Beta Gabriel

Beta Gabriel is a planet in the Epsilon Eridani system. It is 14 million kilometers from Reach, practically next door. In 2552, during the Fall of Reach, Captain Jacob Keyes ordered Ensign William Lovell to plot a slingshot orbit around Beta Gabriel to take the Pillar of Autumn back into the system, towards the battle, after the ship had exhausted its energy reserves destroying a Covenant Supercruiser.

The planet was sparsely populated, with a total population of barely five hundred, none of whom were official colonists; rather, the planet was made into a little-known "outdoors getaway" by human entrepreneurs, supporting little infrastructure beyond a few supply shops, a basic landing port, a few rustic cabins, and a community lodge, where wealthy people could hunt, hike, go on "spirit quests", and other activities. It was also the self-imposed place of exile of Dasc Gevadim, a human spiritualist and founder of Triad, who disappeared from the public eye to give the impression that he had achieved transcendence.

The planet's sparse population made it an easy target for a Jiralhanae pack with the ship Valorous Salvation when the Covenant attacked the planets in the Epsilon Eridani system, fleeing from a defeat at Reach. Ostensibly, Chieftain Parabum had his pack occupy the planet so that they could make sport of the captured humans, as well as their own Unggoy crew, hunting and eating them for entertainment; in reality, however, Parabum feared the wrath of his superiors and punishment for his failure and cowardice. Learning of the Jiralhanae invasion of Beta Gabriel, UNSC linguistic expert Connor Brien was granted permission to land on the planet and study their behavior. He was caught by a group of Brute hunters while he observed from a tree, and was brought back to their encampment around a the Valorous Salvation. While there he witnessed the slow breakdown of the pack's unity. He also noted that though the UNSC had estimated there were only five hundred people on the planet, the amount of carnage suggested there had been many more.

A coup orchestrated by Ceretus proved an ideal distraction for the humans, and they managed to benefit from the chaos. albeit briefly, and two survivors fled - Dasc and Brien. Brien was killed by Dasc to prevent his followers from knowing he was still alive so that they could keep their hope. Eventually, a UNSC Marine strike force wiped out the remnants of the Jiralhanae, though they were too late to save the humans.