Post by Romando07 on Jan 19, 2022 17:38:27 GMT
Planet Malaak
Capital of Secret Council of United Malaaks
Matrijan province
A lone troop carrier was driving through the mountainous wastelands created by 24 hour punitary artillery fire on the surrounding villages that took place a few days ago. Painted in tan and brown, it carried what little remained of Matrijan Freedom Fighters, a unit created by volunteers from the locals who had joined the rebellion following the Crackdown. Located mere 90 kilometers north of Samnotep City, it was the last true position that stood a chance of significantly delaying the enemy from encircling the city, cutting it off from vital supply routes and trapping the leadership.
They choose to join this righteous cause in the face of certain death, but when the order to hold out until the last man standing arrived, they chose to run away instead. “Live to fight another day” They told themselves. But to everyone else, they were deserters.
Atmosphere in the vehicle was tense. At any moment they could be ambushed by lurking remnants of a loyalist militia, formed in hopes of their members obtaining cushy positions after The Army crushes the uprising.
“Fuck. Me.” One former ‘private’ Čovik said, breaking the silence.
“Where are we even going?”
Lieutenant Hamik, the man behind their attempt to flee, raised his head from the map he was intensely studying. “Our only option right now is a 2 hour drive to Bana Luka. The local governor there is in charge of warships docked there. I have a few friends there, they will make sure we get a few speedboats so that we stand a chance. From there we-”
“Contact!”
A loud explosion followed by shouts outside interrupted him as men rose from several craters left by artillery, some with outdated weapons, some with just pistols, and opened fire on the APC. One of them, armed with the AT javelin, run up to the side of their vehicle and threw it between the wheels before he was ripped in half by Marvin who was manning the turret on top, but it was too late. A short sizzling sound followed before the armor started melting and the wheels popped, causing the driver to loose control and crash the car off road into one a crater filled with water.
Soon after, another javelin stuck on the turret, melting it and making it non operable. Last of the MFF bailed as the ramp was lowered, simply to be met with half a dozen men positioned above them, on the edge of the crater. They were all shot dead in a matter of moments, after which the silence returned to this dead land while loyalists scavenged weapons from the corpses.
“Target eliminated.” one of them reported back to their base.
It was time to end this foolish rebellion once and for all.
—------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Planet Utvrda
Loyalist HQ
Leo
All reports indicated the same. The Crackdown Rebellion was slowly drawing to a close as the northern front completely collapsed and local populace fled, hoping to avoid execution at the hands of encroaching Council forces that were systematically destroying every bit of infrastructure and rounding up the survivors to send them to labor camps. Their operative still hadn’t made it out safely, and their escape routes were compromised. Truly a dark chapter for his cause.
He was about to take another sip of wine before he was interrupted by knocking on his door. Who could it be, disturbing him this late at night in his private quarters?
He got up, grabbed a handgun from a drawer and made his way to the door. Old habits die hard.
Upon seeing that it was his secretary, Martha, he allowed himself to relax and put away the gun before opening the door for her.
“Martha, this better be importan-”
“We have no time.” This was the first time she had interrupted him when he was in a bad mood, in all her years of working for him.
“You have been called to an emergency meeting. Everyone will be there in 5 minutes.”
He groaned and shook his head to clear his mind. “What could be so important?”
“Coronans stormed the galactic stock exchange and Orillia had set up an alliance for all the natives, I think, and a counter alliance by the colonials has already been set up. The galaxy is headed to imminent war, there are reports of Corona going rogue. Others can explain it better, they have the info, but you need to go there pronto.”
The gravity of the situation hit him, and he jumped into action, gathering his notes and tidying his suit before the meeting. They were not ready. If this war requires them to go into action now they will be slaughtered. Why couldn’t it wait for a few more months to give him time to gather up his forces?
He sighed and left his quarters, followed by Martha.
There was nothing he could do but make the best of a bad situation.
—------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Planet Malaak
The Council
Councillor “Tri”
Tri was bored out of his mind listening about endless reports about how their forces were about to secure Samnotep City, how Matrijan was secured, the death count and losses…
But Četri insisted on the detailed reports, and he wasn’t in the mood for arguing. After what seemed like an eternity, his colleague stopped his monologue, and for blissful a moment the gigantic dark room was silent. He could just let the sleep take him now. He could rest. After all, he was at the age where mere ordinary men would be hooked up to life support 24/7.
