Disclaimer: I don't own Halo or Space Battleship Yamato.
Chapter V: Dawn's End-Set course for Pluto
Pluto-Gamilan Base
Commander Shultz's Command Crew and Major General Goer via holotransmission were over viewing recordings taken from their attack on the human ship on Enceladus. The human battleship coming into view on the Tanks cameras, listening to intercepted comms, they managed to learn the ship's name, Yamato.
"So that's what they call that...thing, that pest of a ship. What an ugly hunk of scrap, not at all graceful." Goer said, commenting on the appearance of the Yamato.
"They've left the moon sir, we'll lure the vessel here and destroy it." Shultz stated.
"And what makes you so certain they'll just walk into your little trap?" Goer queeried.
"This is the site where we launch the planet bombs that are turning their world barren, we're too tempting a target to ignore." Shultz pointed out.
"I see, what of the other ship, surely there is some manner of information we gathered upon it?" Goer questioned.
"I regret to inform that the entire scouting group was destroyed." Shultz stated.
"Destroyed?! Bring up the feed!" Goer commanded angrily.
Shultz brought up the recordings taken from the ships external cameras, watching as they closed in on the Unknown vessel. Goer looked upon the blocky and robust structure of the ship and scoffed at its unappealing appearance. But then took notice on how it compared to their own Kripitera Class Destroyers, and saw that even a piece of it was just as, if not bigger than their own ship. It caused Goer to shudder in his boots abit at the thought, especially after taking in the thought that wasn't even the whole ship.
Goer then observed the recordings from the helmets of the soldiers that boarded the vessel, and the cameras of the fleet. Goer watched in horror as a single android clad in green armor wiped out an entire company of Gamilan Soldiers. The only thing he was able to make out on its head was a Golden Visor that reflected the Gamilan Soldiers back at themselves before the feed was cut. The feed then switched to the view of the vessels, watching as a single missile flew towards the center ship and detonated in a blinding flash before the feed was cut once again. The feed then switched once again to that of the ground teams that were assaulting a small party that was dispatched from the Yamato, he saw the recordings from the Tanks, watching as a unfamiliar heavy armored vehicle dispatched them with ease, the feed cutting when the last one was shot.
"You're telling an entire Scouting team was completely destroyed by a single Android?!" Goer exploded with fury at what he had witnessed.
"Regrettably so, Major General. We were unable to obtain any intelligence on this unknown being. It is likely though that it would join up with the Teron Vessel, if that is the case, we will be able to deal with both in a swift and decisive blow once they arrive." Commander Shultz guarnteed.
"I see, Shultz. A grand opportunity for your race, you can prove that despite your inferior genes, and that regretable skin color, that your loyalty to the Empire is true." Goer commended.
"We're everybit as loyal to the Empire as Pure-Blooded Gamilans, and just as capable!" Shultz declared.
"That's the spirit I like in a Soldier!" Goer laughed heartily, "Don't let me down." He reminded before saluting. "Gharle Dessler, our Supreme Leader!" Goer chanted.
"Gharle Dessler!" Shultz repeated back as Goer cut off the feed.
"Makes one long for the days we fought under General Domel." Shultz stated.
"Indeed" Lieutenant Jarletora agreed.
"How are the preparations for the next attack?" Shultz asked
"Everything is on schedule, Planet Bomb 103 will be launched shortly." Lieutenant Ganz replied.
Commander Shultz then moved to the main observation area and watched. The Gamilans Beam Weapon fired from beneath the Ice, and using the vast array of reflecting satellites in orbit, watched as it made it's way to the target. Turning what used to be a random piece of Space Debris into a deadly irradiated Planet Bomb, now on a course for Earth.
Enceladus-Orbit
The Yamato closed distance with the Forward Unto Dawn, but as they gained ground, the ships bridge crew gasped as they saw the Debris field around it, alot of the debris looking distinctly Gamilan in origin.
"Would either of you care to explain this?" Okita asked as he looked upon the sight infront of the Yamato's bow.
"Oh, I suppose we forgot to mention this, did we?" Cortana stated as she appeared in the main projector on the Yamato's bridge. "Well, I had detected several objects on approach on what limited sensors the Dawn still had. I took that as a situation to wake the Chief from his seven month Cryo sleep, while making our way to the ship's observation deck to assess the situation, we made contact with a group of humanoids, which I suppose we can now identify as Gamilan Boarders. We gave them the opportunity to stand down and after a small stand-off, they opened fire. Quickly dispatching the threat, we made our way to the observation deck and saw the opposition outside our ship. With no computer-based Weapons Systems, we made our way to the ships Outer hull and fired a Hyperion-Class Nuclear Warhead, which destroyed the entire fleet. After which we made our way to the Comms room and picked up the distress call from your medical team, and we all know the rest." Cortana explained.
