Editing Battle of Installation 05

{{Status|Canon}}
{{Battle infobox
|prev=[[Outbreak onboard Mona Lisa]]
|conc=*[[Battle for Earth]]
*[[Onyx Conflict]]
*[[Installation 05 Flood outbreak]]
|next=[[Defense of Mars]]
|name=Battle of Installation 05
|image=[[File:H2A - Battle of Delta Halo.jpg|430px]]
|conflict=[[Human-Covenant War]], [[Great Schism]]
|date=[[2552#November|November 2–4, 2552]]
|place=[[Installation 05]], [[Coelest system]]
|result='''Inconclusive'''
*[[Great Schism|Covenant leadership fractured]]
*Sangheili-led Fleet of Retribution allies with the UNSC
*[[Halo Array]] enters standby mode for remote activation
*Flood successfully escape Installation 05
*Flood [[Fall of High Charity|invade High Charity]]
|side1=*[[United Nations Space Command]]
----
*[[Covenant separatists]] (From [[2552#November|November 3, 2552]] onwards)
----
*[[Sentinel|Forerunner constructs]]
|side2=[[Covenant]]
|side3=[[Flood]]
|commanders1=*[[Miranda Keyes|CMDR Miranda Keyes]] <br>
*[[John-117|MCPO John-117]]
*[[Avery Johnson|SgtMaj Avery Johnson]]
----
*[[Arbiter]] [[Thel 'Vadam]]
*[[Special Operations Commander|Commander]] [[Rtas 'Vadum]]
*[[Shipmaster]] [[Tano 'Inanraree]]†
*[[Sangheili Field Commander|Commander]] [[G'torik 'Klemmee]]
----
*[[Monitor]] [[343 Guilty Spark]]
*[[Monitor]] [[2401 Penitent Tangent]] ([[MIA]])
|commanders2=*[[Prophet of Truth]] <br>
*[[Prophet of Mercy]]†
*[[Prophet of Regret]]†
*[[Prophet of Exquisite Devotion]]†
*[[Chieftain of the Jiralhanae|Chieftain]] [[Tartarus]]†

*Arbiter [[Thel 'Vadamee]] {{C|pre-Great Schism}}
*[[Special Operations Commander|Commander]] [[Rtas 'Vadumee]] {{C|pre-Great Schism}}
*[[Chieftain]] [[Avitus]]
*[[Shipmaster]] [[Gargantum]]
*[[Jiralhanae Captain|Captain]] [[Melchus]]
|commanders3=[[Gravemind]]
|forces1=
*[[UNSC Navy]]
**[[Stalwart-class light frigate]]
***{{UNSCShip|In Amber Clad}}
****[[M808B Scorpion]]s
****[[M12 Chaingun Warthog]]s
****[[D77 Pelican]]s
**[[John-117]]
*[[UNSC Marine Corps]]
**[[Orbital Drop Shock Troopers|ODSTs]]
----
*Numerous Covenant [[warship]]s
**[[Sangheili]] controlled-[[High Charity defense fleet]]{{C|[[Fleet of Retribution]]}}
***{{Class|CAS|assault carrier}}s
***{{Pattern|Varric|heavy cruiser}}s
***{{Pattern|Ruma|light carrier}}s
***{{Pattern|Ket|battlecruiser}}s
***[[Covenant destroyer|Destroyers]]
*Numerous air forces
**[[Type-26 Banshee]]s
*Numerous ground forces
**{{Pattern|Protos|Scarab}}
**{{Pattern|Zurdo|Wraith}}s
**{{Pattern|Wuzum|Spectre}}s
**{{Pattern|Karo'etba|Ghost}}s
**[[Sangheili]]
**[[Mgalekgolo]]
**[[Unggoy]]
----
Forerunner constructs
*[[Aggressor Sentinel]]s
|forces2=
*Numerous Covenant [[warship]]s
**[[Jiralhanae]] Controlled-[[High Charity defense fleet]]
***{{Class|CAS|assault carrier}}s{{Ref/Novel|Id=SoI|SoI}}
***{{Pattern|Ket|battlecruiser}}s
***{{Pattern|Zanar|light cruiser}}s
***[[Covenant destroyer|Destroyers]]
***[[Covenant frigate|Frigates]]
*Numerous air forces
**[[Type-26 Banshee]]s
*Numerous ground forces
**{{Pattern|Protos|Scarab}}
**{{Pattern|Zurdo|Wraith}}s
**{{Pattern|Wuzum|Spectre}}s
**{{Pattern|Karo'etba|Ghost}}s
**[[Prelate]]s
**[[Sangheili]]{{C|until Schism}}
**[[Jiralhanae]]
**[[Mgalekgolo]]{{C|until Schism}}
**[[Yanme'e]]
**[[Kig-Yar]]
**[[Unggoy]]
|forces3=*[[Flood]] forms
**[[Pod infector]]s
**[[Flood combat form|Combat forms]]
**[[Flood carrier form|Carrier forms]]
**1 [[Gravemind]]
|forces4=*[[Aggressor Sentinel]]s
*[[Sentinel Major]]s
*[[Enforcer]]s
|casual1=*''In Amber Clad''
*Many infantry and vehicular losses
*Large numbers of assorted starships
*Large numbers of Sentinels and Enforcers
|casual2=*''[[High Charity]]'' captured
*Prophets of Regret and Mercy
*Tartarus
*Many infantry and vehicular losses
*Large numbers of assorted starships
|casual3=*All Flood forms on the surface of Installation 05
*Numerous assorted Flood forms in orbit 
|casual4=*Large numbers of Sentinels and Enforcers
*Sentinel construction factory}}
{{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/Level|Id=deltahalo|H2|H2:Delta Halo|Delta Halo}}}}

