Mission 4 - SPACE BATTLE THREAD

[dave36464736]

So, this is where the Space Battles will be. UNSC Captains and Shipmasters. Post well. Us with the big macs will try to behave ourselves. Please note. you can use other NPC ships in your posts. So if your attacking someone and need another ship, do it. so example. "As the Arizona charged up the Main Mac, Klix Co-ordinated with the fleet and synchronized."

Good luck. and Good hunting.

[z]

Eden Lawrence, REVIVE 2, The UNSCS Passchendaele

It felt like only a moment had passed since Eden had laid down in the cold metal chamber and was put into Cryo. But now, here she was, here eyes slowly opening, her body felt chilled, heavy, and she was slightly dizzy.

Her eyes opened again to hear the muffled voice of Fiona saying, "Wake up, my little hoodlums... Time to get to work."

Eden groaned and as the pod opened tumbled out onto all fours, her right, numb arm shaking under her weight due to its weaker muscle. She coughed loudly, choking on her own spit.

The young looking blond pushed herself to her feet and rubbed her eyes to make the blurry images go away.

"God I hate Cryo!" She said, leaning back on the console to her pod.

She looked back and fourth down the row of pods to see if the rest of REVIVE was coming out the same way. What was happening at this point? What were they tasked to do before they had been put to sleep again?

[Martial Virtue]

Sergeant Janice Reed, REVIVE-5

Reed awoke finally to not only the uncomfortable feeling of slime in her lungs, but also Fiona's oddly cheery, "Wake up, my little hoodlums... Time to get to work." This was followed quickly by Eden's retort, "God I hate cryo!"

Couldn't agree more, Janice thought to herself. She tried to breathe but ended up choking on the damn stuff instead, eventually getting it out of her airway. She felt mildly sick and her vertigo was an issue already as she sat up in her cryo bed. The others were starting to wake up now, too.

[Deleted]

"Navigation, I just uploaded a course you you. Make sure you follow it. Dino, send that course to the rest of the fleet." The Admiral ordered.

"Sir, that turns us left and straight, then down across the back side of the planet." The Navigation Officer said.

"Yes, I know. We are going to deploy everything we have once we are in safe range. They should land on target. That fleet is big. Post a timer on the bridge screen. Weapons, is our SMAC charged?"

"Yes sir!" The Weapons Officer replied.

"Admiral, the fleet will be over the planet in a hour." The Ops officer said, placing a countdown timer in the bridge screen. It read 0056

"Comm's, get me a fleet wide channel." The Admiral ordered. "Sir, online." The Comm's officer replied.

"This is Fleet Lead to battle group. Prepare to deploy your ground troops. Also, we have come in contact with the Covenant. Engage the Cole Protocol. Klix out." The Admiral said, and motioned to cut the channel. The Comm's officer nodded, it was done.

"Sound general quarters. Get our units ready to deploy." The Admiral said.
"Sir, HEV tubes are hot. Airlocks engaged and waiting pelican and albatross drop ships." The Ops officer replied.

The Admiral looked at the growing planet, still a while away, now it was time to pester the Covenant fleet.

"Dino, use our thrusters to get a shot on the Covenant fleet. Aim for the nearest ship." The Admiral said.
"Aye, aye." The A.I simply replied.

The Arizona spat a SMAC round towards the Covenant line.

The hot round struck the Corvette. The ship listed to the right and the hull dotted with small pinkish explosions. It was either disabled or destroyed.

"Sir, weapon charging at 2.5 per ten seconds." The Weapons officer informed.

It would take nearly eleven minutes for the SMAC Gun to charge.

[Cabel]

[Epsilon Eridani System: Planet Reach: Parking Orbit: Repair Cradle Orinoco Docking Slip #3]

“Umbilical cables have been severed, Sir,” the Lieutenant Commander at the Operation’s station reported, monitoring the ship’s power levels.

“Set reactors to match Fleet speed, and bring our birds aboard. Seal the hangers, and prepare to initiate Slipstream Drive,” Captain Matvey Borislavich Galina issued, having taken his place on the bridge. He’d never been one to observe Cryo-sleep before a mission, as other officers might since he felt as his ancestors had the dawn before the battle over the centuries. Maybe it had been the aristocrat within him wanting to maintain as much control, or perhaps it had been the warrior deep within he’d come to nurture and understand over the years that forced him to be on the bridge of his ship overseeing the battle. While his crew opted for the slumber of the freezers, the Passchendaele’s Captain would only rest within his quarters or otherwise remained on the bridge.

* * * * * * *

[Site of the Battle]

“Helm, set to evade. Communications, send word to one of the unengaged destroyers and two frigates to form up at our position. Emphasize they must keep as far a distance from those destroyers, and keep an eye on those corvettes,” Matvey ordered, knowing the Covenant plasma could gut them from stem to stern if given the chance. “All engines, flank speed. Recharge the Primary and Secondary Cannons, and prime ARCHER pods. MLA Gunners, keep those fighters off our hull. Aft ARCHER Pods, set to saturated effect and fire,”

The 14th Tactical Response Fleet had opened fire on the Covenant Supercarrier, not the largest threat, but one of the largest with a MAC barrage moments after the Fleet had exited slipstream space and the TAC CON Alpha Two condition had been raised. The Supercarrier had been dissected from stem to stern as expected, but the supercarrier had bombarded the Fleet with a barrage from its energy projector from an extreme range and reduced three of the UNSC ships to molten slag. Why did the Fleet Brass depend solely on the tactic of an opening barrage against plasma based weaponry? The Line of Battle had existed since the days of the Napoleonic-Era, and had decimated countless attacking armies through the centuries. Why then? Had it been seen as the opening move?

Witnessing the Arizona, the pride of the 14th Fleet running for the outer edges of the system, the Russian-born officer had wanted to scream at the top of his lungs. The mistakes infuriated him, made his blood run as the heated plasma in the reactors, as even a newly minted cadet could have seen to a better strategy. With his discipline and his learned restraint overriding his sense of infuriation…of his disgust, Matvey realized only the actions of seeing his orders through had been his highest duty.

“Helm, bring us to bearing two-four-zero by two-zero-zero at flank speed. Have the other ships keep close. At my signal, give me a five second burn of the ventral bow thrusters to bring us to bearing two-six-zero by one-five-zero below those corvettes guarding the rear. I want flank speed to be maintained through the maneuver,” Matvey ordered, using the issued command neural lace to calculate the course and the trajectory of attack. “Tactical and Nadezhda, alert me when the main and secondary cannons are fully charged. Have the other ships charge their cannons, and open fire at our signal,”

“Aye, Sir,” Commander Alice Qelar replied, as the Passchendaele‘s Second Generation ‘Smart‘ A.I. in the chosen avatar of a nineteenth century nurse began the calculations.

“What is your plan, Matvey?” Nadezhda asked, from her holopedestal.

