Post by paracelsus on Mar 17, 2024 17:15:17 GMT
Serica, Meridian System, Unified Democratic Systems
District 24, City Aleph
Mess Hall of Industry Centre #12
“... forces in the Astra Domain report increasing success against the attacking native alliance. Admiral Lakasky stated that their offence had been broken and any chance of further incursions into the allied territory was no longer possible. While it is uncertain if Starfleet will push for a counterattack, analysts claim that a chance of this conflict once again returning to a stalemate is high unless action is taken…”
The news reporter's voice continually droned on as loud as ever even over the noise of chatter in the mess hall. Not that it mattered, considering that most of what was being discussed was the news anyway. Workers were piling in for lunch and talking about it even before they entered. The news of the Astra Theatre had overtaken much of the UDS’ interests lately and it was all that could be discussed whenever the moment could be spared.
After all, the UDS was involved in that theatre since the very start of the war. Thousands had perished fighting for the Astra Domain and entire sectors’ worth of materials had been shipped to sustain their armies there. This alone would not have forced the UDS to implement the strict edicts in place now. But further defeats and disasters in Corona in combination definitely forced their hand.
“I hope it’ll be over soon,” Erica muttered as she forked some meat produce into her mouth, “we’ve been fighting all over the galaxy lately. Wish there was some damn peace for once.”
“We couldn’t have had peace even if we sat out this war,” Paul found himself saying, “we’re trying to defend ourselves here. If things were more sensible there wouldn’t even be a war,” it bothered him how quick they had jumped from one war to another. Not only for personal reasons but practical ones as well- the last war had strained the economy and the workforce which they still hadn’t recovered from. Will this war finally bring them to the edge?
To make up for the increasing demand for material for the war effort, the Overseer Council had implemented new edicts that saw working hours increase and the distribution of goods, both luxury and otherwise, decrease. Now people were working harder and longer in exchange for far less than before.
Erica and Paul were two of the millions across the Ancerious Colonies who were bitter about the current state of affairs. The two of them worked in the agriculture industry, spending hours maintaining of hydroponic bays, cataloguing plants for processing as either food or work material, and constantly overseeing the plantation of hundreds of crops. While this was fairly easy work, the sheer volume of what they had to cover and the long working hours drained them of their energy and motivation.
“You’d be hard-pressed to find sense in this damn galaxy.” A new speaker joined in the conversation. A dark man with a roughly shaved beard in the uniform denoting his status as an engineer, “Can you believe the rumours going on? About the disaster at that mess of a republic? About some insane AI raising hell all over the galaxy?” The engineer shook his head, “We never should have entered this place. What was parliament thinking?”
At these words, the two agri-workers flinched. Paul lowers his head, focusing intently on his meal. Erica looked around at the mess hall and the dozens of dining workers before she spoke back in a low whisper, “Lower your voice. If you know rumours, then you should also know what they whisper about here.”
The engineer scoffed as he sat down. A tag on his chest revealed his name as Fowler, “Yeah I know. But at the same time, I doubt they’d pull something like that here- too many of us, you know?”
Paul spoke up again, “That didn’t stop them on Arcana even while the news was still capturing the protest live. The enforcers aren’t willing to negotiate anymore. Council’s given them practically free reign.”
The reminder of that event sends a chill throughout all three workers. In the city of Arcana, tensions between the protesting workers and the security enforcers reached a boiling point when the planetary administration finally authorised civil pacification and suppression protocols. Tear gas filled the streets to break up the rallies and those that tried to resist were arrested on the spot. It was a shocking display that horrified even those amongst the Overseer Council yet rumours of the administrator receiving their tacit approval spread after no reprimands were issued.
All of them knew that the reports of habitation sectors being raided by enforcers were steadily growing as well. The truth was, the Overseer Council was hammering down hard on order and while the public was quelled for now, there was no denying growing frustrations. All their hope rested upon inspection teams from the wider UDS finally entering Ancerious- but the recent events here had resulted in a semi-quarantine of the colonies.
“I know where my vote is going next election,” Fowler muttered angrily.
The other two workers said nothing but shared the same moment. They all dined in silence before an alarm signalled the end of their thirty-minute break. Now, it was back to work to finish the rest of their twelve-hour workday.
