Avalon
Posted By: paladin 71<rlb001@aquinas.edu>
Date: 9 March 2008, 10:48 pm
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Battle of Avalon:
The Avalon system; one of humanity's last bastions after the fall of Reach home too the fifth largest prewar UNSC navel shipyard now after almost three decades of war it's the second largest only surpassed by sol system's. But more importantly then its ability to produce war machines was over three and a half billion men women and children call its fourth planet, Avalon Prime, home. With Reach gone Avalon stands open to invasion, all that bars the way is a small system defense force who's mission would seem hopeless to any outside observer.
October 19th 2552 A.D.
Orbital Defense Platform Arthur
In orbit over Avalon Prime
Combat Information Center
"The Throne Room"
"Prepare final system reports before we stand down from general quarters everyone. Operations officer signal platform Lancelot that we are standing down in 5 minutes at 13 hours Zulu" "Roger that commander" All by the book thought Commander Richard just the way he liked it, the way it should be he thought.
In five minutes platform Arthur and Galahad of Alpha cluster would be standing down from general quarters and platforms Lancelot and Robin of Beta cluster would becoming to full combat status. Ever sceance Reach fell over a month ago one third of system defense platforms were keep hot and ready for combat at all times. It sounded impressive on paper but in reality Avalon Prime was orbited only by six "big sticks" ¼ of the guns at Reach. Having two hot was the best that could be done without wearing the equipment not to mention the crews out.
Everything was going good and then the communication officer spoke. "Sir I have observation station Galileo on the com they say one probe just reported a major slipstream event headed in system ". "Are they sure" "Yes sir they seem pretty flustered about it" "K wake the admiral alert all military forces in system especially the prowlers and inform the civil authorities "
The signals went out. In major cities all over the world sirens sounded calling women and children to shelters made more for there spirits then any ability it had to protect them. Men moved to their civil defense rally points where cold steel was pressed into unsteady hands that griped them as if their life depends on it. Truly it could and many might lose theirs still embracing that cold steel. Klaxons walled echoing down titanium-A incased corridors calling warriors from their bunks. Reactors glowed with a heat of a thousand suns propelling the leviathans of war to defense of their creators home.
October 19th 2552 A.D
UNSC Cruiser Marathon Class
Heavens Champion
System Defense Force Flag Ship
In orbit over Avalon Prime
"Admiral on deck" came the shrill singsong call of the bosom as Rear Admiral John T. Nelson entered the command deck. "What the situation out there people?" John had always liked being a to the point man but in truth he was scared for he already knew what was coming for him and his people. "Sir Hostile Fleet exited slip space five minutes ago and are headed in system time to weapons range of the planet nineteen minutes and time to a zero, zero intercept is four minutes after that. Tactical estimates force at 12 Assault carriers and thirty-one C.C.S. Battle Cruisers with a fighter strength around 4000." Not as bad as it could have been but still worse then he wanted "Alright what's the status of our forces?" "Task force alpha with us and the nine frigates are combat ready to support the platforms. Task force Beta with the Undaunted Flame and Stone Shield (Marathon Class Cruisers) with eleven frigates are standing by with slipstream drives hot in the asteroid field. All orbital platforms at general quarters, planetary force report ready status and prowlers are deploying nuclear mines." All by the numbers for now when would the other shoe drop? "K let launch the ready five fighters and have the rest of them in the air in fifteen minutes" "Anything else sir?" "No not really nothing we can do but wait for em" and John knew that was the hardest thing to ask of then. To stay still when the harbingers of hell where charging down towards you, but discipline had won many a battle in humanity's history and the might win this one today?
******************************** Sixteen minutes later
"Order all fighter squadrons forward but have them stay above and below are expected egament zone with the capital ships." Keep the flyboys as safe as they can be thought John. "Aye sir". "Operations officer are the nukes deployed in the fire suppression pattern Alpha one" now for the answer that would determine the outcome to the battle "Yes sir last nuclear mines are emplaced and the prowlers are going dark thought it looks like the covenant haven't even seen them yet" a relief now the UNSC forces had a chance.
The covenant came in like they always did right down the middle not because they where stupid but because they knew they possessed the power to strike the jugular and end it quickly. Holding true to the age-old maxim of the KISS factor: Keep It Simple Stupid. The covenant had always held the metaphorical high ground in space combat mostly due to their superior numbers, accurate slipstream technology but mainly due to their plasma torpedoes. The Plasma torpedo a large pocket of plasma encased in an electromagnetic field, which could be directed from the warship, that fired it. The system operated on the same principal as the majority of covenant weapons such as the plasma rifle and pistol and like the it had the ability to alter it flight even to a greater where it could miss the target and come around for a second pass. These torpedoes incinerated anything smaller then a cruiser with a single hit and almost always found their targets. Simple math stated that the forty-three covenant ships would swipe away the six Mac guns, one cruiser and nine frigates UNSC forces had defending the planet. But that was how the game always worked this was the time for some new rules to be introduced.
