August 25th:
– Captain Jacob Keyes chosen for RED FLAG
– John-117 chosen to work with Cortana on RED FLAG
– UNSC Pillar of Autumn chosen for RED FLAG*
– Cortana and Halsey discuss the Sigma Octanus Crystal
Halo: The Fall of Reach (2010 Edition) Page 266 – 267
“This frozen signal contains information that matches the sample from Sigma Octanus Four.’ Cortana sighed and her shoulders slumped. ‘Unfortunately, all my attempts at translating the code have failed…so far.’
‘Your conclusions, Cortana?’ Dr. Halsey reminded her.
‘Insufficient data for complete analysis, Doctor.’
‘Hypothesize.’
Cortana bit her lower lip. ‘There are two possibilities. The data originates from the Covenant or another alien race.’ She frowned. ‘If it’s another alien species, the Covenant probably wants these artifacts to scavenge their technology. Either conclusion opens several new opportunities for the NavSpecWep-”
Data Drop Five – Admiral Stanforth
“Keyes
At the end of the day, there are half a dozen CO’s we could easily slot here, but there’s only one who I’d trust with my life and that’s Keyes. Having worked with him several times over the last decade, I can attest to his innate prowess in astrogation and naval warfare, but more importantly, the man is just plain fearless. I would definitely use “reckless” to describe anyone who I’d thought fit the bill, but I’ve found no fault in his tactics. He’s handled some things that even I can’t really quantify or explain, most recently the “Loop” deal at Sigma Octanus IV.
He’d have been the first name on my list if I was the one making it.
John 117
Looking at his CSV en total, my first thought is that this is fabricated. His service record reads like a career composite of three full Tier-1/L5 ODST squads, back to back for
two and a half decades. Dear God, active in 207 ground engagements and those are just the ones that we’re able to file on record. If I wasn’t on line to approve his deployment for these, again and again, I wouldn’t believe any of it. And he’s just one of the SPARTAN-II assets we’ll have onboard, there’s 25 of them being recalled for this op, all from a multitude of theaters, some even being pulled directly from combat.
Pillar of Autumn
Not terribly surprised at this selection due the over-bulked, overmassed honeycomb interstitial framework. It’s ironic, I suppose, that the same absurd design that forced this ship into the scrap yard years ago is resurrecting it for RED FLAG. A cruiser was an obvious choice, as noted in my prelim, but the reason she opted for a Halcyon – this particular Halcyon, in fact – is because it can take an incredible beating without suffering functional compromise far longer than any other ships we current field. She might be slow and cumbersome, but she’s a real beast, especially now that they’ve tweaked her armament. Good choice.
If that doesn’t scream last resort, I don’t know what does.”
*While Cortana explains that her final choice is the Pillar of Autumn on August 25th, there is a note in Halsey’s Journal dated August 3rd which says “I hope the Autumn is refitted in time” which suggests the Autumn was already in the process of being refitted before Cortana made her final decision. This is either a discrepancy or Halsey already knew the Autumn was going to be chosen, (and ordered its refit as soon as possible), because she and Cortana are so much alike.
August 26th:
– NOBLE Team extracted from New Alexandria
August 27th:
– Spartan IIs informed of RED FLAG
– Cortana continues to learn and decipher the alien proto-culture language, code forms and technologies
Doctor Halsey’s Personal Journal August 27th, 2525
“Cortana (parts of her anyway) continues to learn and decipher the alien protoculture language, code forms, and hopefully technologies. She’ll continue to update her separated portion until the very last possible moment.”
August 29th:
– Master Chief trains with his Cortana fragment*
– Dr. Halsey returns to SWORD Base†
– NOBLE Team returns to SWORD Base
– Cortana chooses Noble Six as her escort
Halo: The Fall of Reach (2010 Edition) Page 280
“The firing range was uncharacteristically quiet. Normally, the air would be filled with noise – the sharp, staccato crackle of automatic-weapons fire; the urgent yells of soldiers practicing combat operations; and the barked, curse-laden orders of drill instructors. John frowned as he guided the Warthog to the security checkpoint.
The silence on the combat range was somehow unsettling.
Even more unsettling were the extra security personnel; today, there were three times the normal number of MPs patrolling the gate.”
*The Master Chief makes note that the training facility seemed “eerily silent” which could mean that no one was there to train as they were busy engaging the enemy for real elsewhere on the Planet. He also makes note that security was much more tight with “three times the number of MPs patrolling“. This heightened security could be because the enemy is on Reach but not yet near those facilities.
†Evidence suggests Halsey was able to return to SWORD Base on the 29th because she had a Military escort. Troopers were alive and “committed to the position“, which was the entrance to Halsey’s lab. There were also “Others” who handled the demolition which means there was some other team working in unison with Noble. ODSTs? Other Spartans? This is unknown at this point but we do know they complete their mission as well as secure Halsey’s Journal. Halsey also says she “requires no escort” possibly because she already knew someone else was there to assist her. Jun is ordered to go with her anyways.
(Reach – The Package)
August 30th:
– The Pillar of Autumn receives word Reach is under attack
– Fermion station detects Covenant fleet inbound for Eridani system.
– PoA lands and secures Cortana fragment from NOBLE Team
– The Fleet of Particular Justice assaults Reach
– Pillar of Autumn engages Covenant fleet.
– Spartans deployed to Reach
– Carter-A259 is killed
– Emile-A239 is killed
– Cortana is made whole again and with her knowledge she sets a course for Alpha Halo
– Spartan-B312 is killed
(Reach – The Pillar of Autumn / Lone Wolf)
Doctor Halsey’s Personal Journal August 30th, 2552
“The Covenant on Reach. NOT a scout party; they are here en masse. I’ve seen the reports of how ‘contained’ the situation is – military shorthand for ‘it’-Yoink!- the fan’.”
Halo: The Fall of Reach (2010 Edition) Page 375 -376
“ONI reports on the symbols found in the anomalous rock had defied cryptoanalysis. Keyes’ order to plot a navigation route sparked a connection between the data; she accessed the alien symbols and rather than compare them with alphabets or hieroglyphics, compared them to star formations.
There were some startling similarities – along with a number of differences. Cortana reanalyzed the symbols and accounted for thousands of years of stellar drift.
A tenth of a second later she had a close match on her charts – 86.2 percent.
Interesting. Perhaps the markings in the rock recovered on Sigma Octanus IV were navigation symbols, albeit highly unusual and stylized ones – mathematical symbols as artistic and elegant as Chinese calligraphy.
What was there that the Covenant wanted so badly that they had launched a full offensive against Sigma Octanus IV? Whatever it was… Cortana was interested, too.”
September 19th:
– The Pillar of Autumn arrives at Alpha Halo