-9746-X, also known as QUICK TO ADJUST [Cat7 'Huragok' life-form procured from Op-5684-76643-545-0048].

Due to the symbiotic assimilation of the urban infrastructure subroutine called 'VERGIL,' it was referred to as such for the duration of the interrogation. This interrogation was conducted on November 15, 2552, 1649 hours at an ONI-appropriated wing within the terminus of the QUITO SPACE ELEVATOR.

The following is an exerpt from this interrogation organized for immediate and urgent review by 07960-48392-TH.

RECORDED TRANSCRIPTION EXCERPT:

[EXCERPT BEGINS]

[DARE] ...registry wasn't logged according to my people at the Tycho observation facility. They're saying it wasn't a UNSC ship. In fact, they're saying it wasn't a human ship at all.

[JOHNSON] Maybe they're right, Captain. Maybe they're wrong. But you know that I ain't here to talk about how I got back to Sol.

[DARE] They're saying you and Commander Keyes came back from something they discovered in deep space. Something they're calling 'Halo.' If this information is pertinent to my-

[JOHNSON] I'll stop you right there, Captain. You know I got clearance from up top to find out what their looking for down there. Not sure if you noticed, but we ain't got time for bickering back and forth. This critter you picked up has intel and Command wants it, so let's cut the crap and get to work.

[DARE] Lord Hood may have given you clearance, but it was my op and it's my interrogation. We only captured one - it's very delicate.

[JOHNSON] Don't worry. I know what the aliens like.


 * 

[JOHNSON] It has access to the Covenant battlenet?

[DARE] Limited, but yes. We're not entirely sure how it manages a remote connection to the-


 * <48789-20114-AJ tosses an antique propane lighter at the Asset. The Asset catches the lighter.>

[DARE] Sergeant Major, please. It's extremely flammable.


 * <48789-20114-AJ directs his attention toward the Asset.>

[JOHNSON] The Brutes. The bastards who put bombs on your buddies and killed millions of my people. They're digging a mighty big hole. You're gonna tell me exactly what they're looking for and then you're gonna help me stop them.


 * 

[DARE] Barca, are you online? Are you capturing this?

[BARCA] Yes, ma'am. I've been recording since the service corridor. Current date and time is November 15, 2552, 1649 hours. This is UNSC AI Barca, service number BCR 7584-2. Sergeant-Major, please state your name and service number for the record.

[JOHNSON] Johnson, Avery. 48789-20114-AJ.

[BARCA] Captain, could you do the same?

[DARE] Dare, Veronica. 73998-38490-VD. Naval Intelligence.

[Barca] Let the record show that the Asset, referred to as 'VERGIL,' was confirmed acquired on 20 October 2552 from New Mombasa, at 2359 hours by 7998-37490-VD and 92458-37017-EB. Subject has been in ONI quarantine since, with limited interfacing from outside personnel.


 * 

[BARCA] Sergeant Major, you may begin.

[JOHNSON] They call you Vergil because you downloaded some kind of city AI from one of our computers. He still in there somewhere?

[VERGIL] Yes, we are.

[JOHNSON] And those covies ships down there, still digging for something. They don't suspect that you've got some human AI in you? Their sensors don't pick that up?

[VERGIL] Huragok made sensors. They see what we want them to see.

[JOHNSON] Fair enough. My people tell me you don't know what the Brutes are looking for. I don't buy it.

[VERGIL] We know only what we were allowed to know.

[JOHNSON] We had eyes on the ground in the city before it got glassed. They saw what your buddies were writing on the walls. You were coordinating their search parties. Looking for something Forerunner, right?

[VERGIL] We cannot say for sure.

[JOHNSON] I think you can. And you're gonna. Does the word 'Ark' mean anything to you?


 * 

[VERGIL] How do you know about the installation?

[JOHNSON] I just came from Delta Halo. The Covenant are in the middle of a civil war. They're breaking apart. Won't last much longer.

[VERGIL] And your kind has sided with the rebels. The Elites.

[JOHNSON] Now you have a lot to say all of a sudden.

[DARE] What. Wait, what is he talking about, Sergeant Major?

[VERGIL] How do you know that it is not a trap?

[DARE] A trap? Sergeant Major, clarify... What is he talking about?

[JOHNSON] Vergil, if the Brutes access this thing first, this machine buried underground, you know we're all in a heap of trouble. Tell me what they are looking for and we'll stop them.

[VERGIL] But you will tell the Elites first. Then the Elites will find me and take me back. Just like the Brutes.

[DARE] No one is taking you anywhere, Vergil. Just answer the question.

[JOHNSON] The Brutes won't stop when they're done. Once they get that thing uncovered, they'll kill the rest of the humans on this world.

[VERGIL] No. I cannot tell them. The more who know about its existence, the more the risk compounds. I must be silent.

[DARE] Tell them what, Vergil? Who are you talking to?

[VERGIL] I am talking to Vergil. I am Quick to Adjust.

[DARE] 'Quick to Adjust'?

[JOHNSON] That's its alien name. It must be talking to the subroutine. Vergil is right. You know that. This machine the Brute are tracking down. It's on our world. Your makers gave it to us.

[VERGIL] My Makers left. They abandoned me. They abandoned all of us.

[JOHNSON] Vergil, we're running out of time. What are the Brutes digging up out there? What are they looking for?

[VERGIL] They're looking for the Ark. You know this already.

[JOHNSON] Why? What is so special about the Ark?

[VERGIL] They're going to activate Halo. They're going to finish what my Makers started.

[JOHNSON] If they fire Halo, they die too. They've been lied to.

[VERGIL] But we will remain.

[DARE] Is that the reason you're helping them? The reason you've helped them all along?

[VERGIL] Once Halo is activated we will go back to our homes. Perhaps our Makers will come back for us. We shall wait.

[JOHNSON] No one is coming back for you, son. The Forerunners died when they activated the Rings. You're all that's left of them.

[VERGIL] No. We are not. There are others.

[EXCERPT ENDS]

List of appearances

 * Halo: The Fall of Reach
 * Adjunct