NationStates Jolt Archive

The space probes launched by Taurenor had sped through the solar systems, past every planet and moon, taking in all kinds of information, from geographical data, to the many radio transmitions it heard. Taurenor once again knew everything about the solar system and it's inhabitants.

Sitting on her throne Taurevanimë was speaking to Sailon, one of the brightest minds in the empire.
"So all the planets have been taken?" She said. "Oh no my queen. Only Elemmíre, Nénar and Luinil are unclaimed." He said, sounding quite confident of himself. "I see. And we lost all our shipyards when we came here, did we not?" She asked and he quickly replied with a yes. "Elemmíre is to small and hot, not to mention visible. Nénar and Luinil are so far away, but are very suitable for building a ship yard. Which do you think we should take?" Sailon pondered for a moment, looking outside through the large windows over the forests and the pale blue sky. "I think Nénar would be the wisest. It is nearby and doesn't have nearly as strong a winds as Luinil has. Not to mention that it's rotational axis can be to our advantage." He said and looked back at Taurevanimë who just sat there and nodded. "Then so be it, we shall claim Nénar for our own again and begin construnction as soon as possible." She said and gestured that Sailon may leave, and he did so after all the formalities of bowing and such, accomponied by two guards.

And so it began, Sailon emediatly got to work on a shipyard design, taking on old one from the archives and making slight improvements on it, in order to speed things up. While he was busy with his design, the construction workers were put through examination and exams, to make sure that nothing could go wrong and all were fit and ready to do their job.
This was going to be a very important thing for Taurenor, since only so few ships could be built on the ground. But with this, not only were they going back into space, but also start rebuilding their strength.

[Tag]

[Official Tagging. Congratulations, you have been tagged]

The designs had been completed, the training had been finished. All that remained to be done was to actually do it. And since this was going to be the first manned mission in space since the coming to this world, a grand party was organised on the eve of the mission. There were foods and drinks, music, laughter and singing. Many people congratulated Sailon and praised Taurevanimë.
All went back home to rest when the party had ended, everyone was in high hopes and spirits about this mission. Everything was fine and nothing happened. And on the morning of the launch telivision crews were already busy setting up their equipment to broadcast this historic day.

In the afternoon the large space crafts for the mission were busy with their pre-flight checklist as an squadron of fighters flew overhead and fireworks went off as music was played by a band.
The large ships took off without as much fanfare or noise as old chemical rockets, their gravimetric engines easilly lifting the hundreds of meters and thousands of tons of metal from the ground and skyward without any problems. And so the journey to Nénar began.
As soon as they broke atmosphere the ships powered up their ion engines and sped off towards the planet.

The C'tan starship Leveller, which had yet to leave Taurenor's orbit, swung around and followed the Taurenor ships, twenty thousand kilometers behind them. It didn't take any hostile action, it merely followed them.

[Totally Absolutely Great]

#tag#

http://www.nationstates.net/forum/viewtopic.php?t=118340

Look at the end of the factbook if you want to know what i do with elves.

This sounds stupid, probably, but for those of us (namely me) who aren't sure, could you anwer a question for me? Where is this! Are Elemmire, Nenear, Luini, and Taurenor, other names for Sol Sytem planets, or is this in another system altogether, I'd love to get involved, but I'm confused!

t~ag~

With a slight, almost imperceptible ripple in the immaterium following in its wake, causing a momentary sense of Deja Vu to any magicians or psycics in the area, another necron ship appeared over Taurenor, of the same class as the last one, the C'tan Starship Scythe took over the task of dissuading anyone with harmful intent toward the Taurenorians ((?)) from acting foolishly.

It sent a brief message to the surface;

•Transmode clear
↑Scythe Class Cruiser Scythe
↓Taurenor
↔"I hope you don't mind the continued interference, but we thought you might need and hoped you might appreciate our continued presence and interpret it as a sign of our friendship and commitment. The Leveller wishes me to inform you that it will do anything within its power to ensure the safety of your expedition.
Yours in good faith, C'tan Starship Scythe."

The message was ommnidirectional and unencoded, anyone who was listening should have been able to detect it. There was a deliberate empasis on the word safety, a none too subtle hint that agression against the Taurenorian expedition would be - unwise.

The Leveller was spotted by the sensors of the many transport ships, yet they did not act since they were unarmed and the Ctan was a nation they sought to become allies with. Apart from that the flight towards the planet went off without a hitch, they even arrived before their scheduled time. Not wasting any time they flew the ships into the planets thick atmosphere and started construction emediatly. Within the coming years construction would continue and ships regurally fly in and out of the atmosphere, letting no one see what is going on. And it wouldn't be long untill the shipyard was completed and fully operational, ready to start producing ships for the Empire of Taurenor.

"My queen, shouldn't we send out ships to defend the construction zone?"
"That won't be necessary. The Ctan vessel will do it for us." Taurevanime said. "Don't object. I don't know why, but I think we can trust them. It's something about that Feaelen, but I don't know what. Send the Scythe a thank you message."

ooc: Might be badle written but I just woke up.

[Thelasi Star Naval tag, be afraid, be very afraid]

The starfield over the construction sone ripples with ancient and arcane energies. Stars seem to boil as first cracks, then actual breaches, form in the pattern of reality in the void. Light the color of blood, pulsing with palpable malevolence and unbridled power, spills from a dozen or more writhing tears.

Backlit against the raging Warp, sleek and deadly ships emerge into reality. In the cast of light from the gates, the icon gracing the prow of each ship is readily visible: a bleeding heart, run through with thorns, clutched in a gauntleted fist. The rune "Atherakhia" is centered in the icon on the prow of the lead ship, which is larger and somewhat more prickly than the rest. Blade's Kiss itself leads the formation of cruisers.

