UNITED NATIONS SPACE COMMAND PRIORITY TRANSMISSION
ENCRYPTION CODE: DELTA
FROM: MERLIN
TO: EXCALIBUR, LIONHEART
DATE: DECEMBER 4th, 2552
SUBJECT: REACH UNDER SIEGE
CLASSIFICATION: EYES ONLY, RECIPIENT
[START]
Fleet Admirals Steven Harper and Preston Cole,
At 1156 hours, a large object was detected in slipspace by the REMOTE SCANNING OUTPOST FERMION on the edge of the Epsilon Eridani System. One day prior at 0206 hours, the UNSC RESURGENCE (FFH-337) detected what appears to be the same object in slipspace while on patrol near the colony of Teutoburg. The object passed right by Staconus and Wosporia at 1055 hours, where two STRIDENT-class corvettes moved to intercept. Upon contact the two ships were lost, presumably with all hands. The object continued moving through slipspace until it was into Epsilon Eridanus. The orbital defense platform VESTIGE (RDP-224) detected the object but reported it as an asteroid in the wake of a ship. Upon detection by FERMION, Admiral Stanforth rose the fleet alert level to TACTICAL CONDITION 2. Minutes later, contact was lost with Tribute and the fleet defending it.
We have received one transmission from the UNSC HAVANA (CG-106):
[We've been overrun! The Monarch is down! They're Covenant ships but they're definitely not acting like any Covenant we've seen. They've broken through and are going for the surface!]
There's been no contact with any assets around Tribute since. Admiral Stanforth quickly raised status to TACTICAL CONDITION 1 and deployed sixty-five ships centered around the UNSC INTREPID (CVN-26) to reinforce Tribute, but they dropped off the grid soon after making arrival.
Minutes later, the Covenant capital city HIGH CHARITY emerged from slipspace in close range of the fleet. Despite many reports detailing direct hits on HIGH CHARITY. It rapidly became apparent that HIGH CHARITY was not being operated by the Covenant due to the lack of an escort fleet and it not having the appearance of an inhabited space station. Throughout the engagement several Covenant ships slipped in and made for the surface, breaking through the orbital grid. Admiral Stanforth quickly concluded what we all dreaded to hear:
The Flood are on Reach.
We have had no contact with any units in Epsilon Eridanus since 2302 hours last night. Casualty reports so far are staggering to say the least: at least four hundred ships are confirmed destroyed or disabled. NOBLE Team has been deployed to defend FLEETCOM HQ from the Flood. Nearly every city went dark before we lost contact.
Upon the loss of contact with Epsilon Eridanus, I have assembled the 11th, 13th, and 6th Fleets for a prompt counterattack on Reach. The 22nd Escort Flotilla will jump in a day before the counterattack to survey the situation and report back. ONI has attached ten prowlers to assist with reconnaissance and intelligence. The Elites have pledged half of the Fleet of Benevolent Sacrifice (around 150 ships) to assist with the assault.
I request as much support as can be spared.
[END]
…
0615 Hours, December 5th, 2552 (Military Calendar)/ UNSC Knossos/ Above Earth, Sol System
The main hangar of the Knossos was in complete disarray. Hundreds of crew members rushed to refuel Pelicans and load ammunition onto Longswords. One member of the deck crew vomited from all of the motion. Pilots scrambled to their birds, checking all systems before takeoff. John walked towards a Pelican, towering over the rest of the crew. Several stopped and watched in awe; for most of them this was their first time ever seeing a Spartan in the flesh.
Admiral Harper stood with several officers near the Pelican and turned to face the Master Chief. He nodded for the other officers to leave them be. A marine rushed by the two, nearly crashing into the admiral.
"I don't have to tell you how serious this situation is," Admiral Harper spoke solemnly. An alert came over the intercom; all marine platoons had to be ready for combat in fifteen minutes.
"You don't," said the Chief.
"Walk with me," Admiral Harper said. The pair began strolling through the hangar, watching what appeared to be the entire ship get ready for war. A squad of ODSTs ran through the hangar towards the area where their drop pods were. "Chief, Reach is the most important planet we have, you know that. Since Earth became a graveyard, we made Reach our hub. We have to contain the Flood before it consumes the planet." Outside of the hangar a Paris-class frigate rumbled past, nearly colliding with the massive cruiser.
John stopped. "With respect sir, if High Charity is on Reach, there may be no way we can contain it. Reach may already be lost."
Admiral Harper ushered for the Chief to follow him over to a large viewport overlooking Earth. "I remember when Earth fell on my watch a month ago. In an instant we lost four hundred ships and the de facto leader of humanity. Seeing the clouds rise over our most prized possessions," he paused, looking away for a moment. "We cannot afford another blow like this."
"If there is anything left of the fleet at Reach we may be able to hold the Flood from spreading to other planets. With respect sir, this is bigger than humanity. This is why the Halo rings were built," John replied.
"When did you turn into a professional orator, Chief?" Cortana said via neural link.
Admiral Harper looked back, "The Elites glassed part of Earth to stop the Flood there. Maybe it could work again?"
"If High Charity is on Reach, sir, the Flood have likely consumed the entire planet by now. The Elites would have to glass the whole planet," he said.
Admiral Harper began walking back to the rest of the hangar, John following closely, "I want Blue Team ready to go ASAP. We are going to have a word with the Elites, I have an idea. The fall of Reach is not happening on my watch."
