(DS)

    Oranos walks around on the bridge of his ship listening to all of the comms traffic.  Growing more and more nervous as the reports come in of far more widespread combat activities then he was hoping to hear about.  He's bothered by the thoughts of his new allies suffering a devastating attack that destroyed an entire trade port, thoughts of them being spied on by some Vasari faction out there, thoughts of now these people rising up in arms.  He's reminded of memories from their last home.  Suffering wave of attack after wave of attack, forcing them into retreat, ultimately forcing them to hide for their own survival.  Though he doesn't know why they're fighting, he knows his allies are being attacked...  His concentration on these bad memories is only interrupted when he overhears the comm traffic that the Sorsk has called for reinforcements from the other star bases.
    "How bad is it down below?" he mutters out loud to himself.  Pausing for several seconds, he seems to be lost in thought again until he straightens up tall and puffs out his chest while fixing his uniform.  Oranos speaks clearly enough for everyone of his bridge officers to hear, "We're the Red Dragon Army...  I think it's time we got out of these ships and did some ground pounding."
    The officers all around him smile widely.
    "Notify the Sorsk that I'll be sending down support and any civilian needing evacuation from the affected areas may use our Akkan until more permanent arrangements can be made for them." Oranos informs his staff.  "I'm going to join Roesh and Henry as soon as I can."
    They immediately busy themselves with organizing troops and aid, and prepping their ships for any potential arrivals.  Oranos walks off the bridge and immediately heads for the hanger.



    Bravo Company, now in position, prepares to begin their assault on the enemy position.
    Whispering into his radio, "Bravo ready to hit the East cannon." a lieutenant says.
    "Go ahead then," Commander Davis replies.  "Alpha is already working on their's."
    "Yes, sir." he whispers into his radio.
    A few hand signals later and Bravo engages their target from behind.  Taking advantage of their opponent's lack of cover they quickly clear the cannon of all personnel, but fail to clear the area outright.  Much like Alpha Company, they're going to have to fight it out.

    Under cover about a dozen buildings from the cannon, Alpha Company is in a stalemate with the cannon defenders.
    "Commander Jones!" one of his privates yells while crawling over to him.
    "Yes, what is it?" Jones asks.
    "A few of us think we can gain roof access and get closer and frag their position with our Milkor's."
    "Very well.  Get to it." Jones replies.
    Four marines take their grenade launchers and head for the next street over.  They quickly gather up speed as they charge up the street approaching the second to the last house before they're spotted by a look out who opens fire on them.  They cross the street and forcefully enter the building next to them to escape the gunfire rather then wasting the time to fire back.  Jogging past the family cowering on the floor behind their furniture, the group heads up the stairs and to a room with a balcony in the back of the house.  Quickly checking the hall making sure they weren't followed by the person shooting at them, one marine hands his weapon off to another and climbs the railing.  With a little assistance he's up on the roof.  One at a time the three remaining marines follow suit.  After all four are on the roof they head to the edge.
    "We're still too far to get a good shot off." one of them says.
    The others nod in agreement.  While standing there indecisively, they start taking fire from the gunman.  Having no other option this time, they shoot back forcing him into cover and launch a few grenades his way.  After the three small explosions sound off, they check for their assailant again.  They see a maimed body lying lifeless in the street.
    "I guess we got him...  Now what?"
    "It's only about a five foot gap, I say we ditch our gear and go for it."
    "Or!" one of the soldiers protests. "We could just go back down stairs and into the next building like we had originally planned."
    "We could..." one of the marines says as he unhooks his gear. "But this is faster." he continues as he runs and jumps over the gap with relative ease.
    Following the example the remaining three drop their gear and one at a time make the leap.  Staying behind the ridge of the roof, they move into position to lob grenades at the cannon's guardians.  They wait for a small group of rebels to check on the body of their friend and return to their position.
    "Alright boys...  Three...  Two...  One...  Frag 'em." the lead marine states.
    The group unloads their launcher's 6 round revolver style clips spreading their shots out to cover as much ground as they can, doing as much damage as they can.

    Seeing several small explosions and hearing over a dozen more, the remainder of Alpha Company abandons their position and charges for the cannon.  A couple dazed combatants stumble out into the street and are put down almost immediately.  The marines arrive to find almost everyone dead.  Those left alive are given prompt medical attention and dragged away from the cannon.  Like the others, it's rigged with explosives and detonated.  Shortly after Alpha Company finishes up with their objective, the other cannon is detonated by the group from Bravo Company.
    "Jones to Davis, two down, two to go." Commander Jones says over the radio to Commander Davis.
    "Copy, Bravo is advancing to the crossroad and reassembling." Commander Davis replies.

    Bravo Company scatters seeking shelter as the two cannons North of their position charge up and fire on them.  The cannon's crew spread their shots out to cover a wide berth of real estate which has the effect of knocking down some of the members of Bravo Company.

    "Commander Davis to Command, need a medivac for us and some hostiles."
    "Copy, Commander, transports to your South are standing by.  Baker Mike, how copy?" Captain Page says over the comms.
    "Baker Mike copies, how many Commander Davis?"
    "Baker Mike, Alpha shows seven incapacitated combatants, Bravo has eight."
    "Copy...  Command, Charlie Lima is making the trip with us, Sierra Oscar and Kilo India are remaining on stand-by."
    "Command copies Baker Mike."

    Baker Mike and Charlie Lima push their engines to full and rocket up from the ground.  After gaining a couple dozen feet, they blast forward to get to Bravo Company as fast as they can.

    Alpha and Bravo Companies both reassemble and begin a full scale assault on the remaining two cannons in front of them leaving only a few people behind to help load and guard the transports when they arrive.  Over the comms they hear the emergency evac shuttles as well as the reinforcements arriving.


    "Shuttle One-One-Two coming down hot on primary evac location." the pilot states.
    "Copy One-One-Two, smoke markers are being deployed." one of the guards states.

    Multiple smoke canisters fly out in every which direction from the ground and roof top of O'Malley's Tavern to conceal the area.  Once there is heavy cover, colored smoke canisters are dropped out into the street to the Northeast of the building to mark where the shuttles should set down.

    "Copy that, we see them.  Ten seconds we'll be on the ground ready to receive."
    "Copy One-One-Two."

    Several other shuttles full of marines from one of the additional battalions being sent to the planet make every effort possible to catch up to the evac shuttles and the marines from the Revenge.


    "Wolfpack Lead to Bravo Company, gunships are en route to your position, do you need fire support?" the pilot of the lead gunship calls out over the comms.
    "Copy Wolfpack, we've got a couple heavies blocking our progress, mind making a strafing pass for us?" Commander Davis requests.
    "Copy Bravo, give us a vector and paint our targets."
    "Wolfpack, approach from the South, targets will be on both sides of the street."
    "Copy Bravo, 45 seconds."
    "Snipers, you've got 30 seconds to get as many lasers on those cannons as you can!" Commander Davis orders.
    Several men run off to different buildings and head immediately up their stairs.  Not bothering with trying to get to the roof tops, they bust out the street side windows and paint their targets.  Wolfpack swings around to the South side of the city and turns to the North.  Their targeting computers immediately register the two targets ahead of Alpha and Bravo Companies painted by more then a dozen laser beams.  They line up in two columns and stagger their approach.  Wolfpack lead on the left, followed by Wolfpack 2 on the right, followed by Wolfpack 3 on the left, followed by Wolfpack 4 on the right, and the remaining four ships fall into this pattern behind their leaders...  Engines screaming overhead, Wolfpack flies past their comrades and begins to pound their targets with auto cannon fire.  First with their front cannons as they approach dropping in altitude, then their side cannons as they pass while levelling off, and then their rear cannons as they pull up.  All that can be seen by Alpha and Bravo Companies are the tracer rounds as they fly down straight and true followed by columns of smoke.  The eight gunships rocket past in only seconds, but laying down more firepower then all of the marines on the ground could have done.

    "Thanks Wolfpack, we'll pick up the trash." Commander Davis says.
    "Copy Bravo.  Wolfpack to Command, we're going to buzz the town hall and proceed to cover the evac."
    "Command copies, Wolfpack lead." Captain Page acknowledges.


    The marine shuttles on approach to the emergency evac point set down inside the smoke cover and unload their passengers as the VIP's are exiting the building and climbing into the emergency shuttles.
    "Protection detail, you are relived from your positions!" Captain Cooper yells as his battalion immediately begins to swarm the area.  "Board the transports and continue onto your next assignments!"
    The protection details jump onto the shuttles that the marines exited from and as each one fills up it takes off to join the VIP shuttles already climbing as fast as they can go.
    "Cooper to Forward Command, VIP's are secure, we're ready for our next orders."
    "Copy that Captain Cooper..." Major Navarro states over the comms having just arrived to relieve Captain Page only seconds before.  "Sweep everything North of the town hall, search all structures for combatants and weapons and remove them.  Use of force is authorized.  I'll have Captain James's Battalion relieve Captain Page's to sweep everything South of the town hall."
    "Copy Major.  We're starting our sweep."

    Major Navarro walks to the door of Command and gives a thumbs up to Captain James's battalion.  The shuttles respond by lifting off of the ground and setting course for Alpha and Bravo Company still making their way to the town hall.
    "Captain Page." Major Navarro says turning back around. "Where is Charlie Company?"
    "They're out on patrol beyond the ground defense guns capturing any combatants that flee."
    "Good.  I want what's left of Alpha to come back here and take over for Delta so Delta can assist Charlie.  Bravo will be split into three platoons and are assigned to Moloney Space Port, Town Hall, and the Comm Center until we've ended actions here."
    "Sir." Captain Page says as he salutes and returns to his radio to pass out the new orders to his men.



    Once they reach the Joyce Estate, Kieran heads around to the back.  He opens up doors to a root cellar and walks in.  Riona follows right behind him.
    "Is there some sort of secret passage way out of here?" She asks.
    "Sure." he says as he turns on a light on the wall.
    "I'm going to check in with the mastermind to this whole rebellion of ours before we get trapped underground." Riona says as she pulls out a communicator and punches a code in while walking back to the stairway.
    She hears a beeping noise from behind her which prompts her to turn around.  As she turns, she discovers the barrel of a gun pointed right between her now narrowing eyes.  "YOU!" is all she says as Kieran just shrugs a little and then pulls the trigger spraying blood and brain matter all over the stairs behind her.  Stepping over her lifeless body, Kieran mutters, "And now I'm back where I belong." He walks back up the stairs and closes the cellar doors.  They latch shut and he punches in a code that locks them.  He walks away and heads North calmly whistling his favorite tune.


    Roesh steps into the cockpit of the emergency evac shuttle to talk to the pilot.
    "Take us to Adler please." he states.
    "Yes sir." the pilot states while following the course the nav computer gives him after his copilot inputs the new destination.
    "Finley 3, sir?" the copilot asks.
    "Yes, it's plenty built up now and I've decided we need to be there to take care of future business."
    "Of course, sir, I didn't mean..." the copilot says before being cut off.
    "Don't worry.  We've done a poor job of advertising places in this system even to our own people.  That will change soon." Roesh says before rejoining the other VIPs in the back of the shuttle.

(DS RP)

The order was spread amongst the vessels in orbit, human and Advent alike, that dropships were clear to descend upon the planet. The air strikes cleared the vast majority of the flak and the rebellion was quickly crumbling under the force of professional soldiers. Shortly behind Thenos' marines, the Lions dispatched their own, escorted by gunships and spreading out to approach the outer edges of the city. The gunships sped ahead, making passes over the area to confirm clear areas. In at least one case, someone below made an attempt to fire rounds at the passing air force, their low caliber weapons neither touching the targets as they sped past nor being terribly capable of producing damage even if they did. The second wing passing confirmed the act of aggression, a burst of rounds from the wing leader's turret throwing dust into the air. The target could neither be confirmed dead nor said to prove anything otherwise after that point. With the gunships producing tight circles in choice areas near the city, the dropships are given their clearance and had toward their respective landing zones.

Inside a dropship, marines are strapped to their seats, fully equipped and holding their weapons tight to their chests. Their sergeant paces down the center of the vessel, "Marines, we are engaging in a rescue op. Securing the area is the job of the Traders. Our goal is the recovery of our people on the ground. Although we have limited intel, we do know who is missing and their rough whereabouts. We will proceed to these locations and sweep outward from their, extracting our people with all due speed. Do you understand?"