By neither word or deed do the raiders attempt to contact or pacify the construction teams. The fleet ignores the lurking Scythe as they move into position to attack.

There was a burst of communication to and from the Leveller as it detected the Dark Eldar ships. It increased its power output to maximum and began the procedure of awakening its ‘marine’ complement from stasis.

•Transmode clear
↑Scythe Class Cruiser Leveller
↓Taurenor Expedition
↔"Flee!”

•Transmode clear
↑Scythe Class Cruiser Leveller
↓Eldar Vessels
↔"This expedition is under my protection, please withdraw immediately.”

•Transmode high encryption FTL
↑Scythe Class Cruiser Leveller
↓Cairn Class Battleship Murderer of Stars
↔"We have an Eldar problem here.”
↔"Understood, what do you need?”
↔"I’d like six cruisers. Also, will you receive my mind-state?”
↔"Six? That’s going to take a little time; I’ll do what I can. And yes, I’ll be waiting.”

It didn’t waste any time waiting for a response from the eldar raiders, who doubtless were unafraid of it, instead opening fire with its longest ranged weapons, a bizarre projected field, as soon as they were in range. It also began to compress its own recent memories since its last back up. It had little doubt that it would die here – it was outmatched, but with any luck it would be able to survive to be re-incarnated in a new ship. There were several of the right class under construction at any time.

Were it human, it would still be scared of the prospect. It was however, almost entirely unemotional, despite the sophistication of its AI, and thus only contemplated the tasks at hand, with a small part of its mind at least noting that its destruction here might be useful for international relations, and that its next form might have the new shadow fields developed from long examination of a Dark Eldar vessel.

""Revenge is a dish best served cold", said the Aelosian Admiral sitted in the throne of the Dimbar, the huge VoidStalker Class Flagship of the Fourth Fleet of the Sindarin Empire.

Behind the huge ship, bigger than any other Eldar designed vessel, three cruisers and a dozen of escorts, mostly Hemlock Class Destroyers armed with the new improvement of the twin lance cannon, were racing through the open space towards the Dark Eldar Cruisers. The battlegroup had been hunting for their dark cousins since the Silmesse incident, when the Raem's Dark Eldar captured and tortured several Aelosian soldiers and the ShadowPrince declared the open hunt of all Dark Eldar as kinslayers.

Finally the graceful ships, built by Sindarin elves based in Eldar blueprints, adopted a wedge formation, with the Flagship in the front and the smaller ships behind it, approaching the Dark Eldar fleet from the back, hoping to be on time to save the Taurenor expeditionary fleet from the claws of the Dark Eldar raiders.

[OOC: Apologize for post length in advance. Just makes it look neater during speech, and easier to read]

The tiniest of ripples appeared in space, like the ripples from a drop of water lightly hitting an entire ocean. There was the slightest of flashes of a faint red light, and then nothing. Left behind was a small ship, grey with stripes of black and yellow on its wing edges. The ship was about 5 metres long, 2 wide, and totally slimlined, apart from a small protrusion sticking out the back about 3 metres straight up, and the wings themselves, a slim triangular shape, about 4 metres long.

Inside the cramped cockpit of the ship, alarms were ringing, lights were flashing, and one very pale man inside was slamming buttons frantically.

'Nav com, where are we!?'

On the small screen on front of him appeared a line of text:

> Unknown

'Well can you at least tell me what's wrong with the ship?'

> Yes

'Then what's wrong with the ship then!?'

> Jump Drive has malfunctioned. Will detonate in approxomately 32 seconds. Eject Jump Drive?
> Y/N?

'For the love of god yes! Then get us full speed away from the jump drive!'

> Heading?

'It doesn't matter! Just away from it!'

> If heading is between 72, 36 and 112, 78, danger will be greater than Jump Drive

'Then go somewhere that's NOT between them!'

> Acknowleged

'For the love of god....'

The protrusion at the back of the ship detached, launching itself away from the ship at an incredible speed. The ship sped straight forward, away from the Jump Drive. After only 30 seconds, the Jump Drive exploded in a flash of brilliant red light, leaving behind not even the slightest scrap of debris.

The pilot relaxed as the alarms stopped ringing one by one, apart from a single one. He stared at the screen again as he asked another question.

'Nav Com, what is the alarm for?'

> To alert pilot and personnel to presence of weapon fire within immediate vicinity

'Weapons fire!?'

> Correct

'Is that what was dangerous about those co-ordinates before?'

> Correct

'Ok, is it known what type of fire it is? Is it from a type of ship in the database?'

> Negative

'Uh, is there any ships nearby NOT shooting?'

> Affirmative

'Hail it then.'

> Opening Channel......hailing ship.....ship is not responding

'Uh, what ship is it? Any markings on it that might.....Nav Com, what am I currently seeing on the screen?'

> A transmission from the ship we attempted to contact

'It responded to us?'

> Negative. It was directed at all sources within immediate vicinity

'So, it's called the Scythe.....open another channel to it. Try and get it's attention.'

> Ship is currently firing weapons at other ships. Opening channel......waiting for response......

An annoying speck tickled the Leveller's senses, trying to open communications.

•Transmode clear
↑Scythe Class Cruiser Leveller
↓Unidentified shuttle
↔"I'm rather busy, what do you want?”

> Response received.
> Im rather busy, what do you want?


'Uh, is that the captain if the ship?'

> Negative. It appers to be the ship

'Ok. Uh, Leveller, can I call you that? Uh.....jeez, what DO I ask....'Scuse me, know where Ladox is mate? Just around the corner? Cheers'....ye gods no, not that.....Uh, Leveller, do you happen to know a place to dock near here? Nav Com, send that last part of the message to the ship'

> Acknowleged. Message reads
> Uh, Leveller, do you happen to know a place to dock near here?
> Send?

