NationStates Jolt Archive

The world of New Roan, a Class 8 planet perfect for colonization. A world filled with a variety of landscapes and environments that reminded the first Ganoxian colonists of the tales of their ancestors of how Ganoxa used to be. Before the countless wars that scarred their lands, before the invasion of the Cyverons that traumatized the population, before the Exodus that despaired them. It was time for a renewal.

Before long the colonists had established a prosperous colony mining from the mineral rich mountains and farming from the nutrient rich grasslands. Life was great for them, as they constantly exported their goods to New Ganoxa. After months of prosperity they suddenly stopped communicating with New Ganoxa. The next Roan ship was overdue for several weeks, something obviously had gone wrong. The Council, perplexed about the sudden disappearance of a colony has charged the Navy to investigate this matter.

"We must have proof that the colony is well." Polivich said, Premier of the Forellian Union.

"What if the colony is just undergoing repairs to its subspace transmissions? It would be wasted time and resources." Emperor Morisato said from Genkai

"Well explain the next cargo ship not showing for weeks on end, Sousuke." Polivich said.

"Pirates perhaps? Or it could be those damn AG4 terrorists that we hired Mithril to take care, on behest of your pressure. Which by the way have they made any progress."

"Well...I..I haven't gotten any messages from them, but thats besides the point. We must see if our people are in fine order."

"Enough!" Chairman Kotor said, elected leader of the Council, "In a way you are both right."

"We are!" they said simultaneously instantly looking at Kotor.

"We will send a destroyer to see the fate of New Roan."

"But..!"

"We were going to send the destroyer anyways to reinforce the colony. If they are experiencing technical difficulties then thank god for that. If not then it wasn't a waste of resources."

They both nodded in agreement. "Then we are in agreement then gentleman."

"Yes.."

"All in favor."

Nine hands rose from the Council. "Then the ayes have it."

Commander Halbringer sat in the command chair of the destroyer Outcast Hunt. "Sir, ship is ready for hyperspace jump and set for New Roan coordinates."

"Good bring us about and engage hyperdrive."

The ship sped off into hyperspace, heading off towards New Roan. Finding out the fate of the colonists, whether for good or for ill.

((Did you need someone to be the aggressors or did you have someone else in mind (ie "semi open"?))

The destroyer finally made it to the New Roan System, making preliminary scans of the planet. There seemed to be scarrings on the surface that would signify an invasion, not from space but on the planet itself. A ground assault?, thought Halbringer, but thats impossible we scanned the system for any sentients before we colonized. "Send a team down for search and rescue. Three Arm Slaves and 10 Marines."

"Yes Commander."

Thirty minutes later after doing some pre-tests on their Arm Slaves, the pilots stood at attention by them, whilst the engineers began loading ammo and equipment onto them. Such as the 52mm G-Shotcannon that Sargent Senel Lenyard prefers over the more accurate 40mm G-Assualt Rifles of his other colleagues. Sargent Major Wilson, walking back and forth in front of the pilots and marines, was briefing them on the mission.

"We have no clue what caused these colonists to abrubtly end transmissions with home base. It is our job to find out. Expect the worst, the entire colony may be dead, or suffering from some ill begotten disease. Which is why you are in those suits right now. Arm Slave pilots, since you cannot operate the ASes with the suits on, we advise that you stay in the unit until we can contain a building for you. To put it in simple terms just stay in the fucking Arm Slaves."

"Gotcha chief, said Corporal Graf Tilunos."

"Any questions partaining to the operation."

"What if we encounter any survivors?"

"Good question Brenner, if you find any survivors, bring them back to the LZ on the double, after confirming survivors, we will send in more men to reinforce the LZ."

"What if we encounter hostiles? Do we take prisoners or do we just outright kill them?"

"Well at first we will be civil about the matter, for all we know the planet might have had sentient life, despite our rigorous scanning. Diplomacy will come first, Commander's orders. Anymore questions?"

"When do we get started?" Lenyard said.

"I thought you would never ask Sargent. We start in ten minutes, NOW GET YOUR ASSES ON THAT SHIP!!"

"Yes sir!" they said.

After the ground crew loaded the shuttle with the Arm Slaves the shuttle began its descent into the atmosphere. They flew over what looks to be remains of the colony, "My god!." a marine said, "What the fuck happened?"

Buildings were laid to waste on the many streets of the colony, the devestation was everywhere, ruins everywhich way. "Well that explains the lost contact."

"You think!?"

"Alright settle down, Arm Slave pilots to your AS."

Senel walked into the cargo hold where the cockpit was opened, he and his other pilots climbed into their cockpits, put in their security clearance, and were greeted by their AIs. The cockpit door closed behind Lenyard, "Recognizing Sargent Lenyard. Greetings Sargent."

"Hey Pops," the nickname he gave to the AI," run diagnostic scans of the systems.

"Already done so, Sargent. Scans show optimum performance."

Arm Slave pilots we are green for jump, on my mark. 3...2...1...Mark!

The three Arm Slave tumbled out of the shuttle and opened their HAHO chutes. They began to descend to the city.

