Editing High Charity (Structure)

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{{Ratings}}

{{Individual ship infobox
|name=''High Charity''
|image=[[Image:High_Charitypic.jpg|320px]]
|class=Mobile Planetoid Station
|manufacturer=[[Covenant]]
|modifier=
|sysmods=
|length=
|width=
|height=
|max accel=
|max speed space=
|max speed air=
|engine=
|slipspace drive=Yes
|slipspace speed=Unknown (Presumed slow from massive size)
|poweroutput=
|power=[[Forerunner Dreadnought]]
|shield gen=
|hull=
|sensor=
|target=
|navigation=
|avionics=
|countermeasures=
|armament=
|complement=
|crew=
|skeleton=
|passengers=
|capacity=
|consumables=
|othersystems=
|role=
|commission=
|firstsight=[[2552|October 2552]] (UNSC)
|destroyed=[[2553|March 3rd, 2553]]
|retired=
|lastsight=[[2553|March 3rd, 2553]]
|battles=*[[Battle of Installation 05]]
*[[First Battle of High Charity]]
*[[Battle of Installation 00]]
|affiliation=[[Covenant]], [[Covenant Loyalists]], and later the [[Flood]] who transformed it into a giant [[Flood Hive]].
|fleet=
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}}

<center>''Looking for [[High Charity (Level)|High Charity]], the [[Halo 2]] level, or [[High Charity (Music)|High Charity]], from the [[Halo 2 Original Soundtrack]]?''</center>

'''''High Charity''''' is the [[Covenant]]'s mobile planetoid station and capital city, known as the ''Holy City of the Covenant'' or the ''Prophet's Holy City''.<ref> Halo 3, level [[Floodgate]].</ref>

==Description==
===Physical Description===
It is a large mushroom-shaped structure estimated to be 348 kilometers in diameter. At the apex of this "mushroom" is an artificial star that simulates night and day within the city. This star doubles as a launch pad for the [[Forerunner Dreadnought]], the ship at the centre of the city. The stalk peters out to a point, with various branches leading off from it, likely for service as docking bays. The city is mobile, can jump through [[Slipspace]], and is almost completely powered by the engines of the decommissioned [[Dreadnought]]. The Dreadnought's engines were so powerful that the Covenant had to keep them at partial power, yet they still powered nearly all of ''High Charity''. <ref>''[[Halo 2]]'', level ''[[Gravemind (Level)|Gravemind]]''</ref>

===Capital City===
In the internal hub of ''[[High Charity]]'' lies an extremely large capital city. In its center sits the [[Forerunner Dreadnought]], embedded within the city after the formation of the [[Covenant]] as a symbol of conviction and peace between the [[Sangheili]] and the [[San 'Shyuum]]. The Dreadnought's engines are the primary power source for much of the city, though back-up generators were rigged by the [[Gravemind]] once the vessel departed. 

The city itself contains many locations sacred to the [[Covenant]], such as the [[Council Chamber]], the [[Sanctum of the Hierarchs]], and the [[Mausoleum of the Arbiter]]. As a construct, ''High Charity'' is very similar to the ''[[Unyielding Hierophant]]'', a repair & refit station, but serving as a mobile command post as well. Unlike many small Covenant vessels and their UNSC counterparts, High Charity contains many courtyards and other spaces which are an attempt to seem natural. The interior of ''High Charity'' is, of course, laced with the Covenant's unique architecture, of a lighter tone than their naval vessels. All of the structures within the city float above a methane-rich field in which the Unggoy dwell. The towers at the center are gigantic volcanic spires and are used by the San 'Shyuum as offices and private residences.

No city construct of the Covenant, with the exception of ''High Charity'', is ever seen in any of the ''Halo'' games.

