Harvest Sector: Shanxi Colony
Date: March 1, 2553, 8:16
The sun rose over the horizon, bathing Shanxi Colony in a golden glow. From the tent-like shelters on the outskirts—still waiting to be replaced with proper housing—to the steadily rising spaceport at the city's center, the colony began to stir. The spaceport grew larger by the day, its skeletal framework stretching toward the sky like eager hands reaching for the stars.
Beside it, the CMA headquarters gleamed in the morning light, nearly finished. Workers swarmed across its exterior: some painting, others hauling furniture inside, putting the final touches on what was quickly becoming a symbol of progress.
As the sun climbed higher, the streets came alive. Police officers in crisp, dark uniforms wove through the crowds, brushing past gruff crew members in worn jackets as they trudged back to their docked ships after long nights on shore. At the spaceport, the first ships of the day began to take off. A hulking cargo hauler rumbled into the air, casting a long shadow over the city, followed moments later by a sleek passenger liner that ascended with practiced elegance.
In one of the many docks, a freighter sat idle. Its name, painted boldly in white across its hull, caught the morning light:
CMA Bulk Discount.
"Was it the last crate?" grumbled the captain to his friend, who merely captain knew exactly what his friend was going to say, so he looked him in the eye, daring him to say it.
"Maybe," his friend replied, dragging out the word just enough to be annoying. "But we should check again, just to be sure."The captain just stared at him, neither moving nor blinking.
"Fair enough, Cap," his friend said with a lazy salute, backing toward the door with a captain smirked. "Just so you know, you're signed up for a full month of latrine duty. First shift starts at dawn."
His friend's eyes widened in mock terror. "NOOOOOOOO!" he shouted, bolting from the room before the captain could captain just shook his head, still smirking, as he stepped through the door beside him. A metal sign above it displayed six white letters:
Bridge
The bridge, positioned at the ship's fore, was typical for this class of vessel. It wasn't particularly large, but it wasn't cramped either—just enough space for the crew to operate comfortably.
On the left, a series of monitors displayed various data readouts. A single crew member sat at this station, analyzing the ship's internal systems. To the right, another wall of screens displayed sensor data from outside the ship; this station was also manned by one person, focused intently on the readouts. Atthe front of the bridge, the helm control stretched across the width of the room.
With nothing important to do while waiting for the captain, the crew chatted loudly, their voices bouncing off the walls of the bridge. Stories, jokes, and the occasional snort of laughter filled the air, their volume growing as they relaxed.
The noise was loud enough that when a sudden, high-pitched whistle pierced the room, they all jumped out of their skins. One crew member yelped and fell backward in their chair, landing with a loud crash, while the other spilled his drink on himself, cursing as hot coffee burned his skin.
"What the fuck!?" yelled the crew member as he picked himself up from the floor. He glared at the doors and saw the captain standing there, smirking at them.
"Really, Cap? You just couldn't help yourself, could you?" he snapped, irritation clear in his voice. He turned back to grab his fallen chair, muttering curses under his breath about "damn smug captains with too much time on their hands."
The captain's smirk only widened as one of the other crew members snickered. "Good job, Jenkins," she said, trying—and failing—not to smile. "You just made my day."
She glanced at the other crew member, Jacob, who was still muttering curses under his breath. Standing, she grabbed a tissue from a nearby console and handed it to him with an exaggerated flourish.
"No coffee?" she asked, her tone dripping with mock sympathy.
He snatched the tissue from her hand, grumbling, "Don't push your luck," as he wiped at the coffee stain on his pants.
"Oh, I live for pushing my luck," she shot back with a wink, earning a quiet chuckle from the captain.
"Okay, that's enough. Get it together," the captain said, still smiling. Then, turning toward Jane, he added, "All the crates are onboard. When can we head out?"
Jane slid back into her seat at the helm, fingers gliding over the controls as she pulled up the ship's departure clearance. "Airspace is clear," she replied. "We're good to go as soon as the dock gives us the green light."
"About time," Jenkins muttered from the sensor station, still glaring at the coffee-stained fabric.
Jane grinned over her shoulder. "Someone's grumpy."
The captain ignored the exchange, his gaze fixed on the viewport at the front of the bridge. Below, dockworkers scattered like ants, clearing the launch pad as the ship's thrusters hummed to life. The vibrations reverberated through the deck plates, and the consoles lit up with soft blue glows as the freighter's systems checked in with soft chimes.
