Aboard UNSC Infinity, bridge
Twenty kilometers and closing from God's Key
2557 Military Calendar, 10:34
"This is UNSC AI Roland. Now here this! All essential personnel to general quarters! General quarters! Lock down all cargo under class B for immediate transit! We are moving in the breach, we are moving in the breach..."
As Roland stood on the Infinity's massive holo-table, relaying orders throughout the entire ship, the battle alarm sounded on the bridge. Captain Lasky turned to the table. A full tactical display of Battle Group Dakota. By all luck, there was still a lot of unknown to the Forerunner engines and slipspace systems Battle Group Dakota possessed. What should've been a few hours was only one. Admiral Alvares' fleet lagged far behind but they're just going to have to proceed without her. Cole Protocol was far too important to wait.
"Shields up, backups on standby. All weapons armed and fighters prepped! Roland, get all ground teams on standby. Ready for immediate drop." Lasky ordered.
"Aye, aye, Skipper. All personnel. Prep for sudden acceleration and gravitation."
The ship was near the artifact. The circles far slower than it was with the Legend After.
Here they go, into the breach. One of Humanity's greatest achievements leading the way.
The rings began to speed up as they got closer. Increasing past five-hundred revolutions per minute, threatening to run right through the Infinity at that velocity.
"Stand by. Unidentified matter surrounding ship, no contradiction with static-antimatter shields. All systems optimal. Massive gravitational depression, binary black holes at the center of the key rings. Dark energy destabilizing density and mass."
In no way this Key followed conventional astrophysics. The eggheads aboard the ship already concluded this attribute to dark energy and/or matter. How or why hasn't been delivered in a comprehensive report to Lasky.
"Density-mass flux! Negative G effect, hold on!" Roland yelled.
There were only shades of blue zipping past the Infinity. Lasky held on, feeling a sudden lightness to his entire body. Beside him the bridge crew and the rest of the ship were secured at their station. Blue still passed, something similar to hyperspace in the ancient sci-fi films Star Wars. Black entrenched within. Pressure against the Captain's chest. The other ships and the God's Key disappeared. Light growing brighter.
Suddenly thrown back into the black void so familiar. Pressure thrown away. Lungs able to expand properly. Stars thrown out of alignment; out of Lasky's knowledge of astro-navigation.
And farther off a small sphere with green continents, seas and fires and bright lights spread upon its surface. Red and blue flares surrounding and battling each other. A beautiful planet despite its scars. The sun far behind it. Windows darkening even more to counteract the light.
Everything the Shadow Man's AI detected and reported was analyzed as fast as possible by Roland for tactical reports. Six planets in the entire system. Only one habitable; Hostile xeno capabilities (whatever was seen) accounted for; indexed planet mass and density along with gravitational influence information. Everything they needed to jump into a blind deployment.
"Sir, all ships are accounted for, spread across a fifty-million kilometer distance. Average distance from our ship five million klicks. Standard deviation at two-point-four million. Immediate contact Fleet of Retribution over planetary surface. They're getting the shit kicked out of them by the squids but for the moment they're holding. Enemy contact, two-klick squids, dozens of them three-million kilometers out!"
There was a small tactical reading for the squid ships on the holo-table.
Approved by the Office of Naval Intelligence. For eyes only:
Length: Two kilometers
Armament: Rapid fire spinal cannon, light. Possible anti-fighter cannons. Possible anti-missile cannons. Possible multiple Point Defense Cannons
Maneuver class: Class ten. Advise extreme caution in both outsourcing long-range combat situations and short-range combat. Maneuverability exceeds far past any UNSC ship.
Shielding: Most likely Dark energy based, light. Unknown plating, most likely light.
Manufacturer: Unknown Extraterrestrial Threat
There was a main group of squids, about half-a-million kilometers away from the Covenant geometrical defense dodecagon. The squids grouped themselves together, directly on the same grid as the God's Key. Dozens of unidentified contact ships spread across the solar system, spread about in small skirmishes.
Lasky nodded, forming up the echelons of the battle group. Ten Strident-class ships dropped from the Infinity, rumbling as each one passed, realigning themselves with the face of the main ship. "Form up echelons tactical groups, ASAP. Planet is two-d northwards in our frame of direction; second and third echelon, move northwards by one-million kilometers. Stride apart. Drift by five-thousand klicks. Form up a kill box.
"Roland! Move the Infinity westward. Coordinates five by seven by five by five. Macro-chaotic adjustments. Diameter fifty klicks. Line up the MACs with nearest squid's intended trajectory. Fire two. All seventy millimeter guns begin to fire spread effect. Get them to move apart!"
Second and third echelon began to fill out orders. Each one was composed of twelve ships led by four Autumn-class cruisers and one Vindication-class battleship. They began to reform quickly, moving forward with each individual ship about fifteen-thousand kilometers apart.
From what HIGHCOM could analyze not only were these squids highly outfitted for short-range warfare but also for long-range. They were able to engage from tens of thousands of kilometers away. Chaotic movements were to counteract that, make them work for it. With Forerunner engines the Infinity didn't need any RCS engines or systems, able to decelerate, say, with the distribution of mass-density and kinetic momentum. Roland would randomly twitch the ship from place to place within a fifty klick circle faster than any ship in the UNSC Navy. Mindful and controlling to not crash into other ships while looking and feeling like nothing.
It worked; red and blackish lasers flew by nearly missing the Infinity and her ten guards. Lasky saw the squids were near the planet. They peeled away from orbit despite all data pointing they should've moved along the gravitational orbit in order to break through it and not kill the crew.
The squids jutted off, turned towards echelons two and three. Moved towards them at an increasing velocity in curved arcs.
"We're lined up! MAC one firing, MAC one firing!" Chief Warrant Officer Watkins yelled off.
The ship vibrated. A flash of yellow light of an eight-hundred ton slug traveling forward, pushing the ship back. Lasky magnified on the blue-scope, saw a squid bastard move westwards only to be cleanly pierced mid-body by a slug that continued to travel towards the planet. Hope that didn't hit anything important down below.
Trails of light beads ignited from areas on the surface of the ship hull. Shell after shell of the eight-hundred-thirty guns flew forward. Adjusted for intended trajectory at one percent speed of light at a target hundreds of thousands of kilometers away.
"Echelon one, move forwards, support two and three with a high curvature arc westwards. At aphelion of arc move all fronts and engage any and all squids. Echelon four, cover echelon five," echelon five was mainly composed of the carriers and non-combatant ships, "launch all necessary support assets. Fighters and drones. We need to get into position to launch off the ground troops. Get a horn with the Shadow of Intent, relay any and all tactical information."
