Catherine Halsey: Difference between revisions

By [[2525#March|March 30]] Halsey had joined the forty-five who had unambiguously survived aboard the {{UNSCShip|Atlas}}, an {{Class|Epoch|heavy carrier}} heading for the [[Lambda Serpentis system]].<ref name="HTFORTAS"/><ref name="HTFOR6"/><ref name="CF100">[https://www.halowaypoint.com/en-us/news/sweet-centennial '''Halo Waypoint''' - ''Canon Fodder #100: Sweet Centennial'']</ref> She had told John that some of the side effects he was experiencing which were causing him to be clumsy were actually good, since they were evidence of stronger muscles and faster reflexes.<ref name="HTFOR7">''[[Halo: The Fall of Reach]]'', ''Chapter 7''</ref> The next day she reflected in her journal on how her training as a scientist had conditioned her to view failure, struggling to reconcile the scientist's duty to regard all data as useful with the malformations and excruciating deaths visited on her Spartans.<ref name="HJ4125"/> She allowed herself to question whether the need to push forward with ASTER had been commensurate with the threat the [[Insurrection]] posed. Halsey guessed that Stanforth's trauma experts would be reporting she was having difficulty "letting go", but she committed to moving forward and finding solutions for those who might still be saved. To this end the doctor had ordered that no candidate autopsies be performed. Their bodies of washouts were cryogenically preserved, pending further study. Her hope was that some, if not all, of them could someday be revived. Closed casket funeral services at midnight the day before, she noted, would help the survivors attain psychological closure. She was uncertain how they might react in the future to the resurrection of their comrades but was certain ONI would find a use for them regardless. Those now afflicted by serious malformations, after all, had already been offered various "desk" duties within ONI. Catherine had assigned Déjà to investigate as-yet theoretical therapies for the washouts' resuscitation. She was particularly interested in the potential of the complete restructuring of bones and attendant nanografts, something she thought could prove especially useful for [[Kirk-018]] and [[René-081]]. Even so, she decided she would allow the washouts to adjust to their new jobs for several months before suggesting some of these experimental procedures. By then, she figured, they would be willing to try anything to recover, as she couldn't imagine them to survive the vigorous indoctrination and training they had to only become passive spectators.<ref name="HJ4125"/> The Atlas was patrolling the Lambda Serpentis system by April 22 and it was shortly after 0430 hours on this date that ONI engineered a hostile encounter between John and four [[ODST|orbital drop shock trooper]]s in order to test his capability.<ref name="HTFOR7"/><ref name="HTF5">''[[Halo: The Flood]]'', ''Chapter 5''</ref> Halsey observed the encounter in the ship's gym remotely, cooly remarking upon the boy's steady heart rate and pulse.<ref name="HTFORTAS"/> John had broken the nose of one ODST when their sergeant intervened to propose that they settle their dispute in a nearby boxing ring.<ref name="HTFOR7"/> Mendez, watching along with Halsey, questioned the wisdom of what was happening but his hesitation was rebuffed by her.<ref name="HTFORTAS"/> She pointed out that John was only doing what they'd built him to do. As the chief left her to make his way to the gym she simply renewed her interest, wondering what effect the augmentations might have had on his adrenaline.<ref name="HTFORTAS"/>

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