[FT] The Long Journey Home (AAR) Part 2/6

> CONTINUED FROM PART 1 >>>>

The jump series out to the rim worlds, where the forces of humanity had
gathered to prosecute the first major human offensive of the InterSentient
War, is a long and arduous one. Crews could burn out easily and so the UNSC
had negotiated 'resting rights' on the outer edges of many of the systems
along the way. Thus, fleets from the major and minor powers alike had become a
common sight on the outer edges of these systems. During the final
month of the offensive's build-up traffic flow through the 'rest
systems' had been particularly hectic with fleets passing through every few
days. This had been particularly true for the inhabitants of the Inner Colony
system of Sirius, the system the Independent Antarctic States, the IAS, call
home. It was a fairly important jump node as FSE and NSL and even some ESU
vessels had to pass through there to reach the areas being harassed by the
Kra'Vak. Traffic had been at peak levels there for well over six weeks before
it had quietened down again, with most of the fleets finally well on to their
way to the rim. The Richelieu had been a part of the final FSE and NSL
contingents that had jumped out from Sirius 3 weeks ago. The force was
actually supposed to be a tri-nation force heading off to act as
reserves for the assault on the Kra'Vak strongholds around Beta Trianguli
Australis, but they'd had been forced to leave their ESU counterparts still
sitting on the system's edge as a jump engine malfunction in the
superdreadnought had delayed their scheduled departure. However the Eurasian
fleet's subsequent actions and its Admiral's logs had shown these mechanical
difficulties to be nothing more than the opening ruse of yet another pathetic
betrayal...

"The IAS have hailed three times now inquiring about whether our engines are
cycling properly and asking to be notified if we're preparing to jump. Their
forward observation drones have obviously detected that we've been powering
up, but I'm confident that they won't guess our true intentions until we're
well underway into their system. It's been 6 days now since the other fleets
left, long enough from them to be far away, and nothing more powerful than a
cargo hauler is officially scheduled to come in for weeks. The IAS worlds will
make a perfect jumping off platform for our Inner Systems Campaign. With most
of the fleets out fighting the Kra'Vak it shouldn't take much to clear the
other forces out of this system and by the time anyone can do anything about
it, we'll be entrenched...

...I don't know how they found us out, but we've just detected the entire IAS
Warforce on an intercept course. We should meet them in 2.3 hours, just off
their science stations around Ronne. No matter though they will stand little
chance against our best. They're little more than a ragtag bunch of scientists
and UNSC lapdogs playing soldiers. We will be all but unopposed..."

They weren't, for there is only one thing more committed than a cornered, or
desperate, man and that's one whose protecting his family. With just over 1.5
hours to contact, the IAS fleet commander hailed the ESU requesting updates on
status and intentions. The silence which greeted their efforts was obviously
answer enough as neither fleet hesitated when they eventually entered weapons
range. The IAS Warforce suffered extensive casualties at the hand of the more
experienced, more powerful and numerically superior ESU force, but they did
not budge. As ship after ship fell more stepped up to fill the line, they
could do nothing more because falling back meant losing their home. Even the
sublight boats and lightly armed explorers stationed at Ronne joined the
affray. However, for all their tenacity, the IAS were doing little beyond
moderate damage to the invasion fleet and ultimately they could do little more
than slow the force down. After two hours of such carnage even Admiral
Zermansky was unsettled by the loss of life and offered the IAS forces an
honourable surrender, they did not accept...

"... These stubborn dogs refuse to see reason. How can sublight boats hope to
do little more than clog up our jets when their carrier and battleships
already lie wrecked about us? I must admit their courage impresses me, they
have a spirit I did not expect of such cowering intellectuals. However, their
efforts will all be in vain. We should be in ortillery range of Adelie within
5.4 hours..."

Less than half of an hour after these words were logged the ESU Inner Systems
Campaign was over and the Admiral was dead. At a little after midnight Adelie
time the largest UNSC fleet ever formed jumped into the Sirius system just
spinward of Ronne's orbital path. At the core of the armada was a force of
ships, their like never seen before, they were of the highest technology and
sleekest design. Commissioned within hours of the initial reports of first
contact, these vessels were not subject to the whim of any nation state, these
belonged to the UNSC alone. Around this flock of silent raptors hovered a
bizarre flotilla of mixed designs and clashing colours. Not as arresting
technologically, these vessels were astounding for what they represented. The
smallest of nations who had spent over half a century chopping and changing
sides in the Solar Wars as often as they changed governments had finally
thrown their lot behind one goal and had ratified this act by sending all that
they had. The IAS command had only received word of the fleet's impending
arrival by fast courier boat that morning. The IAS force that had met the ESU
off Ronne hadn't been sent to investigate the ESU, rather it had been on its
way to rendezvous with the UNSC forces. The vessels of the IAS navy, headed up
by their new Battleship fresh from its shakedown cruise, were to be the
leadships of the left wing of this new multipartite fleet. The ESU forces
themselves would have been notified by the IAS command of the imminent arrival
if they hadn't already broken off communications. The variegated armada must
have been a commanding sight, it proved to be a decisive one. Literally
moments before jumpspace had birthed this juxtaposition of humanity the IAS
had launched its largest and final assault. Fighters, torpedos, missiles and
beams arrowing through space as if they were the coordinated limbs of some
nightmarish chimera. To the IAS's horror the ESU superdreadnought did not
react, it was as if it were some skittish fox held rigid by the glare of
oncoming lights. The IAS fleet commander couldn't know whether Zermansky was
distracted or cowered by the UNSC's arrival, either way it was going to be
slaughter. He barked orders to try and divert the barrage, see it harmlessly
pass its mark and then he prayed the ESU would do something to protect
themselves. In answer, as if it were Gulliver shaking himself free from the
Lilliputian's bindings, the superdreadnought did finally swing into action.
PDS blazed and escort ships flew in to draw fire, but all for naught. The
superdreadnought 's nose crumpled and implosions dominoed from bulk head to
bulk head along its spine until finally the core breached and the hulk tore
itself apart, showering its brood of escorts with glowing debris. Under threat
of facing the prodigious and untouched fleet of the UNSC, and stunned by the
sudden and spectacular loss of their supposedly indestructible centrepiece,
the remnants of the ESU fleet capitulated.

> CONTINUED IN PART 3 >>>>>>>