I will warn you not to get too attached to the current confrontational tone of the fic. This is still meant to be an optimistic take on the crossover. Mistakes and assumptions will be made, and people both human and not will die. This is not, however, genocide.

Raider Firebase Zeta

Forerunner Installation 01 "Beta Halo"

Raynor wasn't quite sure what to make of the foreigners. It wasn't their variety of species, testament to their far greater capacity for unity and tolerance, when compared to the people of Koprulu. It was their demeanor; the way they walked, what they said...it made it clear that, for all that they'd gone through a similar apocalypse, the races of the Council were still...optimistic. He didn't share the sentiment. He hoped things would go well with the diplomats, of course, but if his entire life had taught him anything, it was to expect the worst.

Hence, his utter lack of surprise at the situation above the ring's surface.

"What do we know?" -he asked Matt.

Horner crossed his arms. "Not a whole lot. Five hundred or so capital ships and their escorts just...appeared outside our weapons' range. The Adjutant believes they used artificial wormholes."

He frowned. He wasn't all that savvy when it came to theoretical physics, but he did know you couldn't just up and create a wormhole, so much as you manipulated existing ones into brief existence. "So, pretty advanced. They feelin' chatty?"

Horner shook his head. "Not in a language we can understand. They had the Mothership targeted the moment they appeared, anyway."

Raynor sighed. "Crap. Just what we needed. Don't let anyone shoot first, Matt. Selendis included. What's the word on our guests?"

"The Executor booted them from the Shield of Aiur. I tried to get them to leave the system, but they want to stay and help."

Of course they did. "They're humans, alright. No goddamn sense of self preservation. Send 'em my way, then. Their ship ain't exactly built for combat. At least their rifles we can put to use."

"Understood. I'm sending the Ampersand to your position to drop some more prefabs and SCVs."

"Got our backs as always. Nice t'see the Dominion hasn't changed you, Matt."

The younger man scoffed. "Are you kidding me? I'm the one keeping Valerian on the straight and narrow. Good luck, Jim."

Raynor nodded, ending the communication. He exited the SitRoom of the Command Center, finding his guests waiting expectantly. "Sorry about that, folks. 'Fraid we're gonna have to cut the tour a lil' short."

The blonde with the fancy sword, Cora, crossed her arms. "We heard. Ryder told us we've got company."

"Like I said before: we've the most rotten luck with First Contact. The Tempest should be on its way here soon. I'd advise y'all to flee the system, but something' tells me you ain't leaving." -he said, grabbing his custom sniper rifle.

"We may be explorers first and foremost, but we're hardly defenseless. We can handle a hostile First Contact situation." -she replied.

Raynor idly wondered what would've happened if the Pathfinder and her team had run into the Tal'darim first. "I believe it. Gotta warn you, though; this ain't gonna be easy. We're outnumbered ten-to-one, and backup's gonna take awhile to get here."

The large, reptilian alien - Krogan? - chuckled. "Fought in more hopeless sieges than I care to remember, the past two thousand years. I'm sure we'll manage."

If things went south, Raynor didn't doubt the old lizard would make it. He was more scars than scales, at this point. "Go join the rest of your team, then. I'm sure we'll find a place for your particular talents."

The foreigners left the CC, headed towards the designated landing zone. Raynor contemplated his next step as he walked back in the SitRoom. "Adjutant, do we know where Kerrigan's at?"

The (literally) shackled AI came to life. "Sarah Kerrigan's last known location was: Forerunner Installation 01, twenty days, five hours, and seven minutes ago."

Nothing since she left, he thought. "Can you scan the alien fleet for matches with the Compendium?"

"Negative. Hostile fleet is beyond this base's sensor range, as well as that of our fleet."

"And if we patched you into the Protoss grid?"

"Additional sensor range and accuracy expected. Scanning the enemy fleet possible. Warning: Protoss technology is incompatible with Forerunner systems. Harmful feedback and corruption may occur."

"I'll take those odds. Not like the Compendium's good for much these days. Link up with the Shield of Aiur's Observer grid and gimme everythin' you've got on the new guys."

