Halo: Blood Line Issue 2

Halo: Blood Line Issue 2 was released on January 27, 2010 and is the second of five in the Halo: Blood Line series of comics.

Plot synopsis
The issue begins with a report by Iona, recounting the events of the previous issue. While under fire from a Covenant Wraith, a Forerunner Gatherer appears behind the Spartans of Team Black, and opens fire on them with a powerful energy weapon. The Spartans return fire, but fail to do any damage to the machine. The Covenant also notice the interruption, but another Gatherer appears and abducts the Wraith's Unggoy gunner Jubub and a Mgalekgolo. The Gatherers then destroy the Wraith and proceed to capture Thon 'Talamee. Meanwhile, the other Gatherer captures Black-One. After this, the machines proceed to leave.

Black-Three and Four give chase, and find that the Gatherers are headed for the same structure the Spartans observed while still on the ship. They barely make it inside, where they encounter several Sentinels. Iona then notes that the structure's virtual and physical architecture is entirely foreign, not matching any human or Covenant designs.

Outside, the Covenant forces led by Thon 'Talamee are desperately trying to get inside, with no avail. Thon begins lamenting the loss of his brother, broadcasting a eulogy on open channels. This has a curious effect on Four, who is suddenly flooded with memories from the Spartans' training days. He is inclined to open the door and let the Covenant in, telling Iona to transmit a truce agreement to the Covenant channels. Three strongly disagrees, reminding Four that the Covenant are the enemy, and that their priority is to find Black-One. Four states that the complex is too immense to explore by themselves only, that they are short on ammo and that they and the Covenant share the same goal of getting their people back. Four proceeds to open the door, but Three pulls a gun on him, demanding him to step away from the console. Iona manages to reason with the two and resolve the tense situation, and finally, they open the doors and start negotiating with the Covenant for a temporary ceasefire.

Deep inside the complex, the Gatherers drop Reff, Black-One, Jubub, and a Mgalekgolo to small holding cells. Reff begins to console Black-One, stating that the Forerunners have chosen her to embark on the Great Journey and offers to preach the Covenant religion's teachings to her, which she politely declines. 686 Ebullient Prism, the installation's Monitor, then appears and introduces itself and its function to the captives. Black-One demands that they are released, to which the Monitor responds that their assistance is not required to be voluntary, dissecting the Mgalekgolo in one of the cells as an example. The Monitor then tells the rest of the captives that once the inspection and cataloging of the dissected creature is complete, it will return its attention to them.

Trivia
The opening summary for this issue is not in the hardback or the Halo: Oversized Collection.