Admiral Kastanie Drescher
Orbit over Elysium
July 12, 2157, SA Calendar
Debris and bodies of both sides floated amongst the void. Ice crystals form in their veins and across their faces. Ships both lightly disabled and several shorn completely in half. The pirates raiding the colony are fighting and winning. Admiral Drescher could only helplessly watch as ship after ship left Elysium containing Asari, Salerian, and human slaves.
"Admiral another three frigates have been destroyed," a tech officer announces, "our sister dreadnought has also been destroyed!"
The admiral grits her teeth in anger, "These damn Batarians!" Drescher can only calculate the odds in her mind. She had ten ships remaining and paled in comparison to the pirate fleet. She still had six frigates, one heavy carrier and its fighters(1164 Meters), the dreadnought(Average is around 1000 meters in length), and two cruisers(Average is 700 Meters). The pirates had three dreadnoughts, five carriers, 15 cruisers, and 20 frigates. Originally the pirate fleet had 75 ships and the systems alliance had 40 ships in their defense fleet.
As much as she wanted to retreat, she could not in good conscience leave knowing the attack was of slavers. Drescher will have to fight to the last man. Maybe they could hold out for reinforcements, but she knew a large majority of slaves had already been taken off the planet.
"Regroup the fleet and deploy nuclear options on the dreadnoughts, capital law be damned," Drescher's voice is cold and calculating, "and give me the sitrep on ground forces."
The same male tech from before answers her, "the FOB is being overrun and they are in retreat."
"Retreat to where? that was their last line of defense?" the admiral immediately says showing a pained expression.
Suddenly everything began shaking violently, ships, humans, Batarians, Vorcha. Everything felt it. Drescher wouldn't know till much later that the entire known galaxy was experiencing this violent shaking.
Emperor Dmearis Schahl
Orbit over Earth
July 12, 2278, SE Calendar
The emperor of the largest human empire to ever exist stepped up to the podium. The entirety of the settled galaxy was listening. His announcement was not only a great moment but a sad moment.
"Today I let you know that we are at war. Our enemy is not conventional. It is not physical at this time But is visible despite being more of a concept. I apologize if this is confusing," Emperor schahl stands tall to his full six-foot height and is garbed in a crisp grey and black military uniform, no crown upon his head. The wind doesn't tussle his hair, being a classic crew cut and his grey eyes watch the crowd of millions gathered before him. "Our foe is a manifestation of darkness itself, Doing everything in its power to erase humanity and most other life from the galaxy who are not subservient to it. We will not go gently into that good night, we will fight to preserve life."
The crowds present and anyone watching the broadcast is listening with rapt attention. The military feels motivated and the civilians swell with pride, " we Survived the Mythos Wars and forged ourselves a place in this galaxy when other Xenos did not want us. We are strong because we have come together. Among you are Elves, Dwarves, Orcs, Spirits, Demons, Ogres, and every fantastic race our earth has produced. Together rage, rage against the dying of the light. Join me and take our place permanently in the galaxy as preservers of life. Join me to defeat the enemy who dares to extinguish life. Mythos!"
Cheers erupt and quickly a chant is heard across all 80 colonies of the schahl empire, "Mythos!"
Demaris turns and walks to the dropship just behind the large stage and podium, "give me a readout on all fleets including those that are remaining for the defense of Earth and her colonies."
Rashelle Schahl smiles and quickly reads off, "we have fleets 1-20 ready to deploy to the dark stronghold. I shall break down the defense fleets first being fleets 21-100." Rashelle follows her husband aboard the dropship without missing a single syllable. The rear of the troop transport has a large ramp, the bay large enough to hold vehicles and seventy-five marines of the royal imperial army. "Defense fleets are comprised of five two-kilometer carriers with a compliment of 300 fighters in each one, fifteen kilometer long cruisers armed with plasma lances and torpedoes as well as three battalions of marines who also have at least one spec ops regiment, then we have three dreadnoughts four kilometers long-armed similarly to cruisers doubled and additional forward Mass acceleration cannons firing Depleted uranium slugs with a tonnage of 200 kilotons, then we have 1 Mythos class carrier at six kilometers long and has double the loadout of dreadnoughts replacing the forward mac cannon with a star cannon, and last there is one war station being a sphere 15 kilometers in diameter housing fifteen battalions of marines armed with plasma lances and a star cannon, war stations additionally carry 25 compliments of fighters."
Demaris looks at his wife and smiles, knowing her head must be spinning, "and the war fleets?"
A glare is sent his way and he chuckles, "more or less triple each defense fleet."
The dropship closes the ramp during Rashelle's breakdown and has already taken off when demaris looks out a viewport. Earth has quickly become smaller and smaller. Demaris is being taken to his Personal Supercarrier dubbed Etherton's Retribution. "Warm all magic prism drives and prepare to deploy all units. Sorceress, please have my generals meet me on the bridge in fifteen minutes."
A warm feminine A.I. voice can be heard over the speakers, "it will be done, lord emperor."
Demaris shakes his head, "I thought I said No more lord stuff."
