Halo: The Cole Protocol

Looking for the Cole Protocol, a military law of the UNSC?

Halo: The Cole Protocol is the sixth novel based on the Halo Universe. It is written by Tobias S. Buckell. Cole Protocol will be the last novel under the contract with Tor Books and is scheduled to be released on November 25th, 2008.

Press Release
"Halo: The Cole Protocol will be the sixth novel set in the Halo Universe. Tobias S. Buckell, author of Crystal Rain and Ragamuffin will write the novel, which reveals the location of the Spartan Gray Team and "puts readers into an unexplored conflict of the Human-Covenant War where unlikely alliances are formed and shattered..."

From The Author's Website
"Buckell continues an excellent tradition that’s now a solid aspect of the Halo novels, bringing a fresh new perspective to a limitless universe and bringing his prodigious writing talents to bear in ways that will surprise and engage fans of the series and newcomers alike."

- Frank O'Connor.

Halo: The Cole Protocol will be the sixth novel set in the Halo Universe. Tobias S. Buckell, author of Crystal Rain and Ragamuffin will pen the novel.

Bungie expatriate and Microsoft’s Franchise Development Director Frank O'Connor had this to say on the upcoming book, which is slated for release on November 25, 2008:

Plot
"...which reveals the location of the Spartan Gray Team and "takes readers into an unexplored conflict of the Human-Covenant War where unlikely alliances are formed and shattered..."

- The Cole Protocol Announcement

''In the first, desperate days of the Human-Covenant War, the UNSC has enacted the Cole Protocol to safeguard Earth and its Inner Colonies from discovery by a merciless alien foe. Many are called upon to rid the universe of lingering navigation data that would reveal the location of Earth. Among them is Navy Lieutenant Jacob Keyes. Thrust back into action after being sidelined, Keyes is saddled with a top secret mission by ONI. One that will take him deep behind enemy lines, to a corner of the universe where nothing is as it seems.''

''Out beyond the Outer Colonies lies the planet Hesiod, a gas giant surrounded by a vast asteroid belt. As the Covenant continues to glass the human occupied planets near Hesiod, many of the survivors, helped by a stronghold of human Insurrectionists, are fleeing to the asteroid belt for refuge. They have transformed the tumbling satellites into a tenuous, yet ingenious, settlement known as the Rubble–and have come face-to-face with a Covenant settlement of Kig-Yar. . . yet somehow survived.''

''News of this unlikely treaty has spread to the warring sides. Luckily for the UNSC, this uneasy alliance is in the path of the Spartan Gray Team, a three man renegade squad whose simple task is to wreak havoc from behind enemy lines in any way they see fit. But the Prophets have also sent their best—an ambitious and ruthless Elite, whose quest for nobility and rank is matched only by his brutality. . . and who will do anything to secure his Ascendancy and walk the Path.''

Observations from Cover



 * The Spartan is wearing the Mark IV MJOLNIR armor, indicating that he has been isolated for a long period of time. Also, the Spartan has knife and shoulder devices (possible flashlight), which possibly means that the Spartan's choice of equipment was customized.


 * There is a Forerunner-looking structure in the background among the cliff. What appears to be an explosion is emanating from the structure, possibly revealing that Gray Team tried to destroy this structure, either because of the Covenant, Flood, possible Halo activation, or for some other reason.


 * There appears to be a planet or moon of a reddish color up in the sky. On the right side of the cover there is a mysterious glowing or sparkling object.


 * It seems the Spartan is walking upon an asteroid.


 * Possibly, there is a Covenant Plasma Torpedo in the Spartan’s visor reflection, this blue stream could also be the glowing rocks on the bottom right of the cover. Also, an orange glow is also on the visor, in the original cover, it's presumed to be a rifle shooting, but in the new cover, it looks more orbish.

Trivia

 * Gray Team is the designation for a mysterious team of three SPARTAN-IIs that are said to be "on battlefields too distant to be easily recalled". Therefore, they are still wearing the MJOLNIR Mk.IV Powered Assault Armor, instead of the new Mk.V and VI models.
 * The Cole Protocol is the protocol that dictates what ships are supposed to do, in the event of a Covenant encounter.
 * There are several notable differences between the original cover and the final version, such as the shoulder device, the presence of a second Spartan in the background, and the weapon the cover's main Spartan carries.