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UNSC First Contact by Mark Lieberg
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UNSC First Contact (1/2)
Date: 18 March 2005, 7:44 AM
AN: I know MCC that you might have objections once again about AN's but hey. OK anyways, before I submit my other story ending the Frozenburg Series. These Two Chapters I cooked up in two weeks. I hope there good. And this is only Chapter one. ONly two parts though.
Hope you like the story line, this story actually caught me offgaurd when there was a totally different plot, but This will do, and Ill find out someway to make that new Race enter the story line. Thanks for reading. LIEBERG
****
0023 Hours, October 10, 2552 (Military Calendar)
UNSC First Contact, Patrol in the Wearen System,
Near Wearen IV.
Captain Darrel Shavings slept in his bed thinking about his past. He dreamt of fighting a Jackal, holding its Plasma Pistol high, he discharged the over heated weapon. He, with the swift of his leg, tripped the Jackal, and smacked its face, breaking its jaw. The Bird-like Creature laid dead. He stood up. Covered in Purple blood. It stained his uniform. Then, as he looked up, he saw an Elite. Standing there. It was breathing heavily.
"Get away!" Darrel yelled in real life as he shifted uneasily on his bed. "Get away!" The Elite in his dream, however, didn't go away. It walked forward, and with a swift of its arm, a Plasma Blade ignited as the Captain stared at the Alien Creature. The Alien kept walking towards the Captain. Darrel kept on thinking, what should he do? What could he do? There was nothing he can do but try to outrun the Alien.
As he started to walk back he tripped over rubble and fell on his bottom. He blinked twice as the Elite over him, got close and looked at the Human. It then opened its mouth to say something. Darrel then notice the surrounding area turned into a metal box. They were transported somewhere else. He didn't know where, but only that the Elite was still in front of him. It spoke some language that the Captain couldn't understand. He didn't know what it was. What was it saying? Then, as the Elite looked at its translation software, he pressed the red button. "Your Destruction is the Will of the Gods. And we are their Instrument!" Then the Elite raised its right arm, then with a swift push, it─
"Captain! Captain!" The Computer AI 'Reagan' yelled as Darrel threw himself up staring at the closed door. He looked around to see the Computer AI looking at him with its light Green eyes, and then looked at the direction the Captain was looking at. "What are you looking at sir?" The AI asked.
"Nothing, what is it?" Darrel said, as he stood up, still horrified by what the Covenant would have done to him. He placed his hands on his face, and lowered them a little to look around the room. Before the AI could speak, the Captain got up, and walked across his room. He turned towards the door leading into the bathroom. It was dark, then he tapped the light switch and lights illuminated the room. He looked down at the sink, then at the window. He saw an Elite with the Energy Sword from his dream behind him. It was breathing heavily, and then the Captain became scared again.
He turned around to see it with his real eyes, but instead, he saw only a panel. He was becoming delusional. He had to check with the doctor. Darrel turned around facing the sink; then again he saw an image. He jumped as the AI figure, 'Reagan' stood there looking at him. His pressed dark Navy Blue suit suited the AI's figure well. But just standing there made the Captain jump again. He closed his eyes, and then breathed slowly.
"Something's wrong." Reagan said as he examined the Captain. He took out his Artificial Notebook, from his pocket, and took out a pen. He flipped a page, and looked at the Captain. "Tell me what's wrong." Reagan said as he ordered an artificial chair to appear under him as he sat down. Glasses appeared on the AI's face, and he looked at the Captain. "Why are you distressed?"
Darrel just stared at the AI. He knew he was trying to find out what he dreamt about, but he knew he wouldn't even let an AI get to know what was wrong with him. "I don't need to tell you. I'm just tired. You do know its Zero twenty-three hours in the morning." The AI, looked down on his pad, and wrote down some stuff that the Captain couldn't begin to think of what he wrote down. Reagan shifted his glasses, and looked up at the Captain. Still in the Bathroom, the Captain continued to stare at the AI. A picture of the Elite, covered in its new Dark Black covered Armor with its Energy Sword ignited, filled his mind. He tried to think of something else.
"Yes, I do know the current time. However, you do not look to well. Ever since the battle at Virginia VII, you have been distracted." Reagan responded, as Darrel continued to think. He remembered what had happen at Virginia VII. One billion people had suffered the consequence of one selfish Captain. That single man, Captain Renold Fathom, had decided that a well thought out plan of letting the Covenant Carrier fly down to the surface of the planet and letting it supply its forces down to the surface was wise. Once it was at the Surface, they would launch Five Shiva Nuclear Warheads towards the ship. His plan didn't go so well when just before the Shiva's reached their target, the Covenant Carrier moved position quickly that the Warheads lost track, and ignited Three Major Cities, and small towns.
