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The Battle for the 13th Sector by Fleet Admiral
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The Battle of the 13th Sector Chapter 1
Date: 11 November 2004, 3:08 AM
1800 Hours June, 9 2529 (Military Calendar) /
Reach Military Complex, Planet Reach/
UNSC Yamato- class Cruiser Tyrant, Flagship of Rear- Admiral Kennedy
Rear- Admiral Shay Kennedy watched as the cruiser Tyrant came into the docking area for the repair yards over the planet Reach, the UNSC headquarters.
It was a month ago when Harvest had been taken back, as well as the death of Captain Michel Gearhart. His flagship was due for a refit since she had not had one in four years. On her once strait smooth hull were now four large dents from battle damage.
After the final battle in Harvest she was given basic repairs and ordered back to Reach.
Vice- Admiral Cole on the other hand went to Rheinland, the headquarters for the outer colonies fleet. It was the closes major military base.
He went there on a carrier because of the Zeus's condition. Last Kennedy saw of her was before he and the remaining ships in his original fleet headed back to Reach was being towed to a repair yard at the Harvest System HQ Station. She would need better facilities then that though.
Cole has been hailed a hero. The Covenant were beaten. Only it took then four years to do it and we even outnumbered the enemy three to one; and we still lost a little over a third of the fleet. Even though this was a victory, Kennedy felt it was just the beginning of a long, bloody war.
The mighty cruiser was now coming into the repair facilities area over Reach.
"Hail the dock master," Kennedy ordered.
"Hailing," Captain Lauber replied. "Dock master responding."
"On holotank three," Kennedy said.
The face of a captain came up. "Admiral, we've been expecting you. You may dock to platform nine."
"Very well," Kennedy said.
"Welcome home," the dock master said with a smile and he went off the screen.
"Dock us to platform nine," Kennedy ordered.
"Roger sir," the helm officer said. "Docking to platform nine."
The cruiser came about and lined up the huge platform. This type was specially made for heavy cruisers.
The ship came into the platform and stopped.
"Turn off the engines and the reactor," Kennedy ordered.
"Engines are down," Ops reported. "Reactor down."
Kennedy heard the clamps lock onto the Tyrant, locking her in place. Scaffolds came down around the ship to prepare for repair and refit.
"Sir, I am getting a transmission from UNSC HQ," the comm officer reported. "Admiral Carson is calling for you."
Admiral Carson was commander of the First Sector Fleet stationed at Reach itself.
Kennedy rose and said, "I'll take it in my ready room." He walked of the bridge and into his ready room. He sat down in the chair and activated his computer. The face of Admiral Carson came up.
He was an older man. He was bald in the middle with white hair going around to the back of his head and his hazel eyes were alert.
He saluted the admiral who saluted him back.
"Admiral Kennedy," Carson said. "How are you doing?"
"Fine sir," Kennedy lied. The truth was he felt tired even with the sleep he received in cryo stasis. He also kept thinking about the campaign.
"That is good," Carson replied. "Welcome back to Reach. Glad to be home?"
"Yes sir," Kennedy said.
"Good," Carson replied. "There is a banquet tonight at Jellico Hall. I would like you to come."
"Thank you sir," Kennedy said. "I would be honored to attend."
"Good," Carson said with a small smile. "Come in at 2100 hours."
"Yes sir," Kennedy replied. "I'll be there."
"See you there, Carson out," and the screen went blank.
For the next hour and a half Kennedy organized shore leave for much of the crew. They all needed it and deserved it. They hadn't received it in four years.
After that Kennedy donned his black dress uniform. It had been a long time since he had worn it or a uniform with any awards on it. He had forgotten how many ribbons he had, five full rows of ribbons with two senior ribbons on top. On his right side, opposite the ribbons, above his name tag were four unit citations.
With that he went to the hangar. It was full of activity. He went over to a shuttle and got in. Usually an admiral did not ferry himself around, but he felt like doing it himself.
He put the shuttle on a decent burn through the atmosphere and popped through. He then set a course for Port Arthur Landing Center. After landing he took a M12 LRV, "Warthog", to Jellico Hall.
