- last post: 01.01.0001 12:00 AM PDT
My opinion/theory: I read the books and believe the Ark uses the same technology the Crystal from the books used. The Crystal I'm refering to, in case you don't know, was able to bend time & space. This clearly shows the Forerunners had time-bending technology available to them. The Ark's name in a biblical sense would suggest it's a way to survive the destruction the rings would cause. It's important to keep in mind the rings do not cause physical damage to planets, structures, atmospheres, or other non-life. The rings only killed sentient life, living organisms. Ironically, it has no effect what-so-ever on the Flood (besides the fact it kills their 'food' which starves them, forcing them to devolve and go into hibernation).
Back to my point, I believe the Ark utalizes the same time-bending technology the crystal did only to a greater scale. The Forerunners were a highly advanced race and it's almost universal fact that they created the Flood (or at least harvested them) as apposed to simply stumbling across them. I fail to believe that a civilization that advanced would not have came about intelligent means to survive their own weapon. It all fits into place nicely, actually. Basically, I think it transports them by binding time to a future time - AFTER the halo rings have fired. This would effectively allow them, and only them, to survive.
Why they designed everything in this manner I'm not going to get into. I have theories there too, but thats theory based on theory and it becomes a bit of a guestimation at that point.
I'd also like to point out that while I do like your theory, you asked how the Covenant survived. The answer is: They didn't. The Covenant didn't exist at the time. The Halo rings fired a long, long... LONG LONG time ago. Humans and the various races of the covenant came after the first firing of the rings, presumably anyway. Theres nothing to suggest otherwise, as no race was around during the firing of Halo (and any that were are now no more, heh)
[Edited on 7/26/2006]