In the very same building, the psychic officer monitoring the conversations in the dining room sighed and began to write up a report before ensuring that it aligned with other telepaths’ notes before he handed it over to his superiors.
Concord, Wilder System, Astra Domain
Outskirts of Erdenet City
Officially they were registered as the 33rd Mechanised Infantry Regiment of the 77th Combined Arms Division which was a part of the 5th Colonial Guard subordinate to the wider Ancerious Colonial Defence Army. A mouthful of a designation to show their specific unit type, formation, and general status as another cog in the UDS multi-galaxy war machine.
Unofficially, they were simply called the 33rd Strikers. A name they earned after their comrades noticed they had a respectable record in utilising manoeuvre warfare and developed a proficiency in rapid assaults that destabilised the enemy in a methodical yet ruthless fashion.
The 33rd had fought against the Alfari years before they entered Ancerious where they received much accolades and honours for their critical role in capturing the noble aristocrat who led the imperialist forces on a planetary invasion. Upon entering Ancerious, they were quickly deployed to the expeditionary force to Aedleshaven where their role was brief, albeit brutal and horrific. This long service had placed them highly in the eyes of the Overseer Council who intended to employ them as for military and propaganda purposes.
So they were all sent to fight the Graitz Dominion the moment they were recalled from Aedleshaven.
Corporal Hunt blinked away the alerts appearing on his display. His shield had just burnt out meaning that his armour would take future strikes directly if he wasn’t careful or caught in a bad position- like right now, standing halfway out of cover right in the sights of several Graitz infantrymen, one of whom had just taken out his shields.
But he had made this calculated risk. He had judged the small chance of his shields failing to protect him to be too insignificant in comparison to the opportunity it would grant both him and his comrades.
The brief few seconds granted to him by his shield were enough time to fire his plasma rifle. Bright blue bolts flew faster than the eye could track and instantly struck one of the Graitzmen, burning a hole straight through their chest. Another soldier was struck in the side where the sheer heat of the plasma was enough to flash-fry their organs. The rest were too slow to react as his comrades burst from their own cover to finish off the squad.
Around the ruined citadel, similar scenes play out as the outnumbered and weary Graitz infantry were overwhelmed by the UDS’ 33rd Strikers.
The citadel they were all fighting over served as a major command centre for the Graitz in this continent and its fall was one of the objectives set out by their superiors as part of the wider effort to defeat the Graitz. Of course, this was easier said than done as the UDS was bogged down taking Erdenet City first before they could finally attack the citadel properly just before the Poleisi commanders could evacuate.
“I’m getting visuals from the drone- left hallway, on the second floor. Heavy infantry squad by the looks.” The drone operator, Alessa reported in. She was hesitant to get out of cover, deciding to err on the side of caution and instead focus on the holograms projected from her wrists, “Incoming in eight seconds, Get ready.”
Hunt dodged back into cover and aimed his rifle at the building ahead of them. Its walls had been blasted open, giving them a good view of the inside hallways and rooms. The other troopers of his squad advanced forward to a better position before bracing.
Sure enough, a trio of Graitz infantrymen stampeded through the left hallway. Each was clad in a suit of heavy armour that practically tripled their size and weight while granting them greater protection and an immense boost to their strength. Naturally, they took advantage of this by carrying massive rotary cannons and wading into fierce firefights.
The sound of all three guns firing simultaneously was deafening and Hunt was glad for his helmet’s audio protection. Armour-piercing rounds rained down upon the UDS infantry, instantly forcing all of them to duck low- even with their defences, they would not last even a second under that much heavy fire. Despite this, a few troopers managed to shoot the heavy infantrymen a few times only for their plasma to burst apart harmlessly against their own shields and thick armour.
“We need a drone, immediately.” Sergeant Rashid called out the squad’s commlink, “If past encounters hold true then-”
“Infantry squad incoming,” Alessa interrupted. Her tiny scout drone had gone unnoticed for now and had spotted another squad of regular Graitz infantrymen moving up to support their heavier counterparts to start flanking them.
It was a tactic that the UDS noticed the moment the Graitz started sending in these so-called ‘Mec troopers’. They would appear to grind UDS advances to a halt and immediately lay down thick suppressing fire to buy time for regular infantrymen to move in and flank them.
