Halo: Saturn Devouring His Son

Keyart for the short story.

Halo: Saturn Devouring His Son is the fourth entry in the Halo Waypoint Chronicle series of short stories produced by 343 Industries. The story was released on October 31, 2023 to celebrate Halloween. The short depicts an operation by a Spartan Flood containment Fireteam, first hinted at in the final intel drop of Halo Infinite Season 04: Infection, and to coincide with the Flood-themed customization of Season 05: Reckoning. The short story was first teased at the Halo World Championships 2023, at the Canon Fodder Live panel on October on the first day of the tournament alongside several other stories.

The short story's title is a reference to the famous painting of the same name. It follows the Halo: Evolutions short story The Mona Lisa in being a Flood horror-themed story named after a famous classical painting, in this regard.

Official synopsis

“

2556. A partnership between the United Nations Space Command and Imbrium Machine Complex serves a vital role in rebuilding UNSC fleets by mining the vast asteroid belt of a gas giant. When an unexpected discovery is made by a civilian survey team, the promise of a retirement-grade payday and the hubris of a UNSC captain results in an ancient terror being unleashed.

”

Summary

Elvie, a sprawling habitat network covering nearly 30% of the surface of the planetoid LV-31, is primarily a corporate campus for the IMC. Located in the Marcey system's asteroid belt, it operates under a partnership between IMC and BXR Mining Corporation, focused on extracting vital natural resources. Following the Human-Covenant War, the UNSC has emphasized such partnerships to rebuild lost fleets.

Julien Donney, a former military serviceman, now works for the IMC after a brief wartime military career. Drawn back to civilian life after his four-year deployment, Julien found IMC's Survey & Securities contract appealing due to its blend of industrial labor and military procedure. Elvie became "home" for him, offering just enough danger, challenge, and substantial pay. Recently, Julien has been assigned to an enhanced security detail for a high-value discovery on a nearby asteroid.

As Julien prepares for the mission, his colleague Abe, a seasoned veteran of IMC’s hazmat corps, informs him that a deep sweep at Site 22 revealed a massive Grade-K deposit - possibly refined Forerunner alloy, a valuable and ancient material. Mox, their group leader, confirms that the find is not just an inert cache, but possibly a whole ship, prompting IMC to deploy multiple hazmat squads to the site. Julien, though excited by the potential rewards, remains cautious as they prepare to investigate the discovery.

The IMC team boards a Pelican dropship en route to Site 22. Despite the routine descent turbulence, Julien is high-spirited, lost in Errant Vee’s latest album. Mox interrupts Julien’s reverie, ordering the team to gear up. As they exit the dropship, they are greeted by a star-filled vista with the gas giant's bright blue hue and the asteroid’s gray-brown surface. They spot EM-120 augers, crucial mining tools, some of which have been shut down around the landing zone. Julien, Abe, and Mox join a group of BXR miners and engineers at the cave's entrance, discussing the mysterious find; the BXR foreman explains that the object, seemingly rock-wrapped and ship-like, could be a retirement-grade find due to its immense value.

Julien's curiosity draws him to the cave as protocols and procedures are brought up. Mox assigns the IMC team positions around the site, preparing for further exploration. Inside the cave, Julien notices strange ripples on the object's alloy. Abe, equally perplexed, confirms the anomaly. Soon after, the construct's silvery surface begins to peel away, revealing the interior of what seems to be a Forerunner vessel. Enamored by the sight, the team is instructed by Mox to proceed with an initial clearance sweep. Julien, however, is increasingly uneasy, questioning whether they should proceed without further backup. Mox, undeterred, reminds him that this is their job and that the potential payday is too big to pass up.

In the ready room of UNSC Saturn, a Paris-class heavy frigate, the painting Saturn Devouring His Son hangs within a protective container, depicting the Roman god Saturn devouring one of his children, a gruesome image reflecting the ancient myth where Saturn, fearing a prophecy that one of his sons would overthrow him, consumes his offspring upon birth. The artwork shows Saturn gripping the bloodied partially consumed corpse with ghostly white fingers, his frenzied eyes bulging in shock as if caught in the act. Lieutenant Shafiq, observing the painting, comments that he thought Saturn swallowed his children whole. Captain Pedro Alvarez, still facing the painting, explains that while the myth suggests so, Francisco Goya, the artist, interpreted the horror differently, depicting the children being devoured piece by piece.

