NationStates Jolt Archive

General-Admiral Stowes looked at the long list of people aboard the Junker-class Starship. Junkers were large freighters, used by civilians and military, to haul materials to and from planets and battlefronts. Stowes had changed his over the years to wield a large arsenal of weapons and had several layers of shielding. Lasers, cannons, rifles, missiles, ionic weapons, whatever it was, it was probably on the giant frieghter. Stowes liked to call his ship Panrabia.

General-Admiral Stowes was young, barely in his fourties. He was six feet tall, dark hair, tan skin, and was very handsome. His face showed years of experience of life, far more than his true age. He had served in the military for many nations across the galaxy and had acquired a fortune of knowledge of nations far and wide, including on how they function and their military tactics. He had decided to settle when an old enemy caught up with him and he was forced to flee. Stowes joined the Panrabia as a sailor and eventually took control in a mutiny that he took no part in. He was just decided to be the captain of the ship because of his long and credible military experience. Over his travels he had upgaded his ship and other ships simply joined with the ship, creating the Pananabian fleet.

The most recent addition to the Panabian stowaway nation was Kao'Tu and his men, a powerful humanoid psychic and his powerful military fighting force. They were traveling about doing odd mercenary jobs. Kao'Tu and his men would prove invaluable to Pananab, so Stowes requested a personal meeting with him.

Kao'Tu was about five foot and had a strong face. He had a twisted nose from a fistfight in his earlier years and two bones ran down the front of his face, pointing much of it forewards.. He wore a black cloak and his men were always tailing behind him.

"Kao'Tu, I presume," Stowes said as the psychic entered his quarters. He placed the displayer on the table and turned to the replicator.
"Tea?"
"Please. Green, double cup."
"Tea, hot. Green Tea, double cup."
The teas appeared in front of him and Stowes placed them on the table.
"So what brings to you my fleet?" Stowes asked.
"You are by far the largest group of misfits, pirates, thieves, and mercenaries I have ever seen. I sense much sadness, hostility, fear, and just overall testosterone."
Kao'Tu sipped his tea.
"But most importantly I sense unity. Brotherhood. Friendship. Love."
Stowes smiled and said, "Hope."
"Hope," Kao'Tu repeated, "Most of all. Tell me, what is it hat you're searching for out here?"
Stowes thought.
"I don't know. Life. A second chance. Probably a home."
"There are many M-Class planets in the galaxy," Kao'Tu pointed out. Stowes shook his head.
"None of them would be home to us. Just a place of exsistance. We would shrivel up and die if we just landed anywhere. We would need somewhere that we woul be willing to call home. So far, Panrabia suits us just fine."
Kao'Tu smiled.
"Just what we've been looking for."

OOC; This is kinda my Intro thread to FT. I won't take any planets for a while until Panrabia crashes or something like that. If you want to make a mercenary or trade deal with us, feel free. Or if you want one of your rogues to join, you can RP them seperately.

OOC: Bump

((I am using DO and GS's galactic map.))
"What's our location, Lieutenant Corm?" Stowes asked the Lieutenant.
"We are currently in Fedral Union's space. They are quite a powerful nation, economically and militarily, but they're not a superpower in any way. Our fleet should be able to stand up against them for an escape or fight them long enough to get them to stop fighting should we find a way to piss them off."
"Alright. Find an uninhabited planet and orbit it so that we can establish a few trade deals."
"Aye, sir."

*Snore*

The Pananab fleet found little trade of worth here. They were able to purchase some foodstuffs, parts, and a few weapons, but nothing of true value to them. They started up their engines once more and moved the Super Freighter and its sibling ships out of Fedral Union space, not knowing their destination. Not knowing where to go, the Pananabian fleet just jumped from system to system, gathering more and more men to run the ships and help with the fleet's well-being overall as it had been doing so for years.

General Stowes looked at the scans and frowned at what he saw. This system was heavily populated and heavy armed. He spotted all sorts of Warp fields and rips in space. He recognized it as only one nation with such devotion to Warp technology.
The Pananabian fleet had wandered into Chronosian space.

