Disclaimer: I do not own Halo or BSG.
Trials of Reclamation
Chapter 12: Return
June 26th 2711
Uncharted Territory
Deep Space
Basestar 0-14
Command Center
"What the frak happened?" Cavil ranted. "Who the frak were those humans?"
"It would appear the Colonial Fleet has made contact with the Thirteenth Tribe," Simon replied. "Their centurions match the one our brothers and sisters reported earlier on the Galactica last year."
"We cannot allow them to reinforce the Colonials anymore than they already have," Doral spoke up.
"It's not that simple," Leoben countered. "Several of our scouts have detected the fleet jumping away from New Caprica...they're heading for the Colonies along with half of their warships."
"Then we should retake New Caprica now while they are away," Cavil sneered.
"The planet is protected by two Mercury-sized warships and the Pegasus. Did you forget what their smaller ships did? They destroyed several of our Basestars outright and forced the rest to flee. We will have to wait for the Second Resurrection Fleet to arrive before we act," Biers shot back.
"What about the fleet heading for the Colonies?" Caprica spoke up.
"The third fleet is in the area...they'll deal with them," Cavil said as he turned away.
June 26th 2711
Cyrannus System
In orbit above Caprica
UNSC Spirit of Fire
Main Bridge
One by one the civilian fleet along with the Galactica flashed into existence above the nuclear wasteland that was once a beautiful world of culture, diplomacy and commerce. The six UNSC ships arrived a few seconds later from the twisted dimension known as slipspace and hung back near the rear of the fleet.
"Report?" Cutter ordered as he sat back in her chair.
"Sensors aren't picking up any Cylon ships in the area," Serina informed. "However the luminary is detecting Forerunner bio-matter on the planet, northern continent...most likely a Cylon farm."
"Understood," Cutter nodded. "Prepare for orbital insertion," he ordered.
"The Spartans are already in their pods," Serina responded as the Spirit of Fire moved into position over the drop zone.
"I'm also getting some weird readings from the luminary coming from the planet below," Serina added as the holo-table activated and showed what she had found.
"Is that a-" Cutter started.
"Yes it is...a Key-class Dreadnought," Serina confirmed.
"Alright boys and girls, you know the music. It's time to dance," spoke Gunnery Sergeant Riley 'Stinger' Holston. The Spartans were already in their drop pods by the time the hell-jumpers hoisted themselves into their own, 'great we have Spartans coming with us...they'd better not mess with my troopers.'
This place will become you're home...
John leaned back as the hatch on his pod closed and shook his head as the vision faded. His pod suddenly started moving into position for the drop and comm. chatter filled his ears but he paid it no heed. He looked out at the cloudy grey planet below and couldn't help but compare it to the planets that were glassed during the Covenant War.
He felt a jolt as the cable holding the pod in place suddenly released and he descended towards the planet below at increasing speeds. He passed through the clouds in a matter of seconds and looked down just as he passed through the last cloud to reveal the surface below. He was right over what looked like a forest of some kind and knew it was only a matter of seconds before he reached the ground.
This place will become your tomb...
The pod's drag chute opened to slow its descent and after a few seconds of breaking it snapped off. The pod slammed into the ground a few seconds later right behind a group of six centurions and the group suddenly turned in surprise. The hatch burst off in one quick motion and john jumped out, drawing his assault rifle and bringing it up to bear on the group.
There will be a great deal of hardship on the road ahead.
He opened fire, tearing through one of the centurions in a matter of seconds as he dashed into cover behind a nearby cluster of fallen trees. Considering the rounds he was using were meant to pierce the armour of Mgalekgolo, the centurion he had shot at didn't really stand a chance and quickly fell. Two more centurions appeared from behind him and he turned quickly, igniting his energy sword on his belt as he did and sliced right through one of them before it could act.
The other reacted faster however and quickly opened fire with its wrist-mounted machine gun. The rounds struck the Spartan's shields causing them to flare and rush towards it. The centurion knocked the sword away causing it to hit the ground and the plasma it was using to dissipate. John through a punch at the machine's head to which the centurion evaded even as the other centurions moved into sight.
The machine was surprisingly quick and was able to block the attacks thrown at it. Thinking fast John pushed his wait to the side and rolled away, grabbing his rifle which he had discarded on the ground moments ago and turned quickly. He emptied the rest of the clip into the centurion he had been fighting while the others raised their arms towards him.
Suddenly a grenade came soaring through the air behind him and struck the lead centurion in the chest-plate. It detonated with a loud thud and an explosion of fire which shattered the remaining centurions in a matter of seconds. Silence descended on the clearing and John turned to see who had come to his aid.
"Master Chief," Fred nodded as he came out of cover.
"Let's secure a landing zone," John said as he reloaded his rifle.
June 27th 2711
Cyrannus System
In orbit above Picon
UNSC Miranda
Main Bridge
"We are detecting multiple hyperlight echoes directly off our battle-cluster," Jessica informed the two.
"Bring the ship up to combat alert alpha and raise shields. Load archer pods and ready the MAC gun," Marcus ordered. "I was wondering when they would notice us," he mused.
"Never expect anything to be simple when the Cylons are involved," Helo said as he looked over the readings.
'Eight ships detected; they match Cylon design," Jessica reported. "Admiral Cutter is ordering us to move into attack range while the Galactica and the Spirit of Fire protect the civilian ships."
"We have our orders people!" Marcus spoke to his crew. "Take us right at them and launch all Sabres."
The human fleet moved as one just as dozens, hundreds of Cylon Raiders silently launched from the newly arrived Basestars. The Galactica orientated slightly and brought its guns to bear while the Spirit of Fire took aim with its primary weapon. The four frigates quickly accelerated towards the Cylon fleet and almost immediately entered weapons range.
