StarDestroyer.Net BBS

Now with added war, backstabbing and more war.

Begin.

Prince Regent's Office
The Keep
Ebon Askavi, The Star Kingdom of Kaeleer

It was raining outside the blastglass windows of the Keep, the Kaeleerian Queen's main residence on Ebon Askavi. Huge droplets of water fell from the dark, thick clouds onto the sloped helmets of the power-armored Queensguard troopers stationed around the perimeter and running in streams from the barrels of the hovertanks by the gates. None of this was unusual, as it rained almost every other day on the Black Isle and the Queensguard had been strongly in evidence ever since the assassination of Queen Cassandra IV almost fifty years ago. What made the day unique were the three datapads piled neatly on Saetan SaDiablo's desk. Saetan, whose titles included Regent of Kaeleer, Prince of the Darkness, and High Priest of the Hourglass, had been woken three hours before dawn, which came early during the Black Isle's summer, by a captain of the Royal Navy who had received, by courier from Unity Station, an assortment of missives from the Countess Nehele and her sister, all of which were encoded heavily enough to require the Keep's central computer system to access.

Much of it was good news, for a change. The mysterious Ousters, previously cloaked in an aura of menace that proceeded largely from their name and the reports of the few trading ships that had dared venture near their territory, had arrived, and according the the Countess their Voice of the Speaker (she had made a point of the title) was, if not as refined as might be desired by a Kaeleerian noble, at least polite and amiable, to the point where an agreement for the division of the systems to the South of the Star Kingdom had been reached over a state dinner. Trade was expected to grow exponentially as soon as the agreement was finalized and word reached the merchant captains who formed such a large part of the Kingdom's economy. The Chamarans had proven equally gregarious, and a similar degree of trade was expected to develop with the feline race. Saetan smiled thinly. Perhaps, with the revenue that would come with the trade, the Navy could finally afford the new class of superdreadnought they'd been badgering the Chancellor of the Exchequer about.

The only problems were a suspected spy from the Novogorod Cluster Authority who had overheard the Countess and the Ouster representative talking, though that was nothing too unusual for Unity Station, and the small, technologically-backward Llaelar Republic. The impudence demonstrated by their ambassador in demanding trade concessions in the systems shortly to be placed under Kaeleerian/Hajr rule had been elaborated upon in detail by both the Countess and the High Priestess, along with a recommendation that something be done to curb it.

Something would.


Aboard HDMS Unbending
Flagship, Ebon Askavi Fleet
Ebon Askavi High Orbit, The Star Kingdom of Kaeleer

"Your Ladyship." The polite voice of the Marine sentry roused Thana Shalador, the Tiger Eye Caste minor noble who served as Admiral Yaslana's flag captain from a peaceful slumber aboard the ship she'd been assigned to only three weeks before. "Orders just in from the Keep. They've got the Regent's seal, and we'll need your code to open them."

"I'll be right there, Corporal." said Captain Shalador, keying her comline open groggily. When she reached the ship's bridge the orders were waiting on her terminal. Punching in her Fleet authorization code, she glanced quickly through the lines of text, before ordering: "Best wake the Admiral. Navigation, plot me a fleet course for Arceria Node, then to Narmathar. We're deploying."

Broadcast, Dominion space

CNN
“Well clan Arnor's standing is sure to increase as new trade routes have been established exporting their products to Guymelus and the Archelonian Union. Clan Essena has unpredecently come second in these deals as our new partners turned out to have an eye for quality over quantity. Essena expresses disregard for this suggesting they were sending feelers southwards for the export of weapons technology to the Llaeler republic.”
“Clan Kitzal announces their continued pledge to our future as they lay claim to a new starsystem on our north east border. This system contains a world suitable for their terraforming needs and geologic surveys of the other bodies are being conducted by the other clans.”
“Today also heralds a new era of cultural expansion as exchanges have begun with the far southern empires of Kaeleer and the Sky. Royal spokesperson Liama-Suun states that the specifics of a persons exchange are being discussed.”

Fleet Tender Gracious Conqueror
Magdalene System

The Gracious Conqueror was wrapped in a great nest of teeming activity. Clustered around the massive ship were the myriad necessities of an armed Ouster cluster- fortified barracks, comet-refineries, food factories, shipyards, and gun platforms. Girders of foamed steel held the whole amalgamation together, surrounding the Fleet Tender like the arms of a child around her mother.

It was time for the embrace to end. The last week had seen an increase in activity, as weapons, fuel, and food were transferred, newly made, from the assorted factories into the Fleet Tender's vast, spindle-shaped cargo spaces. Rank after rank of uniformed Ousters boarded, filling umbilicals, moving in co-ordinated advances which could have conquered continents. Espatiers and Stratiotoi in full armour, technicians in their skinsuits, the strange, half-machine forms of space pilots with their numerous neural plugs and re-designed brains, and the officers and politicians who would guide the whole assemblage.