“Those corvettes pose the largest threat, with their maneuverability and smaller profile. The larger destroyers, and battle cruisers have the bulk, but as we‘ve seen in previous engagements have sluggish turning rates. I intend to equal the odds, by taking or crippling many of those corvettes. We’ll deal with rest after that,”

The Passchendaele’s massive reactors pushed the ship outclassing the improvised squadron of a destroyer and two frigates along the course outlined by the Russian officer. The Marathon cruiser followed the course briefly disengaging the covenant fleet only come up from beneath and behind their covenant counterparts, before the Passchendaele’s two main cannons delivered their salvos at two unprotected corvettes. The corvettes had taken up guarding the rear of the Covenant formation, and as those vessels had been too low a tonnage to rate the energy shields witnessed by many UNSC crews the two MAC rounds from the Passchendaele forced both vessels to buckle leaving two bus sized craters through their reactor blocks. As if one cue, as a plan that actually worked, the three vessels…one destroyer and the two frigates that had covered the Passchendaele delivered their payloads into the other unprotected corvettes. The operation had resulted in several of the corvettes being destroyed, crippled or outright immobile to venting atmosphere, and aboard the bridge of his ship Matvey hoped the odds had at least become more balanced. Having given the order to have maintained flank speed, the Passchendaele’s “fleet” swung to the starboard with their port ARCHER pods and defense turrets to open fire on the Covenant fleet from the rear before the ships rushed beyond the range of the covenant batteries.

“Commander Qelar, inform the pilots of the pelicans to proceed on their combat drop to the planet,” Matvey calmly replied, at least partially satisfied as the experience of having run garrison duty had he hoped led him to turn the tide. Unknown or rather unseen by Matvey during the risky maneuvers, the Arizona had come about to face the Covenant line before delivering a salvo from its super main cannon. Taking the time to sit back in the leather cushioned confines of the commander chair, the Passchendaele’s squadron raced at the best possible speed back towards the fallback position of the 14th Tactical Response Fleet.

[Wax™]

1st Lieutenant Matthew Eversmann
Task Force 77: REVIVE 1
UNSCS Passchendaele

Matthew woke up from cryo, and instantly began to cough out 'cryo juice' as he tried to breath in the oxygen aboard the ship, it was always so hard, but cryo really was a peice of inventive engineering, but you had to pay the price verytime after waking up from cryo, it always felt like you got your ass kicked after getting out.

"Fuck this!..."

Matthew you said before doubling over and landing on his hand's and knee's outside the cryo-pod, he then lifted his head up and turned it to the left looking at Janice and Eden as they got out of their pod's, that was a plus about cryo sleep, you werent allowed to wear your clothes when you were inside.

"We'll hello ladies, looking abit perky there."

Matthew said with a smile and a wink before lying down with his left knee pointing up and his right arm supporting his head.

Staff Sergeant Jason Bowers
ALPHA Company: Delta Destroyers
UNSCS Arizona

Jason sat on a metal bench on the wall against a hallway, across from him was the armory and just next to that was the ODST HEV bay's specficically bay number 1, Jason was in full combat gear already and had a MA37 Individual Combat Weapon System strapped around his chest, with ten magazines all in his pockets and two M6C/SOCOM's with five clips each, all in his pack, he then had four frag grenades and two smoke grenades strapped to his trousers.

"I'll be home soon..."

Jason said to a photograph, he looked at the photograph which had his two newly born son's on it, Brendan and Thomas, Brendan was a whole year older than Thomas but he loved them both equally and he loved their mother just as much, ever since he cast eye's on that woman inside the HEV bay.

"You coming Jace?"

Said one of his Corporals who just came out of the armory next to the HEV bay's, it was Corporal Jake Winters, Jason's best friend since primary school.

"Yeah Jake... Just give me a minute, i'll catch up"

Captain Jonathon 'Ricket' Michaels
Task Force 77: UNSCS Ares
Bridge of the UNSCS Ares

"Just how far away from the fleet are we actually Athena?"

"We'll Sir... We are atleast ten minutes away flying in normal space, I don't know why the Ares decided to leave slipspace this far away from the actualy fleet, infact I think we may even be behind second fleet Captain"

"This is pathetic, Hendricks!"

"Captain?"

"Set a course for First Fleet and when we get there come up alongside the Arizona"

"Yes Sir"

Jonathon walked furiously to the communications console and punched a button to initate COM's between him and the Admiral commanding the UNSCS Arizona, Jonathon was hoping so hard the Admiral did not have a yell otherwise Jonathon would shove that SMAC right up his newly polished ass hole.

"Admiral, this is Captain Michaels, my ship has exited slipspace ten minutes away from First and Second Fleet's location, we will be a bit late to the party, though on arrival we will be taking up defensive positions next to your ship as discussed on the battle plan."

[SuperCommando]

CPO SPARTAN-009 (Silas)

UNSCS Ares, inbound to planet Artifice

Hanger bay

The doors of the large service elevator whooshed open, allowing its single occupant to exit. SPARTAN-009 strode purposefully into one of the cruiser’s hanger bays, where crewmen where bustling about. Most were too busy to pay him much mind. After serving onboard the Ares for going on four years, they were used to the super soldier’s presence by now.

He just got back from the bridge after a meeting with Captain Jonathan Michaels, a man whom he had grown great trust and respect for. The Captain informed him that this mission was their most dire yet… so dire, in fact, that ONI saw it fit to expand SPARTAN Gold Team to accommodate its importance.

Silas stood back to keep out of the path of a Longsword interceptor as it taxied across the hanger. Craft were being moved out of the way so that space in front of the hanger entrance could be cleared for an arriving transport. As he stood watching and waiting, he lifted his left arm to look at his tacpad.

“Bifrons…” he said out loud. “Let’s have a look at that file one more time.”

The AI had been instrumental when they first met four years ago, allowing Silas to infiltrate and destroy a CCS-class Battlecruiser and turn the tide in the Battle of the Flying Nebula, and had provided invaluable electronic warfare support ever since. Silas considered the artificial intelligence to be just as much a member of the team as any Spartan. Most recently, he was able to acquire a more complete version of the file ONI provided regarding the team’s new blood.

He glanced over the file. Lucifer-066… he remembered her from training, but only vaguely. She stood out as a kid due to the fact that her twin brother was also a Spartan. He remembered feeling sorry for her, always so withdrawn and sad. Judging from her file, that apparently hasn’t changed. It also listed that she claims to see the souls of the dead, likely a form of PTSD attributed to psychological trauma suffered from near-fatal injury in a past operation. Silas wasn’t sure what to make of that. But psychoanalysis aside, she was a skilled soldier and an accomplished sniper. And more importantly, a fellow SPARTAN, a sister-in-arms. As far as he was concerned, that’s all that mattered.

Silas looked up. Crewmen were scrambling to clear the hanger as a warning klaxon blared. A vessel was arriving and they needed to get to safety before the airlock opened. Silas followed them into a side room, where he crossed his arms and stoically watched through a viewport as a Pelican dropship entered the hanger. Once the airlock closed again and the hanger repressurized, he walked out to it. Crewmen kept safe distance from the descending Pelican as its jets loudly blasted the metal floor with a cushion of air, but Silas stood undaunted before it, waiting for the rear hatch to open.

