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UNSC Infinity

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This article is about the UNSC vessel. For articles of the same name, see Infinity.
UNSC Infinity
H4-UNSCInfinity-Starship-Side.png
Production information

Hull code:

INF-101[1]

Naval architects:

Manufacturer:

Special Assembly Plant Concord[1]

Class:

Infinity-class supercarrier[2][3][4]

Role:

  • Fleet flagship
  • Galactic exploration
  • Large-scale force deployment
Specifications

Length:

5,694.2 meters (18,682 ft)[2][5]

Width:

833.3 meters (2,734 ft)[5]

Height:

1,041.2 meters (3,416 ft)[5]

Mass:

907 million metric tons[1][6]

Engine:

XR2 Boglin Fields: S81/X-DFR[3]

Slipspace drive:

Mark X Macedon/Z-PROTOTYPE #78720HDS Revision 2.1[1]

Hull:

Titanium-A3 battle plate (4.9 meters)[5]

Shielding:

Misriah Armory's MG-44N Heavy Dispersal Field Generators[1]

Armament:

Complement:

Service information

Commissioned:

February 21, 2557[5] (official ceremony)

Last sighted:

December 12, 2559[Note 1]

Participated battles:

Fleet:

Noteworthy crewmembers:

See crew

Known commanders:

Affiliation:

UNSC Navy

 

"It's been four years since the end of the war. And today we send forth a vessel designed for battle, but now re-purposed. For peace."
— UNSC Dignitary[15]

UNSC Infinity (INF-101) was an experimental Infinity-class supercarrier of the UNSC Navy commissioned following the end of the Human-Covenant War.[1] Built in secret utilizing technology recovered from Forerunner and Covenant sources during the war, Infinity is the UNSC's largest and most advanced multi-role vessel to date.[13] Infinity serves under the direction of Fleet Command and was originally captained by Andrew Del Rio, and later Thomas Lasky.[16] She is the current designated flagship of Expeditionary Strike Group 1 and serves as the ceremonial flagship for the United Nations Space Command.[12]

The first ship of her class, Infinity was secretly deployed in combat in March 2553. On February 21, 2557,[5] the vessel was officially commissioned after being refitted with technology that would add scientific and diplomatic endeavors to her capabilities.[17][18] By February 2558, Infinity had a crew of 17,151 sailors, Marines, ONI operatives, and civilian personnel, as well as numerous adjunct members of the other UNSC branches and a number of Huragok specialists.[5][19] Infinity may additionally embark an escort force of ten internally-docked Strident- and later Anlace-class frigates.[5][14][20] As of October 2558, the primary shipboard AI is Roland.[21][22] The ship's motto is Audere Est Facere (To Dare is to Do).[4]

In 2559, the Infinity was presumed destroyed over Installation 07 during a large battle over control of the ring.[23][24]

History

Construction

"This is the culmination of human achievement."
— UNSC dignitary[17]
Infinity during her commissioning ceremony.

The ship was constructed in the Special Assembly Plant Concord located in the Oort cloud surrounding the Sol system,[13] with construction beginning in 2544.[4][25] The ship was designed by a team composed of Vice Admiral Elizabeth Sark, Commander Oscar Greyson, and Doctors Dana Wolff and Sada no Okuni.[1] Secrecy was ensured by having workers permanently stationed there over several years with a total communications blackout in effect. The ship's massive building expenditures, however, prevented ONI from keeping the Infinity a complete secret. Many senior members of the Admiralty, such as Rear Admiral Saeed Shafiq of UNSC Procurement, were fully aware of the ship's existence at the time of her construction.[26] Eventually the Fleet took control of the vessel rather than the Office of Naval Intelligence. Captain Andrew Del Rio took command of the ship and her pre-commission crew years prior to the end of major hostilities in the war,[13] though CINCONI Margaret Parangosky correctly predicted that Commander Thomas Lasky would eventually supplant Del Rio.[27]

As of March 2553, technology discovered on Trevelyan, a shield world located in the Zeta Doradus system, was planned to be incorporated into the ship.[26] Huragok assistance in refining the ship's slipspace navigation capabilities, in particular, was expected to push the final construction milestones far ahead of schedule.[28] Unlike older warships which had only areas such as a gym or hangar space for Marines and Spartans to train in, Infinity is the first known vessel to include a state-of-the-art virtual reality combat deck capable of replicating environments from across the galaxy,[29] real or hypothetical, using a combination of holography, props, and simulated sensory input fed through a neural interface.[30]

Insurrectionist attack

Main article: Raid on UNSC Infinity

A small number of Spartan-IVs from the new program's first official class were assigned to Infinity in January 2553. Shortly afterward, Insurrectionists led by the former Spartan-IV Ilsa Zane attempted a hostile takeover of the vessel, entering the ship disguised as a construction crew.[31] The attack was repelled, largely due to the efforts of Spartans Sarah Palmer and Edward Davis. This incident exposed Admiral Mattius Drake as the leader of the New Colonial Alliance, and the Spartan-IVs' actions contributed to the establishment of the Spartans as their own branch of service.[32] Additional Spartans were included in the ship's contingent as time progressed[13][29] and Palmer would later become the commanding officer of the ship's Spartan complement.[33]

