NationStates Jolt Archive

Onboard the ACH Independence, Colonel James D. Sanco readied his ship for departure from the Ship-Yard in constant orbit above Anagonia. Just a month ago had his ship, and its sister ship Freedom, been completed. Even then, it took a full month for the news to be allowed out. But, no matter, they had their first mission on their hands.

James observed his Command Crew, nodding in approval at their apparent readiness for this first assignment. He looked at how new everything seemed, taking it all in before it would most likley be torn to shreds. The briefing to the crew had already been given, the Command Crew already briefed, and everything was in order for this mission.

Exhaling a long, drawn-out breath, he sat in his Command Seat in the middile of the bridge. Behind the seat was a wall, and two doors at the end of them for entrences and exits. Stations when along the front and side of the bridge, and more stations in the small spaces within. Almost like any futuristic ship, expect this one was hardly futuristic.

An arm swirved around the command seat, a small and thin Computer Screen and keyboard, the screen coming to life.

"Good evening Colonel Sanco, hows your ship doing?" It was Colonel Brian Richet onboard the Freedom, James gave a kind smile to his fellow commander before he continued. "Were about to embark on our first mission, you know? Thought I'd say good-luck, just in case something goes wrong with these Sub-Space drives."

James nodded, "Good idea, heh, but let's think of the horros of space flight."

"Agreed," responded Brian, "Time to look forward." A pause, "Well, we better be heading out, need to find us that fleet and a new home all in a few days."

"Good Luck," said James.

"Good Luck, Godspeed."

The screen went off, the arm going back and making a cha-chit sound as it latched itself onto the side of the wall. James nodded to himself, it would be a risky mission but someone would have to do it.

Hearing that all his officers reported in for mission go, he raised one hand, saying, "Let's head out," and before long the Sub-Space Drive kicked in. A blue flash signaled Entrence into Sub-Space, the unknown waiting for them on the other side.

(OOC: Goin to bed now, I'll continue tomorrow.)

OOC:So what do I know about were your located? Earth?

The first fighter patrols consisting of 10 Ghost Maker fighters each began to encompass the sol system, eagerly seeking any sign of Anagonian forces.

OOC: Yep

IC:

Darkness consumed the sights of the Colonel, his command crew, and all onboard the Independence. Sounds went numb in their ears, and any feelings of their bodies seemed nonexistant. It seemed almost like seconds to James before a light emerged, and space itself came back into view through the bridge. All sound came from a null, to hearable. All feeling reclaimed its responsibility in their bodies. Everything seemed to go back to normal.

A quick check from the command crew revealed everything went well, and the Freedom had successfully exited Sub-Space and was right beside the Independence. A great sigh of relief came from Colonel James.

"Sir.....look at that.....," explaimed weakly a bridge officer.

James, instantly looking at the planet in view, became amazed by its beauty. Checking charts, they were indeed near Pluto. Its moon, Charon, just in their line-of-sight.

"Beautiful....," was all James could say. However, the mutual feeling was short-lived, alarms went off, and the command arm swung into place in front of James as he sat in the Command Chair. The screen showed unidentified space-born objects. "It may be them," started James, "or it may be someone else. Either way, power up all weapons, and call all fighters to ready."

There were over a hundred fighter patrols now searching the Sol System and it was not luck which finally brought Anagonian ships into the eyes of Shadow Tech.

18 Light seconds out from Pluto the first actual Shadow Tech warship faded into truespace, visible only a second before multiple cloaking devices kicked in. The various advanced sensors began to scoure the supposed Anagonian vessels as fighter patrols began to form into battle swarms. The Praetorian would finally see some combat, after a year of testing in the depths of home space.

"What does the Freedom have to say about them," quickly asked James to his Second-in-Command, Major Kana.

"Colonel Richet confirms previous suspisions: They are in some kind of formation," she responded.

Colonel James nodded, looking around the bridge, then back to the Major. "Power up shields, load nuclear torpedo tubes, and find out just what the hell that flash was before the fighters appeared."

"Yes sir."

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The Independence and her sister ship, the Freedom, suddenly were engulfed by a bluish orb of light, which faded after a moment or two. The twin-ships aimed their two forward turrets angerly at the advancing fighter-units, and their two Ion-Cannons visibly charging up.

