Editing Battle of Installation 00

{{disambig header|the final battle of the [[Human-Covenant War]]|other battles on Installation 00|Battle of Installation 00 (disambiguation)}}

{{Battle infobox

|conc=[[Operation: SUNSPEAR]]

|name=Battle of Installation 00

|image=[[File:H3 LesserArkConflict.png|400px]]

|date= [[2552#December|December 11, 2552]]{{Ref/Site|Id=Fortitude|URL=http://halo.xbox.com/en-us/Universe/detail/a/bfe5038b-314a-4f17-a6be-f7613e0e3788|Site=Halo Waypoint|Page=Hero-Fortitude|D=9|M=5|Y=2012|local=Heroes Never Die#Hero-Fortitude}}

|result= '''Decisive [[United Nations Space Command|UNSC]]/[[Fleet of Retribution|Sangheili]] victory'''

*End of the [[Human-Covenant War]]{{Ref/Reuse|cov}}

*Overall collapse of the [[Covenant]]{{Ref/Reuse|cov}}

*Truth prevented from firing the [[Halo Array]]{{Ref/Reuse|cov}}

*Proceeded with the [[Raid on Installation 08]], leading to the destruction of [[Installation 08]], severe damage to the Ark, and containment of the [[Flood]]{{Ref/Reuse|halo}}

|side1=*{{Icon|UNSC HCW}} [[United Nations Space Command|UNSC]]

*[[Fleetmaster]] [[Rtas 'Vadum]]{{Ref/Reuse|theark}}

*[[Arbiter]] [[Thel 'Vadam]]{{Ref/Reuse|theark}}

*[[Master Chief Petty Officer|MCPO]] [[John-117]]{{Ref/Reuse|theark}}

*[[Cortana]]{{Ref/Reuse|cortana}}

|commanders3=[[Gravemind]]†

|forces1=[[Fleet of Retribution]]/[[Seventh Fleet]]

**1 [[Sangheili]] [[battle group]]{{Ref/Note|Id=composition|See [[Fleet of Retribution#Notes|here]].}}

***1+ {{Class|CAS|assault carrier}}{{Ref/Reuse|theark}}

**[[Battle Group Victory]]

*Many air vehicles

**Numerous [[GA-TL1 Longsword]] fighters{{Ref/Reuse|theark}}

***[[D77H-TCI Pelican]]s{{Ref/Reuse|theark}}

**Numerous [[AV-14 Hornet]]s{{Ref/Reuse|theark}}

**Many [[Seraph|T-31 Seraph]] fighters

***{{Pattern|Kai|Seraph}}s{{Ref/Reuse|theark}}

*Many ground forces

**1 [[SPARTAN-II program|SPARTAN-II supersoldier]]{{Ref/Reuse|theark}}

**[[Forerunner automated turret|Automated turrets]]{{Ref/Reuse|theark}}

*[[Mendicant Bias]]

**1+ [[Covenant frigate|frigate]]{{Ref/Reuse|loot5}}

*Many air vehicles

**Many [[Seraph|T-31 Seraph]] fighters

***{{Pattern|Kai|Seraph}}s{{Ref/Reuse|theark}}

**Many [[Type-26 Banshee|T-26 Banshees]]

*Many ground vehicles

*Numerous ground forces{{Ref/Reuse|theark}}

**[[Jiralhanae]]

*[[Prophet of Truth]]{{Ref/Reuse|cov}}

*Most ships, if not all{{Ref/Reuse|theark}} {{c|save for ''[[Anodyne Spirit]]'' and ''[[Gathering of Praise]]''}}

|casual3=Near total

*''[[High Charity]]''{{Ref/Reuse|cortana}}

}}

{{Quote|Our fight is through the [[Portal at Voi|Portal]], with the [[Jiralhanae|Brutes]] and the bastard [[Prophet of Truth|Truth]]!|[[Shipmaster]] [[Rtas 'Vadum]]{{Ref/Level|Id=floodgate|H3|Floodgate}}}}

==Background==

===Battle of Installation 04 and 05===

{{Main|Battle of Installation 04|Battle of Installation 05}}

===Battle for Earth===

{{Main|Battle for Earth}}

While [[Terrence Hood|Lord Terrence Hood]] was suspicious of Cortana's warning and objected to going through the portal, Commander Keyes, John-117, and Rtas 'Vadum all indicated their wish to proceed through the Portal. Unwilling to leave Earth defenseless against the incoming Flood threat, Lord Hood remained on Earth. He gave Miranda Keyes command of the {{UNSCShip|Forward Unto Dawn}} for the human commitment to the mission and the fleet of ships chased after the High Prophet of Truth.{{Ref/Reuse|floodgate}}

{{Quote|multi=yes|q1=Brute ships. Staggered line! Shipmaster, they outnumber us, three-to-one!|Sangheili Major|q2=Then it is an even fight... All cruisers, fire at will! Burn their mongrel hides!|Rtas 'Vadum|Rtas' Vadum and a [[Sangheili Major]] upon reaching the Ark.{{Ref/Reuse|theark}}}}

{{clear|left}}

{{Main|Battle for the Cartographer (Installation 00)}}

[[File:Ark Level Scorpion.jpg|thumb|left|300px|UNSC ground forces battling in the desert.]]

