NationStates Jolt Archive

It had been a wondrous countless years since Anagonia had endeavored to advance the capabilities of science in technology. Many generations of peoples lasted through the after years of the Galactic Empire's dark shadow, always looming, always present. Those that survived the horrible Exodus from the Nova Kretani Solar System, the true Homeworld of every Anagonian, combined as one to create an Anti-Empire based military that was purely structured to fight a future war with the Imperials. The Galactic Republic built economically and politically around the bases of Territorial Defense against the looming fight that would finish them off. The People living in fear for the first few years, then anger, then elitism, of a believed Empire takeover.

Yet, even as many of them died that which was there on that fateful day, even as everyone believed it would happen, it never did. Never occurred. The Galactic Empire seemed to overlook the Jedi and Sith Orders that so structured the everyday life of a Republic Citizen. The Imperial Military seemed intent on straying far from Anagonian borders. Never once was there an all out war with the Imperials. Here and there, small skirmishes of Imperial Rebels. But nothing truly signaling the return of Palpatine, the return of slavery and condemnation.

And then it happened, as in every nation in every part of history. People became complacent.

Then a miracle: The Galactic Republic went into a Golden age.

It lasted for twelve years. A Golden Age of Technology, of Science, and of Peace. Never before had the seven Galactic Nations became so unified that they worked so hard for one goal. Research was done at an extraordinary level, unrepresented and unhindered. No galactic nation dared to attack, dared to introduce themselves. Basically, Anagonia was all alone, yet never alone. The Jedi and Sith Orders went along with the Golden Age, opening up vaults of information secretly taken from the lost Homeworld, and providing the way to point the future of the Republic.

Lost technologies and dreams. Lost desires and wants. Lost histories and records. Lost designs of ships, and desires for exploration and the preservation of Peace and Order.

This revelation of newfound information from lost lands, and a lost dream from a single individual, sparked a new age of thinking and living life. Two years of reformation followed, and soon all the worlds, all the provinces, came together in a unified entity that shattered borders and made everyone truly one and the same. The Galactic Federation of Anagonia was born. With it, a dream for the future.

Yan Turi Shipyards - Federation Controlled Territory of Delphi Oceana - Planet Atlantis

And it was only in order to have the new age of Anagonia begin where it all started. The Kingdom of Delphi Oceana, despite previous beliefs, had controlled the majority of space after the Unification. Then, they were seperated, and so was born the Republic. A short version of the spacey history, but true nonetheless. Oscar Vladinchi had always favored the Delphinian way of life, with their beautiful water worlds being the jewel of the Galactic Republic for countless centuries.

Now they were the jewel of the Federation. And as such, it was only proper to have everything begin again here.

Looking out from the massive Starcarrier Enterprise, named for the military and scientific benefits gained after the Northrop-Grumman Treaty of 2040, he saw the fruits of the Federations struggle to begin once more. In the space dock, looking like some skeletal chest encompassing the valued heart of an individual, was positioned the finest ship ever created by Anagonian hands. Copied from past schematics of starship design, and renewed with the technologies of today, came the first line of ships that would make the current line of Anagonian ships obsolete.

The GFSS Rebirth, a Constellation Class (http://memory-alpha.org/en/wiki/Constellation_class#Main_bridge) starship picked up from designs from the old Jedi Archives, was the starting of this wondrous journey. Anagonia no longer had any need for advanced battleships with uber-lasers and the like, had no need for extreme super weapons. For years, it was never bothered. The only consideration was that it had won the ultimate battle for independence. That, indeed, it had begun a new age of peace and prosperity. Such was the case here, and Oscar felt it. Though these new lines of ships would take over, the origional ships, designed for defense and offense against the Galactic Empire, would undoubtedly stay to remain the primary weapons of war.

On the Bridge of the GFSS Rebirth

Captain Travis Ford had grown up during the Golden Age of Anagonia, when the Republic turned into the Federation, when all Anagonians embraced a Peaceful co-existence with each other. He was not a man of war, nor was his ship. Nor was half the fleet anymore. In fact, with the way things were going, and the designs that the Federation Navy was implementing, Anagonia would be a pushover compared to most Galactic Superpowers. This didn't bother, nor even come into the mind of, Travis. As serious a threat as this was, he never figured war would find it's way to Anagonia again.

Looking at the schematics of the ship he recalled the design specifications. The redesigned Constellation Class was built and intended to be a ship of exploration, of peace. Its weapons, redesigned fusion beam emitters replacing the weak phaser arrays. The photon torpedoes were seen as adequate, and were kept to the design. The shields were kept, though reinforced with a very common EM Shield Generation System, and the Impulse drives were replaced with a Fusion Drive system that generally every pre-Federation Anagonian vessel was equipped with.

Basically a bunch of crap of pre-Federation era placed into a design not meant for it.

In the end, however, the newest addition to the Federation Fleet was intended to be a peacemaker and not a conquerer. Travis had been pleased to be given this assignment, and was satisfied with the crew he chose. Most were not accepted, and he would have to get to know his command staff over again, but thankfully his second-in-command was the same old rascal he grew up with.

