Post by EmperorMyric on Mar 22, 2021 15:37:56 GMT
The Black Threshold: Unknown Space
The Black Threshold had always been an enigma.
Located just on the outer edge of the golden expanse this strange tangled mass of strange space time tunnels and distorted space had baffled many factions scientists for decades and had been the focus of many studies and research however what had caused it remained an eluded mystery. The Threshold had stayed relatively unexplored, its unpredicatble nature and the strange lights that seemed to swell within had hampered any large scale mapping or exploration with many who entered simply never returning. Some areas had been mapped, although these tended to be havens of pirates or stranger entities and were largely left alone.
The Black Threshold had been relatively ignored in the state of the 2nd Ancerious war, the only notable involvement was a EPA biological weapons lab that was located within one of the more stable pockets this had been the location of the weapon deployed on United Federation space but the allies had never found its location and so it stayed hidden as it always had.
However with the advancement of the being known as Eos across the galaxy the Threshold became the focus of many. It had been the site of a truly huge energy spike that had also encompassed the golden expanse, that had by all account coincided with the strange course change of the strange anomaly, saving the likes of Lost Star but damning those of the Alterean Dominion. While the anomaly had now moved into the golden expanse the strange question had remained, what had caused its course correction? Whatever it was it was located deep within the Threshold and with power of that scale a weapon even such as the Crucible paled into total comparison.
The space around the Threshold was calm as always, the entire distortion was roughly 2 light years across, massive in size and had the power spike not been of such size to pinpoint its location would never have been found in any descernable lifetime. Black spacetime tunnels squirmed and moved, lights seen in their depths almost like a coral reef in its look. Whatever the origin was it was deep inside the anomaly proper, the forces that had arrived would have to make their way in carefully to discover the truth.
The course change of the anomaly didn’t go unnoticed by the Ancient Ones. The Commons chittered around and were as excited as the emotionless beings could.
A fleet was sent out, standard size of a single Frigate and six Escorts to explore the anomaly. The Frigate had also been loaded with several scientific Probs. The specialized Ancient Ones were grown with scientific ‘organs’ that allowed it to scan planets with near perfect accuracy.
The fleet jumped into the area of the anomaly and sensor and alarms flashed. Several spacial and dimensional anomalies Commander. Commons said. The Commander looked out to space and watched as it seemed to move.
We are in no danger Commander; these anomalies are several light years away from us. A Common said. The sensors and alarms stopped and the Commander looked to the areas around them one more time.
Send out three probes. It ordered. From the frigate three small crystals were launched out of the Frigate into space. As the flew four ‘wings’ sprouted from them and they began to speed up.
Fischer, after the events following the destruction of Kaikoma settled down, traveled to Triarch's space, looking to possibly make some more purchases of Sentinel Mk. IIs and Triarch Attackers and Defenders that had been lost in the destruction of the planet, but had only managed to negotiate for the aircraft before the 'Viper' Emerald Jewel IV notified him of the massive energy spike that had diverted away a similarly massive energy source away from their position. The 'Viper' was able to effectively pinpoint the origin of such, and after requesting Admiral Morgan's Fleet to rendezvous with him near the location, began to warp towards the coordinates.
Morgan however took a few moments to contact Decoroso Command on what kind of faction, nation or entity could have done such, and while it obviously was't Eos or Nakai, the only other one that it could be had managed to put a chill down the Admiral's spine, and after contacting the Three Domains Alliance for Military Assistance, also moved to the coordinates.
It wouldn't be long before the Assault Fleet under Fischer and the Fleet under Morgan arrived to find another already at the location, so few ships, but a total unknown. Cooling down the Warp Drives, and powering shields, Fischer tenatively sent out communication droid to act as a translater for the parties that would be coming, the droid working and dissecting the languages and allowing for free transfer of communication through it, sending out the general hail from his ship. "I am ISF Assault Fleet Admiral Manfred Fischer of the Dectrose Empire, also in command is ISF Fleet Admiral Morgan Rolland of the Dectrose Empire, we do not wish for conflict, we are here to investigate the recent energy spike originating from here." Tapping his RAVD node to make the droid repeat the message to any newcomers, he hoped that the TDA and the Dectrose would be able to flawlessly coordinate the investigation efforts.
