Assassination of the Prophet of Regret

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Assassination of the Prophet of Regret
Conflict:	Human-Covenant War Battle of Installation 05
Date:	November 2, 2552
Location:	Surface of Installation 05
Outcome:	Tactical UNSC victory Prophet of Regret assassinated
Details Belligerents United Nations Space Command Covenant Commanders CDR Miranda Keyes SgtMaj Avery Johnson MCPO John-117 High Prophet of Regret† Shipmaster Rhul 'Salmutee Strength UNSC Navy 1 Stalwart-class light frigate UNSC In Amber Clad 1 Spartan-II UNSC Marine Corps Orbital Drop Shock Troopers 105th Shock Troops Division 7th Shock Troops Battalion First Platoon (ODST) 1 Warthog 1 Scorpion Pelicans Covenant fleet 1 CAS-class assault carrier Solemn Penance Covenant Honor Guard Sangheili Honor Guardsmen Kez'katu-pattern Phantoms Ghosts Wraiths Banshees Sangheili Unggoy Kig-Yar Mgalekgolo Yanme'e Casualties Majority of ground forces Prophet of Regret Majority of ground forces

The Assassination of the Prophet of Regret was an operation carried out by UNSC forces from the Stalwart-class light frigate UNSC In Amber Clad to assassinate the Covenant High Prophet of Regret on November 2, 2552, after following the Prophet's assault carrier Solemn Penance from Earth to Installation 05.

Background

Following his discovery of the location of the portal leading to the Ark, a facility that would allow the Covenant to fulfill their "Great Journey", the High Prophet of Regret took a hastily-assembled fleet of fifteen vessels to the planet, unaware that it was the homeworld of humanity. The fleet arrived on October 20, 2552 and was immediately engaged by the vastly numerically-superior UNSC Home Fleet. As the Fleet of Sacred Consecration fought a losing battle over the planet, Regret took his flagship, the CAS-class assault carrier Solemn Penance directly down to the city of New Mombasa in eastern Africa. The Prophet deployed ground troops into the city to search for the location of the Ark's portal. Eventually, as human ground forces closed in on his carrier's landing zone and UNSC vessels prepared to deploy forces onto the carrier from above, Regret initiated a slipspace jump while still over the city, using information he had learned from the Luminary recovered from Meridian to plot a course for Installation 05.

Despite being caught off-guard by the Prophet's sudden departure, the UNSC Stalwart-class light frigate UNSC In Amber Clad, captained by Commander Miranda Keyes was close enough to pursue the assault carrier. After being given permission from Fleet Admiral Hood, the In Amber Clad, with Spartan John-117 and Sergeant Major Avery Johnson onboard, followed the departing Covenant carrier as it transitioned into slipspace near the city's space elevator. Several UNSC vessels followed the pair into slipspace using the assault carrier's wake, but became separated from the Solemn Penance and In Amber Clad.

The battle

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Avery Johnson: "I got a good view comin' in. There's a big building in the middle of this island's lake."

Cortana: "I saw it too. It looks like a temple. If I were a megalomaniac--and I'm not--that's where I'd be."

— Avery Johnson and Cortana discuss the Prophet of Regret's location

The Master Chief and UNSC Marines on the surface of Installation 05.

The Solemn Penance exited slipspace on November 2, 2552, arriving in close proximity to Installation 05, orbiting the gas giant Substance in the Coelest system. The Prophet of Regret took Solemn Penance down to the surface of the ring, deploying large numbers of ground troops and armor into a network of Forerunner ruins. The Hierarch fortified himself within a temple in the middle of a large lake and began to sermonize to his loyal forces, declaring his intent to activate the installation and begin the Covenant's "Great Journey".

Meanwhile, Commander Miranda Keyes of the Stalwart-class light frigate UNSC In Amber Clad, trailing behind the assault carrier, opted to keep a low profile to avoid detection by the far more powerful CAS-class assault carrier. She realized the importance of discovering why the Covenant had attacked Earth as well as their arrival at the Halo ring and designated the capture or killing of the Prophet of Regret as their primary objective. She ordered John-117 and a platoon of Orbital Drop Shock Troopers from the 7th Shock Troops Battalion to deploy via M8823 Human Entry Vehicle to secure a landing zone to Sergeant Major Avery Johnson to deploy more ground forces to support them. As the In Amber Clad made a pass over the ring, the frigate deployed a dozen SOEIV pods. While most survived to enter the atmosphere, Covenant ground forces had deployed a number of Shade turrets in the landing zone that opened fire on the pods as they neared the surface. Several pods were struck and destroyed and many ODSTs were immediately killed by Covenant troops upon leaving their pods. Ultimately only four UNSC personnel would survive to make landfall-John-117 and three ODSTs. Wielding a rocket launcher, the Spartan destroyed the Shade turrets and led the surviving ODSTs into a nearby Forerunner structure. The four secured the ruins and managed to hold off several Phantoms and their complements of infantry, allowing Sergeant Johnson to approach in a Pelican to deploy a Warthog for the team. As the Pelican approached the landing zone, Johnson spotted the structure in the lake that the Prophet of Regret had taken refuge in and notified the team of its location.