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Shadows of Archon II (part 27) ñ Twilight and the Wizard
Posted By: Wado<wyamauchi@msn.com>
Date: 13 November 2002, 9:46 am
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Thousands of light years away from Earth, a small Covenant corvette patrols the outskirts of the Gundarian system of Tal. It's another uneventful sweep of the asteroid belt and then back to base.
The Tal system is a major manufacturing center and shipyard for the Covenant alliance. In addition, it serves as a capital system, a base of operations, and home for the Covenant mothball fleet of over 10,000 ships. Recently the system has been placed on high alert due to the increased frequency of unidentified spy ships spotted in the area.
Because of the strategic importance of this system, the majority of the Covenant rear fleets have been stationed here; more than 3000 combat ready ships. The small corvette, however, is not a member of the rear fleets. The corvette, Seeker 1121, is actually part of the small Gundarian garrison stationed regularly in the system. Seeker 1121, like other corvettes of its class is a heavy assault scout ship having both advanced sensors and a large arsenal of missiles for its size.
"Commander, Seeker has detected a small rip in slip space at 150,000 km," said Nav. "Seeker is shadowing the anomaly and recommends that we engage with graviton missiles in a wide dispersal."
"Nav, why do we have the only trigger happy Pilot in the entire Gundarian navy?" said Commander Nigelus. "The rip is probably just from one of our freighters running blind. I'd give you even odds it's just a poor sap of a smuggler trying to pay for his Holo habit. One of our graviton missiles is probably worth more than his ship plus all the cargo on it. Ignore the darn rip and have Seeker plot a course back to base."
"It is done Commander," said Nav. "Ah, Commander may I speak freely?"
"Of course Nav," said Nigelus. "Go right ahead."
"Commander, with all due respect, Seeker is not a trigger happy Pilot," said Nav. "She is just a little upset that some of the ships are being supplemented with human-based AIs. I mean the Pilots have been a space-faring race for thousands of years and now, well, they feel threatened."
"Point well taken Nav," said Nigelus, "but remember something about progress -- only the Prophets can control it. Once all Gundarians were peaceful warriors, now only a few of us remain warriors. The Prophets declared all Elites to be the warrior caste, what are Gundarians to do? The Pilots are no different, if the Prophets deem that human AIs are better, then that is how it will be. We have no choice in that matter. The sooner the Pilots realize this and stop acting like spoiled children the better off we will all be."
"Yes Commander," replied Nav as the small Gundarian Grunt fiddles with a control panel.
"What is it Nav?" said Nigelus.
"Commander, what if Seeker is right, I mean about this anomaly?" said Nav. "It is traveling quite fast and passed the asteroid field, not into it."
"Alright Nav, we'll let Seeker have this one," said Nigelus. "Arm the graviton missiles, plot a wide dispersal firing solution. Now what's our window of opportunity?"
"We have 10 more seconds of opportunity," replied Nav. "Ready to fire on your command."
"Fire one salvo on my mark... Fire!" said Nigelus. From seeker sped away 16 graviton type VII missiles. Each missile containing four medium-sized warheads. In a matter of a few seconds, more than 2,000,000,000,000,000,000 cubic kilometers of space is hit with extreme gravitonic forces, enough to violently tear ships right out of slip space.
"That should take care of our anomaly Commander," said Nav. "Scanning for debris." As Nav scans for debris, however, strange unexpected energy signatures appear on the peripheral scanners. "Holy... Commander, Seeker has come to full alert and has entered evasive maneuvers. We have one, no two, hold it... three super-dreadnought sized-vessels. Their shields held being torn out of slip space but I think their sensors are still out of whack."
At over 10 kilometers in length, the super-dreadnought class of ships is unparalleled as front line assault vessels. Bad enough if they were Covenant vessels, but they aren't.
"Nav, whose ships are they?" said Nigelus. "What the heck did we pull out of slip space?
"I don't know Commander, they aren't Covenant," said Nav, "and I'm reading the signatures of several thousand escort ships. Oh gosh, Seeker thinks they're Forerunner vessels."
"Nav, get us out of here," said Nigelus, "and Comm send all the data we have to base, narrow beam on a secured signal."
"Yes Commander," said Nav and Comm in unison.
"Commander, no reply from base," said Comm, "and I have confirmation from the sixth fleet, they are under attack. Seventy-third fleet reports that the enemy destroyed our base. I can't make out all the chatter, but here's the data report on the main viewer."
On the main viewer are images of the destruction of the Covenant/Gundarian star fortress. Around it are thousands of ships in battle. The enemy ships seem to have an extreme advantage over the Covenant vessels in speed, maneuverability, shield strength and weaponry. Many Covenant cruisers are sliced in two by a powerful beam that protrudes from the enemy ships.
"What are those weapons?" asked Nigelus.
Comm looks over the data saying, "Intelligence reports that they are some type of energy lance, similar to an energy sword except large enough to be mounted on a ship. The lances mounted on the larger enemy cruisers appear to have a range of about 50,000 kilometers. Their plasma blades and anti-matter payload resemble very closely what intelligence has identified as a Forerunner cutter beam only several magnitudes more powerful at shorter ranges -- It's confirmed, the weapon has been classified as the cutter lance."
"Commander, their tracking us, got a dozen corvette sized vessels on our tail," said Nav, "and we can't out run them. Seeker recommends firing several salvos of missiles and using their implosions to mask our entering into cloak."
