Ambush at Oth Lodon
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- "Let's show the UNSC just how mighty their flagship is not."
- — Captain Daniel Clayton, before ordering to attack the UNSC Infinity.
The Raid on Oth Lodon was an engagement fought between the UNSC and the New Colonial Alliance near the gas giant Oth Lodon in March 2558.[1]
Background
Spirit of Fire's disappearance
During the Battle of Arcadia in February 9, 2531, the UNSC Spirit of Fire arrived at the planet Arcadia, where it assisted in the evacuation of civilians, and the eradication of the Covenant from the planet's surface.[2] When Professor Ellen Anders was captured by the Arbiter Ripa 'Moramee, the Spirit of Fire quickly gave chase, following the Arbiter's flagship to an unknown planet.[3] Before leaving the system, the Spirit of Fire dropped a log buoy and Terrence Hood, Captain of the UNSC Roman Blue was assigned to recover it. However, as the colony was already deemed lost by UNSC command, Roman Blue was also ordered to withhold from engaging the enemy in combat. However, Hood, enraged by the massive losses the Covenant had already inflicted on humanity, ordered his crew to attack a CPV-class heavy destroyer. Overwhelmed, Hood was forced to retreat. Consequently, the Spirit of Fire's log buoy was not recovered and Hood would view himself as responsible for the Spirit of Fire's disappearance.[1]
Out of guilt, Hood provided financial support for both James Cutter's legitimate family (his apparent widow Mary and their daughter) and his secret one, supporting Daniel Clayton's mother for years.[1]
Ealen IV
- Main article: Battle of Ealen IV
In 2558 Clayton had come to serve under Rear Admiral Horatio Temkin, the UNSC's ambassador to Sanghelios. Clayton eventually learned that Lord Hood had been acting as a benefactor throughout his entire career in an attempt to make up for the loss of Cutter and Spirit of Fire. Feeling he had never accomplished anything for himself, Clayton joined Admiral Mattius Drake's New Colonial Alliance and sought vengeance on Lord Hood.[1]
Having learned of Lord Hood's diplomatic mission to Ealen IV, Captain Clayton leaked intel about the peace talks and employed the help of a Sangheili mercenary, Vata 'Gajat. On March 5, they led an attack on the peace conference.[4] The tide of the battle changed when the delegation reestablished communications with their orbiting fleets and escaped from the planet. Not wanting to risk being identified, Clayton and 'Gajat retreated before the UNSC Infinity and their allied Sangheili and Jiralhanae ships could engage them.[5]
Ambush on Artesia-702
After their failed assault on Ealen IV, 'Gajat and Captain Clayton lured Admiral Hood and the UNSC Infinity into a trap. They launched a freighter, the Pilgrims Pride which sent out a distress signal that was later picked up by UNSC Infinity. When Infinity arrived in the Artesia-702 system, it found the damaged freighter leaking atomic matter with faint life signs aboard and tugged the ship into one of its deployment bays. An ambush was sprung within the bay when the freighter set itself to self-destruct and multiple UNSC aircraft exited its cargo bay. The attack was repelled by Fireteams Majestic, Colossus, and Fenrir.
After the battle, Infinity crew discovers, after running an I.D. check on the Vultures and Sparrowhawks used on the ambush, that the assault crafts used were from the Spirit of Fire.[6]
The battle
Roland discovers the Pilgrims Pride was supposedly built five years ago, despite its assault craft being from the Spirit of Fire, which has been missing for 30 years. Sarah Palmer suggests the craft were smuggled off beforehand, but Roland disagrees as the craft were in too good of condition. Moving on, he reveals the ship's logs were wiped and then filled with false data. Despite that, he was able to retrieve the real data, coordinates from where it originated: Oth Lodon, a gas giant located deep in Jiralhanae space.
With the Spirit's possible location found, Palmer expresses that the ship might not even be there and that it might be a trap. Lord Hood authorized Palmer to conduct a search-and-rescue mission without being detected. Equipped with OF92 Booster Frames, Palmer and Fireteam Majestic scouted Oth Lodon's system. Exploring an asteroid field, the Spartans came across not the Spirit of Fire but instead an SDV-class heavy corvette docked at a Covenant station. Palmer restored communications to inform Infinity about the discovery.
Soon after, Infinity jumps in system right in front of the space station. Expecting this, Clayton opens a channel to Infinity. Talking to Hood, he identifies him as being the one who sent his mother and him money because he was the one responsible for the Spirit''s disappearance. Upset at feeling like he never accomplished anything, he turned to Admiral Mattius Drake when he offered him an opportunity. Revealing that he had intended for Spartan Vladimir Scruggs to kill Hood on Ealen IV, he announces that he lured the Infinity to the station to kill Hood. He orders the station's glassing cannon to fire on Infinity, piercing all the way through the side of the ship.[1]
List of appearances
- Halo: Escalation (First appearance)
Sources
- ^ a b c d e Halo: Escalation, Issue #5
- ^ Halo Wars, campaign level, Arcadia City
- ^ Halo Wars, campaign level, Anders' Signal
- ^ Halo: Escalation, Issue #1
- ^ Halo: Escalation, Issue #3
- ^ Halo: Escalation, Issue #4
