Vanguard

Chapter 42

"The Azloc Findings Pt.1"

[Heavy cruiser Harmonious Condemnation, Azloc System, Three days later]

Shev 'Vadamee was resting in his command seat silently in what seemed to be a peaceful slumber, something he hasn't been able to get for nearly week until now. The task of maintaining control over a planet, handling constant attacks that was becoming something of a weekly basis, and overseeing the distribution of resources and allocating them back to the carrier Long Night of Solace for further processing was tiresome and dull. The crew aboard the bridge did little to disturb him, silently attending to the various comms and coordination of the fleet and ground forces that continue to snuff out any and all pockets of clone resistance across the planet.

In his sleep 'Vadamee was back on Sangheilios in the Vadam Keep, he could see his clan thriving and prospering every day. The veteran swordsmen and their students sparing one on one in the keep courtyard with their wooden poles. And there was his wife, Lana, who has been faithful to him ever since they became married; she was his most trusted companion and friend.

He could see Lana standing beside him holding onto his right arm as she watched the distant sun slowly lower itself to the distant mountainous horizon.

"It is beautiful is it not?" she spoke, her native language was fluent and soothing to even the most belligerent of the Sangheili.

"It always has been Lana" he answered, his voice was calm and gentle.

"Perhaps more beautiful than me?" she asked playfully.

The husband chuckled under his breath "Never . . ."

The two turned to each other and leaned their heads against the other's "I dare not ask for a million more stars to fill the sky if it means losing you" he reassured her.

"You will never have to worry Shev, in life or death, body or spirit; I will still be by your side no matter what."

As she said those words they could hear the vibrating hum of a battlecruiser looming overhead about to take up position over the keep as it prepares to take on the soldiers bound to join or return to active duty within the Covenant military.

"The transport has arrived" she spoke "Now the Covenant needs your service again" her expression now somewhat saddened.

But he wipes away her tears and stated "Do not cry for me Lana, less you wish for me to do the same. But I will return as I have done so before. Hopefully the war with the humans will end and we can be together once more."

"The humans are certainly more tenacious if they had lasted this long."

"Their tenacity and bravery has been duly noted and respected, but it is by the prophets' will that we extinguish them."

"Perhaps . . . I wish there was a way we could all exist peacefully, maybe the humans are not what they appear to be."

Shev considered those words carefully, his wife has always been awfully considerate for all those in the galaxy, especially the humans whom she felt had become victims of a wrongful accusation by the Covenant High Council.

"Maybe . . ."

"Shev!" a voice roared.

The two turned to see a crowd of Sangheili soldiers marching by and the commanding officer, Raku 'Kalomee, standing by "It is time 'Vadamee."

Shev's facial expression depressed into a saddened state as he turns back to his wife and bows his head towards her "I do not wish to leave you again . . ."

But in the end Lana whispered "There will be another time."

'Vadamee broke away and took one final look at his wife, she seemed heartbroken but yet proud of her husband and tells him "Go . . ."

Shev silently nods and lets go of her, now heading away to meet up with Raku. Then as if by cue the mob of soldiers began to recite their oath starting with the highest ranking member, an ultra, began:

"When we joined the Covenant we took an oath!"

"According to our station! All without exception!"

"On the blood of our fathers, on the blood of our sons we swore to uphold the Covenant!"

"Even to our dying breath!"

"Those would break this oath are heretics, worthy of neither pity nor mercy!"

"We shall grind them into dust!"

"And continue our march to glorious salvation!"

As Shev joined the others towards their walk to the staging area he stops for one last moment to see his wife standing where she was, alone but still proud, but then he gives one assuring nod that he will return to her as he has done so before. He then turns back and joined his brothers back into the war.

It has been six years since he last saw her . . .

"Shipmaster . . ." a voice spoke to him from beyond his sleep.

The special operations commander slowly woke, opening his eyes tiresomely before he looks up to see one of the bridge officers standing before him.

