Covenant (Halo)

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Contents 1 Society 1.1 Great Journey 2 History 2.1 Human-Covenant War 2.2 Discovery of Installation 04 2.3 Covenant Attack on Earth 2.4 Covenant Civil War 3 Technology 3.1 Infantry weaponry 3.2 Vehicles 3.3 Vessels 4 Species 4.1 Prophets 4.2 Brutes 4.3 Hunters 4.4 Elites 4.5 Jackals 4.6 Engineers 4.7 Grunts 4.8 Drones 4.9 Sharquoi 5 See also 6 References 7 External links

The Covenant is a fictional militaristic and theocratic alliance of alien races who serve as the main antagonist body of the Halo science-fiction video game series. They are composed of a variety of diverse species united under the religious worship of the Forerunners (aside from the Jackals). Technically superior than Human technology, they are fighting war of attrition with the human United Nations Space Command for unknown reasons. The Covenant treat all of humanity as infidels worthy only of destruction.

The Covenant were first introduced in Halo: Combat Evolved as the protagonist Master Chief and the AI Cortana were escaping from the UNSC ship Pillar of Autumn in orbit over Halo; the Covenant had disabled the ship and were boarding it via landing craft. On Halo, the player encounters the Covenant in force all over the ring, and they are the primary enemies until the Covenant release the Flood from stasis. The player later encounters new Covenant races and plays as a Covenant character, the Arbiter, during the events of Halo 2.

[edit] Society

In Halo fiction, the Covenant is governed by the Prophet Hierarchs, who in turn are advised by the "High Council". This council consists of high-ranking Elites and lower-ranking Prophets.

In addition to the High Council, several advisory councils and one official ministry have been identified:

• The Council of Concordance advises on maintaining law and order.
• The Council of Doctrine and Deed advises on military tactical and strategic matters.
• The Council of Masters is the parent council of Doctrine and Deed in times of war.
• The Ministry of Tranquility organizes privateer and mercenary organizations as well as archiving and libraries.^[1]

The species are seen united in worshipping the Forerunners, an ancient and supposedly extinct alien race who have left behind several artifacts and technologies used by the Covenant. According to Halo: The Flood, the Prophet species actually evolved on a planet once home to a Forerunner colony. The Covenant have a tendency to conquer, coerce, or hire alien races and force them into the alliance, adding to their ranks. This use of "conditioned ranks" is an idea taken from Marathon. The Covenant's capital city is High Charity, a colossal mobile space station which was overrun and largely infected by The Flood at the end of Halo 2.

[edit] Great Journey

See also: Halo (megastructure)

Seen as central to the Covenant's beliefs, the Great Journey is the spiritual equivalent of a pilgrimage and the ultimate goal of the Covenant. The Covenant's execution of the Great Journey in-game consists of the activation of at least one Halo installation.^[2] Their belief is that a completion of the Great Journey would be akin to following in the footsteps of their forebears, the Forerunners.

Such radical devotion is a large portion of tragic or dramatic irony in the story's plot. As the plot develops, the player and in-game characters are informed by Cortana that the rings are not the spiritual, transcendent vessels the Covenant seek.^[3] The ring network acts as a drastic form of pest control should the Flood be released from containment. Additionally, the Covenant's belief that the Forerunners ascended is also revealed as false. The Forerunners were forced to activate the ring network to eradicate the Flood.

However, the remainder of the Covenant is not privy to this discovery. Upon presentation of the evidence by several protagonists, the Covenant chose to deny the truth offered by those who have discovered the network's secrets.^[4] Whether or not the Prophets are aware that the network eliminates all traces of sentient life is not revealed as of Halo 2 and the most recent novelization. Regardless, the core of the Covenant's religious doctrine is branched from finding and activating the rings.

The dissemination of this knowledge forms a large part of the discontent present in the Covenant's most recent civil war. The Arbiter, specifically, aids the human forces in preventing Tartarus from activating Installation 05 and initiating a systematic initiation of the ring network.

