Battle of Installation 05: Difference between revisions

|next=[[Battle of Mare Erythraeum]]

|name=Battle of Installation 05

|conflict=[[Human-Covenant War]], [[Great Schism]]

|date=[[2552#November|November 2, 2552]]–[[2552#November|November 4, 2552]]

|casual3=Large numbers of assorted Flood forms

}}

{{Quote|no=two|1=Miranda Keyes|q1=Cortana, what exactly am I looking at?|2=Cortana|q2=That... is another Halo.|3=[[Miranda Keyes|Commander Miranda Keyes]] and [[Cortana]] upon discovering the installation<ref name="deltahalo">'''[[Halo 2]]''', campaign level ''[[Delta Halo (level)|Delta Halo]]''</ref>}}

===Assassination of Regret===

However, the Covenant were ultimately unsuccessful. The UNSC succeeded in clearing a landing zone and more Marines were deployed to assist John-117 in reaching [[Temple (Installation 05)|the temple]] the Prophet of Regret was located in. The UNSC forces commandeered an anti-gravity gondola, and despite being attacked by Covenant [[Type-26 Banshee]]s and [[Sangheili Ranger]]s, they were able to gain access to the main temple. After destroying several defense turrets, they entered the temple as the Prophet of Regret was finishing his sermon. Regret transmitted an apology to the [[Prophet of Truth]], asking for forgiveness for his rash actions at [[Earth]] and for aid at the new installation. Truth, with the [[Prophet of Mercy]]'s advice, reluctantly sent a large portion of the [[Covenant fleet]] to Installation 05 to retrieve the [[Hierarchs|Hierarch]]. Shortly after, ''[[High Charity]]'' reverted from slipspace over Installation 05, along with the hundreds of warships of the [[High Charity defense fleet|''High Charity'' defense fleet]] and the [[Second Fleet of Homogeneous Clarity]]. Responding to a distress signal from Regret, [[Special Operations Commander]] [[Rtas 'Vadum]]ee planned to storm the temple by Phantom [[dropship]]s in an urgent measure to kill John-117 and defend the Hierarch. However, the treacherous Prophet of Truth ultimately diverted the Phantoms, deliberately allowing the [[SPARTAN-II program|SPARTAN-II]] to kill Regret as part of his socio-political plans for the Covenant.<ref name="regret"/>

===The containment shield===

The Hierarchs' confidence in the abilities of the Sangheili Honor Guardsmen declined when the Prophet of Regret's bodyguards failed to save him from death at the hands of John-117. As a result, the High Prophets of Truth and Mercy ordered the Sangheili to step down as the protectors of the Prophets. In their place, the [[Jiralhanae]] [[Changing of the Guard|filled in the void]] left by the disgraced Sangheili. Soon, the UNSC and the Covenant both raced to reach Installation 05's [[Library]] and seize the [[activation index]]. The UNSC wanted to keep it safe to prevent the activation of the installation, but the Covenant desired to bring the "Sacred Icon"—the Covenant name of the index—to the [[Control Room (Installation 05)|Control Room]] of the ring and activate the ring.<ref name="icon">'''Halo 2''', campaign level ''[[Sacred Icon]]''</ref>

===Battle of the Quarantine Zone===

{{Main|Battle of the Quarantine Zone}}

{{Quote|We shall cut into the heart of [[Flood|this infestation]], retrieve the icon, and burn any Flood that stand in our way! Forward, warriors, and fear not pain or death!|[[Rtas 'Vadum]]ee<ref name="zone">'''Halo 2''', campaign level ''[[Quarantine Zone (level)|Quarantine Zone]]''</ref>}}

The Quarantine Zone was intended to be a location where the Sentinel custodians of the installation could herd the Flood, and prevent them from entering the Library. Two [[Sentinel manufacturing facility]] ships hung in the air, deploying Sentinel reinforcements.<ref>'''The Official Halo 2 Strategy Guide''', ''page 122''</ref> However, the Quarantine Zone was compromised by the Flood, and the Flood managed to crash one of the floating facilities using a [[Type-26 Wraith]], sending it plummeting down to the installation's surface.<ref name="icon"/>

