Evropa

New Lisbon

Sir Arthur Wellesley V, Duke of Wellington, Lord of Evropa, General of all UNSC forces on Evropa, and the only hope in hell of wiping the Covenant off the face of the planet, paced in his office. In the two years since the Covenant had arrived in the ion storm, Wellesley had struggled to keep the planet together without comns and push back against the Covenant. He looked out the windows of his office at the latest attempt to keep New Lisbon safe: The Lines of Torres Verde. Named after the same defensive fortification his ancestor built outside of Lisbon, Portugal, the lines were the final defense before the Covenant could breach New Lisbon. Rows upon rows of trenches, sandbags, bunkers, anti-air guns, rail cannons, machine gun nests, artillery dugouts, and fortifications, the fifth Arthur Wellesley had done his best to make the city impenetrable. But this was the Covenant he was facing, so the lines may not be enough. In his mind, they were a means to an end; a delaying effort so he could bring the grounded UNSC colony and war ships online and get them into space.

"Bugger it all." Wellesley said as he stared outside. With his luck, the ships would come online at the same time as the Covenant's did, which would make this effort worthless. "Damn it all, damn it all." He should have left this planet ages ago. The bureaucracy drove him made, hampering almost every move he made. The Lines of Torres Verde cost him a great amount of influence and time, which meant he had to choose his next moves carefully. As he gazed out the window, a lieutenant entered the room.

"Incoming communication for you, milord." He said.

"From whom?" Wellesley asked.

"One of our Greenjacket platoons, milord, a Lieutenant Edwards. He says it's urgent, milord." The lieutenant answered. Wellesley waved his hand and the servant left. A moment later, his comns terminal crackled to life.

"Sir, this is Lieutenant Edwards, 95th Rifle Regiment-"

"I bloody well know what unit you are from, what is so urgent you had to get directly to me, Lieutenant?" Wellesley snapped.

"Sir, the Covenant is moving on New Lisbon in force." Edwards answered. Wellesley's eyes widened as he looked outside.

"Define 'in force', Lieutenant." Wellesley demanded.

"Large numbers of troop transports, Wraiths, Revenants, and infantry…oh bugger."

"Speak, lieutenant!" Wellesley ordered, unnerved by the sudden concern in the rifleman's voice.

"They have a Scarab coming in, sir." Edwards replied. Wellesley hung his head. The Lines of Torres Verde were strong, but a Scarab could do major damage to them; potentially breaking through the lines and exposing New Lisbon to future attacks. All his work and influence spent would be undone in one single strike.

"Lieutenant pull back to a safe zone and await pick up. We need all the men we have." Wellesley ordered.

"Yes sir, but there's more. There are four UNSC soldiers on planet, calling themselves Spartans, sir." And Wellesley's mood improved drastically. While the rank and file were not informed of such soldiers, those who reported directly to HIGHCOM did. And what Wellesley did know was that those four could change the tide of the battle.

"Excellent, where are they?" He asked.

"Heading to New Lisbon, sir, with a Zealot prisoner." Edwards answered. And Wellesley's day got better again. "And one more thing sir; we encountered a man who…is not from here, sir."

"Define 'not from here'." Wellesley demanded.

"We watched him rip through an Elite hunting team with a laser sword, sir." Wellesley listened to the report, ran through it again in his mind, and then a second time.

"Bring him back as well…I'd like to chat with this gentleman." Wellesley ordered. "Good work, Lieutenant, Wellesley out." He cut the channel and rang for his secretary.

"Yes milord?" The major asked as he entered.

"Sound the alarm, Billy, the Covenant's coming to New Lisbon."

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Obi-Wan stood watching the gap as the Covenant drove steadily on towards it; vehicles of purple, blue, and pink all headed into one narrow space. One focal point. Obi-Wan stroked his beard as he thought, staring intently at the gap. Behind him, Edwards approached.

"We've been ordered back to New Lisbon by His Lordship." Edwards reported. "He'll need all the men he has to defend the place." Obi-Wan nodded as he gazed at the gap still. "We don't have the ordinance to stop them, Mister Kenobi, and even if we did, they'd just clear the rubble and march on."

"But it would take them time to do such a thing." Obi-Wan argued.

"Regardless, we can't blow the damn thing." Edwards said and turned away.

"I don't have to blow it up to close the pass," Obi-Wan said, ", I could collapse it…or have the Covenant do it for me." Edwards turned back around, narrowing his eyes.

"What they bloody devil does that mean?" He asked.

"Get to your safe zone, then come pick me up once I'm finished at the pass." Obi-Wan said and then took off running along the cliff, using the Force to amplify his speed. Edwards' jaw dropped open as he watched, amazed, confused, and in shock.

"Who the hell did I pick up?" He asked himself.