"Yes?" he asks.

"Forgive me for disturbing you Sire, but the humans have requested an audience with you. They claim it is important."

Annoyed by this, Shev gave a small sigh then states "Very well . . . send them in."

The major bowed his head "Of course Shipmaster" and walks off.

'Vadamee sat up in his seat and took a quick glance around the bridge until he noticed something wet upon his right hand that he had rested his head upon. He looks down to find a single tear drop resting on his hand and thus he thought about the dream, then his wife who believes he's dead, it was something that he has been trying to not think about but in the end he has been hiding a wound that can't be healed. He eventually hears the door hatch behind him chime and open, prompting him to rub the tear away with his thumb.

To his left he spots Admiral Gran being escorted by two Sangheili minors armed with Type-51 Carbines just before stopping in front of the shipmaster.

The human then began with pleasantries "I hope I wasn't disturbing you in the middle of something."

"You should understand the role of fleet commander, it can be a tiresome thing."

"Something we have in common then."

One of the guards behind hissed "You dare compare yourself to the shipmaster?"

But Shev restrained the agitated Sangheili "He is not wrong 'Surok, please leave us. You are needed elsewhere."

The two guards acknowledged 'Vadamee's orders and leaves Gran alone with him, the bridge crew made no comment of this and continued their work in silence.

"You wish to speak with me . . ." the shipmaster stated.

"Yes, in fact I have a few questions if you don't mind."

"It all depends on those questions."

"Very well then I'll start with this; this Great Journey . . . what is it?"

In response Shev stood up from his seat, setting his eight foot high dominance over the five and a half foot human "That is something you humans continue to ask . . ."

The admiral smirked and gestured with open hands "I only asked once."

The elite shoots a short snort and then sneered "Your sense of humor are all the same, but I will oblige your curiosity. Walk with me."

Gran gestured his hand for the shipmaster to take the first step allowing him to make his way towards a central podium that overlooked the pits filled with men and consoles, nobody paid him any attention, and Gran eventually came to his side.

'Vadamee began "The Great Journey . . . it is something that unites us all under the banner of The Holy Covenant. The belief that beings have once existed long ago until they ascended into godhood, we seek salvation from a doomed existence and stand alongside those who have achieved such."

"And your aggression towards our kind specifically? Why?"

"It is the will of our Hierarchs that your insignificant species be erased from existence, a pest that has longed to be rid of. Yet your kind has shown persistence and stubbornness to silently fade into the dark. You will sacrifice yourselves and destroy the places you once called home to impede our advance through your worlds, a viable tactic I will admit but foolish and pointless in the end."

"You simply act on the hierarchs' whim? With no purpose or proof that humans are as dangerous as they say?"

Then immediately without warning a bridge officer barks "Shipmaster! We have incoming vessels appearing outside weapons range!"

'Vadamee's mind quickly went into action "What is the total?" he asks with calm.

"We count fifty six human attack cruisers along with a high number of escort ships, they are coming into formation!"

The holographic projector began to display the approaching fleet that just dropped out of hyperspace well outside of the Covenant's field of fire, an impressive one hundred and forty seven thousand kilometers away, and held its position. Ten Venator-Class Star Destroyers, accompanied by six Acclamator Assualt Ships, held a tight-knit formation forming a horseshoe-shaped line with the Acclamators being protected within. The other forty vessels formed four different staggered line formations with ten Venator in each line, the first wave was ahead by three kilometers with the second wave and horseshoe line hanging back. The remaining escorts, consisting of Consular, Gozanti, and Arquitens-Class gunships, were scattered out around the capital ships in pairs acting as a first defense for the fleet.

Shev studied the fleet carefully as he gave his order "Recall our corvettes from their patrols, prepare for flanking maneuvers on my command."

"As you wish Shipmaster!" a crewman acknowledges.

The commander then mutters to himself "Seems our information was off by a wide margin . . . I was expecting something smaller."

