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Operation: ATHENA: Difference between revisions
*Hoping someone else will take care of the rest*
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Meanwhile, 'Mdama, Halsey, and numerous Sangheili Zealots arrived at the platform and met with the AI. Halsey addressed the ancilla and claimed to be chosen by the Librarian to unlock the Absolute Record. Halsey requested to be escorted to the proper area to begin their work, but the AI expressed its doubts, especially pondering why the other humans felt the need to conceal themselves. The AI used Sentinels to transport the drop pod the other humans were hiding in to the platform, where they were dropped down beside Halsey and 'Mdama. Both groups began to argue, with Glassman questioning Halsey's decision to defect to 'Mdama's Covenant. Halsey told Glassman to shut up, but the AI told her that she had no authority to silence him. It decided to let each human have a chance to account for their presence at the installation, though Halsey asserted that there was nothing to discuss as she had the Janus Key. The AI intended take as much time as it needs to question each human, as it wished to operate with total caution after [[Mendicant Bias|one]] of its fellow Contender-class AIs made the mistake of not taking the same precautions during the [[Forerunner-Flood war]].<ref name="HE21"/> | Meanwhile, 'Mdama, Halsey, and numerous Sangheili Zealots arrived at the platform and met with the AI. Halsey addressed the ancilla and claimed to be chosen by the Librarian to unlock the Absolute Record. Halsey requested to be escorted to the proper area to begin their work, but the AI expressed its doubts, especially pondering why the other humans felt the need to conceal themselves. The AI used Sentinels to transport the drop pod the other humans were hiding in to the platform, where they were dropped down beside Halsey and 'Mdama. Both groups began to argue, with Glassman questioning Halsey's decision to defect to 'Mdama's Covenant. Halsey told Glassman to shut up, but the AI told her that she had no authority to silence him. It decided to let each human have a chance to account for their presence at the installation, though Halsey asserted that there was nothing to discuss as she had the Janus Key. The AI intended take as much time as it needs to question each human, as it wished to operate with total caution after [[Mendicant Bias|one]] of its fellow Contender-class AIs made the mistake of not taking the same precautions during the [[Forerunner-Flood war]].<ref name="HE21"/> | ||
[[File:HE21 Begone.jpg|250px|thumb|right|The Contender AI taking action.]] | [[File:HE21 Begone.jpg|250px|thumb|right|The Contender AI taking action.]] | ||
Dr. Glassman stated that he shared the same views as the AI, as he did not want the Absolute Record to be exploited. Halsey scoffed at this claim, but the AI ordered her to remain silent. Glassman insisted that the UNSC intended to use the Absolute Record in a way that was consistent with the Forerunners' intentions and claimed that conflict would only get worse if 'Mdama's Covenant gained access to the installation. As Halsey and Glassman began to argue, an impatient Zealot attacked a Sentinel, leading to all the constructs attacking the humans and Sangheili. The AI removed the platform from under the feet of the Sangheili with Tanaka, Palmer, and Glassman remaining on one platform and Halsey standing on another, while 'Mdama managed to grab onto Halsey's platform while his soldiers plummeted to their deaths. The AI claimed that a more direct examination was in order to decide who is the legitimate steward of the Absolute Record.<ref name="HE21"/> 'Mdama was furious about his soldiers' deaths and told the AI that he brought his forces to merely honor their gods, not fight them, and it was the Contender who provoked them to attack the Sentinels. In response, the Contender AI said its suspicions about the Sangheili's disruptive tendencies were confirmed by their reaction and that its only intention is to maintain the integrity of the Absolute Record and choose its proper custodian. Although Doctor Halsey claimed she must be the custodian of the Absolute Record the ancilla was speaking of, because her possession of the Janus Key and being chosen by the Librarian, the Contender AI said her possession of the Janus Key proved nothing, because the Key could have been obtained by any variety of ways, even brute force. The AI then proceeded to translocate them.<ref name="HE22">'''Halo Escalation''', ''[[Halo: Escalation Issue 22|Issue #22]]''</ref> | Dr. Glassman stated that he shared the same views as the AI, as he did not want the Absolute Record to be exploited. Halsey scoffed at this claim, but the AI ordered her to remain silent. Glassman insisted that the UNSC intended to use the Absolute Record in a way that was consistent with the Forerunners' intentions and claimed that conflict would only get worse if 'Mdama's Covenant gained access to the installation. As Halsey and Glassman began to argue, an impatient Zealot attacked a Sentinel, leading to all the constructs attacking the humans and Sangheili. The AI removed the platform from under the feet of the Sangheili with Tanaka, Palmer, and Glassman remaining on one platform and Halsey standing on another, while 'Mdama managed to grab onto Halsey's platform while his soldiers plummeted to their deaths. The AI claimed that a more direct examination was in order to decide who is the legitimate steward of the Absolute Record.<ref name="HE21"/> 'Mdama was furious about his soldiers' deaths and told the AI that he brought his forces to merely honor their gods, not fight them, and it was the Contender who provoked them to attack the Sentinels. In response, the Contender AI said its suspicions about the Sangheili's disruptive tendencies were confirmed by their reaction and that its only intention is to maintain the integrity of the Absolute Record and choose its proper custodian. Although Doctor Halsey claimed she must be the custodian of the Absolute Record the ancilla was speaking of, because her possession of the Janus Key and being chosen by the Librarian, the Contender AI said her possession of the Janus Key proved nothing, because the Key could have been obtained by any variety of ways, even brute force. The AI then proceeded to translocate them away.<ref name="HE22">'''Halo Escalation''', ''[[Halo: Escalation Issue 22|Issue #22]]''</ref> | ||
