UNSC Rio

"Deploy Shield Team"

- Captain Janeiro. The UNSC Rio was a    that served as part of the  during the  and Post War Era. During the the ship became the official garrison of the    team, Shield Team.

The current and original captain of the ship is Captain Damon Janeiro.

Construction
Beginning construction in 2547, the Rio was designed by Sonar Shipyards on the colony of Langton. The ship's construction was oversaw by its future commanding officer, Commander Damon Janeiro who would later become a captain. The ship completed its construction in early 2550 and was ready for its first deployment.

Fall of Jericho III
The survivors of PROMETHEUS, Paul-A238, Kyle-A245, Lopez-A232 and James-A242, were deployed to the colony of Jericho III with a survivor of   named  Samuel-B308  to stop a Covenant advancement to the inner colonies. The spartans, in previous years were promoted to higher ranks. The spartans then formed  Shield Team  and were sent to the  Rio  for deployment.

The Rio would deploy Shield Team across the colony as the crew joined naval command in halting Covenant fleets from emerging onto the surface. Eventually, the navy line broke through and the Covenant invade the town of Terran. While ground forces engaged anti-air stations, the Rio continued its goal of cleaning the skies of Covenant forces.

Eventually, with extra air defenses, the UNSC Rio, and the 71st Fleet were able to charge the Covenant head on and cripple their attack force and rendered several ships unable to glass the planet. However, a fourth Covenant fleet arrived and attacked the already stationed UNSC forces there. Paul, seeing he hand no choice, ordered his team to get to the Rio and leave the planet. They did so, but Jericho III would fall in less then a week later.

Fall of Reach
With only five members at the time, Shield team was tasked with the protection of the Spartan Academy towards the north of . Successfully defending the Academy was but only a dream, as the camp was attacked and with little survivors. Afterwards, Shield was sent to Castle Base to assist with the escape of  and . Once there, Shield met with  and were ordered to get on the Rio and escaped Reach. After landing on Earth, a survivor of the Spartan Academy, Ryan-G272 joined Shield Team and became a member of the original team right before Earth was attacked.

New Mombasa
The six Spartans of Shield were deployed to intercept a Covenant cruiser during the second day of the Battle of Earth. Using booster frames, Samuel-B308 and James-A242 were able to distract the Covenant while the rest of Shield would infiltrate a hanger and make their way to the bridge. Once at the bridge, it was revealed that it was a trap and ships engine’s shut down causing the ship to crash into the savannah. Luckily, Shield got out, but their plan infiltrate New Mombasa was in ruin.

Captain Janeiro of the UNSC Rio gained access to experimental high orbit drop pods. Using the drop pods, Shield Team infiltrated the city and successfully retook Uplift Nature Reserve. Once secured, Shield moved through the abandoned city towards the NMPD building and once there, set up a safe zone for civilian evac ops. After all civilians were evacuated, Shield Team was redeployed to South Africa.

South Africa
South Africa became a massive Covenant Staging Area and every city was crawling with such. Sent in with teams of, Shield infiltrated the country and went to work. Moving through the jungle, and meeting some Covenant resistance, Shield Team arrived at an AA station with twelve AA’s aiming at the sea and towards New Mombasa. After dealing with the AA’s and Covenant resistance, Shield Team made their way to the command center of the Covenant. Once recaptured, South Africa was liberated and Shield was redeployed off world to engage Insurrectionist activity.

Battle of San Andreas
Though the Rio did little to save the city from invasion, it was able to deploy Shield Team along with Foxtrot Team of the Alpha-Zulu Corps relatively easily through the Covenant blockade.

Battle over Fulken
Arriving at Fulken, the UNSC Rio and the carrier Helper of Truth were engaged by Thel’s forces forcing ‘Solok and Shield into action. Using a phantom drop ship, the spartans and sangheili boarded the flagship, Hunter of Mercy and began to clear out the hanger. Unknown to all, ‘Vadum’s forces planned on this act and Thel made his way to the hanger. Once at the hanger, ‘Vadum began to dual ‘Solok while Shield and his Swords contained their objective.

