STGOD 4 Game Thread

[InnocentBystander]

The Green Spark did not hesitate, kicked its drive into high gear and sped towards the Spaceport. As the message said, a landing platform was waiting them; the shuttle landed gracefully, docking clamps grabbed it, docking ports met, fuel lines converged, and a small, baeloaren male exited the ship, he carried a small animal that bore a striking resembelnce to a cat, an Order Police Officer followed, the two approached the airlock, the doors opened with a slight hiss leading to a small chamber. The two entered, the airlock closed, the pair were scanned for any pathogens, weapons or chemical agents.
"Please place your sidearm in the gun rack, it will remain here until you depart the station." from a security room on the station a man eyed the cat-like creature, but wasn't sure what to do, he didn't know, it could have been the "alien visitor" for all he knew. Aside from the sidearm, however, the three passed inspection.
The baeloaren looked at the tall Order Police Officer, who wasted no time in removing her small sidearm and placing it on the gun rack. The inner door opened and a Combine security officer greeted them briefly.
"Welcome to Argos Spaceport, I'm to take you to the rep's office." the three walked through the spaceport to an elevator which let them off at the entrance to the Combine representative’s office. The office was small and looked as if it got little use.
The Baeloaren's walked in, "Greetings!" the small ape-like baeloaren smiled and approached one of the chairs by the desk.

[Thirdfain]

-ooc- Alyrium, the damage isn't from the heat- it's from the fact that a lance of metal is being driven into your target at ridiculously high speeds. Read up a bit on modern HEAT projectiles. /ooc

The beast did indeed live in the pits of hell- an environment which left it ill-prepared for zero-g combat. Limping from the powerfui blow to it's leg, the creature howled in pain. It reached for the Floater rear-guard, but could not keep up- They had grown up in these halls, and moved through them with grace and speed which the hell-spawned behemoth could not match. It's whip reached out, seeking a target, and failing to find one.

<< Fuckin' close one, Sarge. I hurt that...>> She searched for the proper descriptive word- << thing pretty badly.>>

<< Keep moving, Wu! Word from Command is the enemy has broken through in at least two locations. We are to fall back to the secondary line of defenses. >>

Wu leapt ahead, rapidly catching up with the rest of the squad. Two of her fellow marines were placing a booby-trap, strapping a couple of grenades to a proximity sensor and them oving on.

[Bugsby]

Faran Tor was all smiles.

"Hello, friends, and welcome to Sirius. Is this the first time you have been outside of your own systems? It must be quite exciting for you. Feel free to stop by any of our lovely tourist attractions on this or any of our other worlds. We want to make your stay here as pleasurable as possible. But before you can get to any of that, we have some business to attend to, I believe. Take a seat. Would you care for some wine?"

Tor was at his smoothest. He had known most of his clients for many years, but these Baeloreans were new to him. He wanted to give the best possible impression until they learned they learned what he was really like. And they wouldnt learn that unless they all went out to a bar later that night. That was highly unlikely, and depended entirely on how the negotiations went.

A fine red wine from Cadmus was brought out, and Faran Tor served the Baeloreans himself. "Now, how can I help you?"

[Alyrium Denryle]

The creature may have been slowed down, but it proved an effective meat-shield for the mages behind, and the floating eyes managed to set off the booby trap, which exploded sending a small trmeor thoughout the cluster.

What looked like a fireball erupted from the squad of troops, it moved around the demon and bounced rather effectivly along the walls rounded the corner, and then exploded into a series of smaller glowing orbs that bounced along the corridors like SuperBalls on speed.

They hit the retreating floaters and erupted in a maelstrom of burning magical plasma death.

[Thirdfain]

Two marines fell to the Arcane barrage, but the attack was un-guided, and the Floater soldiers had utilized cover well. The squad split up, running down side tunnels only they knew.

They would meet again at the second line of defenses, where the majority of the defenders were arrayed.

