Note: I have recently changed the citadel timeline for the benefit of the story. It won't change the plot
Chapter 2: Opening Salvo
July 18, 2610 / 2178 C.E
Few weeks after the test on the relay designated as Exodus Relay, the data gathered by the science teams has been analyzed and plans are underway to colonize the star system that is near it.
A group of turian ships exited the relay and once they saw the outpost they quickly destroyed it. They started to search for the nearest star system.
They spotted the Nova Virgo system and activated their FTL and head straight for the system.
Long-Range Base 4, outer rim of the Nova Virgo Star System
The long range base is a detection outpost design to detect and identify any objects that is in real space and slipspace with a range of over five light-years away.
They are also equipped with cloaking generators that will hide the station from sight and detection. This is one of the many long range bases scattered among the star systems at the border of UTF space.
There are also LRB's at the inner star systems for traffic navigation and detection. They serve as early warning systems for incoming objects and allow for the local garrisons to defend their respective planets.
Suddenly the sensors began to alarm as it detected an incoming object. The onboard operator look at the console and found out that the object is in real space, normally it won't mean anything except for comets or meteors but it detected a number of objects moving as a group originating from the Exodus relay and moving at speeds faster than light.
He quickly reach for the panic button which immediately connects the station to the UTFSC HQ at Shanxi, the only habited planet in the star system.
Shanxi is not yet fully developed as such the planet still doesn't have a sizable garrison that can fight back an invasion force.
The line connects to the HQ and answered by a commander.
"What is it?" the commander answered who looked occupied with the report he is reading.
"Sir, we have detected a group of objects originating from the Exodus Relay and they are moving towards our direction at speeds faster that light. We could be visited by another alien civilization."
"Your opinion is noted, tell the other stations to go dark I'll prepare the fleet to meet up with them." replied the commander then the link disconnects and the stations surrounding the star system activated the cloaking generators which cause them to disappear.
Onboard the turian cruiser
The turian captain is somewhat nervous about the mission given to his group though he didn't show it.
The last time a dormant relay got activated, it unleashed the rachni which devastated a lot of planets and their inhabitants. The war against them goes on for three centuries and forced to exterminate the insectoid race with the use of the krogans.
That decision to use the krogans proved to be a mistake for the krogans quickly overran the local population of the planets and rebelled against the Citadel.
He can't let that happen again. His group consists of 4 cruisers and 10 frigates, not yet counting the reinforcements waiting on the other side of Relay 314.
His group should be sufficient enough to cripple this unknown race before bringing in the full invasion force.
"How long till we reach the star system?" the captain asked the helmsman.
"We will be arriving in 20 minutes, Sir" answered the helmsman.
"Alright everyone be ready to engage the enemy forces once we exit FTL speed." ordered the captain to his crew.
Twenty minutes later, the group exited FTL speeds and a few moments later they detected the fleet assembled above Shanxi.
"Sir I'm detecting a group of contacts above a planet in defensive position. That planet must be their home world." reported by the navigations operator.
"Prepare the ships for combat and get ready to engage once we reached firing range."
In orbit of Shanxi
The UTFN defense fleet of Shanxi has assembled in orbit both to meet the incoming alien fleet and defend the planet which they hope it won't go to that. The defense fleet is led by the UTFN Marathon II-class Cruiser Avalon accompanied by 2 destroyers and 5 frigates with the Divine Trinity among them.
The cruiser is armed with two MAC guns one on top of the other, oversized archer missiles pods, 6 Dual Barreled Spartan Cannons with three on each side, 12 defensive railguns and pulse lasers.
It is powered by a main deuterium reactor boosted by 2 secondary plasma reactors, and propelled by 3 fusion drive equipped with MHD accelerators.
The destroyers are somewhat larger than frigates, has thicker armor and stronger shields. It has two MAC guns at each side, archer missile pods, 4 Spartan Phaser Cannons, two at each side with the rear units at higher elevation, and defensive railguns and pulse lasers.
Bridge of the Avalon
"Admiral, the ships are in position to make contact with unknown contacts and the rest of the defense force are ready for launch in case the contacts are hostile." reported by Heinrich. His avatar is a WW2 German general with an overcoat. Medium-built and has an eye patch on his left eye.
"Thank you Heinrich, I just hope these contacts aren't hostiles. We can't afford another genocidal war." replied Admiral Ahem while sitting in the captain's seat.
"Sir, Contacts are inbound slowing, they will be here in 10 minutes." reported the navigations operator. "All right everyone stay focus and be ready"
After 10 minute the unknown contacts slowed which is done by performing a somersault then form up a formation to the UTFN ships.
