Location:Unknown, Outter Colonies

08:00 am, May 5,2552.

UNSC Second Fleet

Aboard the UNSC Yamato, Fleet Admiral Nanami Shinano's hand slammed down on the desk, frustration etched on her face. If things couldn't get any worse, she thought, she was about to be proven wrong. The orders from FLEETCOM were crystal clear: with the fall of Reach, the Covenant armada had a direct route to Earth.

Her fleet, once boasting over 100 ships, now dwindled to a mere 25, excluding support vessels—only two of which remained from the original five. Straightening her uniform, Fleet Admiral Shinano strode towards the bridge, receiving swift salutes from passing crew members. As she entered, her gaze fixed grimly on the display screen. The UNSC Kamchatka had taken a severe beating, its main MAC cannons rendered inoperative.

Fortunately, the engines and slipspace drive remained intact. The ships stood in formation as Fleet Admiral Shinano observed from her station. In the vanguard, commanded by Vice Admiral Christian, was his flagship, an Orion Class Assault Carrier, the UNSC McArthur, accompanied by the Halberd Class Light Destroyer, the UNSC Kamchatka, and four Paris Class Heavy Frigates: the UNSC Tokyo Bay, The Awoken Dragon, Resist and Bite, and the Izumi.

The main body of the fleet included her flagship, the UNSC Yamato, a Punic Class Super Carrier. Around her were three Paris Class frigates: the UNSC Manila Bay, I Can Run For Six Months, and another three Charon Class light frigates: the UNSC Day After, Unlimited Love, and Alternative Route. Surrounding the Yamato was a Marathon Class Heavy Cruiser, the UNSC To Hell and Back.

Taking up the rearguard formation was Rear Admiral Kristoff, with his flagship, another Marathon Class Heavy Cruiser, the UNSC Defender, accompanied by four Halberd Class Light Destroyers: the UNSC Burma, Zero, Corsair, and the Hornet, along with a single Paris Class Heavy Frigate, the UNSC Last Ride of the Valkyries, and three remaining Charon Class Light Frigates: the UNSC Azure Sky, Eagle Strike, and Zuoriel. The fleet also included two Phoenix Class support ships: the UNSC Kashgar CFV-578 and UNSC Sadogashima CFV-579.

Fleet Admiral Shinano swiftly issued orders, her voice cutting through the tension on the bridge. "Captain Masahi, relay orders to Vice Admiral Christian and Rear Admiral Kristoff to prepare for an FTL jump to Earth. Plot our course immediately."

Her directives were concise, reflecting the urgency of the situation. As the officers carried out her orders, the ship began to shake, entering slipspace.

"Fleet Admiral, all bulkheads are secured. Standing by for FTL jump," announced one of the officers as the bridge windows were covered by Titanium A-plus battle armor.

Captain Masahi ordered, "Helm, maintain our heading with the fleet. Announce to all crew to prepare for FTL jump." Red lights blurred within the ships of the fleet, signaling the crews to brace for the jump.

The holographic table came alive, displaying the ships of the Second Fleet as they coordinated their FTL jump. In that moment, the fleet initiated their jumps.

Fleet Admiral Shinano watched intently as orders were relayed. Suddenly, an officer reported with alarm, "Captain Masahi, slight abnormalities are being reported by the UNSC Kamchatka through its Shaw-Fujikawa core."

Fleet Admiral Shinano quickly asked, "Will it affect us and the ship? How bad is it?" Captain Masahi turned to the A.I., which wore the uniform of a WWII Japanese admiral.

In its monotone voice, the A.I. responded, "Fleet Admiral, data from the UNSC Kamchatka confirms all is still within nominal parameters... Checking for further information."

Despite the reassurance from both Captain Petrov and the Kamchatka's A.I., the bridge crew felt uneasy. They knew the Kamchatka's Shaw-Fujikawa core had sustained some damage.

The officers waited in anticipation as the Kamchatka finally sent a response, confirming that all abnormalities had been dealt with. One officer asked, "What was the abnormality?" The officer, and everyone listening, heard the response.

"Unknown."

The entire ship began to shake violently. Crews and officers desperately clung to railings or desks, struggling to maintain their balance. Outside, a massive black hole large enough to swallow the entire battlegroup had formed, pulling the ships into its void.

After a grueling thirty minutes, the ordeal finally ended. One officer cursed at the Kamchatka, but Captain Masahi quickly took charge. "Damage control teams, get to work! Check the reactors and report any casualties."

Fleet Admiral Shinano tried to stand but nearly fell back. An officer rushed to her aid. Captain Masahi turned to another officer. "I want a full count of our fleet numbers. Find out where the hell we are and report the FTL failure to both admirals and other captains." The bridge was a flurry of organized chaos as officers and crew sprang into action.

"Status report, Captain Masahi!" Fleet Admiral Shinano demanded as she approached him.

Captain Masahi saluted before responding. "All ships report minor damage, except for the UNSC Kamchatka. Its reactor and Shaw-Fujikawa core are busted. Casualties are being tallied; most are minor injuries, but there are some major ones, mostly from the Kamchatka."

Without further questions, the Fleet Admiral and Captain Masahi turned their attention to the hologram. It displayed an eerily similar system to Sol, adding to their confusion and concern.

"It's terrifying," Shinano muttered, staring at the hologram. "It looks almost exactly like the Sol System."

Captain Masahi nodded. "Fleet Admiral, it may seem unbelievable, but we might have arrived late."

The entire Second Fleet was now assessing their situation, realizing they had landed in a visible and potentially hostile location. Whoever was monitoring this space had likely already seen the Kamchatka and, by extension, the fleet.