Mission 4 - SPACE BATTLE THREAD

[kuran]

Rear Admiral Daniel Yakamura
UNSCS Iwo Jima
Bridge

"Sir!" Came another alarmed call from the navigation station. "The frigate is giving chase, and we've got more plasma torepdo's incoming!"

Daniel sighed and pinched his nose. The frigate was likely faster than they were by a long stretch, and they were pointed in exactly the opposite direction to fire the MAC's, not that they were fully charged anyway.

"Clearly we're not going to be able to make it to the asteroid field...Dawn, give me calculations for Emergency Protocol Omega."

The AI appeared in her holotank next to him. "Captain, you can't be seri-"

Daniel cut her off. "Yes damn it, now Dawn."

The AI shimered in her tank for a moment before nodding grimly. "It's done."

"Now then, helm, on my mark, execute a hard turn to starboard, heading one-eight-zero by one-right-five, and fire all engines, give me every ounce of speed that you can."

As the distant thud of the point defence turrets opening up rumbled throught the ship, he turned to the weapons officer.

"Unlock all remaining archer pods, and arm the Shiva's. What's the MAC charge status?"

"Forty-five percent captain."

"Very well. Select your targets Ensign. Designate seven pods worth of archers to the Frigate following us, and spread the rest evenly among any Covenant ships in range. Then fire the MAC's at the frigate, which we will be facing presently. On my signal, unleash hell."

The weapons officer nodded grimly. They all knew what would happen now.

For the third time that day, Daniel was thrown into his restraints. "Captain! Five Plasma torpedo hits sir, we couldn't stop them all!"

"Damage report?"

"Scanning....firty-three reported casualties....two archer pods neutralised...the docking bay took a direct hit sir, the longswords are all gone. Breaches on three decks, compartments sealed. And...engine output reduced to fifty-seven percent."

Daniel nodded grimly. There would be more casualties before this was over.

"Very well. Give me shipwide comms."

With an nod, the AI responded. "You have comms captain."


"This is the Captain speaking," His voice carried out across the ship. "We are heavily damaged and being pursued by a superior adversary. We are left with few options. We are turning, and we are going to make our stand. Carry out your orders to the best of your ability, and we will prevail."

He cut off the comms.

"Helm, execute your orders...now."

Preforming the naval equivalent of a 180 degree spin sent the stars outside the viewport spinning, and even for a ship the Iwo Jima's size, it took only a handful of tense moments. Distantly, bathed in the light from the planet below, the Covenant frigate could be seen, bearing down on them with it's prow gleaming.

"Full power to the engines now helm! Weapons, pick your targets!"

And so, as the heavily damaged ship streaked towards their enemy, with hatches opening all over the ship, revealing deadly missiles, Daniel wondered if he would ever see his wife or Earth again.

[Wax™]

1st Lieutenant Matthew Eversmann
Task Force 77: ORION REVIVE Team

Matthew had gotten off the floor and changed into his ODST; ONI; RECON Gear, much like on Reach his gear had two white stripes painted around his forearms to signify his command, Matthew moved over to the weapon's racks across the way from him, he eyed the racks before grabbing M6C/SOCOM and sliding it into a holster on his chest, he then gripped an MA37 Individual Combat Weapon System and strapped it over his back before looking around the room.

"Alright let's go"

Matthew nodded before following Eden out of the room and in the general direction of the bridge, though they would have to catch an elevator ride up one deck then they would practically be knocking on the bridges door.

[Cabel]

[14th Tactical Response Fleet: Right Flank: Asteroid Field: UNSCS Passchendaele: Situation Compartment: Bridge]

The holographic projections of the nearly thirty remaining Covenant vessels, their sleek profiles amidst remains of both Covenant and UNSC vessels outlined in red hovered inches above the holographic situation table. The aptly named Situation Room had filled little more than a formerly unused compartment in the rear of the bridge, and while Matvey had been sure other commanders throughout the fleets had wished it had been elsewhere the advantages of having the real-time feed from the bridge stations had proven indispensable. It reduced the amount of time one had to wait for tactical information, communications or even course alterations for which Matvey had found invaluable especially during fleet operations. Over the years since his transfer of command to the Passchendaele, he’d come to use the situation table with its holographic projections when he desired to have a neutral view of the battlefield as he did this time.

Although, the situation table hadn’t been designed purely for tactical purposes it functioned in that capacity well and with the faces of two officers almost ghostly apparitions in the light of the holographic engagement. Matvey and an aid of his, a young lieutenant that had been onboard for the last six months studied the constantly scrolling information, from troop deployments to fighter sorties, MAC salvos, and missile strikes. He’d kept the ships of his Battlegroup in position in the asteroid field marking the right flank of fleet’s fallback position, and hadn’t had any overriding urge to deploy his ships from the safety of the asteroids knowing the rest of the fleet or at least the ships that remained out in the open would rally at their best speed behind the fallback position. The notion the ships of his Battlegroup may be reinforced at some point hadn’t escaped him, but the Russian officer knew his ships had to hold the position until they had been relieved or if the position had been in danger of being overrun.

“We’re receiving live feed from Clarion Drones Three and Four. The Iwo Jima’s being pursued by a frigate, and taking damage from three plasma torpedoes. She’s venting…” Lieutenant Denrae reported, from the communication‘s station.

“Are there any other covenant vessels nearby? Will be we seen?” Matvey asked, turning away from the situation table to the rest of the bridge.

“Negative, Sir. No covenant vessels are within the nearby vicinity. The frigate pursuing the Iwo Jima is the only one,” came the report from the operation‘s station.

“Take us up. Three second burn of the ventral thrusters, and set the primary and secondary cannons to long range effect. Target that frigate. Tell the Andromeda, the Laekenois and the Thresher to remain hidden, but to have their ARCHERS, defense turrets and main cannons on stand-by. If that frigate or one its buddies takes the bait, I want those three ships to open fire on it,” Matvey ordered, having calculated the odds of having more covenant company to saving at least one of the fleet‘s indispensable Marathon cruisers along with her experienced commander.

“The ventral thrusters are set to a three second burn,…commencing now. We should have full weapon’s range of the main and secondary cannons in four seconds,” Commander Kantle, the Passchendaele‘s seasoned Chief Engineer of nearly three decades reported from the engineering station. The massive nearly twelve hundred meter long cruiser shuddered as the ventral thrusters pushed the Passchendaele into position, with the barrels of both main cannons peering over the crest of the asteroid.

“The frigate‘s in range…” Alice reported, her fingers flying over the weapon‘s console.

“The Iwo Jima‘s come about on a full one-eighty to face the frigate and I‘m reading a spike in power in the weapon systems. She‘s preparing to ram the frigate,” the crewman at the Operation‘s station reported.

“I doubt it. Admiral Yakamura is an effective commander, but like myself was raised on smaller vessels. He may be trying to use the Iwo Jima as a destroyer,” Matvey explained, having at least come to know the Admiral if only briefly. It never hurt to know who the other commanders were in a Fleet, since one never knew when they would come to one‘s aid. “Tactical…Commander, target that frigate and key the forward ARCHER pods. When you have a firing solution, open fire,”

“Firing solution ready on the forward ARCHER pods and main cannons are fully charged,” Commander Alice Qelar reported.

“Fire,” Matvey ordered, standing tall near the situation table.

