Editing Halo: The Rubicon Protocol

{{Status|RealWorld}}

|author=[[Kelly Gay]]{{Ref/Reuse|CFParallel}}{{Ref/Site|Id=Simon & Schuster|URL=https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/Halo-The-Rubicon-Protocol/Kelly-Gay/Halo/9781982147884|Site=Simon & Schuster|Page=Halo: The Rubicon Protocol|D=22|M=7|Y=2021}}

|publication=[[2022|August 9, 2022]]{{Ref/Reuse|Amazon}}

|length=352 pages

|ISBN=9781982147884

'''''Halo: The Rubicon Protocol''''' is a ''Halo'' [[Halo novels|novel]] by [[Kelly Gay]], following surviving members of the [[United Nations Space Command]] as they [[Battle for Zeta Halo|mount a resistance]] against the [[Banished]] following their [[Battle over Installation 07|ambush]] by them in [[2559#December|late 2559]].{{Ref/YouTube|G6a4f5PntWg|HALO|Halo Infinite <nowiki>|</nowiki> Holiday 2021 Community Stream|Time=4364}} The novel was originally set to be released [[2022#March|March 15, 2022]], but later was delayed to June 28, 2022,{{Ref/Site|URL=https://www.halowaypoint.com/news/canon-fodder-foundations|Site=Halo Waypoint|Page=Canon fodder - Foundations|D=12|M=1|Y=2022}} then delayed again to August 9, 2022.{{Ref/Site|Id=CFParallel|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/Site|Id=Amazon|URL=https://www.amazon.com/-/en/Kelly-Gay/dp/1982147881|Site=Amazon|Page=Halo: The Rubicon Protocol (29)|D=16|M=7|Y=2021}}

 

{{Article quote|2560. Humanity finds its back against the wall after the United Nations Space Command flagship Infinity dropped out of slipspace into a devastating ambush launched by the Banished. As this fierce enemy alliance seeks to claim a powerful weapon hidden within the ancient Forerunner ringworld known as Zeta Halo, the surviving UNSC forces now find themselves compromised and its leadership out of reach—with remaining personnel forced to abandon ship and take their chances on the fractured, unpredictable surface of the Halo ring.

Now survival in this strange, alien environment—whether for Spartan super-soldiers or those who never thought they would see the battle up close—is measured day-to-day against a relentless and brutal adversary that always has the upper hand. Desperation grows, but the will to keep on fighting and enduring no matter the odds is never in doubt… even as the Banished seek to unleash a frightening new enemy that could doom them all...{{Ref/Site|URL=https://www.halowaypoint.com/news/canon-fodder-of-protocols-and-prisons|Site=Halo Waypoint|Page=Canon Fodder - Of Protocols and Prisons|D=7|M=3|Y=2022}}}}

 

On December 12, [[2559]], the {{UNSCShip|Infinity}} was [[Battle over Installation 07|ambushed]] by the [[Banished]] as it arrived at [[Installation 07]]. Spartan Nina Kovan of [[Fireteam Shadow]] evacuated from the flagship on a [[M9407 drop pod|drop pod]]; on the surface of the ring, she came to the aid of the occupants of an [[RLT-85 Emergency Shuttlepod|RLT-85 shuttlepod]]. Meanwhile, her squadmate Spartan Bonita Stone piloted [[Echo India Bravo 08|a Bumblebee]], leading [[Papa Tango Delta 09|its companion lifeboat]] piloted by TJ Murphy, away from the ''Infinity'' to the surface of the ring. Having lost its back section to weapon fire, Murphy's lifeboat spun out of control as it entered the ring's atmosphere; it crash-landed on the surface of the ring, where it was lodged inside a crevice, leaving its occupants trapped. The crew, including [[Lucas Browning]], [[Isaiah Cameron]], and [[Robin Dimik]], took turns transmitting a distress call, which was answered by Spartan Tomas Horvath of [[Fireteam Intrepid]]. However, while Horvath made his way to the Bumblebee, Installation 07 suddenly entered [[slipstream space]]. Shortly after, an explosion on the ring fractured its surface. The catastrophic event separated Horvath from his fireteam, and disabled his communications system, cutting him off from Murphy's lifeboat. Instead, Spartan Stone rescued Murphy's crew. Stone then led the survivors across region, and rendezvoused with Kovan's group of survivors. [[Gavin Jo]] and [[Erik Bender]] from Kovan's group, both being support staff, naturally gravitated towards Murphy's crew, which was also entirely made up of noncombatants. Having lost their marine companions in a skirmish, the group—now entirely made up of the "boat crew"—followed Stone and Kovan to the UNSC stronghold at the wreckage of the {{UNSCShip|Mortal Reverie}}; they arrived on December 19.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Horvath was teleported to a partially collapsed mountain facility somewhere far away from the beacon. He collapsed from his injuries and spent the next day comatose—half from exhaustion—before coming to again. Horvath's armor and Spartan augmentations kept him from dying of exposure during this time. Alone again, he explored the area and found the wreckage of one of the ''Infinity''{{'}}s shuttles and, although there were no survivors, he recovered a week's worth of water, rations and weapons. On May 25, approximately three days before the events of ''Halo Infinite'', Horvath issued a final transmission, announcing his plans to search for survivors, and made an open plea to the [[John-117|Master Chief]] that they need him now more than ever.