"Sir, yes, sir," comes the reply from the whole.

"Good. We are authorized to use deadly force against any resistance encountered, but make sure to check your targets. There are reports of heavy weapon emplacements on the surface, so we are foregoing the usual assault weaponry in favor of .30 caliber automatics. Remember your magazines: Black for ball rounds and green for API."

One of the marines looks over to the man next to him, slightly lifting his weapon and spreading a wide grin over his face.

"Marines, this will be a clean operation."

"Sir, yes, sir."

Two dropships touchdown northwest of the Affluent District, at the end of a main road. Before their landing gears touch the ground, the doors are falling open and marines approaching the edges with their weapons held at the ready. The men scatter out under the cover of debris blown about by the roaring engines, making a swift approach toward the edges of buildings. They stagger their approach, smaller groups being dispatched through alleyways to secure adjacent areas.

A lieutenant within one of the dropships watches an orbit feed of the scenario, the information assisted by cameras embedded in the marine's helmets. "Tet and Nun Squads, you're about to come out onto a main street north of the Affluent District. Enemy targets sighted moving south from this position."

"Roger that," the senior corporal replies. His men approach the edge of the alleyway, the first to arrive stopping at the ends and providing cover. The others spill forth, sweeping their weapons to the side to survey the street. After the majority of their numbers are in the open, a popping sounds off, one much closer than the background noise which is currently a matter of a fact to anyone in the region. One of the marines takes a spray of bullets, the first striking him in the side, likely digging into his vest, and the other trailing down from the hip to the leg, areas less than likely guarded. He screams as he topples to the ground, his comrades immediately swinging toward the offender.

"Contact," one of the men yells out before half a dozen soldiers open fire with their high caliber weapons, chewing away at the corner where the target lies. Not only do they send him reeling back in a mess of spray, but they nearly detach the surrounding section of masonry from the building. Mortar dust and crumbles of brick fall away in the aftermath.

"Medic," the corporal calls out, resulting in a single man rushing from the alleyway to the injured soldier's side. He dismounts his pack and goes to work tearing through the clothing of the victim and tending to his wounds. The corporal signals for three men to remain with the injured and continues south on the road, the remaining nineteen men splitting up to cover each side of the road as they progress.

A short distance passes before one of the marines turns to clear an alleyway and finds Landauer sitting against a wall, a pistol in one hand and his other pressed upon Pollock's stomach. The marine calls out to his squad and approaches the officer.

"Sir, are you okay?"

Landauer looks up, "She's been shot."

"Get that medic up here. We've got wounded."

A brief moment goes by before the medic arrives and drops to her side. He pulls a small device from his belt and holds it to her neck for a moment, removing it when numbers light up on a small display. He glances at the numbers, "Her blood pressure is too low and temperature is dropping. She's going into shock. Corporal, we need an immediate med-evac."

Just a short distance down the alleyway, the corporal hears it all through his helmet and switches over to another channel, "Lieutenant, we have severe wounded. Any chance we can get a dropship on our location?"

"We can have one on your position in five minutes. Secure the main road."

"Roger that," the corporal replies before heading out into the street. "Marines, secure the area. I want Tet watching the north and Nun on the south. As soon as that dropship arrives, I want wounded on and gone in two."

Just as affirmations ring out, gunfire is heard from down the street. The marines turn to find a handful of targets approaching from the south, exposing themselves, but far enough to reduce any accuracy for either side. The marines take cover and return fire, proving unable to strike down their targets with accuracy.

"Lieutenant, those forces south of here are making a come back. Zone is hot. Repeat, zone is hot."

"Understood, I'm sending gunships ahead. Maintain your positions."

While fire is traded between marines and rebels, the medic finishes bandaging the wound, "That'll hold till we can get that round out. Small caliber and didn't penetrate. As lucky as she's going to get." He pulls a compact respirator from his bag and pops a cylinder of compressed oxygen into it, placing it over her mouth and keeping it position. With Landauer's hands now free, the medic asks, "Sir, can you find an emergency blanket in my bag? We need to keep her warm."

Landauer rummages through the pack for a moment before finding a small, square package. Tearing off the wrapping, the material unfolds with ease, producing an extremely thin, foil-like blanket which he drapes over Pollock and tucks beneath her.

A marine fires off a few rounds, forcing one of the rebels back under cover. Before he can reassess his target, a fighter screeches overhead. The fighter passes over the marines and rebels both within seconds. The pilot looks at a display off to one side of his cockpit, infrared markers appearing over a projection of the city street. The computer automatically excludes markers sharing space with IFF beacons the marines wear and the pilot quickly excludes targets within buildings or outside of the target area, via a touch screen. "Targets are assigned. Gunships are a go."

The marine's eyes follow the fighter as it soon becomes a small dot in the distance. Before the dot can fade from sight, a wing of gunships pass over, their engines creating a deeper roar and pulling attention away from their predecessor. The gunships train their turreting weapons on the designated targets and fire as soon as possible, a continuous stream of ammunition being released upon the men until the gunships are not only past, but too far for the pilots to control the MOA of the gatling weaponry. The area where the rebels took cover is not only enveloped in dust, but the edges of the buildings are eroded and the sidewalks now peppered with hundreds of small craters culminating on several, larger holes. About the time the gunships cease firing, a dropship swoops in to make landfall. The two injured personnel are rushed to the rear access, where the medic hands Pollock's life over to the on board medical technicians and Landauer climbs on to remain by her side. The marines watch as both the remaining forces to the south, of which there are few, flee and the dropship carries its passengers up into orbit.

Levin watches the action below through his scope. The Trader forces have done quite a job of both mopping up the larger part of the resistance and securing the vital location that is the space port. Gunships pass overhead, receiving little notice until two, much larger, vessels begin to slow and hover behind him.

"This is Dropship One Niner to command, we have reached the space port and are holding position. One friendly on the rooftop and the area is secure. Are we clear to set down?"

"Negative, One Niner," comes the reply. "Landing in open areas is not advised and the roof is not rated to support a dropship. We advise rapid deployment of marines at low altitude."

"Affirmative, command."

The dropships lower themselves as close to the roof as possible without making contact, all the while opening up to allow the marines access to the roof, which they do so with speed. The men jump down to the roof and rush toward the building's edges. Levin lies the rifle on the ground and rises to meet the marines, "Glad you could make it."

"Sir," the marine replies, "we've been given orders to meet up with friendly forces, secure the area and extract all officers. Is there anyone else here?"

"No, I'm it." Levin looks back to the two bodies lying on the edge of the roof. "At least the only one planning to go anywhere."

The marine smiles and escorts Levin to the dropship.

Nelson and Borovsky approach the area surrounding the town hall with weapons ready. After checking a corner leading out into a main street, they venture forth. From around a corner in front of them, a squad of Trader marines appear, the two sides pointing their weapons at the other.

"Hold," their team leader orders. "David's Lions, put down your weapons. We are under orders to disarm all units in the city."

"This means the fun is over?" Borovsky asks.

Nelson lowers his weapon, slumping his shoulders as he answers, "Yeah, well, it was getting boring anyway."

Borovsky frowns and lowers his weapon, the Trader marines relaxing in return and a couple stepping forward to take the weapons. Borovsky simply hands his over while Nelson insists in unloading the magazine and chamber before allowing the weapon to leave his possession.

Nelson looks to Borovsky, "I wonder if O'Malley's is still open." Borovsky's face lights up.

Out of character and for assistance in getting the appearance of FoV combat armour across.

So basically, my main inspiration for the FoV combat armour, the first model of which was designed by Thenos Garr, was the Nod soldiers from C&C Renegade. Observe.

Okay, so when I say inspired by, I mean near-identical-to, but hey. Basically, the key differences is the presence of thigh armour, and armour for the upper arms and lower arms, rather than just elbow-pads. Also, the MkII of the armour features grey camouflage, sort of similar to urban camo, instead of the un-tactical red that this soldier is sporting. Oh, and the visor's matte grey as well, and smaller. Thanks for your time.

Oh, I forgot to mention the Unity's Hand edition. The highest echelon operators, as in not generic terrorists, but the best of the best of the FoV's professional soldiers, close to special forces but rarer and more dangerous, will be wearing something like this. If your high-level Unity's Hand operator is equivalent to special forces, pray to god you don't meet these guys.

Yes, I am stealing from Westwood again, but work with me here...

Again, less red, more greys and blacks. It also has active camo, meaning minimalistic standard camouflage, which I think was included in a much earlier post, so it's not a new idea for the Unity's Hand.

Sorry if this is the wrong time and place, but I wouldn't really feel comfortable putting images in my story posts, yet couldn't find a great way to describe what was in my mind when I thought of the latest model of FoV body armour.

(DS)

    On the fourth moon of Finley 4, Gordon monkeys around with pieces of the Dark Scout trying to figure out how it's different then any other ship.  It's massive size makes for a daunting task, yet he revels in the challenge of it.  Trying all kinds of tests on small pieces that he believes are mostly undamaged, he comes to some odd conclusions.
    "Hey, lad, where ye be hidin' at these days?  I hear there's a flock of boys who be wantin' your attention." Gordon says into a comms panel after it reads it's connected to Todd.
    "Isn't it past your bedtime old man?  You old coots are usually crawling between the sheets by the time the sun goes down." Todd fires back.
    "Ah, now maybe it would be if I had a lass or two here to keep me company."
    "What is it with old people...  You think you can just say whatever you want..."
    "Ah'm not sayin anythin you don't want to hear."
    "Really?...  Then how about you get to the point of this?"
    "I have some good news about that strange ship.  I hit it with yer sensor thin and measured it's response.  Turns out, it's armor platin does double duty."
    "Phases the ship out more completely or something?"
    "Nah, lad.  It does a pretty good job of absorbin the signals rather then reflectin them.  Short area sensors like tha ones used inside a gravity well aren't very effective."
    "Tell me something I don't know.  We can't see these bastards even when we're right next to them."
    "No, tha's not entirely true.  You can, but tha sensors don't report small objects and writes them off as glitches or echos from other objects or other EM interference.  The difficulty is in findin tha proper balance between false signatures and positive ones."
    "So what we need to be doing is finding a proper energy band to be adding to the sensors to figure out what's out there and what isn't really out there."
    "Aye lad."
    "Good, you keep working on that, I'm going to check in on the other half of this riddle." Todd says before cutting the comms.

    Todd leaves the research station before rejoining Batson and the ATAACS project and picks up Casey on his way back to the group working on the sensor package to check in on their progress.  The news isn't good as he finds out the group is pretty much out of ideas on where to make advances and has instead focused more on optimizing the coding necessary for the systems to run them properly and the systems that rely on the data provided by them.  Disappointed with their efforts, he disbands the group and has them return to their normal duties while he uploads the new data into his own research files.  He then sends a copy to Gordon to test out to see if they have any kind of improvements.  Moving down on his To Do list, he contacts techs at the com center monitoring the virus.

    "Hey fellas.  Have we gotten any word back on our little bug?" he asks.
    "So far we've got hits at three different locations. Ethea, Atlovia, Erardene." the tech responds.
    "Nice.  Any of them really reliable?"
    "Two of the locations have only pinged us back twice.  The other, Erardene, about a dozen times.  So if I had to guess, I'd say there's definitely something there."
    "Good.  Keep monitoring the virus and report anything out of the ordinary to me immediately." Todd states before cutting the comm link.

    Sending a priority message to Tim, Todd requests the use of a few ships to upgrade the sensor package and leave the system to investigate the most likely place he's going to find their spies.  It doesn't take long at all for Tim's reply to come back stating that he can shut down any ships of his choosing and that he's on his way to the star to go with them.  Armed with the message, Todd calls up a meeting with the captains of the capital ships at the star.

    "Alright boys and girls." Todd begins.  "I've been given permission to take a few of your ships out of service to upgrade your sensors to the latest package and go look for these bastards that are spying on us.  Any volunteers?"
    After a short pause, all of the captains volunteer.
    "Great, make this harder on me." Todd continues.  "Let me rephrase this, who wouldn't mind staying behind?"
    They all remain silent.
    Todd laughs before continuing, "Alright...  Marshal Powley, since you're like second in command of the fleet, how about you pick..."
    "Very well." Powley replies. "The Kol's are going, I want the Affliction to go to provide strike craft support, the Pioneer, and...  The Abettor.  That'll leave the Advocate and the Crux to support the starbases should anything interesting happen while we're gone."
    "Great.  Those selected, have your ships form up near the Orlov and be ready to shut everything down." Todd orders.

