Différences entre les versions de « Halo : Silentium »

Cet opus, qui clôture la Trilogie Forerunner de Greg Bear, se déroule durant la Guerre Forerunner contre Parasite, opposant le puissant Parasite à l'Écoumène Forerunner affaibli par des dissensions, et tourne autour des Didactes et de la Bibliothécaire.

Extraits

Les deux premiers chapitres du roman sont disponibles, le premier sur Tor.com et le deuxième sur Halo Waypoint.

Extrait 1 <toggledisplay hidetext=[Masquer]>

STRING 1

Senior Juridical

Welcome, Juridical. The Domain is especially clear this evening. I presume the transport of all those brutish wheels has come to a pause. Where may I guide you?

“Thank you, Haruspis. I am empowered by the New Council to investigate the matter of the Precursors and possible crimes against the Mantle. Grant me access to that beginning.”

A unique request—and not a welcome one. That region of the Domain has long been sealed. For you, it does not exist.

“The Master Juridical orders it be opened.”

Not even such a One has that authority.

“Who does?”

Ten million years have passed. Back then, Warriors were not yet servants and stood highest. Perhaps the greatest of your Warriors might persuade the Domain.

“I am authorized to remove the Haruspis and access the Domain directly, should you refuse.”

I see the authorization is legitimate. That does not make it virtuous or wise.

“Forerunners are rapidly moving beyond virtue and wisdom. The evidence is essential to judge testimony gathered by Catalog regarding the Flood, the Master Builder, the Old Council, and the Didact. Surely you’ve stored other materials relevant to those cases.”

They have been refused by the Domain.

“How is that possible? The Domain is the soul and re- cord of all things Forerunner. Is it judging and correcting before history is made?”

Since the destruction of the Capital world, the Domain is frequently off-line now, and even when it is available and clear, it does not always respond to timely storage or retrieval.

“Individuals and their ancillas have reported difficulties— but you?”

What I know suggests the possible influence of an immense event yet to come. Do you anticipate such an event, Juridical? Does your request seek justification, or preparation?

“That is beyond my scope.”

You have come to remove me. Please do. I have been so long with the Domain that I will quickly pass into it—and I can think of no more suitable fate for Haruspis.

“I would prefer of course to rely on your experience. I plead with you . . . !”

Do not hesitate or your courage will fail. Wait.

Wait.

“Is there a problem?”

The Domain is making its own request. The Domain wishes to testify to a Juridical.

“The Domain is not a recognized class of being. It is not in any way a citizen—not even an awareness!”

How little you know. Haruspis is standing aside now. Are you recording?

“Yes . . . Unprecedented! But recording.”

All paths are clear. Signal strength is remarkable, even willful . . . Harupis has never seen it like this.

“Recording . . . too fast! Too powerful! Can’t absorb it all . . .”

You asked for it, Juridical. The Domain is here, the Domain is wide open—and it is not happy. </toggledisplay>

Extrait 2 <toggledisplay hidetext=[Masquer]> TWO

MIDDAY AND THE skies grow dark with ships. Lightning flashes along the far horizon. We stand on the rim of a promontory overlooking a wide, flat plain covered as far as the eye can see with dry grass—three Lifeworkers and me.

The Lifeworkers have been tasked with the selection and collection of but a few of this planet’s living things, that the coming Halo desecration may one day be forgiven when our lives are summed at the end of Living Time. The planet is called Erde-Tyrene. Ships great and small sweep over the continent where humans may have first evolved.

I am Catalog. I record all that I am called upon to witness. I am filled with evidence and testimony related to the cases at hand. Accessing investigations conducted on other worlds, I study many histories: Clans and families and partners split apart by the Flood war, cities destroyed, star systems scoured to prevent infection. All that terror and hatred burn inside me like so many flame-carved scars. These events echo through the Domain, and inevitably attract the attention of Juridicals. The Juridicals then dispatch Catalog.

I am one of many. We are all the same. In theory.

