Alternate Past: Uncertain Future Mk II

A/N: Will refer to Human-Covenant War as The Great War from now on for the most part.

Warning, partial backstory spoilers for Halo 4 and the Novel: Halo: Crytum.

A/N: People have been saying they think I've made the UNSC seem weak. Well hopefully this changes your minds. Also, shield technologies. There will be or already have been, a surge in codex entries. I try to address as many holes people point out to me as personally as possible. And am grateful. This is just a blanket solution.

Also, sorry for piss poor quality of chapter. Will work on edit sometime in the future.

Betaed by Micheal1110

Also, kept promise of quick update. Lets see if I can keep it going!

Terminology for this chapter

Port: left

Starboard: right

Bow: front

Stern: back

Chapter 9

UNSC: Retaliation

**Citadel: Private Councilor Chambers**

Five Earth Weeks since the Events of Shanxi

The Councilors were having an informal meeting inside a room designed and made to act as a Faraday Cage, meaning the entire room was totally sealed off. Once the doors had closed, no signals of any sort could enter or exit the room. Least in theory.

They had decided to conduct an informal meeting to discuss the events from two weeks ago. Events that shook Galactic Society as they knew it to its core.

Tevos finished her drink and replaced the cup on the table. "So, what have your people reported so far? Any news?"

Teranus leaned forward and put the tips of his talons together. "We've expanded the shipyards around Palaven and have begun construction of three others in Volus Protectorate space with their permission. But it will be time before we can recoup our losses. Aepheus was a terrible blow." Some time ago, the Turian Hierarchy had lost all contact with their largest shipyards outside of their home system. Transmissions had simply ceased to come in and when a task force had been sent to investigate they found the planet in tatters. The shipyards and the ships had been, for lack of a better term, melted. Evidenced remained of energized gasses or plasma, but it was inconclusive.

Wrex crossed his arms as he leaned back into the wall. "We're rebuilding the facilities over Mantun, but it's going to weeks, months even, before we're even close to what we were producing at its peak. Right now our fuel supply lines have tripled. We've making deals with whoever we can to try and offset the losses." The Krogans had lost Mantun, a planet known for its incredible capability to produce anti-protons for interstellar travel. It had similar to the situation at Aepheus however the weapons used were obviously projectile based. Great tears had been made and ships were gutted from stem to stern by what appeared to be a single shot. The orbital solar energy collection stations had been totally obliterated, to the point where they were worth more as scrap than actual salvage. What was radically different from the Turian situation was what had happened on the ground.

Unlike at Aepheus, where planetary installations, barring communication stations, had been untouched, at Mantun, every single installation had been destroyed by heavy orbital bombardment. Everything from the planetary guns, which were now little more than craters larger than the weapons themselves, to barracks, now piles of rubble, had been targeted.

"Interesting how they only attacked and then abandoned the system." Valdn, the Salarian council said. "It's not hit and run tactics as they totally decimated the planets and their strategic value. They made sure every single component of the shipyards and the solar collection stations had been destroyed. If had been a hit-and-run, than they would have only destroyed a few components before fleeing." He paused, making sure he had the attention of the other Councilors. "I can think of very few reasons for this. One being that these battles dealt them far more casualties than they had expected or could handle, and had taken all of their technology back with them. Another being that they didn't know the value of the planet. Simply striking at what they saw as an enemy held world and dealing as much damage before leaving. Or, and most likely and disturbing is this: they recognized the strategic values of these worlds to us, but they are of little importance to them."

His last statement made the entire group tense. They had assumed these species were relatively primitive in comparison to them, as it seemed they still relied on chemical-based projectiles and explosives for the most part as opposed to mass accelerators and anti-matter based explosives. These two attacks changed that view. Rather than capture or even leave intact to reverse-engineer, these new species simply destroyed the defending ships and orbital stations. All of the Councilors were hoping Valdn was wrong about the third reason why they were so through.

"Very well then," Tevos began, "do any of us have-" she was interrupted by a knocking on the door. Though the room was private and set up against electronic-espionage, they could still be notified if needed. "One moment." She rose and moved towards the double doors. When she opened them, she found herself facing a very harried young Asari, still in her maiden days. Sweat bead on her face, her eyes wide, evidence whatever news she had was likely disturbing indeed. "Well, what has happened?"

Gasping the maiden replied, "Councilors, I apologize but, an alien ship has just appeared Citadel space and, you need to see this for yourself."

Moments later, the four Councilors had arrived at the Central Tower of the Citadel, granting them a view of the entirety of the Citadel. What they saw before them resulted in a myriad of reactions. The Salarian Councilor started muttering about impossibilities and theoritcs. The Turian Councilor stood stock still, his facial features and appendages fallen taut. The Asari Councilor closed her eyes and began muttering a soft prayer to Athame. Wrex simply crossed his arms and started cursing under his breath and damning Torsk evening more to the lowest pits of Kalros's shit pile.

For in the middle of the space between the wings of the Citadel stood a single vessel, a warship if its design and all the obvious weapons emplacements were not a dead giveaway. It was massive, as tall as the Destiny Ascension, if not taller, and half again as long as a Turian Dreadnought. But it was still only one ship.

"How did it get past all the fleet?"

"A great disk just appeared sirs. Right there, behind where that alien dreadnought is sitting." That bit of information unsettled everyone who heard it. Before they had assumed the alien's FTL allowed to travel outside the limits of the Mass Relays, but had assumed they had a limited range. This new information destroyed that notion. If these aliens could travel to wherever they wished, what was to stop them from reaching their homeworlds?

