unforum

[TheDuder]

Just a note:

Don't know if this is relevant (and I'm not trying to be sexist), but the captain of the ship was female. Just curious if in the halo books, was there a female captain that stood out? Also, who was in control of this ship when it crashed, the female captain, or the operator (melissa)?

[princeofthesword]

I agree with the three points made by Kalamazoo, as well as Clamatius. I would like to point out, however, that there are parts of ONI devoted to researching Covenant tech and applying it to our own tech, which seems to be Section Three. That leaves all the other sections up to Zero, which we've only just recently learned of. Perhaps there are intelligence units devoted to Forerunner artifacts, at such security that even other ONI members aren't aware of? Cortana had no previous knowledge of the Forerunner till she landed on Halo. So remember, in the Haloverse, there is no mention of any of our hero characters having any knowledge of even the existence of "Forerunner," let alone attempts to hack their technology. It could be hinted that Ackerson and his team has some access, and it's likely that other higher up ONI does; but Halsey, her team, her AIs, her Spartans, do NOT. Till they learn about Halo and the artifact on Reach.

The artifact isn't Covenant, and as I've been told I'm longwinded, I'll explain details later case anyone doesn't get them. Doubt it's neccessary though. My question is though, if Weedy should've known that Melissa was checking EVERY SINGLE slipstream transmission, (which, even as a mechanic, he should've,) why would he try to send a "secret" message that way? If it was an ONI contact, which we assume it was, wouldn't that contact have made a more secure means for his "informant?" I just find it hard to believe that McKaskill was just gossiping, though it does fit with the way his character acts. ONI conspiracy to pull one over on Melissa? I find the Castaway's "seduction" and interest with Melissa to be rather...odd.

Even shipboard AIs are not all "Smart." It's just not neccessary to have all that processing power even for running a starship. So, to what lengths would one have to go to trick a tricky smart AI? Just spec, may be getting off at the wrong exit here.

[clamatius]

[princeofthesword]

True, they're not perfect, those Halo AIs. I think the novel is First Strike you're referring to, I believe that's the first mention of a Covenant AI.

What I was meaning though, why the interest in Melissa the AI? Personally, I can see the effort to be polite to an artificial intelligence, but the lengths the Castaway goes to express his consideration for a computer! Only Halsey so far has shown such familiarity and emotion with AIs. My immediate reaction is that he has a hidden agenda for Melissa and/or the artifact, or that he's just has a lot of experience with AIs. Either of those possibilities are things worth noting for future reference.

[jellyfish_green]

Re-reading "Halo:The Fall Of Reach". John-117 is debriefed by ONI Section Two after his recovery of the crystal with the embedded message. That message, too, is described as dot-and-triangle script, and unlike any Cov dialect the debriefers have seen before. They keep it secret of course, so it's no surprise it's not common knowledge to Melissa and her crew. (Later, Cortana takes an intuitive leap and interprets the message as the slipspace vector (less stellar drift) for a jump to Halo.)

The Castaway, if ONI spook, was probably befriending Melissa and McKaskill as a professional skill; eventually they might let slip something of relevance. As others have stated, the rivalry between ONI Sections is pretty fierce. Halsey was the next to be debriefed, and wasn't looking pleased.

I also like how Clamatius pointed out the artifact was destined for "some sub-sub-basement of ONI" like in Indiana Jones and the Lost Ark of, umm, the Covenant.

[clamatius]

[dragongrrl]

slipstream packets

[GunsmithCat]

Re: slipstream packets

[dragongrrl]

Re: slipstream packets

[Knight Hawk]

Clamatius:

I think you mean in First Strike Cortana gets tricked by the Covie AI while trying to take over the ship. But then again it's only because she has absorbed all the info from Halo's computers, Halo being built by the Forerunners meant that she had a lot of info to absorb. She was only slow at protecting herself from the Covie AI because she was, in a sense "bloated".

[thetinguy]

[Cherry Cotton]

I was thinking.... Our Old Man Castaway has unknown origins (although we now think he is from ONI Section Two, since he has both knowledge of the Forerunners and a shadowy presence), unknown motives, and is the X factor in an otherwise tight ship.

Sound anything like our other good friend, the Pious Flea? Perhaps he is who put the Flea on board...

[clamatius]

[DeceptaconS]

[sanctusmortis]

Ooooooh...

Nothing to add, but "ooooooh" all the same