Editing Skirmish on Pious Inquisitor

{{Title|Skirmish on ''Pious Inquisitor''}}
{{Status|Canon}}
{{Battle infobox
|prev = *[[Massacre at Eridanus Secundus]] <small>([[Insurrection]])</small>
*[[Assault on Vadam]]
|conc =
|next = [[Operation: JOVIAN WHISTLE]]
|name = Skirmish on ''Pious Inquisitor''
|conflict = *[[Post-Covenant War conflicts]]
**[[Insurrection]]
|date = [[2553|April 2553]]
|place = [[Shaps system]], near [[Shaps III]]
|result = ONI victory
*''[[Pious Inquisitor]]'' destroyed
|side1 = [[Office of Naval Intelligence]]
|side2 = Crew of ''[[Paragon]]''
|commanders1 = [[Serin Osman|Rear Admiral Serin Osman]]
|commanders2 = [[Shipmaster|Shipmistress]] [[Chol Von]]
|forces1 = [[Kilo-Five]]
*Two [[Orbital Drop Shock Trooper]]s
*[[Naomi-010|One]] [[Spartan-II]]
*[[Black-Box|One]] [[Smart AI|AI]]
|forces2 = *Sixteen Kig-Yar
*''[[Paragon]]''
|casual1 = None
|casual2 = Eight Kig-Yar
}}

The '''Skirmish on ''Pious Inquisitor''''' was an isolated engagement aboard the former [[Covenant]] vessel ''[[Pious Inquisitor]]'' in the [[Shaps system]] near [[Shaps III]] in [[2553|April 2553]].

==Background==
In [[2553|March 2553]], [[Kig-Yar]] [[piracy|pirate]] [[Sav Fel]] stole a {{Pattern|Ket|battlecruiser}}, the ''[[Pious Inquisitor]]'', from the [[Servants of the Abiding Truth]].<ref>'''[[Halo: The Thursday War]]''', ''page 329''</ref> With the battlecruiser, he fled to the lawless world of [[Venezia]], where he intended to sell it for the highest bidder.<ref>'''Halo: The Thursday War''', ''page 430-431''</ref> On Venezia, [[Insurrectionist]] [[Staffan Sentzke]] agreed to purchase the ''Inquisitor'', intending to use it to threaten [[Earth]] in order to finally learn the truth about his [[Naomi-010|daughter]]'s [[Spartan-II program|disappearance]]. Sentzke kept the vessel in the [[Shaps system]], until he would be able to gather a crew.<ref>'''[[Halo: Mortal Dictata]]''', ''page 12''</ref> Meanwhile, a highly covert [[ONI]] intelligence unit, [[Kilo-Five]], learned that Fel had stolen the ''Inquisitor''. Kilo-Five set out to reclaim the vessel and return it to [[Thel 'Vadam]].<ref>'''Halo: Mortal Dictata''', ''page 436''</ref> 

However, [[Avu Med 'Telcam]], leader of the Servants of the Abiding Truth, wished to steal back the ''Inquisitor''. He hired Kig-Yar [[Shipmaster|Shipmistress]] [[Chol Von]] to find Fel and the battlecruiser. But Von wished to use the vessel as the [[flagship]] of her united Kig-Yar navy.<ref>'''Halo: Mortal Dictata''', ''pages 139-140''</ref> Eventually, Von captured Fel at his homestead on Venezia and interrogated him aboard her ship, ''[[Paragon]]''.<ref>'''Halo: Mortal Dictata''', ''page 228-229''</ref> Fel cooperated with Von and her crew, telling her the location of the ship in the Shaps system.<ref>'''Halo: Mortal Dictata''', ''page 275''</ref>

==The skirmish==
The ''Paragon'' arrived in the Shaps system and the Kig-Yar quickly located the ''Pious Inquisitor''. Chol Von led sixteen Kig-Yar aboard the ship, but the ''Inquisitor'''s eccentric [[Huragok]], [[Sometimes Sinks]], was highly apprehensive of the Kig-Yar and hindered with their attempts to use the battlecruiser's systems, even transitioning the ship to a location designated by its current owner, [[Staffan Sentzke]].<ref>'''Halo: Mortal Dictata''', ''page 336''</ref> The slipspace jump uncoupled ''Pious Inquisitor'' from Von's ship, killing [[Lig]] and [[Ved]] in the process.<ref>'''Halo: Mortal Dictata''', ''page 338''</ref> Sinks put the vessel into lockdown, preventing the remaining Kig-Yar onboard from leaving. Von was locked in a compartment with [[Noit]] and [[Bakz]]. The three were eventually able to break their way out of the compartment with [[laser-cutter]]s and made their way to the bridge.<ref>'''Halo: Mortal Dictata''', ''page 391''</ref> With Von's crew locked down in different compartments of the ship, Sometimes Sinks offered the Kig-Yar the chance to leave, opening passages to one of the [[shuttle bay]]s. She refused the offer, determined to take over the ship.<ref>'''Halo: Mortal Dictata''', ''page 397''</ref>