"All systems nominal," reported the systems officer.
"Dock control gives us the all-clear," Jane added. She leaned back in her chair, giving the captain a thumbs-up.
The captain rested his hands on the back of her chair. "Then let's not waste any more time. Take us out, Jane."
She grinned, her hands curling around the helm controls. "Roger that, Cap."
With a metallic clang, the docking clamps released. The bridge vibrated as the freighter's thrusters fired, lifting the ship smoothly off the pad. Outside the viewport, the sprawling city of Shanxi Colony shrank away as they climbed higher into the sky.
The captain settled into his chair, his smirk widening as the planet fell away beneath them. "Finally" He thought as he closed his eyes for some rest.
Few minutes later
"Augh!" the captain groaned, clutching his head in mock pain as he glanced over his shoulder. Jacob stood there, grinning.
The captain tried to look stern but failed miserably. His lip twitched before breaking into a reluctant smile. "Fair enough," he said with a chuckle. "And for the record, I wasn't sleeping. I was resting."
"Sure you were," Jacob teased.
His gaze shifted to Jenkins at the sensor control station. "So, what was so damn important that you had to drag me out of my resting?"
"Just look ahead, Cap," Jane cut in.
The captain turned toward the bridge viewport and froze. For several seconds, he didn't move, didn't even breathe. Finally, his voice broke the silence, laced with disbelief.
"Is that a fucking cruiser, or are my eyes deceiving me?"
"Yup," Jenkins replied, deadpan. "That's a Halcyon-class cruiser. And that's not all."
He rattled off the rest, his tone quick and efficient. "Four civilian ships. Four frigates—two Paris-class, two Stalwarts—and a Gladius-class Corvette. All UNSC. Oh, and two Mako-class ships and Four civilian ships, all from the CMA."
"Holy shit," the captain whispered. His hand gripped the back of the pilot's chair as his mind raced. "Is that… an exploration fleet?" He didn't wait for an answer before firing off another question, his voice sharp. "And where the hell did they even get these ships?"
Jenkins was already scrolling through the sensor logs. "Well, yes, it's an exploration fleet. And…" He paused, reading the data. "Looks like most of the ships are from Battle Group: Valor's Shield. And th—"
"Wait." The captain's head snapped toward him, eyes wide. "From Harvest?"
Jenkins shot him an annoyed look. "YES." Captain wined "Sorry".
"AS I was saying the other ships are lent from CMA that include well US and the other civilian ships and of course the two corvettes" Jenkins finished his report.
The captain exhaled sharply, trying to process the information. "Okay. Do we know when we're supposed to move?"
Jenkins glanced at his display. "Uh… right now, actually. They were waiting on us."
The captain turned toward Jacob. "Jacob, everything okay on your end?"
Jacob swiveled back to his console, his fingers flying across the controls as he checked the engineering crew's reports. After a moment, he nodded. "Everything's green. We're ready to go."
"Jenkins, please inform them that we're ready to go," the captain ordered, his gaze fixed on the viewport.
"Got it," Jenkins replied, tapping away at his console. A moment later, he looked up. "Cap, we've got the coordinates from Bastion for the FTL jump."
"Good. Jane, get us into slipspace," the captain said. "How long until we're out?"
Ahead of them, the Bastion slipped into the open slipspace corridor, its glowing trail lighting the way. Other ships followed in formation, vanishing one by one into the swirling rift. Jane's fingers danced over the helm controls, and the ship shuddered as the freighter aligned itself with the corridor.
With a flick of a switch, the Bulk Discount lurched forward, plunging into the abyss. The swirling blues and blacks of slipspace filled the viewport, twisting in mesmerizing, chaotic patterns. Jane turned in her chair, a confident smile on her face.
"Four days," she said.
The captain leaned back, letting out a satisfied sigh. "Great—no cryosleep this time." He paused, then added, "Jenkins, notify the engineering crew. Half of them can go under; the other half stays at their stations."
"Aye, Cap," Jenkins said, already typing out the message.
The captain turned to Jane and Jacob, who were still seated at their stations. "What about you two? Sleep now or later?"
Jane and Jacob exchanged a glance, then stood. "Now," Jane replied, brushing a stray lock of hair out of her face. Jacob simply nodded, following her as they headed for the door.
