Battle for the Cartographer (Installation 00): Difference between revisions

The team arrived at the next encampment where the Covenant were in the process of constructing a [[Type-27 Mantis|Mantis Anti-Aircraft Cannon]]. Recognising the grave threat that the emplacement would pose to the ''Forward Unto Dawn'' were it to be completed, the strike team opted to prevent this. The squad leader again told John to take the first shot. As the battle began, the [[Type-52 Phantom|Phantom]] that was assembling the emplacement dropped it's component pieces and fled. As the battle turned against the Covenant's favor, a second Phantom arrived, deploying a [[Mgalekgolo]] pair, who charged forward while the surviving Covenant forces retreated from the encampment. With superior cover and the Master Chief's sniper rifle, the strike team were able to eliminate the Covenant gestalts, before finishing off the remaining infantry in the nearby rocks. The team ascended up a nearby ridge, where a final group of Unggoy led by a [[Jiralhanae Captain]] attempted to stop them but failed. Commander Keyes reported that the ''Forward Unto Dawn'' was heavily outmatched by the Covenant vessels over the Ark and told John that finding a landing zone for the frigate was their priority. As the team moved through a small corridor in the cliff wall, John took a small detour, where he accessed the [[Forerunner]] [[Terminal/Halo 3|terminal]] network for the first time. On the other side of the cliff, the team discovered several [[UNSC Marine Corps|Marine]] survivors from a nearby downed Pelican. A flaming [[GA-TL1 Longsword|Longsword]] roared through the ravine, crashing ahead of the team's position. One of the Marines from the Pelican reported that Covenant anti-aircraft fire had brought down their dropship, but they had managed to spot an area suitable for the ''Forward Unto Dawn'' to land before they had crashed. The group moved forward to a small ledge overlooking the Marine's downed Pelican which was currently being searched by a Covenant [[lance]]. While the Marine's [[M12 Chaingun Warthog|Warthog]] had been destroyed, a pair of nearby [[M274 Mongoose|Mongooses]] were still intact and able to be used. The team ambushed the Covenant forces at the Pelican and quickly took them out. Their reprieve was short-lived, as two Jiralhanae [[Type-52 Prowler|Prowlers]] arrived, one of them disgorging its occupants while the other circled the area, using its plasma cannon to pin the humans down. Despite this, the UNSC forces were able to neutralize the Prowlers and moved down to the Pelican wreckage, where they were able to scavenge ammunition while overhearing snippets from the ongoing space battle above them.<ref name="ark"/>

The team mounted up on both the Mongooses as well as the intact Prowlers and rolled into the next valley where the Longsword had gone down. The crash site was patrolled by Covenant infantry and vehicles including several [[Type-25 Chopper|Choppers]] and [[Type-32 Ghost|Ghosts]]. The now mobilized UNSC forces were able to crush the Covenant opposition and move past the crash site as well as an overturned Warthog and several vacant [[SOEIV]]s whose occupants had been killed shortly after landing. The team wiped out a small group of Unggoy near a crashed Phantom in the next area and overheard more reports from the orbital battle, this time from a Jiralhanae fleet commander. In the larger area beyond the downed Phantom the team discovered a large Forerunner wall where the Covenant were under attack by the Ark's [[Aggressor Sentinel|Sentinel]] defenders. John-117 and his strike force fought past several Choppers and a Covenant position reinforced by [[Covenant defense barrier|defense barrier]]s and onto the upper level of the wall where they assisted the Sentinels in finishing off the remaining Covenant forces. While the strike team were anxious about the Sentinel's presence, the Forerunner constructs didn't fire on the humans. ''Kilo 023'' arrived, with Sergeant Johnson reporting that they had spotted a [[Cartographer|structure]] beyond the wall that matched [[Cortana]]'s reports of the Cartographer facility on [[Installation 04]]. Commander Keyes told them that they would push through the wall once they had secured a landing zone for the ''Forward Unto Dawn'', and Johnson opted to lead the strike team to the landing zone, telling them to follow ''Kilo 023''.<ref name="ark"/>