Gran then informs him "That's half of the entire Sector Fleet, they have you outnumbered five to one."

"It would seem that way. Certainly the most daring challenge yet, but while they lie safely outside our range they're still foolish to attempt a long range duel."

"Perhaps, maybe they learned from their past mistakes."

"I pray upon it, it would not be so dull."

"Sire!" a Sangheili operator roars "Three more ships have entered the field! Unknown classification!"

As he said those words three more vessels dropped out of hyperspace just several kilometers behind the main fleet, two of the ships were of unseen design, dagger-shaped, nearly a mile long, more rigid exterior hull than the Venator bristling with heavy turbolaser and ion cannon batteries, and a centralized massive bridge tower sitting on top of the ship's 'neck' where it was then situated on the dorsal superstructure which was shaped somewhat like a pyramid, flanking said pyramid were two sets of four heavy turbolaser batteries, each turret held six individual cannons, and above the tower itself were two massive globe-like domes that served a purpose not yet known by Shev or his men.

The third and final ship that arrived was much different. Eight thousand meters long, dagger-shaped hull with a large humpback protrusion running along the vessel's ventral spine, massive enough to hold what looked like a city along the dorsal hull and a small centralized command tower resting comfortably within its protective field of shields and point-defenses, bristling with heavy weapon batteries and missile launchers, it dwarfed in the ORS heavy cruiser severely.

Shev was arguably surprised by the size of the ship, but nonetheless he showed little emotion to note. However on the other hand Gran was shocked he felt a sense of fear but mixed in with hope, he never imagined he would be on the receiving end of such a warship but he felt the Empire may finally have a chance to beat this Covenant.

"You seem a bit overjoyed Admiral . . ." 'Vadamee notices.

"That is a Mandator-ll Class Star Dreadnought, one of the most powerful classes ever developed during the Clone Wars. You may be hard-pressed to defeat a ship of that size alone."

"And its two escorts?"

"Imperator-Class . . . though a new powerful warship, they have yet been able to replace the standard cruisers."

The Sangheili then grunts "Very well then, a challenge at last."

"Sire! The enemy fleet is holding position outside weapons range, they are deploying fighters as we speak!" a sensor operator barks.

"Deploy our squadrons in defensive formations around our cruisers and raise the shields."

"Right away."

'Vadamee's eyes remained locked on the standing fleet "They would have attempted to contact us by now . . ."

"It would seem the Empire is through talking" Gran adds.

"So it would seem."

[Mandator Dreadnought Assertor, Command Bridge]

"Admiral Res, all ships have been accounted for and awaiting your orders" a clone officer reports as he stood next to his commanding officer who carefully studied the defending fleet, and the floating debris fields of Imperial warships that have failed their mission in the past.

"Thank you Chad, what is the status of the enemy fleet?"

"Eleven confirmed hostile ships are holding position in geosynchronous orbit over the planet, they're deploying fighters and setting them in defensive patterns around their cruisers. It doesn't seem they are going to attack."

"No they want us to come to them" Res remarked "And be quickly torn apart by their weapons at range . . . Very well then."

"Sir?" the clone asked befuddled.

"We'll come to them. Close the gap and engage them at close range."

"But Sir you said it yourself, we'll be walking into a meat grinder."

"Perhaps" the Admiral thought just before he gives his command "Get me the flight commanders, I have a high priority task for them."

"Yes Sir" the clone salutes before marching off the bridge.

However in moments another officer appeared, this one seemed somewhat concerned, and gave a stern salute before stating "Admiral, Emperor Palpatine requests your presence in the war room."

Res glanced at the officer, no evidence on the man's face indicated this was a hoax, then he sighed "I expected this. Carry on then."

The clone made no gesture as he watched the admiral move past him, making his way towards the war room that was situated just behind the control bridge through a pair of bulkhead doors. A short walk afterwards he passes through the hatches and steps into the war room where clone tacticians and crewmen went about their business.

