Editing Battle over Installation 07

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|prev= [[Second Ark Conflict]]

*[[Battle of Epsilon Clarion]]

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

*[[Created conflict]]{{Ref/Generic|[[Halo Infinite E3 2021 showcase]]|Id=Created}}

**[[Installation 07 conflict]]

|date= c. [[2559#December|December 12–13, 2559]]{{Ref/Game|HI|Detail=Infinity Down}}{{Ref/Reuse|Premiere}}

|result='''Banished victory'''{{Ref/Reuse|Premiere}}

*UNSC forces severely depleted and scattered across Installation 07.{{Ref/Reuse|Premiere}}

 

|commanders1    =*[[Captain (NAVCOM)|CAPT]] [[Thomas Lasky]]{{Ref/Reuse|GIInf}}

|commanders3    = *[[Cortana]]†

*6+ {{Class|Mulsanne|frigate}}s

*Multiple [[Pelicans]]

**''[[Echo 216]]''

*[[SPARTAN-IV Program|SPARTAN-IV's]]

**[[Fireteam Intrepid]]

**[[Fireteam Taurus]]

|forces2 =Banished Fleet

*4+ [[Banished dreadnought]]s

*Multiple [[Banished Phantom|Phantoms]]

*Thousands of ground forces

|forces3  = *Numerous [[Guardian Custode]]s{{Ref/Reuse|Hi}}

|casual1  = *UNSC ''Infinity''{{Ref/Generic|Id=Premiere|[[Halo Infinite Campaign Gameplay Premiere]]}}

**1,986 crewmembers of UNSC ''Infinity ''{{Ref/Level|HINF|Warship Gbraakon}}

|casual2  = Heavy{{fact}}

|casual3  = *Numerous Guardian Custodes{{Ref/Reuse|Hi}}

The '''battle over Installation 07''' was an [[battle|engagement]] that took place on December 12, [[2559]], between the [[United Nations Space Command|United Nations Space Command (UNSC)]] and the [[Banished]]. The battle was a major engagement, ultimately resulting in the scattering of both UNSC and Banished forces on [[Installation 07]], leading to a [[Installation 07 conflict|protracted conflict]] on the ring.{{Ref/Reuse|Premiere}}

In October, 2558, the [[Created conflict]] begun, with the leader of the [[Created]], [[Cortana]], claiming the [[Mantle|Mantle of Responsibility]] to enforce peace throughout the galaxy with the [[Guardian Custode]]s under her command. She made a general broadcast, inviting numerous species and factions to submit themselves to the guardianship of the Created,{{Ref/Level|H5|Guardians}} but threatened those who would resist her leadership with violence.{{Ref/Anthology|Halo: Fractures|[[What Remains]]}} Personally confronted by Cortana, the [[Jiralhanae]] [[Atriox]], the leader of a group of mercenary raiders known as the [[Banished]], declared his independence from Cortana, and thus, opposition against the Created. In a show of force for Atriox's defiance, Cortana commanded her Guardians to destroy the Jiralhanae homeworld [[Doisac]] while communicating with Atriox.{{Ref/Level|HINF|Repository (Halo Infinite)|Repository}} Vowing revenge, Atriox led his Banished forces to [[Installation 07]], where Cortana resided. Meanwhile, the {{UNSCShip|Infinity}}, escorted by a fleet of six {{Class|Mulsanne|frigate}}s, also traveled to Installation 07.{{Ref/Game|HI|Audio log (Halo Infinite)#Infinity's Approach 2|UNSC Audio log|Detail=Infinity's Approach #01 - Preparations}} The UNSC was to carry out a plan devised by Doctor [[Catherine Halsey]]: send [[John-117]] to the surface of the ring and deploy [[the Weapon]] to lock down Cortana, then return her to the ''Infinity'' for deletion.{{Ref/Game|HI|Audio log (Halo Infinite)#Recovered Files 2|UNSC Audio log|Detail=Recovered Files #04 - The Weapon}}{{Ref/Game|HI|Audio log (Halo Infinite)#Infinity's Approach 2|UNSC Audio log|Detail=Infinity's Approach #03 - Duty Clearance}}

Upon arrival at Installation 07, the {{UNSCShip|Infinity}} was attacked by the Banished.{{Ref/Site|Id=parallel|URL=https://www.halowaypoint.com/en-us/news/parallel-threads|Site=Halo Waypoint|Page=Canon Fodder - Parallel Threads|D=25|M=6|Y=2021}}{{Ref/Novel|Id=Mercenary|HSoR|Chapter=1}} John-117 was on the bridge with Captain Lasky when their plan went awry. The Banished had ambushed the advance group of frigates and the ''Infinity'', all the while sending occupation forces to the Ring's surface by the hundreds.{{fact}}

