Ussans

Ussans
Government overview
Type:	Patriarchy
Founder(s):	Ussa 'Xellus
Head of state:	Kaidon
Societal overview
Capital:	The Refuge
Official language(s):	Old Sangheili
Official religion(s):	Worship of the Forerunners; rejection of the Great Journey
Notable leaders:	Ussa 'Xellus Bal'Tol 'Xellus
Historical overview
Formation:	c. 851 BCE
Part of:	Swords of Sanghelios

"We are prepared to die fighting beside Ussa 'Xellus, in the struggle against the Covenant. This is honor, and honor is meaning."

— The blood oath of Final Decision

The Ussans are a faction founded by Ussa 'Xellus in response to the Sangheili signing the Writ of Union with the San'Shyuum to form the Covenant in 852 BCE. The clan lived on Shield World 0673, known to them as the Refuge or the Ussan Refuge, in the Ussan system.

Upon the colony's settling, the Ussans had a population of slightly over 400. By 2552, their numbers had risen to 3,210. In its later days the Ussan colony was affected by a disease known as the Blood Sickness, caused by a malfunction in their protein synthesizers. They were rediscovered by a Covenant separatist resupply ship, Journey's Sustenance, in 2553.

Biography

Origins and establishment

With the ratification of the Writ of Union and formation of the Covenant in 852 BCE, the Sangheili and San'Shyuum were united. While many Sangheili were willing to accept the Covenant religion and become the protectors of the San'Shyuum, Kaidon Ussa 'Xellus saw the unification as a craven surrender by his own species to the San'Shyuum. Opposed to accepting the Covenant and its ideals, Ussa publicly announced his dissent towards the empire and warned the citizens of Xellus to not trust the San'Shyuum. In 851 BCE, the Covenant sent attack fighters to the state, and Xellus keep and many of the state's citizens were bombarded by the crafts. Ussa and several hundred of the state's residents, along with several allied clans, fled Xellus and retreated to the isolated Nwari region at Sanghelios' southern pole. Using his clan's funds, Ussa purchased several vehicles and hid them in a nearby dormant volcano to support his rebellion. In order to recruit more allies for his insurgency, Ussa and his wife Sooln traveled to the mining colony of Creck. Meanwhile, the Covenant's Sangheili treaty commission had sent out assassins and spies to track 'Xellus.

After several failed recruitment sessions at the Creck mines, Ussa and Sooln met the elderly 'Crecka. He claimed to know the location of a Forerunner world, Shield World 0673, that Ussa and his followers could use as a place of refuge. Although they were reluctant to trust him, they eventually had 'Crecka take them to the shield world, aboard Ussa's personal ship. Upon discovering the world and confirming its habitability, the group returned to Nwari. Returning to his followers' encampment, Ussa announced his intentions of relocating to a place of refuge. While the group prepared to pack up their supplies, Ussa was attacked by a Covenant spy that had hidden among his own followers. Before the spy could harm the kaidon, he was disarmed by Ernicka the Scar-Maker—Ussa's second-in-command. A mob of ten furious Sangheili converged on the spy and killed him, before Ussa could give out the order to interrogate the traitor. The Sangheili soon finished packing up and left for the shield world. Meanwhile, the treaty commission learned that their spy had been killed. Three San'Shyuum ministers met with the commission, and the commissioners assured them that they would track down the rebels. However, one of the ministers—the Prophet of Inner Conviction—feared that Ussa 'Xellus had a grand and inscrutable scheme behind his actions.

Colonization of the Refuge

The Refuge, the home of the Ussans.

"Clanksfolk! 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

Upon arrival, the rebels started to establish a colony and their new home on the shield world, now called the "Refuge". Additionally, these Sangheili had begun to refer to themselves as "Ussans", a reference to their leader. A rough triumvirate of leaders was formed between Ussa, Sooln, and Ernicka. Enduring Bias, the monitor of the shield world, chose to aid the Ussans and worked closely with the Ussan leadership, Sooln in particular. Several Sangheili were tasked with exploring the shield world and its functions; they intended to use the technologies found on the world to continue hiding from the Covenant, until the Ussans were able to combat the empire. Others were assigned to study the native fauna and to use analyzing technology to determine if the animals were safe for consumption. Meanwhile, Salus 'Crolon had begun to distrust Ussa. He openly expressed his doubts about Ussa's decision to relocate and his leadership capabilities to other Sangheili, especially to Tersa 'Gunok. 'Crolon formed a companionship with the like-minded 'Drem, and the two began to plot against Ussa. At this time, Enduring Bias revealed the Refuge's Disassembler process to Ussa and Sooln; the shield world was capable of breaking apart and imitating an apparent self-destructing explosion, while remaining habitable. Not wishing to spread fear throughout the colony, Ussa decided to not inform his followers of the process.

Ussa's cautiousness ultimately backfired when Enduring Bias absent-mindedly revealed this information to Tersa. The monitor continued to inadvertently incriminate Ussa in a conversation with 'Crolon and 'Drem when Bias noted that he would accept the presence of a San'Shyuum on the shield world, but only if they had brought a Huragok to repair him. Despite Tersa's attempts at ending the misconceptions, the two older Sangheili jumped to a conclusion: the minor repairs that Sooln had administered upon the monitor led to Bias sharing the Ussan leadership's opinions. Thus, 'Crolon and 'Drem believed that Ussa was conspiring with the San'Shyuum, and the duo began to plot a rebellion against Ussa. Some time later, Tersa and Lnur 'Mol spotted 'Crolon and 'Drem attempting to recruit two Sangheili into their rebellion. When 'Crolon and 'Drem realized that they had been seen, they approached Ussa and attempted to convince him that the younger two Sangheili were plotting against the kaidon. Ultimately, Ernicka and Ussa had all individuals involved in the conspiracy brought before them. During the trial, Enduring Bias provided surveillance footage of 'Crolon and 'Drem plotting against Ussa. Ernicka killed the latter when he attempted to escape, and arrested 'Crolon. With the conspiracy over, Ussa dismissed the others to consult with Bias about the shield world's capabilities.

The Rending

"We will be safe here. The true Sangheili will grow in numbers and in strength. We will learn how to harness the power of the Forerunners. And those who follow us will one day take Sanghelios back."

— Ussa 'Xellus, following the Rending

Shortly after his arrest, 'Crolon managed to escape his prison cell and killed the guard. Although Ussa, Sooln, and Bias attempted to stop him, the traitor fled the system aboard Clan's Blade. Fearing that 'Crolon might give the shield world's coordinates to the Covenant, Ussa prepared the Ussans for war. Ussa's predictions came true when Clan's Blade was intercepted by Covenant ships. Although the Covenant gained the world's coordinates from the vessel's records, 'Crolon was kept alive in hopes of using him to bargain with the Ussans in the inevitable conflict that would ensure. Due to his failure to kill 'Xellus during