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The Harvest Campaign Chapter 4
Posted By: Fleet Admiral
Date: 24 December 2003, 9:03 PM
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1100 Hours December 22, 2526 (Military Calendar) /
UNSC Front Line HQ Station, Edge of Harvest System/
UNSC Halcyon- Class Cruiser Lancer
Lt. Commander Paul Ralston stepped onto the bridge of the Lancer. He walked up to Lt. Harbison, the duty officer. "Lt. you are relieved of your watch," he said.
"Yes sir. I stand relieved," the man countered and walked of the bridge.
He stood in front of the command station. I hate not having a command chair for this ship, he thought. Well the other Halcyon's in the fleet don't have them either so I guess I can't complain.
He had been here for a year, a year! This would be the 2nd Christmas on this ship.
"Sir?"
He looked up to see a young Lt.
"Yes," he said.
"The repairs to the port side are complete," he reported.
"Get the stations cameras to put the image on my board," he ordered.
The image of the port side came into view. It had been repaired, but there was still a huge dent from where the 2 plasma torpedoes hit in their last engagement. It was not out of place though; there were more dents all over the hull of the ship, which showed her age and all the action she had been through.
"Put it back," he ordered.
The image snapped back to see the fleet. The fleet had been reinforced; more ships now made up Vice Admiral Cole's fleet. He turned back to his board and resumed his watch.
1400 Hours December 22, 2526 (Military Calendar) /
UNSC Front Line HQ Station, Edge of Harvest System
Rear Admiral Shay Kennedy walked down the corridor toward the conference room. He walked through the doors and sat down with the rest of the fleet commanders. Admiral Cole walked into the room a few minutes later.
They stood as he entered, "At ease," he said.
They all sat.
"I know that it is almost Christmas, but we still have a war to fight. So, on to today's briefing," he started. The map of the system came up, "As you already know the Covenant control over half of the Harvest System. So we need to get it back, plus we have an advantage over the Covenant this time; we just got some reinforcements. So we will attack here," he pointed to a planet on the edge of the 2 fleets' lines.
"This is the Gecko colony. It is a world the Covenant just took from us. Our fleet retreated, but we caused heavy damage to the covenant fleet. Our prowlers have discovered that the Covenant invaded the planet. We think this is something to do while there reinforcements come to glass the planet."
He turned the screen to show a tactical layout of the planet. "There are 4 million people still on that colony, the evacuation was not completed. So the fleet will go in and engage the Covenant ships their, send in the Marines to take the Covenant forces on the ground, while the fleet remains to destroy the Covenant reinforcements," he paused then said.
"Don't forget to initiate the Cole Protocol," he added.
They all got up and went back to their ships.
1600 Hours December 22, 2526 (Military Calendar) /
Rally Point Victor, Harvest System/
UNSC Yamato- class Cruiser Tyrant, Flagship of Rear Admiral Kennedy
Admiral Kennedy walked onto the bridge of his flagship. "Admiral on deck," one of the crewmen said. Everyone stood at attention and saluted.
"At ease," he said. The crew went back to their tasks.
"Ship status," he asked.
"Ship is ready to go sir," Captain Lauber reported.
"Good," he replied. "Fleet status?"
"In position and waiting for the admirals' orders," Lauber reported.
"Sir, I'm receiving orders from the flagship Zeus," Lt. Hally reported.
"On screen," Kennedy ordered.
The face of Vice Admiral Cole came on screen, "All ships in Operation Gecko jump now."
With that the fleet jumped.
2000 Hours December 22, 2526 (Military Calendar) /
10 Minutes After Slipspace Exit, Near Gecko Colony/
UNSC Yamato- class Cruiser Tyrant, Flagship of Rear Admiral Kennedy
The UNSC Fleet moved toward the 3 Covenant ships. They were 2 badly damaged cruisers and a carrier.
Liz came up, "Admiral, the Zeus's AI is sending firing coordinates to the fleet," she said.
The 3 Covenant ships turned, red balls of fire started to collect; they are readying plasma torpedoes.
"Our fleet will fire in 10 seconds," Liz reported.
The plasma torpedoes launched at the UNSC ships. Then the UNSC fleet fired its MAC guns. The MAC rounds blew into the damaged cruisers and they exploded, the carrier took 3 hits and her shield flickered and popped. Four rounds hit her middle bubble and she exploded.
The plasma torpedoes found their mark, 2 frigates went up in flames as the plasma torpedoes burned into them.
"Sir, the carriers Hornet and Wasp are dropping the marines now," Hally informed him.
