Post by EmperorMyric on Jan 2, 2024 11:53:46 GMT
Ancerious Main Galaxy: Emerald Republics
Blissfully unaware of the catastrophes occuring in Borealia, the main galaxy continued to turn.
Trillions were dying at the hands of the Army of the Panopticon, history was being written and travesties uncounted were occurring, but for all the terror and death and hate, Borealia was cut off.
In more peaceful times, in a hopeful universe, the very acts perpetrated in Borealia and the impending threat would be enough. Enough to rally the galaxy to put aside its differences and fight together against the gatekeepers of the nascent afterlife, to fight against the soulless machines that now encroached from the galactic void.
But this was not a peaceful or hopeful time. War swept across Ancerious, a war made only more intense by the actions at Marchand.
While the ceasefire had helped keep the violence contained (albeit not stopped) the flames of war were not prevented. They kept catching, in the Invilis as BULO fought the RF, in Veronis as the National Mandate fought NCR, in the Volarian as Atlantis tried to expand and in the Unmar as the Second Dawn relentlessly moved forward. In countless places the war raged on, but with Marchand it would not just continue to spread, it would explode.
As the Crucible constructed by the Canton & Imaginarium wiped the Sarnath system clean, a ripple spread across Ancerious. Being watched on screens and holo vids the length and breadth, it was a sign, a sign the colonials simply did not care. But it was also a sign of escalation, all across the galaxy superweapons were readied and quiet alerts went out across government agencies to not panic the public. On some worlds it was not enough, panic gripped streets as the civilians rioted and heralded the end times.
Hours passed into days, the blackout in Borealia and the flashbang on Lost Star occurred and still the nations kept the fingers on the trigger. Some even dared hope that they would step back from the brink. But that hope would be very quickly dashed.
Seeing no outward CONA retaliation for Marchand, gave a false impression of advantage, and that was an advantage that President Chandra Sehkar was eager to grab by the throat. Sarahbai had been the one to form SAGA in the bleakest times and would take another step forward for the colonial cause. They would help end this war in a single strike.
They would hit Istralan and cripple Orillia utterly.
Within the Vakranabad System the Agni, Sarahbais own Crucible weapon floated silently in the void. It had been constructed using Capitols schematics and had originally intended to strike the Ramans and end their participation in the war. However given Orillias major support of the Ramans and being the spearhead of CONA, to destroy Istralan would be to permanently cripple them and by extension their puppets. Systems were brought online and triple checked as power flowed throughout the weapon. Of course being quite heavily built off Capitols schematics it needed an exterior powersource, the system's star. Escorting vessels and dedicated work ships prepped for firing as a huge canister of antimatter was shot into Vakranabads star, detonating deep within the photosphere the blast caused massive solar upheaval and a megaflare to occur. The energy released was enough to destroy some of the more expendable vessels nearby but the Agni captured it, funneling the power through dedicated arrays (some of which burnt out) and into the firing unit.
Generating a wormhole the Agni fired, the beam of pure white iridescent energy plunging deep into the wormhole heading for Istralan.
It would be the first of an exchange the likes the galaxy had never seen.
URGENT! ATTENTION BREAKING NEWS
We have just received unconfirmed reports of a Crucible strike on the Orillian capital system of Celebransk directed at the Istralan megastructure.
Damage as of yet is unknown.
We will bring you urgent updates as information comes in.
Please standby.
Celebransk: Orillian Free State
Celebransk and the Istralan was ablaze with activity.
The system was a hive even out of wartime, and with the renewal of hostilities Istralan was in overdrive. Waves of ships left the docking yards across the Dyson sphere, each ship being automatically assigned to new squadrons with which to deploy for the war effort.
Of course Istralan was heavily interdicted, it was a key location, and in such a war Orillia was not eager to have a bold SAGA strike force enact a coup-de-grace upon their greatest source of military production. As such when the wormhole manifested it did so several AU away from Istralan, picked up immediately on sensors the whole system went to maximum alert.
When the blindingly bright beam excited at lightspeed, the Orillians knew what was happening. They only had 24 minutes to respond, otherwise the beam would punch through the Dyson sphere's shell and bore into the star, causing it to go supernova and wipe out the entire capital system in one blow. It would genocide of Orillians on a scale not seen since the Immortal Empire Invasion of 1AW.
Already ships and evacuations were underway but it would be a fraction of those present. Orillia had seen this day coming, it was only a matter of time before the Colonials used their horrendous terror weapon against them, who had fired it did not matter, only that they did.
Detaching from Istralan came an enormous skeletal ring structure, engines studded its form as it hard burned towards where the beam was coming from. Escorted by numerous warships and attendant craft the ring was easily 80km across, spindly and almost hilariously fragile with little in the way of defense or protection.
It took 12 minutes for it to reach position, directly in front of the beam that was now itself minutes from impact of the Ring. With a large discharge of capacitors and Ancerium fuel however, the ring structure opened a wormhole even as Istralans interdiction was lowered, something utterly unheard of.
Within a blink of a moment the wormhole formed, but not the only one. Another ring apparatus had been launched on the other side of Istralan, forming its own linked wormhole to the first. Interdiction was raised again as the minutes counted down to impact, it would be a test, a test of something the Orillians had built ever since the release of the Crucible plans.
The timer hit zero, and the incandescent beam impacted the wormhole in the Ring, blazing through and appearing out of the other, passing harmesslessly into space. Istralan sat comfortably in between, the beam bypassing it thanks to the wormhole. It was maintained for approximately 2 minutes, before the beam dissipated.
Istralan was saved, the anti-crucible measures had been a success.
Word of the strike was already being broadcast.
And retaliation was already underway.
---CONFIRMED SUPERWEAPON USE--- MULTIP- SYSTEMS-- CASULTIES --- MORE INFORMATIO-- LIST OF LIKELY TARGE--- GALAXY HELP U—
+OFFICIAL NATIONAL EMERGENCY WARNING FOR ALL CITIZENS+
U7xyEuZGPZt2dioDt8PHnsYnobuPFkdhAj6fOB50g0n7tb0lsgw6R8WwxNdaubAcZBAQccCqK2nAVk1LJWizOF7TX8GnD2WSXpFvAV5UqtmDlXYYKwKlOiDb91yAb7M9EsdX4baIkpncSHPsUa3pfSvHD0Iv1qCJexEfJZZNhZKcg1lqcQpM4xDwDTQfgTPo0R98B3t35rPUk70QUFSWSzf8eAezyKnHAgICHSJKmOLIZUKdGqOilqdwTy9dehTiX1Y2dRWoEDAWyP5EZ58ccgO7gPkVs41Q977z27z2av7yKjpJqLashL3V07slqYPbkS4VYQRRjFs5GZaG6NuoR8xpvFDc9GU1f6QZsNYhHVjQlNkX4yZdqv7LNFzfGarKUtmekz39rhxIPRrP
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฿ⱤØ₮ⱧɆⱤ₴ ₳₦Đ ₴ł₴₮ɆⱤ₴!
Ø₦₵Ɇ ₥ØⱤɆ ₮ⱧɆ ₵ØⱠØ₦ł₳Ⱡ₴ Ⱨ₳VɆ ₴ⱧØ₩₦ ₮ⱧɆłⱤ ₮ⱤɄɆ ₵ØⱠØɄⱤ₴! ++--
ewr88++++₣łⱤ₴₮ ₮ⱧɆɎ ĐɆ₴₮ⱤØɎ ₴₳Ɽ₦₳₮Ⱨ! Ɇ₦Đł₦₲ ₵ØɄ₦₮ⱠɆ₴₴ ⱠłVɆ₴ ł₦ ₮ⱧɆ ₱ɄⱤ₴Ʉł₮ Ø₣ ₮ⱧɆłⱤ Ø₱₱ⱤɆ₴₴łØ₦ Ø₣ ₮ⱧɆ ₦₳₮łVɆ₴, ₳₦Đ ₦Ø₩ ₮ⱧɆɎ Ⱨ₳VɆ ₳₮₮Ɇ₥₱₮ɆĐ ₮Ø ₴₮Ɽł₭Ɇ ł₴₮Ɽ₳Ⱡ₳₦ ł₮₴ɆⱠ₣! ----
===----Ⱨ₳Đ ₮ⱧɆ ฿Ɽ₳VɆ ₳₦Đ ł₦ĐɆ₣₳₮ł₲₳฿ⱠɆ ₳Ɽ₥ɆĐ ₣ØⱤ₵Ɇ₴ Ø₣ ØɄⱤ ₦₳₮łØ₦ ₦Ø₮ ł₦₮ɆⱤ₵ɆĐɆĐ ₩ł₮Ⱨ ₮ⱧɆłⱤ ⱤɆVØⱠɄ₮łØ₦₳ⱤɎ ₦Ɇ₩ ĐɆ₣Ɇ₦₴Ɇ ₴Ɏ₴₮Ɇ₥ ł₴₮Ɽ₳Ⱡ₳₦ ₳₦Đ ฿łⱠⱠłØ₦₴ Ø₣ ØⱤłⱠⱠł₳₦₴ ₩ØɄⱠĐ ₦Ø₩ ฿Ɇ ₦ØɄ₲Ⱨ₮ ฿Ʉ₮ ₳₮Ø₥₴. ₮ⱧɆ ₩Ɇ₳₱Ø₦ Ʉ₴ɆĐ ₩₳₴ ₳₲₳ł₦ ₳₦Ø₮ⱧɆⱤ ₵ⱤɄ₵ł฿ⱠɆ, ĐɆⱤłVɆĐ ₣ⱤØ₥ ₮ⱧɆ ⱧØⱤⱤł₣ł₵ ₵₳₱ł₮ØⱠł₮Ɇ ĐɆ₴ł₲₦₴ ฿Ʉ₮ ₮Ⱨł₴ ₮ł₥Ɇ ฿ɄłⱠ₮ ₳₦Đ ₣łⱤɆĐ ฿Ɏ ₮ⱧɆ ⱤɆ₱Ʉ฿Ⱡł₵ Ø₣ ₴₳Ɽ₳฿Ⱨ₳ł ₣ØɄ₦ĐɆⱤ Ø₣ ₴₳₲₳! --++++++++
ł₣ ₮ⱧɆ ₣ØɄ₦ĐɆⱤ Ø₣ ₴₳₲₳ ł₴ ₩łⱠⱠł₦₲ ₮Ø ĐłⱤɆ₵₮ⱠɎ Ʉ₴Ɇ ₴Ʉ₵Ⱨ ₳ ₩Ɇ₳₱Ø₦ ₳ⱠØ₦₲₴łĐɆ ₮ⱧɆ ₵₳₦₮Ø₦ ł₦ ₳ ₣łⱤ₴₮ ₴₮Ɽł₭Ɇ ₳₮₮₳₵₭ ₳₲₳ł₦₴₮ ₮ⱧɆ ₥Ø₴₮ ₱Ø₱ɄⱠ₳₮ɆĐ ₴Ɏ₴₮Ɇ₥ Ø₣ ₮ⱧɆłⱤ ₣ØɆ₴ ₮ⱧɆ₦ ₩Ⱨ₳₮ ĐØɆ₴ ₮Ⱨ₳₮ ₴₳Ɏ ₳฿ØɄ₮ ₴₳₲₳ ₳₴ ₳₦ ØⱤ₲₳₦łⱫ₳₮łØ₦? -------
-----------₮ⱧɆɎ ĐØ ₦Ø₮ ₵₳ⱤɆ.
₮ⱧɆɎ ₩łⱠⱠ ĐØ ₳₦Ɏ₮Ⱨł₦₲ ₮Ø Ɇ₦₴ɄⱤɆ ₮ⱧɆłⱤ ₴Ʉ₱ⱤɆ₥₳₵Ɏ, ₦Ø ₥₳₮₮ɆⱤ ⱧØ₩ ₥₳₦Ɏ ĐłɆ.
₩Ɇ ₴₮Ø₱₱ɆĐ ₮ⱧɆ ₳₮₮₳₵₭ ₮Ⱨł₴ Đ₳Ɏ, ฿Ʉ₮ ₩Ⱨ₳₮ Ø₣ ₮Ø₥ØⱤⱤØ₩? +++99///
231349++₮ⱧɆ ØⱤłⱠⱠł₳₦ ₣ⱤɆɆ ₴₮₳₮Ɇ ₵₳ⱠⱠ₴ ₮Ø ɎØɄ ₦Ø₩ ฿ⱤØ₮ⱧɆⱤ₴ ₳₦Đ ₴ł₴₮ɆⱤ₴, Ʉ₦₴Ⱨ₳₵₭ⱠɆ ɎØɄⱤ₴ɆⱠVɆ₴.
₮ⱧɆ ₵ØⱠØ₦ł₳Ⱡ₴ Ⱨ₳VɆ ₮ⱧⱤØ₩₦ ₳₩₳Ɏ ₳₦Ɏ ₱ⱤɆ₮ɆӾ₮ Ø₣ ₥ØⱤ₳Ⱡł₮Ɏ ØⱤ ⱤɄⱠɆ₴ Ø₣ ₩₳Ɽ, ₳₦Đ ₴Ɇ₮ ₳ ₦Ɇ₩ ₱ⱤɆ₵ɆĐɆ₦₮ ł₦ Ɇ₴₵₳Ⱡ₳₮łØ₦.
₩Ɇ ₴Ⱨ₳ⱠⱠ ⱤɆ₴₱Ø₦Đ ł₦ ₭ł₦Đ, ₣ØⱤ Ø₦Ɇ ₴ł₥₱ⱠɆ ⱤɆ₳₴Ø₦. ₴ɄⱤVłV₳Ⱡ.
₣ł₲Ⱨ₮ ฿ⱤØ₮ⱧɆⱤ₴ ₳₦Đ ₴ł₴₮ɆⱤ₴ Ø₣ ₳₦₵ɆⱤłØɄ₴, ⱠɆ₮ Ʉ₴ ₴₵ØɄⱤ ₮ⱧɆ ₵ØⱠØ₦ł₳Ⱡ ł₦V₳ĐɆⱤ₴ ₣ⱤØ₥ ɆVɆⱤɎ ł₦₵Ⱨ Ø₣ ₮Ⱨł₴ ⱤɆ₳Ⱡ₥.
₣ØⱤ ₮ⱧɆ ₦₳₮łVɆ ₱ɆØ₱ⱠɆ₴ Ø₣ ₮ⱧɆ ₲₳Ⱡ₳ӾɎ!
Šalovci system: Hrast Tvardva
Neutrality is an interesting subject. To try to straddle the line of clear divide and stay out, or even support one or both sides without getting involved. It was hard, and for organizations such as the Krizpakt, it was even harder.
They were the developed natives, resented by some, idolized by others, having become the powerhouses of the golden cross since the days of the colonials arrival. They had never gotten involved in conflict, apart from the Boreal Jihad to which they lent their military and economic might in the darkest days. Still the lead up to the 3rd Ancerious war was a winding slippery slope that the Krizpakt had to navigate in the most careful and perilous way possible, they indeed were natives but they had been supported by and still worked closely with colonials.
They had for the most part sought the middle path, aiding Orillia to placate the CONA voices while also keeping trade with the colonials to placate the SAGA voices. While they did have closer ties to the natives the Krizpakt and their aligned nations were always politically aware, never overstepping or poorly acting as to give too much to each side. It worked too, with the organization profiting well from the economic collapse and Coronas downfall.
But that had all changed when the Canton had destroyed Sarnath, in one fell swoop the colonials had demonstrated an utter callous disregard for native lives. It had shocked the Krizpakt to their very core, and empowered the CONA hardliners within to gather massive support. Within the week political situations changed, snap elections, coups and policy changes occurred, pulling away from the neutral moderate stance of both sides firmly into the camp supporting Orillia and the CONA hardliners. Almost at once had the most developed and well known natives of the galaxy turned to the CONA cause, and in the process led many others with them.
With the sudden Crucible strike now on Istralan, the Krizpakts change of heart was entirely vindicated.
The Colonials were an existential threat.
The first to try and remedy that, in retaliation, was Hrast Tvardva.
Located in the Šalovci System sat the well known but little used Streljake-THT. A battery of three Strixx Guns, Capitol derived superweapons designed to fire FTL projectiles capable of wiping out planets or clusters of starships. It had been built very shortly after 2AW had ended, using schematics purchased from a dying Capitol, the funds exchanged no doubt disappearing into the private bank accounts of all kinds of scientific and military personnel. Still it had only ever been used once in anger, the three guns located at the lagrange points of the system's largest world, had fired on the swarm fleet of Palm Mirdiff as it raced towards Borealia. It had inflicted heavy damage, used after the Krizpakts own elite forces had been massacred.
Now it will fire again.
Targets were inputted as the Hrast government gave the official firing codes, each gun targeting a different destination. Charging their huge superconductive rails and the shells' own FTL drives the guns aligned with their targets before being given the final acknowledgement. Silently each fired their projectile, quickly disappearing into their warp fields as they raced towards their final destinations.
The first target was obvious. The bright flare around the Vakranabad star came just as interception warnings blared across Sarahbai, interdiction raised too late to give much time, with none of the warships positioned cleanly to stop the shot. In a soundless detonation, the Sarabhai crucible which had fired on Orillia was destroyed, its wreckage scattering and falling into the star. Sarahbai would no longer strike others on a strategic scale.
The other two targets were less obvious. Rather than targeting known strategic weapons the shots were designed to be more operational. The first was detected in Union held ICS space, the projectile was rapidly identified in the Hope system, the target clear. The Unions 63rd Fleet, posted to Hope and part of a reaction force tasked with engaging both Orillia and CONA elements in the region. The 63rd was not positioned to intercept the shell, the detonation wiping out much of the Unions fleet and leaving only small survivors behind along with the devastation of orbital stations and docks in orbit. Millions were dead and the Unions North-western forces had been decimated.
The third struck the Minevans, having suffered greatly in the destruction of Alpha-Ceti by the Army of the Panopticon they had quickly joined the Laptev Axis a clear SAGA hardliner organization and one seen as a clear threat by the forces of CONA. Their now nomadic fleets were shadowed by Orbeole stealth craft, and one such craft directed the third Strixx shell into one of the nomadic fleets. The damage was immediate and total, military fleet vessels and civilian life-ships were torn apart equally reducing the Minevan people even further into atrocity and devastation.
Word quickly traveled, the Ancnet now ablaze with reports.
CONA had retaliated, and the superweapon exchange was only just beginning.
I̶n̶ ̸a̷ ̷s̵h̸o̵c̴k̵i̴n̸g̷ ̷a̶n̸d̷ ̵c̶o̴ncerning̸ ̴d̷e̸v̸e̸l̸o̶p̷m̵e̸n̸t̴,̵ ̸r̴e̴ports ̷h̴ave̷ eme̸r̴g̵e̵d̸ ̴r̵e̵g̵a̸r̴d̴ing th̴e̴ ̸p̷oten̵t̷ia̸l ̸d̷e̷p̷l̶o̷y̸m̴ent of̶ ̴a̸d̸v̶a̵n̴ced̵ ̷s̸upe̵r̸w̶ea̶p̸ons in̴ ̶v̵a̴r̸i̶o̸u̷s̴ reg̷i̶o̴n̶s̵ a̴r̷ound t̷h̵e̶ ̸a̴n̸c̶e̵r̶i̵o̵u̷s g̸a̸l̸a̵x̶y̴. Thes̵e̵ rep̴o̶r̷t̷s̸ ̸h̶a̷v̸e ra̷i̶s̶ed ala̵r̶m̵ ̸b̸el̶l̶s̸ a̵m̴o̵n̸g̷ ̴g̶ove̵rnment̸s̴,̸ ̵m̶il̸i̷t̴ar̷y ̶o̶f̷f̶i̸c̴i̸als, an̶d̸ ̷i̵n̶t̴e̷rna̷t̴i̷o̴na̵l̴ ̴or̵g̴anizatio̴n̷s̷.̸
̵
̶s̶e̶v̴era̶l̴ ̷k̸e̶y̷ ̷points̴ ̸of ̵c̵o̵n̶c̶e̵r̵n̷ ̷t̶h̴at̵ ̴h̵a̸ve sur̵f̴a̶ced:
✋︎̶■︎̶ ̸♋︎̷ ̷⬧︎̵♒︎̸□︎̵♍︎̴🙵̵♓︎̴■︎ ■ □■❒︎■■♑︎̸ ̴♎︎̷♏︎̸❖︎̸●□❍♏̸■︎̸⧫︎̴📪︎̵ ❒□❒︎⧫︎⬧︎ ̷❖ ❍❒̴♑︎̵♏︎̵♎︎̸ ̴❒︎̵♏︎̵♑︎̵❒■ ⧫ □︎⧫︎♏︎■︎̵⧫︎♋︎̸●︎ ̸♎︎̷♏︎̷◻︎̷●︎̶□⍓❍■⧫ □♐︎̶ ̴♋︎̸♎︎̸❖︎■♏︎♎︎̵ ̷⬧︎◆❒⬥♋̶□■⬧ ■︎̴ ̶❖︎̵♋︎̴❒︎̸♓︎̶□︎̸◆⬧ ❒□︎̴■︎̶⬧︎̵ ♋︎❒□◆■♎︎ ⧫︎̷♒︎̵♏︎̶ ■❒̶♓︎̵□︎̵◆︎⬧ ♋︎̸●︎⌧⍓ ⬧ ❒♏︎̵◻︎̴□︎̶❒︎̷⧫︎̷⬧︎̸ ̸♒︎̶♋︎̷❖ ❒⬧ ●♋︎̵❒︎̶❍︎̵ ̸♌︎̸♏︎●︎̶●︎̶⬧︎̸ ̴♋︎̵❍□■ □❖︎❒■❍■︎⧫︎̸⬧︎̴📪︎̸ ̵❍︎̶♓︎●︎̸⧫❒⍓ □︎̶♐︎̷♐︎̶♓︎●⬧ ■︎̶♎︎ ■⧫❒■︎♋︎̷⧫︎̴♓︎̷□︎̴■︎♋︎̵●︎̴ ̴□❒■⌘⧫□■︎̷⬧̷📬︎̸
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̶⬧︎̶♏︎̶❖︎̴♏︎❒︎♋︎̶●︎̴ 🙵⍓ □■⧫⬧︎̴ ̸□ ♍̵□︎̵■︎̶♍︎̶♏︎̵❒︎̵■ ⧫⧫ ♒︎̵❖ ⬧◆︎❒︎̵♐︎̴♋︎̶🖳
̵ ̷ Unpre̴c̵edented̷ ̸P̶o̵w̴e̸r: T̶h̸e̸s̶e̸ ̸s̷u̷p̵e̶r̷weapon̸s̸ ̴a̷r̷e̷ ru̶more̷d̵ ̷t̵o̷ ̶p̴o̵ssess ̴u̴n̴p̵re̵c̴e̶d̵e̵n̶t̴ed ̸des̷t̶r̵uctive̸ ̴c̷a̸p̷a̴b̷ili̴t̷i̷e̸s̶, ca̸p̵a̵ble of̷ ̵c̴a̶u̶s̶i̸n̶g̴ ̸c̴a̶tas̷t̷r̶oph̸ic dam̶a̵g̴e̴ ̵on̴ ̶a̷ ̷s̷c̶a̷l̷e̷ p̶r̵e̶viously̴ ̵un̶i̶m̵ag̸i̴n̵a̸b̷l̸e̵.̷
̴
̶ ̵ ̶ ̶ ̶Geopoli̷tica̸l̴ ̸T̷en̵s̵i̷o̶n̵s̶:̴ ̷T̵h̵e̸ emerg̶e̵nce of̵ ̴s̴u̴p̴e̷r̸w̷e̸a̵p̷
Rubikon System: Capitol National Mandate Space
Rubikon was a name that was known across the galaxy, it was a story, a moment in history which had shaped the galaxy. The site of the deciding battle of 2AW, of the moment that broke the APP and swung the conflict to the side of the AGA. But it was far more.
