Post by EmperorMyric on Dec 12, 2021 10:51:58 GMT
(Also relevant for Mortal Coil Arc. Officially the next instalment of Into the Expanse)
Aedleshaven Corridor: Golden Expanse
It had been tight.
Very tight even.
The small vessel had only just escaped the confines of the Aedleshaven system, OMPAF had come close to catching their small ship but Morgans rather impressive flying had managed to evade the two old Capitol warships set after them. Still, it wasn't smooth sailing after that, the Aedleshaven corridor was the most populated and crowded piece of space in the entire galaxy. They couldn't rest until they were at least at the Depths, and even then they had to remain vigilant. Morgan piloted them the first half of the journey, laying low in the large shadows of Ancerium haulers to evade the OMPAF vessels that lay guarding the corridor now.
Even Morgan had her limits though, and after 8 hours Glassbag took over piloting so she could rest. It was almost a days travel within the corridor before they finally reached their first destination, but Azel wasn't thrilled about it.
“Why do we need to stop here? We already have the coordinates for Avalon, why not go straight there?”
“Because this is the Golden Expanse, if we dont have a guide we are going to get torn apart, that and we need more fuel. Would you rather get killed in the unstable corridors?”
“I would rather not stop and give OMPAF a chance to grab us”
“We wont be long, look I know a guy, we can dock and find him, we can be in and out while we fuel”
“And who pays for that fuel?” Azel inquired. Glassbag raised his hand.
“I have some money, and a guide is a good idea. My memory is nowhere near what it was Azel” The ex Capitolite rolled his eyes but seemed to agree as Morgan took them in towards the first stop.
----
Expertly weaving between the various vessels in dock Morgan took them in to finally land. The Depths here were quite unlike anything Azel had ever seen, after all you found various amalgms of ships turned into shipyards across the galaxy. La Serena was a main culprit, formed out of Immortal Empire and Tenebrae vessel remains, while Lostern had also managed to throw together many old APP ships from the war. And yet, those stations had been created quickly, deliberately and to at least a semi relevant plan.
The Depths had none of that.
It was just a ball of flotsam, jetsam and vessels which had been brought here by the gravitational currents of the expanse. Slowly added to over the millenia and then artificially built up by Ancerium miners to act as a refueling and staging hub. None of it made any kind of logical sense and yet it was here, as a prime area for miners across the entire galaxy.
As they came to a landing Azel turned to Morgan with a rather unbelieving expression.
“Do you even know if your man is still here?”
“Lasik? Yea he will be here, mans paying off quite a bit of debt so I doubt he has gone anywhere”
“Debt? Dosent that mean we have to smuggle him off station? And that others will come after us?” Morgan merely smiled.
“Yea. I never said it was going to be easy. Glassbag can you get the fuel? Me and Azel will go grab our guy” The Visone nodded, getting out of his chair and beginning to get to work.
“Shall we?” Morgan gestured for Azel to follow. He briefly slumped in the co-pilot chair before getting up.
“If you insist”
Kollers Trench: Golden Expanse
The ripple of emotion tingled through his body once more, briefly leading to Laikos turning away from the command deck and stifling the noises he wished to make. The connection here was stronger than ever, and it only got more so as they neared their objectives. The bridge was small, only four individuals were physically and neurally wired into their posts, each one overseeing much of the vessels systems he could feel their minds clearly as the golden strings trailed from them and into the walls. The Sharanga Class vessels were truly a wonder, and Laikos had been gifted the first one to be completed.
He would be the vanguard, who would take a step nobody had before to secure them all a new future. The aging body of Inaras clone was on the verge of expiring, but Laikos did not care. He wanted a piece of her to be there, to show the woman who had driven him for so long that he had found something new.
Something wondrous.
The vessel, clad in its Aurastone, pushed through the tight confines of Kollers Trench rapidly. It was handling like a dream and the designers had gone all out in its creation. A fitting chariot for such a momentous occasion, and one that would herald a new age for the entire galaxy.
The voices and the sensation was only getting stronger as the ship dived. He had watched in wonder as they had passed the supernova zone, the twinkling lights of dying stars an apt metaphor for what he was attempting and hoping to perform. Already he had his new body secured in the hold, once he had completed his objective he would use it, and be reborn in an environment that would truly transform him.
“Alert. Psychoactive anomaly ahead, minimal time to impact”
“No turning back now my dear Empress. Full speed ahead” Laikos chuckled like a child as he talked to his own body, the rising chorus of chaos in his mind getting ever louder.
None had come back from what he was about to do, not even the famed Koller had survived the Maddening. Already several sensor sweeps had detected inactive ships ahead, those who had likely succumbed.
But he wouldn't succumb.
“Impact imminent”
He threw his arms wide melodramatically as the ship plunged into the invisible boundary of the Maddening, just as the chorus inside his mind exploded into screaming. It was like the entire population of the galaxy had been forced into Laikos mind, and he howled in pain clutching his shrivelled face as the Maddening assaulted him as it had done all others over the millenia. He screamed, yelled and collapsed from his command chair, wailing as his body convulsed.
He could see what they had fought so hard for, the object of their desire. He recited the verses he had taught himself and held steady to his Golden String. Place your faith in the Panopticon, and it will reward. Slowly but surely he fought back the screaming tide in his mind, pushing himself physically upwards the soothing lullaby of the Panopticon played inside his mind, fighting the endless crashing against his very being. Ever so carefully, he pulled himself to his feet, and began to smile. The crew were still convulsing in their seats, one of which was now slumped and his string dissipated. It was fine, he could pilot this ship on his own should he need to.
But he could think clearly, the raging tide was still there in the back of his mind… But he had done it.
He was past the Maddening.
The bridge was then filled with maniacal laughter.
