Zo Resken

Zo Resken
Personal details
Species:	San'Shyuum
Gender:	Male
Political and military information
Affiliation:	Covenant (formerly) Covenant separatists (formerly) Ussans
Title:	Secondary Administrator (formerly)

Zo Resken, formerly known by his title Prophet of Clarity, is a San'Shyuum who once served the Covenant as the Secondary Administrator to the High Prophet of Truth. Some time during his career, he wrote a document titled Notes on the History of the Covenant. A descendant of Mken 'Scre'ah'ben, the Prophet of Inner Conviction in the Covenant's early years, Resken abandoned the Covenant in its final days during the Great Schism and allied himself with the Sangheili. He would eventually find and settle on the lost Ussan colony of the Refuge.

Biography

Early career

Zo Resken was born a descendant of Mken 'Scre'ah'ben, the Prophet of Inner Conviction in the early years of the Covenant. Resken began his career in the Covenant as a communications officer, and during this time he acquired numerous technological skills, many of which he would continue to employ long after leaving the post. At some point prior to the Human-Covenant War, Resken encountered the future High Prophet of Regret while the latter was the Vice Minister of Tranquility, and he had treated Resken well. Resken, unlike most of his kind, enjoyed the company of the Sangheili outside of his work, and would befriend many of them, notably Commander G'torik 'Klemmee and his uncle, High Councilor Torg 'Gransamee, of whom Resken believed was in fact G'torik's father. He also served within the Palace of the Hierarchs as a buffer between the High Prophet of Truth and the Prophet of Stewardship, prior to the latter being given control of the Fleet of Particular Justice's military assets.

Zo Resken had been present in the Fleet of Particular Justice when it had arrived in the Soell System in September, 2552, after pursuing the UNSC Pillar of Autumn from Reach. Resken suspected that the Prophet of Truth wanted him to serve as a buffer between the Hierarch and the Sangheili within the fleet, due to his affinity with the species. During the battle on the surface of the newly-discovered Installation 04, Resken oversaw Sangheili combat units that fought against the human forces. Towards the end of the battle, Resken only just managed to withdraw his troops from the ring before it was destroyed by Spartan John-117. At some point following the destruction of Installation 04, Resken wrote a secret document, the Notes on the History of the Covenant, in which he briefly recounted the history of the Covenant, the integration of its multiple client species, as well as his own personal opinions including his distrust of the Jiralhanae and private disagreements regarding the Hierarch's genocidal campaign on the human race. Knowing that the opinions detailed in the document would be considered heretical by the Covenant, Resken kept it hidden safely locked away, only to be revealed to the public after his death. Resken wrote the original document in the San'Shyuum language. Shortly after the Halo ring's destruction, Resken found himself appointed as the Secondary Administrator to the Prophet of Truth on High Charity, a position in which he was secretly embittered with. The discovery of a second ring less than two months later led to newfound elation within Resken, who had been despondent after the destruction of Installation 04. This happiness would be short-lived, however; moments after High Charity had arrived at the installation, Resken received news of the Prophet of Regret's assassination at the hands of the same "Demon" that had destroyed Alpha Halo.

Installation 05

Shortly after Regret's death, Resken met with G'torik 'Klemmee and Torg 'Gransamee in one of High Charity's Hanging Gardens. While listening for potential eavesdroppers, the three discussed recent events. Resken considered the possibility that the loss of Installation 04 was perhaps indicative of the fact that the Covenant was unfit to undertake the Great Journey at that time due to a lack of spiritual unworthiness, citing an event during the early days of the Covenant where they had lost a unique Luminary that may have propelled the Covenant on its path and its loss had been similarly mourned. When Torg blamed the loss of the Halo ring on a military failure, and G'torik subtly reminded him to be cautious of how he spoke to the Prophet, Resken told them to speak freely with him, as he sought to strengthen his allegiance with the Sangheili. While viewing sensor footage of the debris field of Installation 04, as well as the newfound Installation 05, the three conversed about Regret's assassination. While Resken had great respect for the Prophet of Regret, he could not help but be angry about his reckless attack on the previously-unknown human homeworld. G'torik informed Resken that a massive force of Phantoms had been sent to protect Regret, but had been withdrawn before reaching him, seemingly on the orders of the High Prophet of Truth. While the three speculated on the reasons Truth had pulled the Phantoms back, Resken was summoned to the Palace of the Hierarchs by the Prophet of Truth. Before leaving, Resken told the two Sangheili that he would try to tell them of anything he learned.

Resken had installed a share-input directive into the Prophet of Truth's chair that morning, using his knowledge from his previous position as a communications officer, and his own resentment of his job post and a desire to advance his own agenda. While waiting for the Chieftain of the Jiralhanae, Tartarus, to arrive, Resken was approached by Truth. The Prophet ensured that Resken had not told any within the Covenant of his secret meetings with Tartarus, including his fellow Hierarch, the Prophet of Mercy, before informing Resken that the Prophet of Exquisite Devotion would be joining them, a San'Shyuum that Resken truly disliked. Making sure that refreshments were on hand for the visitors, Truth subtly warned Resken to treat Exquisite Devotion with the utmost respect, as Resken was to be transferred to Exquisite Devotion's authority. Exquisite Devotion was to oversee High Charity's governance as the Hierarchs, along with the High Council, would be leaving to commence the Great Journey following the discovery of the Ark. After Truth withdrew into the reception chamber, Resken briefly considered what he saw as a demotion before Tartarus and Exquisite Devotion arrived. As Resken served the two visitors with their refreshments, Truth arrived and promptly dismissed Resken from the room. After briefly considering whether he should switch the listening device on, due to the disastrous consequences should it be discovered, Resken decided to activate it. While eavesdropping, Resken heard the trio discussing the impending replacement of the Sangheili Honor Guard with the Jiralhanae, as well as the replacement of the Sangheili with Jiralhanae in the fleets over Earth. Resken was shaken by what he had heard, as well as the uncertainty about whether his device had been discovered.