[Deleted]

"Sir, incoming message from Captain Micheals." The Comm's officer said.
"Play it." The Admiral said.

"Admiral, this is Captain Michaels, my ship has exited slipspace ten minutes away from First and Second Fleet's location, we will be a bit late to the party, though on arrival we will be taking up defensive positions next to your ship as discussed on the battle plan." The Captain said.

"Open a response channel." The Admiral added.
"Channel open, sir." The Comm's officer said.

"Captain. Push your reactors to the max and help us engage the Covenant. I need your two MAC gun's with us. I've got eight minutes until the Arizona can fire again." The Admiral said into the voice channel.

He looked over to the Communications Officer. She nodded, the channel was cut.

"Dino, did anything else happen when we got hit with the Energy Projector?" The Admiral asked.
"Scanning active blueprints." The A.I responded. "Sir, we two point defense weapons." The A.I informed.

"Thank you, Dino." The Admiral responded, and refocused his attention on the main tactical display.

[z]

Gunnery Sergeant Lucy Grey, Lunar Squad, Arizona HEV Bay 1

Her team was getting ready, Jackson had one knee up on the holo-display table, loading up on sniper bullets and grenades, plenty of ammo for his Battle Rifle as well. Anders snatched up enough DMR rounds to kill a Scarab so it seemed, and then some SMG mags. Cox and Stroud were around somewhere, and lastly Alex had a rocket on his shoulder, and a MA5C on his back.

Lucy on the other hand, sat with her legs bent over each other in her pod. Thinking. Her helmet was off, her hair fell in front of her face, and her eyes stared blankly.

In the corner of her pod was a picture of two small boys, in which she turned to and smiled.

"I'm gonna step out for a moment you guys. We have a bit till launch anyways." She said standing, leaving her helmet in the pod.

Jackson shrugged, Alex gave a nod, and Anders gave her a thumbs up.

Stepping out into the nearest hallway, she rubbed her eyes. She'd been trying to give up smoking recently, and it was driving her insane. She was twitchy, angry most of the time, but she didn't need to smoke as many recently.

Looking down one way of the hallway she watched as a Marine jogged past, watching them go down but her attention was taken by the familiar face on the bench. Smiling she slowly walked down and sat next to him.

"Hey... For future reference your buying me a beer when we get out of this one." She said smiling as she hit Jason in the shoulder with her shoulder plate.

Was Lucy's way of showing her affection before heading into battle. She didn't have all that long at this point.

Lucifer-066, Hanger Bay

The SPARTAN leaned forward where her hands were on her knees. she stared blankly through her visor at the floor. Reassigned again... This time to Gold Team... Least this time it was some few she knew, besides Luke that is. She felt the Pelican shift as it made its way towards the landing point.

Sniper in her lap, loaded M6 Pistols on each of her hips, she waited.

Too bad Luke was coming in later, on a separate transport... She enjoyed having her brother here with her... It calmed her slightly knowing he had her back.

But that would have to wait.

When she felt the Pelican land, Lucifer stood, Sniper in her hands and lowered, watching the Pelican door open and seeing her new leader awaiting her. Slowly, the female walked out, her boots clicking on the metal under her feet as she came a foot from Silas, she gave a nod.

She remembered him, faintly, but she remembered.

Maybe the SPARTANs here wouldn't think she was crazy like most other Marines, ODST, or others had said when she told them. Hell.. .Even Luke didn't trust her sanity.

[Wax™]

Captain Jonathon 'Ricket' Michaels
Task Force 77: UNSCS Ares
Bridge of the UNSCS Ares

"Sir! Return message from the Admiral?"

"Play it"

"Captain. Push your reactors to the max and help us engage the Covenant. I need your two MAC gun's with us. I've got eight minutes until the Arizona can fire again." Said the Admiral in return.

"Hendricks, plot a course to the Arizona and push the reactors to the MAX!"

"Roger that Sir"

Jonathon pushed off the Communication's console and walked over to the Weapon's console that was manned by Lieutenant Wilson, Jonathon looked at weapon status' and saw that the MAC's we're already charged to maximum, Jonathon then smiled and walked back over to the communication's desk and punched the same key again.

"Admiral... Affirmative on your last, we will be there in five minutes, MAC's are already charged and shiva's and Archer's all primmed, we will fire as soon as we get there"

Jonathon said before finishing the message and flipping the receiver so he could hear the Admirals next message.

Staff Sergeant Jason Bowers
ALPHA Company: Delta Destroyers
UNSCS Arizon

"Hey... For future reference your buying me a beer when we get out of this one."

Jason smiled at Lucy before wrapping one arm about her, he continued to look at the photograph even when he was talking to Lucy, he honestly could not stop thinking about them, even though he had load's of other thing' on his mind, like the mission breif, the objectives, the role call, his men, it was all so hard for him right now.

"I could probably buy you a beer on here"

Jason said with a smile before looking to Lucy and winking at her, he then looked back down to the photograph with a small frown, he then looked up to the HEV bay and the once more back down at the photograph, he smiled before speaking again.

"Do you think they will notice we are gone? I mean, it is so hard to keep them off my mind"

[z]

Gunnery Sergeant Lucy Grey

She smiled and leaned on Jason, popping her neck as she listened to him talk.

Offering her a beer? That made Lucy laugh. "Nah, I wouldn't want to stumble from my pod drunk now would I?" She asked, nudging Jason in the ribs. "Do me a favor and try not to be canon fodder, and don't o anything stupid while your on the ground. your not a SPARTAN as much as you think you are." She said with a smirk which quickly faded when he talked about the kids.

"I dunno. Ma' and Mira are taking care of them. They are pretty responsible, Mira has a good job since she was injured at Glasgow and discharged from the military.. Ma used to be an Aunty, and still tends to baby sit.... I'm sure they are fine but... I Miss the little gurgling bundles of spit-up and joy." She smirked again and looked down the hall at the HEV-bay door thinking she saw Jackson peeking out for a moment. But she was wrong, she guess.

Wouldn't be the first time Jackson was spying on her and Jason.

Wouldn't be the last...

[Wax™]

Staff Sergeant Jason Bowers
ALPHA Company: Delta Destroyers
UNSCS Arizon

Jason would nod as Lucy spoke, and when she turned her gaze to the HEV bay, Jason followed close after, though he didn't see anyone and if someone was there it was probably Jackson, Jackson was always spying on Lucy and Jason, even when they were sleeping, atleast Jason thought that anyway, which made it kind of weird when they were in bed, Jason looked back down the old fashion photograph of his two son's before folding it and tuging it under his chest plate where he kept his dog tag's incase his head was blown off in battle.

"Yeah I guess, they are probably in good hand's better with your mum then with us in battle hah"

"And hey! I could beat a SPARTAN in a fight any day of the week haha!"