“Welcome to the future Empress, this is as far as you go”
Aedleshaven Zone: Volarian Corridor
Things had been pretty touchy over the past few weeks. With the Joebidiea report having come out and the price of Ancerium crashing entirely some had given up on the wait at Zarathustra and gone home, the new Ancerium star simply not worth the hassle of waiting for. And yet so many had stayed, in the belief that prices would once again shoot up and they could make a killer profit from the Ancerium harvested in the process. So the numbers of ships had fluctuated, just as the market had tried to bounce back only for it to fall down again.
Aurlon did not care, his orders were clear. Wait for the Ancerium star and harvest as much as possible, the number of vessels around him mattered little. No report would stop the Andrackan from securing the resources they needed, if they could make additional profit then even better.
The market would bounce back, it always did according to galactic and even national historical references.
There was an alert which came up from the ship directly, its sensors had detected a truly gargantuan FTL wake coming to their position. It was impossible of course, the object had to be a small planet, and such things could not casually FTL. Aurlon used his meshing with the ship to assist in recalibrating the sensors, a feat which took only a matter of moments.
It was still there.
Already other ships in the surrounding area had begun moving, some charging FTL drives while others were already jumping. Did they detect it too?
Aurlon had barely started analysing when the FTL bow shock of translation washed over the ship, throwing off Grav and tachyon readings almost entirely. It was massive, and it seemed to be accompanied by thousands of other contacts. Aurlons initial thought had been perhaps it was another nation's super weapon, trying to claim the star for themselves. He was only partially correct.
“Detecting weapons fire. Vessels are being destroyed. It is not safe, charge FTL drives and withdraw us” Came the mind thoughts of his co-pilots.
“What is it?”
“There is only one thing it can be. The Eclipse Lord”
He was right. Yog Narr had arrived.
The entire area panicked. Thousands of ships from thousands of nations suddenly found themselves in close proximity to a living planetoid super weapon. But it wasn't alone, millions of living standing weapons and biological warships came with it, and they now descended en masse to tear into the defenceless harvesters, freighters and science ships with reckless abandon. Ships exploded, were torn apart or consumed wholesale as the swarm spread out. The entire coms network became awash in mayday calls, screams for help and the wails of the dying.
Even those warships and fleets who had stood at the ready in the region found themselves utterly overwhelmed and outclassed. Vessels fired into the swarm, wiping out biological weapons as they gave cover for civilian ships to run for it, cries for help and for other ships to form up and cover them went unheeded in the chaos however. What could have been a concerted united defence from hundreds of nations turned into a multinational massacre as fleets were cut off, divided, destroyed or fled. Calls for help went unheeded as the ships died in droves, futility fighting to the bitter end.
Cries for help had been sent beyond the harvesting zones as the huge fleets scattered and died, the Eclipse Lord itself did not care for the fleets. It left them to its children as it now accelerated full speed towards Zarathustra, the Ancerium star would be its fuel, and with it Yog Narr would ensure the rebirth of its lord.
Palm Mirdiff.
Aurlon felt the weapon systems fire, intercepting two biological standing weapons as the FTL drives achieved peak charge.
“Get us out!” The command was a thought, and the Andrackan harvester flashed out of existence just as the two harvesters beside it were torn apart with fire.
The harvesting region was now overrun, Yog Narr had secured the easiest source of Ancerium and could now threaten the Aedleshaven corridor at a moments notice. As the huge fleet fled in all directions the messages came in droves.
Mirdif had returned, and the Ancerium star had fallen.
Silver Cradle: Union Space
“You WHAT?”
“The reports are true sir, all evidence points towards-”
“How the HELL did this happen!?” Eiasten shouted across the room, those outside his office all looking to the door. It was very rare if ever that the Union Prime Minister lost his temper, but this had fully done the job.
“We are not entirely-”
“Intelligence had NO IDEA that a sentient planetoid weapon was casually travelling towards the MOST IMPORTANT REGION IN THE GALAXY!”
“No sir… It appeared nobody did”
“Incredible. Just look at these casualty numbers, thousands of civilian and military vessels. Countless lives, and already I am watching the price of Ancerium shoot up by the moment. Look at it” He turned the holo display around, showing the Ancerium price from near worthless all the way up to triple its original price before the crash, and it was still climbing.
“We are calculating an idea of the market impact now we-”
“I can see the market impact! It's right there!” He pointed to the hologram “Buy whatever we can get hold of, we dont have much time. Is there anything else?”
“Yes sir, the CGSS has called an emergency meeting, the Orillian Ambassador is opening”
“In creations name… as if it could get any worse” Eiasten ran his fingers through his hair and dropped into his seat.
ANC BREAKING NEWS
ARK (Aedleshaven): – Hello galactic viewers, we are bringing you an immediate emergency broadcast.
We have evidence from countless sources showing that the Eclipse Lord of Palm Mirdif has reappeared, this time in the Aedleshaven harvesting zone around the Ancerium Star Zarathustra. Already we have confirmation of over 3000 vessels destroyed by the sudden appearance and massive casualties as a result. The mining fleets had little to no warning of the arrival despite the size and we are still getting the lists of vessels who managed to escape.
Already Ancerium and Kolleronic substance prices are rising at an incredible rate, having gone from near zero net worth to three times their original price in the space of an hour. Already the market is reeling from the effects and the economic ramifications could be enormous.
The CGSS has called an emergency meeting given the unprecedented nature of this event and we endeavour to keep you all updated.
This will remain a live feed for all information related to this event as and when it comes in.
CGSS Forum: Killian Rhizome
“And as a result of the actions conducted by colonial nations the Eclipse Lord was allowed to return to full activity and was allowed to escape not once, but twice. This has directly lead to the massive loss of life and infrastructure which has occured in the harvesting zones. This is a direct result of incompetence and deliberate machination all in one”
“Bullshit! It was unforeseen and the result of none of that! The forces sent to engage were not enough and when the time came the Eclipse Lord overpowered those involved. You forget the massive defence line organised in the Lesser Light, nobody could have foreseen the Eclipse Lord diverting away from its historical objective. If it had been a deliberate machination, why would we, the Carnaithian people, have built massive storage areas for the Ancerium from Zarathrustra in an effort to help the market prosper!” The Carnaithian representative was quick to reply. Tensions were high and things were extremely heated as both the galactic market reeled from the effects and the extent of the damages were still coming in.