He then came before the central holotable, gave his grey uniform a quick brush with his hands, and commands "Clear the bridge."

The men briefly glanced towards one another before they complied with their commander's orders and proceeded to exit the room in silence.

As soon as the last soul left, Res extends his hand out and presses a switch on the main console, in response the room's overhead lights dimmed and shortly after a blue holographic hooded figure built itself from the ground up. Res could feel the coldness surrounding him as the presence of his true emperor who looks down upon him with steady calm eyes.

The admiral kneeled before the hologram and spoke "Your Excellency . . ."

"Have you arrived Admiral?" the Emperor asked, his voice was slow and showed signs of age.

"Yes my lord, the fleet is holding at a safe distance from the enemy. They haven't made a move against us yet."

"Then do not waste this opportunity, wipe out this filth and secure the site on the surface. If you fail, only you will be held responsible."

Res stuttered "Y-yes my lord. But may I ask, what's down there?"

"A mystery we will all soon discover. I will observe your progress, Admiral, see to it the task is done."

"Yes my Lord, we will engage them immediately."

The hologram slowly faded out of view and the room became lit once again, and as if by cue the original inhabitants of the station reentered and resumed their duties. Res could've sworn his heart stopped several times for a moment, but he kept his calm and began to focus at the task presented to him; wipe out the blockade and secure the planet for the Empire.

Without a second thought he presses a different switch, this time a view of the defending blockade appeared, the flagship lied deep within the small fleet of cruisers and support ships, each close enough to provide anti-fighter support for each other thus creating an efficient and deadly AA field network. Authorizing a close range bombing run or strafing maneuvers meant only death for the pilots who he deemed too precious to lose.

Previous encounters suggests that the enemy excelled at very long range engagements, effortlessly tearing through a fully shielded Venator-Class Star Destroyer in a manner of seconds, this would likely lead his entire fleet to utter destruction should he commence a full assault. His most concerning thought was possibly losing the Assertor to enemy fire, or worse, enemy boarding action.

A clone officer steps up next to him, holding a PDA in his hand, and wonders "Sir, I hope you have a strategy for this."

The admiral continues examining the covenant fleet, his mind slowly accounted for every little detail about the situation, then he answered "I'm not so sure myself to be honest, but I think I have something in mind."

"Such as?"

Then by pure convenient timing six different life-sized figures appeared on the holotable, alongside the floating ships, each suited up in armored flight suits that distinguished them as pilots, the center pilot threw his right arm up into a salute "Sir, you called for us?"

"Yes Tracer" the admiral answered "I'll be honest I have a high-risk priority task for you, if you're willing to volunteer."

"You can count on us Sir, what do you need done?"

"I need you and your squadrons to make the run from here to the enemy fleet, distract their weapons and fighters, and buy us some time to get within weapons range to engage. Do not focus on engaging the enemy, speed and maneuverability."

The pilot grinned, as if crossing a one hundred thousand kilometer gap under heavy fire was one of his best attributes, "Of course Admiral, we'll keep 'em busy long enough for you to bring the fun."

The officer standing next to him asked "What if the enemy open fires on our cruisers?"

"We can use the Assertor as a shield for the rest of the fleet, I'm hoping the shields will last long enough but if not then we can still use our tonnage to our advantage. Once in range we can deploy the rest of our fighters and engage them. Meanwhile our transports can make way for the surface and commence ground operations with the Triumphant providing fire support."

"Of course Sir, I'll notify the fleet of the strategy" the clone answered back just before he heads off to attend to his duties.

Res nodded and turned his attention back to the pilots "We all have a job to do now men, stay safe."

"We'll depart immediately" Tracer replied just before he disappeared from view, the other commanders following suit shortly after.

[Assertor, primary hangar bay]

"Gray Squadron prepare for launch. Gray Squadron prepare for launch" a voice boomed over the hangar's intercom system.