A crude yet effective approach. But the UDS had long figured out how to counter that.
“Deploying light drones,” Alessa whispered and opened a nearby case. Immediately a group of small orbs with in-built hover boosters flew out and immediately moved straight towards the Graitz soldiers. Moments before the first shot impacted them, a hardlight shell blossomed around the drones making them larger and sturdier while also giving them the ability to fight back.
Hardlight arrows burst through the chests of the regulars and forced their attention away from the embattled UDS troopers. The drones were already being shot down but they had done their purpose spectacularly as the surviving few erupted in a flash of light as a final attempt to distract the Graitz.
“Clear!” A trooper barked before he pulled the trigger of his launcher and sent a missile straight into the head of a mectrooper. Another trooper launched a handful of grenades at the second floor to take out the rest of the enemy regulars.
With one of their armoured behemoths down and their support in disarray, the two mectroopers faltered even as they continuously poured down fire upon their positions. However, his squad finally had the breathing room to return fire.
“Heavy infantry down,” Rashid called out after he put a high-impact round straight through the enemy’s skull. His railgun turned and let loose again, the metal spike blasting apart the enemy’s rotary gun before his squad gunned it down with plasmafire.
“Hallways and room cleared!” Alessa replied, finally standing up as she grabbed her drone case.
“Advance while we still can. They probably were hoping these mec troopers would hold out for longer.” Rashid spat out. He led his squad over the rubble and into the building directly across, passing over the still-smoking corpses of their enemy.
Just as Hunt rejoined his squad, his comm began to buzz alight with urgent news- one that had his entire squad surprised.
“We’ve apprehended the commanding officers of the Graitz. Cut them off while they were still giving orders. Broadcasting surrender orders now. Remember, do not be complacent.” The captain spoke.
A strange emotion washed over Hunt as he realised that this battle was coming to an end. There would still be pockets of resistance here and there, no doubt many Graitz would surrender once word of their command’s fall spread. He doubted he’d be able to see much action then.
The rest of his squad were still alert and tense, but it was clear they were comforted by the news. A few troopers were already chatting as if the battle was over and done.
“This is another theatre that’s collapsed… The Graitz are losing control over the entire planet.” Alessa spoke suddenly.
Rashid seemed to realise this as well, “If not the entire war. We’ve nearly repulsed their entire offensive by now- Concord is one of the few worlds that have any Graitz left.”
At this moment Hunt came to a realisation of his own. The conflict against the Graitz Dominion was going to be over soon. Rumours have it that the Third Ancerious War was going to come to a close as well.
He had spent only a few weeks on Aedleshaven and was left wanting. He hardly saw any action there. He had spent three years fighting in the Astra Domain and several months on Concord. He had fought access dozens of battles right in the deadliest of fights. During that time, he felt as if he was whole.
Now he realised that he felt disappointment It was a shame that this war was ending so soon. It would've taken a few more years of this before he could even consider taking a break.
Eden Station, Genesis System, Unified Democratic Systems
Diplomatic Ward, Governance Wing
Recreation Hall
Isaac Thatch drank deeply from the steel cup and let the sweet liquid linger for a moment before he swallowed to take another draught. Alcohol was explicitly forbidden during major conferences like these but there was plenty of fresh fruit juice for everybody- the least of the many hospitalities provided by the UDS.
He placed the cup on the table before shuffling away to the concessions stand to grab a muffin and nutrient bar. It wasn’t much of a meal but it was enough to keep the hunger away for the rest of the meeting which hopefully won’t last for another five hours.
Other diplomats from the Astra Domain and the UDS lingered in this hall to also grab quick snacks before they inevitably were called back. After all, this technically wasn’t a pause in the meetings- they had all excused themselves to take a break away from the long talks inside the meeting hall. Isaac noted how there were no Graitz representatives in the recreation hall- in fact, he hadn’t spotted any of the Poleisi delegates leave the meetings at all. It seems they were more stressed than originally anticipated.
“With luck, that’ll mean this is over soon,” Isaac muttered in between mouthfuls of warm pastry.
