Rojka 'Kasaan

Rojka 'Kasaan
Biographical information
Homeworld:	Glyke
Born:	April 14, 2494
Personal details
Species:	Sangheili
Gender:	Male
Height:	2.5 metres (8.2 ft)
Weight:	163.3 kilograms (360 lbs)
Political and military information
Affiliation:	Covenant (formerly) Covenant separatists (formerly) Rojka 'Kasaan's faction
Title:	Fleetmaster (formerly) Kaidon (formerly) Envoy

"Rojka believes that Sangheili and humans can live together on this world. That all Sangheili and humans have to learn this. Or we will all die."

— Jat informs Dahlia about Rojka 'Kasaan's views.

Rojka 'Kasaan is the former Fleetmaster, Kaidon, and founder of the Sangheili city-state of Rak on the planet Rakoi, who played an instrumental part in the Carrow Conflict of 2558. Following the conflict, he abdicated his position to Akato 'Dakaj and became the Sangheili envoy to the human settlement of Suraka.

Biography

Early life and Covenant service

Rojka was born on the Sangheili colony of Glyke. From an early age he formed a close bond with Daga 'Rathum, sparring against him at their keeps. He also yearned to become a Shipmaster and had spent his service in the Covenant fighting for a command. During his time in the Covenant, he and Daga were deployed as reserve units, rebuilding and refurbishing Covenant warships in orbit of Sanghelios. As such, Rojka did not participate in the Battle for Earth or the final battles of the Human-Covenant War. He also visited High Charity many times before its destruction. He was also not present when Glyke was destroyed by Gray Team during Operation: SUNSPEAR in 2553. After the Great Schism occurred and hearing of his homeworld's destruction, Rojka took control of the fleet he was tasked to repair. He traveled to the ruins of Glyke to observe the ruins and deployed many probes to monitor all activity in the system.

Pre-Carrow Conflict

Thel 'Vadam asked the newly-made Fleetmaster to bury his anger over the destruction of Glyke for the sake of post-war peace. He then requested Rojka to take his fleet along with the survivors of Glyke to rebuild their lives on the planet of Rakoi, the former human colony of Carrow that was now situated in the Joint Occupation Zone. Rojka felt great dishonor at first over moving on from his life on Glyke, but he then saw the opportunity to form a new lineage on a new world and lead his people to a new future. As such, his forces landed on Carrow and founded the city of Rak along the Astlehich River on the eastern side of the Uldt Desert. Rojka served as this city's Kaidon. They were able to carve out an existence on the world but had difficulty keeping their warships in peak condition. Sometime after Rak was established, the world's human colonists returned, taking residents in the city of Suraka on the other side of the Uldt Desert and in various smaller encampments within the desert. These smaller settlements were involved in skirmishes against some Sangheili at various oases, making a conflict between the two groups seem inevitable. Believing that the humans and Sangheili needed to work together in order to survive on Carrow, Rojka agreed to meet at a peace summit with the Governor of Suraka and a representative of the Unified Earth Government. As such, he received Diplomatic Corps envoy Melody Azikiwe and her staff prior to the date of the summit. Rojka's willingness to work with humans met resistance and caused tension in Rak, with his cousin Thars 'Sarov gaining a following that stood in opposition to the Kaidon and the humans on the planet.

Sometime prior to the Carrow Conflict, Rojka's probes detected a human signal on the edge of Glyke's debris field. He returned to the system in his flagship, the Unwavering Discipline, and recovered a Bumblebee escape craft containing three Cryo chambers that held the members of Gray Team. Rojka took the Spartans and stored them on the Unwavering Discipline, debating on whether to kill them or to use them for trade.