The '''Battle of Installation 05''', also known as the '''battle for the Second Ring of the Gods''' among the [[Covenant]],{{Ref/Novel|Id=GoO27|GoO|Chapter=27}} was a major engagement in early [[2552#November|November 2552]] between the Covenant, the [[Flood]], and the [[United Nations Space Command]], with the aid of [[Forerunner]] [[Sentinel]]s and the [[Fleet of Retribution|Sangheili]] on the Forerunner [[Halo Array|ringworld]] [[Installation 05]], otherwise known as "Delta Halo".

The battle saw the [[Covenant separatists|splintering]] of the Covenant empire as the [[Great Schism]] began, and the formation of an alliance between [[human]]ity and the [[Sangheili]] of the [[Fleet of Retribution]], led by [[Thel 'Vadam]] and [[Rtas 'Vadum]].

==Prelude==
At some point, an ancilla warned the monitor of [[Installation 05]]—[[2401 Penitent Tangent]]—of a pending outbreak in one the installation's [[Flood containment facility|Flood containment facilities]]. However, Penitent Tangent ignored the warning, and those that followed, for millennia. The installation's [[sentinel]]s managed to keep the [[Flood]] largely contained in the [[H2:Quarantine Zone|Quarantine Zone]] around the [[Library]], although the machines never managed to fully destroy the infestation.{{Ref/Map|H3|Cold Storage|Detail=[[Cold Storage Reports|Reports]]}} Eventually, a [[Gravemind]] formed on the installation and captured Penitent Tangent.{{Ref/Level|Id=gravemind|H2|H2:Gravemind|Gravemind}}

[[File:H2A - In Amber Clad approaches Halo.png|thumb|250px|left|''In Amber Clad'' approaches Installation 05.]]
At the beginning of the [[Battle of Earth]] in [[2552#October|October 20, 2552]], the [[Prophet of Regret]] led [[Fleet of Sacred Consecration]], which contained two {{Class|CAS|assault carrier}}s and thirteen {{Pattern|Ket|battlecruiser}}s on an expeditionary raid that stumbled upon [[Earth]], [[human]]ity's homeworld and the UNSC's strongest fortress.{{Ref/Level|Id=cairo|H2|H2:Cairo Station|Cairo Station}} After substantial ground, air, and space losses, and faced with the possibility of being overrun on the ground and intercepted by UNSC ships if it tried to escape to orbit, Regret ordered a retreat. With Regret aboard, ''[[Solemn Penance]]'' made an emergency in-atmosphere [[slipspace]] jump over [[New Mombasa]], with the {{Class|Stalwart|light frigate}} {{UNSCShip|In Amber Clad}} following it into slipspace.{{Ref/Reuse|deltahalo}}{{Ref/Level|Id=metro|H2|H2:Metropolis|Metropolis}}

