Imperium of Terra application

[Slipknaut]

Well, not just you. You and anything anywhere near you, and probably a lot of my own stuff just to be sure. We're talking about collapsing stars with greater speed and voracity then CF exterminates species. And not strictly me - most likely, my Black Ops, who are kind of rogue atm. They... acquired some infection forms a while back for research purposes. They appreciate the scale of the threat.

This is some nice work though - keep it up!

[Telros]

I'd most likely have destroyed most of everything by the time you got there.

And thats if the Ark wasn't activated! Setting still on Flood-rapage. *If you need an explanation, I can send you to my NS factbook*

Just a hint though, the way I have decided for the Flood to be able to make a comeback, since i killed most of them off, is those that were dormant at the time of the blast survived. If you went into any facility that had dormant ones and got out alive, one, you could get it that way, and two, you are damn awesome for surviving the Flood.

Thanks, i am glad you like my work. Any suggestions are welcome, as well as critiques.

[Central Facehuggeria]

We're talking about collapsing stars with greater speed and voracity then CF exterminates species.

...By the Emperor, you must be really scared of those lovable little pods.

[Arizona Nova]

Yes, and actual fear, not fear mixed with hate like with chronomancy.
But really, think about it. We know from Dawn of the Dead that fast zombies can overrun a planet and end civilization in days. Now make those zombies even faster and give them the ability to make jumps that would make Mario cry, a malevolent hive-mind intelligence, the ability to fire guns and pilot ships, and the fact that if even one spore gets in a civilian population everything is probably screwed...

Yeah. Thats probably why.

[Telros]

Yeah, agreed. Having been invaded by the Flood on Earth, we know what its like. =P

[Telros]

0900 hours, February 21st, 2672 (Military Calendar)\
Grear's Cantina, Planet Shikar, Jericho System


Grear's Cantina wasn't the most clean or sophisticated place on Shikar....but it fit the needs of the people who came there. Two of its customers walked through the dull brown doors and gazed around. The room had a haze to it, which was coming from a table of pipe smokers. There were a scattering of people here and there, but nothing like the crowds it used to attract, nor did it have the homey feeling it was well-known for.

War did that to places like this.

The two men sat down at the bar and ordered drinks. One spoke up. “Man, Ben, it...it just ain't the same with ole' Grear gone six feet under.� The other man, obviously the senior by twenty years nodded solemnly.

“Yeah, thats true. But he died as he dreamed, being a hero and defending the Imperium. Thanks to hundreds like him, those damned Katarians were stopped on Altar IV. Those bastards were so surprised to see how well humanity could fight. I heard their expressions were priceless, Jack.�

Jack chuckled. “True, I would have paid big bucks to see that.� His smile faded. “Though, recent rumors through work say we are taking a heavy beating in the Jericho and Capricorn systems. The media isn't saying much, other than the usual “tough situation which the Imperium will overcome� bullshit that we have heard for the past four months.� Ben grunted.

“Amen to that. Well, I have some contacts that have gotten me the scoop but I don't think you want to hear it...�

“No, no, I want to hear it! Dammit, Ben, you aren't the only one with friends in the service, hell, everyone does thanks to that draft bill thing they passed four weeks ago! I deserve to know!� Benjamin sighed. The bartender came back and gave them their drinks. Nodding in thanks, Ben spoke.

“Alright, don't say I didn't warn ya.� Clearing his throat, he pulled out a holopad. Tapping it, a map of the Imperium came up. All civilian holopads came with the map installed, so to help people realize where everything was and make travel easier. “This,� he pointed to three systems in yellow. “, are the systems controlled by the Katarians. At least, the space part. The ground they have yet to take, as resistance movements are like weeds there, and their brutality towards us humans ain't making any friends.� He moved a finger to point at four more systems, in red. “These are the ones that we are fighting over. The Capricorn and Jericho systems are here. Now, the campaigns aren't going well, as no progress is being made and casualty lists have been growing. But, they have stalled the enemy and we are basically at a stalemate. Each side probes the other before retreating. My contacts said something big is about to go down. Whenever there is a long pause and/or stalemate in a war, it always means something big is going to happen. You know what they means, right?�

Jack shook his head. “No, I have no idea.�

Benjamin sighed. “It means that if we lose on that front....the Imperium as we know it, could cease to exist.� Jack was stunned, and Benjamin grimly turned to his beer.

“I told you. I said you wouldn't like what I had to say.� Jack gulped.

“Is there no hope at all?� A chuckle answered.

“Don't take me so literally, boy! 'Course there's hope. We have Marines and Navymen and all of our drafted fellows fighting in the military to get those aliens off our planets. If anyone can turn the tide, they can.�

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Planet Jericho IV, Jericho System\
Day 172, Jericho Campaign.

The smell of burnt flesh and burning metal filled the nostrils of Sergeant Mosely as he led his squad through a trench to reinforce 3rd Platoon. He turned, roaring at the men behind him. “Move you lazy buncha' sods! You want to miss all the fun!?� The men roared out a denial and double-timed it through the trench. A squadron of Banshee's flew over head, their plasma cannons glowing red from having overheated. An explosion slammed several meters behind them, drawing screams from the men who had been stationed there. Mosely gritted his teeth and continued moving.

The war, which hadn't even been given a term yet, aside from “The War�, had been going on for four straight months and things, while not totally without hope, could be a lot better. The Katarians had invaded and hit them hard. Two systems fell before the Imperium could muster a counter-response, and the result was two campaigns of heavy fighting that had ended with the Imperium being forced to retreat. The Katarians had to fight for every inch of ground, however, and ONI brought in countless reports and captured holovids of the aliens being forced to stack their dead like firewood in order to wheel them off the battlefield.

Of course, the Imperium had to do the same. But, thanks to previous experience against the Covenant, they were holding their own. Jericho IV, though, was proving to be a problem. The higher-ups had figured out a plan to stalemate the aliens and hold them off long enough for the Imperium to deal with the rebels out in the lost systems and then send all their forces smashing into them. However, it required this planet as a jumping board for future operations. It's large amount of mineral resources and massive factories would allow it to be a major rearming, repair and refueling outpost for the Imperium.

Unfortunately, the Katarians knew it, too, and so they were fighting a campaign to drive back the invasion, which had not gone so well so far. The aliens had landed, swiftly overpowered local forces, and took control of 70% of the major cities and industry. The Imperium had sent a battlefleet which had engaged the Katarians own and forced them out, and then landed ground forces. And for the past week, they had slowly advanced on the capital. Setbacks had been popping up. Supplies lost, ammunition dumps raided, ambushes up the wazoo, but they were getting it done.

What they needed to turn the tide was to capture New Zorna. It was the largest industrial city and the most defensible. The Imperial forces had managed to shut and lock down the defensive systems. As the Katarians tried to crack them to turn them back on, their forces had landed and begun an assault on the city. They passed two mangled bodies of Imperial Marines.

�Which isn't going as well as planned.�

The Katarian forces were well-entrenched in the city and the offensive had stalled. They all knew that if it stalled completely, this battle was lost. So a general order had been sent out:

Advance at any cost and hit the enemy hard.

