DS(Personal)

                                                Foe In the Dark PT III

As the Gloval makes its ascent into the huge, cavernous docking bays of the Serevun Overlord, Lord Vulknor's troops prepare themselves to leave the ship and board the flagship of the Serevun Intelligence. As the ship slows it's ascent, docking claws move forward and lock the ship in place as the sound reverberates throughout the inside of the ship. Captain Ve'Lar toggles his comm unit on his gauntlet to send out instructions to the other troopers on board.

"This is Ve'Lar, prepare to disembark this ship, all troopers will met at the rear main airlock egress, do not leave any gear aboard this vessel, check weapons safeties, and those who are still suffering from intoxicating beverages will help their teammates off this vessel, those who are suffering will be ridiculed, Ve'Lar out."

The other Vasari on bridge begin to laugh after their captain's remark. Ve'Lar approaches Vulknor whose brow is furrowed and asks, "What the craggy fract is Kash'tic doing here?"

"That my friend we are going to find out. I don't believe in coincidences but, it's not the first time he has overstep his boundaries to my leadership. Even though the Overlord has overwhelming firepower, he is slow at subspace and he does not have enough support vessels which the Overlord requires."

"Tactically, it is not sound to have a flagship of it's importance to be here, but he may be trying to increase his standing in your court sir. Not to mention he may be right on the importance of this vessel against the humans."

Captain Ve'Lar turns to address the bridge crew, "You have all done well in this mission of the Vanguard, secure from docking operations and meet us at the rear main airlock, is that understood."

The crew responds, "Yes my-lords."

Both Vulknor and Ve'Lar leave the bridge discussing this new development with the arrival of the Serevun Overlord. As they talk about their next plan of action, they exit the lift and begin to head down the corridor of the ship when, without warning, they hear short, controlled burst of plasma blaster fire through the deck.

They both look at each other and they pull their personal side arms, and go in the direction of the blast, as they make their way down the corridor, Ve'Lar calls up tactical messages on his gauntlet and sends a command to his troops to approach and surround their present location. As they near a corner, Vulknor begins using hand gestures to Ve'Lar, instructing him to go low while he goes high to fire at whatever is shooting. They begin to hear soft muddling noises coming around the corner when Vulknor indicates on the count of three to come from their cover, he holds up his four digit hand and counts down 3, 2, 1.

With they're finely honed skills, they both come around the corner at the speed of light and at the fraction of a second, the hold their fire from blasting a hapless trooper to the next life. The trooper jumps when he sees the two Vasari he did not want to see. As both Vulknor and Ve'Lar take a deep breath and holstered their weapons, Vulknor walks to the trooper and ask, "What is the meaning of this?"

The trooper, who seems slightly inebriated, begins to stammer, "My-lord I, I, I, sa, saw some cre, creature, and I fired on it."

 
During this time Ve'Lar walks behind the trooper to retrieve on whatever he fired upon and brings it back as other troopers arrived on the scene, Ve'Lar speaks, "is this what you fired upon?"

"Yes my captain, but I could have swore i. i, it w, was much big, bigg, bigger sir," said the beleaguered trooper.

In Ve'Lar's gloved hand is the remains of an fairly large rodent, sans the front half, by it's tail. The other troopers begin to snicker as Vulknor stares a hole right through him.

Ve'Lar asks, "trooper, how much of the human social drink have you consumed after the order was given not to partake in it?"

 
The trooper begins to stammer again before Ve'Lar says, "Enough. You are seriously bordering dishonoring yourself, your squad, your clan, me and Lord Vulknor.

 
He slams the burnt remains against the troopers chest plate of his combat suit. Vulknor puts his hand on Ve'Lar shoulder and says to the trooper, "you know what this means don't you?"

 
The trooper makes a large gulping sound and nodded his head. Vulknor steers Ve'Lar away as he says to the other troopers, "assemble!"

As Vulknor and Ve'Lar move out of the way as the other troopers surround him, Ve'Lar begins to shake his head as Vulknor yells, "RIDICULE HIM!!!"

The troopers begin to yell insults to the hapless trooper, they all partake in laughing and cracking jokes at his expense.

 
"K'arl, did the big furry vermin scare you." Yells one trooper.

 Another yells, "how many pulse blast did you use, sloppy grouping in your pulse blast pattern."

"Hatchlings can shoot better than that, K'arl. Good thing your wearing your suit, if not, we would be standing in your craggy pile."

The trooper are merciless in they're taunting of K'arl, after a few minutes of this Ve'Lar steps in to quiet them down and tells K'arl, "No more apple juice for you."

"Keep him with the second group, till after we meet with Kash'tic, then bring him over to whatever accommodations they provide, is that under stood." Said Ve'Lar.

As the troopers walk off with K'arl, a trooper can be overheard saying, "he can't hold his juice." And they all start laughing again.

"That's enough." Yelled Ve'Lar.

And they all replied, "Yes my-lords."

To Be Continued....

(DS RP)

She was detained as soon as her battered ship returned to Germanthea. Imprisoned like some criminal, she cursed the women who put her in this predicament and the man who defeated her. Deprived of most of her powers by a mental binds placed on her by the Viceroys, she felt like a newly made cripple. Inside the bare, windowless room that served as a cell she didn’t know how many days had passed. She had nothing to do, only her own bleak thoughts kept her company until she was summoned. 

**********

The platform Sethis is standing on starts to rise. Soon she sees the faces of the Seer Council arrayed above her but something is amiss; there is one more face present who she has not seen before among the Viceroys.

They made Thenos Garr a Viceroy? Her shocked realisation makes her lose track of what she was thinking. Garr the outcast, previously cut off from the Unity, a dangerous fleet commander famous for his victory in the Carthage-Tibra campaign and popular. Him, a Viceroy on the Seer Council was a laughable notion, at first Sethis thinks its some kind of bad joke until she remembers that this chamber cuts off psychic powers therefore Garr wasn’t an apparition.

Lost in her thoughts Sethis almost misses the Preacher announce; “Impyrial Reaver Sethis, Mistress of the personal fleet of the High Psintegrat is on trial under the charge of attacking a neutral system without prior sanction from the Seer Council resulting in the loss of 457 ships”.

For a moment there is an uneasy silence among the Viceroys, Thenos is surprised Sethis has been charged with this and not incompetent command.  The chamber seemed to get darker and gloomier as the trial began.

“Viceroy Algana, rise and speak”

“The defeat at Ethea was a humiliation to the Flames of Vengeance caused solely by the inept command of the accused, who was acting of her own wishes and not for the good of the Unity. She should be executed to so that others will realise that such selfish actions will not be tolerated by the Unity.”    

The words hit Sethis like a blow, she couldn’t believe it there had to be a mistake, it was utterly outrageous considering the circumstances.

“Viceroy Algana is in favour of death. Viceroy Argari, rise and speak.”

The Viceroy Thenos thinks could be an ally hesitates before she speaks, after a quick glance at the other female Viceroys she speaks quickly, “The accused has the blood of many on her hands after her unsanctioned actions. Death is the only redemption.”

Sethis’ mind is locked in denial; it cannot accept what is happening in this chamber it all feels like a bad dream.

“Viceroy Argari is in favour of death. Viceroy Ungthen, rise and speak”.

Ungthen stares through Sethis as she delivers her judgement, “The accused has shamelessly used the youth and inexperience of the High Psintegrat as a false pretence for the fleet action. We must make sure she acted of her own accord. I suggest that her memories be examined so that we understand what drove her to this act of stupidity. Then shall her death have some meaning.”

This could only mean one thing; Sethis’ mind finally believes what its hearing. She makes an attempt to end this charade. “This is preposterous, you were-“

“SILENCE! Commanded Viceroy Ungthen, “Your purpose here is to hear your judgement, we are already aware of the circumstances of your crimes”.

Thenos frowns; it was the Preachers role to direct the reprimand, not a Viceroy’s…

Sethis’ jaw is suddenly paralysed, she belatedly realises that the Viceroy’s words triggered a small spell placed in her mind when she was first incarcerated. Sethis has no choice but to watch the Viceroy’s debate her death.

“Viceroy Ungthen is in favour of a memory examination before death, Viceroy Marlett, rise and speak”.

“I see no reason to waste time as I agree with Viceroy Ungthen”.

I don’t want to die, thinks Sethis in cold determination, not like this, I will resist them to the end.

Thenos is surprised that the discussion has been this brief, there has been barely any debate at all, with all the Viceroys having already made up their minds. Had they agreed on this beforehand? He realises that he is in a tight position, he’d have to propose the plan he liked the least.

For the first time since Sethis arrives, Thenos Garr speaks; “I think the same message can be sent without resorting to death, I propose that Impyrial Reaver Sethis be stripped of her rank and exiled from the Unity for the needless death she has caused. However, she must first finish what her foolishness began by destroying the Renaissance Eagles so that they may never be a threat to the Flames of Vengeance. It is not her actions that matter but the end result, to this end I am willing to lend part of my fleet to reinforce the remaining ships of our lady’s fleet.”

Sethis never thought that Garr would help her - even if it was only a temporary chance for revnenge followed by exile from the Unity, essentially worse than death. It was touching to know that Jelette was behind this gesture, but in the end it was futile. It won’t stop the outrage of what is happening here today, being a new Viceroy Garr must not realise it.

**********

Thenos watched the other Viceroys argue his proposal, Argari seems the most in favour and Thenos is certain that the other Viceroys will accept it as well. It is the only proposal that addresses the problem of the TRE and satisfies the Viceroy’s desire for punishment. After discussing several proposals with Jelette, this is the only one that will save Sethis’ life and resolve the issue at hand. Thenos' feelings were mixed on Sethis – while her death seemed an unecessary punishment, she seemed, from her actions at Ethea, to be arrogant, and also foolish, rejecting the help of the Kyrene veterans; unsuitable for command of a fleet – but for some unfathomable reason Jelette wanted Sethis back in command of her fleet. So Thenos would try to save her as long as he didn't jepardise the High Psintegrat's influence on the other viceroys. Also, he couldn’t help but pity the ashen-faced woman standing rigid as stone on lower platform.

Thenos considered her behaviour at the trial, her body language said she was shocked and terrified, but why so much? Sethis would have known to expect a severe punishment for acting out of line and what was she trying to say before she was cut off? It was ludicrous that the viceroys choose not to hear her side of the story. Furthermore, Thenos cynically notes that the Viceroys charged Sethis with acting without authorisation when she had gained the verbal approval of Jelette, after all it was the High Psintegrat’s fleet, this meant the Viceroys defined acting in authorisation as acting under their authority. The whole idea of acting under ‘authorisation’ was meaningless as most fleet commanders usually acted independently in their assigned command unless called upon by the central authority. The charge has been trumped up as punishment for defeat, thought Thenos.

To his shock the Viceroys reject his proposal.

The Preacher proclaims the verdict, “It has been decided that Impyrial Reaver Sethis will have her memories examined by the Seer council and then executed”.

Didn’t they listen to me at all? Are they sore over me becoming a viceroy? Or did they have an alterior motive? This felt all to smooth, too easy for Algana. There should have been more disagreement over this, not a unanimous decision against me, Thenos thought suspiciously.

Thenos considers vetoing the decision, but decides he cannot do it as it would jeopardize his position among the other viceroys. He must appear conservative so he can’t just veto this for no apparent reason. He silently apologizes to Jelette and signals his agreement.

I’ve done all I can, thinks Thenos sadly, anything more would endanger any future plans Jelette and I have.

“Will you willingly allow your memories to be examined?” Viceroy Ungthen asks blandly. Thenos regarded the Preacher suspiciously. Shouldn't she be saying this? Is she with the other Viceroys?

Sethis merely shakes her head bleakly. Thenos analyses the condemned woman, she looks pale but determined. Of course severely handicapped, her powers would be futile against the combined might of the Viceroys. The one problem was that the chamber nullified psychic powers so the “examination” had to occur in a separate room.

