Halo: Escalation Issue #5 - Summary (Spoilers)

Check out the [url=https://o.twimg.com/2/proxy.jpg?t=HBgtaHR0cDovL3N0YXRpYy5vdy5seS9waG90b3Mvb3JpZ2luYWwvNWp6WDUuanBnFMAlFMoTABYAEgA&s=O9gjJzBtFk6tj8UvYhrMaaxif9gpBpl3iySQRxoGmXI]Pre[/url][url=https://o.twimg.com/2/proxy.jpg?t=HBgtaHR0cDovL3N0YXRpYy5vdy5seS9waG90b3Mvb3JpZ2luYWwvNWtqd3YuanBnFMAlFMoTABYAEgA&s=gCpLc4Pdy4VxXMqRjVZ7p_1IjVwO-GUaxxyHsOmYfzQ]view[/url], then buy Issue #5 digitally [url=https://digital.darkhorse.com/profile/4313.halo-escalation-5/]here[/url] or buy the physical copy [url=http://www.tfaw.com/Profile/Halo-Escalation-5___446356]here.[/url] Miss out on Issue #4? Read the summary and lore notes [url=http://www.bungie.net/en/Forum/Post/64148819]here![/url] [url=http://i1199.photobucket.com/albums/aa473/onyx0193/78A1D49C-0C3F-46F2-AE61-25816609C24A_zpssjd75omm.png]Puke![/url] [url=http://i1199.photobucket.com/albums/aa473/onyx0193/678338A2-6170-47A5-B899-299774CD16E3_zpsv2lar5jm.png]Infinity gets wrecked[/url] [url=http://24.media.tumblr.com/75010c65a4bb43e8e183d9d4e1c97828/tumblr_n4iviwUYSX1qil6c9o3_1280.jpg]'Dat Ass[/url] [quote][b][u]Summary:[/u][/b] Arriving at a trading port in Karava, Lasky, Ray, and Petra set out to meet with Petra's informant. Along the way, they discover this Sangheili colony is a melting pot of species, with even non-UNSC humans passing through. Ray expresses her nervousness and remarks how she wishes she had a gun. Petra tells her that no one here carries a gun. Fit in and she'll be fine. Unfortunately, Ray ends up provoking a few Elites by giving them the wrong look. Pulling their swords out, Petra diffuses the situation by pulling out a 21st century .44 magnum with custom detailing and shooting one of the Elites in the head. Confused as to what happened, Ray confronts Petra on carrying a firearm, and she reveals she lied to Ray in order to keep things from escalating even more. She elaborates saying that shooting the Elite was a display of dominance, and half-jokingly says the surving Elites think Lasky and Ray are her pets. At the meeting place, a bar, they find Petra's informant. An Elite capitalist called Zef 'Trahl. Meanwhile on Infinity, Roland begins his presentation on what he's found about the freighter Pilgrim's Pride. It was supposedly built 5 years ago, despite being from the Spirit of Fire, which has been missing for 30 years. Palmer suggests the craft were smuggled off before hand, but Roland disagrees as the craft were in too good of condition. Moving on, he reveals the ship's logs were wiped and then filled with false data. Despite that, he was able to retrieve the real data, coordinates from where it originated from. Oth Lodon, a gas giant located deep in Brute space; a star system away from their homeworld. Before progressing any further, Hood decides it's time to let everyone know the history he and Cutter had. A few years before 2531, Hood served as XO on the Spirit of Fire under Captain Cutter. It was Cutter who made sure Hood got his own ship, the Roman Blue. Three months after the being in the Captain's chair, they got word of the conflict on Arcadia. As the Spirit of Fire jumped out of system, it dropped a log buoy that the Roman Blue was assigned to retrieve. At that point in time, Arcadia was deemed lost. The Roman Blue was not to engage Covenant forces. However, Hood was tired of humanity's losses, and he engaged the Covenant forces. Overwhelmed, Hood was forced to retreat. Because of his recklessness, the buoy was never recovered, and the Spirit of Fire was never found. With the Spirit's possible location found, Palmer expresses that the ship might not even be there. Hood orders Palmer to conduct a search and rescue operation without being detected. Deployed on Booster Frames to scout the system, Palmer and Fireteam Majestic have their op handled by Miller. Not wanting to listen to Miller, Palmer shuts off comms under the guise of losing the signal in an asteroid field. Exploring the area, they unknowingly pass by a Covenant scanner, which tips off Shipmaster 'Gajat, who orders shields and weapons to be brought online at half power so as to not be detected. Landing on an asteroid, Palmer and Majestic discover an SDV-Class Heavy Corvette docked at a Covenant space station. Palmer radios Hood and informs him what they've found and that the Spirit is not here. Back on Karava, Lasky and Zef discuss the relationship between Brutes and Elites. Getting down to business though, Zef reveals that the forces who attacked the peace summit were lead by Vata 'Gajat, an Elite mercenary. He used to work for Jul 'Mdama, and before that, served as a soldier in the Covenant. Lasky asks if he's till apart of the Covenant anymore, but Zef explains that the term 'Covenant' has lost its meaning. A hundred different warlords claim they rule the Covenant but only lead a small faction. Then Zef reveals who the UNSC mole is: Captain Clayton. He serves under Rear Admiral Temkin, the ambassador to Sanghelios and the one who set up the meeting. Concluding the meeting, Lasky confides to Ray and Petra that Captain Clayton is Cutter's son. On board the Covenant space station, Clayton talks to 'Gajat about his father, revealing he is an illegitimate son, and that he and his mother were taken care of even after Cutter's disappearance. Soon after, Infinity jumps in system right in front of the space station. Expecting this, Clayton opens a channel to Infinity. Talking to Hood, he identifies him as being the one who sent his mother and him money because he was the one responsible for the Sprirt's disappearance. At the same time, Hood greased the wheels for Clayton, making him feel like his entire UNSC career was built off of nepotism. Upset at feeling like he never accomplished anything, he turned to Admiral Drake, leader of the New Colonial Alliance, when he offered him an opportunity. Revealing that he had intended for Scruggs to kill Hood, he announces that he lead the Infinity here to kill Hood. Turning to someone at a weapons station, he orders the stations Glassing Cannon to fire on Infinity, piercing all the way through the side of the ship.[/quote] [b][u]Lore Notes:[/u][/b] -Planet: Karava; Sangheili controlled colony world ---Located in contested space -Kor Delban ---Karva trade port -Imitating Sangheili language is considered rude -Oth Lodon ---Gas Giant ---Star system away from Brute homeworld -Lord Hood ---Spirit of Fire XO ---Captain of UNSC Roman Blue -Ambassador to Sanghelios: Rear Admiral Horatio Temkin -Captain Daniel Clayton ---Born on Tribute ---32 ---Son of James Cutter ---UNSC Mole