Ingalls

While Research on the first discovered Mass Relay had been ongoing for several years now, including potential ways of shutting down the Relays themselves without destroying them should it be required, the Ingalls Orbital Works had been completed and were fully operational. Another year later and the first new UNSC Warship in decades was set to come out of Drydock-01, a Frigate and Corvette Dock.

It was a UNSC Paris-class frigate that had been thoroughly modified. Its plate was still shining, glimmering in the sunlight, it was so new. It was also more heavily armed and armored than the regular heavy Frigate of the UNSC. Its main MAC Battery had remained unchanged, the maw of the weapon visible above. Below, however, in the other prong, beside sensor suites, lay a magnetic coil set meant for something else entirely. The ship sat as its Fusion engines powered to life and the banks of Coilguns had been seemingly buffed. Quad-mounts bearing four coilgun barrels each spun both atop and on the bottom of each 'cheek'/hold of the ship, their rotation speed being tested, while the missile pods opened and closed, revealing empty racks.

A layer of blue light glimmered on top of the armor before retracting, followed up by an ovoid bubble made up of hexagons forming around the entire hull. On the aft of the ship, which had doubled in size somewhat, between the engine nacelles, new turrets spun in their holds. Twin prongs, mounted in casemates like those of the Ramparts. They tracked orbital debris around the ship itself.

The Admiral, an old man by now, his hair grey, face wrinkled, stared at the newest vessel, a whole new design and a whole new build for the UNSC's fledgling Navy. He lifted up the tablet with reports from the Sakamoto Naval Design Bureau out of Nanshin and Ingalls Shipworks' specifications for the vessel itself. It was a single production ship, meant to be the testbed for several new pieces of tech.

UNSC Type-X Testbed Naval Vessel

Classification:Frigate, Type-X Experimental

Production:Limited-run, single-vessel technological testbed

Designers:Ingalls Shipworks, Sakamoto Naval Design Bureau, Nanshin Research and Development Headquarters

Specs:

-Propulsion:Mark IV Mainline Fusion Drive(2 Primary, 10 Secondary)

-Power Core:Mark XX D-T Fusion Reactor, auxiliary Element Zero-enhanced Core

-Tonnage:2,9 Million tons

-Length:610 Meters

-Width:250 meters

-Slipspace Drive:None(Notes:Not required for Testbed Vessel)

-Complement:200 Crew, 1 Dumb AI

-Hull:Titanium-A Armor, layered Carbon nanofiber, reinforcements

-Shields:Type-X01 Prototype Kinetic Barriers, X6000 'Bubble' Shield system prototype

-Armaments:1 Light 65P8V3 Mass Accelerator Cannon(Top prong), 1 Prototype Type-6 Light Plasma Projector(Bottom prong), 2 M2475 SHIVA Nuclear Silos, 20 M58 ARCHER missile pods, 6 M997 Quad-Rampart Point-Defense Batteries, 4 XM250 Laser Point Defense turrets, 4 M2950 Harpoon nuclear missile launchers

Production Notes:Testbed vessel for new technology to be integrated in warship designs, both old and new. She will be the basis for all future vessels of the UNSC Navy. She is the progenitor that will usher in the New Fleet and our new doctrines for warfare. Hence, I plead with the Admiralty Board to prepare a thorough review of her capabilities within and around Ingalls.

The admiral shifted in his seat, feeling his old bones creak. It was, indeed, a new vessel for a new age. He watched the laser batteries track debris as the bubble shields shifted and slowly dissipated, probably shut off by the warship's crew. He hummed, then set the tablet aside and spoke softly, "Let's begin testing. First phase, engine start and test. We follow up with a test of Point Defenses and, then, the shields. Biggest stress-test we can give the lattermost is a MAC round."

"Sir," The Crew aboard, some younger than the generation that served aboard the Moscow beforehand, replied with snappy salutes. The ship ahead powered its engines, blue flares of light Heavy as she was, she pushed out of dry-dock under her own power. The engines seemed a little underpowered, but, then again, the ship itself had its reactor probably running on overdrive to keep Life Support and everything else going.

The vessel pushed a little further, to a safe distance from the naval station and the dry-dock itself just to make sure they weren't in the line of fire, before letting inertia do the rest of the work in putting it into higher orbit. It powered its point defenses, the Quad-Ramparts soon swinging about to targets unseen, while the laser batteries seemed to also power on, glowing a faint scarlet as their lenses partially heated.

He eased himself into his seat again, watching the vessel prepare its systems with muted interest for now. If he was gonna die of old age, at least he could die at ease, knowing he helped provide his people a proper defense force. He watched calmly as the first few drones were launched off of the Moscow. Mass-produced, space-capable variations of the UNSC's Wombat UAVs flew forward in erratic patterns, the guns on board the ship tracking them.

The Quad Ramparts opened up first. Tracer rounds shot through the void in streams only interrupted by the quarter-second time between the shots. They led their targets, striking the drones with high-caliber munitions and shredding or outright detonating the unmanned mass-production craft. The gun batteries tracked well and the shipboard sensor and radar suites seemed to be operating properly.