"Lieutenant Corm, warp us out of here," General-Admiral Stowes ordered.
"Sir?"
"You heard me. This place is not safe. Disguise the fleet's signatures and jump us out of here."
"We can't do that, sir. The Warp Engines would go into overdrive. We'd fry them."
"Dammit! Alright, I want all ships as quiet as possible. Minimal intercommuncations, not even e-mails to the other side of the damn ship."
"Aye, sir."
Stowes stared out into the Chronosian space and hoped that they weren't spotted by the Chronosian Robots. If they spotted intruders, they would have to fight there way away from Chronosia.

Foreign Fleet detected! Foreign Fleet detected...Analysing...Analysis inconclusive. Invoking Runes; In the name of the Machine-God; Sensory Organs I give thee Life! Communications Arrays, I invoke thy Holy Words

[b]Foreign Fleet, in the name of the God Emperor of Chronosian, The Ruinous Powers of the Warp and the Machine God incarnate; we demand you identify yourselves and submit to inspection by vessels of the Imperial Navy; you have violated the Imperium's space and we request parley with you; any attempts to flee or assault our troops shall be met with Deadly force. Imperial vessels are inbound; I repeat; do not attempt to run...[b]

The void tore itself apart in violent Warp distortions; the Immaterium teasing the Materium with its writhing touch as the vessels slid forth; most notably the Metamorphosis, Flagship of the Sorceror-Thane of Chronosia; the High Lord of the Apothecarium and the Alchemical Society; the master of the foul Arts; Severino Jeriacor. It's surface adorned with shifting runes that seemed to sear the eyes of those who stared too deeply into their labyrinthian patterns...

Foreign vessel; prepare for an Imperial Presence to board. Make ready for the Lord Primarch of the Imperium and Inquisitorial Escort.

"Oh, fuck!" Stowes cursed. He knew that contact with Chronosians would be bad. He would lose valuable crew members to Chaos, which would cause teh fleet to fall apart. He then spotted the markings of the ship and knew he was in even deeper shit. In his younger days as a mercenary he had done recon missions against Severino Jeriacor and his fleet and had been identified.

"This is the Panrabia to the Metamorphosis. This is the Pananabian First Fleet. We seem to be having some technical problems at the moment with our Warp engines."
Stowes realized what he had just said and cursed himself again.
"We will have them ready within a few hours. We regret our intrusion in your space but we are too deep to move out on Impulse power. I request that you refrain from boarding the Pananabian fleet, the citizens will feel a bit violated."

"Sir?" lieutenant Corm said. Stowes looked at his display and saw that one of the ships was powering up its weapons.

"USS Tamerine, power your weapons down, I repeat, power your weapons down immediately. This is an order directly from General-Admiral Stowes himself," Stowes ordered the ship. He realized what he ahd just done and cursed himself again.

You would deny us our rights in our own territory? I care not for your problems with ineffective technology; you shall comply with our demands or you shall be made an example of The voice ceased and the mighty vessel turned towards the vessel that had powered its weapons. That, for example is a gesture of hostility...A gesture punishable by death. We can board you in gentle manner; by a lone Thunderhawk in a Docking Facility; or roughly, with countless boarding pods; where you shall see my glorious warriors run riot; the servants of the great Sorceror-Thane

The weapons of the Chronosian vessels crackled and hissed; the voice cackled in knowing mockery.

You have ten terran minutes to comply...

"Very well, you have permission to board," Stowes replied. He knew that this would spell disaster for the fleet if any citizens or other personell came in contact with the Chronosian warriors, so he sent a silent message to all personell and ships to allow the Chronosians to board but to stay well away from them. He did not doubt they would carry out their threat.

"Faulty technology," the Lieutenant spat, "These engines are the most powerful on the market. Do they realize the amount of stress they are on every hour they're on?"

"Quiet Lieutenant," Stowes ordered him. He hoped the Chronosians wouldn't board on the bridge and he be recognized. Stowes had a respect for the Chronosians, but it was nowhere near fear. He knew what they were capable of, but he knew that the fleet was capable of many surprises.
----
Kao'Tu felt a strong psychic presence nearby. Not on the Panrabia, but close. It worried him. He looked at his display and his eyes widened. The Chronosians were powerful psychics and he would have much trouble hiding himself from them, although he could do it so long as his presence wasn't revealed to them. Kao'Tu could resist even the most powerful psychic attacks or links, but if he was attacked by many of them, he stood little chance of retaining his sanity.

