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Their lights pierced the darkness of the interior of the ship and showed no one, just damaged control panels. Seeing that it was safe they glided into the ship. The bridge was very small, but then again it was a small ship. They had trouble squeezing into the small room, especially with their vac-suits. Colonel Isard tried activating one of the control panels, but it didn't work. At the center of the room was a chair with a dome like helmet on top. Had she been able to sit in it it would have covered the top of her head and it had no obvious holes for eyes. The control panels were all the same, just a slick black surface. Perhaps they were digital screens when activated. They all had recording devices on their helmets and they made sure to carefully record everything. One of the Marines found a door in the back of the bridge, but it had no handle or button to open it. Another black surface was next to it, but it did not activate either. Fortunately with the power down they were able to pry it open with enough effort. As soon as it opened one of the younger Marines prying it jumped in surprise as a body drifted out. One of the other Marines chuckled at his surprise and grabbed the body before it could drift away. The Colonel glided over to examine it and let out a gasp in surprise. He looked human. Well, upon closer examination, mostly human. His facial features were much more elegant than any man she had ever seen. His hair looked very soft, his eyebrows were thinner like a woman's, and most strangely of all he had pointed ears. His clothes were highly ornate and decorated, but they also had a rigid simplicity to them. Likely it was a uniform. "Take this body back to Hyperion," Colonel Isard said to two Marines. They did so and then the rest of the Marines and the Colonel continued on deeper into the ship. The next section was a short hallway with 4 doors on either side and another door at the end of the hall. They looked into each room and found that they were all living quarters, except one which was a kitchen and dining area. In one of the rooms they found a dead woman cradling her child. They looked similar to the man they had found earlier and the Colonel ordered that they be taken back to Hyperion as well.

They finally came to the last door at the end of the hall. As soon as they pried the door open and put their flashlights inside they saw 4 more dead bodies floating about. When they entered they could see that this room was as large as the rest of the ship put together. There was a catwalk that went from the door, and stairs leading down towards what looked like a reactor. Everything was very elegant and architecturally beautiful for an Engine Room. They inspected the reactor and the control panels. There was also another odd chair with a helmet in the room just like there had been on the bridge. When they realized they couldn't activate anything they radioed back to Hyperion telling them that they were about to return.

(Does anyone have any ideas of how they could move a ship that large through Hyperspace? It is too big to fit inside any of their ships, towing cables would be destroyed in Hyperspace.... a docking arm might work, but if you have a different idea it might be better sounding....)

(Oh? Care to explain a bit more? I think I have another idea that will work for the time being... it will also finish up this battle soon. So if you have something to do now is the time to do it.)

The fighter pilots and gunners on the capital ships staunchly repelled all the fighters that tried to attack the Eldar Destroyer, but they could not last forever and eventually a fighter would break through.

***

The boarding party returned with no problems and Colonel Isard hurried to the bridge without even bothering to change out of her Vac-Suit. When she arrived on the bridge she addressed Treize, "we have to take that ship away from here, preferably to Earth."

"I don't see how that can be done, it won't fit on our hangar. If we can't get it working it will never leave this system."

She paused to think, "then we should take it to the surface. We have scientists there that can study it."

He looked at her incredulously, "and how do you propose we do that without that ship's thrusters working?"

"We can use our drop ships and a transport to attach cables to it. Together they can guide down safely to the planet."

There was a silence around the command table and Mr. Tanaka spoke first, "I think we can do it. The only problem is that all of our transports are with Admiral Woolsey, and I don't think the Eldar would let us just have one without any trouble."

"Indeed," Treize said as he thought things over. "Get me the Admiral on the line." He was handed the com, "Admiral, we have captured an Eldar Destroyer and have a plan to get it to the surface, but it would include using a Transport."

The Admiral's signal was distorted, likely from electrical shortages on his ship, and he sounded very stressed. "Alright, we are going to try and make a run for the mine field. Stay where you are and be prepared to cover our retreat."

"Aye sir."

"Woolsey out."

Deek and Sally dove into the fighter dogfight. Assisting Tasha as best they could. Cutting down an enemy fighter in a stream of fire Deek rang Tasha up on the com " When we are done here I got something ta ask you."

(ok subspace tow bubble would be kinda like a small self operated device that places the ship in a subspace bubble so it can access hyperspace. It takes the tow item to a set place. usually a port or base. I figure its a common tech. Kinda like the ARC. Every one has it. just not always used.)

Admiral Woolsey's fleet began turning about and they made a break for the Eldar line. They destroyed another Eldar Cruiser as they broke through while most of the Eldar simply retreated, not wanting to engage in a prolonged firefight. And then the Eldar rallied in large groups on either side of the main UNSC fleet and they came about and dove at them with frightening speed. All at once all of the main batteries from both fleets began firing, destroying many ships on either side. The Eldar though simply had better weapons and they cut a swathe of destruction through the UNSC, effecting splitting their fleet into two. While about a third of them continued on to the mine field the rest were left behind to fend off a swarm of Eldar.

