Landing on Installation 04
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On September 19, 2552, forces evacuating from the UNSC Pillar of Autumn landed on Installation 04, amidst the ship's crash-landing. In the following hours, UNSC forces would regroup at a site later named "Alpha Base" and begin conducting strike operations across the ring.
Prelude
- Main article: Battle Over Installation 04
Following the arrival of the Pillar of Autumn in the Soell system, Covenant forces of the Fleet of Particular Justice moved to engage the ship. Under orders from the Minor Prophet of Stewardship, the fleet was forbidden from firing their ship-borne weaponry for fear of damaging Installation 04, and instead launched waves of boarding craft to try and flush the humans out. Nonetheless, Thel 'Vadamee eventually ignored this request and began to fire on the human cruiser anyway. The battle in space would prompt Captain Jacob Keyes to initiate Article 2 of the Cole Protocol, ordering a general evacuation of the ship. Most of the crew would evacuate by SKT-9 Bumblebee lifeboats, while the ship's ODST complement under Major Antonio Silva would deploy in their SOEIV drop pods.[1]
Alpha Base
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Rounding up survivors
Many of the lifeboats deployed from the Autumn ended up scattered across the surface of the ringworld. Due to an airbrake failure, lifeboat Lima Foxtrot Alpha 43 - carrying Spartan John-117 and AI Cortana - crashed on the edge of a cliff, killing all on-board personnel except for the aforementioned Spartan. The Spartan emerged from the pod and took cover in the nearby hills as Covenant Banshees and Spirit dropships began to converge on the crash site to hunt down any survivors. The Spartan engaged Covenant light infantry forces on the ground before eventually hearing the sound of UNSC weapons fire in the distance. Moving towards the sound, he found a Forerunner structure held by several marines and naval crewmen, besieged by Covenant troops.[2]
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Capturing the command crew
During the space battle, Sangheili Isna 'Nosolee was deployed onto the Pillar of Autumn as an Ossoona, or "Eye of the Prophets". The Sangheili was tasked with three objectives; capturing the ship's AI, command crew and recording anything he saw. Deeming the AI to be destroyed or removed from the ship, the elite began to find his way to the ship's bridge. Once the bridge crew found their way to their designated escape pod, the elite boarded, but the shimmer of his active camoflage gave him away and he was shot by Captain Keyes.[1] The rest of the ride down to Halo's surface was uneventful, thanks to the flight skills of the pilot William Lovell. Once landed, the crew began to strip the lifeboat and dump the elite's body in a crevice, though it wasn't long until a sonic boom signalled the arrival of the Pillar of Autumn in the ringworld's atmosphere. The bridge crew began to climb up a nearby hill, intending to hide out in a cave until such a time as support could rescue them.[2]
However, it wasn't long until the Covenant got wind of the landing site of the bridge crew. The lifeboat was quickly found, and 'Nosolee's body not lang after. From there, Covenant command was notified and it didn't take long for it to be determined that 'Nosolee wouldn't risk his life unless there was something of importance within the shuttle. From there, the Covenant began to search the region for the human commander, but there was only one problem; the hillside terrain made landing troops difficult, and it was still important to ascertain which human 'Nosolee had been seeking. Because of this, the Covenant began to deploy Banshee air recon, but were still at a disadvantage due to their strict orders to take the humans alive. Nonetheless, the tightening Covenant net proved difficult for the humans, who were constantly harassed at every turn, with Corporal Wilkins' marines managing to barely hold off the aliens. As the day went on, Ensign Ellen Dowski began to crack, beginning to complain and eventually beginning to suggest turning themselves over to the Covenant - reasoning that they could have been killed by plasmafire or bombs at any point, yet they were alive. Unable to charge the junior officer with insubordination, Keyes instead allowed Dowski to surrender, though ordered her stripped of weapon, supplies and tied up to make sure she couldn't follow the rest of the group.[2]
Eventually, a Covenant dropship landed several Sangheili troops a kilometre to the south, prompting the party to once again set off. As they set off, the Sangheili Ado 'Mortumee noticed on his heat signature tracking that one of the dots on his screen was staying behind. Dowski was eventually picked up by the Covenant - alive, and assisted the Covenant in locating the rest of the command crew. For the next three hours, the party would continue to evade the Covenant, but eventually made their way into a box canyon with no retreat. As a Spirit began to descend into the canyon, Dowski's voice on the speakers informed the command team of this fact, and that there was nowhere to go. Eventually, Dowski jumped out of the dropship followed by a team of Sangheili, whereupon she identified Keyes as the leader of the group. The elites proceeded to execute the remaining crew, much to Dowski's horror, before executing her with her own pistol. They lifted Captain Keyes into the dropship and took him away to the brigs of the Truth and Reconciliation.[2]
List of appearances
- Halo: Combat Evolved (First appearance)
- Halo: The Flood
- Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary
- Halo Mythos: A Guide to the Story of Halo
- Halo: Fireteam Raven
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