Editing Halo: Sunrise on Sanghelios

{{Title|''Halo: Sunrise on Sanghelios''}}
{{Status|RealWorld}}
{{Novel infobox
|name=''Halo: Sunrise on Sanghelios''
|variant=Anthology
|image=[[File:SunriseOnSanghelios TeaserArt.png|300px]]
|author=
*[[Alex Wakeford]]
*[[Jeff Easterling]]
|cover artist=[[:Category:Images by William Cameron|William Cameron]]
|illustrator=
|editor=
|audio=
*[[Alex Wakeford]]
*[[Steve Downes]]
*[[Jen Taylor]]
*[[Keith David]]
|publisher=[[343 Industries]]
|publication=[[2023#October|October 14, 2023]]
|media=Short story
|length=
|ISBN=
|series=[[Halo Waypoint Chronicle]]s
|preceded=''[[Halo: Winter Contention]]''
|followed=''[[Halo: Saturn Devouring His Son]]''
|multiseries=
|notable=
}}
'''''Halo: Sunrise on Sanghelios''''' is the third short story in the ''[[Halo Waypoint Chronicle]]'' series of shorts, written by [[Alex Wakeford]].{{Ref/Twitter|Haruspis|1713329511607968124|Alex Wakeford|Quote=No big deal, just had Steve Downes, Jen Taylor, and Keith David read a scene I wrote…|D=15|M=10|Y=2023}} The debut of the story was first teased at the [[Canon Fodder]] Live event on day one of the Halo World Championships 2023, with the story officially debuted in a live reading on the following day by [[Steve Downes]], [[Keith David]], and [[Jen Taylor]], with Wakeford himself narrating the story between the actors' parts.{{Ref/YouTube|Id=Live|AVbqwUVGJ6g|Time=13190|Halo|HaloWC 2023 Community Stage – Day 2 (Season 5, Steve Downes, Jen Taylor, Keith David, Cosplay +)|Detail=3:39:50|D=14|M=10|Y=2023}} The story was later released to read on [[Halo Waypoint]] in text form.{{Ref/Twitter|Haruspis|1713576450224484620|Alex Wakeford|Quote=Plan is to formally release this in Waypoint Chronicle fashion later next week in text form and with a snipped video of the performance 👀|D=15|M=10|Y=2023}} The story is set to be included in the [[2026]] print anthology collection ''[[Halo: Waypoint Chronicles - Volume One]]''.{{Ref/Site|Id=HWCCover|URL=https://www.halowaypoint.com/news/halo-waypoint-chronicles-volume-one-cover-reveal|Site=Halo Waypoint|Page=Halo: Waypoint Chronicles – Volume One <nowiki>|</nowiki> Cover Reveal|D=03|M=07|Y=2025}}

The short story is set immediately following the final cutscene of ''[[Halo 5: Guardians]]'', and depicts the discussion between [[John-117]], [[Thel 'Vadam]], and [[Catherine Halsey]] following the game's events, with the live debut featuring all three characters' voice actors reprising their roles from the ''Halo'' games to depict them.{{Ref/Reuse|Live}} The scene is itself a fleshing out of the early chapters of the novel ''[[Halo: Bad Blood]]'', in which the novel's protagonist [[Edward Buck]] had mentioned the trio convening for a brief conversation—though the details of such had been left out of the novel.

==Official summary==
{{Article quote|[[2558#October|October 2558]]. [[Cortana]] has awakened countless [[Guardian Custode|Guardian custodes]], ancient [[Forerunner]] constructs she intends to use to enforce an imperial peace on the peoples of the galaxy.

After [[Fireteam Osiris]] rescues the [[John-117|Master Chief]] and [[Blue Team]] from the renegade [[artificial intelligence]]’s clutches, the [[Spartan]]s return to [[Sanghelios]]. As they await the arrival of the {{UNSCShip|Infinity}}, two legendary heroes recount all that has transpired in the years since their last meeting....{{Ref/Site|Id=CFCC|URL=https://www.halowaypoint.com/news/canon-fodder-championship-chronicles|Site=Halo Waypoint|Page=Canon Fodder - Championship Chronicles|D=29|M=10|Y=2023}}}}

==Plot synopsis==
{{Spoiler/begin}}
[[Sarah Palmer]] immediately orders shut off the lights of Blue Team and Fireteam Osiris' [[D79H Pelican]] as they disembark. [[Arbiter]] Thel 'Vadam welcomes the group, expressing deep gratitude on behalf of the [[Sangheili]] for their help and offering them a meal and rest before they depart, but Dr. Catherine Halsey interrupts, stating that they won’t leave until the next day. She mentions that ''Infinity'' will arrive near Suban the following day at 1800 [[Military Standard Time|MST]]—noon local time. Halsey steps aside to coordinate with Jameson Locke and Palmer, finalizing the rendezvous plan. The Master Chief confirms they’ll leave in the morning.

The Arbiter then invites the group to partake in a feast prepared in celebration of [[Battle of Sunaion|their victory over the]] [[Jul 'Mdama's Covenant|Covenant]] and the end of the [[Blooding Years]]. Later, the Arbiter takes the Master Chief aside during the celebration. He expresses relief at his return, recalling how he had believed in the Spartan’s survival even when [[UNSC Forward Unto Dawn|their ship]] was severed during [[Raid on Installation 08|their escape]] from the [[Foundry (location)|Foundry]] [[2552#December|years ago]].

