Editing Fleet of Inexorable Obedience

{{Status|Canon}}
{{References}}
{{Military infobox
|variant=Cov
|image = 
|name = Fleet of Inexorable Obedience
|formed = 
|formed-title=Formed
|affiliation = [[Covenant]]
|branch = [[Covenant fleet]]
|size = *100+ starships{{Ref/Novel|Id=HSS17|HSS|Chapter=17}}
**Multiple {{Class|CAS|assault carrier}}s
**Multiple [[Covenant cruiser|cruiser]]s
**Multiple {{Pattern|Mjern|agricultural support ship}}{{Ref/Novel|Id=HSS21|HSS|Chapter=21}}
**Multiple [[intrusion corvette]]s
**Multiple [[Hospital ship|medical vessels]]{{Ref/Reuse|HSS21}}
**At least three [[bladder ship]]s
**At least four equipment [[freighter]]s
|battles = *[[Skirmish over Netherop]]
*[[Operation: SILENT STORM]]
**[[Battle of Seoba]]
**[[Battle of Biko]]
**[[Battle over Etalan]]
**[[Attack on Zhoist]]
|commanders = [[Fleetmaster]] [[Nizat 'Kvarosee]]{{Ref/Reuse|HSS9}}
}}

The '''Fleet of Inexorable Obedience''' was a large [[Covenant]] fleet. Under the command of [[Fleetmaster]] [[Nizat 'Kvarosee]], this fleet engaged in some of the earliest battles and [[glassing]] operations in the [[Human-Covenant War]].{{Ref/Novel|Id=HSS9|HSS|Chapter=9}}

==History==
===Outer Colony Campaign===
{{Main|Massacre of the Outer Colonies}}
Shortly after the [[Human-Covenant War]] broke out, the Fleet of Inexorable Obedience was tasked with destroying the [[Outer Colonies]], with [[Fleetmaster]] [[Nizat 'Kvarosee]] spearheading this effort from aboard the ''[[Pious Rampage]]''. Additionally, the [[Minor Minister of Artifact Survey]] was assigned to the fleet as a ceremonial magistrate. The fleet's orders were to discover [[human colonies]] as quickly as possible, survey their worlds, capture those containing [[Forerunner]] relics, and glass those that did not. To aid in this mission, a unit of [[Silent Shadow]] led by [[Sangheili First Blade officer|First Blade]] [[Tel 'Szatulai]] was also assigned to the fleet. Early on, the fleet successfully destroyed multiple colonies, but [[Skirmish over Netherop|lost]] the ''[[Radiant Arrow]]'' under mysterious circumstances as it was surveying [[Netherop]]. This loss occurred not long after of the fleet's vessels, the ''[[Unrelenting]]'', [[Battle of Chi Ceti|disappeared]] at [[Chi Ceti IV]].{{Ref/Reuse|HSS9}}

===Glassing Etalan===
{{Main|Attack on Etalan}}
During the [[glassing]] [[Attack on Etalan|of]] [[Etalan]] in [[2526#March|March 2526]], the [[Minor Minister of Artifact Survey]] became impatient with the process and incited 'Kvarosee to expedite the process. However, they were interrupted by 'Szatulai with a message from General [[Harper Garvin]] of the [[United Rebel Front]] offering the Covenant information due to the Insurrectionists' desire to break free of the UNSC which they saw as a mutual enemy. As proof of his intentions, Garvin offered up information on what had happened to the ''Unrelenting'' and ''Radiant Arrow''. Garvin warned that the [[SPARTAN-II program|Spartans]] intended to destroy the fleet at [[Biko]] and proposed helping to eliminate the Spartans if the Covenant left their worlds alone. 'Kvarosee dispatched 'Szatulai to meet with Garvin and hunt down the Spartans while expediting the glassing of Etalan by having the fleet bombard the planet's massive [[Wikipedia:Shield volcano|shield volcano]], triggering an eruption that filled the atmosphere with ash to slowly suffocate its inhabitants.{{Ref/Reuse|HSS9}}{{Ref/Novel|Id=HSS20|HSS|Chapter=20}}

