Mission to Cleyell

The Mission to Cleyell was a United Nations Space Command operation to save civilians of the glassed planet Cleyell.

Prelude
In 2556, a Covenant fringe group glassed the last city of the colony world of Cleyell. Weeks later, the picked up a distress signal on the planet's surface, indicating that they may need to organize a search-and-rescue mission. One of the ODSTs questioned this, stating that any survivors only make it for around a month after a glassing. Holly Tanaka—a sergeant in the UNSC Army's 412th Engineer Command—then joined the conversation and revealed that the three survivors from her homeworld's glassing were recovered in 2553, three years later. After hearing her story, Captain French decided to follow Tanaka's advice. However, he also ordered Holly to accompany the group planetside due to her expertise.

The mission
After the ODST team and Tanaka landed on Cleyell's surface, they found a transmitter wedged down in a crack. When one of the ODSTs asked why someone would stash a transmitter there, the other ODST found a dead civilian with plasma burns in his body.

Tanaka and the ODSTs discovered a partially intact agricultural station in the glasslands. Tanaka deduced that the distress signal must have originated from below the buildings; as there are Kig-Yar snipers likely posted in the structure itself, no survivor could have escaped along the plains. They make their way into a cave system Tanaka spotted earlier, with her taking the lead due to her experience. She warns the two ODSTs to remain quiet or the Kig-Yar will execute any prisoners if they hear them coming. As one of the ODSTs takes a step forward, the ground gives way and he crashes through into a Kig-Yar-occupied cavern. Tanaka and the other ODST fall down the hole as well and a firefight ensues, with Tanaka and the ODSTs eventually emerging victorious.

Aftermath
Tanaka found a group of malnourished survivors, who are then rescued aboard a Pelican. After the mission, Captain French was impressed by Tanaka's selflessness and courage, and recommended Tanaka to Jun-A266 as a suitable candidate for the SPARTAN-IV program.

List of appearances

 * Halo: Escalation