Battle of Installation 05: Difference between revisions

{{Quad battle infobox

|prev= [[Battle of the Gas Mine]]

|conc= [[First Battle of High Charity|First Battle of ''High Charity'']], [[Great Schism]], [[Battle of Earth]]

|next= [[Battle of Onyx]], [[Battle of Mare Erythraeum]]

|name= Battle of Installation 05

|date= November 2-November 3, [[2552]]

|place= Installation 05

|result=Strategic UNSC/Covenant Separatist victory

*Halo enters standby mode ready for activation from the Ark

*High Charity assimilated by the Flood

|side2=[[Covenant Empire]]

*[[Master Chief Petty Officer|Master Chief]] [[John 117]]

*[[Sergeant Major]] [[Avery Junior Johnson]]

*[[Thel 'Vadamee]] (After the outbreak of the Great Schism)

*[[Rtas 'Vadumee]] (After the outbreak of the Great Schism)

|commanders3=*[[343 Guilty Spark (Monitor)|343 Guilty Spark]]

****[[Orbital Drop Shock Trooper]]s (platoons-companies)

***[[M808B Main Battle Tank|M808B Scorpion tank]]s

***[[M12 Force Application Vehicle|M12 Warthog LRV]]s

*[[Reverence-class Cruiser|''Reverence''-class Cruiser]]s

*[[Covenant destroyer]]s

*[[Reverence-class Cruiser|''Reverence''-class Cruiser]]s

**''[[Incorruptible]]'' (Before the outbreak of the Great Schism)

*[[Covenant carrier]]s

**''[[Lawgiver]]'' (Before the outbreak of the Great Schism)

*[[CCS-class Battlecruiser|CCS-class Battlecruiser]]s

*[[Covenant destroyer]]s

|forces3=*[[Sentinel Constructor Factory|Sentinel Constructor Factories]] (2+)

|forces4=*''[[High Charity]]''  (Before the ''In Amber Clad'' crashes into it)

*[[Flood]] forms

**[[Gravemind]] Form

*Large numbers of Marines

*Large numbers of Sangheili, Lekgolo, and Unggoy

*Large numbers of assorted Separatist starships

|casual3=*Installation 05 damaged

*Large number of Sentinels

*Large number of Enforcers

|casual4=*Large number of assorted Flood Forms

**Infection Forms

**Combat Forms

**Carrier Forms

At the beginning of the [[Battle of Earth]], the [[Prophet of Regret]] led [[Regret's fleet|a small fleet]] of two [[Covenant assault carrier|assault carrier]]s and thirteen [[CCS-class Battlecruiser]]s on an expeditionary raid that stumbled upon [[Earth]], humanity's homeworld and the UNSC's strongest fortress. After substantial ground, air, and space losses, Regret fled in [[Regret's assault carrier|his assault carrier]] over [[New Mombasa]] to Installation 05.

However, upon [[Fleet Admiral]] [[Terrence Hood|Hood]]'s order, five UNSC warships near New Mombasa were close enough to catch onto the assault carrier's rift before it terminated: three [[UNSC frigate]]s, the {{UNSCShip|In Amber Clad}}, {{UNSCShip|Paris}}, and the {{UNSCShip|Redoubtable}}, one [[UNSC corvette]], the {{UNSCShip|Coral Sea}}, and one [[UNSC Prowler]], the {{UNSCShip|Dusk}}, were able to enter the [[Slipstream space|Slipspace]] field, trailing Regret's assault carrier.

Their shadowing, however, was not exactingly precise. Only the frigate ''In Amber Clad'' successfully trailed the assault carrier to Installation 05. The prowler ''Dusk'' arrived days later near the Covenant homeworld ship ''[[High Charity]]'', and the ''Coral Sea'', ''Paris'', and ''Redoubtable'' were nowhere near the engagement, most likely due to the imprecise physics of Slipspace and the UNSC's rather limited technology in that field.

==Regret==

Regret's assault carrier hovered over the installation, deploying [[Wraiths]], [[Ghosts]], [[Banshees]], and also companies of [[Sangheili]], [[Kig-yar]], [[Yanme'e]], and [[Unggoy]] by means of [[Phantom]] and [[Spirit]] dropships. The Covenant ground forces fortified themselves in a series of Forerunner ruins and temple structures, even establishing anti-air defenses.