"Roger, Captain. Shadow of Intent is prepping all compartments for immediate slip from the planet's troposphere. Connecting line to the Arbiter, give me a moment."
Lasky had to deal with the sudden gravitation increase. Smaller breaths as with the standard naval technique. The ship curved upwards with her guards. Moved towards the main squid group.
The Strident-classes engaged RCS engines, fires throughout the hull of the ships as they matched the Infinity's movement. Archer missiles began to fire, small clusters with trails of smoke that joined in with the weapons cannons. From the blue-scope small pinpoint lasers downed some of the missiles while others got through, either bouncing off shields or hitting their targets on the hull.
So they did have point-defense lasers. And Lasky guessed ONI would also be right about the anti-fighter systems.
"MAC two away, MAC two away!" Watkins called off.
Again, another burst of yellow light that rocked back the ship. The other guards followed the assault. Slugs away in the usual fashion of UNSC long-range tactics. The squids were moving to avoid. Some of the slugs missed by only meters with a few hitting their targets. A one-hundred-sixty meter squid was completely engulfed and disappeared under the yellow sun.
Third and second echelon moved in. Their commanders readying them for fast-strike movements with third echelon's trajectory suggesting a slingshot around the nearby gas giant that would direct them right through the squid group.
"Sir, new contacts closing in. Squid group, flight of twenty-five, moving into the system from the distant gas giant, velocity…this, this can't be right." Roland said, opening up a new screen.
"What's wrong?"
"They're traveling Faster Than Light…that... The energy required has to be anything beyond this universe can provide. Mass… negative seven. Stress-energy tensor has to be larger than the object."
Breaking the laws of Relativity. Lasky didn't need an explanation to… well actually he did, but that would have to wait. Roland can read everything, send it to the eggheads, have them panic witnessing the foundations of the universe crumble before their own eyes. It wasn't a first. The Ring's found a way around Einstein's law using some sort of tachyon particle as their weapon, traveling across tens of thousands of light years in mere minutes of what should've taken millenniums in conventional space. However the UNSC didn't exactly get a perfect look.
"Are they decelerating?" Lasky said.
"Yes, sir, lowering velocity to sub-light. I've detected almost a gravitational hill in the space-time curvature, and at the speed they're going at their depression should be larger than damn Canis Majoris."
"Space-time hill? That…"
"Believe me, I'm slightly less lost than you. Squid group is using gas giant's gravitational influence to slingshot a vector towards third echelon. ETA: two minutes until firing range."
Back to the situation. The twenty-five squids were spread about one-thousand kilometers apart. Not very smart in terms of space combat. It was too easy to surround them or affect a ship with splash damage. Third echelon turned their Paris-class frigates towards the enemy. They moved away from echelon one. The squid's trajectory was arced so the frigates' commander did an inverse arc, hoping the squids would pass them and the frigates can circle around to open fire with the MACs.
Lasky saw the velocity decrease. At this rate the frigates might be able to take them out but what the squids had shown so far the bastards might be able to face the frigates. The squids will just peel off units to deal with the seven ships, how many is unknown, but at the most it had to be half.
The risks weren't worth it.
"Roland, call back subgroup of third echelon. Depress their trajectory and switch their inverses. Use habitable planet and shoot them upwards. Slingshot towards first echelon. We'll regroup."
"Aye, aye, sir. Calling back echelon three."
Orders filled out on the holo-table. With echelon three right next to the Infinity , Lasky had them line up long shots and open firing. The squids micro-adjusted, moving upwards and downwards at long-distant trajectory movement.
"Captain. I'm picking up dozens of concentrated gravitational depression connections, not wavelengths. They're trying to establish a base, use it for a systematic cybernetic attack." Roland reported.
"Can you stop it?"
"For the moment. The more we stay here, Captain, the more they'll learn our systems. Firewalls are up, but we're just going to have to wait and see.
"Also!" Roland added, always enthusiastic. "Horns up with the Arbiter."
"I'll make it quick." For the moment Roland can fill out all tactical details. Lasky had to organize the ground assault. You learn to make these quick calls under combat.
The Arbiter's hologram appeared on the table. Dressed in far more ceremonial armor than the average Elite. Black and dark golden plates engraved with traditional art of their species. Lasky got to meet him a few times before, with Lord Hood. Every time it was a ironic and strange honor.
"Captain Lasky, we have retrieved a good portion of your people yet we have run into some difficulties with opposing anti-air cannons on the hillside and outskirts of the city. The Shadow of Intent and her fleet has already taken enough abuse and we can last no longer."
Lasky nodded, voice filled with a regrettable haste as the ship still moved forward. "I understand, Arbiter. I'm going to have to make this quick but you've done a great service to the United Nations and Humanity. We'll regroup if possible. We'll honor your sacrifices."
"Indeed. Our ship is ready to move out. We shall pull out, and wait on the other side of the Forerunner artifact in case you still need reinforcements. I also received a report from your shipmaster, an old friend is to deploy with the first wave on the surface. I told you it was far too easy to kill him yet your people ignored me."
"That you did. You've done more than enough, Arbiter. Stand by, moving into position." Lasky cut the line, turned to Roland. "What can you tell about the surface?"
Roland stepped aside and displayed a three-dimensional topography map and outline of the city. Constant rolling hills. A lake with city encroaching on it. The buildings were spread apart. A large cluster at the center like any other normal human city. Buildings lined up along the lake. No shore-side front property.
"I've located the pods the Elites missed… Most are spread around the countryside. Where the Legend After should be is just a controlled pile of radioactive rubble. I have detected two transports in the city, but…"
"But?" Lasky asked.
"Frigate-sized ship is gaining on them. Unidentified contacts, different design but similar foundational structure to our ships. I think they've made contact."
The map displayed the pods as red dots. From the looks of it the Elites barely made a dent in the rescue population. There were still dozens. And either way wouldn't it be sounder to hover over a concentrated area of pods then a possibly contested city? What were they doing?
"We have to hurry. What about squid and contact projections?"
"The Elites eliminated most of the AA that contradicted with their positioning. But from what I can tell there's still a lot of them. Maybe they've hidden themselves from the Elites, didn't have enough firepower to puncture those shields. They most likely have a cone shape firing position. So they can't even maneuver and shoot anything at their height level but can target more and more the higher you go. And judging from the Elite fleet I don't think these cannons target at exosphere. I don't know their firing capacity or impact yield." Roland said
"I understand. Get Palmer and Buck from Spartan CIC. Get them on the line. Continue to move the Infinity in a full arc, micro-direct trajectory over the city. Underside hull facing the surface and launch the ODSTs."
