Sins of the Prophets (Halo 3 Warlords)

[Azecreth]

Sins of the Prophets
A Post-Halo 3 Warlord Game
"Your forefathers wisely set aside their compassion...I see now why they left you behind. You were weak...and gods must be strong."​

As the Covenant wars, the Battle of Installation 00 is ongoing, the climax of the war has yet to be decided as the Prophet of Truth stands in the CONTROL ROOM activating the Holy Rings. But not is all right with the galaxy. The events leading up to this event are legendary.

A shaky alliance between some Sangheili and their former foes, the humans, was forged out of necessity and revenge against the Covenant to some extent. Both sides had two common enemies that wished for their extinction: the Covenant and the Flood. This alliance of circumstance was forged in the control room of Installation 05, when Sergeant Major Avery Johnson and Arbiter Thel 'Vadamee united to prevent the Chieftain of the Jiralhanae, Tartarus, from activating Delta Halo, or Installation 05, and firing the Halo Array. Meanwhile, Rtas 'Vadum led a strike team of Sangheili to capture the Shadow of Intent from the Jiralhanae as a flagship for their local forces. After succeeding in killing Tartarus, the Arbiter persuaded many Sangheili to ally with the humans, forming the Fleet of Retribution.

On November 17, the devastated UNSC Home Fleet attempted a last-ditch assault on the High Prophet of Truth's Forerunner Dreadnought, which had integrated with the Forerunner artifact that Regret had discovered nearly a month prior. This attack failed and a Flood-controlled battlecruiser crashed in Voi only moments after Truth's fleet entered the portal generated by the artifact. However, the Sangheili Fleet of Retribution, led by Shipmaster Rtas 'Vadum, arrived in pursuit of the cruiser; as the fleet glassed the city and its environs, the Sangheili and UNSC agreed to follow Truth beyond the portal.

As the fighting intensifies, all await the results of the battle, and shall see if the Great Journey shall prevail, or the Separatists stop the Prophet of Truth from firing the Halo Arrays. No matter the outcome however, the Great Schism has only begun and the collapse of the Covenant with it.

---

The Covenant
Prophet of Truth
Government type: Theocratic Democracy (De facto Oligarchy)
Capital: N/A
Internal stability: 4
Fleet: 688 Ships

The Separatists
N/A
Government type: Rebelling Warbands
Capital: Sanghelios (Largest/Most Powerful faction)
Internal stability: 6
Fleet: 758 Ships

Turn 0 Begins​

 

[Mortis Nuntius]

The Journey Begins​

Finsa Ipsusee watched his honour die from a blackened deck of the Inadvertable Destiny. Dozens of ships exploded into brightness as if they were the Chorkar Glowspires of his youth in Sanghelios only to fade from existence leaving nothing but melted wreckage and corpses, his sword brothers, his family. He cursed fate and himself in equal measure but stayed silent, to rage or weep would only compound his shame and his bridge staff needed to see him unmoved lest their own shame destroy them. He still had his duty, never had it felt so heavy. "No." He told the navigation officer.

This cycle had started so differently, promising perhaps to be the proudest moment of his life, at least equal to the day he had bloodied his sword in battle for the first time or when he had been granted Mastery of Beacon or later Righteous Sword. The Fleetmaster and Ultra-Shipmaster had been summoned to the cruiser Revelation, shortly after the prophet's emissary had arrived, their Spirit had joined hundreds of others leaving the ships of the Fleet of Unflinching Resolve as every Sangheli officer of note it seemed rushed to hear the word of the Great Journey and their ultimate fate.

Finsa's brief regret at being left behind had been replaced with burning pride when his Fleetmaster had entrusted him with command of mightiest vessel to ever enter vacuum. Unlike his previous Destroyer and Cruiser Commands this was a Super Carrier, armed as if by the Gods themselves and capable of furthering the great journey to entire systems all by itself. Not that it ever stood alone. It boasted dozens of ships that protected and aided it in its quest. True at the time it was deep into its pre-scheduled maintenance period and was thus effectively bound to the repair facility membrane, depowered and stationery, but even a shadow of its burning glory was enough to make Finsa's life, he had strode through the ship deck by deck, drinking it in as if he had not already spent hundreds of cycles aboard her, he always returned to the bridge however, to sit upon the throne of command and survey the might of the unbreakable Covenant. It was from that throne that he had watched the Revelation disappear in a blinding flash of light, he had fought humans enough to identify the blast as nuclear in nature even before it was reported. He immediately ordered all Ranger teams to survey each critical area of the ship. Humans were as devious as they were without honour, an attack on this sacred and migthy engine of the prophet's will was surely not beyond them whilst it lay vulnerable.

He did not let the multiple slipspace ruptures distract him for more than a moment, he recognised them as too precise to be humans, they were fellow Covenant. He was disabused of that assumption approximately seventeen heartbeats later when the first streaks of plasma hit the reeling Fleet of Unflinching Resolve. He watched in horror as unshielded carriers and cruisers were obliterated without even the honour of resistance. It was not a battle, it was a slaughter...no it was a race, if he could get Inadvertable Destiny operational then this treachery could be punished a hundredfold. He roared orders, personally directed engineers, made threats and exholtations and all of it...amounted to 45% engine power, two operational Plasma projectors and three squadrons of Seraphs waiting on his word by the time three quarters of the fleet had been destroyed and the traitors had begun to send boarding teams towards the repair facilities.


"...Shipmaster-" oh the mockery of the honour, so cruelly bestowed on him by the Gods in their wrath. "We can move, and though we cannot fight we can still die with honour, I can supercharge the slipspace drive and send us to honourable death." His engineering master told him. Awaiting the command.

It would have been a simple one to give. They could fight and die sword in hand and at the last plunge the ship into the void, perhaps taking even more of their honourless foes with them. An acceptable if not glorious death, the only true choice. He would not die with shame… Yet he had heasitated, why? What was holding him back? His fellow bridge crew watched him with growing suspicion? Had he in fact been a coward all this time without anyone, not even himself suspecting? Did he want to live a life of disgrace? No. It had to be something else. Something he was missing. He forced himself to once again survey the battle, it was still going terribly...they had never stood a chance, their foe had planned every detail perfectly. There! That was it!

This attack, it was organised and synchronised days in advance. It had been carried out ruthlessly and without mercy and it was completely impossible without many cycles of preparation and deep familiarity with its target. And on its lonesome it would achieve no purpose unless it was part of a much wider effort. These traitors actions only made sense as the opening thrust in a long war. Finsa looked at the sword on his hip, so tempting. But in its own way as cowardly as what he proposed and twice dishonourable. He needed every scrap of honour left to him.

"No." He said with regret, the word painful and full of hatred. "My brothers, this is but the first battle in a long war, we have a duty. Our own honour...is secondary to our duty, to the honour of the Sangheili in their purpose as defenders of the Prophets and stewards of the Great Journey. We must preserve this ship and as many ships as possible. Prepare to break free from the Membrane and enter slipspace, randomized coordinates, and open a channel to the fleet.

"Noble brothers of the Fleet of the Unflinching Resolve, today we live up to the illustrious and honourable name of our mighty fleet. Today we fufil the oath sworn by our fathers, the oath we pass onto our sons. However painful, however much we would rather any other fate. I give this command with as much pain as it will inflict upon all of you, form around the Inadvertable Destiny and prepare to jump to the following coordinates. We must preserve these weapons of our Holy Covenant in order to win the war and punish these doomed Heretics. Any of you who choose to forsake your oaths out of personal weakness shall be known forevermore as a heretic and traitor. Those of you who will endure the unendurable and do their duty shall know true glory upon the Great Journey, if never again before then."

He felt the hatred and fear and loss of ten thousand souls, he felt it, shared it, and disregarded it.

"Now open an open channel. I want the scum to hear." He bid.

"Traitors, Heretics, my name is Finsa Ipsussee and today you damned yourselves, your ancestors and all those mongrels yet unborn to your accursed line. I swear by the Great Journey that this abominable treachery will be avenged a thousandfold. The seeds of destruction you have sown with your vile heresy shall be reaped across a thousand stars. We will return, we will hunt you down, we will kill you and you will know true and unimaginable agony the screams of which will echo down the path of the Great Journey, the path you have forever denied yourselves."

Words, nothing but words. They did nothing to sweeten the taste of disgrace as he fed like a whipped cur, only blood would absolve him, his enemy's and his own.

13.4 Cycles Later


The Duel​

The two Sangheili youths stood alone atop the rain hammered plateau watching each other warily half concealed in shadow and the vapour rising off their bare chests. They said no words, had they wasted the breath it would have been stolen by the thunderous storm that assaulted them or been drowned out by the hissing where moisture met the heat of their blades. This was not their first bout, nor even their thousandth, they had been hatched from the same clutch, they had fought in the twin hatchlingnest besides their mother's bed as infants before they had ever learned to walk, they were brothers, best friends and vicious rivals, pushing each other, rising to the challenge. It had been a good childhood but today was its end.

There was one place in the navy allotted to the Ipsuss this rotation, only one of them could win glory for their house as primus, the other would have to wait and be judged by all as second, mayhaps in time they would emerge from the other's shadow but nothing was guaranteed, the Gods did not have patience for complacent warriors. The disgrace would eat at them alive. The head of the clan would decide at the beginning of the next cycle who would go...they had agreed that it would not come to that. They would choose themselves, they would take destiny in their own hands. They had slipped into the armoury, that it was so laxly guarded they took to be approval, it was impossible to imagine two swords, blessed by combat in the name of the Prophets could be so easily stolen. Nobody would stop them, this was their choice...as much as it was a choice at all.

Finsa's heart was racing in excitement, all their countless hours of practice but now it was to be a true duel, until one yielded or shed blood it would not end at the word of command from the blademaster, there was danger to this, a promise of injury, the threat of death. Honour and opportunity was at stake, he had never felt so alive. Talhel felt the same, Finsa knew without doubt, the same and with slightly unearned confidence. He was half a hand taller and somewhat heavier, Finsa was faster and fancied himself the better blade.

"Ready?" His brother asked him, jaws split in a hungry grin. His eyes hidden behind a veil of rain and time, his teeth remained bright and sharp however.

"Ready to defeat you." Finsa responded with all the folly of youth.

Talhel laughed and raised his sword in salute mirrored in turn by his opponent, and so it began. Neither was so reckless as to charge instead they wheeled, springing in a circle, changing spots, switching direction, altering gait and speed, anything to gain a moment's advantage to strike, none was offered. They could dance for hours without leaving an opening, both realised this in the same instant. Talhel changed course and barreled forwards, Finsa had expected it, his brother had always been bold, he met the charge, blades crashing together, free limbs grapplying and then they were past each other and whirling like drunken Jekka in the dunes.

Finsa broke contact first, leaping back or so it seemed, in truth it was a ruse he bent his whole body back before snapping forwards, he heard the surprise in interrupted rhythm of Talhel's breath and the consequences of it as he slid past his opponent's guard, blade batted outwards, he would cut him just on the thigh, it would be enough, unlikely to prove fat- Talhel's headbutt broke his chain of thought and possibly his skin if not bone. Finsa staggered back, barely keeping their blades locked, Talhel did not mind, bringing his thick skull down again and again, a rain of blows that threatened to crack his own, a claw gripped his free arm, pulling him back, their sword arms were pulled outwards as well and he found himself in a cruciform whilst his brother seemed intent on beating both their brains out. Crude, their blademaster would howl in disgust, Finsa cursed himself for not thinking of it first, when you expected skill and grace from a foe, what could surprise you more than the opposite? It was cunning, verging on dishonourable and it was threatening to turn his brain to soup. But repetition in a fight was dangerous, predictable. Finsa shifted his own head at the last moment and exploded upwards, howling in pain as his brother's fangs embedded themselves around his already bleeding forehead, he felt and heard them snap, and as the pair of them crashed down to the wet rock of the ground he feared one of them had pierced all the way to his brain.