[edit] History

The current events in Halo 2 occur during the Ninth Age of Reclamation. The Covenant's organization of time and dates is not elaborated in detail in the game or during any of the novelizations. Joe Staten, in an interview on halo.bungie.org, stated explicitly that the Covenant's date system is split into seven epochs, detailed as follows:^[5]

• Age(s) of Abandonment
• Age(s) of Conflict
• Age(s) of Discovery
• Age(s) of Reconciliation
• Age(s) of Conversion
• Age(s) of Doubt
• Age(s) of Reclamation

The Ninth Age of Reclamation occurred between 2525 and 2552 of the Gregorian Calendar. It was during its first year (2525) that the Covenant first stumbled upon the human colony of Harvest. They went on to efficiently devastate the remaining human colonies, starting the Covenant-Human War.^[6]

[edit] Human-Covenant War

See also: Halo: Fall of Reach

The outbreak of outright war between the humans and Covenant developed in 2525, twenty-seven years before the events of Halo: Combat Evolved. The UNSC was totally surprised by the first contact with the alien alliance. The Covenant declared a religious crusade against the humans, and began to eradicate human colonies.

Because of the Covenant's heretical perspective of humanity, the Covenant engages in a practice known as "glassing" using their plasma weaponry. This tactic, as the name implies, burns the surface of the planet at very high temperatures in order to eradicate anything and everything. Between the Covenant's extreme orbital bombardment campaigns and the sheer technological and numeric superiority, it was difficult for the UNSC to find a victory.^[6]

Though the UNSC forces fought bravely, their inferior technology and numbers meant that any victory, small or large, was hardly guaranteed. Given the Covenant's propensity for deciding upon vitrifying a planet (as opposed to landing ground forces to retake the planet), any advantage humanity possesses in ground-combat is severely compromised. Once a planet's orbital defense weapons are destroyed or taken off-line, the planet's surface is completely vulnerable to total and complete destruction.

Using their superior weaponry, the Covenant was able to defeat the human colony worlds one by one until they finally reached the last major colony, Reach, twenty-seven years later. Though the colony was defended by MAC guns, the Covenant were able to destroy the station's planteside generators, rendering the defense grid useless; they then proceeded to glass the planet.^[7] It is after this showdown that the player is introduced into the story as MCPO Spartan 117 on the UNSC Pillar of Autumn, which is fleeing Reach; this is the beginning of Halo: Combat Evolved.

[edit] Discovery of Installation 04

See also: Halo Combat Evolved and Halo: The Flood

The Covenant armada around Reach pursued the Pillar of Autumn, tracking the ship through slipspace.^[8] Upon exiting slipspace, both the humans and Covenant encountered the Forerunner structure Halo around the gas giant Threshold. Due to a Prophet aboard the lead Covenant cruiser not wanting to damage the "sacred ring", human survivors from the Pillar of Autumn were able to land on the surface and coordinate a guerilla resistance.^[9]

The Covenant similarly deployed ground troops to engage the Humans, while trying to find Halo's Control Room to activate the station.^[10] However the human forces learned of the Covenant's intentions, with the Master Chief reaching the Control Room before the Covenant. At the same time, by accident or by design^[11] the Covenant released The Flood, which rapidly infected human and Covenant hosts. The Covenant were forced to divert their attention to stemming the spread of the Flood, leading a special operations team to a damaged cruiser in order to prevent it from falling into the Flood's control. In the ensuing chaos, the Master Chief detonated The Pillar of Autumn's fusion reactors and destroyed Halo, a major setback for the Covenant; in addition to the sacred relic being destroyed, the Covenant suffered grievous casualties. A few Covenant escaped, and the fleet command "responsible" for the act of heresy was stripped of his rank, later becoming the Arbiter.

According to the novel Halo: First Strike, shortly after the defeat at Halo, the Covenant had amassed a large fleet allegedly to assault Earth. It is explained in the I Love Bees alternate reality game that the Covenant discovery of Earth was accidental; A deviation of the Cole Protocol by the Apocalypso allowed a Covenant AI, the Pious Flea, to enter Earth's space and transmit its location.

When the ship tumbled into real space and crashed on the moon, the Pious Flea sent a message to the Covenant military command. This message included detailed information about Earth, the system the planet was located, and the presence of Forerunner artifacts on the planet's surface.

