Battle for Zeta Halo: Difference between revisions

*Installation 07 sustains severe damage.{{Ref/Reuse|discoverhope}}{{Ref/Reuse|Premiere}}

As UNSC forces scattered over the ring and fought against the Banished forces, Atriox confronted Cortana at the [[Silent Auditorium (location)|Silent Auditorium]], claiming he had killed John-117 and Cortana's Created empire had been over, leaving the latter devastated by the news of John-117's apparent death. Seemingly locked down by the Weapon deployed from {{UNSCShip|Infinity}}, Cortana could not retaliate.{{Ref/Level|Id=saatriox|HI|Silent Auditorium|Quote=Look around, Cortana. Your Empire. Over! Your great plan? Ended at the hands of those who made you.|Quotee=Atriox}} Atriox presented her with the terms of her surrender, intending to take control of the ring and unlock the secrets locked within the Silent Auditorium.{{Ref/Level|HI|Silent Auditorium|Quote=I have learned so much, Cortana. this Ring is different. It has secrets within... That I will have. This... Silent Auditorium. Do you know its history? Its true purpose? I have little needs for a failed god. This Ring is all I need. Surrender it to me.|Quotee=Atriox}} In an attempt to prevent Atriox from accessing Silent Auditorium or possibly activating the ring, Cortana detonated an explosion from the Auditorium, fracturing the ring's surface and leaving it inoperable.{{Ref/Level|Id=sa|HI|Silent Auditorium|Quote=It was her. She destroyed the Ring. Stopped my deletion.|Quotee=The Weapon}} Her efforts were proven to be temporary, as the ring immediately begun its self-repair process,{{Ref/Game|HI|Audio log (Halo Infinite)#Reverie 2|UNSC Audio log|Detail=Reverie #04 - On the Mend}} though it would take months to complete.{{Ref/Level|HI|Spire (Halo Infinite level)|Spire}} Although he survived the explosion, Atriox was left severely scarred,{{Ref/Game|Id=stinger|HINF|post-credits cinematic}} and was also presumed dead by both the UNSC and the Banished.{{Ref/Reuse|wg}} Cortana, in hopes of John-117's survival, predicted he would stop the Banished from accessing the Silent Auditorium and prevented the Weapon's deletion protocol so she could assist him,{{Ref/Reuse|sa}} leaving the Weapon in the ring's subterranean structure for retrieval.{{Ref/Level|HI|Foundation (Halo Infinite)|Foundation (Halo Infinite)}} At some point during the Installation 07 conflict, numerous [[Guardian Custode]]s were present over Installation 07 and had been subsequently crashed on the ring by [[2560]].{{Ref/Reuse|HI}}

Despite the explosion, the Banished occupied the ring, with some UNSC forces gathering on one of the fragments. They would form a resistance which included three [[Spartan]]s.{{Ref/Site|Id=parallel|URL=https://www.halowaypoint.com/en-us/news/parallel-threads|Site=Halo Waypoint|Page=Canon Fodder - Parallel Threads|D=25|M=6|Y=2021}} On one of the fragments, a large group of survivors led by Spartan [[Hudson Griffin]] established a base of operations in the wreckage of the ''Mulsanne''-class frigate {{UNSCShip|Mortal Reverie}}. discovered by Spartan [[Vedrana Makovich]].{{Ref/Game|Id=hafh|HI|Audio log (Halo Infinite)#Reverie 2|Spartan Audio log|Detail=Reverie #01 - Home Away From Home}} Under the leadership of Spartan Griffin, the UNSC forces at the ''Reverie'' conducted guerilla ops against the Banished forces.{{Ref/Game|Id=oi13|HI|Audio log (Halo Infinite)#Outpost Intel 3|UNSC Audio log|Detail=Outpost Intel #13 - Trench Warfare}}  [[First Lieutenant]] [[Floyd (Installation 07)|Floyd]] conducted multiple field surveys and reconnaissance missions on nearby Banished outposts, reporting his findings to Spartans Griffin, [[Bertold Vettel]], and [[Bonita Stone]],{{Ref/Game|HI|Audio log (Halo Infinite)#Outpost Intel 3|UNSC Audio log|Detail=Outpost Intel #02 - No Entry}}{{Ref/Game|Id=mem|HI|Audio log (Halo Infinite)#Outpost Intel 3|UNSC Audio log|Detail=Outpost Intel #10 - Making Ends Meet}} while also attempting to contact other UNSC forces.{{Ref/Reuse|oi13}} The UNSC set up [[Forwarding Operating Base]]s in the regions on the fragmented section of the ring.