Rubikon had been the site of the first diplomatic steps that would lead to the APPs foundation.
It had been the birthplace of the nightmarish Army of the Panopticon.
And it was one of the steadfast ‘Four Capitals’ of the now National Mandate following the breaking of the Empire.
Rubikon had seen empires fall, millions die and had already endured a superweapon strike once. Its people were hardy, well kept now the Mandate focused its resources into Rubikon, Bel Thano, Selene and finally Celefra. Its population enacted the strict Strixxist ideology and lifestyle, their existence analyzed and edited down to the slightest detail to maximize their output, all for an enigmatic yet dark goal that the Prime Integral had decreed. Entire systems in northern Capitol were bled dry just to ensure Rubikon prospered.
Even now it was used as a staging ground, just as it had been in 2AW and even 1AW before. Mandate forces of the Army, Fleet and the famed Standard Bearers were organized, inspected and prepped ready to be sent to the frontlines of the conflict in the New Capitol Republic even as frontline units circled back, bloodied, low on supplies and smaller than before. These units were repaired, given fresh boots to fight and resupplied, RnR was strictly analyzed for each soldier before they were sent back. Even now the cogs of Strixxism would not be stopped for some mere conflict.
But it was the emergence of a wormhole at the edge of the system which caused immediate alarm.
Capitol had built the Crucible, Strixx had even a small part to play in its construction. The Mandate was the inheritor of Strixx and her great mind, along with the very system the Crucible once inhabited. They knew the IRG had leaked the designs, they knew such a threat could be out there. So when a wormhole manifested at the edge of Rubikon showing the same power readings, evacuation alarms rang system wide.
No blazing beam of destruction ushered forth from the wormhole, rather a flash of energy which caused the wormhole to destabilize and collapse.
Stations around the systems edge felt the wave wash over them, all reporting briefly a surge of gamma rays off the charts before they went dark, their systems fried by radiation. The attack was not a Crucible, it was a localized GRB. Something absolutely terrible, it would reduce those within the system not in hardened shelters to irradiated dead men walking, a fate which had ironically already occurred on Rubikon Prime thanks to the detonation of the Unions Plasma Coil missile in close orbit.
The population panicked, stampeding into hardened bunkers and protective shelters. Tens of thousands died in the stampedes as the military did its best to keep control. They had hours before the wave hit Rubikon Prime but it would still be devastating. Orbital docks and fleet anchors dispersed as much as they could, placing themselves as much as they tried behind their planets to give the best protection. Ships FTLed out if possible, taking aboard any civilians possible. The attack would, despite preventative measures and mitigation, be devastating, utterly ruining Rubikon once again and requiring mass rebuilding alongside breaking of the military staging for this offensive. The strike was traced, and the result was clear.
The Imperial Restorationist Government. Of course. Retribution would be swift.
–
“Strike successful Lord General” The statement made the command room whoop and cheer, the clink of fine crystal glasses heralding another round of drinks. Pelio held a glass high.
“To the first blood of the Mandate, may our sword strike true” He was answered with a cheer of toasts.
“And what is the status of the weapon?” The voice belonged to Atlas, recently promoted following the unknown strike on Erde. Despite his new dress uniform and clear hatred for everyone in the room he showed hesitation at the success. He had cautioned against this strike, but there was no stopping arrogance.
“Inoperable, the firing seemed to have overloaded the main relays and burnt out the collectors. Substantial work must be done to restore it to full order before it can fire aga-” The aide was stopped by another of the Generals.
“Unacceptable! See it repaired immediately. I don't care how many lives it takes! Bloody old technology, I knew we shouldn't have used parts from that old Axiom contraption, the uh… The bloody cameraman! What a terrible name! We should have built our own Crucible!” The ineptitude Atlas thought in response. They couldn't build a Crucible, they didn't have the brainpower or the resources, it had been why jury rigging the old Cameraman system once bought during 2AW, had been the only choice. And a bad one at that.
“We will my comrade we will” Pelio grinned “In time we shall, but first we must ensure the damage done will make them reel, send a probing force at once”
Atlas went to protest, the Mandate already had casus belli to strike them, sending forces would practically admit it was them. More war, more setbacks to progress.
He felt an energy sure within his fist.
If only he could make Capitol whole again, not these subhumans.
Oh but you can….
STATT♍︎̴🙵̵E OF EM▒▓▓▒▒ERGENC▓▒Y
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TH▒▒▓▓I▒▒▓▓▒▒▓▓ IS N■︎̶ ̸♋︎̷▒▒▓▓□︎̵TEST♍︎̴🙵̵♓︎̴ ▒▒▓▓ TES▒▒▓▓
▒▓VE TO N░▒▒▓▒░▒EST SPA▒▒❖︎̵♋︎̴❒︎̸♓︎̶▓▓▒▒▓▒▓▓RT AND P▒▓E FOR E░▒▒▓▒❖︎̵♋︎̴❒︎̸♓︎̶❖︎̵♋︎̴❒︎̸♓︎̶❖︎̵♋︎̴❒︎̸♓︎̶❖︎̵❒░▒
O
DO NOT REM░▒▒▓▒░▒OUR HOME░▒▒▓▒░▒
EVAC ̸♋︎̷ IM▒▒▓▒MEDIA▒░▒▓▒Y
̸♋︎̷
GO▒▒▓♋︎̴▒▒▒**▓▒▒▒▓▒VE▒▒▓▒ME▒▒▓▒NT MESSAGE WI▒▒▓▒LL PLA♋︎̴Y* SHO▒▒▓*
THIS M▒▒▓▒░GE WILL RE▒▒▓RE▒░PEAT UNTIL NON▒▒▓▒░❖︎̵♋︎̴A❒︎̸♓︎̶EAR IT
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▒▓░░░▓▓▓▒▒▒ ░▓▒▓▒▒▓▒░▒▓▓▓░▒▒▓▒ ░▓▓▒▒░▒▒----------------░▓▒▒▒▒▓░▒░░▒▒▓▒░ ▒▒▒▒▓▓▒▓▓▓*▒▒▒▓▓▓ ░▒▒▒▒▓░▓▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒ ▓▒▓▒▓▒▒▓▒▒▒▒▓▒▒----------------▒▒▒▒▒▒▒ ▓▒▓▒▓▒▒▓▒▒▒▒▓▒▒ ▒▒▒▒▓▓▒▓▓▓▒▒▒▓▓▓ ░----------------▒▒ ▒▒▒▒▓▒▓▒▒▒▒▓▒▒ ░▒▒▒▒▒▓▒▓▒▓▒▒▒▒▓▒ ▓▒▒▒▒▓▒▓▒▒▒▒▓▒▒ ▒▒▒▒▓▒▓▒▒▒▒▓▒▒ ▒▒▒▒▓▓▒▓▓▓▒▒▒▓▓▓----------------▒▒▒ ▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒----------------▒▓▒▒▒▒▓▒▒ ░▒▒▒▒▒▓
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A SOLE▒▓MN DAWN RIS▓▒▒▒ES ONLY▒▓ ONCE
A SOLEMN ▒▓▒NT MES♋︎̴❒︎̸♓︎̶▓DAWN RISES ONLY ONCE
A SOLE▒▓▒▒♓︎̶N DAWN RISES ONLY ON▒▓▒▒CE*
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Rayuela System: Liangan Oligarchy
The loading of the projectile into the complex armature system was almost complete, the surrounding defensive fleet on high alert should any SAGA nation seek to strike at the as of yet unfired weapon. Constructed in secret deep within their territory the Apsaneous had been the peak of Liangan weapons technology, created to both allow them the protection of deterrence had they revealed it or a first strike capability against strategic enemy worlds. They had chosen to make its grand debut in the latter capacity, with sudden weapon exchanges going off across the galaxy the Oligarchy now saw a chance.
While much of their hatred was directed at the USM, Capitol had been a thorn in their side for countless decades, always skirmishing and raiding their own territories the Liangan now saw their target. The Mandate had joined CONA of course, something they were uneasy and untrusting about, but they would honour agreements and instead chose the IRG as a target. Having just fired themselves at the Mandate, the IRG had left itself wide open while claiming to be in a position of power, the Oligarchy was quite eager to check that power itself.
The projectile in question, gleaming as it was coated in Halostone, was now loaded. The accelerator itself was a series of concentric rings each one to create a powerful gravitic curve to get the shell up to speed before it would then enter the Meridian and travel to its destination. There it would surface and deal a deathblow to a world, the capital of the IRG.
Oligarchy forces had already aided CONA at Aedleshaven, engaged with SAGA forces across the Veronis Cascade and almost subjugated the Tesfan Alliance. This next act would cement them as a major CONA power, one that would rip the heart out of a much hated colonial nation. With almost glee the Oligarchic council gave its command, and space bent and buckled around the Apsaneous, the huge Antimatter reactors that fed the rings annihilating tonnes of the volatile substance to provide the energy necessary for a single shot. Moments later, as gravity warped, distorting the light around it, the shell was fired from the armature, a simple railgun. The projectile, nearly 3km long glinted in the light of the system's star as it was caught by the first ring and accelerated to a fraction of lightspeed. It caught another ring, and another, until its entire viewpoint was distorted into impossibility by relativity itself. Having reached its target speed the projectile activated its Meridian drive, diving into the depths of the empty dimension towards its destination.
—
Kalaras was unprepared for the strike.
It was a bastion of industrial and economic might in the Southern Capitol, but Kalaras had always been secondary to the north, never reaching the same heights as Rubikon or Bel Thano. While seeing a major resurgence under the IRG its people still lived in abject servitude, under the constant watchful gaze of the intelligence agencies akin to the days where Inara had ruled and before.
The whole system was awash with activity, with three habitable planets. Although one was far more populated and built up than the rest, Kalaras Prime.
Within the inner system a disturbance was detected, a Meridian rupture. Giving off minimal signature it would have been glanced over, but the people of Capitol knew the Unions FTL systems well, and suspected it to be some kind of stealth craft. It was clearly not the case when the signature that emerged, while faint, began traveling at close to lightspeed towards Kalaras Prime. System defenses were activated and defense ships attempted to intercept, but it was too fast.
Futile munitions were expended to try and destroy the projectile, but a lucky hit from the planets orbital stations did succeed. The Tachyon Arrow hit home with impossible force, immolating the 3km long projectile as the impact from two relativistic weapons caused a bright flash almost as bright as the star. But it was not enough, the molten half vaporized remains hit the planet half a second later, the bright impact drowning out ship sensors in the orbital lanes and blinding crew.
When the light faded, Kalaras Prime was dead. A molten impact plume of such size that it climbed into space and ejected now liquid mantle and crust away from the planet. The opposite side of the world too had been punched right through, creating an exit impact just as large and devastating. The firestorms traveled around the planet, wiping cities off the surface and immolating everything they touched.
The Capital of the IRG was destroyed, already panic was spreading across the remaining warlords. Nobody knew if Pelio was dead, who had survived and whether the territory was going to be under imminent attack. Calls to recall all ships to IRG space ran rampant, crippling their missions elsewhere. The cost of damage and loss of life was immense, the IRG had been shocked to its very core.
--The sound of air raid sirens wail in the background--
ЭКСТРЕННАЯ ТРАНСЛЯЦИЯ
ЭКСТРЕННАЯ ТРАНСЛЯЦИЯ
ЭКСТРЕННАЯ ТРАНСЛЯЦИЯ
ЭКСТРЕННАЯ ТРАНСЛЯЦИЯ
WE INTERRUPT THIS YOUR REGUL▒▒▓▓▒▒▓▓LY SCHEDULED PR▒░▒GRA▒░▒ING FOR A NATIONAL ALERT
МЫ ПРЕРЫВАЕМ ВАШЕ РЕГУЛЯРНО ЗАПЛАНИРОВАННОЕ ПРОГРАММИРОВАНИЕ ДЛЯ НАЦИОНАЛЬНОГО ПРЕДУПРЕЖДЕНИЯ
AS OF 0930 TERAKROMIS STANDARD TIME a national alert has been issued. Shots have been reported at multiple Armed Forces facilities, and multiple Navy units have fallen out of contact according to the Transit Directorate. The President's office is expected to release a statement at the TOP OF THE HOUR but indications remain confused, scattered reports indicate shots being fired in the Politburo, and we have little information at this time. Войска на улицах ▓▓▒▒▓▒▓▓ capital, and we are reciving reports that multiple comms relays are blacked out, communications delays a- ▒▒▓▓▒▒▓▓
▒▒▓▓▒▓▓▒▒▓▒▓▓▓▓▒▒▓▓▒▒▓▓▒▒▓▓▓▒▒▓▒▓▓▓▓▓▒▒▓▒▓▓
THIS IS AN ALL CHANNELS EMERGENCY ALERT
EMERGENCY MARTIAL LAW IS IN EFFECT
TEMPORARY CURFEW IS IN EFFECT ON ALL PLANETS
OBEY ALL PROPERLY INDENTIFIED RESTEVIAN MILITARY AUTHORITIES
REPORT ALL SIGHTINGS OF NONMILITARY ARMED FORCES
IF DIRECTED PROCEED TO LOCAL DEFENSE SHELТ-ЕР В САНИТАРНОМ ЧЕЛОВЕКЕ-NER PREPARE FOR MULTIPLE DAY ABSENCE
MAINTAIN VIGILANCE
ПОДДЕРЖИВАЙТЕ ДИСЦИПЛИНУ
MAINTAIN UNITY
BROADCAST REPEATS
▒▒▓▓▒▓▓▒▒▓▒▓▓▓▓▒▒▓▓▒▒▓▓▒▒▓▓▓▒▒▓▒▓▓▓▓▓▒▒▓▒▓▓
...You heard it here first, comrades. We can confirm the presence of troops in the capital, and firing is active outside of our studio. The identities of the combatants are currently unknown. We recommend all citizens watching this broadcast stay close to your families and double check emergency plans for your safety and be ready to move to shelter as the army has directed. We will bring you whatever updates possible, this has been Restevia Herald. Stay strong, comrades. This has been Eli Karilov, signing off.
UX-519 System: Ex-ACR Space
The planet ruptured like an apple being hit with a bullet.
The main military base of the newly reformed Telmore Confederation was utterly destroyed, one of the many lances of Longinus striking true with total devastation. It was only one of many military targets, fired by the reformed Union of Democratic States, previously the ACR.
Despite the massive popularity and status of the ACR in the Avarian Frontier ever since the Shadow Incursion and war against the Dectrose it had been relatively silent, focusing far more on internal matters than acting out across the galactic stage. Despite acting against the High Imperium before its annihilation the ACR grew increasingly unstable after a series of expansions and membership joins which saw native nations become one with the colonial UDS core territories.
While on paper this could be the very image the colonials would use against the hardliners such as Orillia the truth was much darker. One of the new joiners had been for the most part a CONA supporter, and while the ACR had taken a staunchly neutral role in the build up to 3AW the anti colonial sentiment only grew. Not only were calls made to secede from the ACR made by pro CONA nationalists but also from other previously ACR supportive systems, self determination was an attractive prospect as the ACR central congress became ever more bogged down in internal politics. Matters were not addressed and funding ceased flowing to more secessionist systems, adding fuel to the fire. Minor conflicts, protests and even uprisings occurred with a secessionist movement in the congress itself gaining major traction. In the end it had been too much, and formally, the ACR had disbanded. The divisional lines between the UDS colonials and the now heavily CONA leaning natives had become too great, things remained at least cordial as agreements were written up to slowly withdraw from the ACR framework and prevent any major economic or social upheavals, something neither the UDS or secessionists wanted.
But it would be the events that followed on the galactic stage that would sour relations further, only made worse by the UDS dragging their heels in withdrawing and dismantling military forces and bases within the breakaway territories. This caused diplomatic upset, but as time went on it caused outrage and even violent skirmishes between the two sides.
Culminating in a limited, but rather destructive conflict both sides sought to target each other's military forces with CONA nationals conducting indirect sabotage within UDS territory. With its economic situation on the brink of collapse and with the secessionists quickly backed by the likes of Orillia and others the UDS was faced with two prospects. Fighting a war they would likely lose and suffering disastrous societal damage or trying to nip the conflict in the bud. Witnessing the sudden use of superweapons against CONA elements and the relatively light response they chose the latter.
And so the petals of Longinus, the UDS super weapon unfurled, targeting with its many thousands of RKKVs, military outposts, ships and even the Confederations main military base. With a heavy hand, the UDS would pull the trigger, not all of the shots would hit but both the Republic of Marn & the Telmore Confederation would suffer greatly, their main staging planet wiped out and much of their fleets blown away.
The outcome was favorable, but already incursions began into the UDS territory from surviving enemy units reinforced now by the Theistine Republics and Arolic Dynasty.
It seemed their war was coming regardless.
And the UDS had little military capacity or economic wealth to fight it.
ALTARIAN INTERSTELLAR NEWS NETWORK
“Uncovering the truth across the stars”
SPECIAL AINN REPORT FROM ISENERIA: Special interviews with Altarian Self-Defense Force commanders on the war preparations against the Second Dawn.
PRESENTED BY ELYSA NORAWAY
The lead reporter of the AINN found herself in front of one of the largest ground military installations of the ASDF, for hours already, she had been traveling across the base explaining what the current situation with the Second Dawn was. Clarifying doubts about observed mass mobilizations, and, reasurring her audience that no matter how many threats the Second Dawn sent their way, they were going to be safe.
During the second stage of her special report, having moved on from talking about the newest vehicles and weapons systems of the ASDF, Elysa interviewed the officers and generals of the base, who had been specially gathered there to give detailed reports on publicly available information of the ASDF. The commanders answered Elysa's questions, prompting them to talk about just how incredibly safe the ASA was. From the windows behind the offices of the interviewed generals, great views of the enormous cities iconic to the star system of Reysantar were visible, with countless kilostructures spanning dozens of kilometers imposing themselves over the planet's nature. Beacons of strength and Altarian might protected by the many figures Elysa spoke to, now walking around the streets of the nearest city, exposing all its enormousness in construction.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
–“And general, one more question.” –Elysa spoke up again after a brief moment of silence–. “How can we be so sure the Second Dawn won't strike first?”
The general grinned, mocking the mentioned nation with the tone of voice in his response.
-“Our border controls are the best this side of the galaxy. The Altarian Self-Defense Force and Thelia never stop patrolling all points of entry towards the nation. The Second Dawn has nowhere to sneak through, so rest assured Elysa, and to all those watching us back home. We are s-▓▓▒░▒▓▓░▒▓░
▓▓▓▒▓▓▒░░▓▒▒░░▓▒▒▓▓░▒▒▓▒▒▓░▒▓
▓▓ⱧɆ▒░Ø?!▒▓▓
₵₳₦ ₳▒▓Ø₦Ɇ Ⱨ▓▓░ ₥░
Through the glitchy, broken camera feed, and the distorted, loud, and incoherent screams of horror of the Altarians around them, the general and Elysa stand up from the floor, visibly, covered in blood and wounds they didn't have seconds ago. As they look up into the sky, the illusion of safety is broken. Destroyed.