“I wish! You’d think they’d be more respectful considering their circumstances,” One of the Astra diplomats had heard him and decided to chat. Her brown face was creased with age and stress although her pale eyes shone with exhausted triumph, “It’s like they forgot they’re the ones who lost the war.”
He gave a non-committal hum despite agreeing completely with her view. The Graitz had completely lost this war there was no avoiding that. While neither the Astra nor UDS had launched a proper invasion of their territories, the Graitz Dominion had been pushed entirely out of their territory and their invading armies completely dismantled which finally caused the cracks in their economy and industry to collapse, taking their tyrannical autocrat with them as their capital descended into anarchy and violence. A temporary council of corporate magnates and crooked officials was established to officially declare their surrender.
It was far from the ideal egalitarian government but it was a step in the right direction and was something for their spies to work on in the future.
Isaac spoke as the two of them enter the meeting hall, “We have plenty of ways to convince them to make the wiser choice. I doubt they are brainless enough to believe they can withstand an invasion of our own.”
He knew that despite the UDS’ own instability, they still very much had the firepower to mop up the Graitz completely. The only reason why they entertained these talks was because it was the easiest path to end the war with no further losses and risks.
She smirked, “I don’t know- I think they’re smart enough to know we might as well be doing that.”
They pushed open the doors to the meeting hall and took in the cool atmosphere. The two parties sat across a long table facing each other- the Graitz Dominion of CONA and the Astra-UDS partnership of SAGA. It was clear that a major proposition had just been made as the Graiz diplomats were leaning close to each other and furiously muttering under their breath compared to the cooler expressions of the colonials.
“Ah, welcome back, Miss Vasen, Sir Thatch,” One of the UDS aides beckoned the two to take their seats before he leant over to lip sync, “We’re nearing a breakthrough.”
Isaac took his seat and looked across the table at the arguing Graitz before raising a curious brow. The aide smirked and passed him a copy of the treaty. Despite already knowing the UDS’ general plans, even he was surprised to learn just how much they were demanding. The Graitz were to cede nearly all of their interstellar territories to the Astra Domain and pay extreme reparations to both SAGA nations. The Graitz Dominion will be forced to not just demilitarise but also be locked inside of their star system until either their reparations are paid in full or half a century passes. Meanwhile, the UDS was to gain control over a few worlds in the Astra Domain and receive a share of the natural resources they harvested from their new holdings.
The fact that the UDS was going to be filling both nations didn’t need to be said at all.
Still, this treaty did seem like too much. These terms were quite brutal for any nation and were a clear display of their power over a defeated foe. No one sane would accept this proposition. But considering the current state of the Graitz, maybe they didn’t have a choice.
Isaac thanked the aide and sat back in his chair to observe the Gratiz diplomats. He was thankful that the Poleisi were human enough to easily allow him to read their emotions by merely the twitching muscles on their face.
“Sirs if you would allow us some more time-” One of the Graitz diplomats began, “- We can pay these reparations, but we ask for some time to rebuild our industry before you seize it- without our colonies, we are essentially bleeding out slowly from a neglected wound.”
The UDS ambassador shook his head, “We cannot give you more than a few months to prepare for the transfer. You have caused irreparable damage to the Astra Domain and siphoned resources from the UDS. A reckoning needs to be met immediately.”
“It's not that we are heartless- we are willing to grant you this completely,” the Astra ambassador added and slid over another datapad, “All prisoners regardless of rank shall be handed over to you at the moment the transfer is completed.”
This was just one of the major bargaining chips they acquired after the defeat of the Graitz armies. The command staff of several theatres were captured and their admiral leading the invasion was seized after his ship was crippled trying to escape. This wasn’t even mentioning the thousands of Poleisi they held captive after defeats on key worlds like Concord and Iona.
And of course, if this failed to convince them to sign the treaty, well it's not like they had anything left to prevent a strike force from directly attacking their capital world.
Recognising the stonewall before him and realising there truly was no other option, the Graitz diplomat crashed into his seat and sighed. He talked to his fellows for a few more minutes before he finally reached for a stylus, “Very well. I will sign this treaty.”
Isaac let out a relieved sigh. The colonial diplomats exchanged smiles and shook hands as the defeated native delegation signed away their nation’s future.