At [[Terrence Hood|Fleet Admiral Lord Terrence Hood]]'s order, {{UNSCShip|Coral Sea}}, {{UNSCShip|Dusk}}, {{UNSCShip|Paris}}, and {{UNSCShip|Redoubtable}} were sent to follow and assist the ''In Amber Clad'' with the heavy assault carrier, as they were the closest, fastest UNSC ships to the carrier with charged slipspace capacitors. The ships intended to find out where the assault carrier was heading, or destroy the ship entirely to kill Regret.{{Ref/Reuse|GoO22}} Their shadowing, however, was not exactingly precise. Only the frigate ''In Amber Clad'' successfully trailed the assault carrier to its destination. ''Dusk'', a [[prowler]], arrived a day later near the Covenant holy city of ''[[High Charity]]''. While ''Coral Sea''{{Ref/Site|URL=https://www.halowaypoint.com/en-us/universe/locations/delta-halo|Site=Halo Waypoint|Section=Universe, Locations|Page=Delta Halo|D=27|M=10|Y=2015}} and ''Redoubtable''{{Ref/Novel|HitD|Chapter=1}} conducted scans of Delta Halo's surface, the fate of the ''Paris'' is unknown.{{Ref/Novel|Id=GoO22|GoO|Chapter=22}}

==The battle==
===Opening actions===
On [[2552#November|November 2, 2552]], ''Solemn Penance'' exited slipspace over [[Installation 05]], orbiting [[Substance]] in the [[Coelest system]]. Regret's assault carrier took position over the installation, establishing a solid ground presence with armor and patrols of [[Type-26 Banshee]]s, and also companies of infantry by means of {{Pattern|Ru'swum|Phantom}}s. The Covenant ground forces fortified themselves in a series of Forerunner ruins and temple structures, establishing [[Shade|anti-air defenses]].{{Ref/Reuse|deltahalo}}

[[File:H2A - HEVs over Delta Halo.jpg|thumb|250px|left|John-117 and a team of ODSTs insert into the atmosphere of Installation 05 in HEVs.]]
Meanwhile, ''In Amber Clad'' trailed behind and [[Miranda Keyes|Commander Miranda Keyes]], captain of ''In Amber Clad'', ordered the ship's [[platoon]] of [[Orbital Drop Shock Trooper]]s and [[John-117]] to establish a [[landing zone]] near a series of ruins and temples on Installation 05 to allow [[Avery Johnson|Sergeant Major Avery Johnson]] to bring in two [[D77 Pelican]]s to further expand the UNSC presence. The frigate made a quick pass-over of a segment of the ringworld, deploying eleven [[Single Occupant Exoatmospheric Insertion Vehicle|SOEIV pods]]. Most survived the atmospheric insertion to the surface of the ring, but due to Covenant stationary turret-fire only four personnel survived to make landfall—John-117 and ODSTs [[Gunnery Sergeant]] [[Stacker]], [[Staff Sergeant]] [[Banks]] and [[Private First Class]] [[Dubbo]].{{Ref/Game|H3|Halo 3 Legendary Edition|Legendary Edition|Detail=Essentials, Disc Two - [[Halo 2]] [[List of Halo 2 Cinematic Cutscenes|Cinematics]] Commentary}}  A second wave of SOEIV pods was deployed from ''In Amber Clad'', however the few ODSTs who managed to make landfall found themselves isolated behind enemy lines and were quickly killed.

[[File:HM-DeltaHalo.jpg|thumb|250px|John-117 and some UNSC Marines on the surface of Installation 05, with ''Solemn Penance'' looming overhead.]]
Upon landing, John-117 led the ODSTs in eliminating Covenant Shades stationed around a small temple, in order to clear an LZ for vehicular reinforcement. After successfully clearing the temple and it's courtyard, John-117 and his Troopers defended the position against waves of Covenant troops until a Pelican could drop off an [[M12 Chaingun Warthog]]. After liberating a nearby Forerunner bridge-control facility, a [[Scorpion]] was delivered alongside [[Marine]] reinforcements. The UNSC forces assaulted the bridge, which was defended by a [[Wraith]], numerous [[Ghost]]s and a pair of [[Banshee]]s. After successfully crossing, the convoy continued to battle through a vast temple complex, encountering significant Covenant defenses en route to Regret's location. After securing a large temple, the force dismounted and were resupplied with weapons and reinforcements via Pelican before securing the interior on foot. A passage inside the temple opened into a small vale occupied by Covenant, and after neutralizing a sizable force of Covenant Infantry, John-117 and his forces arrived at the edge of the lake containing Regret's temple.

