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"Reckoning by Defeat"
March 5 2528 - Hour 0210
MAJ Logan 'Log' Sutton
Rajtom Facility, Erőd, Planet of Reach
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So, I kind of got a bit of fun yesterday by crashing the Covenant's hopes of this being an easy fight.
Their special ship was long dead, their fleet was suffering a lot due to this, and they had enough to muster a definitive make or break offensive. Now, that sounds like something that would be dreadful since they had dispatched a lot of troops, with a fraction of the personnel involved within the super-ship now littering part of the planet's continents and causing issues for the local garrisons.
The HIGHCOM was particularly impressed and 'annoyed' by this unannounced mission, but Cole had been warned and he had given it a TOP-SECRET label before any of that happened. As much as it may have seen as a bit of a cheeky move from the two of us, the end result was undeniably a good boon for the defenses and enough to change our strategy into something a bit more fitting for our current standing situation.
With evacuation long unfolded and the planet deserted by civilians, it was time to get this bold move turned back on them with a single hit.
"We will stab them with a spearhead-like assault and decapitate their leadership before they can react," I summarized calmly before the commanders I rallied for the occasions. Marines, Navy, SPARTANs, and BALMUNGs.
The rest of the large force we were massing over their starting points for the beginning of Operation: RECKONING as this was going to be the turning point that could ultimately kill off any chance of the Covenant causing us grief in the near future. Failure was thus unacceptable.
"To be clearer in this regard, the Fleet will soon begin bombing various sections of the perimeter guarded by the Covenant in the Viery Territory, members of the Demolition and Infiltration Divisions have been aiding engineers all over the planetary system to create distractions to make the enemy believe we are planning for an overall assault, which, truth be told, is not what we are aiming for. They will think we are attacking everywhere and thus not see the issue of a small section of their front collapsing until it will be too late," I elaborated calmly. "We will use that element of surprise plus how prepared and well-equipped we are for the brutal fighting to push through and get to their headquarters. There, we will get their leaders either killed or captured, it doesn't matter- once the castle of cards will lose its foundation, the rest will follow. No hesitation, I want everyone to be sharp on this matter. Any question?"
I saw a few hands raised at this. I looked at the chief in charge of the ODSTs for the Operation and nodded in his direction.
"Sir, you forgot what my boys will be up to."
"My apologies, Lieutenant. The ODST shall take care of landing on Line 1 and 2 once we have them crossed and are rushing into Line 3. They will take care of securing our rear and then, once the leadership had been dealt with, push to expand the flanks so that we can further squeeze the resistance sacks this spearhead will leave behind. Next?"
"If I may ask, Sir," The Air Force commander spoke up, looking curious. "What would be the best method to approach our enemy's leadership?"
"Capture on the basis that they can give us info on how to end the war faster. More awareness means less deaths to keep noticing, and more fathers, mothers, sons and daughters going back home once this hell of a war is over," I replied dryly. "Still, if the situation sees all options to detain the leadership exhausted, then killing them off will be our best bet. Only if all options are exhausted however, I don't expect any laziness on the matter because we need that info for future battles. And with that being said, this is all I can tell you. The rest shall be delivered with each task that will be assigned to each individual group. Other questions?"
No one raised hands or spoke up, and I nodded.
"Good then, dismissed and we will start operations in a hour from now. This will be a lengthy battle, I hope you and your men will keep that in mind."
They all left and... I prepared for what I could tell was going to be an interesting setting. While the Covenant had a formidable force on the ground, they were also suffering some internal strife due to the recent events. Some Brutes just wanted my ass in a non-funny way, and yet most of the Sangheili were trying to keep the ranks united and... failing at it.
I just could tell this was going to be a clusterfuck one way or another. I just didn't know how big of a clusterfuck that was going to be...
March 5 2528 - Hour 1620
Field Master Thela 'Vadamee
Viery Territory, Planet of Reach
This skirmish went as horribly as she had expected.
