The mission to draw the Covenant forces away from Earth has

 failed.  The surviving defenders who were shot down on the 

distant planet Halo have been killed and the SPARTAN project 

has been captured.  Humans flee with great terror as the 

Covenant forces attack key targets of Earth without remorse.  

The only hope of survival lies in the team of SPARTAN 

engineers who fled the planet Reach when the Covenant first 

attacked.  In a desperate struggle the engineers, along with a 

small team of soldiers, were able to board a transport ship and 

warp into deep space.  Where they ended is unknown, but few

 traces of communication have been found.  The people of 

Earth must form and find a way to contact the engineers and 

bring them home to construct the SPARTAN RESISTANCE.