Xìngyùn cluster, Dà Líng Sān system,asteroid belt, Dà Líng Sān DAC33165, first belt flotilla
Dà Líng Sān DAC33165 is a 135 km long, 31 km wide, and 92 km tall asteroid 19 AU from Dà Líng Sān. When it was surveyed four years ago, it was determined to be unremarkable, alongside millions of other asteroids, though on the larger side. What was interesting was Dà Líng Sān DAM33166, the 53 x 13 x 9 kilometer metallic asteroid that orbited the ball of gravel and rock, and it's multiple uranium deposits totaling 2.1 Mt. Gemini interstellar, the survey company that did a large amount of the segment of Dà Líng Sān's asteroid belt that the two asteroids were in, sold the survey information for one of the larger deposits to Halcyon mining, who made a clam and set up a small mining outpost from which they mine the uranium and coordinate dozens of automated mining operations on nearby asteroids. Six months after Halcyon set up shop, Borodino mining consortium made a outpost on one of the smaller deposits, and the problems have never stopped.
One of the reasons for the first belt flotillas Anchorage being stationed on the larger asteroid was due to its strategic location nearby several other colonized rocks, but the other was the Richmond incident that occurred a few months before the placement. After multiple incidents, that both companies considered sabotage, they each hired a small number of mercenaries to protect their mines. After Halcyon mining explosives were "misplaced" and ended up damaging Borodino, consortium equipment, similar ordinance were "misplaced" and ended up at the Halcyon mine. Unfortunately, when the explosives detonated, the American transport SS Richmond was refueling after picking up the monthly shipment of raw materials and dropping off supplies, including 600 tons of mining explosives.
After the explosion, the destruction of the Richmond, and death of 9 people, the eighth cruiser group was sent to the asteroid. Unfortunately, no evidence as to either groups guilt was found, but the admiralty decided to station the first belt flotilla there to keep an eye on the two parties alongside dozens of surveillance drones.
Fleet captain Samuel Johansen pondered the reasons he was in the middle of nowhere, supposed to be watching a pair of corporations have a catfight, while hiding in a crater on the other side of the astroids from his flotillas Anchorage. The Anchorage being a stationary target made it very appealing for the aliens to just rip it apart at Long range. Instead of staying in the Anchorage, and getting blown up, or facing the aliens in a frontal confrontation he knows he will lose, Samuel commandeered the Richmond's replacement, the SS Memory of San Diego, and used it to move all of his supplies and munitions from the anchorage, and hid his flotilla on the other side of the asteroid. His plan is to surprise attack the aliens after they believe they destroyed the astroids defenses and move in to secure the outposts, slingshotting around the asteroid and doing a close range torpedo and missile run.
Samuel stared at the projection of the alien flotilla and grimaced. While on paper, it looks like he outnumbered the alien formation, that was counterbalanced by two main disadvantages, tonnage and technology. While he technically had more ships than the alien flotilla, most of those were small frigates or fast attack craft, vastly out massed by the trio of cruisers heading the alien formation alone. The second and possibly more challenging problem was the technological state of most of his ships. While the PT boats were built with Mass Effect technology in mind, the Wúqióng and the frigate were built before the technology existed and thus had problems. The older ships were built for a battlefield and capability's that were vastly different than the current situation and requirements. The older ships have vastly larger engines and fuel tanks then they would ever need with the Mass Effect enhancements, leading to less space that could be used for other systems. During the refits, attempts were made to remedy this by altering the fuel tank space for different uses, cargo storage, munitions launchers, secondary reactors, but it still lead to massive space inefficiencies. Another problem is that most of his ships were part of the first wave of conversions, meaning lower power barriers and Mass Effect fields. Overall, while he had more ships, the aliens had a bigger ships and could probably out fight anything of equal tonnage he has 2 to 1.
