Halo: Retribution

Halo: Retribution
Attribution information
Author(s):	Troy Denning
Cover artist(s):	Benjamin Carré
Publication information
Publisher:	Simon & Schuster
Publication date:	August 29, 2017
Media type:	Digital and print
Pages:	368 pages
ISBN:	9781501138362

Halo: Retribution is a novel by Troy Denning. Having first appeared on Amazon's website, Retribution was officially announced on June 23, 2017, and was released on August 29, 2017. Set in late 2553, the novel follows up on Denning's Halo: Fractures short story A Necessary Truth, although many of the central characters from the preceding novel Halo: Last Light also make a return.

Official summary

“

December 2553. Less than a year after the end of the Covenant War, a string of violent incidents continues to threaten the tenuous peace in human-held space, culminating in the assassination of UNSC fleet admiral Graselyn Tuwa and the abduction of her family. It is a provocation so outrageous that the Office of Naval Intelligence must retaliate swiftly and ferociously—but only after its operatives identify her killer and rescue the hostages. This mission will be the first for homicide-detective-turned-ONI-operative Veta Lopis and her young team of Spartan-IIIs, and something feels wrong from the start. The obvious suspect is an infamous Brute who leads the Keepers of the One Freedom, an ex-Covenant splinter group in fierce opposition to the UNSC. But Lopis and her team soon realize that the truth is much more insidious than they could ever have imagined, and with Frederic-104, Kelly-087, and Linda-058 of Blue Team for combat support, they must stop a plan hatched in the bowels of the secret research station Argent Moon — a plan so sinister it could destroy all those still reeling from thirty years of intergalactic [sic] conflict…

”

Plot synopsis

In December 2553, Veta Lopis and her Ferret team—comprised of the SPARTAN-IIIs Ash-G099, Olivia-G291, and Mark-G313—are on a mission to find the abducted family of UNSC Fleet Admiral Graselyn Tuwa, who was recently assassinated. While disguised, the team gain the trust of a group of Kig-Yar in league with the Keepers of the One Freedom, their primary suspect. While aboard the Kig-Yar's ship, which is heading to the Keepers' hidden Salvation Base, the Kig-Yar attempt to gas them, but the Ferrets take over the ship for themselves, posing as "believers." Meanwhile, SPARTAN-II Blue Team tracks the Ferrets from aboard the UNSC Silent Joe, one of the Office of Naval Intelligence's Sahara-class heavy prowlers, as backup. Eventually, the Ferrets infiltrate Salvation Base—on a strange Forerunner world—in search of the Tuwa family.

While at the base, Olivia-G291 discovers a Turaco ship with evidence of a connection to Dark Moon Enterprises, which planted the bodies of the Tuwa family within the detention center of Salvation Base to frame the Keepers of the One Freedom. A battle occurs when the Ferrets cross paths with the Keepers' leader, Castor, but Lopis and the Ferrets escape in the Turaco with Blue Team as Salvation Base is destroyed.

Castor, having also discovered the Tuwa's corpses, decides to search for the Dark Moon operatives as well. Although not working together with Lopis, they both follow the trail of evidence back to a laboratory on Gao, where President Arlo Casille admits to having made dealings with Dark Moon. Casille allowed them to use his labs if they promised to deal with the Keepers, who wanted vengeance on Casille after the recent conflict on the planet. Dark Moon had previously attempted to manufacture a harmful bioweapon researched on Argent Moon using the Tuwa's remains, but they succeeded within the labs on Gao.

After interrogating Casille, Veta Lopis and her Ferrets were led to Pinnacle Station above Meridian, where the AI Governor Sloan had initially advised Casille to work with Dark Moon Enterprises. The Keepers, the Ferrets, and Dark Moon with their bioweapon all converge on Pinnacle Station and a battle erupts, eventually traveling to the surface of Meridian. Although the Spartans and Ferrets manage to neutralize the bioweapon and Dark Moon, Castor escapes.

After the narrative ends, it is revealed that the Forerunner Ancilla, Intrepid Eye, was behind the bioweapon plot and Dark Moon Enterprises. With her plot at least temporarily foiled, Intrepid Eye framed Bartalan Craddog with creating the bioweapon and remained secretly in control of the station and further secret projects. The Spartans and Ferrets never learn this truth, and the true mastermind of the plot is only revealed to the reader.

This section needs expansion. You can help Halopedia by expanding it.

