Its us again! Here to bring you yet another exciting community topic!!!!
This topic is dedicated to any stories, lore, epic poems, novels, Role Playing...anything your heart desires to share!!!
We are always up for a good read and are excited to see what you all create from DS.
We will be featuring hopefully some neat post in this orginal post every so often. Maybe be something we liked or we though it need attention! So, aim your Ogrov at that writers block and get your fingers typing!
There aren't any rules, but we do have some guidelines to follow so that we all can participate and enjoy ourselves.-There is really no limit on what you post just as long as it is Distant Stars related.-Most members are participating in a single large story with the occasional side story or two. While this thread is certainly not limited to just that story, for the benefit of all readers and participants, please begin your post with how we're supposed to handle it. (Personal Story) (DS RP) (Trader Space) Examples of this can be found all throughout the thread or by looking at this post. https://forums.sinsofasolarempire.com/372058/page/21/#2596003 This will help us all out by letting us know if you're trying to set yourself up to join the main lore, if you plan on just telling your own story, or if you're just writing lullabies for children to sing before they go to bed.-While we don't expect you to 'Play the game' in your stories, we do ask that you keep any liberties that you take be grounded within the game. For example: Talking about your space marines invading another ship is not something the game covers, so feel free to be inventive on how it would happen. However, carrying point singularity rifles that open up little black holes is beyond the scope of the game and will not be allowed. Soldiers with phasic armor that prevents them from being wounded let alone even being hit, while being relevant to the technology in the game would also not be allowed. The point is to be fair to the other people. We encourage you to ask yourselves, would this work in the game, and how would I feel if someone used this on me? If You feel strongly that it would work and you'd be okay with it being used against you, then by all means, use it. Fantasy posting, dream sequences, and April Fool's postings are of course, immune from this guideline.-We highly encourage you to message other members for help or advice. There is a TeamSpeak channel that is frequently used by the regulars to talk issues out or just shoot the breeze behind the scenes. Everyone is encouraged to take advantage of these resources. Also, 'regulars' may send you messages with suggestions, concerns, or advice. It's nothing personal, so please do not be offended, they're just trying to help keep the lore consistent within these guidelines. If there's any doubt at all about anything, just message one of the people who you see posting a lot. If they don't know, they'll pass your message along to someone who does or tell you who you need to talk to.-It is also highly recommended that you message other RPers before posting anything involving their stuff. If you don't, you're likely going to find all of DS rising up against you.-In an effort to reduce clutter, we're asking that Out Of Character (OOC) commenting be either sent to the individual for whom it is intended by using the private message feature, or take it to another thread. https://forums.sinsofasolarempire.com/366762 is a thread frequented by many of the lore writers and random comment posting about anything under the sun is highly encouraged there as well in an attempt to get the thread locked. Enjoy.
Here are other stories found within the topic:
-Reply # 103 Coloniel3 has started a interesting story. We look forward to more from him/her soon! JUMP TO STORY
-Reply # 107 Cadalancea has shared some great stories from his/her own writtings!! Again we look forward to more from him/her!! JUMP TO STORY
Some resources that we have spent hours, days, and weeks working on that will help out all participants in this thread. We ask that you look through these to help you better understand the region.-About Distant Stars- https://forums.sinsofasolarempire.com/372058/page/11/#2532381This post will give you a lot of basic information on what the region of space is like, how to get there, and who is there waiting for you.-Distant Stars Maps- https://forums.sinsofasolarempire.com/372058/page/23/#2604760This post provides you with a quick look at the region and provides you with a download link where you can get yourself a copy of the posted maps in their unreduced forms. They're very helpful when trying to figure out where to go and who you're likely going to run into when you get there. Maps of individual systems are posted throughout the thread. They're generally posted by the first person to explore the system. If you don't know if a system has been explored or not or want to see a map of a system that has been explored, ask around via PM or TeamSpeak. Someone will point you to the place.-Character Biographies- https://forums.sinsofasolarempire.com/372058/page/11/#2532380This post is a general collection of the main RP characters whom you will likely have contact with. We ask that all people posting in the main lore post their main character(s) bio as soon as possible so that the rest of us have a little background on who your character is, how they like to fight, where do they come from, and why they're there. Read the existing bios for examples on what we're looking for.
-Player made TEC Fleet Ranking Structure- https://forums.sinsofasolarempire.com/372058/page/17/#2581279
-UE Fleet Rankings- https://forums.sinsofasolarempire.com/372058/page/18/#2582667
-David's Lions Fleet Rankings- https://forums.sinsofasolarempire.com/372058/page/18/#2581491
-Advent Social Structure/Rankings- https://forums.sinsofasolarempire.com/372058/page/18/#2581615
-Potential Gas Giant Colony Designs- https://forums.sinsofasolarempire.com/372058/page/30/#2617791
ITS SUGGESTED YOU READ ALL THE LORE POST, IF YOU WISH TO JOIN US. THIS ALLOWS YOU TO UNDERSTAND AND CATCH UP ON ALL THE CURRENT HAPPENINGS.
Officers:
Fleet Admiral - Only one at a time, but only has power within the Lions and thus is considered Admiral by TEC
Captain - In command of a vessel, senior and junior grades available informally
Commander - In command of a vessel if needed, but typically second in command
Lieutenant Commander - Higher bridge officer, placed on high priority stations
Lieutenant - Mid-range bridge officer fielded in most bridge functions
Lieutenant Junior Grade - Officer fielded in higher ship-wide functions
Ensign - Most common officer fielded ship-wide
Marine Officers:
Colonel - Highest rank on vessel to coordinate forces
Lieutenant Colonel - Available, but not in use
Major - Assitant to Colonel, distributing orders and secondary tasks
Captain - Available, but I won't use it
First Lieutenant - In command of a group of enlisted, coordinating small theaters
Second Lieutenant - Rarely fielded, but available to assist or fill in for First Lieutenant
Enlisted:
Sergeant - In command of a company
Staff Sergeant - In command of a platoon
Gunnery Sergeant - In charge of logistics or weapon platoons of a company
Corporal - Fire-team leader
Private - Jarhead
Warrant Officers will be mentioned in relation to specialized fields, such as dropship piloting
Well, my marines roughly follow British organisation, if you know about that, but I add stuff like officers tagging along with an individual section (6 privates, a corporal and lance-corporal, (with exception of specialists who may have different ranks) consists of two 4 man fire teams). My platoons are made up of three sections, and each platoon has a lieutenant and a sergeant. Then, a major or a captain is in charge of the group of however many platoons (a company-worth, so two or three at least) are onboard the ship. In the case of a smaller ship having marines, I'd say have just one platoon, if that.
Meanwhile, I've been, making the naval ranks up as I go along. Thenos is a Captain (not sure what Advent title that would be) and that the High Psintegrat of the Flames of Vengeance fleet is the top officer for that faction's fleet. Pretty much the fleet admiral, so the High Psintegrat title is more of a social status than a military rank.