Meanwhile, the ''In Amber Clad'' trailed behind, and after the assault carrier moved off, [[Commander]] [[Miranda Keyes]], captain of the ''In Amber Clad'', ordered a [[platoon]] of [[Orbital Drop Shock Trooper]]s and even a [[John-117|SPARTAN-II]] to establish a landing zone near a series of ruins and temples on Installation 05 to allow [[Sergeant Major]] [[Avery Junior Johnson|Avery Johnson]] to bring in two flights of [[D77-TC Pelican|Pelicans]] to further expand the UNSC presence. The frigate made a quick pass-over of a segment of the ringworld, deploying a dozen [[Single Occupant Exoatmospheric Insertion Vehicle|SOEIV pods]]. Six survived the atmosphere of the ring, and only four personnel eventually survived the impact - SPARTAN-117 and three ODSTs. However, before they could land in the small ruins, they were detected by the Covenant, and SPARTAN-117 led the commandos in eliminating Covenant Shades and holding their position against waves of Covenant troops until a Pelican could drop off an [[M12 Warthog LRV]] and a pair of [[Marines]].  

[[File:H2 IAC Hover.jpg|thumb|left|The [[UNSC In Amber Clad|UNSC ''In Amber Clad'']] hovers slightly over [[Installation 05]], preparing to release a dozen [[Human Entry Vehicle]]s to begin the UNSC offensive on Installation 05.]]  

[[File:H2 SPARTAN117 Make Noise.jpg|left|thumb|[[SPARTAN-117]] readies an [[M19 Rocket Launcher]] and a [[M7/Caseless Submachine Gun|M7 SMG]].]]

While the immediate objective for SPARTAN-117 and his Marines was to push through the Covenant-held Forerunner ruins and capture the Prophet of Regret, the overall UNSC objective for Installation 05 was to ensure that the Covenant would not activate the ring and extinguish all sentient life in the galaxy. To do this, the UNSC had to infiltrate the [[Library]], retrieve the [[Activation Index]], and safeguard it, thereby preventing the Covenant from using the Index to fire the ring.

After SPARTAN-117 and his men pushed through two Forerunner ruins, another Pelican air-dropped [[resupply canister]]s and a small number of Marines, refueling the UNSC offensive as they advanced through a ravine defended by [[Kig-yar Sniper]]s and Drones. They proceeded to another temple, this one with a hologram of the Prophet of Regret, who was sermonizing in a main Forerunner temple to prepare for the activation of the ring and the sublimation event of the "[[Great Journey]]". After learning all of the information the Prophet could provide, his elimination became the primary objective for SPARTAN-117, as his death would destabilize the Covenant politically and religiously. After [[Cortana]] deciphered the hologram, SPARTAN-117 and a pair of Marines battled through a pair of Covenant-held temples before reaching an open platform. At the time, the Covenant became aware of UNSC activity, and began becoming aggressive, so Commander Keyes sent several Pelicans towards John-117, which air-dropped more resupply canisters on the platform.

The UNSC continued attacking, proceeding from the platform to a gondola which took SPARTAN-117 and his remaining Marines to a heavily-defended Forerunner underwater temple which was guarded by [[Hunters]], [[Stealth Sangheili]], and [[Sangheili Honor Guard]]s among other Covenant forces. After emerging from the submerged temple at a hilly Forerunner ruin, they were engaged by [[Yanme'e]], Sangheili, and Unggoy attempting to halt the UNSC advance. Soon, Phantoms arrived with additional Covenant reinforcements.

However, the Covenant were ultimately unsuccessful. The UNSC, after clearing out the last ruins, were able to secure a landing zone for a [[D77-TC Pelican Dropship|Pelican]] to air-drop resupply canisters and a team of Marines, who aided [[SPARTAN-117]] in the final push towards the main temple. The UNSC forces commandeered a gondola they found on a tower. Despite being attacked by Covenant [[Banshee]]s and [[Ranger]]s, they were able to gain access to the temple. After destroying several defense turrets, they entered the Temple as the Prophet of Regret was finishing his sermon.  

After docking, [[High Charity]] reverted from Slipspace over Installation 05, with hundreds of warships, including those of the [[Second Fleet of Homogeneous Clarity]]. Responding to a distress signal from Regret, [[Special Operations Commander]] [[Rtas 'Vadumee]] planned to storm the temple by Phantom and Spirit dropships in an urgent measure to kill SPARTAN-117 and defend the Prophet leader. However, the treacherous [[Prophet of Truth]] diverted the Phantoms and Spirits, deliberately allowing the [[SPARTAN-II]] to kill Regret as part of his socio-political plans for the Covenant.

A large contingent of Sangheili Honor Guards and Unggoy defended the Prophet, but SPARTAN-117 was able to board the Prophet's levitating gravity chair and beat the Prophet to death. During the fray, all the remaining Marines were presumably killed. Shortly thereafter, a Covenant Assault Carrier repositioned over the main temple, and destroyed it with its [[energy projector]], but SPARTAN-117 fell into the lake with seconds to spare and was grasped by the tentacles of the [[Gravemind]], a Flood central intelligence, and taken prisoner.

After the Prophet of Regret had been murdered, with significant consequences to the Covenant, the UNSC and the Covenant both raced to reach the Library and seize the Index. The UNSC wanted to keep it safe to prevent the activation of the installation, but the Covenant desired to bring the "Sacred Icon" (the Covenant name of the Index) to the [[Control Room]] of the ring and activate the Halos.

