User:Rotaretilbo/Installation 03

Installation 03 is one of the seven massive Halo fortress worlds built by the enigmatic Forerunner. It is colloquially known amongst fans as Gamma Halo.

Details
Planet of Orbit: Unknown

Monitor: 49 Proximal Secant

Status: Intact

Background
The purpose of Installation 04, along with its sister installations, was to prevent the parasitic lifeforms known as the Flood from consuming the Galaxy's sentient life. In the event of a Flood galactic outbreak, the seven installations could be triggered, annihilating all sentient life from the galaxy and preventing the Flood from dominating the galaxy.

Installation 04 was controlled by a Forerunner-designed artificial intelligence, a Monitor, known as 343 Guilty Spark.

Ancient History
Installation 03 was built by the Forerunner approximately at 98,669 BC. It is unclear why the gas giant was specifically chosen to be the planet which Installation 03 orbited, but it is supposed that the large number of Forerunner machines already operational, which may have played a role in their decision. It could also be because it was the only planet in the system that had enough gravity to hold halo in place.

The Installation was activated sometime thereafter, and all Forerunner and Flood (save those in captivity in the Halos) were killed. Installation 03 lay dormant for millenia, with 49 Proximal Secant and his Sentinels keeping the Flood confined in the Flood Containment Facilities and keeping the infrastructure of the Halo in perfect working order.

First Battle of Installation 03
This all changed around April of 2552, when the Covenant discovered the location of Installation 03 after an infiltration of Coral. The Covenant sent Battle Group Divine Wrath of the Fleet of Sancrosanct Requiem to invesitigate a probable Forerunner artifact. The UNSC Prowler Prescience followed the Covenant battle group and transmitted its location to UNSC forces. In response, the UNSC sent Battle Group Churchill to secure the Halo and turn its builders against the Covenant. At around the same time, the Covenant ground forces on Installation 03 accidentally unleashed the Flood from captivity. The ensuing melee that took place all over the ring was called the First Battle of Installation 03. Humans, Flood, and Covenant fought massive battles against one another as the Forerunner Constructs tried to control the outbreak by activating the Halo. In the end, the UNSC space forces overran the Covenant space forces, but reinforcements arrived.

Second Battle of Installation 03
The Covenant reinforcements, the Fleet of Transcendal Reverence, moved to engage the UNSC forces. However, Brute rebels aboard the flagship opened fire into the bridge, sparking the Covenant Civil War. The Covenant armada anihilated itself. Ground forces continued to battle against each other and the Flood.

Third Battle of Installation 03
Easily one of the longest engagements in the Human-Covenant War, the third battle lasted one hundred and eighty days. The UNSC ships crashed to the surface of Installation 03 due to an EMP charge in the previous battle. The Covenant fleet had destroyed itself. UNSC ground forces were attacked wave after wave by the Flood. Some of the wrecked ships lost heart and declared themselves as separate colonies of the UNSC or as parts of the United Rebel Front. These rebellious ships were overrun by the Flood. The battle consisted of daily Flood raids against all human vessels. The raids stemmed off at one point, but then returned en mass. The battle ended when the Combined Regional Fleet of Contrite Purpose exited Slipspace in system.

Fourth Battle of Installation 03
The Combined Regional Fleet of Contrite Purpose, lead by Councilor Shch ‘Nodotee, jumped in system some time in late October. They battled briefly with the humans, but mainly focused on fighting the Flood. The Covenant captured the Control Room and the Index, and was going to unite the two when a Spartan-II, Petty Officer Second Class Chris SPARTAN-048 stopped them. He convinced Councilor ‘Nodotee to view the master computer and learn of Halo’s true purpose. Councilor ‘Nodotee quickly understood the truth and told all the Covenant in the area so. Most of his force joined him in alliance with the Covenant while two ships and Councilor ‘Nodotee’s Half-Commander, Ship Master Eych ‘Euqoree refused to believe.

Fifth Battle of Installation 03
This battle is still taking place.

Astronomy
The "Ringworld" of Halo is much smaller than Larry Niven's Ringworld. While the diameter of Niven's ringworld is close to the diameter of Earth's orbital of 300,000,000 km, the 10,000 km diameter of Halo is much closer to the diameter of Earth itself, which is 12,756 km. Ringworld has a star similar to our sun in its center, and Halo is orbiting a planet, but does not encircle it.

Besides the very beautifully sculpted landscape on Halo's surface, the sky is also worthy of attention. Depending on the viewpoint, one can see the star, a moon, a gas giant, and the band of Halo itself, which looks like a street into the sky.