As the UNSC armor fanned out from the ''Forward Unto Dawn's'' hangar bay and a unit of Marines led by [[Marcus Stacker|Gunnery Sergeant Marcus Stacker]] assembled to mount the vehicles, Sergeant Johnson reported that the Sangheili had located the Cartographer. The facility lay on the other side of the wall that John and his strike team had cleared, but the building was protected by a battalion-sized unit of Covenant heavy armor. Commander Keyes replied that they would use their own armor to push through the wall and confront the Covenant head on. 343 Guilty Spark told them that he would do his best to unlock any doors that obstructed the convoy, despite his unfamiliarity with Installation 00 and its security systems. John commandeered one of the Scorpion tanks just as a unit of Ghosts and a Prowler entered from the nearby cave, killing the Marines guarding it. The Covenant had re-deployed forces on the path leading to the wall, hoping to stop the UNSC from reaching the Cartographer. The convoy moved forward, destroying the Covenant vehicles that had arrived in the area. A Mgalekgolo pair then emerged from the cave, but were easily taken down by the Scorpion tanks. As the Marines expressed glee at their heavy firepower, the convoy rolled through the cave. On the other side, they managed to destroy a Phantom that was in the process of deploying infantry and Shade turrets. Under the next overhang, a larger unit of Ghosts and a single Wraith blocked the UNSC's path while another deployable lookout tower carrying infantry was stationed at the top of the rise. Ultimately, the humans were successful in defeating the Covenant forces and made it into the area where the wall was located. The Covenant had deployed large numbers of forces to protect the wall, including several Wraiths, Choppers and numerous Shades. A Phantom delivered another Wraith in front of the locked door on the upper level of the wall when the Covenant presence began to wane. Stacker had the convoy form up at the lower level while John proceeded along the upper floor with 343 Guilty Spark. After the area was clear, 343 Guilty Spark opened up the door on the upper level, imploring the humans to avoid collateral damage to the installation. With the way now open, John proceeded inside while the rest of the convoy entered the wall through the lower door.<ref name="ark"/>

After opening up another door inside the wall, Spark led John to a panel overlooking a deep chasm. Spark informed John that the panel would activate a [[light bridge]] that would allow the convoy to cross the chasm below. After activating the bridge, John discovered another terminal console. As the Spartan made his way through the wall, passing by several destroyed Sentinels, he felt the building shake as a Covenant [[Type-47B Scarab]] made its way over the wall. As John emerged from the wall, the assault platform made its way past him out into the desert. He observed several Warthogs leaving the wall's lower level only to get destroyed by the numerous Wraiths in the immediate vicinity. A [[M12G1 Gauss Warthog|Gauss Warthog]] made its way up to his location, strafed by several Ghosts which killed the gunner. The driver dismounted next to John, offering the Spartan the controls. John took the driver seat while the Marine mounted the [[M68 Gauss cannon|Gauss cannon]]. The Spartan made his way down towards the lower level while the gunner destroyed a number of Ghosts as well as a position consisting of Unggoy and Kig-Yar infantry. As they arrived at the wall, the Scorpion tanks emerged and began to trade fire with the Wraiths and Choppers in the area. Gunnery Sergeant Stacker, operating one of the tanks, led the UNSC forces as they clashed with several lines of Wraiths and Ghosts. At the second line, a Phantom deployed a team of fuel rod gun-wielding Jiralhanae troops in an effort to destroy the Scorpions but the Brutes were soon taken out. The Scarab eventually returned, clambering down from the Cartographer building into the battlefield. Stacker ordered his forces to flank the Scarab and cover the Master Chief while he took the walker down. As the Scorpions traded fire with the Scarab and its Chopper escort, John weaved beneath the walker while his gunner chipped away at the Scarab's weaker leg plating. Eventually, the Scarab buckled due to the damage it sustained and lowered itself to the ground allowing John to board it. The Chief made his way through the Scarab, engaging its crew in close quarters while hearing the Prophet of Truth broadcasting to his followers, the Hierarch remorsefully mentioning that no other Covenant had made it through the portal, only their Sangheili and human enemies. John eventually located and destroyed the Scarab's power core, vacating the walker before it erupted in a massive explosion which was noticed by Fleetmaster Rtas 'Vadum from orbit. 'Vadum reported that his fleet had triumphed over the Jiralhanae, leaving the Covenant ground forces on the Ark stranded and without reinforcements. As the ''[[Shadow of Intent]]'' entered the atmosphere, 'Vadum expressed his desire for revenge on the Prophet once his location was discovered. A number of Marines dismounted from their vehicles, assisting John as he pushed his way up the ramps of the Cartographer building, engaging several groups of Covenant infantry as they went. On the top of the spire, ''Kilo 023'' arrived, carrying [[Arbiter]] [[Thel 'Vadam]] and a pair of Marines. Spark arrived, unsealing the entrance to the facility, allowing John, Thel and the Marines to enter.<ref name="ark"/>