Battle of Zeta Halo

The Battle of Zeta Halo was a several months long battle between UNSC and Banished forces, in space around and over the surface of Installation 07.
== History ==
For an unknown reason, after the Reclamation, the Created leader Cortana went to Zeta Halo, searching for something buried there. The Master Chief John-117 attacked her and apparently managed to erase his former A.I.
=== Space Battle ===
The UNSC Infinity had barely arrived at the space above Zeta Halo when was ambushed by a sizeable Banished fleet commanded by its leader, Atriox. The following battle, in which a Banished warship rammed the Infinity, resulted in heavy damage being inflicted to the ship. Though the UNSC forces managed at least to blow a Banished dreadnought, the Infinity was boarded by Atriox and his forces, where they engaged UNSC forces in the supercarrier's hanger bays. John-117 fought Atriox, but was defeated and throw to the space to die. It appears that the supercarrier escorts were all destroyed, with two falling to the nearby Halo's surface. The battle resulted in a catastrophic UNSC defeat and (apparent) destruction of the UNSC Infinity, as well the death of most of the Infinity's personal. It's current whereabouts and ship's status is unknown, as well as its captain, Thomas Lasky, who managed to escape via a lifeboat. The Banished attacked all escape pods, Pelicans and fighters which leaved the ship, destroying many, though still a great number managed to reach the Halo.
=== Ground battle ===
Despite the catasthrophic losses, and the fact than most UNSC forces found Banished opposition on the Zeta Halo, multiple UNSC forward operating bases were established on it. Their main base was built around a downed frigate, UNSC Mortal Reverie, led by a Spartan team from the Infinity managed to escape to the ring, Taurus team. They fought a guerrilla war against the overwhelming Banished forces, but after attempting to kill the Banished leader Escharum, failing, the Banished attacked the Reverie base with overwhelming force, and was overrun. One after the other, almost all the Spartans were captured and killed, as most of the UNSC forces, with only a number of squads surviving several months later. 
=== The Chief returns ===
The battle took a drastic change when Echo-216 rescued the adrift John-117, revealing that he’s been MIA for six months, and that the Battle has been lost, but the Spartan refused to accept it. After scuttling a full Banished warship, Master chief, with the help of Echo-216 traveled back to the damaged Halo, in search of the weapon, an AI responsible for the deletion of Cortana.
== Loses ==
=== UNSC ===
* UNSC Infinity (abandoned, assumed lost)
* UNSC Mortal Reverie (crashed on the ring).
* Other unnamed frigates of the same class.
* 1986 human of Infinity's crew size of 7,150 dead only in space. 
*At least four SPARTAN-IVs confirmed KIA.
*Two SPARTAN-IV Squads, slain by the Myriad Bond Brothers.
=== Banished ===
* Atriox (dead in unknown circumstances).
* Banished warship Gbraakon (scuttled by Master Chief).
* At least another unnamed Banished draednought, destroyed in space by the Infinity fire.
* Escharum (Killed by Master chief)
=== Endless ===
* The Harbinger
Category:Events