3,196
edits
Benjamin Giraud: Difference between revisions
no edit summary
No edit summary |
No edit summary |
||
| Line 39: | Line 39: | ||
Giraud was provided with a list of people to interview by ONI, including John's purported childhood teacher, [[Deon Govender]]. Govender described his experiences with the future Master Chief up until age thirteen when, according to him, [[Elysium City]] was occupied by Insurrectionists who rounded up the citizens in prison camps. Giraud did find one interviewee outside of the list ONI had given him; [[Ellie Bloom]], one of John's childhood friends. After he discovered a document supposedly proving John's death at age six in 2517, Giraud contacted Sullivan about the discrepancy. Sullivan insisted that this was due to a record-keeping mistake and in order to convince Giraud about the veracity of ONI's story, he arranged Giraud to meet Vice Admiral [[Gabriella Dvørak]] aboard the {{UNSCShip|Unto the Breach}} for an interview; Giraud noted the unusual amount of hospitality he was treated to during the visit. Vice Admiral Dvørak corroborated ONI's forged background story for the Master Chief, recounting her supposed encounter with a thirteen-year-old John during the liberation of [[Elysium City]] from Insurrectionist occupiers. While initially convinced that the document listing John as deceased was due to a mistake, Benjamin was prompted to investigate the matter further upon Ellie Bloom's childhood friend [[Katrina]]'s insistence that John had indeed died at six years old.<ref name="htt"/> | Giraud was provided with a list of people to interview by ONI, including John's purported childhood teacher, [[Deon Govender]]. Govender described his experiences with the future Master Chief up until age thirteen when, according to him, [[Elysium City]] was occupied by Insurrectionists who rounded up the citizens in prison camps. Giraud did find one interviewee outside of the list ONI had given him; [[Ellie Bloom]], one of John's childhood friends. After he discovered a document supposedly proving John's death at age six in 2517, Giraud contacted Sullivan about the discrepancy. Sullivan insisted that this was due to a record-keeping mistake and in order to convince Giraud about the veracity of ONI's story, he arranged Giraud to meet Vice Admiral [[Gabriella Dvørak]] aboard the {{UNSCShip|Unto the Breach}} for an interview; Giraud noted the unusual amount of hospitality he was treated to during the visit. Vice Admiral Dvørak corroborated ONI's forged background story for the Master Chief, recounting her supposed encounter with a thirteen-year-old John during the liberation of [[Elysium City]] from Insurrectionist occupiers. While initially convinced that the document listing John as deceased was due to a mistake, Benjamin was prompted to investigate the matter further upon Ellie Bloom's childhood friend [[Katrina]]'s insistence that John had indeed died at six years old.<ref name="htt"/> | ||
Having uncovered more distressing facts about the Master Chief's past, namely information on the boxing incident involving several ODSTs aboard the {{UNSCShip|Atlas}}, Giraud confronted the supposed Insurrectionist prison camp survivor [[Thomas Wu]] and had him implicitly reveal he had been lying previously about Elysium City being home to one of the camps.<ref name="htt3">'''[[Hunt the Truth]]''' ''Episode 03: CRITICAL CONDITION''</ref> However, their conversation had taken place over [[Waypoint]], which was under ONI surveillance. Several hours later, he was called for a mandatory meeting at ONI's headquarters in [[Boston]]. Before this he met with his colleague [[Petra Janecek]], who chastised him for calling ONI's official story into question. At | Having uncovered more distressing facts about the Master Chief's past, namely information on the boxing incident involving several ODSTs aboard the {{UNSCShip|Atlas}}, Giraud confronted the supposed Insurrectionist prison camp survivor [[Thomas Wu]] and had him implicitly reveal he had been lying previously about Elysium City being home to one of the camps.<ref name="htt3">'''[[Hunt the Truth]]''' ''Episode 03: CRITICAL CONDITION''</ref> However, their conversation had taken place over [[Waypoint]], which was under ONI surveillance. Several hours later, he was called for a mandatory meeting at ONI's headquarters in [[Boston]]. Before this he met with his colleague [[Petra Janecek]], who chastised him for calling ONI's official story into question. At Janecek's advice, Giraud uploaded the files on what he had gathered to his trusted friend [[Ray Kurzig]] before the ONI meeting.<ref name="htt4"/> Michael Sullivan initially gave no indication of being aware of Giraud's Waypoint conversation with Wu; Benjamin was even given an exclusive interview with [[Franklin Mendez|SCPO Franklin Mendez]], the man who [[SPARTAN-II training|trained]] the Spartan-IIs. After the session, however, Sullivan gave him a strict deadline of 24 hours to deliver the raw files of his story to ONI, giving him no time to pursue his unsanctioned investigation further. This led Giraud to suspect that his conversation had indeed been flagged. Despite this, Benjamin intended to finish the job ONI had given him and bury his off-the-record investigation.<ref name="htt5">'''[[Hunt the Truth]]''' ''Episode 05: OUT OF TIME''</ref> | ||