Since the topic of ranks is on the table, I figure I should post the system that was created during the Steel Command project. Rather than have it go to waste I'll try to transplant it to the DS lore i'm writing up.(Any others who write under Advents are free to use the list below)
FYI, Setsuna is a Heirarch Chosen
-Illumina Faction-
Transendent Caste- These positions are reserved for the truely gifted and for those who have proven themselvesto be a valuable asset to the unity. Typically one would have to achieve all lower castes before heor she can achieve a higher title, only on special occasions and under decree by the Empress herselfcan one be appointed a title under the Transendent Caste.- Coalesence/Empress
- The leader of The Illumina Faction, the one and only one who holds the unity together and leads the faction on a path of revenge and salvation.- Heirarch Chosen - These positions are given to those who are vital to the unity, they have been awarded tothose who has achieved either the highest level of mental prowess or exhibited exrodinary capabilities- Arch Viceroy - Those who are given this rank is an equivilant to a type of parliment. They overseedifferent divisions under the Illumina and have the power to manipulate the population and maintainorder and administer judgement if need be.- Privilaged Caste - Titles under this caste are given to those of the civilian population outside the Military andTransendence Caste who have exhibited adpt capabilities in various fields.- Arch Priest/Priestess - A religious figures who are devout in every way to the unity and is charged withspreading that belief to the population and converting new civilizations.- Arch Seeker - Scietific members of the Illumina who lead the way in Psytechnology development andNeurochemical research as well as pioneering new advancements that aid in the spread of the light- Lower Seeker - Those of the Illumina who are experts in the study of new cultures, assisting theIllumina in spreading the unity.- Illuminaries - These are the enlightened civilian population who have achieved a higher connectionwith the unity, gaining a strong understanding of the light.- Aegis - The general population of the Advents who are believers of the unity. Believers whoare born as an Advent or those who are converts contribute to the power of the unity as a collectiveas each mind is connected to unified consciousness on certain levels.- Silent Ones - These are outcasts of the Advents, either criminals or those who lack the pshycological and mental capabilities to contribute to the unity. Those who are under this title are either shunnedto a isolated region of a planet or eliminated or used as suicidal pawns to prevent contaminationof the unity.-----------------------Unity Caste- Members under this caste are skilled in infiltration both physically and mentally and have powerfulmental capabilities to forcefully convert populations or kill them. They are commonly used to recruitnew followers but on occasions are called upon to manipulate the enemy driving them mad giving theAdvent fleet a decisive advantage.- Etherium Weaver - Weavers are members of the unity who are have a powerful grasp on their mentalcapabilities. They originate from the followings of harmony and try to convert enemy populationsthrough peaceful means as well as provide a powerful boost to Advent ships when aboard one.- Etherium Reaver - Reavers are quite the opposite from Weavers as they come from teachings ofhostility. Their powers are similar to Weavers but utilize them in the most cruelist of manners,driving people into extream bouts of insanity. They also provide the Advents the ability to manipulateenemy ships to malfunction either disabling them or causing destruction onboard.- Psymancer - Psymancers are weapons of war embodied commonly by women of the Advent race.They may not be as powerful as Weavers or Reavers alone but as a collective they are a forceto be reckoned with. A collective of these Psymancers can do untold levels of damage to bothphysical objects and minds alike. (Note: A collective of Psymancers has been recorded inmanipulating planetary objects such as asteroids, utilizing them as weapons)--------------------------------Military Caste - The head of a spear, the edge on a blade, the unyeilding wrath that is the Advent. Thosewho are given a rank under the Military Caste have been proven to be capable beyond allexpectations in the field of combat. Utilizing all that Advent has to offer, they are truely a force to bereckoned with. Members of this caste follow the will of the Advent without question.- Empyrial Templar - Empyrial Templars are commanders of a fleet. Tactically adpt, mentally devout andproven leaders. They hold the massive fleets of ships the Advents command together into a unifiedwar machine.- Knights of One - Captains of their ships, these Knights of One are capable leaders who follow everyorder given to them by the Templars and delegating them down to various ships under the captainscontrol.- Valeron - The Valeron are many and they are all willing to fight for the unity. They maintainvarious posts on different ships but are commonly pilots of the huge array of ships under the Advent.They are devout fighters who carry their orders with great valor and are the backbone of the manyfleets within The Illumina. Those who become Valeron undertake extream training at a young age towithstand the taxing neural interfaces of the Advent ships.
Thanks, I'll start writing using these ranks more. Can someone be part of the Unity and Military caste? Because in that case, Thenos would probably be a Reaver and a Knight of One. Knight-Reaver Thenos, sounds good.
So we spread the virus to the RFT? Thenos queried. He had just come out of the fifth take of the recording that would soon be sent to the Advent of Distant Stars.
Yes, sort of. I’ve sent a little apology to them, Teldin said, but there hasn’t been any sort of acknowledgement of it yet.
It’s fine. My little oversight. Anyway, we know that the virus works now, so we will soon be appealing for the hearts and minds of the Advent in Distant Stars. Well, we will be if we think any of the takes go perfectly.
Thenos sat at the desk in the studio. After the first take, where he had been standing, had been dismissed, the decision had been made to have Thenos sitting. Once the last-minute checks were completed, the camera started to roll.
“Greetings, citizens of the Unity,” Thenos said, “I am Knight-Reaver Thenos Garr, formerly of the Flames of Vengeance. Some of you may have heard of me. You may have been told that I am dead, or that I am a traitor of some kind. In a way, you are right. I am dead to you, being torn from the Unity by none other than the High Psintegrat that leads the many fleets that protect your worlds. However, I don’t want to talk to you about myself. I want to talk about those who have joined me. Here in the Daros system, we have formed a new Unity, the Collective, between those of us that have been betrayed by the High Psintegrat, but there is something missing: You.”
Thenos paused for effect, then continued, “Many of those that have joined us have families dwelling in Distant Stars. If you had a relative aboard the Enduring Freedom, or on a ship in Colony Patrol Group 9824 Typhon, then they’re here, and they miss you.”
Another pause, then Thenos said, “Come to Rebirth. You don’t need to have family here. We will accept anyone who feels wronged by the High Psintegrat, who is beyond the control of the Empress. Come to us to escape the deceit and lies that you have been fed by the High Psintegrat. Most importantly, come to find the ones you love. They’ll be waiting.”
The camera was stopped. Thenos rose and headed over to the camera crew. As the discussion began, Thenos felt odd. He listened on as the team decided that that cut would be the final one, but felt detached from what was going on. His vision blurred, and he headed for the door. Thenos staggered down the passageway, dizzy from whatever was happening to him. He slowed, but tripped and fell. He hit the ground unconscious.
----------------------------------------------------------
Just going to retcon a few ranks for my past stories. This is for most named characters, excluding marines, as they will continue with modern day military ranks. I would appreciate any advice if this looks wrong to you, Nyczzz.
Thenos-Knight-Reaver
High Psintegrat-Hierach Chosen
Teldin-Arch Seeker
Daala-Valeron
Ryan-Knight
(No longer necessary view edit for original post)
(NO LONGER NEEDED, SEE EDIT FOR OP)
Here are the -Ue_ ranks based on what we made for Steel Command. We didnt give each a detailed explanation like Nyczzz did but here they are:
Ranks:Section Command:Carbon= High ParagonXenon= Intel ParagonGold=Logistical ParagonMercury= Fleet Paragon--------------------Divison Command:Superior HalogenGreater HalogenHalogenSuperior MetalloidGreater MetalloidMetalloid-------------------Strike Wing Command:Superior TransitionGreater TransitionTransitionSuperior AlkalineGreater Alkaline--------------------Task Force Command:AlkalineSuperior AlkaliGreater AlkaliAlkali--------------------Planetary Defence:RegularConsriptMilita
As for TEC ranks only the Paragons would have any rank within the TEC. Since the -Ue_ hasnt been to affiliated with the TEC. We are a part of the Trade Order but the company as a whole as stay away from most of the politics of the Trade Order and the TEC. So, Xenon and me dont really care how you do the TEC rank stuff. Since we are not to concerned with TEC politcs.
(Personal/DS)
"Come again," said Lan.
"Between 800 to 1200 hundred years ago, sir," said Seles. Lan watches his crew in response to the information and before anyone can say something. "I don't wont this information to leave this bridge or to speak to any other crew member until we have confirmation, I know what you’re thinking, but until we know for sure otherwise, were not going to jump to conclusions. And that's an order."
On Cameron's console, an alert chime starts to go off. "Sir, I got a ship coming into range."
“It’s a derelict ship sir,” said Cameron. Everyone started to breathe sigh of relief, for they knew Captain Lan was about to call red alert. “Okay, where getting jumpy, but to be on the safe side, were going to yellow alert.”
Lt Cmdr Drake press ship wide on his console. “Attention crew, were going to yellow alert, general quarters, on duty personnel, man your stations. Bridge out.”
“Helm bring us close,” ordered Captain Lan.
With a steady hand, Cameron glided the Minoes within 500 meters of the wrecked ship. Lan turned to Seles and said, “What can you tell us about the ship?”
“Definitely unknown alien design,’ she paused, “multiple hull breaches, weapon impact points, don’t see any weapon emplacements, could’ve been a large trade ship, a freighter sir.” Lan sitting in his command chair rubbing his chin turns to Drake. “You’re up for a 10 cent tour?” Drake looked at him with a funny look. “It’s old Earth slang, long story short, recon.” Drake smiled, “Yes sir, I’ll lead team over.”
Lan stood up and said, “Take someone from engineering, a data tech, may be able to access computer core and download information so we can find out what happened here.”
Several minutes pass As Drake and his away team is getting ready in the shuttle bay to depart to the wrecked ship in orbit of the planet deep in unknown space. The six-man crew starts to board the shuttle checking their gear before they leave the Minoes. Drake, three security officers and two techs from engineering are getting into their seats as Drake begins powering up the shuttle, Drake turns and says, “Alright ladies, strap your selves in, we will do a few passes to see what we are dealing with before we EVA over to the ship.”
“Understood sir,” was the crew response. Drake turns back to the controls and taps a comm. channel, “Shuttle to bridge, we are ready to depart.”
