Halo (series)/Fanfic Recs

Proof that the remaining 10% is worth dying for here.

These are recommendations made by Tropers for Halo fanfics, all of which have to be signed to stay on the page. Feel free to add a fanfic of your own to the list, but remember to use the template found here.

You can also add to the current recommendations if you want. Refrain from posting Conversation in The Main Page though; that goes in the discussion page. .

Authors, and Websites
Reclaimer by Jim Stitzel (TTL Demag0gue) (AU)
 * Recommended by User:Gaunt 88, seconded by User:Ninja_Orca
 * Synopsis: A Halo 3 screenshot-based graphic novel set in an alternate Halo universe in which Humanity made peace with the Covenant long before the Halo array was discovered, but are now losing a grueling war against the Flood. The comic follows the story of the Reclaimer, a Spartan-like super-soldier cut loose by the UNSC, as he tracks down a squad of rogue Spartans called Viper. However, it soon becomes apparent that Viper is just the pawn of a much more dangerous enemy, whose plans for the galaxy stretch back millennia.
 * Comments: Reclaimer's immersive and plot-twisty story make it prime Wild Mass Guessing fuel. The comic's Big Bad, Ferial, is a Chessmaster of the highest level.

The Soulguard Trilogy (and side stories) by Soulguard
 * Recommended by DKN117
 * Synopsis: A trilogy of stories that cover the adventures of Palab, the Grunt Chosen One, and of the S-I Black Ops, as they fight to save the galaxy from the Covenant and the Flood, alongside a group of Sangheili Secret Service agents / apex warriors called the Mirratord. (MUCH better than my description; I simply can't do it justice). The first and second "books" - Stand, Five Feet High and If I Were Your Hero - were made before Halo 3 or Ghosts of Onyx came out, so there are some discrepancies [sic] that the author does a superb job of fixing with Book 3 - The Path of Reclamation. However, the releases of Contact Harvest & Cole Protocol have since revealed facts that place this trilogy into AU status (in particular, Soulguard's Elites have a friendlier society than the canon one).
 * Comments: Though there are plenty of spelling & grammar that would turn away people stuck up about that sort of thing, the story itself is superb and incredibly thought-out, with multiple interesting plots and even a Chekov's Gun or two. IMHO, this trilogy deserves its own TV-Tropes page (like Shinji & Warhammer, Sailor Nothing, and other big fics that have official pages here). As said, though, information from Contact Harvest & Cole Protocol on Elite society, the machinations of the Prophets, the origins of the Flood, and the start of the war have invalidated much of this trilogy's important factors and thus branded this series as AU. It is still an EPIC read, though.

General Fics
''Stories focused on the family and the friendly relationships of the cast. Plot-focused stories or light day-in-the-life stories. Pretty much anything that isn't focused on romance.''

Isolation by Quirel
 * Recommended by Mercenary90, User:USA Bobcat, User:Jonn
 * Synopsis: A sociopathic sniper based on the Pillar of Autumn struggles with his hate for the enemy and the ghosts of his past while fighting on Alpha Halo.
 * Comments:
 * Mercenary90: Very engrossing, occasionally humorous. Pulls no punches in describing the horror and devastation that come with war and genocide. Combat is visceral and realistic, the writing is solid and gets better as the story progresses.
 * User:USA Bobcat: (Ah, good to see this up here. I've been reviewing and reading this story for a long time, before the team got off the Autumn. Due to constant reviewing, have inadvertently acted as an editor, but not a beta reader. Also: in a review response to me a while ago, Quirel explained a Retcon in the story, saying, "I later learned this is called Lampshade Hanging. I promptly linked him to this site, gave him a general explanation, and sent him off. Anyone who wants to complain about the slow update time, blame me.) To say a few things about the story... it is very well written, and just when it seems Gui Montag is about to finally become accepted as one of the Squad, he does something or something is revealed about him that either shows how much of a Heroic Sociopath he is, or his previous battles. Gui Montag is just trying to survive, and his attitude sums up that of Humanities quite well. As much as the idealistic citizens dream of peace, Gui Montag (and one of his former units) understand exactly what they have to pay to see that future.
 * User:Jonn: It's a good fic, but the writer tends to be a bit Anvilicious at times. The explanation of minor flaws in the games come off as Take Thats more than patching small plot holes, and on at least one occasion, a character jarringly compares an event to a video game. Yes, we get it, "Gritty Realism, Lol".
 * User:Orcaman 15: In addition to being an incredibly well written fic, the way the writer ties the events of Halo Combat Evolved into the wider Halo story, most of which was created AFTER the game came out, is quite enjoyable. He even comes up with canonial explanations for the gameplay difference between the first game and the later ones. Also; Gui Montag. Not only a cool name, but an amazing pun and reference all in one.

