Editing Mission to Installation 03

{{Status|Canon}}
{{Battle infobox
|name=Skirmish on Installation 03
|prev=[[Battle of Installation 03]]
|conc=[[Battle of New Phoenix]]
|image=[[File:Escalation - Installation03Skirmish.png|340px]]
|next=[[Mission to Mount Kilimanjaro]]
|conflict=[[Post-Covenant War conflicts]]
|date=[[2557|July 25, 2557]] - [[2557|July 26, 2557]]<ref name="HE8">'''[[Halo: Escalation]]''', ''[[Halo: Escalation Issue 8|Issue #8]]''</ref>
|place=[[Installation 03]], [[Khaphrae system]]<br>[[Clinquant]]
|result=;UNSC victory
*Didact defeated
|side1=*[[United Nations Space Command]]
|side2=*[[Didact|Didact's]] [[Prometheans#Mechanical Prometheans|Prometheans]]
|commanders1=[[Frederic-104|LTJG Fred-104]] <br>
[[John-117|MCPO John-117]]<br>
[[Margaret-053|CPO Margaret-053]]†
|commanders2=[[Ur-Didact]]
|forces1=*Two [[SPARTAN-II program|SPARTAN-II]] teams
**[[Black Team]]†
**[[Blue Team]]
*One [[GA-TL1 Longsword]]
*[[859 Static Carillon]] {{C|Later in the battle}}
|forces2=*[[Promethean Knight]]s
*[[Promethean Crawler]]s
*[[Promethean Watcher]]s
|casual1=*[[Black Team]]
*All scientists
|casual2=*Several Promethean Knights
*Several Promethean Crawlers
*Several Promethean Watchers
}}

The '''Mission to Installation 03'''<ref name="Mythos">'''[[Halo Mythos]]''', ''page 173''</ref> was an engagement on the surface of [[Forerunner]] [[Halo Array|Halo]] [[Installation 03]] in the [[Khaphrae system]] and at the [[Composer's Forge]] on [[2557#July|July 25, 2557]], between the [[United Nations Space Command]] and the [[Ur-Didact|Didact]]'s [[Promethean]]s.{{Ref/Reuse|HE8}}

==Prelude==
Upon discovering [[Installation 03]] following the [[Battle of Tribute]], the [[Office of Naval Intelligence]] conducted numerous searches on the Halo.<ref>'''[[Eleventh Hour reports]]''', ''#5''</ref> One of the objects they discovered on the installation was the [[Composer]], a [[Forerunner]] machine that could [[mind transfer|transform]] an organic being's mind into software format while destroying the body. The Composer was brought to [[Ivanoff Station]], a research facility located on one of the [[asteroid]]s orbiting Installation 03, for further study. On [[2557#July|July 24, 2557]], the [[Ur-Didact|Didact]] arrived at Ivanoff Station to recover the Composer after his awakening on [[Requiem]].<ref>'''[[Halo 4]]''', campaign level ''[[Composer (level)|Composer]]''</ref>

The Didact used the device to compose the citizens of [[New Phoenix]] on [[Earth]], but was ultimately stopped by [[John-117]]. During [[New Phoenix Incident|the battle]], John-117 caused the Didact to fall into a [[slipspace]] rupture generated underneath the Composer.<ref>'''Halo 4''', campaign level ''[[Midnight]]''</ref> However, the Didact survived and crash-landed on Installation 03. During this time, a UNSC science team, along with Spartan [[Team Black]], were still on Installation 03's surface, unaware of what had happened at Ivanoff.{{Ref/Reuse|HE8}}<ref>[https://forums.halowaypoint.com/yaf_postsm2963929_Catalog-Interaction.aspx#post2963929 '''Halo Waypoint''': ''Catalog Interaction - Page 6'']</ref>

==The skirmish==
===Installation 03===
On Gamma Halo, the science team and Team Black were based in a camp on one of the ring's deserts, nearby the [[Composer]]'s original location on the installation. However, the Didact, along with several [[Promethean Knight]]s and [[Promethean Crawler|Crawlers]], arrived via a slipspace portal and crash-landed near Black's location. When Black went to investigate, the Didact awoke and swiftly killed all four Spartans with brutal efficiency. At the same time, the science team was attacked and killed by Knights and Crawlers. Shortly afterwards, the Didact encountered [[859 Static Carillon]], monitor of the [[Composer's Forge]], who had come to investigate the opening of a service portal to the ring, as well as the apparent disappearance of the Halo's monitor. The Didact demanded that Static take him to the Composer's Forge; Static agreed, on the condition that the Didact would not use the Forge to produce more Promethean Knights, which it deemed "abominations".<ref name="HE9">'''Halo: Escalation''', ''[[Halo: Escalation Issue 9|Issue #9]]''</ref>

