Cairo Station (Platform)

Cairo Station, Hull Classification Symbol ODA-142, is an Orbital Defense Platform in geosynchronous orbit about 35,900 kilometers above Earth, over the Egyptian city of Cairo, hence the station's name (although if one looks out the Cairo's windows, the station is over southern Africa, instead of northern Africa, where Cairo, Egypt is, though this is possibly due only to perspective). It is in the same battle cluster as Athens Station and Malta Station so it seems to be mainly guarding the area above the Mediterranean. It is commanded by Fleet Admiral Sir Terrence Hood.

History
In 2552, John-117 received the MJOLNIR Mk. VI armor in the Cairo armory prior to attending an awards ceremony on the station's command center. The ceremony was interrupted by the First Battle of Earth when thirteen Covenant CCS-class Battlecruiser and two Assault Carriers assaulted Earth. They tried to break through the Cairo's battle cluster by sending boarding craft to plant bombs on the stations to destroy them. Fleet Admiral Hood commanded the UNSC forces from the station during the attack. Unlike Athens and Malta, Cairo survived the Covenant attempt to detonate a Covenant Bomb on board. In an ironic twist, the bomb was located and used by John-117 to destroy a Covenant assault carrier. When SPARTAN-117 returned later to Earth, Cairo was still intact, but appeared damaged from the battle. Lord Hood was still on board and in command of the escalating Second Battle of Earth. The Cairo, the other MAC platforms, and three UNSC fleets held firm against the onslaught of the Covenant Loyalist forces. It was last seen in the end of Halo 2 where Lord Terrence Hood says "You mind telling me what you're doing on that ship?" Cairo could have survived the Second Battle of Earth and could have fired on certain areas where the Covenant had a foothold on the planet, assuming the fusion generator powering it had not been destroyed in the battle.

The Station
"When I shipped out for Basic, the orbital defense grid was all theory and politics. Now look! The Cairo is just one of three hundred geosync platforms. That MAC gun can put a round clean through a Covenant capital ship."

- Sergeant Johnson

Cairo Station's main purpose is as a defense station for Earth. Its main armament is a Mark V "Super" MAC gun, capable of causing severe damage to even a shielded Covenant Capital Ship with a single hit. However, it does not seem to have any kind of point defense weapons, as enemy boarding craft were able to attack the station unhindered. But it could have been originally planned that some of the docked and/or space-borne ships were to defend it from boarding craft. While there is an apparent lack of point-defense systems, an AI such as Cortana can operate the station's MAC gun. It runs on power transmitted from a planetside generator, much like the Type III prototype exoskeleton's.

Internal
Internally, it is very similar to UNSC ships with set out decks and specialized rooms. It includes habitat areas, armories, a command center, firing control, commons areas over-looked by security rooms, recreation rooms, security centers, areas for storing MAC rounds, a monorail, terminals for the monorails, umbilical sections for docking vessels and hangers for various smaller craft. Its areas seemed to be either named after colors or named after parts of the NATO phonetic alphabet or after colors and then sometimes a number. These may refer to the deck they are on, how many there are on a deck or used for color coded guidance.

Like all United Nations Space Command space constructs it featured regular bulkheads for protection against hull breaches but seemed especially adept for fending off boarding parties. It had large stockpiles of Combat Barriers, large supplies of M247 GPMGs, security booths providing defense points and regular weapons lockers in the walls containing Battle Rifles and SMGs. It is possible that these weapons are a substitute for point defenses.

The station includes large cargo elevators, stairwells, numerous interconnecting corridors, airlocks, walkways outside the station (in space), and other facilities.

Armory A-01 Cairo Station Armory A-01 was the United Nations Space Command armory on the port side of Cairo Station. Master Chiefs battle suit was checked and tested using the different machines within the room; the targeting device and the energy shield test. During the First Battle of Earth, Covenant boarders invaded Armory A-01. Elites armed with Plasma Rifles killed the Master Gunnery Sergeant, who was equipped with a shotgun. SPARTAN-117, from Hangar A-02, wasn't able to get to him in time (as the doors on the floor would not open), but he was able to avenge him.

