Battle of Installation 05: Difference between revisions

|date=[[2552#November|November 2–4, 2552]]

|place=[[Installation 05]], [[Coelest system]]

*[[Great Schism|Covenant leadership fractured]]

*Sangheili-led Fleet of Retribution allies with the UNSC

*Flood successfully escape Installation 05

*Flood [[Fall of High Charity|invade High Charity]]

|side1=*[[United Nations Space Command]]

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*[[Covenant separatists]] (From [[2552#November|November 3, 2552]] onwards)

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*[[Sentinel|Forerunner constructs]]

*[[UNSC Marine Corps]]

**[[Orbital Drop Shock Troopers|ODSTs]]

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Forerunner constructs

*[[Aggressor Sentinel]]s

|forces2=

|forces3=*[[Flood]] forms

**[[Pod infector]]s

Meanwhile, ''In Amber Clad'' trailed behind and [[Miranda Keyes|Commander Miranda Keyes]], captain of ''In Amber Clad'', ordered the ship's [[platoon]] of [[Orbital Drop Shock Trooper]]s and [[John-117]] to establish a [[landing zone]] near a series of ruins and temples on Installation 05 to allow [[Avery Johnson|Sergeant Major Avery Johnson]] to bring in two [[D77-TC Pelican]]s to further expand the UNSC presence. The frigate made a quick pass-over of a segment of the ringworld, deploying eleven [[Single Occupant Exoatmospheric Insertion Vehicle|SOEIV pods]]. Most survived the atmospheric insertion to the surface of the ring, but due to Covenant stationary turret-fire only four personnel survived to make landfall—John-117 and ODSTs [[Gunnery Sergeant]] [[Stacker]], [[Staff Sergeant]] [[Banks]] and [[Private First Class]] [[Dubbo]].<ref>'''[[Halo 3]] [[Halo 3 Legendary Edition|Legendary Edition]]''' - ''Essentials, Disc Two - [[Halo 2]] [[List of Halo 2 Cinematic Cutscenes|Cinematics]] Commentary''</ref>  A second wave of SOEIV pods was deployed from ''In Amber Clad'', however the few ODSTs who managed to make landfall found themselves isolated behind enemy lines and were quickly killed.

Arriving in the first room of a large ruin complex standing in the lake itself,{{Ref/Reuse|deltahalo}} [[Cortana]] translated a sermon from the Prophet of Regret, alerting the UNSC that the Covenant was intending to activate Installation 05. Commander [[Miranda Keyes]] had been reviewing [[Cortana]]'s information from the installation her father had discovered a month prior,<ref name="H2-DeltaHalo">'''''[[Halo 2]]''''' - ''[[Delta Halo]]'', opening cutscene</ref> and was able to locate [[Installation 05]]'s Library. She set out to reach it and secure it's [[Activation Index]] before the Covenant could do so. Sergeant [[Johnson]] was ordered to extract the Marine and ODST forces supporting John-117 and rendezvous with the ''In Amber Clad'' at the Library.<ref name="Regret">'''[[Halo 2]]''' campaign level ''[[Regret (Halo 2 level)|Regret]]'', opening cutscene</ref>

A short time earlier, Commander Keyes received a transmission from Cortana indicating they were aboard the final Gondola and approaching Regret's temple. The ''In Amber Clad'' had discovered that Installation 05's Library was surrounded by a [[containment shield]]—an impenetrable [[energy shielding|energy shield]] projected by a large wall-like Forerunner structure. After failing to find a way around the barrier, the Frigate deployed a platoon-sized force of Marines to the wall led by Gunnery Sergeant [[Marcus Stacker]] and Staff Sergeant [[Banks]]. The Marines moved through the outer wall with ease, unmolested by local Sentinel defenses - likely due to being recognized by the automated guardians as [[Reclaimers]].{{Ref/Reuse|icon}}

Dropped directly to the wall by Tartarus' personal [[Kez'katu-pattern Phantom|Phantom]] transport, the Arbiter encountered a small number of surviving [[Unggoy]] and [[Kig-Yar]] from the earlier assault. After battling through numerous Forerunner constructs to reach the control center for the Containment Shield, the Arbiter deactivated the shield, boarding a gondola to exit the outer wall. The inner wall quickly became overrun with [[Flood]] from the nearby Quarantine Zone it was designed to contain, and the UNSC platoon was caught unprepared.

A small UNSC Marine force led by [[Miranda Keyes]] and [[Avery Johnson]] was able to slip past the Flood infestation into the Library, followed shortly by the Arbiter, Rtas 'Vadumee, and half a dozen Special Operations Sangheili. There were a pair of [[anti-gravity gondola]]s, that when activated, autonomously brought their passengers into the upper tiers of the Library, where the index was kept. While the UNSC was first able to seize a gondola, the Covenant were close behind. However, when the Flood began to screech, alerting the Covenant that they were in full force in the bowels of the Library, Rtas 'Vadumee took a pair of Special Operations Sangheili, holding them at the entrance to the gondolas to defend the rest from the Flood as the Arbiter took four Special Operations Sangheili on the second gondola, trailing behind the UNSC-held one. Flood entered the gondolas, jumping from the upper levels and also crawling in underneath on their undersides, assailing both the UNSC troops and the Sangheili forces. Tartarus, in his Phantom, attempted to provide cover fire for the Arbiter, using the three plasma cannons of his dropship to burn off any Flood on the upper levels of the Arbiter's gondola, but later, Tartarus chased after the UNSC-held gondola.{{Ref/Reuse|zone}}