'Take away the Uh part, then send.....oh god, look at the size of those ships. If they open fire on me with their......Nav Com, what ARE they firing? I can't see what the one we hailed is firing.'

> Message sent. Scythe Class Cruiser Leveller is using an unknown weapon type.

'Then how do you know it's firing a weapon?'

> Ships are exploding

'Oh, NOW you take notice of the obvious.....'

On board the lead construction vessel.

"Sir, incoming message from the Ctan vessel." A seemingly young looking elf said. "It's just one word, sir. 'Flee.' Flee from what sir?"

"Most likely from them. Send them a message saying that Nénar has been claimed by the empire of Taurenor, and pety threats will not make us leave this planet."

"Message sent sir."

"Good that will teach them."

A few moments later an alarm went off as the sensor systems on the vessel detected the firering of weapons.

"Si-.."

"Yes I know, they're firering their weapons at us. Start evasive maneuvres."

"No sir, they're firering away from the planet... wait a second, picking up multiple targets heading this way and exchanging fire with the Ctan vessel."

"Damnit, we can hardly fight one ship, let alone so many. Give orders for all work to cease emediatly and all personal return to the nearest ship, then set a course out of here. But let's get as much distance as we can between ourselves and those forces, I want you to fly us through the planet, but by Eru's name stay clear of crushing pressure."

Seconds later the evacuation order was given and everyone tried to get to a vessel as fast as possible, not knowing what was going on. Soon the ships fired up their engines and went deeper into the planets thick clouds.

ooc: Since I wasn't planning on being attacked I never posted any number of vessels or which planet Nénar was. Well Nénar is Uranus as you might have made up from the description of the planet and the others. And for roleplaying sake, assume that there are 7 large shuttles, I'll work out sizes after my sleep. And there is also a 35% completed shipyard. Enjoy the battle everyone.

((Aelosia, unless you had fleets nearby (within a few hundred thousand klicks), I don't see how there's any way you could respond that quickly. There wasn't even a distress call or anything.))

Nascia stares out at the roiling energies of the Necron weapons. The burning clouds envelope one of the flank Cruisers, and flay the hull from it. Fires spurt out into the void, fed by air hemorrhaging from breached bulkheads along the spine of the vessel.

"Engage thrusters. Take us past the vessel of the Yngir. We're not here to squabble with the star god."

Firs the Blade's Kiss, then the rest of the ships in the formation, lurch forward. Their engines burn brightly in the void as they close the distance to the construction zone.

The first of the assault shuttles, Eldar gunboats modified to carry passengers, begin launching from the flagship.

‘They’re – closing – and they’re not even returning fire – are they insane?’ thought the Leveller for a brief moment before correcting itself, ‘Yes, they’re Dark Eldar, of course they’re insane. Oh well.’ The ship watched as they closed range with it again, targeting the lead Eldar vessel; identified from records as the Blade’s Kiss, Archon Rath’s personal flagship.

The Leveller began to accelerate toward it, azure bolts of energy, styled like lightning through an atmosphere flying from the hull toward the eldar ship joining the fusillade of gauss whip shots now crossing the void. It picked up a message from the Taurenorians to the Eldar, telling them of their claim.

•Transmode clear
↑Scythe Class Cruiser Leveller
↓Taurenor Expedition
↔"Admirable though your sentiments are, I still suggest that you attempt to leave the area as fast as you can, I have no wish to harm you, but the ships I am now engaging are most likely here to perform a slave raid on you. Their treatment of captives is very unpleasant indeed, to understate the matter. I am attempting to prevent this, and have sent for reinforcements, however, I still predict that we will be unable to protect you entirely from them.”

The ship then began uploading its memory packets to its distant cousin, continuing all the while to fire at the Eldar flagship. It noticed something. Eldar shuttles. The ship prepared to move into a position where its star-pulse generator would be able to deal with them

Uh, Leveller, do you happen to know a place to dock near here?

It wondered for a moment, and decided that its mission didn’t say it should protect this interloper. Perhaps it could arrange for this fool to be captured by the Dark Eldar, and save some of its real charges.

•Transmode clear
↑Scythe Class Cruiser Leveller
↓Unidentified shuttle
↔"Certainly. That shipyard behind me.”

'So, Nav Com, should we head to the shipyard? Does it seem to have any repair facilites?'

> Unknown. Structure is of unknown design.

'Uh, Ok....huh, looks...I dunno, kinda....rough. Nav Com, is there anything that the design even closely matches?'

> Tendar shipyard

'Ah, good. Ok, if we assumed this was a Tendar shipyard instead of whatever it actually is, would you say it looked a bit rough?'

> Please define term Rough in current context

'Uh, Unfinished, not complete, not very well done'

> Structure appears to be rough

'Well, is there any activity in it? If it's under construction, maybe there's some repair facilites already built. That ship wouldn't have said about it otherwise I guess'

> Activity minimal. Multiple vessels moving at rapid velocity away from structure

'In what direction? Maybe we could use the repair facilites whilst they aren't here. Probably wouldn't mind if we did.'

> Vessels heading towards centre of gas giant

'Ok. Set a course for the shipyard.'

> Course set. Be advised, 6 unidentified ship along with leveller are currently heading towards the shipyard

'Uh, are those ships firing?'

> Negative. Ships are heading towards shipyard. No weapons fire emanating from ships.

'Huh, well, fire up the engines. Deactivate all ships systems we don't need right now. I want to be as stealthy as possible. They may not be firing, but those ships look creepy as hell. All points and blades.....'

The ships twin engines flared. Both engines gave off a dull red glow, similar to that of the late Jump Drive.

'And one last thing. Get all weapons systems armed. I feel better having a weapon at hand'

> Weapons systems powering up...........weapons armed. Select target?

