Halo: Wrath of the Humans
Chapter six: Unfathomable power
One week later, the Hopeful Guardian's new weapon was nearly complete. The combined fleets had repelled two reconnaissance detachments, but nothing major as of late. The Guardian's new weapon was terrifyingly powerful. The Guardian was now fitted with a massive cannon array. The cannon used six ion cannons that would focus their beams onto an array that would then project the focused beams to their target. Its range was almost hard to comprehend. It could reach out and touch an object nearly seventy kilometers distant. The beam was wire thin, and had the same power of each individual beam combined. The beam would not only puncture an enemy ship, but also continue on past the ship, in the computer models anyway.
During this week period, an additional three bomber squadrons, two torpedo frigates and another Ion frigate were added to the Guardian fleet. The other fleets, excluding the Covenant, had also built up their fleets. In addition to the fleets stationed there, a colonization force arrived earlier in the week, setting up another base at the first habitable planet, now named Santeria.
Nagumo sat in his command chair, gazing out toward the planet before them. The crystal blue waters of the oceans, the forests and rolling plains green with life. As the planet slowly rotated, a large storm came into view. It was situated in the northern region of the planet, over a large northern continent already blanketed by snow and ice. The picturesque view almost gave him a sense of peace. Almost.
"Sensors sweep complete Admiral, nothing new sir."
"What about slipspace?"
"A comet sir, but that's it."
Even today no one knew how comets somehow plowed their way into slipspace.
"Incoming transmission from the Rebel Covenant fleet."
"Patch it through."
On the main view screen, the face of the same gold elite's face came into view; "Rebel reinforcements are on their way within one hour. Do not fire upon them."
"Good more ships," muttered Nagumo.
"Another transmission, coming from the Pride." The communications officer's hands danced over the keypads, "Patching it through now sir."
The screen blipped from Santeria to Shakta'a's slightly haggard face, "All ships to general quarters! Inbound Vaygr forces, ETS ninety minutes! I repeat, all ships to general quarters. Any ship with a Grav. Field generator, start powering them up, I want those generators up and running after the reinforcements arrive! Rebel covenant, move your ships closer to ours." The link closed. Many officers, more Hiigaran than human, had their mouths agape from the Admiral's sudden orders.
'You heard the Admiral!" barked Nagumo, "Get every ship in our fleet with a Gravity field generator to have them ready to activate in ten minutes! Have our fleet rendezvous with the Pride's fleet ASAP!"
"Aye aye Admiral. Plotting course, two-three-zero by one-zero degrees. Engines answering at one hundred percent."
"Gravity field generators charging up. Currently at twenty-five percent and climbing at a rate of five percent a minute."
"All squadrons are on standby status. They're ready to launch at your command."
"MAC Cannons charging up sir. Currently at eight percent, climbing at a rate of one percent a minute."
As the crew scurried about on the command deck, Nagumo's mind raced with numerous thoughts. In the entire war, there had been no encounter with the Vaygr forces. New tactics were going to be needed in this battle. But one particular thought tugged at the back of his mind. Why were the Vaygr coming here? What was their motive? And most importantly, were they, god forbid, allied with the Covenant? Nagumo prayed that they didn't; otherwise, this war would last much, much longer.
"Gravity well generators fully charged sir!"
"Keep them hot until the rebel forces arrive."
As he finished his sentence, pinpoints of light appeared ahead of the combined fleet. The lights grew larger, and expelled more Covenant ships. Another sixty ships had arrived, mostly frigates, a few destroyers and battle cruisers, a handful of carriers, and a single flagship, bristling with plasma turrets and laser turrets.
Nagumo sighed mentally; it was only another hour until the Vaygr forces arrived. The newly arrived ships maneuvered closer to the assembled fleet. It seemed that they too were a little on the edge with so much firepower surrounding them.
"Deploy the Gravity field."
"Aye sir, deploying Gravity field."
With so many Fields protecting the fleet, it would be impossible to get even close to the fleet.
It was another agonizingly slow fifty minutes before the MACs were fully charged. Ten minutes left to go. Sweat began to bead on Nagumo's forehead. His hands gripped his command chair tighter until his knuckles were ghostly white. His jaws clenched until pain shot through his temples.
When the one minute mark came, Nagumo ordered the single ships to be launched. Thirty seconds left.
"Start scanning everything, put it on maximum range."
"Aye sir."
Ten seconds. The five seconds, four, three, two, one.
"Hyperspace signature detected! Estimated over one hundred fifty ships sir! Wait, this can't be right."
"What s it? What's wrong?"
"Additional ships sir, but, they're Covenant."
ZR: DUH DUH DUHHH! I love cliffies...