Gabriela

This article is about the artificial intelligence. For the ONI vice admiral, see Gabriella Dvørak.

Gabriela Castaneda
File:HOD GabrielaReal.PNG
Biographical information
Gender:	Female
Description:	A young woman in uniform
Color(s):	Blue
Political and military information
Affiliation:	United Nations Space Command
Functionality:	Caretaker of an Outpost Discovery
Service number:	GBA 0983-6

"Greetings. I am Gabriela, the A.I. caretaker of Outpost Discovery. I will be your guide as you explore the outpost's exhibits and experiences."

— Gabriela welcomes visitors to one of the UNSC's Outpost Discovery locations.

Gabriela Castaneda was a United Nations Space Command artificial intelligence entrusted to be the caretaker of an Outpost Discovery on Earth. By late 2553, she was considered to the only one of her kind to contain a complete record of all cataloged human history, having been created near the end of the Human-Covenant War to potentially safeguard humankind's legacy. Once thought lost in the aftermath of the Fall of Reach, she was recovered from Sephune III in the latter half of that year by Linda-058. Gabriela later assisted with the aforementioned Outpost Discovery at major population centers on Earth.

Biography

Loss and recovery

Athos: "The mission parameters have changed. I detected an intact A.I. we thought lost with the Promise."

Linda-058: "Another A.I.? All right, I'll finish Chen and—"

Athos: "Not 'another A.I.'. The only A.I. to contain a complete record of all of human history. Alas, only Chen would know where it is. This A.I. is now the entirety of the mission."

— The revelation of Gabriela's survival and presence on Sephune III radically changes Linda and Athos' mission.

Doctor Chen Bax had intentionally kept the survivors of the Promise trapped on Sephune III for around a year while he worked to secure Gabriela.

Gabriela Castaneda was a nascent A.I. matrix when the Paris-class heavy frigate UNSC Promise of Dawn was chosen as a vessel of safekeeping for her. She was an invaluable asset that represented humanity's attempt to rebuild—even if from the ground up. She was to serve as a time capsule of sorts—prepared to imbue with rekindled hope after an impossible victory over the Covenant, or to carry on lost history, ensuring humanity's legacy could still be learned. During the Fall of Reach in August 2552, Gabriela was thought lost along with the rest of the ship, which disappeared after the battle. At some point in the latter half of 2553 the Office of Naval Intelligence received a distress signal from the frigate's survivors, coming from the largely Covenant-controlled Sephune III. The Dawn had crashed there following its flight from Reach. Given the possibility that Gabriela remained intact, ONI believed sending one of the few remaining Spartan-IIs, Linda-058, to the planet was worth the risk. As such, she was briefed within twenty-four hours of the signal's discovery. She was not informed concerning Gabriela, however, instead being told her mission was to assassinate Doctor Chen Bax, a scientist who had tried to steal classified technology but who had also been thought killed at Reach. Linda was told ONI couldn't afford to have either Chen or whatever he left Reach with fall into enemy hands.

After meeting up with the ship's survivors Linda elected to hold off on killing Doctor Chen and before long Athos, the artificial intelligence accompanying her, was inserted in a terminal in the humans' camp. He soon detected Gabriela and made it known to the Spartan that their mission's parameters had changed. Securing Gabriela, he said, was now the entirely of the operation. Seeing as forces loyal to a resurgent Covenant would be moving on their position in a matter of hours, he also emphasized that if they hadn't found her by that point they would clean the site to make sure the aliens didn't either. When Athos heard Chen mention details about the eighteenth century storming of the Bastille in conversation he thought it possible the doctor had already accessed Gabriela. But once Athos' data crystal chip was being inserted into the Promise of Dawn Chen suddenly asked Linda to give him the code needed to unlock the A.I., saying he knew why the UNSC had sent her to him. He was convinced that he could not let the UNSC have her any more than he could the Covenant. At Linda's refusal, Chen elected to access Gabriela himself. And as it turned out, Athos had just unwittingly unlocked her so that Chen was able to deftly remove his data crystal chip while simultaneously transferring her to an armored matrix. Even so, Linda had little trouble overpowering the man and taking the matrix into her possession.

The outposts overseen by Gabriela invited average citizens to explore the legacy of humanity’s survival and experience the thrill of being part of the UNSC’s first line of defense against whatever threats still lurked in the galaxy.