At last, the work was complete. Slowly, with the stately inevitability which only huge objects moving through space can muster, the Cluster opened. Collections of asteroids spread out like the petals of a flower, glowing faintly with the drive flames of a thousand tugs. The Cluster released it's mother back into the void, gently and carefully.

Space seemed to twist around the long pinnacle which made up the Fleet Tender's massive Kincaid drive. Tendrils of kinetic energy began to claw at realms of being quite divorced from reality. For the first time in two months, the Fleet Tender began to move under her own power, making best speed towards the transit-point. Around her, a sharklike school of warships gathered. Cruisers, sleek Attack Carriers, and a pair of ugly, purposeful Cataphracts escorted the huge and massively important Gracious Conqueror towards the next system to be settled by Ousterkind.

Aboard HDMS Unbending
Flagship, Ebon Askavi Fleet
Exiting Arceria Node, Narmathar, Llaelar Republic

"Translation in 3...2...Now, Your Grace, Your Ladyship. We've arrived." The navigation rating spoke with a slight shake in his voice from the aftereffects of node travel.
"Very good, Ensign." Captain the Lady Shalador responded quietly from her seat on the great superdreadnought's flag bridge. Lucivar Yaslana, the Eyrien Duke who served as Her Dark Majesty's most experienced fleet commander merely nodded, staring out the blastglass viewport that currently showed the flashes of the rest of Ebon Askavi Fleet transitioning from the Star Kingdom to the Republic.

"Lieutenant." He said, looking towards the communications section. "Get me a channel to the Llaelar patrol commander." He referred to the trio of outdated destroyers - Kaeleerian designs, in fact - currently heading towards his fleet. "And don't make any hostile moves." This order was accompanied with a ruffling of the dark wings the Duke carried wrapped around his shoulders, somewhat like a long, feathered cape.

"Aye, Your Grace."

When the comm channel was opened, Captain Shalador was the first to speak.
"Llaelar officer, presenting His Grace Duke Lucivar Yaslana, Admiral of Her Dark Majesty's Ebon Askavi Fleet and First Escort of the Dark Court."

"Commander." He said simply, reading the rank insignia on the man's collar.

"Duke Yaslana, what is the meaning of this? Your ships arrival was not scheduled." The commander sounded less apoplectic than he might have been, since the ship he addressed outmassed his entire command by several times.

"Calm yourself, Commander. We intend to conduct exercises with a foreign navy, and are on our way to the rendezvous point. We would, however, appreciate an opportunity to replenish supplies in the system."

"That...Should be acceptable, Your Grace. Proceed."

"Thank you, Commander."

Results: Suitable excuse thought up to station a battle fleet in that system everyone wants. It'll wear thin in the next week or so, but by that time, we may have declared war over some manufactured slight, which would be...Just perfect.

Second Main Battle Fleet
Pinnacle Base, Republic of Nashtar

The imposing form of the Nashtari light cruiser Warspite sailed silently through the void, massive drive engines flaring briefly before cutting out as the cruiser reached the captain's desired orbit. The ball-mounted lenses of beam emitters glinted in the light of the Pinnacle star, illuminated next to turreted auto-defense cannons and missile banks. The aperture of the massive railcannon the cruiser was built around loomed at the bow of the ship as she orbited into the shadow of the planet, dousing the light illuminating her hull. The cruiser was designed to rain destruction upon the enemies of the Republic, and it showed.

Two fighters silently flew past the cruiser as she crossed the day/night barrier of the planet below, powering their way out of orbit towards the fleet formation hanging above the planet in a higher orbital plane. The Warspite's engines flared to life once more as she followed the fighters higher, slowing relative to the planet as she entered a higher orbit to come into formation.

The cruiser was dwarfed next to the massive bulk of the two behemoths at the center of the fleet's formation. The huge, boxy form of the NRS Discovery was the real power of the fleet, home to its fighter wings and the hub of the fleet's command and control architecture. But it was the Courageous that really grabbed attention. Bristling with dozens of beam emitters and cannons, riddled with missile launch bays, and sporting the business ends of three massive railcannons at her bow collectively capable of tearing a frigate in two with a single volley, the Courageous was not much for pretty looks, but she was among the most dangerous vessels in known space.

The Warspite pulled into place, completing the fleet's formation just as the lead destroyers were approaching the daylight barrier to emerge from the planet's shadow. Before long, the entire fleet basked in a swifter sunrise than any planet-bound creature would ever see.

And the photographers had their fill. It was a fleet review, of course; the formation was not one the fleet would ever use in battle. On the day side of the planet, shuttles in near-geosynchronous orbit waited for the battle fleet to pass below, cameras recording images for the newscasts and official government publications. A popular shot was of the center shell of the fleet, consisting of the capital vessels and their escorting cruisers, passing by the Torrent defense platform in orbit.

Staged or not, the battle fleet was armed and ready. And it showed. Ready for what, was anyone's guess.