After the death of Regret at the hands of the [[Demon]]. Rtas 'Vadumee was furious at the Prophet of Truth for withdrawing his men, who could have saved Regret. However, Truth deliberately and wrongfully framed the Sangheili for the death of Regret. The [[Honor Guard]]s of the Covenant were decommissioned, and the Brutes took over as the guardians of the Prophet hierarchy, a move that infuriated the Elites and drove an even deeper rift between the Jiralhanae and the Sangheili, who were already mortal enemies.

[[File:H2 Containment Shield.jpg|thumb|left|[[Tartarus]]'s [[Phantom]] nears the [[Sentinel Wall]] to deploy the [[Thel 'Vadam|Arbiter]], with the [[Containment Shield]] and the [[Library]] visible in the background.]]

However, before either faction could reach the Library, it was shielded by the [[Containment Shield]] - a recognized impenetrable energy shield denying ''anyone'' access to the Library. The shield was projected by a Forerunner power generator buried within the [[Sentinel Wall]], a large underground Forerunner complex heavily defended by [[Sentinels]], [[Sentinel Majors]], and even [[Enforcers]]. Numbers of Brutes, Jackals, and Unggoy had already attempted to penetrate the Sentinel Wall, with pockets scattered all over the facility, all being overwhelmed by Sentinel defenders. However, the Arbiter was air-dropped by [[Tartarus]]'s Phantom at the periphery of the wall in the beginning phase of a Covenant offensive to deactivate the Containment Shield, enter the Library, and seize the Sacred Icon.  

After battling through the forward section of the Sentinel Wall and moving even deeper through the facility, the Arbiter was able to destroy an Enforcer, and disengage the plug locks of the generator, and then physically disengage the generator out of its "cradle", powering off the Containment Shield. While the shield had been disengaged, the path to the Library was far from clear. There was a rampant Flood infestation: the second half of the Sentinel Wall was heavily saturated with Flood, and there were icy canyons heavily entrenched by Flood battling against outnumbered Sentinel defenders that lay between the perimeter of the Containment Shield and the Library, which was accessible only by an underground gondola.

Tartarus attempted to pick up the Arbiter and head directly for the Library, but his Phantom was engaged by an Enforcer, forcing the Arbiter to battle through through the warring Flood and Sentinels that resided in the Flood-Infested Wall<ref name="guide115">'''[[The Official Halo 2 Strategy Guide]]''', ''page 115''</ref> by himself. However, the Arbiter was not alone - the UNSC had dispatched a squad of Marines to also fight through the facility, but they were overwhelmed by the Flood, leaving a trail of crumpled bodies throughout the facility and fueling the Flood's ever-growing army. The Covenant apparently sent a small team of three Special Operations Sangheili to clear out the lower levels of the complex, but these too were killed. Finally, the Arbiter jumped down a series of plummeting vertical tunnels, exiting from the Sentinel Wall and entering the battle-torn icy plains of the [[Quarantine Zone]].

[[File:H2 Rtas Vadumee Rally.jpg|thumb|left|[[Rtas 'Vadumee]] valiantly rallies his [[Special Operations Sangheili]], informing them that they must advance towards the center of the [[Quarantine Zone]] and destroy the [[Flood]].]]

The Quarantine Zone was supposed to be a location where during times of war, the Sentinel custodians of the installation could herd the Flood, and prevent them from entering the Library. Two [[Sentinel Constructor Factory]] ships<ref>'''The Official Halo 2 Strategy Guide''', ''page 122''</ref> hung in the air, deploying Sentinel reinforcements. However, the Quarantine Zone was compromised by the Flood, and the Flood managed to crash one of the floating factories, sending it plummeting down to the ringworld.  

The Covenant shortly established a "camp",<ref name="guide115"/> air-dropping seven drop pods that contained Rtas 'Vadumee and six Special Operations Sangheili, along with several plasma turrets and a [[deployable lookout tower]].  

The Arbiter met with three of the Elites just outside of the Sentinel Wall, and together, they defended a small hill from the Flood before pushing inwards, where the Special Operations Commander had landed and established a small outpost, complete with turrets and the gravity lift tower, where the Special Operations force held out against waves of Flood attacks from the cliffs before they were reinforced by a pair of Phantoms that dropped off a [[Spectre]] and a pair of Ghosts. The Covenant were able to use these vehicles to advance through a large indoor Forerunner facility before entering the first of a series of expansive outdoor arctic canyons. Despite the prowess of the Special Operations Sangheili and the Arbiter, the UNSC were swifter to advance through the Quarantine Zone - the ''In Amber Clad'' deployed a Pelican dropship that cruised above the battling Flood and Sentinels, cutting directly towards the Library while the Arbiter and his men were forced to fight through waves of Flood, including Flood-commandeered Ghosts, Warthogs, Wraiths, and [[Scorpions]], while all the while, Enforcers rained heavy fire.  