OOC: DO: I have something else in mind

"LZ is all clear Sargent Major," said Lenyard.

The shuttle came around the ruined ten story building, and landed in the street where a flare marker was placed by Lenyard. The foggy, grey landscape of the city made it seem like it was standing still in time. The marines immediately jumped out of the sides and fanned out, covering the perimeter. "Clear!"

"Begin the search," Sargent Major Wilson said sitting in the command chair in the shuttle. Watching the video feeds of his men he could directly see what they saw.

"I've already made scans, their seems to be noone here at all."

"Alright our first objective is to head to the government building, there we can find the subspace transmitter and perhaps more information. Blue team take point."

"Roger," Lenyard said.

The Arm Slaves jumped from the shuttle site towards the direction of the building, as the marines began to drive out a couple of vehicles from the shuttle and sped towards the building. As they entered the building they Wilson noticed the surroundings, "Brenner, turn to the right."

"You seeing this?"

"Yeah. I see it."

The main lobby was painted with blood, streaks of it everywhere. Debris on the floor, paper covered the floor. The marines checked out the room where the subspace transmitter was located. The room was the same, signs of small arms fire was significant in the corridor, the doors were sealed shut by fusion cutters. Clues of an immense struggle surfaced as they look through the debris. Streaks of blood on the floor showed that some of the bodies were dragged out of the room. They finally came to the transmitter, "Sweet Balthazar, what the fuck is that!" a marine said.

"Looks like a fucking hand man, a fucking hand."

"Alright, Red team search the room. Gruberman, check the transmitter. See is its operating."

"Y-Yes sir."

Ten minutes later...

"Sir I think I found something. Seems like a message recorded a month prior to our arrival."

"Well play it son."

He pushed the play icon on the monitor and suddenly a man with bloody forehead appeared. "If you are watching this, then I am probably dead. The colony was going smoothly, everything was fine, until we started mining in the mountains north of us. It was rich in ore, we thought we hit the big time, then they came. They must have been buried long ago in the mountain, because our preliminary scans didn't pick anything up," he looked over to the left, "As soon as we unearthed these things our miners were immediately attacked. We mustered as many we can to attack this old species but our force was no match for the onslaught. Soon they attacked the colony proper, some of the citizens fled. Many were taken, many were killed. The people that fled may have taken refuge in some caves in the south, they had sealed them off so we don't know of their fate." a loud bang was heard, "I don't have much time, if you are some sort of rescue team, get the civilians in the caves and get them the fuck off this rock."

"They're getting through. Oh my God!"

"AHHH. AHHHHH. AHhhhhhhh."

"Blow this place to hell! Take this motherfuckers." the man raised his assault rifle and fired several shots, soon a shadow overtook the camera and the transmission cut off.

"Dear god..."

"Outcast is sending the shuttles to the location provided. They'll load them an--"

"Life forms detected heading for Red Teams location. Bearing North"

"Shit!" Wilson grunted, "Blue team cover Red Team. Be cautious."

"Yes sir."

"Warning life signs detected. Heading from the north. Speed approximately 20 kph." the AI said in Lenyard's AS.

"Dammit!" he shifted the AS to the north and took a stance, shotcannon in place. The fog was too dense to see anything and were messing up scans pretty bad. He could see anything, not even infrared. It was like nothing there, maybe his AI had a glitch. No, the scans must be working, just these goddam scopes.

The wait was unbearable to say the least. When was the attack coming? Were they studying them? "Sarge I have bad feeling about this."

"Hold your position."

"Life signs approaching 100 meters. 90 meters. 70 meters."

"Open fire. Open fire."

The ASes fired their weaponry into the fog. Not sure what they were hitting they continued to fire. Suddenly a loud roar filled the air. Brenner looked up from within the building, "What the hell was that?!"

A large creature came out of the fog, some would say that it was at least 20 meters high, just a bit taller than Lenyard's AS. It came barreling through, knocking down Lowell's AS. The creature perched ontop and crushed the Arm Slave. "NO! Lowell, Lowell."

No reply came, suddenly the creature looked at him next. It began to charge at Lenyard who immediately jumped back firing the shotcannon at the creature. The blasts didn't deter the creature's mad charge on him. He continued the jumps and siderolled firing still. "Torison jump!"

"Wha--" too late the creature had already taken him out. His transmission was static. It resumed its attack on Lenyard who continued to dodge the attacks. "Warning main arm dangerously loverheating. Warning main arm overheated."

He dropped the shotcannon and took out his monmolecular cutter and sidestepped the creature. He jumped up raising his cutter above the head of his Arm Slave and jammed it down in what seemed to be the creature's neck. The initial stab didn't kill the monster, so he continued to cut even deeper into the creature, causing it to drop on the ground.

Lenyard jumped off the creature and looked back at it. He continued to stare at it through the monitor, wondering what the hell it was. Suddenly the monster lashed out at the legs of the mech, let out a loud roar, then dropped dead. "Warning, severe damage to muscle package."

The one last fiber of the muscle package finally tore and the AS buckled over crashing into the ground. There Lenyard blacked out, as more creatures aproached the building.