Chapter 6: Past, Present, Future.
I shouldn't be toying with fiction this much, but it involves the Mantle of Responsibility. I can only hope that you accept these minor changes to it, and enjoy what I make of it.
No-one spoke a word as the replacement Eagle continued it's path to the excavation site. Jorge and Nine sat on the outer hull of the Eagle, it's grenade turrets serving as seats and as defensive precautions.
"You really got to be more careful." Phil said to Blaine in a private comm. "George and Marissa both look up to you like a hero. Throwing yourself around like a ragdoll at every baddie that causes you emotional pain isn't a lesson they should be learning. Heroes die with clear minds, and make it count. If you teach them that throwing themselves head first into every situation will work in their favor, they will become no better than the Brutes."
"I had a trail set in place, after I publically executed Matadus in cold blood. That is an act that I can never fully atone for, especially at the cost of Earth and the most crucial members of the Admiralty."
"There is no argument that the fate of Earth and Hood is an unfortunate outcome. But Humanity has lost many leadership types over the years, and we were the top dogs in the Galaxy for four years. Humanity is built to survive, and it is built to lead, no matter how many of us fall."
"You're starting to sound an awful lot like Manuel right about now." Blaine chuckled. "I'll be more careful, but our enemy is much more advanced than us, using brute force may just be the only alternative for us."
The Pelican lurched a bit as it began it's descent to the excavation platform. Blaine, Josh, Phil, Moroni, Vance, George, and Marissa hopped out, as Jorge and Nine leapt off of their seats.
"By the way." Nine said, approaching Blaine, handing him the clear metallic ball that had delivered Blaine the warning of the Mez 'Khar eight years before. "I wasn't sure if this thing would be of any help to us, but figured why the fuck not."
Blaine accepted it, handing it over to George. Blaine stared into the Maw of the cave, as an enveloping blue light flashed from behind him. The device in George's hand glowed a brilliant ocean blue, as the ball slowly dismantled itself, forming a tiny purple slip space portal in it's wake. Blaine activated his suit's homing beacon, as the group stepped through.
----------------------------------------------------
For a moment, there was blinding light. Blaine uncovered his hand, as Forerunner woman he had met on Requiem hovered above him.
"I still live, Child." She said carefully, edging closer to him. "You have solved my DNA codex, and the Fate of Humanity has been once again pulled from the dust."
"I don't understand, I only got a message when I touched it?" Blaine pondered for a second.
"The one you call George. He is your adoptive Grandson, is he not?"
"Aye, but our DNA is of the same type?" Blaine asked. "He's from my family pool."
"There is a difference, however." The Librarian answered. "Your genetic evolution from your younger age has altered your DNA. While you are of the same blood line as him, his blood remains slightly less altered. I had foreseen this, implanting a Geas that would lead to the eventuality that you both would arrive here."
"So where is everyone else, then?" Blaine asked.
"They are outside this chamber, waiting for you to open the door." The Librarian smiled. "They will believe I am a message, I would prefer if you considered me so."
"But why do you need ME here?" Blaine asked.
"It is about your fate, your 'destiny' if Human vocabulary still serves me well." The Librarian turned for a moment. "There is something I must show you of the time before, something that will be crucial to your victory over my husband."
"I'm ready." Blaine nodded, as the Librarian turned, nodded, and placed a hand gently on his helmet.
Blaine's body jolted for a moment, as he lost all control of his body.
-----------------------------------------------------------
"Lord of Fleets." Blaine heard, his vision blurry. "The Didact's ships, they outnumber us four to one."
Blaine couldn't move, yet he saw everything, his body moving as if by itself. He sat up on the bed, running his hand along his chin, scratching his stubble.
"Damned Forerunners. They were always so easy to offend, and always quick to fight. For a race determined to protect a Galaxy, they sure like to create conflicts." He said.
"Orders sir?" His ensign replied.
"Prepare all weapons, this is our final fight, and even if we lose, I want the Didact to know that the Forerunners aren't invincible."
"Perhaps if they got hit by the plague-" 'Blaine''s right arm thrust outwards, far faster than his normal body, as the Ensign took the brunt of it.
"I will hear of no such nonsense!" 'Blaine' barked. "We wish the Plague upon NO species!"
"But they would easily, thinking they are so high and mighty."
"Hold your tongue Ensign, tell the remaining Fleet to hold firm. This is Humanity's last stand."
Blaine's vision faded out.
--------------------------------------------------------
"HOLD THE LINE!" 'Blaine barked, as his fellow soldiers fell to the Promethean's well aimed hard light.
"
So deluded, Lord of Admirals- Admiral of Fleets." The Didact himself appeared before 'Blaine' he looked different than what Blaine had seen on Reach, almost as if he hadn't evolved. "
I would have thought you, as Leader of your race, would have been more of a thoughtful being and known where your place is. "
"You abuse the Mantle." The ensign growled, as a Promethean stomped his head into the flawless metal floor.
"If you knew our true intent, instead of blindly attacking whatever and whoever you wanted to, perhaps your future would be much better." 'Blaine' replied snidely. "But your arrogance, your nobility, has blinded you- Forerunner. We were not meant to be enemies. There is a force, something stronger than-"
"
I won't hear of it. Rather than burning my Species worlds, you would have been better to seek the Council."
"It would take more than the Council for this force, and your attitude that the Forerunners are invincible, or even immortal for that matter, are complete hubris. The Plague cannot be stopped with pure might, they require a much more tactical approach."
