Editing Janus Key

{{Era|Forerunner|Post}}

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The '''Janus Key''' is a [[Forerunner]] [[Cartographer|cartographical]] artifact<ref name="evg">'''[[Halo 4: The Essential Visual Guide]]''', ''page 135''</ref> that provides real-time location of every piece of Forerunner technology in the [[Milky Way|galaxy]] when its halves are combined.<ref name="Key" />

== Background ==

Created in order to catalog the Forerunners' vast technological advancements, the key was placed within the [[Librarian's Rest]] inside the [[shield world]] [[Requiem]]; there, it would remain under the care of the [[Librarian]]'s locally stored memory. The device was to be presented to the [[Ur-Didact]] after he returned from [[Cryptum|stasis]] so he could give it to [[human]]ity to spur their technological advancement. However, the Didact turned on humanity when he was awakened in [[2557|July 2557]], renewing his quasi-genocidal campaign which had been halted [[100,000 BCE|one hundred millennia prior]].

[[2558|Six months after]] the Didact's [[New Phoenix Incident|attack on Earth]] was foiled, the Librarian's stored personality gave the key to [[Catherine Halsey|Dr. Catherine Halsey]], instructing her to take the key to the [[Absolute Record]]. After Halsey reawakened in the [[Jul 'Mdama's Covenant faction|Covenant]]-controlled [[Copernicus Base]], [[Jul 'Mdama]] took half of the artifact and escaped with the doctor. As she was being carried away, she threw the other half of the key to [[SPARTAN-IV program|Spartan]] [[Gabriel Thorne]].<ref name="Key"/> Thorne eventually gave his half to [[Henry Glassman|Dr. Henry Glassman]] for further study.<ref>'''Spartan Ops:''' ''[[S1/Exodus|S1E10 Exodus]]''</ref>

In July 2558, five months after the [[Requiem Campaign]], Glassman continued his inspection of the incomplete Janus Key onboard the {{UNSCship|Infinity}}. At the same time, Dr. Halsey, who allied herself with Jul 'Mdama, plotted to acquire the UNSC's half of the Janus Key. She and 'Mdama constructed a decoy Forerunner artifact for ''Infinity'' to find on the surface of the planet [[Aktis IV]]. Upon its discovery, a deceived Dr. Glassman requested ''Infinity'' to transport the UNSC's half of the key down to the planet, to examine how the two artifacts would interact. Captain Lasky dispatched a Pelican and a Broadsword to deliver the key to the site. As the aircraft approached their destination, they were both shot down by Covenant anti-air artillery. The attack, however, was not issued on Jul 'Mdama's order and was instead carried out by [[Sali 'Nyon's Covenant faction|defectors of 'Mdama's own faction]]. ''Infinity''<nowiki>'</nowiki>s half of the Janus Key immediately fell into the hands of Jul 'Mdama's leading detractor, a self-proclaimed Sangheili prophet named [[Sali 'Nyon]].<ref>'''Halo: Escalation''', ''[[Halo: Escalation Issue 14|Issue #14]]''</ref>

However, [[Unidentified Sangheili Minor|a Sangheili Minor]] disillusioned with 'Nyon's rebellion stole his half of the Janus Key and contacted 'Mdama's forces, offering them the key along with the location of 'Nyon's hideout.<ref name="HE15">'''Halo: Escalation''', ''[[Halo: Escalation Issue 15|Issue #15]]''</ref> A contingent of 'Mdama's troops met with the Minor, with Dr. Halsey personally verifying the artifact's authenticity. However, after 'Mdama redirected most of his forces elsewhere, three Spartan-IVs led by Commander [[Sarah Palmer]] ambushed the group. Halsey attempted to escape with the Janus Key half but she was taken captive by Palmer. However, the doctor was able to distract the Spartan commander, escaped with the artifact, and was picked up by one of 'Mdama's Phantoms. Now in possession of both halves of the Janus Key, 'Mdama and Halsey recombined the artifact, generating a holographic map pinpointing the location of the Absolute Record.<ref name="HE16">'''Halo: Escalation''', ''[[Halo: Escalation Issue 16|Issue #16]]''</ref>

*The Janus Key is similar in purpose to the [[Domain|quasi-extant]] [[Organon]], which some Forerunners believed would activate all [[Precursor]] technology in the galaxy.

File:H4-SO-S1E9-Librarian-Cinematic06.jpg|The Librarian presenting the disassembled Janus Key to Dr. Halsey.

File:H4-SOps-Halsey-Librarian.jpg|A holographic map of star systems produced by combining the Janus Key.

File:HE15 Second Thought.jpg|A Sangheili Minor with a half of the Janus Key, after stole it from Sali 'Nyon.

File:HE16 Next destination The Absolute Record.jpg|The Janus Key showing the [[Absolute Record]]'s location.

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