The Wormhole War - Revised Version!(Chapter 15 posted 13/4)

[Peregrin Toker]

As some might have noted, a few weeks ago I decided to revise "The Wormhole War" for various reasons.

Currently, I've completed revision of the prologue and the first chapter. They will come soon.

Aside from adding more details, I have also changed some parts of the story which seemed illogical in retrospect.

On the bit about adding details - please inform me if I've pulled a Tolkien.

[Peregrin Toker]

PROLOGUE

Zxavor stood in one of the many rooms in his splendid, spire-shaped palace and beheld himself in the mirror.

His long narrow face, pointed ears, and small, pointy nose identified him as
a Xril. A people, who he was the absolute leader of. The tall, slender but muscled frame of his body - ideal for life upon a low-gravity world like Xhatrr - was obscured by his long, flowing purplish-blue robes. He smiled with a sinister grin, revealing a row of wickedly sharp fangs.

His eyes had seen much conflict during the Great Uprising, a civil war in his home system of Xhatrr which left him the victor. Having all but eliminated the old ruling class, he was now the absolute leader of the solar system and had the status of a god. But now, he was contemplating what might be his most complex military campaign ever.

He turned around and started thinking.

"No", he reminded himself, "It is technically a conquest, but people will not like to hear it called such a thing. It is just as much an expansion... one that is necessary."

The assymetrically conical door to the planning room, engraved with the Horned Sigil of Xhatrr,opened.

A Xvarrol, an elite trooper of the Xril military entered the room. To
augment his physical strength he was clad in heavy exo-skeletal armour - his ceremonial position denoted by the elegantly curved styling and red decorative trim of the exo-armour. In his hands he held a massive rapid-fire 20mm cannon which the exo-armour enabled him to use as if were a mere assault rifle.

The armoured guard asked whatever Zxavor muttered. The Supreme Potentate answered: "None of your business. Return to guard duty."

Zxavor did not speak those words. He transmitted them telepathically, using a Neural-Telepathic Communicator, a cybernetic implant directly connected to the brain which enabled Xril to communicate telepathically. Together, the Neural-Telepathic Communicators connected all Xril's minds into an internet-like network. This Neural-Telepathic Network was instrumental in maintaining the social structure of the Xril. For example - those of high rank had chips implanted in their Transmitters which enabled them to access higher security levels than others. Also connected to the network were the Masterminds, advanced artificial intelligences tasked with administrating the extremely hierarchial Xril society.

Needless to say, Zxavor's mind resumed concentrating on what he originally was thinking about.

Overpopulation. Almost all Xril planets were overcrowded.

Xhatrr, home planet of the Xril and only planet with naturally breathable air in its solar system, was overpopulated. So were other planets, where the Xril lived in "artificial environments" - enormous buildings which each were self-contained cities. One planet in particular, Kvorthx, was a planet-wide barren rock-desert where almost the entire surface was covered with either spire-shaped cities or industrial facilities.



Unless another potentially inhabitable planet was discovered orbiting
some distant star, he would had to use morally questionable methods to reduce overpopulation.

He was not sure whether he ever would hear of an existing planet whose atmosphere would be similar to Xhatrr's.
Still, if there were such a planet in another solar system, he wouldn't mind ruling a domain beyond the solar system where he was born. It would be one thing to rule several planets, but to rule several solar systems would be... something which he would be the first to do. His already unshakable power would be multiplied.

[Crazedwraith]

Yay! new version. I'll read later becuase i've got loads of geography coursework to do right now.

[Peregrin Toker]

Chapter 1 - The First Stone Is Thrown


A month after the prologue, Spire of Government, City of Jriakx, Planet of Xhatrr

Zxavor entered the chamber of the High Council, flanked by two Xvarrol. Both Xvarrol carried not their standard-issue 20mm cannons, but xn'kath - ceremonial, glaive-like weapons which could be used either as long-range laser rifles or close combat polearms.

In a half-circle of abstractly shaped chairs around him sat his advisors. Many of them had fought by his side during the Great Uprising, a civil war over fifty years ago which left Zxavor the victor, his armies having overthrown the existing government and leaving him free to construct a new society upon the ruins of the old.

During a telepathic discussion about the expansion of Zxavor's dominion, one advisor mentioned the artificially-generated wormhole which had been established by the Wormhole Generator station near Kvorthx.

The wormhole generator had found many solar systems with solid planets in the last few months, but the system opened up to recently linked to had something, which had never been seen before.

The probe sent through this wormhole had found a planet similar to Xhatrr - from outer space, it evidently had an atmosphere as well as seas. However, scans of it indicated that it was much, much larger and thusly had a higher gravity.

Zxavor replied with a message darting through the Neural-Telepathic Network to the science advisor's mind: "Excellent - send a scientific probe to investigate the planet's surface."


Exactly one month later, somewhere on Xhatrr...:

Supreme Potentate Zxavor and Supreme Battlelord Txaxil, supreme commander of the Xvarrol, rode a hover-limousine (an absolute rarity in the Xril society, where 99% of cars either are taxis, law-enforcement patrol cars or ambulances) to a space elevator which would transport them to the space station where the next probe would be launched.

Txaxil was somewhat more weathered than Zxavor despite his younger age - as well as being much more massive than Zxavor due to his military past, although it still was evident that he had grown up on a low-gravity planet. Txaxil was some 80 years, a great deal younger than Zxavor's 120. This was easily explained by Txaxil's military past - not only had The Great Uprising been much more exhausting on him than on Zxavor, but there was also another reason: Before the Great Uprising, Xril society was a caste system where the ruling caste was genetically engineered to age at a slower rate than others... therefore, the ruling caste was known as Immortals. Zxavor came from this caste - he was one of the few "Immortals" who had survived the Great Uprising - whereas Txaxil unsurprisingly came from the Guardian Caste, which was tasked with military duties and law enforcement. For the first generation of post-Uprising Xril, the authorities had used the very same genetic engineering technologies which were used to create the caste system to now abolish it, by guaranteeing the lower castes the same genetic privileges as the Immortals.

Regardless of caste systems which no longer existed, both of them were as healthy as they would be at much lower ages, since they both were examples of applied cybernetics. Txaxil's right arm, lost during a battle in the Great Uprising, had been replaced by a robotic one. Most of Zxavor's internal organs had been replaced by mechanical or cloned ones.
The hover-limo, escorted by four fully-armed helicopter gunships of the Xvarrol, stopped in mid-air and landed upon the landing pad assigned for them.

Before Txaxil and Zxavor were the entrance to a huge space elevator up to the orbiting space station. Two vaguely ellipsoid sentinel robots, both hovering in the air, were guarding the entrance.

The two leaders, allowed entrance by the sentinel robots, entered the elevator. At the impulse from Zxavor's mind, which he transmitted neuro-telepathically to the computer controlling the elevator, the elevator began its journey up to the space station.

With tremendous speed, the elevator darted up to the space station.

Soon they were up there to oversee the launch of the new probe, which should explore the surface and atmosphere of the new-found planet, affectionately nicknamed "Xhatrr'vxoth" or "New Xhatrr". A probe, which should be launched from that very space station.



Zxavor and Txaxil were greeted by the supervisors and commanders of the space station - not to mention some of the personnel - standing in a tight formation, raising their clenched fists into the air. This was the proper hand gesture since Zxavor seized power, but in reality it was seldom used unless representatives of the authorities were present.

Regardless of anything, the personnel of the launchpad facility definately did their best to appear worshipful. Zxavor and Txaxil walked upon a black and white carpet stretched before them on the ground to greet them - the carpet was even adorned with the Horned Sigil of Xhatrr.

The Horned Sigil was the personal symbol of Zxavor and resembled a bizarre hybrid between a spanner's head and a pair of antlers, with a sphere between the "antlers".

Leading the reception greeting Zxavor and Txaxil was a blue-eyed female Xril slightly shorter than Txaxil at roughly 190cm and clad in a dark blue jumpsuit decorated with two triangular white pauldrons. She also had a black triangular hat displaying a golden Horned Sigil - identifying her as an officer. The signature emitted from her Neuro-Telepathic Communicator identified her as Rxythl, commander of the Orbital Base Xhatrr'xlthy - although the actual administrator of Xhatrr'xlthy was its central Artificial Intelligence.

