STGOD 2008 MAIN THREAD!

[Thirdfain]

Citadel 4666
Famagasta
Godwin's Hope
Makay Province

On the surface of the Citadel, men and women worked with a demon concentration. Across the planet, humans fought and died against impossible odds- the enemy was numerous, well-equipped, entrenched, and supported by the obscenity which was radiation mind-control. Every ounce of strength exerted, every life thrown away, was for the benefit of that one, small engineering team on the precipitous rooftop of Citadel 4666.

Hands shaking, the engineers cut through the thin aluminum walls of the antenna. With swift actions, they spliced their own fiber optics and wires into the transmitter. They had no access to the rest of the facility, but through the simple expedient of cutting the comm unit physically from it's control circuits, they were able ot remove the antenna from Chamarran control.

One engineer brought out a bulky, olive-drab field laptop, plugging it into the tower.

With a few deft keystrokes, the radio was ready.

The Resistance had kept it's eyes on the sky. Simple telescopes, hooked up to computers painstakingly hidden and maintained, had tracked as much of the orbital traffic as possible. The newly arrived vessels matched none of the patterns- they were not ships of the Enemy. They were warships, of the distinctive patterns used in Beta Aquilae.

The transmitter began to beam it's message into the sky in the form of basic radio waves. The Avalanche, closing in on the position guns hot, was one of the first craft to pick up the call for help, the prayer for salvation in the face of the nightmare that was the Enemy's occupation.

<<The Enemy has taken our world. Makay is in the grasp of xenos scum, monsters who can command human minds at a distance through technical means. We are weak, and can not stand against them for long. Most of us have been taken already. Send help! Until then, Makay Resists!>>

[Nephtys]

Fourth Fleet
On Deep-Space Patrol near the Makay Sector

The glittering shape of the Repulse-class Battleship Bulwark cruised with the central elements of Fifth Fleet, flanked by her sister ship Liberator and a scattering of cruisers. They hung like diamond dust over the skies of a small forested aboriginal world, where cute teddy-bear like creatures had just been saved from the most dangerous elements of a deadly meteor storm that threatened the planet.

Commadore Hamal watched from his flag bridge aboard Bulwark nodded from behind his clear AlmostGlass helmet, watching the remaining meteorites explode under the curving beams of his fleet's variable trajectory beams.

He sat back in his chair, hands folded in endless patience as the meteorites blasted apart, one by one under the guns of his crew. He lifted up his bubble helmet visor a moment to place a pipe into his mouth.

"Commadore!" called the Flag Lieutenant. "You know that smoking isn't allowed on the Flag Bridge!"

Hamal looked dejected a moment. "Of course." he coughed. "I was only.. holding it." he relented, merely flicking a small stud on the side of the old fashioned RepliWood pipe. It began producing small puffs of holographic smoke as the thin man placed it into his mouth.

Suddenly, the screens began to show new traces, tracks even as one asteroid failed to break apart. "Plummeting Asteroids!" he barked, watching the asteroid merely split apart into deadly chunks of rare high-density metals. "Put all fire into that one! Before it lands on TreeFluff Village!" he clenched a gloved hand upon his chair's armrest.

"Our weapons are still in cooling cycle sir!" shouted another member of his staff. "The Light Cruisers aren't hitting the chunks fast enough. We have a density miscalculation! Wait, one rock is breaking through! Egads, those poor critters are doomed!"

---

As the lovable fuzzballs on the planet looked up in shock at the great firey sphere descending upon TreeFluff Village, many threw spears at the sky, hoping in futile but adorable efforts to knock the great meteorite out of the sky. Arrows flew and shamans waved staves and chanted litanies of salvation. With only thirty seconds until the asteroids would terminally be fated to destroy the village, the situation was bleak.

Precisely twenty nine seconds later, newly-arrived Thunderer ruptured Hyperspace directly in low planetary orbit, shattering the last Asteroid in a spectacular display of navigation, good fortune and showmanship. Incandescent trails glittered the sky, much to the enjoyment of the native fuzzballs.

---

Captain 'Flash' Bourne stood upon the bridge of the Battlecruiser Thunderer, laughing heroically as inspiring pseudo-trumpet music bellowed in the background behind him. His image appeared aboard Hamal's Flag Bridge in high definition Holovision.

"Ah ha! Saved just in the knick of time. By our Shining Beta Aquilae Sun, that was close." Captain Bourne smiled, as his Sidekick Senior Grade Taranga 'Quick' Silva snapped a finger, her head briefly appearing out of focus behind the Captain. "And thanks to our Super Navigation Robot Wednesday!" she beamed, quickly disappearing out of the Holocamera's field of view.

Hamal shook his head. "Good to see you, Bourne." he snickered, picking up his pipe from the floor. "But if you do that again, I'll space you myself. So, what're you doing out here?"

Bourne only smiled. "I dispatched from Gargantua-1 one standard week ago with orders to reinforce Fourth Fleet. On the way, I ran into a Cutter from Kaplan's Expeditionary. Looks like they have a situation!" he folded his arms, before pointing into the air. "Looks like 'King' Kaplan and Avalanche have a bit of a situation."

Commadore Hamal puffed illusionary smoke from his pipe a moment more. "Ah. Well. Excellent timing, Bourne. Transmit everything you have, and we'll discuss this over cosmo-dinner." he replied simply. Hamal's hands cradled his pipe, looking down upon it.

Now what has that 'loose warhead' Kaplan done now... murmured the CO of Fourth Fleet.

[Nephtys]

Makay Sector
Battlecruiser Avalanche

Shock and consternation! The bridge of the Avalanche exploded into action as each crew member checked their stations, looking back to the Captain and his Executive Sidekick, both silent and hearing the message of repeat.

"Could this be true?" Al-Daim asks, hands folded behind his back, posture perfect and angular nose sharp. "It could be a rebel trick." he commented, eyes narrowing upon the screens. "Maximum Opti-zoom on the battlefield." he said sternly, as the screens zoomed in to images of soldiers fighting.

Kaplan spoke at last, even as the visual scanners swept around the surface. "No." he said softly, rising and clenching his fist before him, light from underneath the chair beaming up in rights as the bridge's interior music slowly changed to a rising inspirational chord.

"I know within my heart that the fury of such rebellion can only be that of an oppressed peoples, fighting against terrible alien invaders with all their might!" he says. "It is our duty... no! Our obligation to send aid to our fellow transhumans in such a time of need!"

The screen blinked, flashing with images of the inhuman hunter-killer squads so ferociously hunting the scattered rebel soldiers.

