Operation: WARM BLANKET
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The Battle of the Unnamed Star System was a skirmish within an unnamed region of space between the United Nations Space Command and the Covenant Empire, which took place in the year 2535.[note 1]
Background
By unknown means, a Covenant fleet had managed to capture Dr. Catherine Elizabeth Halsey while she was in cryo-sleep. The fleet escaped with her aboard its flagship, with the UNSC in pursuit. The Covenant fleet however, became trapped in a stellar magnetic field that prevented them from jumping to Slipspace. The UNSC used this to their advantage, and organized an Office of Naval Intelligence-led operation to rescue Halsey, who was an invaluable asset to the UNSC, and sent an ONI stealth ship, commanded by an Unnamed ONI Commander, to intercept the Covenant fleet. On board was a team of SPARTAN-II supersoldiers consisting of John-117, Frederic-104, Kelly-087, Solomon-069 and Arthur-079. Knowing Halsey's value to both the UNSC and the Covenant, the Covenant Fleet Master planted decoys in several CCS-class Battlecruisers.[1]
Space Battle
- "What we want is in the heart of this fleet - the flagship."
- — John-117
After coming in range of the Covenant fleet, the ONI stealth craft deployed the Spartan team, who were utilizing Open Frame 92/Extra-Vehicular Activitys, or "Booster Frames". Several CCS-class Battlecruisers immediately engaged the Spartans with Pulse Laser Turrets, and a large inter-fleet skirmish began. On the first scan, Solomon-069 found the signal matching Halsey's cryo pod coming from a cruiser, and moved in on it, despite a warning from Kelly. As John showed concern about the instant positive reading, Solomon entered the ship through the hangar bay, and made his way through the ship's corridors. Upon arrival of the target however, Solomon was met with one of the decoys, which turned out to be an Antimatter Charge. The charge detonated, and Solomon was instantly vaporized, along the entire cruiser. John managed to warn Kelly clear of the explosion just in time, and they regrouped with Fred and Arthur. Monitoring the situation from the bridge of the flagship, Thel 'Vadamee expressed concern that they were underestimating the Spartans. The Fleet Master did not agree, as Thel had let his battalion perish in a recent battle, making him appear dishonorable in the Fleet Master's eyes. Meanwhile, upon the discovery of multiple positive readings, John deduced that the real signal must be coming from the flagship.
At that point, multiple Seraph squadrons were launched, and the Spartans took cover within a cluster of closely grouped cruisers. The Seraphs followed, and flanked them, striking a hit on Kelly's Booster Frame. Arthur pulled back to cover Kelly, only to be crushed between two closely flying cruisers. Kelly was forced to eject from her damaged Booster Frame, and boarded Fred's, operating the turret on the rear. As the Spartans closed in on the Assault Carrier that was the flagship, John and Fred began to charge the powerful Gauss cannons on their Booster Frames, which were slow to charge. Kelly managed to hold off the Seraphs and cover John and Fred long enough for them to fire everything they had at the Assault Carrier's hull, penetrating it, and entering on foot, ditching their damaged Booster Frames. At this point, 'Vadamee makes the decision to intercept the Spartans.[1]
Raid
- "We' got three minutes."
- — Kelly-087
- "Let's sprint this, don't fall behind."
- — John-117
- "Copy that."
- — Kelly-087 and Fred-104
Upon boarding the Assault Carrier, the Spartans activated a Bubble Shield, and decided to sprint the rest of the way, despite the large number of Covenant troops in the way. The shield deactivated, and the Spartans sped through the mass of Jiralhanae, Kig-yar and Unggoy in the hangar bay and killed dozens of them in seconds. Fred blew open the hanger door with his Spartan Laser and the Spartans sprinted down the service corridors, frantically firing at anything in their way. The Fleet Master was shocked at the speed that the Spartans moving attacking with, and the destruction they were leaving in their wake. It was then that 'Vadamee ambushed the Spartans with two other Sangheili, attempting to kill John with his Energy Swords. Fred pulled out his combat knives, killed the other Elite, and held 'Vadamee off while John and Kelly continued toward Halsey.
The Fleetmaster became desperate, and began to detach sections of the ship in an attempt to hinder the Spartans. After the entire corridor block had been detached, John and Kelly were left stranded in vacuum. Kelly used her weight to thrust John towards the ship, propelling herself out into space as a result. John landed in the ship just as the airlock closed, and assumed the worse for Kelly. John made his way through the ship and found Halsey's cryotube. He thawed Halsey out, and after a brief reunion, the two made their way to leave the ship. It was then that the two were confronted by 'Vadamee, who threw John one of his Energy Swords, challenging him to a duel. The two sparred off, only for 'Vadamee to get the upper hand. As 'Vadamee moved in for the kill, the fleet got clear of the magnetic interference, and prepared to jump into Slipspace. The Fleet Master assumed 'Vadamee had failed his task, and detached the entire lower lower half of the ship, returning 'Vadamee to the main section via gravity lift. 'Vadamee cursed the Fleet Master as he was unwilling taken from his prey.
Alarms indicating the impending self destruction sounded, and John and Halsey ran to the nearest shuttle bay. Halsey managed to activate a Covenant Escape Pod, and the two fled the remains of the ship as it detonated, only to be pursued by more Seraphs. Halsey was visibly irritated at the pod's slow speed, and went as far as angrily asking if John could destroy the Seraphs. They were rescued by Fred and Kelly however, who had managed to secure a Seraph of their own, and they returned to the stealth craft that deployed them. Back on the ship, John swore not to lose another Spartan as Halsey agreed that the war was far from over. The ship re-cloaked, and left the system.[1]
Notes
- ^ Thel became a Kaidon in 2535, and, during The Package, John is a Master Chief, a rank he was granted in 2535, at which time Thel was still a Major. By extrapolation, one can determine that The Package takes place sometime during 2535.
References
- ^ a b c Halo Legends: The Package