Narmathar System, Llaelar Republic

The Narmathar Spacelane Patrol's main body broke close orbit, accelerating leisurely towards the nearby Arceria Jump Node. Consisting of a mere Light Cruiser Squadron and a destroyer screen, it was more than sufficient for antipiracy needs. This situation however, was a different story.

**BURST TRANSMISSION**
A man's face appeared aboard the Flag Deck of his ship. Clad in an expensive uniform of fine cloth and shining gold epaulets, he looked back firmly towards the camera with a stoic air. His manner is haughty, as expected of his manner as a noble of a people with an esteemed and ancient heritage.

"Duke Yaslana, I am Lord Vice Admiral Renethierre, and I have just received your request from my Node Detatchment Commander. As Spacelane Patrol Commander, I will authorize your request at the Arceria Node Fleet Depot. The Republican Navy will attempt to make your resupply as expedient as possible. I am afraid however, that we cannot allow a continued disruption in our activities that your presence would ensure. I will request in the strongest terms that you continue on your way, and that the Republic receives full compensation for our services. You are instructed to take up station keeping positions off Arceria Depot. Our reactant tankers will handle your ships shortly. Renethierre out."
**EOT**

Aboard HDMS Unbending
Flagship, Ebon Askavi Fleet
Arceria Node, Narmathar, Llaelar Republic

"Lord Renethierre, that will be quite sufficient. You will of course be compensated for the fuel, and we will be on our way shortly. Yaslana clear."
Smiling in a slightly predatory fashion, the Eyrien noble turned to Captain Shalador.

"Captain, please read Section 3, Subsection 2 in our sealed orders. Authorization code Yaslana-Askavi-13- B."

"Aye, Your Grace." As the computer processed the code and the voice that went with it, she thought about what had just transpired. A Llaelar Admiral with a healthy -perhaps too healthy- degree of self-confidence had ordered Ebon Askavi Fleet to hold position around Arceria Node, there to await Llaelar supply ships before moving on. Before her musings could unravel why the Duke was so pleased, the orders popped up on her terminal.

Reading through them, her eyes going wider as each line flashed past, everything became as clear as the frost before a winter storm.

Ebon Askavi Fleet wasn't here to practice for a war, with the Llaelar Navy, or the Chamaran, or even the Ouster. It was here to manufacture one. A bomb aboard one of the reactant tankers...All the evidence would be consumed in an explosion that likely wouldn't destroy more than a few shuttles carrying some of the criminals they'd picked up in Arceria specifically for this purpose.

Results: Provocation manufactured. We'll have an "inspection team" composed of convicted prisoners plant an antimatter explosive on one of the tankers Llaelar is sending to refuel the fleet. The explosion will kill the team, but they won't know that...

Civilian freighter Hangrabi Freight Seven
Narmathar Primary Spaceport
Narmathar System, Llaelar Republic

Agent Sam Volks of Nashtar Republic Intelligence put down his coffee and leaned forward to look at the primary sensor readout on the Nashtar-flagged freighter he was a navigator for as his cover identity. Now, this was interesting. Kaeleeri warships transiting the Arceria node, and in some numbers, too. Affecting a bored expression, he got out a datapad and made a terse entry in his encrypted log before switching off the encrypted entry mode, causing the encryption program to vanish without a trace, and began writing some more of the intentionally bad poetry that was his pretext for carrying the thing all the time. He jotted down a few lines before putting it away, satisfied.

"You'll never give that up, will ya, Sam?" The pilot chuckled as he looked at the sensor readouts himself. "Wonder what they're up to. Hope it ain't trouble; this crate ain't made for runnin' a battle gauntlet."

"Yeah, let's hope not," Sam answered thoughtfully, looking at the screen. If it was, there wasn't much he could do about it from his position. It would be easy to convince the captain to flee back to Nashtari space by the best available node route if things got hairy; he had no more desire to be in a battle than the rest of his crew. But unless something drastic happened, they had another hour at least before the cargo loading was finished.

Narmathar
Llaelar Republic

The Styrdrighala transit node erupted in a bright pillar of incomprehensible energies. A dozen squat transport ships poured out, mostly conglomerations of asteroids tethered together and studded with drives. These ungainly contraptions were not alone, however. The Rapacious and the Insatiable were in close escort- two sleek, needle-like strike cruisers, along with a small swarm of escorts.

<<This is the Warship of the Hajr Rapacious. We are escorting a trading and supply convoy to the Sky Empire.>>

Payment was not a concern. The Hajr had opened an account with the Llaelar transit node authority a few days earlier; payments for both planned transits had already been made.

