Editing Post-Covenant War conflicts

{{Status|Canon}}
{{Conjectural title}}

Following the [[Battle of the Citadel|end]] of the [[Human-Covenant War]] in [[2552#December|2552]], a number of smaller conflicts and tensions arose: this cold time period was referred to as the '''post-Covenant War era''',{{Ref/Novel|Ren|Section=back cover|Quote=Find. Claim. Profit. In a post-Covenant War galaxy littered with scrap, it's the salvager's motto...}} (shortened '''post-war era'''),{{Ref/Novel|Id=SmokeAndShadow|SaS|Section=back cover|Quote=In a post-war galaxy littered with scrap...}} the '''postwar''',{{Ref/Book|Enc22|Page=73}}{{Ref/Book|Enc22|Page=100}}{{Ref/Book|Enc22|Page=224}} or infrequently as the '''Treaty period'''.{{Ref/Site|Id=waypoint enc|URL=https://www.halowaypoint.com/en-us/universe/characters/axl|Site=Halo Waypoint|Page=Axl|D=06|M=09|Y=2015}}

The [[Unified Earth Government]] and its [[United Nations Space Command]] had emerged as a major superpower following the end of the war.{{Ref/Game|H4|Quote=For too many years, humanity was on the backfront, reacting to threats rather than preventing them. The rest of the galaxy was bigger than us, stronger than us. We were mice, hiding in the shadows, hoping the giants would not see us. No more. Humanity is no longer on the defence. We are the giants now. - [[Captain (NAVCOM)|Captain]] [[Thomas Lasky]]}} They maintained their [[Treaty of 2552|alliance]] with the [[Swords of Sanghelios]] led by [[Arbiter]] [[Thel 'Vadam]] and both groups occasionally engaged in irregular hostilities between several new [[Covenant remnants|remnant factions]] of the former [[Covenant]], most notably the smaller [[Jul 'Mdama's Covenant|new "Covenant"]] led by [[Jul 'Mdama]].{{Ref/Site|Id=InitiationInterview|URL=http://blogs.halowaypoint.com/Headlines/post/2013/06/03/Halo-Initiation-Writer-Interview.aspx|Site=Halo Waypoint|Page=Halo Initiation Writer Interview|D=13|M=7|Y=2013}} Various human [[Insurrectionist]] groups, many of which had been dormant during the Human-Covenant War, re-emerged in the post-war era, the most prominent of these being the [[New Colonial Alliance]]{{Ref/Comic|Id=HE5|HE||Issue=5}} and the [[United Rebel Front]],{{Ref/Reuse|hnb}} but also various independent colonial governments seeking to cut ties with the UEG.{{Ref/Novel|LL}} Additionally, the [[Sangheili]] were embroiled in a [[Blooding Years|civil war]] for several years, while many members of the species continued their earlier [[Sangheili-Jiralhanae war|feud]] with the [[Jiralhanae]], whose various packs and skiens also remained locked in irregular infighting.{{Ref/Novel|Id=HTTW|TTW}} By the year [[2559]], the [[Intergalactic space|extragalactic]] installation known as [[Installation 00|the Ark]] was embroiled in an isolated yet [[Second Ark Conflict|protracted battle]] between the mercenary group known as the [[Banished]] and the UNSC forces of the long-lost warship {{UNSCShip|Spirit of Fire}}. Conflicts in the post-war era also saw an increase in the involvement of [[Forerunner]] elements, starting with the awakening of [[Promethean]] forces led by the renegade [[Ur-Didact]] who [[New Phoenix Incident|briefly attacked Earth]] in [[2557]]. By the [[2558|following year]], the Promethean constructs fell under the banner of the [[Created]], a newly-emerged group bent on galactic domination led by [[Cortana]] and the [[Warden Eternal]].{{Ref/Game|Id=h5g|H5}} This lead to the [[Subjugation of Earth]], humanity's first major setback since the end of the war, and the start of the [[Created conflict]].

