Operation: ATHENA: Difference between revisions

{{Battle infobox

|prev=[[Carrow Conflict]]

|image=[[File:HE21 Brawl.jpg|300px]]

|conflict=[[Post-Covenant War conflicts]]

==Prelude==

After the events on the [[shield world]] of [[Requiem]], [[Jul 'Mdama]] and Dr. [[Catherine Halsey]] allied themselves to recover both halves of the [[Janus Key]] and discover the location of the Absolute Record.<ref>'''[[Spartan Ops]]''', [[S1/Exodus|Episode 10 ''Exodus'']]</ref> On [[Aktis IV]], they planned to steal the UNSC's half of the Janus Key, but a rebellion led by the [[Sangheili]] [[Sali 'Nyon]] threatened their plans.<ref name="HE14">'''Halo: Escalation''', ''[[Halo: Escalation Issue 14|Issue #14]]''</ref> Halsey was able to recover the second half of the Janus Key thanks to a [[Unidentified Sangheili Minor|Minor]] who betrayed 'Nyon. Even when Commander Sarah Palmer captured Halsey,Jul 'Mdama's Covenant was able to rescue the doctor and recover the Janus Key, emerging victorious. Days later, Jul and Halsey discovered the location of the Absolute Record using the combined Janus Key.<ref name="HE16">'''Halo: Escalation''', ''[[Halo: Escalation Issue 16|Issue #16]]''</ref> Unknown to them, [[Ayit 'Sevi]], a Sangheili working with the [[Office of Naval Intelligence]], was able to infiltrate inside Jul's faction and provided ONI with information about their plans. The UNSC then formed a specialist team of Spartans [[Sarah Palmer]], [[Gabriel Thorne]] and [[Holly Tanaka]], Dr. [[Henry Glassman]] and 'Sevi.{{Ref/Reuse|HE19}}  

On the bridge of the ''Song of Retribution''', 'Mdama was enraged about the damage done to his fleet caused by the portal's activation. Furious, 'Mdama blamed Doctor Halsey for the incident and threw her against a wall. 'Mdama and Halsey argued about their situation and Halsey reminded 'Mdama that once they traveled to the Absolute Record, they would discover technology beyond their comprehension that would more than compensate for the ships that were destroyed when the portal opened. To further calm the irate 'Mdama, Halsey claimed that once he is in control of the Absolute Record's "treasures", 'Mdama will be seen as a god. 'Mdama decided to make another attempt to travel to the Absolute Record, though only ''Song of Retribution'' would enter the portal while ''Breath of Annihilation'' made emergency repairs at a nearby [[moon]].{{Ref/Reuse|HE20}}

'Sevi learned of 'Mdama's intentions and informed the rest of the team. Glassman reminded them that once they entered the portal, they would have even less of a chance at re-establishing contact with ONI. Palmer ordered 'Sevi and Thorne to travel back to ''Breath of Annihilation'' to attempt to contact ONI, while the rest of the team remained on ''Song of Retribution'' to travel through the portal. As the two traveled back to the damaged carrier in the Phantom, 'Sevi informed Thorne that there were rumors of a possible Spartan attack spreading aboard the ship. 'Sevi discovered that prisoners from ''Retribution'' were being temporarily transferred to ''Annihilation'', one of which is [[Treason|traitor]] [[Sali 'Nyon]]. 'Sevi considered using 'Nyon to create a distraction for them. Aboard ''Retribution'', the rumors of the Spartan attack reached 'Mdama. Halsey dismissed 'Mdama's worries and stated that the Spartans would be unable to stop them from reaching the Absolute Record, and the carrier promptly entered the portal. ''Retribution'' arrived at the Absolute Record and a [[Forerunner]] [[Contender-class artificial intelligence]] detected the human presence aboard the carrier, nothing the presence of [[Reclaimer]]s aboard the ship.{{Ref/Reuse|HE20}}

Meanwhile, 'Mdama, Halsey, and numerous Sangheili Zealots arrived at the platform and met with the AI. Halsey addressed the ancilla and claimed to be chosen by the Librarian to unlock the Absolute Record. Halsey requested to be escorted to the proper area to begin their work, but the AI expressed its doubts, especially pondering why the other humans felt the need to conceal themselves. The AI used Sentinels to transport the drop pod the other humans were hiding in to the platform, where they were dropped down beside Halsey and 'Mdama. Both groups began to argue, with Glassman questioning Halsey's decision to defect to 'Mdama's Covenant. Halsey told Glassman to shut up, but the AI told her that she had no authority to silence him. It decided to let each human have a chance to account for their presence at the installation, though Halsey asserted that there was nothing to discuss as she had the Janus Key. The AI intended take as much time as it needs to question each human, as it wished to operate with total caution after [[Mendicant Bias|one]] of its fellow Contender-class AIs made the mistake of not taking the same precautions during the [[Forerunner-Flood war]].{{Ref/Reuse|HE21}}

Dr. Glassman stated that he shared the same views as the AI, as he did not want the Absolute Record to be exploited. Halsey scoffed at this claim, but the AI ordered her to remain silent. Glassman insisted that the UNSC intended to use the Absolute Record in a way that was consistent with the Forerunners' intentions and claimed that conflict would only get worse if 'Mdama's Covenant gained access to the installation. As Halsey and Glassman began to argue, an impatient Zealot attacked a Sentinel, leading to all the constructs attacking the humans and Sangheili. The AI removed the platform from under the feet of the Sangheili with Tanaka, Palmer, and Glassman remaining on one platform and Halsey standing on another, while 'Mdama managed to grab onto Halsey's platform while his soldiers plummeted to their deaths. The AI claimed that a more direct examination was in order to decide who is the legitimate steward of the Absolute Record.{{Ref/Reuse|HE21}} 'Mdama was furious about his soldiers' deaths and told the AI that he brought his forces to merely honor their gods, not fight them, and it was the Contender who provoked them to attack the Sentinels. In response, the Contender AI said its suspicions about the Sangheili's disruptive tendencies were confirmed by their reaction and that its only intention is to maintain the integrity of the Absolute Record and choose its proper custodian. Although Doctor Halsey claimed she must be the custodian of the Absolute Record the ancilla was speaking of, because her possession of the Janus Key and being chosen by the Librarian, the Contender AI said her possession of the Janus Key proved nothing, because the Key could have been obtained by any variety of ways, even brute force. The AI then proceeded to translocate them away.<ref name="HE22">'''Halo Escalation''', ''[[Halo: Escalation Issue 22|Issue #22]]''</ref>