Battle of Trove: Difference between revisions

{{Era|HW}}

{{Ratings}}

{{quad battle infobox

|prev=[[First Battle of Arcadia]]

*Shield World

}}

The '''Battle of the Flood-controlled Shield World''' was an engagement fought between the [[United Nations Space Command|UNSC]] [[UNSC Marine Corps|Marines]] of the {{UNSCShip|Spirit of Fire}}, the [[Covenant Empire|Covenant]], and the [[Flood]] on a [[Shield World (Halo Wars)|Forerunner Shield World]] during the [[Human-Covenant War]] on [[2531|February 23rd, 2531]].<ref>''[[Halo Wars]]''</ref>

===Descent===

After destroying the Proto-Gravemind, the ''Spirit of Fire's'' A.I [[Serina]] located Anders' signal, which was apparently in the middle of an ocean. While the ''Spirit'' was hovering over the sea, the doors of a huge submerged entry into the planet opened and several [[Foreunner]] [[Sentinel]]s flew out. The ''Spirit of Fire'' became locked into a powerful docking mechanism and inevitably began a controlled 'fall' into the rift.  

The remaining UNSC forces on the Shield World's surface had less than twenty minutes to fight their way past hundreds of Flood forms before being airlifted back to the ''Spirit of Fire''. [[Flood Swarms]] made air support almost useless, forcing the Marines to use large numbers of [[Wolverine]]s to clear the air before tanks and infantry could clear landing zones of Flood growths. They managed to slow down the ''Spirit of Fire's'' descent by disabling Forerunner pylon towers powering the docking system with [[Gremlin Combat Support Vehicle]]s, giving them a little longer. After evacuating [[Alpha Platoon]] and [[Bravo Platoon]], the team had to escort [[Charlie Platoon]] back to the firebase for extraction after their [[Dropship 77-Troop Carrier|Pelican]] was forced to abort its run. After extracting all UNSC forces, the firebase was abandoned to the Flood and the ''Spirit of Fire'' began her descent.<ref>''[[Halo Wars]]'' level, ''[[Shield World (Level)|Shield World]]''</ref>

Fighting their way down through a service conduit inside the Shield World, the ''Spirit of Fire'' was attacked by even more Flood forms. Flood growths began to sprout on the ship's hull, and Marines and aircraft were forced to fight on the hull of the ship to remove the Flood forms. Furthermore, [[Sentinel]]s attacked the Flood, and while they initially provided some support to the UNSC, after passing through the first decontamination ring, the Sentinels identified them as possible infection vectors and relabeled them as targets. The UNSC forces managed to clear the hull of growths, removing the Flood and thus allowing the Sentinels to withdraw. After this, the Spirit of Fire accelerated out of the tunnel, and emerged into the interior of the Shield World.<ref>''[[Halo Wars]]'' level, ''[[Cleansing (Level)|Cleansing]]''</ref>

=== Interior ===

{{Main|Battle of the Apex}}

In the inner [[Micro Dyson Sphere|Dyson Sphere]] of the Shield World, the Spirit of Fire was immediately on a collision course with a [[Covenant Destroyer]]. Despite hard course corrections, the two ships impacted, with a large section of the ''Spirit'' being violently sheared off. Dozens of Marines, vehicles, and aircraft were deployed onto the ''Spirit's'' hull to fend off boarding parties who were trying to prevent technicians in [[Cyclops]] exoskeletons from repairing the ship's power core, while at the same time the ship was raked by [[plasma]] fire. Escaping from the Destroyer, the ''Spirit's'' A.I, [[Serina]], detected Anders' signal. Sergeant Forge, along with other forces, were deployed to the signal's apparent source on the Shield World's inner surface.

=== The Apex ===

To prevent the Covenant from gaining control of the ships, the crew devised a plan to use the ''Spirit's'' [[Shaw-Fujikawa Translight Engine]] to cause the miniature sun in the planet's center to go [[supernova]], destroying the Shield World, though it meant that they would have no way to return home. After an attempt at airlifting the drive failed, Sergeant Forge used a [[Behemoth-class Troop Transport]] to tow the drive to the top of a ramped hill with a teleport to the Apex site's control center. The UNSC forces established two base sites, building up a large mechanized force with air support, and ascended a towering hill up to the Apex Base Site, meeting determined resistance from the Covenant. They eventually reached a [[Teleportation Grid|teleporter]] that took [[John Forge|Sergeant John Forge]], a Marine [[Unnamed Lieutenant (Halo Wars)|Lieutenant]], and [[SPARTAN-II]] [[Red Team]] to the Apex's control center with the Slipspace Drive.

On the Apex's main platform, Forge, the Red Team and the Lieutenant prepared to load the slipspace drive into an elevator which led to the Shield World's artificial sun. Suddenly, [[Ripa 'Moramee|The Arbiter]], who was [[Active Camo|cloaked]], killed the [[Unnamed Lieutenant (Halo Wars)|Lieutenant]] who was opening the door to the elevator. Forge released the locks holding the FTL Drive on to the truck, and ramped it at the Arbiter. A group of Sangheili Honor Guardsmen appeared from the other end of the platform, and charged at the SPARTANs [[Jerome-092]], [[Douglas-042]] and [[Alice-130]], who held them off with relative ease. Meanwhile, Forge killed the Arbiter. After this, Forge decided to sacrifice himself in order to detonate the drive. The Spartans returned to the Spirit of Fire, while Forge ascended up into the sun.<ref>''[[Halo Wars]]'' level, ''[[Reactor (Level)|Reactor]]''</ref>

===Escape===

Serina found that the exit portal had been sealed off. Red Team and groups of Marines had to deal with massive Covenant and [[Flood]] resistance before they could disengage the door locks. Using tanks, [[Vulture]]s, [[Carpet Bomb]]ing, [[Cryo Bomb]]s, and [[MAC Blast|orbital bombardment]] to destroy the Covenant and Flood bases, they successfully opened the doors.

==Aftermath==

With no ability to enter [[Slipstream Space]], and the journey back to UNSC space likely to take years, if not decades, the ''Spirit of Fire's'' crew went into [[Cryo-chamber|cryo-storage]]. The UNSC [[Office of Naval Intelligence]] declared the ''Spirit'' and crew to be [[Missing In Action]]. In [[2534]], the ''Spirit of Fire'' was declared to be "lost with all hands" by the UNSC. The reason for this change was kept top secret. A memorial service was held for the people aboard the vessel, but many of the crew's family members chose not to attend, holding out hope that their loved ones are still alive.<ref>''[[Halo Wars]]'' timeline</ref> Various theories circulated throughout the UNSC as to the ship's actual fate, ranging from being lost during a covert mission for ONI, destroyed in orbit over [[Arcadia (Planet)|Arcadia]], defecting to [[Insurrectionist]] forces, or being stranded in space. When [[Mary Cutter]], wife of [[Captain (Navy)|Captain]] [[James Cutter]], was asked about the defection theory, she physically assaulted the reporter.<ref>[http://www.graemedevine.com/graemedevine/Spirit_of_Fire/Entries/2009/3/14_The_Mystery_of_%E2%80%9CSpirit_of_Fire%E2%80%9D.html Graeme Personal Webpage regarding the Spirit of Fire]</ref>

*[[Arbiter (Title)|Arbiter]] [[Ripa 'Moramee]]

{{col-end}}

==Sources==

<references/>