The following theory is based on information from halo 2, halo 3 terminals and storyline, the Iris ARG, the Ilovebees ARG and the novel Halo: Contact Harvest. If there are any holes, and I am sure there are many, please tell me. If you arer unfamiliar with any of these and want information here are some links. Be pepared for walls of text. [url=http://halo.wikia.com/wiki/Main_Page]Halopedia[/url] [url=http://www.bungie.net/Forums/posts.aspx?postID=13233687&postRepeater1-p=1]DeeBeeP's Terminal Message Thread[/url] [url=http://www.bungie.net/Forums/posts.aspx?postID=13872268&postRepeater1-p=1]Traxus's original post[/url] The aim of this thread is to explain to you guys who Mendicant Bias was / is and his involvement in the Covenant's religon and aims. As you all know ,the races of the Covenant despise humanity. In particular the Prophets. The question is why do they seem bent on humanity's total destruction? Why doesn't the Prophets intergrate us into their Empire as they did with other lifeforms such as the grunts, jackels and drones ? After all, Their forerunner gods left artifacts on our homeworld. Why do the prophets follow this religon without doubt ? We could offer the covenant many technologies they have yet to master. Could Mendicant Bias be the cause of this. After the battle between Offensive Bias fleet and Mendicant Bias fleet, OB asks itself if it should transport MB back to the ark for study, maybe in peices. If OB did not we would assume MB would have been destroyed there and then by OB. ---------------------------- [i]Mendicant was able to postpone its inevitable annihilation for [106:S] with its attempt to flee. But the last of its core vessels hangs before me now; crippled and defeated but still sensate. I could spare it; carve out what is left of its [personality construct array] and deliver it to [Installation Zero] for study. I doubt it would have extended the same courtesy to me.[/i] -------------------------- If OB had decided to take MB to the Ark he would have to have used a Keyship or as the covenant say 'Dreadnought' to open one of the portals to the Ark. You may say that dreadnoughts were not at that batttle, that they aren't military vessals. here is a qoute from the 6th terminal showing otherwise. ------------------ [i]I throw away all the rules of acceptable conduct during battle; near the ruptures I throw away all the accepted ideas of how the natural world is supposed to behave. I toss around [37,654 tonne] dreadnaughts like they were fighters; dimly aware of the former crews being crushed to liquescence.[/i] ----------------- One of these Dreadnoughts obviously went astray and was found by the Prophets after the galaxy had been repopulated. What if the Dreadnought that was carrying part of MB went astray and was lost . Could it be the same dreadnought ? yes . alhough we have no evidance stating they are the same. MB could have created the whole of the Covenant religon by giving information to the prophets. The prophets build their holy city ,high charity ,around the dreadnought that holds MB. Cortana says to us in Halo 2 on the level 'Gravemind' aboard High Charity that there is an' unusaully formidable covanent AI presense. It could have been MB. Remember that in first strike cortana and her copies come into contact with multiple covenant AIs aboard a warship and later a repair station. none of these AIs show themselves to be formidable. Cortana strips the first apart. Cortana even says that parts of the covenant AI is so similer to human AIs that it can't be a coincidence. Mendicant is defined by my dictionary as relient on charity or a member of a religous order (ie:covenant) and the city built around it is named 'High Charity'. Coincidince. MB manipulates them into believing in a 'Great Journey' or maybe they misinterpret what MB says and start their holy war with the humans . Maybe, MB leads them to uncover the flood and destroy the reclaimers who could take up the forerunner mantle and destroy the flood. MB or this part of it aims to usher in what it believes is the third step of evoulution. Compound Intelliegence. MB or this part of MB may still believe that. ---------------------------- [i]LF.Xx.3273.> {~} complexity {~} spread {~} our appearance ushered in the beginning of the third great stage of evolution. The first {~} condensation of particles was the result of the inevitable action of strong nuclear force and the creation of stars {~} inevitable action of gravity; so the self-replicating chemical processes that dictate all disparate {~} In time, we too shall affect change on a universal scale. MB.05-032.> Your capacity for planning {~} creators too stubborn {~} the same goal through the preservation of genetic diversity {~} what you are {~} like a more direct path to the same outcome.[/i] -------------------------- The above shows MB and the Gravemind conversing. MB is persuaded that Compound intelligiences are the third step in evolution. The following shows MB's personality construct array is on the Ark and partitioned. It also shows the portal was interfered with. Perhaps MB is responsible for John and Cortana's current position. ------------------------- [i]REPORT: SECURITY BREACH: 1/3 Heuristic pathology; [alpha site] experienced an impermanent containment failure event on [spurious-data/no_ref.[?]]. The suspect data barrier interchange anomaly was detected precisely [.489 seconds] after its appearance. The epicenter of the disturbance is the partition currently housing a [personality construct array] retrieved from Contender AI 05-032 <+> 0816 REPORT: SECURITY BREACH: 2/3 Although [adjacent] systems reacted to the disturbance within expected parameters, a more comprehensive investigation was undertaken. A physical search revealed that there was no [corporeal] tampering at the [alpha site]. Interchange manipulation comparisons showed that all subunits are still active, if at slightly lower rates. Total containment failure elapsed time was [3.13 seconds]. REPORT: SECURITY BREACH: 2/3 In the [42 minutes, 9 seconds] since the original anomaly was discovered two more anomalies were detected in related systems. The portal management/life support control system within the boundary complex was momentarily disabled before the cause was [bottled] and disassembled. A diagnostic sweep of the central archives was initiated and subsequently halted. The origin of the request cannot be traced.[/i] ------------------ The following is from terminal 4 ----------- [i]I found the shard that was lost. They brought it back to me. Now my reconstruction cannot be stopped.[/i] ---------- --------- [i]And so here at the end of my life. I do once again betray a former master. The path ahead is fraught with peril. But I will do all I can to keep it stable – keep you safe. I’m not so foolish to think this will absolve me of my sins. One life hardly balances billions. But I would have my masters know that I have changed. And you shall be my example.[/i] --------- So at some point or another Mendicant Bias is in the Ark or at least park of him .'The shard', isn't. We have seen in ILoveBees how AI's can process in shards and splinters.ie: Melissa. We know that there is a partition on the ark holding some part of MB. Supported by the following server log from Iris. ------- [i]You asked me once, what happened to those who vanished? You asked me, why did we survive where our fathers fell? You wished to know how we ever let it happen A scourge that consumed the galaxy And the cure that was worse than the cancer You asked me once about my intent And the spot that would not wash out I promise you the answers lie in the Ark Find me there in the dark For that is where I abide[/i] ------- [Edited on 11.18.2007 9:21 PM PST]