The small Covenant task force was forced to debark from its vehicles as they transgressed the wreckage of one of the Sentinel Constructor Factories, although just beyond the wreckage on the other side, they were met by another Covenant Phantom, this one dropping off a Spectre manned by Rtas 'Vadumee himself and another Special Operations Elite. However, as they progressed through the last series of snowy plains, they were met with increasingly heavy resistance as they neared the Library. The Sentinels were in much larger force, while a large number of Flood-infested humans savagely held a barricade against the Library, using crates, turrets, and heavy weapons to prevent anyone to gain entrance to the Library and retrieve the Index, which would eventually lead to the extermination of the Flood.

Finally, both gondolas ascended to the top levels of the Library, although the UNSC one arrived first, and a small UNSC force of six soldiers (four Marines (including [[Perez (Marine)|Perez]] and [[McKenzie]])) led by Miranda Keyes and Avery Johnson, entered. Although many Combat Forms had been exhausted in the Gravemind's last-ditch attempt to stave off the gondolas, there were a large number of [[Infection Forms]] prowling the Library which killed off the four UNSC Marines as Keyes and Johnson advanced towards the core of the Library. Meanwhile, the Arbiter silently snuck in behind them.

[[File:Truth with Index.jpg|thumb|left|The [[Prophet of Truth]] triumphantly announces to the Covenant that the [[Sacred Icon]] has been found and that there is no need to worry.]]

The Covenant would not activate the Halos unimpeded. The Flood, who would be starved if the rings were activated, would soon attack the Covenant to prevent the activation, and the UNSC, who understood that all sentient life would be erased, also opposed the Covenant. Later, after the fragmentation of the Covenant into the Sangheili-dominated [[Covenant Separatists]] and the Prophet-led "Loyalists", the Separatists would understand the true purpose of Halo and attack the Loyalists to prevent them from activating the ringworld.

[[File:High Charity wallpaper.jpg|right|thumb|''[[High Charity]]'' surrounded by hundreds of Covenant warships, with three [[Phantom]]s clearly prominent in the foreground.]]  

SPARTAN-117 was teleported by the Gravemind directly into the High Council Chamber of ''High Charity'', where the Prophets of Truth and Mercy addressed the Covenant that the Sacred Icon was secure. Before SPARTAN-117 could kill both Prophets, they escaped by means of an elevator, while the doors were locked and waves of [[Honor Guard Brute]]s, Minor Jiralhanae, and Unggoy entered in an attempt to kill the supersoldier. [[Cortana]] managed to unlock the doors, and SPARTAN-117 chased through two towers and a set of corridors in pursuit of Truth and Mercy before Cortana picked up the IFF transponder signals of UNSC Marines - prisoners of the Covenant being kept in two brigs in a multitiered detention block.

The Covenant splintered minutes after SPARTAN-117 released the captive Marines. The Prophet of Truth made an epic announcement, and in three sentences over the loudspeakers of ''High Charity'', put his plan to betray the Elites into action: he ordered all of the Covenant to follow the Brutes as their military commanders, and inevitably, the Sangheili, seething in hatred against the Brutes, took this as the final straw. Slighted by the Prophets, the Sangheili burst into full-out warfare on ''High Charity'' and across the rest of the Covenant empire against the Jiralhanae. While many Unggoy and Mgalekgolo followed the Sangheili, the Kig-yar, Yanme'e, along with a few Unngoy and Mgalekgolo supported the Prophet-blessed Jiralhanae. Warship crewmen began to open fire upon each other with small arms, and the Covenant fleets began to open fire against each other.

As SPARTAN-117 and the Marines reached the [[Hanging Gardens]], the first scene of Covenant fratricide was seen, as Sangheili Honor Guards, Sangheili Minors, Mgalekgolo, and Unggoy fought against Jiralhanae and Kig-yar Snipers amongst the massive plants. SPARTAN-117 and his men advanced to the Mid-Tower, where Rangers and Special Operations Elites entered the fray, and the Brutes unleashed their Drones into the combat.

[[File:H2 IAC Crashed.jpg|thumb|right|The [[UNSC Frigate]] [[UNSC In Amber Clad|UNSC ''In Amber Clad'']] crashed into a Covenant tower as part of the [[Flood]]'s plot to infest ''[[High Charity]]''.]]  

[[File:H2 Phantom Departure.jpg|thumb|left|The three [[Phantom]]s of [[Tartarus]] and the [[Prophet of Truth]] just before [[SPARTAN-117]] arrives.]]  

[[File:H2 Phantom Depature2.jpg|thumb|right|Of the three Phantoms, two head for [[Installation 05]], while Truth departs for the [[Forerunner Ship]].]]  