He could be at peace.
But instead, Dva lifted up his hand to indicate he had something to say. Oh well, he tends to be less boring…
“Councillors. We must act at once. The galaxy has divided itself into two power blocks, with the Third Corona Republic going rogue. Our position is unstable-”
A bunch of jeers and ‘Boos’ interrupted Dva. Tri was the first to seize this opportunity to interject.
“Unstable you say? Unstable?! We are completely isolated and secure, nobody has a darn idea that we exist, the latest pitiful attempt to oppose us is crumbling as we speak! You call that weakness?”
Dva, ever patient, waited for two minutes for the chamber to calm down before he proceeded, an undertone of disgust in his voice; “Very well. Our position at home is excellent. Our position abroad is… not perfect. The Army hasn’t seen real fighting in decades, and our assets didn’t have the time to develop. The competition is too strong in this galaxy.”
As first signs of others interrupting Dva appeared, Jedan spoke, and immediately the whole room became silent except for his weak voice which continued to monotonously address Dva: “And what… Do you suggest… We do?”
Dva nodded gratefully and continued. “We have to mobilise our navy and reign in those fools who imagine Raok being a councillor. We should also fund The Agency more to survey neighbouring states, look for weak ones… Ones too preoccupied with their internal or external matters to fight out influence. We can use this war as an opportunity to secure support abroad.”
Nodding and quiet agreement followed throughout the rest of his speech.
“We must exploit any weaknesses and speak to both sides in this conflict. There is always something that we can provide and that others need, we just need to find out what. Let our Directors focus on raising more armies while we plan for the bright future ahead of us! For our continued prosperity, brothers, we must fight on against the alien scum!”
The room erupted into a weak applause and loud compliments to this mediocre speech, interrupted with coughing as several of those present had issues with breathing properly when they got excited.
“The speech was interesting after all.” Tri thought to himself as he took a blue pill, to help him relax and stay awake.
—------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Malaak
Free Samnotep City
City Hall - Headquarters
Ella
Gunshots could be heard from the first floor outside as troops started pouring in and the bombardment stopped, leaving the heavily fortified building looking like a wreck of its former self with parts of it flooded and with localised fires cutting off sections of it. Severely outnumbered, ex-NF guards were taking up their positions and were finishing stacking sandbags as the last meeting of Samnotep City’s leadership was drawing to a close, just five floors above the fighting.
Tomislav was supporting himself on his crutch while Sam recorded the meeting with his phone.
“Everyone present in this room” Tomislav began “As well as our brave fighters below us. My fellow citizens, volunteers, immigrants who came from afar to join our cause, brothers and sisters, fathers and sons, and everyone watching. I speak to you not as your superior, or even as your friend. I speak to you as a man who believes in the cause. As a man who believes in future, a bright future free from tyranny of the invisible boot on our necks that is the Council, free from petty squabbles of vile Governors who can’t look beyond their own interests. I have a dream, dream where we work together to stop this senseless oppression and become something more. Something greater than the sum of its parts.”
Muffled sounds of an explosion interrupt him briefly as grenades are tossed into the lobby and a deadly close quarters fight begins between the two sides.
“And although the Council is strong, their army is numerous, we have something that they do not. We have ideals and principles, we care about the common good and we don’t want to be a part of this corrupt system. They may be taking us down now, but they will never silence our spirit, our desire for freedom, our deeds and the bravery of those who have fought. We may die today, but those who will carry our torch onwards will win tomorrow. We are much greater than our enemy, for we are not here out of our own self interest, no. We are here for all Mallaks, united together in both purpose and action! Carry on brothers and sisters, do not let the vile lies and threatening of brutes silence you. Keep on, strive to be the change you want to see. For all of our sakes, down with The Council! For Freedom!!!”
Sam stops recording and sheds a tear. As more and more of their own die, the enemy gains ground, pushing their forces to the stairs.
“Ella. We cannot afford for all of us to die. If what you have told me is true, your survival will ensure that our cause lives on. Sam, take her to the basement. There is a hidden entrance to an underground railway constructed for the first executives of NF. Take it, it will lead under the sea to somewhere safe where other Loyalists await to collect you. They will take you offworld to one of the colonies.”
