Autel 'Vadam (AAO)

"I do not believe in following my family's legacy. I believe in making my own."

- Autel 'Vadam

Autel 'Vadam is the son of the Arbiter Thel 'Vadam and the older half brother of Taszar 'Vadam. His first appearance will be in the story Emergence. He is also the protagonist of the story The Darkest Hour, and makes appearances in the story The Rift and Flight of the Phoenix.

Stoic Courier
Autel completed his studies at the Sangheili Academy, and also had previous combat training with his relatives. He joined the mobile military city Stoic Courier during the 8th Age of Reclamation (2548). He quickly became friends with Fira 'Demal, as they were both assigned to dormitory 774. When Randall-078 was brought to Stoic Courier for execution in 2551, Autel watched the SPARTAN-II trapped in an arena and take on a dozen Mgalekgolo, killing four of them. When Randall was at last killed, Autel felt shocked and thought that the human's death was wrong.

First Betrayal of the Jiralhanae
Tartarus arrived at Stoic Courier with a platoon of Jiralhanae in September 2552, and began killing Sangheili recruits in their sleep. Autel managed to warn Field Master Bata 'Noromee, which began a massive battle between the Jiralhanae and the Sangheili. When Tartarus' cruiser was headed for Sanghelios, Autel was separated from Fira but managed to escape in a dropship with a wounded N'tho 'Sraomee. He then headed for High Charity, docked at Sanghelios, to warn the Hierarchs. However, it turns out the Prophet of Regret had planned the betrayal, and Autel and the escaped Sangheili are taken prisoner aboard High Charity. Autel manages to break out with a plasma ring given to him by the Seer of Sanghelios and he plans to inform Thel 'Vadamee of what had happened.

However, it becomes apparent that the Prophet of Regret was spearheading the betrayal, and after a short imprisonment, Autel breaks out and meets up with then-Special Operations Officer Sesa 'Refumee. After making plans, Autel heads for Threshold to find Supreme Commander Thel 'Vadamee while 'Refumee returned to Stoic Courier to free the imprisoned Sangheili. Autel was forced to put a Jiralhanae frigate on their trail so 'Refumee would not be hassled by the larger ship.

When Autel arrived at Threshold, he made a quick arrival onto Thel 'Vadamee's flagship, the Seeker of Truth, and told him what had happened. However, as Thel was guarding a Halo ring at the moment, he could not accompany him. During this time, Autel had saved the Supreme Commander's life from a Jiralhanae ambush which left him with two purple bayonet marks upon his right cheek. He later discovered that Thel was his father. Autel also took on the "ee" suffix in his last name, but dropped it again after the Covenant Civil War.

When Autel returned to Sanghelios, he successfully boarded the Jiralhanae cruiser CCS-U572 and realized that Othreus had held his mother, the Seer of Sanghelios captive. The following skirmish had resulted in the Seer's death, to which Autel felt great sadness from. The dying Sangheili warned him to leave the cruiser, which he did. Moments later, CCS-U572 was forced into Slipstream space due to a high-priority crisis (the destruction of Halo). Autel's ship had remained at Sanghelios due to a damaged Slipspace drive.

Battle of Installation 05 and Covenant Civil War
When Autel reported what had happened at Sanghelios to the Prophets of Truth and Mercy, Regret had already headed for Earth to find the Ark. Truth had been apparently surprised at what the Jiralhanae had done and assured him that they were once again under his control. He was then transferred to the Special Operations unit of the Covenant.

When Regret's transmission reached Threshold, the Covenant fleet headed for Substance, and discovered Delta Halo...along with the fact that SPARTAN-117 had killed the Hierarch. Autel also discovered that Fira, along with a small group of Sangheili recruits had been stranded in the system and taken refuge on the ring.

A virus had been detected in High Charity, and Autel eventually traced it to the Jiralhanae. Around the same time, Special Operations Commander Rtas 'Vadumee sent a message announcing that Arbiter Thel 'Vadamee had been killed by Tartarus, and a war erupted in the city. Autel and a group of Sangheili led by Usze 'Tahamee managed to make it to the surface, and linked up with the Commander.

Autel realized that Thel was alive, and helped him find and kill Tartarus. After the Arbiter headed for Earth with Sergeant Major Avery J. Johnson and Commander Miranda Keyes, he remained on Halo to deal with the Flood and gather Sangheili and human forces.

Autel, along with Rtas 'Vadumee, First Lieutenant Joseph Forenson, and a platoon of Marines, launched an assault on the Jiralhanae cruiser Tenacious Predator, and planned to take control of it, gather forces in space, and head to Earth.

