ONI Black Ops Part Seven
Posted By: Havok<Tactical_Havok@hotmail.com>
Date: 20 May 2003, 2:07 AM
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The rate of fire was simply stunning. All shots had been fired before the first even impacted their targets. The covenant ships tried to shift course, but there was no time. One destroyer turned ninety degrees, and caught four MAC rounds on the port side, crushing the shields and obliterating armored plates. Another two rounds ripped into the unprotected flank, breaking the ship in half.
Three covenant frigates didn't even have the chance to change course as the ships caught four rounds each in the bow, destroying shields and systematically gutting the warships from stem to stern. The lone covenant carrier in the group had eight rounds impact her stern, igniting her fusion reactor in a white flash.
Captain Wallace looked on as pandemonium broke out in the covenant lines. Ships tried to break formation and were caught with four round broadsides that tore the ships apart. Two ships on the edges of the covenant formation tried to fire their main weapons. Coherent ruby light gathered along their lateral lines as they prepared to fire. On ship took three rounds to her foredecks, and disintegrated. Before the other ship was similarly destroyed, one plasma torpedo got away, streaking for the human ships.
A total of three plasma torpedoes were launched before the remainder of the fleet was destroyed. The Stalingrad turned and accelerated as the pursuing plasma closed in on it. Emergency thrusters were fired, blowing the warship onto an alternate course as it tried to evade the covenant weapon. The human ship seemed to leap up and over a smoking hulk of a covenant ship. The plasma could not make the turn and crashed into the covenant ship, blasting it to pieces.
The last two plasma blasts were directed toward the Archangel. The engines flared to life as the great ship accelerated with alarming speed. Captain Wallace got on the comm. system and ordered the research team to get on the drop ship and get the hell away from the ship.
"Well, we're gonna see if this expensive new armor plating was worth it." The captain grumbled as he watched the plasma close in on the rear monitor. The Archangel executed a very tight turn, and started heading into the torpedo. The emergency thrusters were activated and the plasma missed as the warship crashed onto a new course. One of the plasma torpedoes compensated and skinned the right side of the ship, leaving a jagged, blackened scar. The plasma skipped of the side of the shi, and continued off into space, away from the ship.
The bridge crew cheered as the damage control reported that the armor had worked, and not one compartment had been breached. The last weapon turned around and was back on the tail of the fleeing ship. Despite the evasive maneuvers, the plasma closed in and struck the portside engine shield. The ship rumbled as the engine shield was melted away, and the plasma began to attack the hull of the ship.
The majority of the plasma was absorbed by the refractive alloy, and only two compartments were breached. Those rooms were sealed off, and damage control teams were dispatched. The battle, as well as the test of the new armor, had been a smashing success.
Vladimir stepped off the drop ship and back onto the safe and inviting deck of the Archangel. It had been a hectic and nerve wracking few minutes as the research team watched as the mighty warship clawed around space to avoid the ruby plasma torpedoes. Vladimir had felt his stomach rise into his mouth as he watched the covenant weapon slam into the back of the ship. The entire research team had had an intriguing view as the armor boiled away, much slower than it should have. The survival rate of UNSC ships had just jumped to a more tolerable percentage.
* * *
The master chief strode down the long hallways back to his regular quarters. He had always hated being holed up in a ship, especially when that particular ship was under fire. His armored feet clattered on the deck as he turned a corner. Well, soon he was going to be back in his element. On honest-to-god ground, where he was king.
* * *
The ONI assault group advanced toward the planet, and opened up on the remaining covenant ships with a steady barrage of MAC fire. The covenant ships shook under the first impacts, and then broke apart in furious fireballs as multiple weapons found their targets. The space battle was over. The ground assault was soon to begin.
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