Post by EmperorMyric on Mar 22, 2021 15:43:39 GMT
Admiral Levah watched the feeds from the AGA, tension in the air and many eyes fixed on screens, reports of missile strikes, weapon hits, return fires, enemy and friendly losses. Sameh had only chosen to send forces to the battle to destroy the Crucible, but many had taken an interest in the AGA's strike at Rubikon nonetheless. Something had caught the attention of her sensor officers' attention, and whatever it was, it was at times distracting.
Levah's eyes were drawn from the reports, barely catching an alert of an inbound APP fire salvo, by a message directed at her. From Sameh herself.
"Admiral Levah, what is it you need, Governor?"
"Tell me, what have your sensor officers picked up?" Came the response.
"Uh...sensors, what's got you so worked up?"
"Mass FTL signatures from Auraxii space, ma'am. Whatever it was, a huge swathe of ships just left in the direction of Rubikon."
"We have cause to believe that was their navy. The majority of it at least. I'll leave it to your imagination what they're headed out to do." Sameh interjected.
"Understood. What am I to do, then? Head to Rubikon?"
"Negative, the Unanimity have no stake there. We have different plans in mind." The message was followed by a blip. Coordinates, pointing Levah's fleet to one of the primary Auraxii systems.
"Head there in force. Demand a withdrawal. If you think you can make any others to benefit the AGA, do so, but don't push it. I'm sending you contact codes for some of the higher-ups in the AGA if you think contacting them will benefit you."
"Yes ma'am. Is that all?"
"Negative, Admiral. You have your assignment. I expect results."
"Aye aye." She nodded, the comms line closing.
The Admiral turned back from the comms, closing the reports from Rubikon.
"All ships, this is Admiral Levah! We are to head to Auraxii space immediately! We are to aid AGA forces remotely by forcing a military withdrawal!" She called, as FTL engines charged and exit vector coordinates were set, manoeuvre engines burning as the fleet of several hundred warships collectively turned to point at their neighbour's territory.
"Fleet, launch!"
With a shriek on the electromagnetic spectrum, and a light show of golden streaks across space as the Unanimity vessels entered FTL, the fleet was gone.
It was a slow day for the monitor station officer on duty. After a majority of the fleet had buzzed out, he was basically left watching civilian ships go to and fro between orbitals, the moons, and the planet. He was on his forth cup of caffeine when he noticed a ping on the edge of the system.
After moments of thought he made a mistake which would change history. He filed it under "miscellaneous - friendly" and went back to reading his holo.
To describe the Unanimity fleet as hostile wasn't wholly true--they weren't seeking to sow death and destruction, though they were prepared to do such. To describe them as friendly, however, was equally incorrect. Nonetheless, a mistake his action was.
A fleet of no less than four hundred Unanimity warships exited FTL, streaks of a mustard-yellow light forming the vessels as they reentered sublight transit. Almost immediately, guns were charged, targets were locked, shields were brought up to a readied status and interdictor engines were warmed up.
For the moment, however, nothing fired. Missiles remained in launching tubes, capacitors did not fire, and guns continued to hum. Computers updated target locks, numbers changing in ultimately minor alterations as they fleet begun to drift, engines burning gently but ready to fire at full combat speed at a moment's notice.
A moment or two later, a signal went out.
"This is Admiral Levah of the Artificia Unanimity Navy. We do not wish to establish hostilities with the Auraxii, but we cannot be idle. I demand contact with your highest ranking available military command, if you wish our guns to remain cold."
There was a long, long pause. For the AU, they'd be able to detect alarms and claxons sound off as the planet went on highest alert. Some garrison units scrambled and deployed to the cities, and after a few brief moments of static, a strained voice came over the low band. "This is Lord Marshall Venace, Jenga Garrison and fourth Army commander Speaking." The voice was curt and serious.
"To what do I owe the pleasure."
"Greetings, Lord Marshall. I'll skip the pleasantries; the Unanimity demands a full naval withdrawal from the engagements at Rubikon, and the Crucible; supporting the APP is a waste of resources, and we won't stand by while the war is drawn out longer than it needs to. As much as we'd both like to avoid them, I'll leave the consequences of refusal to your imagination." Levah explained firmly and simply.
"Right down to it. I can respect that. Are you prepared for a prolonged siege? Your threats, if you followed up, would mean you dig us out of every nook and cranny this world has to offer while our home fleets run guerilla war on you. We may go into the night but we'll drag you kicking and screaming with us." He scoffs some. "And we all know about the APP. But what makes your lot any better? Especially you AU. We lost an expedition into your worlds, presumed killed."