===Scouting Seoba===
{{Main|Battle of Seoba}}
Tel 'Szatula took a detachment of the fleet, called the [[Bloodstar Flotilla]], to [[Seoba]], one of the [[Natural satellite|moon]]s of [[Biko]]. Here, he would meet with Garvin and his followers in [[Seoba Ice Quarry|an abanadoned ice quarry]]. However, when they arrived in the [[Kolaqoa system]] on [[2526#March|March 19, 2526]], the flotilla of [[intrusion corvette]]s found a [[UNSC]] [[Task Force Yama|task force]] occupying the moon.{{Ref/Novel|Id=HSS12|HSS|Chapter=12}} The [[Battle of Seoba|ensuing battle]] resulted in the destruction of three of the flotilla's five vessels, forcing 'Szatulai to retreat with his flagship—the ''[[Sacred Whisper]]''—and one other intrusion corvette.{{Ref/Novel|Id=HSS15|HSS|Chapter=15}} Meanwhile, the rest of the Fleet of Inexorable Obedience had completed its destruction of Etalan, prompting Fleetmaster 'Kvarosee to order the fleet to continue to Biko, their next target.{{Ref/Reuse|HSS17}}

===Finding Biko===
{{Main|Battle of Biko}}
On [[2526#March|March 20]], the Fleet of Inexorable Obedience arrived at Biko. Because of insurrectionist warnings that [[Task Force Yama]] would attempt to board their vessels and destroy them from the inside, 'Kvarosee held the fleet's fighter screen in close. Shortly after dropping out of [[slipspace]], Biko's meager navy deployed to [[Battle of Biko|meet]] them. However, 'Kvarosee ordered the fleet to accelerate through their lines to quickly get to the planet and to try to avoid being boarded during a prolonged fight.{{Ref/Reuse|HSS17}} As the fighting began, Tel 'Szatulai ordered his two remaining vessels to rendezvous with the Fleet of Inexorable Obedience. However, as they accelerated toward Biko, [[Emmeline|a lone transport]] began trailing them. 'Szatulai realized that it must be Garvin and had the ''Sacred Whisper'' dock with the {{Class|Banta|transport}}. Their negotiations resulted in the First Blade "promising" to give the Insurrectionists control of Biko following the battle in exchange for more information on the Spartans.{{Ref/Novel|Id=HSS18|HSS|Chapter=18}} The battle in orbit of Biko lasted for five days, in which time the human defense forces had managed to destroy five of 'Kvarosee's [[Covenant cruiser|cruiser]]s and all of [[space station|orbital shipyard]]s that he had hoped to capture. However, the human vessels were eventually wiped out and 'Kvarosee ordered Biko to be glassed, despite the fact that the fleet's carrier gas was beginning to run low following the recent [[Battle over Etalan|loss]] of much of their logistics train. When the plasma bombardment caused planet's atmosphere to combust, the Minor Minister of Artifact Survey commended 'Kvarosee's efficiency and suggested that he stop the glassing to preserve plasma. The fleetmaster, however, explained that the firestorm would not be enough [[Lechatelierite|fuze the ground]] and make Biko uninhabitable.{{Ref/Reuse|HSS21}}

===Loss at Etalan===
{{Main|Battle over Etalan}}
During the Battle of Biko, the fleet's logistics train of several {{Pattern|Mjern|agricultural support ship}}s, at least four equipment freighters, and three [[bladder ship]]s were stationed in orbit over Etalan. As the rest of the fleet was busy assaulting Biko, the bladder ships collected gas from Etalan's upper atmosphere to manufacture [[plasma]] for the rest of the fleet.{{Ref/Novel|Id=HSS19|HSS|Chapter=19}}

