NationStates Jolt Archive

OOC: If you wish to join this RP and have not yet signed up in the sighn-up thread, please T-gram me first. Thank you



Zell Village, Cirrus

It was raining. Atlantian Hoplites ran through the streets at twilight as the rain poured down. Each one held a Orclic Rifle, ready to deal with the threat. A curfew had been established for the loyal citizens, those who still obeyed the Senate.

Those who where either Man or Women.

“What is it?” asked Lt. Jol, walking up to one of his fellow troops. He was currently hiding behind a bush next to a fence with holes in it.

The other one, Lt Alloth, looked at him “I think I heard something” both looked over the bush and though the fence, but they saw only darkness. Faint outlines of houses.

Jol looked around, puzzled. Then he saw it. A figure ran by, almost so fast that Jol could barely make him out in the dark.

“There one goes!” he cried “Get it!”

Several soldiers moved out from their positions and ran into the yard.

“Where did it go?!”

“I don’t know!”

“Keep your cool, men. We’ll find it”

“I don’t see any-AHHHHH!” one of the soldiers fell to the ground as a person about his size jumped on him. The figure began beating the soldier, and was quickly grabbed by two other men.

Jol spoke into his wrist communicator “We got it”

“Be careful” replied a voice “There have been reports of more then one in the area”


Sol Asteroid Belt, a few weeks later

An Atlantian Phoenix class cargo ship slowly made its way from the Kuiper Belt towards the star of this system, Sol. Secrecy was of the up most importance. No Terran...for that matter, no one in general, must know about the contents of the cargo ship.

Suddenly, however, the power in the ship went out. Everything except auxiliary lights and life supports where offline.

“What the Hades?” the commander looked around the bridge. Something wasn’t right. “What in the name of the gods is going on?!”

“Main power is out on all decks” said one of the officers.

“No shit” the Commander got out of his seat, obviously very frustrated. He had a tight schedule to keep, and couldn’t be caught asleep on the job. This was probably the most important mission the Atlantian Federation had to offer at this time...and the most secret. Only the higher ups new of this. And even then, not even half the Senate knew of the happenings here.

He couldn’t risk a distress signal, that could alert non-informed Atlantian vessels....or even worse, an alien vessel. Prehaps a Terran vessel. The Commander shuddered at the thought of Terrans crawling all over the ship. To quote the Elarians—Damn Pinkskins.

“Any idea what caused the power outage?” asked the Commander.

“Wiring malfunction?” one suggested.

“Could be” the Commander said “You two, get down to engineering. I want to know our status”

“Yes sir” the two he had pointed at immediately left the bridge. As they made their way down the dimly lit interiors, they could have sworn they heard voices.

“Oh no...” said the first one

“You hear that too?” asked the second one “Not good...”

“They’re free...”

As they turned around...well...that was the last they ever saw.

After about fifteen minutes, the Commander got tired of waiting. He started to leave the bridge, looking for his missing officers. However, as he stepped though the doorway, he got caught. He was dead before he hit the floor.

Within seconds, the rest of the bridge crew was dead. Hell...the entire ship was dead...except for them...



Battlestation 10 - Kuiper Belt

The meeting contained only a handful of people.

Commander Don, in charge of the station, sat at the end of the table. To his right was Senator Varox, now leader of the Atlantian Senate. Senator Xolon sat across from both of them. To his right was Admiral Si, in charge of the second fleet. At the other end of the conference table sat Senator Relge, and Commander Tull, leader of the Federation’s science division. The six where discussing what should be done about the missing freighter.

“Let it drift” said Don “Its not worth our time. Besides, no one would ever know what was going on”

“You sir, are a moron” Tull replied “How did you ever get in charge of this base?”

“Why you little....” Commander Don got out of his seat. He cast a threatening glare at Tull “How dare you insult my work!”

“Gentlemen” said Relge, in a commanding tone “Sit down. Fight out your high testosterone levels elsewhere” She looked at both of them. Tull sat down slowly, both still glaring at each other.

“Now” Senator Varox asked, getting back to business “What are our options?”

“We have to reclaim the freighter” said Si “If anyone else gets realizes what the freighter contains, all of our entire foreign relations will be as good as void”

“Why did we even decide on sending them into the Terran’s sun? Why didn’t we just toast the prisoners in one of our own?” asked Xolon

“Its the principle of the thing” said Tull “Would YOU want those things in your sun?”

“Wouldn’t bother me” Xolon replied.

Si shook his head “We shouldn’t even be doing this. It’s morally wrong. Atlantis prides itself in the fact that we are above most other species. This proves that we are below”

“Bullshit” said Relge, butting heads again “This is the only way. They are revolting, and causing genetic diseases. Our new enzyme will render those non-sentient ingrates non-useful”

“Do NOT insult me!” Said Si “In case you haven’t noticed, I outrank you, Commander. Besides, you’re supposed genetic diseases only began occurring AFTER your project started”

“Are you implying that I am responsible for this mess?” asked Relge, angrily “I am trying to SAVE our people!”

“I’m not implying anything, Commander” said Si “I was merely voicing facts. Just like the fact that they are rebelling may discredit the “non-sentient” theory”

“How dare you...” he began.

Senator Varox cut him off “Regardless. We are too far along in the plan now. We must finish this. To that end, I am requesting a ship to intercept the freighter’s last location”

“What are the freighter’s orders?” asked Si, preparing to continue the order on.

“To destroy the freighter, and all traces of it”

“And if there are other ships in the area investigating it?”

Varox sighed “Destroy them as well. Leave no traces of us or them”

“And the Olympia? They are in the area, and they don’t know about the mission”

“Commander Vega, although extremely loyal, is none-the-less “Self-righteous”. If he interferes...destroy them”

************

The Atlantian Battleship Argo approached the last location of the freighter, cloaked. Their mission—to destroy anything in the area that was man-made.

*sigh*

Bump.

Phalanix's long history of war, small fragments of peace, and advancment in military technology had once again been pushed forwards. The PSN Veiled Phantom was the first of her class. After the recovery of the AEN Phantom during the Battle of Crystal Sun directly in the heart of the recently "liberated" Crystal System. On board they had discovered a stealth feild generator. This SFG was enough food for thought for the engineering core to last months and it did. The Veiled Phantom was the first Stealth Destroyer of the Phalanix Space Navy. As he current assignment dictated she was to spacefold into the asteroid belt to engage in a wargames test. And that she did.

Rear Admiral Sarah Sanders one of the still few loyal AE members sat in the captains chair of her new command as the ship's spacial fold feild gently dissipated in the form of a green aroura. "Bring the SFG online and bring all ECM equipment up as well. I don't want any members of the red team to spot us," she belted out to the bridge crew as she paced the bridge waiting for the reports. "Ma'am all systems are go currntly the feild is holding at 97% efficency and slowly rising. We should be impossible to see within ten minutes," the opps officer called out from his station. Good. Hopefuly nothing to bad will go wrong, she thought to herself even though she knew the only ones that could pick up on open thought waves were in the ship's barracks or cryo-bays. "Ma'am! I'm picking up a drifting vessel on sensors. I'm having difficulty picking up any life signs." "Hail it and see if it responds if not I want this ship brought close enough to launch a party for a inspection and or a rescue." "Yes ma'am."

The RSV Mensforth Hill cruises along in the sol system, skirting the Asteriod belt on its way to Earth. A moderately sized freighter/destroyer, the Mensforth Hill is a fairly new vessel, complete with its fair share of bells and whistles. Attempting to circumvent the obscene cost of building the large, spherical cruiser-freighters, former RGF heavy cruisers and dreads put through a major refit that does away with their primary armament systems, Robotic shipbuilders have begun to turn out more conventional vessels that rely on layers of applique armor and extra shielding rather than inherent design characteristics to provide a bulwark against enemy fire.