"You took out four ships with a Single missile?" Nanbu asked in disbelief as he saw the destruction.
"Hyperions aren't even the strongest Nukes in the UNSC's arsenal." Cortana stated.
"Don't nuclear weapons seem abit excessive?" Sanada asked
"Well, we had to use what we had available, and with what little knowledge we had." Cortana gave her reasoning while Chief remained quiet.
"Alright, let's get this Equipment Transfer done and be on our way." Okita stated as the Yamato held position by the wreck.
Once the Salvage crew departed from the Yamato, consisting of two Seagulls and Chief's Pelican, Chief lead them to the Vehicle Bay where they could dock the ships. Chief then lead them to the ship's armory to retrieve the weapons while he handled the vehicles.
Forward Unto Dawn
Sanada watched as the team chosen for the Salvage op moved multiple crates of equipment onto the Seagulls to be moved to the Yamato. The Chief was right when he said there was still alot of equipment that could be used still aboard the ship, watching as crates of various weapons were loaded aboard, he only hoped there would be enough room in the Yamato's Cargo Hold to contain it. He watched as Chief made multiple trips in his former ships own transport, now known as a Pelican ironically, to move the heavier vehicles that were still aboard. Sanada took the time to look over the ship that he was currently aboard, while the design was drastically different to ships he was used to such as the Kongo, Murasame, and Isokaze class vessels of the UNCN, it still had an aesthetic that was very...humanesque in origin. Leaving Kodai in charge of the equipment transfer, he made his way to the ships observation deck. Sanada used the arrows on the ground to point the way there, but soon came across a massacre, there were multiple bodies laying on the ground at the entrance on the Observation Room. He approached and kneeled next to one of the bodies and saw that it was a biological Humanoid, not an an android like the Gamaloids they picked up on the surface of Enceladus when they rescued the medical team.
"Are these Gamilans?" He asked himself as he turned over the body, seeing the blue skin and purple blood, but also noticed the bullet hole in the center if its forehead.
While his curiosity did take hold, he shook his head to get back on track and he continued to the Observation room where there were even more bodies. The only conclusion was that they were all killed by the Master Chief. Whoever he was and wherever he is from, he is exceptionally trained in combat, and very dangerous, every body having just one bullet wound in an immediate fatal area, be it in the head, neck, or the heart. He then looked back out the windows of the observation room, seeing the floating debris of the Gamilan Fleet which just further proved this.
Soon Sanada made his way back to the Vehicle Bay where he saw the salvage team loading the final crates of weapons. He saw the Chief going to another area of the ship, his curiosity getting the best of him, decided to follow. Seeing the arrows on the floor, he saw that they were headed for Engineering. Not paying attention, he stumbled into the back of the Master Chief, causing the Behemoth to look back at him.
"What are you doing here? Shouldn't you be overseeing the equipment transfer?" Chief asked in his deep, gravely voice.
"Lieutenant Kodai is overseeing it. I took the opportunity to look over the vessel, knowing I'd never get the opportunity to see something like this again." Sanada stated.
Chief nodded and continued to walk.
"I've been to the Observation Deck, was that all you?" Sanada asked.
"Yes." Chief responded, quick and to the point.
"Throughout the entire war we've had with the Gamilans, we've never faced Infantry, all combat had been Naval based." Sanada told Chief.
"Throughout the Human Covenant War, the fighting took place in space and on the ground. They'd decimate our Navies before taking the fight to the surface to scour for Forerunner Artifacts before Glassing the surface." Chief stated.
"Your companion, Cortana, she mentioned this method, Glassing, before, can you explain what it is?" Sanada asked, curious about the concept, but inwardly afraid of the answer.
"Covenant Ships would Station themselves in orbit of a planet and fire a concentrated Beam onto the surface, one beam wouldnt be much, but an entire fleet would decimate the surface of the planet. The Atmosphere heats up exponentially, causing Ice Caps to melt, plants to burn away, and oceans to evaporate, the planet turns into a barren husk, but they still continue, until the surface of the planet is bombarded so much the surface turns to glass. It's a tactic they use to wipe away any survivors of the initial invasion. All the debris knocked into the atmosphere during the attack blocks out the sun, bringing the world into an Ice Age. hardly anything survives a Covenant Glassing." Chief explained, having witnessed many Glassings during the war.
"I see.." Was all Sanada said, Even though the Earth had been bombarded, irradiated, and invaded by poisonous invasive alien foliage, Glassing ultimately seemed like a worse fate for a planet.
Soon they arrived in Engineering where Chief would copy all Information on the Dawn's Data Servers onto a Drive before wiping the Servers clean. He then began the process of overloading the Reactors, having a good half hour before the Dawn detonated.
"It's time to go." Chief told Sanada and they made their way back to the Vehicle Bay.