Meanwhile, on the UNSC Valiant-Class Super-heavy Cruiser, Kanchenjunga, Ambassador Dondle Udina watched the alien space station, the so called 'Citadel' with a disgusted face. "They call this their Citadel?" He said, sneering at it. "This place is barely twice as big as a CSO." Turning to face the holo-emitter, currently displaying the face of Fleet Admiral Lord Hood, he continued, "Damn it I shouldn't even be here! I know I'm the official ambassador but damn it, you know as well as I do that Dalton would be better suited for this! He's had more contact with the New Covenant since the end of the war than I have!" The UNSC had decided on a sort of blitzkrieg tactics for their initial retaliation against the Turians and Krogan. Utter decimation to show their power before attempting negotiations. If they asked why they were only coming here now, they would simply play coy and claim that they had discovered the Citadel when searching for other targets.

Hood raised his hand, "I know that ambassador but as of right now he has other duties that he must attend to. And that is precisely why he is not here. He knows the Covenant better than anyone else, but you know politics and dealing with non-humans. We need our best out there. Not to mention we may need him." The underlying message was clearly understood by both men. Nearly everyone and everything sent for these negotiations were to the UNSC, for all intents and purposes, expendable. The Kanchenjunga, the Valiant-series had remained unchanged since the Great War and would soon be phased out of the UNSC Navy and handed over to the CDF. The crew itself had no people that could not be replaced, as cruel as that may sound. Over the course of the Great War, Hood and many others of the UNSC HIGHCOM had to make many hard decisions, becoming easier as the war dragged on. This was simply another hard choice. Even the ambassador as he had a protégé ready to take over his position, or least was a candidate, for when he retired. "Record everything you can and sent it back to us. We'll be listening." With that Hood ended the link. The ambassador turning back towards the window and muttering under his breath, "Let's get this show on the road."

** Three Weeks since the events of Shanxi. Two weeks before UNSC arrival at the Citadel**

Krogan Empire Territory

Nith System: Planet Mantun

Hailot Garchek was a relatively young Krogan, having only recently finished his rite of passage on Tuchanka and signed up with the military. Despite all their advancements, both technologically and culturally, the Rite of Passage was still something deeply ingrained in both Krogan society and biology. Their blood would literally demand that they do this. After which however, many Krogan became what the Galaxy had come to accept as a normal citizen. Their military was still as powerful as before the Genophage as it was called. The scientist who had developed it, for some reason, believed the Krogan no longer deserved to survive. His virus would have wiped out the Krogan over time by their very own nature and the drastically reduced birth rate. Thankfully cooler heads had prevailed.

Currently he was stationed on the Hammer-Class Cruiser, The Caldron, as one of sensor station officers. The Caldron was one of many cruisers along with even more frigates and a dreadnought guarding the planet and its solar arrays. Overall there were over a hundred ships around the planet. The planet itself was both militarily and economically important. The solar arrays provided power to anti-proton production facilities on the planet. It alone provided the Krogan Empire's Navy with almost the entirety of its fuel. If it was lost, the cost to replace the arrays and/or the planetside facilities would be phenomenal. Not to mention the trade the planet brought for the Krogan as a good deal of its production was also sold to the rest of the galaxy.

In addition to the massive fleet in orbit around Mantun alone, the planet itself boasted several impressive planet-to-space mass accelerator cannons, far more powerful than anything fielded by any warship of the day, and these things were already centuries old. Making any, far as he was concerned, attack on the planet, suicidal. If just one of the massive storage unit of anti-protons was raided, the profits from such a raid would be enormous, but the cost in vessels and personnel turned off most would be pirates.

He leaned back, well as far as a Krogan could, in his chair. "Another cycle, another na-" Sirens started blaring across the ship. "What's going on!"

"All hands, general quarters! Detecting unknown anomaly. All hands prepare for combat." As Garchek readied his station he recalled the strange new orders that had been sent out by the Councilors themselves not too long ago. Apparently a Krogan and Turian patrol fleet had attacked the colony of an hitherto unknown species. 'By Kalros, that's one way to make an impression.' All military forces were to be ready for an imminent counterattack by these new species. These aliens didn't use the mass relays for long distance FTL, at least, they did not rely on them. They were able to travel to any location and their arrival was likely to be presided by a spacial anomaly. It was described as a great disk simply appearing in the vastness of space. Like,

Like was appearing just outside the range of the planetary guns. His display pinged as something began to exit from the disk. "Contact!" The vessel's design was not unlike the Krogan, all utilirian design for one purpose, war. "Reading one contact, cruiser-tonnage, no two, four, five, seven…" More and more pings came from his and that other sensor stations, when they stopped he readout the number. "Final count: twenty-five cruiser-tonnage warships. F-f-fifteen dreadnoughts, and…three vessels, measuring three times the length of the Destiny Ascension. And one," He paused, making sure the sensors were reading correctly, " His readout was heard loud and clear to everyone on the bridge. Dead silence reigned. The Treaty of Farixen limited the number of dreadnoughts each species was allowed to build and field, but thanks to the Krogan the number was incredibly high. However, the number of dreadnoughts actually in service was low, due to the cost in building, fielding, maintaining and supplying a vast number of dreadnoughts. That this new species had the capability of fielding so many cruisers and dreadnoughts was mind-numbing, but along with three, what were likely and essentially, super-dreadnoughts, the prospects were terrifying. And every single Krogan near the planet began to curse Torsk to the lowest levels of the pits for bringing such an enemy upon them.

