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The Harvest Campaign Chapter 1
Posted By: Fleet Admiral
Date: 14 November 2003, 2:49 AM


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1000 Hours November 20, 2525 (Military Calendar) /
Reach Military Complex, Planet Reach/
Fleet Rally Point Delta/
UNSC Cruiser Zeus, Flagship of Vice Admiral Preston Cole's Fleet

Vice Admiral Cole looked at his tactical board, he saw 28 ships on his board. His ship was a Yamato- class cruiser, the biggest cruiser class in the fleet. She supported 4 MAC guns, 38 Archer missile pods, 2 armories full of missiles to rearm the pods; 75 fifty- millimeter auto- cannons for point defense, 4 Shiva nuclear missiles, and 4 hangar bays.

He could not ask for a finer flagship. In his fleet were also 4 carriers, a Manhattan- class cruiser, 3 Halcyon- class cruisers, 10 destroyers, and 10 frigates. He also was to receive a 10-ship fleet with another Yamato- class cruiser. With this fleet he would go to the Harvest System and take it back from this "covenant".

"Sir, the cruiser Tyrant is hailing use from the edge of the system," Commander Hunt at the fleet comm station.

"On screen," he said.

The screen flickered, and up came a young man, he had red hair, and blue eyes. He wore a gray uniform with 2 gold stars on each collar, on his left breast was a dozen ribbons, campaign, training, and awards. He knew who it was in a second, it was Rear Admiral Shay Kennedy, the youngest man to receive admiral, and one of the most decelerated.

"Admiral Cole, Rear Admiral Kennedy reporting for duty," Kennedy said.

"Very well, come into position with the fleet and prepare to go to slipstream," Cole ordered.

"Aye, aye sir," Kennedy said.

1010 Hours November 20, 2525 (Military Calendar) /
Edge of Epsilon Eridani System, Near Reach Military Complex/
UNSC Yamato- class Cruiser Tyrant, Flagship of Rear Admiral Kennedy

Admiral Kennedy turned off the screen. "Captain Lauber, come into position with the fleet," Kennedy ordered the captain of the Tyrant.

"Aye, aye sir," Lauber said. "Helm, come into position with the fleet and prepare for the jump to slipstream."

"Aye, aye sir," Lt. Collins at helm said.

"Sending data to helm now," Lt. Freshman at navigation said.

In 30 minutes his fleet was with Admiral Cole's fleet. "Sir, communication from fleet commander to all captains and higher," Lt. Hally said.

"On screen," he ordered.

The face of Vice Admiral Cole came on screen, "All fleet commanders report to the Zeus for an officers meeting." The screen went blank.

"Commander Mayfield, get my shuttle ready," Kennedy ordered.

"Aye, aye sir," he replied.

He turned around and went to the turbolift at the back of the bridge and pressed the button for F deck, where hangar bay 1 was. The lift shot down; he passed in-between a spinning section and floated for a second, then hit the deck again. The lift stopped and the doors opened. He stepped out, "Admiral on deck!" a crewman yelled. All the activity stopped and all the men turned and saluted. He saluted back. "Is my shuttle ready," he asked the hangar chief.

"Yes sir," he replied.

He walked over to the shuttle, an Ensign was there, he wore a pilot insignia. He must think he is going to ferry him. "That is all right Ensign, I can fly myself," he said.

"Aye, aye sir," the Ensign said; he saluted and walked off. He walked up into the craft and closed the hatch. He sat down in the pilots seat, started up the engine, and said into the communications set, "Ready for tack off. Open hangar doors." The doors opened and he flew out toward the Zeus.

1030 Hours November 20, 2525 (Military Calendar) /
Epsilon Eridani System, Fleet Rally Point Delta/
UNSC Cruiser Zeus's Hangar Bay

Admiral Kennedy's shuttle landed in the Zeus's hangar bay. The ramp opened and he walked out of the shuttle. The hangar was full of activity, he saw captains from other ships walking to the turbolift, he saw a man about his age. He wore a gray uniform with a single gold star, the rank of commodore. He knew who it was, it was Commodore Kevan Gerabagi. He had been his first officer of the first ship he had commanded. He walked up to him; he saw him and shouted, "Admiral on deck!" All the men in the hangar stopped, turned, stood at attention and saluted. He saluted back and said, "At ease."

He looked at the commodore, "Lets go to the briefing room," he said. They turned and walked together to the turbolift. They entered and pressed the button for B deck and the lift shot up.

"Sir," Gerabagi said. "It's good to see you again."

"Same here, so I hear you were given the New Jersey. How is see," Kennedy asked.

"Good sir. Sir, do you know what this is about," Gerabagi asked.

"No, but I think it has something to do with the fighting in the Harvest System. I've heard rumors."

"Well sir, if it is just another rebellion why send a force this big," the commodore asked.

"I don't know," he said.

The doors opened and they walked out, went down the hall, and into the briefing room. A lot of captains were already there and went to attention as they entered the room. "At ease," Kennedy said. They all sat. They too took their seats.

Admiral Cole entered the room, they all jumped up to attention. Following Admiral Cole was a Lt. General in the UNSC Marine Corps and a Commodore. On the commodores' chest was only one thing, the symbol for ONI, the Office of Navel Intelligence.

"Seats," Admiral Cole said. He walked to the view screen at the front of the room. "Everyone, this briefing is classified to all but your own crews." He paused, then said, "As of February 3 of this year all contact with the Harvest System was lost. The CMA," Colonial Military Administration, "sent the scout ship Argo to investigate what had happened. On April 20th the ship entered the system, sent a message stating they exited slipstream, then all contact with them was lost. In response, Fleet Command sent a battle group consisted of the destroyer Heracles, commanded by Captain Veredi," he looked over and saw Captain Veredi, "and the frigates Arabia, and Vostok. This is Harvest," the screen showed lush green fields, forest area and mountains. "This is Harvest now," the screen changed to a barren wasteland, the once lush fields were burnt, the forests were gone, and the mountains were craters. "This was what was in orbit," the screen showed an almost insect like ship with a purple blue hull.

"All 3 million lives were lost. The battle group tried to contact the alien ship in peace, but they sent this back, 'Your destruction is the will of the gods... and we are their interment.' After that the ship opened fire, the frigates were destroyed after only a few minutes, the Heracles was badly damaged and retreated. We were able to translate some of their language and found out that the call themselves the 'covenant'. As of the first of November the UNSC has been ordered to full alert. We are the fleet that is going into the Harvest System, and take it back. This is General Bauer, he will be in command of the marines going with us," he gestured to the tall grey haired man. "This is Commodore Blithe, our fleet intelligence officer," he said and looked at the small blond haired man.

The General stepped forward, "And this is Colonel Woodly, he commands the ODST's under my command." After that he stepped back.

Get back to your ships, we leave in 3 hours. They all got up and left. In 3 hours they jumped to the Harvest System.


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