Itan System
Cruinne

This were the times he really felt alive, flying high above everything and no underling to bother him, chaos to control, people to kill. It just felt peaceful. The sun had just broken over the Western Ranges and the first rays of golden light were touching the Citadel in the distance.
<It is time, you know?> Carwin, his Great Dragon was telling him with the distinct flavour of sadness in his mind.
Elohan patted him on the side and thought back, <you're right, of course. As always...>
He dived one more time down to the mountain side, sliding above a small hamlet hanging in the cliffs before turning towards the Citadel and speeding up. As it grew, he could make out more and more details. It was the ancient center of the Empire. It wasn't the tallest mountain, or the most impressive around. It was a single large pillar of rock rising out of the toxic clouds below, splitting into three distinct summits. One held the Old Palace, where he and the other parts of the Imperial Family lived, the New Palace, which held the governing functions and the administration, and the Guest House, which was for guests, the officials, and other necessary functions. All were connected by various bridges. It was beautiful in its intricacy. He landed on the outer ledges of the Dragon's Quarters of the Old Palace and after assuring that Carwin was alright, quickly went into his rooms to refresh before he went to the Governor's Meeting of this quarter.

***

He entered the conference room at the western side of the New Palace as last and all the Governors of Imperial holdings were already present. All were clothed in the elaborate fashion of court officials and carried themselves pompously. He, on the other hand, never cared for this protocol and decorum, so he had dressed as he liked; a black leather trouser, dragon-riding boots, and a sleeveless silver chain mail shirt. Given his muscular physique and midnight black hair, he really liked it, but he could see in the faces of some governors that they still tried to hide their disapproval - this was the other part he liked about it. To rub it in their faces that they could not touch him; Elohan, the Crown Prince of the Empire of the Sky, Great Shadow of the Imperial Assasin's Guild, Supreme Wizard of the Wizard Council, and since his fathers decline into dementia, the Emperor in all but name. He knew a lot of people were expecting him to finally terminate his father, but he admitted that he didn't want to. In his current state, he was no threat and even his father would have to let go sooner or later. Sure, he had tried it several times before to bump him off, but were was the fun now when there was no resistance?
"So," he said as he went for his seat at the table, "let's begin."

***

"And this concludes my report." Governor Henshal finished his monologue. Luckily, it was the last point on the list, so he could start his own point.
"Thank you, governor," Elohan thanked him. "I just have one unofficial point I'd like to make." All looked at him expectantly.
Elohan stood and walked to the balcony. "It is of constant amazement that some of you still think I am a stupid youngling. It really does." A murmur of whispers errupted around the table, but he ignored it. "You should know by now that I will find out everything, sooner or later. And in this case, I know about your plans, Governor Threan." Elohan turned around and looked directly at the portly Governor.
The accused shot up and started to open his mouth, but a flick of his hand and he was unable to speak.
"I know how you conspired against the Empire, how you convinced the Battle-Mages in Itan Azul to join you, to break free and set up a little Empire of your own." He made a small pause. "Your plan has failed." The Governor's eyes grew wide with shock and he looked around frantically for help, but no one said or did anything.
"Oh, don't worry," Elohan hushed him, "you're not alone. The Kill Squads in Itan Azul should be busy right now." He concentrated slightly on the Governor. He opened his mouth to scream but it was already too late; his brain was pulp and he collapsed on the table.
"Clean up," he motioned the waiting guards, and looked at his remaining Governors. "Crun Wental will follow the late Henshal. I hope you will give him your support." Without further ado, he left the room.

***

"Do you think it was neccessary?" Biran Villar asked him as they were standing on a balcony of Elohan's rooms. Villar was almost as tall as him, but he was bulkier and his blond short hair was a stark contrast to Elohan's flowing black. And he was one of his few trusted advisors, the Supreme Battle-Mage of the Fleet.
"Biran, Itan Azul borders with the Llaelar, and given the reports from Turanat and the contacts with the Ousters, I must have silence and calm in our territory. I think it will get messy there soon."
"That's why you had me sent the Demonstration of Audacity and escort to Llaelar?"
"Yes," Elohan answered. "we might need it sooner than later. We might finally rid ourselves of them, once and for all."
"You're not concerned about the Ousters? I am, a bit."
"From Turanat's reports, I think we can come to a cordial agreement with them. They share some ideas and are pragmatic. We'll just see what happens."

***

Narmathar system
Itan Azul Node

The Demonstration of Audacity appeared in the node space with its escorts. It was a rather impressive show of force, dwarfing the Llaelar ships on station. Imperial ships didn't look like ships of normal races. They appeared to be ellipsoids of various sizes carved from granite and sheeted in even more black marble.
"Tell the loal authorities that we are here to wait for, and escort, a Hajr transport back home." That they were also in the process of manufacturing a small war, he didn't say.

Meeting Chambers of the High Four, Guymelus

The one with the glowing eye spoke again. “It has happened before, and unless we act now, it will happen again! Our followers need someone or something to unify them, something stronger and less open to interpretation than the few tenants of Machineism.”

The one with the supercomputer in his brain now. “Precisely, that is why we need” he gestured toward it “this. If I my experiment bears results, we should have the ultimate symbol of authority in our grasp.”

The one whose head is in a jar. “We've discussed this before, it's far too dangerous, we have no idea of what it's tied into aboard the station. Who knows what our tampering could result in?”

The big headed one again. “YOU'RE A FOOL!” He slams a fist against the table they sit around. “You all know what's happened to every Machineist state in history! Without a single, unquestionable authority to unify our followers, Guymelus' fate will be the same.”