The general was known to have the most ruthless, blood thirsty and warmongers amongst the Krogan as part of his crew and his army. They alone had, in one single bloody raid, had almost destroyed the reputation of the Krogan people permanently to a destructive, warmongering race. Torsk had been tasked to a raid of a pirate held planet on the Council Space/Terminus border. Rather than send in the Spectres, the Council had chosen for a rare display of their power. They had hoped to simply eradicate what they thought was a simple pirate base built into an asteroid. They were wrong.

The mined out asteroid was not simply a pirate base, but an entire city. An infant compared to the Citadel of the Terminus; Omega, but a city nonetheless. Filled with people, families, these may have been pirates but nonetheless, many of them were simply bystanders or related to the pirates. Torsk had learned of it the moment his fleet and dreadnought had appeared in system. The pirates had immediately called out a surrender and declared the nature of their population. Torsk simply ignored the calls, refused to report to Council and attacked. 'No' Garchek shook his head, 'attack means they had a fighting chance.' The pirates and every single citizen on the station had been slaughtered. There even evidence of consumption of other sentient species, but Torsk had passed it off as Varren having eaten the corpses of the pirates. Evidence said otherwise but due to the damage to the bodies, it had been circumstantial at best. After which, he had been sent to the boonies of Citadel space by the Krogan Empire Councilor, Urdnot Wrex, while he tried to save the reputation of the Krogan people before it was too late. Thankfully, he had been successful.

His console pinged, marking another contact. "Another contact, now making sixteen dreadnoughts!"

"They already have fifteen! What reason could they have brought this one in so late!" His commanding officer yelled. "Alert the planet and send a message to Tuchanka! Alien contact! Unknowns!"

"Sir, this one is different sir." Answering the question before it was asked, "This one, sensor reading it's incredibly thin sir. Projected mass readings put it at half of one our own dreadnoughts." That didn't make sense. Why build something so large, yet have it so thin? If it was a dreadnought, it would shatter after a single strike. "It's taking position at the rear of their," he paused, unsure what to call it, "armada." That at least was making sense. "Wait. Sir, the new contact, I'm reading a massive energy buil-*"

From the dreadnought length, thin vessel, its front flashed bright orange, interrupting Garchek midsentence.

A half second later, the communications on every ship guarding the planet squealed in an electronic scream as three cruisers, and six frigates were utterly obliterated. Even from what was a glancing shot, the kinetic energy of the shot completely shattered the superstructure of the warships as the massive fifteen hundred ton ferro-magnetic slug traveled at its intended target. One of the Solar-collection stations in orbit. What has left over tumbled end over end from the remaining kinetic energy. Gravity soon took over the remnants of the station soon were heading towards its first meeting with the ground.

On the Valiant-Class Superheavy Cruiser, Kilimanjaro, Vice Admiral Darius 'Devastator' O'Neill, watched with glee at the success of the UNSC's first Sovereign-Class Artillery Warship. It was essentially, a mobile Super MAC. With incredibly thin armor to still allow for reasonable mobility and construction costs, the vessel itself was a small test project. A test, which with one shot had just proven its worth. During the battle over Reach, a then unknown Old Covenant warship, later designated a supercruiser, from extreme range, used an immensely powerful energy projector to 'snipe' several ships. Since that battle, the UNSC had started plans to create a sniper vessel of their own.

The result was the Sovereign, the first vessel in both its class and designation. Though the fire rate was incredibly slow compared to orbital based S-MACs, and just slower than those other UNSC warships, it was still a force to be reckoned with. Its range was almost half again as that of an orbital station, but fired a much smaller slug. The Admiral grinned at the carnage the weapon had just wrought upon the aliens. The AI pad glowed and Constantine, the ship's Smart AI appeared, dressed in the customary garb of a Roman Legion Commander. "Well," Constantine began, "I think we sent a message with that."

"Not yet we haven't." The Vice-Admiral was known as one of the most ruthless in the upper circles of the UNSC Navy. His own actions during the Heretic Wars involved chasing down remnants and utterly annihilating them. Yet for all that, there was one other reason why they sent him specifically. He always followed orders. He may be a bit overzealous when it came to destroying his enemies, but, for the most part, he always followed his orders. Barring the rare event where said order was blatantly stupid or suicidal with no reward. With explicit orders to strike once, than call for surrender, they had sent him. Knowing he would follow his orders to the letter. "Hack their communications, fleet and system wide." When the communication officers gave him the ready he spoke.

"This is the UNSC Battle Group Andromeda. That was your warning shot. Shut down your engines and power down your shields and barriers. This is first and final warning. Surrender immediately or we will open fire."

Back amonst the Krogan defenders, the message from the Vice Admiral had been received in perfect Krogan, having been translated by Constatine as Darius spoke. Faced with an armada the size of which had not been seen since the Rachini wars, and firepower never dreamed of, for the first time in millennia, the Krogan Empire knew fear once again.