“Sir, coming up on 3rd Platoon's position!� The Sergeant knew he was right, as he could hear orders being shouted, and the steady thudding of automatic weapons fire could be heard. Accompanying it, of course, was the crackling sound of the Katarians energy weaponry and their strong, howling cries. Holding up a fist, the entire platoon froze. Pointing to his eyes, he then stabbed them at the skies and behind them, meaning for the men to watch for enemies coming from the air and the rear. As they set up to watch those areas, Mosely sneaked up to the edge of the corner and looked over. 3rd Platoon was stuck at the entrance of the trench, pinned down by a heavy energy cannon that was pouring fire on the entrance. Two dead bodies and three others that were being tended to by a medic showed how effective the holding action had been. Grimacing, he keyed on his comm.

“Lieutenant Sharva, do you read me? This is Sergeant Mosely of 1st Platoon.�

A crackle sounded on the comm and one of the men pinned down put a hand to his helmet.

This is Lieutenant Sharva. Damned good to hear from you. Where are you?�

“Just around the corner of the trench eight meters behind you.� There was a pause as the man looked and caught sight of the Sergeant.

�Thank God. These bastards have us pinned down hard. We lost Irons and Gregory when they first opened up. Any help in shutting that gun up would be appreciated.�

Mosely grinned. “Understood, Lieutenant. Sit tight, we'll take care of those bastards.�

�Affirmative, just make it quick.� Mosely turned and crawled back to the squad. Motioning for them to gather, the other nine men crouched in.

“Alright, time to make 1st Platoon our favor bitches*.� They grinned as he laid out the plan. “Carl, Joe, you two ready your sniper rifles and take aim. Try to make sure their gun is intact; ONI has ordered all alien tech to be confiscated.�

They nodded. “Roger.� They began to set up their sniper rifles and aim for the enemy position. “Alright, those of us that have BR-55's and P-rifles, I want us to hose them with fire. This will take their fire off 1st Platoon, allowing them to give us cover fire, as well as keep them focused on us, away from Carl and Joe. Rest of you, guard our backs. Any questions?�

There were none.

“Then lets go.� The men rushed into position. Carl and Joe held their sniper rifles, ready to stand over the top and let loose. Three men, including the Sergeant, crouched at the corner of the trench, Mosely held a plasma rifle, while the other two held battle rifles. Listening to the sound of the energy cannon, he heard a pause as it overheated. Counting down on his hands from three, they whirled up and unloaded on the enemy position. Blue plasma bolts filled the air and trios of bullets impacted with the hard steel of the enemy's cover. Shrieking, they quickly pointed the weapon at them and fired. Mosely swore and ducked behind the trench wall. As the aliens gleefully unloaded on the three men, 1st Platoon took this chance to fire at them, causing the aliens to duck close to their weapon....

....right into the scopes of the two Marines. Two loud cracks filled the air and the Katarian soldier's bodies slumped onto the weapon and the fire cut off. Men from both 1st and 3rd cheered and let out cries of “Fuck yeah!� and “Damn straight� as they reloaded weapons and rushed to 1st Platoons position. Their own medic, Brian Jervins, rushed to aid the other medic in tending to the men. Both Mosely and Sharva pulled the bodies over to a corner, along with all the alien technology. Sharva pulled out a laptop and, after inputting the code, opened up a comm channel to HQ. A scarred face with deep-set brown eyes and dirty blond hair appeared.

“Son, mind telling me what the hell you have to bother me about now?� Sharva saluted.

“General Morrison, we have managed to take out an enemy pillbox in Sector 04C, and have linked up with Third Platoon of Dog Company.�

“Hmmm...I see.� The General seemed to lighten up, and even smiled at him. “Did you say you are in Sector 04C?� Sharva nodded, brows furrowed.

“Yes sir.�

“Well then, you boys and girls just became the most vital part of the invasion.� The screen split in two as it showed the tactical map. A line of red, indicating the Katarian defensive line, appeared, as well as four green blobs showing the invasion force. “We are stuck duking out with their front line defenses. They appeared to have managed to set up anti-armor and infantry bunkers as they work on getting the defense network online. If they get it online, in tandem with those bunkers, no force on Earth will be able to crack those defenses.

This is where you come in. Just ahead of you is a long line of these bunkers. Lucky for us, these bunkers are the largest set and are holding the main force of our forces back. Even the tanks can't get close without getting fried. If you and your boys can disable, or capture, God knows we need ONI to check out their tech, than you will be able to open a hole in the defense network and allow us to overrun the defenses. From there we can surrounded the city and cut off all Katarian forces inside.�

Sharva blinked. “What resources do we have to support us?�

“Fortunately for you, two squadrons of Banshee's are on call to aid you. However, be careful how you use them. The anti-armor bunkers have taken down several Banshee's already. I would advise saving them until you need them most. When you have finished taking them out, send out a general wide comm transmission, it can be anything, and we will begin the push. Got your orders, son?�

Sharva nodded. “Understood. Take the bunkers and capture any if possible. Then signal Imperial forces for assault.�

“Good. Get to work. The longer we delay, the closer they get to activating those defenses. General Morrison out.� The channel was cut and Sharva looked up at Mosely.

“Sergeant get the men ready. We are going to take a crack at those bunkers.� Mosely grinned and whirled around.

“Alright, you maggots, break time is over. The Katarians are preventing the rest of our friends from joining the picnic; it appears they are picky about visitors. That isn't nice of them, is it?�

“FUCK NO SIR!�

“Damn straight, it isn't! Form up and move out, we are going to open the door for our buddies, whether they like it or not.�

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Same time as the battle on Jericho, Zeus system\
De facto headquarters of the Hand of Mankind, Planet Zarka

Zarka had been taken over relatively quickly, due to the pitifully small Imperial force having to retreat under the fire of the massive Hand armada and the sudden appearance of hundreds of Hand soldiers. The planet, and then the system, had fallen in short order. It was here that the Hand of Mankind had begun to solidify their hold on this system as well as the surrounding systems. And it was on this planet, it led the war effort against the Imperium and the Katarians.

It was here that the Guardian of Humanity had made his throne world and ruled over the growing New Imperium. No longer in his power armor, he wore a simple dark red tunic and pants, with the sigils of the Hand of Humanity on it and a bright reddish-gold crown. His dark blue eyes, fiery and full of energy and zeal, were focused on a strategic holomap. By his side was a man with a very nondescript appearance. Dull black hair and black eyes, wearing a simple grey shirt and pants, he served as the Guardian's personal aide. On the other side of the table housing the map, stood his generals, two in number, and an admiral. The map flickered to reveal incoming data.

“So, you are telling me the Imperium and the xenos are gathering strength to begin a heavy assault on the other, to turn the tide of their war?�

One general nodded. “Yes, milord. The Imperium has begun a heavy assault on Jericho IV, and if things go in their favor, will control the planet. With its heavy industrial power and resources, it serves as a perfect launching pad to launch their offensive. Of course, the Katarians know that as well and have invaded it. If the information from our spies are correct, the Katarians and Imperium are going to send a battlefleet to the planet, one to retake it, the other to prevent said retaking.�

The Guardian rubbed his chin. “I see. What of our own forces?� The map focused in on the areas that the Hands controlled as well as contested systems. “The Chi Ceti, Damascus and Scorpion systems are being fought over as we speak. Imperial forces are engaging us in the first two, and are stalemating us. If we are to break through their forces and win those systems, we need to win the Scorpion system, which is currently under assault by the foul xenos.� The Guardian narrowed his eyes.

“What is the status of Imperial forces in the area?�

“Well, sir, they are reeling but still fighting. Much of the Katarian resources there are devoted to driving them off and securing the area. An attack by us will be a great surprise, and, if we strike quickly enough, overwhelm and destroy their forces.� The Guardian smiled.