"So it seems. They are issuing from the Arcology." Al-Daim notes, watching the suited warriors emerging from the Citadel. "This also explains the actions of the system defense fleet. They were more interested in keeping us away than putting down their rebellion." he says with a frown. "But their ships still outnumber us."

Kaplan nodded. "Indeed. Ensure all barriers are at full strength! I want an orbital insertion maneuver, low orbit. Make sure those local squadrons and those others have a wide berth. I want all Pinnaces and marines cleared for action! Sound Red Alert. And MacPherson, send a message to the new arrival contacts. The big one. When we're in position, inform them that we've received intelligence that the citizenry of this planet are under alien rule by some form of electronic neuro-control. Advise that they stand away as we investigate." said the Captain, pointing at the screen.

"Next stop! Low orbit! Avalanche away!" he grandly proclaims. Acting in unison, the squadron pressed forward into their new position.

[Darkevilme]

Citadel 4666
Battle of Farmagasta
Godwin’s hope
Makay province
Message +30 seconds

Sachay cringes as she hears the echo of the rebel signal picked up on the primary array, a near pitiful mewl as the magnitude of what just happened strikes home. It takes a few seconds before she notices the expectant looks of her aides “Cut power to that transmitter…..Tell the packs to keep fighting their hardest in the name of the queen.” And with that Sachay slumps, leaning back against a console to think about what this’ll mean for her, for her family…nothing else to be done.

Bridge of the Claw Eternal
First conquest fleet
Above Makay primary starsystem
Message + 4 minutes


“If this is a joke it is in poor taste Alrea....” Melusine looks pointedly at the comms officer on the bridge.
“No battlemistress, the attack on citadel 1 was a diversion, they staged an attack on a minor citadel and seized the coms array to send that message.”

Melusine frowns and settles back on her dias, well there goes the secret “Tell first incursion to trackback along the vector of these invaders… as for this minor citadel. Inform the queen of these events and order the orbiting thralls to eliminate the rabble mob.”
“But battlemistress…the citadel lost its shield in the attack if we…”
“Irrelevant, those inside have already failed all Chamaran kind, if they survive it is the will of our ancestors.”

Citadel 4666
Battle of Farmagasta
Godwin’s hope
Makay province
message +7 minutes

If there was anything that could startle Sachay out of her depression it was the incoming alarm, the shrill almost painful wail of the computerized alert driving her to her feet and her eyes to the tracking screen.

“Citymistress, our thrall ships just fired on us!” But Sachay can see for herself, a trio of deceptively innocent red blips moving down the screen from high orbit, only the nightmarish velocity numbers next to each bringing home the danger.

The mass driver shells fell around the citadel like the wrath of an angry god, three hammerblows in quick succession shattering the ground and gouging elongated craters in the former town of Farmagasta. The shockwaves annihilating what little of the town remains standing and battering the citadel relentlessly. Anyone caught out in the open killed instantly, the ones inside the citadel’s protective walls not escaping unscathed as the structure shakes. Chamaran and rebel alike knocked from their feet by the thunderous impacts.

And slowly the flashes fade, the wind and thunder dying as red hot rock rains back to earth around citadel 4666, devastation stretching in all directions around it and three deep craters dug in the land that was once Farmagasta. The only survivors remaining stunned inside the Citadel, the hypnotic array on the top of the citadel completely absent now and the lowest levels of the tower scoured by fusion plasma from the rupturing sun furnace below.

[Crossroads Inc.]

High Orbit Godwins Hope, the Case of the Dastardly Standoff
The Star down had continued unabated, both sides daring not to flinch. Eddison and his Destroyer escorts stood nerviosu in the face of overwehelming forces.. They had numbers on thier side, but, the Makay deffense could stand up to only so much...

Below them, a battle had raged, they knew it, were aware of it, but as far as they knew, it was simply a terroist group, assualting the sovering Makay government. The weapons of Capitakl ships would not be of any use in such close quarters, and so they simply stayed in orbit. All of this would change in an earth shattering moment.

"SIR! incomming transmission one of the Arcologies under attack, I-I think it's the rebels sir!" Eddison sneered, could they have actually taken the immense Citadel? Was the deffense forces of Makay so weakend?

"Put it on Ensgin!"
"Aye sir.. Its comming in...Heavily fragmented.. but.."

<<The Enemy --- tak-n our world. Makay is in th---asp of xenos scum, monsters who ----- mmand human minds at a dista---- through technical means. --- are weak, and can not stand agains----for long. Most of us have been taken already. Send help! Until then, Makay------>>

On the bridge, the silance was deafening... A trick? a Ploy? If it where true, then everything, everything they had stood up for would have been a lie... Eddison looked out through his viewports at the BETAC ships and swore.

"Sir? what are your orders? Do, you think its genuine?" Eddison whirled.
"Since the start of this seriers of unfortinate events, our misison, such as it is, has been to Preserve the soverign independance of Makay! as a Brother Province, as a Bastion of the former Imperium, our mission is to keep the free from outside interferance.. If, IF this..message, is true, then that mission does not change ONE BIT! If there IS a consperiacy of Xenos we will do EVERYTHING we can to free them, BETAC intruders or no!" He turned to a seriers of buttons and slammed them.

The ships sensors, his second set of eyes, 'looked' to the Makay ships currently on either side of him. Did they know? Would they help? where they controlled?

"Ensign, relay that message to ALL of the Makay ships, they, must know what we have heared."

"I think they already have Sir! several of the Makay ships have turned and targeted the Citadel, SIR They are fiering now!" Eddisons eyes went pale, Capital weapons? on the archology? was the situations that hopeless?

"BusterMachines! Your time has come! Decloak and join battle bellow! If you find any sign of alien influance, use whatever means you can to destroyer it! Secure and rescue anyone still alive down there! I want to know whats going on!" He bellowed as his internal systems began to take up action.

"Get me the Makay Field Officer now!"

[Darkevilme]

The claw eternal, First conquest fleet
Above Makay primary starsystem

”Very well then….” Melusine picks up a counter at the edge of the board and tosses it into the center where the others are and smiles “We’ll play it that way.”

Battle of Godwin’s hope
Orbit of Godwin’s hope
Makay sector
Round 1, fight!

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 Force committed
 20 Makay cruisers. 200 points of base weight. 
6 hunters, 24 points base weight, 24 points active offense, 60 points stealth
 

Silence was the stern reply, silence and the ripple going down the Makay cruiser’s flanks as their missile ports open to the void and they turn on the three vessels in their midst. The unmistakeable high intensity pulses of targeting radars singing against the hull of the tradeship and its two escorts before the cruisers launch their nuclear salvo, Fire bathing their sides briefly from the exhaust as the missiles curve out from the cruisers and then arc forwards to zero in on the Kushwani delegation.