The dreadnought's ventral hangar bay was vibrant with life, men attended to various duties in regards to maintenance and weapons arming. The hangar itself heavily resembled that of the Venator's with multiple smaller hangars stretched out on the sides and a single vast runway running through the center. However the twenty four men of Gray Squadron hurriedly rushed to their fighters for launch, Gray was Admiral Res' most successful squadron as of yet only suffering minimal losses while inflicting heavy damage upon the Separatist Navy during the Clone Wars. Currently squadron leader was Tracer, renowned combat ace in his own rights, he only served during the latter half of the war but he used this small time to effectively improve and adapt his skills and strategy, becoming a formidable foe with a recorded two hundred and fifty eight confirmed kills.

The squadron leader was already doing one last check over his suit, his black bodysuit and ACU camouflaged plastoid armor was in good condition, the oxygen supply box on his upper chest was firmly set in place and the breathing tubes connected to his fully enclosed Phase-ll helmet were secured as well.

A clone technician walks up to the pilot and hands him a PDA after the latter had firmly fitted the helmet over his head "Everything checks out Tracer, you're good to go."

The squadron leader takes the device into his hands and goes over the details of his fighter, so far everything has pleased him and so he hands it back "Thanks Cam, I'll be sure to buy the first round for us."

"I'll hold you to that."

"Heh, I know you will."

"We'll see you when you get back" the technician finally said before he gave the pilot a quick salute and heads off to attend to his duties.

Once Cam was out of sight Tracer turns his eyes towards his personal fighter which laid a short distance from where he stood, a single Republic-Issued Z-95 Headhunter Starfighter retrofitted with a hyperdrive system to allow it to perform long-range missions and painted with the standard Imperial gray as per new regulations instead of the traditional Republic crimson stripes he had preferred. As he made his way over he could see the other men under his command climbing into their ships and prepare for launch, he wondered if they were anxious about facing this new enemy- one powerful enough to wipe out fleets in moments, or if they were as calm as ever believing this to be another simple battle. This was something he figured he will never know, even he didn't know how he felt himself, but it was something to take note of.

He reaches his starfighter and climbs up the boarding ramp where he then steps down into the single-seat cockpit and took his seat at the flight controls. He begins initiating the startup sequence with a flick of a switch and a push of a button, the Headhunter responded with a steady whir of systems coming online and its twin fusion drive engines coming to life with a roar. The main console in front of him lit up and began displaying the readouts for the ship itself, he started to check them off.

"Engines check, weapons check, avionics check, life support check, subroutines check. Green across the board."

He flips a switch causing the checklist to disappear with a targeting reticule and radar systems to take over, just in time for a voice to speak into his helmet's comms "All ships begin launch procedure, opening main hangar doors."

He nods to that and grabs hold of the flight stick with his right hand and the throttle lever with his left, gently pushing up on the throttle the ship slowly lifted itself off of the floor and started to move forward. Another flick of a switch causes the landing gear to retract into the main body itself as he guides it out onto the central runway. Now moving along the runway towards the hangar entrance, the other members of Gray Squadron follow suit falling into line with their leader each in their own Z-95 Starfighter.

"Gray Leader to Assertor Actual, we're away" Tracer spoke as his ship left the hangar bay and into open space.

A voice over the comms gives a response "Acknowledged Gray Leader, proceed to the rendezvous at point five-seven."

"Copy that, proceeding to the rendezvous at point five-seven."

The voice of the Assertor fell right after, leaving the hum of Tracer's engines to keep him company as he and his squadron flew out into open space roughly twenty five kilometers ahead of the fleet where the other five flight commanders will meet them.

Once they cleared the dreadnought, he begins a rollcall "Alright all wings check in."

Then one by one they answered "Breaker checking in."

"Sai here."

"Nephi standing by."

"Vex ready."

"Haro ready."

"Fars checking in."

