Chapter 6
Fleet: United we Stand. Ship: The Face of Danger. Location: Edge of Covenant Remnant space, engaging Remnant Fleet: Never Ending Promise. As we were about to board the pelican we heard over the comm, "WolfPack please report to launch bay thirteen, on the double".
We hurried off to the launch bay and IceWolf openly wondered "Why are we going to launch bay thirteen, that's for EVA operations only".
"No idea, but we better hurry, I just got a report saying a Covenant fleet engaged us" I said.
Sure enough we soon felt a deep rumbling thud, indicating our MAC gun was firing. Suddenly a huge crash shook the ship, which was a plasma torpedo hit, and would've knocked us off our feet but we kept going, SPARTANS don't fall.
In the back of my mind, in that corner that calculates your odds of survival and initiates your fight or flight instinct, I was going over the ships stats. The Face of Danger was a heavy frigate, armed with a MAC gun, SHIVA nuclear missiles, ARCHER Missile pods, point defense guns, and even the new experimental twin Rail gun turrets. It was the most powerful frigate in the UNSC NAVY; it was also the home of WolfPack, and for now, my home.
Once we arrived at the launch bay we were met by an officer, Lance Corporal Tim Jones.
"Right then, since we are engaging the covenant fleet head-on we can't get close enough to the Glory to the Gods Everlasting, so looks like you guys are going EVA for this one".
"Well if you expect us to assault a CSS-class Battlecruiser, you better have something good for us to fly" I responded.
"Oh, well you're in for a pleasant surprise." Jones said, "We happen to have five Open Frame 92/EVAs ready and waiting".
"Ok WolfPack lets go and get back our bombs" I said over Squad-Comm.
We proceeded to mount our OF 92/EVAs and then, with sirens screaming, the bay depressurized.
As we unhooked and took off I said "PainKiller and StarFox go together, IceWolf and I will take FlashFury, see you on the other side.
By the time we were out of the hangar I had done a systems check on my booster frame and discovered it had been upgraded. It was equipped with a M92 Gauss Cannon, two 80mm Ball-mounted Rotary Cannons, twelve MITV Pods, and a M41 ELAAGat for a rear gunner if necessary.
As soon as we were in open space I was cut off from the rest of my team, confident that they could take care of themselves I took off, full speed ahead to the Battlecruiser. As soon as I got within 1200/km it started launching an assortment of Type-27 XMFs, and Type-31 XMFs. Once within range I opened up with the Gauss Cannon and 80-mms. Twisting and rolling I managed to take out several enemy craft when I heard FlashFury over Squad-Comm
"Rogue we might have a problem, the fighters have hit one of my engines and I am losing power".
"Ok" I replied "Keep you current heading, I'll meet up with you and give you a lift".
"Will do, boss" came back.
We came side by side a few minutes later and FlashFury leapt over to my Booster-Frame and manned the M41 ELAAGat.
As we continued cutting through the Covenant swarm FlashFury commented "Like a hot knife through butter" gaining a quick laugh from me.
Once we got within 1/km of the ship I could see the others following a short distance behind, a short time later the Battlecruiser opened fire with its Pulse Laser turrets, forcing us to dodge and weave in an attempt to survive the next few minutes as we hurtled towards our goal. As we got within a few hundred meters the Covenant finally seemed to realize we were going to board them. In an attempt to ward us off, they closed the hanger doors.
"WolfPack this is Lead, concentrate Gauss Cannon fire on the bay doors" I said.
I watched as the Cannon charged sixty, sixty five percent. After a few more seconds of waiting the Cannon was charged, during this time FlashFury and I had been successfully dodging fire from both the Battlecruiser and other star fighters while managing to take out several of them ourselves.
"Fire on my mark, three…two…one…Mark" I said.
Our concentrated fire easily blew a hole in the door large enough to enter in. We started breaking hard, and once inside we bailed out of the Booster Frames and used armor-lock to survive hitting the wall at excess of 500/kph.
I started to get up but was immediately knocked off my feet and the world started to fade to blackness, I noticed with slight amusement that a plasma torpedo had hit the bay. The Covenant Loyalist fleet had decided that we were such high value targets they would destroy a whole CSS- Class Battle Cruiser, and four Nova bombs to kill us, unless…unless it was a trap and the bombs weren't here after all.
As that reality dawned I passed into darkness.