“Shuttle one, you are clear for take off, we will be tracking you the entire time, if you have any emergencies, we will be right here. Minoes out,” said Lan.
Drake glides the shuttle out of the main bay into the debris-filled space where the Minoes is parked in orbit. Only a few minutes pass as they draw closer to the shipwreck above the planet that was obliterated a 1000 years before. After a few passes, the shuttle pulls up to an airlock hatch on the starboard side of the ship. Drake tells his team to check their air, gear and weapons before they head over to the ship.
Back over on the Minoes, the bridge crew watches the away team leave the shuttle and reach the airlock of the dead ship. Lan speaks out to Drake on an open channel, “How does it look so far.” Drake answers, “its beat to hell, gonna try a power cell to give the lock some juice, otherwise we may have to blast and cut our way in.” After a few moments, the air lock partially opens barely to fit through. Getting to the next lock, the tech uses the power cell to charge the lock and the door opens slowly.
One by one, each man steps thru and they turn on their helmet lights and locater beacons, one of the security officers brings up a handheld unit which displays the deck layout of the dead ship from scans made before they left the Minoes. “Alright crew, we will separate into two teams, using the scans we made of the ship, you three make your way down main engine room and see you can download any information from the computer core while we will do the same at the bridge. Leave your comm on and take your time. Not gonna get their fast in grav boots anyway,” Drake said. And then, each team separated into the dark corridors of the wrecked ship.
(Personal Story/Advent Colony) Part Two of Teir - -Teal ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Teir-On Galan- The port of Galan hung like a spiral jeweled gem in the sky above the world, a hundred elevators dropped on cables down from the black space to the clouds and ground beneath. Cities lay there, partially hidden through the clouds, but they were huge! A thousand towns could fit in the palm of any one of them, and they stretched out like V'ilt in a summer grove, spreading like the soft down of it, that covered the ground and the tree's and the rocks, spreading into the streams of crystal water til even the water ran green. Except here the cities glowed white, light spread out from them in gleaming brilliance and spin-silked webs racing across the world beneath. Hardly any green. Hardly any brown, or tree's or water creeks running in rambling curves and winding bends. It was a world of cities of metal. And glass, and watching it made Teir's heart fall. A town was good enough, when you had to trade or go in for supplies. And a city was good enough, if you had to, to get the things that even towns did not have. Her father had taken her once to the port of K'alan to pick up a tractor pull beast when the old one had died in the long hard winter the year before. They had lost the barn and half the cows and the pull beast as well, but her father and the others on the long plain had come outland then, a dozen of them on wagons out to the township of O'rr and then even on to the city, when no pull beasts could be found. It had been a dizzing experience. She had been twelve at the time. Lights and music on the streets, filled with concrete and brick and lights on slender steel poles a hundred handspans in the air. Colors filled the early evening sky with a wash of voices, some cursing, some yelling, some cavorting in rythm to the music. There were fights on the corners sometimes. Her father held her hand and pulled her close as they moved the wagon down the streets amidst the T'rin cars that rushed by on 7 wheels filled with laughing people and pulled by slender, thin legged yeets. It had all seemed, exciting at first, new and vivid and adventurous. Except for the fighting and the cursing and the drinking and the man who had stopped her father in the street, who had stood there in his black woolen suit and sneered through a heavy mustache and beard. "Wha' ave we 'ere, eh?" The thin tall man had slipped a hand under his coverlet then, but stopped. A Conscript had approached and stood with his eyes on the man, tapping his club against the palm of his hand. "Ye ave business then, wi' this man and 'is daugh'er come to 'er fair ci'ty?" He eyed the man as if he believed the man were actually a cow in a field on the far side of glensbrook village, as if he would not believe a word that the man dared to pass over his lips. "N'ah then, 'a dint think soo. Y'ool be movin' along den." The Conscript tapped the club in his fist again and watched as the man turned then with still a sneer and retreated. "A' villager's then, ya' got 'a be care full of dis place wheel y'er 'ere. If'en it t'was me, ah would be about ma business and then gone straight away and fast as ah cood ya'know. Not a pleas' ant place fer the likes of those an not used ta it." He bowed his head a short bit and tapped the edge of his hat with his fingers and winked at Teir. She had smiled back. She wasn't supposed to she didn't think, but he had been kind to them, had stopped a man from who knew what and had offered advice on how to be about things. Her father had simply nodded and then pulled her close again as they had gone down the street to the tractor pull beast vendor in a three story building of glass and concrete and lights blinking on the outside walls in garish colors that proclaimed the latest yearlings and prices.Her father had purchased an old N'hel pull beast, with smoothly combed fur, but still gray and still heavy flanks with all the money he had, and they had left that night, out of the city as quickly as he could move them. The Conscript had escorted them from the outlaying vendors block all the way to the edge road that led out away from the city toward the inland townships and villages. She had felt wiser then, leaving. Her father had sighed, and even though she felt he could have done well enough with the man without her, she felt she had endangered him. Perhaps he wouldn't move as quickly as if she were't there. Perhaps he would be watching her instead of the man. And what had been under the coverlet of the man? She felt in her gut that it was a shiver, but it could have been anything. But after that, her trust was well lost on thinking it had been any innocent thing. They had left then and gone back to the farm, once out on the road the old N'hel moved quickly, pulling the wagon and yeet after it. Hooves pulling and muscles stretching out as the animal moved out from the city. She gazed down at the elevators dropping on seemingly thin cables down to the steel world below and felt her heart fall. It was a city world. She wouldn't like it, in her heart she knew she would have to find another world. But that would only take her and her mother farther from her father. Farther from T'Lan, from home. She steeled herself then, if she must she must, but she would hate it, but she would find a way to take care of her mother and herself. She would have to find work, and find a place to live and food, and the small things it would take to make a small life here, in this steel and alien place. She moved through the port along the outer corridor with the hundreds streaming from the converted supply ship that the Advent has used to ferry them all from her besieged home. Stars gleamed through the clear glass of the spider-walks that led to the elevator terminals. Holding her mother's hand and carrying all their belongings in bags and small boxes strapped to their shoulders and backs. She felt a nudge and turned and saw the Advent woman lifting the heaviest of the bags from her back, Her white eyes blank, but she was smiling. "We can help, there is a place of safety in the city, a convent where our people live. We go into the city daily to help, in any small way that we can. But we return to eat and sleep in the convent. It is not so alien as the city itself. And you will have privacy and your own quarters."It was as if the woman had read her mind. Teir wanted to almost cry, but she wiped a finger under her eyes to stop it, and smiled. "That would be very kind, thank you." She let the woman take the heavier bag and gripping her mother's hand she followed the dark clad woman. "Come mother, we are going to find a place, a safe place." She whispered as she pulled her mother along. The thin woman beside her still dull and red eyed, though she wasn't still crying. "A safe place mother," she whispered and followed the Advent woman. Pray it was a safe place. But in her heart she began to smile, if only a little bit, to not have to live in the city and find a place in it. In her heart she was leaving the city behind, she could almost feel the wind on her face streaming through her hair, though none stirred in the spider-walks leading down to the elevators. She could almost feel the pull of the N'hel as they moved through the night, though the lights of the walk-ways gleamed full as a sunlit day. Away from the city, it was almost going home. Almost.~ ***
(Personal Story/Advent Colony)
Part Two of Teir -
-Teal
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Teir-On Galan-
The port of Galan hung like a spiral jeweled gem in the sky above the world, a hundred elevators dropped on cables down from the black space to the clouds and ground beneath.
Cities lay there, partially hidden through the clouds, but they were huge! A thousand towns could fit in the palm of any one of them, and they stretched out like V'ilt in a summer grove, spreading like the soft down of it, that covered the ground and the tree's and the rocks, spreading into the streams of crystal water til even the water ran green. Except here the cities glowed white, light spread out from them in gleaming brilliance and spin-silked webs racing across the world beneath.
Hardly any green.
Hardly any brown, or tree's or water creeks running in
rambling curves and winding bends.
It was a world of cities of metal.
And glass, and watching it made Teir's heart fall.
A town was good enough, when you had to trade or go in for
supplies. And a city was good enough, if you had to, to get
the things that even towns did not have. Her father had
taken her once to the port of K'alan to pick up a tractor
pull beast when the old one had died in the long hard
winter the year before.
They had lost the barn and half the cows and the pull beast as well, but her father and the others on the long plain had come outland then, a dozen of them on wagons out to the township of O'rr and then even on to the city, when no pull beasts could be found.
It had been a dizzing experience. She had been twelve at the time.
