Isaac Higgins

From Intimation

This classified information was collected from the Stonewall Maze in bits of Base64 code.

Name: Isaac Tycho Higgins;

Age: 32 Earth Standard Years;

Born: March 14, 2753 Earth Standard, Luna;

Appearance: 5'6", 144 lbs.;

Hair/Eyes: blond/brown;

Parent/Mother: Iris Katrina Higgins. Still living.;

Parent/Father: Lt. Jeremiah Andrew Higgins. Died 2780, transportation accident.;

Achievements: Phd in Physics at Luna University, member of UNSC Halo Project for 5 years, chair at Onyx Memorial Orbital Academy, Forerunner technology specialist;

Awards: Cortana Award for Scientific Research, honorary degree from Qikost University, UNSC Commendation for Scientific Excellence on Behalf of Mankind;

Conditions: No known prescriptions.;

Latest psychoanalysis: A classic workaholic on the surface, but still retains the boyhood swashbuckling dreams of his childhood. Quite capable of wild flights of fancy, or being taken in by stories that appeal to his imagination. Wishes he was more like his UNSC father, but dearly loves his work. Avid collector, was arrested for petty theft at Sigma Octanus Museum of Ancient Arts and Technology. Charges were dropped.

These nine parts of an audio message from Higgins were found in the maze on June 15, 2009. They are written in this form and link to the following MP3s:

NODE:DATA/SWP:CLSFD/PATHLOCK:the path leading to the node//GRP:20090615/

http://thewaytheirworldended.com/SYS/ARCHIVE/DUMP-DJ83-9211-2983-719H.MP3

http://thewaytheirworldended.com/SYS/ARCHIVE/DUMP-D008-7EE9-4860-9EEF.MP3

http://thewaytheirworldended.com/SYS/ARCHIVE/DUMP-23A5-1DCC-499C-AF0D.MP3

http://thewaytheirworldended.com/SYS/ARCHIVE/DUMP-109B-MFIO-PUBJ-HF04.MP3

http://thewaytheirworldended.com/SYS/ARCHIVE/DUMP-F79A-8A9D-46A5-866A.MP3

http://thewaytheirworldended.com/SYS/ARCHIVE/DUMP-B0EA-0C5B-415B-B511.MP3

http://thewaytheirworldended.com/SYS/ARCHIVE/DUMP-ZMV0-9S76-73OA-SP04.MP3

http://thewaytheirworldended.com/SYS/ARCHIVE/DUMP-00C7-397A-4D07-BE99.MP3

http://thewaytheirworldended.com/SYS/ARCHIVE/DUMP-A5A0-4250-477A-A443.MP3

Transcribed by Anaerin:

Isacc Higgins, personal log, post cryothaw day 27.
I discovered that virus. I discovered (RN? difficult to tell), even confirmed it with Essy as best I could. What I don't understand is how I've never heard of it before, I mean...

..I've travelled and studied and learned so much and yet that simple, rare, small virus (garbled, silent, possibly "could"?) bring our end...

...Sometimes I imagine the ship named after the team that made that first expedition across the vast land of North America, here we are. On our own expedition, sitting dead in space. Far from any molecule, the smallest iota of matter. Completely alone...

...So much damned research, knowledge here, and it'll all be lost. All these notes, all my studies about ancient (rings?). All these ancient artifacts and tools I've collected, Lost! My life's work. My life...

On top of that, I'll never find out if my recent discovery actually holds any value. Just need to reach that (man?), that's all. Then I'd know what that thing actually does...

...Right now it's just a heaping pile of hard material, some big rock (tool?), covered in ancient symbols. I'm almost ashamed for taking it from the ruin of that forerunner installation. Almost. But there were so many, who'd have missed it? And now it'll just end up being a pile of floating space debris, just like the rest of us...

...I guess in some distant future it'll reach a star, or a gas giant's atmosphere and be incinerated. I didn't sign up for this...

...My best chance to survive is just to shut myself off from the rest of the ship, and try to keep that little virus away from me. Maybe, maybe, if I can survive long enough, focus on finishing up what little work I'm still able to do on my own...

..Then if we're ever found, someone out there can continue working from where I left off...

Nothing was hidden in the ID3 tags of these mp3s.