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{{Status|Canon}} {{References}} {{Disambig header|the Spartan-II team|other uses|Blue Team (disambiguation)}} {{Military infobox |image=[[File:Blueteam.png|100px]]<br>Fireteam emblem [[File:Blue team halo 5.jpg|300px]]<br>Blue Team in 2558. |formed=[[2517|September 2517]] - Active by [[2559#October|October 2559]] |affiliation=[[United Nations Space Command]]{{Ref/Site|Id=universe|URL=https://www.halowaypoint.com/en-us/universe/factions/blue-team|Site=Halo Waypoint|Section=Universe - Factions|Page=Blue Team|D=3|M=11|Y=2015}} |branch=[[UNSC Navy]]{{Ref/Reuse|universe}} *[[UNSC Special Forces|Naval Special Warfare Command]]{{Ref/Reuse|universe}} **[[SPARTAN-II program]] |type= |role= |size=4 (as of [[2559]]) |nicknames= |battles= *[[Insurrection]] **[[Operation: TALON|Eridanus Secundus]] **[[Operation: SMOKING ACES|Camp New Hope]] *[[Human-Covenant War]] **[[Battle of Chi Ceti|Chi Ceti IV]] **[[Battle of Alpha Corvi II|Alpha Corvi II]] **[[Skirmish over Netherop|''Radiant Arrow'']] **[[Battle of Seoba|Seoba]] **[[Battle over Etalan|Etalan]] **[[Battle of Zhoist|Zhoist]] **[[Battle of Circinius IV|Circinius IV]] **[[Battle of Mesra|Mesra]] **[[Battle of Netherop|Netherop]] **[[Battle of Jericho VII|Jericho VII]] **[[Operation: WARM BLANKET|Fleet of Glorious Consequence]] **[[Operation: OCEAN BREAKER|Sigma Octanus IV]] **[[Fall of Reach|Reach]] **[[Massacre at Eridanus Secundus|Eridanus Secundus]] **[[Operation: FIRST STRIKE|FIRST STRIKE]] **[[Battle for Earth|Earth]] **[[Onyx Conflict|Onyx]] *[[Post-Covenant War conflicts]] **[[Operation: JOVIAN WHISTLE|Gao]] **[[Operation: RETRIBUTION|RETRIBUTION]] **[[Mission to Installation 03|Installation 03]] **[[Raid on Biko peace talks|Biko]] **[[Operation: BIRD IN HAND|''Argent Moon'']] **[[Battle of Meridian (2558)|Meridian]] **[[Battle of Genesis|Genesis]] **[[Operation: WOLFE|CASTLE Base]] |commanders=*[[John-117]] *[[Frederic-104]] *[[Linda-058]] }} {{Quote|You 'Spartans' have put quite a dent in our efforts to liberate the frontier worlds...I didn't believe it until I saw the video. All by the same four-man team. Some said 'Blue Team' was a myth.|[[General (UNICOM)|General]] [[Howard Graves]] about Blue Team's activity{{Ref/Novel|Id=GoO1|GoO|Chapter=1}}}} '''Blue Team''' is a semi-constant unit composed predominantly of [[SPARTAN-II program|Spartan-IIs]] under the operational command of [[UNSC]] [[UNSC Special Forces|Naval Special Warfare Command]], generally consisting of around four members. It was led by [[John-117]] for most of its activity during the [[Human-Covenant War]], though after John's involvement in the [[Battle of Mombasa]], the role of leader was taken up by [[Frederic-104]]; John later resumed ''de facto'' command following his recovery years later.{{Ref/Reuse|universe}} Blue Team has participated in more than 220 military operations since its activation in [[2525]]{{Ref/Reuse|universe}} against a plethora of foes, including [[Insurrectionist]]s, the [[Covenant]], and various [[Forerunner]] constructs. The team is exceptional even among the Spartan-IIs due to their involvement in many of the most pivotal engagements of both the [[Insurrection]] and the Covenant War.{{Ref/Site|Id=wp john|URL=https://www.halowaypoint.com/en-us/universe/characters/master-chief-john-117|Site=Halo Waypoint|Section=Universe - Characters|Page=Master Chief John-117|D=2|M=7|Y=2015}} ==Known members== {{Quote|Welcome to Blue, Spartans. We're going to make a great team.| Kelly-087's traditional greeting to new teammates{{Ref/Novel|Id=GoO41|GoO|Chapter=41}}}} After its conception in [[2519]], Blue Team originally consisted of three members; comprised of [[John-117]], [[Samuel-034]], and [[Kelly-087]]. For some training missions, Spartans like Fred-104, [[Fhajad-084]] and [[Linda-058]] were added to Blue Team.