CH2 Revile
Orbit over Alpha Novara 'Origin' Forerunner installation
New Dawn 18:35
The crew stumbled, three direct hits to the shields and a glancing strike from torpedoes, any one would have been knocked about, the crew focused back on the battle, the odds were not in their favour but firepower was.
Gunnery Sargent ordered. "Get firing solutions on that frigate and bring us about for broadsides, it's time to show them our teeth."
As the frigate came within the range the New Dawn's port length revealed a dozen stored broadside rail batteries, each charged, they faced off with the Covenant pulse cannons. "Fire all."
The sudden shake rattle across the Dawn as a volley of superheated and accelerated rounds of tungsten ploughed their way into the Covenant Vessels port side, the rounds decimated the crew throwing shrapnel and debris from the volley.
Then they returned fire, though the first volley from the Dawn had weakened their resolve to fight the Brute shipmaster enraged ordered for anything to return fire upon the Dawn, the few pulse lasers scorched and melted sections of armour plating and other defences it didn't stop the second volley.
The second wave ended the engagement quickly and effectively as Cyrene took control for removal of the enemy frigate, the second volley thrashed the core of the frigate apart; detonating the engines and plasma drives, the frigate vanished in a magnificent display of bluish fire and purple debris.
Jacob watched as the loyalist Covenant heavy cruiser approached their position, the game was on, the Dawn was built for ship to ship combat, but against a heavy Covenant cruiser the chances of victory was slim.
Still Jacob was determined to get past with his ship in one piece, the Covenant cruiser of course was much slower than the Dawn and they still had active shields, there was still a way to get past this.
"Cyrene prepare forward shields were going to have to play a little 'chicken' as much as I hate to do it." Cyrene commented. "Oh, of course, if the charge doesn't kill us the little show probably would."
The New Dawn faced the Covenant heavy cruiser and made course corrections to charge them head first, as they approached it seemed as though the crew of the Covenant cruiser was happy to oblige as they accelerated.
Jacob watched as the sheer size of their ship became apparent, the dawn and her escort corvettes attached with the external hull rig was a length of 1.75km long and the heavy cruiser was over 3km this definitely meant a big difference in how this would end.
"Wait for my signal…" The two ships were just over a few hundred km apart now; just as it reached 10km. "Now, full port and let her go."
The ships barely grazed each other as they passed, the New Dawn dropped their surprise, a cluster of NATULIS nuclear mine deployed and penetrated the energy shields of the Covenant cruiser, there was about 2.5 minutes and over 120km apart when the nukes detonated.
Different to the frigate, the mines caused a sub-space field distortion, tearing the ship apart with slip-space energy; the shockwave that followed Cyrene anticipated struck with enough force that made the earlier barrage feel like a gentle breeze. Jacob was thrown forward with half the crew as the wave hit aft and moved around, the crew of the Dawn was tossed about even with the inertial dampeners and anti-gravity plating, the wave was intense and frighteningly powerful.
It was about five minutes until the crew managed to get back unto their feet, the world came back into focus, or in their case the galaxy. Jacob had been sure they had been blown apart if they failed he looked out the bridge the crew managing to get up.
"Cyrene, status report." The hologram of the blue woman appeared again. "Sir, it seems as though we have survived."
He replied. "That's good to hear, what's the status with the ship?"
"Good, we are soon to be operating again within a few minutes; the damage sustained is pretty superficial." Jacob switched through the system on all critical functions of the ship; there had no significant damage either than the shields being cooked.
"What is the status of Spartan team 7?"
Cyrene disappeared and then reappeared with a hologram of the operation of how far the teams had progressed on the field. "They have successfully managed to penetrate the enemy AA lines and have taken to the structure; we will have control very shortly."
18:55 Forerunner structure 'Epitaph' top level
Jonathan ducked his head down as plasma fire seared by this visor, the Covenant have put up a heavy defence and very stubborn defence but not so much as it didn't help against five Spartans, Mitchel had been giving ground support via a Covenant locust.
And the others were on the different platforms trying to clear the brute guards and troops encircling the damn prophet of Sanctification who decided to have activated the damn structure, the marines were covering the lower floors and pushing, soon the prophet would have nowhere left.
But Jonathan wasn't going to let the marines slow him down, he looked beyond the cover, the prophet trying to access the controls and furiously typing, Jonathan had more than a three dozen between him and the prophet.
