Editing Operation: SUNSPEAR

{{Status|Canon}}
{{Battle infobox
|prev= [[Battle of Installation 00]]<br>[[Raid on Installation 08]]
|conc= 
|next= 
|name= '''Operation: SUNSPEAR'''
|image=
|conflict= [[Human-Covenant War]]
|date= [[2552#December|December 2552]]
|place= [[Glyke]]
|result=
'''Primary objective completed'''
*Destruction of [[Glyke]]
'''Strategically insignificant'''
*[[Human-Covenant War]] already over
|side1= [[United Nations Space Command]]
|side2= [[Covenant separatists]]
|commanders1=
|commanders2=
|forces1=
*[[Office of Naval Intelligence|ONI]]
**{{UNSCShip|Vacuna}}
***[[Spartan-II program|Spartan]] [[Gray Team]]
|forces2=
|casual1=
*{{UNSCShip|Vacuna}}
|casual2=*Glyke's entire population annihilated
}}

'''Operation: SUNSPEAR''' was an operation launched by the [[Office of Naval Intelligence]] to launch a retaliatory strike against the [[Covenant]] in [[2552]] in the final stages of the [[Human-Covenant War]].

==Background==
In 2552, the [[United Nations Space Command]] suffered a catastrophic defeat in the [[Fall of Reach]]; with humanity's single greatest stronghold lost, the Covenant advance towards [[Earth]] now appeared unstoppable. With the majority of the [[Spartan-II|Spartans]] apparently killed on [[Reach]] during preparations for [[Operation: RED FLAG]], the members of [[Gray Team]] stood as the only available members for what was to be a devastating counterattack against the Covenant as revenge for the billions already lost to the war. Gray Team was selected to launch a covert penetration of Covenant space, with the goal of eliminating as many of the [[Covenant military]]'s [[Sangheili]] leaders as possible and to target one of their worlds for destruction via a [[NOVA bomb]]. The three members of Gray Team, [[Jai-006]], [[Adriana-111]], and [[Michael-120]] departed for their mission aboard the prowler {{UNSCShip|Vacuna}}.{{Ref/Novel|Id=envoy|Env|Chapter=12}}

==The operation==
The ''Vacuna'' ferried its elite team into deep space, facing numerous communications blackouts with the UNSC as they sought out their primary objectives. Finally, word arrived that the Covenant had found and [[Battle of Earth|invaded]] Earth. ONI initiated ''Operation Endgame'', clearing Gray Team to deploy the NOVA bomb at their earliest disposal before losing contact. Gray Team sought to use the bomb on [[Sanghelios]], but decided against it as the planet was too heavily defended. Gray Team found another candidate; the nearby colony world of [[Glyke]], home to billions of Sangheili citizens. The team unanimously voted Glyke as their target, departing to the surface of the planet in December of that year. 

Upon touchdown, Gray Team readied the NOVA bomb for detonation, and with the countdown initiated retreated back to the ''Vacuna'' for immediate departure. The subsequent explosion completely annihilated the planet and all life upon its surface, damaging the ''Vacuna'' as it attempted to clear the destruction. Unable to save the vessel, Gray Team was forced to evacuate aboard the prowler's single [[Class-5 Bumblebee]] escape pod, codenamed ''[[Whiskey Tango Foxtrot One]]''. The three members of Gray Team were the only survivors of the ''Vacuna'' as the crippled prowler was destroyed, and the Spartans were left stranded in space with no way to contact the UNSC. Having retrieved several [[cryo chamber]]s before escape, the Spartans entered cryo-sleep as they awaited rescue.{{Ref/Reuse|envoy}}

==Aftermath==
Unbeknownst to Gray Team, the war had ended in a human victory due to the outbreak of the [[Great Schism]], leading to the Sangheili-UNSC alliance that saw the complete destruction of the Covenant at the [[Battle of Installation 00]]. An unsteady peace was formalized between the two races by the time of Glyke's destruction. 

Gray Team was presumably listed as MIA as was the tradition with all Spartan-II supersoldiers throughout the War, and were among the few Spartans to truly be so. Gray Team's lifeboat drifted through space for six years until [[2558]], when the Sangheili warship ''[[Unwavering Discipline]]'' recovered it and imprisoned the Spartans while they remained in cryo-sleep. The vessel's [[Fleetmaster]], [[Rojka 'Kaasan]] sought to bargain the Spartans' freedom with the UNSC as part of his revenge for those killed on Glyke.

In an effort to get Gray Team back, ONI had [[Melody Azikiwe]] negotiate with Rojka while secretly trying to find a way to wake them up herself. After [[Thars 'Sarov]] attacked Rojka, Melody managed to awaken Gray Team from cryo and they stole back [[Whiskey Tango Foxtrot One|their lifeboat]] and escaped to the surface of [[Carrow]] where Gray Team got caught up in the massive [[Carrow Conflict]]. After the battle, ONI offered a deal where Gray Team would join a joint interspecies team with part of the deal being that [[Thel 'Vadam]], the leader of the [[Swords of Sanghelios]], would grant them a formal pardon for their actions. Gray Team ultimately took the deal with a list of demands attached. Additionally, after fighting side-by-side with Gray Team in the battle, Rojka let go of his vengeance upon them.{{Ref/Novel|Env|Chapter=28}}

==List of appearances==
*''[[Halo: The Fall of Reach]]'' {{Im}}
*''[[Halo: Envoy]]'' {{Fm}}

==Sources==
{{Ref/Sources}}

{{Human-Covenant War}}
[[Category:Battles of the Human-Covenant War|SUNSPEAR]]
[[Category:Operations|SUNSPEAR]]
[[Category:UNSC victories|SUNSPEAR]]