Bringer of Holy Light

The Bringer of Holy Light, as one of the Covenant's few Assault Carriers, is one of the most powerful ships in service in the Covenant Navy. Originally named the Enlightenment, it has participated in numerous battles against the enemies of the Covenant.

Commission
The ship was originally constructed at the K7-49 Covenant Naval Shipyards in 2532. Rather than following the standard Carrier format, with few armaments but expansive hangar bays, the Enlightenment was given extensive internal troop quarters, as well as powerful plasma torpedo turrets and point defence lasers. During the end of construction, its designeds mounted a pair of energy profectors for added long-range fire projection, allowing it to engage any number of enemy forces.

History
The Enlightenment was attached to the Fleet of Enlightened Benevolence, where it functioned as the fleets flagship until the introduction of the Reverence-class into service. Later, it would be deployed as a part of the taskforce led by Shipmaster Zuro 'Xoramee to deal with an attempted Jiralhanae rebellion in the Oth Sonin system, where it assisted in bombarding rebel Jiralhanae positions from orbit.

The Enlightenment was also deployed in the Delta Pavonis theatre, where it assisted the Purity of Spirit in escorting the Covenant ground forces to try and secure the relics on the surface of the asteroid colony. Though it was forced to retreat, it managed to recover some survivors, and a number of minor relics, leading the Covenant to Minorca.

At Minorca, the Enlightenment was a part of the secondary taskforce, sent to investigate the disappearance of the first group. Discovering a significant force of human defenders, the Enlightenment barely managed to offload its ground forces before managing to make a slipspace jump out-system. It would later jump back in, in an unsuccessful attempt to resupply the now-starving ground forces. It was not a part of the final attempt to claim the planet, managing to avoid such destruction.

Afterwards, the Enlightenment docked at High Charity to make what repairs were deemed neccessary. Its Shipmaster was transferred to a Destroyer for failing to alert the Covenant in time - and now-Fleetmaster Zuro Dun 'Xoramee was given command, renaming the ship the Bringer of Holy Light. Leading the Covenant Fleet of Benevolent Enlightment to the site of the Ark portal, they stumbled across even larger numbers of human defenders. Blasting a path through the human Orbital Defence Platforms with insertion-team planted anti-matter charges, it attempted to accompany the Shadow of Intent, the Prophet of Regret's ship, to the surface of the planet. Before it could even clear the atmospheric perimeter, it was severely damaged by one of its own anti-matter charges, planted by Spartan-117, and forced to engage its badly damaged slipspace engines, dragging the nearby ships Hunters Arrow and Aeneas with it - their current locations are unknown.

Design
Originally built upon the frame of a Carrier, the Bringer of Holy Light has several hallmarks of the class - it is 5,346 metres in length, and capable of carrying several Seraph fighter squadrons, in addition to various dropships and Banshee atmospheric fighters. But asides from its physical appearance, there the similarities end - several of its hangar bays have been converted into troop barracks or armoury stations, capable of transporting and supplying up to a legion of warriors. The fact that these areas no longer need to be shielded against the vacuum of space, and the slipstream, also means that the ship's weapon systems are given more power, allowing it to carry more.

Functionally, rather than a fleet command-and-control and mobile fighter deployment platform, the Bringer of Holy Light is capable of participating in combat more directly, using its seven plasma torpedo launchers to gut capitol ships rapidly, its pulse laser turrets to intercept enemy fighters or missiles, or engage targets at close range, and its energy projectors at extreme long range. It is also capable of descending into a planets atmosphere, supporting Covenant ground forces with aircraft, laser and plasma artillery, and can serve as a planetary headquarters for Covenant ground forces, coordinating the conquest of a planet or colony.