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Fleetmaster Blavaee' stood inside the center of the Scarab; the command point for this "force reconnaissance" as the Prophet put it. It felt wrong to be listening to tactical advice from a being of such holy stature, but Davao obeyed nonetheless. He shifted his body weight as the Scarab plodded forward at the rear of the column, going over his troop numbers on the table in front of him. It was a sizeable force; more than enough to break whatever resistance the humans might erect as the approached New Lisbon, but not enough to take the city. This was a recon after all, not an assault. But there was also the matter of missing hunting team; twelve Zealots had gone missing shortly after the Demons had arrived, and Davao was concerned that they might have met their matched. Or they had been ambushed by the humans' irritating Greenjackets and light companies. As he ran through the possibilities in his mind, his commlink chimed.

"Fleetmaster, there is a human running along the cliffs." An Ultra reported.

"Are the others with him?" Davao asked.

"No, Fleetmaster, but he runs like a Demon!" The Ultra answered. Davao was unconcerned; one Demon could not do any significant damage to the column.

"Dispatch some Banshees to deal with it." Davao ordered and shut down the commlink. He strode to the exterior of the Scarab and watched as two Banshees arced away from the column and towards the Demon on the cliffs. Davao smiled as he watched the Banshees engage their target…but then gaped at what he saw.

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Obi-Wan watched as two "Banshees" split off from the main column and arced towards him. He sighed in exasperation as they approached.

"What problem do they have with a man running along a cliff?" Obi-Wan said aloud as the Banshees opened fire. Burning blue plasma raced towards him as he drew his lightsaber and deflected the bolts away and back at them. As they pulled up from their strafing run, Obi-Wan jumped up onto the wing of one and cut it off. It leaned to the side but stayed aloft, annoyingly. Obi-Wan grunted and went to the main body and began to cut into it as the second Banshee closed with its partner. It slowed just enough to position itself behind and slightly to the side that Obi-Wan was on before accelerating. Obi-Wan threw himself on top of the Banshee he was on and plunged his lightsaber into the head of the craft, killing the pilot and sending it into a downward spiral. Obi-Wan then leapt onto the second Banshee and clung to the wing off it as the pilot threw the Banshee into a dive. Instead of pulling up, the pilot exited the Banshee and jumped off, using a jetpack to slow his descent to the ground. "Cheeky." Obi-Wan said as he let go, using the Force to slow his descent to the ground. He landed opposite the pilot, another Elite with different armor, as it drew its energy sword.

"I will relish killing you, heretic!" The pilot snarled as he ran at Obi-Wan. The Jedi reactivated his lightsaber as the Elite neared and waited. The Elite swung for his neck. Obi-Wan ducked down, spun on his heel, and plunged the lightsaber into the Elite's gut.

"So undisciplined." Obi-Wan said disappointed, and deactivated his lightsaber, allowing the Elite to fall to the ground, dying. As he lay there, gasping for breath, his commlink activated and someone began speaking to him. Obi-Wan reached down and took the commlink from him and spoke into it. "If you can understand me, next time send better warriors to fight me." There was a pause before the person on the other side spoke.

"You dare mock the quality of my warriors?" An Elite hissed.

"Oh, I dare." Obi-Wan answered, concocting a plan. "If you would like to prove otherwise, have your commander come to the pass and fight me. Otherwise I would have to assume you all to be cowards and weaklings." The Elite snarled.

"I will meet you, Demon, and we shall see who the weakling truly is!" The Elite answered. Obi-Wan took the commlink from the dying pilot and began to move away.

"Kill me." The pilot begged. "Do not let my brothers find me wounded." Obi-Wan turned back to the pilot.

"There is no dishonor in defeat." He said, walking back to the pilot.

"Not to your kind," The pilot coughed, "but to my kind, to have one's spilt is dishonor." As Obi-Wan knelt beside him, he flicked his wrists and two energy daggers appeared. "I could kill you now, but I would still face shame from my brothers." Obi-Wan looked into the pilot's visor with sadness in his eyes. He never enjoyed taking the life of another, but to hear the shame in the pilot's voice was disheartening. Instead of drawing his lightsaber, he reached out with the Force. First, he numbed the pain of the pilot, before slowing his heart to a stop.

"Find peace with your gods." Obi-Wan said as the pilot relaxed and laid his head on the ground.

"Thank you…human." The pilot breathed and lay still. Obi-Wan used the Force to dig a quick grave, lifted the pilot with the Force, set him in it, and covered the grave with dirt and rocks. He then picked up the energy sword of the pilot and eyed it.

"I wonder if this will come back with me." He said aloud. Then, wanting to test his theory, he took it and ran off towards the pass. He arrived as the Covenant column was filling the pass; spreading out the vehicles and allowing infantry to disembark from transports. Obi-Wan took stock of the pass' walls and found a weak point on the far side and one on his side. He could use his lightsaber to weaken them, but he would need the Force to collapse them.

"Demon!" The commander bellowed at him, the column having spotted him. Obi-Wan took a breath and leapt off the cliff's edge onto the first weak point. He activated his lightsaber, used it to cut into the wall of the pass and weaken the rock, then flipped to the other side of the pass and preformed the same action. As he finished, Obi-Wan landed a few meters away from the Elite commander, lightsaber deactivated. "Your flamboyance will not save you here, Demon."

