23
edits
Halo: Broken Circle: Difference between revisions
Expanded plot synopsis for Part II: An Invitation to the Dance of Chaos
BaconShelf (talk | contribs) m (→Appearances) |
(Expanded plot synopsis for Part II: An Invitation to the Dance of Chaos) |
||
| Line 40: | Line 40: | ||
===An Invitation to the Dance of Chaos=== | ===An Invitation to the Dance of Chaos=== | ||
Over 3400 years later, at the end of the [[Age of Reclamation|9th Age of Reclamation]], [[Zo Resken]], the Prophet of Clarity, compiles a record of the [[history of the Covenant]]. Zo is fascinated | Over 3400 years later, at the end of the [[Age of Reclamation|9th Age of Reclamation]], [[Zo Resken]], the Prophet of Clarity, compiles a record of the [[history of the Covenant]]. Zo is fascinated by ancient history and the writings of his ancestor, the Prophet of Inner Conviction. He is also unusual among the San'Shyuum in his good relations with a number of high-ranked Sangheili, including [[Torg 'Gransamee]] and [[G'torik 'Klemmee]]. The three of them meet in the [[Hanging Gardens]] on ''High Charity'' to discuss the destruction of [[Installation 04|Alpha Halo]] and the recent assassination of the [[Prophet of Regret]]. They are suspicious as to why the [[Prophet of Truth]] withdrew troops heading to protect Regret. Zo privately worries about Truth’s ruthlessness and the fact that the prophet has been meeting secretly with high-ranking Jiralhanae. Before they can speak further on the matter, Zo receives a summons from Truth, and Zo suspects [[Tartarus]] is about to arrive. Recently appointed as Secondary Administrator—essentially an assistant—to Truth, Zo tells Torg and G’torik he will let them know what he learns. | ||
As he awaits Truth in the [[Palace of the Hierarchs]], Zo muses about the High Prophet's motivations and intentions. Feeling a particular resentment of his new role as assistant, and looking for information to advance his own agenda, Zo had secretly implanted a share-input directive into Truth's [[Anti-gravity chair|gravity throne]] that transmits all of Truth's conversations directly to Zo. Truth arrives and reminds Zo that no record is to be made of this meeting with Tartarus. He also, to Zo's dismay, transfers Zo's services to the [[Prophet of Exquisite Devotion]]. Tartarus and Exquisite Devotion arrive shortly after and Truth dimisses Zo. Using the device in Truth's chair to eavesdrop on their meeting, Zo is shocked to learn that there is a scheme in the works to demote the Sangheili and replace the [[Covenant Honor Guard|Honor Guard]] and all military leadership positions with Jiralhanae. | |||
Meanwhile, the descendants of the Ussans continue to inhabit the fragments of [[the Refuge]], which are now in varying states of decay. The isolated colony's culture has changed significantly over this time and the key figures of Ussa 'Xellus' time have become legendary. Enduring Bias has been long inactive due to damage it sustained during the Disassembly process millennia earlier. The colony's integrity is threatened by a disease known as the [[Blood Sickness]] as well as the [['Greftus Faction]], a rebel group that declares the Ussans should abandon the decaying Refuge and seek out the now-mythical Sanghelios. [[Kaidon]] [[Bal'Tol 'Xellus]] meets with his assistant [[C'tenz]], who informs him that a 'Greftus Faction group led by a Sangheili named [['Kinsa]] has been confirmed, and that some of the rebels are in the late stage of the Blood Sickness, exhibiting hallucinations and paranoia. They discuss methods to quell the rebellion; Bal'Tol wishes to isolate the Blood Sick and continue searching for a cure, though C'tenz is skeptical and suggests they be put to death. Bal'Tol knows many residents of the Refuge are concerned about the colony's slow breakdown and sympathize with the 'Greftus Faction, and he does not wish to murder 'Kinsa and provoke an uprising. | |||
On ''High Charity'', the Prophet of Exquisite Devotion informs Zo that Tartarus will soon be made military chief of the Covenant and that the Sangheili in the Honor Guard will be replaced by Jiralhanae. Wishing to warn his Sangheili friends, Zo meets with G'torik and tells him about the conspiracy. G'torik is shocked by the news but tells Zo that he and the other Sangheili will be on alert. After the [[Changing of the Guard]], Torg and G'torik lead a group of Sangheili to the [[Control Room (Installation 05)|control room]] of [[Installation 05|Delta Halo]] in order to make preparations for the activation of the ring. As they await the San'Shyuum, Tartarus's lieutenant [[Melchus]] arrives with a large contingent of heavily armed Jiralhanae and suddenly attack the Sangheili. The Sangheili try to defend themselves but are outnumbered and unprepared, their weapons ineffective against the Jiralhanae's thick armor. Torg and numerous [[Sangheili High Councilor|High Councilors]] and former [[Sangheili Honor Guardsman|Honor Guards]] are killed in the violent skirmish. G'torik battles Melchus alone, dealing several minor injuries to the Jiralhanae, but Melchus uses his [[gravity hammer]]'s shock wave to knock G'torik off a bridge, rendering him unconscious. Back on ''High Charity'', Truth makes a public announcement that the Jiralhanae now command all Covenant fleets. Zo knows there have been skirmishes on ''High Charity'' and on the ring, and he realizes [[Great Schism|the rebellion]] has begun. As he ponders what to do, a Jiralhanae messenger tells him that Exquisite Devotion has summoned him. | |||
Meanwhile on the Refuge, Bal'Tol and a group of [[Refuge Security|patrollers]] search for the 'Greftus leader 'Kinsa. They find him speaking to his followers rebelling against the kaidon. Bal'Tol notices that 'Kinsa displays symptoms of the Blood Sickness and offers him a place of isolation until a cure can be found, but 'Kinsa refuses and one of his followers, [[Norzessa]], jumps to his defense. Suddenly, Bal'Tol and his patrollers are ambushed by fifteen rebel troops. A firefight breaks out and Bal'Tol calls for reinforcements. He and C'tenz manage to bring Norzessa down. As more patrollers arrive, 'Kinsa and the Blood Sick survivors flee from the battle. | |||
