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The description in a manual defines John's past and purpose in one simple entry: all that remains of a classified military project to build a series of genetically enhanced super-soldiers... humanities last and best hope...

John is a Spartan, a diplomat of might -- a soldier. As a human soldier you are trained to follow protocol, to obey command, and to keep things simple. Simplicity is necessity. Stay focused, stay alert, get the job done, no matter what.

Human history, however, is riddled with examples of soldiers that don't quite fit this mold. In fact, I would go so far as to say that beyond the soldier is a person -- an artist, a builder, a lover, a son, a daughter, a father, a mother, a human being.

On any other day, to say John is a human being would be enough for him. On this day, however, his task is great and he will need to reach deep inside to find strength. The sleeper within must wake.

[Smooth golden light fades as the view focuses on John, suited fully in his MJOLNIR battle armor.]

John ponders through a window to another world. The view is unlike anything he has seen before, yet strangely familiar, perhaps too familiar. Through the window, different colored objects the shape of keys can be seen floating in black. Some of the keys have alien hands and arms attached to them. The hands and arms of those before that have reached through the window only to grasp the wrong key.

For a moment the sleeper wakes, John thrusts his hand through the window, not at any floating key but at an empty spot in the blackness. He grasps a key, pulls it out through the window. In his hand he holds a translucent black key, an Omega key from the days of the old ones. The window closes to become nothing more than a mirror.

Here we stand at the end of the line, nowhere to go but back - Omega key inscription.

John snaps out of it. He looks at Cortana, her holographic image illuminating the black key. "Don't ask me how or why, but I have a gut feeling we're going to need this Cortana."

Cortana replies, "Chief your vital signs disappeared for just a moment, almost like you were dead or in stasis. I recommend that you give me a warning before you try a stunt like that again."

"Cortana, I wish I could. Let's get out of here. We've got work to do."

[Fade to black.]

In the skies far above, another story unfolds...

Enter the Saurans.

Powered by the technology of the old ones, the Sauran transports are the first of three to reach the 3rd moon. The moon called Bella is not a moon at all but instead it is a gigantic ship built ages ago - the Ark of the Covenant.

The first transport to land belongs to the Supreme Chief. A mighty Sauran, his reptilian skin clad in suit of dragon scaled armor, he bears with him a long rod with a translucent black key at one end.

On the key is inscribed: we are not the first, we are not the last, a new beginning just the same - Omega. The Supreme Chief places the key in a lock hidden in the rock. A turn of the key opens small bay doors. A second turn opens great bay doors.

Enter the demons.

Not far behind the Saurans, the demons arrive. Their transports, powered by the souls of the fallen, need not wait for the great bay doors to open, they move in and out of focus, disappear for a moment and reappear inside the great bay.

Boom! Boom! Doom! Surrounded by floating green flames, their Balrog master exits the largest transport; he too bears a translucent black key, his key the front spike of a demonic crown.

On the key is inscribed: we stand neither here nor there, the journey has begun - Omega. The Balrog places the key in a lock hidden inside a crystal panel. A turn of the key pressurizes the great bays behind transparent force fields. A second turn opens the inner gates to the heart of the ark.

Enter the Covenant Chosen.

The last to arrive, but not for lack of trying, is the Covenant Chosen. Their large and bulky transports are only tiny specs in the great bays. From one of the transports descends a shapely Covenant elite -- the Priestess Alainas. Flowing green and gold robes cover her battle armor. Around her thin neck she bears a translucent black key hanging from a golden chain. As she moves through an inner gate and down a dark, long corridor, there is no sign of the Saurans or of the demons. The ark is huge with many great bays and inner corridors.

On front of the priestess now lies an invisible barrier. She feels around the barrier and finds a hidden lock. Before she places the black key into the lock, she pauses for a moment, holds the key in her hands and reads the inscription: here we cross the thin line, the line in our mind - Omega. A turn of the key increases gravity and illuminates the corridors. A second turn removes the hidden barriers.

The long corridors wind around like blood vessels in the body, but as we know all blood vessels eventually lead to the heart. The Saurans, demons, and Chosen draw closer together.