Arriving in the first room of a large ruin complex standing in the lake itself, [[Cortana]] translated a sermon from the Prophet of Regret, alerting the UNSC that the Covenant was intending to activate Installation 05. Commander [[Miranda Keyes]] had been reviewing [[Cortana]]'s information from the installation her father had discovered a month prior,{{Ref/Reuse|deltahalo}} and was able to locate [[Installation 05]]'s Library. She set out to reach it and secure it's [[Activation Index]] before the Covenant could do so. Sergeant [[Johnson]] was ordered to extract the Marine and ODST forces supporting John-117 and rendezvous with the ''In Amber Clad'' at the Library.{{Ref/Reuse|regret}}

===Assassination of Regret===
{{Main|Assassination of the Prophet of Regret}}
[[File:H2A JohnVsRegret.jpg|left|thumb|250px|John-117 reels his fist back to violently punch the Prophet of Regret.]] 
John-117 was ordered to continue to Regret's temple and neutralize him. Supported by a pair of Marines, one of which was [[Dubbo|PFC Dubbo]], John battled through a cluster of Covenant-filled towers before reaching an open platform. At the time, the Covenant were becoming increasingly aware of UNSC activity on the Ringworld, causing Commander Keyes to reroute several Pelicans on their way to the Library to aid John-117 rather than have them draw attention to the ''In Amber Clad''. The Pelicans air-dropped [[ordnance pod|Materiel Acquisition Pods]] on the platform to resupply the trio with fresh weapons and ammunition. John's strike team continued their attack, proceeding from the platform to an [[anti-gravity gondola]] which took John-117 and the two Marines to a underwater temple with a heavy Covenant presence. Cortana was able to intercept several transmissions between [[Prophet of Regret|Regret]] and the [[Prophet of Truth]]. After emerging from the submerged temple at a hilly Forerunner ruin, they were engaged by Covenant infantry, reinforced by Phantoms attempting to halt the UNSC advance.{{Ref/Level|Id=regret|H2|H2:Regret|Regret}}

Despite significant reinforcement the Covenant were unable to stop the Spartan from closing in on his target.  Meanwhile, Marines from the rerouted Pelicans had secured the first tower cluster to use as a landing zone. A single Pelican remained on station, resupplying John with more ordnance pods before setting down on the tower platform to await the Spartan's signal for evac. The strike team boarded the final gondola leading to [[Temple (Installation 05)|the temple]] the Prophet of Regret was located in. Despite being attacked by Covenant [[Type-26 Banshee]]s and [[Sangheili Ranger]]s, they were able to gain access to the main temple. Before they could enter, however, ''[[High Charity]]'' exited slipspace over Installation 05, along with the hundreds of warships of the [[High Charity defense fleet]] and the [[Second Fleet of Homogeneous Clarity]]. Responding to a distress signal from Regret, [[Special Operations Commander]] [[Rtas 'Vadum]]ee moved to reinforce the temple by Phantom [[dropship]]s in an urgent measure to defend the Hierarch. However, the Prophet of Truth stalled these Phantoms, in an attempt to allow  Regret to be killed as part of his political plans for the Covenant.{{Ref/Level|Id=icon|H2|H2:Sacred Icon|Sacred Icon}}