    The ships do as requested and shut down near the Orlov.  Once their systems are turned off, techs, armed with the updates, begin the process of updating the ship's computer systems with the new software.  During the process.  Tim arrives with the frigates that he had built not too long ago.  A Percheron, a Hoshiko, four Kodiaks, eight Cobalts, and fourteen Javalis.  Each capital ship comes back online and runs through a systems check as each system is returned to normal operations.  Once all are reporting ready for action, the small fleet moves into position to jump to Erardene.



    Meanwhile on Finley 3, Henry and Thenos discuss the terms of the contract dissolution and once they agree on the terms that clear both sides of all debts, Thenos shakes Henry's hand and departs.  J'Rah and Roesh are busy pouring over information about the House of Vulkoras and the House of Konicek in private.  As revealing as the information is, most of it is grossly out of date and doesn't really clear up which, if either, could be the clan responsible for the attack on the trade port.  Disappointed by the results of the meeting, Roesh offers J'rah a room at the best hotel in Adler, the Tierney Hotel, if he wants to hang around until the Trade conference is officially announced.  Happily he accepts the offer so that he can hang around the city and experience as much of the human entertainment as he can stand.  His guard detail quickly realizes that the attitude of the people here is far different from those on the first planet they were on.  It's much more open and accepting of outsiders, even helpful to others, including Vasari.  They let their guard down enough to enjoy the city as well, especially after noticing that while well hidden, there is still plenty of security in place everywhere they go.

    The small RFT fleet arrives in Erardene only to discover that there isn't anything there.  They are unable to detect the presence of anyone at the star.  Fine tuning their scanning capabilities, the fleet spreads out to cover as much of the gravity well as possible.
    "Is anyone getting anything?" Admiral Hodgkins asks over the comms.
    Several negatives come back but a few unknowns come back as well.
    "Let's concentrate on those unknowns for a little bit and see if they really are anything at all." Todd requests.

    In truth, there is a lone scout in close proximity to the star doing it's best to hide.
    "What are they doing?" Captain U’ziv asks his bridge officers.
    "They appear to be trying to find something, their scanners are increasing in power every time they pass by." Ka'Eld answers.
    "Have they detected us?" U’ziv asks.
    "It is unlikely." Kogi replies.  "But I would recommend shutting down all nonessential systems and ending communications to make detection as difficult as possible."
    "Very well." U’ziv states.  "These wretched beings...  They may yet prove to be worthy as slaves someday.  Shut down everything unnecessary including life support.  Leave our scanners on passive."
    As hard as the Vasari scout tries to remain hidden, the more powerful and more focused scans will eventually reveal their position.
    "Sirs, we're unable to clear this anomaly from our sensors, every sweep of the immediate area states that something is there.  Visually, the star prevents us from seeing anything as the light washes out even our best filters." a bridge officer reports to Tim and Todd.
    "What do you think?" Tim asks Todd.
    "I think we're onto something but I don't want to waste our time chasing ghosts.  Whatever it is, it's not sending out any comms traffic, there are no engine signatures, no shielding is being used...  As far as I can tell, it's just some left over probe."

    Casey decides to add a thought of her own.  "What if they're just really good at hiding?  I mean, we know the stars can hide ships.  Not forever, but they do a good enough job.  Plus we're chasing after spies who are really good at hiding right under our noses.  I think we should treat it as hostile and shoot it anyway."
    Tim thinks for a second. "We could but we'd have almost no way to recover anything being so close to the star.  There's also the fact that even if this was one, it's proving very elusive to our upgraded sensors."
    "So let's hit it with an ion bolt..." Todd states.  "If it is an old probe it'll just do nothing.  If it is what we're after, it should disable their systems and make it easier for us to detect them."
    The Pioneer floats within range of the anomaly and fires an ion bolt at it.  As tensions build across the fleet, the end result proves that whatever it is, it's not worth continuing to investigate.
    "I guess we keep looking." Tim states.

    "Analyse their actions." Captain U’ziv states to his crew.
    After a few minutes, Kogi answers, "It is possible for them to disable our protection if they locate us."
    "Can they locate us?" Captain U’ziv asks.
    "Yes.  If they continue to intensify their scans, it is only a matter of time." Kogi answers.
    Captain U’ziv takes his time to consider his options.  "We are not to be the prey of these creatures.  We serve the House of Vulkoras...  They are our prey.  Start our engines and prepare to exit the system."
    His crew acknowledges his orders and moves away from the star.

    "SIR!" a sensor tech yells out. "We have an unidentified contact moving away from the star."
    "Put in on the holovid." Marshal Powley orders.
    He walks over to it with Tim, Todd, and Casey.
    "Commodore, ion bolt that whatever it is." Tim orders.
    The Pioneer attempts to intercept the unknown ship to disable and reveal it.  The remaining ships in the fleet race over to encircle the craft as the Pioneer prepares to send over several boarding parties.

    As the highly charged bolt leaves the the Akkan bow, it crosses the distance between the two ships as it slams into the side of the Jikara type-S with devastating consequences. Energy surrounds and arcs over the hull, key sub-systems begin to fail, while aboard the Akkan, the crew sees a ship appear out of nowhere and they begin to cheer over their success over a determined foe who is trying to stay hidden.

    Aboard the bridge of the Jikara, excess power leaps and arcs over various stations, a crew member is hit right in the chest from his overloaded workstation and is instantly killed from the blast. Multiple small discharges occur as the main lighting is blown out from the overload. Emergency lighting begins to cascade throughout the bridge but because of the thick haze of smoke, it is almost useless as the bridge crew is trying to ascertain the condition of their ship.

    "Report!" screams Captain U’ziv.
    "Phasic Cloak offline, as well as navigation, sensors, propulsion, shields and weapons..." yells the helmsman.
    "What did they hit us with?"
    "Before we lost our sensors, it appeared to be negative charged plasma from their colony ship sir."
    The captain's anger swells up inside because he realizes what the humans are now trying to do, especially since they are armed with a new detection techniques to render their Dark Scouts useless.
    "Do we have inter-ship comms?" Asked the captain.
    "Partially sir."
    "To all crew, report status to bridge at once, engineering, we need shields and propulsion back online NOW!"

    Through the haze and confusion reports begin to filter to the bridge, at least 17 fatalities through overloaded electrical plasma conduits and major relays have been fused since the ship was not hardened to withstand the deliberate attack it has now suffered. The AG lift doors open and the intelligence officer rushes out to the bridge and witnesses pure carnage everywhere.

    The captain turns and watches T’rask exit the lift.  He asks, "I am going to assume the Severun were unaware that the humans had such a weapon in their inventory?"
    "There is a lot of intel that has yet been dissimulated, but no, I was not aware they had a weapon that could do this type of damage. What was it?"
    "Before we lost our sensors, they fired a coherent beam of negatively charged plasma from their capital colony ship, it was a dead hit on our left flank of the ship."
    "It is safe to assume they will try to board and take our vessel as a prize." states T’rask.
    "They will not take us alive!"  Captain U’ziv orders to his crew. "Computer, Initiate self destruct, authorization U’ziv beta ikol nam desix omega."
    The computer responds, "Unable to comply, self destruct systems are off-line."
    "Sir, we cannot.  Their ion bolt has disabled our systems.  They will have entered before we can regain control." Ka'Eld informs the captain.
    The captain turns to T’rask and asks, "How many of your group lives?"
    "Only two of my subordinates survived, the rest died from electrocution due to overloaded conduits."
    "You know what must be done T’rask."
    "Captain, we have limited short range sensors back on-line, they are at least three shuttles on approach to our ship sir." Said Ka’Eld.
    "Then place charges at every location that has sensitive equipment and detonate them.  We have a responsibility to our lord to deny these vile abominations everything they seek." Captain U’ziv orders sending his crew into a frantic frenzy of action.

    Not being combat specialists, they take longer then a fully trained soldier would to carry out their tasks.  This lack of training proves the difference as the RFT forces board the ship.  As open combat rings out in the passageways, Vasri after Vasari drop to the better trained and more experienced marines.  Before they reach key locations, several detonations occur throughout the ship.  The bridge is completely destroyed, as is the engine room.  The main computer core is demolished as is the navigation computers and the jump drives.  As more RFT ships surround the scout, more troops are sent over in a hurry to prevent as much damage as they possibly can.  Eventually the ship is cleared of it's fanatical crew and the RFT is now in possession of a mostly intact dark scout.

    "What's the damage over there?" Tim asks out over the general comms.
    Several reports come back stating that key systems have been destroyed, but enough terminals throughout the crew quarters survived that they should be able to piece together a good amount of information on the ship, it's crew, and where they came from.
    "Good.  Send over engineers and parts to make that ship worthy of travel again and let's get it home." Tim orders.
    Dozens of crews leave their ships with parts to repair the engines and jump drives of the dark scout.  After a couple hours of hard work, the repairs have been completed enough to bring the ship back to headquarters.  The RFT fleet lines up behind it and makes the jump for home.



    As the Free Trader fleet spends the hours necessary to make the repairs for the jump back home, they were unaware of being observed by another scout ship that was on the other side of the star’s grav well. During this time, the scout slowly made its way to observe the outcome and watch as the ships make the jump to phase space. The scout de-cloaks and begins to scan the area to see if there were any survivors that escaped from the humans.  They come across a few bodies of Vasari whose evac suits failed after a few hours in space. Due to the nature of the combat suits Vasari wear, the suits hide their life signs unless a coded frequency is broadcast and their beacons then notify back to transmitted location. They find one survivor, Ka’Eld. He was the helmsman aboard the captured scout ship, as they bring him aboard they quickly get him to medical bay to try to save his life. His injuries, most due to exposure in space, are to great since his suit was damaged because of the electrical overload the ship suffered from the Akkan, but he lived long enough to recount what happened aboard the Dark Scout.  The captain, who just returned to the bridge from visiting the lone survivor of the scout, sits in his command chair and stares at the screen.  His eyes glowing with rage as he knows his friend, Captain U’ziv, has died because of the humans who took his ship.

    Without turning his head he orders, "Communications, send an ultra priority level one message. The message is D’kar down... Send now! Helm, re-cloak and move us out of this star so we can send and receive real time communiques from high command, Primus Kash’tic will be most unpleased by this development."

