Task Force Yama: Difference between revisions
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**[[Battle of Seoba]] | **[[Battle of Seoba]] | ||
**[[Battle of Biko]] | **[[Battle of Biko]] | ||
**[[Battle over Etalan]] | |||
**[[Attack on Zhoist]] | **[[Attack on Zhoist]] | ||
|commanders=[[Captain]] [[Halima Ascot]]{{Ref/Reuse|HSS5}} | |commanders=[[Captain]] [[Halima Ascot]]{{Ref/Reuse|HSS5}} | ||
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A handful of senior officers and the six Spartans that were not in the infirmary remained to hear their action from Nyeto. The lieutenant commander approached John-117 and complemented him on actions the previous day, promising that he and his compatriots would continue to see action despite their young ages. Colonel Crowther contested this yet again, saying that the Spartans reported to him. In response, Nyeto reminded Crowther that he now reported to ''him'' as commander of the task force, and that Admiral Cole surely knew about their unique situation before assigning them to the operation. What followed was a heated debate that ultimately ended in Nyeto conceding to Crowther after being threatened with a report to a UNSC board of inquiry. As the remaining personnel departed from the hangar in a shocked silence, Johnson was joined by Crowther during the walk back to the Black Daggers' quarters. Crowther apologized to him for having that exchange in front of everyone, but he told the colonel that he had seen worse. He also warned Crowther that his argument with Nyeto was not one he was going to win, as it had been decided far above his pay grade that the Spartans were ''not'' children and that they were the right fit for the mission. Crowther agreed with this sentiment, saying that the young supersoldiers had saved them at Seoba and that they were ready for battle. He then revealed that he was suspicious of Nyeto and his strange attitude toward the Spartans. It had seemed to him that Nyeto had purposefully stalled in supporting them during the previous day's battle. As such, Crowther wanted to keep the Spartans away from Nyeto until he figured out what was going on. To keep the Spartans away for a time, the colonel informed Johnson that he was sending them on [[Battle over Etalan|a mission]] to sabotage the Covenant's supply chain at [[Etalan]].{{Ref/Reuse|HSS16}} | A handful of senior officers and the six Spartans that were not in the infirmary remained to hear their action from Nyeto. The lieutenant commander approached John-117 and complemented him on actions the previous day, promising that he and his compatriots would continue to see action despite their young ages. Colonel Crowther contested this yet again, saying that the Spartans reported to him. In response, Nyeto reminded Crowther that he now reported to ''him'' as commander of the task force, and that Admiral Cole surely knew about their unique situation before assigning them to the operation. What followed was a heated debate that ultimately ended in Nyeto conceding to Crowther after being threatened with a report to a UNSC board of inquiry. As the remaining personnel departed from the hangar in a shocked silence, Johnson was joined by Crowther during the walk back to the Black Daggers' quarters. Crowther apologized to him for having that exchange in front of everyone, but he told the colonel that he had seen worse. He also warned Crowther that his argument with Nyeto was not one he was going to win, as it had been decided far above his pay grade that the Spartans were ''not'' children and that they were the right fit for the mission. Crowther agreed with this sentiment, saying that the young supersoldiers had saved them at Seoba and that they were ready for battle. He then revealed that he was suspicious of Nyeto and his strange attitude toward the Spartans. It had seemed to him that Nyeto had purposefully stalled in supporting them during the previous day's battle. As such, Crowther wanted to keep the Spartans away from Nyeto until he figured out what was going on. To keep the Spartans away for a time, the colonel informed Johnson that he was sending them on [[Battle over Etalan|a mission]] to sabotage the Covenant's supply chain at [[Etalan]].{{Ref/Reuse|HSS16}} | ||
===Battle of Biko=== | ===Battle of Biko=== | ||
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Later that same day, the [[Fleet of Inexorable Obedience|expected Covenant fleet]] arrived at Biko and prepared to assault the planet. As planned, Task Force Yama deployed with the Black Daggers in tow, hoping to insert the ODSTs onto as many vessels as possible. The ''Vanishing Point'' stayed back to observe the battle from afar, taking position at liberation point three on the opposite side of Biko from Seoba. Thanks to the insurrectionists, the Covenant had learned of the task force's plan, and expected the Spartans to board their warships. To try to prevent this, they kept a tight fighter screen around their capital ships so that no prowlers could slip past undetected. This forced Crowther to delay boarding actions until an opportunity presented itself. Meanwhile, the Covenant fleet of about one hundred vessels accelerated to meet Biko's meager navy.{{Ref/Novel|Id=HSS17|HSS|Chapter=17}} | Later that same day, the [[Fleet of Inexorable Obedience|expected Covenant fleet]] arrived at Biko and prepared to assault the planet. As planned, Task Force Yama deployed with the Black Daggers in tow, hoping to insert the ODSTs onto as many vessels as possible. The ''Vanishing Point'' stayed back to observe the battle from afar, taking position at liberation point three on the opposite side of Biko from Seoba. Thanks to the insurrectionists, the Covenant had learned of the task force's plan, and expected the Spartans to board their warships. To try to prevent this, they kept a tight fighter screen around their capital ships so that no prowlers could slip past undetected. This forced Crowther to delay boarding actions until an opportunity presented itself. Meanwhile, the Covenant fleet of about one hundred vessels accelerated to meet Biko's meager navy.{{Ref/Novel|Id=HSS17|HSS|Chapter=17}} | ||
