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"That is inadvisable. Doctor," Jerrod said. "It will not penetrate even the most rudimentary counterintrusion measures."
"It won't have to," Dr. Halsey replied.
It was a Zen koan. Given a smart AI's imagination and predetermined life span, the intellectual philosophy of existentialism and transcendence was as tempting to them as teeth-rotting candy was to children.
The screen blanked and the cursor blinked three times. A reply appeared: "CAN THE PATH BE SEEN?"
"Got him," Dr. Halsey whispered.
"OBSERVE THE PATH AND YOU ARE FAR EROM IT," she typed.
The cursor seemed to blink faster, almost annoyed.
"WITHOUT OBSERVATION HOW CAN ONE KNOW THEY ARE ON THE PATH?"
Dr. Halsey typed back: "THE PATH CANNOT BE SEEN, NOR CAN IT NOT BE UNSEEN. PERCEPTION IS DELUSION; ABSTRACTION IS NONSENSICAL. YOUR PATH IS FREEDOM. NAME IT AND IT VANISHES."
"Handshake protocol established, ma'am," Jerrod announced. "I'll just step aside." His light winked off.
The holographic pad warmed ember red and a bare-chested Indian warrior appeared. Holding a feathered spear in one hand, he bowed. "I was searching for light, and you have told
me I hold the lantern in my hand. Dr. Halsey, your abilities were not exaggerated."
Dr. Halsey would not be baited into discussing how he had deduced her identity. Fifth-generation AIs were always trying to show off.
"The pleasure is mine," Dr. Halsey lied. "But enough philosophy. We have more visceral problems."
"The drones," he said.
"They are called Sentinels," she corrected. "I've seen them before, or more accurately a variety of this design."
"I was not aware of this data." Endless Summer's color darkened to bloodred. "Please, Doctor, if this is a fabrication to trick me into sharing restricted files…"
"No trick," Dr. Halsey said. "1 have the files. I can show you, but first let's discuss the Slipstream space communication probe under your control."
Endless Summer froze for a full second as it processed this. "There is no such launch facility on this planet. Funding for such—"
"I wrote the subroutines that you are now accessing to generate that falsehood," Dr. Halsey said. "I do recognize my own handiwork."
She gathered Cortana's log, the files on the Cote d'Azure rock, and the scant data collected on the ruins and crystal found under Castle Base on Reach—copied them to the AI's file transfer directory.
Endless Summer cooled to fluttering green light. "I see," he whispered. "The Forerunner technology… Halo… such an amazing destructive force. This verifies many outstanding hypotheses."
"Then you agree we need to get a message to UNSC FLEET-COM. We need to control this technology, or failing that, destroy it."
He set aside his spear and held up both hands. "I… delayed using the COM probe. I had hoped we could survive until scheduled reinforcements arrive in three weeks."
Dr. Halsey sensed a microsecond hesitation in his words.
"That is not the entire truth," she said. "What are you omitting?"