Halo: Heart of Darkness/Chapter 2

Chapter 2: Distress Call
March 23rd, 2553, 23 days after the official end of the human-covenant war

Vladmire System, in orbit of Vladmire IV, Onboard UNSC Mortal Coil 

"Commander, we're recieving a transmission" said the comms officer. "patch it through leutenant" Said Commander Daniels. Daniels was in his late fifties, but he looked much younger. He had a short temper, comparared to many other officers in the fleet. He was quite short, with a grey hair ring round the top of his head.

"Hello, hello, can any UNSC ships respond. we are under attack, i repeat we are under attack from these thi..."

The commander listened to it several times and his face turned white. From what he could tell, these things that were mentioned in the distress call were not covenant, nor any other species that the UNSC had come across. He gulped and spoke to the comms officer.

"Get UNSC Mivon on the line now" he ordered.

He waited for a reply.

"This is Fleet Admiral Mivon, what is it Mortal Coil?" Asked the admiral, his tough voice bellowing through the coil's speakers.

"This is commander Daniels, sir, yo have to hear this"

After playing the message several times, the admiral spoke.

"Commander, i seems that we have a new enemy, i am putting you in direct command of the frigates whilst i take the cruisers and destroyers back to earth. From what this message says, we will need firepower. Good luck commander, Mivon out" Said the admiral. Commander Daniels turned on the comm channel to the frigates.

"All UNSC frigates, we have enemy contacts on the surface of Vladmire IV. Prep marines for combat and deploy them right away"

Commander Daniels watched the cruisers and destroyers turn and disappear into slipspace and he looked towards the planet. He said four words.

"Send in the marines"