Editing Sangheili-Jiralhanae war

{{Status|Canon}}
{{Conjectural title}}
{{Battle infobox
|prev=*[[Human-Covenant War]]
*[[Great Schism]]
|conc=*[[Blooding Years]]
*[[Created uprising]]
|next=
|name = Sangheili-Jiralhanae war
|image = [[File:TR - Sangheili Jiralhanae War.png|350px]]
|date = [[2552#December|After December 11th, 2552]]<ref name="Evolutions">''[[Halo: Evolutions]]'' ''[[The Return]]'' " ...Some Sangheili commanders continued to fight the many scattered remnants of the former Covenant wherever they could be found, but not all. After six long years of this scattered war, Sangheili power had begun to wane right along with their drive to fight.", Page 510</ref><ref>Halo: Fractures - Shadow of Intent</ref> {{C|continuation of the [[Great Schism]]}}
|conflict = [[Post-Covenant War conflicts]]
|place = *[[Orion Arm]], [[Milky Way]]
**Several planets under control of the [[Swords of Sanghelios]]
***[[Rahnelo]]
***[[Duraan]]
**[[Carrow]]
**Jiralhanae colonies
|result = '''Ongoing as of early [[2559]]'''<ref name="EvolutionsDate">''[[Halo: Evolutions]]'' ''[[The Return]]'' "For six years after the High Prophet of Truth, the father of all the Prophets' lies, died at the hands of the Arbiter, the Shipmaster had taken up the fight against everything that threatened his people.", Page 509</ref>
|side1= *'''[[Sangheili]] factions'''
**[[Swords of Sanghelios]]
**[[Silent Shadow]]
**[[Fleet of Righteous Vigilance]]
**Various other Sangheili groups
|side2= *'''[[Jiralhanae]] factions'''
**[[Children of Oth Sonin]] {{c|In peace negotiations}}
**[[Tem'Bhetek's faction]]
**[[Voice of Maardoth]]
**Various other Jiralhnae groups
|commanders1= *[[Kaidon]] [[Thel 'Vadam]]
*[[Unnamed Sangheili Shipmaster (The Return)]]
|commanders2= *[[Jiralhanae Chieftain]] [[Lydus]]
*[[Prelate]] [[Tem'Bhetek]]†
*Minister of Preparation [[Boru'a'Neem]]†
*[[Jiralhanae Chieftain|Chieftain]] [[Hekabe]]†
|forces1= Sangheili forces
|forces2= Jiralhanae forces
|casual1= *Numerous Sangheili soldiers 
*Many Sangheili civilians
|casual2=*[[Prelate]] [[Tem'Bhetek]]
*Minister of Preparation [[Boru'a'Neem]]
*[[Jiralhanae Chieftain|Chieftain]] [[Hekabe]]
*Numerous Jiralhanae
*Numerous Jiralhanae ships
}}
{{Quote|It was a terrible war. The Prophets provided the Jiralhanae with powerful new weapons, hoping that they would in turn defend their Prophets against our wrath. But when the Prophets went into hiding, the lack of leadership allowed the Jiralhanae to return to their savage nature and they soon began to fight against each other. This lack of solidarity made them much easier prey. Some of my fellow commanders continue that fight even now.|[[Unnamed Sangheili Shipmaster (The Return)|Sangheili Shipmaster]]<ref name="The Return">''[[The Return#Motion Comic|The Return (Motion comic)]]''</ref>}}

The '''Sangheili-Jiralhanae war'''{{Ref/Reuse|Evolutions}}{{Ref/Reuse|The Return}} was a series of scattered [[battle|conflicts]] between the [[Sangheili]] and the various [[Jiralhanae]] factions after the events of the [[Human-Covenant War]] and acted as a continuation of the [[Great Schism]].

==Background==
Tensions and rivalry already existed between the Sangheili and Jiralhanae long before the Human-Covenant war. However, it was the [[Changing of the Guard]] that eventually lead to actual battles between the two species when the [[High Prophet of Truth]] instigated the [[Great Schism]] as part of his greater plans. The Great Schism resulted in the collapse of the Covenant, but tensions continued to exist between the Sangheili and Jiralhanae which continued even after the fall of the Covenant. This conflict took place in the form of raids, massacres and some outright battles.