Finishing the Fight by Aratech
 * Recommended by User:SAMAS, Psalm of Fire, Silverwind91, User:Comartemis, Exalted Requiem, User:Jonn, User:Night
 * Synopsis: From an altered Halo 3, The Master Chief, Cortana, Arbiter, Sgt Johnson and Captain Keyes end up riding the Forward Unto Dawn all the way to the Forgotten Realms, just before the Time of Troubles begins.
 * Comments:
 * Psalm of Fire: Very bloody, but the approach and ability to portray wonder really snagged me into it.
 * User:Comartemis: Seconded. As far as I care, this is Halo 3's canon ending.
 * Thirded. Easily one of the most engrossing Fic's I've ever read. I honestly can't begin to guess at just how many hours I've spent reading this thing...
 * User:Night: A sort of first cousin to The Salvation War in terms of some of the themes, but a very different story in plot, setup, and character. While magic met firepower, and firepower's victory was absolute, it did not have to be that way. Ably demonstrates the nature of an Outside Context Problem; it's not the difference between sides is insurmountable (and it is not; there are opponents who even manage to give the Master Chief and Arbiter trouble), but that they simply don't have the experience or the tactics to start looking for ways to fight back.

Combat Evolution by Havoc-legionnaire
 * Recommended by User:SAMAS
 * Synopsis: A detailed re-write of the battle of New Mombasa, with particular attention paid to equipment and tactics. Slight crossover with Dead or Alive, for an obvious reason.
 * Comments:
 * Extremely detailed. Makes for nice technical reading, but the lack of actual technological innovation is startling.

Red In Tooth And Claw by JA Baker
 * Recommended by User:Gentlemens Dame 883
 * Synopsis: The good ship Battlestar Galactica encounters the derelict, but still the good, Forward Unto Dawn and its Spartan cargo. A brief encounter with leftover Flood is but the start of trouble for both sides, however, who can barely trust the other.
 * Comments: It's a Crossover with Battlestar Galactica -- the 2003 version. Occasionally, Some pretty glaring spelling errors pop-up, usually involving homophones (the author mistook "metal" for "mettle" in the second chapter) and missing or switched out letters. This can snap you out of some otherwise good writing.
 * User:Night: This is not a good story. It is unfaithful to the characters of all involved; they are at best hollow, superficial versions of themselves, often far less. It feels more like a low-budget spoof of both series than anything else.

Enemy of My Enemy by Katsuhiro
 * Recommended by DKN117, User:Gentlemens Dame 883, Medicus, User:Jonn, Pyrotorch246
 * Synopsis: November 2552. On the strategically-unimportant UNSC-owned desert colony world of Crassus, an Elite-controlled ship, shot down by a Brute assault carrier, crash-lands near the ragtag city of Horizon. Now the surviving Elites, led by Shipmaster Vtan Arume, must forge an at-first-uneasy alliance with the humans there (well, uneasy on the humans' side; Arume and his subordinates have no problem with it). With both sides stranded with no way to get off the planet of to call from help from their respective factions, they must weather the storm as the Covenant Loyalists, led by Alpha-Chieftain Torikus, attempt to wipe them from existence.
 * Comments: This is it; this fic is pure gold, rising into excellency above the many victims of Sturgeons Law. The writing is solid, the story is gripping and suspenseful, the characters (even minor ones who die within five paragraphs of introduction) are well thought-out and develop nicely, and the battle scenes are described in epic detail. You can view its new page here.

Chains of the Kindred'' by Solvdrage
 * Recommended by Angel_of_Death, User:Gadeel
 * Synopsis: What if the Warhammer 40,000 Universe and the Halo Universe came together? What if the Imperium of Man allied itself with the UNSC? What if the Covenant began being utterly curbstomped by said alliance?
 * Comments: This is a well written fanfic, using only canon info, and making sure that neither side gets too great a advantage. It also answers some questions like: Titan vs Scarab, or Flood vs 'Nids.
 * Gadeel: It's worth noting that the UNSC's capabilities are not dwarfed by the Guard and Master Chief still stands badass among the Space Marines.