At long last, this conflict has come to an end. Now a whole new window of opportunities had just opened.
District 24, City Aleph
Mess Hall of Industry Centre #12
“... forces in the Astra Domain report increasing success against the attacking native alliance. Admiral Lakasky stated that their offence had been broken and any chance of further incursions into the allied territory was no longer possible. While it is uncertain if Starfleet will push for a counterattack, analysts claim that a chance of this conflict once again returning to a stalemate is high unless action is taken…”
The news reporter's voice continually droned on as loud as ever even over the noise of chatter in the mess hall. Not that it mattered, considering that most of what was being discussed was the news anyway. Workers were piling in for lunch and talking about it even before they entered. The news of the Astra Theatre had overtaken much of the UDS’ interests lately and it was all that could be discussed whenever the moment could be spared.
After all, the UDS was involved in that theatre since the very start of the war. Thousands had perished fighting for the Astra Domain and entire sectors’ worth of materials had been shipped to sustain their armies there. This alone would not have forced the UDS to implement the strict edicts in place now. But further defeats and disasters in Corona in combination definitely forced their hand.
“I hope it’ll be over soon,” Erica muttered as she forked some meat produce into her mouth, “we’ve been fighting all over the galaxy lately. Wish there was some damn peace for once.”
“We couldn’t have had peace even if we sat out this war,” Paul found himself saying, “we’re trying to defend ourselves here. If things were more sensible there wouldn’t even be a war,” it bothered him how quick they had jumped from one war to another. Not only for personal reasons but practical ones as well- the last war had strained the economy and the workforce which they still hadn’t recovered from. Will this war finally bring them to the edge?
To make up for the increasing demand for material for the war effort, the Overseer Council had implemented new edicts that saw working hours increase and the distribution of goods, both luxury and otherwise, decrease. Now people were working harder and longer in exchange for far less than before.
Erica and Paul were two of the millions across the Ancerious Colonies who were bitter about the current state of affairs. The two of them worked in the agriculture industry, spending hours maintaining of hydroponic bays, cataloguing plants for processing as either food or work material, and constantly overseeing the plantation of hundreds of crops. While this was fairly easy work, the sheer volume of what they had to cover and the long working hours drained them of their energy and motivation.
“You’d be hard-pressed to find sense in this damn galaxy.” A new speaker joined in the conversation. A dark man with a roughly shaved beard in the uniform denoting his status as an engineer, “Can you believe the rumours going on? About the disaster at that mess of a republic? About some insane AI raising hell all over the galaxy?” The engineer shook his head, “We never should have entered this place. What was parliament thinking?”
At these words, the two agri-workers flinched. Paul lowers his head, focusing intently on his meal. Erica looked around at the mess hall and the dozens of dining workers before she spoke back in a low whisper, “Lower your voice. If you know rumours, then you should also know what they whisper about here.”
The engineer scoffed as he sat down. A tag on his chest revealed his name as Fowler, “Yeah I know. But at the same time, I doubt they’d pull something like that here- too many of us, you know?”
Paul spoke up again, “That didn’t stop them on Arcana even while the news was still capturing the protest live. The enforcers aren’t willing to negotiate anymore. Council’s given them practically free reign.”
The reminder of that event sends a chill throughout all three workers. In the city of Arcana, tensions between the protesting workers and the security enforcers reached a boiling point when the planetary administration finally authorised civil pacification and suppression protocols. Tear gas filled the streets to break up the rallies and those that tried to resist were arrested on the spot. It was a shocking display that horrified even those amongst the Overseer Council yet rumours of the administrator receiving their tacit approval spread after no reprimands were issued.
All of them knew that the reports of habitation sectors being raided by enforcers were steadily growing as well. The truth was, the Overseer Council was hammering down hard on order and while the public was quelled for now, there was no denying growing frustrations. All their hope rested upon inspection teams from the wider UDS finally entering Ancerious- but the recent events here had resulted in a semi-quarantine of the colonies.
“I know where my vote is going next election,” Fowler muttered angrily.
The other two workers said nothing but shared the same moment. They all dined in silence before an alarm signalled the end of their thirty-minute break. Now, it was back to work to finish the rest of their twelve-hour workday.
