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Post by EmperorMyric on Dec 16, 2017 19:25:19 GMT
It is in vain, sir, to extenuate the matter. Gentlemen may cry, Peace, Peace--but there is no peace. The war is actually begun! The next gale that sweeps from the north will bring to our ears the clash of resounding arms! Our brethren are already in the field! Why stand we here idle? What is it that gentlemen wish? What would they have? Is life so dear, or peace so sweet, as to be purchased at the price of chains and slavery? Forbid it, Almighty God! I know not what course others may take; but as for me, give me liberty or give me death!
Patrick Henry~
== o(O)o ==
“Sir” the aid Reported as he entered the War Chamber, flanked on either side by Silens Tallum Elite guards.
He saluted, Addressing once again to the group of figures reviewing and maintaining the Versus-Orbitarious display of their territories projected over the chambers command table in the center of the room. Following the movements of flotillas and war fleets alike throughout their systems and Collective regions. Their icons appearing like Brightly colored amber bugs flying through a dark orange sea of projected systems and Terraes.
Presently the man sitting in the center of the group paused as the aid addressed them, raising his hand to issue silence from the others in the room. Giving a slight nod to the aid to signal that he could speak his report to them, the light from the multiple displays in the room playing across his Scarred Face.
“General Galvez.” The Aid said, saluting. “The Black gate intelligence Network has notified us that the Forces of the capital has currently engaged the Immortal Empire in several of their systems. They’ve sent multiple War fleets to engage their forces.”
“And?” Galvez asked.
“They’ve brought in the Leviathan sir. One of their T-10 Vessels.” The aid replied.
“They’ve also deployed multiple Bio-weapon strikes against capitol territories along their outer rims.” Immediately a murmur went up among the military commanders seated around the table. Galvez raised his hand again, ushering silence. “It should be worthy of noting gentlemen, that the situation. While indeed grave in its nature.” He paused for a moment, bringing up the map of the Territories of the Immortal Empire. “It has put us in a position where our own initiative is in a Strike worthy Arrangement.” He said, motioning towards the Silens Tallum’s to Escort the Aid out.
“The Immortal Empire has revealed to us one of their strongest pieces on the board. They have made themselves vulnerable in this aspect.” He said, bringing up the particular systems that the Capital forces were currently laying siege to.
“Now is the time to deploy our forces, Deploy the War fleets 11- and 33- and put the word out on the Admirals Channels, Operation Frange is now in effect.”
== o(O)o ==
Across the tenebrean Territories in ancerious, Several Fleets Were Deployed in accordance to those orders, hundreds of Ships Pulling out of their Massive orbital Citadel stations after being prepped for months should the operation that Galvez had authorized came into play. As they arranged themselves into their Appropriated Fleets and Flotillas’, their preparations to engage their Shunt systems were finalized, and instantly. In Bursts of Reddish light and static they disappeared towards their destinations. Dividing into multiple attack Groups, Each one destined for different regions of the Immortal empires territories.
Across the Immortal empires outer Territories systems found themselves falling under attack by tenebrean fleets, that. Like the fleet that attacked at Ambrosious Appeared suddenly in-system without warning, Shunting into existence with Bursts of lightning and Red light. Sending Immortal Empire Response fleets scrambling to respond in the Wake of the Attacking capital forces on their other systems.
It is in vain, sir, to extenuate the matter. Gentlemen may cry, Peace, Peace--but there is no peace. The war is actually begun! The next gale that sweeps from the north will bring to our ears the clash of resounding arms! Our brethren are already in the field! Why stand we here idle? What is it that gentlemen wish? What would they have? Is life so dear, or peace so sweet, as to be purchased at the price of chains and slavery? Forbid it, Almighty God! I know not what course others may take; but as for me, give me liberty or give me death!
-The AlHoldera system
The First of the Tenebrean War flotillas that had broken off from the 11th Tenebrean War fleet Shunted into the Alholdera system. A mining system on the outer fringes of the Immortal empires Territories, with 6 worlds orbiting its single Blue sun. Two colonized, the other four planets on the outer edges of the system being reserved for mining and Resource gathering operations. Appearing in several locations within the system in smaller groups to better take out the systems forces. Which were surprisingly few.
As the individual groups Moved inward towards the systems core, they took out IE Defensive ships and Orbital Military stations as they Passed from world to world, The Immortal Empires infamous Counter-Intelligence ships finding out quickly, and to their dismay that their Generated noise Held little to no effect on the Tenebrean Aura based Systems and targeting Entities before being blown apart by concentrated volleys and Tallums fired from the invading tenebrean ships in response. Pausing in orbit in order to Take out each planets groundside Defenses and Iron bastions with concentrated bombardments and ARC Whips Fired from orbit, as well as taking out mining facilities and refineries, leaving them as smoldering and sometimes irradiated craters in the landscape. Several Cruisers going after vessels attempting to escape the system in order to prevent Quick responses from the IE’s main fleets.
As they made their way further towards the systems center, taking some two hours to manage it. They reached the first of the two colonized worlds, a city planet, orbited by twin moons. Both colonized. The Heavy cruisers and Escorts of the fleet engaging and holding down the planetary defenses, while Their larger vessels began bombardment operations on the planets surface, as well as on the IE Craft engaging them, large or small in size. Dropping hundreds of Capsules of the iconic design of the Tenebreans down towards the planets surfaces, They Detonated when they made contact with the Surfaces and the vessels hulls, releasing massive Clouds of Steam like Vapors.
While the purpose of these apparently harmless bombardments wasn’t clear at first. And while subsequent scans of the vapors like Gas would find no known contaminants, their design was already in operation.
-The Talthota system
in many aspects, the mining system of Talthota was a Similar Chain of events as the Alholdera systems invasion, the real difference in the methods of their attackers being the Areas in the system where the Tenebrean Flotillas’ shunted into the system. Appearing directly in orbit around the populated worlds and the one orbital station in system. Forcing the Immortal empires Defensive fleet to engage them off of their guard. Shunting out when the larger vessels managed to get them in their lines of fire, Reappearing Nearby only to continue their barrages.
Immedietly, the invading fleets began deployment of their fighter craft and their equally massive Drone fleet, Engaging the fighters and lighter craft of the immortal empire in orbit, while in the same movement Systematically hunting down and Destroying the Observation drones used by the immortal Empires systems to monitor their battles, as well as Additional listening and Relay stations They came across, either in orbit, or that they could locate on the planet sides of the worlds.
They had gained enough information to know that the IE Relied on The Entity known as CABEL in terms of war movements, and they were going to Force the entity, and its forces, to fight the battle blind.
-The Caroman system
The Caroman system, while being the last system of the Immortal empire Territories that The Flotillas’ of the Tenebrean 33rd war fleet shunted into, was very easily the most Vicious battles of the three. A Forge system, it was the most defended of the three systems invaded within their territories, The number of Tenebrean ships shunting into the system being larger in both number and groups Present in either The AlHoldera and the Talthota systems.
Immediately the invading Tenebrean forces Engaged the numbers of Immortal empire Warships present there, appearing in their midst’s As they Shunted into the system and opening fire on the immortal empire vessels propulsion and Weapons Systems without warning. But unlike the previous systems invaded, the Caroman systems forces, being forwarded about the Situations in their other systems. Had been Deployed and Scrambled by the fleet commanders present in the system, and had engaged the Tenebrean forces with a ferocity Equal to that of the invaders.