The Preacher stated in an angry voice “Defying the authority of the Seer Council will only go against you. Guards! Take the condemned to the room determined by the Viceroys”.

Two soldiers in plate-armour arrive and escort Sethis from the chamber. As the Viceroys rise and follow Thenos decides that the verdict was pre-arranged.

As he leaves the room Thenos experienced his powers return to him, he feels comfortable now as the numbness has passed. The procession arrived in a featureless, windowless, white room. Viceroy Algana orders the guards and scribes to leave. Now there only Sethis and the viceroys remain, Thenos senses that the other viceroys do not want him present.

I will observe but I will not have any part in this, announced Thenos.

Very well, but do not interfere Viceroy Garr.

With that the viceroys commence their attacks, Sethis unsurprisingly resists as she doesn’t want to let all her memories become known. Thenos would have done the same in her position, as he did when he suffered the same treatment at the hands of the last High Psintegrat. It was one thing to share select memories, but it was something completely different to have your inner most opinions and feelings to be viewed like a dossier. It was the latter course the Viceroys were pursuing in order to determine if Sethis had accomplices or plots, though Thenos doubted there was anything incriminating from what Jelette had told him.

With all her remaining strength focused on protecting her mind, Sethis is unable to stop the viceroys from redirecting their mental attacks on causing physical pain in order to distract her from her mental shields. After several moments she falls to her knees groaning in pain but still in the fight.

This is more like torture than examination, Thenos thought in disgust, is it really necessary if they simply intend to kill her?

At that moment, Sethis’ agonised eyes fell upon Thenos. In a flash the penny drops and Thenos realises that he has been played like an Isaran fiddle.

Why did Sethis attack Ethea? Why did the Seer Council have no idea what was happening when everyone was connected through the Unity? Suddenly the strange course of events makes sense. Sethis must have proposed attacking Ethea as a means of avenging Kyrene. The Seer council saw a way of pleasing the populace through a quick easy victory over the TEC, and provides tacit, unofficial support. Sethis’ attack unexpectedly fails and the Seer Council see an easy scapegoat. This made the whole idea of examining her memories flawed... unless the viceroys wanted to erase Sethis’ memories so there was no evidence of the Seer Council's role in the defeat at Ethea. That’s why there were no other observers in the room and the viceroys didn’t use anyone else to do the examination for them.

She’s just a scapegoat for the Seer Council’s political benefit, thought Thenos angrily, if she won, they won. If she lost, they still won. No government should make choices that it is unwilling to account for.

He and Jelette had been deceived from the start so whatever plan they came up with was doomed to failure.

This mockery of justice must end now.

Thenos tries to calm himself down and think with a cool head, he thinks quickly; he can’t just stop the examination now, it’d send the wrong message to the viceroys, that’s why he didn’t just veto the verdict altogether. He had to come up with something that would allow him to use his veto in a way that protected the Seer Council. The purpose of the trial was to cover up the role the viceroys played in the Ethea defeat. A plan forms in his head and Thenos thinks of a way to put it into action.

**********

Her body shook uncontrollably as Sethis endured the mental battering. Unable to physically shield herself from mental attacks due to the handicap, she shields her mind. It was hopeless, but she would not let them win and complete the betrayal.

When she was informed by the Seer Council that their agents had detected a battle taking place in Ethea, they quietly suggested she intervene. Her ambitious mind had become filled with the notion of becoming a heroine by personally avenging Kyrene. Her prestige would rise and she would become popular. Now however, Sethis realised that the Viceroys had used her, by foreseeing her mind-set and anticipating her reaction. This was precisely why she was defeated by Zaroday. Now she was a cast off tool which could be used against them.

Sethis cried out in pain as she is struck by a mental hammer blow. Her concentration almost breaks but her fury helps stem the tide.

All they told her was to get the High Psintegrats permission, since it was her fleet. Sethis needn’t have waited the time for a discussion among the viceroys and let the opportunity pass. All she had to do was to convince a girl-child to attack, to regain the peoples trust and avenge their defeat.

Sethis was at her limit, the pain was starting to break her concentration and soon the Viceroys overwhelming strength would break through into her inner most memories and erase everything. She knew too much and it was too time-consuming to pick out individual incriminating thoughts, she’d be a clueless vegetable going into her execution.

The only viceroy not participating was Thenos Garr, who seemed to be getting angrier by the moment at her defiance. She never expected an outcast like Garr to help her.

**********

“Stop this!” Thenos uses his powers to protect Sethis from the Viceroys.

Sethis is so shocked she lets down her shields, fortunately for her the other viceroys in their surprise, halt their attacks.

Viceroy Ungthen is the first to recover, in an outraged voice asks, “You dare interfere in the punishment imposed by the Seer Council?”

“Yes because I must, after hearing certain rumours I have to impose my veto on this verdict for the good of the Flames’ of Vengeance.” Thenos looks sad at this subversion of justice.

“Not even a viceroy can veto a decision after it has been made” said Viceroy Algana.

“It can if all the viceroys agree, and you will, after you have heard the rumours that have reached my ears”.

“Oh tell us these rumours, I’m sure that unsubstantiated prattle will convince us” said Viceroy Marlett with clear sarcasm.

Thenos hopes his plan will succeed and begins. “After I left the council chamber my subordinates informed me that there were rumours suggesting that Impyrial Reaver Sethis was acting under the authority of the Seer Council. Though I am sure these rumours are false, there very presence could destabilise the Flames’ of Vengeance.”

The Viceroys are silent with shock, Argari looked ashamed and Ungthen suddenly appeared very pale.

Thenos goes on; “These rumours could even have caused Our Lady’s personal fleet to revolt if their commander was; in their eyes unlawfully executed”.

The Viceroys knew that such a revolt would be quickly put down but it would be publicly damaging if the High Psintegrat’s personal fleet rebelled. It could be a trigger for even more revolts.

Thenos tries to make his position clear; “It would be very damaging for our faction if such rumours were thought to be true. So the verdict must be annulled. Please understand that I have no bias towards traitors such as her,” to prove his point, Thenos acts as if he has only just noticed that Sethis has been watching him, and with a flick of a hand sends her tumbling to the floor unconcious.

The Viceroys are surprised by Thenos’ actions and their suspicions fall away. Ungthen asks, “What do we do now then?”

“I suggest we put Sethis under indefinite house-arrest until the rumours dissipate, we can say that after we examined her memories critical evidence was found that made the trial invalid”.

The viceroys let out a silent sigh of relief, Argari looks the most relieved speaks for the first time in ages “Very well, Viceroy Garr I see that your inclusion was wise, I will support your proposal”.

The other Viceroys quickly agree and Thenos is thrilled that his plan worked. By using the Viceroy’s ploy against them he stopped Sethis’ execution and appeared magnanimous doing it. The Viceroys had wished for a quiet room away from any witnesses outside the council chamber, thus unaffected by the psychic nullifying walls Thenos could claim to have heard ‘rumours’ from his subordinates. The viceroys believed him because they panicked in their fear, instead of verifying it themselves. Jelette would no doubt be pleased by this result.

(DS Roleplay / Trader Space - Petrograd, Ashanti Rim World, 12 Systems out from Galan)





Part Thirty Six of Teir -
-Teal




http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=in-sZ20G3F8

Sere-

Sere's Song -




Petrograd, Ashanti Rim World
November 16th, 2287 (11.16.2287.11)

The Last Time I Saw Your Face...


The last time i saw your face,
I was crying,
You were walking, walking, walking,
away.

The last time i felt this bad,
the world was ending,
You keep breaking, breaking, breaking,
my heart.

The nights keep ending,
the days beginning,
I call you on the phone,
But you just pick up
and don't say,
anything.

How many times,
are you going to do this?
How many, many, many,
times?

The last time i felt this bad,
the world was ending,
I was crying, crying, crying,
crying.
And you were walking away.

The last time i saw your face,
I was crying,
dying,
while you were walking, walking, walking,
away.

*
*
*

(DS RP)

Numerous hulks and rag-tag ships float amongst the large asteroid and its smaller, mined sisters. The ships vary in size; from as small a reaper to the size of a capital ship, each however shares a common fate. They wait to die. Each of these quietly resting ships awaits the metaphorical scrap yard.

A small Arcova threads its way through the drifting ships, it radios the scrapyard control with the following message; “Bellary Control 4, I’m afraid we’re here to snatch some of your prey”.

The disgruntled management at the other end respond; “What the hell are you talking about? These pirate vessels are due for recycling”.

“Orders from the top buddy, they won’t mind your quarterly profit reduction”.

On the Arcova, Adruth scans the ships on death row. He eyes some Corsairs and notices a glum looking Akkan in the midst of a half a dozen Rogues. What really catches his eye is a solitary Rapture the pirates somehow managed to jerry-rig with TEC technology. A predatory smile appears on his face.  

**********

“Listen Bella I can’t tell you what we’re planning, it’s confidential” says Z in his best placating voice.

“Tell me or I’ll tip off the local newsnet that there’s something going on with the fleet”.

Damn, why did she have to be so smart and stupid at the same time? Z quickly thinks of some way to keep her quiet, “Why don’t you think of a name to call the operation?”   

“Hmm”, her young face creases in a frown, and then lights up with an evil smile, “Operation Zelga Bunny”.

Z feels his face slacken at the lamest sounding military operation in recent human history. Naming a military operation after a children’s holo-character most of the crews would have watched as children... not exactly morale inspiring but maybe they could tie it in with the local system games and throw any spies off track.

“Alright fine, Zelga Bunny will do”.

Bella seems shocked at this but quickly shuts her mouth stifling giggles.

**********

It had been hard training four hundred marines in a different way of fighting without raising suspicions. Adruth remembers the first briefing;

“The purpose of this op is confidential, but you will train accordingly to best complete your objective?” His bionic eye scanned crowd of marines, unnerving them.

“What is that objective?” said a brave marine.

“That Sergeant Cole, is a secret until further notice”.

 “Why are we training with lasers? Everyone knows the TEC have the worst lasers and where is our armour?” asked another emboldened marine.

 “You will receive your combat ordinance at a later date, until then you will make do.”

There were discontented murmurs among the crowd but they did what they were ordered to do.

So for next several weeks they trained with recoilless lasers and ship boarding techniques. Surprisingly the Rear-Admiral trained with them, evoking some respect for him. Now he had the callsign “Secret” because of all the unexplained details concerning the op. Adruth liked the nickname.

**********

Once again the board members met, there was unexpected sense of unease among them as if something big was about to be announced. Z starts the discussions; “What do you have for me?”

Jason starts off; “we’ve built a hundred cobalts, a hundreds javelis’, 50 garda’s and 10 ogrov’s thanks to the new frigate factories in Mysore and Surat.” The others pause at the mention of Ogrovs, those were purely offensive cruisers.

“Lina?”

The harried looking woman answers “Preparations are coming along fine for the games but our finances aren’t looking too great”.

“It’ll be resolved. Everyone, I have announcement to make; at an undisclosed amount of time from now Operation... Zelga Bunny will be launched, the details have to be kept confidential until further notice”.

There is disbelief around the table. Launch a military operation now? When anyone could come in their absence and attack the system? And what was with that ridiculous name?

“All I can say is that I will be going on a diplomatic voyage to Finley, it seems their having trouble. Anyway this operation will secure our future safety”.

There is shocked silence around the table.

**********

At a separate meeting after the board meeting, Z, Adruth, Wayakm and several other ranking officers discuss their plans.

Z begins “I will take 350 of our ships to Finley as a show of force-”

“Is that really necessary?” cut in Way.

“No, it’s not; the whole Finley trip is a ruse. We will be using the system as a temporary staging point on to our final objective. I have gained permission to use the edge of their star’s grav well on the condition that we don’t advance into the system. Of course they don’t know our plans; to them it’s just an extremely odd courtesy call”.

“Who are we attacking?” asked an officer.

“The Flames of Vengeance, of course”.