The Contender AI | The Contender AI presented the humans and Jul with a theoretical scenario in which a peaceful species was revealed to posses Flood-resistant biological material that could be used as a vaccine against the Flood. When this material would be harvested from a living member of the species, there would be a thirty-five percent chance of a successful yield. However, the species would be willing to provide the corpses of their kind that passed away naturally, though the deceased bodies only have a thirty-three percent chance of a successful yielding. The Contender then asked them if they would allow the species to live autonomously in exchange for the bodies of the deceased, or extract the biological matter from all living members of the species to create vaccines at a higher speed. Jul believed that the correct answer to the scenario would be to peacefully cooperate with the species, but Halsey decided that the species' freedom should be sacrificed for the greater good of the galaxy. Glassman and the Spartans decided that they would allow the species to maintain its independence and cooperate with them. As the Contender asked each party if the disqualifying participants should be contained or killed, Halsey seemingly hacked into the AI's system and disabled the ancilla. No longer obstructed from their goals, Halsey entered the central chamber of the Absolute Record while many Phantoms protected the entrance.<ref name="HE22"/> She encountered a hologram of the Librarian, who told her that the answers she sought were inside the chamber, containing everything Halsey would need "to begin their work", informing her of the many dormant artifacts across the galaxy that Halsey could choose to awaken. The Librarian imprint suggested an unknown planet surrounded by twelve moons, which contained [[design seed]]s that, when activated, would begin harvesting the surrounding solar system to construct a new facility. One of the moons also stored numerous Forerunner dreadnoughts, available for automated control. Through them Halsey would be able to begin humanity's ascension to the [[Mantle]].<ref name="HE23">'''Halo Escalation''', ''[[Halo: Escalation Issue 23|Issue #23]]''</ref> | ||
Outside the central chamber, Spartans Sarah Palmer and Holly Tanaka | Outside the central chamber, Spartans Sarah Palmer and Holly Tanaka fought off Ibie'shan Kig-Yar and protected Dr. Glassman, after which they were assaulted by a Lich. The humans fled but were cornered by two Sangheili Zealots. However, an Aggressor Sentinel killed both Zealots then spoke in the voice of the Custodian of the Absolute Record. After Halsey shut down its main body and took control of the Record, a failsafe activated that put a fragment of the custodian in the mind of a local Sentinel. Asking their help to restore it to its body, the Sentinel led the humans to a secure location.<ref name="HE23"/> | ||
Inside the Record Jul's forces occupy most of the facility, too many for the humans to battle through. They wait outside the central chamber for Halsey, Jul expressing misgivings at her eagerness to command these Forerunner sites. He orders his Zealots to detain Halsey once she exits, as a reminder that she is under his command. Through the Record's communications, Halsey overhears his conversation and remarks that she had another matter to attend to: terminating their alliance. With the Record's controls, Halsey orders the Sentinels to attack Jul and his warriors.<ref name="HE23"/> Jul believes that the Custodian ancilla has regained control and is attacking them, unaware that they're under Halsey's orders to assassinate them. As for the humans, they escort the Sentinel containing the Custodian's personality fragment, who aids them in combat against Halsey's Sentinels. Palmer, Tanaka, and Glassman reach the auxiliary control conduit where they can put the Custodian back in charge of the facility. The Custodian's sentinel sends the initialization code to Palmer's HUD, who reads it to Glassman as he types. However, Halsey realizes they're up to and interferes with the attempt, halting their progress. The custodian informs Palmer that Halsey is in the room directly above them, Palmer volunteering to head up there. At the top floor she holds Halsey at gunpoint, giving her three seconds to step away from her console. Instead Halsey activates a containment field around Palmer and prepares a portal to her next destination.<ref name="HE24">'''Halo Escalation''', ''[[Halo: Escalation Issue 24|Issue #24]]''</ref> | Inside the Record Jul's forces occupy most of the facility, too many for the humans to battle through. They wait outside the central chamber for Halsey, Jul expressing misgivings at her eagerness to command these Forerunner sites. He orders his Zealots to detain Halsey once she exits, as a reminder that she is under his command. Through the Record's communications, Halsey overhears his conversation and remarks that she had another matter to attend to: terminating their alliance. With the Record's controls, Halsey orders the Sentinels to attack Jul and his warriors.<ref name="HE23"/> Jul believes that the Custodian ancilla has regained control and is attacking them, unaware that they're under Halsey's orders to assassinate them. As for the humans, they escort the Sentinel containing the Custodian's personality fragment, who aids them in combat against Halsey's Sentinels. Palmer, Tanaka, and Glassman reach the auxiliary control conduit where they can put the Custodian back in charge of the facility. The Custodian's sentinel sends the initialization code to Palmer's HUD, who reads it to Glassman as he types. However, Halsey realizes they're up to and interferes with the attempt, halting their progress. The custodian informs Palmer that Halsey is in the room directly above them, Palmer volunteering to head up there. At the top floor she holds Halsey at gunpoint, giving her three seconds to step away from her console. Instead Halsey activates a containment field around Palmer and prepares a portal to her next destination.<ref name="HE24">'''Halo Escalation''', ''[[Halo: Escalation Issue 24|Issue #24]]''</ref> | ||