While on his return trip home, Giraud spotted a man he recognized as [[Jakob Walker]], one of the people he had interviewed previously. Because Walker had claimed he was permanently residing on [[Castellaneta]], Benjamin began to question him but he was ordered to sit down by the flight crew and eventually sedated when he persisted. After returning home, he discovered that he had been fined 50,000 [[cR]] for the incident. However, he noticed that his [[COM pad]] had been recording during the entire flight. Listening to the recording, Benjamin found that ONI agents had been shadowing him and given him another dose of the sedative to put him to sleep, then taken custody of him during the flight. Furious about ONI's treatment of him, Benjamin decided to continue his investigation and upload all of his findings online for the public to see in a "part docu-diary, part audio archive".<ref name="htt5"/> | While on his return trip home, Giraud spotted a man he recognized as [[Jakob Walker]], one of the people he had interviewed previously. Because Walker had claimed he was permanently residing on [[Castellaneta]], Benjamin began to question him but he was ordered to sit down by the flight crew and eventually sedated when he persisted. After returning home, he discovered that he had been fined 50,000 [[cR]] for the incident. However, he noticed that his [[COM pad]] had been recording during the entire flight. Listening to the recording, Benjamin found that ONI agents had been shadowing him and given him another dose of the sedative to put him to sleep, then taken custody of him during the flight. Furious about ONI's treatment of him, Benjamin decided to continue his investigation and upload all of his findings online for the public to see in a "part docu-diary, part audio archive".<ref name="htt5"/> | ||
After publishing his findings, Giraud began to receive a plethora of theories and responses from across human space. While he was meeting with Ray Kurzig regarding his investigation, Petra Janecek stormed Benjamin's apartment, furious about him recording their conversation on Earth and releasing the recording to the public. | After publishing his findings, Giraud began to receive a plethora of theories and responses from across human space. While he was meeting with Ray Kurzig regarding his investigation, Petra Janecek stormed Benjamin's apartment, furious about him recording their conversation on Earth and releasing the recording to the public. Kurzig and Janecek eventually left, intending to distance themselves from the entire matter. However, one of Giraud's contacts, conspiracy theorist [[Mshak Moradi]], revealed that someone nicknamed "FERO" was about to get into contact with him.<ref name="htt6">'''[[Hunt the Truth]]''' ''Episode 06: BOXING STORY''</ref> | ||
Three weeks later, FERO hadn't contacted him, and Giraud failed to communicate with Moradi. Later, Giraud met with Kurzig at a bar; Kurzig had found out about the truth of Jacob Walker, that he was an actor and the only soldier not retired nor discharged. After returning home, Giraud contacted [[Anthony Petrosky]] and the two had a conversation about ONI which later led into the shadows of the SPARTAN-II program. Petrosky revealed what he had heard; how the 6-year old candidates were kidnapped and replaced with clones, then being [[SPARTAN-II augmentation procedures|biologically augmented]]. When Giraud asked about how ONI would react, Petrosky simply told him he didn't own them anything. Shocked from what Petrosky had told him, Giraud hung up and sat in shock at ONI's lack of humanity. Later in the night, FERO finally contacted him. FERO informed him about the anomalies Mshak had told him before. Afterwards, FERO informed him about 'friendly ears' within the UEG; there was an upcoming committee between UEG senators and superior officers of ONI. She kept telling him that Giraud needed a headline, to start 'a slow burn' that would be ignited into a 'fire' by Giraud's exposure of the truth behind the SPARTAN-II program.