[frigidmagi]

Rogue 9 said:

Ambassador Stuart Ashton, Nashtaran ambassador to the United Protectorates. . He gave his business -- an audience with the Lord Protector -- to a functionary who already knew it perfectly well, and went to pass along the word to messengers who already had their message. Such was diplomacy...

(Note quote has been edited to save space)

The functionary (A lower ranking member of House Berry, a leftover from hostage traditions) smiled at Ambassador Ashton. The real message had been passed via the terminal in front of him and permission sent back. The messenger was to ensure some armsmen didn't shot the Ambassador by accident. One of the rebellions had started that way after all.

"Sir, the Lord Protector Mattews is awaiting your presentence. If you'll follow the green lights an armsmen will meet you outside the office. Please Sir, no sudden moves. I'm afraid that the armsmen are quite paranoid and have no sense of humor. As you would think, this makes them lousy conversationist. I am authorized to hold on to any weapons you may be carrying." He said has a strip of green lights lit up on the floor making a line on the grey uncarpeted surface.

[Rogue 9]

Ix'ador orbit

Austin Seven buzzed the freighter's cockpit, waggling her wings as she flew overhead. Lieutenant Fisher chuckled, then turned on his comm. "Flight Officer Jordan, rejoin formation. You know better than that."

"Sorry, sir," she said as she eased into formation off his left wingtip, across from Austin Six on the right. "You know how it is."

He chuckled again. "Yes I do, Seven. But right now we've got a job to do. Loosen formation a bit; I don't want to risk another cluster flechette launcher."

The fighters eased off as Echo-264 eased into position over the freighter's external airlock and activated its docking clamps. The airlock was blasted inward a second later, followed by two flash-bangs, a stun grenade, and a tube to dispense knockout gas. This was far more potent in the enclosed air of the ship than on the planetary surface, and the crew was out within the minute. Marines wearing rebreathers dropped into the ship and onto the deck, getting out of the way and covering down the corridor and the rest of the squad came down the ladder in a more sedate fashion. There were two unconscious men in the corridor. One had apparently been at the bottom of the ladder pointing his energy pistol upwards and had been too close to one of the flash-bangs; he was burned across his arms and right cheek, but seemed fine otherwise. The other appeared to have taken the brunt of the stun grenade. Two Marines tied them up while the others fanned out up the corridor and into the cargo area. They swept the ship, finding no one conscious. Then they started cracking cases.

Weapons of all kinds came out. Assault rifles, explosives, energy weapons, an entire hold full. The squad leader got on the radio.

Warrior, this is Lieutenant Faraday. Capture completed, the ship was smuggling weapons. We have prisoners."

"Acknowledged, Lieutenant. Echo-264, haul the captured vessel to the Indomitable for inspection and investigation."

"Yes sir," said the transport pilot as he eased up the throttles and moved towards the fleet carrier, the three fighters in escort formation around him.

[Rogue 9]

Rogue 9 said:

Ambassador Stuart Ashton, Nashtaran ambassador to the United Protectorates. . He gave his business -- an audience with the Lord Protector -- to a functionary who already knew it perfectly well, and went to pass along the word to messengers who already had their message. Such was diplomacy...

(Note quote has been edited to save space)

The functionary (A lower ranking member of House Berry, a leftover from hostage traditions) smiled at Ambassador Ashton. The real message had been passed via the terminal in front of him and permission sent back. The messenger was to ensure some armsmen didn't shot the Ambassador by accident. One of the rebellions had started that way after all.

"Sir, the Lord Protector Mattews is awaiting your presentence. If you'll follow the green lights an armsmen will meet you outside the office. Please Sir, no sudden moves. I'm afraid that the armsmen are quite paranoid and have no sense of humor. As you would think, this makes them lousy conversationist. I am authorized to hold on to any weapons you may be carrying." He said has a strip of green lights lit up on the floor making a line on the grey uncarpeted surface.

Ashton chuckled. "No weapons. I'm an ambassador. Weaponry isn't in the job description." He followed the green lights and the armsman.