The captain watched them go, then returned his focus to the viewport. The swirling lights of slipspace stretched endlessly ahead, the hum of the engines a steady, comforting rhythm in the background.
Four Days Later, Aboard the UNSC Bastion
"Every ship is reporting in, Captain Sarata," the ship's AI, Nova, informed her commanding officer. Her voice was calm and precise.
Captain Sarata nodded, glancing at the holographic fleet display hovering above the tactical table. The glowing icons of their formation floated in neat symmetry, like chess pieces waiting for a move. "Good. Have the survey ship scan the system for anything worthwhile."
"Aye, sir. Sending orders… Orders received," confirmed John, the communications officer, his fingers flying across his console.
Sarata gave an approving nod and turned back to the tactical table. "Have all three corvettes form up on the survey ship. And…" He hesitated, lips twitching into a faint smile. "Anyone got cards? It's going to be a few hours."
Nova's holographic avatar materialized above the table—a translucent woman with sharp, angular features and a perpetually stern expression. She folded her arms, one brow arching in disapproval. "Captain, this is hardly an appropriate use of your time."
Before Sarata could respond, John grinned and triumphantly pulled a deck of cards from his pocket, waving it in the air. "I've got cards!"
Nova's expression hardened into icy disdain. "Captain, I must insist—"
"Relax, Nova." Sarata chuckled, clearly amused. "No bets this time," he added, shooting John a warning glance.
John smirked but straightened in his seat, shuffling the deck with practiced ease. "Just a friendly game, Nova. You're welcome to join, if you'd like."
Nova's glare could have frozen a sun. "I would sooner purge myself from the system," she replied flatly before vanishing from the tactical display.
Sarata leaned back in his chair, shaking his head with a quiet laugh. "She'll warm up to us eventually."
"Doubt it," John muttered under his breath, dealing out the first hand.
The cards had barely hit the table when Nova reappeared. This time, her avatar flickered slightly, her expression tight with something rarely seen from her: fear.
"We have a massive problem," Nova began. "The scout ship has detected the largest element zero deposit… ever recorded."
The bridge fell silent, the mood evaporating like air from a breached hull. Sarata straightened, his brows knitting together as his mind raced. "How?" he asked sharply. "That's not possible. A survey scan couldn't detect something like that."
The crew froze, the weight of his words sinking in. Around him, officers exchanged uneasy glances, already reaching the same chilling conclusion. All eyes turned to Nova.
Her voice lowered, almost hesitant. "It's active," she said.
For a moment, no one spoke. The soft hum of the ship's systems filled the silence, amplifying the tension. Sarata's chest tightened as realization struck, a grim certainty solidifying in his mind: they weren't alone.
He snapped into action. "I want every ship ready to jump to FTL at a moment's notice. Have the civilian vessels reroute to Shanxi Colony and prepare to jump. All military ships are to form up on the Bastion. Turn us toward the unknown contact," he barked, his voice sharp and steady. "Do we have any visuals?"
Nova's avatar flickered again, her features shifting as she processed the request. "Working on it, Captain," she replied, her tone as sharp as the tension in the room.
Sarata's eyes fixed on her, his jaw clenched. "Well?" he pressed, his voice cutting through the air like a blade.
Nova raised a hand, and a new holographic display materialized beside her. As the image solidified, the bridge crew leaned in, curiosity and fear etched into their faces. The object was unlike anything they had ever seen: two gracefully curved arms of an unidentifiable metal, encasing a central core. The core itself was made of rotating gyroscopic rings, pulsating with an ethereal blue light—the unmistakable glow of element zero.
"What are we looking at?" the captain asked, his voice low, the confusion plain in his tone.
"It doesn't appear to be a ship—or at least not a military one," Nova replied. She gestured toward the glowing core. "This… is almost entirely made of element zero. It's exposed."
She rotated the image, giving them a full view. "There are no visible engines, assuming the structure is symmetrical, but we can't confirm that yet." Half the object remained blacked out, data unavailable.
"No visible weapons, hardpoints, or hangars…" Nova's avatar froze mid-sentence, her image flickering sharply.
The tension on the bridge spiked. Officers exchanged nervous glances.
"Nova?" Sarata called out, his voice taut.
Nova reappeared, but instead of speaking, she materialized a holographic comparison. The Bastion hovered beside the object, dwarfed. The crew froze in collective dread. The unknown structure was at least fifteen times the size of their ship.