“But how? Their fleet is massive we’ll be crushed” said Way.

“We’ll be attacking them but not attacking them at the same time”.

Confusion reigns among the officers present, “Please clarify for us simple people” said Way in a sarcastic voice.  

“We’ll be star jumping-”

“Why? When we can go there in one jump?”

“Because it’ll give their forewarning systems the least possible time react and to have our antimatter stores as full as possible since you all know the closer we jump the less antimatter we lose. Anyway, we’ll go from Finley, to Atlovia, Erardene and then onto Egibis. Egibis is the mark as they have an extremely friendly relationship with Flames who have defended them in previous pirate attacks. They have a small but good quality navy, any attack on them will bring a Flames intervention”.  

“This is stupid. What’s the whole point of this op? Any attack will bring immediate and crushing retaliation from Flames”, criticised Way.

Zaroday’s eyes glitter as he responds in a cold tone; “we must show them that even though we are small we will not tolerate any more attacks. We will take an eye for an eye, if we hit them back hard enough they will realise not to mess with us”.

Adruth is certain there is flaw something in that logic. But hey, he’s determined, thought Adruth as Z talks, you can’t change a habit that’s that old.   

 “There will be no retaliation as a sizable portion of their fleet will be destroyed.” His flat pan voice at last sentence evokes a chill throughout the officers; he goes on with his eyes almost scary, “not to mention they will have other things on their plate”.  

Reading the holo display Way asks “How will you destroy a sizable portion of their fleet with light frigates and one capital ship?”

“That, is a secret”, Adruth smiles at Z’s cryptic words.

“Well, if suicide’s your forte then go ahead and do it” said Way after realising Zaroday will overrule him.

“Yes I will, on a lighter note the reason why the bunny is one of the mascots for games are to deflect attention from operation Zelga Bunny”.

Everyone grins at this, but they all know that Z and Adruth are hiding something from them.

(DS Roleplay / Trader Space - Petrograd, Ashanti Rim World, 12 Systems out from Galan)






Part Thirty Eight of Teir -

-Teal




http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DLVCtST0PAA

Sere-


Journey to Selvaria-





Petrograd, Ashanti Rim World

November 17th, 2287 (11.17.2287.1)





Snow fell.

Blowing in a sweep of cold wind over the gray tops of the buildings that lined the edge of the landing field beyond.

Moving across the black tarmac and the curved lines of the Advent transport as six white robed figures lowered the casket they carried to the loading ramp that moved in slow degrees up into the belly of the ship.

Nadera's lips trembled as she hugged Kindra, then leaned back at arms length and looked into the older woman's eyes.

“We will miss you...”

Teir's Mother smiled back.

“It's alright, a new journey, Teir would be happy for us, a new life.”

Nadera nodded and then took Teal in her arms and held the girl to her.

“You take care of yourself, ok?” She tried to smile as Teal turned her blind eyes toward her and gave a soft smile.

“It's ok Nadera, don't worry, it will be all right, you will see, everything will be all right. We will miss you, but maybe we can come back and visit or you can come to visit us.”

Nadera nodded, though it was impossible. She kept her mind closed so the girl couldn't see.

“Yes, of course. It will be wonderful.”

But of course it would never happen, Nadera would be gone by then. Someone else would come to meet them, someone new.

None of the Twelve had very many months remaining.

But it was a wonderful thought, a sweet thought.

She hugged the girl again and squeezed her arms around her.

“Love you...” she said and turned to Pris standing at Teal's side.

Nadera took Pris's gloved hands in her own cold ones and smiled at the girl.

“Take care of Sere.”

Pris nodded and squeezed her fingers in Nadera's.

“I will.”

The girl turned then and Nadera walked her and Kindra and Teal to the front of the ship as the others waited, watching as they climbed the stairs to the entry door where two smiling stewards waited, ushering them in. Kindra bowed her head a moment and then disappeared into the bright confines of the ship, Teal turned for a moment and simply smiled and then turned and stepped through the door. Pris stopped on the threshold and turned then and waved a gloved hand, her breath coming in short bursts of steam from her lips.

Nadera smiled and waved back, then bowed her head a moment, praying it would all go well.
Then she turned, lifting her head and nodded to the others.
As the casket disappeared inside the loading bay.

As the ship doors closed and the nose of the ship began to glow a faint and then brilliant blue, a streaming cloud of blue light swirling into the front of the ship.

There was a blink then and a flash of light as the ship jumped into orbit.

On its way to Selvaria and the Distant Stars.

As the white robed figures  moved back across the parking ramp to the low line of the terminal building against the fence and the landing port proper.

To taxi's that waited that then whisked them away back to the edge of the city and the deserted neighborhood where the clinic stood.

Old and gray-white in the dim light of early morning.

Snow falling in the slow cold out of the white sky.

*
*
*

(DS Roleplay / Trader Space, Petrograd Orbit, Ashanti Rim World to Pashka Star and Beyond)






Part Thirty Nine of Teir -

-Teal





http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GxSn4O-7whU

Sere-


Journey to Selvaria, part 2-





Petrograd Orbit

November 17th, 2287 (11.17.2287.1.1.1)




The hull of the ship groaned.

As the ship splashed into orbit in a flare of blue and white scattering light.

It was the backwash of hydrogen from the phase engines powering down, hydrogen bubbles moving back over the skin of the ship in vacuum distorting the almost absolute absence of pressure on the hull. Where the pressure would build minutely, then pass back to zero as the bubble moved further down the skin.

The pressure differences flexed the metal skin in a thousand tiny points, flexing, relaxing, flexing...

The hull of the ship groaned as the ship settled in a flare of blue-white light, then turned toward the full glare of the star beyond, the observation shutters moving down over the glass of the forward windows.

Closing out the light.

Pris sat huddled in her seat against the inside wall as the shutters slowly slipped down and clicked, the cabin lights coming up in a soft haze.

The ship turned slow.

Aligning itself with the star.

There was a chatter of communications signals exchanged across the thin atmosphere just below the ship, that went on for 23 seconds and then stopped abruptly.

Bubbles moved on the outside skin.

And the hull of the ship groaned.

As the ship turned into the blinding glare of white light that blocked out all else.

Thrusters flared and died.

Flared again for half a second then died again as the ship corrected its angle.

Behind the shutters the passengers smiled and unbuckled their seatbelts, rose from seats and took down scan readers, or music pins and then settled back into their seats.

The hull of the ship groaned.

Pris counted off the seconds to the third thruster fire and smiled as the ship floated to a stop.

The radio communications chatter cut in again, then stopped again.

Other ships across the orbit arc were aligning against the lead ship in preparation for jump to the star. Their thrusters not countering the splash backwash that listed them in the gravity sea, but hard burns for several minutes that pushed them at various angles toward the Sartre.

In the bowels of the ship the casket sat strapped into its moorings, silent.

Sere did not stir at all.

Still unalive.

Still unawakened.

Still waiting.

The twenty four other ships of the caravan slid into position and the communications chatter burst for 12 seconds and then stopped.

Pris took a thin carton of yeet milk from inside her coat pocket and pulled back the tab that opened it and raised it to her lips.

The milk was sweet and cool.

Then the scream of the phase engines roared up out of the silence and the ships groaned and screamed.

Kindra sat in her seat her hands frozen into clawed grips against the seat arms.

In the seat next to her mother, Teal turned her head and smoothed a hand over her mother's hair.

"It's all right Mother, it will be all right..."

Kindra gave a trembling smile, but nodded,

"It's silly, but i just get so worked up when we do this, I'm just not a space person."

"It's ok."

She smoothed her hand over her mother's hair and smiled, breathing slowly and linking with her mother where her calm eased into the woman.

"Oh sweetie..." Kindra said softly, a tear coming into her eyes. She reached across and smoothed her hand over her daughter's cheek.

Bubbles of hydrogen moved over the skins of the ships.

The hulls of the ships groaned.

And then in a blinking flare of blue-white light the ships jumped.

Gone.

As the envelope of phase space settled around the ships, a soft coating of blue light came up. everything shimmered with light. The walls of the ships, the engines, the seats and the people in the seats.

Flickering blue-white light.

As the ships sped toward the star.

Shimmering in the deep cold and black of space.

*
*
*

(DS Roleplay / Trader Space, at the edge of the Tel' Amahn Soon Nebulae)




Part Forty One of Teir -

-Teal



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MstnM7obOm4&feature=related

Sere-


The Gorgon-




The shape that came out of the dark was smooth, though it was not a sleek thing, but a mis-shapen, rising and falling form of shuddering black.


A system wide.


With stars in it's belly, black with lancing tendrils of obsidian flame flaring across the dark,


And gleaming twisting mountains dotting it's surface, forests of swaying black trees in the valley's across it's dark form, listing in an unseen and unfelt breeze.


It crept at sub-light.


Space shimmering in it's passage as if heat waves off a desert plain.


It moved and screamed.


Black oiled gleaming figures and faces rose out of the black surface and twisted, then submerged again.


The Gorgon ate worlds,


And stars.


And once it had almost been consumed itself by other things that lurked in the black.

*

*

*

 

A million years before it had come out of the edge of the galaxy, moving inward.


It did not think,


not in the way that a living thing might think.


But there was still awareness there.


In the dim recesses of it's black and oily metallic form.



It had begun earlier than that.


Somewhere.


A nano machine that was designed to consume and copy.


Simplistic directives.


Perhaps too simplistic considering that it got out.


The world where it was created was the first to go.


The first to feed the microscopic machines that simply did as they were designed to do.


They spread, a black, slick, oily sheen of a metallic film, over the ground, over the buildings, over the waters and soil and trees and mountains of the world.


And it consumed everything.


And then it moved on.


Crawling across space in slow, slow degrees.


Spreading outward.


To the other worlds of it's home system, and eventually the star.


It grew.


And moved on.


consuming and copying whatever it came across,


whatever crossed it's path.


Other systems and stars and worlds.


Some worlds already dead from the cold of their dead star long before the Gorgon reached the orbit of the world's themselves, and fell like a black rain on the worlds below.


It grew larger.


By the time it had come through the outer most arm of the galaxy it was the size of a thousand systems set side by side.
When it came through the second arm, it was a million systems wide.


Moving slowly in the deep black.


Shiny and gleaming, it's surface swelling and falling, the mountains turning and twisting, the figures screaming as they rose from the surface and then fell back. A horde of dark stars that swelled, black flamed tendrils lancing out into the darkness.


The thing shivered and trembled and crawled slowly across the galaxy in the dark, the cold and silent dark, as it moved, shuddering and screaming.


And then it had come across a cluster of a dozen small black holes.


That had clawed and ripped and torn at it.


And the Gorgon had turned in toward them as they had touched it.


As it had always done.


With all things that it had encountered before.


And the black holes reached out to embrace it.


Most of the Gorgon died that day.


Only a tiny sliver, damaged and broken, survived to move beyond the cluster of black holes.
smaller than even half a moon that it had held before.


And the shapes that rose from it surface as it moved in the dark screamed in lament.


Perhaps because they had not died.

*

*

*


It moved on.


Through the dark and deep black.


Mindless now,


with even its awareness gone.


Moving blindly in the dark.


Groping with tendrilled fingers,


out into the cold and black space.


Coming out of the Tel' Amahn Soon Nebulae.


Eyeless and sightless.


Toward the Advent system of Ahn 'Ree.


A system of a dozen worlds.


Glittering in the warmth of their twin stars.


And just before it,


the system of Galan.


Dead and ruined,


smoking rubble in the cold dark.


*
*
*

 

(DS Roleplay / Galan System)






Part Forty Three of Teir -

-Teal

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RNvgXJdZJZY&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qrHUpVLpIhE&feature=related

Sere-

The Gorgon comes-








Across the cold black the Gorgon moved, blind and sightless, groping in the dark, moving into the Galan system without knowing, only feeling the small absorptions of errant asteroids and the fragments of the now shattered star.

