High Charity, 2187, 2 hours before Reaper attack
The Covenant holy city of High Charity drifted through the vast expanse of the Phoenix Massing, effortlessly hiding its existence from the various races of Citadel space, searching for the relics of their gods. The Council of Hierarchs, the Prophets of Justice, Truth, and Reclamation, were in a heated debate over their conquests.
"Justice, for the last time, we will not accept any offer of surrender from the Defilers!" Truth shouted in a fervent denial. Justice shook his head at his blind devotion to the ancient ways.
"Brother, while I admire your devotion, it has blinded you to the best course of action," Justice replied, his voice somber and rumbling as though it were laced with thunder. "These 'Defilers' could be convinced to join our holy cause. They can yet see the light." Justice concluded, drumming his fingers together as if contemplating his next move.
"I agree with Justice. The Defile…err, Council races can be convinced to join us. Take into your consideration the Batarians, whose sole reason in joining us was the sharing of a common enemy. Now their technology has bolstered the defenses of our own, even enabling us to use these 'Mass Relays' that are so thoroughly spread throughout the Realm." Reclamation argued, favoring Justice's soundness of mind.
Truth glared at the other Hierarchs with an almost murderous intent. "I see that my validity is questioned," Truth spoke, his voice laced with hatred. "Nevertheless, I will not argue against the majority. We shall see if your discourse proves effective Justice. As for me, I will go and observe the exercises of the Fleet of Righteous Triumph. Meeting adjourned." With that statement, Truth made his way to the Holy City's defensive fleet, eager to see how the Batarian technology had been integrated.
Minos Wasteland, Exact location unknown
The Covenant Fleet Master Shelos Jad'dah, the first Batarian to hold such an honor, held his head high as he directed the actions of High Charity's defenses. "Good, good." Shelos said quietly as the various Covenant races glided through their tasks, effortlessly performing well outside the capacity of the Council races. Shelos' flagship, in a break from the standard tradition, was a mere frigate by Covenant standards. By Batarian standards, however, it was more than three times the size of a dreadnought. Formerly known as the BRV Camala, the ship now flew under the name Eternal Justice. Shelos, as well as a great many Batarians, enjoyed the regal naming conventions of the Covenant. Many other members of his species were in complete shock at the acceptance of their caste system, fully accepting such a thing. Shelos liked the Covenant, however zealous, more than the council by any rate.
"Fleet Master, our scanners have detected an unknown energy signature. It matches nothing in our database." one of the crew called out, alerting Shelos to a new anomaly on the Eternal Justice's scanners.
"Scan it through the Citadel databases and the Batarian Republic records." Shelos ordered, curious as to what this thing could be. Given their location, it was possible that this could be the Geth. Still, Shelos didn't want to take any unnecessary risks.
"Match acquired. Signature is similar to one ship in Citadel records." the crewmen reported, eyes locked to his viewscreen.
Shelos' upper eyes blinked twice, while his lower eyes were transfixed on the hologram that appeared on his own personal viewscreen.
"Fleet Master, your people would know this vessel as Sovereign, a dreadnought belonging to the-" the crewmen was cut off by a mechanized roar that reverberated through the entire defensive fleet.
"We are the Vanguard of your destruction. Resist us, and you will die. Fight us, and you will die."
Shelos immediately blinked all four of his eyes in shock. "Brace for evasive maneuvers! Get a targeting solution on that ship!" Shelos yelled, making all the preparations necessary for a first strike. Whether this was Geth or not, Shelos knew it had to be destroyed. "Prepare main plasma lines. Load pasic shells into the mass accelerators."
"Your weapons are useless." the mechanized voice called out across the ship's intercom, arrogance and pride noticeable even in its emotionless voice.
"Fleet master, the unknown ship has acquired multiple targeting solutions." another crewmen yelled, panic taking over his voice.
"Hold your ground and brace for impact!" Shelos roared as the first volley of molten slag crashed into the hull of his ship.
"Hull breach detected." the ship's AI chimed, it's alarm already to late for the crewmen on deck three, sublevel two.
