Editing Attack on Ealen IV

{{Era|Post}}

|name=Battle of Ealen IV

|prev=[[Requiem Campaign]]

|next=[[Ambush at Oth Lodon]]

|conflict=[[Post-Covenant War conflicts]]<br>[[Great Schism]]<br>[[Insurrection]] ''(post-war resurgence)''

|date=March 5, 2558, after 0702 SMT

|side1=[[United Earth Government]]<br>

[[Swords of Sanghelios]]<br>

[[Lydus' clan]]

|side2=[[New Colonial Alliance]]<br>[[Vata 'Gajat's mercenary group]]

|forces1=*[[United Nations Space Command]]

*[[Jiralhanae|Lydus' fleet]]

*Numerous Covenant infantry

*Several [[Type-27 Banshee|T-27 Banshee]]s

*Several [[Type-25 Spirit|Spirit]]s

*1 [[Type-56 Lich|Lich]]

*Three SPARTAN-IVs

The '''Battle of Ealen IV''' was an engagement fought on [[Ealen IV]] on [[2558|March 5, 2558]].<ref name="HE1">'''Halo: Escalation''' - ''Issue #1''</ref>

Following an escalation in [[Jiralhanae]] raiding attacks along the joint-occupation zones, Ealen IV was chosen as a place for peace negotiations between the [[Sangheili]] and Jiralhanae. [[UNSC]] [[Fleet Admiral]] [[Terrence Hood]] acted as a mediator between [[Arbiter]] [[Thel 'Vadam]] and [[Jiralhanae Chieftain]] [[Lydus]]. Captain [[Thomas Lasky]] and the UNSC ''Infinity'' were assigned to provide security for the diplomats. Unfortunately, [[Daniel Clayton]], a UNSC captain and defector to the [[New Colonial Alliance]] bent on revenge against Lord Hood, placed a bounty on the heads of the diplomats, hiring [[Covenant remnants|Covenant]] [[Vata 'Gajat's mercenary group|mercenaries]] under the command of Shipmaster [[Vata 'Gajat]] to stop the negotiations. The Covenant launched a surprise attack on the conference, forcing [[SPARTAN-IV program|SPARTAN-IV]] [[fireteam]]s [[Fireteam Jackknife|Jackknife]] and [[Fireteam Bailey|Bailey]] to defend and evacuate the ambassadors.<ref name="HE1"/> 'Gajat chose to keep the attack, as well his involvement with the New Colonial Alliance, secret from the [[Jul 'Mdama's Covenant faction|new Covenant]]'s leader [[Jul 'Mdama]].<ref name="HE3"/><ref name="HE5">'''Halo: Escalation''' - ''Issue #5''</ref>

==The battle==

Having received intel on the diplomatic mission and the UNSC personnel involved, Shipmaster [['Gajat]] and Daniel Clayton led the attack on Ealen IV. The Covenant blasted into the plasma facility's conference chamber in an attempt to assassinate the ambassadors. Commander [[Sarah Palmer]] ordered Jackknife to clear the chamber and help the delegates evacuate. Despite facing heavy resistance from Covenant forces outside, Fireteam Bailey managed to clear a path for the delegates. When their [[DS-004|evacuation shuttle]] was destroyed, the Spartan IV's proceeded to escort the delegation to a nearby parts depot. Once all were inside, [[Paul DeMarco]] sealed the depot to halt the oncoming Covenant forces. With their communications to their orbiting fleets having been blocked, the delegation were left without reinforcements.<ref name="HE1"/>

As the party escaped the storage depot, they were intercepted by a Covenant [[Lich]]. Palmer quickly acted and threw her helmet filled with grenades and destroyed the Lich. Jackknife then went ahead with the delegation's bodyguards to ensure that the redoubt was safe for the delegates to use as shelter. Lord Hood stopped to inspect a fallen Sangheili and discovered someone within the UNSC was leaking the Covenant information. As Jackknife arrived at the redoubt, [[Vladimir Scruggs]] betrayed his own team, killing them and the bodyguards. He then radioed Commander Palmer and informed her it was safe to bring the delegates into the redoubt.<ref>'''Halo: Escalation''' - ''Issue #2''</ref>

Lasky and Ray attacked a Covenant base and destroyed a [[pinch fusion reactor|reactor]], the source of the Covenant jamming signal. In the redoubt, Lydus continued to express his skepticism over whether the peace talk would succeed. Hood told him that the Jiralhanae would need Lydus as a leader if they were to survive. Scruggs suddenly appeared and held Hood at gunpoint, stating that he would reveal his demands once his associates arrived. The situation in orbit continued to worsen as Sangheili and Jiralhanae ships began to deploy forces against each other. Having cleared the communications interference, Lasky informed ''Infinity'' of the Covenant's attack. Upon being updated on the crisis between the Sangheili and Jiralhanae, Lasky contacted the fleets and asked them to cease their infighting and send their forces to the delegates' aid instead. However, both sides refused to listen to him while a massive Covenant force converged on the redoubt.<ref name="HE3">'''Halo: Escalation''' - ''Issue #3''</ref>

In the redoubt, Scruggs continued to hold Hood hostage. He denied that he was working for the [[Insurrectionist]]s and indicated that he was aware of some of ONI's secrets. Palmer then shot Lord Hood in the leg, tackled Scruggs and, after a brief struggle, killed the rogue Spartan by stabbing him in the throat with a [[combat knife]]. With the Covenant bearing on the site in force, the group found [[Covenant cargo tug|a craft]] they could use to evacuate. DeMarco and Fireteam Bailey remained behind to cover the ambassadors' escape with [[Type-38 Tyrant|Tyrant AA gun]]s; while DeMarco was killed when the Covenant destroyed the cannon he was manning, the other members of Bailey survived the battle.<ref>[https://www.halowaypoint.com/en-us/forums/db05ce78845f4120b062c50816008e5d/topics/canon-fodder-1-15-15-just-getting-started/1091aee3-f861-4b8b-b405-f3dfd01a4e65/posts?page=2#post25 '''Halo Waypoint''': ''Canon Fodder 1-15-15: Just Getting Started'']</ref> Thanks to DeMarco's sacrifice, the delegation, Lasky and the surviving Spartans made it aboard ''Infinity'' which had managed to rally the Sangheili and Jiralhanae fleets, prompting 'Gajat's fleet to retreat.<ref name="HE3"/>

Due to Shipmaster 'Gajat's attack, the negotiations were left in a standstill and little progress was made in furthering the peace between the Sangheili and the Jiralhanae. A funeral ceremony was held for the Spartans fallen in the battle, with an angry Palmer telling Lasky she wanted to be alone. One week later, Lasky and Hood discussed the troubling prospect that someone higher-ranked than Scruggs must have leaked the location of the negotiations, indicating a severe security breach in the UNSC's hierarchy.<ref name="HE3"/>

File:Lydus Spiker.png|Lydus firing a Type-25 Spiker during the battle.

File:Thel Ealen IV.png|Thel 'Vadam killing a Kig-yar sniper during the battle.

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