Ɇ₦₲ɄⱠ₣ɆĐ ł₦ ₦Ʉ₵ⱠɆ₳Ɽ ⱧɆⱠⱠ₣łⱤɆ
–“ØⱧ ₦Ø ▓▓ ₦Ø ฿Ɏ ₮Ⱨ▓▒▓₳ ₩Ⱨ₳₮ ł₴ Ⱨ₳▓▒▒▓ł₦₲?!”
–“ɆVɆ▓▓▒₦Ɇ ɆV₳₵Ʉ▒▓Ɇ ł₥▓▒Đł₳▒▓ⱠɎ!”
₳₮₮▓▒▓łØ₦ - ₮Ⱨł₴ ł₴ ₳ ฿ⱤØ₳▓▓₳₴₮ Ø₣ ₮ⱧɆ ₳Ⱡ▒▓Ɽ▓₳₦ ₴ɆⱠ₣-ĐɆ▒▒▓₴Ɇ ₣ØⱤ₵Ɇ - ₦Ʉ₵ⱠɆ₳Ɽ ₳₮▒▒▓₭₴ Ⱨ₳VɆ ฿ɆɆ₦ ĐɆ₮Ɇ₵₮ɆĐ Ø₦ ₳Ⱡ₮▒▓▓▒₦ ₴ØłⱠ - ₱ⱤØ▓▓▓ ₮Ø ₮ⱧɆ ₦Ɇ₳ⱤɆ₴₮ ₦Ʉ₵ⱠɆ₳Ɽ ₴▓▓▒▒ɆⱤ ł₥₥▓▓▒▒▓▒▓▓ ₳₦Đ ₳₩₳ł₮ ₣ɄⱤ▒▓▒▓ ł₦₴₮ⱤɄ₵₮łØ₦₴
–“₮Ⱨł₴ ł₴ ɆⱠ▓▒▓ ▓▓▒▒▓▓▒ ⱤɆ₱▓▒▒▓₦₲ ₣ⱤØ₥ ▓▓▒▒ɆⱤł₳, ₳ ₦Ʉ₵ⱠɆ₳Ɽ ɆӾ▓▒▒▓▒Ø₦ Ⱨ₳₴ ₴▓▒▒₵₭ ₮ⱧɆ ₵ł₮Ɏ Ø₣ łⱤ▒▓₳, ₮ⱧɆ ₲▒▓▒▓▓▓ ł₴ ĐɆ₳Đ... ₱ⱠɆ₳₴Ɇ ₣ØⱠⱠØ₩ ₮ⱧɆ ł₦▓▒▓▒▓▓▓▓▓₴ Ø₣ ₮ⱧɆ ₦Ɇ₳₴ ₳₦Đ ⱤɆ▓▒▓▓▒Ɽ!–”
₩Ɇ ₴₮▓▒Đ, ₳Ⱡ▓₳Ɽł₳ ₴₮▓₦Đ₴
₩Ɇ ₴▓▒▒▓, ₳Ⱡ▓▓Ɽł₳ ₴▓▒▒Đ₴
₩▒ ▓▒▓▓Đ, ₳▓▒▓▓▒▒₳ ₴▓▓▓▒₴
▓▓▓▒▒▓▒▓▓▒▒▓▒▒▓▓▒▒▓▓▒—
Vorsk System: Ramananjagar Space
Conflict was still ongoing in the Emerald Republics even as Sarabhai lit the match that would turn into a raging inferno.
Across the common region ethnic conflicts between Ramans and Sarabhs intensified, Tanakol was once more the site of fierce fighting just as it had been over a decade earlier while Kolbaijep had almost entirely fallen to the Republic of Ramananjagar. Sarabhais use of a Crucible weapon had send shockwaves through Raman command who had long suspected their rivals to have constructed some kind of large weapon, however they had never expected its use against Orillia, one of Ramans staunchest allies.
What Sarabhai didn't know however was that Ramanjagar had also constructed its own strategic weapon, although never intended to be used offensively given the high distribution and decentralized numbers of ethnic Ramans throughout the Common zone and even in Sarahbai space it had been built as a last ditch ace in the hole should the Sarabhs win the Common region and fight through into Ramanjagar proper. Still the sudden shock of the Sarabhs using such a weapon offensively caused instant arguments and debates in high command. Did they risk their own people by targeting a Sarabh stronghold? Or did they attempt to mirror their rivals and target one of SAGAs major members?
Their weapon, known as the ‘Noutsone Hcamsautmhu’ in local Raman language had been constructed almost inside the Vorsk star, a massive bloated red giant whos surface boiled and barely held itself together by gravity. Nestled within titanic boiling canyons of burning helium and bombarded with constant heat and radiation the weapon was designed to be very simple, use giant electromagnetic discharges to induce localized directed CMEs of a scale able to scour whole portions of a system clean. While initially meant to protect the Vorsk system directly it had been retrofitted with a large alcubierre catapult, separate from the structure which would shortly before its own destruction launch a bubble containing the supercharged radiation and particle winds and fire them at a target. It would sterilize whatever it fired at, a retrofit designed to be able to strike Sarabhai itself after the Canton had struck Marchand.
After much debate more news came out of Hrasts strike, of the IRGs, of the UDS. It seemed the war had escalated, and Ramananjagar was eager to answer, it too would join the CONA cause and use its weapon to strike down the colonial menace. Selecting a target just as Sarabhai had, they chose one of the Laptev Axis, the now colonial torchbearers calling for CONAs destruction. The Canton had fired the weapon at Sarnath, but it was also Imaginarium who had helped build it and supported the action. Relatively untouched by CONA strikes so far, the weapon would activate.
Rising from the molten surface of the raging star the power of the short lived EM field tore a column of fire and energy towards the catapult at such a scale as to dwarf even the largest of worlds. Kept well away from the direction of the system's inhabited planet the citizens of Ramanjagar would see the Noutsone as a bright flash in the sky of their worlds. In a matter of moments the catapult fired before being vaporized, enclosing space and sending the lethal radiation towards its target.
TIERZ.
Imaginarium, like the Canton, would pay for its actions against the natives of the galaxy.
Telfash System: Osoriopia Space
Spirits were high. Very high even.
Lavatania was almost on its knees, the operation to crush the nations long term rival had gone swimmingly with the help of additional SAGA assets and the attempts to unseat Orillias power in the region looked to be on the brink of victory.
Osoriopia had long struggled against Lavatania to attract investment, trade agreements and resource procurement ever since the devastation inflicted upon them both by the Voleant during the CORE war. The swarm race had overrun numerous systems belonging to both Lavatania and Osoriopia with the two fighting side by side alongside CORE assets to expunge the invaders and subsequently complete the long years of cleansing the infested planets of Voleant swarms. But despite the relative shared goals and mutual blood spilled together both nations needed much during the post war years. Never quite ideologically aligned Lavatania had quickly gotten caught up in the Pro-Native camp, accepting Orillian influence and the economic benefits that brought through CONA. On the flip side Osoriopia struggled, starved by its neighbor and forcing it to turn to ex CORE states and in time much more colonial avenues. It had been a long road, and while they still lagged economically, Osoriopia had soared militarily. Aided as it was by AGA funding and training during the post 2AW period.
As 3AW had reared its head tensions had run high across both nations, erupting into outright skirmishes as Aedleshaven occurred. But in the end Osoriopia had decided enough was enough, rather than let CONA sweep in and crush them, they would take the initiative and burn out Orillian and CONA influence as well as crush a rival that had sought to choke them from the resources they needed. A sudden and rapid thrust had seen Osoriopia gain much of Lavatanias core territory, with the push only stopped by other CONA aid intervening. Key amongst this aid had been Kel’Thule, whose fleets had repulsed Osoriopian forces and even forced them onto the defensive.
Fearing a potential stalemate and long term campaign which they were ill equipped economically to endure, Osoriopia was forced to look at other potential actions.
Ones that the sudden exchange of super weapons had provided a very clear path forward.
With Lavatania having cut off Osoriopia from much of the galactic economy through trade embargoes, physical blockades and more the nation had to turn to drastic measures to try and circumvent its rival. The main part of this was the Haba, a large wormhole array which allowed projected wormholes to bypass Lavatanian efforts and let out large trading fleets that exited and arrived in waves when the wormhole was fully charged. It had also been instrumental in allowing Osoriopian fleets to bypass enemy defenses quickly enough to sustain a rapid surprise attack. Now however it was being considered for another role entirely. If Osoriopia could strike Kel’Thule and deal enough damage it would force their military fleets to either withdraw or be unable to easily support themselves either way allowing friendly forces to press on and not get bogged down in an attritional battle they cant win.
As so the Haba was brought online, not to facilitate travel like its intention, but as a weapon of mass destruction. Targeting the butchers of Lyne, CONA Hardliners and the obstacles to their victory was simply a win win in the eyes of Osoriopia. The wormhole matrix was brought online, but its projection targets were not deep space, the first was located within the systems own star, the gravitational constants causing strain on both the wormhole and the matrix. The second target was the Vinivion System, within the heart of Kel’Thule.
Awash with activity, the system was one of the major military hubs. Shipyards, logistical storage, military drydocks and training facilities were surrounded by layers of defensive stations and weapons platforms. To strike it directly was beyond the Osoriopian fleets even pre conflict, but they had no intention of fighting so simply. The wormhole exit had to be within an equal gravitational constant and so opened within the inside of Vinivions star. Normally such an act would be quite uneventful, but the differences in the stars and the different pressures caused the much smaller and volatile star in the Telfash system to wash through. Within minutes the Vinivion star was broiling, its surface suddenly alive with activity. CMEs of titanic magnitude were thrown from the photosphere, able to cook ships and stations alike while the more violent ones would strip the surfaces and atmospheres from the planets. Alarm klaxons rang across Vinivion as some Kel’Thule ships withdrew, some stayed to try rescue what they could from the now approaching fiery demise. Civilians huddled at the bottom of oceans, thinking such mass would save them.
But when the fires came, seas turned to boiling clouds of steam and rock was scorched bare. Ships' shields collapsed as stations melted.
In 4 hours Vinivion, one of the jewels in the nations crown, was scorched bare. Billions had died, and Osoriopia had gotten their wish.
Special Media Release: General Cytodyne releases statement regarding events in Altarian Systems Authority, denies Federal Involvement.
Upon the end of the current section of Second Dawn programming, the national anthem would start playing and holographic, traditional, any type of screen would switch to display the flag along with highlighted text saying “Mandatory Viewing” Followed by a highly robotic voice speaking.
“This is a Special Broadcast on order of the General of the Executive Protection Agency, please gather your co-workers, friends and/or family for mandatory viewing. Please ensure your volume is loud enough for everyone in proximity to hear the following broadcast with clarity. The Trilateral Board thanks you for your attention.”
The screen then transitions to a more sobering sight: one Reborn stood at a wooden podium before the citadel. The Flag of the Second Dawn and Laptev flying on two adjacent flag poles behind them. By their sides were two armoured EPA agents standing at attention with Rifles laid against their shoulder. Cytodyne held up a hand in greeting to the camera before lowering it and beginning to speak.
"Citizens of the Second Dawn, I greet you kindly. Approximate-"
𝐄⃥⃒̸𝐑⃥⃒̸𝐑⃥⃒̸𝐎⃥⃒̸𝐑⃥⃒̸ 𝐄⃥⃒̸𝐑⃥⃒̸𝐑⃥⃒̸𝐎⃥⃒̸𝐑⃥⃒̸ 𝐄⃥𝐑𝐑𝐎𝐑 𝐄𝐑𝐑𝐎𝐑 𝐄𝐑𝐑𝐎𝐑 𝐄𝐑𝐑𝐎⃥⃒̸𝐑⃥⃒̸ 𝐄⃥⃒̸𝐑𝐑𝐎𝐑 𝐄𝐑𝐑𝐎𝐑⃒̸ 𝐄⃥⃒̸𝐑⃥⃒̸𝐑𝐎⃒𝐑 𝐄𝐑𝐑𝐎𝐑 𝐄𝐑𝐑𝐎𝐑⃥⃒̸ 𝐄⃥⃒̸𝐑⃥⃒̸𝐑⃥⃒𝐎𝐑------
[20:10]
₩₳Ɽ₦ł₦₲ | ₩₳Ɽ₦ł₦₲ | ⱲȺꞦꞤĪꞤ₲ | ȻꞦĪȾĪȻȺŁ Ƨ⅄Ƨꓕ𝗘⃥𝘔̸ 𝘍̸𝗔⃥𝘐̸𝗟⃥ɄⱤɆ | ₩₳Ɽ₦ł₦₲ | ⱲȺꞦꞤĪꞤ₲ | ⱲȺꞦꞤĪꞤ₲
𝗧⃥𝘩̸𝗶⃥𝘴̸ 𝘪̸𝘀⃥ 𝗻⃥𝘰̸𝘁⃥ 𝗮⃥ 𝗱⃥𝘳̸𝗶⃥𝘭̸𝗹⃥ |⃥ 𝗧⃥𝘩̸𝗶⃥𝘴̸ 𝘪̸𝘀⃥ 𝗻𝘰𝘁⃥ 𝗮⃥ 𝗱⃥𝘳̸𝗶⃥𝘭̸𝗹⃥ |⃥ 𝗧⃥𝘩̸𝗶⃥𝘴̸ 𝘪̸𝘀⃥ 𝗻⃥𝘰̸𝘁⃥ 𝗮⃥ 𝗱⃥𝘳𝗶⃥𝘭𝗹⃥
Ⱥⱦⱦēꞥⱦīꝋꞥ, ⱥłł ȼīⱦīƶēꞥꞩ. Ⱦħīꞩ īꞩ ⱥ ꞥⱥⱦīꝋꞥⱥł ⱥłēɍⱦ ⱥȼⱦīꝟⱥⱦēđ ƀɏ ⱦħē Ⱥᵾⱦꝋꞥꝋᵯꝋᵾꞩ Ꞩɏꞩⱦēᵯ Đēӻēꞥȼē ₲ɍīđ. Ⱦħē Ʉꞥᵯⱥɍ/Ꝑħⱥꞩīȼ Đēⱥđłꝋȼҟ ꞩɏꞩⱦēᵯ ħⱥꞩ ꞩᵾӻӻēɍēđ ⱥ ȼⱥⱦⱥꞩⱦɍꝋꝑħīȼ ȼꝋɍē ᵯⱥłӻᵾꞥȼⱦīꝋꞥ. Ⱦħē Ʉꞥᵯⱥɍ/Ꝑħⱥꞩīȼ Ꞩɏꞩⱦēᵯ Đēӻēꞥȼē ₲ɍīđ ħⱥꞩ ƀēēꞥ ɍēꞥđēɍēđ īꞥꝋꝑēɍⱥƀłē. Ꞧēꝑēⱥⱦ: Ꞩēēҟ ꞩħēłⱦēɍ īᵯᵯēđīⱥⱦēłɏ. Ⱦħē Ʉꞥᵯⱥɍ/Ꝑħⱥꞩīȼ Ꞩɏꞩⱦēᵯ Đēӻēꞥȼē ₲ɍīđ ħⱥꞩ ƀēēꞥ ɍēꞥđēɍēđ īꞥꝋꝑēɍⱥƀłē.
Īꞥꞩⱦɍᵾȼⱦīꝋꞥꞩ ӻɍꝋᵯ ⱦħē Ɇӿēȼᵾⱦīꝟē Ꝑɍꝋⱦēȼⱦīꝋꞥ Ⱥꞡēꞥȼīēꞩ' Ħꝋᵯē ₲ᵾⱥɍđ ⱳīłł ӻꝋłłꝋⱳ ꞩħꝋɍⱦłɏ. Ꞧēᵯⱥīꞥ ȼⱥłᵯ. Ꞩēēҟ ꞩħēłⱦēɍ īᵯᵯēđīⱥⱦēłɏ.
PX2499098000: Zetyan Clanholds Space
In ancient times, PX2499098000 had been a guiding light for the Zettish people, their equivalent of the Polar Star. Ship navigators, relying on it's unique brightness compared to it's kin in the sky, utilized it's unique north-west position in the sky to determine the angle at which their ships needed to go to reach their destination. Astrologers used it as a timekeeper for the realm beyond their erstwhile homeworld, Zentrya, and artists and philosophers pondered their works to it's ghost light and divined their greatest works. One of the most famous, of those that survived the glassing of the homeworld, was Obeat'a Nemo'ne's Al-Kh'atna me' o'othate me', or 'A long song for Kh'atna', a 32 minute two-person piano piece played only on the strings like a violin that was made after Obeat'a spent 48 hours straight doing nothing but studying an old lithograph illustration of the pulsar in the night sky.
Once they had broached the void, it had been no different. Cartographing systems used it as a navigatorial basis along by cross-referencing the approximate stellar position with the Golden Expanse, most scientists used the ghost light to determine the ages of systems they visited. But eventually, long after the Zetyans had reached the pulsar, they had found it changed. The star had been a sort of 'parasite leyline' for mana in the galaxy for reasons unknown, only accentuated by the megastructure they had built in their home system, and the resulting combination made PX2499098000 one of the most unstable stars the galaxy would have ever catalogued.
Were it not for the LRASSF superweapon about to staple on another 200,000 years to its lifespan, PX24 would have gone supernova in less than 141,000 years, and completely devastated the Clanholds for centuries to come.
"LRASSF personnel, check for final. Targeting solution inbound."
"H&A. Saturation levels nominal. Capacitors... charged. Relays in correct meridian positions."
"We have confirmation from command... Green fire, green fire, all clear for green fire. Begin charge up."
The system was abuzz with chatter as military starships rushed to escape the danger radius, and the LRASSF firing station half-encircling PX24 seemed to come alive with electricity and sparks across it's chromish hull. In the far distance a single bright light teased the pulsar's mana and expunge to it like moths to light, an automated FTL ferry router from which extended a long, long 'pole' akin to a stake.
'Fiat Lux's second firing was to be at a far more established enemy. Its first had been at the Second Dawn, at Nightshade Station, and thanks to its positioning and the government's silence none had suspected the Clanholds of their gambit. But the SD was small fry, with how many nations including the Clanholds had gone on the warpath with them the dissolution of Nightshade was less and less seen as a strategic blow and more as a formality. RANGSI, meanwhile, was an active enemy. Their Jihadkampul had already begun carving into Kel'thul and the C'ethals they had worked with, and the only reason the Zetyans hadn't seen a RANGSI fleet on their borders was because the RANGSI military had others to slake their bloodthirst on first.
"Router confirms drives are charged. Lux, what's your status?"
"75% charged, all nominal. Final target confirmed?"
"Confirmed. Solution established. ALCON, be advised, 20 seconds to fire."
"20 seconds to fire.”
Their target was Karvoskaya, an otherwise unassuming system holding one very important target. Within that system was a massive trans-dimensional gate, the only link they had back to their erstwhile home, and the suspected lifeblood of their empire. The tacticians surmised it as cutting the nape of an old ra'thek, a zetyan animal otherwise known for its hardiness - given the soft, venereal skin in an unreachable area of the body, a ra'thek would often die within hours after receiving a grievous enough injury to the area. The same would likely be true of Singapura; ripped from the nape of their mother, cut off from logistical supply lines and knowing for the first time self-sufficiency, it was surmised that RANGSI would likely collapse under it's own weight, or at minimum suffer debilitating damage to their morale and existing logistics systems.
*"..6. 5. 4. 3. 2. 1. Beginning discharge."
In the meridian, the daisy chain of FTL ferries stretched over thousands of lightyears, a sort of necklace of halostone beads that ebbed and flowed in the gravitic shadow. And in the physical realm, Fiat Lux suddenly became the brightest object in the solar system for a brief moment, a flash of mana-charged energy expelling itself from the six flanges that the LRASSF used to direct it's shots, aimed square at the router in the distance. For a moment, it seemed to disappear entirely, the system consumed with white, before the brightness faded and left the object floating there, unharmed. The only indication anything had happened at all was the 'pole' of the router glowing white hot, and the halostone beginning to flake from it's hull from the momentary appearance in the deepest depths of the meridian.
*"Shot's off. Sound the all clear."
"Time to impact?"
"2 minutes."
Karvoskaya: RANGSI Space
Karvoskaya. The original capital of the massive RANGSI colonial enterprise in Ancerious. The primordial spawning pool of its first settlers. And to these first settlers, many of whom are now elderly sages in hospice centers telling tall tales of cowboying in the great open lands and battling hostile wildlife with revolvers, the name ‘Karvoskaya’ was a holy name - a name that would invoke longing and tears, it was the name of their AI caretaker, Mother Karvoskaya, who raised them ever since they were clumps of stem cells gestating in mechanical vats.
Even when Skalia turned Karvoskaya into a graveyard and the capital was relocated to its sister system of Vladano, Karvoskaya continued to occupy a position of great importance. Beyond the symbolism and prestige, there was of course its one and only link back to RANGSI’s homeverse, the massive transdimensional gate that first brought them here, which continued to be a major trade and logistics hub feeding and fuelling RANGSI’s Ancerious territories, especially in these hard times.
2 minutes later, Karvoskaya was once again the site of another terrible tragedy.
The people manning the early warning stations first got a bright flash on their scopes. The operator who noticed it was probably holding a cup of hot coffee at that moment, trying to make sense of the data and what to do next according to the SOP. Then just when he decided to pick up the telephone, a bright white flash suddenly appeared, an instant of searing heat, and that was it.
