Operation Shattered Star [Space]

[tellos]

Shipmaster Pergothrisee
Location: Bridge of the CNV Unbridled Wrath exiting slipspace

As the fleet emerged from the jump to the system he looked to his tactical display. “We have arrived Shipmaster.” Spoke his navigational officer.

“Good, our scout had one human vessel here last we knew.” He spoke as it came upon screen he looked at the cruiser. They began their approach the ships all keeping formation. “Focus on chasing it away first, out first duty is to get the ground forces a beach head. Once we get closer send all fighters from all ships to out, half will aid in air support half will keep the human ship occupied until we can get a beach head established.” He spoke as they sped up slowly. As they approached one of the Destroyers was struck by a salvo of missiles knocking its shields down before one MAC round slammed into it. The destroyer Pious Vengeance had its port wing demolished. Another round flew into it smashing through the core making it explode, the cruiser was already trying to turn, slowly seeking to get away while it had a chance.

“Continue as ordered to not let it lure us it may have other ships waiting in ambush.” He ordered with a stern voice. The ships slowly began to launch their dropships, the first wave mostly meant to get them a beach head. As the Serephs flew down with them they broke off only after enter the atmosphere.

The Fall of Despair was first to finish and then broke off to get to its position to defend the others while they let out their craft. Then one by one the ships all followed suit, the three frigates did first. The two destroyers did second and lastly the Unbridled Wrath finished her first wave. “Alright be prepared the second wave will be ready to drop on Field Master Triviousee’s word he had established a forward landing site.”



Commodore Fedorov
Location: Bridge of the UNSCS Path to Victory

As the ship moved at full speed to try and escape range of the Covenant ships Fedorov looked to his crew, “Keep putting distance between us and them and whatever planetary bodies we can. Send out a message to all nearby ships in outlaying systems we need assistance.” He said the Ukrainian man looked on helpless to do much while he was this badly outnumbered.

“Sir sent however the nearest system is an hour away at best.” His communications officer spoke.

“I know but we will just have to play cat and mouse until they arrive, god help us stay alive until then.” He spoke as he watched the Serephs approach on his tactical display. The MLA’s were ready when they got within range and began to try to fend them off. He had given the order to have fighters on standby but he didn’t want to send them yet. No he needed them for when they made a counter attack and wasting them on these guys unless they became a real danger was a waste, they had one chance to get this right.

Each ship the Covenant landed he knew was a chance for them to take the planet from the small force on the planet. He could only hope they had their damn firebase set up down there. The Serephs seemed to be moving in and out, they were trying to find a place with the least level of MLA fire to get attacks in.


[OOC: all players start here except any late ONI arrivals, your going to have to be in drop ships or for ODSTs in your drop pods. Covenant will be in drop ships and troop carriers.]

[darkfire27983]

Captain Netanya Rothschild
Location: UNSCS Salamis, Bridge
Two hours following receipt of distress call.

The bridge around them was quiet, punctuated only by an occasional status report and the electronic hum of the bridge electronics. Tension thick as the void was empty filled the bridge and she turned to look back at the tactical overlay. They were due to emerge from slipspace in another five minutes. To what they would emerge was the question. Of course, as Netanya studied the display she was reminded of why she was feeling even tenser than ever before. Though one of the more senior Captains in the UNSCN, she had never commanded a grouping of ships this large, and the responsibility it carried with it hung around her neck like an albatross.

Her own massive ship, Salamis (not even the current situation could dampen the momentary trill of pride), the Cruiser Siberia, and a handful of frigates and destroyers. All in all it was a powerful force. The Covenant however, rarely did things in bits and pieces, and for Commodore Federov to call for reinforcements like he did was not a good sign. When they got there, would they find him dead and the system reduced to glass like so many others in this damned war, or would he still be standing? Two hours was an incredibly long time when battles could be decided in as little as a few minutes. Netanya shook the thought from her mind. She had to believe that he was still alive, and that they stood a chance, as much for the peace of mind of her bridge crew as everyone else.

“What’s the readiness of our CSW?” she asked her XO, looking for anything to ablate the tension.

“The Longsword squadrons all report ready” he responded crisply, consulting his own repeater display “the Broadsword and Shortsword squadrons are arming now, they’ll be ready when we exit the slipstream.”

“Hmmm” Netanya drummed her fingers on her armrest in thought.
“Have the ODSTs ready to drop as well, the distress call indicated the Covenant was landing in force, they’ll likely be needed.”

Her XO, Commander Matthews balked “all of them ma’am?”

“Not the whole battalion no, lets retain a Company, the rest will be sorely needed I’m sure.” Her XO relaxed visibly, relaying the orders.

“Ten seconds till transit, Captain.” Lieutenant Lewandowski, her Navigator, remarked.

Netanya sat up straighter in her chair, focused on the countdown.

Three

Two

One.

“Take us through” she ordered, hands clenching her armrest reflexively. The sensation of falling, her stomach dropping through her feet, a brief prickly sensation, and several other sensations assaulted her as the ship and its consorts were hurled back into Einsteinian space, warning indicators spiking as particle shielding struggled to cope with the barrage. Slowly the ships systems (and its crew) came back online, and the visual displays flickered on, star speckled night replacing their long blank form.

“Inchoate” Netanya called out to the ship’s AI “where are we?”
Inchoate materialized on his pedestal, this time as a wolf. “The Task Force emerged 2.3 million Kilometers above the system’s ecliptic, approximately an hour away from the target planet.”

“Launch the Fighters, take us to our target” the Captain ordered.
Inchoate whimpered from his pedestal “I am detecting nuclear detonations far distant from our target planet.”

“That must be the Commodore, see if you can hail him and advise him that I am heading to rendezvous with the planet. Advise that I also intend to detach the screen under the command of Captain Wilkinson upon reaching the planet to attempt to reinforce him.” Her communications officer nodded, dispatching messages as the decks of Salamis thumped, her strikecraft launching shaking the ship to her bones. Netanya watched the tactical display in a semi mesmerized state as her orders were carried out. The fleet came together from the slight scattering effect of transit, and the two hundred and sixteen craft Salamis carried aboard her launched, shaking down into individual squadrons and assuming escort positions.

She smiled predatorily. Worry had left her, and now duty called.

“Let’s go get em.”

[usefuldave]

Captain Vadim Wilkinson
Location: UNSCS Siberia, Bridge
Two hours following receipt of distress call.

Tactically, the worst place to be engaged for a starship was directly after a slipspace jump, while they were still gathering themselves together, just like now. The Combined-Battle-Networking hadn’t even initialised yet, and they were limited to what data Perun could pull together from the Halcyon’s sensor arrays. At least they hadn’t emerged amid a Covenant battle-group, as the scuttlebutt said had happened to several fleets which had never returned.