<ref>'''Halo: The Fall of Reach'''</ref> After Samuel's death on a Covenant [[Unrelenting|vessel]] in the [[Chi Ceti system]], his spot remained vacant until John reluctantly filled it with [[Kurt-051]].{{Ref/Reuse|GoO1}} The unit's roster frequently changed for various combat operations, changing both members and size. During the Battle for Earth, Blue Team was reformed from the surviving Spartans on Earth, with the new roster being Fred-104, Linda-058 and [[William-043]]. During the events on and inside [[Onyx]], the team lost Will and increased in number, with Kelly-087 rejoining, as well as [[SPARTAN-III program|SPARTAN-III]]s [[Lucy-B091]], [[Tom-B292]], [[Ash-G099]], [[Mark-G313]] and [[Olivia-G291]] joining the team. As a result, Blue Team's highest roster count is officially eight.{{Ref/Reuse|universe}} The Spartan-IIIs were reassigned to other duties in mid-2553.<ref name="hll330">'''[[Halo: Last Light]]''', ''pages 330-331'' (Google Play edition)</ref> By 2557, Blue Team consisted of Fred, Kelly and Linda, until being joined by John after his return to the UNSC.{{Ref/Comic|Id=esc8|HE|Issue=8}} {{col-begin}} {{col-2}} ;Current composition (October 2559) *MCPO [[John-117]] (Blue Leader/Blue One) ([[wikipedia:Team leader|Team leader]]/Assault/Rifleman) *LTJG [[Frederic-104]] (Blue Two) (Sub-leader/[[wikipedia:Close quarters combat|CQC]]/Assault) *PO1 [[Kelly-087]] (Blue Three) ([[wikipedia:Reconnaissance|Scout]]) *PO1 [[Linda-058]] (Blue Four) ([[wikipedia:Designated marksman|Marksman]]) {{Col-2}} ;Former members *[[James-005]] (2552) (MIA 2552; KIA 2559) *[[Li-008]] (2552) (KIA) *[[Samuel-034]] (2517-2525) (KIA) *[[William-043]] (2552) (KIA) *[[Anton-044]] (2552) (KIA) *[[Kurt-051]] (2531) (MIA) *[[Fhajad-084]] (sometime 2517-2525) (crippled during augmentation) *[[Solomon-069]] (2544) (KIA) *[[Arthur-079]] (2544) (KIA) *[[Grace-093]] (2552) (KIA) *[[Lucy-B091]] (Reassigned [[2553|August 2553]]) *[[Tom-B292]] (Reassigned August 2553) *[[Ash-G099]] (Reassigned July 2553) *[[Olivia-G291]] (Reassigned July 2553) *[[Mark-G313]] (Reassigned July 2553; KIA October 2559) {{Col-end}} ==Operational history== {{Quote|I remember thinking that no matter how dark the future, we could face it as a team. Or so I thought. We thought training, augmentation, armor made us untouchable, invulnerable, immortal. Blue Team. We were wrong. We were children. This was the only thing John was ever afraid of. Losing one of us. And we knew we weren't finishing this fight, we were just getting started.|Kelly-087 remembering their first operation against the Covenant}}{{Ref/Film|Id=FoRAS|Halo: The Fall of Reach - The Animated Series}} ===Training=== {{Quote|no=two|q1=Okay, this is supposed to be a training exercise, but this is the seventh time Chief Mendez has made us play with Tango Company.|John|q2=They're getting pretty tired of losing.|Fred|John-117 and Fred-104 during a Spartan training exercise.<ref>'''Halo: First Strike''', ''page 158'' (2010)</ref>}} Blue Team was formed around John-117, Kelly-087, and Samuel-034, who met on their first day of induction into the SPARTAN-II program. During their training Blue Team often exercised versus fellow SPARTAN-II [[Green Team]], led by Kurt-051, and often lost because of Kurt's superior "sixth sense".{{Ref/Reuse|GoO1}} In July, [[2523]], Blue Team, consisting of Linda-058 and Frederic-104, participated in training exercise along with [[Red Team]], consisting of John-117, Kelly-087, Samuel-034 and Fhajad-084. Spartans were deployed in [[Longhorn Valley]] on Reach with mission target to capture the flag. Blue Team's mission was to provide cover, while Red Team infiltrated [[Tango Company]]'s base and acquired the flag. Later on Blue Team rendezvoused with Red Team after John sent the [[Spartan signals|''all-clear signal'']].