The last time he had been in Jellico Hall was when he was a captain getting the promotion to admiral.
The hall was huge with a dome center with the UNSC colors flying on top of it, a blue flag with a field of stars with Earth in the corner.
Kennedy entered the hall to see it hull of activity. Waiters took food to people, the ones with dates danced to the band that was playing.
As he entered an Ensign came up to him and said, "Admiral Kennedy? Admiral Carson wants you to sit up at the head table with him."
"Very well," Kennedy said.
He made his way through the crowd to the head table in front of the stage.
As he came up the other admiral's there rose.
"Admiral Kennedy," Carson said. "Please sit."
Kennedy sat.
"Would you like a drink admiral," a waiter asked as he sat.
"Is Senior Chief Montgomery still working the kitchen," Kennedy asked the waiter.
"Yes sir," the waiter said. "He is a Master Chief now."
"Well," Kennedy said. "Tell him that Admiral Kennedy is here and to bring me the bottle of scotch he has been saving for me."
"Yes sir," the waiter said. "I will."
After an hour of talking with the other admiral's and sipping on the scotch Admiral Carson rose and went up onto the stage.
The band stopped and everyone took their seats.
"Good evening everyone," Carson said. "I am glad you could all make it. We have had a victory over the Covenant in the Harvest System as you all know. We have all read the reports and have seen footage, but tonight I have someone here who was there. Who fought with Cole for all four years and was second in command of the fleet there. Rear- Admiral Shay Kennedy would you come up."
Everyone clapped as Kennedy rose and started to walk up the stage. It felt different being on planet again after spending four years in space.
He went up to Carson who said, "Talk a little about Harvest."
Kennedy came up to the microphone and said, "Thank you everyone."
The clapping stopped.
"It fells good to be back on Reach again after spending four years in space. As you all know I served with Admiral Cole in all four years of the Harvest Campaign. I'll tell you all this, I have never fought an enemy like the Covenant before. They're ships are powerful and damn hard to destroy. Many good men and women died in the battle for that system. I am really not very good at public speaking, so are there any questions?"
He looked and saw that only one man raised his hand, a captain.
"Yes," Kennedy said.
"What is it like fighting the Covenant," the captain asked.
"Hard," Kennedy replied. "Their ships have shields, lasers, and plasma torpedoes. On average, it takes three MAC rounds to take the shield down and one of two more to put it down for good. While their plasma torpedoes can destroy a UNSC ship in one or two hits. More depending on where it hits or what type of ship you're in. They are years more advanced than we are. If the ship becomes disabled it will self destruct rather than be captured. They also will not give up. They either kill everything or die trying. To the last ship."
Everyone in the room was silent after hearing this. Then he turned to Admiral Carson and said, "I believe that is all sir."
"Not exactly," Carson said and walked over to him. "It is my pleasure to promote you to the rank of Vice Admiral and give you another fleet to go to the 13th Sector in the outer colonies. The commander there has been killed and the battle in that sector is going against us. We want you to go there and fight the Covenant. The fleet already there will also be under your command."
Carson came up to Kennedy and took off the two gold stars for Rear Admiral and pined on the three gold stars for Vice Admiral.
Carson and Kennedy shook hands and with that Kennedy now held the rank of Vice Admiral.
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Battle for the 13th Sector, Battle for the Woosung System (Part One)
Date: 29 November 2004, 3:21 AM
1100 Hours July, 4 2529 (Military Calendar) /
Reside System, Planet Soochow, HQ for 13th Sector/
UNSC Yamato- class Cruiser Tyrant, Flagship of Vice Admiral Kennedy's Fleet
The cruiser Tyrant orbited the planet Soochow in the Reside System, the HQ for his sector.
The 13th Sector had been invaded a year ago and was doing decently in the battle against the Covenant until the sector commander made a stupid decision that cost his three fourths of his fleet.