Closer...

to the burnt rubble of what had once been the world of Galan, smoking and shifting fragments in the dead space.

The Gorgon moved over it; and embraced it, as it had embraced all things.

Raining...

As if a black rain out of the dark skies.

Down onto the burnt and ruined world.

The ground turned black at the Gorgon's touch.

*
*
*

And then something remarkable happened.

Something unheard  of.

Something that had never happened before.

The Gorgon stopped.

*
*
*

(DS / Minoes Story)

    "So you were one of the engineers on the Minoes?" Henry asks interrupting the story.
    "No lad. Ah'm gettin to that part where Ah come in, but fer now, just enjoy what Ah have to be tellin' ya." Gordon replies.
    Henry calls over an aide and has water brought for both of them while Gordon continues to retell the story about the Minoes as best as he knows it.


******Approximately 20 Years Ago******


Captain’s Log:

    In just a few moments, I will be in a debrief on what happened in the last few hours when our away team was on board the alien ship in orbit of a world that was clearly a world ravaged by the Vasari 1000 years ago. Also, been needing to rectify a decision that Drake now clearly deserves. In the meanwhile, I ordered the Minoes to break orbit and began our trek back Distant Stars space. When the hairs on the back of my neck begin to stand, I know something is going to happen, just don’t know what yet or when.

End log:


    The members of the away team are seated at the conference table after having had a chance to shower and grab a meal, they wait for the captain to enter so the debrief can begin. Commander Reid and Lieutenant Seles enter through the sliding doors of the room with the captain. They all take their seats when the captain sits at the head of the large table.

    “Before we begin, I want to take the time once again to thank each of you on a job well done and getting back to the Minoes safe. Also, this is rather informal, but, a congratulations to our new Commander, Braden Drake on getting his team home in one piece.” Everyone claps and cheers to the newly promoted Commander Drake as he says thank you to everyone at the table.  “When time permits, we will have a more formal celebration. Now Commander, please begin the debrief from the time you make contact with the airlock on the derelict ship.”

    As Drake begins to recant everything that has happened, each member of the away team goes through their stories in order, from the time they enter the bridge and engine rooms, to the shoot out with the security droid and the removal of the artifact, and finally the self destruction of the ship as they escaped back to the Minoes. Captain Lan looks over the away team debrief as he adds notations on a data tablet, he touches the screen of his tablet moving info to correlate each member of the team in what was done and said until he puts it down and says, “very good. Now, Commander Reid and Lieutenant Seles, what preliminary intel did you get from the alien ship's computer core and the artifact.”

    Reid begins after he clears his throat, “We have a name to go with, in relation to the ship and the planet ownership... The Trigg.”  Murmurs come from various members at the table while he continues, “From the ship's database, the Trigg were an advanced space faring race. We've only got a small sampling from the ship's computer, some of the information has corrupted over the centuries... So far, we've only translated less than 12 percent of the core and estimate another 8 hours for a complete translation of the entire database we retrieved, sir.”

    “Why so long?” asked Captain Lan.

    “Had to make sure there were no hidden surprises in the data which could effect our systems sir, Microsoft doesn’t make house calls this far out.”
    Both Sanders and Stanford laugh at Reid’s joke. Seles rolls her eyes while everyone else is confused by Reid's comment.

    “I’m going to assume you guys don’t know historical corporations,” Reid states before continuing on. “Anyway...  The Trigg are shown here.”  The view screen on the wall opposite where Lan was sitting shows a couple images of what the Trigg look liked.





    “Is it me, or do they look like giant squirrels?” asks Stanford.
    Reid replies, “They may have a passing resemblance of Evertha squirrels.”
    Corbin states abruptly, “Yeah, that’s a big squirrel.”
    Everyone else remarks in unison agreement that the Trigg are giant squirrels which prompts the captain to weigh in, “Squirrels, which were destroyed by giant crickets, who are currently laying waste to the outer reaches of Trader Space heading to more heavily populated planets...”
    Johnson replies, “Who are being chased by giant pink space ponies...”  Suddenly, everyone erupts in laughter to what was just said.  He continues, “I mean, I knew there would be other life out here, but I assumed they would look like us or as close as possible. This is just... Weird, you know?”
    Reid responds, “More than likely they said the exact same thing about us, 'Hairless apes in between the stars, how ridiculous.'”
    “I guess the Vasari don’t like cute. Why would you destroy such non-threatening looking life form.” Said Drake.
    “Maybe they were hiding their peanuts in their jump drives.” jokes Corbin, which set off another round of laughter.
    Captain Lan interjects to bring the meeting back to being serious at which time they receive the warning signal that the ship is about to jump into phase space, “As some of you may have noticed now, we're leaving and heading back to known space. Right now we are about a month away to be considered overdue. I think we have stumbled upon something that’s way bigger than all of us. The information aboard the Trigg ship has shown the Vasari were here 1000 years ago and they took out the Trigg. Reid what about the artifact, any info on it yet.”
    “Not yet captain. Seles, Stanford, and Sanders are helping me come up with an interface so we can access the info, give us a day or two and we may have something then. If not, we will need more time to figure it out.” reports Reid.
    “All right, when we leave the Trigg system, we are going to stop at stellar coordinate 100 x 129 x 98.” Captain Lans informs the group.
    Seles replies, “Isn’t that the system where the paradise planet is, sir?”
    “Correct Seles, when we get there, if the planet is safe, we will restock on food, if it's available, and from there, do our best to get home or at least warn them.” All eyes are focused on the captain now as he continues, “Something tells me that when you get access to that cube, everything about the Vasari will be known, and we are going to need to get that information back to the TEC ASAP... Even if we don’t make it back ourselves.”
    Drake responds, “Well that sucks... Just promoted to Commander and no one back home is going to know.”
    Just then, the Minoes exits phase space inside the grav well of the star of the Trigg system and begins to transit across so it can make its long jump to the system that has the paradise planet in it. Captain Lan tells Drake, “Don’t worry, they will know, my friend.”
    At that point, the captain stands and addresses everyone at the table. “Commander Reid, have your team continue to process the info on the Trigg and the cube artifact. Commander Drake, you have the bridge. If anything arises, contact me, I will be in my quarters. Everyone dismissed.”
    Everyone rises as the captain leaves, the Minoes re-enters phase space for the long trip to system with the paradise planet.

    Captain Lan reaches his quarters shortly after the meeting and sits at his desk.  He pulls up several documents awaiting his approval and rubber stamps his authorization to all but one.  Taking a moment to review what his ship's cartographers and scientists have titled "The Isolated Region".  This is nothing more then their official documents that detail out the oddities and similarities of the Distant Stars that will be presented to the general public upon their return home.

-Excerpt-

    The Distant Stars region is located very far from any known Trader Space territory.  It's only obvious that this star cluster is beyond normal galactic influences since we can look out across the sky and see the spiral arms of our very own galaxy and others.  It is possible that this is all that remains of a much larger galaxy that has been slowly swallowed up by the region's only black hole.  Initial data is inconclusive, but we believe that this star cluster is all that remains of the longest arm of a spiral galaxy.  More research will be needed to solidify this claim, but it makes sense considering the black hole is not in the center, but rather, stuck in a 'corner' and this star cluster is either compressing down into it's maw, or pin wheeling slowly around it.  The other most notable feature of the region scientifically is this strange anomaly that wraps around the region.  There are known to be more systems in this region, however, before we decide to put lives at risk by living in the unknown or pull funding from war efforts, much scientific research is needed to discover what this force really is and how to safely coexist with it.  Also, one may travel into the anomaly, one can even phase jump around in it, however, for some reason, long distance travel through it taxes the calculations of even the best jump drive computers.  Our initial guesses center primarily around the distance that one would have to actually jump to get between this cluster and Trader Space through dangerous ionic storms, gravimetric rifts, and any slew of other unknown hazards.  It forces all calculations to become unreasonably long and potentially deadly because of equipment failure and the system outright rejects jump possibilities due to failing safety protocol checks.  It is our good fortune that there are several access points via the wormholes.  Seven tiny systems ununiformly scattered through the region.  The first, Xcc753 was discovered by the Unified Explorers Corporation who quickly traversed to and claimed the entire region as their own.  Our mission here started due to the TEC counsel recognizing their claim as being the first to the region, however, as they are not chartered members of the Trade Order and have actively avoided assisting the TEC, ownership has not been recognized.  Coupled with the knowledge that many of these wormholes are now known to lead directly into regions of Trader Space controlled by our enemies, it is of great importance that we thoroughly explore the region and learn what we can before any other factions learn to exploit it to our detriment.  The UE claims to have taken precautions to safeguard the region from intruders, however, the common sentiment is that statement was only released so that the TEC wouldn't send in full fleets of warships.  In all honesty, we've been searching out the region and have yet to see even a single probe from the UE much to the dissatisfaction of the scientific community aboard this ship.  The real travesty is the lost research time, time that cannot be recovered.


    Captain Lan sits back in his chair and thinks for a second before adding a notation of his own.  -We are on a fact finding mission and we are only presenting what we discover so that others aren't flying in blind like we are.  Remove the editorials and I'll sign off on it.-

-------------------Elsewhere in the Region------------------------




    A small fighter careens through open space executing a series of moves to gain an advantage on its target, as it dives into a negative z axis cork screw and then quickly rolls in behind it.  The strike craft fires on the target which is quickly destroyed.  Another ship, in an attempt to avenge it’s fallen comrade, locks on to the fighter and fires it's own volley of shots. The fighter rolls and flips 180’ and fires on the second target, destroying it completely.

    “Very good mi-lord.  Outstanding.”
    “I have an excellent instructor in you, Ve’Lar.” Said the fighter pilot.
    At that exact moment, another voice comes in over the comm channel, “Votornas to Lord Vulknor, there is a level 1 priority message for you mi-lord, it is the Grand Primus, sir.”
    A scowl forms over his face before he answers, “Understood.  Inform the flight deck of my arrival, route the call to the main bridge conference room, please inform the Grand Primus that I am on my way.”
    “Understood mi-lord, Vontornas out.” The channel is cut with a slight hint of static.
    “Ve’Lar, form up on my wing. We must continue this training exercise at another time my friend. The Grand Primus wishes to speak with me.”
    “Understood sir, forming up now.”

    As Ve’Lar's fighter pulls alongside Vulknor’s ship, he sends a command to the destroy the other drones that were evading and attacking them.  After a brief light show, they proceed to and land aboard the Vontornas, a Vulkoras Desolator heavy combat ship.  It is part of a training fleet of Vanguard cadets who, for many, is the first time serving aboard an actual warship.  As Vulknor’s fighter glides to a hover and lands, personnel arrive to help the young lord out of his vessel.  He steps down onto the deck, Sub-Commander Ve’Lar arrives quickly behind him.

    “Oh there you are, with me to the bridge.” orders Vulknor.

    The two leave the flight deck and make their way through the huge ship to the bridge, when they arrive, the crew immediately salutes Vulknor forcing him to bellow out, “As you were.” and continues to the conference room.  When he enters, he approaches the large table and presses a lighted communication control button, “Send the message to me now.”

    A light begins to emit in the center of the table, a form takes shape of an older looking, regal Vasari, wearing platinum and red robes with adornments.  His yellowish eyes appear to look right through Vulknor as he gazes upon him.