<ref>'''Halo: First Strike''', ''pages 157-166'' (2010)</ref> ===Capturing Colonel Watts=== [[File:HTFoR AS - Blue 07.jpg|250px|thumb|Blue Team capturing Colonel Robert Watts.]] {{Main|Operation: TALON}} In the first UNSC military operation where the SPARTAN-IIs were put to the test after their intensive training, codenamed Operation: TALON, Blue Team was sent to infiltrate the rebel space habitat [[Eridanus Secundus]] in the [[Eridanus system|Eridanus Asteroid Belt]]. Blue Team stowed aboard a [[Parabola-class freighter|''Parabola''-class freighter]], the ''[[Laden]]'', and managed to sneak into the city. Their objective was to locate and capture the rebel leader ex-[[Colonel]] [[Robert Watts]], a UNSC turncoat. With minimal attention, Blue Team managed to kill several of Watt's guards and subdue him with [[polypseudomorphine]], a sedative. Then Blue Team hijacked a rebel [[D77 Pelican|Pelican dropship]] and [[Samuel-034]] set and detonated explosive charges in the rebel base's hangar, making good their escape, but at the cost of dozens of civilians' lives. Blue Team was successful in its objective. ===Chi Ceti Incident=== {{Main|Battle of Chi Ceti}} {{Quote|no=three|q1=Requesting permission to attack the Covenant ship, ma’am.|John-117|q2=Most certainly not. If a warship like the Commonwealth couldn’t destroy it, a Pelican is certainly no match for them.|Dr. Halsey|q3=Not the Pelican. But I believe we Spartans are.|John|John-117 outlining his plan to Dr. Halsey<ref>'''Halo: The Fall of Reach''', ''page 150'' (2010)</ref>}} [[File:HTFor AS - Blue 10.jpg|250px|thumb|left|Spartans ready to infiltrate the ''Unrelenting''.]] Three months after Eridanus, Blue Team were briefed on the [[First Battle of Harvest|massacre]] that took place on [[Harvest]] shortly after first contact with the [[Covenant]]. A short time later, the {{UNSCShip|Commonwealth}}, under the command of [[Captain (Navy)|Captain]] [[Wallace]], brought Blue Team and Dr. Halsey to the [[Damascus Testing Facility]] at [[Chi Ceti IV]], where they were to receive the [[MJOLNIR Powered Assault Armor/Mark IV|MJOLNIR powered armor]] for the first time.<ref name="for141">'''Halo: The Fall of Reach''', ''page 141'' (2010)</ref> When a Covenant ship, the ''[[Unrelenting]]'', attacked the ''Commonwealth'', Blue Team took part in their first engagement with the Covenant. The Spartans used [[thruster pack]]s to launch themselves from a Pelican dropship. Each Spartan carried an [[ANVIL-II Air-to-Surface Missile|ANVIL-II warhead]] to be used against the Covenant ship.<ref>'''Halo: The Fall of Reach''', ''pages 147-150'' (2010)</ref> Blue Team entered the vessel through a puncture in its hull, caused by a [[Magnetic Accelerator Cannon|MAC]] round from the ''Commonwealth''. They succeeded in completing the mission and destroyed the Covenant ship, but due to a breach in Sam's armor, he was unable to leave the Covenant ship and volunteered to stay behind to ensure the destruction of the enemy vessel. Sam was killed in the ensuing explosion, becoming the first SPARTAN-II to be killed in action. {{Clear}} ===Alpha Corvi II=== {{Main|Battle of Alpha Corvi II}} On [[2525#December|December 3, 2525]], [[Alpha Corvi II]] came under attack by the Covenant. As the Covenant pushed their attack on both fronts, Blue Team was deployed to disrupt the Covenant's activities on the surface and to identify an unknown artifact that they were searching for. During this engagement, the Spartans struck up an unsteady alliance with the URF rebels commanded by [[Whitaker]], who understood the threat posed by the invaders. ===''Radiant Arrow''=== {{Main|Skirmish over Netherop}} As part of a mission authorized by [[Vice Admiral]] [[Michael Stanforth]], Blue Team traveled with [[Gold Team|Gold]] and [[Green Team]]s to [[Netherop]], where they observed the ''[[Radiant Arrow]]'' orbiting the planet for over a day. On [[2526#March|March 5, 2526]], they were deployed from the {{UNSCShip|Starry Night}} to board and capture the [[Covenant frigate|frigate]] in the hopes that the [[Office of Naval Intelligence]] could reverse-engineer its technologies.