Vanguard

Chapter 33

"New playing field"

[UNSC Vanguard, Slipstream Space]

The two SPARTANs and the surviving Jedi were disembarking from the pelican dropship onto the hangar floor, Jorge helped Cain out of the vehicle as James ensured the holocrons were still intact and that Lador and Bayu were alright in terms of injuries. It wasn't long until Ahsoka appeared through the bulkhead door and came down onto the floor to greet everyone, however when she saw only three Jedi she began to wonder and worry.

She stops next to James seeing Lador, Bayu, and Cain and asks with concern "Where's Master Kenobi and Master Yoda?"

He took a moment to look at the accomplishment they made, rescuing the Jedi and securing the holocrons, before he answered solemnly "They didn't come . . . they weren't giving up just yet. I'm sorry."

"Don't be . . . they made their choices and I'm sure they had good reasons. I can't thank you enough for what you did for us."

"I didn't do it for the Jedi, hell I even considered leaving Cain there but, in the end I knew this was what you wanted. To have hope that the Jedi can still survive."

Bayu walks over and the SPARTAN introduces the two "Bay this is Ahsoka Tano, Tano this is Bayu Cila."

Tano kneeled down and held out her hand "Pleasure meeting you Bay, are you doing ok?"

The Pantoran shook her hand "Yeah, thanks to Longarm I'm fine."

"That's good to hear, how about we get you something to eat?"

"Great!"

Ahsoka grinned as she stood up just before Lador added "I'm a little hungry myself, mind if I join you?"

James nodded "Ahsoka will take you to the cafeteria; Percival will have something for you all when you arrive."

Komari commented "I can't wait to actually taste something again. . ."

But Jorge added "You'll have something in the medical bay, first we got to check your vitals."

"Very well . . . I could use some rest as well."

Ahsoka turned to James "What're you going to do?"

He answered "I got a list of things that I can handle. Go ahead and make them feel at home."

"Alright" she grinned before she rests her hand on his shoulder and leave along with the others.

The SPARTAN-ll sighed for a brief moment, not from exhaustion but for relief that they weren't going to be alone in this endeavor, afterwards he heads off behind them to store the holocrons and make his way up to the command bridge to assess the situation on the galactic scale.

[Meanwhile, Wild Space]

Aboard the Covenant CSO-Class Supercarrier Long Night of Solace, currently residing in orbit over an uncharted world ripe with resources, Sav 'Artamee stood aboard the carrier's CIC command bridge overlooking the repair operations of the ship. It had been five long years of repairs and military reorganization, however with the aid of the hundreds of Huragok that survived the slipspace detonation over Reach had cut their time down by half, and the world they hung over was perfect for resource mining and fueling.

'Artamee stood silently watching the numerous monitors displayed throughout the large dimly lit control room until a Sangheili major approached him and reported "Sire, the heavy cruiser Harmonious Condemnation has arrived and is awaiting your commands."

"Good . . ." Sav responded calmly "Have the cruiser fall into formation with the rest of the fleet; we grow stronger with every passing cycle."

"As you wish Sire."

The major marches off letting the de facto ruler back to observing the monitors. Courtesy of the world they claimed their own they were able to establish bases of operations around the more vibrant regions to acquire and process raw materials for ship construction and repairs. Now their strength has been bolstered to a great force of five CCS-Class Battlecruisers, one RCS-Class Armored Battlecruiser, six SDV-Class Heavy Corvettes including the Ardent Prayer, and now a newly constructed ORS-Class Heavy Cruiser has joined the ranks of the recently formed Fleet of Second Consequence.

Sav couldn't believe it only took them five years to get this far, albeit the Assembly Forges of the holy city High Charity could've achieved such a feat in several days it was still everything he could've dreamed of.

"Fleetmaster . . ." a voice spoke out calm and with some authority.

'Artamee turned his head and spots a fellow Sangheili donning black spec-ops armor approaching him "Shev 'Vadamee . . . You have something to report?"

"I do indeed brother . . ." he comes to a stop next to 'Artamee and examines the monitors that surrounded them "I bring word that there is a new power rising against us."

"A new power? Surely it does not concern the demons?"

"No . . . this one rises from the remains of the Republic. A new Galactic Empire as the heretics put it."