Sanghelios

"Think of it as a work-up exercise. A Thursday War."
Admiral Margaret Parangosky[34]

With a number of further upgrades to the ship, the Infinity was launched on March 22, 2553, with Del Rio at the helm.[35] In March, Infinity underwent inspection by Admirals Terrence Hood and Margaret Parangosky. By this time many crew changes had been enacted on the ship. Dr. Catherine Halsey was put to work installing the ship's Forerunner slipspace engines, under the supervision of Dr. Henry Glassman, the chief engineer. Many Huragok from Trevelyan had been assigned to the ship, led by Requires Adjustment. Aine was assigned to the ship as a temporary AI.[36] Parangosky met with Del Rio and Lasky, who discussed the current refit shape of Infinity.[37] While aboard the ship, Parangosky and Hood received intel on the ongoing Blooding Years, learning that Vadam Keep, the headquarters of Arbiter Thel 'Vadam, was about to be breached by the Servants of the Abiding Truth. Hood contacted Vadam, who reluctantly agreed to accept Hood's help. After Glassman cleared the ship for combat, it departed for Sanghelios.[38]

When Infinity arrived over Sanghelios, Kilo-Five's prowler UNSC Port Stanley docked with the ship, and Parangosky gave Captain Serin Osman two Huragok, Requires Adjustment and Leaks Repaired, who made several refits to Kilo-Five's Pelican Tart-Cart.[39] Soon, the Sangheili opposition ship Defender of Faith began to assault Vadam; the Elite vessel was easily destroyed.[40] The remaining Sangheili insurgent forces were all but destroyed when Infinity fired her fore MAC gun on their positions, creating a massive crater on the Vadam coastline. Due to Infinity's help in the battle, Vadam was saved and the battle trial was considered successful. Kilo-Five later rejoined the ship's crew.[41]

First tour on Requiem

Main article: Battle of Requiem
John-117 watches as Infinity is pulled into Requiem.

The UNSC officially commissioned Infinity into service, publicly refocusing her mission on peace and exploration, on February 21, 2557. The following year, this date would be commemorated as "Infinity Day".[5] Infinity was tasked with finding the rest of the Halo Array, and the UNSC forces managed to set up bases on Installation 03 as well as Installation 05 for studying and decommissioning the ringworlds.[42] Furthermore, the Infinity was used to transport a massive Forerunner artifact known as the Composer to Ivanoff Station, a research station in orbit of Installation 03. After an ONI team at Ivanoff Station vanished while researching the Composer, the ship's crew learned the location of the shield world Requiem.[42] During the approach to Requiem, Infinity picked up a distress call from the UNSC Forward Unto Dawn and her two surviving crew, Spartan John-117 and his smart AI companion Cortana. During the attempted rescue, the ship's control systems were hacked by the Didact, the leader of the Forerunners' Promethean Warrior-Servants, which caused it to crash-land on the shield world's surface.[17] The Master Chief rallied scattered reconnaissance personnel and was soon reunited with Commander Lasky, whom he had met decades prior during the Battle of Circinius IV.[42]

Promethean and Covenant forces boarded Infinity while the Didact scoured the ship's mainframe; though the ship's crew did not know at the time, he was searching for the location of the Composer. The Master Chief quickly brought Infinity's point defenses back online, enabling her to destroy two Zanar-pattern light cruisers and to drive off the Didact's Cryptum. Shortly thereafter, Captain Del Rio ordered that Gypsy Company neutralize a network of particle cannons that were suppressing UNSC aircraft in the area; this would allow an approach to the gravity well generator that was keeping Infinity inside the shield world, which in turn would allow the ship to return to Earth to report their findings.[43]

After their return to the ship, John-117 and Cortana told Del Rio that they had encountered an imprint of the Librarian; John insisted that the ship pursue the Didact before he could leave Requiem. Dismissing their claims as the result of rampancy and age, Del Rio ordered that Cortana be removed from service after she temporarily—and accidentally—disabled some of the ship's systems in a fit of rage. The Master Chief refused, and the bridge crew defied the captain's order to arrest the Spartan. Lasky then provided John a Pelican gunship, requisitioning it under the pretense that it would be used to apprehend the Spartan. John jumped ship in the Pelican as Infinity escaped the shield world with Del Rio ordering a warning beacon dropped and a course set in for Carinae Station. Though John and Cortana were initially successful even without Infinity's help, a fit of rampancy caused Cortana to release the Didact's Cryptum from its impromptu containment structure. This allowed the Cryptum to interface with the Didact's ship, Mantle's Approach, after which the Didact set course for Installation 03 while John and Cortana pursued the Didact aboard a Covenant Lich.[44]

Stopping the Didact

Main article: New Phoenix Incident
Infinity facing down the Didact's flagship, Mantle's Approach.

