2552: Difference between revisions

A Covenant fleet is discovered by Ensign William Lovell on [[UNSC]] Remote Scanning Outpost Archimedes, entering the [[Sigma Octanus]] system. Commander Keyes, on board the UNSC Destroyer [[Iroquois]], takes on 4 medium-tonnage Covenant craft (two [[Frigate]]s, one destroyer, one carrier), and destroys 3 of them in what becomes known as the 'Keyes Loop'. The Carrier heads to [[Sigma Octanus IV]] and drops Covenant troops, invading the city of [[Côte d'Azur]]. Keyes is promoted to Captain by [[Admiral Micheal Stanforth]]. [[General Kits]] and his marines take on the Covenant invaders groundside.

The Marines are massacred by a new type of Covenant: [[Hunter]]s. [[Corporal Harland]], [[Private Fincher]], [[Private Walker]], and [[Private Cochran]] evade Covenant attacks in a [[warthog]] and win a battle against two [[banshee]]s. However, they return to Alpha Base, marine headquarters at Côte, and discover that most of the base is destroyed. Out of 1,600 marines, 14 remain. Even so, they have defeated a large amount of Covenant even though they were up against bad odds.

The [[Spartans]] and the [[Marine]]s engage [[Covenant]] forces on the ground and discover some civilians that hid in cargo ships. After discovering a new breed of Covenant, [[engineer]]s, they find some hunters stealing an artifact from a museum. The SPARTANS, civilians, and marines escape, eventually nuking [[Cote D'Azur]] and most of the Covenant invasion force. During this battle, 4 dozen [[UNSC]] ships engage 20 Covenant craft. Seven human craft survive. The Iroquois destroys a stealth ship receiving an encrypted transmission from the surface. Once this ship is destroyed, the surviving [[Covenant]] ships break off and flee. The [[Iroquois]] heads back to Reach for debriefing. A Covenant tracker attaches itself, unseen, to the Iroquois' hull.

The Master Chief and [[Corporal Harland]] are debriefed by ONI at Camp Hathcock, Reach, on the events of Cote D'Azur.

The [[Pillar of Autumn]] is chosen by Dr. Halsey and Cortana (with Keyes as Captain) to handle a secret mission that Dr. Halsey is planning.

John rejoins the remaining [[Spartans]] (except for three that are otherwise engaged) in the FLEETCOM Military Complex on [[Reach]], where they learn of their next mission: To acquire a [[Covenant]] vessel, navigate to the Covenant home world, and return with captured Covenant leadership.

The [[Master Chief]] gets a neural interface upgrade and new armour with built-in [[Covenant]] shield technology. He is also introduced to [[Cortana]], an A.I. created from Dr. Halsey's own neural patterns.

[[Cortana]] gets revenge on [[Colonel James Ackerson]], part of [[ONI]]'s Special Warfare branch, for attempting to eliminate Cortana and [[Master Chief]] - she gets him transferred to the front. Bypassing several other colonies, the Covenant arrive at Reach and begin what has become all too familiar to the embattled Human forces: the destruction of the planet. The Spartans are divided into two teams: Red and Blue. John and the rest of Blue team (Linda and James), while on an orbital mission to ensure that a NAV database stays out of Covenant hands, end up onboard the Pillar of Autumn when she jumps away from the Reach system to evade Covenant forces. James is lost and Linda is mortally wounded, and the subsequent mission on Halo is left to the Master Chief to complete. When the Master Chief retreats to the Pelican, he meets up with some marines: Private [[Jenkins]], [[Private O'Brien]], [[Private Bicenti]], and [[Sergeant Johnson]]. The Covenant take the surface of Reach, and Red team splits, one group to retrieve Admiral Whitcomb, while the rest hole up in ONI's Castle Base underground facility with Dr. Halsey. The Spartans receive parts of a [[MJOLNIR]] Mark V upgrade and new weapons, while Dr. Halsey learns of Colonel Ackerson's mysterious plans, plans that seem to involve "her" Spartans.

[[Lieutenant Wagner]] returns to [[Earth]] and reports on the evident destruction of Reach to Colonel Ackerson, Admiral Hood, and General Strauss at an [[ONI]] facility in Sydney, Australia.