“Very well, make it so.�

-----------------------------------------

Eighteen units, 2nd Century of Exploration (Katarian Calendar)\
Scorpion System, Battle Group Secturius, Planet New Berlin

Warmaster Fle'ion stood on the deck of the Katarian cruiser-class ship the Endless Dawn. A War Fleet of eleven ships, two cruisers, four destroyers and five frigates, orbited New Berlin, as the humans called it, keeping orbital superiority and slowly starving the planet into submission. Fle'ion watched as the hologram played back a recent battle with the Imperium. He didn't hate the humans; that was something only the Farvos caste had, since their precious missionaries had been slaughtered by the humans.

�Though we all know that it wasn't them.� They knew some sort of rebels had done it, but the Farvos were very prideful and considered the humans inferior. Which was a mistake, as the humans history had revealed that their last war had left them struggling with xenophobia and this war may have inflamed it further. However, the Farvos cast led the Empire and he, a lowly member of the Krakori class, could only follow orders.

Still, he was amazed by the humans tenacity. Outnumbered, outgunned, and with dwindling supplies, they still fought on. The Katarians had inflicted blow after blow on them, crushing several strongholds, but they still continued to fight.

�However, this will be the end for them.� He thought as he gazed at the map. They had the remainder of their forces pinned down in a mountain fortress. They probed their defenses, but they were still too strong. Time would wear them down, as no reinforcements and no supplies meant starvation was inevitable. A sad smile appeared on his face.

“It is too bad, really. I would have really liked to see your planet Earth before we had to destroy it.� Reaching over, he pressed a key. “Ready my shuttle, I will be going groundside to take command.�

“As you wish, Warmaster.�

Soon, he was on his way down to the planet....and escaping the horrible fate awaiting his fleet.


--------------------------------------------

After the Warmaster had left for the planet, just a moment after, a fleet warped in on the edge of the system. The Katarians had focused everything on the planet, and the fleet was using special ECM generators to make it seem as they were not there. Number around six ships, they were red and bore the signs of the Hand of Mankind. This was the task force sent to fight the Katarians and cleanse the system for Hand control. In command was Captain Julius, a devout member of the Hand and a skilled commander. At his disposal, he had a single carrier, two destroyers, and three frigates. Normally, this battle would be pretty one-sided, being six versus eleven. However, the Hand had upgraded their ships with technology from an unknown source, making them even stronger than the Imperium's own. Their ships were significantly more powerful than the Katarians or even the Imperial ships. Thus, they were doing the best out of the three factions in this war. The only thing holding them back was the lack of ships they had at their disposal, something which they intended on remedying by capturing shipyards and factories of the Imperium.

�However, we focus on the task at hand.� Captain Julius turned to the lad at the sensor station.

�Give me a sitrep.� The Ensign gazed at the data flowing onto his screen.

�Sir, all ships have made it safely out of Slipspace. Detecting no increase in Katarian comm chatter or spikes in energy readings. It would appear that the Shade System worked perfectly, sir.� Julius smiled.

“Good. Are they ready to begin Operation: OLYMPUS?�

“Yes sir. All weapons systems are ready to go, and all Longsword squadrons prepped.� The Captain smiled. It was time to show these aliens that humanity would not be denied.

“Prepare for Slipspace jump to coordinates zero-four-seven-two. Have the fleet lock onto our signal.�

“Yes sir.�

The crew began prepping the ship for a jump and the rest of the fleet prepared to follow.

“Counting down to jump….three…two….one…JUMP!� The ships vanished in a flash of blue light…..

….only to reappear right next to the Katarian fleet. They were stunned. The alien FTL drives were fast, but they were not that precise. So, compared to even the Imperium’s Slipspace drive, their drives were inferior. The Hands, having somehow upgraded everything, appeared to be like gods in space. Julius grinned as the ships would not even power up shields in the first five seconds, which would cost them.

“Tell all ships to power up plasma weapons only, conserve power and shunt the remainder to the ECM generators. That will screw with their sensors and targeting sensors, as well as their missiles. Have the Corruption and the Unyielding Light engage the right cruiser, and we shall engage the left one. The Pious Wrath, the Divine Will and the Spear of Faith will take on the remaining destroyers and frigates. They are to keep them busy only. All Longsword squadrons, including our own, are to engage the enemy frigates and keep them busy.�

The orders were sent and the battle began in earnest. As the commander of the Katarian War Fleet struggled to get his weapons online and his people focused again, the Hand ships struck hard and fast. Julius’s ship, the Indomitable, powered up its energy projector and lashed out a powerful, blue-white beam of energy that struck the right Katarian cruiser. Their shields, a bright purple, held up against the beam for a couple seconds before dropping, the rest of the energy washing over the ship in a flow of electricity. It did not damage but the Hand carrier was not done. Its plasma cannons and pulse laser arrays powered up and they prepared plasma torpedoes, red plasma gathering at the sides. After two seconds, they fired, filling the space between them with blue plasma bolts, cyan pulse lasers and red plasma torpedoes. The commander of the ship was no fool and he turned his ship sideways to take the assault and reduce the amount of damage he would take. It could only do so much, however. Half of the plasma bolts missed and the pulse lasers only managed to score some hits on the side. The remaining plasma, however, slammed into the forward section, burning through the metal with ease, as plasma weapons are designed to do, and secondary explosions punctured the hull. The pain wasn’t however, however, as fourteen plasma torpedoes, tracking the ship through a system on the ship, slammed into the entire frontal side of the ship. Metal shrieked silently into space and explosions raged all over the ship as the metal melted under the assault of plasma torpedoes. When it was all over, most of the ships port armor was gone and the structure inside could be seen. The few aliens who had survived the plasma were no floating in the vacuum of space. The cruiser listed dangerously to one side and thrusters fired, struggling to regain its position before the carrier could fire again.

The Corrupt and the Unyielding Light fired their weapons at the other Katarian cruiser. They did not have the luxury of an energy beam projector but they did have plenty of weapons. Countless pulse laser arrays, fourteen plasma turrets and twelve plasma torpedo tubes. Combined, it was more than enough to bring down the shields of the carrier, and overwhelm it in a wave of plasma and energy. The attacks cut through the center of the ship and when it hit the reactor, a chain reaction tore through the entire ship and it vanished in a burst of blue-red light, dispersing the remaining plasma.

The Hand frigates, however, had a fight on their hands. Four Katarian destroyers and five frigates began to close in on their position. Arming their missiles as well as their other weapons, they opened fire. Two lashed out at one destroyer, while the last one aimed at two frigates, dividing up its fire. Normally, this move would be useless and they would be overwhelmed before the Corrupt and the Unyielding Light could reach them.

However, they used something the Katarians did not: fighters. The Katarians had never encountered a race before that had fighters and in so doing, had no defenses against fighters. All they had to try and ward them off were their laser batteries and they were only able to get a few hits on the quick and agile Longswords. So, when the eighteen squadrons of human fighters ripped over their fleet, and began to attack, the playing field became even. The plasma salvos ripped into the destroyer’s shield, as it returned fire with heavy laser cannons, blasting green energy that impacted on the Corrupt’s shielding, causing it to turn white at the points of impact. Pulse lasers worked their way over the Katarian vessel, causing small explosions as they penetrated weakening portions of the shielding. A salvo of Archer missiles rocketed out from the ships and slammed into the destroyer, injuring it even further. Their engines flickered as two power generators were hit by a plasma torpedo.