Apien Crest: Gemmae System: Planet Aepheus

The planet Aepheus was one of the largest shipyards in Turian space. It possessed a number of berths from which to produce ships. Capable of producing an immense number of ships, equal to that of the current Turian navy, had it the resources, power and personnel to do so, its facilities were more than capable. It was also the only one capable of producing dreadnoughts outside the Turian home system. Making it of great strategic importance to the Turians. The reason why there were dozens of ship in system guarding the planet. More were posted at the Relay but as of a day ago, a good number of ships had been repositioned from the Relay to the shipyards. Due to new intel from the Council of a new, potentially, and likely hostile, race that was capable of FTL travel that was not limited by Mass Relays.

Captain Mallon Vakarian, brother of the Garlon Vakarian, a high ranking C-Sec officer, watched the space around Aepheus with more than a hint of trepidation. Mere days ago the entire galaxy had been told of First Contact with a new species. And what could be only called the idiocy in which it was carried out. Torsk and Arterius. Two names that would, in all likelihood, would live in infamy for a time. Apparently the pair had destroyed one of the alien's, now presumed outdated, dreadnoughts, or least an analogue of one, and summarily laid siege to one of their planets. Then later were sent packing through the Relay. The only survivors had been Turian vessels, no Krogan vessels had returned.

Retaliation was more than likely imminent. They had received much of the same reports as the Krogan Empire had in terms of the alien's capabilities, which was why a large part of the fleet was focused around the planet, and not the Relay. After all, what good was positioning all your forces around a Relay if the enemy didn't even use them?
He sighed. Perhaps, if he was lucky they would not-Alerts began going off all over the bridge, shaking the captain from his thoughts. "What's going on?"

"Spacial anomalies detected off the starboard bow! Energy readings from scanners match those sent by the Council!"

"All hands to general quarters! Get ready for a fight! And await further orders!" The Captain was certain he couldn't have been the only ship to have detected the anomalies. Looking at the holographic projections on the bridge, he saw other ships turning towards the anomalies. Those 'disks', for lack of a better term, were like beacons. The moment they appeared, everyone knew you were here. Unlike with Mass Relay travel where, unless someone was monitoring the Relay for power surges and the traveler was using the Relay, it was nearly impossible to detect when someone was coming through.

Meanwhile, the slipspace raptures grew in number and size, totaling at fifteen ruptures. As the last rapture boomed into existence, a ship began to exit from the first. This one, to the Turians, was alien in virtually every shape and form. The Turians had been told to expect ships not unlike the Krogan in design. Blocky, utilitarian, and obviously made for war. What they witnessed coming from the ruptures was anything but.

A bulbous front end emerged from the first portal, its hull a sleek silver rather than a dull black. Its design was something that no race ever designed. In fact it looked like at first glance, an oversized Hanar. As fun as the comparison was, no one was laughing. Especially considering what had come out of those portals. It possessed a slim slick body, with a narrow thin ring attached to the bottom of the ship. When the scanners measured its length based on shared readings from other ships, it was immediately classified as a dreadnought on their scanners.

After the first more exited the portals which snapped shut behind them. The numbers were displayed to every single ship's commanding officer. And it took all they had to not fall to their knees and weep when they had seen the numbers.

Twelve.

Twelve dreadnought-analogues had just appeared in front of them. That amount of fire power was more than enough to decimate the defending fleet, presuming they used mass accelerators. Turians still had their orbital and planetary defenses, a factor they prayed would help them win this battle, if with heavy casualties. "Spirits help us and guide us in this dire hour." The captain had bowed his head as he prayed to the Spirits for power, luck and fortitude to make it through this battle. When he looked back at the tactical display, he realized one portal had yet to close, and this one was bigger than the rest.

Now another vessel had begun to appear from the portal. Its front similar to those that come before, but lacking the ring and dual fins underneath its bow and one other difference. It was MASSIVE. Easily twice the length of the ships that had come before it. When the Turian scanners attempted to classify it, the ship was tagged as an unknown.

Meanwhile, on the CCS-Class battlecruiser The Purity of Spirit, Shipmaster Vas'l Terum watched his fleet and the defenders with his one good eye. A veteran of the Great War, he had earned the injury when a Human child, 'no, a young woman' he corrected himself, had appeared from behind him and fired at him with a stolen Carbine rifle. His shields had been down at the time as he was sent to inspect the troops when they had been sent to purge, no murder, the human population of a planet. He had no need for them. The radioactive isotope round had passed just above his eye, leaving a scar and destroying the eye.

He had immediately torn the young human apart with his bare claws. Since the Great Revelation, what many in the New Covenant called the message of the Oracle, he had worn the scar with pride of the human who had dealt him such an injury, and as penance for his sins against the humans. Since the Revelation, many had scars received on the battlefield removed and lost parts replaced with prosthetics and cybernetics. As a way to forget the crimes they had committed. But many, especially those of fieldmaster ranks and above and refused. Instead choosing to wear the scars as marks of penance, and not bravado.

The Purity of Spirit was his ship from the Great War also, and had served in many battles to aid the humans or in service to them. This assignment was another like it.

When the Alliance had called for volunteers to strike back at an enemy for attacking a human world, he and many others had answered. Vas' was simply the lucky one to be chosen.

His fleet consisted of a dozen, what the humans called SDV-class heavy corvette and his CCS-class battlecruiser. When he had asked why he had been granted such a small and comparatively weak force, especially considering how the corvettes possessed no shields, he was told of the enemy's weaknesses. Their shields could not defend against plasma strikes, at least, they would not hold up to them very well. Along with, their biggest ships possible being the cruisers and were only bigger than his corvettes by a few dozen or so of the human's 'meters'. That said, possibly announcing himself and the ships of his fleet may be enough to force a surrender. If not, he was to destroy the enemy forces that did not surrender, destroy all orbital and planetary stations and take control of the planet's orbit.