Kyle-091 by general MB
 * Recommended by amitakartok, Medicus
 * Synopsis: Kyle Stevens is just your average 17 year old kid and he's a major Halo fan. Well, what happens when he somehow ends up in the Halo universe, how will he react, how will he survive and will he risk altering history with the stuff he knows?
 * Comments: while self-insertions are rarely good, this one rocks hard. Has an ongoing sequel and a smaller, M-rated "Eyes Only" section.
 * Seconded. Kyle-091 reads like a Peggy Sue fanfic rather than a Self Insert Fic, albeit one where You Can't Fight Fate; Kyle quickly learns that history has a way of repairing itself. There are a number of punctuation errors, but they don't affect the enjoyment of the story. And there's a minor moment of Fridge Brilliance when it comes to the romance and the Westermarck effect: It's also just the right length for a fanfic. Slow opening, but worth a look.

Je Mourrais by Kavek
 * Recommended by Dommie222
 * Synopsis: High Charity is Cortana's physical prison, but the prison of the mind can be far worse. What if you could never touch the one you loved? Would you... break? Rating subject to change.
 * Comments: What can I say? Well, I can always say that this story is truly worth to read. This story focuses heavily on the relationship between Chief and Cortana and how they react to it, and it's very developed, specially how Cortana's rampage begins to take over and how it affect her and Chief. The OCs appears as well and develop too on the psychological levels, especially the Covenant one, which include a Brute Chieftain and his Grunt bodyguard. The titles on the chapters is on French and it helps the story to become more exciting each chapter, but the best part is that Jack Bauer appear as a SPARTAN-II turned a ONI agent, ready to find Chief and Cortana on the Ark and take them with him. Read it, it won't disappoint yo.
 * Ugolino: I remember this one from when I read the first few chapters a few years ago, and subsequently spent some time trying to find it again. Worth the read for the novelization of the last Halo 3 levels in those chapters alone, and very well-written overall. I found the continuation plot to be of fairly good quality. The references to Bungie's previous games and expanded materials are the cherry on the cake.
 * It now has a page

The Last Spartan by Dino Jake
 * Recommended by Gamerex27 and Crow T R0bot
 * Synopsis: An AU fic in which the Halo and ME universes share the same galaxy. After a well deserved rest in Cryo-Sleep, Master Chief finally awakens...to a whole new galaxy.
 * Comments: This may very well be the only well-written Halo and Mass Effect crossover this Troper has ever read. Everyone is in character, the alien races of Halo do a very nice job of changing up many different events in the game (all for the better), and the few OC'S in it (which are not introduced until chapter 10) are very realistic and engaging characters.
 * Seconded (though this troper has one other Halo/Mass Effect crossover to recommend, see below), I was actually contemplating whether to recommend this story until I noticed it already had been. Initially, there were a few quibbles with the plot, such as arbitrary date changes and humanity's reasoning for joining the Citadel races seemed shaky, the author eventually yielded to Constructive Criticism and rewrote the offending parts accordingly. Even before that, this is a truly enjoyable fic, and the Master Chief certainly makes for a unique, leaving more of an impression than just awe on his squadmates,  . Also, while the first (only?) OC squadmate, N'tho 'Sraom comes across as generically annoying (though never in a Scrappy or Creators Pet fashion) he does continue Mass Effect's tradition of subverting Planet of Hats, not fitting the stereotype of Proud Warrior Race Guy that Elites are known for, which makes me appreciate him more than I did at first.
 * Now has its own page

The Knife's Edge series by CaptainRaspberry (Part 1, 2, 3, 4, 5)
 * Recommended by Gaunt88, Medicus
 * Synopsis: The UNSC is battered and weak after the Human-Covenant war. Hungry for independence from Earth's government, an Insurrectionist faction called the Baszac took advantage of this weakness and captured the capital city of the colony world Barthes. Despite its reduced resources, the UNSC mounted a vicious counter-attack. Now only a small pocket of Baszac resistance remains, the two sides are locked in a bloody urban close-combat stalemate, and a harsh winter is approaching.
 * Comments: Extremely well written and very engaging. Raises some interesting issues, like how a soldier who’s been fighting aliens all his career deals with having to shoot humans. I don't read a lot of fanfic, but this one made me stop and read the whole thing. The only criticism I have is that it felt too short - I thought it could have been expanded a bit without loosing steam.
 * Seconded. This really is a wonderful story; the only complaint I have is that it's far too short. It's possible read it all in under an hour. Fortunately, it's only one part of a loosely-connected series. It seems CaptainRaspberry may hold my attention longer than I thought. -- Medicus
 * Status: Complete

Halo: A Sangheili's War by levihoff.
 * Recommended by Dommie 222
 * Synopsis:
 * Comments: Interesting and a promising story. Its take place some months after Halo 3, there the Covenant Civil War is still ongoing. The Elites had pushed the Brutes back to their homeworld, which now is under siege, but their new chieftain ain't just gonna give up. The Arbiter must assassinate him first before the main attack, and I tell you, this story makes us all interested about how it'll end. Unfortunately, it's a short story, but yet an action filled one.
 * It now has its own page!