“CBN is online, we’re linking with the Salamis now.” The disembodies voice of Perun called out, surprisingly holotank hadn’t even flickered, instead of the usual form of Perun’s avatar it portrayed a small-scale rendering of the system. Upon the model, the Task-Force’s position marked the moment it was clarified, now there was the unenviable task of finding where-ever the heck the Covenant vessels and Commodore Federov were engaged, assuming the officer hadn’t gotten himself vaped by the Covs.

Captain Wilkinson sighed, normally they were supposed to have advance warning, enough time to get in-system so they could start unloading their embarked forces and generally strengthening the colony prior to the attack. Here however? Some colony in the middle of nowhere that hadn’t even been fully established, why the hell was this much force being applied for such a small place?

The viewscreen beeped and flickered, updating the original tactical plot – formed by a quick visual-thermal-radiological scan of the immediate surroundings - showed the Task-Force as a series of vessels, with only the Salamis – and now the destroyer Fighting Chance – positively IDed. As more vessels shrugged off the radiation spike and brought their fleet-net capability online, it would eventually encompass the entire Task-Force.

“Sir,” Wilkinson looked up and across to his communications officer, Lieutenant Smith Wilson in response to his quick call. “A message from the Salamis, Captain Rothschild wants you to form up alongside with the screen. You are to hold formation until we’ve reached…” His voice faltered as he looked again at the message on screen. “…Er, Xai-Three-One-Eight-Eight. Then you are to detach the screen, and take it to reinforce the Commodore, wherever he remains.” Wilson cut it short there, knowing he’d messed up enough with the name.

The Captain had frowned at the drawn-out pronunciation, but he could understand his sub-ordinates confusion regarding it, he himself had never even heard of the thing until the briefing-file had come up. “Send a confirmation back, we’ll link with the screening forces as they come into fleet-net and form alongside the Salamis. However we could really do with a better idea of the Commodore’s location and just what we’re going to be fighting against. That’s all, Lieutenant.” With the message done he turned and strode over to the Operations station and Lieutenant Michael Tren. “Lieutenant, make sure the Longswords are ready to go, we might need them if we’re operating outside of the Salamis’ coverage.”

Lieutenant Tren nodded as he got to work, prioritising the Longsword Interceptors over the other craft such as the Pelicans and two Albatrosses carried aboard. While this would affect their ability to rapidly land troops, they still had twenty HEV bays aboard to drop a platoon in mere minutes should the need arise.

That wasn’t what Vadim had to worry about though, instead he had the responsibility for several smaller vessels to cope with, and knowing how badly the kill-ratios from human-covenant combat tended to turn out, he would be losing some. Another bleep from the viewscreen indicated a vessel identified, this time the frigate Light of the North. “Lieutenant Commander, any observations to add?” He asked, looking over to his executive officer, Lieutenant Irina Solenkov.

She had been studying the viewscreen, looking at the conditions under which they would have to fight, and what forces were in system to assist them. So far, nothing beyond the usual, not even a asteroid field to seed with HORNETs… “Sir, I’m wondering if we will be able to field enough forces upon the colony itself to hold it from ground attack. I think we might be better remaining in orbit to at least deploy the forces already in their bays.”

Wilkinson nodded, seeing the problems in defending a colony that might not even be able to sustain it’s own citizens yet, still living off packaged supplies fresh from the ship… Would it even be sustainable to live there after what this fight was going to do? “We’ll see, but the Captain knows best, doesn’t she?”

[Bippwatt]

Commander Sabrina Lansorson
Location: UNSCS Quoth the Raven, Bridge
Assigned with Task Force Salamis

Sabrina sat quietly as her ship, and it's crew, moved seamlessly on the gray nothing of slipspace.

"ETA?", she queried softly.

"Fifteen seconds, ma'am.", her navigator, Lieutenant Henry Benson, called out.

"Thank you." She smiled and knew in her heart that the Covenant would pay this day.

Three...two.....one.

"Exit! Calibrating sensors. Weapons online, MAC holding charge, ma'am" Cathy Baker turned her head to the commander.

"Flagship is dispatching orders. We are to-" Ensign Scott, the Raven's communications officer, was interrupted by a shout from Tactical.

"Detecting Nuclear detonations!

"Where?!" Sabrina spun about in her chair, looking at the main tactical plot. "What the...oh. I bet it's the Commodore. You were saying, Ensign?"

"Uhh, right. Orders say we are to hold position on Siberia's lower left flank and reinforce her MLA weapons along that area." Sabrina's eyebrows raised. Escort duty, huh? she thought.

"Very well. Anchor at minimal safe distance off of Siberia's lower left flank and roll to expose the most MLA's away from the larger vessel."

"Yes, ma'am!", came the barrage of replies and everyone turned to their consoles and set to work.

"Get ready, you Covenant bastards. We're coming for you." Sabrina muttered, her voice clouded with the rage borne of years of war with such a horrible monster.

[tellos]

Shipmaster Pergothrisee
Bridge of the Unbridled Wrath

“Ship master five ships dropped from slip space.” Spoke the helmsmen.

“Order all ships not unloading to form up and prepare to intercept. “ he roared with a new energy from the lethargic task of unloading ships he looked to the two large mass transports that had arrived soon after they had secured the beachhead for them. Slowly as orders went out each ship began to form up in a crescent formation with the Cruiser Unbridled Wrath in the center.


The second wave was being launched and they needed to buy the carrier ships to unload safely, Pergoth looked over his tactical display at the array of ships knowing they had not confirmed the other ship destroyed. Shields and weapons powered up and troops prepared for their assigned stations to under go possible attack, “pull back any seraph choirs still out, we will need them. Order them to dock and rearm and refuel for another round.”

They all gave affirmatives to his orders and the ship master watched now at the void of space, finally a fight he hoped more than the shoot and run he had before.


Commodore Fedorov
Bridge of the UNSCS Path to Victory

“Sir we have reinforcements arriving in system from slip space, the Carrier Salamis, Cruiser Siberia, Frigates Light of the North and Quoth the Raven , Quick and the Dead and finally the destroyer Fighting Chance.” His Tactical officer spoke as the Seraphs began to break away. “They are panning to get to the planet to try and break the blockade I think.”

“Then tell them we are on our way to join up with them ETA twenty minutes.” He said as he sighed in relief for their arrival, his mind now turned to the battle at hand. The Cruisers battered hull began to move and sped toward the awaiting task force, its engines powering up and slowly pushing it faster toward the group of friendly ships.

