Editing Jul 'Mdama's Covenant

{{Status|Canon}}
{{disambig header|the rogue splinter faction during the [[Post-Covenant War conflicts|post-war]] era|the original theocratic empire|Covenant}}
{{Affiliation infobox
|name=“The Covenant” 
|image={{tabcontainer
|title1=Primary|content1=[[File:DidactsHandMarking.png|100px]]
|title2=Additional|content2=[[File:H5-JulMdamasCovenantFlag.png|55px]]
}}The various symbols of Jul 'Mdama's Covenant
{{Pageimage|H4 SO Jul'Mdama with Elites.jpg}}[[File:H4 SO Jul'Mdama with Elites.jpg|300px]]<br>'Mdama and his followers gathering to discuss plans
|type=*[[terrorism|Terrorist]] organization{{Ref/Reuse|WaypointSpartanOps7}}{{Ref/Reuse|Catherine}}
*Religious cultists{{Ref/Reuse|Briefing}}
|founder=[[Jul 'Mdama]] 
|documents=
|head=The "Didact's Hand"{{Ref/Reuse|Catherine}}
|executive=
|legislative=
|judicial=
|branch=
|main-title=Formed on
|main=[[Hesduros]]
|anthem=
|language=[[Sangheili (language)|Sangheili]]
|script=Syllabary and logograms
|religion=Worship of the [[Forerunner]]s and their technology
|techlevel=
|notable=*[[Battle of Requiem|1st Requiem]]
*[[Battle of Installation 03|Gamma Halo]]
*[[Requiem Campaign|2nd Requiem]]
*[[Operation: ATHENA|Absolute Record]]
*[[Battle of Kamchatka|Kamchatka]]
*[[Battle for Sanghelios|Sanghelios]]
*[[Battle of Genesis|Genesis]]
|formed=[[2553#April|April 1, 2553]],{{Ref/X|bsangel|715956593452560385|Jessica Shea|Y=2016|M=104|D=1|Quote=#TodayInHalo 4/1/2553 Captive on Trevelyan for weeks, Jul 'Mdama finally escapes the shield world through a portal, reaching Hesduros.}} after the end of the Human-Covenant War
|dissolved=[[2558#October|October 28, 2558]]
|affiliation=*[[Ur-Didact|Ur-Didact's]] [[Promethean#Mechanical Prometheans|Prometheans]] {{c|formerly}}
*[[Catherine Halsey|Doctor Catherine Halsey]] {{c|formerly}}
}}
{{Quote|multi=yes|q1=I thought we had a truce with [[Covenant separatists|the Covenant]].|John-117|q2=A lot can happen in four years.|Cortana|The Master Chief during his first encounter with 'Mdama's Covenant{{Ref/Level|Id=dawn|H4|H4:Dawn|Dawn}}}}

'''Jul 'Mdama's Covenant''',{{Ref/Reuse|Mythos179}} simply referred to as '''"the Covenant"''' by its followers,{{Ref/Site|Id=CFPuzzled|URL=https://www.halowaypoint.com/en-us/news/canon-fodder-puzzled-expression|Site=Halo Waypoint|Page=Canon Fodder - Puzzled Expression|D=16|M=07|Y=2019}}{{Ref/Reuse|escalation5}} was a newly created [[Covenant remnants|splinter faction]] and [[terrorism|terrorist organization]] formed from assets of the former [[Covenant|Covenant Empire]].{{Ref/Site|Id=WaypointSpartanOps7|URL=https://www.halowaypoint.com/en-us/universe/detail/5c532d0f-55ff-44f6-8ad4-94e9572f8f86/spartan-ops-episode-7-trailer|Site=Halo Waypoint|Quote=As Lasky confronts Halsey for her actions, the Infinity is invaded by Promethean Knights and Sangheili terrorist Jul 'Mdama gets closer to unlocking the secrets of the Librarian.|D=11|M=11|Y=2020}}{{Ref/Reuse|Catherine}} Founded and led by [[Supreme Commander]] [[Jul 'Mdama]],{{Ref/Game|H4|Id=terminal|H4:Terminals|''Terminal 1''}} this faction continued to worship the [[Forerunner]]s while also rejecting the [[Prophet]]s for their [[Great Schism|betrayal]],{{Ref/Novel|Id=ttwchapt16|HTTW|Chapter=16}} and opposed the [[Swords of Sanghelios]] following the end of the [[Human-Covenant War]]. It was later bolstered by the [[Ur-Didact|Didact's]] [[Promethean]]s and fought against the [[United Nations Space Command]] during the [[Post-Covenant War conflicts|post-war era]].{{Ref/SpOps|Id=Spartan Ops}} The faction lasted for five years, crumbling after Jul's death in the [[Battle of Kamchatka]] and finally falling during the [[Battle of Sunaion]].{{Ref/Game|Id=Guardians2|H5G|campaign}}