[frigidmagi]

The armsmen was wearing heavy bodyarmor along with a enclosed helmut. After a breif nod the armsmen turnned and led the ambassador thurough a deep and complex maze of secure tunnels. There were many checkpoints and chokepoints to go through. After what seemed over a half hour they reached the only wooden door in the whole complex.

Ashton was slighty amazed at how the majority people of the U.P seemed to treat living underground has perfectly normal and living aboveground as an insane risk. Inside the wooden door was a Spartian office with a wooden desk, several padded chairs and a terminal sitting on the desk. There was a sideboard that held several drinks. From coffee to brandy.

Standing behind the desk was a middleaged man wearing heavy bodyarmor has if he had been born in it. Sitting behind the desk was a younger dark haired man. The Lord Protector Joshua Mattews stood up.

"Mr. Ashton welcome! Please have a seat, would you like something to drink? Thank you armsmen Harold, if you would wait outside? If the meeting goes pass your shift make sure you get relieved." The Lord Protector said with a pleasent grin on his face.

[InnocentBystander]

The Baeloaren eyed the wine, but refrained for partaking in the drink for a while.
Now sitting down, the Baeloaren spoke, "Thank you, but I would prefer to drink after, now let me introduce myself. I am Pnarreen Rhaevnn, I have come with a little business proposition for you." he patted his pet on the head; it made a comforting gurgling noise, oblivious to the happenings in the room. "Our government has set a restraint on travel out of Baeloaren territory. Despite this, we have managed to secure a few trade agreements with a number of non-aligned worlds. We have run into a problem, our fast transports simply cannot go the distance necessary. We need a "third party" to provide us with cargo transports to bring the goods from the edges of Baeloaren space to other worlds. We will also require protection for these transports, we wouldn't want to lose any precious cargo to pirates." he handed Faran Tor a datapad with the cargo requirements, nothing special.

While Faran Tor was looking over the list, Rhaevnn looked down at his pet, he wasn't sure why he always brought her along, she had been with him during an informal business meeting, and the man he was dealing with was one of the best negotiators on Bael; he seemed to have a sixth sense when it came to negotiating, yet when he sat down with Rhaevnn and Vreen, his pet, he had an incredibly easy time negotiating and ended up saving Regal Cola millions. Maybe he was just that good, maybe it was luck, all Rhaevnn knew was that when Vreen was around, things went his way, after all, Vreen was just a garden variety ysalamiri, perhaps it unnerved some people; Rhaevnn didn’t really care, she was his good luck charm, he wouldn’t negotiate without her.

Faran Tor nodded, “This can be arranged.”

“I’ll trust you to work out the proper details; make up the bill at your leisure, I think I’ll be remaining here for a few days, send me an invoice.” Rhaevnn took a sip of the wine, swooshed it around in his mouth for a moment, then downed the glass; it was very tasty, not like the Baeloaren brews which tended to be bitter and harsh. He rose with Vreen still in his arm, walked over to the Order Officer who continued to eye the red liquid from behind her helmet. Rhaevnn walked to the Officer, took the glass; and downed it also, “Come now, you don’t drink!” he chuckled “I’ll leave you two alone,” he grinned at the Order Police Officer then left to return to his ship.

The Order Police Officer approached the desk and put down the empty glass.
“I speak for those who maintain Order within the Baeloaren Commonwealth. You proclaim to sell goods, services and more. The Order requires information, it has learned of threats, new threats that it has no knowledge of; the Order must be prepared to face such threats. The Order is willing to pay well for information regarding the operatives of other nations.” the Order Officer stopped for a moment before continuing. “The Regal Cola smugglers will be allowed to continue their illegal operation unmolested, assuming you can provide the Order with the information it requires. You may convey this information through Patrician Rhaevnn and attach whatever price you deem reasonable to the Regal Cola bill, they will be reimbursed.” the Order Officer dropped a datapad on Tor’s desk, it had a copy of the intelligence request.
Tor nodded, “I think this can be arranged as well.” the Order Officer turned around and marched back to the Baeloaren shuttle.

It would remain at Argos Spaceport for another few days while the crew, including Rhaevnn indulged in some of the tourist attractions that Sirius had to offer.