After three minutes the task force likely would be able to see them exit a large gas giant’s orbit where the ship had hid from the larger ships. The hull had damaged point defence systems and a few strikes from enemy bombers that riddled her hull with black marks on her normally proud hull.

The Marathon class Cruiser boldly began to approach the ships at full speed soon enough and before long was getting set to form up on the task forces flanks.

[Bippwatt]

"Ma'am! It's the Path! She's moving to join up with the Task Force."

Sabrina looked at the plot. Sure enough, the Marathon class cruiser was burning it's way through a slingshot around Rendel 6, the largest gas giant in the system, coasting just above it's large set of rings.

"Alright. The Siberia is going to link up with the Path. That means we are going to have the unfriendly task of screening two cruisers. Let's make sure all the i's are dotted and the t's are crossed." She turns to Operations. "Carol, seal off all bulkheads. Evacuate crew from non-critical locations and get everyone into skinsuits, if they aren't already. Also, release reactor safeties, just in case." The entire crew tensed at that. No one really liked that aspect of the Cole Protocol, but everyone knew why it was there.

"Now. Let's make these bastards pay!"

[darkfire27983]

UNSCS Salamis, Bridge

Captain Rothschild’s green eyes flashed dangerously as they flew over the stream of data flying at them. Salamis was continuing on course to the planet, but she couldn’t help wonder, was it wise to turn from the battle that would rage astern of her? True, her Carrier was a Carrier and was not meant for a direct engagement; its weapons were strictly defensive. There was something to be said for adding an additional MAC under any circumstance, and being closer to the fleet battle would mean less time her strikecraft had to travel to rearm.

“We been able to refine our readings any?” she asked, not looking up from her display.

“Not any more then we already have, ma’am” Lieutenant Commander Mitsui announced from Tactical. “Two large planetary assault barges. Looks like they’re de-orbiting now.”

Netanya’s mind raced. Those two barges between them could have a couple hundred thousand troops easily, not to mention whatever vehicles they carried inside them. Most likely, without even having realized it, the Covenant had effectively split the Task Force, for they had no choice but to honor the threat posed to the colony. As the Task Force continued to roar through space, she put the thought out of her mind. It was a huge relief to be able to defer command to someone else, and she turned her mind from thoughts of the Force at large and back where it should be, captaining her ship.

“Let’s send the 12th and 20th squadrons ahead, think they can handle those transports?” she asked, looking down at the repeater display containing her CSG, Commander Malik al-Adil.

The ever cocky commander of Salamis’s strikecraft compliment smiled back at her. “I have no doubt in the ability of my people to perform that mission.”

Netanya nodded in response. The 12th “Streloks” and 20th “Black Lions” were two of her more experienced Broadsword squadrons. Twenty-four strikecraft total, each carrying full anti-shipping loads of three Shivas each would be seventy-two missiles total. More than enough to overwhelm the point defense of two ships, if they could get there in time. “Let’s do it then.” Malik leaned out of his camera’s pickup, relaying orders, and the two squadrons moved on, leaving the task force behind them.

The Captain then looked up at her tactical officer. “Let’s get the MAC charged just in case, heavy load. We shouldn’t need it, but just the same. Ready a targeting solution for our archers on that cruiser as well. All of them. Keep it updated.”

Lieutenant Commander Mitsui blinked back at the Captain for a moment, but nodded, setting to work. The Salamis had 96 archer pods it could flush. If need be, it would make for a powerful reserve. Netanya stared at the main tactical plot as her bombers raced off.

“It shouldn’t be needed” she murmured to herself. If only she believed it.

[usefuldave]

Captain Vadim Wilkinson
Location: UNSCS Siberia, Bridge
Maintaining formation with UNSCS Salamis

“Well, that wasn’t exactly what I expected.” Wilkinson commented as he watched the extrapolated vector for the Path to Victory correspond to a surprisingly short interception time with the battered cruiser. After a quick comparison with some of the possible tracks thrown up by Perun, it seemed that he’d taken a good slingshot off a neighbouring gas-giant.

This kinda threw a spanner into their original orders, how could they break off at the planet to intercept their mutual friend if he was already amid their group. Not that it was a bad thing, keeping the Task-Force together would vastly increase not only their summed firepower, but also the protection capability for the all-important fleet carrier and the damaged Marathon about to link with them.

Navigations saw this as a good time to add a little tidbit regarding the Commodore’s ship. “Expected arrival time within the standardised formation envelope is nineteen minutes Captain, accounting for deceleration to link with us of course.” Wilkinson nodded at the Lieutenant before turning to operations. “Operations, make sure to adjust the screen to accommodate for the Path. We’ll need to keep her well covered considering the state of her point-defences.” And another officer was passed their orders to work from.

They were going to have to engage something sometime but just what and when would have to come down to the Commodore.

[Bippwatt]

Sabrina sat silently as the light chip on the main plot that represented the UNSCS Path to Victory crept closer and closer to the Task Force, which in turn was creping closer and close to the Covenant's forces.

"ETA to link up with the Path?", she asked softly, her voice loud in the near silence on the bridge.

"Estimated at five minutes and 43 seconds, ma'am" Henry glanced towards her as he responded to the inquiry.

"Thank you, Lieutenant." She smiled and looked back at the main plot. Glancing at her own data repeater, she did a quick whirl of math in her head. Given that the Path had damage, she was likely missing a good number of her MLA's. Which, given that the 40 she started with was barely good enough to fully cover her, she was likely feeling a bit...open. Chances were, given where they could see small bits of atmosphere leaking out of her, her top section was likely feeling the most vulnerable.

While the Siberia was light on MLA's, given her size, she still had two other frigates and a destroyer formed up on her. If the Raven could maneuver to the top of the Path, she could stop a majority of the Seraphs from getting at the Path's weak point. Admittedly, she only had 12 MLA's of her own, but that was 12 MLA's the Path didn't have and wouldn't, unless Sabrina chose to act.

But she had orders to protect Siberia's lower left flank. Maybe I could get approval to move to the Path, she thought. Screw it. The Path needed someone there and she was going to be damned if she would just sit around while a fellow UNSC vessel wallowed under the massive barrages of Seraph fighters!

"Comms! Get me a channel to the Salamis. I need to talk to Captain Rothschild."

"Aye, Aye Ma'am!" Orson spun back to his console and typed in commands. Sabrina patiently waited as he worked on the comm request.

[darkfire27983]

Lion 1-1, Cockpit

Alex Kolikowski of the 20th “Black Lions” set in the back of his command craft. It was, externally, the same as any other Broadsword in the UNSC; similar in profile to the Longsword, but blockier, with under-wing hardpoints for large ordinance. Inside, it had the same stations as the Longsword and Broadsword; Pilot, Copilot, Navigator, Engineer. Where it differed was that it had a station to the rear of the crew compartment with a miniature command plot. Alex’s was displaying the bombers of the 20th, arranged in a staggered diamond formation as it advanced towards its target. He shifted his flight harness, adjusting his vac suit to sit more comfortably. He was used to it of course, no Squadron CO attained his rank without pulling a lot of time in one, but it never quite achieved a point of comfort where he forgot he wore it.