Although the faction was generally recognized as a Sangheili attempted re-creation of the original Covenant and referred to as “the Covenant”,{{Ref/Site|URL=https://www.halowaypoint.com/en-US/halo4guide|Site=Halo Waypoint|Page=Halo 4 Field Guide (Enemies)|D=12|M=10|Y=2014}}{{Ref/Reuse|escalation5}} its members were identified as cultists by the UNSC{{Ref/Book|Id=Briefing|[[Halo 4 Limited Edition]] Mission Briefing|Quote=Fireteam Majestic will aid in the initial assault on covenant cultists holding continent loc Req-931}} and the organization itself was regarded as terrorists as opposed to an empire like the original Covenant.{{Ref/SpOps|Id=Catherine|Catherine|Hunting Trip|Detail=Description|Quote=Covenant terrorist Parg Vol has been located again. There is no better opportunity to eliminate him.}}

==History==
===Origins===
[[File:H4-Terminal-JulMdama.jpg|thumb|220px|left|Jul 'Mdama, the leader of his new Covenant]]

When the [[Great Schism]] began, the entirety of the [[Sangheili]] species were forced out of the [[Covenant]] by the [[High Prophet of Truth]] and its new [[Jiralhanae]]-led military.{{Ref/Site|Id=WaypointJiralhanae|URL=https://www.halowaypoint.com/en-us/universe/species/jiralhanae|Site=Halo Waypoint|Page=Universe - Jiralhanae|Quote=The resulting conflict would be called the Great Schism, and it would divide the Covenant into two, ultimately forcing the Sangheili out.|D=17|M=07|Y=2019}} [[Shipmaster]] [[Jul 'Mdama]]ee was against the [[High Prophets]] and renounced his service to them by removing the "ee" suffix from his name,{{Ref/Site|Id=WaypointReqlamation|URL=https://www.halowaypoint.com/en-us/news/canon-fodder-reqlamation-begins |Site=Halo Waypoint|Page=Canon Fodder - Reqlamation Begins|Quote=During the Human-Covenant War, Jul ‘Mdamaee served...|D=23|M=12|Y=2019}} as did many other Sangheili.

Following the Covenant's [[Battle of the Citadel|destruction]] on the [[Ark]], its former member races returned to their home systems. Many [[Sangheili]] and [[Jiralhanae]] continued to [[Sangheili-Jiralhanae war|fight]] each other, steadily dwindling both sides' military resources.{{Ref/Novel|Gla|Page=225}} After the revelation of the Prophets being false, some Sangheili began to forsake their [[Covenant religion|religion]] altogether while others reverted back to pre-Covenant worship of the Forerunners. With the Covenant that had betrayed the Sangheili now dissolved, there was no longer a common goal to keep the [[Covenant separatists|separatists]] united. 

