Editing Heart of Malice

{{Title|''Heart of Malice''}}
{{Status|Canon}}
{{Infobox/Ships
|name            = ''Heart of Malice''
|image           = [[File:CanonFodder-HeartOfMalice.jpg|300px]]
|caption         = ''Heart of Malice'' hovering over the forests of [[Warial]].{{Ref/Site|Id=CFTomes|URL=https://www.halowaypoint.com/news/canon-fodder-tasty-tomes|Site=Halo Waypoint|Page=Canon Fodder - Tasty Tomes|D=24|M=03|Y=2025}}
|modules         = 
{{Infobox/Ships/Individual
|country              = [[Banished]]
|country flag         = {{Icon|Banished}}
|name                 = ''Heart of Malice''
|class                = <!--The ship's class-->
|namesake             = <!--The ship's namesake, if any-->
|identification       = <!--The ship's hull code-->
|operator             = [[Vanguard of Zaladon]]{{Ref/Novel|Id=ET8|ET|Chapter=8}}
|manufacturer         = 
|architect            = 
|laid down            = 
|launched             = 
|commissioned         = 
|decommissioned       = 
|fate                 = <!--The ultimate fate of the ship, if it is no longer in present service-->
|status               = <!--The current status of the ship if it is still active, and one is known-->
|captains             = Ship commander [[Vodus]]{{Ref/Novel|Id=ET16|ET|Chapter=16}}
|ai                   = 
|motto                = 
|badge                = 
}}
|hide-characteristics=<!--leave blank unless you want to hide the characteristics section header-->
|nocollapse      = <!--leave blank unless you want to disable the show/hide functionality-->
|type            = 
|length          = ~{{Convert|1200|m|ft|sp=us}}{{Ref/Novel|Id=ET15|ET|Chapter=15}}
|width           = 
|height          = 
|mass            = 
|power           = 
|maneuver drive  = 
|slipspace drive = 
|crew            = <!--Describes crew counts only-->
|complement      = 
|troops          = <!--Describes on-boarded Marine, Army etc ground troop forces-->
|hull            = <!--Describes hull plate material-->
|shielding       = <!--Describes shielding-->
|sensors         = <!--Describes sensors and whatnot-->
|ew              = <!--Describes electronic warfare capabilities-->
|armaments       = 
*2 [[plasma lance]]s{{Ref/Novel|Id=ET20|ET|Chapter=20}}
*18 naval guns{{Ref/Reuse|CFTomes}}
*[[Point-defense gun]]s{{Ref/Reuse|CFTomes}}{{Ref/Reuse|ET8}}
*Naval missiles{{Ref/Reuse|ET15}}
*[[Directed-energy weapon]]s and ballistic weapons{{Ref/Reuse|ET15}}
|aircraft        = <!--Describes embarked aircraft and dropships-->
|air facilities  = <!--Describes hangars and whatnot-->
}}
{{Quote|Heart of Malice. Have to say, that's a fitting name.|Captain [[Abigail Cole]]{{Ref/Novel|Id=ET44|ET|Chapter=44}}}}
'''''Heart of Malice''''' is a warship serving in the [[Banished]], the [[flagship]] of the [[Vanguard of Zaladon]].{{Ref/Reuse|ET8}} The ship is a custom design original to the Vanguard of Zaladon, and unique among the Banished.{{Ref/Reuse|ET15}}

==Overview==
===Design details===
At around {{Convert|1200|m|ft|sp=us}} in length,{{Ref/Reuse|ET15}} ''Heart of Malice'' is smaller than the massive [[Banished dreadnought|dreadnoughts]] that form the core of most Banished fleets, but considered to be extremely effective in combat.{{Ref/Reuse|ET8}} The ship is shaped like a jagged arrowhead, coated in naval weapons and noted to provide an air of dread and ferocity. The ship's custom design means that prior to the [[Battle of Venezia]], it was entirely unnoted on [[Office of Naval Intelligence]] [[Covenant ship classification system|classification databases]], nor was it something that [[Rtas 'Vadum]] of the [[Swords of Sanghelios]] was familiar with. After a brief analysis during combat over [[Venezia]], the [[United Nations Space Command]] were able to ascertain that the ship has an internal honeycomb frame design similar in nature to the UNSC's own {{Class|Halcyon|light cruiser}}s - meaning that ''Heart of Malice'' is able to endure extraordinary punishment in combat.{{Ref/Reuse|ET15}}