((Bump for Chron.))

The Thunderhawk landed safely in the belly of the foreign vessel; the ramp unfolding as the great doors slid open and the Sorcerous Lord stepped forth; his armor resplendant with talismans and sigils; laced in gold; chased with ebony and obsidian; dazzling in its own grotesque beauty. About him, Terminator armoured juggernauts and Obliterator's, their armor and weapons and flesh fused in delightful pain; merged in hideous pleasure; followed, serving and protecting their master.

He felt his psychic power expand, enveloping the immediate area; seeking out minds to touch and taste; to gain some...knowledge of this foreign race; these trespassers in the domain of the Imperium

"Now...Why don't you begin by telling me who you are?" He asked; tapping his staff against the ground; reaching up to slide the ornate helmet from his face; revealing a face of almost super-human beauty and grace; marred by years of combat and dabbling in the dark arts; its lustre near gone, replaced by a sinister, gleaming pallor. "And what you are doing here, hm, children?"

"We are just a fleet of riffraff and mercenaries trying to find their way into this galaxy we call a home. Nobody of true importance to the likes of the mighty Chronosian Empire, no doubt," General-Admiral Stowes said, approaching the Soceror Lord. Lieutenant Corm follwed behind him.
"As for our reason for being here, probably just a small, soft, rubber toy in a large and rather expensive piece of equipment again. We'll be gone in a very short while and I wouldn't recommend firing on any of our ships, armed or otherwise; Each ship carries about a million souls."

"A million souls are a paltry offering to the Gods" That taunting hiss, that sinister cackle; as he advanced. "Nothing compared to the souls shed upon the manifold altars of the Imperium. But allow us to speak of more pleasant things..."

Figures advanced from behind Severino; twisted fusions of man and machine; as though man was slowly being over-taken by the Machine. "These are Tech Priests of the Adeptus Mechanicus; perhaps their skill and knowledge can aid you in....vacating our territory all the quicker; hm?" He raised his head, closing his eyes as though sniffing the air. "You have Psykers aboard?"

"A few," the General replied, not phased by the threats of being turned to the Imperium, "And we need no help in vacating your territory, we will be gone within a few hours, a day at most. I can order those ships that have no need to stay here to leave, if you wish."

Bump

Bump for Chron

Severino shrugs softly, the air around him seeming to crackle momentarily in mirror of his...displeasure. "A pity; there is much we could learn from each other; much we could gain" A gesture of his hand; a hissing spurt of warp flame between his fingers; and glowing crystals seem to dance amongst his fingers; like Flects of glass; gleaming; deep and glimmering; seething with an inner power; a tricksy...little...thing...

"So much..."

"There's a time and a place for everything. I don't believe this is the time for that," a new voice said. Kao'Tu walked in on them, his hands behind his back, "Wouldn't you agree, General-Admiral Stowes?"
"Indeed," Stowes replied, "Perhaps we will meet again with a more formal situation, Severino. As for now, I give you Pananab's formal apology for intruding on your space."

He smirked slightly, replacing his helmet; leaving the shards, no, Flects, of shimmering warp-material upon the floor, a trail of teasing little nuggets as he made his way towards the ramp of his ship. He let his mind drift forth, prodding testingly at the Psyker's mind; aiming to find his limits; his defences. He closed his eyes as he ascended the ramp; his mind sharpened like a knife; focussed like a weapon; like a thousand needles thrusting forwards; like a sword; a mace; a piercing, flaming, glaive...He was everywhere; and at the same time nowhere.

"Perhaps we shall meet again. You have our permission to proceed; only in so far as you require to under conventional thrust; and then you shall leave. There are many...Less kind than we. Think yourselves lucky the light of the Emperor found you; that you were..." He paused; focussing again "...Found by us, and our Gods sight."

Kao'Tu knew what the Chronosian was doing. He allowed him to go only so far, not letting him into the deeper parts of his mind. He led him to believe that he was much shallower than he truely was; Deep when compared to a human, but only a fraction of his entirity.
"I look forward to that event, actually. I have always had a respect for the Chronosians. We will be out of youre space within a day at most. It's been a pleasure," General Stowes said. He made a bow to Severino.