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Shield 5040, sometimes misinterpreted as Shehaqim, is an artificial world built to house the valuable portal that links the Domain to the physical world. Shehaqim is the name given to this portal and at times, the entire planet will referred to as Shehaqim. Because of the importance of this world, it is protected by a defensive network known as Line Installation B1-B85. This line installation is considered a Renegade Line and therefore not connected to the larger Maginot Line that protects the Forerunner's inner core worlds.
Overview[]
Shield World 5040 is located in the Xilo Tetrahedron some eighteen light years from Sanghelios. The artificial planet has a diameter of 15,705 kilometers and 0.987 gravity. 02-1147 Lambent Glow is the Monitor of this installation and the defensive perimeter that protects it from intruders. Shield 5040 is a series of concentric spherical shells, much like a Russian doll, with their own unique environments and purposes. When the installation is activated, the entire world and it's several layers are placed in a Slipspace bubble and leaves behind no trace of it's existence in real space. Because this installation houses important artifacts and assets, the surface or outer layer resembles a vast desert region with no signs of life. Indeed, the surface doesn't contain a habitat suitable for life. There is a massive access tunnel which allows starships entrance into the inner structures, though this tunnel is disguised as a large mountain range that spans 800 kilometers. The Command Base and Ashvattha are two vectors where the Shield Installation can be activated and sent into Slipspace or brought into real space. While in Slipspace, individuals can enter the installation through portal transits, and the Monitor is able to transfer himself into the installation while being connected to the Command Base.
Shehaqim[]
Shehaqim is a Portal Generator that lies in the heart of Shield 5040. This portal binds the Domain to the physical world. Individuals can enter the Domain and experience firsthand the flow of knowledge and energy in the galaxy. This device can also restore the Domain, allowing it to exist in the Milky Way Galaxy once again. In order to activate the portal, either a Forerunner or Reclaimer must activate the auxiliary power stations that surround the main structure. There are three stations and once one is activated, the structure will begin to shift and open.
Defense Network[]
Shield 5040 has a defense network that spans across the planet and outside. Fifteen line installations have a firing range capable to targeting enemy vessels in orbit over the artificial world. Upon entering the installation's inner layers, starships will undergo a series of high-intensity scans searching for Flood infection and determining the strength of passing vessels. Particle cannons are stationed around important structures and are in various sizes. The larger cannons target aerial vehicles, and smaller cannons target infantry and ground vehicles. Sentinels are stationed within structures and complexes to perform maintenance tasks and defend the facilities. Armigers serve as a more offensive force targeting unwanted or unauthorized personnel wandering the Shield Installation. The Armigers have access to the local teleportation grid allowing them to travel throughout the planet, and these combat constructs utilize advanced weapons and equipment.
History[]
The Forerunners have always relied on the Domain to serve them as a historical record, a means to an afterlife, and system of communication on a galactic scale. In their effort to understand and interact with the Domain, the Builders constructed a portal device that could allow individual to enter the heart of the Domain and experience its full potential. This portal was named Shehaqim, and something of this capability required even greater protection. The portal was placed within a secure Shield World and further protected by a defensive perimeter known as a Renegade Line.
During the Forerunner-Flood War, the Gravemind and Mendicant Bias sought out this portal in hopes of merging with the Domain. Their assault on Line Installation B1-B85 led to the destruction of several line installations and cleared them a path to Shield 5040. Before the Flood could reach the artificial world, 02-1147 Lambent Glow triggered the planet's activation and it was sent into Slipspace without leaving a trace of evidence behind. Most of the line installations survived the battle, and those installations along with the Monitor were placed into dormancy until the Forerunners require their assistance in the future.
Reawakening[]
Since the activation of the Halos, these installations have remained dormant. The Covenant would come to inhabit this region of space which contained so much Forerunner relics. This space was called the Xilo Tetrahedron and is marked by four solar systems which form each point in the tetrahedron. The Covenant revered most of these structures and relics as sacred grounds and a testament to the art and culture of their gods.
Following the Great Schism, the last remnant of the Covenant settled in the Xilo Tetrahedron as well as other Jiralhanae-controlled systems. In mid-2553, the Jiralhanae War Chieftain Fabdius wandered deep into a line installation on Sdrala. He activated the dormant 02-1147 Lambent Glow and formed an alliance with the ancilla. This Jiralhanae was renamed the Chosen One, and he would reactivate the line installations, Shield 5040, and the Domain. This was Glow's intentions however, since the Covenant Remnant was defeated before this could be done. Glow attempted to finish the job at the Command Base, but before he could activate the Shield Installation, he was captured. The ancilla's last hope of restoring the Domain lied on Ashvattha, the command installation for all the Shield Worlds. From there, he could activate Shield 5040.