    “Grand Primus, you have summoned me mi-lord?” Vulknor asks rhetorically.
    “It is about time.” he says in his deep, bombastic voice, “Flying all over space, having fun are we?”
    “No mi-lord, it was a training flight in the art of space combat,” he begins. “I did not have enough time to remove my combat flight suit without giving you a longer dela-.”
    Suddenly, he is cut off, “Save it, Vulknor!” the Grand Primus shouts, forcing a frown to appear over his face.  “The reason I summoned you is this.  A sentry probe has alerted us of an intrusion in the forbidden zone.  Your fleet is the closest.  Therefore, you will be sent to investigate and either capture or the destroy the transgressors. You will proceed to spatial grid 280 x 180 x 90.  That is where the probe is located, and you will report back to me immediately when your task is finished.”
    Ve’Lar quickly inputs the grid coordinates and shows it to Vulknor, his eyes widen in surprise as he says, “That will take at least a Vasar lunar cycle to get there...”
    “YOU ARE TO OBEY!" the Grand Primus commands in a loud deep voice.  “You must learn to receive orders as well as give them, when you become the Clan Lord of Vulkoras, you will understand that not even you are above of what you think is beneath you.  You will do as necessary for the Clan, the Vanguards, and the Empire.”
    Vulknor bows his head down and says, “I did not mean any disrespect, Grand Primus.”
    “None taken. Ve’Lar, make sure you save him from himself, is that understood?”
    “Yes Grand Primus, as you wish,” acknowledges Ve’Lar.
    “Be safe, with honor, Vulknor.” states the Grand Primus.
    “Yes father, I will.”  As Vulknor looks back up to the holo projection, the image fades away.

    Vulknor pulls a chair out from under the table and sits, he looks to Ve’Lar and asks, “What do you know of the forbidden zone?”
    “It was the very last major conflict the Vanguards took part in, after we won, we stripped the region of resources and left sentry probes in case anyone crossed into the zone after we had left.”
    “And that was how long ago?” asked Vulknor.
    “Over a thousand yarns, mi-lord.”
    “Exactly!” he slams his fist on the table. “My father is sending me on a wild kreet hunt.”
    “Maybe not mi-lord, I have been on several training missions, but no one has ever been sent into the forbidden zone.” Ve’Lar says, “I do not think it is a test, sir.”
    After several moments, Vulknor touches a panel on the table, the view screen blinks on to show the Admiral of the fleet. Vulknor begins, “Admiral, recall all ships and secure for phase jump operations. “We will be proceeding to this spatial grid.”  He types the coordinates into the panel and watches the Admiral’s eyes light up.
    “Mi-lord?" asks the admiral.
    “Inform the LarrTul they will stay behind in case we need to do an emergency jump back here, is that understood?”
    “Yes Lord Vulknor, at once.”
    "Also, join me in the conference room so I can explain to you what is going on.”
    “Yes mi-lord, I’ll be right there.” the admiral replies.

    The fighters and shuttles return to their mother ships and the fleet moves off to the edge of the gravity well to jump toward the star in this system.  They prepare for a month long journey to the Trigg home world inside the forbidden zone.  The Marauder, LarrTul, will stay behind with a few support ships and prepare itself for the returning ships of Vulknor’s fleet.  Since this was a training fleet, it does not have a lot of firepower, with the exception of the Vontornas.  Other ships in the fleet include five navigators, five Skirmishers, five overseers and three enforcers.  Minutes later, the small fleet exits phase space inside the star’s grave well, as the move across the face of the star, they make their final calculations before they power up their phase drives, and head through the great void, towards the forbidden zone and the dead home world of the Trigg...



And the crew of the Minoes.

******Present Day******


    "Captain Powley, sir!" a sensor tech reports over the internal ship comm network.
    "What is it?" Robert asks answering the call from his quarters.
    "A fleet just jumped into our gravity well in close proximity to the Kushva."
    "Make up and ID?"
    "My terminal is reading 352 contacts, sir.  152 Cobalts, 137 Javalis, 52 Garda, 10 Ogrovs and a Kol...  It's IFF is telling us it's name is the TRE Talonclaw."
    "Notify all stations to stand-by battle ready condition."  Powley takes a few seconds to double check some notes entered into the military network before contacting Colonel Briggs on the Dubovka. "Clint, we know about them right?"
    "I was about to ask you the same thing.  We've been contacted from several newcomers to the region and the only one I can think of off the top of my head that would match the IFF on that Cap would be The Renaissance Eagles."
    "Nice of them to bring their whole fleet over..." Powley states as the other captains and starbase commanders join the conversation.
    "That's not a fleet." Captain Nishi states.  "That's an ill fated expedition.  Seriously.  Almost all frigates.  You can't do anything in this region with that."
    Briggs smiles on the screen, "You take out the Ogrovs and leave the pesky frigates to us."
    "If they swarm you I'm going to have to take out more then just the Ogrovs."
    The colonel's head turns from the screen to look at another, "They appear to be moving away from the Kushva...  So that's good news I guess."
    "Someone should teach these guys some etiquette.  Call ahead or something." Colonel Horner states.  "My weapon station teams almost opened fire on them as they jumped into our system."
    "I'd shoot at them anyway." Major Delacerda states rousing a chuckle from most of the observers.
    "Yeah, that's probably why you haven't been promoted to colonel yet." Captain Ellis adds getting laughter from everyone.
    "I'm not worried, it'll happen soon enough." Delacerda retorts.
    Colonel Briggs looks at his other screen again. "Now they're forming up.  Scans indicate jump drive power ups."
    "So they're leaving us?  No hello's, no good bye's...  Chivalry is dead." Captain Gura states, pouting her lower lip when she's done.
    "Girl's night out tomorrow night!" Major Truex announces causing everyone to laugh some more.
    "And now they're gone." Colonel Briggs informs the group.
    "And this meeting is done...  Until the next fleet jumps in unannounced..." Captain Powley states.
    "I'll send in the report." Colonel Briggs says before cutting his link.  The others say their good bye's and cut their links as well.

(DS Roleplay /Sel' Ahn Wormhole)






Part Forty Five of Teir -

-Teal





http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1hKSYgOGtos

Sere-

Sel' Ahn-

November 22th, 2287 (11.22.2287.17)






They came out of the black in a splash of blue-white spray, ships listing in the tug of the gravity breeze at the edge of the wormhole. The Sartre listed to it's port side smoke and sparks coming off the side of the damaged forward hull.

The two Starbases floated in the black, chattering communications at the ships.

The ships chattered back.

And then everything grew quiet.

The repair ships had been able to re-rig, at least temporarily, a modicum of controls to push the ship into staged increments into phase drive, or to drop it in stepped increments down, but the sub-space engines were useless and inaccessible.

The repair ships hung close as four disciples drifted in and locked magnetic beams on the larger cruiser and turned as one off starboard, inching forward as the first ships moved over the edge of the gravity field of the wormhole and then through in a burst of winking light.

Sel' Ahn.

'Bring her up slow...' The Captain thought, as the disciples moved forward, crossing over the edge of the gravity field, then dropping back at right angles to the Sartre as the five ships drifted in against the glittering swirl of light spinning in the mouth of the wormhole.

The disciples and the Sartre  moved into the brightening light, the swirl of brilliance getting brighter and brighter, and then as one...

They crossed.

The line of the singularity came through the damaged and wrecked nose of the ship, a line of wavering shimmering...

...what?

air?

Not when it extended out beyond the ship into dead space, vacuum beyond.

Not air then.

But then what was this... trembling distorting line that moved back across the ship?

Captain T're 'En turned back to the passengers as the line touched him, moved over him.

He wavered.

A shimmer in a shimmer...

His eyes never breaking the contact as the line continued down the length of the cabin.

Shimmering.

As if under water.

Pris was sitting at the edge of Kindra's seat holding the woman's hand, Teal held her other. The woman clenched her eyes closed and tightened her fingers around Teal and Pris's hands.

"I'm sorry..." she said, fighting with her words the thoughts that edged on panic in her mind. Teal soothed her, moving a wash of calm over her mother, but it managed only to dim the edges of the fear her mother felt.

Teal was exhausted.

And her mother's resolve had strengthened.

She wanted to keep herself calm, but the woman's panic was close to screaming, the fear was so strong.

Losing the phase engine in mid jump had only made it worse when she had woken to find out what had happened.

That they had managed to get it back online had not allied any of the fear she still felt.

She was close to completely losing even the shred of control that she had been able to hang on to.

Pris smoothed the woman's hand as the line moved back over them.

Shimmering.

Pris turned as if in slow motion, her body moving in slow degrees as she turned, and smiled, a slow rise of the edges of her lips that seemed to take an eternity to move even that small distance, at Teal as the wave moved over them.

The line continued down the length of the cabin toward the back bulkhead and the engines and the end of the ship beyond.

Moving slowly.

Down along the length.

Down,

along,

the-

And then they were through.

The ship jerked faintly as they came through on the other side.

Two Starbases guarded the entrance-exit, dark hulls with heavy red markings smeared across their sides.

But these were new starbases.

Not the one's they had left behind.

The people here were paranoid.

Or afraid.

Or very, very cautious at the very least.

Pris tried to smile at that, but then frowned as she caught sight of the stars.

The stars here through the portholes glittered in different patterns.

Completely wrong.

Completely...

Different.

They were through then into the Distant Stars.

Sel' Varia.

'Move to the edge of the gravity field, all crew and passengers will transfer over to the disciples. Bring up two subjugator's and have them stand down. They will stay here while the repair ships get the Sartre back together, the remainder of the caravan will go on to Darios. We can have them meet the Sartre there and re-board the passengers at that time.'

Acknowledgments came back from the crew and the disciples.

Pris looked up from where she was sitting in the aisle next to Kindra's seat and patted the woman's hand.

"Almost over, the worst is behind us Ma'am."

Kindra offered a nervous smile and lowered her eyes.

"I'm sorry I'm such a bother..."

Pris pressed her hand to the woman's shoulder gently, and smiled. "You are not a bother Ma'am." and then she squeezed the woman's shoulder gently and moved up the aisle toward the Captain.

'Captain T're 'En...?' She reached out touching his mind directly, rather than broadcasting. He turned and regarded her.

'Child?'

'The casket of my Lady...?'

His eyes suddenly blinked and he smiled. He had for the moment forgotten.

'Yes, of course.'

Pris had smiled as the man had leaned down and patted her hands in his own. He straightened then and turned to one of several stewards that was already opening the baggage compartments and helping the passengers that were rising from their seats and gathering their things in preparation to debarking onto the waiting disciples that had moved in against the larger cruiser and docked.

'Cel' El, can you help this young lady and her family please when you finish there?'

The woman hoisted down a bag and set in on the floor for the older woman standing next to her and turned and nodded to the Captain.

He turned back to Pris then and leaned down and patted her hands again in his own large hands.

'Please let your family know that we will take care of your Lady, one of the stewards will be right down, all right?'

He had smiled and then stood turning back toward the front of the ship and striding away.

'The subjugators?'

'On there way up sir, they should be here in another 2 minutes.'

'Do we have any damage assessments beyond the cursory examinations since we lost power on the left phase engine?'

'No sir, we do not, we haven't-'

'Get someone down there then for a complete review, we are going to need it for the repair ships as soon as we can get everyone transferred off.'

'Aye sir.'

Pris moved to stand next to Kindra and Teal as the other women stood then, pushing the blankets back against the seat backs, Teal taking Kindra's hand and standing with her blank eyes staring straight ahead.

"Soon..." Pris said and patted Kindra's arm and smoothing a smile over Teal's mind.

Teal smiled back and reached out a hand and found Pris's as she extended it.

"Thank you." Teal said and smiled again. "Thank you for helping."

Pris smiled back and patted the older girl's hand.

As if Pris were the adult.

It felt strange.

But then, she was growing accustomed to it.

"You are more than welcome of course..."

Passengers were moving forward and into the T of the corridors just behind the forward bulkhead where beyond the bridge had once been, through the corridor branches to the doors where crew of the disciples waited to help them aboard.

One of the women stewards moved delicately back through the waiting passengers then coming down the aisle and smiling as she approached.

'Can i help?'

'Thank you' thought Pris, as the woman moved toward her, reaching up to the overhead compartments above.

Almost there...

Almost...

there...

Pris thought, though she held the thought inside her, and did not think out loud.

The Distant Stars.

The Distant Stars...

*
*
*
The ships moved to the edge of the wormholes gravity field and the navigators calculated the jump to Darios.

Daros, she corrected herself.

The name was different here.