"Your arrogance will not save you either." Obi-Wan retorted. "Who am I addressing?"

"I am Fleetmaster Davao Blavaee', commander of the fleet of Holy Flame, and you die this day!" The Fleetmaster growled, activating his energy sword. "And what is your name, insect?"

"I am Obi-Wan Kenobi, Jedi Master." Obi-Wan said, reactivating his lightsaber and assuming the stance of Soresu. The Fleetmaster snarled and began to circle Obi-Wan, observing his foe. "Are we dancing or are we fighting?" Obi-Wan taunted.

"You are very eager to die, Jedi." The Fleetmaster said, coming slightly closer in their circle.

"And you are very hesitant to fight." Obi-Wan observed. "It appears your confidence is in numbers, but that did not save your pilots or your Zealots." The Fleetmaster narrowed his eyes at the human before him, reassessing his opponent. Then, he closed, slowly, before striking. He stabbed forward and Obi-Wan deflected. They separated, circling again, before closing again. This time, Obi-Wan cut at the Fleetmaster's sword arm, who dodged the cut and returned a slash to Obi-Wan's midsection, who blocked. They separated again, having sized the each other up. "Are we done playing games?"

"Yes." The Fleetmaster said and lunged.

This time they closed for the rest of the fight, no more circling, no more observing. This was the real fight. The Elite stabbed forward, the Jedi parried and cut at the Elite's neck. His sword arm behind him, the Elite threw up his other arm and activated an energy dagger, blocking the strike. He chopped downwards as he held the Jedi's blade in place, but he sidestepped and kicked the Elite in the torso, sending him backwards. The Jedi took the initiative and lunged at the Elite, who caught the stab in between the twin blades of his sword and shoved it to the ground. He punched the Jedi in the chest and sent him reeling backwards, dropping his weapon. The Elite grinned savagely as he marched towards his apparently defenseless opponent, raising his weapon for the killing blow. As he stabbed forward, the Jedi dodged the stab, leapt in the air, and kicked the Elite in the face. The Elite stumbled backwards, clutching his face in anger as the Jedi moved forward. He let loose a torrent of Force-enhanced punches, causing the Elite to step backwards to protect himself. He was still in front of the lightsaber, which the Jedi saw was right between his legs. He smirked and reached out for the weapon.

"That will do you no good, Jedi." The Elite said, then gaped in shock as the weapon flew into the Jedi's hand.

"On the contrary." The Jedi replied, reactivating his weapon, and beckoned the Elite forward with his hand. The Elite snarled and came forward once again, and the fight was renewed.

The two exchanged vicious blows, the Elite hacking furiously at the Jedi, who dodged and blocked them. He never moved from the point where he began; instead, he merely shifted his feet and body as the Elite attacked, using as little energy as possible. The Elite would let loose a flurry of strikes, reposition, and strike again, wearing himself down with unnecessary movement. He was panting heavily while the Jedi was still breathing normally. After another volley of strikes, the Elite stepped back from the Jedi.

"What…are you?" The Fleetmaster panted.

"I already told you, Fleetmaster Blavaee'." Obi-Wan said, smirking. He suddenly leapt backwards, backflipping away from the Fleetmaster and the column. And, in unintentional perfect timing, a Pelican descended into the center of the pass, rear ramp opening. "I am a master." Obi-Wan deactivated his lightsaber and raised his hands, closing his eyes to concentrate. The walls of the pass began to shake and rumble as the Jedi shook them. Then, they collapsed onto the column, burying the front half, infantry, vehicles, and Fleetmaster in one fell swoop. Lieutenant Edwards gaped as Obi-Wan lowered his hands and walked into the Pelican.

"Dear God." Edwards whispered as the Pelican lifted into the sky. Obi-Wan looked back at the collapsed pass and narrowed his eyes. He felt something very, very dark in the rubble, as if the Dark Side itself was manifesting in this place. He watched as some rubble moved and the Fleetmaster emerged from the rocks and roared, long and filled with rage, bellowing one name. And Obi-Wan wondered, as he felt the Dark Side of the Force radiate off Fleetmaster Davao Blavaee'; Could something so resistant to the Force use it?

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Davao broke from the fallen rubble that covered him and the lead portion of his column. He watched as the human Pelican flew away towards New Lisbon, out of his grasp, and humiliating him. Davao stood from the rubble and roared.

"KEEEEEENNNNNNNOOOOBBBBBIIIIIIIIII!" He bellowed. It was a name now hated, a name to focus his rage on. Around him, unbeknownst to Davao, the rubble cracked and gave away. And above him, a manifestation of the Dark Side watched.

"The Dark Side shall have its way. What was once to be will now come to be, and what should not come to the Force shall be drawn to it. The Force will die here."

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Author's Note: Interested yet? No? Just wait a few chapters !