Almost everything in the system was exploding and being vapourised. Space stations, warships, thousands of civilian trade and passenger ships, asteroid cities, giant space colonies. Nothing big or small was spared as long as they were in space. In an instant, several billions of lives were lost. The ‘lucky’ people living planetside spared from the devastating meridian pulse were now left alone, to contemplate what even happened, and why they were suddenly now surrounded from all sides by a thick graveyard of space debris and wreckage. Lucky to be alive, but unlucky to be the ones who may end up dying a slow, crawling death if no one came to rescue them - trapped on their worlds, unable to venture back into space, and cut from their economic lifelines to the wider Republik and the galaxy.
The news was not any easier for the rest of RANGSI. The words ‘TRANSDIMENSIONAL GATE: OFFLINE’ scrawled through screens of every government and military command center that day, and the words summoned an immensely heavy atmosphere of silence, shock, and horror everywhere they were seen, to the point that they might be even Silent Weapons themselves. But no one was as heart-wrenchingly devastated as Autarch Ayzen and Autarch Huang. With them gone, who would lead RANGSI in the homeverse? What will become of it? Will it collapse and die, joining the endless sea of headless empires and regimes in human history? But above all, does this mean they will never see home again?
This day, whether RANGSI knew it or not, has become a historical pivot. What comes next will be uncertain. But what is certain is this: the good days are all over. It is only down to the bottom from here on.
▒▓▓░░▓▒▒░░KING NEWS: URGENT ▓▓▒░░▓▒░░
–ONFIRMED SUPER WEAPON USE EN MASS ▓▓▓▒▓▓▒░░▓▒▒░░ CROSS GALAXY.
ALL LISTENERS ARE TO ▓▓▓▓▒░░▓▒▒░░▓▓▓▒░▓▒▒░░▓▓▓▒▒░░
VERONIS NOT SAFE.
2 CONFIRMED SYSTEMS DESTROY▓▒▒░░
▓▓▒░░▓▒ SAVE US ALL
Aris'Barrak: Echotian Empire Space
The past months had been chaotic.
And today had only stoked that fire brighter.
The system of Vini’vion had been struck by a wormhole-superweapon, and it’s star had turned against the system’s inhabitants. Seas were boiled. Ships were melted. Nearly no-one survived the ordeal; and finding out who had perpetrated the event was nigh-impossible: all they could figure out is a general direction as to where the wormhole had originated. That direction led to the bottom quarter of the galaxy.
So, with heads broiling in anger and blind rage, Kel’thul decided to strike out randomly at a SAGA nation with-which was not prepared to defend from an assault by Kel’thul’s own class-one superweapon. Deliberation-- or more, argumentation-- eventually landed by the relatively nearby Echotians. Mainstream Saga, general direction of the assault on Vini’vion, warlike. A perfect scapegoat, and a perfect target. It didn’t really matter anyways, as the Grand Empire of Kel’thul was falling as it acted, and the galaxy was broiling in it’s own searing flames.
At 13:32, Kel’thulian standard time, a Meridian portal opened in the system of Eba’ael. Ten minutes later, the Key was in place. Twenty minutes, it fired. A golden beam of pure ancerium shot through the deepest depths of the meridian- racing towards Echotian space. When it finally struck nearby it’s target planet a few hours later, the beam tore a hole through the meridian, and the skies of Ashex were blinded by gold.
When the Echotians thought it was about to hit the planet- it stopped. The skies cracked, and a portal nearly the size of the planet itself tore through reality, opening up a gaping maw as deep into the meridian as the beam had left from. At first, the atmosphere began to peel away. Then loose things on the surface as the cracks grew larger. And larger. And at the height of it’s size-- the full diameter of the planet- it began tearing away chunks of crust and mantle. Hours passed, and the portal withered away, leaving a barren crescent of rock and cooling magma.
Ashex was gone. Billions were dead. All in the name of blind, hateful vengeance against an innocent target.
Long live Cona.
Long live the Empire.
Parthenon System: Atlantean Warlord Space
Atlantis had been a major power in the 2nd Ancerious war.
And yet after the conflict they had been left as a fractured leaderless band of warlords. But all that changed after the new Emperor came to power, they would prove their power and they would put down these upstart natives that now sought to defang and cripple the colonial power. The League of Illektiera, long raided by Atlantis had aided the CONA cause, and been aided in turn by CONA powers who had defended the Ainar system. Chief amongst them had been the Clanholds, their power in the ICA and the damage inflicted upon Atlantis by their forces had left a bitter taste in the battle of Ainar.
They would not be stupid, striking major CONA powers openly was a death sentence, Ainar had proven that even ‘small’ operations would illicit powerful responses. And so the Emperor Romalan was forced to turn to a different approach. Their alliance with Leistunganos was not the only avenue Atlantis had to operate stealthily, although it was very potent. No, instead Romalan would turn to an old weapon, purchased by one of the petty warlords in the days post 2AW for their own ambition. It had now been surrendered to the hands of Emperor in the reunification and its specialty would come in perfectly.
Deep within the Parthenon system, wholly unremarkable apart from some small shipyards, the sleek and dark form of a once known weapon slipped its moorings and disappeared out into the void with a new mission. It had once been wielded by Triarch, one of a trio of strategic stealth vessels built to carry out deadly attacks on key targets. While the two sister ships had been bought by Corona in Yamanakakos mass sell off of Triarch assets during the Liquidation, the last remaining vessel had been purchased by an Atlantean. The name Grey Phantom had struck fear into the hearts of the AGA, and while the Phantom and its sister the White Wraith had been consumed by the Third Republics war machine its other sister, Black Ghost had survived.
It now had its destination, the Zetyan system of DNFS-Z-CMS10049591, known galaxy wide as ‘Nuggy Land’. This time it would fulfill the very role it was designed for.
Slipping into the system stealthily Black Ghost, piloted by Atlantean crews along with Leistunganos assistants took stock of the treasure trove of targets before them. The system was practically crawling with ships, stations, massive amalgamations of starbases and heavily populated and industrialized planets and moons. The place was one of the Clanholds most economically and industrial hubs, if not the most. And Atlantis was going to make this strike count.
Slowly, carefully, Black Ghost launched its munitions, all 40 huge and stealthily equipped torpedoes slid without engine burn from its tubes. They floated, directed carefully by small RCS puffs as the main ship slid away from the launch location. When the missiles were somewhat spread out, they lit their drives only in a few minute burns and always tried to keep the drive plumes as angled away from watchful eyes as possible. The stealth wasnt to last of course, no coating ever truly works perfectly and as soon as things began clearly taking notice of the missiles they instead lit their drives to maximum and began aggressive blanket sensor and optical jamming. Speeding towards their targets four missiles were intercepted en route, Zettish ships performing death defying agility to shoot down the targets. Still two more were shot down by defensive installations, while another was destroyed by a ramming intercept by some heroic civilian liner.
Gone were the nanomolecular payloads of Triarch, instead now equipped with carefully contained and acquired neutronium warheads. Some missiles targeted the gigantic floating factories that were almost the size of moon segments while others targeted the inhabited worlds. Bright flashes signified mission accomplished to the crew of Atlantis although three more missiles would be shot down by planetary defence grids. More than enough had gotten through.
Radiation and fire consumed the Clanholds worlds and orbital lanes, countless lives lost in a matter of moments as the detonations devastated the system. Much had survived given to the sheer number and decentralization, but the sites that had been targeted were both critical and economically built up. Atlantis had no care to strike military targets, just like their government had been gutted from under them so too would they gut the Zetyan economic and industrial power.
With a quick FTL, Black Ghost left the system, the net awash with frantic activity to learn the true amount of destruction inflicted.
URGENT RECALL FOR ALL COMPANY STAFF:
This is an immediate recall effective upon receipt to all staff across Triarch Inc. Confirmed use of multiple super weapons across the galaxy on key infrastructure has been observed with likely trillions of casualties. This is still escalating. All staff are to report to Vulkan ASAP where you will be safe until the exchange has concluded.
DO NOT WAIT TO LEAVE.
DO NOT BRING UNNECESSARY ITEMS.
DO NOT USE EXPRESS CIVILIAN SERVICES.
DO NOT INFORM OTHERS TO COME TO VULKAN.
This message has been delivered using specially hired Ancnet Bandwidth. It will be repeated every 5 standard hours. Do not wait to leave.
Together we can weather this storm.
Murallo Alto System: Canton Space
Murallo Alto was busier than ever. Itself unremarkable, it was the most trailward of the Canton's territories and so a key gateway for vessels traveling from the Pordish Dominion, one of Canton's oldest and largest allies. Although the Pords had turned inwards on themselves as much as they could, actively avoiding the wars and political struggles that wracked the galaxy, they were still an industrious people and so the vast warehouses and dockyards of Murallo Alto bustled with activity. Fine Pordish clothing, foodstuffs and weapons flowed one way, whilst ores, technological goods and shofu syrup flowed back, amongst the myriad other trade goods.
It was into this riot that the system defenses barked their warning. An incoming volley of projectiles was hammering into the FTLi ring. A vast explosion rippled across the protective shell, not yet visible to those on the planet, but the alarms were almost instant. A huge swathe of the defensive ring had been utterly destroyed in some kind of colossal antimatter explosion, and that same cacophony of energy was spreading outwards from it. A Starfleet frigate stationed in its path sent out a plaintive warning before its systems failed and it disintegrated. The readout was clear - even dissipated by space, the blast was going to wreak untold havoc on the planet and would reach it in a matter of minutes.
From the planetary administration, a general evacuation order went out, but with such a short timeframe millions were doomed to their deaths. Despite the high ratio of vessels to population, it simply wasn't enough time to get larger vessels fired up and exit orbit - only those already prepping for launch, or smaller personal craft, had even a chance of fleeing. A tiny few, the luckiest and wealthiest, had THERR transporters to their craft above. In orbit the sprawling space docks and shipyards were emptying as ships of every size, stripe and flag scattered to the winds in the face of this howling doom.
The blastwave hit, sweeping the half-abandoned orbital structures away like ash before flaying the atmosphere from the planet. The small Starfleet defensive force rallied on the far side of the sun, warding the survivors against an attack that would never materialize. No enemy craft had entered the system, and now a dazed string of the lucky few limped spinwards, leaping through the now-disabled FTLi ring to safety. In less than an hour, billions of credits and millions of souls had been atomised, leaving the trailward border of Cantonese space a graveyard.
Orillia had enacted their statement.
Reports of the exchange were overloading the Ancnet, and Orillia had bided their time. Having defended from the strike from Sarabhai they had their own super weapon, Prerusovac Reťaze or ‘Chain Breaker’ in reserve. The Free State loudly proclaimed their power of Istralan, their fleets and their people, but in the backwater Intar System they had constructed their own weapon of mass destruction, hiding it until the colonials struck first. Struck they had.
Sarabhai’s weapon had been destroyed, leaving Orillia with two choices. The Union as a major statement to the galaxy, or to Canton for the same reason. In the end Yrillix chose Canton, they had been the ones to destroy Sarnath, to wipe out Marchand. They had been the ones to end the ceasefire, to unleash a Crucible on the natives of the galaxy, and with Orillia as the leader of the CONA cause it was only right they made them pay.
As Murallo Alto burned Orillia made their statement to the whole galaxy.
Deep Space: Minevan Nomad Fleet
So much suffering.
Millions had been absented in the destruction of Alpha Ceti by the Army of the Panopticon. Tens of thousands more when the Hrast Tvardva Strixx battery had targeted one of their nomadic live fleets.
Minerva had been sorely wounded, and they would not go lying down. Just like they had done to Capitol, they would strike a blow so profound it would send their enemies reeling. They would act like the Laptev brethren had done, and they would replicate their nuclear strike on Celefra itself during 2AW. Admirals and leaders alike unanimously agreed. Minerva had to strike back. But they would not target Hrast, it was a waste. The damage was already done, no they would do as they always had and strike the heart of the beast that had caused all of this.
3AW was Orillias fault, in their eyes it was the only target.
There would be no grand super weapon firing, no public strike back.
A single stealth vessel slipped away from one of the Minervan fleets, its crew chosen from their most iron tempered White Hands. Within, they carried something that the Unitary state did not normally deploy, a psionically charge gravity bomb. One of such size as to crush a planet, or if they played their cards right, cripple a megastructure.
Istralan was on high alert as the Meridian cutter slid into the system, coming out of the empty realm as close as it possibly could behind the cover of one of the systems hollowed out and long mined away planets. There it would wait, while the galaxy waged its immense war the crew would wait in silence. Minerva was always the knife ready to plunge into a threats back, and this time would be no different. It did not take long to identify and board an Orillian automated cargo hauler, its huge size easily obscuring the cutter from sensor view. It was boarded, the automated systems swiftly overridden and the bomb planted.
No grand hurrah, no statement of victory.
Just a well placed knife.
The White Hand forces withdrew from the system as swiftly and silently as they had come, the dampening systems on the bomb concealing it from hunter killer stations that guarded Istralan itself, scanning every hint of cargo for a threat.
As it made it through the multiple cordons it was merely a matter of time.
The Meridian Cutter watched as the detonation ripped a whole segment of Istralan apart, collapsing millions of kilometers of shipyards, resource storage and habitation and causing massive solar ejections that vapourised those surrounding segments that survived and countless ships nearby.
Orillia had been struck, and while they had weathered Sarabhai's Crucible strike, they had certainly not weathered this.
Archangel System: Noviy Space
They were a threat.
A rising CONA power, one more among many in the galactic south. Striking first was always a risky business, but as the news of the unfolding devastation reached the ears of the Centauri Federation they knew they had a chance to act. Engaging the Zetyans would ensure they would be drawn directly into conflict within the Invilis, the same could be said for the Isoterrans, The Kel’Thul and countless other established CONA powers. No they had to be smart, and targeting an up and coming CONA power who could not directly defend themselves was the choice.
Noviy. A small force but a major player, now seemingly directing the efforts of the Unmar and driving a whole sector towards clear CONA domination. It couldn't be allowed. It had to be curbed.
Fleets were put on high alert for counter strikes, but the weapon itself, Lance of Ishtar, was ready. A new generation of strategic weapons the Lance was the size of a cruiser, with an antimatter warhead capable of annihilating most of a solar system. It would be loosed like an arrow, and as it ignited its own Antimatter drives and FTL systems the Lance of Ishtar was pointed right at one of Noviys new critical systems.
It would be an expansion they never completed.
–
“Big day today, yes?”
“Indeed”
Amiran Jorjadze would straighten his collar, tending to his intricately crafted wardrobe. Every part of his attire just screamed wealth - and of course, not the gaudy, garish excess where the goal is to show off as much dawngold or keralite as one could like an inordinate peacock would wave his hind feathers. This was something far beyond - it spawned from the aggregate accumulation of vast, vast capital, generation after generation of being smiled upon by the League. Beside the old man was his intern, Sebastian. Fresh face straight out of the Avalon League School of Law, he would pass Amiran a pane of glass.
Amiran had been a very fortunate man, even in his age, only his forearms were failing - of course, replaced by beautiful prosthetics, every joint having been measured out and tested by an artisan. The movement of gears was silent, organic, sterile - it matched the exact pace of the natural hand as if only it were mechanical veneer on a healthy organ.
The pane flickered to life as the text was displayed
*We welcome you to the high table, Amiran Jorjadze, to take on the mantle of Supreme Judge of Archangel IV.*
*We look forward to working with you to uphold just law and order in your domain.*
The old man would smile, his lips were thin with age, his wrinkles deepening as he grimaced. It was almost a century of climbing his way up through the monolithic institution that was the League. To his side was a mirror opposite, fresh blood but naive.
“You have so much to learn, Sebastian. How much they taught you in that League school of yours - that was just the formalities. The technically correct, but practically questionable knowledge you’ll need to just get started. The League is bigger than you or me or anybody, it's the best with rules and no rules, do you understand what I mean?”
Sebastian nodded, not understanding what he meant.
The law graduate would look out of the window for a moment.
Where his eye sockets used to be, there was only white fire. Ten million degrees, every fiber of Sebastian's being torn apart like pages of a book ripped out by a careless motion. Azure blazing, an all encompassing force; air forced out of his lungs as if he were thrown into the void. There was no sound as a quadrillion supercharged particles passed through his corporeal form, shredding every DNA strand in every cell. He became liquid. Supercavitation bubbles boiled where his veins and nerves used to be. Sebastian's now fluid body splashes against every surface around him at supersonic speeds, immediately aerosolizing him as the walls of the chamber were torn asunder in a single and titanic motion. His body became gas and debris as Sebastian enmeshed with the shockwave razing the surface of Archangel IV. He was hypersonic, joining in a brief moment the obliteration which consumed him - and then he was plasma. Every molecule cleaved, every atom ionized. Every ounce of matter that made him up, once thrown out of the bowels of a dying star, met its final destination. Sebastian spreads over a thousand miles, nuclei and electrons dispersing as he accelerates. Parts of him, in the form of gamma rays and quarks, escape the gravitational confines of Archangel IV, merging with the void of space.
▒▓▒▒▒▓▓▒▓▒▒▒▓▒▒░▒▓▓▒▒░▒▓▓▒▓▒▒▒▓▒▓▒▒▒
Val-2; Valeria System; Liliana Free Territory
Leonard took a deep breath in as he left the shuttle transport to the southern hemisphere of the frontier planet. The air here was fresh, not as fresh as it could be with the nearby mining pits but who was he to complain? Wasn’t like there’d be smokestacks and pollution everywhere, even if they were not exactly the most developed place in the galaxy they were far beyond that. A faint morning mist covered the ground and hovered over the mining pits where he’d be staying the next couple weeks, overseeing the operation of the machinery there along with his colleagues.
“What do you think Leo?”, Rheinard noted, though Leonard wasn’t quite sure what he was talking about. “About what?”
“You know, the whole business about pit seventeen being shut down? Something about mining accidents and environmental integrity or some gibberish? Sounds like a load of bullshit to me.”, he’d always been a bit of a tattletale but that the pit had been off limits for several months now was true.
“That so?”
“Ye. Some people said they saw a flash of light a couple weeks back, said something about some… I don’t know, psi… psinoics stuff? Probably just the government having found something and blowing it out the ground if you ask me.”, he continued dismissively.
Leonard rolled his eyes internally, whatever it was, he didn’t care, he was here to do work and go home. “Well, less work for us to take care of, isn’t it?”
They both and some of the others surrounding them laughed. “HA! True, true that!”
‘Leo. Leo one day that mining business is going to get you killed, I’m telling you.’, his mother used to say, he usually didn’t listen, they weren’t hacking with pickaxes at stone, they used high-tech equipment and most people never even got near the areas where the actual mining happened. Though, something felt eerie today as he made his trek towards the living quarters, couldn’t quite put his finger on it but…
Nobody else seemed to notice, Rheinard was spreading more gossip, Moira was whistling on the way, Falk looked at his holopad and would probably trip on something again any moment as he usually did…
Leo shook his head, must be his imagination, he came here on and off four times a year for a month to get his workload done and money into the house. The first day at work was always a bit of a let down. They had made a good fifteen minutes, another five till they were at the quarters. The inevitable happened and Falk stumbled over some rock, dropping his holopad in the process and mumbling obscenities in the process of picking it up.
Leo didn’t listen.
It started with a flash of light, coming from the sky, as if the sun was unusually bright today. A low rumble, like distant thunder, like a mountain collapsing but millionfold, he could feel it in his bones.
Leo stopped. “Hey, Leo what’s…”, Rheinard started before he noticed as well, everyone stopped now.
Then it arrived. It was like the sun descended upon them in a horrific display of what could only be described as divine wrath, he was deafened immediately. And he didn’t know where he was as the shockwave had sent him flying before he had even noticed. With several fractured and broken bones he lay there. He saw Moira landing on her head and collapsing like a sack of dead meat which she now probably was. As he tried to raze his confused gaze towards the sky he was almost blinded. The sky was an incandescent orange-ish white, as if someone had set it aflame. His thoughts raced. His head ringed from the impact and he couldn’t gather his thoughts, he saw Rheinard screaming a couple metres from him, holding his eyes and thrashing on the floor. Falk was nowhere to be seen. Slowly he tried to crawl up from his prone position, his brain effectively blank but his instincts screamed at him to run. Not that it would help. In the distance, just beneath the horizon he saw a golden glow erupt from the earth, as if answering to the incandescent wrath above, curiously from the area of pit seventeen, something that did not register with him, like many other things.
He would never find out about the Panopticon base that had been there for quite literally years, for seconds later the golden glow collapsed under the energy of the attack and was vapourized without remnant, thin golden strings escaping into the Liminus outshined by the star descending upon the planet from the skies. The science behind the phenomenon was completely lost on him as the atmosphere and plasma was heated and pressurised so much the atmosphere began igniting itself. The reason and perpetrator behind the attack was completely unknown to him, the ‘cargo ship’ ‘EEV Celestial Fire’ having long left the system and the attack would later be blamed on Barbada for their long maintained feud with the Liliana Free territory.
None of this crossed his mind.
He merely stood and turned around trying to run, only to be promptly disintegrated by the shockwave that followed the impact. His remnants being turned into plasma sharing the fate with a large section of the rest of the planet as fire hotter than the systems star rolled over the planet, little of which was left behind besides debris and an expanding cloud of plasma that had been ignited to fusion and then promptly collapsed some time later, leaving behind effectively nothing but a gravitic disturbance in the orbits of the system's planets.