The one who should be dead finally speaks, it can hear the motors inside her whir as they move her mouth. “Bedalvin is correct. Guymelus itself is too great an asset to risk damaging by tampering with it until we've learned more.”

“Much as I feel we need it,” the one with the eye again “I agree with Anize. We can't afford to risk damaging Guymelus.”

The big headed one flashes a fierce look around at the others before abruptly leaving the room.

“Erdel!” Anize shouts after him.

* * *

Erdel stalks down the long corridors to his private chambers, a man with a purpose. He locks the massive doors behind him and quickly moves to switch on the high security communications station. He knows what has to be done, if the others refuse to take action until it's too late, he would have to force them to.

But how...there had to be a way to trigger the split in a controllable way...too little stimulus in the wrong place and they would continue on their inevitable course toward societal collapse, too much and it would only exasperate the destruction wrought when it came. In a moment he had it, with a little luck, it would work, Guymelus would be saved.

* * *

Narmathar System, Llaelar Republic

The Ebon Askavi Fleet of the Star Kingdom of Kaeleer was a tremendous sight, dozens of large craft gathered about the refueling depot on the outskirts of the Narmathar Station. Or at least, what would be the outskirts compared to the System Primary. By an odd chance with it's midget star, the planet Narmathar, of which the system bore it's name, rested unusually close to the Jump Node upon which it built it's prosperity in trade and tariffs.

Work went on at the busy refueling depot, with orders from above to service their 'guests' and move on. The Civilian Collier 'Elyse d'Heltham' was one such vessel, leisurely performing her braking maneuvers to bring her alongside the flagship of the visiting fleet. As they pulled alongside, lighter resupply craft of Kaeleerian origin passed by in close quarters, while small barges detached from the Collier to move reactant towards the waiting Warships. Although the presence of such a large fleet detachment was certainly a rare sight, work continued as it always had at this busy refueling station.

Without the slightest warning, Elyse d'Heltham burst apart, her metal form vanishing under an impossibly violent emission of hard radiation. Her alloy-clad mass vaporized into an expanding cloud, as the powerful wave of released energy battered itself against HDMS Unbending's hull, tempered only by the moderate distance from the blast. Numerous smaller shuttles and supply vessels blew apart as the released pulse tore through their vessels. A few, farther from the blast suffered only marginally better fates. Crews died, and ships suffered grievous damage. One unfortunate shuttle's less hardened navigation systems were knocked out by the antimatter burst, crashing violently through the Kaelerian Destroyer HDMS Violet's unshielded shuttle bay, exploding hydrogen reserves setting off further secondary explosions. In a timespan faster than anyone could respond, the Destroyer was left a hollowed out, drifting hulk.

There were precious few lifepods.

Narmathar System,
Itan Azul node

It took some time for the information to arrive at their position, but as soon as it did, Air-Mage Ertenth was staring at the unfolding chaos at the Arceria Node. The crystal sculpture representing the system was changing rapidly as a result of the explosion. His thoughts raced.
"Send a drone to Battle-Mage Frash, we need him now," he told his communication officer. "And send one down the Line, too. The Citadel needs to be informed, as well."
Quickly afterwards, two small silver balls emerged, unfurling into small birds, which raced into the node, and vanished.

***

It didn't take long, and the fleet, led by the Heavy Space Airship Supremacy appeared in the Narmathar system.
"Air-Mage Ertenth," Battle-Mage Frash said, represented as a hovering face aboard the bridge of the Demonstration of Audacity, "your assessment?"
"Sir," he answered, "we don't know if it is a pretext of the Kaeleer or really just an accident. In any case, the Guild has been telling us that Kaeleer had some plans with Llaelar of their own."
"I agree," Frash answered. "Whatever the cause, we cannot allow the Kaeleer to use this situation to gain control of this system. It is vital. Should the Kaeleer try to take this, we need to support Llaelar. Llaelar is bad enough, having Kaeleer in control is worse. It could seriously impede our expansion. The Black Prince will not have that..."

The sleek-lined silhouette of a Gunslinger heavy cruiser blinks into existence in each of the three neutral systems bordering the Novogord Cluster Authority's space and begins to deploy sensor platforms. Active sensors yammer noisily as the advance pickets for the NCA Navy move to establish control over nearby space, hugging close to the nodes that lead back to the homeland. In the southernmost of the three systems, that's the end of it, a sole picket and its attendant recon platforms warding the entry node. In the two northern ones, however, the Gunslinger fires a drone back through the node once local space is secure. Within minutes fresh hulls blot out the stars in the murky depths of the outer system, naval task forces deploying. In each case the picket cruiser remains behind the carrier groups, guarding the way back home.

In the northeastern system, the light task force powers up and begins to cross the system, moving to cover the eastern node directly while a detatched Gunslinger peels away to secure the north node. To the northwest there is no such dispersal, the battlegroup crossing the system as a unit on the way to the node leading to Thalamasa.

