 |
About This Site
Daily Musings
News
News Archive
Site Resources
FAQ
Screenshots
Concept Art
Halo 2 Updates
Interviews
Movies
Music
Miscellaneous
Mailbag
HBO PAL
Game Fun
The Halo Story
Tips and Tricks
Fan Creations
Wallpaper
Misc. Art
Fan Fiction
Comics
Logos
Banners
Press Coverage
Halo Reviews
Halo 2 Previews
Press Scans
Community
HBO Forum
Clan HBO Forum
HBO IRC Channel
Links
Admin
Submissions
FTP Uploads
HTTP Uploads
Contact
|
|
|
Halo Theta by Il Rifle Uk Il
|
Halo Theta-Chapter 1
Date: 21 October 2007, 6:41 pm
Halo Theta
Chapter 1-A Violent Discovery
This is set one year after the Battle of Earth, where the UNSC are slowly rebuilding, Earth is being restored and the Elite (Sanghelli) fleets are hunting and obliterating the remaining Brutes.
As the United Sanghelli Carrier Divine Benevolence dropped out of Slipspace, Seraphs shot like bullets from the massive ship's launch bays, forming an immediate defensive perimeter. Normally the carrier would have had a destroyer or at least frigate escort, but the repeated skirmishes with the remnants of the Brute fleets had stretched the Sanghelli far.
The Slipspace jump had, as ever, been perfect, placing the massive vessel a mere two million kilometres away from its destination: the human world known as Terra Nova.
"Planetary activity?" Ship Master T'Hutagnee asked, not taking his eyes off the view screen.
"None in the main cities Ship Master." his second in command reported. "There is evidence of a space battle also sir," he continued, hands flying across the scanner board. "The remains of one human vessel…and [I]two[/I] Brute ships." The incredulity in his voice spread to the rest of the bridge; one defeated two?
"Scan for life pods," T'Hutagnee ordered, his steely voice revealing none of his surprise. "Send down our search teams to the cities on the planet, and launch Phantoms to patrol the main military installations planetside. We shall remain in orbit."
As his subordinates worked, T'Hutagnee's hand fell unconsciously to his wound; a wound ironically caused by a human weapon. This battle which had gone on simply made no sense to him; one, the Brutes always travelled in squadrons of four, and two, a single human vessel would not be able to defeat two Brute ships. Perhaps one of the human cruisers, which were comparable to their Covenant counterparts, but the wreckage was too small…
Suddenly, the Elite stiffened.
"K'Iratsmee," he said, "link our computers to the satellites. Use the latest human codes and give me full orbital coverage."
It only took a few moments to confirm his suspicions, as a large human ship appeared; one of their most recent ones from the look of it. The Ship Master doubted that they knew the Divine Benevolence was there yet, so it was a case of mere chance.
"Contact the ship, and tell me its name," T'Hutagnee ordered. "And get that human officer up here."
The camera focused on the vessel's insignia, and there was a sharp intake of breath throughout the entire bridge.
"Ship name is the Saviour sir," the weapons officer muttered, eyes dilating in disbelief. "A Titan-class super-cruiser…notable for conflicts at Reach, Earth, the Second Battle of Sigma Octanus…and the Battle of Borleias."
"Where they single-handedly annihilated ten of our ships," T'Hutagnee finished. T'Hutagnee knew that he should be relieved to see the Saviour instead of a couple of Brute ships, but somehow it didn't stop his hand from shaking just that little bit; the Divine Benevolence had been the only Sanghelli survivor of the Battle of Borleias, where they and a dozen other vessels had pursued the single human ship from Reach clear to the embattled world of Borleias. The actions of the ship that day, the incredible speed of her engines, the impenetrability of her armour…
No-one onboard the refitted carrier ever forgot that day.
A bleep sounded from the communications officer's console, and he addressed it automatically by bringing up a screen, showing the face of the Ship Master of the vessel. It was a less formidable face then T'Hugatnee expected; indeed, had T'Hugatnee not known the incredible intelligence buried beneath the human's skin he would've considered the unassuming man friendly.
Drawing himself up from his command chair, the Ship Master spoke, praying that his nerves did not show.
"This is the carrier Divine Benevolence," he said, trying his best to avoid the human's eyes. "We were pursuing a possible Brute lead when we found you and the remains of a battle. What occurred here?"
The human turned his head slightly, no doubt consulting with his officers.
"I am Commodore Griffin," he began once he turned his head back, "of the 1st Fleet, under the command of Lord Hood. We were tasked with pursuing a possible lead on the Prophet of Revelation's battle group, and were ambushed by a pair of destroyers; we lost a frigate, and I've sent the four destroyers under my command to Earth, as they all suffered extensive damage. We were about to finish up here."
For the first time the human lowered his eyes, and a strange emotion flashed across his face that T'Hugatnee couldn't quite place.
"I know your ship Ship Master," he muttered, "and I understand if you're nervous. We are allies however, and the Saviour does not hold a grudge; you fought valiantly in that battle, and delayed my ship's return to Earth until after the Battle of the Ark; your achievement was impressive."
"If ultimately detrimental," another voice interrupted, and the violet image of a tall strangely dressed man appeared; the hologram of an AI.
The captain frowned in a threatening manner, and the AI took the hint.
"Either way Ship Mast-"
A sudden deafening explosion interrupted him on both ships, as the crews of both ships were startled by an incredible shockwave; it blew mightily, forcing the formerly standing Captain and Ship Master to grab their chairs as the two ships were thrown bodily away from the planet; one officer on the human bridge couldn't hold on, and was thrown full force into the nearby armoured wall.
As automated thrusters began to counter-thrust and engines engaged, the two ships turned to one of the most spectacular sights they had ever seen.
A Halo ring.
|