Upon Infinity's return to Earth, Del Rio was relieved of command due to his abandonment of the Master Chief on Requiem. Lasky took over as commanding officer, just as Admiral Parangosky had planned.[45] In the meantime, the Didact acquired the Composer from Ivanoff Station near Installation 03 and integrated it into Mantle's Approach.[46]

When the ship arrived in Earth's orbit, Infinity stood ready as the flagship of Battlegroup Dakota, a detachment of the UNSC Home Fleet. SPARTAN-117 informed now-Captain Lasky that he intended to detonate a HAVOK tactical nuclear weapon inside Mantle's Approach, preventing the Composer from being fired against Earth. Once the ship's point-defense guns were neutralized, Infinity used two of her primary MACs to blast holes in the opposing vessel's hull. The Master Chief used one of these openings to enter the ship and eventually defeated the Didact, though not before the Composer digitized the residents of New Phoenix, Arizona, URNA. The ship was successfully destroyed, at the cost of Cortana's life.[45] A Pelican was dispatched to retrieve the Spartan, who then spoke with Captain Lasky before having his armor removed on S Deck for the first time in almost five years.[47]

Second tour on Requiem

Main article: Requiem Campaign
Infinity being escorted by two of her sub-vessels above Requiem.

On February 7, 2558, Infinity returned to Requiem to clear territory for UNSC research bases. The ship and her sub-vessels quickly dispatched a small Covenant task force stationed at the entrance portal and deployed numerous dropships through the opening. A massive joint effort comprising the Navy, Army, Marine Corps, Air Force, and Spartans began securing areas on the surface from Covenant garrison forces.[14] After a short span of time, Spartan Fireteam Crimson secured a Forerunner artifact from an area known as "the Cauldron" and brought it aboard the ship.[14] When the artifact began disrupting Infinity's power, artificial gravity, and propulsion, Spartan Commander Sarah Palmer was able to disable it. Palmer, Captain Lasky, and Chief Engineer Dr. Glassman then inspected the artifact. Palmer saved Lasky from being translocated along with Glassman to Requiem by the artifact.[48] Sometime later, Dr. Halsey was brought in to examine the artifact, much to Palmer's chagrin. Due to the artifact continuously causing problems for the ship, it then was navigated by Roland, who could accomplish little without human help.[49]

Main article: Invasion of the UNSC Infinity

Some time after Gabriel Thorne's disappearance through the translocation artifact, the Infinity was invaded by large numbers of Promethean Knights, followed by Covenant forces. The Covenant created havoc on board the ship, forcing the Infinity to recall all forces on Requiem to defend the ship. Fireteam Crimson was responsible for protecting the engine and server rooms, bringing the weapons systems back online, and even deactivated multiple nuclear warheads cloaked with active camouflage stowed away on the ship, that had been earlier discovered as stolen.[50] It was later discovered that the primary goal of the boarding action was to kidnap Dr. Halsey for Jul 'Mdama. Despite eliminating all boarders, the Infinity remained locked above Requiem due to a slipspace anchor originating from the planet.[51]

Dr. Glassman deduced that the slipspace anchor was being generated by the Forerunner artifact aboard the ship and a pair of similar artifacts on Requiem. If the artifacts on the shield world were deactivated, Infinity would be free. At the same time, Jul 'Mdama set Requiem to collide with its sun, with the anchor pulling the Infinity along with it. Fireteams Majestic and Crimson were quickly dispatched to deactivate the artifacts, in which they succeeded. Once the two fireteams were aboard the ship, Lieutenant James flew the ship away from Requiem on Captain Lasky's order. Infinity made an emergency jump into slipspace as the shield world was consumed by the sun, immediately sending the star into a premature supernova state. The ship emerged intact from the jump, with a number of reported injuries but no major casualties.[52]

Peace talks

Main article: Battle of Ealen IV

In March 3, Fleet Admiral Terrence Hood pulled the UNSC Infinity away from the pursuit of Jul 'Mdama and assigned the ship to escort Thel 'Vadam during negotiations on Ealen IV, between 'Vadam and the Jiralhanae Chieftain Lydus.[53] Commander Bradley had taken Lasky's former place as executive officer by this time.[54] On March 5, during the negotiations, Covenant forces led by Shipmaster Vata 'Gajat attacked the delegates.[53] The UNSC forces on the planet were unable to contact the Infinity because the Covenant were blocking the signal.[54] During the battle, Lasky and Spartan Naiya Ray were able to destroy the generator of the jamming signal and contact Infinity. As Lasky reestablished communications, Bradley informed him that the Sangheili and Jiralhanae ships were about to attack each other. However, Lasky was able to placate the crisis and the fleets eventually rallied with Infinity, forcing the Covenant fleet to retreat. The ambassadors successfully escaped the planet thanks to the sacrifices of Fireteam Bailey and Paul DeMarco, which were later commemorated in a memorial service held aboard Infinity.[55]

Freighter ambush and Oth Lodon

Main article: Ambush at Oth Lodon
Infinity is attacked by the NCA-controlled station.