In the camp of the Chosen, Priestess Alainas prepares for what will come. "Commander Larkin, order our servants to engage the Saurans when we reach the larger chambers near the heart. Then commander, we will break for the heart in the confusion. One more thing, we will need a good number of volunteers to delay the demons too, but don't risk the Imperial Guard, we may need them later."

In the camp of the demons, Doom walks with his army. Although each of his demons could easily defeat a single human marine or Covenant grunt in melee combat, they are not the mightiest of demon warriors, nor do their magical bolts of fire match up to a good assault rifle. They are here for one reason only, and that is because they are absolutely loyal to their master.

For the Saurans, there really is not one camp. They have chosen to split up into many different groups. Each group has a figure roughly dressed to look like the Supreme Chief. They hope to confuse the enemy. If it works out, the enemy will be busy attacking a fake Supreme Chief while the real one reaches the heart.

"Oblivion is at hand," whispers Og, the Convent science officer grunt, as he enters into the last and largest of many great chambers that must be crossed on the journey to the heart.

He is not the only one who whispers, they all do. It's not because the Chosen wish to move in silence. If they could, they would whistle or hum tunes, but they cannot, the greatness of the inner chambers has stolen their voices.

Bam! The sound of a sniper firing a fuel rod gun. Saurans can be seen moving quickly in the distance. The battle begins...

The servants of the Chosen are Saurans that have been converted to the light. They, shout ancient battle cries as they charge toward the Supreme Chief and his Sauran escort.

The Saurans, clad in ancient armor and painted in ceremonial colors prepare to meet the charge. Their eyes turn red and saliva foams from their mouths.

This is not a battle for control of the ark; this is eye-gouging, testicle-ripping savagery. As the Chosen servants charge, both sides begin throwing down their plasma weapons and slug-throwers. They unsheathe ancient blades. Not long blades like the Covenant energy swords but short multi-pronged knives that are remarkably good at gutting and skinning prey. They brutally fight, Sauran against Sauran, brother against brother.

Up above the battle, move the demons. In the vastness of the chamber, they take flight. Covenant snipers take shots, hitting some of the demons. The demons press on, leaving their wounded to fall to death.

The sounds of battle are left far behind Priestess Alainas and her entourage of Elites. They ride like the wind on Ghost reconnaissance vehicles. And just like that, they reach the heart.

Compared to the vast inner chambers, the heart seems cramped at only about 1 kilometer across. In the middle of the heart lies a small raised platform, the control center for the entire ark. A group of the Chosen race ahead and enter the control center. They raise their arms in victory, but before they can utter a word, they are quickly gunned down. Several Sauran snipers have been waiting in ambush.

Moving in light vehicles, three large groups of Saurans arrive from separate directions; among the third group is the real Supreme Chief. He laughs in a deep voice. From a distance he bellows, "Priestess Alainas, we meet at last. I see you have beaten me to the heart of the ark. However, fortune be with me today. Throw down your weapons, we have you out gunned, out numbered, and out smarted."

"No, you throw down your weapons. Hear that sound, soon my main battle force will be here. It looks to me like you are the one who has spread forces too thin."

There is a sound of approaching troops, but the priestess has grossly misheard. The sound is not the battle hymn of the Chosen, but the evil sheiks of the fallen. In march the demons, their force ten times the size of both the Supreme Chief's and Priestess' forces combined. Their master speaks and the ark shakes with his words. Boom! Boom! Doom! "Spartan, I should have known."

All eyes turn to look upon the control center. There stands John -- A tall, lone figure in pristine battle armor. John turns his Omega key once. Impenetrable shields surround the control center. A second turn expands the great light sails that power the ark.

"Get him!" Says the priestess as all eyes now focus in on a pile of dead bodies. Og squirms out from under a dead elite. He has been trapped there since the Sauran ambush. He stands up only a few meters from John. Now when Og was science officer 1st class grunt, commander of the Chosen expeditionary forces, he would not have hesitated even for a moment before diving for the plasma rifle just out of his reach to the right. From there he would unload on the Spartan, striking him down by the wrath of the Chosen. But alas, he is Og, 4th class science officer grunt. His head gets light, his eyes roll back, he passes out. Thud he hits the ground.

John continues what he was doing.

"Stop!" Shouts the priestess. "If you don't have the true Omega key, the third turn will destroy us all."