In the waist of the Cities, and the Warheads, he then ordered three Frigates in his battle group to move in and attack. They were lost, with over three thousand Marines, and Navy personnel. The rest of the battle Group, including him, attacked the Covenant Carrier. But just before losing the battle, the Covenant carrier managed to land its Command Staff on the Planet. The UNSC ships destroyed the Carrier, but didn't kill the entire Covenant that were onboard it. His own ship, the First Contact, moved in and the Captain fought with his Marine group in the 34th Division, Charlie Company. Half of the Platoon was lost due to Motor Fire from Wraith Tanks, and Plasma explosions.
Darrel had been captured while unconscious before getting rescued by three dozen-Farmers, and twelve Marines. He awarded them with the Men of Valor Medallion, but he still had images appear in his mind. He then, focused on where he was now. After the last thought of looking at the AI, he remembered the Black Elite standing behind him again. He thought it was actually behind him as he felt a cold chill go down his spleen. He turned quickly; grabbing his Combat Knife he had stored in the drawer under the sink, and spun again to face the Alien Elite. He again, only saw a panel box. Darrel turned around placing back his knife in the drawer, and looked at the AI.
"You need to see the Doctor." Reagan repeated, as the Captain didn't like the AI standing there, watching him every single time as he wrote his artificial thoughts about his observation of the Captain. Darrel pressed the pedal on the bottom, and the sink poured water down. He scooped a hand full of water and washed his face. He grabbed the towel to his right, and dried his face. After placing the towel back, he looked at the mirror. There he was, his reflection. In his Navy uniform, it was dark, and black. Instead of the gray color of the uniform, purple blood stained the leather, with bits of small pieces of bone splattered over his face, and chest. He shook his head.
"I don't need to see the Doctor Reagan!" The Captain shouted out loud as, he fainted and fell on the ground.
Reagan, after watching the Captain faint, accessed the intercom and spoke to the Doctor, "Doctor, the Captain has fainted, please report to his quarters." The AI knew operating procedure, if the Captain became unsuitable for duty for a limited amount of time, the next high-ranking officer would take command for the time being. As the AI stood there, watching the Captain lay on the ground, the door opened as the Doctor with two other Marines entered. Daniel ran into the Bathroom as he saw the Captain, curled into a ball, unmoving. He gestured the Marines to come in, and he knelt next to him.
"What happened?" Doctor Daniels asked as he placed two fingers on Darrel's throat to check if he was breathing. There was a steady pulse, and his face was pale, like he was losing blood, or had suffered from an extreme time in the cold. He examined the Captain before he instructed the Marines to pick him up, and follow him.
"We were talking about why he was becoming drowsy. He has headaches, and other symptoms." Reagan replied truthfully as he continued to watch the Marines place a stretcher under the Captain. They secured strap, and lifted his body, and walked out of the room. Daniel, after watching his men move the Captain, and head to the Medical Lounge, he turned and faced Reagan.
"Did you write down the symptoms? And do you have a hypothesis for his behavior?" Daniel knew how the AI was always curious, since he became active; he had always enjoyed researching mystery books. The Artificial Intelligence character lit for a few seconds, and then accessed a computer terminal towards the back of the room, away from the Bathroom. Daniel motioned forward, and sat down on the leather chair. It was quite comfortable.
"Those are everything I had jotted down before he fell and fainted. However, my main hypothesis was that he dreamt of something horrifying, he thought he saw them in his actually life, instead of in his dreams." Reagan looked at the Computer Terminal, and back towards the Doctor. He was reading everything the AI had transferred into the computer. The Doctor read each paragraph twice. Roughly short, only four paragraphs, he turned and placed his hand on the top part of the chair, and looked at the AI to his right.
"That was quite interesting Reagan. And you suspect it was from the interrogation from Virginia VII? You should be a novelist of a short story." Reagan lit green as he nodded, with his eyes closed. The Doctor stood up and placed the chair back under the Computer and turned off the power. "Please meet me at the Medical Lounge. You can help me find out what's really, wrong with him." The AI smiled, and disappeared as Daniel walked out of the door.
--------
The Marines carrying their Captain placed him on the metal table that stretched up to eight feet. They just stood there waiting for the Doctor to get here. As they waited, they sat down and looked at each other. "What do you think is wrong with him?" Walter asked Steven as he shrugged. Steven turned his head and looked back at his Captain.
"I just sure as hell he's going to be fine." He then stood up, and left as Daniel entered the Medical Lounge. He noticed the Corporal, Corporal Walter Ray, sitting there watching him check the Captain. The Marine watching, Daniel had annoyed him so the Doctor ordered him to leave. The Marine did so, and walked out as the door closed. Reagan then appeared on the table to the left side of the Captains body.
"You check the pulse yet?" Regan watched Daniel check it as he nodded it was good, nice and steady. Reagan, with his quickness of an electronic brain, he obtained data prior to the time period from here, and since the attack of Virginia VII. As the AI observed the file, and reread it, he gathered some ideas and placed them on the Computer screen just behind the Doctor. Daniel noticed them, but continued to focus on the Captain.