Encountering resistance from Jiralhanae and Kig-Yar on the way, John-117 climbed a series of ramps towards the entrance to the Cartographer. At the top, he met with [[Thel 'Vadam]], who dismounted from ''Kilo 023'' along with a pair of Marines. While Commander Keyes assembled an air support force to prevent Covenant reinforcements, 343 Guilty Spark unlocked the sealed door at the entrance, allowing John-117 and Thel 'Vadam to advance inside. Their arrival caught most of its Covenant occupants off-guard, and they eventually arrived at an exterior platform hosting the Cartographer terminal. The Chief and 343 Guilty Spark accessed the terminal, learning the installation as the "Ark" and that Truth had already fortified himself at [[Installation 00 Citadel|the core of the Ark]], where he could remotely activate the entire Halo Array. Furthermore, Truth had activated a large barrier around the entire core to ward off the attacking forces.{{Ref/Reuse|theark}}

''Kilo 023'' arrived to pick up John-117, but a massive swarm of Sentinels approached the Pelicans. Initially, the UNSC prepared to attack, but they stopped when 343 Guilty Spark asked them not to attack the Sentinels, stating that the Sentinels had a "priority task" of unknown nature. Instead of attacking, the Aggressors flew off into the distance, and the UNSC and Sangheili followed suit, making their way to the Installation 00 Citadel to stop the Prophet of Truth.{{Ref/Reuse|theark}}

[[File:Trident11.jpg|thumb|left|300px|UNSC and Sangheili forces spearhead their final assault on the High Prophet of Truth.]]

While John-117 and his team traveled to the first tower, 'Vadam and Johnson, along with their teams, touched down at the second and third towers, respectively. Although John-117 and 'Vadam succeed in disabling two of the three towers, Johnson was ambushed by enemy reinforcements, and lost contact with the UNSC soon after. The Jiralhanae captured Johnson, and took him to the Citadel. The UNSC-Sangheili forces launched a second assault on the third tower, with John-117 escorting the dropships in an AV-14 Hornet. They first destroyed Covenant Banshees and a Phantom, securing air control outside the barrier. The third tower was heavily defended by a pair of AA Wraiths, Shades, another standard Wraith, and a huge group of Jiralhanae led by War Chieftain. Destroying the Brute defenders outside the third tower, John-117, Thel 'Vadam, and a team of five Sangheili proceeded inside, where they discovered the corpses of Johnson's team, except for Johnson. After the defending forces of Mgalekgolo, Yanme'e and Jiralhanae were eliminated, John-117 disabled the barrier tower, finally deactivating the barrier. The ''Shadow of Intent'' advanced towards the Citadel, but 'Vadum's attack was interrupted by the arrival of the Flood-infested ''High Charity'', which arrived via slipspace. ''High Charity'' launched debris that crippled the carrier and its weapons systems, forcing the ''Shadow of Intent'' to retreat. It also launched [[Flood dispersal pod]]s and began spreading Flood across the Ark. Keyes insisted that the Flood's arrival would only pressure Truth into activating the rings, and ordered the remaining ground forces to attack the Citadel.{{Ref/Reuse|cov}}

During this time, the [[Jiralhanae Chieftain]] [[Hekabe]] decided to use the distraction from the Flood arrival to locate the ''[[vertex]]'' hidden on the Ark. The control device for the [[Sharquoi]], the ''vertex'' would allow Hekabe to control the creatures. Though the Prophets had some Sharquoi themselves, they had lacked the ''vertex'' and so could not control them and never unleashed them. Hekabe intended to use the ''vertex'' and the Sharquoi to gain power for himself and so fled the Ark with his loyalists before the battle ended despite fighting on the side of the Covenant.{{Ref/Reuse|envoy}}

Johnson attempted to goad the Chieftain that was holding him into killing him, but Truth, realizing this, stopped the Chieftain. With John-117 and the Arbiter too far away to stop Truth, Commander Keyes took her Pelican dropship and crashed it directly into the facility in an attempt to rescue Johnson, but she was killed by Truth himself when she hesitated to kill Johnson and herself to deny Truth a means to activate the rings. Johnson, struck by grief and shock, was easily made to activate the Array. However, Keyes' actions delayed Truth long enough for John-117 and the Arbiter to stop him. The Gravemind dispatched a swarm of [[Pod infector]]s and [[Flood combat form]]s, led by two [[Flood tank form]]s, to assist the UNSC-Sangheili force in preventing the Halos' activation. They were met by the Jiralhanae Chieftain and his Unggoy, Kig-Yar and Jiralhanae.{{Ref/Reuse|cov}}

