Petora Zoyas

"I'm a saboteur and a rebel, and the only reason I'm still breathing is because I always plan for the unexpected."

- Petora Zoyas

Petora Zoyas was a human insurrectionist on the Outer Colony of Gao, who also served as a local guide for the Montero Cave System.

Early career
Born on the human Outer Colony of Gao, Petora Zoyas was once an active insurrectionist fighting against the Unified Earth Government's control of Gao. During the Insurrection, she was part of the Gao Liberation Force (GLF), and worked alongside the Venezian Militia several times. In early 2526, Petora was chosen as the GLF's envoy, sent to a meeting organised by URF General Harper Garvin and captain of the privateer frigate Bellicose, Lyrenne Castilla. There, Petora provided the insurrectionist coalition with the GLF's information on the SPARTAN-II program and Operation: SILENT STORM thanks to the GLF's agent inside Task Force Yama.

Petora was later present at the rebel coalition force's base in the Seoba ice quarry, and was one of a number of insurrectionists captured by the UNSC following a brutal assault. When John-117 identified General Garvin and ordered him to step forward, Petora tried to present herself to save the general, attempting to flirt with the SPARTAN to distract him from his objective. The SPARTAN responded by picking Zoyas up by her tunic lapels and threatening her with execution as per the UNSC Military Code of Conduct, though released her once Garvin identified himself.

Following the the insurrectionists' escape from UNSC forces, thanks to the rebel-allied crew of the Emmeline, Petora found herself involved in the crisis that developed following the Battle of Biko. When General Garvin arranged to meet with Sangheili Tel 'Szatulai, Biko Independence Army Commandant Erland Booth attempted to arm a HAVOK tactical nuclear weapon, intending to use it to try and threaten the Covenant into halting their attack on Biko. The Sangheili killed the man with the nuke, and Petora took the weapon from him before asking if anyone knew how to disarm it. Once it was disarmed, it was given to the Sangheili, who motioned for Petora to join him, considering her intelligent enough to operate a supraluminal communicator.

Petora evidently survived her time in 'Szatulai's service, and later following the Human-Covenant War served as a cave guide for the tourists visiting the Montero Cave System in the Montero region on Gao. However, she maintained communication with Minister of Protection Arlo Casille, a Gao politician who secretly harbored insurrectionist sympathies and anti-UEG views. She evidently had some influence within Gao's Committee to Preserve Gao Independence, a radical independence organization.

Capturing an ancilla
In 2553, the United Nations Space Command's 717th Xeno-Materials Exploitation Battalion landed on Gao to covertly search for Forerunner ancilla Intrepid Eye, drawing the ire of Casille. Upon learning of the UNSC's intentions, Casille contacted the Venezian Militia and Keepers of the One Freedom to arrange a plan to remove the UNSC from Gao. As Casille did not want to risk being seen in the presence of insurrectionists, Zoyas served as his representative among them. On July 4, 2553, Keeper forces under the command of Castor landed in the Montero Jungle near the village of Wendosa, where the UNSC established their headquarters on the planet. Meeting with Castor and Venezian Militia observer Reza Linberk, Zoyas briefed them on the situation in Montero and suggested for the Keepers to sneak into the Montero Cave System and find the UNSC trail, allowing them to eliminate the UNSC forces in the cave and claim the ancilla for themselves.

However, Zoyas and Linberk both had orders from their respective superiors to take the ancilla for themselves. Casille had ordered Zoyas to help Castor capture the ancilla and then leave the Keeper forces to engage the UNSC forces at Wendosa while she escaped with the ancilla herself. Having the Committee to Preserve Gao Independence distract the UNSC by setting off their sensor alarms, Castor told Zoyas to begin leading Keeper forces into the caverns. Castor had his second-in-command, Orsun, serve as her bodyguard. However, Zoyas first argued that they needed an escape route to fallback to in the event that they failed to eliminate the UNSC forces at Wendosa, though she secretly intended to use the escape route to flee with the ancilla once she captured it. Linberk argued that the Keepers would not require an escape route, as such would interfere with her own plan, though Zoyas claimed that her experience as a rebel proved otherwise. Though Castor realized Zoyas' intent, he reluctantly agreed to have the escape route secured. While Zoyas and Orsun led Keeper forces into the caverns, Castor remained on the surface to oversee the process. As he overlooked Wendosa, Castor saw what he believed to be the UNSC with the captured ancilla. He then ordered the Keeper forces on the surface to attack Wendosa, resulting in a large battle and Linberk's prompt death at the hands of UNSC snipers.

Death
"Here's what's going to happen. We're taking both of the floaties, Inspector. It's not safe to go through Wendosa, but I know another—"

- Petora Zoyas' last words

As the UNSC engaged most Keeper forces at Wendosa, Zoyas and several Jiralhanae continued on through the Montero Cave System. However, Spartans of Blue Team were also making their way through the caves, having captured Huragok Roams Alone and recently located Intrepid Eye. While Frederic-104 moved to capture the ancilla, Zoyas had departed from the company of the Jiralhanae and had located the Spartans, along with Special Inspector Veta Lopis. Recognizing Lopis as a subordinate to Casille, she approached the special inspector as she sat with Spartan-III Olivia-G291. Zoyas aimed her shotgun at Olivia's head, while introducing herself as an ally to Lopis, much to the confusion of both Olivia and Lopis. Zoyas announced her intent to capture both the Huragok and ancilla and bring them to her previously established fallback point to avoid the conflict at Wendosa. However, as Fred captured Intrepid Eye with a scramble grenade, the grenade's activation resulted in a blinding flash of light, to which Olivia used as an opportunity to eliminate Zoyas. As the insurrectionist blindly fired her shotgun, Olivia quickly killed Zoyas by stabbing a combat knife into her chest.

Personality and traits
"Whoever this Zoyas was, she was a pro."

- Special Inspector Veta Lopis

Petora Zoyas was a successful insurrectionist and saboteur, crediting her fortune in her career to her always planning for the unexpected. She was opposed to the Unified Earth Government's control over its colonies and desired for Gao to achieve full sovereignty from the UEG and its United Nations Space Command. In an effort to achieve this, she allied herself with Minister of Protection Arlo Casille and the radical Committee to Preserve Gao Independence. Castor noted that he did not entirely trust Zoyas or her judgement, but found that she quickly proven herself to be knowledgeable and a capable operator. She had a rivalry of sorts with Reza Linberk, a high-ranking member of the Venezian Militia. During their dealings on Gao, the two often argued, knowing that one was planning to covertly betray the other.

A skinny, olive-skinned human woman, Zoyas had a small, leathery face with a broad mouth and large, oval-shaped, bright blue eyes. She wielded a short-barreled shotgun and a long-bladed panga that she used to help cut her way through the thick Montero Jungle. Zoyas spoke in a soft Gao accent.

List of appearances

 * Halo: Last Light
 * Halo: Silent Storm