Editing Halo: Hunters in the Dark

{{Status|RealWorld}}

|author=[[Peter David]]<ref name="Canon Fodder 20150312">[https://www.halowaypoint.com/en-us/news/canon-fodder-novel-ideas '''Halo Waypoint''': ''Canon Fodder - Novel Ideas'']</ref>

|publisher=Simon & Schuster{{Ref/Reuse|Canon Fodder 20150312}}

|publication=[[2015|June 16, 2015]]{{Ref/Reuse|Canon Fodder 20150312}}

|media=Print{{Ref/Reuse|Canon Fodder 20150312}}

|length=368 pages<ref name="s&s">[http://books.simonandschuster.com/HALO-Hunters-in-the-Dark/Peter-David/9781476795874 '''Simons and Schuster''': ''Halo: Hunters in the Dark'']</ref>

|ISBN=[[Special:BookSources/9781476795874|9781476795874]]{{Ref/Reuse|s&s}}

'''''Halo: Hunters in the Dark''''' is a [[Halo novels|full-length print novel]] from Simon & Schuster written by ''New York Times'' bestselling author [[Wikipedia:Peter David|Peter David]]. It was released on June 16, 2015.{{Ref/Reuse|Canon Fodder 20150312}}

{{Article quote|It is [[2555]], more than two years after the [[John-117|Master Chief]] went missing-in-action following a [[Battle of Installation 00|decisive conflict]] on [[Installation 00]] — the massive, extragalactic [[Forerunner]] construct known as the Ark — as part of the final chapter in humanity’s bloody [[Human-Covenant War|thirty-year struggle]] against the overwhelming forces of the [[Covenant]]. Now, as a tenuous peace exists between the humans and the [[Sangheili|Elites]], a startling scientific discovery is made…and the riddle behind its Forerunner origins could very well seal the fate of the entire galaxy within a matter of weeks. In order to unravel these dangerous secrets, a heroic, hastily formed coalition of humans and Elites must attempt to overcome their differences as they embark on a [[Operation: FAR STORM|covert mission]] back to the Ark — an astonishing, enigmatic place beyond comprehension from which few have returned and where mortal danger awaits them all…{{Ref/Reuse|s&s}}}}

{{Spoiler/begin}}

Mann, Lamb, Usze, Kola, and Drifts find themselves within the Citadel's inner tunnels and discover the Citadel's damaged, central power station. While Drifts works on repairing the station, Lamb and Mann discover a damaged [[Sentinel]], which suddenly attacks Lamb. Usze quickly destroys the construct, but Lamb soon dies from blood loss. While Mann mourns the loss of his friend upon Usze's suggestion, Drifts manages to activate a map of the Ark's inner tunnels, including one that leads to the exit of the Citadel. The four come across a heavy, locked door blocking their path, with the [[Foundry (location)|Foundry]]'s control suite on the other side, followed by the Citadel's exit. Usze and Kola manage to lift the door, barely allowing Mann and Drifts to slide through. While the two Sangheili are ambushed by dozens of armigers, Drifts begins toying with the Foundry's controls and confirms Tragic Solitude's presence to Mann. At Mann's request, Drifts works to take control of the Ark's systems. Meanwhile, Holt, Kodiak, N'tho, and Zon find themselves within a dark chamber, with a large gap in the flooring blocking their path. While the Spartans use their thrusters within [[MJOLNIR Powered Assault Armor (GEN2)|their armor]] to aid them as they leap across the gap, [[Aggressor Sentinel]]s suddenly rise out of the gap just as N'tho attempts to jump the hole. Zon and the Spartans quickly destroy the Sentinels, while N'tho manages to grab onto the ledge on the other side of the gap. Once the Spartans pull N'tho up from the ledge, Zon leaps across as well and the group continues forward. N'tho detects the recently awakened Vale's voice and the group walks towards her direction. Tragic Solitude reveals to Vale that her friends have managed to deactivate the Halos' firing sequence, but informs her that he intends to force her to activate the firing sequence once again after he kills the remaining members of the team. He reveals that he had increased the portal's power, allowing the Retrievers to reach Earth in a matter of hours—which also allowed ''Mayhem'' to reach the Ark at a similar speed. The monitor decides to move his plans into motion and sends his army of Retrievers through the portal. As Drifts gains control of the Ark's systems and suppresses the monitor, he opens the door between them and the two Sangheili; Usze and Kola—having managed to defeat the armigers—hazily enter the Ark's control room, moderately wounded. Meanwhile, the Retrievers arrive at Earth and begin mining the planet, while others engage the [[UNSC Home Fleet]]. Establishing a communication link, Tragic Solitude orders Vale to tell Drifts to return full control of the Ark to him. However, Vale defies the monitor and encourages Drifts and Mann to purge the ancilla from the Ark's systems. Vale tells the monitor to kill her, as she does not wish to live as his captive. Instead, Tragic Solitude brings forth a human cyborg, whom the monitor reveals to be the human he had previously used to initiate the firing sequence as well as the lone survivor of the previous expedition to the Ark—Broadside One.