As the fleets engaged each other, the Orbits of the 6 planets in the system, mostly consisting of Forge and Production planets erupted into massive battles between the defending Immortal empire forces and the Tenebrean Flotillas. The entities and crews of the Tenebrean ships, having learned from their past mistakes with the Immortal empires tactics of Entering the void to Repair damages and Emerge primed and ready to fight, began adapting similar Tactics with their Shunt systems.
Frontline vessels Shunting out of engagements with immortal empire craft as they entered the void and being Replaced by Fresher vessels From the Rear forces while their Predecessor vessels Began system repairs on their own ships.
The most vicious aspect of the invasion however, came in the form of a two-ship battle, high in orbit over the Forge world of Ragnarok. But while it might have been small in the concept of engagement, The Two Warships, both of Powerful and resilient classes all their own, found themselves in a Dogfight of maneuvers where either one continuously found themselves in positions where their more powerful weapons could not perform any real damage to their opponents. The real conflict occurring between their supporting drone and fighter fleets in the space between them.
The engagement had begin simply enough, Twin Aldebaran class Cruisers had found themselves engaging two T-4 Cruisers that had been deployed to engage the capitol Fleet elsewhere, but had Entered the system when they had received word that an invasion had been in progress.
Naturally, the two small Fleets had clashed with each other in a brief, but violent Battle that had sent one of the T-4s down in a Burning Streak across the planets sky, and forcing one of the Aldebaran class Vessels to Enter the lower atmosphere with its own damages. Cutting a swatch through smaller immortal empire craft that it came across, deploying the Pagoda shaped landing craft of the Tenebrean Empire as it went along. Flanked by smaller supporting craft.
While the Remaining two vessels in the upper atmosphere quickly found themselves engaging each other in a Dogfight engagement high above the desert planet that would last for weeks.
-Forge Planet Ragnarok
As the battle between the Two Warships in the upper atmosphere raged onward, the Pagoda Temple shaped landing craft of the tenebrean empire came Planet side to the Surface of the Forge planet, Their sheer number preventing the Orbital defense systems from preventing all of them from making planet fall as they hovered down on their A-Grav systems. Landing in locations across the planets surface ranging from desolate and remote locations, to busy city centers.
The Military and Guard forces planeside were quick to response to the locations they could find, Sending in troops to Surround the alien structures and neutralize the soldiers that they suspected Lay within them, as the Devices cycled into life with deep mechanical thuds and Bass hums, they discovered quickly that they contained a great deal more then the few hundred soldiers they expected.
As the door like constructs along the side of the Pagoda like devices opened with deep thuds the soldiers of the planets forces raised their pulse rifles and pistols, Setting their sights on the entrances. Ready to mow down the invading alien forces as they exited. Only to find themselves facing seemingly endless Legions of heavy Armored Tenebreans and War Caste Calvara that exited the structures across the world. Overwhelming the immortal empire forces that waited for them across the globe with bursts of ARC fire and the Sub atomizing beams of DeGarser Pulse rifles.
As The Empires Armies clashed Across the globe and Facilities and Fortresses Were taken, None noticed the hundreds of Black armored Clavarians that had slipped out of the landing Constructs and Slipped away from the fighting, shunting away either alone or in small groups.
Disappearing unseen into the complicated Structures that sprawled across the world on agendas that even their fellow soldiers Held no knowledge of.
== o(O)o ==
The Cerabian Territories
While The Systems of the Immortal empires primary Territories in Ancerious Found themselves under attack by the vessels of the Tenebrean 11th War fleet, the Conquered Cerabian territories on the otherside of the galaxy likewise found them selves under a different form of attack by the divided forces and Liberation Flotillas of the Tenebrean 33rd War fleet. Which had shunted out at the exact same time.
The initial phases of the attacks In the 6 targeted systems they shunted into, While similar in the aspect of the Tenebrean ships and drone forces either engaging their Vessels Directly and without warning, or simply opting to cripple their forces, Taking out their engines with Bursts of mixed DeGarser and ARC Fire immediately after Emerging from their Shunts behind them. Quickly Deviated from their expected courses once they managed to eliminate or Cripple the majority of the immortal empire Enforcement ships in the systems they choose to engage them in. The Tenebrean ships began turning their sights instead towards the ships of the Captured Cerabian fleet, most Notably the vessels constructed by the races that were known as the Urdnots and the Cogs. Whose systems they had targeted specifically in their strikes. Their ships shunting into range of them to use their shipboard Boarding towers, the Exit Gateways appearing directly in the hearts of the Alien craft in areas that scans showed could not be easily defended because of their location or structural build.
Tenebrean heavy boarding parties and Stromian Heavy troops entered the ships in swarms and small tactical teams from the invading crafts Hangers and Troop Chambers, Immediately opening fire on The Immortal Empire alligned Crewmembers where they came across them, Stasising and restraining those that did not Return fire for transport back to their vessels. Shunter unit equipped Shock troops and boarding parties shunted into the Cerabian Crafts bridges and Took command from the Immortal Empire bridge staff and officers stationed there. While other teams of Boarding troops Equipped with Stasis units and Armor magnetizers managed to seize command of engine rooms and ammunitions storage, cutting off power and ammo lines from the weapons across the vessels. Forcing the crews manning the guns to eventually Surrender once their weapons ran dry.
While the boarding’s, and subsequent re-taking of The Cerabian Vessels throughout the systems were occurring, multiple Tenebrean ships in orbit of Urdnot and Cog controlled worlds and moons Began Relaying multiple Translated and encrypted Transmissions explaining their Purpose there.
They were a liberation fleet, their messages downward Said, And they had been Deployed by the Tenebrean Empire to Assist them in liberating their Peoples of the cerabian empire from The Rule of the Immortal Empire, and to buffer their Resistance and Revolution in their goals.
Across the Conquered territories of the Cerabian empire, the Transmissions spread, either by relay or by the millions of Pirate communications Channels that had managed to Escape notice or editing.
And where they spread, Rebellions and Riots began to break out.
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Post by EmperorMyric on Dec 16, 2017 19:25:39 GMT
“The trick, William Potter, is not *minding* that it hurts.”
--Peter O’Toole as Lawrence of Arabia, from the 1962 film
--oOo--
Prime Admiral Dorin watched with morbid fascination as she tracked the courses of the Dark City Imperium’s assault on the Immortal Empire. It was thirteen months now since the start of the conflict, and at long last, the Dark City was throwing muscle. Proper flesh and blood muscle, though admittedly given their nature the flesh and blood part was more metaphorical than not.
It was a brilliantly timed maneuver, and more importantly, it was uncannily timed at that. The borderline cooperation between Capitol and the Dark City Imperium certainly gave more credence to those strange tertiary connections in timelines between the Union of Worlds and Capitol. It appeared that some were willing to make stranger sorts of unholy alliances, and more frightfully still, they seemed to work.
After all, the Ascendancy fully appreciated the art of proper timing.
She glanced uneasily towards Pallam’s holographic representation with a thin frown on her face; the darkened chamber seemed to make her look gaunter than usual, and Pallam…well, looked like Pallam. More can’t be said than that in that aspect.
“I trust you have been reviewing the upcoming timeline in regards to your responsibilities?” Dorin asked softly. Pallam confirmed the statement.
She stuck her jaw out slightly more than it normally protruded, and looked back at the holographic projections slowly drifting around the darkened chamber. This was the start of something very large. This was not to say that she was surprised, of course; they had been holding out for this for a considerable while now. From the beginning, it had been a common understanding that wide scale offensive operations against the DCI would be held off until the enemy was engaged in its own offensive, and was thus otherwise occupied.