Appearances

Characters Agnes Sabara (First appearance) Andera Rolan (Mentioned only) Anki Hersh (First appearance) Argie (First appearance) Arlo Casille Ash-G099 Ashveld Atriox (Mentioned only) Bartalan Craddog (First appearance) Bhu Zdenyk (First appearance) Catalin Tuwa (First appearance) Castor Sarch Rach (First appearance) Cirilo (Mentioned only) Clovis Petriv (First appearance) Creon (First appearance) Damon (First appearance) Duena Sandos (First appearance) Franklin Mendez (Mentioned only) Frederic-104 Friedel (First mentioned) Georgi Baklanov (First appearance) Graselyn Tuwa Gravemind (Mentioned only) Gyasi (First appearance) Hector Nyeto (Mentioned only) Hovane (First appearance) Intrepid Eye Jarves (First appearance) Jess Wallace (First appearance) Jessum (First mentioned) Johanson Sloan (First mentioned) Kelly-087 Kerbasi Tuwa (First appearance) Kopek (First mentioned) Kris Gaston (First appearance) Krosbi (First appearance) Laru (First mentioned) Linda-058 Malcolm-059 (Indirect mention) Mark-G313 Marco (First appearance) Margaret Parangosky (Mentioned only) Miguel (First appearance) Neola (First mentioned) Nita (First appearance) Olivia-G291 Oriel (First appearance) Orsun Panya (First appearance) Picus (First appearance) Piers Ewen (First appearance) Prudence Tuwa (First mentioned) Porter Sahir (First appearance) Ramond (First appearance) Roams Alone (Mentioned only) Rodas (First appearance) Rooker Ross Nyeto (First appearance) Senola Lurone (Mentioned only) Serin Osman Seruphi (First appearance) Sloan Tabor (First appearance) Taj McAvoy (First appearance) Thurlo (First appearance) Vankus (First mentioned) Veta Lopis Wendell (Indirect mention) Yera Sabinus (First mentioned) Yuso Tuwa (First appearance) Species Asteroidea merozoite Forerunner (Mentioned only) Grattle-bah shrew (First mentioned) Human Huragok (Mentioned only) Jiralhanae Kig-Yar Ruuhtian Sangheili Unggoy (Mentioned only) Organizations Bandeus Arms (First mentioned) Chalybs Defense Solutions (Mentioned only) Covenant (Mentioned only) Bloodstars (First mentioned) Silent Shadow (Mentioned only) Covenant remnants Banished (Mentioned only) Keepers of the One Freedom Fleet of Glory (First appearance) Dark Moon Enterprises Ecumene (Mentioned only) Builders (Mentioned only) Juridicals (Mentioned only) Eld Ventures Gao Republic Gao Ministry of Aeronautics (First mentioned) Gao Ministry of the Environment Gao Ministry of Protection (Mentioned only) Gao Ministry of War (Mentioned only) Gao battle-jumpers (Mentioned only) Jenny Lynn Workings (First appearance) JOTUN Heavy Industries (Mentioned only) Liang-Dortmund Corporation Nephis Coalition (First mentioned) New Leaf (First appearance) New Tyne Armory (First mentioned) Pinnacle Station Security Force Sevine Arms (Mentioned only) Traxus Heavy Industries (Mentioned only) Unified Earth Government Colonial Administration Authority (Mentioned only) UEG Mine Safety and Health Administration (First mentioned) United Nations Space Command Incident Response and Investigation (First appearance) UNSC Armed Forces Orbital Drop Shock Troopers (Mentioned only) UNSC Navy Covert Services (First appearance) UNSC Fleet Command Naval Special Warfare Command SPARTAN-II program Blue Team Office of Naval Intelligence 717th Xeno-Materials Exploitation Battalion (Mentioned only) Reverse Engineering and Prototyping–Xenotechnology department (Mentioned only) Section Two (Mentioned only) Section Three Beta-5 Division SPARTAN-III program Gamma Company Ferrets UNSC Testing and Evaluation Command (First mentioned) Locations Crow's Eye Nebula (First appearance) Detention Center 3063-OM-Y (First mentioned) Doisac (Mentioned only) Earth (Mentioned only) Ganymede (Mentioned only) Geryon sector (First appearance) Hestia system Hestia V Meridian Jenny Lynn Tantalite Mine (First appearance) Meridian Station Pinnacle Station Isbanola sector Cordoba system Gao Avelos Academy (First mentioned) Montero Cave System (Mentioned only) Montero Vitality Center (Mentioned only) People's Palace (Mentioned only) Wendosa (Mentioned only) Yosavi Diversity Reserve (First appearance) Yosavi Jungle (First appearance) Candado de Xalapea (First appearance) New Leaf Extractions Field Complex (First appearance) Qab system Venezia New Tyne New Tyne Airfield Trattoria Georgi (First appearance) Via Notoli (First mentioned) Uashon Station (First mentioned) Shaps system Pydoryn (First appearance) Taram (First appearance) Lake of Transcendence (First appearance) Salvation Base (First appearance) Suluhu Contemplarium (First appearance) Shaps III (Mentioned only) Luna (Mentioned only) Academy at Mare Nubium (Mentioned only) Mill (Mentioned only) Neos Atlantis (Mentioned only) Nereus system (First mentioned) Nereus X (First mentioned) Reach (Mentioned only) Rhea Station (First mentioned) Saturn (Mentioned only) Shamsa (First mentioned) Tisiphone system (First appearance) Barugi (First mentioned) Barugi Preparatory Academy (First mentioned) Hephestes (First mentioned) Nephis (First mentioned) Urs system (Mentioned only)