Unseen and unknown, heavily-stealthed scout vessels spread out simultaneously, ghosting through the system in ones and twos as they move to cover nearby space. They move quickly ahead of the advancing naval vessels, providing eyes and ears that the carriers aren't even aware of. 'Anonymous intelligence' is so very useful.

Southern deployment
-NCAS Travolta, Gunslinger-class heavy cruiser

Northeastern deployment
Task Force Pioneer
-NCAS Bitter Tears, Hellespont-class escort carrier (Flag, Commodore Thomas Flannigan)
--NCAS Global Thermonuclear War, Duelist-class destroyer
--NCAS Musket, Duelist-class destroyer
-NCAS Willis, Gunslinger-class heavy cruiser

-NCAS Ford, Gunslinger-class heavy cruiser (Western Picket)
-NCAS Connery, Gunslinger-class heavy cruiser (Northern Picket)

Northwestern deployment
Task Force Hellespont
-NCAS Hellespont, Hellespont-class escort carrier (Flag, Rear Admiral Jason Coltrain)
--NCAS Dawn, Duelist-class destroyer
--NCAS Halberd, Duelist-class destroyer
-NCAS Remembrance, Hellespont-class escort carrier
--NCAS Claymore, Duelist-class destroyer
--NCAS Morningstar, Duelist-class destroyer

-NCAS Li, Gunslinger-class heavy cruiser

Civilian freighter Hangrabi Freight Seven
Narmathar Primary Spaceport
Narmathar System, Llaelar Republic

"Bloody hell!" Agent Volks half-stood in his seat as his eyes moved from the sensor readouts to the bridge viewscreen. Sure enough, the explosion was visible from here, though only as a spot of light from this distance. "Get Captain Hrothnor up here, Jim, and power up the engines," he ordered as he reached up to flip on the ship's deflector shields.

"What? Sam, you ain't in charge..."

"Jim, ships in a naval taskforce just blew the fuck up. We're not going to want to be here in an hour."

"Yeah, Sam. I guess you're right." Jim punched the intercom button. "Cap'n, we've got a situation up here. I think you should come to the bridge."

Blandingii System.
SFECO GQ
Archelonian Union

An Archelonian swam through a hall-channel in the SFECO. The cities were built into the coast lines and extended into the continental shelves, amphibious cities that were faced with massive Transparisteel windows facing out into the sea. Most civilian walkways were actually channels that allowed at least partial immersion in order to speed transit. Most containers were indeed water proofed.

This individual carried with him a dossier, an intel report for goings on in nearby space and elswhere. There were definite benefits to having the best funded and organized intelligence network in the galaxy. He finally reached his destination and knocked on the porthole.

"Enter" said the voice in the intercomm

"What do you have for me? said Terminki, head of SFECO. One could tell from his darker colorationm hypermelanism is was called that he was ancient.

"Well sir" said the younger individual who was still brightly colored "A Kaeleer warship ship was just seemingly bombed in Llaelar space in the Narmathar system. We are still getting reports in. Apparently they entered the system unannounced and demanded local hospitality. An inspection ship exploded."

"That does not smell right. Get more assets into Kaeleer space, I dont care who you need to buy. Just do it. We need to get to the bottom of this. If they are manufacturing a war to destabilize the region, we must not let them or anyone else profit by it without it serving our interests."

"Of course sir. There is more."

"If you are referring to our early warning sensors picking up a a Novogorod incursion into our Eastern Buffer, I am aware. They are creating their own early warning system to guard against treachery on our part. We have done the same for our own entry node on the other side of the system. We need not worry, our plans for the future are secure"

"Thank you for your assurance sir."

"Speaking of which, how are those going?"

"Well sir, our assets are beginning negotiations. We should be in Beta Stage by the end of the week if everything goes well."

"excellent"

....

HDMS Unbending
Flagship, Ebon Askavi Fleet
Arceria Node, Narmathar, Llaelar Republic


The titanic blast shattered the starry calm of space, sending shards of several starships slamming into the unshielded hull of the Unbending. On the ship's flag bridge, Captain Shalador and Admiral Yaslana were not particularly surprised, but they acted as though they were.

"Communications! Get me a fleet damage report! Captain, what was that?" Though the Eyrien Duke was famous for preferring "direct" solutions to problems, he was quite capable of putting on a convincing show.

"Your Grace, one of the Llaelar replenishment ships exploded. The Violet looks to be crippled, and several other light ships are reporting heavy damage." Captain Shalador stated in a cool monotone.

"Your Grace, Your Ladyship, we've got hull breaches on decks 17 through 19, about twenty casualties among the personnel on those areas." As the damage control officer finished his report, the blaring General Quarters alarm sounded belatedly.

"Admiral, the Violet's a hulk, two other destroyers are crippled, and the Argos is reporting moderate damage to it's port side. Heavy casualties aboard all four ships and light casualties in the rest of the fleet, and several shuttles were destroyed. We've already dispatched our own small craft to pick up any life pods there may be." Such was the report from an ashen-faced Eyrien communications lieutenant.

