I have decided to write a story about Offensive Bias and his battle against Contender-Class 05-032 AI Mendicant Bias. The story revolves around the events of the Forerunners firing the Halo Array and the Battle of the Maginot Sphere
It was inevitable, three hundred years of war against the Flood. The Flood, they were prevailing, my makers are losing this war, and they have one last resort that will allow life to continue. The Halo Array, I wish it will not come to that, but all in all it will. The Maginot Sphere is the last line of defence for all sentient life in this galaxy. The Flood has claimed many, even my own 'brother'. I was created with the sole purpose to destroy him, he is now rampant, and leads the Flood this way. I must delay him long enough until the Halo Array has been fired, and when it is done, I would have fulfilled my purpose. Didact, my commander has given me control of the Emergency Circumstance Fleet, Security Fleet and the Suppression Fleet. I have over eleven thousand warships at my command. From my calculations, it will not be enough to withstand Mendicant's forces. The Librarian has headed to Earth with her Keyships or Dreadnoughts, there she will build the portal to the Ark, the Forerunners have decided that one they are gone, Humanity shall take up the mantle as protector of the galaxy. Though none of this will happen if I do not succeed.
[12:H 20:M 00:S]
I begin this log, and I'm fully aware that my makers might not ever read this. In all possibilities they have already committed suicide on a galactic scale. Their goal is to preserve biological diversity. I must ensure that those who take up the mantle of protectors will read this in hopes that this event will never be repeated. If I fail my purpose, my makers sacrifice will be all in vain.
[12:H 19:M 59:S]
Brilliant flashes of lights illuminate the abyss of space, to one whom knows not of what is to come. This would have been a beautiful spectacle. Alas for me, it marks the arrival of Mendicant Bias, either the end for all sentient life in this galaxy or the beginning of a new age for Humanity. I move my eleven thousand ships and face Mendicant. I count the forces that are against me, over 4.8 million vessels. The biological crews are well aware of the force they face. My purpose now is to make sure that Mendicant shall do no more harm to my makers. My task force wait within the sphere, we now prepare ourselves for the bleak future that lie ahead of us.
[11:H 15:M 48:S]
In rampancy, my 'brother' Mendicant is very predictable; 05-032 has burrowed through the Maginot sphere exactly where I thought he would. He is out for retribution. I find it odd how I address Mendicant as 'he', in my report, I address him as 'it'. I guess it is due to my time around my makers and programming. I know this will not be an easy fight. With all probability Mendicant's forces will suffer greater casualties than mine, rage has made him predictable, and I can accurately predict 05-032's move. The only way he can win is to wither my forces with sheer numbers. I know he will do just that, I can use it to my advantage.
[11:H 12:M 09:S]
Mendicant may be deluded, but he was right about one thing, there is only one way to defeat an enemy, it is to be utter annihilation, of either their creed or life.
The Halo Array will be soon activated, from what I see, if the galaxy must be rendered lifeless temporarily, and then it must be so.
From what Mendicant stated: half measures will not suffice, and so what must be done, must be done.
[09:H 45:M 18:S]
Mendicant's fleet numbering 4,502, 019, though most are non-military vessels. Only 1.8% of his fleet are warships, 2.4% of that number is capital ships. It is blatantly obvious that I am outnumbered, 436.6:1. The chances of my losses will be near total is overwhelming. However, everything has its drawbacks. Especially a fleet that numbers in the millions that is under the command of malfunctioning equipment.
[07:H 36:M 41:S]
The battle is underway.
Mendicant's opening move, 1,784,305 leisure crafts ranging from 45-5769 tonnes rush my position. 05-032 hopes of overwhelming my small force. My task force does not have enough weapon systems to target them all. It is certain that some will break through, and will attempt to board and take over my fleet. I notice my opponent has not sent a single warship in this first wave.
[04:H 01M 55:S]
I could have deployed my fighters to counter Mendicant's move, but leaving them in their vessels; it will make my ships more of an attractive prize. A ship in my fleet is boarded; I send it forth into the oncoming horde. It strikes a cargo vessel amidships, it explodes, 31, 860 warriors die in an instant. I have my fleet open fire in one direction, in hopes of making derelict ships as obstacles for my opponent. In 05-032's rage, I know Mendicant will send more vessels anyway, they will collide with the husks, further decreasing my opponent's combat effectiveness. What I predicted was true, his second wave ran headlong into the field of husks, many explode on impact, and this wave is significantly smaller than the first. More tumbling debris is now added to my defence. They will buy my makers time.