==Background==
{{Quote|Decades from now, when historians evaluate the war, what will they say about us? Will they claim that our victory was ultimately fruitless? That it failed to secure a lasting peace, or worse, that it was only a prelude to far greater horrors that now lay ahead?|[[Codename: SURGEON]] prefacing the first [[Eleventh Hour reports|Eleventh Hour report]]{{Ref/Generic|Heading=[[Eleventh Hour reports]]|Detail=Aftermath (1/5)}}}}
[[File:Commissioning-5.jpg|thumb|250px|The commissioning of {{UNSCShip|Infinity}}.]]

Although the death of the [[Prophet of Truth]] at [[Battle of Installation 00|the Ark]] during the endgame of the Covenant War saw the ultimate defeat of the Covenant and humanity's [[Treaty of 2552|truce]] with most [[Sangheili]], represented by the [[Swords of Sanghelios]], it was not long after the end of the war that [[Covenant remnants|rogue splinter groups]] began to rise from the remnants of the hegemony. With large amounts of former Covenant matériel at their disposal, many of these disparate remnants opposed both the UNSC and the former members of the Covenant who favored a policy of peaceful cooperation, an approach most visibly embodied by [[Arbiter]] [[Thel 'Vadam]]. The UNSC's aggressive rearmament (largely made possible by the acquisition of Forerunner technologies and exemplified by the colossal warship {{UNSCShip|Infinity}} as well as the rapid creation of hundreds of [[SPARTAN-IV program|new Spartan supersoldiers]]) combined with the [[Office of Naval Intelligence]]'s shortsighted approach to neutralize their former enemies, did little to ease the concerns of more hostile elements within Sangheili society.

While [[Sanghelios]] remained locked in a state of [[Blooding Years|civil war]] between various factions, in part due to the [[Kilo-Five|clandestine activities]] of the Office of Naval Intelligence, a former Sangheili [[Shipmaster]] known as [[Jul 'Mdama]] created his own [[Jul 'Mdama's Covenant|new "Covenant"]]. During his time in ONI captivity on [[Sarcophagus|ONIRF Trevelyan]], 'Mdama had learned that the [[Ur-Didact|Didact]], a mighty Forerunner general with a hatred for humans, was trapped inside a Forerunner shield world known as [[Requiem]]. After escaping Trevelyan, 'Mdama began to gather followers in order to travel to Requiem and unlock the world's secrets, intending to use the Didact as a motivating force for his followers, but also a new spiritual voice for his people and a chance to exact vengeance on humanity.{{Ref/Novel|TTW|Page=441-442}} Former Covenant factions also sought vengeance upon each other for the atrocities committed during the [[Great Schism]], [[Resa 'Azavayl]] led [[Silent Shadow|Sangheili forces]] to commit massacres against the Jiralhanae,{{Ref/Comic|Id=HP|TFS|Story=Hunting Party}} while the [[San'Shyuum]] [[Prelate]] [[Tem'Bhetek]] led [[Tem'Bhetek's faction|Jiralhanae forces]] to commit massacres against the Sangheili.{{Ref/Novel|Id=SoI|SoI}}

Humanity found itself facing renewed internecine struggle as well. While the [[Insurrection]] had ceased as a major conflict at the start of the Covenant War in [[2525]], some surviving [[Human colonies|colonies]] still harbored former [[Insurrectionist]]s as well as individuals sympathetic to the cause of colonial secession.{{Ref/Comic|Id=HII3|HInit|Issue=3}} Some colonies, including [[Venezia]], cut off all ties with the UEG under the pretense that Earth had abandoned them during the war.{{Ref/Novel|Gla|Chapter=2}} Some rebel groups managed to obtain large amounts of Covenant and UNSC weapons and equipment circulating on the [[black market]].{{Ref/Novel|Gla|Page=448}}

