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==Interrogation== | ==Interrogation== | ||
On December 24, | On [[2530|December 24, 2530]], the Sangheili was stationed aboard a [[Covenant]] [[CAS-class assault carrier|assault carrier]] at the [[Battle of the Great Bear]]. When its allies were destroyed in orbit, the carrier attempted to flee but was shot down. It subsequently crash-landed on the surface of [[Groombridge-1830]] in the city of [[Waterford]], [[Lemuria]]. At approximately 1805 hours, the Sangheili was found alive in an enclosed compartment by two UNSC strike teams, who captured it and brought it aboard the {{UNSCShip|Everest}}.<ref name="FoR"/> | ||
The following day, at 0240 hours, it was interrogated by Vice Admiral Cole, with the ''Everest'''s AI Solipsil recording it and | The following day, at 0240 hours, it was interrogated by [[Preston J. Cole|Vice Admiral Cole]], with the ''Everest'''s [[Artificial intelligence|AI]] [[Solipsil]] recording it and [[Richard Barclay|Lieutenant Barclay]] holding the alien at gunpoint. Cole first asked its name and if it could understand him, but the Sangheili's words could not be translated. Eventually its words became discernible, and it expressed little fear of Cole's threats or death. | ||
The interrogation was consisted of four excerpts, and lasted for [[Seven|77]] minutes. Cole asked it many questions, relating to why the Covenant was attacking humanity and why they struck Groombridge. The Sangheili told them that | The interrogation was consisted of four excerpts, and lasted for [[Seven|77]] minutes. Cole asked it many questions, relating to why the Covenant was attacking humanity and why they struck Groombridge. The Sangheili told them that Groombridge was just another world, like all the others they attacked. When asked why they were attacked, the Elite's tone grew hateful, telling them humanity was like swarming maggots who were ignorantly desecrating the treasures of [[Forerunner|the ancients]].<ref name="genesis"/> | ||
{{Quote|no=three|SUBJECT 386|Admiral Cole|SUBJECT 386|q1=You are an affront to the gods, desecrating their temples by committing horrors with their consecrated [unintelligible].|q2=Temples? What temples? Who are these gods?|q3=You are ignorant swarming maggots. You know nothing of the Great Journey or of our gods’ treasures, yet you [unintelligible] intend to destroy them. We will root out every single world you possess and lay waste to them one by one until there’s nowhere left for you to go.|The Sangheili prisoner telling Cole why the Covenant is attacking.}} | {{Quote|no=three|SUBJECT 386|Admiral Cole|SUBJECT 386|q1=You are an affront to the gods, desecrating their temples by committing horrors with their consecrated [unintelligible].|q2=Temples? What temples? Who are these gods?|q3=You are ignorant swarming maggots. You know nothing of the Great Journey or of our gods’ treasures, yet you [unintelligible] intend to destroy them. We will root out every single world you possess and lay waste to them one by one until there’s nowhere left for you to go.|The Sangheili prisoner telling Cole why the Covenant is attacking.}} | ||
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{{Quote|I've gone over this a dozen times: starting with our capture and interrogation of the alien creature my doctors are calling an "Elite" and ending with my tenuous conclusions and recommendations. It doesn't make any sense. My gut tells me the entire war hinges on something that we have overlooked.|Vice Admiral Cole, in his message to Admiral Stanforth.}} | {{Quote|I've gone over this a dozen times: starting with our capture and interrogation of the alien creature my doctors are calling an "Elite" and ending with my tenuous conclusions and recommendations. It doesn't make any sense. My gut tells me the entire war hinges on something that we have overlooked.|Vice Admiral Cole, in his message to Admiral Stanforth.}} | ||
Cole discerned several clues from Subject 386, which he wrote of to his peer | Cole discerned several clues from Subject 386, which he wrote of to his peer [[Michael Stanforth|Admiral Michael Stanforth]]. Firstly, he determined that safeguarding Earth had to become the fleet's highest priority, as the Elite had spoken of the Covenant's desire to wipe out their species, not just defeat them. However, Cole didn't understand why the Covenant didn't know where Earth was, despite all their advanced technology. He suspected some conflict in the Covenant hierarchy might be keeping it from being found, and thus humanity needed to capitalize on this weakness. To give the hegemony no chance at uncovering the secret, Cole wrote a series of directives for the UNSC fleet to minimize their trail to other colonies. These directives were reviewed by ONI and implemented as official policy, becoming dubbed "the Cole Protocol".<ref name="Evolutions">'''Halo Evolutions - Essential Tales of the Halo Universe''', ''The Impossible Life and the Possible Death of Preston J. Cole'', pages 468-469</ref> | ||
However, the interview had left other mysteries. Cole had no answer as to ''why'' the Covenant were attacking humanity. 386's response had been mostly xenophobic rhetoric with vague reasons for the Covenant's hatred. Cole suggested theories such as humans being perceived as religious aggressors or that Earth might hold some kind of alien significance to them. However, he admitted he couldn't discern much more without further information, and he would not be able to defeat the Covenant for long the less he knew about them.<ref name="Evolutions"/> | However, the interview had left other mysteries. Cole had no answer as to ''why'' the Covenant were attacking humanity. 386's response had been mostly xenophobic rhetoric with vague reasons for the Covenant's hatred. Cole suggested theories such as humans being perceived as religious aggressors or that Earth might hold some kind of alien significance to them. However, he admitted he couldn't discern much more without further information, and he would not be able to defeat the Covenant for long the less he knew about them.<ref name="Evolutions"/> | ||