Yamato
After boarding the Transports, they made their way back to the Yamato. Once the salvage teams were aboard and bridge crew, plus Chief, were back on board the Bridge, The Dawn's reactors detonated, destroying what was left of the Frigate.
"Sir, Cole Protocol is complete, destruction of UNSC FFG-201 Forward Unto Dawn is achieved." Chief stated in a salute before standing at attention.
"Good, now we can set course. Navigation, set heading for Pluto." Okita ordered.
"Pluto, sir?" Shima asked.
"Yes, what the Chief said had me thinking. When we leave the system, there will be nothing to stop the Gamilans from wreaking more havoc on Earth, and could cause problems that could put humanity in jeopardy before your One Year time limit is up. So we're attacking Pluto, and pushing the Gamilans out of our system!" Okita declared.
"Aye, Aye Sir!" Shima took the controls and started heading for Pluto.
A few hours later, while on course for Pluto, Cortana appeared on the ships projector.
"Alert, I'm detecting a radioactive object with a large mass on a collision course for Earth, it's a planet bomb sir." Cortana informed.
"Those demons.. they're increasing their attacks. Good thing we're putting a stop to them." Okita replied.
"If I may Captain, with control of the ships weapons, I can calculate target coordinates and destroy the Planet Bomb before it's even more of a threat to Earth than it already is." Cortana suggested.
"Such a shot on a target moving at that speed in highly improbable." Analyzer countered.
"That's what you think Fire Hydrant." Cortana teased.
"Enough you two." Okita silenced, quieting the two AI. "If you think you can make the shot, go ahead Cortana." Okita responded.
"Aye, Aye Captain." Cortana replied as her hologram dissipated.
The bridge crew looked to eachother, wondering if she could really pull it off. They watched as on of he Main Guns turned and took aim.
"I'm going loud." Cortana said over the PA.
The crew watched as Cortana fired the Yamato's Shock Cannon, watching the beam fly into the distance and watching a large explosion go off in the distance.
"Planet Bomb Neutralized." Cortana stated, getting a small cheer from the Bridge Crew.
"Excellent work Cortana, if you can, keep an eye out for more, you have permission to engage." Okita informed.
"Roger that." Cortana replied through the Comms as they continued on their course.
As the Yamato closed in on Pluto, Captain Okita called for a briefing for the bridge Command Crew. Once everyone was present, including the Master Chief, Okita began.
"It was my plan to avoid all unnecessary combat in order to reach Iscandar as soon as possible. However, this latest Planet Bomb suggests the enemy is not only continuing their assaults on Earth, but also accelerating them. We cannot stand for that, if this persists, Earth may be in jeopardy before our one year time limit is over. We'll cripple their Pluto Base and put an end to those dreadful Planet Bombs." Okita declared.
"After the Gamilans took Pluto, they've altered its atmosphere considerably, turning it from a barren rock to a habitable Dwarf Planet with Liquid Seas. UN Cosmo Force Intel has been analyzing the movements of surface hotspots for some time now, and has determined the base is in one of these 18 points." Okita briefed as a map appeared on the Projection on the floor beneath them, orange lights appearing to estimate locations for the base.
"We can't narrow it down anymore than that?" A Navigation Officer asked.
"No, afraid not." Niimii replies
"We suspect they're using some kind of Cloaking Shield, and that's preventing our sensors from locating their base." Sanada explained
"Tricky lot, aren't they?" Tokugawa comments
"It's a major Outpost for them, so if we do find it, they're going to put up a real fight." Shima pointed out.
"The Yamato is equipped with advanced Iscandarian Defense Technology called the Wave Motion Shield. They only last 20 minutes per charge of course, but we believe they will give us more than ample protection against the enemies Positron Beams." Sanada stated.
"Which is where I come in." Cortana appeared on screen, slightly startling everyone but Sanada and Okita with their Stoic expressions. "If we are taking too much fire, I can redirect power from Secondary and Auxiliary systems to the Shields to give us more protection and time, aswell as set Shields to put up more defense towards areas taking more fire than others." Cortana explained.
"That is good to hear, there is no doubt that there will be plenty of moments where that becomes a nessecity on our journey." Sanada comments.
"We plan to launch the Squadrons early before the Yamato sets off their alarm bells. She'll serve as a decoy, drawing thr bulk of the enemy fleet we're expecting to encounter. The Fighters will set a stealth through Nix' orbit, loop around Charon, then onto Pluto, staying low, there they'll split up and search for the base. Once they locate it, they'll destroy it. Meanwhile, the Yamato will try to breakthrough the enemy fleet to get close enough to Pluto's surface to give suppressing fire for the Squadron, providing cover from above." Kodai briefs them of the plan.
"If I may speak, sir!" Nanbu spoke out "Can't we just as easily destroy their base from long range with the Wave Motion Gun?" Nanbu Asks
"Most likely, but we won't." Kodai states.