"Reagan, do you know where I keep the special combat sickness pills? I seemed to have forgotten about where I had last left them." Reagan quickly scanned the area, and found them on the bottom drawer lower left behind Daniel. As he reached down, Reagan saw the Captain stand up, and turn, placing his legs over the edge, and letting them hang.
"Captain?" Darrel looked at the AI, surprised at where he was now at, seeing the Doctor quickly turning with his needle on the table, he stood up leaving the bed he was laying on.
"Daniels. I'm awake." The Captain said as the Doctor continued to kneel staring at the Captain. The Doctor, who rarely got surprised, was speechless. The awareness of the Captain awake from a ten-minute unconsciousness was horrifying. It almost gave him his own heart attack, but Daniel knew how to deal with that. He continued to stare as the Captain jumped to his feet and walked towards the Doctor. Daniel was still motionless, "Daniels...I'm awake. You here me?"
Daniel heard the words come from the Captain himself. Then, he stood up, as Darrel smiled. "Yes Captain. I heard, maybe you sit down until I finish checking you?" He ordered as Darrel did so, considering Medical Officers had some authority over higher command staff, which unusually ticked Darrel off. As he sat on the medical bed, the Doctor pulled out a small flashlight, and checked Darrel's eyes.
This also, made the Captain impatient. "Doctor, if there is no questions, or signs of defects on me, can I go to bed? Anyways...how did I get here?" Darrel was confused as in the last fifteen minutes; he had forgotten what had happen, about everything. He looked around, seeing some tables, with lights above them, and medical tubes, and canisters in the storage lockers.
"What's the last thing you remember Captain? What was the last, clearest thing you remember?" Daniel was now worried about the Captain. He never acted like this in the past five years; he never acted like this before in his life. Instead, the Captain closed his eyes, and thought. He remembered some things in his life. The Rank Insignia of Captain from Admiral Wallace, the Battle of Reach, the Covenant, then he remembered. He remembered he had gone to bed late at night, and dreamt of something.
Yes, it was perfect now...he had dreamt about the...no, he thought as he struggled to stay still. He was starting to heat up. He had remembered about the Black Elite with the Energy Sword ready to cut him, but he didn't know if that happened or if it was a real dream. He opened his mouth to find him speaking out what he had though just now, "I remember me getting my Insignia of the Rank of Captain from Admiral Wallace, the Battle of Reach, the Covenant, and me going to bed last night, and I had dreamt about something. Something, horrible."
Reagan looked puzzled, the Doctor had finally gotten the Captain to talk about his dream, now, and he was going to continue recording this information. The Captain looked sideways, and saw Reagan light above the desktop towards his far left. Daniel was standing there, watching. "What was horrible Captain? Darrel, what did you see?" This puzzled the Captain. He had just remembered a second ago, but then he had forgotten what he had remembered. He was mad, and scared, he didn't know what to do. He forgot that he was a Captain for a half minute, and was silent.
"Captain," Reagan had begun as Darrel spoke. He sighed before opening his mouth and then looked at Daniel.
"I saw a Covenant...a Black Elite, those Special Op Elites the Covenant send against the Spartans. One of them had an intensified blade, almost the color of a morning sky that was bright blue. But the energy it had power of was horribly strong. It was like slipping a knife into hot butter," Darrel began thinking. He remembered the dream, and continued talking, frightfully. "It spoke to me, in some kind of language I couldn't understand, a language I translate. But, it spoke in Human Tongue. As if it had learned from somewhere."
Darrel remembered and repeated those words in his mind, Your destruction is the Will of the Gods, and We...are their Instrument. He repeated him in his mind, forgetting to tell both Reagan, and Daniel what the Elite in the Black armor had said to Darrel. He looked up after Daniel placed a hand on the Captains shoulder. "What did the Elite say Darrel?"
"Your destruction is the Will of the Gods, and we...are their Instrument. It said those words exactly the way I said it. With its deep dark, haunting voice," The Captain looked up again to see the Elite, drenched in Human blood. There was a Human hand on the ground, and the Elite had its Sword ignited. It had, in the Captains thought, rolled a head towards Darrel. He panicked. As Darrel jumped up, standing on the medical bed, Daniel looked confusingly at the Captain.
"Sir! What are you doing!" Daniel asked as he looked at the scared, and panicked Captain. He had never seen him act like that before. As he saw the Captain, trying to cover his face he saw the Elite, open its mandibles showing the razor sharp teeth it had had, and raised, with its left arm, a Covenant Carbine. It aimed it at the Captains head as he imagined it pointed a laser at his forehead. He was about to cry. A tear went down as the Doctor yelled again, "Darrel! Listen to me! Its fake! Don't look at it, look at me! It will go away. You can fight it!" That thought of the Doctors imagined the Captain held a Pistol; an M6D with an unmagnified scope.