<ref name="htt8">'''[[Hunt the Truth]]''' ''Episode 07: WHO'S LISTENING''</ref> | Three weeks later, FERO hadn't contacted him, and Giraud failed to communicate with Moradi. Later, Giraud met with Kurzig at a bar; Kurzig had found out about the truth of Jacob Walker, that he was an actor and the only soldier not retired nor discharged. After returning home, Giraud contacted [[Anthony Petrosky]] and the two had a conversation about ONI which later led into the shadows of the SPARTAN-II program. Petrosky revealed what he had heard; how the 6-year old candidates were kidnapped and replaced with clones, then being [[SPARTAN-II augmentation procedures|biologically augmented]]. When Giraud asked about how ONI would react, Petrosky simply told him he didn't own them anything. Shocked from what Petrosky had told him, Giraud hung up and sat in shock at ONI's lack of humanity. Later in the night, FERO finally contacted him. FERO informed him about the anomalies Mshak had told him before. Afterwards, FERO informed him about 'friendly ears' within the UEG; there was an upcoming committee between UEG senators and superior officers of ONI. She kept telling him that Giraud needed a headline, to start 'a slow burn' that would be ignited into a 'fire' by Giraud's exposure of the truth behind the SPARTAN-II program.<ref name="htt8">'''[[Hunt the Truth]]''' ''Episode 07: WHO'S LISTENING''</ref> | ||
One morning, Giraud was contacted by Janecek about the public going berserk about something he had apparently leaked. Upon realizing that he wasn't responsible, Janecek simply told him to check his feed. When Giraud did, he | One morning, Giraud was contacted by Janecek about the public going berserk about something he had apparently leaked. Upon realizing that he wasn't responsible, Janecek simply told him to check his feed. When Giraud did, he found a leaked report on [[Raid on Biko peace talks|Master Chief apparently killing]] innocent civilians. Before he could do anything, Waypoint was suddenly cut off. His com-pad ran into customer service and appointed a meeting to discuss "on-sight diagnostics" in twelve days and then disabled all its services. Realizing this as ONI's attempt to shut him down, Giraud gathered some essentials and left his home and moved to an undisclosed location.<ref name="htt8">'''[[Hunt the Truth]]''' ''Episode 08: DRIP, DRIP, DRIP''</ref> | ||
After setting up, Giraud found a message from Moradi, telling him to call him. Giraud called Moradi, who told him that the Inner colonies want the Chief dead and that tensions are heating up in the Outer colonies. Moradi had compiled all cases of exotic pediatric autoimmune disorder (the same disorder John's clone developed) and created a relatively accurate star map showing the distribution of selected Spartan conscripts. The map showed ONI heavily favored the Outer colonies when selecting candidates, leading Giraud and Mshak to believe ONI did this due to it being easier for them to cover their tracks. Moradi then told Giraud about two Spartans who committed suicide after encountering their clone. Later, FERO contacts Giraud again and explains the situation. She tells Giraud the Chief will eventually be vindicated and that when that happens, ONI will suffer from it. Giraud is told the meeting with the UEG senators and ONI brass has been scheduled and that when the time comes, FERO will hack in and get Giraud an unbroken feed to tell the senators what he has found. Giraud calls Anthony Petrosky and asks him if he wants to help corroborate his story when breaking it to the senators, to which he agrees. FERO informs Giraud there is one more leak, security camera footage of the Master Chief attacking the human delegation on Biko.<ref name="htt8"/> | |||
With Anthony Petrosky's recollection of the events on the UNSC Atlas recorded, Giraud anxiously awaited Moradi's evidence to show to the senate. Moradi finally sent the files, including a recording of police radio when the Spartan who encountered their identical twin was found dead from a self-inflicted wound. Moradi told Giraud to find out what's going on in the Outer colonies as soon as he can, but FERO cut him off. FERO told Giraud she has hacked into the meeting and that once he is ready, he can start. FERO patched him through and Giraud introduced himself and told them the purpose of his announcement, and then played Petrosky's statement. Giraud then told the senate of the kidnappings, cloning, training and biological augmentations that the SPARTAN-II program comprised of, just in time before the feed was cut. FERO informed Giraud that he is now under their protection. Shortly after, Giraud received a message from his bank, informing him his account has been disabled. Giraud also found a message from Moradi, telling him he will meet him the day after tomorrow to tell him something important. Not willing to wait for Moradi, Giraud tried to call, but he found he couldn't get through to him, or anyone in the Outer colonies. A delayed message from Katrina arrived. Katrina told Giraud that there is violence breaking out all over the Outer colonies, but Katrina is cut off. Giraud had no choice but to wait for Moradi, but he never arrived. | |||