Up, he had to get up. A warrior on his back would stay there forever, a corpse. He saw his foe equally dazed, bleeding from the mouth and gurgling in agony. For a moment their gaze met, anger...and amusement. His brother laughed and stumbled forwards, their blades met again. And again, their previous grace was a distant memory lost in concussion, now their blows were clumsy and poorly aimed and each time energy weapons crashed together the thrilling sound spurred on the next blow, Talhel's strength was giving him the best of it, Finsa was being driven back, towards the edge of the plateau, hundreds of meters above the foot of the outcrop they had chosen for their arena, until his rear foot claw gripped empty air.

He could not recall if his brother eye's had shown recognition, he could not recall being asked to yield but neither of them would ever have intentionally killed the other, he knew that, Talhel could not have meant to drive him off the edge to certain death any more than Finsa's desperate pivot had been intended to unbalance them both, once more Finsa found himself upon the hard ground, this time however his brother stood over him, sword raised about to come down in a final finishing blow. Finsa raised a desperate block, he had always been faster, his blade was in position half a heartbeat sooner than his foe's, too soon. Instead of directed energy meeting directed energy it met flesh, cutting and burning in deadly fusion. His brother's own momentum carried him downwards onto the blade.

Finsa hit the deactivation stub so as to spare his brother's vital organs, more than half a century too late.

--

The impact of Talhel's skewered body shook him into wakefulness with a howl of pain and grief decades in the making, the activating hiss of the swords of his personal bodyguards made him think he was still on Sanghelios, sixteen rotations old drowning in rain, blood and tears.

"Fleetmaster?" Rexus snarled, trying to gauge the threat.

"Too late. Far too late." Finsa snapped. "The four of you would have found me jackal meat if it was a true danger." He lied with practiced ease. It was not the first time. Nightmares were for children.

"Report yourselves to the training wing, your reactions would shame a Unggoy." He commanded flatly. "I will see to my own protection for this cycle."

"...Yes fleetmaster. Forgive us. We will do better."

"You will, forgiveness will come then, not before."

Once they were gone Finsa Ipsussee held his head in his hands. Feeling the scars where his brother's fangs had embedded themselves so long ago, they gave him comfort. He felt tainted by the lies to cover his own weakness, but they were necessary, his reputation was essential to the proficient running of the ship and he knew better than anyone that guilt was a powerful motivator for a warrior.

"It should have been you Talhel, this was your destiny not mine." He said aloud. "But it has fallen to me and I will die before I fail you again."

 

[Gladsome]

San'Shyuum Prelate Lav Tamna
(Art by @Nagunkunk on Twitter)​

November 3rd, 2552 CE (UNSC Military Calendar)

Heavy Cruiser Attestor of Divine Solemnity, 9th Age of Reclamation

The bulkhead to the control room parted with a chime, and Lav Tamna saw death laid out before her.

It was not painted in blood or bodies, but in the instincts that flashed in her mind as she beheld every crew member she saw.

The Unggoy and Kig-Yar bodyguards standing sentry at the doors might fight admirably, but with the genetically enhanced reflexes and advanced armour of a San'Shyuum Prelate, she could dispatch them easily, even without weapons.

The Sangheili officers, moving between holo displays and focused on monitoring the Solemnity's systems, had a better chance, but in this quiet posting she had spent many cycles measuring each one as a fighter, and only a few could truly match her in a fight - the ones her training demanded she slay first, quickly and without warning.

On the raised platform in the center of the control chamber, flanked by a vast holoprojection of their route through the local systems, Shipmaster Suda 'Tusamee turned to greet her.

"Prelate. You were not expected… Has some problem emerged?" The Shipmaster asked amiably, a flicker of concern in the tone of his voice.

He was one of a cherished few she could call a friend, his companionship a blessing on many a dull, lengthy voyage.

He would have to die first, as a talented officer and combatant, his quiet and cautious manner concealing a skill for close quarters combat.

With him and the ship's Weapon Master beside him eliminated, it would be relatively simple to commandeer the ship and vent whatever compartments still held enough Sangheili to cause trouble.

There was some chance she would be felled by a lucky shot, but in a matter of seconds, Lav Tamna had reached a bitter conclusion.

In less than a minute, she could kill a room filled with the faces of her friends and turn the Solemnity against their species, all with the blessing of the Prophet of Truth himself.

She would have won a glorious, quick victory in the Covenant's name and undoubtedly won favour in whatever new order the Hierarch intended to take shape over his vast Empire.

And, Lav knew with utter certainty, she would have killed her own spirit as surely as if she had taken a blade to her heart.

She knew the cost. And yet, every instinct drilled into her, years of training and habit and what little flicker of familial loyalty she still possessed screamed at her to follow her Hierarch's command, to attack, to stop worrying about herself and think of holy transcendence. Of the apparently impending Great Journey, and her place in it. Her holy rank of Prelate would not save her from the damnation of heresy, the voice of Lav's father echoed in her thoughts.

Heresy. Transcendence. These words had ruled the Prelate's life. She'd ended so many so-called blasphemers in the name of the Covenant already.

And yet, she'd never found any sanctity in the blood pooling at her feet; never felt the presence of the gods guiding her trigger finger - only the voice of ambitious Prophets, hiding their lust for power beneath golden sanctity.

Until today, Lav had never realised just how tired she was.

With a sigh, she made her choice.

Reaching up at the seals on her helmet, as much a symbol of her sacred office as much as it was a piece of armour, the San'Shyuum warrior removed it, and calmly allowed it to fall to the floor with a thud.

The vague din of conversation on the bridge came to a halt, and aside from the hum of the holo displays, silence reigned in the control center, all eyes turned to face the Prelate.

"Our Writ of Union has been broken." Lav spoke aloud, referring to the founding pact between Sangheili and San'Shyuum that had served as the very foundation of the Covenant since ancient times.

The silence stretched out. A few present glanced silently between one another, but no one said a word. Perhaps it was because they wanted her to explain what she could possibly mean. Perhaps they thought she had lost her mind.

"I received a priority missive directly from High Charity." She went on, feeling the hidden tension growing in the air as she spoke.

"I… am commanded by the Hierarchs themselves to kill you, and seize your vessel. High Charity is embroiled in civil war, and the Sangheili have been cast out from our Covenant."

Her summary felt insufficient. But she doubted any words were truly enough to convey the madness she had been informed of and ordered to join.

Around her, Lav could perceive weapons being carefully drawn, but none were yet aimed in her direction. She could feel their apprehension, but also disbelief.

She couldn't blame them. The words she spoke were truth, and yet even Lav herself found it difficult to believe them. The Covenant broken - a founding caste condemned to slaughter. It seemed almost ridiculous. A mad tale, drawn from some nightmare.

And yet, there was no doubt as to the authenticity of her orders.

"...You are… certain that-" The Shipmaster asked, his gaze never leaving hers.

"This order could not have been fabricated, no. It bears the seal and codes of the Prophet of Truth himself." Lav confirmed joylessly.

She wished there had been some obvious flaw in the message - some sign that it was a mistake or a lie. Instead, it had been crammed with evidence of its veracity, designed to leave her with no doubt of her instructions, and dripping with promises of power.

"Well? I doubt your orders told you to announce your impending attempt to murder us, Prelate." The Weapons Master, Ruha 'Gahamee, growled impatiently from beside the Shipmaster. "Get to the point."

Lav almost wanted to laugh at the blatant impropriety. 'Gahamee's ever present and semi-mutinous commentary was almost comforting to hear now. It was almost as if nothing had changed.

But something certainly had changed, Lav realised. It was like a great weight had been lifted from her shoulders - the weight of secrecy and servitude.

Perhaps she was finished - perhaps all she had done was seal her damnation.

But whatever came next, she was free.

Now, in the place of fear came rage, rushing through her with euphoric, delightful intensity.

Had she really been so weak? Allowing herself to be the weapon, the puppet of dishonourable fools for so long?

No longer. Never again.

She was a warrior, elevated through ancient genesongs and arcane rites. She deserved better than a Covenant of fools.

She was more worthy than those who would shame her and she was now more than eager to prove it.

"...I will not allow you to be sacrificed on the altar of Truth's ambition! If that makes me a heretic or a rebel, then so be it!" Lav spoke, and found her voice had become a roar. "I have fought worthier foes than any the Hierarch could send! Let Truth's lackeys come to pile their corpses at my feet!"

Now, more glances were being thrown about - mutterings echoing through the corners of the chamber.

"I come to offer you my blade, comrades! I come to ask… if you would join me in making the bastard pay!" She concluded, heart hammering in her chest, and with that, it was done.

It was all out of her hands now.

An unseen tension seemed to vanish from the Shipmaster's posture as he began to step closer, making a silent gesture as he approached.

At Lav's side, a pair of Sangheili warriors emerged from active camouflage, holstering their blades.

Now, Lav found herself almost ready to laugh, smiling with delight at the sight.

They would have killed her at the first sign of aggression. Her friends were safe!

For the first time in what had felt like an infinitude, Lav felt as light as air.

All would be well. With such companions, a true warrior could never fail!

"You knew?" She asked with a delighted, entirely improper grin, showing no particular concern at the sight of her newfound escorts.

"You are not the only one to hear bitter news from High Charity, my friend." Suda confirmed ruefully. "I had hoped it was false, but prepared for the worst."

Reaching down, the Sangheili delicately grasped Lav's discarded helmet, before offering it back to her.

"Now," Suda proclaimed, his voice raised with the commanding tone of a leader as he looked around him, "War is upon us, and there is much to be done. Together."

Lav nodded, once again donning her helmet, clasping hands with her brother in arms. "Together."

–

"You read the same transmission as I. You know this is at the Hierarchs' command."

"...Have Hierarchs not led us astray before?"

"Kej'a… Some would call that heresy."

"I know this, my darling. These orders may bring glory to a distant Prophet, but they will be our destruction - us and those we care for."

"...I know what I must do, then. The only right thing I can."

"You have never failed as our protector before, Lav. You shall not fail now."

 

[Strongboar]

A Feast for Beasts

Aboard The Hidden Psalm, enroute to the planet of Doisac

​

There was nothing but mere groans of the ship's engine that echoed through the hallways of The Hidden Psalm. An occasional beastly shriek breezed through here and there, followed up with long stretches of deadly silence. Blood of various colours covered many-a-paths of the Ship, corpses piled in certain corners. Heads stuck on improvised pikes wasn't a uncommon sight. There had been a massacre on The Hidden Psalm, a mutiny of a most treacherous kind. The Sangheili had felt the full wrath of it, with the occasional Unggoy and Kig-yar here and there for the sport of it. The Jiralhanae had been thorough with their work, this was planned and organized.

Though there were still two Sangheili left, making their way slowly to the hangar. The one leading the way was clad in blue, signifying his youth and low rank. The following Sangheili limped after, his black harness drenched in purple blood. Normally, one might think they'd stand their ground and die an honourable death. But word of this betrayal had to be sent to the Covenant. A mutiny of Beasts and Heretics could not stand!

The two had survived in the shadows ever since the Chaos of the mutiny broke out, managing to slice and dice their pursuers when the moment allowed for it. The normal Jiralhanae were easy to deal with, especially with the guidance of a hardened Sangheili Spec-Ops showing the paths and tricks to take. The two were a menace together onboard the Hidden Psalm, until Dardanos' "Stalkers" began the pursuit. These Jiralhanae Stalkers knew how the Sangheili Spec-Ops operated, mimicking them to a degree of barbarity. At each opportunity the Duo had to either escape or send out a message of the events onboard, the Stalkers was already there, laying in wait. The 'brutes' could have killed the two on more than one occasion, but relents each time. Howls and something that could be assumed as laughter echoed after each engagement.

But then they saw a clear path to the Hangar, a couple of steps and they could be free of this nightmare. The younger Sangheili strode forth, confident in his steps. The elder Sangheili realized their mistake as the younger made his way into a grounded Phantom. For a moment, the younger Sangheili levitated from the ground. But then Darnadus uncloaked himself, holding the Sangheili aloft with his hand. With a devilish grin, he snaps the neck with ease and drops the corpse on the ground. Turning to the Elder Sangheili down the corridor, whom knew his time had come and drew his energy sword.

