Shadow of Intent

Shadow of Intent is a Kerel-pattern of the Sword of Sanghelios formerly assigned to the Covenant fleet. Commanded by Shipmaster Rtas 'Vadum, it served as the flagship of the Fleet of Retribution at the outbreak of the Great Schism and the end of the Human-Covenant War. The vessel then served the reformed Swords of Sanghelios following the cessation of war with humanity in March 2553, and is both feared and revered as a herald of the Arbiter's government.

Pre-Covenant War
The Shadow of Intent was originally designed by the Prophet of Expediency in conjunction with the Vice Minister of Sacral Assembly during the Third Age of Discovery (circa. 2135). Actual construction was performed by the Lathe of the Enlightened in partnership with the Song of Victory.

Battle of Installation 05
At the dawn of the Great Schism, shortly after the Sangheili's betrayal by the Hierarchs and Jiralhanae on November 3, 2552, Shadow of Intent was attached to one of the Covenant fleets at High Charity when the Covenant holy city was at Installation 05. Under the control of the Jiralhanae, Shadow of Intent attacked the Sangheili fleets over High Charity as the Covenant civil war began. Special Operations Commander Rtas 'Vadum led a strike-force that boarded Shadow of Intent and seized control of the carrier. Becoming the flagship of 'Vadum's Fleet of Retribution, Shadow of Intent was thereafter one of two assault carriers used against the Jiralhanae-led forces loyal to the San'Shyuum, the other being Eternal Reward. However, Eternal Reward was destroyed when the carrier was attacked by ships led by Prelate Tem'Bhetek's Spear of Light.

Shadow of Intent used its ventral beam to partially glass High Charity in an attempt to combat the Flood aboard it. Following the Prophet of Truth's escape to Earth, most of the ships commanded by Arbiter Thel 'Vadam remained near Halo Installation 05 to quarantine the local Flood threat by glassing the surface. However, the infected Indulgence of Conviction broke through the blockade and jumped to Earth. The Fleet of Retribution, consisting of Shadow of Intent and nine battlecruisers, followed the Flood-controlled vessel to the human homeworld.

Actions on Earth
"Hail humans, and take heed. This is the carrier Shadow of Intent. Clear this sector while we deal with the Flood."

- Rtas 'Vadum

The fleet arrived minutes after Indulgence of Conviction, which crash-landed in the city of Voi, Kenya, which in turn occurred only moments after Truth's fleet passed through a nearby slipspace portal to the Forerunner facility known as the Ark. Flood forms were dispersed across the city, quickly overrunning the local UNSC personnel. Shipmaster 'Vadum hailed the human troops, instructing them to evacuate as the ship landed Special Operations forces into the ruins of Voi. Soon Shadow of Intent and the battlecruisers glassed the city and the surrounding region to prevent the Flood from spreading across Earth. 'Vadum would have glassed the entire planet were it not for the counsel of the Arbiter.

Assault on Installation 00


"I will beat the Prophet's shield like a drum. By the time the barrier falls, he will beg for mercy."

- Rtas 'Vadum

After a period of deliberation among the Sangheili and UNSC leaders, Shadow of Intent and the human frigate Forward Unto Dawn passed through the portal to the Ark. The Fleet of Retribution was immediately met by Truth's fleet as Forward Unto Dawn deployed troops to the installation's surface. The Sangheili forces soon emerged victorious despite their enemies' three-to-one numerical advantage.

Shadow of Intent sent down soldiers, vehicles, and supplies to aid the human forces on the surface of the Ark following the victory in orbit. The ship then took part in a diversionary bombardment of the shield protecting the Ark's Citadel, the point from which the entire Halo Array could be fired.

When the shield was deactivated by a joint UNSC-Sangheili strike team, led by the Spartan John-117 and the Arbiter, Shadow of Intent moved in to destroy the Citadel. Before the carrier could get into position, however, the Flood-infested High Charity arrived via slipspace and crashed onto the surface of the Ark, shedding debris as it fell. A large fragment smashed through Shadow of Intent amidships and inflicted severe damage, knocking out all of the carrier's weapon systems. Despite the damage, the ship remained operational. Following Truth's assassination by the Arbiter Shadow of Intent evacuated the surviving Sangheili and human forces; only the Arbiter, John-117, the AI Cortana, and Sergeant Major Avery Johnson remained behind to activate the newly discovered Halo Installation 08, thereby defeating the Flood.

Post-war
Shadow of Intent was repaired and refitted at a mobile shipyard on December 30, 2552. Between February 28 and March 3, 2553, Shadow of Intent remained stationed on Earth for a diplomatic mission involving the Arbiter's attendance in the Voi Memorial service, held for those killed in the Human-Covenant War. After the memorial 'Vadum gave the Arbiter command of the vessel, whereupon the ship returned to Sanghelios.

Between March 6 and August 24, 2553, Shadow of Intent was believed to be retrieving former Covenant long-range exploratory fleets. On April 22, 2554, the ship was rendered combat-ineffective after a battle with Jul 'Mdama's forces. Up to November 6, 2556, Shadow of Intent was still used against both 'Mdama's Covenant and Jiralhanae forces.

Between May 6 and June 1, 2557, Shadow of Intent participated in naval exercises with the UNSC Navy in a Joint Occupation Zone against pirates, by which point her weapons and nanolaminate hull plating had been improved. Between June 1, 2557, and March 3, 2558, Shadow of Intent was tasked with the protection of Sanghelios and Sangheili colonies of the core world sphere. Around March 2558 three Office of Naval Intelligence prowlers tasked to monitor Shadow of Intent were destroyed. These losses were not reported to the UNSC Navy.

Superstructure and hull
While the basic silhouette is similar to most other assault carriers, with a hooked prowl, immense hangar segment and a thick neck section connecting them, the Shadow of Intent does have a few differences. The most readily-noticed is its smoother hull which lacks the characteristic city-structures, and its distinctive rear cowling. These identify it as a rare Kerel-pattern assault carrier, a Prophet-approved variant of the more common Syfon-pattern. The bridge is located in an armored command pod in the center of the carrier's neck, with the Blademaster's yard running along the outermost sides. This uses a mix of ancient ritual education with the latest War Games technology acquired from the UNSC to train the next generation of swordmasters. At the aft is an elaborate shrine to the Forerunners known as the Nave of the Creators, which is kept in perfect condition thanks to the crewmembers who have not given up their old beliefs. The damage to the warship's interior compartments attained from the Great Schism has still not been completely repaired, with the deeper crew compartments hastily sealed off, ruined hallways and collapsed chambers filled with damage-control foam and entombed corpses.

Like most Covenant ships, the Shadow of Intent is primarily armored with nanolaminate hull plating. During the post-war era, however, this has been supplemented with runic plating installed by the Arbiter's Huragok during repairs. This advanced plating uses lattices of Forerunner composites interwoven with mysterious energy conduits.

Crew
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Shadow of Intent Command
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 * Shipmaster Rtas 'Vadum

Trivia

 * Shadow of Intent is the subject of a novella of the same name by Joseph Staten.
 * The bridge's holotable features the Marathon logo.
 * A secret room on the level "The Ark" is actually Shadow of Intent's bridge.

List of appearances

 * Halo 3
 * Halo: Hunters in the Dark
 * Halo: Shadow of Intent
 * Halo Mythos