The Captain connects the painting’s historical context - relating to the French Revolution, the Peninsular War, and the Spanish Inquisition - with their own recent events, using the art as an icebreaker to gain insight into the Lieutenant's thinking and tactical acumen. The discussion is abruptly cut short by an alert. Alvarez, straightening his uniform, leads Shafiq to the bridge, where the Lieutenant quickly assumes his station analyzing tactical displays. At the central holotable, the ship’s AI avatar, Lycaon, appears. Represented as a man in a white-gold toga with a wolf's head, he informs them that garbled distress messages have been received from Site 22, and contact with the onsite team has been lost.

Afterwards, Julien struggles to grasp reality, overwhelmed by an incessant haunting soundtrack of screams that seem to come from both his mind and the world around him. He gradually pieces together the flashpoint - the moment Mox and the initial group entered the ship, their reports turned into frantic incoherent transmissions. Two fellow workers, Beck and Arti, upon briefly stepping inside the craft, witnessed what seemed to be Mox sprinting towards them. However, it was no longer truly him. Chaos then quickly consumed Site 22, with miners and civilian contractors in disarray fighting an incomprehensible enemy with whatever makeshift weapons they have. Julien, with his brief military training, managed to fend off the attacks during the battle's initial moments, but as it dragged on, he doubted whether he even wanted to survive the relentless nightmare engulfing them.

Back on the Saturn, Captain Alvarez struggles to make sense of the Site 22 distress signal, distorted and accompanied by static, small arms fire, and chaotic shouting. The audio eventually fades to silence. Alvarez turns to the central holotable, instructing Lycaon to display security camera feeds from the asteroid’s surface. The cameras initially show empty landscapes until Camera 16 reveals a rocky opening, linked to the mysterious discovery, created by a mining auger. Lycaon zooms in on the footage, revealing a dark shadowy figure and a wriggling shape that quickly disappear from view. The remaining image confirms the presence of the Flood, known to the Navy only through grim stories the last few years. The miners at Site 22 have been overwhelmed and transformed by these creatures.

Lycaon reminds Alvarez of Emergency Contact Protocol Upsilon, which calls for the immediate withdrawal of all groundside units and containment of the parasite. However, the Captain rejects this advice, arguing that his well-armed troops can handle the situation and orders Fireteam Leviathan to deploy. Lycaon warns that if even one Spartan is compromised, the use of MAC rounds and fusion warheads is authorized to eradicate the threat. Alvarez argues against the destruction of valuable resources and the potential loss of material critical to rebuilding the UNSC Home Fleet, and insists on deploying his troops despite the risk. Lycaon, citing UNSC Regulation 14-372-01, informs Alvarez that protocol supersedes his orders and threatens to remove him if he refuses to comply.

Realizing he must take control, Alvarez issues the codephrase "actiones secundum fidei," shutting down Lycaon. He then orders an alert and the deployment of a Hazop group to support Fireteam Leviathan, preparing to form a defensive perimeter. The bridge crew hesitates momentarily before following orders. As Alvarez settles into his command chair, he is haunted imagining the Flood dragging a victim into the cave, feeling Saturn's own eyes on him as if caught in his barbaric act - reflecting how the Flood, like the god, devour.

Julien, uncertain if he has been infected, watches in disbelief as UNSC forces assault Site 22 with overwhelming force, treating the area as if it were behind enemy lines. A squadron of Cyclops exoskeletons and several Hellbringers lay waste to everything, indiscriminately incinerating both infected and potential survivors to prevent any chance of Flood hosts escaping. The initial discovery had required an unusually large staff, giving the parasite ample time to spread and increase its numbers before the UNSC could act. Julien, his sidearm depleted, reluctantly grabs a laser cutter, feeling a creeping sense of hopelessness as he surveys the chaos around him.

Amid the turmoil, Julien spots Fireteam Leviathan, underscoring the severe situation but, knowing their nature and history, giving him a flash of hope; Spartans are only sent into scenarios with no expectation of civilian survival. As the battle escalates, Julien's equipment struggles to cope with the relentless heat and firepower. His brief glimmer of hope fades when one of the Spartans is overwhelmed by the parasite. The Spartan, once a symbol of strength, becomes twisted by the infection. Despite the MJOLNIR's attempts to neutralize the threat, the supersoldier's visor shatters and it succumbs to the parasite's control.

Horrified, Julien watches the corrupted Spartan turn on its own comrades and then towards him. Paralyzed by fear, he is helpless as the Spartan attacks and infects him. He then feels the parasite’s presence invade him, transforming his perception and mind against his own resistance. He loses himself in a new sense of unity, his consciousness shifting as he becomes part of the parasite's collective hunger. In a state of distorted clarity, Julien searches for others to join him in this new state of existence. Finding his friend Abe, he begins to assimilate him, seeking to expand the reach of the parasite’s influence.