And see the meager force in presented to him, he was convinced his leaders had been right. This would be an easy fight. Though he would have preferred to have been accompanied by light-cruisers rather than the frigates. Granted, those ships were smaller but had the advantage of shield generators. The shipmaster signaled towards one of the Unggoy that was manning the communications station to open a comm. line to the defenders. Since the Great War, many strides had occurred regarding the military command structure and the military in general. When the Unggoy confirmed the link the shipmaster spoke.

"This is shipmaster Vas'l Terum of the Fleet of Glorious Fury abroad the cruiser Purity of Spirit. Surrender now or be destroyed." His jaws split into the Sangheili equivalent of a human smile. The shipmaster hoped they would open fire, for perhaps this way; he could repent for all the humans he had killed by fighting their battles with them. And he would not be disappointed.

**Aepheus: UNSC Kilimanjaro: Bridge**

"Constantine, any attempts of them trying to contact us?" Vice Admiral Darius 'Devastator' O'Neill asked. "I'm REALLY hoping you say no."

"Well," the AI gave the Vice Admiral a roguish grin, looking completely out of place on the Roman Legionary Commander. "Today is your day it seems Darius. Detecting energy spikes across all enemy ships and locations across the planet. Planetary defenses in all likely hood."

Darius turned towards Constantine's avatar. "It still won't save them, no matter how many guns they have." Looking out towards the planet again he started barking out orders. "Have the Sovereign stay here and take out as many targets as she can. Have the frigates Into the Day, Daybreak and Daywalker and Destroyers, Evening's Breathe and Falling Dusk stay back and keep her safe. We have more than enough ships for that. The rest of the fleet minus the carriers fall into their predetermined groups and engage the enemy. Have the carriers trail behind the main groups, launch fighters and bombers at their discretion. No one goes off on their own. Make sure that order is confirmed by all ships."

"Yes milord. All ships have confirmed their orders and formations. Tagging formations as A to E." On the tactical display, nine ships stayed back as the rest moved forward. The remaining thirty five ships divided into five different groups of seven ships, each group a mix of Halcyon(Grade-II) Heavy Cruisers, Montreal-Class Heavy-Frigates and Midway-Class destroyers, one included his own Valiant-Class Super Heavy Cruiser.

The UNSC forces may have been outnumbered here, one hundred ships plus orbital and planetside defenses to their thirty-five, but that number was quickly changing. Each cluster of ships fired en masse as they approached the planet. Taking out, three, four, half a dozen ships at a time, quickly changing the odds, using H-MACs and Archer missiles. The Vadrigos-Class three kilometer long carriers followed closely behind their more heavily armed fellows.

The defending ships attempted to enter FTL, their ships glowing an eerie blue, however, the glow faded and were forced to rely on normal engines to close the distance between them and the UNSC warships. This time, unlike at Shanxi, where the Eezo-based ships were at an angle to or heading towards the planet, the defenders had their backs to the planet, making it incredibly difficult, if not impossible to engage their mass effect drives with their pre-determined equations due to the planet's gravity pulling them back.

Still some managed to engage their FTL drives, instantly closing the distance between them, and the UNSC ships. Forcing the fight to where the UNSC could not use their MACs effectively if at all. It made little difference. The moment the Krogan ships had exited FTL and reappeared near the UNSC vessels, they were destroyed under a hail of autocannon fire. Some were shattered into thousands of pieces, others simply gone from overloading reactors, and a few lucky ones simply gutted through and through. The UNSC ships made their way to the planet, leaving behind a field of dead and broken metal in their wake. The three carriers followed close behind. Deploying fighters and bombers to take care of any enemy fighters and survivors.

"Enemy craft are being routed. Estimated fifty percent of enemy vessels to be destroyed." Constantine reported. Despite the high number of officers on the bridge, most of it was reported to the captain of the ship through the AI usually on any ship due to the sheer amount of information there often was.

"Are any craft attempting to leave the area?" Constantine nodded. On the display, several red dots were highlighted more so as the vessels they represented attempted to flee. "Redirect the carriers to establish a perimeter around the planet, send one of the attack groups with them. No ships, repeat no ships are to leave the area. Cripple their ships if you have to, just be sure to destroy them later. I want no survivors."

"Orders sent and confirmed received by all ships." On the tacmap, a few of the symbols representing the UNSC ships turned towards the fleeing alien ships. Within seconds of the confirmation of orders received every single enemy vessel attempting to flee was crippled, then summarily destroyed. "Casualties?"

"None. All UNSC ships stayed in formation. Prevented opposition from effectively concentrating fire. Frigates Sephora and Jarden from groups B and E report several blown shield generators."

"Have those groups hang back and search for any stragglers. All carriers stay in position. Have them start taking out those space stations and satellites."

"All remaining ships I want them to start taking their determined positions around the planet."

Following his orders, the remaining ships began to disperse. Taking positions at predetermined positions in orbit above the planet before commencing orbital bombardment with their broadside cannons.

At least, that had been the plan.