Meanwhile, Kilo-Five and the captured Staffan Sentzke arrived at the ''Inquisitor'''s location to retrieve the ship. However, the team quickly realized that the ''Inquisitor'' had been boarded by the Kig-Yar. Sentzke convinces Sometimes Sinks to allow them to come onboard and restore order.<ref>'''Halo: Mortal Dictata''', ''page 398''</ref> Kilo-Five intended to insert their AI, [[Black-Box]], into the ship's systems so he could take control of the ''Inquisitor'' and force the Kig-Yar to leave.<ref>'''Halo: Mortal Dictata''', ''page 401''</ref> [[ODST]]s [[Vasily Beloi]] and [[Malcolm Geffen]], [[Naomi-010]], Sentzke, and Black-Box boarded the ship, while the rest of Kilo-Five provided support from the {{UNSCShip|Port Stanley}}. Once BB was placed into the ship's systems, he helped Kilo-Five make their way to the [[bridge]], while taunting the Kig-Yar. To avoid future conflicts, [[Serin Osman|Rear Admiral Serin Osman]] had BB give the Kig-Yar a chance to escape, but Von still refused, despite Bakz's recommendations.<ref>'''Halo: Mortal Dictata''', ''page 425''</ref> Once aboard, Sentzke revealed that he intended to escape in order to avoid his otherwise likely fate of life imprisonment by ONI. He asked Beloi to take care of Naomi, and promised to end his campaigning against Earth in return.<ref>'''Halo: Mortal Dictata''', ''page 427''</ref> 

Mal and Naomi made their way to the ''Inquisitor'''s bridge, killing five Kig-Yar on the way. With the two pressing on the bridge, Von ordered [[Ril]] to detonate the ship's [[plasma turret|plasma torpedo]] reserves, choosing to destroy ''Pious Inquisitor'' over leaving it to the humans. As Chol and her team attempted to leave the bridge, Naomi entered the bridge and killed Noit. Von and Bakz were able to flee from the Spartan.<ref>'''Halo: Mortal Dictata''', ''page 442''</ref> She and her remaining crew then made their way for a shuttle bay in order to escape.<ref>'''Halo: Mortal Dictata''', ''page 443''</ref> Sinks estimated that Kilo-Five had a limited amount of time to make it out of the ship to a safe distance. While Kilo-Five escaped to their dropships, Sentzke and Sinks took a [[Type-25 Spirit|Spirit]] from the shuttle bay but stayed in range to ensure Naomi was safe.<ref>'''Halo: Mortal Dictata''', ''page 445''</ref> Kilo-Five watched the ship explode from a safe distance, while Staffan and Sinks escaped in the Spirit with the [[slipspace drive]] that Sinks had installed earlier, unbeknownst to the others.<ref>'''Halo: Mortal Dictata''', ''page 457''</ref>

==Aftermath==
Following the engagement, Kilo-Five was granted shore leave on [[Cascade]].<ref>'''Halo: Mortal Dictata''', ''page 465''</ref> Back on ''Port Stanley'', Kilo-Five received an anonymous package in the mail. The package's contents were revealed to be a miniature chair for a doll's house Staffan was building for Naomi, and a planetarium lamp he had planned to give her on her sixth birthday. From this, Kilo-Five surmised that Sentzke is still alive, but they chose to quietly bury the matter.<ref>'''Halo: Mortal Dictata''', ''page 485''</ref>

[[Margaret Parangosky]], Commander-in-Chief of ONI, believed that the loss of the ''Pious Inquisitor'' was unfortunate, although she was satisfied with the information Black-Box had taken off the vessel. The information included data on the [[Jiralhanae]], [[Sangheili]], and [[San'Shyuum]] that were previously in possession of the ''Inquisitor''.<ref>'''Halo: Mortal Dictata''', ''page 458''</ref>

==List of appearances==
*''[[Halo: Mortal Dictata]]'' {{1st}}
*''[[Halo Mythos]]'' {{Mo}}

==Sources==
{{Ref/Sources|2}}

{{Post-Covenant War conflicts}}
[[Category:Battles]]
[[Category:UNSC victories]]
{{DEFAULTSORT:Pious Inquisitor}}