Rxythl guided Txaxil and Zxavor towards the viewscreen room.

Compared to the lavishly decorated interior of the mansion-spire which Zxavor lived in, these surroundings were quite boring. Thinking of the contrast between the dullness of ordinary Xril architecture and his home, Zxavor nearly reminded himself of the ultrahierarchial caste system which The Great Uprising was a rebellion against - and the similar contrast that existed back then, although the pre-Uprising society distributed wealth after what lineage you were, not after your achievements.

Txaxil, on the other hand, lived most of his existence in even more spartan conditions on a military academy, and didn't pay the slightest attention to the interior of a space station looking like what he'd expect a space station to look like. The only differences from his position in pre-Uprising society and the current were that he now had a higher rank - as well as much more political influence. Before the Uprising, the Guardian Caste had little to have said in anything but military matters. Now, Txaxil was second only to Zxavor in political influence.

The three Xril passed through a several differently sized rooms before reaching one, where the most striking feature was a plethora of viewscreens. One of them immediately caught the attraction of Zxavor and Txaxil's eyes, as it not only was the largest... but also contained a view of the probe in question.

Before the launch, Zxavor didn't need to make a speech - the monarch of the Xril was so elusive-but-revered by his subjects that his mere presence excited the people around him.

As the launch procedure was almost fully automated, the Xril watching the launch didn't have to do much. All it took was the words "Probe to Xhatrr'vxoth... take off" uttered by Rxythl and the probe darted towards the artificially generated wormhole near Kvorthx.


When the probe was just a speck of light in the distance, Zxavor smiled - knowing that everything as far went as planned.

[Crazedwraith]

Great!! Nice writing.

[Peregrin Toker]

Chapter 2 - Contact

Almost a month had passed since the probe was sent to the Xhatrr'vxoth system.

As Zxavor took seat upon his strangely-shaped throne in the chamber of government, he awaited the science advisor Vyoxth to report the status of the probe.

A minute passed as Zxavor's Neuro-Telepathic Communicator implant, seemingly functioning as it should, didn't pick up any messages from Vyoxth.

The science advisor, distinguished by his almost pinkish robes and the trident-like pattern adorning his hat, almost trembled far too visibly while Zxavor's particularly customized Communicator traced a reluctance to report on status in Vyoxth's mind. With his voice rather than a telepathic message, Zxavor then asked: "Vyoxth - what is the current status of the probe, and why are you so reluctant to tell it?"

Vyoxth then uttered: "The probe stopped transmitting signals shortly after arrival on the other side."

Zxavor was shocked. He had become accustomed to everything going exactly as planned, but he quickly reminded himself that it, after all, just was a probe. No great tragedy compared to what it would have been like, if a manned spacecraft was lost.

With more discretion, he now telepathically asked Vyoxth, using his Communicator Implant: "What were the last signals sent?"

Vyoxth replied: "The last signals were transmitted in orbit around the planet Xhatrr'vxoth. The probe probably collided with an asteroid, although the AI was supposed to have prevented that." Zxavor was quite disappointed, but he had nobody to blame and only had to start again from scratch.

He ordered that an improved version of the same probe should be sent - however, to his order he added: "Don't hurry this, please."

The next day, Zxavor's advisors had more strange news. The artificially generated wormhole was still not closed, and a squadron of Jxirth-class frigates on a routine patrol near Kvorthx had picked up a very peculiar piece of debris.

It appeared much to be a space probe of some sort, it did certainly not resemble the Xril-built probe sent to Xhatrr'vxoth - in fact, it didn't resemble any of the Xhatrr Spacefleet's probes. Upon disassembly by scientists, it was found to contain a plaque made from aluminum, engraved with a plethora of bizarre symbols which didn't resemble anything they ever had seen.

Apparently it was some sort of text, as some symbols came again and again - but it did not bear even a vague resemblance to any alphabet ever used by the Xril.

The one to report these news wasn't Vyoxth, but Admiral Xvolthaxr - representative of the Xhatrr Spacefleet in the High Council. The entire Council was stunned immediately. After several centuries of searching for extra-Xhatrrial life in the universe without any results, the Xril might have finally found the answer to the eternal question... "Are we alone in the universe??"


Of course, many Xril were convinced that there was life outside the Xhatrr solar system, while others had at least considered the possibility. But now, the supporters of this hypothesis could to fact. It also reduced the need for examination of Xhatrr'vxoth, as they now knew that this planet was able to support intelligent life.

However, almost the entire government was confused. One thing was to discover alien life - another matter was to make contact with it.

Zxavor asked himself many questions: How should we be able to communicate with them?? How should we welcome them - if we should welcome them at all?? If they had contacted us deliberately, why had they contacted us?? Are they friendly or hostile??

Zxavor couldn't bear the burden of all these problems - not to mention that a wrong decision could lead to the loss of Xhatrr to alien hands in this situation - so he decided on what would seem to be a lazy solution at first eyesight, but in fact could be the most prudent.

Until somebody had deciphered the plaque picked up in the space near Kvorthx, he would have to wait for further contact by the people from Xhatrr'vxoth, as an immediate reaction could result in grave disaster. If the Xril assumed the message to be a peaceful greeting, a lack of preparedness could result in total ruin if the plaque in fact was a threat. Otherwise - if it was interpretated as a threat despite not being such, a mass hysteria could break out.


Months later, things hadn't gotten better.

Everyone still wondered what to make of the alien message.

It was, to put it bluntly, unintelligible. Maybe it was a news transmission between two planets... or between two solar systems in a vast interstellar empire.

If it indeed was an interstellar nation which had sent it, Zxavor's tiny dominion would quickly be defeated if it got itself into a war. Because of this and the previous known difficulties with communicating with the inhabitants of Xhatrr'vxoth, if communication would be possible at all, it would be much safer - and cheaper - to wait until actual contact with them.

Other than that, Zxavor - as well as all of his advisors - had wondered why the inhabitants of Xhatrr'vxoth didn't send a plaque with universal symbols of either threat or friendship, instead of all these cryptic hieroglyphics.


Regardless of what they meant, Zxavor felt slightly frustrated over the discovery of the plaque from Xhatrr'vxoth.

It had grinded his plan about interstellar dominance to a halt, since the Xhatrr Spacefleet now were preoccupied with waiting for more messages from Xhatrr'vxoth when they weren't doing routine patrol. However, one day that situation would change.

[victorhadin]

Very funky, you big shameless plugger, you.

You have a very simplistic writing style; nice and easy to understand. You place a lot of importance on rank and role in the story thus far, which could hinder characterisation later if you are not careful, though there is plenty of time for that. Do the characters have goals or preferences that do not link directly with their roles? I would quite like to find out.

It's shaping up nicely. Hopefully you can avoid making this a bog-standard space war epic and craft it into something marvelous (but, naturally, with a few space battles thrown in, *ahem*), as it fully deserves to be. I await with much anticipation.

EDIT: I should probably add some positive things since it occurs to me that I have been too negative (turning from a critique to a critic, eh?). -It is quite a nice story thus far with a clear and enticing plot progression. Keep it up.

[Peregrin Toker]

You have a very simplistic writing style; nice and easy to understand. You place a lot of importance on rank and role in the story thus far, which could hinder characterisation later if you are not careful, though there is plenty of time for that. Do the characters have goals or preferences that do not link directly with their roles? I would quite like to find out.

I've been thinking a lot about the character and plot development for the revision - more specifically:

(WARNING!! SPOILERS!!)



Zxavor will gradually change his mind about the war when it's at its climax and can't be stopped. Txaxil, finding himself at the centre of a quagmire, becomes increasingly illoyal to Zxavor because he realizes that Zxavor committed a huge error by insisting on conquering a star system that was populated. As Txaxil decides that the war's more trouble than it's worth, he vows as he will make a truce when he will find out how to communicate with the Jardra.

Xyakkath, the leader of the Xhatrr Spacefleet, on the other hand, still wholeheartedly supports the war... until he's defeated in a space battle which in turn also is a pyrrhic victory for the Jardra.

Hopefully you can avoid making this a bog-standard space war epic and craft it into something marvelous (but, naturally, with a few space battles thrown in, *ahem*), as it fully deserves to be.