“With the Immortal Empire shortly to find itself under attack by three factions simultaneously, they’re going to be stretched a bit thin.” Dorin bemused softly. It was understandable, of course; any faction facing that degree of numerical superiority would be rightly challenged by it. The Immortal Empire though had its own advantages; they knew precisely where, when and how much was coming at them, and would likely have fortified in anticipation of this. Still, it was a telling move on the part of their opponents.
Pallam, in his own way, directed Dorin’s attention towards the capsules that the Tenebraens were dropping onto Alholdera and Talthota. At present, their contents were unknown, and that was simply not suitable for Dorin. With a few waves of her hand, she commanded temporal research on the conditions of those planets at varying intervals in time, ranging from the next few months to thousands of years in the future. Gradually, the intervals would be cut down year by year, moment by moment, until they could determine just what would happen on those worlds. From there, Dorin fully expected that the pertinent information would be retroactively delivered to the Immortal Empire, in an effort to prevent potential contamination. For now, she was treating it like an infectious attack-perhaps not a biological one, or even one intended to engage biological targets. Nanites were an option, but ultimately it would be revealed, and it would be dealt with in a responsible manner.
She wouldn’t let those in their command die with any degree of futility if she could avoid it.
“When they cross this line,” she directed after a pause, creating a red barrier quite close to where the Union of World’s front would shortly be opening up, “hit them with the FSEMCEs. I don’t want them having the luxury of thinking they stand a chance in this war. As long as they’re on their side of the line, we let them live. Temporal alterations are authorized for this situation.”
Pallam began to protest in his own way, and with the utmost politeness Pallam suggested that he had his own way of engaging the enemy, and that it realy wouldn’t be all too sporting to attack the Union of Worlds utterly unseen with a weapon that physically couldn’t leave survivors.
“If they’d wanted common courtesy,” Dorin retorted sharply, “perhaps they should have maintained diplomatic relations with us.” She drew an additional line slightly beyond where the Tenebraen fleets now occupied parts of the former Cerebian empire, and parts of what had always belonged to the Immortal Empire. Those areas were her concern, and she would see to it that they wouldn’t get much farther than they already were.
In her own way, Dorin had waited an awfully long time for this day. She finally had reason to intervene in a more substantial manner.
--oOo--
The Tenebraen forces had, as had been planned for, skipped right across the border. The majority of her fleets had remained hidden in the no man’s land between those two mighty powers for over a year now, well entrenched and immaculately camouflaged. They had passed over the Ascendancy’s war fleets as if they weren’t even there, which was for Dorin a sort of silent compliment to the prowess of the Ascendancy’s stealthy nature.
In theory, the Ascendancy’s fleets had been intended as a defensive perimeter; their positioning would certainly lend credence to that theory, had their been enough knowledge of their existence to allow theorizing. But that was not truly the case, for the method of transit for the Dark City had not ever really been a secret. They did not have to pass through this perimeter so much as they went over it, and while this likely spared them immediate and forceful conflict with their unseen opponents.
It would have been much better for them had they tackled the problem head on as opposed to passing it over, but in their defense, they hardly knew this problem even existed.
So it came to pass that, on the night of the Big Push, the ships which answered to the command of Prime Admiral Dorin pulled up their proverbial anchors, withdrew their metaphorical gang-planks, and sailed out into the black. Orders were given, targets advised, and with silent dignity the thirteen hundred ships in Dorin’s command began to move through the stars.
The great luck of this was that, as the ships had waited there since before the conflict had began earlier the year before, there was no temporal radiation to speak of on them; they were as clean in terms of temporal signatures as anyone could have asked for. Silent, unseen, and forgotten, the Ascendancy prepared to raise its hand against the Dark City Imperium.
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Post by EmperorMyric on Dec 16, 2017 19:30:32 GMT
Carnaith's first strike
General Reik stood at the bridge of a CIGO prowler in an unknown position in IE territory, and was currently editing his attack forces to destroy varandal, and support DCI forces in Alholdera, Talthota, and Caroman systems....
The attacks on the Alholdera, Talthota, and Caroman systems would each be consisting of 25 SOL class railgun platforms, 25 orion-IV's, 100 ozark-III heavy cruisers, 25 tunorian 'lighthouse' missile destroyers, and 50 stilleto corvettes, while the attack on varandal would consist of only 50 zanithian 'lotam' corvettes, 25 'sickle' battlecruisers, and the Aurius dreadnaught to make quick work of the remaining systems there. Reik was fidgeting being in such a relatively small craft, he would rather be in an Orion VI right about now, striking out at targets from an AU away, but he did agree with Rictuld's thoughts that he should stay safe for future battles, after all, he didn't want to miss the next omniversal war.
"how long until the assault forces reach the sector?" Reik asked to the CIGO tech at the sensor and communication seat.
"inbound and ready to go in T-minus 5 minutes, 11 seconds, sir" the Tech replied.
"good, these boys need some action" Reik said, secretly surprised at how precise the CIGO marines were. They may not excel in combat, he thought, but damn are they professional.
VARANDAL SYSTEM</u>
The relatively small group attacking Varandal warped into the system, and immediately took a defensive formation around the Aurius dreadnaught, then halting movement towards the planet currently at war between capitol and the IE, charging their railguns and energy weapons, and preparing missiles as they prepared to attack when the numbers of the enemy fleets became manageable. The captain of the Aurius cocked his head to one side as he studied the ensuing battle. once the capitol's forces hit around 160, they bagan moving towards the battle and firing their long range weapons as they approached, over the next five minutes they did minimal damage to the warring capital fleet, stopping once they realized that they weren't shooting at them and then targeting the IE's IRK cannons and larger ships, using the Aurius as a (rather devastating)distraction while the handful of battleships they had struck at the larger IE ships, about 60% f the rounds hitting and penetrating in the bulk areas of the ships, and missiles targeting the gun turrets, about 40% of those hitting. the cruisers watched, ready to attack, the capitol to make sure they didn't do anything stupid...
ALHOLDERA SYSTEM The Carnaithian fleet deployed to Alholdera warped in to see the tenebraen fleet there blowing through the IE defenses, already at the first colonized planet. As the Carnaithians moved to engage the IE, they armed fuel-air bombs, ready do launch at any installation worthy of that kind of punishment. The Orion-IV's in the group armed their bottom-mounted glassing lasers for other targets, while the 25 SOL EMACCS platforms would set up a defense screen for incoming IE forces. The captain of the lead ship hailed the Tenebraen CO there, confirming allied presence and avoiding friendly fire. The carnaithian Ozark-III's moved towards the core, taking around an hour and a half, scanning deep into the mining worlds along the way to prevent any surprises, finding nothing worthy of attention...
TALTHOTA SYSTEM As the carnaithian fleet warped into the Talthota system they noticed that there was actually a battle in progress. charging their weapons, they sent their battle reports to general Reik, still aboard the CIGO prowler. The carriers launched their swarms of drones, as well as their manned fighters and bombers, while battleships fired their hull-mounted heavy EMACCS guns, lasers, and plasma cannons. The destroyers, corvettes, and heavy cruisers fired their missiles and precision guns at cannon mounts and missile doors on the IE ships. The fleet communicated with the Tenebraens to confirm what ships were being targeted by them, and targeted the ones not being attacked by Tenebrae. Discovering that the IE uses void tricks, they attempted to use the Tunorian 'lighthouse' destroyers' slipspace denial tech to prevent the priority targets from escaping the combat zone once the destroyers came within range...
