0950 hours, April 20, 2542 (UNSCmilitary calendar)
One day after the defeat of the Covenant battlecruiser over New Ghent.
General Pallonis and Admiral Karandis sat down at the conference table aboard the Titan's Wrath. Pallonis had taken the first shuttle into orbit when the Covenant fleet had disengaged following the destruction of the cruiser. He had rushed to the conference room to discuss the course of the battle.
The dreadnought had taken serious damage, and he had to avoid multiple repair crews at work, and bypass breached compartments while they were being sealed up. It smelt like victory and perseverance.
Pallonis nodded at Karandis, getting to the matter at hand. "Admiral. The first order of business should be a thorough review of the battle. How did the naval clash go?" He asked, wanting to hear it from the admiral directly.
Karandis's gaze darkened and he sounded foul. "Bad. We lost one dreadnought and took heavy damage to the other two. I set out with thirty cruisers and sixty frigates. I have eleven cruisers left, only five of which don't require intensive repairs, and I only have ten frigates left. And these ships were small. We need new plans and tactics, and quickly. Unless we're just going to swarm them with overwhelming numbers."
Pallonis was speechless. Those losses were horrific, and they'd fought corvettes and cutters. "Those are the worst losses in decades. The Primarch needs to know as soon as possible. I assume you've sent back word already to ask for reinforcements?"
The admirall nodded. "I've sent back word to the Hierarchy about what we've found. I've asked for a full battlefleet to be moved to this system, scientific teams to analyze the recovered technology, a garrison to defend against counterattacks, as well as more evacuation ships to move the civilian population to safety."
"That would be prudent course of action, Admiral. I hope the civilians enjoy asari hospitality."
The Admiral quickly changed the subject. "But I want to hear about what happened on the ground. Just how many combat losses did we take? You deployed with a Legion of eleven-thousand soldiers. How many survived?"
"Six thousand survivors, five hundred of whom are permanently maimed, and many more wounded one way or another. We're running out of fabricator mass to produce cybernetics. Three quarters of aerial forces were lost over the course of the campaign, luckily most of them under VI control. I also lost half my armored forces, mostly MBTs and IFVs."
"Spirits." The admiral cursed. "Did you at least get better information on their capacities? Ways you can prepare?"
Pallonis nodded slowly, trying to quickly think of the best way to say what he was about to say. "Our tanks are underperforming against the Covenant's plasma weaponry, and so are our IFV's. We're just not armored enough to safely take hits from their heavier weapons. We need tanks capable of taking a few hits."
The admiral clicked his mandibles. "From your reports, I take it that the humans will prove good allies. I think that makes it vital we contact the rest of their species as soon as possible. But I won't leave this system until reinforcements arrive. Has the human leader said anything about contacting his people?"
Pallonis shook his head. "Some "Cole Protocol". They've wiped all their navigation data and couldn't even tell us where to go, even if they wanted to. He said we'll have to wait for a human relief fleet to arrive for us to make our introductions. Said that might take a few days."
The admiral nodded. "Well done, General. I'll contact the Primarch and report to him of your success on the surface, and the bonds you've made with the locals. I'm sure the asari and salarians will be sending forces and delegations to this world as fast as they can. I'll have discharge stations, a portable shipyard, and comm buoys moved into this system to prepare it as a forward operating base."
"How many ships did you call in?"
"I asked the Primarch to bring the entire fleet here."
-
1250, april 26th, 2542
One week after defeat of Covenant battlecruiser over New Ghent.
Admiral Cole stood on bridge of the UNSC Everest, looking out into the empty black of slipspace, hands behind his back and deep in thought.
He'd left to reinforce New Ghent the moment the first freighters had arrived carrying word of the attack. His fleet had been close enough that he'd hoped to be able to arrive before the glassing was complete. He'd taken along as many transports and freighters as he could to evacuate the people of the world.
"We'll be leaving slipspace in thirty seconds, Admiral." Said Dove, the AI in charge of the ship. Dove's avatar was an elderly man sitting on a bench with a dove on his shoulder.
"Prepare MAC cannons and the Archer missiles the moment we arrive. We'll hit them before they have time to respond."
"Understood, Admiral."
Cole counted down the seconds until they left slipspace, the moment they did, he sat down into his chair and mentally prepared himself for the fight ahead.
The sensation of leaving slipspace was always an uncomfortable one, but it was a feeling he'd gotten used to.
"Dove. Give me an overview of the Covenant forces in the system. Reform the fleet and prepare to engage."
There was an uncharacteristic pause from Dove. "There are no known Covenant ship signatures in the system. Wait. I am detecting unknown ship signatures. Sir. There are ten thousand of unknown designs in the system! They have not responded to our presence."