"An empire? That would complicate our plans in the future, what is their strength?"

"They far outnumber us as well as outgunned" with a single wave of his hand over a terminal he brings up the holographic projection of the galaxy with a purplish border out lining this new threat "All of the known galaxy is under its rule, with the humans acting as the primary force standing against us."

"The humans? I understand they are different from the ones we have encountered in the past and neither foe hardly proven themselves a threat, save the demons."

"Yes brother, but we must tread carefully. Their interstellar travel is significantly faster and their armaments are more damaging than before."

"What do you recommend Shev?"

'Vadamee took a moment to ponder, taking their overall force and the Empire's into account, then suggests "Immediate action."

'Artamee looks at the spec-ops with a befuddled expression "For one as cautious as yourself, you seem eager to face our new adversary."

"I only seek out for our best interests, if we make our presence known they will face us, and when they face us they will be known to our wrathful might of our vessels. They will fear us."

"They will send more to challenge us."

"Then let them come, we must secure a presence away from our new world to ensure they do not disrupt our efforts here."

'Artamee invested some thought to what 'Vadamee has said, even though they were in wild space they knew this new Empire would try to gain as much control as possible, which means they will be expanding their territories and they will encounter the Covenant sooner or later. Shev was calling for a preemptive strike.

"Do you have a target in mind?" he asks.

"Yes brother" 'Vadamee responded as the galactic hologram shifted onto a small remote system not too far from their current location "This world would provide a necessary fortress to our cause, initial survey scans foretold an abundance of raw materials that could be used to further increase our power. The Empire currently has a small squadron in orbit over the planet utilizing those resources we require."

'Artamee was beginning to warm up to the idea, give the Empire something to fear and acquire even more resources to build more ships, vehicles, and facilities.

Then he gave his command "Very well 'Vadamee, I will assign you the ships and men you need to perform your task; act as the vanguard and secure orbital supremacy. From there the rest of the fleet will follow and purge the remaining ground forces from the surface."

Shev bowed his head placing his right hand over his chest "It will be done" and walks away.

As the Sangheili spec-ops treaded off the bridge, Sav was given a new thought about the Empire and the Covenant's means of surviving in this galaxy while cut off from the rest of the hegemony. While personally he wished to remain hidden and gather strength, he knew the Empire will eventually find them and send a fleet large enough to overwhelm them, he felt that Shev's plan was the proper course of action.

Make the Empire aware of their presence and make sure they think twice before attacking them.

[Two days later, Azloc System]

In orbit over Azloc lll, a frozen planet with a hardly hospitable climate and rich with natural resources, three Venator-Class Star Destroyers, now sporting the standard imperial dull grey, stood guard. The flagship of the fleet, the Peacekeeper, stood idle with its supporting cruisers flanking the sides.

Rear Admiral Gran, an Imperial captain and seasoned veteran of the Clone Wars responsible for various victories against the Separatist Navy, quietly watched out the viewport seeing the stars glisten in the blackness of space as he enjoyed the relative silence aside from the chiming monitors and muttering crewmen. It has been several weeks since his fleet was deployed to the Azloc System to begin mining for resources needed to the war effort, but now with the end of the war they were collecting minerals to expand their imperial influence throughout the galaxy.

A clone officer walked over and reports "Sir, the research outpost located close to the planet's northern pole reports they found something the snow."

"You didn't come all the way to tell me they found a rock or an angry native . . ." the Admiral retorts, his voice was firm and showed signs of age but its authority was either well respected or feared by lower ranking members.

"No Sir . . . they found a structure that doesn't match with any known records, its architecture is nothing like we've ever seen."

"And have they gained entry?"

"Negative, the entrance is sealed shut. The requisitioned for explosives but nothing left even a scratch."

"Interesting . . . send a report to Sector Command. Let them know what we've discovered."

"Right away Si-"

An officer operating down in the pits of the command bridge cuts the other off stating "Sir! Our sensors picked up four strange anomalies just on the edge of the system."

"Explain."

"It's unclear Sir. It's something we've never registered."

"Is it still occurring?"

"One moment" the clone responded before examining his console, he mutters "What?" and turns back to the Admiral "It's gone Sir . . . whatever it was it- it's gone."