[edit] Covenant Attack on Earth

See also: Halo 2

The events of Halo 2 apparently contradict First Strike in stating that the Covenant had not identified Earth as the human home planet. However, the Covenant ship Unyielding Hierophant and its fleet were never explicitly ordered to assault Earth. The exact details of the fleet's mission are uncertain, and no definitive proof that the Covenant were intending to directly assault and capture Earth or the Solar System exists. Believing the fleet was ordered to destroy humanity's last refuge, UNSC forces infiltrated and destroyed the fleet by detonating the Unyielding Hierophant. The subsequent explosion destroyed most of the fleet before it could reach Earth.

Shortly after this defeat, the High Prophet Regret led a "small" fleet of fifteen ships^[12] to Earth to locate a Forerunner artifact known as the "Ark." Though outgunned by the UNSC's new orbital defense grid of MAC guns, the Prophet of Regret's flagship managed to break through the human defenses to New Mombasa. The Covenant ground troops quickly spread through the city, destroying both military and civilian resistance, but a counterattack by the Marines and the Master Chief drove them back. His fleet having been destroyed in orbit when he landed, Regret was forced to retreat. His cruiser jumped into Slipspace from within the city, destroying most of Mombasa.

A single Human ship, the In Amber Clad, followed Regret through his own Slipspace rupture to Delta Halo. With the orders "Find out why [Regret] came to Earth; why he came here," the Master Chief was sent with a compliment of Orbital Drop Shock Troopers to Delta Halo's surface. Led by the Chief, the Humans forced their way through Regret's forces until they had reached the Prophet himself. At that moment, High Charity, having learned of Delta Halo, arrived and launched multiple waves of Phantom dropships to aid Regret, but they were too late. The Chief assaulted and killed Regret, and the Covenant fleet recalled the Phantoms in favor of bombarding the area. The Master Chief narrowly escaped, aided by Gravemind.

Meanwhile, the majority of the human forces on In Amber Clad had travelled to Delta Halo's Library to obtain the Index, thus stopping the Covenant from activating Delta Halo. Originally, the Covenant had been unaware of the Index's importance until Arbiter recovered the Monitor of the first Halo while destroying a heretical sect. The Monitor, known to the Covenant as an Oracle, told the Prophets of the Index and the Arbiter was sent to retrieve it. The mission was complicated though by the unexpected release of the Flood. Despite this, the Arbiter successfully reached the Library and prevented the humans from claiming the Index. Just as Miranda Keyes claimed the index, the Arbiter stole it from her, kidnapping her and Sgt. Johnson. However, the Index was stolen from the Arbiter by the Brute Chieftain Tartarus, who under the Prophets' orders then attempted to kill the Arbiter. With the Index secure, the Prophets then ordered the Brutes to begin eradicating the Elites, thus starting the Covenant Civil War (see below).

Following the Flood infestation of High Charity at the end of Halo 2, the High Prophet of Truth led the remaining loyalist fleet to Earth to complete what the previous mission to Earth had not. Little did he know that Spartan 117, Master Chief, had stowed away with him. By the time Truth arrived at Earth, a full-scale war in space and on the ground was underway between UNSC and Covenant fleets, and in Halo 3 it is indicated that the Covenant are in the process of conquering the planet and occupying the world.

[edit] Covenant Civil War

During the progression of the game series, the Covenant splintered in a civil war (termed the Great Schism) after the High Prophets ordered the Brutes to replace the Elites in several positions, including that of the Prophet's bodyguards. This was a response to the assassination of the High Prophet of Regret at the hands of the Master Chief.

The remaining Hierarchs cited the Elites tenacity was not a substitute for the Brutes' sheer power. Because of this disparity, the Hierarchs decided the Elites were unable to guarantee their safety.^[13] This sudden displacement further fragmented and damaged the Covenant's union and affected a large portion of the Elites' morale.

The feuding parties are clearly established based on race. Opposing forces are split into respective loyalists and separatists. Neither section explicitly gives themselves these labels.

The loyalist forces are those primarily backing the Prophets continuation of the search and following of the Great Journey; these include all seen Prophets (the Hierarchs), Brutes, Jackals, Drones, and a handful of Grunts. Elites, as well as Hunters and most Grunts, comprise the rebel contingent.

