FREESUN'S PAST

THE DEFENCE OF LAVADOME

General Olensi's Battleship

Military command Deck

The sky above Lavadome was dominated by Olensi's battle fleet, a formidable array of warships suspended in anticipation. Olensi, a seasoned warrior, relished challenges; he faced the most significant conflict of his life today. Amidst the chaos of combat, being outnumbered ten to one never bothered him. However, today was different as he confronted the tremendous military force of the Covenant.

Peter stood near the command screen, his fists clenched behind his back. His keen gaze deciphered the latest alert, revealing two Covenant carriers emerging from the wormhole in Iziom's lower orbit. As he discovered Freesun was aboard Ruby Gem, a mischievous gleam sparked in Peter's hazel eyes, reflecting suppressed excitement. He stifled a chuckle, momentarily chastening himself for such childish behaviour despite being a highly decorated General. His peers often likened him to a sly fox or cunning snake.

Composing himself, Peter stared intently at his reflection in the giant screen, then concealed an involuntary smirk behind his fists before addressing his crew with conviction. "For years, I have yearned to engage in battle with the Covenant," he declared in a powerful voice, "And today, that battle is upon us." Cartel and Zinci challenged Peter's reasoning, asserting that a conflict over their laboratories would not benefit Endoria. Peter carefully countered their arguments without divulging the clandestine research conducted within his controlled facilities. He contemplated their fixation on peace with the Covenant. Plans were set to relocate sensitive data and equipment from the targeted labs, all to prevent the Covenant from discovering the truth.

For Peter, sacrificing a few battle fleets paled compared to exposing his valuable research to the Covenant. Not delusional, he was determined to optimise every available moment. Upon Starship Eirden's arrival, the labs would fall with little resistance. The survival of their species hinged upon Daysen and Gaynor's work—transporting it beyond uncharted territories where no human or hybrid had ever ventured. Immense pressure weighed on him, yet he displayed unwavering resilience.

His eyes fell upon a young officer seated two rows ahead of his command post. "Deploy ten fighter squadrons and five hundred drones," ordered the General. "Engage in combat against any craft threatening Lavadome's security shield."

The junior officer programmed the commands into his touchscreen display, transmitting them toward the military decks below. Shortly after, a colossal hangar door on deck four slid open, releasing swarms of drones accompanied by fighter craft from the ten-deck battleship. An alert resounded across the command deck: "Our fighters are engaged with Covenant drones," announced the officer with an exhilarated tremble, "Lavadome's shield is under intense de-energy weapon assault."

Peter scrutinised the data on the screen, observing their fighter's success in obliterating the enemy drones. However, the persistent assault on Lavadome's shield continued unabated. Knowing the carriers had to be eliminated to ensure Lavadome's survival, he urgently addressed the onboard computer. "What is the shield's current status?"

"Sixty-seven per cent and decreasing rapidly," came the response. Peter rubbed his furrowed brow, confronted by a dilemma: attacking Ruby Gem without restraint threatened its very existence, yet their relentless attack eroded Lavadome's shield. To complicate matters further, four additional carriers breached Lavadome's airspace.

A wave of urgency washed over him. He ordered Mini E-ion 10 weapons to be fired at the encroaching carriers. In return, they launched destabilisers that violently shook Olensi's battleship. Two projectiles penetrated their force field, damaging decks four and seven. As Peter's calm facade began to crumble, he faced the reality that four of their battleships were under intense fire. It was time to use their most potent arsenal.