Days later, a distress signal originating in the Artesia-702 system was picked up by Infinity. When Infinity arrived in the system on March 11, it found a damaged freighter, the Pilgrims' Pride, and tugged it into one of its deployment bays. An ambush was sprung within the bay when the freighter set itself to self-destruct and multiple UNSC assault crafts exited its cargo bay. With the help of Fireteams Majestic, Colossus, and Fenrir, the attack was repelled and the freighter was tugged back into space before it could self-destruct on Infinity. Following the skirmish, Infinity's after action teams discovered that the assault crafts from the freighter's attack were those belonging to the long-lost UNSC Spirit of Fire, a warship missing since February 2531.[56]

Following the lead on Spirit of Fire, Admiral Hood ordered Infinity to Oth Lodon in Jiralhanae space. Instead of the ship, Infinity's crew discovered a Covenant space station operated by New Colonial Alliance insurgents led by Captain Daniel Clayton, the illegitimate son of the Spirit's captain, James Cutter.[57] Infinity sustained tremendous damage from three discharges of the station's glassing weapon, including starboard-to-port hull breaches and fires on the bridge; Commander Bradley was killed and Hood was paralyzed from the waist down. However, Commander Palmer and Fireteam Majestic boarded and captured the station before another blast could be fired, instead turning the weapon on Vata 'Gajat's corvette that was about to destroy Infinity.[58] After the battle, the Infinity was put under repairs and most of its staff was transferred to other duties. In mid-April 2558, over a month after the events at Oth Lodon, the ship was fully repaired.[59]

Bioweapon plot

Main article: Operation: WHISTLE STOP
Infinity retaliates against the pirates.

In May 2558, Infinity was involved in an ONI-commissioned mission to capture a Sangheili wielding a new bioweapon on the unclaimed planet Ven III. Captain Lasky deployed a team of two Spartans, Gabriel Thorne and Naiya Ray, on the planet via a prowler stored aboard Infinity. After Infinity lost communications with the Spartans and a UNSC spy drone on Ven III, Roland proposed that Infinity head toward the planet. Lasky was at first hesitant to involve the ship as he had been ordered to avoid direct engagement, but after Spartan Ray discovered an enormous Kig-Yar pirate operation shortly before being ambushed, he ordered Roland to set course for Ven III and call all Spartan teams on deck.[60]

Upon arriving at Ven III, Infinity was met by the pirates' advance fleet. The ship deployed several Broadswords to counter the fleet as well as a rescue convoy to retrieve the two Spartans on the surface. Infinity successfully repelled the fleet in space while Longswords took out the remaining fleet on the planet as well as the pirates' base. On the surface Ray was about to retrieve the bioweapon from the Sangheili agent but ONI agents arrived in order to retrieve the weapon themselves as well as detain the Elite agent. Thorne and Ray were successfully returned to the Infinity while Lasky and Palmer discussed ONI's intervention at the conclusion of the mission.[61]

The Janus Key

Main articles: Battle of Oban, Battle of Aktis IV
Infinity runs into an asteroid.

Following the bioweapon incident Infinity was deployed to assist in attack against the human colony Oban. Following the battle Infinity made a slipspace jump towards Galileo II base. However the ship suddenly reappeared in an asteroid belt, colliding with an asteroid and causing some damage inside the ship. Infinity jumped to slipspace again, only to reappear a quarter of a kilometer of her last position. Roland told Captain Lasky that it is was inadvisable to make another jump. Dr. Glassman discovered Infinity's slipspace drive was overriding any coordinate except the one of the location in which they were, sticking the ship in a "Slipspace cul-de-sac". In that moment, Roland found an unusual energy reading coming from the equator of an uncharted planet — Aktis IV — near their position. Glassman and Lasky supposed that the location was the source of the problem and Palmer ordered to gather a team and send them with Dr. Glassman to the planet. Unknown to the crew, the ship had been stranded by Dr. Halsey who used a Forerunner artifact to contact Infinity's Forerunner components, including her slipspace drive, and trapped them in the system.[62]

Locating the source of interference to an island on the planet, Palmer, Fireteam Majestic, and Glassman soon discovered a Forerunner artifact in a Forerunner structure. Aktis IV has an ocean consisting of an unidentified substance that was impenetrable to Infinity's sensors. After Glassman discovered that the artifact was seemingly compatible with the Janus Key, the UNSC's half of the Key was sent to the island from Infinity for further analysis. However, the UNSC aircraft carrying the key were shot down by Sali 'Nyon and his splinter group. In the confusion, 'Mdama's fleet, which had avoided detection by hiding in the planet's oceans, rose up and began deploying troops. As the UNSC forces on the planet retreated into the Forerunner structure, Infinity deployed reinforcements.[63] As 'Mdama's fleet engaged Infinity in the planet's atmosphere, the vessel could not establish contact with the UNSC forces inside the Forerunner structure. Later, Infinity succeeded in deployed at least two Mantises to the planet's surface to battle the Covenant forces.[64] Infinity and its Strident-class sub-vessels continued to engage 'Mdama's fleet until the battle eventually drew to a close with Jul's acquisition of both halves of the Janus Key. After picking up the UNSC forces on the surface, Infinity left Aktis IV. Three days later, on July 23, ONI agents arrived onboard in order to interrogate Commander Palmer for her failure to secure the Janus Key and Dr. Halsey.[65]

Retrofit

An Autumn-class heavy cruiser and UNSC Infinity above Earth being tended to by several Bustler-class freighters.
Infinity undergoes refit above Earth.

By late 2558, Infinity had received a full systems upgrade as well as scheduled maintenance. By this time, construction on a second Infinity-class vessel, the UNSC Eternity had commenced. To save resources, several modules were borrowed from the incomplete Eternity to supplant those on the Infinity, leading to the replacement of several non-essential weapon systems.[1]

The Guardians

Infinity escaping a Guardian's attack.