    Fear was in the room. Even to the unTalented it would be evident. To Lord Ryat it was almost overwhelming, forcing him to stare out the window with his back to his advisory board. He looked out upon the peaceful blackness of space lit gently but the nearby star of Kyrene. To one side of the window was a Kol surrounded by Hoshikos working frantically to repair it. To the other was a sliver of the battle scarred military moon with a bright light point hovering above it which was an Akkan busy shuttling down colonist and workers down to the planet in hopes of getting the massive orbital structures like the repair bay up and running. The scene calmed him down allowing him to focus carefully on each and every strand of fear flowing from his advisory board. He followed each strand into their minds.
    "Those numbers can't be correct," Harris demanded, "Are you sure you checked everything?"
    His target adjusted her glasses on her thin nose and face framed by bright red hair and looked at him like a teacher at an errant student.  "Mr. Harris," she answered in a crisp British accent, "You do realize that we have plethora of information to back this up. Its not like this was an isolated incident and we are doing guess work. These numbers are firm. There is no arguing it."
    "Still," Harris continued, "Sixty percent increase in damage along with fifty-two percent increase in firing rate by the Starfish is a bit much. Even accounting for the Halycon's ability to affect firing rates by upwards of twenty-two percent, thrity percent is is is..." Harris stuttered as he tried to find the right word.
    "Is exactly correct Mr Harris," the burly man at the table finished. "Ms. Yang is right. These reports back up my reports on the damage assesments for the orbital structures and I am sure Mr Benson can this further back it up with his reports on the fleet's damage."
    Benson began just as Harris attempted to protest. "Mr. Collin is right. In fact, if it hadn't been for our hull and armor upgrades we may not have survived this battle at all."
    "Okay fine," Harris conceded, "But how? How are they able to generate this kind of increase?"
    "From their crystalline hulls," Lord Ryat said as he turned back to the table. "The crystalline structure allows them to utilize energy better, hence giving them better shields and energy weapons. Downside is that their hulls are weaker. They may not be able to match our hull and armor strength."
    "Yeah but that will still take research." Harris continued, "Last I checked they were only able to increase by thirty percent in some cases. Why the big jump?"
    "Same reason why we had a big jump in armor and hull integrity," Lord Ryat responded as he sat in his chair, "Thanks to all that info found in that artifact."
    "But we destroyed that artifact," Harris said.
    "Yes, but when you consider that we had copies don't you think that the Advent does as well? " Lord Ryat said smoothly. Harris immediately sat back and tried to look invisible. Lord Ryat obliged him and turned to the rest.
    "Now that that bombshell is out of the way shall we continue with the rest of the business please?" Lord Ryat said quietly. "Mr Benson, the status of the fleet please."
    "The defense fleet of Kyrene is still under repair my lord. The Hoshikos are doing their best but without a dedicated repair bay they are limited on what they can do," Benson informed them, "On the other hand we have several squadrons of Kodiaks heading our way from the shipyards plus the 2nd fleet reports that mop up operations in the Kyrene system are done are heading this way to help reinforce. Another Akkan and Marza plus twenty Cobalts twenty five Javelis, and ten more Hoshikos."
    "That will hopefully help plug up this choke point,"Lord Ryat said, "Mr. Collins."
    Yes my lord," Collins said then cleared his throat, "The good news is is that most of our orbital structures are still in place. We lost two repair bays and one hangar. But we do have extensive damage to all plus due to the lose of the planet down below we have minimal usage of them. Until they get Central Control up and running the orbital structures are nothing but floating junk."
    "Thank you Mr. Collins. Ms Carson tells me she is doing all she can to get it up and operational," Lord Ryat said. "Mr Harris, please make yourself useful."
    "Uh, yes my lord," Harris said meekly, "As you know most of our economy is tied up with fleet support. Also much of our income from Trader Space as been diverted as that area developes more issues."
    "I've heard rumors of some new developments in tech over there," Ms. Yang interrupted, "Something about a Titan class series of vessels."
    "You are correct Ms. Yang," Harris said ignoring her breach of etiquite, "But that has sapped our resources even more. Eras, Ario, and Ryes systems are doing what they can but until we have Kyrene fully vested, especially its rich gas giant, we are limited to what we can do." Harris looked over at Lord Ryat. "And I believe you asked that we build up the fleet size my lord?" Lord Ryat nodded. "Okay, well we have built two Sovas and they are currently in training to use their nano factories to supplemant the frigate shipyards at Eras and Ario. But that will take a while as well so currently we are in a dangerous perdicerment my lord."
    "Xenon, what intel do you have for us?" Lord Ryat asked. Xenon leaned forward a bit in his chair that was placed in the dark area of the room. He was dressed in a dark overcoat with dark boots and gloves with only his face showing under his hood. A half human half machine face with a baleful red eye on one side.
    "Nothing for sure but we do know that this was a Recon in Force done by a splinter group from the Flames of Vengenance. An attack may be in the works but as to when we don't know yet," Xenon said quietly.
    "Then we are going to need help for a while," Lord Ryat said quietly.

(Personal Story/ Liberty Belle Trader Carrier, Open Space, Location Unknown)






Part Fifty Seven of Teir -

-Teal




http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9CzcOcBb_ms

  

















Rennie-

Entry Number Thirty Seven -

November 24th, 2287 (11.24.2287.20.0)







Entry Number Thirty Seven:
	
It is dim here, though there is still a little light, most of the rest of the ship lights are out. I 
don't know how long i can hold out, though that may not matter, really, if i can believe my own 
log. I awoke a few hours ago, here in the dim light of the storage area. There is a four foot door 
between me and whatever is out there in the rest of the-

Ssssssssssssssssrrrrrrrrrrrrreeeeeeeeeeeeeeecccccccccccccccchhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!

There it goes again.

That sound.

And the claws on the door.

Well...

It sounds like claws on the door...

Maybe i'm just crazy.

That could be.

I read over a bit of the journal before i started this entry.

The last one was ten days ago.

I was dying.

Except...

except i'm not anymore...

if that makes any sense.

I...

I did... die.

I found my body.

In the corner behind a crate.

Its...

Its me.

How can that be?

God in Heaven how can it be...?

I don't know, i've thought about it alot, for weeks that is all i have...

well...

not me really... her...

the dead me.

She thought about it alot.

God?

Fate?

Time travel?

Aliens?

Some sort of unknown tech?

Pixies and fairy dust?

Makes as much sense as the other 'explanations' that come to mind.

I haven't thought about it as much.

Mostly i've been thinking how hungry i am and i crawled all over this bay looking for 
something.

There was some canned rations in some of the crates in the back against the wall.

She...

She didn't die of hunger...

It looks like...

like... something... something got a hold,

... of... her.

Still she lived long enough to kill whatever it was and to get the door closed. She scrawled in 

real big letters on the door, DON'T OPEN.

I have sat here and watched the door and listened to the sounds out there...

... out there beyond the door. I've sat here in my corner, wedged behind two crates and have 

eaten two cans of beef and crackers already, in the dim light, not looking at...

... at... her, 

over there.

I covered her with a blanket.

The other i kept for myself.

I don't seem to have any...

when i woke i didn't have any... 

clothes on.

Weird.

Really weird.

For now the blanket is good enough. But i can't try to get past the door and whatever is out 
there in just a blanket.

I'll have to go back through those crates and see if i can find something. Anything really to 
wear.

Storage.

Storage should have almost anything, right?

I mean...

Boy i probably sound stupid.

Well, maybe if something happens to me then whoever listens to this later will think i really 
lost it.

Unless...

unless it's... me... again.

That listens.

Listening to just bits here and there, going back in the recordings, it doesn't seem that this is 
the first time this has happened.

I mean...

not the first time I have...

come back.

It's got my mind reeling.

I am trying not to think about it.

But there it is, you know, right in my face, right in the middle of my mind and...

Anyway.

If i am where 'she' thought we were, then i'm halfway between the bridge and the flight deck. 
If i can get down there, then maybe i can see if any of the ships are still functional.

Still I'll need some clothes.

For now i have this blanket and beef and crackers.

I feel like a Princess in some Tower...

Haha, well...'that' definitly 'is' weird.

Time to turn off the recorder and see what else i can find around here. The sounds outside 
seem to have drifted down into silence.

I wonder if whatever it is has gone somewhere else?

Or if it sleeps? Whatever 'it' is.

Click.

I seem to be getting a little stronger.

It's now six hours since i woke. I took three hours looking in all the crates that i could find in 
the back that i could get open. Some of what is back there looks like fuel, for the fighters on 
the flight deck no doubt, but it isn't going to help me here. I can't eat it, and i sure as heck can't 
move the barrels. They must weigh all of several hundred pounds each.

Still no clothes.

Haha, boy am i a sight.

Red hair poking out in all directions and skinny pale legs, wrapped in a government issue 
gray-green blanket leaning on the wall in a storage bay half hidden behind two crates that i 
managed to move for some sense of cover between me and the door.

Getting tired, even if I've only been up for such a short time.

Will try to get some sleep and see if i can think clearer when i wake up.

I checked the door.

First thing I did and have re-checked it half a dozen times since, to make sure the damn thing 
was locked.

<smile>

Will try to see if i can think of something after i get some sleep.

Click.

Two hours this time since i woke, slept for a long time, don't know exactly how long. There 
isn't a clock in the storage bay, but the recorder has one, but it is only on when i activate it. So i 
turn it on when i first wake up and then off, then go about finding what else there is to use in 
here. Mostly extra mechanical parts for the ships and fuel, some rations, not much, pretty 
much only two boxes out of all the crates I've gone through, close to thirty now. 

Found a crate with flight jumpsuits.

I'm happy!

Don't have to go wandering down the hallways in my birthday suit all the way down to the 
flight deck.

I could try for the crew quarters, but that means going 'up', which really doesn't sound like a 
good idea to me, I think 'she' would have mentioned if anyone else was still aboard that was 
alive. Or whoever was still aboard would have found me by now. Unless they're like me, 
trapped somewhere trying to figure out how to get out without getting mangled.

I haven't heard any screams since i woke up, that is 'weird', i mean it was getting so it was 
almost regular. But nothing since i woke.

Will wait a bit, maybe a few more sleep periods before seeing if 'it' is really gone.

Maybe its busy somewhere else?

Ohhh, don't want to think about that!


Looked back through the recordings again, this time slower.

Before 'she' came down here it looks like she was on the bridge, they had just jumped into 
some system, no mention of a name, if i can finally get down to the flight deck i can look it up 
on the connection to the main interface when i power up one of the fighters, if they aren't all 
damaged to hell or one of the shuttles.

What if they are all busted up?

What if there smashed and...

don't want to think about 'that' either!

Tired.

God i get so tired so fast.

It's been 2 days i think, three sleep periods, but still i wasn't up very long for any of them, but i 
think its been two days. Still no sounds out beyond the door.

Thank God for that!

But don't want to think about it too much.

Too much of a temptation to try the door and probably way, way too early.

I'll probably walk right into whatever it is that is out there.

This is weird. 

The display on the recorder is starting to get dim.

These things are supposed to last for months on the charge packs.

It can't have been...

Click.

*
*
*


 

    Lord Vilk watch with a quiet amusment as his majordomo fussed over the luggage that was to leave with him to the trade event at Finley. He knew it was more frustation that he was going to a human planet to interact with them rather than concern that anything was wrong with the luggage. He carefully approached the old neuter.
    "J'kitha my old friend everything will be fine," he said.
    "Gaa!" grumped the majordomo, "I may have carried your father to term and was too old for you but I am still allowed to worry. Especially if you have to deal with those va'getas. You can't trust them. Why does Lord J'rah deal with them?" Vilk smiled at J'kitha's derisive usage of dirt walkers.
    "That I do not know nor care to know," he said soothingly, "But I hope to fix that someday."
    "And why are you going anyway?" came another question.
    "Because my Lord J'rah asked to me join this trade delegation," he answered with a sigh. "And I must do what the High Lord of J'kar asks of me. Besides what better way to learn the weaknesses of these humans then to be 'friends' with them." The old majordomo grumbled under its breath about bombardment beams and planet drains.
    "Well are you at least going to take that pup Vengath with you?" J'kitha asked.
    "Yes Vengath will be at my side constantly."
    "Good."

    Ching approached the door leading to Lord Ryat's office with a bit of nervousness.  This was not normal for clients but Lord Ryat was not a normal client. With news of his fiance's death plus her knowing his little pirate secret, she felt the need to take this relationship to another level. She had put on make up, a rarity for her, and had even got herself a sexy jumpsuit that showed some of her moderate cleavage all in hopes of catching his attention when his call came requesting for her. She walked up to the door guard.
    "I'm here to see Lord Ryat," she said calmly. The guard merely nodded his head and opened the door. She entered and notice to differences. One, it was darker than normal. Almost broodingly so. Two, Ryat's overstuffed chair was turned away facing the window. Ching was immediately uncomfortable.
    "Hello Lord Ryat," she said with as much confidence as she could. The overstuffed chair turned about. In it was not Lord Ryat but Xenon.
    "Thank you for coming Ms. Ching," he said, his slightly robotic voice echoing in the nearly empty and dark room. Ching  stepped back a bit and reconsidered the new turn of events.
    "You seem to have me at a disadvantage," she said, "You know me but I do not know you." She had regained her composure and draped her self on the chair facing the desk and Xenon.
    "The name is Xenon," he answered her, "I'm working as a fill in for the intel guy until Ryat finds a replacement. He also let me know about his contacts with the pirates and gave me permission to use you to handle a situation we have."
    "So what is the issue?" she said, "And what do you want me to do about it?"
    "The Illumina are a small Advent cult at Itacor Asteroid belt," Xenon began as he called up a holo map of the region. "As you can see its not much of a system. Mostly asteroids with a desert planet in which the Illumina have made their home. Thanks to their alliance with the Flames of Vengenance they have been able to cobble together quite an impressive force for their size. With the battle of Kyrene causing quite a shift in power the Illumina have decided to use their large fleet to try and remove us from our newly conquered system before we can get our fleets back in order."
    "If you want me to take on their fleet I am afraid I am going to have to back out," Ching said as she looked over the fleet strength in the system. "We are not capable of taking on such a massive fleet." Xenon's red eye glowed balefully.
    "Oh no," he said maleviolently as he focused the map on an asteriod in the center of the system. "We want you to raid their back area, wiping out asteriods and their orbital logistics from this point. Which I am sure you will have no problems getting to."
    Ching focused on the asteriod in question. "An old pirate base. Yes that will be perfect," she said, "Anything else I should know?"
    "Yes, two things," Xenon said as he calmed down a bit, "One their weapons will be more powerful then what you are used to. They got the research from their allies, so watch out. Two, we want to try to pin the blame of this attack upon an Advent cult of some sort."
    "And how do you propose this?"
    "You will be given two Halycon carriers for your fleet. They are yours to keep if they survive."