"Finish the old one and feast! Leave the scraps for the Unggoy vermin and the Kig-yar scavengers!"

A chorus of howls echoes through the hangar, several Jirahanae decloaking as they eagerly unleash themselves upon the Lone Sangheili. Their sport and hunt was over for this trip, just in time of the Hidden Psalm exits slips space. Darnadus makes his way to the bridge, now welcomed by the sight of a planet. Doisac.

​

 

[Gladsome]

November 4th, 2552 CE (UNSC Military Calendar)

Across the Covenant worlds in the region of space called the Ulannon Migration, a message repeated, broadcast through the myriad proselytisation networks of the Covenant.

To all who viewed the message, the unfamiliar sight of a San'Shyuum warrior, arrayed in gleaming armour, promised grave tidings.

"To all who can hear, our Covenant is broken! The Writ of Union is Unwritten! Not, as the so-called Prophet of Truth would suggest, by the Sangheili, but by the false Hierarch, the master of lies himself!

He would see you all deceived into believing this is a sacred war - blessed by the gods - when in truth, the liar serves only his own ambition. High Charity, home of teeming billions and our most beloved world, burns in the fires of his foolish greed!

To this, I say no more! Warriors of all castes, rally to my cry, that we might take the fight to those who have defiled our Covenant from within! Together in our Fleet of Valorous Defiance, we shall burn the liars away with righteous flame!

To my San'Shyuum brethren and those Jiralhanae who have been promised so much, I call upon you to stand with me - Truth's vanity dishonours all around him, and he will happily discard even his most fervent followers once they have ceased to be useful to him, as he has with the Sangheili.

Come, rally to our side, that we might save what we can of our worlds before the False Hierarch's deceptions lead us all to destruction!"

Echoing across the void, the message repeated. Only time would tell whether its words were heeded.

 

[Gladsome]

Extract from "The Great Schism on the Periphery", by Tilo 'Vadam and Valeria Almeida, published November 3rd, 2589:

The Ket-Pattern Battlecruiser Reverie of Maethrillian, formerly under the authority of the Ministry of Fervent Intercession prior to the Great Schism before joining the Separatist Fleet of Valorous Defiance - a rare example of a vessel in the fleet fully outfitted for long term combat​

Despite its grandiose name, what would become known as the Fleet of Valorous Defiance faced a variety of military limitations, owing to its origins as a hastily assembled cluster of vessels brought together from Ministries that had been deprived of war assets and personnel for decades in favour of the voracious expansion of the Ministries of Resolution and Fervent Intercession.

Whereas 'Rtas Vadum and Thel 'Vadam's Fleet of Retribution, assembled from the Sangheili-controlled survivors of the hundreds of ships that had surrounded High Charity, had their pick of veteran troops and well-supplied warships even after the worst of the immense Battle of Installation 05, Prelate Lav Tamna and Shipmaster Suda 'Tusam inherited vessels that, while not battle damaged, often possessed minimal ground complements and only a fraction of their theoretical capacity for fighter craft and munitions.

Cut off from friendly systems in a region rife with unknown loyalties, the fleet would only be able to operate for a number of months and endure a small number of engagements before it required resupply and reinforcement. Its commanders were therefore forced to choose a decisive engagement - one that would secure a new logistical chain that could bring their ships into a combat ready state - before one was chosen for them. Despite the risks and the size of their fleet, the Separatists in the Fleet of Valorous Defiance were forced to strike boldly into the unknown to survive.

Regarding their infantry forces, what troops they could call upon were, aside from a few exceptions, not veterans of frontline fighting in the Human-Covenant War but rather security contingents armed with second-line equipment, such as the much-maligned Erudo'ma'keth-pattern pulse carbine or the less than beloved Adsk-pattern Light Transport, known for its uncomfortable (and unprotected) seating arrangement.

With a few exceptions, most Sangheili ground troops in the Fleet had not faced an enemy in direct combat in years.​

Many of the Sangheili warriors serving in the Ministry of Sacral Assembly's ships were often present out of obligation to a family history of service in the Ministry, or hoped to use membership in a security detachment as a stepping stone to command of an escort vessel accompanying the Ministry's inspectors or towards joining the ranks of the Artisans at a shipyard. Such a quiet posting meant most had little experience of direct combat beyond the occasional boarding action against pirates or smugglers, a far cry from facing the armies of battle-hardened Jiralhanae assembled by the Loyalists.

Meanwhile, most of the remainder of these combat vessels' infantry forces consisted of Kig-Yar privateer troops, with most of the Unggoy presence in the fleet serving as menial crewmembers over combat personnel.

A considerable percentage of the Kig-Yar Privateers in the Fleet had some experience as pirates themselves, and were eager for a chance to prove their experience after the San'Shyuum Prelate renegotiated their contracts with some generous new stipulations.​

This lack of a strong foundation of combat-ready troops, combined with the Fleet's origin as a cosmopolitan multi-species coalition, encouraged Prelate Tamna and Shipmaster 'Tusam to consider unconventional solutions as they prepared for their first true battle of the Schism…

With soldiers in the Fleet of Valorous Defiance in high demand, many Unggoy infantry saw an opportunity to prove their reliability could equal the Sangheili's.​

 

[Gladsome]

Aboard the Witness of Divine Solemnity, Heduvar System

22nd November, 2552 CE (UNSC Military Calendar)

Lav found herself quietly glad that her helmet ensured she did not have to carefully control her expression - an act some San'Shyuum had turned into an art form, but one she had long found tedious to spend any length of time fixating on.

She supposed that may have been the reason her father (her dead, rotting corpse of a father, lost with everyone else in the burning wreck the accursed Hierarch had made of her birthplace, she recalled with a sudden flash of anger) had been so eager for her to become a Prelate.

Now, the armour that signified her office allowed her to conceal the unfamiliar mix of foul anxieties she was having some difficulty suppressing as the meeting of commanders within the Shipmaster's quarters went on.

The room was not exactly a small chamber. A Heavy Cruiser like Solemnity was vast enough to allow for some comfort for its senior crew, and Lav had thought that Suda 'Tusamee's quarters were more than sufficient to accommodate most private meetings.

Now, however, as over a dozen Shipmasters from the growing but isolated fleet surrounding Solemnity pondered what course to take in now-unknown space, the room was beginning to feel more like a packed cell to Lav with each passing moment.

A holoprojector had been set up on the central table, sending a persistent humm through the Shipmaster's chambers as it illuminated a chart of the nearby charted worlds under Covenant control.

Once, it was simply a mundane tool that promised an uneventful journey. Now, what the chart could reveal - and perhaps, more importantly, what it could not, served as a herald of grim fights to come.

The same went for the thick nanolaminate hull plating that surrounded them at every moment. Once, it had made Solemnity's interior feel like a sanctuary. Lav had felt safe in the knowledge that she and her charge dwelled in a craft that could withstand any opposition on the fringes of the Covenant.

Now, even a Heavy Cruiser's defences seemed insufficient - a reminder of the innumerable threats and uncertainties that surrounded them in every direction.

As crowded as the room seemed, these Shipmasters represented their entire fleet - a small scattering of ships that had rallied towards Solemnity's convoy in the past dozen or so cycles - hardly enough to fight a war with, in the middle of possibly unfriendly space.

Lav fiddled with her gauntlet, gritting her teeth behind her mask. She was getting distracted by these concerns. Everything that had once served as an assurance of safety now seemed like a reminder of their precarious position in the fracturing Covenant.

She could not allow these anxieties to distract her from her duties.

Irritatingly, knowing that did not seem to stop them from haunting her.

It really would have been so much easier if she had someone to kill.

Instead, with no single apparent leader with the seniority to demand obedience, she was forced to listen to Sangheili shipmasters bickering.

"Would it not be wise to simply set a course for a system we know to be safe?" Jora 'Ontomee declared, in that tone Sangheili officers loved to take when they thought they were the wisest one in the room, "The systems around Sanghelios-"

"Sanghelios? That is no short journey. We have no notion of the risks that could assail us along such a path," Weaponsmaster 'Gahamee cut in, gesturing to the holo display and the immense distance it showed between their fleet and Sanghelios, "the Jiralhanae fleets are prepared for war, and undoubtedly on the hunt for isolated groups such as ours."

The Shipmaster of Reverie of Maethrillian looked less than delighted at being interrupted, baring his mandibles at the Major and standing to his full height, made to look taller by the crest of his helmet.

He was a terribly dreary type of commander. Arrayed in the crimson plate of a Zealot from the former Ministry of Fervent Intercession, he was undoubtedly used to the status of his now-defunct Ministry winning arguments for him.

In truth, Lav was thinking about killing him - it would not have been so difficult, but 'Ontomee had a battlecruiser under his command. Whatever his competence, he was useful for that reason, as much as the flapping of his jaws was beginning to grate.

Besides, swaying him to support their strategy would undoubtedly shift the debate in their favour.

That was unfortunately not proving easy.

"We cannot remain idle while our people are massacred!" The Zealot snarled in a display of open contempt aimed towards the weaponmaster.

"I do not believe that is what my second was proposing, Shipmaster 'Ontomee." Suda raised a placating hand, before looking towards Lav, "Both I and Prelate Tamna are of the opinion that mustering our strength in a nearby system will prevent the enemy from being able to easily dispose of us in piecemeal engagements. Our ships are few and lacking in supplies. Do you not agree that improving such circumstances will enable us to better protect our people?"

Silence reigned for a moment in the chamber as the assembled shipmasters awaited 'Ontomee's response. It was clear to Lav that a San'Shyuum's presence had been a discomfort some of the newer faces had been hoping to ignore.

"I… can see how you would come to such a judgement, Shipmaster." 'Ontomee muttered gruffly after a moment, backing down from the argument without actually indicating he had actually been swayed, and the clack of his mandibles and the not-so-subtle glance thrown Lav's way made clear his resentment of her presence.

Pointedly ignoring this, 'Tusamee inclined his head in Lav's direction, allowing her to present the strategy they had both devised.

Suda was giving her a chance to prove her commitment to the arrayed Sangheili in the chamber, and she had no intention of squandering her fragile position - for her sake, and her charge's, and as such had eagerly devoted herself to the planning of the Fleet's next moves.

Gesturing an armoured finger towards the holomap, Lav pointed towards one system in particular, further away from the rest of the Covenant, but nonetheless an important world - Dutiful Valiance, home to a minor, but nonetheless notable complex of ship-grade Assembly Forges, required to grow the warships their small fleet would surely need.

As the cluster of Shipmasters stood waiting, she began to explain.

"Our assessment is that we are best served by remaining within this area and establishing a staging ground from which to strike against the Loyalists… there are several such systems that, if we move quickly, could provide a suitable shelter to rally more allies from the local worlds."

"Hesduros is a Sangheili system. We should consider setting a course there." Another of the Shipmasters, a younger Sangheili named Let 'Konaree, cut in, gesturing sharply towards another world on the map.

His battlecruiser had been previously tasked with acquiring recruitment tithes for the ever-hungry Ministry of Resolution, and still seemed fixated on a desire for martial glory over such dull things as the practicalities of logistics.

Lav was grateful, for the sake of remaining diplomatic, that 'Konaree could not see her glaring at him beneath her visor.

"Hesduros? I have never heard of it." One of the escort Shipmasters asked. Commanding the smaller Frigates and sole Corvette, that group at least seemed mostly inclined to listen to Lav over newcomers like 'Konaree.

".... it is…. an obscure system." Lav phrased her response politely. 'Backwater' was perhaps more accurate, but likely to cause offense. "After determining its reliquaries to be largely inert, the Ministries of the Covenant maintained only a minor presence, and the Sangheili Keeps there have since maintained an insular existence."

"Insular or not, they are Sangheili." 'Konaree shook his head stubbornly, "We require warriors and they shall provide once they learn of our sacred cause."

He was awfully certain of that. Lav had her doubts, given the Keeps of Hesduros had been happy to politely ignore the Covenant beyond the obligatory tithes for centuries. Lav had killed enough of them to know that Sangheili Kaidons were rarely as truly devout as younger warriors sometimes idolised them to be.