"Get away!" Darrel yelled to the back wall as Reagan turned looking at the same direction only seeing a Light pole stand there. The Captain still held his Pistol in his hand, and looked at the Doctor, then back at the Elite. The Elite was walking forward now, its energy sword in the right arm, and the Carbine in the next. It was walking towards the Doctor, with its mouth open it snarled at the Captain as it walked forward. "Go away!" Darrel yelled again.
The Doctor just watched the Captains eyes move, and then his eyes looked at his eyes. Daniel knew the Elite was behind him, so, playing with the imagination, he stepped back, and hid behind a desk. "Captain! Shoot it! Shoot it!" Daniel yelled playing along, hoping that Darrel would shot his imaginary pistol at the creature, and kill it so the dream that blended in with reality, ended.
Darrel focused on the Elite turning towards the hidden Doctor. It turned its long head at the Captain and showed its teeth again as blood dripped from its mouth...Human Blood. The Captain fired his weapon. Five rounds hit the Shields, and they flickered, and then faded. The Sixth shot struck the Elite in its chest, causing it to bleed. As the bullet entered the body of the Elite, it clutched its chest. Painfully, it, with great force, stuck its hand inside its wound, and pulled the bullet out. The Captain became more horrified by this change, and emptied the clip on the beast.
It stood there, motionless with blood oozing out of its body from six other holes. There was a puddle just about the size of a gallon jug. Daniel stepped away from the corner as Darrel lowered his imaginary weapon, and released his grip. The Captain heard the hard clash as the weapon collided with the deck. As Daniel looked at the floor, the Elite that was shot, fell, and its sword deactivated. The Carbine in its left hand dropped to the ground, and then the Elite that once haunted the Captain for a night, vanished.
Reagan continued to examine the Captain carefully, noting every detail that he could think of what the Captain had. The only conclusion to his hypothesis was that he was delusional, but not anymore. He felt a sigh of relief as Darrel knelt down and jumped to the floor. "Thanks Daniel." Darrel said as he still had a straight face, a face that clearly read he had killed a living being, although it was imaginary, the creature seemed as real as the Doctor.
"Sir, I'm glad your dream it over." Daniel said as he smiled walking away from his cover, and walked towards the Captain. He saw Darrel look down at the ground, so Daniel decided to do the same. So he looked down, and imagined the dead body of the Covenant Soldier. "I will get a clean up crew to clean the mess Captain." Darrel lied to keep the Captains thought focused on something else. Darrel continued to look down, and then stared at the hovering light ahead. The light flashed above his head as he walked towards the door, and to his room leaving the Doctor and the AI to get left in the Medical Lounge.
UNSC First Contact (2/2)
Date: 18 March 2005, 7:52 AM
AN: Here's the Second Part..yeah I know right? Why would he post two at the same time? Would they read it? Would they Like it? Well I just hope you enjoy it. Comments are welcome at my email, and at the comment section thanks FF Readers.
****
0934 Hours, October 10, 2552 (Military Calendar)
UNSC First Contact, Patrol in the Wearen System,
Away from Wearen IV, RV towards Rally Point Alpha,
Sol System, Earth.
The First Contact, a long, invincible, legendary Destroyer darted through space among the heavens. Its beauty was spectacular; it was almost a dream as the Class-C Destroyer was viewed among the stars. She was the Sister Ship to the Iroquois, and Younger Sister to the Leviathan that Admiral Michael Stanforth commanded during the attack of Sigma Octanus IV. Its huge Magnetic Acceleration Cannon that was mounted in the fore, and after parts of the ship were as advance as they could get to. Firing a round of three burst per salvo, it was one of the twenty toughest ships to survive in combat against the Covenant.
She, the First Contact, had been in service a decade ago, defending the Inner Colonies with the rest of the Fleet. Her Captain, Captain Darrel Shavings had been in command of the First Contact since he got promoted before the attack of Sigma Octanus Four. He was thirty-six, and near six feet four inches. The Bridge of the First Contact was of circular design, with a spinning axis to keep it gravitational to one gee, standard Earth Gravity. It made one Bridge Officer sick to her stomach, so everyone she had to take a sickness pill to keep her combat ready. She was Lieutenant Sarah Zinger. He blonde hair, and green eyes wandered the Bridge as she was stationed at Ops.
Across from her position at a one hundred degree angle was Lieutenant Mathew Harold. He had been with the Captain sine he was Commander of the Defiance. He got transferred with him, one reason was that he and the Captain were closely related, and another was simply because, his record was the best that Darrel could find as Weapons Officer for a beauty like the First Contact. His Dark Brown hair, and strong face made it hard to tell what mood he was in.
At Navigations, a Lieutenant Junior Grade Samuel Vancouver, was Russian. Born straight from Moscow, and joined the UNSC at the age of seventeen. He was twenty-three now. Seven years after he graduated from OCS. He could Navigate threw an asteroid field with out the help of a Computer AI, which was especially rare for cases of Plasma attacks from Covenant Carriers. The Bridge Officers relied on him, to get them out of hasty situations.