"
If they endanger the Galaxy, as your species has done, they will be eradicated." The Didact growled, lifting 'Blaine' with his special gloves. "
You know your punishment for uprising against the Forerunners. Humanity is hereby to be devolved to a Tier 7 civilization. Take this filth from my sight. "
Blaine felt fuzzy again, as the blinding light came to him.
----------------------------------------------------------
"Now you see what your relative was like during the time before." The Librarian remarked. "He attempted to warn us, and his attempts served no good, the Didact was unwilling to see reason, and that is what lead to the downfall of the Galaxy."
"Why is this relevant to me?" Blaine asked.
"Because the Plague is returning, and not even the Mez 'Khar or the Didact will stand a chance."
"Impossible, Chief, Arbiter, and I took out Delta Halo, we obliterated the ARK, and killed the Gravemind."
"You killed but ONE, child." The Librarian said. "The Flood is an advanced race, and even the slightest spore that remains could mean the end to the Galaxy. This new faction of Sanghieli, that fight alongside the Mez 'Khar and the Jiralhanae, they will discover the Plague. My Husband, in his foolishness, will condemn the entire Galaxy if it continues."
"What are my options?" Blaine asked.
"I will explain." The Librarian waved her arm, as the Spartans behind the door piled in, their weapons fixed on the Forerunner.
"Hold your fire!" Blaine barked, as Nine pushed down everyone's guns.
"I concur, this woman has saved my life more times than Blaine has punched Death in the nose."
"You all must discover the origins of the Mez 'Khar, before you discover the means to destroy them, and the Plague, simultaneously."
"Enlighten us, please." Moroni asked.
“It is regrettable.” The Librarian sighed. “Our attempts to bring Humans back from the Composer had lead to abominations. In our best attempt to reconstruct them, the Mez ‘Khar were created. At first they were savage, beastly. But as soon as they had realized that we gave them life, they worshipped us like Gods. My husband believes they could be of good use to him.”
“So what do we do about them?” Blaine asked, curious.
“Now that you have set me free, I can give you access to the Altar, the Mantle.” the Librarian replied.
“What are they, before you give us access.”
“They are the means of Salvation, or Destruction, of your race.” the Librarian replied. “Long ago, when the Forerunners first attained the Mantle, discovered that every Species would face a test of time, a cycle of horror, created by the Precursors. This horror is the Flood. The test was if the current holders of the Mantle could stop the Flood from spreading. Our goal, as the Mantle explained, was to keep all Species in line. We were the Guardians of all that exists. When we first had our conflict, our two species, we were ignorant to your purpose. Your race had been running from the Flood, what we didn’t know, was that you had discovered a cure towards the end of your life.”
“That’s when you devolved us-” Blaine asked.
“Not entirely true. That was the work of Faber and the Bornstellar-Didact. When you were devolved, your cure was gone. Towards the end of our war with the Flood, we realized that your race must rise again to save us. Bornstellar-Didact, my false husband, was opposed, which was why he attempted to Compose your species. We attempted to save you from his machines, and the Mez ‘Khar were born. The Didact took these abominations to Origin, where the Mantle was located.”
“Isn’t the Mantle a guideline to how to run the Universe?”
“To an extent, yes. It is a machine that distributes law throughout the Universe. Much like our Halo rings, this machine would affect everything inside of the Milky Way Galaxy, spreading the law of the Forerunners. Your advanced evolution from your ancestors was a result of my use of the Mantle.”
“What about the Altar and the Glossary?”
“The Altar is the activation console of the Mantle. We used it in an attempt to distribute a cure for the Flood. Instead, we discovered that it merely accelerated their evolution. Thus we started the Halo Ring process. The Altar, which if in the Didact’s hands is used, will Compose the entirety of Humanity, of course, it requires the Glossary, the key to the Altair. If you can activate the Altar, you must push this vial into the appropriate slot. It contains my husband’s DNA. His mutated form is impervious, but if you can enter this into the Altar, it will cause his DNA to destabilize, and he will die. This is the only way. Once he is dead, the Mez ‘Khar will either die, or be yours to control. However, the Glossary can only be held by he who opened my prison.”
Blaine and the group looked back to George, who looked around, confused.
“Wh-wait!” George said.
“You are the one George.” Blaine smiled. “Yer the one to end this boyo.”
“There is one last thing, something I must tell the Admiral of Fleets in private.”
Blaine nodded away, as the Librarian passed the Glossary to George. The others in his ground force left the room, as Blaine’s helmet disassembled.
“Your fate draws near, I fear.” The Librarian said. “You’ve made a rather bad decision before, and that has cost you a multitude of credibility throughout your race. But, your actions in the past have earned you the respect of crucial members of the Sangheili and the Jiralhanae, these members will fight with you.”
“What’s my odds of survival, when we find this planet?”
“That is up to you, Admiral of Fleets. I cannot tell for sure, but if you continue on with the decisions like the one you made four years back... your chances will be slim. But I see great promise in you Admiral, your DNA is a culmination of lifetimes of planning. Not as advanced as your Champion’s, but enough to get you to where you are now. You will find Planet Origin near the Polaris Star.”
“Polaris- that’s the North Star.” Blaine grinned. “Son of a bitch.”
“Yes. For a time, Origin served as Mankind’s homeworld, but after the Didact and our war, Earth became your new homeworld.” The Librarian paused. “The Didact musn’t find out I live, please, go now, and good luck Admiral of Fleets.”
Blaine nodded, his helmet reforming itself around his head, and he ran out the door.