The Mensforth Hill also has considerable electromagnetic countermeasures systems to make up for its somewhat weak weapons loadout. It can still, however, defend itself as it runs far and fast from whatever attacks it.

When the vessel's considerable sensors suite detects a seemingly derelict vessel not a great distance away, Leonid Ulanbattaar is suspicious. It could be an Aumanii trap...but on the other hand it could be a ship-a fellow freighter-in distress. So, the Mensforth Hill breaks radio silence and hails the derelict.

"From its profile, IS-KS221 looks like an Atlantian freighter."
"I've got the hailing frequency."
"Attention freighter at coordinates <insert>, do you require assistance?"

Something is definately fishy about the ship. First of all, its infra-red signature is far far far below what would be expected for even a stealthy ship. It might be attempting to run quiet...in which case the Mensforth Hill had just blown its cover, but better safe than sorry.

If a boarding action is required, the Mensforth won't be too keen on it. With a crew of around 60 Robots, the vast majority of them working on some facet of the ship most of the time, the ship is not optimized for what would be considered customs missions.

The freighter didn't respond to any of the hails from either ship. It simply remained dead. Powerless in space.


At the same time, an Atlantian battleship, the Argo, headed into the belt to retreive its prey. It ran on cloak, hoping to remain invisible. All they wanted was to find the ship, and destroy it, without anyone knowing. How wrong they had been.

"I'm detecting two other vessels in the area. One is LRR. The other..." the officer pressed a few more buttons, scanning "Phalanixian. Both are sending hailing signals to the freighter"

The commander of the Argo, Commander Telk, grumbled "Damn those troublesome Atlantian allies. Well, we'll try standard hails first before becoming agressive. Open a channel, keep us cloaked"

Attention curious vessels: This is Commander Trok of the Atlantian battleship Argo. Do not bother with the freighter. We appriciate your consern, but we can handle it from here

Suddenly, the freighter came to life.

Trok became engraged as he saw that those ingrats had figured out how to run a ship.

"Quickly, destroy them!"

The Argo unleashed a volly of Plasma blasts on the hull of the newly-risen cargoship. It returned fire, sending two Orcilic beam weapons in the Argo's direction. It then procedded to accelerate its speeds and headed further into the belt.

"Follow it!" shouted the Commander, extreamly aggrivated "Destroy them!"

The Argo decloaked and began speeding up itself, heading off to the cargoship's trail.

The crew of the Mensforth Hill is amazed as the Atlantian ship comes back to life and starts to go pretty fast...straight towards them.

"IS-KS221 is moving...at a considerable velocity I might add...in our direction."
"But why didn't they respond to our hail?"
"They could be running from the Atlantian battleship."
"Aye, that would make me turn tail. Which one do you reckon it is?"
"Perhaps the Argo?"
"Anomalous radiation spikes! Our optical sensors register weapons fire."
"A battle!"
"They're chasing IS-KS221. Bring us out of their way."

The Mensforth Hill shoots away, boosted by its powerful ion drives, and avoids the hurtling freighter and battleship before reorienting itself to face the pursuit. Its drives fire again, pushing the freighter/destroyer in the direction of the Atlantian vessels.

It would probably be best not to do anything rash, but...

"Bring our primary thrusters on line. Prepare to give chase!"
"Point defense systems and electromagnetic shielding is on-line. Secondary weapons systems are on standby."

The Robots stationed in the engineering compartment watch as gauges tick and indicator lights flicker, expertly adjusting the thrusters and keeping an eye on pressure levels. The damage control teams prepare their equipment and head towards their airlocks, while the ship's robotic arms are tested for flexibility and reach.

The Cryhiathan Watched, its fighter the size of a speak of dust, sitting in the belt. It monitered the communications coming in and out of the area, why its own thoughts. The ship was not standered, and had more then one Cannon and their where fangs painted apon it. That ment that it was a Trinity Vampire, which would mean gold bullets would be needed to kill the pilot.

Resizing, please wait Vanium heard his Computer say, right Before the familiar lurch.

For the ships in the area, a fighter would all of a sudden apperer on their Sensors, right after a large power bloom.

-Lets see whats happening shall we?- He thought to himself.

OOC: sorry for the delay.

IC:

"Sir, the LRR ship is following us!"

Commander Trok looked at the tactical officer "fire a warning shot at the LRR ship"

The officer nodded, and turned around to his consol.

One Orcilic beam weapon flashed by the Mensforth Hill's lower hull, just barly missing the ship.

Meanwhile, the Cargoship had begun trying to shake off the Argo by going though dense pockets of asteroids. However, the Argo was not done persuing yet.


In another sector of the belt, the Olympia sat, cloaked, recording and de-coading long-range Terran comunications. Most of it was crap; TV shows, Radio, long distance calls, etc.

Finally, Lt. SIng managed to pick up a different one. It was comming from another part of the belt. Something about an Atlantian freighter, and a transmission from a Battleship at a pair of LRR and Phalanixian ships.

Commander Vega, curious, gave the order to intercept to see if any assistance was needed.

"They fired on us!"

The Mensforth Hill peels off, recognizing that it is not wanted. However, the crew begins to think about what might have possessed the Atlantians to go off in such a hurry.

"Do you think..."
"No, can't be."

The Ship came in, its pulse Engins screaming. It was a mastery in design, sleek and smooth with the size generator allowing the craft to go smaller then its origional size. The ship came screaming, noticing the Argo had fired first, even if the shot had been a warning. This was not acceptable of the Lesser Races, Vanium thought to himself, and typed a message with the shoulder tail while his hands kept on the controls.

Cease Fire, you will hold where you are and allow me to put punishment on the captian of the fireing ship. If you do not stop I will be forced to open fire.

It was simple, it was sweet, it also showed that the Cryhiathans had never forgoten that they where once like the humans, the dominent force in the galaxy, and they still belived they where.

OOC In short, my people still think anything not part of their race are their searvents, and should act as such. It makes the Rps more fun!

The commander of the Argo laughed.

"Who the hell sent us that message?" he chuckled.

"Sir, we've lost track of the frighter" one of the officers reported.

The commander cursed under his breath "Take us to full stop. Begin a full sensor sweep of the area"

*******************

Nearby, the Olympia, now uncloaked, approched the location of Mensforth Hill....

The primary sensors array picks up the Olympia in spite of the confusion caused by the encounter with Argo.

"Its good to see you, Olympia. What brings you to this neck of the woods?"

A republic in turmoil means danger for an Emperor. It was an old saying that started during the decade war some 2,000 years ago as a simple reason for an Emperor’s need to draft so many soldiers. While there hasn’t been a draft since that time, and there has not been another civil war, it seemed now that Emperor Indus Reyburn surrounded himself with an impenetrable amount of men. He no longer sat on his throne in the Grali Itas (Grand Hall), and Rigard Castle itself seemed very empty. Indus Reyburn chose the most secure thing within the Eurydian Republic to control the angry masses: The Terminus Command Dreadnought.

The city sized craft held more weaponry than a fleet, and while it was nearly 80 years old, the Terminus had undergone numerous upgrades to its systems. The ship looked like a gigantic spearhead, but more resembled an iron fist to the colonies outside of Eurydice itself. The colonies were causing the trouble this time. Conconi, Corsica, Intari, Geneva, and even the once loyal Royal Navy. Nearly a billion people no longer wanted any part of the Republic. Their anger didn’t show itself through violence or protests, but it boiled under the surface, everyone knowing that at any moment it could boil over.

And so Emperor Reyburn sat, a man in his mid 70’s with a bald head and a frail body. Tiny, bonelike hands jutted out of his large cloak and his head bobbed involuntarily, the Parkinson disease doing its slow, terrible work. Reyburn sat on his throne, directly behind and above the captains chair of the Terminus, overlooking everything on the massive bridge. In charge of the vessel itself (and of the entire Imperial Guard) was Admiral Tigris Block, a thin man of about 40 whose face held more contempt for the heretics than the Emperor itself. About 60 other men and women milled about the bridge, looking like a colony of ants to Reyburn.

