Editing Halo: Escalation Issue 6

{{Title|''Halo: Escalation Issue 6''}}
{{Status|RealWorld}}
{{Comics infobox
|prev=Halo: Escalation Issue 5
|next=Halo: Escalation Issue 7
|image=[[File:HaloEscalation6.jpg|250px]]
|writer=[[Christopher Schlerf]]
|artist=*Ricardo Sanchez Arreola (penciller)<br>
*Rob Lean (inker)<br>
*Michael Atiyeh (colorist)<br>
*[[Nicolas Bouvier]] (cover artist)
|publisher= [[Dark Horse Comics]]
|publication= May 28, 2014
|length=32 pages
|ISBN= 
}}

'''''Halo: Escalation Issue 6''''' was released on [[2014|May 28, 2014]] and is the sixth of twelve in the ''[[Halo: Escalation]]'' series of comics.<ref>[http://www.darkhorse.com/Comics/22-706/Halo-Escalation-6/ '''Dark Horse:''' ''Halo: Escalation Issue 6'']</ref>

==Official summary==
{{Article quote|The saga of [[Halo Wars]] enters the modern age as Infinity struggles to liberate the long-lost Spirit of Fire from the deadly Vata 'Gajat. Meanwhile, Petra's search for the identity of Infinity's spy could result in her death. The Halo universe is on the brink of a new galactic war!}}

==Plot synopsis==
Issue #6 opens with Hood remembering his actions during his military career, and watching the chaos on the ''Infinity'' after three successive attacks of the station's glassing cannon. Commander Bradley is killed during the attack and Hood himself is impaled, blaming himself for letting the ''Infinity'' fall into a trap. Palmer and Majestic proceed to board the station and stop Clayton while the glassing cannon overheats, forcing it to cool down for some time. NCA forces detect Spartans' Booster Frames and Clayton activates the station's point defenses. Clayton orders 'Gajat to stop the Spartans, but 'Gajat, in a burst of ambition, decides to destroy ''Infinity'' instead. The NCA forces attack Majestic and Palmer with missiles but the Spartans manage to avoid them. Hoya notices 'Gajat's ''SDV''-class corvette undocking from the station, but the Spartans decide to enter the station and use it to destroy the ship. Inside 'Gajat's flagship, 'Gajat receives an emergency call from the station but he decides to ignore it and proceed with his plan to destroy ''Infinity''. Meanwhile, the Spartans quickly capture the station and its crew. Madsen knocks Clayton unconscious as revenge for DeMarco's death on Ealen IV. 'Gajat contacts the station to tell Clayton he is about to destroy ''Infinity'', but he is answered by Palmer, who orders Thorne to fire the cannon, destroying 'Gajat's ship.

Three days later, the UNSC sends a task force comprising a [[Unidentified UNSC warship (Cruiser-like)|cruiser]], a [[Charon-class light frigate|''Charon''-class frigate]] and a [[Paris-class heavy frigate|''Paris''-class frigate]] to repair the ''Infinity'' and monitor the station. At the same time, Lasky and Ray return to ''Infinity'' after his mission with Petra on Karava. Palmer apologizes to Lasky for her behavior after the battle on Ealen IV. Lasky forgives Palmer and tells her that his mission to find the spy, despite having been a success, failed to report to the UNSC in time to prevent the attack. Palmer tells him that it was Hood's fault for making decisions without his consent. In Clayton's cell, Hood (now in a wheelchair) visits him and asks him why Admiral Drake wanted to destroy the ''Infinity'' despite wanting to [[Raid on UNSC Infinity|capture it]] five years before. Clayton tells Hood the NCA is stronger than before and have agents on every colony, even Earth. Hood orders to his men to take Clayton to [[Midnight Facility]], but Clayton tells him they will meet again. After this encounter, Hood wonders if the UNSC will find the ''Spirit of Fire'', wishing to find Cutter and ask for his forgiveness.

In an unknown system, the ''Spirit of Fire'' drifts near a terrestrial planet. Inside, the ship is on full evacuation alert and a lone [[Flood]] [[Pod infector|infection form]] is seen scurrying across the ''Spirit'''s now vacant [[Cryonics|cryo storage]] room.

==Production notes==
The issue's solicitation claims that Petra's life is endangered by her investigation while the UNSC ''Infinity'' struggles to liberate the UNSC ''Spirit of Fire'' from Vata 'Gajat. In the released version, Janecek, Lasky, and Ray are not seen until the end of the issue when they return to ''Infinity'' without incident. Also, ''Infinity'' never actually encounters ''Spirit of Fire'': the former is ambushed by Clayton's forces while the latter (in the midst of Flood infestation) remains stranded.

===Trivia===
*Palmer's booster frame is painted with the number "0069", making it identical to [[Solomon-069]]'s booster frame in ''[[The Package (animated short)|The Package]]''.
*A model from the fan-made ''Halo: Homefront'' mod for [[wikipedia:Homeworld_2|''Homeworld 2'']], makes a cameo appearance when a task force arrives to repair ''Infinity''. <ref>[http://www.moddb.com/mods/halo-homefront/news/homefront-in-halo-escalation-issue-6 '''Moddb:''' ''Homefront in Halo: Escalation Issue #6'']</ref>

===Mistakes===
*Lord Terrence Hood's first name is consistently misspelled "Terrance".
*The New Colonial Alliance's raid on ''Infinity'' is repeatedly said to have occurred four years prior, rather than five.
*''Spirit of Fire'' is erroneously painted with the hull number CFV-38 rather than the correct CFV-88. This is likely a result of careless referencing of [[:File:UNSC Spirit of Fire (CFV-88).png|an image]] of the ship from ''Halo Wars'', in which the first number "8" on the hull resembles a "3" due to worn paint.

==Gallery==
<gallery>
File:Halo Escalation 6.jpg|Full cover art.
File:HE6-HoodInjured.jpg|Hood is injured in Clayton's surprise attack.
File:HE Bradley dead.jpg|Commander Bradley is killed in Clayton's assault.
File:HE6 infinity damaged.jpg|The ''Infinity'' is badly damaged.
File:HE Gajat in his flagship.jpg|'Gajat at the bridge of his corvette.
File:Escalation-Freeze.png|Palmer and Fireteam Majestic capture the station.
File:Madsen leaving Clayton unconscious.jpg|Anthony Madsen knocks Clayton unconscious.
File:HE Gajat's flagship destroyed.jpg|'Gajat's flagship is destroyed.
File:Escalation6-OthLodonAftermath.jpg|A UNSC task group arrives to police the station and repair Infinity.
File:HE6-HoodWheelchair.jpg|A wheelchair-bound Lord Hood.
File:Escalation 6 - Spirit of Fire.jpg|The UNSC ''Spirit of Fire'' drifts through space.
File:Flood infector Spirit of Fire.jpg|A Pod infector aboard the ''Spirit of Fire''.
</gallery>

==Sources==
{{Ref/Sources}}

{{succession box|before=''[[Halo: Escalation Issue 5|Issue 5]]''|title=[[Halo: Escalation]] comic series|years='''''Issue 6'''''|after=''[[Halo: Escalation Issue 7|Issue 7]]''}}

{{Comics|HE}}
==Related articles==
*''[[Halo: Escalation]]''
[[Category:Canon]]
[[Category:Halo: Escalation]]