Kennedy and the 20 ships under his command were sent to see if the tide for the system could be turned. In all, Kennedy had a fleet of three dozen ships. Kennedy did not think that a victory in this sector could be achieved however, but he would try his best. They just couldn't hand it over to the Covenant without a fight.
The Covenant already controlled over half the sector and had a battle fleet that greatly out numbered his.
Kennedy was no noob however. He was a seasoned veteran from the four year long campaign in the Harvest System. He had actually been second in command of Admiral Cole's fleet in Harvest.
Many of his bridge crew served with him in the Harvest Campaign as well.
Captain Keith Lauber, the captain of Kennedy's flagship, Tyrant, for example. He was a good officer, and commanded the flagship well. After Harvest he was offered a flag position of the rank of Commodore, or a one star admiral, but he turned it down in order to be in command of the Tyrant.
Commander Jim Mayfield, the executive officer of the Tyrant. He went in to Harvest a Lt. Commander and the weapons officer of the Tyrant, and came out the XO. The original XO, Commander Larson, was killed in the Lambda System action during the Harvest Campaign.
Lt. Commander Hugo, the Ops. Officer, was promoted to Lt. Commander from Lt. just a week before they left Reach. He was now the second officer of the Tyrant.
Liz, of course. Liz is the ships AI. She and Kennedy first met when he was a Lt. on the destroyer Warrior. After that assignment Kennedy didn't see her for many years until he received the Tyrant.
Captain Sean Prendergast was not present, but he was the fleet fighter squadron's commander. He was given his current position and rank after Captain Michel Gearhart, his predecessor, was killed in the last battle in the Harvest Campaign.
Prendergast was the executive commander of fighter squadron's, so he was given the job.
The only person in the command staff, besides the original 13th Sector units, that Kennedy knew was Commodore Justin Goodman. He was the executive officer of the fleet, and he had known him since high school.
Then, of course, there was Major General Kevan Young, commander of the Marines in the fleet. And Colonel Brandon Lewis, commander of the ODST's in the fleet.
Kennedy rose from his chair behind the oak wood desk he had in his ready room.
After looking at the tactical maps of the sector, he had decided that the first system he would take back was the Woosung System. It was a strategic system and would be vital when supply convoys started up again to re-supply the UNSC forces in the system.
Plus, the planet hadn't been glassed yet, so they would be able to take the planet back from the Covenant.
Kennedy paced around the room a little. Then he turned and walked out of his ready room and onto the bridge of his flagship.
"Admiral on the bridge," said one of the crewmembers. The crew went to attention, and then went back to their tasks.
"Captain Lauber, would you join me in my ready room," Kennedy said.
The captain turned around in the command chair and said, "Yes sir." He then turned to Commander Mayfield and said, "You have to conn."
Lauber rose from the command chair and walked toward the ready room.
When Lauber entered the office, Kennedy was sitting down at his desk.
"Captain," Kennedy began. "I need a battle group of ships ready to leave with us in two hours. Once you have picked to ships I want the captains of those ships in my conference room. I would like Colonel Lewis to attend with General Young in the meeting."
"Yes sir," Lauber said with a serious voice.
"The first part of our offensive is about to begin," Kennedy said with a small smile, that quickly went away. "Carry on."
"Yes sir," Lauber replied with a salute.
Kennedy saluted him back and Lauber walked out of the ready room.
Kennedy keyed his intercom, "Captain Prendergast?"
"Yes," Prendergast answered back.
"There will be a meeting in an hour," Kennedy told him. "I want you there."
"Yes sir," Prendergast replied. "I'll be there sir."
***
Admiral Kennedy walked into the conference room on his flagship. All the officers in the room stood at attention when he entered.
"Seats," Kennedy said as he walked up onto the small podium. He remembered when Admiral Cole called meeting like this during the campaign in Harvest. He was standing where Kennedy was now, just on the Zeus and not the Tyrant.
"Everyone," Kennedy began. "I give you our first objective, the Woosung System."
The tactical screen behind Kennedy came on with a layout of the system in question.