"Well keep a look out for another anomaly, I don't want an-"

"Wait it's there again- seventy five thousand kilometers out!"

Gran quickly realizes the potential danger to the fleet, his voiced raised "Set the fleet on alert!"

As the clone acknowledges the order, Gran turns his attention to the view in front of him and already he spots a small array of bolts of lightning skipping across the empty vacuum of space. Only moments later did four pitch black voids suddenly tear open into reality in front of their eyes, the voids erupted into violent turbulent storms as a vessel of unknown origin emerged for the blackness of oblivion itself. The crafts were purple, sleek and bulbous, almost organic in design, with three smaller identical vessels appearing up front with another, much larger, warship appearing behind them and practically dwarfed the ISDs in sheer mass. Gran could only gaze in astonishment as the portals slowly retracted into nothingness and the four ships sat idly in front of them far outside of the Empire's weapons range.

"Four unidentified contacts outside of weapons range! Class unknown!" a terminal operator barks.

Another reports "Sir! We're receiving a transmission, audio only."

"Put it through" the Admiral orders, almost feeling he may regret it.

The clone worked and got the message to play, the voice was deep and full of calm collected hatred as it ushered fear and upmost authority:

"Take heed humans, your time is at an end, for your destruction is the will of the gods! And we . . . we are their instruments!"

That was all Gran needed to hear to give his command "Scramble all fighters and raise the shields, send word that the fleet is under attack to Sector Command!"

But a clone reports "We can't! They're jamming our communications!"

Another states "Sir! Energy buildup detected along the flagship's bow, looks like they're preparing to fire!"

"At seventy five thousand kilometers? No weapon has that kind of range, they must be-"

As he said those words, a lance of white light lashed out and struck the cruiser that flanked the Peacekeeper's port side, the beam of concentrated highly energized plasma effortlessly pierced the ISD's shields that lasted for a mere three seconds before the kilometer long ship itself was gutted like a fish. The thin beam sliced through the heavy durasteel armor, like a lightsaber through a paper thin metal sheet, and caused tremendous damage to the entire hull from bow to stern, cutting through the main central hangar, cleaving through numerous decks and bays, and finally rupturing the Venator's main power core which resulted in the cruiser to immediately destroy itself. All of this was done in under eight seconds.

Gran watched in horror as the cruiser literally fall apart in halves, each section was riddled with explosions all across the hulls ensuring that the ship was no longer a threat to its attackers. Though it brought him some relief to see life pods fleeing the now lost cruiser, another beam of light cuts a swath through the other cruiser, having the nearly similar result; undefined destruction of ridiculous proportions.

He gave no second to dwell on the losses of the two cruisers and orders "Divert all power from the shields to the engines and weapons, have all fighters prepared for launch!"

A crewman argued "Sir no shields!? That will leave us defenseless!"

"It won't matter! Our shields won't hold against a weapon like that, we're defenseless either way! Now I want to get close to those ships as possible, if they can beat us at range it's time we show them what we can do."

"Right away!"

The ISD, as ordered, began to move forward with intent to engage the enemy at close range. However it began to occur to Gran that the enemy flagship hasn't fired another shot, one that would've destroyed him and his ship, and none of the other vessels were moving. He began to wonder about why he wasn't dead yet and what the unidentified contacts were doing, 'Perhaps they have to recharge . . .' his first thought was.

But his moment passed when the cruiser eventually closed the gap at twenty thousand kilometers and an officer reports "Sir! The enemy flagship is moving ahead of the enemy fleet, they're heading right for us!"

Gran muttered "What are they doing? Why haven't fired another blast?"

Then another clone reports "Sir they're lowering their shields! What're they doing!?"

That's when the imperial commander realized 'It's a challenge . . .'

[Harmonious Condemnation, CIC]

Aboard the ORS-Class Heavy Cruiser Harmonious Condemnation, Shev 'Vadamee stood silently watching the bridge crew under his command work eagerly to his demands knowing they have gone back to what they did best, killing humans. In the center of the command bridge, a massive holographic projection of Covenant fleet holding position while the ORS and the Venator-Class Star Destroyer Peacekeeper were closing the gap between each other. The hologram then focused on the two flagships, the ORS-Class heavily outmatched the much smaller ISD, allowing 'Vadamee to gain a better insight at the duel about to unfold. He had been waiting for an honorable duel for the longest time since his fight with the SPARTAN-ll back on Ukio.