Once my presence has been mandated, no one can refuse me. In the investigation of a possible crime, Catalog determines what is passed along to the Juridicals. Nobody wishes to be accused of crimes against the Mantle. But that is just one of the potential charges on which I gather testimony and evidence.

The three Lifeworkers beside me have finished early surveys and activated the beacons that in turn have told all humans imprinted with the Librarian’s geas to settle their affairs and gather. The evacuation has been going on for many days. The plain before us is alive with an incessant, dreadful noise—the screams of frightened humans and other animals, cowering as ships swoop down and Lifeworkers emerge to collect.

Everywhere on Erde-Tyrene, across the prairies and over the mountains, between the islands, even across a thick northern cloak of glaciers, terrified humans leave their hunting grounds, their farms and villages and towns. The animals so summoned have no choice. By the grace of the Lifeworkers, many will be preserved. Most will not.

The Librarian, it is said, favors humans. But as Catalog I am aware that she has studied and favored one hundred and twenty- three technologically capable species across three million worlds within the explored regions of our galaxy. How many of these she will seek to preserve, it is not my job to predict or even to understand.

The Lifeworkers have sworn to carry out the commands of the New Council, reconstituted from survivors found deep beneath the ruins of the Capital world. Most of the Old Council was killed by the metarch- level ancilla known as Mendicant Bias when it unleashed the killing power of Halo, possibly at the instigation of the Master Builder.

That is one of the cases Juridicals will examine and decide. But that is not why I am here.

The three Lifeworkers stand silent and solemn beside me. Their white armor provides them with information from around Erde-Tyrene. I receive similar data from Juridical probes spread around the ecumene in anticipation of new cases. At the moment, however, only the local network is available to me.

Across the thunder- booming plain, out of the bellies of the great ships, thousands of lesser ships drop and spread like mosquitoes, their engines a distant, buzzing whine.

Many trail yellowish curtains like tainted rain. This is solute, which will cause every animal killed by Halo action to instantly decay into component molecules. This will avert an ecological miasma. But it could also be construed as a way to hide a tremendous crime from later investigators.

Very interesting to Catalog.

Lifeworkers have time and resources to preserve less than one out of a thousand of Erde-Tyrene’s large species. A great extinction will follow. Very soon, this world will be quiet. This may not in itself constitute a crime against the Mantle. Deliberate and total extinction would qualify, and this is not that.

Not yet.

The chief Lifeworker, a mature third-form named Carrier-of-Immunity, receives a signal from our ship, a seeker transport parked on a rocky promontory a few dozen meters behind us.

“The Lifeshaper is in the system,” he says.

“Are we to meet with the Lifeshaper?” Celebrator-of-Birth, a young first-form, asks hopefully. There are billions of Lifeworkers but only one Lifeshaper.

“Not yet. The community of Marontik has yet to be processed.” Carrier adds, “I have new orders, however. Catalog will be removed from Erde-Tyrene. I will accompany him to the Lifeshaper’s ship.”

“The Librarian interrupts my investigation?” I ask, suddenly on alert. Crime ever multiplies and grows!

“That’s all I know,” Carrier says. “Please come with me.” He walks toward the transport. I have no choice but to follow, leaving the others on the rim rock overlooking the evacuations.

We enter the ship and are swiftly conveyed to low orbit. I withdraw my external sensors and go silent on all channels and frequencies. There is no reason to discuss matters with this Lifeworker. He has little power and less culpability.

We dock with the Librarian’s ship and I am released onto the passenger deck. Carrier-of-Immunity withdraws, no doubt with relief, to return to Erde-Tyrene. I am alone. The deck is wide, empty, dark. Despite the power of the Juridicals, I am apprehensive.

The suspects in our investigation are legendary: the Librarian, the IsoDidact, and the Master Builder. All have yet to be deposed. The Librarian has been granted a temporary waiver due to her pressing duties.