She nodded, her eyes watering but iron resolve shining through them. Her body was in pain ever since she got attacked at the beginning of the Crackdown, when the Council’s forces first pushed into the city’s periphery only to be repelled and encircled. She could barely run, she was weak and despite the doctor’s best efforts, malnourished. Sam went over to her and helped her get up. The two of them said final goodbyes to other officers and functionaries in the room before a small squad escorted them down a set of secondary stairs that currently wasn’t under attack. Just as they reached the basement, a loud explosion broke the lock on one of the doors next to them, followed by gunfire. Sam and Ella rushed for the exit as few of the remaining guards who weren’t killed in the first shots of the ambush returned fire, threw grenades and took up positions in front of the duo, shielding them with their bodies.
A second later, they made it to the wall where the secret entrance was located and revealed a hidden keypad. As sam was desperately punching in the buttons, first enemies emerged from the smoke left by the explosion near the door they came in from. Elite ghost troopers, heavily armoured and armed, opened fire on the survivors, managing to shoot Sam in the elbow, completely destroying it, before a portion of the wall they were next lowered down.
Sam immediately pushed Ella into the newly found passage and jumped after her as the last remaining guard threw a smoke grenade to conceal their position and held out against the ghost troopers, buying some more precious time.
The wall closed behind them after a few moments, just as a couple of well placed shots pierced the guard’s helmet, killing him instantly. Running and limping for their lives, high on adrenaline, Ella and Sam managed to make it to a small underground armoured train that was waiting for them. Just as its sleek black doors slid open, another explosion shattered the false wall and ghost troopers started pouring in, eager to catch up to clearly important individuals. They jumped into the train as the doors closed. On its own, the train started moving into the small tunnel ahead as bullets harmlessly bounced off of the train’s armour.
They didn’t know it yet, but they would be the only ones to survive after the battle for Samnotep ended in The Council’s victory.
A new age was beginning for their people, age where old powers could crumble due to stagnation and arrogance and new ones could rise from the ashes. Their situation was bleak, but there was always light at the end of the tunnel.
Only thing left for fate to decide was if that light was an exit or an oncoming train.
Capital of Secret Council of United Malaaks
Matrijan province
A lone troop carrier was driving through the mountainous wastelands created by 24 hour punitary artillery fire on the surrounding villages that took place a few days ago. Painted in tan and brown, it carried what little remained of Matrijan Freedom Fighters, a unit created by volunteers from the locals who had joined the rebellion following the Crackdown. Located mere 90 kilometers north of Samnotep City, it was the last true position that stood a chance of significantly delaying the enemy from encircling the city, cutting it off from vital supply routes and trapping the leadership.
They choose to join this righteous cause in the face of certain death, but when the order to hold out until the last man standing arrived, they chose to run away instead. “Live to fight another day” They told themselves. But to everyone else, they were deserters.
Atmosphere in the vehicle was tense. At any moment they could be ambushed by lurking remnants of a loyalist militia, formed in hopes of their members obtaining cushy positions after The Army crushes the uprising.
“Fuck. Me.” One former ‘private’ Čovik said, breaking the silence.
“Where are we even going?”
Lieutenant Hamik, the man behind their attempt to flee, raised his head from the map he was intensely studying. “Our only option right now is a 2 hour drive to Bana Luka. The local governor there is in charge of warships docked there. I have a few friends there, they will make sure we get a few speedboats so that we stand a chance. From there we-”
“Contact!”
A loud explosion followed by shouts outside interrupted him as men rose from several craters left by artillery, some with outdated weapons, some with just pistols, and opened fire on the APC. One of them, armed with the AT javelin, run up to the side of their vehicle and threw it between the wheels before he was ripped in half by Marvin who was manning the turret on top, but it was too late. A short sizzling sound followed before the armor started melting and the wheels popped, causing the driver to loose control and crash the car off road into one a crater filled with water.
Soon after, another javelin stuck on the turret, melting it and making it non operable. Last of the MFF bailed as the ramp was lowered, simply to be met with half a dozen men positioned above them, on the edge of the crater. They were all shot dead in a matter of moments, after which the silence returned to this dead land while loyalists scavenged weapons from the corpses.