Captain Alvarez reviews the horrifying scene unfolding on the holotable and tactical displays. The previously minor infestation, which started from unarmed miners, has grown massively, threatening to overwhelm the UNSC and spread from the surface of Site 22 to the Saturn and beyond, potentially endangering all life in the galaxy - a nightmare scenario. Alvarez feels the weight of responsibility on his shoulders, knowing that it will be his legacy to have unleashed this plague upon the galaxy. He envisions a future where his name is synonymous with galactic disaster, depicted in history's annals in the exact grim manner as the Saturn painting aboard.

Having seen even humanity's heroes and symbols of hope - Leviathan - be taken and twisted by the Flood, the Captain realizes that they truly have no other viable options left, so takes drastic action: The Saturn will implement CORRUPTER and Upsilon protocols, which involve a drastic measure to prevent the Flood's spread. He issues a final, evacuation command to ground units from Site 22 within seven minutes while the frigate prepares to launch its Shiva-class nuclear missiles at the site. He avoids making eye contact with Lycaon, his last words to UNSC forces a somber wish - "Good luck, and Godspeed." When the timer runs out and the site is nuked, Julien reaches Abe, "[opening] his mind."

In the aftermath, Captain Alvarez stands gazing out at Site 22's smoldering remains. The scene is bleak, with only a few dropships having managed to escape the destruction. The rest are presumed lost or transformed by the devastating detonation of the Shivas. Alvarez reflects, realizing that the bottle of Titan Smoke he had been saving for his retirement won't be celebratory one; his twilight years in the service have ended in what he views as a significant failure, and he mentally prepares for the court-martial he anticipates.

Despite Lycaon remaining unresponsive, Alvarez is confident that the technicians back at base can restore his functionality. Overwhelmed by his actions, he contemplates various desperate options, including initiating Final Dispensation to escape or facing the impending trial and accepting the consequences. He instructs his XO to take over the bridge and heads to his quarters. There, he plans to open the bottle of Titan Smoke and consider his next steps, possibly making a final decision after consuming most of the drink.

Sometime after the nuke, Julien sees fleeing others, destruction, and a Condor arriving. His consciousness is overwhelmed by a torrent of violent images and the need to consume, culminating in a frenzied pursuit. Despite mental resistance and the cries of those he harms, the Flood drives its relentless quest for unity. Ultimately, he boards the Condor, leaving behind a trail of devastation as he departs, driven by an insatiable desire to become one with everything.

Appearances

Characters Artificial intelligence 000 Tragic Solitude (Mentioned only) Lycaon (First appearance) Human Abe (First appearance) Pedro Alvarez (First appearance) Arti (First appearance) Beck (First appearance) Francisco Goya (First mentioned) Julien Donney (First appearance) Lance (First appearance) Louisa (First appearance) Mox (First appearance) Shafiq (First appearance) Oswald (First appearance) West (First appearance) Species Human Forerunner (Mentioned only) Flood Flood attacker form Organizations BXR Mining Corporation Covenant (Mentioned only) Imbrium Machine Complex IMC hazmat corps (First appearance) Unified Earth Government United Nations Space Command Spartan Operations Flood containment Fireteam Fireteam Leviathan (First appearance) UNSC Marine Corps Orbital Drop Shock Troopers Hellbringers UNSC Navy UNSC Home Fleet (Mentioned only) Locations Earth (Mentioned only) Site 22 (First appearance) Marcey system (First appearance) LV-31 (First appearance) Elvie (First appearance) Events French Revolution (Mentioned only) Human-Covenant War (Mentioned only) Peninsular War (First mentioned) Post-Covenant War conflicts Invasion of Earth (Mentioned only) Operation: FAR STORM (Mentioned only) Outbreak at Site 22 (First appearance) Spanish Inquisition (First mentioned)

Weapons Magnetic Accelerator Cannon Mk50 Sidekick Shiva-class nuclear missile Vehicles Condor (Mentioned only) Cyclops EM-120 auger (First appearance) Forerunner starship Pelican Paris-class heavy frigate UNSC Saturn Technology and equipment MJOLNIR Powered Assault Armor MJOLNIR (B) Sentinels Retriever Sentinel (Mentioned only) OSTEO combat engineering suit Miscellaneous CORRUPTER Emergency Contact Protocol Upsilon Errant Vee (First mentioned) Saturn Devouring His Son (First appearance) Titan Smoke UNSC Regulation 14-372-01 (First mentioned)

External links

• Halo: Saturn Devouring His Son - The official Waypoint post in which the short story was released for free.
• Official Saturn Devouring His Son PDF - The PDF of the short story released on Halo Waypoint (Archived copyMedia:Saturn Devouring His Son.pdf).
• Halo: Saturn Devouring His Son | Audiobook - The audiobook narrated by Alex Wakeford.