Ushran 'Sojam/Ortus Vita

Of simple birth, Ushran 'Sojam (Oracle Code S5-T2344) is a renowned Sangheili who fought during the . Ushran was born just before the War of Righteous Cleansing began and fought in many campaigns throughout the conflict, including the , the , and was a part of the infamous .
After the Great Schism, Ushran defected to the Covenant Separatists with the goal of overthrowing the and the Sangheili's usurpers, the . Ushran participated in numerous, highly classified operations both in Sangheili and Covenant space. He returned to Sangheilios to help rebuild, and was a nominee for Kaidon of his clan, but was passed over in favor of his cousin.
Ushran's training has formed him into a model soldier, further enhanced by his service with the Imperial Special Operations detachment. He is highly skilled in close quarters combat, especially when using the Type-10 Energy Weapon/Blade. He is also a skilled tracker, capable of hunting a target for days, and also a keen infiltrator.
==Biography==
Born on the Sangheili homeworld of Sangheilios in the State of Sojam, Ushran was the son of sailor Kroba 'Sojam and his mother I'lra 'Sojam. Like many children, he was raised in a common home where he made friends with Relik 'Sojam, a distant cousin, and Be'nem Vadam of the Vadam Family, who were close allies with the Sojam family. The trio were always regarded as an odd pairing, Ushran being a stoic child, Relik a prankster, and Be'nem a reserved, and shy Sangheili female.
When Ushran and Relik turned fourteen, the two were sent to be trained at the Morna War College in the nearby state of Mantakr. While there, the two were separated into a Creche of young warriors to train. Ushran would remain with this Creche until it was determined that he would be viable for a position on a Lance. Training on Sangheilios was a brutal affair, and numerous young prospects were killed. In the Sangheili culture this was permitted as weeding out those who would be too weak. During a staff dual on Lake Mantakr, Ushran knocked off fellow recruit Snela 'Cromar off of the canoe, resulting in a Sangoctpada ensnaring him and dragging him into the deep.
After his training was complete, Ushran graduated with honors in his creche. This group would later be assigned to the Zreea Legion, commanded by the famous Sangheili Legion Master Zreea 'Korsanee. His friend, Relik would join the Klresa Legion. Immediately after graduation, the Zreea Legion was assigned to be garrisoned on the Fleet of Pious Glory.
===War of Righteous Cleansing===
Two years prior Ushran graduating from the War College, a Jiralhanae-captained Congregation-class Cruiser found a world colonized by an alien species known as 'Humans'. The world was also a reliquary of relics from the Gods. During a first contact ceremony between the two, the Covenant attendees were attacked by human soldiers and reported back to the High Council. The world was ordered to be cleansed of the alien presence and any relics be obtained.
====Minor Domo====
After graduating from the War Collage, Ushran was assigned to the Zreea Legion's Nran Warrior Crèche to be trained in combat. Assigned to the Fleet of Brilliant Glory, Ushran and his fellow legionnaires would train aboard the ship between battles. Ushran displayed remarkable hand to hand combat skills, but lacked in zero-gravity environments. Eighty cycles after graduating, the Fleet of Brilliant Glory found a human colony.
=====Battle of Stirgon (2527)=====
The Battle of Strigon was a small battle that occurred in 2527. The Covenant Fleet of Brilliant Glory had discovered the system and descended upon the planet. The orbital defenses, consisting of two frigates and a destroyer, were easily crushed without a single Covenant ship lost. Rather than glassing the world, the Fleetmaster had decided that scouring the humans from the world and use it as a forward operating base would be more effective against the spread out Humans.
The order was approved and hundreds of dropships descended to the planet. Ushran was part of the first wave, and he and his lance began to engage the humans in combat in the urban center of Los Hanita. Their objectives were simple, kill any human they came across. With the rest of the legion, Ushran cleared each building, block by block, leaving no humans alive. As they proceeded towards the city center, their advance was halted when a pair of Scorpion tanks pinned them down. Trapped without any support, Ushran took matters into his own hands. He and his battle brother Unvek 'Udontee, and a pair of Kig-yar Marksmen flanked around the tanks. As the marksmen provided cover, the Sangheili pair pried open the Scorpions cockpits and killed their operators, and destroyed the tanks. The two were rewarded handsomely for the act of bravery, but reprimanded for foolishly abandoning their unit.
Eventually Covenant forces trapped the remaining city defenders at the planetary capitol building. The structure, was well fortified with machine gun turrets, snipers and anti air batteries. For hours Covenant forces attempted to take the structure, but were forced back each time. Only after Locusts arrived did the Covenant claim victory over the ashes of the structure.
=====Battle of Aigaion (2527)=====
After the successful invasion of Stirgon, the Fleet of Brilliant Glory fell upon the nearby Anean System, and attacked the colony of Aigaion. Unlike Stirgon, Aigaion was well defended, with a fleet of UNSC ships in orbit, and five defensive platforms. The Covenant still wiped out the defenders, losing three ships in the process. Ground forces descended to the planet, supported by a battlegroup of three ships to provide orbital bombardment, however Aigaion had a secret weapon on its surface. As the three support ships descended, a barrage of rounds struck the ships, ripping through their shields and hulls. Covenant forces detected a large structure containing eight magnetic accelerator cannons, each capable of tearing apart a Covenant ship. The system was originally designed to send debris into low orbit prior to the construction of Aigaion's space elevator, and to destroy incoming asteroids and meteors that were common in the Anean System.
