Fate of Maethrillian: Difference between revisions

{{Era|Forerunner}}

{{battle

|name        = Battle of the capital

|image      =

|prev        =  

|next        =  

|date        = c. [[100,000 BCE]]

|place      = Forerunner [[capital]]

|result      = Unknown

*At least two Halo installations were destroyed

*Installation 07 successfully fired, subsequently escaped

*One Halo under Forerunner control escaped to the [[Greater Ark]]

|side1      = Forerunner [[ecumene]]

|side2      = [[The Flood]]  

 

Forerunner forces on the Halos

|commanders1 =*[[The Didact]]

|commanders2 =*[[The Primordial]]

*[[05-032 Mendicant Bias]]

|casual2    = *One Halo installation

The '''Battle of the capital''' was a major conflict fought during the [[Forerunner-Flood war]] between the forces loyal to the [[Ecumene Council]] and the [[Rampancy|rampant]] [[Contender-class artificial intelligence|Contender-class]] [[ancilla]] [[05-032 Mendicant Bias]], which had defected to the [[Flood]]. The conflict took place on and around the [[capital]], the political center of the [[Forerunner]] [[ecumene]].

Around [[100,043 BCE]], the {{Class|Contender|artificial intelligence}} [[05-032 Mendicant Bias|Mendicant Bias]], in control of all Forerunner defenses including the twelve original [[Halo Array|Halo rings]], had been charged with conducting the first test of a Halo installation. The test was carried out using [[Installation 07]] in [[Charum Hakkor]]'s [[Unidentified star system (Human-San 'Shyuum alliance)|star system]]. Unexpectedly, the activation released [[the Primordial]], a [[Gravemind]] left behind by the [[Precursor]]s. This creature was then taken on the ring for study; soon after, Mendicant Bias entered an extended discourse with the being by order of [[Master Builder]] [[Faber]]. After the test, Mendicant Bias and the ring disappeared and were not seen for decades.<ref>'''Halo: Primordium''', ''page 190-192''</ref>

[[100,000 BCE|Forty-three years later]], Bias unexpectedly returned with the Halo to the Forerunner capital, having been led into [[rampancy]] by the Gravemind and driven toward the destruction of the Forerunner race. He infiltrated the capital's defense systems, deactivated all present [[ancilla]]s and security constructs, and held the [[Ecumene Council]] hostage by overriding their [[Forerunner body armor|armor]] and rendering them immobile.<ref>'''Halo: Cryptum''', ''page 300''</ref> Bias was temporarily deactivated by [[Bornstellar Makes Eternal Lasting]], who was host to the memories of [[the Didact]] and issued a verbal failsafe code. The capital was released from Mendicant's control, and began activating its defensive systems.<ref>'''Halo: Cryptum''', ''page 303''</ref>

Despite losing control of the capital, Mendicant Bias could still exert control over five of the twelve Halos in orbit around the capital, overriding its non-rampant fragments based on the rings. These installations immediately began charging their main weapons and positioning themselves around the capital in preparation to attack.<ref>'''Halo: Cryptum''', ''page 307'' </ref><ref group="notes">Although any one of the five Halos could single-handedly have destroyed all Forerunner resistance, it can be assumed that by charging all of them at once, Bias intended to ensure that at least one of the rings successfully fired if the rest were destroyed.</ref>

With the capital still recovering and the Council [[metarchy]] collapsed, the Forerunner defense fleet responded to the threat with lethal force. All ships in the area began attack runs on the stolen Halos. The [[monitor]]s in charge of the Halo installations, programmed to respond to any threat to their installations regardless of their source, engaged in a counterattack.<ref>'''Halo: Cryptum''', ''page 313''</ref> Two of the Halos were destroyed due the heavy bombardment of the Forerunner fleet and the tidal forces of the capital.

The seven Halos still under Forerunner control were ordered to travel through a nearby [[slipspace portal]] and return to the [[greater Ark]]. One of them successfully made it through the portal intact, but was severely damaged by the stress of the transition.<ref>'''Halo: Cryptum''', ''page 316''</ref> The second in line was destroyed upon the arrival of a third fortress ship, just as it began to enter the portal.<ref>'''Halo: Cryptum''', ''page 320''</ref> Shortly after this, Installation 07 successfully fired, presumably wiping out all combatants in the area.<ref name="fire">'''Halo: Primordium''', ''page 272''</ref>

The outcome of the battle is largely unknown, as little information exists on events following Bornstellar's escape. It is known that at least one of the five Halos under Mendicant Bias' control was destroyed,<ref>'''Halo: Cryptum''', ''page 314''</ref> and that at least one of the remaining rings - [[Installation 07]] - was fired. Of the seven Halos that attempted to escape, only one successfully entered the portal. There, it joined another array of six installations under the control of [[the Librarian]].<ref>'''Halo: Cryptum''', ''page 335''</ref>

[[First Councilor]] and [[First Observer of the Court]] [[Splendid Dust of Ancient Suns]] was rescued from the capital by Warrior-Servant [[Glory of a Far Dawn]], along with Bornstellar.<ref>'''Halo: Cryptum''', ''page 304'' </ref> Bornstellar, now in possession of the Didact's memories and personality, went on to assume his role as the supreme commander of the Forerunner military.<ref>'''Halo: Primordium''', ''page 348''</ref> Although Installation 07 managed to fire within range of the Capital, possibly wiping out the Council unless they were successfully evacuated beforehand,<ref name="fire"/> the Council was reconstituted shortly after the attack.<ref>'''Halo: Primordium''', ''page 374''</ref>

The rampant Mendicant Bias survived the battle intact by retreating into a distant system aboard Installation 07. However, the Halo was later intercepted and seized by the Didact's forces. The installation's Mendicant Bias fragment was captured and was subsequently forced to undergo a process to "correct" its rampancy.<ref>'''Halo: Primordium''', ''page 356''</ref> However, regardless of the outcome of this effort, it was not ultimately successful in stopping the rampant Mendicant Bias, as it would later [[Battle of the Maginot Sphere|launch an assault]] on the [[Maginot Line|Maginot sphere]].<ref>'''Halo 3''', ''[[Terminal/Halo 3|Terminal 6]]''</ref>

 

<references/>

[[Category:Battle]]