Editing Threshold gas mine

{{Era|Forerunner|Covenant|Human|UNSC|HCW}}

[[File:Gasgiant.jpg|thumb|right|300px|The gas mine, high above a storm raging on the planet Threshold.]]

{{quote|This mining facility predates [[Installation 04|Installation Alpha]] by several hundred years. It was retrofitted to research possible offensive and defensive measures against [[the Flood]]. Indeed, I designed and oversaw the construction of this facility's various outbreak management systems.|[[343 Guilty Spark]]}}

This '''gas mine''' was a large structure suspended in the atmosphere of the gas giant [[Threshold]], the planet around which [[Installation 04]] orbited. It was an expansive automated facility that was created and used by the [[Forerunner]]s and later, the [[Sesa 'Refumee's heretic faction]]. It was destroyed when it fell into Threshold and was crushed by the planet's gravity.<ref name="oracle">'''Halo 2''', campaign level ''[[The Oracle]]''</ref> It was one of many similar facilities on Threshold.<ref name="art">'''[[The Art of Halo]]'''</ref>

[[File:GasMineSchematic.jpg|thumb|right|350px|A schematic of the gas mine.]]

Hanging from a larger installation higher in the atmosphere, the mine was shaped somewhat like a grappling hook, with one center shaft and many legs bending down, and inwards it has three tubes extracting gas from Threshold. The station was divided into five modules: two gas refinement arms, each with its own cargo hangar, two laboratory modules for the research of [[the Flood]], and the final module was the control section of the mine. Each of these modules could be accessed by catwalks or landing sites.

The main cable was held in place by three equidistant holds on the top level; supposedly the holds could be released by the main control of the station. The inside of the gas mine was a curious mix of Forerunner aesthetic and factory, with dozens of moving energy conveyor belts carrying gas canisters about. There was a large gas storage hold, which was accessed by a large circular [[lift]]. This hold contained hundreds of canisters, most of which contain Flood. A series of three cables connected the mine to the larger structure overhead; this was a failsafe in case of a Flood infestation.<ref>'''Halo 2''', campaign level ''The Oracle'', 343 Guilty Spark monologue</ref>

The gas mine was created by the Forerunners with the sole purpose of mining gas from the atmosphere of Threshold. It operated on a completely automated basis for "untold centuries" with a resident contingent of [[Sentinel]]s to maintain the facility.<ref name="art"/>

However, after the Flood was discovered, the Forerunners retrofitted several areas of the gas mine into laboratories to study Flood specimens. [[343 Guilty Spark]], the future [[Monitor]] of [[Installation 04]], personally oversaw some of these modifications. A few hundred years passed, however, with no successful defense against the Flood, eventually forcing the Forerunners to activate their weapon of last resort; the [[Halo Array]].

In 2552, the ''[[Fleet of Particular Justice]]'' stumbled upon the system when pursuing the {{UNSCShip|Pillar of Autumn}}. An artifact retrieval team led by [[Sesa 'Refumee]] and [[Loka 'Bandolee]] landed on the gas mine attempting to retrieve any useful Forerunner technologies they could find;<ref>'''Halo: The Flood (2010)''', Adjunct: ''[[Priority Broadcast Log/Eleventh Cycle, Third Unit]]''</ref> however, at the conclusion of the [[Battle of Installation 04]], the group found itself marooned on the mine.

While there, the group encountered 343 Guilty Spark, having arrived into the gas mine from the remains of Installation 04.<ref>'''Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary''', ''[[Terminal/Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary|Terminal 11]]''</ref> Listening to his words and finding out the truth about the Halos and the [[Great Journey]], Sesa 'Refumee led a rebellion and began broadcasting their beliefs across Covenant communications channels, attracting the attention of other Covenant personnel, including the [[High Prophets]]. Dubbing his movement "Heresy", the High Prophets ordered [[Special Operations]] forces led by [[Rtas 'Vadumee]] and [[Arbiter]] [[Thel 'Vadam]]ee to attack the gas mine and end 'Refumee's movement forever.

The surprise attack went well; the Covenant forces were able to infiltrate the facility and pursue 'Refumee, destroying many heretic [[Type-26 Ground Support Aircraft|Banshees]] along the way.<ref>'''Halo 2''', campaign level, ''[[The Arbiter]]''</ref> But complications arose when the Flood were released from their restraints by the Heretics,<ref name="oracle"/> and overran the entire facility. The Flood multiplied quickly, infecting and killing most of the heretic forces, making it difficult for the Covenant to secure the facility. 'Refumee locked himself in the inner section of the mine, safe from both the Flood and an approaching maelstrom, but the Arbiter responded bluntly by cutting the cables holding the mine up, sending it into freefall. This forced the heretic leader to escape his hideout with an attempt to evacuate aboard a [[Type-31 XMF|Seraph]] fighter, but the Arbiter caught up to him and they had a intense battle where he was killed. Shortly thereafter, [[Tartarus]] appeared in a Phantom, and he, the Arbiter, the special operations forces, and 343 Guilty Spark escaped the mine before it fell into Threshold's inner atmosphere, where it was subsequently destroyed.<ref name="oracle"/>

On ''[[The Oracle]]'', if the player jumps just before the station is detached, the entire station will freefall out from under the player, sending him toward a kill barrier.

File:Gasmine.jpg|Three [[Type-52 Phantom|Phantoms]] approaching the mine in order to eradicate [[Sesa 'Refumee's heretic faction]].

File:H2A - GasMine.png|The gas mine from ''Halo 2 Anniversary''.

File:H2A - GasMine Hallway.png|A hallway in the gas mine.

**''[[Terminal/Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary|Terminals]]''

*''[[Halo 2 Anniversary]]''

**''[[Terminal/Halo 2 Anniversary|Terminals]]''

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[[Category:Military Bases]]