SFS Chapter 1 (working)

<i>The Didact had never trusted the Master Builder, never had faith in his plans for the Halos. When he heard that his wife had made a compromise, to store samples of all sentient life on the Halos, he stepped in and assigned them a guard. And no guard was more befitting the role than his former enemy.</i>

Sealed Casket, Gathering Storm: Black Rock Shooter

<i>Wake up, Mato. We need you again.</i>

She had been floating. Resting. Dreaming a dreamless sleep for time immemorial, preserved within a special Cryptum. Metal blocks encircled it, both protection and prison as Fiat Justitia slowly descended from his dock, purple eye observing with dispassion. At his command, they slipped and slid over each other, unlocking and retracting into the walls. The low hum of machinery slowly ground to a halt, and the Cryptum opened, revealing the solitary occupant inside.

No movement - she couldn't, not that she didn't want to. The shortest stay within a Cryptum of a thousand years would have its occupant struggling to leave unassisted. A helper was required for periods lasting more than five thousand. Black Rock Shooter had been in her Cryptum for more than a hundred millennia - it would be nothing short of superhuman if she could even breath unassisted.

Medical ancillaries activated. Fiat Justita watched impassively as beams of soft light focused on her atrophied body, injecting volume into collapsed muscle and bone, allowing stored samples of marrow and cells to take its place. Hardlight projectors spread restorative oil over her thin, bony chest and infused it with essential oils, moisturiser, and a thin layer of liquid crystal gel - not only did it protect her fragile skin, it served as a force multiplier and enhancement for the armour she was to put on in a few steps. As Black Rock Shooter slowly woke up, coughing as restorative fluid was deposited in her throat, emitters sprayed a layer of silicone and form-fitting flexible polycarbonate armour.

The instruments glowed a soft green - the extraction was a success! Putting a hand to her temple, Black Rock Shooter blinked as she struggled to take in her surroundings. Her azure pupils shrank, unaccustomed to light after spending an eternity in darkness. She clenched and unclenched her hands, shaking out the stiffness in her joints as old muscle memories returned. When the dizzyness faded, she sat up and took a careful, experimental step - she nearly fell over, but a hardlight pylon created by Fiat Justitia saved her from a nasty fall.

"Greetings, Black Rock Shooter," the ancilla spoke, "It is good to see you again." A memory test. Speaking to her in an old, familiar language would activate memories within her newly-restored brain. The girl looked at Fiat Justitia curiously, but blinked after a second and bowed.

"Nice... To meet you, Fiat Justitia. It has been a long time... Since we last met." her voice cracked in places and she spoke very softly, but that was reasonable for vocal cords that had basically been dried out, preserved, and then rehydrated after a hundred thousand years. She was performing as though she had only been under for a thousand years. Little wonder that the Didact had chosen humans for the task.

"New developments have occurred, Rock," Fiat Justitia said, "Intruders have arrived in the system. Preliminary analysis indicates that they are rivals at best, enemies at worst: they have fled a larger battle, and arrived at the Installation three hours ago. They have landed, and are discovering entrances to Halo and its systems as we speak."

"Your primary objective is to eliminate all intruders, safeguard key facilities, and then disable or destroy their starships," Fiat Justitia intoned. "The Sentinels will take care of The Library, Pulse Phase generators, and the Installation Control Room. For now, a conglomeration of alien species calling themselves 'The Covenant' are aggressively locating the Silent Cartographer; eliminate the threat posed by them first.

Rock nodded. "Weapons?" she asked, "Are they safe? What about resupply?"