The Passchendaele shuddered twice as both the primary and secondary main cannons fired, delivering their bus-sized payloads accompanied by dozens of ARCHER missiles with their nuclear-yield warheads towards the covenant frigate near the Iwo Jima.

[Dutch]

Well, there wasn't much of a point in delaying the inevitable. Victor took a deep breath, then climbed into the HEV pod, which bobbed under his considerable MJOLNIR-enhanced weight. He let out a deep sigh and double-checked all his weapons and gear, after he left there wouldn't be a chance to run back and get stuff.

"Spartan one-two-six here, I'm ready to drop." He checked in over the communications, then fondled his kukri handles once more. Come hell or high water, he was ready. Although frankly, high water would've been preferable to what was to come.

[Deleted]

(OOC: My 105th post!)

^{Vice Admiral Klix
UNSCS Arizona
14th Tactical Response Fleet - Task Force 77}

With Fleet Admiral David Vardy just being arriving VIA Slip-Space, the UNSC fleet was just reinforced.

"Sir, we reading a large energy signature just off our starboard bow." The Ops officer said, and updated the holographic table stationed in the middle of the Arizona's bridge layout.

Two CCS-Class Battlecruisers had made their way around the planet, they were trying to FLANK the Arizona. They were close.

"How far? Are they in normal MAC range?" The Admiral asked.
"They will be in one minute, seven seconds, sir." The Ops officer replied.

"Open a COMM channel to the Kilimanjaro and do it now!" The Admiral screamed. "Channel open, sir!" The Comms officer replied.

"Dave! We've got two CCS-Class Battlecruisers coming from the dark side of the planet, to my starboard bow!" The Admiral said with a frantic voice.

"Disengage, we might need help! Our sensors show your main gun is charged along with the three Marathons that jumped in with you." The Admiral sighed.

The Arizona's five Frigates turned towards the new target and brought their MAC guns to the playing field. In the view screen, ARCHER silo's rotated to face the Covenant Vessels.

"MAC charge?" The Admiral inquried.
"Sir, SMAC is at 10% charge. Rate is 2.5% every ten seconds." The Weapons officer replied.

Crap! The Admiral though. They would have to rely on their escort, the five frigates.

"Open Comms to a Marathon Cruiser that just arrived and the five Frigates." The Admiral said.
"Channel open, Admiral." The Comms officer replied.
"This is Vice Admiral to all UNSC ships receiving. We've got two Battle Cruisers of to the right of the planet. Engage." The Admiral said.

A voice cracked over the bridge's PM system. "Admiral, fire solutions?" The voice asked.

"Sent."

The firing solution had the Marathon firing at the trailing Battle Cruiser, well the five Frigates fired at the leading Cruiser.

The Frigates fired as soon as the two Covenant ships entered range. However, the Marathon was still on the way. The lead ships shield flared once, twice then failed. Two MAC rounds had gotten through.

"Arm ARCHER Missile pods A1 to A10!" The Admiral yelled.
"Sir, nine hundred missiles?" The Weapons officer said.
"Yes, seven hundred on the shielded target, two hundred on the damaged battlecruiser, and do it now!" The Admiral replied.

Dull thumps sounded from the hull as the Archer missiles flew forward. On the view screen, they split and headed towards the target, most of them heading right for the shielded target.

The Missiles closed in, and the Covenant pulse lasers flashed. Small, yellow explosions dotted the space between the Arizona and her escort, and the two Covenant vessels.

"Sir, all missiles heading for the unshielded Covenant Vessel have been destroyed. However, most of the Archers going towards the second vessel have impacted their shields." The Ops officer reported.

Sadly, none of them made it through, however their shields were down. An opening. Sadly, both Vessels were on their way, the second one crippled, but still operational. Those two MAC rounds must have barely made it through.

Finally, a hot white MAC round cut through space and nailed the Covenant vessel near the mid-section. It stuttered off course for a second, then turned to get back on the course the Commander for the vessel had set. Then the second MAC round fired through the void between them. It hit the noise nearly dead on, and exited near the bottom of the middle. Small purple explosions lined the hall.

By now, the first Battle-Cruisers shields had been regenerated by a small percentage, as a blue casing around the vessel could been seen on the main view screen.
The second Battle-Cruiser spun down-words, maintaining the geosynchronous orbit it had with the planet. Two MAC rounds had hit it.

[Dufflepud]

(OOC: Kill, 700 archers aren't enough to come CLOSE to fully deplteting a battlecruiser's shields. Also, in case you can't tell, I'm firing at you.)

"Captain!" yelled Sesk, "both projectors are fully charged and ready to fire!"

"Good, lock all weapons within range on the closer UNSC capital ship, but reserve two torpedos for the newer of the two. Fire on my mark!"

"Done, sir," replied the ever stoic pilot.

"Fire!" commanded Kyet, and it was done.

As the Talon continiued on its strafing course, two needle thin beams of swirling gold light lanced out into the expanse of star dotted void that lay between the covenant destroyer and the human vessel, lighting up the night in an unnatural flare of color. Soon after, eight crackling blue spheres of super heated plasma raced out in hot persuit, seemingly with a destructive intent of their own as they chased after the cruiser.

The human vessel had "turned its back," so to speak, upon the hot headed skirmisher. That was a big mistake.

[Cabel]

[14th Tactical Response Fleet: Right Flank: Asteroid Field: UNSCS Passchendaele: Situation Compartment: Bridge]

“Take us down, Chief. Three second burn with the dorsal thrusters. The moment the two cannons are fully charged, give me a three second burn on the ventral thrusters and target that frigate again,” Matvey said, as the Passchendaele slid back behind the asteroid out of the range of fire.

“The Arizona’s under fire…” came the report from the Operation’s station.

“What? Repeat that,” Matvey asked, caught off guard by the last report.

“Two CCS-Class Battlecruisers are making a run for the Arizona. MAC rounds and ARCHER salvos have been unable to stop the two covenant vessels,” the Lieutenant manning the Operation’s station reported.

“What’s that status of the primary and secondary cannons?” Matvey asked, knowing the main cannons wouldn’t be fully charged after their delivered payloads against the frigate chasing the Iwo Jima.

“Magnetic capacitors are charging, but we’re at twenty percent charge on the primary cannon and thirty-five on the secondary,” Alice reported, from the tactical station.

“Order the Laekenois and the Andromeda to swing up and below the Arizona to provide cover. The Laekenois will execute a ventral thruster burn, and the Andromeda a dorsal thruster burn, and have them target the CCS-Battlecruisers. The Laekenois is to open fire with their HLA turrets, and main cannon. The Andromeda will take the shot with their main cannons and ARCHER missiles,” Matvey ordered, knowing the destroyers had a better chance at giving the Arizona and her escorts a chance to fight back even if their barrage didn’t result in the destruction of one or two of the Battlecruisers. He wasn’t going to stand by and watch the pride of the 14th Tactical Response Fleet sink from two lowly Battlecruisers. “Execute, now,”

While the Passchendaele and the frigate Thresher remained hidden behind the asteroids, the two destroyers Andromeda and Laekenois moved into position following through with thruster firing. Swinging into position, the Greyhound Class Fast Destroyer Laekenois and the Centaurus Class Fleet Destroyer Andromeda had the Battlecruisers in their gun-sights. The two destroyers opened fire, their main cannons hurling their payload while the Laekenois’ HLA turrets opened fire accompanied by hundreds of ARCHER missiles towards the Battlecruisers. The HLA turrets continued firing, while the Andromeda’s 50mm defense turrets came to life.