And as the ships on either side of the Kushwani set about seeking their destruction those ghostly six sensor blips behind the tradeship finally gain clarity as they join the fray. The field of psychic energies around the Hunters becoming detectable as they hasten to manouver and launch their weapon pods. The cylindrical weapon pods spinning up as they align towards their targets and then begin firing, another volley of missiles now incoming from the rear of the tradeship to match the ones from left and right. The hunters alternating to the second set of tubes and hurling their heavy torpedoes at the tradeship, each torpedo immediately sheathed in a haze of sensor jamming as it leaves its still only semi discernable issuer.

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Damage projections:
40 points base damage before mods inflicted by cruisers.
4.8 base damage inflicted by hunters.
4.8 active offence damage focused on tradeship from hunters.

-

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Force committed
First conquest fleet
Two destroyers 88 points base 20 points active offence
Three monitors 108 point base
Two cruisers 20 points base 14 points interdict 14 point defense
Six frigates	96 points base
Four corvettes  8 points base

As the Kushwani begin to suffer from adverse circumstances a wave of energy crashes against the sensors of those present, the leading edge of an unfamiliar FTL field which heralds the arrival of the Chamarans themselves, the feline overlords of this realm come to assert their dominion. A jagged edged tear in spacetime opening up at the edge of the inner starsystem and spewing flickering white light into the void. Sleek and deadly looking bronze hulled warships emerging from unrealspace and forming up. A dozen smaller vessels forming a cloud around five larger ones and leading those five are two titanic war engines of familiar configuration. The entire fleet accelerating rapidly towards the fray, quickly resembling a rather aggressive star constellation with the glare of their fusion drives. A cacophony of jamming signals preventing more indepth details from being discerned and masking the steadily building energy levels of the vessels.

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No damage this turn due to distant hyperspace emergence, ETA at Godwin's hope is turn 3.

[Crossroads Inc.]

=====Hyperspace, EnRoute to Godwins Hope=====

The Pride of Kushawni ships tore through Hyperspace flanked by its guards, on bored the time had come to reveal their location, and more importantly, the reason for their trip.

Richard strode purposely along the central bridge of the Bentusilon. So far the trip had been made largely in silence, no contact with the other ships, no contact with anyone, now, as the ships bore down on their target, the time had come to dispense with any pretences. Using a simple wireless link, Richard tuned himself into the great Tradeships systems and opened his voice to all comm channels.

“Attention Crew! The time has come at last to inform you of our true purpose. As many of you know, The Province of Makay, our trade brothers of the outer Rim, have been silent for some time. Recently we sent forth a Tradeship and escort to meet with them. However, we also sent forth two BusterMachines for covert surveillance…

What they have discovered has shaken the very core of the CityMind itself. From what we know, a yet unknown Xeno force has forcibly subjugated Makay. Even now, our last transmission from Buster#12 indicated a force of possibly stealthed ships moving on their position. We are in a race against time to face what lays on our arrival, our goal, simply, is to save our forces, discover the true face of the rulers of Makay, and return to our home system as quick as possible.”

Richard finished to a shocked and grim crew around him. He knew, as perhaps they did, that by the time they arrived, there might very way be no one left to rescue. If, by the word of the Great CityMind, the information were true, then every ship they had would be priceless.

===== The Dastardly Double-Cross of Makay, high orbit of Godwins Hope=====

Eddison’s systems burned from the massive influx of Jamming and dimensional interference from the sudden appearance of what he knew was an alien fleet. What visual systems did work burned with fear as his aged mind swiftly comprehended what was happening.

“By the great CityMind, we have all been betrayed”

“HELM! Get us out of here! Get us as far away from the Makay ships as possible and pull back to the BETAC forces!”

“Y-Yes sir! Engines sluggish! We-we’re still suffering from whatever energy wave those ships gave off s-sir” The helmsmen spoke, his voice quivering at the sigh before him.. The ships, the fleet was more than three times their size and firepower, out numbering them in every regard. Richards networked systems crackled as for the first time in an age he felt fear. Though, he would be the last to show it

“Pull yourself together and open Comms! I want those pompous BETAC vessels to hear this too!”

This is Eddison, of tradeship Deuces, It would seem We’ve been mistaken about the nature of the Makay Province, recriminations and hindsight can come later. Right now we need to get out of here and do it now!

“Furious! Tankonic! Extend your Defence fields to Maximum, use ever bit of energy you’ve got! Form up as close as you can along my sides and lets get to those BETAC ships. They may be an arrogant bunch, but I’d rather be behind them when that fleet catches up with us!”

In moments the great shields of both the Deuces and the support destroyers flared up, their combined range hoping to absorb what would soon be levelled at them.

At the same time Eddison pulled what reserves he could through his body and began transmitting a tightband transmission to the Bustermachines already underway.

@Busters! Your orders have changed, there is no longer a need to investigate the Citadel below, we know what has happened, we know the truth, and we are out of time. You must meet up with the main BETAC forces, return to stealth if possible and warm up your jump engines. A fleet of unparalleled size is approaching and they do not mean to talk with us. Your orders are, to maintain stealth as long as possible before jumping to Hyperspace, our Homeland MUST know of what has happened here!

Down bellow, half way through the planets atmosphere, the two busters stopped.

“I believe we have just been informed, to flee.”
“One could interpret it that way #12.”
“A BusterMachine, never flees from battle.”
“To the end then?”
“To the very end…”
[/code]

[Nephtys]

Makay Sector
Captain Kaplan and the Villainous Trap

"Weapons track! Hostile kinetics on track for Kushwani Squadron!" came an outburst aboard Avalanche's bridge. Kaplan only grunted, looking across to another display.

"Hyper rupture detected! Inbound fleet above system ecliptic, tracking with least-time vector to our position." reported another crewman.

Kaplan's brow narrowed as he sprung into action. "Helm! Bring us about, all ships for extra-orbital maneuvers. I want all ray cannons to rake the cruiser squadron. Give them whatever additional defense barrier support our escorts can project." he says, before facing the plot.

Al-Daim looked stoically onwards. "We can't fight that many ships, Captain." he commented without changing his expression. "We have to lea----" he stopped, as MacPherson unapologetically interupted.

