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Across Draetheus-V, the effects of the activation of the moon's Forerunner structure were being felt. Enormous slabs of rock were slowly floating away from the planet's surface and both UNSC and Covenant troops were scrambling to get to safety. Spartan Palmer needed to get every last survivor off Dratheus-V as soon as possible. But as the planet started to disintegrate, a panic rippled through every infantry unit on the field. A coordinated retreat would be impossible. Fighting her way through hordes of fleeing Covenant in a rapidly disintegrating base, she managed to secure jetpacks to get her to safer ground.<ref>'''Halo: Spartan Assault''', ''[[Mission 16: Escape from the Southern Fields|Escape from the Southern Fields]]''</ref> | Across Draetheus-V, the effects of the activation of the moon's Forerunner structure were being felt. Enormous slabs of rock were slowly floating away from the planet's surface and both UNSC and Covenant troops were scrambling to get to safety. Spartan Palmer needed to get every last survivor off Dratheus-V as soon as possible. But as the planet started to disintegrate, a panic rippled through every infantry unit on the field. A coordinated retreat would be impossible. Fighting her way through hordes of fleeing Covenant in a rapidly disintegrating base, she managed to secure jetpacks to get her to safer ground.<ref>'''Halo: Spartan Assault''', ''[[Mission 16: Escape from the Southern Fields|Escape from the Southern Fields]]''</ref> | ||
Despite the chaos, some [[Covenant remnant|Covenant]] forces remained rooted in strategic locations within the area around Faraday Base. The few surviving [[UNSC Marine Corps|Marines]] and base staff had set up defensive positions in the western sector of the facility, preparing for a last stand against the increasing influx of Covenant. [[SPARTAN-IV Program|SPARTAN]] [[Sarah Palmer|Palmer]] arrived at the base's perimeter moments before the Marines would be overrun. Around the base, Palmer managed to secure several [[M313 Heavy Recovery Vehicle|Elephants]]. She then needed to relieve the besieged Marines and get them out of their predicament.<ref>'''Halo: Spartan Assault''', ''[[Mission 17: Liberation of Faraday|Liberation of Faraday]]''</ref> | Despite the chaos, some [[Covenant remnant|Covenant]] forces remained rooted in strategic locations within the area around Faraday Base. The few surviving [[UNSC Marine Corps|Marines]] and base staff had set up defensive positions in the western sector of the facility, preparing for a last stand against the increasing influx of Covenant. [[SPARTAN-IV Program|SPARTAN]] [[Sarah Palmer|Palmer]] arrived at the base's perimeter moments before the Marines would be overrun. Around the base, Palmer managed to secure several [[M313 Heavy Recovery Vehicle|Elephants]]. She then needed to relieve the besieged Marines and get them out of their predicament. She was able to rescue several groups of Marines and escort them to the extraction zone.<ref>'''Halo: Spartan Assault''', ''[[Mission 17: Liberation of Faraday|Liberation of Faraday]]''</ref> | ||
Draetheus V was ill-prepared for a full evacuation. Many ships had been destroyed in the initial Covenant assault. UNSC command estimated that at best, 40 percent might reach safety. The rest would die. Spartan Palmer declared those odds unacceptable and hatched a plan to abuse the rapidly degrading Covenant morale to overrun their landing zones and confiscate their spacecraft. The Covenant forces stationed at the landing zones were completely surprised by the bold attack. Already displaying cracks in their morale due to earlier losses, the Covenant forces quickly gave up the landing zones.<ref>'''Halo: Spartan Assault''', ''[[Mission 18: Assault on the Covenant Landing Zones|Assault on the Covenant Landing Zones]]''</ref> | |||
Strategic location at the Epsilon Expanse had been hard won, and a rear guard was established at each of the bridge's exit points to cover the convoy of Elephants taking the evacuees south. Spartan Palmer knew that taking a slow-moving pack of transport vehicles across a quickly degenerating warzone was not going to be easy. While earlier operations at the Epsilon Expanse had secured access to the Red Slate Plateau, hordes of Covenant were overrunning the area, also trying to get to their ships in the south. These forces quickly diverted their attention to the fleeing Elephants. Palmer with the help of several Marines was able to defend the Elephants.<ref>'''Halo: Spartan Assault''', ''[[Mission 19: Escape from Faraday|Escape from Faraday]]''</ref> | |||