There were murmurs among the bridge crew. "Unknown ship signatures? Some kind of new Covenant ship types, then?" Cole asked.
"Reactor signatures, size, or drive output do not match any known Covenant technology. Nor does material composition or design style. We might be dealing with a first contact situation."
"First Contact..." the idea sent a chill down his spine, in his heart of hearts he feared that they might have discovered a new enemy of humanity. The timing couldn't have been worse.
"Wait. I am detecting the wreckage of Covenant ships in the system. One SDV-Class destroyer and two flotillas of stormcutters. A handful of the unknown ships have taken visible plasma and pulse laser damage. Admiral. I believe these ships are at war with the Covenant."
One of his bridge officers spoke up. "Admiral! I am receiving a message from the unknown ships. It's in English."
"Let us hear it." Cole said immediately. The prospect of another species fighting the Covenant excited him greatly. Perhaps a new ally? He tried not to get his hopes up.
"This is Primarch Fedorian of the Turian Hierarchy. I hereby extend formal greetings to the United Nations Space Command of the United Earth Government, in the name of the Turian Hierarchy and the Citadel Council. I also extend an offer military assistance against the Covenant. Included in this message is a first contact package."
"Did we receive the message, Dove?"
"Confirmed. Admiral. Analyzing it for malicious code or data right now. None found."
It felt like a great weight was lifted from Cole's chest. For the first time since the war began, he was truly speechless. He coughed and shook himself out of it. He turned to his communications officer. "Have two prowlers take this first contact package and bring it back to HIGHCOM. I need a diplomatic team here ASAP. Then tell the entire fleet to stand down. Do not power down weapons, but do not lock either. This could still be a ruse."
"Dove. Any signs of forgery or falsification? " He turned to the AI again.
"Still none to be found Admiral. I believe this message to be sincere, Admiral. I would bet my Riemann matrix on it." The AI hologram then stood still and put the dove to the side of its head, as if listening to what it had to say. "Receiving a message from New Ghent. Major Leonard Ross of the UNSC garrison. Identification codes match records. It is legitimate. Playing now."
"This is Major Leonard Ross to UNSC ships entering the New Ghent system. The new ships around the planet are friendlies. I repeat. They are friendlies. They're called the turians and have helped us defeat the Covenant attack on our system. Admiral. They have helped us capture a half intact Covenant battlecruiser."
The bridge crew, muttering until this point, suddenly went quiet in shock.
"Confirm, Major. You have intact Covenant salvage. How much?" Cole asked. His hands were trembling.
"A CCS-class battlecruiser with a scorched hull, and a broken reactor. But our scouting parties confirm intact computer systems, as well as internals and a few weapon systems."
"Guard that wreckage whatever the cost, soldier. Evacuation transports will be assisting before the Covenant returns."
"Thank you Admiral. But the turians have already evacuated all the civilians. They're currently quite literally digging into the planetary surface and setting up fortifications. I am told they apologize and will provide monetary compensation after the war."
Cole thought it over. "Well done, Major. Communications officer, put me in contact with this "Primarch". I wish to speak with him."
He waited for a nod of confirmation from the communications officer. "Transmissions open, Admiral."
"Primarch Fedorian. I would lying if I said your sudden appearance wasn't a great surprise to us. We've long believed that we are quite alone against a hostile universe. Finding a friendly species is a great day for both of us."
"Races, Admiral Cole. I am escorting a team of diplomats from six Citadel species. They wish to meet you formally upon the surface of the planet below."
Six races. Cole muttered under his breath. This was even bigger than he thought.
"I am not authorised for this type of first contact situation, Primarch. I have sent our fastest ship to gather a diplomatic team. But I will gladly meet your representatives."
"Understandable. Until then, our fleets will be taking up a defensive position in this system and defending it from future Covenant assaults." The Primarch confirmed.
"This is acceptable. I will be positioning my fleet around New Ghent. I request you keep the bulk of your forces near the resupply stations you appear to have brought."
"Agreed. May the spirits be with you, Admiral Cole."
"Dove. Send word to Captain Alexander of the Dressed in Silver. Tell him I am declaring contingency: Golden Fleece. He'll know what to do."
Golden Fleece was a very special contingency. The capture of a salvageable Covenant warship. Every UNSC warship in the area would be ordered to head towards the captured vessel and defend it for extraction. He was just the first Admiral to ever declare it. Soon the Trafalgar and the Punic would be coming here. Captain Alexander would not head to Earth like the other prowlers, he'd head directly to Reach to gather the best of the UNSC fleet.
They'd be needing those ships. The Covenant would be coming back for their battlecruiser. He began formulating a plan to defend the system.