[Rogue 9]

"Thank you, Lord Protector," said Ashton as he sat down. "I come to you with an urgent request from the Republic of Nashtar. As you know, we are currently engaged in a cooperative occupation with the Arcane Empire of the planet Ix'ador, sometime capital of the now defunct Covenant of God. We have encountered heavy insurgency from the populace, that started soon after the occupation. More disturbing is evidence of foreign influence in the insurgency; our forces have captured a freighter attempting to smuggle weapons onto the planet. We request your aid.

"We understand that your military is trained to handle this kind of mission better than ours. President Major has instructed me to formally request the intervention of the United Protectorates in this matter, as per the terms of our new treaty."

[frigidmagi]

"Protector or Sir Mattews is fine, I'm afraid I embaressed the family by playing firefighter as a youth, that why I'm a Sir. But as for your question of course. Is there any set number of troops you wanted? I prefer send about 9 or 10 divisions, but if you need more?"

[Rogue 9]

"That should be sufficient. The main area that's giving us trouble is the temple city. Ten divisions should be more than adequate to cover it.

"There is one other matter. It seems that the treaty is nearing finalization; the Psilons have given their approval although they have not yet signed the documents. [OOC: HINT HINT!] We wish to make a joint announcement of the new alliance after the signing ceremony. Is this possible for you?"

[frigidmagi]

"Very possible. I'm glad we could help." The Protector said with a wide grin.

The Next Day

General "Black Jack" Pershing stepped into the office of the Lord Protector and snapped a perfect salute to his Commander and Chief.

"Welcome 'Jack' as you know the Republic asked us for aide in the CoG. You'll have 10 divisons of your choice and any equipment you need. No Marines, you're not there to tear the place to the ground I'm afraid. I'll be sending a small cruiser group. You know a Moshe, a Ruth or two some Johns and Marks... Show them the Protectrates fist, General." The Lord Protector ordered.

"Of course Sir." General Black Jack answered with a feral grin.

[frigidmagi]

Operation Iron Fist Hour 15

"Sir, this is almost 5 times the normal drone allotment for your force size!" Protested the Quatermaster.
"I don't give a blue damn. The Lord Protector said whatever I needed and this is what I need. We fighting in an aboveground city. We'll need constant drone coverage, we can't just plug into a locatior computer. Beside all the factories are goin full blast just order more to replace them." Black Jack answered.

Operation Iron Fist Hour 35
"1st-5th Divs reports all ready. 35th Div reports all ready. 59th Div reports all ready. The 101st and 123st report all ready" Recited the computer aide.
"Crusier group?" Colenal Tam asked.
"All ready." The computer aide replied.
"Good, informed the General Iron Fist reports all ready."

Operation Iron Fist Hour 40
Inside vast troop ships, the solders of the U.P. gathered around terminals, vid moniters or put on their helmets and turned on vidcomms. The General addressed his troops.
"Gentlemen you've heard the news and been at the briefs. We are against sneaky fanatic jackelbytes who have perverted the Word of God. Our allies the Republic and the Arcanes just aren't perpared to police such a large hostile populace. But you've been training for years to do it!
You've heard the bitching on some of the outsider newdats. If they want a police state, let's show them the true meaning of the word!"

Operation Iron Fist D-Day
A small fleet of ships dropped into real space over the CoG planet. Almost instantly cloaked satillities are dropped into geo synched orbits. While cloaking something as active, noisy and large as a warship is beyond the U.P cloaking a small sensor satillitie is not.

Gunships roar into astmosphere carrying solders and drones. The first Drones are deployed into a perimeter around the temple city, they drill into the ground leaving only a couple of centimeters of senors exposed. Anyone who attempted to leave or enter the city without proper clearence would be recorded. The second wave of drones are deployed to cover major streets and crossroads hovering 18 meters up activing scaning.

Powerarmored Troops drop onto a clearing. It is now Registeration Post 1. A Prefab building is quicky raised as drones and troops create a near solid perimeter. Anyone carring a weapon is grabbed on site. Gun emplacments and fortications are raised. This is repeated all over the city.