“Easy to state for one who could have sent forces to assist. Where were the major colonial powers in this? Where was the Union to keep us all safe?”
“Retiring most of our fleet elements to replace them with more effective designs, this came at a time where we were unable to intervene”
“And yet you had the forces to assist in the bombardment of civilians at Sarnath. This, friends of the galaxy, fellow natives and those who support us is how they will treat us when they get the chance.”
“Stop posturing and contribute to solving the problem. We propose a joint fleet of forces to move in and destroy Yog Narr, all the while nations with economic pull can try stabilise the market long enough for us to succeed, we can make a truly united front to this issue and stop it before it spirals out of control” The Unioners reply was clear and many seemed to agree.
“What and send our forces to our deaths so you can take advantage of the lul and hail yourselves as the heroes of the hour like the Union and its fellows always do? Let the natives go first to the slaughter and claim the credit? No. This has already spiralled out of control. What is needed is a proper response by those who have true rights to the region. I proposed a while back a new organisation for the rights and advancement of natives and those who support us. I now call upon those who will willingly back that motion to step forward, together we will ensure this situation is resolved, without the others screwing it up again”
All across the artificial forum hundreds, no, thousands of representatives from native and even some non native nations went green in acknowledgement and agreement.
“Excellent. Now is the time. Good day representatives, it is about time we took things into the proper hands from now on”
Within an instant the Orillian representative disconnected from the CGSS forum, as did almost every single one of those who had voted to back. The virtual space was filled with handshake requests, queries, statements and conversations.
The galactic scene just got even more complicated.
Nu-Harambujar Newly-Colonised RANGSI System
Nu-Harambujar Established: Orillian Involvement in the Emerald Republics Crisis Exposed
By: Jane Li, KGNN Reporter
Just a few months ago, this system and this planet I am standing on right now were completely uninhabited and belonged to no one. However, following the arrival of Raman and Sarabhai refugees successfully extracted from the Emerald Republic in the midst of a deadly ethnic war, a small city has been quickly built to house the refugees. With RANGSI aid and support, this small ad-hoc refugee city is set to rapidly grow into a major settlement covering the entire planet in a few years time.
However, that is not the most striking news. Appearing together with the refugees are data packets showing evidence of Orillian military involvement against the RANGSI peacekeeping forces protecting the Raman and Sarabhai citizens in Harambujar. Orillian anti-orbital defences shot down civilian RANGSI ships meant to rescue the civilians. Subsequently, an unusually well-armed insurgent force backed by Orillian support attacked the RANGSI airport under the cover of Orillian artillery, putting the lives of the refugees in danger. In a great show of sacrifice, the 87th Combined Arms Division gave up their transports to evacuate all the refugees of Harambujar, leaving as many as 90% of the entire Division behind in a last stand to buy their transport time to escape.
This evidence will no doubt question the ‘native’ credentials of Orillia, just as they have exited from the CGSS forum vowing to launch an independent organisations for the ‘natives’ of Ancerious following the sudden appearance of Yog-Narr in the Volarian Corridor of the Aedelshaven Zone. RANGSI officials have accused Orillia of ‘hypocrisy’, claiming to champion the rights of native nations yet willing to endanger the same populations if they pose an ‘inconvenient truth to their narrative’.
“The Orillians would refuse to admit it, but a ‘colonial’ nation like us rescuing the Raman and Sarabhai peoples and giving them a platform to resolve their long standing conflicts and reunite as one people will not fit into their narrative of the evil ‘colonial’ imperialists,” Governor Shangjin, attached to assist the Harambujar representatives in the creation of their new government, remarked. “It makes sense that they want to see us fail. It makes sense that they don’t want these people to escape, as it would then prove to the galaxy that ‘colonials’ are not at all evil as Orillians make them out to be.”
“They failed, but at a high cost of many of our soldiers,” Shangjin then gestured to an art installation in the middle of the city square, currently in construction. It appears to be a statue of Major Farehum and a handful of RANGSI soldiers fighting their last stand to hold the airport from the insurgent attack.
‘Voice of the Republik’ Podcast
Special Interview with Professor Ghangir Bin Ameer Zhang
Mayarian: Welcome back to the ‘Voice of the Republik’. I am your host, Mayarian Bon Naya-Saha, and today we have a special guest. Please welcome Professor Ghangir!
Ghangir: Thank you Mayarian it is an honour to be back here! *Shakes hands with Mayarian*
Mayarian: Professor Ghangir is currently a researcher in the 880-Institute think-tank and a specialist in international relations. Professor, with Orillia’s announcement of forming an organisation claiming to represent the ‘natives’ of Ancerious just yesterday in the CGSS virtual, what are your thoughts on the matter?
Ghangir: I think quite frankly, that the idea of ‘natives’ and ‘colonials’ that the Orillians are purporting is quite meaningless. You don’t need to come from this galaxy or another to prey on each other - that’s just quite simply politics. Politics is inherent in every nation and every thinking species. And speaking of politics, while we have no definitive evidence at the moment, we at the 880-Institute highly suspect that the Orillians are using these artificial labels to stir up divisions among the galactic community and drum up international diplomatic support for its own ends. What these ends are, however, we are not sure.
Mayarian: Quite sharply put, Professor Ghangir. Professor, what do you think are the consequences for the Republik if Orillia succeeds in mobilising the ‘native’ nations of Ancerious?