A Sangheili officer calls out "Shipmaster! The humans have entered weapons range and are closing!"

"Let them come closer, I want for them to show us what they are truly capable of."

"As you wish."

He was fortunate to know the cruiser's high-powered energy projectors were operable and gave him his long range ability to destroy the imperial warships from afar. He was also fortunate that, due to the lack of manpower in the Covenant force ever since the slipspace detonation over Reach, the newer models of the ships were more largely automated rather than needing a larger crew to operate. A good example of this enhanced automation was the Condemnation itself, any ORS-Class would need a traditional crew of several thousand, now only needed several hundred to operate at optimum effectiveness with another several hundred to act as a capable ground invasion force.

The Venator was closing in the distance, all eight of the turbolaser gun batteries were directed forward awaiting the command to open fire, but Shev had a different idea and subtly orders "Correct our course, five degrees starboard."

The navigations officer acknowledged and relayed the order "Yes Shipmaster, changing course to starboard by five degrees."

As ordered, the Condemnation gently changed course denying the Peacekeeper's ability to unleash a full barrage with its guns and now forcing to rely on its four portside turret batteries to survive the imminent encounter.

"Shall we charge up our projectors?" the weapons officer asked.

"No, send available power to our port torpedoes and pulse lasers. I wish for this to be a fair fight."

"Yes Shipmaster."

An Unggoy shortly after reports "Sir! Energy signatures say they are diverting power from the engines to their main cannons."

Shev calmly muttered to himself as he watched the two cruisers slowly come side to side with another, allowing him to get an even clearer picture of the size comparison with the three thousand meter long ORS being over twice the size of the Venator, "So . . . this is how it unfolds."

The two warships were now side to side, several hundred meters from one another, and the Venator fires the first round sending a volley of destructive blue bolts of energized plasma onto the nanolaminate plated hull, with the DBY-827s at full power the guns were effortlessly smashing through Covenant armor. The ORS immediately responded with a volley of devastating plasma torpedoes and precise pulse laser, ripping and tearing apart the durasteel hull with relative ease. The two vessels traded blow after blow to one another relentlessly, laser fire piecing and causing significant damage to nanolaminate hull plating, plasma torpedoes boil away durasteel armor and pulse laser dissecting through critical hardpoints.

"Sire! We are taking significant damage to our port bow and midsection! Hull breaches on multiple decks!" a crewman reports with concern.

"Fear not officer" Shev reassures the crew "I suspect our opponent is not faring any better than we. Continue the attack, concentrate fire onto primary weapon decks."

As directed, the ORS launches a barrage of three energized torpedoes that rocketed their way through the emptiness of space until they slammed into the imperials' main gun batteries and caused devastation at an immense scale, completely vaporizing the turrets themselves and melting away at the decks below. With the primary armaments gone, the lone kilometer long Venator was helpless against the massive Covenant cruiser that was preparing to end this match once and for all.

[Peacekeeper, Command Bridge]

"Get to the pods now! Abandon ship!" Gran yelled over the top of his lungs as the men under his command scrambled to flee the bridge.

He knew that one day he would be defeated but never did he imagine it would be by such a seemingly unstoppable force, the battle was lost and all they could do now was to survive any way possible. As expected of naval command, Gran was the last to be standing on the bridge however just before he began to fall back to the pods he stares out to the black void of space, where the three smaller vessels lie dormant, and spots a number of pitch black void induced storms rupture into view allowing a fleet of similarly designed vessels, albeit larger and more menacing looking, emerge from the portals and make their approach to the planet he was supposed to be defending. He could only hope that the men on the ground will fare better than he.

[Harmonious Condemnation, CIC]

"Sire, the invasion fleet has arrived" an Unggoy crewman reports.

The holographic projector displayed the small arriving fleet of four CCS-Class Battlecruisers, two more SDV-Class Corvettes in addition to the three the Condemnation arrived with including the Ardent Prayer, and the RCS-Class Armored Battlecruiser. The invasion fleet consisted of eleven vessels that were now converging on Azloc lll.