"Gillie combat ready."

"Dice here, all systems good to go."

Eventually all pilots reported in, all twenty four ships in total, and without second thoughts they proceeded to the rendezvous point. The men eventually began to chat with one another to pass the time traveling to the rally.

Tracer started off with a request "Dice, you'll be my wingman right?"

"I got your back Tracer, don't you worry."

"So Haywire, what're you gonna do after this mission?" Nephi, Gray-3, asked.

The pilot in question, Haywire and Gray-14, replied jokingly "Oh me? I'm thinkin' about taking a shuttle back to Coruscant and get to know the ladies back at that cantina we were at the last time we were off duty."

"You mean that Mirialan that kissed you on the cheek right?"

In an instant the rest of the squad went into a frenzy starting with Crane, Gray-19, "Wait-wait-wait . . . you actually have a girl that's interested in you!?"

Another clone bursts into laughter "I can't believe this! Hahahahaha!"

"Hey-hey! Watch it! You almost crashed into me!" another barks.

"I-I seriously cannot believe that Haywire has someone who's interested in him! Hahahahaha!"

"Way to go Haywire, what's the lucky girl's name?" Dice wondered, ignoring the pilot's constant laughter.

"Vesra, Vesra Tule."

"Huh, that's a nice name."

"Yeah, I made her a promise that when I come back we'll go out together and enjoy ourselves. I intend to keep that promise."

"Good for you brother."

Tracer couldn't help but feel proud for Haywire and the others, not only were they brothers to him but he was a sort of father figure for them, but the conversation came to an end when he orders "Alright everyone cut the chatter, we're closing on the rendezvous point. I'll go ahead and contact the others."

"Copy that" the others responded in chorus.

The flight leader switches the com-net channels with a flip of a switch and spoke "This Gray-1, we've made it to the rendezvous point, squadron leaders check in."

Almost immediately afterwards a response came back "Nomad-1, we're ready to go."

Then another "Ravager-1, all ships green."

And so forth "Hunter-1, ready."

"Phantom, standing by."

"Gunner-1, all ships present."

"Alright, all ships stay in tight formation. We do this side by side, no one takes the lead, no one gets left behind."

"Roger that Gray-1" Nomad answers.

With the Imperial strike force assembled, one hundred and forty four fighter craft and bombers assembled, they now begin to cross the vast expanse of empty space towards the enemy fleet.

"Alright everyone, input the coordinates for micro-hyperspace jump. We're going to outflank them and engage."

Phantom however protests "I thought we were ordered not to engage."

"We were told not to engage those cruisers, but we'll need to soften up their fighters before the fleet gets into range."

Ravager adds "That's a risky move, we won't have any support."

"We've done this before, it won't be any different."

"Let's hope so."

Then Nomad reports in "Coordinates set, we're ready to jump on your call Tracer."

"We're good to go" Gunner adds.

"Ok, initiate hyperspace jump on my mark. The moment we get in there we need to move fast."

"Roger!" the other squadron leaders acknowledged.

"Alright, commence jump in three . . ."

All members of the strike force has calculated their jump vectors and steeled themselves for what is to come.

"Two . . ."

Few pilots closed their eyes and made one last thought to themselves, now prepared to die for their brothers and their mission.

"One . . . Mark!"

With a sudden push of the throttle, all ships spooled up their engines and launched themselves into hyperspace. For the briefest second the strike force traveled across the immense gap before finally dropping out right in front of the covenant warships, the lead CCS-Class Battlecruiser now only a few hundred meters away.

"GO! GO! GO!" Tracer roared, throttling his engines to maximum.

In unison the imperial fighters breaks off into their respected squadrons and immediately zips past the frontline warships penetrating deeper into the fleet. Almost instantaneously however, the flights of Seraph Starfighters and Banshee interceptors guarding the capital vessels quickly responded with blistering plasma cannons and homing fuel rod canisters.

