Editing Hard light

{{Status|Canon}}

[[File:Light bridge.jpg|thumb|300px|An example of hard light technology on a Forerunner [[light bridge]] on [[Installation 00]].]]

{{Quote|no=three|Cortana|q1=I'm showing a lot of photonic activity. The excited photons have displaced the air around the light path.|John-117|q2=Which means?|q3=Which means that the light has become coherent. Solid.|Cortana|Exchange between [[John-117]] and [[Cortana]] regarding a [[light bridge]] on [[Installation 04]]<ref>'''[[Halo: The Flood]]''', Chapter 3, ''pages 84-85'' (2003 paperback); ''pages 95-96'' (2010 paperback)</ref>}}

'''Hard light''', alternatively spelled '''hard-light''' or '''hardlight'''<ref name="Official Site">[http://halo.xbox.com/halo4#!halo-evolved/gameplay/31afe32b-0e07-45c0-9424-3adc6e1eadca '''Halo 4 Official Site:''' ''GAMEPLAY'']</ref> and more formally identified as a '''boson-photon field''',<ref>[http://us2.campaign-archive1.com/?u=8efbd7b88156ac5f6faed8b69&id=4fdccf0da5&e=7be5970a3b '''Mega Bloks''', Special Report: ONI REAP-X]</ref> is a [[Forerunner]] technology that allows light to be transformed into a solid state, capable of bearing weight and performing a variety of tasks. This involves an as-yet unexplained interplay between coherent, high-energy light and gas particles, such as air.

The most prominent use of hard light is perhaps also its most inconspicuous one; although this is not immediately obvious, hard light construction actually comprises a significant portion of Forerunner architecture. Through the use of highly sophisticated [[holography|holographic]] projection technology, hard light can be crafted to be entirely indistinguishable from physical construction such as metal and can form very complex shapes.<ref name="p116">'''Halo: Primordium''', ''pages 116, 201, 269''</ref><ref name="halo 4">'''Halo 4'''</ref> As such, hard light is commonly used in the composition of Forerunner structures and ships, either for structural support,<ref name="renegades">''Halo: Renegades'', Chapter ??</ref> aesthetic purposes,<ref name="c242">'''Halo: Cryptum''', ''page 242''</ref> as a covering for mechanical and technological mechanisms, or to form internal divisions and compartments; this allows a Forerunner ship or structure to reconfigure its layout, furnishings or decoration at will.<ref>'''Halo: Cryptum''', ''page 124''</ref> Despite its versatility, hard light construction is susceptible to power failures and as such, the most important supporting structures have to be made of actual matter.

The [[Halo Array|Halo installations]] make use of hard light in their firing mechanisms,<ref>'''Halo: Cryptum''', ''pages 307, 310''</ref> in addition to using hard light as a protective structural reinforcement to stabilize and protect the rings against tidal and gravitational forces from other objects.<ref>'''Halo: Cryptum''', ''page 311''</ref> Although many Forerunner structures project a hard light decorative shell over the structural support elements of the building, almost all buildings seen on the Halo installations or [[Installation 00|the Ark]] lack this covering; the Forerunners did not implement such decoration on the Halos' structures, as they were meant to be purely functional.<ref>'''Halo: Cryptum''', ''page 319''</ref> However, the structures on the Halo rings still employ hard light construction for practical purposes.{{Ref/Reuse|p116}} Additionally, any structures that possess hard light decor only activated in the presence of Forerunners;{{Ref/Reuse|c242}} however, due to their status as [[Reclaimer]]s, the presence of humans will also activate hard-light decoration in certain structures, as seen in the [[Menachite portal complex]].<ref>'''Halo: First Strike''', ''page 143''</ref>

[[Promethean]] units are also known to incorporate hard light technology into their weaponry and even personal design. For close-quarters combat, [[Promethean Knight]]s utilize [[hardlight blade]]s to dispatch opponents. The [[Z-250 Directed Energy Engagement Weapon|Z-250 Lightrifle]] and [[Z-130 Directed Energy Automatic Weapon|Z-130 Suppressor]] are among the known infantry weapons to utilize hard light projectiles. For offensive purposes, they create solid projectiles that can be fired like conventional bullets or [[plasma]] bolts. Some units have presumably decorative hard light architecture, notably the fins on the back of the [[Knight Battlewagon]].<ref name="Waypoint">[http://www.halowaypoint.com/en-US/Halo4Guide '''Halo Waypoint:''' ''Halo 4 Interactive Guide'']</ref> Hard light was also used as a form of connective mechanism in the limbs of a [[war sphinx]].<ref>'''Halo: Cryptum''', ''pages 93, and 194''</ref> Forerunner [[design seed]]s also made use of hard light. When activated, the rotating pillars of the machine would emit "scaffolding" of hard light that would fabricate a machine or ship using raw materials obtained on-site. During the [[Forerunner-Flood war]], the Forerunners experimented with volatile derivations of hard light, with similar effects to the [[blamite]]; those experiments resulted in a Suppressor variant called "Razor's Edge".<ref>'''[[Halo 5: Guardians]]''', ''Razor's Edge'' description</ref>

 

[[Ancient humanity]] and [[San'Shyuum#Prehistory|Ancient San'Shyuum]] was also known to use hardlight weapons similar to those of the Forerunners.<ref name="c164">'''Halo: Cryptum''', ''page 164''</ref><ref>'''Halo: Cryptum''', ''page 112''</ref>

*According to the [[Minister of Discovery]] in ''[[Wages of Sin]]'', hard light was one of the several Forerunner technologies the [[Covenant]] never successfully reverse-engineered.{{Ref/Reuse|wages}} However, the [[San'Shyuum]] [[Prelate]] [[Tem'Bhetek]] sports a hard light shield gauntlet in ''[[Halo: Shadow of Intent]]''.<ref>'''Halo: Shadow of Intent''', ''pages 51, 53, 55'' (Google Play edition)</ref> It is possible that the device was of Forerunner origin, rather than having been manufactured by the Covenant. Alternatively, the Minister of Discovery may not have been informed of the technology incorporated into the Prelate's armor. [[Halo Waypoint]] further claims that the Covenant developed technologies to control and utilize hard light from the analysis of Forerunner technologies.<ref name="universecov">[https://www.halowaypoint.com/en-us/universe/factions/covenant '''Halo Waypoint''': ''Covenant'']</ref>

{{Ref/Sources}}