The other three Katarian destroyers were accelerating to aid their comrade, unloading their own weaponry on the Hand ships, when a dark cloud descended on them. Longswords blasted over their shields, unloading their plasma bombs into it, covering them with bright blue explosions. Six squadrons each took on one destroyer. In the confusion of the attack, the Longswords had fired their missiles into one section of the shield, overloading it and causing the rest of the torpedoes to slam into their hulls, plasma eating through the armor. They countered by redirecting some of their lasers to target the fighters, but they danced away from the batteries and fired missiles at them, destroying many of the laser cannons.

The last Hand frigate, Spear of Faith, was now running from the five Katarian frigates, as they pounded that single ship with all the weaponry they had. The secondary weapons, propelled energy missiles, were pounding the shields and causing them to weaken. The Hand ships were strong, but not on a level that five ships could not do some damage. Their salvo managed to knock out one of the frigates shields permanently, while the other had fires raging all over its hull and inside the ship, along with losing three laser batteries. The frigates shields were weakening and already, their laser fire and energy missiles were slamming into the hull, causing explosions to pepper the hull.

All of this was just in the first fifteen seconds. Already, the Katarian cruisers were down, one mortally wounded, its brother destroyed. One destroyer heavily damaged and the other three struggling to engage the Longswords. If given time, they could have rallied and fought off the invaders. Julius wasn't giving them that time, however.

“Launch a volley of missiles to finish off that last cruiser and then come about to course zero-four-seven-one, and engage the enemy frigates. Have the Corrupt and the Unyielding Light engage the enemy destroyers.�

The Indomitable launched an array of missiles that impacted with the core of the last Katarian cruiser, resulting with a flash of light and a hail of debris. Turning quickly and effortlessly with its antigrav thrusters, it then began to accelerate towards the Katarian frigates, which were pounding the Spear of Faith. The Hand frigate was not doing well, as its engines were hit with a volley and shut down, allowing the frigates to focus their fire on it. Holes appeared in the decks, fiery explosions erupted from the ship and fires raged inside the ship. “Arm the MAC cannons and the energy projectors, and feed the target data into the computer. Fire on my command!� The bridge crew focused on their tasks, keeping the ship on course and powering up weapons. They watched as the Spear listed heavily to port, accompanied by an explosion and their lights flickered out as all power was lost. Gritting his teeth, Julius sent a prayer for their souls.

Their sacrifice would not be in vain. “Sir, all weapons are ready and targeted.�

“Fire!�

Five bolts of thunder echoed throughout the ship and fifteen MAC shells were sent flying into the enemy frigates, followed by two energy projector beams. The beams hit first, slamming into two frigates, cutting through their shields and slicing up their armor. One beam hit an munitions section and caused a huge fireball to consume a portion of the ship, while the other punctured a clean hole through the ship. Both shuddered and were frozen in space as the crews were still reeling from the impacts. It was then the shells hit the group. Three shells impacted with the first damaged frigate, and the ships superstructure, being twisted three different ways by the MAC shells, tore itself to pieces. One hit the other damaged ship and put another hole in the ship, right next to the other one, causing the ships two halves, barely connected by a sliver of metal, to drift off, venting atmosphere. The remaining three were pounded by the remaining eleven shells. Five slammed into one, collapsing its shields and blowing two holes in the ship, sending it spinning off towards the planet, while another had two hit it, one on the stern and on its aft section. The attack put immense strain on the middle, causing the middle to rip and ensuing explosions ripped the ships apart. The last four impacted with the last frigate and it soon exploded into nothingness. The spinning ship was captured by New Berlin's gravity well and began its final, doomed plummet towards the planet. The surviving two, well heavily damaged, were determined to exact revenge before dying. As the Indomitable swooped in to finish them off, powering up its plasma and pulse laser weaponry, they unloaded every single working laser battery and energy missile into the Spear of Faith, causing a small, artificial sun to flare for two seconds. Julius bowed his head as did the rest of the crew. Firing their salvo, the remaining two frigates were wiped out.

The Captain, focusing on the mission at hand and pushing away his grief, focused on the battle map. The holomap showed the two surviving Hand frigates, as well as the two destroyers, engaging the remaining four destroyers. Alongside the Longsword squadrons, the destroyers were being overwhelmed, though they retaliated with their own salvo's, slamming their shields and causing explosions to rock the Hands ships. Julius smiled grimly. It was time to finish this. “Bring us about and head for the remaining Katarian forces. Lets secure the space around this planet.

“Yes sir.�

Within five minutes, it was all over. The system was theirs.


-----------------------

Back on Jericho IV....

Sergeant Mosely stood at the back of the line of men advancing through another set of trenches to their objective. The Lieutenant stood at the front, gazing in front of them, trying to find the enemy bunkers. They knew they were close; they could hear the thunder of their anti-tank weapons and they had run into two Katarian patrols already, as was evidenced by the Katarian weapons on their belts. Sharva looked around a corner and held up a closed fist, causing the entire group to freeze. They had all of the wounded evac'd by Pelican, along with the bodies, so they were down to fifteen men combined. Mosely heard the private comm for the platoon turn on. “Alright boys, we found it. I am reading four anti-vehicle and seven anti-personnel bunkers, each with a crew of four. Added onto this is a force of about six soldiers who are hunkered down in the trenches, and three bunkers of around ten soldiers, its a tough nut to crack. We need to contact the General to see if he can draw them off somehow. The Banshees won't be enough and the guns will just knock 'em down.� Mosely replied.

“Very well, sir. Men, go into defense formation Alpha until further orders.� The men took positions on the two sides of the trench and waited as Sharva contacted the General. Soon, the gruff voice thundered on their comm.

“What are you doing, Lieutenant? Don't you have a job to do?�

“I know that, but we have hit a snag?�

“A snag? What snag?�

“It would appear that there is about thirty-six soldiers guarding the bunkers, too much firepower for us to take on.� The channel was quiet.

“I see. I'll do something about that.� The channel cut and Sharva motioned for them to wait. After several moments, dull thumps could be heard in the distance and the three bunkers emptied of soldiers, as they ran off, their leaders barking sharp orders. Sharva check the TACMAP.

“Well, it appears the General had launched an attack on a weakpoint in the trenches, and the Katarians are pulling in forces to push him out. Let's take advantage, shall we?� He cocked a round into the chamber of his shotgun and they grinned. “Hey Mosely, mind giving me a frag? I used all mine on that gunners' nest back there.� The Sergeant tossed him one and the Lieutenant peeked around the corner, gauging the distance and then pulled the pin, tossing the grenade.

It bounced off a tall piece of timber and landed in a firing pit for one of the anti-vehicle bunkers. The six soldiers glanced over, wondering what it was when a loud bang sounded and smoke and shrapnel launched out from the pit, followed by pieces of the gun and Katarian gore. The soldiers barked and began to rush over to investigate. “Dog Company, let 'im have it!� The humans charged out of the entrance they had hunkered down in, shocking the charging Katarians and causing them to falter. Bullets peppered their bodies and they began to fall. Quickly recovering, their leader barked an order and they took covered behind anything they could find, including the bodies of their comrades. Three of them had fallen before they returned fire. Blue pulse rifle blasts filled the air as they fired at the incoming humans. Sharva ran up, roaring as his shotgun boomed, shooting clouds of shrapnel at the enemy. His shields flared as the pulse blasts impacted with it and his shield indicator beeped in warning . Lashing forward, he slammed the butt of his rifle into the head of the leftmost Katarian, snapping his head back with a loud crack, killing him instantly. The other two soon were forced to hide behind cover as a storm of suppressive fire peppered their positions. Two shotgun blasts and they were done. As they were doing this, the remaining crews of the guns poured out and added their fire into the fray. The humans were forced into to the two bunkers on the sides, firing out at the enemy. Plasma bursts, needler rounds, bullets and pulse blasts were exchanged as both sides duked it out. One of the human soldiers took a pulse blast to the side as his shields failed and was thrown back onto the ground. He cried out in pain and the medic tried to go to him but was forced back by a hail of fire. Mosely barked into the comm.