The IsoDidact is an ingenious copy of the original Didact, who imprinted a Manipular named Bornstellar- Makes- Eternal- Lasting. He has assumed control of Forerunner defense and oversees the security of Lifeworker activities. The Librarian maintains this copy is still her husband. He calls her wife.

As the minutes pass, I hear echoing noises in the gloom. Then, through an opening port, sunlight flows like burning gold and splashes against two shadows, one ominous and bulky, the other smaller and slender.

The IsoDidact’s form nearly overwhelms that of the Librarian. He is a Promethean, the most honored class of the old Warrior- Servants, wide and thick and strong, with great arms and massive hands. His broad face, piercing eyes, and fl at nose have a classically Forerunner yet brutish aspect. There is little hint of the Manipular that took the Didact’s imprint. The segments of his battle armor hover just above an inner shell of hard light that outlines him in lines of pale blue. One can often tell a Forerunner’s mood by the color of his or her armor. This armor is dark with displeasure.

“It is not right to interfere with Juridicals,” he murmurs.

“There is no interference,” the Librarian insists, stepping forward. Smaller, more delicately constructed than the Promethean, her eyes seem larger, all- seeing. She wears blue Lifeworker armor, narrow grooves and slots along the arms and torso concealing persuaders, scanners, sample bays, subcutanes, biopsy probes, and other instruments of her profession.

“Your escorts did not explain their reasons,” the IsoDidact says. Culpability for the actions of his original could become an interesting point of law.

“They were following orders,” the Librarian says. “They could not know my intent.”

She turns her full attention to me. Lifeshaper is her title among Lifeworkers—a term of extreme regard. Her slender body and careworn face, with those great, dark eyes, revive emotions I might have felt before assuming the carapace. I once had an eye for beauty among all rates. Yet the Librarian’s beauty lies neither in youth nor in physical perfection.

She is in many ways flawed: a tilt of one eye, slanted lower lip, unseemly whiteness of teeth. She seems to have deliberately adopted a few characteristics of those humans she now collects. I wonder if that makes her more or less beautiful to the IsoDidact.

“I am solely to blame,” she says, and walks around me, her gait light as air. Her eyes study and soothe at once.

For a moment, I am unhappy being Catalog. There is no particular reason for either the Librarian or the IsoDidact to show me favor or even civility. Recent history has not been kind to them—nor have the Juridicals.

I rotate my carapace to track her. “My work has been interrupted,” I say. “I am here on a Council- approved investigation.”

Now the IsoDidact makes his circuit, hand to helmet’s chin, as if studying an adversary. “Builders supplied your carapace,” he says. “Your colleagues have been subverted in the past.”

“Subversion is most unlikely,” I say, measuring the situation.

“What Builders have done to undermine your integrity, they can keep secret even from you. It has happened before.” There is nothing I can or would wish to say to justify the crimes committed under the Master Builder’s centuries of misrule. “Those times were unfortunate,” I say. “They ended before I assumed the carapace. Those who strayed were punished.

“Even so…” the IsoDidact murmurs. The Librarian gives her husband a look of mild reproof, but with a hint of admiration. Are they about to shut down my investigation, sequester me? The probability, my ancilla tells me, is rather high.

“I have been cut off from my remotes,” I protest. “I insist on gathering evidence without interference.”

“We have no intention of interfering,” she says. “Husband?”

The IsoDidact lays his hand on my carapace. “Our diagnostics find no evidence of Builder tampering. Full access will resume.”

I send out queries. The ship’s ancilla cooperates. I receive new data from my remotes. They fill in gaps in my continuous record. But communication with the greater Juridical network is still problematic.

The IsoDidact keeps his hand on my carapace. I am not sure of his intentions. “Juridicals are investigating the destruction of the Capital world,” he says. “I was there, you know. Ask me what happened.”

I was not aware of this. Had he been present as the IsoDidact, or as the Manipular? Into my silence he continues, “Catalog must also report new crimes—crimes in progress—to the Juridicals and to the New Council, correct?”

“That is my duty,” I say.