CAROMAN SYSTEM The Caroman system was an entirely different story, the battle being similar to that of the lower class of battle between fleets during the omniversal wars, and this fleet had little combat experience. Reik realized this and sent them an Alpha-class AI to the lead ship to assist in combat maneuvers, a process that took the AI 20 minutes to merge with the ships, all while outside of range of the battle. it was at this point that Reik also requested that reinforcements be sent, in the meantime the ships there would avoid the heavy combat areas and send gunships, transports, and fightercraft to assist in atmospheric ops. the carriers also deployed all of their drones and remaining fighter-bombers to defend the small amount of ships they had in-system. they would begin heavy combat operations as soon as reinforcements arrived...
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Post by EmperorMyric on Dec 16, 2017 19:30:48 GMT
[Note: Read narration like this. It was the inspiration in not only how I wrote this, but in how I spoke whilst writing this. Even now I speak to my computer with this narrator’s voice.]
”I’ve waged war across a million and more worlds. I’ve seen the natural wonders the universe has to offer. I’ve spilled enough blood and ichor to drown a world. I’ve rescued brave men and women from the jaws of death, and seen them returned safely to their families. I’ve died more times than many could count. That last part makes me laugh. I’ve only ever come close to death. If the day comes when I final die, for good, I hope whoever is left behind after me kills what killed me. I hope they then go on and become an even greater champion of the empire than me. ~Homer Stravour
Lorenchan and Dalkarni Systems
The force of the Lorenchan and Dalkrani systems a like, had born witness to a miracle. As news of these events spread, many would regard it as simple propaganda. But the truth was that with the unseen help of the Flux, the ground cannons of the Immortal Empire had not simply turned away the massive invasion forces, but had completely destroyed the fleets of Capitol. Those that had manned the guns would be hailed as heroes. Praise and glory alike would be heaped upon them. But they knew that they couldn’t take full responsibility for Capitol’s defeat. Something unknown had thrown the invading forces into disarray. Even with prisoners pulled from the derelict warships, the Immortal Empire still wouldn’t know what had caused such fortune for them.
Varandal System
Against any other foe Capitol’s kamikaze attack would have been devastating. The captains of the I.R.K. cannons, having several seconds to respond, had two choices. Either weather the coming storm, hoping their guns and shields strong enough to repel the suicidal attackers, or risk destruction in the void. Many chose the latter, preferring the possibility of destruction over the near guarantee of death. In an instant the mobile cannons of the Immortal Empire cast themselves into the nothings between dimensions. There time ceased to have meaning. There they could not only move out of the way of the coming threat, but also position themselves to fire on their would be attackers. But even with a captain’s fast reaction time, augmented as it were by CABAL, some ships still took hits before the could enter the void. Critically damaged, these ships would be destroyed as their void jump generators failed to maintain their integrity. Even with these losses, the Immortal Empire would continue their strafing runs. As the mobile cannons warped reality in their favor, the rest of the combined warfleet continued to fight Capitol’s forces, in brutal displays of cunning and firepower. Slowly, Capitol’s war machine was being ground into little more than debris that would fill the Immortal Empire’s forge worlds for years to come. Unfortunately, victory here mattered little in the grand scheme of things. Already, the admirals of the three warfleets were receiving the reports of Tenebraes renewed assault. And committed as they were, were unable to break away to engage this new threat to the empire. Once their enemies here were dealt with, the warfleets would turn their attentions on those that sought to exploit Capitol’s attack for their own gain. However, while the combined warfleet was engaged, the 311th Void Fleet had split into two, and was making best possible time to repel this new offensive.
Xantan System
WARNING: LEVEL ONE THREAT DETECTED. INITIATING OVERRIDE. EMERGENCY VOID JUMP ACTIVATING: NOW.
Across the 50th warfleet, CABAL reacted faster than any living thing. The sentient computer took direct control of the embattled fleet, and forced them to enter the void, lest they be swallowed by the nova’s blast. Those closest to the star however, were caught by the star’s death and incinerated by the fury of such an occurrence. Among those destroyed was the ‘Leviathan,’ its armor unable to protect it and those within from the all consuming fire that raged through the system. As the warfleet reentered reality, they where far from fine. More than half their number, and all the drones they had launched were destroyed. As they began moving, seeking rest and repair, they were confronted with the news that Tenebrae had struck. In such a poor state, the 50th warfleet had no choice but to leave the defense of the empire to others.
Capitol Territory: System 7
‘Havoc’ began cussing quite loudly and in many interesting and creative ways as he was informed of Tenebraes attack. “{EXPLETIVE} {EXPLETIVE} ALIENS! {EXPLETIVE} SNEAKY {EXPLETIVE} ALIENS! YOU!” Fear of the grand admiral drove the poor tech to her feet as quickly as humanly possible, “S-sir?” “I WANT A {EXPLETIVE} COURSE SET TA MEET UP WITH THE 52ND! MOVE!” ”Y-YES SIR!” ‘Havoc’ rounded on the nearest crewman so fast he actually blurred. The poor man froze under ‘Havoc’s stare and actually flinched when the enraged admiral spoke, “Well? Don’t just {EXPLETIVE} stand there! GET ME TACTICAL!” The man didn’t even voice a response, but hurried off to start gathering the requested information. “WHY THE {EXPLETIVE} ARE WE STILL ‘ERE! {EXPLETIVE} JUMP TA HYPERSPACE!” An Emerald Sword walked over to the fuming admiral. On the bridge, he alone wasn’t afraid of the prime admiral’s wrath. ”’Havoc,’ calm down! An enraged man…” “IS REALLY {EXPLETIVE} DANGEROUS TO THE {EXPLETIVE} {EXPLETIVE} OF{EXPLETIVE} THAT ENRAGED HIM! {EXPLETIVE} XENOS HAD TA BE WORKIN’ WITH THE {EXPLETIVE} RIDDEN CAPITOL {EXPLETIVE}. AND WHERE THE {EXPLETIVE} WAS YOUR {EXPLETIVE} INTELLIGENCE NETWORK ON THIS? ASLEEP?” The Emerald Sword grabbed ‘Havoc’ faster than any on the bridge could register and teleported to the primal admiral’s private quarters. There ‘Havoc’ vented his raged and the Emerald Sword did his best not to cut the admiral’s head off. The ‘Brutal Aggressor’ groaned as the crew strained to turn her towards the fighting as quickly as possible. The 52nd warfleet and Assault Block, damaged as it was, moved to meet with ‘Havoc’ before continuing on to repel this latest incursion.
AlHordera System
The Immortal Empire, never one to sit still technologically, had studied their previous encounter with Tenebrae’s forces. Klester Higgins, Warsmith for Homer Stravour, had started a mass fleet upgrade. Slabs durasteel, hundreds of feet thick, now covered the outputs of the plasma pulse engines. Crude in their making, they still functioned as intended and blunted the Tenebrae’s assault. Even though not all of the empire’s vessels could receive these upgrades, it still worked well at preserving the engines of many ships. And with their engines intact, the captains of those ships could maneuver to unleash a devastating counter-attack on the Tenebrae forces. Even as the empire’s space forces began their repelling of the invaders, the ground and space cannons began to fire their interdictor rounds into the enemy fleet. As for the planets themselves, the bunkers and fortresses of each world sealed themselves from the outside world. While this left some stranded outside, it ensured the protection of those deep within from what ever the DCI had unleashed upon them. That no contaminants could be detected by the techs of the Immortal Empire did nothing to hamper the natural paranoia that those in the empire naturally had.
Talthota System
The Tenebraens had begun a campaign to blind CABAL and by extension the Immortal Empire. But the empire, ever building with redundancy in mind, was only losing one part of a greater whole. The loss of a few dozen observation drones only served to hamper them. Now the strategists of the empire were forced to work with raw data, something that they where more than capable of doing.
