The Exiles:A New Power

The One-Year War Part 2:Awakening

"... Miss Vice-Admiral, Mister Speaker, representatives of the House of the Civilian Governments of the League... Yesterday, July 7th, 2752, a date which will live in Infamy! The Black League and her allies were suddenly and deliberately attacked by Naval and Ground Forces of the slaver kingdom of the Batarian Hegemony! We were at peace with the wider Galaxy and attempting a slow opening of contact with the Galactic Government to ensure a peaceful connection. [...] The People of the Black League, in their righteous might, will win through, to absolute Victory! I believe I interpret the will of the Council when I state that, not only will we defend ourselves against such terrifying aggression, but we will make it certain that this treachery SHALL NEVER AGAIN BE REPEATED!"

-The Lord of the Admiralty, the Declaration of War heard across the Galaxy

New Reach

Orbital Naval Yard 03

Some days after the Speech

Naval Shipyards were lively, Marines and Infantry from the three peoples of the greater Black League marched aboard, crews arming up for the first Great War they'd experienced since the War against the Covenant. The only difference between then and now was that the UNSC, the wider Black League, had prepared for the battle ahead. Amidst the starlit void, great warships came to life, manned by loyal crews and Marines, Army and Special Forces packed their equipment for the war to come.

Estimates showed relative destruction of Batarian Hegemony fighting power after the loss of several of their Dreadnoughts. Their picket fleets, according to Prowlers sent forward yesterday evening, were already coalescing into greater fleets, unaware of the size of the enemy's fleet. The Black League's forces would leave defensive formations above their own planets, ensuring that the Galactic North-East remained safe, but the bulk of naval power would focus on the Batarian Hegemony.

It was to this end that the UNSC's first new warships, the Titan-class dreadnoughts, were to be the tip of the spear. One kilometer long, but armed with the latest in terms of the UNSC's weaponry, the vessels, powered by half-a-dozen large fusion engines, pushed out to join the 100-strong Battle Group Titan, their namesake flagship. The Captain of the leading Dreadnought and the Vice-Admiral aboard with him looked at the gathering force.

Half a million Marines, ten thousand prototype battle androids made with the help of the Geth Consensus, multiple shipboard AIs and an entire suite of advanced sensors, dropships and equipment stood at their disposal. As the vessels powered through the void, moving away from the clutter of New Reach's orbit, they powered Slipspace Drives and made jump calculations, synchronizing to jump out together for their AO.

Yellow alert initiated across the ships, muted alarms echoing distantly in the ears of all crew as the vessels slowly approached Exit Vector. Their first target would be the Batarian world where the captured Science staff were being held. A decent target if one were to say so, considering it was probably the closest to the Batarian home systems. Intel also spoke of several important moons acting as defensive outposts in the area.

When the Battle Group arrived at their designated Exit Vector, away from Civilian traffic and the clutter of celestial bodies, their Slipspace drives powered in complete unison, the heavy weight of humanity's fury propelling them forward like a catapult toward their intended target. It would take them a day to reach the RV point with Battle Group Moscow. When they hit that point, they'd engage the Batarian fleet.

It was with this in mind that Marines aboard all warships within the fleet prepared their gear for a hot drop. Within the hangars of carriers, dreadnoughts and even Frigates and Destroyers, they loaded magazines with AP ammo, prepared Jackhammer rocket launchers and manned the combat vehicles born out of the HACS progams of various companies. Thumping feet slammed into the deck as quadrupedal mechs went to their berths for final maintenance.