A/N: Inspiration from the final countdown, and zipang. I own nothing except my own characters. I also own this version of the rather well used plot. Enjoy!
13.7 Units Cycle 162, Year 65 (Alliance Calendar) / Light of Deliverance, Deep Space, AFS-UNSC border
The Alliance of Free Species Aegis-Class Destroyer Light of Deliverance glided through space majestically. It wasn't alone, its sister ships, the Contemplation of Purity, Pious Fury, and the 2.4 kilometer long Equinox-Class Carrier Conviction flew in formation with it, repulsor engines glowing brightly against the blackness of space. The blue hulled ships were patrolling the AFS's border alongside the UNSC. Hundreds of thousands of kilometers distant was a battlegroup of 5 UNSC warships, also on patrol.
Ship Commander Aeacus strode through the outer doors leading into the bridge, passing by the pair of Sangheili rangers that stood guard. They saluted him by thumping their chests, and he nodded in return. As the 9 foot tall Jiralhanae sat down in his Commander's chair, he couldn't help but sigh. Since the ship's rollout and his assignment to it three years ago, they had done nothing but patrols and the regular combat exercises. It was all very routine, and boring in the extreme.
The Light of Deliverance was one of the newest ships in the fleet. Personally, Aeacus thought that patrolling the AFS-UNSC border, a safe zone due to the heavy military presence of both interstellar governments was a misuse of his ship. At the very least, they could be in the outer systems, hunting down pirates. Looking at the stars through the bridge viewscreen, he found himself wishing something would happen, something that would break the dreariness of his assignment.
"Status report Fal?" Aeacus asked.
On a podium to the right of the command chair, a holographic image of noble looking Sangheili appeared. He was clad in the archaic golden armor of the ancient arbiter of the Covenant, his personality and appearance based on Fal 'Chavam, a historical arbiter that famously rejected the Great Journey long ago. This was the Light of Deliverance's combat A.I.
"There are no problems with the ship, our patrol will take us another four and a half units to complete before we accelerate and enter slipspace." The A.I. replied.
"Good, carry on." Aeacus said. With a nod, Fal's hologram disappeared in a swirl of holographic dust.
The ship would carry on its path for another fifth of a unit, but something would occur, an event that would break the monotony of the patrol…
In the darkness of space, a celestial phenomenon appeared. It started with a pinprick of light, which rapidly grew, until it was visible by the naked eye, even by beings hundreds of thousands of kilometers distant. It appeared as a violent, swirling vortex of light, red, orange, white, with a tinge of green. Tendrils of energy lashed out from the event horizon. It was right in front of the AFS patrol path.
Aeacus and the rest of the bridge crew stared in mute shock at the sudden appearance of the vortex.
A few moments passed before Aeacus found his voice.
"Nav, what is that thing?" Aeacus asked, his voice hoarse.
Zesa 'Rolam, the officer manning the Nav station swiveled his chair slowly to face Aeacus, a look of disbelief on his face.
"Scans are reading it as a wormhole like tear in the fabric of the Space-Time continuum, which shouldn't be possible, I don't know how to explain it sir." The sangheili said.
Fal appeared suddenly, looking deathly serious.
"The vortex is warping space around it. The UNSC ships are already backing off, we're closer to it, so the effects may be stronger." He stated.
After a pause, he continued,
"The Fleet Commander has ordered all vessels to reverse course, full speed. A transmission has already been sent to Fleet HQ, a science group is already being prepared, we're to drop a probe and jump out of here immediately."
Aeacus nodded, they had a course of action.
"Launch the probe at the vortex, then turn us around." He ordered.
"Probe away…" the nav officer replied.
On screen however, a tendril of energy surprisingly shot towards the probe, vaporizing it…and leapfrogging to the Light of Deliverance. The lance of energy struck the ship in the nose, the hull conforming energy shields flared bright silver as waves of energy rippled on its surface. The entire ship shook, and several of the bridge lights went out.
"Sir! Our shields have dropped by 78%, and we've lost power to communications, and engines!" cried Ramos 'Moram, the ops officer.
On screen, the vortex grew quickly larger, despite no change in magnification.
Fal appeared again, looking grim,
"We're being drawn into the vortex, we reach the event horizon in twenty seconds."
Aeacus stared at the A.I., aghast. This was turning FUBAR, as a human colleague of his would say.
"Ok…transfer all available power to shields, and all hands brace for impact!" he ordered, the last part being transmitted throughout the ship.
It was a tense twenty seconds, as the bridge crew silently braced themselves, staring at the vortex growing closer and closer, its bright maw with whips of energy roiling into space. As they were about to enter, the viewscreen flickered, and blurred with static. Any remaining lights went out, and the emergency lights didn't kick in. A heartbeat later, there was a loud grinding sound, and the ship rumbled, throwing personnel that weren't strapped into a seat across the bridge, despite holding on to handhelds.
This continued on for a good ten seconds, then, there was silence.
Just a little prologue of what is planned to be a moderately short story. I have a lot of those lying around on my hard drive, might as well upload one that sounds interesting (In my opinion). Still writing Halo: The Koprulu Sector, this is just an experiment. Please review!