“Marines, suppressive fire! Get those lizardheads down under their covers so Jackson can do his thing!� The Marines focused their fire and six Katarians fell before they managed to find cover. Jackson raced out, grabbed the injured man and dragged him behind a rock, leaving a trail of blood and began to attend to him. The Katarian fire returned and both sides returned to firing. Sharva swore. They couldn't get caught like this, they could have reinforcements on the way. He sighed as he knew what he had to do.

“Dog Company, get ready for a charge!� The men froze for a second, and gazed at him before being ordered into the formation by Mosely. The charge would be a pincer movement, coming at the Katarians from the right and left, firing with everything they had. The men gathered at the two points, and the Sergeant signaled they were ready. Sharva sighed. It was risky and some would not make it, but he had to do it, the mission was already risky enough. He had two tools available to him. Sending a message out, he used the first. A loud, screaming sound was heard as two squadrons of Imperial Banshee's appeared and strafed the Katarians with their plasma cannons before bombing them with their fuel rod cannons, causing bodies to fly from the impacts. Seven more Katarians were killed in the blasts, dropping their number to thirty-one. Before they could recover from the attack, the Lieutenant used his other tool. Pulling the pins from two smoke grenades, he tossed them in front of the Katarians, where they exploded and shot smoke everywhere. At this moment, Sharva gave the order to charge. Yelling, the men of 1st and 4th Platoon charged through the smoke, assault weapons blazing. The Katarians were hit hard by the attack but they quickly returned fire. The air was soon filled with the screams and gurgles of the wounded and dying, as both sides exchanged fire. Four men were down, and twelve Katarians dead as the smoke settled. The Katarians were rallying for a counter-charge and the humans grimaced, as they fired and did their best to dodge the pulse weaponry. They were caught in the open and with the Katarians filling the trench with their bodies, they would cause a melee that would result in more casualties. Then, a Marine swore.

“Fuck this, I've had enough.� Taking out a plasma grenade, he activated it and launched it. It landed squarely on the commander's chest, who gazed at the glowing blue ball, along with the rest of his men, in shock. Then a bright blue explosion flashed and brown gore covered the trench. Mosely whistled.

“Damn good throw, Marine.� The Marine in question, spat on the ground.

“They fried, Jenkins, Kiowa, Dobbins, and Bowker. They got what they deserved.� Sharva said nothing, as Mosely gave the order to collect the bodies, and police the weaponry and ammo. They captured all ten remaining bunkers intact, but it took the blood of five men, as Hallowell was killed by a stray pulse blast in the head. Sighing, the Lieutenant keyed the comm to all forces.

“The picnic is open for all guests. I advise coming to the party, its bound to end soon.� With that message, the Imperial forces drove into the breach and soon had the Katarians on the run into the city.

Though it has cost much, they had set the first brick in their path to victory....


---------------------------------

On New Berlin....


Warmaster Fle'ion stood in the command center for all Katarian forces on the planet. He was tall for his race, a lizard-like people who fought the wars of the Empire. They had dark red skin, with slitted gold eyes and long claws. They wore dark red armor, with various insignias for ranks. His was a circle with two stars overlapping it, the rank of Warmaster. He stood, reading over the status of his forces as well as the siege on the Imperial stronghold. All forces were accounted for. The two divisions holding the capital, along with armor, and the two companies laying siege to the fortress. Nodding, he keyed the comm to the fleet. “Prepare to send down supplies, we need more ammunition and parts for the armor.� He got nothing but static. He pinged the system and found....nothing. The communication systems could not find a signal from the fleet anywhere. Either they were experiencing equipment troubles or......He stood up, eyes flaring.

“Or they were destroyed. The Imperium has struck back and will soon strike us here!� As he turned to mobilize his forces, a streak of light shot down from the sky and impacted with the city. The last thing Fle'ion saw was a massive wave of white light and then oblivion dragged him away.

------------------------

Captain Julius watched as the fleet bombarded the capital and the surrounding ammunition dumps with their plasma weapons, glassing the entire area. While it destroyed the land and annihilated a city, it was something they could not fix. Land could be terraformed, cities rebuilt. The taint they had destroyed could not be removed so easily, the Katarian taint. Gazing at the screen, he opened the personal FLEETCOM channel for his forces.

“Alright, cease the bombardment. If anything even survived, it will die soon from the fires anyways.� The fire slowed and then ceased altogether. Turning to the holopad next to him, he watched as a woman with long flowing hair and glowing robe of numbers and symbols appeared. “Hello, Grace.�

“Hello, Captain. I have finished scanning the planet. There is a force of Katarians, numbering around three hundred and thirty strong, laying siege to a force of Imperials, numbering around one hundred and fifty.�

“Whats the situation?�

“Grim for the Imperials. They are running low on ammunition and supplies, though the Katarians are as well, and they don't know that their capital has just been razed yet. If we are to strike, now is the time.� Julius nodded.

“Indeed. It is vital we meet our agent on the ground and rescue him. Without him, the New Imperium cannot come to fruition. Send all available forces down to Sector C23, and deploy all Skyhawks, Sparrowhawks and Longswords, I want those xenos destroyed two hours ago.�

----------------

The mountain fortress, codenamed “The Forge� was the last point of Imperial control on New Berlin. The Katarians had surrounded it and so far, had launched three assaults. One by the main entrance, as a test and the Imperials had slaughtered twenty-two Katarians before they pulled out. They attacked from the air and then a hidden side entrance. Both attacks were repelled, with a total of forty-eight Katarian dead. Of course, the Imperials had lost over thirty-two soldiers, and the remaining one hundred and twenty were not holding up well. Starvation had started to set in and ammo was scarce. Jake Morris rubbed his face, feeling the unshaven hairs on his chin and sighed. Before him stood his commanders.

“Well, it has come to this. We are barely holding as it is, and the Katarians know this. They are massing forces at the side entrances and the gate and are planning to charge. With our forces spread thin, tired and weak, we can't hold it off.�

One of them stepped forward. “Sir, I have to disagree-� Morris held up a hand.

“No, you know it to be true. Some men are lucky to still be standing, they are so exhausted. However, we have to give it one last go, which is why I am pulling all forces back to the main complex and fortifying it as best we can. We have the best chance of decimating their forces enough to force them to retreat or allow us to break out. With the remainder of our LOTUS anti-tank mines and-� Whatever else he was going to say was cut off when the scream of Longswords was heard. One of the commanders blinked.

“Longswords? Air support was wiped out in the first wave.� Loud booms sounded and the cries of Katarians filled the air. Rushing to the windows, they gazed in shock as squadron after squadron of Longswords, Sparrowhawks and Skyhawks slammed the Katarian camps with missiles, plasma blasts and bullets. They could see shapes of men, humans obviously, charging the Katarian camp while the aliens were still in shock.