    The massive sandstorm moved over the planet Eras I. Wind currents howled around the massive rock that held the planet's administation center. Lord Ryat listened as the banshees of the storm screeched their haunting melodies through the observation post that jutted above the rock formation. The sand add its own muted bass chorus as millions of particals struck the nanite infused windows. He let his thoughts wander to his tour of his beloved ship.
    Phoenix was formally a Kol that had been his flagship for most of his career. The Battle at Kyrene III had left it a wreck but like its namesake it was being revitalized in its own ashes. One of his engineers, after studying the artifact information, had chanced upon a design that she thought she could apply in the rebuilding of Phoenix. The new design was dubbed the Phoenix Flagship. His eyes glittered at the prospect of what this new ship could do to the Advent or any of his other myriads of enemies. The comm beep broke his reverie.
    "Yes," he said as he touched the acceptance button.
    "My lord everything is in readyness," came the message. With eagerness Ryat walked out of the observation post and headed down to the medical facilities near the heart of the complex. Once there a nurse guided him to a private chamber. In the chamber was clear tubed vessel holding a small fetus suspended in ambiotic fluids. Ryat dismissed the nurse, locked the door, switched of the electronic sensors in the room and approached the tank.
    Upon reaching the tank he placed his hand on the side and opened his mind. The psychic presence of his daughter was powerful. Chaotic and untrained but powerful. He softly caressed it, sending soothing signals to her. She queried him as to who he was. He explained to her. She responded with a strong pulse of love which he accepted. And together they forged a powerful father daughter link.

(DS)

    The technicians all arrive on the Zlatoust and head immediately for it's command deck.  Todd is greeted by the station commander upon his arrival.
    "How are you, young man?" Colonel Plumer asks.
    "In a hurry, Darrin." Todd answers.
    "Civilians in the command center?" Colonel Plumer asks as the others walk in behind him.
    "Don't worry, we're not here to wreck anything, we're going to see how we do on detecting those scouts."
    "That'll make my job easier."
    "Maybe, maybe not."
    "So what can my station personnel do to help out?"
    "At the present, nothing."
    "All right, we'll be around..." Colonel Plumer says as he walks out of the command center.

    The group takes up positions around the command center replacing the station's normal staff.  They focus every bit of equipment on the dark scout.
    "We're ready over here." Todd says over the comms to the crew on the scout.
    "Copy sir, activating phase out now." one of the techs replies.

    As expected the ship vanishes from sight, but the sensors remain firmly locked on to it.  Several of the techs on the ship monitor the antimatter reserves and their recharge rates.  Once the reserves run dry, the ship reappears.

    "Everything performed within expected ranges." Vallin announces to the group after reviewing the data at his terminal.
    "Okay, let the reserves charge up to full again and lets try getting those engines to push the ship around." Todd states.

    His teams do exactly as directed.  They let the antimatter reserves charge up to full and once it's ready, they phase out the ship again and turn on the engines.  They monitor a spike in the antimatter recharge rates before a sudden drop.  Several warning alarms start sounding all through the ship and it immediately leaves phase space ending the test.

    "What's going on over there?!" Todd yells over the comms.
    "It appears the ship is on fire." Vallin notes before the official word comes back.
    After a minute of silence a tech finally answers, "We've had a fire in the engine room sir, we're going to have to repair the engines again.  We're still trying to figure out the cause."
    Vallin looks a little perplexed by the information.
    "I will go over there and have a look...  I inspected the engines myself, this shouldn't have happened unless this variant has a few subsystems we don't know to hook up." he says while standing up from his station.
    "Alright, you do that.  Don't stay too long over there, we have to get these sensors to work reliably before we tear the ship apart." Todd answers.

    Vallin returns to the scout and immediately heads for the engine room to begin a full repair.  Knowing it's going to take a few hours, Todd has the techs set up another test of a different kind.

    "We can still phase out without the engines working, so lets try some other things.  How about with the shields up?" he asks.
    "That should be possible." the techs respond with before setting everything up on their end.
    Once everything is ready, Todd orders them to proceed.  The scout vanishes from sight once again.  After a few seconds, the sensors begin to lose track of the scout.  A grin appears on Todd's face as the readings fade in and out repeatedly.
    "Ah hah!" he yells out.  "Finally, something we can work with here..."
    When the ship returns from phase space, the ship is picked back up on the scanners and there are no more issues with detection.
    Commander Freese looks over her data for a moment, "So phased out and with shields up the sensors have difficulty in pinpointing the source of the energy."
    "How about you guys work on finding a frequency or a sustainable power level or some other energy band that will cut right through those shields so we can eliminate them from the equation all together?" Todd asks.
    "Consider it done." Freese states as she gathers up a few people to run some simulations with.
    "Casey, you still lingering around here somewhere?" Todd asks over the comms.
    "Yup." she replies.
    "Would you mind having some of your salvage crews come over here and cut off some pieces of the hull so we can run some tests on it?"
    "Gladly.  Just let me know when I can take a plasma torch to that entire ship and we'll have it in pieces in no time."
    "Patience, girlie.  Patience."
    "Give us half an hour to make sure we get a good piece that won't compromise any future testing."
    "Take all of the time you need.  Vallin is repairing the engines again."


    Vallin examines the engine room and replays data about the fire.  He's troubled by the fact that the malfunction that caused the fire should have been covered by the safety systems that he personally made sure were operating properly.  Further troubling him was his discovery that the cause of the fire was started in a portion of the engine that was replaced prior to the testing.  "This isn't right..." he mutters to himself, troubled over his findings.


    Half an hour ago...
    Q'teck returns to the cryo cells find G'bril and T'rask discussing their options.
    "Use this to gain access to their network." T'rask states handing Todd's data device over to G'bril.  "And what took you so long to return?"
    "I monitored their efforts to repair the ship after we turned the sensors back on.  They were too close to discovering one of our most prized secrets so I took care of it." Q'teck states.
    "What did you do?!" T'rask demands fearing his subordinate had killed members of the RFT staff still on board.
    "I disabled the safety protocols for the engines and linked the antimatter recharger directly to it.  With luck, it should destroy the entire system." Q'teck answers.
    "I do not approve of this." T'rask states coldly.  "Your tampering could lead to our discovery."
    "Sir, they have activated our phase out systems." G'bril interrupts.
    T'rask glares coldly at the terminal nearby.
    Q'teck takes his place in front of it and reports, "They're draining the antimatter reserves.  That is the only active combat system."
    "Our cloaking system is still not showing up on the power grid..." G'bril notes. "They must not have located it yet."
    "Antimatter reserves drained." Q'teck informs the group.
    "They will let the reserves recharge before doing anything else.  Humans are predictable." T'rask states before focusing on Q'teck.  "You need to return to the engine room and fix what you have done."
    Q'teck nods and starts making his way back to the engine room.  Before he has a chance to make it all the way back, the next test starts.

    G'bril informs T'rask, "They have phased out the ship once again."
    "Monitor their activity closely.  Where is Q'teck?" T'rask asks.
    "He is approaching the engine room...  The Free Traders have just started the engines..." G'bril states just as the alarms begin to sound warning of the fire.
    "He will be punished for this independent thought..." T'rask mutters.
    "The engines are offline.  The antimatter recharger is reporting damage.  Backup systems are functioning normally." G'bril states.
    "They can't run any more tests until they fix the engines and antimatter recharger.  Make your way to the bridge.  When no one is present, verify the cloaking system controller is destroyed, if it is not, put a proximity sensing charge on it so that the next person who tries to tamper with it meets an untimely demise." T'rask orders.
    "Yes, sir." G'bril states before rushing off.
    T'rask continues to work on integrating Todd's device into the terminal G'bril was previously working on until he successfully links the two and connects to the RFT network.  He uses the devices access privileges to browse parts of the network not known to them before.  He's greatly amused by the new wealth of information until Q'tek's return.
    "I was not able to reverse my sabotage." Q'teck reports.
    "I am aware.  Resume monitoring the Traders at your post.  I will think of a way to punish you accordingly later." T'rask orders.

    After minor repairs are completed, Vallin returns to the Zlatoust.
    "The fix is mostly cosmetic." he reports. "I'm troubled though."
    "Why's that?" Todd asks.
    "I checked everything myself, this shouldn't have happened."
    "Don't worry about it.  If I got upset about every time I overlooked a detail, I wouldn't be where I'm at today."
    "I suppose, but I could have sworn I looked at that."
    "Looked at that specific one, or looked at thousands just like it?  Seriously, with all of the little variants flying around of every single ship that has been damaged in all of these years we've been at war...  Personally, I'd be surprised if this didn't happen more often."
    "Maybe it has." Vallin admits. "I'm not usually around when my ships return to battle."
    Their conversation is interrupted by Casey reporting back in.
    "We're done pulling off a chunk of the hull.  We found an access panel that had the same materials behind it, so we cut into that to leave the exterior fully intact." she says.
    "Good, bring it to the hanger bay.  I'll meet you there."

    Todd rushes out of command passing Colonel Plumer just outside.  "She's all yours again." he yells as he sprints by.
    "Thanks young man." Darrin replies and walks back into the command center to keep an eye on all of their guests.

    Todd arrives at the hanger bay at the same time Casey and her crew does.  They unload the chunk of hull material and take it to an engineering bay where they can run some tests on it.  They hit it with every form of sensor variation they can think of until they have a small list of wavelengths that don't get absorbed or scattered by the material used for the hull.  During this process, Commander Freese reports in that they're ready to try out a few of their guesses whenever the scout is ready to proceed.  Todd gives the go ahead and several attempts later, Freese thinks she has the right settings down.  Todd and Casey return to the command center of the Zlatoust to consolidate their findings.

    "Okay, Freese, you got your fix to bypass their shields, and we've got a few to try on their hull...  Let's make this interesting.  Casey, have some of your people push the scout so it orbits the planet.  Once we have them phase out we'll try and track it." Todd states.
    Casey smiles and relays the orders to her salvage team.  She's the only one watching the sensors to keep an eye on things until the call to activate the phase out system makes the scout vanish.  "It's gone." she states sending everyone back into their chairs to try out their fixes and find the scout.  Freese applies her package which cuts through the shielding of the scout and makes it show up more times then not.  Todd then cycles though his packages until he finds one which makes the scout show up as clear as any other ship.  The signal fades as the scout's shields change their frequencies, but the sensors prove to be more then capable of adjusting themselves at the same time preventing it from vanishing completely.
    After several attempts with positive results Freese states, "I think we've got them.  No more hiding."
    "Great." Todd says.  "You guys work on combining everything into one sleek little package and integrate it into the standard sensor suite, I need to make a call to the boss."
    Todd walks out of the command center once again and contacts Roesh.
    "Give me some good news." Roesh answers with.
    "Okay.  We've found a way to cut through their ability to hide from our sensors.  We haven't figured out their cloaking stuff yet, and to be honest, I don't even know where to start looking for that..." Todd answers.
    "Well, we don't need to see them to be able to shoot them."
    "This is true, but it won't prevent them from changing things up in the future.  We need to figure out their entire cloaking system."
    "We will.  For right now though, we can see them when they enter our system?"
    "Yes."
    "Great.  You can keep looking into that stealth stuff, Henry and I have been discussing things over with Tim, and he's going to go ahead and set up defenses all over the system.  All of our little colonies are starting to grow up and actually return credits to the company."
    "That's good, I guess."
    "You know what that means, right?"
    "We finally get to call the Trade Conference you've been dreaming about since we got here?"
    "If you say we can at least register these infiltrators on our sensors every time they jump in reliably, then yes, I think it's time."
    "Then I guess it's time to call your conference, boss."


