Halo: The Ringworld

by Syjak90

An alt.-Halo story. (Timeline divergence after the end of Halo 3. Blending some of the plotlines from Halo's 4, 5, and Infinite into a single story, along with some of my own plot ideas as well. Tone and narrative style heavily inspired by Reach/CE. Borrows from the extended lore but not strictly adherent to it, significant changes have been made to many events and characters.)

1. Prologue: ONI Actual

CLASSIFIED DOCUMENT

- EYES ONLY - TOP SECRET/LEVEL-1 CLEARANCE REQUIRED

This briefing has been prepared by the Office of Naval Intelligence for UNSC High Command. Reading the contents of this brief without proper clearance is punishable by UNSC Martial Law, Section 2203(A)(2)(c) - Treason. Violators will be prosecuted.

Subject:COVENANT 'ZEALOTS' v. BANISHED CONFLICT BRIEF

From:The Office of Naval Intelligence (ONI)

To:UNSC High Command- EYES ONLY -

Date:2/25/2559

Introduction:

This document provides an in-depth analysis of the ongoing conflict between the former Covenant faction commonly known as the Zealots, and the newly emerging Banished threat. The information contained within this document is based on observations and data collected by ONI's surveillance and intelligence-gathering operations throughout the known galaxy.

Background:

Following the death of the Prophet of Truth, a power vacuum was created within the Covenant hierarchy. This led to a split among the Covenant's member species, with a faction of Elite Zealots rising to power and seizing control of much of the old Covenant empire. The Zealot faction believes themselves to be the true continuation of the old Covenant, without the 'false Prophets' misleading them. They have purged all Brutes from amongst their ranks, in retaliation for their perceived betrayal in the final days of the old Covenant.

On the other hand, the Banished faction, led primarily by Brutes, was formed as a result of this power struggle and ensuing purge. This faction includes Elites as well but does not have any Drones or Engineers amongst their ranks. The reason for this is unknown. Unlike the Covenant, the Banished use many technologies developed by the Brute race themselves (such as the Brute Shot and Spiker weapons) that may seem primitive in comparison to Covenant tech but are equally effective on the battlefield. Unlike the Covenant Zealots, the Banished are not above using human technology as well, or anything else they can scavenge.

Faction Overview:

Zealots:

-Led by a council of Elite Zealots, which was a special-forces military rank in the old Covenant made up of the most fundamentalist warriors; Covenant Zealots or just Zealots are also commonly recognized names for the entire faction.

-Use mostly traditional Covenant weaponry such as the Plasma Pistol, Plasma Rifle, and Needle Rifle

-Armor varies between different species and different ranks of Covenant Zealots, but in general their armor is smoother and sleeker in appearance than Banished armor with a greater reliance on energy shields. Armor color will vary as well, but Zealot tech in general has a purple, blue, and gold theme similar to traditional Covenant tech.

-Includes all members of the former Covenant, excluding Brutes.

Banished:

-Led by a Brute 'Apex' War Chieftain, with other large semi-autonomous War Chieftains swearing allegiance to the Apex.

-Will use both traditional Covenant and UNSC weaponry when available but are most typically outfitted with Brute-developed weaponry such as the Spiker, Mangler, and Brute Shot.

-Armor varies between different species and different ranks of the Banished, but in general their armor is bulkier and spikier in appearance than Zealot armor with a greater reliance on thicker armor plating. Armor color will vary as well, but Banished tech in general has a red, black, and silver theme.

-Contains most members of the former Covenant, including Elites (although relatively few in number), but not including Drones or Engineers.

Strategic Overview:

The ongoing conflict between the Covenant Zealots and the Banished has spread throughout the galaxy, with engagements taking place on various planets and installations within the old Covenant's territory. The Zealots initially reaped the most benefit from the Prophet Hierarchs' fall and maintain an advantage over the Banished, with superior technology and higher-quality naval forces. However, in recent years the Banished numbers have skyrocketed, and their overwhelmingly aggressive tactics have put the once dominant Zealots on the backfoot. At this time, it is believed that both factions are relatively equal in terms of military strength, but if the current trend continues the Banished will start to gain the upper hand over the Zealots soon.

The goal of this conflict appears to be gaining control over all significant Forerunner artifacts once held by the old Covenant, and most specifically to find and secure the remaining Halo rings before the other side can do so. Both factions have different motives for wanting this. The Zealots still seek to finish the 'Great Journey', as once advocated by the Prophet Hierarchs, believing that only the messengers were false, not the message itself. They would activate the remaining Halo rings, believing that this would trigger their transformation into gods.

The Banished, it seems, have more pragmatic goals. They would simply use the Halo array as a tool of conquest, either by firing the rings directly if their enemies did not surrender (presumably after first ensuring their own people were safe from its effect somehow), or they would hope to reverse-engineer it into a more refined weapon that would be easier to use in warfare. The idea of forming an alliance with the Banished was briefly considered by Naval Intelligence but has since been dismissed as unlikely. While the Banished do not have an irrational religious belief that humanity is 'unclean', like the Zealots do, they still appear to be threatened by human beings unexplained ability to manipulate and activate Forerunner artifacts. They are more interested in capturing humans for study and enslaving humanity than they are in forming an alliance with the UNSC.

It is worth noting that there are other, smaller factions that formed in the wake of the Covenant's collapse, but they are significantly dwarfed by the Banished and the Zealots. Our former allies amongst the remnant Covenant are greatly diminished and mostly confined to the occupation of the Delta Halo system. It would be unlikely they could provide us with any military aide should we need it, although the need for that aide would be less pressing than it has been in the past.

In the years since the collapse of the Covenant, the UNSC has made significant progress in rebuilding our military capabilities. Combined with the technological progress we have made from our own encounters with Forerunner artifacts, it is estimated that the UNSC could hold its own against either the Banished or Zealots if it came down to armed conflict. However, if a significant portion of the old Covenant empire ever managed to coalesce into one unified faction that was not fighting amongst itself, we would likely be overwhelmed once again.

Conclusion:

ONI concludes that the strategy proposed by some members of High Command of simply fortifying our borders and staying uninvolved in the Zealot-Banished conflict would be easily achievable in the short term. However, this course of action could have potentially devasting consequences in the long term.

As stated earlier, if either side were ever able to absorb the other, they would have enough strength to overwhelm the UNSC outright. In addition, if either side achieved their goals regarding the Halo rings it would have disastrous consequences for humanity. The Zealots activating the rings would result in the extinction of all life in the galaxy, whether or not they believe this to be true. The Banished gaining control of the rings would give them a definitive advantage over the UNSC and help them further their ambition to enslave the human race.

As a result, ONI recommends that UNSC High Command authorize a directive that makes securing or destroying the other Halo rings our top priority, as well as any other significant Forerunner artifacts that could be used against us. All available military, intelligence, and scientific resources should be directed towards this effort as soon as possible.

It is expected that a consequence of this will be to draw the attention of the Zealots and the Banished. Large-scale attacks against UNSC occupied territory by both factions are likely. It is believed that neither side will be able to commit their full resources to a war with the UNSC without leaving themselves vulnerable to the other side. But even with this being the case, it is predicted that large-scale loss of life not seen since the Covenant War will occur among UNSC colonies.

Despite this, ONI asserts that this course of action is not only necessary, but critical to humanities continued survival.

END OF DOCUMENT

-EYES ONLY-