Just as the dropship docks in hanger nineteen of Etherton's Retribution, the entirety of the galaxy begins to shake. It shakes everyone to their very atoms.
Captain Jacob Keyes
Orbit over Reach
July 12, 2526
The UNSC stared down the covenant fleets that had just dropped from slipspace. The fleet was several thousand strong. Behind the massive and largest on record covenant fleet is a half-moon space station.
Despair was felt inside of Keyes and he squashes it down. There is no time to be scared. The civilian evacuation is still progressing down below. There is simply no retreat for the human battle group.
"Push MACs to 120% and coordinate with the admirals firing solutions, arm archer missile pods A-D, and arm all nuclear missiles," Keyes orders as he pulls his pipe from his mouth.
"Aye captain Keyes," Watanabe, the weapons system operator acknowledges the order.
All UNSC ships fire their first salvo of macs at the massive fleet of enemy ships. The largest ships amongst the human battle group are only four kilometers, a half kilometer longer than the smallest cruiser in the covenant fleet. The only way the UNSC could even hope for victory was in a 3/1 fight and still lose ⅔ of their ships. MAC rounds numbering in the hundreds slam into the Covenant fleet. The result is a dozen carriers and cruisers lose their shields from kinetic impact but only four covenant ships are destroyed when MAC rounds bore straight through. Atmosphere vents out into the void of space, and plumes of fire streak out in lines as the atmosphere burns from explosions.
Keyes now feels despair, the entire battle group was doomed for sure. Covenant forces only send forward a hundred or so ships to fight the battle group, the rest seem to be defending the space station. Why would they think the humans could even touch an object like that surrounded by so many ships? "Fire all Archer missile pods A-D and launch all nukes in their wake," Keyes orders, "cook the bastards!"
White plumes of smoke trail behind the large missiles as they streak toward their target, the unshielded covenant ships. Other ships have done the same causing a white wall in front of the human battle group.
Covenant point defense weapons swat hundreds of missiles out of the air, but there are too many to stop. Burning lotuses of death and destruction blossom amongst the covenant forces. The remaining unshielded covenant ships are simply vaporized by dozens of nukes and two dozen more begin to drift as though their strings have been cut, their shields also down. Wrecks and debris of another half dozen that were torn apart by archer missiles.
Now Keyes can sport a grin, that was the single most productive attack the UNSC has ever dealt ou to the Xeno adversaries. Sadly it won't matter in the long run. The covenant still has more than sixty carriers, cruisers, super cruisers, and seraph fighters.
"Sir I have a build-up of plasma lances and torpedoes on all covenant ships," Watanabe states looking at her console, but keys can see it through the view screen in front of him. Bright blue lights shine across the side of every covenant vessel.
"On my mark, Fire all remaining archer pods to intercept as many as you can," Keyes orders Watanabe, "and navigation prepare for evasive maneuvers."
Plasma streaks across the void and Keyes swears he can see the grim reaper riding the blobs of superheated gas. Archer pods fire and Keyes prays he can mitigate some of the damage. Suddenly the ship begins to shake and his vision blurs, unable to remain still he falls from his command seat and black consumes his mind.
Admiral Kastanie Drescher
Orbit over Elysium
July 12, 2157, SA Calendar
The Whole universe feels like it is going to implode from the shaking everyone is feeling. It stops just as suddenly as i began. Drescher now realizes the Batarians have stopped firing and everyone shakes their heads. No ships are actively moving, even fighters, as though a ceasefire was declared.
Looking out the viewport gives her the strangest sight she could probably imagine. A planet completely identical to Elysium appears across the solar system equidistant from the sun. then another planet appears, all three are the perfect distance from each other. Comms flare up as the fighting returns violently, "Ma'am, ground forces took the opportunity that just occurred to take back the command center. They are saying something about Shepard leading the ground forces with renewed vigor."
Drescher isn't listening however as the largest ships she has ever seen appear around the planets. Clearly, it is two different factions. One Elysium copy has a fleet of gunmetal grey ships, all blocky in design and massive. The largest ship outclassed her dreadnought by at least four times and could probably out mass the destiny ascension. The other Elysium copy was even more shocking.
A large spherical space station large than a moon stood silently amongst the void. Surrounding it were ships even large than the gunmetal grey ones.
"Ma'am, those new ships are hailing us," the tech at comms looks at Drescher with an ashen face.
"Put it on screen," Drescher orders and is shocked to see two human faces appear, well technically one human face. The human on the left is wearing a sharp grey suit and has captain's bars, attached to his chest is a pin reading CUTTER. the humanoid on the right has dark green skin and pointed teeth, also wearing a crisp grey uniform but with more black accents. Dark black hair adorns the top of the green one's head and all Drescher can think is it's an orc.
"This is Captain James Cutter of the spirit of fire," the human on the left side of the screen states, "we find ourselves in an odd position, and id like to know the reason for your fight. Perhaps we can assist."
Drescher doesn't hesitate for a second, "I am Admiral Katanie Drescher of the systems alliance and our colony is under siege by slaving pirates. Please help us!" Drescher doesn't care how she must look to the new arrivals and her crew, a chance to save her men and those on the surface is now present and she'll be damned if she doesn't take it.
