Chapter 3

Space 1700 Military Time, Mars Orbit

"We have seven Seraphs inbound sir. Requesting permission to engage?"

"Negative. Stay course with our target. Fan out into an arrowhead formation."

"Affirmative."

Cheffington glanced outside the Longsword watching a Covenant destroyer let loose a salvo of plasma torpedoes at a human cruiser which promptly exploded into a shower of debris.

"Sir! We are being attacked by the five Seraphs! Permission to engage?"

"Affirmative. Alpha-2, take the right flank and Alpha-3 take left flank! Alpha-4; stay with us!"

Cheffington's 95 ton Longsword swerved away before firing its 110mm rotary cannons, sending shells flying across space. The Seraph's shields shimmered as the shots impacted against them before they finally began to give way. It tried to jinx but Cheffington skilfully stayed on the Seraph's tail. Suddenly, a barrage of shells pierced the shield and slammed into the purple hull of the Seraph, hitting the engine. The fighter was ripped to shreds sending red hot metal all over the place. Cheffington took a quick evaluation of the battlefield, his well trained team mates dodging plasma torpedoes and firing back in retaliation, the two other squadrons helping. Eventually, the Seraphs were beaten back and the NSOC s continued their mission.

Saratoga 1715 Military Time, Mars Orbit

"Load Valiants from A1 to B4! Turn us to port point alpha! SMAC status report?"

"Affirmative. SMAC one to three at currently 100 and four to eight at 80!"

On the bridge of the Saratoga, Captain Welsh sat in her chair barking out various commands. They were currently firing as many salvos of missiles and SMAC s as they could.

"Reports of increased heat and energy in the plasma turrets in the Covenant Fleet. A quick estimation of three hundred and thirty-two plasma shots will be launched," a station worker announced, huddled over his console.

"Bring us to co-ordinates 1C-O5C and then load all Valiant and Archer Pod missiles. SMAC status report?" she ordered.

"All hot and ready for firing!"

"Fire on my mark. Mark!"

The eight superheated projectiles flew through space slamming into eight different Covenant destroyers. Their shields collapsed underneath the tremendous pressure and the shell breached the purple hull, literally ripping them apart before they exploded in a ball of plasma and fire.

"Eight confirmed kills! Incoming wave of plasma sir! Impact in thirty seconds! A total of three hundred and forty shots! All Valiant and Archer Pod missiles ready!"

"Initiate evasion manoeuvrers!" Welsh yelled, "120 power to the main engines! Fire all Valiant and Archer Pod missiles in the direction of the plasma! Ready the Thompson Rapid Fire Auto Cannons!"

"Yes sir. I'm estimating that we will be hit by at least twenty plasma bolts. Impact in twenty five seconds!

"Give me 150 power to the main engines!"

"Sir, if we keep that up, soon our reactors will go critical! I have to warn you that-"

"If you're challenging my command lieutenant, I will have you court marshaled!"

"Sir! I'm estimating that we will be hit by eighteen plasma bolts! Impact in twenty seconds!"

"Acknowledged! Lieutenant, return to your post!" Welsh yelled. The lieutenant however, stood still, ignoring the order.

"Impact in fifteen seconds!"

Welsh was visibly shaking in rage by now, her hands were dangerously close to her holstered Magnum pistol.

"Lieutenant!"

"Impact in ten seconds!"

Welsh suddenly took hold of her Magnum pistol and pointed it at the lieutenant, her finger on the trigger.

"Impact in five!"

"Four!"

"Three!"

"Two!"

"One!'

A single shot was fired and the Saratoga suddenly lurched to the right.

Space 1730 Military Time, Mars Orbit

"Sir, I'm detecting our target, The God's Will about fifty klicks from our location."

"Bombing run formation. Unlock the safeties on the ASGM-12 missiles," Cheffington ordered over the comm.

"Acknowledged."

"Alpha and Bravo will concentrate fire on the main engine reactors while Charlie team takes care of any Seraphs that come our way," Cheffington added.

"Long range sensors detecting erratic manoeuvres on the Saratoga. Could be caused by a plasma impact but I'm not sure."

"Noted."

"Sir, we're now thirty klicks from The God's Will. Detecting heat and energy build ups in their pulse lasers. Surrounding ships also powering up their pulse lasers. Fifty Seraph fighters coming our way, ETA two minutes."

"Charlie team, take care of those Seraphs, Bravo follow my lead," Cheffington ordered before blasts of plasma headed towards them.

"Evasive manoeuvres!"

Lances of plasma headed towards them, the Longsowrds executing radical manoeuvres to escape the barrage. A number of Longswords were destroyed but they were now almost within range to unleash their deadly payload.

"This is Charlie team! Taking heavy casualties! Request for-" the rest Charlie's team transmission was cut off by a lucky plasma torpedo.

"First volley of ASGM-12s fire!" Cheffington ordered and dozens of missiles flew towards The God's Will's engine rooms. Explosions bombarded the impressive shields of the flag ship before dying out.