Tragic Solitude commands both humans to fight to the death; despite Vale's reluctance, the cyborg eagerly charges at her. Meanwhile, the Spartans, N'tho, and Zon locate Vale, but are obstructed by an [[energy barrier]]. Kodiak recognizes the cyborg as his brother, Bobby Kodiak; Spartan Kodiak had thought Bobby had gone [[MIA]] on an ONI operation, which was in fact the original expedition to the Ark. Kodiak manages to communicate to Vale that the cyborg is his brother, and Vale is able to calm Bobby down by using his name and reminding him of his own brother. However, as the cyborg begins attacking her again, the Spartans, N'tho, and Zon discover the monitor's data stores and begin firing into them. To get them to stop, Tragic Solitude recalls the Retrievers and the cyborg collapses to the ground. With the energy barrier down, Kodiak tends to his brother, but the monitor suddenly attacks the group. Bobby charges at the monitor and plunges one of his bladed forearms into the Tragic Solitude's interior housing, destroying both of them. Both groups meet up and exit the Citadel. As the team walks back towards ''Mayhem'', Vale comforts Kodiak on the loss of his brother, who in turn suggests for Vale to consider joining the [[Spartan Operations|Spartan branch]]. As the team takes notice of the now-temperate weather and encounters the previously hostile chaefka now eating vegetation, they determine that Tragic Solitude had controlled both the weather and the animals in an attempt to kill all members of the team, except for Vale. The trip back to ''Mayhem'' proves to be relatively peaceful, except for a single encounter with a pack of hostile blind wolves which are easily killed. Upon arriving at the damaged ship, the team's injuries are treated.

*[[117649 Despondent Pyre]] {{Mo}}

*[[Olfmeri]] {{1st}}

***[[Spartan Operations|Spartan]]

****[[London]] {{Mo}}

**[[Foundry (location)|Foundry]]

 

*[[Hard light stave]] {{1st}}

*[[D81-LRT Condor]]

**''[[Anodyne Spirit]]'' {{Mo}}

*{{Pattern|Ceudar|heavy corvette}}

*{{Pattern|Deutoros|Scarab}}

*{{Pattern|Ru'swum|Phantom}}

*{{UNSCShip|Redoubtable}} {{Mo}}

*[[Combat harness|Sangheili combat harness]]

**Peter David has stated, perhaps jokingly, that because of the prominence of the Ark in the story he desperately wished to title it ''Raiders of the Lost Ark'', but was prevented by his publisher for [[Wikipedia:Raiders of the Lost Ark|obvious reasons]].<ref>[https://www.halowaypoint.com/en-us/news/canon-fodder-jurassic-ark '''Halo Waypoint''' ''Canon Fodder - Jurassic Ark'']</ref>

*The novel's cover depicts [[Blind wolf|blind wolves]], creatures that were originally planned to be featured in ''[[Halo: Combat Evolved]]'' as ambient wildlife. The cover was designed by Kory Hubbell.<ref>[https://www.halowaypoint.com/en-us/news/canon-fodder-nine-lives '''Halo Waypoint''': ''Canon Fodder - Nine Lives'']</ref>

File:Hunters in the Dark full cover.jpg|2015 cover art of the novel.

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