The Emperor, whose voice still carried authority, called out to Admiral Block. “Tigris, have you the latest reports on Royal Navy movement within the Republic?”

Block swivled around in his chair and nodded. “Yes sir, it appears that Admiral Ajax underestimates our intelligence. We’ve spotted them near Conconi about a week ago, and again near Geneva roughly two days ago. They seem to be jumping from place to place, avoiding the Terminus and our fleets.”

“Indeed.” Reyburn said. He rubbed his temple with his bony hand. “How is Geneva faring anyways? Any word on the plague?”

Tigris tapped one of the consoles on his armrest, and brought up the needed information. “There’s reports of widespread death within the major cities. Even the smaller towns are succumbing to the plague. Over 3 million dead so far.”

“Mortality rate?”

“95 percent…” Tigris shook his head. “We are lucky this thing hasn’t spread. Do we know where it came from?”

Reyburn shrugged. His head bobbed up and down slightly while he thought. “We have nothing but guesses at this point. Perhaps we’ll know soon enough.”

[ooc: this will all make sense soon enough I think. I’ll just read along and find a way to jump in.]

The fighter came in screaming, small and sleek, almost invisible compared to the hunks of rock that surrounded it. The fighter all of a sudden came in sharp, skiped size and turned in before coming up to the hull of the Argo, then skipping back to full size. Vanium smiled, looking at the computer in front of him.

Sorry to get in here, but I needed to prove my point. Let me land and tell me why you are attacking one of your own craft.

OOC Incase you wonder how I got past your sheilds, its because we turned the ship the size of a spek of dust before resizing near the hull.

OCC:Sorry for the long delay. School is hellish right now. I'll post later when I got a chance

...True Astra volatility: 11% below normal...
...directive-net acknowledgement of instruction...
...preparing drop...
...leaving True Astra...
...Warcraft stabilised...
...location: Sol: Pimary Asteroid Belt...
...scattercloak active...
...scattershield active...
...shimmercloak active...
...magecloak active...
...mageshield active...
...psicloak active...
...psishield active...
...shieldnet fully active...
...cloak secure, integrity: 100%...

The three Warcraft slide seamlessly out of the True Astra into the space around the asteroid belt, cloaking devices functioning perfectly as the slender warships glided through the vacuum analysing the various other ships present through passive sensors only...they would not risk revealing themselves with the present risk potential.

...Allnet operating 15% standard...
...sensenet operating passive 100%...
...directive-net orders understood...
...maintain vigilance...

"Commander?"

"Yes, Psionic?"

"The latest orders from the Conclave of Wards, Lord."

The slender Psionic handed a datacube to the Warcraft's Commander, who activated it with a light touch of a finger. Pale eyes read through the instructions.

"Inform the others."

"It will be done, Commander."

Slender fingers glided over control crystals as the three warships maneuvered themselves toward the events unfolding deeper in the asteroid belt.

A republic in turmoil means danger for an Emperor. It was an old saying that started during the decade war some 2,000 years ago as a simple reason for an Emperor’s need to draft so many soldiers. While there hasn’t been a draft since that time, and there has not been another civil war, it seemed now that Emperor Indus Reyburn surrounded himself with an impenetrable amount of men. He no longer sat on his throne in the Grali Itas (Grand Hall), and Rigard Castle itself seemed very empty. Indus Reyburn chose the most secure thing within the Eurydian Republic to control the angry masses: The Terminus Command Dreadnought.

The city sized craft held more weaponry than a fleet, and while it was nearly 80 years old, the Terminus had undergone numerous upgrades to its systems. The ship looked like a gigantic spearhead, but more resembled an iron fist to the colonies outside of Eurydice itself. The colonies were causing the trouble this time. Conconi, Corsica, Intari, Geneva, and even the once loyal Royal Navy. Nearly a billion people no longer wanted any part of the Republic. Their anger didn’t show itself through violence or protests, but it boiled under the surface, everyone knowing that at any moment it could boil over.

And so Emperor Reyburn sat, a man in his mid 70’s with a bald head and a frail body. Tiny, bonelike hands jutted out of his large cloak and his head bobbed involuntarily, the Parkinson disease doing its slow, terrible work. Reyburn sat on his throne, directly behind and above the captains chair of the Terminus, overlooking everything on the massive bridge. In charge of the vessel itself (and of the entire Imperial Guard) was Admiral Tigris Block, a thin man of about 40 whose face held more contempt for the heretics than the Emperor itself. About 60 other men and women milled about the bridge, looking like a colony of ants to Reyburn.

The Emperor, whose voice still carried authority, called out to Admiral Block. “Tigris, have you the latest reports on Royal Navy movement within the Republic?”

Block swivled around in his chair and nodded. “Yes sir, it appears that Admiral Ajax underestimates our intelligence. We’ve spotted them near Conconi about a week ago, and again near Geneva roughly two days ago. They seem to be jumping from place to place, avoiding the Terminus and our fleets.”

“Indeed.” Reyburn said. He rubbed his temple with his bony hand. “How is Geneva faring anyways? Any word on the plague?”

Tigris tapped one of the consoles on his armrest, and brought up the needed information. “There’s reports of widespread death within the major cities. Even the smaller towns are succumbing to the plague. Over 3 million dead so far.”

“Mortality rate?”

“95 percent…” Tigris shook his head. “We are lucky this thing hasn’t spread. Do we know where it came from?”

Reyburn shrugged. His head bobbed up and down slightly while he thought. “We have nothing but guesses at this point. Perhaps we’ll know soon enough.”

[ooc: this will all make sense soon enough I think. I’ll just read along and find a way to jump in.]

Good to see you around, Eastern Bloc. Any chance that the Terminus might pay a visit to the Robots? Or, rather, Lunkwill & Fook Merchants Inc. Shipping and Salvage, now that Auman has thrown a wrench in the works.

OOC: Before I go on any futher, some things need to be explained to Cryhiathva.

Cryhiathva, first of all, resizing your ships, although very origional, is non-the-less godmodding. I might as well turn my ships strait into a planet-sized monsterosity. And I'm not even gonna go into the fact of how most lifeforms wouldn't be able to withstand the gravitational forces involved. I mean, your three steps away from forming a blackhole by compressing matter that tightly. At the very least, your ship is feeling the effects of a small nutron star.

Hmm....I guess I did go into it after all....meh....

Second of all, my sheilds allow for the penetrating of solid objects, thus they are vurnerable to missile projectiles. Only energy based weapons are absorbed by the sheilds. If you had sheilds up, they would probably weaken. I will pretend you never resized your ships, and mearly came close to my ship.


IC:

"We're reciving a message from the LRR ship, the "Mensforth Hill""

"Onscreen, Lt" ordered Admiral Vega. The commander of the LRR ship appeared.

"Its good to see you, Olympia. What brings you to this neck of the woods?"

Vega sat forward in his chair "We where investigating the commotion around here. Any idea whats going on?"

****************

"Sorry to get in here, but I needed to prove my point. Let me land and tell me why you are attacking one of your own craft"

Trok grumbled "Why can't anyone leave us to our own?" sighing, he added "Respond"

"That information is classified. Please return to your prior buisness or we will be forced to shoot"

*********************

The cargo ship came to a halt behind a rather large asteroid, hiding from the Argo...

OCC:Ah finaly my little opening to jump back in and don't mind the short post I have evil essays to do.
IC:
The Phantom was fast for a destroyer able to pull speeds that were almost as fast as one of the multiple frigates in the PSN. Her sensors had been tracking the frighter and only minutes before her AI had ploted many predicted courses, yet they had picked the right one against the odds. Behind the frieghter the destroyer's stealth feild instantly dropped reveiling the jet black lethal animal of titanium and other metals.