His navigator broke the silence of the cockpit. “Oh-Five seconds to point Alpha” she announced.

“Copy that” came the automatic response of their pilot. Tension was high, but so was the sense of professionalism. Alex wasn’t a strict CO, but he tolerated little in the way of fooling around, particularly on a mission as serious as this. Sent ahead for a strike mission with no escort, constant vigilance was a necessity, not a luxury. The time passed quickly, and Alex grimaced as the Black Lions flipped over to decelerate. It was a short enough burn, only a few seconds, but they were effectively pointing the easiest to detect part of their ship straight in the faces of their enemy. RCS thrusters puffed again, and the ship was back on its attack run.

Alex swallowed, clicking on his mike with a sense of formality that he had yet to shake off. “Lion one-one to all ships, release of nuclear weapons is authorized; I say again, use of nuclear weapons is authorized. Authentication X-Ray Delta Alpha Two Two One. Cleared hot.”

Alex peered around his tactical console, straining against his shock frame in time to see the copilot/weapons officer of his craft put in the final authentication. The last lockout on their weapons was removed, and the nukes were now armed. Lion 1-1 carried three Shivas, as did the rest of the squadron in addition to the 12th (which was attacking the other transport).

“Firing in three… two… one. Missiles away!” his copilot announced. A brief thud reverberated through the hull as the massive missiles were kicked off, shooting into the void to their distant target. Immediately, the squadron broke off, flipping over and burning for home even as launch confirmations continued to poor across the com net. Alex couldn’t hide a close lipped smile, those split-chins didn’t have a clue what was about to hit them.

UNSCS Salamis, Bridge
Captain Rothschild sat on the bridge, holding her helmet in her lap as she contemplated the visual feed being fed back to her from her bomber squadrons, who where just far enough away that the lag was only a few minutes. Both squadrons successfully fired their weaponry, it remained to be seen what sort of impact it would have.

Her eyes drifted to the status indicators. The ship’s weapons were all armed, locked, loaded, and ready. The outer hull was depressurized and the ship was at battle stations. There was nothing else she could do that she hadn’t already, but she still looked about for something to do.

“Erm, Yes-no. Yes ma’am. Yes. Please hold.” Her Communications Officer murmured, before turning to her, blushing slightly. “Message from Quoth the Raven, Commander Lansorson requires your attention.”

“Right.” Netanya pressed a button, transferring the Commander to her earpiece. “Salamis actual, what can I do for you, Commander?”

[Bippwatt]

"Ma'am. I was just noting the Path's damage to her top section. Her point defence will be weak on that section. If I were permitted, I could move the Raven to cover that weak point."

Sabrina waited for her superior's response. While she waited, she turned to the Operations station.

"Carol, contact Captain Jenson. Get his Marines in the Pelicans and ready to launch. Load the dropships with all of our Warthogs and load the tanks on the Albatrosses. Then get the ODST's ready to drop. Chances are that, as we close, the captain or commodore will have us and the other frigates make a high speed pass on the planet and drop our troops. I want them ready when they do." She paused. "Reserve a company of Marines to repel any boarding attempts." Then, as Carol turned back to relay the instructions to Frank, Sabrina turned back to her comms display, waiting for whatever the Captain said to cross the void of space between their ships.

[tellos]

Shipmaster Pergothrisee
Location: Bridge of the CNV Unbridled Wrath

He watched the missile launch from his tactical display, too far out to stand a chance to shoot the humans down the ships would be doomed. “Shipmaster the barges they will!” he raised his hand silencing his officer.

“I am well a where of this, but even if we turned now and blazed full speed back we’d never reach it in time nor could the our smaller craft. No but we can call in more once we eliminate their source, prepare all attack craft, all choirs rearm and prepare for battle!” He roared ready to take the fight to the Humans.

His tactical displayed showed the barges demise from the warheads as they exploded near the hulls ripping them apart like so much useless scrap. The ships now all flew at full speed finally getting a clear sensor reading on the task force the humans had decided to bring to the fight.

“Target the largest ship first then work our way down, wait belay that. No attack the escorting craft and send our remaining forces to board the largest ship.” He said. Not questioning his Second in command bowed his head and began ordering troops to get to their stations. The communications officer spread the word. He knew they could not hope to take the ship but they could disable it or do critical damage and he knew they might be ready for them to focus fire on the big vessel first. “Load them up with charges; go for engines and docking bays.” His men continued to send the word out.

“Shipmaster ETA to engagement range is [ten minutes] at our current speed.” Spoke the navigation officer as he poured over the data he was getting. The large Human slug throwers would have a chance at them first and his ship was the likely target.

“Change formation, move all ships to act as a screen for this ship. Frigates up front and destroyers in the center and we will take up the rear. We will break after their initial volley and attack.”

The other ships slowly began to change formation before too long, their coordination was good but even as they closed in to try to guard the command ship. Each ship still tried to maintain their fast speeds meaning the change was tricky as they coordinated with each other to avoid collisions.


Commodore Fedorov
Location: Bridge of the UNSCS Path to Victory

As the finally got over his elation at the arrival of help Fedorov steeled himself for the battle to come. “This is commodore Fedorov of the UNSCS Path to Victory I will be assuming command of this task force as of right now. Known enemy forces are three frigates two destroyers and one cruiser believed to be the commanding vessel. I need us to reform to a spherical formation or as good of one as we can, set your point defense weapons to protect each others weak spots. Save all MAC rounds until we can get clear shots at the tougher ships if possible, I don’t want us wasting every one we got on the escorting ships or the cruiser will eat us alive.” He said as he was patched into the other ships. His Smart AI Pandora showed up in its odd form of a large shield with a rising sun formed on it.

“Sir, the Covenant appear to be changing their formation if our sensors data is correct. I haven’t seen this one before either shall we change our defensive strategy?” The voice asked with a bland male voice.

“No Pandora likely they may a just for us doing so all the same and we don’t have time to keep playing positioning games.” Now he waited for replies as he watched his flickering tactical display stop having issues and he tried to think of how he was going to give the most ships the best chance to survive this and still win. Some of the frigates already began moving Light of the North was getting set to move alongside Quick and the Dead.

Their speed took them closer and closer by now he knew the others should be getting more sensor data on the Covenant ships now, they were both closing with each other fast crossing vast distances in minutes where once in human history it took days simply to reach the moon. The covenants shifting and their own might at best be just finished by the time they reached each others ranges.

