Skirmish in New Phoenix

"Closing the portals stopped more Prometheans from converging on New Phoenix. Together with UNSC forces, the Spartans wiped out the remaining invaders. And saved New Phoenix from suffering through another catastrophe. Thanks to the heroism of Spartans like you, the people of Earth will continue to live in peace."

- Roland

The Skirmish in New Phoenix was a minor engagement in the city of New Phoenix, URNA on Earth in the Sol system. Occurring in late July of 2557, the battle was fought between the United Nations Space Command and Jul 'Mdama's reformed Covenant faction and the latter's Promethean allies.

Prelude
"When the Covenant used the Conduit at the Altar, they activated portals all over the galaxy. One of those portals was in New Phoenix, and... Well, you can guess what came next. What's more, the only way to close the portal was to bring the Conduit to the base—and use it to deactivate the Forerunner device."

- Roland

Some point after the original Covenant Empire had discovered the Conduit, a Forerunner device that was capable of opening slipspace portals throughout the galaxy. During the Battle of New Mombasa on Earth in October of 2552, the device was brought to the city. A skirmish between the Covenant and the United Nations Space Command ensured as both sides attempted to take the Conduit for themselves. Ultimately, a squad of the UNSC Marine Corps' Orbital Drop Shock Troopers managed to steal the Conduit from the Covenant. As assault carrier Solemn Penance was preparing to enter slipstream space over the city, the ODST squad was ordered to take the Conduit out of the city, so it could be safely delivered to an ONI research facility in New Phoenix, URNA. Before the squad could leave New Mombasa, Solemn Penance entered slipspace and the resulting slipstream wake killed the ODST squad and destroyed the city, seemingly along with the Conduit.

Unbeknownst to either side, the Conduit entered slipspace before it could be destroyed and transported itself to the UNSC-occupied Installation 03 in the Khaphrae system. In July of 2557, a faint signal emanating from the device was picked up by the UNSC and Jul 'Mdama's reformed Covenant faction. Both sides traveled to the installation and battled over the Conduit. During the conflict, Jul's Covenant managed to connect the Conduit to the Altar—a structure on Installation 03. Jul's Covenant intended to use the Conduit's connection to the Altar to open slipspace portals on Gamma Halo. With the portals open, their Promethean allies would be able to teleport to the installation and help Jul 'Mdama's Covenant take control of the ringworld for themselves; the UNSC sent in a Spartan Headhunter to stop them. Other portals were also opened throughout the galaxy, including one in New Phoenix. Eventually, Jul's Covenant was defeated at Installation 03 and they retreated from the system. Meanwhile, researchers at the New Phoenix ONI facility were studying a Forerunner artifact. When the portal opened in the city, Jul's Covenant launched an assault on New Phoenix.

Opening actions
As Covenant remnant and Promethean forces attacked researchers and UNSC Marine garrisons, the Spartan received an emergency distress call from the facility and traveled to the city to aid in the defense of New Phoenix, bringing the Conduit along to use it to help close the portal. The Spartan's initial landing zone was under heavy Covenant fire, so the supersolider was dropped off by a Pelican outside the facility's plaza. A team of researchers with knowledge on how to close the portal was pinned down by hostile forces at the Spartan's original landing point; the Spartan was tasked with rescuing them. With the support of the Marine garrison forces, the Spartan was able to operate a Scorpion tank and fight their way through hordes of Promethean Crawlers and Knights. Debris blocking the way forced the Spartan to abandon the Scorpion. The Headhunter continued on foot, battling Sangheili and Unggoy soldiers along the way. Upon arriving at the researchers' location, the Spartan wiped out the nearby Sangheili, Kig-Yar, and Unggoy troops. Once the Covenant forces were eliminated, the Spartan met with the three surviving researchers. The research team decided that they needed to use the Conduit to close the portal. The Spartan escorted the team to the research facility's primary laboratory in the inner campus, so they could use the Conduit to end the invasion.

Upon arriving at the lab, the group discovered that it was on lockdown during the attack. While the research team unlocked the lab's doors, the Spartan defended them from oncoming waves of Promethean forces. After the researchers opened the doors, the entered the lab and locked the doors behind them. The Spartan continued to protect the doors from waves of Covenant soldiers and Prometheans, as the researchers worked inside. The facility's final lockdown systems were eventually turned online and the researchers became fully protected inside the lab. With the base-wide security lockdown prevented hostile forces from breaching the lab, the Spartan was ordered to establish a communication link with the researchers. Manning a Kestrel, the Spartan was directed towards the research facility's communications center on the opposite side of the base. The Headhutner was forced to destroy the facility's security doors to make their way to the comm center, while fighting past numerous Covenant and Promethean forces in the Kestrel. Upon arriving at the comm center, the Spartan learned that its doors were locked. While Kwon worked to override the doors' security, the Spartan held off attacking Promethean and Covenant forces. Soon, the Spartan was able to enter the comm center after Kwon managed to unlock the doors. Once inside, the supersoldier established contact with the researchers.

Shutting down the portal
After establishing contact with the ONI researchers, the Spartan learned that the inner campus had been breached by Prometheans. In order to aid the researchers, the facility's security lockdown needed to be overrided to give the Spartan access to the researchers' lab. Kwon ordered the Headhunter to wipe the data from three security consoles. The Spartan battled their way back towards the campus, fighting past Prometheans and Covenant soldiers, as well as Wraiths. After wiping the data, the Spartan returned to the comms center and rebooted the security system. Now having access to the researchers' lab, the Spartan returned to the main campus. Meanwhile, the researchers discovered that the Forerunner device they had been studying is the main power source of the portal. After eliminating a group of Promethean Watchers, the Spartan was cornered near the main campus. However, the Spartan was able to fight off the Promethean waves and arrived at the inner campus.

The Spartan their way to the main power source of the power and guided the researchers to the consoles throughout the area. Once the researchers were at their posts, they began working to shut down the portal. Inside, the Prometheans and the Covenant attacked in huge waves, determined to prevent the UNSC from closing the portal. The Spartan protected each researcher individually as they began to activate the first pillar required to shut down the portal. One by one, the Spartan was able to provide support while the researchers activated the first pillar. The Spartan used to the same tactic to activate the second pillar. After fighting hordes of enemy forces, the Spartan was eventually able to allow the researchers to activate the third pillar. After all the pillars were activated, the Spartan aligned the Forerunner symbols on each on to the Forerunner artifact in the center of the room. After fighting past more Covenant forces, the Spartan inserted the Conduit into the Forerunner artifact. The artifact released a charge which shut down all portals in the city.

Aftermath
"There's no telling how many lives would have been lost if the Promethean onslaught had continued. Instead, we closed the portal and stopped them in their tracks. As for the Conduit itself? It jumped into slipspace before we could grab it. Official press reports referred to a "slipspace drive coil accident." Had people learned the truth, the resulting panic could have destabilized the Unified Earth Government at a crucial time. Luckily for us, that didn't happen."

- Roland

List of appearances

 * Halo: Spartan Strike