Carrow Conflict

Conflict with Thars

The day before the scheduled peace summit, Thars took his forces into orbit and launched an attack on Suraka, destroying their long-ranged communication and slipspace capable vessels. Rojka briefly considered working with Melody to prevent the conflict from escalating before realizing that he had to act. He engaged Thars with his fleet, and though he was outnumbered he was able to destroy a significant portion of Thar's fleet, eliminating two heavy destroyers, four light destroyers, and one Covenant frigate and damaging four other frigates. However, the Voice of Maardoth's entrance into the battle to aid Thars's frigates and heavy cruiser with their own heavy cruisers and heavy destroyers overwhelmed Rojka's forces. He began losing his escort fleet, which left the Unwavering Discipline exposed to smaller craft, and Rojka began preparing to be boarded by Thars's forces. During this period he met with Melody, offering to grant her an honorable execution and refusing to let her release Gray Team. He then returned to the command bridge, where he learned of the Frigate Retribution's Promise's destruction and mourned the needlessness of the conflict with Daga, who was serving as a field commander under Rojka. He then witnessed the destruction of the frigate Vengeful Deed and the death of his friend Khoto 'Gaaran, leaving only the Unwavering Discipline under his command. Rojka was then contacted by Thars, whom he warned against working with the Jiralhanae and informing his cousin that he would not surrender. He then ordered the ship to cease maneuvering and allowed their shield to be taken down prior to being boarded. However, upon hearing that Melody had armed herself and was moving through the storage holds, he realized that she was attempting to free Gray Team by herself and rushed to stop her. Rojka forced his way into the hanger, dodging and surviving a Anskum-pattern plasma grenade thrown at his feet by Melody. However, when he and Mrata entered the room, they were met by a recently awoken Jai-006 and Adriana-111, who killed the latter and forced Rojka to retreat and reassess his plan of attack. He was hailed by Daga and told to return to the bridge for a final stand before he engaged a deployment of Thar's boarders who had entered the hanger in a R'sisho-pattern Tick. Rojka killed five of these boarders and witnessed Gray Team escape the ship in their Bumblebee escape craft. He therefore ordered that the Unwavering Discipline's engines and shields be repaired so they could chase the Spartans to the surface of Carrow. After rallying the crew behind his pursuit and explaining his situation to Thars, Rojka had his ship jump to slipspace, temporarily escaping his foes and bringing him closer to the planet. He then brought the ship into Carrow's atmosphere and witnessed Thars's forces being ambushed by part of the Voice of Maardoth fleet..

Into the Uldt

Unable to keep their shield up during their descent, the Unwavering Discipline crashed in the Uldt Desert. Rojka was pinned under fallen debris during the crash and was nearly assassinated by Keza. He was able to fight him and kill him with a Type-25 plasma pistol, earning the loyalty of his crew. He was able to take half of his surviving crew with him in pursuit of Gray Team, with the rest staying at the crash site to repair what craft they could and join him. Rojka's party then began their trek across the Uldt Desert, picking up Gray Team's trail at the location of the crashed Bumblebee. He then ordered his remaining Banshees to scout ahead for the Spartans. Rojka then pressed deeper into the Uldt and into the Karfu Mountains with sixteen of his remaining fighters. He was told of the attack on the Unwavering Discipline's crash site, leaving few survivors. Those who did survive attempted to draw Thars's forces away from Rojka's strike force, using two Ghosts, a Wuzum-pattern Spectre, and a Phantom gunship.

Rojka's force eventually located the hidden ONI base of Gila Station. They were forming their plan of attack when the strike team was found and cornered by Thars's forces. He offered Rojka a compromise: Thars would let him attack Gila Station and kill Gray Team before swooping in and killing Rojka's forces, claiming that they were members of a Covenant remnant sect and hopefully avoiding conflict with the UNSC. Rojka accepted this offer, breaking into Gila Station with Active camouflage equipped. However, instead of carrying out his end of the plan, he recalled his diversionary forces and attempted to rescue Melody, hoping to learn of Gray Team's location. This end goal shifted as he witnessed Thars break his end of the deal and Melody alluded to a great enemy being released by the Jiralhanae that threatened Rak. He rescued Melody from Thars and escaped Gila Station in his remaining Phantom, witnessing its detonation and destruction. Knowing that Thars would attempt to chase them, Rojka sent three of his warriors into the desert with a Banshee as a diversion.