Gunships over the city blare a message translated into the local lanuage.

"Attention Curfew is at Sunset. All citizens are to persent themselves and any weapons in their possession for registeration and issue of I.D cards beginning tomorrow morning. Any citizen who does not register will be placed under arrest. All weapons are to be brought for inspection, any weapons seized will be paid for."

The Powerarmored troops of the 101st and 123th drop divisons roam the streets being fed information thurough their helmets by drones and senors within their suits. They are alert and ready for action. Locals are instructed to keep an arms distance unless told to approach.

Check points are set up in a fanning pattren around registion sites anyone wishing to go through is searched, scanned and recorded.

[Dahak]

Gladsheim Prime

The Veithan ship was observed for the whole time of their travel. It was nice to have a species adhere to proper protocol for a change.
Finally, the ship and its escort settled itself in Gladsheim Prime's orbit and was given a slip in the orbital docking station.
After the initial greetings with lower-tier dignitaries, theey were led to an inner-orbit shuttle which would bring them down into the atmosphere, for show. And to this point, no foreigner would ever be registered for 'Caster use, as this was considered to be giving away too much.

After a relatively short, but fast, travel down the whirling atmosphere of Gladsheim Prime, they neared Imperial Plaza, a city in its own right, hundreds of kilometers across each side, glistening in the light like a diamond in prime sunlight.

It was clear that the Veithans weren't used to their way of living, casting suspicious glances at the floor, which was occasionally see-through, but despite that, managed it with dignity. What did also spike their interest was the fact that even though they were walking past several larger groups of people, no one actually was speaking....

***

"The Empress will see you now!" an immaterial voice came out of nowhere.
They were finally led into a rather small room, spendidly decorated, with only the top of the room and the wall they came through not see-through, and it was clearly no hologram.
Sitting in front of a desk made of what seemed to be solidified orange gas was a tall, slender woman with the perfect looks.
"I welcome you to Gladsheim," she said in a pleasant and warm voice. "I am Empress Elana. It is a pleasure to meet you."

[Alyrium Denryle]

Arcanian troops formed up in a larger passageway, they took out ahmmer and chesel and carved some runes in the wall, this would be there retreat point if things went dadly, and by touching the runes they would activate a shield that blocks the corridoor.

Prying eyes had revea;ed the location of enemy defenses, and the Mage blades girded for battle. The combat mages had a few more nasty tricks up their sleeve.

[lazerus]

Underneath Manifold, even deeper than the subterranean power generators, a team of massive automated drillers were hard at work, scouring away rock with high powered lasers and sonics. So far, the shaft was 10 meters wide, and nearly 10 miles deep. The massive vein of naquadah they detected was almost 20 miles under the surface, and the further they went down, the slower the work was going to be. Already, a robotic crew was lost due to a faulty heat shield, but the AIs running the operation cared nothing of it. The vein was tremendously long; mining stations had reported that it at least extended halfway around Halo. How such a large and concentrated source of naquadah got there, no one knew. The other mining stations would soon begin drilling bore holes of their own, and several labs in Manifold were already examining how to make use of the compound. So far, the results had been good: naquadah would make an excellent explosive if used right, and it showed some promising properties of being used in AI circuitry.

uh..........for the record. Naquida as a tendency to EXPLODE if you shoot it with energy weapons, so building ships out of it........bad idea.

That's why the goa'ould only use it as a power sourse and for missle warheads.

[lazerus]

++For those of you that have see the epsoides of SG-1 with the tokra, i know my description dosn't do the tunnel-boring effect justice++

After the death of their comrades by naquadira bomb, and the sudden unexplained arrival of the checkpoints that they dare not try and pass through, the goa'ould agents knew that their plans had to change.

Pulling out a crate of tokra mining crystals, the lead goa'ould stuck one in the ground, taking a step back, he smacked it with a 2x4 that was lying around and watched..........