"Hyperwave Burst received! Fourth Fleet is en-route, ETA 44 Hours." she replies, hands on her headset. Kaplan nodded. "So our work here is clear cut." he smirks. "We're giving that cruiser as best as we can. Then we're going to project a high-accel evasion pattern, and avoid action with the aliens." he said, looking back to Al-Daim. "Relay to Penetrator. We're going on a passing attack of the Cruiser group, then clear out to the system perimeter. Advise Kushwani to do the same, before we regroup for a counterattack."

After a brief moment, Kaplan turned back to MacPherson. "Get me a holocam and record for transmission to the planet." he said with the strength of his bravura.

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Citizens of Godwyn's Hope, Makay Sector. I am Captain 'King' Kaplan, Commanding Officer of Astro-Fleet Battlecruiser Avalanche and the First Expeditionary Squadron. Your valiant resistance inspires us all, and will be long remembered in the history of your planet. Now however, you are to survive. We have detected a massive enemy fleet entering the system, and will be preparing to engage them at a three to one disadvantage. Stand firm however, for by the promise of my Golden Beta Aquilae Star, I will return.

---

Fly-by fire, as the Expeditionary Squadron initiates primary burn to avoid the new bogeys. Next stop: Outer system.

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Target: Decloaked Hunter Squadron
Volume of fire: 33.6 damage.
Projecting 32 defense points to Kushwani.
Disengaging when out of range.

---

Luminaire, Beta Aquilae System
A smoke filled room...

The meeting chamber was dark, members sitting at their seats with insufficient lighting masking their faces. Only the shape of the circular table was lit, and a holo-image of what a fleet Cutter had recently brought back to the home system.

A voice spoke up. Slightly nasal, but with vigor. "Is this what we think it is?" it replied, as a thin hologram appeared of an alien citadel. A hand extended, holding the hologram and turning it curiously.

"Yes." replied the a second figure. "The Fleet has found what we need."

"But the risk---" came the first voice again. "We have naval obligations else---" he was cut off.

"The risk should not concern us." came an accented voice, bubbly and eccentric. Light reflected off a pair of telescopic goggles, as black gloved hands met over the table. "The prize however..."

The table went silent again, as heads nodded around the shadowy gathering.

[Darkevilme]

battle of Godwin’s hope, turn 1
Makay

The missile onslaught rains down upon the Kushwani, multiple layers of shields flaring and dying around the three vessels. A continual strobe of nuclear detonations surrounding the ships as they’re beaten down until the last layers of shields are peeled back and atomic radiation caresses the naked hull. Armour plating boiling away from the ships to reveal structural members and fragile life and mechanisms to the void and yet more nuclear detonations.

The Thrall ships pursueing their badly wounded quarry along with the Chamaran hunters, alas for the latter dozens of particle beams lash out from the BETAC rocketships and through their formation. Many beams missing their semi visible targets but the others raking across fragile hulls, the formation breaking as psychic propulsion matrixes fail and secondary explosions cover the tumbling craft.

And from above the starsystem the Chamaran conquest fleet descends, modifying their course in attempt to intercept the fleeing BETAC expedition.

“Projections indicate the enemy battle fleet will evade us once they attain full burn battlemistress.”
Melusine ponders and then hmms softly, toying with a playing piece next to the board“Contact first incursion fleet, get them to a staging point and order our lighter vesssels to join them before attempting an intercept, prepare to decelerate and break off pursuit when the enemy fleet has reached the orbit of the sixth planet.”

[Crossroads Inc.]

Battle of Godwin’s hope, turn 1
Makay

Somewhere, in the back of his mind, Eddison had never fully comprehended the depth of the control of the Humans of Makay. All of his eyes and sensors had been on the onrushing alien fleet, primed against its threat. He calculated his odds, considered he would be able to pull away from the alien fleet before it could engage him.
He never truly considered that the Humans, the ‘people’ of Makay, would actually turn on him. In a moment, he discovered how deadly wrong his mistake had been.

“HELM REPORT!”

“We-we’ve lost all forward shields, multiply haul breaches across the ship. R-Radiation levels…” there was a solemn pause as fire crackled among the smouldering ruins of the bridge. “Radiation levels already passing lethal dose.” The remains of the bridge crew turned to one another, shock and disbelief everywhere as Eddison trained to calm what nerves he had.

“An-and our Es-escorts?” he spoke up, his voice stuttering from the massive electrical trauma spreading through the remains of his body.

“Dead, both dead.” Another deep silence griped the bridge, a comm. Officer silently sobbed in the background as the nearly Blind Eddison took what control over the ship he could, bumping against the molten, glowing hulks of what had been the Destroyers Tankonic and Furious. His engines gave a sickly glow as the roared with what power they had left…

“Th-hey, w-will not h-have died in v-vain”

=====Makay Atmopshere, near the border of space=====

Thundering on full burners back up into the Reaches of space, BusterMachines #8 and #17 powered up their defence systems, ready to join in glorious battle above for the cause of defending the Kushawni people! The odds where slim, but BusterMachines where not know for paying attention to the odds… Normally.

As #12 pierced the last layers of the Atmosphere, his sensors flared up enough to grasp in an instant what had happened. He turned to the ruined Hulk of Tradeship Deuces and cried out.

NO!

His engines flared to life brighter than before as without a second thought he tore to the ruined ship.

@#12, Johnathon. You’ve returned, I didn’t think you would follow my orders, you never did you know

#Eddison! You’ve got to get out of there! Your command Core is shielded, we, we can get you in a new body we have to Hurry!

@Always thinking of others, I-I always th-thought you the best of th-the Buster corps, b-but we both know, my time I-is ended.

#17 pulled up behind 12, not daring to listen in, but guessing what was being said as he lowered his head solemnly.

#You, have to escape, you are the eldest, the most revered among us. We wouldn’t be what we are today without you.

@Th-thank you… M-My, son… B-but, my time has c-come, my systems a-are failing, th-theres not much time. This is n-no longer about wi-winning, th-this is about surviving. You and the o-others MUST survive; y-you must get word b-back to the C-citymind! Go, now, Go my son Avenge me!” He spoke as the link finally went dead, the radiation frying the last of his comm. Circuts as #12 and #17 stood in salute.

The great tradeship shuddered with explosions as, somehow, it still continued to function. Inside, Eddisons failing voice spoke what it could.

“It I-is t-time w-we r-repay o-our HOST! P-People of Makay! Y-you a-are l-lost! I P-pray you f-find fr-freedom, in the next L-Life!” He shouted, knowing his words could no longer be heared as the massive haulk surged forward.