{{Ref/Novel|Id=HSS1|HSS|Chapter=1}} Ultimately, the mission was compromised when one of the men serving under the secretly-insurrectionist [[Lieutenant Commander]] [[Hector Nyeto]] purposefully sent a transmission to the Spartans, revealing their presence to the Covenant in an attempt to get them killed. While each of the Spartans under John-117's command were able to evacuate the alien vessel, it was destroyed when the ''Radiant Arrow''{{'}}s [[shipmaster]] activated its self-destruct.{{Ref/Novel|Id=HSS3|HSS|Chapter=3}} ===SILENT STORM=== {{Main|Operation: SILENT STORM}} Shortly after this failed attempt at capturing a Covenant vessel, Blue, Gold, and Green Teams were selected to participate in [[Operation: SILENT STORM|a daring operation]] to thin the Covenant's navy through boarding tactics. For this mission, the Spartans would be attached to [[Task Force Yama]] and deployed alongside the veteran [[ODST]]s of the [[21st Space Assault Battalion]], known as the "Black Daggers." For its proximity to the front, the [[Outer Colonies|Outer Colony]] of [[Biko]]—specifically [[Seoba Ice Quarry|an ice quarry]] on its third moon, [[Seoba]]—was selected as the staging ground for the operation.{{Ref/Novel|Id=HSS5|HSS|Chapter=5}} During the [[slipspace]] voyage, Blue Team and the others trained with the ODSTs in the {{UNSCShip|Vanishing Point}}'s mission preparation hold. The Spartans made short work of the veteran marines in each exercise until [[Staff Sergeant]] [[Avery Johnson]] taught them unorthodox strategies that proved to be much more effective against the supersoldiers. After four days of training, [[Colonel]] [[Marmon Crowther]] had all the Spartans and ODSTs gather in the ship's drop hangar to be briefed on the specifics of the operation. Despite their exemplary performance against his ODSTs, Crowther was still skeptical about deploying the Spartans to the front lines due to their inexperience on the battlefield, as well as their apparent young age, much to their frustration.{{Ref/Reuse|HSS5}} ===Seoba=== {{Main|Battle of Seoba}} When the [[task force]] arrived at Seoba on [[2526#March|March 18]], it was discovered that [[insurrectionist]] forces had holed up in that very quarry and the UNSC would need to uproot them before the Covenant inevitably arrived.{{Ref/Novel|Id=HSS7|HSS|Chapter=7}} During the insertion approach, Blue Team followed John as he disobeyed orders and leapt from the deployment bay of the {{UNSCShip|Ghost Song}} while under fire. The Spartans regrouped in the quarry's docks to discuss how they would destroy a [[Civet]] convoy travelling up the side of the quarry to fix the insurgents' that relay had been damaged by a prowler. With approval from [[Captain (UNICOM)|Captain]] [[Zelos Cuvier]] and [[Lieutenant]] [[Nelly Hamm]], they formulated a plan to travel up the tube of a derelict [[mass driver]] that rose up and out of the quarry, using thruster packs to outpace the convoy.