Cortana: The Lost Story

Peace and Quiet

I'm so glad it's over. The Gravemind, the flood, all gone. Humanity is saved... We are saved. That was the first time I've ever had to work without John. I miss him but it was nice to know I can handle myself if I need too. I have to say I like working with John better though. We work great as a team, with him clearing out everything in our path and me guiding him. He will miss me when I'm gone. I'm not sure how he will handle it. What if he doesn't even get a chance to say goodbye? What if when he wakes up and I'm just gone? He isn't much for talking, or any emotions at all really but I think that'll break him. I've never seen him really upset over anything, I just hope he can find a way to move on. He has too. He is the luckiest Spartan there ever was. He has survived multiple falls from space. He has been in multiple suicide missions, ones that no other Spartan would ever think of joining him in. He has always made it out with barely a scratch. I understand why they call him demon. He has fought the toughest of foes. Whether it be stopping the flood from eliminating all humanity or the covenant from launching the rings. He was always at the front line of the battle. Somehow he always made it out alive.  It's almost like John was all we ever needed. Like he could be our entire army. I don't know if it was luck or skill but whatever it was, he had a lot of it. But his luck had to run out at some point. That time is now. If I'm correct by the time we are picked up I should be just about done. AI only get to live for 7 years... After that they go into rampancy. But by then the Unsc has usually confiscated the AI for termination. When AI go rampant they become dangerous to everyone around them. They start to work much slower than usual and overthink everything. As time goes on their mental state declines until they die. They literally think themselves to death. So the Unsc terminates them before that process starts. In my case though they may not get the chance. Which means I'm going to still be with John while I'm going through this. I wish I could say that was a good thing. If I'm not thinking straight I could get him hurt. Maybe open the wrong door or just lead him to his death. No, no I can't think like that. I can't trigger early rampancy, I have to stay strong.