UNSC In Amber Clad

Summary
The UNSC In Amber Clad was to Halo 2 as the UNSC Pillar of Autumn was to Halo: Combat Evolved. It was the main transportation for the Master Chief throughout the game. It was a small, but formidable warship in the UNSC. It is designated as a "Frigate" and is significantly smaller than the Pillar of Autumn. It did not have an AI of its own, though was capable of holding one.

The In Amber Clad had a compliment of Pelican dropships, a MAC gun, and a detachment of ODSTs from the 3rd Orbital Drop Shock Trooper Division.

History
As of October 2552, the In Amber Clad was captained by Commander Miranda Keyes. It was docked with Cairo Station during an award ceremony for Jacob Keyes (The award was for Jacob Keyes but since he died on Halo it was given to Miranda Keyes, Sergeant Major Johnson and the Master Chief. In that ceremony, Miranda accepted a posthumous colonial cross for her father. In the middle of the ceremony, however, Covenant capitol ships appeared around Earth, and so The First Battle of Earth began.

Despite interference from Covenant Boarding Craft and Rangers which were invading the station, Commander Keyes was able to reach her ship along with Sergeant Johnson. They got underway from the station and immediately descended to catch the Master Chief after his daring destruction of one of the enemy ships using their own bomb. Afterwards, the vessel descended to New Mombasa where it dispatched Pelicans full of Marine and ODST forces to join the massive battle taking place around the city. The ship continued to unload forces and supplies throughout the battle, including Warthog and Scorpion vehicles.

At the same time, the ship was picking up stragglers and wounded soldiers, including Johnson, the Chief, and the remains of Alpha Company of the 405th Marine Infantry Division.

As the High Prophet of Regret suddenly initiated a slipspace jump inside the city, the In Amber Clad was the only vessel close enough to follow it. Lord Hood allowed Keyes to follow the Assault Carrier through the slipspace aperature, even though she didn't know where it was headed.

They ended up at Installation 05. There, Keyes immediately sent the ODSTs and the Master Chief to the surface in Human Entry Vehicles to track down the Prophet at The Temple while she herself took Johnson and most of the Marines to the Library in order to retrieve the Index and stop the Covenant.

Though the Chief suceeded, most of the ODSTs perished in the fight. As Keyes entered the Library, they were immediately attacked by rampant Flood and most of her Marines became Combat Forms and Carrier Forms.

It is likely that the Flood comandeered a Pelican and infiltrated the In Amber Clad, because it was not seen again until it appeared in High Charity much later. At this point it was completely infested by the Flood and even carried the Gravemind creature. The ship crashed into a tower near the Council Chamber, and immediately the Flood used most of the ship's remaining Pelicans to crash all over the city and quickly assimilate much of its population.

Cortana intended to use the In Amber Clad's engines to destroy High Charity, but it is unclear if she will do this due to her apparent capture or betrayal to the Gravemind.