"Roger, sir. But from calculated trajectory we'll have launch from a curved vector in order to match the planet's gravitational influence and spin. It'll be forty-seven thousand kilometers. Way above optimal launch distance."
Before Lasky could answer Roland stepped aside. Lieutenant Colonel Buck and Commander Palmer appeared. Buck was fully dressed in the black armor of the ODSTs and Palmer within the red and white Spartan commander armor. Both of them saluted the Captain.
"Sir." Buck said. "We're prepared for drop. Just waiting on your orders."
"My Spartans are prepped and waiting for the doors to open." Palmer added. "We also got the Master Chief into a modified pod. He's locked and loaded."
"Good. Ladies, the Infinity will be moving, adjust accordingly. It'll be around fifty-thousand klicks. Think you'll be able to handle it?"
"Defi-fucking-nitly. We've been well trained for high-orbit drops. But I can't say for the Spartans…" Buck said.
"Believe me, we can handle it better than the you."
"Good." Lasky said. "Your first targets are the AA cannons, we need that foothold; watch out for E-band transmissions for any pods. If they're in trouble they turn into immediate priority. I will not deploy you into that city. We have no idea what's down there."
"Thank you, sir. I hate urban drops, anyways." Buck said.
"Copy that. However we've picked up multiple cannons near the city and we also have two UNSC Pelicans deep inside. Palmer, your Spartans will deploy to the AA locations near the city. Buck, Stacker's battalion will take on the AA cannons where, topography surveys suggest, serve as the best location to deploy firebase footholds. You'll get support from the Master Chief and whatever Spartans Palmer is willing to spare. Take out the targets, link up with pod survivors.
"You will receive no armored or conventional marine support, and limited orbital and air support, if any. Once you eliminate those AA cannons I'll send down the invasion ASAP. From there you'll get the support you need to head through the city and hopefully link up with those transports."
Both acknowledged, saying they understood despite the shot into the partial-unknown The Elites only smashed through. No survey at all.
"Get to your pods. You're feet first. Lasky out."
On top of building, 2187 Citadel Calendar, 10:36
The rifle pointed at Shepard and his crew was about a little over three feet in length. Dark grey and black with a double orange stripe at the end of the forestock. A small gap in the upper hand guard that connected to a large carrying handle with a square scope at the back end. No evidence it can fold into a weapon block. The person holding it was maybe a little shorter than Shepard, standing at five-eleven. Dressed in grey body armor, shoulder guards, and jutted neck guard on his left shoulder covering a black uniform. Ranking was shown on his collar and shoulder guards. The exact insignia of captain used in the Alliance Navy.
Four other people joined him. Two were dressed in blue armor with black underlays that dressed a body abnormally muscular. Armor pieces spread apart, scratched and seeing its share of war. One stood at around six-four, helmet with a large oval-shaped yellow visor. The other was short, only at around five-one. A squared shape helmet with a smaller visor. The tall one held a large silver rifle with a curved upper guard and attached hand grip. The short one had most definitely what Shepard can describe as a double barrel rocket launcher.
The other two had armor similar to the captain. Except it was white and far less advanced than the blue armored units. Green, Kevlar-like or possibly dragon skin body armor with a single metal shielding covering their chest. White markings on arms and leggings. They looked like the soldiers of the late twentieth and early twenty-first century. Some body parts only covered by mere cloth.
Black hair, brown eyes…human skin…
Everything with what the Shipmaster said…, this is…
"Who the fuck are you?" He yelled. He didn't see a response, Liara and Tali shocked as much as Shepard. All three held their hands up, surrendering.
Shepard didn't even notice Kai Leng across from the group at first. Standing in front of his shuttle, wearing the usually black specialist fatigues and the Cerberus seal. From the looks of it, he didn't even bring his Japanese ninjato-styled swords. The Illusive Man must really want this. The white and black visor glasses blocking any shock. If any.
"Captain, I understand your shock of-" Kai Leng began.
"I asked you a damn question! Who the hell are you?" He said. Their rifles pointed from Kai Leng back to Shepard and his crew. Prominently, they were aiming at Liara and Tali. "You're fucking Naval Intelligence, aren't you? You sent in Spartan-IIIs, you knew what was on the other side, didn't you?"
"What the hell are you talking about? Naval Intelligence? I already told you, I was sent here by the Systems Alliance Navy!" Shepard yelled back, more reserve compared to him
The Captain seemed scared, almost frightened. "Commander, I know ONI has a lot of shady shit but I never heard of the Systems Alliance. And I can tell you there is no Human navy outside the UNSC Navy!"
A Human captain, crew, aboard an alien ship. Mark Florence claiming of the UNSC. If there were slight differences, such as the similarities between Asari and Human physiology and anatomy, then it wasn't visible, possibly embedded within genetic coding. But to see a complete similarity in the chaos that is evolution, was…had to be impossible.
"Captain, I've never heard of the UNSC, Naval Intelligence, or the Legend After until a few hours ago!" Shepard was only able to say.
"Maybe you can answer some of our questions, such as who are you!" Liara said. She cautiously stepped forward, prompted him to shoulder his rifle.
If it hit Shepard bad then Liara was far worse. Eyes widened with the mask of something similar when she first saw Shepard alive. Except there was absolutely no associated emotions with meeting someone you want to meet. Contact with actual aliens was one thing. New contact with a species you already met…
"Commander, you have made contact with unidentified xenos. You are aboard their goddamn ship. This is beyond the shit ONI does; you have broken First Contact Protocol.
"And you!" Mark said, as if Liara didn't say anything, moved his weapon to Kai Leng. "Why didn't you say you were UNSC? Hell, even ONI! We would've regrouped. Get the hell out of this mess and send up a threat assessment to FLEETCOM!"
Was he not listening to Shepard?
"Captain, I don't think they're UNSC or ONI personnel. I'm not picking up any IFF tags or anything that can remotely pin them to the UNSC." The energetic voice on the comms said. Its origin was from the short armored blue figure. An oddly male voice from a feminine figure.
"Listen to him. Neither me…nor Kai Leng have any idea on what you're talking about." Shepard said.
The Captain stayed silent for a moment, looking to Kai Leng and Shepard. "I want details. Who sent you, what you're doing. Your rate. Military training. Where you were born, a little about yourselves. And your friends." He aimed at Liara and Tali. "Who exactly are they?"
