User:XW3 AR3 L3GION/Battle of Telma Julk

"He stood there, defiant to the end. He blades sung with glory as he plunged into the depths of the Jiralhanae horde but none could slay our mighty Arbiter. He would eventually meet his demise, when the dishonourable Jirahanae would destroy the moon, unable to end the life of our Arbiter, Thel 'Vadam. May we praise the worthy."

- Excerpt from the Sangheili Saga.

The First Battle of Telma Julk was a engagement between the Sangheilian Armed Forces and the Imperial Armed Forces during the Doisac War. Telma Julk was a large earth-sized moon of the gas giant Telma and was a key production facility to the Neo-Covenant Empire, producing fuel and metals used for building naval vessels. The battle was part of the Tek'Malen Offensive and would result in the Battle of Telma System.

Sangheili naval forces entered the system on November 26th and engaged the Imperial continent of naval defences. While the naval battle was a draw, the Sangheili had managed to break through the Jiralhanae's defences to insert two hundred thousand Sangheili warriors onto the surface. Led by the Arbiter Thel 'Vadam, the Sangheili quickly dominated the minor Jiralhanae presence on the ground and the Unggoy who worked in the production facilities; It is noted that many of the Unggoy begged the Sangheili to kill them.

The Sangheili captured Telma Julk's only starport and used it as a stronghold as Imperial forces began landing to eradicate the Sangheili invaders. The Sangheili forces held for seven weeks until the Jiralhanae Commander, Heranus, destroyed the entire moon with the largest anti-matter weapon seen in the entire war, despite Telma Julk's importance to the Neo-Covenant's war effort. It is noted that the loss of Telma Julk set the Neo-Covenant back sixteen months.

But the battle was a tactical victory for the Jiralhanae as the Arbiter Thel 'Vadam had been killed. His body could not be recovered and after several weeks of public mourning, the Sangheilian Council appointed Nahai 'Takrea as Arbiter of the Sangheili. In revenge, the Sangheili would conduct the Ses'Kumlia Offensive, sometimes known as the Ses'Kumlia Massacre.