After getting her convoy of Elephants safely across the Plateau, Spartan Palmer organized the construction of a series of makeshift defensive structures in order to protect the ships as evacuees loaded. With a mix of outrage and desperation, the Covenant fought to reclaim their only means of escape. After succeeding in holding off the Covenant infantry, Palmer managed to get 23 Covenant spaceships off the ground. She saved hundreds of lives that would have otherwise been lost.<ref>'''Halo: Spartan Assault''', ''[[Mission 20: Defense of the Enemies' Airbase|Defense of the Enemies' Airbase]]''</ref> | |||
===Hunt for Merg Vol=== | |||
With transportation secured, one last hurdle remained in getting the colonists safely off of Draetheus V. The leader of the Covenant forces, [[Merg Vol]], was still present on moon X50, providing the remaining Covenant forces with a rallying point and cry. If the colonists were to leave Draetheus V's orbit alive, Merg Vol would need to be terminated. Spartan Palmer would need a way to get to the moon unseen, but the Covenant knew about her stolen Spirits and would likely open fire on any of these ships trying to land on the moon. Palmer suspected the Covenant's officer on Draetheus V, [[Parg Vol]] had a personal transport hidden away. After completing the evacuation operation, locating Parg Vol's ship became Palmer's highest priority. After fighting through heavy Covenant forces she was able to locate Vol's Phantom and secured it for hijacking.<ref>'''Halo: Spartan Assault''', ''[[Mission 21: Hunt for the Phantom|Hunt for the Phantom]]''</ref> | |||
Parg Vol's camp was easily defendable, but Spartan Palmer neutralized the perimeter guard and moved in. The real challenge would be in accessing Parg Vol's vehicle - a Covenant Phantom. While a combat technician was by passing the Phantom's security protocols, Parg Vol made his return. When he realized Palmer's intent, he ordered a full frontal assault on her position. With heavy plasma artillery raining down from a platoon of Wraiths, Palmer held off the infantry just long enough for the technicians to succeed.<ref>'''Halo: Spartan Assault''', ''[[Mission 22: The Scorching of the Thicket|The Scorching of the Thicket]]''</ref> | |||
Merg Vol's base on the moon was surrounded by [[Tyrant|Tyrant anti-aircraft turrets]]. Hearing of Spartan Palmer's theft of Parg Vol's ship, Merg Vol ordered every flying craft to be shot down, the only exception being commanding officers' Phantoms. Having successfully piloted the Phantom through the Covenant fleet orbiting Draetheus V's moon, Palmer was able to land south of Merg Vol's camp, out of range of his turrets. Her Trojan Horse tactic had worked. Although she was closing in on Merg Vol, she still had to fight her way through a heavily fortified camp of his most seasoned soldiers. If only she could persuade them to leave the safety of their positions.<ref>'''Halo: Spartan Assault''', ''[[Mission 23: Infiltration of the Cult Leader's Base|Infiltration of the Cult Leader's Base]]''</ref> | |||
In the hours since launching their attack, the Covenant cultists had established themselves in a long ice-covered gorge between Merg Vol's camp and the Forerunner Structure, setting up an almost-impregnable position. With Merg Vol's camp neutralized, Spartan Palmer made her way to the Forerunner structure. The Covenant troops there were Merg Vol's most devout followers and threw themselves at her mercilessly. Palmer would have to battle her way through heavy opposition. And before she could confront Merg Vol himself, she first needed to deal with his lieutenants. After facing heavy resistance Palmer was able to eliminate Merg Vol's lieutenants.<ref>'''Halo: Spartan Assault''', ''[[Mission 24: Hunt for the Cult Leader|Hunt for the Cult Leader]]''</ref> | |||
Merg Vol was convinced he had been chosen by his gods to wield the power contained within the Forerunner structure. Having spent considerable resources to unlock its secrets, Vol managed to activate the structure's emergency defenses. With the deadly defenses at his command, Vol had become extremely dangereous. Unable to contact Spartan Davis since landing on Draetheus V's moon, Palmer prepared to battle Vol on her own. Vol's exact location had not been difficult to find: the direct area at the foot of the Forerunner structure was littered with a trail of dead UNSC soldiers. Now there was one lone Spartan ready to finish the fight. After facing Merg Vol's final forces and Forerunner [[Beam turret]]s, she engaged Merg Vol himself. Despite a difficult fight, Palmer was able to overtake Vol and executed him with her [[M6H Personal Defense Weapon System|M6H magnum]].<ref>'''Halo: Spartan Assault''', ''[[Mission 25: Battle for the Moon|Battle for the Moon]]''</ref> | |||
==Aftermath== | |||
After Merg Vol was killed, the Covenant forces was defeated and the surviving colonists of Draetheus V were able to safely evacuate the system. After killing Vol, Palmer sabotaged the Forerunner device on X50. | |||
==Gallery== | ==Gallery== |
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