Battle of Installation 00
Autel had been one of the Special Operations Sangheili whom were deployed from the carrier, and was among the Sangheili that found the Ark's Cartographer, venturing on a high-risk recon mission to do so. He was part of the team that attacked the second shield generator, and was part of the assault on the Citadel.

2556
When Fleet Master Rtas 'Vadum found SPARTAN-116 in space, Autel 'Vadam was assumed to be on board the Shadow of Intent, although he was never seen on board.

Reach
Autel was with Thel when the Cessation arrived at the rebuilt planet Reach. He had hurriedly returned to the Sangheili camp established there to warn the other Elites.

When the Spartans, Cephaus, and a Special Operations unit scouted out Reach's surface, Autel accompanied them. They had come across a group of Covenant Loyalists led by the Brute Chieftain Othrys, and had a massive battle. Autel survived, and aided Thel in the battle against Othrys.

After the death of Oberion the Great, Autel went with Thel and SPARTAN-116 to the downed Cessation to destroy it, and succeeded in overloading its core. He then returned to the Shadow of Intent with Thel.

2559
Autel married Cyla 'Cazal at some point between 2556 and 2559, and had 3 offspring. However, they, along with thousands of other newborns, were kidnapped by the Sangheili separatist group, The Fallen. Thel asked the Spartans to help them track down the leader, and 19 Spartans were sent. When a Vadam elder found out that the Fallen leader, Isto 'Vadum, was headed to Earth, the humans were taken into custody, and forced to run a trial. Autel became greatly resentful of this, stating that they were very untrusting of the UNSC when they had helped the Sangheili so much, and suffered so much at their hands. He did everything he could to prove that the humans didn't have anything to do with the Fallen, and was successful.

Zeta-9
"After I witnessed a mass slaughter of Sangheili recruits by the Jiralhanae, I told myself I would help any warrior I deemed worth the effort."

- Autel to Wings-D339

A Covenant outpost world where Autel assisted a young Phoenix team in destroying a Covenant outpost. This is where he first met his future friend, Wings-D339. Autel quickly came to admire Wing's genius ability to intuitively pick out the proper targets and the path to get there.

During the battle Wings was grievously wounded, and Autel and his team, along with the remaining Spartans, held the line long enough for med-evac to arrive. This event ensured Phoenix team's trust in Autel 'Vadam.

Siege of Alpha-Alpha-Golf
Autel 'Vadam and his team of commandos assisted Spartan Teams Phoenix and Hawk during the Siege, helping them to cut off Covenant supply lines.

Aftermath of the Siege of AAG
Autel left the planet immediately following the battle and rejoined Phoenix Team on a small Separatist cruiser.

October 21st, 2568
It was on a small, unnamed planet that Autel and Wings saved each others lives. While Wings was being throttled by the Judicator, Autel threw himself at the huge brute, and was mortally wounded when it hit him with a shockwave from a gravity hammer. Wings immediately disengaged and carried Autel to safety while Peec and Fira held the Judicator off.

Hours later, Wings struck a superior officer in order to gain access to the proper medical equipment needed to save Autel's life.

October 24th, 2568
Late in the day Autel was sent on a mission with Wings to infiltrate a small Covenant research base. Earlier in the day the AI Deep Ocean had discovered basic blueprints for some kind of new Covenant super weapon. After sneaking their way through the base Autel and Wings uncovered plans on the new Covenant weapon, a Graviton Cannon.

November 15th, 2568
During this Covenant base raid Autel and Fira assisted Phoenix Team in grabbing more information on the Graviton Cannon, as well as collecting samples of its technology.

Appearance and Personality
"You weren't raised like most Sangheili."

- Wings-D339

"No, I wasn't."

- Autel 'Vadam

At Autel's first appearance on Reach, he was described as being "pale-skinned". When Othrys saw Autel, he had mentioned him stopping a schism, which took place in the story The Darkest Hour.

In 2552, Autel was very innovative. He hid his feelings well, and was able to quickly adapt to the situation when he realized what the Jiralhanae were doing. He made a few mistakes in combat, although this was because he did not graduate yet and had never fought Jiralhanae before. In a battle against a group of Jiralhanae Autel sustained wounds from the blades of a Type-25 Carbine (Spiker), leaving his face scarred. The scars are only visible when he removes his helmet.

In 2556, Autel seems to have matured and is very quiet, becoming more careful with his emotions. He had joined the Sangheili Special Operations unit more or less in 2552. While other Elites may taunt their enemies and gloat, he would merely remain silent. This differs from Thel's personality in the canon novel Halo: The Cole Protocol. He is a very disciplined and excellent soldier. Autel is also very obedient and honourable.

By the time Autel met Phoenix Team on a Covenant outpost world in 2567, Autel had become a Commando squad leader (or Special Operations Officer), and thus wore black armor.