The Engines picking up speed against all logic as more power flared from sources unknown. Decompression spitting out haul plates all along its surface as the stricken leviathan closed in upon the leading Makay defenders. The burning hulk struggling to maintain coarse as it sped up further and further, closing ranks with the lead Makay ship as it began to glow.

FOR THE CITY MIND![/b

[Darkevilme]

Godwin’s hope, Makay
End of turn 1, conclusion of first skirmish

“Kushwani tradeship heading right for us captain, collision probability exceeds ninety.”
Hammond grips the rail and stares at the display that ships over ten times their size…
“Full salvo, all remaining tubes….stop that hulk before it hits us!”

Every tube on the Medusa belched forth its missiles, the nuclear weapons arcing round but having little time to gather speed before colliding with the Deuces. A blinding flash engulfing the tradeship as nuclear fire washes its damaged form and sensors are blinded for a few seconds.

“Getting resolution….it’s still coming!” The sensor operator turns to the captain, seeking to exorcise that sense of impending doom with some miracle worked by the captain. The rest of the crew on the bridge does the same.

Hammond is silent a second, he looks to the crew and wipes his brow, a solemn smile on his face as he salutes the bridge“It’s been an honour serving with you all, and may god have mercy on our souls, one and all.”

The tradeship ploughs right over the Medusa without slowing down, the armoured needle of the cruiser smashed against the tradeship and digging in as it breaks open, fire and atmosphere rupturing from it for a few moments of terrible decompression as the two vessels collide. Then nuclear explosions from the reactor and ammunition blossom across the broken vessel.

The tradeship’s engines ruined in the last salvo it travels right through the rest of the Makay formation, falling down towards Godwin’s hope and locked together with its diminutive dance partner in death’s embrace.

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Hostilities concluded.
Casualties.
Kushwani destroyers Tankonic and furious, all hands.
Kushwani tradeship Deuces, all hands
Makay cruiser Medusa, all hands
Hunter squadron, crew status unknown, search and rescue initiated.

Forces still in theater:
BETAC expeditionary force
Chamaran first conquest fleet
19 makay cruisers
2 kushwani buster machines

[Nephtys]

Makay Sector
...hours later...

Avalanche and the First Expeditionary Task Group completed another long elliptical orbit around the system, maintaining contact with the enemy but remaining aloof from engagement.

The crew had been on a state of tense alertness, ready at expected times of intercept for potential combat. Yet they had passed, with the nimble squadron maintaining it's distance.

"Another set of inbounds!" reported an officer. Kaplan moved fingers across controls. "Have Penetrator lay down a spread of beam fire at those frigates!" he shouted as another nearby blast from the pursuing vessels detonated at a distance.

He grunted, closing his eyes as the protracted, extended-range engagement continued. "Damnit. Where is that Fourth Fleet..."

[Tanasinn]

OOC: Expect a "behind the scenes" post to show how the Union is gearing up for the coming invasion soon enough. This post will deal with the battle's conclusion.


==Edge of Union Space==
==Haruhiist-Union Skirmish Site 1==

Vice Admiral Ferguson's ship was dying: this wasn't merely a fact presented to him by the data the bridge's now-flickering displays, but an actual feeling relayed through the complex cybernetic symbiosis he had with his charge. He felt as decks were torn open and exposed to raw vacuum. He felt as turret capacitors exploded, ruining the lethal railguns to which they were attached. He felt as ammo magazines burst, sending shrapnel into the myriad of subsystems that made his vessel space-worthy, tearing them apart now and forever. His ship and his crew were dying, but they weren't there yet.

Ferguson relayed terse commands to his fellow task force members, knowing all too well the sort of hell they also faced. His ship was doomed: he ordered the wolves to focus on defending one of the Stilettos. His battered charges, including the retreating Radiant Dawn and Sentinel, swung back at their tormentors, their firepower not even half of what they were absorbing. In order to guarantee kills, they split their focus between two of the attacking destroyers, throwing up enough flying death to slag them even as they tore what was left of the task force to pieces. Ferguson, unseen, smiled slightly at the calculations that ran across the display and his mind's eye. These scum will still bleed yet.

When the New London finally died under the Yukai's guns, it seemed somewhat anti-climactic: the powerplant, struck by a finally-lethal blow, overloaded and detonated, bursting its badly-damaged housing and sending massive cracks throughout the ship's hull. The vessel's many guns were silenced, this time permanently.

Even as the Vice Admiral's ship was rendered a dead hulk, one of the 202s exploded in a much more violent, decidedly more lethal manner, while another bore a savage onslaught of coilgun slugs and missiles that left it nearly-unrecognizable and completely unstable: it suddenly sheared in half, explosions rippling across its dying hulk. The last 202-class bore an onslaught of its own, aided by the defense arrays of the still-stalwart 121s.

It was then that the entirety of the enemy fleet appeared, and the death they rained upon the struggling Union remainders was as swift as it was brutal: the sheer volume of active enemy defenses present scattered the Union vessels' dying shots like so many specks of dust, the the fleet's own firepower spared not a single ship. The Radiant Dawn which had started first for the Union, spoke last as well. Turning to his crew, Kyznetsov had just enough to exclaim "Nuts!" before a Haruhiist coilgun slug penetrated his cruiser's hull, smashing into the bridge pod and causing spalling that rendered the bridge's contents, including the captain, into so much ground meat.

The task force's sole 150-class, at a safe distance from the actual battle, observed this final strike grimly through long range sensors, their dismay lessened not at all by the certainty of the battle's outcome. Already pointing back towards the nearest Union system, the vessel flashed another update message - just in case - and fled into warp space, beginning the long trip back from the border.



Combat Round 1
Haruhiist Forces
Damage Output: 22.2 (unadjusted) 20.95 (adjusted for D)
Damage Received: 8.78 (unadjusted) 6.53 (adjusted for D)
Remaining Ships: 1 HareHare, 3 Hirano, 7 Lee
Remaining Ship HP: Max
Ships Lost: 2 Lee

Union Forces
Damage Output: 8.78 (unadjusted) 6.53 (adjusted for D)
Damage Received: 22.2 (unadjusted) 20.95 (adjusted for D)
Remaining Ships: Stiletto, 5 Wolf (+ retreating Stiletto & Wolf)
Remaining Ship HP: Stiletto - 4.925 Wolf - 3.6 Wolf(x4) - 3.2 Radiant Dawn - 1.2 Sentinel - 2.05
Ships Lost: 1 Cheetah (New London), 2 Stiletto

Notes: Leftover damage from the Yukai was assumed to have been directed at the Stilettos that the Hiroanos and Lees were focusing on. All damage assumed to have hit intended targets.