From the start, I've planned to have a twist ending and also wanted to make it different from other space war epics in the following ways:

1. The war happens in a way so that the warring factions quickly regret it ever happened. (except for the Xhatrr Spacefleet until they're defeated - and the Xvarrol, who are way too brainwashed)
2. The factions cannot communicate with each other, except for one of them.

[Peregrin Toker]

Okay, I'm just here to inform that I've finally resumed revision!

[Peregrin Toker]

Chapter 3 - Beyond The Gate

Vorou star system, aboard Borava-class defense monitor Kaunarga of the Avarnam Defense Force:

A short, strong humanoid - a mere 1.5m tall but incredibly muscular - with dark tanned skin and a short but full beard, sat on a chair on the bridge of the Borava-class defense monitor Kaunarga. The decorations on the tight purple cap upon his vaguely conical skull identified him as Captain of the ship, and other markings on the hat denoted his name - Karvol.

At various computer terminals on the same bridge similar beings in orange-red uniforms sat and were fully occupied with managing the ship's main functions. They all belonged to the Jardra - a species whose home were Avarnam, a planet orbiting the star Vorou even though the Jardra were so markedly different from the rest of Avarnam's fauna that biologists had searched for a possible evolutionary ago in vain. Centuries ago, the Jardra had settled other planets in the Vorou system. Planetwide government was widespread - the only exception being the moons of the gas-giant Sarkai, who lacked a common government and in effect were a stateless society but nonetheless all used the same currency and the moons of Taurash - another gas giant - which were embroiled in a vicious civil war.

A wormhole had recently appeared near Avarnam for no apparent reason, and shortly after a space station orbiting the planet picked up two strange space probes which probably came from the alien solar system connected to Avarnam by this wormhole. They both contained advanced technology obviously on par with that of the Jardra, although none of the other Jardra planetary nations had reported similar wormholes - nor had the Planetary Commonwealth of Avarnam's

A Jardra-made probe - with a message of friendship included - had been sent through the wormhole as a response. Until whomever built the first probe responded, no ship was allowed to enter the
wormhole. The Kaunarga continued approached the wormhole along with the rest of the task force fleet assigned to guard the wormhole and assure that nobody would enter the wormhole.

As the ships approached the coordinates where it should stop advancing, they stopped their rear engines and activated their retrotrusters to decelerate.

The androgynous voice of the Kaunarga's Engine-Control System reported that the deceleration was complete. (author's note: an Artificial Intelligence in charge of an Avarnam vessel's engineering)

All the crew and officers believed their wormhole-guiding assignment would only be contemporary, as the task would be rather tedious - in fact, Cpt. Korval expected the government or a private contractor to build an armed space station to guard the wormhole instead of this flotilla.



meanwhile...
Xhatrr system, aboard smuggler ship Xzyth of the Thzax Autonomy:

The Xzyth was originally a Vzarh-class light freighter in service of the Xhatrr Dominion authorities. But then it was seized by the Autonomy Of Thzax, the most distant planet in the Xril home system where the Xhatrr Dominion authorities were overthrown by a group of rebels managing to hack the planet's Neuro-Telepathic Network and seize control of it. After being converted into a smuggling vessel by replacing some of the cargo bays with antimatter reactors in order to power the various laser batteries fitted to the ship - as well as the modified engines - it became one among many in the Thzax Autonomy's smuggler fleet and now ferried supplies to Xril on other worlds who rebelled against the current, oppressive system.

The ship raced towards its destination, Xhatrr's smaller moon Lryxt, pursued by a squad from Kxal-class corvettes which hunted the Xzyth like a pack of ferocious predators stalking their prey.

Aboard the bridge of the smuggler ship, the navigator - an elderly female Xril clad wearing loose-fitting red clothes and a garish hat - asked the confused captain: "'vettes closing in!"

The Xzyth's captain then ordered: "Activate targeter jammers!!"

As a pair of Nzilx-class patrol ships approached from near a military space station orbiting Kvorthx, they fired their dorsal laser batteries at the pirate ship before the Xzyth's jammers could be activated. A rain of 36 laser beams were sent towards the Xzyth - hitting either the smuggler ship itself or the armed shuttles escorting it.

It was a desperate situation, requiring desperate measures and desperate solutions. The Xzyth was not equipped for taking on so many ships at once.

If it attempted to hold its own against the Nzilx-class defense ships as well as the corvettes, it would quickly be destroyed by a hailstorm of searing laser beams, as the two patrol ships' first volley had disabled the Xzyth's targeter jammers.

The captain of the Xzyth ordered the red-garbed navigator to set course for the wormhole. It might have seemed an unsafe option, but the alternative would be certain death.

Besides, the crew of the corvettes and patrol ships would have to defy orders if they didn't give up following the Xzyth through the wormhole.

The navigator of the Xzyth wasn't too impressed with the order, but as she set coordinates for the wormhole, following words left her lips: "Well, it's the only way out..."


Xhatrr system, aboard Nzilx-class enforcer Kraxxark of the Xhatrr Spacefleet:[/b]

On board one of the Nzilx-class patrol ships, one of the officers on the bridge reported: "Sir, pirates entering wormhole, sir!"

The captain answered: "They won't stay there forever. We'll wait for them to return, and then capture them." Then, the captain ordered the ship's Communications Officer Xath, open up communications to all other Xhatrr Spacefleet ships pursuing the pirate ship!"[/i]

A few seconds after, the computer screen next to the captain's chair reported: "Communications open!"

The captain spoke with his head pointed towards the telescreen: "Defense ship [/]XVC Jxur, dock with Kvorthx'Xzarash. Corvettes, resume routine duties." It could be heard in the captain's voice that he was slightly aggravated that the smugglers had escaped. The Xhatrr Dominion government's iron grip had been loosening lately, and this Thzax Autonomy and their allies were not only to blame - but the very existence of the Thzax Autonomy revealed that the Neuro-Telepathic network suffered from grievous security errors.

However, the hoary and battle-tempered captain quickly muttered with a grin on his lips: "They can't get help from aliens they can't even communicate with - and it won't be a long time before they need to return. Since the wormhole will be blockaded soon, we'll crush them."


aboard smuggler ship Xzyth of the Thzax Autonomy:


On board the Xzyth, the crew sighed in relief as the their ship ventured through the wormhole, knowing that the patrol ships had stopped pursuit and assuming that they soon were safe.
However, when they found themselves in another solar system, what met them was a sight they did not expect.

[LT.Hit-Man]

Ohhh I like this, I like the way you have played up the two races and there reatcions to the limited conctact with thye other race on the other side of the worm hole, all in all I'll be keeping an eye on this fic

[Crazedwraith]

Good chapter

[Peregrin Toker]

BTW - I have some more interesting points to bring up:

1. Today, I find a lanky physique to be somewhat of a turn-off in women. (as do many others) But until recently, it was more of a mere preference - I actually feared sexual attraction to human females with such an appearance. (this aversion took the form of some sort of voice inside me which screamed "What am I doing?" each time I developed positive feelings for a lank M.O.O.S.) Maybe this phobia subconsciously caused me to make the gangling Xril the aggressor species in my space opera epic? (to be honest - I think this is a coincidence, since the premise behind the Xril is that they are physically frail but quite militaristic. On the other hand, as far as coincidences come this one is certainly remarkable)

2. I've also found out that one of the people responsible for the "Freemasons worship the devil" myth was called Leo Taxil. Only one letter away from being the name-brother of Txaxil, the supreme commander of the Xhatrr Dominion's ground-based armies. (take note that the single additional X make the name much more unpronounceable.)

[Peregrin Toker]

Chapter 4 - A Prelude To The Destruction


Vorou star system, aboard Borava-class defense monitor Kaunarga of the Avarnam Defense Force:
The stocky Jardra crewmen of the Kaunarga were awed when the sensors department reported an unidentified object exiting the wormhole. All the bridge crew heard the soon-comming bulletin from the defense monitor Taudarr, a Borava-class which served as a flagship for Admiral Shardoka, the officer in charge of the wormhole blockade.

All which they knew at this distance was that the object's emissions indicated that it certainly was no product of nature. Shortly after, the crew of the Kaunarga heard Shardoka's voice yet again over the communications line: "Taudarr to blockade fleet. Launching sensor drone to investigate."

