The Battle of Circinius IV was a conflict between UNSC and Covenant forces on the colony of Circinius IV in mid-2526.[1]
Prelude
After the first engagements on Harvest, ONI Section II kept the Covenant invasion secret from a large portion of the general population, even as late as 2526. This included the cadets and staff of the Corbulo Academy of Military Science on Circinius IV. However, the Academy's superintendent, General Black, was informed. As preparation for a possible attack, Black discreetly increased the readiness of the UNSC Marine garrison posted in the academy and authorized limited communications blackouts under the guise of routine maintenance procedures.
Battle
- "...We are under attack."
- — Cadet Thomas Lasky
At some point in 2526, the Covenant began an assault on Circinius IV, targeting the Corbulo Academy of Military Science with three SDV-class heavy corvettes. Locally stationed Marines provided an initial defense of the Academy and the evacuation of the cadets via the school's space elevator was begun immediately. Orbiting UNSC vessels soon deployed Orbital Drop Shock Troopers directly onto the campus. However, one of the Covenant corvettes fired on the elevator, causing it to collapse on the school and halt the evacuation. Since all the cadets and staff had converged near the elevator for evacuation, the collapse of the elevator killed many of members of the academy.[1]
- John-117: "You are the only survivors."
- Michael Sullivan: "Of the school?"
- John-117: "On the planet."
- — John-117 notifying the cadets of the planet's near-total fatalities.
Corbulo's officer cadets were caught off-guard by this attack. General Black was killed within minutes of the attack; Colonel K.L. Mehaffey attempted to organize the surviving cadets inside the tunnels, though she too was quickly killed. Soon, four members of Hastati Squad were the only human survivors on the entire planet. Cadets April Orenski, Thomas Lasky, Chyler Silva, and Michael Sullivan were rescued by Spartan Master Chief Petty Officer John-117, who then opened the cadets' lockers and allowed the cadets to arm themselves.[2]
The Master Chief led the survivors to the academy's exterior, where they were ambushed by Kig-Yar snipers. After dispatching the snipers, they left the academy on General Black's Warthog.[2]
Gallery
Three Covenant corvettes descending toward Corbulo.
List of Appearances
- Halo 4: Forward Unto Dawn (First appearance)
Sources