Combat Round 2
Haruhiist Forces
Damage Output: Irrelevant (Far beyond combined enemy HP)
Damage Received: None
Remaining Ships: 5 HareHare, 5 KyoAni 19 Hirano, 47 Lee
Remaining Ship HP: Max
Ships Lost: none

Union Forces
Damage Output: None
Damage Received: Irrelevant (Far beyond combined HP)
Remaining Ships: n/a
Remaining Ship HP: n/a
Ships Lost: 1 Stiletto, 5 Wolves (plus fleeing Stiletto and Wolf)

Notes: 150-class fled unharmed without engaging.

Final Notes: Vice Admiral Ferguson is still alive in the bridge pod of his hulled ship. If you want to RP a capture attempt, feel free.

[Darkevilme]

Hot pursuit Turn 1
Catgirls versus spaceheroes
Chamaran reinforced first incursion fleet chasing BETAC expedition with fire
Makay primary starsystem

The frigate Huntsong shuddered as another salvo of human beam weaponry was bent away from its hull, shield systems thrumming with the strain.
“How many does that make?” Kiya asked, its not like she wasn’t keeping count but with so well trained a crew she has little to do except oversee their work.
“Five shipmistress, if we suffer another three hits before the shield system has time to stabilize it will fail.” One of the three felines arrayed in the engineering segment of the control chamber answered, her hands motionless on the psi link crystals as her screen flicks rapidly with mental manipulation.

“How long until they come within beam range?”
“Ten minutes at current speeds shipmistress”
“Full power to engines, we will close in five minutes.”

Huntsong surged forwards, her two packmate frigates following as they accelerate after the BETAC task force. All around them fly the firetailed darts of Chamaran missiles hurled at the fleeing human ships, homing in on the brilliant light of the rocketship engines scattering the sky ahead.

“We are in range shipmistress”
Kiya smiles and gestures, bringing up the targeting display. Each enemy ship surrounded by a circle which indicates inversely by its size the chance of hitting it with the main gun.
“That one, shoot that one and tell the rest of the pack to do the same, for the glory of Clan Neyu. Nyan NYA!”
“NYAN NYA!”

Huntsong and its sisterships slacken off their acceleration for a few moments as light gathers in their bow apertures. Then the energy lashes out, first one beam then another and another striking out and raking across space searchingly until they all light up one ship like searchlights, Fusion plasma washing over the craft.

Code: Select all

Round 1, full damage. ((rounds 2 and 3 will be half damage rounds))
Damange inflicted before modification: 57.2 ((appropriate as you will))
Active defence reduction to BETAC counterfire: 5.25   

[Rogue 9]

[Since things are boring on every other front...]

NRS Wraith, New Khan system, Humanist Union

"Prepare for reversion. All stealth systems active."

"Stealth active, aye," responded Lieutenant Kronlogar from his station.

"Conn, helm. Reverting to normal space now."

"Helm, Conn, aye," Captain Vanada responded with a nod. "Time to see what's been going on out here."

The stealth frigate dropped out of hyperspace near the system edge.

[Force declaration: One Shadow class frigate, NRS Wraith.]

[Tanasinn]

New Khan System, Humanist Union

New Khan, uncreatively named for the capital world of the Humanist Union, was a relatively new and altogether unremarkable addition to the Humanist Union. Formerly a semi-independent fringe colony, New Khan found itself occupied (and renamed) in one of the small military events that followed the New Humanist Party's consolidation of power prior to the collapse of the Empire.

New Khan was known for its agricultural output and its mega-corps: the former persists, the latter do not. The Humanist Union military forces, upon arriving on the long-ago terraformed world, found a population that was highly receptive to the opportunity to rise above what they were, and in particular to strike back at the corporations that ruled most aspects of their lives. New Khan's taking was just as much a propaganda victory as a military or resource triumph. It was proof that, yes, the Humanist Union meant what they said when they offered "freedom from the shackles of tyrants," and it helped establish the Union's legitimacy among its fellow Imperial client-states.

Today, New Khan was not much more remarkable than it had been in the past: as one of the few major breadbaskets of the Union, it was well-valued and well-watched by both planetary defense vessels and the navy, something that tended to keep pirates away. The probing sensors of the Wraith were treated to the daily routine of the system: legions of tradeships coming and going, mining colonies in the asteroid belts working busily to contribute to New Khan's exports, a naval fueling and repair yard in orbit of the mostly-unoccupied, barren second planet. The navy was certainly present, as well, though laying low as was typical even during peace, let alone these guarded times. A monolithic 500-class, its flat black hull dimpled with the occasional weapons hardpoint, was currently docked in the fuel depot, its tremendous real-space engines being inspected and spot-repaired by tender ships. A clutch of three 202-class, their dagger-shapes menacing even at rest, watched over the much larger vessel. Other naval ships were sure to be found in-system, if the prowling stealth ship were to take a closer look: the 500-class never traveled without a retinue.

[Rogue 9]

New Khan system

Lieutenant Davis whistled as he looked at the readouts from the scanners.

"What is it, Lieutenant?"

"We've got a heavy in orbit, sir," he responded. "Heavy for a non-Imperial design, anyway. We'd better hope they can't see us; that thing would chew us up and spit us out. The cruisers with it are no pushovers either."

"Hmmmm. This sector must not have collapsed as thoroughly as some of the others; a colony this size would have a hard time supporting ships like that," Vanada said, peering over Davis' shoulder. He looked at the power scans. "Nothing a Dauntless couldn't handle, but this isn't the Dauntless. Any indication they've seen us?"

"None, sir."

"Very good. Helm, Conn. Take us in-system, slowly. All stations, rig for silent running; I want all non-essential systems powered down to minimize radiation."

A chorus of ayes came in from around the bridge as officers began to enact the captain's orders; lights dimmed, the galley shut down, and weapons were depowered. Against the behemoths in the system, they would do no good anyway. As secondary systems began to power down around the ship, the engines let out a short burst of ionized gas, just enough to start the ship drifting towards the inhabited planet before once again going silent.

[Tanasinn]

New Khan System, Humanist Union
HNS Cameron Wallace
Second Planet, Fullson Fuel Yard

In his private quarters aboard the 500-class battleship Cameron Wallace, Admiral Felix Lenaard, commander of the Fourth Humanist Navy Mobile Unit, was free to be himself. As his massive charge refueled and his XO held the bridge, he, along with many of the ship's crew, had unscheduled downtime. Naturally, naval men made the best with these respites while their less fortunate comrades manned necessary posts. Most of them would probably be sleeping. A few would certainly be taking part in (technically forbidden) gambling, betting worthless trinkets and playing more for fun than anything.

