Phoenix Logs/Campaign Logs/Beyond the Edge

Captain James Cutter, SN: 01730-58392-JC, Spirit of Fire, Date: 04/02/2559

Once again, I say goodbye to a colleague and friend. The new Halo installation has disappeared through the slipspace portal. Far out of reach of Atriox's hands. But it took Professor Anders with it. I know the Professor will be okay, her intelligence and resourcefulness will see her safely back to her lab in no time, but I will miss her and our family is a little smaller without her.

But there is plenty to keep us occupied here. The portal to Earth is still closed, and as far as I'm concerned it should remain so until we fully evaluate the threat the Banished pose to it. However, I have ordered Isabel to start investigating the portal's controls in the event that we need to open—or close—it again in the future. The Ark is our new home for now and the Banished threat is too great to leave it unguarded until we establish contact with the UNSC forces back home.

For now, Atriox seems to be licking his wounds, but we know he still has forces active in the darkest corners of the Ark and it won't be long before he mobilizes them once again. This time we'll be ready for him.

Yes, I have said goodbye to another friend and we are again cut off from the rest of humanity, but this time it's different. We know that the Covenant war has been won and a new future awaits us back home—perhaps our families as well. For now, we have a new purpose, something to fight for. And we'll do it together on our new home.