Jason smiled and pulled Lucy a bit closer before leaning his head against the top of her's he looked up and down the hall-way and watched as a squad of marines began to walk toward's the hanger, getting ready to fall into their stationed companies, Jason sighed and looked up again to the HEV bay, this time he swore he saw someone quickly pop his head back, that time Jason knew Jackson was watching them, he took his hand off from around Lucy and pushed up from the bemch, he then stepped into the HEV bay with his fist's clenched.

He had enough of Jackson spying on them.

[z]

Lucy Grey

She knew Jason was annoyed... She was too. But Jackson was like her big brother...

A very... Jealous big brother.

Many times before, Jackson had tried sabotaging Jason to make him look good... And many times Anders had ratted Jackson out, Lucy would give him a swift kick to the balls, and none were to wiser...

But he had to stop with his attitude. Lucy was Very annoyed by it.

So, when Jason got up to move to the HEV bay,she did too. Jackson, was at his HEV loading his weapons into their slots. Lucy went to her pod and sat down, looking off to the side in thought.

How annoying it was that this had to happen each bloody time, and this was the first time Jason had done something about it.

Looking over at the picture in he rHEV Lucy's thoughts went back to Reach.. Back to the kids... Mira, her mother. What were they doing right now, Lucy wondered, losing herself in her own thoughts.

Jackson looked over at Jason blandly through his cleared visor, then glared over at Lucy's pod at the picture.

"Don't you have a bunch of Grunts to manage, Bowers... Or a Girlfriend to fuck in the closet...?"

Alex and Anders stopped and looked over at Jackson. By now, Stroud and Cox had probably seen the scene that was going down too. But with that statement Lucy nearly pulled her M45 from her pod and shot Jackson where he stood.

Her fists gripped, her jaw went out, and her teeth clenched...

Everyone knew this was Lucy's "Bitch Mode".

[Wax™]

Staff Sergeant Jason Bowers
ALPHA Company: Delta Destroyers
UNSCS Arizon

Jason stormed into the HEV bay fist's clenched and ready to be thrown around, he looked around the HEV bay before spotting Jackson, before he walked over to the man he saw Lucy just walk over to her HEV and stare at the picture of her kid's, Jason sighed and stepped closer to Jackson who had just turned around from loading weapons into his HEV pod.

"Don't you have a bunch of Grunts to manage, Bowers... Or a Girlfriend to fuck in the closet...?"

That insult pissed Bower's off so bad and to make it worse Bower's team was enterying the HEV bay looking for him when the ODST said that, out of Bower's twenty man squad, eight were here looking for him, Bowers gritted his teeth and stepped forward.

"At least I am getting a fuck Helljumper... You may even get to smell on these if your lucky"

Jason said with a small smile lifting up his index and middle finger on his right hand showing it to Jackson, he then wen't back to his pissed off mood and and stepped closer to Jackson, lifting his righto foot he would attempt to kick the ODST back as hard as he could hopefully into his HEV pod, if he managed to stumbled back into his HEV Jason would step forth and lift a hand to shut the HEV pod's door on the Helljumper, he would then turn around and stare at Lucy's team.

He then turned his gaze again to his team, who were all backing away again'st the wall, each of them glanced at one another and looked to the ODST's Jason knew Jake would have loved to see a fight come out of this but Jason knew Alex, Anders and the rest of the team were too smart of that.

Private Dean 'Coxy' Cox
Task Force 77: Lunar Squad
UNSCS Arizon

Coxy stood silently and looked from left to right, first at Z, then at Bowers, then at Z again, then at Bower's again, and then a few more time's looking at the pair of them and then at the eight man team of Marines, Coxy lifted his Sniper Rifle System 99 Anti-Matériel and waited for an order but realized that was a stupid idea he then dropped it to his side, Cox was not able to speak anymore, after his near death experience on Reach he was farely traumatized.

To make matters worse when he was all healed up a year later thoes same men found him, and beat him to shit in an alley way while his team wasn't around, and that cause Cox to have some sort of mental or physical break down, he was almost killed untill a Citizen found him bleeding in the alley in which they decided to call an ambulance, Cox has never been the same after that day.

And never will be.

[z]

Lucy Grey

Lucy watched as Jackson tumbled back into his pod and was sealed in, but after hearing Jason's comment she felt her ears go red. Quickly grabbing her helmet she put it on and darkened the visor to hide the blushing.

Standing, she walked over to Jackson's pod and Leaned over to eye level with him.

"That's what you get for being a little bitch!" She said, raising her hand to flip the Russian man in the pod off before turning and cracking her knuckles.

Reaching up when the blushing stopped, Lucy took off her helmet and sighed, digging into her pack on the left side of her belt she dug out a cigarette, then held out her hand to Alex who handed her his. Lighting it, she tossed the metal box back and walked a few feet away.

Blowing smoke from her mouth as she sat down on some steps and gripped the bridge of her nose, the ODST sighed in annoyance.

"Gotta love my job..."

[Wax™]

Staff Sergeant Jason Bowers
ALPHA Company: Delta Destroyers
UNSCS Arizon

Jason sighed and turned to face Lucy, she was smoking again, but it didn't bother him, she was trying to quit, and Jason had dumbed down on his own smoking aswell, Jason pulled out a packet of cigarettes from his pocket and took one from the packet before sticking it imbatween his lips, he then retreived a zip lighter from his pocket and lit it before placing the items back.

The marine took a drag from his cigarette and went to sit down on the step next to Lucy who was pinching the bridge of her nose, Jason sat down and draped his right arm about her while he looked at the HEV pod Jackson was stuck in, by this stage Jason's team had left him and Jason was stuck in here with the grup of ODST's, but it didn't bother him any more.

"Been waiting so long to do that"

Jason said with a smile before taking another drag on his cigarette, he sighed again and looked at Cox, the Rookie of the ODST's despite being with them for four year's he was still a Private, and had done a lot in his time with Lunar.

Private Dean 'Coxy' Cox
Task Force 77: Lunar Squad
UNSCS Arizona

Cox who was laughing on the inside at this scene walked over to Jackson's HEV pod, that he was now stuck inside of, he looked through one of the windows and patted the glass before moving over to a table, he grabbed one of the steel chair's and gripped it before dragging it over to face Bowers and Lucy, he dropped it down before sitting down on it and placing his sniper on his shoulders.

Cox nodded to Lucy and then to bowers before leaning his elbows down against the sniper, he respected Bowers he was truly one hardcore marine, and he sure as hell fought like it aswell and unlike most he never quit from a mission unless seriously needed, Cox looked to the pair of the smoking, Jeez they did make a perfect couple, Cox smiled on the inside before just sitting their staring under his helmet.

[hollowsaber]

MIL-AI-0665-BIFRONS UNSCS Ares, inbound to Plant Artifice Core of the ship.

Bifrons remained silent within his core processor as Silas asked for the file. Without another though, Bifrons uploaded the new Team member’s file to the Soldier’s suit. The new SPARTAN was a curious one, but they were all original in their own way so he didn’t bother questioning his superiors. Yet, Bifrons hoped that she would be a team player. He had seen what happened to SPARTANs who tried to be soloists.