After the sensor drone returned to the Taudarr's docking bay, it sent a 3D image of the object to the main computer of each of the other defense monitors.

The voice of the Kaunarga's central computer told that a scan of the object had been transmitted to the database. Karvol replied: "Computer, display data on screen three."

A 3D-rendered wireframe model of an alien spacecraft appeared on one of the many viewscreens on the bridge, while the computer's same androgynous voice reported: "This alien craft measures roughly 320 metres from prow to stern. The sensor drone has found signs of life aboard the ship as well as traces of several matter-antimatter reactors and nuclear fusion reactors. It appears to be damaged."

The shape which appeared on the viewscreen resembled no ship ever seen by the captain.

It was as angular as any ship, but unlike the ships of the Avarnam Defense Force which used to look like spaceborne fortresses, this ship was different. It was wide, yes, but it was much more elongated than an Avarnam-built ship.

The basical shape of the ship was a long rectangular box, with a prow section which was shaped vaguely like cross between an arrowhead a tetrahedron. On the top of the main hull were a long dorsal line of turrets. Behind the last dorsal turret was a bunker-shaped module which probably was the bridge. Given that most of the life signs came from this tower-like bridge as well as the tetrahedron-shaped module, Karvol assumed these to be the command centres of the ship while the rest of the ship was largely automated. Given that some of the ships of the Shaikarsite Jardra also has their command sections in the prow, it was not unlikely that it applied to this ship as well. All of the signals implying antimatter reaction and nuclear fusion activity came from the far end of the ship where the pointed, arrowhead-like prow wasn't - leaving no doubt about the location of the ship's propulsion systems.

Shortly after came this stunning revelation came another order from the Taudarr, this time to find the radar frequencies of the alien ship.


Vorou star system, aboard the smuggler ship Xzyth of the Thzax Autonomy:

After the Xzyth went through the wormhole, the excitement of its crew quickly turned to panic as sensors informed them that a small shuttle-sized vessel clearly equipped with sensors had approached only to make a 180-degree turn and go back to where it came from... and the long-range sensors clearly told the Xzyth's crew that not too many kilometres away, sixty unidentified objects - all of similar size - were lined up in a complex formation to intercept anything passing through the wormhole. The panicked captain said stoically yet fearfully: "I hope they won't hurt us."

Suddenly, on the ship's communications vidscreen - which used to display black screen - the Xril saw the crew of one of the alien ships. Their crew - which presumably were of the same species that built them - bore a vague resemblance to Xril, but the resemblance was barely there.

In stark contrast to the tall and hairless Xril, these creatures were short, stunted and hairy. Their short bodies were clothed by orange uniforms, but evidently so muscular that they seemed grotesque to the comparatively lanky Xril. However, the most remarkable aspect of them was that their basic facial features were almost exactly as those of the Xril. Though their skin was darker, their skulls wider and their ears rounder - they bore a greater resemblance to the Xril than any of the lifeforms upon Xhatrr did, with the exception of the long-extinct prehistoric people whom the Xril evolved from.

One of them, apparently the commander, wore a strange conical purple cap as part of his uniform.

The increasingly worried captain of the Xzyth observed the alien beings talk to each other in a language unlike anything he had heard yet, and then the transmission suddenly stopped.

The communication screen displayed nothing.

Nothing.


Xhatrr System, Xhatrr Spacefleet Base Kvorthx'Xzarash

Captain Kyurloth of the Kraxxark, one of the Nzilx-class patrol ships which pursued the Xzyth walked through the dimly illuminated corridors of Kvorth'Xzarash before entering the quarters of Admiral Kyaxra.

One of the oldest Admirals in the Xhatrr Spacefleet, Admiral Kyaxra was also one of its most eccentric officers, and always attempted to appear as intimidating as possible. It didn't help that he was unnaturally pale and had eerily bulging eyes.

Kyurloth reported with "thoughtspeak" sent with his Neuro-Telepathic Communicator: "Sir, two enforcer ships - the Kraxxark and its sister ship Jxur - along with the 12th Corvette Squadron were chasing a smuggler ship. It fled into the wormhole, which is forbidden territory without permission to enter. We resumed routine patrol duties, sir."

The brooding Kyaxra, clad in his midnight-blue Admiral's uniform, complete with shoulder pads and an elaborate black hat adorned with spiral-like gold patterns, stared into the captain's eyes and said threateningly: "Fool! Have you read the full text of the Wormhole Directive?"

Since Kyaxra obviously seemed exceptionally irritable, Kyurloth decided to ask about the Wormhole Directive using his voice rather than the Neuro-Telepathic Communicator - a preference for communication which Kyaxra held: "Admiral, exactly what does the Wormhole Directive say about this?"

Kyaxra seemed to cool down as he spoke: "Well, thing is, Kyurloth... the Wormhole Directive says that if a Xhatrr Spacefleet ship is pursuing an enemy vessel out of the wormhole, the officer in charge of the operation has automatic permission to pursue through the wormhole as long as he returns immediately after the threat is disposed with. You weren't required to pursue through the wormhole... but since you apparently haven't "read your homework" I'm afraid you and the Kraxxark's second-in-command will have to switch duties, since I assume she knows the full text of the Wormhole Directive. In the meantime, you can philosophize over an old proverb."

Confused, embarrased and slightly intimidated, the captain asked: "Sir, which proverb, sir??

His voice turning more threatening in tone than before, Kyaxra exclaimed: "The ends justify the means.... the ends always justify the means."

As the captain was temporarily demoted to Lieutenant Commander and his second-in-command took command over the Kraxxark, several Jxirth-class frigates and a few Kvarx-class destroyers were sent to form a blockade formation along with several corvette squadrons. As well as that, a pair of frigates and a Xuln-class heavy cruiser were sent into the wormhole in order to resume pursuit of the Xzyth.


Vorou Star System, aboard Borava-class defense monitor Kaunarga of the Avarnam Defense Force: [/i][/b]

Karvol watched as the sensors detected something else coming in from the wormhole... and he had the feeling it was not going to be something pleasant.

Admiral Shardoka seemed to agree, as the Taudarr launched the sensor drone yet another time to investigate.

The crew of the Kaunarga and the other defense monitors guarding the wormhole were stunned as they saw the sensor signature of the alien vessel emerging from the wormhole. It was similar in structure and general shape to the armed freighter which still drifted between the wormhole and the Jardra ships blocking it, but it was much larger.

Its length was a little over a half kilometre. It had the same basic layout as the other alien ship, but as it approached, the sensor drone transmitted a scan of its appearance - revealing that it vaguely resembled the first alien ship in size, but was much more bulky in design. It apparently didn't have as many docking bays and it was quite heavily armed - aside from lines of small turrets similar to the first ship's were on each side a sponson-like structure which mounted a huge turret with a barrel exceeding 100 metres in length.

If there wasn't something wrong with the sensors, there were little cargo space aboard the ship - indicating that this was, of all, a warship. The whole crew of the Kaunarga was frightened.

One similar ship also entered the Vorou star system from the wormhole, but the fear overwhelming the Avarnam Defense Force monitors' crew was eclipsed by their reaction when an even bigger ship now entered.

The large ship was over a kilometre long. On each side it had a structure with two of the gargantuan turrets also sported by the smaller warships, mounted over-and under. It was also armed with six dorsal and six keel-mounted turrets. In shape it resembled the others but was much more rectangular than the others primarly due to the fact that the prow section was shaped vaguely like a slightly rounded box rather than a tetrahedral arrowhead.

Cpt. Karvol was almost tempted to see these incoming warships as invaders, but he still gave the idea of peaceful coexistence a second thought, even though it would not be certain that communication would be possible at all. But the last thing he wanted was a misunderstanding resulting in a war against an alien civilization possessing kilometre-long ships which seemed the equivalent of Avarnam's own Kalshaksa-class heavy cruisers.

The sensors now told them something interesting - the small ship which arrived yesterday activated its engines. According to the sensors, it blazed away while changing its course as if its captain was very eager to escape the two larger ships.

Only two seconds after the small alien ship activated its propulsion systems, the larger ones fired at it.

