Editing Battle of Installation 03

{{Era|Post}}

{{New content|[[Halo: Spartan Strike]]}}

|prev=[[Skirmish on Installation 03]]

|image=[[File:HSS Elite and Conduit.png|300px]]

|next=[[Battle of New Phoenix]]

|date=[[2557#July|July 2557]]<ref name="opa">'''[[Halo: Spartan Strike]]''', ''[[Operation A: Orphic Spear]]''</ref>

|side1=[[United Nations Space Command]]

|side2=[[Jul 'Mdama's Covenant faction]] <br> [[Promethean]]s

|commanders1=[[Kwon|Lt. Kwon]]

|commanders2=Unknown

|forces1=*[[D79-TC Pelican]]s

*One stolen [[Type-26 Wraith]]

*One [[Unidentified Headhunter|Headhunter]]

|forces2=*At least one {{Class|CAS|assault carrier}}<ref name="opc">'''Halo: Spartan Strike''', ''[[Operation C: Valiant Hammer]]''</ref>

*Several {{Class|CCS|battlecruiser}}s<ref name="opc"/>

*[[Type-56 Lich]]s<ref name="opb">'''Halo: Spartan Strike''', ''[[Operation B: Steadfast Pursuit]]''</ref>

*[[Type-32 Ghost]]s

*[[Type-29 Shade]]s

*[[Covenant automated plasma turret]]s

*Numerous infantry

The '''Battle of Installation 03''' was an engagement on [[Forerunner]] [[Halo Array|Halo]] [[Installation 03]] in the [[Khaphrae system]] in [[2557#July|July 2557]], between the [[United Nations Space Command]] and [[Jul 'Mdama]]'s [[Jul 'Mdama's Covenant faction|reformed Covenant faction]] and the latter's [[Promethean]] allies.<ref name="opb"/>

At some point, the [[Covenant]] recovered the [[Forerunner]] [[Conduit]],<ref>'''[[Halo 2 Anniversary]]''', ''[[Terminal/Halo 2 Anniversary|Terminal 7]]''</ref> a device that was capable of opening Forerunner [[slipspace portal]]s throughout the [[Milky Way|galaxy]].<ref name="opc"/> During the [[Battle of Mombasa]] on [[Earth]] in [[2552]], the Covenant attempted to use the Conduit during the battle. However, the device was stolen by a [[squad]] of the [[UNSC]]'s [[Orbital Drop Shock Troopers]]. The squad tried to escape the city to safely deliver the Conduit into UNSC hands, but the device was lost when the [[Prophet of Regret|High Prophet of Regret]]'s ''[[Solemn Penance]]'' entered [[slipstream space]] over [[New Mombasa]]. The resulting slipstream wake killed the ODST squad and destroyed the city, seemingly along with the Conduit.<ref name="opa"/> However, the Conduit transported itself to [[Installation 03]] in the [[Khaphrae system]] by entering slipspace to save itself from destruction.<ref name="opc"/>

In [[2557#July|July of 2557]], UNSC personnel on [[Ivanoff Station]] detected a faint signal originating on Gamma Halo. It the signal was soon discovered to be emanating from the Conduit, a [[Spartan-IV]] was sent to the installation to investigate.<ref name="opb"/> However, [[Jul 'Mdama]]'s [[Jul 'Mdama's Covenant faction|reformed Covenant faction]] had continued to search for the Conduit after its supposed destruction at New Mombasa in 2552. The Covenant faction succeeded in picking up the signal moments before the UNSC did, and a [[fleet]] traveled to Installation 03 to recover the Conduit.<ref name="opc"/>

When the Covenant succeeded in recovering the Conduit, they brought it to the [[Altar]] on Installation 03. There, the Covenant intended to use the Conduit to open slipspace portals for Prometheans to invade Gamma Halo and give themselves control over the installation.<ref name="opc"/>

{{Expand-section}}

After returning to Ivanoff Station in a Pelican dropship with the Conduit, the Spartan received an emergency distress call from an [[Office of Naval Intelligence]] facility in [[New Phoenix]] on Earth. The researchers at the facility were studying a Forerunner artifact at the time of the battle. When the Covenant used the Conduit at the Altar, Forerunner portals were activated throughout the galaxy. One of the portals opened up in the ONI facility in New Phoenix, and Jul 'Mdama's Covenant and Promethean forces attacked the base. It was determined that the only way to close the portals was to bring the Conduit to New Phoenix. The Spartan traveled to the city with the Conduit, as the [[Battle of New Phoenix]] begun.<ref name="opd">'''Halo: Spartan Strike''', ''[[Operation D: Adamantine Shield]]''</ref>

<references/>