Pris smiled holding Kindra's hand as the woman closed her eyes again, though her hand was not as tight as it had been against her fingers when they had first started this long trip, staring out the port window as the diciple drifted against the gravity breeze and cut the engines.

Then the soft flare of blue-white shimmer against the nose of the ship as the hulls groaned and the ships began to jump.

One by one.

One after the other.

Until the windows turned white and the disciple holding Pris and Kindra and Teal and the others...

And Sere, in her casket in the deep hold,

jumped.

To Rebirth,

It was appropriate, that,

rebirth.

Pris smiled to herself and leaned back in her seat, squeezing gently Kindra's fingers in her own.

*
*
*

It was hours.

Not long.

Well...

not 'very' long.

Until they splashed into the gravity well of Rebirth, sliding across the outer edge of the well. There was the chatter of communication between the Starbase sitting in orbit; a black megalith swathed in red hard Advent markings, and the arriving ships.

There was a psi link, Pris could feel it, though she couldn't properly 'hear' it. It wasn't meant for her, but probably for the Captain and his crew. Not all arriving ships were Advent, and so the necessary chatter of communications signals. Though with Advent crews it was simpler to link mind to mind and less obtrusive.

But still, the presence of so many bases indicated a highly guarded and wary stance here in the Distant Stars.

A guarded stance.

As if war could erupt at any time.

Pris frowned then, sad. They hadn't found it yet then...

That peace that an unguarded world would have meant.

But then, had she really expected that?

... no,

no... not really.

Sere had come here because this was where the aliens were in some strength. Because there was one here of sufficient rank for her to hurt them if she killed him.

That was why Sere had come.

And Pris had come because Sere had come.

No, no there would be no peace here.

Only death, if Sere had her way.

And Pris?

To take care of Sere.

No matter how much death there was to come.

To take care of Sere.

The ships moved to the edge of the gravity well then in a slow procession of sub-space thrusters firing.

Lining up in a long stretched line across the outer edge of the well.

And waited.

Behind them there was a splash of blue that came up as the cruiser Sartre hit orbit, then turned in a graceful arc never lowering their sub-space speed across the edge of the gravity well to the other ships that waited.

It took an hour and a half to transfer back all of the passengers and their belongings to the Sartre, which then moved up to the front of the caravan and then cut her engines.

She listed in the gravity breeze, swaying gently in the cold dark.

And then the phase engines came up in a groaning flexing of the hulls and the blue-white splash of light pulling into the noses of the ships.

One last time, Pris thought.

One last jump, and then we will be there.

One last-

The ships leaped into the black.

Flaring blue-white against the dark.

And gone.

One last jump.

To...

what was the name...?

Finley?

A strange name.

An alien name.

Almost.

Human.

One last jump, before Pris could awaken Sere.

And Sere could find her way.

If three days were long enough.

Long enough.

To find a reason to live,

a reason to kill,

and a reason to die.

Not very long to find such purposes.

But perhaps long enough.

Perhaps.

*
*
*

 

(DS RP)

The small TEC fleet storms into the capital world of the Egibis system, which is conveniently only one phase jump away from the star. However, being the capital world it is heavily defended by static defences; with hanger defence structures and beam defence platforms. Additionally over the a third of the TRE ships are damaged to some extent from the previous battle at the star.  

Not that it’ll do the Egibis Advent any good with most of their fleet destroyed or scattered, notes Z. He orders his Cobalts to hold their position and the Javelis’ and Ogrovs to engage the tactical structures from afar, any anima launched from the hanger defences are soon destroyed by the Garda’s watching over the aforementioned ships like a mother hen protecting her chooks. Soon a hole is punched in their Beam defences and the Cobalts and Garda’s race forward to engage the hanger defences while Javelis’ finish off the remaining Beam defence platforms.

The Ogrovs move away from the main fleet and approach the Temple of Hostility. Instead of unleashing their torpedoes they drop several troop shuttles to numerous entry points along the T-shaped orbital structure. Marines start pouring out and engage the defenders in close quarters combat.

**********

On the bridge of the Talonclaw, Z watches over the operation amidst the noise of status reports of comm officers and the occasional vibrations of the side mounted auto cannons. Bella sits beside him, with a rapt gaze as if watching an entertaining holodrama.

“Why are you attacking the non-military structures if you’re in such a hurry?” she asks with a note of concern.

“Because, this strategy is essentially a form of Chevauchee, something I picked out of history, the word itself is a form of ancient French. We’re inflicting economic damage as well as weakening the moral and political authority of the ruling faction. Think, if the Flames of Vengeance can’t protect them then it’ll put a dent on the relationship” It wasn’t the battle plan per se but most of what Z said was true.

“But aren’t there people on those buildings?”

Those around her who hear her query mutter in disbelief, this is war! Of course people died! This was what happened when you brought a sheltered civilian to a battle!

Zaroday takes a breath, thinks quickly and dodges the question, “yes, but the Advent have a lousy economy, we’re just making it lousier”.    

“You didn’t answer the question”, she responds petulantly.

“So what if there are witches dying, do you think they’d hesitate before they killed you?” he fires back angrily.

“Yes, but isn’t this genocide?” she retorts heatedly.

“Look at it this way”, Z counters in an exasperated voice,” we might be killing tens of thousands of Advent but at least we’re not killing billions of Advent planet side”.    

“That’s because you couldn’t bring the siege frigates with you!” Bella yells and storms out of the bridge like a child throwing a tantrum. Zaroday’s face is expressionless to the crew around him and they quietly return to work.

Damn it and she doesn’t even realise the irony of what shes saying, he thinks, or maybe it’s tragic irony. Either way, it’s all the fault of the witches. But another cynical part of him answers, or maybe because you weren’t there to protect her, you’re using the Advent as an excuse...   

In order to change the dark train of thoughts, Z stares absentmindedly at the Advent planet below him, its inhabitants no doubt cowering in fear. He turns around asks in a casual voice “Comms, give me a sitrep”.

The man responds in a careful, professional voice showing no signs of the previous altercation, “We’ve knocked out the Temple of Communion and the frigate factory, The Javelis’ are still mopping up the last of the beam defences and the Garda’s are waiting in front of the remaining hanger defences knocking out any anima. The assault teams have cleared two levels of the Temple of Hostility but have encountered heavy resistance making minimal progress in the last 15 minutes.”

Z ponders the information and the setback at the Temple of Hostility; “very well”, he announces, “begin the planet bombing procedures-”

“But sir”, interrupted the X.O “we’re the only vessel capable of planet bombing and you had most of the nukes taken off at Ethea for lesser tonnage...” He also doesn’t point out that he just contradicted his prior statement to Bella, not that he gave a damn about a whining civilian.        

“I know that”, the Admiral’s lips begin to curve into an evil grin as he motions to the planet below, “but they don’t”.

“What are your intentions?” asks the X.O resigned to forever guessing what his commander will do next.   

“They’ll see what’s happening and their imagination will fuel their fear”, Z pounds his fist into the palm of his hand as he adds “And then we’ll hit’em with our demands”.

“Err... demands?” queries the clearly puzzled X.O.

For his subordinate’s benefit he adds cyptically; “Right now we’re raiders, why don’t we become pirates as well”.

(DS/Personal)

         Foe In The Dark Part IV Conclusion

Moments later, Vulknor and Ve'Lar are with the first squad at the aft airlock of the Gloval waiting for the airlock systems to cycle through prior to connection, when Ve'Lar speaks, "I wonder what type of greeting he has planned?"

As the lights turn green from red, the doors open to a gantry leading to the Severun Overlord airlock, Vulknors says, "we are about to find out?"

 
As Vulknor and his subordinates cross the gantry to the airlock of the Overlord, the door open to reveal an honor guard holding stave's as they line on both sides of the interior corridor of the Overlord. In the middle of the corridor stands Kash'tic and his subordinates, they all bow before Vulknor as he crosses over and stands before them.

 
"Grand Primus, welcome aboard the Severun Overload. Let me introduce Admiral Lor'tet, commanding officer of the Overlord, you have met Sub-Commandeer V'run, one of my subordinates in covert-ops."

"Yes, V'run. Outstanding Intel on your part, you deserve a promotion." Spoke Vulknor.

V'run eyes light up an he says, "thank you sir."

Kash'tic cuts his eyes to V'run and says, "yes, I will consider it Grand Primus."

"What is there to consider, his Intel and presentation before I left was excellent. Without his input the mission could have turned out differently."

Kash'tic is speechless.

Vulknor begins, "it is settled, Commandeer V'run."

V'run immediately bows down before Vulknor and thanks him empathetically.

 
"Your quite welcome V'run, you deserve it." As Vulknor turns as he introduces Captain Ve'Lar, commandeer of his special forces detachment and personal security and hand picked warriors of his special forces.

The troopers stand at full attention, weapons at the ready, if looks could kill, everyone save Vulknor and Ve'Lar would be dead if they ordered it. To be part of Vulknor warriors mean you were the best of the best, that is why if you slipped up on a non-serious violation, it means to be ridiculed by your peers. To be kicked out of Vulknor's elite is worse than banishment. Quite literally, death before dishonor. Most Vasari are like this, to slay themselves before they dishonor their squad, their leader, their clan and most importantly, the Grand Primus.

As they get all the formalities out of the way, Kash'tic ask Vulknor a question, "Pardon me Grand Primus, just before you came through the airlock of your captured ship. Internal sensors picked up a weapons discharge, is everything fine aboard, my lord?"

"Nothing to worry yourself over. My troopers were having live fire drills aboard, firing at some type of vermin infestation that may be common on human ships."

Kash'tic stops and his eyes widen at the what Vulknor said. "What, vermin aboard that ship."

"Yes, it will be prudent to not let any crossover," replies Vulknor.

"I don't think that will be problem my lord, besides, we can capture all what is aboard using our nano-bots and include them in our studies, I think that would be fascinating, don't you?"

"To a scientist, yes, to a warlord, no. Even though there won't be many military secrets aboard, just the raw data alone on how humans think, act, not to mention, their history, is enough to begin a form of psychological terror against them.

To break their wills as they learn their place in the universe. To be servants of the Vanguards of the Vasari Empire."

"Yes, Grand Primus, I agree. In the meanwhile, sub-command, I mean Commandeer V'run. Please show Lord Vulknor's warriors to their quarters, so they can rest and relax. I will personally escort Lord Vulknor and Capt Ve'Lar to their rooms."

"Yes my lord, at once." Said V'run.

Vulknor turns and says, "Admiral," and nods to him.

"My lord," Lor'tet says as he bows to Vulknor.

As the large group breaks up as V'run escorts Vulknor's troops to their quarters, Lor'tet heads back toward the bridge of the Overlord, and Kash'tic sees Vulknor and Ve'Lar up to VIP deck of the ship. Ve'Lar begins, "so Primus Kash'tic, is this a refurbished ship or built to your specifications. It is a marvel to see a ship that can hold up to 15,000 beings to just a few thousand."

Kash'tic begins, "No, he is a new ship. Purposefully built for the Severun Intelligence, and clan lord.  He is a mobile command and control with many research laboratories to carry out experiments especially when there are time constraints to be concerned with. He also has two full wings of fighters for defense of the Overlord."

Vulknor replies, "Most impressive, so this is what you was doing before you came to Distant Stars region. I knew you were overseeing this ship but did not know the full extent, I know you like to surprise us Kash'tic and you did not disappoint."

"Thank you Grand Primus, I'm glad you approve please this way." Replied Kash'tic.

As they stand before the AG lift, the doors slide open and the lift propels them to almost to the top of the huge ship. The lift doors open and the three Vasari walk down the long corridor to where they approach two sentries across from one another with doors behind their backs.

"Grand Primus, this will be your room and Capt Ve'Lar, this will be yours," their names embossed in platinum at the side of each door, "If you have anything you may need, please do not hesitate to either call a valet servant or myself. I hope if you are not too tired from your ordeal, we can have dinner later Grand Primus."