[darkfire27983]

UNSCS Salamis, Bridge

Netanya smiled as the Commodore took command of the fleet. “There’s your answer Commander. Salamis clear.” The Captain watched as the fleet assumed the new formation, Salamis sluggishly drifting to the center of the formation astern and slightly to the starboard side of the heavy cruiser.

“Lieutenant Drebick” she called out to her communications officer

“Signal the flag, enquire as to if we will still make a high-speed pass on the planet and how he wants us to deploy our strikecraft. Inform him I intend to deploy my longswords well forward of the fleet to intercept any incoming enemy strikecraft, with two squadrons retained for close in defence. The Broadswords will be retained until the fleet is engaged; I dare not send them against an intact enemy fleet unsupported. “

[Bippwatt]

“There’s your answer Commander. Salamis clear.”

"Well. That solves that." Sabrina looks over at the Com station. "Orders?"

"The Path says.....heh! We are to station ourselves above the Path and protect them from fighters.", Orson grinned broadly.

"Well, then! Let's move. Get us into position, Henry."

"Aye, ma'am." As the Marathon Cruiser slid into the formation, the Raven burned her engines slightly, changing the course she was on. That burn caused her to lift her nose and thrust to above the Path. At the same time, the Raven rolled, presenting the top of her hull away from the Path. The whole convulsion took about 2 minutes, all the time drawing closer and closer to the Covenant fleet.

"We're in position, ma'am."

"Good. Await further orders. I imagine there won't be much to to for a bit longer. Keep the Archers primed, though. And make sure no Single ships get by us!"

"Aye!" Cathy input a series of commands which complied with Sabrina's orders. Still, they drifted through space, the distance dwindling fast.

[tellos]

Shipmaster Pergothrisee
Location: Bridge of the CNV Unbridled Wrath
The Covenant ships finally reached range of the human ships as their engines finally got up to near full speed. Each vessel kept moving swiftly closing the distance to try and reach the enemy before they could eliminate them.

Plasma torpedo’s flew out now in wild salvo from the ships aimed at first at the frigates. The plasma charged warheads screeched across the void of space with great speed, every moment they continued to close with the human fleet as the Shipmaster gave his order now, “Break and attack all ships once the smaller ships are handled attack the largest one. Tell the remaining attack craft to guard the boarding parties until they can reach their destination!” He roared his orders with a sense of joy as he watched his tactical display.

Covenant Unggoy some lead by the few Jiralhanae on board and others by other Unggoy or Sangheili, all began to prepare as the last charges were placed on their ships preparing to attack the UNSC ships.

The ships of the Covenant broke their formation spreading out now as they drew closer each craft raced to try to get closer before the humans weapons could be brought to bear upon them.




Commodore Fedorov
Location: Bridge of the UNSCS Path to Victory

As they sped onward toward the alien fleet Fedorov saw them send an opening salvo of plasma torpedo’s and called back on comms “every point defence get ready and attack now.” As he spoke his own ship fired missiles off the archers flung off in a cloud and began their streak toward the covenant frigate nearest them. Soon as this happened it was followed up by the frigates Quick and the Dead and Fighting Chance who both hurled Missiles down range in clouds of archer fire, Light of the North flung her missiles out in a second wave the destroyer making the attack as well.

As the cloud of missiles flew for the enemy task force they and the salvo of plasma torpedo’s crossed each others paths occasionally a missile struck a torpedo and they exploded as they collided. The battle for the system was now on and Fedorov knew this task force was the only hope of a victory.


The Fighters went out on an attack run by Captain Rothchild were showing up now more often, they would arrive to help soon he figured. “Tell the Salamis to get all her craft that can attack out and ready, we need every piece of firepower we can muster. Launch all our own fighters now.” He spoke calmly.

“Aye sir.” His tactical and comms officers spoke. Fighters began to prepare and start getting set for launch on the Path to Victory, they did not number as many as a carrier but the Long swords would be needed now more than ever. Before long the first flight flew out and began to form up.

[darkfire27983]

UNSCS Salamis, Bridge

Netanya watched, green eyes staring attentively at the master tactical plot as the harsh red blips of incoming plasma edged closer and closer to her beloved ship. It was not long before she answered in kind, as the Salamis (and others of her class) had point defense grids second to none in the fleet. While her 60 point defense guns were spread out pretty sparsely to cover all the nooks and crannies of the massive ship, they were not her primary defense. That was the duty of the eight SIMC-13 Hummingbird batteries, and as they tracked the incoming enemy enemy torpedoes, they began to hurl answering defensive fire at them, counter missiles launching in sprint mode, launchers cycling in continuous fire. Vapor trails filled the intervening space as the cybernetic brains of the weapons sought fulfillment in their sole purpose in life; mutually annihilating other missiles.

This however left another threat. With the Hummingbirds occupied, the threat of the incoming enemy strikecraft was up to the Fleet Carriers’ Longsword squadrons. She watched, transfixed as Commander al-Adil set about his job. The clean, symbolic imagery of the tactical display started to draw lines, assigning enemy targets to their strikecraft squadron commanders. It was a very sanitized portend of the butchery about to happen. All told, Salamis alone had 72 dedicated fighter variant Longswords, combined with the other squadrons of the fleet. They would take some losses, but it did not seem likely that many enemy strikecraft would survive for much longer. Still… just the same.

“Commander, let’s have the 12th and 20th rearm for space superiority upon their return. Load them out with as many AGSM pods as you can squeeze into them.”

Malik nodded back at her through the tiny repeater display, absorbed in his own duties. Netanya thought it might be overkill, but the presence of boarding craft in the enemy formation worried her. That any boarding action would succeed against a ship the size of hers was preposterous, but it never hurt to be prepared.

Her eyes drifted to another contingency of theirs. Covenant tactics usually dictated closing with the enemy as much as possible, and for that she was holding her remaining broadswords in reserve. They were all loaded out for anti-ship strikes, carrying a mixture of Shiva and Havok missiles. That left her four squadrons, a total of 48 bombers, hiding just outside of engagement range of the fleet. They were safe from the incoming enemy fighters, and when the time came, they would wreck havoc amongst the enemy fleet. With them was her two recon squadrons. Their powerful sensors would provide significantly higher resolution targeting data then the Broadsword’s own could greatly enhancing their hit probabilities.

The Ravens, a squadron of Broadswords fitted for Electronic Warfare, was nestled protectively inside the fleet’s formation, waiting for the same moment. The usage of electronic warfare against the Covenant was nothing new, but using it in this manner had not quite been attempted, it remained to be seen what would happen when they “went active”.