    The hours pass as more repairs are made to the scout and more tests are run with the new sensor package to solidify the results.  Roesh spends the time creating his invite to the conference.  It simply states:

The Roesh Free Traders are holding a Trade Conference in the Finley System, Distant Stars Region.  All interested parties are encouraged to open the attached data packet, review the information, and send confirmation of their intent to attend.  Attendees will receive information on a new sensor package developed in response to a new threat emerging in the region.  We look forward to your visit.

-=Roesh=-



The included data packet contains details on the location, methods of entry into the DS region, and the standard message of only civilian ships will be allowed to enter the system, warships must remain at the star or another location if civilities cannot be maintained.


    Roesh sends it to all of his personal and corporate contacts, as well as uploads it to the public information network to let it filter out into the stars on it's own.  Oranos, upon receiving the notice decides to contact Roesh personally.

    "I just got my official invite to your conference." Oranos states.
    "That was quick." Roesh replies.
    "I just wanted to say that I and some other delegates will be attending, but we both already knew that."
    "Of course.  Good to have official word as well."
    "Yes...  One other thing.  Freese has been keeping me up to date on all of the recent developments.  The information packet she sent me with all of the personal files, I researched out some of the names in our databases.  Many of them come from the Serevun Clan.  They specialize in intelligence and information gathering, so it's no doubt that they'd have a scout capable of hiding.  The overseer was named in honor of this clan.  Our information on them isn't that great, but they're one of the big boys.  A group that hasn't been going out of their way to hide from the Empire should be able to get most of what you need to know on them."
    "Great, thanks for the head's up." Roesh says.

(DS RP)

Dropships and fighters rise up to the DLS David keeping a geosynchronous orbit over the troubled city on Finley I. The dropships are given priority, landing to see the officers checked for any injuries and settled where they can enjoy the calm. Most of those departing the vessels make their way in a timely, yet unhurried fashion. Soon a dropship enters that causes a flurry of activity to rise from one corner of the landing bay. A slew of medical personnel rush toward the hulk as it lands, being fully aware of what lies inside for them. The rear opens and the gurney carrying Lieutenant Pollock is wheeled out into the open with the servicing medic and Commander Landauer in tow. The lot of them meet and settle in an open spot on the landing floor.

The leading doctor orders, "I need a spectral screen, two panels."

A nurse retrieves an object not unlike a compact, folding computer, but the center is composed of darkly tinted, transparent material. He hands it off to the doctor, who unfolds it, lights activating as he does so. He attaches it to the side of the gurney and it activates with a touch, showing on the two panels, now hovering beside and above the lieutenant, a ghostly image of the internal organs, bones and the lone bullet in her system. The small object lies just within the lines of the liver, broken into a few clustered pieces, and a darkness is shown branching out in several directions.

"Damn it, she's hemorrhaging. The thing made it too far."

"What does that mean?" Landauer asks.

"It means she needs surgery. Nurse, I need blood hooked up and a fresh cylinder of oxygen."

One nurse changes out the oxygen supply on the mask while another attaches a rod to the corner of the gurney and yet another accesses an emergency cold kit and hangs a bag of whole blood, double checking a pad for matching type before proceeding to start the feed. The doctor removes the screen and trades it to a nurse for a small device which, when wrapped around the officer's arm, gives readings on her vitals. Once the tasks are done, the whole group begins moving toward the bay doors, turning down the hall as they exit, a nurse calling ahead to have crewman move clear of their path.

Landauer follows behind, looking at the unconscious face of Pollock as they move on. His eyes are wide and solemn as he keeps pace. The doctor mutters to himself, "I'm amazing she hasn't gone into cardiac arrest."

Not a moment later, the monitor on her arm begins emitting a high pitched, rapidly repeating beep. The doctor presses his hand to her neck to confirm, "I just had to say something, didn't I? I need the defibrillators."

Nurses begin stripping the materials from Pollock's body and tear open the breast of her jacket, using scissors to cut away smaller metal objects, leaving her clothing in a tattered mess. The doctor pulls a pair of forceps and leans over the wound, "We get these out now or she's dead no matter what."

He reaches in without hesitation or caution, immediately succeeding in finding the first, largest piece and pulling it free. After dropping it aside, he dives in again. As he goes back for each piece, sweat beads on his brow and his movement slows as he searches. A nurse attaches a single panel screen and activates it as the doctor works. She looks over to Landauer whose hands grip onto his head, his fingers having combed through his hair and holding it back as he looks on. The doctor pulls a piece free and asks, "How many more?"

"One more," the nurse replies as he delves the tool yet again into the wound. The last piece takes him a moment longer to locate, the tip of the forceps moving slowly to avoid complicating the task. As he grips onto it, the nurse announces, "That's it." The doctor withdraws the shard and the screen is removed. A nurse retrieves two palm-sized components and holds them out to the doctor, who discontinues his efforts and places the devices on each side of her heart, pressing on buttons to set them up.

"Clear," he announces before everyone steps back. A whine sounds before a loud thud, which causes Pollock's body to bounce. The doctor checks her pulse and finds nothing, forcing him to reset the devices and call out the warning again. The same sights and sounds repeat themselves, again to no avail. Landauer's body slightly bounces as he wants to move in and assist while well knowing that there is nothing he can do.

"Doctor, she's getting close to brain damage."

"I'm aware of that. Everyone, clear."

Again the thud sounds and the body bounces. The process continues twice more before the doctor checks her pulse and shakes his head, "She's not coming back. Nurse, record the time."

The commander steps toward the doctor, "Doctor..."

"I'm sorry," he replies as he wipes his brow. "I'm afraid there's nothing I can do."

The commander takes a couple of steps back, almost surprised as he lightly contacts the wall. He settles against the bulkhead, watching as they run a sheet over the still body. The gurney is wheeled away as he leans his head back, resting it on the metal surface and letting his body slack in measure to the numb feeling that washes over him.

Minutes later, Lieutenant Sokolow enters the bridge, "Admiral."

Alexander turns to her, "Yes?"

"Dropships are landing. Captain Levin has already been recovered and a second wave is being sent for the remaining officers."

"Good to hear."

"There's more, sir. Lieutenant Pollock was wounded planet-side. She was brought back for treatment and died soon after arrival."

Alexander turned his head away for a moment, raising his fingers to his chin and leaning in against his chair. After a moment he stood, "I want a thorough count of all missing crewmen. Have Captain Shor report to me immediately and begin and orderly regrouping of Lions to their assigned vessels, including any involved in research and development. Prepare the DLCC Envoy for an extended duty."

"Yes, sir," she replies softly before turning to leave the bridge.

Hours later, Lieutenant Sokolow returns to the bridge with Junior Captain Shor trailing behind, "Sir, I brought the captain."

"Thank you," Alexander replies as he passes the lieutenant to address the captain, "Captain, I have an assignment for you. We recently lost Lieutenant Pollock and, as you know, we maintain the bodies we manage to recover."

"Yes, sir. I'm sorry to hear that, sir."

"Yes. Well, Pollock has been with us for some time. Given that we are not faced with an encroaching enemy, I want to take this opportunity to send the dead home for burial. I especially want to see Pollock returned in three days. I know her family is fairly orthodox."

"Sir, permission to speak freely."

"Very well."

"I understand the orders, but I'm not sure if the Envoy can make the trip in three days. It's quite some distance."

"I'm ordering you to try, nothing more. Do whatever you can. Extended jumps, move through hostile territory, use your diplomatic status if you must to negotiate your way faster. Understood?"

Shor nods, "Yes, sir."

"And one last thing. I want you to inform command of our situation, both so they might advise on the situation and hopefully send reinforcements."

"Yes, sir."

"Dismissed, captain."

The captain gives a salute and leaves the bridge, Alexander now turning to Sokolow, "Report."

"Personnel are moving to their original assignments, sir. Lieutenant Batson is finalizing his efforts and preparing to depart for the David. Captain Borovsky and Corporal Nelson were the last to check in. Captain Siegel is still unaccounted for."

"Have you tried contacting him on the network?"

"Yes, sir. He is not answering and the transponder is not showing up on scans."

"Damned rebels made a mess of things. Alright, have two teams of marines prepare for a search and rescue operation. Coordinate with the Free Traders so we both have their cooperation and any information they might have that would help us. Operate under the assumption that he might be a prisoner. That means find him quickly and without making a great deal of noise."

"Yes, sir," Sokolow replies just as Lieutenant Gross calls out.

"Sir, we have a general communication coming from the Free Traders."

"What is it?"

"The Roesh Free Traders are holding a Trade Conference in the Finley System, Distant Stars Region.  All interested parties are encouraged to open the attached data packet, review the information, and send confirmation of their intent to attend.  Attendees will receive information on a new sensor package developed in response to a new threat emerging in the region.  We look forward to your visit. Signed, Roesh."

"It just never eases up, does it? Lieutenant, send confirmation of our attendance, but let them know that the numbers are uncertain due to... unforeseen events. Have any additional data go through the lieutenant commander."

"Yes, sir," comes back the reply.

(DS Roleplay / Finley 1 , Finley System)





Part Fifty Nine of Teir -



-Teal and Alpha and Stant



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PwFvHazbvts 









Sere-
Day to Die -
November 26th, 2287 (11.26.2287.08.12)

She lay on the rooftop, her eyes already glassing over, blood running from the back of her black hair and spilling down the edge of her cheek and down, where it dripped onto the ground.

The sun shone directly overhead.

Shadows of clouds moved over the rough surface of the roof, flitting at the edges like birds taking flight.

Her cheek pressed into the gritty tar papered surface, her lips partially open.

Her unseeing eyes staring...

into the blue,

blue,

sky.
*
*
*



Two Hours Earlier -


“Lets get some beers over at that Hotel down there? What say?” Tucker grinned.

“Long as it doesn't taste like luke warm piss, normals just don't know how to make good beer.” Chappam cracked back.

“Yeah I-”

“Can it! We've got a little down time, but don't go wild on me. We've still got a de-briefing when we get back. Keep together and don't piss off the locals.”

Tucker bowed his head and pursed his lips.

'My bad...'

'You and Onder are fine, but Chappam will have the newbies on a pub crawl the moment the opportunity presents itself, and I can't rely on them to be rational at the moment.'

Tucker nodded.

They pushed through the crowd slowly, helmets off, trying to be as unobtrusive as possible, which was not difficult given that the people in the crowd didn't seem to pay any attention to anything other than trying to get to their destination. 

That meant some of them were shoving hard.

Cena pushed out with her mind, radiating a small area around her, as people approached her, then they would suddenly veer off in another direction.

It wasn't perfect, but a small mirror shield did a lot with those unaccustomed to it. Providing just enough distance to freely walk toward the hotel without jostling anyone in the process. 

She also didn't want anyone getting too close as well, in case someone decided to go crazy and grab for one of their guns.
People were unpredictable, even at the best of times. Any more than that was simply too much to have to deal with while trying to juggle a section of soldiers as well.

'Nice trick.' Onder commented psychically from the back of the group as they moved toward the hotel.

'My first NCO was a smart one' She turned and checked on the section as they trailed her, Tucker on the other side didn't say anything as he scanned the side of the street as they all moved forward, Orgenz at her back, Corld between her and Dilles with Beethoven trailing, weapons slung on their backs or holstered, but still uneasily watching the flow of the mass of refugees around them as they moved forward and the hotel hove closer. The buildings all pushed side by side along the cramped and crowded street.

As they came up the steps Cena stopped, putting a hand to her ear as the mic in 
her ear clicked.

“Ethereal Two-Two, this is Ethereal Actual, we have new orders for you. We've been tipped off that two individuals, I repeat, two individuals are closing in on an Advent VIP in a hotel at these co-ordinates," Cena hastily donned her helmet as the feed updated, "the individuals have been confirmed as Unity's Hand operatives, are armed and are using up-to-date adaptive optical camoflage. I have direct orders from Viceroy Garr to prevent them from succeeding in their goal, and you're the closest Advent military element we have. Get it done Corporal."

Cena shook her head in amazement.

Political infighting.

God! And how was she supposed to stand up to special forces?

