Transmission 3:

- Urgent Transmission (Priority Code: Alpha) -

- Directed to UNSC Paris Class Frigate (Stealth) -

- Request: Immediate Extraction from Haven at Plentiful -

- Situation: SPARTAN II 043 (Injured) and 046 (Active), Planetary AI Demeter (Operational) -

- Pinned down in UNSC Base Resilient by Hostile Covenant Forces -

- In Possession of an Alien Asset -

- Current Date: January 21st, 12:01 AM -

- Transmitted by Planetary AI Demeter -

- Additional Note: Running dry on ammunition, holed up in the lowest sublevel. -

- If you're out there, please get these soldier's home. -

- Response -

- Survivor Status Acknowledged -

- Orbital Drop Shock Troopers are Inbound (ETA 3 minutes) -

- UNSC Marines are Inbound (ETA 24 minutes) -

- UNSC Paris Class Frigate "Crusader" (Stealth) (ETA 59 minutes) -

- Current Date: January 21st, 12:04 AM -

- Transmitted by Commander Long -

- Additional Note: Hang in there Spartans, the Navy is inbound. -

- Just hold on for three more minutes while we sort things out here. -

Recording Charlie:

The dead city of Plentiful was stirring with activity, Covenant soldiers rushed towards the ruins of the UNSC base as pods containing ODST armed to the teeth fell from the sky. On landing the pods front hatches burst open to expose the black armoured soldiers to the alien army. Almost as soon had the ODST landed the Covenant were at the disadvantage, their air support was chasing the Crusader around the Moon Beta and UNSC forces had successfully landed one hundred and twenty battle ready troopers throughout the city. These black armoured shock troopers fired rockets, shot rifles and threw grenades at the unprepared aliens. The surprise of the Covenant didn't last long and soon the streets of Plentiful were alive with the sound of gunfire and plasma blasts. The distraction the ODST allowed the Spartans an opportunity to escape the confines of the sublevels after ODST fireteams killed the Elites that lined the corridors of the sub levels. Freed from their position in Demeter's core room the Spartan 046 placed the palm sized alien asset into his hardcase on his leg. 043 checked the ammunition on his pistol and ignored the lack of his left arm. Alongside their reinforcements the Spartans managed to escape into the chaos filled streets.

Grunts lead by Elites screamed and ran as sniper fire tore through their superiors. A Wraith tank exploded as a rocket ripped through the canopy. An ODST team were crushed by a pair of Hunters. Jackal snipers were ambushed and left lying in the street in the span of three seconds. Leading his wounded companion 046 waded his way through the mess. The ODST fireteams spread out around them and engaged anything that squawked, growled or roared. While they fought hard the sheer mass of the alien army began putting the pressure on UNSC forces. Soon ODST were ripped apart by Needler rifles, cut open by plasma blades and vaporised by energy blasts. Of the one hundred and twenty who had dropped into Plentiful only seventy-six were still standing. Soon the group was reduced to thirty-four and they fought wildly across Plentiful's main plaza. Across the steps of the ruined government building, through the ruined ground and inside the other various ruins. Eventually the survivors had their backs facing the ruined base. Amidst the battle none of the combatants noticed the Pelican dropships on fast approach. As soon as they were above the plaza the dropships opened fire with their chain guns, forcing the Covenant fanatics back. With the seconds brought by the fury being sprayed by the dropships. Marines began repelling down from the transports on cables, weapons already firing. Once the marines had exited the Pelicans released the clamps locking the Scorpion tanks and the Warthogs to their underbellies. With their cargo delivered the dropship pilot's hit the thrusters as the Covenant aircraft that had been chasing the Crusader caught up to them. With the fresh wave of troops, the humans rallied again.

Pouring round after round into the mass of the alien army. The dropships flew over the battlefield and unleashed their chain guns on the Covenant while being pursued by shrieking Banshee aircraft which relentlessly fired their plasma cannons. The Scorpion tanks blasted apart Ghost scout vehicles while the Warthogs crushed Grunts underneath their tires. 043 shoved his pistol into the gut of an Elite and only stopped firing when the alien was separated into two distinct chunks. 046 broke a Jackal's neck with his shotgun and then reduced two more to paste with his rocket launcher. A marine squad killed a Hunter pair with a generous application of bullets. Soon the crimson stained streets were received a fresh coat of orange, blue, purple and red.