Levah snorted at the last comment.
"They're not even one man lost, actually." she responded. "Though depending on your decision I can't guarantee it'll stay that way."
A pause.
"And us? We don't destroy star systems or willingly destroy worlds, and when one of us is attacked, we back each other up. And unlike the APP, we are not falling apart at the seams. Are you fully aware of the APP's status? The main EPA fleet has vanished. The Eosians virtually destroyed themselves, and your bloc is rapidly losing ground. If they're struggling to defend their own territory, what makes you think they can help you defend yours?"
Venace took extreme note on her comments about the expedition. "And we pull our fleets out and get left open to retaliation from both the APP and AGA. We lose our trade with capitol, what little there is, and face the galaxy with one, maybe two allies. What you're asking is political suicide."
"Perhaps not, you seem to think the AGA are less reasonable than they are." Levah responded, her tone softer, but no less firm, than her previous statement. She punched in one of the contact codes Sameh had sent her, contacting someone, she didn't know who, from the Union's HICOM.
HICOM was fairly busy, with both assaults underway on the Crucible and Rubikon and numerous other operations in progress the sudden contact from the AU was rapidly passed up the line, with Volkus, Dewitt and Hargun all busy and Sacule overseeing events in Union space the contact was eventually and surprisingly taken by none other than Saffire. Her resplendant form looked both interested and irritated by the sudden contact.
"This is Saffire Represenative of the Union of Worlds I speak on behalf for the Union here, what is the purpose of this contact members of the AU?" She sounded both sincire and uncaring, a strange combination, but she had no idea of the situation.
"This is Admiral Levah, AUN. We are currently in Auraxii space, negotiating a withdrawal. Their...representative, claims that withdrawal would be political suicide, due to loss of trade and threat of retaliation from both the AGA and the APP. If they are to cease war effort support, can they be guaranteed a non-aggressive stance with the AGA?" she asked, making sure the signal was being recorded, a real-time copy fed to Venace. Precautions, and all that.
Saffire looked surprised, a withdrawl of an APP member? She had seen Eos destruction first hand, and heard of the withdrawal of the Accord but the Auraxii? They were fighting at both Rubikon and the Crucible... She took this in for a moment.
"You took the iniative to strike Auraxii space and offered them to withdraw or be invaded? I am definately impressed and happy" She smiled briefly "Yes I can garuntee non aggression with the AGA. In fact if they withdraw their forces we will actively stop engaging them in both Rubikon and at the Crucible. If they leave the APP we will also consider further diplomacy maybe perhaps trade and more."
"Obviously repairing relations will take time, but yes I can garuntee a ceasefire immediately if they withdraw from battle against us. With the APP falling apart anyway with the Accord and Eos I think this would be the best course of action available to the Auraxii."
There was a long, long pause as the microphone was muted but still transmitting. Almost fifteen minutes went by before a response came. The voice had a small hint of defeatism in it. "This is Lord Marshall Venace. I hereby accept your terms of withdrawal and nom aggression of behalf of the Auraxii confederation. All military assets will be in Auraxii space within a week as per our agreement."
And true enough two signals left the world. One open and one encrypted, the contents of both calling for a return-to-port/emergency signal. As of this moment, the Auraxii military was no longer involved.
A brief pause, before Levah responded."A wise decision, Lord Marshall. In addition, I can offer an NAP between the Confederation and the Unanimity, though it will be up to Sameh, and your own leaders, to finalise it. I thank you for your cooperation."
She turned to the other comms link. "Thank you for your time, miss Saffire. Your assistance has been appreciated." she leaned back. "If there are no other matters, I see no other reason to continue this...tense scenario."
Saffire nodded, the sheer out of nowhereness of this happening still amazed her. But still with the APP loosing another member the tenous alliance would continue to fall apart, it had come at a good time with the now very public accusations of the AGA working with the BSO and inflaming the Dectrose, and the involvement of several AGA members supporting the genocidal Davia it made the war a little easier.
"Very well done Admiral Levah, I advise to keep your contingent there for now, I will immediately relay this information through AGA coms and get our forces to cease attack against the Auraxii. I will also send a small force of Union vessels to take up diplomatic relations and see to helping against any APP retribution strike. This is a major victory for all nations here today, farewell" She then cut the link and instantly got to work on relaying the information to frontline forces.
"A diplomat will be dispatched to AU space upon return of our fleets." He replies matter-of-factly.