“Silas, be prepared for a full assault. The Covenant fleet is massive; they will most certainly fight for every inch of this planet. Scans from the UNSCS Orion show no anomalies on the planet’s crust, but if they are there en masse, there must something below it. I will continue to scan the planet from the ship. I will also relay any data on Covenant movements to you directly. I will request STARS be sent out upon arrival to the planet, it may be a while.” Bifrons’s cool voice spoke elegantly over the channel as he looked through the panels of data before him.

From the time Bifrons had meet Silas and assisted him on the Covenant Battlecruiser, the two had worked together in nearly every situation. With several new upgrades to his core processor, along with his data-storage, Bifrons could hold more information and send it to the SPARTAN faster then he had been able to previously. ONI was good to the AI, and in return he paid them back by keeping GOLD Team one of the best and deadliest Teams in the group. Intel was precious on the battlefield and the more Bifrons was able to retrieve and share, the easier the operations would be.

* * * * * * * * * * * *

Corporal Jake Furrow UNSCS Ares, inbound to Planet Artifice Hangar Bay

Sitting off to the side of the main hangar of the UNSC Ares, Furrow was still asleep when the warning klaxon blared. The ODST, curled up with his rifle next to him, behind a bunch of crates poked his head out to see what was going on. The airlock needed to be opened it seemed, and a pelican was on its way in. That… wasn’t good.

Furrow snagged his rifle and scrambled to his feet as quickly as he could without losing his footing. He darted out from behind the crates and ran out the nearest door to where he was hiding. The door was beginning to shut as he skidded through, stopping only inches from the wall. If his helmet had not been on, the trooper probably could’ve kissed it. Other crew members were in the hall he was now in as well, all chattering about some Covenant fleet. Jake stayed silent, and simply waited for the door to reopen.

The crew members turned and ran back inside of the hangar to get back to their duties. Jake stepped back in and took a look around before another man bumped into his shoulder from behind. The crew member stumbled slightly then looked angrily at the ODST, then held his tongue.

“Trooper, if you want in the fight you better get on that pelican!” The man hissed and pointed to the pelican that had just arrived. Jake nodded to the crew member then hurried over to it.

Before he had decided to take a nap, Jake had stopped by the armory to gather any materials he may need down below. Yet, he always moved light either way. A magnum with a few extra clips was strapped to his thigh, basic equipment within the pouches of his armor and in his pack, and several extra clips for his sniper with anti-materiel rounds were tucked away.

Upon reaching the pelican, Jake turned and suddenly his face was full of green. A wall stopped him and slammed him onto his ass. Jake shook his head to get rid of the shock and smacked his helmet to get himself together. He must’ve ran into the pelic-…That wasn’t a pelican…

Jake looked up and found himself staring at a SPARTAN that was waiting for the pelican to open up as well. The trooper locked up and froze. He had heard stories about SPARTANs having some mixed blood with ODSTs. Jake didn’t mind the super-soldiers, but as what he just did registered, his body locked up…

“Please don’t kill me…” Ran through Jake’s mind over and over as time seemed to freeze around him.

[Spartan 999]

Petty Officer Jethro-097

[/center]

Jethro leaned back in his seat, bowie knife twirling in his hand while he thought. Admittedly, there wasn't a lot he hadn't already mulled over again and again. With a sigh, the Spartan sheathed his knife. He rose to his feet, then started pacing back and forth.

Second Lieutenant Simon Qartal; REVIVE 3

[/center]

"And you call me a perv..." Simon muttered, shaking his head as he walked by Matt. His eyes hardly wandered as he passed the two females of REVIVE, instead concentrating on humming a tune recognizable as 'Dual of the Fates' from the Phantom Menace. However, his voice slipped every single time he tried humming the long notes. He tried clearing his throat loudly, then starting over, but to no avail.

"Another reason why cryo sucks: it screws up your vocal chords for a while afterwords..."

First Lieutenant Isin Herald

[/b]

Isin popped on his helmet as he walked, adjusting it so it fit snugly. He entered the HEV bay, limping slightly from the spiker round he had taken to the thigh a couple months previously.

"Bowers." Isin said to Jason, nodding at the Marine. He paused when he walked by the sealed HEV pod, snorting in amusement when he saw Jackson trapped inside. "What did he do this time?"

[kuran]

((OOC: Whew...))

Sergeant Sato Takashi, REVIVE-4
UNSCS Passchendaele Cryo Bay

Sato climbed out of the cryotank, and promptly collapsed on the cold metal floor. Coughing and choking, he struggled for a few moments to spit out the slime coating his throat. Goddess damn, I hate cryo....

The first time he tried to stand, he fell back down, nearly smacking into Eden. "Kudo! Uh, sorry Eden...."

Taking it slow, he eventually managed to stand on shaking legs.

"Everyone okay?"


Rear Admiral Daniel Yakamura
UNSCS Iwo Jima
Bridge

"Sir, Covenant frigate is charging it's plasma turrets off our port bow!"

Daniel Yakamura nodded," Calculate a firing solution for the MAC's, you know the drill. One to make contact point oh five seconds after the first round hits.

"Yes sir, ten seconds."

The ship's AI, Dawn, cut in. "Admiral, the Covenant frigate has fired a Plasma Torpedo. Time to impact, fifteen seconds."

Daniel sighed and made sure that he was strapped into his seat. Pressing a button on his console, his voice rang through the ship-wide comms. "All hands, brace for impact!"

"Sir!" Came a report from weapons,"MAC's charged and rainged in, ready to fire on your mark!"


"Fire!"

Daniel felt the double *thunk* of the Iwo Jima's twin MAC's firing, and saw the streaks of light out the forward viewport as the pair of huge slugs streaked towards the Covenant frigate in the distance.

"Hit! Scratch one Frig-"

The report was cut off as the ship was impacted by the Plasma torpedo. Slammed against their restraints, most of the bridge crew took a few moments to recover.

"Glancing hit sir, down to 2 meters from 12 in port section seven. No casualties reported."

Daniel nodded. "Very well. Bring us around, form up off the flank of Admiral Klix's ship, we'll cover them as we withdraw. And Dawn, send out a message, all ground forces prepare for their drops, we'll let them go as we pass the planet."

As the ship began it's lumbering turn, Daniel smiled inwardly. The ship's first kill under his command, that was an achievement to be proud of.

Lance Corporal James Beaufort,
ODST Spec-ops Fireteam Raptor,
UNSCS Iwo Jima, EVA Bay

As James thumbed another round into a spare magazine, he chanced a glance around himself. The HEV bay was mostly deserted. A few technicians did their rounds, preforming final checks on the SOEIV pods.

This was why James had picked this bay for their prep. It was small, mostly used as an overflow bay for when the ship's complement of ODST's had extra helljumpers to drop in. Which at the moment, they did.

As a result, apart from the technicians who did a good job of not looking at them, Fireteam Raptor was essentially left alone to prepare. Lenov stood against a bulkhead, slipping shotgun shells into the quick-release ammo belt at his waist. McAlister had his helmet on and appeared lost in his own world, doing a systems check of his VSIR no doubt.