Due to the loss of contact with the team, [[Terrence Hood|Fleet Admiral Terrence Hood]] sent [[Blue Team]], consisting of [[Frederic-104]], [[John-117]], [[Kelly-087]], and [[Linda-058]], to investigate Team Black's disappearance. Blue Team took a [[GA-TL1 Longsword]] to Installation 03 and landed near the research camp.{{Ref/Reuse|HE8}}

While walking to Team Black's last known position, Linda discovered Crawler footprints in the sand leading to the camp. As Blue Team entered the camp, they discovered the corpses of several researchers. Shortly after, Fred found the bodies of Black Team, dead. While looking for Spartan Black's assailant, the Spartans were suddenly attacked by Promethean Knights. After a short firefight, Blue Team destroyed the Knights and discovered the former location of the Composer. Upon entering the structure, the Spartans discovered the [[Composer's Abyss]], a facility used to store the Composer's victims. At the end of the Abyss, the Spartans discovered a [[slipspace portal]].{{Ref/Reuse|HE8}}

Meanwhile, Static Carillon informed the Didact of Blue Team's actions. However, the Didact did not consider the Spartans a very serious threat and told the monitor that he looked forward to welcoming them to "his world".{{Ref/Reuse|HE8}}

===The Composer's Forge===
[[File:Escalation - Composer's Forge Battle.png|thumb|left|250px|The battle at the [[Composer's Forge]].]]
After they entered the portal, Blue Team arrived in a seemingly empty Forerunner city. They moved further into the city and soon discovered six [[Composer]]s, just before the Didact appeared behind the Spartans. Holding Installation 03's [[activation index]], the Promethean leader told Blue Team that they have arrived at the [[Composer's Forge]]. Blue Team opened fired, to no avail; the Didact stomped the ground, generating a shockwave that caused the Spartans to stumble and fall to the ground. The Didact then summoned an army of newly-created Promethean constructs and a frantic firefight broke out.{{Ref/Reuse|HE9}}

As the outnumbered Spartans fought for their lives, 859 Static Carillon arrived on the scene, furious that the Didact violated their agreement in having created more Promethean Knights. In retort, the Didact physically and aggressively ordered the monitor to fulfill its part of their bargain. The monitor obliged, and transported Gamma Halo over the Forge via slipspace. Satisfied, the Didact took one of the Composers from the Forge and departed for the ring, intending to repair the installation and use it against humanity and Earth. However, while the monitor was indifferent to mankind's fate, it took issue at the Didact's creation of new Knights from the humans of New Phoenix due to its abhorrence of the machines and deemed their presence on its installation unacceptable. Static Carillon helped the Spartans retreat back to the Gamma Halo portal in pursuit of the Didact, holding off the hordes of Promethean machines. As the Spartans entered the portal, Static Carillon told John that he would attempt to close the portal behind the Spartans.{{Ref/Reuse|HE9}}
{{Clear}}
===Return to Gamma Halo===
[[File:BrutalDidact2.png|thumb|160px|The Ur-Didact crushing John-117's helmet.]]
Blue Team returned to the surface of [[Installation 03]] from the [[Composer's Abyss]] and made it just in time to witness the Didact's new Composer rising from the Abyss. John fell behind the rest of Blue Team—due to his conversation with Static Carillon—while the Didact confronted Fred, Kelly, and Linda. The Didact attacked the Spartans and prepared to kill them, unaware of John's location. As the Didact was about to execute Kelly, John snuck up behind the Forerunner and stabbed him in the eye with a [[combat knife]]. Intending to correct his mistake of not having killed the Spartan when he had the chance, the Didact grabbed John, lifted him up in the air, and crushed his helmet.{{Ref/Reuse|HE9}} However, the rest of Blue Team intervened, forcing the Didact to throw John aside. The Forerunner quickly subdued all four Spartans, but Static Carillon attacked the Didact from behind and teleported him away before he could finish them off.<ref name="HE10">'''Halo: Escalation''', ''[[Halo: Escalation Issue 10|Issue #10]]''</ref>

The monitor revealed that he had teleported the Warrior-Servant into the Halo's [[Control Room (Installation 03)|control room]], as it is the most secure location on the installation. Although Static Carillon admitted that teleporting the Didact to the control room was a "severe tactical error", it reasoned that the Didact would have killed the Spartans otherwise and reached the control room anyway. After the monitor told the Spartans that the Didact's armor had the ability to attune itself to enemy weaponry, John grabbed the installation's activation index (which the Didact dropped when Static Carillon attacked him) and formulated a new plan to defeat the Didact.