Caroman System
Even from across the territory of the Immortal Empire, ‘Havoc’ was still able to direct the local forces of the Caroman system. Working to preserve the local forces until he could arrive, the Prime Admiral was working furiously. Every order was carefully calculated to prolong the lives of the ships and those on them. This was little more than a stalling measure.
Sub: Forge World Ragnarok
The empire’s soldiers scattered quickly, using their jump packs to rush into cover or launch themselves onto the roofs of nearby structures. Those with heavy weapons unleashed a withering barrage into the massed troops pouring forth from the devices drop from low orbit. Within minutes the first Bio-weapon engaged the enemy troops. It was an insectoid creature and despite the hot atmosphere, frost covered its chitinous hide and every step it took left a frozen patch on the hardened ground. Great gouts of steam poured forth from vents in its back, giving it a paradoxical appearance as the ground beneath it froze and the air around it burned. The thing was huge, easily the size of a house. As its stride took it closer to the invaders, they responded by opening up with their guns, attempting to bring the large creature down before it could crush them. Much to their surprise the thing wasn’t even fazed by the onslaught. Even more surprising was that the creatures armor wasn’t taking as much damage as it should, and much to their frustration its organic armor was healing almost as fast as they could damage it. As they continued to fire their weapons, the air around the creature rippled even more with heat distortions. Then the biggest surprise of all. On the creatures back where what appeared to be two eyes, and this was partly true. But their true purpose was made evident when one flashed and a Tenebraen soldier fell down screaming, his helmet melting through the flesh of his face. The creature had been made by Alice to fight against energy based weapons, and it was performing admirably. As the creature continue to fire and advance, the empire’s soldiers continued to pump death into the invaders. The soldiers relied on their shielding to soak up as much damage as possible before going back into cover to allow their shielding to recharge. They were constantly moving, using their jump packs to quickly cross open ground. They stayed as low as possible to avoid bringing too much attention to themselves. After all, there is no cover in open air. Across the planet the fighting was starting to become a blood bath. The Immortal Empire’s Bio-weapons, as diverse as life itself, where deployed across the planet’s surface. They supported the soldiers, whether by simply causing havoc for the enemy or by drawing fire from the invaders. As the bio-weapons were deployed, light vehicles were sent out to support the infantry in repelling the invaders. Small four legged robots scurried through the streets, deploying heavy weapons or setting up shield domes. They supported not only the infantry, but the bio-weapons as well.
Cerebian System
As the boarding teams entered the Cerabian ships they found troubles everywhere. The ships of the Furr where irregular and almost impossible to navigate, with corridors ending in dead ends and doors set into the walls at odd angles. The placement of critical systems was never constant and made the Tenebreans’ job all the harder. The ships of the Cog like wise where almost impossible to navigate. So well did the doors of the Cog blend in with the walls that only close investigation would reveal their location. But worse than the doors where the portals. Doors made of liquid metal that would harden should any unauthorized person seek to pass through them. And much to the frustration of the Tenebraens, it flowed around their cutting tools, forcing them to cut through the thick walls if the truly wished access. The ships of the Urdont were at one instant spacious and the next cramped to the point that the teams had to crouch just to get through. The shear number of corridors made it impossible to capture the crew and made the threat of attack from any angle constant. The ships of the Drake had the Drake themselves. Experts in the cramped combat that came with boarding actions, they fought with a fury that the Tenebraens had not been expecting. Nor had the boarders expected that such fury would be utilized so effectively. But worse than all were the cyborgs. Clones created for the sole purpose of protecting the Immortal Empire’s ships and fortresses from invasion. They fought through even the most grievous of injuries. The technology of the Immortal Empire keeping them alive. And amongst the cyborgs were the Titans. Near unstoppable engines of destruction, they strode through the halls of the Cerabian ships, unleashing death whenever they came across a boarding team. Though rare they proved devastating to Tenebraes forces and invaluable to the ships’ crew.
Across the worlds that had once belonged to the Cerabian Empire riots broke out. The worlds the Urdont occupied had little empire presence and gave them little to riot against. The Furr held mass meetings across the empire to determine their best course of action. The Drake’s rioting was controlled and it had little to do with the empire’s occupation. They were psyching themselves up, hoping that their ‘saviors’ came planet side. They wanted something new to fight. Even the soldiers of the Immortal Empire joined in with them. Bouts of strength and cunning between them and the Drake took place across multiple planets. Only on the worlds of the Cog did this prove problematic. The riots grew fiercer until the local police could no long contain the situation. The military had to be called in to subdue the rioters.
Xantan System
Homer Stravour, Champion of the Immortal Empire, was quite dead. The most finely wrought armor the empire could produce was more than capable of withstanding the wrath of an exploding star intact. However, the Champion’s body was not as durable. The Champion died, when the few organs he still possessed where destroyed by the shockwave cast by the star’s demise. Even so, this would not be the Champion’s end. Gifts, delivered to the Immortal Empire by Sheathes-10, were to be found on both him as well as his ship, the ‘Leviathan.’ These gifts, known as Phoenix Sigils, could bring back the dead. And in the middle of the worst catastrophe to happen in the Ancerious Galaxy thus far, there was life. Homer Stravour was reborn far before the ‘Leviathan’ would be. And in the vacuum of space the Champion of the Immortal Empire struggled against the most basic of human needs. The need to breath. Homer had not been wearing his helmet at the time the star went nova, and being caught unawares was now without it. But the Champion did not require air to survive. The systems of his body, both biological and mechanical in nature, began their work of purifying and replenishing the Champion’s blood. As Homer floated there, amidst the rapidly cooling remains of what was once the systems heavenly body, he began to recollect the events leading up to his demise. The fact that he had lost to an enemy, something that has not happened in decades, was slowly taking root in his mind. Normally Homer is not one to give into mindless destruction. But here and now the Champion could think of nothing but bringing destruction, complete and utter in nature, to Capitol. As he waited for the ‘Leviathan’s rebirth, he remained unaware of Tenebrae’s attack upon the Immortal Empire. How he reacted would determine the outcome of this most bloody of conflicts.
Elsewhere
INITIATING REBOOT
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Post by EmperorMyric on Dec 16, 2017 20:09:24 GMT
Drogan:
Fleet Admiral Drogan, of the 58th tenebrean War fleet entered the bridge of the vessel he commanded. It had been less then 8 hours now that the Movement into Immortal empire territory had commenced. And the operation had gone underway. At first, the fleet commanders had met little resistance. But as time had gone on. He had observed simply by the tactics utilized by the immortal empire. Admiral Havok had regained control of the situation for the time being… Well. Something close to control with his standard tactics of effectively flailing about and hoping he hit something..
At that time, he had chosen to step in and take command of the movement. Establishing links secure against IE/CABAL systems of jamming, of command between his fleet and the others attacking the IE territories. Engaging the Tactics of the mad Admiral with his own tactics. Far superior due to the age and Experience in the field of battle he held, and always would hold over the human commander. Ordering deployments of Strike fleets for specific targets and to cripple specific movements.
This wasn’t something he waved around, as he took command of the tenebrean offensive. It rapidly became apparent, as he Simultaneously began tactical maneuvers that stole and compromised Winning moves from havocs fleets. While putting some of his own winning Movements into place.
“Very well havok, I’ll play your game… “ He said, loud enough for others on the bridge to hear him. “You funny young Xterrenian admiral..” “Command, what is the present situation of the Carnathians?... We need to clean up things in those systems.”