===Protection===
{{main|High Charity Defense Fleet}}
''High Charity'' is important, and significant enough to the Covenant Empire to wield and sustain its own personal [[Fleet]]s. Consisting of thousands if not tens of thousands of battleships, carriers, and cruisers. Some of the biggest fleets in the entire Covenant armada defended the city, such as the ''[[Second Fleet of Homogeneous Clarity]]'', and the late ''[[Fleet of Particular Justice]]''. Being the Covenant's major religious center and capitol, ''High Charity'' is enormously sacred to the Covenant. It is thought that true believers should visit it at least once in a lifetime, though this isn't affordable to many members of the Covenant. It is full of [[San 'Shyuum]] and [[Sangheili]] [[Councilors]], and generally the leadership of the entire alien hegemony. Identity-wise, it can be likened to the [[Human]] view on the {{UNSCShip|Hopeful}}, albeit a hundredfold. It can be assumed that High Charity either has it's own set of energy shield's or defensive weapons. Though with all of these defenses it was unable to shield itself from the onslaught of the [[Flood]].

===Layout===
{{High Charity Locations}}
Along the outer wall on the inside of ''High Charity'' are several towers, each containing several rooms and hallways. Two of these towers are referred to by [[Cortana]] as the [[Mid Tower]] and the [[Far Tower]]. Most of these towers are connecting to the two surrounding towers by [[Hanging Gardens]] and [[Valleys of Tears]], but the towers containing the [[Council Chamber]] and the [[Mausoleum of the Arbiter]] are both notably only connected to the sections between them.

== History ==
=== Early History ===
''High Charity'' was erected during [[Sangheili-San 'Shyuum War]] and completed following the wars conclusion. The [[Forerunner Dreadnought]] that the San 'Shyuum used in the war was stripped of all known weapons and permanently installed inside ''High Charity''. Because the city is mobile, it is extremely difficult for the lesser creatures of the hegemony to make journeys to the capital, yet it manages to establish a network of [[Slipspace]] probes to protect its position. Anything larger than a millimeter in diameter that drifted too close was obliterated, including ships that failed to transmit proper clearance codes within a millisecond of hailing.

Prior to the [[Human-Covenant War]], ''High Charity'' was almost destroyed as the [[Forerunner Dreadnought]] powered up, galvanized by the discovery of "[[Reclaimers]]" by the Covenant, and attempted to reach [[Harvest]] to transport the occupants to the [[Ark]]. It was accidentally deactivated by [[lekgolo]] worms as they short circuited the ship.<ref>''[[Halo: Contact Harvest]]''</ref>

===The Sacred Rings and the Great Journey===
[[Image:High charity and Alpha Halo.jpg|250px|thumb|right|''High Charity'' with the remains of [[Installation 04]] in the foreground.]]

Upon the discovery of [[Installation 04]] by the [[Covenant]], ''High Charity'' was supposed to perform a [[Slipspace]] jump to the ring along with its fleet, where the High [[Prophets]] would activate the ring to send the [[Covenant]] on the [[Great Journey]]. 

The Fleet of [[Particular Justice]], led by then [[Supreme Commander]] [[Thel 'Vadamee]], had already made its way to the Ring while chasing the Halcyon-class cruiser ''[[UNSC Pillar of Autumn|The Pillar of Autumn]]'', but they did not know about the [[Flood]], and did not expect interference from the [[UNSC]]. When ''High Charity'' and its fleet arrived at [[Threshold]], they found that both Installation 04 and the Fleet of Particular Justice had been [[Battle of Installation 04|utterly destroyed]].

After the [[First Battle of Earth]], the [[High Prophet of Regret]] sent the coordinates of [[Installation 05]] to ''High Charity''. The planetoid and its fleet arrived just in time to watch [[John-117|Master Chief]] and a group of [[UNSC Marine Corps|Marines]] assassinate the Prophet of [[Prophet_of_Regret|Regret]]. It then held position over Installation 05 until hostilities erupted between the [[Sangheili]] and the [[Jiralhanae]], as the [[Great Schism]] began in [[2552|November 2552]].

===Battle of ''High Charity''===
{{Main|First Battle of High Charity}}
[[Image:Forerunner Ship.jpg|250px|thumb|right|As [[Cortana]] looks on, the Dreadnought separates itself from the city's power grid, and departs towards [[Earth]].]]

During the chaos of the battle, John-117 infiltrated ''High Charity'', by way of teleportation from [[Gravemind]] directly into the Council Chambers using [[Installation 05]]'s teleportation grid. 