Faster than anyone expected, eight slugs streaked from the planet's surface. Eight out of the fifteen Halcyons(Grade-IIs) were rocked by the impact, their shields shattering against the force. Crews were slammed to the floors, walls and their workstations as their vessels were slammed by the rounds. Another ten followed and instantly eight Halcyons(Grade-II) with down shields were speared through and through by the planetary guns. The Kilimanjaro fared little better as his own ship was slammed by two rounds simultaneously. One of them passed clean through and through as the other buried itself inside the superstructure.

"REPORT! WHAT THE HELL JUST HAPPENED!? CONSTATINE!"

Said AI's avatar reappeared on the pedestal having been forcibly shutdown from the impact. "Reading as Mass Accelerator round, same force as one of INF-101s H-MACs. We were damned lucky to have survived it."

"Where the hell did those shots come from! Intel said they didn't have MACs like ours!"

Taking off his 'helmet' Constantine answered. "They don't, least not for their ships. Projectiles sourced from the planet. My guess is a massive planetary gun battery. Several likely. Calculating origin points and transmitting now."

"Have the frigates, destroyers and injured cruisers to pull back outside the range of those guns. Once that's done, slave the firing commands to my station for a single shot. I want each ship to load and aimed at one gun site each. Two for the bigger ones if we can manage it. Once it's done confirm and report to me."

The process took almost an hour to calculate the origins and likely positions then reposition and orient their ships. Once it was done, the Vice Admiral once again lived up to his name. Not even giving The command, he simply pressed the activation key.

With a single button, forty-four ships let loose a typhoon of fire in the form of just under MAC shots. All over the planet, mushroom clouds soon dominated the planet from the sheer kinetic energy striking the planet. Moments after firing, the UNSC ships, now with absolute impunity, began taking positions in orbit at locations across the planet. Each presenting as many of their autocannons towards the planet itself. And again, Vice Admiral Darius 'Devastator' O'Neill truly lived up to his name as he watched with indifference as fire rained on the planet. Tiny specks began to rise from the planet's surface: shuttles, fighters, private craft, all of them trying to flee the planet. Not one would make it. As soon as they were high enough in the air to be seen by autocannons ceased fire, retargeted and shot down the individual craft before returning to their bombardment.

By the time the UNSC vessels had left, nothing over two stories was intact on the planet, and nothing larger than a four-by-four meter plate of steel was still intact.

Just earlier, over the planet of Aepheus, the New Covenant battle group was battling the defenders. No, to battle would mean that it was an even fight. No, it was a slaughter. The heavy-corvette may not have possessed shield generators of its own, but its sheer mass was more than enough protection against these 'Turians'. He had yet to lose one ship and already the enemy fleet was little more than piles of flash-hardened metal.

Shipmaster Vas'l Terum just watched as another ship was wiped from reality by a plasma torpedo. The mass of energized gas disintegrating the ships before it as it traveled its path. His corvettes firing plasma round after plasma round, racking up kill after kill after kill. What few fighters squadrons of Seraphs he had sent out were now, if they were not before, all aces. Eliminating everything from enemy fighters, which were miniscule to the Seraphs, to what the humans labeled as corvettes and even some frigates.

The Turians gave as good as they could but this invasion had long since turned into a one sided slaughter. What was labeled as their cruisers and frigates had laid into corvettes only to receive a plasma broadside for their efforts. Even now the corvettes were finishing off the remaining defenders. A scant few were unmarred but for a few scorch marks and impact craters. Others were heavily damaged, plasma lines ruptured and emergency shielding established to preserve atmosphere. Two were too heavily damaged to serve again once they returned home. They had had their engines shattered to the point where the ship was more valuable as salvage then trying to replace components. Others would need some time in dry dock for repairs. However his own ship, the Purity of Spirit was completely unmarred thanks to its powerful shields. They had scarcely dropped ten percent, if that.

With the enemy defenders destroyed, it was time for the next part of the plan. The reason his ship was here. "Helmsman, order the corvettes to fall back to our current position. Begin moving us over the shipyards." With confirming nod, the helmsman began to guide the massive, five kilometer vessel in position. Put the orbital shipyards directly under its belly, and consequently, its main plasma battery.

"Shipmaster, we are in position. All batteries are ready to fire. Our corvettes are requesting for further orders."

Vas' sighed internally. He knew what his orders were. Eliminate the fleet, destroy the shipyards, and glass the planet. But he felt, in a word, conflicted. The humans, the True Children of the Gods, were being, he felt, irrational. Their actions being driven by grief and rage. And since the end of the Great War, it was not something we used to seeing in humans any more.

After the Great War, a large part of Humanity simply wanted to drive the Covenant to extinction for their actions, the genocide they had committed. And many of the more zealous believers were more than willing to do if demanded. Yet, it had been not. A great many more, despite all their anger and hatred, were willing to move on and leave the past behind. Somewhat forgiven, but never forgotten.

With the end of the Great War and the Great Purge thereafter, much of the Covenant and their capital, High Charity was in tatters. The station itself had been heavily damaged, and despite the efforts of the Hurgarok, millions would perish from the devastation. Due to decompression, starvation, disease. Those aboard High Charity could not be relocated. Their homes, the closest colonies were far away, and despite their speed, millions would still would have died relocation. Yet, at the Covenant's darkest hour, despite all the wrongs it had committed against Humanity, when the Covenant cried for help. Humanity answered. They provided the locations of worlds, garden worlds, humanity had long since left behind for richer worlds, but these few saved the population abroad High Charity. The act of mercy and kindness astounded all of the Covenant, and despite tense relations due to old feelings from the Great War, the two share a polite relation.

