- last post: 01.01.0001 12:00 AM PDT
You know, I always thought of High Charity as the Ark. It is known that the Prophets claim to have evolved on a once Forerunner-inhabited world and that High Charity is the Prophet homeworld. Notice the actual city on High Charity. The buildings are angular and does not resemble Covenant archeitect as all. They resemble human structures or Forerunner archeitect. Within the Prophets' council chamber, there are also ornamental tablets with motifs unmistakably of Forerunner origin. This leads me to believe High Chairty is a Forerunner city. It would seem only the Prophets' sanctum was Covenant built. The Forerunner Ship is practically part of the city as the surroundings intergrate it like a completeness of a picture. It's not like there's a Forerunner Ship sitting in the middle of nowhere. I believe that the Forerunner built this artificial world as a means of defense and survival against the Flood. A celestial planet would be an easy target for a invasion, but a world that can relocate itself via slipstream wouldn't. It is also noted that High Charity has a near impentrable exterior defense system. If so, then High Charity would also be a titanic battle station much like a Death Star. While it may be that High Charity's exterior is a hollowed-out moon, if it wasn't then the battered appearance would likely signify a previous siege. The Flood infested In Amber Clad didn't penetrate High Charity's defense, it slipstreamed through it like teleporting in.
The Forerunner, when they constructed High Charity, must've thought of every conceivable countermeasure if the Flood were to breach High Charity. The Forerunner Ship, was meant as a last resort option. If the Flood were to invade High Charity, all within the city would board the Forerunner Ship to evacuate. This is exactly what Truth did near the end of Halo 2. Cortana's detection of a foreign AI trying to sabotage her efforts of delaying the launch for MC to escape likely means there's a Forerunner AI aboard the vessel, readying the ship for takeoff. Someone like Truth doesnt' seem one to single-handedly pilot the Forerunner Ship so I'm guessing that the Forerunner Ship is set on autopilot to Earth. The Prophets' know. The Covenant was founded on lies and deceit. We know the Prophets and Elites were once at war. Presumably, the Prophets know that they cannot defeat the Elites, so they used the Forerunner legacy to forge a truce and make everyone believe that activating Halo will bring them salvation. Instead, it is the complete opposite. When Halo is activated, all would die save the Prophets, who are to journey to Earth where they will be safe(this also explains the Heretics and why the Prophets were to jittery in silencing them before word spreads. They chose the Arbiter, an outsider. And note Truth cuts off Heretic Leader before he can reveal what Halo actually does). This is subtly revealed in Mercy's last words when he tells MC that Truth is going to Earth and "none of you will be left behind", meaning the humans will survive because Earth is their homeworld. Truth even said so himself on High Charity: "I have listened to the Oracle and it has been confirmed now. The Great Journey begins at Earth". The Prophets found the perfect excuse to oust the Elites and replace them with the Brutes. The Brutes are fanatically loyal(and it is likely they know the Prophets' game plan against he grudge they hold with the Elites), and as Tartarus implies: "And the Brutes, not the Elites, will be the Prophets' escort". Well, now the Elites know they're being screwed over both ways. Meaning salvation begins at Earth?. Henceforth, Earth may be the last stand against the Flood following the fall of High Charity.
As for the topic, I rest my opinion that the Ark could either be the Forerunner Ship, High Charity, or Earth. All three plays a part in salvation against the Flood, in biblical revelation to Noah and the Great Flood. Since the Ark is usually referred to as a large ship, this makes the Forerunner Ship and High Charity a possibility.