In [[2559]], the [[Banished]] [[Attack on Installation 00|invaded]] [[Installation 00|the Ark]] which became the site of [[Second Ark Conflict|a protracted conflict]] between first Banished forces and forces from the long-lost {{UNSCShip|Spirit of Fire}}.{{Ref/Game|HW2}} However, this conflict would later expand to include the [[Flood]],{{Ref/Game|Id=Nightmare|HW2|Detail=''[[Halo Wars 2: Awakening the Nightmare|Awakening the Nightmare]]''}}, surviving [[Dhas Bhasvod's Covenant]]{{Ref/Reuse|Sacrifice}} and the [[Keepers of the One Freedom]] as well as the Forerunner [[archeon-class ancilla]] [[Intrepid Eye]].{{Ref/Reuse|DW}}

By late 2559, under the command of [[High Lord]] [[Dovo Nesto]], the [[Order of Restoration]] amassed a significant amount of power in their goal to restore the fallen Covenant empire. In the years following the fall of the Covenant, Nesto consolidated whatever remained of the San'Shyuum's influence into the Order, along with the majority of the empire's other species. Unlike the warlords of the [[Covenant remnants]], Nesto had the strategic acumen, connections and the history to make it possible.{{Ref/Reuse|ET6}}{{Ref/Reuse|ET11}} Nesto manipulated both [[War Chief]] [[Severan]] of the Banished{{Ref/Reuse|ET12}} and [[Sali 'Nyon]]{{Ref/Reuse|ET10}}{{Ref/Reuse|ET16}} into committing the significant forces under their command to his cause. Although Nesto's alliance with Severan fell apart during the [[Battle of Boundary]],{{Ref/Reuse|ET32}} the death of 'Nyon in the same battle allowed Nesto to assimilate [[Sali 'Nyon's Covenant|'Nyon's Covenant]] and all of its resources into the Order of Restoration to serve the Order's continuing mission to restore the Covenant empire.{{Ref/Reuse|ET47}}
{{Clear}}

==Insurrectionists resurgence==
===Attack on ''Infinity''===
{{Main|Raid on UNSC Infinity}}
[[File:Rebels on the Infinity.png|thumb|250px|left|NCA forces attempt to capture UNSC ''Infinity''.]]
In January 2553, elements of the [[New Colonial Alliance]] led by UNSC defector [[Ilsa Zane]] (the only survivor of the [[SPARTAN-IV program]]'s prototypical stage) infiltrated the {{UNSCShip|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.{{Ref/Comic|Id=HII2|HInit|Issue=2}} The attempt was foiled by the first team of SPARTAN-IVs (who had recently been brought aboard) and the insurgents were all killed or captured. The prisoners revealed Admiral [[Mattius Drake]] as the organization's leader.{{Ref/Reuse|HII3}}

===Alpha-Nine's missions===
[[File:HM BetrayalOnTalitsa.jpg|thumb|225px|Spartans Buck and Agu betrayed by Crespo during the Operation: COALPEPPER.]]
{{Main|Draco III rebellion|Operation: COALPEPPER}}
In the post-war era the [[ODST]] squad [[Alpha-Nine]] was deployed on a number of operations against resurgent [[Insurrectionist]] factions. In [[2554]], they were deployed to repulse a violent [[United Rebel Front]] takeover attempt on [[Draco III]]. Although the insurgents were defeated the ODST known as [[Jonathan Doherty]] was killed in action. In the following year the URF captured the [[Huragok]] [[Quick to Adjust]] and his human handler [[Sadie Endesha]] on [[Talitsa]]. In August [[2555]], the still-active members of Alpha-Nine—now [[Spartan-IV]]s—participated in a mission to rescue the captives and ultimately succeeded, though the operation saw Spartan [[Michael Crespo]]'s defection and subsequent incarceration.{{Ref/Novel|Id=hnb|NB}}