Within seconds after dropping out, the channel was flooded with voices "Enemy fighters at point three-five!"

"I see 'em!"

"Hash watch it! You got one on your tail!"

"I know! I know!"

"Watch that cruiser Hunter-5!"

"Argh! I'm hit! I need backup here!"

"Got one of those little bastards!"

"These guys move fast!"

"I can't get past their shields!"

At this point Tracer, with Dice close behind, was pursuing a Seraph that had broken off from the skirmish. Attempting to use a CCS for cover, the covenant fighter makes a quick dash underneath the ventral mid-section before banking hard up in an effort to elude the clone pursuers. But the two clones were right on its tail, effortlessly making the same maneuver and catch the fighter within weapons lock.

"Engaging!" the ace barked.

He pulls back on the trigger firing his dual-linked blaster cannons and sending blue bolts of plasma downrange onto target who shrugged off the first few blasts with its shielding but began to take hits to its hull. But it was quickly discovered to be much more resilient to blaster fire than they initially thought, able to take more than its fair share of punishment.

"Dammit!" he cursed "These guys got tough armor!"

Dice however had a solution "Clear the way Tracer, I got 'em!"

As requested Tracer breaks off allowing Dice to engage and send off two proton torpedoes from his Headhunter fighter, the projectiles raced towards their targets shortly before the first made contact with the Seraph's starboard side sending it careening out of control only for the second torpedo to slam into its center and destroy it outright.

"That done it!" Dice remarked victoriously.

This revelation quickly brought Tracer to advise the others "Alright everyone, use your cannons to take out those fighters' shields then hit them with your torpedoes!"

"On it!"

Imperial and Covenant fighter craft continue to race pass the much larger cruisers, though it was until now that Tracer noticed that there was no anti-air fire coming from the capital ships. As he tailed a pair of banshee interceptors, he began to wonder what the Covenant still had planned for them.

[Harmonious Condemnation]

'Vadamee and Gran watched the fighters fly past firing bursts of bolts at one another, the imperials attempting to use their upmost speed and maneuverability to match the Covenant in combat, the shipmaster was impressed however.

"You do realize you can just destroy them with concentrated fire from the cruisers" Gran notes.

Shev considered the thought "I understand you desire to spare them this last pointless battle, but I prefer to grant them a fair challenge before they die."

The admiral sighed wearily "Very well, there is nothing I could do that will change what is to come."

"You may be surprised . . ."

"Shipmaster!" an Unggoy crewman yelps "We're beginning to lose ships! Call for help yes?"

"No . . . we must not distract ourselves with these pests, our primary focus is the enemy fleet that lies outside our range."

However only moments after that statement the Mandator Dreadnought takes a short leap through hyperspace, using the same tactic as the fighters, and instantly came within several kilometers of the fleet. Not long after, the first wave of twenty Venator-Class Star Destroyers followed the dreadnought in the same manner and quickly took up defensive positions. In a manner of moments the imperial fleet open fires upon the Covenant, sending volleys of turbolaser fire slamming into the shields of the superior vessels.

'Vadamee and Gran felt the floor shake beneath them as the ORS-Class Heavy Cruiser began to take fire from coordinated fire from the dreadnought and several cruisers, he quickly demands but in calm "Status."

"Shields are holding but this will not last very long" an officer reports "But our cruisers are reporting they are taking immense fire."

"Send word for reinforcements, we will require the aid."

"Yes Sire."

Another bridge officer barks "Shipmaster! Our cruisers are waiting for orders!"

Without a moment of hesitation Shev looks down to his right arms rest and presses a small button, this allowed him to access the fleet-wide battlenet, and sends his commands "All cruisers fire at will. Send this filth back into the void."

A response quickly returned "This is the Fervent Traveler, we are engaging."

"Servant Divine, engaging."

"Abiding truth, weapons free."