Thela didn't even frown when the news of their front collapsing reached her, nor even when some Jiralhanaee troops just diserted in an effort to engage against humans, with most getting slaughtered by the orbital barrage and the rest getting gutted by the defensive lines set by the humans on the planet.
She knew what was going on, in both aspects of this mess of a situation. The Prophets had tried to coax her into being aggressive in this offensive, but the positions they had was not one that could be easily kept- not when they had more 'green troops' compared to proper regulars. The fall of their siege ship had led to many inexperienced troops to be on the ground and be more of a liability than anything else.
Grunting in annoyance when she noticed Rtas' frustrated glare at the lack of active responses, Thela didn't say or do anything to change her long-standing friend's understanding of the situation- The Humans had enough to crack them no matter how many reserves were dispatched and the leadership that still believed in her had to be given a very unpleasant truth of the situation behind their current unstable front: This was meant to be their defeat- no, her defeat.
While it was a bit difficult to convince them all of this matter, an internal investigation had brought up what she had been fearing for some time: this entire invasion was meant to be a chance for Tartarus (now dead) to rise in ranks withink the Covenant Army and for Thela to... find an unpleasant reason to give up. Either by being defeated and shamed once brought home, or by being killed in the field and then shamed due to the defeat.
What the Prophets didn't expect was for Thela to have an unpopular but very valuable solution to all of this. One that had many irritated, but ultimately accepting out of reluctance and awareness there was nothing to go back after today. They all stood, like Thela, as their forces were no longer actively taking tasks and orders for this fight.
Hours of brainless skirmish, with blunders caused by rebellious officers and disgraceful efforts from a large portion Jiralhanae command force had led to this.
Thela's silent stare to the ground was shattered by the noise of ships approaching. Human dropships, and with a couple of aerial vehicles circling the perimeter as the hatches of the closest ship opened and... a familiar armored figure stepped forward. A quick glance, despite his hidden face, confirmed the expected irritation, yet a restraint as he approached with a few soldiers flanking him.
He stopped, annoyance dripping in his voice. "My name is Major Logan Sutton of the UNSC Marine Corps. As per request, I am here to hear the declaration of surrender of the Commanding Officer of the Covenant Forces on Reach and I request a proper declaration before taking you all in."
That was direct, blunt and quite dry. A nod, Thela took a few steps to be in front of her troops and spoke with resolution.
"My name is Field Master Thela 'Vadamee and I submit our Declaration of Surrender to Major Logan Sutton of the UNSC Marince Corps."
No more, no less. There was still some bitterness by the other troops, only a few moderate Jiralhanae making the bulk of that reluctance but they knew this was quite over. There was no way back home anyway and this was their only hope of survival.
The armored figure sighed. "Good. Then, you are all to be detained to be moved to a safe facility near our current base. In a few days' time, you will be shifted to an appropriate facility."
They were then divided in groups, cuffed so that they couldn't escape- a formality, yes, but an amusing one since no one was planning to escape from this ordeal. Thela, Rtas, and others were then lead to the Dropships and Thela felt relief as Rtas was assigned to her group, even more when Log was there too. But he stood by the hatch, rifle still in his hands as he kept looking at them with hawkish dedication.
This was perhaps not how she plotted this turn of events, but the main goal was achieved-
The Covenant had lost their most relevant military leader, and now the Prophets were going to see hell due to this. It was the sweet victory that comes with defeat, a reckoning of sort, but not the last thing that demanded this huge ordeal. Oh no, that had yet to come. And it will take her a few words with some relevant officers on the human side to get this small request through.
Small steps as courting was as troublesome as war is. Except now Thela had the advantage- and she wasn't planning to let go of it.
AN
The 'Covenant Fall of Reach' is definitely not what the Prophets envisioned for this campaign. Then again, they were hoping for Tartarus to take the success from Thela out of this campaign and he is... undisposed.
Next time, Log realizes this big victory may have lefth im with a new burden or two.