"Like I said earlier, I'm Lieutenant Kai Leng." He said. Shepard noticed he didn't have his hands raised. "I was born on here, on Illium." There were barely any humans here and there wasn't enough timespan for one to be born on this planet. "I was trained as a field intelligence commander and special operations commander by an organization called Cerberus. I was sent by the head of this organization, codenamed the Illusive Man to rescue you and return you to your people in order to establish peaceful relationships to help fight and defend from the Reapers.
"As I was saying earlier, I understand your shock. Like Shepard said, I've never heard of ONI, and I can assure you that Cerberus is not part of ONI or the UNSC."
"So what you're saying is Cerberus is a part of the rebels?"
"Captain, I'm saying we have never made contact."
He looked to Shepard, moving his weapon towards him. "…What about you?"
"I'm part of the Systems Alliance Navy and represent the Citadel Council, a coalition of numerous species. I was trained as a scout sniper and cryptologic specialist and received N7 advanced combat and command training on Earth. I was born on the human colony of Mindoir. I signed up with the Alliance Navy after it was attacked by raiders and have been serving for fifteen…thirteen years. I was sent here by Fleet Admiral Steven Hackett to fill out the same objective as Kai Leng. To retrieve any and all survivors and help you back to your people."
"Earth…Earth? You mentioned Earth. Both of you claimed you never heard of the UNSC or ONI but how the hell do you know about Earth? How the hell are you Human?" Mark said, frantic.
"Do they know?" Mark said, trailing off.
"Who? Know what?" Shepard said.
"Them." He pointed at Liara and Tali, remaining quiet. "Do they know about Earth? Do they know its location?"
That was the oddest question to come out of the Captain's mouth. Of course they knew about Earth. Its location wasn't a secret.
"Before we even answer that question…" Liara started. "I can tell that -whatever Earth we're talking about- it is important to you… And I am afraid what kind of a reaction you'll have if we respond."
"Sir…" The energetic voice said. "I've looked through all eight-hundred colonies…There's no such colony called Mindoir. Unless the Rebels established a colony but that would almost be impossible. Whatever ships they have are only a few suicide cargo vessels, and in no way can handle deep space exploration. And of course we have no record of this world, Illium. Leng was born here…And this planet was obviously contacted by the Forerunners."
Forerunners. God's Key. Shepard had to assume at this point what they were talking about were the Protheans. Why then would the Protheans move these people wherever? How come they're so much like Shepard? Insignias, letters. And eight-hundred colonies?
Eight-hundred colonies?
"I'm…I'm sorry…how many colonies did…he say?" Tali, partially relaying Shepard's thoughts.
"That brings it back to my original question…" Mark said. He turned to Liara and Tali. "Who the hell are you?"
Shepard swore he saw his finger entrench slightly on the trigger.
"I'm Doctor Liara T'Soni. Archeologist and communications analysis." Well, thank God she didn't say "shadow" and "broker". "I'm an Asari. One of the alien species to make contact with…humanity."
"Tali'Zorah nar Rayya vas Normandy." Tali said. "I'm a Qurian. Eezo electrical engineer and ship machinist specialist."
"Tali'Zo-….right." Mark said, not even beginning to pronounce the Qurian's name. "I'll assume from your response that you do know where Earth is?"
Liara's only response was a small nod. A gesture of retained fear.
"The UNSC? Shepard, Leng, you look older than five years old. Were you not there during the War? At least. When that ship." Mark said, quickly pointing up to the Shadow of Intent above. "And all those like it were glassing our homes and killing us in the billions?"
When he said it, he moved his hand to Liara. It?
Liara continued, pretending not to be phased by the words, the racism at least. "…Yes. We do know where Earth is…"
"Shepard, Kai Leng, it is impossible that you're Human and do not know anything about the UNSC. And Earth, they fucking know!" He stepped closer as did his crew. The green armored turned on Kai Leng while the blue armored backed up the Captain.
"Everyone knows where Earth is!" Shepard exclaimed. He backed up towards the ship. Let's hope Joker can open up those doors quickly. "When the Turians made contact thirty years ago, they did attack-"
"Turians?" Mark said. "The Elites?"
"Who're they?" Shepard said.
"The bastards you said you meet. The Shipmaster of the Shadow of Intent."
"Those aren't the Turians!" Shepard said. "They're nothing like the Turians. I'm talking about a completely different species!"
There was a brief pause. The only sound was distant Reaper fire and crackling of building fires. Echoes of eezo weapons and ship engines.
The Captain took a heavy breath, turned to one of the soldiers. "Contradiction. What the hell is going on?"
What was contradicting?
"Cap...They don't seem to be lying. From tech scans both these dudes have a lot of minor gravitational fluxes within that armor, same with the weapons. Some sort of gravitational disturbance surrounding their bodies. It's a shield, a lot different from the static-antimatter we have aboard our ships, and helluva lot different from Spartans and the light stuff on the ODSTs.
"This stuff is the same tech in both the contact and squid ships. As for all the stuff they said, Cerberus, Citadel Council, Illium, Mindoir, Systems Alliance. There is nothing within my databases. Hell, a scout sniper is a M.O.S in the Marines, ain't no rate like that in the Navy."
"Stick to the point."
"Asari, Qurian. No such thing, no information. Nothing. And if there was something in the Forerunner databanks it would take years to comb out. Absolutely nothing…" The voice trailed off.
"What the hell could be wrong now?" Mark said, looking to the soldier.
"I've got new radio contacts. UNSC frequency….connecting to enforcement."
There was a short static sound, followed by a young voice. Energetic and enthusiastic in a similar way to this Contradiction. It was also played on EDI's homemade comms.
"This is Captain Thomas Lasky of the United Nations Space Command Infinity to all stranded UNSC assets, standby for immediate rendezvous with UNSC forces. We will assitant by whatever means necessary."
Infinity. Shepard received a line himself from EDI.
"Shepard, another set of contacts through the Relay. About fifty-eight ships, ranging from five-hundred meters to five kilometers in length. Each design has the same foundational and architectural structure as the UNSC Legend After. All of them with the base wording-foundation 'UNSC'."
Fifty-eight ships... Combined with the eleven ships already present, would make the fleet larger than both the Turian and Asari navies combined. Every law in the Citadel Conventions broken...
And the UNSC…were they all like him? Human?
Shepard turned from the group, even with the threat of weapons. "Can you lock in on a specific ship? UNSC Infinity?"