Task Force Yama caught wind of the vulnerable logistics fleet and sent the {{UNSCShip|Vanishing Point}}, two escort [[prowler]]s, and the twelve Spartans of [[Blue Team|Blue]], [[Green Team|Green]], and [[Gold Team]]s to destroy these key vessels.{{Ref/Reuse|HSS17}} On [[2526#March|March 22, 2526]], the three [[UNSC]] warships arrived at Etalan and began to stealthily observe the logistics fleet, attempting to identify the purpose of each class of vessel and which should be their primary targets.{{Ref/Reuse|HSS19}} [[Catherine Halsey|Dr. Catherine Halsey]] quickly realized the importance of the bladder ships. Four days later, on [[2526#March|March 26]], the Spartans launched their attack. While Gold and Green Teams attacked and destroyed the  four equipment freighters, Blue Team used captured [[Elsedda-pattern Banshee|Banshees]] to get close to the bladder ships. As the ships were still retracting their collection cones, their shields were down, allowing [[John-117]], [[Frederic-104]], and [[Kelly-087]] to get close enough to arm [[HAVOK tactical nuclear weapon]]s and destroy each of the three bladder ships.{{Ref/Reuse|HSS20}} Only the ''Mjern''-pattern agricultural ships and a handful of [[Hospital ship|medical vessel]]s had survived the attack, waiting in orbit over Etalan for five days before a properly protected convoy could be organized to retrieve them.{{Ref/Reuse|HSS21}}

As a result, the fleet's advance was brought to a halt and 'Kvarosee was forced to call for a new supply convoy from [[Zhoist]] to rendezvous with the surviving logistics vessels. After 'Szatulai revealed that the humans had retrieved a ''[[kelguid]]'' from [[Worthy Silence|one]] of his downed corvettes, 'Kvarosee realized that the humans would likely next target Zhoist and ordered the fleet there against the objections of the Minor Minister who wanted to head to [[High Charity]], believing it to be in danger instead.{{Ref/Reuse|HSS21}}

===Destruction===
{{Main|Attack on Zhoist}}
On [[2526#April|April 15]], Task Force Yama launched [[Attack on Zhoist|an attack]] on Zhoist which was defended by the Fleet of Inexorable Obedience alongside the planet's own defenses. With the fleet's positioning making it impossible to board the [[Ring of Mighty Abundance]] from space, the Spartans and [[21st Space Assault Battalion|Black Daggers]] dropped onto Zhoist to use the gravity elevators to reach the Ring. Upon realizing what they were up to, 'Szatulai led his forces to engage them while the fleet engaged the Prowlers as they dropped off the assault force. However, the Spartans succeeded in reaching the Ring, destroying two of the [[Ten Cities of Edification]] in the process.

After the destruction of the Ring of Mighty Abundance, 'Kvarosee had the fleet pulled back further and learned that 'Szatulai and his forces, aside from [[Castor]] and [[Orsun]], had been killed by the Spartans on the Ring. The fleet was able to capture eight of the Black Daggers who only laughed when interrogated by the Shipmasters. During this time, the Minor Minister's behavior caused [[Tam 'Lakosee]] to kill him which 'Kvarosee decided to cover up. The captured Black Daggers hidden [[octanitrocubane|octas]] eventually detonated aboard six of the ships, visible from the surviving hidden Prowlers of Task Force Yama to their amazement.{{Citation needed}} The Fleet of Inexorable Obedience was decimated by the surprise attack. One of the ships lost was the ''[[Almighty Persuasion]]'' which carried one of the Covenant's three [[Luminal Beacon]]s.{{Ref/Novel|Id=Chapter 5|HOblv|Chapter=5}}

==Composition==
*''[[Pious Rampage]]'' - {{Class|CAS|assault carrier}} ([[flagship]]) - [[Fleetmaster]] [[Nizat 'Kvarosee]]
*''[[Purifying Flame]]'' - Unknown class - Unknown
*''[[Radiant Arrow]]'' - [[Covenant frigate]] - Destroyed
*''[[Almighty Persuasion]]'' - Unknown class - Destroyed
*''[[Unrelenting]]'' - {{Pattern|Zanar|light cruiser}} - Destroyed during the [[Battle of Chi Ceti]]
*[[Bloodstar Flotilla]]
**''[[Sacred Whisper]]''  ([[flagship]] of the Bloodstar Flotilla) - [[Sangheili First Blade officer|First Blade]] [[Tel 'Szatulai]] - Destroyed at the [[Attack on Zhoist]]
**''[[Worthy Silence]]'' - Destroyed at the [[Battle of Seoba]]

==List of appearances==
*''[[Halo: Silent Storm]]'' {{1st}}
*''[[Halo: Oblivion]]'' {{Mo}}
*''[[Halo: Outcasts]]'' {{Mo}}

==Sources==
{{Ref/Sources}}

{{Covenant Fleet Units}}
[[Category:Covenant fleets|Inexorable Obedience]]