Inside the temple, a large contingent of [[Sangheili Honor Guardsman|Sangheili Honor Guardsmen]] and [[Unggoy]] defended the Prophet. Cortana detected a wave of Phantoms too large to measure en-route to the temple, indicating to the Spartan time was running short. John-117 was able to board the Regret's [[anti-gravity chair|gravity throne]] and dispatch the frail [[San'Shyuum]] with his fist. The Prophet's guards quickly began to empty the temple, and Cortana detected the incoming Phantoms changing course, heading away from the temple. Shortly thereafter, ''Solemn Penance'' positioned itself over the main temple, and fired upon the structure with its [[energy projector]] at the order of the Prophet of Truth.{{Ref/Reuse|AoR}} With not enough time for airborne evac, John leapt into the lake to evade the glassing beam. Here, he was soon grasped by the tentacles of the [[Gravemind]], a [[Flood]] compound intelligence, and taken prisoner.{{Ref/Reuse|regret}}

===The Containment Shield===
{{Main|Battle of the Quarantine Zone}}
[[File:HTMCC-H2A_—_Installation_05_Library.png|thumb|250px|Tartarus's Phantom nears the containment shield to deploy the Arbiter.]]
A short time earlier, Commander Keyes received a transmission from Cortana indicating they were aboard the final Gondola and approaching Regret's temple. The ''In Amber Clad'' had discovered that Installation 05's Library was surrounded by a [[containment shield]]—an impenetrable [[energy shielding|energy shield]] projected by a large wall-like Forerunner structure. After failing to find a way around the barrier, the Frigate deployed a platoon-sized force of Marines to the wall led by Gunnery Sergeant [[Marcus Stacker]] and Staff Sergeant [[Banks]]. The Marines moved through the outer wall with ease, unmolested by local Sentinel defenses—likely due to being recognized by the automated guardians as [[Reclaimers]].{{Ref/Reuse|icon}}

Aboard High Charity, Regret's death had major political upheaval, as the Sangheili were punished by their failure to protect the Prophet of Regret. The Jiralhanae were assigned to [[Changing of the Guard|replace]] them as [[Honor Guard]]s, and [[Chieftain of the Jiralhanae]] [[Tartarus]] was given to the task of retrieving the Index from the Library. Tartarus sent numerous waves of Jiralhanae-led Covenant infantry to storm the Sentinel Wall, however after all failed to breach the outer wall, Thel 'Vadamee, the Arbiter of the Covenant, was personally ordered by the Prophets [[Prophet of Truth|Truth]] and [[Prophet of Mercy|Mercy]] to journey to the surface of the ring and retrieve the [[H2:Sacred Icon|Sacred Icon]].

Dropped directly to the wall by Tartarus' personal [[Kez'katu-pattern Phantom|Phantom]] transport, the Arbiter encountered a small number of surviving [[Unggoy]] and [[Kig-Yar]] from the earlier assault. After battling through numerous Forerunner constructs to reach the control center for the Containment Shield, the Arbiter deactivated the shield, boarding a gondola to exit the outer wall. The inner wall quickly became overrun with [[Flood]] from the nearby Quarantine Zone it was designed to contain, and the UNSC platoon was caught unprepared.

Spread throughout the wall in small fireteams and completely unaware of the nature of enemy they were facing, most of the platoon was quickly assimilated by the parasite, proceeding to take up arms against their former comrades. Additionally, the local Sentinel forces became hostile to the surviving Marines, likely due to the immediate presence of the Flood.
With his forces decimated, but the Containment Shield now disabled, Stacker radioed ''In Amber Clad'' suggesting Keyes proceed straight to the Library while his troops attempted to hold their position. A short time later, Stacker made contact with Keyes once again, confirming their engagement with non-Covenant hostile lifeforms, while Banks and other Marine survivors could be heard staging a desperate defense.{{Ref/Reuse|icon}}

As 'Vadamee exited the outer wall, Tartarus' Phantom was driven off by a Sentinel Enforcer, forcing the Arbiter to travel through the now-flood infested inner-wall.{{Ref/Book|Id=guide115|Halo 2: The Official Strategy Guide|Page=115}} The Arbiter battled infected Marines, Sentinels and even encountered two surviving UNSC fireteams as he made his way towards the base of the structure.

