Operation: ATHENA

Operation: ATHENA was an engagement fought on the Absolute Record on 2558.

Prelude
After the events on the shield world of Requiem, Jul 'Mdama and Dr. Catherine Halsey allied themselves to recover both halves of the Janus Key and discover the location of the Absolute Record. In Aktis IV, they planned to steal the UNSC half of the Janus Key, but a rebellion led by the Sangheili Sali 'Nyon threatened their plans. Halsey was able to recover the second half of the Janus Key thanks to a Minor who betrayed 'Nyon. Even when Commander Sarah Palmer captured the doctor, the Covenant was able to rescue the doctor and recover the Janus Key, emerging victorious. Days later, Jul and Halsey discovered the location of the Absolute Record. Unknown to them, Ayit 'Sevi, a Sangheili working with the Office of Naval Intelligence, was able to infiltrate inside Jul's faction and provided ONI with information about their plans. The UNSC then formed a specialist team of Spartans Sarah Palmer, Gabriel Thorne and Holly Tanaka, Dr. Henry Glassman and Ayit.

Onboard the, Glassman then briefs them on the equipment they will use on the mission: the human members of the team will infiltrate the Breath of Annihilation in a Covenant box with a cloaked interior compartment, transported to the ship aboard a Type-44 Phantom piloted by 'Sevi. Once at the Absolute Record they will separate from the fleet and find a place to land. Because they lack real-time superluminal communications options, they will use a state-of-the-art model of telemetry probe that will transmit their location back to the UNSC.

The battle
On September 17, 2558, Ayit 'Sevi's Phantom enters Breath of Annihilation, just before the fleet makes the jump toward the Absolute Record. Upon their exit from slipspace three hours later, 'Mdama's fleet enters the upper atmosphere of an unusually hot gas giant with a metallic hydrogen core, noted by Dr. Halsey as being likely artificial. The Janus Key begins to react, leading Halsey to conclude that they are close to their destination — a slipspace portal to the Absolute Record. As the portal begins to form, however, slipspace ruptures materialize into several ships of the fleet, tearing them apart. Breath of Annihilation is damaged as well and the Spartans and Glassman are thrown about uncontrollably in their crate. 'Sevi blows the box open and tells the others that they must move out as the entire ship is breaking apart. He also reveals that the telemetry probe has been destroyed, meaning they have no way to contact the UNSC.

List of Appearances

 * Halo: Escalation