==War==
=== Raids against the Sangheili ===
[[File:Escalation raids.png|left|thumb|200px|The raids.]]

Before its fall, the [[Covenant|Covenant Empire]] had settled the Jiralhanae on resource-rich worlds as their strength and aggressive demeanor would deter other members from getting greedy.<ref name="Esc14">'''Halo: Escalation Issue #1''' - ''page 14''</ref> However, since the Jiralhanae were technologically limited, they did not have the ability to mine and use the resources they already possessed without the Covenant.{{Ref/Reuse|Esc14}} Their species was facing a looming famine and they resorted to stealing supplies and resources. 

Following the wake of the Great Schism, the Sangheili prospered compared to most former Covenant species. [[Arbiter]] [[Thel 'Vadam]] and the [[Swords of Sanghelios]] had a decent amount of "fortunes" amassed.<ref>'''Halo: Escalation Issue #1''' - '''page 14''' "I'm afraid the Brutes aren't sharing in on the Arbiter's postwar fortunes and they're none too happy"</ref> Many Jiralhanae were not happy with the distribution of resources, and felt entitled to it. Because of this, the Jiralhanae marked them as the perfect target to raid. 

The Jiralhanae were divided into separate master packs and skeins, resulting in highly disorganized raids on Sangheili colonies.<ref name="Esc15">'''Halo: Escalation Issue #1''' - ''page 15''</ref> The [[Vheiloth|Vheiloth Jiralhanae]] saw the raids as a necessity, while the [[Rh'tol|Rh'tol Jiralhanae]] glorified their piracy as power over the Sangheili for oppressing them.{{Ref/Novel|Id=Envoy1|Halo: Envoy|Chapter=3 "The Rh’tol skein now gloried in the piracy against the former Covenant. It let 
them show their true strength to the very face of the Sangheili species that had so 
poorly treated them. The Vheiloth skein saw such looting and destruction as an 
unfortunate necessity."}} Several Sangheili settlements were attacked resulting in civilian deaths as well.{{Ref/Reuse|Esc14}} These events provoked further animosity between the two species.

Various groups of Sangheili and Jiralhanae would commit massacres against each other out of hatred,<ref name="beasts">'''Halo: Tales from Slipspace''' - ''Hunting Party'' "Now we have but one aim… the slaughter of beasts"</ref><ref name="pay">''Halo: Fractures'' - ''Halo: Shadow of Intent'' - Page 133 - "And I promise the Sangheili will pay for everything they have done"</ref> resulting in a scattered war.{{Ref/Reuse|Evolutions}}

=== Massacres against the Jiralhanae ===
{{Quote|Now we have but one aim… the slaughter of beasts.|[[Resa 'Azavayl]]{{Ref/Reuse|beasts}}}}
[[File:RCSS.png|thumb|left|200px|The Silent Shadow squad slaughter Jiralhanae.]]
At the start of the war, some fanatical Sangheili embarked upon a genocidal campaign hunting down and killing all Jiralhanae they came across. One radical group of Sangheili were the [[Silent Shadow]] squad under the command of [[Resa 'Azavayl]], fueled by vengeance they sought to slaughter any Jiralhanae they encountered. They had wiped out Jiralhanae forces and their subordinates on an armory near [[Victors' Truth]], the [[Covenant corvette|corvette]] ''[[Adherent]]'', the northern highlands of [[Thalia]], and a substation orbiting [[Sansar]]. 'Azavayl's Silent Shadow squad even eradicated the former [[Chieftain of the Jiralhanae]] [[Tartarus]]' crew aboard the [[Covenant cruiser]] ''[[Rapid Conversion]]''.<ref name="Slipspace">'''[[Halo: Tales from Slipspace]]''' - ''[[Hunting Party]]''</ref>