Lenaard was indulging himself in his own hobby, gently repairing an antique timepiece he had acquired during an (intentionally) brief courtesy visit to New Khan's capitol. It appeared, perhaps, to have belonged to some Imperial naval officer at some point: probably a lower-ranking one, judging by the way the design was both spartan and needlessly antique. Its origin, noble or mundane, wasn't really Lenaard's primary interest, in either case.

Lenaard, pausing as his datafeed relayed a message directly into his brain, set down his tools and opened up a direct line with his XO on the ship's bridge. Clipped machine-speak panned back and fourth between the men; Lenaard closed up his recently-acquired trinket even as focused on and spoke to his executive officer.

Apparently, the sensors of both his charge and several of the Unit's 150s were picking up an anomaly at the edge of the system, one that was hard to pin down. Sensor shadows: perhaps a mere glitch, perhaps something more. Even the location of the intermittent pseudo-contact was difficult to pin down, despite efforts by the 150s to triangulate it.

Even in calm times, Admiral Lenaard was a cautious, suspicious man. These were not calm times. Standing slowly, he winced slightly as his spine issued a series of pops: posthuman or not, age had its effect. He ordered his XO to issue a command to the Unit: they would go onto guarded status, warming their reactors to more quickly charge engines or weapons for aggressive action. Crews would be called back to alert, in preparation of full alert.

Lenaard straightened his uniform in the mirror of his quarters as he listened to the responses from subordinate commanders confirming his orders, then opened a channel to the Planetary Guard, notifiying them of the anomaly and requesting that a trio of the planet's defensive corvettes, lightly-armed snoops designed mostly to persecute pirates and smugglers, to investigate the (depressingly large) area where the contacts were originating from: he didn't want to move his ships out of the woodwork before it proved necessary or worthwhile.

Statisfied that he was presentable, Lenaard stepped from his quarters and strode stiff-backed to his bridge. Perhaps today would be interesting rather than relaxing.

OOC Note: As ships go to guarded status, you'll probably notice a few here and there, Rogue 9: destroyers and light cruisers hiding in the asteroid field, ships skulking near the moons of the gas giants, et cetera. For now the only ships moving to physically explore the anomaly are the defense forces that come with planets according to the OOB: 1 point combat, 1 point defense.

[Rogue 9]

"Conn, Sensors. Something's spooked 'em, sir. We've got reactors spinning up on the heavies. Also detecting ship engine signatures in the asteroids and around some of the moons."

"Have they seen us?"

"If they have, they're doing a good job of hiding it, sir. Nobody's moving, just powering... Wait. We've got some corvettes moving out, headed in our general direction."

"Heading for us?"

"Roughly, sir. None of them are coming right for us; looks like they're fanning out."

"Very good." Captain Vanada was now presented with a problem: Whether to continue to lay low, or to run. Calling up a tactical readout on his viewscreen, he decided to play it safe. "Helm, stand by. They're going to pass well clear of us now, but that could change at any time; I want us ready to jump on short notice. Sensors, prepare to launch a probe; if we have to leave, I want their reaction recorded and transmitted to us."

A pair of ayes answered him as he peered intently at the tracking blips representing the corvettes.

[Tanasinn]

New Khan System, Humanist Union
HNS Wanderer
Near System Edge

Captain Gregory Zimmerman sighed heavily as his sensors officer reported back to him: no contacts. This in and of itself didn't surprise him: the Kingfisher-class corvette was more of a straight-up killer than a bloodhound. Even if there was something here, his ship and its two accompanying vessels weren't likely to detect it. Military-grade stealth fields easily spoofed a planetary defense corvette's sensors: sniffing out skulkers was the primary navy's job.

Nonetheless, Zimmerman went about his task, moving in a sweeping formation with his two accompanying vessels, perhaps hoping for the one-in-quintillion chance of "bumping into" his target. The Captain wondered cynically of Admiral Lenaard knew that space was generally pretty big.

HNS Cameron Wallace

Admiral Lenaard, his massive ship still docked and receiving some accelerated checks, watched the bridge's main data display silently. The corvettes had, of course, found nothing. The contacts had petered off as the corvettes approached the general area. This intrigued Lenaard: an anomaly was still a possibility and even a likelihood, but still...

"Let's see if we can't flush out a bird," he commented to no one in particular among his officers. Then, in machine speak, he ordered the trio of corvettes to make a slow pass past the rough center of the sensor ghosts before sweeping around in an attack formation and accelerating to interception speed. As he gave this order, he commanded one of the 150-class, this one hiding in deep orbit around New Khan's star, to slowly power its drive for a hop to the corvettes' location upon their "acceleration" to attack speed. Finally, utilizing secure channels, he ordered the remainder of his forces to prepare for the corvettes to make their bluff before redlining their drives in order to give the appearance of a fleet alerted. While Lenaard knew perfectly well that the planetary defense corvettes would be intercepting no real target with their basic sensors, a foreign craft wasn't likely to know that and might consider themselves made.

If we're lucky and our prey is tense, we might be able to spook him into doing something stupid, the Admiral reasoned calmly, and if that's the case, I'm sure we'll have some interesting questions for any visiting vessel that the interdictor manages to lock down.

[Rogue 9]

Davis blinked as more contacts started to show up. "Sir, we've walked right into a main battle fleet."

Vanada rested his chin on a fist as he leaned over the tactical readout. "So I see."

Kronlogar spoke up from his station in the gravelly voice typical of the Rhonogan people. "Captain, I recommend we abort. I don't think they know we're here, but with so many different sensor suites sweeping the system, that could change any moment. Judging from their behavior, they are likely picking up sensor ghosts."

"Noted. Helm?"

"Ready to go on your mark, Captain."

"Very good. We'll watch a few more minutes and..."

"Conn, Sensors. The corvettes just lit up their engines, they're forming up in attack position."

Vanada snorted. "If they are, they're facing the wrong way. Still, that might be our..."

"Conn, jump signature detected! The whole fleet just punched their engines, we've got one jump..."

The 150 class reverted from hyperspace a mere million kilometers off the Wraith's stern.

"That's an interdictor, sir."

A sinking feeling manifested in Vanada's gut. "Tactical, analysis?"