And Lauren....James Sighed. Lauren had just been introduced to the squad the day they had left Reach. It was hard, seeing someone other than Megan in the squad's marksman slot. After Megan's death in their last mission, none of them were the same. James wore two sets of dogtags around his neck now, his and Megan's.

"Attention," crackled a cool female voice over the ship-wide comms. "Combat drops will commence in forty-five minutes. All ODST's to their bays, all marines to their hangars."

[Martial Virtue]

Captains Dylan and Sierra Lloyd, UNSCS Arizona

This is it, Sierra thought to herself as she triple-checked all her gear. Another damn mission to get through, and hope I don't get barbecued alive in the process.

The Marine captain finished strapping on her gloves, then picked up her helmet and got ready to make for the Pelican bay, where Alpha Company was waiting. It just so happened that she passed by the area of the ship the ODSTs would be jumping from on her way there. Dylan was easy to spot, as he was busy barking orders to his troopers.

Although she was laden with gear at this point, Sierra slung her battle rifle on her shoulder and folded her arms across her chest, waiting for Dylan to finish. When he turned around, his expression went quickly from one of surprise to a warm smile.

"Hey. You ready to go?"

Sierra grinned back. "You know me. Always prepared."

Her husband sidled up closer. "Not even a little bit worried or scared?"

"Of course I am. Especially about you." Sierra's grin changed to a smirk. "But I trust you've learned not to get yourself killed over the years, right?"

"Well, I've got one more reason why I shouldn't." The Helljumper captain patted his left breast pocket, where Sierra knew he kept pictures of their now-three kids. Grace was now seven, Caleb was five, and their youngest, Noah, was two. Sierra had told Dylan that she was done having more, as it kept her from her duties for nearly a year between the pregnancy itself and the first few months she had to stay home with them. Thankfully he seemed okay with that. Sierra loved her family very much, but she wanted to keep them safe at all costs - and that, to her, meant fighting to protect them on the frontlines rather than sitting at home on Kholo.

Dylan leaned in and gave her a quick kiss before she could respond. They'd just celebrated their tenth wedding anniversary this year. It wouldn't do if one of them were to buy the farm on this mission; neither could even fathom the thought.

For a brief moment after she pulled away, Sierra reflected on how much healthier Dylan was now psychologically. His time as a POW of the Innies several years ago had been a rough time for him - and a rough time on their marriage as well. He'd been so angry all the time, much different from the Dylan Sierra had previously known. But now, with time and another child, he'd calmed down a little more and wasn't always so aggressive. He'd settled back into the family man he'd been before, in some ways at least. The scars lingered and he wasn't always immune to his moods, but they were less frequent now, which was all Sierra could hope for after knowing the extent of the horror he'd gone through.

"Be careful out there, Sierra," Lloyd said to her.

"Yeah. You, too, Dylan. I'll see you on the ground, huh? If not, once we're back on the ship."

Dylan smiled. "You got it."

Sierra headed to the Pelican bay after that. Dylan paused for just a few seconds as he listened to her boots thumping rapidly down the hall. Then he turned to face his troopers again while they readied to enter their pods. He took in a deep breath, thought of the most recent memory of his kids from when he'd been home on leave last, and made for his own drop pod. There wasn't much left to do before they were shot down and out into space.

First Lieutenant Laura Howard, UNSCS Arizona

Howard tried to keep busy while secretly watching her CO and his wife out of the corner of her eye. She thought it was cute that they'd been married for so many years and still had such strong feelings for one another. She'd had something like that once, too - and a few years ago, it would've been almost unbearable to think about. But Dominic had been dead for what felt like ages now, and time - and battles - had dulled the pain. Somewhat.

Still, Howard had never gotten married since, or even fallen in love again. Dominic's absence was conspicuous and constant, and so she'd devoted herself wholly to her job instead. The ODSTs of Dylan's Charlie Company were in her care as well, as she was XO. There was plenty of work for her to do all the time that kept her busy, and made her love life conveniently non-existent. She didn't feel she could go through a heart-rending relationship again, especially given her occupation. Too complicated. Too messy. She liked it when her life was simpler, like now.

The first lieutenant checked the load on her MA5C assault rifle carefully for the fourth time since she'd grabbed it from the armory. It was all set and ready to go. Good, she thought. Shouldn't be long now till we drop.

Sergeant Janice Reed, REVIVE-5, UNSCS Passchendaele

Janice took Matthew's comment in stride and admired him as openly as he did her. She looked him up and down with a sly grin and said, "Nice...abs." Then she gave Eden a conspiratorial glance and giggled.

Corporal Cassie Thompson, UNSCS Arizona

Cassie had enjoyed her last few years in the Marines, and that was a good thing. For one, she had a date with the promotion board coming up right after this mission as she tried to get that elusive third stripe on her uniform. For two, she'd broken off her engagement with her fiancé Mason after she'd discovered his infidelity following one of her missions.

That was something that still made her livid sometimes. Here she was, putting her life on the line to protect the human race from the Covenant and the Insurrectionists, all while Mason had been out canoodling with blondes at the bars. She should've shoved her assault rifle right down his throat when she finally got home. Nevermind that that wasn't actually possible, physically. The bastard deserved it.

Luckily her heartache at the betrayal hadn't lasted as long as she thought it would. She'd loved Mason dearly, as he'd been her college sweetheart, but she'd soon found a suitable replacement for his cheating ass. Aiden Greene was kind, loving, and affectionate, as well as a hardass when he needed to be. All qualities Cassie admired in a man. She didn't think it mattered much that he used to be her squad leader back in the day. They were pretty content together now, and he understood what life as a ground-pounder was like. He didn't push her to talk when she didn't want to, and he knew that sometimes the silences were more telling than the words.

"Attention on deck!"

The shout was heard throughout the Pelican bay, where Thompson was busy gearing up along with tens of other Marines. Apparently, their company commander, Captain Sierra Lloyd, had just walked in.

[admiral]

David was pacing on the bridge, hands behind his back, worried about the situation that was unfolding. He had recieved word that the Covenant had found a powerful weapon. something that could destroy humanity. He couldn't let that happen.

"Admiral!, incoming message from Admiral Klix." reported Archer. "Priority Transmission on the Fleetcom Beta Channel"

"Pipe it through." David ordered, focusing his attention as he went and sat down.

"So you need us eh?" David drawled.

“Sir, we exited slip-space and we lost two Frigates and a destroyer. My Arizona is damaged, but lightly” Klix reported, no hint of his usual humour.

“Alright, we are on our way. We’ll be two days, so find a place to hide." David responded.

"Yes sir!" Klix replied.

Motioning to cut off the channel, David looked at the rest of the bridge crew. "I want all non essential personel into cryo. Briefing in 10 minutes. Call down to engineering and tell them to fire up the reactors. Tranisition to slipspace when we have the ability and head for that fleet. Distribute these orders along the fleet. Lets do this people!"

Nodding, his bridge crew jumped into action, securing stations, corresponding, checking in with the rest of the fleet. David felt a momentary surge of pride. He had an excellent crew.

