- Wolverfrog
- |
- Fabled Legendary Member
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The plasma arc sailed through the vacuum of space, smashing with silence into the shield-less hull of a battered UNSC ship. Small flurries of flame began to cascade along the Halcyon Class Cruiser, before the vessel exploded in a flurry of light.
R'tas clenched his fist in anger.
"Destroy the parasite scow that did that," he breathed, leering out at the scene before him. The ships of the UNSC, Covenant and Separatist Elites were lined up, facing the seemingly infinite wave of the Flood flotilla.
The human AI assigned to help pilot the Shadow of Intent complied with the spoken command, firing the Assault Carrier's multiple pulse-laser turrets, which flew through the space between the two fleets at the speed of light, tearing through the offending ship's shields. A MAC shot fired by a human ship in the armada followed, tearing a deadly hole through the heat of the Cruiser. Flood forms on board the ship were sucked out of the vessel, before their lungs burst and they floated limp in space.
"A solid kill sir," the AI, named Maria, reported. R'tas grinned.
"Bring the Intent further up the line, nearer to the human ships. Our shields are strong, and the humans' are not. We shall bare the brunt of the Flood attack on them."
The Assault Carrier veered sharply to the left, pulling a manoeuvre which would shear a lesser ship clean in half. The Shadow of Intent moved near the faltering UNSC fleet, essentially acting as a giant decoy. The Flood ships targeting the humans instantly responded to this new threat, and soon enough waves of plasma and lasers rippled across the sturdy shields of the Elite flagship.
"Thanks for the decoy Imperial Admiral," the fleetcom voice belonged to relieved Fleet Admiral Harper. "All UNSC ships, push forward and fire on my command!"
R'tas watched as the human ships sailed closer to the Flood vessels, where they would be more effective. The Parasite seemed intent on depleting the Shadow of Intent's shields however, not noticing the human fleet stealing along their blind side.
The Flood are wasting their time anyway, R'tas thought smugly as he stared down at the shield reservoir indicator. The barrier still held at a steady 62%, even after three continuous minutes of concentrated Flood fire.
One of the Flood frigates finally seemed to notice the UNSC ships, but it was too late.
"Fire!" Harper commanded.
Before the frigate's fellows could turn, the humans opened near-point blank fire on the Flood from only a few miles away. The frigate, and in turn the rest of the small flotilla attacking the humans was wiped out in a blazing fire of ARCHER missiles and MAC rounds.
"A worthy blow human," R'tas congratulated the Fleet Admiral. Harper's voice still sounded grim though.
"Merely a thorn in the Flood's side Vadum'. They still have nearly five hundred ships. We have just over half that number, including the Brutes and your ships. We won't be able to hold out much longer -- a few hours at the most."
R'tas nodded understandably, but reminded Harper of the role the fleets were playing in this.
"We are but a distraction Admiral. As you and I both know, the real battle wages on Sangheilios' surface."
Harper sighed over the fleetcom.
"Everything rests on the Chief and his task force. If they fail, we all--"
The voice suddenly went dead. Concerned, R'tas stared out at Harper's ship, the Soul of Ice. Blue fire played across the surface of the Destroyer, and its shields had faded. It did not take long for R'tas to find the source of the attack.
Ten Flood ships had just materialised from an active camouflage, launching an all-out attack on the UNSC flagship. They must have diverted all their power to their weapon systems, for when R'tas gave the sharp order, the blasts thrown at the ships tore through them with ease, not encountering any shielding.
Ten ships sacrificed to take out one. This battle is like a gigantic game of Chess, R'tas thought to himself, scrabbling for the intercom.
"Soul of Ice. Soul of Ice, do you read?" he demanded, receiving nothing but static.
Then a wheezy coughing sounded from the other end of the line.
"This is Harper. God damn it, what the hell was that?" the human Admiral sounded weak.
"Flood surprise attack. We dealt with them, but not before they landed your flagship a crushing blow. What's your status?"
There was silence for a few moments.
"Bad," Harper finally reported. "Engine Maintenance isn't responding, and half the bridge's been torn away. Life support is down."
"Hold on, I'm sending a volley of shuttles to evacuate you."
