New Colonial Alliance

Ilsa Zane, the leader of the group that attempted to capture Infinity

"We are outnumbered and we are outgunned but our spirit is stronger. Wars may be fought with weapons, but they are won with soul."

— Ilsa Zane

The New Colonial Alliance is an Insurrectionist group that was founded by UNSC Admiral Mattius Drake some time prior to March 2553.

History

UNSC Infinity

Elements of the NCA led by SPARTAN-IV defector Ilsa Zane infiltrated the UNSC Infinity disguised as construction personnel and captured most of the bridge crew, using them as hostages. They then secured the ship's bridge in the hope of capturing the prototype UNSC flagship, threatening to vent the ship's atmosphere and kill everyone aboard it. The attempt was foiled by Spartan forces aboard the Infinity and the boarders were all killed or captured. The prisoners revealed Admiral Drake as the organization's leader.

Ealen IV

Prior to March 2558, Captain Daniel Clayton, the illegitimate son of war hero Captain James Cutter, joined the New Colonial Alliance. Clayton served as executive officer to Rear Admiral Horatio Temkin, the UNSC's ambassador to Sanghelios, giving Clayton access to classified information. The captain informed Shipmaster Vata 'Gajat, a Sangheili mercenary from Jul 'Mdama's reformed Covenant about the negotiation attempts between the Sangheili and Jiralhanae on Ealen IV. 'Gajat's forces foiled the negotiations when they attacked during the middle of the summit. Spartan Vladimir Scruggs, one of the Spartans deployed to protect the diplomats, was actually a double agent for the NCA and was tasked with killing the lead negotiators.

As the ex-Covenant mercenaries distracted the envoy's bodyguards, Scruggs killed Spartan Fireteam Jackknife and the Jiralhanae and Sangheili warriors accompanying him. After informing Clayton of the act he informed Commander Palmer that the area was secure. Scruggs then took Fleet Admiral Terrence Hood hostage. Though he did not compromise his employer, Scruggs tried to convince Palmer that he knew of secretive machinations behind the UNSC and the Arbiter's inability to make peace with his enemies. Palmer killed her turncoat comrade before he could reveal anything further. Following the battle Fleet Admiral Hood and Captain Lasky of Infinity discussed that Scruggs could not have been the informant who led 'Gajat to Ealen IV; they realized that the security breach involved someone with much greater security clearance.

Pilgrims Pride and Oth Lodon

After their failed assault on Ealen IV, 'Gajat and Captain Clayton lured Admiral Hood and the UNSC Infinity into a trap. They launched a freighter, the Pilgrims Pride, which sent out a distress signal that was later picked up by Infinity. When Infinity arrived in the Artesia-702 system, it found the damaged freighter leaking atomic matter with faint life signs aboard and tugged the ship into one of its deployment bays. An ambush was sprung within the bay when the freighter set itself to self-destruct and multiple UNSC aircraft exited its cargo bay. The attack was repelled and Infinity later discovered the assault crafts used were from the UNSC Spirit of Fire. Infinity tracked the freighter's origin to Oth Lodon where it found a Covenant space station operated by NCA forces. Captain Clayton revealed himself and his motives to Lord Hood and fired on Infinity with the station's energy projector.

List of appearances

• Halo: Initiation (First appearance)
• Halo: Escalation