The ship's [[bridge]] has stations for a dozen operators, mostly consisting of [[Jiralhanae]]. The centre of the room has a single [[Holography|holotable]] surrounded the crew's consoles and displays; this table is the site at which Severan and the [[Shipmaster|ship commander]] stand. The ship commander commands the ship in [[Space warfare|naval operations]], but takes orders from Severan. The bridge is connected to a long corridor that runs much of the ship's length, connected to a series of lifts that can move personnel around the ship - including to Severan's private quarters, which are the largest of all on the ship. However, given the Jiralhanae penchant for utalitarian design, this means that they are still very cramped. Severan's chamber is relatively sparsely decorated with only rudimentary furniture and essential machines alongside a handful of [[keepsake]]s from [[Doisac]] and [[High Charity]], owing to the War Chief's tendency to spend little time in the room. The room does feature a central holotable with access to archives pulled from High Charity prior to the city's [[Fall of High Charity|fall]] to the [[Flood]].{{Ref/Reuse|ET16}}

===Armaments===
''Heart of Malice'' is coated in weaponry, making it a formidable foe in combat. These include twin [[plasma lance]]s{{Ref/Reuse|ET20}} and at least 18 naval cannons of unknown type littering the ship's dorsal surface.{{Ref/Reuse|CFTomes}} The ship is also fitted with missiles{{Ref/Reuse|ET15}} and [[point-defense gun]]s.{{Ref/Reuse|ET8}}

The ship's armaments are a mix of both [[directed-energy weapon]]s and conventional ballistics.{{Ref/Reuse|ET15}}

===Crew and complement===
''Heart of Malice'' has at least one [[hangar bay]] capable of housing [[dropship]]s, including at least one [[Barug'qel Workshop Trespasser|Trespasser]]. {{Ref/Reuse|ET16}}

*[[Severan]] - [[War Chief]] of the Vanguard of Zaladon{{Ref/Reuse|ET16}}
*[[Vodus]] - ship commander{{Ref/Reuse|ET16}}
*[[Erutaun]] - communications officer{{Ref/Reuse|ET16}}
*[[Valocanth]] - mobility officer{{Ref/Reuse|ET20}}

==Service history==
''Heart of Malice'' has been under the command of War Chief Severan for a number of years prior to [[2559]]. On November 8 of that year, the ship was assembled at [[Warial]] along with the rest of the Vanguard of Zaladon's fleet, following Severan's promotion to leader of all remaining Banished forces in [[Milky Way|the galaxy]] not under the command of [[Atriox]]. The fleet was originally assembled to prepare to deploy against the UNSC in the search for the [[Lithos]], but this order was countermanded when later that day, Warial's parent world [[Doisac]] was destroyed by the [[Created]]. Wrathful, Severan was given new orders by [[Escharum]] - the [[artificial intelligence]]s of the Created were of [[human]] origin, and so the Banished were to respond in kind and sack [[Earth]]. While the majority of the Vanguard of Zaladon's fleet were ordered to the wider Banished rally point immediately, Severan ordered ''Heart of Malice'' and a small escort force to instead deploy to [[Venezia]] first.{{Ref/Reuse|ET8}} At Venezia, Severan wished to extract [[Dovo Nesto]], [[High Lord]] of the [[Order of Restoration]] - a [[Covenant remnants|Covenant remnant]] seeking to revive the [[Covenant|old empire]]. Unbeknownst to the rest of the Banished, Severan was secretly aligned to the Order.

''Heart of Malice'' deployed to Venezia with an escort of six dreadnoughts, and hid behind its moon [[Tiro]]. As such, the flotilla went unnoticed by the UNSC-[[Swords of Sanghelios]] task force that entered the system later that day, consisting of the {{Class|Valiant|super-heavy cruiser}} {{UNSCShip|Victory of Samothrace}} and {{Pattern|Kerel|assault carrier}} ''[[Shadow of Intent]]''. After [[Battle of Venezia|fighting began]] on the ground, Severan was able to extract Dovo Nesto aboard a Trespasser dropship, prompting ''Heart of Malice'' and the fleet to emerge from hiding to retrieve the VIPs and engage the allied ships opposing them. After emerging, ''Heart of Malice'' initially fell back and allowed the dreadnoughts to engage ''Victory'' and ''Shadow'', though after successfully collecting the dropship it then aggressively moved into combat. ''Malice'' began to pursue ''Victory of Samothrace'' once the cruiser began a [[Marien maneuver]], pitching above the battle plane and spinning while firing, with both ''Victory'' and ''Malice'' unloading all of their weapons on one another.{{Ref/Reuse|ET15}} The UNSC-Swords ships ultimately elected to leave the system rather than continue to face the Banished, leaving ''Heart of Malice'' and two surviving dreadnoughts - ''[[Ghost of K'rryk]]'' and ''[[Ghost of Voranth]]'' - to stare down at the newly-arrived [[Sali 'Nyon's Covenant|Covenant fleet]] under [[Sali 'Nyon]]. Unsure of Nyon's intentions, Severan ultimately chose to order his ships to leave the system to prepare for the scheduled attack on Earth. Ultimately, ''Heart of Malice'' suffered minimal damage during the battle, seeing only minor damage to its exterior battleplate.{{Ref/Reuse|ET16}}