"Warriors will not win battles fought across space without ships to convey them." Lav spoke plainly, doing her best to mask her disdain, "The sooner we deny the Loyalists the flow of ships from the local shipyards, the better our advantage in the long term. Do any of us truly expect a war of this unprecedented scale to be short?"

Now at least, some of the assembled shipmasters seemed to be listening.

As much as they would never admit it, she could see it in their eyes - the news from High Charity had shaken them. A civil war of this scale, threatening the very existence of one of the Covenant's oldest members - it was a nightmare, almost too difficult to believe, and some of them were still struggling to adapt to the reality that they now faced an enemy that was truly their equal on the battlefield.

All that had once seemed certain had been cast aside in the chaos, and in pursuit of making the universe feel right and sane again for just one moment, they would eagerly run off to their deaths in glorious, futile exercises of bloody vengeance.

She would give them better than that, if the prideful bastards would just start listening for a moment.

So, for a moment, she decided to make her point clear in the Sangheili fashion.

"I embarked upon this war to win bloody vengeance against the false prophets - not to die pointlessly in the cold, dark fringes, and not to run heedlessly in desperate hope of shelter, like a frightened child." Lav growled, delighting as she saw some of the assembled Sangheili quietly bristle, but stay quiet as she continued to speak.

Some of the others seemed to listen, though, perhaps hearing, for a moment, the words of a warrior over that of a San'Shyuum, which was exactly the idea.

"We shall honour the slain not with a crude strike born of rage and instinct, but with a worthy strategy, using precision and cunning." Lav enunciated, clenching her raised fist, "Victory at the shipyards is sure to grant us a fleet worthy of a great war amongst the stars, the means by which we shall march to greater and greater victories in the battles to come."

Now, Lav paused to take a breath, taking in the reactions of those assembled. Some muttered among themselves, waging arguments of their own. A few even looked convinced, though most were waiting for one Sangheili in particular to respond first.

The Shipmaster of Reverie of Maethrillian took his time however, silently weighing his options as his eyes locked with Lav's visor.

"...the Prelate is… not wrong." 'Ontomee begrudgingly admitted, after a moment. "I am convinced it would be an error to leave such powerful Assembly Forges behind for the Jiralhanae to plunder - and a considerable boon were our fleet to take control of them, and allow us to still secure the other local systems afterwards…"

It was not outright agreement with her strategy or her participation. Most of the newer shipmasters only began to signal their agreement with the strategy now that a fellow Sangheili had voiced it, but for now, at least, it seemed the room had been swayed to work together.

It was enough, for now, Lav supposed.

"We shall, of course, require all available knowledge on the defences at Dutiful Valiance, before we begin our participation in such a strike, in case the Jiralhanae have indeed seized them already." 'Ontomee spoke again, receiving nods and affirmative murmurs from the pack of Shipmasters around him.

And there it was - for one who so rarely spoke clearly, the Zealot was truly quite transparent - positioning himself as the speaker for the newer additions to the Fleet less inclined to follow Suda or her. Thus he remained a rival for authority while still agreeing on the overall strategy.

Lav sighed beneath her mask - she had hoped she'd left this sort of politicking back at High Charity. It was far from her preferred battlefield.

'Suda at least appeared content, raising a placating hand to 'Ontomee as he tapped at a small comm display on his wrist.

"Of course," Solemnity's Shipmaster agreed in an amiable tone, "Which is why I have invited the one with the greatest understanding of such matters in our flotilla to share the details here."

With a chime, the doors to the Shipmaster's chambers opened, and all present turned to spot the newcomer, flanked by the warriors standing sentry at the door and a green-armoured Sangheili stood close beside her.

Lav had been expecting her arrival, yet, like the rest of the room, she could not help but take in the sight of her.

Sitting atop a distinctly practical hover-throne, stripped of even the limited ostentatious decorations expected of her former station as a junior staffer of the Ministry of Sacral Assembly, came Kej'a.

The San'Shyuum woman was small compared to the Sangheili surrounding her, though her slender neck was not yet bowed fully by the decline that almost all San'Shyuum inevitably experienced as their frail bodies weakened. Her gray eyes calmly took in the assembled group as she entered the chamber, showing no sign of concern or fear despite the contemptuous glares sent her way.

She always had been better at hiding herself than Lav.

Kej'a was Lav's ward; The reason she had been stationed as a protector aboard the Solemnity.

And since then…

So much more. Things that could not be said aloud in a place like this, even now.

The younger San'Shyuum woman bowed respectfully as her chair conveyed her forwards. Lav knew Kej'a preferred to walk whenever she could, but extended meetings standing would strain her weak constitution, and the Prelate would not risk her love collapsing from exhaustion.

Even without adornment and wearing plain robes, the San'Shyuum woman was beautiful, perhaps even more so because of it. She seemed more… herself, no longer hidden behind the prestige of her former role.

It was an effort for Lav not to focus solely on her whenever she entered a room. She was… resplendent, at all times, somehow.

"I am honoured to be of service, Shipmaster." Kej'a spoke in refined Sangheili, her accent a delicate reflection of lost High Charity's elite circles. "My time in the Ministry of Sacral Assembly as an inspector gave me much time to familiarise myself with the security arrangements concerning many of the periphery Assembly Forges. I am happy to share all that I know."

Of course, all of this had already been discussed in private, but it was a useful display of loyalty to make in public.

"A useful asset." 'Ontomee nodded, turning back to speak to Suda, "You were wise not to dispose of the San'Shyuum here after all, it seems. Assuming her word can be trusted."

Lav's heart quickened. She was rapidly growing very tired of the Zealot's tone, and the way he looked at Kej'a made her want to-

"If not, there are ships in this fleet with trained mind melters." Ruha 'Gahamee, who Lav had once almost considered a friend, proposed torture as casually as if he were discussing the weather.

Lav had her opinions about the limited effectiveness of so-called mind melters. Torture was little more than a means of entertainment for bloody minded killers, not a genuinely useful strategy for acquiring information.

But Lav was not interested in philosophical debate when her head snapped towards the Weaponsmaster, hand ready to reach for the energy blade at her side.

'Gahamee showed little sign of understanding how close he was to violent death, and instead kept speaking. "We can always use such means to verify the information that w-"

"You shall not harm her!" Another familiar voice interrupted 'Gahamee before Lav could act, the green armoured Sangheili at Kej'a's side stepping closer, blade in hand, ready to be activated, her voice full of fury at the Weaponsmaster, "She is under your Shipmaster's protection!"

Khaya 'Daram. A former stowaway, a female Sangheili who longed for a warrior's vocation and who Lav had taken on as a student after catching her aboard the Solemnity many cycles ago.

She had been… an indulgence during a quiet journey. Then she had become a friend in the years that followed. Now, she was the kind of true ally she and Kej'a needed in uncertain times like this.

"Khaya - still clinging to the San'Shyuum, as if they can make you a true warrior?" Somehow, the Weaponsmaster managed to sneer behind a full-face helmet, "The Prelate has proven her good word - the other one has not. Are you willing to die for this little scribe?"

He didn't know it, clearly, but he was dead.

Even if Lav didn't kill him here and now…

Ruha 'Gahamee was dead for this.

"Another word and I swear I shall part your tongue from your throat." Khaya vowed, her words sharp as steel. Lav's pupil had remembered her training - she looked ready to leap from her ready stance into a full lunge with her blade at a moment's notice as she glared across the room.

Kej'a looked frozen - her calm demeanour fading as she watched the unexpected confrontation - one she could not stop - fearfully. The door shut behind her and locked, there was little an unarmed San'Shyuum could do in close quarters like this.

Shipmaster 'Ontomee actually seemed entertained by the sudden spectacle, saying nothing as he watched from the sidelines of the confrontation. Some of the other Shipmasters looked ready to draw weapons themselves, alarmed by the sudden threat of a duel in their presence.

And Lav…

She didn't know what to do.

There was uncertainty all around, and she didn't know the words that would bring any of this to an end.

Her heart hammered beneath her chest plate - Lav realised a moment later she had instinctively activated the injectors for the biochemical elixirs needed to bring her body to its full enhanced combat potential.

She could certainly kill the Weaponsmaster if Khaya could not - but she knew that would only lead to escalation.

She just… didn't know what else to do.

"ENOUGH!" An unfamiliar voice bellowed with incredible force, and all in the room seemed to shake at the sudden cry.

It took Lav a moment to realise the sound had come from Suda, who had finally broken from his usual calm demeanour in favour of open fury, mandibles bared in an uncharacteristic snarl.

"Careful, young warrior. You are here to provide security and to listen - not to threaten to cross blades with my second. His life is not yours to take, nor his to throw away." Suda snarled as he jabbed a finger towards Khaya.

His voice a low growl as he stood, Suda 'Tusamee seemed to have somehow doubled in size, the way he suddenly occupied all attention in the chamber. It was clear that no fight was going to happen.

For all her years of quiet observations, Lav had finally been completely surprised.

She loved Suda as a brother, but she hadn't thought he'd had that kind of presence in him.

"And Major - save your aggression for those that are attempting to extinguish our species. You shall not threaten those who have sworn themselves honourably to our cause." 'Tusamee's golden-armoured form loomed over his Weaponsmaster, and even proud 'Gahamee could not refrain from shrinking a little. "Are my words understood?"

"...Yes, Shipmaster." Ruha complied first, bowing his head in submission, perhaps now finally realising how far he had overreached, not as deep in his Shipmaster's counsel as he had clearly thought.

Lav sent Khaya a subtle signal with her free hand, indicating she should stand down. 'Gahamee was mutinous to a fault, but even he would not disobey a direct command from his Shipmaster.

Relaxing her stance and returning Lav's gesture, Khaya returned her unlit blade to its mag-holster, offering the Shipmaster a respectful bow. "By your word, Shipmaster."

Lav let out a breath she didn't know she'd been holding in, and quietly holstered the blade she'd only half-realised she'd been clutching.

She didn't feel safe, though. Not yet.

And the meeting was still far from over.

"Now…" Suda sighed, as the room seemed to return to calm, offering Kej'a a reassuring glance, "The shipyards at Dutiful Valiance - what can you tell us, my friend?"

The meeting went on for many more units, as Kej'a's mask of composure returned and she calmly relayed the details.

Lav hardly heard a word though, as the quiet protector eyed each attendee carefully, ready to kill any at a moment's notice.

This group still had far to go before they could all be considered allies. If they ever could.

–

"Well, I think that went well - don't you?" Kej'a said almost cheerily, as the door to her personal chambers finally locked shut behind them.

Lav almost wanted to laugh. She had escorted Kej'a back from the meeting in silence, waiting for the chance to speak in private, but that remark left her stunned for a moment, unable to summon words.

"We all almost died." She eventually muttered tiredly.

"But we did not, and the fleet is united in what action to take. The Weaponsmaster was put in his place. Is that not all good news?" Kej'a hovered beside her, reaching over and giving Lav's armoured hands a reassuring, gentle squeeze, "What's wrong?"

She really was infuriatingly optimistic. Sometimes it was endearing.

Today, it was maddening.

All Lav could see in that meeting were her concerns multiplying around her. Kej'a somehow seemed emboldened by it all. She did not understand it.

"The Weaponsmaster… he is not the only one who resents your presence. I could practically smell it. Too many here still wish you dead, as vengeance for their kin." Lav murmured, before looking Kej'a sternly in the eyes. "If they try, I will kill them, and hang their corpses as an example to the rest."

Kej'a gave her one of those sad, quiet looks, her voice a gentle hum as she stroked Lav's palms. "You always talk so vividly about killing when you are most afraid."

"...how can I not be?" Lav shook her head in disbelief, looking down at her hands. When had she started to shake?

It was clearly the combat stimulants wearing off. Clearly.

"Suda will stand by us, and soon enough we shall have proven ourselves to any doubters. It will be fine, my darling." Lav blinked, and realised Kej'a had begun speaking again, still gently holding her shuddering hands. "I am not much of a warrior, but I have trust in some very talented ones. I know you will bring us to safety."

Her trust was not deserved, Lav desperately wished to say, but the words caught in her throat. Kej'a deserved a better protector.

