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Halo: The Final Frontier Pt. 3
Posted By: Burrofootball<burrofootball40@yahoo.com>
Date: 21 August 2004, 4:59 AM
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The bridge of the UNSC Dauntless was silent. Everyone knew that their chances were slim. However, they powered their MAC cannons and calculated firing points and times. The rhythmic pulse of consoles and the beeping of automated warnings of impending combat were the only sounds. The tomblike silence was shattered by a chirp.
"Dauntless to Martin, we can't get a transporter lock on you. The signal is too weak to transport you completely."
"Understood, Dauntless. Hail those ships and warn them off."
On hearing this, Captain Martin whirled and faced the Starfleeter.
"You honestly think that the Covenant, the most bloodthirsty species in the known galaxy, will listen to a warning? These are the same scum that wiped out Reach! And Harvest! And every other Outer Colony this side of Earth! You'd better start shooting, because they sure will soon."
Robert was shocked. He began to reach for his commbadge to ask if the Covanant had responded when he saw a bright glow on the bow of the lead ship. A blue bolt of energy detached itself from the glow, and blasted towards the USS Dauntless. The strange beam impacted the ship at the base of the saucer, but the shields held.
"Dauntless to Martin, that Covenant weapon is pretty good, but we can take a few dozen shots like that. Shields at ninty-seven percent and recharging."
Captain Martin looked at the Starfleet ship incredulously. Most UNSC vessels disintegrated with a single plasm beam. This ship had shaken it off as if it had been a tiny particle of dust. "Fire the MACs off, and time Archer pods One and Three to impact a second after the MACs hit." The weapons crew confirmed the order, and a few seconds later, two shadows shot out of the maws of the cannons. One of the six-hundred-ton darts struck the lead Covenant on the bow, penetrated the shield, and severed a large piece of hull plate. A spread of eight Archers only made the hole larger, but the damage was minor. The other MAC blasted through the shield of the second ship, but it no longer had the energy to penetrate the hull. It bounced once and floated into the depths of space.
Captain Robert Martin, Starfleet, was fixated on his ship. The tactical officer was bringing the bow torpedoes to bear on the Covenant, and the shields were continuing to absorb the plasma fire.
"Captain, we've got a good lock on the alien ships. Requesting orders."
"Fuse their weapons and engines. Maybe they'll surrender."
Red phasers streaked out and contacted the hulls of all three Covenant ships. The beams sliced through the hulls of the ships without meeting any real resistance, and the hulls rapidly began to melt around the points of impact. The dorsal plasma ports on all three ships were converted into blackened wreckage instantly. The lead ship, already hit by the MAC and missiles, lost control and plummeted into deep space. However, the second cruiser launched a plasma torpedo at the UNSC ship. A beeping Time-To-Impact countdown started.
"Martin to Dauntless, detonate that torpedo!"
A second before impact with the barely-shielded UNSC ship, the plasma field ceased to exist, its containment field shorn apart by a high-energy blast. As the crews on both ships cheered, the Starfleet ship was wracked by a dozen blasts. A Covenant carrier was attacking the stern, and it was launching fighters and boarding pods. The shields of the Starfleet ship held, but a red glow permeated every impact. The energy flow was weakening.
Lieutenant Savalli saw the Covenant ship appear on sensors. He quickly punched in a command on his console, and a set of six photon torpedos shot out of the stern tubes. The antimatter charges ripped apart the Covenant ship like a bursting grenade. The massive blast consumed most of the pods, but several had already docked on the UNSC ship's hull.
Robert watched the battle in silence. His Starfleet ship was obviously the priority, but the UNSC ship was too weak to defend itself. A few token projectiles against disabled ships was the UNSC's main contribution. But that was the limit of their abilites.
"Sir, we have a window of opportunity to get you off that ship." The voice of his chief engineer echoed in the cramped chamber.
"Energize." Robert knew that this battle needed two ships. Or maybe three.
"Sir, I'm reading a dozen incoming subspace signatures...all Federation! I'm reading three Excelsiors, two Ambassadors, a Sacremento-class Mobile Combat Support Station, a Steamrunner, a Nebula, a Defiant, an Intrepid, and the Sovereign! and an Akira! All incoming...and another thirty-eight Covenant ships."
"ETA on the Fleet?"
"Ten minutes. The Covenant will be here in five."
This sort of battle was unavoidable. The Daunlesses would have to stand their ground.
"Commander, prepare to separate the ship."
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