Installation 04: Difference between revisions

{{Status|Canon}}

{{Center|'''''Installation 04''' redirects here. For other uses, see [[Installation 04 (disambiguation)]]''.}}

|anchor=Threshold/[[Basis]]{{Ref/Reuse|VIS}}

*[[Flood]] containment and research{{Ref/Reuse|halo array}}

|constructed=[[97,445 BCE]]{{Ref/Reuse|halo array}}

|diameter={{Convert|10000|km|mi|sp=us|sigfig=4}}{{Ref/Reuse|VIS}}

|surface width={{Convert|318|km|mi|sp=us|sigfig=3}}{{Ref/Reuse|VIS}}

|gravity=0.992 G (approx){{Ref/Reuse|VIS}}

|surface temperature=-23°C to 40°C (-9°F to 104°F) (controlled){{Ref/Reuse|VIS}}

|atmosphere=1 ([[Wikipedia:Nitrogen|N₂]], [[Oxygen|O₂]]){{Ref/Reuse|VIS}}

'''Installation 04''', also known as '''Alpha Halo''', or simply '''Halo''',<ref>'''[[Halo: Combat Evolved]]''', campaign level, ''[[Truth and Reconciliation (level)|Truth and Reconciliation]]'' - Captain Keyes: "''They call it, Halo''"</ref> was one of [[seven]] ring-shaped superweapons that comprised the [[Forerunner]]s' [[Halo Array]]. It was located in the [[Soell system]] in the [[Orion Arm]] and was the closest Halo ring to the [[human sphere]].{{Ref/Reuse|warfleet}}

With a diameter of 10,000&nbsp;km and a surface width of 318&nbsp;km, the ring has a surface area of 9,990,000&nbsp;km².

The [[Forerunner]]s had Installation 04 constructed by the [[Foundry (location)|Foundry]] of [[Installation 00]]<ref name="p371">'''[[Halo: Primordium]]''', ''page 371''</ref> approximately around the same time as the rest of the [[Halo Array]], circa [[97,445 BCE]] during the [[Forerunner-Flood war]].{{Ref/Reuse|halo array}}<ref>[https://www.halowaypoint.com/en-us/news/canon-fodder-array-with-words '''Halo Waypoint''': ''Canon Fodder - Array With Words'']</ref> The array was designed by the Forerunner [[Builder]]s to combat the parasitic [[Flood]] by eradicating them and all [[Sentience|sentient]] life in the [[Milky Way]]. After the rings were built, Installation 04 and its fellow Halos were distributed from Installation 00 to positions across the galaxy through [[slipstream space]] [[Slipspace portal|portals]].{{Ref/Reuse|halo array}}<ref>'''[[Halo Legends]]''', ''[[Origins]]''</ref>

When the [[IsoDidact]] activated the Array at the [[Forerunner-Flood war]]'s conclusion, ending the centuries-long conflict, Installation 04 was the first to fire,<ref>'''Halo: Silentium''', ''String 38''</ref> followed shortly after by the other six Halo rings. Installation 04 lay dormant for a hundred thousand years, with [[343 Guilty Spark]] and his [[Sentinel]]s ready to keep the [[Flood]] confined in the [[Flood containment facility|Flood containment facilities]] and keeping the infrastructure of the Halo in perfect working order.

After eons of uneventful existence on Installation 04, 343 Guilty Spark eventually found himself bored. For his own amusement, Spark began an experiment in which he evacuated entire sections of the Installation into space; according to Spark, these were experiments to measure the geologic effects of exposure to the vacuum of space and the eventual biological recovery of the evacuated sections, in order to gain insight into emergency response scenarios.<ref>'''Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary''' - ''[[Terminal (Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary)#Terminal 4|Terminal 4]]''</ref>

Around [[40,000 BCE]], an [[unidentified alien vessel]] crash landed in [[Sector 1215]]. Sometime prior to the crash the ship started broadcasting a distress signal.<ref name="terminal5">'''Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary''' - ''[[Terminal (Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary)#Terminal 5|Terminal 5]]''</ref><ref name="time">'''Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary''' - ''[[Terminal (Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary)#Terminal 6|Terminal 6]]'' (343 Guilty Spark: ''"I have now endured 60,000 years without word from outside the Array."'')</ref> After attempting to translate it, [[343 Guilty Spark]] blocked the signal, as no communication revealing the location of any of the Halos was allowed.{{Ref/Reuse|terminal5}} After no lifeforms exited for several days, Spark had a large sarcophagus constructed around the vessel.{{Ref/Reuse|time}}

[[File:Autumn Arrival.png|thumb|250px|The {{UNSCShip|Pillar of Autumn}} arrives at Installation 04.]]