Upon acknowledgment of their new order, the Covenant fleet returns fire with immensely powerful bursts from their energy projectors and volleys of devastating plasma torpedoes. The Imperial fleet at this point had already unleashed its swarm of fighters that now blanketed the realm of space along with covenant fighters and heavy anti-air flak from both sides.

Minutes after the initial engagement, the first Venator is quickly struck down after receiving two subsequent hits from a battlecruiser's energy projector that had ripped through the shields and sliced into the destroyer's main reactor core, resulting the ship to be engulfed in a bright light that shined like a star. Two Venators meanwhile engaged a single battlecruiser using combined fire and coordinated attack runs, the CCS's shields eventually fell and its hardened nanolaminate hull became exposed to heavy laser fire and proton torpedoes. In exchange, a flight of Seraph fighters managed to slip through one of the attacking destroyer's point AA defenses and creates a swift and destructive bombing run across the cruiser's port heavy gun turrets, destroying two of the four DBY-827 Heavy Turbolaser Batteries and heavily damaging a third.

An SDV-Class Corvette quickly falls to heavy concentrated fire but not before wiping out an unfortunate Consular Gunship with a single pulse from its plasma emitter and annihilating an Arquitens assault ship with a single torpedo. Starfighters of different models continued to race one another in vicious dogfights with both sides suffering severely for it, those who were not engaged began to make runs on the capital vessels themselves. Y-wing bombers make fast and heavy bombing runs across the Covenant's gun batteries and outer hull, Seraph and Banshee fighters continue to target critical and vital weapon banks and command bridges.

Aboard the Condemnation, Shev wasn't overall impressed by the tactic the Empire used. Though close range combat gave them a better chance to succeed it was even more dangerous now that the Covenant were able to utilize most of their close range weaponry. Effective but not impressive.

The shipmaster stands up from his seat and steps up to his standing post in the center of the command bridge "If the humans wish to duel us at close range, we will oblige them. Command to all ships; advance!"

As ordered, the Covenant battlecruisers and corvettes slowly ignited their repulsor engines and began to advance into the imperial fleet. Now engaged at point blank range, the fleets become locked in a grueling brawl of power as each side pummel and slice each other with heavy battery fire and precise lances of light. The close proximity of each ship left the small nimble fighters little to no room to safely maneuver as the capitals now begin to utilize their close range point-defenses and pulse laser weapons to maul one another in a vicious display.

"Sire!" a Sangheili officer shouts "The human transports are beginning their descent towards the planetary surface!"

Shev's eyes quickly locked on the two Acclamators, accompanied by a single Venator, make haste for the planet's atmosphere. He expected this of the Empire and had already prepared a response for this.

"Prepare to fire on those transports, deny them passage to the surface" he commands.

But the combat operations officer argues "We cannot acquire a clear target Sire, our ships have become too close with the enemy and we dare not fire less we kill our brothers."

'Vadamee frowned and growled lowly "Rrgh, very well . . . warn our troops on the surface of what is coming" he then turns to another Sangheili "Prepare our troops for immediate departure. I am transferring my command over to 'Morsati, he will lead in my stead."

Afterwards he turns on his heels and begins to walk off the bridge, but before he leave Gran stops him "Where are you going?"

The Sangheili warrior stops and answers "I am going down there to secure the site, you and your men will come with me."

The now baffled Admiral protested "But surely you're joking, you want my men and I to acc-"

"But I am not. I will release your men and arm them appropriately, they will either aid me or perish. Your decision Admiral."

Gran found himself in a tough position, either help 'Vadamee and the Covenant to save himself and his men or be forced to watch his people die before he too follows suit. He expected this would eventually happen to him and he would have chosen to sacrifice himself for the greater cause, but at the stake of his men's lives he swore to protect, he couldn't decide their fate like this.

He couldn't fight it, so he gives a grave sigh "Very well . . . I'll go speak with the men. . ."

"Good" 'Vadamee answered "Let us be on our way."

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