Ship's Log - 6.27.2542
UNSC Fateful Lightning, FFG-918
Captain Geoff Bentley, Commanding
6.27.42 – 0630: Received distress signal from colony Emerald Cove. Captain Bentley orders ship to rendezvous with frigate UNSC Perry and destroyer UNSC Falkland above the colony.
6.27.42 – 0715: Arrived in-system with the Perry and the Falkland. Two Covenant frigates and one destroyer encountered in orbit above Emerald Cove. Captain Jefferson of the Falkland orders all ships to engage targets.
6.27.42 – 0825: Covenant ships successfully destroyed. Perry severely damaged and pulls back to Reach for repairs. Perry's contingent of Marines berth onboard Fateful Lightning.
6.27.42 – 0830: Falkland finishes scan of Emerald Cove, discovered multitude of Covenant dropships landing on planet. Captain Jefferson orders both ships to send Marine detachments to engage the enemy.
6.27.42 – 0915: Fateful Lightning launches first wave of Orbital Drop Shock Troopers, commanded by Colonel Windsor, in HEVs (Human Entry Vehicles), followed shortly by Falkland's detachment.
6.27.42 – 0955: First wave successfully lands on Emerald Cove, near New Barbados, encounters fierce Covenant resistance. Colonel Windsor requests second wave be engaged ASAP.
6.27.42 – 1010: Second wave of ODSTs launched, followed by Perry's Marine battalion, commanded by Major Lysander, in Pelican dropships.
6.27.42 – 1036: Colonel Windsor reports multiple breakthroughs along enemy front, additional troops needed to exploit them.
6.27.42 – 1050: Second wave of ODSTs land on surface.
6.27.42 – 1115: Perry's Marine detachment lands on surface.
6.27.42 – 1124: Colonel Windsor reports breakthroughs successfully exploited, enemy retreating en masse. Estimates 60% enemy casualties, 27% Marine casualties.
6.27.42 – 1152: Major Lysander's Marines ordered to take Pelicans to New Barbados, meet with civilian leaders, and discuss preparations for evacuation should larger Covenant force arrive.
6.27.42 – 1231: Captain Jefferson orders that remaining Marine personnel be shipped down to surface. Fateful Lightning's CBs (Construction Battalions) ordered to head down to planet surface to begin construction of UNSC base.
6.27.42 – 1245: Report from Major Lysander of Covenant personnel in New Barbados, number uncertain.
6.27.42 – 1257: Ops Officer detects object at extreme range on sensors. Object identity unknown.
6.27.42 – 1307: Covenant frigate and destroyer drop out of Slipspace. Captain Jefferson orders the attack.
6.27.42 – 1323: Fateful Lightning successfully destroys frigate, aids Falkland in engaging destroyer.
6.27.42 – 1401: Destroyer successfully destroyed. Falkland suffers electrical failures due to EMP from detonation of Shiva missiles. Fateful Lightning suffers damage to engines. Reactor operating at 68%.
6.27.42 – 1410: Falkland contacts HIGHCOM requesting reinforcements. Frigates UNSC Haddock, UNSC Sacramento, and UNSC Burke, destroyer UNSC Sovereign, and cruiser UNSC Macedonian ordered to Emerald Cove.
6.27.42 – 1430: Major Lysander reports Covenant attacks in strength along outskirts of New Barbados. Falkland's Marine detachment sent in support.
6.27.42 – 1530: Major Lysander reports Covenant successfully repulsed from New Barbados, defenses under construction.
6.27.42 – 1610: Fateful Lightning's CBs report completion of Marine base on surface, codenamed "Copenhagen."
6.27.42 – 1725: Major Lysander reports adequate defenses constructed around perimeter of New Barbados. Troops supported by local defense forces.
6.27.42 – 1850: Macedonian, Sovereign, Burke, Sacramento, and Haddock arrive in-system, under command of Rear Admiral O'Shaughnessy of Macedonian. Fateful Lightning and Falkland are now part of Battlegroup Delphi.
6.27.42 – 1855: Admiral O'Shaughnessy orders all ships to form defensive perimeter around Emerald Cove. Macedonian sends out Longsword fighters as pickets.
6.27.42 – 2310: Colonel Windsor reports Covenant probe attacks on Marine forward operating bases; all successfully repulsed.
6.28-42 – 0630: Radio contact lost with New Barbados.
6.28.42 – 0700: Colonel Windsor reports mass Covenant attacks on forward operating bases. All bases overrun; no survivors reported.
6.28.42 – 0730: Repeated attempts to contact New Barbados fail. Low-flying Longsword fighter from Macedonian reports massive column of smoke coming from city's direction.
6.28.42 – 0815: ODST recon report to Colonel Windsor that Covenant are massing for an assault on Copenhagen base. Hostile strength estimated at over 10,000. Marine strength: approx. 2,000 ODSTs and 3,500 Marines.
6.28.42 – 0845: Copenhagen reports three Pelican dropships spotted in distance, one trailing smoke. IFF confirmed as 3 of the 10 Pelicans sent with Major Lysander.
6.28.42 – 0858: Pelicans lands at Marine base, contain survivors from New Barbados: 195 civilians, 30 Marines, including Major Lysander.
