1647 Hours, September 10th 2186
Voyager Cluster, Gateway
Cerberus Forward Operating Base (Now under Alliance Control)
"Still such a strange sight, isn't it Shepard?" Tali stated as she and Shepard were leaning against a rock watching Geth and Quarian engineers setting up a new communications relay close to the old Cerberus Command bunker, which now was being used by the Alliance forces.
Shepard nodded, "I know what you mean… They still don't like each other, but at least they are able to put aside their differences towards a common goal."
The Normandy landing teams had all made it through in one piece and hold the base long enough for the fleet to arrive. Not a single moment was wasted as even now soldiers worked to fortify the position and engineers began studying the alien structure. It seemed that only humans were able to access any of the stations sub systems.
With this ability came a familiarity. An ability to understand how something works without even realizing it. Shepard was the only one who seemed to not have this ability. Weather it was due to her being rebuilt by Cerberus or even prolonged exposure to Reaper Artifacts, no one had an answer.
One of the first things the Quarian personnel did after departing their shuttles was to paint over the Cerberus insignias. Something to do with their old hatred for the human terrorist groups. No one complained to see them gone.
Shuttles and Fighters were taking advantage of the Cerberus setup, and were constantly coming and going.
She was about to continue speaking when her Radio activated and EDI's voice spoke threw the speaker, "Commander Shepard. Please report to the Map room. There is something happening in the unidentified fleet."
1630 Hours, September 10th [Date unknown] (UNSC Calendar)
Voyager Cluster, Gateway
Onboard Covenant Supercarrier Avatar of Truth
Henr'ak Takalu was annoyed as he entered the bridge. He and his team had been on a joint operation on the surface of Gateway, assisting in setting up a defensible position for drop ships to land. During the mission Major Lopez had insisted on calling him "Henry", even in front of his own soldiers. Now the nick name had spread, and even among his own kind he was being called that silly human name.
Fleet Master 'Kelacal stood with the human Admiral Churchill as they studied translated forerunner data. The Fleet Master looked towards Henry as he approached and explained, "We were fortunate in one of our scouting runs." He motioned to the data, "It would seem this Forerunner world is equipped with Data Terminals."
Henry tilted his head at that, clicking his Mandibles slightly, "Similar to those reported to have been on the Ark?"
Admiral Churchill nodded, a bit of a smile on his face, "That is correct. The information we have discovered has shed some light on a few questions. Specifically why we were unable to see the two fleets coming or going."
Fleet Master 'Kelacal pressed a few holographic covenant symbols and the data gave way to an image of Gateway, save there was a large bubble around it of two different colors. Red and blue. They were evenly spaced apart and connected at certain points, "The intensity of the Slip Space field has created a bridge between two universes," He paused a moment to let that sink in, "That is assuming if our scribes, and the human AI were able to properly translate the data."
Henry considered that. He had no idea such a thing was even possible? If it is, then it explains why the Covenant considered the Forerunner to be gods. For how could anyone but a god accomplish such a thing?
"If this is true, how do we intend to proceed?" Henry asked.
The Fleet Master looked towards the holographic images and pointed to the blue half of the screen, the half that would supposedly cross to another universe, "We are going to send a single ship to test if we may cross over. If we are able, then we may decide our next move."
1650 Hours (Alliance Time)
Shepard entered the same room her, Vegas, and EDI had taken from Cerberus. The Alliance RNDs (Research and Development) had not wasted any time, as the room now had even more terminals than they did before. Turians, Asari, Quarians, Geth and Humans were working on consoles, but only humans were using the alien holographic devices. EDI was at an Alliance terminal, working on some calculation, "What have you got?" she asked
EDI looked up from her work towards Shepard, than up to the holographic image of the station, "One of the alien vessels has broken formation with the rest of the fleet and has changed course." Shepard looked up at the image, seeing the oddly shaped ship. This one was not one of their largest, but who knows what they were capable of, "If my projections are process, I believe they are on course for the edge of the rift that surrounds this facility."