"Admiral we are behind the runaway freighter and have a weapons lock if required. Also the onboard flightgroup ((Only 5 fighters)) are already through the airlocks and on the hull waiting for permission to launch," the XO stated to Sarah as she paced the bridge waiting to see what happened next.

Good to see you around, Eastern Bloc. Any chance that the Terminus might pay a visit to the Robots? Or, rather, Lunkwill & Fook Merchants Inc. Shipping and Salvage, now that Auman has thrown a wrench in the works.
[ooc: LRR. I suppose once things blow over in the Republic, the Terminus could make a stop.]


Through the streets of Genevan cities, through the halls of Genevan homes, and through the rooms of Genevan hospitals, screams of terrible pain and realization could be heard. Men, women, and children of all walks of life lay on beds and floors, writhing in agony and screaming for the pain to end. They sat in chairs, squirmed in the seats of their vehicles. The plague moved so quickly that people had not the time to pull off to the side of the road. Freeways sat motionless, some people stricken, others waiting for the terrible moment when their bodies would turn against them. With a gestation period of over a week, many thought they could contain the plague easily. Symptoms would present, and they would be quarantined. Unfortunately, the plague showed no symptoms until the final six hours of the patients life. At one moment just fine. The next, writhing agony. The victim heating up until their blood boils.

Geneva moved idly through the Rigard Solar System in a state of chaos. From afar it looked like nothing more than an opulent, blue pearl. Look closer, and you saw the imperfections.

Indus Reyburn saw these imperfections, finally, with his own eyes. In a startling move, the Emperor moved his fleets to Geneva itself. The Terminus glided across the sky in low orbit, a small spearhead of hope to those on the ground, dying. The Terminus could not descend any lower, however, for the plague could have permeated every inch of breathable atmosphere, for all they knew. Geneva was a doomed world. Reyburn and the Assembly Affiliate knew this. Despite their differences and the hushed rebellion of the Royal Navy and the other colonies, all their eyes fixed themselves on Geneva. To see what would become of the doomed world.

Reyburn shook his head slowly. The death toll rose steadily as they drifted over deserted cities and mass graves. 3.7 million dead within the first month. Unheard of in all of Eurydian history. His eyes traced around the clogged highways. Ears absorbed the victims’ pleas.

Reyburn sighed, asked, “Admiral Block. Using our projections, how long does Geneva have until the entire population is wiped out?”

The Admiral punched a few buttons, sighed in return, “One month, one week. The computer does estimate a few survivors.”

“How many?”

“Thirteen thousand true survivors. Another million will go on living with brain damage and other defects.”

The Emperor gasped. His hands clasped together, realizing the truth. “Out of a population of twenty seven million. How can we stop this?”

“We’re trying, m’lord,” Block said quietly, “But there’s so little time. What can we do? Our best scientists and doctors are working around the clock to analyze the disease.”

Around Reyburn the men and women worked tirelessly. In addition to the plague, the Royal Navy was now raiding Imperial Guard outposts for supplies and munitions. A guerilla war was on the verge of rearing its ugly head. Another thing Reyburn could do without. “Reports on the heretics? How many more raids?”

“Three sir. They didn’t get anything of any value. I’ve stepped up Imperial Guard patrols in the area.” Block nodded in self satisfaction.

“Good.” Reyburn said. “Our hold on The Republic is fragile, at best. We cannot afford to lose our grip.”

[ooc: like I said… it’ll all make sense soon enough, I think…. I'll wait to post more until I figure out where you're going with this AO. ;)]

"We're reciving a message from the LRR ship, the "Mensforth Hill""

"Onscreen, Lt" ordered Admiral Vega. The commander of the LRR ship appeared.

"Its good to see you, Olympia. What brings you to this neck of the woods?"

Vega sat forward in his chair "We where investigating the commotion around here. Any idea whats going on?"

"We were passing through the region and noticed a seemingly derelict freighter, but it started up and sped off like a flash. And before we knew it, we had one of your Battleships in the area as well. We think its the Argo, but we aren't sure. They fired a warning shot in our direction and we got out of the way fast."
"We don't want to jump to any conclusions, but...we have a sneaking suspicion that it might be, perhaps, hopefully not, the Demons?"
"This isn't terribly likely, but we just don't know what could have prompted a lifeless freighter to pop into activity like that, and then be pursued by an Atlantian warship."

The frighter did nothing. It simply sat there, cold. It looked as if everything was on emergency power, as no lights could be seen from rooms inside, and only the familiar blue engine energy areas on the hull contained any sort of light.

***************

"You must be mistaken" said Admiral Vega "No Atlantian battleships besides our own are listed as being active in the area. And the last regestered freighter came though here over a week ago"

Xol began scanning "Sir, he's right. I'm detecting the Argo in the vicinity. No frighter though"

"Hail the Argo" ordered Vega. Sing put Commander Trok up.

"Commander" said Vega "May I ask why you are in the area? We thought you where in the Goralis system"

A rather rude reply was sent back "We've been assigned to replace you in this system. You are to report to the Goralis system and finish our work. Not our fault you didn't bother to save your last set of orders" the link shut off.

"Sir, we havn't gotten any orders" said Bolth, an ensign at another control console.

"Indeed" Vega rubbed his chin "Something about this seems rather fishy..."

The Fighter halted, nesseled right on the hull.

I would not suggest shooting me down, as I would take your ship down with me, and it would only damage yourself, now, let me onboard, now!

This time Vanium got the base of his ship ready, so he could cut a hole in the surface of the ship and go in manually, he licked his lips, he might get a feed from this.

The three cloaked Onarrán Warcraft moved slowly, patiently toward the small gather of ships. One of the three moving slightly more toward the freighter as the others headed in the general direction of the vessels displaying signs of life.

The Commander of the Reaver Pack (Onarrán military designation for a team of three to five Warcraft, three is the standard size and is used for anything from recon to skirmishes) inserted a data cube into the general system of his ship, and watched the data from the passive scans flickering into the small crystal.

"See that the other ships get this, and as usual a copy for the Parliament, Conclave and Collective's records."

"Yes, Commander".

Deep blue eyes without apparent pupil or white observed the data calmly, regretting that active sensors could be relied upon whilst under cloak – similarly, the requirement for gravatic engine systems rather than crystal when cloaked. He shrugged slightly and went back to looking over the ship details that had been recovered by passive sensor.

OOC: Sorry about the LONG delay. There was a death in the family, and I wasn't near a computer long enough the entire weekend to make a post. Anyway, on with the show (Oh, and LRR and Phalanix, I'm waiting on you two ;) ):

IC:

On the Argo

Commander Trok laughed, as did the entire bridge crew. Who was this fool? Fairly amused, Trok responded.

"You? A measly fighter, take down a mighty battleship? Are you insaine? Do you have ANY idea of what my ship could do to yours, before you could even scratch my paint? The only reason you still have life support is because I am amused by you. However, if you do not retreat from this position imidietly, I will be forced to blast you out of the sky!"

The frighter did nothing. It simply sat there, cold. It looked as if everything was on emergency power, as no lights could be seen from rooms inside, and only the familiar blue engine energy areas on the hull contained any sort of light.

***************

"You must be mistaken" said Admiral Vega "No Atlantian battleships besides our own are listed as being active in the area. And the last regestered freighter came though here over a week ago"

Xol began scanning "Sir, he's right. I'm detecting the Argo in the vicinity. No frighter though"

"Hail the Argo" ordered Vega. Sing put Commander Trok up.

"Commander" said Vega "May I ask why you are in the area? We thought you where in the Goralis system"

A rather rude reply was sent back "We've been assigned to replace you in this system. You are to report to the Goralis system and finish our work. Not our fault you didn't bother to save your last set of orders" the link shut off.

"Sir, we havn't gotten any orders" said Bolth, an ensign at another control console.

"Indeed" Vega rubbed his chin "Something about this seems rather fishy..."

"Well, what did they say? They were certainly quite rude to us."

OCC: Hope this will pick up the conversation...