[Deleted]

^{Vice Admiral Klix
UNSCS Arizona
14th Tactical Response Fleet - Task Force 77}

"Sir! That destroyer is back on our sensors. It's firing wea-" The Officer was cut off, and the Arizona shook something fierce that threw the Admiral onto the Cruisers floor panels. Warning Klaxons whined to life.

"Damage!" The Admiral yelled.

"Sir, we are being hit by a projector beam!" The Engineering officer screamed, but was cut off from an internal explosion.

"Fire two starboard emergency thrusters, now!" The Admiral yelled. The Arizona's strategically placed thrusters fired, and launched the Arizona to the left. The explosive force made the surrounding crewmen around the Admiral fall to the deck, again.

"Damage report!" The Admiral chirped.
"Sir, six plasma torps are inbound!" The Ops offier yelled!"
"Rotate the vessel, bring up most of our MLA's onto the torps!" Yelled the Admiral. "Give me that damage report!"

The Arizona spun slightly, and brought nearly ninety MLA turrets towards the Plasma Torps. They instantly started to shot.

"Sir, armor to section eighteen is down to just point six meters, sections nineteen, twenty and twenty one, decks sixteen and seventeen have been breached. We've suffered sixty two casualties and reactor four is offline. Reactors three and two have shown slight damage and are leaking coolant, they can operate at eighty five percent on normal pace, one hundred and four percent on maximum operation. Starboard side has lost some MLA turrets and we've sustained a small buckle in the damaged sections!" The Engineer officer yelled out.
"Understood." The Admiral simply said. They had taken a ton of damage from the two beams, and now his focus was on the six plasma torps.

However, due to the sheer number of rounds entering the plasma torps, most of them were dissipated and one missed thanks to the emergency thruster's from the Arizona.

"Sir, two Marathon Cruisers are engaging the destroyer!" The Comms officer yelled. "No, wait, three Marathons and a Halcyon!" The Comms officer added.
"Good. Burn it to hell!" The Admiral said.

Two Marathons that just exited slip-space with the Fleet Admiral pivoted, and fired their cannons. Four hot MAC rounds closed on on the powerful Destroyer.

[Daenerys Targaryen]

Captain Lydia Adelle Morgan
UNSCS Fire Tear
14th Tactical Response Fleet

"A Covenant Frigate has fired a payload of Two energy projectors and six plasma Torpedos toward the UNSCS Arizona." Reported Guine as the covenant pay load glowed yellow along the blank air filled void of the space between it and the Fire Tear. Soon after the Laekenois and the Andromeda swung under the Arizona to rest snuggly at the Fire Tears sides.

"Guine get the Passchendaele on a channel we need to co-" began Lydia who was soon dissoriented by the sudden change in the view screen and flash of light that forced her to close her eyes shut. "What the hell just happened?" She demanded to her Operations officer Caitlin when Guine chimmed in.

"The Arizona has been hit by the energy projectors Ma'am, the vented atmosphere as rendered us slightly off course, correcting now." She mentioned as the ship gently rose back up in the void, giving Lydia a view of the damaged Arizona still defending itself from torpedos.

"Butch Patch me through the the Passchendaele." Ordered Lydia as she began to grit her teeth.

"Yes ma'am, channel opening.. now." Responded Bucth with a click from his station.

"Captain Matvey we have our one MAC charged and ready to fire, I suggest we coordinate, aim for the center of the ship while it's shields are dow-" Began Lydia, who was this time cut off by Guine.

"Ma'am two Marathon cruisers exiting slip space... they seem to be firing their Mac's toward the frigate." Reported Guine.

".. Thank you Guine, Captain this may seem a bit of over kill now but lets show them we break an arm for every bloody nose they give us." Offered Lydia as she sat down in her Captains chair. "We will fire at simultanious times or I will follow right after you. Just fire and our MAC will be right behind yours." Lydia stated before nodding to Guine's holotank to follow the plan.

[Cabel]

[14th Tactical Response Fleet: Right Flank: Asteroid Field: UNSCS Passchendaele: Bridge]


“Status on the main and secondary cannons?” Matvey asked, still standing near the situation table.

“Magnetic capacitors are at seventy-five…eighty percent and rising. The primary cannon‘s still charging, but the secondary cannon is fully charged,” Alice reported.

“Nadezhda?” Matvey asked, knowing the ship‘s Second Generation “Smart“ A.I. had her attention focused in at least several thousand different directions pertaining to the functions of the ship’s systems.

“Yes?” Nadezhda asked, her avatar of a nineteenth century nurse in a grey and white nursing uniform on the bridge’s holopedestal.

“Work with Commander Qelar at the primary weapon’s station, and double the charge rate of the primary cannon. We‘ll need both cannons fully charged,” Matvey replied. “Increase the output on reactor two to sixty percent, if you have to and channel it into the magnetic accelerators,”

“Acknowledged. The output on reactor two will be increased sixty percent, and the primary cannon will be fully charged within one hundred twenty seconds,” Nadezhda said. Matvey almost expected her to respond in protest, as the Alsatian’s A.I. Absolan had during their engagement with two Covenant corvettes in the Norva System six years earlier and although he’d missed the theological debates with the Alsatian’s A.I. he didn’t miss Absolan’s tendency of preaching and his smug attitude. The fact the Passchendaele‘s A.I. hadn‘t followed up in protest only confirmed the Russian officer's suspicions Absolan had been on the verge of rampancy.

“Message coming in from the Fire Tear,” Lieutenant Denrae at the communication‘s station reported.

“Put it on the speakers,” Matvey ordered.

“Aye, Sir,” Lieutenant Louise Denrae acknowledged, before transferring the transmission from the Fire Tear to the audio speakers allocated throughout the bridge.

“Captain Matvey, we have our one MAC charged and ready to fire. I suggest we coordinate and aim for the center of the ship while its shields are down….” he heard, as the Fire Tear‘s commander had been interrupted by what he could only assume had to be the ship‘s artificial intelligence.

“Ma’am, two Marathon cruisers exiting slip space…they seem to be firing their MACs toward the frigate,” the Fire Tear’s A.I. reported.

“Thank you, Guine. Captain, this may seem a bit of overkill now, but let’s show them we break an arm for every bloody nose they give us,” the Fire Tear’s commander, Captain Lydia Morgan offered. “We will fire at simultaneous times or I will follow right after you. Just fire and our MAC will be right behind yours,”

“Acknowledged, Captain. This line is secure,” Matvey said. “The Passchendaele will come up alongside and below at bearing three-six eight by one three-four. It will be at your discretion whether to fire simultaneously, before or after. The Andromeda and the Laekenois will stay on station to cover the Arizona,” The Passchendaele’s commanding officer turned from the nearest audio speaker, to face the front of the bridge while calculations raced through his neural lace. “Chief, bring all available reactors to full output. Lieutenant Denrae, inform the Thresher’s commanding officer to keep his ship on station. We can’t afford to have this flank up in the air. Commander Qelar, bring all ARCHER batteries online, primary and secondary cannons with targeting solutions and all MLA turrets,”

The massive Marathon Class Heavy Cruiser, nearly twelve hundred meter long turned from its station behind the asteroids and maneuvered below the massive Arizona Class flagship to come to rest alongside the Halcyon Class Refit Fire Tear at an angle. The two main cannons, with thousands of ARCHER missiles, dozens of fifty millimeter belt felt defense turrets pivoted into position as the crew braced themselves.