“Would it not be efficient to take our testimonies now, while Lifeworkers preserve this system’s life forms? There is no crime here, Catalog—only mercy and pity.”

I had never expected to be brought before these two, or to take their testimony on any matter. I could make a request to expand the scope of my investigation, but with communications so sporadic, the response may be delayed.

“I have little power in the matter. I must obtain permission…” Very embarrassing.

The IsoDidact and his wife link hands and engage in silent conversation. When they finish, the Didact faces me. “I see by your manner that you were once a Warrior- Servant. Why diminish—why abandon your rate for this?”

Strange for this one to speak of such! Yet once, I had been almost as large and nearly as strong. Why did I give up that strength? Because of my own crime, before I assumed the carapace. Going against the creed of my rate. Against the express command of my mentor. Allowing anger to overwhelm judgment.

The strength of Catalog lies in personal awareness of the nature of guilt.

“Be not so bold, Husband,” the Librarian cautions.

The IsoDidact raises a massive hand and gives it a half-turn. I know the meaning of the gesture: command received. He clenches thick fingers, then loosens them. Their offer may be withdrawn. And what they may have to say does seem relevant to many cases under our review.

“I am not presently in contact with the Juridical network,” I say. “Until such time as communication resumes, I will take your testimonies.”

“Wise move, Catalog,” the IsoDidact says in an undertone. But we are suddenly interrupted by alarms. A group of Lifeworkers and Warrior- Servants gathers protectively around the Librarian and the IsoDidact. The deck has gone weightless; we all float. Field activators flicker across the bulkheads, coordinating with armor and carapace, as if in preparation for a quick journey to interplanetary orbit—an emergency jump. Images of looming Forerunner squadrons dance around the IsoDidact.

I am for the moment irrelevant.

“We’re in danger,” he growls. “Flood- infested ships have broken through our defenses, spread thin out here. We are ending operations on Erde-Tyrene. The Flood may be in this system in a few hours. You are far too important to risk, Wife.”

“But there are many more species to be saved!” she protests.

“These will have to suffice.”

Another silent communication between them. Husband and wife will be parted yet again. The Librarian’s expression turns deeply sad. Her beauty increases and my objectivity is once more threatened.

The IsoDidact directs that he be delivered to the only fully armed dreadnought in the system. After conducting defensive operations, and insuring the safety of Lifeworker ships, he will make his way back to the heart of the ecumene; his force here is far too small to go on the offensive.

“You’ll travel with the Librarian,” he tells me.

Between us, as between Warrior- Servants of old—the rate I once was, the rate he grew into so suddenly—there is a current of request, bequest, demand.

Protect her.

Strangely, I am happy to comply. “It would be my honor,” I say.

Their last moments together are spent in private, in a secluded angle of the bridge. Outside, the limb of Erde-Tyrene is serene, brown and blue and beige, capped in the north with great sheets of ice and all over deckled with clouds. All seems peaceful. The Lifeworker collection ships are withdrawing with the last of their specimens.

The Lifeshaper indicates I should follow her. “We will do what we can to save those we have collected,” she says. “I hope we can reach the greater Ark and deliver them to Safekeeping...”

Down a corridor, I see the IsoDidact conferring with other warriors. Their armor grows thicker and sturdier. A port opens and they push through into the dreadnought.

The ships separate.

The Librarian and I drop deeper into the collection hold, through layer upon layer of stacked zoological compartments, each hundreds of meters wide and equipped with illusions of sky, sea, land, whatever the animals carried therein will find relatively soothing. We are descending to the compression and storage chambers at the ship’s core.

“My husband has long held controversial views on Flood defense,” the Librarian says. Her eyes are stoic, but I sense reflections on an even deeper loss. “You may have guessed, he is skeptical about any Juridical investigation into the Master Builder.”

“I detect that opinion.”

“He is old- fashioned, you know. He expects you to do your best to protect me... even though you are no longer a Warrior-Servant.”

That stings, somehow.