Both Hawks and Emerald Jewel IVs then began to "listen" with their passive sensors, and poke about with their active sensors into The Black Threshold.
Grand Fleet Admiral Chesterton was trudging through his regular work day at the TDA Fleet Headquarters when he received a priority call from the Gorganos Prime Command centre. The Dectrose had sent a message for aid against a threat that the TDA hadn’t come across. Given the circumstances of the message he wasted no time mobilising most of the First Fleet under Fleet Admiral Emma Juliana who would be commanding Super Carrier Strike Group One in addition to the rest of the fleet, she was also joined by Battle Carrier Strike Group One under Admiral Thomas Marquee and Carrier Strike Group two under Admiral Lindsey Alessandro. They departed their home dock in the Anderson system and locked wormholes for the coordinates given to them by the Dectrose. Upon arrival they were greeted by two friendly signatures the Dectrose and the Ancient Ones. They sent a message of greetings to the AO stating their intentions. Juliana was keen to work with the Dectrose on this mission and opened up communications with them personally.
“Attention Admiral of the Dectrose Fleet this Fleet Admiral Emma Juliana of the Three Domains Alliance First Fleet responding to the request for military aid made by your government, I look forward to working together today. I’m opening up comms channels and tactical data sharing now so we can effectively coordinate our efforts.” She said sternly but politely
The immense flash of energy and the subsequent dissapearance of multiple empires did not escape from the dirge's attention. Of course the entire galaxy cautiously involved itself with the destructive entity. The Dirge cared little about the destruction or the potential capabilities such a force could have should ot be harvested. Rather, they were overcome with a distincy form uriosity , one bordering on obsession. Their frantic scramble into the threshold was spurned on by the veil of silence that was sure to follow when the anomalies true nature was revealed. And so they dispatched a moderately sized fleet.
Several churning pinpricks of light ejecting matter and energy widened before collapsing into the Dirge fleet. The Dirge unlike the others could not in their current form venture into the threshold. So reliant were they on reading the fabric of space, and the gravitational constants of reals pace, that attempting the ever shifting threshold would prove suicidal. So they began a self contained mutation, a spit of the moment adaptation emulating all of the technologies they had come to know and understand, in order to even piece the veil or comprehend what was directly in front of them. It would take time. Time where they would be vulnerable.
They pinged off of the Dectrose comms buoy, with a simpe data packet, indicating a neutral stance, and peaceful motives
Shadowblade in and of itself had no real reason to be here. Of course the central regions had always been of interest, but the risks and foreign interest inherently tied to the area were always considered too great, even with the rise in use of automated ships. Mogodin instead gingerly brought his force through the pathways behind the Triarch response force in the area, acting as support. There wasn't much to gain from this, yet here Mogodin found himself. There was a problem to be solved. Concerns about having made alliances with anyone in the first place - those individuals not even present - notwithstanding, he intended to operate on his best terms.
The Triarch fleet came in just at the same time as the Shadowblade fleet translated in area. The force immediately spread out into a defensive wedge with its most powerful vessels at the fore. The Haephestus class super dreadnought at the front of the formation recieved a slew of sensor information regarding location, contacts and hails from the seemingly quite crowded surrounding area. This surprised Captain Amit as he surveyed the area, then again the energy spike that had been sent out from this region had been colossal in size, it made sense that others would be here too. But it did make things more complicated.
Amit was here under direct orders from John Triarch himself, this latest incident had highlighted a possibility of being linked to the mysterious spheres that had been seemingly constructed by Triarch without many in the head placements even being aware of it. The company had been infiltrated and while Triarch dealt with the internal situation Amit had been sent to investigate the external, by hunting down those elements of the company who had assisted the Unnamed in this 'project'. He could not reveal the true nature of his mission of course, to do so would be to crash Triarch stocks across the galaxy. No he would operate here alongside Shadowblade and the Axioms to achieve his goal and to find out what was really happening here in the Threshold.
