Check out the [url=http://www.darkhorse.com/Comics/Previews/22-702?page=1]Preview[/url], then buy Issue #2 digitally [url=https://digital.darkhorse.com/profile/4013.halo-escalation-2/]here[/url] or buy the physical copy [url=http://www.tfaw.com/Profile/Halo-Escalation-2___440091]here.[/url] Miss out on Issue #1? Read the summary and lore notes [url=http://www.bungie.net/en/Forum/Post/62937077]here![/url] [url=http://i1199.photobucket.com/albums/aa473/onyx0193/2E234F07-3A32-4E47-BDFB-ADC4381ABDFD_zpswb0bmh00.png][b][u]All Credit goes to these individuals[/u][/b][/url] [url=http://i1199.photobucket.com/albums/aa473/onyx0193/0FFA42C0-7B0A-4A0A-8C9E-056A68EDC18E_zpsxj8ibevs.png]Lydus[/url] [url=http://i1199.photobucket.com/albums/aa473/onyx0193/D519DCF0-62D8-4435-9152-B2122DCCCB3D_zpshvl3khfb.png]Arbiter[/url] [url=http://i1199.photobucket.com/albums/aa473/onyx0193/B90469AF-BCF2-430F-AFEB-E129DE7A74ED_zpsiveb1gwg.png]Assault Elites[/url] [url=http://i1199.photobucket.com/albums/aa473/onyx0193/D4B585E8-B6D4-4BDA-98E9-E96A5B447D39_zpsvwqdpanf.png]Tek[/url] [url=http://i1199.photobucket.com/albums/aa473/onyx0193/E71FB30E-B149-4A77-BF54-B5F21FE1D1B2_zpsihc20okx.png]Shipmaster 'Gajat and the mysterious Human[/url] [url=http://i1199.photobucket.com/albums/aa473/onyx0193/7F2E600F-AFCA-4D78-8602-515806793EDF_zpsobodxg2p.png]Halo 3 Grunt[/url] [url=http://i1199.photobucket.com/albums/aa473/onyx0193/2406CD32-1390-44C5-B2B4-B0F2F74A2CC8_zpsr72g0vlw.png]Halo 3 and 4 Banshees[/url] [quote][b][u]Summary:[/u][/b] Inside the Parts Depot, Commander Palmer informs Captain Lasky that communications with Infinity are still down. Understanding how dire the situation is, Lord Hood announces they can't stay at the Depot. Checking a Covenant terminal, the Arbiter calls Chieftain Lydus over informing him he has found something. Lydus, still upset with the surprise attack by Sangheili retorts that maybe the Arbiter found a way to bring his kind under his control. The Arbiter reassures Lydus that they are not his kind. As everyone huddles around the terminal, the Arbiter explains to Hood that given Ealen IV's proximity to the Outer Colonies, the Plasma Refinery was outfitted with planetary defenses that have since been decommissioned, along with fortifications outfitted with weaponry that most likely still remains. Armed with this information, Lord Hood tells the group that they'll head to those redoubts and wait for help. However Lydus is more concerned with the fact that their ships may be destroyed and advocates against holding up in the redoubts. Agreeing with Lydus, Lasky tells Hood they'll be stuck here indefinitely unless communications are restored. Spartan Scruggs informs the group that Covenant dropships are inbound. Lydus' escort hastily suggests that they should depart now. As the group prepares to move out, Lasky orders Palmer to provide cover for the delegates and informs her he'll be leaving to contact Infinity. Concerned for Lasky's safety, she assigns Spartan Ray to assist in contacting Infinity and provide cover. Meanwhile, aboard a Phantom just outside the Parts Depot, the Skirmisher called Tek informs Shipmaster 'Gajat that the envoy has taken refuge in a repair depot. 'Gajat muses at the possibility of simply laying siege and letting the Brutes inside starve and consume the others. However, a Human standing behind him suggests they pick up the pace as they don't know when the warships above will respond. 'Gajat agrees and orders the assault on the parts depot. Aboard Infinity, Lieutenant Jespersen informs Commander Bradley that Sangheili and Jiralhanae ships have confirmed communications are down. Asking what the tactical situation is like, Lieutenant Ryder explains they can't see anything because of the interference the plasma is generating. Lieutenant Gomez then informs Bradley that they can send in ODSTs in four minutes. Bradley disagrees, finding it irrational to send in ODSTs simply because they lost communication. Jespersen announces to Bradley that the Brutes are demanding to know why the Infinity is blocking communications with the planet. As Bradley heads to talk to the Brutes in the ready room, he suggests all the interference is just bad weather. Knocking down the door to the Parts Depot, 'Gajad and his forces find it empty. Tek informs 'Gajat that grunts have discovered a series of service tunnels. Upset that the delegates escaped and that Tek is explaining the obvious, 'Gajat tosses Tek to the ground and orders his forces to discover their location claiming that providence favors them as long as their betrayer remains hidden. Having escaped through the service tunnels, the group reaches an overlook of a