Entering Suraka and battling the Sharquoi

After hearing of the threat posed by the Jiralhanae and the Sharquoi and discussing his past with Melody, Rojka decided to bury his bloodlust towards Gray Team and take his remaining forces to Suraka in order to assist with fighting the Sharquoi. along the way he took steps to prevent Thars from tracking him, taking an indirect route into the city and splitting his forces into three groups, one in the Phantom and two on the ground. A few minutes outside of the city, Rojka's team observed the wreckage of the Varric-pattern heavy cruiser Foebane and the Sharquoi destroying a Surakan ship. They then disembarked from the Phantom and proceeded on foot, approaching two Surakan Militia Volunteers scouts and requesting to assist with the situation. Rojka and his strike team were therefore thrust into a plan to assassinate Hekabe, the Chieftain of the Voice of Maardoth and the controller of the Sharquoi via the vertex. They were deployed to a rooftop situated above the crater where Hekabe was located alongside Gray Team and a militia squad led by Sergeant Rae Carson. While Gray Team prepared to take a shot on Hekabe from the rooftop, Rojka's forces dropped down to the street level in order to fight the Sharquoi and learn how to effectively kill them. The Kaidon approached one of the Sharquoi in an alley, speaking to Hekabe through it. That Sharquoi was unable to attack before Hekabe was shot by Adriana-111, temporarily disconnecting it from its network. As the now-disconnected creatures continued to attack human positions, Rojka ordered his forces to assist the Surakan militia in fighting the creatures. He was then attacked by the Sharquoi in the alley, being thrown through the wall of a building before killing it with a stab to the neck. During this fight, Rojka broke one of his ribs. He was then contacted by Melody, who told him to retreat to the roof of the building in order to be extracted alongside Gray Team. He then observed the aftermath of his warrior's battle and last stand against the Sharquoi, mourning Daga's death in particular. He then fled back up the stairs, witnessing Sergeant Carson's squad's demise at the hands of the Sharquoi.

Ambush on Thars

Rojka fled the building along with Gray Team in a Pelican dropship, witnessing the detonation of a dozen Surakan thermobaric mines around the edge of the crater and a portion of the Sharquoi retreating back into the Forerunner facility at the center of the crater. They were then transported to the Surakan command bunker, where Rojka was asked by Melody to contact Thars and ask him to prevent his ships from being seized by the Sharquoi, either by destroying them or moving them into orbit. Instead, Rojka arranged a meeting between himself and Thars, promising to hand over Gray Team in exchange for a duel between the two Sangheili. He then met with Gray Team in order to plan an ambush during this meeting, recalling his remaining three warriors for this attack. Rojka, Gray Team, and Melody then traveled into Uldt Desert to meet with Thars, initially appearing to surrender to him. Thars's forces were then ambushed by Rojka's warriors, allowing Rojka a chance to strike at Thars while Gray Team dealt with the rest of the enemy forces. The two Sangheili briefly dueled until Rojka was able to knock Thars's blade from his hand. He briefly spared his cousin's life, as the Spartans were unable to capture Thars's Spirit dropship and needed him to notify his commanders of the incoming attack. Thars refused to move or destroy his ships, and the team watched powerlessly as the Sharquoi attacked Thars's fleet in captured human ships and took control of the Sangheili vessels. After this, Rojka finally killed Thars, decapitating him.