"Why not? This puts us at risk for no reason at all sir!" Nanbu objects.
"It would destroy Pluto, we'd wreak even more havoc on our Solar System just to avoid a fight, and I won't do that." Kodai declares.
"It's for the survival of our species! What's a planet or two, huh?!" Nanbu continued
"I said no!" Kodai stood firm.
"That's your Commanding Officer, show some Respect." Saburo reminded.
"Oh come on, you know I'm right, the Wave Motion Gun would prevent the Squadron from taking any losses." Nanbu defended himself "Though honestly, now that we have the Wave Motion Gun, we don't even need a Fighter Wing." Nanbu sassed.
"What did you say?" Saburo asked threateningly
"Did that bruise your Ego?" Nanbu retorted.
"Why, You-" Saburo went to attack, but was interrupted by the deep, commanding voice of the SPARTAN in the room.
"Enough! You're Soldiers and Sailors, instead you're acting like children!" Chief berated the two.
"Kodai's right by the way, by my calculations, after going over the power of the Wave Motion Gun, the debris from Pluto would spread through out the Solar System and pelt everything is large Asteroid Storms, including Earth, causing potentially Apocalyptic events that even your underground Bunkers won't be able to withstand." Cortana states and shows the Data Projections.
Seeing the Data, Nanbu gulped, if they had gone through with his plan, they could've wiped out Humanity before the Gamilans. He stood there, ashamed.
"We will destroy their base without using the Wave Motion Gun, that decision is final." Okita declared.
"Yes, Sir." Nanbu replied, abit ashamed.
"We'll rely on our Squadron. Kodai, you will lead them, Cortana will substitute your position until your return." Okita instructs.
"Yes, Sir." Kodai replies.
"Aye, Aye!" Cortana's image disappeared from the Screen, the map reappearing.
"We'll oversee the operation from the Combat Bridge in CIC. You'll be on the Bridge aswell chief, running engineering by comm." Okita states, looking to Tokugawa.
"Understood, Sir." Tokugawa replied.
"That will be all." Okita dismisses the crew.
~Later~
After a brief encounter from Yamamoto from accounting, recieving her transfer request to the Fighter Wing, and running it by the Captain, he made his way to Squadron Briefing.
"Lieutenant Kodai, I realize we're about to launch, but is there time for us to talk?" Saburo asks.
"Yeah, sure. But first, I have an announcement to make." Kodai looks to the Fighter Personnel. "First things first, there's some news I think you all need to hear. We have a Personnel Transfer Accounting Division to the Fighter Squadron, that goes into effect immediately." Kodai informed
The new Pilot, Akira Yamamoto takes to the front, getting stares from the men in the wing. And a look of surprise from Saburo.
"Names Yamamoto, glad to be flying with you. Now let's go kick some tail." Yamamoto bows and salutes. Too which she gets hollers and cat calls from the men looking at her.
"Akira! But how did you-" Saburo started but was cut off by Kodai.
"Akira? I thought your name was Rei?" Kodai asked.
"It's a nickname." Yamamoto takes the Datapad from Kodai before putting up her Personnel File. "There, see? Akira Yamamoto."
"Gotcha, my mistake." Kodai acknowledged.
"Rei's fine anyway, lots of people call me that." Yamamoto comments
"Alright then, looks like Captain Okita already approved this." Kodai states, getting a surprised look from Saburo, to which Akira gives him a smirking side glance.
"She's good." Saburo comments about Akira to no one on particular.
"I'll run the Squadron Side of this operation. I'll start up North and Bravo will start from the South. Once we've entered Pluto, we'll all split up into pairs and search." Kodai briefs. "You're with me. You'll be flying in the Alpha Team, understood?" He says to Akira.
"Yes, Sir." Akira acknowledged.
"I know the score, I'm sure that most of you, If not all of you have lost someone to the enemy. That said, don't even think of dying to avenge them. Survive and keep fighting." Kodai concluded with a salute, to which everyone saluted back.
~Pluto Space~
"Approaching Operation Zone!" Ota announced.
"Deploy the Wave Motion Shields!" Sanada ordered.
"Wave Motion Shields deployed! Output at 80%!" Ota replied.
"Fighter Squadron standing by for Launch!" Mori announced.
"Now commencing Operation:M2! Deploy the Falcons!" Okita ordered.
The Falcons began their launch from the ships Aft Launch Bay, The Zeroes being deployed from their Catapults. The Fighters then took up positions around the Yamato until everyone was deployed.
"Alpha-1 to all Fighters, maintain Radio Silence until Target is located. Activate ECM, Good Luck out there." Kodai stated through comms as the Fighter Squadron made their way to Nix.
The Yamato continued on its course to Pluto. Unaware of the Probe monitoring their approach, and the trap that they were walking into.