[[File:H2 Flood Touchdown.jpg|thumb|left|The [[Flood]] descend upon Loyalist-controlled ''High Charity'', touching down in the [[UNSC In Amber Clad|UNSC ''In Amber Clad'']]'s [[D77-TC Pelican Dropship|Pelican]] dropships.]]  

[[File:H2 Forerunner Ship Takeoff.jpg|thumb|right|[[Cortana]] watches the [[Forerunner Ship]] lift off from ''[[High Charity]]'' for [[Earth]], with both the [[Prophet of Truth]] and [[SPARTAN-117]] aboard.]]

However, by the time the small UNSC squad entered [[Hanging Gardens B]], Covenant Separatist resistance on ''High Charity'' had broken. In the second Hanging Gardens, the Covenant Separatists fell back, leaving behind large numbers of [[Stationary Shield Generator]]s, abandoning numbers of Unggoy to berserk Jiralhanae as the Sangheili fell back to the Far Tower and the [[Mausoleum of the Arbiter]], drawing a last line of defense there. In the forward sections of the Far Tower, the Separatists held a choke-point bridge with a pair of plasma turrets, Special Operations Elites, and a pair of Hunter warriors. In the Mausoleum of the Arbiter, Specialist [[Sangheili Ultra]]s and Mgalekgolo fought against waves of attacking Jiralahane. Despite their efforts, the Prophets of Truth and Mercy, Tartarus, and a handful of Brute Captains were able to tunnel through the last Separatist defenses to the far docking bays of the Far Tower.<ref>'''The Official Halo 2 Strategy Guide''', ''page 129''</ref> SPARTAN-117 pursued Tartarus, fighting through the Far Tower and the Mausoleum of the Arbiter to make it through to the Phantom and Spirit pads.

{{Quote|[[Prophet of Truth|Your pal]]. Where's he going?|[[SPARTAN-117]]}}

The SPARTAN was too late, however. The Prophet of Truth ordered Tartarus to use the Sacred Icon in the Control Room of Installation 05, and activate the Halos. Tartarus took a detachment of Brute Honor Guards along with him in two Phantoms, along with UNSC prisoners Avery Johnson and Miranda Keyes. Truth and Mercy took a third Phantom to the [[Forerunner Ship]] - the central energy source of ''High Charity'', and also a fully functional starship that the two remaining High Prophets were going to use to reach Earth, and "finish what Regret started".  

Meanwhile, the Flood were escaping from the crashed hulk of the ''In Amber Clad''. They seeped out of the rents in its hull armor, and also exhibited unexpected intelligence because of the Gravemind, commandeering its Pelican dropships and sending them over the surface of ''High Charity'', crashing into the floors and releasing [[Combat Forms]], and spilling Infection Forms out of the air from opened hatches. The Prophet of Mercy was beset by an Infection Form and died before he could reach his Phantom. However, Tartarus and Truth were able to depart before SPARTAN-117 could arrive.

While Truth was taking a Phantom to the Forerunner Ship, Cortana detected an energy conduit to the ship located in the Mausoleum Tower ahead of SPARTAN-117's position. However, ''High Charity'' had become infected by the Flood within minutes: an insidious Flood presence spread surprisingly quickly through the planetoid, disrupting power, creating a dark, gloomy atmosphere, spreading Flood spores into the air, covering large parts of ''High Charity'' in Flood biomass, and sending Flood forms all across the city-space, where the Flood fought to take ''High Charity'' from the remaining Covenant Loyalist forces.  

There, a line of Honor Guard Brutes and Jackals had made a final stand against the Flood upon the gold-rimmed doors that sealed access to the Inner Sanctum. However, large numbers of Flood began to attack, and SPARTAN-117 was forced to destroy all the Covenant and Flood before entering the Inner Sanctum, and taking an adjacent Gravity Lift to a large outdoor room that hosted the energy conduit to the Forerunner Ship. SPARTAN-117 was able to jump in the conduit just in time, barely making it to the ship before it lifted off for Earth. However, Cortana stayed behind: while SPARTAN-117 would attempt to neutralize the ship before it rallied the Covenant fleets at Earth, there was another danger: Tartarus still had the Index, and was about to activate Installation 05 shortly. In the event that he was about to trigger the Halos, Cortana announced that she would detonate the fusion reactors of the ''In Amber Clad'', just like she had done to the [[UNSC Pillar of Autumn|UNSC ''Pillar of Autumn'']] at [[Installation 04]], and the blast would destabilize the ring and prevent the activation of the Halos.

[[File:H2 Arbiter and Rtas.jpg|thumb|left|[[Thel 'Vadamee]] and [[Rtas 'Vadumee]] confirm the disloyalty of the Brutes and discuss a plan to break into the [[Control Room]] and secure the [[Sacred Icon]] from [[Tartarus]].]]