It all made sense that Mantis couldn't be seen, they had to be the people they were now trying to stop.

Viceroy Garr. Did that mean the Viceroy Representative of the High Psintegrat was involved?

Surely he could tell them to stop? Someone that important must know what the Unity's Hand is up to?

And had the RFT been told?

Or was this all an... in the dark operation?

One hand fighting the other for dominance.

Tucker looked at her but said nothing, motioning for the other soldiers to put their helmets on too, even though he couldn't hear the words being said to Cena.

Her body language was enough.

"What's happ-" Chappam started on helmet local channel, the norm for when wearing a helmet, like a spoken version of psychic communication, stepping forwards, but Tucker reached out a hand and slapped it against the man's chest. 

"Shut up."

Cena turned, her voice low, her mind a blur of static, as she spoke to the platoon's lieutenant.

“Sir, with all respect how... I mean, how can my squad stand up to special forces? I've already lost a soldier, and I have three inexperienced guys with me. That leaves only four of us that have any real combat experience and we aren't trained for this sort of thing. I don't see-”

“Your orders stand Cena. I don't like this anymore than you do. Just... Look, if you're lucky you'll see cameras if they're close, because they've got to see with something, and there'll probably be a disturbance visible if they get near you. Just try and get to the VIP before they do and they shouldn't attack. That's all I've been told. Remember, top floor of the hotel, the big suite at the end of the hall. That's all I can do for you. Out."

The connection broke.

Cena stood there a moment shaking her head as she turned back to her squad.

"Ok, we got new orders. Sorry, downtime is off. The VIPs we were tracking before have been relocated to this hotel. We need to get to the top floor, don't ask questions, just keep it tactical, we've got hostiles after them too," she relayed the information from the lieutenant, to the disbelief of the section.

"Tucker and Chappam stay in the lobby and try to explain all this to the receptionists, Orgenz, Beethoven, you take point and keep tactical, and Dilles and Corld, you two stick with me.'

She opened the door to the hotel,

and froze.

Something touched her mind.

Something she...

recognized...

Shit!

"Go!"

She and the section barrelled into the hotel, and sprinted to the stairs, with weapons in hand, disregarding the screams of those in the lobby.

“Chappam, Tucker, get talking, everyone else with me, top floor!"

"Shit!" Chappam cursed, then looked at Tucker already shouting for everybody to calm down.

"I got an ID on one of the VIPs. One of them is here. Chappam and Tucker hang tight and keep your eyes peeled for anything out of the ordinary other than the screaming guests. You see the bad guys, you let me know,don't take action."

"Why us?" Chappam shot back.

"'Cause I need good people on my perimeter that's why. You don't like the orders I give? Fine, but you bring it up AFTER we get de-briefed."

Chappam leaned back against the wall of the building and shook his head. Smacked the gum in his mouth and blew a slow bubble and reached down and lay his hand on his holster.

"Damn!"

"Can it!" Tucker said, then continued shouting about a terrorist threat and for everybody to stay calm.

It wasn't working.

"What the fuck are we supposed to do if they come through the windows?" Someone asked, but Tucker just shook his head.

"Right now what we need to focus on is getting everyone clear and keeping calm, talking about what if's isn't helping that. So we need everyone out of the lobby now, please leave the hotel, just stay calm and we will try to get things back to normal as soon as possible."

He kept his eyes moving.

The entryway was clear. Nobody had taken the initiative to run away from the soldiers, assuming that the worst would occur. Anything that moved in that area was what he was looking for, waiting for.

Probably got there quick enough.

They'd give up with seven soldiers guarding the target.

But you couldn't be sure.

Best to be ready if they made a run for it.

"Keep your eyes peeled," Tucker thought at Chappam without looking at the man. The guests were quiet now,

"And don't screw up."
*
*
*

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RExgLKS7rS8 



"Sir." a marine states as he walks into Command. "We are getting reports of a small group of soldiers attached to the Garran Collective entering a hotel and taking an aggressive posture with the people." he continues while handing over some documentation.

"Thank you Sergeant." Major Navarro states dismissing him.

The sergeant salutes and walks away.

Over the comms, Major Navarro relays some orders. "Captain Cooper. I'm receiving reports of a Garran Collective team causing a panic at the Skylinks Hotel, could you send a couple squads over there to check it out?"

"Yes sir, Major." Captain Cooper replies over the comms.
*
*
*


The clock read 11:00 AM when Sere came out of the shower and padded across the room naked and stood at the side of the bed watching Seigel sleep, his cheek pressed into the pillow, his lips partially open, eyes closed. 

A thin stream of light penetrated the curtains and fell across the edge of the bed and struck the floor in a pool of soft amber light.

She towelled off her hair standing at the edge of the bed.

And smiled.

Sleepy head... she thought and turned back from the bed to the bathroom again when a light knock came at the door.
Was breakfast so late here then? She wondered and crossed the room quickly to keep Seigel from waking at the sound, but it was too late as he stirred and rose up on his arms, shaking his head slightly to clear his eyes and turned toward the sound.

She shook her head as she,

Damn, well too late...

wrapped the towel around her body and cracked open the door.

Hotel staff should know better than to- 

Soldiers in black and red armor pushed into the room as the door opened, weapons up.

"Get down! You're in danger!" the point man shouted.

Sere stepped back from the door in a blur, a buzzing in her head, but nothing intelligible, just static.

She braced her feet as she stepped back and bent forward, then slammed into the door and into the soldiers, a muffled expletive the response to her efforts.

Seigel staggered from the bed, his hand reaching over the edge and down to the gun in the holster of his pants and half bent brought up the barrel when the window behind him exploded with a shattering sound of breaking glass.

Something hit the bed and rolled, unseen, only the impression left in the bed covers indicating anything at all.

Sere half turned away, glancing back at the spray of glass that rained over the bed, as the soldiers fell back and then she pushed forward slamming into the door again.

“Its Mantis, get out!' The girl in the red-black armor yelled as the door slammed into her and she fell back, as the point man beside her made a renewed attempt to batter the door down, expecting resistance this time.

Sere spun back toward the window.

Her hair a black streak swaying, as she turned in a blur.

The bells in her hair ringing softly as they spun.

“Matt! Its some sort of-”

“Yeah I got that, watch yourse-!”

Something hit her knocking her off her feet, as she went down she reached forward and felt her hands grasp something she couldn't see.

Couldn't...

Matt stood next to the bed trying to get a target to shoot at, when the soldiers came back through the swinging door, their guns not trained on him or Sere that lay on her back on the floor, but trying to track something else.

“What is-!” He yelled.

see...

A thin wavering distortion in the air above her pulled back.

A blue-ish flicker crossed the distorted space a few times, as one of the soldiers opened fire with a laser weapon. Another beam crossed the space between the man and the apparition, but instead of scorching the walls of the room this beam bounced back from the apparition towards the firing soldiers's helmet.

She brought her knee up hard and slammed it into whatever... whoever it was.

There was a sharp groan as whatever it was released her and fell to the side.

“They are Advent Special Forces! Get out!” Cena yelled as she tried to get a mental grip on the SF soldier, but her mind kept sliding off.

Shit!

"Spread out and try to track him!" She spun, tracking the back of the room, then back toward the window, where her mind began to-

Yes! 

She could target them when the slide reached its peak.

"Don't shoot the girl!" She screamed at the others, as they moved out into the room around her.

Corld glancing nervously back and forth constantly.

"Wha- what- what do I do-?" She stammered.

"Help me get this helmet off," 

Onder was shouting out loud, his helmet saving his life but becoming useless in the process,

"can't see!" 

"Help Beethoven Corld!" Cena screamed, 

"Dilles, cover her, Orgenz, help the girl!" as she kept watching the window, her mind reaching out and feeling that sliding feeling begin again...

Not another one!

Orgenz, judging by the position Sere was in, delivered a running kick to the ghostly figure, not risking weapons fire so close to the girl.

Sere felt the pressure of the thing on top of her that she couldn't see, as it groaned and released her and began to fall to the side. 

She kept her hands on it and rolled as it fell away from her, pushing up onto her feet and diving, over the unseen assailant and pulling it with her as she rolled and slammed it into the table with the remote, the wall screen falling from the wall mount and smashing on top of whatever it was, shattering and breaking apart.

"Chappam! Tucker! Up here NOW!"

"His helmet's stuck! It's... melted!" Corld yelled at Cena.

Static buzzed in Sere's head, distracting her.

What was...?

Were they thinking at her...?

“Talk! I can't hear your thoughts! Talk to me!” Sere yelled at them.

“Doesn't matter, we need help!" Cena yelled back at Corld.

"Get in the fight! I'll be fine!" Beethoven looked at Corld, backing away as he brought his burnt face up, trying to see through the red haze of blood in his helmet.

"But-" Corld stammered back at him as he stepped away, bringing up his rifle and trying to track the SF soldier. 

She stood in the center of the room with her gun holstered watching him, not knowing what to do.

"Get your gun out Corld! Watch yourself! Don't worry about me, cover Orgenz." Beethoven yelled as he turned away, his eyes searching the room.

Sere rose to her feet in one smooth quick motion as her towel fell away and she felt something hit her in the stomach, she fell back losing her balance and her grip on whatever it was. She rolled when she went down and came back up on her feet her back to the soldiers as something else unseen came through the window, landing on the bed and Matt jerked back, his head turning as something grabbed him.

He twisted slamming his elbow back and into whatever it was and felt a solid connection. As whatever it was released him with a grunt, he turned as he fell and caught a thin wavering distortion in the air in his vision and pulled the trigger on the gun twice.

BAM! BAM!

Red blossomed in thin air and then spattered as whatever it was struck the wall and stumbled, catching its balance and slid to its feet against the wall, a red smear sliding up the white wallpaper as the unseen thing grabbed Orgenz as the soldier approached to assist Siegel.

Orgenz twisted in unseen hands, then bent with a grunt as something hit him.

He tried to get his gun up when his head jerked hard to the right and a harsh snapping sound broke the air as Orgenz slid down against the wall to his knees with his neck broken.

His eyes already glassing over.

“You Son-of-a...” Cena cursed as she brought her gun up and fired a burst into the wavering outline of the SF soldier knocking him back against the wall.

Blood pooled on the floor around the now still figure. 

“They are Advent Special Forces! You have to get out!”
*
*
*



As the two squads of RFT soldiers converge on the hotel people are seen exiting the lobby with no small amount of confusion and panic after Chapman and Tucker abandon their positions.

"Sir, confirmed we have an issue at the Skylinks, we're investigating further." the task leader reports back to Captain Cooper.

"Copy that. Proceed with caution, we don't need any friendly fire incidents with civilians around." Captain Cooper replies.

"Copy, sir." the task leader confirms.

They're greeted by hotel staff once they enter the front doors. The staff is quick to direct them to the floor where guests are claiming soldiers are shooting it out.

"Task One Three Eight Leader to Command." the task leader reports.

"Command, go." Major Navarro states.

"Civilians are complaining about soldiers shooting it out on one of the floors here, do we have permission to intercede?" the task leader requests.

Major Navarro pauses for a second to consider the outcomes of his potential answers. "Affirmative. Order them to stand down and take all necessary actions required to end whatever conflict is happening."

"Copy sir. Task One Three Eight is now hot." the task leader confirms.
*
*
*

The SF soldier Sere had slammed into the wall slowly stood, silent, waves of distortion marking it's rise. Sere sprinted forward and brought up her hands in a quick blur and slammed her fists into it, trying by feel to locate its mid torso, but it was too heavily armored, her fists struck thin hard plates and did nothing.

Damn!

"We can't help you if you're in the way!" Cena yelled at the girl.

She struck harder.

Her hands striking at the unseen foe in front of her.

As her fists slammed ineffectively into the thin plated armor.

She wanted to scream!

In desperation she turned then and grabbed one of the things arms and spun out and then slammed the unseen foe into the wall again.

There was a satisfying smack as the body hit the wall and went down.

The weave of distortion around it broke and a figure wavered into view, its smashed helmet dangling off the side of the red web crossed armor of the soldier who turned his blond head back to her and she saw-

White eyes!

The girl had said they were Advent Special Forces, but still the thought hadn't really had time to register completely.

The Special Forces soldier smiled through bleeding lips and brought his hand up, a blinking disc in the center of it, he moved his fingers over the disc and then pressed. 