'Vadamee however wasn't watching his reinforcements approach the planet's orbit, instead he watched the numerous escape pods jettison themselves from the crippled cruiser that now lay adrift in space, and he commands "Send out the phantoms and secure those pods. I want the commander of that vessel on this bridge at the earliest convenience. If anyone shows resistance, kill them."

The Sangheili flight officer nods to Shev's order and performs his duty. 'Vadamee then turned his attention over to the Covenant fleet that was soon to be entering the planet's atmosphere, initial scans upon arrival reported scattered Imperial bases all across the planet surface consisting of both military and research installations. His role of achieving orbital supremacy was done, now it was the ground force's turn to take the planet.

[Research Outpost 17-B, Northern Polar Regions of Azloc lll]

(Cue To Glory by Two Steps From Hell)

The alarms have been sounded throughout the small remote base, communications lost with the orbiting fleet suggests a separatist attack was imminent. Troopers of the 52nd Artic Engineer Regiment rushed to set up defensive positions around the perimeter, portable anti-air cannons were set up along with anti-personnel and anti-tank emplacements.

Trooper Dray was sprinting across the open plaza of the base in his cold assault armor with his long DC-15A blaster rifle in hand, he could hear the thumping of footsteps rushing in different directions as a clone lieutenant barks out "Move it troopers double time! Move it!"

However it wasn't long when Dray looks up to the sky, heavily blanketed with stormy grey skies as blizzards blew around them, and spot a faint light of blue flash from within the clouds only moments later when a massive gaseous blob of plasma come falling down like meteorite until it smashed into the base's communications center. The immense blast utterly destroyed the structure, knocking Dray onto his back, and reducing it to nothing more than a smoldering slag heap with no survivors to be heard of.

The clone, along with several others that were close enough to be knocked back by the shockwave, steadily got back up to their feet and continued running off to man their positions while Dray continued watching the skies, hoping to find the source of the shot fired, and when he began to see more lights he braced himself for the worst. Out from the clouds a one thousand seven hundred and eighty two meter long warship appeared, long, sleek, gentle blue lights emitting from the ventral side, and almost organic in design, the vessel was unlike anything the troopers has ever seen. That was when they realized they were no longer dealing with the droid armies of the Separatist Alliance, this was far more worse.

Without a word, the deployed anti-air cannons aimed their barrels upwards and began firing high-powered bolts of energy up towards the looming CCS-Class Battlecruiser that hovered above them but each shot fired was countered by the cruiser's onboard energy shielding, effortlessly absorbing the miniscule amount of fire given off by the AA guns. Dray saw the guns were having no effect and quickly noticed smaller ships shooting out of the ship's port and starboard hangars, roughly the size of a LAAT gunship if not larger, and began their descent down onto the base grounds. Several troopers quickly turned their aim onto the descending phantoms but their blaster bolts either skipped across the nanolaminate hull with no effect or left scorched marks against the armor with no visible damage.

No matter the amount of blaster fire that was put onto the squadron of phantoms, it never stopped them to drop their payload of soldiers onto the field via a lit gravity well that appeared from the belly of the transport. One by one hostile ground units made ground fall, first came the stubby little grey skinned aliens that wore minimal armor and large breathing tanks on their back, second came a pair of frail birdlike figures that wielded a shielded gauntlet on their left arms, and lastly was a small squad of large aliens that were shielded and carried a heavier armament of small arms compared to the lesser species that assaulted the clones.

"Contact! Contact!" a trooper barked before he was struck in the chest by a green bolt of superheated plasma, boiling away his armor and skin.

"Push them back!" another roared as he returned fire, killing a pair of the small stubby aliens before being forced to cover.

Dray gave little thought taking aim at one of the bird creatures and fire a bolt from his rifle, but the alien swiftly reacted and threw up its shielded gauntlet to deflect the bolt in time. The clone was then immediately forced to cover behind a stack of crates that was behind him when a flurry of plasma and pink needles flew past him. He took a moment to recollect himself, the thought of something capable of easily destroying a fleet of ISDs and now bearing down on them was a little nerve racking, as he looked around himself to see the small regiment of brothers fight defiantly against this unprovoked attacker, some scored kills while others fell to enemy fire.