"She speaks the truth Spartan." Interjects the Supreme Chief in a deep voice. "We all have keys that we believe are the one, but only the true one brings hope."

John gazes through the translucent blue shields that surround him. The main battle force of the Chosen has arrived from one side of the chamber. From other sides he sees many groups of Saurans also arriving. The balance of power has almost equalized. Each side sizing up the others. John says to himself, "ah, this is going to be good."

Boom! Boom! Doom! "Spartan, we have a deal, remember? I gladly give you my Omega key, the true key." The great Balrog then holds out his crown towards John, palms facing up.

John knows what he must do. He cannot let the Covenant Chosen escape. He is duty bound to protect human kind at all costs. He must demand that the demons and the Saurans destroy the Chosen. In failing that, he must destroy them all. Behind John sits a large cylinder the size of a garbage can. The warhead of a powerful bomb designed to destroy capital ships. The bomb has little chance to destroy the ark, but it is plenty powerful enough to destroy the vital control center - disabling the ark for good.

Then again, why not turn the key? If it is the wrong one, everyone is destroyed, if by some unlikely chance it is the true one, he still has the bomb. Curiosity gets the better of John. He tries to turn the key, but it only moves slightly. Even with all his strength he cannot budge it any more.

The lights dim as a giant holographic figure appears above. The figure is that of a pointy-headed Covenant elite dressed in flowing multi-colored robes. He speaks with the voice of the High Priest. His voice heard throughout all of the ark, he echoes, "Spartan, first before all else, you must prove that you are worthy of the ark. Let the games begin."

Throughout the ark, monitors show what is happening. All fighting stops, everyone looks in awe. The control center is surrounded by holograms depicting great figures from past, present, and future - a hall of champions.

Far below in a secret bunker under the sacred lands, the High Priest has his own hall of ominous figures. He chooses a dark handsome figure with a horn protruding from his forehead. This is Dagarth the destroyer. As Dagarth disappears, a large satellite moves around the world of Medusa. It is Thog -- One of the larger defense satellites. From its main mass cannon it can launch stadium-sized rocks at one-tenth the speed of light. Controlled by the flood, its weapons power-up. In one minute it will have moved far enough around the planet to have a clear line of fire at Bella.

"Chief, I recommend that you choose a champion of your own. It appears that your choice will affect the events that happen around us."

John looks at the many holograms. He whispers back to Cortana, "I don't know which to choose."

Just at that moment a single hologram catches his eye. There before him is a winged man with silver-white hair. He is dressed in all black; from his dark shades that cover his eyes to his long trench coat and down to his shiny leather boots this in one bad dude. Sheathed over his shoulder he bears an ornate bastard sword. The sword has a deep and perfect ruby mounted on its pommel; its guard forms golden wings sloping towards the point of the blade. Below the hologram reads, Arch - Great Daemon Slayer.

John chooses Arch. The hologram begins to move. Arch removes his shades to reveal penetrating blue-eyes. Arch winks and then from his right hip he quickly draws a powerful looking pistol; spins the pistol around like an old-west gunslinger, then fires one shot into the air. In the loud boom, he disappears; the last thing to seen is his sword twirling in the air.

Outside passed Bella a huge and beautifully ornate ship can be seen. The ship, some 10 kilometers long, has been trapped in the web of Medusa for tens of thousands of years. This wonder is an Archonian flagship battlecruiser. Inside the ship, the crew wakes from stasis. The great demon hunters have arrived.

Cortana says, "Chief, we're picking a communication signal."

At that point the signal can be seen on all monitors throughout the ark.

"I am Commander Aspasia of the Flagship Yon-Akirakon. Identify yourselves and state your purpose." The voice comes from a beautiful human-like woman with short blonde hair, deep green eyes and slightly pointed ears.

John whispers, "Cortana, you got any recommendations?"

Before Cortana can reply, Commander Aspasia looks John straight in the eyes and says, "a sleeper." Then she looks down to the side, "Queen Cortana? (pause) Quick fire weapons."

With only moments to spare before Thog fires on Bella, the Yon-Akirakon fires as one continuous weapon. A single beam of energy blasts clean through the hull of Thog. As the pieces of Thog break apart, each piece begins to glow and as if converted into pure energy, they explode into nothingness. A chain reaction ensues destroying nearly all the defense satellites on this side of Medusa.

