Lots of explosions and the right kind of friendship.
Chapter 1: Making Friends
Somewhere in Space over Earth
"Fire."
The voice echoed across a single comm signal resonating to a massive fleet of void-faring vessels. Ordinance traveling at exponential values of sound impacted against the uncaring black of of their enemies' armor or was swallowed by the cold, dead void. Sentient crews gritted teeth and emotions flew as lives were snuffed out in the span of seconds. Salvo after salvo from the surrounding fleet sheered into the ancient ship, its red light dying with its black and charred remains. Around it, several ships of the Human fleet floated dead in the cold void. Crews who had families and friends, desires and dreams: only debris to mark their former lives.
But none of that mattered, forces consisting of a long lived, technologically superior race were slaughtering their finest ships and crews into particle dust. Here they stood, attempting one last stand for what they held sacred: their freedom of choice. The Reapers were here to test their commitment to their ideals and their very existence, as if a test to see if they were worthy of some sort of prize.
If not for the Illusive man, Reaper forces stationed at earth were expected to have been lighter. Now though, they fought nearly their full number. Sword fleet pierced the black line with a massive salvo, only to be enveloped in a sprawling melee over the planet's desperate surface. Through the valiant lines of the combined Citadel races, the Reapers cut. Symmetrically and perfect cohesion, as if to dance to an orchestra of epic music. The black gauntlets perfectly communicated every movement and shot with their cohorts. Every detail, no matter how small, was important. Every angle and advantage exploited. The Reapers plunged through the sentient lines with cold, calculating efficiency. Not a shot wasted. Not a fighter spared. Everything would go into this end game. Everything.
Harbinger rapidly cut down two dreadnaughts and tangled itself around a third. It's ramming speed a marvel of acceleration and maneuverability, testifying to the fine engineering of the Reaper fleet. Nothing in this Galaxy came close. However that could not be said for denizens of other, more progressing Galactic societies.
The truth of the matter was the Reapers were part of a bigger collective bent on the extinction of all who opposed the objectives of their true master. They represented the elite of their master's forces, the cutting edge of the Bane. Here they were, slaughtering these sentient creatures and to take their Galaxy from them. Harbinger noted it as just a Satellite to the one nearby in which the real war took place. They were having issues with the primary power within that Galaxy, known as the Republic and its allies, the UNSC. Here they would whip up a new launch point by which to launch into the fray.
As the large black hand finished a thought cycle, a massive purple energy field erupted a short distance from its flank. The anomaly sent alarms through Harbinger's system stating that a FTL signature was coming through and had a 99.989934% chance of colliding. If it could be called arrogance, the process telling Harbinger that he could endure this impact would be. Nothing could collide with a Reaper, short of an asteroid that would defeat it in such a matter. Harbinger turned itself and asserted its mass towards the anomaly.
The UNSCS Everest: A beauty to truly behold in any situation. Whether it is peacefully orbiting a planet or engaging those who had the pitiful lot of challenging the might of Humanity. The Infinity-class dreadnaught was an awesome and terrifying weapon of war. However, after Admiral Cole's recovery and assignment to his newest flagship, he had insisted on a reinforced front for practical ramming purposes. He had taken the footage of the original Infinity ramming Covenant rebel ships to heart. The tactic had been taken to heart by many ship captains and the Admiralty was having a hard time saying no, for there was never a more beautiful sight, than ones ship head-butting another.
And here a classical example of just being completely outmatched. Exhibit A: The Reaper who thinks it can hold its own. Exhibit B: A massive six kilometer warship specifically created for Galactic distribution of butt-hurt via grand entries in desperate, pitched situations. The Reapers may have laid down the proverbial "black gauntlet," but now Humanity would smash it with a hammer.
Observe the crisp turning speed of the Reaper flagship as it gracefully turns to deal with its new prey- and it's gone. Now notice the debris field left in the wake of the flying space brick, as it careens through the cold void towards the other Reapers, four pretty white lights warming up on the front of its hull. The core within the debris field finally reaches an emotional singularity on multiple levels. Regret that it couldn't complete its objective. Sadness that it only had less than a second to contemplate its successes and failures in its long and illustrious career of extermination. Anger that it had been destroyed so easily and with such cold detachment. But most of all: Joy that a race was finally found worthy. One had finally passed the test. One was capable of more destruction than the Reapers themselves. After the countless, stagnant cycles: someone would finally win. If the cold-calculated consciousness could cry, it would weep with joy at the prospect at what destruction could be wrought with such a beautiful brick of destruction. Any remaining red light died as Harbinger's last thoughts passed through its processors forever.
Admiral Hackett stared in disbelief as a fleet of over hundred ships came out of multiple FTL closures. At the center, a massive vessel rammed Harbinger and bisected multiple Reapers with its frontal weaponry. The newcomers had brought overwhelming firepower with them as their first show of good faith resulted in over ninety Reapers to explode as shaped charged MAC rounds slammed into their hulls, detonating from the inside out. Golden lightning crackled over their hulls as the Reaper's firepower was repelled. Multiple red lights failed to pierce the massive dreadnaught in the center. It responded with the launch of thousands of missiles from its silos. Reaper point defenses were overwhelmed as nuclear ordinance hidden within the missile formations detonated, resulting in scorched Reaper parts.
Some distance from the UNSC formation, more FTL signatures enacted themselves. Multiple Sangheili ships dropped into reality and began spamming plasma torpedoes and plasma projectors. Reapers were cut to ribbons as the exterminators were in turn, exterminated. Reapers executed tactical jumps into the Covenant formation only to be met in the face with plasma torpedoes coring through their decks and generators. The death howls causing bridge EW suites to seal off multiple frequencies.
Hackett opened his victory box. An ornate cigar box containing a single cigar and a lighter passed down to him by his father. Next to the victory box was a crystal glass and a bottle of whiskey. He unscrewed the cap and took a whiff, slightly recoiling before pouring himself a glass. The Admiral put his cigar up to his lips and lit its end. Grabbing his glass and taking a drag, he walked over to a chair behind a reinforced glass window, granting an amazing view of the space battle as the armor exterior retracted.
As he sat down, his seat vibrated as a negatively perfumed smell made its way to his nostrils. For the first time in years, Fleet Admiral Steven Hackett relaxed and was satisfied with where he sat. The entire Reaper fleet was being continually ravaged by hundreds of ships from two new factions, including a massive blue whale-like construct measuring more than twenty-eight kilometers. Its seven energy projectors slicing the Reaper fleet into neat black sections. The process by which the Sangheili gunners aimed could be seen similarly to the way a massive, balding TV chef might demonstrate the manner of a cutting knife and certain vegetables.
