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Battles of the Immersing Light
Posted By: Mark Lieberg<malieberg@msn.com>
Date: 23 January 2005, 8:16 AM


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Written by: Mark Lieberg
Edited: A Halo Fan...natic

      AN: It's been a while, but I had to redo this thing like a hundred times. Thanks to A Halo Fan...Natic for helping me. I appreciate it. I thank you readers for commenting on my story. Now it should get interesting as the battle begins. This chapter will mostly be about the boarding of the Covenant Battle Cruiser The Immersing Light, and near the end of capturing the ship, they will make unexpected allies.
       I hope you enjoy this chapter. Thanks. Mark.



Chapter 7: Again...the Day of Days


Battle Groups

       Lieutenant Walker, tall, well prepared for the awaiting battle, walked in, and sat down on the metallic chair that was surrounded by marines, his men, marines that enlisted to serve, and protect humanity. But now they were fighting for their lives. To survive, and escape clutches of the Halo Ring.

       Lieutenant Gemes, a little shorter then Walker, but also less patient for the upcoming battle, walked to the nearby Warthog, and disembarked to the left flank. Once he got into position. He took a silent breath and hopped out letting marine, that drove the MBT to its position, steer the warthog, as Gemes hopped on to the MBT.

       Away behind the Left flank, short, blonde haired, Ensign Pathy placed her helmet on. She was going to pilot a Longsword. She walked up the ramp, alone, and into the pilot's chair. She started up the key systems. She waited for this day ever since they lost their Captain. Captain Williamson.

       Lieutenant Walker knew everything was in place. Everything, everyone he knew that his men knew that they were going to attack. Walker examined the number of marines he had, and the amount of vehicles that escaped the Frozenburg.

       He had at least two hundred and twenty-seven marines. Forty-two Scorpion Main Battle Tanks, twenty-eight Warthogs, each equipped with their standard Light anti-air gun, RPG's, and the new gun the Gauss Cannon.

       With Thirty Flights of Pelicans, ten of them with archer pods attached, they seemed like an unstoppable attack force. They were now ready to test that theory. Walker knew that, this plan had to work. He checked out everything, and sent it out to the Left, and Right flanks of the attack force.

       He got the acknowledged signal from his commanding officers, Lieutenant Gemes, and Ensign Pathy onboard their own vehicles. He then thought about the battle plan and decided again to examine the plan. Longsword Fighters were going on an attack run first. Bombing every Covenant ground troops, and taking out any Covenant air support vehicles.

       After the Longsword pilots check out that they completed the attack run, they would signal Lieutenant Walker so he can signal the MBTs to head to the main battlefront, and take out the armor support for the Covenant. This should buy them a lot of time, Walker thought as he continued to read the attack plan. Once the armor support is gone. The Pelican Dropships, and the Warthogs will move in. The Warthogs would ascend up the gravity lift, and capture the cruiser.

       And the Pelican Dropships would attack the fighters bay of the Covenant cruiser, The Immersing Light. Walker checked out the bay again and thought, Easier said then done, he then remembered the plan as though it was planned from himself. The whole command staff approved, and wanted to try this. No. They weren't going to try it out. They were going to do it.

       "Lieutenant Walker, the Left flank is awaiting orders and ready to acknowledge them sir." Lieutenant Gemes reported as he sat inside his Scorpion Tank ready for the attack signal. His MBTs coaxial chain gun was loaded and ready to strike. It was hot in here. But the air conditioning was just starting to heat up.

       The marines around the left flank were waiting vigilantly. They were going to get off the ring. But it might be more difficult then expected. Inside the Pelican that Lieutenant Walker sat inside of, he tapped in the commands, and the left flanks detachment Longswords flew ahead, going to strike first.

       The Right flank as he noticed, had a signal coming in as well. "This is Colonel Gellings. Ready for attack signal Lieutenant. I want to take a few of those bastards down right now." The Colonel said as his men looked into the sky. Longsword fighters flew about heading to the target. Command codes came in and the Colonel read them.

       He was now ready, "Longsword squadrons! Move out to target. Take a few out for me will you?" The Pilots responded happy to accept the order, and the request. They zoomed out of view, and headed into the battle.

       Lieutenant Walkers command group had only Pelican Dropships He watched as the battle raged on looking out the window of the cockpit. He just hope Ensign Pathy was ok.