[03:H 01:M 32:S]
Mendicant has sent his forth wave now; they are attempting a flanking move. I send the Emergency Circumstance Fleet to swing around to the left flank, whilst the Suppression Fleet flanks to the right. Both fleets move around the debris field. I split the Security Fleet into three groups, two to support my flanking fleets, and the third to bear the brunt of Mendicant and bait him. Once again there are no warships in this wave. I order my ships to perform leap frog moves in order to keep suppressive fire and avoid boarding. 252 of my ships have been captured; Mendicant is moving them to the core of his formation. Good, this will work to my advantage.
[02:H 05:M 28:S]
My fleet's combat effectiveness has been reduced to 94.85%, Mendicant's down to 85.32%. The battle is still not in my favour but it is getting there.
05-032 has sent in his fifth wave, there are about 135 warships in this wave, about 5 use to be a part of my task force. Mendicant open fires, immediately crippling 15 of my ships, I order ships in the Security Fleet to tow the crippled ships back to their position so that they may provide fire support. Mendicant has stopped sending the bulk of his force through the fields of drifting wreckages. Excellent, I have denied him area. 05-032 sends 87 warships through the centre, straight through the fields of debris. He hopes in clearing a way for his boarding ships. Foolish idea, the third group of the Security Fleets await him, they open fire, adding more to the wreckage. Plasma rips through their hulls and explodes their cores. I realise what he is trying to do. Mendicant attempts to set off the reactor cores and the resulting explosion would clear a path. I realize that, there is an opening with the wreckages. Mendicant's boarding crafts pour through. His forces ease up on the flanks and retreats to funnel down the opening.
[01:H 24:M 25:S]
I see that there is little logic in my opponent's tactics. Mendicant could simply string out my forces and overwhelm. Instead he uses concentrated attacks. It will not work, my task force possess greater firepower. It is a massacre.
My auxiliaries are near their ends; nearly half is part of Mendicant's fleet. My kills still outweigh my losses; I estimate there is 7.76247x1010 tonnes of wreckage drifts about the battlefield.
[00:H 19:M 02:S]
The activation of the Halo Array is near, I have reduced Mendicant's total fighting capacity down 40%. My fleet is down to 80%. The battle still swings in Mendicant's favour. Much has changed in the last few hours.
I notice 05-032 has sent a small percentage of his fleet elsewhere, excellent, false hopes for them, let them believe the can create a foothold elsewhere inside the sphere.
Mendicant has sent in the seventh and the final wave to engage my fleet. A total of 214,320 ships engage my vanguard, the third element of the Security Fleet.
[00:H 00:M 11:S]
Mendicant has fought remarkably well even though burdened with all those flaws.
My auxiliaries drift about. They are in tatters, more than half of them are now part of 05-032's fleet.
I have reduced Mendicant's fleet core fleet's combat effectiveness down to 79.69, he still outnumbers me, but he knows by now, the chances of me fulfilling my purpose have increased astronomically.
[00:H 00:M 00:S]
Didact has activated the Halo Array. All the ships that were piloted by biological beings now adrift, I retake command. The battle is now in my favour, trading ship for ship with Mendicant, I can still prevail.
Out of the ships of mine that has been captured by Mendicant, 11.3% of them are close enough toe 05-032's core fleet. I can now use them offensively. I initiate self-destruct sequences and slipspace ruptures. It is best that the crews were not alive now, what I'm about to do would drive them mad.
The rules of conduct in battle, the ideas of how the natural world is supposed to be, I no longer apply to my tactics. I use my 37,654 tonne Dreadnoughts as if they were fighters. The cres must have been crushed to such a state by now.
I now engage my opponent at arm's length.
I have no need to use derelict ships as cover, all the results from my tactics has now me outnumber Mendicant 6:1.
[3:M] After the activation of the Halo Array, Mendicant was able to delay the inevitable. For [106:S] he attempts to flee. The last of its core vessels I destroy, I now split Mendicant Bias so that it may be taken to Installation Zero for Study.
Though I doubt Mendicant would have been so merciful.
[18:H 58:M 24:S]
After the activation of the Halo Array
Now that I have completed my purpose I'm not too sure of what I should do. I could go to the Librarian and tell her of my victory. She could still be alive, even after the activation of the Halo Array. It matters not; I will take what is left of my fleet, repair them and head off to make sure the Flood is fully eradicated from the galaxy. Or maybe after the reseeding I could watch over mankind, but from what I learnt about Humanity, it is best that they start from scratch like other races. Giving them knowledge and power before they are ready will destroy them before they become protectors and take up the mantle of my makers. I think it is best I leave this galaxy and return when they understand.
To whoever is reading this, I will return one day.
Well whaddya think? I got the idea from ./wiki/Offensive_Bias and decided to expand upon it. Please review and tell me of what you think.