The Silent Shadow squad went to attack the {{Pattern|Ceudar|heavy corvette}} ''[[Elegy's Lament]]'', but they were unaware that it was lead by [[Atriox]] and the [[Banished]]. After killing several Jiralhanae forces, the Silent Shadow squad encountered Atriox who tried to talk to them into a peaceful resolution. Atriox offered to hire the Sangheili and claimed he had no affiliation to the Jiralhanae responsible for massacring the Sangheili during the Great Schism.<ref>'''[[Halo: Tales from Slipspace]]''' - ''[[Hunting Party]]'' "I am not Tartarus or some fanatic. I am not Truth. I am not Regret. I am their remedy.", Atriox</ref> As a result, the Silent Shadow Squad began to view Atriox as "other".<ref>'''[[Halo: Tales from Slipspace]]''' - ''[[Hunting Party]]'' - "Agreed. Atriox is of a kind with our enemies, but he is OTHER, and an ally worth considering.", Silent Shadow squad Sangheili</ref> Despite this, 'Azavayl was not forgiving of Atriox and tried to kill him. Before he could attack Atriox, 'Azavayl's own Silent Shadow squad betrayed him and stabbed him with their [[energy swords]]. The remaining members of the Silent Shadow squad remarked that old hatreds were holding them back from a better future, and were then recruited into the Banished as mercenaries.

=== Massacres against the Sangheili ===
{{Main|Attack on Rahnelo|Ambush at Duraan|Battle of the Prototype Halo installation}}
{{Quote|And I promise: we will make the Sangheili pay for everything they have done.|[[Boru'a'Neem]]{{Ref/Reuse|pay}}}}
In [[2553]], two hiding San'Shyuum had many Jiralhanae forces working for them. The two San'Shyuum: [[Boru'a'Neem]] and [[Prelate]] [[Tem'Bhetek]], sought revenge against the Sangheili species for the destruction of [[High Charity]] and the Covenant Empire. 'Bhetek's family was killed in the [[Flood]] [[Fall of High Charity|invasion]] of High Charity, and he held [[Shipmaster]] [[Rtas 'Vadum]] and the [[Fleet of Retribution]] responsible for it. 
[[File:HM - SOI.jpg|thumb|300px|'Vadum and 'Juran battle against Prelate 'Bhetek.]]
'Bhetek and his Jiralhanae forces attacked [[Rahnelo]] killing many Sangheili civilians in hopes to draw out attention from 'Vadum's {{Class|CAS|assault carrier}} ''[[Shadow of Intent]]''. 'Vadum with the help of his crew and a Rahnelo [[Scion]] Sangheili female named [[Tul 'Juran]], pursued 'Bhetek when they were ambushed at [[Duraan]]. Another battle ensued between 'Vadum's Sangheili forces and 'Bhetek's Jiralhanae forces. 'Bhetek was captured but escaped and regrouped with 'a'Neem only to be betrayed by him. 'a'Neem ordered [[Yanme'e]] forces to open fire and mortally wound 'Bhetek. Bleeding and slowly dying, 'Bhetek listened as 'a'Neem revealed his plan to use a [[Prototype Halo installation|miniature prototype Halo]] ring to commit a genocide of the Sangheili [[Sanghelios|homeworld]] and its moons, effectively setting the species back for ages. These plans were foiled as 'Vadum and 'Juran invaded the miniature Halo ring and mortally wounded 'a'Neem who attempted to fire the installation and wipe out the Sangheili forces in the system in a last act of defiance. Devastated by his betrayal, 'Bhetek forgave 'Vadum and sacrificed himself by blowing up the miniature Halo as the Sangheili escaped. A scan of the debris field confirmed that nothing of the installation survived while the faction was presumably completely destroyed in the process.<ref name="Shadow of Intent">''[[Halo: Shadow of Intent]]''</ref>

Following the conflict, 'Vadum had grown tired of war. He was debriefed by his comrade, friend, and now [[Swords of Sanghelios|superior]]: [[Arbiter]] [[Thel 'Vadam]]. 'Vadum told 'Vadam that he will seek out more hiding San'Shyuum, but this time he would determine which ones are innocent and which ones are guilty to prevent more needless suffering.{{Ref/Reuse|Shadow of Intent}}