The next weapons to be tested were the laser batteries. The weapons swung around, aiming at the next wave of unmanned craft as the vessel shifted. Scarlet beams lanced from the PD lasers, lighting the void and striking the fighters, only to slash them in half amidships. The beams pulsed and shut off as soon as the contacts were destroyed. The last stage of the test began, the vessel powering its bubble shield and focusing all power forward as one of their other Frigates aimed its MAC.

"Three. Two. One..." The sensor officer counted down, "Shell out. Fire."

The MAC of the Frigate screamed and the round struck. It flashed, detonated and splayed out ferromagnetic shrapnel all around. The ship, however, buckled, the shield breaking as still-surviving superheated shards battered the Kinetic Barriers. The vessel's barriers flared, flashed and died, armor pierced by slug remains. The shards embedded themselves in the second armor layer, remaining there, the inertia sending the ship slightly left-ward.

The Admiral stood to his feet and barked, "Prepare Rescue Vessels!"

"Sir, no casualties reported aboard. Minor outer armor damage sustained, but the vessel's reactors overloaded due to a massive heat build-up and were forced to shut down," Reported the com officer, "Shipboard crews are working to restore the vessel to operational capacity. Vessel is dead in the water, but... She's survived the hit, sir. Armor is holding..."

"Barely," The Admiral growled, his voice low, as he dropped back into his seat and rubbed his temples. That was too bloody close for comfort. He craned his head over toward the rescue craft moving in to recover the ship, before going back to thinking. The Deuterium-Tritium Fusion reactor has overloaded, possibly because the ship was operating too many systems at once. He rubbed his eyes and stated, "Until we can figure out how we can provide a better power output from our new reactor, have the vessels alternate between shielding and the Kinetic Barriers while in combat for a stopgap defense doctrine... I want protocols in place so failures like this don't happen again..." and he started coughing violently...

"Sir, you alright?" His XO asked. The man waved it off.

He'd die when the safeties were in place.

"What's the status on the Relay research..." He asked as he leaned back into his seat. Soon, on the screen next to his chair, information rolled out rather rapidly. He could barely parse it due to his age and his eyes tiring out far too quickly, but he knew they were at least capable of utilizing the Relay now. It was in their hands and it was active, so that meant they had a way through to find out more about the Galaxy at large.

He sighed, nodded approvingly and said, "Alright then... It's time, I suppose."

... On Ingalls, New Hanshin, New Reach and the dozen other colonies, all that was happening, from work to family meals and to otherwise unimportant day-to-day work was interrupted. Holographic display screens flickered to life as a transmission was received across their small corner of this new Galaxy. An old anthem, though once rued as a historical reminder of one of the dead regimes that had tried coming back to life in the 2100s now played slowly over the airwaves.

The image of an elderly man appeared. Old, haggard and tired, but clad in one of the most decorated naval uniforms to date. The creases and scars on his face told of his age, his eyes glimmering in the dim light. Beside him, naval officers and staff milled about. He cleared his throat and whatever activity that was not paramount to the functioning of their nascent galactic state ceased once more, then he spoke, "Mankind... My people... It's been decades since I've addressed you." His voice heavy with regret and the years' toll.

"Some of you were young when we started this journey. Some were children." He told them, his gaze fixed on the lens of the camera as he spoke on, maintaining that solemnity, "Others were only a tinge younger than me. The years have caught up to us all, it would seem. We've come a long way from the beginnings of our journey as a fleet of escapees from our violent foe. As I'm sure many of you know, our job is to rebuild. Those of you awakened last, I would hope, were briefed by your elders on this matter. We have lost much. This is not our Galaxy anymore. It is, however, our new home..."

"I was proud to read the reports from the various Colonial Councils, of how a great deal of the population viewed our mission here with the same importance as we, those in the Military and Research Sectors, view it," He offered a curt, though meek smile to them, lifting a trembling hand in a show of thanks, "Humanity is obviously nothing if not resilient. Even with some dissident elements among our ranks, we've been rebuilding... I can only thank you all for that. Perhaps we may yet return home victorious..."

He coughed, covering his mouth, before quickly hiding his hand. His expression turned somber, "I am afraid that our return, however, will have to wait. While I'm sure many of you are wondering why we've begun heavily investing into our military arsenal once more, we will have an information package to show you after my message. Though I can give you a brief rundown:We are most definitely not alone out here... And not everything we are set to meet is friendly. In fact, a great danger approaches this Galaxy still..."

His gaze turned to steel, as did that of several people listening to this, "We're no strangers to extinction events. An enemy force will strike us within less than two centuries. We have yet to find other sentient species in this Galaxy, but when we do, we must warn them. We face the threat of extermination from an outside force instead of one from within the galactic borders. I trust you all understand what this means... That unlike when the Covenant came, we now have ample warning... We have time to prepare our weapons, sharpen our swords and harden our shields. The Galaxy has opened to us with the discovery of the Mass Relay. We know not what waits when we go through."

