Halo: The Cole Protocol: Difference between revisions

|Author = [[Tobias S. Buckell]]

<center>''Looking for the [[United Nations Space Command Emergency Priority Order 098831A-1|Cole Protocol]], a military law of the [[UNSC]]?''</center>

'''''Halo: The Cole Protocol''''' is the sixth novel based on the [[Halo Universe|''Halo'' Universe]]. It is written by [[Tobias S. Buckell]]. ''The Cole Protocol'' is the last novel under the contract with [[Tor|Tor Books]] and has been available to the public since November 25th, 2008.<ref>[http://www.bungie.net/News/content.aspx?type=topnews&cid=14284 The announcement of ''Halo: The Cole Protocol'']</ref>

''In the first, desperate days of the [[Human-Covenant War]], the [[United Nations Space Command|UNSC]] has enacted the [[United Nations Space Command Emergency Priority Order 098831A-1|Cole Protocol]] to safeguard Earth and its [[Inner Colonies]] from discovery by a [[Covenant|merciless alien foe]]. Many are called upon to rid the universe of lingering navigation data that would reveal the location of Earth. Among them is [[Navy]] [[Lieutenant]] [[Jacob Keyes]]. Thrust back into action after being sidelined, Keyes is saddled with a top secret mission by [[Office of Naval Intelligence|ONI]]. One that will take him deep behind enemy lines, to a corner of the universe where nothing is as it seems.''

''Out beyond the [[Outer Colonies]] lies the planet [[Hesiod]], a gas giant surrounded by a vast asteroid belt. As the Covenant continues to glass the human occupied planets near Hesiod, many of the survivors, helped by a stronghold of human [[Insurrectionists]], are fleeing to the asteroid belt for refuge. They have transformed the tumbling satellites into a tenuous, yet ingenious, settlement known as [[The Rubble]] – and have come face-to-face with a [[Covenant Empire|Covenant]] settlement of [[Kig-Yar]]...yet somehow survived.''

''News of this unlikely treaty has spread to the warring sides. Luckily for the [[UNSC]], this uneasy alliance is in the path of the SPARTAN [[Gray Team]], a three man renegade squad whose simple task is to wreak havoc from behind enemy lines in any way they see fit. But the Prophets have also sent their best, most ambitious and ruthless [[Thel 'Vadam|Elite]], whose quest for nobility and rank is matched only by his brutality...and who will do anything to secure his Ascendancy and walk the Path.''

While holding off the [[Jackals]], Delgado is almost killed, but is saved by SPARTAN [[Adriana-111]] of [[Gray Team]]. She hands him a beacon, which will send a signal to her team to retrieve the data if he should no longer be capable of keeping it safe. She then orders him to keep Gray Team a secret from the [[Rubble Security Council]].

Meanwhile, at [[Chi Rho]], [[Lieutenant (UNSC)|Lieutenant]] [[Jacob Keyes]] meets with [[Commander (UNSC)|Commander]] [[Dmitri Zheng]] and is transferred from teaching at the Academy to enforce the newly written [[United Nations Space Command Emergency Priority Order 098831A-1|Cole Protocol]] with the [[UNSC Light Frigate|stealth frigate]], the {{UNSCShip|Midsummer Night}}. He returns to his ship with a new pilot, [[Jeffries]], an [[Office of Naval Intelligence|ONI]] officer [[Major (UNSC)|Major]] [[Akio Watanabe|Watanabe]] and Zheng in command.

Back at the Rubble, Delgado looks for clues, suspecting that someone within the Rubble Security Council is attempting to sell the navigation to the Jackals, which would cause the Covenant to no longer require the Insurrectionists. Delgado learns of the ''[[Kestrel (Ship)|Kestrel]]'', a ship under the command of [[Peter Bonifacio]], a known smuggler who is also on the Security Council. While trying to obtain information about the ''Kestrel'', he meets Adriana again in a small bar, [[Eddie's In The Rock|Eddie's in the Rock]]. They are both attacked by Insurrectionists, who overhear the questioning. After being saved again by Adriana, he is taken to the SPARTANs' ship, the ''[[Petya]]'', to meet [[Jai-006|Jai]] and [[Mike (SPARTAN-II)|Mike]].

Back on the ''Midsummer Night'', Jacob Keyes attempts to enforce the Cole Protocol on a civilian freighter. When the Lieutenant and a group of [[Orbital Drop Shock Trooper]]s board the freighter, the Insurrectionist captain detonates a bomb in a container, killing a number of ODSTs, including their commander, [[First Lieutenant]] [[Canfield]]. Later, Keyes and the ODSTs are forced to leave the ship by exiting through a hull breach they created because the freighter was rigged to blow the moment the ''Midsummer Night'' was within the blast proximity of the freighter. Keyes leaves first, taking the armor of an ODST and jumping into space, using his rifle to maneuver. Keyes is able to contact the ''Midsummer Night''. However, the Insurrectionists on the civilian freighter detonate the ship to kill as many of the escaping ODSTs as possible. Keyes is eventually recovered along with most of the ODSTs, including [[2nd Lieutenant]] [[Faison]], despite the dramatic explosion.