Now, regarding the orders of the Humans, it felt wrong. This can not be allowed to pass, or humanity will poison itself with regret for many years like the Covenant.

The helmsman asked a question, shaking Vas' from his thoughts. "Shipmaster, what are your orders sir?"

Vas' steeled himself. Knowing he would pay the price for his actions later on. But at the very least, humanity will not regret what could have been. "Charge up energy projectors and plasma lines. Crisscross pattern of fire across the shipyards. Leaving nothing standing. Send the corvettes towards the planet. Target their communications stations. Surgical strikes only. Once they are completed, have them return to their positions and prepare for slipspace entry."

"But shipmaster! What of the Humans! They ordered us to purify the planet!"

"I know. But we will not!" Vas' slammed a fist into a the command chair's armrests. "The humans are currently driven by their rage and their grief. They desire what we did when we first fought them so many years ago. I refuse to allow the Humans to become what we once were! Genocidal demons who slaughtered all in their path for a chance at glory or revenge!" Calming himself, he continued. "We must remind them of the mercy they once showed us. And pray that they remember that they are not the Covenant of Old." As Vas' finished his pseudo-speech, not one sentient being commented or decried his actions. The helmsman simply relayed the orders and began issuing firing commands.

Within moments, lances of burning white energy and plasma beams began to cut into the orbital structures. Cutting through clean as a heated blade through grease. The cut edges white hot from the energy for a single moment before being flash-cooled by the vacuum of space. Great rifts and cuts began to appear. Large sections began to float away, cut free, or simply gone. Lost from the heat and energy poured into the metal. Across the planet, corvettes fired a single plasma round before heading back towards the Purity. Their targets, once structures capable of sending and receiving messages from the void, were turned into puddles of molten rock and metal.

As the last of the shipyards were destroyed, the Purity of Spirit and its escorts left the system.

The jobs of the warriors was done for now.

It was the politicians' turn now.

Current Time: Citadel

Presidium: Council Chambers

"You want us to what!" The Turian Councilor yelled, not believing what this, upstart just demanded of him and his people.

Udina simply stared back at the councilor. The Ambassador understood every word being said thanks to the updated translation package uploaded to his neural link. When the Turians and Krogan had invaded Shanxi, an AI from De La Rosa's battlegroup had managed to hack into their ship's systems. The AI had not assisted with the battle, taking whatever technical and other data they can. The only things they left behind were communications and personal information. Languages, tech designs and something called a Codex was taken by the UNSC AIs. That same data was what allowed the UNSC Ambassador, flanked by a four-man ODST squad to understand the aliens. When he spoke, the neural link assisted him in converting his words into the main Turian language, through his vocal implant. Vocal implants were standard implants among all UNSC/UEG personnel who had to deal with non-humans on a constant basis, allowing them to 'speak' in a different species' primary language.

Now here he was, 'negotiating' with the 'Citadel Council'. It took all Udina had not to sneer at the four standing on the platform above him. These four were like the Prophets or San'Shyum they had read about in the History of the Old Covenant, or the brutal monarchies of old from Earth, or even corrupt colonial governments.

Four individuals with more power than was right, and virtually nothing to stop them from exercising it however they wished. At least, that was how it appeared to Humanity. The Alliance leaders already knew what was to happen. They would demand reparations to the fullest extent or they would take it. Granted they would try to play nice but knowing the fact that they, both Humanity and Covenant would be seen as little more than 'Children', by a collective of species whose oldest members have been traveling the stars for over three millennia. They would not allow themselves to be played.

Clearing his throat, Udina spoke. "You heard me Councilors. We want total reparations in material for the damages incurred by your species for the attack on our colony. And we want those who were present in the attack to be handed over to us to stand trial for various war crimes."

"And what of your attacks on our worlds?" Wrex demanded. "Are we supposed to just take the damage you inflicted upon us?"

Udina resisted the urge to smirk as he answered, "Those attacks were something that were beyond our control. Separatist factions exist in our society, and upon hearing of the attack our colony, took it upon themselves to take retribution." The ambassador was lying through his teeth but they didn't know that. It was true that the Insurrection was still alive albeit a mortally wounded beast but it still existed, and the Remnants were indeed still around. This new strategy was one he had created with members of HIGHCOM just as he was leaving the Kanchenjunga . "We apologize for the lives your people have lost but we will render what aid we can to rebuild what has been lost at the very least." And if this Council accepted their terms, the Alliance would hold their end of the bargain. The damage they had wrought was simple enough to replace, they could do it in the span of months thanks to various factors such as the Hurgarok and a few Forerunner technologies.

Rage appeared clear as day on Teranus's, the Turian Councilor's face. "How dare yo-" But he was stopped when Tevos raised her hand, interrupting him. When he turned to face her, Tevos gave him a withering glare, cowing the much younger Turian. Turning her attention back to Udina she spoke. "Ambassador, please understand. What you are asking us, is far too much to give. We can, over time, perhaps give reparations for the material damage done to your colony." She paused, taking a breath. "However, asking us to hand over our people, even if it is to stand trial for war crimes. We simply cannot do that."

"Then I am afraid we have reached an impasse." Udina said while giving a slight nod. "Our people cry for blood Councilors, everyone is. Your commanders have destroyed what was the beginning of a new era of peace and prosperity after decades of war. No generation exists that does not desire war. At the very least give us your commander. All the Krogan who invaded our world are dead. Now we desire the one who brought your people in the first place at the very least."