The flexible tube deposits us in a weightless maze of storage cylinders attended by hundreds of monitors. This part of the ship is not accustomed to visitors. We drift a moment before an environmental field draws us down to a platform and courteously supplies breathable air.

“He presumes that any investigation should have begun= centuries earlier—does he not?” I ask, absorbing these details.

“Had the Juridicals been vigilant,” the Librarian says, “my husband might not have had to go into exile. He might have blocked the Flood’s most recent incursions— and we would have avoided all this.” Her hand sweeps around the broad inner chamber. “We will save less than one-thousandth of the larger species.”

“Animals,” I say, and then, to an arch of her brow, add, “Animals and humans, on Erde-Tyrene, due to your grace, Lifeshaper. Will saving fewer humans disappoint the IsoDidact?”

“I have heard Juridicals hold conservative views,” she counters. “Do you?”

“Before I took the carapace, I absorbed the attitudes of Warrior- Servants. I never fought humans, however. As for the Juridicals—their conservatism comes of long experience with the Domain. The cosmos, Lifeshaper, is highly conservative, don’t you agree?”

“The cosmos brought life into existence. Life is ever changing,” she says. “I have seen it open itself time and again to change, down to its living heart. But fascinating as these matters may be, I am here to testify about other events. Events that have yet to come to the attention of a Catalog.”

Implication that Catalog is many and not unity is a forgivable rudeness. Few understood the oaths and training involved in taking the carapace—or the singleness of purpose it brings. “Defense of your husband’s efforts is not to the point of our present inquiries,” I say. “Not now, at any rate. We have sufficient testimony about the Master Builder.” I am forbidden from telling her that the Master Builder is still alive and active in Flood defense. That is not my role.

“My husband and I were separated for a thousand years,” the Librarian says. “Much happened during that time. The Didact, while fully functional, currently possesses less than a third the active memory of…” She can hardly bring herself to say, “the original.”

“Understood,” I say. I am also forbidden from telling her that the Ur-Didact is alive as well and has been returned to the ecumene. Why does she not yet know?

“That may change in time,” she says, “as his imprint continues to flower. Yet he does remember some very disturbing things.”

“Strange you have not been called to give such evidence before now.”

“I was, when Juridicals were instruments of the Master Builder,” she says. “I rejected the request. You, however, are pure,” she says. “Are you not?” Her eyes shine with a sentiment mixing curiosity and, could it be, humor? This change from sadness energizes me. I am beginning to understand the power this Lifeworker has over those who share her labors.

All I can answer is, “I have to presume your diagnostics are accurate.”

“Good. What I will testify to is no longer of any use to the Master Builder, alive or dead, or to my husband’s opposition in the New Council.”

Alone, we have made our way to a closeted space away from the grim reduction. Only a few intact specimens will be kept in stasis; the rest will be reduced.

“It will be secure at any rate from political interference,” I say.

She thinks on this. “The Didact swore to protect the Mantle. And that is the primary duty of Lifeworkers.”

“Observing the rule of the Mantle is our primary duty as well,” I remind her. “All our laws rise to that brilliant glow.”

The bulkheads shape rudimentary furnishings. The Librarian’s armor unwinds from her upper torso. She stretches lithe arms, flexes her fingers, exhausted perhaps not so much from recent labors as the long burden of her story. Catalog has seen this before. Catalog can lift such burdens.

It is my duty to bear witness.

“A thousand years ago, my husband and I did not part on the best of terms. Now I am blessed to make peace with him. But as with all things in our lives, along with this gift comes something more.

“When the Didact left his imprint on a young Manipular, and returned to me in that way, a memory he had withheld for ten thousand years surfaced again to haunt him.” Her face loses some color. “Forerunners assert our duty to the Mantle. Yet on more than one occasion, our survival, pride, and arrogance took precedence. Forerunner humility gave way to desperate anger. Once, we rose up against our very creators…”

I know nothing of this. A fable, perhaps?