Admiral Hackett had received communications at an earlier point that Shepard had negotiated a last minute assistance package with another human polity known as the UNSC and its allies. The UNSC having engaged Reapers before was more than happy to intervene on their behalf.
Hackett allowed a sideways grin to come to his face and he beheld the hundreds of drop ships descending from their new allies vessels. So many, so powerful, and at the right time. This would significantly reduce the amount of casualties Hammer would take. Word had also reached him of the high end technology developed by these new factions, including a form of FTL not dependent on the Relays.
The admiral thumbed a button on his chair, "Hackett to fleet, mop them up and insert strike teams onto the Citadel, find Shepard."
London, En route to drop site Lima
Twenty-five Pelicans smashed through the air towards their primary objective. Below lay the ruins of a once great city, its denizens dead, or bio-goo for the Reapers above. Each carried a deadly payload for a deadly adversary. Their objective: destroy the Reaper destroyers specialized in Surface to Orbit fire. Otherwise known as 'firebugs.' Within the drop zone were the remains of multiple buildings and the haggard 45th Mechanized Division of the Systems Alliance, fighting for its life as thousands of Reapers push onto their flanks. From the sky Harvesters flew and from the ground Brutes pushed forward with fearless vigor.
"Shore up Alpha Company with that HMG. Tell Charlie they need to pull back to their tertiary defensive positions."
"Sir, Bravo CO is gone! That Harvester nixed them all."
"Sir Charlie is requesting cover from Echo. Delta is falling back; Brutes took out their last tank!"
"Sir, the HMG has been destroyed, all companies in full retreat."
"Everyone shut up-"
A chain of explosions erupted in the Northern kill zone as twenty-five Pelicans flew in and began decimating hundreds of Reaper ground forces with their seventy millimeter nose cannons. The Pelicans began dropping their Spartan payloads, which in turn quickly spread out to the various Alliance positions.
Major Reemes watched in awe as a mass of Aircraft systematically decimated and halted the Reaper Ground force assaulting their position. Within seconds the only sound left was a relative silence as soldiers shuffled from their positions and the Spartans quietly spread out to the flanks, their black armor blending well into the night.
The Pelicans had quickly struck at any hostile targets while simultaneously dropping their cargo and immediately taking off.
"What the hell just happened?" Major Reemes looked dumbstruck at the mass of dead Reapers all around their central building.
"I think our new friends just dropped in and said hello to the Reapers and gave us the finger."
"Would you have preferred them to have acknowledged our existence?"
"No sir, I suppose not." They both looked on, trying to spot where the black-armored infantry had gone, but none could be seen.
Twenty-five Spartan fire teams being mass deployed together is considered quiet a marvel in and of itself. Normally Spartans would operate in small groups carrying out critical operations. It was soon discovered however that they operate just as effectively in large groups when the enemy lines need a gentle push in the opposite facing.
Bridge of the Everest
"Palmer to Everest. We are in position to begin our assault."
"Affirmative Palmer. You have green-light. Maintain communications blackout until objective is complete. Good luck. Everest out." Admiral Cole replied.
Admiral Cole stood upon the bridge of his mighty ship monitoring the progress of the fighting around this Earth. The Reapers had returned to the surface of the planet when they saw they had no chance in taking the Coalition fleet sent to stop him. Once on the Surface, one Reaper had found out the hard way what happens when you openly engage a veteran UNSC armored division. Its kinetic shields had been quickly overwhelmed by the massed firepower and then finished off by an orbital strike from the Everest.
An entire ODST division had been dropped onto London intact. It was a miracle really, 20,000 shock infantry, without one dying from the drop itself laying into the Reaper forces. They had managed upon the flank of a larger Reaper force and pushed them into a defensive huddle between them and hammer. However, no one was able to make headway on the Surface to Orbit batteries maintained by the Reapers. Ships were unable to transition to the surface and mass deploy division due to this effect. They were resigned to using Pelicans and Albatrosses to land forces, a tedious task. The ODSTs were to provide a distraction while a sizeable force of Spartans forced their way onto the Reaper SO sites and eliminated the batteries. Dropping into the spot of the first SO battery, a Covenant Assault Carrier would began the mass Deployment of 10 legions against the Reapers.
At least that was the new plan. A Spartan fire team deployed to the Citadel had found Shepard, Anderson, and an unidentified man unconscious around the Citadel's controls. The three had been immediately evacuated to the fleets' resident ONI Prowler.
Now Cole needed to direct the course of this battle in order to maximize enemy casualties and minimize harm to his own forces. The SA had been all too gracious in allowing them to take over invasion operations. Apparently, they had thrown all they had in a pitched attempt to take the landing site in the form of a "Hammer" taskforce. This had resulted in over 85% of this taskforce being KIA and Reaper Forces regaining control over almost all their lost ground.
The UNSC was all too happy to deploy two dozen no-radiation nukes in the areas surrounding London to stem Reaper reinforcements. Mushroom clouds on the horizon had been a beautiful sight from the view of an ODST drop-pod. "Nuclear Saturation" was a time-honored tradition within the UNSC military proceeding invasion.
"Area saturated sir. Reaper numbers have stabilized and reinforcements appear to be minimal at best." Jack broke the silence on the bridge. The only sounds coming from the whispers of crew, computer fans, and the sloshing of Jack's rum bottle.
"Have the Argonev begin preparations to deploy forces on the outskirts of London once those SO's go down. Contact the Fleet master and coordinate a blockade pattern with our fleets."
"On it sir." He bowed and then walked off out of view of the holotank.
Surface to Orbit Site Tango Four
Dumbo 'Dee shimmered invisibly as he retracted his plasma blade from the head of a Brute. The Zealot moved from position to position in a quiet manner. He was supposed to meet a Human here by the name of 'Havoc.' He had heard stories of when his people had been at war with Humanity and the performance of this Havoc. He had a penchant for explosions, laughter, and leaving a trail of violence behind him.
Dumbo heard a tree blow in the wind behind him, he turned and saw nothing. His hearing was much more acute than other Sangheili, something that had gotten him made fun of growing up in the Academy.
Before him, another Reaper patrol moved forward, a banshee at its rear shrieking as usual. Gunfire and staccato could be heard in the background. The human Hell jumpers were, as the humans call it, raising kane as they struck out against Reaper positions. Orbital strikes from the fleet above could be seen hitting targets at random around the area, due to the absence of field artillery. Dumbo moved forward, ready to pounce on the patrol when a massive explosion rocked his position and knocking him down. A nearby kinetic weapon fired rapidly and the Banshee shrieking became pained and then stopped altogether.