Bridge The Bridge is located right by Security R-01 and Habitat Alpha. It is the command point of the entire station where Lord Hood commands all the forces above and on Earth. Due to this, it is one of the most heavily defended positions surrounding Earth.

Commons B-01 Commons B-01, also known as Commons Blue, is a generic United Nations Space Command term for one of the Commons modules on the port side of an Orbital Magnetic Accelerator Cannon Platform. It consists of a standard-sized rectangular room, with "islands" regularly spaced to the edges of the room. Security B-01 overlooks Commons B-01. Commons B-01 was the Commons area closest to the bridge. During the First Battle of Earth, Covenant boarders invaded Commons Blue, pushing back Marines to the far side of the room and pinning them down by overlapping fields of fire from Plasma Cannons on the "islands", along with Grunts and Elites. However, they were repelled by SPARTAN-117.

Commons R-01 Commons R-01, also known as Commons Red, is a generic United Nations Space Command term for one of the Commons modules on the port side of an Orbital Magnetic Accelerator Cannon Platform. It consists of a standard-sized rectangular room, with "islands" regularly spaced to the edges of the room. Security R-01 overlooks Commons R-01. Cairo Station Commons Red was the United Nations Space Command Commons of Cairo Station further from the bridge. During the First Battle of Earth, Covenant boarders invaded Commons Red, hampering SPARTAN-117s efforts at getting to the Covenant Bomb.

Firing Control Firing Control is a generic United Nations Space Command term for any center or position referring to the operations of weapons systems aboard a starship, such as a UNSC Frigate or Orbital Magnetic Accelerator Cannon Platform. During the First Battle of Earth, Covenant boarders invaded Cairo Station's Firing Control, killed all Marines stationed there, with the exception of one who hid, and planted a bomb that was intended to destroy the station, but they were repulsed by the Master Chief.

Habitat Alpha Habitat Alpha is a generic United Nations Space Command term for one of the quarters sections of an Orbital Magnetic Accelerator Cannon Platform. Cairo Station Habitat Alpha was invaded by the Covenant during the invasion of Earth. The UNSC defense coordinator ordered multiple Fire Teams to the habitat, but eventually was forced to send a full Marine squad to repel the intruders.

Habitat Delta Habitat Delta is a generic United Nations Space Command term for for one of the quarters sections of an Orbital Magnetic Accelerator Cannon Platform. Cairo Station Habitat Delta was invaded by the Covenant during the invasion of Earth. The UNSC defense coordinator ordered multiple Fire Teams to the habitat, but eventually was forced to send a full Marine squad to repel the intruders.

Hangar A-01 Hangar A-01, also known as Hanger Bay A, is a generic United Nations Space Command term for one of the two-story Longsword and Pelican hangers on the port side of an Orbital Magnetic Accelerator Cannon Platform. During the First Battle of Earth, Covenant boarders invaded Hangar A-01. A Covenant Boarding Craft had docked and deployed waves of Grunts and Elites. Marine defenders, equipped with Battle Rifles, SMGs, and even a Machine Gun Turret (on lower difficulties), were being overwhelmed at their position at the second floor when SPARTAN-117 came to assist, killing all the Covenant and repulsing them back to their landing ship. SPARTAN-117 then moved to adjacent Hangar A-02.

Hangar A-02 Hangar A-02, also known as Hanger Bay B, is a generic United Nations Space Command term for one of the two-story Longsword and Pelican hangars on the port side of an Orbital Magnetic Accelerator Cannon Platform. During the First Battle of Earth, Hangar A-02 was invaded by Covenant boarders. A Covenant Boarding Craft had docked and deployed waves of Grunts and Elites. Marine defenders were overwhelmed and forced to retreat to the mouth of the bay, where several soldiers were under suppressive fire from two Plasma Cannons manned by Gunner Grunts on the second floor. Spartan 117 then arrived from Hangar A-01, bolstering the Marine forces. The group was able to kill all of the Covenant boarders and repulse them back to their landing ship.

