• Sparthana II Orbital, Liadia System


    The U.N.S.C. TICONDAROGA pulled out of slip space on the edge of the system.
    "Sir. I'm detecting another slip space field twenty light minutes from here and sir it's big" The comm. officer reported from his duty station.
    "Well this should get interesting. All ahead full. Let's see what’s causing this distortion." Captain Nicholas Ryan ordered his ship forward. Nicholas had commanded the Cruiser for as long as he could remember and ever since then, it had always come back with little or no damage. Surprising to say the least. The ship was always one of the first into the fray and always seemed to emerge unscathed. The enemy never realized this of course because they never lived long enough to see the cruiser head home anyway. As the Cruiser rounded a large asteroid that had somehow left the belt on the edge of the system, they saw what had caused the disturbance. A covenant armada had just emerged from slip space.
    "Sir I count two Destroyers, a single Cruiser, and a large Carrier" the Lieutenant operating the comm. station gulped and his voice cracked as he said, "What are your order's Sir?"
    Nick made a mental note to either transfer the officer or have him moved to maintenance where he belonged before replying, "Charge the MAC gun, arm Archer missile pods A through G, and prepare to fire on my mark. No innocent blood will be spilled on my watch." Turning back to the shaking Lieutenant he said, "Alert Vice Admiral Pollard aboard the Deference and any other friendly vessels in the area that things are about to get very hot out here." He turned to the weapons control station, "Status report Lieutenant Oliver."
    "Weapon Systems Green Sir! Magnetic Accelerator Cannon primed and ready to fire, Archer Missile Pods A through G armed, Auto Cannon Safeties Disengaged, Weapons Lockers all over the ship are open and the Marine Contingent is armed sir."
    "That’s what I like to hear Lieutenant Oliver. Good work." Nicholas turned to Navigation, "Get me a vector that allows me to fire everything I've got Lieutenant Lovell."
    "Aye, Aye Captain."
    "Good lad. Now you covenant bastards come and get it!" Nick shouted.
    The ship began its slow and silent charge into the Covenant armada. The two destroyers moved to engage.
    "Sir destroyers moving to engage!" The Lieutenants shaky resolve was starting to waver as if he was getting more confident. Captain Nicholas stood glaring out the view port at the Covenant destroyers almost daring them to keep advancing. They continued to advance.
    "Sir the first destroyer is in range." the comm. Lieutenant reported with a small hint of nervousness in his voice.
    "FIRE! ALL WEAPONS FIRE!" Nicholas shouted.
    Every missile on the TICONDAROGA fired at the same time. A wall of white trailed the missiles toward their target before the MAC Cannon fired and sent a thirty thousand ton shell of depleted uranium and tungsten steel hurtling toward the Covenant destroyer at near the speed of sound. Three things happened then. First, the MAC Round pulverized the destroyer’s shields and sent it spinning slowly into the other destroyer. Second as the destroyer spun towards its counter part the Archer missiles from pods A through G struck the destroyer amidships blasting a hole so far into the ship that it's command bridge was sucked out into the blackness of space. Third and final when the now bridgeless destroyer collided with the others shield and broke through smashing its weight and momentum into the remaining destroyers superstructure they both imploded in a fireball that rivaled the systems sun. It was even bright enough to see from the space station Deference.
    "Ha! That’s what I'm talking about!" Nicholas shouted punching the air with his fist, "Status on the MAC Cannons readiness to fire again?"
    "We're at sixty seven percent recharge sir, and the Archer missiles on the starboard side have been exhausted sir we can't do that maneuver again." Lieutenant Oliver reported.
    "Well let's see if we get any more reinforcements before the cruiser gets close enough to fire. In the meantime charge the MAC gun as fast as you can Lieutenant."
    "Aye, Aye sir."
    "And Lieutenant?"
    "Yes sir?"
    "Arm the Shiva Nuclear Warheads to be fired at the cruiser when the MAC gun is charged."
    "Aye, Aye sir."
    "It’s time to gut this pig."