Ussa 'Xellus
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| Ussa 'Xellus | |
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Male |
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236.2 centimeters (7 ft 9.0 in)[1] |
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121 kilograms (267 lb)[1] |
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- "We acted as such because the Sangheili must not surrender to the San'Shyuum—and the Covenant is based on foolishness. The Great Journey. Where is your proof of this Journey, for anyone but the Forerunners? We hold these relics to be precious and sacred, but we use them ourselves in this very world. It is the freedom, the independence of our people that we fight for, Mken!"
- — Ussa 'Xellus, to Mken 'Scre'ah'ben on his reasons for rebelling[2]
Ussa 'Xellus was a Sangheili commander and Kaidon of Xellus who was opposed to the Writ of Union in the Covenant's early years. He was noted as a brilliant military strategist and founded the Ussans of the Refuge.[3]
Biography[edit]
Military career[edit]
Ussa 'Xellus was born in the state of Xellus, located on the Sangheili home world of Sanghelios. He served as a military commander for Sanghelios.[3] During the San'Shyuum-Sangheili War, he fought against the San'Shyuum in numerous battles serving as a field commander. He led Sangheili forces in a skirmish on Anvarl in 860 BCE, along with his second-in-command Ernicka the Scar-Maker. When he first arrived on the planet, he completely reorganized its defenses. During the battle, he was observed by High Lord of Sacred Relics, Mken 'Scre'ah'ben. Mken had 'Xellus marked for assassination, but realized that if the San'Shyuum were to capture and interrogate Ussa, they could learn more about the Sangheili and possibly have him convince the Sangheili to surrender. Instead, Mken hoped to find Ussa useful in the future and belayed the order. Ussa later led Sangheili assault teams which were approaching the San'Shyuum scientists and warriors. Mken deployed Aggressor Sentinels to weaken the Sangheili's attacking army, but Ussa survived. After Sangheili assassins forced Mken and other San'Shyuum to retreat to the planet's orbit, Ussa regrouped with his attack force. Ernicka did not believe the San'Shyuum would attack from orbit, since the San'Shyuum were not willing to risk causing damage to the planet's Forerunner structures. However, Ussa realized that the San'Shyuum were intending to use a weapon from their Forerunner Dreadnought that was too weak to damage the structures, but powerful enough to kill all exposed Sangheili. Ussa ordered for all the Sangheili to retreat into the interiors of the structures to survive the orbital attacks.[4]
As the San'Shyuum orbitally bombarded the planet, Mken knew that Ussa was wise enough to survive the attack. Mken was discreetly glad that 'Xellus had survived the battle as he saw potential in the Sangheili commander. Mken predicted that he would encounter Ussa again.[4] He eventually managed to escape the world and would later engage in many more battles in the war.[3] His first-born son, Ossis 'Xellus, died in battle presumably during the war.[5]
Rebellion against the Covenant[edit]
- "This Great Journey—what is it? Just another surrender, from what I can tell! Did the Forerunners truly summon us to sublimation, in the shadow of these Rings? Or is that an excuse on the part of the San'Shyuum to exterminate us? It is a murky pond in which no Sangheili would dare bathe!"