Exquisite Devotion brings Zo to a [[Trial Court for Tools of Conquest|weapons-testing facility]], where he has gathered several Sangheili High Councilors in the [[Gravitational Refinement]] chamber. He informs Zo that Torg and his Councilors have been executed on the ring for opposing the replacement of the Honor Guard, and he questions Zo's allegiance with these Sangheili and believes him to be a traitor to the Covenant. He also believes that Zo knows the whereabouts of the [[Thel 'Vadam|Arbiter]], and to force Zo to confess, he tortures [[Duru 'Scoahamee| a Sangheili High Councilor]] by using localized gravitation to slowly crush his body. Though Zo insists he knows nothing of the Arbiter, Exquisite Devotion continues to torture the High Councilor, eventually crushing him to death. Exquisite Devotion orders Zo to prove his loyalty to the Covenant by executing the other Councilors in the same manner. Zo refuses, and Exquisite Devotion orders him to death. As two Jiralhanae guards lead Zo away, G'torik and two other Sangheili suddenly emerge through an energy conduit access door and kill the Jiralhanae. They escape with Zo through the energy conduit chamber as Exquisite Devotion and two [[Mgalekgolo|Hunters]] pursue them. The Sangheili fire upon several transmutation cubes that detonate and kill the Hunters and throw Exquisite Devotion from his gravity throne. G’torik charges the prophet and kills him with his energy sword. A Huragok, [[Sluggish Drifter]], helps the group escape into the corridor moments before the destabilized energy conduit room explodes. They escape ''High Charity'' on a maintenance vessel and make their way to the supply ship ''Journey’s Sustenance''. They jump via slipspace away from ''High Charity'' to the [[Ussan system]], chosen because it is forbidden in Covenant systems. Zo Resken recognizes the system from the Prophet of Inner Conviction's writings as the site of the standoff between Ussa 'Xellus and Mken—and the Ussans' subsequent act of supposed mass suicide. Zo says they should stay and explore the system in search of remnants of the Refuge colony. | |||
Months later, skirmishes between the Ussans and the Blood Sick rebels flare across the colony. The physical integrity of the colony continues to degrade; repellent fields around the outer hulls begin to fail, putting the colony at risk of meteor strikes. Bal'Tol and C'tenz discuss a plan to raid Section Two, currently occupied by 'Kinsa's forces, for the generator parts needed to repair the repellent fields. Meanwhile, Zo and the crew of the ''Journey’s Sustenance'' search the system for any sign of the lost Sangheili colony, while reports arrive of the developing situation with the [[Great Schism]] and the Arbiter Thel 'Vadam's newfound role as the leader of the Sangheili. The crew finally detect the colony within the asteroid belt and make plans to approach. | |||
Bal’Tol oversees the mission to raid Section Two, watching from monitors on the Primary Refuge as C'tenz and two other Sangheili, [[Halo:Torren|Torren]] and [[V'ornik 'Gred|V'ornik]], cut through the section's hull. However, 'Kinsa's troops had become aware of the intrusion and are waiting on the other side. A firefight breaks out, and Torren is killed while C'tenz is captured. V'ornik escapes in a maintenance vehicle, but the enemy damages the engines and the vehicle spins into the void of space. 'Kinsa uses the C'tenz's helmet to transmit a message to Bal'Tol, demanding that he surrender or C'tenz will be killed. Bal'Tol instead challenges him to a [[floatfight]] to determine which faction would control the Refuge. 'Kinsa reluctantly agrees. | |||
Zo and his crew observe the skirmish from the ''Journey’s Sustenance''. They recover the maintenance vehicle with V'ornik, who confirms this is Ussan colony. Zo hopes V'ornik can help him make contact with the Ussans and explains how Sluggish Drifter can make any needed repairs on the colony. V'ornik is able to make contact with [[Xelq 'Tylk]], who allows them access. In the Combat Section, Bal'Tol and his patrollers battle 'Kinsa's followers in the floatfight. Bal’Tol is nearly killed in the fight but is saved by Enduring Bias, who has been restored by Sluggish Drifter. 'Kinsa tries to destroy Enduring Bias with a [[mec-missiler]], but the AI deflects the blast and kills 'Kinsa with a pulse beam. He then brings Bal’Tol and C’tenz in for medical attention. | |||
After Enduring Bias sides with the kaidon, most of the rebels lay down their arms and order is restored to the colony after the rest are suppressed. Bal'Tol delivers a speech to the colony, announcing the dissolution of the Covenant and his intention to reunite the colony with Sanghelios, giving his people the option to return to their homeworld or remain on the Refuge. He also announces that Enduring Bias has discovered the cause of the Blood Sickness, the malfunctioning protein synthesizer, and that with Sluggish Drifter's help they have formulated a cure and have repaired the synthesizer. Later, Enduring Bias reassembles the disparate sections of the Refuge into a circular structure, facilitating easier travel within the colony. Bal'Tol decides to remain in the Refuge as kaidon. Zo also plans to stay and dedicate the rest of his life to studying the plentiful Forerunner artifacts and the Ussans' unique culture. In the epilogue, several of the Ussan Sangheili look upon the state of [[Zolam]] on Sanghelios, having returned to their ancestors' home at last. | |||
{{Spoiler/end}} | {{Spoiler/end}} | ||