Lights and music on the streets, filled with concrete and brick and lights on slender steel poles a hundred handspans in the air. Colors filled the early evening sky with a wash of voices, some cursing, some yelling, some cavorting in rythm to the music. There were fights on the corners sometimes. Her father held her hand and pulled her close as they moved the wagon down the streets amidst the T'rin cars that rushed by on 7 wheels filled with laughing people and pulled by slender, thin legged yeets.
It had all seemed, exciting at first, new and vivid and adventurous. Except for the fighting and the cursing and the drinking and the man who had stopped her father in the street, who had stood there in his black woolen suit and sneered through a heavy mustache and beard.
"Wha' ave we 'ere, eh?"
The thin tall man had slipped a hand under his coverlet then, but stopped. A Conscript had approached and stood with his eyes on the man, tapping his club against the palm of his hand.
"Ye ave business then, wi' this man and 'is daugh'er come to 'er fair ci'ty?"
He eyed the man as if he believed the man were actually a cow in a field on the far side of glensbrook village, as if he would not believe a word that the man dared to pass over his lips.
"N'ah then, 'a dint think soo. Y'ool be movin' along den."
The Conscript tapped the club in his fist again and watched as the man turned then with still a sneer and retreated.
"A' villager's then, ya' got 'a be care full of dis place wheel y'er 'ere. If'en it t'was me, ah would be about ma business and then gone straight away and fast as ah cood ya'know. Not a pleas' ant place fer the likes of those an not used ta it."
He bowed his head a short bit and tapped the edge of his hat with his fingers and winked at Teir. She had smiled back. She wasn't supposed to she didn't think, but he had been kind to them, had stopped a man from who knew what and had offered advice on how to be about things.
Her father had simply nodded and then pulled her close again as they had gone down the street to the tractor pull beast vendor in a three story building of glass and concrete and lights blinking on the outside walls in garish colors that proclaimed the latest yearlings and prices.Her father had purchased an old N'hel pull beast, with smoothly combed fur, but still gray and still heavy flanks with all the money he had, and they had left that night, out of the city as quickly as he could move them. The Conscript had escorted them from the outlaying vendors block all the way to the edge road that led out away from the city toward the inland townships and villages.
She had felt wiser then, leaving. Her father had sighed, and even though she felt he could have done well enough with the man without her, she felt she had endangered him. Perhaps he wouldn't move as quickly as if she were't there. Perhaps he would be watching her instead of the man. And what had been under the coverlet of the man? She felt in her gut that it was a shiver, but it could have been anything. But after that, her trust was well lost on thinking it had been any innocent thing.
They had left then and gone back to the farm, once out on the road the old N'hel moved quickly, pulling the wagon and yeet after it. Hooves pulling and muscles stretching out as the animal moved out from the city.
She gazed down at the elevators dropping on seemingly thin cables down to the steel world below and felt her heart fall. It was a city world. She wouldn't like it, in her heart she knew she would have to find another world. But that would only take her and her mother farther from her father. Farther from T'Lan, from home.
She steeled herself then, if she must she must, but she would hate it, but she would find a way to take care of her mother and herself. She would have to find work, and find a place to live and food, and the small things it would take to make a small life here, in this steel and alien place.
She moved through the port along the outer corridor with the hundreds streaming from the converted supply ship that the Advent has used to ferry them all from her besieged home.
Stars gleamed through the clear glass of the spider-walks that led to the elevator terminals. Holding her mother's hand and carrying all their belongings in bags and small boxes strapped to their shoulders and backs.
She felt a nudge and turned and saw the Advent woman lifting the heaviest of the bags from her back, Her white eyes blank, but she was smiling.
"We can help, there is a place of safety in the city, a convent where our people live. We go into the city daily to help, in any small way that we can. But we return to eat and sleep in the convent. It is not so alien as the city itself. And you will have privacy and your own quarters."It was as if the woman had read her mind.
Teir wanted to almost cry, but she wiped a finger under her eyes to stop it, and smiled.
"That would be very kind, thank you." She let the woman take the heavier bag and gripping her mother's hand she followed the dark clad woman.
"Come mother, we are going to find a place, a safe place." She whispered as she pulled her mother along. The thin woman beside her still dull and red eyed, though she wasn't still crying.
"A safe place mother," she whispered and followed the Advent woman. Pray it was a safe place. But in her heart she began to smile, if only a little bit, to not have to live in the city and find a place in it. In her heart she was leaving the city behind, she could almost feel the wind on her face streaming through her hair, though none stirred in the spider-walks leading down to the elevators.
She could almost feel the pull of the N'hel as they moved through the night, though the lights of the walk-ways gleamed full as a sunlit day.
Away from the city, it was almost going home. Almost.~
***
(DS RP) Note: Changed above ranks to eliminate unused and enlisted (seeing that academic training is required for naval service, based upon my trend of cap use only.
Fleets before post:
Blue Fleet --
5 Kols
DLS David - Fleet Admiral Alexander Draakjacht
Tactical Officer - Lieutenant Commander Frishman
Communications Officer - Lieutenant Gross
Bridge Officer - Lieutenant Sokolow
Senior Helmsman - Ensign Karlin
Senior Engineer - Lieutenant Batson
DLS Elijah - Captain Ermler
DLS Abraham - Senior Captain Borovsky
DLS Isaac - Captain Neuhaus
DLS Job - Captain Halevi
3 Dunovs
DLS Jacob - Captain Feldman
DLS Judah - Captain Oliver
DLS Solomon - Captain Perlman
2 Sovas
DLS Moses - Captain Cohen
DLS Noah - Captain Dershowitz
1 Akkan
DLS Rebecca - Senior Captain Levin
Second Officer - Commander Maxwell
1 Marza
DLS Samson - Captain Adler
Green Fleet --
4 Kols
DLS Aaron - Senior Captain Siegel
DLS Cyrus - Captain Strauss
DLS Samuel - Captain Sandler
DLS Josiah - Captain Flohr
5 Dunovs
DLS Elisha - Captain Bar-Lev
DLS Bathsheba - Captain Liebermann
DLS Jonah - Captain Kisling
DLS Joseph - Captain Jacobi
DLS Joshua - Captain Hyman
DLS Hagar - Captain Zuckermann
2 Marzas
DLS Isaiah - Captain Eliad
DLS Ishmael - Captain Berkowitz
Red Fleet --
DLS Adam - Senior Captain Aronoff
DLS Abel - Captain Palatnik
DLS Daniel - Captain Ornstein
DLS Esau - Captain Mandel
DLS Jeremiah - Captain Leibowitz
DLS Esther - Captain Heine
DLS Sarah - Captain Greenberg
DLS Eve- Commander Finkelstein
Carbon Division: 450 Hoskikos 250 Light Frigates 200 LRF 50 Ceilos 50 Carriers 75 Scouts 200 HC 350 Flak
Caps are: 5 Akkans, 8 Dunvos, 2 Sovas
Vasari Fleet:
2 Skirantra Carriers
3 Antorak Marauders
5 Vulkoras Desolators
8 Kortul Devastators
50 Lasurak Transporters
100 Skarovas Enforcers
100 Stilakus Subverters
100 Junsurak Sentinels
50 Serevun Overseers
----
Splashes of light accompany Red Fleet's entrance to the gravity well of the Portage star. Crewman scatter about as scans are made in preparation for combat. The sooner they can clean the area of hostile targets, the more likely they are to maintain the element of surprise for the operation. On board the DLS Adam, a lieutenant turns from her station to announce, "Captain, we have two vessels in the gravity well, Vasari trade vessels."
Captain Aronoff sits tall in his chair, ordering with the usual boom of his voice, "Launch all strikecraft and remove them from my space."
The Esther and Sarah vibrate with movement as Gunships leave the launch bays, each squadron peeling off in a separate direction to form on the wing of a bomber squadron, which originate from the other capital vessels. The ion trails of their engines are pushed by the strong solar currents, forcing them away from the sun despite the circular path the vessels make around the burning orb. A short time passes before the trade vessels are well within visual range of the bombers. It's only assumed that there is a great deal of chaos aboard the vessels as the strikecraft approach, but several officers spread across the TEC vessels monitor for long range communications, only to find the background noise of the sun. The bombers split off into two groups, each chattering away to another to arrange themselves with maximum efficiency. Once formations are set and the trade vessels are at optimal range, the bombers release their payloads, the chemicals burning away and leaving even more for the solar winds to scatter. The missiles converge on their targets, impacting the hulls and pausing for a millionth of a second to allow the warheads to penetrate the weak, civilian armor before exploding, the cyclotaurite combustion releasing a shear wave which transmits itself through the bulkheads and forcing apart each and every weak point of the construction. As the strikecraft catch up to the site of their devastated enemy, the gunships add their firepower for good measure. The rapid release of ammunition both leaves a trail of floating casings and a stream of hot ferrous rounds, riddling both the metal scrap of the vessels and the floating dead with holes. Almost as brief a time as it took to give the order, the deed was done and the star secured.