Silence.
Dumbo got up, grunting as he did. Only to be blown back again as a series of explosions ripped through the road in front of him. Something hot and wet landed on him as he turned around, his cloak turning off to conserve energy for the shields. He pushed the remains of the marauder off him. Smoke filled the clearing in the road and the fronts of buildings turned to shambles. He could hear shrieking and the noise of coming Reaper forces. He quickly cloaked and ducked into an alleyway.
The Reapers in an adjacent market heard commotion and moved to see what was going on, only to find smoke, rubble and ruin. They swarmed over the ruins only to hear laughter and a laser pointer draw a dot on the head of the nearest banshee.
The Banshee's face disintegrated along with its upper torso as a human in power armor and a large portal able weapon moved forward with ease enrapturing the Reapers in a torrent of HE shells. A Brute charged the figure only for the armored being to dodge out of the way and retrieve a Gravity hammer from its back. The Brute was then sent sailing through the back wall of a crumbling house, causing the rest to collapse. The man charged forward smacking anything in reach.
Dumbo having recovered from the fall, turn on his alternate sensors, displaying a Spartan and Reapers in black and white through the smoke. He activated his dual energy blades and charged forward with a snarl.
As the Sangheili reached the formation the human spoke, "Dumbo! Good to see you again! You able to paste some Reapers?"
"Ah so this is your new designation Captain Parker?" The Sangheili smiled as he went about his gruesome work. His plasma blades serrating and separating Reaper bodies and flash cauterizing the remains.
The massive hammer smashed a marauder into its compatriots. "Yes, Shepard gave it to me after I caused one too many explosions. "
"Which one chose the designation? The one you have relations with or her male twin?" The Sangheili asked as he cut down another Brute and threw its head at a Banshee. The Banshee tumbled shrieking in the path of the Havoc's Hammer.
Havoc pulped the Banshee," The latter after he found us in bed. Wasn't pretty."
Dumbo chuckled, "I assume the resulting confrontation was legendary. Much Mayhem and destruction of private property?" Dumbo finished cutting down the last Reaper, a husk jumped at him and he cut it vertically down its body.
All around the two, the remains of two Reaper patrols lay in various states of matter and shapes. The buildings around them were rubble. So much destruction was had, that in the end, the rubble had rubble.
"Oh yes. In the end, he and I were best friends. Several nearby houses in various states of ruin was the beginning of a beautiful friendship."
"Oh do tell." The Elite mused.
New York, New York
Red satin sheets ruffled back and forth. The windows lay open and the sound of traffic flowed in. Birds chirped and humans made love.
The woman smiled as the man rubbed her shoulders. "You're so tense, you need to relax. All this fighting has got you so stressed out. There won't be anything to worry about once I get involved."
Nick smiled as Jane turned over to look at him. "Oh do I know. The way you handled those Reapers back there. So many explosions. So much gunfire. It was a lovely first date. But-" Jane replied.
Nick interrupted her. "But I have nothing on your brother?" A semi-serious look on his face.
"Oh I didn't say that now." A mischievous look in her face. "But he is quite capable."
"Well I can't say I've saved a Galaxy. But then again, I've never had the opportunity to have I?"
"Three."
"Three what?"
"Saved the Galaxy three times."
"So him convincing the Admiralty to have our fleet come to your Satellite Galaxy's help counts for him? I'm a part of that rescue force ya know. I do deserve some credit." He grinned back.
"Well your role is being recognized as we speak." She curled up to him.
The door banged open and following the barrel of a Predator, was the man holding it. John Shepard.
"So you're todays lucky Spartan?" John mused. He walked up pointing the pistol somewhere sensitive.
Jane sighed, "Really John? Must you be so overprotective? We are both in our 30's now and all you can do is defend me like some high school virgin. You should really spend some time with your special friend."
John's face lost some color. "There's a difference Jane."
"No, there isn't. I'm free to choose who I sleep with, just as you are." Jane crossed her arms as she finished dressing. Nick took the moment as an opportunity to tackle the man holding a gun up to his family jewels. The two went down in a brawl, one in armor and the other completely naked.
Captain Parker then grabbed his clothes off the chair and ran out the door, bullets holes marking his path across the room.
"This one is quicker than the others!" John recovered and ran out the door, firing down the hall. Nick, being a Spartan had sprinted down the hall in the time it had taken John to reach the door. Once around the corner, he ducked into a closet and threw on his clothes. He then jumped out a nearby window and ran out to his parked car.
Nick Parker always kept an emergency stash of firepower somewhere nearby in case of a good fight. Finally, he would get to use it. He quickly grabbed several weapons and explosives and proceeded to cover across the street. The commando quickly blew open the front gate and ran up the ladder into a child's tree house.
Within the tree house, a few small boys awoken to a massive man and an arsenal big enough to outfit a small army. Havoc looked around in awe as he saw magazine pages taped to the walls of the tree house detailing every weapon in the UNSC arsenal. He then turned to the groggy boys waking up, "You have good taste."
The children quickly awoke and the older one immediately recognized the battle rifle Havoc was carrying, "Wow! Cool! That a is a BR85 Heavy Barrel Service Rifle with enhanced gyro-gauss launching capabilities, heavier round capability, magazine-fed, semi-automatic rifle optimized for Spartan use!"
Havoc put his finger up to the boy's lips. "Shhhh. I'm on a secret mission."
The boys, having shaken off their grogginess, stared eagerly at the commando. "Can we help?!" they said simultaneously.
"Of course! There is a man across the street I have to disable. I need you guys to…"
Security Forces Call-Center
"Sir! Residents within Military Housing are reporting heavy gunfire and explosions!" The newbie rattled off as he eagerly stared at the cameras, their contents the reflection of a battlefield.
The Sergeant was already hitting the big red button. "Who the hell started all this?" Red lights illuminating his face every time the flashed.
"Sir, residents state that Commander Shepard and Havoc have been spo-"
"ALRIGHTY! MEN THIS HAS WHAT WE ALL HAVE BEEN WAITING FOR, TRAINING FOR. Everyone to your squad cars!" The Sergeant shouted.
The room quickly emptied as all the green security forces, who had never seen combat before rushed out to the Military Housing. The Sergeant wiped the donut paste from his face. "It's on commandos!"
Military Housing
The two commandoes had been fighting for the past couple hours throughout the housing complex, firing back and forth in an effort to get the other to take cover and evade. Multiple fires had broken out and civilians had mostly left the area. Many living rooms and kitchens had newly created holes and craters created into their once pristine surfaces. And now, now they were fighting near the holy of holies within Military Housing.