"We have a lock," Jessica informed.
"Fire," Marcus gave the order.
The four frigates fired in unison, spewing four depleted uranium slugs at a fraction of the speed of light at the Cylon Basestars. All four rounds quickly tore through one of the Basestars just as the Raiders started to swoon in. Missiles launched and were either shot down or deflected and shrugged off by the UNSC ships' energy shields.
"Nuclear signature detected," Jessica reported. "They're launching nukes, defence systems are intercepting."
"There's too many," Helo muttered.
More missiles launched, far more than the defensive guns of the small UNSC frigates could handle and a few slipped through. Three of the frigates were struck including the Miranda, consuming them in nuclear light and leaving them staggering from the blow.
"Report?" Marcus questioned as he climbed back into his seat.
"Nuclear detonation against our shields," Jessica responded. "They're down to twenty-four percent power and the Raiders are bearing down on us."
"We're sitting ducks like this," Marcus muttered. "Where the hell is the Avery? Shouldn't they have done something by now?" almost like an answer to his questions the display lit up.
The Avery quickly dropped its stealth systems and fired off several dozen missiles, all Shiva-class nukes at the Cylon fleet. The Cylons saw this and reacted immediately, trying to shoot them down. Two Basestars were hit and shattered almost instantly while a third's dorsal frame was hit and broke apart under the assault.
"Message from the flagship," Jessica reported. "Admiral Cutter wants us to jump out with the first wave of the civilian fleet while they hold off the Cylons."
"Roger that," Marcus nodded and sank back into his chair. "Charge slipspace capacitors and plot an exit vector."
"Done," Jessica spoke a moment later.
"Execute slipspace jump," Marcus gave the order.
Almost as one the four frigates and the Avery tore open the space in front of them and disappeared into slipspace just as the Cylons descended on them. With their pray having fled, the Cylons quickly turned their attention on the remaining human ships, namely their warships.
June 27th 2711
Cyrannus System
In orbit above Picon
UNSC Spirit of Fire
Main Bridge
"Target locked," Jessica informed.
"Fire," Cutter gave the order.
The Spirit of Fire took aim with its main cannon and red light quickly spewed forth from it. The 'Red-Eye' ship-mounted Laser Cannon was the UNSC's answer to Sangheili and Jiralhanae Plasma Lancer Cannons and could tear through anything short of a Sangheili Assault Carrier with one shot. When it fired the unfortunate Cylon Basestar it had targeted didn't really stand a chance.
Only ships with sufficient mass and power generation were outfitted with these weapons. Nothing short of a cruiser could generate the necessary power to fire the weapon even once and even then it took several minutes to cool down before it could fire again. But then again one shot was all that was needed most of the time, especially during border skirmishes.
The red beam of light cut through the darkness and cleaved the targeted Cylon Basestar in half at the neck. When the light died down the Basestar's remains floated dead in space and the Spirit of Fire quickly fired its two new MAC guns. Each tore into the already damaged Basestar that the Avery had wounded with a nuke before it pulled out.
Seeing that they couldn't win at this range the Cylons quickly jumped away and silence reigned for a moment. Admiral Cutter gave a silent thanks to the refit crews that had worked tirelessly over the last year to get the Spirit of Fire up to current UNSC standards...
"Hyperlight signature detected right off the port bow," Jessica reported as a pair of Cylon Basestars quickly jumped in alongside the human flagship. Clearly they knew that at long range they were nothing more than targets for the more powerful weapons of the human ships.
"Bring deck guns to bear and ready the PPCs," Cutter ordered.
The deck guns that littered the Spirit of Fire's hull turned and fired as missiles launched from the two Basestars and swarmed at the human warships. Two nukes slammed into the Spirit of Fire's shields but they were shrugged off almost immediately even as more and more missiles kept swarming in.
"Shields are holding and the PPCs are charged," Serina informed.
"Lock onto the nearest Basestar and return fire. Ready archer missiles," Cutter ordered.
The PPCs installed on the port side of the hull activated and took aim at the first Basestar. Green beams of energy lanced out from them and struck the Basestar amidships. All eight of the port PPC turrets concentrated their fire on the single target and after several seconds of continuous fire the Basestar melted at the neck.
"Target has been neutralised," Serina reported.
"I wish I had these during the Covenant War," Cutter muttered under his breath. "Serina, angle to starboard and lock onto the second Basestar."
The Galactica took two nukes to its spinal frame as the Spirit of Fire realigned and brought its weapons to bear on the second Basestar. Sabres, Raiders and Vipers fought intense dogfights between the missiles, kinetic energy rounds and directed energy weapons being thrown around across the battlefield as another three Basestars jumped in right on top of the fleet.
"The last civilian ship has jumped away," Serina informed.
"Alright then let's-" Cutter started but was cut by another nuke slamming into the shields.
"Shields are failing," Serina reported.
"Get us out of here! Tell the Galactica that we're leaving now!" Cutter shouted out the order as he looked out of the viewport and saw one of the Basestars launching another volley of missiles, no doubt nuclear.
The Spirit of Fire quickly opened a slipspace rupture and fled into the other dimension while the Galactica flashed out of existence. For the Colonial Fleet, the UNSC and the Cylon Empire the Battle of Picon was finally over...
Author's Notes:
Well as you can see the Cylons are learning how to really fight in this chapter instead of just throwing enough ships at the humans trying to overwhelm them. The UNSC ships are tough but they aren't invincible like this chapter has shown and it's not like the Cylons have ever ran out of nukes so I think it'd be an even fight if the Cylons launched another attack on combined human fleet.
Translation:
Jiralhanae = Brutes
Sangheili = Elites
Mgalekgolo = Hunters
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