Commander Ethan Rike had been in the Academy with Travis, went through almost every class with him, and gained basically the same finishing grade. They both entered the, then, newly reformed Federation Star Navy to enhance their carriers, as the slogan was put. They explored every sector of Federation Territory on Heavy Cruisers and Battleships. They were a part of several skirmishes with pirates and other rebel groups. And, most importantly, they knew each others looks and postures by the book. Ethan was basically a blood brother of Travis'. Their history had gone a long way.

Most of the bridge crew both Ethan and Travis had either never seen in their life or never got the names of. They used the old cheat sheet on their consoles. Looking around the bridge, he saw that almost everyone had them. He grunted, and took the time to observe his surroundings one more time before send off.

The helm and navigation stations were located on the extreme port and starboard sides of the bridge with the Travis' Captains Chair near the center of the bridge. This gave Travis an unobstructed view of the viewscreen located at the front of the bridge. Next to the the captain's chair, set less than a meter back and off to the right, was the first officer's chair with a better functioning console than the captains armrest version.

Directly behind the command chairs was the tactical station, with the engineering station to the far rear on the port side and science station to the far rear starboard side. In front of the engineering station was an entryway to the bridge entryway.

Satisfied he had everything down to par again, his armrest console received the permission to begin their shakedown cruise. On the main viewscreen was the current flagship of the Federation Star Navy. The Starcarrier Enterprise represented the old militaristic ways of Anagonia, which seemed quite funny to Travis to have the new, peaceful ways of the Federation be represented by the rebirth. Funny in the way that his ship was dwarfed by the sheer size of the SSD Killer. It made him think of the Dragon and the Knight, that old tale about...well...it was too far away in his mind to remember.

His Chief Communications Officer looked to him, "Communication from Chief General Oscar Vladinchi, Captain. He sends his regards, and hopes our tiny spec of matter will make it to the next hour."

Travis and Ethan shared a chuckle. Even though Anagonia was changing, there was still the ones embracing the old ways. Oscar Vladinchi was one of them, preferring the classic "massive ship equals massive strength" persona's with the additional "massive ship numbers equals victories". Nowadays, the Academy taught differently, rather embracing single ship tactics to further the goals of a declining fleet size. Travis nodded, and looked to the ChComOff. "Tell our beloved Chief General we thank him and we hope his massive frame won't start the formation of a black hole."

The Officer nodded as he and the Helm Officer exchanged glances. Travis shrugged, placing a command to start the Fusion Drives and begin one-half power to forward. As soon as they left the star dock they would test their warp drives, going anywhere they pleased.

It was a common technological breakthrough that brought about the newest addition to Anagonian Technology. Previously, the schematics for warp were primitive at best, and useless for a modern navy of the Federations size. So, during the two years of reformation, and reconstruction, the Warp designs were split to include faster speed and a more economical base. They had the same drive systems as the Sub-Space Drives did, yet their power transfered into the unique quad-nacelles design to deter the chance of a meltdown during this new way of faster than light travel. Basically, as the professors had put it, it was a primitive version of HyperWarp, yet more advanced than warp. This made Travis' brain confused, literally.

And probably half the damn nation.

Looking about he noted that they were an adequate distance from the star dock to begin the test of the experimental Hyper-Warp system. Ethan and Travis exchanged glances, considering all possible outcomes. Then Travis shrugged, "How about you be the one to order the death of five-hundred and thirty four souls?" Ethan looked appalled, then smirked, "Whats the worst that could happen?"

"Considering all possibilities," Travis looked around the bridge at his officers, "we all die horrible deaths."

"Like the Drekamythians say," Ethan chuckled, "Glory to pain!" He looked at the Lieutenant at Helm, "Yosa, take us to some unexplored territory or somewhere. Engage Hyper-Warp."

"Wait Helm!" He looked angerly at Ethan, "How the hell do you know their names?! I don't even know them!"

Everyone on the bridge stared at the Captain, including Ethan. Travis sank back in his chair, almost near a whimper at the anger he felt flowing in the atmosphere here. He waved his hand, "Delay that, continue as ordered."

ANd with that, the Rebirth went faster-than-light, then entered a dimension closer to Sub-Space as the Hyper-Warp was successfully engaged. Nothing spectacular, of course. Why should it be? After all, nothing nor no one would ever cross paths with the Anagonian Federation. No other Intergalatic Empire took interest in a nation declining in military strength.

Or did they?

OOC:

Just trying to keep her alive....hope your thesis went well.

On a comment about the name of the captain, my real names Travis, and I ran out of names, and my trucks a Ford. So, yea. No copying anything, expect myself.

IC:

Captain Travis Ford took advantage of the four-hour HyperWarp transition to head to his quarters. Here, everything on board could roughly be called spartan accommodation's compared to most of the Federation fleet. Everything else was about comfort and location, especially on board the larger Battlecarrier and Starcarrier designs. Even on board the Heavy Cruisers of the fleet, you never found cramped quarters like these. It didn't bother Travis, he was growing up in changing times. His generation was quite used to transition by now, and anything that was produced from it was considered quite attractive compared to the Battle Heavy ships still in use.