"Easily. It's the largest of the battle group, standing at around five-point-six kilometers in length, eight-hundred-thirty-four meters in width, and a little over a kilometer in height. Their energy output is near to that of a Mass Relay.
"It looks like the ship is currently moving perpendicular about a kilometer outside the city, fifty-thousand-klicks above. Stand by, I'm detecting an opening within the under hull of the ship."
…
"Let's go, goddamn it! We are REDCON One! Fill your pods! We are Feet First into Hell!" Some staff sergeant yelled off.
"Oorah!" The crowded voices of the ODSTs responded.
Dark black and grey armor of the 19th crowded the thin launch decks. Metal rattled and threaten to break as men and women rushed to their pods. Stepped out of the mesh to line up along the edge of the deck, facing their pods.
Nobody talked. It was almost a tradition right before drop. Sullenness and fear running through the minds of everyone on what the hell is below. Despite the stories of the elite Shock Troopers they felt nearly the same way as regular conventional UNSC forces. They weren't Spartans; they weren't mentally ready to jump into the Hell, even with the experience all of them had. Fear and anxiety only grew after each deployment. You don't build a tolerance, you're brought closer and closer to a breaking point
Lieutenant Dubbo cut out of line, reported to his pod. He was near the end with the officers where the trajectory was far enough to land near their target position. The empty cold shell that most ODSTs saw as a coffin instead of a steel and titanium cocoon. He placed in his MA5D and kept his M6 Magnum. While he never had a pod malfunction there was always dozens of stories of pods being ripped apart in low atmosphere. He'll need some kind of weapon below.
The mesh soon cleared out, everyone stood at their pods. The Lt. Colonel himself with Lieutenant 'Rookie' came down the line. He opened up the back of the bucket, tapped in a code and smacked on the cover.
Buck reached Dubbo, quickly inserting in numbers and hit the back of the bucket. Orange lines began to surround objects, radar and weapons display and shield status filled up his view with the activation of the HUD.
Dubbo stepped into his pod, one foot at a time, strapped himself into the seat. The others did the same. The reinforced casing closed. A sudden snap and the increase of pressure as the pod stabilized.
Every drop preparation goes by so fast. You never got used to the high speed. No way to mentally prepare yourself.
His pod moved away from the deck, rocked back and forth like a rollercoaster going up a hill before it launched down. The curvature of the planet and the glare of thermosphere in the opening down below. Small bits of space and stars further out.
Dozens of voice from launch control came in
"Goliath-f-one, readjust by twenty fifty nine-"
"...Longitude by three-zero-five-"
"Fast contacts moving in. Readjust by point zero-"
"Colonel, sir, I'm going to need you and your men to test RCS and emergency response systems." One of the voices said.
Dubbo complied. Activated RCs systems and tested them out. The pod moved back and forth and side to side a tiny bit. He pressed another button and the metal parachutes were active and ready. Emergency landing stabilization active and ready. Flares active and ready. Emergency power active and ready. They were then locked back into place. The planet's surface moved at a frightening pace.
"Copy that, everything looks like a good to go. Be advised, rain's getting heavier in the troposphere. Adjust for high wind currents. You have stick, sir. Control out."
"Alright, ladies, good ends, high lows, ready up, here we go! Feet First into Hell!" Colonel Buck said on a small monitor on the right side of the pod's interface.
The pods stayed in lock position, threatened to stay and crash against the deck with the Infinity's movement. One by one, in bursts of blue lights pods raced to the surface. Dubbo's pod rumbled at every launch.
It was finally his turn. And with zero notice the RCS systems within the upper capsule opened up, quickly pushed his pod away from the Infinity. The pod creaking and moaning, nearing its maximum pressure limit. The horrid feelings of contradicting forces threatened to tear Dubbo from his seat and lift him into the air. The particular trajectory crushed Dubbo with excoriating force. A chest barely able to expand, using breathing techniques someone else might see as hyperventilation.
Above, the Infinity continued to move like a dart, soon disappearing. Other pods in the distance followed Dubbo's. The farther they go out becoming more like little beads in space. The same could be said for below. Beads until they disappeared in blue and green.
UNSC Autumn-class cruisers engaged squid hostiles. The bastard squids tried to edge closer and closer. Lasers and Archer missiles combating. A two-klick squid passed them by only half-a-kilometer out. Its movement twisted the pods and threw them off course.
Dubbo could barely turn his head without immense strain. But somehow LT. Colonel Buck was able to speak in full sentences. Probably a skill gained from his massive amount of experience.
...Technically this was Dubbo's first combat drop. Overall this would be his thirty-second including the practice simulations.
And through the years, his sixth combat tour. Sometimes he thought it was one too many.
"Buck to UNSC control, requesting new trajectory formula for incalculable gravitational influence, how copy?"
"Infinity actual, AI Roland, copy all, I see the vector offset. Assuming direct control. Readjustment…in….three, two, one, now!"
The RCS system tilted eastwards, placed the pods back onto course.
"Right…" Lt. Colonel Buck began. "No contradicting trajectories, thirty-five k klicks minus. Dubbo, Mickey, Dutch, Romeo, Rookie, remember your jobs. Palmer's sending over a couple big boys. You'll like what they got."
Another face appeared on screen. Spartan Commander Palmer dressed in her gear, face blocked.
"We have to spread out more, dozens of squid one-sixty meters on surface."
"Oh, so the "almighty" Spartan-IVs can't take it head on?"
"Not without a MAC or a few Cobras. Christ, they're forming around the main AA cannons, Buck, your squ-" Her video cut.
A dash of blue light. Fast moving. Completely engulfed a distant pod and moved forward without so much as being phased.
Commander Palmer's video came back online. "Evade! Evade!"
More blue streams of light followed, some barely missing and others hitting their target with pinpoint accuracy far beyond any UNSC defense cannon. Even one commanded by an AI only slowed by mechanical limits.
"Those are the AA! Micro-adjustments! This is why we're here boys, lock 'em on, lock 'em on!" Buck yelled.
…
Definitely not…Human. One had a feminine body, covered by something that looked similar to some of the gear the eggheads wear with a lab coat. But it had elements of combat armor as a base, cutting at joints. Overlaying possibly a grey combat dress uniform. It was white edged with blue cloth that covered her mid and lower body and legs. Differenced with dark white fabric and grey textures covering her forearms, shoulders and breasts. Bright blue straps surrounded the body, connecting the lab coat to the gear. One strap above her hips, another mid-body and the last embedding around its collar bone. A collar covered by the same type of strap, leading to a frightening human-like head.