Havoc evaded the Revenant's fire as he ran full sprint across the General's front lawn. Statues and bird baths exploded as hypervelocity rounds tore into them. General Dores stood at the window, horrified as he watched two insane individuals trade fire on his beloved front lawn. He had spent countless hours cultivating every square foot with compassion and love. He had displayed such tenderness in the construction of the marble baths and statues, all to compliment his lawn. Now two commandos were shooting at each other on it. A sharp squeal made its way to his ears and he looked up only to see a rocket fly directly towards him. He jumped to the side as the rocket flew the window and into the fireplace directly behind it, blowing it out completely.
The General became furious as his antique fireplace was blown apart. He calmly got up, dusted himself off and walked over to his shotgun case. The cases' glass was broken, but Dores held onto his dignity and opened the case correctly, grabbing his favorite shotgun. He loaded rounds into the chamber and walked over to the gaping hole of his observation window. He noticed Commander Shepard perched behind a car taking fire from multiple angles. Curious as to what else was firing, the General noticed Security Forces squad cars overturned and on fire down the street. Green infantry fired blindly through a thin smoke towards Shepard. Two boys stood in a distant tree house with a SAW, maniac expressions on their face as they peppered squad cars with fire.
Shepard was feeling a bit exasperated. It wasn't supposed to go down like this. He had a crazed general firing down from a whole in his 2nd floor, Security Forces firing at everyone, children with automatic weapons firing at the security forces, and Havoc ducking and dodging behind marble masonry. He just wanted to talk to Nick Parker, he wasn't going to kill him, just dislocate a few bones and give some black eyes. But this Spartan was proving himself an appreciable opponent. He quickly fired a couple pot shots at the general, who in turn took cover.
"Havoc I'm going to court-martial you when this is all over! What the hell did you do?" The general screamed out the window.
"I slept with Shepard's twin sir." Havoc shouted back.
"God have mercy on us all son. You just couldn't keep it in your pants." The general replied.
"Nor could she, sir." Havoc retorted.
"Touché son." Dores smiled wryly.
The top of the marble statue Havoc was taking cover behind blew apart as Commander Shepard fired several shots. Havoc threw a grenade in reply and sprinted into the General's house. Shepard leapt out of the way and leapt behind a mound of dirt. Once the grenade erupted, Shepard sprinted for the side of the house.
Havoc found his way into the bathroom and relieved himself: a hole in the bathroom wall showed the sun rising steadily into the sky. He quickly washed his hands and placed a fresh roll onto the roller. As he left the restroom, the general's daughter walked down the stairs, clearly shaken by the battlefield her house had been turned into. Her face turned red as she saw Captain Nick Parker, her mind turning back to recent events. Havoc merely grinned and ran out the back door.
As Havoc walked out onto the back lawn of the vast property he heard the girl screaming, "YOU PIG, YOU CAN'T EVEN PUT THE SEAT DOWN. THIS IS WHY WE NEVER WORKED OUT."
"Cow." Havoc muttered under his breath as he moved from statue to statue on the marble walkway.
Shepard wound his way into the General's barn and stumbled upon something so beautiful; it brought a single tear to his eye: A brand new Mammoth Tank sat, so beautiful and perfect, its driver's hatch open.
The moment Havoc heard it; he did a 180 and began to run back to the house. Through the house he ran, grabbing both the General and his daughter. They had both been arguing over her choice in men and were now in the impossible grip of a Spartan as he sprinted with them under his massive arms onto the destroyed front lawn. A large rumbling could be felt and a monstrous noise heard as they ran. The General immediately perked up and looked behind them as a huge Mammoth ran through his house and over the remains of his precious lawn.
"Noooo!" He cried as the mammoth burst forth from the womb of his massive home.
Shepard grinned as he gunned it forward for Havoc. The Holographic displays illuminated his face and gave him readings of his current surroundings. He fired off smoke rounds throughout the cul-de-sac and towards the security forces located down the street, still held up by a couple of children in a tree house. His infra-red display showed a man with Sergeant Stripes behind a patrol car, a discoloration located on his trousers. He targeted Havoc, as the Commando dropped the general and his daughter on the lawn of a nearby neighbor.
The Spartan sprinted for cover as the Mammoth sped up. Havoc concluded that Shepard didn't want to kill him; otherwise he would have by now. Captain Parker ran through another home, the family huddling in the living room. He smiled as he ran past them and through the back door, a moment later a massive tank passed through their home, the mother fainting at the destruction of her kitchen.
Shepard was almost upon the Commando when the backpack on Havoc's back fired thrusters vertically. However, the thrusters started sparking and caught on fire. Havoc shook the pack off and jumped the back fence into another property. Within this back yard, two young ladies were sunbathing and Havoc stopped by remembering their faces. "Hello ladies."
They smiled until they heard the rumbling of a tank and twisted to look behind them. "Gotta go, here's my number!" Havoc handed them two business cards and sprinted off.
Shepard's mammoth drove through the fence and the central chassis had enough clearance to go right over the ladies without harming them and then proceeded through their home, crushing yet another kitchen.
Havoc sprinted out into the street and into a warthog. Luckily, the keys were in the sun visor. He started the 'hog and sped down the street just as the Mammoth burst forth like an angry god through another sundered home. Parker rounded the corner and drove right back up to his house, a massive hole where the front door had been. He walked into the kitchen and grabbed his toast and kissed Jane on the cheek as she cooked eggs. "No Nick! Come here and sit down. Eat. Now."
The authority in her voice compelled him to comply submissively. He liked this one, she was a keeper.
Jane pulled out her Omni-tool and spoke into it, "John come inside and eat. All that playing outside is obviously going to make you hungry."
Havoc heard someone grumble on the other side and the rumbling stop outside. He looked outside and frowned in dismay and he watched Shepard try to Parallel Park the mammoth, only to crush several vehicles in the process. Shepard got out and ran into the house, taking Havoc's seat before he could sit down. "Mine now Spartan."
"Behave boys, here's your food. Eggs, Bacon and a stack of 12 triple thick pancakes sponged in syrup."
She sat back sipping on her coffee as the two commandos downed their food in record rate.
John spoke as he ate, "I saw Nicky here giving his digits to two girls sunbathing in their backyard. He also seemed to have a fling with the General's daughter."
"Don't talk with your mouth full John." Jane chided him, "Nick, do I need to give my brother leave to do as he pleases or are you going to behave?"
Havoc swallowed before speaking, "Wow wow folks, that fling was in the past and I wasn't sure if your bro here would allow me to remain with you. I gotta have options babe."