'No! No target yet! Just....keep the weapons ready. Now, lets see what's so important about that damn shipyard that everyone seems to want it......'

The seven shuttles continued to go deeper into the gas giant for some time before levelling off on a course that would directly take them to earth.
"Send word to Taurenor of our current status and activities around the shipyard, this isn't good." The captain said.

ooc: Ctan you are so evil ;)

[OOC: Meh, sure as crap hope this shipyard is gonna have some repair facilites. Considering the fact that if the Dark Eldar spot me, some serious running is required, i'd prefer to have a ship that wont fall apart around me not so point ears.]

OOC: The shipyard has only finished the frame and command station, but no repair facillities of any kind. Tough luck Rinceweed.

:tag:

((I was hunting the Blade's Kiss since the Silmesse incident, like a hound. Oh and I have a fleet in the orbit of Neptune at all times, having a colony beneath the surface of the planet. I was expecting the Blade's Kiss to appear again)).

"Move forward, catch them. Use the sunlight to max speed. The Necron ships will be our anvil. This time the pincers will hold, the tail will strike, like a scorpion. Those Dark Eldar must pay for why they did in Silmesse", said the Admiral in the bridge as the fast silouettes of the eldar vessels moved forward, almost eager to test the pulsar lances against the hulls of the sinister Dark Eldar ships.

((Remarkable that you can track and predict the movements of a ship that's left Commorragh once since Silmesse, when even the canon Eldar have trouble predicting the DE. Remarkable, too, that you crossed from Neptune to Uranus in only a single post.))

One flank of the formation breaks off to engage the Necron ship, long-range dark lances cutting black bars across the starscape.

The lead shuttle leaps away from the slightly slower capital ships, followed by perhaps half a dozen others, giving chase to the elven crafts. One eager gunner takes a pot shot at a trailing shuttle, even though it would likely go completely wild at this range.

The shadow lances of the eldar ships hammered the Leveller, it could feel its armour vaporising, tertiary power distribution nodes shattering. It increased its acelleration, plunging through a rain of fire toward the eldar ships, its hull glowing furiously, partly from melting and partly from its last ditch attempt to retaliate.

Near the spine of the ship, something exploded, a central power node. It felt its reactions slowing down, weapons taking longer to fire, even its thoughts becoming more protracted and less fluid. It sent a last sequence of memory packets – the last one potentially garbled by the strike of another shadow lance.

Then it exploded.

Twice.

The first explosion to emerge from its hull was the titanic blast of a star-pulse, a seething ball of energy and radiation powerful enough to vaporise smaller ships entirely and even irritate a cruiser.

Moments after, from the strain of trying to defend itself and output so much energy, the ship’s primary power generator exploded, tearing it asunder in a second, weaker pulse of light. The inertia-less drive was next, sucking the debris from the ship to a point so fine it could not be seen visibly. A moment later the ship flashed again, the drive implosion sending the sundered, shattered debris to nowhere.

The shot no more then expectad missed the shuttle, but went close enough for the shuttle to dangerously move into the formation of other shuttles, forcing them all to slow down and recover for a few seconds, losing precious distance between the enemy ships.

"Send word to that pilot never to bank into formation again, it's to dangerous." The captain shouted over the bridge, clinging to his chair. "Dump all cargo, we need to lose weight and go faster." He said as he sat back in his seat.

The ships finally reamerged from the other side of the planet, dropping their cargo of metal and construction equipment behind them. Speeding of towards the earth.

ooc: I din't want to do this, but BUMP.

[OOC: Sorry, been busy lately. Been meaning to post for a while now. By the way, this shipyard, is it totally exposed to the vacuum apart from the command center? If not, then im gonna hafta change some of my post.]

The small shuttle slowly coasted down to the landing pad. It simply stopped about 3 feet above it, then a single small hatch opened at the bottom of the ship. Out of it emerged a single man, dressed in a small but clumsy space-suit, mostly made of easily destroyed materials which could fold for storage in small spaces.

As the figure walked from the pad further into the structure, he started to notice areas that seem to have been abandoned whilst uncompleted, going more towards proving his idea that the place was under construction when the previous inhabitants left.

Although he was quite a veteran of space travel, being on his own in a place like this, with the only sound being his own breathing, and the total silence outside the suit, still gave him the creeps. He drew a small object, the size and shape of a Compact Disk, with a small protrusion only slightly thicker than the disk itself, sticking out in one direction.

He held the object vertically, his index finger through the hole in the centre, the protusion pointing away from him.

He finally neared a door in the side of the only main structure. Hopefully it might contain a repair facility, or at least some tools. As he opened the door and walked inside, he it quickly shut behind him, leaving another door in front of him. It was quickly obvious this was an airlock. As the air started to filter into the chamber, he removed the one bulky part of the suit, the helmet. He started breathing in air from around him again, letting his lungs fill with the wonderful, life giving substance. As the second door opened, and he walked in and glanced around, two things quickly became obvious.

The first was that, according to a large map in one corner of the room, this was the only real structure in the place. The rest was just framework. This was not a good thing.

The second though, was far, far worse. A large map of the space surrounding the structure was mounted on one wall. On the left of it was the gas giant. In the centre, the structure itself, and on the right......about 6 or 7 rapidly blinking red dots. This alerted him to the approach of shops. The fact that the dots were red and blinking was probably a very, very bad thing. This idea was helped by the blinking text at the bottom of the screen that had various arrows pointing to it, along with the fact that the text was red, blinking, glowing and changing in size and occasionaly the brightness (If he had been able to read it, it would have said 'Lunch Break', but that really wouldn't have helped as much as it actually did)......and possibly the alarms that had just started. Seemed like running and flying was a very good choice.

He donned the helmet again, tapped a small button on the side of the disk, causing a small green light to appear on one side, then ran back into the airlock again.