Hangar C-01 Hangar C-01 is a generic United Nations Space Command term for one of the two-deck Longsword and Pelican hangers below the MAC gun on an Orbital Defense Platform. During the First Battle of Earth, SPARTAN-117 was able to kill all Covenant defending the bomb in Firing Control and take it to Hangar C-01. He then activated the airlock door, explosively decompressing the bay. The SPARTAN-II was miraculously able to guide his trajectory to intersect with a nearby unshielded Covenant Assault Carrier. He used the bomb to destroy the enemy vessel and safely arrived on the In Amber Clad.

MAC Storage MAC Storage is a generic United Nations Space Command term for either of the two areas on an Orbital Magnetic Accelerator Cannon Platform between the armories and Firing Control where MAC rounds are stored. Cairo Station MAC Storage refers to the area below Armory A-01 where MAC rounds are stored. During the First Battle of Earth, SPARTAN-117 went through MAC Storage to get to the Armory, where he avenged the Master Gunnery Sergeant's death before moving on to Commons B-01.

Recreation R-01 Recreation R-01 is a generic United Nations Space Command term for the Recreation area on the port side of the Bridge on an Orbital Magnetic Accelerator Cannon Platform. It consists of video phones for contact with Earth, as well as screens dictating information about Cairo Station. During the First Battle of Earth, it was one of the first areas invaded by Covenant. SPARTAN-117 repulsed the boarders before moving on to Commons B-01.

Security B-01 Security B-01 is a generic United Nations Space Command term for one of the security stations on the port side of an Orbital Magnetic Accelerator Cannon Platform. It overlooks Commons B-01. Cairo Station Security B-01 was the United Nations Space Command port side security station of Cairo Station closest to the bridge. During the First Battle of Earth, Covenant boarders invaded the security station, but were repelled by the Master Chief. Security B-01 is where one of the Plasma Cannons pinning down the Marines were located.

Security R-01 Security R-01 is a generic United Nations Space Command term for one of the security stations on the port side of an Orbital Magnetic Accelerator Cannon Platform. It overlooks Commons R-01. Cairo Station Security R-01 was the United Nations Space Command port side security station of Cairo Station further from the bridge. During the First Battle of Earth, Covenant boarders invaded the security station, but were repulsed by SPARTAN-117.

Security Station One Security Station One is a generic United Nations Space Command term for for one of the security stations of an Orbital Magnetic Accelerator Cannon Platform. During the First Battle of Earth, Covenant boarders invaded and took the security station.

Security Station Four Security Station Four is a generic United Nations Space Command term for for one of the security stations of an Orbital Magnetic Accelerator Cannon Platform. During the First Battle of Earth, Covenant boarders invaded the security station, but were supposedly repulsed by Marines.

Terminal Two Terminal Two is a generic United Nations Space Command term for a monorail station on an Orbital Magnetic Accelerator Cannon Platform. During the First Battle of Earth, it was invaded by the Covenant, and the UNSC defense coordinator ordered multiple Fire Teams to the terminal.

Tram Station The Tram Station is the station for the tram system that goes all around Cairo Station. It is located near the Starboard Shipping.

Umbilicals Umbilicals are corridors branching out from UNSC geosynchronous Super MAC platforms, like Cairo Station, to other ships that may dock to the station. During the First Battle of Earth, the Master Chief cleared the portside Umbilicals for Commander Miranda Keyes' safe passage to In Amber Clad before moving on to shipping to get to the Covenant Bomb.

Trivia

 * If you walk into the loading arm of the MAC gun in the Firing Control Center in the level "Cairo Station", you will be crushed and sometimes fall down into the cutscene hangar, where the Chief jumps out with the Covenant bomb. However, if you do this too many times, you might glitch back to the previous checkpoint.
 * Using the Sputnik Skull, you can explore Cairo Station.
 * Despite being called the Cairo Station, the platform is located more towards central Africa than Cairo, much like the misplacement of Athens and Malta.
 * The numeric designation for the Cairo may be another Seven reference, as the sum of all of it's digits equals seven.