I do not judge. I record. </toggledisplay>

Synopsis

Partout, le chaos règne et les Floods se répandent. La caste des Juristes envoie des agents spécialisés dans la collecte de preuves, connus sous le nom générique de Catalogue, pour recueillir les précieux témoignages de la Bibliothécaire et de l'Urdidacte. Face à l'effondrement imminent de leur civilisation, ces derniers révèlent que l'origine des Floods remonterait à un acte d'une barbarie sans bornes, commis dix millions d'années auparavant, et qui ferait peser sur l'univers une menace plus grande encore. Une menace que seuls les deux époux forcés de s'entre-déchirer sont capables d'enrayer, quitte à commettre pour cela la plus grande atrocité de tous les temps.

Résumé

L'histoire racontée est extraite de deux sources, une carapace de Catalogue, d'où est également extraite l'histoire de Halo Cryptum, et les restes d'un Veilleur, d'où provient le récit de Halo Primordium.

Le premier chapitre raconte une rencontre entre le Maître Juriste et un Haruspice. Lorsque le Juriste demande l'accès à des informations très secrètes du Domaine, concernant les Précurseurs et des crimes contre le Manteau, l'Haruspice lui refuse, considérant qu'aucune autorité n'a le droit d'accéder à de telles informations. Contre toute attente, le Domaine lui-même émet la requête de témoigner de ces connaissance au Juriste, qui est rapidement surpassé par les informations reçues;

Sur Erdé-Tyrène, un Catalogue cherche à se rendre auprès de la Bibliothécaire et de l'Isodidacte pour recueillir leurs témoignages concernant l'Assaut de la Capitale. Lorsque le Parasite lance un assaut contre la planète, l'Isodidacte reste pour combattre et envoie la Bibliothécaire, le Catalogue et les spécimens prélevés sur la planète loin du combat. La Bibliothécaire profite de ce contretemps pour témoigner auprès du Catalogue.

Elle commence par raconter comment fut enfermé l'UrDidacte dans son Cryptum cent ans auparavant, puis comment, se basant sur les travaux de Infinie, elle commanda une expédition en direction de Path Kethona, espérant y découvrir l'origine du Parasite. Ce voyage, lourd en réquisitions du sous-espace, fut mené à bord d'un vaisseau conçu à cet effet, l'Audacity, avec un équipage de volontaire : Chant de Verdure, Naissance de Lumière, Destruction d'Anciennes Forêts et Gardien des Outils. À Path Kethona, ils découvrent des structures des précurseurs ainsi qu'une antique flotte Forerunner, mais ne parviennent à récupérer aucune donnée. Ils découvrent néanmoins une planète habitée par des Forerunners très différents d'eux, ayant modifié leur environnement avec des gènes Forerunners et ne possédant aucune forme de technologie avancée. La doyenne de ces Forerunner Lueur des Soleils Anciens, mord la Bibliothécaire afin de lui transmettre ses connaissances par le biais de ses microbes. Elle l'emmène ensuite dans une vallée où l'histoire de son peuple est gravée dans la roche, entretenue par des mousses au code génétique conçu pour maintenir les gravures en état. La Bibliothécaire découvre que les Serviteurs-Combattants amenèrent leur flotte à Path Kethona pour y éliminer les derniers Précurseurs qui y étaient retranchés il y a dix millions d'années, mettant fin à la Guerre Forerunner contre Précurseur. Les Forerunners de la planète y furent exilés et abandonnés pour avoir refusé de participer au génocide de leurs créateurs.