Netanya was sure it was sure it would be a sight to see.

[Bippwatt]

Sabrina's mouth stretched in what not even the most charitable could call a smile. More like a predatory sneer. In fact, it almost looked like the type of smile Elites seemed to perpetually wear. Or at least as close as it could come with human mouth structure.

"Fire MLA's at will! Take those torpedoes out. Focus fire one at a time. Try to link up with the others defensive fire too."

Cathy Baker quickly responded and quick, repeated shots from the 50mm guns echo across the ship, sounding like a large number of huge hammers tapping the ship very quickly.

Sabrina turned to the plot as Cathy dealt with the Covenant's weaponry.

"Target Pods A through F on this asshole here." She taps one of the chips of light that marks one of the Covenant's destroyers. "Then target Pods M through T on this frigate." Again, she taps a light chip. The indicated frigate is the closest one to the previously targeted destroyer. "Be prepare to shift targeting on them at any moment before and during flight."

Cathy, with the MLA's going full auto and under Hal's control for a now, turned to her console after hearing her skippers full instructions and entered in a series of commands. Her fingers slipped a bit and she re-keyed that command, this time being more careful.

"Archers targeted, Ma'am."

"Good. Fire in sync with the fleet." The moment the order was out, the fleet spewed out missiles. The Raven quickly followed suit. Rapid thumps drummed through the hull as they fire as fast as the launchers would permit.

"Ma'am?" The voice came from behind her. She turned in her chair and saw Lieutenant Commander Jason Nesmith there.

"Yes, Commander?"

"Ma'am, why are you splitting your fire between two targets?"

"Simple. They will defend one or the other and will maneuver to protect one target or another. Likely the destroyer. Which is why I put more missiles on the frigate. If they move to defend the destroyer, chances are, they'll leave the frigate exposed. Which means-"

"Which means you can change targets and fill one ship with 14 full pods rather that 6 and 8 on two targets."

"Precisely! Very good, Commander. I just hope the Covenant don't figure it out quite so quickly. Even if I make them move a bit before noticing they're mistake, it will leave them out of position. Maybe enough that the Commodore will decide to hit them with the MAC's." Her face returned to the slightly Elite-esque smile, obviously wanting to put as much pain on the damn aliens as possible.

"We will win this fight, Commander." Her tone implied more than just the battle for this system. Perhaps as large scale as the whole war. And Jason heard it as such.

"I have no doubt that we will win. But what will the cost be?"

Sabrina turned away, shivering, as he asked the same question that kept her up many nights.

As the need arose, with Hal doing the math, the 12 50mm MLA turrets fired bursts of tungsten out into the void to intercept any single ships, with single minded determination to end their lives along with the Seraph fighter that happened to get in their way.

[tellos]

Fleet combat outcome


As the plasma torpedoes flew at the UNSC ships many were knocked out of the sky, but even as they pressed onward the Frigate UNSCS Light of the North was struck twice first in the starboard bow and second in one of it’s engines slowing it down as the explosions ripped across her hull. Then as she slowed a third smashed into the bridge section and burned through her hull more, the wrecked ship began to tilt some from the impacts.


UNSCS Fighting Chance was struck once as the torpedo smashed into and explodes along her hull the reactors began to have power fluctuations. The engines glow flickered and then dimmed as less power came through, on the battle network the chaos could be heard as the ship spun some barreling towards the covenant ships.

“This is Captain Fregraught to all ship crew get to life pods and pelicans, All hands abandon ship! Repeat all hands abandon ship! Prepare to implement Cole protocol!” The next torpedo struck the hull followed by another, flames briefly erupted as the ship began to resort to emergency power and the two crippled warships began to release a flood of smaller ships as crew scrambled to escape.

Mean while Covenant boarding craft and fighters were picked of or stuck in furious dogfights as they tried to gain the upper hand.

Now down a destroyer and a frigate the Covenant had struck a terrible blow.

________________________________________________

Commodore Fedorov
Location: Bridge of the UNSCS Path to Victory

As the ships fought on he watched two get taken out. “Ok no more time everybody MAC shots now aim for the escorting vessels take out what you can.” As he gave the command the ships each began to fire, two shots from his own knocked out the shields and then severely damaged the CNV Frigate Fall of Despair As others began to fire missile as well they began to cross the voice.

The Ravens shots struck knocking into the frigate disabling it and removing it from the fight. He knew if her MAC did anything like that it’d help. The Quick and the Dead hit with her MAC on the Destroyer Flames of Fear followed by her missiles which downed its shields.

Most of the barrage had been hit by pulse lasers, but the damage was done. As one of the bombers of the Paths launches attacks with Shiva Missiles against the ship one managed to get by and exploded. But the Flames of Fear survived narrowly, her hull damaged badly as she burned her way closer to the human fleet. Then another flew in and the Shiva moved along the damaged part and before striking exploded ripping through the ships hull, the destroyer now in larger pieces mixed with smaller ones broke up. The ship behind her Shining Courage had its own shields weakened by the first blast and as the next barrage hit her shields went out. Fast work kept her point defence systems to seventy five percent capacities.


The UNSCS Fighting Chance didn’t go down however without letting her voice be heard, using the last power they had time to use on weapons both her MAC’s fired their slugs hurtling through space, the Shining Courage took them both shredding into the ship. The first cut straight through her prow breaking the ship off from her front third of the ship. The second struck into her engines smashing a huge hole through it causing it to explode, its parts whirling to destruction.


“Ok everybody else who has not, fire at will we are engaged.” He ordered over comms.

__________________________________________________

Shipmaster Pergothrisee
Location: Bridge of the CNV Unbridled Wrath

As the ships closest to the front took damage Pergothrisee looked to his display, Only two frigates remaiend and his cruiser “Fire Energy projector aim for the damaged ship of theirs.” powering up the Cruisers energy projector fires as a mighty beam of light. Slamming into the UNSCS Path to Victory cutting into her hull the weapon eats past her meters of armour until it burns under and begins to demolish the super structure.

By the time it dies out a massive gash is left in the hull of the once proud cruiser. Her MACs offline, point defence systems barely working now as power struggles to reach sections of the ship.

The two remaining frigates opened fire once more, their plasma torpedoes not as hindered now flew screaming toward the cruiser. As several of the torpedoes struck the ship rocked. Inside men and women were hurled around and damage control scrambled to fix things or put out fires.

The boarding craft mostly were destroyed but even as they flew through a small handful approached and latched onto the Salamis two on the rear closer to the engines and several drop ships landed crashing almost into hanger bays.

As the Covenant in the bays began to unload and crew struggled to try to fight them off they began to unload larger items from the drop ships. The explosives that would be used to disable pats of the ship needed to be set up and fast. They knew the humans would try to kick them off.

