Prophet of Stewardship

The Minor Prophet of Stewardship was a San'Shyuum Minor Prophet attached to the Fleet of Particular Justice. Stewardship was a member of the fleet's Council of Masters.

Biography
The Minor Prophet of Stewardship often worked with the High Prophet of Truth, with the Prophet of Clarity serving as a buffer between the two. Stewardship was later given command of the Fleet of Particular Justice's military assets. When the Fleet of Particular Justice arrived at the Soell system and discovered Installation 04, Stewardship was aboard the carrier Ascendant Justice. He immediately claimed authority over the fleet per the reclamation procedure, as the Halo was a religious matter. Supreme Commander Thel 'Vadamee was reluctant to cede authority with heading for the system. After a meeting on the Seeker of Truth to contact High Charity to verify who had command, no decision was made when communication with High Charity could not be made.

Stewardship was aboard Shipmaster Orna 'Fulsamee's destroyer Blameless Conceit when the battle commenced above the ring. The Minor Prophet forbade the fleet from using plasma torpedoes to destroy the Pillar of Autumn, saying that a stray torpedo could damage Halo; 'Vadamee eventually overrode this order. Stewardship ordered for Ossoona Isna 'Nosolee to infiltrate the vessel, though he was eventually killed. Stewardship's decision to not fire upon Autumn proved to be a grave mistake. By the time 'Vadamee had ordered his ships to fire upon the ship, the human cruiser held out against the Covenant boarders long enough to crash land on the ring. Stewardship oversaw the Covenant's campaign on the Halo. During a Council of Masters meeting, he gave Special Operations Officer Zuka 'Zamamee orders, denying him permission to hunt SPARTAN-II John-117. During the battle the Prophet secretly ordered Undiminished Entelechy and Purity of Spirit to conduct a close-range survey of the Halo before the human ship's arrival.

As the battle wore on, Stewardship, alternating between the battlecruiser Truth and Reconciliation near the surface and Ascendant Justice in orbit, began to disregard the Sangheili's authority. When the Covenant discovered a Forerunner gas mine orbiting the nearby gas giant Threshold, the Prophet sent an expeditionary force under Sesa 'Refumee and Loka 'Bandolee to investigate, an act which Thel 'Vadamee believed unwise because he believed that all forces should be concentrated on the human presence on Installation 04. Two more teams were sent to secure an alleged weapons cache, both of which lost contact, leading to the deployment of a fourth. When the Flood was released, Stewardship had Soha 'Rolamee executed for his failure to secure the containment facility on the ring. He spoke with 'Zamamee through a hologram and spoke with him about his first attempt on the Spartan's life, which had failed. Stewardship, realizing the threat of John-117, asked what 'Zamamee's plan was to eliminate the Spartan, and upon hearing it, granted him permission to pursue the Spartan. Before the meeting ended, he threatened 'Zamamee with 'Rolamee's fate if he failed again.

'Vadamee finally sent a formal request to Stewardship to cease his constant force misappropriation, though the message was ignored. At this point the Supreme Commander sent a single infantry unit to relieve the Prophet of Stewardship until the humans were eliminated, but Stewardship ordered them destroyed on final approach to Ascendant Justice, warning that any further affronts to his leadership would be met with equally lethal results. 'Vadamee finally assembled a force to retake Ascendant Justice and physically relieve the Prophet himself, but Stewardship relocated to Truth and Reconciliation, leaving orders for the crew to arrest the Supreme Commander if he interfered with his consecration of the ring, an order the crew ignored when 'Vadamee traveled to Ascendant Justice. Soon, however, Special Operations Commander Rtas 'Vadumee was recovered from his mission to the Infinite Succor, revealing that the Flood was on the ring. This prompted 'Vadamee to initiate emergency quarantine response, priority alpha, meaning that Stewardship would not be able to leave the ring unless his ship remained uninfected.

Stewardship was captured during the humans' last-ditch raid on the ship and locked away. He made no attempt to hide his status as a Prophet from his captors, no doubt so that they would take him prisoner rather than kill him on the spot. He was able to send a rescue request ordering all available Covenant vessels to rescue him, but 'Vadamee denied the request as the ring was about to detonate. The Prophet of Stewardship died when First Lieutenant Melissa McKay destroyed the ship to prevent the Flood from escaping the Halo.

Personality and traits
The Minor Prophet of Stewardship was intelligent, though he was quite malevolent. Stewardship made his position of power and importance in the fleet clear to his subordinates by his actions and posture. Stewardship was a pious individual and believed that even demeaning Sangheili combat harnesses was borderline heresy, as the armor incorporated Forerunner technology. The Prophet reminded Orna 'Fulsamee of tiny rodents that he had hunted in his childhood. Stewardship believed that all sentient beings were unconsciously drawn to Forerunner artifacts, and that is how the humans—although "primitive"—had discovered Installation 04. Stewardship had an assistant, Bako 'Ikaporamee, who often spoke on the Prophet's behalf.

The Minor Prophet of Stewardship wore a tall, elegantly decorated headpiece made of metal and amber gemstone panels. The headpiece was complex, and wired for communication purposes. He donned a red overrobe and a golden underrobbe, and operated an anti-gravity chair. A silver mantle was worn on Stewardship's shoulders and it supported a cluster of gold weaves that extended in front of his lips.

Trivia

 * The Prophet of Stewardship went unnamed in the original release of Halo: The Flood, being only referred to as "the Prophet". His name was revealed in the priority broadcast log included in the 2010 re-release.
 * "Stewardship" is the office of a steward, someone who manages the property or affairs of someone else in their absence. Like the other named Prophets, his name is ironic, as Stewardship refuses to relinquish his authority over the ring and constantly misappropriates the fleet's resources.
 * Stewardship is only described as wearing an antigravity belt in the 2003 edition of Halo: The Flood. However, he is depicted using an anti-gravity chair in the 2010 edition of the novel, Halo 2: Anniversary's terminals, and in Halo 5: Guardians.
 * Stewardship appears in a hologram aboard Undiminished Entelechy in the Halo 5: Guardians multiplayer map "Truth".

List of appearances

 * Halo: The Flood
 * Adjunct
 * Halo: Broken Circle
 * Halo 2: Anniversary
 * Terminals
 * Halo: Fleet Battles
 * Halo 5: Guardians