On December 12, 2559, ''Heart of Malice'' led the awaited Banished [[Battle of Earth (2559)|assault]] on Earth. During the opening stages of the fighting, ''Malice'' came head-to-head with ''Victory of Samothrace'' and [[Battle Group Omega]], immediately beginning to fire upon ''Samothrace''{{'}}s vulnerable port side - even despite the imminent threat of a Guardian [[Attenuation pulse emitter|EMP attack]]. Captain Cole in turn ordered ''Samothrace''{{'}}s full weapons might to be brought onto ''Heart of Malice''.{{Ref/Novel|ET|Chapter=19}} Severan was tempted to use the opportunity to finally destroy the cruiser, but recognised that the threat of the Guardian was too great, and instead ordered the ship to move out of the Guardian's range. However, just before the Guardian pulse fired, the construct went offline thanks to a [[Battle over Installation 07|simultaneous victory]] achieved by [[Atriox]] at [[Installation 07]]. Instead of seizing the moment to finally deliver a crushing blow on the UNSC, Severan ordered the Banished fleet to [[Boundary]] to secure the [[Lithos]] - and secretly guarantee Dovo Nesto's ability to take control of the [[Domain]].{{Ref/Reuse|ET20}}

After arriving at Boundary, ''Heart of Malice'' conducted seismic scans of the world and found the location of the Lithos buried under the township of [[Tyrrhen]], allowing the Banished to deploy and take control of the site relatively quickly by December 14.{{Ref/Novel|Id=ET24|ET|Chapter=24}} This was interrupted later that day by the arrival of [[Battle Group Omega]] and the UNSC's [[Fourth Fleet|Fourth]], [[Sixth Fleet|Sixth]], [[Ninth Fleet|Ninth]], and [[Thirteenth Fleet]]s. While the initial round of fighting was mostly done between the wider Banished fleet in orbit, ''Heart of Malice'' did engage later in the battle, once again attempting to hunt down ''Victory of Samothrace''. ''Victory of Samothrace'' initially attempted to fire its [[Magnetic Accelerator Cannon]] at Tyrrhen to deny the Lithos to all parties involved, though ''Heart of Malice'' made a beeline for the cruiser, ramming it and damaging ''Victory''{{'}}s [[fusion drive]]s. ''Heart of Malice'' then came back around for another attack, aiming to destroy the now-disabled ''Victory of Samothrace''. ''Malice'' rammed ''Victory'' for a second time just as ''Victory'' fired her twin MACs, successfully [[Orbital bombardment|bombarding]] Boundary's surface destroying the Lithos.{{Ref/Novel|ET|Chapter=35}} After engaging ''Samothrace'' for a final time, ''Malice'' took more damage though was able to, in turn, mission-kill the super-heavy cruiser. This resulted in ''Victory of Samothrace'' crash-landing on Boundary. Severan then ordered that the Banished fleet retreat so that he could make his report to Atriox.{{Ref/Novel|ET|Chapter=36}} On [[2560#January|January 1, 2560]], ''Heart of Malice'' returned to the [[Oth Sonin system]] to visit the site of Doisac's destruction.{{Ref/Novel|ET|Chapter=46}}

After being recovered from Boundary, Captain Cole was tasked by Fleet Admiral [[Terrence Hood]] with tracking down Severan and ''Heart of Malice'' once ''Victory'' had been repaired.{{Ref/Reuse|ET44}}

==Production notes==
''Heart of Malice'' was designed by concept artist [[:Category:Images by Espen Olsen Sætervik|Espen Olsen Sætervik]], who previously worked with [[Halo Studios]] on ''[[Halo Infinite]]'' and produced a few illustrations of the [[Greater Ark]] for a previous [[Canon Fodder]].{{Ref/Reuse|CFTomes}}

==List of appearances==
*''[[Halo: Empty Throne]]'' {{1st}}

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

[[Category:Banished ships]]