The dorsal and keel-mounted laser turrets of the warships cut through the small ship, while the enormous side-mounted guns didn't fire until the ships were very close... but when they finally fired, four particle beams sliced through the small ship, penetrating reinforced strong metallic alloys with no difficulty and leaving the target ship a derelict piece of drifting space debris.

Karvol was amazed at how powerful these weapons were. They were obviously particle weapons, similar to those the Planetary Commonwealth Of Avarnam had experimented with recently.

Admiral Shardoka's recognizable voice was again heard: "Command to blockade fleet. Do not attack the alien ships - repeat: DO NOT ATTACK THE ALIEN SHIPS!"

Neither he did not want war with these aliens.

The Jardra were confused. Because of this wormhole, they were now involved in some war between beings they couldn't understand. At least not yet. The vidscreen had displayed a short glimpse of them when they previously attempted to start communication with them. They were surprisingly similar to the Jardra, yet very different. On average they were at least half a metre taller than a Jardra, but had only two-thirds the musculature at best - though their gangling appearance seemed to be caused by their natural build rather than disease. Their skin was very pale and - most strangely - their facial features were the same of the Jardra, though the general shape of their heads was much narrower. They also seemed to lack any hair, and their ears were awkwardly pointy.

Their language, however, was the most bizarre - what they had managed to catch on the vidscreen logs of the aliens speaking were something which sounded like a random mixture of hard consonants, lisps and sharp syllables.

Cpt. Karvol also noted that the warships displayed a symbol the smaller ship didn't display.

The identification symbol on the small ship was some purple claw-like marking, while the alien warships had a black and white symbol which looked like a cross between a spanner and a pair of antlers, which a sphere between the "antlers".

Shortly after having annihilated the small ship, the alien ships appeared to activate their retrothrusters and set course towards the wormhole again.

The menacing alien warships went back into the wormhole almost as soon as they had appeared.

Karvol did not know what to do.... but if most of the alien warships were as powerful as the ones which recently went into the Vorou system to destroy the equally enigmatic small ship bearing the symbol of the purple claw, he certainly hope they were friendly.

However, deep inside Karvol felt humiliated and provoked by the aliens' apparent lack of qualms about trespassing in the Vorou system just to eliminate what appeared to be a mere refugee ship. The captain also hoped sincerely that a larger military presence would soon be assigned to guard the wormhole. Preferably some Kalshaksa-class cruisers to augment the small defense monitors...

And one thing would be for sure - If they're going to attack us, they better expect maximum resistance...



Vorou Star System, aboard Xuln-class Heavy Cruiser Xlithru of the Xhatrr Spacefleet

Commodore Xytharxk was still nervous - after all, for the first time in his life he saw alien spaceships with his own eyes and might have been one of the first Xril ever to do so - but his short-term worries were now fewer as the smuggler vessel was eliminated. He regretted to an extent that it was too heavily damaged to be salvaged, as a recovery of the ship could result in more information about the smugglers', but in any case the mission was soon completed.

Xytharxk told the captains of his taskforce: "Don't attack alien ships - repeat: Do not attack anything 'xcept smugglers."

All of the alien ships were quite small, and at first they appeared extraordinarily passive. But there were so many of them that the Xlithru and its escorts would be better off escaping in damaged condition than fighting the aliens and risking their lives - as well as one of the oldest, most honoured and revered heavy cruisers in the Xhatrr Spacefleet. Many of the Xuln-class were built back in the times of the Great Uprising, and some had the status of relics.

However, as the three Xhatrr Spacefleet warships returned to the Xhatrr system, his fears vanished. In fact, to Xytharxk it appeared as though the aliens were more confused than aggravated.

Even though the Xril ships had fired laser and particle beams in the alien solar system, whoever lived there appeared either awestruck or indifferent.

As the lumbering heavy cruiser left the alien solar system, Xytharxk said to himself: "Those alien ships didn't appear much of a threat... the conquest will be easy."

[Shroom Man 777]

Friggin sweet! Cool to see two alien races see each other, both unable to communicate to one another and both being totally ignorant of how the other operates.

Are the Jarda humans?

[Peregrin Toker]

Are the Jarda humans?

I could give you the answer to this question, but that would be a COLOSSAL spoiler.

[Crazedwraith]

Friggin sweet! Cool to see two alien races see each other, both unable to communicate to one another and both being totally ignorant of how the other operates.

Are the Jarda humans?

If the orginal version is to be beleived... both are humans.

[Shroom Man 777]

Thanks for spoiling the story for me, asshole.

(just kidding, lol)

Funky! Is that true, Peregine? Fancy, I wonder how that ended up as that! Probably with an ingenius plot twist! Work man! I wanna see this ingenius plot twist!

[Peregrin Toker]

Funky! Is that true, Peregine? Fancy, I wonder how that ended up as that! Probably with an ingenius plot twist! Work man! I wanna see this ingenius plot twist!

Well, I'll send you a PM on the subject. However, I'm not giving away the plot twist.

[Peregrin Toker]

Chapter 5 - The Invasion Begins


Planet Xhatrr, the Chamber of the High Council in the Spire of The Government

Supreme Potentate Zxavor brooded upon his bizarrely-shaped throne in the Chamber of the High Council, contemplating what to do. The Xlithru and its escorts had discovered that all alien ships found yet were small defense monitors which were slow but heavily armed for their size... but if these were the average enemy ships, there was no doubt.

The expansion seemed easy and the conquest should be done. But how?

Admiral Xvolthaxr, another member of the High Council, signalling that he had finally lost his patience.

Startled, Zxavor pressed a button upon his throne's armrest - causing the throne of darkest metal to turn clockwise, now facing the rest of the High Council.

The apparently slightly aggravated Supreme Potentate raised his sceptre and pointed it towards Xvolthaxr as following words left his mind:

"What does your patience matter? I command unquestionable authority in this solar system. I am all but all-powerful. As for the expansion plan... We'll conquer the system as quickly as possible. This means that the conquest warfleet should be as big as possible, and that most of the ships currently on patrol will be re-transferred to the conquest fleet."

Another advisor asked: "But I thought that the threat of the Thzax Autonomy required a full fleet presence."

Slightly worried by the fact that one of his most trusted advisors would question him that much, Zxavor was quick to reply neuro-telepathically: "Well, let's hear what Exalted Fleet-Lord Xyakkath has to say about that."

Exalted Fleet-Lord Xyakkath, supreme leader of the Xhatrr Spacefleet, was present this meeting due to the importance of the situation. He had commanded the current incarnation of the Xhatrr Spacefleet ever since its re-inception following the Great Uprising.

Xyakkath commented Zxavor by sending a message to everyone present with his Neuro-Telepathic Communicator: "According to intelligence, the Thzax Autonomy does not have any warships bigger than a Nzilx-class enforcer. They did once attempt to capture a frigate, though. It won't make a security difference if 70% or even 80-90% of the Xhatrr Spacefleet's capital ships are used."

The science advisor Vyoxth considered asking why the overpopulation had to be solved in such a violent and expansionist manner, but he refused to as he knew he couldn't stop the war. Not even a silent sigh showed his pessimism.

Meanwhile, Zxavor smiled wickedly. In his mind, this expansion was necessary to increase his already absolute power and it was aggravating that it had been delayed for months. Now, he was convinced that only insignificant 300-metre defense ships stood in his way. He confirmed the decision to invade Xhatrr'vxoth with four words: "Let the conquest begin."


Three days later, Xhatrr Solar System, Military Space Station Kvorthx'Xzarash:

A vast armada was gathered under the command of Exalted Fleet-Lord Xyakkath, most of the lesser Fleet-Lords and Admiral Xvolthaxr.

Numbering dozens of cruisers and battlecruisers, over seventy frigates and destroyers and a swarm of corvettes, it was the most awe-inspiring sight. At the core of it all were three humongous Battleships - the Aulx and its sister ships Zxolrr and Klaxr.

The Aulx-class, named after a mythological god of war, were the largest warships ever built by the Xril. Each of them over a mile in length and having a primary armament of 120 heavy lasers and four particle accelerators, they were built to replace the Xuln-class as the heaviest ships of the Xhatrr Spacefleet. However, as they were found to be notoriously expensive to maintain, only three were built.

