glyphstrip FAQ button
Halo.bungie.org
glyphstrip
Frequently Asked Forum Questions
 Search the HBO News Archives

Any All Exact 
Search the Halo Updates DBs

Halo Halo2 
Search Older Posts on This Forum:
Posts on Current Forum | Archived Posts


The Library, Combat Forms, and IAC
Posted By: Peptuck <peptuck3@hotmail.com>Date: 2/24/05 1:15 p.m.

I've been considering this for a long time, debating it constantly, and after playing through Sacred Icon and Quarantine Zone again, gathering some information from the environment, I've come to a distinct, undeniable conclusion.

Conclusion: The human Flood combat forms encountered throughout Sacred Icon and Quarantine Zone are, by the majority, not from In Amber Clad's crew, but were from a previous human presence prior to IAC's arrival in the Quarntine Zone/Library.

Obviously, this is not a readily apparent conclusion, but when one takes some time to analyze the surroundings and the environment, as well as clues offered in Regret, and in the captured human transmissions, one can only conclude this based off the evidence presented.

First off, the argument I've held for a long, long time, is that there is no possible way those Flood forms could have been from In Amber Clad's crew, mainly because they were blocked by the same barrier that was blocking the Covenant's access. My entire theory is pretty much based off this, and the fact that the Covenant never mentioned that the shield was broken or compromised in any way, which, as the Arbiter has shown, would be about the only way (that we know of) to get inside the barrier.

Remember, Miranda says that they cannot get through the barrier while the Master chief is on the second gondola leading to Regret's temple.

"Keyes: Roger that. I'm as close to the Library as I can get. There's some
sort of barrier. We're trying to find a way around it. I'll keep you posted."

Now, since there is never any mention of the barrier being dropped, and the Covenant fleet arrives mere minutes afterward, and would thus likely be able to determine whther the barrier had fallen and rerisen, I have to assume that the barrier has stayed active and unbroken up to this point, and the IAC's crew is unable to get inside.

Now, additional evidence I'd like to point out:

-Throughout the course of Sacred Icon and Quarantine Zone, you'll encounter supply crates. Human supply crates, to be specific. Now, if the humans were moving through the Sentinel Wall at high speed, fighting the Flood in their path, do you think they'd bother carrying such crates with them?
-Continuing on that, look at what some of the crates contain: helmets, spare body armor, boots. Okay, somewhat understandable, but still, why bother carrying extra boots or helmets inside a confined space when getting to the Index is all that matters?
-Now the kicker relating to these boxes. Look at the big crates you encounter later on, both in Sacred Icon and Quarantine Zone. They contain spare food preperation units, essentially stoves. why the heck would the Marines bring that along on what is essentially an assault mission? Last time I checked, portable food heaters did not make effective weapons against the Covenant or the Flood, unless youw anted to deep fry them. I certainly didn't see any Marines lugging those around during Truth and Reconciliation or during Delta Halo/Regret.

So, we've got spare boots, helmets, body armor, and portable heating units. Sounds like the type of stuff an occupying force would have on hand for a reasonably long-term stay, don't you think?

Next, look outside the doorway leading to the gondola that runs to the Library. outside of that little sheltered area with the Flood and the machineguns and the big crates full of the brutal Covenant and Flood annihilating war weapons called stoves, nestled up against one of the cliff walls, is a Pelican. However, this Pelican is rather odd, as its halfway covered with snow. That thing obviously didn't just land there. It had to have been there for some time, and since IAC's troops couldn't have gotten inside before the shield was lowered, it means that the Pelican was inside the shield for a while before the new human visitors arrived. Which, in other words, means that it was already there when the shield was dropped. Hmmm.....

Next up, we have the presence of In Amber Clad, directly outside the Library. I don't know, but I think this alone is proof enough that the stuff we've seen before is not theirs, if they simply could have moved their entire frigate straight to the Library off the bat. But, why don't the humans start sooner? Likely because they've already run into the Flood on the ground and need to fight through them to get onto the platform. However, there is another possibility. Recall the Marine transmissions.

"Proceed to the objective. We'll hold out as long as we can."
"Get it off me!
"Suppressive fire! Suppressive fire!"

"Negative ma'am, they are not Covenant. Cover that doorway!"

Most people would conclude that this is a transmission from the Marines as they advance toward the Library. But, the presence of In Amber Clad presents another possibility. Namely, that these transmissions are coming from In Amber Clad.

IAC is there, directly over the battlefield. A nice big Slipspace capable warship, and you've got combat forms ready to rock. It could, very well be, that these transmisisons are coming from a crew that is holding out against the Flood invaders, who may have hopped in aboard Flood-controlled Pelicans. That first transmission, in particular, which involves "holding out" against the Flood, makes me believe that the humans were under attack by Flood on their own ship. Also, the second transmission indicates to me that the humans have only recently encountered the Flood, and have not been inside the Quarantine Zone for long at all.

Also, if IAC is on hand, then there is no need for the humans to bother being inside the Sentinel Wall or have tanks and Warthogs scattered around on the ground, especially if they could have moved out directly from IAC or from their own Pelican dropships.