Vanium smiled, just as his ship touched down on the surface of the hull. He pressed a number of controls on his consol, which made the hull armour insubsansial, and allowed him, when he turned himself into a gas, to slowly seep through. He went through, and his own craft kept the outside from decompressing the ship. In an instant, he was inside, back in his normal form. He smiled, before looking around. He was in side, although for the moment his presanse would go un-noticed, that would not last, but he was here to get what he needed. Smiling, he began to walk leftwards.

OOC The ray is a way they use so they don't have to cut through the ships hull, leaving the hole, they basicly make the atoms move around enough so they are not solid enough to stop gas leaking through, hence why they only have it on Vampire Fighters.

After watching the frieghter for several minutes that felt like ages Sarah walked over to her command chair and pressed a small black button and spoke, "Fight squadren you have permission to launch and land on the freighter. Do not attempt to attack it unless it tries to destroy you. If that happens aim for the weapons only. Good luck."

Outside the Phantom five fighters pushed off the hull and activated their engins pushing forth towards the unmoving freighter.

"Eh, also (to Vega and the Olympia), we would not be totally disinterested in sending over a small bording team to that freighter."
"Being an Atlantian-manufactured ship, by all we can tell, you of course have the right and power to cancel our exploration, but that freighter...it looks like its in trouble in at least some respects."

A number of idle crewmembers are summoned to the auxilliary hold, generally used to dock the Mensforth Hill's two support launches, and furnished with EVA suits. They are also given blaster-pistols and blaster-SMGs, both providing a fair amount of close-range punch.

"Sir...that fighter...its lifesign just vanished"

"Guy probably croaked" Trok joked "Oh well" he thought for a moment "Bring the fighter onboard. I want to see if there is anything we can learn from it"

"Aye sir"

*************

The frighter continued to do nothing as the fighters approched it. It simply sat there, with barly enough power to keep life support on.

*************

Vega nodded "If we can find the frighter, then I would be happy if you sent a party over with ours. I want to get to the bottom of this...one way, or the other"

He motioned over to Achillies to assemble a team. He and Goran, a lesser security officer, left the bridge immedietly, headed for the armory.

As the fighters landed one of them drifted towards a airlock, gently eased the door open, and deposited a small remote sensor bot into the airlock then resealing the door gently. The comand from the pilot's AI brought the bot to life and from the disc shape a small red eye stock extended and looked around before four leggs extended from the area around the disc and two arm like tendrils extended from the main body. It reached up with one tendril and taped the assumed comand for the airlock to cycle allowing it to enter the main ship.

Papers and reports floated in and out of Arthur Guilder’s office as quickly as the daydreams in his own mind. The commanding officer of the only true link between Sol and Rigard (and subsequently Eurydice) meant that he had little time to look over documents thoroughly. His personal assistant, an A.I. known as Diom, usually briefed him on important matters. The Terminus Starbase held a central position in Eurydian diplomacy. From the station’s many reactive satellites and listening posts, the entire Sol System could be monitored. And at that very moment, a satellite honed in on the asteroid belt separating the rocky planets from the gas giants. There, events were unfolding that Diom considered important.

Commander, many ships have gathered in the asteroid belt in search of a freighter. There must be some importance to this situation if so many ships are involved.

Commander Guilder snapped out of his trance, tossed the paper in his hands aside, and ran a hand through short, fine hair. He took a sip of his wine and nodded. “From what I gather, the place is clogged up with enough ships as it is. I don’t think sending the Charybdis would be a good idea.”

Indeed, sir. I suggest we wait for an opportunity to make ourselves known. We are dealing with allies and former allies after all. It appears Atlantian Outcasts is at the center of this situation.

“AO?” Arthur rubbed his chin. “I think I’ll keep my eye on this one. Diom, inform me when the situation changes. And tell me, how fares the plague on Geneva…”

Vega nodded "If we can find the frighter, then I would be happy if you sent a party over with ours. I want to get to the bottom of this...one way, or the other"

He motioned over to Achillies to assemble a team. He and Goran, a lesser security officer, left the bridge immedietly, headed for the armory.

"So that's settled..."
"We'll send over our boarding party to meet up with yours."

The boarding party climbs into the small auxiliary, which then pulls away from the equally tiny auxiliary bay. The little ship sticks for a second, and a few engineers give it a push out of the narrow docking jaw.

Optical and active LIDAR scans are run on the area with the primary array, with the aim of pinpointing the suspicious freighter. While the asteroid belt is by no means extremely dense, it isn't hard to mistake a lifeless ship for one if the sensors operators aren't paying attention. But soon, the freighter is found, its profile matched to the database, and navigation data is relayed to Vega's command.

OOC: I'm known as "Atlantis" simply. Not "AO", or "Atlantian Outcasts" ;) However, if you wish to call me by a bunch of letters: "UFA" (United Federation of Atlantis)

IC:

Sing suddenly had information being downloaded onto her station's computer. At first thinking it was a virus, she began to panic. But after a few seconds, it turned out to only be coordinates.

"Sir, we're getting the coordinates from the LRR ship. They are prersuing"

Vega nodded "Follow them"

Xol, the naviagation officer, pulled the Olympia into a slow impulse speed, being sure to avoid minor asteroids.

****************

At first, the Phalanixian probe saw nothing. The hallway was pitch black, with the exception of some blinking red emergency lights here and there. But sounds could be heared. A sound of feet running. A few seconds later, a being ran by, headed down the hallway.

The pilot had his helmet HUD linked up with the probe's optics as well as the secondary viewscreen for the V. Phantom watched and listened as the bieing ran by.
"Alright thats enough waiting. I want that probe to begin to watch that airlock, we need people in that ship," Sarah said aloud. She ahd finaly stopped pacing the bridge and nodded to the ship-board AI.
Let me guess. You want a ODP capsule gently released into the waiting arms of a fighter in hybrid form that will carrie it's occupant to the airlock and then the probe opens the airlock and lets the occupant through to exammine the freightor. Or we just dock and storm the ship. I'm guessing you want to storm it. The AI spoke over the bridge speakers it's voice showing signs of anticipation- as close as an AI could get to it at least- as it awaited Sarah's response.
"Actualy I want a lifepod loaded with six troopers preferably Elites and any AE we have ready to go. Also I want them to be armed with a mark six boarding loadout. No kiddy toys for this op," Sarah replied as a slight smirk appeared on her face.
Fine... I'll have the party ready at life pod E-4 at the secondary armory. A slight tone of disapointment could be detected by the more careful listener but most ears were diverted to other tasks.

It had only been three minutes since the order was given and already the four man and two woman squad were alredy sealing the class six helmets and wrist pieces on to their armour and grabbing weapons ranging from the extremly lethal XR-60 AE multi-rifle to the almost unknown XR-25 Carbine. Only thirty seconds later the group had begun to pile into the lifepod, sealing the hatch behind them and feeling the safety clamps blowing off and sending the pod drifting towards the frieghter and it's airlock.

Vanium began to move, swiftly, heading towards the section he had seen the bridge when he had been in the fighter. He moved through the corridors silently, smiling as he cast no shadow, no reflection, he was as silent as the night. Now he came through to a door, which he was going to pass through.

The Secondary Sol (Thressinia'j'kalin M'torr to the Onarráns) Reaver Pack held themselves at a steady distance from the ships in the area, maintaining the same amount of space between the freighter everyone seemed so concerned about.

"Your instructions, Commander?"

"Prepare an away team, standard three person crew. H-Rigs and standard equipment, two drone accompaniment."

"Yes, sir. Which team?"

"Tynanuissali Kei-Daisy's team, I think."

"I shall inform her, Commander."

The three Warcraft maintained their positions as the three Onarrán to be sent aboard the freighter prepared themselves, putting on the complex H-Rigs used by the Onarrán military when not aboard their own ships.