In the conclusion of the battle, John-117 detonated the ''Pillar of Autumn''{{'}}s [[Fusion drive|fusion reactors]] in order to destroy the ring. The explosion critically damaged the superstructure below it; the resulting shockwave and damage to the ring's systems destabilized the ring, shattering it into pieces.<ref>'''Halo: Combat Evolved''', campaign level ''[[The Maw]]''</ref>{{Ref/Note|The particulars of Installation 04's destruction differ throughout its various depictions. In ''Halo: Combat Evolved'', ''Combat Evolved Anniversary'' and most [[terminal]] depictions, a portion of the ring next to the ''Autumn''{{'}}s explosion is sent flying to the other side where it bisects the ring, further splintering the superstructure. The most noticeable change is in the flashback portion of the level ''[[The Heretic]]'' in ''Halo 2: Anniversary'', where the fragment is no longer propelled to the other side and the ring simply shatters, with the explosions spreading in both directions of the epicenter in a chain reaction. The blue lights on the outer surface are also seen going out in this version. The [[Terminal (Halo 2: Anniversary)|''Halo 2: Anniversary'' terminals]] give two versions of the ring's destruction, the first (in Terminal 4) being identical to ''Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary''{{'}}s [[Terminal (Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary)|Terminal 11]], which is closer to the original ''Halo: Combat Evolved'' mechanics, although the ring's shattering is more violent. The second version, shown in Terminal 12, is closer in line with the depiction in ''Halo 2: Anniversary'' version of the flashback in ''The Heretic'' and lacks the shard being blasted to the opposite side.}}

Installation 04 was the first Halo installation encountered by humanity, as well as first to be destroyed. Its attempted firing triggered the activation of a portal leading to [[Sarcophagus|Shield World 006]] within [[Onyx]],{{Ref/Novel|GoO|Page=175|Quote=Halsey: That timing coincides with the activation of an alien weapon world - before John thankfully destroyed it. It is no coincidence that the Sentinels appeared then. It must be part of a larger Forerunner plan.}} and also caused [[Installation 00|the Ark]] to start constructing a [[Installation 08|replacement ring]].

[[File:H2A - Alpha Halo remains.jpg|thumb|250px|The burning wreckage of Installation 04, surrounded by vessels of the Covenant armada in the aftermath of the battle.]]

Installation 04's destruction left behind a large field of debris, with a few large chunks of the ring remaining.<ref>'''[[Halo 2]]''', campaign level ''[[The Heretic]]''</ref> Some smaller pieces of Installation 04 have landed on Basis, while others have burned up in Threshold's atmosphere upon entry.<ref>'''[[Halo 2]]''', multiplayer map ''[[Burial Mounds]]''</ref> [[Alpha Shard|One damaged fragment]] notably made a slipspace jump as a safety measure, and ended up in a distant system.{{Ref/Reuse|wp shard}}

[[File:TML - broken Halo.png|thumb|250px|A segment of the broken ring.]]

The UNSC's [[Treaty of 2552|peace treaty]] with the [[Swords of Sanghelios]] forbids either party from landing on the remains of Installation 04.{{Ref/Reuse|nf1}} There is a 500-[[Wikipedia:Light-second|light-second]] exclusion zone surrounding the former site of the ring. In [[2556]], [[Spartan-IV]] [[Fireteam Apollo]] was [[Operation: SHELL GAME|deployed to the exclusion zone]] in direct violation of the treaty; there they recovered some items of value, including a "black box" from the Covenant cruiser ''[[Undiminished Entelechy]]''.<ref name="lc">'''[[Halo Legendary Crate]]''', ''[[Halo Legendary Crate/Data Drops|Data Drop 3]]''</ref>

At some point after the war, a Spartan-IV reconnaissance team was deployed to [[Basis]]. Wearing [[VECTOR-class Mjolnir]] armor, a variant designed for artifact retrieval, their mission was to assess the debris of Alpha Halo scattered on the moon's surface.<ref>'''Halo 5: Guardians''', ''[[VECTOR-class Mjolnir]] armor description''</ref>

