Politics and Soldiers: Colliding Cultures II
Posted By: Griffin 3542<suliac.griffin@btinternet.com>
Date: 18 March 2006, 12:50 am
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21st September 2151,
Semenai System,
Onboard Skylords Flagship"Saviour".
In the small, insignificant system that was the Semenai system two powerful warships sized each other up, flashing their teeth and snarling with hate.
One was the "Angel" class super battle cruiser "Justice and Punishment", a Covenant vessel that sported over 40 powerful "thread lasers", a new Covenant weapon that had been used to great effect by the vessel's sistership at the Battle of REACH. On her were around 7,000 veteran Elite soldiers, as well as another 4,000 Engineers. With undeniable menace she sparked her guns and crept up to her adversary.
This was the USLN Saviour, a mighty veteran battle cruiser that had survived countless battles and had a crew who were unequalled in their effectiveness. The smaller ship sported many, many phase turrets as well as Type-IX plutonic semi-nuclear torpedoes, a devastating weapon which the Saviour had in abundance. The shielding system of the Saviour was advanced as one would find, with a startling 500% increase over it's adversary...although the fact that the Saviour was outgunned by 4 to 1 did them no favours. The dignified cruiser flexed it's muscles, placing itself directly inbetween the Covenant and the heavily populated Semenai IV.
"Ensign Marcus, do you think you can outmaneuveur that goliath?"
The 42 year old pilot nodded. "They have pretty old fashioned maneuveuring systems sir, and an extremely primitive pair of fusion reactors. I've never seen those weapons before though."
The aging doctor behind him immediately spoke up.
"They're thread lasers, some kind of fast-as-light weapon that cut through our warships armour like tissue paper. It had a five-minute recharge, and I doubt you can outmaneuveur it. Tell your AI to use emergency thrusters the moment it..."she stopped, looking at the puzzled expressions.
"AI? As in artifical intelligence? Sorry Doctor, but we don't have them. Our computers are top notch though; I hear you. Mr Jiles?"
"Done before you asked sir."
The Captain nodded almost to himself, and had a deep, deep breath.
"All hands, prepare for duel, repeat duel with large enemy ship. Brace for serious damage and snappy maneuvering. At your best everyone; anything less and you won't be seeing your families again."
This brought out a momentary twinge for Sarah in his stomach, but he bit it down.
"Helm...ahead at flank speed, try to get on top of them to the rear. Be weary of emergency bursts by the computer."
"Tactical, try to focus your fire on single targets and save the torpedoes for when we get their shields down unless I say otherwise."
At this, Cydiona the resident Skylord spoke up.
"Captain...I can give you an advantage by using a stealth ship to sneak onboard and cause havok with their systems."
Now the armoured green soldierr spoke up too; was this a bloody committee?
"I'm an excellent soldier Captain...I request that I go too."
With a confirming glance from Dr Halsey, the Captain nodded.
"Get your butts down to the hangar bay then, and be careful. Those are going to veteran elites over there."
Both nodded, and half-ran into a turbolift.
10 seconds later, the enemy opened fire.
The Saviour danced around the bright blue plasma bursts with light-hearted grace, while herself letting loose her own arsenal of phase cannons and the odd torpedo or too when the shields were breached. The enemy who were 4 times the Saviour's size tried to keep track, but being so large and bulky had it's disadvantages. Still, tiny Seraph fighters did what the Justice and Punishment could not, sending wave after wave of plasma into the Saviour shields whilst also engagingthe 4 squadrons of Slipjaw light and heavy fighters that protected the Saviour with formidable skill.
In all of the mayhem, an ever so tiny black vessel, no larger then the bridge of the Saviour dropped from it's cargo bay and slipped in ever so silently into one of the many holes the Saviour was creating in the enemy shields. With unnatural speed the small vessel docked at one of the hatches...and two of the most formidable female soldiers to ever grace the Covenant entered the Justice and Punishment.
Cydiona drew her blades...and Kelly drew her guns. The Elites outside the hatch were no match for their experience; they fell without even having the chance to fire a single plasma bolt. When a response party of Elites arrived on the scene, one half of the silver party were cut into pieces by the energy blades of Cydiona; the other half fell to the deadly fragmentation grenade and well-placed fire of the 42 year old SPARTAN.
With barely a passing notice of each other, the two elite soldiers marched onwards.
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