“Ship master we have some units attached to the large human vessel.” The second spoke.

“Good now let us worry about the remaining ships."

[darkfire27983]

UNSCS Salamis, Primary Propulsion

Engineering Tech Second Class Salvadore Martinez cranked the wrench another half turn, work lamps of his utility hardsuit illuminating the access panel as it fell off. The hardsuited form of his companion stooped down, looking at the control runs. Sure enough, the wiring was frazzled, sparks arcing around.

“Well, that explains the warning indicators DCC was picking up.”
Martinez looked down, grimacing behind his visor.

“Yeah, this whole sections gonna need to be ripped out, and we should probably check over the auxiliaries too.” Martinez sighed, looking up across the compartment. This area housed the primary controls and systems to power the ship’s gargantuan fusion torches, and though big, it was cluttered with machinery. Next to the bridge or the ships reactor itself, this was arguably the single most important part of the ship; without it, it could no longer maneuver effectively. It did however, make maintenance a bitch.

“All right Lilly, we’ll make a note of it, and soon as we get out of combat” he very carefully did not mention the possibility of not “we’ll take care of it then.” Martinez turned around to walk away, when Lilly’s piercing cry echoed across the chamber.

Martinez’s blood ran cold as he saw what caused it. A Kig-Yar in a skin suit of his own had peered from around the corner, plasma pistol discharging into her midriff. Martinez didn’t hesitate for long. He took the massive wrench in his hand and hurled it, heavy metal spinning end over end down the hallway. It slammed against the wall, and the Jackal ducked back in shock. Martinez yanked his pistol out of its holster in the meantime, pistol aimed down the hallway.

Suddenly, a klaxon sounded “Enemy boarders detected in Primary Propulsion One and Port Recovery Bay 10.”

Martinez made a face as the late announcement came. Really? His eyes drifted to Lilly, her form wheezing on the ground as she clutched her chest. The Jackal peering around the corner distracted him again, and he fired a warning shot. He couldn’t just leave Lilly, but he was no soldier, and there were likely to be more than just one lone boarder.

The engineering tech gasped in shock as he saw a fragmentation grenade arc over his head and around the corner, dull thud of its detonation reverberating through the decksole. The armored form of a fire team of Salamis’s ODST detachment thudded past him, suppressing fire ripping down the hallway. As the team rushed by in the whirlwind of combat he scooped up his compatriot, carrying her off to the medbay. There was, he decided, a god, and he wore ODST black.

UNSCS Salamis, Bridge

For once, Netanya wished she wasn’t wearing a vac suit, because it would be nice to wipe some of the sweat from her brow. It had been a brutal battle, but the massive carrier had escaped without much damage. However, it was far from over with.

“Commander Bardzecki” she called for her Operations officer “What is the status of those boarding teams?”

“Zhey are beeing finished off now, da. Zhe one in Port Recovery is provin-“ The deck lurched abruptly cutting of his sentence. “Looks like their boarding party. Must have been demo charge.”

Netanya nodded grimly. It was fortunate that it went off in the recovery bays and not somewhere where it could have done more damage, but what it had done was bad enough. Reports were still coming in but it already took out half of their point defenses and several adjacent recovery bays, not to mention the personnel casualties…

The Captain put the thoughts aside for later. It was time to end this battle before it got any worse. “Tactical, do you still have that firing solution?”

“Yes ma’am, ready to fire at will” replied Lieutenant Commander Mitsui.

Netanya nodded “Well Commander al-Adil, let’s see if it works.”

“Aye ma’am!” came the response. Out in space, the electronic warfare squadron which had been lying in wait went active, Jammers filling space with white noise while lasers sought out and blinded delicate sensor systems on the Covenant craft. Into this soup of interference, the Broadswords began to launch, missiles ripple-firing on the Covenant craft. One hundred and forty-four Havoks and twenty four Shivas tore across space, the Havoks barreling straight for the cruiser, with the Shivas spread across the three remaining targets.

“Tactical, you may fire.” Mitsui nodded, depressing her firing key with satisfaction. 1440 Archer missiles raced out in clouds, the deck thumping with the rapid fire flushing of the pods. A moment of calm was followed by the slamming ca-chunk of the MAC, massive shell joining the hurricane of destruction bearing down on the enemy fleet remnants. Netanya did not look forward to seeing her superior’s reactions when the bill came for replacing this ordinance.

[Bippwatt]

Seeing what was going to happen, Sabrina pushed a call into the Path for the Commodore. Once on with him, she stated her question quickly.

"Sir. Permission to link up with Quick and the Dead and make a firing run? We can swing by the planet too and drop our ODST's."

While she waited, she muted her mic and turned to the tactical station.

"Cathy. Prime the last of the Archers. I think we'll make a pass at that cruiser. Keep the MAC charged and release safeties on Shiva tube 1. Might need it."

"Aye, Aye, ma'am." Cathy begins her work, typing rapid fire commands into the computers.

"Henry. Plot a course that takes us by the crusier and a pass in orbit of the planet. Then arc us away. Maybe we can hurt them enough to make them want to chase us with something."

"Aye. Working it up now."

"Hal, help both of them out."

"Of course." His hologram fades away as he begins to assist.

She unmutes the mic and readies to give the orders that could send her straight to death.

As the battle rages, the Raven's 50mm defence guns continue to protect it ably.

[tellos]

Shipmaster Pergothrisee
Location: Bridge of the CNV Unbridled Wrath

As he watched the fighting Pergothrisee watched the display show the estimated recharge time for his energy projectors, as they waited for power to get back up they were now closing in on near point blank range. “Slow us down!” he ordered as he crew worked to get the cruiser slowed down, it didn’t even really start slowing yet as the reverse thrusters blasted backward. The forces so great and momentum they fought so fast, it took several sections just to see a small decrease in speed.

As the frigates also began to do this they fired salvos of plasma torpedoes at the damaged cruiser, the Path fired back as best it could but six struck her port broadside and three struck her prow, explosions erupted and as life boasts and pelicans and HEV pods escaped and albatrosses were used to try and get more people out. Every ship was used to evacuate people as fast as possible. But even as the ship prepared to destroy her memory and databanks the plasma warheads exploded further. Some crew members could not be saved and ended up trapped inside burning sections.

Pergothrisee roared with a sense of triumph. The ship that had eluded them was destroyed and a wreck for all to see.



Boarding parties
Location: Abroad the Salamis

As the crews fought against them the covenant tried in vein almost to get their charges ready, but as ODSTs and marines flooded in even the Brutes were being shot down. The lead Ultra overseeing this attack blasted another marine with his plasma rifle only to get struck by sub machinegun fire as another of the human crews fired bursts at him.

