Summary/disclaimer: Time for another chapter of Fallen Faith. Enjoy the 1600-word chapter. I don't own Halo, Microsoft and 343 do.

(2532, SDV Heavy Corvette Harbinger of Resolve, planet Algolis, 6 months after battle of harvest.)

Dire did not expect the ship to be a corvette, a CRS-Class Light cruiser, perhaps, but not a corvette.

Dire expected the Prophets to have a motive behind rewarding the Shipmaster, he had heard talks among the fleet that next mission would make Dire a Fleetmaster if he and the crew didn't succeed.

"Buto, what was the mission the Hierarchs issued us again?"

Dire asked as he heard 4 Seraphs were launched from Harbinger's hanger bay to escort the corvette as the Covenant support ship arrived over the planet.

"We were to launch our ground forces for an assault on the main human base and engage any naval forces they may have."

The Sangheili Major reported as the ship's alarm blared, Dire turned to Lekan to speak.

"Once we have passed through the atmosphere, prepare the drop pods and-…"

Dire started to order before Lekan cut him off, his mandibles clacked in anticipation as he turned to Dire who was at the holotank looking at the image of the base.

"Shipmaster! There's a human heavy frigate inbound, the humans were tipped off, something thwarted our stealth systems!"

Lekan reported as Dire turned to see a Paris-class Frigate inbound as he turned to Buto who was already anticipating what the Sangheili Shipmaster was going to order him to do.

"Plasma cannons coming online, Seraphs are engaging Human fighters, energy buildup in their main weapon."

Buto reported as Dire turned to Lekan, the rest of the bridge crew, Unggoy and Special Operations Sangheili as well turned to dire.

"Bring us above the frigate, fire plasma cannons! Lekan, launch the insertion pods."

Dire ordered as a stream of 6 missiles was launched by the human frigate as Buto fired the pulse lasers, vaporizing 4 missiles and leaving 1 to slam into the side into the side of Harbinger as the shields absorbed the impact.

Dire watched 3 of the plasma cannon shots hit the Frigate, 2 were aimed at the engine and the other at the MAC cannon as the cannon fired.

"Evasive maneuvers, now!"

Dire roared as the corvette narrowly ducked under the slug as the Harbinger's plasma cannons continued to pummel the ship as it launched missile and fired its point defense cannons.

"Target their command center, it is in the bow of the vessel… Buto, launch deployment carapaces and Type 25 Dropships…"

Dire ordered as fire broke out on the Human frigate, the alarms on Harbinger blared as the shields vanished.

"Finish off the Human Frigate and prepare the bombardment mortars, target the human base."

Dire hissed as Buto keyed in commands at his console, the 11 Phot class Pulse Lasers on Harbinger warmed up as the SDV class Heavy corvette began to bring all its weapons to bear as it pounded the human frigate, finally gutting it as the warship started to plummet towards the ground.

"Tear the base apart, launch the dropships and cleanse that human base from my sight."

Dire growled before Lekan spoke up from his post as 20 insertion pods were launched as was one Spirt class dropship.

"Shipmaster, the humans… They have a relic inside the base, our warriors confirm it."

Lekan stated as the corvette hovered above the human base as Dire turned back to the Holotank to confirm Lekan's words.

"Buto, stay here, Lekan, Rtutan, with me…. We will secure the relic… One of you warriors get a scribe… We will return with the relic."

Dire ordered as he started to march towards the remaining Spirt in the hanger bay, Buto wanted to speak up but saw the logic in Dire's orders, he was in charge of the weapons and thus was capable of commanding the infantry and assault forces aboard the corvette if Dire wasn't aboard.

(Algolis, surface, UNSC Rugby Base, 2 minutes later.)

The Spirt settled into the ashes of the base, the dropship dropped off Lekan, Dire, and Rtutan along with a lance of Sangheili Minors and Unggoy Minors.

"Capture the relic and bring it back here, the gravity lift will bring it aboard then we will depart for High Charity."

Dire ordered as he ignited his T-1 Energy Sword, his Golden Zealot armor shone in the light. Lekan drew his T-50 Concussion rifle his Major armor radiated confidence and Rtutan his T-51 Carbine, he wore Purple Sangheili Special Operation armor.