"Lady Hekatah. Take a shuttle and whatever personnel you require, and discover the cause of this." This last was directed at the Hourglass priestess aboard, who served as the fleet's intelligence officer. "Captain Shalador, no ship is to leave the area until they've been cleared by the Hourglass. If this was an accident, we'll compensate them for lost time. If deliberate, and we catch those responsible..." Yaslana let the sentence trail off, flaring his dark wings menacingly. "I'll be in my cabin."

----------------------------------------------------------------------------
BURST TRANSMISSION-Relayed to Ebon Askavi
FROM: His Grace Admiral Duke Lucivar Yaslana, CO Ebon Askavi Fleet
TO: First Star Lord; Prince Regent

Your Lordship and Your Dark Highness,

It is my great displeasure to report a great tragedy, which occurred at roughly 1316 hours Fleet Time in the space around Arceria Node in the Narmathar System of the Llaelar Republic. At that time, the Llaelar civilian collier Elyse d'Heltham
exploded, destroying HDMS Violet and crippling two other destroyers. Large casualties were sustained by other ships of the fleet, including HDMS Unbending and HDMS Superb. Total casualties are estimated at ~1000 dead, ~3000 wounded.

Had this been an accident, it would be tragic. However, I have been assured that the explosion was "Too sudden and violent to have been the work of anything less than deliberate sabotage" by Hourglass and Fleet explosives experts.

I request that a full Hourglass Coven be dispatched to investigate the true cause of the explosion.

For the Glory of Witch,
Admiral Yaslana, Duke of the Darkness

RESULTS: When we manufacture a war, we're careful about it. Total casualties within the fleet are 1 destroyer hulked, two in need of major repairs, one heavy cruiser moderately damaged, roughly three thousand killed and two thousand wounded throughout the fleet and the Llaelar ship.

News filters to the northern reaches of known space slowly, given the existence of nodes and lightspeed lag. Still, it's not exactly glacial, especially not when...certain parties are inquisitive enough to hurry it along.

Aboard a ship that doesn't exist, two women and a man who don't exist busily discuss intelligence that can't be where it is yet regarding a situation no one else in the North can recognize by now.

"The Laellar situation is accelerating faster than projected."

"At least 'Smith' warned us. We need to know more before we can use this."

"Agreed. Instruct 'Smith' to recontact the Laellar ambassador?"

"Yes. And direct eyes to the south. And perhaps legs."

"We need shorter lines of communication. Mercy?"

"Mercy."

"Mercy."

"Then it's settled. We need more tools, as well. Accelerate Operation Jade Pillow."

"Too risky at the present. Let Jade Pillow run its course, but activate Rhombus Pentacle."

"Agreed"

"Rhombus Pentacle it is."

"We're done here. Get us moving."

A procession of unremarkable patches of nothingness depart Novogord borders towards points south, ghosting past pickets and sensor platforms alike in total silence.

Aboard WDS Kaelas
Hourglass Private Courier
Exiting Arceria Node, Narmathar, Llaelar Republic

Tersa, called the Stranger, was a Red Caste Blood Lady, which gave her a large degree of power in the Star Kingdom. She was also the High Priestess of the Hourglass, which gave her significantly more. As the head of Kaeleer's religion and of it's intelligence network, she wielded more influence than anyone but the Queen and the Regent, though when the Queen came of age she would likely surpass the second.

Even so, she didn't trust anyone else to do the job at hand properly.

------
Later

"And so, Duke Yaslana, it appears that the explosion was caused by a small fusion bomb placed aboard the tanker. We can only assume that the Llaelar were involved in some manner, since their personnel were the only ones, other than our inspectors, to be aboard the ship."

"In effect, Lady Tersa, you're saying that the Republic, for some reason unknown, murdered three thousand of Her Dark Majesty's citizens without even any warning?" Anyone not in one the plot would have been taken in by the Admiral's tone of repressed fury.

"Yes, Your Grace."

"In that case, it seems we have no choice. Captain Shalador, have the fleet transit back through to Arceria. When we arrive, send a message to Ebon Askavi informing the Queen and the Regent of these developments, and to the commanding officer of Arceria Fleet. We can't conduct a campaign alone with our screen so badly damaged."

"Aye, Your Grace."

--------------------------------------
Queen's Audience Chamber
The Keep
Ebon Askavi, Star Kingdom of Kaeleer

"Your Dark Majesty...I deeply regret that it seems as though the Republic was behind the deaths of almost three thousand of your citizens, and the grievous wounding of almost two thousand more. The base treachery behind this act cannot go unpunished, my Queen. The people look to you for the redress of their grievances."

"Your are correct, Prince SaDiablo. The murder of Our subjects will be punished. Give the order for Admiral Yaslana to proceed as he sees fit."

"Your Dark Majesty." And with a bow, Saetan SaDiablo let slip the dogs of war.