Never would he know the destruction of everything he ever knew would merely be a footnote in the history books of the galaxy. For whilst this was not a fire ignited by the throes of the third Ancerious war, the fires of it burned nonetheless.
Once more, the galaxy was aflame.
Blissfully unaware of the catastrophes occuring in Borealia, the main galaxy continued to turn.
Trillions were dying at the hands of the Army of the Panopticon, history was being written and travesties uncounted were occurring, but for all the terror and death and hate, Borealia was cut off.
In more peaceful times, in a hopeful universe, the very acts perpetrated in Borealia and the impending threat would be enough. Enough to rally the galaxy to put aside its differences and fight together against the gatekeepers of the nascent afterlife, to fight against the soulless machines that now encroached from the galactic void.
But this was not a peaceful or hopeful time. War swept across Ancerious, a war made only more intense by the actions at Marchand.
While the ceasefire had helped keep the violence contained (albeit not stopped) the flames of war were not prevented. They kept catching, in the Invilis as BULO fought the RF, in Veronis as the National Mandate fought NCR, in the Volarian as Atlantis tried to expand and in the Unmar as the Second Dawn relentlessly moved forward. In countless places the war raged on, but with Marchand it would not just continue to spread, it would explode.
As the Crucible constructed by the Canton & Imaginarium wiped the Sarnath system clean, a ripple spread across Ancerious. Being watched on screens and holo vids the length and breadth, it was a sign, a sign the colonials simply did not care. But it was also a sign of escalation, all across the galaxy superweapons were readied and quiet alerts went out across government agencies to not panic the public. On some worlds it was not enough, panic gripped streets as the civilians rioted and heralded the end times.
Hours passed into days, the blackout in Borealia and the flashbang on Lost Star occurred and still the nations kept the fingers on the trigger. Some even dared hope that they would step back from the brink. But that hope would be very quickly dashed.
Seeing no outward CONA retaliation for Marchand, gave a false impression of advantage, and that was an advantage that President Chandra Sehkar was eager to grab by the throat. Sarahbai had been the one to form SAGA in the bleakest times and would take another step forward for the colonial cause. They would help end this war in a single strike.
They would hit Istralan and cripple Orillia utterly.
Within the Vakranabad System the Agni, Sarahbais own Crucible weapon floated silently in the void. It had been constructed using Capitols schematics and had originally intended to strike the Ramans and end their participation in the war. However given Orillias major support of the Ramans and being the spearhead of CONA, to destroy Istralan would be to permanently cripple them and by extension their puppets. Systems were brought online and triple checked as power flowed throughout the weapon. Of course being quite heavily built off Capitols schematics it needed an exterior powersource, the system's star. Escorting vessels and dedicated work ships prepped for firing as a huge canister of antimatter was shot into Vakranabads star, detonating deep within the photosphere the blast caused massive solar upheaval and a megaflare to occur. The energy released was enough to destroy some of the more expendable vessels nearby but the Agni captured it, funneling the power through dedicated arrays (some of which burnt out) and into the firing unit.
Generating a wormhole the Agni fired, the beam of pure white iridescent energy plunging deep into the wormhole heading for Istralan.
It would be the first of an exchange the likes the galaxy had never seen.
URGENT! ATTENTION BREAKING NEWS
We have just received unconfirmed reports of a Crucible strike on the Orillian capital system of Celebransk directed at the Istralan megastructure.
Damage as of yet is unknown.
We will bring you urgent updates as information comes in.
Please standby.
Celebransk: Orillian Free State
Celebransk and the Istralan was ablaze with activity.
The system was a hive even out of wartime, and with the renewal of hostilities Istralan was in overdrive. Waves of ships left the docking yards across the Dyson sphere, each ship being automatically assigned to new squadrons with which to deploy for the war effort.
Of course Istralan was heavily interdicted, it was a key location, and in such a war Orillia was not eager to have a bold SAGA strike force enact a coup-de-grace upon their greatest source of military production. As such when the wormhole manifested it did so several AU away from Istralan, picked up immediately on sensors the whole system went to maximum alert.
When the blindingly bright beam excited at lightspeed, the Orillians knew what was happening. They only had 24 minutes to respond, otherwise the beam would punch through the Dyson sphere's shell and bore into the star, causing it to go supernova and wipe out the entire capital system in one blow. It would genocide of Orillians on a scale not seen since the Immortal Empire Invasion of 1AW.
Already ships and evacuations were underway but it would be a fraction of those present. Orillia had seen this day coming, it was only a matter of time before the Colonials used their horrendous terror weapon against them, who had fired it did not matter, only that they did.
Detaching from Istralan came an enormous skeletal ring structure, engines studded its form as it hard burned towards where the beam was coming from. Escorted by numerous warships and attendant craft the ring was easily 80km across, spindly and almost hilariously fragile with little in the way of defense or protection.
It took 12 minutes for it to reach position, directly in front of the beam that was now itself minutes from impact of the Ring. With a large discharge of capacitors and Ancerium fuel however, the ring structure opened a wormhole even as Istralans interdiction was lowered, something utterly unheard of.
Within a blink of a moment the wormhole formed, but not the only one. Another ring apparatus had been launched on the other side of Istralan, forming its own linked wormhole to the first. Interdiction was raised again as the minutes counted down to impact, it would be a test, a test of something the Orillians had built ever since the release of the Crucible plans.
The timer hit zero, and the incandescent beam impacted the wormhole in the Ring, blazing through and appearing out of the other, passing harmesslessly into space. Istralan sat comfortably in between, the beam bypassing it thanks to the wormhole. It was maintained for approximately 2 minutes, before the beam dissipated.
Istralan was saved, the anti-crucible measures had been a success.
Word of the strike was already being broadcast.
And retaliation was already underway.
---CONFIRMED SUPERWEAPON USE--- MULTIP- SYSTEMS-- CASULTIES --- MORE INFORMATIO-- LIST OF LIKELY TARGE--- GALAXY HELP U—
+OFFICIAL NATIONAL EMERGENCY WARNING FOR ALL CITIZENS+
U7xyEuZGPZt2dioDt8PHnsYnobuPFkdhAj6fOB50g0n7tb0lsgw6R8WwxNdaubAcZBAQccCqK2nAVk1LJWizOF7TX8GnD2WSXpFvAV5UqtmDlXYYKwKlOiDb91yAb7M9EsdX4baIkpncSHPsUa3pfSvHD0Iv1qCJexEfJZZNhZKcg1lqcQpM4xDwDTQfgTPo0R98B3t35rPUk70QUFSWSzf8eAezyKnHAgICHSJKmOLIZUKdGqOilqdwTy9dehTiX1Y2dRWoEDAWyP5EZ58ccgO7gPkVs41Q977z27z2av7yKjpJqLashL3V07slqYPbkS4VYQRRjFs5GZaG6NuoR8xpvFDc9GU1f6QZsNYhHVjQlNkX4yZdqv7LNFzfGarKUtmekz39rhxIPRrP
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฿ⱤØ₮ⱧɆⱤ₴ ₳₦Đ ₴ł₴₮ɆⱤ₴!
Ø₦₵Ɇ ₥ØⱤɆ ₮ⱧɆ ₵ØⱠØ₦ł₳Ⱡ₴ Ⱨ₳VɆ ₴ⱧØ₩₦ ₮ⱧɆłⱤ ₮ⱤɄɆ ₵ØⱠØɄⱤ₴! ++--
ewr88++++₣łⱤ₴₮ ₮ⱧɆɎ ĐɆ₴₮ⱤØɎ ₴₳Ɽ₦₳₮Ⱨ! Ɇ₦Đł₦₲ ₵ØɄ₦₮ⱠɆ₴₴ ⱠłVɆ₴ ł₦ ₮ⱧɆ ₱ɄⱤ₴Ʉł₮ Ø₣ ₮ⱧɆłⱤ Ø₱₱ⱤɆ₴₴łØ₦ Ø₣ ₮ⱧɆ ₦₳₮łVɆ₴, ₳₦Đ ₦Ø₩ ₮ⱧɆɎ Ⱨ₳VɆ ₳₮₮Ɇ₥₱₮ɆĐ ₮Ø ₴₮Ɽł₭Ɇ ł₴₮Ɽ₳Ⱡ₳₦ ł₮₴ɆⱠ₣! ----
===----Ⱨ₳Đ ₮ⱧɆ ฿Ɽ₳VɆ ₳₦Đ ł₦ĐɆ₣₳₮ł₲₳฿ⱠɆ ₳Ɽ₥ɆĐ ₣ØⱤ₵Ɇ₴ Ø₣ ØɄⱤ ₦₳₮łØ₦ ₦Ø₮ ł₦₮ɆⱤ₵ɆĐɆĐ ₩ł₮Ⱨ ₮ⱧɆłⱤ ⱤɆVØⱠɄ₮łØ₦₳ⱤɎ ₦Ɇ₩ ĐɆ₣Ɇ₦₴Ɇ ₴Ɏ₴₮Ɇ₥ ł₴₮Ɽ₳Ⱡ₳₦ ₳₦Đ ฿łⱠⱠłØ₦₴ Ø₣ ØⱤłⱠⱠł₳₦₴ ₩ØɄⱠĐ ₦Ø₩ ฿Ɇ ₦ØɄ₲Ⱨ₮ ฿Ʉ₮ ₳₮Ø₥₴. ₮ⱧɆ ₩Ɇ₳₱Ø₦ Ʉ₴ɆĐ ₩₳₴ ₳₲₳ł₦ ₳₦Ø₮ⱧɆⱤ ₵ⱤɄ₵ł฿ⱠɆ, ĐɆⱤłVɆĐ ₣ⱤØ₥ ₮ⱧɆ ⱧØⱤⱤł₣ł₵ ₵₳₱ł₮ØⱠł₮Ɇ ĐɆ₴ł₲₦₴ ฿Ʉ₮ ₮Ⱨł₴ ₮ł₥Ɇ ฿ɄłⱠ₮ ₳₦Đ ₣łⱤɆĐ ฿Ɏ ₮ⱧɆ ⱤɆ₱Ʉ฿Ⱡł₵ Ø₣ ₴₳Ɽ₳฿Ⱨ₳ł ₣ØɄ₦ĐɆⱤ Ø₣ ₴₳₲₳! --++++++++
ł₣ ₮ⱧɆ ₣ØɄ₦ĐɆⱤ Ø₣ ₴₳₲₳ ł₴ ₩łⱠⱠł₦₲ ₮Ø ĐłⱤɆ₵₮ⱠɎ Ʉ₴Ɇ ₴Ʉ₵Ⱨ ₳ ₩Ɇ₳₱Ø₦ ₳ⱠØ₦₲₴łĐɆ ₮ⱧɆ ₵₳₦₮Ø₦ ł₦ ₳ ₣łⱤ₴₮ ₴₮Ɽł₭Ɇ ₳₮₮₳₵₭ ₳₲₳ł₦₴₮ ₮ⱧɆ ₥Ø₴₮ ₱Ø₱ɄⱠ₳₮ɆĐ ₴Ɏ₴₮Ɇ₥ Ø₣ ₮ⱧɆłⱤ ₣ØɆ₴ ₮ⱧɆ₦ ₩Ⱨ₳₮ ĐØɆ₴ ₮Ⱨ₳₮ ₴₳Ɏ ₳฿ØɄ₮ ₴₳₲₳ ₳₴ ₳₦ ØⱤ₲₳₦łⱫ₳₮łØ₦? -------
-----------₮ⱧɆɎ ĐØ ₦Ø₮ ₵₳ⱤɆ.
₮ⱧɆɎ ₩łⱠⱠ ĐØ ₳₦Ɏ₮Ⱨł₦₲ ₮Ø Ɇ₦₴ɄⱤɆ ₮ⱧɆłⱤ ₴Ʉ₱ⱤɆ₥₳₵Ɏ, ₦Ø ₥₳₮₮ɆⱤ ⱧØ₩ ₥₳₦Ɏ ĐłɆ.
₩Ɇ ₴₮Ø₱₱ɆĐ ₮ⱧɆ ₳₮₮₳₵₭ ₮Ⱨł₴ Đ₳Ɏ, ฿Ʉ₮ ₩Ⱨ₳₮ Ø₣ ₮Ø₥ØⱤⱤØ₩? +++99///
231349++₮ⱧɆ ØⱤłⱠⱠł₳₦ ₣ⱤɆɆ ₴₮₳₮Ɇ ₵₳ⱠⱠ₴ ₮Ø ɎØɄ ₦Ø₩ ฿ⱤØ₮ⱧɆⱤ₴ ₳₦Đ ₴ł₴₮ɆⱤ₴, Ʉ₦₴Ⱨ₳₵₭ⱠɆ ɎØɄⱤ₴ɆⱠVɆ₴.
₮ⱧɆ ₵ØⱠØ₦ł₳Ⱡ₴ Ⱨ₳VɆ ₮ⱧⱤØ₩₦ ₳₩₳Ɏ ₳₦Ɏ ₱ⱤɆ₮ɆӾ₮ Ø₣ ₥ØⱤ₳Ⱡł₮Ɏ ØⱤ ⱤɄⱠɆ₴ Ø₣ ₩₳Ɽ, ₳₦Đ ₴Ɇ₮ ₳ ₦Ɇ₩ ₱ⱤɆ₵ɆĐɆ₦₮ ł₦ Ɇ₴₵₳Ⱡ₳₮łØ₦.
₩Ɇ ₴Ⱨ₳ⱠⱠ ⱤɆ₴₱Ø₦Đ ł₦ ₭ł₦Đ, ₣ØⱤ Ø₦Ɇ ₴ł₥₱ⱠɆ ⱤɆ₳₴Ø₦. ₴ɄⱤVłV₳Ⱡ.
₣ł₲Ⱨ₮ ฿ⱤØ₮ⱧɆⱤ₴ ₳₦Đ ₴ł₴₮ɆⱤ₴ Ø₣ ₳₦₵ɆⱤłØɄ₴, ⱠɆ₮ Ʉ₴ ₴₵ØɄⱤ ₮ⱧɆ ₵ØⱠØ₦ł₳Ⱡ ł₦V₳ĐɆⱤ₴ ₣ⱤØ₥ ɆVɆⱤɎ ł₦₵Ⱨ Ø₣ ₮Ⱨł₴ ⱤɆ₳Ⱡ₥.
₣ØⱤ ₮ⱧɆ ₦₳₮łVɆ ₱ɆØ₱ⱠɆ₴ Ø₣ ₮ⱧɆ ₲₳Ⱡ₳ӾɎ!
Šalovci system: Hrast Tvardva
Neutrality is an interesting subject. To try to straddle the line of clear divide and stay out, or even support one or both sides without getting involved. It was hard, and for organizations such as the Krizpakt, it was even harder.
They were the developed natives, resented by some, idolized by others, having become the powerhouses of the golden cross since the days of the colonials arrival. They had never gotten involved in conflict, apart from the Boreal Jihad to which they lent their military and economic might in the darkest days. Still the lead up to the 3rd Ancerious war was a winding slippery slope that the Krizpakt had to navigate in the most careful and perilous way possible, they indeed were natives but they had been supported by and still worked closely with colonials.
They had for the most part sought the middle path, aiding Orillia to placate the CONA voices while also keeping trade with the colonials to placate the SAGA voices. While they did have closer ties to the natives the Krizpakt and their aligned nations were always politically aware, never overstepping or poorly acting as to give too much to each side. It worked too, with the organization profiting well from the economic collapse and Coronas downfall.
But that had all changed when the Canton had destroyed Sarnath, in one fell swoop the colonials had demonstrated an utter callous disregard for native lives. It had shocked the Krizpakt to their very core, and empowered the CONA hardliners within to gather massive support. Within the week political situations changed, snap elections, coups and policy changes occurred, pulling away from the neutral moderate stance of both sides firmly into the camp supporting Orillia and the CONA hardliners. Almost at once had the most developed and well known natives of the galaxy turned to the CONA cause, and in the process led many others with them.
With the sudden Crucible strike now on Istralan, the Krizpakts change of heart was entirely vindicated.
The Colonials were an existential threat.
The first to try and remedy that, in retaliation, was Hrast Tvardva.
Located in the Šalovci System sat the well known but little used Streljake-THT. A battery of three Strixx Guns, Capitol derived superweapons designed to fire FTL projectiles capable of wiping out planets or clusters of starships. It had been built very shortly after 2AW had ended, using schematics purchased from a dying Capitol, the funds exchanged no doubt disappearing into the private bank accounts of all kinds of scientific and military personnel. Still it had only ever been used once in anger, the three guns located at the lagrange points of the system's largest world, had fired on the swarm fleet of Palm Mirdiff as it raced towards Borealia. It had inflicted heavy damage, used after the Krizpakts own elite forces had been massacred.
Now it will fire again.
Targets were inputted as the Hrast government gave the official firing codes, each gun targeting a different destination. Charging their huge superconductive rails and the shells' own FTL drives the guns aligned with their targets before being given the final acknowledgement. Silently each fired their projectile, quickly disappearing into their warp fields as they raced towards their final destinations.
The first target was obvious. The bright flare around the Vakranabad star came just as interception warnings blared across Sarahbai, interdiction raised too late to give much time, with none of the warships positioned cleanly to stop the shot. In a soundless detonation, the Sarabhai crucible which had fired on Orillia was destroyed, its wreckage scattering and falling into the star. Sarahbai would no longer strike others on a strategic scale.
The other two targets were less obvious. Rather than targeting known strategic weapons the shots were designed to be more operational. The first was detected in Union held ICS space, the projectile was rapidly identified in the Hope system, the target clear. The Unions 63rd Fleet, posted to Hope and part of a reaction force tasked with engaging both Orillia and CONA elements in the region. The 63rd was not positioned to intercept the shell, the detonation wiping out much of the Unions fleet and leaving only small survivors behind along with the devastation of orbital stations and docks in orbit. Millions were dead and the Unions North-western forces had been decimated.
The third struck the Minevans, having suffered greatly in the destruction of Alpha-Ceti by the Army of the Panopticon they had quickly joined the Laptev Axis a clear SAGA hardliner organization and one seen as a clear threat by the forces of CONA. Their now nomadic fleets were shadowed by Orbeole stealth craft, and one such craft directed the third Strixx shell into one of the nomadic fleets. The damage was immediate and total, military fleet vessels and civilian life-ships were torn apart equally reducing the Minevan people even further into atrocity and devastation.
Word quickly traveled, the Ancnet now ablaze with reports.
CONA had retaliated, and the superweapon exchange was only just beginning.
I̶n̶ ̸a̷ ̷s̵h̸o̵c̴k̵i̴n̸g̷ ̷a̶n̸d̷ ̵c̶o̴ncerning̸ ̴d̷e̸v̸e̸l̸o̶p̷m̵e̸n̸t̴,̵ ̸r̴e̴ports ̷h̴ave̷ eme̸r̴g̵e̵d̸ ̴r̵e̵g̵a̸r̴d̴ing th̴e̴ ̸p̷oten̵t̷ia̸l ̸d̷e̷p̷l̶o̷y̸m̴ent of̶ ̴a̸d̸v̶a̵n̴ced̵ ̷s̸upe̵r̸w̶ea̶p̸ons in̴ ̶v̵a̴r̸i̶o̸u̷s̴ reg̷i̶o̴n̶s̵ a̴r̷ound t̷h̵e̶ ̸a̴n̸c̶e̵r̶i̵o̵u̷s g̸a̸l̸a̵x̶y̴. Thes̵e̵ rep̴o̶r̷t̷s̸ ̸h̶a̷v̸e ra̷i̶s̶ed ala̵r̶m̵ ̸b̸el̶l̶s̸ a̵m̴o̵n̸g̷ ̴g̶ove̵rnment̸s̴,̸ ̵m̶il̸i̷t̴ar̷y ̶o̶f̷f̶i̸c̴i̸als, an̶d̸ ̷i̵n̶t̴e̷rna̷t̴i̷o̴na̵l̴ ̴or̵g̴anizatio̴n̷s̷.̸
̵
̶s̶e̶v̴era̶l̴ ̷k̸e̶y̷ ̷points̴ ̸of ̵c̵o̵n̶c̶e̵r̵n̷ ̷t̶h̴at̵ ̴h̵a̸ve sur̵f̴a̶ced:
✋︎̶■︎̶ ̸♋︎̷ ̷⬧︎̵♒︎̸□︎̵♍︎̴🙵̵♓︎̴■︎ ■ □■❒︎■■♑︎̸ ̴♎︎̷♏︎̸❖︎̸●□❍♏̸■︎̸⧫︎̴📪︎̵ ❒□❒︎⧫︎⬧︎ ̷❖ ❍❒̴♑︎̵♏︎̵♎︎̸ ̴❒︎̵♏︎̵♑︎̵❒■ ⧫ □︎⧫︎♏︎■︎̵⧫︎♋︎̸●︎ ̸♎︎̷♏︎̷◻︎̷●︎̶□⍓❍■⧫ □♐︎̶ ̴♋︎̸♎︎̸❖︎■♏︎♎︎̵ ̷⬧︎◆❒⬥♋̶□■⬧ ■︎̴ ̶❖︎̵♋︎̴❒︎̸♓︎̶□︎̸◆⬧ ❒□︎̴■︎̶⬧︎̵ ♋︎❒□◆■♎︎ ⧫︎̷♒︎̵♏︎̶ ■❒̶♓︎̵□︎̵◆︎⬧ ♋︎̸●︎⌧⍓ ⬧ ❒♏︎̵◻︎̴□︎̶❒︎̷⧫︎̷⬧︎̸ ̸♒︎̶♋︎̷❖ ❒⬧ ●♋︎̵❒︎̶❍︎̵ ̸♌︎̸♏︎●︎̶●︎̶⬧︎̸ ̴♋︎̵❍□■ □❖︎❒■❍■︎⧫︎̸⬧︎̴📪︎̸ ̵❍︎̶♓︎●︎̸⧫❒⍓ □︎̶♐︎̷♐︎̶♓︎●⬧ ■︎̶♎︎ ■⧫❒■︎♋︎̷⧫︎̴♓︎̷□︎̴■︎♋︎̵●︎̴ ̴□❒■⌘⧫□■︎̷⬧̷📬︎̸
̵
̶⬧︎̶♏︎̶❖︎̴♏︎❒︎♋︎̶●︎̴ 🙵⍓ □■⧫⬧︎̴ ̸□ ♍̵□︎̵■︎̶♍︎̶♏︎̵❒︎̵■ ⧫⧫ ♒︎̵❖ ⬧◆︎❒︎̵♐︎̴♋︎̶🖳
̵ ̷ Unpre̴c̵edented̷ ̸P̶o̵w̴e̸r: T̶h̸e̸s̶e̸ ̸s̷u̷p̵e̶r̷weapon̸s̸ ̴a̷r̷e̷ ru̶more̷d̵ ̷t̵o̷ ̶p̴o̵ssess ̴u̴n̴p̵re̵c̴e̶d̵e̵n̶t̴ed ̸des̷t̶r̵uctive̸ ̴c̷a̸p̷a̴b̷ili̴t̷i̷e̸s̶, ca̸p̵a̵ble of̷ ̵c̴a̶u̶s̶i̸n̶g̴ ̸c̴a̶tas̷t̷r̶oph̸ic dam̶a̵g̴e̴ ̵on̴ ̶a̷ ̷s̷c̶a̷l̷e̷ p̶r̵e̶viously̴ ̵un̶i̶m̵ag̸i̴n̵a̸b̷l̸e̵.̷
̴
̶ ̵ ̶ ̶ ̶Geopoli̷tica̸l̴ ̸T̷en̵s̵i̷o̶n̵s̶:̴ ̷T̵h̵e̸ emerg̶e̵nce of̵ ̴s̴u̴p̴e̷r̸w̷e̸a̵p̷
Rubikon System: Capitol National Mandate Space
Rubikon was a name that was known across the galaxy, it was a story, a moment in history which had shaped the galaxy. The site of the deciding battle of 2AW, of the moment that broke the APP and swung the conflict to the side of the AGA. But it was far more.