He decided to scan his quarters again, sitting at his computer station at the edge of his quarters. Behind him was the bathroom, with stand-up shower and proper waste facilities. To the forward was his bed, in the wall that was roughly compared to a military bunk. To the right of that was the only port to outside space, protected by both shielding and highly composite novarium, mixed with materials to give it a glass-like texture without compromising the strength and integrity. He gave a smile, it would do.

Looking back at his console and the text files he was looking through, he went back in thought. It was already two hours in Warp flight, an hour ago he had toured the ship once again to get to know his officers better. They had a quick lunch, and he instantly liked his crew. Chief Engineer Garrett Holland was the only one that could be considered serious about his profession, even Chief Medical Officer Kristen Briggs wasn't as devoted to duty her duty as Garrett was. Despite the difference, he found it rather comforting to find a technical mind concentrating most of his time to keeping the Rebirth together.

Chief Security Officer Barney Sheppard was rather distant, Travis had noted. For someone concerned in the more soldier oriented affairs on board, he had found Barney to be lacking at first glance. Travis figured that perhaps a few more chances at getting to know the man might help, and considered that most people who had previous military careers did remain rather concentrated on other affairs than conversation.

Chief Science Officer Demetrius Beach was the polar opposite of Barney, being the funny guy and possibility a candidate for moral officer if ever that positioned was created. He was a technical guru and scientific genius, from what geekish jibberish Travis had heard spout from his fast-talking mouth. Yet, again, he found comfort in this too. Just in case they came into something unknown to Federation science, at least he had someone who would know what the hell was going on.

Chief Communications Officer Gaberial Habbard was an expert innover twelve galactic languages, including draconic. He had finished first in his Foreign Translations class, and second in Foreign Languages. Although everyone on board was required to have at least knowledge of three separate languages, including Basic English, Gaberial would be the most important among them in first contact scenarios. Despite the past history which showed up on his academy files, Travis considered him a valued asset.

And last there was Chief Navigational Officer Hector Clemons was an expert in all types of ship bound navigation and control. He was trained in all classes of vessels, capital's to shuttles and fighters, and he could conceivable take over a foreign empires ship should the situation call for it. Travis had looked over his academy files and found some things lacking, but in his better judgment he figured his invaluable skills at piloting would indeed make up for most of the skills needed to be an officer. Even though he had no prior experience of command until the Rebirth, so long as he kept her going he didn't mind giving Hector some first hand experience.

Travis noted that almost every one of his officers, with the exception of Hector and Gabriel who was Lieutenants, were Lt. Commanders. This offered Travis a better field of command advantage should his first officer become incapacitated, or both Ethan and him became too injured to command. He noted that his two Lieutenants were heading for advancement, and would gladly give them the chance. Despite the difference between Travis and most Captain's of the Federation Fleet, he wasn't one to judge just by rank. He was one to judge by skill, and what they showed. It was what he learned at the academy, and he'd be damned if he didn't give every one of his crew a chance to be on the bridge. This ship wasn't a hardcore military vessel, and he didn't intend to make it that way.

Looking up from the console screen and rubbing his eyes, his PAD started to chirp. Looking down to his waist, he took the PAD from the belt and pressed something on the touch-screen to acknowledge.

"Captain, we need you on the bridge." It was his Commander, Ethan Rike. "I think you may want to see this."

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Coming from the lift elevator he was immediately bombarded by hurried voices communicating with each other. The bridge was too active for just a simple anomaly, or for a disabled ship. Something didn't seem right. Walking down the entryway, he noted his Chief Engineer was present at his station. So, Travis figured, it wasn't a problem with the ship. Then what was it?

"Commander," he saw Ethan Rike raise from the Captains chair and settle into his own as he spoke, "whats going on?"

Hector Clemons spoke up first from his nav station. "We were taken from Hyperwarp by some unknown field."

Travis sat in the Captains chair, "Things like this happen a lot, even to Sub-Space drives." He shrugged, "Whats so unusual about it?"

"Whats unusual," Demetrius Beach spoke up from behind at the science station, "is this."

Looking towards his science officer, he followed the pointing finger to the viewscreen. There, he found something that was rather disturbing. He couldn't make out the class or grade of ship, as he didn't believe he never studied it in the academy. Though, he noted, it looked rather beaten to hell from particle damage and perhaps, he believed, a blown reactor. After a few moments of contemplation, he asked the question that undoubtedly everyone was wondering. "What type of ship is it?"

He heard Demetrius gaining information from his station, and found it flowing onto his command chair arm console. He looked down and reviewed it as Barney filled in the blanks. "She is, as far as our ships library confirms, a Venator-Class Star Destroyer that is very outdated, even to Federation terms."

"Wait a minute," a thought crossing Travis' mind, "Doesn't the Soviets use these still?"

"That they do captain," Ethan confirmed from beside him, "though our Microwave scans haven't detected the upgrades that the Rudavians use." Travis looked over in time to see Ethan shrug, "Either way she's not one of ours, and we definitely wouldn't use an outdated design like hers."