The lieutenant says, "No communications detected. We're in the clear, captain."
Aronoff replies without a smile nor nod, "Well done. Form the fleet in preparation for the jump and hold position. Let the admiral know we are ready."
On the edge of Portage IV's gravity well resides Blue and Green Fleet with the assimilated components of Red Fleet. Immediately behind them Halogen Braken waits with the Carbon Division. The capital vessels, being supportive in nature, are spread out to provide even assistance to one another. The multitude of frigates and cruisers are separated in layers with the Kodiaks taking point while the Cobalts and Gardas are a single step behind. Cielos, Hoshikos, and Arcovas form the next wall, ready to provide support, targeting and detection where need be. Last, but far from least, are the Javelis and Percheron, ready to provide firepower from behind the screen of other vessels.
Front and center of it all sits the David, Admiral Alexander sitting in wait for the coming conflict. Lieutenant Gross breaks the anticipation, "Sir, we have confirmation from the Adam. The operation is a 'go'."
Alexander nods before opening a communications link with Captain Levin, Captain Siegel and Halogen Braken, "Men, we are ready to move forward. Levin, I'm going to have you micro Blue Fleet on point and high flank while I feed larger objectives. Siegel, you know where you stand on the port flank. Halogen Braken, I need you to keep a steady wall on starboard and low flank. I'll be feeding you a lot of data, so keep on your toes."
"Sir," Halogen Braken interrupts, "I believe my forces are best deployed on point."
"Why is that?"
"With all dure respect, we have more staying power. If we deploy towards the center, we can provide a strong front and have just enough wiggle to stretch help to the other wings of the engagement," Braken argues.
Alexander pauses for a moment, his lips moving as he bites a small part of the inside, "Alright, you take point and high. That puts Blue on starboard and low, but the David will share a space between the two. I want those smaller vessels of yours playing it safe. This fight is for the big dogs, understood?"
Braken nods, "Understood, admiral."
Alexander nods, "Men, see you on the other side," and deactivates the communications link. He straightens himself in his seat and rests his forearms square on the arms. "Helm, take us in."
When the ships have completed their rearrangement, they wait for the last one to align and engage their drives simultaneously. A wall of pouring sparkles light up the edge of the well and, with a great surge of energy, dies. The passage is brief and on the other side, the vessels emerge, announced by a wave of light rippling across space.
Frishman clambers across his station with his fingers, "Sir, they have the usual targeting array established on the planet, so they'll give us a bit of an extra punch."
"As we expected," Alexander replies, "makes you wonder who's stupid enough to leave these things behind."
Frishman shakes his head, "Not the man with a penchant for explosives."
Alexander smiles, "Remind me never to put you in charge of a withdrawal. Enemy status?"
"They have two Skirantra Carriers, three Antorak Marauders, five Vulkoras Desolators, eight Kortul Devastators, fifty Lasurak Transporters, a hundred Skarovas Enforcers, a hundred Stilakus Subverters, a hundred Junsurak Sentinels, and fifty Serevun Overseers. Handful of planetary defenses midway toward the planet and," Frishman pauses for a second while tilting his head at the data, "and no mines, sir."
Alexander asks, "Why wouldn't they have any mines?"
Just as the question is asked, a form emerges from around the edge of the planet, its spidery arms reaching out to the sides and bulbous tail being dragged along by a trickle of green energy.
Frishman replies, "Sir..."
"Yes, I see they were preparing something else," Alexander cuts in. "It'll take some time to arrive. We'll deal with it when it does."
The Vasari vessels have made their maneuvers, now facing the TEC forces holding their positions at the edge of the gravity well. As the group approaches, their numbers converge towards the center of the enemy formation, creating a rudimentary wall. A vast number of fighters and bombers emerge from the formation, taking up formations as they scream towards the targets.
"Keep our strikecraft on the ground, the Gardas can take care of them. Have all units spread themselves out. We have to contain their formation," Alexander instructs. The TEC vessels respond, widening the space between ships to provide a broad berth for the enemy. As the openings form, the Vasari strikecraft engage, firing their dark payloads towards the TEC vessels, which riddle the shields with violet pops of energy. Passing through the formation, the strikecraft run into a wall of hot metal released by the flak frigates, a wall of shrapnel which tears into the small vessels and quickly reduces their numbers by half. The remaining half manage to escape the barrage, but not without their fair share of wounds to lick. The few brazen enough to make a second pass, thinking the rear would provide better circumstances, discover the full coverage of the frigate's turreted weapons remove themselves from the conflict.
Following the debacle of the strikecraft, the Vasari vessels complete their formation, with the Marauders spread out, one taking point and the other two each tipping a flank. The Devastators take to the front, spreading themselves evenly across the wall to provide shielding for the Desolators in the rear of the formation. Trailing behind, the Skirantras reside with the Sentinels and Transporters, the Enforcers and Skirmishers guarding each end of the wall. The Subverters and Overseers shift about between the two greater formations, their anticipation of battle being apparent through the sporadic firing of thrusters. The formations move forward until the targeting array on the planet gives them the advantage, at which point they cut their engines and open up their weapons on the humans.
A rumble billows across the bridge as the shielding negates part of the attack. "Sir, the enemy is engaging beyond range," Frishman reports.
Ensign Karlin replies, "We can be in range within ten seconds."
"We're not stopping there," Alexander says. "If this is going to work, we have to hug them pretty tight. Have the fleets move as close as possible."
"Yes, sir," comes the reply. The formation moves forward, the broad wall taking a steady stream of fire as it approaches until it can return the favor, releasing beams of energy and fiery rounds of ammunition at the Vasari while continuing to approach. Flashes of red dance across the holoprojection as the operation continues, causing Alexander's eyes to dance back and forth to keep pace with the symphony of data.
"Have the Marzas reach optimal range and open up. Tell Braken to focus on that lead Marauder and have all others coordinate central firing patterns," Alexander belts out.
Lieutenant Gross works his station as quickly has his lips and fingers will allow, relaying each order. The Carbon Division, while carefully timing the use of their shield regeneration, turn their ship's broadsides towards the enemy, sliding forward with their inertia and opening up on the lead Marauder with their missiles and laser cannons. The Marzas, Akkans, and Sovas hang near the rear of the formation, firing past the other vessels to contribute to the future demise of the enemy. The three Marzas begin to slow as multiple ports open up across the nose of the vessels, soon giving birth to plumes of light which fan out and scatter themselves across the dark veil. The missiles pass up the mass of capitals, a few waylaid by the expanse of the shielding, and bury themselves within the ranks of the cruisers and frigates, largely affecting the Sentinels, Subverters, Overseers, and Transporters, causing bright pops of brilliance in and of themselves, but followed by greater illuminations marking the death of vessel after vessel. The end of the barrage marks the arrival of the David and surrounding vessels at the front end of the enemy formation. The extended wings of TEC vessels continue forward to wrap around the sides of the Vasari formation while the cruisers and frigates continue to provide clusters of weapons fire from beyond the front.
"Status."
Frishman steadies himself on one corner of his work station while working with his free hand, "Sir, enemy support cruisers are below fifty percent operational. Assault vessels not affected."
"Launch all strikecraft. I want Sentinels down first, then support caps," Alexander orders.
"Yes, sir," immediately proceeds the release of fighters all across the formation. The EWS and conventional bombers make a direct path towards the Sentinels, weaving between the capitals in their way, while the gunships fan out, engaging the remnants of the Vasari fighters and finding easy prey in doing so. As the Sentinels begin to suffer under the wake of bombers, the Skirantras release a cloud of nanites, the glittery devices coating their allies and restoring hull integrity as quickly as possible. Many of the Devastators respond to the recent barrage by firing their own cluster of nanites, but these head towards the TEC vessels, causing no visual change.
"Sir," Frishman calls out, "it looks like we lost railguns."
Lieutenant Gross follows up, "Sir, we have railguns across the fleet reporting malfunctions."
Alexander asks, "Adaptive shields?"
After a moment, Frishman replies, "No, sir, but most Kols are showing the shielding already active."
"Thank God for small favors," Alexander mutters before his attention turns to the holoprojector by the ensign's voice.
"Sir, the Marauder is going down."
