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Faster than the speed of light?
Claire Bloom (claire@warrandytehigh.vic.edu.au) writes:
Why would 343 GS care if the Flood escaped, is he trying to protect sentient life, ERH, wrong, because Halo, when activated, destroys sentient life, so why would our floating blue ball/box need to worry? It doesn't make sense.
There is something that has been on my mind for the past while. Let me give a quick synopsis of a movie called Supernova (at least, I think that is what its called). Now, I wouldn't go rushing out to rent it; your money is better spent on "Halo: The Flood". I saw it on a plane, which makes it alright, I suppose, because it was free. This hot, young cast of space voyagers finds this alien artifact that contains 5-D space (or something equally as awe inspiring), which makes it a bomb that can obliterate the known galaxy (or more). No explanation of what it is really for or any other good story elements to speak of.
The ending, however, very much impressed me. The antagonist killed, this "weapon" detonates. However the ship our young hero and heroine are on is far enough away to enter Slipspace moments before the blast reaches them. They arrive at Earth where the ship's computer informs them that the Earth will be destroyed in sixty-some years when the wave finally reaches it, travelling at almost the speed of light.
All in all, pretty stupid. But a tragic ending I found somewhat refreshing. To apply this, it is interesting to imagine the Halo's pulse travelling at only the speed of light, or some power of it. Now if the Flood could commandeer a ship equipped with a FTL drive, they would easily be able to avoid the ring's effective radius. Therefore, it would be of the greatest importance that Guilty Spark fire the Halo as soon as possible in order to remove the immediate food supply, get a head start, and trigger the other Installations.
But a more tantalizing repercussion is this: Would that mean that somewhere in the galaxy, the pulse from the Halo's last firing is still rippling outwards? Possibly still affecting other civilizations?
UPDATE: Also, check out this post by Heretic which speaks directly to this discussion.
permalink | Halo Installations
-Finn