{{Ref/Novel|Id=HSS8|HSS|Chapter=8}} John led the way, with Fred and then Kelly trailing behind. Linda stayed back to cover them with her [[MA5B assault rifle]] and monitor inusrrectionist movements. Despite their ongoing firefight with the Black Daggers, the insurgents soon realized Blue Team's plan and began sweeping a portion of the tube ahead of them with [[M41 Vulcan]] fire. To distract the gunners, John and Fred rigged their [[thermite-carbon cord]] and [[M7057 flamethrower|I-JeT]] to explode as they moved past the Vulcan fire. Shortly thereafter, they discovered that Hamm's men had intercepted the convoy via a prowler drop while the enemy was distracted by the Spartans. The ODSTs had also planted explosives on the communications relay by the time Blue Team exited the tube. John expressed his team's misgivings to Hamm about being lied to and used as bait, but she dismissed him, saying that this was what happens when he disobeys orders.{{Ref/Novel|Id=HSS10|HSS|Chapter=10}} The next day, [[Captain (NAVCOM)|Captain]] [[Halima Ascot]], commander of Task Force Yama and captain of the ''Starry Night'', held a meeting to discuss the events of the previous day's battle. John was reprimanded for his maverick actions at the start of the battle, and his Spartans' experience was called into question once more. Due to Nyeto's sly comments, the truth about their young ages was revealed to the few personnel present at the meeting. Learning this disturbing fact, Colonel Crowther refused to send the Spartans into battle again, instead ordering them to guard the insurrectionists captured during the fighting and prepare them to be sent to Biko to be processed. While this meeting was being held, a Covenant [[Bloodstar Flotilla|flotilla]] was detected as it arrived in-system and began heading for Seoba.{{Ref/Novel|Id=HSS11|HSS|Chapter=11}} As the rest of Task Force Yama mobilized to meet the alien vessels, Blue Team and the others were sent to [[Subsurface Maintenance Grotto 6M430]] where they would direct the roughly 300 captured insurgents onto [[Emmeline|a transport]]. John noticed the presence of [[General]] [[Harper Garvin]] among the group, calling him out of the line so that ONI could interrogate him later. However, a more important situation was playing out over the command channel. Captain Ascot's ''Starry Night'' had been shot down on takeoff, crash-landing back into the quarry. Crowther was unable to send a unit of his Black Daggers to search for survivors without putting more prowlers at risk. Since they were the only unit available to assist, John decided that he and his Spartans would go for the ''Starry Night'' once the transport was loaded. After sending Garvin back to his people and ordering the transport pilot to launch, John had his Spartans move out into the quarry once more, without the approval of Crowther or support from the task force.{{Ref/Novel|Id=HSS13|HSS|Chapter=13}} The Spartans proceeded through the grotto's airlock into the dense sublimation fog gathered at the quarry floor. Visibility was so poor that each of them could barely even see the ends of their rifles, but the flashes of plasma bolts could be seen dancing through the clouds above. John accessed the command channel and requested a [[Navigation point|waypoint]] leading to the downed prowler. Crowther responded by asking what he thought he was doing. John stated that they were checking on the status of the ''Starry Night'' as they were the only unit that could do so at the moment, carefully choosing his words so that Crowther could deflect blame onto the Spartan if need be. This would make it more likely for Crowther to not stand in the way of their self-assigned mission. While John waited for a response, he signaled Joshua and Kurt to spread out their teams in a hundred-meter-wide search line. Green Team spaced out on the left of the more tightly-gathered Blue Team, and Gold Team spaced out on the right. By doing this, the Spartans would be more likely to find any debris from the ''Starry Night'' that might have otherwise been missed in the fog, and Blue Team could act as a ready reaction force. John also ordered them to advance at a trotting speed, leading them away from the dockyards where they had engaged insurgents the day