Grand Naval Commandant Fo'Valai didn't usually have a lot to do to occupy his time. Normally, most aspects of the Imperium's navy could be commanded just fine on lower levels, with no need for his input. And the Navy was unwilling to send out one of their Imperial Dreadgalleons on any old deployment. So, out of both boredom and an intent to do something in the Imperium's name, he leapt at the opportunity when reports of an anomaly well beyond the norm came before his eyes. Something well away, far from Imperial territories. Just like the last of such anomalies, one where Hu'reka saw fit to display his cowardice, in an act that abandoned a platoon of Imperial Marines. Safe to say, Hu'reka no longer held the rank he had at the time. No matter, the coward's reports and that of his subordinates could be useful to Fo'Valai.
Something, an enemy they couldn't quite identify, had been trying to hack their defences, and while Hu'reka did his best, his non-military exploration vessel was not up to the task. An Imperial Dreadgalleon was not such a vessel. Not only that, another nation the Imperium only knew by the name had turned hostile, and it was suspected it was at the hacker's hands. And whatever was going on, it involved a device of some kind. So, with what scant information had been gathered, Fo'Valai prepared. He outfitted his Dreadgalleon, the Armada, with as many electronic defence suites as the internal compartments could fit without compromising the vessel. He felt confident in the firepower of his ship's guns. Still, it didn't hurt to bring extra supplies of missiles and Kinetic Mines. He ordered the fleet he could muster to do the same as he.
It was with the usual electromagnetic screech that the swirling yellow vortex of an Autayan wormhole opened, much larger than that any of the factions had seen. First through were some escorts, smaller craft. Following it, the slow, massive form of the Armada, the colossal barrels of its multiple spinals first through. When the titanic vessel finally emerged fully from the wormhole, its fleet around it with guns and shields alike armed, the wormhole closed shut.
"Fleet status." Fo'Valai ordered as he stepped forward, the rank cape befitting his position trailing behind, the crew of the vessel's CIC hard at work.
"All ships are green. Engines to full, shields raised. Guns are charging and ready to fire."
"Once we're at speed, divert propulsion energy to charging the spinal. I want those barrels as powerful as they can be if anything hostile comes our way.
"Sir, I'm reading anomalous activity beyond the fleet. Like...we're in some kind of tunnel."
"Alright. Don't bunch together but stay away from the...walls, I suppose. No idea what happens to anything that wanders into there." Fo'Valai nodded. "Anyone in vicinity?"
"Multiple contacts, sir. Some of them the systems recognise."
"Show me." he ordered, moments later being fed optical and other sensory readings.
One contingent matched the colours, designs and symbols of a group Hu'reka and the Marines had encountered. 'Triarch' if he remembered the reports correctly. The Marines had put in a good word for them.
"Contact that fleet." he ordered.
"Aye aye sir." a crewman nodded as Fo'Valai crossed his arms.
"This is Grand Naval Commandant Fo'Valai of the Autayan Imperial Navy. I have reason to believe our forces have met before, under...somewhat similar circumstances. I believe we would both benefit from joint assistance in investigating this anomaly, military or otherwise, and would like to make a proposal of such. I await your response."
With the destruction of Tenebrae at the hands of something other than their own, the Immortal Empire found itself robbed of a conclusion many lives in the making. As a result they added the thing that killed Tenebrae to the long list of things they needed to kill, where it joined other notable things such as the CDG, the Abberation, and the A’zores which was better known amongst the Immortal Empire as the ‘Ship of the Golden Shower.’ And having witnessed the path of the disaster diverted by something peaked the curiosity of the Immortal Empire. Here was something that could prove useful. Should they be able to claim whatever it was.
The 53rd Warfleet along with the 313th Void Fleet and the super dreadnaught ‘War’ exited hyperspace and made haste towards the Black Threshold. That others had already gathered here was rather upsetting to Admiral Haiden who was already preparing for another fiasco like the Ring of Remembrance.