Sere turned in a blur and ran as his fingers connected and a burst of light blossomed out of the center of the soldiers hand, engulfing the room and everyone in it.

“Get-!” Cena yelled, turning as time seemed to slow down, seeing the fear on even Onder's burned face, obscured by the shattered helmet, as the man tackled Corld to the floor and Cena attempted to shelter Dilles behind her, but her voice was cut off as the room exploded. 
*
*
*



As the teams are preparing to make their move on the Advent soldiers the building shakes and trembles.

"Task One Three Eight, Command, there's been some kind of an explosion... We're moving in."

"I Copy. Proceed with caution." Major Navarro states. "Can someone get me the Revenge!? NOW!"
*
*
*


Tucker and Chappam took the steps two at a time and came up to the top of the landing as the room at the end of the hall exploded in a wash of light and sound. The rush of pressure and air pushing them back and knocking them off their feet.

"Shit!" Chappam cursed as he scrambled to his feet.

"Keep it together!" Tucker yelled as he stumbled to his feet and started down the hallway. Doors began to open as people staggered from their rooms.

“Keep back, get back inside!” He yelled at them.

Several doors closed, but others remained open as shaken and scared people sleepily stared down the corridor toward the end where smoke and debris littered the end of the hall.

Onder lay crumpled against a wall his helmet smashed and part-melted, blood seeping out from where the ragged edges of the helmet tore into his flesh.

A few feet further on Dilles was laying on his back, unconscious, a broken bone in his jaw jutting through the skin and bleeding.

"Look after them! I'll get the others!' Tucker yelled and staggered forward.

Beyond Dilles, Corld lay slumped half sitting in the doorway to the room, a piece of wood from some shattered timber piercing through her stomach and into the wall.

"Shit!"

Corld turned and looked at Tucker and then down at the shaft of wood that protruded through her.

"Ge- get... get... get Cena... Get Cena..." she managed still staring at the shaft of wood and trying to get her hands up and into her lap so she could get at it.

But...

Her mind drifted.

Her hands didn't...

Didn't...?

She didn't understand.

What was...?

Her hands... 

She remembered.

Her hands....

They didn't seem... 

to want...

Her mind drifted.

Her hands didn't seem to...

want to seem to work...

Why couldn't she get her hands up...? Why couldn't she get...

Tucker touched her shoulder and patted it with a hand, "It's going to be ok Corld..." he saide as he moved by her and into the room...

She grimaced, but nodded back as he moved past her and into the room...

What was left of the room... 

Shattered timbers, the ceiling had caved in, in a rain of ceiling tile and plaster and wood. 

The outside wall and window where part of a bed lay smashed in a corner was completely gone. Only tatters of wallpaper flapping in the wind and jutting wooden frames.

Halfway along the inside wall lay Cena, half propped up on her left arm. 

The right arm and right leg were gone.

Her face was a mass of blood and cut skin.

She peered at him as he came up and knelt beside her.

"Shit!" She said, her lips bleeding.

"This is.... is... is really... really the... the... shits eh...? God... what... a... fucking... mess..."

"It's ok, just hold on,"

He keyed his communicator and heard the click through.

It was taking too long...

too long...

too...

“Go ahead Ethereal Two – Two.”

“There has been an explosion, we have badly injured here, get someone ASAP on these co-ordinates!”

“Ethereal Two-Two, we have no other squads on the surface, we will have to drop a Med Shuttle. I am signalling them now. It will take seven minutes to drop from orbit, though we may be able to raise RFT medics. Please stand by. Out.”

“Shit!” Tucker swore under his breath and looked at Cena, yanking off his complex body armour to get at the shirt he was wearing underneath and yelling at Chappam.

“Get the others stable! I need some help with this!”

“This … this really is the... shits... eh...?” Cena half smiled at him through bleeding lips, the right side of her face already starting to swell.

Her eyelids fluttered as she fought back the black flecks that swam in her vision.

Tired.

She was so damn tired.

She just wanted to rest.

Just for a minute or so.

Just for...

She closed her eyes.

“God damn it DON”T YOU DIE ON ME!” he yelled and slapped her face hard.

She blinked and looked at him, her lips pulled back in a angry snarl.

He finished pulling off his armour and tore at the sleeves of the under uniform ripping them out from the inside.

“We got to stop this bleeding, God in Heaven Cena we gotta stop this...”

He wrapped the torn sleeves around her shoulders and over the bleeding hole where her arm had been and pulled it tight, pulling a knot in the fabric and pulling harder.

“Shit! That hurts... Tucker you son of a-”

“I know it hurts Goddamn it!, You think I got any fucking choice?”

She half smiled at him.

Blood dripping from her lips.

“Got... you... cursing...?”

She smiled again, her lips quirking up in a bloody lopsided grin.

“Thats... -”

She coughed as she tried to laugh.

“Stop That damn it!” Tucker hissed at her.

She coughed, her chest heaving, blood pulsing from the wounds in her shoulder and hip. 

Finally subsiding.

“Thats... thats... funny... you... you... think...? I... I...”

Her mind drifted.

Tucker pulled hard on the sleeve straps again, 

She winced as he pulled them tight and the blood flow underneath slowed.

Then he tore another sleeve from the uniform and ripped it in two pieces that he tied together and leaned down and wrapped around her waist.

She blinked her eyes.

“Y...ya... you...?” She mumbled through swollen lips. “You... getting... you getting... fresh...? With... me...?”

He folded the edges of the makeshift bandage over the bleeding hole where her leg had been and pulled on the strips, pulling them hard against his chest as he fought to get some pressure against the wound.

She didn't even wince at the movement.

Her head lolled back against the wall, her eyes blinking open, closing, opening.

“Yeah sweety, yeah, its me getting fresh. I always thought you were sexy, you know that?”

Her eyes blinked open and she looked at him, for a moment her eyes clearing.

“Oh yeah...?” she managed.

“Yeah.” he tied off the bandage and watched carefully as the blood flow slowed.

He nodded to himself then and looked back into her eyes.

They were clouding over.

She looked at him and the black flecks in the room swarmed in around her, until she almost couldn't see at all.

Couldn't...

“Tuck... Tucker...?”

She tipped her head back trying to get some more breath into her lungs.

It was hard to breath.

It was getting hard to...

He leaned in over her then and tried to smile, it twisted in his guts just trying to smile, but he forced it.

How can you smile at a time like this? He wondered to himself.

"Hey sweety...” looking at her face, watching her eyes... “Hey sweety...”

She gulped at a mouthful of air and blinked her eyes, Tucker's face just inches 

from hers.

“Hey... Tucker... this is really the shits... … … eh... …?”

He cupped her face in his hands and leaned his head against hers,

“I'm not a Healer, but you can't die, I won't let you die!” he hissed through his teeth as Chappam came through the doorway and knelt beside Corld. 

Chappam glanced over at him, panic on his face, but didn't say anything, just mouthing "they're fine" and bending over Corld and trying to examine the wound in her stomach.

“I can't move my hands Chapp, I can't move my hands...” Corld looked at him as Chappam bent over her.

“Its gonna be ok girl, just hang on, ok? Its gonna be ok.” 

His voice trembled as he tried to just talk to keep her awake.

“I'm... I'm... hanging...” She leaned her head back against the door frame and tried to smile, "the others... okay? I couldn't... Beethoven's helmet... he okay?"

"It's all fine. Dilles is awake, Onder's got him. We're all fine, don't worry," Chappam comforted her.

Shouldn't it hurt? She wondered?

Shouldn't it...?
*
*
*

Tucker reached out with his mind...

*
*
*

The RFT soldiers make a fast but cautious run up the stairs being sure to cover their firing angles as they go. People are grabbed and highly encouraged to head to the lobby as they are passed. When they approach the floor with the activity, they see the same sights Tucker and Chappam saw when they arrived, only this time, they order everyone to leave the floor immediately. They maintain their position at the end of the hall to make sure the civilians are covered as they escape. They're interrupted by radio traffic...

"Task One Three Eight, friendlies are reporting casualties, you are now a rescue operation, secure the area immediately. Medical is on approach, stand by for their arrival." Major Navarro orders from Command after speaking with the Revenge.
"Copy, sir. Task One Three Eight is rescue." the task leader confirms over his comms before turning to his teams. "You heard the man, let's get in there. Corpsman, assess the damage immediately."

All of the squad members grunt in acknowledgement sending them sprinting down the hall to the destroyed room.
*
*
*

PAIN!!! 

Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh God! 

Tucker gritted his teeth as the pain wracked through him, his stomach clenched and he wanted to wrench his face away from Cena and throw up, but he held her face in his hands and pushed his mind deeper, letting the pain flow out of her in streams and into him. Feeling his bones twisting, the muscles knotting underneath his skin.

God he wanted to scream!

He pushed his mind deeper.

And felt the pressure of her body against his go slowly slack.

NO! NO, NO, NO, NO, NO!

But her mind was still there, 

pulsing softly in the background.

She wasn't...

My God she wasn't dead...

She wasn't.

He pushed his mind deeper and felt her mind flicker against his.

'Tucker...? What are you...?'

'Just here, that's all love, just here, that's all...'

She smiled in her mind and felt his mind warm around hers.

It was nice.

Tucker kept holding her, fighting to keep the pain he was feeling away from her, 
trying to draw it off and let her body rest for a bit.

She wasn't going to die.

He wouldn't let her.

She wasn't going to...

Damn if he would let her.

Two squads of RFT came through the doorway then.
*
*
*

Matt lay on the roof with his face bleeding, his head ached, and there was this damn ringing...!

He slid his hands underneath his chest and pushed up onto his hips and shook his head.

Where was...?

He shook his head again to try and clear the black flecks that swam in his vision.

He turned, shifting his weight and tried to slide his feet up underneath him, trying to get a purchase.

His foot slipped and went slack.

He pulled again, but the leg didn't respond.

Other leg then.

He pulled the other leg up underneath him and pushed, sliding up into a half kneel, then slid his knee up and then down onto the hard gritted tar papered surface.

He turned looking over the roof and saw Sere ten feet from him.

She was laying on her stomach, naked. Not moving.

“Sere!... Sere!...” He yelled with hoarse lungs, a voice that seemed too diminished to carry over the push of wind across the rooftop.

She stirred,

Her arm moving, sliding down to her side as she pushed up with the other hand and turned her head towards him.

He looked into her cut face, blood dripping down along a long cut from her hairline down along her cheek. Blood matted her hair and coated the silver bells that dangled along her cheek that fell back as she tried to straighten.

A rising screaming roar came out of the sky as a ship dropped.

A crystal ship.

White and gleaming in the bright light.

An Advent ship then.

A blue cross painted on the sides as it lowered itself into the street below with a dying whine of engines and then was silent.

Doors snapping open to reveal a team of Advent Healers, as they run down the descending ramps and across the cleared street and through the blockade where RFT squads have cordoned off the entrance into the smoking hotel. 

A shifting distortion in the air moved across the surface of the roof then, wavering as the distortion bled away to reveal a gleaming shield faced helmeted figure in red and black webbed armor.

“They will be here in a few minutes, we have to end this now.” the figure said as he pulled his boot back and kicked Matt in the face, then turned without looking back as Matt fell back on the hard surface and didn't move.

A red and black ship at the edge of the roof suddenly shimmered and appeared.

Hovering in the bright light.

It's engines completely silent.

Like the soldier that crossed the rooftop toward her at an even, almost casual gait.

“You're pretty popular, you know that?” The figure said calmly, evenly as he strode towards Sere, leaning down and gripping a handful of her dark hair from behind her.

Pulling her body back off the roof.

She screamed as he yanked her back and tried to twist around.

Tried to get within striking distance.

But he put a boot in the middle of her back and pressed down.

“Orders say dead or alive. With taking out two of us already I'd say alive really isn't an option. Don't you think?”

The soldier pulled a gun at his hip and brought it up.

Sere struggled to move, watching as the soldier pointed the gun at her.

Was this it then?

After all of her...

plans...?

“Pris...”

“The little one? She's next. I don't expect she'll be half the trouble you've been.”

The soldier laughed behind his gleaming mask.

She hoped Pris would be ok.

She hoped Pris would be-

She heard the shot as the gun went off.

That was the last thing she thought of.

The last.

Last.

La-
*
*
*