This was NOT a good day.

[Noob/OOC: T3h BUMP! Loooololoilolololol1111!1!!!!shiftone!!11!!!eleven]

This message brought to you by impatience - Sponsored by 'Warm Pee' (tm).

(Crap, go away for three-four days and see what happens)

The Thelasi battleship Harandoth cut slowly through space, on a leisurely patrol. Of course, it's patrol was taking it quiet close to Neptune, something that was quiet intentional. TMI had noticed the Taurenor ships leaving the planet, and noting the not so good ending to the feast, Empress Ithenril decided to send a warship on patrol, to "establish a Thelasi presence" the thought being that if a battle broke out, they would have time to call for an entire Thelasi battle fleet.

Unfortunately, things did not turn out that way. The captain, an older elf, although as with all of his race, he showed no signs of aging, decided to take immediate action, "Lieutenant, send a message to Thelas Fleet Command, tell them that a battle has broken out" "Aye Sir, any other orders?" "As a matter of fact yes, bring the ship around, scramble all fighters, raze energy screens, and sound General Quarters" "SIR!"

Within minutes the large battleship and swung around, her Anti-Proton cannons glowing slightly, and her mass drivers crackling with energy as she moved towards the battle.

"This is the TMV Harandoth to Taurenor and C’tan warships, I am offering our assistance on behalf of Empress Ithenril and the Thelasi Star Empire. Do you require assistance?"

In front of the Thelasi warship, twenty four Zero Fighters waited, their engines warming.

Back near earth, the rest of the Thelasi Fleet number Four moved into space, speeding towards the battle area.

(relavance of this post pending)

"Sir incoming transmission." "Well play it." The captain said as he kept looking at his sensor screen. "This is the TMV Harandoth to Taurenor and C’tan warships, I am offering our assistance on behalf of Empress Ithenril and the Thelasi Star Empire. Do you require assistance?"
"Send them the following message. We're unnarmed transports being pursued by 6 warships. Of course we require assistance."

ooc: * Pokes Raem with a stick.

(*also pokes Raem with a long pointy stick)

The captain nodded, "Alright, put us between the Raem warships and the Taurenor transports, do not fire, just use our mass to give some cover to the Noldor."

"Aye Sir"



Dark Eldar vessels, you are attacking unarmed civilian vessels with no provecation, this is a warning, stand down or we WILL fire upon, and destroy, you.



Slowly, the massive battleship came into position, in between the Dark Eldar vessels, and the Taurenor ships.

Kuiper Belt

With a flourish of hypospace echoes as its excess kenetic energy was dumped back into other dimensions where it belonged, the scythe class cruiser Eternal Vigilance decellerated from hyperspeed. A moment later it was surrounded by a shimmering wall of darkness, absorbing all electromagnetic energy below a certain threshold and within certain wavelengths.

Archon Rath had been kind enough to supply an eldar cruiser with their shadowfields in exchange for a 'consultant.' After many months of analysis, this was the product of their labour. Slightly superior in some ways to their eldar equivalent, the necrontyr shroudfields consumed more power - something necron ships had in abundance, and reduced the offensive capability of the craft somewhat when they were active, offsetting the advantages of a mildly more effective shadowfield. The benefits in defences however, made up for it entirely. Combined with the resiliance and stealth of the necron design itself, the difficulty in targeting a ship behind shroudfields made the Eternal Vigilance a veritable gunner's nightmare.

It joined several similar ships, some with shroudfields, some without. They awaited other arrivals.

In Earth orbit, the Third Thelasi fleet wheeled into position, their black hulls shining in the lamp light of the star bases around Earth. Slowly, the fleet turned, engaging their engines, they sped into space, at a speed that their mass size seemed to disallow.

In another minute or so, they would reach the battle sight… then, the Thelasi fleet would engage the raiders, but until then, the Captain of the Harandoth had to stall, and wait, just wait, and pray, praying did help.

In Earth orbit, the Third Thelasi fleet wheeled into position, their black hulls shining in the lamp light of the star bases around Earth. Slowly, the fleet turned, engaging their engines, they sped into space, at a speed that their mass size seemed to disallow.

In another minute or so, they would reach the battle sight… then, the Thelasi fleet would engage the raiders, but until then, the Captain of the Harandoth had to stall, and wait, just wait, and pray, praying did help.

ooc: Well I talked to Raem, if only two sentences. And he said I could retcon this.
I'll give him one more day to post and then... well you get the idea.

OOC: Raem damn it post!

IC:

The Thelasi fleet had finally arrived, and sat quietly, waiting, watching, oberving.

"This is the Third Thelasi fleet, Dark Eldar warships, you are out numbered and out guned, retreat imediatly."

Slowly, the Thelasi began to encircle the Dark Eldar ships.

*Deep under the Mountains of the Russian Far East, on NS Earth*

Scientist 1: Oh no! The Shockwaves from the detonation above have caused the Core to malfunction!

Scientist 2: What in the name of all that is holy?

Scientist 3: This has never happened before!

*Assistant in the middle of the room, standing near a glowing ball of light, has a large bolt from the "core" hit him*

Assistant: Aaargh!

*Assistant vanishes*

Scientist 1: Sh*t! Where in all of the hells did he go?

Scientist 2: I hope it's better than where we are.

--

*Inside a Thelasi Cruiser*

*Assistant (A human) appears out of nowhere, falling to the ground in the middle of a corridor*

Assistant: Where... Am... I?!?

With a single titanic pulse in the Immaterium, the necron fleet appeared, an entire squadron - 14 ships, led by the massive tombship Mechanisms of the Gods. They opened fire in the general direction of the Eldar immediately.