The End of a War by Mr. Clark
 * Recommended by: Sephirose
 * Synopsis: Truth has taken the Forerunner ship and is on his way to the Ark. Keyes and Johnson have stopped Installation 05 from firing, but the failsafes have been activated. Janissary James and the others on Earth are ready to take the fight to the Covenant.
 * Comments: A brilliant masterpiece. That's all I can say about this fanfiction. It seamlessly combines the books, the games and the I Love Bees ARG, and expands on the histories of the Covenant and the Forerunners. If you want epic literature, look no further.

Zulu Company: The Last Stand by Raptor-19
 * Recommended by: Gormanuyai
 * Synopsis: Zeke, Samuel, Victoria, Blaine... Just a few of the Spartans III's from Zulu Company. They are the last hope for a earth after Master Chief went through the portal. They've trained for years, now it's time to see if they live up to the Spartan name.
 * Comments: A action-filled story with quality writing and interesting characters. Set as a trilogy, which is part-way through the second installment: Hell On Earth. Writing has currently slowed.

New Mombasa: The Soldier's War
 * Recommended by: Mutatio Nomenis
 * Synopsis: I am Private Icharus of the UNSC Army. I must find my commander and retrieve important defensive data regarding humanity's last line of defense, assuming I survive.
 * Comments:

Halo: the Art of War by Havoc-legionnaire (AU) (TV Tropes page)
 * Recommended by User:Gentlemens Dame 883, User:Jonn, User:Medicus
 * Synopsis: The probe attached to the Iroquois failed, setting back the battle for Reach. Now the SPARTAN-IIs, aided by two more SPARTAN teams and the Autumn, set out to conduct Operation Red Flag: Capture a Prophet.
 * Comments: The author has definitely improved since his previous work, with more character development time and less dry technical stuff.
 * A cautious second from this troper. While TAoW is by no means bad (otherwise I wouldn't be recommending it!), there are some parts that are bound to turn others off. Namely, the UNSC UNDF feels like too much of a Mary Sue. The technology Havoc-legionnaire brings to bear is just too good: in one battle and the SPARTANs  While that's bound to change in later chapters, right now Commander-117 and his friends come off as Boring Invincible Heroes. And, personally, the continuing plot about the Spearheads just turns me off. They're too unstable, too maverick, too good to be believable or even likeable. Give it a go, but keep this is mind. -- Medicus

Institution by CaptainRaspberry
 * Recommended by User:Kebab
 * Synopsis: An account of the life of a Sangheilli warrior, from his rite of passage through his transition to training at the titular Institution, to the war against the humans and beyond. Expands greatly on Elite and Covenant culture, society and customs.
 * Comments: A well-written and engaging piece told through the eyes of one of the anonymous Mooks killed in scores over the course of the games. With solid, convincing characterization, a gripping plot and a fascinating insight into Covenant life, I read this lengthy fic in one sitting when I first came across it four years ago. Stumbling upon it again was a pleasant surprise and, despite my now-lacking interest in the Halo franchise, I was more than happy to do it again. -- User:Kebab

