Minor Minister of Artifact Survey

The Minor Minister of Artifact Survey was the San'Shyuum magistrate of the Covenant's Fleet of Inexorable Obedience.

Supervising Etalan
The Minor Minister of Artifact Survey was stationed aboard the Pious Rampage by early 2526. Thirty-four cycles into the Ninth Age of Reclamation, the Fleet of Inexorable Obedience, of which Pious Rampage was the flagship, was glassing the human colony world of Etalan which orbited the star Igdras, designated "E'gini" and "Illa" by the Covenant respectively. Sometime prior to the sixteenth unit of the thirty-fourth cycle, the Fleetmaster Nizat 'Kvarosee decreed that all Vicars of the fleet take care to learn English, the humans' most prominent language. The minor minister neglected to do so, however, and later claimed that other duties of his prevented him from dedicating sufficient time to the task. Before this point 'Kvarosee also directed his attention to the ship's kelguid and convinced him of the importance of establishing a forward operating base so that they might press the attack against the humans with speed.

As the eradication of Etalan dragged on, the minister became fatigued by the slow pace that was required for the planet's one hundred thousand nomadic villages to be destroyed. To speed up this process, 'Kvarosee suggested that the fleet target Etalan's enormous shield volcano that rested on its equator. He theorized that such an action may trigger an eruption large enough to fill the planet's skies with smoke and ash. Given that the planet's only spaceport had already been destroyed and no relief could make it to the colony, this would result in a slow, agonizing death for the remaining colonists. The minister approved of this plan and gave the order for the volcano to be bombarded.

Making plans
After agreeing on what was to be done to Etalan, the minister and 'Kvarosee were greeted by First Blade Tel 'Szatulai of the Silent Shadow, bearing an unfamiliar human device. 'Kvarosee's steward, Tam 'Lakosee, revealed that the device had been deliberately left for 'Szatulai's squad to find as they scouted out the colony of Amasa prior to the fleet's arrival. Stunned that the Silent Shadow would allow themselves to be discovered, the minister reprimanded 'Szatulai who went on to reveal that the device carried a message from General Harper Garvin of the United Rebel Front, supposedly wanting to strike a deal with the Covenant. The minister thought that such a notion was ridiculous and that no human would help destroy their own species. 'Szatulai ensured him that the message would explain further, but it was in English, which the minister had neglected to learn. Surprised to hear this, 'Kvarosee ordered his steward to fetch a translation disk while also secretly motioning for him to take his time in returning. Before 'Lakosee returned, the fleetmaster has 'Szatulai begin the message anyway, reassuring the indignant minister that they would watch it again once he had received the translation disk. In the message, Garvin offered information about the United Nations Space Command—and more specifically, the Spartans, which had recently destroyed two warships from the Fleet of Inexorable Obedience—in exchange for peace with the Covenant and the promise that Insurrectionist worlds would not be glassed. Despite not being able to understand what Garvin's message said, the minister was able to piece together its contents by listening to 'Kvarosee and 'Szatulai. He correctly surmised that the human was trying to get the Covenant to target and kill the Spartans. 'Kvarosee ordered the First Blade to meet with the insurgents on Seoba, as they had requested, and find out any information useful to them. The minister told 'Szatulai that the fate of these humans was up to him, that they should be spared until he decides that they are no longer of use.

Battle of Biko
On March 19, 2526, Tel 'Szatulai's flotilla arrived in the Kolaqoa system. However, instead of finding Seoba under the control of the human traitors, their base had been captured by a UNSC battle group known as Task Force Yama, which detected the incoming flotilla and deployed its prowlers. The ensuing battle resulted in the destruction of three of 'Szatulai's five intrusion corvettes. Shortly thereafter, the Fleet of Inexorable Obedience arrived in the Kolaqoa system and began its assault on Biko. News of the outcome of 'Szatulai's battle with the humans at Seoba reached the Minor Minister of Artifact Survey shortly after the fleet exited slipspace, and he mocked the First Blade for his failure.

