Date unknown. Approx time 0200 hours. Spartan mission log Alpha 269-Master Chief Spartan 117… On board Covenant cruiser Truth and Reconciliatio… En route to REACH from unknown system- CLASSIFIED ONI SECTION III keyword OMEGA
Master Chief Spartan 117, John, entered the alien bridge of the Covenant cruiser Major Silva's Helljumper's had high jacked on Halo. The chief had to hand it to them, though they were no Spartans, the ODST's had done one helluva job. Unfortunately Major Silva had not survived the boarding, leaving Lt. McKay as the acting CO of the 502 ODST regiment, or what was the left of it. The five-oh-duece, as its members affectionately called it, had been ravaged by the Covenant and the Flood on Halo, but had still averaged a 20-1 kill ratio, the highest of any unit for a single engagement in the fleet, except John's Spartan team.
"Master Chief, glad you could join us." The voice belonged to Cortana, the AI from The Pillar of Autumn, pilot of the ship, and John's constant companion during the hellish struggle to get off of Halo.
"Status?"
"ETA REACH is just over 5 hours, however there's a complication."
"I hate complications." Chimed in Lt. McKay.
"What complication? The Covenant must have glassed REACH and moved on by now…" The Chief trailed off, refusing to admit that his entire team had been on REACH at the time.
"Long range sensors are picking up huge amounts of energy in the system indicating large-scale plasma fire," a pause "in addition to IFF tags designated as friendly"
"A friendly IFF? Has to be a derelict." This was McKay again.
"Not just one, fifteen presently in system, and roughly one hundred more en route in slipspace." Corrected Cortana.
"They're still fighting it out? How is that possible? No space battle has lasted this long, even the Harvest campaign was only two weeks, and that was over five systems."
"Chief it appears that my in-atmosphere slipspace jump inside Threshold's atmosphere may have caused some bizarre anomalies in relative time and space. Its all very complicated, and completely theoretical, but entirely plausible."
"So REACH is still there, there are still humans defending it, we have the most powerful warship ever piloted by humans, and my team could still be alive?" asked John.
"We also have 63 ODST Marines." Added McKay.
"That's correct Chief, Lt."
"Cortana divert power from all systems, weapons, shields, life-support I don't care, get us there as fast as this thing can possible fly!"
"With 100% power from the reactor dedicated to the Slipspace drive, estimated time or arrival is three hours, sixteen minutes." Replied Cortana.
"Not good enough, bring the reactor to 125% and recomputed." Barked the Chief.
"ETA REACH now two hours, twenty seven minutes… if the reactor doesn't go critical first."
"Just get us there Cortana. I'm not picky on how. Lt. McKay, may I request you brief your troops and get them battle ready? Last time we were here there were 300 ships attacking REACH, they're going to need every gun we have." The Chief worded his order as a request only because the Lt. outranked him, though they had come to a mutual understanding that the Master Chief was in charge.
The Lt. nodded and left the bridge to get her people ready, they had just escaped two weeks of hell, cheating death at every turn, and now she had to ask them to jump right back in.
"You think your team may still be alive?" asked Cortana now that they were alone.
"I know they are, and as long as there's one human left on REACH, I'm getting there to help."
"I agree John," said Cortana softly "might I suggest briefing the Pelican pilots? This tub isn't equipped with drop pods.
John nodded and silently left the bridge, hope filling his heart for the first time since he sent his only family to near-certain death.
Mission log 220… approx. 0430 hours… UNSC Vallient, in high orbit over REACH… Cmdr. Keyes log…
The UNSC Vallient truly was a special ship, for the last six hours she'd taken all the abuse the Covenant could throw at her and still sailed proudly through the smoke and fire infused vacuum around REACH. Burning hulls of massive ships crowed the entire local system, and made navigation a problem. Fortunately Cmdr. Keyes had one of the best bridge crews in the fleet. Her young officers were the best in their particular fields, and had the kill count to prove it.
Of course the fact that the Covenant were barely even trying to take REACH was a matter for another time. All that mattered now was protecting the MAC V guns, and praying that the ground team earned their reputation as two of the toughest units in the fleet. The Spartans were damned near invincible, and the only other unit even on par with the 501st was the 502nd, stationed on the Pillar of Autumn, God knows where.
"Commander we have incoming!" shouted LTJG. Evans.
"We have a whole damn system full of incoming Miss Evans."
"Ma'am yes ma'am, but this one is transmitting on one of our secure freqs."
"The cruiser task force already? Or a loner?" asked the Commander, hardly daring to hope that her reinforcements had arrived already.
"No Ma'am, definitely Covenant, heavy cruiser, but broadcasting on an ONI freq."
"Put it on speaker." Order the Commander.
"This is Master Chief Spartan 117, authenticator alpha, kilo, delta, requesting contact with the Commanding Officer in system REACH, secure only."