"As you can see," Kennedy said. "The only planet left in the system to support life is Lowsow. That is our first objective. It is believed that the planet is the forward command center for the Covenant forces in the sector, and we want it back. So, here is our plan of action.
"The carrier Ranger will make a tight orbit of the planet and drop a company of ODST's here," Kennedy pointed to a valley on the northern hemisphere of the planet. "Once they have secured that position two companies of regular marines will come down along with Marine Engineers and set up Alpha Base.
"While that is being done the Ranger will make surface scans to determine the location of the Covenant base. When it is found Colonel Lewis' ODST's will be recovered for another drop, a mile or so away from the Covenant base. Pelicans will take Marine Regulars to another point a mile away from the base again.
"The Covenant will most likely engage both groups. While that is being done several assault Pelicans will move in on the base and drop payloads on it and drop assault marines in to clean up the base."
Kennedy paused and then looked back at the staff.
"While that is going on the fleet will be taking out the Covenant fleet near the planet and then push in to the other side of the system, taking out any Covenant bastards that get in our way. The Ranger will stay in orbit with an escort of two destroyers and two frigates.
"If we pull this off we will secure supply lines for us to make our offensive, plus eliminate the most inboard system the Covenant posses. Let's kick some ass. Dismissed."
With that the staff stood up and left the conference room to go back to their ships.
1305 Hours July, 4 2529 (Military Calendar) /
Reside System, Edge of Reside System/
UNSC Yamato- class Cruiser Tyrant, Flagship of Vice Admiral Kennedy's Fleet
"Sir," Lauber said as he came up to Kennedy. "The fleet is in position on the edge of the system with us and is ready to jump."
"Very well," Kennedy replied as he turned and faced Lauber. "Lock in the destination to the nav computer Liz and make the jump."
The woman AI came up from holotank two and said, "I have the destination locked in and the fleet has it as well. We're ready to make the jump."
The UNSC fleet jumped out of the system into the hot zone ahead.
1000 Hours July, 28 2529 (Military Calendar) /
Woosung System, Edge of Woosung System/
UNSC Yamato- class Cruiser Tyrant, Flagship of Vice Admiral Kennedy's Fleet
Green distortions appeared in the blackness of space and two dozen UNSC warships entered normal space.
Admiral Kennedy watched the view screen as his flagship entered normal space.
"Report," Kennedy asked when the ship was fully in normal space and the green distortions disappeared.
"Reactor is good," Hugo reported. "I'm showing green across the boards."
"All systems check out in the green," Lauber reported.
"And the fleet," Kennedy asked.
"All ships accounted for," Liz reported.
"But we're scattered all over this part of the system," Lauber commented.
"Tell the fleet to come into formation," Kennedy ordered. "Let's get this operation under way."
***
It took an hour for the fleet to get back into formation.
'Damn,' Kennedy thought. 'I wish we could navigate slipstream like the Covenant. It would make attacks so much easier.'
The fleet was now moving in at attack speed towards Lowsow. Kennedy could see the Covenant battle group near the planet.
"Protect the Ranger," Kennedy ordered. "Liz, how long until we're in firing range of the Covenant fleet?"
"Estimated twelve minute's sir," Liz reported.
"Very well," Kennedy replied. "Have the fleet charge its MAC guns and be prepared to receive targeting data."
"Yes sir," Lauber replied with eagerness in his voice. Lauber always longed for a fight, and he was about to get his wish.
The UNSC fleet moved in slower so the MAC guns could charge faster. The Covenant fleet however was moving at top speed to meet them.
The Covenant's fleet numbered a dozen ships. While the UNSC fleet numbered two dozen. It was decent odds for the first part of the battle for the system.
"We'll be in range in one minute admiral," Liz reported.
"Liz, set targets and patch them through to the rest of the fleet," Kennedy ordered.
"Yes sir," Liz replied.
Kennedy's tactical board showed a web of trajectories come up. Red lines connected UNSC ships to incoming Covenant ships.
"We're now in range to fire," Liz reported.
"Get the fleet into position to fire our guns," Kennedy ordered. "And put us on the timers."