He still had some advantages. While the refit had taken away most of the excess fuel tanks, the ships still had enough of a surplus to last a long time, and his cruiser was equipped to resupply the new PT boats mid-flight. They were also able to take most of the munitions and spare parts with them on the memory of San Diego, so they wouldn't run out of those for a while. He could fight a guerrilla warfare campaign for weeks, months if he was conservative with his missiles.
He was drawn from his thoughts by the sensor officer of the ship "Sir, looks like they took the bait, Pulling up video now." on the screen at the front of the bridge a projection of the area on the other side of the asteroid was displayed, the information coming from satellites in orbit of the small rock. On visual the area where the Anchorage is located looks like just another area of rock, but infrared told a different story, one he wanted the aliens to believe. Before leaving the anchorage, he ordered the fabrication of several sheets designed to look like the surface of the asteroid. Anything besides a visual inspection would determine the Anchorage was there, but with the reactor set to produce maximum heat and flood the area inside of the sheets with it, you would be unable to determine the specifics of any ships. The aliens would see through this flimsy deception, and believe that it was an attempt to hide the anchorage and the ships so they could attack later. While in reality it was to hide the fact that the ships were no longer in the Anchorage. A handful of remaining nukes at the Anchorage were set to detonate after the aliens bombard the anchorage, creating the illusion of them striking either the anchorages reactor, or one of the ships, and removing all evidence of the lack of ships.
After this, the aliens would most likely move to invade the colonies, leaving themselves open to an attack they don't expect coming. He himself would admit he doesn't believe it to be a good plan, but it was the best he could come up with in such a short time.
He stares as three solitary shells move at a fraction of the speed of light and strike the flimsy sheets of carbon and burrow deep into the anchorage. The small base built into a crater on the asteroid explodes in brilliant nuclear fire, consuming everything within.
As expected, after the aliens destroyed the Anchorage they moved to orbit the two colonies, a cruiser with five frigates over the Borodino colony, and two cruisers with 10 frigates over the Halcyon colony. The two squadrons of warships began deploying shuttles to the surface and jamming all communication.
Samuel decided to attack the smaller squadron, but prepared a little gift for the larger one. Chinese cruisers, like American ones, where designed as missile cruisers. This ended up being a blessing for the conversions as instead of having to try and rip out a main gun that goes through most segments of a ship, they could just swap out the missile launchers and payload. Because of this, the Wúqióng was equipped with 200 cruise missiles and 4000 short range missiles. He launched half of his cruise missiles and set them on a pre-planned course that would be detected by the larger squadron around a minute before his flotilla would become visible, hopefully distracting them and whatever fighters weren't already supporting the ground forces.
The flotilla initiated a 15 G burn, they're augmentations being the only reason they didn't black out from the high G forces, to circle around the asteroid. By the time they made it to the other side they accumulated a respectable velocity, but continued accelerating towards their target only 80 km away. The second they became visible The alien ships began turning to bring their main guns to bear, but with their relatively high speed and close range the cruiser wouldn't be able to completely turn in time. Unfortunately, the frigates and turrets on the cruiser could turn in time, and both sources began launching Salvo after salvo at the flotilla. 4 frigate and a PT boat were destroyed before they closed the distance and delivered hundreds of missiles onto the alien flotilla. Three alien frigates ceased to exist as they took too many hits and broke up, the other two and the cruiser managed to stay alive, but were damaged. Before any more retaliation could befall the human flotilla, they warped away. The losses of the squadron and the damaged frigates from the cruise missiles were a bloody nose to the aliens, but far from a crippling blow blow, and the invasion of the colonies continued. Unfortunately for the invaders, the anchorage security detail wasn't of much use on the flotilla, so Samuel graciously left it to make the outposts the most fortified pains in the ass in the system.
Xìngyùn cluster, Dà Líng Sān system,asteroid belt, Dà Líng Sān DAM33164, halcyon mining outpost
Once the hierarchy achieved orbital supremacy, they began standard assault procedures on the mining outposts. All orbiting satellites and power beaming infrastructure for the remote mining operations were destroyed and an assault force was prepared.
each flotilla in the hierarchy has a total of 6 companies of marines, one on each cruiser and one per frigate squadron. Two companies were sent to each of the outposts and two were left in reserve.