Now, they were command ships of the conquest task force and spearheads of the invasion. The term "spearheads" was indeed appropiate, since the prow-mounted command module had a rather pointed and elongated shape - from a side view appearing almost perfectly triangular. The main hulls of the Aulx-class were elongated and box-shaped, tapering towards this prow command section. It was the same basic shape as the Xyrroth-class cruiser, but much larger.

Aboard the Aulx itself, first of the line and pride of the Xhatrr Spacefleet, Exalted Fleet-Lord Xyakkath sat in his Admiral's Chair while beholding the ships maneuvring into formations - ranging from the smallest corvette to enormous cruisers exceeding a kilometre in length each. They were organized into three fleets, each under a Fleet-Lord. In turn, the Exalted Fleet-Lord held supreme command over the operation. (author's note: A Fleet-Lord/Fleet-Lady is an Admiral of the Xhatrr Spacefleet who holds significant political influence)

Over the communications screen, Fleet-Lady Rathyrzakr reported from her flagship, the Aulx-class battleship Zxolrr, that all ships under her command had moved into their assigned formation before voyaging towards the wormhole.

As Rathyrzakr was the last of the Fleet-Lords who reported so, Xyakkath ordered his communications officer to open up communications to all command ships in the formation. Over the communications network to the other commandships, Exalted Fleet-Lord Xyakkath ordered the lesser Fleet-Lords and Admirals to let their sub-fleets set course for the wormhole and set their drives on maximum thrust.

Combined, the Xhatrr Spacefleet were over a hundred leviathans of laserproofed steel-alloys... together weighing billions of tons... powered forwards by by antimatter and nuclear fusion... armed with particle accelerators and lasers... United with one purpose, to conquer a world far beyond. The vast armada approached the wormhole - ready to unleash fiery death upon the defenders of a distant planet.

[Shroom Man 777]

Fantastic. My only complain is the shortness of the chapter. You should make em longer, dude! Hmmm... it'd be good to have some more dialogue, hope to see more dialogue in the combat, with the screaming and the cursing and the ordering. So far, it's been mostly subtle talk, more of political stuff and all that. But now, I wanna see real action. Plus, this stuff is going to be a massivle fleet engagement! I'm expecting a lot from the next chapter, you better make it long and elephantastic!

[Peregrin Toker]

But now, I wanna see real action. Plus, this stuff is going to be a massivle fleet engagement!

And so will you... Chapter 6 is the first part of a massive space battle, and it's going to be heavily revised from the original. (from Chapter 8 and onwards, IIRC, the rest of the story will be heavily different from the original)

You are indeed doing a wise decision in expecting so much.

[Shroom Man 777]

But now, I wanna see real action. Plus, this stuff is going to be a massivle fleet engagement!

And so will you... Chapter 6 is the first part of a massive space battle, and it's going to be heavily revised from the original. (from Chapter 8 and onwards, IIRC, the rest of the story will be heavily different from the original)

You are indeed doing a wise decision in expecting so much.

Wow! Sounds extremely fun! Make sure it's long, okay? Make it long since your latest chapter is quite short. I want it long and bloody! Bloodily long!

I made a wise decision? Cool. .....*says with a blank look* I'm intelligent.

Now it's time to see what you are really made off.

[Peregrin Toker]

Chapter 6 - Through The Flames Of Battle, Unto The Anvil Of War!

Vorou Solar System, Kalshaksa-class Heavy Cruiser Vursharjin of the Avarnam Defense Force

Admiral Shardoka watched the invaders approach. He now knew who they were. The remnants of destroyed alien ship was salvaged and taken to an state-of-the-art Avarnam Defense Force orbital military base and stored in its eighteenth docking bay. The ship had been reduced by the larger alien ships to little more than pieces of drifting metallic debris. Amazingly enough, its prow bridge was largely intact, due to the fact that it was the only section of the ship not mauled by neutral-particle beam fire. Eight dead crewmembers were found, all dead from lack of oxygen.

They were dressed casually rather than in uniforms, though that was not the most disturbing aspect about these aliens. It was their resemblance to the Jardra.

They not only had the same basic anatomy, upon autopsy it was revealed that they also had exactly the same internal organs as the Jardra. They were even a species of two genders - male and female, exactly like the Jardra! The genitals of the male aliens were exactly the same as those of male Jardra, and so did those of the female aliens resemble those of female Jardra.

In fact, the only way these aliens were different from us were their build, complexion and lack of hair. Whereas male Jardra on average were 155-170 cm tall and weighed 120-140 kgs - the average male alien was 200-210 cm tall and had a weight of 60-70 kgs. However, it was clear from the autopsy that the aliens' thin physique was neither the result of disease nor malnutrition as some of them were as muscular as their skeletons allowed them to. The most likely explanation of their appearance was that they probably had evolved on a planet with significantly lower gravity than Avarnam. Their elongated, narrow faces were much like those of Jardra though they had extraordinarily pronounced jaws, oddly sloping foreheads, pointed ears and skulls which were a foot long from chin to the back of the head. Their skin was remarkably pale, and the differences in physique between males and females were fewer than those between male Jardra and female Jardra.

Notable was also the amount of cybernetic implants they each had. In fact, one research engineer, named Arkrai, had analyzed the cerebral cybernetic implants from one of the aliens and found out that it somehow could be connected to some of the neuro-cybernetic implants, some sort of information-carrying computer chips, in his own brain. Amazingly enough, he had surgery done to add the alien computer chips to the myriad of neuro-cybernetics implanted into his own brain.

This unlocked to Arkrai a cornucopia of information about the alien race, as well as knowledge of their language.

According to the scientist, the alien species called themselves a word which Arkrai could best pronounce as "Kh-Sriil". Their entire solar system was united under one leader, unlike the Jardra system of Vorou which was divided into six factions. The home system of the Kh-Sriil was suffering from overpopulation and their leader, a dictator whose name Arkrai could best reproduce as Tss-K'Savor, funded the artificial generation of a wormhole with the purpose of sending a huge invasion fleet through the wormhole in order to conquer Avarnam.

The small ship belonged to a faction called the Thzax Autonomy, a secessionist movement which remarkably enough had threwn one Kh-Sriil planet into a state of civil war. The planet, the Thzax which the Autonomy had taken name after, was a sparsely-populated mining world at the edge of the Kh-Sriil's home system. This rebellion was enabled by hacking the planet's local Mind-Grid, a system composed of an network connecting neural communicator implants in its citizens as well asvarious AIs... some of which had the deliberate purpose of mindcontrol. The Kh-Sriil home system had twelve planets which circled around a star whose name Arkrai pronounced as Kh-Shol-neh-ra. However, he had become increasingly eccentric ever since the implantation. Nonetheless, he now served as the Planetary Commonwealth Of Avarnam's primary expert on the Kh-Sriil.

As a result of his warnings, all of the Avarnam Defense Force's ships were gathered near the wormhole to beat back the Kh-Sriil ships.

Shardoka resumed thinking about what was happening now - the battle for Avarnam, which had already begun. Ever since the alien probe was picked up, people had been hoping the best and fearing the worst. Particularly interesting were the various religious movements' response to them. Some had, almost as soon as the Kh-Sriil probe was found, announced in bliss that the Jardra species would soon be elevated from its current "state of misery" (or something like that) by angelic saviours from the stars. Others, particularly the controversial doomsday cult known as the Temple of Vaishkathu, did nothing less than announce that the end was nigh and that a bloodthirsty horde of steel-winged demon-beasts would arrive from a hellish dimension beyond time and beyond space to wreak untold havoc and carnage upon the Jardra, leaving nothing but disease and desolation in their wake.

As much as both Shardoka and Arkrai detested the inane rantings of the Vaishkathu Templars... neither could deny that there was a kernel of truth to their final prophecy. The Kh-Sriil might not have been the terrifying demons spoken of by the Templars, but nonetheless invaders from outer space.