"I… I wish I had your courage, you know." Lav almost whispered, in the end.

Kej'a reached up and stroked Lav's faceplate, smiling sadly as the Prelate leaned into her comforting touch "You really do have plenty of your own. Even if you do not always feel it."

"...Now come, my love." She led Lav along by the hand, directing her chair towards her bedchambers, "Your ward wishes to be taken to bed."

Now, at last, Lav felt her anxieties leave her for a time.

 

[Azecreth]

The Shipmaster's Offensive

As the first shots of the Great Schism echoed across the galaxy, many saw in this an opportunity to right old wrongs and to put those they deemed upstarts in their place. It was a sentiment that was understandable, but it would also serve to stoke the fires of conflict tearing at the threads of the millennia old Covenant. Vendettas and grudges unleashed at the word of the Prophet of Truth to serve his larger goal, now spiraling beyond the ability of anyone to stop. All of the enmity between the Jiralhanae and the Sangheili was now being paid back in full with spilled blood.

One of these beings looking to settle his grudges was Shipmaster Finsa Ipsussee. Still smarting from the treachery of the Jiralhanae and the shame of fleeing from battle at the beginning of the Great Schism, his heart burned with the desire for vengeance and perhaps a bit of justice in the process. He was not content to sit in orbit around Belewasi, waiting for his foes to come to him. No, he would take the fight to the Jiralhanae personally.

He rallied the ships in his fleet, his fervor and righteous anger spurring on his fellow Shipmasters to his goal. As one they departed the Resamaas System and plunged into Loyalist controlled space. It quickly became apparent that his target was not the nearby shipyard of Jaarentu, or the further shipyard of Hirazule in the opposite direction. Initially it was unclear what he intended to do as he headed in a northwestern direction, an unexpected direction for an offensive from his starting position.

This first move was shadowed by the Fleet of Rigorous Prayer as they detected his movement, but when it became clear that Jaarentu was not his target the commander made the decision to not impede his movement as he passed by. They seemed more focused on defending their particular area of responsibility than zealously attacking Separatist forces.

Making his way along the Spinward Median, message of Finsa's travel preceded his passage. He did not linger for long as he went, bypassing systems with a determined zeal to reach his target as he kept his fleet moving. While this did potentially leave him exposed, he was confident that his foes would not get the opportunity to take advantage of it.

This was an assumption that was soon put to the test.

The arrival of enemy vessels would be detected by the Zanar-Pattern Frigates Finsa had scouting his path ahead. Once they had confirmed that it was not merely a small patrol they reported back to the Shipmaster about what they had seen. The Second Fleet of Unwavering Fervor had received the news of Finsa's movement, and unlike the commander at Jaarentu they did not intend to allow the Sangheili to move unopposed.

Hearing this, Finsa was not overly worried. In fact he relished the chance for battle and vengeance. Some of the other Shipmasters attempted to advise caution, but were overruled after spirited debate. Nothing would stop their journey.

The results were, perhaps, predictable. Passing through the Cheluru System, their passage would be interrupted by the opening of slipspace ruptures near their position. Through it emerged the Second Fleet, their vessels ready for combat as they faced off against the intruders. While the Second Fleet had a slight advantage in numbers, this was offset by Finsa's greater variety in ships and more modern vessels (The Fleet of Unflinching Resolve being based around Ket-Patterns against Second Fleet's Maugen-Pattern vessels).

Nonetheless both sides drove forward, eager to meet in battle with each other. In proximity to a planet covered in ice they clashed in orbit. While Finsa's Nuvaar-Pattern was a sight for many to behold, Second Fleet still had a spine to it in a Kerel-Pattern of its own. Banshees, Seraphs, and attack craft crossed the void, swirling melees that gave little visual indication as to who was winning as they tore into each other. Meanwhile groups of vessels fired plasma broadsides, hammering at each other's shields as they maneuvered and sought to gain an advantage over the other.

Very quickly Finsa's superiority in vessel variety became apparent. The Vindraons carried their weight, and the Cherans allowed for better coordination of his air wings compared to the opposing fleet. No doubt he felt quite a bit of satisfaction watching a pair of Maugen-Pattern Armoured Cruisers ignite and split apart in devastating explosions. Of course he took losses as well, but overall the fight was in his favor

Second Fleet of Unwavering Fervor: [-2 Maugen-Pattern Armoured Cruisers]
Fleet of Unflinching Resolve [-1 Ket-Pattern Battlecruiser]

As the odds slowly turned, Traianus seemed to decide that it was wiser to live and fight another day rather than go down in a blaze of glory. So his ships turned to retreat, doing so in relatively good order under his domineering hand. Sensing blood in the water Finsa went for the kill, pushing his ships forward with all of the ferocity that he could manage.

Yet he was denied his prize in the end. The enemy commander put up a firm rearguard, and although more vessels would be lost their sacrifice and dogged defense bought enough time for the majority of his fleet to disengage from the battle. Most of that rearguard escaped, but a few vessels were caught before they could flee.

Second Fleet of Unwavering Fervor: [-1 Maugen-Pattern Armoured Cruisers, -2 Sinaris-Pattern Heavy Destroyers]

In turn they would leave some lingering marks on Finsa's fleets as they lashed out with every weapon at their disposal to fend off a superior force. If this was to be their end then they would make the Sangheili pay, and in this their effort was not entirely in vain. No doubt a Shipmaster could only salute fallen warriors as more vessels were lost to the heat of combat.

Fleet of Unflinching Resolve: [-1 Ket-Pattern Battlecruiser, -1 Varric-Pattern Heavy Cruiser]

The fighting came to an end with Finsa as the master of the field. The tempo of the advance then paused as ships patched up damage and cared for their wounded. After some debate it was decided to remain here and plan out their next moves rather than immediately resume the advance. Without knowing if there were any other fleets in the area to hinder their progress, the other Shipmasters were wary of walking into a trap that would see them defeated in detail.

The same was true of the Second Fleet with its retreat to the nearby Ealen System, as Traianus looked to rebuild his forces and called to other Loyalist commanders for support against this threat. He was not the sort to take a defeat lying down, and his tenacity would make him a difficult foe for the Fleet of Unflinching Resolve to face in the coming months.

That left Finsa in a delicate situation. He still had the ships to carry on his advance, but now he was deep in enemy territory and far from any allies to support him. Could he turn this risk into reward and accomplish the goal he had set for himself?

Back at the pocket that had been left behind with this attack, there were no other dramatic fleet movements. Skirmishing continued along the border of Separatist and Loyalist space with some minor losses of isolated Storm Cutters between the Separatist Third Fleet of Glorious Consequence and the Loyalist Fleet of Profound Solitude, but there was no real movement along the border itself. A relief to some, but frustrating to others.

Separatists: [-2 Mutan Et-Pattern Storm Cutters]
Loyalists: [-3 Mutan Et-Pattern Storm Cutters]

In truth, it was as if this area of space was waiting for something. And as news of events transpiring in Human Space filtered to this portion of the Covenant, all knew that the wait would not be a long one….

 

[Azecreth]

The Queen's Raid

The Lights of Sanghelios comprised the homeworld of the Sangheili, who had become so very prominent in the Covenant, as well as colonies dating back to before the foundation of the Covenant itself. Though initially subject to some violence during the early days of the Great Schism, the sheer weight of population meant that they had been able to repel any Jiralhanae foolish enough to try their luck in the region. The Prophet of Truth was aware of this, naturally, but figured this was a matter that would ultimately be settled through the power of the Sacred Rings if the Jiralhanae could not succeed.

Yet the Sangheili were not content to simply hope that that might be the case. With Imperial Admiral Luza 'Kocam serving as the heart of a massive defense force in the region, the keeps prepared for the war to come. An existential struggle was at hand, never seen since the war between the Sangheili and San'Shyuum that led to the founding of the Covenant. In the face of this old grievances were temporarily buried for the sake of survival against what was to come.

Amidst these efforts Imperial Admiral Luza 'Kocam went among the various keeps of the Lights of Sanghelios and the Sunlit Worlds, speaking with their kaidons and seeking to rally them to his cause. This was fairly easily done, as the majority were already aligned with the Separatist cause. Some who had opted for guarded isolation were swayed to fight, but a recalcitrant few refused to have anything to do with the conflict beyond defending their own land and their people.

As he went about his diplomatic work, the shipyards of Sanghelios and Maluhira sprang to life as new vessels were constructed for the war that was to come. Those ships would be sorely needed in the years to come.

While the Sangheili prepared for war, others had their own plans. The Lesser Queen Yan'oun was determined to strike at the dissidents from the 'Covenant Hive' in the Sanghelios cluster, and to claim more territory for the Yan'me to use in the process. But she also had a cunning mind, and knew that the Sangheili would not be easy prey. She would not seek to triumph on overwhelming force, but rather through more indirect strategies.

Marshaling her fleet, she set forth into Separatist space to carry out her mission from Qhiiros. Though on the smaller side, her fleet focused on swift attacks to pick off isolated groups so as to avoid any drawn out fights that could whittle down their numbers. This tactic saw a decent amount of success as their mobility allowed them to avoid heavy fleet concentrations and strike at less defended worlds in their path.

Efforts were also made to capture vessels where possible, with some remaining with Yan'oun's fleet and others being sent back for repairs. That said, Yan'oun remained focused more on victory than on acquiring enemy vessels in the short term. Speed was of the essence after all, and time spent capturing vessels was time that they were not moving.

Fleet of Concordant Purpose: [-3 Crusader-Pattern Brigantines, -1 Zanar-Pattern Frigate]
Fleet of Pious Reverence: [-3 Maugen-Pattern Armoured Cruisers, -2 Crusader-Pattern Brigantines]
Yan'oun's Fleet: [-1 Ket-Pattern Battlecruiser, +3 Maugen-pattern Armoured Cruisers, +1 Zanar-Pattern Frigate]
Separatists: [-5 Mutan Et-Pattern Storm Cutters]
Loyalists: [+2 Mutan-Et Storm Cutters]

Yet as news of Yan'oun's offensive spread, the enemy presence rose greatly with the deployment of reinforcements to the region. With Imperial Admiral Luza coordinating the efforts of the defenders, the number of soft targets that Yan'oun could reach dropped dramatically. Not that it was ever going to be easy to reach Sanghelios, but this confirmed without a doubt that this area of space was too well defended to make more progress with the resources she currently had.

Recognizing that the odds were swinging against her, Yan'oun decided to get out while she was still ahead. Pulling back from the incoming enemy forces, she then proceeded to swing around and make her way to the Loyalist shipyard at Te to recover and refuel. There was little doubt that the Separatists had not seen the last of her.

In spite of this there was no reaction from Luza and his fleet, or the other forces that Yan'oun had encountered during her foray into Separatist space. It seemed that they were primarily focused on defense at the moment. There would only be limited forays by the Fleet of Certain Glory, securing the Wujano, Zhilari, and Istigoma systems to the north of Separatist space, eliminating the ability of Loyalist forces to move uncontested along that route. The Rauduma system was also secured by the Fleet of Beautiful Solitude. None of these actions resulted in losses among the attackers.

Arriving at Te, Queen Yan'oun would find that many things were in motion there. The shipyards were working hard to build new vessels for the war that had been launched against the Sangheili. The Jiralhanae were already demanding more ships for the war effort. Even with the Great Journey at hand, that did not stop the Jiralhanae from furthering their militarist ways.

Coordinating all of this was the Lekgolo Lihura. Initially serving in the honor guard of a Snagheili Field Marshal, they found themselves thrust into command after the death of their superior at the onset of the Great Schism. Securing control of the fleet they had served with for many years, they turned their eye towards crushing those in revolt further afield, and securing the answers that they knew would be coming.

In their first step, they declared themselves Marshal-Governor of the Karal Abundance area. In practice this really meant the Karal Congruity administrative region, which had predated the current turmoil of the Schism. There was some grumbling from the upper classes, but with the uncertainty from the loss of High Charity, the disruption to the Council, and the general intimidation of a potentially angry Lekgolo, no one was foolish enough to challenge the decision at the moment.