After securing the first half of the camp, the Arbiter and allies moved into the weapons cache, where the Brutes had aggregated a large number of Covenant and UNSC weapons alike, demonstrating their religious heresy in their indifference towards collecting UNSC armaments.  The Arbiter led his group outside the structure and into a tunnel.  After defeating the Brutes inside, the Arbiter exited the tunnel and found himself facing a Wraith tank.  To his surprise (and relief), the pilot was revealed to be Rtas 'Vadumee.

[[File:H2 Scarab Threatening.jpg|thumb|left||[[Avery J. Johnson]] directs the main cannon of his newly-commandeered [[Scarab]] walker at the Arbiter.]]  

The Arbiter took possession of a friendly Banshee and provided cover fire for Johnson's Scarab. Together, they fought their way past a large Brute force consisting of multiple Wraiths, Banshees, Spectres, and also Shade turrets. Finally they reached the control room.  Johnson fired the Scarab's main gun three times, showing the amount of power required to destroy the Forerunner metal, and allowing the Arbiter to land and enter the chamber.

Inside the chamber, the Arbiter fought his way through one room with large numbers of Brute Captains and Brutes Honor Guards who had been ordered to prevent the Arbiter from disturbing Tartarus while he activated the Halos, or his "Holy Work". The Brutes appeared to be increasingly desperate, even wielding UNSC-manufactured M90 shotguns, usually held as trophies. Despite reinforcements, the high-ranked Brutes were unable to hold the room, and the Arbiter continued down an arched corridor before confronting Tartarus in the control room. Inside, he found Tartarus and his Brutes, along with two prisoners - Miranda Keyes and the Oracle, 343 Guilty Spark.  

Tartarus had been trying to force Miranda Keyes to insert the Sacred Icon into its place, as only a [[Reclaimer]] could activate Halo. The Arbiter entered the control room, surprising Tartarus, and told the Chieftain to stand down. Tartarus refused, and his Brutes were about to attack the Arbiter, when Johnson suddenly appeared, pointing a [[Particle Beam Rifle]] at Tartarus' head. Seeing that he was in danger, Tartarus ordered his Brutes to hold back for the moment.   

Hoping to make Tartarus understand the truth about the Rings, Arbiter asked 343 Guilty Spark what Halo's true purpose was. The Monitor explained that the Rings were weapons of mass destruction, built by the Forerunners as a last resort means to stop the Flood. When asked about what happened to the Forerunners, Guilty Spark revealed that the Forerunners ultimately chose to activate the Rings, destroying themselves and all other sentient life in the galaxy, thereby depriving the Flood of its food. With the Great Journey now revealed to be a lie, the Arbiter once again tried to get Tartarus to stand down.  Despite Guilty Spark's revelations, however, Tartarus, blinded by his loyalty to the Prophets and his hatred for Sangheili, refused to listen.  The Chieftain threw the Monitor at Johnson, knocking him out for a moment.  He then physically forced the Sacred Icon into Miranda Keyes' hand and shoved it into the receptacle, beginning the activation of Installation 05. Behind their platform, a massive Forerunner multitiered construct began to open up: a three-storied structure, which at its center, boasted a brilliant gravity column which was charging the ring to fire.

Shortly afterward, however, the fleets splintered without a common foe. The [[Alpha Jiralhanae]] [[Gargantum]] attempted to coordinate a Loyalist uprising against the Sangheili, and chased with four [[Covenant Frigate]]s after 'Mantakree. Using deft tactics and maneuvering out the Separatist carrier ''[[Lawgiver]]'', the ''Incorruptible'' destroyed the Brute-controlled frigate ''[[Tenebrous]]'', although the three remaining frigates, including Gargantum's personal frigate, the ''[[Twilight Compunction]]'', continued pursuing him. Soon afterward, the entire Covenant fleet began turning on itself, following Gargantum's example<ref>'''[[Halo: Ghosts of Onyx]]''', ''page 199''</ref>. The UNSC ''Dusk'', one of the five UNSC ships originally sent to tail Regret's Assault Carrier, witnessed the massive encounter as Covenant ships turned upon one another and destroyed themselves in a civil war.  

[[File:H2 343GS Explains Ark.jpg|thumb|right|[[343 Guilty Spark (Monitor)|343 Guilty Spark]] informs the Arbiter, [[Avery J. Johnson]], and [[Miranda Keyes]] about the [[Ark]] and [[Installation 05]]'s unexpected shutdown.]]  

[[File:H2 High Charity Infested.jpg|thumb|left|''[[High Charity]]'' infested by the [[Flood]], becoming the newest lair for the [[Gravemind]].]]  

[[File:H2 IAC Crashed Closeup.jpg|thumb|right|The [[UNSC Frigate]] [[UNSC In Amber Clad|UNSC ''In Amber Clad'']] permanently lost, captured by the [[Flood]] and crashed into the surface of ''[[High Charity]]''.]]  