"Acknowledged."

Raynor leaned on the holotank, which changed to show a bright green representation of the base, and the forces under his command. "What're we dealin' with now?" -he muttered to himself.

Covenant CAS-class Assault Carrier "Song of Retribution"

In orbit of Forerunner Installation 01 "Beta Halo"

"Greetings, sentients! Welcome to Installation 01. I am 001 Obsolete Contempt, the Monitor tasked with overseeing this facility. I would greet you myself, but I fear my mobile platform has been disabled, as have this ring's defensive capabilities."

Jul 'Mdama growled as he listened to the formless Oracle's plea, the crew around him in awe of the sacred guardian. "Who has desecrated you so?"

"Why, the Reclaimers, of course! No other species could possibly access this Installation's systems. I believe they've established a base of some sort on the ring's surface, near the Cartographer."

The Sangheili narrowed his eyes. "What of the Parasite? Is the Flood contained?"

The Monitor hummed. "As far as my severely diminished sensors can tell, the Flood samples stored in this Installation have been eradicated, as well as the Library itself."

Jul pondered this. Clearly, the heretics had some idea of the danger the Parasite posed. "Perhaps we have misjudged the offenders, Jul? Their wanton destruction may have had a noble purpose." -his Fleetmaster, Gek 'Lhar, wondered.

"I would not be surprised. The Flood is truly evil; any sentient would know to annihilate it." -Jul admitted. "The fact remains, however, that they have damaged the Ring in the process. The gods demand retribution."

'Lhar nodded, satisfied. Jul turned to the Oracle. "How do we liberate you, and activate Halo's defenses?"

The Ancilla perked up. "The Reclaimers have taken my mobile platform to their Command Center. As for Installation 01's defenses, taking a single Reclaimer to the Control Room will suffice. Their consent will not be required."

Jul closed his eyes and took a clawed hand to his armored chest. "By the will of the gods, it shall be done."

"I simply must warn you: the Reclaimers have constructed powerful defenses, and will likely refuse to cooperate in any capacity. These tasks will not be easy."

"If the Path were simple, all would tread it. We humbly accept this holy crusade."

The Ancilla seemed to brighten in joy. "Wonderful! Honestly, I simply do not understand what my creators were thinking. Your species seems far more willing to accommodate than humanity."

Jul nearly fell to his knees in gratitude. "They will soon see the better choice."

The AI hummed, cutting the connection. 'Lhar approached him. "What is your command, Leader?"

"Deploy the fleet. Make certain that the enemy knows how utterly outmatched it is."

"Are you not concerned that their technology seems far more advanced than anything we have seen prior?"

"I will not fall to the same mistake that the worms who ruled us did. The humans are dangerous, and we will treat them with the respect such a threat deserves." -he claimed.

Jul brought up a holographic image of the lone - yet no less impressive - enemy vessel. "Force their strange warship away from the Ring, that we may begin landing operations. Keep me appraised; I must confer with the Archon."

Gek 'Lhar did not hide his disgust. "The Kett? What use do you have for such vermin?"

"Even the youngest of Unggoy believe in the Path with more conviction, it is true. You fail to consider, my old friend, that what they lack in faith, they more than make up for in numbers. Place their chitinous hides between the humans and our own warriors; it is time for the children of Sarhesen to become more than anchors dragging at our feet."

Protoss Mothership "Shield of Aiur"

Contested space above Firebase Zeta, Forerunner Installation 01 "Beta Halo"

It soon became apparent to Selendis that their attackers were not seeking to outright destroy then. The High Executor was somewhat disappointed; she'd been hoping for a challenge.

"Status report." -she ordered.

"Shields have fallen to 98%, Executor. At the current rate of bombardment, they will fall within thirty-one cycles."

Selendis examined the tactical map again. The enemy had arranged itself around the Shield of Aiur, peppering it with laser bursts and plasma lances - three of the largest capital ships, five cruiser analogues, and a dozen smaller escorts. Unless they became desperate enough to use something far stronger than their measly firepower, they would have quite a hard time penetrating a Mothership's stalwart defenses. "The Terrans?"