Very little of the Halcyon mining facility was on the surface. What was on the surface was a docking facility for a midsize transport, a communications array, and 100 hard points, 22 of which are fitted with the power beamers for the remote mining facilities, with the rest there for expansion of the operation. The majority of the facilitie is underground.
Under the surface, the outpost is composed of multiple components. The primary component is a 250 m diameter and 12 m tall habitat ring rotating to produce earth or near earth gravity. The outer most level of the ring is entirely devoted to sleeping quarters. Three people are Bunk'd together in a single quarter to save space. Each individual sharing the quarters are separated on different shifts, meaning they should theoretically never see each other. This hot bunking allows for this level to hold up to 318 individuals, consisting of 303 mining drone operators, three security officers, one manager, two deputy managers, 6 engineers/technicians, and three reactor technicians. Currently, the facility is only occupied by 124 individuals, 69 mining drone operators, one manager, two deputy managers, three security guards, six engineers/technicians, three reactor technicians, 39 mercenaries, and the former chief of security for the flotilla anchorage, sent to prepare a defense with his 25 mechs, half of the complement of the Anchorage with the rest going to the other mine. The second level is mostly filled with bathrooms, showers, cafeterias, kitchens, recreational facilities, the chief of securities office and the managers office. The third level is filled with storage facilities and the working areas for the drone operators. The fourth level is filled with life-support and hydroponics facilities. Outside of the ring are the mineshaft, drone production, maintenance, and storage facilities, alongside ore refinery, and material storage facilities meant for the processing and storage of the materials, Both from the facility and from the automated mining facilities for pick up by transports. At the core of the entire outpost is a large fusion reactor and enough fuel to last decades.
The mercenary's are equipped with military grade weapons and armor. Alongside this, the security department of the outpost has 12 mechs designed to keep order and ward off minor pirate forces. Unfortunately for the two companies coming to the outpost, compared to the facilities the hierarchy has attacked previously, which were only equipped with a small number of mechs and minimal heavy weaponry, the outpost is significantly better armed, and the hierarchy is not prepared for that level of resistance.
The battle for the Halcyon outpost would last 15 hours and caused the death of 35 humans and 41 turians. In the end, the last of the defending forces were defeated, and the outpost secured. Unfortunately for the turians, the battle had given the humans enough time to destroy everything that could've been valuable including equipment, technology, and Intel.
Similar event played out at the Borodino outpost, heavy resistance and little gained from the effort. In total the invasion of the asteroid cost 74 turians their lives, and left dozens wounded.
Orion vault, Arcturus Stream, Arcturus, Themis L5 Lagrangian point, incomplete Arcturus station
Within the first system discovered by humanity through the mass relays, a 300 x 80 x 60 km asteroid lay. Composed mostly of iron and nickel, this asteroid is one of the few natural sources of metal in the system. 13 years ago a project so massive that but a few centuries ago would've been incomprehensible began. The systems alliance began a project to hollow out the entire asteroid, leaving only a 10 km thick shell reinforced with more durable materials brought in from other systems, creating a impenetrable Anchorage, command facility, and shipyard for the systems alliance. A proposal had even been put forward to move the systems alliance capital to the station instead of moving its location every five years to a different core system.
The only evidence of the massive fortress being constructed within the asteroid are the 3 colossal 300 m wide and 100 m thick depleted uranium vault doors that protect the only entrances to the interior for ships. Once completed, the fortress would be able to hold tens of millions of people, hold the entire systems, alliance administration, act as an Anchorage for three fleets, and construct everything from the smallest components of the smallest drones to colossal dreadnoughts. A near self-sufficient city with enough hydroponics facilities to feed the population and manufacturing facilities to build an entire fleets, all alone in space.
