Uprising 's story begin after the events of Halo 2 , in which the alien collective known as the Covenant discover the location of Earth and begin a full @-@ scale invasion of their enemy 's homeworld . The supersoldier Master Chief is stowed away aboard an ancient Forerunner ship . On a course set for Earth , he is overwhelmed by a Covenant strike force and rendered unconscious . In the next scene , Colonel James Ackerson is being tortured by Covenant forces on Mars , to whom he betray the existence of something called " The Key of Osanalan . " Ackerson admit the Key is located in Cleveland , Ohio . In Cleveland , the narrative follow the point of view of a hotel concierge named Ruwan as the city fall under attack by Covenant forces . In the mayhem he meet a woman named Myras Tyla . Tyla remain calm even as Ruwan edge towards all @-@ out panic . The pair are captured and with other residents herded into a sports stadium . The Covenant declare that the humans must give up the location of the Key to save their lives ; Tyla is confused , but Ruwan state he know exactly what it is .