The Balrog looks at John. Boom! Boom! Doom! "Now I realize why I was so powerless against you Spartan. Figures you would have the blood of the great demon hunters in you. Souls like yours are not for me."

[From far away laughter can be heard]

Deep in the bunker the High Priest laughs. He chooses Glyvenmegan the Goblin assassin engineer. As he does, vents and bulkheads open on the ark. From them pour the flood. For nearly two years the flood has known that Bella was the ark, but because they did not have the true Omega key, they laid in wait in special stasis containers until the time that the true key arrives.

John eyes the hologram of a proud looking Elite. The Elite stands highly decorated in formal battle armor, shields glistening. John feels inspired; he is reminded of his friend Max. Below the hologram reads, Kavaszer - Commander Elite, with Pride and Honor did he serve.

John chooses Kavaszer. The hologram begins to move. Kavaszer crosses his arms and eyes the Spartan. His thoughts can be heard, "What an honorable duel this could be." He then looks to see the flood. He nods his head and then with his right arm over his chest, he salutes John and then drops out of sight as if descending on a turbo lift.

Boom! Boom! Doom! "We have all been foolish."

Priestess Alainas replies, "perhaps so, we have lived many years in peace before today."

In a deep voice the Supreme Chief says, "yes, we have. Oh great Balrog and most wise priestess, let us resolve our petty differences and fight as one."

Doom! "Yes as one we shall be oh most honorable chieftain and beautiful priestess."

"Yes, as one, most strong Balrog and wise chieftain."

The combined forces of the new alliance drive back the flood into far corridors. All cheer with arms raised high. Covenant, Sauran, and demon embrace and dance.

Their victory is shorted lived however. They all stop and listen.

[The sound of more flood approaching]

The High Priest has chosen Xanthugul the plague bringer. From inside the vast inner chambers of the ark comes the walking dead. They have been reanimated, host bodies to the flood.

"They're everywhere!" Shout Covenant grunts as they withdraw back to the more defensible heart of the ark.

John spins around, does a small dance step and points into the hall of champions. He is getting quite good at the game. "I choose her," he says confidently.

It's hard to tell what he has chosen although its does resemble a woman. The image is fuzzy -- only an outline can be seen. The inscription reads, Shade -- Who is she that gives nothing and gains rebirth? Destroyer of the saviors, blood on thy name.

The image of Shade disappears in a cloud of black smoke. Not holographic smoke, but real smoke as the hologram projector overheats and shuts down.

As the dead rise, the Yon-Akirakon has entered into the great bays of the ark, from the ship rains bolts of bluish-black energy. The bolts form into shapes. Now arrive the Spartan Shadowguard, mightiest of the Archon elite. They move like shadows in the night, destruction in their wake.

Pop! Pop! Pop, pop, pop, pop! Go the flood -- down to the very last one.

The forces of the new alliance cheer with delight. They chant, "Spartan, Spartan. Long live Spartan." John is beside himself. He raises his hands; arms stretched out. The cheering continues.

Just above the cheers can be heard the voice of the High Priest. The crowd quiets down. They listen.

"Spartan, I admit that bringing in the Archons was not something I expected. I say that you have played the game well. However, the game ends now, I have the one that the Archons have never been able to defeat. I choose Shai'tan the Great - Demon Overlord."

There appears a great demon lord, green energy radiating into flames. Doom the Balrog mutters, "father."

Shai'tan speaks, the souls of all tremble to his words. Even John, who has had some protection bestowed on him, trembles in fear, the feeling of utter devastation rips the strength from his limbs. His knees begin to buckle.

Beside the great demon lord stands a most beautiful woman. She has the likeness of Cortana or should I say that Cortana has the likeness of her. If not for her bright light, John knows his soul would surely have imploded leaving nothing but an empty shell.

Shai'tan's thundering voice, "High Priest, I have mastered the dark and conquered the light. You are a fool to believe that the power of the old ones could bind one such as me. Now play your silly games. Your soul is mine."

With that Shai'tan and his queen vanish.

[Utter silence.]

"Chief, snap out of it."

"Whaaat, Cortana?"