Tevos sighed, lowering her head. In all her life, never before had she to endure something like this. A new species who's even rogue factions possessed firepower and technology far and beyond anything in existence. Rivaling or perhaps surpassing the Asari, and perhaps on some level with the Protheans. The utter devastation left behind at the two planets was proof of that. If the Asari fleet had tried to same attack to the same effect, they would have won, but would have lost a great deal of their standing navy. Looking towards Teranus she spoke in a tired voice. "Teranus, you must-"

"No!" Slashing the air with his talons. "The Turians Hierachry will not be cowed by these, these CHILDREN! We will not-what?" Teranus was interrupted from his rant by the sound of raucous laughter. Its source, the five humans in the Chamber, the loudest among them was the ambassador himself.

Calming himself, the ambassador made a show of wiping a tear from his eye. "Oh, ho. It's been a while since I laughed like that." Return to a more professional posture, he directed his words to anyone listening. Civilians had been allowed in the chamber, and it was even more packed thanks to news of a 'new species that beat down the Turian and Krogan.' "Humanity, are indeed, as you say 'children' when compared to you, perhaps. After all we have only been a space faring civilization for a few centuries. However, this is our second ascension."

Of all the people in the Chamber, only the Salarian Councilor, Tevos and few others reacted to the last two words. "S-s-second ascension you said?" Valdn asked. "W-w-what do you mean by that?" He, along with everyone else in the room who knew of the weight of those two words hoped they were wrong.

Udina first cleared his throat before speaking. "This is the second time Humanity has risen from its homeworld and taken to the stars. Taking into account our time during our first ascension, Humanity has traveled the stars for close to three hundred millennia, three hundred thousand years. Our time is barely a drop in that span. Humanity itself as a species was 'birthed' by a species we know only as the Precursors. A race that could literally form entire solar systems and engineer entire species. We were one of two children. Until they were destroyed by our brothers, the Forerunners. Much of our history has been lost, but we know this. Our people once held the power to create entire worlds, literal planets, wherever we so desired. The power of galaxy at our finger tips." It was here the Ambassador paused before he continued. "We don't know how, or why. But some millennia after the fall of the Precursors, Humanity found itself at war with the Forerunners. Already weakened by a conflict history has forgotten, we lost the war. We were devolved to a shadow of our former selves just over a hundred thousand years ago." Look straight at Teranus, Udina's voice held no malice, but pity. "So yes, we are 'children' but we are quickly remembering who we were."

Teranus looked towards his fellow councilors for support. But was meet with pity by Tevos, fear by Valdn and indifference from Wrex. Regaining his Turian pride he yelled, "It does not matter what their history is! They are still primitives, and even if they are not, the Hierarchy will prevail."

"With what?" Udina asked. "You need a pack of ships to take down even one of our destroyers, let alone a cruiser."

Many decades after this meeting, when questioned what exactly drove his actions on that day, Teranus will still have no answer. In a fit of rage and arrogance he declared. "Not for long! The Hierarchy has captured one of their ships. We found it orbiting the moons of one of our planets." After the events of Aepheus. The Hierarchy had scattered a large part of its navy not centered in the home system to its holdings. Even planets that had long since been forgotten by all except the maps themselves, planets so insignificant in the eyes of the Hierarchy, there had not been a ship near some of these planets since their claiming. Around one of the more isolated planets, they had discovered a, then unrecognized alien vessel, the size and tonnage of a dreadnought. Now though, Teranus knew what it was. "The ship we captured is one of your greater warships." At Udina's smirk, he added the killing blow. "An exact copy of the one you came in on."

At those words, the blood of the human's ran cold. The Valiant-Class super-heavy cruiser was a class created during the Great War. Throughout the entire war, every single UNSC ship has been labeled accounted for, bar a few dozen. But there was only one, just one, Valiant-Class cruiser. After critical analysis of the Battle of Psy Serpantsis, The Everest, and all those aboard it, were reclassified as MIA. Cole had been given up for loss but, this…there were no words. But Udina wasn't a reckless man. Least not normally. With a calm totally opposite of how he truly felt, he asked. "Are you certain that it is one of ours?" His voice cracked at the end, but it was unnoticed by Teranus as he, using the central projector in the chamber, displayed a holo of said ship. And on its side, though slightly scratched by battle and age, could clearly be read. 'Everest'. "And where is this ship now?" In his arrogance, Teranus proudly stated it to be near Palaven. "Councilor, if you value the lives of your life, the lives of your family and people. You will surrender that vessel to the UNSC. Now."

Teranus leaned forward and uttered, "No."

The instant he heard Teranus reponse, he opened a comm. link to the cruiser, and ordered a wide-range broadcast. "To any alliance ship that hears this message. The Everest has been found! I repeat. THE EVEREST HAS BEEN FOUND! ALL SHIPS! MOVE IN ON PALAVEN!" Turning back to the Councilors he gave a second command. "Sapphire team. Take. Take. Take."

Suddenly, the air was filled with the sound of snapping and pops as the cloak fields of a squad of Spartan super-soldiers, II, IIIs and IVs all shutdown, two to a Councilor and three for Wrex and all but one with a MA6-A series rifle aimed at them. Teranus had an M95 shotgun barrel pressed against the back of his head and an MA6-A. The last thing any of them saw was the butt of a gun slammed into their face, or in Wrex's case, three and a fist.