In the very same building, the psychic officer monitoring the conversations in the dining room sighed and began to write up a report before ensuring that it aligned with other telepaths’ notes before he handed it over to his superiors.
Concord, Wilder System, Astra Domain
Outskirts of Erdenet City
Officially they were registered as the 33rd Mechanised Infantry Regiment of the 77th Combined Arms Division which was a part of the 5th Colonial Guard subordinate to the wider Ancerious Colonial Defence Army. A mouthful of a designation to show their specific unit type, formation, and general status as another cog in the UDS multi-galaxy war machine.
Unofficially, they were simply called the 33rd Strikers. A name they earned after their comrades noticed they had a respectable record in utilising manoeuvre warfare and developed a proficiency in rapid assaults that destabilised the enemy in a methodical yet ruthless fashion.
The 33rd had fought against the Alfari years before they entered Ancerious where they received much accolades and honours for their critical role in capturing the noble aristocrat who led the imperialist forces on a planetary invasion. Upon entering Ancerious, they were quickly deployed to the expeditionary force to Aedleshaven where their role was brief, albeit brutal and horrific. This long service had placed them highly in the eyes of the Overseer Council who intended to employ them as for military and propaganda purposes.
So they were all sent to fight the Graitz Dominion the moment they were recalled from Aedleshaven.
Corporal Hunt blinked away the alerts appearing on his display. His shield had just burnt out meaning that his armour would take future strikes directly if he wasn’t careful or caught in a bad position- like right now, standing halfway out of cover right in the sights of several Graitz infantrymen, one of whom had just taken out his shields.
But he had made this calculated risk. He had judged the small chance of his shields failing to protect him to be too insignificant in comparison to the opportunity it would grant both him and his comrades.
The brief few seconds granted to him by his shield were enough time to fire his plasma rifle. Bright blue bolts flew faster than the eye could track and instantly struck one of the Graitzmen, burning a hole straight through their chest. Another soldier was struck in the side where the sheer heat of the plasma was enough to flash-fry their organs. The rest were too slow to react as his comrades burst from their own cover to finish off the squad.
Around the ruined citadel, similar scenes play out as the outnumbered and weary Graitz infantry were overwhelmed by the UDS’ 33rd Strikers.
The citadel they were all fighting over served as a major command centre for the Graitz in this continent and its fall was one of the objectives set out by their superiors as part of the wider effort to defeat the Graitz. Of course, this was easier said than done as the UDS was bogged down taking Erdenet City first before they could finally attack the citadel properly just before the Poleisi commanders could evacuate.
“I’m getting visuals from the drone- left hallway, on the second floor. Heavy infantry squad by the looks.” The drone operator, Alessa reported in. She was hesitant to get out of cover, deciding to err on the side of caution and instead focus on the holograms projected from her wrists, “Incoming in eight seconds, Get ready.”
Hunt dodged back into cover and aimed his rifle at the building ahead of them. Its walls had been blasted open, giving them a good view of the inside hallways and rooms. The other troopers of his squad advanced forward to a better position before bracing.
Sure enough, a trio of Graitz infantrymen stampeded through the left hallway. Each was clad in a suit of heavy armour that practically tripled their size and weight while granting them greater protection and an immense boost to their strength. Naturally, they took advantage of this by carrying massive rotary cannons and wading into fierce firefights.
The sound of all three guns firing simultaneously was deafening and Hunt was glad for his helmet’s audio protection. Armour-piercing rounds rained down upon the UDS infantry, instantly forcing all of them to duck low- even with their defences, they would not last even a second under that much heavy fire. Despite this, a few troopers managed to shoot the heavy infantrymen a few times only for their plasma to burst apart harmlessly against their own shields and thick armour.
“We need a drone, immediately.” Sergeant Rashid called out the squad’s commlink, “If past encounters hold true then-”
“Infantry squad incoming,” Alessa interrupted. Her tiny scout drone had gone unnoticed for now and had spotted another squad of regular Graitz infantrymen moving up to support their heavier counterparts to start flanking them.
It was a tactic that the UDS noticed the moment the Graitz started sending in these so-called ‘Mec troopers’. They would appear to grind UDS advances to a halt and immediately lay down thick suppressing fire to buy time for regular infantrymen to move in and flank them.
