Author's Note: With the premiere of the first space battle in The Bow and the Gun, I have to clear up some facts about how the Imperial military are presented, and actually just the whole of Star Wars tech in general. First order of business; Star Wars Extended Universe. I'm not acknowledging Extended Universe. The whole bundle of Extended Universe books are about as contradictory as the Westboro Baptist Church. I can find an instance of the Executor atomizing more than three Star Destroyers that crashed into its shields at hyperspace, yet at the same time, a small railgun can bring down a Star Destroyer's shields in a few seconds flat. I can say that sand is more effective armor than normal, and that the Slave I somehow possesses enough power to incinerate a small moon.
So no. Anybody who knows anything that not only is Extended Universe non-canon, but the authors were given free reign, and lacked any sort of technological baseline to build off of. As a result, nobody can really tell you how powerful any Star Wars tech is. So, almost the entirety of the Star Wars Extended universe is shredded into oblivion, with only a few details saved. Let me address those issues now.
One thing I saved from the fires of continuity is some of the Imperial and Rebel ship designs. Let's face it, Imperial fighter craft are a joke. TIE Fighters are a sphere with engines and guns strapped on, coupled with some lovely panels that practically scream SHOOT ME. The fragile things are unshielded, and are crippled by glancing hits. If the Empire even wants to have a chance in hell of beating UNSC Longswords and Sabres, they'll need TIE Interceptors and the like.
Another thing is Stormtroopers. They are iconic to the Star Wars franchise, but they are rarely discussed in the movies. A close friend of mine claimed that they are organs stuffed in a suit. I have no idea where he got that from. I can't find any evidence to substantiate it. However, the evidence I did find was consistent enough to incorporate into this fic! Stormtroopers are enlisted men and women of all species, and their armor is pretty much a lightly armored environmental suit, which is pretty much tissue paper in the face of blaster fire, as is movie canon.
Slugthrowers are only mentioned in Extended Universe, but it is pretty much consistent, so the Imperials will recognize guns as such. Although since armor is meant to block DEWs, anything short of heavy armor will be so much tissue paper in the face of UNSC weapons.
This brings me to another topic. Shielding tech in the Star Wars universe canonically does jack shit against physical projectiles. With the exception of Ray Shields, which are only present on specific droids and physical emplacements, Star Wars shielding tech is ineffective against physical projectiles. The best explanation I found of shields is that they forcefully retard incoming energy or projectiles. That is complete and utter bull. With the numbers that they give me along with that, the reactors on those ships would have to produce more power than a few stars. Even if I used that, it would mean the very air would damage shields, preventing them from being used in atmo. So I'm going by movie canon. Star Wars ship-mounted shields only block energy weapons. However, they will be more effective at blocking energy weapons than Covenant shields. So while that will help them in certain situations, they can't stop the MAC round that the UNSC will use to make swiss cheese of their fleets.
The last thing I'm going to bring up is the Force… I'm not sure how I'm going to go about this, but this is how I'm putting it for now. The Force comes from Midichlorians, and there are none in the Milky Way Galaxy. As a result, the Force is minimally effective against inanimate objects from the Milky Way Galaxy, and ineffective against people from the Milky Way Galaxy.
So feel free to send me reviews correcting me on Halo technology. However, if you send me reviews telling me about Star Wars tech and quoting Extended Universe books, I will laugh. If you include power values with those arguments, I will double over laughing, and fly off into the sun. Rule of Thumb: If it's not in the movies or violates movie canon, it's probably not going to be in this fic.
Also, the laws of physics will apply to starships.
So yeah, enjoy this chapter, and happy holidays.
New Years Update: Sorry, the starship battle will happen in Chapter Three. So sorry. Happy New Years.
Chapter Two: In a Galaxy far, far away…
Captain Toshiko Sato came to the conclusion that life was suffering, as she found herself sprawled out on the deck of her ship, with a headache that could put down a raging Jiralhanae.
"Status report," she groaned, clutching her head.
"Location is unknown, Captain," Bond supplied as his holographic avatar flickered into existence, "A Slipspace portal has transported us to an unknown location. The ship suffered a power surge at the moment of transit. Systems are rebooting and will be fully operational in a minute. However, all crew members will still suffer that headache for a few more minutes."
"I'd murder someone for a painkiller right now," Toshiko growled, forcing herself to sit up and look around.
Her bridge crew were in similar states of disorientation and discomfort. Her first officer, Commander Wilkins, was dry heaving while leaning heavily against the bulkhead, Lieutenant Commander Williams was slumped over her Sensors station, moaning, and Ensign Jones was cradling his head over the Weapons station.
"Captain," Bond spoke up, excited, "You might want to see this."
"Onscreen," Captain Sato ordered, stumbling to her command chair, while the view-screen flickered to life. What she saw astonished her. Literally hundreds of ships floated around right off the bow of the ship, drifting in a loose formation, yet not moving as the spun around each other slowly. That was not what was remarkable about these ships though.
What made them remarkable is that all the ships were of Forerunner design.
"I'm detecting some Keyships and Cruisers in the ghost fleet, ma'am," Bond informed Toshiko, "Most of the ships are of an unknown class, though."
"Holy hell," Commander Wilkins breathed, "This is…"
"Amazing," Lt. Commander Williams finished for Wilkins.
"Do you know what this means?!" Ensign Jones exclaimed, "The amount of technology in this fleet could bolster the UNSC! The Keyships could unlock the way to the Ark!"
"We are all aware of that," Toshiko snapped at Jones, "Bond, what can you tell us about those ships?"
"Well," the Smart AI began, "For one, they are still producing power. That tumble they are in is actually a programmed flight path. I have no idea why they are doing such a thing, but I can find out. Their computer systems are wide open and I am currently sifting through their files."
