![]() ![]() Two Betrayalsīreaking his pact with the Librarian to use the array as a safe haven for her specimens, the Master Builder has humans transported to Halo Installation 07 to be used as test subjects in exploring Flood infection. The tests prove inconclusive, as nearly all the humans appear to be immune to the Flood, something he can only deduce is a result of their previous victory over the parasite. Installation 07 is test fired in the Charum Hakkor system, inadvertently freeing the captive from it’s stasis capsule. The Master Builder orders it taken aboard the Halo for study, where it then begins to manipulate Mendicant Bias with it’s knowledge of the Precursor’s plan and the purpose of the Flood. Revealing itself to be the compound intelligence driving the infection, it convinces Bias to turn against the Forerunners and descend into rampancy. With the help of two human companions, Chakas and Riser, a young Forerunner named Bornstellar revives the Didact from his meditative exile on Earth. This is made possible by the ‘geas’ imprinted by the Librarian into the human’s genes at birth the memories of their ancestors from the Human-Forerunner war, extracted by the Composer millennia ago.Įager to learn what has occurred during his exile, the Didact takes Bornstellar and the humans to Charum Hakkor. There they are greeted by the aftermath of the test firing of Installation 07, and discover that the captive has been freed. Hoping to activate more of the memories imprinted in Chakas and Riser, the group next head to the home world of the human’s old allies, the San ‘Shyuum. Not knowing what awaits them there, the Didact imprints upon Bornstellar his knowledge and memories in case anything is to happen to him. When Hope visits the K9 Activity Club and Lodge near Santa Rosa, she zips around the playground and frolics with other dogs to her heart's content.īut a trip to this doggie daycare isn't all fun and games for Hope, a 2-year-old terrier mix. ![]() She's under orders from her owner to drop a few pounds. So three times a week, Hope turns tail on her pooch pals and hits the gym for a real workout. She follows her trainer into a special room, complete with padded floors and wall mirrors, and puts in a few miles on a mini-treadmill, eagerly pounding the simulated pavement for 15 minutes at a time. 'She's a little dog, so a pound or two of extra weight isn't good for her,' said Hope's owner, Jackie Lavery of Sebastopol.Īmericans are expected to spend $60 billion on their pets in 2015, up 25 percent from five years ago, according to American Pet Products Association, with basic annual expenses for a dog now averaging $1,641. In Sonoma County alone, with 31,485 licensed pooches, the market is proving robust. Hope attends doggie daycare while Lavery works as an in-home care nurse. She spends her days on the road and simply can't provide the mental and physical exercise her energetic pup needs. 'Otherwise, she'd be sitting on the couch all day, and that's not right for a little lady.'ĭog owners today are more sensitive than ever to the physical and emotional health of their canine companions, and many are willing to shell out big bucks to make sure their pals are pampered while they're stuck at work or exploring foreign lands. To attract those clients, Sonoma County kennels are going upscale, offering an array of amenities and specialized services rivaling those at some of the region's luxury resorts and spas. 'It's like letting your dog go on vacation while you're away,' says Natalie Grail, co-owner of the newly upgraded K9 facility on Occidental Road. K9 Activity Club and Lodge is a good example of the trend. Grail and her sister, Alicia Collins, purchased the aging Town and Country Kennel from its previous owner last year and have been adding every add-on service imaginable. Overnight boarding begins at $34 per night, but for $10 more, pets can join a play group with other dogs, have a workout on a treadmill, strengthen their cores with a balance ball routine, or play one-on-one fetch with a caretaker. For an additional $29, dogs can take a dip in the heated pool, life jackets required.Īnd after all that exercise, they can clean up their acts with a bath ($20), haircut ($45), teeth brushing ($10) and even a blueberry facial scrub (a bargain at $5).Ĭollins said she got the idea for a one-stop shop for dog care services when she was trying to rehabilitate an adopted Staffordshire terrier named Benny who had physical problems from being crate-bound. ![]()
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