**10 MINUITES LATER, BRIEFING ROOM**

"Ok gentlemen and ladies. From what we have recieved from Klix, we have ourselves a humdinger of a situation. We are facing potentially 33 covenant ships, However, Klix has done us a favor and destroyed the Super Carrier." David said, while pacing around the room.

At his mention of 33 covenant ships, There was murming throughout the bridge crew and Captains of the other ships until David had raised his hands to continue.

"We are transitioning to Slip Space and are going to come out swinging. I have already instructed all non essentials to cryo. You will be woken 30 minutes before normal space. Be ready." David instructed.

All nodding, David felt satisfied the situation was well in hand.

"See you all in 2 days." David said. "Dismissed.

It was going to be a long 2 days.

[Dufflepud]

The Silent Talon, Ship Captain Chur'R-Kyet

"Activate the Guidance Jammer!" ordered Kyet. He was being chased by two UNSC frigates. Evidently they thought his vessel was just a normal covenant detsroyer. He would let them believe that for a little while longer... Smiling Deviously, Kyet spoke again,

"Sesk! Draw them away from the other human vessels! Turn when they begin to fire archers. Are the energy projectors ready to fire?"

"Yes, Captain!" confirmed the pilot.

Several seconds later, both frigates opened fire with a barrage that they believed would destroy the fleeing destroyer. However, they were in for a nasty surprise when every one of the over a thousand miniature nukes failed, detonating harmlessly away from their intended target in minute flares of light. The two ships momentum carried them right up to the Talon which had now fully turned around.

"Fire!" called Kyet!

At the same time, the bewildered UNSC captains gave the same order, and massive flashes lit up the endless void as two massive projectiles whet soaring directly at the exposed covenant destroyer, surely enough to destroy it! Wrong. The shielding on the small (by covenant standards!) vessel flared up an electric blue, unbreaking as it was struck by two conduits of extrordinary kinetic energy, but the attack was to no avail!

At this range, the chance of missing with any ship-to-ship weapon was almost insignificant, and so when not one, but two energy projector beams lanced outwards into an oncoming frigate, there was little the captain of the vessel could do. They sliced through the hull like a knift through butter, raking across the armored hull and cutting an X into its prow. The once impressive vessel slid apart intwo four equal fragments, before the fusion reactor ruptured, causing a massive detonation.

The second unwitting frigate was equally unlucky, as eigth instead of the standard plasma torpedos soared out into the darkness of space on a direct course for its flank. In a desperate and valiant attempt at survival, point defense weaponry blazed, dissapating five of the missiles before they could do any real harm. However, the three consecutive direct hits that followed shortly after were too much for the human vessel. Three blue crackling balls of energy detonated against its side, flaring up into huge columns of radiant plasma fire, soon mixing with red and yellow flames as the human ship detonated.

Kyet smiled, but he knew that the advantage of surprise was lost. The fact that his small ship was so heavily armed had been revealed, and there would be no more tricking of the humans in such a manner.

"Sesk! Activate camouflage and power down all nonessential systems besides engines and shields. Bring us back to our allies."

[SuperCommando]

CPO SPARTAN-009 (Silas)

UNSCS Ares, inbound to planet Artifice

Hanger bay

Silas was listening to Bifrons’ report when he noticed a yellow dot on his motion tracker getting quite close. Out of the corner of his eye, he could see an ODST approaching. He would have stepped aside to let the man pass, but he assumed the Helljumper was watching where he was going.

He wasn’t.

They collided as if Silas were a brick wall, causing the ODST to fall backwards. Even though the man’s visor hid his expression, Silas could tell by the way he looked up at him in stunned silence that he was wearing an “oh shit” face. But rather then grant him the beatdown he was undoubtedly expecting, Silas instead extended his hand to help him up.

“Stay alert, even in friendly territory,” advised the SPARTAN. His voice was on the quiet side and had a gruff, hardened tone, but also carried a reassuring calmness. “Being part of mankind’s greatest military in history won’t protect you from carelessness.”

Looking over at the Pelican that had finally landed, he saw the hatch was open and Lucifer had emerged. The female Spartan walked up to him and nodded a silent greeting, which he returned with a tilt of his head back towards the service elevator.

“Welcome to the Ares, Gold Six. This ship will serve as our base of operations. We’d get you settled in, but unfortunately we don’t have the time. Follow me, I’ll fill you in along the way.”

Silas led her across the hanger and into the elevator. As it ascended, he looked over at her and continued. “Switch your transcom frequency to one-four-zero point eight-two. That’s our SQUADCOM channel.” He gave her a moment to do so, and then keyed his own comm.

“Gold team, sound off and report your status, over.”

[Deleted]

The Admiral looked at his clock, 0014 before the drop of his troops.

"Sir, we just lost a Frigate! No wait, two of them!" The Ops Officer reported.
The Admiral sighed in response.
"Weapons, SMAC charge?" The Admiral said.
"Sir, fully charged for plus four minutes." The weapons officer informed.
"Dino, use thrusters and prepare to fire on that vessel." The Admiral said.
"Sir, it's off our sensors!" The Ops officer yelled. "Admiral, the ship had disappeared from our sensors."
The Admiral clenched his fists, invisible.
"We can't keep the SMAC at full charge, the accelerators will be destroyed. Navigation, point us in the direction of the next most dangerous ship." The Admiral said.

"Sir, I've got a solution online. If we re-angle just a tad, we could potentially destroy two Corvettes." Dino added.
"Do it." The Admiral replied.

The Arizona turned slightly, then the deck shook as the massive round exited the ship and towards the Covenant vessels.

The Admiral keyed the "ALL HANDS" button in the keyboard next to the main screen.

"All hand on deck, we are entering the safe point to launch our troops. You've got a window of twenty minutes of your ODST, and an hour if you are Marine! Let's get going, people!" The Admiral said into the channel, then released his index finger, cutting the channel off.

The SMAC round crashed into the Corvettes shields, ripped through the ship and out the other side still carrying momentum, however it missed the second Corvette.

"Bring up fleet comm." The Admiral asked.
"Channel online." The Comm's officer replied.

"This is Admiral Klix to battle group. Split up into four groups, groups lead by Marathon Cruisers. Minimum ship count should be three ships. I'll send you the roster." The Admiral said, motioning to cut the channel.

Remaining ships:
1 x Arizona Class Heavy Cruiser
3 x Marathon Class Heavy Cruiser
2 x Halcyon Class Light Cruiser
4 x Destroyers
6 x Frigates

The Admiral pondered for a quick second, then got busy at working out fleet numbers.

Group 1:
1 x Marathon "UNSC Iwo Jima"
1 x Halcyon
1 x Destroyer
Group 2:
1 x Marathon "UNSC Areas"
1 x Halcyon
1 x Destroyer
Group 3:
1 x Marathon "UNSC Passchendaele"
2 x Destroyer
1 x Frigate
Group 4:
1 x Arizona Class Cruiser "UNSC Arizona"
5 x Frigates

Satisfied with that roster, he sent it to the respective commanders of the the UNSC vessels.