One of the commanders hooted. “Reinforcements, the Imperium must have found out about our situation and sent in the cavalry!�

Plasma blast slammed into bodies, burning through armor, while bullets turned bodies into meat as over five hundred soldiers, with air support and tanks, slaughtered every single Katarian they could find. Even the wounded as they crawled were shot. The commanders blanched and the one who had hooted gulped. “I guess those aren't our fellow Imperial Marines...� An A.I., in the form of an angel appeared on the holopad next to Morris.

“No..if I am seeing their armor right, those are soldiers for the Hand of Humanity.� Morris closed his eyes and did not see as the Hands moved into the base, unopposed as the entire Imperial garrison was shocked and it quickly fell into their hands.

---------------

Julius sat in his room, thinking, when Grace appeared. “Sir, we found him.�

“Who?�

“The agent. He is a little weak and tired, but he has loads of information and data on both the Imperium and the Katarians.�

“Excellent. And the what of the Final Key?� A pause.

“He has that, too.�

Julius smiled.

“Inform the Guardian. Tell him we are ready to begin the final phase of Operation: SAVIOR.�

----------------------

[Telros]

01200 hours, February 25th, 2672 (Military Calendar)\
Sol Defense Fleet, Sol System, Earth

Stars shimmered in the void of space, sending their light to brighten the entire cosmos. Their light landed on a simple blue planet, making it shine as if divinely inspired. The three hundred or more ships of the Sol Defense Fleet shone even brighter, their lights and engines flaring brightly in the blackness. In command was Rear Admiral Karaih, ordered by the Emperor to secure Sol as a precaution in case the Katarians broke through the line at Jericho. She was unhappy at that but she did as she was told. Melissa stood on the bridge, coffee in her hands as she gazed wistfully into space.

She missed them. The others. Edward Carlyle....Jake Morris....and Anne....poor Anne. She closed her eyes against the image of her dead body.

�Don't you worry, Anne. We shall avenge you. Those Hand bastards will suffer dearly!� A voice interrupted her thoughts.

“Ma'am.� She blinked and looked down to see Ensign Johnson. “Ma'am, we have a high priority message coming in just for you. All the codes check in, its real.� He handed her a piece of paper. Her brow furrowed, she took it and read it. Her eyes widened as she read the message. It was a simple sentence.

“Melissa, its Jake, help me.� Attached were some coordinates.

Turning, she yelled out orders for ships to go and investigate. Her heart thudded.

�Oh God...not Jake too...please God no...�

---------------------

Fortunately, an hour later, Jake Morris, beat-up, bandaged and weak, was in the infirmary aboard Karaih's ship, the Leviathan. The door hissed opened as Karaih walked in and, abandoning all pretense, rushed over to the bed. “Jake, are you alright?� A weak chuckle came from the bed.

�Of course I am, Melissa. I’m here, aren’t I?� She reached for his hand and took it into both of hers.

“What happened, Jake?� The General sighed and launched into his tale, of the fierce battles with the Katarians in the Scorpion system and being forced back from planet after planet, as the Imperium had no resources to send them in that sector. The final push towards New Berlin and the desperate space and ground battle before being forced into the Forge.

“…then the Hands came forward and took all of us prisoner, saying some babble about making us see the ‘glory’ of the ‘New Imperium’. Buncha crazies, the lot of them.� Kariah took a breath.

“How were you able to escape them?� He flashed her a smile.

“Oh, it was simple really? The Katarians still had some hardware on the ground, one being a stealth ship that you found me in. It was still cloaked and since the Hands had not bothered to check thermal activity, since the planets magma would have hidden it, the Marines staged a distraction, allowing me to get aboard and escape. Did you send the data to HIGHCOM and the Emperor?�

She nodded. “Yes, we caught the Emperor as he was coming back to Earth and he is reviewing it now.� She stood. “Hell of a story, Jake. But, you have seen better days.� He shook his head, rising.

�Nonsense, I am fi-“ He was pushed down firmly, yet gently, by Melissa.

�Just rest….for my sake of mind, okay?� He grinned at her.

“Sure thing, Princess.� She pretended to smack him and he lay back down, grinning. Chuckling, she turned and left. Things were right again, with Jake back and Edward leading the fleet, they could win the war. As the door closed, Jake closed his eyes and rested.

------------------------------

The aide blinked as a message came in.

“Milord, we have an incoming message.� The Guardian glanced up from the papers he had been looking over.

“From whom?�

“The Agent.� The Guardian as if shocked by a taser, as he rushed over, brushing aside the aide. Opening the file, he read the message. A grin appeared on his face. Turning the aide, he spoke.

“Inform the fleet. They are to begin the final phase of Operation: SAVIOR. And tell the Agent to prepare the way with the Final Key.�

------------------------------

Two hours later….

Karaih sat in her command chair, gazing at the patrol reports of the ships, and the movements of said patrols. The system had been locked down for everything but military movements and supplies coming in from all over the Imperium. Everything else, all travel, had been locked down. It was a simple precaution in case they were caught off-guard and Sol was attacked. The Emperor was on Earth, so nothing was spared in the protection of his Majesty. A voice interrupted her focus.

�Ma’am, we have incoming Slipspace rifts near Mars. Their signatures match that of Admiral Carlyle’s fleet.� Melissa’s face brightened. Carlyle must be coming back to tell of his victory against the Katarians. All contact with his system had been lost, as he had ordered radio silence, to keep the fleet hidden from the Katarians, making the trap perfect. Now, they could, in earnest, secure the Imperium and take the fight to the Katarian Empire.

�Prepare to greet the Admiral and inform the Emperor.� The rifts flared and a fleet appeared, numbering around seven hundred ships. The Imperium risked a lot for their trap but the rewards were immense. So, a large fleet had been sent. However, she noticed a blur on their sides, something out of place. Carbon scoring, maybe? Shaking her head, she spoke up.

�Open a channel to the fleet.�

�Working ma’am…� They waited a few minutes as the ships floated there, regaining their formation. Karaih blinked. �That’s odd….that’s offense formation alpha…..� The Ensign spoke up.

“Ma’am, our channel is being ignored.� Karaih’s gut clenched and the cold feeling of fear twisted her insides.

�Sensor station, focus cameras on the ship in Sector 078-D.� The screen flickered and zoomed in. The bridge crew was stunned as the sigil of the Hand of Humanity appeared.

Then, all hell broke loose.

“Ma’am, an immense energy field had just been deployed by the enemy fleet. Readings are off the charts…it appears to be an FTLi field!�

�They are powering up weapons, Ma’am, and I am reading target locks running over the fleet.�

“Slipspace ruptures are appearing right in front of us! They are planning to jump!� Melissa shook as her face contorted with fear and rage. She snapped out of her fugue and roared out orders.

�Send a message down planetside, inform the troops and the Emperor what is going on! Mobilize the Defense Fleet and have us prepare for battle. All squadrons are to mobilize and the Super MAC stations are to target the enemy fleet. Tell them that the Hand-“ Seven shots rang out and the entire bridge crew slumped in their seats. Karaih snatched her pistol and whirled around to see….

“Jake?� The General stood there, a smoking M6D pistol in his hand, a smile on his face.

�Melissa….you are so naive. It’s a wonder the Imperium still stands.� Melissa’s hand shook as she stammered out.

“W-W-Why, Jake? Why?!� He chuckled.

“Use your head, Melissa. Why did you think I pulled out of those five systems when I could have fortified a couple planets and called in reinforcements? How I managed to escape the Hand? How they snuck by your sensors and have that FTLi field.� Melissa’s eyes widened in horror as she realized the truth.

