"[11:H 12:M 09:S] 05-032 was right about one thing: there is only one-way to defeat the enemy, and that is to visit utter annihilation on it.
If the galaxy must be [rendered temporarily lifeless]. So be it.
As Mendicant stated in its report [58.078:H 48:M 12:S ago]: half measures will not suffice."
Offensive Bias is a Forerunner Artificial Intelligence who was critical in defeating the Flood's primary attack force, along with Mendicant Bias, during the Forerunner-Flood War. After the Flood's defeat, he resided with the Forerunner exiles who were discovered on the Ark hundreds of thousands of years later.
Traits[]
Offensive Bias was built similar, but different, to Mendicant Bias, the AI he was designed to replace and defeat. Similarly, he is incredibly powerful, having a reaction, process, and action time unparalleled by any known military AI except for Mendicant Bias. What's different is that Offensive has less of a defined personality than Mendicant; while this makes it less 'personalized' than Mendicant, it reduced the risk of the Flood coercing it as well. It additionally gave Offensive Bias a sense of cold logic somewhat reminiscent of a pure machine, though it has enough personality to not seem too autonomous.
When not showing its physical chassis, Offensive Bias is represented by a large and complex holographic projection.
History[]
Forerunner Flood War[]
~100,000 years ago, after the failure of Mendicant Bias, Offensive Bias was created by the Forerunners as a means of defense against the rampant military AI. He proved himself capable in heated battles, and was charged with the defense of the Maginot Sphere, the Forerunner's last defensive line against the Flood. When Mendicant arrived with vastly outnumbering Flood ships (436.6 to 1), Offensive used hit and run tactics and calmly sacrificed portions of his fleet against the raging attacks of Mendicant, biding his time and allowing Mendicant to gain some ground.
Immediately upon the Halo's firing, all of Mendicant's ships were completely disabled, with Offensive then outnumbering Mendicant 6 to 1. Soon Mendicant was defeated, rooted out of his main vessel, and disabled and captured. After witnessing the Forerunners passing judgement on their traitorous AI and splitting him into 3 shards, Offensive then watched the reseeding of the galaxy, attempting to make predicting calculations on how soon the races would achieve high technological status once more, before he returned to a hidden place in the Ark to reside with the surviving Forerunners.
Flood Arc[]
In 2577, RPO-15 became compromised by a particularly dangerous release of the Flood and all it's security systems failed. A warning signal was then sent from the Shield world to nearby Forerunner outposts as well as to the Ark. Offensive Bias was the first to realize the Flood had returned despite being inside a stasis chamber at the time, and was the one who relayed all the data to the IsoDidact. There they awaited those who would inevitably trace the signal to the Ark's secret chamber and ask for help; while they waited, Offensive revealed this information to Mendicant Bias, who's consciousness was on the Ark and sought atonement.
When the Forerunners were found, Offensive Bias was among them, and joined them back to the Citadel. Here he remained near Mendicant's side most of his time, keeping an eye on the guilty AI whom he believed could turn on them again at any time. He was soon appointed by the IsoDidact as one of the top commanders of what would become the Forerunner's offensive force against the Parasite.
During some small talk he revealed to the IsoDidact and the Lifeshaper that his predictions on the sentient race's technological advancements were close to 96% accurate.
Powers and Abilities[]
Being a makeshift Fleet Commander during the Forerunner-Flood war, Offensive Bias was issued a couple self-defense capabilities similar to an Installation's Monitor. After the Flood's return in 2577, he already began self-upgrading his capabilities himself, and the IsoDidact plans on giving him improved weapons and defensive measures once they reach Maethrillian.
- Energy Shield - Similar in appearance to a Sentinel's energy shield, being a blue bubble of hexagons, but much more powerful, presumably able to resist a few tons of weight being dropped on it or several shots of high powered energy weapons or high explosives.
- Energy beam - Similar to a Sentinel beam, though seems to be of the Sentinel Major variant, since the laser color is blue and it deals enhanced damage. Presumably could carve through the armor of an Infinity-class warship with 4 minutes of contact, provided the ship weren't attacking it back. It has a secondary firing mode, reducing it's damage to being equal to small arms plasma damage but giving it a very powerful stun/slowing which affects organics and inorganics for 12 seconds.
- Stasis - Offensive was revealed to have a statis ability which he can use on individual items such as grenades or life-forms, as well as generate a field to push others away similar to a Monitor.
- Teleportation - Offensive Bias can link himself to any teleportation grid having high military access second only to the IsoDidact; without a link, he's capable of teleporting a distance of 20 meters and through one solid obstacle.
- Targetting - Offensive Bias can instantly tell where any sample of Flood Biomass is, whether its hidden from view or microscopic. Possesses better targetting than even the IsoDidact's Combat skin.
- Maintenance beam - Has a few functions; Repair, Shield, and Unlocking.