The fleet was prepared to destroy the system with an orbital bombardment, however the Fleetmaster decided against this, feeling that the system could destroy far too many ships that could be used elsewhere. Instead, he ordered a Section of the Zreea Legion to destroy the system. Ushran was a part of this section, and he and his lance had orders to help destroy the battery. When the force arrived however, they were greeted with a massive UNSC defense network of trenches and automated defense turrets. The section pushed on, clearing each trench before entering the structure. 
Despite the defenses, the section had managed to destroy it by placing a demolition charge in the power generator, causing it to shut down. After the destruction of this defensive system, the fleet descended into atmosphere and glassed the world, rendering it lifeless.
=====Battle of Gegaju 1 (2536)=====
Two years after the Battle of Aigaion, Ushran and his legion were transferred to the Fleet of Pious Clarity. Commanded by the renowned Commander Supreme Commander Xytan 'Nar Wattinree, who had successfully two UNSC fleets without losing a single ship. The fleet had arrived in the Gegaju System, when a luminary detected Human presence on the world first from the star. Scouting teams however, found no trace of human civilization on the world. Further scanning revealed that these Humans had dug themselves into the planet, and were held up in hundreds of linked bunkers. It also discovered a Forerunner relic deep within the Human defense network.
Xytan had ordered the Zreea and Korpis Legions to enter the tunnels, retrieve the artifact, and kill any human before the world was to be buried. The two legions set up bases on the planets surface and proceeded into the planet. As they advanced, they took heavy casualties from Human defense systems, mostly automated gun turrets. Ushran and his lance used their active camouflage systems to infiltrate the planet, and managed to disable the humans outer defense network.
As the Covenant prepared to assault the humans city, large doors blocked the ways in, delaying the Covenants advance. The Korpis Legion brought in a Sub-section of Locusts to burn through the doors, however as they did human commandos managed to destroy them. Not wanting to destroy the artifact inside, they needed another plan. Eventually it was decided that a secondary tunnel would be built to allow a lance of Sangheili to deactivate the doors inside. Ushran and his lance were chosen.
After the tunnel was dug, the lance began their infiltration. Tracking the power lines, they found the generators which powered the doors, however before they could destroy them they were ambushed. Three of the six in Ushran's lance fell, including the major in command. Usrhan rallied the remnants and managed to destroy the generator, allowing the bulk of the army through. The three held out for two hours before allied reinforcements arrived. When the Covenant went to retrieve the artifact, it turned out to be a fake, a lure to ambush the Covenant forces inside the tunnels. Enraged, the Covenant fell back, and Xytan scorched the world, and destroyed the caves.
When the legions were brought on board, Xytan met with Ushran, and promoted him to the rank of Major for both his gallantry in combat and his kill record.
====Major Domo====
Rising through the ranks, Ushran was promoted to Major of the Legion. He was given a trio of lances to command, consisting of several Unggoy, Kig-yar, and also two Sangheili Minors. Ushran and his lance continued to serve on the Fleet of Pious Clarity for many years, fighting their battles along the way.
=====Battle of Phi Delta (2537)=====
The Battle of Phi Delta was a large battle over the Phi Delta planetary system. On April 4, 2539 the rebuilt Fleet of Brilliant Glory discovered the heavily populated system on the border of the Inner Colonies and Outer Colonies. The system had four planets that were colonized by the UNSC, Vostok, Al 'Aziziyah, Mawsynram, and Pacifica. With such a heavy population, the system was well protected by a fleet of UNSC ships, and 10 defensive platforms. Despite this, the fleet pushed on. Their first target was the planet Mawsynram, an industrial world that served as the capital of the system, and the most populated. Since the defensive fleet was spread over the system, the Covenant planned a series of ambushes using mines at estimated locations of human reinforcements arriving. As predicted, the scattered fleet jumped right into the minefields, destroying over two-thirds of the fleet. The rest were quickly destroyed. However new threats came from the large orbital defense platforms. Keeping their distance, the fleet launched boarding craft to destroy or capture the platforms, knowing their destructive potential. Ushran led a mixed lance of Sangheili and Unggoy on board one platform, known as the New Timbuktu Station. 
His boarding craft latched itself near the Commons. As the lance leaped from the craft they took light fire from Human defenders. However, they were quickly subdued as Ushran pushed towards the stations bridge. As they approached Security R-01, they began to take heavy fire from an emplaced machine gun, along with a SPARTAN-II. Using a suicide Unggoy as the defenders reloaded, Ushran and another Sangheili lance managed to overwhelm defenders, however the SPARTAN along with a fireteam of marines managed to escape. They then breached into the stations bridge, but it was too late and the data they had hoped to recover was lost. However their mission was not a failure. The Covenant forces managed to place a bomb that would eradicate the station, and if not that could possibly cause the debris to fall on the planet below. Unfortunately the hoped result of debris falling did not occur, and the station was simply destroyed.
