NationStates Jolt Archive

-=Location: Sector C-12, Asteroid Belt, Sol System, Segmentum Solar.=-

*Captain Jheric Kraal stood on the bridge of the Sentinel of Stars, a frigate of the Mercury Defence Fleet, presently standing watch over the three mining vessels a short distance away. Accompanying the Sentinel on this guard duty was the Hand of Mercury, under Captain Iryssan. Around the frigate asteroids slowly drifted through space. Within the hold of the vessel were two standard companies of Onarran Imperial Guard, the same held within the belly of the Hand. All was quiet until an Engineseer-Acolyte rose form his observation post and hurried over to the Captain.*

"Sir. We have detected a number of Xeno craft approaching..."

-= 5 ships head towards the convoy at a rapid speed. Long tendrils reaching out behind them leading deeper into the astroid feild from where the craft came=-
The Ships move with a methodical grace - unlike animals - and yet their structure is clearly not that of machine. The skein of the ships pulses as they move as if the ships are comunicating with each other.
With a flick of their tendrils each of the ships break formation heading for their targets.

*The Engineseer-Acolyte rises again and again moves at the same slightly-faster-than-normal speed to the Captain.*

"Sir. The Xeno ships have reached combat speed."

*Captain Kraal speaks then to the entire bridge*

"Crew. Put teh ship into Red Alert and warn the Hand of Mercury that we have incoming. Turn us to broadside and engage"

*The corridor lights dim slightly and red warning-lights slicker on as an alarm sounds throughout the ship - punctuated by a mechanised voice saying "Red Alert. Red Alert. All Crew To Battle Stations. Red Alert. Red Alert". The ship turns ponderously so that its broadside is presented teh oncoming craft as its artillery opens fire at the oncoming fleet. The Hand of Mercury turns prow on to one of the ships on the flank and moves forward to bring it more level with the other ship as its torpedo tubes fire, ordinance moving toward the Tyranid vessels*

-= Immediatly the small hive fleet responds to the fire =-
The smaller 4 ships dart off behind asteroids to further their advance in the shadow of the huge floating rocks, however the larger of the ships does not alter course - it charges straight at The Hand of Mercury.
Torpedoes slam into the front of the living ship blowing away a protective sheith of chitchen revealing four huge teath like protrustions. The Ship opens its reavealed maw as it slams into the prow of The Hand of Mercury.

*As the Hand of Mercury is charged by the living ship, Captain Iryssan orders the frigate to advance to ramming speed. The prow of the frigate moves closer toward the enemy, all proward armaments firing - including torpedos - as the two collide.*

*Meanwhile, wins of attack bombers are launched from the Sentinel and fly toward the hiding ships, whenever they come into view more artillery fire is directed at them in hopes of taking them out. However, as the Xeno ship and Hand collide, the Sentinel launches torpedoes into the stern region of the Xeno ship, inteding to aid her sister ship.*

-= The ships collide =-
The smaller ships race out from behind their asteroids as the 2 large ships crash into each other as if this is their signal to attack - each of the little ships hurtles towards a target - 2 are hit by the gun fire explodign into small baloon shaped fragments which still hurtle at their target. The remaining 2 small ships slams into the side of 2 enemy ships and immediatly begin bore into the hulls.
As the ballons hit the side of the frigates they explode coating their hulls in a vile green / purple iqure that begins to melt into the hull - however much of the substance is lost into the vaccume the remaining amount does not seam to freeze as a liquid should in space.
As this happens the larger of the 5 ships jaws begin to close around the ship held in its maw the strenth more than capable of ruining the face of a plannet. As the torpedoes slam into the side of the ship the body errupts in explosions yet the maw still remains active clamping down with irrepresible force upon the captive ship.