As of the ending to Halo 2, the Separatists on Installation 05 engaged in an uneasy truce (if not outright alliance) of opportunity with the last UNSC forces left on the ring. Despite the peace on Installation 05, battles between the remainder of the UNSC and the entirety of the Covenant still continue on and around the human homeworld of Earth and the Forerunner world of Onyx.

Although the current civil war is the focus of the Halo series, it has been suggested several entities have wished to split from the Covenant. Highlighted in Halo 2, a group led by Sesa 'Refumee, an Elite, briefly controlled a Forerunner station on the gas giant planet of Threshold (the planet which Installation 04 orbited). Whether this was about the revelation of what the "Great Journey" is or another reason, 'Refumee planned on turning all Elites to his cause.^[14]

[edit] Technology

The Covenant are shown to be technologically imitative rather than innovative — They weaponize technologies discovered rather than technologies researched.^[15] The technology the player is exposed to in-game and while reading mostly centers around the military weapons and deployment (such as guns, ships, and vehicles), while little is known of any commercial- or domestic-use commodities.

It has been noted both in game and in the books that the Covenant, not having researched the technologies relied upon, are incapable of utilizing them to their full potential. Repeatedly, UNSC artificial intelligence units (specifically Cortana), have been able to boost the efficiency and output of many of the Covenant's weaponry (when it is rarely captured). Because the Covenant only incorporate technologies into their armies, as opposed to actually researching them, their knowledge of the fundamental functions of weapons is minimal.

[edit] Infantry weaponry

The Covenant's arsenal in the games is comprised primarily of plasma- and energy-based projectile weapons. In Halo: First Strike it is revealed that the weapons are based on Forerunner technology. Halo's Plasma weapons contain a battery that generates plasma from the surrounding atmosphere and discharges it at a target.^[11] Frank O'Conner of the Halo Message Boards claims there may be something more to the Covenant's weaponry. He has been quoted saying: "The actual technology is not plasma as we know it, but something far more dangerous, arcane, and destructive."^[16]

[edit] Vehicles

Main article: Covenant Vehicles in Halo

The player encounters numerous Covenant ground and air matérial throughout Halo and Halo 2. Many which were seen but not drivable in Halo: Combat Evolved made appearances as usable vehicles later. The Covenant motor pool includes:

• Ghost - Low-flying scout craft
• Banshee - Airborne ground- and aerial-attack vehicle
• Spectre - Fast-attack infantry-support vehicle
• Spirit - Aerial troop-deployment vehicle
• Phantom- Material carry-all vehicle
• Wraith- Powerful ground-attack Main battle tanks
• Shadow - Ground-deployment vehicle
• Seraph - Space- and aerial-attack vehicle
• Scarab - Ground-attack platform vehicle

[edit] Vessels

The Covenant's space-faring navy consists of several classes of ships loosely related to wet navies of human origin. Specific ships mentioned in the game and novelizations are classed according to human standards. Important vessels which made appearances in various Halo media include:

• The Unyielding Hierophant was an unclassified space station commonly used as a staging area for forward deployed forces throughout Covenant space. The station was destroyed by Master Chief.^[15]
• The Truth and Reconciliation was a fully-equipped cruiser capable of anti-ship and anti-ground attacks. It is boarded by the player twice during the campaign of Halo: Combat Evolved; both times in rescue missions to save Captain Jacob Keyes. At some point during the story, the ship was attacked by the Flood and largely disabled.^[17] The Covenant send in strike teams to prevent the Flood from leaving the ring by repairing the cruiser, and the last UNSC forces eventually liberate the cruiser. It is eventually scuttled to prevent a Flood infestation from departing Halo.^[9]
• The Ascendant Justice was the flagship of the Arbiter during his command of the campaign over Installation 04.
• Sacred Promise was one of the cruisers in the attack fleet that followed the Pillar of Autumn to Installation 04. One of the letters in the Conversations from the Universe booklet is the black box transmissions from this ship. It details that the Autumn was able to destroy at least two cruisers before being disabled.
• High Charity is a mobile planetoid, similar in concept to the Space Colony Ark. High Charity is the Covenant Holy City and also serves as its capital. It was taken over by the Flood at the end of Halo 2. Its status after the end of the game is unknown.
• The Infinite Succor was a agricultural support ship at the Battle of Installation 04. It was taken over by Flood, who managed to board it using a Covenant dropship, "Brilliant Gift". A Covenant strike force later neutralized the threat by sending the ship into a nearby sun.^[18]