Some time after this meeting, Resken reported to Exquisite Devotion in the latter's office. Immediately, Exquisite ordered Resken to stand in his presence, permitting him use of his anti-gravity belt. Exquisite Devotion told Resken that he would be accompanying him to a meeting with the High Council the following day as his assistant, before confirming what Resken had overheard previously; the Covenant Honor Guard's Sangheili would be replaced by the Jiralhanae. Exquisite Devotion cited the former Supreme Commander of the Fleet of Particular Justice's failure to protect Alpha Halo, as well as the Sangheili Honor Guard's failure to prevent the Prophet of Regret's death as the main motivators behind the switch, as well as wavering allegiance to the Covenant in the Hierarch's eyes. Furthermore, the Jiralhanae were to be promoted above the Sangheili. Perturbed, Resken addressed the possibility of a Sangheili rebellion as a result, an outcome that Exquisite Devotion disagreed with. Resken was ordered to use a nearby comptroller to send several items to Exquisite Devotion that the latter had ordered. While he carried out his task, Resken resolved to deliver a warning to his Sangheili compatriots, suspecting what was to come.

Later that day, Zo Resken met with G'torik 'Klemmee within the Chancel of Recovery. As it was frowned upon for Sangheili to be seen within a healing facility, G'torik was there under the pretence that he was checking on the San'Shyuum's well-being. Here, Resken disclosed all that he had learned: the upcoming replacing of the Covenant Honor Guard, the orders sent by the Prophet of Truth to Jiralhanae forces already stationed at Earth and the High Prophet's sending of his own fleet to the planet, and the large order of traditional Jiralhanae weaponry that Truth had placed with the Sacred Promissory. Resken warned G'torik that Truth might be preparing to ambush and quickly wipe out the Sangheili with the newly-equipped Jiralhanae-led Covenant military. G'torik then confirmed Resken's suspicions that Truth had pulled the Phantoms back and had allowed Regret to die, having heard word from his uncle who had conversed with one of the Phantom's pilots. Resken told G'torik to only warn those Sangheili of significantly high rank who could keep quiet and so preserve their advantage of surprise if the Hierarchs discovered what they had learned. Resken also warned the field commander that the Flood had been released from quarantine on the surface of Delta Halo, and that the Prophet of Truth may use the parasite to his advantage while he replaced the Sangheili in the Covenant. When questioned by G'torik on his own motivations for warning the Sangheili, Resken considered the many reasons that he had not yet thought to question: an influence over the Sangheili should they emerge victorious in a Covenant civil war; a deep-seated revulsion for the Prophet of Truth and Tartarus and a personal waning of faith in the Covenant as a whole, considering the Hierarch's scheming in the presence of a Halo ring. He settled on telling G'torik that he knew that the San'Shyuum would not survive without the Sangheili, and the two species would need to be unified if they were to survive the Flood and the humans.

Great Schism

The following day, while walking through one of High Charity's Hanging Gardens without aid from his anti-gravity belt or chair following his ancestor Mken 'Scre'ah'ben's example, Resken heard the Prophet of Truth's denouncement of the Sangheili over the city's broadcast system. Knowing that civil war had indeed broken out within the Covenant, Resken made for the exit but was stopped by a Jiralhanae captain and a Mgalekgolo pair. The Jiralhanae told Resken that the Prophet of Exquisite Devotion had sent for him, and warned him that the Mgalekgolo would forcibly take him if he didn't comply willingly. Resken was allowed to retrieve his anti-gravity chair before being escorted to the Gravitational Refinement chamber in the Trial Court for Tools of Conquest. Upon arrival, Exquisite Devotion had his Jiralhanae disable the weaponry in Resken's chair. Exquisite Devotion revealed to Resken who he had captured. To his horror, Resken recognized all three of them: High Councilors Duru 'Scoahamee and K'hurk 'Bornisamee, as well as K'hurk's nephew Tilik. Exquisite Devotion told Resken of the massacre of the Sangheili Councilors and their guardsmen at Installation 05's control room, gleefully stating that Torg 'Gransamee and G'torik 'Klemmee had been part of the slaughtered group, before demonstrating his control over the rooms artificial gravity, slamming Duru onto his back. Devotion exclaimed that he would use the room for interrogation. Resken was forced to watch in terror as Exquisite Devotion crushed the Sangheili's hand. Exquisite Devotion revealed that he had, with the aid of several spy drones, overheard his conversations with Torg'Gransamee and 'Klemmee in the Hanging Gardens, and had in fact deliberately imparted information about the Sangheili the previous day, knowing that Resken would go on to tell 'Klemmee and the dron