To Cleanse with Holy Fire

Covenant forces came roaring into the Fourth Sector in unstoppable numbers in the late 2520's, slowing their advance only when it became apparent more-populated human colonies lay along a different line of advance. After the battle of Jericho VII, large-scale Covenant activity in the Fourth Sector slowed to a trickle as Fleets were shifted to the push on the Inner Colonies.

 
By 2547, the main Covenant formations were typically smaller raider groups. Most of these answer to the Ministry of Tranquility now that the Covenant's main forces have moved on, and that body grants it's forces substantial leeway in fulfilling the Ministry's mandates. These forces answer to a loose command structure headed by an unusually avaricious Sangheili Shipmaster known as Vata 'Gajatee, effectively a Fleetmaster in all but name.

ONI Section One recon image of the Elite believed to lead the Covenant's raider groups within the UNSC's Fourth Sector. Note unique armor set, believed to denote status

'Gajatee is a reaver, gifted with the ability to sense the tide of battle and know where and when to fight and when to withdraw. These skills have won the Ministry of Tranquility many treasures, and the Minister himself ensures 'Gajatee is well-rewarded with each success. This has given the Shipmaster access to some of the finest resources available to Tranquility.

These forces mostly make use of SDV Heavy Corvettes with a number of older RCS Armored Cruisers, however Vata 'Gajatee has the Minister of Tranquility's ear in many things, granting access to a few larger and more modern vessels.

Though CCS Battlecruisers are rare sights in the Sector, RCS Cruisers and SDV Corvettes are much less so

The Ministry of Tranquility has comparatively few ships larger than a cruiser. The presence of an ORS Heavy Cruiser demonstrates the esteem Vata 'Gajatee is held-in by the Minister of Tranquility

To add to humanity's woes, the Ministry of Fervent Intercession has dispatched their Fleet of Vigilant Abstraction into the region to track down a lead discovered on a Forerunner relic known as the Deep Pinnacle. Fleetmaster Lodor 'Vektramee has reason to believe that their prize lies somewhere near or within the space still controlled by the humans.

The fleet keeps it's nanolaminate plating in a lustrous silver to honor their Forerunner lords

Though unknown in nature, this relic has been associated with the emblems of the Forerunner Builder caste, the Forerunner military, and a symbol of unknown meaning that has appeared elsewhere in texts, thus far vexing the Stewards assigned to decipher such enigmas. Vigilant Abstraction has splintered into several battlegroups to follow-up a series of leads on the Deep Pinnacle, running through a lengthy list of stellar coordinates that were provided by an ancient Luminary, now installed on the Fleet flagship.

Vigilant Abstraction maintains several larger warships, finding them better able to demonstrate the Covenant's piety when tested by still-active Forerunner defenses

Supported ORS Heavy Cruiser

The Fleet of Vigilant Abstraction has entered into a region of space where human forces are known to remain, and thus is well-prepared for combat. What's more, they come with ancient writs of authority in-hand to effectively dragoon other Covenant forces in the region to assist the Fervent Intercession ships in their goals, though these have proven slow to respond.

SDV Corvettes, escorts and surveyors

A Golden Path battlegroup to coordinate fleet activities- invaluable when the fleet disperses to search-out Forerunner relics

Wary of any sign of the dreaded Flood, an order of Zealots is attached to the fleet to provide an effective first-response

As much sanctuary and temple as slipspace-capable warship, the Searing Radiance earned her golden nanoplating after years of campaigns against flare-ups of the parasite