At the same time, the Flood made their own entrance, using the {{UNSCShip|In Amber Clad}} and crashing into ''High Charity'' to ferry [[Combat Forms]] to the station, and [[D77-TC Pelican Dropship|Pelican]] dropships to spread [[Carrier Form]]s. Within the city a vicious battle ensued among Jiralhanae, Sangheili, and Flood forces, all bent on destroying one another (this was the start of the Covenant Civil-War amongst the Jiralhanae and Sangheili). The unfortunate [[Master Chief]], John-117 was caught in the middle of the quarrel, but managed to escape.

Eventually, the Dreadnought at ''High Charity'''s core took off, with both the [[Prophet of Truth]] and the Master Chief inside, leaving [[Cortana]] behind. It appears that the Covenant forces on both sides completely abandoned ''High Charity'' afterward, and it was completely [[Flood Hive|infested]] by the Flood. The Gravemind took complete control of the Sanctum of the Hierarchs, using the [[Council Chamber]] itself as his "throne room".<ref>''[[Halo 2]]'', ''[[The Great Journey (Level)|Epilogue]]''</ref>

===Quarantine of ''High Charity''===
As ''High Charity'' and [[Installation 05]] were rapidly falling to the [[Flood]], a massive battle between [[Sangheili]] and [[Jiralhanae]] held ships continued in the space around the city. The [[Sangheili]] [[Covenant Separatists|Separatists]] eventually succeeded in driving away the [[Jiralhanae]] or they possibly retreated on orders from [[Truth]] to assist in the conquest of [[Earth]]. But this led to the fall of High Charity to the flood under the command of the Gravemind who used this as his second base and gain significant amount of ships here from which he sent one to infest [[Africa]].

The [[Sangheili]] fleet formed a large perimeter and quarantined ''High Charity'' and [[Installation 05]], attempting to prevent the [[Flood]] from infesting any other systems.<ref>''[[Halo 3]]'', level ''[[Floodgate (Level)|Floodgate]]''</ref>

=== After the Flood Invasion ===
After the [[Second Battle of Earth]], a message from [[Cortana]] forewarned and notified the Master Chief that the [[Gravemind]] was speeding the infested ''High Charity'' toward [[Earth]], and the [[portal]] to [[Installation 00|the Ark]]. 

During the [[Battle of Installation 00]] at the [[Battle of the Citadel|Citadel]], ''High Charity'' appeared through the [[portal]] and narrowly missed the [[Sangheili]] [[Assault Carrier]] ''[[Shadow of Intent]]''. It disgorged [[Flood]] dispersal pods (several of which damaged the carrier) and crashed on the Installation, completely unrecognizable from what it originally was apart from the exterior shape. The [[Mausoleum of the Arbiter]] was the only visible recognizable feature to be seen and this was separated from the roof of ''High Charity'' and teetered precariously on an axis.

====Theories====
[[Image:Flood Charity.png|thumb|The Flood-infested ''High Charity'' during the events of the Ark battles.]]
''High Charity'''s arrival on the [[Ark]] is rather strange, as [[Installation 00]] is beyond the Outer Rim and the [[Flood]]'s destination was [[Earth]]. The only possibility was that it went through the Earth [[Portal]] and arrived at the Ark. However, at the end of ''[[Halo 3]]'', [[Earth]] seemed perfectly fine. While the [[Flood]] could have penetrated the handful of [[Human]] ships guarding the portal rather easily, it seems unlikely that the [[Gravemind]] would avoid leaving at least a small number of [[Flood spore]]s on [[Earth]] as it passes as seen when ''High Charity'' arrived at the [[Ark]]. Both small and big pieces of debris fell from the wrecked, ravaged city. This questions why Earth hadn’t been infected given the amount of Flood that was attached on the single incubator/carrier that flew through the window on the barrier tower, unless ''High Charity'' exited slipspace directly above the portal to the Ark, entering it immediately. Another theory is that during the Forerunner-Flood War, the Gravemind learned of the [[Ark]] and what it does, which is considered likely since he was able to at least converse with AIs of Forerunner ownership. Finding the Portal on [[Earth]], he may have considered leaving any of his minions upon Earth to be a waste if he wasn't able to stop the activation of the [[Halo Array]], and would need all of the biomass it could muster if circumstances lead to their firing. Perhaps this is why it left no [[Flood]] on Earth.  Or, since the area around the Ark had already been glassed by the Elites, there was no nearby biomass for the spores to infect so it would have been pointless to drop off those spores. Another possibility is that the Gravemind learned of the coordinates of the Ark during the Forerunner-Flood war and used those coordinates to jump directly to the Ark (however this would have taken considerable time even through slipspace). Another theory is that the Gravemind somehow tapped into the Forerunner's instantaneous transportation system (perhaps through Pentinent Tangent) and used that to reach the Ark, but this is unlikely since nothing as big as ''High Charity'' had ever been transported.