===The Library===

{{Quote|The release of the parasite was unexpected, unfortunate. But, there is no need to panic. In truth, this is a time to rejoice. A moment that all the Covenant should savor... for the Sacred Icon has been found. With it, our path is clear, our entry into the Divine Beyond guaranteed! The Great Journey is nigh... and nothing, not even the Flood, can stop it!|[[Prophet of Truth]]<ref name="gravemind"/>}}

A small UNSC Marine force led by [[Miranda Keyes]] and [[Avery Johnson]] was able to slip past the Flood infestation into the Library, followed shortly by the Arbiter, Rtas 'Vadumee, and half a dozen Special Operations Sangheili. There were a pair of [[anti-gravity gondola]]s, that when activated, autonomously brought their passengers into the upper tiers of the Library, where the index was kept. While the UNSC was first able to seize a gondola, the Covenant were close behind. However, when the Flood began to screech, alerting the Covenant that they were in full force in the bowels of the Library, Rtas 'Vadumee took a pair of Special Operations Sangheili, holding them at the entrance to the gondolas to defend the rest from the Flood as the Arbiter took four Special Operations Sangheili on the second gondola, trailing behind the UNSC-held one. Flood entered the gondolas, jumping from the upper levels and also crawling in underneath on their undersides, assailing both the UNSC troops and the Sangheili forces. Tartarus, in his Phantom, attempted to provide cover fire for the Arbiter, using the three plasma cannons of his dropship to burn off any Flood on the upper levels of the Arbiter's gondola, but later, Tartarus chased after the UNSC-held gondola.<ref name="zone"/>

The engagement at the Library proved to be devastating to the UNSC and resulted in the loss of ''In Amber Clad'' as the Flood took over the frigate. Meanwhile, Tartarus brought the Sacred Icon to ''[[High Charity]]'', where the Prophet of Truth exulted him and encouraged the Covenant to celebrate, for the Sacred Icon was secure, and that soon afterward, the Halos would be fired and the Great Journey would be brought upon the Covenant.<ref name="gravemind"/>

===The Great Schism===

{{Main|Great Schism}}

After securing the first half of the camp, the Arbiter and his allies moved into the weapons cache, where the Jiralhanae had aggregated a large number of Covenant and UNSC weapons alike. The Arbiter led his group outside the structure and into a tunnel and defeated the Jiralhanae within. After exiting the tunnel, the Arbiter met with Rtas 'Vadumee who was commandeering a Wraith.<ref name="uprising"/>

===Battle of ''High Charity''===

{{Main|Battle of High Charity}}

The Covenant [[High Council|ruling system]] was destabilized, with the death of the [[Prophet of Regret]] on Installation 05 at the hands of [[John-117]] and the death of the [[Prophet of Mercy]] on ''High Charity'' due to Flood infestation.<ref name="gravemind"/><ref name="regret"/> The [[Prophet of Truth]] held dictatorial power, with several subservient [[Prophet (title)|Prophet]]s, completely re-shifting the political dynamics of the Covenant. The Jiralhanae held reign over the majority of the [[Covenant military]], bringing their innate tenaciousness and ferocity to the front lines quite unlike the Sangheili. The Jiralhanae also assumed more lower-level Covenant military authority, now replacing the Sangheili as the leaders of field squads and teams. The Jiralhanae also introduced a unique set of bloodthirsty weaponry into the Covenant's field arsenals. The [[Covenant fleet]] was believed to lose quite a bit of its technical proficiency without the innate technical knowledge of the Sangheili.<ref>'''Halo: Ghosts of Onyx''', ''page 194''</ref>

===Return to Earth===

[[File:H2A - Earth and Dreadnought.jpg|thumb|250px|The Forerunner ship approaching a besieged Earth as the [[UNSC Home Fleet]] continues to fight against Covenant fleets.]]