Halo: Wrath of the Humans
Chapter Five: Many Unknowns.
ZR: YES! Finnaly the fifth Chapter. Halloween is in a few hours, and I can't wait! CANDY SUGAR, HERE I COME!
The Fleet exited hyperspace within the Oort cloud of the Covenant held system. The system's three stars shone brilliantly. Two in the center, and on orbiting slowly around the others, putting all planets between the three in eternal daylight. Six planets occupied the system, four in eternal daylight, which were uninhabitable the other two were habitable. The first of the four uninhabitable planets was black and charred, covered by thousands of very active volcanoes. The second and third were very much alike, desert planets, high winds blew the ocean sand into massive sandstorms that could cover the planet for weeks on end. Impenetrable clouds that covered the entire planet obscured the fourth. Of the two habitable planets, only one was occupied by the Covenant. It was the farther of the two, orbiting it, was a massive repair-and-refit station, named the Unyielding Hierophant. The closer planet had only one moon as its companion. And a large object in between the two bodies, but sensors could not see what it was at this distance.
Whispers of communications swept past the Guardian fleet, all seven hours old. Talks of repairing ships, ancient artifacts, and a fortress world dotted the frequencies. Both the Hiigaran fleet and the Human fleet were fully aware of such worlds, called Halo. These fortress worlds were massive rings, with their own gravity, atmosphere, and environments, even life forms. When the fleets came across the first one by using the data from a captured covenant ship. They studied the construct, and learned a terrible secret contained within these "ring worlds". These worlds were used by an extinct race known as the Forerunners to contain a parasitic species, known as "The Flood", all seven of them. The first one discovered was quickly destroyed; all evidence of it was turned to space particles.
The fleet then hyperspaced once again, this time, just outside of the enemy's sensor's range. As soon as the gates closed, the Battle ship launched one of its EMP drones. The drone darted through space, passing scores of ships, although seen, it was hard to discern it from the numerous other ships that cluttered their sensors. The drone stopped, its position to affect nearly all of the ships within the area. The drone activated the EMP, and killed the Covenant ship's power, including the Unyielding Hierophant.
With their power systems dead, and the ships floating in space, the Guardian fleet moved in to "clean house". The, literally, lifeless, ships were no match against the onslaught of ion beams, MAC rounds, torpedoes, and mass driver rounds that tore through the Covenant ship's armor plating and internal structures. The new Battleship, although massive, kept right up with even the frigates as they swept the dead in space ships.
Several ships out of the EMPs range closed in to engage the fleet. The Battleship disengaged with the fleet, and moved to counter the Covenant ships, which consisted of mainly Frigates, and a few Destroyers. Motes of light collected on the dorsal Ion cannons, as three frigates came within range. The cannons fired, impacting two of the ships, tearing through the shields, and shredding the hull of the ships, leaving them either spinning, or drifting in space venting atmosphere. Seconds later, on of the ships exploded, as the engines went critical. The third one fired a single plasma torpedo. The blazing ball of plasma tore through empty space, but dissipated only a hundred meters from the ship's hull, casting its own aurora upon the ship. The Battleship sported its own Magnetic Field Generator to dissipate the plasma torpedoes used by the Covenant. However, it had to be deactivated when the Battleship fired its MACs.
As soon as the aurora's colorful display disappeared, the Battleship fired two MAC rounds at the frigate. The first one impacted the shield, overloading it, and shutting it down, the second, punctured the ship, and ripped a gaping hole in the ship, leaving the ship to float in space without any power, or atmosphere.
The Battleship turned and faced the Destroyer, which had already fired two plasma torpedoes. The torpedoes arced, and struck the ventral side of the magnetic shield, dissipating them upon impact. The Battleship fired a MAC round at the Destroyer, tearing through the shield, and grazing the side of the ship, leaving a long gash, and the ship drifting in space. The Battleship moved to point-blank range, along side of the destroyer, and opened up on the Destroyer with every Mass driver cannon. The mass driver rounds pummeled the hull of the ship. Its hull became pocket marked with hole and tears as the Ion cannons fired as well. One of the rounds must have found something critical, as sections of the hull ballooned and streamed out tendrils of plasma.
The Battleship moved farther away from the ship, just as its shields came back to life, just as a large explosion ripped apart a large section of the hull, and arced back from the shield. The shields held as more explosions tore the ship apart, and finally died as the ship was completely decimated.