The UNSC fleet held its position while the Covenant fleet sped towards them. Red balls of fire started to collect on their lateral lines.
Kennedy's eyes went from the Covenant fleet to the timer, which read ten seconds.
...3...2...1. The UNSC fleets MAC guns opened fire.
Four thumps resonated from the Tyrant's hull as the huge red bolts flew out of the cruiser and towards the Covenant fleet.
"Get our guns charged as fast as we can," Kennedy ordered. "Still have the engines on stand by incase we don't make it."
The timer had split the MAC rounds into two volleys. Hopefully the first one would nock out the shields and the last one would take them down.
The MAC rounds blew into the Covenant fleet. The rounds bounced off the energy shields. Several ships were hammered so hard though that their shields went white hot, popped, and went out.
Then the other volley hit.
The unshielded ships were holed through by the huge MAC rounds.
The lead destroyer took one strait through the nose and it exited the middle of the ship. Her engines flared to get the ship back into formation. The hull stress became too great though, and she blew into a ball of fire.
Another one, the lead cruiser, took another round from the Tyrant's MAC gun. Her shield popped and went out and the momentum from the round transferred onto the hull. The ship shrugged off the damage and kept on when the last round from the Tyrant blew into the already weakened hull. The ship disintegrated from the hull stress.
Kennedy's screen showed only six enemy ships left, mostly frigates; but there were still two destroyers and the carrier.
The plasma torpedoes were scarlet red now and ready to fire.
"All ships break and attack," Kennedy ordered.
The UNSC fleet broke formation and branched out to avoid the plasma torpedoes.
The Covenant fired the deadly balls of plasma.
For two frigates it was too late. The balls of fire made contact and burned through the ships like they were tissue paper.
The Covenant fleet though sped right to the position Kennedy's ships once were.
"Get me fleet wide," Kennedy ordered.
"One sir," reported the comm officer.
"Box them in and close in on them," Kennedy ordered. "Lauber, get us into position to take down that carrier. MAC gun status?"
"One hundred percent charge," Lt. Poag, the weapons officer reported.
The cruiser came about and faced the three bubbled Covenant carrier.
"We're in position now," Liz reported.
"Fire," Kennedy ordered.
The Tyrant fired. The huge red projectiles flew towards the enemy carrier.
They flew true. The first two hit the carrier. Her shields flickered, but held. Then came the next one. This time the shield turned white hot, overloaded, flickered, and went out all together. The last round blew into the center bubble of the unprotected carrier and burst through the bottom.
"Archer missiles pods A through E," Lauber ordered.
"Ready sir," Poag reported.
"Fire," Kennedy and Lauber said at the same time.
The pods opened and the missiles flew out towards the target.
The carrier was in disarray, she didn't even know the missiles were coming until they hit her.
Bubbly explosions appeared all over the hull. Fires burst out of the hull and atmosphere vented out.
Finally the hull stress became too great for the carrier to handle. The ship exploded into a ball of fire and the fragments flew all over.
Kennedy looked to see all his ships fire into the small area that housed the rest of the Covenant fleet. After multiple hits the other ships exploded also.
"Sir," Lauber said. "Inbound Covenant warships coming in from the rest of the system. ETA one hour."
"Good," Kennedy said with vigor. It was good for moral. "Let them bring it on."
"Sir," Mayfield said. "I have the Ranger for you. Audio only"
The intercom speakers came on, "Admiral, ODST's have been deployed."
"Very well," Kennedy said. "Prepare for a counter attack. Call in for the rest of the attack fleet. Have them hold up here and defend the planet. We'll head further into the system."
"Yes sir," Lauber replied with spirit.
Kennedy knew he was living this.
"Prepare a fighter umbrella," Kennedy ordered. "Send out the scouts, I want to know what we're dealing with. Put the rest of the fighters on standby with Captain Prendergast. Have them ready to launch at a moments notice."
"Yes sir," Mayfield replied.
"We'll start moving in system when the reinforcements show up," Kennedy said.
The battle for this system will be continued!
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