With the mission complete, Ushran and his unit were then tasked with the capture of the planet Vostok. Scans of the planet revealed a Forerunner mining facility on the planet which was used to mine Helium-3 for starship fuel. Ushran's unit was ordered to take the facility at any cost, but without its destruction. On their approach, the legion he served with was intercepted by UNSC fighters, which destroyed four of the ten transports before Seraph fighters chased them away. Upon their landing, Usrhan's lance took major casualties, with three Unggoy, a Kig-yar marksmen pair, and the executive officer falling as soon as they landed. Along with their own casualties, other lances took heavy casualties as well, and one of the Phantom dropships was shot down on approach.
As the first wave advanced and began to secure objectives, reinforcements arrived including Type-40 Asura tanks and Wraith artillery tanks. The Covenant had finally arrived on the outskirts of the station when a UNSC Reinforcement fleet arrived in system, taking the Covenant by surprise. A squadron of UNSC Pelicans arrived to reinforce the facility, including a team of SPARTANs. On many fronts the Covenant were driven back, however Ushran rallied his forces and managed to get inside the facility. They disabled the mining systems, halting the production of Helium-3. However, they became trapped as UNSC forces bared down on them. Eventually, after an hour of fighting, Ushran managed to find an escape, taking his Sangheili but leaving behind his Unggoy to cover for him. A decision that though was common, was disliked by Ushran. Eventually the order to retreat was given by the Fleetmaster, and the Covenant departed from the system.
After the battle, many of the Sangheili commanders committed suicide for the shame of defeat. However, Ushran was one of few that did not, feeling that throwing their lives away was meaningless, and that the defeat should be studied so it did not happen again. Unfortunately, his opinion was a minority in a society dominated by honor.
=====Massacre of Septimus IV (2539)=====
After their defeat at Phi Delta, an enraged Zreea Legion was dedicated to avenging the wasted deaths of their comrades. With new leadership, the legion found their target in a small planet known as Septimus IV. A small agriworld, Septimus became popular after the glassing of Harvest. The planet saw an increase in demand for crops, which Septimian farmers gladly responded too, becoming the United Earth Governments new number one producer. Unfortunately this also drew attention to the planet, as Covenant ships ambushed merchant fleets they learned of the planets location. The fleet jumped into system, and quickly landed on the planet.
Resistance was light, mostly from the Septimian Colonial Militia, and various police departments. The planet was scoured of defenses and the survivors forced into slavery. Eventually, after thousands of graves had dotted the planet, every Septimian citizen was killed and dumped into these mass graves. The Covenant fleet above partially glassed the world, with glyphs representing anger, redemption, and victory. The fleet fled the world as a new merchant fleet had arrived, and marines discovered the graves filled with rotting corpses.
=====Battle of Chi Alpha III (2541)=====
Chi Alpha III was a very dense and hostile world, inhabited by the UNSC to help teach recruits tactics in jungle warfare. In 2541, the fleet carrying Ushran arrived at the world. When they jumped out of slipspace, sensors detected stealth ships over the planet. As they moved in to eliminate them, they ran into a minefield, and were ambushed by the Prowlers, using hit and run tactics around the planets eight moons. Eventually two of the three Prowlers were eliminated, with a third escaping into a random vector. The Luminary also detected a Forerunner structure on the equator of the planet, a small structure that had a labyrinth underneath, with another unknown glyph. Covenant forces were sent to the planet, but had a hard time finding a landing zone due to the dense jungle. Aggravated, the Phantom gunners simply burned large sections of the jungle, enough for dropships to land Covenant forces.
A valuable asset to the conflict was the use of Kig-yar marksmen and skirmishers. The species were quick to adapt to the jungle, which was similar to their native homeworld. Quickly they scoured the world, supported by air strikes and Mgalekgolo support. However, as they approached the UNSC headquarters, ambushes by UNSC soldiers and special forces began to increase, with trip mines, pungi sticks, and other manner of traps laid for Covenant forces. After losing a large amount of soldiers, the Legion Master ordered that the jungle simply be burned with flamethrowers. Still, the attacks did not stop. As they burned, UNSC snipers began to pick off the flamethrower wielders, some using incendiary rounds to ignite the volatile gasses inside the tanks.
Eventually, a good portion of the world was glassed, however by then UNSC forces had discovered the route the Covenant were taking, and fortified the exterior of the structure. A battle was hard fought, one that cost Ushran a quarter of his lance as well as part of his left arm. Even after his wounds, he still fought. They pushed on and eventually eliminated UNSC presence on the planet, at the cost of 30% of the legions infantry forces. As they descended, they found a Forerunner Map Room, which led them to the Utlehw System.
During the battle, Ushran gained the attention of the Covenant Imperial Army Special Forces. He was approached and offered a place within the detachment, to which Ushran agreed. He was transferred from the legion to the Special Operations.
Category:Sangheili