Location: Halo Ring Installation, UNSC Pillar of Autumn
Time: Dawn
The Pillar of Autumn hung precariously above the broken surface of Halo, its hull scorched and twisted by the violent crash. In the distance, the sun crept over the horizon, casting long shadows across the shattered terrain. The sight might have been beautiful under different circumstances, but now, it was a grim reminder of how close we were to the end.
The battered Banshee I had commandeered was barely holding together as I steered it toward the wrecked ship. Halo had to be destroyed—there was no other option. Cortana's voice crackled through my helmet, cutting through the noise of the failing craft.
"This thing is falling apart!" she said, panic creeping into her tone.
"It'll hold," I replied, gripping the controls tighter.
"We're not gonna make it!" she insisted.
"We'll make it."
The Banshee hit the side of the Autumn with a screech of metal, sending debris and sparks flying. I gritted my teeth, riding the impact, then pulled myself out of the cockpit and onto the docking platform. Cortana's voice cut through the ringing in my ears, half-relieved, half-frustrated.
"You did that on purpose, didn't you?"
There was no time to answer. I grabbed my rifle and sprinted toward the bridge. We had a mission to finish, and I wasn't about to let anything get in the way.
Location: Pillar of Autumn, Bridge
Time: Early Morning
The interior of the ship was a warzone. The Flood and Covenant were everywhere, locked in brutal combat, tearing each other apart. Sentinels hovered overhead, firing their lasers into the fray. I pushed through the chaos, my focus unshaken. Every step brought me closer to the end, and there was no turning back.
When I reached the bridge, the Covenant forces fell swiftly under my fire. I cleared the room and approached the command console. Cortana's voice rang in my ears, urging me on.
"We made it. Let's get to work."
I inserted her chip into the terminal. Her avatar flickered to life as she accessed the ship's systems, and soon, the countdown for the Pillar of Autumn's self-destruct was set.
"There. That should give us enough time to make it to a lifeboat and put some distance between ourselves and Halo before the detonation," Cortana said, her voice filled with relief.
But before I could retrieve her chip, 343 Guilty Spark's cold, mechanical voice cut through the comms. "I'm afraid that's out of the question, really."
I felt my stomach drop as the countdown froze, the numbers halted mid-tick.
"He's in my data arrays," Cortana growled. "A local tap."
"Where is he?" I asked, my hand hovering over the console.
"He's in Engineering. He's trying to take the core offline!" she snapped.
"How much firepower would it take to crack one of the engine's shields?" I asked, knowing what I had to do.
"Not much," she replied, "A well-placed grenade might do it—"
I tossed a frag grenade into the air, catching it with a nod. Cortana sighed, understanding the plan immediately. "Okay, I'm coming with you."
Just as I reached for her chip, Sentinels descended into the bridge, firing their lasers across the room. My shields flared as I ducked behind cover, pulling Cortana from the console and sliding her back into my helmet. I raised my rifle, firing into the mechanical swarm.
Location: Pillar of Autumn, Engineering
Time: Late Morning
The reactor room was swarming with enemies—Flood, Sentinels, and Covenant alike, all engaged in a deadly struggle. But my focus was on the reactors. Halo had to be destroyed, and the fusion reactors were the key. I fought my way through, following Cortana's guidance as I pried open the first exhaust manifold.
With a heavy clang, the core was exposed, and I tossed a grenade into the open shaft. The explosion shook the room, and alarms blared as the first reactor destabilized.
"Good!" Cortana urged, "Three more to go."
The battle raged around me, but I kept moving, forcing my way to the remaining reactors. Each explosion brought us closer to the end. As the final reactor went critical, the ship groaned under the strain, the engines on the verge of meltdown.
"That did it!" Cortana exclaimed. "The engine's going critical! We've got fifteen minutes to get off the ship."
I sprinted toward the service lift, my heart pounding. But there was something I needed to do first.
"Echo 419, this is Chief. Come in," I called, opening the comms.
Foehammer's voice crackled through, calm but concerned. "Roger, Chief. I read you."
"I've initiated a core meltdown on the Autumn. We need to get out of here, but I have another mission for you."
"Understood, Chief. What's the plan?" she asked, her voice steady despite the chaos.
"Link up with Johnson and his survivors in orbit. They've captured a Covenant Phantom," I instructed. "Stay with them. I'll take the Longsword in Launch Bay 7. We'll regroup once we're clear of the blast."
There was a pause on the line before Foehammer responded. "Roger that, Chief. I'll get to them. See you on the other side."
I closed the comms, taking a deep breath. Johnson and the others would make it. Now, I just had to make sure we all lived to see it.
Location: Pillar of Autumn, Longsword Launch Bay
Time: Noon
The ship was falling apart around me, debris raining from the ceiling as I raced through the corridors in a battered Warthog. Flood and Covenant forces battled across the ship, but I pushed through, determined to reach the Longsword.
"We need to move!" Cortana shouted as the countdown continued to tick down, the ship trembling beneath us.
I hit the accelerator, launching the Warthog across a crumbling gap. It landed with a jolt, the Longsword ahead, gleaming like a beacon of hope in the chaos. I abandoned the vehicle and sprinted toward the ship, Flood Combat Forms closing in behind me.
I slammed the hatch shut just as they reached the door. "We're cutting it close!" Cortana's voice was tense as I ran toward the cockpit, throwing myself into the pilot's seat.
The Longsword's engines roared to life, lifting us away from the exploding ship. I guided it upward, escaping the inferno below as the Pillar of Autumn tore itself apart.
As the ship climbed higher into orbit, the destruction of Halo unfolded before us. The ring shattered into fragments, the explosion rippling across the surface. I watched in silence, gripping the controls.
"Chief," Cortana said softly. "We've made it. Foehammer has linked up with Johnson and the survivors. They're safe in orbit."
A wave of relief washed over me, but it was fleeting. "What about everyone else?" I asked, my voice quiet.
Cortana hesitated. "I'm scanning now… just dust and echoes. The others… they didn't make it."
I closed my eyes for a moment, letting the weight of the words sink in. We had won—but at a terrible cost.
"We did what we had to do," Cortana said softly. "For Earth. An entire Covenant armada obliterated, and the Flood… we had no choice. Halo is finished."
"No…" I murmured, staring out into the void. I could not help it, I knew that I failed to save many at all, but the line was iconic. "I think we're just getting started."
As the remains of Halo drifted through space, I couldn't help but wonder what was waiting for us out there, beyond the broken ring. The fight wasn't over—not by a long shot.
This was not a game, and I was still coming to terms with that fact. For now my mission was to get everyone back to Earth. I did not know if my meta knowledge would prevail, but there were far to many people that still needed saving.
End of Act I.