Toshiko shot a look at Bond's avatar, "I never ordered that."
"With all due respect, ma'am," Bond scoffed, "I can work much faster if I take the initiative."
Captain Sato frowned. Everyone knew Bond was reaching the end of his operational life. This was only the first signs of rampancy.
"I see," Toshiko opened up a small panel on the side of her chair, "Are the ships crewed?"
"Not as far as I can tell," Bond frowned, "I wonder why they would-"
"Thank you Bond," Toshiko cut him off, "That will be all."
With the flick of a switch, the Smart AI of the Stone Angel shut off.
"Schedule Bond for an overhaul when we return to Reach," the captain ordered Jones, who nodded in acknowledgment.
With a few more taps at the holographic display next to her chair, Toshiko brought the backup dumb AI of the Stone Angel online. A new avatar sprung to life on the pedestal. A little Japanese girl in a school uniform bounced happily, numbers streaming over her body,
"Ohayo, Captain," she chirped, "what are your orders?"
"Continue Bond's task of analyzing the Forerunner ships," the ONI captain massaged her forehead, "and give me a full situational report."
"Hai," the AI's avatar flickered off as Toshiko sighed. Whoever assigned that dumb AI to this ship had some weird tastes. Plus the sporadic use of Japanese made it sound like a 21st Century Internet Weeaboo.
"Captain," Lt. Commander Williams spoke up, "I've got something on sensors. You're going to like this."
"Onscreen."
The view-screen switched to an oddly familiar sight.
It was a structure almost identical to the one earlier, distinctly disjointed and massive. It was the same circular station, at least in outwards appearance.
"It's nearly twenty kilometers in width," Williams said as her jaw dropped open, "four times as big as the previous one."
Toshiko sat in thought. If these were what she thought they were, then they were Slipspace gates, and by extension, their only way home.
"Wilkins, set a course for that ring," Toshiko laid back in her seat.
"Heading set." Wilkins reported from the helm.
"Engage." Toshiko jabbed her finger forward.
Wilkins turned around in his chair, and cast an incredulous look at his commanding officer.
"Star Trek, really?" he said with more than a bit of patronization.
"Get to work Wilkins," Captain Toshiko snapped, "or I will stuff my photon torpedo so far up your shuttle-bay you will be stuck on impulse power for weeks."
Wilkins rolled his eyes, but turned back to the console and continued to pilot the ship.
As the Prowler gunned its thrusters for a second, sending it on a slow approach to the station, the Stone Angel's dumb AI popped up on the pedestal.
"Captain, the Forerunner ships are attempting to contact us." The AI chirped.
"They're hailing us?" Toshiko raised an eyebrow, "I thought there were no life signs on board."
"Well that's because I'm not alive," a new voice came over the intercom, obviously synthesized.
The view-screen flashed to the image of what appeared to be a stripped-down Forerunner Monitor, hovering on the empty bridge of a Forerunner Keyship.
"Ah, Reclaimers!" it exclaimed, "What a pleasant surprise!"
"A working Monitor…" Williams breathed in shock.
In the 35 years since the end of the Human-Covenant War, working Forerunner installations were coveted treasures, and working Forerunner AI were the crown jewel of all prizes. However, the years were not kind on many AI, and most were found in various states of insanity.
"Is the Flood contained? Were my makers successful in eradicating the parasite?" The Monitor seemed perfectly cheerful, but Toshiko was on guard. Many Monitors seemed amicable at first, only to turn on the humans in a second. These situations had to be handled carefully.
"All known Flood are quarantined. Now, since your curiosity is satisfied, I don't suppose you'd care to tell us who you are and how you got here?" Captain Toshiko crisply addressed the floating light bulb on her view-screen.
"Ah, where are my manners," the Monitor admonished itself, "I am 1304 Iridescent Vortex, Monitor of Installation…" The construct paused for a moment, and then continued in an almost pained tone, "well, I guess I do not have an Installation anymore."
An awkward silence filled the Bridges of both ships as the crew of the Stone Angel tried and failed to come up with a way to comfort an ancient artificial construct. A few minutes went by before Toshiko cleared her throat, breaking the silence.
"I offer my condolences, Vortex. Now, to the matter at hand. May I inquire as to why exactly you are here, and what the purpose of the nearby Installation is?"
"Ah," Vortex started, jolted out of its thoughts, "How silly of me, of course Reclaimer. I shall provide you with all relevant information available to me." The spherical construct bobbed cheerfully, "I am currently watching over a fleet of evacuation ships of my creators. When the Flood overtook one of the Forerunner's inner planets, a small fleet of ships managed to escape them. Knowing that the Halo Array would soon be fired, and with the Shield Worlds being compromised, my creators attempted to leave the galaxy using one the Intergalactic gateways that had been built, but forgotten when the Flood attacked. The very same gateway which you have just used. Regretfully, they all perished when the life support was disabled by the Slipspace Gateway. The gate been inactive for far too long, and it malfunctioned. In fact, you are quite lucky that you are still in one piece."
The bridge crew of the Stone Angel shivered slightly, feeling their mortality.
"We need to return," Toshiko addressed the Monitor, "Does this gate work two ways?"
"Indeed it does," Iridescent Vortex replied, "I'll just switch this one on. "
The station began to light up, glowing as Slipspace engines deep within hummed to life.
"I have to warn you Reclaimers," Vortex spoke up, "these gates are not particularly known for reliability during startup. It may generate random Slipspace portals. Anything caught in by them will appear here. No worries, however. The chances of such an occurrence are relatively slim."
Thousands of light years away, a Tartan Patrol Cruiser disappeared in a swirl of nothingness.