User:XW3 AR3 L3GION/Halo: Battle of Yaris IV

Foreword
Yaris IV is earth-like world in the Yaris Alpha System. First discovered and colonised by the Sangheili in 2344, it was later abandoned during Operation: LEGACY and subsequently colonised by the Jiralhanae. Due to the world abundance in heavy metals, no less than thirteen Jiralhanae factions fought for control of the ores to fuel weapon and ship production. The Neo-Covenant Empire eventually gained control and used Yaris IV as a frontline re-supply base against other Jiralhanae factions and later the United Federation of Earth and Her Colonies and The Sovereign Territories of Sanghelios during the Doisac War.

Due to the more recent losses in 2623 and the incompetance of the Imperial Jiralhanae Commanders, the world was once again abandoned despite its strong position and strategic worth and was invaded and captured by UNSC Defence Forces in the Spring of 2624. A summary bout of executions and impalements in the Imperial Command structure brought forth Fleet Master Grenus who organised the Fleet of Impending Destruction and a million-strong invasion force to retake Yaris IV during the Thak'Iete Campaign. Grenus argued that the capture of Yaris IV would weaken the UNSC position while also reinforcing their own and shorten their supply lines by almost a week in some places. With concent from Grand War Chieftain Zhokus and the Holy Prophets, Fleet Master Grenus moved against Yaris IV.

Chapter One
Reports of a new counter-offensive by Imperial Jiralhanae Forces littered Ensign George Patal's work desk. Patal had pulled the graveyard shift. This was the third week in a row. It may have something to do with spilling the Captain's coffee some four weeks ago. It wouldn't have been so bad, if he had just spilt it on himself and the floor. But no, Patal thought, he had to spill it on Captain Riesemann leg, while his commanding officer was on the horn to Fleet Admiral O'Donnell himself.

Patal sighed and refreshed his command station, looking for any unnatural pings or signals that would indicate life in the black abyss that was space. His command station flashed back a negative, so Patal popped a pair of earphones on and started to play his favourite song: Indus - Party in the Ganges. It reminded him of the drunken nights of Luna Naval College and the womens who loved a man in uniform. Patal smiled to himself and recline in his chair, resting his feet on his station and started to remember that one girl from before he shipped off to Reach. Priya, ahhh...

His console had started to flash. He hadn't noticed at first. Too caught up remember how much he had to drink with Priya, the med student from New Delhi. He mentally scolded himself and begin to check his station. An unnatural ping had been detected by the cruisers long-range sensors. George swore under his breath, a habit developed from living with his overbaring mother and reset the sensors again. It took a whole thirty seconds to reset and re-do the sensor sweep, partly due to Patal's shaking hands.

His mind had gone racing, George had never encountered the Covenant before. The closest he had ever got to an alien lifeform was from watching one of those action-packed holofilms as a boy or even during the training where they simply showed a short clip of Jiralhanae, Kig-Yar and Unggoy boarding force on an old Marathon-Class Cruiser. Even then they were told to lock up and simply wait for the Marines to take care of it all.