- last post: 01.01.0001 12:00 AM PDT
man you guys are bad at understanding things. here read this... read all of it to understand...
The Ninth Age occurred between the Earth years 2525 and the current year, 2552. Thus far, this age has been tumultuous for the Covenant, and has featured a war with humanity, the unleashings of the Flood, and a civil war simultaneously.
When the Covenant first came into contact with Humanity at the planet Harvest, they waged a twenty-five year religious war that destroyed almost every world colonized by humans. Even the battles won by the UNSC's advanced Spartan soldiers were unable to slow the advance of the Covenant. Earth remained undiscovered in part because of the Cole Protocol, a standing order by UNSC Admiral Cole, that directed retreating UNSC ships not chart a direct course back to Earth in case the Covenant were able to follow. In fact, ships were required to self-destruct rather than lead the Covenant to Earth. This decision was apparently successful and the Covenant did not discover Earth until the events of Halo: First Strike.
When the Prophet of Regret and his fleet arrive at Earth, they appear to be surprised that humanity is on Earth. This gives us a clue that, perhaps, they came to Earth for other reasons.
The Human War, combined with the subsequent and simultaneous Civil War, the threat of heretic forces, and the Master Chief's infiltration of and the Flood invasion of High Charity splintered the Covenant into heretic/separtist/etc. and loyalist forces. The High Prophets of Mercy and Regret, Tartarus, and many of the Councilors have been killed, leaving the Covenant in a precarious position.
The Prophet of Regret most likely went to Earth in search of the Ark, a structure built by the Foreruners to activate installations 01-07. The Ark is thought to be located near New Mombasa, as observed in the Halo 3 trailer.
[Edited on 6/16/2006]