Background

The year is 2528 and Humanity has spread into the Universe...  

… we are not alone. 

What began as a routine operation to quell Insurrectionist forces changed drastically at 04:20 hours January 23rd 2528 when ODST forces encountered "The Covenant": a collective of alien races working together to achieve a shared goal.  

[Update - 13:00, January 25th, 2528] 

Earlier this morning, following your successful rescue of the ONI reconnaissance team they were able to deliver crucial information to UNSC command. As with Harvest, we had determined that the covenant here on Madrigal is no accident, and that they are in fact here looking for something, the recon team confirmed this theory.  

[The below is classified at the highest level] 

Several decades ago a research facility was set up on a small Peninsula to the North East of the Barcelonova Island Cluster. ONI researchers detected an anomaly, and found a large subterranean structure, far too large for anything in our arsenal to recover... but we did manage to retrieve an artifact (the very same you recovered from the ONI base two days ago). When activated this artifact interfaced with the underground structure and wiped out every electronic device within a kilometer of the research facility. The facility was shut down shortly after this event. At present, the Covenant Super Carrier appears to be attempting to excavate the structure using their high energy "glassing" laser.  

Given we now know what they're looking for we have devised a plan to take out the super carrier and destroy the facility in one fell swoop. That's where you come in... 

Mission

As members of the 4th Shock Trooper Battalion (ODSTs) we have deployed to Madrigal in the 23 Librae system. Our objective is to transport the slip-space drive we recovered from the downed frigate "The Paddle" to the Covenant Super Carrier and fire the slip space engine untethered onboard the ship. The resulting slip-space rupture should annihilate all of the nearby mass in a 4km radius around the ship destroying both it and the facility that they are attempting to excavate.  

We will drive in convoy to the excavation site, and coupled with an airborne attack by "The Creek" and "Defiance" we will use the Chaos to hijack a covenant dropship at the excavation site and land on the super carrier with the slip-space drive. We will activate the slip-space drive, and then take out the carrier's shield generator to force a panic onboard the ship and distract from our actual plan. We will be extracted by Pelican on top of the carrier and hightail it out of dodge before the slip-space drive engages.

Objectives

1. Escort the slip-space drive to the Excavation Site 
2. Prime the slip-space drive to detonate once aboard the Carrier 
3. Disable the Carrier's shield generators 
4. Extract from the Carrier 
   

Communications

• Cobalt (Command) - Frequency: 50
• Alum (Infantry Squad) - Frequency: 51
• Beryl (Infantry Squad) - Frequency: 52

Weather and Time

• Time of Day -  Early Evening
• Forecast - Partly Cloudy
• Visibility - 850m (from the Ground)
• Visibility - (up to) 5000m (from the Air)