"Yes, but of course. And I insist that I bring a beverage that you may enjoy Kash'tic. And before you ask, it is a surprise. I know how you like surprises."

Kash'tic smiles to what Vulknor has said, "In that case, I can't wait. I should see you in a few hours my lord."

As Kash'tic walks away, both Vulknor and Ve'Lar enter their rooms, as Ve'Lar turns back around, he sees Lord Vulknor with a huge grin across his face, just as his door closes in front of him. Ve'Lar thinks to himself, "It's going to be an interesting dinner indeed."

  Several hours have passed as the Overlord and it's three enforcer escorts have made two additional jumps since they left the Helon system carrying an captured Trade cargo ship with leader of the Vanguards, who personally oversaw and executed an attack on the Roesh Free Traders, which cause the destruction and deaths of thousands onboard a Trade port deep inside the Finley star system. Currently, the small fleet is holding position around a small red companion star in the Eulica system, waiting to see if they have been followed. In the meanwhile, the Primus of the Severun is having his staff ready an impromptu celebration and dinner for the Grand Primus, Vulknor of the house of Vulkoras. The being responsible for the loss of life in Finley.

 
As Vulknor and Ve'Lar enter the main dinning room, they both are taken aback of how much detail was put in at such short moment. Banners hang from the walls and various tables inside, proudly displaying the Vasari sigil of the Vanguards. Attendants line up as they take notice of the Grand Primus, and at that time, Kash'tic approaches the two Vasari, standing in awe of the extravaganza he has set in motion.

"Grand Primus Vulknor, Capt Ve'Lar, you are an tad early, please let me escort you to our table." As Vulknor and Ve'Lar follow Kash'tic to a rather large table, Kash'tic gestures towards Vulknor to a large throne like chair, "My lord, for you."
As attendants move forward, they move the chair so Vulknor can be seated, this process is repeated for Ve'Lar and finally Kash'tic himself.

Kash'tic speaks, "I hope everything is met with your approval my lord."

Vulknor raises an eyebrow, "Quite, impressive Kash'tic. You have outdone yourself in this endeavor."

"Yes Lord Kash'tic, most impressive." Responds Ve'Lar.

"Thank you both, I am humbled by your compliments. I am also glad we were able to accommodate you with formal attire, and I must say Lord Vulknor, you look every part of what a Grand Primus should look like."

Vulknor closes his eyes and smiles before speaking, "Always with the sharp tongue are we Kash'tic, nevertheless, it is rare I wear such wardrobes unless protocol calls for it."

 
Before Kash'tic can reponds, Ve'Lar interjects, "How bout we pour a drink before the meal arrives my lords."

"Excellent ideal Ve'Lar, yes, let us drink to victory. And let us all soar above our differences in the face of an common enemy," spoke Vulknor.

Ve'Lar ushers one of the attendants to bring a dark decanter that has been filled with the most potent drink a Vasari has ever come across that both Vulknor and Ve'Lar are about to unleash on an unsuspecting Kash'tic, who, in Ve'Lar's mind, needs to be brought down a few pegs over the fact that, over the years how he makes snide remarks to Vulknor on his accession as Grand Primus.

Ve'Lar instructs the attendant to pour the liquid for the three of them. Vulknor begins, "This is the surprise that I was telling you about, spoils to the victor. It is an incredible beverage that the humans hoard to themselves. I do believe you will enjoy this, I know I will." Vulknor smiles as he narrow his eyes at Kash'tic.

As Kash'tic takes hold of an old Vasari drinking goblet, he is hesitant to sip the funny colored drink. Vulknor begins, "do not worry old friend, it is not poisoned, if when such a time does come, it will be by my own hands," and Vulknor takes a large sip from his goblet.

"Do tell." Responds Kash'tic as he takes a large sip from his container as well.

 
For a moment, Kash'tic sits back to savor the strange drink that Vulknor and Ve'Lar have brought back with them from their excursions in Trader space. His eyes widen as the fluid has the typical reaction to Vasari chemistry. 
"Interesting side effect Grand Primus, and quite delicious too."

"I'm glad you enjoyed it Kash'tic, now if you permit me to dismiss with the pleasantries, I and Ve'Lar are ready to dine, since we've only been taken supplements during our mission to Finley and back."

"As you wish my lord," he claps to the attendants for them to begin serving the meal to his honored guests, "please enjoy, we have your favorites as you can see, even fresh mylo worms Grand Primus."

Ve'Lar leans over to whisper to Vulknor, "methinks he is trying to get you on your good side sir."

"We'll soon see his real side, just you watch." Says Vulknor as Ve'Lar begins to chuckle.

"Something funny captain?" Ask Kash'tic.

"I was telling my captain how you scrutinize fine details on everything, it is a wonder you don't forget anything Kash'tic." Replies Vulknor.

"Yes, I do suppose I have a knack at it my lord, I guess that is why I'm head of intelligence, that and head of my clan as well."

Vulknor murmurs under his breathe,"Too smart for your own good."

"What was that my lord?" Asked Kash'tic.

"Ahhhmmm, I was clearing my vocals, mylo worms are extra feisty, fresh indeed they are." Said Vulknor as Ve'Lar smiles for he heard him.

As they continue to drink and dine on fine Vasari selections of food spread across the huge dining table, the beverage that Lord Vulknor and Capt Ve'Lar brought with them begins to have it's effects as Kash'tic, who is always a stickler for titles and protocol, is getting comfortable and is actually leaving out each ones proper title and rank. Lord Vulknor raises his brow on how the usually uptight this Vasari is, and is now more laid back and actually seems he is enjoying himself. But Vulknor knows, if he had the chance, he will be more than willing to eject him out of an airlock to ascend to Grand Primus to succeed him.

"Grand Primus," Kash'tic begins, his speech slightly slurred, "you mind I just call you Vulknor?"

"Please do, that is my name." He looks over to Ve'Lar and laughs at Kash'tic insobriety.

"As you may know, I have a fine eye for detail, hence our motto, 'This eye never closes,'" he begins to laugh at his joke as Vulknor and Ve'Lar looks on,  "anyway, in you after mission report, you surmise the loss of the dark scout as either, the humans found away to detect the scout or, catastrophic failure on the commandeer of the ship?"

"Yes, and what?" Vulknor replied.

"I personally believe that the commandeer must have made an mistake, in all these years since we fielded this technology. We have never lost a ship in combat and I refuse to believe the hairless apes can detect our cloaked scouts, impossible I tell you."

 
Vulknor realizes he has touched a nerve with his report. "Nevertheless Kash'tic, I would not be surprised, humans can be very resourceful when need be."

Kash'tic scoffs to what Vulknor says, "Yes my lord, you do have previous experience with them don't you." Vulknor's eyes narrows at Kash'tic as he continues on, "yes you do. The forbidden zone incident where you lost several ships and at least a 1000 troops under your command, from a lone, human scout ship."

Ve'Lar sees the anger begin to swell up in his friend and dark lord of the Vanguard, Vulknor's temper is well known throughout the Vanguard heirachy, he thinks to himself, "Maybe this was a bad ideal with the juice to Kash'tic".

"I do believe Kash'tic, you need to tread carefully on what you about to say next." Replies Vulknor.

"On the contrary," as Kash'tic continues, "you give these humans way to much credit, they cannot detect our scouts and to prove it, we should send in a wing of scouts to test their detection grid, not to mention, we should come in and subjugate the whole sector with our superior firepower and lay waste to these various factions and find and take the technology they used which created the phase space shock wave we detected and brought us here. Instead, we are sneaking around, blowing up trade ports for what? And yes, it was under your command you lost the lives of our Vasari brethren."

Vulknor begins to rise out of his seat, his eyes, slightly glowing as his rage increases, "I do not need to explain myself to the likes of you, of all Vasari, and as far as the Forbidden Zone incident is concern, that planet had a ancient weapon systems that were triggered when Vasari ships entered orbit, most of the causalities were a result of poor intel from a long dead adversary reaching from the great beyond to exact revenge against it's victor. And the lone scout ship you referred to, yes the humans had the advantage of previously scouting various systems in the area, so they had a tactical advantage over my task force to set traps to disable support frigates until I was able to overcome them. Mind you, I was an unexperienced commandeer leading others into a situation with the lack of intel. Intel is one of the keys to victory, lack thereof will fester calamity and defeat. In order to learn, you have to be tested in real situations, after I became Grand Primus, I read my fathers private accords, he knew the Trigg home world was protected from Vasari incursions and knew I could have been killed during this mission. But he also knew that I had to learn to deal with death on a personal level, many friends died during the mission, I hated my father for sending me in, but afterward I now understood. He was preparing me."

"Many times you don't have second chances in combat, you must overcome and adapt. But I also don't like going into a situation without proper intel, it is vital in our efforts to divide the various factions and conquer. The bottom line is that I refuse to let individuals, such as yourself, to undermine me and my authority. To question what you truly do not understand, you only see a small view versus the whole picture. You are the head of intelligence and you should know this."

Kash'tic begins rise from his chair and speaks to Vulknor, "You are nothing more than a spoiled, bratty yelp from the great being that was your father."

Midway through his ascent to stand, Kash'tic feels a wave of nausea overcome him, he begins to stumble sideways and falls to the carpeted floor, he screams toward Vulknor and Ve'Lar, "What have you done to me. YOU POISONED ME!!!

 
"Don't be absurd, you are inebriated, and fell on your hind end you lush. Said Vulknor.

"Impossible, I can't be. The medical nanites would have filter the effects."

"That me be true, but not the new beverage you had this evening. The humans have a saying, a drunk person speaks a sober mind." Vulknor begins to laugh at Kash'tic as he tries to stand and falls over again.

"You will pay for this outrage against me Vulknor, mark my words." Said Kash'tic.

"But you will pay more Kash'tic. Lucky for you, you are at my feet, otherwise I would have killed you right where you stood before you tumbled over in a heap." Vulknor touches a highlighted intercomm control on the table he is now leaning on. Two valets quickly enter the room and are shocked to see Lord Kash'tic on the floor.

"Please help Lord Kash'tic to his quarters, he has a little to much to drink this evening and he is turning in early." As the two valets try to help, he pushes one of them away.

"Kash'tic, it will be most regrettable if I have to summon my personal forces to 'help' you to your quarters."

Kash'tic stares at Vulknor as he continues to lean against the table, he folds his arms against his chest and quickly snaps his head to the right to crack his neck. Vulknor then smiles toward Kash'tic. The two valets help Kash'tic to his feet and help him through the doorway and down the hall to his private quarters.

Ve'Lar steps from behind Vulknor and stands before him and asked, "You would have struck him down?"

"Wouldn't be the first time."

"In over few hundred years, yes." Said Ve'Lar.

"No matter, we will deal with Kash'tic if he gets out of line again. Computer, show our current position relative of Esta.

 
The middle of the table begins to glow as a holo projection shows near by star systems, Ve'Lar walks over and notices the current location of the ships.

"Here we are, holding here at this red dwarf companion in the Eulica star system."

Vulknor studies the holo map and says to Ve'Lar, "Add current intel briefs for the surrounding systems."

As the information icons appear next to each star, he reads unidentified ship movement detected in Antynene, Monta clan ships detected in Urmal, and heavy phase ship detection coming from Ethea system.

"Look at this, most of this info is in excess of 36 hours. So either we wait for the next intel brief or," he begins to trail off and Vulknor presses the comm to the bridge.

"Bridge here?" The voice came over the speakers.

"This is Lord Vulknor. Admairal Lor'tet, set a course for the Astirka relay station."

There was a slight pause before he begins to reply, "That will take us out of the region my lord."

"Correct, in less than 4 hours, we can resume normal comm transmissions, we have been in the dark to long, we need to find out what is going on in the surrounding systems. Of course it will add an extra 10 days of travel, but once we get clear, we can't be tracked because we will be going beyond any known detection grid in this part of space and able to return to Esta due to the natural jamming effects of the magnatar."