Events Barugi incident (First mentioned) Great Schism (Mentioned only) Human-Covenant War (Mentioned only) Battle of Meridian (Mentioned only) Fall of Reach (Indirect mention) Insurrection (Mentioned only) Post-Covenant War conflicts Operation: JOVIAN WHISTLE (Mentioned only) Operation: RETRIBUTION (First appearance) Threshold Ceremony (First mentioned) Vehicles Ajax (First appearance) Argent Moon Bronto (First appearance) D77-TC Pelican (Mentioned only) Bravo 001 (Indirect mention) Frigate UNSC Swift Justice (First appearance) GA-TL1 Longsword Hyades-class yacht (First appearance) UNSC Donoma (First appearance) JOTUN Arilus Laden-class freighter True Light (First appearance) M121 Jackrabbit M274 Mongoose Mudoat starsloop (First appearance) Stolen Faith (First appearance) Murat gun truck (First appearance) D102 Owl UNSC Silent Claw Razor-class prowler (First mentioned) Ghost Flag (First mentioned) Rescue crawler (First appearance) Roamer (First appearance) S77 Crow (First mentioned) Scouter truck (First appearance) Sahara-class heavy prowler UNSC Silent Joe (First appearance) Single Occupant Exoatmospheric Insertion Vehicle (Mentioned only) Stork (First mentioned) Tri-wheel minivan (First appearance) Tronto (First appearance) Turaco (First appearance) Seraph Typhoon (First mentioned) UNSC Taulanti (First mentioned) Winter-class prowler UNSC Fast Gus (First appearance) Weapons 12mm Comet (First appearance) Archer missile (Mentioned only) Argent V missile (Mentioned only) C-12 shaped charge HAVOK tactical nuclear weapon Heavy plasma cannon BR55 battle rifle BR85 battle rifle Combat knife M19 missile (Mentioned only) M301 grenade launcher M41 SPNKR M441 Hornet Remote Explosive System (Mentioned only) M45 shotgun M68 Gauss cannon (Mentioned only) M6C magnum M6C/SOCOM M6G magnum M6P pocket pistol (First appearance) M7 SMG M7S SMG M9 fragmentation grenade M947 Shiva-class nuclear missile MA5C assault rifle MA5D assault rifle MA5K carbine Magnetic Accelerator Cannon (Mentioned only) Pulse laser turret SAD-10 (First appearance) SAM-8 battle rifle (First appearance) SAMP-10 (First appearance) SRS99-AM sniper rifle Satchel charge (Mentioned only) Sawtooth chaingun (First appearance) Type-2 spike grenade Type-25 Brute Shot Type-25 plasma pistol Paegaas Workshop Spiker Type-52 Mauler Gadulo-pattern needle rifle Technology and equipment Active camouflage Artificial intelligence Archeon-class ancilla Dumb AI Remote aspect Smart AI Ballistic assault vest Cryo-jar (First appearance) Data pad Energy barrier Energy shielding Gelignite (First appearance) Halo Array (Mentioned only) Hard light Heads-up display Jiralhanae power armor Memory matrix MJOLNIR Powered Assault Armor ARGUS-class Mjolnir CENTURION-class Mjolnir EVA-class Mjolnir Observation pane (First appearance) Riemann matrix (Mentioned only) Semi-Powered Infiltration armor Shaw-Fujikawa Translight Engine (Mentioned only) Space elevator (Mentioned only) Spy gnat (First appearance) State-shifter (First mentioned) TACPAD Vacuum energy Miscellaneous Boson bead (First appearance) Lethron (First appearance) Ralex (First mentioned) Tossers (First mentioned)

Trivia

• The novel's cover is illustrated by artist Benjamin Carré, who also provided artwork for Halo Mythos.
• Retribution's official summary describes the Human-Covenant War as "thirty years of 'intergalactic' conflict". This is an incorrect usage of the term, as the war was never fought in more than one galaxy; a more appropriate word would have been "interstellar", which is defined as occurring between stars. The Battle of Installation 00 was the only battle of the war to be fought outside the galaxy, though not in another galaxy altogether, and the wording in the summary regardless implies the war was waged on an intergalactic scale consistently for its thirty-year duration.

Gallery

• 
• 

  The novel's full cover illustration.