"That's a strange way of exiting FTL." said by an intrigued operator.
"I agree, and they look more like fighters rather than ships. Must be made for aerodynamics." another operator continued.
"Initiate contact, translate message using the language from the Exodus relay." he ordered as he stand up and move towards the holotable.
A holoscreen pop-up and start recording his speech.
"I'm Admiral Ahem of the Shanxi Defense Force. We welcome you to the United Terran Federation, we wish for a peaceful negotiation and hope for a prosperous cooperation in the future." The message is sent to the unknown ships and everyone waited for response.
"SIR THE SHIPS ARE CHARGING UP!" shouted an operator then as he said that the ship shook and everyone got a hold of their seats as the Admiral quickly move to his seat and called up.
"Status report" ordered Ahem
"Shields are holding against the enemy barrage" the ship shook again "they seem to be using a type mass driver weapon." Heinrich reported.
"FIRE THE ARCHERS! Power up the MAC and shoot them down! ALL SHIPS ENGAGE! Contact the rest of the fleet and tell them to launch and engage the hostiles."
Archer missiles launched from the broadside of the cruiser and race towards to one of the unknown contacts as the MAC charges. Pulses of laser hit some of the archer missiles before hitting the kinetic barrier. As the archers detonated upon its kinetic barrier, the unknown vessel bathe in extreme heat and radiation from the nuclear-plasma warhead, and exploded.
'That went well' Admiral Ahem thought.
Bridge of the Divine Trinity
"The MAC is fully charged" Hera announced.
"Double MAC shot!" Santiago ordered.
The Divine Trinity fired two MAC shells in quick successions towards on one the larger vessel, the first one hit the kinetic barrier which severely weakened it as the second punched through and hit the hull of the ship. The ship is overwhelmed by the shear kinetic energy as its hull leave a large hole.
The rest of the turian vessels are being overwhelmed by the barrage from the UTFN vessels, the rest of the defense force are reaching the assembled group and beginning to charge up their MAC gun.
Bridge of the Turian Cruiser
"Sir more enemy vessels are approaching! We need to retreat!" announced an operator. "All ships disengage and retreat to the relay!" ordered the captain.
The turian ships began to turn around and speed away from the UTFN ships.
Bridge of the Avalon
"Sir they're retreating" reported Heinrich.
"Disable one of them with the Spartan cannon. we need information." quickly ordered Admiral Ahem.
Two of the Spartan cannons lit up as the ship and the motors aim it on one of the escaping ship's engine then fired.
The beam pass through the kinetic barrier and burn through its hull and vaporize the reactor. The reactor isn't able to go critical for large part of the reactor is vaporized. The rest of the turian vessels activated their FTL and escaped towards the relay.
"Send the infiltration teams to recover any survivors and retrieve any data they can find on their systems." Admiral Ahem ordered to one of the officers.
"Heinrich, send a distress call to the Lancelot CENTCOM tell them to send in reinforcements." he ordered to Heinrich.
"Helm get us close to that ship."
Exodus Relay / Relay 314
The turian vessels, consisting of one cruiser and three frigates, decelerate as they near the relay and activated the relay.
The relay accelerated the turian vessels towards the other relay. As they exited the connecting relay they head towards a large group of ships are assembled guarding the turian dreadnought.
"Sir the Magnavus is contacting us." called out the turian communications officer.
"Patch it through" the turian captain replied, as the holographic screen lit up and revealed the face of Commander Vyrnnus.
"What happened their captain and where are the other ships?" Vyrnnus asked.
"Sir, we were overwhelmed by the unknown race's mass accelerators and nuclear missiles. Our shields can't keep up with onslaught and a large reinforcement emerged from their planet. We can't hold our ground and have to retreat." reported the captain.
"I see, it looks like they are quite the adversary. All ships ships return to Palaven." Vyrnnus ordered to all ships of the turian battle group activated their FTL's and head towards Palaven.
Well that concludes this chapter. You may be wandering why the turian ships are easily defeated by the UTFN (UNSC), well if you compare a 600 ton slug moving at 30km per second against a 20kg slug moving at 4025km per second (That's for the Asari Dreadnought, Destiny Ascension), you can see that the standard MAC is on par with the said dreadnought. I will be asking help on naming characters from the Turian, Salarian, Asari and other citadel races. Place the name then the race next to it. Also if you want to put some suggestion on the plot of the story please do. Send the names and suggestions to my mail so I can work on them. Next stop "Infiltration" See you everyone.