===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/Level|Id=zone|H2|H2:Quarantine Zone|Quarantine Zone}}}}
[[File:HTMCC-H2A_—_Rtas_rallying_troops.png|thumb|250px|[[Rtas 'Vadum]]ee rallies his Sangheili to battle.]]
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/Book|Halo 2: The Official Strategy Guide|Page=122}} However, the Quarantine Zone [[Installation 05 Flood outbreak|was compromised by]] the Flood, and the Flood managed to crash one of the floating facilities using a {{Pattern|Zurdo|Wraith}}, sending it plummeting down to the installation's surface.{{Ref/Reuse|icon}}

The Arbiter met with Commander Rtas 'Vadumee and two other Sangheili just outside of the Sentinel wall, and together, they defended a small hill from the Flood before pushing inwards, where the Special Operations Commander had established a small outpost.{{Ref/Reuse|icon}} There, the Special Operations force held out against waves of Flood attacks from the cliffs before they were reinforced by a pair of Phantoms that dropped off a {{Pattern|Wuzum|Spectre}} and a pair of {{Pattern|Karo'etba|Ghost}}s. The Covenant were able to use these vehicles to advance through a large indoor Forerunner facility before entering the first of a series of expansive outdoor arctic canyons. Despite the prowess of the Special Operations Sangheili and the Arbiter, the UNSC were swifter to advance through the Quarantine Zone—''In Amber Clad'' deployed a Pelican dropship that cruised above the battling Flood and Sentinels, cutting directly towards the Library while the Arbiter and his men were forced to fight through waves of Flood, including Flood and the vehicles they had commandeered, while all the while, Enforcers rained heavy fire.{{Ref/Reuse|zone}}

The small Covenant task force was forced to debark from its vehicles as they transgressed the wreckage of one of the Sentinel constructor factories, although just beyond the wreckage on the other side, they were met by another Covenant Phantom, this one dropping off a Spectre manned by Rtas 'Vadumee himself and another Special Operations Sangheili. However, as they progressed through the last series of snowy plains, they were met with increasingly heavy resistance as they neared the Library. The Sentinels were in much larger force, while a large number of Flood-infested humans savagely held a barricade against the Library, using crates, turrets, and heavy weapons to prevent anyone to gain entrance to the Library and retrieve the index, which would eventually lead to the extermination of the Flood.{{Ref/Reuse|zone}}

===The Library===
[[File:Sacredicon1600.jpg|thumb|left|250px|The Library of Installation 05 situated deep inside the Quarantine Zone.]]
{{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/Reuse|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/Reuse|zone}}

[[File:H2A-Miranda.jpg|thumb|250px|Miranda Keyes stretches over a chasm in the Library, securing the index.]]
Finally, both gondolas ascended to the top levels of the Library, although the UNSC one arrived first, and a small UNSC force of six soldiers, led by Miranda Keyes and Avery Johnson, entered. Although many [[Flood combat form]]s had been exhausted in the Gravemind's last-ditch attempt to stave off the gondolas, there were a large number of [[Pod infector]]s prowling the Library which killed off the four UNSC Marines as Keyes and Johnson advanced towards the core of the Library. Meanwhile, the Arbiter silently snuck in behind them. Miranda managed to grab the index over a seemingly endless chasm. Once Keyes and Johnson had the index, they were ambushed by Thel 'Vadamee. Johnson was knocked unconscious by the Arbiter, but Keyes was able to take down Arbiter's shields by firing at him with an [[M7 SMG]]. However, Tartarus entered with four of his [[Jiralhanae Captain]]s. Tartarus used the [[Fist of Rukt]] to stun Miranda and gravitationally levitate her towards him, draping her over his shoulder and then clasping the index and securing it for himself. Tartarus informed Thel about the Jiralhanae's intended genocide of the increasingly incompetent Sangheili, an act sanctioned by the High Prophets themselves. The Chieftain then knocked the stunned Arbiter into a pit leading to the depths of Installation 05, initiating the [[Great Schism]].{{Ref/Reuse|zone}}

[[File:H2ATruth2.png|thumb|250px|left|The Prophet of Truth announces the retrieval of Installation 05's activation index.]]
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/Reuse|gravemind}}
{{Clear}}

===The Great Schism===
{{Main|Great Schism}}
[[File:HTMCC-H2A NoSalvationOnThisRing.png|thumb|250px|The Gravemind speaks to the Arbiter and John-117 in the depths of Installation 05.]]
{{Quote|The Elites have failed to protect the Prophets, and in doing so, have put all our lives at risk. Let no warrior forget his oath, 'Thou, in faith, shall keep