===Formation===
The Sangheili soon fell into [[Blooding Years|civil war]], sparked by opposition to [[Arbiter]] [[Thel 'Vadam]]'s emerging secular government, the [[Swords of Sanghelios]]. Among the first religious Sangheili factions to oppose the Arbiter was the [[Servants of the Abiding Truth]] led by [[Avu Med 'Telcam]] who adhered to a pre-Covenant worship of the Forerunners and feared human retaliation. [[Jul 'Mdama]] and [[Raia 'Mdama]] had become affiliates of the Servants of the Abiding Truth, though Jul was quickly disillusioned with the faction after being arrested by the [[Office of Naval Intelligence]] during an arms deal. In [[2553#March|March 2553]], the Servants and their loose coalition of [[keep]]s opposed the Swords of Sanghelios' ratified [[Treaty of 2552|treaty]] with the [[Unified Earth Government]] by launching [[Siege at Kolaar|an assault]] on the state of [[Vadam]]. The timely intervention of the {{UNSCShip|Infinity}} turned the battle in the Arbiter's favor and Raia 'Mdama was killed in the conflict.{{Ref/Novel|TTW|Page=361}}

Jul 'Mdama was held in ONI custody on the [[shield world]] [[Trevelyan]] during the battle, yet managed to escape via a Forerunner [[Slipspace portal|portal]] to the Sangheili colony world [[Hesduros]]. His hatred for humanity was strengthened when learned that his wife, Raia, was killed in the civil conflict.{{Ref/Novel|TTW|Page=442}} Jul gained a small following on the planet, the populace of which was unaware of the Great Schism and the war's end.{{Ref/Novel|TTW|Page=441}} Jul informed them of the [[San'Shyuum|Prophet]]'s treachery as well as how the Arbiter had made an alliance with humanity.{{Ref/Reuse|Id=ttwchapt16}} Feigning religious devotion to the Forerunners, he resolved to recover Forerunner technology from the shield world [[Requiem]] to the Sangheili residents, much as the humans had done on Trevelyan. Though Jul believed it unlikely that any Forerunners still lived, he also planned to find the [[Ur-Didact|Didact]], the leader of the [[Warrior-Servant|Forerunner military]] who also shared disdain for humanity.{{Ref/Novel|TTW|Page=436}} It was here where Jul 'Mdama would establish a new faction with the residents of Hesduros, self-proclaimed to be ''"the Covenant"''.{{Ref/Comic|Id=escalation5|HE|Issue=5|Quote=What does it mean to be 'Covenant' today? A hundred warlords claim they rule the Covenant, but each of them leads only a small faction.}}

One of the earliest actions of this Covenant in late 2553 was to begin gathering resources on [[Sephune III]].{{Ref/Comic|HLW|Issue=2}}

===Salvaging efforts===
[[Gek 'Lhar]] was tasked by [[Jul 'Mdama]] with securing weapons and ships for the new Covenant. In January of [[2557]], Gek and his crew ambushed the salvage crew of [[Ram Chalva]] as it was returning from a fortuitous trip to [[Mesa]]. Ram was captured and kept as a prisoner on Gek's [[war-freighter]].{{Ref/Novel|Id=h:sas|SaS}} After the capture of Chalva, Gek directed his crew to make for the world of [[Laconia]], where a {{Pattern|Sinaris|heavy destroyer}} named ''[[Radiant Perception]]'' lay untouched since the [[Human-Covenant War|war]] due to the rumored presence of many [[Mgalekgolo]] still aboard it. Gek's crew arrived at the scene just before the [[human]] [[salvager]]s of the ''[[Ace of Spades]]'' did, who had the aim of finding a certain [[log buoy]] that must be on the ship. Gek had readied eight of his Sangheili to explore the downed Covenant vessel, but they had still only gathered outside of it by the time the humans arrived and sent two of their own to covertly explore it themselves.{{Ref/Novel|SaS|Chapter=10}} The two just managed to miss Gek's crew, leaving after the eight finally entered. By then, Gek was well aware of the humans presence and in order to make them reveal themselves, he released Ram Chalva but personally pursued him across the flats, all the while firing shots in his direction. The human captain, [[Rion Forge]], directed her ship to swoop in to collect Chalva and this exposed them to plasma fire from Gek's war freighter. In addition, the Sangheili secured three dropships from the ''Radiant Perception'' and sent these to bear on it as well. The humans managed to rescue Ram and escape the system regardless.{{Ref/Novel|SaS|Chapter=11}}

