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back, Chae down the hill That apocryphal moment is considered to have saved the line, the Union ar, and perhaps determined the entire outcome of the first American Civil War
Likewise, Cole knew he had to win no matter the cost in ships or lives or even to his sanity
Because if he failed, the enemy would destroy entire worlds; millions and billions of lives were his sole responsibility
Mere psychological analysis cannot reveal the nature of what could keep anypressure
Certainly we see in that last personal log that Cole had reached the nadir of his spirits All he needed was a push to send hi he could never have foreseen
SECTION SEVEN: THE COVENANT WAR: THE BATTLE OF PSI SERPENTIS (2543
CE)
{Excerpt} UNSC After-Action Report: Battle Group Sierra-3
AI-enhanced battle summation and causality reports attached
Battle Group Sierra-3 engages Covenant in 18 Scorpii
PRELIMINARY:Battle Group Sierra-3, coed a Covenant CPV-class heavy destroyer in the 18 Scorpii System, March 6, 2543 (Military Calendar) The UNSC Seattle and There, while the Io sustained heavy dae Covenant vessel destroyed
SUMMARY ADDENDUM:The Convenant ship inflected heavy daroup was unable to peel its shields Io ‘s FTL drive was inoperative, so I faced a decision to fall back and save two destroyers, or fight and possibly lose all those ships Reinforcements arrived when unknown friendly ships jumped in system Additional firepower penetrated enemy shields
Lead reinforceate design with major modifications (see technical reports attached) Passive transponder pinged and yielded a ship reg
nu the UNSC BellerophonFriendlies jumped out-system before cohost ships But I don‘t care if it is the Bellerophon , or if it was the Flying Dutchman sent by Lucifer himself--they saved our hides Transmitted thanks to them before they jumped out and wished them wellwhoever they were, and wherever they were headed
SECTION PREFATORY REMARKS
I start this section with the Sierra-3 After-Action Report as it was the catalyst for what happened next (or so I believe)
Cole had to have seen the report He was in charge ofdetail would not let a report--a report of a UNSC victory no less--pass his desk without a glance
Cole’s analyticalof
the Bellerophon, aka Bellicose (1) The Bellerophon was incorrectly identified Or (2) the Bellerophon escaped or faked falling into the gravity well of a gas giant and its subsequent destruction twenty-nine years prior
The captain of the Bellicose, clever enough to face Cole thrice in battle and live, h an in-at was only a theoretical possibility at that tiiven the ONI revelation in 2503 of the public identity of the Bellicose ’s insurgent captain, it also makes perfect sense that she would want to drop off their radar in such a permanent and unequivocal fashion
But ould Bellicose rescue Sierra-3? Had the reency resurfaced to unite with their forreater threat?
Or was Lyra Castilla’s reason personal? Did she reappear to send athe limits of my analysis with ros cease after February 2533 His nor overtly suspicious, and all within the prerogative of a vice adly innocuous actions and orders would culminate in the momentous death of Preston Cole
Restricted communique from Vice Admiral Preston
Cole to REACH LOGISTICS \ March 9, 2543
(Military Calendar)
UNITEDNATIONSSPACECOMMANDTRANSMISSION116749-09
ENCRYPTIONCODE: RED
PUBLICKEY: FILE/ VEGAS-ANACONDA-MOCKINGBIRD-ZERO/
FROM: VICEADMIRALPRESTONCOLE, COMMANDINGOFFICERUNSC E VEREST /
(UNSC SERVICENUMBER: 00814-13094-BQ)
TO: ADMIRALDALEKILKIN, UNSC CENTRAL COMMAND, REACH LOGISTICS OFFICE /
(UNSC SERVICENUMBER: 007981-63882-GE)
SUBJECT: REQUISITIONS, TRANSFERS, AND FAVORS
CLASSIFICATION: RESTRICTED (BGE DIRECTIVE)
Dale,
Recent prowler reports indicate a Covenant ar in Sector Three I need my ships repaired, refitted, and battle-ready ASAP Code these orders CRIMSON, and pull in favors people owe me to make it happen You knohat I sten-layered titaniu: 5), replaceraded armor plates on Everest , et al
2 Requisition : Additional ―smart" nav AI Sealed and un-booted Back-up for EverestCurrent AI operating at 68 capacity
3 Order : Pull the Io out of space dock and tow her to one to repair, but Captain Wren has an idea to use her as a fire ship
4 Requisition : Ordnance: 105 Shiva nuclear missiles (VE-3 type), 2400 Archer missiles, 45,000
blocks Helix System ammunition (see additional nonordnance supplies in Attachment A)
5 Requisition : Detailed stellar survey of Section Three, sub-voluiants
6 Transfers : I can‘t lead e of collapse froue List of crew transfers in Attachment B List of requested crew replacements in Attachment C
7 Favor : I have a theoretical Shaw-Fujikawa h the ONI AI network on Reach They‘re the only ones in the Outer Colonies with the raer to get the job done
8 Wish me luck