Installation 05
From Halopedia, the Halo wiki
| Installation 05 | |
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| General overview | |
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Location: |
Orbiting Substance, Coelest system,[1] Norma Arm[2] |
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Gravitational anchor: |
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| Operation overview | |
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Type: |
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Function: |
Galactic sterilization/Flood containment and research |
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Attached AI(s): |
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Date of construction: |
c. 97,445 BCE |
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Status: |
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| Structural information | |
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Diameter: |
10,000 kilometers (6,200 mi)[1] |
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Surface width: |
318 kilometers (198 mi)[1] |
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Gravity: |
1.04 G[1] |
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Surface temperature: |
-19°C to 42°C (-2.2°F to 107.6°F)[1] |
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Atmospheric composition: |
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- "This installation has a successful utilization record of 1.2 trillion simulated and one actual. It is ready to fire on demand."
- — 2401 Penitent Tangent[6]
Installation 05, also known as Delta Halo,[7] is one of the massive Halo fortress worlds built by the Forerunners. The ring was formerly maintained by monitor 2401 Penitent Tangent, until his lax oversight led to the Flood's escape from their containment facilities.[5] The Halo orbits Substance, an ice giant and the fourth planet in orbit in the Coelest system,[1] located in the Norma Arm of the Milky Way galaxy.[2]
The purpose of Installation 05, along with its brethren, was to preclude and thwart the parasitic Flood from consuming all sentient life in the galaxy. In the event of a Flood outbreak, one of the seven installations could be triggered to annihilate all sentient life within 25,000 light-years. Once one ring is set off, all remaining rings would activate. All seven rings could be fired at once if need be.[5]
Installation 05 was the third Halo discovered by humanity[8] and the second found by the Covenant.[7] The ring became a battleground near the end of the Human-Covenant War; more importantly, it was at Installation 05 that the Great Schism, the civil war that sundered the Covenant, began. The installation was ultimately partially glassed by the Sangheili in order to prevent the Flood from escaping in the wake of the Battle of Installation 05.[4][5]
History[edit]
Early history[edit]
- "Those who built this place knew what they wrought. Do not mistake their intent, or all will perish as they did before."
- — The Gravemind[6]
Installation 05 was built by Installation 00's Foundry[9] approximately around the same time as the rest of the Halo Array, circa 97,445 BCE.[10][11] Human analysts of the 26th century believe that an extensive collection of species were brought to the installation to be studied by the Lifeworkers, as part of the Conservation Measure.[3] Installation 05 was activated shortly after by the Forerunners at the conclusion of the Forerunner-Flood war, eradicating all sentient life in the galaxy and, presumably, destroying the Flood as well, with the exception of those specimens kept in the Halos for research. As of 2552, it had a record of 1.2 trillion simulated firings and one actual activation.[6]
Flood outbreak[edit]
- Main article: Installation 05 Flood outbreak
At some point, the Flood on Installation 05 escaped and evaded containment due to negligence on the part of the installation's monitor, 2401 Penitent Tangent.[12][13] It is believed that the Flood's escape was either the result of a system malfunction that was not properly addressed by Penitent Tangent or due to the meddling of visiting species.[3] The Flood quickly grew out of control around the area of the installation's Library;[13] the Flood were kept contained by a Sentinel wall built around the Library. Somehow, the Flood on the ring were able to amass enough biomass to create a Gravemind. 2401 Penitent Tangent attempted to control the situation, but he was captured by the recently formed Gravemind.[5] Without the monitor, the Sentinels of the Halo lacked a controlling intelligence and so many of the structures around Installation 05 fell into disrepair, and most of the installation came to look like a jungle strewn with ruins.[13]
Even with the addition of Forerunner Aggressor Sentinels and Enforcers, the Flood were able to remain loose, albeit contained within the Quarantine Zone by the Sentinel wall.[14] This stalemate is believed to be the cause of the slow decline into the deteriorated condition of the structures of the installation. The Gravemind itself resided in the chamber directly below the index chamber in the center of the Library.[6] The use of the Quarantine Zone was not a standard containment