[Cabel]

[14th Tactical Response Fleet: Right Flank: Operation: Aid the Arizona: UNSCS Passchendaele: Bridge]

“Are we in position?” Matvey asked.

“We are at bearing three-six-eight by one three four, to port of the Fire Tear,” Lieutenant Ellis Michaels reported from the Navigation station.

“Good. Nadezhda, coordinate with the A.I. of the Fire Tear, and the other Marathon cruisers. Inform the other cruisers of our intent. What is the status of both cannons? Nadezhda?”

“Both primary and secondary cannons are fully charged. Commander Qelar may confirm the findings,” Nadezhda, the A.I. replied.

“Commander?” Matvey asked, turning to the primary weapon’s station.

“I confirm. The primary and secondary cannons are fully charged. ARCHER Pods Fore and Bow are hot and ready to fire. Targeting solutions have been acquired,” Alice replied.

“What of the MLA Turrets?” Matvey asked.

“Don‘t worry about the MLA turrets, Captain. My subroutines can handle those,” Nadezhda said, and left it unspoken that the MLA targeting systems aboard UNSC ships were handled through an A.I. rather than by human operators.

“Good,” the Passchendaele’s Captain said, before turning back to face the main viewers. “Switch to weapons hot, on all aforementioned batteries and fire,”

The Passchendaele shuddered slightly as the primary cannon fired, delivering its payload only to be followed shortly after by the secondary cannon. The double tap effect had been followed by repetitive burps of the belt felt MLA turrets replaced the silence the crew had experienced previously protecting the Fleet’s right flank. The main cannon of the Fire Tear opened fire, delivering its payload shortly after the Passchendaele’s cannons had fired, and joined the barrage created from the other Marathon cruisers against the battered Covenant destroyer.

(OOC: Beta and I both agreed to "NPC" the Fire Tear firing alongside the Passchendaele for this post)

[kartoffelfogel]

CNV RISING HOPE
IN ORBIT AROUND FORERUNNER WORLD "ARTIFICE"[/u]

"Shipmaster 'Gradaree!" the comm flared. Major Yrun 'Haidaree, the Master of Communications, gave the volume-glyph a vicious turn, augmenting the sound.

"This is Shipmaster 'Hedrathai. We're in pursuit of a Human Cruiser, but we've located several missiles on a highly unfavorable bearing. Do what you can--protect us so we might strike a killing blow to the Human vessel."

Shipmaster Djath 'Gradaree listened intently to the broadcast, reclining lightly in his hover chair. His bridge, in contrast to 'Hedrathai's own, was busy but controlled. 'Gradaree kept a firm but guiding hand on his crew.

He turned his head toward his Sub-Commander, Sran 'Mantakree, who stood tall but with his head angled slightly, as if the plea for help they had just received was fine music that merited intense concentration.

"Sub-Commander." he said, snapping 'Mantakree out of his reverie. "Have all First and Third Choir intercept as many missiles as they can, and have Second Choir run protective interference. Also, aim the Point-Defense Turrets for full range spread--use as much power as necessary to protect the Purveyor of Sanctity."

The Sub-Commander gave a rueful nod. "This tactic is sure to be successful, but we are effectively sacrificing energy and Seraphs for what seems to be a suicidal cause."

"It may be suicidal." The Shipmaster said. "But it is also a way we might even out our currently outnumbered state."

"Might we not try a more tempered response?"

"I will not have the Purveyor suffer a single blow. If you have decided to do what you must, you might as well achieve what you can." The Shipmaster intoned.

The Sub-Commander gave another solemn nod, and began beaming orders via his comm.


CNV PURVEYOR OF SANCTITY
IN PURSUIT OF UNSCS IWO JIMA[/u]


The Purveyor was finally coming in for the kill.

The Frigate cut through the final expanse of space as it neared the Cruiser, in the manner that a small predator pursues its massive prey.

Silence suddenly blasted out--that was the only way to explain the sudden draining of the minute radio signals all ships broadcasted. Power drained from the entire ship, and the shields, already weak, vanished entirely. Now, the small glowing sphere that had hovered near the Frigate's Energy Projector flared, and a brilliant beam of light screamed out at the Frigate, striking it with vicious intent.

At this point, an observer who ignored the panoply of light and destruction at the prow of the ship would notice the inexplicable launching of pods--Orbital Insertion Pods, Escape Pods, Boarding Pods. The ship had convulsed in the manner of a bee--stinging with lethal intent and lethal consequences, to the stinger and the stingee.

Then, a single sound on the comm frequencies; the sound of a Sangheili war cry.

[kuran]

Rear Admiral Daniel Yakamura
UNSCS Iwo Jima
Bridge

The Iwo Jima continued it's murderous charge towards the frigate. Nothing would stop that. Everyone onboard knew that the ship was going down. They had simply taken too much damage to retreat.

"Sir, the frigate is firi-"

Outside the viewport, the prow of the Covenant Frigate flashed, and the resulting beam of energy would have struck the Iwo Jima dead on had Dawn not chosen the moment to make a course adjustment. Now they were on a direct course with the frigate.

But the beam hit nonetheless. Striking them hard on the portside, it shook the ship much worse than the plasma torpedoes had.

"Captain! Multiple hull breaches, microleaks, casualty reports coming in...."

Daniel nodded. "Cut off the emergency alarms. Evacuate everyone from the lower decks."

"Aye sir."

As the quick proscess of moving the crew that inhabited the lowest decks was carried out, the weapons officer made her report.

"Captain, MAC's at fifty-four percent. Targets have been selected. Ready to fire Sir."

"Very well Ensign. On my mark, fire the MAC's, then immediately fire everything else. Dawn, transfer the emergency thruster controls to me."

His orders were carried out, and as the ship drew ever closer, Daniel took advantage of the momentary pause in the chaos to send out a broadcast to all UNSC ships in the area.

"Attention. This is Rear Admiral Yakamura, aboard the Iwo Jima. We have sustained heavy damage to almost all systems. Our engines are almost entirely offline. Our only option is to initiate Emergency Protocol Omega."

He wondered for a moment if they could all remember what that code entailed. It was hardly ever used. "In short...we are preforming an emergency landing on the planet below. On our current course to hell, we will be taking with us an enemy frigate, as well as launching what is left of our ordnance at the enemy fleet. I have authorised the use of our payload of Shiva missiles. This is the Iwo Jima. Give them hell."

Cutting the connection, he turned to the bridge crew, who were all looking at him. "Cede Nullis!" He said, reciting the ship's motto, Gaelic for "yield to none."

"Cede Nullis!" Came the reply from every body on deck.

"Allright, everyone prepare. Weapons...fire the MAC's on my mark."

As Daniel tapped in a key on his display, preparing the emergency thrusters, he noticed the tactical display, showing that the Frigate was almost upon them. Or, they were almost upon the frigate.

"FIRE!"

After a split second, the double *thunk* of the MAC rounds firing shuddered through the stricken ship, sending a pair of multi-ton shells streaking towards the frigate at that amounted to point-blank range. Daniel pressed a button on his display, and every emergency thruster on the underside of the ship fired at once.

The result was, as the MAC rounds sped towards the ship, the Iwo Jima was essentially propelled upwards. And so, as a total payload of close to eleven thousand archer missiles fired off, arcing towards almost every ship in the Covenant fleet, the Iwo Jima soared above and past the Frigate, missing it's top by a mere several dozen meters.