"Do it now," said Nigelus.
The missiles are launched and Seeker 1121 enters cloak in the mist of the many implosions. All unnecessary systems are powered down and engines are brought down to minimal output levels.
"Nav, status," whispered Nigelus.
"Looks good Commander, Seeker believes they lost us," said Nav.
"Nice work everyone," said Nigelus, "and Seeker, especially you, you're the best damn Pilot in all the fleet."
"What?" said Nav. "Commander one missile, impact in 3, 2... aaaaaaaaaaaaaaarrrrrrggggggh!"
In all there were no Covenant survivors in the Tal system. Tens of thousands of Covenant military and civilian vessels destroyed, worlds annihilated, and nearly the entire Covenant rear fleets eliminated.
------------------------------------------------
Twilight and the Wizard
Above Earth, John glides freely through space. Below and above a battle rages. "Cortana, where is the XX1?" asked John.
"Daddy says he's right below us," said Cortana. "Chief, there above that enemy strike carrier. Here he comes."
"Go it," replied John as he prepares to grab hold of the XX1 as it flies by.
Once on the XX1, John holds on tight as the ship phases through the shields of the largest enemy vessel. The enemy vessel resembles Covenant ship designs but has been denied as being a Covenant vessel by the Covenant forces now standing down outside the lunar orbit of Earth. The current speculation is that the ship is of Forerunner design.
"Chief, I'm in contact with the Covenant Supreme Fleet Commander Tarkon," said Cortana, "and he wants to speak with you -- says it is urgent."
"Patch him through," said John.
"He's on Chief," said Cortana. "Go ahead Commander."
"Spartan, these ships are not Covenant but they look to be of Covenant manufacturing," said Tarkon. "The Prophet Lextus and his Knights of Purity now control the majority of the Covenant armada here at Earth. The Prophet Lextus will not commit his forces to fight against or aid your new enemy. However, I still have my secondary flagship, the Virtue and Reverence and nineteen other cruisers with escorts under my control. It isn't much but judging on how ineffective your weapons are against this enemy, you are in no position to choose."
"What do you want Commander?" said John.
"Simple, prove that these new enemies are not gods and I shall join your side," said Tarkon, "and if you do a really good job, Commander Bartolus might commit the forces under the control of Knights of Purity despite the wishes of the Prophet Lextus."
"Bartolus would do that?" asked John.
"Nothing is for certain, there are no friends in love or war," said Tarkon, "but Commander Bartolus and I go way back. I have never known him not to keep his word."
"So I only have to prove that these guys are mortal while you sit back and watch the fireworks," said John. "If I should fail, no doubt you will join them, but if I succeed, you will join us. Sounds like a win, win situation for you."
"Spartan, you have grasped the situation perfectly," replied Tarkon.
"Alright, it's a deal," said John.
The communication is cut off as the XX1 completes phasing through the enemy's shields. Slowly but surely the XX1 makes its way around the enemy ship and up into an empty missile bay.
Inside the bay the XX1 opens up to reveal a noble looking Covenant Grunt. "Ah Spartan, it's good to see you again," said the Grunt. "Shall we get a move on?"
"Maybe you ought to stay here with the XX1," said John. "What I've got to do isn't going to be pretty."
"Hey, thanks for the help daddy," said Cortana, "but who the hell are you really?"
"Oh, my sweet, you are the twilight in my heart," said the Grunt, "and I am the wizard among the stars. If only you could remember me, but alas I am a stranger. The name is Covenstein, Master Noc Covenstein the Great."
"Yes thanks for the help Master Covenstein," said John, "but you're not coming with me." John begins to walk away towards an air lock. "Cortana, can you get this door open?"
"Surely you have a better plan than that device," said Covenstein. "Yes that round device you have in the container attached to your mid-section. It won't work."
John turns momentarily back to Covenstein saying, "I'll manage just fine."
"Spartan, John, I speak the truth," said Covenstein as he walks up to John.
"A nice bluff, hurry up with this door Cortana," said John.
"Chief, this security system is extremely advanced, give me a moment," said Cortana.
"I never bluff," said Covenstein with a voice of confidence. "Spartan, this ship may be of Covenant manufacturing but it isn't a Covenant ship, it's Forerunner. That little ball of nano-machines designed to take out the Covenant fleet will be little more than a small nuisance on this ship."
"How do you know all this?" asked John.
"I've made several scans of you, that device and what I could of this ship," said Covenstein, "and besides, I'm a super-genius."
"Alright, prove it," said John. "Get this door open."
"Easier than gathering plasma from a comet with a ram scoop," said Covenstein. "Oh sweet Cortana, take the 128 million bit encryption and convert it to base seven then apply your rough duplication of the Index to it."
The door opens. John looks back at Covenstein, then back at the open door saying, "You're in Covenstein but keep your head down."
"Understood Spartan," replied Covenstein.
"Master Covenstein, thank you again," said Cortana.
"No thanks necessary my dear," said Covenstein, "and you can call me Noc. Ha, ha, he, he..."
"What is so darn funny?" said John.
"I was just remembering you as a short Elite," said Covenstein. "Ha, ha, ho, ho."
"Do me a favor and keep your weird fantasies to yourself," said John, "and keep your mouth shut, your blathering is going to get us all killed."
"Right," whispered Covenstein. "He, he... opps, sorry."
Through the second airlock door they go.
-- Next, My Nano-machines are smaller than yours --
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