Bartalan Craddog

Bartalan Craddog
Biographical information
Died:	December 16, 2553
Personal details
Species:	Human
Gender:	Male
Political and military information
Affiliation:	ONI Intrepid Eye
Rank:	Lieutenant Chief Science Officer
Notable info:	Blamed for Project SLEEPING STAR

Lieutenant Bartalan Craddog was the Chief Science Officer of Argent Moon who was used by the archeon-class ancilla Intrepid Eye in her plot to weaponize asteroidea merozoite.

History

In December 2553, Craddog was the Chief Science Officer of the Argent Moon whose prior record indicated an officer with a remarkable promiscuity and unremarkable ambition. After Veta Lopis' Ferret team discovered that the Keepers of the One Freedom were not responsible for the murder of Admiral Graselyn Tuwa and the abduction of her family, the archeon-class ancilla Intrepid Eye, the true mastermind behind the plot, discovered Craddog sleeping with Ensigns Jess Wallace and Kris Gaston, a violation of fraternization rules. Contacting Craddog through Wallace's TACPAD, Intrepid Eye used his sexual indiscretions to blackmail Craddog into accompanying Papa-10 to Pinnacle Station on the Winter-class prowler UNSC Fast Gun to retrieve the cryo-jars containing the Tuwas organs. Craddog's purpose was to monitor the cryo-jars since Papa-10 lacked the expertise to do so. Craddog quickly realized that the mission was related to Project SLEEPING STAR, a project to turn asteroidea merozoite into a bioweapon. Intrepid Eye claimed that the Tuwa's organs were vital to creating a vaccine for the disease and Craddog reluctantly complied.

At Pinnacle Station, Craddog was left with the utility skiff that ferried Papa-10 from the Fast Gus to the station. As Papa-10 retrieved the cryo-jars and executed the Dark Moon Enterprises couriers, Oriel, a remote aspect of Intrepid Eye guiding Papa-10 through Craddog, became aware of the Keepers of the One Freedom on the station preparing to attack. With Papa-10 busy, Oriel stationed Craddog in cargo netting with an M41 SPNKR and had him attack the True Light as the Keeper forces prepared to emerge, killing Orsun and several Kig-Yar. However, Craddog's hesitation to fire again allowed Castor and three other Jiralhanae to emerge and Craddog was wounded in the leg with a Spiker, his inexperience in combat as a science officer hampering Craddog as proper backup for Papa-10. As Papa-10 fled the station to Meridian's surface in one of the station's personnel shuttles, Oriel had Craddog ditch the rocket launcher and retreat to the utility skiff to treat his injuries.

After the single surviving member of Papa-10 escaped the Keepers, Blue Team and the Ferrets, she met Craddog and the utility skiff at an extraction point suggested by Administrator Sloan. Spotting Veta Lopis, Craddog warned the Papa-10 operative who grabbed an assault rifle. To keep the cryo-jars out of their hands and stop the rogue operative, Veta detonated C-12 explosive she had placed around the jars, destroying the jars, the organs within, the utility skiff and Oriel as well as killing Craddog and the last Papa-10 operative.

In ONI's final report on Operation: RETRIBUTION and Project SLEEPING STAR, it was determined that Craddog had undertaken the bioweapon project on his own initiative due to a complete absence of orders directing him to undertake the bioweapon program. Due to his record and Craddog having worked tirelessly to achieve the rank of Chief Science Officer for Argent Moon, it was concluded that he had been trying to reach sufficient rank as to initiate the project under his own authority. ONI's conclusion was that the only explanation for Craddog's seeming actions was that given his often-predatory promiscuity, Craddog sought to aggrandize himself by developing the most dangerous weapon in the UNSC's arsenal. However, this allowed the true culprit, Intrepid Eye, to remain undetected and continue with the project in secret.

List of appearances

• Halo: Retribution (First appearance)