===Attempted peace negotiations===
{{Main|Attack on Ealen IV}}
{{Quote|Guardians of the righteous! Silence the blasphemers!|Vata 'Gajat's Mercenary soldier}}
[[File:HE Spartans Ealen IV.png|left|thumb|300px|The Sangheili's Swords of Sanghelios and the Jiralhanae's Lydus' Clan are escorted to safety when their peace delegation is attacked.]]
In [[2558]], the Jiralhanae raids against the Sangheili had been escalating and the most prominent government from each side wanted to reach some sort of agreement. The [[Swords of Sanghelios]] governing the Sangheili tried to set up a meeting with the [[Children of Oth Sonin]] governing a fraction of the Jiralhanae. Since the Jiralhanae were distrustful of the Sangheili, they agreed on Arbiter Thel 'Vadam's proposition to have humans mediate their discussion. The UNSC and Swords of Sanghelios concluded that pacifying the Jiralhanae forces were in the best interest of everyone, thus the UNSC delegates aimed to make that clear to the Jiralhanae.{{Ref/Reuse|Esc15}}

In order to try and establish an agreement, the [[Swords of Sanghelios]] requested several high-ranking [[human]]s of the [[United Nations Space Command|UNSC]] to sit in their discussions and mediate negotiations on the neutral planet of [[Ealen IV]].{{Ref/Reuse|Esc15}} On part of the humans, [[Fleet Admiral|Admiral]] [[Terrence Hood]] and [[Captain (Navy)|Captain]] [[Thomas Lasky]] were chosen as negotiators, the Sangheili were represented by Kaidon Thel 'Vadam and the Jiralhanae by the [[Jiralhanae Chieftain|Elder Chieftain]] [[Lydus]]. They agreed also that each faction should have a strong military force, Spartans, [[Commander (Covenant)|Commander]]s and [[Jiralhanae Captain]]s alike.

The negotiations were soon attacked by [[Banshees]] from [[Vata 'Gajat's mercenary group]], killing multiple Sangheili Commandos.<ref name="Esc20">'''Halo: Escalation Issue #1''' - ''page 20''</ref> The Jiralhanae Lydus assumed Thel 'Vadam was behind the attack, but Thel denied this accusation and started fighting the Remnant forces as well.<ref name="Esc2224">'''Halo: Escalation Issue #1''' - ''page 22 - 24''</ref> Despite surviving the attack, no peace agreement between the Sangheili and Jiralhanae was reached.

===Enemy of an enemy===
{{Main|Carrow Conflict|Battle of the Sharquoi Hive}}
In [[2558#September|September 2558]] the tensions between the [[Sangheili]] on the [[Outer Colony]] of [[Carrow]], now in one of the [[Joint Occupation Zone]]s, turned into all-out civil war. [[Thars 'Sarov]], leader of the more extreme Sangheili faction, fought against the [[Rojka 'Kasaan's faction|forces]] of his cousin [[Rojka 'Kasaan]]. To gain more ships in battle, Thars had temporarily forged an uneasy alliance with a powerful [[Jiralhanae Chieftain]] named [[Hekabe]]. The Jiralhanae Chieftain was met with much resistance and backlash for this decision on his [[Doisac|homeworld]].

Thars fleet attacked Rojka's fleet, with the company of Hekabe's ships. Rojka was dumbfounded that Thars was so power hungry that he would align with the Jiralhanae who betrayed their kin during the Great Schism, rather than one of his own bloodline.{{Ref/Novel|Id=Envoy3|Halo: Envoy|Chapter=1|Quote=The Covenant had failed, obliterated under the weight of many lies; as a result, the Sangheili did not make common cause with Jiralhanae anymore, at least not as equals. No, this was strange.}} He warned Thars that the Jiralhanae would betray him again, to which Thars ignored claiming that he would slit their throats from behind once they had served their purpose. Unknown to Thars, Chieftain Hekabe indeed had ulterior motives, plotting to control the hundreds of thousands of [[Sharquoi]] in a hive hidden under the planet's surface and use them to seize power for his own pack. Hekabe had secretly attained the ''[[vertex]]'' several years prior during the [[Battle of Installation 00|climax]] of the Great Schism on [[Installation 00]], which would allow him to command the Sharquoi and ultimately betray Thars.

After it appeared that Thars had discovered Hekabe's true intentions, Hekabe eventually turned on him. The Chieftain ordered his Jiralhanae fleet to attack Thars' Sangheili fleet, devastating much of his remaining forces. However, Hekabe lost almost all of his own fleet as well in the process.