Before long several bursts of gunfire downed the elite and he roared as he watched with his dying breaths. The covenant forces mostly now breaking and trying to flee, each cut down as another small flood of marines came in wielding shotguns and battle rifles.

The attack had failed was the mental thought he had as his vision faded and he left out his last breath.



Crew of the UNSCS Path to Victory
Location: Various ships and pods


Over the Communications system the XO Commander Crystal Perceval spoke “all UNSC ships please track out positions, we have evacuated the ship and implemented the Cole protocol, and Commodore Federov…..He didn’t make it. We are handing control over to Captain Rothschild.” She said as they struggled now to reach various ships to dock and gather together.

As missiles and MAC rounds flew from the various UNSC Ships the two frigates despite point defence systems they had were not able to stop it all, as their shields dropped HAVOC and SHIVA missiles slammed into their hulls breaking the Frigates apart.

The MAC slammed into the Cruiser from the large UNSC carry her shields struggled to stay up, the archers destroyed the shields and several groups struck the hull. The point defense systems took damage and more missiles hit breaking the hull apart in small places at first. The two shiva’s were last to arrive and both exploded near it tearing and crushing the hull in places. As the two frigates returned and their MACs flew at it they tore through the ships hull destroying whatever integrity it had left.

As the last of the covenant fighters were mopped up the field of wreckage and pieces of ships and damaged UNSC vessels floated there. Slowly pods and ships were recovered.

[Bippwatt]

There was a growling noise on the bridge. It took a moment for Sabrina to notice that it was her.

"Raven lets do this Our Mac is ready and we still got missiles if those two don’t down it.” , came from the speakers. A grim snarl broke over Sabrina's face.

"Roger that! On my flank. We're sending the attack plan now."

The data is transmitted and the UNSCS Quoth the Raven and UNSCS Quick and the Dead tore out of formation, arrowing right at the cruiser.

Both frigates spewed out missiles into the fray of blasting static and small bits of starships. Their last missiles and a MAC blast apiece lanced out as they tore just above the cruiser. Once past it, they sped off into a quick orbit around the target planet.

The orbit served one purpose. To fling out the maximum number of Pelican's and SOEIV pods as possible. The covenant had already landed en masse and all they had was what was already there and part of a cruisers marine company. The more, the better.

When done, they looped around and came at the Covenant cruiser from the other side. This time, with only MAC's, they flung them out and killed their engines, coasting past and out. The logistical types were not going to be happy about this one!

Just as they past the Covenant vessel, a squadron of Seraphs formed up and attempted to get in a few deadly shots. Well networked and coordinated MLA fire, however, knocked them out of commission with the least amount of pain possible. They continued to coast out system and fired off thrusters to angle back toward the task force. Or what remained of it.

They had each kept one flight of pelicans in reserve for SAR efforts. As they came across Lifepods or Pelicans, they took them in, using the freed up hangar space.

[tellos]

UNSCS Fleet
Location: Near planet
Time: Two hours forty five minutes post signal

As the ships began to have troops and crew from damaged or destroyed ships pile into their hulls and the last of the boarding parties were removed from the ship they had attacked the orbit attained hid the ship escaping from the planet at first. All sensors aboard each ship would only recognize a slip space signature as the frigate escaped. The UNSC victory had been costly, multiple frigates lost and several officers slain with as yet un numbered crew and ground forces and civilian casualties. The ONI team would later be found mostly alive but three members were slain by the detonation of covenant explosives

Within another hour three more ships arrived, with these the system was fully secured. From there the three cruisers would be assigned duty of patrolling for now until a more defensive force could be stationed. Several Army companies were rotated out as the army sent in five fresh companies complete with tanks and supplies to make better fortifications. The army promised in two weeks another three companies from what it could spare.

The ships who had responded first were relieved within four days and given new assignments.

[Bippwatt]

Commander Sabrina Lansorson of the UNSCS Quoth the Raven sat back in her command chair as the remaining UNSC forces swept through space. Most of the ships had attained orbit and were deploying ground forces to fight the battle down their. But the Raven and the Quick had already done that. They were sweeping through the wrecks of UNSC ships, looking for life pods, pelicans, anything that might be survivors. All of their pelican's were back on board and they used them for SAR efforts swiftly.

Sabrina looked at the plot again. As she almost always did after such a battle, she felt a hot, scathing rage build up within her. She wish she was at the head of a squadron of destroyers and was part of a whole flotilla of them! She wanted to make the Covenant pay for what they had done to her race.

But, like always, she was powerless to do anything about it right now. A little frigate like hers was eventually bound to get swiped aside. As her thoughts worked through the familiar pathways, she closed her eyes and squeezed them tight. She didn't want to think about the loses they had suffered today, but her brain did the brutal, simple math anyway. A few seconds later, based on how many they had rescued to this point, there were still well over 2500 people missing or dead. And that did not include any ground casualties. Civilians and all, the death toll was probably in the millions somewhere. Maybe high hundred thousands, if they were lucky.

Sabrina opened her eyes again, which were now slightly red with the effort of keeping them squeezed shut. She looked around and saw similar pain in everyone else's faces. She stood up and turned to Jason.

"Jason", she began and cleared her throat. "Jason, you have the bridge.", she finished thickly.

"Aye, ma'am. I have the bridge.", he responded formally.

She walked from the bridge to her quarters quickly, not looking up from the deck plates. She arrived at her door, input her security code and walked in. She sealed the door behind her. The moment it locked, she lost her composure and started sobbing. Sometimes, she felt that this job was going to kill her before the Covenant could get the chance. She just thanked her blessings that she hadn't lost it on the bridge.

She took in a shuddering breath, wiped her eyes and walked uneasily to her desk. She punched the intercom to the bridge.

"Bridge here. What can I do for you, Captain?" Jason's voice came out smooth and clear. Now, why couldn't she be like that?!

"I'm not to be interrupted except for Priority One situations."

"Aye, ma'am. I think I should be able to handle anything that comes our way." Sabrina could almost hear his kindly smile.

"Thank you, Jason." She pushed the intercom off again and walked to the cabinet behind her desk. She pulled out a small bottle of scotch and pored a couple of fingers into a small cup. Then, she replaced the bottle and closed the cabinet. She sipped the drink and looked at the clock. Hell, no wonder she felt worn out. She last slept about 27 hours ago. Unless you counted a 3 minute nap that was suppose to be her nights sleep just before they got the distress signal. So, she finished her scotch and went to her bed and fell asleep within seconds.

[tellos]

I now am offically locking the secondary mission threads for Operation Shattered star, i again thank thep layers and staff and hope we all enjoyed it.