The blip on the screen disappears initially, the contra terrene explosion confirmed by a moment of static across the psidar. When the affect of the explosion wears away, the remaining Subverters leap into action, the two formations previously on the wings flying into the capital group, each remaining behind the forward vessels while arcing a path to the other side. During their flight they target the TEC vessels and strike.
"We're getting fluctuations in the shielding," Frishman calls out a moment before the Desolators fire off swarms of phase missiles, the umbral projectiles carving a path through the fray and striking against the human shields, only to penetrate them and impact the hull, the bursts of darkness taking shards of armor with them. The impacts shake the bridge of the ship, sending loose objects crashing to the ground and causing overloads in circuitry. If not for their harnesses, the crew would have been tossed about in spite of the anti-gravity plating's best efforts. Gross hugs his station, yelling over the explosions, "The Judah and Elisha have taken heavy damage."
Alexander wraps his arm around one of the rests to secure himself against the force. "Have them move to the rear of the formation and where the hell are those Akkans?"
"They're each flanking opposite wings," Frishman yells back.
"Get them in the damned fray with those ion bolts and we need the Hoshikos up, now."
On the wings, Akkans break their noses through the walls of the formation, firing their ion bolts at the Desolators and leaving them adrift while Hoshikos careen through the formations, firing pods of repair drones toward the capitals. The atypical designs of the repair cruisers are surprisingly agile in avoiding nearby fire and their silhouettes soon accentuated by the radiant light of two Devastators being torn into debris by near Kols. Amidst the clamor, the formations of Enforcers and Skirmishers break, but rather than fleeing for themselves, they make a path similar to the Subverters, but taking closer to the TEC lines while opening up with all available weapons. The repair operations continue to go in favor of the cruisers until their systems shake and stutter to warn the crews of an unexpected detriment.
"Sir, Hoshikos and Dunovs are reporting anti-matter drains," Gross informs.
Alexander tightens his jaw for a moment, flexing his cheeks before ordering, "Pull the Hoshikos back, have the Dunovs play it conservatively with shielding. Do we know the source of the drain?"
Frishman answers, "We have two groups of Enforcers and Skirmishers cutting into the lines, passing the front soon."
"I want all vessels targeting those ships."
Auto cannons and lasers cross paths, glittering the sky with metal and fire as they create a wall to pockmark the passing Vasari vessels. The Skirmishers are torn away with ease, their crumbling corpses ricocheting off of one another and eventually the shields of nearby capital vessels. The Enforces hold up longer, although many fall away under the onslaught. On the David, Alexander watches intently as the two waves cross, small yellow lights designating weapons fire coming from the vessels. One wave passes, the auto cannons riddling their backsides with round after round. As the next wave makes its pass, the weapons reset, a brief moment of pause occurring before the weapons choose new targets and track in, allowing the Vasari a moment of superiority where dozens, if not hundreds, of rounds could have been released upon the enemy. Alexander's brow narrows as he notices this activity, but a voice soon rings in his ear.
"Sir."
He looks up at Lieutenant Gross, who repeats, "Sir, the Isaac has taken critical damage. Her maneuvering thrusters have lost power."
"Where are the Dunovs?"
Frishman replies, "Anti-matter reserves are low across the board. We're waiting for the stores to recover now that the Skirmishers are out."
Alexander shakes his head, "Alright, have them evacuate the crew and make sure Neuhaus knows I want to see him after the fact. None of that going down with the ship crap. Have the Rebecca move in to cover her in the meantime."
While Gross goes to work, Frishman continues to report, "Sir, some of those Enforcers are trying to bleed between our ranks. We have the enemy bowled in, but that's only going to work for the caps."
"Tell Braken his men get to shine. Have the cruisers pounce on those strays," Alexander says.
The Javelis' and Kodiaks turn their attention to the numbers coming through the line and begin picking them off as they come around the corners of the capital vessels. The Kodiaks break and attack, tying up the Enforcers while missiles twist and dive between obstacles to find their proper places in the bowels of their enemies. The ballet of metal is set to the backdrop of nearly a hundred small pods flowing forth from a Kol which drifts lifelessly with several large gouges taken out of one side. A small explosion deep within the belly signifies the detonation of its drained anti-matter reactor. The line of Sentinels now lie in ruin and the bombers turn to their attention towards the Marauder facing Green Fleet. Between the two, they barrage the vessel until it caves from both sides, the hull drawing inward as supports give way, only to be blown back by the reactor's detonation.
"Second Marauder down," Frishman says. "Sir, the station is here."
The Vasari station approaches the rear of the enemy formation, its weapons lighting up as they prepare to engage."
Alexander sits up in his chair, "Lieutenant Gross, contact Red Fleet and have them begin their jump."
TO BE CONTINUED...
Fleets after post:
Carbon Division: 437 Hoskikos 250 Light Frigates 200 LRF 50 Ceilos 50 Carriers 75 Scouts 198 HC 350 Flak
1 Antorak Marauders
6 Kortul Devastators
27 Lasurak Transporters
12 Skarovas Enforcers
36 Stilakus Subverters
22 Serevun Overseers
Lord Ryat threw the reports on the table in the conference with an exasperated slam that made everyone in the room jump. He sat down in his chair with a huff and leaning forward began rubbing his temples. The pain in his head had come back a little and what he was seeing was not helping. "So, three percent success rate was the last simulation's results, hmmmm?" he said quietly. "Yes my lord," his operations officer replied hesitantly. Lord Ryat's temper had been short lately, which was most unusual. Even Usyma was worried. But Lord Ryat merely sighed this time. "Well, guess thats better than the four hundredth of a percent the last set was at," he grumbled. "With all due respect buddy," said Duke Edmenton, "the issue is the amount of ships you have. Not the tactics or strategies you are employing. You and all your allies simply don't have enough to do the job." Lord Ryat glared at him. Edmenton merely looked back. Lord Ryat grunted after a moment. "I know, but what can we do about it?" Lord Ryat grumbled again. "Build more ships," Edmenton said. "Can't," said the economic advisor, "our warchest is drained and while our income is on a positive side, it is minor with most going to support and the TEC. I'm afraid we don't have materials left ot produce more ships aside from replacements and increases of frigates and curisers." "I thought we had some other caps being produced?" Edmenton asked. "We do have some currently in production, about five to be specific, two Kols and three Sovas," confirmed the economic advisor, "but they are for the TEC." "So we need more materials and funds, great," Lord Ryat grumped, "Any ideas on how to fix that? Or are we going to just complain about it." The room was silent. Then Usyma spoke up. "How about Roesh and his Free Trader group," she suggested, "they seem to be having an increase in materials and are currently trading with Admiral Draakjacht. We might as well get some of the pie." "Point," Lord Ryat said with a grimace as the pain increased, "let's do that. Well I'm done for the day." He then stood up, then collasped unconscious.
Oranos Kilsing Commander of the RDA
The RDA is part of a new alliance of worlds founded when a Vasari went rouge and spoke to the humans of Gaia about peace. The human he spoke to was Oranos a up and coming ship designer for the small world. Oranos and the Vasari Kalder went to the worlds leaders to ask them to try for peace they would hear none of it and locked Kalder up as a spy. Oranos was not about to let a real chance for peace go past it had been so long.
So he spoke to the other ppl that worked on ships and even some of the military they all agreed that if they where to have peace they needed to free Kalder and speak to him. So together they became the RDA the revulsion was short and painless the RDA seized all military installations and forced the surrender of the planets leaders.
The RDA was about Freedom and Peace and so declined to Rule the world and set up the Alliance of Gardenina. With the RDA as one of its Two military forces the alliance Military. The RDA acting as some thing of a space patrol exploring dealing with other worlds and fighting on the Front lines as the alliance military protected alliance worlds. Soon Other Worlds Joined the Alliance and some where Vasari as well.