A crude yet effective approach. But the UDS had long figured out how to counter that.
“Deploying light drones,” Alessa whispered and opened a nearby case. Immediately a group of small orbs with in-built hover boosters flew out and immediately moved straight towards the Graitz soldiers. Moments before the first shot impacted them, a hardlight shell blossomed around the drones making them larger and sturdier while also giving them the ability to fight back.
Hardlight arrows burst through the chests of the regulars and forced their attention away from the embattled UDS troopers. The drones were already being shot down but they had done their purpose spectacularly as the surviving few erupted in a flash of light as a final attempt to distract the Graitz.
“Clear!” A trooper barked before he pulled the trigger of his launcher and sent a missile straight into the head of a mectrooper. Another trooper launched a handful of grenades at the second floor to take out the rest of the enemy regulars.
With one of their armoured behemoths down and their support in disarray, the two mectroopers faltered even as they continuously poured down fire upon their positions. However, his squad finally had the breathing room to return fire.
“Heavy infantry down,” Rashid called out after he put a high-impact round straight through the enemy’s skull. His railgun turned and let loose again, the metal spike blasting apart the enemy’s rotary gun before his squad gunned it down with plasmafire.
“Hallways and room cleared!” Alessa replied, finally standing up as she grabbed her drone case.
“Advance while we still can. They probably were hoping these mec troopers would hold out for longer.” Rashid spat out. He led his squad over the rubble and into the building directly across, passing over the still-smoking corpses of their enemy.
Just as Hunt rejoined his squad, his comm began to buzz alight with urgent news- one that had his entire squad surprised.
“We’ve apprehended the commanding officers of the Graitz. Cut them off while they were still giving orders. Broadcasting surrender orders now. Remember, do not be complacent.” The captain spoke.
A strange emotion washed over Hunt as he realised that this battle was coming to an end. There would still be pockets of resistance here and there, no doubt many Graitz would surrender once word of their command’s fall spread. He doubted he’d be able to see much action then.
The rest of his squad were still alert and tense, but it was clear they were comforted by the news. A few troopers were already chatting as if the battle was over and done.
“This is another theatre that’s collapsed… The Graitz are losing control over the entire planet.” Alessa spoke suddenly.
Rashid seemed to realise this as well, “If not the entire war. We’ve nearly repulsed their entire offensive by now- Concord is one of the few worlds that have any Graitz left.”
At this moment Hunt came to a realisation of his own. The conflict against the Graitz Dominion was going to be over soon. Rumours have it that the Third Ancerious War was going to come to a close as well.
He had spent only a few weeks on Aedleshaven and was left wanting. He hardly saw any action there. He had spent three years fighting in the Astra Domain and several months on Concord. He had fought access dozens of battles right in the deadliest of fights. During that time, he felt as if he was whole.
Now he realised that he felt disappointment It was a shame that this war was ending so soon. It would've taken a few more years of this before he could even consider taking a break.
Eden Station, Genesis System, Unified Democratic Systems
Diplomatic Ward, Governance Wing
Recreation Hall
Isaac Thatch drank deeply from the steel cup and let the sweet liquid linger for a moment before he swallowed to take another draught. Alcohol was explicitly forbidden during major conferences like these but there was plenty of fresh fruit juice for everybody- the least of the many hospitalities provided by the UDS.
He placed the cup on the table before shuffling away to the concessions stand to grab a muffin and nutrient bar. It wasn’t much of a meal but it was enough to keep the hunger away for the rest of the meeting which hopefully won’t last for another five hours.
Other diplomats from the Astra Domain and the UDS lingered in this hall to also grab quick snacks before they inevitably were called back. After all, this technically wasn’t a pause in the meetings- they had all excused themselves to take a break away from the long talks inside the meeting hall. Isaac noted how there were no Graitz representatives in the recreation hall- in fact, he hadn’t spotted any of the Poleisi delegates leave the meetings at all. It seems they were more stressed than originally anticipated.
“With luck, that’ll mean this is over soon,” Isaac muttered in between mouthfuls of warm pastry.