"Fire all remaining ASGM-12s!" The second volley impacted directly on the hull of the ship creating numerous hull breaches on the ship.

"It's going critical sir!"

"Mission accomplished! Return to the Cairo immediately!" Cheffington ordered.

"We're being intercepted by Seraphs sir! Alpha team is sustaining serious damage! Permission to engage?"

"Negative. Power engines to max power and form into a defensive formation, Phalanx."

"Surrounding ships powering up their pulse lasers!"

"Commence evasive tactics!" A barrage of hundreds of plasma blasts sped directly towards them. A sudden explosion rocked Cheffington's Longsword destroying the main engine. Red flashing lights were everywhere in the ship and fires broke out in the cockpit.

"Switch to auxiliary engines!"

"Yes sir!" We're going to crash in the Covenant destroyer! Impact in ten seconds!"

"All damaged Longswords follow me! Concentrate your 110mm cannon fire on the shields on the hangar!" Cheffington yelled over the comm. A number of damaged Longswords followed Cheffington, trying to overload the shields of the destroyer.

"We're not going to make it!"

With a sudden crash, the Longswords crashed into the shields, many crumpling up and exploding due to the impassable shields. Suddenly, the plasma turret fired, and since the shield must be lowered the surviving Longswords limped into the hangar bay to be greeted by a party of Covenant.

"Open fire!" Cheffington yelled though his comm as his team landed. The group of Elites, Grunts and Jackals were ripped to shreds by the powerful 110mm rounds that punched 11cm diameter holes in the flesh of the aliens. Cheffington painfully limped out of the Longsword his face covered with both cuts and scratches from the shattered glass of his dented pilot helmet. Another fifteen marines gathered around the dead bodies of Covenant salvaging what weapons they could.

"We're in one heck of a mess," a marine stated before, one of the doors in the bay opened and a group of six grunts and two Elites ran inside the room quickly firing at the marines.

"Take cover!" Cheffington yelled before throwing himself behind the hull of the destroyed Longsword. Cheffington primed a plasma grenade and threw it in the general direction of the Covenant. The explosion instantly killed four grunts and knocked out one of the Elite's shields. Hefting a plasma pistol, Cheffington sent two direct hits at the head of the Elite which simply crumpled to the ground. The remaining Elite charged directly at Cheffington ready to mash him into pulp. Cheffington back-pedalled from his spot over charging his pistol. He released the bolt of plasma which collided into the Elite knocking out his shields. Cheffington, taking advantage of the beast's surprise ditched his weapon at the temple of the alien stunning it. He then pushed off the floor with his right foot delivering a heavy punch into the stomach of the Elite. Recovering from the shock, the Elite tried to retrieve its plasma rifle before he found Cheffington's plasma pistol in its face.

"See you in hell."

The Elite opened its mandibles in surprise before its head was annihilated.

High Charity The Age of Reclamation Cycle 250, Mausoleum of the Arbiters

"What would you have your Arbiter do?"

Truth smiled at the Elite before he spoke.

"Perhaps, you may be able to redeem yourself in the eyes of the Gods. Now, Arbiter, you must quell this Heretic and his followers. They endanger the Great Journey!"

"Yes, you must silence him," Mercy agreed. The Arbiter kneeled onto one knew and bowed.

"Yes, may the will of the Gods, be done."

"Good, now leave; some of my Honour Guard will protect you as we announce this most glorious news of a new Arbiter."

In Amber Clad 1730 Military Time, Mars Orbit

"Sir! I've got a firing solution on the nearest Covenant destroyer and Archer Pod missiles from C2 to D1 are loaded and ready," said Lieutenant Powell, the Weapons Officer of the In Amber Clad.

"Fire the Archer Pod missiles and fire the MAC at a thirty second interval," Miranda Keyes ordered before she asked, "Status report on the Saratoga?"

"We're not receiving any replies from our earlier communication signals," the communications officer replied. Keyes frowned slightly before she saw the gigantic flash of blue plasma as the reactor of The God's Will erupted in a tremendous explosion.

"Archer Pod missiles away sir. Beginning countdown for the MAC cannon."

Red streaks of fire followed the wave of missiles before they impacted against the destroyer's shields which were dotted with numerous explosions. Thirty seconds later, the white hot projectile from the MAC slammed into the destroyer's damaged shields utterly collapsing it and colliding into the hull. The ship began to buckle before it exploded into a symphony of explosions.

"One confirmed kill."

"Acknowledged Lieutenant."

"I'm receiving a transmission from the Saratoga sir, shall I patch it through?"

"Yes, patch it through."

Thanks for all the reviews! It's been so long since I updated. I'm thinking of having a UNSC group. No, not the Space Command one but the Sea Command. However, I need a name for a plane and I was going to use SeaHawk but in another great fic, The Great Journey, its already been used so can everybody give me names of aircraft and their equipment? It would be greatly appreciated. I also started another fic called Haunted Memories, its basically a prequel so enjoy!

Derek and his Yami: Thanks for the advice! If anyone wants to give me constructive criticism then do it. However, if you flame, please give me some reasons why you hate it so I can improve it.