Operation: WHISTLE STOP
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Operation: WHISTLE STOP was the codename assigned by the United Nations Space Command (UNSC) to a military operation conducted on May 8, 2558.[3] The operation took place on Ven III, pitting several SPARTAN-IVs from UNSC Infinity against a network of Kig-Yar pirates and smugglers in response to reports of a bioweapon being developed by the Kig-Yar on the world. In reality, the bioweapon was a plot manufactured by the Office of Naval Intelligence (ONI) designed to goad Infinity into getting involved on the planet - and thus being forced to take action against the pirate nest that had been building up for some time.[1]
Background[edit]
During the Human-Covenant War, the borderline-uninhabitable planet of Ven III was used by the Covenant as a staging area to launch offensives against humanity. After the war's end, the world fell into the Joint Occupation Zone, claimed by no major power. As such, it became an ideal site for Kig-Yar criminals to retreat to and became a hub of arms smuggling and piracy.[1] This threat, and the potential issues it may cause in the future, were noted by the UNSC's Office of Naval Intelligence for some time, with numerous memorandums and notices sent up the chain of command requesting that action be taken to deal with the threat. For the UNSC Navy, however, the pirate problem was a relatively low priority on their list, and as such no action was taken. Around November 2557, ONI once again sent a memo to UNSC High Command (HIGHCOM) alerting them to the problem and outlining several worst-case scenarios that may emerge, but also admonishing the brass for their inaction in dealing with the threat. After this was once again ignored, ONI instead manufactured their own problem on Ven III to force the UNSC's hand.[2]
Using one of their undercover agents, a Sangheili mercenary Ayit 'Sevi (given the ONI codename SNAKE IN THE GRASS), ONI staged for a fake bioweapons alert on Ven III. 'Sevi and a cadre of Elite mercenaries used an old Covenant research lab to set up a convincing facade of a bioweapons experiment gone wrong.[2] By the time a UNSC spy drone was dispatched to the facility on May 8, 2558, multiple Kig-Yar at the facility had perished to a bacterial infection. The evidence from the drone was used by ONI to fabricate a cover story to sell to the UNSC, which allowed them to task several Spartans from UNSC Infinity to deal with the threat. The Spartans' objective was to apprehend an unidentified Sangheili (actually 'Sevi) who had been spotted leaving the facility with a canister presumed to be carrying the biological agent. ONI's cover story framed 'Sevi as a representative of Jul 'Mdama's Covenant, and pushed the narrative that the Covenant were interested in using bioweapons against humanity.[1] This was of particular note given another, similar, weapon had been unleashed on Sedra two years prior.
Admiral Serin Osman, the Commander-in-Chief of the Office of Naval Intelligence (CINCONI), contacted Captain Thomas Lasky aboard Infinity and briefed him on the situation, stating that the Sangheili may be an agent of Jul 'Mdama and may have double-crossed the Kig-Yar in the lab, or that they released the bioweapon on themselves by accident. Osman ordered Lasky to deal with the situation while exercising extreme caution before the Sangheili could use the bioweapon against humanity. Lasky hand-picked a team of two SPARTAN-IVs, Naiya Ray and Gabriel Thorne, for the task. Due to the nature of the mission, Lasky decided that he must use the smallest team possible out of risk of alerting the target Sangheili to the threat and losing him in Ven III's extensive tunnel systems. After being briefed, the Spartans were sent to Ven III.[1]
The mission[edit]
The two Spartans were deployed to Ven III's surface by a Sahara-class heavy prowler. As Ray and Thorne made their way on the planet's surface, they encountered a number of wandering Kig-Yar but no organized resistance. The two entered a narrow canyon where they lost communications with Infinity due to a nearby jamming field. As the Spartans proceeded further into the canyon, they were observed by 'Sevi, who had just destroyed the UNSC spy drone that was delivering the feed to Infinity. Infinity's shipboard artificial intelligence, Roland, immediately alerted Lasky to this as well as the communications blackout, suggesting that Infinity should change course toward Ven III to provide backup for the ground team. Having been ordered to avoid direct engagement, Lasky instead had Roland summon Commander Sarah Palmer. Meanwhile, Thorne and Ray observed a Covenant structure for some time before entering it. Once they were inside, the two SPARTAN-IVs were ambushed by the Sangheili and a contingent of Kig-Yar. As a skirmish ensured, the Spartans were able to defeat most of the Kig-Yar, catching them by surprise by rocketing out of the structure using their armor-integrated thrusters. However, the Sangheili attached a shock device onto Thorne's armor and activated it. The electronic shock knocked Thorne unconscious and the Sangheili captured him. Escaping on a Karo'etba-pattern Ghost with Thorne, Spartan Ray quickly followed.[1]
Aboard Infinity, Captain Lasky proposed sending another two-man Spartan team to backup Thorne and Ray. However, Commander Palmer insisted on the deployment of an entire SPARTAN-IV fireteam. As Ray continued to chase after the Sangheili, they eventually moved out of the range of the communications jammer, allowing Ray to contact Infinity. Ray followed the Sangheili and Thorne into a deep subterranean tunnel where she discovered an enormous cavern filled with former Covenant vessels and vehicles; a major hideout for Kig-Yar pirates. Although the UNSC originally estimated there to only be around a hundred Kig-Yar on the planet, Ray realized that there was at least 200,000 of them. Noticing Kig-Yar smugglers, black market arms dealers, slavers, and pirates operating with in the cavern, she saw 'Sevi and a Kig-Yar carrying Thorne's unconscious body into a hangar bay. However, a Kig-Yar snuck up behind Ray and ambushed her. As her signal with Infinity terminated, Lasky ordered Roland to carry out the course change towards Ven III and to call for all teams on deck.[1] Shortly afterward, Ray was able to kill her attacker and re-established contact with Infinity. She then found a Spectre and proceeded into the pirates' base.[2]
