Editing Halo: Escalation Issue 16

{{Status|RealWorld}}

*Rob Lean (inker)

*Michael Atiyeh (colorist)

{{Article quote|It's total war as Dr. [[Catherine Halsey]] and Covenant Commander [[Jul 'Mdama]] launch their final assault to regain control of the all-powerful [[Forerunner]] [[Janus Key]]. The thrilling Halo saga continues in this ongoing [[Halo 4]] story by Duffy Boudreau (BlackAcre) and Douglas Franchin (Person of Interest).}}

After waiting for an opportune moment to ambush [[Catherine Halsey|Dr. Halsey]] for some time, [[Sarah Palmer|Commander Palmer]] and Spartans [[Gabriel Thorne|Thorne]] and [[Naiya Ray|Ray]] observe a group of [[Jul 'Mdama]]'s [[Ru'swum-pattern Phantom|Phantoms]] arrive to claim the [[Janus Key]] half from [[Unidentified Sangheili Minor|the Sangheili]] who defected from [[Sali 'Nyon]]'s [[Sali 'Nyon's Covenant|rebel faction]]. Meanwhile, Jul 'Mdama continues to eliminate 'Nyon's followers. Jul is informed that his forces have [[Za'zayara-pattern Harvester|excavators]] in position and ready to be used against 'Nyon's rebels. With the rebellion in its death throes, Jul is confident that Halsey and her escort will not be ambushed and diverts most of the Phantoms to deal with the [[UNSC]] forces elsewhere on the island. While ''[[UNSC Infinity|Infinity]]'' and its sub-vessels continue to engage 'Mdama's fleet, [[Thomas Lasky|Captain Lasky]] queries [[Roland]] about Palmer's whereabouts. The [[Smart AI|AI]] informs him that he can only contact [[Tedra Grant|Spartan Grant]]'s team, while Palmer has gone off on a mission of her own and taken two of the Spartans with her.

Back on [[Aktis IV]], Dr. Halsey and her [[Sangheili Zealot|Zealot]] escort meet with the Sangheili defector. The Minor expresses surprise that a human has been sent to retrieve the Key, but a Zealot forces him to give her the artifact. One of the Zealots then promptly executes the Minor with a [[Okarda'phaa-pattern plasma rifle|plasma rifle]]. Another Zealot, indignant, asks him why he killed the Minor before he could give them the location of 'Nyon's hideout. The Zealot states that they already know the location of the hideout. Before a conflict between the two arises Halsey tells them they need to return to the ''[[Song of Retribution]]'', but they are ambushed by Palmer, Thorne and Ray. With their Phantom surrounded by the Spartans, Halsey and a Zealot flee to the forest. Palmer gives chase while leaving Thorne and Ray to deal with the Covenant forces, kills the Zealot guarding Halsey, and captures the doctor. Elsewhere on the island, Jul's forces destroy the last of Sali 'Nyon's outposts. A wounded and [[Physical restraints|restrained]] 'Nyon is brought before 'Mdama, who intends to keep the [[Treason|traitor]] alive for his punishment.

As Palmer is leading Halsey through the jungle the doctor begins to [[Catherine Halsey/Quotes#Issue 16|argue with Palmer]], calling her out for acting as [[Serin Osman|Admiral Osman]]'s puppet. Palmer accuses Halsey of defecting but Halsey points out that she merely sided with the party that was not actively trying to kill her. When Palmer decries Halsey as a traitor and war criminal, the doctor points out that her work had the full backing of ONI and the UNSC. Palmer declares that [[SPARTAN programs|her job]] and [[MJOLNIR Powered Assault Armor|armor]] are soiled because of Halsey, only for the doctor to retort that the armor would not exist without her. Halsey goes on stating that ONI turned her into a convenient scapegoat and rewrote history to suit their claims. With Palmer's judgment momentarily clouded, Halsey escapes. Palmer gives chase, only to come face to face with a [[Za'zayara-pattern Harvester|Harvester]]. Halsey gets away while the ground below Palmer is blasted by the Harvester's [[Plasma drill|main beam]]. Palmer falls off a cliff and attempts to propel herself back up using her [[Spartan abilities#Thruster pack|armor's thrusters]], but she is hit in the back of the head by a falling rock and falls into a crevice. Halsey contacts Jul 'Mdama and is picked up by a Phantom.

*On the fourth panel of the seventh page, Halsey's line art becomes extremely off-model.

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