Chapter 2: Denial Isn't Just a River in Egypt
It had to be wrong.
Catherine turned away from the data streaming in from the latest analysis on the AI, wishing there was some way the information was incorrect, but knowing the undeniable truth.
Cortana was dying.
The doctor shouldn't have been surprised at the data, but when the report came back that Cortana was running at a eighty-six percent data saturation rate, she couldn't help but to feel taken aback.
She and Cortana knew the amount of data the AI had amassed on the Halo ring had cut her lifespan in half. Her time on High Charity with the Gravemind had taken her to the brink of rampancy.
Cortana, who had somehow held on throughout the relentless attack of the Gravemind, had managed to remain "alive" until John was able to find her. To this day, Catherine couldn't explain how John's presence alone was enough for Cortana to shrug off the early bonds of rampancy, but it was. Catherine privately admitted to herself that it was John's luck showing itself again.
When they arrived back on Earth, surviving the crash landing of In Amber Clad in the Indian Ocean, Cortana had been upfront with what her time with the Gravemind had done to her, how she hadn't been able completely to thwart the advances of the Gravemind and had "unleashed damnation on the stars". Lord Hood had dismissed her confession immediately; it was her solution that led to the destruction of Truth, the Gravemind and the disbanding of the Covenant. In Terrence's mind, that absolved Cortana of any wrongdoing.
Though the admiral had allowed for one night of celebration, there was still work to be done. After the devastation over the past several months, Terrence wanted to send a message to the UNSC that recovery was on its way.
Reach was his first order of business. The planet was still mostly glassed; it would take decades for the land to be restored. But there was the small area where the Forerunner artifact was found that had remained unscathed by the Covenant. And that's where Cortana came into the picture.
Though Catherine was sure all of the important data had been destroyed in her lab, the one place that the exposed caverns led to, High Command wanted someone-Cortana, specifically-there to upload any data that remained in the system. Despite the fact that the Covenant had been dispersed, the UNSC was under no disillusionment at the trouble renegade Brutes and rebel humans from other colonies could cause if there was sensitive data still on the planet. The command had been issued and Cortana had been assigned to Unto the Light.
Catherine knew that the AI's pride wouldn't allow her to voice her concerns about her system's saturation levels to High Command. Cortana was proud and reckless, a dangerous combination if left unchecked. So Catherine had done the only thing she could think of doing under the circumstances: she had told John about the AI's impending orders.
She hadn't explained her reason for concern, however; she valued Cortana's privacy too much. When she had told him about Cortana's new assignment, his reaction was different than she had expected. He had seemed almost disconcerted.
"I'd like to request permission to serve on the Unto the Light."
Catherine had been taken aback. John hated deep space travel. He, along with the rest of her Spartans, preferred to be on solid ground, where they could better control their situation.
No, she quickly realized, his request had nothing to do with himself and everything to do with the AI he had been partnered with before the Halo campaign.
She didn't know how to process that bit of information.
John's request had been granted, of course. Terrance wouldn't have blocked any request John made after what he had done during the Halo campaign. When she had offered to pass along news of his assignment to Cortana, she had been politely, but firmly, refused by the Spartan. He wanted to talk to Cortana himself, he had said.
Catherine had allowed herself a slight reprieve from the concern she had for the AI. Everything would be fine, she had thought.
But now, after reviewing the final data analysis from Cortana's matrix before the mission, Catherine knew she shouldn't, she couldn't, allow the AI to continue with her mission as originally intended.
The news would be as painful for Cortana's pride as it was her own. The AI was, in many ways, a direct reflection of herself. But she wasn't doing Cortana a favor by keeping the information from her. She had already sent to the report to Terrance earlier in the morning.
Now she just needed to tell Cortana herself.
She turned towards the AI who was busy cataloguing battle reports from the past four weeks. "There has been a change in the mission." Her voice revealed none of the inner turmoil she felt.
Cortana whipped around and faced Halsey, scowling. "What are you talking about?" she asked, putting her hand on her hip.
The doctor didn't answer Cortana's question right away. She knew how Cortana thought, how she felt. No matter how she answered the question, it would be undoubtedly difficult for the AI to accept.
"Doctor?" prompted Cortana.
"Your data saturation levels are too high. They're-" she hesitated, then corrected herself. After everything that Cortana had done, she owed her that much honesty. "I'm not sure your data pathways could handle any more significant data accumulation."
She expected Cortana to fight, argue, do something other than what she did: nod slowly and close her eyes briefly. "Who's my replacement?" she asked, her jaw jutting forward. If Catherine didn't know it was impossible, she would have thought Cortana was fighting back tears.