After making sure that Te was in order and beginning efforts to recruit others of their kind into the military, Lihura would gather the ships under their command and depart southwards to deal with a threat that they felt was even more pressing than the homeworld of the Sangheili. That left Yan'oun free to continue her own recovery, and to prepare for the next steps in her grand plan.

---

First Shots of the Unggoy Uprising

In the Chagau System, something was stirring. The cause was unclear, but what was known was that the Unggoy had risen up and seized control of a fleet in orbit around the shipyard of Vir. However this was different from the usual Unggoy rebellions that resulted from grievances around food or fighting with the Kig-Yar. There was a strange religious fever to it, one that was not in line with the traditional religious beliefs of the Covenant.

Organizing the Unggoy aboard the fleet, their newly ordained leader Yap-Yap rallied them to their blessed mission. Their first target was the planet below and the shipyards. With some warning the commanders there were able to prepare for the attack, but they could only hope that those preparations would be enough to deter the Unggoy if they chose to attack.

It was not to be as the fleet lurched into motion on a course for the shipyard. Closing in on their target, emplaced defenses sprang to life as they put up what resistance they could. The commander knew he could not win against such a sizable fleet, but with knowledge of what was coming he knew he needed to stall his attackers for long as possible. Projectors struck hard at the incoming vessels, but were knocked out in quick succession by the overwhelming firepower against them.

As the defenses fell silent boarding craft raced across the void to disgorge their deadly cargo inside of the station. Fighting was bloody as it raged through the halls, with the rebels not taking prisoners and the Jiralhanae commander was not inclined to surrender to Unggoy in any case. This made the fighting even more heated as Yap-Yap's Unggoy braved every obstacle in their path with a reckless zeal and the defenders fought tooth and nail against them.

Isolated as they were, despite the defenders best efforts the results were predictable in their outcome. The shipyard commander died fighting, just as a Jiralhanae would have wanted, leaving Yap-Yap the master of the day. Unfortunately all of the ships being produced were lost in the battle through a combination of collateral damage and deliberate sabotage.

With victory achieved in orbit, troops deployed for more bloody fighting on the planet below. But Yap-Yap was not content to waste time on pacifying one planet. Using his fleet he sent out envoys, instigating further Unggoy uprisings in the Refuge of Ak'lyrr region as well as in the Khirisoni Watch beyond. This grew more difficult as news of the uprising spread and local authorities had time to prepare, but they remained confident in the inevitability of their victory.

It was shortly thereafter that they would face their first great test.

Field Marshal Lihura had heard the news of the Unggoy uprising and had immediately moved with their fleet southwards to confront it. There was no doubt in their mind that this was the greatest threat at the moment. The Sangheili were fighting for survival after being forced into war and there remained the possibility of a peaceful resolution. The Unggoy heresy struck at the very heart of the Covenant, a cancer that needed to be excised before it could spread.

Their passage would not go undetected. Unggoy crewed Storm Cutters had been set up to serve as scouts, watching for those who would seek to do them harm. In this they served their purpose well, and word quickly returned to Yap-Yap of an approaching Loyalist fleet that outweighed their own in terms of sheer numbers. This was a threat to their budding utopia that could not be ignored.

As Lihura moved with a purpose towards the Refuge, Yap Yap's forces went to work to protect what they had taken thus far. Raids were launched, attempting quick strikes to pick off isolated ships from their fleet and to slow their advance. Even with fanatical zeal pushing him forward Yap-Yap could recognize that a head on collision would end poorly if things were not done to even the balance of forces first.

That was where the first problems emerged. They were fairly reasonable problems to expect, but Yap-Yap had not had time to address them beforehand. These were the simple problems of knowledge and experience. The Unggoy were unfamiliar with the equipment of many of the ships they had seized, hindering their operations and preventing them from being as effective as they could be compared to the vessels in Lihura's fleet.

This also extended to a lack of familiarity with coordinating their ships in offensive action. Many an ambush would fall apart due to a lack of ability to coordinate well between Yap-Yap's vessels. Combined with their general lack of skill in using their vessels, this allowed Lihura to prevent many losses that would have otherwise occurred.

Lihura's Fleet: -3 Maugen-Pattern Armoured Cruisers]
The Arcs of the Faithful: [-1 Maugen-Pattern Armoured Cruiser, -1 Ceudar-Pattern Heavy Corvette]

But although they made their way towards Vir, this was not Lihura's focus. No, they aspired to nothing less than the death of the rebel leader himself. To cut the head off the snake before this poison could spread any further. That gave the rebels on Vir a bit of breathing room as the Loyalist forces focused on locating Yap-Yap's fleet first. It was a sacrifice that Lihura was willing to make for their larger goal.

In this effort they succeeded. Disabling an attacking Maugen-Pattern Armoured Cruiser, they were able to obtain the ship's navigational data and make a guess as to where Yap-Yap's fleet, The Arcs of the Faithful, was. Lihura did not waste any time, reconcentrating their resources and striking with all speed.

They came upon the majority of Yap-Yap's fleet, around twenty ships in total, in an unnamed system where he had been lurking in an attempt to avoid easy detection. Upon exiting slipspace they moved to attack without giving the enemy time to prepare with their larger fleet of around thirty ships. Long range fire tore into vessels as the Unggoy scrambled to respond, covering the advance of the main part of Lihura's fleet from where it had emerged. This main force struck hard, driving towards the center of the enemy fleet where the Kerel-Pattern Assault Carrier hung waiting.

Once again the lack of experience commanding worked against Yap-Yap, preventing his defensive efforts from being as effective as they could be against this sudden attack. Lihura's fleet seemed to embody their Lekgolo nature, though perhaps driven by fear of what their commander would do to them if they were found lacking in their aggression. This extended to the fighter craft as well, with the Unggoy piloting strike craft forced to dogfight harder than they had ever before to survive.

As cohesion unraveled, some of the Unggoy commanded vessels at the edge of the battle broke away in an effort to live to fight another day. With their departure this left that central core of Unggoy vessels around the Kerel-Pattern increasingly isolated as the enemy closed in. The barrage of weapons fire upon their shields intensified as Lihura sought to force an opening.

The Arcs of the Faithful: [-3 Ket-Pattern Battlecruisers, -3 Maugen-Pattern Armoured Cruisers, -1 Ceudar-Pattern Heavy Corvette, -2 Zanar-Pattern Frigates]

That was not to say that there were no losses on their own side. Though they might be less skilled and experienced, that did not make the Unggoy's weapons any less deadly than their Loyalist counterparts. Shields flared and failed, plasma bolts ripping through unprotected metal hull to gouge at the superstructure beneath in fatal wounds. To say nothing of the Unggoy penchant for suicide attacks, a Seraph crashing into another vessel and causing a ripple of explosions across the outer hull that tore the ship apart from the inside.

Lihura's Fleet: [-2 Ket-Pattern Battlecruisers, -3 Maugen-Pattern Armoured Cruisers]

But the truth of the matter was that Lihura could afford those losses more than Yap-Yap could. It soon became apparent that the Marshal's objective was to isolate the Kerel-Pattern from its escorts, possibly so that boarding action could be undertaken. It was understandable that they would want to try and take it intact given the value of a Kerel-Pattern, but that did not mean it was an easy task. The fighting remained vicious as the Unggoy laid down their lives to defend their leader and made the Loyalists pay for every small victory.

As explosions echoed in the void, the crown spoke to Yap-Yap. Its words filled his mind, guiding him along the path that would lead to the new future for the Unggoy. The path was provided and he directed his followers accordingly.

Yap Yap's Wrath turned, the fleet moving with it as it's engines accelerated. Despite Lihura's best efforts, they were not able to prevent those vessels capable of doing so from jumping to slip space. Those ships who were not able to flee with them moved to protect their brethren, firing their weapons to their maximum output to cover their escape. They fell, but it was yet more time wasted for the Loyalists..

The Arcs of the Faithful: [-1 Cheran-Pattern Carrier, -4 Ket-Pattern Battlecruisers, -1 Zanar-Pattern Frigate]
Lihura's Fleet: [-2 Maugen-Pattern Armoured Cruisers]

Though as sensor readings came back, Lihura realized that it might not matter after all. Their projections indicated that Yap-Yap was headed into a bright nebula, where sensors were all but useless and any slipspace jump was a gamble between safe emergence or crashing into a planetary body. They were denied their satisfaction, but rested comfortable in the knowledge that the Unggoy had signed his own shameful death warrant in running into such treacherous space rather than dying by their hand.

Recovering what they could from the battlefield, their fleet set out to reclaim Vir and suppress the other worlds affected by Unggoy rebellions. There were ample targets for any remaining frustration the Marshal was feeling from not capturing Yap-Yap. The year would end up with the Unggoy forces increasingly isolated and the situation at Vir a reverse of what it had been when the month began.

Yet for all that they were riding high on success, events from further West would soon conspire to upset the stability of what Lihura was working so hard to restore.

Spoiler: Total losses

Fleet of Concordant Purpose: [-3 Crusader-Pattern Brigantines, -1 Zanar-Pattern Frigate]
Fleet of Pious Reverence: [-5 Maugen-Pattern Armoured Cruisers, -2 Crusader-Pattern Brigantines]
Yan'oun's Fleet: [-1 Ket-Pattern Battlecruiser, +3 Maugen-pattern Armoured Cruisers, +1 Zanar-Pattern Frigate]
Arcs of the Faithful:-1 Cheran-Pattern Carrier, -7 Ket-Pattern Battlecruisers, -4 Maugen-Pattern Armoured Cruisers, -3 Zanar-Pattern Frigates, -2 Ceudar-Pattern Heavy Cruisers]
Lihura's Fleet: [-2 Ket-Pattern Battlecruisers, -8 Maugen-Pattern Armoured Cruisers,]
Separatists: [-5 Mutan Et-Pattern Storm Cutters]
Loyalists: [+2 Mutan-Et Storm Cutters])

 

[Azecreth]

The Shipmaster, the Prelate, and the San'Shyuum

It was no stretch of the imagination to claim that the outbreak of the Great Schism had resulted in all sorts of unique and unexpected situations. Things that had been unthinkable mere months ago were now becoming commonplace, though perhaps still not 'normal' )for whatever that word might mean in these times). It was something that all in the Covenant found themselves faced with.

One area finding itself with an unusual situation was the Fleet of Valorous Defiance. In contrast to the vast majority of Separatist fleets, they found themselves with an unorthodox command structure. This was due to the presence of the San'Shyuum Kej'a (and her escorts) within the fleet. Emotions were not particularly pleasant between the San'Shyuum and the Sangheili after what had happened, so to find the former with any authority there was odd. It helped that the pre-eminent Shipmaster within the Fleet, Suda 'Tusam, was familiar with them and supported them, but that did not mean that it was all water under the bridge either.

The initial days of December were spent in argument, as strong personalities clashed and plans for what the fleet would do were drawn up. Eventually the combined force of Shipmaster Suda and Prelate Lav were successful in instilling some sort of order within the fleet, and they set off for their destination. They would not be sitting out the war.

They arrived at their target without issue. Making their way to the Dwatsi System, the fleet approached the shipyards of Dutiful Valiance. Dutiful Valiance is the only habitable planet in the system, which also sports two separate asteroid belts and several other uninhabited planets. Colonized many centuries ago, Dutiful Valiance had been ceded to a kaidon for their noble service in the early expansion of the Covenant. Their arrival incited a panic within Dutiful Valiance, as it lacked a major defense fleet to keep it safe.

While there initially was defiance to the fleet's efforts to assume control, this did not last. As the fleet advanced they did not receive the expected fire from defensive emplacements, for those were suddenly brought offline. Based on the comms chatter it seemed as though this was not a planned maneuver, and moments later they spotted fighting going on within the shipyards themselves.

Elements of the fleet surged forward into the station to take advantage of this opportunity that had presented itself. It was soon under their control as they joined with the mutineers to remove the last of the defenders. After the fact the commanders would learn that one of the engineering supervisors had revolted in support of their cause rather than dying for no purpose, which is what led to their break of fortune.