Gek ordered a pursuit of the human {{Class|Mariner|transport ship}}. The war freighter followed it to [[Arcadia]], where it then jumped to [[slipspace]] once more based on the record of the log buoy taken from ''Radiant Perception''. The Sangheili followed them in this as well but arrived at the destination - [[Trove|a debris field]] in the [[Korinth Prior system]] — before his prey. A large piece of rock with sufficient gravity and an apparent atmosphere formed from still-active [[Forerunner]] technology on it drew his attention and he ordered to set down on it, where he then disembarked. Gek hid within the dark interior of an ancient structure and waited for the humans to arrive and come to explore the same site. Rion and an ex-Marine named [[Cade]] were ambushed by Gek, who threw Rion against a console while Cade was forced to deal with his underlings outside. Rion eyed a [[luminary]] behind Gek that he must have come by either on Laconia or there. She had been holding out for a luminary as well, but her [[translation software]] in her earpiece did not give her much hope of trying to make Gek and offer for it, as he was incensed at her very presence within a holy relic. Suddenly, [[Little Bit|a voice]] from the console drew his attention, as it had seemed to address the human, making him both awed and furious. He dodged a shot from the human, which pinged off his armor, and missed a swing of his energy sword at her as well. He ordered two of his crew with him to make for the entryway to deal with Cade, but he had enough warning to lay a thermite trap for them. Cade turned to come back where Rion was, however, and before he knew what was happening Gek had turned and plunged his sword into the human's chest. Horrified, Forge jumped on Gek's back and fired her [[M6 series]] magnum at his skull at the same time as Gek struck her across the head with his forearm. Her shot only sliced across his left eye, but it blinded him permanently in that eye. Roaring in pain, he slung her over his head and slammed her against a wall. He was going to finish her off, but she readied a grenade threateningly, signaling she was willing to kill the both of them if he approached. At this, Gek opted to leave her as is. He took the luminary and exited the structure, but not before ripping Cade's [[dog tag]]s from his corpse.{{Ref/Novel|Id=SSC16|SaS|Chapter=16}}

Using the data from the ''Ace of Spades'' and Little Bit, the [[prowler]] {{UNSCShip|Taurokado}} embarked upon a mission to the debris field where it encountered a Covenant battlegroup led by Gek. The ''Taurokado'' retreated from the system following the encounter while the Covenant forces began harvesting the remnants for their own usage.{{Ref/Generic|Id=lootcrate4|Heading=[[Halo Legendary Crate]]|Subheading=[[Halo Legendary Crate/Data Drops|Data Drop #24]]}}

On June 29, in order to complete his mission, [[343 Guilty Spark|Spark]] brought the ''Ace of Spades'' back to Trove to get an [[upgrade seed]] for the ship, unaware that the planet had been destroyed. As the salvage ship struggled to evade the Covenant, a massive UNSC fleet emerged from slipspace and opened fire on the debris field with [[nuclear weapon]]s to deny its assets to the Covenant. The nuclear weapons would blow the debris to bits and disrupt its gravity around the system's dwarf star. Whatever survived would likely be pulled into the star itself, completely eradicating the shield world. The Covenant fleet retreated into slipspace to avoid being destroyed while Spark managed to get the ''Ace of Spades'' into slipspace in time to avoid destruction as well.{{Ref/Novel|Ren|Chapter=24}}