Rubikon had been the site of the first diplomatic steps that would lead to the APPs foundation.
It had been the birthplace of the nightmarish Army of the Panopticon.
And it was one of the steadfast ‘Four Capitals’ of the now National Mandate following the breaking of the Empire.
Rubikon had seen empires fall, millions die and had already endured a superweapon strike once. Its people were hardy, well kept now the Mandate focused its resources into Rubikon, Bel Thano, Selene and finally Celefra. Its population enacted the strict Strixxist ideology and lifestyle, their existence analyzed and edited down to the slightest detail to maximize their output, all for an enigmatic yet dark goal that the Prime Integral had decreed. Entire systems in northern Capitol were bled dry just to ensure Rubikon prospered.
Even now it was used as a staging ground, just as it had been in 2AW and even 1AW before. Mandate forces of the Army, Fleet and the famed Standard Bearers were organized, inspected and prepped ready to be sent to the frontlines of the conflict in the New Capitol Republic even as frontline units circled back, bloodied, low on supplies and smaller than before. These units were repaired, given fresh boots to fight and resupplied, RnR was strictly analyzed for each soldier before they were sent back. Even now the cogs of Strixxism would not be stopped for some mere conflict.
But it was the emergence of a wormhole at the edge of the system which caused immediate alarm.
Capitol had built the Crucible, Strixx had even a small part to play in its construction. The Mandate was the inheritor of Strixx and her great mind, along with the very system the Crucible once inhabited. They knew the IRG had leaked the designs, they knew such a threat could be out there. So when a wormhole manifested at the edge of Rubikon showing the same power readings, evacuation alarms rang system wide.
No blazing beam of destruction ushered forth from the wormhole, rather a flash of energy which caused the wormhole to destabilize and collapse.
Stations around the systems edge felt the wave wash over them, all reporting briefly a surge of gamma rays off the charts before they went dark, their systems fried by radiation. The attack was not a Crucible, it was a localized GRB. Something absolutely terrible, it would reduce those within the system not in hardened shelters to irradiated dead men walking, a fate which had ironically already occurred on Rubikon Prime thanks to the detonation of the Unions Plasma Coil missile in close orbit.
The population panicked, stampeding into hardened bunkers and protective shelters. Tens of thousands died in the stampedes as the military did its best to keep control. They had hours before the wave hit Rubikon Prime but it would still be devastating. Orbital docks and fleet anchors dispersed as much as they could, placing themselves as much as they tried behind their planets to give the best protection. Ships FTLed out if possible, taking aboard any civilians possible. The attack would, despite preventative measures and mitigation, be devastating, utterly ruining Rubikon once again and requiring mass rebuilding alongside breaking of the military staging for this offensive. The strike was traced, and the result was clear.
The Imperial Restorationist Government. Of course. Retribution would be swift.
–
“Strike successful Lord General” The statement made the command room whoop and cheer, the clink of fine crystal glasses heralding another round of drinks. Pelio held a glass high.
“To the first blood of the Mandate, may our sword strike true” He was answered with a cheer of toasts.
“And what is the status of the weapon?” The voice belonged to Atlas, recently promoted following the unknown strike on Erde. Despite his new dress uniform and clear hatred for everyone in the room he showed hesitation at the success. He had cautioned against this strike, but there was no stopping arrogance.
“Inoperable, the firing seemed to have overloaded the main relays and burnt out the collectors. Substantial work must be done to restore it to full order before it can fire aga-” The aide was stopped by another of the Generals.
“Unacceptable! See it repaired immediately. I don't care how many lives it takes! Bloody old technology, I knew we shouldn't have used parts from that old Axiom contraption, the uh… The bloody cameraman! What a terrible name! We should have built our own Crucible!” The ineptitude Atlas thought in response. They couldn't build a Crucible, they didn't have the brainpower or the resources, it had been why jury rigging the old Cameraman system once bought during 2AW, had been the only choice. And a bad one at that.
“We will my comrade we will” Pelio grinned “In time we shall, but first we must ensure the damage done will make them reel, send a probing force at once”
Atlas went to protest, the Mandate already had casus belli to strike them, sending forces would practically admit it was them. More war, more setbacks to progress.
He felt an energy sure within his fist.
If only he could make Capitol whole again, not these subhumans.
Oh but you can….
STATT♍︎̴🙵̵E OF EM▒▓▓▒▒ERGENC▓▒Y
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TH▒▒▓▓I▒▒▓▓▒▒▓▓ IS N■︎̶ ̸♋︎̷▒▒▓▓□︎̵TEST♍︎̴🙵̵♓︎̴ ▒▒▓▓ TES▒▒▓▓
▒▓VE TO N░▒▒▓▒░▒EST SPA▒▒❖︎̵♋︎̴❒︎̸♓︎̶▓▓▒▒▓▒▓▓RT AND P▒▓E FOR E░▒▒▓▒❖︎̵♋︎̴❒︎̸♓︎̶❖︎̵♋︎̴❒︎̸♓︎̶❖︎̵♋︎̴❒︎̸♓︎̶❖︎̵❒░▒
O
DO NOT REM░▒▒▓▒░▒OUR HOME░▒▒▓▒░▒
EVAC ̸♋︎̷ IM▒▒▓▒MEDIA▒░▒▓▒Y
̸♋︎̷
GO▒▒▓♋︎̴▒▒▒**▓▒▒▒▓▒VE▒▒▓▒ME▒▒▓▒NT MESSAGE WI▒▒▓▒LL PLA♋︎̴Y* SHO▒▒▓*
THIS M▒▒▓▒░GE WILL RE▒▒▓RE▒░PEAT UNTIL NON▒▒▓▒░❖︎̵♋︎̴A❒︎̸♓︎̶EAR IT
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▒▓░░░▓▓▓▒▒▒ ░▓▒▓▒▒▓▒░▒▓▓▓░▒▒▓▒ ░▓▓▒▒░▒▒----------------░▓▒▒▒▒▓░▒░░▒▒▓▒░ ▒▒▒▒▓▓▒▓▓▓*▒▒▒▓▓▓ ░▒▒▒▒▓░▓▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒ ▓▒▓▒▓▒▒▓▒▒▒▒▓▒▒----------------▒▒▒▒▒▒▒ ▓▒▓▒▓▒▒▓▒▒▒▒▓▒▒ ▒▒▒▒▓▓▒▓▓▓▒▒▒▓▓▓ ░----------------▒▒ ▒▒▒▒▓▒▓▒▒▒▒▓▒▒ ░▒▒▒▒▒▓▒▓▒▓▒▒▒▒▓▒ ▓▒▒▒▒▓▒▓▒▒▒▒▓▒▒ ▒▒▒▒▓▒▓▒▒▒▒▓▒▒ ▒▒▒▒▓▓▒▓▓▓▒▒▒▓▓▓----------------▒▒▒ ▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒----------------▒▓▒▒▒▒▓▒▒ ░▒▒▒▒▒▓
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A SOLE▒▓MN DAWN RIS▓▒▒▒ES ONLY▒▓ ONCE
A SOLEMN ▒▓▒NT MES♋︎̴❒︎̸♓︎̶▓DAWN RISES ONLY ONCE
A SOLE▒▓▒▒♓︎̶N DAWN RISES ONLY ON▒▓▒▒CE*
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Rayuela System: Liangan Oligarchy
The loading of the projectile into the complex armature system was almost complete, the surrounding defensive fleet on high alert should any SAGA nation seek to strike at the as of yet unfired weapon. Constructed in secret deep within their territory the Apsaneous had been the peak of Liangan weapons technology, created to both allow them the protection of deterrence had they revealed it or a first strike capability against strategic enemy worlds. They had chosen to make its grand debut in the latter capacity, with sudden weapon exchanges going off across the galaxy the Oligarchy now saw a chance.
While much of their hatred was directed at the USM, Capitol had been a thorn in their side for countless decades, always skirmishing and raiding their own territories the Liangan now saw their target. The Mandate had joined CONA of course, something they were uneasy and untrusting about, but they would honour agreements and instead chose the IRG as a target. Having just fired themselves at the Mandate, the IRG had left itself wide open while claiming to be in a position of power, the Oligarchy was quite eager to check that power itself.
The projectile in question, gleaming as it was coated in Halostone, was now loaded. The accelerator itself was a series of concentric rings each one to create a powerful gravitic curve to get the shell up to speed before it would then enter the Meridian and travel to its destination. There it would surface and deal a deathblow to a world, the capital of the IRG.
Oligarchy forces had already aided CONA at Aedleshaven, engaged with SAGA forces across the Veronis Cascade and almost subjugated the Tesfan Alliance. This next act would cement them as a major CONA power, one that would rip the heart out of a much hated colonial nation. With almost glee the Oligarchic council gave its command, and space bent and buckled around the Apsaneous, the huge Antimatter reactors that fed the rings annihilating tonnes of the volatile substance to provide the energy necessary for a single shot. Moments later, as gravity warped, distorting the light around it, the shell was fired from the armature, a simple railgun. The projectile, nearly 3km long glinted in the light of the system's star as it was caught by the first ring and accelerated to a fraction of lightspeed. It caught another ring, and another, until its entire viewpoint was distorted into impossibility by relativity itself. Having reached its target speed the projectile activated its Meridian drive, diving into the depths of the empty dimension towards its destination.
—
Kalaras was unprepared for the strike.
It was a bastion of industrial and economic might in the Southern Capitol, but Kalaras had always been secondary to the north, never reaching the same heights as Rubikon or Bel Thano. While seeing a major resurgence under the IRG its people still lived in abject servitude, under the constant watchful gaze of the intelligence agencies akin to the days where Inara had ruled and before.
The whole system was awash with activity, with three habitable planets. Although one was far more populated and built up than the rest, Kalaras Prime.
Within the inner system a disturbance was detected, a Meridian rupture. Giving off minimal signature it would have been glanced over, but the people of Capitol knew the Unions FTL systems well, and suspected it to be some kind of stealth craft. It was clearly not the case when the signature that emerged, while faint, began traveling at close to lightspeed towards Kalaras Prime. System defenses were activated and defense ships attempted to intercept, but it was too fast.
Futile munitions were expended to try and destroy the projectile, but a lucky hit from the planets orbital stations did succeed. The Tachyon Arrow hit home with impossible force, immolating the 3km long projectile as the impact from two relativistic weapons caused a bright flash almost as bright as the star. But it was not enough, the molten half vaporized remains hit the planet half a second later, the bright impact drowning out ship sensors in the orbital lanes and blinding crew.
When the light faded, Kalaras Prime was dead. A molten impact plume of such size that it climbed into space and ejected now liquid mantle and crust away from the planet. The opposite side of the world too had been punched right through, creating an exit impact just as large and devastating. The firestorms traveled around the planet, wiping cities off the surface and immolating everything they touched.
The Capital of the IRG was destroyed, already panic was spreading across the remaining warlords. Nobody knew if Pelio was dead, who had survived and whether the territory was going to be under imminent attack. Calls to recall all ships to IRG space ran rampant, crippling their missions elsewhere. The cost of damage and loss of life was immense, the IRG had been shocked to its very core.
--The sound of air raid sirens wail in the background--
ЭКСТРЕННАЯ ТРАНСЛЯЦИЯ
ЭКСТРЕННАЯ ТРАНСЛЯЦИЯ
ЭКСТРЕННАЯ ТРАНСЛЯЦИЯ
ЭКСТРЕННАЯ ТРАНСЛЯЦИЯ
WE INTERRUPT THIS YOUR REGUL▒▒▓▓▒▒▓▓LY SCHEDULED PR▒░▒GRA▒░▒ING FOR A NATIONAL ALERT
МЫ ПРЕРЫВАЕМ ВАШЕ РЕГУЛЯРНО ЗАПЛАНИРОВАННОЕ ПРОГРАММИРОВАНИЕ ДЛЯ НАЦИОНАЛЬНОГО ПРЕДУПРЕЖДЕНИЯ
AS OF 0930 TERAKROMIS STANDARD TIME a national alert has been issued. Shots have been reported at multiple Armed Forces facilities, and multiple Navy units have fallen out of contact according to the Transit Directorate. The President's office is expected to release a statement at the TOP OF THE HOUR but indications remain confused, scattered reports indicate shots being fired in the Politburo, and we have little information at this time. Войска на улицах ▓▓▒▒▓▒▓▓ capital, and we are reciving reports that multiple comms relays are blacked out, communications delays a- ▒▒▓▓▒▒▓▓
▒▒▓▓▒▓▓▒▒▓▒▓▓▓▓▒▒▓▓▒▒▓▓▒▒▓▓▓▒▒▓▒▓▓▓▓▓▒▒▓▒▓▓
THIS IS AN ALL CHANNELS EMERGENCY ALERT
EMERGENCY MARTIAL LAW IS IN EFFECT
TEMPORARY CURFEW IS IN EFFECT ON ALL PLANETS
OBEY ALL PROPERLY INDENTIFIED RESTEVIAN MILITARY AUTHORITIES
REPORT ALL SIGHTINGS OF NONMILITARY ARMED FORCES
IF DIRECTED PROCEED TO LOCAL DEFENSE SHELТ-ЕР В САНИТАРНОМ ЧЕЛОВЕКЕ-NER PREPARE FOR MULTIPLE DAY ABSENCE
MAINTAIN VIGILANCE
ПОДДЕРЖИВАЙТЕ ДИСЦИПЛИНУ
MAINTAIN UNITY
BROADCAST REPEATS
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...You heard it here first, comrades. We can confirm the presence of troops in the capital, and firing is active outside of our studio. The identities of the combatants are currently unknown. We recommend all citizens watching this broadcast stay close to your families and double check emergency plans for your safety and be ready to move to shelter as the army has directed. We will bring you whatever updates possible, this has been Restevia Herald. Stay strong, comrades. This has been Eli Karilov, signing off.
UX-519 System: Ex-ACR Space
The planet ruptured like an apple being hit with a bullet.
The main military base of the newly reformed Telmore Confederation was utterly destroyed, one of the many lances of Longinus striking true with total devastation. It was only one of many military targets, fired by the reformed Union of Democratic States, previously the ACR.
Despite the massive popularity and status of the ACR in the Avarian Frontier ever since the Shadow Incursion and war against the Dectrose it had been relatively silent, focusing far more on internal matters than acting out across the galactic stage. Despite acting against the High Imperium before its annihilation the ACR grew increasingly unstable after a series of expansions and membership joins which saw native nations become one with the colonial UDS core territories.
While on paper this could be the very image the colonials would use against the hardliners such as Orillia the truth was much darker. One of the new joiners had been for the most part a CONA supporter, and while the ACR had taken a staunchly neutral role in the build up to 3AW the anti colonial sentiment only grew. Not only were calls made to secede from the ACR made by pro CONA nationalists but also from other previously ACR supportive systems, self determination was an attractive prospect as the ACR central congress became ever more bogged down in internal politics. Matters were not addressed and funding ceased flowing to more secessionist systems, adding fuel to the fire. Minor conflicts, protests and even uprisings occurred with a secessionist movement in the congress itself gaining major traction. In the end it had been too much, and formally, the ACR had disbanded. The divisional lines between the UDS colonials and the now heavily CONA leaning natives had become too great, things remained at least cordial as agreements were written up to slowly withdraw from the ACR framework and prevent any major economic or social upheavals, something neither the UDS or secessionists wanted.
But it would be the events that followed on the galactic stage that would sour relations further, only made worse by the UDS dragging their heels in withdrawing and dismantling military forces and bases within the breakaway territories. This caused diplomatic upset, but as time went on it caused outrage and even violent skirmishes between the two sides.
Culminating in a limited, but rather destructive conflict both sides sought to target each other's military forces with CONA nationals conducting indirect sabotage within UDS territory. With its economic situation on the brink of collapse and with the secessionists quickly backed by the likes of Orillia and others the UDS was faced with two prospects. Fighting a war they would likely lose and suffering disastrous societal damage or trying to nip the conflict in the bud. Witnessing the sudden use of superweapons against CONA elements and the relatively light response they chose the latter.
And so the petals of Longinus, the UDS super weapon unfurled, targeting with its many thousands of RKKVs, military outposts, ships and even the Confederations main military base. With a heavy hand, the UDS would pull the trigger, not all of the shots would hit but both the Republic of Marn & the Telmore Confederation would suffer greatly, their main staging planet wiped out and much of their fleets blown away.
The outcome was favorable, but already incursions began into the UDS territory from surviving enemy units reinforced now by the Theistine Republics and Arolic Dynasty.
It seemed their war was coming regardless.
And the UDS had little military capacity or economic wealth to fight it.
ALTARIAN INTERSTELLAR NEWS NETWORK
“Uncovering the truth across the stars”
SPECIAL AINN REPORT FROM ISENERIA: Special interviews with Altarian Self-Defense Force commanders on the war preparations against the Second Dawn.
PRESENTED BY ELYSA NORAWAY
The lead reporter of the AINN found herself in front of one of the largest ground military installations of the ASDF, for hours already, she had been traveling across the base explaining what the current situation with the Second Dawn was. Clarifying doubts about observed mass mobilizations, and, reasurring her audience that no matter how many threats the Second Dawn sent their way, they were going to be safe.
During the second stage of her special report, having moved on from talking about the newest vehicles and weapons systems of the ASDF, Elysa interviewed the officers and generals of the base, who had been specially gathered there to give detailed reports on publicly available information of the ASDF. The commanders answered Elysa's questions, prompting them to talk about just how incredibly safe the ASA was. From the windows behind the offices of the interviewed generals, great views of the enormous cities iconic to the star system of Reysantar were visible, with countless kilostructures spanning dozens of kilometers imposing themselves over the planet's nature. Beacons of strength and Altarian might protected by the many figures Elysa spoke to, now walking around the streets of the nearest city, exposing all its enormousness in construction.
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–“And general, one more question.” –Elysa spoke up again after a brief moment of silence–. “How can we be so sure the Second Dawn won't strike first?”
The general grinned, mocking the mentioned nation with the tone of voice in his response.
-“Our border controls are the best this side of the galaxy. The Altarian Self-Defense Force and Thelia never stop patrolling all points of entry towards the nation. The Second Dawn has nowhere to sneak through, so rest assured Elysa, and to all those watching us back home. We are s-▓▓▒░▒▓▓░▒▓░
▓▓▓▒▓▓▒░░▓▒▒░░▓▒▒▓▓░▒▒▓▒▒▓░▒▓
▓▓ⱧɆ▒░Ø?!▒▓▓
₵₳₦ ₳▒▓Ø₦Ɇ Ⱨ▓▓░ ₥░
Through the glitchy, broken camera feed, and the distorted, loud, and incoherent screams of horror of the Altarians around them, the general and Elysa stand up from the floor, visibly, covered in blood and wounds they didn't have seconds ago. As they look up into the sky, the illusion of safety is broken. Destroyed.