"Sir tactical has hard target locks and enemy is in range "old steps to the dance though John MAC guns especially the big sticks of the platforms always out ranged the Covenant weapons a bit "Very go to fire plan Alpha every one hit the Assault Carriers each orbital platform gets one so do we and target the frigates by Red and Blue squadrons coordinating there fire" All the UNCS forces targeting just nine ships some had to go down, hopefully. "Fire". Heavens Champion shuttered as a 600-ton projectile departed her MAC gun going close to the speed of light hurling down upon the evading capital ships. The first salvo was supremely lucky each platform MAC gun save one hit its target utterly demolishing five carriers and two more where crippled by the ships fire drifting with their engines off line. But now it was the Covenant turn and unholy fire leapt from each of their remaining ship heading straight towards their opponents. "Sir Plasma impact in two minutes" hear comes hell "Prepare to detonate nuclear mine fire suppression shell when in range and signal Task Force Beta to make their Jump".
The UNCS had invested a lot in nuclear mines for planetary defense a few around any planet could if the Covenant stumbled upon the cause massive damage but only if the Covenant where so unlucky. Instead of predeploying his few nuclear mines in a dispersion pattern that would garneted some hits John had ordered them held in reserve tell the Covenant appeared and then had stealthy prowlers deploy them along the general line of attack in a wall like formation. As the Covenant plasma salvo crossed the shell of mines miniatures suns came to life. One side affect of nuclear bombs was that they through off an electromagnetic pulse and this pulse distorted the electromagnetic field that the covenant used to guide their plasma torpedoes. The entire first salvo lost cohesion and dissipated in what could only be described as a sublime fire works display. And then the trap was sprung.
"Task Force Beta has arrived sir ". Now the covenant where in for it, John had purposely left over half of his mobile forces Beta Task Force in the Avalon system asteroid belt powered down pretending to be a hole in space. Now two Marathon cruisers and eleven frigates where behind the Covenant attack force ready to give them hell. "Prepare to fire our second salvo but coordinate it with Beta's fire plan and make sure you leave the cripples " "Aye sir, its done" hopefully the second salvo would be as affective as the first "Fire". The Covenant forces confused by the failure of their first salvo and surprised by the appearance of enemy ships behind them paused to assess the new situation and confront the new enemy. This pause was deadly for almost all of the MAC rounds hit their marks tearing four Assault Carriers and eight Battle Cruisers apart.
"Sir Covenant have fired again but it split between us and Task Force Beta impact on us one minute thirty seconds mark and time to Task Force Beta one minute mark." Dam they had gotten their heads about them to fast and soon the their superior weapons would rip his few ships apart. Time for the last trick "All ships execute fire plan Hiroshima two and advance at flank speed to engage the enemy." Hiroshima two called for a massive salvo of archer missiles with the cruisers clearing ¾th of their pods and the frigates to launch half of theirs but each ship also launched all of its nuclear missiles. A total of twenty-nine nukes were sent down range from both sides mixed in with over 17,000 archer missiles.
The salvos passed each as the sped to deal death to the others producer. Task Force Alpha and the platform MAC guns no more nuclear mines to protect them. Heavens Champion was able to avoid any direct hits but still lost armor and suffered two hull breaches three frigates took direct hits but the largest losses where the two orbital Platforms Lancelot and Mordrid and still it was not the over. Task force Beta lost six frigates that were burned to cinders with their larger cousin the cruiser Undaunted Flame who's sister ship the Stone Shield took a hit amidships that almost breached her armor. And then it was the Covenants turn to burn. Granted about 4,000 missiles where shot down by Covenant pulse lasers who also accounted for seven nukes. The MAC rounds arrived at about the same time as the nukes so now one could tell what killed the enemy ships but after what could only be called hell only seven Covenant C.C.S. cruisers came out and of those only three were barely combat capable. The Long Sword fighter's fighter squadrons came into knife range of the goliaths whose shield were down and felled them with their missiles and bombs.
October 20th 2552 A.D.
UNSC Cruiser Marathon Class
Heavens Champion
System Defense Force Flag Ship
In orbit over Avalon Prime
Rear Admiral John Nelson observed the rescue and recovery actions from the flag bridge. Nine frigates, one cruiser, a few fighter squadrons and two orbital MAC platforms had been the price that the fleet had paid to protect Avalon Prime. But it wasn't just the ships and instillations that had been lost it were the 1,325 men and women of the UNSC navy that really hurt. The casualties had been pitifully light when compared to most battle fought against the Covenant and not one civilian life had been lost. The casualties had been less then they could have been because all marine forces had been ordered to the planet before the battle but still. In the end all those life he had spent and they would haunt him for the rest of his life.
"Sir priority one signal from HighCom. Its in the clear sir" John's spirits plummeted even further. This could only be bad "What dose it say" Now the comm's officer voice begin to shake "It reads…. It reads case omega Covenant forces have attacked Earth in force system commanders are to seed all available mobile forces possible with the utmost hast. Gods speed." So it had happened a case omega Earth was under attack possible even glassed by now. Humanities home world under threat all her loyal sons must rush too her defense. "Signal general quarters to all ships have them form up on us and prepare to jump to slip space in twenty minuets. We will leave behind the Stone Shield she's to damaged to make the jump and three frigates to defend the system. All marine forces that can get abort ship are to lift off immediately we don't have time to pick up the heavy armor so we will have to leave it, lets move it people"
Yet again sirens sounded and men and women rose from their bunks. Pelicans from the planet met their mother ships in orbit but so many more came from the orbital platforms and planetary militia airfields that the launch bays couldn't take any more so they had to be jettisoned. It got so bad fully loaded pelicans with men had to be turned away because the life support systems had reached their maxim limits. After twenty minuets the small armada was assembled one cruiser and six frigates jumped away from their native home to defend the birthplace of humanity.
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