…
0737 Hours, December 5th, 2552 (Military Calendar)/ FLEETCOM Military Complex/ Reach, Epsilon Eridani System
"Punch it Six!" a Spartan in blue armor and a Commando helmet yelled, jumping into the passenger seat of a Warthog. The wheels spun and the vehicle took off, leaving a cloud of dust in its wake. Another Spartan in an EVA helmet with a skull decal started firing the chain gun on the back of the Warthog, blowing apart several Flood infection forms. Many infection forms latched onto dead humans and infected them, bringing them back. The Spartan on the gun kept firing, cutting down many of them. But for every Flood form he killed, ten more appeared to take its place. Six swerved the Warthog to avoid a flying piece of a Mongoose that had been blown apart by a Flood form wielding a rocket launcher.
"Back to CASTLE, sir?" Six said, looking at his commander for a brief moment.
The Spartan fired his DMR several times and said, "Yes, Six, get us there in one pice." The Flood had overwhelmed the outer defenses of FLEETCOM headquarters and were closing on the central buildings. All personnel had begun retreating to the safety of CASTLE Base, deep underground.
"Noble One, did you secure the package?" Colonel Urban Holland asked over the communications line.
"Yes sir, we're en route to CASTLE now. We could go for some fire support to cover our approach!" Carter A-259 replied, gunning down an infected human.
"Roger that Noble One. We'll see what we can do. Noble Actual out," Holland replied.
"That means nothing is coming," the Spartan on the gun joked, continuing to shoot.
"Just keep shooting Noble Four!" Carter yelled.
Six kept his eyes ahead and hit a piece of metal from a crashed Longsword, using it as a ramp. The Warthog ascended and cleared a UNSC trailer before crushing a cluster of infection forms. The air had turned to a toxic brown and a haze hung over the landscape for miles. There was no contact from the outer ring of defenses and they were assumed to be dead.
"Frigate coming down," Emile yelled as he looked up at the sky.
He wasn't kidding. However, the optimism that the Spartans held for a split second was shattered when they realized the Charon-class frigate was disabled, its engines flaring in and out of life. Flames engulfed the vessel and small explosions came from the ship. It was going to crash behind the Warthog.
"Six, if you could go any faster, now would be the perfect time to do so!" Carter yelled.
Six looked to his left for a second to see an infection form leaping at him, its tendrils extending to latch onto him. He quickly drew his sidearm and blasted it out of the air. CASTLE Base wasn't far now, they only had to get past Outpost Ezekiel in the woods and they were in the clear.
"Noble One, come in," Colonel Holland said.
"This is Carter," the Spartan replied.
"I was able to get a flight of Longswords to light up your path to CASTLE Base, they're coming in from the west any second now, out."
Moments later, the frigate slammed into the ground nose first, splitting in half at the hangar and superstructure. The ground violently shook and dust kicked up. From the west, Carter watched a group of dots screaming in, opening up with their guns. They annihilated hundreds of Flood forms with that, before dropping their bombs, making the ground shake even more. Six drove the Warthog through the smoke, skewing his vision. His night vision kicked in, and he could see that the way was clear.
"This is Mike-16, we have you in sight Noble One. Welcome home," a human said over the comm channel.
Six drove the Warthog up to a massive wall dotted with automated turrets. A dozen remote-controlled Scorpion tanks had been weighed down by sandbags and were being used as stationary cannons. The gate to the wall slid open with ease and the Warthog passed through, the gate closing behind a second after. Two hundred marines had rifles trained on the Warthog, but many lowered them when they saw the Spartans.
"Lower your weapons," a female voice came from a small trailer. Out came a Spartan with light blue armor and an Air Assault helmet. She walked to the Warthog and said, "Did you retrieve it?"
Carter jumped out of the Warthog and dossed her a data chip, "Whatever this AI has, it better be worth it.
Kat B-320 caught the chip with her prosthetic arm and looked at it. "This has the location of every single world humanity has. I don't think I need to detail what may happen if the Flood got it."
Emile and Six got out of the Warthog and joined the other Spartans. "They're just a parasite, how would they even know how to use it?" Emile remarked.
Kat looked at Emile and said, "Better safe than sorry."
She motioned for Noble Team to follow her through a second gate, leading into the mountain. The team walked through the hallways leading to the industrial elevator, passing through numerous pressurized doors. Medics rushed wounded marines on stretchers into various side rooms and the screams of soldiers getting bullets removed from them filled the corridors.
Carter looked at one of the wounded marines while walking and said, "Doesn't look good."
Kat turned her head slightly and replied, "What you're seeing is what's left of FLEETCOM's defense." She continued walking and then rounded a corner, nearly walking right into a towering Spartan II.
"Jorge, I thought you were supposed to say in Castle," Kat said.
Jorge looked down and said, "You guys were taking a while, they sent me to come find you." Jorge turned around and led the team further into the base.
"All exterior defenses in the complex have been overrun. It's a miracle you made it back," Kat continued. The team came to an elevator and stepped onto it. Six tapped the button for the elevator to go down.
Carter said, "We probably wouldn't have made it back if it weren't for Six's driving. Thanks again, Six."
Six nodded. Carter then asked, "Any word from the fleet?"
"Barely. We were able to get limited contact from the Admiral Hipper. Sounded like the fleets been crippled and scattered, and anything operating in Reach's airspace is no larger than a destroyer," Kat said.
The elevator reached the bottom of the shaft, where Noble team was greeted by another Spartan wearing a Scout helmet. "You guys took your sweet time," he said.
Carter stepped off of the elevator and said, "Doesn't matter how long we took so long as the mission was accomplished. You should know that Noble Three." The rest of Noble team walked past Jun and towards CASTLE Base, while Emile paused and let out a light chuckle at Jun.