Sol System, Vicinity of Pluto

The groups of sleek dagger-like fighters surged forward in their cloud-like formations. Numbering almost 200, their barrage of heavy neutron beams would do much to disable shielding once they entered firing range.

The Praetorian's FARAD system began chargeing, a blue glow appearing in the middle of nowhere. It would not be long before the Pacifer Poeta Dreadship brought her most fearful weapon to bear. Meanwhile, NeuroTech boarding crews were being readied.

"I am Admiral Sevaris of Shadow Tech Prime. You have vowed allegiance to the traitorous rebellion and are therefore deemed an ally of darkness. Surrender now or feel the power of good flow through you as you are engulfed in plasma. I repeat, power down your weapons and shields or you will be shown no mercy."

It was then that the fleet of the Rebellion chose to make their appearance as 10 Lancer cruisers, gunships and corvettes burst out of hyperspace and began firing turbolasers and laser cannons into the ranks of the Shadow Tech ships. Lancers are specifically designed to fight against starfighters, and thus, they were good choices along with the gunships and corvettes.

Above the orbit of Pluto, the 20th and 25th Starfighter Wings burst out of hyperspace. The mix of X-wings, A-wings, and E-wings began to tear through the enemy starfighter ranks, helping their larger brethren deal with those that survived the antistarfighter ships.

Sol System, Vicinity of Pluto/

The appearance of the rebels did not bring much of a suprise. Anagonian allies were expected and, even though anti fighter ships now swarmed the space near Pluto, there were over 2,000 fighters in-system now moving to this new threat.

As the fighters took evasive action, they armed their Electron Flux Whips for fighter on fighter combat while ignoreing the bigger ships. Turbolasers and laser cannons strafed through the first wave of Ghost Makers, destroying almost half. The remaining 100 engaged in close range combat.

The previously unseen Praetorian unleashed its FARAD system in a flurry of bluish-green light larger than the Dreadship itself in the direction of the Coredian lancers.
Hundreds of kinetic kill missiles and .75kg antimatter torpedoes flushed out of the large black Dreadship. Xanthal Type X shielding formed a sphere around the Praetorian followed by Feazanthian Distortion shielding. In a matter of seconds the first offensive warship employed by the Shadow Tech Imperium would bring its full weapon compliment online.

OOC: The Praetorian cost over a trillion to create and holds many forms of technology collected from around the universe. On the previous page you will find its stats.

James sighed, it was a good suprise to see their new allies finally. Yet, shaking no feeling of the battle, he pressed a com-link on the command-console that was positioned in front of him. Colonel Brian Richet of the ACH Freedom appeared on the flat-screen moniter.

Yes, Sanco? Richet looked like he was concentrating on other matters.

"Brian, aim everything we at the spot where whatever that huge beam came from."

Roger, and the image of Colonel Richet was gone.

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The ACH Independence and ACH Freedom drifted forward somewhat, their two main cannons charged and erupted a beam of super-charged Ions at wherever the huge enemy beam had originated. Both bringing the two fore main turrets to bare as beams of Fusion shot forth at their targets, their torpedo tubes launching Nuclear Torpedoes at a possible enemy.

BUMP

Sol System, Vicinity of Pluto

Multiple beams screeched into the Xanthal type X shield, usually reserved for space stations or the ilk. Energy crackled and strained against the ship as immense energy was being drawn from the multiple generators to hold the shield. The shield failed for a second, a beam glancing off one of the most advanced armors in the universe.

Bringing down Feazanthian Distortion shielding, the Praetorian unleashed the weaponry from which the trillion dollar ship gained its reputation.

46 Tanith Plasma Stream Cannons
28 MAC weapon platforms
16 Widowmaker Heavy Particle Cannons
4 Ares Heavy Neutron Beams
14 Unittech Heavy Ion Cannons
22 Wavetech Microwave Laser Cannons
4 Electromagnetic Cannons

46 Streams of plasma flowed towards the two Anagonian vessels while the numerous other weapon types unleashed their beams/projectiles.

