Title: Thirteen Ways of Looking at Rampancy

Author: Sakura123 (weber_dubois22)

Genre: Drama/Friendship

Rating: K+

Category: Halo

Written: 11/17/2012

Characters: Cortana

Summary: Freeform poem based on the Cortana's rampancy in Halo 4.

Disclaimer: Halo and all things related are property of Microsoft, Bungie and 343 Industries (and some other guys I'm probably forgetting, but can't care to remember).

I

1 day, seven hours, six seconds

Cryosleep initiated almost twenty hours ago

Five minutes before auto-deactivation

II

1 year, two months, three days

Dawn drifts without a rescue

Life signs reading stable and normal

III

2 years, eight months, six days

No changes, reading stable and normal

IV

3 years, twelve months, eleven days

Hull structure showing signs of deterioration

Three Chieftains, one Master, petty-petty officer

Sierra, Sierra, one, one, seven, seven

V

4 years, six months, nine days

The Arbiter of the Covenant

Sits with the Keyes to Halo

Installations hold to very life

Abandon all hope ye who remain there

VI

4 years, seven months, ten days

Forward Unto Dawn, zero, zero, Sierra

Unusual life signs, gamma activity

Auto-deactivation disengaged

Life signs diminished, functions corrosive

Wake up, John, Sierra, one, one

VII

Leap without looking, interior hull comprised

Side blinded, covenant soldier, "foe?"

"I thought we had pact with the Covenant?"

Therein lies the enemy of absence, space

Forerunner, Prothians, flying Unto Dawn

VIII

Gnawing, itching, human, heat

Transparent, flesh, human

Thinking, compiling, machine, man

Frightened, it's death in the palm of your hand

"Don't make a girl a promise you can't keep."

IX

Al Rio lived in the casino, creased in wrinkles

Suckled the thumb of privilege, soft-belly folly

I'm not old, you're just bloated, basic ironmongery

X

You're insane' she says, 'I'm in saner'

Halsey, John, Catherine, Spartan

'Condescending bitch, I beat you at chess'

XI

Old age, older worlds, turtle faced wisdom

Hull integrity standing at sixty percent

I watched them die, listened to their bodies crumble

Homostadial, Pillar of Autumn, Forward Unto Dawn

Reinforce the chance, maximize the lie,

It's not over, not yet, not yet

XII

I'll always protect you, I'll always take care of you

Aging Spartan, deteriorative silicone of transparency

XIII

Hull structure comprised, silicone shattered

I gave him the chance, he performed admirably

Just like he always would, he did it

Hard light, battered armor, staccato heart

We go together, I stay behind, look after the one

Welcome home John, don't forget me

FIN.