05/30/06

Beyond Halo

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Backstory

Due to Halo 3, the majority of this story may potentially be impossible by the standards of the Halo universe, so, until more details are released about Halo 3, the following occurred proceeding the Covenant attack on earth [Halo 2]:

The battered human forces, driven back to earth, welcome the return of the remaining Spartans. By sheer luck and explosives, the human forces are able to target Covenant Excavation Forces, effectively targeting much of the remaining invasion force. By hurried repairs of the MAC guns, both on and above Earth, a second invasion force is repelled, as the Covenant morale collapses following the death of the Prophet of Truth aboard the Forerunner ship by Spartan 117. Eventually, in a final zealous push, the Covenant swarm Earth, pushing the remaining forces back to a few select installations, the largest being nestled in the Himalayas. From this command station, the remainder of Earth's leaders urge a massive call to arms, as civilians capable of combat were given whatever weapons they had. As the civilian army attacked, the UESC also responded with the test atmospheric flight of numerous new ships. The UNSC forces bolstered the civilian army, and the Covenant were quickly overrun. The Prophets, scrambling for control of the battered Covenant, were quick to approve a retreat of Earth. Due to the MAC emplacements, this was an impossibility. Zealous squadrons jumped at the enemy and were slaughtered, while the reminaing forces raised white flags of surrender. Rather than transport back to Covenant Space, where they would undoubtedly face execution, a small, Covenant controlled nation was formed, located on a recently created island in the middle of the Atlantic.

 After the attack, the Covenant kept to their own section of the galaxy, where the UNSC set up surveillance systems to ensure early warning of another attack. At first, there was paranoia among the Humans, but eventually, the need to expand became a top priority. Anybody with a slipspace-capable ship that could hold at least fifty people was given the opportunity to find a planet and colonize it. Before long, Human Space grew and surpassed its former glory. As the original veterans of the first invasion grew older, the need for military supremacy began to spread. Spartans were trained voluntarily and in a faster, more efficient manner. The old generation was now gone, leaving the new one to fend for itself. Small, unplanned attacks by exile Covenant fleets led to a small, ineffective campaign that only managed to destroy one planet before the disorganized group was dismantled.

As the Humans had learned from the first war, the Covenant had also learned. Instead of destroying planets and moving on, they began to focus on fighting on planets in order to eliminate more soldiers as they rallied to defend their holdings.

New Weapons

Ballistic Resonance Blade - Known also as a Gunblade, the BRB is the weapon of choice for the Knights of Aras - it is a long blade with a pistol for a handle that fires a large, explosive round which detonates inside the bladed portion of the weapon. This allows the blade to vibrate, becoming deadlier when slicing though opponents. The explosive bullets, known as BR-Rounds, are usually in steady supply, because only those with such a weapon would purchase the ammo. The blade itself is made of powerful metal composites that allow it to resist the destructive forces of plasma.

Zanbatou - The Zanbatou, Japanese for "Horse-Slaying Sword", is a powerful sword, one foot in width, five to six feet in length, with a thickness of several inches and a small pole for a handle. This sword is not at all practical for use by normal beings, rather, the SPARTANS, with their augmented muscles and their MJOLNIR suits are able to wield them decently, as are the Elites. Brutes have the easiest time with such a weapon, but prefer not to bother with it. The Zanbatou is quite an imposing blade, capable of, with proper force, slicing even the most armored beings, or in some cases vehicles, clean in half. This weapon is treasured for its appearance and battle capability, and are manufactured throughout Human Space.

ODST Combat Dagger - While not the most impressive of blades, the combat dagger is a practical weapon. Made of the same components as the BRB, it is a lightweight blade carried by all ODSTs, and is quite a weapon as far as daggers go.

Planets

ARAS

     History: Aras was initially colonized by a family of aristocrats that wanted to become famous forever. The moment they landed on the planet, Jim Aras immediately started naming everything after his family. After founding Aras City, he met a most unfortunate end after slipping and falling from Aras Cliff. The local populace was actually glad that they no longer had a planetary governor that insisted on naming everything after himself. Aras has since become a center for oil and metal companies, in particular the Mayverstyn Production Corporation.

Places of Interest:

Aras Mountain Range - A ring of mountains that completely surrounds Aras City, providing natural defense against, well, nothing in particular. Beyond them is the diverse landscape of Aras.

MPC Oil Refinery #A327 - The MPC Oil Refinery closest to Aras City, located in the outer parts of the mountain range. It is a large provider of oil to Aras City, and is the source of many jobs for those who live near it.

Aras City - A massive city surrounded by a ring of mountains. It the largest city on Aras, the others being small, scattered settlements. Everything that one would expect can be found here.

ASN Offices - The offices of the Aras Stock Network, found in the center of the city. It is the source of the planet's business news, and its numerous studios and large offices work in unison to provide Aras with more than just a news network.

Mayverstyn Estate - Albert Mayverstyn has an estate on every planet with his holdings on it, and Aras is no exception. It is one of the most beautiful structures on the planet, excluding the natural beauty.

Noromay Corporation Offices - The largest structure on Aras, the offices of the Noromay Corporation are the source of most of the cities jobs. This giant tower is acknowledged as an integral building to the business world. Despite their offices on other worlds, it is Aras that is home to the grandest.

Aras Spaceport - When ships are needed, the massive Spaceport is the first place to look.

Orbital Artillery Station - A massive weapons platform in orbit above Aras.

-More to come soon-

Factions

Knights of Aras

     An organization that has existed since the foundation of Aras City, the Knights of Aras were originally destined to become the bodyguards of Jim Aras. After the somewhat mysterious death of Jim Aras, they became an organization for training soldiers to work as either powerful planetary soldiers or governmental bodyguards. The hierarchy of this organization is unknown, but it seems to stretch far beyond the bounds of the planet Aras. Each member is given a powerful sword, able to withstand the corrosive effects of plasma while also powerful enough to be able to cut through most types of materials, with appropriate force.

Aras ODSTs

     The ODSTs of the Aras area are trained much like those throughout Human Space. What sets these apart is the additional training on the diverse landscape of Aras, giving them the edge on most terrains. On Aras, they are led by Master Sergeant Lee Lemon.

Renegade Elites

     Also calling themselves the "Failed Covenant," this organization is made up of the elites and other members of the Covenant that were banished and/or exiled due to their actions. They typically form peaceful societies that attempt to make non-hostile contact with humans. In this, they learn far more about how others view their former Covenant, particularly since the Covenant attempted to make its actions seem as though they were much more justified than even the existance of humanity. Their leader depends on their group, although there is supposedly a single leader, who is currently unknown.

Serenity's Blade

     "Serenity is never free; we shall fight until all those opposed to the supreme rule of the Covenant have given up their resistance." This is the motto of Serenity's Blade, a secretive organization that wants to usher in a new era where the Covenant are the supreme rulers of humanity. This includes the killing of Human forces, the interruption of battles, the harboring of Covenant forces, and giving out vital information. They expect to be spared from the Covenant's wrath due to their worship of them, and will do anything in the name of the Covenant. Some planets have been known to have Serenity's Blade members so deeply ingrained into government that they practically rule those planets.