"Lord Marshall Venace out." With that, the comms were cut and the link went silent. High alert remained on the planet, and traffic was increasing. Already some of the smaller ships had jumped in system, the ships that were acting as explorers and the like. They briefly span up their mass drivers before abruptly stopping. Then they sat in the void silently watching, waiting.
It was going to be a tense week.
Levah's eyes were drawn from the reports, barely catching an alert of an inbound APP fire salvo, by a message directed at her. From Sameh herself.
"Admiral Levah, what is it you need, Governor?"
"Tell me, what have your sensor officers picked up?" Came the response.
"Uh...sensors, what's got you so worked up?"
"Mass FTL signatures from Auraxii space, ma'am. Whatever it was, a huge swathe of ships just left in the direction of Rubikon."
"We have cause to believe that was their navy. The majority of it at least. I'll leave it to your imagination what they're headed out to do." Sameh interjected.
"Understood. What am I to do, then? Head to Rubikon?"
"Negative, the Unanimity have no stake there. We have different plans in mind." The message was followed by a blip. Coordinates, pointing Levah's fleet to one of the primary Auraxii systems.
"Head there in force. Demand a withdrawal. If you think you can make any others to benefit the AGA, do so, but don't push it. I'm sending you contact codes for some of the higher-ups in the AGA if you think contacting them will benefit you."
"Yes ma'am. Is that all?"
"Negative, Admiral. You have your assignment. I expect results."
"Aye aye." She nodded, the comms line closing.
The Admiral turned back from the comms, closing the reports from Rubikon.
"All ships, this is Admiral Levah! We are to head to Auraxii space immediately! We are to aid AGA forces remotely by forcing a military withdrawal!" She called, as FTL engines charged and exit vector coordinates were set, manoeuvre engines burning as the fleet of several hundred warships collectively turned to point at their neighbour's territory.
"Fleet, launch!"
With a shriek on the electromagnetic spectrum, and a light show of golden streaks across space as the Unanimity vessels entered FTL, the fleet was gone.
It was a slow day for the monitor station officer on duty. After a majority of the fleet had buzzed out, he was basically left watching civilian ships go to and fro between orbitals, the moons, and the planet. He was on his forth cup of caffeine when he noticed a ping on the edge of the system.
After moments of thought he made a mistake which would change history. He filed it under "miscellaneous - friendly" and went back to reading his holo.
To describe the Unanimity fleet as hostile wasn't wholly true--they weren't seeking to sow death and destruction, though they were prepared to do such. To describe them as friendly, however, was equally incorrect. Nonetheless, a mistake his action was.
A fleet of no less than four hundred Unanimity warships exited FTL, streaks of a mustard-yellow light forming the vessels as they reentered sublight transit. Almost immediately, guns were charged, targets were locked, shields were brought up to a readied status and interdictor engines were warmed up.
For the moment, however, nothing fired. Missiles remained in launching tubes, capacitors did not fire, and guns continued to hum. Computers updated target locks, numbers changing in ultimately minor alterations as they fleet begun to drift, engines burning gently but ready to fire at full combat speed at a moment's notice.
A moment or two later, a signal went out.
"This is Admiral Levah of the Artificia Unanimity Navy. We do not wish to establish hostilities with the Auraxii, but we cannot be idle. I demand contact with your highest ranking available military command, if you wish our guns to remain cold."
There was a long, long pause. For the AU, they'd be able to detect alarms and claxons sound off as the planet went on highest alert. Some garrison units scrambled and deployed to the cities, and after a few brief moments of static, a strained voice came over the low band. "This is Lord Marshall Venace, Jenga Garrison and fourth Army commander Speaking." The voice was curt and serious.
"To what do I owe the pleasure."
"Greetings, Lord Marshall. I'll skip the pleasantries; the Unanimity demands a full naval withdrawal from the engagements at Rubikon, and the Crucible; supporting the APP is a waste of resources, and we won't stand by while the war is drawn out longer than it needs to. As much as we'd both like to avoid them, I'll leave the consequences of refusal to your imagination." Levah explained firmly and simply.
"Right down to it. I can respect that. Are you prepared for a prolonged siege? Your threats, if you followed up, would mean you dig us out of every nook and cranny this world has to offer while our home fleets run guerilla war on you. We may go into the night but we'll drag you kicking and screaming with us." He scoffs some. "And we all know about the APP. But what makes your lot any better? Especially you AU. We lost an expedition into your worlds, presumed killed."
Levah snorted at the last comment.
"They're not even one man lost, actually." she responded. "Though depending on your decision I can't guarantee it'll stay that way."
A pause.