The ship continued onwards, listing, venting atmosphere, towards the planet below.


((OOC: The effect of firing every Archer in it's banks can be likened to this:



But with a very large spaceship and 11 thousand flares.))

[Daenerys Targaryen]

Captain Lydia Adelle Morgan
UNSCS Fire Tear
Bridge

"Ma'am our three Coordinated MACs along with the four other MACs heading to the destroyer." Reported Guine as the shuddering of the Hull finally stopped, it seemed that the destroyer had chewed off more then it coculd handle and was now in harms way.

"Excllent!! Now slow us down, we want those two destroyers ahead of us if any retalitory strikes come out before the destroyer is scrapped.. if it does get scrapped." The ship slowed to a shop as the final words of her order rang opast her lips and she moved from her chair to the communications station. "Is our channel with the Pass still open?" Asked Victoria.

"Ye Ma'am." Reported Bucth.

"Captain Matvey, you should take your ship back to the astriod field if you can for cover, let us hope we can get everything under control before the Battle Cruiser get here.... wait!! One of the Cruisers still has it's sheilds down!! We should focus on that now." Lydia said, looking toward her operations officer. "Lets see what this Destroyer does first though..." Dictated Lydia.

Soon after she recieved communications from the Iwo Jima, directly from the Captain. "Attention. This is Rear Admiral Yakamura, aboard the Iwo Jima. We have sustained heavy damage to almost all systems. Our engines are almost entirely offline. Our only option is to initiate Emergency Protocol Omega."

He wondered for a moment if they could all remember what that code entailed. It was hardly ever used. "In short...we are preforming an emergency landing on the planet below. On our current course to hell, we will be taking with us an enemy frigate, as well as launching what is left of our ordnance at the enemy fleet. I have authorised the use of our payload of Shiva missiles. This is the Iwo Jima. Give them hell." Soon after the communications where cut off again, Lydia watched out of her iew screen as the ship launched all of it's payload and archer missles, it looked sadistically beautifull as the missles went toward another covenant frigate. Then the sad vessel listed off toward the planet.

"Butch, open a line with the Iwo Jima now!" Ordered Lydia, she hardly recieved a go singal before she started speaking, if the line had contected fully and wether or not he could understand her through damaged communications was a different story. "Captain are you sure this is the only way!?" Questioned Lydia, knowing how dangerouse Protocol Omega was. She took time to asses the situation from her point of view... he was a strategist so he must be doing this for the good of the rest of us.. "Aye Captain Yakamura, the Fire Tear copies. We will give them all the hell this old bird can spit up.. good luck."

[Cabel]

[14th Tactical Response Fleet: Right Flank: Operation: Aid the Arizona: UNSCS Passchendaele: Bridge]

“Code Omega?” Lieutenant Denrae asked, from her station after hearing the single transmission from the Iwo Jima over the speakers.

“Code Omega is issued only when a ship is unable to sustain itself in orbit, after sustaining irreparable damage. The ship is rendered unrecoverable,” Matvey explained, believing his crew had to know what the obscure code meant. “The Admiral is beaching his ship on the planet. Now, Lieutenant…everyone resume your duties,”

“Aye, Sir,” came the replies from the rest of the bridge crew.

“Nadezhda, reinforce your core and program against EMP pulses beginning at the eight hundred megaton range. I normally wouldn’t follow this through during an engagement, but you’re too invaluable to lose. Before you power down and fall back to your core, redirect those systems your subroutines controlled to the various assigned stations. I don’t want to lose you, Nadezhda,” Matvey explained, turning to the nearest holopedestal. “Wait for my signal to re-initiate your systems,”

“As you wish, and it’s reassuring to know you care, Matvey,” the A.I. said, in Russian. Lines of code scrolled across Nadezhda‘s otherwise caring appearance, as her various subroutines redirected the multitude of services to pre-designated stations on the bridge and through redundant stations located throughout the ship. “It’s done. I’ll miss you, Matvey, and I hope we can see each other again,” The A.I.’s avatar dematerialized as the holopedestal powered down, along with many across the ship and armored flaps locked in place over the holopedestals. Nadezhda’s core program, along with its “branches” retreated back to the core, an armored and shielded core buried in a faraday cage deep within a heavily armored compartment of the ship to wait out the potential EMP from the SHIVA payload of a Marathon cruiser.

“Message coming in from the Fire Tear,” Lieutenant Louise Denrae reported.

“Is the channel still open?” Matvey asked, glad at least that an A.I. he‘d come to enjoy having around had managed to reach safety.

“Aye, Sir. The channel‘s still open,” the Lieutenant reported.

“Captain Matvey, you should take your ship back to the asteroid field if you can for cover. Let us hope we can get everything under control before the Battlecruiser gets here. Wait! One of the cruisers still has its shields down!! We should focus on that now,” Captain Lydia Morgan said over the speakers. “Let’s see what this Destroyer does first though…”

No sooner had the Passchendaele received the Fire Tear’s transmission, the space at a distance surrounding the dying cruiser Iwo Jima exploded akin to a star as the Iwo Jima’s payloads of ARCHER missiles, the larger SHIVA missiles erupted from the dying cruiser’s sides targeting the frigate that had pursued it. Matvey along with the rest of the Passchendaele’s crew looked on in both fear, awe inspiring pride, and unwavering respect for the Admiral and his crew as the Iwo Jima listed fatally towards the planet. Whether out of an old naval tradition or from the sole respect for the cruiser, Matvey snapped a salute in place of a cover that normally sat on his brow while off duty. The rest of the bridge crew, and most of the rest of the crew below decks snapped off a salute lasting only long enough to see the dying cruiser’s fatal list to the planet. An attempt to express his own respect for the Iwo Jima’s final stand and for the Admiral, Matvey began in that baritone voice to recite an old seaman’s chant from his homeland in his native tongue which was oddly followed by the rest of his crew despite the language barrier. It hadn’t dawned on him, or at least he hadn’t realized the channel to the Fire Tear had still remained open.

[Daenerys Targaryen]

Captain Lydia Adelle Morgan
UNSCS Fire Tear
Bridge

A small song like chant seemed to echoe over the comms channel as Lydia overwatched the listing of the Iwo Jima to Artiface's surface. The small song soon had more voices added to it untill it seemed that most of the crew on that bridge had joined along. Before Lydia had even turned around members in her crew joined the song. "Why not." Shrugged Lydia as she joined too, most of the bridge joined in after that. The Iwo Jima continued to list toward the planet so as the song continued Lydia walked over to the communications station. "Captain Matvey, another bloody nose. Ready to break another arm?"

"Troy dispatch Pelicans 1-35 to aid the Iwo Jima in any and all rescue efforts, make sure they are attached with CASEVAC pods." Ordered Lydia who moved back to her chair.

[Cabel]

[14th Tactical Response Fleet: Right Flank: Operation: Aid the Arizona: UNSCS Passchendaele: Bridge]


“Captain Matvey, another bloody nose. Ready to break another arm?” he heard over the speakers, from the Fire Tear.

