Uldt Desert

The Uldt Desert is a vast arid area on the planet of Carrow.

Description
The Uldt Desert encompasses a vast area of Carrow's surface. It is primarily dominated by a sea of sand dunes, though the northern region consists of a more rocky terrain that contains fields of boulders and mountains ranges such as the Karfu Mountains. The Astlehich River flows along the western reaches of the desert, with the Sangheili city of Rak located on its banks. The streambed of the dried-up Carstolum River runs down the east side of the desert for hundreds of miles. The Human city of Suraka is also located on the eastern side of the Uldt. There are a wealth of oases in the Uldt Desert, including Herndon Lake, Aza Oasis, Masov Oasis, and Fallen Tree. Various other locales were scattered throughout the Uldt, such as human settlements such as Sandholm and the Office of Naval Intelligence Forward Operating Base of Gila Station in the northeast.

Locations

 * Suraka
 * Wulandari Building
 * Surakan Stock Exchange
 * Rak
 * Masov Oasis
 * Sandholm
 * Karfu Mountains
 * Aza Oasis
 * Herndon Lake
 * Gila Station
 * Astlehich River
 * Carstolum River

Ancient History
Towards the end of the Forerunner-Flood war, the Forerunners constructed a Sharquoi hive beneath the Uldt Desert in the future location of Suraka.

Prior to its colonization by humanity, Carrow was hit with an unknown ecological disaster that shook the once-lush ecosystem. This most likely greatly increased the size of the Uldt Desert, if not creating it in the first place. It also caused the Carstolum River to dry up, leaving only a hardened streambed in the eastern Uldt.

Human colonization
Humanity colonized Carrow in 2435, building the city of Suraka around an oasis in the Uldt.

Human-Covenant War
During the Human-Covenant War, the United Nations Space Command evacuated the entirety of Suraka's population, leaving the Uldt devoid of the presence of a major civilization.

Post-war
In the wake of the Great Schism and the conclusion of the Human-Covenant War, Sangheili refugees from the colony of Glyke arrived on Carrow in order to build a new life. Led by Rojka 'Kasaan, they touched down on the banks of the Astlehich River and founded the city of Rak. Later, the human settlers returned to Suraka, leaving the two cities separated by the Uldt. Various other human settlements began springing up in the Uldt, such as Sandholm, which was founded by human colonists who originally planned to settle on the land where Rak was located. These settlements occasionally clashed with Sangheili over oases, tightening tensions between the two cities. Sometime during this period, the Office of Naval Intelligence became aware of the presence of the Sharquoi hive beneath Suraka and built Gila Station in the Karfu Mountains in order to monitor the facility.

Around two months prior to the onset of the Carrow Conflict, a deadly disease swept through Sandholm, leaving almost all the residents dead or in critical condition. In an attempt to get them medical care, a girl named Dahlia journeyed to Masov Oasis, saving a Sangheili warrior named Jat along the way. They were then engaged by a Sangheili death squad that was aligned with Thars 'Sarov. This fight spilled into the Uldt, where the Surakan Militia Volunteers interveined and killed all the Sangheili present, including Jat. They then provided medical aid to the residents of Sandholm.

Carrow Conflict
During the initial engagements of the Carrow Conflict, Thar's fleet targeted Surakan communications equipment located in the Uldt. Later, after the battle between Rojka and Thar's forces and Gray Team's subsequent escape, Michael-120 crash landed their Bumblebee escape craft into the Uldt near an unnamed oasis. Gray Team cleared the crash site with an injured Melody Azikiwe in tow, who directed them to head towards Gila Station. Rojka's flagship, the Unwavering Discipline, and Thar's fleet subsequently crash-landed in the Uldt. Rojka took his remaining forces in pursuit of Gray Team, picking up their trail at their crash site. He then took a force of sixteen warriors in pursuit of Gray Team while his remaining forces attempted to draw off Thar's search parties.

During their trip to Gila Station, Gray Team engaged and destroyed one of Rojka's Banshee. They then reached the ONI facility and were admitted by Commander Greg van Eekhout. Rojka and Thar's forces then reached the station, then negotiated a deal for them to both breach the facility. Gray Team escaped the facility in the ensuing attack, taking a Warthog down the Carstolum River's streambed towards Suraka. Rojka escaped Gila Station before its destruction with Melody and headed in the same direction in a Phantom. Meanwhile in Suraka, Operation: BUZZHAWK was put into action in order to loosen the Voice of Maardoth's hold on the city. As a result of its success, the Jiralhanae Varric-pattern heavy cruiser Foebane was destroyed and the wreckage fell into the Uldt. After this happened, Gray Team was engaged by two Jiralhanae Banshees. Adriana-111 destroyed one while the other was taken out by a squad of militia members led by Sergeant Rae Carson who were tasked with securing the Foebane's crash site. Rojka, Melody, and the remaining Sangheili forces then touched down in the Uldt outside of Suraka, meeting up with militia scouts and pledging their support in combatting the Jiralhanae Chieftain Hekabe and his army of Sharquoi.

After the failed assassination attempt on Hekabe, Vice-governor Lamar Edwards received permission from Governor Ellis Gass to begin evacuating civilians into the Uldt. This evacuation involved hundreds of thousands of people being evacuated to various oases, settlements, and other water sources within the Uldt. Squads of Surakan militia members were deployed in the Uldt to lead the Sharquoi away from the evacuation. At the same time, Rojka, Gray Team, and Melody travelled into the Uldt Desert in an attempt to gain control of Thar's fleet. They initially appeared to surrender to Thars before ambushing him with Rojka's remaining forces. The team used this to subdue the Sangheili and kill his forces. However, they were unable to capture his Spirit dropship and were therefore powerless to prevent Hekabe from gaining control of Hekabe's fleet. They were then intercepted by Ellis Gass, who recruited the team in order to launch a final assault on Hekabe in the Battle of the Sharquoi Hive.

List of appearances

 * Halo: Fractures
 * Oasis
 * Halo: Envoy