In October 2558, UNSC Infinity served as mission control for both Fireteam Osiris and Blue Team. After a successful assassination of Jul 'Mdama during the Battle of Kamchatka, Fireteam Osiris returned Dr. Halsey to UNSC custody aboard the Infinity.[66] Shortly afterward, Spartan Blue Team, led by the Master Chief, were sent from Infinity to reclaim the lost ONI research vessel Argent Moon, but went AWOL after receiving a cryptic message from Cortana and denying Infinity's orders to ignore her calling to Meridian.[67] With the UNSC's most veteran Spartans having deserted, Fireteam Osiris was deployed to arrest them.[68] Osiris returned the following day, though, without Blue Team but with an account of a Guardian awakening on Meridian's surface and Blue Team having escaped on it. Having been tracking previous and current Guardian attacks, Infinity made it their priority to track down the Master Chief by activating an inert Guardian hidden in Sanghelios.[69]

With the aid of the Arbiter and the Swords of Sanghelios, Infinity's forces were able to activate the Guardian and deliver Osiris aboard it.[70] Their achievement and subsequent defeat of Jul 'Mdama's remnant forces came to naught, however, as Osiris followed the Guardians to the planet Genesis and discovered the constructs were part of a plan by Cortana to put the galaxy under the control of AIs. Both Master Chief and Osiris were unable to stop Cortana, and so her Guardians were released to shut down all weapons and technology across the colonies. When a Guardian was sent to pacify Sanghelios, Infinity was still in the star system but a good ways off and fled to Earth after witnessing what was happening.[71] However, when Cortana began the Subjugation of Earth, Infinity was forced to make an emergency slipspace jump to avoid being taken down by the Guardians' EMP blast. With no option left to them but to run, Captain Lasky promised the Infinity would return when the Created could be fought.[21] The UNSC Infinity was one of the few vessels that managed to escape the Guardians.[72] At least a day after the Created began to subjugate Earth, Infinity answered a distress call by the UNSC Sentry of El Morro which was under attack by the Warden Eternal.[73]

When Fireteam Osiris and Blue Team returned to Sanghelios, they learned that Halsey, using the Forerunner technology in the area, had managed to make contact with Roland, who remained loyal to humanity, aboard the Infinity. Due to needing Halsey's help to stop the Created threat, Lasky set up a rendezvous on the far side of Suban at eighteen hundred standard time the next day where Infinity would remain for fifteen minutes. Using the Pelican the Spartans had escaped from Genesis on, they were able to reach Infinity which Captain Veronica Dare had also joined up with.[71] Shortly after returning to the ship, Edward Buck was sent on a classified mission with Dare to reunite Alpha-Nine in order to contact the United Rebel Front on Cassidy III in hopes of gaining information on the Forerunner cloaking technology protecting their colony. Lasky set up a predetermined series of locations and times where Infinity could be found for brief periods, allowing Alpha-Nine to return to the ship after the mission. Later, while relaxing in the Full Moon bar on Infinity with Fireteam Osiris and Alpha-Nine, Buck and Dare were married by Roland who stated that as the ship's AI, he had the same authority to perform weddings that the captain of a ship did.[74]

Operation: WOLFE

Main article: Operation: WOLFE

In October 2559, it deployed a portion of its Spartan and Marine complement into New Mohács to help the Viery Militia in warding off the Banished assault.[75] It soon jumped into slipspace following the completion of Operation WOLFE because it detected a Tau surge indicating the arrival of a Guardian.[76]

Conflict at Zeta Halo

UNSC Infinity being rammed by a Banished dreadnought, from the Halo Infinite Campaign Launch Trailer
Immediately after arriving at Zeta Halo, UNSC Infinity has been ambushed by the Banished armada who came for war intent on seizing Zeta Halo.

Sometime near 2560, several dozen forces from different branches originating from the Infinity were killed in combat either on or near Installation 07.[77] The ship itself went missing and was presumed destroyed after being severely damaged and compromised by Banished forces during a ambush at Installation 07, in a larger multi-faction conflict over control of the ring.[78]

Design details

Hull and propulsion

Infinity hovering among Requiem's spires.

From stem to stern, Infinity has a length of 5,694.2 meters (18,681.6 feet), a beam of 833.3 meters (2,733.9 feet), and a height of 1,041.2 meters (3,415.9 feet). This makes her the largest warship the UNSC Navy has ever commissioned, surpassing previous record holders such as the Punic-class supercarrier.[29][79] and among the largest starships built by humanity ever. Among contemporary vessels her length is surpassed only by the Covenant's 29-kilometer Sh'wada-pattern supercarriers[80] and the Sangheili's 6.3-kilometer Lursu-pattern brigantines, though by Forerunner standards she qualifies as a mere destroyer.[81] For transportation throughout the enormous vessel, Infinity is equipped with a high-speed tram system.[49]

