Editing UNSC Io

{{Title|UNSC ''Io''}}
{{Status|Canon}}
{{Infobox/Ships
|name            = ''Io''
|image           = <!--The image for the box - should be capped at 300px for most cases-->
|caption         = 
|modules         = 
{{Infobox/Ships/Individual
|country              = [[Unified Earth Government]]
|country flag         = {{Icon|UEG}}
|name                 = ''Io''
|class                = <!--The ship's class-->
|namesake             = [[Io]], [[Jupiter]]
|identification       = <!--The ship's hull code-->
|operator             = [[UNSC Navy]]
|manufacturer         = 
|architect            = 
|laid down            = 
|launched             = 
|commissioned         = 
|decommissioned       = 
|fate                 = <!--The ultimate fate of the ship, if it is no longer in present service-->
|status               = Active as of [[2543]]{{Ref/Reuse|evo}}
|captains             = 
|ai                   = 
|motto                = 
|badge                = 
}}
|hide-characteristics=<!--leave blank unless you want to hide the characteristics section header-->
|nocollapse      = <!--leave blank unless you want to disable the show/hide functionality-->
|type            = [[UNSC cruiser|Cruiser]]{{Ref/Reuse|evo}}
|length          = 
|width           = 
|height          = 
|mass            = 
|power           = [[Fusion reactor]]
|maneuver drive  = [[Fusion drive]]s
|slipspace drive = [[Shaw-Fujikawa Translight Engine]]
|crew            = <!--Describes crew counts only-->
|complement      = 
|troops          = <!--Describes on-boarded Marine, Army etc ground troop forces-->
|hull            = [[Titanium-A armor]]
|shielding       = <!--Describes shielding-->
|sensors         = <!--Describes sensors and whatnot-->
|ew              = <!--Describes electronic warfare capabilities-->
|armaments       = <!--Describes weapons etc-->
|aircraft        = <!--Describes embarked aircraft and dropships-->
|air facilities  = <!--Describes hangars and whatnot-->
}}
'''UNSC ''Io''''' was a [[UNSC cruiser|cruiser]] in the [[UNSC Navy]] during the [[Human-Covenant War]].{{Ref/Anthology|Id=evo|Evo|The Impossible Life and the Possible Death of Preston J. Cole|Section=Seven: The Covenant War: The Battle of Psi Serpentis (2543 CE)}}

==Service history==
In [[2543#March|March 2543]], ''Io'' served as the command element of [[Battle Group Sierra-3]], escorted by the [[UNSC destroyer|destroyers]] {{UNSCShip|Seattle}} and {{UNSCShip|Thermopylae}}. On March 6, the battle group [[Battle of 18 Scorpii|engaged]] a [[Covenant]] {{Pattern|Sinaris|heavy destroyer}} in the [[18 Scorpii system]], with both destroyers sustaining moderate damage while ''Io'' herself took heavy damage - including its [[Shaw-Fujikawa Translight Engine]] being rendered inoperable. With ''Io''{{'}}s [[slipspace drive]] destroyed, the [[commanding officer]] of the battle group faced a tough decision - pull back the destroyers and leave ''Io'' to be destroyed, or commit all three ships to the fight with the tacit understanding that all three would almost certainly be destroyed.{{Ref/Reuse|evo}}

The need to decide was interrupted by the sudden arrival of a "ghost fleet" of [[insurrectionist]] spacecraft in the system led by the [[UNSC frigate|frigate]] [[Bellicose|''Bellerophon'']], which engaged the Covenant vessel and destroyed it before promptly leaving the battlefield without ever making communications contact with the UNSC forces present. ''Io''{{'}}s captain transmitted a thanks and a wish of luck to the fleet before they left.{{Ref/Reuse|evo}}

After the battle, ''Io'' was taken to a [[Refit station|space dock]] for repair, though on March 9 was deemed by [[Vice Admiral]] [[Preston Cole]] to be too badly-damaged to save. Cole instead requested that ''Io'' be towed from dock to his fleet, following the suggestions of [[Captain (NAVCOM)|Captain]] [[Wren]] - who had devised a plan to use the cruiser as a [[Wikipedia:Fire ship|fire ship]].{{Ref/Reuse|evo}}

In the [[Battle of Psi Serpentis]] on April 11, UNSC ''Io'' was one of the many vessels present in Cole's armada, though was never used as intended. Later speculation by [[Codename: SURGEON]] in the report ''[[Historical/Psychological Analysis of Cole, Preston J.]]'' indicated that Admiral Cole may have used the ship as a decoy to convince both the Covenant and the UNSC that he was killed during the action when he may have in fact escaped in his flagship {{UNSCShip|Everest}}.{{Ref/Reuse|evo}}

==List of appearances==
*''[[Halo: Evolutions - Essential Tales of the Halo Universe]]''
**''[[The Impossible Life and the Possible Death of Preston J. Cole]]'' {{1st}}

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

{{DEFAULTSORT:Io}}
[[Category:Cruisers]]
[[Category:UNSC ships]]