Prologue
Fleet of Particular Justice,
Fists of Justice, Bridge
Alto had seen a prophet before, but not in a grand ceremony such as this. The prophet sat in his chair with a plasma marker. Alto was being promoted to a Zealot a difficult rank to get. The Prophet of Supposition yelled in a grand voice "Alto 'Morzumee, you have been granted the rank of Zealot few have this honor of this rank! You have killed many, but have shown your tactical abilities in battle! Your armor will have this holy mark!" Supposition grabbed the plasma marker he singled an Honor Guard to come. The Honor Guard carried golden chest plate armor. The Prophet drew a circle with one curved line on each side, then one wave next to the curves, and then one curved line again. "Now, walk to the holy room to be adorned with the rest of your armor!" Supposition clicked a button and a door opened. There inside the door there were two Honor Guards with a set of armor gleaming under the only lighted part of the room. Alto walked up to the door and stepped in then the doors shut and all the lights came on reveling a large room with a Honor Guard standing and waiting to outfit Alto with the shimmering golden armor. The Honor Guard put on the helmet Alto saw a status summary of his system flare to life. Next the chest plate was put on the rubber like material covered his neck then the armor locked in place his shield went to overload rapidly. The rest of the armor was attached and his health system flared up. The Prophet of Supposition appeared and yelled out in a grand voice "Alto 'Morzumee you are now a Zealot Field Commander! As your step up in the Zealot sub ranks a higher ranking Zealot shall give you one mark on each side of your chest plate armor until you become the highest Zealot sub rank then I will give you your last mark! Here is your sword wear it well in combat! Now go and report to your Council of Field War to discuses tactics with your fellow Sangheili!
Chapter One
Fist of Justice, Hallway
Alto walk in the halls of the Fists of Justice he whispered in a low, but yet charismatic voice "One day you shall be my ship then the whole fleet." Alto hadn't talked since he heard the news of his promotion, this was a rule. Why was this a rule because it honored the past, current and future Zealots. If you did talk you forfeited your new found title and in so doing you'd be starting all over again. To make sure you did this they put a chip on your throat to monitor weather or not you'd actually follow this rule of silence. Alto was walking down the hall listening to his hooves cling on the metal. A Major Sangheili and his Orange Unggoy servant walked by he nodded respectfully his servant bowed then they continued on. Alto stepped into the Council of Field War room there was a White Unggoy mopping the floor the thing stopped and said in a anxious voice "This message is for you might one." He bowed in a quivering way.
The note read "Field Master Alto we wish to apologies for not telling you in person. The battalion Merciless Hammer is at deck six at the barracks near hanger 60 to 65. This battalion is composed of six companies they are Justice's Wrath, Holy Weapon, Merciless Blow, Arbiter's Rage, Wrath's Might, and Zealot's Fists. Zealot's Fists is your personal company. Each company has 100 troops except Zealot's Fists it has 150 troops, so in all 550 troops are waiting to be deployed in any battle. The types of troops are 250 Unggoy, 150 Kig-yar, 12 Lekgolo, 1 Drinol, and 137 Sangheili. Hangers 60 through 65 are your and any ships in them are yours too. The ships that are under your command are 10 dropships and 20 banshees use them wisely. The vehicles under your command are 60 ghosts and 50 wraiths. You must know that these companies will get the main plan from you and then the Operation Masters take it from there. You can fight in battles. Field Master Alto you also are going to be planning your first battle we have been told that the Sacred Ring has been invaded by a human ship and is holding up too well. We also have unconfirmed rumors that there is another enemy in the fight. The Fleet Commander has ordered us to check this out we'll be at Halo in six hours." Alto didn't see anymore to this letter, the White Unggoy in a trembling voice said "Are you do with the letter? If you are then take this." The Unggoy pulled out a disk and pointed to the desk the Unggoy ran after that with a liquid trail behind him. Alto shook his head and thought after the holovideo he'd have to call another janitor down. Alto put in the disk and turned on the player.
"Field Master Alto, you have this assignment when we get to Halo. This is very important a battalion has been completely destroyed we don't think the humans are behind this. If you managed to have the patience to read that letter then you know about the rumor well isn't a rumor. You shall go to the site were this battalion was destroyed and face this enemy and take back the area. The summary of the terrine is on the desk. This is your order now assemble your Operation Masters and discuses your battle plan." Alto pulled out the disk and turned on the ship's Privatenet which was the same thing as the Battlenet but for both military and nonmilitary purposes. Alto cleared his voice and said "Send down another janitor the last one wetted himself." Alto could hear laughter on the other side a Sangheili said in an almost laughing voice "I'll have another send down." Laughter began again as Alto cut off the transmission and grabbed the summary.