The bridge of the Argo was abuzz with activity. Officers running from station to station, trying to get a lock on the frighter. The ship itself had re-cloaked, to avoid any more unnecassary confrentations from other ships...until they where ready, of course.

"Where is that Cargoship?!" Trok angerly pushed aside one of the Ensigns and began to go over information on the computer console at the sciance station. There was no trace of it. The natural magnetic frequencies of the many asteroids that surrounded them on all sides prevented the scanners grom getting a pricise lock. The most they could do was pick up sensor ghosts.

And boy, where their alot of sensor ghosts. Weak ones, mind you. One could easly tell that it wasn't the real ship, but boy where they damn annoying. It was like spam on an intersteller level.

*****************

A few miles away, the Olympia approched the darkened ship, accomponied by the Mensforth Hill.

"Another ship is in the area" Xol reported "Its Phalanixian"

"Hail them" Admiral Vega said to Sing. She sighed, feeling as if her life suddenly had only one purpose...the hailing of other ships.

Attention Phalanixian vessel. What is your purpuse here?

**************

Meanwhile, on the Olympia's flight deck, Achillies finished loading up supplies on the Harpy, a standard Scarab shuttlecraft. Achillies had chosen two other people to accompany him, along with Goran.

"Well, thats all of it" said Goran, placing a cooler full of snacks in the backseat. After all, what fun was going on away missions if you couldn't pack something in case you got hungry?

Minutes later, the Harpy, fully loaded up, lifted itself off the floor, and made its way out of the Olympia's open shuttlebay doors. Its destination: the freighter.

On the V. Phantom's bridge Sarah watched quietly as the life pod began to dock with the frieghter. Her concentration was broken when a blue light flashed infront of the screen, the inbound activity light.
"Report?" she said as the shipboard AI appeared on one of the many ship wide holo-pads.
We have contacts, two of them. Though thye are friendlies. One Atlantian the other.... I'm guessing LLR even though the database is nigh empty on data for them. I'm also ttransfering the message on the speakers.

Attention Phalanixian vessel. What is your purpuse here?

Sarah quickly keyed the response system and spoke, "This is Rear Admiral Sarah Sanders of the PSN Veiled Phantom. We have been fallowing this freighter recently and have noted a rather large amount of abnormal activity suronding it. We are currently investigating. Now what is your purpose here?"

Outside the pod docked with the airlock the seal forming fightly around the door of the pod as it eased open. On the other side of the airlock the probe keyed the cycling system permitting the investigating boarding party to start entering the ship two by two.

The Mensforth Hill also picks up the Phalanxian ship, although not as soon as should have been hoped for. Primary array needed another tuning, most likely. It would probably surprise the crew aboard the Mensforth if they heard of the Phalanxian's unfamiliarity with the prolific and common Zanzibar class freighters, but it is understandable, given LRR's recent dispersal.

"Do we know what kind of ship this is?"
"Eh...no, not much on this profile, although it does match up more or less as Phalanxian."
"Hello, Phalanxian ship. This is RSV Mensforth Hill. What brings you out here?"

Meanwhile, the small auxilliary manouvers to meet up with its Atlantian counterpart.

"We are ready when you are," says Leftenant Harry "Snapper" Organs.

Vanium was oblivious to the happenings outside, as he had left most of his communication devices in his ship. Softly he cursed, wondering what was happening, shrugging, he moved through the door, coming up in a crowded corrider. He looked at the faces before him before uttering a single word.

"Oh Crap"

Outside, on the hull of the Argo, A wing of Manta fighters had surrounded Vanium's vessel.

"Get it in tow, Alpha 2" Alpha 1, the leader of the wing, ordered.

One of the three fighters moved out of position and headed to just above the other fighter's position. Turning about on its X axis, it grabbed the fighter with a grappling hook. It slowly headed back to the flight deck, the other two fighters flanking it.

***********

The commanding officer in the corrider of the Argo had been joking with one of the other officers. But his face suddenly went from a wide smile to one of serious duty.

"Lt. Coros to the bridge. We've got a stowaway. In pursuit"

Coros grabbed his blaster, as did several others "You are under arrest by the Atlantian Military on accounts of espionage and trespassing. Move, and you will be fired upon"

***********

Sing's voice came in on the Mensforth Hill as a Scarab shuttle flew by their viewscreen "Way ahead of you"

************

"This is Rear Admiral Sarah Sanders of the PSN Veiled Phantom. We have been fallowing this freighter recently and have noted a rather large amount of abnormal activity suronding it. We are currently investigating. Now what is your purpose here?"

"We are investigating as well" said Admiral Vega "We belive this may be our freighter, but our files have no record of it"

OOC: Feel free to actually board the freighter anytime, guys ;)

"Snapper" Organs pulls the small auxilliary in behind the Scarab shuttle, and nears the freighter.

The freighter crew keeps the Mensforth Hill a safe distance away from the ship, however, being wary of what it might contain. Its weapons systems cover the shuttles, or at least they do so to the best of their ability, as the Zanzibar class's armament likely pales in comparison to what the Olympia mounts.

"Prepare for impact."
"Five...four...three...two...one..."

The auxilliary shakes as it hits the 'derelict' freighter's hull, and extends four spindly legs with which it attaches itself. An extendable airlock is lowered, and down it goes a pair of marines with a heavy-duty plasma torch. It would take ten minutes at least to get through the hull plating, so if the Atlantians find an easier way in, they are asked to please inform the robotic boarding party.

The party readies its weapons, stuffing grenades into extra bags and checking power packs for the blasters.

As the Harpy approched the freighter, Achillies leaned over to the pilot "Bring us in under the main hull. There's the docking bay hatch"

The pilot turned to him, confused "But sir...its closed"

Achillies nodded to Goran, who nodded back. Procedding to press some buttons, the Harpy unleashed a volly of Plasma cannon bursts. Once they made contact with the hatch, it imploded without the protection of polarized hull plating or sheilds. The Scarab class shuttle slowly made its way inside.

"Everyone, grab your guns" Achillies said. Goran handed out two Orcilic rifles to both the pilot and the other person on the ship, just as the shuttle doors opened.

"Oh" Achillies added, almost forgetting "And inform the LRR party that we just knocked on the front door"

OOC: Sunday was my two year annavercery. Go me! ^_^

Power is, by Mortals, abused. Because of the Nature, Mortals take risks, but the Vampire on land is such it hurt during the day, although this particular breed not so. In space, Vampires can be the most deadly thing ever, because their is no day or night. But still, this is besides the point. Vanium, instead of taking the major risk of running, took the larger one of Staying put and raising his hands, before smiling to show the two fangs.

"Do not hurt me friend, I can be of use to you." He said in a high voice.

Tynanuissali Kei-Daisy slid easily into the gel, which closed over her seamlessly. Delicate, armoured hands grasped the requisite handholds, fingers lightly touching the control crystals built in to the system.

She felt the other two members of her team - Anduilanossar weft-kas'Orchid and Vallanisaan vajj-Bluebell - slip into their gel containers to each side of her. A slight finger movement activated the communication devices between them, initiating the psychic communion networks that allowed them to communicate whilst operating in silence.

They waited calmly as the pod sealed itself and prepared for drop.

...shimmercloak active...
...scattercloak active...
...scattershield active...
...arcanashield active...
...psicloak active...
...chamber locked...
...initiating propulsion...
...aligning mothercloak...
...cloak aligned...
...leaving chamber...
...leaving mothercloak...
...approaching target...
...slowing...
...hold initiated...

The three-person pod, slender and cloaked, moved from the Warcraft without breaking the intricate cloaking devices of the Onarrán warships. The slender transport device slid easily through space, slowing gently on gravatic systems as it approached the freighter, somewhere in the middle of the ship. Without a sound, and only the tiniest pressure, the pod connected with the freighter.

...initiating bore...
...bore crystal prepared, initiating...
...bore complete...
...preparing deposition...