===Requiem and the Didact===
{{Main|Battle of Requiem}}
[[File:Covenant fleet surrounding FUD.jpg|thumb|250px|Jul 'Mdama's Covenant attempts to intercept the ''Forward Unto Dawn'']]
{{Quote|Jul 'Mdama's Covenant was no longer a meager collection of ships housed on Hesduros, but had now become a powerful military force, a faint but ominous echo of the old alliance.|[[Curator]] on the rise of 'Mdama's Covenant{{Ref/Book|Id=Mythos179|HM|Page=179}}}}
On [[2554|April 22, 2554]], Jul 'Mdama's forces fought against the [[Swords of Sanghelios]]' ''[[Shadow of Intent]]'' and managed to leave the ship combat ineffective.{{Ref/Site|Id=Catalog|URL=https://forums.halowaypoint.com/yaf_postsm2969315_Catalog-Interaction.aspx#post2969315|Site=Halo Waypoint|Page=Catalog Interaction - Page 14|D=14|M=11|Y=2014}} Later that year, 'Mdama's fleet arrived at Requiem but were not able gain access.{{Ref/Reuse|terminal}} The fleet subsequently took up position around the shield world. For the next three years, Jul 'Mdama's Covenant frequently dispatched raiding parties to [[Piracy|steal supplies]],{{Ref/Game|Id=H4TerminalP|H4|H4:Terminals|Terminal|Detail=Prologue|Quote=Shipmaster 'Mdama! The raiding parties have returned. They bring supplies and news of a human ship!}} while continuing their attempts to awaken the Didact by broadcasting his name from orbit in thirty minute intervals,{{Ref/Level|Id=Requiem|H4|H4:Requiem|Requiem}} though their calls received no response. Due to many of the former Covenant's infrastructure and shipyards falling inactive,{{Ref/Site|Id=Bulliten|URL=https://blogs.halowaypoint.com/en-us/blogs/headlines/posts/the-halo-bulletin-4-16-14|Site=Halo Waypoint|Page=The Halo Bulletin: 4.16.14|Quote=While a handful of their local shipyards still exist, most are inactive, forcing many Sangheili to fight over what remained at the close of the war.|D=13|M=10|Y=2014}} Jul 'Mdama's faction had to scavenge for most of their resources and salvage what they could find.{{Ref/Reuse|H4TerminalP}} They were not outfitted like standard military,{{Ref/Level|Id=Dawn2|H4|H4:Dawn|Dawn|Quote=The good news is these Covenant aren't outfitted like standard military}} with most of their infantry [[Storm harness|lacking sleeves]] compared to more affluent factions like the [[Swords of Sanghelios]].{{Ref/Level|Id=Alliance|H5G|H5G:Alliance|Alliance}}

By [[2557#July|July 2557]], the group had gathered a sizable [[fleet]], consisting of multiple {{Pattern|Zanar|light cruiser}}s and a single {{Class|CAS|assault carrier}}, the ''[[Song of Retribution]]'', as their [[flagship]]. At this time one of the returning raiding parties noticed a human ship, {{UNSCShip|Forward Unto Dawn}}, drifting toward the planet. 'Mdama ordered the fleet to stop it from entering.{{Ref/Reuse|terminal}} Multiple boarding parties attempted to take the crippled ship, but were fought off by [[SPARTAN-II program|Spartan]] [[John-117]], who had been awoken from cryo-sleep and was bewildered by the existence of their faction. A cruiser then attempted to destroy the ''Forward Unto Dawn'', but the Master Chief manually launched a [[M4093 Hyperion nuclear delivery system|Hyperion nuclear missile]] and destroyed the cruiser before it could open fire.{{Ref/Reuse|dawn}} At that moment, the installation detected the presence of a [[Reclaimer]], causing an entrance portal to open; both the ''Dawn'' and several Covenant ships were pulled crash landing into the shield world by the gravity well emitted by the portal.