"That answers one question," he heard Chief Engineer Garrett Holland pine in, "but what caused all that damage? Even a standard Venator configuration could withstand plasma bursts."

"Thats the thing Garrett," Demetrius said, "Their not plasma bursts."

Travis now looked to the viewscreen and saw information flowing from side to side as an onscreen reticle formed around the broken hulk of the Venator. Damage statistics and hull integrity was shown, followed by possible causes to the damage. The one possibility that wasn't shown was Plasma Bursts, which was very confusing to Travis. He looked to Commander Rike. "What do you make of this?"

"I'd say we stumbled on an ship left behind by some unknown war." Ethan typed something on his console, and shrugged. "According to our charts, were still in our borders. And nothing comes up about any battles in this area."

"Its a disputed area Captain," his Chief Security Officer stated. "I'd advise caution."

"Do what?" Travis said, looking to Barney Sheppard. "Disputed? By who?"

"I'm not sure Captain, but records state the interstellar community disputed this claim some time back before the formation of the Federation." He shrugged helplessly, "Thats all I have."

Nodding, Travis sighed. "Very well. Go to yellow alert, and keep scanning that piece of hulk to find out something."

"Aye Captain," Demetrius said. Around Travis, the bridge lights turned from normal to caution mode. He heard the hum of the shield generators coming online for the first time, and heard the sound of the weapons capacitors. He hoped he wasn't about to find everything exploded around him.

As if to ease his fears, Barney spoke while looking at the viewscreen. "Shields at one-hundred percent and holding, Weapons online but on permanent standby. All Marines have begun standard patrols."

"Very good," He looked to the helm, "Mr. Clemons, take us to half power forward and make a sensor sweep of the area. I want to know whats going on." After a sound of acknowledgment, he looked to communications. "Mr. Habbard, send a communications to Federation Naval Command and advise them of what we found and to our location. I want everyone to know where we are just in case." He nodded as his orders were carried out, and finally directed his last order to the science station behind him. "Mr. Beach, give me more information A-S-A-P. Yesterday."

His Science Officer acknowledging, Travis turned towards Ethan. "Something doesn't feel right. How did I not feel ourselves come out of HyperWarp?" Ethan looked dumb for a moment, then chuckled. "Captain, with all due respect, your not supposed to feel anything. This isn't Sub-Space, its Warp." Ethan looked towards the derelict Venator on screen. "Besides, once we figure out whats causing the disturbance field, I'd recommend logging our findings and getting out of here. No need to beat a dead horse from the past."

Feeling kind of silly at his question concerning the warp, he nodded about the recommendations and sagged back in his captains chair. Looking at the viewscreen, stars in almost familiar formations were everywhere. In the distance, some bright nebula shown through the darkness and void of space. He looked at that, and found some amount of beauty. But as the Venator drifted slowly across the Nebula's image, he couldn't help feeling that something was wrong here, something was off track.

He would have had his suspicions checked by a Delphinian. Unfortunatley everyone on board was human. This first mission, this first endeavor, was to be taken alone by mankind. The other races still didn't trust the new technology, didn't trust to allow their people to go. Even with the new Federation in place, Republic-era disputes still edged to the surface. This mission alone was of the utmost importance not only to the new Anagonia, but the permanent unification of all races, all peoples within her galactic borders. At that thought, he couldn't help feeling a tremendous weight on his shoulders. Looking at the Venator, it didn't help the weight on his shoulders. Already two hours in, they found something charred by the thing Anagonia so wanted to get away from.

Captain Travis Ford couldn't help realizing that what happened here was a sign of an age old war. What war, he didn't know. Somehow, he believed he led his people directly in the middle of it.

OOC:

Yay, another post...I seriously have to be bored.

IC:

A few hours had gone by since Travis had called for yellow alert. In that time the GFSS Rebirth had been maneuvered close enough to the derelict Venator to gain close-range sensor readings and the location of areas of interest. The sensor scans, done by Lt. Commander Barney Sheppard, were still underway and getting unexpected results. Travis had waited those few hours in the Captains Chair overseeing the bridge and ship operations, while expectedly growing tired of just sitting there doing nothing.

So, after three hours, he left the bridge to Ethan and headed to get his medical exam early. He wasn't expected down in the Medical Bay until tomorrow, according to the schedule provided. But being bored and nearly falling asleep didn't provide for a good show of command capability, and Travis was intent on doing something to pass the time before his official shift ended.

On his way down he passed by many ensigns and Lt. Junior Grades, who he occasionally stopped and had discussions with about ship happenings. Nothing new, just the usual bout of rumors here and there, and to those who didn't know Travis provided casual information about their findings. Not many didn't have a clue, however. The ship itself was like a small town. When something happened, even to one person, everyone knew.

Almost everyone, he thought as he entered sickbay. Chief Medical Officer Kristen Briggs was a mirror image of Barney Sheppard. She was serious, devoted to duty, and maintained a proper physical and emotional appearance in her assignments. She wasn't distant to her patients, however. Preferring to converse with them and make them feel at ease. Her beautiful dark hair, shoulder length, and her deep green eyes made almost everyone want to talk to her. Her smooth talking voice, and nearly demanding stance, gave her the advantage in most hot-heated debates. Not everyone on the ship could contest to her uncanny abilities, both medical and otherwise.