"And us? We don't destroy star systems or willingly destroy worlds, and when one of us is attacked, we back each other up. And unlike the APP, we are not falling apart at the seams. Are you fully aware of the APP's status? The main EPA fleet has vanished. The Eosians virtually destroyed themselves, and your bloc is rapidly losing ground. If they're struggling to defend their own territory, what makes you think they can help you defend yours?"
Venace took extreme note on her comments about the expedition. "And we pull our fleets out and get left open to retaliation from both the APP and AGA. We lose our trade with capitol, what little there is, and face the galaxy with one, maybe two allies. What you're asking is political suicide."
"Perhaps not, you seem to think the AGA are less reasonable than they are." Levah responded, her tone softer, but no less firm, than her previous statement. She punched in one of the contact codes Sameh had sent her, contacting someone, she didn't know who, from the Union's HICOM.
HICOM was fairly busy, with both assaults underway on the Crucible and Rubikon and numerous other operations in progress the sudden contact from the AU was rapidly passed up the line, with Volkus, Dewitt and Hargun all busy and Sacule overseeing events in Union space the contact was eventually and surprisingly taken by none other than Saffire. Her resplendant form looked both interested and irritated by the sudden contact.
"This is Saffire Represenative of the Union of Worlds I speak on behalf for the Union here, what is the purpose of this contact members of the AU?" She sounded both sincire and uncaring, a strange combination, but she had no idea of the situation.
"This is Admiral Levah, AUN. We are currently in Auraxii space, negotiating a withdrawal. Their...representative, claims that withdrawal would be political suicide, due to loss of trade and threat of retaliation from both the AGA and the APP. If they are to cease war effort support, can they be guaranteed a non-aggressive stance with the AGA?" she asked, making sure the signal was being recorded, a real-time copy fed to Venace. Precautions, and all that.
Saffire looked surprised, a withdrawl of an APP member? She had seen Eos destruction first hand, and heard of the withdrawal of the Accord but the Auraxii? They were fighting at both Rubikon and the Crucible... She took this in for a moment.
"You took the iniative to strike Auraxii space and offered them to withdraw or be invaded? I am definately impressed and happy" She smiled briefly "Yes I can garuntee non aggression with the AGA. In fact if they withdraw their forces we will actively stop engaging them in both Rubikon and at the Crucible. If they leave the APP we will also consider further diplomacy maybe perhaps trade and more."
"Obviously repairing relations will take time, but yes I can garuntee a ceasefire immediately if they withdraw from battle against us. With the APP falling apart anyway with the Accord and Eos I think this would be the best course of action available to the Auraxii."
There was a long, long pause as the microphone was muted but still transmitting. Almost fifteen minutes went by before a response came. The voice had a small hint of defeatism in it. "This is Lord Marshall Venace. I hereby accept your terms of withdrawal and nom aggression of behalf of the Auraxii confederation. All military assets will be in Auraxii space within a week as per our agreement."
And true enough two signals left the world. One open and one encrypted, the contents of both calling for a return-to-port/emergency signal. As of this moment, the Auraxii military was no longer involved.
A brief pause, before Levah responded."A wise decision, Lord Marshall. In addition, I can offer an NAP between the Confederation and the Unanimity, though it will be up to Sameh, and your own leaders, to finalise it. I thank you for your cooperation."
She turned to the other comms link. "Thank you for your time, miss Saffire. Your assistance has been appreciated." she leaned back. "If there are no other matters, I see no other reason to continue this...tense scenario."
Saffire nodded, the sheer out of nowhereness of this happening still amazed her. But still with the APP loosing another member the tenous alliance would continue to fall apart, it had come at a good time with the now very public accusations of the AGA working with the BSO and inflaming the Dectrose, and the involvement of several AGA members supporting the genocidal Davia it made the war a little easier.
"Very well done Admiral Levah, I advise to keep your contingent there for now, I will immediately relay this information through AGA coms and get our forces to cease attack against the Auraxii. I will also send a small force of Union vessels to take up diplomatic relations and see to helping against any APP retribution strike. This is a major victory for all nations here today, farewell" She then cut the link and instantly got to work on relaying the information to frontline forces.
"A diplomat will be dispatched to AU space upon return of our fleets." He replies matter-of-factly.
"Lord Marshall Venace out." With that, the comms were cut and the link went silent. High alert remained on the planet, and traffic was increasing. Already some of the smaller ships had jumped in system, the ships that were acting as explorers and the like. They briefly span up their mass drivers before abruptly stopping. Then they sat in the void silently watching, waiting.
It was going to be a tense week.