”Tech Michele, please begin leading the process to determine these unknown ships’ capabilities and rough armament. Have C.C.O.B.A.L. assist with the predictive analysis to dissect the ship designs and current formation to determine most likely strategies these unknowns will use.”
As the tech acknowledged and made her way to the analysis wing of the control bridge, C.C.O.B.A.L. chimed in, I DO NOT KNOW WHY YOU BOTHER WITH ALL THAT. THAT PROCESS HAS NEVER WORKED WITHOUT KNOWING AT LEAST SOMETHING ABOUT THE SPECIES COMMANDING THE SHIPS. AND CURRENTLY WE KNOW NOT ENOUGH.
”True.” the admiral responded, ”But if nothing else it will benefit me in knowing at least something of what those ships should be capable of.”
“Now then.” Haiden began addressing the whole fleet, ”Launch the scout drones as planned and move us into a ‘Prickle Back’ formation. Begin advancing and stay sharp. We don’t know what to expect. And actually, now that I think of it, I want someone to try open a channel with Triarch. I’d like to confirm who they’re working for.”
As the warships moved into their formation, the scout drones were launched to scout ahead as was only proper that a drone designed to scout by allowed to scout. They looked for stable pathways large enough to accommodate the warfleet’s formation and still allow enough room for what little maneuvering Immortal Empire ships were capable of preforming. A tall order.
It was inevitable.
They had known that, from the moment that the array had been used to protect their own assets the summary energy spike had given away the exact location of the array, no amount of stealth or concealment would ever stop such energies from being visible to the galaxy at large, and so they had waited. Now the wait was over, those interested and curious as to what was here had now amassed all armed and ready for conflict. However the Ghosts had not been idle.
The form of the Black Threshold twisted and turned in the viewscreens of the various fleets, one particularly large opening was clear to all, and as the Autaya and Immortal Empire seemed to advance into its maw the strange nature of their domain became quite clear. The tunnel was a stable spacetime route, the sensors and visuals picking up insane and quite impossible readings, sights and more as they pierced the blackness of the walls of the tunnel, any probes sent beyond such simply dissapeared, usually registering a total void in spacetime befret of all laws of physics before the probes simply broke down into nothing too, a fate that any others would surely not wish to endure.
The tunnel was quite vast, it was only the entrance to such of course but it was around an AU in width plenty of space for all the fleets and plenty more, it seemed to taper somewhat the further they got, reducing in size. Ghost signals and more followed them in but so far nothing. They would have to push further for their curiosity to be sated, the forms of hundreds of sub brances and tiny tunnels branching off the main conduit like a tree, the strange white lights moving down some of them in erratic patterns.
Those pushing into the vast halls of normal space very quickly found themselves confronted with an array of defensive platforms, floating missile tubes and static rail guns sitting idly around larger shield carrying stations as a pair of ten kilometre ships sit floating behind the some two hundred and fifty platforms, all of this sits arrayed before a single larger platform topped with a monolithic barrel bleeding iridescent golden light.
A wide band message crackles over the waves as a distinct and perhaps to some recognisable voice begins to speak.
"G'day there all this is Captain Nivia of the Annointed empire, gunna have to ask you to stop there and state your reason for visiting this sleepy little shit hole here."
Nowhere to run to, baby, nowhere to hide...
Max was bored. Black Skull was supposed to be about flying around the galaxy kicking ass and taking names but for months all they'd done was guard duty. He was bored. Cripplingly bored. And even being moved to Freeport 42 where action was 'imminent' had done little to alleviate the crushing, all consuming boredom.
He thanked god when proximity alarms startes blaring, indicating intruders in the system. Might have been a small research team, or something else their mysterious benefactors could deal with on their own. But as the number of contacts rapidly went from a couple hundred to a couple thousand it left little doubt in the minds of the bored pirates.
This was what they had been waiting for.
Card games were abandoned and the freeport became a flurry of activity as a message was sent off to Jade and the pilots scrambled into snubcraft going through preflight checks and leaving the Freeport in droves. They scattered up the branching paths, expertly navigating the winding corridors as they made their way toward the intruders. The fighters and bombers didn't show themselves quite yet... but soon. Soon indeed.