"Fine then, once you're finished, wash the dishes and go play. There aren't enough craters on that front lawn yet." They both just smiled.
Cleaning the dishes translated to both of them taking the full stack of plates and bowls into the backyard and trap shooting them. One would throw while the other shot, switching intermittently to allow the other a chance to shoot or throw. Jane had then walked out with her favorite rifle and knocked every remaining dish thrown into the air, racking up a better hit rate than the boys. Soon after, the two commandoes began arguing over who got second place. This devolved into both of them throwing punches and Shepard getting thrown through the fence. Havoc then noticed that Security Forces had finally gotten through the children and made their way onto his front lawn.
By now news hovercraft had been stationed in the air, along with local Air support in order to try and disengage the two commandos. However the general had ordered them to stand back and allow the two to settle their differences, lest anyone get killed in the cross fire. The Security Forces Sergeant was visibly upset, obviously thinking himself up to the task of handling both of these individuals. So in his haste to prove himself, disregarded his orders and charged forward with his company of wannabe heroes. There was no remorse.
Havoc and Shepard, seeing this force coming to get them, teamed up. They're grudges aside; they stood against a common enemy: the fun police. Unknown to both of them, the entire company of Security Forces was really a company of Black Hand coming to seize Havoc for Kane. The Sergeant "leading" them was just a local SNCO unlucky enough to be assigned to the company. He was quickly shot from behind as the fake security forces switched to their laser weaponry and trademark NOD tactics.
Havoc and John and since moved across the street, taking massive amounts of fire. They moved their way from home to home in an intense shoot out with NOD forces as they moved towards the General's massive mansion.
Havoc led Shepard down into the basement where General Dores kept a personal arsenal.
"How did you know this was here?"
Havoc just grinned remembering the fling with the general's daughter.
"Grab this ion cannon beacon…and this C12. Ooooh! Rocket launcher!" The boys grabbed many more weapons and then proceeded back upstairs where they found the general firing at NOD forces.
"Damn Innies just don't know what's good for 'em!" The General shouted at them. "You two idiots unwittingly brought out a NOD cell. Now we got something to cover your ass with concerning all this useless destruction you caused. Now this is what you boys are gonna do…" He chewed on his cigar a bit more.
Within the bed chambers of the 2nd floor lay a man. A tank commander of great renown, he had been seeing the General's daughter on and off. Here he stood looking out the back window wondering where the hell his Mammoth had gone. The battle had done little to stir him; he had always been a deep sleeper.
"This isn't good man. Negative waves everywhere man. Someone stole my tank!" He then walked out the front door, ignoring all the various signs of damage around him. While on the phone, he saw his tank parked down the street. "Gotta go baby, found my ride."
Oddball walked out to his beloved Mammoth, even as heavy fire ripped through the air around him- in nothing but a shirt, underwear, shoes, and a borrowed bath towel.
"I missed you baby. Let's get you back in the barn- WHO SCRATCHED MY TANK?" Oddball came to and suddenly noticed the laser scorching on his tank and the company of Black Hand laying siege to the General's Mansion. "YOUS WANT NEGATIVE WAVES! I'LL GIVE YOUS NEGATIVE WAVES MAN."
Oddball crawled into his tank muttering something about strongly disliking Kane and his groupies. The Mammoth roared to life and turned around to face the rear of the Black Hand impromptu lines: the front lawn of the General's mansion. "Woof! Woof!"
The Mammoth tank. A legend among tanks. Its prowess none can match. Those who fight for or against it result in the same awe, fear and respect for its capabilities. Here it stood a testament to all Nods' sins.
It spoke, two voices speaking simultaneously, exhaling hypersonic shells of tungsten destruction. Rockets along its flanks flared to life and took to the skies only to fall upon its targets with merciless abandon. Oddball hit his speaker's button and played his music as he butchered the NOD fanatics with volley after volley.
Havoc and Shepard returned fire at the NOD on the General's front lawn. Heavy munitions ripped through the remaining marble structures, blowing the black hands behind them into fleshy bits. The Black Hand line wavered as they had to turn to deal with the massive house-sized tank behind them and then two commandoes and an angry general in front of them. The Black Hand was routed in short order as they ran for a nearby house.
Oddball searched the house for civilian signatures and upon finding none fired into it with his auxiliary machine guns. A Black Hand squad had taken cover within the home's kitchen and living room. The mammoth's swept its anti-personnel weaponry over the living room before accelerating and driving through the kitchen and out the back. Seeing nowhere to go he began to reverse.
Brother Jose groaned as he lifted the remnants of a cabinet off of him and got up. This operation was a disaster, none of these factors made sense! It was supposed to be a quick mission. Extract the Commando and exfiltrate the area! But Command had demanded that an entire Company be sent just in case. Even now, that plan was failing as a Mammoth tank slaughtered it on the front lawn of a notable GDI General. News craft captured the entire fiasco and signaled to Humanity as a whole that NOD was still strong. Kane would not be pleased. Brother Jose started moving towards one of his fallen comrades when he looked up in time to see the mammoth accelerating backwards. That was the last thing he had time to see.
Out of 180 Black Hand assaulting the General's house, only 22 remained. These 22 had retreated through the demolished neighborhood and into their parked stealth aircraft. As they punched into the sky, a massive frigate followed in tow.
"Joker, shoot them down." Jane stood behind Joker's seat in full armor.
"Aye, Aye ma'am." Joker hit his favorite button on the Normandy: The trigger.
The Normandy's cannons ripped through the air and destroyed both stealthed NOD vessels out of the air. EDI having identified the heat signatures of Black Hand flamethrower heat sinks on both.
"Take us back to the General's place."
By the time the Normandy had deployed Shepards' crew to the Cul-de-sac, emergency response units had finally been brought in and the area contained.
Jane looked around for the boys and found them perched on the last remaining balcony of the mansion. There sat in several chairs, was Oddball, General Dores, Captain Nick Parker, Commander John Shepard, two boys, and a certain Sergeant Major of the Marine Corps smoking Sweet Williams Cigars.
"So you kids had all this fun without me? Curse old age and deep sleep." Johnson muttered. He was here avoiding his wife after he had awoken to her fury at her kitchen having been destroyed.
Jane walked up and sighed as he saw the two of them having seemingly become the best of friends. Havoc was waving his hands around, "And then that one charged up with his flamethrower screaming, "FOR KANE!" and you pulled out that shotgun of yours and blew him apart with those explosive pellets."
Shepard countered with, "The way you sniped their leader would make Garrus green with envy. You should really come with my crew back to our Earth. Plenty of Reapers to blow up!"