As Travis Ford entered, the sickbay doors whooshing aside to allow entry, Kristen looked up from her computer console and gave a quizzical look. "I wasn't expecting you for another day and a half, Captain." She gave a sly smile, "Something happened?"

Travis shrugged, "Falling asleep in the chair isn't a good representation of Federation Naval Command."

She actually chuckled, Kristen seemed relaxed and open. Something Travis wasn't expecting. "Oh come now, even we Officers get like that." She closed out her console and stood, crossing her arms in a nonthreatening gesture. "Seriously, in all my years of service I have never seen a Captain volunteer for an early medical exam."

"First time for everything," he smiled as he headed for one of the medical tables, sitting at the edge of it. "After all, I'm not really needed on the bridge right now."

Kristen went over to the medical compartment and retrieved a small sensor device resembling an Anagonian PAD. "I see," She quickly moved her fingers across the touch-screen and returned Travis' smile as she headed over to start the exam. "So whats happening up there?"

Travis believed everyone knew by now, but supposed conversation was a Medical Officers ally. "We found a derelict ship in contested space. Somehow it took us from HyperWarp." He watched Kristen manuver the top of the Medical PAD across his head, then down his side. Travis continued, "Until we figure out whats going on, we can't leave."

"Ah," she simply said. Looking at the screen on the PAD for a few moments, then continued to wave it across Travis' chest and down his waist. "So basically we've encountered some long-past example of war, hmm?"

"Basically," he fidgeted a bit as she crossed the PAD over his intimate parts. She noticed apparently as she grinned. "Come now Captain, I don't bite."

The moment was over, and forgotten, as he gave a soft chuckle and continued to sit still for her exam. "So anyone injured?"

She shook her head, "The Warp drives and gravity inertial dampeners are working perfectly. No one knew we came out of HyperWarp until after the alert status was raised." Travis nodded, taking that as a good sign that the shakedown was going rather well. After a few moments of continuous scanning, she stood and looked over the results on her device. "However, your the first."

Travis looked up, a look of surprise on his face. "What do you mean, 'I'm the first'?"

She tilted her head in apology, "Sorry Captain, but you seem to have a injury."

After a few long seconds of silence, his face hardened. "Mind telling me whats wrong with me?"

She looked at him, serious, direct. "Nothing serious, but something I can treat after your shift. Come back later tonight, will you?"

Travis saw the medical bay doors whoosh open again, an two ensigns coming in to, what he surmised, was their routine medical exams. He looked back at Kristian and nodded, "Thank you doctor." He stood, casually walking out. He couldn't help feeling that her eyes were on him, instead of her new patients. Something wasn't right about what she said.

As the doors slid close behind him to the Medical Bay, he stopped. "Did I just get hit on?"

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He came from the lift onto the bridge expecting normalcy and boredom, instead he was greeted by a flurry of activity with Ethan at the center. On the viewscreen was a information display of the derelict Venator, followed by lines of new statistics he hadn't seen before. Working to straighten his standard issue uniform, he walked on the deck and nodded towards Ethan, who immediately stood and took his place at the Commanders chair.

"Anything new," Travis asked as casually as possible.

Ethans gaze never left the viewscreen as he spoke, "We found areas on the ship that were sealed, and we found out that the weapons damage was recent."

Travis looked over to Ethan, quite shocked,"Recent? How recent?"

"About as recent as a day or two ago," Ethan casually said.

Looking back at the Viewscreen now, "What about the areas that are sealed? Is life support working in those places?"

Ethan nodded, "Sure are, and I believe our scans are picking up life signs. Weak, but there."

"So your telling me we just discovered them?" Travis looked to Ethan, then back at the viewscreen. "Why didn't we pick this up before."

From behind Demetrius spoke from the Science Station, "At our previous distance the nebula was hampering all scans. However, now that were closer, our Microwave Scans can bypass much of the interference."

"Have we found out what took us out of Warp yet?" Travis looked down to the armchair console at his disposal, finding nothing he liked. "Could it have been the nebula?"

"Negative Captain," Barney spoke from the Security station. "This ship doesn't have the capability to hamper faster than light travel."

"And the nebula," Travis asked.

"Possibly," Barney shrugged behind him. "Our scans are not able to penetrate the interference to confirm that suspicion as of yet."

"Great," he said under his breath. "Maintain yellow alert status, and do more scans of the Venator to confirm that life signs are stable." He studied the viewscreen for a few moments, then added, "Lt. Commander Sheppard will take a marine squad with medical personnel to retrieve anyone still alive."

A word of acknowledgment came from Barney behind Travis. The feeling earlier came back with a vengeance. Something wasn't right here. Travis could believe that a decade old hulk from a war long past just happened to be here. Hell, they were everywhere in Anagonian space. But something like this, an older class model of starship, derelict and having signs of being attacked just a few days ago? Why? How? Who was responsible?

As if reading his mind Commander Ethan Rike spoke from beside him. "Shall we intensify long-range scans to see if whoever did this is still around?"