Communications was positioned by a new Bridge member; Ensign Collin Norman. He was transferred to the First Contact a week ago. He was just getting to know the Senior Officers after he got transferred. The last Communications Officer got promoted to Commander after the victory at Sigma Octanus Four, and was offered to take command of the America. He was in his twenties, with his Jet Black Hair, and pressed Navy Uniform, his eyes were black, making him look scary at some situations.
The First Contact, Navigated by the Junior Lieutenant Samuel Vancouver kept the course straight. They were ordered to circle the system, and protect Wearen IV from the Covenant. But these past twelve days had been uneventful as the UNSC lost Inner Colonies by the Covenant. Captain Darrel had strict order to stay in the Wearen System due to some ONI requests, every nerve in the Officers body wanted to head into battle to help the Fleet, but they were always declined to go into battle.
As the Bridge Officers monitored their stations, checking, and rechecking key systems for malfunctions, they just sat there in their chairs waiting for some action. Considering their last battle was at Virginia VII, which was unpleasant due to the Captains capture, and interrogation process by the Covenant. They couldn't imagine what the Captain had to deal with before help arrived to rescue him.
The Door that was between the elevator and the Main Bridge was closed, but then suddenly opened as Captain Darrel stepped forward. He stood still, waiting for the proper announcement. "Captain on Deck!" barked Lieutenant Sarah Zinger as she stood up knocking the chair backwards into the wall saluting her Captain. She had always been surprised to see the Captain, she always thought of him as a legendary hero to survive at Virginia VII, but that wasn't a story to be told by Darrel. Everyone on the Bridge looked at the Captain for a split second and rose saluting. Darrell raised his hand, and saluted back.
"Back to your post." Everyone sat down again, including Darrel as he walked to his center seat of the entertainment. The huge view screen that was in front of them, showed a planet, and some stars. Darrel sat in his chair, and checked his watch. It was early in the morning, around nine-thirty. He still was confused by why he had dreamt what he had dreamt, and he wasn't sure telling his Officers about it was the right choice. However, one asked.
"Captain, last night when I was informed that you were in the Medical Bay, what happened?" Harold asked as he looked at Darrel. The Captain sighed, and turned his head towards the Weapons station. Now, he had to tell them.
"Last night, was just, a mishap." The Captain lied, as he knew Reagan was watching, careful not to interrupt. "When I woke up early in the morning, I tripped, and hit my head on the table by the door. Reagan quickly found me, and called for the Doctor to get me back up to my feet. Is that all Lieutenant?" Darrel asked as Reagan nodded sideways in a disapproving way. He didn't like the Captain lying, but he was the commanding officer of the First Contact, and they had to obey him.
"Aye Sir." Harold said as he looked back towards his console, and checked the weapons again, and again. He knew something was wrong, but he had to go to the Doctor on his own time when the Captain wasn't around. Sarah checked her systems, as the First Contact continued in space. Thirty minutes passed by the watch, and nothing. There was nothing in the system but dust, and planets with their moons. Then the unbelievable happened.
Darrel looked at the view screen as the Elite, the Black Armored Elite that was shot by the Captain appeared behind him, with Blood stained on its armor, and a Plasma Rifle in one hand. It was breathing again and again. The Captain started to feel another chill down his spleen as he turned around. He saw the beast, and jumped out of his chair grabbing his side arm, he pulled the trigger. The bullet went threw the beast but it didn't fall. The Captain was dumbstruck as the rest of the Officers stared at Darrel confused, and quickly turning to see what he was looking at. He had just shot a Private that was passing by. The young officer clenched his chest, and saw the red blood dripping out of his body.
Ensign Collin quickly tabbed a button, and before he could send the transmission, Reagan had already called for the Doctor to come up. The elevator door opened and Steven, and Walter ran towards the fallen Private. The Captain still imagined the Private as an Elite, and yelled, "Dump him in Space!" The Lieutenants, the Doctor, the two Marines, and Ensign Collin looked at the Captain, horrified. They didn't know what had come up to him.
"Sir?" Mathew asked as Darrel looked at him, there was another Elite standing next to the Lieutenant, this one had white armor, but there was red blood stained on some parts. He pulled his side arm again, and fired. The Control panel behind the Lieutenant burst to flames as Mathew ran for the fire extinguisher. Daniel knew what was happening. So he instructed the two Marines to head to the Medical Bay, and drop off the Private and fix him, while he grabbed the Captain.
