Kig-Yar Pirate group

The Kig-Yar pirate group was a small faction of Covenant remnants groups, based on Ven III.
=== Uncovery ===
“We haven't encountered a bioweapon of this particular nature... Contain this situation before it becomes a full-blown crisis.”
— ADM Osman, CINCONI, to CAPT Lasky before the battle.
The Kig-Yar, lead by an unnamed queen, separated from the Covenant, and established a hidden base on Ven III, attacking key trade routes. They attacked human and old Covenant worlds, capturing slaves human, Unggoy and Yonhet, selling them. They also acted as smugglers and arm dealers. 
In December of 2557 the Office of Naval Intelligence sent a report to UNSC High Command advising immediate military intervention as several Kig-Yar pirate dens, included this one, had emerged along the edges of UNSC-held space, particularly on the arid planet of Ven III. After several more months of inaction from HIGHCOM, CINCONI Admiral Osman hired a Sangheili mercenary named Ayit 'Sevi to stage an attack on an Kig-Yar lab on the planet, making it seem as if there had been a viral bioweapon test in the lab. ONI recorded the mercenary via a small UAV, and on May 9, 2558 Admiral Osman briefed Captain Lasky of UNSC Infinity. It was Osman's hope that Infinity could appear to accidentally stumble across the Kig-Yar pirate den if deployed to Ven III under false pretenses. Officially, the Kig-Yar discovered two or more canisters with a yet unidentified bacterial disease or virus. When released, the contained bioweapon left the Kig-Yar with numerous and irregular boil-like lesions covering the skin and severe desiccation resulting in subsequent withering and loss of limb. One of the canisters was taken by an unknown Sangheili (who was Avit) twelve hours before the bodies were discovered by the Infinity. The assumed Jul 'Mdama agent was then tracked by a UNSC drone until he arrived at his hiding place on Ven III..Halo: Escalation, Issue #11
=== Battle ===
In order to snatch the canister from Jul 'Mdama's Covenant and prevent bioterrorism, Captain Thomas Lasky appointed the team of Spartan-IV Gabriel Thorne and Naiya Ray to go to Ven III and retrieve the canister. The Infinity remained in orbit but was ordered to avoid direct engagement if not absolutely necessary.
After the Spartan team arrived, they encountered a small group of Kig-Yar lead by Avit, which jammed their communications. During their skirmish, Thorne was incapacitated with an unknown weapon and taken hostage by the Sangheili, who fled in a Ghost. After many hours of tracking the Ghost on foot underground, Ray regained communications with Infinity and reported the abduction. Shortly after, Ray discovered a massive opening in which a massive population of Covenant pirates lived.
=== The Pirate Queen ===
“What should concern you is the SPARTAN you just bought... I captured him on the surface of your planet. His masters must know he's missing by now, and I guarantee you they'll be arriving shortly to punish whoever's responsible...”
— Ayit 'Sevi to the Kig-Yar pirate queen.
While SPARTAN Ray pursued him through the subterranean tunnels, Ayit 'Sevi had arrived at the palace of the Kig-Yar pirate queen with SPARTAN Thorne in tow. After hiding Thorne's unconscious body, 'Sevi sought an audience with the queen, offering to sell the SPARTAN in exchange for a large sum of money and safe passage from Ven III. As a sign of good faith, 'Sevi offered the queen Thorne's helmet and informed her that the UNSC would likely be on its way to retrieve the SPARTAN shortly. The queen accepted 'Sevi's proposal and the mercenary departed to hand over SPARTAN Thorne. Upon his departure, one of the queen's advisors approached her and pointed out the lucrative and fortified nature of the Kig-Yar pirate den, suggesting that it would be best for the pirates to hand Thorne back to the UNSC in exchange for immunity from punitive human attacks. Assured of the might of the pirate fleet, the queen ordered the advisor to be executed and the pirate fleet to mobilize in preparation to receive the incoming UNSC attackers.
=== Infinity's Arrival ===
“Well, hell. No reason to go in quietly now.”
— Captain Lasky upon emerging from slipspace to find the pirate fleet above Ven III.
When UNSC Infinity emerged from slipspace over Ven III they encountered a substantial pirate naval force, lead by a Covenant Corvette, waiting in ambush. As the two sides moved towards each other, Captain Lasky deployed a three-squadron strike force from Infinity. The first squadron was comprised of Broadswords, launched to harass and weaken the pirate flagship. The second squadron was also comprised of Broadswords, deployed against the enemy vanguard of Liches and Phantoms. The third squadron was a mixed force of Pelican dropships and Longsword bombers, devastating the pirate city with an aerial strike followed by a massive SPARTAN groundside deployment. While Infinity battles the pirate fleet, which was quickly reinforced by the rest of the pirate fleet, lead by the queen itself in a second Corvette, Fireteam Majestic spearheaded the groundside deployment alongside Commander Palmer. At the same time, SPARTAN Ray freed Thorne an set off in pursuit of the Sangheili mercenary. She had barely inmovilized him when a team of ONI field agents detained 'Sevi and retrieved the bioweapon. The Sangheili mercenary was quickly brought aboard the prowler - which then swiftly departed from the planet.
=== Aftermath ===
The Kig-Yar pirate kingdom was utterly devastated following the UNSC Infinity's attack: the pirate city within the caldera was razed, and the pirate fleet was crushed above the planet's atmosphere. Kig-Yar losses were near total, and the UNSC did not lose a single SPARTAN. 
== Group Composition ==
Ground Forces
The pirate group was composed exclusively of Kig-Yar infantry: despite they have Unggoy slaves, never one was seen serving with them. Their exact numbers are unknown, but a SPARTAn estimated them in a couple hundred thousands. They also have Ghosts, Wraiths. 
Space forces
The main pirate fleet was focused around two SDV-class heavy corvette, along with two dozens of minor ships, mainly Ghosts and Liches.
== Sources ==