"Ready to counterattack."

She'd sent them to the very edge of the Mothership's cloaking field, poised for retaliation. "How long until reinforcements arrive?"

"Seventy-two cycles at the earliest."

Selendis hummed. "We will need to be aggressive soon. I can feel their frustration growing. Helmsman! Put more space between us. We may leave our ground forces imperiled, but it will at least allow us greater freedom to maneuver."

"At once, Executor!"

The Shield lurched slowly, away from its previously immovable position. The enemy flagship - an impressive vessel, she'd admit, even larger than her own - swiftly pursued, which the Mothership's energy projectors punished, making the thick, silvery plasma shields that protected it flare dramatically. The warship visibly slowed, preferring to bombard from afar again.

"Ready the Core for detachment, and warp away all non-essential personnel to the surface."

The Warp Matrix came to life, the scientists aboard teleporting to the hidden Nerazim outpost near the Terran base.

"The enemy capital ships have begun deploying fighter craft."

Selendis sneered. "Have our Phoenix wings greet them in kind."

Dozens of Protoss starfighters launched from the three hangar bays of the Shield of Aiur, swiftly crossing the void between the Mothership and its attackers. The agile fighters were utterly outnumbered by the enemy, but their speed and maneuverability was leagues beyond what the strange purple vessels could manage. Coupled with their ability to fire backwards, the Phoenixes managed to hold their own.

"Executor! Two wormholes have appeared beside us!"

Two portals had indeed appeared at either side of the Shield of Aiur. Most interestingly, Selendis noted that two of the largest ships in their pursuit had disappeared moments before. "Fools. Divert power from our shields to the Warp Drive."

As the two gargantuan ships exited their portals, Selendis selected the Mothership's jump destination. The Shield of Aiur seemed to elongate impossibly for a moment, cyan warp vectors appearing like a road around them. In less than a second, they had switched places with the ships attempting to flank them, and were now exactly in the middle of the alien fleet.

The Terran warships, now outside the cloaking field, immediately seized on the opportunity, falling on the enemy capital ships like raptors on carrion. "Purifier beams, target their escorts and fire at will."

Ignoring the larger warships, the Shield of Aiur launched a three pronged barrage of pure energy, burning through the plasma shields of the smaller vessels as if they were not in place. In precisely four salvos, the enemy had lost their escort.

That was not to say, of course, that the foreigners had simply taken the beating. The enemy capital ships had dished out as much punishment as their momentary disarray had allowed, effectively taking out a third of the Shield of Aiur's remaining shields. Selendis felt joy, however, at seeing her trust in the Terrans bear fruit; the would-be flankers had been completely overwhelmed, unable to jump away in time to avoid the combined firepower of fifty Terran Battlecruisers. The enormous ships now floated lifelessly towards the gas giant, venting atmosphere.

The remaining six ships, correctly predicting that the Terrans would converge on them, wisely jumped away, returning to the safety of the full fleet stationed behind Beta Halo. Selendis allowed herself a brief respite as her forces eliminated the fighters left behind; they had overcome the opening stage of the battle relatively unharmed.

"Focus our efforts on regenerating our shields. The enemy will not be deterred by this small victory."

Couple of things to note, here: Covenant weaponry is not a joke. It simply seems to be to the technological gods that are the Protoss.

And, yeah, the Kett. Aside from this really talented artist I follow on Tumblr, I don't know anyone that seems to like them, myself included. I hate their design, their tech especially. So I set this story up so that they're the black sheep of Jul 'Mdama's Storm Covenant. They're basically atheists, interested only in the relative safety and comparably advanced technology the theocratic conglomerate provides its members.

Basically, the Forerunner Remnant was kicking their collective ugly asses back in the Orion Arm, and the Covenant took pity - they just so happened to need some expendable foot soldiers. Expect them to die the most.

Until next time! (...whenever that is...)