===Attack on the Spartan-IV training station===
{{Main|Spartan-IV station terror attack}}
On [[2554|March 29, 2554]], [[Rudolf Schein]], one of the recently inducted Spartan-IVs, who was secretly associated with the [[United Rebel Front]], murdered another Spartan trainee, [[Hideo Wakahisa]], during his attempt to recruit him on the [[Unidentified Spartan-IV training station|Spartan-IV training station]]. Realizing the discovery of his true loyalties was imminent, Schein had covertly installed several explosives throughout the station and slung a bandolier of grenades across his chest. However, Spartan Operations [[Chief of Staff]] [[Jun-A266]] managed to neutralize Schein by kicking him out into space, where he died before he could be recovered.{{Ref/Anthology|Id=LL|Fra|Story=Lessons Learned}}

===Continuing Rebel Activity===
Aside from their attacks on UNSC ''Infinity'', the [[New Colonial Alliance|NCA]] were prolific throughout human space and stirring anti-colonial sentiment in an effort to raise alliances against [[Earth]] and the [[Inner Colonies]]. After the news broke of the [[Raid on Biko peace talks|disastrous outcome]] of the human-[[Sangheili]] peace talks on [[Biko]] in early [[2558]], the NCA were quick to jump on the outrage caused by the apparent assassination of a diplomat by [[John-117]]. This included demonstrations and rallies across a number of colony worlds, with support resulting in thousands of attendees per-rally. The civil unrest sparked by the NCA resulted in UEG consulates shutting down on several worlds and [[law enforcement]] deployed to quell the unrest. In the rallies, NCA spokespeople preached their ideals of self-suffiency, boycotting the UEG, and the need to prepare for an inevitable embargo of their worlds by the UNSC (similar in nature to the one conducted over [[Gao]] during the [[Insurrection]].{{Ref/Novel|HDW|Chapter=Epilogue}}) For [[Katrina]], this unrest resulted in power outages and service interruptions, with the general unrest further inflamed thanks to the ongoing investigation by [[Benjamin Giraud]] into the [[Office of Naval Intelligence]]'s cover-up of the [[SPARTAN-II program]] and an inability to explain the deep-space anomalies a result of the [[Guardian Custode]]s' awakening.{{Ref/Audio|Id=HtTS1E9|HtT|Season=1|Episode 09: Phantoms}} The stir caused by the NCA, in conjunction with the other issues of the time, caused the UEG to shut down [[Waypoint]] buoys throughout human space - cutting off colony worlds from communication with one another. However, the later framing of Ben Giraud as an instigator working for the [[Sapien Sunrise]] terror organisation was intended to let the widespread anger simmer with Giraud as the target, followed by trade being allowed to resume and the buoys brought back online.{{Ref/Audio|Id=HtTS1E13|HtT|Season=1|Episode 13: In the Bag}}

Elsewhere, the NCA were busy corralling allies in various colonies by supplying military hardware in exchange for support.{{Ref/Novel|Id=Env21|Env|Chapter=21}} This was especially apparent in the [[Joint Occupation Zone]], where the NCA were eager to use any opportunity they could to stoke unrest for the UEG.{{Ref/Novel|Id=Env12|Env|Chapter=12}} On [[Carrow]], this included supplying the [[Surakan Militia Volunteers]] with military materiel including ex-UNSC ground and air vehicles, weapons, and ammunition.{{Ref/Novel|Id=Env4|Env|Chapter=4}} Vehicles supplied by the NCA included heavy-duty [[dropship]]s and gunships like [[D77 Pelican]]s and [[AV-22 Sparrowhawk]]s,{{Ref/Novel|Id=Env13|Env|Chapter=13}} alongside [[Warthog]]s and even an [[M313 Elephant|Elephant]] Heavy Recovery Vehicle.{{Ref/Reuse|Env21}} When the Surakans agreed to work alongside the UNSC and [[Sangheili]] colonists on Carrow for peace, the NCA cut their ties with the Surakans - with [[Ellis Gass]] suspecting that they may have even actively drawn the NCA's ire.{{Ref/Novel|Id=Env9|Env|Chapter=9}} [[Melody Azikiwe]] suspected that the [[Sapien Sunrise]] terrorist group were also responsible for supplying the Surakans with hardware.{{Ref/Reuse|Env21}}