Dire led his crew into the temple, a wounded UNSC Marine tried to shot his Assault rifle at them before Dire impaled the human through the stomach with his blade as the trio of Sangheili looked around the remains of the control room as he picked through the wreckage.

"If we had known there was a holy relic…"

Rtutan muttered before Dire silenced the Sangheili with a glare, they had only recently reentered the Rolls of Honor, Dire did not care for the Holy Relics, it did not make him any less faithful to the prideful traditions of the Sangheili.

"Shipmaster, I have located the relic!"

Lekan reported as he grabbed the relic and held it up, he was careful to grip it without ruining it as Dire grabbed it from the Sangheili Major.

"We return to the Harbinger and set course for High Charity… Our task on this planet is done."

Dire ordered as the trio started to walk out of the building and towards where the Harbinger was retrieving one Spirt dropship as the remaining Sangheili and Unggoy soldiers regrouped for the other dropship as it landed.

Dire passed the relic to Rtutan as the Sangheili rode the gravity lift to the corvette while Lekan and Dire climbed in as the dropship flew towards Harbinger as the SDV-Class Heavy corvette lifted towards orbit, its Seraph Fighters docking with the warship as the Spirt landed in its hanger.

(10 Hours later, Covenant Holy City, High Charity.)

It had taken 2 minutes for Dire, Lekan and Rtutan to return to Harbinger, order a course set for High Charity and another 5 minutes to settle back in once they were all aboard the warship.

Dire had spent the majority of that time in his quarters, he slept, there was little else to do with the crew set on returning to High Charity to report the success of their holy mission, and possibly gain honor aboard another ship.

For Dire, he was beginning to grow fond of Harbinger of Resolve, he knew the thought was shocking among the Covenant, most shipmasters would dream of being a commander of an Assault Carrier or a battle cruiser.

But for Dire, Harbinger was a good ship, it was fast, was able to deploy a sizeable ground force, was capable of defeating warships under its own power, and while the bigger ships of the Covenant's Naval fleets were great they all carried a weakness that could be exploited.

They were either slower, didn't carry the same amount of Drop pods that Dire desired to have or thus just possessed a big weakness that Dire hated.

"Soon, the Hierarches will pay for the crimes they inflicted upon the Sangheili…"

Dire muttered, he thought back to Sanghelios, where he walked as strong as any king, carried his blade with pride, was considered a legend.

Dire was awakened by a sudden shift in speed, Harbinger must have dropped out of Slipspace. He climbed out of bed and walked to the bridge as he turned to Lekan at his console for an update.

"We've dropped out of Slipspace, we are approaching High Charity at this moment."

Lekan reported as Dire nodded, he had already given orders to his communication section to contact High Charity the second that they had approached the Holy City.

"They wish for Harbinger to dock with High Charity… They… Have afforded Harbinger its own executive docking bay aboard the Holy City."

Lekan reported and turned to gauge Dire's reaction, the statement did not seem to affect him physically, his fists clenched and his lower mandibles clacked together in thought but nothing besides that.

"Bring us in… It seems the Hierarches know about the Relic… Even after I gave orders that we weren't supposed to inform them of that incase the transmission was intercepted…"

Dire hissed, turning his attention to the rest of his bridge staff, someone aboard obviously didn't respect Dire, he resolved to find out as the Corvette passed through the blockade and docked with the Holy City as Dire growled in annoyance before turning to Buto.

"Oversee restocking the drop pods and overhaul… We will take a Spirt to see the Hierarchs and inform them of the Relic… You have 2 hours… 4 if we are late for the meeting."

Dire ordered as the Sangheili bowed, Dire left the bridge where a Spirt was called up for the Sangheili shipmaster

"Whoever informed the Hierarchs will burn…"

Dire hissed as he marched towards the Hanger, anger in his eyes. He clenched the relic tighter in his claws, angered for being disobeyed by his crew, he supposed he shouldn't have suspected such honor from his crew yet.

The thought sickened him.

Author Notes

Phew, another chapter done! I want to point out this story will NOT be like all my other Halo stories where the OC betrays the Covenant right off the bat. As for the new character to be introduced? She will be introduced next chapter. I will probably be updating this story on Wednesdays, so until then, Lighting Wolf out!