With the assistance of Aggressor Sentinels, the pair fought their way back to the elevator, which had been disabled. Without another choice, the two dropped down a small shaft in the room. At the bottom, John-117 followed flickers of Cortana to a control panel, and, upon its activation, they found [[Installation 08]] departing from the Ark's [[Foundry (location)|Foundry]]. Realizing this was Cortana's "solution" for the Flood, John-117 decided he needed to activate the ring at the Ark's isolated location, where the pulse would not destroy the sentient life in the [[Milky Way]] galaxy. 343 Guilty Spark concurred, that a tactical pulse would eliminate the Flood infestation on the Ark, and made his way to the ring to oversee the final preparations. However, this new Halo lacked an activation index. The only way they could get another index was to rescue Cortana from ''High Charity'', since she still possessed the index from the original Installation 04.{{Ref/Reuse|cov}}

{{Main|Raid on High Charity}}

{{clear|left}}

[[File:Halo3Mythos.jpg|thumb|300px|John-117, Thel 'Vadam, Sergeant Major Avery Johnson, and 343 Guilty Spark on the surface of Installation 08.]]

{{Quote|multi=yes|q1=We are aboard, humans...and Elites. Will you not come with us, brother?|Rtas 'Vadum|q2=No. This is our fight. And I ''will'' see it finished.|Thel 'Vadam|Thel 'Vadam wishing to finish the fight alongside John-117.{{Ref/Reuse|halo}}}}

==Aftermath==

===The Flood===

===The Covenant===

{{Main|Battle of Requiem}}

{{Quote|For us, the storm has passed. The war is over. But let us never forget those who journeyed into the howling dark, and did not return. For their decision required courage beyond measure; sacrifice, and unshakable conviction that their fight, our fight, was elsewhere. As we start to rebuild, this hillside will remain barren. A memorial to heroes fallen. They ennobled all of us, and they shall not be forgotten.|[[Fleet Admiral]] [[Terrence Hood]] in the memorial ceremony{{Ref/Reuse|epi}}}}

A [[Voi Memorial|monument]] was made near the town of Voi, not far from the portal structure. It read, "''In memory of those fallen in the defense of Earth and her Colonies. [[2553|March 3, 2553]].''" On it were photos of UNSC personnel who went through the portal but did not return; John-117 was honored with an etching of the number "117". With the exception of Thel 'Vadam, the Sangheili were not present at the dedication service, instead remaining aboard ''Shadow of Intent''. After the ceremony, Lord Hood, despite being unable to forgive the Sangheili for what they did to humanity at the beginning of the war, shook 'Vadam's hand and thanked him for standing beside the Master Chief at the Ark. The Arbiter then joined [[Rtas 'Vadum]] on the bridge of ''Shadow of Intent'', both agreeing to return to [[Sanghelios]] to ensure its safety. Thel 'Vadam was given command of the carrier and all Sangheili onboard departed for their homeworld.{{Ref/Reuse|epi}}

In [[2558#September|September 2558]], the [[Jiralhanae Chieftain]] [[Hekabe]] attempted to unleash the [[Sharquoi]] on the planet [[Carrow]], having retrieved the Sharquoi control device, the ''[[vertex]]'', from the Ark during the Battle of Installation 00. Hekabe's plan was narrowly foiled by [[Gray Team]], [[Rojka 'Kasaan]] and elements of the [[Surakan Militia Volunteers]].{{Ref/Reuse|envoy}}

==Participants==

! Status<!--This refers to their status after the battle, not their overall status-->

|-

|{{UNSCShip|Forward Unto Dawn}}

|Destroyed, split in half

|}

|Survived

|-

|Survived

|}

| [[Forerunner]] [[keyship]]

|''[[Anodyne Spirit]]''

|-

|''[[Foebane|Gathering of Praise]]''{{Ref/Reuse|loot5}}{{Ref/Reuse|envoy}}

|Escaped

====Naval forces====

*[[Truth's fleet]]†

{{col-end}}

File:3Way2-large.jpg|John-117 and Thel 'Vadam come across Sentinels fighting Flood combat forms on Installation 08.

File:H3 Installation 08 blowing up.jpg|John-117 and 'Vadam escape Installation 08 on a Warthog.

</gallery>

*''[[Halo Legends]]''

**''[[Origins]]''

**''[[From the Office of Dr. William Arthur Iqbal]]'' {{Mo}}

*''[[Halo: Broken Circle]]'' {{Im}}

**''[[Sacrifice]]'' {{Mo}}

*''[[Halo: Divine Wind]]'' {{Mo}}

==Notes==

{{Human-Covenant War}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Installation 00}}

[[Category:Battle of Installation 00| ]]

[[Category:Engagements in the Battle of Installation 00| ]]