Travis nodded, satisfied to see that Ethan and him still had that same train of thought concerning situations like this. "Confirmed Commander. Do whatever you can to make sure we are alone."

He sat straighter in his Captains Chair, suddenly not so bored anymore.

OOC:

Chrono's quite busy with school atm, so I'm gonna continue the story line.

IC:

Captain Travis Ford walked casually through the ships bowels, concentrating mainly on keeping busy. Over the past day a team was sent over, but nothing was found. The entire computer system had been shot, no information available. Any previous signs of life were confirmed to be sensor glitches. And, to top it off, no one still knew what destroyed the derelict Venator in the first place. So his entire command staff was stuck, and he was stuck.

Travis managed to get a communication through via a space probe piggybacking the signal about a light year out. A full report had been sent to Federation Naval Command, with an incoming response pending in about a day or two. The entire Federation was in the process of reassembling itself. It wasn't as simple to request an Admiral you personally knew, because even if they responded they more than likely were still out of the command loop. Basically, everything was a organized chaos, without the organization, and without the proper command chains set in yet.

Which made it difficult for Travis to say the least. His ship still hadn't been put in an official fleet. According to Federation records, the Rebirth still hadn't been placed into a designation or class. It was an experimental, outside of the box, and outside designation. The only good thing about his ship was that it wasn't the last of its kind. According to a debriefing concerning Federation Affairs, there was in construction four more of the Constellation-Classes, and the Marines were already having four special ships constructed for them.

Everything wasn't lost, yet. But tensions were high, and at any moment the wrong motivation could break everything. This wasn't the time to find a derelict ship with battle damage near their borders. The past was war, the future was exploration. The Federation just wasn't ready for this, not yet. Travis sighed as he rounded a corridor towards the medical bay.

"We are now under the jurisdiction of Starfleet," said Travis as he passed a few unnamed ensigns down a corridor.

Captain Travis Ford had all the time in the world to overview the incoming updates for the Federation. So far, everything was cementing nicely together in the government. The Political structure was already getting balanced out, with Planets electing their territorial senators and representatives at an outstanding rate into their respective governing bodies. The Federation Congress had just enough senators to properly approve the formation of the Starfleet, with the added approval of the Admirals in command to continue the formation of the Military structure so long as it didn't violate the constitution.

"Wait a minute," Commander Ethan Rike stopped Travis with a hand, "If we don't have a constitution yet, how can they approve it?"

It was a legitimate question. "I have no idea," Travis finally responded after a few moments of thought.

They continued to walk toward the bridge. The Federation, during the times of transition, had been working on a new constitution to better serve this new form of government. They so far had yet to finish it, and as far as the Galactic Intelligence Agency was concerned Anagonia was classified as a benevolent dictatorship under Chief President Drakomis Reign. Travis had no doubts that would change when the constitution was firmly in place, as Drakomis wasn't known as a one-man ruling party in no respect of the term.

"I suppose the constitution is the Congress," Travis remarked. "I know the Chief President isn't a power hungry megalomaniac, so it would make sense."

When they reached the bridge via the lift, Travis saw for once a calm. Everywhere else on the Rebirth people were discussing the issues of the time. Here, everyone was concerned only with the operation of the Constellation-Class. It felt good to return to this place, felt like home. Increasingly Travis was seeing that this place called for him, that the ship welcomed him. It was something like a purpose, something fulfilling. It always washed his worries and concerns away just to step onto the bridge.

"Captain on the Bridge," reported Lt. Commander Barney Sheppard as he vacated the Captains Chair. Everyone stood around him in a military respect. Travis merely nodded, Barney going back to the Security station as everyone else returned to their duties.

"Feels good to be welcomed," Travis remarked almost in a whisper to Ethan. A chuckle was his response as both commanding officers sat in their respective chairs. "Any updates?"

At the Captain's inquiry, Lt. Commander Demetrius Beach spoke. "Nothing new expect the recent communication from Starfleet Command."

Travis nodded, "Status of salvage operation?"

On the viewscreen a wide view of the derelict Venator was seen. Beside and below the ship was the two Hailstorm-Class Battlecruisers (http://hawk.proboards1.com/index.cgi?board=Military&action=display&thread=1103679193&page=1#1103680906) that had been dispatched to begin salvaging the Venator for future study. Because of the lack of information required to actually pin-point the cause of destruction, the only feasible alternative was to detonate the ship and read the particles emitted. Travis didn't like this choice, so he took the lesser of the two evils. The crew of the Battlecruisers were giving the dead crewmen found a proper space burial, of course. It only slightly lessened the choice of the matter on his mind.

"Reliant and Defiance are reporting twenty-two percent salvage completion." Lieutenant Gaberial Habbard looked up from the Communications station after he spoke, obviously receiving more information. "They are reporting now that they believe their science departments need about fifty-percent of the known hull to find the cause of the weapons damage. It should take about another day or two."

"Very good," Travis nodded in approval as he got comfortable in the Chair. "Inform them if they need any assistance that we are glad to give it."

Gaberial simply nodded as he relayed the message. Ethan leaned closer to Travis from his Commanders chair. "What do you think caused it?"