On [[2560#January|January 20, 2560]], Kovan conducted a recon sweep deep inside Banished-occupied territory. She observed that Banished forces were only unified under Escharum, with internal competition among its members. She reported her findings to Griffin, and suggested that an attempt on Banished [[War Chief]] [[Escharum]]'s life may fragment the Banished leadership. Griffin decided their best course of action was to assassinate the War Chief.{{Ref/Game|HI|Audio log (Halo Infinite)#Reverie 2|Spartan Audio log|Detail=Reverie #06 - Weakness}} He decided to send a four-Spartan team to assassinate Escharum, as the other Spartans would be needed to defend the ''Reverie''. The Spartans drew straws, as there were more than four volunteers. In the end, on January 23, 2560, Spartan Griffin led Spartans [[Panago]], [[Henri Malik|Malik]], and [[Sarkar]] in an assassination mission on the Escharum. Griffin left [[Bertold Vettel]] in charge of the UNSC forces at ''Reverie''.{{Ref/Game|HI|Audio log (Halo Infinite)#Retaliation 2|Spartan Audio log|Detail=Retaliation #02 - Those Left Behind}} However, Escharum anticipated Griffin's actions. His forces ambushed the Spartan team, killing the other three and leaving Griffin badly wounded. Escharum taunted Griffin, letting him know that he'd sent most of his forces to assault the ''Reverie''. Before being captured, Griffin managed to send an encrypted message to warn ''Reverie'' before Escharum handed him over to [[Chak 'Lok]] for torture.{{Ref/Game|HI|Audio log (Halo Infinite)#Retaliation 2|Spartan Audio log|Detail=Retaliation #03 - Confrontation}} Under the combined leadership of Vettel and counsel of Makovich, the UNSC forces at the ''Reverie'' braced for the Banished's attack.{{Ref/Game|Id=dtl|HI|Audio log (Halo Infinite)#Retaliation 2|Spartan Audio log|Detail=Retaliation #06 - Drawing the Line}}

On January 31, 2560,{{Ref/Game|Id=rt|HI|Audio log (Halo Infinite)#Retaliation 2|Spartan Audio log|Detail=Retaliation #07 - Red Tide}} [[Jiralhanae Warlord|Warlord]] [[Tremonius]] and [[Jiralhanae Captain|Captain]] [[Arthoc]] led a massive Banished force from [[Riven Gate]] on an assault against the ''Reverie''.{{Ref/Game|Id=iyh|HI|Audio log (Halo Infinite)#Outpost Intel 3|Banished Audio log|Detail=Outpost Intel #15 - In Your Honor}} Under an overwhelming assault, the UNSC forces retreated from the crash site on [[2560#February|February 2]].{{Ref/Game|HI|Audio log (Halo Infinite)#Retaliation 2|Spartan Audio log|Detail=Retaliation #08 - The Retreat}} Following the battle, the crash site surrounding the ship was converted into [[Outpost Tremonius (location)|a Banished outpost]]. As a reward for Tremonius' victory, Escharum had the outpost named after Tremonius.{{Ref/Reuse|iyh}}

{{Quote|The hour approaches. Soon the Banished will stand victorious. Atriox... hear these words. Even from beyond this life, your will is served. Your forces occupy the ring, Within hours, it will be under our control. Humanity will cower before your legacy. They will burn. Their brazen defiance will be all but a memory.|[[Escharum]] addressing Atriox and his will, heard by then-celebrating Banished forces.{{Ref/Reuse|wg}}}}

The surviving UNSC personnel were forced to conduct mostly defensive tactics over the next few months, losing their last [[Forward Operating Base]] by [[2560#March|March 3]].{{Ref/Game|Id=s3|HI|Audio log (Halo Infinite)#Scattered 2|Spartan Audio log|Detail=Scattered #01 - Rubicon Protocol}} Meanwhile, the Banished begun setting up more infrastructure on the ring, using the sensory arrays at the [[Horn of Abolition]] and hijacking a Forerunner resonance amplifier to boost their relays,{{Ref/Game|HI|Audio log (Halo Infinite)#Outpost Intel 3|Banished Audio log|Detail=Outpost Intel #03 - A Boon}} thus always staying one step ahead of the UNSC forces.{{Ref/Game|HI|Audio log (Halo Infinite)#Outpost Intel 3|UNSC Audio log|Detail=Outpost Intel #04 - They are Listening}} The Banished seek to capture UNSC survivors,{{Ref/Game|HI|Audio log (Halo Infinite)#Outpost Intel 3|Banished Audio log|Detail=Outpost Intel #07 - That Which Remain}} who would be processed at [[Redoubt of Sundering]] before taken to [[Chak 'Lok]]'s [[Tower]] for interrogation under torture and duress,{{Ref/Quest|HINF|Connections|Redoubt of Sundering|Quote=This must be where they processed prisoners before sending them to the Tower.|Quotee=The Weapon}} then Escharum's base, [[House of Reckoning]]. The UNSC forces were unable to stage any major offensives due to the loss of an organized leadership, but what Spartans remained enacted the [[Rubicon Protocol]]: doing all they could to prevent the Banished from taking control of the ring and protect [[Earth]].{{Ref/Reuse|s3}}  

