As the
Shining Armor struggled with the Brutes attached to it, multiple forces responded to their distress. The Nandaos, having cleaned up the remaining Banished air power, came back around to target the Brutes clawing at the frigate's hull. Missiles were too great a risk, and so it was with autocannons that the Nandaos strafed their own ally. In addition, one of the
Legitimate Salvage's Phantoms rerouted from its pickup of unngoy engineers to lay down fire on the Brutes. more agile than the larger vessels, it would ensure that it didn't stray into the effective range of their jump packs. Lastly, a pair of Pelicans laden with
Last Light marines would make best speed to the frigate, using their chain guns to clear the savages, and deploying their marine compliment to the hangar if it became compromised.
--++--++--
Elsewhere, Kovalenko addressed the people of Fortin Solano; hoping to resolve the conflict in that city without bloodshed. Communicated via radio, and Pipistrelle loudspeakers, he spoke with level confidence, "I speak now to the citizens of Fortín Solano and those enthralled by venal oaths: You are not alone. We are here. Fortín Solano, this is Governor Kovalenko— Levosia's revolution has begun.
New Kherson stands liberated, the DCZ too. Take heart, Levosia is not alone either. With the aid and cooperation of fellow outer colonists, the New Kherson City Guard stands ready to liberate Fortín Solano. Brothers, sisters, friends-who-could-be, I ask that you fight alongside us; shoulder to shoulder, a united front against tyranny. Let us raise arms against the scourge that razes and plagues our planet. Let us root them out completely and salt their wounds so profusely they'll be no retribution to fear but God's own.
Fortín Solano, it's time we let the tyrants taste fear!" (Speech courtesy of
@rissa, the Rissan Al'Gaib)
--++--++--
While an attempt to complete repairs on the Karve was tempting, it was ultimately too great a risk. The crew of the
Legitimate Salvage would evacuate the hulk, transferring instead to the
Uratom. Her Kig Yar Rangers would leave the system aboard the
Honeypot, ensuring that it was kept well protected during Slipspace transit. The Karve itself was placed into a high orbit of Levosia's moon by
Tower Shield. With that, the fleet had completed all but its final task.
--++--++--
A Dreadnought. A vessel comparable in scale to the dreaded CAS Assault Carrier. Such a warship was far beyond the capabilities of the Arcadian fleet. Fieldings had studied his history, however. The actions of Noble Team in Operation: UPPERCUT would directly inspire his plan here. NAI had neither the time to remove and convert a slipspace drive, nor the conveniently boardable corvette to set on a refueling run. What they did have, however, was 15 nuclear weapons, a Covenant-era missionary vessel, and the world's most budget-friendly Prowler. There was no hope of penetrating the Dreadnought's shields in a straightforward fleet engagement.
Twin Engine and her escorts would be dead long before they could accomplish that.
But there were two vessels in their ad-hoc flotilla that might just pull it off.
Legitimate Salvage was a Kig Yar vessel fit with Covenant-era drives and electronics. With a measure of pre-planning, she would be capable of a precision Slipspace jump. In the bare hours remaining before the Dreadnought's arrival, 6 of the
Pale Rider's 12 Harpoons would be transferred, and reconfigured, to be launched from the
Salvage. Restructured into a form reminiscent of pre-information age 'bundle grenades,' the 6 Harpoons would be fired at point blank range, close enough that even if shot down their detonation would surely be devastating to the Dreadnought's shields, and thoroughly blinding to the beast's sensors. Even if the blast didn't take
Legitimate Salvage, the Banished retaliation surely would. Her helm knew it would be a suicide mission. In an uncharacteristic display of bravery, the Kig Yar volunteered without hesitation. A chance to knock the Banished down, a chance to prove his race's virtue, and a chance to secure his family's safety in the outer colonies.
But
Legitimate Salvage was not to be the only one sacrificed in this battle. Noble as her helmsman was, he would not be enough to win the day. Arcadia's Nandao squadrons, too, would cast themselves into the flame. Equipped with the 6 remaining Harpoons, the Nandaos would come in hot on
Salvage's trail. Numbering 26 fighters in total, the 20 not carrying a nuclear payload would cover for their laden wingmen on the approach, cutting down any Banished fightercraft in their way, and throwing themselves into the guns of any point defense able to target them. A noble sacrifice, equal to that of the
Salvage, but still not enough.
Ultimately, this battle would hinge on the success of Commander Hills' transport; the
Last Light of Arcadia. Ironically, this had always been the marine's plan for their vessel, they had simply yet to find the nukes, and an opportune target. The banta-class transport had been retrofitted with a prowler's stealth drive, supposedly from one of the many left behind in drydock over Reach. With this, it could approach far closer than any other vessel, and with the beast's shields pierced and sensors blinded, she would be able to crash into one of the Dreadnought's many hangars, and detonate the bundled payload of 3 Shiva nuclear bombs. Helmed by one Corporal Matthias Harley, it was to be her kamikaze that would secure the day.
To ensure total success, however, the fleet would still be taking action. Performing a slingshot maneuver around the planet, the Arcadian navy would position itself to come over the horizon and strike the beast moments after
Last Light's detonation. Whatever remained of the Dreadnought would find itself drown in a hail of railfire and plasma. If, Forerunners forbid, the shields are not disabled by the prior nuclear attacks,
Last Light of Arcadia will slow its approach to arrive
after the fleet has struck the Dreadnought, in the hopes that the combined might of MAC cannons and plasma lances would be enough to punch the necessary hole.
This is a desperate hour. A time for heroes. And the Banished will find that the Outer Colonies have no shortage of them.