Ghangir: It would definitely pose a significant security threat to us, Mayarian, one I definitely do not want to see in my lifetime. I have confidence in our armed forces but lets get real, us against the whole galaxy? And we ‘colonials’ are not as influential as Orillian propaganda would have you to believe. Some of the biggest corporate entities in Ancerious are ‘native’. The Third Republic of Corona controls the Ancerium trade, not the colonials. By deliberately overestimating our power and our influence in the galaxy, the Orillians spread fear and pressurize the nations of the galaxy to be hostile to extragalactic nations like us, even when truly, it is not in their interest to do so.
Mayarian: Thank you, Professor Ghangir. I expect we will hear more from you as the situation develops?
Ghangir: Certainly, Mayarian.
Aedleshaven Corridor: Golden Expanse
“Captain their still not allowing us entry or acceding to our wishes for assistance”
“What the hell is wrong with them? We have wounded, need immediate repairs and there are several thousand other vessels out behind us needing a safe port to harbour at for a short period” The captain growled loudly as he stood up and walked over to the communications panel, flicking through some shining runes as he did so.
“This is the Isoterran Frigate D244 ‘Knife Storm’. We say again, we need IMMEDIATE safe harbour and light supplies, we will conduct basic repairs and be out of your way quickly. There are many others here that need aid as well, far less fortunate than we are, let us pass and provide assistance”
There was another pause.
“This is the Aedleshaven Security Fleet Vessel 54-9-G. No admittance is possible. Our facilities do not have the resources or space to handle so many vessels, we suggest you seek assistance elsewhere. You do not have permission to enter Aedleshaven space”
“Aedleshaven space is open to all nations to use the corridor and to use as a temporary free port after the Treaty of Aedleshaven in 055AME. That is international law, now open your borders and allow us free passage and aid, we will not survive without help”
“I am sorry D244, no exceptions. That treaty is no longer valid under new government legislation and we have orders to ensure that no vessel enters our space. We do not have the resources to help you. I wish you luck to find help elsewhere”
“That is a breach of international law!” He growled even more as the crew looked exhausted. The brief fight with Yog Narr had proved stressful in the extreme, and the small military flotilla which had protected a gaggle of Isoterran harvesters had been utterly wiped out. D244 was the only survivor, and now they would be forced to limp back to their space with a damaged FTL drive, a hopeless endeavour. Even more ships behind them were in worse condition, suffering life support failures, FTL destruction or drive system loss. They would never make it far.
“As this is a breach of international law I DEMAND that you let us seek free harbour and render assistance in accordance with Galactic Spacefaring Law which states you must always seek to assist a damaged or in need vessel.”
“Your demands have been heard. We will not let you pass.” Even as the D244 crew had made their comment, other warships which had been affected by the Massacre of Zarathrustra formed up. Some powered weapons, some merely positioned themselves to intimidate. In the end it didn't matter, tensions were too high, and in the end a damaged railgun belonging to the Federal Karzan Republic corvette ‘Avantine’ misfired as her crew were repairing her. It didn't matter that the shot was nowhere near the standoff, it was all it needed.
The edge of the Aedleshaven system erupted into combat.
Vladano Prime:
It is the scene at the Killian Rhizome. The CGSS Virtual Forum. The anger and frustration in the representatives’ eyes, the tension in their faces and the fear that hung in the air - frozen in time and perfectly captured in that moment, seen from Chief Diplomat Su-Jyeon’s eyes.
Ten men and women in black double-breasted suits stood in a circle in the midst of the scene frozen in time, discussing amongst themselves and exchanging strings of holographic data. Another, dressed like them but with the addition of a green cape, stood next to Su-Jyeon, who was crossing her arms, frowning at what transpired in the virtual forum but keeping silent.
Administrator-General Gabriel placed his hand on Su-Jyeon’s shoulder, trying to offer a modicum of support for maintaining composure in the face of a difficult situation, but his hand phased right through - the holographic edges flickering at the points of contact between his hand and what is actually a hologram of not just Su-Jyeon, but the entire virtual forum - a screenshot captured from real-time eye-cam footage and then scanned and recreated in AR.
He and the ten Secretaries of the Karvoskayan TAZ were in discussions regarding recent galactic events: the market crash, the spikes in Ancerium prices and now, Orillia’s move to unite the ‘natives’ against colonials like them. Using Neural Networking, they are now in time-dilated AR space where they are able to facilitate hours-long discussions and debates all in a matter of minutes in real-time: a useful platform for urgent times such as these where there is hardly any time in the world for lengthy arguments in the Colonial Parliament.
“Sir, it is done. KGNN has released the evidence of Orillian activities in Harambujar. The media are pushing out unfavourable reports of Orillia, just as we have instructed,” the Secretary of Media and Communications stated.
“Very well, but quite frankly we all know this will change nothing. At best, our slander of Orillia buys us some time to consolidate whatever foreign allies we can get among the Unaligned. But Orillia has won the optics game a long time ago. Many natives have already bought their arguments from the start. Us posturing and moralising any further serves no gain. We will soon enter the phase where nations brandish sticks on each other. The only way to survive is to make sure we wield a bigger stick than Orillia,” Gabriel replied.
“Start reading the reserves. The moment Orillia pops up in this neighbourhood, I want fleets ready to intercept them.”
ANC BREAKING NEWS
ANC (Aedleshaven): – More breaking updates from the Massacre of Zarathurstra.
In an effort to find refuge many of the affected fleet have sought shelter in Aedleshaven, with the planet upping its security around the Corridor in response to Yogg Narr things took a terrible turn for the worst. Aedleshaven has refused entry to any seeking aid from the massacre, citing a distinct lack of resources and available dockyard facilities.
It is believed that tensions on the very border sparked into open conflict, with ships from the ASF firing on the beleaguered bands of survivors who in turn fought back. Exact details are scarce but some reports indicate that groups of ships have sped into the Aedleshaven system proper running the blockade to find help, while others have fled, seeking shelter elsewhere.
Mercy Without Borders is expected to be on scene within the next few hours, and so far we have heard nothing from the Aedleshaven authorities regarding the event.