2055 Hours December 22, 2526 (Military Calendar) /
UNSC Alpha HQ, Gecko Colony
Lt. General Bauer looked at the map of the area, then at the reports from his scouts. "The Covenant seem to have a base camp here," he said as he pointed to an area east of them. "That is what we're going to attack. Bravo Base will converge from the north and us from the east."
A Lt. ran in, "Sorry to interrupt sir, but Bravo Base just sent us a message. They are under attack."
***
Colonel Woodly pulled the trigger of his MA5B assault rifle. The grunt fell in a puddle of its own blood.
Another blue plasma ball flew into the perimeter and detonated. If they can't stop those wraiths then Bravo Base would fall. He ran over to a scorpion tank, the driver was dead. He pulled him out and started the engine.
He turned the tank towards one of the wraiths, he aimed the 90mm gun at it. He fired, the wraith exploded. He got onto the comm, "All tanks go for those wraiths, ODST's push those covenant bastards back," he ordered.
He swung the tank around to see a large group of grunts and jackals trying to out flank his men. "Not today," he yelled.
He fired the tank's 50-cal gun into their formation. They turned and started firing at his tank. The armor won't hold for long, he thought.
He aimed the 90mm gun into the center of their formation and fired. The dead bodies flew through the air. He looked up to see a covenant banshee coming in with its rod gun hot.
He threw open the hatch and jumped out as the rod gun round blew into the tank. The banshee turned toward him. He leveled his assault rifle and fired. The rounds hit the banshee and it started to smoke. His clip ran out, as he reloaded it the banshee exploded into a ball of fire. Once he got the clip in he turned to see an ODST with a rocket launcher.
He looked around to see dead bodies all over the place, covenant and human. He turned to see a Sargent, he walked over to him. "Sargent, find the next highest rank to mine and tell him to get me a casualty report," he ordered.
"Yes sir," the Sargent replied.
***
"Sir," the Lt. said. "Bravo Base says they repelled the covenant attack and are moving out to start their attack on the Covenant base. They also say that they'll be the 'diversion' wile we attack."
"If Woodly says he's the diversion, then he took heavy losses in the covenant attack. Move out," Bauer said.
"Sir, the fleet reports covenant forces moving in system," the Lt. said.
2126 Hours December 22, 2526 (Military Calendar) /
Near Gecko Colony, Harvest System/
UNSC Yamato- class Cruiser Tyrant, Flagship of Rear Admiral Kennedy
Admiral Kennedy watched the 15 Covenant ships on his board.
"Admiral, fleet commander has ordered all ships to accelerate toward the enemy," Hally reported.
"Helm, accelerate with the rest of the fleet," Kennedy ordered. "MAC gun status?"
"MAC guns are at 100% and ready," Lt. Commander Flaud reported.
The 2 fleets raced toward each other. The Covenant Fleet readied their plasma torpedoes, while the UNSC Fleet was almost in range to fire its MAC guns.
"Sir," Liz said. "Zeus's AI is sending firing coordinates and the timer is 30 seconds."
The covenant plasma torpedoes launched from the covenant ships.
"Sir, plasma impact in 40 seconds," Lauber reported.
"MAC guns firing now," Flaud reported.
The MAC rounds launched toward the Covenant fleet. Admiral Cole's voice came over the fleet wide comm, "All ships break and attack."
"Put full power on engines, evasive maneuvers," Kennedy shouted. The Tyrant turned to try and get out of the way of the incoming plasma torpedoes. The plasma reached the UNSC fleet; the plasma blew into the ships.
One headed strait for the Zeus, the torpedo blew into the bow of the flagship.
"Helm, come to course 364.8," Kennedy ordered.
"Aye, aye sir"
"Guns status," he asked.
"90% sir," Flaud reported.
The cruiser turned to face a Covenant cruiser. The Covenant ship turned to engage them as well.
Blue pulse lasers launched from the enemy cruiser and hit the Tyrant. Two red balls of fire appeared on the covenant ship, they were readying plasma torpedoes.
"Engines to 30% and detonate emergency thruster Delta," he ordered.
The thruster detonated and the ship turned. "Lock Archer missile pods A through E on target. I want them to hit when the last MAC round hits," he ordered.
Commander Flaud's hands danced across the keys, "Ready sir."
"Fire," he ordered.
The 4 MAC rounds launched toward the enemy cruiser with 150 missiles. The covenant launched their plasma torpedoes.
"Evasive, engines to full," he ordered.
The first 2 MAC rounds hit the shield, when the next one hit the shield flickered, popped, and went out. The last one blew into the nose of the cruiser, then the missiles hit; the ships hull turned white hot and the ship blew apart.
