Absolute Record: Difference between revisions

The '''Absolute Record''' is a [[Forerunner]] artifact repository spread across multiple sites associated with the [[Janus Key]].<ref name="Key">''[[Spartan Ops]]'', [[Key|S109 Key]]</ref><ref name="Grim">[https://www.halowaypoint.com/en-us/forums/db05ce78845f4120b062c50816008e5d/topics/canon-fodder-7-8-16-crown-jul/923e6171-8801-47c0-95cc-0c6c1dac13ef/posts?page=2#post27 '''Halo Waypoint''': ''Canon Fodder 7/8/16: Crown Jul'' (Grim's post)]</ref> One of the Absolute Record's local facilities was overseen by a [[Contender-class artificial intelligence|Contender-class]] [[custodian]] [[ancilla]].<ref name="he20">'''[[Halo: Escalation]]''', ''[[Halo: Escalation Issue 20|Issue #20]]''</ref>

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 among the crew of the ''[[Ace of Spades]]''.<ref>'''[[Halo: Renegades]]''', ''Chapter 48''</ref>

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>''Spartan Ops'', [[Key/The Search for Halsey|S109 The Search for Halsey]]</ref> 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>'''[[Halo: Escalation]]''', ''[[Halo: Escalation Issue 16|Issue #16]]''</ref> 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 name="HE19">'''Halo: Escalation''', ''[[Halo: Escalation Issue 19|Issue #19]]''</ref>

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 name="HE21">'''Halo: Escalation''', ''[[Halo: Escalation Issue 21|Issue #21]]''</ref>

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 name="HE22">'''Halo: Escalation''', ''[[Halo: Escalation Issue 22|Issue #22]]''</ref> 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 name="HE23">'''Halo: Escalation''', ''[[Halo: Escalation Issue 23|Issue #23]]''</ref> 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 name="HE24">'''Halo: Escalation''', ''[[Halo: Escalation Issue 24|Issue #24]]''</ref> The local facility was heavily destabilized by multiple slipspace warps.<ref name="Jul 'Mdama">[https://www.halowaypoint.com/en-us/universe/characters/jul-mdama '''Halo Waypoint''': ''Jul 'Mdama'']</ref>

File:HE20 Absolute Record Ancilla.jpg|The Forerunner ancilla that oversees the Absolute Record.

File:SA AbsoluteRecordConcept.jpg|Concept art of what appears to be the Absolute Record for ''[[Halo: Spartan Assault]]''.