The sensor-management crew aboard the Vurshajin reported that they had picked up information on the alien ships. There were over a hundred ships between the size of a Voudr-class Frigate and a Sikoushra-class light cruiser - they apparently made up the majority of the fleet. Over 200 corvettes were also registered by the radar systems of the Vurshajin. However, the core of the invasion fleet were enormous ships similar to the one which destroyed the smuggler vessel. Each were over one kilometre in length, and there were over twenty of them. Three of them were particularly gigantic - their prow modules were wickedly pointed, like a spearhead. According to Arkrai, they were called the Aulx-class after a mythological god of war and storms. They served simultaneously as battleships and carriers, as each had docking facilities for three corvettes and several fighter squadrons. These were by far the biggest spaceships he had ever heard of, save for the proposed Takadra-class "Stronghold Ships" which the Planetary Commonwealth of Avarnam once thought of constructing back in the days the moons of Taurash hadn't fallen into civil war. Even though they quickly dropped the plans for the Takadra due to financial concerns, Shardoka remembered it. A Takadra would be roughly 1700 metres in length if completed - only a little shorter than Arkrai's estimate of the Aulx-class' length. The Takadra design had 30 multi-beam laser turrets in total, one ship of this class being able to fire 96 beams at once. In comparison, an Aulx - of roughly same length but seemingly smaller volume - twenty laser turrets, each firing six beams for a total of 120 laser beams. But these were not its only weaponry.

Arkrai himself that told Shardoka that each of the Kh-Sriil invaders' capital ships had at least two particle accelerator turrets. While one weapons company based on the United Moons of Sarkai, a Jardra planetary nation known as the very definition of a "minimal state", had experimented with particle-acceleration weapons some eight years ago, no Jardra-built warship armed with particle accelerators was yet known by the Avarnam Military Intelligence. Meanwhile, the Kh-Sriil had developed particle accelerator weapons to the extent that all of their ships above frigate size was armed with these weapons. Though particle accelerators lacked the long range of lasers, Shardoka had any reason to fear a ranged weapon which could cut through ten meters of steel as if it was thin air. Aulx-class battleships had four of these, two starboard-mounted and two port-mounted. Though only three existed, the very thought of facing them would send cold shivers down the spine of all but the most suicidal officers of the Avarnam Defense Force.

Shardoka did not count on winning this battle, but he was determined on doing his best as he was one of those naval officers who would rather die in a blaze of glory than to fade away into obscurity.

Quickly, the communications officer of the Vurshajin reported orders from First Admiral Tukajra and his flagship, a modified heavy cruiser called the Jarshkai.

Tukajra's orders were as following: "Flagship to fleet: Assume anvil tactics. Admirals Shardoka and Vornash, concentrate fire on capships. Admirals Terkau and Darosh, concentrate fire on escorts. Admirals Gneshra, Sarsha and Jashor - intercept incoming enemies."

Everybody knew what it meant. Anvil tactics meant firing at designated targets as soon as possible and generally not moving unless necessary - each fleet thus forming an anvil. Three of the admirals should apparently let their fleets form some sort of frontline defense with the only purpose of slowing down the advancing enemy. They might not survive, but their sacrifice would be worth it.

While he over the viewscreen saw Gneshra, Sarsha and Jashor's fleets advance further, Shardoka hoped that he would not fight in vain.


Vorou Solar System, Command Battleship Aulx of the Xhatrr Spacefleet

This was the Aulx's baptism of fire. It had patrolled the Xhatrr solar system for 20 years, doing little more than intimidating the Thzax Autonomy into limiting their activities to the movement's namesake, a strategically insignificant planet with a remarkably thin population. The Aulx-class was specifically built for this purpose - no wonder it was named after a god of war whose priests preached with bloodied sword and burning torch rather than with speech. Exalted Fleet-Lord Xyakkath clicked on a button on his Admiral's Chair, which then turned 180 degrees so the Exalted Fleet-Lord could gaze upon the golden plaque attached to the wall in the bridge.

"There Is No Defeat, There Is Victory."

As he read that saying, his personal motto, he said to himself: "I hope this is true this time as well."

He was urged to turn around the Admiral's chair once again as a sensors-operating crewmember reported: "Sir, 26 alien ships are advancing towards us, sir."

Xyakkath ordered a scan of the ships. Several 3D wireframe models appeared on viewscreens, each representing an alien shiptype. The basic structure of the alien ships was a rectangular box, with a large bunker-shaped building on the part of dorsal section and swivelling turrets mounted over-and-under fashion on box-shaped extensions on the sides of the hull. These weren't the only weapons of the ship, as turrets also were mounted in dorsal lines like on Xril ships and near the large bunker-like tower on the rear dorsal section. In general, they were more stocky and rugged-looking than Xril-built craft - in fact, in some aspect they seemed like spaceborne fortresses to him.

The largest of the ships were roughly the size of a Txarr-class carrier of the Xhatrr Spacefleet - not near as long, but slightly more massive. However, most of the ships advancing towards the Xhatrr invasion force were between 300 and 600m long.

The Exalted Fleetlord ordered the destroyers escorting the Aulx, as well as the fleet of Admiral Xvolthaxr, to attack the advancing enemy fleet as soon as possible.

After he opened up the communications to the destroyers and Xvolthaxr's command fleet to tell them his orders, he commented to himself: "It's time to see whether the Aulx truly is like its namesake."

And indeed a whirlwind of destruction it was. Targeters locked upon the alien ships, followed immediately by hundreds of laser beams raining down upon their targets. The aliens were remarkably quick to return fire - less than a second after Xril lasers had hit them, the Aulx' own defense systems reported hundreds of laser beams hitting it in return. Xyakkath guessed that the alien ships' targeters were already locked upon the Xril ships but for some reason waited to open fire.

After the Xril ships fired a second volley, they were met by yet another torrent of searing laser-fire. The armoured prow of the Aulx was hit too - most of the beams were deflected by the laserproofing compound layer incorporated into the outer hull, but four beams were dangerously close to hitting one of the laser turrets on the lower side of the prow.

Third volley. On the viewscreen, Xyakkath saw that while some of the alien ships were accelerating towards the Xril armada, the majority stayed in a defensive formation many kilometres behind - firing upon those Xril ships not hammering the intercepting subfleets. Clearly, the aliens had at least a basic grasp of naval tactics.

Meanwhile, Xril and alien ships fired hundreds of laser beams at each other, almost simultaneously. Although the state of the alien ships was uncertain, the Xril ships were starting to take damage. The Xykrim, a Xyrroth-class cruiser, already reported that its starboard particle-beam turret was unoperational.

The communications officer of the Aulx reported that they already had lost contact to the Tzyrsh, one of the Kvarx-class destroyers escorting the Aulx. Further scans indicated that the ship soon was crippled. This war had already yielded its first casualties.

A slight feeling of panic was about to strike the crew of the Aulx, but was halted by the ship's local Neuro-Telepathic network, which immediately sent a wave of panic-suppression through the Communicator Implants of everyone aboard, except for the highest-ranking officers.

Xyakkath knew that although the Xril outnumbered the aliens, he had to expect this. With a desire to destroy growing inside him, he ordered the AI gunning the Aulx' particle accelerators: "Charge up the P.A.s"

Shortly after, he saw on the sensor viewscreen that a squadron of 300m-long alien warships approached one of the Aulx' destroyer escorts. They were only a kilometre out of the particle accelerators' range.

Xyakkath wanted to make sure that his flagship would get the first Particle Accelerator kill, as he not only had been desperate to finally see it in other action than patrolling and excercises... but also because he, from his first day he commanded a warship under the Great Uprising, had grown to regard naval tactics as a hunter would view his sport. It was a mindset which could only be found in the Spacefleet, where most military casualties were hardware rather than people. It became even weirder considering that some of Xyakkath's neural implants had the direct purpose of "streamlining" his psyche in order to make him a better military commander... and the difference in behaviour noted by his acquiantances was rather small.

Cybernetics or not, Xyakkath had lived for the "hunting" of enemy ships all his military career, and it was time to bring in another prey.

In order to lure his latest prey into a trap, he ordered: "41st Corvette squadron, take off and attack the three Type-4 alien ships approaching the Vlaxth. Port particle accelerators, lock targeters on said alien ships. Fire when within range."


Vorou Solar System, aboard the Borava-class Defense Monitor Kaunarga of the Avarnam Defense Force

Karvol cheered as a crewman reported that one of the Kh-Sriil ships already had fallen to a volley of laser fire courtesy of not only Admiral Gneshra's command ship but also it escorts - among them Defense Monitor Squadron Tyarvosh, of which Karvol's very own ship and its crew were proud members.

