Salvation
Posted By: DarkZipper<crayolaj@comcast.net>
Date: 4 November 2005, 12:10 am
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"You mean to tell me that you were the monitor of the first Halo? You are the Oracle of the holy ring?" Gnarlg asked in awe.
"Actually, that installation was the fourth that the forerunners built. I have monitored the ring since its creation. Specifically, I monitor the parasite to prevent an outbreak. Of course, when your race and the reclaimer came, you both completely ignored the protocols that keep the Flood trapped in pockets of the instillation," the blinking machine said with an as a matter of fact tone.
The Oracle had just finished giving Gnarlg and his battalion of troops a tour of the installation, and now they were speaking in private by an assembly line of some unidentifiable gas containers.
"Tell me holy Oracle," he said with wonder in his eyes. " What is the purpose of that wretched parasite that infests the holy rings?
343 Guilty Spark tilted his spherical body to the side, as if to cock his head. "I thought that you already knew the purpose of the Flood. They are the weapons that the ring deploys."
The Architect looked up at the Oracle and eyed him carefully. What you speak of is a lie. The ring creates a holy wind that-" he was interrupted before he could finish.
"I am the monitor of the instillation." Guilty Spark exclaimed. "I am telling you the facts." He paused for a moment to make sure that he had Gnarlg's full attention, and then continued. " You see, the forerunners built the rings as a weapon that would destroy all sentient life in the universe. My memory banks do not include any information about their enemy, but the forerunners could not win a war that they were losing, so they developed the parasite to bring their enemies down with them. They believed it to be a perfectly logical solution to their problem. Although the Flood would destroy all sentient life in the universe, that wound would heal overtime. Do you have anymore questions?" Guilty Spark asked in his same robotic tone.
All of Gnarlg's beliefs had been shattered in that instant. The holy war that he had been fighting would not bring his race salvation; it would bring his race, and all of the others in the galaxy a painful and gruesome death. The Architect turned on his radio, and set it so that all of his troops could hear it. "I want everyone to meet me at my coordinates. The Oracle has told me something… important about Halo."
Within minutes all of his warriors had arrived. He and Guilty Spark were on the second floor of the large chamber looking down on his troops. "Warriors of the Covenant, we have been lied to. For years we have been fighting a war that if won, will bring us nothing but suffering." His troops began to look questioning, as if they didn't understand, but they knew exactly what he was saying. He pointed to Guilty Spark. "This is the Oracle of the first holy ring. He will force open your blind eyes." He paused for a moment. "Oracle, what is Halo's purpose?"
Guilty Spark exclaimed to the troops exactly what he had told Gnarlg. The blue and silver machine had shown them something that the prophets had been so ignorant of. All of the battles that they had fought, and the soldiers that had died for those horrible rings, meant nothing now. They were nothing but deteriorating filth, lying in the cold hard ground.
After the Oracle had finished Gnarlg walked in front of it. "It pains me to tell you this horrible news, but you had to know." He said regrettably. He paused, and then continued with more confidence. "Although this news is heart shattering, we have a new goal now! We have a new war to fight. This is a war of honor, bravery, and justice for the universe. We must do all that we can to stop the Covenant from activating those rings, and show them the light of our salvation!" Everyone cheered with enthusiasm. They had a real purpose… a good purpose. They were going to help set the universe right, by making sure that no one ever got near the horrible rings.
343 Guilty Spark looked onto the cheering crowd curiously. He hadn't really been paying attention to the speech. He had been managing a transcription error with the computer, but it seemed that what they were cheering for had to do with the installations, so he hovered beside the Architect. "Excuse me," Guilty Spark exclaimed happily. "I would be happy to give you the assistance of myself, and the sentinels. They are perfect soldiers, and will serve you well. I believe that there is a way to produce your plasma weapons here using this factory."
Gnarlg was now filled with confidence. "Good! Our base of operations will be located in this facility."
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