"So, bear with us as we prepare... The only way we will survive the Storm that comes next, I fear, is through our usual martial prowess," He slowly staggered to his feet, hands trembling against the arms of his chair, "And we all have to be ready to stand against it, no matter what comes. I am not long for this world, my dear people, but I know I can entrust upon all of you what comes next."

He gazed into the camera as if he was gazing at the very soul of their newfound Nation. He spoke proudly, "Our future is set in stone. We will fight to protect life. Ours and whomsoever else's desires to join us. To that extent, the New Government has been formed. The Unified Earth Government might be no more in our world, we do not know, but until we can attempt to re-establish contact and until we've dealt with the threats this galaxy poses, we are a unified League of Colonies, one that shall fight and die to defend. We are the Black League. From the anguish brought by the loss of our home, to total Victory in This Great Trial, We Stand Together!"

He coughed hoarsely again, "And to that end, I leave to you this League to build... And to nurture... My people..." He started to pant, slowly sitting back down into his chair, tired, "This has been Admiral Higgins, of the United Nations Space Command, Military and Exploratory arm of the Black League, in my last message. I bid you all a good night and farewell... And a swift Victory..."

And, as the camera cut, the admiral fell limp, much to the anguish of his officer cadre. There would be a new Admiral, promoted from the ranks of the highest officers left within the Fleet soon. One to lead the Navy, while the 'civilian sector', if there would even be such a thing left by the time the Government made its final decisions on the matter, would run parallel.

... No less than a year after the Admiral had passed and a new one, a young woman from the most promising officers of the Fleet, one that was in command of one of the escorting Destroyer pickets guarding the colonies near the Relay, had been elected. She stood tall, proud, but aware of the weight on her shoulders. The Civilian Government had made a decision in the intervening months as well.

... The League would not be a state run by Civilian governance. No. In the face of Existential Threats, on a Military Government had the strength to do what was necessary. So, with the Fleet Admiral at its head, the Council of the Guard had been elected. Navy, Army, Air Force and Marines, all had superior ranks among the Government itself, with the few Civvie Representatives belonging to the various colonies, a voice of reason.

Squabbles would happen on where to allocate the yearly budget, talks would spring up of how and where to even begin their investment and design of new weapons. Bids were made by Ingalls, Hanshin and Sakamoto for military equipment, recycling of old ships in order to save the precious slipspace drives within for installation in other vessels. A small assembly line for Shaw-Fujikawa drives modified to fit with their new world had also begun construction at Ingalls.

The Colonies were organized, prepared. Conscription was put in place for both the Work Force and the Military. There would be no stone left unturned, no matter the decade or century they found themselves in, with the Military swelling in numbers by the sixth year past the Admiral's death. More were volunteers than Conscripts, though. Almost three-fold did the armed forces grow...

It seemed some forgot and had remembered the old project that yet another old member could not attend to. Doctor Grayson had died before she had had a chance to jump, her heart having given way despite her youth... And, in her stead, new, promising young scientist that had been her pupil sat aboard a Prowler today. She stared at the two-pronged, violet-colored beauty of the Mass Relay ahead of her, the Element Zero core spinning within the confines of the gyroscope within. She hummed and tapped her foot, then told the Captain, "Calculations complete, as per the shipboard AI, Captain Vance. May we depart?"

Vance was an elderly woman, probably been around since Admiral Higgins's time. Yet another veteran of the Old Times. She spoke with a gruff voice, like sandpaper, "Good to know," before leaning over and tapping a button on her chair. The shipboard PA clicked on and the woman ordered, "All crew... Brace for Relay transfer. Damage Control Teams on stand-by..."

She looked to the Helm and gave a nod, "Ease us in... Prep the failsafe jump shutdown..." before leaning into her seat. The space-craft's engines powered, nudging it forward toward the Relay, ever closer. Once close enough, an arc of electrically-charged Eezoo caught the ship in its strike, the Relay's pseudo-Rails powering. It was a massive MAC, honestly. At least that's what the captain though.

"Coordinates punched... Brace for entry in three, two, lock, one!" The Helm reported... The ship flared, its engines roaring as they were infused with Eezoo. The ship's mass shrunk significantly courtesy of the Eezoo Core, before it was catapulted forward at incredible hyperluminal speeds. It punched all known laws of physics in the face, but it was somehow happening.

"Transfer complete. We will be arriving at the end-point Relay within the next hour... Fuck me, that's a week's Slipspace Trip done..." Helm reported. Several muted cheers filtered throughout the ship as the Captain stood to her feet, tugging at the hem of her grey Navy shirt, which bore ONI Markings. She straightened it out and walked, nodding to the Doctor in the process. The young woman let out a deep sigh of relief, tugging at her own collar, which bore the rank pins of a Warrant Officer. They'd actually done it.

They were travelling through a Mass Relay..