The Voruntak Envoy cruiser entered Finley Star's gravwell. Immediately the four Argonev Starbases owned by the Roesh Free Traders locked weapons onto the vessel. A comm broadcast followed closely behind it. "This is Command Argonev Starbase calling Vasari Cruiser," a communications officer said, "Please state the purpose of your visit." "We are carrying Lord J'rah to see Lord Roesh about developing trade and treaties," a Vasari communications officer responded. "Hold please as we send your message through," the communications officer stated. Minutes passed as phase radio instructions were passed back and forth. The communications officer reopened the channel. "Roesh is currently not available but his second in command Henry Stolvey is available and has the authority to establish trade and treaties if that is okay," he said. A few moments passed before the Vasari officer responded back. "That will be okay," he said, "please give instructions to proceed." Data began processing between the two and after all required information was passed the Envoy proceeded to Finley 1. The terran planet Finley 1 was also well protected with a starbase nearby and several orbital defense structures in closer to orbit. They all kept a lock on the cruiser will it flew near the system. A comm broadcast was sent to the cruiser from the planet. "My lord," the Vasari comm officer said, "Lord Henry wishes to speak directly with you over the channel." "Put him through then," Lord J'rah said. Henry's face appeared on the viewscreen. "Welcome Lord J'rah," he said, "What brings you to our neck of the woods?" Lord J'rah paused for a second with that figure of speech. "Um, yes," he said, "We are in need of materials and understand that you have much to sell. We would be willing to trade some technology that would help increase this for a small um cut of the porfits." "Hmmm," Henry said, "Intriguing, some down to the planet. We have facilities for Vasari and it would be nice to meet face to face." "Thank you," Lord J'rah responded, "We would much apprieciated it." The Vasari Envoy headed towards the planet and landed at the designated landing pad. Attendants arrived to escort the Vasari to the recreational facilities that were set up. Lord J'rah was escorted to Henry's office. Henry's office was simple and business like, which considering his rank said much about him. "Ah, come in Lord J'rah," Henry said as he stood up in his seat. "Please sit down." He pointed towards a chair that was designed for a Vasari. Lord J'rah took the seat. "So what do you propose?" Henry asked. Lord J'rah pulled out two glass-like tubes, one filled with metallic like substance and the other filled with a crystal like substance. He put them on the table. Henry looked at them puzzled. "Have to admit," he said, "When most people give pieces of technology its usually in some print form. What are these?" "Nanites," Lord J'rah said simply. "Hmmmm," he said, "I know our Hoshikos like to play around with nanobots, but never thought about using them for mining." "The Vasari Culture makes much use of nanites," Lord J'rah explained, "we even use them in our own bodies to improve our lives." "Never thought of that," Henry said, "So I take it that the metallic substance is for metals and the crystal like substances is for the crystals that are mined." "Correct," Lord J'rah said, "They should increase production by twenty to thirty percent. Plus they are self-replicating so that you merely have to put a small dab in each mining facility and you would never run out. All we would ask is a fifty percent cut of that profit." "So we would still see an increase of about ten to fifteen percent," Henry surmised, "Thats not bad actually. Sounds like we have a deal." "Glad hear that Mr Stolvey," Lord J'rah said. "Please, call me Henry," Henry said. "I shall, thank you," Lord J'rah said as he and Henry got up to leave the office, "Oh and one more thing." "What's that Lord J'rah?" Henry asked. "If this deal were to every be broken, those nanites will no longer work," Lord J'rah said, "Its a bit of a precaution my people prefer to use to make sure the technology is not used against us." Henry frowned for a moment at this little bit of knowledge, then smiled. "Completely understandable Lord J'rah," he said, "Completely understandable. Now lets go toast our deal."
System functionality restored
New hardware detected
Drivers detected
Model 0X42 “Firestorm” Combat Flamethrower installed
Model 0X28 “Hornet” Compact Laser installed
Visual error…
A voice spoke in a foreign language, but Scylla’s sound receptors, now online, translated.
“Damn, forgot the optics drivers.”
Error, system shutdown.
Unknown optical suite installed
Calibrating…
…
Visuals online
Scylla could see again. In front of it was a young man in a lab coat. Checking the new hardware that had been installed, Scylla realised that there were several new additions to its arsenal. On the underside of its left arm, a small flamethrower had been equipped. Scylla also located the small fuel tank on its back, and found that the fuel was fortunately designed to only become flammable as it left the flamethrower’s nozzle. Scylla also found that it had a compact laser weapon equipped on the underside of its right arm, powered by Scylla’s own energy core. Finally, there was an array of new functions in Scylla’s optical array. Scylla decided to test them later in a place of safety, as the unknown hardware could fail at a critical moment. Scylla turned its attention to the young man in front of it.
“Good to see you awake,” the man said in Basic, “we’re busting you out.”
“Explain,” Scylla grated in the intimidating voice that had been given as its default vocal setting.
“There’s no time to explain. Security won’t take long to notice that you’re online.”
The man deactivated the clamps that held Scylla. The force-field was already offline. Scylla knew that the man was putting a lot of trust in the cyborg not to simply strike him down. Evidently he actually wanted to help the cyborg escape. Scylla said that they should get moving, so they did.
“I’m a member of the TEC council’s secret service. We caught wind of what was happening here and decided to investigate. We needed proof that –UE_ were doing this, and seeing as you were already rebelling against them, I figured that you would be willing to help in providing evidence of their scheme.”
“Right.”
The man spoke no more after this. Scylla was wary. The man’s story sounded plausible, as this kind of thing had happened in the past when members of the TEC did anything dodgy. Even though there was a possibility of the story being a lie, Scylla still needed to escape, and this man was willing to help.
“Wait,” Scylla said. It had just spotted a computer terminal. It explained that it was going to access the facility’s data hub. It interfaced with the terminal, overriding the system’s security. Scylla downloaded the station’s copy of the TEC database, updating its own where necessary, and receiving all of the information on those in Experimental Division and where the division’s other stations were, which didn’t exist as far as Scylla’s database was concerned before. From this, Scylla discovered its location: Bamntuh. The station was using experimental stealth field technology to keep the precariously balanced asteroid that it was on hidden from the few brave enough to go near the black hole. Checking schematics and logs, Scylla found that the Charybdis was held in clamps on one side of the asteroid, and that further attempts at accessing it had been prevented by the robots inside. Scylla felt a strange feeling of pride at that. Scylla finally accessed the security footage, and saw something interesting on one of the cameras. Focusing on it, Scylla saw a small room. In the room stood an intelligence officer and Iron. The intelligence officer was doing something off the edge of the camera’s view, but the sounds picked up made it obvious what was happening.
“Now are you willing to cooperate?” asked Iron as the screams subsided.
“Yes, please, anything!” the voice of whoever was being tortured said.
“Good… Why are you here? Who do you work for?” Iron asked.
“We… we’re the… the Unity’s Hand.”
“The terrorists. Hmm… So why are you here?”
“To steal Scylla. We were going to wait until it was fitted with new weapons, then take it with us to the rendezvous point. Then we’d have all of the new weapons.”
“And then what?”
“We were going to execute it. Destroy a symbol of the TEC’s power.”
“Who are your fellow conspirators?”
“Just… just…”
“Tell me who they are!”
“Alright, alright. Just Sibley. That was all. Please, let me-“
“Well done,” Iron said, “you’ve been so helpful that I’m going to spare your life. You can comfortably spend the rest of your life in a POW camp. Now,” he turned to the intelligence officer, “give out orders to find Sibley. Make sure that our guards get given EMP devices.”
Scylla disconnected from the terminal and turned. The man with it was wearing a name tag like all of the scientists. It said Sibley.
“You finished?” he asked. They weren’t the grandest of final words. The body hit the floor, the head rolling to a stop a little distance away. That would confuse the guards that would be dispatched to find Sibley. Scylla knew, and evidently Sibley hadn’t, that the lab coats had tracers in them. The guards would be tracking down Sibley in order to find Scylla, but the cyborg would be long gone by the time they arrived.
To Be Continued...