"Chief, I highly recommend that you choose another before the High Priest recovers."

John eyes a mighty god of ancient times, thunder and lightning flying from his fists.

"I choose him." But as John points, he stumbles on an arm of one of the dead elites lying about. Instead he points at the hologram of an average looking Covenant grunt. There doesn't seem to be anything special about him, but his face does bear the look of experience, the kind of experience that can only be gained by living in hard times. The inscription reads simply, Banserki - the chosen one.

Banserki begins to move. He stretches has arms out and rotates his neck as if he is stiff from standing still too long. He slaps himself on the shoulders, then clenches his fists and moves them in small circles while he makes ugly faces as if he is trying to psych himself up. Banserki looks at John, salutes him, and then snaps his fingers. Snap! Snap, again but nothing happens. Banserki looks around, then lowers his head and turns around to face a door that appears. He opens the door and walks through. His image fades.

Down on planet Medusa, the doors to the secret bunker blast open. The High Priest turns around to see that members of the Elite 7th Imperial Guard have arrived, his most trusted servants. "How did you get in here? How dare you disturb me!"

In walks a mighty Elite in full Imperial battle armor. He is once again the commander of the mighty 7th and the leader of the newly formed MUF, Medusa Unified Forces. Behind him walks his second in command, the Sauran Croaker.

Max speaks, "High Priest, you are under arrest for high crimes against the people."

Before the High Priest can make a move, the Elites grab him and force him to his knees.

Max continues, "The penalty is death."

Thud... The head of the High Priest hits the ground. Max sheaths his energy sword. "You have been sentenced."

[Game over. Play again?]

Max looks through the viewer. "John, it is good to see that you too have survived another day, my friend."

"Max, Croaker it's great to see you buddies. How long before you can get up to the ark?"

"As you can image, John, there is still a lot of work that needs to be done here. We must part are ways again. Live long with honor my friend."

"Live long with honor my friends," John replies to Max and Croaker.

Max then removes a translucent black key from a control panel. His image vanishes.

John's Omega key turns once more on its own. The great ark breaks orbit.

[Fade to black.]

Many months have passed. Inside his Long Sword fighter, John sits entranced as he receives a transmission from Princess Kira, leader of the Archons.

Outside the ship, the great Yon-Akirakon battle cruiser has met up with a dozen smaller Akirakon class cruisers. Together they form a huge stargate. The ark and all ships pass through the gate except for the lone Long Sword.

Kira speaks in her soft and soothing voice, "John, rest assured that all is prepared. The Covenant Chosen will come and live in the Archonian worlds. They will be well provided for and well watched. The location of Earth will be safely guarded."

"As for Doom, because he has a claim on his father's throne, his father, Shai'tan, wants him destroyed. Doom may still become the ally foretold in our legends. We have allotted to him several captured demon cruisers. They wait for him at Archon."

"The Saurans will be very happy. The children of the old ones are always welcome."

"My precious John, our time draws short. We must make our parting words."

John speaks softly, "Princess Kira, you burn so bright, my heart is lifted. When will I see you again?"

"John, the time will come when we will speak face to face, body to body, soul to soul. As you know, sleepers are forbidden to come to or be in contact with Archon before they are fully awakened. Circumstances have allowed me to break the latter rule but at some cost. I might not be able to contact you again. We will have to wait and see. Farewell my guardian sleeper. At Archon I wait for you."

"Good-bye, Kira."

Kira smiles, "With the recovery of our flagship Yon-Akirakon, our greatest heroes return. There is hope that we may meet sooner than later for I can truly say, the Archons have returned."

[Transmission ends.]

In the background Cortana can be seen standing tall, chin raised high. Her holographic body is reflected in a holographic mirror. "Queen Cortana, I could get use to that. You know Chief that the Archonians are a greatly advanced race. They believe that there is power in names. I share the same name and likeness to their queen."

"Your majesty, what can a lowly Spartan say in the presence of such grace?"

"Alright Chief, I get your point, back to work. By the way, the Sauran modifications to our engines and the new shield and weapons array provided by the Archons are working wonderfully. Should we set course for Reach?"

"Yes, make it so."

[Pan to the stars, the lone Long Sword fighter zips away, in a flash it is gone.]

-- The End --

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