The Black Threshold had always been an enigma.
Located just on the outer edge of the golden expanse this strange tangled mass of strange space time tunnels and distorted space had baffled many factions scientists for decades and had been the focus of many studies and research however what had caused it remained an eluded mystery. The Threshold had stayed relatively unexplored, its unpredicatble nature and the strange lights that seemed to swell within had hampered any large scale mapping or exploration with many who entered simply never returning. Some areas had been mapped, although these tended to be havens of pirates or stranger entities and were largely left alone.
The Black Threshold had been relatively ignored in the state of the 2nd Ancerious war, the only notable involvement was a EPA biological weapons lab that was located within one of the more stable pockets this had been the location of the weapon deployed on United Federation space but the allies had never found its location and so it stayed hidden as it always had.
However with the advancement of the being known as Eos across the galaxy the Threshold became the focus of many. It had been the site of a truly huge energy spike that had also encompassed the golden expanse, that had by all account coincided with the strange course change of the strange anomaly, saving the likes of Lost Star but damning those of the Alterean Dominion. While the anomaly had now moved into the golden expanse the strange question had remained, what had caused its course correction? Whatever it was it was located deep within the Threshold and with power of that scale a weapon even such as the Crucible paled into total comparison.
The space around the Threshold was calm as always, the entire distortion was roughly 2 light years across, massive in size and had the power spike not been of such size to pinpoint its location would never have been found in any descernable lifetime. Black spacetime tunnels squirmed and moved, lights seen in their depths almost like a coral reef in its look. Whatever the origin was it was deep inside the anomaly proper, the forces that had arrived would have to make their way in carefully to discover the truth.
The course change of the anomaly didn’t go unnoticed by the Ancient Ones. The Commons chittered around and were as excited as the emotionless beings could.
A fleet was sent out, standard size of a single Frigate and six Escorts to explore the anomaly. The Frigate had also been loaded with several scientific Probs. The specialized Ancient Ones were grown with scientific ‘organs’ that allowed it to scan planets with near perfect accuracy.
The fleet jumped into the area of the anomaly and sensor and alarms flashed. Several spacial and dimensional anomalies Commander. Commons said. The Commander looked out to space and watched as it seemed to move.
We are in no danger Commander; these anomalies are several light years away from us. A Common said. The sensors and alarms stopped and the Commander looked to the areas around them one more time.
Send out three probes. It ordered. From the frigate three small crystals were launched out of the Frigate into space. As the flew four ‘wings’ sprouted from them and they began to speed up.
Fischer, after the events following the destruction of Kaikoma settled down, traveled to Triarch's space, looking to possibly make some more purchases of Sentinel Mk. IIs and Triarch Attackers and Defenders that had been lost in the destruction of the planet, but had only managed to negotiate for the aircraft before the 'Viper' Emerald Jewel IV notified him of the massive energy spike that had diverted away a similarly massive energy source away from their position. The 'Viper' was able to effectively pinpoint the origin of such, and after requesting Admiral Morgan's Fleet to rendezvous with him near the location, began to warp towards the coordinates.
Morgan however took a few moments to contact Decoroso Command on what kind of faction, nation or entity could have done such, and while it obviously was't Eos or Nakai, the only other one that it could be had managed to put a chill down the Admiral's spine, and after contacting the Three Domains Alliance for Military Assistance, also moved to the coordinates.
It wouldn't be long before the Assault Fleet under Fischer and the Fleet under Morgan arrived to find another already at the location, so few ships, but a total unknown. Cooling down the Warp Drives, and powering shields, Fischer tenatively sent out communication droid to act as a translater for the parties that would be coming, the droid working and dissecting the languages and allowing for free transfer of communication through it, sending out the general hail from his ship. "I am ISF Assault Fleet Admiral Manfred Fischer of the Dectrose Empire, also in command is ISF Fleet Admiral Morgan Rolland of the Dectrose Empire, we do not wish for conflict, we are here to investigate the recent energy spike originating from here." Tapping his RAVD node to make the droid repeat the message to any newcomers, he hoped that the TDA and the Dectrose would be able to flawlessly coordinate the investigation efforts.