6.28.42 – 0901: Major Lysander reports mass Covenant attack during the night on New Barbados. Enemy strength estimated at well over 15,000. Lysander reports that his 1,200 Marines were overwhelmed within two and a half hours. No other survivors reported.
6.28.42 – 0925: Haddock detects large Slipspace object at extreme range. Profile matches that of known Covenant ships.
6.28.42 – 0928: Admiral O'Shaughnessy orders all ships to take predetermined defensive positions. Fateful Lightning ordered to hold at the rear, engaging the enemy at extreme range, and providing support to Marines on the ground in event of Covenant ground assault.
6.28.42 – 0940: Covenant CCS-class battlecruiser, three destroyers, and 4 frigates drop out of Slipspace near the Battle Group.
6.28.42 – 0941: Admiral O'Shaughnessy orders all ships to engage the enemy at will. Fateful Lightning maintains geostationary orbit over Copenhagen base.
6.28.42 – 1005: Sacramento engages Covenant frigate, but is attacked by destroyer and destroyed with all hands.
6.28.42 – 1015: Colonel Windsor reports that Covenant assault on Copenhagen has begun.
6.28.42 – 1034: Fateful Lightning destroys Covenant frigate at extreme range with MAC gun. Battlecruiser, three destroyers, and two frigates remain. UNSC strength at 87%.
6.28.42 – 1047: Major Lysander requests Shortsword bombing run at Grid 47, Section 9. Macedonian acknowledges receipt of request.
6.28.42 – 1103: Macedonian engages and destroys Covenant destroyer. Fateful Lightning continues to provide fire support.
6.28.42 – 1114: Burke and Haddock engage Covenant destroyer. Vessel successfully destroyed, but Burke reports armor plating at 25%, multiple hull breaches. Haddock reports complete depletion of Archer missiles.
6.28.42 – 1146: Sovereign engages remaining Covenant destroyer. Destroys ship with Shiva missile, but reports engines operating at 43% and MAC gun rendered inoperable by EMP.
6.28.42 – 1205: Colonel Windsor reports heavy hostile casualties, but estimates position overrun within two and a half hours.
6.28.42 – 1211: Macedonian requests Fateful Lightning's assistance in assaulting CCS-class battlecruiser. Captain Bentley acknowledges and orders ship be brought to flank speed.
6.28.42 – 1220: Macedonian and Fateful Lightning engage Covenant battlecruiser.
6.28.42 – 1225: UNSC Burke destroyed with all hands by Covenant frigate. UNSC Falkland engages frigate.
6.28.42 – 1236: Fateful Lightning hit by plasma torpedo. Multiple hull breaches, casualties reported.
6.28.42 – 1247: Falkland destroys Covenant frigate. Captain Jefferson reports heavy casualties, engines operating at 36%.
6.28.42 – 1312: Macedonian reports complete depletion of Archer missiles. Admiral O'Shaughnessy uses escape pods as projectiles.
6.28.42 – 1340: UNSC Sovereign receives direct hit from multiple plasma torpedoes. Captain Tulane sets ship on collision course with Covenant cruiser.
6.28.42 – 1345: Sovereign impacts Covenant cruiser. Both ships destroyed. Fateful Lightning detects 7 lifeboats from Sovereign, moves to collect survivors.
6.28.42 – 1355: Colonel Windsor reports front lines being overrun, Marines falling back to secondary defensive positions. Despite heavy casualties, Covenant force is still superior. Colonel Windsor reports fewer than 400 ODSTS and 1,200 Marines are combat effective. 900 WIA and 1,900 KIA reported.
6.28.42 – 1420: Haddock detects massive Slipspace object at extreme range. Estimates upwards of 20 Covenant capital ships enroute.
6.28.42 – 1422: Admiral O'Shaughnessy orders evacuation of all ground forces from Emerald Cove. Captain Bentley ordered to attempt radio contact with other major population centers on the surface.
6.28.42 – 1440: No response to Fateful Lightning's hails. Assumed cities were overrun by previously unknown Covenant forces.
6.28.42 – 1442: Major Lysander reports that he has set a HAVOK tactical nuke for detonation after the evacuation of Copenhagen Base.
6.28.42 – 1446: Renewed Covenant offensive on Copenhagen Base, Marines and ODSTs fall back to Pelican dropships. Colonel Windsor hit by a needler round.
6.28.42 – 1455: Last Pelican departs Copenhagen Base. Major Lysander reports that the HAVOK nuke is set to detonate in four minutes.
6.28.42 – 1459: HAVOK nuke detonates. Fireball is visible from orbit. Copenhagen Base completely destroyed.
6.28.42 – 1521: First Pelicans reach Battlegroup Delphi. Colonel Windsor declared DOA.
6.28.42 – 1530: All Pelicans accounted for. 192 civilians and 2,300 Marines recovered, though more than 1,000 of them are WIA. Estimates place the dead at 4,400.
6.28.42 – 1534: Covenant fleet dropped out of Slipspace. Fleet consists of one assault carrier, five CCS-class Battlecruisers, seven destroyers, and fifteen frigates. Admiral O'Shaughnessy orders all ships to initiate the Cole Protocol and retreat using randomized Slipspace vectors. Fateful Lightning leaves a probe behind to observe Covenant fleet.
6.28.42 – 1600: Covenant fleet begins to glass Emerald Cove.