Operation: FAR STORM

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Concurrent:	Battle of Earth (2555)
Next:	Operation: COALPEPPER
Operation: FAR STORM
Conflict:	Post-Covenant War conflicts
Date:	March 17–20, 2555
Location:	Installation 00
Details Belligerents United Nations Space Command Swords of Sanghelios Forerunner constructs Native animals Commanders Commander N'tho 'Sraom Cpt. Annabelle Richards 000 Tragic Solitude† Strength Mayhem Two Spartan-IVs Ten UNSC Marines Three human specialists Several Sangheili One Huragok Bobby Kodiak† Several blind wolves Several chaefka Thousands of Retrievers Several Aggressor Sentinels Dozens of armigers Bobby Kodiak (initially) Casualties Henry Lamb Bobby Kodiak Three Marines Mayhem severely damaged 000 Tragic Solitude Five Retrievers Dozens of armigers Several blind wolves Several chaefka

Operation: FAR STORM was a UNSC-Swords of Sanghelios joint operation to Installation 00.

Background

000 Tragic Solitude observes the Ark's ravaged surface.

At the climax of the Human-Covenant War, the joint United Nations Space Command–Sangheili Fleet of Retribution and a Covenant fleet under the High Prophet of Truth's command traveled to Installation 00 through the slipspace portal at Voi, Kenya on Earth. The ensuing battle led to the dissolution of the Covenant empire, the destruction of Installation 04's replacement, and heavy damage to Installation 00 itself.

In 2553, renowned human scientist and historian Doctor Luther Mann found information that would lead him to discover the existence and location of Installation 07 by cross-referencing Forerunner architecture on the shield world of Trevelyan. It took a year, but at the beginning of 2555 he finished decoding the data, and the Office of Naval Intelligence subsequently sent a research detachment of approximately three hundred scientists of multiple fields, including Mann and Henry Lamb, to study Zeta Halo along with hundreds of automated probes to scan and map out the installation. While inspecting the ring's custodial systems, Mann and Lamb discovered a Forerunner timer that they concluded was counting down to the Halo Array's activation in five weeks. Doctor Mann was aware that the UNSC Redoubtable had found a similar sequence on Installation 05 in 2552 and passed this information to his superiors. In a classified briefing at HIGHCOM, Zeta Halo project director, Doctor Bob Casper explained to the representatives of the various UNSC branches that he had contacted the other installations and confirmed that each of them was exhibiting the same behavior.

The mission

Following the discovery of across the known Halo Arrays, both the UNSC and Swords of Sanghelios decided that the best course of action was to go to what remained of Installation 00 to try and manually stop the timer. Members of the group came from both factions involved, including two Sangheili who had conducted operations on the installation; N'tho 'Sraom and Usze 'Taham, the former in command of the warship Mayhem. The mission was put into action rather abruptly - and earlier than planned - when the Huragok Drifts Randomly activated the Excession for the first time since the Battle of Earth in 2552. Almost immediately, a Retriever Sentinel emerged and began strip-mining the area around the portal, forcing the UNSC Endeavor and accompanying small craft to engage it in combat. After this event, the UNSC task force met aboard the Mayhem to discuss what to do next. The commander of the ship, N'tho 'Sraom, proceeded to kidnap the UNSC troops, believing that the more time wasted talking would mean less time to stop the activation of the Halo Array. Mayhem proceeded to enter the portal to travel to the Ark.

A chaefka attacks the party on the Ark's surface.

The Mayhem arrived at Installation 00 much earlier than expected; the previous voyage to the installation had taken weeks, whereas Mayhem arrived in a matter of hours. Upon exiting slipspace, the corvette was immediately engaged by more Retrievers and was heavily damaged in the process, crash-landing on the surface of the installation. Unable to continue by air, the group set out towards the Citadel on foot. The group, consisting of several UNSC Marines, two Spartan-IVs, several Sangheili, and one Huragok, initially made slow progress over the blasted terrain, but eventually began to encounter some of the installation's ambient life in the form of Sky Leviathans. Shortly after, the group was attacked by blind wolves and Chaefka, two predatory species 'native' to the installation. In the skirmish, Olympia Vale was injured and lured away from the battle by the installation's monitor 000 Tragic Solitude, using a friendly Chaefka to lead her to its location. When Vale's absence was noted, Usze 'Taham, Elias Holt and Henry Lamb were sent to track her down. At the same time, Captain Annabelle Richards sent sev