Air Battles

       Ensign Pathy twirled her Longsword as it dived to launch a few of its bombs on the enemy. "This is Longsword Gamma-Zee. I have an enemy Banshee unit on my tail! I need backup ASAP!" She yelled. She hadn't been chased like this since her practice runs, when they were on C'te d'Azur.

       She continued to pilot the ship, spinning to dodge the plasma fire from the Banshee. She pulled the trigger and the twenty-millimeter chain gun opened up. Hosing down the enemy units on the ground. A Longsword pilot, Captain Charles, flew behind Ensign Pathy's tail and shot down the enemy Banshee. "I got your tail cleared!"

       But then suddenly, the Captains Longsword was cut into pieces by two Phantom Dropships. They were instead being used for attack support. Three Longswords, including Pathy's, swarmed in towards one. "Ok boys. Get ready to launch your archer missiles." They all waited patiently watching the Phantom attacking friendly ships flying around trying to take it out.

       "Ok, fire on the port bow. I want that bird down." Pathy pulled the trigger, and the missile speed away. Five more came in and hit the port side of the Phantom. Multiple explosions rippled on the hull of the huge Dropship. It started to fall down. And it crashed into the dirt.

       She then remembered Charles and whispered, thanks C. Pathy pulled the throttle up and fired. Dozens of bullets pings off three Banshee fliers that were coming in quickly. Ripping them apart like tin foil they exploded. "Yeah" she yelled out as the three flew downwards crashing towards the enemy.

Ground Tactics

       Lieutenant Gemes watched the air battle rage on. Seeing both friend, and foe fly down to their deaths, and exploding in mid air. It was just gruesome to see them die like that. As they watched the battle for five whole minutes. Lieutenant Walker received a signal from Pathy that it was clear to move out. The Lieutenant acknowledged the good news and sent the signal to both teams, in their Scorpion tanks, to attack.

       Both flanks moved in with their cannons lowered and ready to fire. Gemes, in one of the tanks saw a Covenant Spectre. A new design that the UNSC never saw before. They carried four troops, and was a nice target to take out. He thought for a second, and pulled the trigger. He just realized that he couldn't imagine what the marines on the side track pods felt.

       The other tanks opened up firing their coaxial chain gun and destroying more enemy armor support. Salvos from the cannon also penetrated the Covenant armor support. Gemes took out three Ghosts as they fled towards a friendly scorpion.

       They were now gone. Metal, fire, and debris flew everywhere as Elites flew in the air waving their arms around like they jumped off a cliff wall. Plasma broke loose and the Ghost blew apart even more. The Marines outside, Gemes could here were yelling. "Come on! Bring you piece of Covenant Trash!" The Marine yelled as he put a trio of bullets into a running grunt. They were screaming aloud.

       "Don't get carried away marine. This ain't the feast. Its just the appetizer." A marine countered the other thoughts of the young marine. Lieutenant Gemes knew what it was going to be like on the Covenant ship. More soldiers to fight. Close combat more men and women would die.

       The Marine, on the same track pod, fired another round. After he let out another trio of bullets, a plasma bolt struck him in the head. Disintegrating it. Gemes just heard an alarm beep three times. It was Lance Corporal Steward. His life signs flat lined and the Lieutenant ignored it continuing to fight. He told him self ignoring the death of a fellow marine, Casualties of War.

The Final Strike

       Lieutenant Gemes reported in that the Covenant armor support were now getting cleaned up and it was clear. All the Warthogs darted for the grave lift. Dust flew quietly in the air, as marines in the back fired on surviving troops. They were lucky to get this far, Walker thought as he ordered his pilot to get ready for the attack run.

       The Pilot acknowledged the signal and sent out the order to the rest of the pelicans. Now it was their turn. Each of the Pelicans started their twin turbine engines and levitated. Each pilot, one by one, pulled the throttle upward, and his or her Dropship was now airborne.

       The Lieutenant looked at each marine in the back of the troop bay. They were getting ready for the attack run. Hopefully the Covenant shields were down in the fighters' bay, so they would make their move inward.

       The pilot looked at his window and saw at least a dozen Banshee Fliers come out. After he blinked over forty archer missiles made them crash land to the surface for the ground forces to pick on. The Longsword fighters that fought before were still attacking fighters running around. Luckily they saved the Pelicans.