The plasma torpedoes came closer to the Tyrant. "Sound collision alarm, sound atmospheric venting alarm," Kennedy ordered.
He got up from the command chair, and held onto the brass railing. "All hand braise for impact."
The torpedoes blew into the hull and started melting it away. The bridge turned hot as the plasma burned deeper into the ship. "Vent atmosphere," he ordered.
"Venting controls... non responsive to the decks damaged," Lauber said.
"Vent the atmosphere on al the surrounding decks," he ordered.
"Aye, aye sir," Lauber said.
"Fires have been isolated and aren't spreading," Commander Mayfield reported.
"Get fire fighting teams to those decks," Kennedy ordered.
"Sir, I have a message from the Admiral," Hally said.
"Put it on," Kennedy ordered.
"All ships retreat to this position," the map showed a blue triangle closer to the planet.
"Helm, get us their as fast as possible," Kennedy ordered.
2150 Hours December 22, 2526 (Military Calendar) /
Gecko Colony, Harvest System
General Bauer was now in position with his men. "Lt. get Colonel Woodly on the horn."
"Yes sir," the Lt. replied.
After a few seconds he handed the field comm to the General. "This is Blue Group to Red, come in. Over."
Colonel Woodly's voice came over the comm equipment, "This is Red Group, we're in position and ready to light the fire. Just tell us when. Over."
"Red Group, this is Blue; light the match. Over and out." He handed the equipment back.
***
"Red Group, this is Blue; light the match. Over and out."
"Let's go," he yelled.
What was left of his men ran or drove over the hill. The tanks fired their guns at the covenant positions, while the warthogs went into the enemy camp firing their LAAG's.
All the covenant troops turned and fired at them. The ODST's started to fall. Two tanks and a warthog blew into pieces.
"Fall back," Woodly yelled.
As they ran back up the hill he saw General Bauer and his men charge in gun blazing.
The covenant turned, confused.
"Lets hit em hard Helljumpers," Woodly yelled.
With that Red Group turned and charged back into the fight. He pulled the trigger on his MA5B rifle, grunts fell before him.
He reloaded and fired again. They forced the covenant into the middle of their camp. They surrounded them and pumped them full of lead.
When it was over, hundreds of dead covenant troops littered the ground.
***
Bauer looked at the report, 97 marines and ODST's had been killed. Not bad for all the covenant dead.
"Sir, I have the Zeus on the horn for you sir," a Lt. said.
He took the comm equipment, "This is Bauer."
"General, this is Cole," alarms and explosions filled the background. "Get your men ready for pick up. If we remain here the covenant are going to slaughter us."
"Yes sir," he shut off the comm. He got up and fired 3 shots into the air. "Get back to Alpha HQ, were evacuating. The battle in space is looking bad, so lets move," he yelled.
2210 Hours December 22, 2526 (Military Calendar) /
Near Orbit Around Gecko Colony, Harvest System/
UNSC Yamato- class Cruiser Tyrant, Flagship of Rear Admiral Kennedy
"Sir we can't hold much longer," Lauber said.
"I know Captain. MAC guns status," Kennedy asked.
"MAC guns 3 and 4 destroyed, 2 at half power, and 1 is working at 100%," Flaud reported.
"Guns charging status," he asked.
"100% and 50%," Flaud said.
"Fire," Kennedy ordered.
The two rounds launched at the covenant frigate baring down on them. The rounds blew into the covenant ship, they had all ready brought down their shields. The frigate exploded.
Ten more Covenant ships came out of slipstream. That was 20 in the last 15 minutes. They had lost almost half the ships they came in with.
"Sir, all ships report marines aboard," Hally said.
Admiral Cole came on screen, "All ships retreat."
The UNSC Fleet jumped away from the Gecko Colony.
0800 Hours December 23, 2526 (Military Calendar) /
UNSC Front Line HQ Station, Edge of Harvest System
Admiral Kennedy walked into the conference room. Admiral Cole was all ready their. "Sir," he said and saluted.
"At ease," Cole said.
He dropped his arm and walked over. "You wanted to see me sir," he asked.
"Yes, it turns out that the Harvest System is not all we have to worry about. They want me to take back the two systems that border Harvest. The Lambda and Colons Systems."
"But sir," Kennedy said. "We barely have the forces to hold Harvest."
"That is what I said, but the other fleets are on other fronts fighting the Covenant. They will be sending us a few more ships, that is all they can spare."
"Yes sir," he replied.
"I will be assigning ships to you and Commodore Gerabagi. You will command the forces in the Lambda System, while Commodore Gerabagi commands the forces in the Colons System. Dismissed.
Fleet Admiral- Please Post Comments
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