before. Eventually, Crowther acknowledged the plan, but ordered John to not take action unless immediately warranted. He also informed the Spartans of Biko's naval response to the alien bombardment of Seoba and that Nyeto believed that the small Covenant flotilla would either be in full retreat or destroyed within the hour by the approaching overwhelming force. An inexact waypoint was placed on each of the Spartans' HUDs, and John had all of the Spartans adjust course to match the new trajectory. At this point, Blue Team was arrayed in a diamond formation with only five meters between them, with only their [[motion tracker]]s revealing the locations of their teammates. John ordered everyone to accelerate to a full run while keeping their eyes on their feet, since that was all they could see anyway. As they ran, the ''Emmeline'' departed the grotto and flew over the Spartans, churning up the fog and allowing a brief moment of visibility. Through the haze, they could see five Covenant vessels fire towards the transport as it crested the horizon.{{Ref/Novel|Id=HSS14|HSS|Chapter=14}} As the Spartans neared the provided waypoint, the fog had lowered to shoulder-height, allowing the Spartans to discover that the ''Starry Night'' was indeed seemingly intact, but sat atop a large avalanche about seven hundred meters up the quarry wall. Fred spotted a Covenant intrusion corvette sliding over the rim of the quarry and descending over the prowler. Kelly theorized that they may be trying to recover the ''Starry Night'' themselves. Realizing the danger, John declared to his teammates that the mission was no longer a rescue mission. Their primary objective was now to deny the Covenant from recovering the prowler and the data stored within. Then, John opened the command channel again and relayed this information to Crowther, who echoed John's concerns and insisted that they could not let the Covenant take possession of the ''Starry Night''. The vessel's [[navigation computer]] and other onboard data devices could reveal the locations of UNSC outposts, entire force deployments, or worse. Crowther asked Nyeto if there was any way that the prowler's [[Fury tactical nuclear weapon|nuclear]] [[self-destruct]] system could be remotely activated, to which the lieutenant commander responded in the affirmative. However, only Ascot and the captain of the ''Vanishing Point'' had the ability to do this, and neither could be reached at the moment. John assuring Crowther that they would not fail. Still, the Spartan requested that Task Force Yama assist them by keeping the assaulting corvettes off their backs. Nyeto began to say that their prowlers were not designed for ship-to-ship combat when Crowther interrupted him, promising that they would find a way. Crowther started to tell John to standby for instructions on how to manually activate the prowler's self-destruct, but he reassured the colonel that his Spartans already knew how to activate a [[Nuclear weapon|nuke]].{{Ref/Reuse|HSS14}} As this was being discussed, multiple [[Karo'etba-pattern Ghost|Ghost]]s began attacking the Spartans, with the first going after John, who killed its [[Jiralhanae]] driver with his MA5B's [[M301 grenade launcher|underbarrel grenade launcher]]. He ordered Green and Gold Teams to deal with the other Ghosts as Blue Team followed him. At this point, the looming intrusion corvette had begun deploying EVA-equipped Sangheili, Jiralhanae, and Kig-Yar warriors via gravity lift, with the first already looking for a way inside the ship. Another corvette crested the edge of the quarry, firing its main cannon on the Spartans. With the situation growing dire, John ordered Blue Team to simultaneously fire on the avalanche just below the ''Starry Night'' with their grenade launchers to cause the vessel to fall to quarry floor and prevent the Covenant from gaining entrance. Despite Fred and Kelly's worries that such an action could bring the whole slope down on top of them, each member of the team acknowledged and followed his order. As feared, the volley of [[grenade]]s worked a bit too well, bringing the avalanche down on top of the Spartans, but successfully delaying the Covenant in their boarding attempt.