(Personal / DS) We're sitting at the Mercevia sun. Waiting... Hoping that our employer got enough of our message to come and get us. Or at least get curious enough to come back looking. Hopefully before the pirates do. We're taking up positions as close to the star as we can so we can't be seen as easily, and we have this damned device. It's not working properly... It's broken... Leaking... It may end up killing us all before anyone finds us. How did we get here? How did things get this bad? If no one is left, at least we'll be survived by this journal. It began here in Mercevia when our boss happened across something that wasn't natural... Or rather, didn't fit the natural order of things. A system full of radiation. A system where communications die. You never feel more alone when you know your friends are out there in the stars, but they don't know if you are. I arrived here with half of our small fleet aboard the light frigate Albatross. She was a beauty of a ship. Fast. Agile. A dirty little saboteur. It's a great little ship to begin one's career on, it's also a great ship to end one's career on. To be an aging captain like me who was never interested in climbing the ranks but still wanted a ship of my own, it's the perfect fit. We had a small skirmish and it was an easy victory. I was ordered with a small group to watch the phase lane we entered the grav well from. It was our duty to stall any force that came through long enough for the remainder of the fleet to assemble. It happened. I like to think we did our job. At least we did it well enough to get another victory under our belts. But Lady Luck is a cruel mistress. She turned on us just as quickly as she decided to help us. We were confronted by a second assault, equal to the first in ships, but overpowering in the end. We took far too much damage far too quickly and I ordered my crew to abandon ship. We all made it... To the life pods. Sitting in space we saw ship after ship explode. With each one we wondered who we wouldn't be seeing tomorrow. When we saw our capital ships fleeing for their lives, we began to wonder if we would even see tomorrow. I'm happy at least some of us made it out alive that day, but I, like pretty much everyone else, wish we were lucky enough to be on one of those ships. They were gone. Our friends, our allies, our coworkers. We were left behind to be plucked out of space by renegades and social deviants. Pirates. Our employer, Roesh... The couple of times I've met him, I've gotten the distinct impression he'd much rather be one himself, but something holds him back. Like he has a greater purpose he's trying to reach. I can only speculate, but I know he's driven by something. My thoughts changed to my own mortality when my life pod was scooped up. Our hatch was forced open and we were yanked from our chairs at gunpoint. Taken to holding cells on the ship that collected us, then transferred down planet side to holding cells. The facility underground was much larger then we had anticipated. Clearly they had been here a while. Clearly they don't intend on leaving any time soon. Every few hours the pirates busied themselves reorganizing and shuffling us around. I assume it was to prevent anyone from forming a group brave enough to try anything, but they were wrong. They actually enabled the whole thing to happen. As certain groups of marines passed each other in the shuffle they communicated using indistinct hand signals to pass on messages to each other. Once a whole company of marines had been contacted a plan for escape was put into place by the largest group intact. The pirates were stretched thin with the number of prisoners they were keeping watch over, so when it came time to be fed, the group now calling themselves the Blood Ash jumped into action. Blood Ash... If memory serves, that was the name of a elite group of soldiers back in Trader Space who were completely dedicated to ridding systems of piracy. Back in the days before the wars started when all we had to worry about was getting goods from point A to point B, and the only thing standing in the way were people like our current hosts who felt slighted by the way things were run, or just didn't know how to fit into the system or into society. The Blood Ash would go into systems plagued by piracy, infiltrate the organization and completely destroy it. Not just the visible side... The ships and the people taking what wasn't theirs, but the entire chain. Those who supported the pirates, those who traded with them, those who created the situation in the first place, even those who allowed the problem to fester and get out of control were eliminated. They made it perfectly clear that if they were there, the system would be cleansed. Most people saw them as being overly aggressive, however, those who had the natural order of their systems restored to them are still eternally grateful. In their closed off room, one waited behind the door. As soon as it began to open, he smashed the entire weight of his body against it, knocking the guard back into the others nearby. The marines yanked the door back open and rushed into the hall. Some were gunned down, but using the dazed and confused pirates and their fallen comrades as shields, they quickly overwhelmed the few guards. Now being in possession of the keys and some light weaponry, they began unlocking all of the other prison doors. As they regained control of their immediate environment, squads were sent out to find the hanger bay where they could escape from, the armory where they could arm themselves properly, and the communications room so they could call for help. They spread out and slowly took control of more tunnels until they hit one of their objectives. The hanger bay was located, but more marines were needed to secure it, especially with the lack of weapons. So while most of us sat around in the prison area, the marines with weapons marched all of those without them into the middle of the hanger like a prisoner detail had been assembled. They split into groups again and those pretending to be guards ordered their 'prisoners' to grab buckets and rags and to begin washing down every ship present. This allowed them to get close enough to the other crews and the ships to have a chance at succeeding in taking control. When the teams were in place, they acted swiftly and quietly taking over the outer ships and working their way in. Once they had complete control, all of us prisoners were relocated to the hanger bay and herded onto the ships. A squad reported in that they had located the armory and had brought back some of their weapons. They remained stationed at the access tunnels, while the remaining squads took turns heading to the armory, grabbing more gear and returning to the hanger. Now heavily armed and able to leave, all we had to do is send word to get picked up at the star. Still unable to locate a communications terminal the Blood Ash set out to recover all of the remaining prisoners and hoped to capture someone along the way who could be convinced to give up the comms location. One block at a time, they released more of our people. Lady Luck decided to bless us one last time because between trips to cell blocks and escorting former prisoners to the hanger, they happened to locate the comm room on their own. Knowing it's a priority, they left two squads behind to secure it and try to send word back to Tim that we'd be waiting. Working diligently, they managed to crack the security codes and send word... Or maybe we didn't. Unfortunately, due to all of the interference in the area, we are unsure if the message was received or if there was a reply. Hell, we don't even know if it was sent... There's just too much interference... In an attempt to prevent the pirates on the planet from calling for backup once those we haven't subdued realize we're gone, the comm room was dismantled. We robbed them of it's power supply, internal computer boards, and as much of the wiring as could be ripped out of it. But this power supply... The size of a captain's chair... It oozes energy. And the markings on it... Not one of us recognizes it. Everyone near it gets nauseous after a few minutes, so we stashed it in the hold of this pillager I'm currently on. We've wrapped it with as much metal and junk that we could find laying around. It helps, but not much. It's probably damaged. Pirates aren't known for their delicate treatment of fragile equipment... Once we had collected everyone aboard our new ships, we took to the skies. We broke orbit as fast as these ships could take us. We made the jumps to get to the star, and now this is where we sit and wait. In the star's corona, hoping our message was received, hoping our friends and coworkers are heading here to collect us, but knowing the pirates will know we're gone soon. Lady Luck needs to head our way one more time. I'd like to be able to retire...
(Before anyone rushes in to help, no message was sent.)
For DS Lore
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
RDA Star Base New hope in worm hole grav well
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
"Commander, we have finished our evaluation of the worm hole. We believe it gos to the Distant Stars Sector. Our lintel says the DS sector if very far from here." Said the scientist.
"RDA Intel working over time again I see. I have to remember to give those guys bonuses, they do such good work. What about home fleet?" Said Commander Oranos.
"Well they agree with you, trying to talk to the trade order at this time, would be suicide . And most Vasari and Advent here are not happy with the humans at all. We may have a better chance for peace there. Plus if things went bad, as you know, this worm hole has no natural Phase lanes to it. We had to get here Sub light and build a Star base with a Phase node on it." He said.
"Yes yes, your right. It took the Constructor 6 month's to get here, so anyone who was not authorized to use the node, would take 6 months to get to our nearest world." Said Oranos.
"Yes sir, but there is a down side: the Vasari, on the other side, are anti human. The Home Fleet's Jikara Navigator's could only attain so much info there is a small clan of Vasari call the Vella in contro of the other side" Said Oranos. Thank you sir. Said Vallin the scientist.
"Good work Vallin." Said Oranos.
"Thank you sir." Said Vallin the scientist.
"OK time to get to work then." Said Oranos as he walked over and hit the Comm button.
"Shara tell the fleet to get ready, we are going through the worm hole. Get all RDA ships to New hope station and ready to move. We are going in hot, I want us loaded for bear. Once we go in we can't go back till we've secured the worm hole on that side." said Oranos to his second in Command.
"Yes sir, I will have all 6 Capital Ships and 120 LRM's, 100 Cobalt's, 20 Krosov's, 50 Garda's, 60 Arcova's, 15 Protov's, 20 Percheron's, 10 Cielo's, 60 Kodiak's, 20 Raloz's, 30 Hosihko's move there. And your new ship design is ready: the Hosihko Overseer. I'm still impresed sir, it's a marvel, the Abilities of a Hosihko and a Overseer in one ship. We still have trouble integrating Vasari tech with ours. How did you do it?" asked Shara.
"Well, many many sleepless night's working with Kalder. Hes a great guy, I remember him trying coffee. He asked how I could drink brown tar. Good times, good times." Said Oranos.
"Yes sir, there are 20 of them ready to move with us. I also have a message from the Home fleet. They have 10 Sivuskas Ruiner they are willing to give us to help us secure the worm hole. And they're sending one of there ships to build a star base there after we have secured the worm hole." Said Shara.
"That's great news! Have them all here in 10 hours, but leave the new ships here ther un tested, then we move out." Said Oranos.
"Yes sir." Said Shara before ending the transmission.
"Well Vallin looks like things are about it get interesting real soon." Said Oranos.
"Yes sir." Said Vallen.
---------------------------------------------------------------
feel free to coment on it tell me what you think lol[e digicons]^_^[/e]
I'd like to thank a good friend of mine for attempting to correct any grammatical errors without taking anything from my basic concept. Keep in mind he's a Law Student, so don't be too harsh if he missed any mistakes.
Edit: after talking to carbon made small edit
(No longer necessary. View edits for OP)
There are many great features available to you once you register, including:
Sign in or Create Account