"You say they are two klicks large, large lasers? Cybernetic undead? Sounds like some fun. Napalm would interact great with those husks!" Havoc roared.
They both turned to the general, "Sorry about your lawn sir." John said.
"No problem boys. I can just have it all rebuilt. Nothings better than blowing up NOD rejects on my own front lawn." The General rasped.
"I like you guys. Nothing but positive waves man." Oddball took a drag. "I'll come with ya. Plenty of things roll over. I bet."
"I haven't had a good fight since the last giant hula-hoop I blew up. I'm in. Lord knows, you boys need some proper guidance on blowing things up." Johnson remarked and looked at oddball. "That tank of yours is a beautiful piece of battlefield prowess."
"Woof! Woof! She's my baby. Rolling thunder all the way!" Oddball smiled.
Jane finally interjected, "Well you boys reconciled? Look at the amount of destruction you two have caused. This is going to be a massive bill. We were here for allies, nice to know you instead are best friends with one of their best commandos. Of course only after blowing up half of the neighborhood."
They both just looked at her and grinned.
London, amidst tons of dead husks and rubble n' stuff
Dumbo'dee stared at him for a moment, awestruck by such a tale. "You humans have quite the way of settling mating issues. Where is this Commander Shepard now?"
"John is around here somewhere, I was going to team up with him. Jane was assaulting the citadel beam last I heard."
"Let's go find John. They are going to be rolling over this area soon. We don't want to be around when Oddball comes through with his buddies."
321st Heavy Armor Battalion, Bravo Company, 3rd Platoon, somewhere south of some Reapers
"Ok you boys. We have a beautiful scene ahead of us. The helljumpers are fighting to our west and we are coming in from the South West of the city. I want nothing but positive waves all the way through! Woof! Woof!"
"Why are we going on a suicidal mission for your friend Oddball? We're going to get skinned by the Captain!" Moriarty grumbled.
"Have faith baby, have faith." Oddball smiled.
The Mammoths began moving forward in two columns. Unbeknownst to the Company commander, Oddball and his four Mammoths moved towards another location. One with an old friend fighting around it.
"This is Havoc actual, Tiger 1 do you copy?"
"Woof! Woof! baby, rollin' to ya!" Oddball responded.
Havoc smiled. He could hear the Mammoths as they rolled a couple of blocks down. Dumbo and Havoc had found John held up in a cratered shopping mall. He was directly across the street from them with a Garrus Vakarian and Urdnot Wrex. They had over watch over a parking lot filled with Reaper infantry guarding a massive Reaper Destroyer with a glowing blue butt. Havoc had an Ion Cannon beacon he had stealthily placed underneath the destroyer. However, what was the fun with ending it so simply when you could have a party with your friends?
The Mammoths rolled up and halted directly in front of the Reaper infantry. The Destroyer was unable to directly engage the Mammoths due to its current configuration. However, the husks were more than up to the dreadful task of killing four mammoths. The house-sized tanks began playing rock music and rolling forward, all guns firing. Hundreds of husks charged forward only to be torn apart. The Kill zone erupted as four mammoths and five infantry opened up with everything they had.
As the husks rushed the Mammoths and got caught in the crossfire from the two fireteams, a manhole opened up.
"Why are these things so damn heavy? Jack, hand me Jesse. Husks are everywhere." Zaeed Massani emerged from the manhole with a small army in tow.
Behind him came Jack, Alenko, and Tali.
"Alenko and Jack. Cover us while we run to Shepard's position!"
"Okay! Go!"
Zaeed and Tali sprinted for the Mall's entrance as John and Garrus covered their short but harrowing journey. Havoc took this as the queue to Jump-pack into the rear of the Reaper lines and begin demolishing them with his chain rail gun. Over a Score of husks turn to engage him only to be blasted and vaporized. Dumbo charged down the stairs of his position and out the door, before sprinting to the sprawling number of husks.
Oddball and his compatriots were moving to within 50 meters of the husks. Firing coming from every orifice of the massive beast. Its tusks poured high powered anti infantry shells into the Husks midst. Hundreds falling as ball bearings bound out at every angle. Missiles streaked from their silos impacting multiple targets, buildings crumbling all around the parking lot. Husks began streaming out of nearby avenues and buildings from behind the Mammoths.
"Hey Tiger 3, baby you need to turn around and engage those negative waves behind us."
The mammoth pilot acknowledged and turned its deadly torrent of fire onto the husks in its rear. Havoc jumped over to the mammoth's roof and engaged the magnetic clamps at the bottom of his boots.
Now take in the image of this magnificent duo. A man and his steed as they face their enemy head on. A man and his mammoth charging forth into volatile combat. Every beautiful shot finding purchase on a target. Music blasting in the back ground as a Mammoth pushes forward at over 90 kilometers an hour through over 4 score of husks. Tiger 3 burst through the building the husks were coming through and knocked over the pillar in the middle. The building started crumbling and the Mammoth came out the other side of the remains of the skyscraper only to find another Destroyer Reaper.
Now Havoc and Tiger 3 had an interesting view of the Reaper. Its undercarriage was completely exposed, due to its composition being that of a firebug.
"Hey Tiger 3, turn your turret up and fire. The Firebug's bottom is exposed."
"Roger Havoc."
The twin tusks spoke in their brutal, harsh tongue unleashing 2 rail shells right into the Reaper's tender bottom. The destroyer shrieked in an ugly dub step tone and fell over, colliding into the nearby building.
Tiger 3 quickly reversed and committed to a 3 point turn, by the time it turned to corner of the street as the Reaper's core went critical. The resulting explosion leveled the block, shaking the tank as it accelerated away. Down the street in the opposite direction a Spartan fire-team watched impassively as someone completely their objective for them.
"Havoc to Shepard. We just took out another destroyer. Detonate the Ion Beacon."
"Coming right up Havoc. All forces pull out of the immediate area."
Zaeed and his fire team had rendezvoused with Shepard and were making their way to the other side of the shopping center's roof. Dumbo had jumped on Oddball's mammoth and introduced himself. They had proceeded to pull out of the parking lot leaving a trail of a good thousand Husk corpses.
From the sky a bright blue-white light shone and impacted the Reaper, completely enveloping it and leaving nothing but a crater and its limbs. The impact shook the ground. Another Spartan Fire-team stood atop an intact skyscraper looking down at their now finished objective, done for them.
Bridge of the UNSCS Everest
"Palmer to Everest. Sir, Havoc just took out all of our objectives." Palmer explained, clearly frustrated.