[[File:H4-E3-Campaign-6.jpg|thumb|250px|left|Covenant forces converge on UNSC ''Infinity'']]
Despite losing many ships, the surviving Covenant forces immediately began establishing positions all over the shield world, engaging John-117, who had arrived in the wreckage of the ''Forward Unto Dawn''. Jul 'Mdama's forces were also engaged by local Forerunner [[Aggressor Sentinel|Sentinels]] who were hostile only to them.{{Ref/Reuse|Requiem}} A trio of light cruisers eventually reached [[Core of Requiem|Requiem's core]], where the Didact was imprisoned. By this point the forces of Jul 'Mdama's Covenant had come under attack by the [[Promethean]]s, who tried to prevent them from reaching the Didact. Despite the mutual hostility of 'Mdama's Covenant and the Prometheans, John-117 soon reached the Didact's [[Cryptum]] and accidentally released him. Upon the Didact's release, 'Mdama's Covenant forces in the area (including 'Mdama himself){{Ref/Site|URL=http://blogs.halowaypoint.com/Headlines/post/2013/01/16/The-Halo-Bulletin-11613.aspx|Site=Halo Waypoint|Page=The Halo Bulletin - 1/16/2013|D=7|M=10|Y=2019}} bowed down in worship.{{Ref/Level|Id=Forerunner|H4|H4:Forerunner|Forerunner}}

The Didact would transport the Covenant forces still in the core to [[The Refuge (Requiem location)|The Refuge]] and would recognize the Sangheili, telling them they were "loyal and strong" and they would serve well.{{Ref/Novel|Id=vertical|Halo: Vertical Umbrage}} This is despite the Didact seeing 'Mdama's Covenant as little more than "beasts" and "primitives."{{Ref/Reuse|Forerunner}} It would be here at the Refuge that 'Mdama would formally take the name ''Hand of the Didact''.{{Ref/Reuse|vertical}}

'Mdama's Covenant aided the Didact's forces in their attack on the {{UNSCShip|Infinity}}, though the ship's point defenses disabled two cruisers and forced the Didact to retreat.{{Ref/Level|H4|H4:Infinity|Infinity}} Later, they defended a network of [[particle cannon]]s which protected the shield world's gravity well generator, preventing ''Infinity'' from escaping; they were again unsuccessful.{{Ref/Level|H4|H4:Reclaimer|Reclaimer}} 'Mdama's Covenant later dispatched a flight of [[Ru'swum-pattern Phantom|Phantom]] and [[Kmiro'sish-pattern Lich|Lich dropships]] to accompany the Didact's [[Mantle's Approach|flagship]] to [[Ivanoff Station]], an [[Office of Naval Intelligence]] facility.{{Ref/Level|H4|H4:Shutdown|Shutdown}} 'Mdama's Covenant spearheaded an [[Raid on Ivanoff Station|attack on the station]] in order to acquire the [[Composer]], a Forerunner superweapon. The attack caught the defenders off-guard and despite John-117's efforts the Didact acquired the Composer.{{Ref/Level|Id=Composer|H4|H4:Composer|Composer}} The Didact then [[New Phoenix Incident|attacked Earth]] and tried to digitize its population, though he was defeated by the Master Chief. However, the millions-strong population of [[New Phoenix]], [[Unified Republic of North America|URNA]], was composed{{Ref/Level|H4|H4:Midnight|Midnight}} and the victims' essences were transported to Requiem and converted into new [[Promethean Knight]]s; there they would fall under the command of Jul 'Mdama himself and would fight alongside his Covenant in the battles that followed.{{Ref/SpOps|Id=memento|Memento Mori}}

