Check out the [url=http://www.darkhorse.com/Comics/Previews/22-701?page=0]Preview[/url], then buy Issue #1 digitally [url=https://digital.darkhorse.com/profile/4032.halo-escalation-1-anthony-palumbo-cover/]here[/url] or buy the physical copy [url=http://www.tfaw.com/Profile/Halo-Escalation-1-Anthony-Palumbo-cover___439732]here.[/url] [url=http://www.halopedia.org/images/2/29/Thel_2558.png]Arbiter's New Look 1[/url] [url=http://i1199.photobucket.com/albums/aa473/onyx0193/500D2C47-FAAE-404F-8542-9A467CC11018_zpssn21dxwy.png]Arbiter's New Look 2[/url] [url=http://i1199.photobucket.com/albums/aa473/onyx0193/8A9F8385-88D8-4D3A-A0F7-9B549034A896_zpsucotqlp8.png]Arbiter's New Look 3[/url] [url=http://i1199.photobucket.com/albums/aa473/onyx0193/D2F0C3FF-5440-4B5C-BC1F-049C40C7ABFE_zpst00ghjhh.png]Chieftain Lydus[/url] [quote][b][u]Summary:[/u][/b] During a War Games simulation of a match of Invasion, Palmer is pulled out of the match by Lasky. Both Lasky and Palmer have been requested by the UNSC Security Council at the Bravo-6 HIGHCOM facility in Australia. Despite insisting it's simply a formality, the Security Council delves into the outcome of the 2558 Requiem Campaign. The main goal of the 2558 Campaign was to determine if another Promethean Attack on Earth was imminent. Despite losing Halsey, Lasky ensures to Osman that their mission of preventing another attack on Earth was a success. Osman then moves on to questioning the two about the contradictory orders about assassinating Halsey. Palmer stretches the truth and tells the committee that Majestic was simply a contingency if she failed. She confirmed she missed the shot. After returning to Infinity, Tom is met by Admiral Hood. Despite Lasky's wishes to continue a UNSC campaign against Jul, Hood tells him that it's been given to the ship Vociferous. He needs him for diplomatic escort at a peace delagation between the Brutes. The peace summit is much needed. When the Brutes joined the Covenant, they were given colony worlds rich in resources to deter other Covenant species from taking the resources for themselves. After the war, the Brutes had no way to extract the resources, so their attacks on jointly controlled Sangheili-Brute space has escalated in their attempt to acquire the necessary technology. The UNSC wants to join in on the peace summit as it's in their best interests to gain access to those resources (presumably for the reconstruction effort) Arbiter has agreed to assist in the peace effort despite not being happy about it. They've chosen to meet with a Chieftain called Lydus as he seems to be more inclined for peace and able to rally the other packs behind him. The peace summit is taking place on a Covenant world terraformed specifically for the scaled production of plasma. Extreme weather on the planet makes communications choppy between the ground assets and Infinity. Capitol ships of all factions are prohibited of entering the planet's neutral airspace. During the summit, Lydus defends the tribe's right to the resources and aggressive actions. Although Hood and Thel are quick to point out that they are almost at a point of famine and will soon begin infighting. Meanwhile, Palmer and her Spartans are receiving foreboding garbled transmissions from the Infinity. At that point, Palmer notices a dead Elite and quickly mobilizes her Spartans just as Covenant forces break into the room the summit is in. Ranger Elites enter the area and Lydus and Thel are quick to draw their weapons and repel the invaders. As the delegates are evacuating the building, the Spartans continue to repel Covenant forces. Lydus believes it to be a Sangheili trick, but Thel is quick to point out they aren't his men, and that Lydus' saftey is of great concern to him as he cuts down a Jackal Sniper preparing to snipe Lydus. As they leave the building, a legion of Covenant forces are waiting for them. The Spartans form a permitter around the delegates and all fight their way to the UNSC shuttle. A Banshee squadron rushes in and destroys the Shuttle forcing the group to retreat to an abandoned Parts Depot. After making it inside unscathed, they are left with no support from their capitol ships as Covenant forces continue to mobilize on the planet.[/quote] [b][u]Lore Notes:[/u][/b] -New Spartan fireteam: Jackknife -Jeff Steitzer is confirmed to be an AI tailored specifically to War Games -Invasion is a War Games simulation on Infinity -Date Lasky and Palmer leave Infinity: 2558-03-03 1455 SMT (Exactly 5 Years after the Covenant War ended) -Australia look mostly rebuilt (During battle of Earth the entire country was bombed to rubble by Plasma) -Security Council: ---General Strauss (UNSC Army) ---Admiral Hood (UNSC Navy) ---Admiral Osman (ONI) ---General Hogan (UNSC Marines) ---General Dellert (UNSC Air Force) -Jul appears to have some Promethean forces with him -Top of Infinity has a park -Ship we see in Reach and LandFall are multipurpose UNSC shuttles -Brutes were settled on resource rich worlds to deter greedy Covenant -Post War: No machinery to access resources has lead to escalation of raiding parties against Elites -Arbiter has Jackals and Grunts in his faction (look like Halo 2 Grunts) -Elder Chieftain Lydus -Arbiter's Fleet: ---3 CCS-Class Battlecruisers ---2 CAS-Class Assault Carriers ---3 CPV-Class Heavy Destroyers -Covenant Colony: Ealen IV -Infinity arrives at 2558-03-05 0702 SMT -Fireteam Bailey defends the landing pad -Fireteam Jackknife defends the delegates -Lydus appears to have lost part of his snout giving his face a shortened look -Arbiter brings Assault and Ascetic Elites as his protection