Ɇ₦₲ɄⱠ₣ɆĐ ł₦ ₦Ʉ₵ⱠɆ₳Ɽ ⱧɆⱠⱠ₣łⱤɆ
–“ØⱧ ₦Ø ▓▓ ₦Ø ฿Ɏ ₮Ⱨ▓▒▓₳ ₩Ⱨ₳₮ ł₴ Ⱨ₳▓▒▒▓ł₦₲?!”
–“ɆVɆ▓▓▒₦Ɇ ɆV₳₵Ʉ▒▓Ɇ ł₥▓▒Đł₳▒▓ⱠɎ!”
₳₮₮▓▒▓łØ₦ - ₮Ⱨł₴ ł₴ ₳ ฿ⱤØ₳▓▓₳₴₮ Ø₣ ₮ⱧɆ ₳Ⱡ▒▓Ɽ▓₳₦ ₴ɆⱠ₣-ĐɆ▒▒▓₴Ɇ ₣ØⱤ₵Ɇ - ₦Ʉ₵ⱠɆ₳Ɽ ₳₮▒▒▓₭₴ Ⱨ₳VɆ ฿ɆɆ₦ ĐɆ₮Ɇ₵₮ɆĐ Ø₦ ₳Ⱡ₮▒▓▓▒₦ ₴ØłⱠ - ₱ⱤØ▓▓▓ ₮Ø ₮ⱧɆ ₦Ɇ₳ⱤɆ₴₮ ₦Ʉ₵ⱠɆ₳Ɽ ₴▓▓▒▒ɆⱤ ł₥₥▓▓▒▒▓▒▓▓ ₳₦Đ ₳₩₳ł₮ ₣ɄⱤ▒▓▒▓ ł₦₴₮ⱤɄ₵₮łØ₦₴
–“₮Ⱨł₴ ł₴ ɆⱠ▓▒▓ ▓▓▒▒▓▓▒ ⱤɆ₱▓▒▒▓₦₲ ₣ⱤØ₥ ▓▓▒▒ɆⱤł₳, ₳ ₦Ʉ₵ⱠɆ₳Ɽ ɆӾ▓▒▒▓▒Ø₦ Ⱨ₳₴ ₴▓▒▒₵₭ ₮ⱧɆ ₵ł₮Ɏ Ø₣ łⱤ▒▓₳, ₮ⱧɆ ₲▒▓▒▓▓▓ ł₴ ĐɆ₳Đ... ₱ⱠɆ₳₴Ɇ ₣ØⱠⱠØ₩ ₮ⱧɆ ł₦▓▒▓▒▓▓▓▓▓₴ Ø₣ ₮ⱧɆ ₦Ɇ₳₴ ₳₦Đ ⱤɆ▓▒▓▓▒Ɽ!–”
₩Ɇ ₴₮▓▒Đ, ₳Ⱡ▓₳Ɽł₳ ₴₮▓₦Đ₴
₩Ɇ ₴▓▒▒▓, ₳Ⱡ▓▓Ɽł₳ ₴▓▒▒Đ₴
₩▒ ▓▒▓▓Đ, ₳▓▒▓▓▒▒₳ ₴▓▓▓▒₴
▓▓▓▒▒▓▒▓▓▒▒▓▒▒▓▓▒▒▓▓▒—
Vorsk System: Ramananjagar Space
Conflict was still ongoing in the Emerald Republics even as Sarabhai lit the match that would turn into a raging inferno.
Across the common region ethnic conflicts between Ramans and Sarabhs intensified, Tanakol was once more the site of fierce fighting just as it had been over a decade earlier while Kolbaijep had almost entirely fallen to the Republic of Ramananjagar. Sarabhais use of a Crucible weapon had send shockwaves through Raman command who had long suspected their rivals to have constructed some kind of large weapon, however they had never expected its use against Orillia, one of Ramans staunchest allies.
What Sarabhai didn't know however was that Ramanjagar had also constructed its own strategic weapon, although never intended to be used offensively given the high distribution and decentralized numbers of ethnic Ramans throughout the Common zone and even in Sarahbai space it had been built as a last ditch ace in the hole should the Sarabhs win the Common region and fight through into Ramanjagar proper. Still the sudden shock of the Sarabhs using such a weapon offensively caused instant arguments and debates in high command. Did they risk their own people by targeting a Sarabh stronghold? Or did they attempt to mirror their rivals and target one of SAGAs major members?
Their weapon, known as the ‘Noutsone Hcamsautmhu’ in local Raman language had been constructed almost inside the Vorsk star, a massive bloated red giant whos surface boiled and barely held itself together by gravity. Nestled within titanic boiling canyons of burning helium and bombarded with constant heat and radiation the weapon was designed to be very simple, use giant electromagnetic discharges to induce localized directed CMEs of a scale able to scour whole portions of a system clean. While initially meant to protect the Vorsk system directly it had been retrofitted with a large alcubierre catapult, separate from the structure which would shortly before its own destruction launch a bubble containing the supercharged radiation and particle winds and fire them at a target. It would sterilize whatever it fired at, a retrofit designed to be able to strike Sarabhai itself after the Canton had struck Marchand.
After much debate more news came out of Hrasts strike, of the IRGs, of the UDS. It seemed the war had escalated, and Ramananjagar was eager to answer, it too would join the CONA cause and use its weapon to strike down the colonial menace. Selecting a target just as Sarabhai had, they chose one of the Laptev Axis, the now colonial torchbearers calling for CONAs destruction. The Canton had fired the weapon at Sarnath, but it was also Imaginarium who had helped build it and supported the action. Relatively untouched by CONA strikes so far, the weapon would activate.
Rising from the molten surface of the raging star the power of the short lived EM field tore a column of fire and energy towards the catapult at such a scale as to dwarf even the largest of worlds. Kept well away from the direction of the system's inhabited planet the citizens of Ramanjagar would see the Noutsone as a bright flash in the sky of their worlds. In a matter of moments the catapult fired before being vaporized, enclosing space and sending the lethal radiation towards its target.
TIERZ.
Imaginarium, like the Canton, would pay for its actions against the natives of the galaxy.
Telfash System: Osoriopia Space
Spirits were high. Very high even.
Lavatania was almost on its knees, the operation to crush the nations long term rival had gone swimmingly with the help of additional SAGA assets and the attempts to unseat Orillias power in the region looked to be on the brink of victory.
Osoriopia had long struggled against Lavatania to attract investment, trade agreements and resource procurement ever since the devastation inflicted upon them both by the Voleant during the CORE war. The swarm race had overrun numerous systems belonging to both Lavatania and Osoriopia with the two fighting side by side alongside CORE assets to expunge the invaders and subsequently complete the long years of cleansing the infested planets of Voleant swarms. But despite the relative shared goals and mutual blood spilled together both nations needed much during the post war years. Never quite ideologically aligned Lavatania had quickly gotten caught up in the Pro-Native camp, accepting Orillian influence and the economic benefits that brought through CONA. On the flip side Osoriopia struggled, starved by its neighbor and forcing it to turn to ex CORE states and in time much more colonial avenues. It had been a long road, and while they still lagged economically, Osoriopia had soared militarily. Aided as it was by AGA funding and training during the post 2AW period.
As 3AW had reared its head tensions had run high across both nations, erupting into outright skirmishes as Aedleshaven occurred. But in the end Osoriopia had decided enough was enough, rather than let CONA sweep in and crush them, they would take the initiative and burn out Orillian and CONA influence as well as crush a rival that had sought to choke them from the resources they needed. A sudden and rapid thrust had seen Osoriopia gain much of Lavatanias core territory, with the push only stopped by other CONA aid intervening. Key amongst this aid had been Kel’Thule, whose fleets had repulsed Osoriopian forces and even forced them onto the defensive.
Fearing a potential stalemate and long term campaign which they were ill equipped economically to endure, Osoriopia was forced to look at other potential actions.
Ones that the sudden exchange of super weapons had provided a very clear path forward.
With Lavatania having cut off Osoriopia from much of the galactic economy through trade embargoes, physical blockades and more the nation had to turn to drastic measures to try and circumvent its rival. The main part of this was the Haba, a large wormhole array which allowed projected wormholes to bypass Lavatanian efforts and let out large trading fleets that exited and arrived in waves when the wormhole was fully charged. It had also been instrumental in allowing Osoriopian fleets to bypass enemy defenses quickly enough to sustain a rapid surprise attack. Now however it was being considered for another role entirely. If Osoriopia could strike Kel’Thule and deal enough damage it would force their military fleets to either withdraw or be unable to easily support themselves either way allowing friendly forces to press on and not get bogged down in an attritional battle they cant win.
As so the Haba was brought online, not to facilitate travel like its intention, but as a weapon of mass destruction. Targeting the butchers of Lyne, CONA Hardliners and the obstacles to their victory was simply a win win in the eyes of Osoriopia. The wormhole matrix was brought online, but its projection targets were not deep space, the first was located within the systems own star, the gravitational constants causing strain on both the wormhole and the matrix. The second target was the Vinivion System, within the heart of Kel’Thule.
Awash with activity, the system was one of the major military hubs. Shipyards, logistical storage, military drydocks and training facilities were surrounded by layers of defensive stations and weapons platforms. To strike it directly was beyond the Osoriopian fleets even pre conflict, but they had no intention of fighting so simply. The wormhole exit had to be within an equal gravitational constant and so opened within the inside of Vinivions star. Normally such an act would be quite uneventful, but the differences in the stars and the different pressures caused the much smaller and volatile star in the Telfash system to wash through. Within minutes the Vinivion star was broiling, its surface suddenly alive with activity. CMEs of titanic magnitude were thrown from the photosphere, able to cook ships and stations alike while the more violent ones would strip the surfaces and atmospheres from the planets. Alarm klaxons rang across Vinivion as some Kel’Thule ships withdrew, some stayed to try rescue what they could from the now approaching fiery demise. Civilians huddled at the bottom of oceans, thinking such mass would save them.
But when the fires came, seas turned to boiling clouds of steam and rock was scorched bare. Ships' shields collapsed as stations melted.
In 4 hours Vinivion, one of the jewels in the nations crown, was scorched bare. Billions had died, and Osoriopia had gotten their wish.
Special Media Release: General Cytodyne releases statement regarding events in Altarian Systems Authority, denies Federal Involvement.
Upon the end of the current section of Second Dawn programming, the national anthem would start playing and holographic, traditional, any type of screen would switch to display the flag along with highlighted text saying “Mandatory Viewing” Followed by a highly robotic voice speaking.
“This is a Special Broadcast on order of the General of the Executive Protection Agency, please gather your co-workers, friends and/or family for mandatory viewing. Please ensure your volume is loud enough for everyone in proximity to hear the following broadcast with clarity. The Trilateral Board thanks you for your attention.”
The screen then transitions to a more sobering sight: one Reborn stood at a wooden podium before the citadel. The Flag of the Second Dawn and Laptev flying on two adjacent flag poles behind them. By their sides were two armoured EPA agents standing at attention with Rifles laid against their shoulder. Cytodyne held up a hand in greeting to the camera before lowering it and beginning to speak.
"Citizens of the Second Dawn, I greet you kindly. Approximate-"
𝐄⃥⃒̸𝐑⃥⃒̸𝐑⃥⃒̸𝐎⃥⃒̸𝐑⃥⃒̸ 𝐄⃥⃒̸𝐑⃥⃒̸𝐑⃥⃒̸𝐎⃥⃒̸𝐑⃥⃒̸ 𝐄⃥𝐑𝐑𝐎𝐑 𝐄𝐑𝐑𝐎𝐑 𝐄𝐑𝐑𝐎𝐑 𝐄𝐑𝐑𝐎⃥⃒̸𝐑⃥⃒̸ 𝐄⃥⃒̸𝐑𝐑𝐎𝐑 𝐄𝐑𝐑𝐎𝐑⃒̸ 𝐄⃥⃒̸𝐑⃥⃒̸𝐑𝐎⃒𝐑 𝐄𝐑𝐑𝐎𝐑 𝐄𝐑𝐑𝐎𝐑⃥⃒̸ 𝐄⃥⃒̸𝐑⃥⃒̸𝐑⃥⃒𝐎𝐑------
[20:10]
₩₳Ɽ₦ł₦₲ | ₩₳Ɽ₦ł₦₲ | ⱲȺꞦꞤĪꞤ₲ | ȻꞦĪȾĪȻȺŁ Ƨ⅄Ƨꓕ𝗘⃥𝘔̸ 𝘍̸𝗔⃥𝘐̸𝗟⃥ɄⱤɆ | ₩₳Ɽ₦ł₦₲ | ⱲȺꞦꞤĪꞤ₲ | ⱲȺꞦꞤĪꞤ₲
𝗧⃥𝘩̸𝗶⃥𝘴̸ 𝘪̸𝘀⃥ 𝗻⃥𝘰̸𝘁⃥ 𝗮⃥ 𝗱⃥𝘳̸𝗶⃥𝘭̸𝗹⃥ |⃥ 𝗧⃥𝘩̸𝗶⃥𝘴̸ 𝘪̸𝘀⃥ 𝗻𝘰𝘁⃥ 𝗮⃥ 𝗱⃥𝘳̸𝗶⃥𝘭̸𝗹⃥ |⃥ 𝗧⃥𝘩̸𝗶⃥𝘴̸ 𝘪̸𝘀⃥ 𝗻⃥𝘰̸𝘁⃥ 𝗮⃥ 𝗱⃥𝘳𝗶⃥𝘭𝗹⃥
Ⱥⱦⱦēꞥⱦīꝋꞥ, ⱥłł ȼīⱦīƶēꞥꞩ. Ⱦħīꞩ īꞩ ⱥ ꞥⱥⱦīꝋꞥⱥł ⱥłēɍⱦ ⱥȼⱦīꝟⱥⱦēđ ƀɏ ⱦħē Ⱥᵾⱦꝋꞥꝋᵯꝋᵾꞩ Ꞩɏꞩⱦēᵯ Đēӻēꞥȼē ₲ɍīđ. Ⱦħē Ʉꞥᵯⱥɍ/Ꝑħⱥꞩīȼ Đēⱥđłꝋȼҟ ꞩɏꞩⱦēᵯ ħⱥꞩ ꞩᵾӻӻēɍēđ ⱥ ȼⱥⱦⱥꞩⱦɍꝋꝑħīȼ ȼꝋɍē ᵯⱥłӻᵾꞥȼⱦīꝋꞥ. Ⱦħē Ʉꞥᵯⱥɍ/Ꝑħⱥꞩīȼ Ꞩɏꞩⱦēᵯ Đēӻēꞥȼē ₲ɍīđ ħⱥꞩ ƀēēꞥ ɍēꞥđēɍēđ īꞥꝋꝑēɍⱥƀłē. Ꞧēꝑēⱥⱦ: Ꞩēēҟ ꞩħēłⱦēɍ īᵯᵯēđīⱥⱦēłɏ. Ⱦħē Ʉꞥᵯⱥɍ/Ꝑħⱥꞩīȼ Ꞩɏꞩⱦēᵯ Đēӻēꞥȼē ₲ɍīđ ħⱥꞩ ƀēēꞥ ɍēꞥđēɍēđ īꞥꝋꝑēɍⱥƀłē.
Īꞥꞩⱦɍᵾȼⱦīꝋꞥꞩ ӻɍꝋᵯ ⱦħē Ɇӿēȼᵾⱦīꝟē Ꝑɍꝋⱦēȼⱦīꝋꞥ Ⱥꞡēꞥȼīēꞩ' Ħꝋᵯē ₲ᵾⱥɍđ ⱳīłł ӻꝋłłꝋⱳ ꞩħꝋɍⱦłɏ. Ꞧēᵯⱥīꞥ ȼⱥłᵯ. Ꞩēēҟ ꞩħēłⱦēɍ īᵯᵯēđīⱥⱦēłɏ.
PX2499098000: Zetyan Clanholds Space
In ancient times, PX2499098000 had been a guiding light for the Zettish people, their equivalent of the Polar Star. Ship navigators, relying on it's unique brightness compared to it's kin in the sky, utilized it's unique north-west position in the sky to determine the angle at which their ships needed to go to reach their destination. Astrologers used it as a timekeeper for the realm beyond their erstwhile homeworld, Zentrya, and artists and philosophers pondered their works to it's ghost light and divined their greatest works. One of the most famous, of those that survived the glassing of the homeworld, was Obeat'a Nemo'ne's Al-Kh'atna me' o'othate me', or 'A long song for Kh'atna', a 32 minute two-person piano piece played only on the strings like a violin that was made after Obeat'a spent 48 hours straight doing nothing but studying an old lithograph illustration of the pulsar in the night sky.
Once they had broached the void, it had been no different. Cartographing systems used it as a navigatorial basis along by cross-referencing the approximate stellar position with the Golden Expanse, most scientists used the ghost light to determine the ages of systems they visited. But eventually, long after the Zetyans had reached the pulsar, they had found it changed. The star had been a sort of 'parasite leyline' for mana in the galaxy for reasons unknown, only accentuated by the megastructure they had built in their home system, and the resulting combination made PX2499098000 one of the most unstable stars the galaxy would have ever catalogued.
Were it not for the LRASSF superweapon about to staple on another 200,000 years to its lifespan, PX24 would have gone supernova in less than 141,000 years, and completely devastated the Clanholds for centuries to come.
"LRASSF personnel, check for final. Targeting solution inbound."
"H&A. Saturation levels nominal. Capacitors... charged. Relays in correct meridian positions."
"We have confirmation from command... Green fire, green fire, all clear for green fire. Begin charge up."
The system was abuzz with chatter as military starships rushed to escape the danger radius, and the LRASSF firing station half-encircling PX24 seemed to come alive with electricity and sparks across it's chromish hull. In the far distance a single bright light teased the pulsar's mana and expunge to it like moths to light, an automated FTL ferry router from which extended a long, long 'pole' akin to a stake.
'Fiat Lux's second firing was to be at a far more established enemy. Its first had been at the Second Dawn, at Nightshade Station, and thanks to its positioning and the government's silence none had suspected the Clanholds of their gambit. But the SD was small fry, with how many nations including the Clanholds had gone on the warpath with them the dissolution of Nightshade was less and less seen as a strategic blow and more as a formality. RANGSI, meanwhile, was an active enemy. Their Jihadkampul had already begun carving into Kel'thul and the C'ethals they had worked with, and the only reason the Zetyans hadn't seen a RANGSI fleet on their borders was because the RANGSI military had others to slake their bloodthirst on first.
"Router confirms drives are charged. Lux, what's your status?"
"75% charged, all nominal. Final target confirmed?"
"Confirmed. Solution established. ALCON, be advised, 20 seconds to fire."
"20 seconds to fire.”
Their target was Karvoskaya, an otherwise unassuming system holding one very important target. Within that system was a massive trans-dimensional gate, the only link they had back to their erstwhile home, and the suspected lifeblood of their empire. The tacticians surmised it as cutting the nape of an old ra'thek, a zetyan animal otherwise known for its hardiness - given the soft, venereal skin in an unreachable area of the body, a ra'thek would often die within hours after receiving a grievous enough injury to the area. The same would likely be true of Singapura; ripped from the nape of their mother, cut off from logistical supply lines and knowing for the first time self-sufficiency, it was surmised that RANGSI would likely collapse under it's own weight, or at minimum suffer debilitating damage to their morale and existing logistics systems.
*"..6. 5. 4. 3. 2. 1. Beginning discharge."
In the meridian, the daisy chain of FTL ferries stretched over thousands of lightyears, a sort of necklace of halostone beads that ebbed and flowed in the gravitic shadow. And in the physical realm, Fiat Lux suddenly became the brightest object in the solar system for a brief moment, a flash of mana-charged energy expelling itself from the six flanges that the LRASSF used to direct it's shots, aimed square at the router in the distance. For a moment, it seemed to disappear entirely, the system consumed with white, before the brightness faded and left the object floating there, unharmed. The only indication anything had happened at all was the 'pole' of the router glowing white hot, and the halostone beginning to flake from it's hull from the momentary appearance in the deepest depths of the meridian.
*"Shot's off. Sound the all clear."
"Time to impact?"
"2 minutes."
Karvoskaya: RANGSI Space
Karvoskaya. The original capital of the massive RANGSI colonial enterprise in Ancerious. The primordial spawning pool of its first settlers. And to these first settlers, many of whom are now elderly sages in hospice centers telling tall tales of cowboying in the great open lands and battling hostile wildlife with revolvers, the name ‘Karvoskaya’ was a holy name - a name that would invoke longing and tears, it was the name of their AI caretaker, Mother Karvoskaya, who raised them ever since they were clumps of stem cells gestating in mechanical vats.
Even when Skalia turned Karvoskaya into a graveyard and the capital was relocated to its sister system of Vladano, Karvoskaya continued to occupy a position of great importance. Beyond the symbolism and prestige, there was of course its one and only link back to RANGSI’s homeverse, the massive transdimensional gate that first brought them here, which continued to be a major trade and logistics hub feeding and fuelling RANGSI’s Ancerious territories, especially in these hard times.
2 minutes later, Karvoskaya was once again the site of another terrible tragedy.
The people manning the early warning stations first got a bright flash on their scopes. The operator who noticed it was probably holding a cup of hot coffee at that moment, trying to make sense of the data and what to do next according to the SOP. Then just when he decided to pick up the telephone, a bright white flash suddenly appeared, an instant of searing heat, and that was it.