[Minutes later]

Seroth'tar, the Lord-Lieutenant of the Void-Dragon, stepped into the ship's sepulcure, and looked at the creature within, and reported - in person - occasionally such things were done when it seemed appropriate - to it.

"My lord, the Eldar vessels retreat."

The C'tan within would have smiled a bit were it human, "Good. Prepare to attack the unidentified vessels that were surrounding them."

The lord turned, and left, after simply replying with, "I obey."

As one the necron vessels targeted the Thelasi ships - energy readings that were - by all standards, obscenely high - emanated from their various weapon emplacements.

((OOC: Hope you don't mind Raem, but Taure said you'd lost interest in this thread, and I assume that the DE would retreat, what with it being a major part of their doctrine.))

The Taurenori vessels continued to flee away from the Raem forces and recently arrived Necron fleet. Moving further and further away from Neptune as they cross the orbit path of Saturn, the gas giant far away from them.

The Thelasi ships noticed the hostile actions of the C’tan ships, and slowed to a dead stop, powering down their weapons. Seconds later a message was sent from the lead ship to the Necron fleet.

“This is Admiral Rathamin of the Thelasi Third Fleet, we are here to protect the Taurenori ships from Dark Eldar vessels. We mean no harm to the C’tan or Taurenor nations, in fact, we are leaving the area now. Please clear a path so we can enter Slip-Stream.”

The Thelasi ships formed up into a column, waiting to see the actions of the C’tan ships.

For a long moment it looked like they would fire anyway, but eventually, they replied to the message.

•Transmode clear
↑Cairn Class Battleship Mechanisms of the Gods
↓Thelasi Ships
↔"You may leave, but do so quickly”

The Thelas ships did not need any prompting and quickly disapeared into slip-stream.

The Thelas ships did not need any prompting and quickly disapeared into slip-stream.

The C'tan ships waited until the Thelasi vessels dissapeared, and turned as one toward the planet, the lead ship sent a transmission to the fleeing Taurenorian vessels, "We appear to have solved your problem, you may return safely now."

will someone explain to me what "TAG" means?

"Commander, the Ctan vessel, it says the situation is clear and we should return. Your orders captain?"
"Taurevanimë thinks we should trust these Ctan, then we shall have to trust them. Alter course and head back for the station. No rush. Bring down red alert."

With a tiny ripple of excess kenetic energy being dumped into alternate dimensions, Fëaelen's 'shuttle' slipped out of hyperspeed above Taurenor, arcing inward with its auxiliary engines glowing a bright blue as its inertialess drive coasted it in toward the planet below. The sensors isolated only one major object in orbit, the Scythe and numerous sattelites The shuttle shot a transmission to the elven nation below, hoping that it would be picked up by someone appropriate.

"This is a C'tan diplomatic shuttle, requesting permission to land. We request an audience with Queen Taurevanimë, on a matter of some urgency concerning a recent attack on your shipyard facilities in Nénar."

Inside the rather large - the 'shuttle' was practically a frigate - Fëaelen idly checked some things in a small ornate wooden box, a case perhaps would be a better word. Inside were several things she might find useful, a panel - a PDA sized computer, with staggeringly vast memory and computational power - a fairly impressive, but still quite ordinary hologram projector, and a black stone of some kind, engraved with the national symbol of Taurenor, a set of seven stars, around its base was a phrase in the script of the necrontyr, merging circles and straight lines, which translated as "For the use of Taurevanimë, Queen of Taurenor, a gift of the star-god known as The Messenger." Fortunately it looked more impressive than that when written in the indecipherable text of the necrontyr.

Laicairin control

"This is Laicairin control to Ctan diplomatic shuttle. You have been cleared to land, uploading flight path and landing zone emediatly. Hope you had a pleasant trip."

The forest near Laicairin

It was evening once again in Taurenor and Taurevanimë walked through the forest amidst the trees, enjoying their company and that of the night's creatures on her evening walk. Slowly Taurevanimë turned around looking up in a tree. "You can come down now uncle." She said and smiled as another elf, still seemingly young and youthfull, but with an air of age and wisdom around him dropped down from the tree. "Hehehe. I see you have not forgotten that which I have taught you." The other elf said as he straightened his clothes. "I got here as soon as I could once I got your message. What's wrong dear?" He said and looked a lot more serious and concerned now.
"Nothing uncle, I am fine. But I do need to ask you something." The other elf let out a sigh and smiled again. "Okay what is it?" He asked, being quite relieved. "Uhriel, as you know this new world is even less safe then the old, already our ships have been attacked. We are going to have to construct a much larger army for our own defence." She spoke, a look of concern in her eyes as she thought of the safety of all her people. "And you want me to do something?" Uhriel asked. "Yes, you taught me everything I know of combat from weapons to tactics, but I am inexperienced, and I need someone to advise me, someone with experience. Uhriel I'm asking you to be my militairy advisor." She looked into his eyes, showing him her concern for her people. "I don't know. I got such a lovely tree in the forest where I can study much better then in the busy city." He said jokingly and Taurevanimë gave him a stern look of disapproval. "Okay, okay I'll do it." She smiled at him and was about to give him a hug as a messanger came running.

"Tárinya, the Ctan have send a shuttle and it is landing as we speak. Of course they want to speak to you." "Okay I will go to the palace, make sure they are felt welcome, we owe them the lives of our engineers." She said, looking more like the queen she is and emediatly started to walk back to the city where she would meet her guests.

The shuttle landed, two hundred and ten meters of shining black metal, rippling gently as if alive. It landed in the gardens of Taurevanimë's palace, contriving not to harm any of the plants or trees somehow, and Fëaelen stepped from it, down a ramp extending from the back, artfully passing between the two main outputs for the thrust engines which made up its auxiliary drive system.