Stay tuned.
Aedleshaven Corridor: Golden Expanse
It had been tight.
Very tight even.
The small vessel had only just escaped the confines of the Aedleshaven system, OMPAF had come close to catching their small ship but Morgans rather impressive flying had managed to evade the two old Capitol warships set after them. Still, it wasn't smooth sailing after that, the Aedleshaven corridor was the most populated and crowded piece of space in the entire galaxy. They couldn't rest until they were at least at the Depths, and even then they had to remain vigilant. Morgan piloted them the first half of the journey, laying low in the large shadows of Ancerium haulers to evade the OMPAF vessels that lay guarding the corridor now.
Even Morgan had her limits though, and after 8 hours Glassbag took over piloting so she could rest. It was almost a days travel within the corridor before they finally reached their first destination, but Azel wasn't thrilled about it.
“Why do we need to stop here? We already have the coordinates for Avalon, why not go straight there?”
“Because this is the Golden Expanse, if we dont have a guide we are going to get torn apart, that and we need more fuel. Would you rather get killed in the unstable corridors?”
“I would rather not stop and give OMPAF a chance to grab us”
“We wont be long, look I know a guy, we can dock and find him, we can be in and out while we fuel”
“And who pays for that fuel?” Azel inquired. Glassbag raised his hand.
“I have some money, and a guide is a good idea. My memory is nowhere near what it was Azel” The ex Capitolite rolled his eyes but seemed to agree as Morgan took them in towards the first stop.
----
Expertly weaving between the various vessels in dock Morgan took them in to finally land. The Depths here were quite unlike anything Azel had ever seen, after all you found various amalgms of ships turned into shipyards across the galaxy. La Serena was a main culprit, formed out of Immortal Empire and Tenebrae vessel remains, while Lostern had also managed to throw together many old APP ships from the war. And yet, those stations had been created quickly, deliberately and to at least a semi relevant plan.
The Depths had none of that.
It was just a ball of flotsam, jetsam and vessels which had been brought here by the gravitational currents of the expanse. Slowly added to over the millenia and then artificially built up by Ancerium miners to act as a refueling and staging hub. None of it made any kind of logical sense and yet it was here, as a prime area for miners across the entire galaxy.
As they came to a landing Azel turned to Morgan with a rather unbelieving expression.
“Do you even know if your man is still here?”
“Lasik? Yea he will be here, mans paying off quite a bit of debt so I doubt he has gone anywhere”
“Debt? Dosent that mean we have to smuggle him off station? And that others will come after us?” Morgan merely smiled.
“Yea. I never said it was going to be easy. Glassbag can you get the fuel? Me and Azel will go grab our guy” The Visone nodded, getting out of his chair and beginning to get to work.
“Shall we?” Morgan gestured for Azel to follow. He briefly slumped in the co-pilot chair before getting up.
“If you insist”
Kollers Trench: Golden Expanse
The ripple of emotion tingled through his body once more, briefly leading to Laikos turning away from the command deck and stifling the noises he wished to make. The connection here was stronger than ever, and it only got more so as they neared their objectives. The bridge was small, only four individuals were physically and neurally wired into their posts, each one overseeing much of the vessels systems he could feel their minds clearly as the golden strings trailed from them and into the walls. The Sharanga Class vessels were truly a wonder, and Laikos had been gifted the first one to be completed.
He would be the vanguard, who would take a step nobody had before to secure them all a new future. The aging body of Inaras clone was on the verge of expiring, but Laikos did not care. He wanted a piece of her to be there, to show the woman who had driven him for so long that he had found something new.
Something wondrous.
The vessel, clad in its Aurastone, pushed through the tight confines of Kollers Trench rapidly. It was handling like a dream and the designers had gone all out in its creation. A fitting chariot for such a momentous occasion, and one that would herald a new age for the entire galaxy.
The voices and the sensation was only getting stronger as the ship dived. He had watched in wonder as they had passed the supernova zone, the twinkling lights of dying stars an apt metaphor for what he was attempting and hoping to perform. Already he had his new body secured in the hold, once he had completed his objective he would use it, and be reborn in an environment that would truly transform him.
“Alert. Psychoactive anomaly ahead, minimal time to impact”
“No turning back now my dear Empress. Full speed ahead” Laikos chuckled like a child as he talked to his own body, the rising chorus of chaos in his mind getting ever louder.
None had come back from what he was about to do, not even the famed Koller had survived the Maddening. Already several sensor sweeps had detected inactive ships ahead, those who had likely succumbed.
But he wouldn't succumb.
“Impact imminent”
He threw his arms wide melodramatically as the ship plunged into the invisible boundary of the Maddening, just as the chorus inside his mind exploded into screaming. It was like the entire population of the galaxy had been forced into Laikos mind, and he howled in pain clutching his shrivelled face as the Maddening assaulted him as it had done all others over the millenia. He screamed, yelled and collapsed from his command chair, wailing as his body convulsed.
He could see what they had fought so hard for, the object of their desire. He recited the verses he had taught himself and held steady to his Golden String. Place your faith in the Panopticon, and it will reward. Slowly but surely he fought back the screaming tide in his mind, pushing himself physically upwards the soothing lullaby of the Panopticon played inside his mind, fighting the endless crashing against his very being. Ever so carefully, he pulled himself to his feet, and began to smile. The crew were still convulsing in their seats, one of which was now slumped and his string dissipated. It was fine, he could pilot this ship on his own should he need to.
But he could think clearly, the raging tide was still there in the back of his mind… But he had done it.
He was past the Maddening.
The bridge was then filled with maniacal laughter.
