Jim Dandy

The Jim Dandy was a civilian food services establishment (roadside diner) on the human planet Tribute, in the capital city of Casbah. It was the scene of a UNSC vs. Insurrectionist conflict that was a UNSC loss and apparently had dozens of civilian casualties.

After eliminating Insurrectionist forces at one of their bombshops in a nearby city, Staff Sergeant Avery Johnson and his seven fellow Marines are ordered to move via their Hornet attack craft to Casbah. TOC (tactical operations center) on the UNSC Corvette Bum Rush had overwatch, had just learned that the Insurrectionists had mixed an explosive compound into the seemingly harmless tires of a 16-wheeler commercial "hauler". This was discovered through an ARGUS Drone patrolling one of the city's major highways.

After a 20 minute flight, the strike team (made up of Alpha team led by Staff Sergeant Avery and Bravo team led by Staff Sergeant Byrne) arrived on station. Their Hornets maneuvered behind an office building across the street from the Jim Dandy. Using an M99 Stanchion, Johnson killed (and blew to pieces) the Insurrectionist driver of the hauler as he exited the building.

Bravo team proceeded to land in the parking lot to secure the Jim Dandy and extract a purse suspected to be filled with explosives, as also sensed by the ARGUS drone. Staff Sergeant Bryne and his squad entered the restaurant and secured the purse, but as he did so a female Insurrectionist member exited the bathroom. She saw the Marines and panicked, taking hostage a four-year old boy.

With detonator in hand, the woman threatened to detonate the bomb. The civilians in the restaurant panicked and attempted to escape. What happened in the next few seconds is not clear through the chaos, but it can be surmised that the woman detonated the bomb. The explosive radius of the purse bomb also triggered the tire bombs, and thus ended the Jim Dandy Battle, likely resulting in the KIA of all of Bravo team, the complete destruction of the Jim Dandy and many civilian casualties.

Source
Halo: Contact Harvest

Bungie.net Story: http://www.bungie.net/News/content.aspx?type=topnews&cid=12911