“I’m a Hand, Melissa, and proud of it.� His arm shot out and fired. Melissa tried to reply but the shock slowed down her reflexes and she took the bullet in the stomach. She flew backward from the force of the bullet and landed on the ground, blood starting to pool out from her wound. Jake stepped over her body as he inserted a chip into the main computer. The holopad flickered and the angel A.I. appeared again. “Hello Michael, ready to do our part?� The A.I. nodded.

“Always.� A signal was sent out, that caused the MAC stations to shut down, a code only someone of the General’s rank would have. With their primary defense gone and outnumbered, as well as overpowered, the Sol Defense Fleet was soon fighting for its life.

The Battle for Earth, the goal of Operation: SAVIOR, had begun.

--------------------------

On the ground, chaos was everywhere. The transmission from Karaih had stirred up a hornet’s nest, as all available ground forces prepared for an onslaught. Reports came in of the battle upstairs, and they knew an invasion was imminent. The fleet was only delaying the inevitable. Nathan stood in his throne room, surrounded by the entire platoon of Spartans. They were lucky they had all been called here for reassignment, or else the Emperor would have been left with little to protect him with. The Palace was locked down and ODST as well as Marine units and fire teams, patrolled the structure. All other forces secured vital areas, choke points and landing zones, fortifying them as best they could in the time they had. Spartan-3-02, known as Shawn, led the Spartans with the rank of Master Chief. He walked over to the Emperor who was standing in front of a window, looking up at the sky, watching the explosions which seemed so far away. Saluting, he spoke up.

“All forces have reported in, sir. We estimate that the invasion will occur at 01250.� The Emperor sighed.

“So, the fleet will only hold for five more minutes…it’s a miracle that they even last forty minutes.� Turning to the Master Chief, he nodded. “Very well, thank you. Did you bring out that package, I asked of you?� Shawn nodded.

“Yes sir. It is in the anteroom as we speak.�

�Thank you. I will be in there, checking the package. Keep me updated.� The Spartan saluted.

“Sir!� The Emperor returned it and left.

�The coming battle will decide the fate of all my father worked so hard to build. I can only hope that the defenses my father put into place will save us against the coming darkness..�

----------------------

As predicted, the Hands overwhelmed the fleet in the next five minutes and began bombarding the Imperial positions with pinpoint laser strikes, as well as bombing raids with Longswords. Heavy anti-aircraft fire, as well as Imperial Longswords and Skyhawks, countered and the sky was soon punctuated with missile trails, explosions and plasma fire. The first phase of invasion began with a wave of drop pods, which slammed into key sections of the Imperial defense. Elite Hand soldiers, known as “Hammers�, emerged from these drop pods and heavy fighting soon consumed the city around the Palace.

Captain Parker cursed as a plasma blast slammed just above his head. Ducking for a moment, he came back up and countered with a hail of needle fire. “Marines, hold the line! We have to prevent them from securing the town square!� Two squads of five men were dispersed over a barrier with anti-tank blocks, preventing vehicles from entering. The Hands were destroying those, as well as any defenses and soldiers they could find. In the narrow alleyway, which was the last defense between them and the square, the fighting had been horrific. There had been two other chokepoints but they had been overrun, one by stealth, and the other by overwhelming fire. They could not call for help as the comm channels were overwhelmed by desperate calls for help, for reinforcements and sightings of enemies, making them effectively useless. Now and then, one would cut off, indicating that the Hands had secured another point. Battle all over the city was horrific, especially as this time, the Imperials were the ones outnumbered and unprepared.

The Marines unloaded their assault weapons into the narrow channel, keep the enemy pinned down. One quickly popped out, got a burst out from his battle rifle and retreated, the plasma bolts barely missing him. The burst slammed through Pvt. Ferris’s head, his shields down due to a plasma overcharge. His brains blew out the back of his head and he flipped backwards from the momentum. Parker cursed and unloaded the rest of his needles. A flicker come from the corner of his eyes and he whirled to see one Marine gurgle as a Hand, who had snuck up on them using camouflage and the distraction of Ferris’s death, to attack. An energy blade imbedded itself in Pvt. Hosky’s neck, while the Hand aimed his right arm at another soldier and a red beam lanced out, impacting on Jarter’s shields. The man leapt backwards out of the way, and they watched as it impacted with an ammo box. “Shit!� Carter tried to leap out of the way of the fireball but it consumed them all, including the Hand. The fire raged for three minutes before dying down, and the rest of the Hand squad, after having mourned for their brother’s sacrifice, moved on to the next sector.

-----------------------------------

“Goddamit, where is Eagle Company? I thought I told them to reinforce 1st Division! And where the hell are my tanks? They were supposed to be holding town square?!�

“Sir, enemy forces have overrun our position, we can’t hold the Jackson Airport! They have tanks, air support, everything! We are falling back to rally point Zulu and-“

“Fire! Fire! Hold the line, Helljumpers, hold the line!�

“Shit, they've taken 24th street and Harvest Lane! We can't hold out much longer, Lieutenant-�

The Emperor listened to all the messages clogging the comm channels. A lot of it was the desperate orders of men struggling to hold the line against the invading Hands, how they were overwhelmed and their death screams filled the channel. Nathan cut it off, putting a hand over his eyes.

He was sorry it came to this but he knew that at some point in this war, Terra would have had to be attacked. Gazing at the package the Spartans had retrieved for him, he sighed.

“I can only hope we can weather the storm....�

---------------------

The last three platoons of the Helljumpers revered First Company, the most experienced and elite soldiers they had, were waiting for the enemy to come through the main entrance of the palace. A garbled report of enemies breaking through the People's Gate which watched over the Palace had been received and now only waited for the hammer to fall. They had two heavy machine guns set up, and sandbags to provide more protection. Sergeant Means manned one of them. “Alright, stay frosty. They will be coming soon and we need to give them a warm welcome.� Just as he finished saying this, the doors exploded inward, and a hail of plasma blasts sliced through the air, and Hand troops began pouring in, a wave of red washing through the entrance.

“Open up, Helljumpers!� The Sergeant roared and he pressed the trigger, filling the hall with bullets, cutting down five enemies before they could even fire at him. The rest of the thirty Imperials unleashed their deadly fire on the Hands, cutting deeply into the wave and filling the entrance with bodies as shields rapidly held and failed, bullets turned organs to pulp and plasma seared flesh. Several grenades, both frag and plasma were thrown, and brown and white explosions punctuated the incoming horde, throwing bodies and weapons everywhere, and coating the ground with blood.

However, they could only hold back the tide for so long, and it soon washed over them. Close combat erupted all over the hall, as the Helljumpers deployed energy shields and swords, which the Hands reciprocated and battle was joined. The sizzle of plasma meeting plasma filled the air and the desperate cries of men in combat. As they struggled against each other, more men filed past them, escorting a large man in red armor, wielding a massive sword. The Guardian smirked at the Imperials and made his way to the next entrance.

He had an Emperor to kill and an Imperium to take.

--------------------------

01310 hours, February 23rd, 2672\
Karkis System, Battle Fleet Zeus

In the Karkis system, Fleet Admiral Edward Carlyle stood on the bridge of the Supercarrier, the Terra's Pride. This ship was one of only four and was the pride of the fleet. A truly massive ship, with enough weaponry, armor and shielding to take on a fleet by itself. Which was the reason it was here. The rest of Battle Fleet Zeus was to engage the Katarian fleet, wear it down and then signal him, as he hid behind a moon, and then he would jump and finish it off.