Both Hawks and Emerald Jewel IVs then began to "listen" with their passive sensors, and poke about with their active sensors into The Black Threshold.
Grand Fleet Admiral Chesterton was trudging through his regular work day at the TDA Fleet Headquarters when he received a priority call from the Gorganos Prime Command centre. The Dectrose had sent a message for aid against a threat that the TDA hadn’t come across. Given the circumstances of the message he wasted no time mobilising most of the First Fleet under Fleet Admiral Emma Juliana who would be commanding Super Carrier Strike Group One in addition to the rest of the fleet, she was also joined by Battle Carrier Strike Group One under Admiral Thomas Marquee and Carrier Strike Group two under Admiral Lindsey Alessandro. They departed their home dock in the Anderson system and locked wormholes for the coordinates given to them by the Dectrose. Upon arrival they were greeted by two friendly signatures the Dectrose and the Ancient Ones. They sent a message of greetings to the AO stating their intentions. Juliana was keen to work with the Dectrose on this mission and opened up communications with them personally.
“Attention Admiral of the Dectrose Fleet this Fleet Admiral Emma Juliana of the Three Domains Alliance First Fleet responding to the request for military aid made by your government, I look forward to working together today. I’m opening up comms channels and tactical data sharing now so we can effectively coordinate our efforts.” She said sternly but politely
The immense flash of energy and the subsequent dissapearance of multiple empires did not escape from the dirge's attention. Of course the entire galaxy cautiously involved itself with the destructive entity. The Dirge cared little about the destruction or the potential capabilities such a force could have should ot be harvested. Rather, they were overcome with a distincy form uriosity , one bordering on obsession. Their frantic scramble into the threshold was spurned on by the veil of silence that was sure to follow when the anomalies true nature was revealed. And so they dispatched a moderately sized fleet.
Several churning pinpricks of light ejecting matter and energy widened before collapsing into the Dirge fleet. The Dirge unlike the others could not in their current form venture into the threshold. So reliant were they on reading the fabric of space, and the gravitational constants of reals pace, that attempting the ever shifting threshold would prove suicidal. So they began a self contained mutation, a spit of the moment adaptation emulating all of the technologies they had come to know and understand, in order to even piece the veil or comprehend what was directly in front of them. It would take time. Time where they would be vulnerable.
They pinged off of the Dectrose comms buoy, with a simpe data packet, indicating a neutral stance, and peaceful motives
Shadowblade in and of itself had no real reason to be here. Of course the central regions had always been of interest, but the risks and foreign interest inherently tied to the area were always considered too great, even with the rise in use of automated ships. Mogodin instead gingerly brought his force through the pathways behind the Triarch response force in the area, acting as support. There wasn't much to gain from this, yet here Mogodin found himself. There was a problem to be solved. Concerns about having made alliances with anyone in the first place - those individuals not even present - notwithstanding, he intended to operate on his best terms.
The Triarch fleet came in just at the same time as the Shadowblade fleet translated in area. The force immediately spread out into a defensive wedge with its most powerful vessels at the fore. The Haephestus class super dreadnought at the front of the formation recieved a slew of sensor information regarding location, contacts and hails from the seemingly quite crowded surrounding area. This surprised Captain Amit as he surveyed the area, then again the energy spike that had been sent out from this region had been colossal in size, it made sense that others would be here too. But it did make things more complicated.
Amit was here under direct orders from John Triarch himself, this latest incident had highlighted a possibility of being linked to the mysterious spheres that had been seemingly constructed by Triarch without many in the head placements even being aware of it. The company had been infiltrated and while Triarch dealt with the internal situation Amit had been sent to investigate the external, by hunting down those elements of the company who had assisted the Unnamed in this 'project'. He could not reveal the true nature of his mission of course, to do so would be to crash Triarch stocks across the galaxy. No he would operate here alongside Shadowblade and the Axioms to achieve his goal and to find out what was really happening here in the Threshold.