Having secured the shipyards, they set to work. Suda, Kej'a, and Lav all would make various appeals over comms channels to convince people to join them in their fight against the Prophet of Truth and those who had chosen to side with him. This got some reception, but given their relatively isolated position the practical results were not all that visible.

In addition efforts were made to recruit the nearby planets in the Roqous March, High Ulannon, and the Yainida Dispersion. Most of them were swayed to join, though the effort to recruit Hesudros met with failure as they preferred to remain away from the infighting that had been caused by the Schism. In light of this failure Suda's people would make some effort to recruit among the local population, but although they did snap up a group of young Sangheili wishing to earn honor for themselves they did not have much success otherwise.

Another recruitment effort was made to bring on board pirates, mercenaries, and other individuals who operated outside of the Covenant military. Some of the other Shipmasters grumbled about the lack of honor in this sort of activity, but so long as it was out of sight they were willing to go along with it. While most of the fleet remained at Dutiful Valiance, a handful of Ket-Pattern Battlecruisers remained at Emerald Rampart to meet with the arriving forces that they had mustered to their cause.

It was here that plans would start to go awry. It all started well enough, with some Ket-Pattern Battlecruisers, some Zanar-Pattern Frigates, even a Sinaris-Pattern Heavy Destroyer. This went fine, with most of the band of misfits interested in pay, plunder, and what would be expected of them. There were some lingering grievances from previous grudges between the unconventional forces, but the Shipmasters were able to keep those under wraps for the moment.

Then the enemy fleet arrived in the system.

Fleetmaster Iovita of the Fleet of Luminous Balance had heard the exhortations of Suda and Kej'a, and sent vessels to go scout the area and determine if there was any truth to what was being said. Given the potential involvement of a San'Shyuum, it would determine if further action needed to be taken. They made their way to Emerald Rampart with due speed, headed directly there rather than making any detours.

Needless to say it came as a shocked for the collected forces to see 10 Ket-Pattern Battlecruisers emerge from slipspace. This sent the collected forces into a flurry of activity as many of those Suda had been hoping to recruit ran for it rather than stay and fight. With their force falling apart, Suda's own forces in the area chose to withdraw rather than face this battle. One of their Ket-Patterns suffered some damage, but there were no losses.

Securing control of Emerald Rampart and the space around it, the Loyalist force paused to pass the information back to Fleetmaster Iovita as they paused. For now he chose to wait and see how events further east proceeded, but the looming threat of his presence remained in the region. What the Separatists observed had not been all of his ships, and he could bring them to bear against the Fleet of Valorous Defiance if he so chose.

As for that Fleet, their ships regrouped without issue at Dutiful Valiance. They were joined by a handful of renegades, but many of the rogues they had sought to recruit did not return. Most of the rest preferred to wait and see how things developed, rather than act hastily and end up a loser.

Fleet of Valorous Defiance: [+1 Sinaris-Pattern Heavy Destroyer, +2 Ket-Pattern Battlecruisers, +1 Zanar-Pattern Frigate]

For now it was time for Suda, Kej'a, and Lav to prepare. There was a good chance that their immediate future would be very busy, especially as word of events further west reached their region of space.

 

[Azecreth]

The World Turned Upside Down – December 2552
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View: https://youtu.be/P2NVJSJVGVQ​

The western side of the Spinward Quartal would see a lot of activity as the year 2552 came to an end. The necessities of the war against Humanity and the presence of the Jiralhanae homeworld of Doisac had resulted in a significant amount of the military might in the Quartal being concentrated here. This made the impact of the Great Schism all the more tumultuous as fleets found themselves cut off from friendly support and surrounded on all sides. Which in turn made conflict inevitable, and indeed what happened near the Lights of Sanghelios would pale in comparison to the fighting here.

As a result, action occurred across the regions near Human Space. To the north, the activity was focused around the Separatist pocket in the Kalosi Reach, as well as the nearby Jiralhanae homeworld of Doisac. Given the importance of the latter, it was almost inevitable that this would be the case even if there had not been Separatist forces nearby.

On Doisac, the Jiralhanae continued their preparations for war. Though the death of Tartarus had resulted in some discord within Jiralhanae society, the San'Shyuum kept things from degrading too far out of control because of infighting. As a result, they were able to prepare for the fight with the heretics to come as the Great Journey neared with most of their energy.

In this environment War Chieftain Maxentius went on a tour of the planet, feasting and speaking with prominent fellow Chieftains. He found that their loyalty was firm and their devotion to the cause strong, even if the usual grudges had not vanished. Efforts to pick the best fighters to join him would meet with a bit more resistance, if only because of a general reluctance among the packs to give up their best fighters to a potential rival.

In the end though he did see some successes, mostly with those seeking to earn his favor and the intervention of sympathetic San'Shyuum authorities. Once done he was free to focus on the greater task of the war at hand.

Maxentius was not the only one making the rounds on Doisac. Chieftan Dardanos was also active, looking to build support for himself and his place within the Jiralhanae power structure. His first effort was, similarly, to recruit more followers to his cause and to build up his own forces. He had a bit more success when it came to recruiting fighters since he was not being as strict with his standards, balanced out by his general lack of renown, though he did not succeed in winning over any ships via diplomacy alone.

He also made some moves on the political scene, establishing alliances with a couple of other packs to build his own power base in the region. He was not yet strong enough to assert dominance on a large scale, but there was no doubt that his importance was growing. His Stalkers were successful in securing a stronghold as well, though the process of doing so did create a blood feud with the Scorpia Pack, who claimed the land he took as theirs through their ancestors. No doubt they would come to reclaim it at some point in the future.

With politics continuing on the ground, in orbit the shipyards churned out new vessels and fleets patrolled. But plans were already in place, and Maxentius split off part of his forces into a new fleet that would stay to safeguard the space around Doisac (joined by Dardanos' own vessels) while the rest of his forces headed southwards. But they would not be journeying for long.

Preparations were also being made on the other side of the battle lines. Having suddenly found themselves thrust into the role of rebels, the Miflip siblings did not waste any time. First they worked to raise the fleet's spirits, rallying them with the promises of glory and loot in the fighting to come. They also made efforts to assure their newfound allies that they were on the level, motivated as much by the promise of revenge as they were by loot.

Needless to say the fleet was thoroughly on their side by the time that they were done, for there had not been any doubt in the first place. After all, they had no reason to question their commanders at this time. The Separatists were a bit harder to convince, but gave them the benefit of the doubt for the moment with the overall desperate situation that they found themselves in.

Aware of the precarious nature of that trust, the siblings launched their fleet northwards into enemy territory. They swept into the Qarten Threshold, seizing what shipping they came across and skirmishing with local garrisons. What they found was that there was no significant naval presence within this region of space aside from a couple of Storm Cutters. What had been here had withdrawn towards Doisac as the extent of the Great Schism and Separatist fleet concentrations became clear.

This allowed the Miflips to extract their pound of flesh from various worlds before inviting in the Separatists to follow in their wake. This worked, and although the entire region was not occupied in the month good progress was nonetheless made in that regard. They could rest comfortably with the plunder that they had earned so far.

Loyalists: [-4 Mutan-Et Pattern Storm Cutters]

However most of the action in this area would take place on the southern portion of the Yaspi Ribbon. There a nearby fleet under the Loyalist Shipmaster Lannan Rin had chosen to engage in a guerrilla campaign against Separatist forces in the region as she waited for reinforcements to arrive from elsewhere. Initially those efforts saw great success, with little in the way of direct opposition from the enemy.

Separatists: [-5 Mutan-Et Storm Cutters]

Such good times did not last for very long. With the raids continuing, the Separatist Fleet of Holy Repose deployed to protect the shipyard and its surroundings. Suddenly Lannan found herself outnumbered and forced to be more careful with her attacks lest she be overwhelmed. Instead she shifted to the next part of her plan, seeking to draw forces away from Nepharal for the upcoming attack. This saw losses on both sides as they sparred with each other in these diversionary efforts.

Fleet of Holy Repose: [-3 Maugen-Pattern Armoured Cruisers, -1 Crusader-Pattern Brigantine]
Lannan's Fleet: [-2 Maugen-Pattern Armoured Cruisers]

In the midst of this, War Chieftain Maxentius and his Fleet of Unyielding Devotion arrived to join the ongoing battles. Once more the balance of power shifted in favor of the Loyalists with the infusion of his forces. Emboldened by their new numbers, Maxentius and Lannan made a hard push to seize the shipyard of Nepharal once and for all. Stealth ships screened their advance, giving them a good idea of the defenses that they would run into when they attacked.

The battle was joined with ferocity as the joint fleet arrived in the system. Lannan led the way as Maxentius grouped his forces into a battle line, focusing on deploying overwhelming strike craft as they pushed in and peeled apart the enemy formation. It was a solid plan that saw them put their superior numbers to good use.

As events showed elsewhere however, it was not impossible odds to overcome for a skilled commander. Unfortunately Fleetmaster 'Varalai would fall victim to a lucky strike from Maxentius' Kewu-Pattern Battleships on his Kerel-Pattern Assault Carrier, introducing an absence of leadership at a critical moment where the fleet was already drowning under a tide of metal and superheated plasma.

Reeling, the Fleet of Holy Repose chose to disengage from the fight as their formation crumbled rather than stand and die. Maxentius savaged them as they withdrew, but could not prevent their retreat as they withdrew back towards the Tershin Abandon.

Fleet of Unyielding Devotion: [-2 Ket-Pattern Battlecruisers]
Fleet of Holy Repose: [-4 Maugen-Pattern Armoured Cruisers, -2 Crusader-Pattern Brigantine]
Lannan's Fleet: [-1 Ket-Pattern Battlecruiser]

Having secured supremacy in space, a ground campaign began in addition to an assault on the shipyards. The Sangheili fought tenaciously as they were bombarded and assaulted by zealous Jiralhanae, but with space supremacy lost the outcome was a forgone conclusion. The planet was occupied, bloodily. The shipyard followed as well though without the advantage of heavy weapons to blast out the defenders given the importance of the structure.

As Maxentius and Lannan enjoyed the fruits of their decisive victory, events were also transpiring further south. A Separatist pocket had sprung up around the Diocese of Iabuze, protruding into the Siakar Expanse. Centered around the shipyard at Sevenfold Blessings, it sported the presence of the Fleet of Solemn Reconciliation under Fleetmaster Khir 'Mucam, as well as a nearby fleet under Fleetmaster Dere 'Srasuma to justify its existence within hostile territory.

The pair of them were not quiet as the month went by. The shipyards continued their vital work, producing more vessels for the Separatist war effort. Efforts were made to root out the Lotyalists in their midst by Khir, to prevent any possibility of treachery. He did not intend to take their separation from the Covenant lightly, and was determined to destroy any remnants of the old blind loyalties.

While those plans went ahead, military action naturally accompanied it. Fleetmaster 'Srasumai struck out at nearby systems to do recon in force, a necessary measure given how confusing the situation was near Human Space. His westward move went unopposed at first, washing over the western Siakar Expanse without difficulty. It was in pushing into the Kelsac Periphery that they would meet with strong resistance from the Fleet of Inner Knowledge, led by Fleetmaster Caelius.

Dere's Fleet: [-1 Ket-Pattern Battlecruiser, -1 Zanar-Pattern Frigate]
Fleet of Inner Knowledge: [-1 Sinaris-Pattern Heavy Destroyer]

In the east their move on Inisrig went unopposed, the system falling swiftly. Further moves into the Jartuun Salient found themselves opposed by the Fleet of Tranquil Composure, their path southwards blocked by a powerful force that was too dangerous to leave in the flank for the moment if they chose to go north into the Hezaggor Verge.

As a result skirmishes would take place on both sides of the pocket as Dere's split fleets engaged in ambushes, as well as hit-and-run warfare. Skirmishes would continue through the end of the year without a decisive battle to show for it.

Fleetmaster Khir was not idle either, his efforts focused on securing their rear. The Aqkhewon Haven and Ulombari Disperal were quickly subjugated, though a siege continued on Sullen Elegy where the defenders had holed themselves up on Forerunner ruins to bolster their own defensive preparations. It would take some time to evict them and fully secure the planet. But overall, they would have less to worry about with those isolated pockets removed.