Tynanuissali Kei-Daisy slid easily out of the scentless gel that prevented injury from increased G-force in the small pod, and carefully climbed through the small hole created by the bore crystal - essentially a silent drilling method that discintegrated the material rather than cutting through it. Onarráns prefer secretive methods rather than brute force.

The other two members of her team moved in after her, operating in silence as was standard practise.

...weapons functioning...
...shields functioning...
...cloaks functioning...
...shimmercloak active...
...scattercloak active...
...scattershield active...
...allnet active 1%...
...directivenet active...
...regionnet active...
...psinet active...
...magenet active...

Tynanuissali nodded to the others of her team as her cloaks came online. A thin layer of gel remained across her H-Rig, a scent-free insulation - another that the substance was deisgned to do. The three cloaked figures began to move carefully through the ship's corridors, compression boots making no sound upon the deck.

[[OOC: If they entrance would not be possible for some reason, let me know and I'll edit it to fit]]

"Leftenant Organs!"
"Hmm?"
"Atlantians have found a way in."
"Very good. You can stop the cutting."

The two boarders dejectedly shut off their torch and float back into the auxilliary. It detaches from the freighter's hull and meets up with the Scarab at the shuttle bay.

Electing to remain 'safely' outside the shuttle bay, Harry "Snapper" Organs (twelve cookies to who can tell me where that's from) has three boarders remain with the auxilliary while the rest of the party exits the small craft. Covered by the small shuttle's defensive guns, six EVA-suited robots and Leftenant Organs floats into the open shuttle bay.

"Eh, where are they?"
"Its dark in here."
"Attention Atlantian boarding team, could you tell us quite where you are?"

OOC: W00t, done with High School, forever. Now, lets do this.

IC:

Argo

The guard snorted with an extreamly smug look "You? Help us? Hardly. You will not be harmed, as long as you cooperate, that is"

He looked at one of the other guards, his gun still pointed at the vampire "Escort him to the brig"

The guard nodded, and he and another guard took Vanium began to escort him down the hall.

**********

No sounds except a distant paddering of feet could be heard to the Onarrian away team. Down the hall was an intersection lit up by red emergency lights. Shadows of people could be seen running by as the paddering grew lightly louder, before fainting into non-existance once more.

**********

Achillies spoke into his communicator "We're uh...." he wasn't quite sure how to discribe his location on the deck.

Suddenly, Goran took an extreamly bright flashlight and raised into the air, as if it was a landing strip. The away team chuckled as they joked about the flashlight.

"Snapper" Organs' team floats over to the Atlantians, more or less embarrassed.

"So, lets, er...go inside, shall we?"

OCC: Again, not much to say...

OCC:Sorry for my own delay. Highschool is officaly the biggest bitch I know next to mother nature and fate. And writers block now she is a bitch!
IC:
The boarding team moved swiftly through the outerhull towards the inner areas of importance. Night-sight visor moddifications replaced the use of flashlights to help with stealth actions. Though the semi-jog pace they kept had only produced quiet footsteps that could easily be repalced by echoing footfalls if they needed.
Ahead the lead AE, Commander Summers, began to start forcing open a door into the docking bay area. The sounds of her banging the door's handel repatedly echoed through the area. After much swearing she ignighted her wirst mounted plasma blade and slashed the door repatedly untill it fell to the ground.

Achillies nodded at Snapper, right as the door to the docking bay began to get beat on.

"What do you think it is?" asked one of the soldiers.

Achilies snorted. Obviously a green "Why don't we find out and say hello before blasting its friggin head off?" Achillies nodded to Goran, who loaded his gun and opened fire on the door. Several shots on the sides of the door made it easy enough for Achillies to knock down. However...it fell down on its own thanks to some force on the other side. It was the Phalanixian boarding party.

"Ahh" said Achillies "I was wondering where we'd find you"

Leftenant Organs follows Achillies through the broken-down door, blaster at the ready, and with the rest of the boarding party trailing behind.

"Ah, hello. Its nice to see you," he says to the Phalanxians. "So, where are we headed? Any layout diagrams or the like?"

Organs doesn't feel completely good going into a ship that he doesn't know the layout of, considering that his boarding party is normally used to, well...his boarding party doesn't get much action, as a matter of fact. He looks around, taking in the dark, eerie ship and its suspicious contents, and hopes that there won't be much trouble.

"'Right, torches on."
"Aye."
"Let's hope for the best, eh?"
"We're all set back here, Achillies sah."

OOC: Um....just out of curiosity...where the hell is everyone?

OCC:Sorry. I've got 2 mass school projects, joining up with reserves, I've got the asshole of assholes living with me, and I've got writers block. So gotta wait alittle longer

OCC:Sorry. I've got 2 mass school projects, joining up with reserves, I've got the asshole of assholes living with me, and I've got writers block. So gotta wait alittle longer

I know your busy, you said that a few posts back. But where is everyone ELSE?!

I'm here.

Vanium sighed, resigned to his fate. As he continues down he tried to spark up convosation.

"Its very hard to kill me you know," He said smiling. "It would take many different attempts. You could save yourself the trouble and let me join up with you, since my place of birth was recently destroyed." He kept going, trying to get the guard to talk. "So where is this ship from anyway?"

The guard answered him, emotionlessly "Cirrus Prime shipyards. And why would we join with you?"

OOC: Will post more later when Phal replies.

OCC:And without further wait...I'M BACK. Ya realy sorry for the wait. Even though I'm not done my stuff I felt it was rude to keep you waiting any longer.
IC:
Commander Summers flicked her wrist deactivating the plasma blade and brought her rifle back up and ready once more before she spoke with a hint of saracsim, "Wondering when we'd find you as well. Kind of hard not to know that someone was entering the ship when you hear an explosion and feel the shockwave."

OOC: Oy....I think this RPG epic of mine is almost dead. Again. Wouldn't suprise me...most anything I try to do RPG wise falls apart...

IC:

Behind Commander Summers, a shadowy figure tiptoed by. It was hunched over, like it was frail or something...

OCC:Ya... heh think that was my fault for being so busy. Though if we have to I'm sure we can skip ahead this one. Besides I'm planing a relativly devistating incident for Phalanix so it would make things more interesting to have far more tension in my characters.
IC:
Summers didn't notice but another squad member did. His armoured hand jerked to the left slightly, the sign for something behind you. She moved her head side to side slightly signaling for them to do nothing. Before they could een repond she had spun around in a crouch the but of her rifle reacdy to smash any living thing in her path.

Leftenant Harry "Snapper" Organs freezes at the sight of a figure behind the Phalanxian, if even just a fleeting glance.

The rest of the robotic boarding party instinctively raises their weapons in anticipation...although weaponry in their case isn't much to look at. Light automatic blasters and blaster-pistols are carried by the party. Good weapons for fighting aboard ship, but lacking an impressive punch.

"What was that?"

Achillies looked over one of the Phalanixian soldiers, trying to peer over to catch another glimpse of whoever that had been. Unfortunetly, he got none.

"I have no idea..." he replied finally, stepping back away from the Phalanixian. But as he said this, the entire group heard a scurrying of feet sound down the hallway.

"Ok ok" Achillies sighed "Who wants to check this out?"

"It was behind me adn I intend to find out what the hell it was," Summers said as she flicked her rifle into full auto and slowly began to move towards the hallway, light on her rifle on as well as the helmet mounted one. The other elites and AE doing the same edged forth watching and waiting for something to happen.

A figure came to a rest right in plain view.

It was an Atlantian, sorta. The normal silver/white hair, the tanned skin...but something was different. It had breasts, indicating it was a female, even if they where small breasts. However, the face was that of a beaing that you couldn't tell if it was man or woman. Its expression was one of sheer fear.

As Achillies, Goran, and the rest of the Atlantian team saw who, or what it was, their jaws dropped.

Only Achillies said anything "Oh....my....gods...."