Her hull is covered in 4.9 meters of titanium-A3 armor. The ship also one of the first vessels to possess energy shields, a byproduct of extensive reverse engineering of Covenant shielding and improvements in human development. Being one of the first UNSC ships known to be fitted with such technology. The combination of armor and shields is strong enough to withstand direct impact with a Covenant Maugen-pattern armored cruiser while sustaining negligible damage.[14] The ship's sublight power plant is a XR2 Boglin Fields: S81/X-DFR, a fusion-powered set of one primary and two secondary repulsor engines.[4] This entire city-sized engine module took fifteen years to design, build and test.[1] Translight power is provided by a Mark X Macedon/Z-PROTOTYPE #78720HDS mounted on a remote carriage.[2] The latter is of Forerunner design and origin, capable of dropping out of slipspace with pinpoint accuracy.[49] It is also capable of powering itself by drawing upon foaming vacuum energy, which powers it independently of the ship's powerplants. As the alien slipspace drive is not compatible with UNSC standard power and data feeds, a series of Engine Module Interlinks - interlocks based on Covenant control restrictors - are fitted.[1] The Infinity is also waterproof.[82]

Crew and complement

A card used to access the Infinity deck.

"The Infinity is manned with over 17,000 of the finest men and women in the United Nations Space Command. This ship is their home, and they will be your friends and neighbors for the duration of your deployment. Their professionalism and fighting spirit is inspiring, and you could not ask for a more brilliant crew to support you in the battles to come. Our mission is vital to the security of the Unified Earth Government, and you are vital to our success."
— Captain Thomas Lasky in a welcoming letter to 92738-61842-LC[12]

As of February 2558, Infinity had an official complement of 17,151. This included 8,900 Navy personnel, 5,400 Marines, 750 ODSTs, 1,700 ONI agents, 480 civilian UEG personnel, 8 Huragok, and 24 Swords of Sanghelios members. These are organised into a Marine Expeditionary Division and a drop battalion for the ODSTs, which are then subdivided into five task forces, each of which can operate independently.[1] She also houses hundreds of Spartan-IVs led by Commander Sarah Palmer; the ship's S-deck, affectionately known as "Spartan Town", is dedicated to their use. Additionally, 800 of Army and 200 Air Force assets were assigned to the ship during her second tour on Requiem.[14][Note 2] The Infinity is almost completely self-sufficient, boasting facilities and comforts normally only seen on colony support ships.[1]

Mass deployment is realized through a large number of bays located throughout the vessel. Infinity has 275 Cat-1 primary bays, 140 Cat-2 secondary bays, 108 Cat-3 matériel deployment bays, and ten Cat-8 sub-vessel deployment bays: the last of these each carries a Strident-class heavy frigate or an Anlace-class light frigate. Single deployment is afforded by 329 R1295 Launching System/M9407 SOEIVs and 124 B854 Jettison Bays/M8823 HEVs. Emergency escape vehicles include 8,900 SKT-29 Class-8 Enclosed Heavy Lifeboats/Controlled and 12,750 RLT-85 Emergency Shuttlepods.[5]

Infinity is also equipped with sizable recreational areas, including a large atrium-like memorial park. Located under an enormous transparent dome,[83] the park has a self-contained biosphere complete with plants and animal life and has been said to surpass many natural parks on Earth in size.[84] Garden plots and activity centres are also found here, with the ceiling being host to an artificial skydome.[1] Among other crew amenities, the ship contains a bar known as the Full Moon.[85] For training purposes, several War Games training arenas can be aboard. Among them includes the second-largest military simulation and test environment in the human sphere. The Science Deck of the Infinity is home to state-of-the-art laboratories and research facilities, provided by ONI and the Watershed Division.[1]

It is unclear whether Infinity has a permanent escort formation apart from her internally docked sub-vessels, though on occasion she has been accompanied formations comprising as many as dozens of vessels. An escort fleet consisting of roughly two dozen Paris-class heavy frigates and a dozen Autumn-class heavy cruisers accompanied Infinity on her first mission to Requiem, though only two of the frigates are known to have arrived along with their parent ship;[86] they may have been destroyed when the shield world's artificial gravity well was activated.[17] Eleven Autumn-class cruisers (including UNSC Song of the East)[87] accompanied Infinity at some point between her return to Earth (ca. July 2557) and return to Requiem (February 2558).[88] At least three Vindication-class light battleships were dispatched to the planet along with Infinity during the UNSC's second expedition there.[89]

Sensors and communications

Infinity is equipped with a highly-advanced sensor and holographic imaging suite derived from Forerunner technology discovered on Trevelyan.[90] The system uses a combination of various shipboard sensors and imaging from orbital drones to produce a hyper-accurate real-time image of a planetary surface in the ship's holotanks, such as the bridge's main holotable.[91] Infinity also features 16 channel slipspace wavecom datalinks for superluminal communications.[4] Infinity's aft sensor array is equipped with a long-range hyperscanner and a Forerunner Luminary.[1]