The ''Infinity'' had been prepared for a ground assault and was caught by surprise, with Lasky initially believing they'd been attacked by Guardians. Four [[Banished dreadnought]]s attacked the supercarrier and overwhelmed its defenses. Several engines were taken offline within minutes of the opening salvo. Lasky ordered the deployment of the Weapon. One dreadnought rammed the dorsal hull, causing massive structural damage, prompting a general evacuation as Banished forces boarded the ''Infinity''. John-117 left the bridge after the collision to repel the Banished boarding parties, but he returned after realizing that the enemy outnumbered the UNSC to escort Captain Lasky to a dropship. Lasky, accompanied by John-117 and several marines, linked up with the Spartan-IVs of Fireteam Taurus and proceeded to the hangar bays, which had been overrun by Banished forces.

Upon arriving at the hangar, John-117 ordered Spartan Hudson Griffin to take Lasky to a dropship while he covered their retreat. Lasky and Fireteam Taurus fought their way across the hangar until they came across a functioning Pelican. Griffin and the other members of Taurus refused to accompany Lasky in his dropship, electing to stay behind and assist with the rest of the evacuation. Once inside the ship, Lasky began issuing a general evacuation call, but was cut-off midsentence as his ship came under fire.{{fact}}

After ensuring Captain Lasky’s ship was away, Spartan Griffin and the rest of Fireteam Taurus organized the evacuation of the remaining Spartan-IVs, marines, and crew to the surface of Installation 07 under fire from Banished artillery. Dropships and lifepods fled the disintegrating ''Infinity'', many being shot down seconds after exiting the vessel. The leader of the Banished, [[Atriox]], boarded the ''Infinity'' and defeated [[Master Chief Petty Officer]] [[John-117]] as he fought off Banished forces in the hangar bays before tossing him into space as the hangar was engulfed in flames.{{Ref/Mag|Id=GI341|Game Informer|341|page 43}} Upon hearing of the loss of the Master Chief, [[Fernando Esparza]], a civilian engineering contractor, panicked and stole a Pelican, ''[[Echo 216]]'', and fled from the doomed vessel.

The Spartans who made it to the ground began organizing to take out Banished artillery to ensure the safety of the incoming survivors. The ''Infinity'' suffered heavy damage and eventually started to come apart as she fell, crash-landing with the superstructure relatively intact on the ring's surface.{{Ref/YouTube|Id=GameInformer|fSNXqbbAjC4|Game Informer|Halo Infinite Impressions: Exploration, Upgrades, and More|Time=9:17}}{{Ref/Site|Id=GIInf|URL=https://www.gameinformer.com/2021/11/11/off-the-golden-path-progression-and-exploration-in-halo-infinite|Site=Game Informer|Page=Off The Golden Path – Progression And Exploration In Halo Infinite|D=11|M=11|Y=2021|Quote=[...] while rallying the UNSC forces that have crash-landed there after the devastating destruction crash of the UNSC Infinity.}}

[[File:HINF Zeta Halo Destroyed.png|250px|thumb|right|The broken Halo after the battle.]]

{{Quote|We lost. Lost everything. There's nothing left for us here. I don't even know where here is.|Echo 216's pilot to [[John-117]].{{Ref/Reuse|discoverhope}}}}

The conflict resulted in extensive damage to Installation 07, as well as leaving ''[[Echo 216]]'' and its [[Echo 216's pilot|pilot]] adrift near the installation.{{Ref/Generic|Id=discoverhope|[[Discover Hope]]}} Additionally, the battle resulted in heavy casualties among personnel assigned to the {{UNSCShip|Infinity}}, with the ship crash-landing on the ring.{{Ref/Reuse|Premiere}}{{Ref/Site|Id=GIInf|URL=https://www.gameinformer.com/2021/11/11/off-the-golden-path-progression-and-exploration-in-halo-infinite|Site=Game Informer|Page=Off The Golden Path – Progression And Exploration In Halo Infinite|D=11|M=11|Y=2021|Quote=[...] while rallying the UNSC forces that have crash-landed there after the devastating destruction crash of the UNSC Infinity.}} At some point, the ring was moved from the Ephsu system, alongside UNSC and Banished assets.{{Ref/Game|Id=Hi|Hi}}{{Ref/Game|Id=OI09|Game=Halo Infinite|Section=Database|Detail=Outpost Intel 09 - To Andrew Valleros}} Atriox was also presumed deceased by both the UNSC and the Banished, though he had in reality survived.

{{Clear}}

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*''[[Halo: The Rubicon Protocol]]'' {{Mo}}