Dans le présent, l'Urdidacte se réveille, la bulle de stase qui le retenait étant à court d'énergie. Il se trouve dans un vaisseau en ruine au milieu d'une Brûlure, un système sous contrôle Parasite, en compagnie de deux autres ennemis de Faber : Affuté par les Coups et Faiseuse de Lunes, ainsi que le Catalogue qui devait l'interroger. Ils se dirigent vers Uthera Midgeerd lorsqu'une structure Précurseur s'approche, et seuls le Didacte et le Catalogue décident de l'affronter, les deux autres décidant de s'éjecter dans l'espace dans des bulles de stase autonome. L'Urdidacte et le Catalogue sont capturés par un Fossoyeur, qui apprend au Urdidacte l'origine du Parasite, des Précurseurs qui se sont réduits en poudre pour survivre, et dont les molécules ont muté pour devenir le Parasite, et détériore son esprit. Puis il relâche le vaisseau vers l'espace contrôlé par les Forerunners afin que le Urdidacte devenu fou perturbe encore plus un Écoumène déjà impuissant face aux attaque des structure Précurseur, qui s'allient aux Parasites.

Suite à la récupération du Urdidacte par Faber, bien vivant et agissant pour son compte, le Prométhéen recouvre ses pouvoirs militaires et organise une rencontre avec sa femme et l'Isodidacte sur Nomdagro, où se trouve leur résidence. Il apparaît rapidement que l'Urdidacte refuse catégoriquement toute utilisation des Halos et qu'il considère les humains comme responsables du retour du Parasite, ce qui décuple sa haine contre eux. Il est sur le point d'affronter l'Isodidacte lorsque le Parasite attaque la planète, et l'Isodidacte et la Bibliothécaire montent dans l’Audacity pendant que le Urdidacte prend son vaisseau, le Mantle's Approach, pour rejoindre le dernier bastion Forerunner, la Première Arche. Là-bas, le dernier Halo de première génération, le Halo Oméga, ainsi que l'I.A. de la station, Offensive Bias, s'apprêtent à combattre le Parasite. L'Urdidacte ne quitte pas son vaisseau, et l'Isodidacte rencontre l'hostilité des autres généraux, l'Examinateur, Le Tacticien et Amertume des Vaincus, qui préfèreraient voir l'Urdidacte à leur tête. Faber arrive alors, le nouveau Conseil lui ayant donné les pleins pouvoirs, et explique que le Fossoyeur a rendu l'Urdidacte fou, le poussant même à révéler à Faber les circonstances de la mort de sa famille. Alors que le Parasite attaque que les structure Précurseur s'apprêtent à encercler la première Arche, l'Urdidacte utilise un Recomposeur sur les humains du Halo Oméga et s'enfuit vers Requiem, poursuivi par la Bibliothécaire, furieuse de son acte. Les généraux se rendent sur le Halo pour l'activer tandis que le veilleur Chakas s'affaire pour transporter un maximum d'humains vers la Seconde Arche, gardée secrète de l'Urdidacte et du Parasite. Faber active le Halo, qui concentre son tir sur Path Kethona pour y détruire toute vie et structure Précurseur, tout en ouvrant un passage pour les vaisseaux du Urdidacte et de la Bibliothécaire. Alors que Faber décide de mourir avec la première Arche, et que les généraux ne réussissent pas à s'enfuir, Chakas intervient pour sauver l'Isodidacte, et emprunte un portail secret de Faber pour se rendre sur la deuxième Arche.

Sur la seconde Arche, Chakas est réaffecté à l'Installation 04 alors que les Halos de seconde génération se préparent à être dispersés. Sur Requiem, la Bibliothécaire découvre les Chevaliers Prométhéens et rencontre Volonté sans Failles, une Prométhéenne jalouse de la Bibliothécaire car également amoureuse du Didacte. La Bibliothécaire parvient à la manipuler pour l'aider à neutraliser le Didacte, puis, une fois l'Urdidacte neutralisé et enfermé dans un Cryptum, elle part pour Erdé-Tyrène, afin de servir d'appât pour le Parasite, et offrir plus de temps à la seconde Arche. Sur la planète, elle collecte les derniers humains avec l'aide de Chant de Verdure, qu'elle avait envoyé en avant-garde, puis lui passe son titre de Faiseuse de Vie avant de la renvoyer vers la seconde Arche. Alors que la Bibliothécaire supervise la construction du Portail, dernière marque de confiance envers l'humanité, le Fossoyeur envoie alors trois humains dont les corps ont été imprégnés des esprits d'anciens humains, dont Forthencho, et dont le corps est conséquemment à courte durée de vie. Ils expliquent à la Bibliothécaire les secrets du Domaine, qui est contenu et diffusé à partir de toutes les structures Précurseur de la galaxie. La Bibliothécaire comprend alors qu'en activant les Halos, le Domaine disparaîtra, et que l'Urdidacte passera son sommeil avec pour seule idée sa haine envers les humains.

