Providence: Chapter 1
It's my first Fan fiction and crossover. I used OC as protagonist, but he is not a Hero or a vital character in original Halo. He will have his role in the crossover. Basically the crossover would be based on a UNSC soldier's point of view. He won't change or hinder MC or Shepard's role or overshadow them by being better. He will have interaction with them but just as a minor companion not anything vital to them. MC and Shepard will do their job in the background, my OC will just support them with minor help. The "Apollo Class frigate" I used here is from fanon. But the time line was from 26th century. So I got raid of advanced Tech to match my timeline. It's my first update so be nice.
Squad = 09-10 soldiers (Staff/Sergeant)
Platoon = 16-44 soldiers (Lieutenant with NCO second in command)
Company = 62-190 soldiers (captain with first sergeant)
Battalion = 300-1000 soldiers (lieutenant Colonel with command sergeant)
New Ships in UNSC…..
UNSC Apollo-class frigates were built eight years after the H-C war. These frigates were the only lower class ships that were made after the Grate War, but because of not being effective in acceptable numbers they were only used in base defense, Scout, troop deployment or as immediate response ship. At 829m length and 120m width Apollo-class frigates are the largest frigates UNSC has ever built, although against their covenant counterparts they were almost useless but they served their purpose in the war. These frigates were built to engage as anti-star fighter or troop transport so it was used only in close range. With numerous PDG platform and heavy armor they were a nightmare to any star fighter of any faction. But their main guns are so weak that if they go even against a Paris-class frigate head on they will have to go under heavy repairs regardless of the result. During war these ships were assigned in patrol or scouting missions because of their impressive maneuverability and speed. Apollo-Class frigates were armed with three light MAC, four side-mounted anti-amour heavy auto-cannon, a crap load of point-defense turrets and missiles turrets, fourteen archer missile pods and forty-six general purpose Machine Guns. These frigates have a reputation of being highly maneuverable and fast compared to other ships its size or even smaller destroyers. But due to high resource cost and not being effective as much as other frigates, most of these ships were mothballed till any large conflict. UNSC only assigned a portion of its original number in active duty. It has advance communication system, which can contact to base significant less amount of time. It can also contact other ships inside the slip-stream.
Story Start:
Chapter 1:
The Dread of Night is an Apollo-class frigate; it was one of the first Apollo-class frigates that came out of the factory. At twelve years of service it saw through the highest number of conflicts any other ships of its generation in UNSC. Served by two veteran and wealthy captains it went under a lot of upgrades, making it the strongest Apollo-class Frigate. Its main gun was refitted with a twin MAC and four archer pods were replaced with plasma torpedo pods. It is also one of the few frigates that have shields. Right now under Captain Nathan Cromwell it is serving as a scout and investigation ship in 37th fleet of the UNSC. The 37th fleet was assigned to defend a recently colonized agricultural planet named New Hope. Admiral Flitch Lester is the one who commands the fleet. He was forced to come out of retirement few months ago by Lord Hood's request. Apparently he was one of the officers who had a key role in diminishing the Covenant-Remnant.
New Hope is a borderline planet founded only five years ago. So with population of barely 250 thousand, it's still underdeveloped. Most of its citizens were refugees of H-C war who were relocated by the UNSC. New Hope is a completely new planet UNSC has colonized after the Great War. Although before the war a few ships went missing in this sector. But when the insurrectionists disbanded nothing like that happened. UNSC doesn't actually assign any military fleet in colonies these types but being positioned almost outside The UNSC area and its immediate response zone they assigned a fleet of twenty ships to hold off any aggressors long enough to evacuate or secure the civilians. It has a small multipurpose space station that serves as its main planetary defense, docking and refueling station. New Hope has ten thousand active ground forces and only a few hundred aerial units as support. So overall this planet is insignificant compare to even other underdeveloped colonies. But being the first in a new sector and the fifth largest planet in UNSC possession, this planet has a lot of potential. So UNSC is starting to spend a lot of credits on this planet. Half of the 37th fleet's ships were assigned to search for mine-able asteroids and chart this sector of the galaxy. Even though New Hope was colonized five years ago its neighboring solar systems were not charted until recently.
24 hour ago planet New Hope's space station Far Watch's long range sensors detected an energy spike on a star-system thirty light years away from its position. The energy spike was short lived but after it dimmed down two faint energy sign was detected, Far Watch's crew confirmed that those energy was definitely from two ships, which seems to appear without any slip-space rupture. But the energy signature was nothing like anything they ever encountered before. The Far Watch confirmed those were from two ships. Worst of all a few hours after those two ships appeared a really large but almost same energy signature came into existence. The energy level was through the roof, the Far Watch immediately went on High Alert. The High Com was alerted immediately. Everyone thought that the energy was from a forerunner construct, but almost all the forerunner experts in New Hope denied that possibility. Few hours after that, the Scientists confirmed that that object was not a ship, instead that could either be a large space station or any other construct. The Dread of Night and two Sister frigates named 'UNSC Ocean's Blue' and 'UNSC Lush forest' and a stealth prowler named 'UNSC Lucky Me' were ordered to investigate the system and return as soon as possible. The High Com was sending reinforcements but it would still take another 24 hours.