With her was another figure, a tall elf, with a spectacular mass of raven black hair, he was stunningly handsome (or beautiful) even for a Quendi, dressed in flowing and even more intricate robes than Fëaelen, his identity had yet to be revealed, but there was one thing to be said about him. On learning of him, certain parties would almost certainly experience a profound horror.

Elves in space that's where they belong!
http://images.google.com/images?q=tbn:oWQsd9mPQPAJ:www.cakemusic.com/Images/store/space.jpg
Has not Spock shown you anything!
http://hunter.apana.org.au/~gallae/hecate/images/media/spock.jpg
Elves should stay in space away from us!
:shock:

Palacial Gardens.

Feaelen and the elf were greeted by a lonely group of guards holding torches. One of the guards stepped up to Feaelen and nodded his head slightly. "Welcome Feaelen. Had you informed us of your coming we would have had a welcome more fitting for you. Please follow me." He said and let her from the gardens into the palace and to the throne room were Taurevanimë would be waiting.

Throne Room

Taurevanimë sat on her throne looking at Feaelen and her elven follower as she was led inside. She greeted her with a smile and stood up. "Elen sila lúmenn omentielvo." She said with gracefull tone. "I was just about to contact you to thank you for protecting the lives of my people when your ship came. Thank you, we owe you their lives.

'A star shines on the hour of our meeting indeed' thought the C'tan, as she smiled at the queen, before speaking aloud, "It was no real trouble. We lost a ship but the 'crew' was evacuated safely."

"In any case, we don't really need your thanks, it was nothing, indeed, I think you deserve an explanation of who attacked you," she sat down, "They're a species generally called the Eldar," she held up a hand to forestall the inevitable question, "Not the same thing at all, Keigh as they call themselves, these creatures are far shorter lived than Quendi, and far less pleasant, practically orcs mentally, they hate, fear, and loathe all things 'non-eldar,' or Mon-keigh as they call them. The group that attacked your expedition are known as the 'Dark Eldar.' They are known for piracy.

If you don't mind," she said, and took out a holoprojector, setting it on the floor. The thing sprung to life, life sized, replaying transmissions sent out of Raem long ago, of the Dark Eldar tormenting humans with an obscene array of devices, screams filled the throne room as the captives of the Manmen Kabal were tormented. After a while of this, Fëaelen switched it off, "This is why we were quite so keen to protect your people. The Keigh, especially the 'dark' ones, are perhaps the worst of what's out here, and we have been working for some time to limit their influence. We most certainly couldn't allow this to happen to any of your people. I would never forgive myself," she said, truthfully.

Throughout all of this, the other 'elf' remained silent and passive.

Fëaelen nos Ancalimë (http://www.angelfire.com/scifi2/iimperium/feaelen1.jpg)
Imperial Spokesquendë for elven affairs, (Also Ruler of the C'tan Empire, Executive of all states, colonies, holdings, and protectorates therein.)

Throne Roomp

Taurevanimë waved her hand to tell the guards it was allright as she watched the holographic images of the torturing by Raem's doings. She was shocked and angered by the images she saw and as they ended she looked into Feaelen's eyes. "If this would have happened to my people, my thanks is all the more needed for rescueing them from such unspeakable horror."

“I accept your thanks, but do not ask you to be indebted to us for it, we would do the same for any of our allies,” she gestured, and the holoprojector switched off and flew to her waiting hand. “and we are proud to consider Taurenor among them.”

Throne Roomp

"And we are glad to be one of them." She said and gestured all to get up and get ready to follow her. "I beleive you did not only come here to show me these images of horror. But first, tell me who is the elf with you? We haven't even been introduced."

“Ah yes,” said Fëaelen, seeming to cheer up, as both C’tan followed “this is Elenendan,” he raised an eyebrow at that, “my son.” That was true, “I was hoping to leave him here as an ambassador to your people.”

Elendan bowed slightly to the queen, and stepped forward, “Actually, I prefer Elendan your majesty,” he said with a slight smile.

http://www.angelfire.com/scifi2/iimperium/feasig.JPG

Fëaelen nos Ancalimë (http://www.angelfire.com/scifi2/iimperium/feaelen1.jpg)
Confederate Spokesquendë for elven affairs, (Secretly also the Ruler of the C'tan Empire, Hidden executive of all states, colonies, holdings, and protectorates therein.)

Throne Room

She nodded and spoke to him. "Then I will call you Elendan." She then looked at Fëaelen. "Well it is a bit sudden, but having an ambassador would hopefully further improve our relations with each other. We'll talk about this in more detail later." She said to her and lead them through the hallway into another room.

Diplomatic Meeting Room 1"

The room was large and clearly designed to host diplomatic meetings. The room was luxerious with a large oval oak wood table, able to seat many people in it's center. A finely dressed aid stood ready beside the door as they entered.
She sat down at the one side of the table and gestured for her guests to sit across from her. "Would you like something to drink before we continue on what else brings you here?" Taurevanimë said and looked at the aid beside the door for a while.

Elendan had, with his mother, just entered the conference room, and taken a seat, both ordering some random elf-drinks.
The elf servant nods and leaves the room. Taurevanimë looks back at Feaelen. "So what else brings you here?"

Fëaelen smiles a little, "Not much to be precise, though there are a few things we might be interested in proposing to you..." Elendan nods slightly at that, but otherwise does nothing.

Taurevanimë smiles a friendly smile and nods lightly, approving for Feaelen to continue.
Fëaelen puts the little box she had with her on the desk again, and opens it entirely, though there's nothing particularly recognisable in it. She takes out the holoprojector she had before and sets it on the table, but doesn't turn it on yet. She leans back in her chair a little, and then speaks, "We have noticed that you seem keen on off-world colonies..."
Taurevanimë eyes the box and the holoprojecter curiously before looking back at Feaelen. "Well there is only a finite amount of space and resources on this planet. And we do need resources if we are to grow and survive in this harsh new world."