“Target eliminated.” one of them reported back to their base.
It was time to end this foolish rebellion once and for all.
—------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Planet Utvrda
Loyalist HQ
Leo
All reports indicated the same. The Crackdown Rebellion was slowly drawing to a close as the northern front completely collapsed and local populace fled, hoping to avoid execution at the hands of encroaching Council forces that were systematically destroying every bit of infrastructure and rounding up the survivors to send them to labor camps. Their operative still hadn’t made it out safely, and their escape routes were compromised. Truly a dark chapter for his cause.
He was about to take another sip of wine before he was interrupted by knocking on his door. Who could it be, disturbing him this late at night in his private quarters?
He got up, grabbed a handgun from a drawer and made his way to the door. Old habits die hard.
Upon seeing that it was his secretary, Martha, he allowed himself to relax and put away the gun before opening the door for her.
“Martha, this better be importan-”
“We have no time.” This was the first time she had interrupted him when he was in a bad mood, in all her years of working for him.
“You have been called to an emergency meeting. Everyone will be there in 5 minutes.”
He groaned and shook his head to clear his mind. “What could be so important?”
“Coronans stormed the galactic stock exchange and Orillia had set up an alliance for all the natives, I think, and a counter alliance by the colonials has already been set up. The galaxy is headed to imminent war, there are reports of Corona going rogue. Others can explain it better, they have the info, but you need to go there pronto.”
The gravity of the situation hit him, and he jumped into action, gathering his notes and tidying his suit before the meeting. They were not ready. If this war requires them to go into action now they will be slaughtered. Why couldn’t it wait for a few more months to give him time to gather up his forces?
He sighed and left his quarters, followed by Martha.
There was nothing he could do but make the best of a bad situation.
—------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Planet Malaak
The Council
Councillor “Tri”
Tri was bored out of his mind listening about endless reports about how their forces were about to secure Samnotep City, how Matrijan was secured, the death count and losses…
But Četri insisted on the detailed reports, and he wasn’t in the mood for arguing. After what seemed like an eternity, his colleague stopped his monologue, and for blissful a moment the gigantic dark room was silent. He could just let the sleep take him now. He could rest. After all, he was at the age where mere ordinary men would be hooked up to life support 24/7.
He could be at peace.
But instead, Dva lifted up his hand to indicate he had something to say. Oh well, he tends to be less boring…
“Councillors. We must act at once. The galaxy has divided itself into two power blocks, with the Third Corona Republic going rogue. Our position is unstable-”
A bunch of jeers and ‘Boos’ interrupted Dva. Tri was the first to seize this opportunity to interject.
“Unstable you say? Unstable?! We are completely isolated and secure, nobody has a darn idea that we exist, the latest pitiful attempt to oppose us is crumbling as we speak! You call that weakness?”
Dva, ever patient, waited for two minutes for the chamber to calm down before he proceeded, an undertone of disgust in his voice; “Very well. Our position at home is excellent. Our position abroad is… not perfect. The Army hasn’t seen real fighting in decades, and our assets didn’t have the time to develop. The competition is too strong in this galaxy.”
As first signs of others interrupting Dva appeared, Jedan spoke, and immediately the whole room became silent except for his weak voice which continued to monotonously address Dva: “And what… Do you suggest… We do?”
Dva nodded gratefully and continued. “We have to mobilise our navy and reign in those fools who imagine Raok being a councillor. We should also fund The Agency more to survey neighbouring states, look for weak ones… Ones too preoccupied with their internal or external matters to fight out influence. We can use this war as an opportunity to secure support abroad.”
Nodding and quiet agreement followed throughout the rest of his speech.
“We must exploit any weaknesses and speak to both sides in this conflict. There is always something that we can provide and that others need, we just need to find out what. Let our Directors focus on raising more armies while we plan for the bright future ahead of us! For our continued prosperity, brothers, we must fight on against the alien scum!”
The room erupted into a weak applause and loud compliments to this mediocre speech, interrupted with coughing as several of those present had issues with breathing properly when they got excited.
“The speech was interesting after all.” Tri thought to himself as he took a blue pill, to help him relax and stay awake.