“I wish! You’d think they’d be more respectful considering their circumstances,” One of the Astra diplomats had heard him and decided to chat. Her brown face was creased with age and stress although her pale eyes shone with exhausted triumph, “It’s like they forgot they’re the ones who lost the war.”
He gave a non-committal hum despite agreeing completely with her view. The Graitz had completely lost this war there was no avoiding that. While neither the Astra nor UDS had launched a proper invasion of their territories, the Graitz Dominion had been pushed entirely out of their territory and their invading armies completely dismantled which finally caused the cracks in their economy and industry to collapse, taking their tyrannical autocrat with them as their capital descended into anarchy and violence. A temporary council of corporate magnates and crooked officials was established to officially declare their surrender.
It was far from the ideal egalitarian government but it was a step in the right direction and was something for their spies to work on in the future.
Isaac spoke as the two of them enter the meeting hall, “We have plenty of ways to convince them to make the wiser choice. I doubt they are brainless enough to believe they can withstand an invasion of our own.”
He knew that despite the UDS’ own instability, they still very much had the firepower to mop up the Graitz completely. The only reason why they entertained these talks was because it was the easiest path to end the war with no further losses and risks.
She smirked, “I don’t know- I think they’re smart enough to know we might as well be doing that.”
They pushed open the doors to the meeting hall and took in the cool atmosphere. The two parties sat across a long table facing each other- the Graitz Dominion of CONA and the Astra-UDS partnership of SAGA. It was clear that a major proposition had just been made as the Graiz diplomats were leaning close to each other and furiously muttering under their breath compared to the cooler expressions of the colonials.
“Ah, welcome back, Miss Vasen, Sir Thatch,” One of the UDS aides beckoned the two to take their seats before he leant over to lip sync, “We’re nearing a breakthrough.”
Isaac took his seat and looked across the table at the arguing Graitz before raising a curious brow. The aide smirked and passed him a copy of the treaty. Despite already knowing the UDS’ general plans, even he was surprised to learn just how much they were demanding. The Graitz were to cede nearly all of their interstellar territories to the Astra Domain and pay extreme reparations to both SAGA nations. The Graitz Dominion will be forced to not just demilitarise but also be locked inside of their star system until either their reparations are paid in full or half a century passes. Meanwhile, the UDS was to gain control over a few worlds in the Astra Domain and receive a share of the natural resources they harvested from their new holdings.
The fact that the UDS was going to be filling both nations didn’t need to be said at all.
Still, this treaty did seem like too much. These terms were quite brutal for any nation and were a clear display of their power over a defeated foe. No one sane would accept this proposition. But considering the current state of the Graitz, maybe they didn’t have a choice.
Isaac thanked the aide and sat back in his chair to observe the Gratiz diplomats. He was thankful that the Poleisi were human enough to easily allow him to read their emotions by merely the twitching muscles on their face.
“Sirs if you would allow us some more time-” One of the Graitz diplomats began, “- We can pay these reparations, but we ask for some time to rebuild our industry before you seize it- without our colonies, we are essentially bleeding out slowly from a neglected wound.”
The UDS ambassador shook his head, “We cannot give you more than a few months to prepare for the transfer. You have caused irreparable damage to the Astra Domain and siphoned resources from the UDS. A reckoning needs to be met immediately.”
“It's not that we are heartless- we are willing to grant you this completely,” the Astra ambassador added and slid over another datapad, “All prisoners regardless of rank shall be handed over to you at the moment the transfer is completed.”
This was just one of the major bargaining chips they acquired after the defeat of the Graitz armies. The command staff of several theatres were captured and their admiral leading the invasion was seized after his ship was crippled trying to escape. This wasn’t even mentioning the thousands of Poleisi they held captive after defeats on key worlds like Concord and Iona.
And of course, if this failed to convince them to sign the treaty, well it's not like they had anything left to prevent a strike force from directly attacking their capital world.
Recognising the stonewall before him and realising there truly was no other option, the Graitz diplomat crashed into his seat and sighed. He talked to his fellows for a few more minutes before he finally reached for a stylus, “Very well. I will sign this treaty.”
Isaac let out a relieved sigh. The colonial diplomats exchanged smiles and shook hands as the defeated native delegation signed away their nation’s future.
At long last, this conflict has come to an end. Now a whole new window of opportunities had just opened.