The Price of Unity by Lord Caelum
 * Recommended by Caelum, Vazeron1
 * Synopsis: A logical analysis on a Halo-SW crossover. Technically a multi-crossover, since the bioshock verse is also included in this. Includes technical data on the applications of Forerunner tech on the UNSC war effort, what had happened to the post-covenant species, and others.
 * Comments: Yes, I am recommending myself. Yes, I am ashamed. Note that most characters are OC, since nearly all the characters from the original are dead or missing, this was a necessity. Also, ONI are assholes in this fic, so don't read this if you're expecting a 'heartwarming' story. Lastly, since this is my first story, there may be typographical errors and nonsensical paragraphs, and the nature of the fic requires a heavy halo focus on the beginning. An actual SW point of view wouldn't occur until Chapter 11.
 * Absolutely recommended by this troper. While it does start off slowly, I absolutely loved basically everything about this fanfiction. My only critique is that it doesn't focus much at all on individual characters, but when it does it does it realistically (with perhaps one exception), making you care about characters and understand them a mere paragraph or three in. It's expansion of the Halo universe as the centuries go on is realistic, done nigh-perfectly, and I legitimately believed I was reading Canon at several points. While the Star Wars crossover may put some people off, do give it a chance, as it's done extremely well, even if the vast array of numbers may be off-putting at first. Furthermore, the fic is absolutely hilarious at times, making me laugh out loud repeatedly, and still manages to be serious, professional, and simply an amazing read. The UNSC is definitely starting to turn into a military power, with little thought given to civilian oversight, which, while terrifying, is remarkably benign, and done in a superb and realistic manner. The writing is simply superb, with little to no grammar or spelling mistakes, and the stylism being absolutely top notch. An absolutely worthy read, even if you're not too familiar with Star Wars Canon (like me). There are a few references you might miss (a throw away line concerning Grand Admiral Thrawn, for instance), but they are minor and not at all needed to enjoy the story. If you've seen the movies, you're fine. Even if you haven't, you're still probably fine, but you should probably just watch them already. Same goes for the Halo universe. If you've played the games, even just the original trilogy, again, you're fine. The more, the better, obviously, but it in no way detracts. All in all, an amazing read, and one that I very, very much hope is updated soon.

Wake Me, When You Need Me by The Meep
 * Recommended by Stretch
 * Synopsis: Cortana wakes up a final time, and finding the loneliness unbearable, seeks her one true companion.
 * Comments: "Right away I started unconsciously comparing it to Human Weakness, and you got the Chief/Cortana relationship where Traviss never did." - kr1, a user on the site this was posted.

Scrambler by QuestionMark2401 (a.k.a. The Meep)
 * Recommended by Stretch
 * Synopsis: In Mexico City on the besieged Earth, Corporal Reynolds finds himself protecting an odd metallic cube under the direction of an ONI officer. With only his Mongoose ATV to protect him, Reynolds may hold the fate of Earth's largest city in his hands...
 * Comments: Fast and action packed. What it lacks in character development it makes up with visceral descriptions and well structured writing. It might start off a little slow, but don't let that dissuade anyone. Overall, it explores an interesting niche in the global conflict as the Covenant attack Earth.

From Harvest to the Ark by TheAmateur
 * Recommended by: Karl591
 * Synopsis: Follows the life of one Albert 'Alley' Garris from when he joins the Harvest Militia to the end of the war.
 * Comments:

When There Was a Tomorrow by General Rage
 * Recommended by Crow T R0bot
 * Synopsis: While investigating a wormhole in deep space after the Lair of the Shadow Broker DLC, Commander Shepard and his jolly Normandy crew come under attack by the Covenant and eventually escape through said wormhole and are escorted to Reach just in time for the events of Halo Reach. While trying to assuage a xenophobic Alternate Universe humanity of his loyalties, the good Commander aids Noble Team in Reach's defense, and learns a great deal of this new galaxy...while trying to save it.
 * Pairings: Male!Shepard/Tali.
 * Comments: Perhaps an even better Halo/Mass Effect crossover than The Last Spartan (listed above). Both the Halo and Mass Effect cast are in character, and despite the latter being the more developed of the two, play rather nicely off the former. Tensions are always high due to Halo!Humanity's understandable xenophobia towards aliens, ONI constantly trying to subvert Shepard's authority and get the secrets of his universe's tech, and Legion's interactions with Noble Six as it tries to understand organics more. The action sequences are very tightly done, and do not feel rushed or slow. Overall a very solid and addictive read.
 * Now has its own page.