The ships crews were anxious; that star-system was rendered unsafe when the covenant-remnant was still active. After the war against them UNSC had cleared the space. Being at the edge of its territory the UNSE gives a patrol run here once in a long while. It is possible for any pirate group to set up a temporary base there. But that does not explain the appearance of that super powered construct. The dread of Night was ordered to inform the 37th fleet as soon as possible.
Inside The Dread of Night, Commander Nathan was sitting in his Command chair seemingly bored out of his mind. He has an unusual combination of black hair and blue eyes with tanned skin, he has an oval shaped face with no visible scars which was also unusual even compared to a civilian. He was wearing grey colored UNSC navy uniform with a few badges on his shoulders and chest. Fleet-Admiral Flitch Lester of 37th fleet personally assigned him on this mission. Captain Nathan is a young officer, being from a military family, he had to work less hard to get a ship of his own. Many of his family rivals say that his father paid for that ship. While actually UNSC started to build a lot of new ships past few years, so they needed officers to run them. Veteran officers were not enough to fill all posts. So when Nathan Cromwell got promoted to Captain he was immediately assigned to the Captain less ship. He was the commander of his previous ship before getting promotion. But for assaulting an officer he was demoted to commander three days after he got his ship and was assigned in New Hope. He derived from an insurrectionist family which was responsible for killing a lot of UNSC personnel before the H-C War. But when the Covenant attacked the UNSC, seeing a greater danger, His family surrendered to UNSC and provided support in H-C war in exchange of general pardon. Since then his family was always on the front-line of any skirmish. Although they served with loyalty for almost fifty years they were still shunned for their action before H-C War. So it wasn't a surprise when he got assigned in New Hope as punishment.
"Andy, are we there yet? I'm getting board sitting here all day." Commander Nathan groaned. "My back hurts"
"You have been sitting here only for two hours, sir. That hardly compares to a full day" said the AI with a sigh "you can always go to your room and take a nap, you know." Andy is the ship board AI of the Dread of Night. He was assigned in this ship six years agro right after its previous AI got decommissioned. He was an average smart AI, who was almost at his middle age.
"I know, but wouldn't it be against protocol for an officer to leave his post" Nathan nodded his head sideways with mock seriousness, "besides I am the commanding officer in this vessel 'who' could run the ship while I'm gone" making some hand gesture.
Suddenly before the AI could answer, the XO Lt. Commander Catharine Lester snapped with extremely pissed off look in her face, "OH MY GOD, COMMANDER IF YOU WANT TO GO TO YOUR ROOM, JUST GO! STOP BUGGING ANDY, I WILL TAKE CARE OF THE BRIDGE" she didn't mean to snap but the captain's constant complaining was getting on her head. Commander Nathan maybe the commanding officer but being more experienced in commanding post and being the previous commander of the Dread of Night she has more influence in the ship. She was demoted to LT. Commander for assaulting a civilian while on shore leave. When asked why she attacked that person she said that the civilian made a rude comment on her, but unfortunately she could not provide any proof or witness on her side. She and Commander Nathan were neighbors and childhood friends, they both graduated from the same academy but Commander Nathan skipped a year before joining the UNSC navy. Lt. Commander Catharine Lester is the niece of Admiral Flitch Lester. Being from a wealthy, prestigious and famous family she was a proud person and she also had a reputation of being unforgiving. The Demotion and being court marshaled was a huge blow for her pride. So her family and friends were not surprised when a few months later that civilian and a few of his friends went missing and never to be seen again. Almost everyone who knew her figured out what happened but couldn't do anything simply because they also didn't find any proof. She was reassigned in The Dread of Night when 37th fleet was assembled.
37th fleet was actually recently mobilized UNSC fleet to guard the New Hope. New Hope was previously protected by a mercenary fleet until two months ago when the 37th fleet was assembled. Most of this fleets crews either came out of retirement, new recruits or court marshaled UNSC personnel. No captain would be happy to be assigned in a planet that has no sensible value.
"Alright, Lieutenant Commander, it seems that you have made your point." Commander said with a serious tone, "I shall leave the post under your command, don't disappoint me or I will put you in The Attitude Adjustment Room" the whole crew sweat dropped.
"Jus... Just go to your Cabin, Commander. I will take care of the bridge for you" said Commander Catharine with a heavy sigh.