Finally, both gondolas ascended to the top levels of the Library, although the UNSC one arrived first, and a small UNSC force of six soldiers, led by Miranda Keyes and Avery Johnson, entered. Although many [[Flood combat form]]s had been exhausted in the Gravemind's last-ditch attempt to stave off the gondolas, there were a large number of [[Pod infector]]s prowling the Library which killed off the four UNSC Marines as Keyes and Johnson advanced towards the core of the Library. Meanwhile, the Arbiter silently snuck in behind them. Miranda managed to grab the index over a seemingly endless chasm. Once Keyes and Johnson had the index, they were ambushed by Thel 'Vadamee. Johnson was knocked unconscious by the Arbiter, but Keyes was able to take down Arbiter's shields by firing at him with an [[M7 SMG]]. However, Tartarus entered with four of his [[Jiralhanae Captain]]s. Tartarus used the [[Fist of Rukt]] to stun Miranda and gravitationally levitate her towards him, draping her over his shoulder and then clasping the index and securing it for himself. Tartarus informed Thel about the Jiralhanae's intended genocide of the increasingly incompetent Sangheili, an act sanctioned by the High Prophets themselves. The Chieftain then knocked the stunned Arbiter into a pit leading to the depths of Installation 05, initiating the [[Great Schism]].{{Ref/Reuse|zone}}

===The Great Schism===

{{Main|Great Schism}}

{{Quote|The Elites have failed to protect the Prophets, and in doing so, have put all our lives at risk. Let no warrior forget his oath, 'Thou, in faith, shall keep us safe, whilst we find the Path'. With my blessing, the Brutes now lead our fleets! They ask for your allegiance, and you shall give it.|[[Prophet of Truth]]{{Ref/Reuse|gravemind}}}}

Meanwhile, Rtas 'Vadumee informed the Arbiter that Tartarus was within the Control Room, and would soon be activating the Halos. However, the doors to the Control Room were nearly completely impenetrable, and would only be opened by the firing of the main cannon of a {{Pattern|Protos|Scarab}} walker. Fortunately, a Scarab was available at the [[Bastion of the Brutes]], a Forerunner structure used by the Jiralhanae as their local base of operations.{{Ref/Reuse|uprising}}{{Ref/Reuse|journey}}

While Rtas 'Vadumee advanced forward in a Wraith tank, the Arbiter and another Special Operations Sangheili took a Spectre, and together, the Sangheili battled through a swarm of Ghosts, several Wraiths, and a bombarding Phantom. Eventually, the Sangheili secured entrance into the Bastion of the Brutes, where the Arbiter found another Special Operations Sangheili and a pair of Mgalekgolo, all of whom were loyal to the Sangheili. Meanwhile, Rtas 'Vadumee said that he would briefly watch the Arbiter's back, and would prevent any Jiralhanae reinforcements from entering in behind them while they cleared out the stronghold. Later, he announced that he would retake the {{Pattern|Ket|battlecruiser}} that was hanging in the distance. The Arbiter and his band of Sangheili and Mgalekgolo stormed the Bastion, fighting their way past Jiralhanae, Kig-Yar, Yanme'e, and even a Phantom. Eventually, they freed imprisoned Councilors and Mgalekgolo and eventually reached the platform where the Scarab was docked. Much to their surprise, they discovered the presence of humans who were being held prisoner by the Jiralhanae. Amongst the prisoners was Sergeant Avery Johnson. The Jiralhanae had just received orders from Tartarus to execute the prisoners, when the Arbiter and his followers attacked. The humans, with the help of their Sangheili allies-to-be, took advantage of this distraction to free themselves and take control of the Scarab.{{Ref/Reuse|journey}}

Tartarus had been trying to force Keyes to insert the index into its place, as only a [[Reclaimer]] could activate Halo. The Arbiter entered the control room and told the Chieftain to stand down. Tartarus refused, and his Jiralhanae were about to attack the Arbiter, when Johnson suddenly appeared, pointing a [[Type-50 particle beam rifle]] at Tartarus' head. Seeing that he was in danger, Tartarus ordered his Jiralhanae to hold back for the moment. The Arbiter then had Guilty Spark explain that the Halos were weapons of mass destruction, built by the Forerunners as a last resort means to stop the Flood.  Spark further revealed the Forerunners ultimately perished when they activated the Halo Array, sacrificing themselves to contain the Flood. Despite Guilty Spark's revelations, Tartarus — blinded by his loyalty to the Prophets and his hatred for the Sangheili — refused to listen. The Chieftain threw Guilty Spark at Johnson, knocking him out for a moment. He then physically forced the Sacred Icon into Miranda Keyes' hand and shoved it into the receptacle, beginning the activation of Installation 05. Miranda jumped out of the way of the imminent firefight as the Arbiter, the conscious Johnson, and a small cluster of recently-arrived [[Sangheili Zealot]]s and Councilors, charged at Tartarus and his guard of four Jiralhanae Captains. The Jiralhanae guards were quickly slain, and Tartarus retreated onto the three-level structure at the center of the control room. When the Arbiter and his allied Zealots and Councilors pursued, they found to their dismay that Tartarus was protected by a nearly impenetrable energy shield. Only Sergeant Johnson, with his particle beam rifle, could disable Tartarus' shields, and only for a few seconds.{{Ref/Reuse|journey}}

===Final space battle===