On the remote [[human colony]] of [[Conrad's Point]], the NCA rebels and mercenaries were undisciplined and poorly led by an unidentified colonel. The colonel would be relieved of command when Ilsa Zane arrived on the planet. Zane organized the rebels into a more formidable force, operating ruthlessly and killing anyone who didn't carry their weight. Under her command the NCA forces on the colony started to prepare for war with the UEG and accumulated a large amount of [[Nuclear weapon|nuclear weaponry]].{{Ref/Audio|Id=HtTS2E2|HtT|Season=2|Episode 02: From Fire to Blood}}{{Ref/Reuse|T3L}}

On [[Terceira]], in the absence of a strong UEG presence, competing corporate entities and grass-roots organizations fought for autonomy  and, for some, outright control of the colony in the power vacuum that had emerged. This situation was further exacerbated the presence of the [[United Rebel Front]] and the rise of the [[Created]] reducing the UEG's presence to a handful of under-armed ships attempting to police an entire world from orbit.{{Ref/Reuse|ET5}}

===Joining the Banished===
By [[2559#May|May 2559]], [[Ilsa Zane]] - now fully-integrated within the [[Banished]] - was able to arrange a meeting with Admiral [[Mattius Drake]] and the bulk of the [[New Colonial Alliance|NCA]] forces holed up at an ex-[[Covenant]] [[space station]] in the [[Edolas system]]. This force included the NCA's [[flagship]] [[NCA D'artagnan|NCA ''D'artagnan'']], around two dozen [[UNSC frigate|light frigates]], [[UNSC corvette|corvettes]] and merchant trawlers, and the remnants of [[Vata 'Gajat]]'s [[Vata 'Gajat's mercenary group|mercenaries]] - now led by [[Tek]]. During the meeting, Zane demonstrated her distaste for Drake by tying him into his chair and executing him in front of the Banished [[War Chief]] [[Escharum]], before swearing the NCA's loyalty to the Banished as a whole. Zane felt that Drake had critically missed the NCA's prime opportunity to kickstart their war with the UEG and was too cowardly to do what needed to be done - in turn risking that all of the support the NCA had worked to build would eventually abandon them and go their own ways. By this time, Zane noted that NCA agents were dispersed across numerous front lines, and the NCA fleet was stationed throughout the colonies, and soon after pledging their allegiance, Escharum quickly put his new allies in the New Colonial Alliance to work.{{Ref/Novel|Id=T3L|Halo: The Third Life}} By the end of September that year, the NCA had begun a renewed campaign of raiding throughout the colonies, with an attack on [[Cygnus]]. This, combined with a number of other resurgent threats in the era, was an active contribution to [[Adam Andrews]]' efforts to pivot the [[Optican]] corporation towards the production of [[Janissary|supersoldiers]].{{Ref/Novel|Id=HVS|Halo: Venezian Sonata}}

==Continuing Sangheili-Jiralhanae hostility==
{{Quote|I hate them all!|[['Juran]] snarling and sobbing while kicking a dead Jiralhanae corpse after they had [[Attack on Rahnelo|massacred]] Sangheili on [[Rahnelo]]{{Ref/Reuse|SoI}}}}

{{Main|Sangheili-Jiralhanae war}}
{{Main|Attack on Rahnelo|Ambush at Duraan|Battle of the Prototype Halo installation}}
[[File:RCSS.png|thumb|200px|The Silent Shadow squad slaughtering Jiralhanae and their allies.]]