“I’m of the same mind, Captain,” Matvey replied, the chant having come to a gradual end as the Iwo Jima’s descent became too sharp. He’d make a quick gesture to Lieutenant Denrae to mute the channel to the Fire Tear before turning the lieutenant at the Operation’s station. “Open the doors to the bridge when Lieutenant Eversmann and his team arrive. I have a plan to deliver our marine contingent to the surface with their equipment, and his team,” He‘d make the gesture to un-mute the channel with the Fire Tear. “I have something special in mind for the Covenant,”

He hadn‘t hinted at the plan forming in his mind, the strategy of the initial combat drop or even the delivery of the Passchendaele‘s marine contingent or the REVIVE Team commandoes. There hadn‘t been any doubt the planned maneuver involved heavy risk, but if carried out properly and swiftly granted both tactical and supply benefits. The plan involved the Passchendaele moving at full speed toward the planet, before breaking as the cruiser passed through the higher orbit before opening the drop-bays in the planet‘s lower parking orbit while insuring the Pelicans and the drop-pods evaded any anti-aircraft fire on their rapid descent. While most of the marine contingent made the drop aboard the Pelicans, Matvey would keep the ODST company aboard for insurance purposes if the extra aid were needed. Following the drop of the majority of the marines, Matvey had to make sure the Passchendaele pushed out of the planet's orbit before other Covenant vessels closed in.

[SuperCommando]

CPO SPARTAN-009 (Silas)

UNSCS Ares, inbound to planet Artifice

Gold team hanger bay

“Sir!” Silas acknowledged the Captain’s response and raised his hand in farewell salute, which he held until Jonathan had left the tiny hanger bay and disappeared from sight.

After that, the Spartan team leader picked the pod right next to Jethro’s, nodding to his teammate as he walked past. He clamped his machine gun and shotgun securely into the pod’s holders and attempted to sit inside, but discovered his blade was too long to fit on the seat. He removed it from his hip and held it in his lap instead. The machete-style knife was Silas’s one truly personal possession, having had it since a jungle-ops mission long before MJOLNIR armor, back when the SPARTANs’ enemies were rebellious colonists instead of alien armies. Although designed more as a survival tool than an actual weapon, it had served him well in combat throughout his career.

Now all he had to do was wait until the pods dropped. In the meantime, Silas got to work on that supply drop request and began typing on his tacpad’s touch screen. When the Captain suggested he could use anything at his disposal, it gave Silas some ideas. The Captain had granted him priority alpha status, meaning logistics would process Gold team’s requests before everyone else’s, thus allowing for the fastest response times. Even so, however, the HEV pods would deliver the team to the planet’s surface much faster than the supply-carrying Pelicans, meaning there would be a small waiting period before they arrived. That worked out perfectly – HEV pods weren’t known for their accuracy in orbital drops… it was likely that some people might get separated on the way down. They would use that waiting time to regroup.

“Bifrons, I’m sending you the list for a supply drop,” Silas told the trusty AI. “I need help choosing an appropriate drop point near the excavation site. Based on your analysis of the current situation, I’d like you to select the best tactical location.”

[jack]

Captain Rick Armstrong
UNSCS Orion
Bridge

From his position at the master command display, Rick saw the Iwo Jima's triangle turn yellow, indicating heavy damage. He swore and looked at the various Covenant ships displayed.

"Weapons! Get me a MAC solution on the Covenant frigate 10045787," he said, reading off the numerical designation given to the ship by the A.I. "Put Archer banks A-D up his ass, too. Fire when ready."

"Firing MACs in five....four....three....two....one....firing!"

Rick felt the ship buck satisfactorily as the MACs fired.

"Archers away!"

"Sir! Covenant frigate is destroyed, sir!"

[Wax™]

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

"Captain?"

Jonathon hauled himself out of his chair and looked around the Bridge till he saw one of his Officers waving him to their area of operation.

"What is it Wilson" he said to the Weapons Officer.

"It seem's all the other UNSC ships in range of that Covenant Destroyer are opening fire with their MAC's"

Jonathon smirked and put a hand on Wilson's shoulder.

"Then let's not be late to the party Wilson, get ready to fire MAC's"

"Yes Sir"

Jonathon moved over to his chair and sat back down before yelling at the navigations Officer.

"Hendricks! Line us up with that Covenant Destroyer"

"Aye Captain!"

Jonathon watched out of the main view screen as the ship slowly turned and lined itself up with the Covenant Destroyer, as this happened Jonathon keyed the COM's to the SPARTAN's HEV Bay.

"SPARTANS... You are green to drop, give 'em hell down there"

Jonathon said before arming and firing all HEV's that were ready in the HEV bay, interesting, there was an extra HEV that was fired, Jonathon knew a couple new SPARTAN's had been put on the ship but still, this was on extra, he was interrupted from his thougts by Wilson.

"Sir! We are in place and MAC is ready"

"Fire!"

Jonathon looked up to the main view screen and felt the large ship shudder violently twice as their two MAC's fired toward the Covenant Frigate, the Covenant ship was surly gone, this was just adding to the overkill.

[Dufflepud]

"Sir!" yelled sesk, "We have six MAC rounds inbound!"

"Damn them all!" swore Kyet, "Ok, Put all available energy into shields and thrusters, I want you to take us directly into the planet's gravity! Once we're in, make for the surface, but be sure that we are between the planet and our attackers! They won't fire again if they risk destroying the world below!"

With a boost to the thrusters, the Talon rocketed towards the planet, but it still wasn't enough, and even IF the Talon survived she would be heavily damaged.

The first speeding MAC round missed entirely, pulled slightly off course by the gravity of the planet. The second scored a direct hit, smashing into the Talon's shields, causing them to flare a bright electric blue pattern as the destroyer attempted to escape. The third MAC connected , shaking the whole ship as the shields flared again, unbroken but nearly so.

"Report!" yelled the captain.

"Sir, shield strength at twenty five percent! the next direct hit will pierce the shields!"

Just then, the ship shuddered as the fourth round connected, a glancing blow, but still enought to bring the shield integrity down to three percent. However, there were two more rounds on their way...

As the Talon reached the atmosphere, Kyet gave a sigh of relief... one which was cut short as one MAC tore half of the fin off of his left flank, and the second made a screecging roar as it tore a massive rent across the upper hull. Pulling himself to his feet, Kyet called,

"Jak! Damage report!"

"Sir! Both projectors are functional but we do not have enough power to charge even one of them in less than six hours, and only that if we sit still! All but one plasma torpedo offline, and he have only sixty pulse lasers left. Nearly a hundred casualties, and breaches on multiple decks. The shield generator is online, but heavily damaged. I estimate that within the hour, we'll be able to maintain a constant shield strength of eighteen percent. To put it lightly, sir, we're crippled and out of the fight.


"Very well," sighed Kyet, "Keep us in atmosphere, but above visual range of ground troops. Maintain position relative to the human vessels so as to prevent any more fire.

[kuran]

Lance Corporal James Beaufort
Fireteam Raptor, Spec Ops ODST
UNSCS Iwo Jima

The ship shuddered, and as James followed the rest of his team up the stairs at a run, he nearly lost his footing and tumbled back down.

Of course they had been on almost the lowest deck in the ship when the call came through to evacuate to higher levels. The team had piled through the ship and up as many decks as possible in as short a time as they had.

Finding a small room on a midlevel deck, they managed to brace themselves against bulkheads and furniture just as the ship shuddered with the launch of it's remaining ordnance.

"What the hell is the captain doing?" He asked the room in general.