[[File:H2 Cortana Betrays.jpg|thumb|left|[[Cortana]] believed to be making an unholy alliance with the [[Gravemind]] as she is captured.]]  

[[File:H2 Forerunner Ship Reverts.jpg|thumb|right|The [[Forerunner Dreadnought]] transitions from [[Slipspace]] over [[Earth]].]]  

[[File:Battle_of_Earth_Main.jpg|thumb|left|The Forerunner Ship approaching a besieged Earth as the [[UNSC Home Fleet]] continues to fight against Covenant fleets.]]

The Covenant ruling system was destabilized, with the death of the Prophet of Regret on Installation 05 at the hands of SPARTAN-117 and the death of the Prophet of Mercy on ''High Charity'' at the hands of the Flood. The Prophet of Truth held the ultimate power now, with several Minor Prophets, completely re-shifting the political dynamics of the Covenant. The Brutes now held reign over the majority of the Covenant military, bringing their innate tenaciousness and ferocity to the front lines quite unlike the Sangheili had ever done. The Jiralhanae also assumed more lower-level Covenant military authority, now replacing the Sangheili as the leaders of field squads and teams. The Brutes also introduced a unique set of bloodthirsty weaponry into the Covenant's field arsenals. The Covenant fleet was believed to lose quite a bit of its technical proficiency without the innate technical knowledge of the Elites.<ref>'''[[Halo: Ghosts of Onyx]]''', ''page 194''</ref>

Sentinel defenses were completely trampled over, particularly in the Quarantine Zone, where within hours, the Flood had managed to infiltrate the well-defended Sentinel Wall and seize control of large tracts of the Quarantine Zone, even grounding an airborne Sentinel Constructor Factory ship. The Flood also permeated the Library and the surrounding grounds, eliminating almost all Sentinels from the skies, leaving only scattered Enforcers to do battle with them. The Flood also controlled UNSC and Covenant vehicles alike, reinforcing their considerable ranks with M808B Scorpion Tanks, M12 Warthog LRVs, Wraith tanks, and Ghost vehicles. Flood losses were also remarkably high because of the Arbiter's actions in the Quarantine Zone and SPARTAN-117's combined with the Covenant Loyalists' actions on ''High Charity''. However, it was inconsequential: the Flood managed to terraform and transform ''High Charity'' into another of their "wretched hives", scoring a notable victory on ''High Charity'', capturing the Covenant's mobile home planetoid.

In the end, the fates of the Covenant fleets over ''High Charity'' is unknown, although at least one Covenant vessel, the ''Incorruptible'', escaped. 'Matrankee was commended for his actions against the Flood on Installation 05, and was promoted to [[Fleet Master]]. The Flood continued to attempt to escape ''High Charity'' in Covenant starships, and a Covenant Separatist fleet led by [[Rtas 'Vadum]] on the ''[[Shadow of Intent]]'' held the line against the Flood. However, the Flood managed to infest at least one Elite-controlled ship, a [[CCS-class Battlecruiser|''CCS''-class Battlecruiser]], and made a [[Slipspace]] jump to [[Earth]] to attempt to infest the human homeworld. The Elite fleet in orbit over ''High Charity'' followed the Flood-controlled cruiser, and when the Flood ship crash-landed on Earth, Rtas 'Vadum and his forces aided the [[UNSC Home Fleet]] in destroying the Flood vessel and terminating the Flood spread across the planet. However, prior to this, ''[[High Charity]]'' had already left its orbit around Installation 05, and according to a scrambled distress signal from [[Cortana]], was already on its way to Earth to enter the [[Portal]].<ref>'''[[Halo 3]]''', campaign level, ''[[Floodgate (Level)]]''</ref> It was indicated though that all of the other Flood controlled ships were destroyed though: upon landing on Earth an Elite informed the Arbiter that the Elite's fleet had taken care of all of the Flood controlled ships, except for that one which had managed to break through and jump to Earth. It can be inferred that the Flood controlled ships were ultimately all destroyed except the one that jumped to Earth and High Charity which was later destroyed by the Master Chief in the [[Battle of Installation 00]]. [[Cortana]] was left to the clutches of the Gravemind. It was later shown that she answered a few questions to buy herself some time and used the opportunity to help find a way to destroy the Flood. She would later be rescued by the Master Chief who would then destroy High Charity during the [[Raid on High Charity]].

[[SPARTAN-117]] was aboard Truth's Forerunner Dreadnought, which managed to reach Earth unharmed and landed in Africa, near the Portal to the Ark, about two weeks after its departure from ''High Charity''.<ref>'''[[Halo 3]]''', campaign level, ''[[Tsavo Highway (Level)]]''</ref> The UNSC ''Dusk'' eventually withdrew to rendezvous with [[Battlegroup Stalingrad]] shortly outside of the Onyx System, and the UNSC ''In Amber Clad'' remained crashed into one of the towers of ''High Charity''.