[edit] Species

Covenant society is a caste system composed of many races, some of which were forcibly incorporated. The races are identified by their common UNSC designation.^[11]

[edit] Prophets

Main article: Hierarchs (Halo)

Prophets are the highest ranking species forming the Covenant. They form the Covenant's political and spiritual leadership and have absolute control over day-to-day operations. The primary executors of the Covenant's will is a theocratic triumvirate of Hierarchs, the Prophets of Truth, Mercy and Regret. Together, they form the core of power for the Covenant government. There are also lower-ranked Prophets who are responsible for individual aspects of Covenant culture, society, and military operations. While not seen in-game, these lower Prophets are discussed in the series' novelizations.

Prophets can be seen in-game as physically frail yet mentally agile. While the Hierarchs are confined to levitating thrones, they are more than capable of defending themselves. Guarding them, depending on the player's progression through the series, are handfuls of Elites and Brutes. Should their guards fail, they also possess a high-powered energy weapon mounted on the underside of their thrones.^[11]

This frailty is no barrier to their domination. They hold their position as administrators through their knowledge of Forerunner artifacts, history, and technology. They maintain their dominance by ensuring the absolute loyalty of their guardians through promises of the Great Journey, as detailed. Utilizing these abilities, they are able to retain power and the loyalty of their subjects up until the beginnings of the most recent civil war.

As the plot of Halo 2 progresses, two of the three Hierarchs are killed. The Prophet of Regret is incapacitated by the Master Chief and is later captured by Gravemind. Additionally, the Prophet of Mercy is attacked by a Flood parasite. He is killed when the Master Chief removes the parasite from him. This leaves the Prophet of Truth in sole control of the Covenant.

[edit] Brutes

Brutes, called Jiralhanae by the Covenant,^[19] have a hairy gorilla-like appearance and possess immense strength. Brutes often travel in packs which can cause a prolonged engagement. Standing 9' tall they are organized tribally and are led by their chieftain, Tartarus, who was killed by the Arbiter at the end of Halo 2. Brutes are the newest addition to the Covenant and the most willing fighters. Brutes appear in a few different fur colors. White colored Brutes are usually in higher ranks, as evidenced by the Brute captains, the Honor Guard Brutes and their chieftain, Tartarus.

They had a long-standing rivalry with the Elites for unknown reasons,^[20] which eventually bubbled up into the main thread of the hatred and killing that began the Covenant Civil War. While Brutes do have superior strength and speed, as well as being unquestioningly loyal to the Prophets, Elites hold superior intelligence and discipline and possess superior leadership and management ability.

After the assassination of the High Prophet of Regret, the Brutes replaced the Elites as the personal bodyguards of the Prophets and commanders of the Covenant military, which caused dissension in the Elite Ranks.^[13]

In Halo 2, Brutes utilize "Brute Shots" (grenade launchers with bayonet-like attachments). They also use plasma rifles which are colored red instead of blue and are specifically named "Brute Plasma Rifles." In a vidoc released in 2006, the Brutes were seen with new weapons, including automatic weapons known as "Spike Cannons" that shoot metal rods at high velocity, and a grenade similar to a nail bomb, known as a "Spike Grenade".^[21] Brutes also charge attacker(s) at a sprint, striking with the head and shoulders. This attack is extremely powerful and difficult to avoid due to its speed.

[edit] Hunters

Hunters, called Lekgolo in the Covenant language, are incredibly dangerous foes, deployed more like equipment than soldiers.^[22] They stand 12' tall or 8' while contracted. They are brought in for demolition or heavy defense, and always work in pairs, calling each other "bond brothers." Unlike the other Covenant species, which have endoskeletons and central nervous systems, Hunters are actually made up of a conglomerate colony of sentient orange symbiotic worms, held together by their armor.^[11] Hunters usually show nothing but opprobrium towards the lesser Covenant races (even purposefully killing them if they become an obstruction during battles) and rarely communicate with any other race (including the Prophets) apart from the Elites. They are believed to have their own religion; it has also been noted that some Hunters even recite poetry and meditate in their spare time.^[23] Their massive size, near-impenetrable armor, large shields, and arm-mounted fuel-rod cannons make them essentially walking tanks in combat. Their armor exposes the worms inside in the back and neck areas, and well-placed shots to these areas (especially the back) will kill them. When one member of a Hunter pair is killed, the surviving Hunter will forego its fuel rod cannon and charge its attackers, striking with its shield.