Battle of the Sharquoi Hive

Rojka, Gray Team, and Melody were then met by the Surakan Governor Ellis Gass, who laid out a plan for defeating Hekabe and his forces. She had rigged a M68 Gauss cannon with a HAVOK tactical nuclear weapon as a power source, creating a device that fired a concentrated Electromagnetic pulse. This blast would neutralize the vertex, leaving Hekabe unable to command the Sharquoi. After agreeing to this plan, Rojka entered this facility via ariel insertion alongside this team and a squad of Surakan militia led by Corporal Wyse. after parachuting to the base of the facility, the team began moving across a bridge towards Hekabe's position. Seeing that their path was blocked by Sharquoi that were protecting the Jirlhanae, Rojka launched himself at the creatures, battling them and giving the rest of the team time to advance. After witnessing their M121 Jackrabbit immobilized by a falling Sharquoi and the Surakan squad picked off by the creatures, Rojka redoubled his attack, launching himself directly at Hekabe. Rojka was swarmed by Sharquoi and was severely injured, suffering more cracked ribs, a broken arm, and other grievous internal injuries. After Ellis fired the device and removed the vertex from Hekabe's head, Rojka was attacked by the chieftain, who struck him with the Oath of Fury and shattered Rojka's Combat harness. He and Gray Team were then immobilized by Sharquoi who had fallen under Ellis's control. She then informed the team that she planned to detonate the nuke and they all had ten minutes to evacuate the facility. The team fled up the stairs, with Rojka lagging behind due to his injuries. A ways from the entrance to the facility, the team was picked up by a Pelican that was hailed for them by Ellis. They were able to escape the nuclear blast, though their Pelican was caught in the shockwave and crashed with no casualties.

Aftermath

After the conclusion of the Carrow Conflict, Rojka received extensive medical care in Suraka. He then returned to Rak in a human Pelican where he was greeted by Kaidon Akato 'Dakaj and several of his warriors. Akato warned Rojka that with all of the losses they had suffered, he did not have many friends in Rak. Rojka stated that Thars was dead and as such suffered punishment for his actions and he sought no vengeance upon those who had followed Thars. Rojka admitted that having fought side-by-side with Gray Team to save Carrow, he no longer desired vengeance against them either as the war was over and Rojka just wanted to see his home again. Akato reminded Rojka of all that they had lost and how victory was only achieved by the intervention of the human governor. Akato offered Rojka the chance to act as his envoy towards the humans, working together with them to build a new future. Rojka accepted the opportunity, eager to help build a new and very different future for both species.

Personality and traits

As is typical of most Sangheili, Rojka 'Kasaan is bound to a strict code of honor and vengeance. He prioritized his vengeance against Gray Team for destroying his home world Glyke, over that of his traitorous cousin Thars Sarov, or even that of the genocidal Brute, Hekabe. He demonstrated a reluctant attitude in forming an alliance with humans, but he did so at the prospect of prosperity for the city of Rak on the planet Carrow. Humans and Sangheili had been sharing Carrow in a tenuous alliance ever since the humans came back to the planet after the Human-Covenant War. Rojka, while not completely satisfied with the arrangement, understood that peace between humans and Sangheili was preferable to war. When Melody reveals how she used to view his race as demons in her nightmares, he expressed shame for the Sangheili's role in the war, comparing her rebukes to being jabbed by a spear. He demonstrated great restraint in capturing Gray Team and not killing them outright in their pods as they floated in the debris of what was formerly the planet Glyke. Even though he later resented not killing them immediately, he was forced in an alliance with them to neutralize Hekabe and his army of Sharquoi. He later recounted that after spilling blood alongside them, he no longer sought vengeance against them. After the Carrow Conflict, he agreed to stem his ambitions of leadership and to be an envoy to the humans. This would technically make him subordinate to the Kaidon now in charge of Rak, but he agreed to this position due to the prospect for peace and influence. Rojka was inspired by Melody and what he had witnessed her accomplish in her own role as an envoy using words and persuasion rather than force and conflict.

Equipment

Rojka was often depicted using a Type-1 energy sword and a Type-25 plasma pistol in combat. During the Carrow Conflict Rojka was shown to use Active camouflage.

List of appearances

• Halo: Fractures
  • Oasis (First mentioned)
• Halo: Envoy (First appearance)