"Negative Imperial Admiral, this bird could explode at any moment. The fusion core seems to be damaged. We'll hold out as best as we can, those who are able to will head to the life boats."
"Can you reach a life boat?" R'tas demanded nervously.
"I'm afraid not. The Bridge blast doors have sealed, and outside them there's nothing but cold space. Keep fighting, we've got enough oxygen to last a little over an hour."
"And if the fusion core of your ship goes critical?"
Harper paused.
"Then it's been an honour serving with you R'tas. Harper out."
* * * * * * * *
Phillip Eden crawled out of his demolished cell, coughing. Flames flickered around him, the searing heat threatening to end his newly freed life.
A small magnum lay a few feet outside the cell, and Eden picked it up, checking the chamber. Nice and full.
He braced his arms against the wall for a few moments, regaining the orientation he had lost when all nine circles of hell had smashed into the Soul of Ice.
Eden then heard the automated message playing out of a speaker in the detention corridor wall's corner.
"Shields are down. Engine not responding. Life support failed. Fusion Core at near critical levels. Crew members are advised to evacuate to the nearest life boat immediately."
The message then repeated in several different commonly spoke languages. Eden understood all of them.
I need to get the hell off this boat, Eden thought determinedly, staggering on unstable legs to the bottom of a stair case. He stared up at the neon sign embedded into the detention block wall.
LIFE BOAT STATIONS ON UPPER FLOOR.
The capitalised words cut through Eden's shell shocked mind, and he began to clamber up the staircase with a dogged sense of direction. He reached the top, and saw crew members running around frantically. A rough look marine seemed to be trying to impose order on the evacuation effort.
"Please everyone, walk in an orderly fashion, single line. There are enough life boats for every body."
Waiting until the marine was facing the other way, Eden ducked into the writhing crowd, blending in perfectly. He shoulder barged his way past the masses. As it became clear that a particularly dense bunch of people would not budge, Eden drew out his magnum and fired it skywards. The actual bullet tumbled to the ground harmlessly as it hit the tough ship ceiling, but the crack of noise produced by the weapon drew the attention of the crowd, who scurried out of the way with a startled cry.
Eden sidled along the narrow pathway that thus formed, soon reaching the front of the queue forming to get into the lifeboats.
As he attempted to climb inside an empty one, Eden felt a hand grasp his shoulder, and pull him backwards.
"You will wait to be assigned into a group before boarding a lifeboat," the marine instructed firmly, throwing Eden roughly into a few crew members.
A near critical fusion core doesn't give me the luxury of time, Eden decided, bringing his pistol up and pointing it at the marine. As if warned by a sixth sense, the marine looked up from his clipboard to see the barrel of the gun aiming at his heart. Before he could even attempt to move away, Eden's finger closed around the trigger, and the marine fell to the ground.
A new wave of screaming broke out as the crew members behind Eden stared at him in horror. Choosing at random, he grabbed a small woman from the crowd and wrapped an arm around her neck, pointing his pistol at her temple.
"Drop your weapons!" Eden bellowed at the marines who had responded to the gun shot. The soldiers had Assault Rifles aimed at Eden, and looked hesitant to lower them.
"Drop them!" Eden shrieked, driving the gun he held harder into the side of the woman's head. She began to sob pitifully, and this was the trigger that made the marines finally throw their weapons on the ground.
Without even taking the time to say a final, sarcastic remark, Eden back into the lifeboat with his hostage, and hit a button. The door began to seal. Before it did so fully, Eden kicked his hostage out of the lifeboat, and she tumbled to the floor outside. The marines instantly dove for their weapons, aiming them at Eden, but by then the bullet proof doors had all but fully sealed, and the 7.62mm rounds bounced uselessly off the lifeboat pod.
"Sorry chaps, but I ride solo," Eden whispered as he turned to activate the lifeboat controls. He'd take firmer control of the pod later -- right now all he needed to do was put a mile or so between him and the Soul of Ice.
He slammed a fist into the disengage button, and the lifeboat broke away from the Destroyer class ship, sailing out into the expansive reaches of space.
Eden managed to reach a safe distance just before the Soul of Ice's fusion core went critical, and the flagship of the UNSC fleet shattered in a gargantuan explosion.
[Edited on 01.09.2010 7:45 PM PST]