Outpost Discovery

Gabriela Castaneda: "Greetings. I am GBA 0983-6. Awaiting instructions."

ONI officer: "Gabriela, you are being deployed to Earth, where you will serve as the caretaker of Outpost Discovery. Spartans Owen and Hazel will escort you there. ONI recognizes that your knowledge is too important to keep to yourself."

— Gabriela is given her assignment following her recovery.

After Gabriela was recovered from Sephune III she was entrusted to Spartan-IIIs Hazel-A302 and Owen-B096, who escorted her to Earth. There, she became the caretaker of an Outpost Discovery, a mobile exploratory initiative focused on the education, recruitment, inspiration, and training of the next generation of UNSC personnel. This involved her assistance at various major population centers on Earth, where she acted as a guide during the exploration of each outpost's exhibits and experiences. At each location Gabriela greeted visitors at the "Hall of History", recounting the details of historical events as recent as the Fall of Reach. She had been told that ONI recognized her knowledge to be too important for her to keep it to herself. She was still serving in this capacity by 2554.

Characteristics

Linda-058: "An A.I. containing all of human history. This is the real reason we came?"

Athos: "It was a possibility the A.I., Gabriela, remained intact. ONI believed this mission was worth the risk."

Linda-058: "Worth it for the A.I., but not the living left behind here. How can history be more important than our own people?"

Athos: "Not just history. Gabriela holds Earth's secrets... And those of everywhere humanity has called home. Along with the sole complete record of all we fought for and lost on Reach."

— Athos clarifies the importance of Gabriela to Linda-058.

As of late 2553, Gabriela was considered the only artificial intelligence to contain a complete record of all cataloged human history. In addition, she held the secrets of Earth and everywhere else humanity had called home and the sole complete record of all that had been fought for and lost on Reach. She projects an avatar which gives her the appearance of a young woman in uniform with hair prominently combed over to the right side of her head.

Behind the scenes

"Whenever we were designing Gabriela we were looking at the type of uniform that would be suitable for her, for reasons that will become apparent hopefully soon. And, doing the uniform design—because Uncle Sam loves their regulations—and especially the Marine Corps—we are very, very specific about our uniforms and our guidelines."

— Sarah Campbell shares some insight regarding the thought processes behind Gabriela's design and teases information about the character yet to be revealed at the time.

During the concepting phase for Gabriela's design, 343 Industries consumer products team artist Sarah Campbell leaned on her experience in the United States Marine Corps to give input on what her uniform should look like. Gabriela was first introduced during the announcement of Halo: Outpost Discovery. Shortly following this announcement, she made her debut appearance within the four-issue comic Halo: Lone Wolf. Her projected avatar will greet guests of Outpost Discovery before they enter the Hall of History at the various event locations, in addition to appearing throughout each section of their show floors. She also is featured as a guide who helps guests be navigated to destinations, unlock secrets, and earn rewards—all through the experience's dedicated mobile application.

Gallery

• 

  Gabriela introduces herself following her recovery from Sephune III.

• 

  Gabriela collects herself before beginning her recounting of the Fall of Reach.

• 

  Gabriela begins her account of Reach's fall with the mysterious loss of contact with the Visegrád Relay.

• 

  Gabriela is featured prominently on this promotional image for Halo: Outpost Discovery.

• 
• 

  Gabriela greets new users of Outpost Discovery's mobile application.

• 

  This map depicting the locations of various Halo: Outpost Discovery attractions in Orlando, Florida shows Gabriela in the bottom-right corner, near the Hall of History.

• 

  This nameplate was shared by 343 Industries product development manager Scott Jobe.

• 

  Gabriela is featured on the cover of a hardcover collection of Halo: Lone Wolf issues exclusive to Halo: Outpost Discovery.

• HOD Gear.png

  Gabriela appears on this T-shirt, exclusive to the Outpost Discovery experience.

• OD Shirt.jpg

  This T-shirt features Outpost Discovery's key art.

• OD-Shirt2-.jpg

  Another T-shirt featuring Gabriela is worn by Florida reporter Greg Fox.

List of appearances

• Halo: Lone Wolf (First appearance)
• Halo: Outpost Discovery