The Hunters have been part of the Covenant for quite a long time. They were forced to join the Covenant after being subdued by an Elite-led military force. Because of previous defeats, an Arbiter was ordained to aid in the "Taming of the Hunters." They were, however, found to be impossible to subjugate in ground combat, and presumably the Arbiter was killed. Eventually, they were forced to surrender after the threat of extinction through orbital bombardment by the "glassing" tactic.^{[citation needed]} As a result, Hunters are deeply respectful of the Elites, and this is likely why they choose to side with the Elites in the Covenant civil war.

[edit] Elites

Main article: Covenant Elite

The Elites, called Sangheili, their name for themselves as a species, are the core of the Covenant military. They were the guardians of the prophets,^[24] and the frontline troops for most of Covenant history.^[25] They stand 8'6" and are excellent soldiers, brilliant tacticians, and disciplined, aggressive fighters.^[22] Faster, stronger, and tougher than any Human (with the exception of the MJOLNIR-equipped Spartan II's) they fight in relatively small numbers but often lead squads of Grunts. They were the first to join the Covenant when the Prophets discovered evidence of the Forerunners' "Great Journey," and called for a truce. Armor color seems to indicate rank, and it is believed Elites are promoted based on the numbers of casualties they inflict.^[22] In the beginning of Halo 2, the highest rank seemed to be the "Honor Guard," who protected the Prophet of Regret and his broadcasting stations on Delta Halo. However, this rank was supposedly given to the Brutes after Regret's assassination at the hands of the Master Chief. White Elites have a similar action to the Brutes. When an enemy approaches to melee range with a Ultra Elite, the Elite drops the current weapon he's carrying, draws an Energy Sword, and attacks.

Elites are typically armed with plasma rifles, energy swords, needlers, or carbines and carry plasma grenades, though they have been noted to wield any Covenant weapon. Certain Elites are specially trained or experienced and may wield human weapons, and two single-handed weapons as well, and in the Halo Graphic Novel, Elites are even shown utilizing a two energy blade fighting style. As seen in Halo 2, some special ops Elites have the capability to remain invisible for prolonged periods of time. In space, Elites are armed with vacuum suits and jet packs for zero-G combat.

[edit] Jackals

Jackals (Covenant: Kig-Yar) serve as the Covenant's scouts and snipers. They are higher in rank, if not necessarily status, than the Grunts.^[22] They have superior senses compared to both humans and other Covenant races and are competent marksmen, equipped with either an arm-mounted energy shields and plasma pistol, or a high-powered particle beam rifle. Their shields are more than capable of deflecting human projectile weapons and Covenant needler rounds, but their strength fades considerably under sustained fire from plasma-based weaponry. The beam rifle is capable of cutting down all but the hardest of targets with very few well-placed rounds.

Given their small frames, they are typically found in defensible, dug-in positions, firing from cover or sniping from elevations. A Jackal utilizing a shield is nearly invulnerable, yet an accurate, consistent shooter can place rounds in the feet or arms. These shots might not kill the opponent directly, but the Jackal will recoil visibly and allow a second well-placed shot to finish the kill. The beam rifle allows Jackals to shoot from under cover or in shadows. Typically, they attack while the player is engaged with other targets, using their fellow Covenant as distraction in order to hit their target without taking fire.

Jackals are the only race of the covenant confirmed to be mercanaries, paying only occasional lip service to the Covenant religion.