Cole chuckled before hitting the comm. Reply button, "Affirmative Palmer. Rendezvous with the 2nd ODST Division and liaison with them for directives and objectives."
"But sir, should I reprimand Captain Parker?" Palmer inquired. Clearly excited at the prospect of doing so.
"No Commander that will not be necessary. Everest out." Cole's brought his command tone to bear and the Commander backed down.
"Yes sir." Palmer replied.
Cole had in reality used the 125 Spartans to draw out a hidden Reaper reserve unit, for which they were extremely busy engaging still. Havoc had been a novel choice due to his ability to utterly annihilate his objectives. UNSC, being the Space arm of GDI had considerably more face time than the latter, earning the ire of GDI politicians. However, GDI's old-school Commando units always came through in ways one could never think possible.
On his holomap, Cole noted a column of four mammoths working its way with a squad of elite infantry under the command of Commander Shepard and Captain Parker. It was the perfect public relations stunt. Soon, the GDI would absorb the Systems Alliance and have a steak in a Galaxy outside of the Republic's sphere of Influence. Cole sipped his coffee and smiled, everything was coming together.
A figure approached from the Fleet Admiral's side. "I trust everything is progressing well with the counter offensive against the Reapers Admiral?"
"The Reaper fleet is in retreat and our Forces are beginning their mass deployment to the surface Master Qui-Gon." The Admiral turned to acknowledge the newcomer, whose small battle group had just arrived with its compliment of clones.
"I will have my legions deployed to the Surface around other major settlements. Have you had forces deployed to the Urals yet?"
"No, however the Reapers are holding strong there. Over a dozen of their surviving capital sized vessels have made land fall there to shore up their defenses."
"Hmm. This is not good. I will have to shift an entire core to assault the Urals. The winter climate will make the warfare even more brutal." Cole sighed.
"Do not worry Admiral; Master Obi-wan will personally lead 10 legions against the Reapers there to assist your marines." Master Qui-Gon reassured him, putting his hand on his shoulder. "The force be with you."
"You as well Master Qui-Gon." The Admiral grinned. "We have been through a lot in the last several years together. And now we face the biggest threat the Bane have thrown at us yet."
"Indeed."
Random ONI Prowler in Orbit of SA Earth
"Commander Shepard. You will be released to Systems Alliance as soon as we medically check you and Admiral Anderson out of the medical quarters." The man did not show any signs of fear and stoically held his ground as the commander held a pistol to his face."
"And what about him?" Pointing to the prone form of the Illusive man in the bed next to her.
"He will remain with us. This is something that will not change." He calmly stated.
"So your one of those ONI spooks Havoc spoke of. I heard you all were a pain in the ass."
A grin flashed over the man's face before disappearing as fast as it appeared.
The doctor walked in and calmed the tension within the room. "Ma'am, your personal ship is here for the retrieval of you and Admiral Anderson. Admiral Hackett has requested your presence."
"What happened on the Citadel?" She asked not relenting with the position of her pistol. The man to his credit, remained stoic. She then moved the pistol to his crotch and repeated herself. His expression somewhat changed.
"Well. The controls caused the arms to extend and the AI encountered by Gray Team gave insufficient options. You'll soon verify this with your chain of command however." He relented.
She withdrew her pistol and moved towards the door, Admiral Anderson following in tow. Once outside the ward, the man who she had held up escorted them with a Spartan fire team to a docking extension.
"The Normandy Commander Shepard. Admiral Anderson." He nodded curtly and walked off. The Spartan fire-team following in step.
"What a weasel." Anderson muttered.
They boarded the Normandy and walked up behind Joker, who in turn undocked from the Prowler and flew towards the SSV Kilimanjaro.
"Ma'am, Admiral Cole contacted Admiral Hackett and told him they had you guys. He wants to be debriefed on the events that happened at the Citadel. John is currently blowing the crap out of the Reapers down in London. They wrecked all the SO Destroyers and GDI is deploying all of its ground forces. They sure do have some sexy tanks though." Joker informed them.
"Shut up Joker." Anderson said.
"Yes sir."
"Anderson, ONI has the Illusive man. Nick told me that they aren't people to be thrown very far."
"We will have to inform Hackett. He should be able to ask Admiral Cole on why ONI would need him. I can't imagine it being good."
Area around the giant beam of pretty light
Three Sovereign-class Reapers dueled with three marathon cruisers for the airspace over the beam as their ground forces pounded out the surface for control of the entrance to the Citadel. The issues with the Reapers was that their armor support came in the form of the direct presence provided by their destroyers and capital ships. However, since these vessels were more or less engaged by the UNSC ships that were proving to be more than capable of taking them on, their ground forces had no dedicated armor. Now the Reapers had thought that having a large open area around the beam was a good idea. This proved to be the opposite concerning GDI Armored divisions.
Elements of 8 divisions of GDI forces converged on the beam from all directions. One element in Particular was two entire battalions of Mammoths pushing down the original path Jane Shepard had rushed down and Harbinger had fired upon. Now well over 100 Mammoths massed fired on four Reaper destroyers holding the open ground between them and the beam. They massed fire on each, one at a time. Each falling to a volley fired simultaneously from them and mass flights of Orcas flying in at several times the speed of sound.
The remaining Mammoths then rushed the beam crushing hundreds of husks and thousands more with their overwhelming firepower. Napalm was dropped by over flights of broadswords as they neared their objective. The Mammoths rolled up in a triple line and stopped before a landing of several Pelicans. Outside one, a man was wearing no top armor or shirt, presenting himself bare-chested to the world. He wore a bandana and old US Calvary hat. Husks were burning in the dawn light as the man walked up to Oddball's tank.
The man looked up at the Spartan and his compatriots sitting on top of a particular group of Mammoths. They all started jumping off the tanks and walking up to the man. Havoc immediately recognized it him.
"Colonel Kilmore! Why are you here, there isn't any beaches around here." Havoc and the man embraced.
As they ended their embrace, Kilmore asked him," Havoc, you smell that?"
Havoc smiled, knowing what was coming. So he took off his helmet. "I do now. Napalm sir."
The Colonel smiled, "Damn right son! During our campaigns against the Sith Empire, we had one battle where those crazed swords, charging our boys like samurai got nailed by a fly over of Broads bringing them a nice sticky gift. Dropped Napalm all over them for several hours. By the time the smoke cleared. We didn't find a single Sith body."
Commander Shepard liked these guys. They were into the maximum amount of overkill possible. They didn't abide by stupid regulations like the council. They did whatever it took to get the job done. He had always been more of a Renegade, while his sister was more of a Paragon of discipline and rules. He internally wept at the amount of firepower before him.