As John made his way to the control room, the rest of Blue Team returned to their Longsword. Meanwhile, in the control room, the Didact was confused that the monitor would be willing to aid the humans yet further his own plans. John entered the control room behind the Didact and wished to talk with the Didact rather than fight at the moment, much to the confusion of the Forerunner. John explained to him that while his many attempts to kill the Didact conventionally had failed he must now take a different approach. The Spartan inserted the index into [[the Core]] of the installation, puzzling the Didact even more. John disabled Gamma Halo's safety protocols and Static Carillon ejected the structural plate housing the control room and sent it towards the planet. As the fragment impacted the Forge, presumably destroying the five Composers housed there, John was teleported to safety while the Didact was disintegrated by the overlapping pulses released by the Composers upon their destruction. Static Carillon teleported John and itself to Blue Team's Longsword shortly after.{{Ref/Reuse|HE10}}
{{Clear}}

==Aftermath==
With the Didact defeated, Static Carillon stabilized the ring to prevent the loss of the entire installation. The monitor thanked the Spartans for giving it a new purpose in life and stated that it would take the Halo to safety and repair it; no response was given when Fred asked where. After, Blue Team returned to [[Earth]]. John had his armor fully repaired and was debriefed by Fleet Admiral Hood. Hood congratulated John on killing the Didact, but John stated that he believed the Didact was only "contained". In reality, however, the Didact had actually been composed.<ref>[https://www.halowaypoint.com/en-us/universe/characters/Didact '''Halo Waypoint''': ''Didact'']</ref> Hood then ordered John and the rest of Blue Team to have some rest after years of combat. However, John returned to his Spartan comrades and told them that Hood gave them the all-clear for their next mission. Kelly asked where they will head next; John replied "anywhere we're needed". Blue Team then left to take on a new mission unknown to Lord Hood. After their departure, John's behavior was discussed by two high-level individuals within the [[Office of Naval Intelligence]], who deemed his self-reassignment a predictable consequence of his nature and unwavering dedication to his career.{{Ref/Reuse|HE10}}

==Gallery==
<gallery>
File:Escalation - BlackTeam&Didact.png|[[Black Team]] finding the [[Ur-Didact]] in ''[[Halo: Escalation]]''.
File:BrutalDidact.png|The Ur-Didact, covered with the blood of Team Black, with [[859 Static Carillon]].
File:Escalation - GammaHalo Longsword.png|[[Blue Team]] arriving at the Halo in a [[GA-TL1 Longsword]].
File:John and Kelly Escalation.png|[[Kelly-087]] and [[John-117]] find the dead scientists on Installation 03.
File:Halo Escalation Team Black dead.jpg|Black Team found dead.
File:BluevsPrometheans.jpg|Blue Team engage Promethean Knights on Installation 03.
File:HE-Blue-2.jpg|Blue Team enters [[Composer's Forge]] through slip-space portal.
File:Escalation - DidactSuperStomp.png|The Didact stuns Blue Team.
File:HE-Didact.jpg|The Ur-Didact commanding his Prometheans.
File:HE-Didact&Blue.jpg|The Ur-Didact observing while Blue Team is fighting off Prometheans
File:Escalation - 859 Static Carillon Laser.png|[[859 Static Carillon]] destroying Knights.
File:Escalation - Didact vs Blue Team.png|The Didact attacking Blue Team.
File:FastKelly.jpg|Blue Team attacking the Didact.
File:AdaptArmor.jpg|The Didact's armor adapts to Blue Team's weapons.
File:MonitorattacksDidact.png|859 Static Carillon attacks the Didact before teleporting him to Installation 03's control room.
File:HE Installation 03 damaged.jpg|Installation 03 ejecting a segment.
File:HE Installation 03.jpg|A fragment of Gamma Halo is ejected towards the Forge.
File:HE Composer's Forge impact.jpg|The Halo fragment impacts the Composer's Forge.
File:HE Composer's Forge planet.jpg|Blue Team observe the impact site from orbit.
File:HM-I03.png|Linda-058 and Kelly-087 fighting Promethean Knights during the mission in ''[[Halo Mythos]]''.
</gallery>

==List of appearances==
*''[[Halo: Escalation]]'' {{1st}}
*''[[Halo Mythos]]''

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

{{Post-Covenant War conflicts}}