Editing Installation 03

{{Era|Forerunner|HCW|Post}}

|description=Deserts and volcanic activity for terrain<ref name="enc">'''[[Halo Encyclopedia]]''', ''page 174''</ref>

|location=[[Khaphrae system]]<ref name="H4EVG">'''[[Halo 4: The Essential Visual Guide]]'''</ref> {{C|Formerly}}

|anchor=

|function=Galactic sterilization/Flood containment and research

|caretaker=[[049 Abject Testament]]<ref name="Terminal">'''Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary''', ''[[Terminal/Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary#Terminal 2|Terminal 2]]''</ref>

|constructed=Before c. [[100,000 BCE]]

|destroyed=*Deactivated from [[Installation 00]]<br/>

|surface width=

|gravity=1.1 G<ref name="universe"/>

|surface temperature=-21°C to 43°C (-6°F to 109°F)<ref name="universe"/>

|atmosphere=1.02 ([[Wikipedia:Nitrogen|N₂]], [[Oxygen|O₂]], [[Argon|Ar]])<ref name="universe"/>

Unlike [[Installation 04|Installations 04]] and [[Installation 05|05]], which orbit large gas giants, Installation 03 was originally anchored in orbit around a rocky planet, the face of which has been shattered as a result of a fairly recent impact event; the debris from the impact, still aglow as of [[2557]], has collected to form a dense [[asteroid]] field in orbit over the planet as well as the Halo.<ref name="composer">'''Halo 4''', ''[[Composer (level)|Composer]]''</ref>

===Forerunner-Flood war===

Shortly before the activation of the Halo Array at the end of the [[Forerunner-Flood war]], the [[IsoDidact]] convened a meeting of the surviving [[Lifeworker]]s and the monitors who would serve as the rings' caretakers at [[Installation 00]].<ref>''Halo: Silentium''</ref> [[049 Abject Testament]] was designated as Gamma Halo's monitor and was given the Halo's [[activation index]].<ref>'''[[Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary]]''', ''[[Terminal/Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary|Terminal 2]]''</ref> Along with the other six rings, Installation 03 was fired, killing all sentient life within its effective radius. Afterwards, it entered an inactive state along with the rest of the Array.

====Discovery====

During the [[Battle of Tribute]] in [[2552#August|August 2552]], the freighter ''[[Floral Express]]'' fled the planet while carrying colonial refugees. Presumably following a random [[slipspace]] trajectory per the [[Cole Protocol]], the ship arrived near Installation 03 on [[2552#October|October 8]]. Based on intelligence gleaned from the [[Battle of Installation 04]], ONI teams had established and enacted neutralization protocols on Gamma Halo by October 25.<ref name="11h"/>

====Standby and deactivation====

On [[2552#November|November 3, 2552]] during the [[Battle of Installation 05]], a signal was sent to this Halo from [[Installation 05]], putting it on standby mode and preparing it to fire on demand.<ref>'''Halo 2''', campaign level ''[[The Great Journey]]''</ref> On [[2552#December|December 11, 2552]], the installation was still in standby mode and was about to be fired at the behest of the [[Prophet of Truth|High Prophet of Truth]], who had seized [[Installation 00]]'s [[control room]]. However, the Array was deactivated by [[SPARTAN-II Program|Spartan]] [[John-117]] and the [[Hierarch]] was assassinated by [[Arbiter]] [[Thel 'Vadam]] before this could occur.<ref>'''Halo 3''', campaign level ''[[The Covenant]]''</ref>

By [[2553|March 2553]], the top-secret research station ''[[Ivanoff]]'' had been built in Installation 03's orbit. That month, Dr. [[Catherine Halsey]] was indefinitely detained there by [[Admiral]] [[Margaret Parangosky]], CINCONI, as retribution for lying to the admiral about the creation and deployment of [[flash clone]]s during the SPARTAN-II program's early phases.<ref>'''Halo: Glasslands''', ''page 341''</ref> [[Spartan (branch)|Spartan]] teams were deployed to reconnoiter the surface, to quarantine areas of potential [[Flood]] contamination, and to recovery any notable Forerunner artifacts.<ref name="H4EVG"/> The [[MJOLNIR Powered Assault Armor/Pioneer|MJOLNIR Pioneer]] variant first saw field use during these exploratory deployments.<ref>'''Halo 4''', ''Pioneer armor/specialization description''</ref>

====The Composer====

[[File:HM-Composer extraction.png|thumb|left|250px|The Composer being extracted from the surface of Installation 03 by {{UNSCShip|Infinity}}.]]