The green orc on the right immediately speaks up, "I am admiral Ghoruk of the Schahl Empire. We do not tolerate slavery and will assist right away. Send us data on the enemy ships and we'll cripple them for boarding action."
Cutter nods along with the Orc, "THis is a strange situation and solutions will be easier to find once there is no immediate danger. The spirit of fire will send marine detachments and ODSTs to the surface to pacify ground forces. Can we count on you Ghoruk to hand the space elements?"
The orc nods and looks to be about to speak when Drescher quickly adds, "please take caution. The Batarian slavers put chips into the base of the skull to pacify slaves. One wrong move can kill those we must save."
"Very well madam admiral," Ghoruk smiles a toothy grin, "We shall do our best."
Both comm lines go dead. Drescher can't help but drop a sigh of relief. Until she hears something from her scanner technician, "ma'am, I'm reading no eezo cores on either of the new fleets. Without shields, the Batarians will shred them."
Drescher looks at the technician as her face goes ashen white. She had basically just had first contact with two new factions and asked them to die!
"Wait, both fleets have suddenly vanished ma'am," the technician shouts.
Drescher watches with fear and awe as several blackholes open over the planet she is orbiting. Thirteen blocky grey ships emerge from them. What could only be described as Mass acceleration weaponry fires and destroys a Batarian cruiser, the shot from The Spirit of Fire. large green dropships deploy from The Spirit of Fire's hanger. Then several pod-looking objects shoot from the bottom of the ship numbering at least fifty, followed by fifty more, and more after that. Drescher shakes with surprise when she realizes there are soldiers in those pods. To drop from orbit like that is tantamount to suicide! What crazy bastards are willing to do that! The other ships launch similar vessels and pods but are all smaller than The Spirit of Fire.
Above the large space battle, a single large circle glowing with runes materializes in space, and from it emerges the fleet from the schahl empire. All 24 ships and the space station emerge from the glowing circle. All Drescher can think is magic, real magic. The sides of each ship and the space station glow a brilliant white. Beams of energy slice through space and effortlessly pierces each Batarian ship right where the engine would be. The Batarian ships were now crippled and dead in the water so to speak. Suddenly drop ships are launched from the space station and the large six-kilometer ship.
"All hands stand down and ceasefire," Admiral Drescher orders her remaining ships, watching the two fleets save her own. Relief washes over the admiral and hope quickly follows.
Spartan Jerome-092
ODST Drop pod in orbit over "Elysium?"
July 12, 2526
Flames scorch the outside of the drop pod as it enters the atmosphere. Were Jerome a regular human he'd be afraid or possibly feel his teeth rattling. This was not the case for the spartan supersoldier.
"Spartan," Captain Cutter appears on the screen within the drop pod, "we have found ourselves in a strange situation. There is another group of humans with strange ships and Xeno enemies trying to enslave them. I need you to organize ground forces and eliminate the slavers. Take no survivors. Cutter Out."
Jerome nods in understanding of mission parameters while Cutter's face vanishes. The grounds is visible now and the shoot opens above the pod. Slightly slowing descent. Wham! The pod slams into the earth amidst the ruins of a city. Waiting for the pod door to open, Jerome can see several Xeno's designated Batarians moving to inspect his pod. With a loud whoomph, the pod door explodes off from small explosive charges.
The pod door slams into a Batarian, splattering across the ground. Jerome steps out of the pod shouldering his MA5C assault rifle and spartan laser on his back. The Batarians visibly recoil in fear of the large behemoth standing a glorious seven feet and 2.3 inches.
Jerome fires his assault rifle and 7.62 high-velocity armor-piercing rounds slam into the nears Batarian. Exactly three rounds hit the Batarian's head, the first two break its shields and the third enters the helmet to spray blood with grey matter out the back.
In mere moments the cold calculating gaze behind a golden visor dispatches five Batarian pirates. Jerome can't help but notice their shields are weaker than the covenant.
Not wasting any time the spartan sends a comms message through the battle net to regroup at the human ground resistance main base, eliminating any and all enemies on the way.
Jerome takes off in a sprint, running at the full speed spartans like himself can go. Ahead of him on the street, a group of local humans is being pushed back by a large vehicle, possibly a tank. The MA5C quickly finds itself on the Spartan's back and spartan laser in his hands.
A loud whine fills the air and a loud boom when the tank explodes. Heads of defenders whip back and see Jerome crouched with the spartan laser. Just as quickly as before the MA5C is back in his hands.
Upon reaching the defenders he can see surprise, fear, and hope in their eyes, "are you those reinforcements command just told us about?"
"Affirmative," Jerome answers in a strong voice, "we are regrouping at the main defensive position. Then we'll push the Batarians from this city. What should I call you?"
"We are system Alliance marines," A man steps forward, "Names Shepard. I took over when our commander died. We were almost decimated until that shaking happened."
Jerome snaps his rifle up and fires a burst at a Batarian. The next moment a corpse falls onto the street and Jerome says, "Double time it to the defensive position marines."
"Sir, Yes sir!" Shepard and the either marines shout.