After clearing the hanger, Zaz was pinned down and right arm severed. Acting in hopes to save a hero from San Andreas, Kyle picked up a dropped Energy Sword and stabbed the Ship Master in his spin, killing him. Giving the all clear sign, and leaving the carrier, the Rio and Helper of Truth destroyed the remnants of the sub-fleet

Battle over Clifton
Deployed using Booster Frames from the Rio, Shield Team made their way through the Sub-fleet and easily found the flagship, Shadow of Death. Logan-G026,  Spartan Mack, and Spartan Vono continued using the frames to distract the Covenant along with cover from the Glorious Redemption and its flagship, Helper of Truth; while Kyle-A245, Spartan Cross, and Spartan Miles went inside to take out Kaliv and tend to possible captives. Deploying multiple seraphs to combat the booster frames, Rahgath fortified the bridge and began his trap, by moving the fleet to surround the booster frames and trapping them inside.

Flying over the circle, Rahgath activated the ship’s glassing port, hitting and killing Logan and Mack. Making their way to the prison, Shield-1 entered only to see a hologram Rahgath and several honor guards. Shooting the guards, Shield was in a panic as they were soon overwhelmed, Shield was captured and imprisoned. Rahgath then demanding a ransom for the spartans or their deaths, not agreeing to the price, Spartan Vono went out on a solo op, sneaked on the cruiser and freed Shield.

Battle of Shield 0715
On January 2nd 2563, a ship from a Glorious Redemption found a ship from the sub-fleet of The Great Harvest around a forerunner planet. Sending the transmission to ‘Solok, who then sent it to the UNSC who sent Shield to stop the fleet and investigate the planet. Shield Team, using a Lich from the Swords of Sanghelios, found the shield world with the Glorious Redemption and went inside with no UNSC forces. Entering the planet, Shield Team and the Helper of Truth were quickly engaged by Admiral Uhze ‘Nar, leader of the sub-fleet The Great Harvest. Being able to ship past and destroy the corvette protecting the entrance to the planet, Shield and Helper landed in a gorge close by a Covenant transmission center still using codes from San Andreas. After taking off to better secure the skies, the Helper of Truth came under fire from the destroyer, Song of the Fire lead by the Admiral’s top lieutenant, Captain Wamik.

Only doing slight damage to the Helper, the Song of the Fire instead glassed the camp beneath the ship, killing hundreds and quickly escaping by slip-space inside the planet. Devastated by the loss of his brothers, ‘Solok left on a Lich to hunt down the Captain while Shield, not knowing what had happen to the camp, came back from patrol. Shield Team, now too consumed by anger, found a phantom and headed to the transmission center.

The night of January 6th, Shield Team laid Cross to rest and were alone in the dark of night. The team went dark to avoid capture and on the morning of the seventh, The Great Demise, Serpent’s Pass and the Lifebringer (The last three ships under ‘Nar’s command) fly over them and fearing the worse, ran in the opposite direction and saw the Helper of Truth shoot down and partial destroyed. Luckily a large number of crew survived including ‘Solok and thus they called for UNSC reinforcements. With three days, the Rio and Speaker of Peace arrived to save them and thus concluded the battle.

Campaign on Installation 07
Tracking Uhze ‘Nar and Tican ‘Vou, the UNSC Rio and Raven’s Nest discovered Installation 07 along the outer rim of the Milky Way. Finding both the sub-fleets of Demon Hunters and The Great Harvest, Fireteam Guardian and Shield Team deployed to engage the Covenant, but both fleets were already engaged in combat with Insurrectionist. Recommending that the UNSC gets an easy hold on the ring, Shield Team and Titan were sent onto the ring with the UNSC Raven’s Nest to provide cover fire. Holding an old temple as a LZ for human forces, the spartans began to move through the ancient world along with marines. Finding alternate paths, Guardian took the right while Shield took the left. Sending the Seeker of Doom to bomb the Raven’s Nest, Tican ‘Vou and Uhze ‘Nar began to hunt Shield for the Index. Using a destroyer from the Demon Hunters and the Serpent’ Pass, Shield Team and Fireteam Guardian found Seeker of Doom and glassed the ship, killing Tican in the process.