When the ''Pillar of Autumn''{{'}}s reactors went critical, Installation 04 attempted to activate a safety measure and make a slipspace jump. However, this self-preservation protocol was only partly successful, and only a small portion of the ring managed to enter slipspace before the ''Autumn''{{'}}s reactors overloaded and destroyed the ring. The surviving fragment of the Halo reentered normal space in the vicinity of [[Thotael system|a red giant star]] some distance away from the [[Orrichon system]] and was caught in the giant star's orbit.<ref name="wp shard">[https://www.halowaypoint.com/en-us/universe/locations/halo-ring-fragment '''Halo Waypoint - Universe''': ''Alpha Shard'']</ref> This fragment was home to a unique element apparently created by the heat of the ring's explosion and not found elsewhere in the universe. The element was later refined and used in a [[bioweapon]] unleashed in a [[terrorist]] attack on [[Sedra City]].<ref name="nf1">'''Halo: Nightfall''' - ''Chapter One''</ref> [[Mission to Alpha Shard|A joint classified mission]] was launched to Alpha Shard by an [[Locke's team|ONI team]] and members of the [[Sedran Colonial Guard]]. Though most of the team was killed during the mission, [[Colonel]] [[Randall Aiken]] sacrificed himself to destroy the deposits with a [[HAVOK tactical nuclear weapon]].<ref>'''Halo: Nightfall''' - ''Chapter Five''</ref>

During the {{UNSCShip|Spirit of Fire}}'s [[Second Ark Conflict|battle]] with the [[Banished]] at the Ark in [[2559#March|March 2559]], Captain [[James Cutter]], Professor [[Ellen Anders]], and logistics AI [[Isabel]] formed a plan to deploy the second replacement for Alpha Halo, Installation 09, to the Soell system in an attempt to send a [[distress beacon|distress signal]] to [[Human colonies|human space]].{{Ref/Level|HW2|[[Hold the Line]]}} On the way to the original site of Installation 04 however, a Forerunner [[Guardian|Guardian construct]] controlled by Cortana's [[Created]] intercepted the ring.{{Ref/Level|HW2|[[Last Stand (Halo Wars 2 level)|Last Stand]]}}

 

[[Makee]] discovered the location of the Halo ring from her and [[John-117/Silver|John-117]]'s visions, which proves to be Installation 04 in the center of the [[Soell system]]. By tracking Makee's ship, the UNSC was able to locate the ring as well.{{Ref/Film|Id=Thermopylae|TV|Episode=[[Thermopylae (TV Series)|Thermopylae]]}}

 

When John arrived in ''[[Condor 325]]'', he found the Covenant [[First Fleet of Solemn Accord]] chasing Makee and [[Arbiter]] [[Var 'Gatanai]] towards the Halo ring while the [[SPARTAN-III program/Silver|SPARTAN-IIIs]] prepare to launch a possible suicide mission that would destroy both the UNSC and Covenant fleets as well as the star system and the Halo ring.{{Ref/Reuse|Thermopylae}}

Installation 04 also underwent a number of visual changes in ''[[Halo 2: Anniversary]]'', including the addition of blue lighting in the circular patterns on the ring's outer surface. Curiously, [[Installation 05]] in the same game uses a distinct model, which bears different surface patterning more closely modeled after that in [[Bungie]]'s games but is noticeably wider than either the Installation 04 model in ''Halo 2 Anniversary'' or the Halos in prior media. Furthermore, [[Blur Studio]] used Installation 05's model, rather than that of the original Installation 04, from ''Halo 2 Anniversary'' for [[Installation 09]] in ''[[Halo Wars 2]]''.<ref>'''Halo 2 Anniversary''', [[:File:H2A - DeltaHalo.jpg|''Delta Halo model'']]</ref><ref>'''Halo Wars 2''', [[:File:HW2 I04C.png|''Installation 09 model'']]</ref>

File:AlphaHaloview2.jpg|''Pillar of Autumn''{{'}}s engines detonate, destroying Installation 04.

File:Installation 04 Terminal.jpg|Installation 04, as seen in a [[Terminal (Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary)|Terminal]].

**''[[Terminal (Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary)|Terminals]]''

**''[[Terminal (Halo 2: Anniversary)|Terminals]]''

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