Ok, so here is Part Four. Finally, some action!! Oh, and please READ THE DATE!! Otherwise you might end up confused...

2236 HOURS, MAY 2, 4461 (MILITARY CALENDER)\

BELL SYSTEM, HIGH ORBIT ABOVE TERRA NOVA\ ADROMEDA GALAXY

Rear Admiral Remus "Bulldog" Johnson stood on the bridge of the UNSC Trafalgar, rereading the reports before him. In the two and a half millennia since man had taken those first tentative steps away from Earth, great advancements had been made. Since the Human-Covenant War, the Humans and Elites had completely eradicated the Brute and Prophet populations, severely crippling the Drone and Jackal populations. With in two hundred years, the Milky Way had Human and Elite populations in all of its arms. Five centuries later, a ground-breaking advancement was made. With it came the ability to travel between galaxies. Soon thereafter, the first colony was established on Terra Nova in the Andromeda Galaxy. A gateway was built linking the two galaxies. For the next one thousand two hundred years, Humanity and Sangheili alike spread through the Universe. Each galaxy was linked by only one portal to the galaxy that had sent explorers to the new galaxy, and so a long "tunnel" was made to defend that blue and green marble, Earth.

Humanity had great pride in itself for becoming a Tier One civilization. Rumor had it that soon Humanity and Sangheili would surpass even the Precursors, a feat not even the Forerunners had done, all in two thousand five hundred years.

Then, in 4450, a joint exploratory team ran into them. In those brief eleven years, a lot was learned about this new enemy who wished to see all else dead. They were dubbed the Reapers by Humanity, for the way they reaped planets bare. The tunnel defense scheme became irrelevant when it was learned that the Reapers could appear in any galaxy at any time they wished. Most Human and Elite fleets were recalled to defend the home worlds. Only a few fleets were left to patrol the outer galaxies. Admiral Johnson's Taskforce Bulldog was one of those fleets.

Despite all the technological advances, humans were still prone to emotions. Right now, the Admiral felt a little anxiety and A LOT of anger. The report before him said that a large fleet was moving towards his position at sub-light speed. For the tenth time, he cursed his bad luck. There was no chance that it was a friendly fleet, so he did what all naval officers dread, and said, "Athena, bring the entire fleet up to combat alert ALPHA. Charge up the MACs and send a report to FLEETCOM." He knew it was too much to ask for reinforcements. "NAV, estimate enemy concentration?"

"Unknown, sir. At least one thousand vessels," said the Trafalgar's NAV officer.

The bridge fell eerily silent. Fifty to 100, maybe even 150, was still possible, but fifty versus over a thousand? This was going to be Taskforce Bulldog's last mission, and everyone knew it. After some thought, the Admiral spoke, "Alright, I'm initiating a Code Three mission alert." He was silent for a moment more, "Arm the NOVAs."

Another cameo apperance here. Chocolate bar to the first one who finds it.

And thanks to everyone who has reviewed!