After the [[Changing of the Guard]], the [[Great Schism#Conflict erupts|massacre of the Councilors]], and the Jiralhanae ultimately forcing the Sangheili out of the original Covenant,{{Ref/Site|Id=UJ|URL=https://www.halowaypoint.com/en-us/universe/species/jiralhanae|Site=Halo Waypoint|Page=Jiralhanae|D=27|M=10|Y=2015|Quote=The resulting conflict would be called the Great Schism, and it would divide the Covenant into two, ultimately forcing the Sangheili out.}} the two species remain at war.{{Ref/Anthology|Id=TheReturn|Evo|Story= The Return|Quote=It was a terrible war. The Prophets provided the Brutes with powerful new weapons, hoping that they would in turn defend their Prophets against our wrath. But when the Prophets went into hiding, the lack of leadership allowed the Brutes to return to their savage nature and they soon began to fight against each other. This lack of solidarity made them much easier prey. Some of my fellow commanders continue that fight even now.}}

With Truth dead, ''High Charity'' destroyed, and the Ark heavily damaged after Installation 08's firing, some of the remaining Jiralhanae forces tried to rebuild their tattered strength to continue their war of conquest.{{Ref/Map|H3|Assembly}} Even though the Jiralhanae eventually collapsed into various civil wars, they still posed enough of a threat that Sangheili commanders kept up the offensive against them for at least another six years, even as they continued to lose irreplaceable warships and the war continued with no end in sight. This forced the [[Swords of Sanghelios]] and their [[United Nations Space Command|UNSC]] allies to fight in a two-front war, one was the [[Blooding Years]] against other Sangheili who remained loyal to the [[Covenant religion]] and the other was the continued conflict against the Brutes, who were also engaged in numerous civil wars.{{Ref/Reuse|TheReturn}}

Some fanatical Sangheili, who did not associate themselves with any particular Sangheili-led faction, continued to hunt down and eliminate all Jiralhanae they discovered, as well as any forces under their control. A notable example of such Sangheili was the [[Silent Shadow]] squad under the command of First Blade [[Resa 'Azavayl]]. They wiped out Jiralhanae forces across multiple systems, slaughtering them at an armory on the fourth moon of [[Victors' Truth]], aboard the stolen [[Covenant corvette]] ''[[Adherent]]'', at the northern highlands of [[Thalia]], aboard a derelict colonial substation orbiting [[Sansar]], and eradicating the last remaining members of [[Chieftain]] [[Tartarus]]' crew aboard the [[Covenant cruiser]] ''[[Rapid Conversion]]''. Ultimately, they found themselves face to face with [[Atriox]], leader of the [[Banished]]. When Atriox extended the Silent Shadow an offer to join the Banished, Resa refused, declaring that he and the Banished deserved death for their "sins". Atriox had mentioned to them that he was not involved in the [[Great Schism|betrayal and massacre]] of the Sangheili, and the squad began to view him as "other". Resa's brothers in arms, believing Resa was blinded by old loyalties and festering delusions of vengeance, turned on their leader and killed him. Afterwards, Atriox allowed the remaining members of the Silent Shadow to join the Banished, offering to reward them with "blood and sport and spoils".{{Ref/Reuse|HP}}

In 2553, over the Sangheili colony of [[Rahnelo]], there was an assault in the months following the end of the Covenant. In order to set a trap for Rtas 'Vadum and his {{Class|CAS|assault carrier}}, ''[[Shadow of Intent]]'', the [[San'Shyuum]] [[Prelate]] [[Tem'Bhetek]] of the [[Order of Restoration]], working alongside the former [[Boru'a'Neem|Minister of Preparation]] had Jiralhanae forces indiscriminately attack the colony, killing many and taking the kaidon and two of his sons hostage.{{Ref/Reuse|SoI}}