{{Ref/Reuse|HSS14}} Fred, Linda, and four other Spartans escaped being buried under the avalanche, but six others—including John and Kelly—were not so lucky. As they worked to dig themselves free of the ice, John gave Fred command of the mission to board and destroy the ''Starry Night''. Getting over his amazement that the strategy had worked, Fred asked what should be done with any survivors they found aboard the prowler. Telling him to rescue them if possible, John switched to the command channel to demand the status of Nyeto's supposed support. The lieutenant commander insisted that he had a plan that he would enact soon, but even Colonel Crowther seemed doubtful of his tactics. Fred gathered Linda and [[Malcolm-059]] to board the vessel while the mobile members of Gold and Green Teams fended off a seemingly endless stream of ground vehicles. Fred's team boarded the ''Starry Night'' via a massive breach in its bow, finding five survivors of the crash: four ODSTs and Staff Sergeant Johnson, who had received a concussion. Fred had Linda get to work manually arming the prowler's [[Fury tactical nuclear weapon]] as he reported the situation to John, who just freed himself from the ice. He told Linda to take her time, but warned of an enemy squad preparing to board. Acknowledging this information, Fred told him that once the nuke was armed, they would flee in the prowler's escape pod. Hearing that a team of Covenant boarders was inbound, Johnson requested his assignment. Fred had him "guard" the escape pod to keep him out of harm's way. Nyeto's support finally arrived in the form of strafing runs that destroyed two nearby intrusion corvettes, but spared the one that was still attempting to recover the ''Starry Night''. When John warned that the Covenant boarding party was making their move, Fred and his team repelled them with explosive weapons as John distracted the rest. He handled two Sangheili, and Joshua and [[Anton-044]] arrived to assist him with more approaching Covenant. Linda had just finished arming the nuke and began dragging Johnson into the escape pod when John ordered her to initiate its thirty-second timer immediately. The looming corvette had activated its gravity lift system and was trying to draw the prowler up into its hangar. Linda followed the order and John warned all local Spartans to evacuate the area immediately. Fred's team, Johnson, and the ODSTs boarded the prowler's escape pod and launched through Seoba's low gravity while under fire from the corvette's surprised gunners. John informed Crowther and Nyeto of the escape pod and the imminent nuclear explosion. All of the Spartans made it to safety before the detonation, which destroyed both the ''Starry Night'' and the intrusion corvette. After Joshua patched a breach that John's armor had received in the fighting, John checked on his squad while Crowther sent prowlers to recover them once the nuke's [[electromagnetic pulse]] had dissipated.{{Ref/Novel|Id=HSS15|HSS|Chapter=15}} Some of the Spartans also assisted in the recovery of a [[Kelguid|starholo]] from the wreckage of corvette. Along with the starholo, Blue Team and the other Spartans were transported back to the ''Vanishing Point''.{{Ref/Novel|Id=HSS16|HSS|Chapter=16}} ===New orders=== On [[2526#March|March 20]], John-117 and five other Spartans who were not confined to the infirmary attended a fun