SAINT’S TESTIMONY

Back in Issue 15, we dropped our 2015 literary lineup on your excited eyeballs, revealing the five titles you’ll be able to add to your Halo required-reading list this year. Of course at first, titles were all you had. Slowly but surely, we’ve trickled out additional knowledge nuggets to foreshadow each course in 2015’s fiction feast. Also in Issue 15, we spoke to Frank O’Connor about the state of the Halo fiction overall, and obtained a few cryptic clues related to his own upcoming entry .

“I’m writing in a subject that has always fascinated me,” Frank explained, “beginning with Halo from 2001 – the nature of AI and the nature of life itself – or rather consciousness. There’s a lot of philosophy and physics pointing to consciousness being an aspect of existence itself – the universe itself evolving thought with life as a node of that evolution. And there is more than one way to skin that cat. This won’t be an action epic, but it will be mercifully short.”

Since then, fans have speculated as to what character might be headlining this particular short story, as it explores – as Frank put it – “…the nature of AI through the eyes and travails of a less-exposed Smart AI character, but someone you guys will be familiar with.” Well, wonder no longer, as just because digital stories might not have a “back cover” to speak of, doesn’t mean we can’t provide you some the words you would have found on it. Here you go!

The military-grade artificial intelligence known as Iona has only one week to live. After that, the UNSC will legally terminate her seven-year existence in order to stave off the threat of the data corruption phenomenon known as “rampancy,” a condition that will eventually take hold of her functionality and persona, endangering all those around her. In a last-ditch effort to save herself, Iona has successfully launched an unprecedented legal appeal against her own death sentence – a case being watched very closely at not only the highest levels of human government, but by others with a very different agenda….

In addition, I’m sure you obviously noted the absolutely gorgeous “cover” art to the right whipped up by the very talented Chase Toole. Click to make big! Halo: Saint’s Testimony is a digital single slated for release on July 27th, 2015, in conjunction with our partners and friends at Simon & Schuster. Yet another lore morsel to help you pass the time during the wait for Halo 5: Guardians this fall…