After the battle had been won, the Minor Minister of Artifact Survey and Nizat 'Kvarosee watched from one of the Pious Rampage's observation blisters as Biko was glassed. Survey complemented the fleetmaster for his efficiency, promising to relay as such to the Hierarchs upon his next visit to High Charity. However, given the Spartans' recent attack that crippled their fleet's logistics flotilla at Etalan, Survey suggested that it may be wise to suspend the glassing to preserve carrier gas, now that the planet's air had already been set aflame. 'Kvarosee, however, explained that the firestorm was not as bad as it seemed and that it would take additional time and plasma to fuse the ground beneath. At moment, First Blade Tel 'Szatulai stepped into the observation blister and stated that he believed Survey was worried about a counterattack. Survey berated 'Szatulai once more, asking why 'Kvarosee would even trust the First Blade and stating that he was beginning to doubt that the Spartans even exist, as 'Szatulai had yet been able to provide proof of their existence, much less kill one of them. 'Szatulai retorted that they did indeed exist and that he even had learned the names of the Spartans. This information was gleaned by two Jiralhanae Bloodstars using their own unique interrogation methods, which Survey stated was "stupid" given their pension for killing valuable prisoners. When Survey continued to insult and threaten 'Szatulai, the fleetmaster stated that they are fighting a war, not playing political games like those to which the minister is accustomed and that we would like to hear the rest of the First Blade's report. Survey said this would not end well for him, but he relented, allowing 'Szatulai to continue. With information gleaned from the human traitors, the three of them surmised that Task Force Yama may in fact know that they have a spy in their midst and are using him to lure the Fleet of Inexorable Obedience into traps. As the fleet was beginning to run low on carrier gas for their plasma weapons, 'Kvarosee had called forward from Zhoist a new logistics flotilla that was already at Etalan, gathering the vessels that had survived the Spartans' attack. Upon hearing this, 'Szatulai revealed to 'Kvarosee that the humans had recovered a kelguid from the bridge of the Worthy Silence after it was shot down on Seoba. With this in their possession, Task Force Yama could potentially identify the exact locations of the fleet's supply lines and critical support nodes. Survey worried that the humans would use the kelguid to find and attack High Charity, but 'Szatulai and 'Kvarosee insisted that Zhoist was the much more likely target as it would buy them time. They explained that if the humans even knew about High Charity, going there would mean certain death. With Survey still in disagreement, 'Szatulai and 'Kvarosee agreed that they must go to Zhoist to support its meager rapid-response flotilla in the coming battle.

Death
After the success of Operation: SILENT STORM, the minor minister began berating the fleetmaster who saw the humans actions as retribution for the glassing of their worlds. As the reports came in, the minor minister got more and more enraged and indignant, finally snapping after learning that humans had been taken prisoner and several bodies had been collected. Unable to take the minor minister's verbal abuse anymore, Tam 'Lakosee decapitated him with his energy sword. 'Kvarosee decided to incinerate the minor minister's body and tell everyone that he had died battling for the Faith.

Personality and traits
The Minor Minister of Artifact Survey, as a San'Shyuum, exhibited a long serpentine neck, bulbous eyes, prehensile lips, and tri-digit hands. The wattles which dangled beneath his chin were covered in fur. The minister was frail, requiring regular use of an antigravity chair, and appeared repulsively weak to most Sangheili. When he angered, both his wattles and the skin around his eyes would redden.

The minor minister was furnished with his own compartments aboard the Pious Rampage, where he had the honor of acting as a ceremonial magistrate. The shipmaster of the assault carrier addressed him with the honorific "your Grace", but privately considered him unimpressive. Nizat 'Kvarosee thought him more ambitious and self-aggrandizing than determined and ill-suited for the rigors of planet-cleansing operations. In addition, the minor minister knew almost nothing about fleet warfare. Survey intended to win favor from the hierarchs by describing in great detail the suffering meted out to the humans he was present to observe and consecrate.

List of appearances

 * Halo: Silent Storm
 * Halo: Oblivion