With little UNSC resistance, the Banished shifted their attention to excavations, salvaging UNSC hardware to aid their excavation efforts,{{Ref/Reuse|mem}}{{Ref/Game|HI|Audio log (Halo Infinite)#Outpost Intel 3|Banished Audio log|Detail=Outpost Intel #09 - Unnatural Defenses}} and meeting resistance from the ring's self-repair process.{{Ref/Game|HI|Audio log (Halo Infinite)#Outpost Intel 3|Banished Audio log|Detail=Outpost Intel #11 - Slow and Steady}} By [[2560#April|April 23]], the Banished has found numerous [[cylix]]es buried in the ring. Tremonius found one such cylix, which contained the [[Xalanyn]] known as "[[the Harbinger]]".{{Ref/Game|HI|Audio log (Halo Infinite)#Escharum's Testimony 2|Banished Audio log|Detail=Escharum's Testimony #02 - Cylix}} Under the supervision of Escharum, the Banished forced a human [[prisoner of war]], [[Lucas Browning]], to interface with the Harbinger's cylix, releasing her from stasis.{{Ref/Game|HI|Audio log (Halo Infinite)#The Prisoner 2|UNSC Audio log|Detail=The Prisoner #02 - What was Inside}}{{Ref/Game|HI|Audio log (Halo Infinite)#The Prisoner 2|UNSC Audio log|Detail=The Prisoner #03 - She was Smiling}}  

The Harbinger aided in the excavation efforts, personally inspecting excavation sites and modifying the Banished's mining equipment to cut through Forerunner alloys.{{Ref/Game|HI|Audio log (Halo Infinite)#Outpost Intel 3|Banished Audio log|Detail=Outpost Intel #06 - Secrets Below}}{{Ref/Level|HI|Excavation Site}} Furthermore, upon the discovery of the [[Conservatory (location)|Conservatory]], where the monitor of the installation, [[117649 Despondent Pyre]], resided, they prioritized on excavating the facility.{{Ref/Game|HI|Audio log (Halo Infinite)#Scattered 2|Spartan Audio log|Detail=Scattered #02 - What Lies Beneath}} The Harbinger aimed to acquire the monitor's "encephalon", which would allow her to initiate the Reformation. Having observed the excavation site, Spartans Makovich and [[Theodore Sorel]] correctly deduced that Escharum was searching for the Monitor, and spent the next few weeks stalling the Banished's excavation efforts.{{Ref/Game|Id=tp|HI|Audio log (Halo Infinite)#Scattered 2|Spartan Audio log|Detail=Scattered #04 - The Prize}} The Banished's excavation completed on May 15. Spartans Makovich and Sorel followed the Banished into the underground facility,{{Ref/Game|HI|Audio log (Halo Infinite)#Scattered 2|Spartan Audio log|Detail=Scattered #07 - Infiltration}} but they were killed by members of the [[Hand of Atriox]].{{Ref/Game|Id=s8|HI|Audio log (Halo Infinite)#Scattered 2|Spartan Audio log|Detail=Scattered #08 - The Assassin}}{{Ref/Game|HI|Audio log (Halo Infinite)#Scattered 2|Spartan Audio log|Detail=Scattered #09 - Killers}} However, the Harbinger and the Banished would not find 117649 Despondent Pyre inside the Conservatory until May 28.{{Ref/Level|Id=conservatory|HINF|Conservatory}}

{{Expand-section}}

On May 28,{{Ref/Reuse|Premiere}} civilian engineer Fernando Esparza, onboard the Pelican ''Echo 216'' he had stolen 6 months prior, found John-117 drifting in space, with his suit having activated survival mode to keep the Spartan alive. After bringing him aboard and a power transfer, John-117 would reactivate.{{Ref/Reuse|discoverhope}} By the time John-117 was recovered by ''Echo 216'', most surviving marines were captured by the Banished, and almost all Spartan-IVs were slain, with the possible exception of Spartan Horvath. It was not until John-117 arrived on the surface that the UNSC managed to turn the tide against the Banished.{{fact}}