Lieutenant Commander Harrskan frowned as best his species could under the fur covering his face. "We could kill it, sir, but by the time we did, the rest of the fleet would eat us alive," the Zambaran growled. His secondary right arm reached out to touch a control, causing a hologram displaying what their sensors had learned of the ship's offensive and defensive capabilities to spring up in front of his station.

"Then we don't have much choice. Helm, maneuver so we're headed away from the interdictor, quietly as you can. We jump as soon as we're able; this is getting too hot."

"Conn, Helm, aye."

The engines fired another short burst to start moving away from the interdiction field before once again falling silent.

[Tanasinn]

New Khan System, Humanist Union
HNS Cameron Wallace
Second Planet, Fullson Fuel Yard

Lenaard watched the Wallace's main tactical screen in brief silence: there had been no sudden, panicked revealing of his force's prey. Perhaps the corvette gambit had failed (which was likely: pointing them in a believable direction was essentially a crapshoot), or perhaps there had been no prey after all. This latter-most possibility was still the most likely explanation, and the idea of having wasted fuel, time, and possibly respect for his command irked the Admiral. He paused briefly, preparing to order a stand-down.

"Sir," reported the comms officer, "We're receiving reports from the 150s of sensor ghosts again. Same basic area, still nowhere near tight enough to pin down."

"Sensors confirms," chimed in the sensors officer with a curt nod, "They're dying off again, too."

Admiral Lenaard felt somewhat gratified. Random sensor ghosts he could believe. Random ghosts that stopped when looked at he could believe. Random ghosts that stopped when investigated before surfacing again upon the presence of an interdictor...well, now that was intriguing. Assuming he was observing an intelligent response, their prey, whatever it was, was presumably fairly close to the 150's reemergance point: why else would they expose themselves, albiet briefly, once again?

Lenaard made up his mind. Working through his comms officer, he ordered three more of his 150-class vessels to warp in and form maximum coverage of interdiction with the first craft: it wasn't all he could do, but he didn't want to reveal his Mobile Unit's entire hand if he could make due with less. Stealth ships, (which he had become convinced he was dealing with), usually were used by either top-tier pirate ambushers or spies. It would hardly do to show either possibility just what was lurking in the New Khan system at present. Indeed, having them boost power to the drives in his earlier gambit had been a large revelation in and of itself. Lenaard doubted if he could spook the enemy commander out now after previous non-results: this was no overeager pirate or mercenary with a shiny stealth suite and a contract. Still, he thought, contacting the remaining seven planetary defense corvettes and ordering them to join their compatriots in sweeping the general area of the sensor ghosts, Holding whoever this is back a little longer might buy us time to find them the old-fashioned way.

[Crossroads Inc.]

Surviving Kushawni Forces
Makay Primary System

It seemed like an eternity had passed since the earth shattering conflict between what was once the Pride of the Kushawni Tradeships, and what had once been their “allies” The events of the past few hours had completely shifted the whole perspective for the lone survivors of the diplomatic envoy that had been sent out, what now seemed an eternity ago.

Buster Machines #12 and #17 had been in constant burn the whole time. Struggeling to keep up with the ver fleeing BETAC forces. Too close to interdictors to escape, too far from the main Enemy forces to be fired upon… That however was changing with each passing moment.

“#17! Be on your guard! Another volley of plasma fire is on its way!”

The two Busters whirled and dodged the incoming fire, the larger BETAC ships however could own move so quickly, slowly and slowly they were being damaged.

“12, we cannot stay out here forever, we are only meant for short incursions, my Thursters feel ready to burst at any moment.

12 gritted his ‘teeth’ as he listened, his internal reactor was burning, he felt exhausted from the constant running. It was an insult to any Buster Machine, running, fleeing.. Yet, they could not turn, they could not surrender. Not after the supream sacrifice already made by…

“We can do this 17! We are Buster Machines! We are the pride of the Kushawni! We will not let those who came before us be lost, their efforts wasted. Have courage in your Core 17, help is coming…”

Outskirts of Makay Star system,
Tradeship Bentusilon and Exelon Escorts

Tearing across hyperspace, the great Avatar of the Citymind, the “Bentusilon” burned its Drives getting to its intended targets. The engines of its Escorts where virtually glowing hot trying to keep pace with the massive leviathan as it bore down on the Makay system.

On the bridge, Richard Eckkerson convened in private with the great CityMind as it sailed the ship.

“Sir, I have lost contact with Tradeship Desus over Hyperlink, I believe it is safe to assume our initial estimations have been proven correct.”

The CityMind, for one of its few moments, paused to consider the lost of life. It was but a machine, an AI, but it was built by men, and its sole, fanatical purpose was the preservation of Man in all forms.

“Inform the Battleships, energize all weapon systems, when we emerge we shall
fier upon ship not known to our database, you are authorized as well to activate Primary Cannons”

Richard nodded over their virtual link as he disconnected.

“Attention all hands and all ships! Prepare for immediate attack! All gunports to be hot upon emerger from Hyperspace, repeat all gunports Hot! Identify friendly ships immediately, all others, fire at will.

All BusterMahcines are to prepare themselves for immediate launch as well.”

Richard paused and sat back, the following moments may very well change the course of history for his People.

[Rogue 9]

"Who the hell hauls around this many interdictors?" Harrskan fairly snarled the rhetorical question out.

"Apparently, whoever's commanding this fleet," the captain answered calmly. "Space is big, and we're moving. If we just keep drifting, odds are we'll just float out of the interdiction range before they ever find us. Either that, or they'll decide nothing's here after awhile." He briefly considered simply hailing the fleet. It might clear things up and allow them to leave, but then again, they might simply be destroyed out of hand. He had no idea who was in charge out here or what their attitudes were like. He could always try to shield his ship's position by launching the probe and using a laser transmitter to relay messages through its communications array, but even that was risky. He'd hold that option in reserve.

[Tanasinn]

New Khan System, Humanist Union
HNS Cameron Wallace
Second Planet, Fullson Fuel Yard

Admiral Lenaard stood silently on the bridge of the Wallace intensely reading the main data display and going over information sent directly to his mind via datalink. There was still no sign of the presumed interloping ship, and sensor ghosts had died off again.

Lenaard knew that odds were low of tracking down the craft, interdictors in reserve or not. He didn't want to commit much more force to a search that was likely going to fail at this point, particularly not if the sought-after vessel was gathering intel.

He decided to make one last commitment to extend viable search time, ordering in a fifth 150-class to form up with the interdiction fields being put out by the four vessels already deployed.

Certainly, he thought, the possible loss here goes up with forces committed.