The offending dirt and rock started to glow and was "shoved aside", suddenly becoming much more compact and crystalizing, the compact crystals served to both "remove" the dirt in the center and give the tunnels hard walls. Within a matter of minutes, there was a covient tunnel going 200ft straight down.

"After you......" Said one of the goa'ould.
"We go to the bottom, then use a second crystal to go horizontaly until we get to directly underneeth the main square. One of ours owns a shop there, we tunnel up inside and then we have access to the entire square, instead of just one block."

[Straha]

The political prince was steaming mad, and now he was about to vent. The transmiter was on, and pointed at the combating groups in the asteroid-belt.

With a nod, he turned towards the recorder, gave a hand signal. And started the transmission.

"Attention Floater and Arcane combatants! This is the Government of Monacora. You have violated the Ochebe Doctrine and the peace of Terra. We have Marine Transports on their way to your location right now. You are hearby ordered to power down your weapons, and submit to boarding, our marines will then escort your ships beyond the Terra system, after a short period of time. If you do not do so it will be considered an act of war against our peaceful nation."

He gave another hand signal, and waited for the reply.

[Alyrium Denryle]

(if you think the equivalent of a move earth spell will go unoticed by our Military Diviners, both on the ground, and in ships you are on crack)

"What the hell?"

"What is it seer" said the supervisor, Colonel Allarik

"It looks like a move earth spell... but it isnt. I dont know how to describe it, but it is moving several hundred feet down"

"Is it authorized?"

"Sir we have not beeen informed. And we are informed of all terraforming activity on world. I suggest you send a few troops to investigate."

"I think so as well..."

.............................

[Alyrium Denryle]

"Attention Floater and Arcane combatants! This is the Government of Monacora. You have violated the Ochebe Doctrine and the peace of Terra. We have Marine Transports on their way to your location right now. You are hearby ordered to power down your weapons, and submit to boarding, our marines will then escort your ships beyond the Terra system, after a short period of time. If you do not do so it will be considered an act of war against our peaceful nation."

"They have commited an act of piracy and espionage agains the Empire, and have stolen classified documents, presumably for sale on the black market.

Under Article 3 Section 6 Paragraph 14 clause 36 of the Universal Naval Code we have a right to persue and destroy such individuals, unless such persons have pre-aplied for political asylum, and then leave your territory. We will not submit to boarding, however we will open ourselves to negoatiations"

[lazerus]

+++

[Straha]

"Attention Floater and Arcane combatants! This is the Government of Monacora. You have violated the Ochebe Doctrine and the peace of Terra. We have Marine Transports on their way to your location right now. You are hearby ordered to power down your weapons, and submit to boarding, our marines will then escort your ships beyond the Terra system, after a short period of time. If you do not do so it will be considered an act of war against our peaceful nation."

"They have commited an act of piracy and espionage agains the Empire, and have stolen classified documents, presumably for sale on the black market.

Under Article 3 Section 6 Paragraph 14 clause 36 of the Universal Naval Code we have a right to persue and destroy such individuals, unless such persons have pre-aplied for political asylum, and then leave your territory. We will not submit to boarding, however we will open ourselves to negoatiations"

The political prince winced, as his anger grew.

"Look, I understand your concern, we'll deal with that LATER. YOU HAVE VIOLATED THE FOREMOST AND MOST WELL KNOWN DOCTRINE IN THE PAST CENTURY! This goes for the floaters too. If both sides do not power down your weapons, and submit to boarding and questioning, our marines will compel you with force."

[Alyrium Denryle]

"This form of naval law has existed for even longer than the Peace of Terra. The Pheonecians on earth had laws such as these against piracy before centuries before the birth of your christ. If you are going to argue that the age of a law matters at all, Naval law trumps the Peace of Terra.

We will power down our shipboard weapons, as we are not using them, however we will not submit to boarding, and any action taken to interfere will be met with deadly force. Once we have boarded their ship and taken back our documents, we will leave your system, not before. However, we are willing to send our Political Commisar aboard one of your vessels to explain the situation.

Besides, it isnt as if they would sumbit to boarding anyway. We would end up working together just for you to board their cluster"