- last post: 01.01.0001 12:00 AM PDT
Chapter 3.
UNSC Colony World Arcadia, ruins of Covenant Outpost, 0085 Military time.
"Jackson, status report?"
"Sir! Pelicans have just arrived, we've got heavy weapons and some reinforcements. We're setting up camp now, also it seems there are some ONI (Office of Navel Intelligence) spooks here as well."
ONI? What was ONI doing down here? Well whatever thought Dante.
"Anything else?" Asked Dante.
"Sir, we got ourselves a HAVOK nuke!"
A HAVOK nuke? A HAVOK nuke was a small tactical nuclear mine, a clean thirty - megaton explosive which could be detonated by a remote signal. The nuke alone could wipe out the whole city and any Covenant ships around it.
"Jackson, we're returning to camp, prep a Pelican for the wounded."
"Sir, yes sir!"
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UNSC Colony World Arcadia, Covenant Outpost, 0178 Military Time.
Three Shangheili walked into the ruins of the Covenant outpost. One of them was wearing white armor, while the other two wore the ceremonial armor of the Honor Guard.
"What happened here?!" One of the Honor Guard demanded.
"How were the humans able to destroy this base?" the other asked.
"It seems, the human had brought their rumored Demon." the white armor Shangheili said.
"A demon? What is that?" they both asked.
"It is a human who seemed to be trained from birth, bred for combat, just for the means of battle. The human rivals our own Shangheili warriors. I have seen it and fought it once. But I slayed it."
"A human that rivals our own Shangheili warriors? Heresy!"
"Enough. We shall pull back for now, the humans will send a scouting party. We shall have the Unoggy and Kig-Yar lay an ambush for them."
"Yes, Shipmaster." they both replied.
"The Prophet of Regret must be evacuated from this planet, we cannot take the chance that he will be injured. A Hierarch's safety must be our main priority."
With that, the 3 Shangheili left walking towards Arcadia City.
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UNSC Colony World Arcadia, Bridge of the UNSC Destroyer Andromeda, August 17, 2531 Military Calendar.
"Captain! 3 Covenant Frigates are advancing towards us! ETA 20 minutes estimate." Said Lieutenant Rodriguez from the Communications Station.
"So they figured out we're here eh." Muttered the Captain to himself.
"All hands to battle stations, sound the alarm, this is not a drill, I repeat this is not a drill. Arm the MAC Gun Lieutenant Garcia, bring reactors to 50%, arm Archer Missile pods, take the safety off from one of our Shiva's."
"Aye sir." Responded Garcia
The UNSC Destroyer Andromeda was not like any other Destroyer in the fleet. She had been outfitted with the latest UNSC technology. She was twice as large as the average UNSC destroyer, with at least 2 Meters thick of solid Titanium A. This ship could withstand a humongous beating. The ship carried 40 Archer Missile pods across, 20 down. They're were 50mm defense cannons against single ships. It held 2 MAC guns, although Destroyers usually held 3. These 2 MAC guns were special though. One of them was smaller, but could fire 3 shots in one charge. The second one was a heavy MAC gun that could probably destroy a Covenant frigate without worrying about its shields. Although the problem was that the MAC guns took an enormous amount of energy. The ships reactor was also of new reactor technology. It could the equivalent of up to 4 reactors which was also dangerous. The ship also held 3 AIs, one to assist the ship, one for Spartan 007's use, and one for point defense and navigation. Indeed, this ship was one of the most advanced in the fleet. But could it stand up to 3 Covenant Frigates?
"Silvia. Captain Reverinson said to the ships AI. Give me your best firing solution."
"Aye sir, working on it." replied a cool female voice.
"Mina, reverse thrusters, keep going until the Covenant Frigates are in weapons range."
"Aye sir!" Said another female AI.
The Captain was going to delay them for as long as possible. A UNSC fleet consisting of 10 ships was en route towards Arcadia, but they had to arrive later. They only sent one ship in order to maintain stealth for Operation Morning Sun.
"Estimated time till the fleet arrives?" asked Reverinson
"A little over 2 hours." Responded Silvia.
Reverinson cursed quietly. They would be able to buy at least 45 minutes before the fleet arrived.
"Give me 150% to reactors, Ensign Mackenzie, full reverse thrusters."
Ensign Mackenzie at the NAV station paused to look at the Captain. He hesitated then said :
"Aye sir, 150% to reactors, full reverse thrusters."
"Captain! One of the Covenant ships has engaged Slipspace!" came Silvia's voice.
What? Was it running? No, Damn it the Captain cursed quietly. He had forgotten that they could use short jumps and catch up to them.
"Silvia, give me an estimate at what position it will reappear."