"Hold them back!" the regimental commander roared, signified by yellow markings on his armor, as he took up a spot next to Dray who stayed hunkered down to avoid incoming fire.

The commander fire off several quick bursts from his DC-15S carbine before a stray bolt slams into the side of the crate he hid behind forced him to duck down for a moment, that was when he saw Dray and asks "Why aren't you fighting trooper?" his voice was firm and somewhat disappointed like a father to a young child that has done wrong.

Dray apologized "Sorry Sir, just wasn't expecting something like this to happen."

"Well snap out of it and keep shooting. We have to hold them out until our reinforcements arrive!"

The trooper nodded to the commander's orders and propped himself up on a knee to take a shot at one of the stubby aliens that began to overwhelm the regiment's position. He pulls the trigger and sends a bolt downrange until it collided with the head of a grunt, killing it instantly in a display of sparks and blue florescent blood, before shifting his aim onto one of the larger aliens that was wielding a blue dual edged sword that reminded him of the Jedi as it cleaved through a sergeant's chest. And despite the Emperor's decree that all Jedi has become a traitor and must be killed on sight, he was really wishing there was a Jedi to save them from this hell.

He takes aim and fires off another shot however when the bolt collided with the alien, the energy shielding took the hit flaring a bright blue, and angered the creature to begin charging him with a blood chilling roar from its quadruple hinged mandibles. Dray began to panic and fire at the oncoming warrior, the Sangheili's shields continue to shrug off the incoming rounds until it finally broke with the fourth blast but even then it continued to charge with rage with each passing step.

The commander spots the elite charging Dray and quickly shoves the trooper aside yelling "MOVE DRA-" before the energy sword had cleaved through his body, the blade eviscerating the regimental commander into halves of his former self.

When the trooper was forcibly shoved aside onto the ground he watched his commanding officer be cut down just as the alien gave a loud thunderous laugh claiming the kill before turning to him and prepare to take another, but Dray drew his DC-17 pistol and began placing shot after shot into the Sangheili's chest with each blast slowing the alien down until it stumbled and fell dead. The clone was frozen beyond rational thought after seeing what has become of his commander before a bolt of plasma struck the ground next to him and snapped him out of his shock, he quickly starts searching for his rifle only to find it sliced in half when the commander saved him from the sword. So he grabs the commander's carbine instead and continue to fight, now angry over the loss and bound determine to kill every single inhuman bastard he saw. He quickly lands two bolts onto an unsuspecting jackal and places a third into a grunt's chest before the Covenant forces noticed his position and opened fire sending plasma and needles in his direction. However he holds his ground and continues laying down accurate fire onto the advancing hostiles, killing two more Unggoy and another Kig-Yar, until a needle fired from a rifle found its mark in his right shoulder knocking him down onto the ground screaming out in pain. Adrenaline took over, flooding out the sheer excruciating pain, and prompted him to rip the pink shard out of his arm before resuming the fight.

He noticed that other troopers were beginning to follow his example, fighting harder than ever before to avenge the fallen with rage, and push the Covenant back with newfound determination for survival. The Covenant were quickly forced on the retreat just as a flight squadron of Imperial ARC-170 Starfighters escorting a wing of V-Wings from a nearby airbase soared through the blistering winds with their engines roaring to engage the battlecruiser that hung over the research outpost. The fighters opened up with a barrage of blaster fire and proton torpedoes, the laser fire was shamefully absorbed into the shields while the torpedoes pierced through and caused catastrophic damage to the cruiser's starboard midsection, utterly obliterating the two hangars that inhabited that section and undoubtedly killed a lot of crewmembers aboard.

Watching the fighters deal such a heavy blow encouraged the troopers to continue fighting until the invaders were now in full retreat with phantom dropships swooping in to recover the troops and provide air support with their array of plasma cannons and concussion launchers. The clones, despite the losses the gunships were inflicting, continued to push until the last of the Covenant was finally driven out of the base.

"We got them on the run!" a trooper cheered as many others did.

Dray smiled knowing they were strong enough to fend off such a determined enemy until he heard the blood gurgling chuckle of an elite that laid on the cold ground behind him.