===Installation 03 and New Phoenix===
{{Main|Battle of Installation 03|Skirmish in New Phoenix}}
[[File:HSS-Cinematic-Altar.png|thumb|250px|Jul 'Mdama's forces on Installation 03]]
{{Quote|Driven by religious fervor and a thirst for power, the Covenant never gave up searching for the artifact… And they found it moments before we did. They brought it to a place they called "the Altar". Their plan: use the Conduit to open portals for Prometheans to invade Gamma Halo… Giving the Covenant control of the Halo ring. They were confident of imminent victory… But they didn't know a Spartan was coming for 'em!|[[Roland]], to a Spartan-IV partaking in a simulation of the battle{{Ref/Level|Id=opb|SS|Operation B: Steadfast Pursuit}}}}
Around [[2557#July|July 2557]], Jul 'Mdama's Covenant detected a signal originating from [[Installation 03]] in the [[Khaphrae system]]. The signal was emanating from the [[Conduit]], a device on Installation 03 that was capable of opening Forerunner slipspace portals throughout the galaxy. 'Mdama's Covenant succeeded in picking up the signal moments before the UNSC did and sent a large fleet to the ring to recover the Conduit. Procuring the Conduit, 'Mdama's Covenant sought to bring the device to Installation 03's [[Altar]] to activate it, where they could open slipspace portals for Prometheans to invade Gamma Halo and give themselves control over the installation. In response, the UNSC [[Battle of Installation 03|engaged]] 'Mdama's Covenant forces in an attempt to take the Conduit for themselves.{{Ref/Reuse|opb}} When 'Mdama's Covenant discovered the Altar, [[Unidentified Headhunter|a Spartan-IV]] was deployed nearby to stop them. As 'Mdama's Covenant activated the Conduit, Promethean forces began to invade the installation. Arriving at the Altar, the Spartan fought through Covenant forces and was able to retrieve the Conduit after killing the Sangheili [[Field Master]] that held it, despite 'Mdama's Covenant's efforts to stop the Spartan. Realizing that the battle was lost, 'Mdama's Covenant began to retreat from the ring, while the Spartan and other UNSC forces continued to wipe out the remaining Covenant forces.{{Ref/Level|Id=opc|SS|Operation C: Valiant Hammer}}

However, the activation of the Conduit also opened a portal in an Office of Naval Intelligence facility in New Phoenix, allowing Jul 'Mdama's Covenant and Promethean forces to briefly [[Skirmish in New Phoenix|invade]] the city. Believing the Conduit could be used to deactivate the portal, the Spartan embarked to Earth with the device. The Spartan rendezvoused with a group of ONI researchers and escorted them through 'Mdama's Covenant and Promethean forces to the ONI facility to allow them to use the Conduit to stop the minor invasion. While the Spartan continued to protect the researchers by holding off the invading forces, ONI learned that the portal was being powered by a [[unidentified Forerunner machine|Forerunner device]] they had been studying. As the researchers interfaced with the device to shut down the portal, Covenant and Promethean forces assaulted their location in an effort to stop them. However, the Spartan succeeded in protecting the researchers from the invading forces and the portal was successfully shut down, resulting in the Conduit entering slipspace and being lost to both the UNSC and Jul 'Mdama's Covenant.{{Ref/Level|Id=opd|SS|Operation D: Adamantine Shield}}

===Later actions on Requiem===
[[File:Gek with 'Mdama.png|thumb|left|250px|[[Jul 'Mdama]] on Requiem with his second-in-command, [[Gek 'Lhar]]]]
{{Main|Requiem Campaign}} 

Even with the Ur-Didact missing, Jul 'Mdama still retained some control over the Prometheans and Requiem, due to his alliance with the Ur-Didact. As the Didact's Hand, 'Mdama was able to push aside the majority of competing Sangheili warlords. 'Mdama managed to sway several previously neutral Sangheili worlds to his side and secretly began to make preparations for an invasion of Sanghelios. 'Mdama was unable, however, to convince the Servants of the Abiding Truth to join his Covenant. The newfound power did not come without a price, as splits within the newly combined forces exploded into violence as newcomers competed for prestige and influence. After several conflicts 'Mdama focused his attention on Requiem. He leaked his plans for Requiem to ONI, and prepared to draw the UNSC into a grinding war of attrition. This would give him the opportunity to cement his control over his Covenant and sacrifice any forces whose loyalty was suspect.{{Ref/Book|HM|Page=178}} 'Mdama's Covenant maintained a presence on Requiem in [[2558#February|February 2558]].{{Ref/SpOps|Id=Departure|Departure}} By that time, they had begun searching for the [[Librarian]]'s [[mind transfer|imprint]] in the hope of finding more Forerunner artifacts.{