Armament

Infinity's primary armament is four 27 meter bore CR-03, Series-8 magnetic accelerator cannons capable of firing various sub-caliber rounds, cargo packages, and autonomous kill vehicles with specialized payloads.[4] Infinity boasts a significant missile network that can be implemented for ship-to-ship combat, and anti-air defense, orbital gunfire support for Marine forces, among other uses. Emplaced throughout the ship are 1,100 missile pods of three types: Archer, Rapier, and Howler. The M42 Archer missile provides secondary armament for Infinity with 350 pods of 24 missiles each. Additional missiles include the M75 Rapier (250x30 missiles) and the M96 Howler (500x20 missiles). Close-in defense against enemy missiles, fighters, and boarding craft is the primary mission of the M965 Fortress point defense network, a series of 830 70mm automatic cannons.[2] Infinity is also equipped with a network of Mark 2551 MACs,[92] a network of M85 "Scythe" AA turrets,[93] and a network of M97 "Lance" missile pods,[94] mounted on the dorsal hull.[42] Infinity also carries a sizable complement of Variant-V HAVOK nuclear warheads.[8]

Crew

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Infinity Command

Officers

Crewmen

Marines

Infinity Science

Other personnel

Spartans

Former and deceased personnel

  • Captain Andrew Del RioCommanding officer; relieved of duties following first deployment to Requiem (2552–July 2557)
  • AineOriginal shipboard AI; destroyed after Infinity crashed on Requiem[101] (254X–July 2557)
  • Commander BradleyExecutive officer following Lasky's promotion; killed in action during the Ambush at Oth Lodon - March 11, 2558
  • Spartan Cara CostabileFormer head of Fireteam Switchback; killed in action during Second Battle of Requiem
  • Fireteam CastleKilled in action during Second Battle of Requiem
  • Spartan Paul DeMarcoFormer head of Fireteam Majestic and head of Fireteam Bailey; killed in action during the Battle of Ealen IV - March 5, 2558
  • Fireteam JackknifeKilled in action during the Battle of Ealen IV - March 5, 2558
    • Spartan Vladimir ScruggsKilled by Sarah Palmer after betraying the UNSC - March 5, 2558
    • Spartan Newman[100] - Killed in action during the Battle of Ealen IV - March 5, 2558
    • Spartan To[100] - Killed in action during the Battle of Ealen IV - March 5, 2558
  • Mountain SquadKilled in action during Second Battle of Requiem
  • Paolo J. JiminezKilled in action on Requiem - July 2557
  • Chief Petty Officer PetersKilled in action on Requiem - July 2557

Production notes

  • This ship plays a major role in Halo 4's and Halo 5: Guardians's campaigns and serves as the fictional backdrop for the Infinity multiplayer component. This component encompasses both War Games (the competitive multiplayer mode) and Spartan Ops, an episodic cooperative campaign. War Games represents the training exercises of the SPARTAN-IV supersoldiers on the warship's holographic training deck. Spartan Ops puts up to four players in the role of Fireteam Crimson in a series of weekly episodic campaign missions and cinematics following the ongoing story of the Infinity and her crew.[29] Infinity also plays a major role in the Halo: Initiation and Halo: Escalation comic series.
  • In Halo 4 and Spartan Ops, Infinity's bow has five apparent MAC gun barrels, despite canonically only having four MACs. This discrepancy is corrected in the ship's Halo 5: Guardians model, in which the topmost barrel has been removed.

Gallery

General

Profile

Interior

Commissioning ceremony

Concepts

Renders

List of appearances

Notes

  1. ^ Although Game Informer has reported that the Infinity crashed on the surface on the ring, the ship was never explicitly mentioned as having crashed on the ring's surface in-game, with Echo 216 unable to locate the supercarrier, casting some doubt on the Infinity's true fate.
  2. ^ The UNSC Infinity briefing packet does not include the Spartans, Army, or Air Force as part of the ship's registers. It is unclear why the Spartans' numbers are not listed, as they are a permanent fixture of the ship. However, the Army and Air Force components may have been temporarily assigned to Infinity for the second tour on Requiem, explaining their omission from the briefing packet.