AlHordera:
The Tenebrean Empire not one to allow their enemies to become technologically superior while they sat stagnant, Had. Like the Immortal Empire Studied the Results of the Ambrousis attack extensively. General Galvez, ordering several new upgrades of weapons and shield systems for their vessels as a result, based on Intel that the empire had been delving into not long after Ambrousis had ended. And while the Engineers of the Immortal empire had made impressive efforts towards trying to cover the Weaknesses that they had exploited in their previous. They were nonetheless Crude and cumbersome in their making, and of little Effectiveness once the Tenebrean fleet commanders had gotten wind of the IE vessels adaptations. As the tenebrean vessels, having fought against the strong thickly armored and utterly massive warships of the race known as the Caceans millennia before, had developed counter measures to cope with those sort of defenses. Their warships and vessels engaging the Immortal Empire fleet Shifting their tactics and Shifting their primary weapons to combat this. Batteries of heavy degarser pulses lashing out across the void to strike at the armor plating. The arcane weapons bizarre properties eating holes in the 50 foot thick steel plates as the metals sub-atomic bonds were severed violently and striped away. The plate armor literally flying apart into fine powder clouds of metal that did little more then reflect the systems sun around the Immortal empires ships. Only serving to make them easier to find as the Tenebrean vessels followed up with Tactical Strikes of Degarser Tallems and ARC volleys. The surprisingly unexpected Tactic of Switching from one primary weapon doing massive amounts of damage against the Immortal empire fleet. As their commanders across the system learned that the Additional armor plating on their hulls did little more then to weigh down their already cumbersome engines, and that, for the first time. The predictions given to them on the battle by the Flux had been incorrect in its accuracy.
Clearly, they knew as they moved to counter the tenebrean movements. Something was amiss
Systems with Tenebrean and Cerabian fleets: As the tenebrean fleets commanders began to note the loss of communication and collaborated movements on the parts of the carnathian ships, following the quick descent into chaos that some parts of the invasion force and fleets had suffered as their ships had begun to be crippled by friendly fire as communications between the two fleets had been hampered. They quickly began to piece together the cause of the interference as subsequent scans sent out Began to isolate jamming noise signals who’s point of origin was eventually tracked back to the semi-iconic Noise ships of the immortal empire fleet.
Retaliation movements quickly went into operation as across the system, as Tenebrean ships possessing Long range shunt Tallum batteries began to set their sights on the Immortal empire noise ships. The Projectiles disappearing in bursts of static and red light not long after launching from the hulls of the invading vessels. The Normally Target requiring missiles set to tracking the Noise vessels by the very interference they generated. Shunting past most of the primary lines of defense established by the immortal empires vessels, which has clustered assets around them as they had taken to attempting to Draw the invading fleets fire towards each other.
There could however, have been little defense against the Tallems, as they Quickly began materializing mere meters from the noise ships hulls, Well within the shields that normally would have repelled them. Detonating with force that would have rivaled that of small nukes. The Explosions of Mixed Degarser fields and Versus Pulses Destroying or critically crippling the noise ships scattered across the system. Cutting off vast Swatches of the interference and signal jamming across the battlefront in the orbits of the planets of the system. The Combined forces of the Tenebrean and carnathian fleet, now freed from the interference of the Noise ships, Beginning to turn their combined lines of fire towards the IE ships and defensive fleets.
Caroman System, Drogan vs Havok.
As Drogan took command of the tenebrean Offensive front in the caroman system, the shift in tactics became apparent almost as quickly as havok had taken command of the IE’s defending fleet clusters throughout the Planets orbits. The Tenebrean ships utilizing the Arc Whips Generated by the rows of plates on there hull surfaces. To Cripple the defending fleets, the Massive generated Treadles of Shimmering, almost Transparent ARC energy, developed millennia ago during the later years of the night side war for use against massive cacean warships. Lashing out across Kilometers of space and slamming into the Immortal Empire ships thick armored hulls. Detonating quickly afterwords with massive amounts of force, or wrapping around the hulls of the warships and constricting with crushing amounts of pressure. Leaving severely crippled or dying ships in their wake, The majority of the former Diving back into the void to enact repairs, as the Tenebrean fleet followed up the attack with large controlled bursts of ARC bursts and Tallem Vollys. Several of the bursts finding their marks, severely damaging or destroying Immortal Empire ships across the system. Despite the Sudden turn that had begun as Havok Took command, the System wide struggles were turning back towards the Tenebreans favor as Drogans Counter movements rapidly took effect. The two fleets losing close to equal numbers of ships. The hulks of the Crippled and destroyed Tenebrean ships Shunting out of the system in bursts of Reddish static as their ability to move was crippled beyond their ships ability to eventually repair. Taking several Orbits of the moons and some of the planets throughout the system and digging themselves in as they forced IE defending ships into a retreat.
Drogan’s command ship: unknown location
From his Post within the captains next of his command ship, Drogan’s fleshless metal jaw set itself in a Silent and steady Calvarian Smirk of Determined concentration as he Directed fleet movements and strikes according to the ones made by havok, his hands moving seemingly of their own accord as they opened and closed lines of communication and comm.-link screens above the projection tables obsidian surface. The Three IE systems under siege displayed in three dimensions above it.
Operation Frange had so far been unfolding According to the acceptable Projected parameters. The Immortal Empires Attempts to undermine it through what they had done to their implanted Intelligence agents doing little to throw it off from its overall goal. In the Present however, his own strives and plans to Keep his own fleet numbers intact in terms of integrity and numbers was holding out just as well as havocs as he Read the IE admirals intentions through the movements of his fleet assets throughout the Invasion line.
"Alright havok, Playing your little game now. But I'm playing with my own rules." He said half jokingly. "And i'm not afraid to fight dirty."
Ragnarok factory planet:
As the immortal empires troops utilized the use of their jump packs to evade the tenebrean troops and focus fire on them from multiple. The tenebrean Troops and Troop commanders began to respond with the basic shunt upgrades on their V.E.A. units. Disappearing either in small clusters, or mass numbers in the streets. While others took cover in tactical locations among wreckage or in storefronts. The troops that had shunted out re-appearing in buildings and areas of fortification across the cities and facilities. Denying the IE troops targets and shifting the bloodbath to a deadly game of cat and mouse in which the Tenebrean infantry quickly began to show they were just as good at playing as the Immortal Empire. As they began to to snipe IE troops as they jumped in to fire at troops in the streets. Taking them out even as they jumped in under cover. Forcing them to break off and engage them, allowing for Troops in the streets and facilities to press forward. Tanks and purpose built war-mech’s came next, Shunting in along Tower relays and through gateways that had opened along the sides of the arcane looking landing structures, as more tenebrean troops of multiple variants filtered their way through, most already on the defense.
Despite the better efforts of the IE forces, the tenebreans quickly began to gain a massive foothold. Establishing fortified camps and control of larger and larger areas if territory, Establishing control as the ebb of resistance was slowly taken out. Immortal Empire troops finally being forced out of the areas, and as they did, if they had bother to look back, they would have seen new structures beginning to rise and form over the skyline and in the streets, generated by garser field generators that had been set up as territory was lost.