"Get off of me Daniel! The Elite is still here! Its still here!" Darrel barked as he pulled the trigger again. Another console exploded and caught on fire. Mathew quickly ran towards the fire, and held the trigger to put the fire out. Daniel smacked the Captains hand and Sarah ran towards Daniel to help him get him to the Medical Bay. Darrel kept on moving about. Hitting the Doctor and the Lieutenant in the face, he kicked the Doctor. Darrel thought he saw more Elites, he was becoming to get angry. He grabbed the Submachine Gun on the weapon rack, and fired at the View Screen. As each of the bullets left the nozzle, another hole was formed in the View screen, damaging the device severely.
"Sarah, hold him still!" She did, as she kicked the Captain down as he tried to hit her, and held him down with both of her arms. The Doctor ran over, and stuck a needle in his arm. He fell asleep, and the Doctor grabbed him, and left the Bridge. Sarah turned around, seeing the damage their Captain had done, and the casualty he had caused with the Private. They would be lucky if the Private would even survive.
"What do you think is wrong with him?" Collin asked as he looked at the other Lieutenants on the bridge. Even though he was the low ranking officer, he was still family of this ship. His Dark eyes looked at each of the Officers faces as Sarah, and Samuel shrugged. Mathew looked at Collin, and then remembered Reagan. He knew the AI had been monitoring and recording the incident. He looked up and stared.
Reagan saw the Lieutenants face as Mathew said, "Reagan." The Holo image of the Green AI with its Dark Suit appeared. He wore his glasses above him nose and looked at the Lieutenant. Mathew saw the figure and the rest walked towards it.
"Yes Lieutenant Harold? I suspect you would like to know what's wrong with the Captain?" Sat on the Navigation seat, Lieutenant Vancouver stood up, and walked to the AI. As he reached the rest of the group, and placed his hands on the railing, and leaned forward.
"Yes Reagan...we would very much like to hear your thoughts on what's wrong with the Captain." He spoke with his Russian accent. The AI lit quickly, and dimmed. He turned and looked at each of the bridge crewmembers. He knew this could be bad, but they had authorization to get the information. So he kindly asked.
"If I tell you, would I get into any trouble?"
"No." Sarah quickly replied next as she looked at Reagan. He was unusually short for an AI's standard size. Normally they would be five inches in height on the holo-tank, but Reagan was three inches.
"Very well. The Captain is becoming delusional." With that first sentence the whole command staff listened closely. Reagan continued, "He, from this point on, will have medical attention for his thoughts. He, after brief periods of time, sees an Elite from the interrogation room on Virginia VII. Daniels and I don't know why, but we are looking into it." This gave more questions into the Lieutenants as they nodded. Reagan looked at each of them until the Doctor called for him. "If you will excuse me Lieutenant, I need to go talk to Daniels."
"Go ahead," Mathew said as he looked at each other's face while he paused to think. Reagan suddenly disappeared out of thin air as he headed to the Medical Bay. Mathew walked back to his station, as the rest did the same. They were quiet, but Sarah beat them from speaking first.
"When do you think the Captains going to become...un-delusional?" She pondered herself the same question, remembering the attack on Virginia VII, how they had one that battle, but lost many people. Over Three Million people, suffered from the Covenant that day. She knew she would regret not thinking it was a victory. But it was a victory. She looked at Mathew, and then at Samuel. His Russian face seemed unreadable as she looked at the view screen. It still had bullet holes in it, but would get replaced once they headed to a Space Dock.
"The Doctor's an expert. He'll take care of it." Mathew responded as he tapped a few buttons to make sure the weapons were stable, he then turned his head and looked at Collin as he sat there chewing gum he had unwrapped after the Captain left the bridge. "Lieutenant Vancouver, plot a course for an inbound trajectory to Wearen IV's Space Docks," He paused to look at Ensign Collin, "Ensign, send a transmission for replacement parts for a View Screen and other materials to the Wearen Docks. Sarah, engine status?"
Sarah waited as she checked the diagnostics, reports came from engineering every then minutes. She found the diagnostics, and spoke, "Engineering reports One Hundred percent power, Engine Status Operable." She looked back as her station as she just sat there, thinking about what to do once she got to Wearen Four. Mathew nodded as Samuel plotted a course to the Wearen Docks, Collin sent out a transmission to Wearen Docks also and also got a disappointing, and horrifying feedback.
Collin looked at Mathew, Sarah, and then Samuel. His eyes enlarged scared whether his family would live or die. "Lieutenant?" A full three seconds went by as the Bridge rotated continuously creating the artificial gravity needed to walk or run.
"What is it Collins?" Mathew asked as he checked his weapons station again and again trying to waste time. Collins read, and reread the transmission from the Wearen Docks.
"Earth is under attack." Just those words, made Mathew more scared. A delusional Captain, and their own Home Planet was attacked. Mathew paused to think of what could have happened. Sarah sat disappointed, worrying about her Sister in the Service. She hoped she was doing ok. Samuel didn't mind, his family was somewhere else, hopefully safe away from the Covenant for another ten years he was cold hearted.
Mathew stood up, and walked to Collins station. As he reached there, Collins moved over as the Lieutenant leaned forward reading the transmission.
