An encounter with Johnson’s fellow TEBUCHET squad leader, Byrne, creates a scuffle in the barracks as Byrne still held Johnson accountable for what had transpired during their covert mission. Once the dust had settled Johnson finds himself pondering why exactly he had been transferred to the sticks. He surely could have been dishonorably discharged after going AWOL prior to his transfer but he not only maintained rank, he was offered to lead a new squadron albeit a squadron consisting of raw recruits with very limited combat experience if any. At the behest of Harvest’s Governor, Thune, Captain Ponder and Johnson are cordially invited to be his guests at a social party. It is during this social event that Johnson is officially informed of his mission and exactly why he wound up on Harvest.
While each scenario unfolds for Johnson back at Harvest, a more sinister event is currently taking place. A Covenant cruiser is perusing the galaxy in hopes of finding Forerunner relics; a process which never ceases to stop. They are on the edges of space as they know it, precariously teetering on the edge of their own borders. The High Council of Prophets sent them on this journey granting them the freedom to search as far and wide as they desired. Their leader, a female Elite named Chur’R-Yar, was Shipmistress of their vessel Minor Transgression and had come up empty handed throughout the journey thus far. With her shipmates fatigued and exhausted the crew prepared to make a Slipstream jump towards their next destination. Before coordinates and vector could be calculated to proceed with the jump, Shipmistress Chur’R-Yar notices another vessel. The architecture and structure of the craft bared no resemblance to any know Covenant ship. Hoping it may be exactly what she was looking for, Chur’R-Yar sends Minor Transgression on an intercept course to retrieve the possible relic. Only a cargo of fruit awaits them although Dabdab, a Grunt who had attained the rank of Deacon, retrieved the ship’s AI where upon further examination it revealed the vessels origin and destination. Intrigued and foreseeing a profit, the Shipmistress sets course near the Human vessels destination intent on uncovering the profitable relics for her own gain, a sin punishable by death in the Covenant hierarchy. After the ship containing perishable goods was effectively destroyed, Minor Transgression stumbled upon yet another cargo vessel although unbeknownst to them; both Johnson and Byrne are concealed within the ship awaiting the attack. Upon entrance into the cargo ship, the Covenant, comprised primarily of Elites, is met by two of the UNSC’s finest. After a brief altercation, Shipmistress Chur’R-Yar destroys the ship but not before Dabdab and a single Huragok flee the coup in an escape pod.
With a minor victory in tow, Johnson and Byrne speak with both Thune and their mysterious commanding officer immediately following recovery for an official debrief. Threatened by the aliens’ presence, it is agreed that Harvest request reinforcements from a UNSC fleet. It could take weeks for assistance to arrive when considering the distance between their docking stations and the time it will inevitably take to amass such forces. Adding insult to injury, the residents of Harvest are not too keen on the idea of having a UNSC armada in orbit over their home planet. However, Governor Thune finagled his way into persuading the residents to believe it was for their own safety under the guise of a possible Insurrection attack.
Knowing the aliens would return, Johnson knew he could only do one thing; train his militia to be an effective combat force. The training exercises become intense as all parties aware of the Covenant engagement are cognizant of their superior weapons and technology. Only a select few on the Planet’s surface are aware of Harvest’s eminent danger being that not a single recruit or Harvest citizen was informed. Their hastened training was attributed to a smoke screen created by ONI with false information that an upcoming attack by insurrectionists was the catalyst of the accelerated training process. Byrne and Johnson were hell bent on creating a force that could effectively put up a fight and save Harvest if the newly discovered aliens wished to destroy them or at the very least, slow them down even if it meant sacrificing both of their lives in the process.
The story culminates in the first attack on UNSC soil while following Johnson, Byrne, and their militia squadrons who are attempting to defend the planet until reinforcements arrive. Can they effectively combat their technologically advanced nemesis? Will reinforcements arrive in time? Will Harvest be spared? All of these questions and more are answered within the pages of Contact Harvest.