Human feminine cheekbones. Facial structure and features. Slightly upturned nose. Everything... Freckles under her eyes and patterning its nose… Just, blue. Blue skin-tone, darker blue eyes, even darker blue lips. Where there should've been hair was replaced by some sort of formed lighter blue tentacles starting at where ears should've been. Each one connected to the head, speckled with some kind of glittering skin. The tentacles themselves depressed curved, ending together at a single point. At the back of her neck was some sort of vain-like natural tubing that raised up and faded out to her tentacles.
The other one also had a feminine figure. Petite body and tridactyl arms, with large hips (talk about childbearing) and legs. Didactyly legs. Toes pointed sharply to something like a bird perhaps. Her body, including face was completely covered by armor.
Black suit base at arms, legs, and mid and upper body, interrupted by grey metal materials. Yellow metal plates covering at the collarbone and neck. The most notable part of her gear was the embroidered purple cloth covering her hips and thighs like a skirt with another similar fabric acting as a hood, covering her shoulders, neck and head. Looked similar to a Islamic hijab. The pattern designs looked like white cartoon wind currents, oddly nicely going along with the large buttons that connected the purple shroud to the gear. And what should've been a face was covered by a laminated, curved purple mask. A metal circle near the mouth of the mask surrounded by two plates on each side, forming a breathing point. Two bright, evenly separated white lights represented eyes.
And the one separated from the three, part of this 'Cerberus'. Long black hair. Centralized plate armor and single chest plate with an orange hexagon. The hexagon spaced out in its lengthwise center and the shape surrounded by two black lines outlining. A pair of visor goggles and other facial protection, voiding most of the emotions he gave off. Pale skin and mouth only visible. The goggles had blue slits forming intimidating eyes, hatred only within them.
Muscle mold build surrounding his thighs and forearms. Black upraised metal protections and outgoing skirt-like rear protection. Yellow tipped gloves with some serious hardware tech going on.
And the one so different from the others altogether. Gliding dark black and red armor. Small circles surrounded by an outlining dark red circle. About six or eight on his chest plate, even number on each side. A single large red strip traveling down his right arm, outlined by white lining, cutting off at joint movement points. Advanced armor. Fitted to his body, greater than anything the marines, army, or ODSTs possessed. The insignia N7 over his upper right lung. Seen its fair share of war. Scratched up and dented in several places. No facial protection of any sorts.
The wearer also saw his fair share. A man within his late twenties. Had black short cut hair, five o'clock shadow, thicker near his mouth. Rough facial complexion and darkened caucasian skin. Dark circles beginning to grow under his deep blue eyes. A single scar traveling at the edge of the forehead, cutting through his hair and faded near the top of his head.
Tiredness, so evident. That's all that stood out on his face. Maybe hiding a mask of fear.
Humans…
All in all, flawless English, American accents, even from the blue xeno and a Arabic-like accent from the other. And if Mark and his men showed any sign of shock there's was only worse. Except for this Kai Leng, showing only an anger that was probably usual for him with his visor gear.
And they claimed they didn't know ONI or the UNSC. That's where Mark's mind went to, Humans aboard unknown ships. Maybe some experimental build within ONI's prowler corps. But everything they said, with such conviction, that they know. And with Contradiction's words…
Before anyone else could speak, before more dialogues of utter confusion, a loud boom spread across the entire city. Mark could feel the vibrations as the metal did its best to hold together. Further out, a few buildings began to collapse, flew down to the surface.
Sparks of blue light from the Shadow of Intent's engines, pushed the ship forward towards the Legend After crash site. It lifted its pitch axis, ascending curved trajectory, front rising towards the skies as the ship pushed itself away from the city.
Mark lifted his arm to protect his face, dust flew by. Transports and this Normandy tilted, rebalanced themselves and readjusted back into original position. The Elite ship soon began to disappear behind the rain clouds.
The Normandy's front covered a decent portion of the building. Blue stripes and the word Normandy on it...obviously. The ship floated perfectly, no RCS. Nearly no sounds or thrown dust could move it as it re-positioned itself.
Blue streams began to ignite throughout the city and hillside, followed by echoed discharge sounds. Some of them seemed to follow the Shadow of Intent, but other than that, the streams spread throughout the skies.
"The Elites are bugging out!?" Mark yelled to Contradiction, sonic overlay from the ship still heard.
"No, sir! Making room. Infinity made a perpendicular orbital pass. ODST pods are in route, ETA: eight to nine minutes. Lasky is being hounded by incoming squid two-k ships, moving towards an arc using the planet's orbit."
Land-grab. A usual tactic. ODSTs deploy, secure, make way for the marines and firebases. However, why the hell were they trying to establish secure points? If Mark knew the current UNSC they would just grab everything that was theirs, move back into the God's Key only to never heard or seen from again by these squids or xenos. Then the UNSC would plan and build defenses based off all information gathered on these bastards.
"Infinity? The Shipmaster said he was going to deliver your crew there." Shepard said.
He tried to inch forward, slight movement of the foot.
Mark shouldered the Battle Rifle. "Shepard, Leng, whatever you think you are, whatever I think you are, you are Human. Can we agree on that?"
"Yeah."
"Yes."
"Then by that, you are under the direct authority of the United Nations. And already, Shepard, you have broken Cole Protocol."
"And what would that even mean?" Shepard said.
"Usually it means that I would shoot you and your friends, and trigger the nuke inside your ship. But for the moment, it can mean I am not getting on either one of your ships."
"Captain Florence," Kai Leng began. "I know you won't believe me, but if Reaper ships are in the proximity they will detect and shoot you down if the Reaper Hades Cannons don't. The only reason you made it this far was because our ground teams carved a path for you.
"Captain, my job is to get you safely back to the Infinity. I can do that, and I promise you that-"
"We do not trust you enough, Lieutenant Leng. But…" He looked back to the Pelican. The marines were dying. "We have wounded. Shepard? You said you can help them?"
"Yeah. I have aid and can help stabilize your troops." Shepard said.
He stepped forward again, slowly, followed by his blue companion. Two sets of hands were up, pacing. Everyone still had their rifles aimed.
"Our men are critical and we don't have enough time." Florence said. "Go ahead. See if you can help. Try anything though and I will put you down. Banks, tell them to take out the critically wounded. We'll see what they do."
Banks and the marine sprinted back towards the Pelican, carefully bringing out a stretcher with the injured kid. They brought him forth to the Captain.
It was the blue xeno who walked first with Shepard closely behind. The xeno was maybe about five-six or five-seven. She opened up some sort of orange light that surrounded her arm, strips and orange circles in a single connected pad.
