185 – Anesidora

Sorry for the late update today, gang. I’m a bit under the weather.

↓ Transcript
Viper still standing in the stasis field.

VIPER: We already know what Archimedes does. We had intended to use it as a method of undermining the UNSC - especially ONI - accessing top-secret project files, and turning that corrupt organization on its head.

VIPER: For all I know, we already have.

Looking up at the Viper soldier.

VIPER: How many others from my squad did you capture like this?

CAVALCADE: Two.

VIPER: Ah. And by the way you're interrogating me, Archimedes must have been retrieved successfully.

Left side of Viper.

CAVALCADE: Indeed. I was unable to restore my systems to adequate functionality in time to prevent its escape. I was not even aware of its presence here until your blundering about caught the attention of what few subroutines I had running at the time.

VIPER: And we're not bitter about this, of course.

Close in on Viper from the right.

CAVALCADE: I am perturbed, but not because it was you - Viper - who was able to steal Archimedes away. That was hardly my fault. No, it is because you have no idea what trouble you have started, the danger that Archimedes poses to all sentient life in the universe.

Back away from Viper a bit.

CAVALCADE: Not that Viper would have any idea how to use it.

VIPER: I already told you we did. We were going to turn one of ONI's little toys back on them, force them out into the open, make them answer for their crimes in human experimentation.

CAVALCADE: FOOL! Archimedes is no device of human construction. It is not even Forerunner. It is far, far older than that.

Up and away from Viper.

CAVALCADE: Ferial played you all for fools - and now Viper belongs to his growing army of mind-slaves.

CAVALCADE: You have opened the metaphorical Pandora's Box.



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Discussion (29) ¬

  1. L3G0builder

    Ah, just what I need right before my last and most difficult final, another mind teaser from the dark recesses of Jim's little world… ;) haha, I'll definitely have to look closely at all the recent events in the next few days, AFTER I've recovered myself from finals

    • Jim Stitzel

      Good luck!

  2. Larrykan

    Hehe sounds like a quote from Gandalf LOTR :P

    nice JIM!!!!!!!

    • Jim Stitzel

      "Fly, you fools!"

  3. UmbraSilentium

    What unspeakable evils will be unleashed upon the heavens and the earth now? And all from one skull, none the less?

    • Jim Stitzel

      Well, not all. :)

  4. DoodTheDud

    Awesome.

  5. HSAR

    Ah… I've been wondering when we'd hear of old Archi again.

  6. Camper51

    makes me think of Indigenous as a deep wise voice a bit like an elite's (close to the arbiter)

    • Jim Stitzel

      Not a bad characterization, actually.

  7. Paul

    guess that explains what the marines where gettin infected by and being killed earlier on is archamidies going throught the radio transmissions of the UNSC and some how causing there brains turn into mush

    • ChadPurzycki

      How painful that must be..

    • Th3 FoRg1v3n

      just like how cell phones cause brain cancer :D

    • Jim Stitzel

      Well, infected, anyway.

      • paul

        just read the latest comic and im suprised i got it right wooooo im on a role this week lmao :P n got a reply off the famous Jim swoon lmao

  8. Lupus_Cruor

    loved it Jim, keep cranking out the awesome comics!

    • Jim Stitzel

      Thanks, doing my best. :)

  9. Sangheilioz

    So, basically, Archimedes is a more refined version of the Flood. Instead of physical infection, mutation, and control, it's the mental version. Makes a lot more sense now, with the Flood being a "failed experiment" and then using this more refined version. I wonder, is Archimedes capable of "infecting" the Flood?

    • Dan_fire03

      Wow…never thought of that… it is now time to ponder the possibilities

    • Jim Stitzel

      The pieces, they begin to fall together. ;)

      • Sangheilioz

        Methinks I've figured this out, Jim. Archimedes' virus is how Ferial plans to control the flood (and everything else)

    • Captain_EVA

      Isn't it the Virus causing all the trouble, not actually Archimedes? Didn't Archimedes only release the Virus? I'm a little lost.

  10. SonOfTheShire

    The "Metaphorical Pandoras box" Love that.

    • Jim Stitzel

      The Cavalcade – ever and again with the technicalities.

      • Captain_EVA

        Jim- The Catchphrase Queen

        cough....urm….you're going to Banhammer me aren't you?

  11. Jim Stitzel

    Hehe, only time will tell. ;)

  12. iamthemonkeyhead

    I think you mean "proverbial pandora's box". I don't know that you can actually say the metaphorical pandora's box.
    Does this AI actually get angry?

    • Jim Stitzel

      Nope, I definitely meant 'metaphorical'. It's a subtle distinction from 'proverbial' but one with very specific intent.