Elsewhere, the IE bio weapons that had been deployed in preparation of the tenebrean bio weapons were beginning to run into blockades and the beginnings of problems of their own. As the tenebrean soldiers, coming to the realization that conventional bursts from their energy based weaponry were becoming increasingly useless. Shifting instead to flaking movements, exchanging infantry weapons as they did. Troops taking advantage of their firing process to shunt into the buildings alongside the bio weapon. Other troops in the street drawing its attention and fire with bursts from their conventional weapons. Before opening fire with Degarser pulse volleys’. The beams of eldritch energy disassembling the atomic bonds of the creatures carapace armor plating, Disintegrating it, its skin falling off of its muscle structures and crumbling into atomic dust. The perceived pain causing it to go into a flailing frenzy, attacking the building on the side of the street, firing into it with the eye like protrusions on its back and painfully melting the troops and structure from within, before the atomizing beams ate through the internal bone structure of its legs. Bringing it crashing down into the street. As it began to pull itself back up, it managed to glimpse with its odd eyes, a tenebrean tank that had managed to maneuver itself into the street further on in front of it.
It barely had a moment to comprehend the scene before the armored machine fired its charged projectile round on a trajectory that lined up with its skull and spine. The tenedermis shell smashing its way through its skull and into its torso, ending its existence, while Degarser volleys’ that fired began the process of removing the remainder of its body. The tenebrean troops rallying and prepping themselves for secondary attacks in the meantime.
Across the front, the scene began to repeat itself. The tenebrean Troops still suffering losses, but managing to press forward and turn the initial tide, Immortal Empire commanders finding out more and more that the bio weapons they had initially been deployed against the tenebreans were being rendered increasingly useless, as the Tenebrean soldiers began to spring infectious traps. First falling back before responding against the oncoming bio weapons with modified bio weapons of their own. Powerful gases and tailored Disease culture mists launched and delivered via mortar style projectiles. Engineered specifically for the IE creatures specific base genomes and DNA strands, while going the extra mile so as to isolate their own genomes. Specially bred quickly adapting variants of Reverse engineered Vexation ash that had been designed specifically to eat away at the Bio-weapons soft tissue. The flesh and muscle liquefying and sloughing off of their skeletal structures before the shocked eyes of the IE commanders and support troops. Their flesh stripped bones collapsing into the pools of Soupy DNA Sludge that had been their internal organs and epidermal tissue. Before the tenebrean troops changed their retreat to a progressive charge, shunting out to defensive positions before returning fire with mixed energy and charged projectile weaponry.
So embroiled in their Movements to counter the other that few between the two sides would have noticed the readings of a new presence arriving in the system, giving off strange and eldritch readings. Resembling one of the two sides. But allied to none.
== o(O)o ==
In the silence slightly above the galactic disk, a secure line of communication was established across a great distance. An odd geometric device thrumming silently in a sleek brass colored device as it was established.
The Encrypted code crossing vast distances to reach its intended receiver, who would have likely listened with deep intent as the decrypting programs and protocols’ encoding it to a language that could be deciphered.
“First stage completed, optimal delivery points isolated ” It read. “Enacting Second stage now.”
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Post by EmperorMyric on Dec 16, 2017 20:22:56 GMT
Smashing Killing Devouring All No One Is Saved The Chosen Fall Run With The Hordes Trample The Weak Crush The Skulls Of Those that Can't Speak Sweating Bleeding Your Eyes Go Wide The Earth Is Ending It's About to Collide The Clouds Part The World Goes Black The Comet Speeds Forth For It's Final Attack ~Dethklok, Comet
Tenebrae Conflict
’Brutal Aggressor’
This wasn’t going well. ‘Havok’ paced as he studied the holomaps before him. He was outmaneuvered. He needed to pull off a miracle. Well, a miracle was a bit dramatic, but it wasn’t going to be easy. Whoever was in charge of the Tenebrae forces was certainly experienced. Truthfully, the Prime Admiral found this quite enjoyable. It wasn’t often that he got to challenge himself in such a way.
”Sir, we’re being hailed. They’re asking for you.”
The Prime Admiral looked at the tech that had made the announcement. “An’ who is ‘they?’”
“Commander Garren of the 311th Void Fleet. He… he told me to call him ‘Chuckles.’”
“Well wha’ does he want?”
”One moment I’ll ask him… He said to speak with you.”
‘Havok’ looked at the tech like he had just been told a lie. “Wha’ did he actually say.”
”I’d rather not say. I’m uncomfortable repeating what I just heard.”
‘Havok’ sighed. “Fine. Put him through. Commander Garren, this is Prime Admiral Parker. What is it you wanted to talk about?”
””Havoc?’ Ya, why’re we stuck here. Why ain’t we smashing them? We didn’t come to a new galaxy jus’ta sit around with our…”
“Commander Garren, please. You’re here ta help us when we need it and not before. I’ll let ya know when…”
”[EXPLETIVE]”
“Commander please try ta remain calm.”
”CALM? I”LL SHOW YA CALM! We’re movin’ out now! Hey! Idea, lettsee if gud‘ole Region 1 can even keep up! ‘Chuckles’ out!”
‘Havok’s eye twitched. He really hated dealing with people from Region 11. It was like trying to deal with hyper active children. Super violent hyper active children with more guns than brains and a temper that made him look saintly in comparison. As he sat down he waved over some techs. “C.A.B.A.L., I think I’m goin’ ta need your help on this’un.”
I STAND READY. I WILL HELP TO THE BEST OF MY ABILITIES.
“Ya, well jus’ don’ go over board. Las’time I had a migraine fer a week.”
‘Havok’ relaxed as the techs hooked him directly into his command throne. His mind soared beyond his physical limitations as he was connected to C.A.B.A.L. He view the battle as it happened, from the eyes and sensors of hundreds of ships. The feeling was enough to make him want to vomit. He held out, and began to react to the changing battlefield faster than any living thing ought to be able to.
<><><><>
Caroman System
Tenebrae forces had taking up a defensive position throughout the system and Imperial forces were being outmaneuvered. While void tech lent the Immortal Empire’s forces an undeniable edge in battle, it wasn’t enough here. They needed something more. And they got it. Half of the Void Fleet, 150 ships, came screaming into the battlefield. They weren’t made by Kabur Industries like the rest of the present imperial ships. They lacked they block like design and thick armor. They lacked disruptor weaponry. They lacked missiles. They lacked almost everything that every ship that Tenebrae had encounter from the Immortal Empire. And while they lacked the standard weapons and armor that has come to define the empire’s vessels, they had so much more.
Ten engines forced the ships to unimaginable speeds within seconds of their arrival.
The Tenebraes had no idea what to make of these new ships. Many scrambled to ID the new arrivals. Were they alien vessels? Allies of the Immortal Empire? Scanning them revealed little. While they appeared to be made of the same material as other Imperial vessels, there was something significantly different about it, something that couldn’t be identified. It was like the material didn’t want to reveal its secrets. They had little time to contemplate as the ships turned and accelerated straight at them. Their formation alone made it obvious enough that they were going to attack.
The vessels closed with what would have been frightening speed if they weren’t so small. The truly puny Counter-Intelligence ships were easily twice their size. Tenebrae’s fleet fired on the quickly closing ships. The void vessels in turn dodged almost everything sent their way. The ships changed direction with frightening speed, weaving their way through enemy fire. And then space and time warped itself around the vessels, magnifying their already unholy speed to the point that they didn’t so much as exceed the speed of light but left it a sobbing mess left to writhe in a gutter. There was no time to react, no time to think. The ships sped through the defending vessels so fast that only one weapon existed that traveled fast enough to be used. For the navy of Tenebrae, there was only time to either survive or cease to exist.