Mark stepped back, weapon still aimed. She simply waved her arm over the wound. Nothing seemed to happen at first but then small portions of the inner wound began to close up. Pools of blood dried and began to pour back in. Small, minor stuff…
"What the hell is that?" Mark asked.
"Omni-tool, medi-gel. It uses a mixture of salve and ultra-sound. It heals most wounds and stabilizes critical." She said. "It works across all species, including human."
"Can you tell me what he got hit by?"
"Eezo rounds. Eezo is a subatomic particles, from dark energy." She said.
"Dark energy-based weapons? Some neutrino formed base maybe?" Contradiction said.
"Not quite…He should be fine for now, but he does need ER attention soon. I have more, you can bring out-"
"Oh, fuck me. New contact! New contact! Inbound!" Contradiction suddenly said. Lucy immediately jumped down into a fighting position along with Tom.
"Commander, I've got two enemies on radar. Reaper interceptors closing in!" Someone said on Shepard's comms audible to the Captain.
Just fucking convenient.
At first it was still the rush of wind. Mark soon heard the declaration boom from supersonic.
"Contradiction, tell Morganson to secure the wounded, now!"
Something moved from behind the buildings. Two small cylinders with extended antennas sticking at the front and two parallel sticking out. Giant red eyes characterized the front of the fighter. They seem to float instead of fly. Moved in random patterns without any resistance from air. Extremely robotic in design, even compared to the squid ships.
"Move!" Shepard yelled.
He ducked down, sprinted towards his ship along with his crew.
The eye fighters swooped down. Ran across the building roof. Used smaller versions of the squid two-k cannon. Made an electronic discharge sound. Lucy and Tom aimed their weapons, firing off round after round. Lucy popped up a rocket. Knocked the other eye fighter and sent him straight towards a nearby building.
The beam reached the end of Mark's Pelican. Slashed right through it. For a brief moment, the transport remained still. Fire erupted throughout the hull. Burning straight through metal
…
Shepard did a double take. Turned around and sprinted towards the burning ugly transport without really thinking.
Captain Florence, the male blue armored soldier, and (scarily) Kai Leng joined him, caring little for their previous hostilities.
The Normandy cargo door opened up, pouring out the entire ground deployment crew and security team under Shepard. Gunfire mixed through the air; aimed at the Reaper fighter. Near the edge of the building, Husks began to appear from their slow climb.
It was the blue soldier who sprinted faster than any human should be able to, reaching the closed door. He gripped the door at cuts within the metal, ripped it apart with bare hands. He soon enough gripped one side, tearing away the metals until he made a big enough hole to get through.
"Grab the wounded, let's go!" Mark ordered, holding some sort of small black weapon with the grey rifle slung over his back. No formation into a weapon block.
Mark was the first to step in. No protection against the fire and smoke. Shepard was next. A wide cargo hangar inside with seats lined up on each end. Debris scattered all over the place on top of three wounded. One body was nearly cut open directly in the path of the fighter beam. Caked blood spread across the floor. The other dead was caught in the fire, blackened skin and burning gear. Hopefully his death wasn't painful
Mark grabbed one of the survivors. Picked him up despite the protests of screams. He moved to the door, pushing past Leng and Shepard. Shepard grabbed another. a small soldier. Pale skin and dressed in blue fatigues of some sort. Shepard lifted him onto his feet, feeling physical resistance.
The Commander reached the hole kept open by the blue soldier. Kai Leng followed close behind also carrying a wounded man.
The Commander stepped out into the building. Garrus and James aimed towards the other transport, firing at incoming Husks coming by the dozens. The feminine blue soldier rushed forward, now holding a silver rifle.
Shepard guessed suicidal charges ran throughout.
But he could see why. The other ship was being overrun, guarded by men in a similar uniform as Captain Florence armed with only silver pistols. The blue soldier aimed her body at a Husk who was about a foot taller than her. She stayed low and slammed her left shoulder into the midsection of the Reaper. Using her shoulder she tossed the Reaper over her, slammed the bastard on the floor while she single-handling fired off the rifle. Bullet pierced cybernetics and biomass. Moved from one target to the next.
She turned back to the grounded Husk. Used her boot to stomp its face in.
One of the security personnel and Ashley grabbed the wounded from Mark and company, dragged them to the Normandy without a single objection from the Captain.
Husks began to crawl all over the transport, scratching the glass shielding of the cockpit, ripping apart transport electronics. White armored began to provide covering fire. The sounds of what had to be ancient lead-based gunfire. One of them, Banks, pulled a pin from a green ball, threw it at the edge of the building. A small yellow explosion ignited tossed Husks off the edge.
Husks began to surround the Cerberus transport, forcing two soldiers to jump out and fend them off.
"Tom, go get the Cerberus bastards. I'll go for Morganson's crew!" Mark ordered his men.
Where Mark needed orders Shepard didn't. Garrus and Liara pushed in, called off their targets and put them down. Biotics and bullets. Driving forward. Tali grabbed a shotgun from one of the security crew, fired and defended the Normandy cargo doors. Ashley turned from the wounded. Placed a gun up to Kai Leng's head and forced him onto his knees.
The feminine soldier reached the transport first. She seemed to run out of ammo, used the rifle to hit a Husk right in the face. Dropped the gun and turned to tackle another. On the ground she used her fists and completely beat the Husk's face in.
"Shepard, catch!" James yelled off, tossing a Mattock block, forming in Shepard's hands.
Shepard used another incineration ball, flew off and burned Husks alive. Chitka moved around, aimed for optics and shocked them to death.
Continuous fighting. Defending the UNSC personnel, Normandy and somehow an enemy transport.
The male blue armored got to the Cerberus group, pulled out a pistol and duel-wielded both weapons. Aimed the rifle right and the pistol left. He yelled out for the Cerberus soldiers to move. They covered the soldier's own retreat as all of them backed up towards the Normandy.
Garrus and Liara reached the UNSC transport guiding personnel through and creating a safety line. Men in those grey uniforms slid past through the car, carrying what seemed to be orange brick suitcases or other wounded.
One of them rushed to the Captain, standing center of the roof. Kneeled as she shoot off controlled bursts from the black gun.
"Sir! Pelican is fucked, can't move it! We got most of the nukes out. Saved one just in case you wanted to blow more stuff up!" She said.
Wait. Where were the nukes?
"Copy that." Captain Florence said, turned towards Shepard. "We're moving to the Normandy! Wounded, everyone! Kai Leng and his men included. I don't care what the fuck is up between you too but they are Human! They are under UNSC protection! I swear to God, Shepard, you or one of your creepy friends fuck up I will detonate the Normandy from inside out!"