"Aye sir, done. Sending you coordinates now."
Normally, the Captain would have launched Archer Missile pods in front of the area where the Covenant Ship was entering from Slipspace, but their shields made it a problem.
"Sir, Covenant Ship exiting from Slipspace." reported Silvia.
"Wait a minute..." continued Silvia. "It's shields seems to be deactivated."
Covenant Ships shields are deactivated when they exit from Slipspace? This would be useful.
"Well let's not wait for them to activate them, Garcia fire the MAC!"
"Aye sir, firing MAC."
A single round from the heavy MAC gun fired and ripped through the Covenant Frigate. The ship screamed and exploded.
"Captain! Both Covenant frigates have accelerated and are in firing range!"
The other Frigate was a diversion? Damn it thought the Captain. Wait a minute. He surveyed the battle area. He did have another option.
"Bring us to heading Zero twenty - three."
"Aye sir." Said Mackenzie.
"Captain, Covenant frigates are opening fire." Cried Silvia
"Estimated time till plasma hits?"
"25 seconds sir."
"Mina turn the ship then head to original destination."
"Aye sir." she replied calmly.
The plasma torpedoes accelerated and missed the Destroyer by mere inches. When the Andromeda arrived at its destination another Covenant Frigate appeared in front of it.
"Covenant Frigate opening fire sir."
The Captain grinned, he had been counting on this. The Covenant frigates opened fire, but they hit the debris from the destroyed Covenant frigate. Then the cool-down period between the Frigates shots began.
"Fire Archer missile pods at heading Zero thirty - two."
"Sir, that takes the missiles away from the frigates!" Said Garcia.
"I'm aware of that Lieutenant. Fire the MAC at the frigate in front of us."
"Aye sir, firing MAC."
The Andromeda fired a single MAC round at the Covenant frigate taking down its shields.
"Ram that son of a -blam!- while its still dead in the water!" Ordered the Captain.
The Andromeda accelerated forward ramming the Covenant ship smashing it head on.
"Damage report!" Bellowed the Captain
"No serious damage sir, small hull breach, sealing bulkhead doors."
The Covenant ship forced back by the Andromeda took no serious damage, but suddenly hundreds of tiny dots of explosions filled the Covenants hull. The Andromeda had pushed the Covenant to where it had launched the Archer missiles. The Covenant Frigate screamed and blew up into bits.
"Two down, one to go." thought the Captain.
"Captain, last Covenant Frigate is opening fire at us." said Silvia calmly.
"Arm the heavy MAC gun Silvia, give me your best firing solution."
"Aye sir, MAC ready Captain, firing at your order."
If this MAC missed, the Andromeda's power would run out. The heavy MAC took up a lot of the ship's power.
"Wait a minute, sir, Covenant ship launching single ship fighters! said Silvia.
"Launch Longsword pilots, Mina, ready port defense."
"Aye sir!" they both replied in unison.
"Fire the MAC."
The ship's MAC gun fired a heavy round, which tore through the Frigates shields and the frigate itself. The ship blew into bits, while the incoming Seraph fighters came and bombarded them. The Andromeda's 50mm cannons targeted them and shot them down. Longsword pilots zeroed in on the Seraphs and destroyed them.
"I don't believe it..." muttered Mackenzie his face stern.
"I think we just won!" said Garcia who barely seemed to be able to contain his excitement.
"Sir! The Fleet has arrived, getting incoming message from the Leviathan." Said Lieutenant Rodriguez.
A mixture of 10 UNSC ships arrived, destroyers, frigates, and a single cruiser. The Leviathan was a UNSC Cruiser, which was one of the largest ships in the fleet.
"Put it on screen Lieutenant."
An old man appeared on the screen. His hair was gray, which edges of white. His face was wrinkled, and his eyes sad like he had seen death one - to many times. On the shoulder of his uniform however, were 3 stars.
"Vice Admiral Sir!" Said Reverinson as he snapped a salute.
"The names Harvard son. A damn fine job you did here, taking out 3 Covenant Frigates with a single Destroyer? We need more like you." replied Harvard as he returned the Captain's salute.
"Thank you sir."
"Listen up, we're sending you and an escort down to planet surface. You're to take back Arcadia city and line up an assault against Covenant forces down there. Now that you've taken out their orbital support, it should be easy pickings for you."
This plan worried Reverinson. There were several flaws in it, but it was of course, an order.
"Sir, yes sir."
He turned and said to Silvia :
"Take us down planet side, keep Longsword fighters out as a precaution."
"Aye sir, taking us down."
Another destroyer, the Centaur followed the Andromeda, and headed with it towards the planet's surface.
[Edited on 05.31.2009 11:25 AM PDT]