He and two others turned to see the downed Sangheili and approached with a clone asking "What's so funny split mouth?"

The elite was on the verge of death, he had suffered a lethal shot to his abdomen, as he breathed heavily while chuckling "Herherh" he coughed spitting up purple blood before he spoke "You think you won the day humans?"

"Certainly kicked your tail outta our base."

"This . . . is only the beginning. The will of our gods is strong . . . you're nothing more than an insignificant insect to our faith . . . the Great Journey does not wait for those who are unworthy. But our actions today have made us worthy of salvation" he spoke as he struggled to point his hand up towards the sky.

The troopers followed the Sangheili's glare and saw the cruiser, that was swatting down the fighters like flies, and a massive buildup of energy massing at the center of the warship's ventral side.

As the charge up progressed to critical levels the elite began recite a religious verse:

"None shall walk our path

None deserve its mystery

We own the right to pass

That right is carved in history

A gift bestowed by aeons

A future gifted from the past

The signs are there for all to see

The Journey waits for us alone"

The cruiser's charging sequence was complete, Dray and many of the base inhabitants attempted to flee the base on any means available to them, but in the end it did not matter as the CCS unleashed a beam of pure plasma down onto the base below glassing and killing everything that was inside. The glassing of Azloc lll has begun.

[Harmonious Condemnation]

Aboard the CIC Shev 'Vadamee watched the reports flood in. Numerous imperial installations were being glassed, some from the surface while others were being destroyed outright from orbit. He was pleased to know everything was proceeding exactly as planned and that the planet will be theirs in a matter of hours. He hears the hatch chime and open behind him followed up with a pair of heavy footsteps accompanied by a lighter set, he turns to see two Sangheili Ultras, signified in their pure white armor, escort an aged human donning an imperial uniform that represented admiralty.

The human's face was stern and rough, showing that he had more than his fair share of battles, and for that 'Vadamee respected that "I suppose you are the commander of the fleet we laid to waste?"

The admiral took a step forward, without any interference from the crew, and confidently introduced himself "I am Rear Admiral Gran Ikna of the Imperial Navy, your senseless act today is considered high treason against the Empire."

Shev ignored the latter part of what Gran had said and introduced himself "I am Shev 'Vadamee, second in command of the Fleet of Second Consenquence, and righteous inquisitor to the holy Covenant."

"The Covenant? I never heard of such a religious cult and I can assure you your control in the system will not last long" Gran spoke defiantly.

Shev chuckled, finding the human's talk all too amusing, "A cult? Is that what you believe we are? No Admiral, we are a thriving force that exists on many worlds. Countless armies, fleets, and more are ready to serve in the name of our gods. Our very purpose is to eradicate the heretic filth that dares to stand in our way to glorious salvation. You."

"I am but a man, how could I alone stop armies and fleets at a time?"

"Not you" 'Vadamee growled "Humans . . . all the same. You were all left here by the gods for a reason, you were not fit to go onto the Great Journey like our lords and saviors had did before."

Gran fell silent afterwards, trying to understand the reasoning behind the Covenant's actions for such a drastic attack on Imperial territory, Shev continues "However it has been shown to us on numerous occasions that your kind can be stubborn and resourceful, just like yourself in today's skirmish. I congratulate you."

"You call that a skirmish? That was outright slaughter!" the admiral protested.

"And yet I allowed you the chance to attack, even with your advanced capabilities you are still weak as ever."

"If you want to kill me then do it already, I don't see the point in keeping me around if we're going to talk."

'Vadamee then started to approach the admiral who stayed his ground "If it is death you seek, then I will grant your wish" and unveils an small energy blade erected from his right gauntlet.

Gran closes his eyes, expecting the worst possible pain imaginable, until he and 'Vadamee heard a Sangheili officer call out "Shipmaster! One of our scouts have located a relic near the northern regions."

Shev stopped dead in his tracks, he couldn't believe what he heard, and turns to ask in a low grave voice "Are you sure?"

"Yes Sire! They dispatched a small force of heretics attempting to defile the holy relic and have secured the area."

Gran watched in confusion and fear as the Sangheili deactivate his energy dagger as he chuckled and turned back to him "Well Admiral, it appears we may have some use for you after all . . ."

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