Sarata's throat tightened. "Are you sure?" he asked, his voice low, almost pleading.
Nova's silence was answer enough.
"Shit."
The bridge remained deathly quiet until Sarata regained his composure. He straightened, his voice cutting through the tension like a blade. "Prepare the first contact package. Nova, has it moved?"
"Not yet," Nova replied. Her avatar gestured to the display. "The object remains stationary."
"Good. Tell the civilian vessels to jump to Shanxi Colony with the Gladius. They are to inform High Command of what we've encountered here. As soon as they jump, send the first contact package."
A Few Minutes Later
"Have we received anything yet?" the captain asked for the twelfth time, his tone sharp with impatience.
Nova's holographic avatar flickered into view, her features tight with restrained irritation. "No," she replied, her voice clipped. "Just like the last eleven times you asked." She paused, clearly struggling to keep her composure. "Nothing."
The silence that followed was oppressive, broken only by the hum of the ship's systems. The alien object remained as still and unresponsive as it had been since the first contact package was sent.
"Maybe it's just an unmanned station," John said, his voice cutting through the tension. He leaned back in his chair, trying to sound casual, but the unease in his tone was unmistakable.
Captain Sarata turned to him, raising an eyebrow. "A fifteen-kilometer unmanned station?" he retorted, the skepticism in his voice sharp enough to cut steel.
"Well, Cap, they are aliens. Who knows? It might be," John shot back, shrugging. His attempt at levity drew a few nervous chuckles from the crew, but the unease lingered.
Sarata sighed, leaning back in his chair and rubbing his temples. He let the silence hang for a moment before speaking again. "So now what?" he muttered, more to himself than anyone else.
Nova's avatar reappeared, her arms folded across her chest. "We wait," she said bluntly, her tone making it clear she wasn't happy about the situation either.
The captain sighed again, his hand dropping to the edge of the tactical table. His fingers tapped against it rhythmically as his mind worked, but the steady beat only seemed to amplify the tension on the bridge.
"Waiting," he muttered under his breath, "isn't exactly my strong suit."
The crew exchanged uneasy glances but said nothing. The alien object loomed on the display, its silence more unnerving than any hostile action.
Twelve Hours Later
"Action stations! Action stations! All hands to battle stations!"
The blaring alarm jolted Captain Sarata awake. Barely pausing to throw on his uniform jacket, he sprinted to the bridge, his boots pounding against the deck. Bursting through the doors, he was met by the sharp voices of his crew and the urgent hum of active systems.
"Status?" he barked, leaning over the tactical table as his eyes darted to the holographic display.
Nova materialized immediately, her voice crisp and controlled. "Multiple unknown contacts have arrived near the alien station using unknown methods," she reported. "2 Frigate size vessels and 13 corvette size."
"Red alert," Sarata ordered, his tone sharp. "All hands, prepare for combat. I want our weapons on standby," He leaned closer to the display. "What's their formation?"
Nova highlighted the alien ships on the display, her tone steady despite the rising tension. "They're holding position near the station, but they haven't moved toward us."
The captain's jaw tightened as he considered his options. "Do they know we're here?"
"We can assume they're aware of us," Nova replied. "We've been broadcasting signals for the past twelve hours. However, there's been no direct acknowledgment."
"Shit," Sarata muttered, running a hand through his hair. His mind raced. A first contact scenario had turned into a potential standoff with a heavily armed fleet. This was not how he'd envisioned this mission unfolding.
"Helm, hold our position," he ordered. "Nova, keep monitoring their movements. If they so much as twitch in our direction, I want to know immediately."
"Aye, Captain," Nova replied, her avatar flickering briefly before she disappeared.
The captain straightened, scanning the room. His crew was tense but focused, their hands flying over consoles as they prepared the ship for whatever came next. For a moment, Sarata allowed himself a deep breath, steadying his thoughts.
"They're turning toward us!" Nova's voice cut through the tense silence, her usual composure replaced by urgency. "Unknown ships are closing in!."
Sarata's jaw tightened. "John, are we still transmitting the first contact package?"
"Yes, sir," the communications officer confirmed, his voice steady despite the weight of the moment. "Message is on continuous loop."
"And they haven't sent anything back?" Sarata pressed, his tone edged with nervous energy.
"Nothing, sir," John replied, shaking his head.