GDI firepower was simply, beautiful.
Citadel/Catalyst brooding chamber
"I presented you with four choices Human. You have chosen the forth, to do absolutely nothing. Your cycle will end." The Catalyst stated.
"Our cycle will end when we want it to. Not at your whim, you ignorant twat." Cortana steamed back. "If you haven't noticed, our fleets have STEAMROLLED yours, just how are you going to end the cycle on your terms."
The child's voice cracked and turned dark. The lights dimmed. "We are legion, we are infinite."
"What does he mean Cortana?" Chief asked. He had a bad feeling that something terrible was about to happen.
"Uh oh. Chief, we have multiple contacts inbound from deep space." Cortana said, worried.
"Construct, what is it your exactly detecting?" The Arbiter asked.
"Hundreds of Reaper contacts. Some of them are huge, approaching 10 kilometers in size."
"They will stand little to the Reclaimer's Vigil. My brother's Super carrier will carry the battle for the void."
"We need to go. Now." The Chief said. As he turned around towards Earth behind him, he spotted the coming Reaper reinforcements as they came out of FTL. They broadcasted to the combined fleets over the planet.
"We are Legion. We are infinite."
2nd ODST Division, 32nd Battalion, Delta Company
"Hey marines, you better move before my boot finds a cozy new home between your legs." Johnson shouted at a group of marines loitering on a street corner. At the sound of his voice they began moving faster than they ever thought capable.
"We are Legion. We are infinite."
Johnson picked up the comm. "Mmhmm my ass you are. Come on down here and say that to my face you black-gloved freaks. I got a boot and can of whoop-ass with your name on it."
Unfortunately for the Reapers. Jack the overall AI in command, pulled the commique and broadcasted it back toward the Reaper newcomers. Along with previous famous Johnson quotes, finding it quite humerous the responses he was getting from the Reaper AIs on the Cybernetic battlefield. They were digitally agitated, that someone would dare defy them. In return the Reaper homed in on the Johnson's signal and deployed ground forces there first.
Johnson looked up into the sky, not to see the typical Sovereign class Reaper, but what could be considered its Grandfather. 10 kilometers of pure black descended upon them, red lightning cackling over its form.
Johnson smiled with his cigar in his mouth. "Alright Marines, lets teach ugly here who owns this playground."
In Orbit
"Sir, all fleets have been reformed into one formation. Awaiting your call to engage." Jack stated, his liquor bottle recently refilled.
"You shouldn't have taunted those AI. Now Johnson has bigger issues to worry about, Jack." Cole inwardly face palmed.
"Sir, they taunted my processes. I can't let such a digital nuance go free."
"Moving on, prepare massed volley on their central ships. I want the biggest ones removed first."
"Aye, Aye sir, fleet moving to engage newly christened, Omega-class Reapers."
The UNSC fleet moved together as one and spoke as a single entity. Each AI coordinating together to create one massive volley that streaked towards the enemies of all sentient life in one fluid stroke. MAC shells flying at thousands of kilometers a second smashed against Reaper forms. Over 600 new Reaper contacts had made the jumped and engaged Sword fleet head on decimated most of the fleet in one fel swoop. Now the favor was returned in kind. Over 70 Reapers including 3 Omegas were destroyed in the opening salvo.
The Coalition fleet matched up missiles and plasma torpedoes as they coherently smashed into Reaper's faltering line taking down another 40 vessels. The Reapers recovered from the heavy barrage bringing their potent firepower to bear. They vast bulk of the Reaper fleet engaged the Coalition fleet, looking to kill every ship in one barrage, only for them all the micro-jump out of line of sight, behind Luna.
"Our ships cannot engage that fleet without being slaughtered. Everything we have is tied up engaging the Bane. Contact Master Jinn and ask him if the Republic could bring its fleet to bear. I know they have those massive Dreadnaughts available." Cole instructed Jack.
"Sir, I've already spoken to Master Jinn, his vessels have jumped to Mars for safety, leaving all of our ground forces naked to Orbital bombardment." He took a moment to empty half of his bottle," He has however, contacted Master Yoda who has agreed to bring an Armada of over 700 ships to bear. He will not be on scene for 48 hours though."
"Very well, we will provide what support we can to our marines on the ground. I want you to bring us around and prepare a full frontal release on that Omega hitting London. He won't be able to dodge."
"Aye Aye sir, bringing the Everest to bear."
The Everest then blinked from existence within the Coalition fleet behind Luna, to 700,000 clicks above London. The ship Orientated itself downward charging its forward energy projectors.
"Overcharge the reactors for 15 seconds. Melt that Omega down and then jump us back."
"Sir we don't have the energy for that."
"Feed all power into the energy projectors and jump reactor."
"Sir Reapers contacts jumping in on us." Helm reported.
"Firing sir." Weapons reported.
"Sir! 7 Sovereign contacts are on top of us." Helm reported.
"They are firing!" Jack shouted."
The ship shook and multi Reapers laid into the Everest.
"She will hold gentlemen." Cole calmly stated as the ship violently shook.
"Multiple hull breaches on decks 4 through 15. Armor belts down to 15% integrity in concentrated areas."
"Fire back, bring all Auxiliary pods online and fire."
"Aye Aye sir, firing."
Archers, Rapiers, and Howlers ripped from their pods just as the Everest finished firing its primary batteries. The Reapers began charging their second volley when the massive vessel jumped again, disappearing from their view. However, the massive vessel had left them a nice present. The Reapers engaged their point defense system, which in turn engaged and downed many missiles. But the ones that counted, hit. Multiple nuclear shaped charges detonated against the Reapers, seven bright lights against the void.
London
As Johnson finished his previous sentence, four massive beams tore into the Omega Reaper before it could even make complete landfall. The beams gouged through generators and overwhelmed kinetic barriers. The massive Reaper howled as its cybernetic life was snuffed out in one instance, its body now in free fall towards London's harbor.
"That is one big turd." Johnson smiled.
Mars Orbit, Everest's bridge
"Sir, engineering has dumped all heat within the cores. Shields, all armament, and engines are offline at the moment. Life support, gravity, and communications remain online." Jack reported.
"How long until systems are back online?" Cole asked.
"It could be another 12 hours before the cores completely recover from what they were just put through." Jack stated.
"Very well, signal the fleet and order them to rally to our position. We will hold here until Master Yoda arrives." Admiral Cole mused.
Looking around Cole could see his bridge crew was clearly shaken by what they had done. He smiled inwardly, they didn't have shields back in the day. Now it was time that the newest generation within the fleet was brought up the hard way: through blood and fire.