Rear Admiral Daniel Yakamura
UNSCS Iwo Jima
Bridge

...Which coincidently was exactly what Daniel was thinking at that very moment.

The cool voice of Dawn the AI cut through the sudden silence as they flew past the covenant frigate and towards the planet below.

"Captain, the Frigate has been destroyed. As per your orders, I have selected a landing site for the ship that will provide us with the flat ground that we need. Current time to impact....four minutes thirteen seconds."

Daniel nodded. "Very well, thank you Dawn."

The descent was mostly silent. All of the preparations that had to be made had been done, and the steering and operation of the crippled ship was being carried out by Dawn. So most of the crew was left with little but silence.

"Captain, we have entered the atmosphere, two minutes to impact."

He nodded. There was nothing more that they could do but watch the planet slowly filling the viewports.

It didn't take long before they could see details of the planet bigenning to form. Trees, hills and valleys. For a moment Daniel thought he saw the dig site flashing past to their right, but he couldn't be sure.

Dawn brought the ship in expertly. For a vessel not designed for space operations, she managed to glide it in with the use of emergency thrusters for as smooth a landing as possible. With mere moment before they hit, Daniel gave one last ship-wide call.

"Brace for impact!"

And then, a huge, earth-shattering *SLAM* as they hit the ground, and Daniel's vision darkened.

[Bippwatt]

Commander Sabrina Lansorson
UNSCS Quoth the Raven
Bridge

"Slipspace exit in 30 seconds.", Hal intoned.

"Affirmative. Thank you, Hal. Make sure the marines are ready for a hot drop, would you?"

"I'm sorry, Dave. I can't do that, Dave."

"Haha, Hal. Just open the damn pod bay doors, Hal."

"Alright, alright. I'll go check on them."

As he vanished, the ship lurched suddenly as they exited Slipspace. And sensors gave them a scary view.

"What the-?" Cathy whispered. "Is that...a ship committing to an emergency landing?! On a planet?! Has their commander gone insane?"

"Unlikely. Remember, we've only just arrived. We'll have to assess the situation from their point of view once we learn what happened. Orson, comms link?"

"On line, ma'am."

"Good." She pressed the comms stud on the arm of her command chair and spoke quickly, but clearly.

"This is Commander Lansorson, UNSCS Quoth the Raven. We have arrived on station and are linking up with UNSCS Passchendaele until orders otherwise come through."

She released the stud and turned to the navigation station. "Henry, lay us on to course...." She paused to do the math in her head. "25 up, 65 starboard. Maximum Military Power."

"Aye, ma'am. 25 by 65, up and starboard laid in, going to maximum engine power." The frigate twisted as it pushed it's nose "up" and to it's starboard side and it's engines flared as they were pushed to their limits.

"Cathy, MAC status?"

"Charge at 70 percent, increasing by 20% per minute. Estimated time to complete charge in three minutes."

"Alright. Key the Archers missiles, all pods. Load Shiva Tubes 1 through 3."

"Aye, ma'am. Archers are keyed, Shiva One, loaded. Shiva Two, loaded..." A pause. "Uh...ma'am, Shiva Three is reporting a tube blockage. It's a nasty one, ma'am."

Sabrina sighed. This ship would be the death of her.... "How bad?"

"Damage Control says it will take about six hours to clear out."

"Damn it! Alright..leave it unloaded. We don't have time to mess with it."

"Yes ma'am."

"Ma'am, ETA to link up with Passchendaele in six minutes."

"Very well. Let's get our game faces on, people."

[Cabel]

[14th Tactical Response Fleet: Right Flank: Operation: Aid the Arizona: UNSCS Passchendaele: Bridge]

“Message from the Quoth the Raven, Sir. She’ll be linking with our location in six minutes,” Lieutenant Louise Denrae reported.

“Commander Lansorson’s boat?” Matvey asked, before giving off a bit of a chuckle. He‘d run into Commander Lansorson at some point during a conference and had even heard of the conservative Commander‘s exploits of following the book unless it came to endangering her crew. “Have the Quoth the Raven come up below and behind us at bearing two-five-nine by zero-seven-nine before passing behind the Fire Tear, Andromeda and Laekenois. They can’t make a run at the planet with that Destroyer blocking our approach vector, and will have to make a run for a new drop-zone. Inform them of that Destroyer in orbit, and to make way for the Iwo Jima‘s scuttling,”

“Aye, Sir. Relaying the coordinates and the orders to the Quoth the Raven,” Louise replied, sending the new transmission back to the newly arrived frigate.

“Lifesigns detected from the Iwo Jima, Sir. They’re alive, for the most part. The Iwo Jima is unrecoverable, but she’s come to a stop on her keel,” the Lieutenant at the Operation’s station reported, having followed the Iwo Jima on its fatal downward spiral. “The Fire Tear is responding with EVAC runs, combat teams and the battalion on the surface is offering aid,”

“Good. Keep the Iwo Jima on a side scope, and let me know if the situation changes,” Matvey ordered, secretly relieved the Admiral and the Iwo Jima’s crew had largely survived the scuttling and beaching of their ship. Reaching his command chair in the recessed command pit, he delicately typed a text into the com-pad after opening a channel to one of Nadezhda’s listening stations. The signal would be relayed from that station, an otherwise “dumb” station to the A.I.’s core. “The pulse has dissipated, and you can come out of your sanctuary,” he typed, and sent.

“I received your message, Matvey. Thank you, and for the record I would have missed our little conversations,” Nadezhda, the Passchendaele’s Second Generation “Smart” A.I. said in Russian after materializing on the bridge’s holopedestal.

“As would I,” Matvey replied, in Russian and gave a small smile. In truth, Matvey had grown more attached to the Passchendaele’s A.I. over the years where it had become a friendship. That friendship had been a far cry from the utilitarian, and lecturing with the Alsatian’s A.I. Absolan. Their friendship had remained professional, albeit with a casual spin every now and then as it would otherwise be seen as entirely inappropriate by UNSC naval regulations.

“Lieutenant Denrae, send a ship-wide transmission. Inform the marines and the dropship pilots to prepare for a combat-drop, into a Hot LZ. We‘ll be moving into position within nine hundred seconds. Inform the ODST companies to remain aboard, in the case of boarding,” Matvey ordered, switching back from Russian.

“Aye, Sir,” Lieutenant Louise Denrae reported, before turning to her console and opened a channel through the ship. “All hear this, All hear this. Marine companies, prepare for drop into a Hot LZ. ODST companies will remain aboard ship, for possible counter boarding action. Dropship pilots prepare pre-flight cycle checks on your craft. Time to drop is nine hundred seconds. Repeat, time to drop is fifteen minutes,”

[admiral]

Fleet Admiral David Vardy

"Admiral! Plasma torpedo's coming in hot!" Yelled Archer, his flight suit soaked from perspiration from the stress.

"New Course heading, veer us left! Increase power by 150%" Shouted David. "Prepare to use the emergency thrusters on my mark!"

"Reactors running at 150% power! Red line in 50 seconds!" Shouted Kim from ops. "Thrusters standing by!"

As the plasma torpedos came closer, David gripped the edge of his seat. "FIRE STARBOARD THRUSTERS NOW!"

Suddenly, David was thrown to his left as the thrusters fired on the right side of his craft, propelling them onto a new course. The Plasma bolts missed the ship, barely, still melting the titanium plating.

"Armour down to 75% near the engineering hull!" Shouted Kim. "Mac Damaged, but not severly"

"Can we still use it?" David barked.