There is also the question of power, as ''High Charity'' depended on the engines of the [[Dreadnought]] to power its own thrusters and slipspace drive. Yet the Flood-infested city, lacking any apparent power source, except the power core the Master Chief blows up in order to destroy it, can be seen moving under its own power, arriving at the Ark. It may be possible that the [[Flood]] used the back-up power supplies on board the ship for power. Possibly off lining systems not necessary to the Flood, such as most energy doors and the Gravity Lifts. Also, another possible theory is that due to the amount of power it generated (only using a fraction to power the whole city), it gave enough power to let High Charity last with power for months, even years without having to be connected to it. However, it is also known that it was placed within High Charity after its construction had started. This could mean that the city had a permanent generator system, and that the [[Dreadnought]] was an efficient, and ready power source.

And in [[Cortana]]'s message she states that there is a "solution" to the [[Flood]], that she knew that there was a portal and she knew where it went. It's also possible that the [[High Prophet of Regret]] knew about the portal to the Ark being on [[Earth]], or was at least given the orders to go there by Truth, therefore there must have been records about the portal on ''High Charity'' so that the [[Gravemind]] and [[Cortana]] found out about Earth's significance and/or location.

===Second Battle of ''High Charity''===
{{Main|Second Battle of High Charity}}
[[Image:1216870725 HighCharity.jpg|left|thumb|High Charity exploding.]]
After stopping [[Truth]] from activating the rings, [[John-117]] returned to the [[Flood]]-infested ''High Charity'' on a mission to retrieve [[Cortana]], which he successfully completed. At her recommendation, he overloaded the reactor core, by destroying its pylons, as he maneuvered back through ''High Charity'' to meet the Arbiter and re-activate the crashed Pelican drop-ship to fly out of range of the explosion. ''High Charity'' was completely destroyed in the resulting explosions, with only the outer structure remaining when [[Installation 04 (II)]] was fired.<ref>''[[Halo 3]]'', level ''[[Halo (Halo 3 Level)|Halo]]''</ref> It is most likely that [[Installation 04 (II)]] and the Ark were showered in debris and metal from the wreckage of ''High Charity'' as it was drawn into the gravity of the Installations. The Gravemind somehow managed to escape the city moments before its destruction, most likely using a teleportation grid, if 2401 [[Penitent Tangent]] (who might or might not have survived) was still in his clutches.

==Trivia==
*''High Charity'' is roughly 1/75 the size of a [[Halo]] installation. In the final cutscene of [[Halo 2]], High Charity is shown as a small dot at the upper portion of the ring when [[Installation 05]] deactivates.
*''High Charity'' has a simulated gravity of 0.9 G and average temperature of 20°C, comparing to [[Earth]]'s 1 G and 14°C.{{fact}}
*It is big enough to fit a [[Forerunner Dreadnought]] on top of it in the center of the vast city, describing how massive ''High Charity is''.
*The [[multiplayer]] map [[Gemini]] takes place in ''High Charity.''
*Three levels in the Halo Trilogy take place on ''High Charity.''
*High Charity is the only Covenant city seen in the game.
*High Charity is also the only known [[Flood Hive]].

==References==
<references/>

{{CovenantShips}}
[[Category:The Covenant]]
[[Category:Covenant Starships]]
[[Category:Places]]