Sur la seconde Arche, l'Isodidacte active les Halos alors que Offensive Bias, transféré avant la destruction de la première Arche, se prépare à combattre les forces de Mendicant Bias en approche pour mener la Bataille de la Sphère Maginot. Sur son installation, Chakas, dont la personnalité est peu à peu remplacée par celle de 343 Guilty Spark, reçoit le premier signal envoyé par une espèce non-découverte, sur le point d'être détruite.

Rebirth

L'épilogue du livre, intitulé Rebirth, est caché par un code constitué de pièces de puzzle dispersées dans le livre. Une fois celui-ci reconstitué et le code entré dans la section Classifiée de Halo Waypoint, il donne accès à 20 000 points d'XP sur Halo 4 et 45 minutes de lecture par Greg Bear de la première partie de l'épilogue. La deuxième partie fut également découverte dans un code, donnant 50 000 points d'XP, l'emblème Overachiever et cinq minutes de lectures pour la deuxième partie de l'épilogue.

La première partie raconte la réensemencement du point de vue de Traqueur. Lui, ainsi que Vinnevra et d'autres humains, ont été transférés de la première à la seconde Arche et son surveillés par des Forerunners jusqu'à leur réintroduction. Il demande à ce que son peuple, les Floriens, soient réintroduits dans une lieu spécifique, connu aujourd'hui comme les îles de Florès.

La deuxième partie raconte le tribunal de Mendicant Bias suite à sa défaite. Après avoir été emmené sur la seconde Arche, il est jugé pour trahison mais est gardé vivant, étant donné qu'il connaît de nombreuses choses sur le Parasite, et est enterré dans le sable de l'Arche, avec pour seule pensée l'expiation.

Personnages

• Affuté par les Coups
• Amertume des Vaincus
• Aube sur les Champs
• La Bibliothécaire
• Catalogue
• Célébrateur
• Chakas
• Chant de Verdure
• Le Cimeterre
• Destruction d'Anciennes Forêts
• Le Didacte
• L'Examinateur
• Faber
• Faiseuse de Lunes
• Forthencho
• Gardien des Outils
• Growth Through Trial of Change
• Haruspices
• Lueur des Soleils Anciens
• Maître Juriste
• Mendicant Bias
• Naissance de Lumière
• Offensive Bias
• Porteur d'Immunité
• Le Tacticien
• Volonté sans Failles

Divers

• Initialement prévu pour le 8 janvier 2013, le livre à été repoussé au 19 Mars.
• De l'annonce jusqu'à décembre 2012 environ, Silentium possédait une couverture temporaire afin d'éviter tout spoil d'Halo 4 (voir galerie), la définitive dévoilant les apparences du Didacte et de la Bibliothécaire.

Galerie

• HaloSilentiumCover.jpg

  Première couverture par Sparth

• Silentium early cover clean.jpg

  Artwork de la première couverture

• Silentium cov2.jpg

  Version anglaise de la couverture définitive

Sources

• Greg Bear - Discussion Board, 20/04/12
• Halo Waypoint - Tor Books Reveals Title, Cover Art, And Release Date of Third Halo Novel By Greg Bear
• Tor Books Unveils the Cover for Greg Bear's Halo: Silentium
• page Amazon.co.uk
• Page Amazon.com
• HBO - Silentium delayed
• Greg Bear Discussion Board - The fate of Splendid Dust, Glory, and the Librarian's Ancilla?