- — Ussa warning the Sangheili of Xellus to not trust the Covenant[3]
When the war ended in 852 BCE, Ussa was opposed to the unification of the Sangheili and San'Shyuum to form the Covenant, believing that the Sangheili were surrendering themselves to the San'Shyuum. In 851 BCE, 'Xellus warned the residents of Xellus to not trust the Covenant or the San'Shyuum. Some of the keep's residents did not agree with Ussa and reported his heresy to Covenant authorities. In response, attack fighters were sent by the Covenant to fire upon Xellus keep. The fighters dropped explosive charges on the keep's plaza, instantly killing numerous Sangheili. During the assault, Ussa succeeded in destroying one of the crafts. Ultimately, the keep was destroyed and hundreds of the keep's inhabitants were killed. However, the survivors were led by Ussa and they fled to the region of Nwari at Sanghelios' southern pole. Ussa and his followers hid within a dormant volcano in the region and used their clan's funds to purchase vehicles for the rebellion. Meanwhile, the Sangheili treaty commission sent out assassins to locate Ussa.[3]
Ussa and his mate, Sooln, travelled to the Sangheili mining colony of Creck on Ussa's personal vessel, Clan's Blade, to recruit followers into their insurgency, disguised as engineers. Ussa's informant on Creck, Muskem, died after he allegedly fell into a boiling pit of magma by accident. After several failed recruitment attempts at the planet's mines, Ussa and Sooln encountered the elderly 'Crecka waiting for them at their ship at a spaceport. Although he was initially reluctant to trust 'Crecka, the Sangheili revealed that he knew of a Forerunner world, Shield World 0673, that Ussa and his insurgents could use as refuge. Intrigued, Ussa had 'Crecka lead them to the shield world, where the three Sangheili entered its interior. After landing, they explored the world's artificial ecosystem until they encountered the shield world's monitor, Enduring Bias. The monitor allowed the Sangheili to live on the world in refuge, as long as they informed it of their intentions. The Sangheili were able to convince the monitor and Ussa returned to Nwari, Sanghelios to transport the rest of his allies to the shield world.[3]
Back in Nwari, Ussa's allies eagerly awaited his return. As Covenant assassins began to close in on Ussa's camp, he realized that there was likely a spy among his group. Without informing anyone else of his plan to detect the spy, Ussa delivered a speech to his followers informing them to prepare to leave for a new home of refuge. As the group began to pack up, Vertikus asked where they were going. Ussa avoided directly answering his question; he only told Vertikus that their new home was far from Sanghelios. Frustrated, Vertikus revealed himself as the spy and charged at Ussa with a burnblade. Ernicka defended Ussa and disarmed the spy. Although Ussa attempted to order his followers to capture Vertikus for interrogation, the spy was ripped apart by a mob of ten angry Sangheili before Ussa could finish giving out the command. Eventually, the Sangheili finished packing up and departed for the shield world.[3]
Life on the Refuge[edit]
- "Clansfolk! You have trusted me thus far! I have taken you from one world to another! You must trust me here—we have crossed the Great Torrent! We cannot turn back! I believe we are safe here—the Covenant does not know of this world! It is an uncharted place and they are not likely to find it! If they approach, we will have ample warning. We will survive! We have food, water, air, and most of all, hope! Rejoice with me in this… and remember that true Sangheili are always prepared for self-sacrifice! This is our keep now! Our home! Yes—and it is Sanghelios! Because wherever we go… there also is Sanghelios!"
- — Ussa delivering a speech to the Ussans[6]
As the Sangheili settled on the shield world, they began to call themselves the "Ussans" as they started to establish their colony and new home, now called the Refuge. In 850 BCE, Ussa and Ernicka were approached by Salus 'Crolon who openly expressed his doubts about Ussa's decision. Ussa dismissed 'Crolon's worries about angering the Forerunners by living on the shield world, and then addressed all Ussans in a speech to give them hope and reminded them that they had crossed the "Great Torrent".[6] However, 'Crolon continued to express his doubts about Ussa to other Sangheili, such as Tersa 'Gunok, while away from Ussa, Ernicka, and Sooln.[7] Later, while Sooln was conversing with Enduring Bias, the monitor revealed the shield world's Disassembler capabilities; the shield world was capable of breaking apart and imitating an explosion, while remaining habitable. Sooln reported her discovery to Ussa, which was promptly backed up by Bias. While the monitor was demonstrating the Disassembler process through holography, he confirmed that there was a 49% chance that the process would lead to the destruction of all organisms on the world.[5] Although Ussa did not intend for other Sangheili to know about the Disassembler process, Bias carelessly revealed this information to Tersa.[8]
Meanwhile, 'Crolon and 'Drem began to distrust Ussa and attempted to share their sentiments with the other Ussans. The two Sangheili later jumped to the conclusion that Ussa was conspiring with the San'Shyuum, due to several poorly worded, inadvertently incriminating conversations with Enduring Bias. Despite Tersa's attempts at ending the misconceptions, the duo began to plot a rebellion against Ussa.[8] Tersa remained reluctant to inform Ussa or Ernicka of the situation, as he did not want to appear to be a "dishonorable informer".[9] After Tersa and Lnur 'Mol spotted 'Crolon and 'Drem attempting to recruit Gmezza and Scorinn into their rebellion, 'Drem and 'Crolon attempted to convince Ussa that the former two Sangheili were plotting against him. Ernicka brought Tersa and Lnur to the Strategy Hall, where Ussa held court. At Tersa's request, Ussa had Enduring Bias, Gmezza, Scorinn, 'Crolon, and 'Drem all brought before the cou