Gneshra reported from his Kalshaksa-class heavy cruiser over the communications vidscreen that they should continue focusing on the enormous behemoth spearheading the invasion and the ships which escorted it.

However, Gneshra added, with nervosity evident: "Squadron Tyarvosh - concentrate fire on Aulx' destroyer escort while, my cruisers concentrate fire on Aulx. Caution - Aulx' launching corvettes! Don't get too close to them! Stay out of P.A. range! End communication!!"

That was not going to keep six 300-metre Defense Monitors and their iron-willed crew from taking on a Kh-Sriil destroyer. Karvol had sworn allegiance to the Commonwealth, and he would not let it fall to these lanky, pallid and ghastly monstrosities bent on obtaining new territory.

Captain Karvol resolutely ordered: "Karvol to rest of Tyarvosh squad. Set course towards nearest Kh-Sriil destroyer. Fire upon it!"

Defense Monitor Squadron Tyarvosh opened fire upon the destroyer. 90 laser beams all hit, soon followed by another volley which took out two of the alien capital ship's laser turrets. That the alien ship had not taken further damage than this from a squadron of Borava-class defense monitors of was sign that the Kh-Sriil had a method of "laserproofing" their ships like all Jardra factions.

As the alien destroyer quickly responded with a firestorm of laser beams. The Aurash, another ship in the Tyarvosh squadron, reported that its primary life-support systems and most of its weapons had been disabled by the Kh-Sriil destroyer's fire, but that their auxiliary life-support still worked. As the Kaunarga's prow had also been hit, Karvol became increasingly anxious.

Seeing the Aulx' corvettes approaching and doing further damage, Karvol ordered lower starboard batteries to concentrate all fire on these ships. After a few salvos they returned back to the battleship which launched them.

Meanwhile, Squadron Tyarvosh had still been steadily approaching the destroyer while exchanging fire with it, and the communications officer panicked: "Sir, the Kraldou reports heavy prow damage by the Kh-Sriil destroyer's P.A.s!"

Just as confused and terrified, Karvol lost his concentration only to confusedly order: "Communications! Order rest of squadron to activate retrothrusters and fall back!" After taking a quarter-second break to take a breath, he resumed his ordering-around: "Stop all engines! Retrothrusters on full power!"

As he said this, the defense viewscreen reported that the Kaunarga's armour plating was rendered ineffective by countless laser salvoes... and the sensor screen told him that enemy targeters had locked on the ship. As a crewman was about to activate the Kaunarga's targeter jammers, it was already to late as two deadly beams of accelerated particles impaled the ship, one punching through its primary fusion reactor.

Even though the Kaunarga's auxiliary power was still online, no-one on the bridge could do anything but despair as the androgynous computer-voice coolly listed the staggering amount of systems offline: "Primary reactor off-line... starboard turrets 1 thru 4 off-line... port turrets 2 thru 6 offline... all dorsal turrets offline..."

Two more volleys of beams - laser and particle - hit the Kaunarga, disactivating communications and retrothrusters... and then the primary life support system, although it provided temporary comfort that the backup life-support system was still working. The truly discomforting thing was that all the port turrets were destroyed - not merely deactivated - by one particle beam. The Kaunarga was all but defenseless.

Karvol was known for his coolness under fire in simulations... but his baptism of fire made him about to cry or scream. Before deciding on which reaction was more appropiate, his sufferings were brought to an end as the alien destroyer unleashed yet another particle-deathrain upon his ship...

... and the Borava-class Defense Monitor Kaunarga of the Avarnam Defense Force was no more.


Vorou Solar System, Command Battleship Aulx of the Xhatrr Spacefleet

It was a slight disappointment to Xyakkath that the Vlaxth and its escorting gunboats, rather than his beloved Aulx, had been the first Xril ship to destroy an alien vessel with its particle accelerators, but in the grand perspective it did not matter that much.

On the other hand, he now had another target to focus upon - a far larger alien ship, at least of cruiser size.

"Battlecruisers... dangerous wild game" Xyakkath thought to himself as over seventy laser beams hit the bottom of the Aulx' front section - quickly followed by another wave, clearly courtesy of a smaller ship escorting the alien cruiser.

Wanting the big one destroyed first, he ordered: "All keel and prow turrets, target incoming alien cruiser currently at coordinates 126,672,232. Starboard P.A.s, follow suit."

After the neuro-telepathic communication with the laser turrets' Targeter AIs, he issued another order: "Open up communications to Kvarx and Lri-Xtha. Tell'em to direct fire at said alien cruiser, then order Xalthk, Xnao and [/i]Zralxtha to engage escorting frig."

He then directed his gaze towards the sensor viewscreen. He saw as the laser and neutral-particle beams from the Aulx and an escorting destroyer - which incidentally happened to be first of its line - repeatedly hit the alien cruiser while three Xril frigates were inflicting severe damage upon an alien one.

Xyakkath made an interesting observation. The aliens had only started to retreat now - they showed signs that they were being pinned, such as some squadrons of ships falling back. Were Xyakkath ever so hopelessly outnumbered, he would likely not have fought at all.

He thought: "The alien fleetcommanders are either extraordinarily stubborn, extraordinarily overconfident... or they have a most extraordinary trap in hand for me."

The battle had only been going on for an hour, but the sheer numeric advantage of his forces meant that there was little need for actual strategy and the battle was seemingly in his hands...

Until suddenly, the sensors-computer reported: "Enemy frigate incoming from port currently at coordinates -427,535,12 with a speed equivalent to 30% of C. Sensors show that it is heavily crippled, implying it's going kamikaze."

That the aliens were resorting to ramming the Xril showed how desperate they were. Ramming was an incredibly suicidal tactic, but from his experiences during The Great Uprising when he commanded the cruiser Thxozh, Xyakkath knew that it was effective when using ships known to achieve speeds as high as 50% the speed of light.

Xyakkath knew that there was no time to waste and ordered: "Port PAs and dorsal turrets 3 thru 6, target the enemy frigate rapidly approaching with speed 30% C! Order comms to the Mlaxr, Tkuuril plus 4th and 5th gunboat squadrons to target same frigate in defensive formation!"

He then saw on the viewscreen... two frigates and six gunboats lining up in a "ring" formation , opening fire upon the ramming alien frigate... then, as soon as the alien frigate was within particle accelerator range, twelve particle accelerators hit it at once, cutting through hundreds of metres of reinforced vanadium-steel like it was thin air, one beam hitting the matter-antimatter reactor powering the ship and causing it to explode.

This only served to remind him why Xvarln-class gunboats were one of his favourite shiptypes. The smallest ships ever built to use particle accelerators, they were less than 300m long and only 70m wide but in squadrons they were nonetheless capable of crippling or destroying ships many times their size. This came at the cost of low maneuvrability and slow acceleration, meaning that they would be useless under the command of an inexperienced admiral but deadly under that of an expert like himself.

After the alien frigate was vanquished, he took a view upon the viewscreen and saw that all nearby alien ships had been eradicated by the fleets under him and Admiral Xvolthaxr to receive a message from Fleet-Lady Rathyrzakr report from her flagship, the Zxolrr: "Rathyrzakr to Xvolthaxr and Xyakkath. Requesting assistance in engaging the main alien defense force, including two armed space stations. End communication."

Xyakkath felt that the aliens' highest fleet commander, whoever or whatever it was, had offered him a bigger challenge than he first thought - he had somehow been directed away from the main force by a smaller fleet which had temporarily stopped his and Xvolthaxr's fleets from advancing. He also felt slightly humiliated to find out that most of the Xril forces now were a long way away from him, where they required his advisory and command ability the most.

Then, Xyakkath gazed upon the sensor viewscreen again to see that an alien fleet more numerous than the one first intercepting him and Xvolthaxr's forces, but nonetheless less than half the number of the combined Xril fleet, defending huge alien space stations orbiting the alien planet while Xril ships were figthing them.

Knowing that no time was to waste, he ordered:

"Open up comm-lines to all ships under my and Xvolthaxr's command! Set course towards the alien space stations at maximum acceleration. Stay ready for fire directions."

Xyakkath had not won this battle yet. But he was convinced that he would.

[Sarevok]

Good chapter. BTW should not the command battleship be called a commmand ship ?