Alto walked down to an express gravlift that went to straight to level six. The AI holographic image popped up. This AI was copied from another AI which was a forerunner AI also the human AIs had a similar built up of codes. Which lead some covenant to panic because the humans were stealing forerunner technology strangely though they weren't which led to a huge conflict in the High Council. The AI said in a deep male voice "I'm sorry, but this lift is currently offline due to an error please go down to the other gavlift down the hall." Alto gave an annoyed look to the holographic image, after that he went down the hall this wasn't an express gravlift. The holographic image of a row of numbers came up he pressed six and went down. Alto thought this will at least give me time to read the summary. Alto reached level six twenty minuets later. Alto then called for a transport to take him the rest of the way. An Operation Master which are called Ultras and/or Special Operation Leaders by the humans. While Ultra was irrelevant to them special op. leader was some what correct when ordered by a Zealot or a Prophet they lead Operations that had to be done that a battalion just couldn't do like shock trooper operations, large vehicle commanding, and special forces. The Operation Master said in a friendly voice "Welcome, Field Master Alto your battalion is being assembled for your assault on the enemy. First, you need to meet your Operation Masters and discuss your plan by the way my name is Zukav 'Mortumae also I'm the Operation Master of the company Zealot's Fists."
Zukav guided Alto to the Merciless Hammer's War Room. Alto took his seat and Zukav took his. The seats had the companies' symbols on them, but there were six chairs not five chairs why an extra Operation Master. The Operation Masters walked in and took their seats. Each Operation Master nod and said their name first only to keep things sort since they only had about three hours to plan an attack and then fortify their position for the most likely counter attack. The Operation Masters going clock-wise said their names "I'm Edo commander of the company Justice's Wrath." The next Operation Master spoke "Greetings, I'm Mdo commander of the company Holy Weapon." The third Operation Master greeted "I'm Muka commander of the company Merciless Blow." The fourth Operation Master said "I'm Huka commander of the company Arbiter's Rage and this is my brother Wuka he commands the company Wrath's Might" Wuka nodded the sixth commander said "I'm Juka I'm the Beast Master of the Drinol that are under your command" Juka had different armor then the rest he had three red stripes going down and stopping half way on each side of chest plate armor and helmet with the rest of his armor being blackish-purple.
The Beast Master rank is given at child birth they learn the Drinol language and tame them for each of the ship's finest battalion. The Beast Masters are all descendants to the Arbiter that learned the Drinol language and got them to join the covenant with his tongue rather then his sword. Some are of the descendants are directly related to the Arbiter that tamed the Drinol they are all members of the Council of Drinol there are only five of them. While all Beast Masters are part of the Council of Drinol they are only allowed on the Drinol homeworld when they are children. The members of the Council of Drinol wear the councilor's armor except the helmets have red outlining. The Council of Drinol are the people who say when the Drinol are needed to win a battle and when they aren't. There have only been two wars in which the Drinol have fought in the Taming of the Hunters and the Grunt Rebellion. The Council of Drinol is located at the Drinol homeworld they keep the pact the Arbiter made with them Ages ago honored. The Drinol only speak to the council and follow their own culture except they follow the covenant religion to some extend. Drinol treat the Council of Drinol with respect they are the only members of the covenant to walk on the Drinol homeworld. Drinol have never seen the Prophets which is quite acceptable because they will kill anyone who isn't a Drinol or a member of The Council of Drinol.
Alto said "Here is the overview of the battle. We are facing an enemy which we haven't faced before so we have little intelligence for this battle. An entire battalion was shattered by this enemy. I say that we send in one company and then the rest when needed." Zukav asked "Do we have any idea what type of firepower they have?" Alto replied "No, we have no idea what type of firepower they have." Muka interrupted "Well, do we know the terrine of the battle site?" Alto said "Yes, we do know it's a snowy, rocky, and hilly terrine. The rocks are wide and about the height of 24 ft. some of their top surfaces are flat others are unusable to snipers. The hills are sort and steep making charges hard. The snow well give away any troop positions on both sides." Huka said "I say then we send in 2 companies with air support and 10 ghosts and 5 wraiths we send in reinforcements when needed." Mdo said "Maybe we should send in the two companies all over the area to overwhelm the enemy." Edo replied "that's stupid the reinforcements, communications, and air support well be over stretched so the enemy well end up overwhelming us rather then we overwhelm them. We need to go in concentrated and push out from there." Mdo snapped back "When we push out we'll be over stretching our selves anyway." Alto stepped in "If we go in concentrated we the advantage of being organized when going offensive to beat back the enemy. If we go in randomly we have a chance of being overwhelmed or overwhelming the enemy." Zukav said "Well, since we don't know their strength or firepower I say we go in concentrated and then do what Edo said." Edo nodded in agreement. Alto said in a commanding voice "I agree with Edo and Zukav we needed to be concentrated. I'll be commanding to this battle personal in case the fight is I'll inspire the men so what is my best company not including Zealot's Fists." Huka said "My Company Arbiter's Rage is the best out of all the companies then Edo's company then my brother's company." Alto order "Assemble the companies Zealot's Fists and Arbiter's Rage in hangers 60 and 61. Then have Justice's Wrath and Wrath's Might assemble in hangers 62 and 63. Have the other company assemble in hanger 64." Fists of Justice exited out of slip-stream and Alto's company started to assemble. Alto saw all his troops line up filling the hanger. Alto yelled out in his most charismatic voice "Today, brothers we fight an enemy we have never faced before! This enemy has insulted us by walking on Halo! Will, you let them insult us more by not responding to the insult with the Prophets might?! The covenant has never met a foe we couldn't overcome we have make the mightiest of foes quiver under our might! This enemy will quiver too! Fists of Justice went into Halo's atmosphere and took its position over a valley just seventeen miles from the battle site.