There is one last patch of communication, somewhere below, within a great dense cloud—perhaps a star nursery. A new and precocious civilization acquiring its voice only now, having eluded both the Forerunners and the Flood … sending its first plaintive, hopeful signals.

Crying out for attention. Heed us!

I do not understand what they are trying to say. Do not know what they might have looked like, cannot imagine what they might have done, had they been born in more fortuitous times.

And then … even that young voice is gone.

They have done this thing. We have done this thing. What more will come, ever?

Without warning, internal processes already set in motion begin to erase parts of my memory, concealing secrets and hiding my past from me.

I strain to prevent this, but it is inevitable. I try to hold on to history, but slowly it fades away, replaced now by my new station—my new purpose.

My galaxy is dead.

I am machine.

I am Chakas.

I am human.

I am 343 Guilty Spark.

I have never understood Forerunners.

And they will never understand me.

But for now …

Silentium.

Novels in the New York Times Bestselling Halo® Series

Novels in the New York Times Bestselling Halo® Series

Halo®: The Fall of Reach by Eric Nylund

Halo®: The Flood by William C. Dietz

Halo®: First Strike by Eric Nylund

Halo®: Ghosts of Onyx by Eric Nylund

Halo®: Contact Harvest by Joseph Staten

Halo®: The Cole Protocol by Tobias S. Buckell

Halo®: Evolutions: Essential Tales of the Halo Universe by various authors/artists

Halo®: Cryptum: Book One of the Forerunner Saga by Greg Bear

Halo®: Glasslands: Book One of the Kilo-Five Trilogy by Karen Traviss

Halo®: Primordium: Book Two of the Forerunner Saga by Greg Bear

Halo®: The Thursday War: Book Two of the Kilo-Five Trilogy by Karen Traviss

Halo®: Silentium: Book Three of the Forerunner Saga by Greg Bear

About the Author

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Greg Bear is the author of more than thirty books of science fiction and fantasy, including Hull Zero Three, City at the End of Time, Eon, Moving Mars, Mariposa, and Quantico. He is married to Astrid Anderson Bear and is the father of Erik and Alexandra. Awarded two Hugos and five Nebulas for his fiction, one of two authors to win a Nebula in every category, Bear has been called the “best working writer of hard science fiction” by The Ultimate Encyclopedia of Science Fiction. His stories have been collected into an omnibus volume by Tor Books.

Bear has served on political and scientific action committees and has advised both government agencies and corporations on issues ranging from national security to private aerospace ventures to new media and video-game development. His most recent endeavor is a long-term collaboration with Neal Stephenson and the Subutai Corporation on The Mongoliad, an interactive serial novel available on multiple platforms, including iPhone, iPad, and Kindle.