REVISED A/N: Well, I've decided to get back to work on this. College has my schedule open a bit more than it was in High school, so I decided to pick this back up since I had some free time. Instead of jumping straight back in and writing new chapters, I went and reread some of my earlier ones and cringed. SO MANY MISTAKES. That and I didn't like where the story was heading. So, I'm doing a bit of a rewrite. There were some word changes in this chapter. The big story changes I have in mind will start about chapter 3. So, in the spirit of the old A/N, Enjoy!


Disclaimer: I do NOT own any ships or items described from HALO or their franchise. HALO is owned by Bungie and 343 Industries.


Patterns of speech:

Thoughts

"Speech"

Ch 1: Unexpected Destinations

UUA First Fleet

FFG-1028 Column of Faith

Location: Deep Space

MV Coord Frequency: 901823.34

"ALERT! MV DRIVE OFFLINE! SLIPSPACE DRIVE OFFLINE! SECONDARY CANNON BATTERIES OFFLINE! CIWS OFFLINE! MAC OFFLINE! SHEILDS FAILING! ALERT! MV DR..."

Well, definitely not the first way I would have chosen to go…

That was one of the things on my mind as warning messages blared while I set the modified Paris-class heavy frigate to a collision course with the cruiser on the view screen. During the battle, the MAC cannon was disabled and they were tearing away at what shields the auxiliary generators were providing. Just 10 minutes earlier I had given my crew the order evacuate to the remaining ships and for a fleet wide jump to random coordinates, using whatever FTL and MV drives they had left. As for myself, I had stayed behind to act as a big red target to distract the enemies as the rest of the fleet jumped. Now the Column of Faith was the only green dot on the strategic map.

At least I bought enough time for them to jump.

"Sir, collision course set. 1 minute, 38 seconds until impact" Fi, the ship's AI said over the com lines, soon a hologram appearing on the pedestal to my right. Fi had taken to a look of a women in her mid-twenties, wearing a skirt that went down to her knees and a loose shirt with long, loose hanging sleeves. She had a look of sadness, but also one of determination, knowing this was the only option. The slip-space drives were shot and the MV core was overloaded. Impulse was only working from diverting power from weapons and shields. It seemed the only thing I could do was wait until the ships collided..

"Well, it's been fun. If we try to escape via pelican, they'd shoot us out of the sky." I said as I looked at the ship growing in size on the view screen as the ship shook as another barrage of fire hit it. I looked over to Fi, who, if anyone who didn't know better had seen her, would say she was resigned to the fate. But the smile she gave just then said otherwise. "Well, there is a higher possibility of surviving escape in one than staying in here" Fi stated with a smirk.

I knew exactly was she was thinking. "Hell, it's better than just sitting here waiting for the end. If I'm going out, it's going to be in style."

Hell, might even be able to avoid being blasted long enough to warm up the short-range FTL drive, I thought to myself, keeping up what optimism there was left in the situation as I made my way to one of the side hangars. And getting blasted while dishing out, albeit, low damage is better than sitting in this giant tin can waiting to crash.

"I've lowered the power going to the engines so we can launch before the Faith hits" Fi stated as I ran. "And don't forget to pull me," she stated as I ran past the pedestal. I only took a second to stop and pull the data crystal out that housed the AI before I resumed my frantic dash to the hangar to the modified pelican. As I stumbled up to the controls, I shoved Fi's data crystal in rather harshly getting a "ow" in response.

"25 seconds until impact" Fi announced, not helping the already stressful situation.

"Please stop announcing times and open the hangar doors" I partly shouted as I rapidly started the drop ship up, its oversized engines purring as they came online.

"Ok, ok, don't get your pants in a wad," she said jokingly in response, despite the situation. As the pelican lifted up off the floor, magnetic clamps releasing it from its place, the hangar doors opened and the air violently began rushing out of the large room, dragging unsecured fighters and crates and pulling on the pelican.

"Hold on, I'm going to shut off the forward thrusters and let the decompression carry us out of the hangar," Fi stated as she proceed to do as she planned. As the ship gained speed, I hit the throttle and shot straight out of the hangar.

And right into the sights of a corvette.

"Shit!" As quick as the curse shot out of my mouth, a rain of fire hailed down on the pelican. I banked hard left as the initial shots narrowly grazed by. As the corvette rained its deadly hail of shots, the other ships noticed and joined in the large scale metaphor of shooting a fish in a barrel.

"Sir, not to be the one to point out the obvious, but we can't keep dodging their fire all day," Fi stated, much to my chagrin.

"I know, I know!" I shouted as a missile and many rounds of rail-gun point defense fire passed to the left, missing by mere inches. As they passed by there was an explosion to my right. I looked to see what it was.

There was a nice hole in the side of one of the Faith's engines.

"Sir, the Faith's engine two has overloaded, engine one is powering down. The direction is slightly altered, but still on a collision course. She's decelerating."

I could only curse as it would take longer and do significantly less damage to the cruiser flagship. Then, an idea jumped into my head.

"We'll take cover using the Faith as a barrier between us and all this damn fire until the short range FTL come online."

Fi's hologram appeared to my left, a look of contemplation on her face for only a split second before she answered, "That'll be cutting it pretty close, but it may be just enough time to work."

Before any other plans could be thought, even more ships joined in the onslaught and dodging was starting to become an impossibility. As more fire passed by the pelican's left, I banked right and took cover behind the relatively undamaged engine of the frigate, quietly hoping it would hold until we could open a slip-space portal to get out of this mess.

"Slip-space drive charging at 45%. This is REALLY cutting it close sir," Fi announced to me as I was paying more attention on what was happening in front of the Faith.

"Um….. Fi, what is that?" I questioned as energy began to buildup in front of the frigates line of trajectory.

There was a short pause as Fi compiled what data the pelican's scanners were giving her. Then, much to my chagrin, a look of surprise appeared on her face. I hated last-minute surprises.

"Sir, they're using their MV drive to create a portal in front of the Faith. Scanning now… Sir, it's set for random coordinates, and we're right IN its path. I suggest immediate evasive maneuvers."

While she was giving of info and suggestions, I thought ran through my mind, albeit a crazy one, but better than just jumping into their targeting system's sights.

"No, we won't."

Fi once again had that look of surprise. "But sir, that MV jump could rip us apart or-"

"-or," I interrupted "we could end up completely safe on the other side, with a salvageable frigate. It's randomized, so they can't track it easily and it would give us time to fix up the Faith enough to make a jump into allied areas. Plus, I'd rather risk this then give them some target practice for all of 10 minutes."

Before Fi could answer back, the front of the Paris-class frigate broke through the portal.

"Well here goes nothing," I stated before hitting the throttle, thrusting the pelican into the portal.

Then, all was white.


REVISED A/N: Well, told you there wasn't much of a change in this one. Still hope you enjoyed it though. Not much else to say down here except keep an eye out on the next revision. Arwingmaster1, out.