Rushing out of cover he drew his BR55 and 1 multi grenade launcher, taking aim he launched half a dozen rounds into the air, landing smack in the middle of the corridor. The brutes and grunts had little time before they were incinerated by the explosions, a few that did survive were quickly dispatched by Jonathan as he came out of cover, he made his way past the first pillar and another two more to go.
As he advanced more brutes and grunts as well as jackals stood between him and his target, then a brute chieftain and his honour guard moved to stop him, side stepping the guards and ramming the chieftain, Jonathan knocked him back a bit and quickly swung around behind the chieftain, grabbing hold of the back ceremonious armour he jumped on to get a hold on the neck, then in a quick motion drew his combat knife and sliced it across.
The brute's blood splattered down as he fell limp, the other brutes were stunned the demon had killed the chieftain before they could react. They hesitated as they drew their weapons, but the supersonic crack of a 50cal drew their attention as one pack mate was missing part of his jaw, the pack turned about to see three demons ready for a fight.
The sudden chatter of gunfire and screams of the brutes drowned out the slow walk Jonathan now took as he approached the Prophet of Sanctification, the prophet could only wait as he said to the few guards left between him and the demon.
"Why bother can you not see, we are fools blinded by false faith and salvation, and he is the harbinger of cold truth and death."
The grunts retreated behind a corner dropping their weapons across the battle grounds hundreds ran away or surrendered, in the tower the prophet waited for death, his executioner only a few feet away.
Jonathan saw the retreating grunts and jackals, he moved to face the prophet who only watched, the two guards on his side moved to intervene until… a cackling of energy and a heavy body materialised behind them, and in a swing the heads of the two guards fell before their bodies.
There now stood a familiar white armoured alien, his mandibles open his retinas gold; he turned to face the prophet as Jonathan moved beside him.
Jonathan smirked behind his helmet. "Commander Thel'an Vadamee, it is good to see you again."
The Spec ops commander had joined the team when they had arrived on a world known as Divine Prosperity, the Loyalists had attacked the Sangheili colony and nearly destroyed everything, the team was surprised that Thel'an had actually joined; he had a grudge against the Prophet.
The armoured eight foot elite replied with revenge in his voice. "As do I Spartan, this is the end of you false prophet."
Within a flash he the energy sword struck the prophet in the torso and twisted it back out, the body fell limp.
"The day is ours; we must retrieve the sacred artefact before the other prophets fleets arrive."
The two walked to the holographic console, Jonathan pressing down the console lit up, suddenly the complex tower started rising, it was only then did they realise.
"By the gods, this structure is the artefact, quickly take control and tell your brothers and sisters to board before we launch."
Jonathan signalled the team, each of the Spartans manned the ancient vessels controls, on the lower level below the Spartans the ODST and marines had wondered why the Covenant had surrendered and now the tower was shaking.
They all held tight as the top of the tower released, a sword like shape ship came from the tower a few hundred meters across and below the vessel started ascending, Jonathan did have some sense of control but not enough to keep it stable, and he signalled the New Dawn.
19:11 Bridge, New Dawn
Jacob received the hail from Spartan team 7. "Cyrene bring us about full, we need to recover them."
The New Dawn turned about to the small Forerunner artefact; it wasn't up until they reached boarding distance when a difficulty occurred. White ripples of slip-space poured open not too far from the planet, bringing forth a cluster of large purple ships.
"Captain we have company!" Jacob couldn't believe his eyes; the sight of more than three hundred and fifty ships had appeared on the view screen of the New Dawn.
"Cyrene, get us to Slip-space now!" She replied apologetically. "Unable slip-space drives are still charging at 85% still need another five minutes."
"We don't have five minutes." The Covenant fleet was shown on a course correction towards them.
"Sir, we may have a solution." Jacob turned to see the face of Thom-021.
"What do you mean?"
The display showed the layout of the Forerunner ship.
"We can use the slip-space engines of the Forerunner vessel it has a quantum core engine that doesn't need to charge, it'll be risky though, then again sir, staying here is to."
Jacob felt the ship rock from external hits. "Then we're going to have to risk it, charge her up and dock with the Dawn, Cyrene will take control and calculation."
"Affirmative, sir, we'll begin docking." The com went dark.
The Forerunner vessel hastily docked with the New Dawn, and then the final procedure before their jump.
"Sir ready when you are."
Jacob timed. "Ready for jump in 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1… Mark."
The sudden jolt from the New Dawn as it hit trans-light speeds; the Dawn started shaking in places from the sudden stress of the portal, but Jacob could barely stay conscious as he watched the ship enter the blinding maw…
Part2