Finally, look where it is that you first encounter the dead Marines. Along the same route that you took to get inside from the shield generator. Now, since the shield obviously does not restore itself as you pass through, it would be safe to assume that it wouldn't restore itself if clueless humans wandered in. For those Marines to have been from In Amber Clad, they would have had to get inside the Sentinel Wall, and lower the shield. The Covenant never mention this happens, so its safe to assume that the shield has stayed up. Therefore, its impossible that these troops would have come from IAC. Remember, Miranda says she'd keep the chief posted if she gets past the shield, but since she says nothing before the Covenant fleet arrives, its safe to asusme she didn't lower the shield and get inside before the fleet arrived. The fleet oculd likely have noted that the shield had dropped and then been raised again. But, yet again, no mention of this.

With all of this evidence on hand, especially the most interesting contents of those crates (some of which were inside teh Sentinel Wall, which makes no logicals ense for an assualt force) I have to conclude that the combat forms you encounter, as well as the human hardware you find, were from a previous human force occupying the interior of the Quarantine Zone, and not from In Amber Clad.

So, criticism, commentary?

Message Index



Replies:

The Library, Combat Forms, and IACPeptuck 2/24/05 1:15 p.m.
     Oops. ^ *Long* *NM*Peptuck 2/24/05 1:16 p.m.
           Re: Oops. ^ *Long*Spar7an119 2/24/05 1:19 p.m.
                 Thanks for the expert commentary. *NM*Peptuck 2/24/05 1:22 p.m.
                 Awesome theory, I believe you completely.Series III (MetalSilver) 2/24/05 1:23 p.m.
                       Re: Awesome theory, I believe you completely.Peptuck 2/24/05 1:25 p.m.
                             Looks like today is another day \/\/ *NM*Series III (MetalSilver) 2/24/05 5:21 p.m.
     good argument...Shinblam 2/24/05 1:27 p.m.
     Re: Col. Ackerson's pet project?GryphonOsiris 2/24/05 1:36 p.m.
           Re: Col. Ackerson's pet project?replay 2/24/05 1:53 p.m.
     Re: The Library, Combat Forms, and IACmrbananas 2/24/05 2:03 p.m.
           Re: The Library, Combat Forms, and IACgspawn 2/24/05 2:44 p.m.
           Re: The Library, Combat Forms, and IACPeptuck 2/24/05 3:05 p.m.
                 Re: The Library, Combat Forms, and IACmrbananas 2/24/05 5:05 p.m.
                       Re: The Library, Combat Forms, and IACPeptuck 2/24/05 10:24 p.m.
                             Re: The Library, Combat Forms, and IACmrbananas 2/24/05 11:59 p.m.
                                   Re: The Library, Combat Forms, and IACPeptuck 2/25/05 12:21 a.m.
                                         Re: The Library, Combat Forms, and IACmrbananas 2/25/05 11:13 a.m.
     Re: The Library, Combat Forms, and IACHikaru-119 2/24/05 3:02 p.m.
           Re: The Library, Combat Forms, and IACPeptuck 2/24/05 3:20 p.m.
     Re: The Library, Combat Forms, and IACRagashingo 2/24/05 10:51 p.m.
           Re: The Library, Combat Forms, and IACSep7imus [subnova] 2/25/05 9:13 a.m.
                 Re: The Library, Combat Forms, and IACAnton P. Nym (aka Steve) 2/25/05 10:12 a.m.
                       Re: The Library, Combat Forms, and IACGryphonOsiris 2/25/05 10:34 a.m.
     Oops: One more thing:Ragashingo 2/24/05 10:54 p.m.
           Re: Oops: One more thing:mrbananas 2/25/05 12:02 a.m.
                 Re: Oops: One more thing:Series III (MetalSilver) 2/25/05 8:09 a.m.
                       Re: It's not a question of where it grips it!Sep7imus [subnova] 2/25/05 9:18 a.m.
                             You haven't played the game, have you?Series III (MetalSilver) 2/25/05 10:24 a.m.
                                   You haven't caught the point, have you?Anton P. Nym (aka Steve) 2/25/05 10:36 a.m.
                                         Re: You haven't caught the point, have you?Sep7imus [subnova] 2/25/05 10:46 a.m.
                                         Neither have you,Series III (MetalSilver) 2/25/05 10:47 a.m.
                                               Re: Neither have you,Anton P. Nym (aka Steve) 2/25/05 11:02 a.m.
                                                     Re: Neither have you,Series III (MetalSilver) 2/25/05 11:11 a.m.
                                                           Re: Neither have you,Anton P. Nym (aka Steve) 2/25/05 2:35 p.m.
                                                     Re: Neither have you,Sep7imus [subnova] 2/25/05 11:12 a.m.
                                                           Re: Neither have you,mrbananas 2/25/05 11:19 a.m.
                                                                 Re: Neither have you,Count Zero 2/25/05 11:36 a.m.
                                                                       Crates, and other stuffscarab 2/25/05 3:47 p.m.
     PopJillybean 2/25/05 7:05 a.m.
           -tacular! *NM*BOLL 2/25/05 7:55 a.m.
           Re: PopPeptuck 2/25/05 8:39 a.m.
                 Oops! Didn't mean to sound rude....Peptuck 2/25/05 12:42 p.m.



contact us

The HBO Forum Archive is maintained with WebBBS 4.33.