Almost everything in the system was exploding and being vapourised. Space stations, warships, thousands of civilian trade and passenger ships, asteroid cities, giant space colonies. Nothing big or small was spared as long as they were in space. In an instant, several billions of lives were lost. The ‘lucky’ people living planetside spared from the devastating meridian pulse were now left alone, to contemplate what even happened, and why they were suddenly now surrounded from all sides by a thick graveyard of space debris and wreckage. Lucky to be alive, but unlucky to be the ones who may end up dying a slow, crawling death if no one came to rescue them - trapped on their worlds, unable to venture back into space, and cut from their economic lifelines to the wider Republik and the galaxy.
The news was not any easier for the rest of RANGSI. The words ‘TRANSDIMENSIONAL GATE: OFFLINE’ scrawled through screens of every government and military command center that day, and the words summoned an immensely heavy atmosphere of silence, shock, and horror everywhere they were seen, to the point that they might be even Silent Weapons themselves. But no one was as heart-wrenchingly devastated as Autarch Ayzen and Autarch Huang. With them gone, who would lead RANGSI in the homeverse? What will become of it? Will it collapse and die, joining the endless sea of headless empires and regimes in human history? But above all, does this mean they will never see home again?
This day, whether RANGSI knew it or not, has become a historical pivot. What comes next will be uncertain. But what is certain is this: the good days are all over. It is only down to the bottom from here on.
▒▓▓░░▓▒▒░░KING NEWS: URGENT ▓▓▒░░▓▒░░
–ONFIRMED SUPER WEAPON USE EN MASS ▓▓▓▒▓▓▒░░▓▒▒░░ CROSS GALAXY.
ALL LISTENERS ARE TO ▓▓▓▓▒░░▓▒▒░░▓▓▓▒░▓▒▒░░▓▓▓▒▒░░
VERONIS NOT SAFE.
2 CONFIRMED SYSTEMS DESTROY▓▒▒░░
▓▓▒░░▓▒ SAVE US ALL
Aris'Barrak: Echotian Empire Space
The past months had been chaotic.
And today had only stoked that fire brighter.
The system of Vini’vion had been struck by a wormhole-superweapon, and it’s star had turned against the system’s inhabitants. Seas were boiled. Ships were melted. Nearly no-one survived the ordeal; and finding out who had perpetrated the event was nigh-impossible: all they could figure out is a general direction as to where the wormhole had originated. That direction led to the bottom quarter of the galaxy.
So, with heads broiling in anger and blind rage, Kel’thul decided to strike out randomly at a SAGA nation with-which was not prepared to defend from an assault by Kel’thul’s own class-one superweapon. Deliberation-- or more, argumentation-- eventually landed by the relatively nearby Echotians. Mainstream Saga, general direction of the assault on Vini’vion, warlike. A perfect scapegoat, and a perfect target. It didn’t really matter anyways, as the Grand Empire of Kel’thul was falling as it acted, and the galaxy was broiling in it’s own searing flames.
At 13:32, Kel’thulian standard time, a Meridian portal opened in the system of Eba’ael. Ten minutes later, the Key was in place. Twenty minutes, it fired. A golden beam of pure ancerium shot through the deepest depths of the meridian- racing towards Echotian space. When it finally struck nearby it’s target planet a few hours later, the beam tore a hole through the meridian, and the skies of Ashex were blinded by gold.
When the Echotians thought it was about to hit the planet- it stopped. The skies cracked, and a portal nearly the size of the planet itself tore through reality, opening up a gaping maw as deep into the meridian as the beam had left from. At first, the atmosphere began to peel away. Then loose things on the surface as the cracks grew larger. And larger. And at the height of it’s size-- the full diameter of the planet- it began tearing away chunks of crust and mantle. Hours passed, and the portal withered away, leaving a barren crescent of rock and cooling magma.
Ashex was gone. Billions were dead. All in the name of blind, hateful vengeance against an innocent target.
Long live Cona.
Long live the Empire.
Parthenon System: Atlantean Warlord Space
Atlantis had been a major power in the 2nd Ancerious war.
And yet after the conflict they had been left as a fractured leaderless band of warlords. But all that changed after the new Emperor came to power, they would prove their power and they would put down these upstart natives that now sought to defang and cripple the colonial power. The League of Illektiera, long raided by Atlantis had aided the CONA cause, and been aided in turn by CONA powers who had defended the Ainar system. Chief amongst them had been the Clanholds, their power in the ICA and the damage inflicted upon Atlantis by their forces had left a bitter taste in the battle of Ainar.
They would not be stupid, striking major CONA powers openly was a death sentence, Ainar had proven that even ‘small’ operations would illicit powerful responses. And so the Emperor Romalan was forced to turn to a different approach. Their alliance with Leistunganos was not the only avenue Atlantis had to operate stealthily, although it was very potent. No, instead Romalan would turn to an old weapon, purchased by one of the petty warlords in the days post 2AW for their own ambition. It had now been surrendered to the hands of Emperor in the reunification and its specialty would come in perfectly.
Deep within the Parthenon system, wholly unremarkable apart from some small shipyards, the sleek and dark form of a once known weapon slipped its moorings and disappeared out into the void with a new mission. It had once been wielded by Triarch, one of a trio of strategic stealth vessels built to carry out deadly attacks on key targets. While the two sister ships had been bought by Corona in Yamanakakos mass sell off of Triarch assets during the Liquidation, the last remaining vessel had been purchased by an Atlantean. The name Grey Phantom had struck fear into the hearts of the AGA, and while the Phantom and its sister the White Wraith had been consumed by the Third Republics war machine its other sister, Black Ghost had survived.
It now had its destination, the Zetyan system of DNFS-Z-CMS10049591, known galaxy wide as ‘Nuggy Land’. This time it would fulfill the very role it was designed for.
Slipping into the system stealthily Black Ghost, piloted by Atlantean crews along with Leistunganos assistants took stock of the treasure trove of targets before them. The system was practically crawling with ships, stations, massive amalgamations of starbases and heavily populated and industrialized planets and moons. The place was one of the Clanholds most economically and industrial hubs, if not the most. And Atlantis was going to make this strike count.
Slowly, carefully, Black Ghost launched its munitions, all 40 huge and stealthily equipped torpedoes slid without engine burn from its tubes. They floated, directed carefully by small RCS puffs as the main ship slid away from the launch location. When the missiles were somewhat spread out, they lit their drives only in a few minute burns and always tried to keep the drive plumes as angled away from watchful eyes as possible. The stealth wasnt to last of course, no coating ever truly works perfectly and as soon as things began clearly taking notice of the missiles they instead lit their drives to maximum and began aggressive blanket sensor and optical jamming. Speeding towards their targets four missiles were intercepted en route, Zettish ships performing death defying agility to shoot down the targets. Still two more were shot down by defensive installations, while another was destroyed by a ramming intercept by some heroic civilian liner.
Gone were the nanomolecular payloads of Triarch, instead now equipped with carefully contained and acquired neutronium warheads. Some missiles targeted the gigantic floating factories that were almost the size of moon segments while others targeted the inhabited worlds. Bright flashes signified mission accomplished to the crew of Atlantis although three more missiles would be shot down by planetary defence grids. More than enough had gotten through.
Radiation and fire consumed the Clanholds worlds and orbital lanes, countless lives lost in a matter of moments as the detonations devastated the system. Much had survived given to the sheer number and decentralization, but the sites that had been targeted were both critical and economically built up. Atlantis had no care to strike military targets, just like their government had been gutted from under them so too would they gut the Zetyan economic and industrial power.
With a quick FTL, Black Ghost left the system, the net awash with frantic activity to learn the true amount of destruction inflicted.
URGENT RECALL FOR ALL COMPANY STAFF:
This is an immediate recall effective upon receipt to all staff across Triarch Inc. Confirmed use of multiple super weapons across the galaxy on key infrastructure has been observed with likely trillions of casualties. This is still escalating. All staff are to report to Vulkan ASAP where you will be safe until the exchange has concluded.
DO NOT WAIT TO LEAVE.
DO NOT BRING UNNECESSARY ITEMS.
DO NOT USE EXPRESS CIVILIAN SERVICES.
DO NOT INFORM OTHERS TO COME TO VULKAN.
This message has been delivered using specially hired Ancnet Bandwidth. It will be repeated every 5 standard hours. Do not wait to leave.
Together we can weather this storm.
Murallo Alto System: Canton Space
Murallo Alto was busier than ever. Itself unremarkable, it was the most trailward of the Canton's territories and so a key gateway for vessels traveling from the Pordish Dominion, one of Canton's oldest and largest allies. Although the Pords had turned inwards on themselves as much as they could, actively avoiding the wars and political struggles that wracked the galaxy, they were still an industrious people and so the vast warehouses and dockyards of Murallo Alto bustled with activity. Fine Pordish clothing, foodstuffs and weapons flowed one way, whilst ores, technological goods and shofu syrup flowed back, amongst the myriad other trade goods.
It was into this riot that the system defenses barked their warning. An incoming volley of projectiles was hammering into the FTLi ring. A vast explosion rippled across the protective shell, not yet visible to those on the planet, but the alarms were almost instant. A huge swathe of the defensive ring had been utterly destroyed in some kind of colossal antimatter explosion, and that same cacophony of energy was spreading outwards from it. A Starfleet frigate stationed in its path sent out a plaintive warning before its systems failed and it disintegrated. The readout was clear - even dissipated by space, the blast was going to wreak untold havoc on the planet and would reach it in a matter of minutes.
From the planetary administration, a general evacuation order went out, but with such a short timeframe millions were doomed to their deaths. Despite the high ratio of vessels to population, it simply wasn't enough time to get larger vessels fired up and exit orbit - only those already prepping for launch, or smaller personal craft, had even a chance of fleeing. A tiny few, the luckiest and wealthiest, had THERR transporters to their craft above. In orbit the sprawling space docks and shipyards were emptying as ships of every size, stripe and flag scattered to the winds in the face of this howling doom.
The blastwave hit, sweeping the half-abandoned orbital structures away like ash before flaying the atmosphere from the planet. The small Starfleet defensive force rallied on the far side of the sun, warding the survivors against an attack that would never materialize. No enemy craft had entered the system, and now a dazed string of the lucky few limped spinwards, leaping through the now-disabled FTLi ring to safety. In less than an hour, billions of credits and millions of souls had been atomised, leaving the trailward border of Cantonese space a graveyard.
Orillia had enacted their statement.
Reports of the exchange were overloading the Ancnet, and Orillia had bided their time. Having defended from the strike from Sarabhai they had their own super weapon, Prerusovac Reťaze or ‘Chain Breaker’ in reserve. The Free State loudly proclaimed their power of Istralan, their fleets and their people, but in the backwater Intar System they had constructed their own weapon of mass destruction, hiding it until the colonials struck first. Struck they had.
Sarabhai’s weapon had been destroyed, leaving Orillia with two choices. The Union as a major statement to the galaxy, or to Canton for the same reason. In the end Yrillix chose Canton, they had been the ones to destroy Sarnath, to wipe out Marchand. They had been the ones to end the ceasefire, to unleash a Crucible on the natives of the galaxy, and with Orillia as the leader of the CONA cause it was only right they made them pay.
As Murallo Alto burned Orillia made their statement to the whole galaxy.
Deep Space: Minevan Nomad Fleet
So much suffering.
Millions had been absented in the destruction of Alpha Ceti by the Army of the Panopticon. Tens of thousands more when the Hrast Tvardva Strixx battery had targeted one of their nomadic live fleets.
Minerva had been sorely wounded, and they would not go lying down. Just like they had done to Capitol, they would strike a blow so profound it would send their enemies reeling. They would act like the Laptev brethren had done, and they would replicate their nuclear strike on Celefra itself during 2AW. Admirals and leaders alike unanimously agreed. Minerva had to strike back. But they would not target Hrast, it was a waste. The damage was already done, no they would do as they always had and strike the heart of the beast that had caused all of this.
3AW was Orillias fault, in their eyes it was the only target.
There would be no grand super weapon firing, no public strike back.
A single stealth vessel slipped away from one of the Minervan fleets, its crew chosen from their most iron tempered White Hands. Within, they carried something that the Unitary state did not normally deploy, a psionically charge gravity bomb. One of such size as to crush a planet, or if they played their cards right, cripple a megastructure.
Istralan was on high alert as the Meridian cutter slid into the system, coming out of the empty realm as close as it possibly could behind the cover of one of the systems hollowed out and long mined away planets. There it would wait, while the galaxy waged its immense war the crew would wait in silence. Minerva was always the knife ready to plunge into a threats back, and this time would be no different. It did not take long to identify and board an Orillian automated cargo hauler, its huge size easily obscuring the cutter from sensor view. It was boarded, the automated systems swiftly overridden and the bomb planted.
No grand hurrah, no statement of victory.
Just a well placed knife.
The White Hand forces withdrew from the system as swiftly and silently as they had come, the dampening systems on the bomb concealing it from hunter killer stations that guarded Istralan itself, scanning every hint of cargo for a threat.
As it made it through the multiple cordons it was merely a matter of time.
The Meridian Cutter watched as the detonation ripped a whole segment of Istralan apart, collapsing millions of kilometers of shipyards, resource storage and habitation and causing massive solar ejections that vapourised those surrounding segments that survived and countless ships nearby.
Orillia had been struck, and while they had weathered Sarabhai's Crucible strike, they had certainly not weathered this.
Archangel System: Noviy Space
They were a threat.
A rising CONA power, one more among many in the galactic south. Striking first was always a risky business, but as the news of the unfolding devastation reached the ears of the Centauri Federation they knew they had a chance to act. Engaging the Zetyans would ensure they would be drawn directly into conflict within the Invilis, the same could be said for the Isoterrans, The Kel’Thul and countless other established CONA powers. No they had to be smart, and targeting an up and coming CONA power who could not directly defend themselves was the choice.
Noviy. A small force but a major player, now seemingly directing the efforts of the Unmar and driving a whole sector towards clear CONA domination. It couldn't be allowed. It had to be curbed.
Fleets were put on high alert for counter strikes, but the weapon itself, Lance of Ishtar, was ready. A new generation of strategic weapons the Lance was the size of a cruiser, with an antimatter warhead capable of annihilating most of a solar system. It would be loosed like an arrow, and as it ignited its own Antimatter drives and FTL systems the Lance of Ishtar was pointed right at one of Noviys new critical systems.
It would be an expansion they never completed.
–
“Big day today, yes?”
“Indeed”
Amiran Jorjadze would straighten his collar, tending to his intricately crafted wardrobe. Every part of his attire just screamed wealth - and of course, not the gaudy, garish excess where the goal is to show off as much dawngold or keralite as one could like an inordinate peacock would wave his hind feathers. This was something far beyond - it spawned from the aggregate accumulation of vast, vast capital, generation after generation of being smiled upon by the League. Beside the old man was his intern, Sebastian. Fresh face straight out of the Avalon League School of Law, he would pass Amiran a pane of glass.
Amiran had been a very fortunate man, even in his age, only his forearms were failing - of course, replaced by beautiful prosthetics, every joint having been measured out and tested by an artisan. The movement of gears was silent, organic, sterile - it matched the exact pace of the natural hand as if only it were mechanical veneer on a healthy organ.
The pane flickered to life as the text was displayed
*We welcome you to the high table, Amiran Jorjadze, to take on the mantle of Supreme Judge of Archangel IV.*
*We look forward to working with you to uphold just law and order in your domain.*
The old man would smile, his lips were thin with age, his wrinkles deepening as he grimaced. It was almost a century of climbing his way up through the monolithic institution that was the League. To his side was a mirror opposite, fresh blood but naive.
“You have so much to learn, Sebastian. How much they taught you in that League school of yours - that was just the formalities. The technically correct, but practically questionable knowledge you’ll need to just get started. The League is bigger than you or me or anybody, it's the best with rules and no rules, do you understand what I mean?”
Sebastian nodded, not understanding what he meant.
The law graduate would look out of the window for a moment.
Where his eye sockets used to be, there was only white fire. Ten million degrees, every fiber of Sebastian's being torn apart like pages of a book ripped out by a careless motion. Azure blazing, an all encompassing force; air forced out of his lungs as if he were thrown into the void. There was no sound as a quadrillion supercharged particles passed through his corporeal form, shredding every DNA strand in every cell. He became liquid. Supercavitation bubbles boiled where his veins and nerves used to be. Sebastian's now fluid body splashes against every surface around him at supersonic speeds, immediately aerosolizing him as the walls of the chamber were torn asunder in a single and titanic motion. His body became gas and debris as Sebastian enmeshed with the shockwave razing the surface of Archangel IV. He was hypersonic, joining in a brief moment the obliteration which consumed him - and then he was plasma. Every molecule cleaved, every atom ionized. Every ounce of matter that made him up, once thrown out of the bowels of a dying star, met its final destination. Sebastian spreads over a thousand miles, nuclei and electrons dispersing as he accelerates. Parts of him, in the form of gamma rays and quarks, escape the gravitational confines of Archangel IV, merging with the void of space.
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Val-2; Valeria System; Liliana Free Territory
Leonard took a deep breath in as he left the shuttle transport to the southern hemisphere of the frontier planet. The air here was fresh, not as fresh as it could be with the nearby mining pits but who was he to complain? Wasn’t like there’d be smokestacks and pollution everywhere, even if they were not exactly the most developed place in the galaxy they were far beyond that. A faint morning mist covered the ground and hovered over the mining pits where he’d be staying the next couple weeks, overseeing the operation of the machinery there along with his colleagues.
“What do you think Leo?”, Rheinard noted, though Leonard wasn’t quite sure what he was talking about. “About what?”
“You know, the whole business about pit seventeen being shut down? Something about mining accidents and environmental integrity or some gibberish? Sounds like a load of bullshit to me.”, he’d always been a bit of a tattletale but that the pit had been off limits for several months now was true.
“That so?”
“Ye. Some people said they saw a flash of light a couple weeks back, said something about some… I don’t know, psi… psinoics stuff? Probably just the government having found something and blowing it out the ground if you ask me.”, he continued dismissively.
Leonard rolled his eyes internally, whatever it was, he didn’t care, he was here to do work and go home. “Well, less work for us to take care of, isn’t it?”
They both and some of the others surrounding them laughed. “HA! True, true that!”
‘Leo. Leo one day that mining business is going to get you killed, I’m telling you.’, his mother used to say, he usually didn’t listen, they weren’t hacking with pickaxes at stone, they used high-tech equipment and most people never even got near the areas where the actual mining happened. Though, something felt eerie today as he made his trek towards the living quarters, couldn’t quite put his finger on it but…
Nobody else seemed to notice, Rheinard was spreading more gossip, Moira was whistling on the way, Falk looked at his holopad and would probably trip on something again any moment as he usually did…
Leo shook his head, must be his imagination, he came here on and off four times a year for a month to get his workload done and money into the house. The first day at work was always a bit of a let down. They had made a good fifteen minutes, another five till they were at the quarters. The inevitable happened and Falk stumbled over some rock, dropping his holopad in the process and mumbling obscenities in the process of picking it up.
Leo didn’t listen.
It started with a flash of light, coming from the sky, as if the sun was unusually bright today. A low rumble, like distant thunder, like a mountain collapsing but millionfold, he could feel it in his bones.
Leo stopped. “Hey, Leo what’s…”, Rheinard started before he noticed as well, everyone stopped now.
Then it arrived. It was like the sun descended upon them in a horrific display of what could only be described as divine wrath, he was deafened immediately. And he didn’t know where he was as the shockwave had sent him flying before he had even noticed. With several fractured and broken bones he lay there. He saw Moira landing on her head and collapsing like a sack of dead meat which she now probably was. As he tried to raze his confused gaze towards the sky he was almost blinded. The sky was an incandescent orange-ish white, as if someone had set it aflame. His thoughts raced. His head ringed from the impact and he couldn’t gather his thoughts, he saw Rheinard screaming a couple metres from him, holding his eyes and thrashing on the floor. Falk was nowhere to be seen. Slowly he tried to crawl up from his prone position, his brain effectively blank but his instincts screamed at him to run. Not that it would help. In the distance, just beneath the horizon he saw a golden glow erupt from the earth, as if answering to the incandescent wrath above, curiously from the area of pit seventeen, something that did not register with him, like many other things.
He would never find out about the Panopticon base that had been there for quite literally years, for seconds later the golden glow collapsed under the energy of the attack and was vapourized without remnant, thin golden strings escaping into the Liminus outshined by the star descending upon the planet from the skies. The science behind the phenomenon was completely lost on him as the atmosphere and plasma was heated and pressurised so much the atmosphere began igniting itself. The reason and perpetrator behind the attack was completely unknown to him, the ‘cargo ship’ ‘EEV Celestial Fire’ having long left the system and the attack would later be blamed on Barbada for their long maintained feud with the Liliana Free territory.
None of this crossed his mind.
He merely stood and turned around trying to run, only to be promptly disintegrated by the shockwave that followed the impact. His remnants being turned into plasma sharing the fate with a large section of the rest of the planet as fire hotter than the systems star rolled over the planet, little of which was left behind besides debris and an expanding cloud of plasma that had been ignited to fusion and then promptly collapsed some time later, leaving behind effectively nothing but a gravitic disturbance in the orbits of the system's planets.
Never would he know the destruction of everything he ever knew would merely be a footnote in the history books of the galaxy. For whilst this was not a fire ignited by the throes of the third Ancerious war, the fires of it burned nonetheless.
Once more, the galaxy was aflame.