Grand Naval Commandant Fo'Valai didn't usually have a lot to do to occupy his time. Normally, most aspects of the Imperium's navy could be commanded just fine on lower levels, with no need for his input. And the Navy was unwilling to send out one of their Imperial Dreadgalleons on any old deployment. So, out of both boredom and an intent to do something in the Imperium's name, he leapt at the opportunity when reports of an anomaly well beyond the norm came before his eyes. Something well away, far from Imperial territories. Just like the last of such anomalies, one where Hu'reka saw fit to display his cowardice, in an act that abandoned a platoon of Imperial Marines. Safe to say, Hu'reka no longer held the rank he had at the time. No matter, the coward's reports and that of his subordinates could be useful to Fo'Valai.
Something, an enemy they couldn't quite identify, had been trying to hack their defences, and while Hu'reka did his best, his non-military exploration vessel was not up to the task. An Imperial Dreadgalleon was not such a vessel. Not only that, another nation the Imperium only knew by the name had turned hostile, and it was suspected it was at the hacker's hands. And whatever was going on, it involved a device of some kind. So, with what scant information had been gathered, Fo'Valai prepared. He outfitted his Dreadgalleon, the Armada, with as many electronic defence suites as the internal compartments could fit without compromising the vessel. He felt confident in the firepower of his ship's guns. Still, it didn't hurt to bring extra supplies of missiles and Kinetic Mines. He ordered the fleet he could muster to do the same as he.
It was with the usual electromagnetic screech that the swirling yellow vortex of an Autayan wormhole opened, much larger than that any of the factions had seen. First through were some escorts, smaller craft. Following it, the slow, massive form of the Armada, the colossal barrels of its multiple spinals first through. When the titanic vessel finally emerged fully from the wormhole, its fleet around it with guns and shields alike armed, the wormhole closed shut.
"Fleet status." Fo'Valai ordered as he stepped forward, the rank cape befitting his position trailing behind, the crew of the vessel's CIC hard at work.
"All ships are green. Engines to full, shields raised. Guns are charging and ready to fire."
"Once we're at speed, divert propulsion energy to charging the spinal. I want those barrels as powerful as they can be if anything hostile comes our way.
"Sir, I'm reading anomalous activity beyond the fleet. Like...we're in some kind of tunnel."
"Alright. Don't bunch together but stay away from the...walls, I suppose. No idea what happens to anything that wanders into there." Fo'Valai nodded. "Anyone in vicinity?"
"Multiple contacts, sir. Some of them the systems recognise."
"Show me." he ordered, moments later being fed optical and other sensory readings.
One contingent matched the colours, designs and symbols of a group Hu'reka and the Marines had encountered. 'Triarch' if he remembered the reports correctly. The Marines had put in a good word for them.
"Contact that fleet." he ordered.
"Aye aye sir." a crewman nodded as Fo'Valai crossed his arms.
"This is Grand Naval Commandant Fo'Valai of the Autayan Imperial Navy. I have reason to believe our forces have met before, under...somewhat similar circumstances. I believe we would both benefit from joint assistance in investigating this anomaly, military or otherwise, and would like to make a proposal of such. I await your response."
With the destruction of Tenebrae at the hands of something other than their own, the Immortal Empire found itself robbed of a conclusion many lives in the making. As a result they added the thing that killed Tenebrae to the long list of things they needed to kill, where it joined other notable things such as the CDG, the Abberation, and the A’zores which was better known amongst the Immortal Empire as the ‘Ship of the Golden Shower.’ And having witnessed the path of the disaster diverted by something peaked the curiosity of the Immortal Empire. Here was something that could prove useful. Should they be able to claim whatever it was.
The 53rd Warfleet along with the 313th Void Fleet and the super dreadnaught ‘War’ exited hyperspace and made haste towards the Black Threshold. That others had already gathered here was rather upsetting to Admiral Haiden who was already preparing for another fiasco like the Ring of Remembrance.
”Tech Michele, please begin leading the process to determine these unknown ships’ capabilities and rough armament. Have C.C.O.B.A.L. assist with the predictive analysis to dissect the ship designs and current formation to determine most likely strategies these unknowns will use.”