"Open a secure channel immediately!" Commander Keyes was practically salivating now, if that really was Master Chief 117, he had brought them a Covenant cruiser, a battalion of Helljumpers, and AI, and her father.
"Channel open Ma'am" reported the COMMS officer.
"Master Chief this is Commander Miranda Keyes on UNSC Vallient, currently commanding REACH FLEET. What's your status?"
"Ma'am I have a captured Cruiser, 63 ODST's of the 502nd, AI Cortana, and myself at your disposal ma'am. Standing by for deployment orders."
"And Captain Keyes?"
The was a full minute of silence on the channel…
Groundside REACH
The 501st and Red Team had been pounding the Covenant attackers with over three thousand 7.62mm rounds, Jackhammer rockers, and Lotus mines for six consecutive hours. There were all of them running on pure adrenaline now, having suffered only fifteen casualties for over a thousand of the enemy. Red 1 was starting to get worried though, there seemed no end to the Covenant infantry, and he was nearing the end of his eighth supply drop. Covenant air power was making it harder and harder for the Columbia to deliver the ammunition his team so desperately needed. The three frigates tasked to the ground effort had expended their armories and were concentrating on the Sereph fighters and smaller enemy ships in the area.
The Longswords, designated Knife flight, send by Commander Keyes had saved his life so many times he'd actually started a tally to keep count, but the supersonic fighters needed to dock and refuel and re-arm, which the Covenant were now using to their advantage.
"Heads up team, here we go again!"
Another wave of angry screaming aliens was charging out of the smoking wood line, having to literally climb over the carcasses of their slaughtered fellows, but coming none the less.
Spaceside, UNSC Vallient
"You've done a terrific job Miranda, I'm prouder of you than I can tell you, now its time to turn the heat up, I'd like you to transfer command of FLEET REACH to this ship, and allow Cortana to coordinate our ships."
Commander Keyes wiped a tear from her cheek at the sound of her father's voice, but her own was clear and steady as she informed her ships that they had a new commander and new orders.
Cortana began broadcasting orders to the remaining ships in system, arranging them into a defensive posture around the Big Sticks, which still allowed the Vallient and Truth and Reconciliation to attack the Covenant vessels.
Spaceside, Truth and Reconciliation
Sixty three Helljumpers and one lone Spartan loaded gear and themselves into the four Pelican drop ships in the cruisers bay, preparing for a bumpy ride groundside. Only tens of years of training and discipline prevented the Master Chief from opening and all-freqs channel to check on the men and women of Red Team.
"All right Marines, strap in and hold on, there's gonna be some turbulence."
The voice of Warrant Officer Carol Rawly, better known as Foehammer, was calm and controlled as ever, as she prepared to deliver a ship-load of Marines to their enemy. The Master Chief had worked with Rawly almost exclusively on Halo, and knew her flying abilities to be matched by no other non-Spartan pilot in the fleet. If anyone could get him and the ODST's through a thousand Covenant ships and fighters in one piece, it was Foehammer.
Groundside, REACH
"Red 1 this is Cpl. Stine with Alpha company, we have Pelicans inbound Sir."
"Pelicans? How many? And what in the hell for?" asked the Senior Chief.
"No idea sir, only thing coming over the freq is OLY OLY OXEN FREE, any ideas sir?"
But Red 1 was no longer listening, he was opening a channel to his Spartans.
"All Red Team units, we have four drop ships in bound, carrying at least one Spartan, lets clear the LZ now!"
As one every Spartan on REACH began pouring fire into the designated LZ, clearing out any infantry, then concentrating on suppressing any Covenant anti-air in the area. If there was a Spartan in bound, it was most likely the Master Chief, and they were all anxious to have their commander back.
Echo 419, entering REACH atmosphere
"Five to dirt, get ready guys, this ones gonna be real hot, even by our recent standards."
Marines stood and cocked rifles, readying grenades, and strapping on packs full of ammo, waiting for what they expected to be a mad dash firefight to cover, it was what Helljumpers were trained for after all.
"Touch down! Hit it Marines!"
Twelve Helljumpers and one Spartan thundered down the ramp as soon as it dropped, crouching into position to cover each other in the dust cloud caused by the landing. The last thing they were expecting was to be ringed in by Spartans, all facing inward and saluting as the Master Chief got to his feet.
Spaceside, Truth and Reconciliation
With Cortana directing the fleet, a further three Covenant ships were history, and the remnants of the original REACH FLEET were undergoing some much needed maintenance. The hundred or so remaining Covenant ships were holding back out of range, launching drop ships and fighters, only some of which were being intercepted by the fleet. They seemed determined to put more and more troops on the ground, and had sacrificed another carrier to initiate a massive landing. The ship had quickly been dispatched by plasma torpedoes from Captain Keyes' ship, as well as MAC rounds from his daughters, but Cortana estimated they had landed a few thousand troops. She could spare no more ships to support the Master Chief and his team, and long range sensors showed the task force from Earth was still nearly a day out.