United Nations Space Command Alpha Priority Transmission
02874S-74
Encryption Code: Red
Public Key: file/Charley-Delta-Four/
From: Admiral Bernie Wallace, Fleet Admiral of Horizon Three, Commanding Officer, UNSC Invincible, Wearen Docks, Wearen IV/ UNSC Defense Fleet Sector Five Commander/ (UNSC Service Number: 62481-10984-ABW)
To: ALL UNSC warships and PERSONNEL in the WEAREN, ILLUST, RISTER, and SATANUS system
Subject: IMMEDIATE RECALL
Classification: Classified (BGX Directive)
/start file/
Covenant presence detected on Earth System's Edge
coordinates 151 relative.
All UNSC warships are hereby ordered to cease all activities, and regroup at Rally Point Alpha at best speed.
ALL SHIPS are to enact the Cole Protocol immediately before entering the Sol System. God Speed.
/end file/
"Samuel, change course trajectory towards heading Sol System, enter slipspace in two minutes." Mathew ordered the Russian as Vancouver quickly changed course, and headed the opposite direction. Mathew sat at the Captains chair as he looked at Sarah. Her blond hair, which was tightly held by a rubber band, held as the ship spun quickly, with the crafty handwork of Samuel Vancouver, the Russian made a successful one hundred and eighty degree spin on its axis. Mathew ignored the ships movement and yelled to Sarah. Mathew almost tripped as he walked to the Captains chair.
"Sarah, inform engineering to head into slipspace in two minutes minus ten seconds." Sarah quickly did so as she grabbed the railing as the ship suddenly boosted faster. Mathew was stunned to see the stars go by so quickly, and the disappearance of Wearen IV. The Destroyer was close now, to enter into slipspace in a matter of seconds. "This is Lieutenant Mathew Harold. All hands hold on to something, this is going to be bumpy."
With those last few words, the ship was momentarily pushed, and then with a sudden jolt, was pushed into slipspace. The Stars vanished before them, and the ship speed across space. Mathew held on as he felt him self shake on the chair. The ship Fusion Reactor was a new design, the third to get the new modification. Mathew managed to open his mouth to speak to Sarah. "What's our ETA to the Sol System!"
The Chair shook more as they speed across space; it was certainly a bumpy ride. "ETA is ten minutes, minute or plus three." Sarah replied as she tightened her belt across her stomach so she didn't shake that much. She saw Samuel smiling as he laid his hands behind him back. She let out a tiny smile, and then looked back at her station board. "Sir! Fusion Reactor is at Ninety-Five percent and going up in a two-minute rate. Once it reaches One Hundred, we should be there before our Estimated Time Arrival!"
"Ok! Collins! How's it holding?" Mathew yelled to the Ensign as he saw him grab hold of something to stay still. The ship was really bumpy this time. The Ensign checked Communications on all band frequencies.
"Sir! Earth's Magnetic Acceleration Cannon Stations are holding the Covenant. But they are just outside the kill zone. There's a big fight breaking out, fifteen Covenant ships. Two of them are Carriers, and one of them has a Prophet inside of it!" This surprised both Mathew and Collins. As he checked his clock, he noticed four minutes just passed by. The Reactor would be near Ninety-Seven Percent. He just hoped One hundred percent wasn't as rough as this.
Another six minutes passed, and they were still away from Earth. Sarah monitored her station as she read reports coming in from Engineering. "Sir, Reactor at One Hundred percents. Hold on to your hats!" The Ship suddenly gave a loud noise, and jumped again, this time, the ship never shook; it was silent almost as if nothing happened. "I guess these Engines are very popular now."
"Don't give your hopes up, this ship may not last the Battle." Mathew said gladly not having to yell over the noise "Contact the Doctor Sarah, and ask him about the status of the Captain."
"Aye sir." The Lieutenant quickly phoned in to the Doctor and got a report. "Sir, Daniels reports that the Captains fine, and will be combat read with in five minutes, but suggest that you take command until the fights over, incase his imaginary dreams come back during his reality."
Mathew nodded as he looked at his own screen that was on the Captains chair. They were still in slipspace, either minutes or seconds away from─
"Sir! Exiting out of Slipspace, and regrouping at Rally Point Alpha." Samuel said as he tapped a button and the ship stopped, resuming its normal speed and heading. The Destroyer readied its weapons as Mathew unlocked all safeties from the weapons, and warmed the MAC. As the miniature view screens that were mounted on each of their stations showed the Fleet engaging the Covenant, the elevator doors opened. Captain Darrel Shavings entered and he walked to his chair.
"Thank you Lieutenant for keeping the ship at combat readiness. Sarah, monitor both Covenant and UNSC channels. Samuel, take us to Rally Point Alpha ASAP. Mathew, warm everything on this ship that can fight. Contact the Marines, they might need to get to the MAC's before Dropships start coming in from inbound trajectories." Darrel said as Mathew got up and sat at his station doing as the Captain ordered.