As the tech acknowledged and made her way to the analysis wing of the control bridge, C.C.O.B.A.L. chimed in, I DO NOT KNOW WHY YOU BOTHER WITH ALL THAT. THAT PROCESS HAS NEVER WORKED WITHOUT KNOWING AT LEAST SOMETHING ABOUT THE SPECIES COMMANDING THE SHIPS. AND CURRENTLY WE KNOW NOT ENOUGH.
”True.” the admiral responded, ”But if nothing else it will benefit me in knowing at least something of what those ships should be capable of.”
“Now then.” Haiden began addressing the whole fleet, ”Launch the scout drones as planned and move us into a ‘Prickle Back’ formation. Begin advancing and stay sharp. We don’t know what to expect. And actually, now that I think of it, I want someone to try open a channel with Triarch. I’d like to confirm who they’re working for.”
As the warships moved into their formation, the scout drones were launched to scout ahead as was only proper that a drone designed to scout by allowed to scout. They looked for stable pathways large enough to accommodate the warfleet’s formation and still allow enough room for what little maneuvering Immortal Empire ships were capable of preforming. A tall order.
It was inevitable.
They had known that, from the moment that the array had been used to protect their own assets the summary energy spike had given away the exact location of the array, no amount of stealth or concealment would ever stop such energies from being visible to the galaxy at large, and so they had waited. Now the wait was over, those interested and curious as to what was here had now amassed all armed and ready for conflict. However the Ghosts had not been idle.
The form of the Black Threshold twisted and turned in the viewscreens of the various fleets, one particularly large opening was clear to all, and as the Autaya and Immortal Empire seemed to advance into its maw the strange nature of their domain became quite clear. The tunnel was a stable spacetime route, the sensors and visuals picking up insane and quite impossible readings, sights and more as they pierced the blackness of the walls of the tunnel, any probes sent beyond such simply dissapeared, usually registering a total void in spacetime befret of all laws of physics before the probes simply broke down into nothing too, a fate that any others would surely not wish to endure.
The tunnel was quite vast, it was only the entrance to such of course but it was around an AU in width plenty of space for all the fleets and plenty more, it seemed to taper somewhat the further they got, reducing in size. Ghost signals and more followed them in but so far nothing. They would have to push further for their curiosity to be sated, the forms of hundreds of sub brances and tiny tunnels branching off the main conduit like a tree, the strange white lights moving down some of them in erratic patterns.
Those pushing into the vast halls of normal space very quickly found themselves confronted with an array of defensive platforms, floating missile tubes and static rail guns sitting idly around larger shield carrying stations as a pair of ten kilometre ships sit floating behind the some two hundred and fifty platforms, all of this sits arrayed before a single larger platform topped with a monolithic barrel bleeding iridescent golden light.
A wide band message crackles over the waves as a distinct and perhaps to some recognisable voice begins to speak.
"G'day there all this is Captain Nivia of the Annointed empire, gunna have to ask you to stop there and state your reason for visiting this sleepy little shit hole here."
Nowhere to run to, baby, nowhere to hide...
Max was bored. Black Skull was supposed to be about flying around the galaxy kicking ass and taking names but for months all they'd done was guard duty. He was bored. Cripplingly bored. And even being moved to Freeport 42 where action was 'imminent' had done little to alleviate the crushing, all consuming boredom.
He thanked god when proximity alarms startes blaring, indicating intruders in the system. Might have been a small research team, or something else their mysterious benefactors could deal with on their own. But as the number of contacts rapidly went from a couple hundred to a couple thousand it left little doubt in the minds of the bored pirates.
This was what they had been waiting for.
Card games were abandoned and the freeport became a flurry of activity as a message was sent off to Jade and the pilots scrambled into snubcraft going through preflight checks and leaving the Freeport in droves. They scattered up the branching paths, expertly navigating the winding corridors as they made their way toward the intruders. The fighters and bombers didn't show themselves quite yet... but soon. Soon indeed.