- last post: 01.01.0001 12:00 AM PDT
The Covenant have always believed that the Halo's will bring salvation. They don't know exactly what the Halo's do once activated, but they do know that it is what wiped out the Forerunners. They know that it is a weapon, but don't know what it does. Remember, they refer to them as the Holy Rings. Hence the Salvation. As for Keyes' quote, if you combine it with Cortana's quote it makes perfect sense. The Covenant know that Halo is a weapon, and they know that it is powerful, so, whoever controls it, can decide whether or not to activate it and wipe out life in the Universe or not. They make perfect sense. You don't fight Heretics on Alpha Halo. The Heretics are Covenant who rebelled against the cause remember? So the Heretics are most likely Covenant who know what Halo truly does and don't like it, so they rebelled.
Also, when a Halo is activated, the Covenant believe that it begins a little thing known as The Great Journey remember?
[Edited on 7/5/2006]