“Welcome to the future Empress, this is as far as you go”
Aedleshaven Zone: Volarian Corridor
Things had been pretty touchy over the past few weeks. With the Joebidiea report having come out and the price of Ancerium crashing entirely some had given up on the wait at Zarathustra and gone home, the new Ancerium star simply not worth the hassle of waiting for. And yet so many had stayed, in the belief that prices would once again shoot up and they could make a killer profit from the Ancerium harvested in the process. So the numbers of ships had fluctuated, just as the market had tried to bounce back only for it to fall down again.
Aurlon did not care, his orders were clear. Wait for the Ancerium star and harvest as much as possible, the number of vessels around him mattered little. No report would stop the Andrackan from securing the resources they needed, if they could make additional profit then even better.
The market would bounce back, it always did according to galactic and even national historical references.
There was an alert which came up from the ship directly, its sensors had detected a truly gargantuan FTL wake coming to their position. It was impossible of course, the object had to be a small planet, and such things could not casually FTL. Aurlon used his meshing with the ship to assist in recalibrating the sensors, a feat which took only a matter of moments.
It was still there.
Already other ships in the surrounding area had begun moving, some charging FTL drives while others were already jumping. Did they detect it too?
Aurlon had barely started analysing when the FTL bow shock of translation washed over the ship, throwing off Grav and tachyon readings almost entirely. It was massive, and it seemed to be accompanied by thousands of other contacts. Aurlons initial thought had been perhaps it was another nation's super weapon, trying to claim the star for themselves. He was only partially correct.
“Detecting weapons fire. Vessels are being destroyed. It is not safe, charge FTL drives and withdraw us” Came the mind thoughts of his co-pilots.
“What is it?”
“There is only one thing it can be. The Eclipse Lord”
He was right. Yog Narr had arrived.
The entire area panicked. Thousands of ships from thousands of nations suddenly found themselves in close proximity to a living planetoid super weapon. But it wasn't alone, millions of living standing weapons and biological warships came with it, and they now descended en masse to tear into the defenceless harvesters, freighters and science ships with reckless abandon. Ships exploded, were torn apart or consumed wholesale as the swarm spread out. The entire coms network became awash in mayday calls, screams for help and the wails of the dying.
Even those warships and fleets who had stood at the ready in the region found themselves utterly overwhelmed and outclassed. Vessels fired into the swarm, wiping out biological weapons as they gave cover for civilian ships to run for it, cries for help and for other ships to form up and cover them went unheeded in the chaos however. What could have been a concerted united defence from hundreds of nations turned into a multinational massacre as fleets were cut off, divided, destroyed or fled. Calls for help went unheeded as the ships died in droves, futility fighting to the bitter end.
Cries for help had been sent beyond the harvesting zones as the huge fleets scattered and died, the Eclipse Lord itself did not care for the fleets. It left them to its children as it now accelerated full speed towards Zarathustra, the Ancerium star would be its fuel, and with it Yog Narr would ensure the rebirth of its lord.
Palm Mirdiff.
Aurlon felt the weapon systems fire, intercepting two biological standing weapons as the FTL drives achieved peak charge.
“Get us out!” The command was a thought, and the Andrackan harvester flashed out of existence just as the two harvesters beside it were torn apart with fire.
The harvesting region was now overrun, Yog Narr had secured the easiest source of Ancerium and could now threaten the Aedleshaven corridor at a moments notice. As the huge fleet fled in all directions the messages came in droves.
Mirdif had returned, and the Ancerium star had fallen.
Silver Cradle: Union Space
“You WHAT?”
“The reports are true sir, all evidence points towards-”
“How the HELL did this happen!?” Eiasten shouted across the room, those outside his office all looking to the door. It was very rare if ever that the Union Prime Minister lost his temper, but this had fully done the job.
“We are not entirely-”
“Intelligence had NO IDEA that a sentient planetoid weapon was casually travelling towards the MOST IMPORTANT REGION IN THE GALAXY!”
“No sir… It appeared nobody did”
“Incredible. Just look at these casualty numbers, thousands of civilian and military vessels. Countless lives, and already I am watching the price of Ancerium shoot up by the moment. Look at it” He turned the holo display around, showing the Ancerium price from near worthless all the way up to triple its original price before the crash, and it was still climbing.
“We are calculating an idea of the market impact now we-”
“I can see the market impact! It's right there!” He pointed to the hologram “Buy whatever we can get hold of, we dont have much time. Is there anything else?”
“Yes sir, the CGSS has called an emergency meeting, the Orillian Ambassador is opening”
“In creations name… as if it could get any worse” Eiasten ran his fingers through his hair and dropped into his seat.
ANC BREAKING NEWS
ARK (Aedleshaven): – Hello galactic viewers, we are bringing you an immediate emergency broadcast.
We have evidence from countless sources showing that the Eclipse Lord of Palm Mirdif has reappeared, this time in the Aedleshaven harvesting zone around the Ancerium Star Zarathustra. Already we have confirmation of over 3000 vessels destroyed by the sudden appearance and massive casualties as a result. The mining fleets had little to no warning of the arrival despite the size and we are still getting the lists of vessels who managed to escape.
Already Ancerium and Kolleronic substance prices are rising at an incredible rate, having gone from near zero net worth to three times their original price in the space of an hour. Already the market is reeling from the effects and the economic ramifications could be enormous.
The CGSS has called an emergency meeting given the unprecedented nature of this event and we endeavour to keep you all updated.
This will remain a live feed for all information related to this event as and when it comes in.
CGSS Forum: Killian Rhizome
“And as a result of the actions conducted by colonial nations the Eclipse Lord was allowed to return to full activity and was allowed to escape not once, but twice. This has directly lead to the massive loss of life and infrastructure which has occured in the harvesting zones. This is a direct result of incompetence and deliberate machination all in one”
“Bullshit! It was unforeseen and the result of none of that! The forces sent to engage were not enough and when the time came the Eclipse Lord overpowered those involved. You forget the massive defence line organised in the Lesser Light, nobody could have foreseen the Eclipse Lord diverting away from its historical objective. If it had been a deliberate machination, why would we, the Carnaithian people, have built massive storage areas for the Ancerium from Zarathrustra in an effort to help the market prosper!” The Carnaithian representative was quick to reply. Tensions were high and things were extremely heated as both the galactic market reeled from the effects and the extent of the damages were still coming in.
