Archeon-class ancilla

"If you believe a human AI compares to an archeon ancilla, you are more of a microchip than I thought."

- Intrepid Eye, to Wendell

An archeon-class ancilla is a type of ancilla used by the Forerunner ecumene. Several archeon ancillas were used to help maintain Jat-Krula facilities.

Description
Archeon-class ancillas were powerful artificial intelligences used by the Forerunners, and they were significantly superior compared to human smart AIs. These ancillas have formidable, high-class security and defense systems built into them to prevent other AIs from infiltrating them, though they were still vulnerable to the Flood's logic plague. Archeon ancillas were created to follow the Forerunners' Mantle of Responsibility, and only violated it when the Mantle prevented them from following their prime directive set by their creators. An archeon-class ancilla could use a variety of housings to host themselves; for example, Intrepid Eye utilized a maintenance skin, before moving to an inspection drone. She also attempted to operate human MJOLNIR Powered Assault Armor, but was unable to do so without its user's neural interface. Archeon-class ancillas had specific call signs that they used when communicating on Forerunner networks.

History
"I was created as part of that effort, to serve as archeon of Jat-Krula Support Base 4276."

- Intrepid Eye

At the start of the Forerunner-Flood war, several archeon-class ancillas were created by the Forerunners to aid in operating the Jat-Krula, the Forerunner defensive front that protected the core worlds of the ecumene. One of these ancillas, Intrepid Eye, was charged by the Ecumene Council to command Covert Support Base 4276, a support facility for the Jat-Krula located on Gao. Later in the war, when the Flood began to utilize the logic plague, the commander of the Jat-Krula ordered Intrepid Eye and other ancilla involved with the installations to enter stasis to prevent them from falling victim to the plague.

However, with the firing of the Halo Array and the end of the war, the archeon-class ancillas in stasis were never awoken by their commander as the surviving Forerunners had left the Milky Way. In 2553, Intrepid Eye was inadvertently released from her stasis after Line Installation 444-447 on Shaps III sent an automated distress signal to her support facility after nearby ruins were glassed. Her attempts to reach the rest of ecumene had failed, but her presence on Gao was eventually realized by the United Nations Space Command, Gao Republic, Venezian Militia, and the Keepers of the One Freedom. As a result, a series of engagements took place on the planet as the various factions fought over opportunities to capture the ancilla. Eventually, Intrepid Eye was captured by the UNSC, who wished to use her to further the technology of the Unified Earth Government and learn more about the Forerunners.

List of appearances

 * Halo: Last Light
 * Halo: Retribution