At the same time, [[Spartan-II]] [[Gray Team]] was released from their [[cryo chamber]]s aboard [[Rojka 'Kasaan]]'s ship by [[Melody Azikiwe]]. Though Rojka initially sought revenge for [[Operation: SUNSPEAR|the destruction]] of [[Glyke|his homeworld]] by the Spartans, he eventually forged an alliance with them against the greater threat. Though the [[Surakan Militia Volunteers]] managed to destroy Hekabe's flagship, the {{Pattern|Varric|heavy cruiser}} ''[[Foebane]]'', he was able to reach the [[Sharquoi hive]] and unleash many of the creatures, controlling them through the ''vertex''. With the Sharquoi army at his command, Hekabe was left virtually unstoppable and planned to rule the galaxy for himself, refusing to enlist the aid of any of the other factions such as the [[Banished]]. Thars was eventually defeated and later killed by Rojka and Gray Team, but refused to have his ships destroy their [[slipspace]] drives until it was too late, allowing Hekabe to hijack the ships as a means of getting the Sharquoi off the planet.

[[File:Schism 4.png|thumb|280px|The Sangheili slaughtering the Jiralhanae.]]
With Hekabe's threat growing, the human Governor of [[Suraka]] [[Ellis Gass]] was able to come up with a plan to use a makeshift EMP weapon to disrupt Hekabe's control over the Sharquoi through the ''vertex''. Gray Team, Ellis, Rojka, Melody and a squad of militia [[Battle of the Sharquoi Hive|assaulted the hive]], resulting in the deaths of the militia squad. However, the survivors succeeded in using the cannon on Hekabe and Ellis took the ''vertex'' for herself. Through her new command over the Sharquoi, Ellis used the creatures to kill Hekabe in revenge for his murder of her son and had the Sharquoi on Thars' ships crash them, ending the attack on the Sangheili city of [[Rak]]. Ellis recalled all of the Sharquoi into the hive and had them slaughter all of the remaining Jiralhanae they could find on the way. Once the Sharquoi were back in the hive and Gray Team, Melody and Rojka had escaped on a Pelican she summoned, Ellis detonated a [[HAVOK tactical nuclear weapon]], destroying the hive and the Sharquoi.

In the aftermath, all three factions, both Sangheili and Jiralhanae, were left decimated. In addition, the humans suffered heavy casualties and their city suffered extensive damage, both from Hekabe's attack and the nuclear detonation. The new leader of Rak, [[Kaidon]] [[Akato 'Dakaj]] recognized the need for closer relations with the humans on the planet and Rojka agreed to act as envoy for the Sangheili to that end. A scan by the [[UNSC frigate]] {{UNSCShip|Welcome to the Snipehunt}} confirmed that all of the Sharquoi appeared to have perished in the nuclear blast, but the UNSC planned to keep an eye on the surrounding desert in case any escaped before the detonation.{{Ref/Novel|HEnv}}

===Ongoing battles===
In [[2559]], some Sangheili commanders had continued hostility, gaining the upper hand in their genocidal campaign against the Jiralhanae as the latter had splintered and begun to fight among each other.{{Ref/Reuse|The Return}} While the lack of Jiralhanae solidarity gave the upper hand to their Sangheili opponents, the Sangheili had already been [[Blooding Years|fighting amongst each other for several years]] as well.

The war was still going on by November 2559 even amidst the [[Created uprising]].{{Ref/Novel|Out}}

{{clear}}

==Gallery==
<gallery>
Schism 2.png|The war.
HE Battle of Ealen IV.jpg|The destruction of ''Infinity's'' shuttle.
Escalation schism.png|An Elite fights against a Brute raiding his settlement.
HTRmc Dead Brutes.png|Slaughtered Jiralhanae.
</gallery>

==List of appearances==
*''[[Halo: Evolutions]]''
**''[[The Return]]'' {{1st}}
*''[[Halo: Escalation]]''
*''[[Halo: Shadow of Intent]]''
*''[[Halo: Tales from Slipspace]]''
**''[[Hunting Party]]''
*''[[Halo: Envoy]]''
*''[[Halo: Outcasts]]'' {{Mo}}

==Sources==
{{Ref/Sources}}

{{Covenantwars}}
[[Category:Wars]]