Screams could be heard over the com as ships were destroyed. Admiral Woolsey's ship was one of those left behind. He commanded from a carrier as well which was putting up a heroic fight. His panic stricken voice came over the com on Hyperion's bridge, "we aren't going to make it. Treize! You're in command. Make sure everyo-" His voice was cut off by a large explosion sound, screams, and then static. On the Holoprojector they saw his ship explode as several Eldar lances cut through it's hull.

UNSC Fleet
2 Carriers
3 Battleships
9 Cruisers
4 Transports

Eldar Fleet
11 Carriers
9 Battleships
13 Cruisers
16 Destroyers

Dodging another ships fire Deek shot back. " Trust me It aint worth asking if you won't be alive next week."

With the destruction of most of the UNSC fleet Treize was the highest ranking officer left, except for the general of the ground forces on the planet itself. He took a moment to collect himself at think of what he was going to do and then when he began to speak everyone there hung on every word he said, "Mr. Tanaka order our ships forward to give us some breathing room from the Eldar. The surviving ships from the main fleet are to form a protective semi circle around the escorts. I want you to prep the drop ships for their mission to tow the Eldar Destroyer. In the mean time we can use Hyperion's mass to nudge the Destroyer closer to the planet."

"Aye sir!" Mr Tanaka began radioed the necessary people to complete these tasks.

Meanwhile Treize grabbed the com as well to address all ships, "I know what many of you are thinking, 'how can we when this? What can we do against this menace?' The answer is I don't know what we are going to do to defeat these bastards, but we have to do it. Below us are over 300 million people, and we will do all that is necessary to make sure that they will be safe. That is our duty, and we will succeed. We are the UNSC and nothing can break us." He closed the comm and hoped that would keep morale up long enough to get as many people out of here as quickly as possible.

The survivors of the main fleet made it to the safety of the mine field shortly, but they did suffer casualties from the Eldar who hounded them all the way.

UNSC Fleet
2 Carriers
2 Battleships
7 Cruisers
4 Transports

Eldar Fleet
11 Carriers
9 Battleships
13 Cruisers
14 Destroyers

Once in the mine field all of the UNSC ships began moving to the planet as quickly as possible. The transport and drop ships hooked up their tow cables to the Destroyer and began their descent.

While in the field the Eldar couldn't get to the humans ships, and so they wasted no time in destroying the mines one at a time with their deadly plasma torpedoes.

On board Hyperion Treize turned to Mr. Tanaka, "I am going with them to the planet. You are in charge. I want you to take the remaining ships out of here and get reinforcements. All of the transports will go to the planet to assist in the fight, as well as all of our remaining fighters, bombers, and drop ships. I want to leave as many weapons as we can to defend this planet."

"But sir, why do you have to go?"

"I don't.... but I feel it is my responsibility." Seeing his ExO's expression he added, "don't question my decisions. I am going to do this and that is final."

"I am also going," Colonel Isard added. "I will bring one of the bodies we recovered to study on the planet." Because the Colonel was ONI there was nothing they could do to stop her decisions.

Treize and the Colonel went to the hangar and Treize suited up and jumped into a Starfury that was still there. Isard got into a Valkyrie as a gunner, someone else would pilot it. Both of them exited the Hangar and made a beeline to the planet. Once the fighters and drop ships were close enough to no longer need protection the rest of the capital ships jumped into Hyperspace. As they flew to the surface Treize radioed Deek, "Deek, this isn't your fight, I understand if you wish to leave."

All across the upper atmosphere of Epsilon Indi 3 there were small flashes of light; civilian ships with Hyperdrives were trying to escape the coming invasion, but there would be many more left behind.

(Ok, we are going to kinda jump ahead to the beginning of the ground attack. If you do want to leave or say something while in space Valencrow that is cool, but otherwise everyone will make it safely to a secret underground base in the mountains north of the capital city)

"Yes Farseer." With a simple thought the Pilot changed the route they were taking to one that would hopefully be far enough way to be safe. They were heading to meet up with a Commander who had requested a Farseer to aid in his battle through on of the alien's urban centers. The Drop Ship had no escorting fighters. Many of the pilots were resting from the long and tiring battle they had fought in orbit. The remaining pilots were carrying out strategic strikes and were too busy for a simple escort mission. Their new route took them over a smaller Urban center. Most of the buildings had been destroyed earlier from bombing runs. Bodies lay in the streets and fires still smolder, but otherwise there was no movement.

What the Eldar did not see were two Marines hiding and waiting in an abandoned building. After only a few hours of the ground invasions Epsilon Indi 3 was in disarray. The civilians had fled to the forests and mountains to try and escape the Eldar and the soldiers were itching for a chance to get some revenge, and it just so happened that one of their Drop Ships came flying real close to where they were. The Rocket Man took aim, and waited till they were closest and said, "this is for my family you bastards." He fired both rockets at their starboard engine, there was no way they could escape.