Sources

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z aa ab ac ad ae af ag ah ai aj ak al am an ao Halo: Warfleet, Infinity, pages 42-43
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h Waypoint: The Halo Bulletin: 10.10.12
  3. ^ a b c Halo 4: The Essential Visual Guide, pages 188-189
  4. ^ a b c d e f g Halo Mythos, pages 132-133
  5. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q Halo 4 Limited EditionUNSC Infinity briefing packet
  6. ^ Halo: Official Spartan Field Manual, pages 14-15
  7. ^ Halo: Warfleet, pages 42-43
  8. ^ a b Spartan Ops Season One, Scattered and Invasion
  9. ^ Halo Infinite, campaign level Foundation
  10. ^ Halo: Escalation Issue 4
  11. ^ Halo: Escalation Issue 14
  12. ^ a b c Halo Legendary Crate, Data Drop #1
  13. ^ a b c d e Halo: Glasslands, pages 421-422
  14. ^ a b c d e f Spartan Ops, S1E1 Departure
  15. ^ The Commissioning
  16. ^ Halo Waypoint: UNSC Infinity
  17. ^ a b c d e f g The Commissioning
  18. ^ Halo 4 Interactive Guide: Captain Andrew Del Rio biography
  19. ^ Halo: The Thursday War, page 48
  20. ^ Making Halo 4: A Hero Awakens
  21. ^ a b Halo 5: Guardians, campaign level Guardians
  22. ^ Halo 4: The Essential Visual Guide, page 192
  23. ^ Halo Infinite, campaign level Warship Gbraakon
  24. ^ Halo Infinite, campaign level House of Reckoning: "You were there when we struck the Infinity. The first dreadnought came from the side. In the chaos that followed, you hardly had time to notice the other three bear down upon you. Do you know how long it took us to neutralize your greatest ship? Four minutes. In four minutes, the Infinity, mankind's finest achievement, became a memory." - Escharum
  25. ^ YouTube: Halo 4 Infinity Multiplayer
  26. ^ a b Halo: Glasslands, page 390
  27. ^ Halo: The Thursday War, page ???
  28. ^ Halo: The Thursday War, page 50
  29. ^ a b c d Game Informer (May 2012), pages 46-47
  30. ^ Halo Waypoint: Canon Fodder - Beta Late Than Never
  31. ^ a b Halo: Initiation, Issue #2
  32. ^ Halo: Initiation, Issue #3
  33. ^ Xbox.com: Commander Palmer Armor
  34. ^ Halo: The Thursday War page 69
  35. ^ Halo: The Thursday War
  36. ^ Halo: The Thursday War page 45-53
  37. ^ Halo: The Thursday War page 65
  38. ^ Halo: The Thursday War page 235
  39. ^ Halo: The Thursday War page 265
  40. ^ Halo: The Thursday War page 303
  41. ^ Halo: The Thursday War page 361
  42. ^ a b c d Halo 4, campaign level Infinity
  43. ^ Halo 4, campaign level Reclaimer
  44. ^ a b Halo 4, campaign level Shutdown
  45. ^ a b Halo 4, campaign level Midnight
  46. ^ Halo 4, campaign level The Composer
  47. ^ Halo 4, Epilogue
  48. ^ Spartan Ops, S1E2 Artifact
  49. ^ a b c Spartan Ops, S1E3 Catherine
  50. ^ Spartan Ops, S1E7 Invasion
  51. ^ a b Spartan Ops, S1E8 Expendable
  52. ^ Spartan Ops, S1E8 Exodus
  53. ^ a b Halo: Escalation, Issue #1
  54. ^ a b Halo: Escalation, Issue #2
  55. ^ Halo: Escalation, Issue #3
  56. ^ Halo: Escalation, Issue #4
  57. ^ Halo: Escalation, Issue #5
  58. ^ Halo: Escalation, Issue #6
  59. ^ Halo: Escalation, Issue #7
  60. ^ Halo: Escalation, Issue #11
  61. ^ Halo: Escalation, Issue #12
  62. ^ Halo: Escalation, Issue #13
  63. ^ Halo: Escalation, Issue #14
  64. ^ Halo: Escalation, Issue #15
  65. ^ Halo: Escalation, Issue #16
  66. ^ Halo 5: Guardians, campaign level Osiris
  67. ^ Halo 5: Guardians, campaign level Blue Team
  68. ^ Halo 5: Guardians, campaign level Glassed
  69. ^ Halo 5: Guardians, campaign level Reunion
  70. ^ Halo 5: Guardians, campaign level Battle of Sunaion
  71. ^ a b Halo: Bad Blood, Chapter 1
  72. ^ Halo Mythos, page 198
  73. ^ Halo: Fractures, "Rossbach's World", page ???
  74. ^ Halo: Bad Blood
  75. ^ Halo: Shadows of Reach, Chapter 13 and 16
  76. ^ Halo: Shadows of Reach, Epilogue
  77. ^ Halo Infinite, trailer: Campaign Gameplay Premiere
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  79. ^ Game Informer: The World Of Halo 4
  80. ^ Halo: The Essential Visual Guide, page 28
  81. ^ Halo Waypoint: Catalog Interaction - Page 6
  82. ^ Mixer: Inside Look at Halo: Warfleet
  83. ^ Halo: The Thursday War, pages 68-69
  84. ^ Halo 4, campaign level Infinity (Marine: " "Infinity's memorial park is something else, man. You seen it before? I heard it's larger than a lot of natural parks on Earth. Has its own biosphere with all sorts of animals and plants. Crazy what they stick on those warships nowadays.")
  85. ^ Halo: Bad Blood
  86. ^ Halo 4 Forward Unto Dawn, Part 5
  87. ^ Halo 4: The Essential Visual Guide
  88. ^ Halo 4, Infinity mode introductory cutscene
  89. ^ Spartan Ops, S1E9 Key
  90. ^ Halo: Mortal Dictata, pages 290-291
  91. ^ Halo: The Thursday War, pages 297-298
  92. ^ Halo 4: The Essential Visual Guide, page 75
  93. ^ Halo 4: The Essential Visual Guide, page 76
  94. ^ Halo 4: The Essential Visual Guide, page 77
  95. ^ Halo: The Thursday War, page 301
  96. ^ Halo 5: Guardians, campaign level, Guardians
  97. ^ Halo: The Thursday War, page 229
  98. ^ Spartan Ops, Episode 6 "Scattered"
  99. ^ a b Halo Legendary Crate Available for Order; Become a Member of Fireteam Apollo
  100. ^ a b c d e Halo Waypoint Forums - Canon Fodder 1-15-15: Just Getting Started
  101. ^ Halo Waypoint: Today in Halo: 12/05/2557