File:Hevstohalo05.jpg|[[SPARTAN-117]] and five [[Orbital Drop Shock Trooper]]s insert into the atmosphere of Installation 05 in [[Human Entry Vehicle]]s.

File:H2 Hard Drop.jpg|Covenant ground-based [[Shielded Plasma Turret|plasma turret]]s open fire on the inbound Human Entry Vehicles.

File:H2 Regret Holy Wind.jpg|[[Cortana]] and [[SPARTAN-117]] learn that the [[Prophet of Regret]] plans to activate [[Installation 05]].

File:H2 Miranda Index.jpg|[[Commander]] [[Miranda Keyes]] coordinates a plan with [[Cortana]] and [[SPARTAN-117]] regarding an assault plan to take the [[Index]] from the [[Library]].

File:H2 Sacred Icon Revealed.jpg|[[343 Guilty Spark (Monitor)|343 Guilty Spark]] projects an image of the "[[Sacred Icon]]" to the [[Prophet of Truth]] on ''[[High Charity]]''.

File:H2 Main Temple Vaporized.jpg|A Covenant [[Assault Carrier]] repositions over the Main Temple, destroying it with its energy projector in attempt to finish off [[SPARTAN-117]], who narrowly escapes.

File:H2 Phantom Delta Halo Descent.jpg|Tartarus's [[Phantom]] descends from ''[[High Charity]]'' towards the surface of [[Installation 05]].

File:Enforcer.jpg|The Arbiter fights against a [[Forerunner]] [[Enforcer]] shortly before it is diverted by [[Tartarus]]'s [[Phantom]].

File:H2 Arbiter and Rtas QuarantineZone.jpg|The Arbiter tells [[Rtas 'Vadumee]] that he needs to find the Sacred Icon at the heart of the [[Quarantine Zone]], in the [[Library]].

File:H2 UNSC Gondola.jpg|The UNSC-controlled gondola takes off for the [[Library]] first, crewed by [[Miranda Keyes]] and a small number of [[Marine]]s, including [[Avery J. Johnson]].

File:H2 Gondola Race.jpg|The two gondolas, Covenant-controlled and UNSC-controlled, race to reach the top floors of the [[Library]].

File:H2 Arbiter Gondola Phantom.jpg|Tartarus's Phantom hovers over the Arbiter's gondola, defending him from the [[Flood]].

File:H2 Tartarus Betrays Arbiter.jpg|Tartarus betrays the Arbiter, slamming him with the [[Fist of Rukt]] into a bottomless chasm in the center of the [[Library]].

File:H2 Gravemind MC Arbiter.jpg|The Gravemind speaks to the Arbiter and SPARTAN-117 in the depths of [[Installation 05]], convincing them from stopping the Covenant from activating the Halos.

File:H2 S117 Boo.jpg|SPARTAN-117 is teleported by the Gravemind into the High Council Chamber of ''[[High Charity]]''.

File:H2 MK AJ Prisoners.jpg|[[Avery J. Johnson]] and [[Miranda Keyes]] of the UNSC taken prisoner and sent to [[Installation 05]] by [[Phantom]] dropship.

File:H2 Dreams and Hopes.jpg|[[Tartarus]] swears to the [[Prophet of Truth]] to use the [[Sacred Icon]] and activate the Halos.

File:H2 Cortana Gravemind Prisoner.jpg|[[Cortana]] captured by the [[Gravemind]] at the heart of [[Flood]]-infested ''[[High Charity]]''.

File:H2 Phantom Dropoff.jpg|A [[Phantom]] drops off [[Tartarus]] and [[Miranda Keyes]] at the [[Control Room]] shortly before Tartarus brutalizes Keyes to use the Index and activate the Halos.

File:H2 Mercy Dying.jpg|The [[Prophet of Mercy]] is killed by the [[Flood]], forever changing the Covenant's power structure, leaving the [[Prophet of Truth]] omnipotent over the Covenant.

File:H2 Tartarus Leads.jpg|Tartarus leads [[Miranda Keyes]] and [[343 Guilty Spark (Monitor)|343 Guilty Spark]] deeper into the bowels of the [[Control Room]].

File:H2 Arbiter Teleport.jpg|The Arbiter is teleported by the [[Gravemind]] to a high cliff south of the [[Control Room]] to find the [[Sacred Icon]].

File:H2 Tartarus Threatens Miranda.jpg|Tartarus snarls at Miranda Keyes to insert the [[Index]] into the panel and activate Installation 05.

File:H2 Tartarus Hits Johnson.jpg|Tartarus hurls [[343 Guilty Spark (Monitor)|343 Guilty Spark]] at Johnson, knocking him unconscious and then inserting the Index and preparing Installation 05 to fire.