Post-Covenant War conflicts: Difference between revisions

As part of their plan to reunite the halves of the Janus Key, Halsey and 'Mdama created a decoy Forerunner artifact that was seemingly compatible with the Key. The artifact was placed in a Forerunner structure on the uncharted planet [[Aktis IV]] along with a fake signal to draw ''Infinity'' to investigate. 'Mdama placed his troops on standby, ready to ambush the UNSC forces once they brought their half of the Janus Key to the planet. The crew of ''Infinity'' acted just as Halsey and 'Mdama had predicted, sending their half to the surface for analysis; however, [[Sali 'Nyon]], a rebel among 'Mdama's ranks, shot the Pelican carrying the artifact down before 'Mdama had given the signal to attack and took the Key for himself. With the ambush botched, 'Mdama's concealed forces revealed themselves and attacked both ''Infinity'' and the Spartans at the Forerunner site, while Jul departed to the planet to personally eliminate the rebels and reacquire the Janus Key.<ref>'''Halo: Escalation''', ''[[Halo: Escalation Issue 14|Issue #14]]''</ref>

The conflict continued for over seven hours, with ''Infinity'' engaged by 'Mdama's fleet while Sali 'Nyon's rebellion raged on in the Covenant remnant's ranks. [[Unidentified Sangheili Minor|One member]] of 'Nyon's faction grew disillusioned with the rebellion, stole 'Nyon's Janus Key half, and offered it to 'Mdama's forces. Dr. Halsey, escorted by 'Mdama's Sangheili, traveled to the planet to reclaim the Key. Meanwhile, the Spartans in the Forerunner structure managed to use the local [[teleportation grid]] to travel to the surface, splitting into two groups with different destinations. Commander Palmer's team spotted the Sangheili defector with the Janus Key and upon overhearing his intentions, she decided to ambush Halsey once she arrived.<ref>'''Halo: Escalation''', ''[[Halo: Escalation Issue 15|Issue #15]]''</ref> Palmer successfully captured Halsey but the doctor managed to cloud the Spartan's judgment and escape with the Janus Key. 'Mdama successfully eradicated all of Sali 'Nyon's followers on Aktis IV, ending the rebellion. Jul had Halsey retrieved and the two recombined the halves of the Janus Key, revealing the location of the Absolute Record. After the Spartans returned to ''Infinity'', Commander Palmer told Captain Lasky that the UNSC had to prepare for the worst with the Janus Key in 'Mdama's possession.<ref name="HE16">'''Halo: Escalation''', ''[[Halo: Escalation Issue 16|Issue #16]]''</ref>

In September, 2558, [[Ayit 'Sevi]], a Sangheili working with the [[Office of Naval Intelligence]],who  was able to infiltrate inside Jul's faction, provided ONI with information about Jul's progress on locating the Absolut Record. The UNSC then sent in a specialist team of Spartans [[Sarah Palmer]], [[Gabriel Thorne]] and [[Holly Tanaka]], Dr. [[Henry Glassman]] and 'Sevi.<ref name="HE19">'''[[Halo: Escalation]]''', ''[[Halo: Escalation Issue 19|Issue #19]]''</ref> The team infiltrated the ''[[Breath of Annihilation]]'', hiding aboard a [[Type-44 Phantom]] piloted by 'Sevi. When 'Mdama's fleet came close to their destination — a slipspace portal to the Absolute Record, slipspace ruptures materialized into several ships of the fleet, tearing them apart, damaging ''Breath of Annihilation'' as well. The team then fought their way through 'Mdama's Covenant soldiers and captured another Phantom, which they used to travel to the ''[[Song of Retribution]]'', that would successfully enter the portal.<ref name="HE20">'''Halo Escalation''', ''[[Halo: Escalation Issue 20|Issue #20]]''</ref> Spartan Thorne and Ayit 'Sevi, who was ordered to stay behind and re-establish contact with ONI, returned to ''Breath of Annihilation'', where the two discovered that prisoners from ''Retribution'' were being temporarily transferred to ''Annihilation'', one of which is traitor [[Sali 'Nyon]]. 'Sevi considered using 'Nyon to create a distraction for them.

When ''Retribution'' arrived at the Absolute Record, a [[Forerunner]] [[Contender-class artificial intelligence]] detected the presence of [[Reclaimer]]s aboard the ship. 'Mdama, Halsey, and numerous Sangheili Zealots traveled down to a platform below and met with the AI in order to unlock the Absolute Record. However, sensing the presence of other humans nearby, the ancila used [[Sentinels]] to transport the drop pod Spartans and Glassman were hiding in to the platform and dropped them down beside Halsey and 'Mdama. As Halsey and Glassman began to argue, an impatient Zealot attacked a Sentinel, leading to all the constructs attacking the humans and Sangheili. The AI then proceeded to translocate both groups away, while Jul's soldiers plummeted to their deaths.<ref name="HE22">'''Halo Escalation''', ''[[Halo: Escalation Issue 22|Issue #22]]''</ref>

As the Contender began asking each party, Halsey seemingly hacked into the AI's system and disabled the ancilla, proceeding to the central chamber of the Absolute Record. With the Record's controls, Halsey ordered the Sentinels to attack Jul and his warriors. Outside the central chamber, Spartans fought off Kig-Yar and protected Dr. Glassman, but soon became cornered. However, an Aggressor Sentinel saved them and revealed it to be the Custodian in the mind of a local Sentinel, asking their help to restore it to its body.<ref name="HE23">'''Halo Escalation''', ''[[Halo: Escalation Issue 23|Issue #23]]''</ref> The humans escorted the Sentinel to the auxiliary control conduit where they could put the Custodian back in charge of the facility. However, Halsey interfered with the attempt, halting their progress. When Palmer reached Halsey and held her at gunpoint, she was trapped inside a containment field and Halsey escaped trough the portal. Jul and his forces have managed to repel the Sentinels, and he ordered his flagship to fire into the Record, disrupting power across the station, freeing Palmer. Coming out of the portal, Halsey landed on top of the shell of the now reactivated Custodian, who had regained control and caught her, denying her further access to the Record and making the Janus Key  vanish from her grasp.<ref name="HE24">'''Halo Escalation''', ''[[Halo: Escalation Issue 24|Issue #24]]''</ref>