Travis shrugged, "From the recent findings the Reliant has discovered, they believe plasma bursts of some kind did the most damage."

"But?" Ethan saw the disapproving gaze on Travis' face, and edged for the full explanation. Travis looked over and sighed, "I think were missing a critical piece here. Something still isn't right, I can feel it."

"Like what?" Ethan sat back in his chair, his attention full on the Captain.

"I think were being watched, honestly. Like this is some game. Some amusing spectacle." Travis shrugged, "I know sensors haven't picked up anything, which is fine and good. But its like....a feeling."

"If your that intent on a feeling Captain, the Defiance has a Sith Master on board that we could ask to come over."

It was commonplace for Anagonian vessels to have Jedi and Sith Order Masters on board. They were the counselors of the fleet, keeping the crew moral up while protecting against outside forces that could impair crew judgment and loyalty. Ever since the Imperial Wars, the Force Orders had become an equal participant in both military and civilian affairs. Unfortunatley, while the Rebirth was scheduled for a Jedi Master to come on board, the Master had a delay and the Rebirth was sent off before everything could be figured out.

Travis finally nodded, "Yes. I think it would be wise to figure out whats going on."

Ethan nodded, "I'll relay the request right away."

There was a whispering flitting across the communications channels. Not actual contact with another, official power, simply the whispers. Voices hissed in the corner of internal communications, laughter broke across waves of static. It was everywhere, permeating the ship like an infection, as if something directed its vast malevolence against them. Voices formed words, ancient chants in forgotten tongues, raised in praise to primeval powers. Invocations of greatness were snarled at those who had no conception of the power that they were ever so close to, the power and the temptation of Chaos.

The Coredians had fled across the galaxy, filthy and degenerate slave-heathens, fit only for death at the hands of those truly blessed. Across two galaxies, Chronosian patrols slid like daggers through the void, ever in search of prey. It mattered not if it was the Coredians they found, only that they found something, that they sated their lusts upon the unworthy. Such was the will of Chaos. Such was the wish of Remiel.

Now they had found new feeding grounds, new flesh to glut themselves upon. These were weak creatures, easily turned aside by the glories of the Gods. The first had fallen easily, now others came, slinking through the void, the remains of fallen beings, fallen kin, revealed to them.

“Bring us forth, reveal our might to these unworthy souls. Let us finish with them quickly.” The voice was silken, slipping from the smirking lips of the one who had spoken. His gauntleted hand closed about the pommel of his blade, forcing it into the deck as he levered himself from the command throne. “We go with the grace of the Gods.”

“Pah! Let us slay them each in their turn, let us slay them for Khorne!” The grumbling roar came forth from the seething armored monstrosity who loomed from the shadow, armor caked in old blood, skulls hanging from his belt in morbid display.

“No…Let them suffer, let them know pain as no living being has ever known. Let putrefaction and decay take them! Let them know the pestilent joys of Nurgle!” This voice crept from the shadows, the bearer of the voice slinking forward upon atrophied muscles. He sneered, a grimacing corpse-face that spoke of centuries of service to the Lord of Decay.

“The pleasures of their flesh are promised to the Dark Prince!” Snarled the chosen warrior of Slaanesh, his features studded with piercings and brands, inflaming his flesh with pain and pleasure, delighting him as he considered the prize which lay ahead.

A Sorceror bowed his head lightly, casting runes and bones, his eyes darting within his helmet as he regarded the Fates themselves. A wry chuckle drifted forth as he tapped his bladed war-staff against the harsh deck.

“The fates call for blood. The Raven God shall sup well upon souls.”

Each of the four turned their eyes to the great figure who stood, surveying them with his irascible zeal for the kill. Here was Sigmund, sworn to the throne of Khorne; Vern, who embraced the debauched gifts of Slaanesh. There was Zarkov the Mad, blessed by the capricious power of Tzeentch, and Ravion, touched by the blasphemous corruption of Nurgle.

Each looked up to the figure who held sway of this court of the Undivided, this baroque congregation of the mad and the damned. He was Zuriel, blessed of the Gods, favored of Gabriel.

“Let us put an end to these miscreants, my brothers. Let us show them the meaning of salvation”

Like a leaden shark it slid forth from the nebula, prowling across the dark ocean of space and time. Warp tainted auspex relays took in the surroundings, like eyes gleaming in the Hydran forged hull. Its guns let loose in a single apocalyptic roar, a howl of mad fury. The whispers became screams, searing snarling that clawed at sanity itself. Projectiles as immense as buildings hurtled through the void, space itself torn and lit by the flash of lance battery fire.

They offered no warning, no ultimatum, no call for surrender. They let the hate and bile of their souls speak for them, with fire and utter chaos.

Darth Onzut concentrated on Captain Travis Ford as he spoke to him about his feeling, his Elven eyes a twisted red, and face a paleness with dark lines creasing from his pointed ears to his cheek and nose. His hair was ebony black, and his sith robes sagged with the hood placed back. He was sitting in a chair on the other side of the table that was in the Captains Ready Room, used for briefings occasionally, but now a place of concentration for the Sith. So far, he had gathered that the Captain was indeed sensing something, and that perhaps he had the powers of perception that Force users had. Or, perhaps it was a fluke. His senses reached beyond the ship one or more times during their conversations, and he had sensed something ominous and destructive, but so far that feeling had been unjustified.

