Gauntlet of the Ancients

The Gauntlet of the Ancients was a CPV-Class Heavy Destroyer serving in the Fleet of Raging Dominance as a ground assault ship during the Human-Covenant War. It was later commanded by the rogue pirate Shipmaster Grono 'Yendam during the Post-War Era, before its eventual destruction.
== Operational History ==
=== Construction ===
Constructed along three other ships in one of the numerous shipyards of Primary Assembly Forges, it was the sister ship of the , the , and the Merciless. They were all constructed for the intent of forming a small fringe battlegroup to patrol the areas around the recently discovered planet Doisac for a trio of recently disgraced Shipmasters, and a shamed former Fleetmaster. The Fleetmaster of this group hoped for redemption, and when they were finshed, the ships were prepared to move out to the fringes. However, before that could happen, the Minister of Fervent Intercession intervened, claiming that he could put them to good use in his newly formed fleet.
The Fleetmaster opposed this, but soon after was assassinated by a Sangheili, most likely working for Intercession. This was waved away, since the Fleetmaster had already fallen from the Path and was useless now. An agreement was eventually made between the Minister and the Forges, and the Radiant Perception and Proclamation's Tithe were conscripted as a duo on fringe patrol with two of the Shipmasters. The Merciless and Gauntlet of the Ancients were deployed in the new Fleet of Raging Dominance with the Merciless commanded by the final Shipmaster, and the Gauntlet, now with out a Fleetmaster, was put under control of Shipmaster Sorv 'Tunostee. It was here where the Gauntlet would start its long and treacherous campaign for the Covenant.
=== Early Operational History ===
The Gauntlet of the Ancients would first see action during a large battle in 2596 around an uncharted planet. A Heretic group had managed to gain control of a DDS-class heavy carrier, and destroyed two CRS-class frigates quickly, albeit the Gauntlet and the Merciless pummeled it with their firepower before the Fleet's flagship, another DDS known as the Intercession's Wisdom moved in to destroy it. While this was happening, a CCS-class battlecruiser dubbed Keeper of Light deployed ground troops that subjugated the remaining enemy forces and captured the Heretic leader, who was executed by Fleet Master Hestovos 'Bagozee.
For over a decade, the Gauntlet would do inner patrol duties with the Fleet of Raging Dominance before 2507, where another Heretic uprising occurred. This time, they had infiltrated a Forerunner structure and threatened to cause harm to it. Under orders from the Hierarchs themselves, the Gauntlet stealthily inserted the Gez-Dar Assault Legion far from the structure on a barren planet. The troops then infiltrated the structure, causing havoc while the Fieldmaster killed the Heretic leader. The Gauntlet of the Ancients then picked up the Gez-Dar via gravity lift and retreated as the Hierarchs came to inspect the artifact. Even though it had done an outstanding job, the Gauntlet was not even given a small recognition, and the credit was passed to the Minister of Fervent Succession, angering Shipmaster 'Tunostee. Succession was not one to be so arrogant though, and commemorated the ship with in the fleet's boundaries, easing Sorv's tension. The Gauntlet would go back to patrolling the inner reaches of the Empire with the Fleet, until the Human-Covenant War.
=== Human-Covenant War ===
When the war to exterminate humanity began, the Fleet of Raging Dominance would largely stay out of the conflict, with the Minister staying within the Covenant borders to recruit a surging flow of new Zealots. When the stream finally steadied, the Fleet would finally see action in 2542, over 15 years after the war began. They would not be frontline troops, however, much to the pleasure of the crew of the Gauntlet, but rather act as backup. They would be reinforcing the expanding Fleet of Particular Justice, which had been held back by the military at Alluvion for some time, and were successful in breaking through lines. During the assault, the Gauntlet would send down its ground troops led by Field Master Zholos 'Fenosee to quell a human Legion. They were successful, and returned to the Gauntlet before the Fleet would leave.
== Appearances ==
Category:Covenant ships
Category:Destroyers
Category:Zealot Archives