       Pelicans that were on their side were firing their chain gun inside the bay for the troop Pelicans to move in. After the short firefight, each Pelican made their rounds to fly in, land, and fly out. After three minutes every soldier in the Pelicans were inside the troops bay.

       Lieutenant Walker examined the area. There were four levels. Each level filled with tough, leather neck marines. But strangely, no Covenant. Strange, Walker thought was he walked to one of the doors. The Marine standing there was trying to open it.

       The marine stood up and saw the Lieutenant. He quickly snapped to attention, and saluted. Walker quickly countered that, "This ain't the time Marine. What's wrong?"

       The marine nodded, and continued on, "The Covenant have either locked us out, sealed us out, or the computer is malfunctioning."

       The Lieutenant wasn't surprised. He took one marine M19 SSM Jackhammer Rocket Launcher, and a lotus tank explosive from another. The marines around him ran back away from the door. After the marine, and the Lieutenant placed the lotus tank, they stood back.

       One marines in the back asked watching, "Sir? How are you going trigger the explosive?" He wasn't sure if this would work either. But he knew it would, it had too.

       He just said one word, "watch."

       He gripped tightly around the rocket launcher, and pulled the trigger. Two, one hundred and two millimeter rockets found their way to the lotus tank. They touched the door, and after a nanosecond, it exploded. Debris flew out wards into the bay. The marines down on the ground moved away from it.

       The Lieutenant then looked around the corner, and looked inside. There were four Hunters, looking surprised. They powered their fuel rods, and fired. Plasma erupted from the bay. It gone through the gap and ended at the other side of the bay. The Walls burnt, and melted.

       Walker nodded, and three marines, with their own rocket launcher, whipped around the corner. They took a quick aim, and they each pulled the trigger. Rockets speed ahead, hitting the four hunters. That was only the first salvo.

       The first wave had only dented their armor alloy. Then the second wave came in. Quick and deadly, the Hunters flew back with holes in their armor the size of three coconuts. The marines stood back away from the door.

       Walker took out his fiber optic probe, and peeked around the corner. It was clear. He signaled for ten to move inwards. Ten quickly ran ahead and down the hall. Then the Lieutenant signaled two teams of five to go down. Each on each side of the hallway. They all nodded, and ran.

       So far so good, Walker nodded as he entered next. The marines were on guard watching the doorways, and exits. He hoped everything was going well on the other sides of the bay. Not to mention the grave lift.

       Walker ran down through the alley, with three men. They were armed with their eight-gauge shotgun. They ran around the corner, only then and now to counter the Elites.

Grave Lift

       Every marine on the ground surrounded the gravity lift. Each not wanting to step on. Colonel Weather looked at the grave lift and then nodded to him self. The marines on the warthog near him saw the look on his face, and knew he was going to do something crazy.

       The Colonel hopped on the Warthog, and powered the engine. It was hot and ready. He pressed the gas pedal and it veered into the grave lift. The Marines started to yell as nothing happened. It was just nothing.

       "Whoa. For a second there, Colonel! I thought we were going up." The Marine chuckled as then the Warthog moved a little, and started floating.

       "Why'd you have to keep your mouth moving Frank?" The Marine asked as he sat in the side seat. The grave lift was a bright purple. Beautiful if it was something else, but then again. He knew it was Covenant Technology.

       The Colonel smiled as then every single marine down on the ground jumped into the grave lift. This was going to help. The Colonel drove the Warthog off the pad as he parked it inside a small area. He hopped out and the marines in the back did also. The door opened, to only find a startled grunt.

       The Grunt looked by tilting his head, and then got three rounds in the head. The Colonel reloaded his pistol and watched as more marines appeared out of the gravity lift. They were inside some kind of room.

       Gemes came up after two minutes and saw the colonel. He ran up to him. "Great work sir." The Colonel just smiled and ran up the hallway. His men followed. Lieutenant Gemes knew he was a lower ranking officer, but then the Colonel knew it was his operation. So he let him by.

       The marines ran off in groups. Twenty each, with weapons that could light up hell any day. Gemes ran off with five ODST going through one door. It was weird. Bodies laid everywhere.

       It was only Covenant bodies. Something killed them. But they all knew none of their soldier got this far already. He continued to walk forward holding up his BR55. Then as he passed the door to his left. He knew who killed them.





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