Halo: Escalation Issue 13

==Plot==
The issue begins on 15 July 2558 as Dr. Catherine Halsey records in her journal her recent experiences on Requiem, how the Librarian through an AI entrusted her with the task of claiming the Forerunners' technological might for humankind. All she must do is take the Janus Key to the Absolute Record. However, that can not be done easily, as during her escape from Requiem as Jul 'Mdama's hostage she had given one half of the key to Spartan Thorne of Fireteam Majestic, unaware ONI had ordered her execution. Missing an arm and believing the entirety of the UNSC to have betrayed her, Halsey regrets that act, but has moved on from thoughts of revenge to focusing on fulfilling the Librarian's task somehow.
The following day, Jul 'Mdama's Covenant and their Promethean allies attack the UEG colony, Oban. UNSC Infinity comes to its aid and deploys Spartan fireteams to repel the invasion force, Majestic included. When the presence of Promethean Knights is confirmed, Spartan Commander Palmer reports her suspicions that Jul 'Mdama himself is directly leading the invasion force. Palmer and Thorne's search is cut short when Spartan Commander Thomas warns of Covenant reinforcements to that area while coordinating airstrikes. The two race to their Warthog, but in their escape they drive straight into the view of two Phantoms, which are immediately destroyed by a Longsword on Commander Thomas' instructions.
The next day, on board the UNSC Infinity, Commander Palmer stands in Captain Thomas Lasky's office as she is briefed on Covenant intentions. While it makes tactical sense to destroy a frontier town full of engineers and scare the UEG out of rebuilding its presence in the sector, the serious losses they took in the attack suggests they had another goal in mind. No trace of 'Mdama was found, but Lasky considers Palmer is more concerned about finding and killing Halsey to complete her mission on Requiem.
On July 18, Dr. Henry Glassman investigates the UNSC's half of the Janus Key in Research Laboratory 3C. He is overdue for the ask of assigning research personnel to the new Galileo II research outpost to replace the destroyed Galileo site on Requiem, and Palmer comes down to remind him of his other duties. Glassman is too focused on his work, and projects his irritation at Halsey's disappearance, defection or otherwise, onto Palmer, who ignores it. Their conversation is cut short when the Infinity unexpectedly exits slipspace immediately next to an asteroid in an uncharted star system. The rock scrapes the hull, and the ship shakes violently enough a pelican falls into a transport elevator and explodes. Lasky apologises for the disruption, but when the ship heads back into slipspace to continue its journey, it is forced out only a quarter of a kilometre away. Dr. Glassman and Palmer are called to the engine room to investigate the failure. Glassman discovers that the Forerunner engines are working perfectly, but some unknown force is forcing them to counteract Roland's orders. Roland hypothesises that an unusual energy reading on a nearby planet is causing the problems.
Elsewhere, 'Mdama and Dr. Halsey observe the developments, having used a Forerunner artefact from Requiem to disable the Infinity's engines. The attack on Oban was, in fact, a means of luring the Infinity out of UNSC controlled space where it could be disabled, a plan which Halsey assures 'Mdama made up for the loss of his soldiers.
==Sources==
Category:Halo: Escalation
Category:Halo: Escalation Issues