Catherine studied her most important creation momentarily. She looked tired. Obviously her time with the Gravemind had affected her more than Catherine originally believed.
When the doctor didn't answer right away, Cortana huffed. "It's another woman, isn't it? Did you let him choose this time? Maybe someone who doesn't think like a civilian?"
Catherine's gut tightened at Cortana's words.
She knew that John had reported having what was being dubbed as a "Cortana moment" on High Charity. There, he had claimed, Cortana identified herself as CTN-0452-9, but instead of being her familiar blue-purple color, she had turned a sickly green.
The color of rampancy.
When he had found her, he claimed she had shown no signs of being abnormal, that her demeanor had been as it always had been, but Catherine knew-and feared-the truth: that Cortana was further along the rampancy process than anyone wanted to admit.
Cortana was as much the hero in the Halo campaign as John was. To think that she was so close to death was almost unthinkable, especially so soon after the war has ended.
But there was no doubt in Catherine's mind that Cortana's question was tinged with Jealousy. Perhaps, she thought with a small frown, she wouldn't be able to implement her plan after all.
Immediately, she was ashamed. Cortana had proven time and again that she was not to be underestimated.
Still, Catherine knew that the plan she had come up with to try save Cortana from falling into the abyss of rampancy might prove too much for the AI.
"No one is replacing you," she assured her. "And, if John had a choice, he would choose you. He already did," she reminded the AI pointedly.
Cortana had the decency to look chastised. "Yes, he did. I-" She stopped and shook her head. Catherine watched as she pushed whatever emotions were swirling through her matrices away and took a deep breath. "I take it that you have a plan."
The doctor relaxed slightly. This was the Cortana she was accustomed to dealing with. "Your assumption would be correct." She pulled up the encrypted file for Cortana to review. "The Resurrection Protocol."
Her eyes got a far away look as she accessed the file. "More like the Suicide Protocol." She looked at Halsey accusingly. "You're serious?"
Cortana had been right in her assessment that the procedure was risky; Catherine hypothesized that there was only a three percent chance that all data would be salvaged. But, even if there was some data degradation, Cortana would have a chance that very few smart AIs ever had: a long life.
"Have you thought of another solution?" she volleyed.
"No." Cortana's admittance echoed throughout the lab. Catherine wondered if it was as awkward for Cortana to say the word as it was to hear it.
She was more convinced than before that this needed to be done if Cortana was to survive. "I understand this is difficult-"
"You're asking me to transfer my data to a storage buffer while you attempt to transfer my core processing to another matrix chip," interjected Cortana. "Did you forget that the quantum transfer cascade will be transferred to the new chip?"
"Not if the algorithm you found in Mendicant Bias's programming can be used," Halsey countered.
"It's still a long shot," argued Cortana. She sighed as she ran a hand through her hair "It might not be worth it."
Catherine amended her earlier assessment of Cortana. Cortana wasn't tired. Cortana was giving in. And that didn't settle well with the doctor.
"Have you lost your tenacity?" Catherine challenged, stepping close to the AI. "Did the Gravemind break you?"
Her questions produced the desired response. Cortana's eyes narrowed. "No, he didn't."
"Then act like it," Catherine retorted. "I have every reason to believe with this algorithm that you will be able to reach metastability. But..."
"ONI and High Command want me to complete my mission on Reach before you do anything," Cortana finished for her.
Catherine nodded. Though ONI reluctantly agreed to let her attempt to graft the algorithm to Cortana's core processing, they had been insistent that her work would be done after the data upload on Reach. There were only six smart AIs in the UNSC and only Cortana had been stationed on Reach. Her knowledge would be invaluable to allow her to purge all classified data that survived the attack.
If she survived, then Catherine's proposal was to proceed.
"Which means I'll be coming with you on the Light," the doctor said. She held up a hand at Cortana's protest. "Reach might be Terrance's first priority, but you are mine." She softened her voice slightly. "You will overcome this."
She watched as the AI considered her words before she slowly nodded. "Have you told John?"
Catherine raised her eyebrows. "After the earful you gave me about informing him of your assignment?" She shook her head. "I thought I'd leave that to you."
"Thank you," the AI said sincerely.
Catherine tapped several keys on her computer. "I can find his location if you want..."
Cortana shook her head, dismissing her offer. "Don't worry about it, Doctor, I have a good idea where he is."
Then, she was gone.
Chapter 3: And You Thought Your Day Was Bad?