"Stupid machine! Seal the breach! Are the lines ready?" Shelos yelled in an almost blind fury, throwing himself up from his console.
"Yes, but we still need a firing solution." the gunsmaster replied in a rushed tone.
"I don't give a vorcha's ass about the damned solutions, just shoot it!" Shelos roared, signalling the rest of the fleet to do the same, solutions or not.
"This hur..ur...urts y-y-y-you..." the unknown vessel alerted as the sea of plasma and MA rounds impacted the entirety of its hull, decimating the two-kilometer long vessel. Two more of its volleys rocked the fleet, overloading the powercores of the Jiralhanae frigate Bloodlust, which triggered a chain reaction resulting in the destruction of three of the fifteen ships guarding High Charity.
"Fleet Master, we have successfully destroyed the unknown vessel." Shelos' first officer reported, a faint expression of relief on his face. Shelos had a well earned respect for the Sangheili. They were excellent warriors and crewmen. Shelos smiled and padded several of the keys on the holo-display in front of him. Nothing new.
"Fi-i-i-ght...and you wi-i-i-ill...die!" The mechanical voice roared one final time before Shelos could even think to relax.
"Fleet Master, activity spotted in nearby Mass Relay. Course of action?" the scanning officer yelled, sending the CIC into a quiet panic. Shelos merely stood in absolute fear of what gathered before him. More blinding flashes than he could count, leaving dark vessels in their wakes. This small flotilla of ships could easily clash with the his fleet and do major damage.
"Fight them to the last breath!" Shelos yelled as the crewmen scrambled to prepare firing solutions and the plasma lines. The remainder of the fleet took up a defensive formation around High Charity. The fight of their lives had just begun.
High Charity, Two hours into Battle of High Charity
The hulking forms of the Covenant ships glided through space with the grace of the whales of Kahje, plasma venting from their sides in a beutiful yet destroy show of violent glory. The Reapers, however, sent massive volleys of Thanix rounds and molten slag into the Covenant fleet at exceeding lightspeed, leaving gaping holes and twisted impact craters. The battle had become a stalemate. Reinforcements had come from the Eighth Fleet of Divine Retribution and the Second Fleet of Homogenous Justice, amplifying the number of Covenant ships by a factor of three. The Reapers, however, had them beat in terms of machine efficiency, able to produce firing solutions and movement algorithms faster than any organic lifeform oculd even comprehend. Fleet Master Shelos, in all his years serving in the Batarian Navy, and as a Pirate before that, had never been stretched thinner. Were it not for the masterminds of the Covenant, he would have been easily overwhelmed by the advanced tactics of the Reapers.
Two volleys of plasma washed over a duet of Reaper ships, reducing their hulls to molten shells. Their weapons, nearly fried from the heat, rapidly dscharged Thanix shots into the massive fleet of Covenant ships, punching mile wide holes into three seperate supercarriers. Another volley of superheated star material left the sheel inactive, as well as unrecognizeable. Shelos lead a bullrush against three of the large ships, stretching out into the twelve kilometer range, in order to buy time for the main gun on the Jiralhanae's Bloodied Spirit to acquire a solution on the Repaers and pelt their flotilla with explosive shells. Two more vessels melted under the intense heat from the plasma, adding to the reaper death-toll.
"Fleet Master, solutions are acquired!" one of Shelos' crewmen yelled, gaze locked on his malfunctioning holoscreen. Shelos, in a nearly uncontrollable rage, roared into his intercom.
"Onward, brothers! Tonight, we dine with the Gods!" the young Batarian Fleet Master shouted as the Reapers fired salvos of molten metal into his formation. Shelos stood up and gazed into the very depths of the Reaper flotilla, eyes wide with a reverential awe.
"Batarian, you may win this battle, but our war is far from over." the Reaper amalgam roared into his ship's com network. Shelos smiled and began to laugh maniacally.
"Fire!" he ordered, sending several volleys of MA shells into the Reaper flotilla gathered before him. Two more volleys of molten slag rocked his squadron, and then they vanished in a flash of blue light.
"Brothers, tonight we dine...with the Gods!"