"I don't know what else to say," Ford finished. He looked down at the table. Onzut sighed softly, looking out the Ready Room viewport to the stars, then back at Travis. "What you sense is fear, Captain. Fear of something there. I can sense it too, but so fa-"

Travis looked at the Dark Master, looking at the viewport he was staring at, then back again. It wasn't like an elven to shut himself off during a sentence. Then a message from the bridge resounded in the Ready Room. "Captain to the Bridge!"

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Darth Onzut took position standing beside the Captains Chair, as was his privilege. Ford stared in disbelief as the Reliant and Defiance were slowly being pummeled to dust by some unknown, twisted ship firing volley after volley of death. The two Battlecruisers were being turned to dust, along with the salvaged reliant, by the force of destruction being pilled upon them. There was no way the Constellation-Class starship could match this amount of firepower, only those two battlecruisers could have.

"Caught by surprise," Ethan Rike said. "I ordered us a full retreat and alerted Starfleet. We can't challenge something with that kind of firepower."

Ford's expression was grim. Over two thousand people were dying, and there was nothing they could do. He slammed his fist into the console. "Turn us around, we got to do something!"

"That is not advisable," said Darth Ontus. "That is Chaos, pure and simple."

"Chaos?" Ethan turned to Ontus from the Commanders Chair, "What are you talking about?"

"You may have forgotten about them, Commander. But the Orders haven't." He looked back to the screen, now full of torn parts from the destroyed battlecruisers. "That, brethren, is Chronosia."

"They are weak! See how they are laid low!? See how they flee us!? These are not worthy opponents, they are prey to be broken! We ought to shatter their very souls! Unleash my warriors! Unleash those blooded to the service of Khorne!" Sigmund snarled, his guttural tones rising to the ears of Zuriel, who tapped his sword thoughtfully against the ground. Sigmund was literally foaming at the mouth, rabid for carnage, hungry for the blood of the hated foe.

"Soon, brother. Soon. These beings are beneath us, merely an amusement. We shall close on them and immobilise their little ship. Then we have all the time in the world to dissect their culture, their ship and their crew. We'll find out where they come from, what they intend, and why they despoil the void with their...Apostate forms. They do not yield to the Gods, they do not share our heritage.

They must be educated."

The ship came forth, pursuing their new prey. They were fleeing, cowering before the might which had sundered their ships in moments. The weapons of the Imperium had cut them down as they turned to react, shattering them into dust.

Now they came for the other ship. Gun crews worked feverishly to ready the weapons, lance batteries recharged and fired once more. This time they were not aiming to destroy the vessel. Now they aimed to immobilise it. Marines were strapping themselves into Boarding Pods, the warriors of Khorne determined to be the first among the foe. Some went without armor, their grotesque musculature exposed for all to see; brands and marks etched into their very flesh.

"Blood for the Blood God! Skulls for the Skull Throne!" The cry echoed throughout the vessel, the halls ringing with bloodlust and the seething madness inherent in those touched by Khorne, Blood God, Lord of War, Bane of Psykers. Now these berzerk warriors waited, waiting for the precise moment at which to strike, when the enemies shield would fall and they would have their chance for glory, to spill blood and take skulls in His name, and to offer their own deaths at the altar of his wrath.

Each knew that Khorne cared not from whence the blood flowed, so long as it did flow...

"Their gaining on us," Lieutenant Hector Clemons said from the Navigational console, "and their firing weapons!"

The Rebirth rocked hard to port, "Shields down to forty-percent!" Lt. Commander Garrett Holland was at his station on the bridge trying feverishly to compensate, while maintaining power to engines. He looked to the Captain, "One more hit and all we have is deflectors!"

"Let me talk to them," said Darth Onzut said calmly. "I know of their kind."

Ethan looked to Travis, they all out of ideas, and Travis nodded. Ethan opened a channel with visual. Darth Onzut walked close up to the viewscreen, his Sith robes loose, and his eyes intent as he began.

"Lords of Chaos! Chronosians! I am Darth Onzut of the Sith," his voice had raised to an ungodly and inhuman tone. "I remember you, just as you remember me. I am Anagonian, I am of Melkos, I am of Drakomis. You know him, if you are indeed as worthy of pledges as you claim." He took one step closer, "In honor of this meeting in the names of Destruction and Chaos, I ask for a meeting, between us."

And he let the Darkness show in him, open for the Gods of Chaos to see, and those on that ship to sense. There was no way to avert the massacre that was to befall these helpless humans, but perhaps there was a way to stall it. To make them remember the time when allies were allies, a time before Palpatine saw fit to kill off every single Anagonian. Perhaps they had memories of Marcus, perhaps Remiel honored the agreement. Either way, there was no hope against this horde, only hope of a quick and painless death.

Darth Onzut was determined to give his comrades enough time to rally what forces they could, if not solve this situation himself.