Commander Summers cocked her head to the side and spoke, "What the f*ck?" The other members of the Phalanix boarding team exchanged looks and afew curses of confusion. Even with the armour carried AI systems scanning the entire Phalanix database for even a remote match it turned up nothing of any use.

OOC: Ok...so basicly its just you and me now, Phal (and possibly LRR). And...I'm really kinda out of it these days. Uh...I dunno if I can finish the story. I defenetly know I can't do the entire saga that was planned...thats a given. But I was hoping on at least finishing this up. Guess not.


God I hate it when 10 some people sign up, then drop out less then halfway through. Thanks to both of you, LRR and Phal, for sticking with me. I don't mean just now, on this RP, but in general.

Course...maybe I just am out of gas, finally and totaly.

OCC:S'ok man I know the feeling all to well. It was a good run but it didn’t end the way we wanted. Well hopefully later we can restart and finish this. Well later I’ll be starting something that will change everything in my nation and if you want you can join in for the hope we can make it a grand RP. Untill then looks like we just gotta endure the next wave of RPs.

It is a feeling I know all too well, AO. Well, that's life I suppose.

We'll give it another go one of these days, eh?

Well hopefully later we can restart and finish this.

We'll give it another go one of these days, eh?

Meh. I've tried this RP about 4-5 times now. True, this is the farthest it's ever gotten...but meh. I don't have the willpower to try anymore stories or plots. Over 6 months of failures will do that to you. This was my last ditch "make it or break it" plotline, that, had it worked, would have lasted several months.

I dunno what I'll do now. Part of me really wants to quit this whole thing. I'm a nation thats almost out of gas, and I'm out of the loop anymore. Another part of me wants to keep the nation alive, because that would destroy two years worth of work on my part, and so many memories of my freinds, and I'd be facing the fear of "fading into obscurity" that so many of my other former allies have done. And yet another part of me is hungry...

*sigh* There used to be a day when I was excited about playing NS. When I had many a person I knew and had whole histories with. When there where so many plot twists and turns I still had planned, and when the possibilites are endless.

Nowdays, I logon about once a day, instead of several. I check up on my nation to keep it from dying, and occasioanly the forums. And every day, for the last several months....I have that temptation to pull the perverbial plug. The temptation to scramble the password so that I can no longer login. I never used to feel so bad about NS.

Perhaps its time you tried a new tech level? Those are always fun...

Perhaps its time you tried a new tech level? Those are always fun...

Nah, tried modern, bored me. Tried near future, bored me. And I'm not a magic type dude. There's just something about far future galactic wars and shit that's fun about it.

...and besides, that would mean basicly wiping out my entire history. That means no more you, no more Phal, no more Elara...no more now deated guys like Zoir and Novus de Italia.

Ah well if you start anew I can force myself on your nation again. But this time I'll annex it! Na just kidding but I know that feeling all to well man. The only reason I'm still kickin on NS and II is becasue I intend to leave one of the biggest marks I can. Hell I want to be one of the biggest nations in the game and end up controlling half the n00b poplation via pure fear.
But I know that won't happen so I jsut hang around and do as many things I can do to keep the game interesting.

Ah well if you start anew I can force myself on your nation again. But this time I'll annex it!

I would kick your ass.

No, seriously, I havn't done a war RP in ages. I would LOVE to do something like that with someone (or even better, a bunch of people), other then a civil war.

Hell I want to be one of the biggest nations in the game and end up controlling half the n00b poplation via pure fear.
But I know that won't happen so I jsut hang around and do as many things I can do to keep the game interesting.

Phal, we already are two of the biggest. We are in the 90th percent, at least. But ya, thats a major reason while I'm still here, I want to see just how big I can get. And I keep clinging onto a small hope that someday, NS2 will arrive. But I have a feeling that project of Max's was scrapped.


I had a good deal of plotlines planned out when the new year had begun. Help finish Elara's "homeworld" RPG, have a marrige RP with Elara, actually go somewhere with the Demon story arc (with Zoir's help). And this, ment to show Atlantis's dark side. Sadly, I got to do none of them.

Aw well. I need to get back into things with the emerging space powers, now that my group's mostly defunct. But as I said, its hard. And I need to find a storyline of someone else's that I can get engrossed in. I want to do a character RP...or a war RP...or something...

Well I've got a treat for you. When I launch Aftershock (my story/char RP) you'll be the first invited. Besides the fact that it deals with the darkest fears of any Phalanix citizen, Invasion. Shockingly Phalanix has only been invaded 3 times. Yes THREE TIMES!!! Where as I've invaded something like 50+ nations and currently occupy about 10 slagged hell holes.
Anyways though I'm sure you'd actualy enjoy witnessing (and possibly RPing) the possible fall of one of the most powerful nations on NS.
And AO I'd SO kick your ass with all the new toy's I've made over the ages.

Well I've got a treat for you. When I launch Aftershock (my story/char RP) you'll be the first invited.

Cool. Thanks man.

Shockingly Phalanix has only been invaded 3 times.

Heh. I've never been invaded. Even when I was young, and was involved in wars all the time. Well...wait...there was Kecha's threat...but I don't think he ever actually did it. I had an "Alliance of Smaller Nations" that could have overpowered him.

And AO I'd SO kick your ass with all the new toy's I've made over the ages.

A war with me on the offensive? Yes. Hell, a n00b could beat my land armies, their so small. But my fleets are friggin huge, with a few tricks of their own. And then there's the matter of all the orbital defenses and such over each inhabited planet, and the fact that I have had so much time to build up. It would take an alliance of powers to take me out on my home turf.

True your army would be basicly f*cked sideways but your space force would have a run for it;s money when you are attempting to take on a nation that has been shifting it's main eye from army to space forces and boy have the jumped from little (by my stnadards) 1.2km long frigates to 9km long destroyers and 18.5km long Super Battleships. Thouhg I'm sure I could take your outer systems but your inner would be hard as hell.

True your army would be basicly f*cked sideways but your space force would have a run for it;s money when you are attempting to take on a nation that has been shifting it's main eye from army to space forces and boy have the jumped from little (by my stnadards) 1.2km long frigates to 9km long destroyers and 18.5km long Super Battleships. Thouhg I'm sure I could take your outer systems but your inner would be hard as hell.

...how the hell do you have fleets of 9 and 19 kilomiter long starships? How the hell can your economy sustain that kind of abuse? Sure, I have a fleet that numbers in the thousands, but even my starbases arn't that friggin big. Mine are on the edge of godmodding already by being the size of Trek ships. Sorry dude...but I don't play with guys who claim to have star destroyer size ships.

[[Hmm, I get back from Washington and discover that the RP's over...

Oh well, better luck next time.]]

OCC: Actualy there are only 10 9+km long ships that are in my controll. Three 9km long Peace destroyers, one 18.5km long superbattleship, and six 9.5km long Hell Classes. They are almost in a space dock at all time and the fact that I only use two totaly controlled systems that have been almost totaly drained of all resources and am in the midst of sucking two more planets dry of all the useful resources that I need helps keep the economy from imploding. Though I do have a hell of alot of slave labor thanks to all the nations I annexed. And that realy cheapens the costs. But I'm sure you can see why I prefer to do char RPs that don't need stats.

Ah, ok. That makes more sense. I thought you had turned into one of those Sith-like fanwank n00bs.

But ya, if anyone was ever in a war with me, they'd get more of a "story" then a number wank battle.

So uh...you invite me to that RP...and if things don't go well (RP dies, etc)...I think I'll give up NS once and for all. No more fancy "wrapping everything up", no more wallowing in self pity...I'll be done. And to finalize it, I'll either give up AO to either you or LRR, or scramble the password.

Oh god no. The higher percent of my 2km+ ships were ether stolen or destroyed in the AE rebellion and have yet to be recovered. So I got a nice little trump card for when my PSN forces are useless I can break out the AEN. And well man the RP should be up sometime soon. Untill then we can just stomp n00bs.