As the battle raged on the ground the space above Haven was brought to life as the Crusader launched two nuclear warheads towards the fast-approaching Covenant fleet. In space the blasts appeared bright green as the radiation shorted out the shields of the approaching corvettes and cruisers while the destroyers and carrier patiently waited for their escort to destroy the plucky UNSC frigate. When the corvettes came into range their lack of shielding was rewarded with a barrage of Archer missiles and Fury autocannon rounds. This opening salvo tore apart the first three corvettes to shreds while the MAC blast tore through two more. The remaining three returned fire as the cruisers began charging their heavy weaponry. The brilliant blue plasma left scars on the Crusader's hull as she returned fire with another MAC shot and scores of missiles. With the destruction of the corvettes prompted the destroyers and the supercarrier to divert all ship power to their frontal shields. In retaliation the cruisers fired. Six lancers of angry red plasma streaked towards the Crusader. Instead of waiting to be destroyed Long ordered the final manoeuvres to be executed. Without hesitation Kelso set released the safeties on the remaining nuke and programmed its target, Wilson plotted a course right into the enemy fleet, Harley relayed the information necessary to the forces on the ground while Pine communicated to the crewmen to release all remaining safeties on the reactor despite the risk of a meltdown.

As his final command was initiated Long smiled with pride at the bravery shown by his bridge officers and the selflessness shown by the efficiency of their actions. With the final orders in progress Long watched the red streaks of plasma speeding towards his ship as the engines kicked to three hundred percent output immediately activating multiple alarms. The Crusader flew past the plasma streaks and flew to towards the massive carrier. As the Crusader blew past the enemy cruisers the Shiva warhead was released and detonated behind the frigate disabling three of the cruisers and wounding the others. Highlighted by the green light of the nuke the Crusader flew into the middle of the five destroyers and the carrier. In the seconds before the fusion drive went critical and vaporised them the bridge officers turned to see Commander Long saluting them. The fusion drives exploding instantly annihilated two of the destroyers and blew out the power systems of the carrier.

This left the reeling alien fleet blind to the UNSC Battle Fleet emerging from slipspace directly in front of them. When emergency power activated the Sangheili Fleetmaster was surprised by the thirty UNSC warships facing his fleet of ten. Instead of fearing his death the Elite admired the frigate which had just vaporised itself leaving the surviving Covenant ships in a position for destruction by the human reinforcements. After the first salvo Vice Admiral Cole surveyed the scraps that used to be the Covenant fleet with satisfaction. His operations officer then alerted him to the heavy activity around the location Plentiful city. Cole then immediately ordered all ships to launch all Longsword interceptors as a recon force. When the nimble fighters flew above the ruined city and reported high degrees of fighting around the central plaza. Footage from Longsword cameras showed that UNSC personnel were holding back a Covenant army while Covenant Banshees picked off the remaining Pelican dropships. Quickly Cole ordered the interceptors to engage the Banshees and begin bombing the alien army. With the fresh wave of air support the struggling soldiers rallied and began forcing the aliens back. After another wave of missiles from the new air support the last of the aliens were annihilated. With a confirmed report of the victory Cole ordered his fleet to deploy the necessary number of Pelicans to retrieve the survivors. With his order in progress Cole looked down on his console and began his transmission to UNSC High Command.

Transmission 4:

- Standard Transmission (Priority Code: Alpha) -

- Directed to UNSC H-COM -

- Complete Report on the Covenant Invasion of Haven -

- Outer Colony World 11-23-G6 Designated: "Haven" and assigned UNSC forces (Destroyed), -

- SPARTAN II's: 043 (Injured) and 046 (Injured), Planetary AI Demeter (Operational), -

- UNSC Paris Class Frigate "Crusader" (Stealth) (Destroyed), -

- "Crusader" Crew Complement Status -

- UNSC Marine's Remaining: 107 Soldiers (Roughly 6 Platoons of 25), -

- Orbital Drop Shock Troopers Remaining: 24 Soldiers (Roughly 2 Fireteams of 20), -

- Pilot Complement Remaining: 12 Airmen (5 Pelican crews of 30), -

- Crewmen Complement Remaining: 0 (Died upon fusion engine explosion), -

- Vehicles Remaining: 5 Pelican Dropships, 3 Warthog Transports, -

- Officers: Commander Long (Killed in Action), -

- Lieutenant Kelso (Weapons Officer) (Killed in Action), -

- Lieutenant Wilson (Navigations Officer) (Killed in Action), -

- Lieutenant Harley (Communications Officer) (Killed in Action), -

- Lieutenant Pine (Operations Officer) (Killed in Action) -

- Current Date: January 21st, 2529, 1:06 AM -

- Transmitted by Vice Admiral Cole -

- Additional Note: Commander Long and his crew's sacrifice allowed for UNSC victory. -

- Alien Asset Recovered from the now destroyed Alien Ruins is being housed securely. -

- Spartan 043 and Spartan 046 destroyed the Alien Ruins to kill enemy forces around the site. -

- Survivors of the "Crusader" have been offered deployments within my fleet. -

- Response -

- Status UNSC Paris Class Frigate "Crusader" (Stealth) and Colony Haven: Acknowledged -

- Your fleet has been ordered to the Inner Colonies for resupply and rest. -

- The Office of Naval Intelligence has requested the Alien Asset be delivered to them. -

- Current Date: January 22nd, 2529 7:00 AM -

- Transmitted by UNSC H-COM - (END – REPORT)