3rd Freedom Guard Ship Amaterasu

3rd Freedom Guard Ship Amaterasu is a heavily armed vessel equipped with 4600mm plasma cannon and various secondary armaments, the Amaterasu was on her maiden voyage, a training flight crewed mostly by naval academy cadets, when her native planet of Kibi was attacked and quickly subjugated by the Henrietta System Alliance. Ignoring orders to surrender, the Amaterasu waged a one-ship war against the Alliance, funded by a TV channel in return for exclusive access to footage of their exploits.

Battle vs. Covenant CPV-class Destroyer (by SPARTAN 119)
Deep space, edge of human-explored space

The Amaterasu came out of warp, ending up in the middle of nowhere, lightyears from any inhabited planet, having escaped a battle with the Henrietta System Alliance. Sinon Kozuki looked at the RADAR screen, spotting a lone contact.

"Sir", Sinon said to Amaterasu captain Cisca Kanzaki, "We have contact with an unknown vessel, 12 o'clock".

"I see it", Miyuri Akisato, operator of the ship's radio telescope said, "It doesn't look like a known alliance vessel."

"Hisaka", Kanzaki said, "Try and contact the vessel".

Comms officer Alley Hisaka spoke into the Amaterasu's comm's system: "Unknown vessel, this the Guard Ship Amaterasu, Identify yourselves..."

In the background reporter Dita Markov spoke into a microphone, "The Amaterasu has attempted to make contact with the unknown vessel".

"We're getting a reply from the unknown vessel", Hisaka replied.

The video screen flashed on, revealing the face of a reptilian, four-mandibled alien, though the crew of the Amaterasu didn't know it, a Sangheili, or Covenant Elite, this one by the name of Kyro 'Watramee, shipmaster of a Covenant CPV-class destroyer.

"Your destruction is the will of the gods", Kyro said, "And I am their instrument"

Kyro turned off the screen and gave the order to fire the plasma torpedoes.

Back on the Amaterasu, alarms blared as Kanzaki gave the order, "All personnel, man your battlestations, we are under attack. Fire control, prepare weapons to return fire, Conning, evasive maneuvers."

"Roger", the ship's gunner, Takai Kiryu replied, "Preparing to charge main plasma cannon"

"Making evasive maneuvers now", helmsman Shinto Mikami replied.

The Amaterasu maneuvered out of the way of the incoming plasma torpedoes, the projectiles losing their lock and moving around the Amaterasu.

Takai Kiryu responed to the Covenant attack, firing a barrage of missiles at the Covenant ship. Most of the missiles impacted the shield of the alien ship, causing no damage, but some of the missiles went through a gap in the shield opened for a couple of charging plasma torpedoes, knocking out two of the plasma torpedo launchers.

"There", Sinon said, noticing this, "There seems to be a gap in the shields when the weapons are firing! Hit them while they are charging their weapons."

"Hear you loud and clear Kozuki", Takai said, as several pulse lasers hit the Amaterasu, causing only minor damage.

Takai fired the main 4600mm plasma cannon. The destructive blast of plasma impacted the side of the Covenant ship in a flash of fire, blowing away one of the rear wing-like sections of the destroyer.

"Shipmaster", an elite in the bridge said, "By the prophets! The humans have some kind of plasma weapon, they taken out part of the rear craft and destroyed half our plasma torpedo tubes."

Seconds later, the Covenant destroyer was rocked by more explosions. "We've been hit by a pulse laser weapon", the Elite explained.

Back on the Amaterasu, the crew aboard the fire control station cheered as they hit the unknown vessel first with the plasma cannon and then the "Revolver" laser turret.

Five Covenant Seraph fighters flew at the Amaterasu, firing their pulse lasers and plasma launchers, taking out several missile pods. The Amaterasu retaliated with a barrage of her own missiles, blowing away the alien fighters. The crew of the Kibi Guard Ship cheered at their recent success.

Back on the Covenant Destroyer, Shipmaster Kyro 'Watramee was furious, "Throw everything we have at them, prepare to fire the energy projector! Destroy this abomination once and for all!", Kyro yelled.

The Covenant Destroyer turned to the Guard Ship and fired a particle beam from the bow which burned through the Amaterasu's rear section, section, blowing away the conning bridge and engines.

Alarms flashed and lights went out, leaving only emergency lighting. The artificial gravity cut out as the Amaterasu went to emergency power.

"Captian", Sinon said, "they've taken out conning", before softly saying, "Renna, Akiho, Shinto, Rio...", Sinon spoke the names of the comrades she'd never see again.

"Evacuate the vessel!", Kanzaki said. Seconds later the Amaterasu was rocked by explosions from multiple plasma torpedoes and pulse lasers, disabling the armaments and destroying all of the life pods.

"They've taken out the life pods", Hisaka reported.

"I guess..." Sinon said softly... "This is it".

As the message was reported through the ship, the crew of the Amaterasu panicked, grabbing onto friends, praying, or breaking down into tears. Proving once again that they were truly mere naval cadets, rather than a professional crew.

Aboard the fire control station. Assistant gunner Sanri Wakana got up from her seat and floated to towards gunner Takai Kiryu.

"Takai", she said, teary-eyed, "I have... always... liked you... for two...years now.. and now... I... we..."

Sanri embraced Takai, who returned her embrace. Takai felt Sanri's lips slowly come into contact with his own, felt her tears run onto his cheek. Takai did not have time to contemplate whether he actually had feelings for Wakana, or just did this our of pity. In a flash of fire, the Amaterasu, Sanri, Takai, and everyone else on board were reduced to field of glowing debris.

Back aboard the Covenant ships, one of the Elites on the bridge said, "Sensors indicate the human vessel has been destroyed".

"Excellent", Kyro said, "Prepare the slipspace drive, Let us return to base and report our victory to the Prophets".

WINNER: COVENANT CPV DESTROYER

Expert's Opinion
Sorry if you were turned off by the melodrama at the end.. or did make you feel guilty about letting the Covies kill off the cast of an esoteric space opera anime (I did get a little carried away with the characterization)?! The Covenant had an overwhelming advantage with their firepower and energy shields, as well as their professional crew, vs the rebel naval cadets of the Amaterasu. In hindsight, I think I picked too tough an opponent for the Amaterasu (Perhaps a Covenant Corvette).

To see the original battle, weapons, and votes, click here