"Believe me, Captain, you don't have to make threats. We'll get you to the Infinity!"
…
"UNSC Danger Close, we are going down, evacuating all personnel, re-"
Nothing more but static. The Paris-class cruiser was making a sweeping arc around the gravitational influence of the large gas giant. Curved right through the asteroid ring when a squid intercepted at an inverse trajectory. It set the Danger Close off course, killed the majority of the crew just from gravitation. Not a single weapon fired. Whoever was left, injured and crushed, tried to escape. The squid mined the ship, removing almost all nitrogen-oxygen and compression.
Two ships lost so far. UNSC Paris-class frigate Danger Close and UNSC Autumn-class cruiser And it Was. Nearly one-thousand-two-hundred sailors and marines lost.
….Combat engagements were going well at the moment. The Fleet of Retribution exosphere group dispersed, curving around the face of the planet while the Shadow of Intent moved away from thermosphere. Longsword and Broadsword squadrons moved and played support and sabotage roles for the Battle Group. While the squids did have maneuverability, speed (frightening FTL), agility, their horrid weakness was hull and shield strength. At most two MAC rounds was all that was needed. The AI could easily calculate the correct targeting vector of a MAC round. The problem was maneuvering the bulky fatfuckers into position for firing, using RCS systems and such. But once they got it it was game over for the squid ship. While they could take a beating from Archer pods, nukes, and other weapons, MACs bypassed it all.
The Infinity was currently using an elongated arc from the garden world's gravitational influence heading directly towards the God's Key to link up with Admiral Alvares' fleet and swing back around while the UNSC Thirteenth Disciple took the ship's place for orbital support. Roland ran probability sets earlier, calculating possible squid interfering trajectories based on the crumby threat assessments.
So far Battle Group Dakota were commencing hit and runs, unable to stop and catch their breath without the squids sneaking up behind them. Hopefully Admiral Alavres reinforcements and/or the Fleet of Retribution will provide them the stability they need.
"Skipper, something weird coming in." Roland reported, swept through data screen after data screen.
"What's wrong, Roland?" Captain Lasky said as he still gripped the holo-table and took the short breaths.
"Eggheads are trying to crack this grav-wave thing to at least get some sort of connection… We might have cracked it. Some sort of highly unsecured FM channel. Horn from unidentified contact ship about three-point-one million kilometers away from the garden world. The ship has heavy damages, losing oxygen fast, foundational damage."
"We've gotten a lot of grav-wave transmissions. What makes this one so different?"
"Well...this one has pretty much been screaming those transmissions. After a while, other unidentified xenos just stopped but not this one. The ship has been doing it for nearly half-an-hour, to every ship we've got."
And the ship was in critical condition...
"Why'd you bring this to my attention, Roland?" Lasky asked.
"One of the communications officers was going to tell you anyways, sir. I'm doing it to warn you-"
"That we're not supposed to answer. You know me so well, Roland. Pull the ship on screen." Lasky said, no hesitation whatsoever.
"…Aye, aye, sir."
Roland stepped aside, allowed the full image view of the ship to appear. About six-hundred meters in length and sixty meters in width. It was flat. Mostly white with blue lines painted throughout the hull. Thicker near the end of the ship. near the front it thinned out, forming something similar to a cockpit built around a main cannon. A wing on each side swooped downward at around a forty-five degree angle. A bulky ship. Slightly similar to those of the UNSC.
Heavy damage throughout the entire hull. Fires fueled by escaping oxygen. Lasky could see bare foundations through some of the wounds. Structural supports laid open for space to corrode.
"What's the status report on that ship?"
"Heavy damage, barely holding in one piece. Two squid one-sixty class ships engaged. Cruiser engaged and destroyed both of them with the help of UNSC Longswords and Broadswords which immediately pulled out afterwards. The ship is drifting with randomized, uncontrolled gravitational shifts within its depression, causing a chaotic trajectory."
"Understood. Roland, bring up the horn. Connect a line to the ship."
"Captain, I understand what you're feeling and I agree with you, but we had direct orders from Lord Hood to not make definite contact unless in extreme emergency-"
"Roland, you should've seen me at CAMS. Listen in then."
Roland again paused. Doubt spread across his avatar. He brought up a screen, still looked at the Captain. "Roger that, sir. It's your court martial."
"It wouldn't be a first the UNSC tried to kick me out."
The horn connected, at first static and garbled voices. Then a panicked, scratched voice came through. "This is Captain Jacob Lensly of the SSV Cairo on all frequencies. We have taken heavy damage and are losing oxygen fast! We have civilians on board, I repeat we have civilians on board!"
Cairo?
Captain Lasky fully connected the line against Roland's will. "Sir, we have direct orders."
"Then you shouldn't have said anything." Lasky said. He turned to the radio. "Roger, Captain Lensly. This is Captain Thomas J. Lasky of the UNSC Infinity. We see you at around five-million klicks from our position. We're ready to assist in any way possible. How copy?"
A long moment of uncomfortable silence, static. Lasky thought the ship was already downed until Captain Lensly spoke again. "Roger that, Captain. We don't know how long it will be until the Reapers finish us off."
"Roland, prep up boarding transports. Pull off nearby ships UNSC Mr. House and Planetcracker. Captain Lensly." Lasky said, turning his attention back to the Cairo. "We're moving towards your coordinates. I need schematics of your ships and a statement of how many souls aboard!"
"...Right. I don't know who you are, but I'm I don't have a lot of options right now. I'm sending the schematics now. We were running evacuation runs and support assistance in coordination with the Illium Defense Force and Citadel Specters. One-thousand souls aboard, mostly civilian. But I'm not sure how many are left alive. Maybe about three-hundred."
"Copy all. Hang on, Captain. We're moving the Infinity to your position. Try to stabilize your trajectory then we'll deploy casevac transports." With that, Captain Lasky cut the line, turning towards the AI and the crew. "Ladies, we're staging a rescue! Redirect vector and get us starboard side of that ship, five by five. Roland, scan everything on that ship. Get us a hangar to land."
"Roger that, Captain." Roland said, sullen.
Lasky turned to the view of the void. The burst of new suns in the darkness as UNSC ships fought on. Red dots turned and rushed to meet them only to face a six-hundred tons of metal or torn apart by fifty and seventy millimeter sparks and the rows of Archer pods.
"If this goes well I'll end up like Captain Del Rio." Lasky whispered to himself.