------------------------------------
HDMS Unbending
Flagship, Remembrance Fleet [Composite Unit; Arceria and Ebon Askavi Fleets]
Arceria, Star Kingdom of Kaeleer

"And so it begins. Transit to Narmathar, and transmit this message to the planet: "People of Narmathar, at 1035 hours local time one of your civilian freighters exploded, killing or maiming five thousand Kaeleerian spacers. Evidence has come to light that your government ordered this treacherous attack on the Star Kingdom's forces, and we will not allow the act to go unpunished. As such, Her Dark Majesty has ordered that the Narmathar system government and those who side with them be imprisoned to stand trial for their crimes. Your have five hours to comply. Admiral Yaslana, clear."

Minoister Terminki read over a secure communique from assets within the Kaeleer and the Llaelar republic.

"It did not take them long" he muttered to himself before typing a message to the President of the Union. A few moments later it was returned. Instructions for the Diplomatic Corps to send a message to the Kaeleer.


...

Burst Transmission.
To: Her Dark Majesty of the Star Kingdom of Kaeleer
From: Archelonian Union Office of Diplomatic Affairs.
Re: Actions Against Llaelar Republic

Your Dark Majesty of the Kaeleer. It has come to our attention that a fleet element out of Kaeleer was recently struck by a bombing within Llaelar space and that the Llaelar have been implicated in said bombing. We beseech your Majesty to reconsider your actions. While the culprits must be caught and punished the Llaelar have no motive to covertly bomb your fleet elements. Our intelligence service suspects treachery, but not from the Llaelar. We request that you step down your forces and allow an independent commission to ascertain the truth of this tragic event, and perhaps prevent another tragedy from occurring.


...

Given raising tensions in the Galaxy and reports of ships being destroyed, the Free Republic's Navy went on a higher state of alert. One noticeable development of this was that neutrality patrols consisting of one Martyr and one Hero of the Revolution class destroyers were sent to every system one jump away from a Free Republic planet. They had orders to send back message drones immediately if they detected anything out of the ordinary.

Ormungan City
Scaldr
Llaelar Republic

Ormungan City- no one could quite say why Ormungan had become such a popular vacation destination. Scaldr was only borderline habitable, an unpleasant world of extremes of hot and cold and whipping, flaying storms. Ormungan City, however, was an oasis of vice- a pleasure dome like fabled Xanadu. There were luxurious hotels where rooms were rented for prices which could bankrupt small principalities. There were world-class theaters and marvelously appointed ballrooms. Casinos abounded, from the high class to the seedy. Every pleasure imaginable to a sentient could be purchased in Ormungan, along with more than a few which would evade even the most fecund imagination.

It was to Ormungan that The Honorable Guentin Barmelous repaired after his last big assignment. A negotiator for the Llaelarese Transit Authority, he had recently closed a major deal. The barbarians from outside the Network had required a long-term license for their trading ships through the Narmathar system en route to the Sky Empire; he was the functionary who had negotiated the rates. At the end of the day, he was quite pleased with his work. The Ousters were paying a tidy sum for the right of passage, and after their reported harsh words on Unity Station, he could only think that they quite rightly deserved it. Guentin was a man who enjoyed a little gambling, and his self congratulations buoyed him as he made his way through the beautifully appointed vestibule of the Grand Llaelarian towards the card tables. The casino manager scurried up and made the necessary prostrations as he guided the VIP towards expensive drinks and even more expensive hands.

He did not go unnoticed. Anyone who observed Alyr su Styrdrighala would have had no clue what sort of mind lurked behind his florid, puffy features. They certainly would not call the pendulous businessman an Ouster.

He cocked his head at a certain angle, and yawned for a moment before taking a drag from his smoldering cigar. His signals were noted.

The kill team had found it's prey.

BURST TRANSMISSION
FROM: Her Dark Majesty Jaenelle II, Queen of the Star Kingdom of Kaeleer, Queen of the Darkness, etc.
TO: Archelonian Union Office of Diplomatic Affairs.

Sir,

While We respect you efforts to preserve peace in the region, such a goal is impossible. Our intelligence assets have provided proof beyond doubt that the Republic ordered the murder of three thousand of Our subjects, and, though the reasoning behind such a barbarous act escapes Us at this time, We will nonetheless take punitive action.

May the Darkness Embrace You,
Jaenelle II

Narmathar System,
Itan Azul node

"Let us call them," Frash told his com officer, who made a nod and began recording.
"Kaeleer forces, this is Battle-Mage Toledan Frash on board of His Imperial Majesty's Heavy Airship Supremacy. We have seen that you suffered some tragic accident of sorts. We regret that. Yet we advise you that we would rather not see any unjustified action against Llaelar holdings without neutral investigation. This system is of vital interest to Imperial trade, and we will take measures against anything that will impede normal operations in this system. Of course, we will support any neutral investigation."
The recording was compressed and sent towards the Kaeleer forces.
"Bruunt, bring us to readiness and move to protect the node," he orderes his XO. "I want this node protected, at all costs."