“Easy to state for one who could have sent forces to assist. Where were the major colonial powers in this? Where was the Union to keep us all safe?”
“Retiring most of our fleet elements to replace them with more effective designs, this came at a time where we were unable to intervene”
“And yet you had the forces to assist in the bombardment of civilians at Sarnath. This, friends of the galaxy, fellow natives and those who support us is how they will treat us when they get the chance.”
“Stop posturing and contribute to solving the problem. We propose a joint fleet of forces to move in and destroy Yog Narr, all the while nations with economic pull can try stabilise the market long enough for us to succeed, we can make a truly united front to this issue and stop it before it spirals out of control” The Unioners reply was clear and many seemed to agree.
“What and send our forces to our deaths so you can take advantage of the lul and hail yourselves as the heroes of the hour like the Union and its fellows always do? Let the natives go first to the slaughter and claim the credit? No. This has already spiralled out of control. What is needed is a proper response by those who have true rights to the region. I proposed a while back a new organisation for the rights and advancement of natives and those who support us. I now call upon those who will willingly back that motion to step forward, together we will ensure this situation is resolved, without the others screwing it up again”
All across the artificial forum hundreds, no, thousands of representatives from native and even some non native nations went green in acknowledgement and agreement.
“Excellent. Now is the time. Good day representatives, it is about time we took things into the proper hands from now on”
Within an instant the Orillian representative disconnected from the CGSS forum, as did almost every single one of those who had voted to back. The virtual space was filled with handshake requests, queries, statements and conversations.
The galactic scene just got even more complicated.
Nu-Harambujar Newly-Colonised RANGSI System
Nu-Harambujar Established: Orillian Involvement in the Emerald Republics Crisis Exposed
By: Jane Li, KGNN Reporter
Just a few months ago, this system and this planet I am standing on right now were completely uninhabited and belonged to no one. However, following the arrival of Raman and Sarabhai refugees successfully extracted from the Emerald Republic in the midst of a deadly ethnic war, a small city has been quickly built to house the refugees. With RANGSI aid and support, this small ad-hoc refugee city is set to rapidly grow into a major settlement covering the entire planet in a few years time.
However, that is not the most striking news. Appearing together with the refugees are data packets showing evidence of Orillian military involvement against the RANGSI peacekeeping forces protecting the Raman and Sarabhai citizens in Harambujar. Orillian anti-orbital defences shot down civilian RANGSI ships meant to rescue the civilians. Subsequently, an unusually well-armed insurgent force backed by Orillian support attacked the RANGSI airport under the cover of Orillian artillery, putting the lives of the refugees in danger. In a great show of sacrifice, the 87th Combined Arms Division gave up their transports to evacuate all the refugees of Harambujar, leaving as many as 90% of the entire Division behind in a last stand to buy their transport time to escape.
This evidence will no doubt question the ‘native’ credentials of Orillia, just as they have exited from the CGSS forum vowing to launch an independent organisations for the ‘natives’ of Ancerious following the sudden appearance of Yog-Narr in the Volarian Corridor of the Aedelshaven Zone. RANGSI officials have accused Orillia of ‘hypocrisy’, claiming to champion the rights of native nations yet willing to endanger the same populations if they pose an ‘inconvenient truth to their narrative’.
“The Orillians would refuse to admit it, but a ‘colonial’ nation like us rescuing the Raman and Sarabhai peoples and giving them a platform to resolve their long standing conflicts and reunite as one people will not fit into their narrative of the evil ‘colonial’ imperialists,” Governor Shangjin, attached to assist the Harambujar representatives in the creation of their new government, remarked. “It makes sense that they want to see us fail. It makes sense that they don’t want these people to escape, as it would then prove to the galaxy that ‘colonials’ are not at all evil as Orillians make them out to be.”
“They failed, but at a high cost of many of our soldiers,” Shangjin then gestured to an art installation in the middle of the city square, currently in construction. It appears to be a statue of Major Farehum and a handful of RANGSI soldiers fighting their last stand to hold the airport from the insurgent attack.
‘Voice of the Republik’ Podcast
Special Interview with Professor Ghangir Bin Ameer Zhang
Mayarian: Welcome back to the ‘Voice of the Republik’. I am your host, Mayarian Bon Naya-Saha, and today we have a special guest. Please welcome Professor Ghangir!
Ghangir: Thank you Mayarian it is an honour to be back here! *Shakes hands with Mayarian*
Mayarian: Professor Ghangir is currently a researcher in the 880-Institute think-tank and a specialist in international relations. Professor, with Orillia’s announcement of forming an organisation claiming to represent the ‘natives’ of Ancerious just yesterday in the CGSS virtual, what are your thoughts on the matter?
Ghangir: I think quite frankly, that the idea of ‘natives’ and ‘colonials’ that the Orillians are purporting is quite meaningless. You don’t need to come from this galaxy or another to prey on each other - that’s just quite simply politics. Politics is inherent in every nation and every thinking species. And speaking of politics, while we have no definitive evidence at the moment, we at the 880-Institute highly suspect that the Orillians are using these artificial labels to stir up divisions among the galactic community and drum up international diplomatic support for its own ends. What these ends are, however, we are not sure.
Mayarian: Quite sharply put, Professor Ghangir. Professor, what do you think are the consequences for the Republik if Orillia succeeds in mobilising the ‘native’ nations of Ancerious?