The Arbiter asks to hear the Master Chief’s account of his time since then; he then briefly recounts being adrift in space for [[2557#July|over four years]] with Cortana, ending up at [[Requiem]] where they [[Battle of Requiem|awakened]] the [[Ur-Didact|Didact]]. At the cost of Cortana changing, they [[New Phoenix Incident|fought and defeated]] him. Cortana had claimed to be cured of her [[rampancy]] after accessing the [[Domain]], but her perspective had shifted dangerously, echoing the Didact’s views: A [[Created|new space order]] in which all would prosper under her rule, but those who resisted would face her wrath. The Master Chief, struggling with this reality, is pulled back to the present by the Arbiter, who shares his own experiences of failure as a [[Covenant]] warrior who killed countless humans, acknowledging that despite his redemption and fighting for peace, he will one day have to account for those he killed. He suggests that just as he saved him, the Master Chief may still have a chance to do so Cortana.

The Master Chief remembers their [[Recovery of John-117|initial tense meeting]] on [[Earth]] when they were still enemies, recalling the Arbiter’s words: “Were it so easy.” They speak throughout the night, with the Arbiter sharing his perspective on the events that have transpired, speaking of loss, sacrifice, victory, and at last unity—hope for the future by way of the [[Concert of Worlds]], a multispecies alliance built on strength, honor, and mutual respect, aiming for an age of peace, though he acknowledges that such peace is far off.

As dawn approaches within the hour, preparations are made for the departure aboard the Pelican. The ''Infinity'' arrives out of slipspace for a quick pickup. The Arbiter bids the Master Chief farewell, confident that they will face the new threats together as allies. They clasp forearms in a show of mutual respect before the Pelican lifts off, speeding through the atmosphere of Sanghelios as the light of [[Urs system|Urs]] rises, leaving the world to face an uncertain future.
{{Spoiler/end}}

==Appearances==
{{Featurelist|secondcolumn=title-5
|title-1=Characters|
;Artificial intelligence
*[[Cortana]]

;Forerunner
*[[Ur-Didact]] {{Mo}}

;Human
*[[Catherine Halsey]]
*[[Jameson Locke]]
*[[John-117]]
*[[Sarah Palmer]]

;Sangheili
*[[Thel 'Vadam]]

|title-2=Species|
*[[Colo]] {{Mo}}
*[[Forerunner]] {{Mo}}
*[[Human]]
*[[Kuscatu]] {{Mo}}
*[[Sangheili]]

|title-3=Organizations|
*[[Concert of Worlds]] {{Mo}}
*[[Covenant]] {{Mo}}
*[[Covenant remnants]]
**[[Jul 'Mdama's Covenant]] {{Im}}
**[[Swords of Sanghelios]]
*[[Created]] {{Mo}}
*[[United Nations Space Command]]
**[[Spartan Operations]]
***[[Fireteam Osiris]]
**[[UNSC Navy]]
***[[SPARTAN-II program]]
****[[Blue Team]]

|title-4=Locations|
*[[Earth]] {{Im}}
*[[Installation 00]] {{Mo}}
**[[Foundry (location)|Foundry]] {{Mo}}
*[[Requiem]] {{Mo}}
*[[Urs system]]
**[[Sanghelios]]
***[[Qivro]]
****[[Nuusra]]
***[[Suban]] {{Mo}}

|title-5=Events|
*[[Human-Covenant War]] {{Mo}}
**[[Battle for Earth]]
***[[Battle of Kenya]] {{Im}}
****[[Recovery of John-117]] {{Im}}
**[[Battle of Installation 00]] {{Mo}}
*[[Post-Covenant War conflicts]]
**[[Battle of Requiem]] {{Mo}}
**[[New Phoenix Incident]] {{Mo}}
**[[Blooding Years]] {{Mo}}

|title-6=Vehicles|
*{{Class|Charon|light frigate}}
**{{UNSCShip|Forward Unto Dawn}} {{Mo}}
*[[D79H Pelican]]
**''[[India 127]]''
*{{Class|Infinity|supercarrier}}
**{{UNSCShip|Infinity}} {{Mo}}

|title-7=Technology and equipment|
*[[Armiger]]
**[[Promethean Knight]] {{Im}}
*[[Artificial intelligence]]
**[[Smart AI]] {{Mo}}
*[[Domain]] {{Mo}}
*[[Sangheili hut]]

|title-8=Other|
*[[Mantle]]
}}

==External links==
*[https://www.halowaypoint.com/news/halo-sunrise-on-sanghelios Halo: Sunrise on Sanghelios] - The official Waypoint post in which the short story was released for free.
*[https://content.halocdn.com/media/Default/community/waypointchronicle_sunriseonsanghelios_pdf-cb32238cfe5d452185db739ac501284b.pdf Official ''Sunrise on Sanghelios'' PDF] - The PDF of the short story released on Halo Waypoint ([[:File:SunriseOnSanghelios.pdf|Archived copy]]).
*[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=heeAkDRuf5g Halo: Sunrise on Sanghelios | Audiobook] - The audiobook narrated in the HaloWC 2023 Community Stage.

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

{{Waypoint Chronicles}}
[[Category:Halo Waypoint Chronicles|Sunrise on Sanghelios]]
[[Category:Canon]]