"As you wish my lord, very good. Bridge out."

Vulknor turns to Ve'Lar and says, "I truly hate not knowing what is going on, but in a few hours, we will be in total contact with our forces, not to mention, the virus we uploaded in their com channels should begin to transmit and since were heading to Astirka, we shall soon see the fruit of our endeavors old friend."

As Vulknor begins to pour out large portions of 'Apple Juice' for Ve'Lar and himself, he turns and toast and says, "to anarchy and hysteria, the humans won't know what hit them."

Vulknor takes a large gulp and slams the container against the wall as Ve'Lar follows suit. They both walk out of the large dinning room and proceed to their quarters.


Several hours have passed since the altercation with Vulknor in the main dining hall, slowly Kash'tic awakens in his quarters in his sleeping berth. He sits up quickly when suddenly he is hit by a massive headache. He touches his head with both hands, "So hard to think clearly", he thinks to himself. "What was that blasted drink he gave me, damn you Vulknor."

  He slowly climbs out of his bed and staggers to his quarters main viewing bay, he activates the shutters, as the shutters slowly ascend his room is bathe in shimmering purple light from the phase space. The color is slightly different due to Vasari phase drives are more efficient and faster than other races. As he stares out of the viewport, he does not recognize any of the stars in there relative position. He slowly makes his over to his desk and sits and activates his terminal, "Where in the craggy fract are we," he thinks to himself.

 
"Bridge, this is Primus Kash'tic, what is our current vector and position?"

"My lord, we are currently en route to Astirka relay station, we are outside of the Distant Stars sector my lord."

Kash'tic quickly frowns and says, "On whose authority."

"The Grand Primus my lord, he felt we were too long being in a communications black out and ordered us on our current vector my lord." Kash'tic stares at his console in utter disbelief of what he is hearing.

"If I may my lord, if he hadn't ordered us out of the red dwarf, our position would have been compromised. Three hours after entering phase space, a task force of Monta clan ships on a escort detail through the star began to pass heading to their home my lord. Had we waited for the intel update, they would have discovered us."

"Understood admiral, I am going to assume were are clear on all comms."

"Yes my lord," said Admiral Lor'tet.

"Very well, please keep me informed of any changes, Kash'tic out."

After Kash'tic cuts the comm line, he pounds his fist on the table and says, "That craagy Vasari and his inferno luck he has." As he begins to type on his console, nearly 4 days of intel briefs download and appeared on his screen. As he scans through the reports and rubbing the side of his temple as his head starts to throb again, he sees something which catches his eye. Multiple Trader fleets seen near the Finley system and at least one entered. As he leans back in his chair, he contemplates his next course of actions. He then leans forward and waves his hand near his console which activates a holo projection system. Dozens of lights appear and dance in mid air, he then says, "Finley."

 
Suddenly, most of the stars disapper with the exception of a few dozen and one star that is highlighted, "assets in this sector," he then says. The computer processed the command and begins to show various Dark scouts in the region, however, one in particular catches his eye. 

"Well, well, well, what is this? he begins, "enhance Finley." The computer displays the info on one lone scout that is still inside the system.

 
"Have you been there this whole time?" As his hands begin to type on the keypad, he orders inquires on fleet strength, from which trade faction and current morale in system. Take additional, passive scans, only active when necessary, and continue stealth operations in Finley and use the natural interference and background radiation to conceal yourselves. You will currently stay and observe all activity and send updates every four hours. If somehow the humans begin to track you, make haste and leave the system, as of this time the humans have no way of tracking you, our tech is beyond the comprehension of these hairless apes so I have no worries you will execute your mission. For the glory of the empire and to the  glory to the Vanguards. Primus Kash'tic, Severun Overlord.

"Computer, encrypt message, ultra priority level 1. Send to VG vessel DS 1002 Attention Commanding Officer."

 
A low deep voice from the overhead speaker says, "Completed." Kash'tic leans back with a smile on his face and says, "we will see who is right with these fools who think they can match us.  Computer, transmit message."

 
After a few seconds the computer responds with, "Completed." 
Kash'tic thinks to himself, "Good, now I need something for this blasted headache the Grand Primus has given me."

To Be Continued....

Edit:The Following Takes Place 36-48 hours After The Attack On Finley...Bison....

(DS Roleplay /Orbital Trade Station above Finley 1 , Finley System)






Part Forty Seven of Teir -

-Teal





http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VmVaDxnSE3c

Sere-

Jump-

November 23th, 2287 (11.23.2287.2)

'And these out worlders will let us move to their moon for repairs?' The Second thought as she and the Captain picked their way through the deep hallways as the passengers debarked.

'They will' Tre' En replied in kind. 'They have a truce with the Advent here, though a tenuous one. Why should they lie when they could have easily fired on us as we phased in?'

The Second raised an eyebrow. It wasn't that she didn't trust them, well... yes, it was, she didn't trust them, but the Captain had a valid point. A caravan of frigates under the wing of a single Capital ship, even the 'Revenge' could not hope to outgun a heavily armed planet and all the sensors and gun turrets that lined the rim of the gravity well.

'Yes, you are right.' She thought.

The Captain smiled at that. This Captain was an interesting... man. He pondered his decisions, pieced together well reasoned facts to see what the whole formed before deciding. There were many that would simply have responded out of fear, or out of hate. There was a place for that, that fear, that hate. But Commanders could ill afford it.

It was a thing best left to the drones, or the hunter-seekers when boldness and hate often combined into devastating attacks when there was no thought of survival.

But this man showed promise.

The Second had been ashamed when she had been requisitioned aboard his ship. A ship needed a woman, a woman who could control herself with measured coldness. A measure of detachment from what was expected. It was necessary when interacting with the 'humans'.

Yet here was a man who measured his reasoning and his responses as well as a woman.

Even better than she had, she admitted to herself reluctantly.

It was too easy to hate the Traders, too much blood and life lost in the exile, too much blood and hate built up over the war that had waged between the two races since the Advents return.

She had been thinking with her gut, when she should have been thinking with her mind. Too much heat and not enough of the cold detached observation that she needed.

She was no longer ashamed to be aboard the man's ship.

Although it amused her that a man oversaw the masculine ship.

He was more than competent, though surely a woman's hand would have seemed more right at the steers crystals on the bridge than a man's.

Old prejudices died hard.

Though she meant to see that this one died. She was proud to be his second, and she felt there was even more to learn.

'How strange to learn something from a man...' she thought, then caught herself. She had thought it aloud.

The Captain turned away, but there was a faint trace of a smile at his lips.

No doubt it was a prejudice he had encountered often coming up through the ranks.

'My apologies Captain.' She stopped and folded her hands behind her back then and straightened at attention.

He glanced back and inclined his head toward the back of the ship.

'Your apologies are not necessary, we have a ship to see to before the passengers finish debarking and we are ready to make the jump to this moon of theirs.'

She nodded back and hurried to catch up to him as he continued down the hallway toward the engine bays beyond. She felt properly abashed, even if the man had not reprimanded her.

A woman would have if she had even thought of questioning her ability.

But this wasn't simply a lack of his disciplining her.

It was a nod that she would be right, normally, but not in this instance.

For that she felt all the more committed to this ship.

And to this intriguing man.

There was much here to learn, and she was determined to stay until she learned it all.

The Captain shielded then and pushed through beyond the sealed heavily armored doors that led to the stairway down to the engine level below.

The Second shielded and followed.

*

*

*

The stars beyond the porthole sparkled in the black space beyond the ship. Though their trajectory had moved across the sky in slow degrees. It had taken almost the whole night to debark all the passengers and their belongings, exhausted and half asleep as everyone had been. Below her Pris could feel the casket being moved slowly by Advent, the humans preferred not to touch it, and that suited her fine.

From the outside platform as she moved from the windowed walls through the door onto the ramp that led out to the Trade station's balcony she could see the scars that had mauled the back skin of the ship where the engines had almost torn free.

The brackets had been re-enforced after the engine had come back online, but the tears the released energy had torn in the back plating and in the skin was beyond simple in flight repairs. It was a wonder the ship had not simply fell out of phase space and shattered itself against those energies.

The hand of the Creator had been on them.

It was the only thing that could account for surviving when by all reasonable thinking they should not have.

She stepped across the platform and down the ramp across the span of a hundred meters toward the balcony of the Trade station that waited beyond. Sere's casket had already disappeared beyond the doorway there and was being off loaded to a machine that picked up the pallet that held all of the unloaded baggage as easily as a woman might pick up a child, then turned and disappeared into the depths of the warehousing bays that stretched beyond. She couldn't see it, not properly, but she felt it, as if she sat on the pallet next to the casket and had moved with it.

The railing swayed underneath her as she moved, the circle of thin shiny plastic film tubing that enveloped the ramp way that joined the ship to the station undulating with the movement. She smiled at it's primitiveness. If this were an Advent world, they would have used shields and the stars beyond the ramp way would still be visible. But they were not on an Advent world she reminded herself, as if it were ever far from her mind.

The thin plastic tubing could easily tear, rendering the station lock as well as the ship lock and all the traversing passengers along the path to screaming bloody flesh and torn metal and escaping air. It reminded her that even primitive worlds were dangerous.

Perhaps especially this one, considering why they had come.

She stepped quickly along the swaying ramp way, as quickly as she was able without impolitely crowding past those ahead of her, impatiently counting her slippered footsteps across the length of it until she reached the door lock, her long brown skirt swirling in the push of air that filled the tube, then across the balcony that led into the station proper.

Pris inhaled suddenly, not realizing she had held her breath the last hundred steps.

She felt exhausted just from crossing the tube, and as she stepped through the door lock, she turned back and saw the long tube that narrowed in her vision as it touched the ship, only the memory of the ship beyond its opaque white sheen.

She had let herself come among them, the 'Traders', and now she was at the mercy of the way of this world, the ways of these people.

It almost overwhelmed her, and she put a hand to her mouth to fight back an involuntary scream that threatened to tear itself from her throat.

But then she felt the machine that had been moving the casket stop, and it distracted her. She took strength in that and the sudden vision of Nadera's face in her memory as she had placed the copy of Sere's consciousness into Pris's mind. And Nadera's thoughts, 'Once we are in the thick of it, that is where we find what we were meant to be...'. The woman had smiled then and hugged Pris to her white robed breast, the feel of the cloth soft and warm against her own body.

'Fear is normal... fear is normal...' she chanted over and over in her mind as she turned back into the station and the bright lights that glared from the light tubes embedded in the ceiling of the wide entry bay.

She turned her mind back to the casket and could feel Sere inside, unmoving, unstirring, unthinking...

as she moved into the lobby with the crush of other people disembarking from the ship, all milling and moving slowly toward the windowed cubicles that lined the far edge of the bay toward the rest of the station.

The cubicles were closed and the throughways blocked with bars that seemed to have come down from the ceiling. Orange uniformed station personnel with talkies clipped to their collars moved at the periphery.

So they would not be allowed beyond this point for now.

Would they be searched?

Or questioned?

Suddenly she was completely exhausted and felt she couldn't move another step. As the people around her began to sit and arrange themselves, she moved to a space against the wall, between two families, one with a young mother and father and child, the other an older couple well into their hundreds. She smiled wearily at them as she pushed her back up against the cold wall and slid down onto the floor, pulling her coat tighter around her, and snuggling her chin down against her chest. She closed her eyes trying to fall asleep.

It had been a long trip.

And an even longer night it seemed.

She tried not to be afraid,

tried not to think...

tried not to...

But then she fell asleep.

Though she found no comfort from the stillness, or from the dreams that plagued the dark corridors of her mind.

And she turned in her sleep, and soft whimpers escaped her lips across the hours, as if mewlings of a small velt kitten caught out alone in a downpour on the plains of Arredo.

Beyond the station the injured Sartre moved unseen to the edge of the gravity well aligned to the moon hanging in the star strewn dark.

And jumped.

*

*

*