Too Close To Home Chapter 1
Posted By: phil451<newton@trellis.net>
Date: 30 January 2004, 4:35 PM
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1-April-2553 (Military Calendar)
1341 Zulu (UTC)
Orbiting Neptune - Sol System - Aboard CCS Divine Judgment
Shipmaster Llano Kramalee sat in the con chair on the bridge of the Covenant Capitol Ship Divine Judgment. It was the newest capitol class cruiser in the Covenant armada. The veteran gold clad elite was the envy of the fleet for receiving the commission to shipmaster of the spectacular vessel. He watched his crew wander aimlessly about the bridge completing their menial tasks. They had been orbiting the gaseous planet for three units, and his crew was beginning to succumb to boredom. The nearly eight foot tall elite rose to his feet stretching his long arms behind him, causing several of his alien vertebrae to crack. This garnered more than a passing glance from the grunts and engineers milling about the bridge. His broad shoulders prevented the grunts seated at their stations behind him from seeing the view screen. It didn't matter, it had looked the same for far too long. He clicked his mandibles in disgust, he was ready to act. "Zola," he barked. "Yes Excellency," replied his second in command Zola Zantanemee. "Have you received any communications from the High Council regarding our present position?" Llano asked. "Negative Excellency. They still maintain radio silence," Zola knew this was not the response Llano wanted to hear. They were closer to the infidels' home world than any ship flying the Covenant flag had ever been. Llano was tired of hanging around the outskirts of the Sol System waiting for High Council to give their blessing to proceed. It was a waste of personnel and equipment. He would never disobey them, but he was ready to head toward the sun and find the primitives. Intelligence said they were in the right system, so surely they must be close. He was supremely confident in his magnificent vessel, as was his crew. Unfortunately he could not voice his displeasure with the High Council; it was his duty as shipmaster to set the example. "Very well. Zola, you have the con. I shall be in my quarters. Should any word arrive you will notify me at once," ordered Llano. "By your command Excellency," Zola replied.
1-April-2553 (Military Calendar)
1430 Zulu (UTC)
Orbiting Titan, Saturnian Shipyards - Sol System - Aboard SCS Saratoga
Captain Russell Montgomery stood on the quiet observation deck of the newly constructed halcyon class cruiser Saratoga. He gazed out of the picture window at the beauty of Saturn's rings. Occasionally a tug or a personnel shuttle would come by and there were several engineers in EVA working on other ships in the yard, but they were all too busy to appreciate the beauty. Captain Monty was forty two years old with a service record of twenty four years. Being a veteran of Sigma Octanus and Reach, he had first crack at the position on the new vessel. He puffed on a hand rolled cigar that was made on one of the outer colonies many years before. He was in deep thought, a rumor had been going around for a few months that a leak from ONI stated that the Covenant were a lot closer to Earth than everyone had been led to believe. Everyone had heard the talk, and the Captain wondered if it was true would the Saratoga even make a difference. A marvel of human engineering, the ship was almost ready to put out to space. The crew would be arriving in the next few days and this would be one of the last times Monty would have time to be alone and think. A slipspace probe had been launched two weeks earlier to the outer edge of the solar system. It's official mission was described as "the collection of scientific data on solar winds" which he knew as a cover for a reconnaissance mission, probably to monitor possible incoming Covenant slipspace vectors. This assured him that they were close, but he wasn't sure how close. UNSC hadn't received a transmission from the probe in four days. The sound of the door to the R&R lounge opening snapped his attention from his deep thought. Approaching him was a man in his late thirties with salt and pepper hair and a muscular frame. He was wearing a white t-shirt that said "ODSTs - Helljumpers do it in the atmosphere" and black jump suit pants. First Sergeant David Wallace stopped next to the Captain and began to take in the same view. "Good afternoon Sergeant, how are you this fine day," said Monty. After a short pause Wallace spoke, "Shit Cap. How do you think I am? I ain't buying all this propaganda bull shit. The Covies are close, I can smell their stinking breath. On top of that, I've got a bunch of green horns coming in here in a few days, and I'll have to wipe their asses for a couple of months. That is if they are around that long." "Glad to hear you are well as always," the Captain replied sarcastically, "I hear you've got a Spartan coming in." The Sergeant shot the Captain a glance and then rolled his eyes back to their original position, "no sir, you've got a Spartan coming in. He's your problem, not mine. Damn waste of money if you ask me. What good is one wired up freak gonna do out here?" Monty's smile broadened, "Well, he took out an entire Covenant armada about six months ago."
(Authors note: Having never read the books, this story is based on knowledge I've collected from playing the game and what I've read on HSP (with some sci-fi television talk thrown in). Any help someone can give me on the armament used on halcyon and capitol ships respectively would be appreciated. That will really help in the ship to ship combat I have planned for later. I would also appreciate any info on the covenant battle calendar and their units for telling time. I just guessed on this chapter. This is my first time doing something like this, so let the comments roll. Thanks)
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