Giraud, with no choice but to stay put in fear of capture by ONI, secluded himself inside his undisclosed hideout. Giraud listened to a speech made by senator [[Andrew Del Rio]], who condemned the Master Chief, and called him the "Fallen Spartan". The tripwire Giraud set up outside the apartment was suddenly set off, catching Giraud of guard. However Giraud quickly realized it was Kurzig. Kurzig showed Giraud a message from the Sangheili delegation at Biko saying that both they and the Master Chief had nothing to do with the massacre, and questioning the UEG for doing nothing while the population of Biko calls for unjust blood. Kurzig told Giraud that the real perpetrators of the massacre at Biko are a group of rebel extremists called Sapien Sunrise. In return for this, Kurzig asked Giraud if he could call Janecek and see what they were saying on Earth. Giraud called her, and Janecek told him she has a lead he might be interested in, Giraud agreed to it and Janecek sent him the details: an anomaly on the glassed planet, Bliss, with a 72 hour time window. Giraud went back to his home to gather the remaining money he had, but when he arrived, he found his entire apartment gutted. | |||
Deciding to stay in his apartment, Giraud heard voices outside. Coming to the conclusion that the voices are of ONI agents, Giraud quickly ran into the hallway outside his apartment and hid in a random room, trying to make as least noise as possible. Giraud heard the ONI agents searching for him and he quickly tried to run up a stairway, and was grabbed by the agents, but FERO ran in just in time to kill the agents and then tells Giraud to follow her. They found a place where they can talk, and FERO gave Giraud a bank account with an abundant balance. FERO told Giraud she will be going dark, but Giraud told her to hold out on her plan for a little while. They part ways and Giraud traveled to Bliss and went to the location. On the way, he was hit by a huge silicate storm but managed to reach the glassed building and kick out a window to get inside. Giraud, realizing the building is an abandoned ONI facility, started to search around. Giraud found an operational relay interface, and to his surprise, Giraud was able to connect his comm-pad to the relay. He found recordings from alternate views of the incident on Biko, as well as evidence against his interviewee's stories. He also found details on the SPARTAN-II program and John-117, confirming the rumors Petrosky told him about. Giraud downloaded all the evidence but started getting hit with corrupted files, so he immediately disconnected. With all the files he needed safely with him, Giraud headed back to the settlement. | |||
With the evidence he needed, Giraud called Petrosky and asked him to help him once again. Petrosky agreed, and Giraud told him where he needed to go. While heading back on the freighter, Giraud called Kurzig and sent him the files, asking him if he can forward them on to select people. Kurzig, with his wife and daughter off-world to escape ONI, didn't have the choice to turn back, and so agreed. Giraud tried to get in contact with Moradi, but once again failed. Later, Janecek calls and Giraud told her what he found in the facility and that he plans to expose ONI live on ECB News the next day, however, Janecek disagreed with his approach, but Giraud assured her he knows what he is doing. | |||
At the end of his investigation, after discovering supposedly incontrovertible proof of ONI's atrocities from a data terminal on [[Bliss]], Giraud arranged to break his story to the public on [[Charles Kesler]]'s talk show on [[ECB News]]. However, it soon became apparent that ONI had used Giraud as a pawn to discredit the prevailing rumors concerning the SPARTAN-II program. The authenticity of all of his sources was supposedly disproved, casting his story as little more than the ramblings of a conspiracy theorist. In the end Giraud's feed was cut, with his ultimate fate unknown. However, Petra Janecek took over Giraud's investigation some time afterward, vowing not to make the same mistakes as he had.<ref name="htt13">'''Hunt the Truth''' ''Episode 13: IN THE BAG''</ref> | At the end of his investigation, after discovering supposedly incontrovertible proof of ONI's atrocities from a data terminal on [[Bliss]], Giraud arranged to break his story to the public on [[Charles Kesler]]'s talk show on [[ECB News]]. However, it soon became apparent that ONI had used Giraud as a pawn to discredit the prevailing rumors concerning the SPARTAN-II program. The authenticity of all of his sources was supposedly disproved, casting his story as little more than the ramblings of a conspiracy theorist. In the end Giraud's feed was cut, with his ultimate fate unknown. However, Petra Janecek took over Giraud's investigation some time afterward, vowing not to make the same mistakes as he had.<ref name="htt13">'''Hunt the Truth''' ''Episode 13: IN THE BAG''</ref> | ||