"Nova," Sarata barked, his voice sharp with tension, "how long until they're in weapons range?"
Nova's holographic avatar flickered to life beside the tactical table, her calm expression a stark contrast to the chaos brewing on the bridge. "At their current speed, they'll be in range in less than forty minu—" Her image froze mid-sentence, flickering erratically. When she spoke again, her tone was almost hesitant. "Correction: they've just gone FTL… in real space."
Sarata froze, his heart pounding in his chest. "What?" His voice cracked, disbelief mixing with fear. "What the hell do you mean, FTL in real space?"
"Exactly what I said, Captain," Nova replied, her tone clipped but steady. "They've achieved faster-than-light velocity without entering slipspace."
For a moment, the bridge was silent, the weight of her words settling like a lead weight in Sarata's stomach.
"How soon until they're on us?" he demanded, his voice cutting through the stillness.
Nova didn't hesitate. "At their current speed, they'll be within weapons range in four minutes."
Sarata's eyes widened, his mind racing as he stared at the tactical display. The alien ships were closing the distance at an impossible speed. His jaw tightened, his fear hardening into resolve. "Damn it," he muttered under his breath, then barked, "Turn us around and plot a jump to Shanxi Colony—NOW."
"Aye, sir," replied the helm control. The ship lurched hard to port, the sudden turn pressing Sarata against his command chair.
"Jump when ready," he ordered.
Seconds later, a slipspace vortex erupted ahead of them, swirling with an eerie blue light. The UNSC Bastion plunged into it without a moment's hesitation, vanishing into the void just as the enemy closed in.
Information about the universe
The Element Zero Communication Relay (ECR) was the invention that stopped humanity from descending into full-scale civil war. Made from the rarest material ever discovered by humans, ECRs enabled real-time communication between star sectors, revolutionizing interstellar politics and making voting efficient—and, more importantly, fair.
Before the ECR, most outer colonies—and even some inner ones—were unable to vote because they were too far from Earth. These planets were often deemed unimportant by the UEG (United Earth Government), their voices dismissed or outright ignored. Frustration and resentment festered until rebellion broke out across multiple systems. With the UNSC (United Nations Space Command) and CMA (Colonial Military Authority) preparing for open war as more colonies joined the rebels, the future of human unity looked bleak.
Then, seemingly out of nowhere, a scientist presented the ECR to the Senate.
The device was revolutionary, but the Senate was initially reluctant to share it with the rebels, fearing it would make them unimportant. However, the President, backed by the majority of the UNSC and some CMA, pushed for the ECR's deployment. Hundreds were manufactured, but the CMA soon realized there were nowhere near enough relays to connect every star system in the network.
After days of negotiations with the President, the UNSC, and rebel leaders, a compromise was reached: the UEG's territory would be divided into star sectors, each centered around courier star systems. These courier systems were equipped with ECRs and served as communication hubs. Neighboring planets would relay their votes to their designated courier system, which then transmitted them to the rest of the network. While this system still caused minor delays, reducing voting time from months to just a few days was a massive improvement.
For the first time, no planet was forgotten.
However, the network's success brought new challenges. The only known Element Zero deposit, used to construct the ECRs, has long since run dry.
Author Note
scyfly - I rewrote the beginning of the story because I realized it made more sense for the UEG to encounter Element Zero earlier, like you said. That's why I added the ECR (Element Zero Communication Relays). The year is 2535, ten years into the Human-Covenant War. However, in this universe, the Covenant doesn't exist. Instead, humanity has been dealing with rebels, which almost spiraled into a full-blown civil war. As you can see in the story, the ECR prevented this. As for the rest of your questions… they're a bit outdated since I changed the story!
jeremy hollis - About the laser: yeah, I messed that up. I would fix it, but I've already rewritten the first chapter, so it's a bit late for that.
As for the torpedoes, when I was writing, I was initially thinking of making them similar to Covenant plasma torpedoes, but I might change that once I write the space battle. I didn't really understand the rest of your questions, though—could you clarify?
Some1call4MR-E- - …Okay, thanks for the info dump. I probably won't include the Forerunners or the Covenant in this universe, but I appreciate the thought. The kinetic barrier info is definitely interesting, though! The Turians are going to get wrecked at the start—PD guns are probably too large to register and too slow. Would a light MAC round travel slow enough to bypass their kinetic barrier and could lasers shot it down?
One of the Guests - When did I censor someone?