large section of the plasma refinement facility. There, Palmer asks the Arbiter about how much their attackers know about the tunnels. The Arbiter responds by saying they should assume whomever leaked the meeting probably gave their attackers information on the planet's infrastructure. As they prepare to move out, Palmer orders Fireteam Bailey to secure the area. Having proud warrior heritage, both Lydus and the Arbiter advocate that they should help fight. Palmer, being tasked with protecting the delegates, convinces them they shouldn't put themselves in harm's way. Moving out onto a long and tall walkway spanning the bottom of a canyon and resting above a river, Lydus and Arbiter are assigned Spartan protection. As they sprint down the walkway, a Lich zeros on on their position, pinning them down on the walkway. Palmer, thinking on her feet, orders everyone to hand over their grenades. Placing them in her helmet, she primes a Plasma Grenade and throws it into the Lich's Gravity lift, causing a crippling explosion. Meanwhile, Lasky and Ray approach a communications center in an administrative building. Their goal is to find an old hard line into the old Covenant networks. Using that, they can then triangulate the location of the jammer. Much to their surprise, an Elite Warrior has snuk up behind them. Protecting Lasky, Ray pushes him out of the way. The Elite puts up a hard fight but eventually succumbs to the combined effort of Lasky and Ray. Going back to the comm center, they determine that there isn't a singular jammer, but rather the entire network itself is jamming communications off-world. Lasky guesses that such a feat would need a large amount of power source. Ray gets to work and quickly locates the power supply. Palmer, having needed to leap off the walkway to make the throw, lands in a heap in the middle of an Elite and a few grunts. Fending them off, the crippled Lich careens into the river near the walkway's support beam, causing it to become unstable. As Palmer regroups with everyone, they all make their way to the Gravity Lifts at the end of the walkway as it begins to shatter apart. However, just as Palmer makes it to the lift, an Elite grabs her foot, dragging himself into the lift as well. Landing at the top, the Elite goes for Palmer's throat choking her. Scruggs is quick to help, and stabs the Elite in the neck, killing it. Palmer then orders Scruggs to push up to the redoubt and secure it. Before moving on, Lord hood begins to fish for items of interest on the dead Elite. Asking why he's searching the Elite, he explains his concern over the fact the Lich found them as soon as they stepped out into the open. This opens the discussion between the two of a possibility of a traitor in their ranks. Hood makes purchase and pulls a UNSC Data Pad off the Elite outfitted with files on all the Humans sent to the surface. Approaching the power supply, Lasky and Ray devise a way to sneak inside by stealing Banshees. After stealing them and making their way to the power supply tower, they notice a fleet of dropships heading away, to where they can only assume is where the delegates are. Lydus being upset over their constant attacks confronts the Arbiter yet again. Calm and collected, the Arbiter assures he will protect him and alleviate him of his concerns. Off in the distance, gun fire and explosions are heard. Palmer contacts Scruggs asks what happened. She only recieves a garbled transmission. At the redoubt, Scruggs sits alone and responds saying the location is secure as the blood of his allies pools around him.[/quote] [b][u]Lore Notes:[/u][/b] -Location: Ealen IV, NE Continental Grid 5-12, Plasma Refinement Facility, Parts Depot -Date: 2558-03-05 1355 SMT -Improved detail confirms Lydus did sustain a severe snout injury -Ealen IV located very close to Outer Colonies -Type-25 Spirit still in use -Spartan Ray: ---Four years in Signal Intelligence ---Outfitted with Infiltrator Armor -Shipmaster 'Gajat: ---Robotic prosthetic right arm ---Back brace ---In command of Covenant forces -Tek (Skirmisher) is 'Gajat's lieutenant -Unkown Human is working with 'Gajat -Infinity Bridge Crew: ---Commander Bradley ---Lieutenant Jespersen ---Lieutenant Ryder ---Lieutenant Gomez -Date Lasky and Ray reach comms: 2558-03-05 1536 SMT -Location: Ealen IV, NE Continental Grid 5-12, Plasma Refinement Facility, Administrative Wing -Covenant use special form of communications to bypass the planet's plasma interference -Communications center in the administrative wing looks strikingly similar to the Ardent Prayer's communications center -During the Campaign on Ankara, Lasky had extensive experience flying a Covenant Banshee