‘Nar then took command of the Demon Hunters and attacked the Rio while above the ring. Finding Guardian yet again, the monitor was then transferred into the Rio and teleported Shield to assist the ship and Captain Janeiro. Deploying in pelicans, Shield Team boarded two corvettes and used them to attack The Great Demise and the rest of the Demon Hunters. Forcing the Covenant into a retreat, the Rio redeployed Shield onto the ring while it transferred their findings and the Index to ONI and the UNSC.

The Rio soon left the ring to gather reinforcements for the UNSC troops stationed on the ring. Rio arrived with reinforcements, Shield Team took time to honor their fallen spartan and friend.

Battle of Suzula
After years of hunting Fleet Master Uhze ‘Nar, Shield Team tracked him to the Sangheili colony of Suzeula. Not holding back, Kyle ordered Shield Team to be deployed from ODST pods right above the bridge of New Lifebringer to kill ‘Nar fast. Approving the idea, Captain Janeiro moved the Rio right above New Lifebringer and dropped Shield and an ODST team. Dropping inside the ship, Shield Team quickly killed the crew and beat ‘Nar to death.

Suddenly, two spec-ops elites came inside and killed Spartans Miles and Vono. Killing the elites, the ODST’s proposed that they set havoc nukes around the ship and to prime the slip space drive to blow like on Reach almost a decade prior. Shield Team made their way to a spirit drop ship but after the ODST’s primed the drive, they were killed forcing Shield team to escape along with the Rio causing the destroyer and the other ships surrounding it to be sent into oblivion. Heavily damaged, the UNSC Rio went to Earth for repairs, and for the new members of Shield Team to be picked up.

Battle for Lost Honor
One of the last two sub-fleets of the Fleet of Regretful Redemption, the Fleet of Lost Honor was commanded by Admiral Ripa ‘Sroam and his Corvette, Honorable Embassy. Using coordinates from The Great Demise Shield Team and the UNSC Rio found the fleet and quickly engaged it with the help of Battle Group Typhoon. Blowing off the bridge of the Honorable Embassy, Shield team infiltrated the bridge and sent ‘Sroam out into deep space.

Spartans Fisher, Jones, and Ford secured any intel on Ship Master Zaz ‘Vadem, the last sub-commander of Krudom, while Spartans Avery, Salvos and Kyle secured the rest of the fleet and prepped elites for interrogation. After constant interrogation, several elites gave up Zaz’s position along with several pieces of hard evidence for his location. The UNSC Rio and Battle Group Typhoon returned to Earth, prepped and were on their way along with Foxtrot team and two members of Orange Team, Clark-055 and Thomas-012.

Battle of Surgeon
Locating Zaz ‘Vadem around a human colony of Surgeon, Shield Team along with the UNSC Rio, Hammer of Dawn, Sunrise, and the Raven’s Nest attacked the fleet and prepared to attack the fleet. Foxtrot Team and Orange Team were deployed to deal with enemy fighters, while Shield Team attacked the flagship, Speaker of Truth. Easily boarding thanks to heavy fire from the Rio and Hammer of Dawn, Shield split up with Spartans Avery, Fisher, and Salvos attacking the core to destroy the ship while Kyle and Spartans Jones and Ford attacked the bridge and engaged ‘Vadem.

Instead of easily killing ‘Vadem, Kyle used no weapons to kill the Sangheili and almost killed him, until it was revealed that Zaz had a bomb strapped to him which could destroy the whole ship. Kyle then ordered Shield Team to retreat but the trap had sprung and the core room was locked down wit no escape and Ford and Jones became severely wounded. With all of Shield demanding that Kyle kill Zaz, he could, so Nathan Ford, using a magnum, shot Zaz in the face killing him and setting off the bomb. Kyle said that he was proud of everyone on Shield and he was happy to know such brave humans. And like that, Shield Team was gone forever.