Fleet of Retribution

"Brute ships! Staggered line! Shipmaster, they outnumber us, three to one!"

- A Sangheili Major navigator advising the Shipmaster "Then it is an even fight... All cruisers, fire at will! Burn their mongrel hides!"

- Rtas 'Vadum

The Fleet of Retribution was a large naval formation formerly in the service of the Covenant that split off from the Second Fleet of Homogeneous Clarity. When the Great Schism began, the entirety of the Sangheili species was forced out of the Covenant. The ejected Sangheili did not have an official unified faction at this time, however they were unified in their fight against the Covenant that had betrayed them. Within the ejected Sangheili, the forces that allied with humanity was the Fleet of Retribution. The fleet took in forces from the UNSC Seventh Fleet during the final days of the Human-Covenant War and was essential to mankind's victory. After the war, the majority of this fleet and it's naval components would form the Swords of Sanghelios. The command and control was provided by the flagship Shadow of Intent.

Arbiter Thel 'Vadam, future leader of Sanghelios, served as a field commander in the fleet. Other notable figures serving with Retribution include Commander Miranda Keyes, Spartan and Master Chief Petty Officer John-117, and Sergeant Major Avery Johnson.

Formation
During the Battle of Installation 05, the Second Fleet of Homogeneous Clarity was split in two. Sangheili controlled ships and Jiralhanae controlled ships began to open fire on each other over High Charity. The Sangheili-controlled remnants of this fleet were reformed into the Fleet of Retribution, which came under the command of Shipmaster Rtas 'Vadum. Many Covenant species in proximity to the Sangheili remained loyal to them during the conflict, notably the Unggoy and the Mgalekgolo.

Great-Schism
On Installation 05, Arbiter Thel 'Vadam had formed an alliance with Sergeant Avery Johnson in order to stop Tartarus from activating it. This alliance shortly carried over to the rest of the Fleet of Retribution. The Sangheili forces eventually triumphed at the Halo Installation and also blockaded the ringworld to prevent the Flood from escaping. However, one Flood-controlled battlecruiser evaded the blockade and headed for Earth. Now allied with the UNSC, The Fleet of Retribution arrived at Earth during the closing stages of the Battle of Voi, soon after the Flood-controlled battlecruiser arrived. After Spartan John-117 recovered a pre-recorded message from Cortana, Shipmaster 'Vadum ordered the fleet to glass the area immediately surrounding Voi to prevent the parasite from spreading further, much to the dismay of Fleet Admiral Terrence Hood.

'Vadum then attended an assembly on his flagship's bridge, wherein it was decided that a joint human-Sangheili force would pursue the Prophet of Truth's fleet through the slipspace portal that had recently been opened. Subsequently, the Fleet of Retribution, along with the UNSC frigate Forward Unto Dawn, engaged the Prophet of Truth's forces at Installation 00. Confronted with an enemy which outnumbered them three to one, the Fleet of Retribution nevertheless succeeded in destroying the Covenant's orbital forces, assisting the UNSC on the surface of the Ark. The surviving members of the Fleet of Retribution and human forces evacuated Installation 00, leaving Truth's remaining forces to their doom. Only Shadow of Intent and Pious Inquisitor are known to have survived the Battle of Installation 00, though it is possible that other vessels remained intact.

Post-War
After the ejected Sangheili were victorious in destroying the Covenant, they split off into several different factions. The Sangheili who were in the Fleet of Retribution would later form a faction known as the Swords of Sanghelios, which would become the official government of Sanghelios. However, some members of The Fleet of Retribution left and chose to join other Sangheili factions instead. These few Sangheili wanted to take control over what was left of the former Covenant that they had destroyed, some joined Jul 'Mdama's Covenant while others joined more independent factions.

Rahnelo
The Shadow of Intent' which served as the flagship for the Fleet of Retribution, was involved in a battle on the Sangheili colony of Rahnelo. The San'Shyuum Prelate Tem'Bhetek set a trap for Rtas 'Vadum and the Shadow of Intent. Many lives were lost and the Kaidon and two of his sons were taken hostage.

Known vessels

 * 2
 * Shadow of Intent
 * Unidentified ship
 * 8 s
 * Pious Inquisitor
 * Eight unidentified ships
 * Large number of Type-31 Seraphs
 * Large number of Type-52 Phantoms

Allied vessels

 * 1
 * (FFG-201)
 * Small number of D77H-TCI Pelicans
 * Small number of AV-14 Hornets
 * Small number of C712 Longswords

Known personnel

 * Fleet of Retribution Special Warfare Group
 * Rtas 'Vadum
 * Thel 'Vadam
 * Usze 'Taham
 * N'tho 'Sraom
 * Large number of Sangheili Minors
 * Large number of Sangheili Majors
 * Small number of Sangheili High Councilors
 * Small number of Special Operations Unggoy
 * Large number of Unggoy Major
 * Small number of Mgalekgolo

Allied personnel

 * S4/BRT/1/7
 * S4/BLCE/1/7
 * 11th Marine Force Reconnaissance/ODST

List of appearances

 * Halo 3
 * Halo: Mortal Dictata