Today's the snippet post over at scifibigbang. Spoilers/spec for Halo 4 abound. References from, well, just about everything. (Halo: Evolutions, Halo: CE, Halo 3 Terminals, Halo: First Strike).


The Delegate pressed forward.  “If your construct has already unleashed damnation on the stars once, who is to say that it will not happen again? This time with more devastating consequences.”

“He could be right, Chief.” Cortana’s voice spoke through their comm.

“Protocol is clear. Destruction or capture of an UNSC AI is unacceptable,” he said, quoting the charge Captain Keyes had given him years ago.

More softly, he said. “I’m not leaving you behind.”

The Delegate, ignorant of their exchange, settled back in his seat. “It cannot be salvaged. It must not be allowed to remain active.”

There was an element of fear in his voice that caught John’s attention. It wasn’t fear of Cortana or her potential actions, it was the fear of failing to capture her. He thought back to the transmissions that Cortana had intercepted when they had been on the Dawn.

“Is she the Intellect? Is that why you want to disable her?”

A shocked quiet settled over the room. When the Delegate spoke, he avoided John’s question. “Her? Do you think of it as a sentient or is your species so sentimental as to give objects such esteem? It is a program. A collection of data. Its decisions are not made by free will but because of the protocols it was programmed with.”

“You’re not getting her.” John’s use of the pronoun was intentional.

The Delegate tilted his head as if he was listening to something, but John heard nothing. Then, he straightened and spoke, “Your desire to protect the one you value is admirable. My master, too, once faced a conflict like this, to be tempted to put the well-being of one over all else.”

“If you deliver your construct to us, I will allow you to keep the shard which you have stolen for your people to study. I will provide safe transport to your home system.” The Elites behind John grumbled. The Delegate held up a hand and they were silenced. “You can continue to fight alongside your fellow humans as you were destined to do.”

“Now...” He stood up and outstretched his hand. “Give me the construct.”


On a completely different note...No matter how many times I watch Night at the Museum, I still can't wrap my mind around Dick Van Dyke being a bad guy, especially with the dancing scene during the credits, LOL.