[Spartan 999]

Jethro-097

SQUADCOM hissed to life, causing Jethro's ears to perk at the noise.

“Gold team, sound off and report your status, over.”

"Gold Three, bored out of my wits." Jethro replied, absently scanning his knife in various spectrums of light available to his mechanical eye. "As usual."

[z]

Lucy Grey, LUNAR SQUAD

Looking up at Isin when he came in she laughed a bit, pointing at the pod again when Alex and Anders had pulled out an erasable marker and began writing things on the glass to annoy Jackson.

Not like it mattered, HEVs were one-use.

Looking over at Cox, Lucy raised her hand and tapped his visor.

"Still there, Kid?" She asked.

When the red light came on and the alarm went off over the door Lucy cursed, kissed Jason on the side of his forehead, quickly taking his hand and taking a marker Anders tossed to her, she wrote down a series of numbers on Jason's hand.

"Need to get ahold of me, that's my COMM."

She stood, put her helmet on and ran over to her pod, Alex and Anders were in a moment later, as was Jackson obviously.

"Lets do this shit, Lunar!"

Eden Lawrence, REVIVE 2

Grumbling at the comments, Eden stood and popped her jaw, neck back, and legs... She was in no mood for jokes at the moment.

"Where the fuck to we go now?"

Lucifer-066

Walking across the hanger with Silas like walking a mile and a half. But in truth, must have been about a minute to thirty seconds. Lucifer was nervous about the new team. And she wondered when Luke was going to get to the Ares.

When Silas told her to switch, her hand went up and keyed the COMM, listening to the members of Gold chiming in.

Should she speak? She looked over at the other SPARTAN wondering what he wanted her to do.

[kartoffelfogel]

CNV RISING HOPE
IN ORBIT AROUND FORERUNNER WORLD "ARTIFICE"
CNV PURVEYOR OF SANCTITY
IN ORBIT AROUND FORERUNNER WORLD "ARTIFICE"




Twin vessels, gleaming in the reflected light of a billion stars. One was a Corvette, its relatively small size still equally the tonnage of any UNSC Frigate. The other was a Frigate of the Covenant variety--large, bearing an Energy Projector, and armed to the teeth.

Rising Hope, shone the Corvette.

Purveyor of Sanctity, beamed the Frigate.


They both flew across the immensity of space, their target nothing but a series of flashes upon the night, belying the power that was being unleashed by ships of the greatest Covenant and Human construction.

They moved like sharks knifing across water, twin vessels cleaving apart the star-stuff between the worlds. As they neared the battlefield, they moved to outflank the majority of the dark Human ships.

As they drew yet closer, they spotted a Covenant Frigate burst in flames, its shielding overwhelmed by twin MAC blasts. The ship responsible shuddered lightly as a Plasma Torpedo hit it, but remained functional.

That would soon be changed.

A single chime on a specific frequency--to half the fighting force, a battle cry. To the other half, a hunting call.

The Corvette appeared to burst--suddenly, two Choirs of Seraphs flew from its balconied decks. They flew with intense purpose, weaving and diving like wasps set to kill.

The Frigate seemed to flare as well--a cloud of Plasma Torpedoes rushed out at the offending Human vessel. It drew ahead of its companion, firing as it did so, and launching its own Choir of Seraphs. It readied its Energy Projector, aiming to kill.

OOC: Kuran, in case you've forgotten, these are my two Covie ships, so they're PC.

Yes, I know, I am doubling up on you.

[kuran]

Rear Admiral Daniel Yakamura
UNSCS Iwo Jima
Bridge

"Sir, we have incoming from the aft, bearing one-eight-five by one-seven-two, one frigate, one corvette, multiple Seraph fighters. We have incoming Plasma torpedoes, time to impact, seventeen seconds."

Daniel glared at the sensors officer. It wasn't her fault that most of the bad news came from her station. But he really could have done without that sort of news.

"Very well. Dawn, activate point defence subroutines. Concentrate defensive fire on the Plasma Torpedoes first, then the Seraph's."

He gave the tactical display a cursory glance, thinking furiously.

"Weapons, MAC charge?"

The young officer at her station replied quickly. "Charge is at 17% Captain, Ready to fire in four minutes, forty-three seconds."

Daniel nodded. "Arm Archer Missile pods A1 through A12. On my mark, fire A1 to A4 at the incoming Seraphs, cloud spread, fire 5 to 12 at the Corvette and Frigate, evenly."

"Navigation, continue our present course, and give me every ounce of speed you can from the engines."

"Archers ready captain."

"Fire!"

As the Iwo Jima shot forwards and away from the approaching Covenant ships, three Salvoes of 240 Archer missiles each arced away from the ship, turning their deadly noses towards the covenant fleet. Two seconds later, the point defence turrets opened up, sending streams of tracer fire towards the swarm of Plasma Torpedoes.

"All hands, brace for impact!"

By the time the torpedoes made contact with the Iwo Jima, only two were left intact. The other seven had been dissipated and shredded to pieces. The two that did hit, however, hit hard.

Daniel was thrown forward against his harness once more. Alarms and emergency warnings blared at full volume.

"Damage report!" Daniel shouted.

Dawn replied with her usual cool voice. "Hull breach on deck seven and ten Captain. Seventeen casualties, and..."

She paused for a moment. "Engine output reduced by twenty-five percent."

"Very well," He replied. He hated loosing people. "Seal off the affected areas, continue on current heading at best possible speed.


((OOC; That's 240 towards the seraphs, 240 towards each of Kart's ships. No kill like overkill))

[Deleted]

"Sir, we have a Marathon under attack." The Ops officer said, and updated the Main Tactical display.

A few Covenant ship had progressed onto the UNSC Iwo Jima.

"We've got what, five frigate close to us?" The Admiral asked, looking at the main screen. "Yes, sir." Someone responded.
"Charge SMAC with all reactors." The Admiral ordered, and the Arizona instantly slowed down.

"Charge rate at 10% every ten seconds."
"10%... 20%... 30%... 40%... 50%..."

Nearly two minutes later the gun was charged, but the Arizona had completely stopped.

"Navigation, bring our three reactors back online. Push them to the maximum output to get this ship moving again. Dino, move us into position to fire at the Iwo Jima's targets. Are we in weapon range?" The Admiral asked.
The Navigation officer replied with the "Aye, sir." response, then Dino piped up. "We will be in weapon range in four seconds."
"Sir, I must inform you that we are down to just twelve SMAC rounds..." The Weapons officer reported.

They had only fifteen to start with.

[Dufflepud]

"Bring us to a full stop, and reroute all power from the engines to the jammer!" ordered Kyet.

The Talon, still invisible, halted, unable to even move, but it was serving a different purpose.

A good fourth of the archers that had, seconds ago, been hurtling through space, lost their targets, detonating far from the two covenant vessels.

Suddenly, the sensors detected something.

"Sir! that huge ship that attempted to target us earlier is approaching!"

"Damn!" swore Kyet. He would have to figure something out soon...