Collin quickly asked the Captain, "Sir? Are you alright?" This question made the Captain pause. The Ensign thought he was being curious, but found out it was a dumb question.
"Well son, I'm here ain't I? So how about we chit chat later and help our species win this battle?" The Ensign took a few seconds after checking for any orders incoming from HighCom. None.
"Aye Sir." Collin said as he continued to watch the battle, He saw bright light flicker through space as ships exploded. Lieutenant Zinger checked her station, and got reports that five UNSC Warships were just destroyed, but multiple pulse lasers from Covenant Seraph Fighters.
"Sir, we got an incoming transmission from Fleet Admiral Hood sir, on your screen now." Collins reported as he sent the feed to the Captains chair monitor. The figure or a fifty-year-old man, wearing a white uniform with medals covering his chest stood looking at Darrel.
"Admiral?" Darrel asked as the First Contact moved in closer to battle. They started to feel a little shake as they went past debris from destroyed UNSC Warships.
"Captain, move your ship towards that Cruiser, here." A Navigation marker appeared on Samuel Vancouver's screen, it was a green triangle. "Ten other ships are locking on to that target now with our MAC gun. Cortana will give off a countdown timer for ten seconds, then we are going to blow that Covenant ship out of here." Darrel understood the order, and the Admiral disconnected the channel. The Captain bit his lower lip as he waited for his Lieutenant to speak to him.
"Sir, I got a set of countdown timers, and a firing solution for our MAC, and archer missiles. Sending firing solution to Lieutenant Harold's station." Vancouver reported as Mathew acknowledged the information. A Countdown timer appeared, five seconds left. The First Contacts long sleek body moved in to position ready to fire her weapons. Nine other UNSC ships were positions in an arc shape formation targeting the Cruiser, with the MAC gun behind them, the Covenant ship would be nothing but molten pieces of metal.
Four seconds.
Darrel felt heat around him, he saw his other bridge officers watching, staring at their monitors waiting for the countdown timer to reach zero.
Two seconds.
It was time; Mathew quickly tapped the firing solution, and fired. The MAC gun poured three successive shots into the Covenant Cruiser. The Covenants long huge; tear drop shaped hull was now getting hit with everything the ten UNSC Warships could give it. Their shields were holding the Archer missiles for a few seconds, until a shroud of gold and red dust appeared as it erupted from the Covenants shields. As the dust glittered away, Covenant fighters flew out their launch bays and attacked the Frigates in position. Their point-defense turrets quickly peppered them to dust as another successful salvo from the Cairo Station penetrated the Cruisers Shields.
Another firing solution fired as over a dozen MAC rounds, over five hundred Archer pods and one Shiva Nuclear Warhead detonated. The Missiles created hull breaches along the Cruisers hull, the MAC's tore huger ones after that. But the Shiva Warhead cleaned up the rest. The tiny missile detonated, creating a short ball of fire, burning, and destroying the Cruisers hull. The Ship flickered out of existence, and Fighters appeared out of nowhere. The ten UNSC Warships spread out attacking them.
Darrel sat in his chair, thankful that the Firing Solution worked, destroying a Covenant Cruiser was hard work for a bunch of Frigates, but with the help, they destroyed one of the twelve Covenant Ships attacking Earth. Mathew rechecked the MAC status, and the Archer Pods. "Sir! We got twenty-two Salvos left from the MAC gun. Archer pods B1 through G2 are loaded and ready!" Darrel nodded as Mathew launched two pods at a Seraph firing pulse lasers at a frigates hull. It was too late, the plasma already created a hole threw the ships hull structure.
It hit the ships Reactor, and exploded, they lost another ship. Darrel looked around, and looked at the screen. There were hundreds of Fighters, and Dropships heading towards the surface of the planet. They were trying to attack while the Ship were a diversion. Darrel knew what he had to do. "Lieutenant Vancouver, break off the attack. Mathew, target any Fighter, and Dropships in an inbound trajectory towards the Earth's Surface. Make sure they get the warm welcome." Mathew nodded and tapped the fire button. Sixty missiles targeted twenty ships. They exploded with out hesitation as more flew towards the surface.
The First Contact moved forward rapidly trying to pick all of them off. The Ships point-defense systems fired as Reagan appeared on the Captains Chair. "Sir, three MAC Stations have been destroyed, and over twenty UNSC warships are gone. Three Covenant Frigates, and one Cruiser destroyed. HighCom has ordered us to reach the Planets Surface to help the In Amber Clad rid New Mombassa in Kenya of Covenant Ground troops." The AI spoke as the Captain looked at Collin, he nodded.
"Thank you Reagan, Samuel, change course heading zero degrees latitude, forty degree longitude. Make at best speed. Sarah, tell the Chief to ready his men, they are heading to the surface." Darrel ordered as she did so.
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