The task force lost five more prowlers during the battle, | The task force lost five more prowlers during the battle.{{Citation needed}} | ||
===Battle over Etalan=== | |||
{{Main|Battle over Etalan}} | |||
As the battle raged in orbit over Biko, the ''Vanishing Point'' and two escort prowlers broke from Task Force Yama and left the Kolaqoa system. During the two-day journey, Blue Team discussed which vessels of the logistics fleet they should designate as priority targets. Ultimately, they decided that they would target the munitions supply vessels first and the food supply vessels second, as the loss of those necessities would bring the Covenant offensive in this part of human space to a standstill.{{Ref/Novel|Id=HSS19|HSS|Chapter=19}} | |||
On [[2526#March|March 22]], the ''Vanishing Point'' and its escorts arrived at Etalan, spending the next four days observing the logistics fleet's movements and trying to discern which vessels served each function. By [[2526#March|March 26]], the ''Vanishing Point''{{'}}s analysts felt confident that four of the fifteen Covenant vessels were equipment [[freighter]]s that carried spare parts and other materials used to maintain the [[Fleet of Inexorable Obedience]]. At this point, the logistics fleet seemed to be preparing to break from orbit over the planet to rejoin the main fleet at Biko. Since time was evidently running short, Gold and Green Teams were deployed in [[S-14 Baselard]]s to destroy the freighters while Blue Team was still discussing which vessels they should target during the second phase of the attack. The plan called for each of them to fly one of the Banshees they had captured at Netherop into the hangars of the target vessels, crash the fighters with a HAVOK nuke planted in the cockpit, and then go [[Extra-vehicular activity|EV]] to be recovered by the escort prowlers. For the purpose of this mission, each member of Blue Team was equipped with an [[M99 Stanchion]] and [[M41 SPNKR]]. Ultimately, Dr. Halsey informed the group that she had identified the fleet's munition supply vessels as the three large "[[Bladder ship|air-skimmer]]s" that were dipping in and out of Etalan's upper atmosphere. Despite having come to this conclusion only minutes after they had arrived at Etalan, she explained that she had kept it to herself so as to not alert Nyeto and his subordinates—whom she had deduced were Insurrectionist spies—to their plan. With this new information, Blue Team prepared to follow through on their part of the mission, now targeting the three "air-skimmers" instead.{{Ref/Reuse|HSS19}} | |||
As the ''Vanishing Point'' neared the designated drop-off point, Blue Team grabbed their HAVOKs and boarded their Banshees while a remotely-piloted Baselard powered up on the hangar deck just ahead of them. Moments before launch, a decoy flight of three manned Baselards soared past the hangar aperture with a Banshee squadron hot on their tails. The ''Vanishing Point'' cold-launched a salvo of pre-targeted [[Archer missile|M42 Archer missiles]], and an instant later, the remote Baselard shot out of the hangar. It fired its two Archer missiles at the Banshee squadron as the ''Vanishing Point''{{'}}s missiles activated and flew after the Banshees as well. The Banshees scattered, giving the three manned Baselards a chance to escape. John gave Blue Team the order to launch their Banshees and fall in behind the alien fighter squadron before firing on the remote-controlled Baselard until it self-destructed into a fireball that helped distract the Covenant forces as the ''Vanishing Point'' slipped away.{{Ref/Novel|Id=HSS20|HSS|Chapter=20}} | |||
Shortly after this, Gold and Green Teams deployed from their Baselards to attack the equipment freighters as planned. Moments later, the targeted freighters began exploding while panic ensued among the Covenant fighters and across their [[Proselytization network|battlenet]]. The fourth explosion was so close to the Banshee squadron that they were all—including the Banshees piloted by Blue Team—disabled by the resulting [[electromagnetic pulse]]. After some discussion, Blue Team decided that they would go EV and intercept the three air-skimmers as they passed by. John would board the first vessel, Kelly the second, and Fred the third while Linda and Johnson held back to cover them with their M99 Stanchions. Leaving the squadron of adrift Banshees behind, Johnson's HAVOK nuke—which he had left aboard his Banshee—detonated, killing any potential witnesses aboard the other craft and covering their approach for the air-skimmers. Meanwhile, the two escort prowlers arrived to recover Gold and Green Teams. Assuming the vessels were preparing for another attack run on the logistics fleet, the Covenant attacked the prowlers and the Baselards accompanying them. Nearing the lead bladder ship, John fired his [[thruster]]s to slow his approach, alerting the vessel's fighter screen to his presence. As he neared the vessel, he prepared his HAVOK with a timer and let it float next to him on the same trajectory. At seven kilometers above the ship, John activated his primary thruster, speeding away as fast as possible. The HAVOK detonated so close that it elevated his [[MJOLNIR Powered Assault Armor/Mark IV|MJOLNIR armor]]'s exterior temperature well above the danger level.{{Ref/Reuse|HSS20}} Fred and Kelly likewise managed to destroy their targeted vessels before Blue Team was recovered by the ''Vanishing Point'' or its escort prowlers.{{Ref/Novel|Id=HSS21|HSS|Chapter=21}} | |||
The decimation of the logistics fleet forced the Fleet of Inexorable Obedience to call in another for resupply, exposing their nearby support world of [[Zhoist]] to Dr. Halsey. | |||
{{Expand-section}} | {{Expand-section}} | ||
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*[[Sierra Force]] | *[[Sierra Force]] | ||
*[[Dagger Force]] | *[[Dagger Force]] | ||
* | *Dozens of [[S-14 Baselard Space Striker]]s | ||
==List of appearances== | ==List of appearances== | ||