Three Lancer cruisers were taken down by Shadow Tech fire. But they did what they had to do, and sent a small signal to a system a few lightyears from Sol.

Suddenly, three Rebel Star Destroyers burst out of hyperspace behind the Shadow Tech capital ships and sent out their torpedo boats and fighters while Alpha Striking the enemy's capital ships with blistering turbolasers, ion cannons and missiles.

Independence and Freedom rocked violently as many beams impaced their shields. Both couldn't take the strain, and both shields failed. Even through the few seconds the armor kept the ship alive, only a warning could be sent of the impending danger.

Independence burst into a massive explosion, sending Freedom to Oblivion as it, too, dissappeared in a massive explosion.

Sol System, Vicinity of Pluto

As white flames erupted in the distance, the Praetorian turned it's attention towards the now larger rebel threat. Turbolasers splintered into the shielding which, by now, was consuming the majority of the Dreadship's energy. A few shots would get by here and there but nothing managed to cause significant damage. Return fire was not a major option for now but anti-matter torpedoes were deployed in small quantities.

It almost seemed as if the first Pacifer Poeta would see it's demise until it's bretheren finally arrived. The Cataphract and the Sevaris's Sword's FARAD cannons almost glowed with relief as they charged their JJR based dual Heat Lances. If any of the Heat Lances entered a gas filled enviornment, a cascading wave of destruction would form.

Fifty-four more fighters fell to the cunning rebels, though their EFWs were hopefully doing their job as well.

The lead Star Destroyer Rebel Dream ordered the gunships and cruisers to concentrate firepower on the Praetorian, as it too, took on the enemy ship. The other two Star Destroyers, Invincible and Jupiter's Hammer pounded on the new foes as they came in, shattering the skies with green and blue rays of death. The antimatter torpedoes splashed against the powerful shields of the Destroyer, and the shields held nicely against the onslaught.

The Heat Lances that returned fire was absorbed by the ray shields and dissipated away, the generators and emitters working hard to keep the shields up.

Fifty-four more fighters fell to the cunning rebels, though their EFWs were hopefully doing their job as well.

Though equal in numbers, the Rebel fighters had quite a good job in dealing with the enemies, with the A-wings and X-wings dueling well against the fighters. The E-wings and K-wings held back, in order to protect the Star Destroyers until orders to take on the capital ships would be given.

Sol System, Vicinity of Pluto

The fighters began retreating to the Point Defense Fire of the Poetas, chargeing their phase nodes as well.

The Praetorian was now funneling 4 Hyperspace taps and 2 Chlorphusion chambers into its shielding, unable to do much else but sit there. Her sister Poetas began to charge their FARAD systems and ready their Blademasterian .75kg torpedoes.

Several fighters went down to the point defense of the enemy ship, and the others were ordered to unload their torpedoes and missiles at the Praetorian as the E-wings and K-wings screamed for the ship and unloaded a volley of their own anti-ship torpedoes at the deadly, but weakening ship, before going after the other two with a second volley.

Rebel Dream then called it's brethren to concentrate firepower on the Praetorian, and now, three Star Destroyers pounded upon one ship, blasting away at it's shields.

OOC: Big Tag. If you feel like seeing my Siege Fleet, attack my forces. Otherwise, Weyr doesn't give a damn who wins here.

Terran orbit, somewhere over the Central Pacific, Weyrean territory

The Earthbound Station was not just a tranding post for lighters and shuttles, but also a home for Weyr's Sol Fleet. A Storm dreadnaught, ten Star Destroyers, and two dozen New Paradigm battlecruisers protected that orbital construct, which hung directly over Weyr's Terran holdings. It was not powerful enough to withstand a heavy assault; that was a job for the Siege Fleet, which would come after any would-be attackers in a matter of hours.

For now, Admiral Fara Iro Lancer watched the battle between Shadow Tech and Anagonian forces via remote uplinks. Rebels joined in, ships died. Until Shadow tech decided to call for help, she would stay over Terra and watch. Her flagship was equipped with influence fields, which allowed her to move the Sol fleet to any point in the system in mere minutes.

"Shouldn't we help them?" the XO of her flagship asked.

"Why?" Lancer inquired.