Fëaelen nods a little, "I don't mean to sound patronising, but I ought to ask you just on principle, do you have faster-than-light travel?"

"Normally I wouldn't tell non-allies, but we do, yes."
Elendan raises an eyebrow, "Non-allies?"

"We haven't signed any document stating we recognise each other as allies. You do understand that such information in the wrong hands is a hazard to security."
Fëaelen smiles a little, "That can be corrected in short order if you wish..."

"We'd like to wait and see for a while before signing any binding document." Taurevanimë says. Fëaelen nods a little,
"Of course, most wise. Anyway, to return to the topic at hand," she pauses for a moment, and the holoprojector springs to life, "This is Duat, it's currently our capital. We were wondering would you like to establish a smallish colony there."
Taurevanimë looks at the hologram of the planet for a while before looking back.
"Very nice. Looks like a good place to have a colony, but what's the price?"

Fëaelen smiles a little, "We don't requite a price, though a nominal one credit per year rent would be... helpful."
"And a credit is worth how much? Or did you mean Taurenori Credit?"

Fëaelen raises an eyebrow, and tosses Taure a very small gold disk, "Currently, that's one credit's worth of gold."
Taurevanimë lifts the disc up and looks at it and laughs a little. "You can't be serious. You only want this little a year?"
Fëaelen nods a bit, "Quite serious."
"As she said, a nominal charge."
Taurevanimë thinks for a moment, this seems like to good a deal. "Okay, so for just one credit per year, we get to build a colony on your planet and do whatever we want?"
"Well, within reason. No destroying the terraforming process or anything so counterproductive," she says, clearly joking.

Taurevanimë laughs lightly again. "Okay I think we have a deal for certain. Is there anything else you'd wish to discuss?" Fëaelen smiles once more,
"Well, I think there are a few other things, but first, I've brought a little gift for you, in case you ever wish to contact me directly."
Taurevanimë smiles a little and nods once more. Fëaelen takes a jet-black stone from the box, and slides it across the table to Taure.
Taurevanimë looks at the stone for a while before picking it up and examines it closely.
The stone is largely black, and elongated somewhat. It's about the right size to sit in her palm, and engraved with various obscure necron symbols.

Taurevanimë looks back at Feaelen. "And how exactly am I to contact you with this?"
"You hold it in your hand and speak. Though not when I'm actually with you obviously."
"I just talk, I don't need to press or do anything else?"
"No,” says the C’tan.
Taurevanimë places the rock back on the table. "Quite the invention." She says.

Fëaelen nods a little, noting to herself that that’s only half of it, as whenever she uses that device it will scan her mind, recording her thoughts and surface memories for C’tan analysis, "I suppose so." Just then the servant comes back walking in with the drinks and Taurevanimë looks at him, not to pleased with the time it took him.

Fëaelen takes a drink with a little forgiving smile, not at all upset. Elendan does likewise. The servant leaves the room and Taurevanimë sips her drink. "So is there anything else? Or shall I have the contract for the embassy written so we can sign them?"
"I think that would be a good idea," Elendan says, smiling a little.
Taurevanimë takes out a few pieces of paper, outlining various rules and laws about the embassy and hands them, along with a contract stating that the C’tan Empire will go along with those rules to Feaelen.

Fëaelen seems to read very quickly, signs, and passes them back for Taurevanimë to sign. Taurevanimë signs the contract and hands Feaelen a copy. "Well that's settled then. Is there anything else you'd want say or do before leaving?"
Fëaelen drinks for a moment, "Not especially, except thank you, and leave instructions on how to get to Duat with your people, but Elendan knows that just as well as I do."

Taurevanimë sips from her drink while Feaelen talks and then stands up, holding out her hand to Feaelen to shake. (And Elendan after Feaelen) "Well then I'd like to thank you for visiting and saving my people once again. I hope you will come back soon."

Fëaelen smiles, shaking her hand, "Oh, I shall try to come as often as I can." She then briefly, (and maternally for that matter,) kisses and hugs her son, and departs.

Fëaelen smiles, shaking her hand, "Oh, I shall try to come as often as I can." She then briefly, (and maternally for that matter,) kisses and hugs her son, and departs. Taurevanimë is a little surprised Feaelen left so soon and then looks at Elendan. "I will have someone show you to a room in which you will stay until the embassy is complete. Is this acceptable?"
Elendan smiles a little, "Most certainly."

Taurevanimë walks up to the door and waits for Elendan to join her. Elendan does so, setting the half full glass on the table. "Well then, this is goodbye. I will most certainly see you again as we start planning for the colony. Goodbye Elendan."

Elendan bows, "Thank you your majesty. I look forward to it."
Taurevanimë smiles and then the door opens and the elf servant is back. "Ambassador Elendan, let me show you to your room." He says and Elendan goes with him.

http://www.angelfire.com/scifi2/iimperium/feasig.JPG

Fëaelen nos Ancalimë (http://www.angelfire.com/scifi2/iimperium/feaelen1.jpg)
Confederate Spokesquendë for elven affairs, (Secretly also the Ruler of the C'tan Empire, Hidden executive of all states, colonies, holdings, and protectorates therein.)

After the Dark Eldar had fled and the construction teams returned, work resumed at a quickened pace to have the shipyard finished, so that Taurenor would be able to protect themselves from this space threat.
Now nearly a year after the attack the shipyard has been completed. Initially there was going to be a large opening party to celebrate the day when Taurenor once again would be able to start protecting itself from threats of space. But due to the attack and to keep things as low profile as possible, Taurevanimë has called off the party.
And so construction begins on the first 4 ships to be build at the shipyard and they will be completed within a matter of months. If all goes according to plan.