Shepard considered that a moment before asking, "Why would they do that? Why not just head back the way they came in?"
Edi looked towards her, "I have a theory, but require more data to be certain. I believe this place intersects to separate dimensions, and they are from a separate universe. If I am correct, than they may be trying to enter our universe."
Shepard blinked and was silent for a moment as she processed that, "Ok…. Assuming they are from a different dimension… What are we going to do about the ship about to enter our dimension?"
EDI blinked and looked back towards the holo image, "We might not need to. Cerberus is already taking action."
Indeed they were. Two Cerberus ships were leaving their fleet formation to exit the rift along a similar trajectory as the alien vessel.
EDI moved back to her console and began to work, studying new data coming in, "Shepard. The Cerberus ships have brought their weapons and barriers online. I believe they are going to attack the alien vessel."
1700 Hours (UNSC Time)
CCS Class Heavy Cruiser Fire of Honor reached the barrier without incident and crosses into unknown space. The first Covenant ship to enter another universe. Their mission was simply to take a few localized scans then return to the fleet.
A few moments after crossing over, two ships emerged from the Gateways Slip Space Rift. A Cerberus Dreadnought and a Cerberus Destroyer, along with two compliments of fighters.
Detecting the incoming ships, the Fire of Honor came about to but its port side to the oncoming ships. Their shields were already up, but their laser emitters and plasma torpedo launchers heated up. Lines of purple, giving the ship an angry appearance.
Cerberus fighters were holding back as the Dreadnought and Cruiser moved into position, their forward sections in place to take advantage of their primary cannons. Once in range they began to fire.
Mass accelerated projectiles crossed space towards the Fire of Honor and impacted their shields. The shields took the blows, flashing purple with each hit. Lasers began to project from the Fire of Honor. One such beam struck the dreadnought on the starboard wing. Their barriers, designed to resist Mass Accelerated weapons, were of no use as the beam slice into the hull.
Cerberus Fighters began to move, accelerating towards the Covenant ship, even as the vessel began to fire Plasma Torpedo's upon the Cerberus vessels.
The Cerberus Dreadnought took a direct hit from a Plasma torpedo, and the area of impact was heavily scarred as the hull was weakened from the intense heat.
Cerberus fighters began to fire at the Covenant ship and swarmed like angry bees. In response the Fire of Honor began to deploy Seraph fighters to engage the enemy ships.
As the Cerberus fighters engaged the Covenant Seraphs, they discovered that they had shields similar to the main vessel, but at least if a pilot was good enough they could get the shields down and destroy the Seraph Fighter.
The Cerberus Cruiser was turning, attempting to quit the field when the Covenants weapons fired multiple torpedoes, striking the Cruisers engines. A moment later, as the ship began to spin out of control, the hull buckled and shattered in upon itself.
The Cerberus Dreadnought was now in a fight for its life as they put everything they had into attacking the Covenant vessel. For a moment the Fire of Honors shields wavered and the ship's hull to a direct hit. Purple fire spewed from the impact area, but that seemed to only make the crew of the Fire of Honor angry, as more laser and Plasma Torpedo's impacted the Dreadnoughts hull until the ship shattered in space.
With the two ships destroyed, the Fired of Honor destroyed the last of the Cerberus fighters. With the danger passed, the Seraphs returned to the ship.
The Fire of Honor came about and reentered Gateway, returning to their fleet.
Shepard, along with everyone else in the Map Room, were silent as they had watched the battle in real time via the hologram.
The Alien ship had sustained damage, but still managed to destroy a Cerberus Dreadnought and a Cruiser.
Somewhere along the course of the battle the rest of Shepard's team had entered the map room to witness the scene.
Garrus was the first to speak, as a replay of the alien ships concentrated fire on the Cerberus Cruiser was shown. Under his breath he simply said, "How do I get one of those?"
Shepard looked towards EDI, "Contact Rear Admiral Galloway. I think he, and the leading representatives present need to see this."