{{Featurelist|secondcolumn=title-6|title-1=Characters|

 

*[[Erik Bender]] {{1st}}

 

 

 

 

*[[Harbinger]]

*[[Flood]] {{Mo}}

*[[Gasgira]]

**[[Bhaakto system]]

***[[Alluvion]] {{Mo}}

****[[Paugary]] {{Fm}}

****[[Vaslo]] {{Fm}}

**[[Ephsu system]]

**[[Installation 07]]

***[[Cartographer#Installation 07|Cartographer]] {{Mo}}

***[[Talitsa]] {{Mo}}

***[[Created uprising]]

****[[Razing of Oth Sonin]] {{Mo}}

****[[Battle for Zeta Halo]]

*****[[Battle over Installation 07]]

*****[[Battle of the Mortal Reverie|Battle of the ''Mortal Reverie'']] {{1st}}

*****[[Battle of the beacon tower]] {{1st}}

**[[SRS99-S7 AM sniper rifle]]

 

*[[Veporokk Workshop Ravager]]

* Despite having narrative connections to ''Halo Infinite'', ''Halo: The Rubicon Protocol'' was reported prior to release to stand on its own and would not be "required reading" for fans to understand the game's story.{{Ref/Reuse|CFParallel}} Care was taken to ensure the geographical or positioning details lined up with the game;{{Ref/Twitter|Id=identifying|haruspis|1546873363884392448|Alex Wakeford|Quote=Shoutout to @HaloGuyYoutube, who found Spartan Stone's escape pod on Zeta Halo based on the description given in the Rubicon Protocol's opening chapter preview! We worked super hard to ensure the geographical/positioning details lined up with the game.}}  certain in-game locations, including [[Outpost Tremonius (location)|Outpost Tremonius]], the [[Tower]], the [[Conservatory (location)|Conservatory]], and a [[beacon tower]]'s interior, were depicted in the novel as well. The novel expands on the narrative depicted in the ''Halo Infinite'' [[Audio log (Halo Infinite)|audio logs]], having incorporated events from several logs. As such, previously unidentified characters in the audio logs were given names in the novel, such as [[Gorian]], [[Ouco]], and [[Elfie]]. Author Kelly Gay used the audio logs as mileposts of the characters' journeys during the novel, and admitted that doing so posed some challenges to the writing process as the narrative needed to intersect with the chosen logs; occasionally, parts of the novel have changed as ''Halo Infinite'' went through development changes.{{Ref/Site|Id=CFRundown|URL=https://www.halowaypoint.com/news/canon-fodder-rubicon-rundown|Site=Halo Waypoint|Page=Canon Fodder - Rubicon Rundown|D=4|M=8|Y=2022}} Vice versa, the novel also influenced elements of the game. Notably, [[Nina Kovan]] and [[Tomas Horvath]] were set to be killed in the audio logs. Kelly Gay, while writing the novel, discussed with 343 Industries to cut the audio logs that depicted their deaths, allowing Gay to expand on the fates of the two Spartans in the novel.{{Ref/Twitter|KellyHGay|1626704260959199232|Kelly Gay|Quote=Glad you enjoyed it! :D Fun Fact: During game development Kovan & Horvath were originally KIA in the campaign audio logs story. Writing the book during development, gave me the chance to work w/343 to pick certain Spartans to keep alive & kicking. 🤗}}