Battle of the Quarantine Zone

Overview

One of the few battles of the 9th Age of Reclamation in which all four of the main species took part. The Covenant and UNSC fought through the Quarantine Zone in search of the Index, known to the Covenant as the Sacred Icon. Both parties had to battle their way through legions of Flood and the Forerunner machines designed to halt the parasite outbreak.

The Battle

Warriors of all four races engaged combat with one another within the Quarantine Zone. It was one of the largest pitched battles that occurred on the surface of Delta Halo. Boiling plasma, solid slug rounds and plasma sword met decomposing, Flood mutated flesh on the snow covered, ashen wasteland that is the Quarantine Zone. All four races reportedly fought one another in this confined space, the Covenant and Human dead only providing more troops for the Flood menace. Sentinels and Enforcers had kept the parasite at bay for untold centuries within the Sentinel Wall. The deactivation of the containment field forcing them to spread their numbers over a much larger area.

The Arbiter of the Covenant was sent to the surface of Installation 05 to retrieve the Sacred Icon. Dropped directly into the Sentinel Wall by Phantom transport the Arbiter fought alone, through swarms of Flood and Forerunner constructs to reach the control centre for the containment shields. By lowering these shields more Covenant warriors were given access to the Quarantine Zone, unfortunately exacerbating the Flood outbreak.

This breach of containment led to the rapid growth in the Flood's numbers as they assimilated both humans, from the UNSC In Amber Clad, and Covenant warriors. With these new hosts, the Flood gained access to more sophisticated equipment, weapons and combat vehicles. Magnifying the danger the outbreak presented immeasurably.

Despite this new and surprising defense, Covenant and Human forces were able to battle their way through the legions of Flood and Sentinel constructs. Elements of both parties eventually reached the Gondola entrance points to the Library of Delta Halo. Commander Miranda Keyes, Sgt. Johnson and a number of Marines entered the Library first. They were quickly followed by the Arbiter and a squad of Elite troops. Rtas 'Vadumee stayed behind to defend the Gondola station, presumably he did not do so alone.

Library

Once the Arbiter and his squad arrived at the Library, the Humans were already inside. The Arbiter's squad of Elites were left behind to guard the gondola since it was their only way out. On his way to the Index he found the dead bodies of Corporal Perez, Private McKenzie, and a few other nameless marines killed by Flood Infection Forms. The Arbiter found the Humans (Miranda Keyes,and Sergeant Johnson), who had retrieved the Index seconds before the Arbiter arrived. The Arbiter head-butted Johnson which knocked out but, before he could get to Miranda, Tartarus showed up along with a squad of brutes and, using his Gravity Hammer, knocked out Miranda and took the index from her. He then blasted the Arbiter off the edge of the platform where the Index was stored, leading Tartarus to make the assumption that he was dead, but was soon teleported by Gravemind,who sent the Arbiter to Delta Halo's control room,where the Arbiter met Rtas 'Vadumee,who decided to try and kill Tartarus.

References

• Halo Graphic Novel
• Halo 2