Ghangir: It would definitely pose a significant security threat to us, Mayarian, one I definitely do not want to see in my lifetime. I have confidence in our armed forces but lets get real, us against the whole galaxy? And we ‘colonials’ are not as influential as Orillian propaganda would have you to believe. Some of the biggest corporate entities in Ancerious are ‘native’. The Third Republic of Corona controls the Ancerium trade, not the colonials. By deliberately overestimating our power and our influence in the galaxy, the Orillians spread fear and pressurize the nations of the galaxy to be hostile to extragalactic nations like us, even when truly, it is not in their interest to do so.
Mayarian: Thank you, Professor Ghangir. I expect we will hear more from you as the situation develops?
Ghangir: Certainly, Mayarian.
Aedleshaven Corridor: Golden Expanse
“Captain their still not allowing us entry or acceding to our wishes for assistance”
“What the hell is wrong with them? We have wounded, need immediate repairs and there are several thousand other vessels out behind us needing a safe port to harbour at for a short period” The captain growled loudly as he stood up and walked over to the communications panel, flicking through some shining runes as he did so.
“This is the Isoterran Frigate D244 ‘Knife Storm’. We say again, we need IMMEDIATE safe harbour and light supplies, we will conduct basic repairs and be out of your way quickly. There are many others here that need aid as well, far less fortunate than we are, let us pass and provide assistance”
There was another pause.
“This is the Aedleshaven Security Fleet Vessel 54-9-G. No admittance is possible. Our facilities do not have the resources or space to handle so many vessels, we suggest you seek assistance elsewhere. You do not have permission to enter Aedleshaven space”
“Aedleshaven space is open to all nations to use the corridor and to use as a temporary free port after the Treaty of Aedleshaven in 055AME. That is international law, now open your borders and allow us free passage and aid, we will not survive without help”
“I am sorry D244, no exceptions. That treaty is no longer valid under new government legislation and we have orders to ensure that no vessel enters our space. We do not have the resources to help you. I wish you luck to find help elsewhere”
“That is a breach of international law!” He growled even more as the crew looked exhausted. The brief fight with Yog Narr had proved stressful in the extreme, and the small military flotilla which had protected a gaggle of Isoterran harvesters had been utterly wiped out. D244 was the only survivor, and now they would be forced to limp back to their space with a damaged FTL drive, a hopeless endeavour. Even more ships behind them were in worse condition, suffering life support failures, FTL destruction or drive system loss. They would never make it far.
“As this is a breach of international law I DEMAND that you let us seek free harbour and render assistance in accordance with Galactic Spacefaring Law which states you must always seek to assist a damaged or in need vessel.”
“Your demands have been heard. We will not let you pass.” Even as the D244 crew had made their comment, other warships which had been affected by the Massacre of Zarathrustra formed up. Some powered weapons, some merely positioned themselves to intimidate. In the end it didn't matter, tensions were too high, and in the end a damaged railgun belonging to the Federal Karzan Republic corvette ‘Avantine’ misfired as her crew were repairing her. It didn't matter that the shot was nowhere near the standoff, it was all it needed.
The edge of the Aedleshaven system erupted into combat.
Vladano Prime:
It is the scene at the Killian Rhizome. The CGSS Virtual Forum. The anger and frustration in the representatives’ eyes, the tension in their faces and the fear that hung in the air - frozen in time and perfectly captured in that moment, seen from Chief Diplomat Su-Jyeon’s eyes.
Ten men and women in black double-breasted suits stood in a circle in the midst of the scene frozen in time, discussing amongst themselves and exchanging strings of holographic data. Another, dressed like them but with the addition of a green cape, stood next to Su-Jyeon, who was crossing her arms, frowning at what transpired in the virtual forum but keeping silent.
Administrator-General Gabriel placed his hand on Su-Jyeon’s shoulder, trying to offer a modicum of support for maintaining composure in the face of a difficult situation, but his hand phased right through - the holographic edges flickering at the points of contact between his hand and what is actually a hologram of not just Su-Jyeon, but the entire virtual forum - a screenshot captured from real-time eye-cam footage and then scanned and recreated in AR.
He and the ten Secretaries of the Karvoskayan TAZ were in discussions regarding recent galactic events: the market crash, the spikes in Ancerium prices and now, Orillia’s move to unite the ‘natives’ against colonials like them. Using Neural Networking, they are now in time-dilated AR space where they are able to facilitate hours-long discussions and debates all in a matter of minutes in real-time: a useful platform for urgent times such as these where there is hardly any time in the world for lengthy arguments in the Colonial Parliament.
“Sir, it is done. KGNN has released the evidence of Orillian activities in Harambujar. The media are pushing out unfavourable reports of Orillia, just as we have instructed,” the Secretary of Media and Communications stated.
“Very well, but quite frankly we all know this will change nothing. At best, our slander of Orillia buys us some time to consolidate whatever foreign allies we can get among the Unaligned. But Orillia has won the optics game a long time ago. Many natives have already bought their arguments from the start. Us posturing and moralising any further serves no gain. We will soon enter the phase where nations brandish sticks on each other. The only way to survive is to make sure we wield a bigger stick than Orillia,” Gabriel replied.
“Start reading the reserves. The moment Orillia pops up in this neighbourhood, I want fleets ready to intercept them.”
ANC BREAKING NEWS
ANC (Aedleshaven): – More breaking updates from the Massacre of Zarathurstra.
In an effort to find refuge many of the affected fleet have sought shelter in Aedleshaven, with the planet upping its security around the Corridor in response to Yogg Narr things took a terrible turn for the worst. Aedleshaven has refused entry to any seeking aid from the massacre, citing a distinct lack of resources and available dockyard facilities.
It is believed that tensions on the very border sparked into open conflict, with ships from the ASF firing on the beleaguered bands of survivors who in turn fought back. Exact details are scarce but some reports indicate that groups of ships have sped into the Aedleshaven system proper running the blockade to find help, while others have fled, seeking shelter elsewhere.
Mercy Without Borders is expected to be on scene within the next few hours, and so far we have heard nothing from the Aedleshaven authorities regarding the event.
Stay tuned.