“Sir, its beginning.� Edward gazed at the screen. The Katarians had begun to arrive, their own fleet of one thousand slowly taking shape. After it gathered itself, it would launch itself at the Imperials. And so, the turning point of the war, would be fought. Whoever won this battle, won the war. Both sides committed everything they could, gambled everything, to go for the ultimate price victory.

He smiled grimly.

And the Imperials would win out, using one of the traits humans excelled at:

Trickery.

--------------------------------------

“Fall back to the next hallway!� The three Spartans disengaged and ran down the hallway, pursued by plasma bursts. They ran through a door, closed it, locked it and assumed defensive positions once more. The Master Chief ran over the situation and let out a breath. �Not good.� The massive numbers of the Hand forces pouring in, having overwhelmed the Helljumpers at the entrance after a straight hour of fighting, were now pouring towards the throne room. The Spartans were doing what they could to hold them back, but they were only twenty soldiers, not enough to hold back the couple hundred sweeping through the palace. A rumble shook the building and he knew the LOTUS anti-tank mines had been activated. That was less to worry about.

The door burst inward, and fire lanced from it. The Spartans responded in kind. Battle was rejoined in a constant game of death.

-----------------

The Emperor stood in front of the same window, looking out over a devastated city, with smoke climbing in thick columns, air forces duking it out and the constant thunder of explosions. A sound came from his left. Turning, he saw the doorknob rattle as someone realized it was locked. He chuckled. They actually weren't breaking down the door, how quaint. �Must want to not to have to repair THAT door.� The sound of picking sounded and the click of a bolt withdrawing sounded. The door creaked open and a familiar face appeared. The Guardian of Humanity walked over and stood several feet from the Emperor. “Greetings, Emperor Avarei. A fine day, is it not?�

“Cut the crap. We both have little time nor patience for such games.� The Guardian grinned, pulling his sword up to his face.

“Are you sure you want to speak in that tone? I am here to kill you and there is nothing to stop me.�

“Oh really?� The Guardian took a step back, shocked. The Emperor gazed at him, angered. “Just try, Guardian. I can assure you, there is a reason why the people of the Imperium trust me.� The Guardian chuckled and lifted the sword over his head.

“Very well, I'll call your bluff!� He brought his sword crashing down. “YOU'RE MINE!� The room rang as the sound akin to that of a bell shook the room and a hint of fear and shock came across the Guardians face. The Emperor, having moved quicker than the eye could travel, had an energy sword up, blocking the Guardians own.

With one arm. The Guardian struggled to push down but it was like an iron wall and was a futile effort.

“Did you seriously believe my father would have put an Emperor on the throne unable to defend himself without constant protection, like he was forced to? Especially, with all the augmentations, cybernetics and other things we have. You expected to rule this nation when you can't even expect that I would not be a normal human?� The Guardian's sword began to be forced back and the cult leader took a step back.

“How...how is this possible? You are...you are...�

“Stronger than my Spartans? Yes, I am. When my father passed the crown down to me, he did it with full faith in my capabilities. He never had full faith in anyone before. Why, you ask? Because he had my genetics predetermined, augmented me, had me trained under the Spartan program, learning all their skill and techniques, as well as being taught by the best political minds. He essentially wanted the strongest, smartest, and most determined human to lead the Imperium.� The Emperor put a hand on his chest.

“And I am such a specimen.� The Guardian gasped as he watched the Emperor's robe get ripped off and something gleamed underneath.

“Spartan armor...no wait, its something else...� Nathan smirked.

“Indeed, its an advanced version of it, a prototype. It gives me even more strength, speed, and even is able to enhance my endurance and thinking speed. It has all the features of the other armor types, as well as something new.� He brought up his other arm. The armor shifted and a dark-grey cannon appeared. “This...is an old Forerunner weapon, a handheld gravity cannon. It focused gravity in its barrel and fires outward, breaking apart anything in its path. Guess who is going to be its first victim.� The Guardian's eyes shot even wider.

“Yes, thats right, you are going to be killed by a weapon that our glorious ancestors, whom you revere so much, made.� The Guardian roared, pulling his sword upward and slicing downward. It impacted with the floor and pieces of tile went everywhere. Something cold poked into the side of his head.

“A brute. A great big brute. How pathetic.� A scream, a shot, and silence.

----------------------------

After the Guardian was killed, the Hand forces quickly fell apart, their morale destroyed, and with reinforcements from other systems, who managed to penetrate the field as its maintenance fell, and annihilated every Hand ship there. All ground forces were similarly wiped out, as most fought to the death. The Hand of Humanity was exterminated.

The campaign on Jericho turned into a victory for the Imperium, as thanks to the efforts of Dog Company's 1st and 3rd Platoons, General Morrison was able to surround the Katarian forces in the city and force them to surrender after a month of heavy fighting.

The trap at Karkis was a total success. The Katarians took the bait, slammed into the Imperial fleet and a fierce space battle ensued. Both sides received heavy losses and the Imperium seemed to have lost the battle, and thus the war, when Carlyle and his Supercarrier appeared, and using their FTL to trap the remaining Katarian ships, destroyed them all. With most of their fleet destroyed and an invasion failed, the Katarians chance of winning the war faded. With the rebels gone and Katarian forces in disarray, the Imperium rallied and prepared to invade. One last attempt at diplomacy occurred at Jericho IV. The Farvos cast, proud and ignorant, refused to go to the talks. With the Empire on the verge of collapse and invasion imminent, the Krakori had had enough. A quick civil war took place over the course of the month, and the Katarian Empire, now the Krakori Dominion, surrendered to the Imperium.

All was right in the Imperium, though many died to ensure it was so. And the loss of Anne Trent would always be felt in the decades to come.

But with the Dominion was becoming their best allies, with a mutual alliance in the works, and the rebel Hand of Humanity was defeated with the Guardian dead, peace reigned once more.

....Didn't it?

--------------------------

The aide read the report. The Hand of Humanity lose 95% of its assets and was now a simple splinter group. The remaining commanders gazed at the aide, their gaze pained but determined. The aide slipped off his robe, revealing a brilliant gold and red one underneath. Another aide appeared and handed him a crown.

“The plan worked perfectly. I got those arrogant fools out of the Hand and the Imperium thinks the Guardian dead. Lucius was merely a decoy....to prevent the Imperium from killing the true Guardian....

Me.�


OOC: Thats it folks. This is the best way I could end this, with all the stuff I introduced. Have at it, its a long sonuva bitch. =P Try over 10 K of words. The end is a little crappy but I tried with it.

[Telros]

Also, unless it isn't allowed, comments, critiques and suggestions would be nice.

[Kreshh]

Test 1: Insignificant spelling and grammar errors abound (actually this is true of all three), but then, it’s not like its illegible or anything because of this. A little unbelievable, but I suppose that’s what you get for using real religions.

95%

Test 2: No Flood! Actually, I don’t care… it was a good read.

100%

Test 3: Slightly cliché (again, this is true of all of them, but it shows the most here), sometimes cliché is fun though. My only real complaint, and I really truly hate myself for saying so, was that it was a little long. This is not really a problem, but there are places where you could truncate your work slightly, if you wanted to.

100%

PASS

[Telros]

Yay! I have finally finished my masterpiece! *Collapses*

AWESOME EDIT: Since I passed, may I have my posting rights now?