Boru'a'Neem and his Jiralhanae forces planned to activate a [[prototype Halo installation]] near Sanghelios, in an attempt to genocide the populace of the Sangheili homeworld. These plans were ultimately foiled by [[Rtas 'Vadum]], [[Tul 'Juran]], the crew of the ''[[Shadow of Intent]]'' and the Prelate himself after he discovered the truth about the deaths of his family. The Prelate would ultimately sacrifice himself to destroy the installation while Preparation, mortally wounded by 'Vadum and 'Juran, died in the blast after trying activate the ring.{{Ref/Reuse|SoI}}

===Attempted peace negotiations===
[[File:HE Spartans Ealen IV.png|225px|thumb|Spartan-IV security detail escorting the delegates.]]
{{Main|Battle of Ealen IV}}
The Covenant had strategically settled Jiralhanae populations on resource-rich worlds as a planetary garrison force to protect the worlds from potential raids. While the Jiralhanae continued to inhabit these worlds after the dissolution of the Covenant, they were unable to mine or utilize the resources because of their own lack of sufficient technology. With the Covenant's supply chains gone, the Jiralhanae quickly found their supplies near depletion. This was one of the primary reasons for their raids on Sangheili colonies after the Human-Covenant War; despite quite literally living on top of plentiful resources, the Jiralhanae were entirely dependent on the already processed supplies of other races due to their technological backwardness. However, the Jiralhanae could not sustain themselves via raiding alone in the long term and their supplies began to wear thin, leading to an impending species-wide famine in [[2558]] and an increase in Jiralhanae attacks across Sangheili and [[Kig-Yar]] colonies as a result. During this crisis, the [[Jiralhanae Chieftain]] [[Lydus]] and his [[Children of Oth Sonin|clan]] were willing to initiate peace talks with [[Arbiter]] [[Thel Vadam]] and the [[Swords of Sanghelios]], overseen by the [[UNSC]].{{Ref/Comic|Id=HE1|HE|Issue=1}} However, the negotiations were interrupted by Covenant mercenaries hired by the [[New Colonial Alliance]].{{Ref/Reuse|HE5}}

By late 2558, Lydus had successfully cooperated with 'Vadam to reclaim Jiralhanae laborers held on Sangheili lands. This act of diplomacy, however, irritated the Arbiter's own clan member, [[Elder]] [[Murok 'Vadam]], who saw any peace talks with the Jiralhanae as useless folly.{{Ref/Novel|Id=FC|Halo: Fifth Canticle}}

===Ongoing battles===
The Jiralhanae were supplied with powerful new weapons by their [[San'Shyuum]] leaders. When the San 'Shyuum went into hiding, the Jiralhanae began to lose order and started to fight amongst each other. This ultimately gave the upper-hand to their Sangheili opponents. As of 2559, the Sangheili are currently winning their war against the Jiralhanae.{{Ref/Reuse|TheReturn}}
{{Clear}}

==Blooding Years==
[[File:HM-BloodingYears.jpg|thumb|250px|Thel 'Vadam observes the clash between the Swords of Sanghelios and the Servants of the Abiding Truth.]]
{{Main|Blooding Years}}
Since 2553, the [[Swords of Sanghelios]] have fought against various Covenant splinter factions, due to their continued hatred of humanity. These conflicts, also known as the Sangheilli Civil War, have featured notable Covenant splinter factions such as the Servants of the Abiding Truth and Jul 'Mdama's covenant.

===Assault on Vadam===
{{Main|Siege at Kolaar}}
After the Human-Covenant War, many Sangheili still worshiped the [[Forerunner]]s as gods. A religious sect known as the [[Servants of the Abiding Truth]], led by war veteran [[Field Master]] [[Avu Med 'Telcam]], took to believing that any tampering with Forerunner relics was heresy, just as most Sangheili did before the founding of the [[Covenant]]. As a result, 'Telcam and his followers grew angry with [[Arbiter]] [[Thel 'Vadam]]'s government. After winning the fav