Dere was aided by the fact that the Fleet of Inner Knowledge was forced to spread its forces as well. The Fleet of Triumphant Absolution was stationed at Far Shore, in the Khaset system, and also had their forces prodding on two fronts. This necessitated Caelius keep a strong core of forces on his opposite flank, lest he find himself outflanked and routed too.

Such skirmishes were common in the southern area surrounding Human Space as places which had once been battlefields became them again. One last attempt at glory, before the Great Journey began and all of these concerns became irrelevant.

Fleet of Inner Knowledge: [-2 Ket-Pattern Battlecruisers]
Fleet of Triumphant Absolution: [-1 Varric-Pattern Heavy Cruiser, -1 Zanar-Pattern Frigate]

Closer to the Sol System, things were no less intense. Fleetmaster Grod Wort was commander of the Fleet of Righteous Vigilance, and his was a divinely assigned task. His hunt for artifacts had brought him to the Draetheus System, but he was not one to sit idle. He left a ship behind to continue the process of setting up a base before heading out for greater and grander things.

His first stop was Epsilon Eridani. Humans on Tribute looked to the skies with terrified eyes, worried that they had returned to finish the job that had begun so recently. To their relief this was not the case. Grod's fleet split once more and his subordinate Ythkal Wor'ee was left in charge as the rest of the fleet moved on elsewhere.

Of enemies he did not find many, though the remnants of previous battles lingered in orbit over Reach. But any Loyalist presence had cleared out earlier in the month, driven off by Separatist forces already there. With the System clear he began to scavenge the wreckage of combats for anything salvageable. Anything that was recovered was relocated away from the system for future use.

While the people of Tribute did their best to keep below the notice of the new forces in the system, Fleetmaster Ythkal Wor'ee set about his next task as he returned to the planet Reach and began excavation efforts there. In this he continued alone as Fleetmaster Wort split off part of his fleet and headed onwards for other parts.

His journey went unmolested, and soon he arrived at the Sol System. A fight with the remnants of the UNSC was prevented by elements from the Fleet of Retribution who had remained behind, their commanders ascertaining Wort's intentions before he was allowed to proceed through the Portal unmolested. Sol itself would not see much action beyond this, something that the UNSC was very grateful for.

Also notable in the region was Commander Raia 'Ralam. She had been in Human Space before the Great Schism began and all loyalty was thrown out the window. Siding with the Separatists, she linked up with the Fleet of Retribution in the early days before splitting off to continue her own mission. This primarily took the form of raiding, striking at Loyalist support vessels in nearby space with her handful of ships.

She did see some smaller successes, though with the turbulent nature of this region of space there were not many support ships passing through that were easy prey, but she did catch some unawares with ambush tactics to worsen the situation of the nearby Loyalist Fleets. She also skirmished with elements from the Prophet of Trust's Fleet that were otherwise engaged in surveying efforts, though only minor losses occurred. A small beginning, but with the potential for great things.

Corc's Fleet: [-1 Ket-Pattern Battlecruiser, -1 Zanar-Pattern Frigate]

There was one Loyalist force left in the region, centered around the Yajinri System. While forces of the Prophet of Trust continued their search for holy relics in nearby space, the main combat force under Fleetmaster Suddaus focused on more practical concerns. Potentially surrounded on all sides, he intended to take as many heretics down as he could before the Great Journey began.

He sent out his scouts to search for any such targets, including the Unmutual Yan'me Taq'tch. A recipient of Suddaus' favor, he used records of fleet locations from before the Schism to try and pin down where Separatist forces might be operating in addition to more conventional scouting.

Of course he was not simply doing that, for there was much work to be done. For example, making associates and allies to move up the ranks while supporting his patron Ventus. A difficult task given who he was among the prideful Jiralhanae, but he tried all the same and saw some small success thanks to the intelligence he was able to provide. There was also sorting records, cleaning his office and room, and keeping up with various combat training. All important tasks to be sure and ones he conducted diligently.

While they were aware of Grod Wort's moves towards the Sol System, Suddaus ultimately settled on another target, one more practical and more likely to bring greater glory. This was the Fleet of Rapid Consecration under Cur 'Rezum in the Jauduka System. As a larger fleet it promised greater glory in his success, and it also would remove the threat in his rear as a basic military consideration.

With a Loyalist fleet at the Hesik Enclave, 'Rezum had been forced to act cautiously like many other Fleetmasters in this region of space. The work of Suddaus' scouts made him more willing to commit to a gamble on these odds, and so he took the majority of his forces and headed eastwards.

Combat would take place in the Eraughi System, where 'Rezum had set up his westward defensive line. A mix of vessels patrolled the system, enough to resist any attack long enough for reinforcements to arrive. Against this Suddaus struck hard, long range vessels firing fast to pin down the enemy so his other vessels could get in close for the sort of brawl that Jiralhanae enjoyed.

Following the command of the Fleetmaster, Taq'tch lingered on the fringes of the battle, looking to prey upon ships fleeing the battle. Not that there were many of those as the Sangheili put up a stiff resistance to the attack. They had been expecting something like this might occur, and so the element of surprise did not endure for very long. And for however skilled the Jiralhanae under Suddaus' command were, the naval tradition of the Sangheili remained strong.

The advantages of the Fleet of Obligatory Tolerance had its advantages in this fight though. Fighter craft swirled amongst the enemy fleet, Suddaus' Nuvaar-Pattern flagship having overpowered the fighter escort that the opposing fleet entered the battle with. They struck at weakpoints and disrupted the Separatist formation, hindering their defensive efforts as his fleet focused down targets.

Ships shattered under plasma detonations, heated weapons firing as fast as they could manage in the frantic melee. Damage from fighter craft tore gashes in targeted vessels, the unfortunate crew within thrown into space before the holes were sealed up. Yet neither side were willing to back down as they fought tooth and nail.

Fleet of Rapid Consecration: [-1 Cheran-Pattern Carrier, -4 Ket-Pattern Battlecruisers, -1 Onura-Pattern Supercruiser, -1 Ceudar-Pattern Heavy Corvette]
Fleet of Obligatory Tolerance: [-3 Ket-Pattern Battlecruisers, -1 Sinaris-Pattern Heavy Destroyer]

Then time ran out for Suddaus as Fleetmaster 'Rezum arrived with reinforcements. This was led by his flagship, also a Nuvaar-Pattern Supercarrier. With fresh reinforcements and a large amount of fighter craft among them, the battle became much more evenly matched in spite of the previous damage inflicted by Suddaus' fleet.

Fleet of Rapid Consecration: [-2 Ket-Pattern Battlecruisers]
Fleet of Obligatory Tolerance: [-3 Ket-Pattern Battlecruisers]

With the odds shifting the Jiralhanae Fleetmaster decided that he had earned enough glory for himself. The Fleet retired from the field of battle in good order, leaving wreckage from both sides behind in his wake. He had come off better in the exchange at least, and spent the rest of the month effecting repairs and preparing for his next moves.

But this was not the most important event to happen by the end of the year. Not by a long shot

---

December 11th, 2552. A day that would change the galaxy forever.

Far at the edge of said galaxy, a climactic battle raged. An alliance of Humans and Separatists had banded together to stop the Prophet of Truth from activating the Halo Array and scouring all life from the galaxy as part of his 'Great Journey'. It was a desperate fight, for all knew that there could be not one step back. It was a thin line that stood between victory and the extinction of everything.

In orbit around Installation 00, the Fleet of Redemption under Fleetmaster Rtas 'Vadum fought a battle against the naval forces the Prophet of Truth had brought with him. They were initially supported by the Human vessel Forward Unto Dawn, but it quickly broke off to join the ground assault where it could do more good.

As it turned out, Human support in the fleet battle was not needed. Despite being significantly outnumbered, Rtas was able to deliver a crushing victory against Truth's forces, with the survivors opting to make the trip back to Covenant space via the long way rather than braving the Portal and any potential gauntlet on the other side. This was assisted by the arrival of forces from the Fleet of Righteous Vigilance, though they missed most of the actual fighting and only arrived in the mop up phase.

Fleet of Retribution: [-5 Ket-Pattern Battlecruisers]
Truth's Fleet [-1 Kerel-Pattern Assault Carrier, -3 Vindraon-Pattern Battlecarriers, -3 Cheran-Pattern Carriers, -17 Ket-Pattern Battlecruisers, -6 Sinaris-Pattern Heavy Destroyers, -4 Varric-Pattern Heavy Cruisers]

With that the action shifted to the surface. Working together, Separatist and UNSC forces located the Cartographer, guiding them to the core of the Installation where the Prophet of Truth had set up his defenses in anticipation of activating the Halo Array. Humans and Sangheili fought and died side by side, a sight that none would have thought possible mere months ago. Landings also took place on other parts of the Installation, with Separatists clashing against Loyalists around the landing zone of the Anodyne Spirit and other locations.

The situation quickly became more complicated by the arrival of High Charity, which crashed into the structure and began dispersing Flood forms. Things moved rapidly from there. The firing of the Rings was prevented, the last Prophet slain at the hands of the Arbiter. The presence of the Flood forced a precipitous retreat of Separatist forces from the combat zone as the Arbiter and a Spartan recovered the AI Cortana and made their way to a Ring under construction to destroy the Flood threat for good.

This effort succeeded, though the UNSC Forward Unto Dawn was bisected as the slipspace portal collapsed from the radiation surge of the activated Ring. Regrouping on Earth the Arbiter, Fleetmaster Rtas, and Fleetmaster Grod went over their options together, with the Arbiter making his intention to return to Sanghelios clear to the both of them. However he did not depart as of yet, instead engaging in talks with Lord Hood to arrange a formal ceasefire between Separatist forces and the UNSC.

As they talked, news of what had occurred spread through Covenant space. The Prophet of Truth was dead, the Great Journey thwarted. Transmissions from the Arbiter spoke of his treachery, and the true purpose of the Rings. Discontent and fear spread in its wake. Some wondered if this was a sign of their unworthiness. Others feared for their safety and status with the last of the Hierarchs dead and the Great Schism still ongoing. The already fraying fabric at the edges of Covenant society unwound even further.

But this was not the only calamity to befall Covenant space in this region of the Empire.

The planet Glyke, in the Keskhaas System, had flourished in the latter days of the crusade against the Humans. It had benefited greatly from the movement of military resources, as well as the calamitous Human raid on Zhoist which had seen a large effort to develop alternative shipyards in its wake. The planet had flourished, becoming a large scale colony very rapidly.

Three days after the events aboard Installation 00, it went dark. All transmission abruptly ceased as if someone had flipped a switch and turned everything off. The truth was far worse. Arriving in system, elements of the Fleet of Rapid Consecration found that the planet was shattered, a burning husk of a world that bore no sign of life or the thriving population that lived upon it. Even the shipyard in orbit and the few vessels standing guard there had been destroyed beyond recovery by tidal forces.

Fleet of Rapid Consecration: [-3 Ket-Pattern Battlecruisers]

Outrage spread fast in the wake of the news. The Separatists blamed the Loyalists for the carnage. The Loyalists claimed that it was divine punishment for their heresy. Any chance of reconciliation between the two sides grew ever slimmer in the wake of this tragedy and all the fighting that had taken place.

---

ONI Addendum to Operation Blind Faith After Action Report:

Per testimony of Arbiter Thel 'Vadam, correlated by the Forward Unto Dawn's surveillance system, the 'Master Chief' was on the rear portion of the vessel which was lost when the Slipspace Portal collapsed.

Spartan John-117 is hereby listed as 'Missing in Action'.

Spartans never die.

 

[Azecreth]

The Covenant
N/A
Government type: Theocratic Democracy (De facto Oligarchy)
Capital: N/A
Internal stability: 2
Fleet: 667 Ships

The Separatists
N/A
Government type: Rebelling Warbands
Capital: Sanghelios (Largest/Most Powerful faction)
Internal stability: 6
Fleet: 694 Ships

​