The colossal space station was not complete. Over the 13 years of construction, less than half of the work required to complete the project had been done. The space station was still complete enough to hold over 1 million people and act as the Anchorage for the second fleet.
Sitting in a Spartan office, the admiral of the second fleet reviews the readiness of her force for the reinforcement of the Xìngyùn cluster and the counterattack against the aliens, and she was not happy.
Admiral Kastanie Drescher was a extremely tall but relatively slim woman. At 190 cm tall she was the second tallest officer in the admiralty, only behind the colossal 201 cm vice admiral Jonathan Constantine. She had short black hair and brown eyes. At 81 years old, she was part of the first generation to get the life extension augmentations during childhood, leaving her more physically fit than any member of humanity at her age before the life extension augmentation and not looking a day over 29.
Currently, she wanted to bang her head on her desk until either the iron carved from the very asteroid she was on or her physically augmented skull broke. The admiralties plan to solve the situation was to move the forces of her second fleet that are currently at Arcturus station, Admiral Summers first fleet, and Admiral Changs Pluto defense fleet through the relays to the Xìngyùn cluster to push out the alien fleet. Unfortunately, parliament restricted the military from moving any forces from the local cluster in order to "protect the territories that have the vast majority of the human population".
As the second fleet was now, she only had one dreadnought group, one carrier group, and 2 cruiser groups, not enough to reinforce the cluster. The current plan was to wait three days for another carrier group and pair of cruiser groups to arrive and move to the Apollo system to consolidate with the defense flotillas there, and then move on to reinforce the cluster. In total it would take 104 hours for the reinforcement fleet to reach the cluster.
For the next many hours she would prepare and coordinate the creation of this reinforcement fleet.
Sur'Kesh, 97 km under the surface, STG turian analysis headquarters
Deep under the surface of the Salarian Homeworld one of the headquarters of the special task group resides. It is not the only headquarters of the STG, in fact, it is only one of 37 facilities given that title, 18 fakes to deceive other intelligence agencies, 18 headquarters with different specializations, and a primary headquarters, which is in reality a officially decommissioned and destroyed dreadnought that was instead turned over to the STG and turned into a mobile headquarters.
The primary role of this facility is the monitoring of the hierarchy and predicting it's future. From military deployment to the economic situation to cultural trends, all of this information is collected, and either put to use or inputted into a extremely complex super computer simulation designed to predict the future of the hierarchy.
The reason that the head of the facility, only known by the designation Oracle 2, is in a QEC assisted meeting with the other 21 highest officials in the STG, the 17 other headquarters commanders, commander of field operations, administrator of the primary headquarters, admiral of the STG fleet and the head of the STG, was to inform them of a important development with hierarchy naval deployments.
Oracle 2 begins her debriefing to the other leaders of the most powerful intelligence agency in the galaxy "The Goliath system has seen a 37% increase in ammunition distribution, 49% increase in spare parts distribution, and 51% increase in helium three distribution. It is the belief of this department that potential hostilities between the hierarchy and another significant faction are occurring in the cluster. The other combatant is currently unknown, but is believed to be either a pirate fleet that traveled to the cluster through non-relay FTL or a unknown species native to the cluster."
The first to ask a question was the leader of ground operations "What information have you been able to determine from intercepted communications"
"Unfortunately, our agent who usually obtains that clusters encryption code information has recently been transferred to a different post, and we have not had time to replace her. All we currently know is that a direct communication from the primarch of the goliath system went straight to hierarchy high command and immediately after the increase to supplies sent to the cluster began, only for a significant increase multiple days later to occur, presumably caused by heavy combat."
The debriefing at one time for another half an hour, concluding with a stealth Corvette, being sent to the cluster to determine the situation.
The war will not stay in the shadows for long.
Before anyone complains about my dramatic increase in the size of Arcturus station the Citadel is going to be substantially larger than it is in cannon, like small continent levels of big, and with a population that would make China do a double take.