"All right, be a good girl and don't break my ship. It's my only way to get out of that shit-hole of a planet." said the commander walking to his cabin with an evil chuckle. "And don't forget to scan the system when we get out"
"Of course Commander, but DON'T YOU THINK YOU SHOULD BE IN THE BRIDGE WHEN WE GET OUT" shouted Catharine.
"Yah, yah just call me when you need" Said the commander hurrying up without turning around.
"That smudge little asshole. When I get promoted, I will sure make him pay." Catherine thought to her self with an unusually wicked smile in her face "Hey, Andy…." She called the AI.
"Do you need something Commander?"
"When are we leaving slip-space?"
"In about an hour, Ma'am"
"Hmmm…., contact the other ships. Tell them to confirm their weapon and communication systems"
"Aren't you being a bit paranoid?"
"If we meet friendly factions then yes, but can't be too sure can we?" Said the commander Catharine dismissing the conversation "Lieutenant Raul, tell me about those ships again, please"
"Yes ma'am. Far Watch's Sensors showed that, by energy signature one of those ships that appeared is less that fifty percent larger than a frigate, we are considering it to be a large destroyer and the other one is almost two times larger than a prowler. And the space station is at least fifteen kilometers long"
"Are they sure it's not a forerunner construct, even so why would they send a few frigates against a station that size"
"Not likely ma'am. Its energy emission is nothing familiar. Besides they are not even sure if it's a station, its energy level is way too high for it to be. It is emitting energy almost half a quarter of the forerunner ship that powers The Ascended High Charity. Didn't the commander brief you before we left, ma'am?"
"Yet another reason to kill him" Catharine thought to herself in a frown. Few years after the covenant-remnant dissolved the Covenant-Separatists reformed the Neo-Covenant and started to build another Space Station like High Charity. They made almost an exact replica of the station but in a smaller scale. At 219 kilometer of diameter the station was still a monster compare to other covenant or UEG made stations. It was named The Ascended High charity. This station was also run on a forerunner ship's energy. And if someone can build a station that can produce energy which could be compared with a forerunner machine no doubt it should be really strong. Even now almost twenty years after the Great War none of UNSC or Covenant Scientist invented any power generator that can be compared with the forerunners; all they did is just recreate forerunner Tech. Her mouth started to get sour. If these ships turn out to be new alien race with hostile intension she didn't want to think what would happen. The UNSC still didn't recover from the H-C war. Yes, they did upgrade their military Techs but their ship number isn't even half of it was before. They may win small battles but they certainly are not prepared for another Human-Covenant like war.
"Commander Nathan Cromwell is an ASS-HOLE. That's why he didn't brief me about the mission. Now tell me if the object could be a weapon of some sort or not" said the Lt. Commander with an extremely calm and clear voice.
"That was an offensive Noun to put against a higher rank officer, ma'am. You should be more carefully." Andy's voiced chimed through the speakers
"What's your problem? He isn't here" Catharine growled
"Admiral Lester specifically told me to monitor your language, and remind you of the consequences"
"Lt. Raul please carry on" the Lt. commander gritted her teeth to avoid any more curses.
"Not sure if it could be a weapon, ma'am?" the Lt. Sweat dropped "But I think it's not. No sane military would leave a super weapon in an unknown territory. Besides it seems that the object is shielded, using shields on weapons are useless, because it would have to disengage its shield while firing. And no-one tows a super weapon in battlefield. Besides even forerunner's never made weapons that has shields"
"Hmm… I see. All right, carry on lieutenant. Andy, inform me fifteen minutes before we leave the slip-space. I will be in my room" said the Lt. Commander getting up from her chair.
"Of course commander"
"And send the mission briefing in my data-pad"
A few hours later
"Lt. Commander Catharine, we are fifteen minutes away from leaving slip-space. You ordered me to notify you." The AI's voice could be heard through the speaker.
"All right, I'll be there shortly. See if the commander would be in the bridge." said Catherine getting up from her bed. Five minutes later she entered the bridge.
"Lieutenant Raul, contact the "Lucky Me."
"Yes, commander"
"Get the shields and weapon systems online. Order all personnel to be prepared to leave slip-space."
All the internal speakers of the Dread of Night chimed altogether.
"This is UNSC ship board AI Andy ordering all UNSC personnel. We are leaving Slip-space in approximately eight minutes. Please be advised to take all necessary safety measures"
For the next few minutes the whole crew of the Dread of Night came alive. All of them started to prepare to leave slip-space. Another few minutes later when all the commotion died down the Lt. Commander started to give orders to the crew.
"Andy, where is the Commander." she said with an annoyed voice
"The commander said not to call him if there's no emergency." said Andy "We are leaving slip-space in three minutes."
"Hmm… tell the 'Lucky Me' to engage stealth. And order all ships to follow after us"
"Yes commander."
There goes the 1st chapter. Thanks for reading. 2nd one will be up in a weak. I will try to make space battles as realistic as I can, ground battles won't come up soon. So please review.