The ONI science teams retrieved various artifacts from the surface of Installation 03 and brought them on Ivanoff Station for study, including the installation's [[activation index]], a [[war sphinx]]'s "eye",<ref name="canonfodder">[https://www.halowaypoint.com/en-us/community/blog-posts/canon-fodder-have-s-moa '''Halo Waypoint''': ''Canon Fodder: Have S'moa'']</ref> and a [[Composer]]. An accident with the Composer killed the team researching the device; however, it provided coordinates which led the {{UNSCShip|Infinity}} to the [[shield world]] known as [[Requiem]]. When the [[Ur-Didact]] was awakened, he traveled to Ivanoff in his ship ''[[Mantle's Approach]]'' and [[Raid on Ivanoff Station|acquired the Composer]] on [[2557#July|July 24, 2557]], using it to digitize Ivanoff's staff before jumping to slipspace to travel to [[Earth]] to use the recovered weapon on humanity's homeworld.<ref name="composer"/> However, SPARTAN-117 and Cortana followed the Didact into slipspace in an [[F-41 Broadsword]] in hopes of foiling his plan, ultimately defeating him.<ref>'''Halo 4''', campaign level ''[[Midnight]]''</ref>

By the time of the Didact's attack, [[SPARTAN-II]] [[Black Team]] had been assigned to Gamma Halo,<ref>[https://forums.halowaypoint.com/yaf_postsm2963929_Catalog-Interaction.aspx#post2963929 '''Halo Waypoint''': ''Catalog Interaction'']</ref> along with a research attaché. The science team established a camp in one of the Halo's deserts. On July 25, Team Black and the scientists were killed by the Didact and his Promethean machines, who had been flung to the Halo through the Composer's slipspace portal aboard ''Mantle's Approach'' during the [[New Phoenix Incident]]. Around the same time, [[859 Static Carillon]], the monitor of the [[Composer's Forge]], attempted to contact Gamma Halo's monitor after a service portal between the Halo and the Composer's Forge was reopened. Receiving no response, Static Carillon traveled through the portal to the [[Composer's Abyss]] on Installation 03, where he encountered the Didact. At the Promethean's request, the monitor led him to the portal to the Composer's Forge.<ref name="HE9">'''[[Halo: Escalation]]''', ''[[Halo: Escalation Issue 9|Issue #9]]''</ref>

{{Clear}}

====The Conduit====

During these events, [[Jul 'Mdama's Covenant faction|Covenant forces]] landed in a jungled region of Gamma Halo where they took the artifact known as the [[Conduit]] to a Forerunner structure they termed the [[Altar]] in order to open [[slipspace portal]]s all over Gamma Halo and take control of the ring. A large number of UNSC forces, including [[Marine]]s and a [[Spartan]] [[Headhunter]], were sent to the area to reacquire the Conduit from the Altar.<ref>'''Halo: Spartan Strike''', ''[[Operation B: Steadfast Pursuit]]''</ref> After securing the Conduit, the Spartan was redeployed to Earth in hopes of using the Conduit to deter an ongoing [[Promethean]] invasion of [[New Phoenix]].<ref>'''Halo: Spartan Strike''', ''[[Operation C: Valiant Hammer]]''</ref>

{{Main|Skirmish on Installation 03}}

On July 25, 2557, [[Blue Team]] arrived on Installation 03 to investigate the loss of contact with Black Team on [[Terrence Hood|Admiral Terrence Hood]]'s orders. Upon discovering the fate of Black Team and the scientists, and destroying some of the Knights responsible for the massacre, they soon came across the Composer's Abyss and the slipspace portal within.<ref name="HE8">'''[[Halo: Escalation]]''', ''[[Halo: Escalation Issue 8|Issue #8]]''</ref> Entering the service portal, Blue Team arrived at the Composer's Forge, where they encountered the Didact once again. At the Didact's request, 859 Static Carillon transported Installation 03 through slipspace to orbit over the planet housing the Composer's Forge. The Didact used the portal to return to Gamma Halo, taking one of the Composers with him. Blue Team followed in close pursuit and were confronted by the Didact again at the top of the Composer's Abyss.<ref name="HE9"/> Though the Spartans were nearly killed by the Didact, Static Carillon arrived to the site in time to save them, incapacitating the Didact and sending him into [[Control Room (Installation 03)|Gamma Halo's control room]] by utilizing the local [[teleportation grid]].<ref name="HE10">'''[[Halo: Escalation]]''', ''[[Halo: Escalation Issue 10|Issue #10]]''</ref>

File:Installation03.jpg|Hologram of Installation 03 seen on Installation 00

File:H4-GammaHalo-Installation03.jpg|[[John-117]] gazing upon Installation 03

File:H4-GammaHaloInst03-ScanScreen.jpg|Another view of Installation 03

File:KhaphraeSystem-planet.jpg|The destroyed planet around which Gamma Halo formerly orbited

File:HSS-Gameplay-Pylons.jpg|A Forerunner structure in the [[Altar]]'s vicinity.

File:Escalation - GammaHalo Longsword.png|Blue Team's Longsword over the Halo

File:Escalation - Desert.png|A desert on Installation 03

File:Escalation - GammaCamp.png|A human science camp in a desert on the Halo's surface

File:Escalation - BlackTeam&Didact.png|Black Team discovering the unconscious [[Ur-Didact]] on the installation

File:Escalation - AbyssEntrance.png|The entrance to the [[Composer's Abyss]]

File:HE Installation 03 damaged.jpg|[[859 Static Carillon]] detaches a segment of the Halo, damaging the surface of the ring

**''[[Terminal/Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary|Terminals]]''

*''[[Halo 2 Anniversary]]'' <small>(Holographic representation)</small>

 

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