Second Battle of Chi Ceti IV

Covenant Return
Following the Battle of Chi Ceti IV in November 2525, the UNSC abandoned the Damascus testing facility and destroyed its equipment and any data stored there. The eleven A.I.s than ran the facility were deactivated and placed into data cubes by Doctor Halsey. Halsey placed the cubes in a local bunker beneath the testing site for storage. In May of 2526, a small covenant fleet returned to the abandoned planet to search for any relics or information left behind. Unopposed they set up several outposts and landing sites surrounding the Damascus testing facility. Though the Covenant gained access to the site itself, many of the base's counter measures and security overrides were in place delaying the covenant from accessing the deepest areas of the base. Determined that something of value is in on the planet the covenant continued to search for any signs of the forerunners.

That same month the UNSC learned from Dr. Halsey that the data cubes may have survived the likely glassing of the planet. With the risk of valuable UNSC data being stolen, the UNSC and ONI immediately dispatched a task force to retrieve and erase the data cubes. The fleet consisting of the Marathon Cruiser UNSC Justice, escorted by six Frigates and would be led by Admiral J.T Buford. The ground retrieval was given to the 14th Marine Battalion under Major Konopka. ONI section 1 decided to send one of their own operatives, Colonel Raymond with a platoon of ODSTs from the 11th Marine force Recon to oversee and assist the ground operation.