[edit] Engineers

Engineers are the scientific engineering backbone of the Covenant and its economy. They float via air sacs and their many tentacles are able to split into many fine cilia, with which they are able to manipulate machinery. Engineers are capable of quickly learning the functionality of new technology. On one occasion an Engineer was observed (by Master Chief) dismantling a vehicle's engine, reassembling it into varying different working configurations, and then reassembling it the way it was, all in a matter of seconds. They are called Huragok in the Forerunner language, and sometimes referred to as 'savants' by the Humans.^{[citation needed]}

Their motivations are unknown, but they appear to draw no distinction between friend and foe, preferring to spend their time inspecting or repairing technology, although they will utter a high pitched keening sound when a Forerunner artifact is under any sort of threat. They are extremely apathetic to any sort of combat, and will just float along with their one desire: to fix things. In one encounter, an Engineer repaired the Master Chief's damaged shield generator and then floated away. This Engineer was later shot due to the risk of it giving the Master Chief's superior shield technology to the Covenant.

Engineers do not appear in either Halo games (though their character models are coded into Halo: Combat Evolved) and are mentioned only in Halo: The Fall of Reach, Halo: First Strike and Halo: Ghosts of Onyx.

It is unknown which side, if any, the Engineers have taken in the civil war. It is possible they have not even noticed the outbreak of the civil war, as they rarely even interact with the other Covenant castes (with the exception of the Prophets), content to fiddle with machinery and keep it running smoothly. Vice Admiral Whitcomb takes advantage of that "fiddling" by leaving a partially-assembled Nova nuke for the Covenant to find. The Engineers repair the bomb, which activates it. A Grunt hears a recorded message by Whitcomb telling him to "pray to [his] heathen gods" before a large part of the Elite fleet is wiped out.

[edit] Grunts

Grunts (Covenant: Unggoy, in Tagalog: Monkey)^[26] serve as the primary infantry of the Covenant's military forces, yet are the lowest creatures in the caste system. Roaming individually or in pairs they pose very little threat to the player, but en masse and in large hordes, their charged plasma pistols can overwhelm opponents. Without leadership and facing forces of equal size, it is common for Grunts to panic and retreat in the face of danger. However, if an Elite is incorporated into their unit, they will rally together to stand and fight. They are seen in-game manning and operating various weapons and vehicles and, while playing as the Arbiter, can give Grunt teammates access to even more weapons.

They do not breathe the same atmosphere of both the players or the rest of the Covenant species. In order to survive in oxygen-based environments, they must wear a SCUBA-like breathing apparatus allowing them to breathe methane gases. While not seen in the video games, the novel adaptations have described the methane tanks of attacking Grunts to be creative targets to quickly disperse an attack.

Compared to the human players, Grunts stand at approximately five feet tall.^[22] Despite their small stature, they are more than capable of wielding the more powerful Covenant weapons systems, such as plasma turrets and man-portable fuel rod guns.

[edit] Drones

Drones are an insectoid race which are called Yanme'e in the Covenant language. They talk in a chirpy, clicking noise but it is not certain if this is a hive communication or individual conversation. Their exoskeleton is pale green and thick in texture. Because of their mobility, they can sometimes be difficult to kill.

In the instruction manual for Halo 2, it is stated they are suited to flight and combat in areas like Earth's atmosphere which suggests their home world is much like our own (but with much less gravity, limiting their flight span). They prefer to stay at a distance and use long range tactics. However, they are skilled close-range combatants as well if the need arises, utilizing their climbing claws in close-quarters. Drones have been noted to land on vehicles and use their claws for vicious and surprisingly powerful attacks against the occupants. Drones are never seen charging their plasma pistols to penetrate a shield.

[edit] Sharquoi

Mentioned in the Halo 2 Limited Edition "Conversations from the Universe" pamphlet; as of this point the exact nature of the Sharquoi is unknown. The only clue given is that it is apparently used on an enemy that is surrounded or hemmed in. Speculation abounds as to whether it is a weapon, special tactic, or unidentified Covenant rank or unit.

[edit] See also

• List of extraterrestrials in fiction
• Protoss

[edit] References

[edit] External links

• A Covenant Primer: The Best of the Bestiary
• The Library: The Covenant
• Halopedia - Halo Knowledge center
• Halo Story Page & Staten, Joe (2005). Joe Staten Interview. Retrieved January 9th, 2005.
• Covenant Weapons- Tips for using Covenant weapons effectively.

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