In the Shadow of Gods by Anne Whyne "TheLife" by "casquis"
 * Recommended by Farmer Kyle, lanky, Sulimeth
 * Synopsis: A Mass Effect/Halo crossover, this takes place not long after Abigail Shepard and her team have destroyed the Collector Base. They come across the remains of a giant of a ship, "like a whale against the Normandy's dolphin" to use the author's comparison, that doesn't match any known models. Shepard decides to investigate it, and they find the bisected ship's only two inhabitants, an A.I. and a soldier both far from home. And with the looming threat of the Reapers, Shepard's going to need all the help she can get.
 * Comments: One of the better crossovers of its kind, and a great fanfic all around. Shepard here is Paragon, with dashes of Renegade to keep things interesting. Also doesn't speed up the trust issue between John and the rest of the team, especially after Cortana tries to hack EDI. Great characterizations all around, the fights are well done, and overall a great story!
 * I'll add a reluctant second to this story. Master Chief's characterization is... odd, to say the least. It definitely makes for a stark contrast with the characterization of, say, The Last Spartan. He's a little too reluctant for my tastes: Master Chief feels like the kind of guy who would jump at the chance to help humanity rather than being so sentimental, especially as regards his out-of-date, inferior equipment. I will say, however, that the author's writing of his combat abilities is the best I've ever read: She captures the pants-shitting terror a warrior like John-117 would inspire in his opponents perfectly.
 * Cheerful third. There are a few spelling errors and moments where things don't quite make sense (though that may be explained later), but overall it's pretty good. Brilliant fight scenes. I didn't find any problems with the characterisation, personally it made sense that Chief would hold onto the only things he's got left of home, and his equipment seems on par, if not superior in some cases, to that of the Normandy crew. Well done for someone who says they aren't as familiar with the Halo franchise as they'd like to be.
 * Recommended by Absolute Zordness
 * Synopsis: The story follows the life and exploits of one Francisco Castillo, a member of the 19th Battalion of the ODST. Frank makes friends and enemies while he does his best to survive, he also gets a little bit of help from different sides.
 * Comments: The Life is a great story, it has lots of action and pretty good character interactions. Admittedly it started with shorter chapters with occasional grammar and spelling mistakes, but that is owed in part to the author's first language being Spanish. The story has gotten better and better with time in both plot, writing, and characterization. The Life has excellent character development and the writer is very knowledgeable on the subject. Despite being an action-heavy series, it still has plenty of comic relief chapters and humor of all types. Don't let the awkward first few chapters discourage you, this story's worth it.

Halo: A Fistful of Arrows
 * Recommended by Tuckerscreator, N_Cat
 * Synopsis: A Fan Web Comic following the story of Jun-A266 and Dr. Halsey as they travel to CASTLE Base to escape the Covenant during the Fall of Reach. Okay, that's just the direct plot, but it also delves into Jun's past and the beginning of his trust issues that afflict him as a sniper. It's got some utterly beautiful artwork to top that off, and sticks very close to the canon and calls back to it many times more than even canon works. It's perhaps the most requested Halo fic yet to be promoted to Ascended Fanon. Can be read at the above website or here on Deviant ART. And it even has its own page here!

Halo 3 Insurrection by Wolverfrog49
 * Recommended by Ownedace13
 * Synopsis: takes place after the end of Halo 3 and the Humans and Elites are once again at war because the Humans couldn't get over what the Elites had done during the last war, then the MC crashes on Sanghelios, and Mendicant Bias saves Johnson and then it just gets more awesome from there
 * Comments: I love this fic, it starts out a little slow but it quickly ramps up and IMO the writing is fantastic, sadly ruled non-canon by the forerunner trilogy and Halo 4

Shipping Fics
Stories focused on the romantic relationships between the cast.

Memories by Trivun
 * Recommended by Crispy Mongoose
 * Synopsis: Starting with the immediate aftermath of Ghosts of Onyx (published canon work) the story focuses on Tom and Lucy, two SPARTAN-IIIs who find themselves the unlikely leaders of the group trapped in the Onyx Dyson Sphere. In an attempt to help Lucy deal with her trauma-induced muteness, Tom recalls a past operation on the long since glassed world of Meridian, only for Doctor Halsey to realise that there was more to the operation than meets the eye. Going back to Meridian's destruction and Operation SOOTHSAYER, we see just how far the Forerunner's knowledge of humanity went, and the first combat-enabled smart AI finds herself in a situation more desperate than either she or Halsey could have ever foretold...
 * Pairings: Het, Tom/Lucy. Truth be told it's more of a friendship thing, though there are some serious hints that their relationship could be considered more of a romantic one...
 * Comments: Not the best written piece, but still pretty damn decent compared to most stuff on the same topic. Sturgeons Law, eh? A decent story with plenty of knowledge of the canon, in fact it seems almost as if the writer is trying pretty hard to keep as close to the canon as possible, and the result is a fan fic that is probably worth your time. Just need to watch out for the occasionally uninspired and awkward prose, and the writer doesn't seem to be able to write combat quite as well as he writes the buildup and the underlying conspiracy type subplot.