"Affirmative, but only to 75%" was the reply.

Shit. But not out of the game yet thought David.

"Sir! Target has been neutralised, its holding position barely in the atmosphere." reported Archer.

"Leave it, we have other problems" said David. "Bring us to bear on another target. Status of MAC Power?"

"MAC at 75%. Ready when you are." replied Archer.

"Co-ordinate with Admiral Klix, give him some relief." ordered David.

[dave36464736]

[red]//OOC: Duffle. your ship has been eliminated. either land it or slipspace out.\\[/red]

//OOC: Kuran is it ok if I use my patrol as a rescue party for you and your crew? Also Dave I seriously doubt they would have enough power to slipspace out.\\ -Wax-

[Deleted]

^{Vice Admiral Klix
UNSCS Arizona
14th Tactical Response Fleet - Task Force 77}

"Sir, the Fleet Admiral is asking for targets." The Comm's officer replied. "Tell him to fire at the more powerful vessels. Get me comms to any two Frigates in our designated group." The Admiral replied, and issued an order.
"Sir, two Frigates have been raised." The Comms officer said.


"Frigate commanders, I've sent your text orders to your consoles." The Admiral said. A male replied. "Yes, sir."
A few seconds more, a female responded. "Giving the ground troops orbital support, from in atmosphere. I like the idea, sir, but will you keep the Covenant off our backs?" She asked.
"I'll try my best, commander." The Admiral responded.


The two frigates moved forward, and past the recently crippled Destroyer that nearly every Cruiser had just fired on. One Frigate went towards the recently grounded Marathon, well one went towards the dig site.


"Deploy out Albatrosses, but send them towards the Iwo Jima. We need to get it's supplies off the ship so it can be used on the ground." The Admiral ordered.

The Ops officer spoke. "Orders away."

A minute later the Admiral watched as a steady stream of the large drop ships floated towards the planet. They were able to get out quick, because they didn't have to load. They would to that at the Iwo Jima.

[Bippwatt]

Commander Sabrina Lansorson
UNSCS Quoth the Raven
Bridge

"Ma'am, incoming orders.", Orson said grimly.

"Let's hear them.", Sabrina said.

"We are to, and I quote, 'come up below and behind us at bearing two-five-nine by zero-seven-nine before passing behind the Fire Tear, Andromeda and Laekenois', close quote, ma'am."

Sabrina sighed in frustration. A micro-managed set of orders. Just what she needed. "Right. Well, not much for it. Helm, lay in the course, two-five-niner down by zero-seven-nine starboard."

"Roger that. Course laid in and plotted."

"Ma'am. That's not all.", Orson continued. "Apparently, there is a Covenant Destroyer in orbit. It appears that it is blocking our approach vector to the planet. Or so they say."

"Yes, because space is two-dimensional, so when you have an enemy in your way, you have to go right at him. Helm, belay that order. Take us Niner-two up, One-eight-zero port. Maximum power for two minutes, then take us dark."

"Ma'am, should I-"

"If you get a comms request/demand, give them...Code Three-Nine-Two.", she said with a feral grin. That ought to give them a heart attack...or maybe a stroke. Assuming they can even remember it....it's hardly ever used., she thought.

Orson thought, the look on his face obviously searching his memory for the code. He evidently found it and approved, for his face split in a giant grin. "Yes, ma'am. I think I can do that, ma'am!"

(For a bit of a refresher on Three-Nine-Two, use Halopedia and put in Three-Nine-Two....Yes, the good doctor just told you to go to hell!.)

[Cabel]

[14th Tactical Response Fleet: Pass by the Planet: UNSCS Passchendaele: Bridge]


“Sir, the Quoth the Raven’s heading on bearing niner-two-up by one-eight-zero port…what are they thinking?” the Lieutenant at the Operation’s station reported.

“Passchendaele to Quoth the Raven. Quoth the Raven, correct your course and come about…what’s Code Three-Niner-Zero? What book was that in?” Lieutenant Louise Denrae asked, rather surprised and a tad confused on what she’d heard from the frigate.

“Really now…that is an obscure one,” Nadezhda replied, curious if Matvey knew that and not really surprised Lieutenant Denrae hadn’t.

“Code Three-Niner-Zero…” Matvey began and broke out in laughter. “Tell her, I’ll buy her and her bridge crew a round at the Four-Oh-Two Bar back on Reach,” He hadn’t expected that from a frigate commander, but even an old spacer needed a little laugh every once and a while. Commander Lansorson had told him she’d ignore his orders, or to put it more bluntly to go to hell, and while normally he’d be infuriated the Commander’s response had broken the mood of the engagement even for a brief respite.

“What does that Code mean? It has to be in one of the books on naval regulations…” Louise began, fretting.

“Relax, Lieutenant. The Code is…a little joke among officers in the fleet,” Matvey said, committing to a white lie. If his crew hadn‘t known about that Code in particular from the Special Warfare department, all the better he thought. They‘d eventually learn of it, regardless of how obscure it had been.

“Lieutenant Michaels, bring the ship around to bearing zero-five-five by two-six-zero. Set engines to full thrust, and head for the planet’s higher orbit. Nadezhda, coordinate your efforts with Lieutenant Michaels at the Helm. Once we reach the planet’s higher orbit, continue on course with a small three second burn from the ventral bow thrusters. Get our nose up, before we reach the parking orbit and continue on course. Fire the breaking thrusters the moment we breach the lower orbit. Inform the marine companies, Pelican pilots and Lieutenant Eversmann’s team to be in their designated craft for the drop. We’re going to have one shot at this,…let’s make it count. Once our drop is complete, set engines to full thrust and get us out of the planet's gravity well,” Matvey ordered. “Nadezhda, send a ship-wide transmission. All hands, strap into your stations and brace,” Even as he made that last order for the ship-wide transmission, the Russian officer returned to the command chair and strapped in using the harness. The rest of the bridge crew followed suit, and Matvey hoped the marines and the REVIVE Team managed to reach their designated craft in time. His plan involving the risky maneuver to skim the planet's orbit was to give much needed time to the marines dropping into combat conditions, and to prevent the losses if or when the Covenant opened fire.

The Passchendaele’s thrusters flared white hot as the nearly twelve hundred meter long cruiser, more a chunk of battleplating shot ahead of the UNSC Fleet formation on its run for the planet. Its programmed course carried it out of range of the weapon’s range of the Covenant Destroyer in orbit before passing into the planet’s higher orbit. For any that might have looked on, the maneuver might have seemed insane from a skipper with a reputation of defensive maneuvers or as a man driven by his ancestral lineage. The ventral thrusters fired as planned, raising the Passchendaele’s armored bow on its planned trip through the planet’s higher and parking orbit. Once its drop bays had emptied and the marines had safely left the ship, the Passchendaele’s main engines flared wide before propelling the ship beyond the planet’s gravity well on a course back towards the UNSC Fleet formation.

[Dufflepud]

(OOC: Sorry that there's no post yet. Just pretend my ship is landed with all power going to the cloaking system. I promise I'll post when I have acess to an american computer, but until then, this is all I have time for.)

//Note: Duffle you ship does not have enouhg power and his far too damaged to do that, if you used all power going to the cloaking you would fall out of the sky much like Kuran's ship\\

//Note: (indignant) I was falling with style, thank you very much\\

Response: Obviously I landed first, smart one!