Another Plasma torpedo dissipated on the aft section of the magnetic shield. A Cruiser that hid behind a drifting Carrier fired this one. Unfortunately the Magnetic shield could not stop the pulse lasers, as the Cruiser fired upon the Battleship, and struck sections of the energy shield.
The Ion turrets rotated, and fired upon the Cruiser. The Ion beams ripped through the shields, and created angry tears in the Cruiser's hull. Seconds after the Ions stopped firing; the ship erupted into a plasma fireball.
With the last of the surviving ships destroyed, the Battleship maneuvered back with the fleet as they continued destroying the ships. Soon after, the remaining ships came back online, but did not fire on the fleet.
On the bridge of the Guardian, the communications officer, named Michael Slavorski, was receiving a transmission from one of the Covenant Carriers.
"Sir, incoming transmission from the Covenant Carrier."
"On screen."
The center view screen blipped from the view of debris filled space, to the face of a gold-clad Elite. An angry scar ran down his left eye to the tip of his lower mandible.
"Thank the gods that you've arrived. We need your help more than ever."
"How so?" replied the Admiral.
"The Covenant is in the middle of a civil war. The Prophets have betrayed us, my race. And because they pushed us aside, they angered us. They replaced the Honor Guards with those despicable Brutes! Those retched animals have no honor!"
"Is there anyone else with you?"
"Yes, the Grunts and Hunters have sided with us. The rest are with the Prophets. There are more ships stationed at the Halo construct, which is still under our control. The Flood has not been released yet. Not too long ago before your arrival, we intercepted a transmission from a Brute-controlled ship, they called for reinforcements. Quite possibly more than your fleet can handle. IT would be wise to call for reinforcements."
"Agreed. I'll see what we can do, in the mean time, gather what ships you can. We're going to need the firepower if our fleet can't handle them."
"Or course. The Prophets will pay with their lives for what they have done to us!"
The COM channel was disconnected.
"John, did you get all of that?"
"Yes Admiral, the message has been sent. I hope we can get enough ships."
"I hope so too, in the mean time, we should build up our fleet in case we still don't have enough."
Agreed Admiral Nagumo. Resource drones dispatched. Commencing construction of two mobile refineries, four additional fighter squadrons, three additional bomber squadrons, three torpedo frigates, and an additional destroyer."
"Good, I hope those reinforcements arrive soon."
They didn't have to wait long for reinforcements. After the two mobile refineries were deployed with three drones each, a carrier force arrived, bringing with it six interceptor and four bomber squadrons under the command of Captain Martz. Shortly after, another carrier force arrived, this one with two carriers, consisting of eight interceptor squadrons, six bomber squadrons, three Gunship squadrons, three pulsar squadrons, two Flak Frigates, three Torpedo frigates, three Ion Frigates, and one Marine frigate, under the command of Vice Admiral Vladimir.
"Is this all? This isn't enough," muttered Nagumo.
"Sir, additional Hyperspace contacts. My god…"
"What is it Slavorski?"
"It's the Pride of Hiigara."
"On screen now!"
The view screen went from the debris filled space, to center on the Pride Although the Pride and Guardian were the same size, and relatively similar structural design, no ship could mach the Pride in any shape or form. With just the experience of Karan S'jet, they've survived every hostile encounter. Along with the Pride, came fifteen Torpedo frigates, ten flak frigates, and Ion frigates, seven Marine frigates, sixteen Destroyers, seven Battle Cruisers, and hundreds of fighter and corvette-corvette class ships.
"Sir, we're being hailed by the Pride."
"Patch it through."
The screen changed once again, to the face of Admiral Shakta'a, in command of the Hiigaran fleet.
"Do you require assistance Nagumo?"
"Yes sir. Right now, the Covenant is in the middle of a civil war. The Elites wish to side with us. The Prophet's fleet is on its way here. They are reported to be bringing with them more ships than we can handle. Any assistance you can provide will be greatly appreciated."
"Understood, Karan and John will discuss our options in this situations. In the mean time, we have something for the Guardian. I'm sending the details now."
"What s it sir?"
"Something that everyone will appreciate Nagumo."
The Screen winked out, displaying the Pride and her fleet once more.
"Receiving packet from the Pride."
"Send it through to my station."
"Aye sir."
On the Admiral's personal screen that was attached to the right arm of the chair, blue prints of the Guardian winked to life, as well as the new addition for the ship. The Admiral grinned as he looked over the blueprints.
"Send this down to engineering now, I want this up and running as soon as possible!"
ZR: You know the routine,read and review please!