—------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Malaak
Free Samnotep City
City Hall - Headquarters
Ella
Gunshots could be heard from the first floor outside as troops started pouring in and the bombardment stopped, leaving the heavily fortified building looking like a wreck of its former self with parts of it flooded and with localised fires cutting off sections of it. Severely outnumbered, ex-NF guards were taking up their positions and were finishing stacking sandbags as the last meeting of Samnotep City’s leadership was drawing to a close, just five floors above the fighting.
Tomislav was supporting himself on his crutch while Sam recorded the meeting with his phone.
“Everyone present in this room” Tomislav began “As well as our brave fighters below us. My fellow citizens, volunteers, immigrants who came from afar to join our cause, brothers and sisters, fathers and sons, and everyone watching. I speak to you not as your superior, or even as your friend. I speak to you as a man who believes in the cause. As a man who believes in future, a bright future free from tyranny of the invisible boot on our necks that is the Council, free from petty squabbles of vile Governors who can’t look beyond their own interests. I have a dream, dream where we work together to stop this senseless oppression and become something more. Something greater than the sum of its parts.”
Muffled sounds of an explosion interrupt him briefly as grenades are tossed into the lobby and a deadly close quarters fight begins between the two sides.
“And although the Council is strong, their army is numerous, we have something that they do not. We have ideals and principles, we care about the common good and we don’t want to be a part of this corrupt system. They may be taking us down now, but they will never silence our spirit, our desire for freedom, our deeds and the bravery of those who have fought. We may die today, but those who will carry our torch onwards will win tomorrow. We are much greater than our enemy, for we are not here out of our own self interest, no. We are here for all Mallaks, united together in both purpose and action! Carry on brothers and sisters, do not let the vile lies and threatening of brutes silence you. Keep on, strive to be the change you want to see. For all of our sakes, down with The Council! For Freedom!!!”
Sam stops recording and sheds a tear. As more and more of their own die, the enemy gains ground, pushing their forces to the stairs.
“Ella. We cannot afford for all of us to die. If what you have told me is true, your survival will ensure that our cause lives on. Sam, take her to the basement. There is a hidden entrance to an underground railway constructed for the first executives of NF. Take it, it will lead under the sea to somewhere safe where other Loyalists await to collect you. They will take you offworld to one of the colonies.”
She nodded, her eyes watering but iron resolve shining through them. Her body was in pain ever since she got attacked at the beginning of the Crackdown, when the Council’s forces first pushed into the city’s periphery only to be repelled and encircled. She could barely run, she was weak and despite the doctor’s best efforts, malnourished. Sam went over to her and helped her get up. The two of them said final goodbyes to other officers and functionaries in the room before a small squad escorted them down a set of secondary stairs that currently wasn’t under attack. Just as they reached the basement, a loud explosion broke the lock on one of the doors next to them, followed by gunfire. Sam and Ella rushed for the exit as few of the remaining guards who weren’t killed in the first shots of the ambush returned fire, threw grenades and took up positions in front of the duo, shielding them with their bodies.
A second later, they made it to the wall where the secret entrance was located and revealed a hidden keypad. As sam was desperately punching in the buttons, first enemies emerged from the smoke left by the explosion near the door they came in from. Elite ghost troopers, heavily armoured and armed, opened fire on the survivors, managing to shoot Sam in the elbow, completely destroying it, before a portion of the wall they were next lowered down.
Sam immediately pushed Ella into the newly found passage and jumped after her as the last remaining guard threw a smoke grenade to conceal their position and held out against the ghost troopers, buying some more precious time.
The wall closed behind them after a few moments, just as a couple of well placed shots pierced the guard’s helmet, killing him instantly. Running and limping for their lives, high on adrenaline, Ella and Sam managed to make it to a small underground armoured train that was waiting for them. Just as its sleek black doors slid open, another explosion shattered the false wall and ghost troopers started pouring in, eager to catch up to clearly important individuals. They jumped into the train as the doors closed. On its own, the train started moving into the small tunnel ahead as bullets harmlessly bounced off of the train’s armour.
They didn’t know it yet, but they would be the only ones to survive after the battle for Samnotep ended in The Council’s victory.
A new age was beginning for their people, age where old powers could crumble due to stagnation and arrogance and new ones could rise from the ashes. Their situation was bleak, but there was always light at the end of the tunnel.
Only thing left for fate to decide was if that light was an exit or an oncoming train.