One-hundred and fifty Tenebrae vessels where crippled as the universe was torn apart, vast sections of their internal make-up swallowed by the void only to blast back out in a cataclysmic explosion. Many ships split in two as the explosion combine with the resulting gravitonic lightning to not only anchored the afflicted ships in place, but tear at their insides. Some ships that managed to survive the initial blast were split as the forces pulled at their now weakened structures. The void ships returned to slower than light and quickly began to double back. They didn’t move in formation. They spread out and began to close in on their prey. These were not ‘proper’ military men. They were the mad men of Region 11. And they were about to teach Tenebrae a harsh lesson.
<><><><>
AlHordera
As the heavy degarser pulses bore fifty foot deep holes into the 500 ft thick armor of a T-4 Cruiser, the ship’s particle cannons raked across the batteries of weapons, scouring them from the hull. The side of the cruiser lit up as thousands of weapons fired all at once and slammed into the assaulting vessel. The Tenebrae vessel rocked as the cruiser swung around, lining its oblivion cannon up. It fired three times in quick succession, engulfing the front of its target in the fury of ten thousand stars. Several beams of light suddenly struck the ailing ship from behind. The resulting explosion tore what remained of the vessel apart.
A void ship raced by, dozens autonomous fighters hot on its trail. The void ship weaved its way through the war zone, firing on targets of opportunity and assisting the 52nd warfleet where it could. In truth the crew just wanted to be able to claim more kills than everyone else.
As the number of fighter drones following it increased the void vessel suddenly changed direction and flew straight at a Aldebaran class ship. The Tenebraens quickly learned to fear such actions, so the ship quickly began to focus fire on the much smaller vessel. The sheer volume of fire coming at the small vessel made it impossible to avoid it all. So the ship ignored it. Void shielding flickered on and off as the vessel raced through its target’s flailing. The void ship suddenly accelerated, flying straight at the prow of its target in a ramming maneuver. The void shield opened and remained so as the vessel flew straight through the massive ship, a vast section of its hull being cast into the void. The void ship suddenly pulled a 180 and fired its TC cannons on the autonomous fighters as they swarmed through and around the hollowed out vessel. The small drone fighters where destroyed as the matter used in their construction was converted into energy. The Aldebaran was destroyed completely as it was engulfed in nuclear fire. The void ship leapt to the void and appeared on the opposite side of the battle and continued on its mission to destroy everything that didn’t belong to the Immortal Empire.
<><><><>
Ragnarok
The charged particle round entered the creature’s head and it let out a truly horrendous scream. But what the Tenebrae forces thought was a death scream was actually a scream of rage. Immortal Empire bio-weapons don’t feel pain. Instead they feel aggression. The more they become injured the more aggressive they become.
One could only imagine the looks on the faces of the tank crew as the massive creature suddenly charged them, its head in such a ruined mess that nothing natural could survive. The tank fired again, the round tearing the soft flesh of the creature’s neck. And still it charged. The infantry in the surrounding structures lent their firepower to the mix. Degarser pulses hit the creature’s carapace and instead of burrowing deep, arced across the surface of its chitinous armor, leaving very wide but relatively shallow wounds. The creature slammed into the front of the tank, smashing it under its incredible bulk. As it drove one of its taloned feet through the top of the tank, infantry continued to fire, the heat that pour out from the creature likewise increase. The creature turned as fast as it could, firing from its eyes as it did so, anything to release as much of its stolen energy as possible. The walls of the structures surrounding it ran like water as they melted under the wild barrage.
It was already too late. As degarser pulses continued to pound the creature, the absorbed energy began to cook the creature’s insides. The creature wailed, frustrated at being unable to kill its master’s enemies. So as the soldiers of Tenebrae continued to fire on the creature, it died. And with death came release. The energy stored inside the creature couldn’t simply vanish, and with it dead, could no longer be regulated by the creatures bizarre genetics. The creature exploded, taking a whole city block and those that hid in the surrounding buildings with it. As goblets of flesh rained down across the city small creatures fell. Parasites that had helped the creature regulate its stolen power fell to the earth. They quickly scurried off, seeking to kill what had robbed them of their home.
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As Tenebrae started their viral bombing they encountered a major problem. Instead of acting as intended the vexation virus was swallowed by the bio-weapons, their bodies swelling as their flesh bubbled. The creatures gagged as fleshy sacs where vomited. Flesh crept through the chitinous armor and then fell off. Fleshy sacks littered the battlefield and the bio-weapons, none the worse for wear from the experience, continued on their war path. These fleshy sacks quickly grew simple eyes and hair like thorns began to sprout from their flesh. They began crawling, following their parents into the fray. Tenebrae was about to learn yet another harsh lesson, that the Immortal Empire were masters of biological warfare. At least, this is partially true.
1 month earlier
“What have you given me this time?” Alice held a large globe so she could better see its contents. It looked like a slurry of rotten flesh.
The Emerald Sword took the globe from Alice and set it in what looked like several bony claws imbedded into the table next to him. “That is an example of a biological weapon that Tenebrae is creating. I am hoping you can make a way to counter act it.”
Alice turned from the globe to the Emerald Sword. ”And how did you get your hands on it? I can’t imagine that Tenebrae would just let you have it.”
”A time-traveler gave it to me.”
“Oh? Did this time-traveler say where it was going to be used?”
“No.”
“Well next time you see this time-traveler tell’em I said thank you anyway.”
“So I take it that you can get something ready to counter this?”
Alice smiled behind her mask. “Come now, who do you think I am? I’ll have this thing eating out of my hand by the end of the day.”
<><><><>
The Immortal Empire was in retreat. Their infantry had been driven out of the cities where the landing structures had set down. New structures began to rise and dominate the cityscape. As the infantry of the empire fell back, Tenebrae’s forces could focus on the bio-weapons. Their biological weapons had failed and now were forced to dispatch these creatures the hard way. Occasionally an explosion would rock the city as the larger creatures died.
Even with the remaining bio-weapons it looked like a foothold on the planet was guaranteed. It looked this way right up until the sky burned as a beam of brilliant orange lanced from the distant horizon. One of the forming towers detonated as the massive blast of plasma unleashed the full wrath of the Immortal Empire on it.
From over the horizon, the medium and heavy vehicles, supported by low flying support craft of the Immortal Empire made their presence known, and at their head, a T-17 Quadwalker, one of its magna-plasma cannons cooling. Its second cannon fired, basking the land in orange light as another tower fell.
Elsewhere
Another head hit the floor. The last soldier turned just in time to see his fellow’s body fall over.
The room he was in was spherical, lit by dim red lights that lined the hexagon containers set into the wall. A face stared back from a great many of the containers. He couldn’t focus on them for too long, he had to find what was hiding here. No, he had to get out. He had to report what he has seen. The shadow of something leapt across his vision. By the time he raised his weapon it was already gone. He took a step back, crushing the face of some unfortunate soul who had died long ago.
The soldier swept his weapon, searching for the thing that lived here. He turned back only for his head to roll free from his shoulders.
He yet lived, but only for a few more seconds. His last vision was of a huge shadow scurry over to him on spider like legs. His vision faded to nothingness as he stared at the thing’s five heads. As a clawed hand reach for his fallen head, he finally died.
He would find no rest.
Xantan System
Homer breathed deep.
Air is so underrated.
His flesh was still tender after being exposed to the vacuum of space for so long, but the feeling would go away soon enough. He looked around, the faces of the ‘Leviathan’s crew showed confusion. Understandably, they had just died and come back to life.
He turned his attention from the crew and back to the holomap before him. There was so much fighting and he could only be in one place at a time.
His eyes narrowed in thought.
I guess if I survive this I’ll take up the Thirteen’s offer. Now who do I kill first?
The entire ship vibrated slightly as the ship leapt to hyperspace
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