On [[Sanghelios]], the [[Sangheili]] [[Kaidon]] of clan [[Vadam]], [[Thel 'Vadam]]ee (the [[Arbiter (Rank)|Arbiter]] in ''[[Halo 2]]'' and ''[[Halo 3]]'') lies in wait for the inevitable attack of someone who doesn't want him to be Kaidon. He soon gets what he is waiting for as three assassins attempt to dispatch him. He quickly eliminates the first two Sangheili with his [[Type-1 Energy Weapon/Sword|energy sword]]. The third Elite attempts to escape in an act of cowardice, but learns that Thel has been very prepared for his arrival and blocked all means of escape. In a final act of desperation he attempts to charge at Thel energy sword drawn. Thel quickly dispatches him with a well aimed shot from his [[Type-25 Directed Energy Pistol|plasma pistol]] to his head. He then orders the alert guards outside his door to call in a meeting with all the elders. When the elders finally assemble Thel discusses the recent attack that has happened to him. He first shows the elders that the attack clearly failed as he had no scratch on his body. He then explains that he killed the first two assassins with relative ease, but lies and claims that he let the third assassin live in order to learn who sent the attack. He almost immediately noticed the stirring of one of the elders, [[Koida 'Vadam]]. Knowing the person responsible he calms down and explains his supremacy to all the elders. He then confronts Koida who foolishly tells Thel that he has sent the assassins. Thel then kills him. Soon after the execution, he grants his lineage the right to live but no longer live in the Vadam keep. Thel then tells the elders that he is to be sent to a human colony, [[Charybdis IX]], by the [[Hierarchs]].

After a slightly uneventful voyage to Hesiod, the [[Jiralhanae]] and the [[Kig-Yar]] Ship Mistress betray 'Vadamee, destroying his ship, killing his crew, and taking him and his [[Zealot]]s prisoner while he was unconscious.

On the ''[[Midsummer Night]]'', [[Commander (UNSC)|Commander]] [[Zheng]] discovers that the leaders of the Rubble know of their presence. The Rubble begins a bombardment of the ship, and Zheng orders that they head out to open space. However, the engines are taken offline via sabotage, and on the bridge [[Lieutenant (UNSC)|Lieutenant]] [[Badia Campbell]] shoots Zheng fatally, and wounds Lieutenants [[Kirtley]] and [[Rai Li|Li]] before Keyes tackles her. She says that the "we" (the Insurrectionists) will win eventually before shooting herself in the head. With the engines out of commission and Zheng dead after locking down the nuclear warheads (rendering them unusable to the rebels), Keyes has no choice but to surrender the ship to the Rubble.

Bonifacio witnesses the bombardment of Metisette, when suddenly a massive Covenant fleet jumps out of [[Slipstream Space|Slipspace]]. He attempts to hail them, and is momentarily glad to watch them turn towards him, but is horrified when a cruiser effortlessly vaporizes his pod.

The Exodus asteroid and the ''Midsummer Night ''arrive safely at [[18 Scorpii System|18 Scorpii]], and the asteroid's inhabitants are safely evacuated before the asteroid shakes itself to pieces while in orbit around [[Falaknuma]].

Lieutenant Keyes returns and meets with [[Admiral]] [[Preston Jeremiah Cole|Preston Cole]], and expects to receive a court-martial for his actions but instead is congratulated and thanked by Admiral Cole then promotes Keyes to [[Commander (UNSC)|Commander]]. Commander Keyes leaves and the Spartans enter; during the battle the ''Petya'' was abandoned, and they are looking for a new [[UNSC Prowler|Prowler]]. Cole grants them the ship and gives them new orders, describing them as more dangerous than ever, to the satisfaction of Gray Team. Delgado enlists in the [[UNSC Navy]]. Soon after, Keyes returns to his apartment and his daughter, [[Miranda Keyes|Miranda]].

====[[UNSC|United Nations Space Command]]====

*[[Lieutenant (UNSC)|Lieutenant]] [[Jacob Keyes]]

====[[Covenant]]====

*[[Lieutenant (UNSC)|Lieutenant]] [[Badia Campbell]]

*[[Lieutenant (UNSC)|Lieutenant]] [[Rai Li]]

*[[Lieutenant (UNSC)|Lieutenant]] [[Dante Kirtley]]

*[[ONI]] Agent [[Josh Smith]]