NationStates Jolt Archive

Neo-Babylon Space Station | Edge of Kardhesian Space

The space station that orbited the lunar rock of Kahn II, a gas giant on the edge of the Kardhes System, was huge. It was easily half the size the old moon of Terra. Red, blue, and white lights flickered across its surface like so many flickering candles in the blackness of space. Ships of all kinds, both civilian and military, but mostly military, flew about the station either in the process of docking or of exiting its approach lanes. A few PDF cruisers patrolled the area, trying to keep traffic as orderly as possible.

Looking out from the side view port of his flagship Savage Hunter was admiral Günter Kessler. His ship, a Great White-class carrier, sat motionless in orbit around the lunar rock of Kahn II waiting. It had been there for the last thirty-eight hours under moderate alert status. To keep his men fresh, the young admiral had had his men take short duty hours and get plenty of rest. They would need it sooner than they thought.

"Sir," came a voice behind Günter. He turned to see the ship's captain, Captain Warrick, standing at attention. Günter returned the salute.

"Yes captain, what have you to report?" asked Günter.

"As you ordered sir, all fighters and mobile suits have been stored and our cargo stocks have just finished being fully completed. The cargo tug that brought it out has just left and Station Commander Khines sent his regards," replied Captain Warrick. He was twice his commander's age, but he knew not to look down on the young CO. He'd seen Admiral Kessler in combat, both commanding and participating as a mobile suit pilot. He was not a man to be underestimate.

Günter smiled slightly. "Excellent. Have the Dauntless and Errant Knight join us at the start-off point in three hours. We'll depart at the scheduled time."

"Aye sir."


Three hours later...

Sitting in space alongside the newly parked Savage Hunter was the Aegis-class sensory ship Dauntless and the Revenant-class Battleship Errant Knight. Both ship's captains had reported in less than ten minutes prior as they slid alongside and into formation with the Savage Hunter. Sitting in a comfortable command chair that overlooked the entire bridge of the Savage Hunter, Günter oversaw the last preparations. When all was said and done, he picked up a small device and opened up a broad-band communication link throughout the ships of his task force.

"Men of the Kardhesian Solar Fleet! I am proud to be with you all on a day that will soon be written as the greatest in our proud history. For we are to be the explorers and envoys of our people to beyond our small star system to the greater beyond, to a new place amongst the universe! We are going to make history. Our orders are to find new planets for our ever growing people and to find other species with which friendly relations can be made. So I bid you, my friends and comrades, live up to the pride and honour of the Solar Fleet! Live up to the faith of the Lord Protector! Long live Lord Treize!"

He set the microphone emitter down and closed the link. Echoing throughout the ship and across the comm channels were excited shouts of "long live Lord Treize" as crewmen yelled at the top of their lungs. After a few minutes military discipline reasserted itself and it became quiet once more. Günter smiled at their enthusiam.

"Captain, bring up the coordinates that our initial probes brought back. Plug them into the system and initiate star drives when ready," ordered Günter.

Captain Warrick turned to his crew. "Helm, prepare for star drive initiation. General alert for all crewmen aboard. Errant Knight and Dauntless, prepare for side-along pull and prepare for star drive initiation."

"Preparing engines."

"Reactor levels reading normal, coming up into star drive levels."

"General alert notified and acknowledge by all levels."

"We're ready sir," said Captain Warrick to Admiral Kessler. Günter nodded in reply and raised his hand. When he swept it down Captain Warrick said. "Engage star drives!" and the three Kardhesian ships disappeared in the blink of an eye as their faster-than-light drives sped them forward to new frontiers.

One hour later...

The small expeditionary force from Kardhes exited came to a halt and their star drives powered down. They had appeared in a new and alien system.

Laxer System, Greal Galactic Empire

The planet of Laxer, was a world, full of water, only three percent of the surface was not water, the rest was an endless. There were bases under water, but only a hundred thousand people lived there. Most of the population lived, outside the planet, the moons, and a space station. It was a Blitz Class starbase. There was another civilian starbase based around the other side of the planet. Here, dozens of ships came frequently to load and unload. Tens of thousands lived on the space station (or known as starbase).

A human walked down a hall in the space station. His name was Commodore Kallos, he commanded two battleships of the Second Fleet. The Second Fleet was based at laxer, their orders were to guard the system for one hundred standard days (one standard day = twenty hours), then head for Hurtrix system. Garrison life was boring, administration was even more boring to him.

The Second Fleet had the following: one Superbattleship, One Super destroyer, three Dattleships, two Destroyers, two Carriers, two Escort Carriers, ten Cruisers, ten frigates, three mine ships, and two hospital ships. Commodore Kallos commanded the Silicoid and the Bomber. Laxer was not much of a major trading base besides trading water, so the militayr used it as a base.

He was summoned to the dradis room. They had detected something entering the system. Had the Xiscapians come to destroy them all? He entered the room.

There were dozens of officers watching the dradis, there was an dradis officer talking with the officers.

"Who came into the system?" asked Kallos to the dradis officer.

"Three ships, we haven't identified them. They aren't Xiscapians." said the dradis officer.

"Now what do we do?" asked Kallos.

"Admiral Franks wants you on board the Catcher now." said a naval officer who entered the room and walked up to Kallos.

Kallos was surprised, why would the admiral want him on board his flagship, which was a superbattleship?

Five minutes later

Kallos and Admiral Franks were now on board the Superbattleship, the Catcher. Hundreds of crew members were running around, going to their battle stations.

The Superbattleship approached the unidentified ships, but first, it sent a message.

"Unidentified ships, you have entered a Greal Galactic Empire sector, please identify yourselves immediately or we will fire on you."

Bridge of the Savage Hunter

"Speak to me captain, what's the report?" asked Admiral Kessler. He sat in his command chair looking over the charts and information flooding onto his combat view screen. His adjutant stood just a little ways down the panel of ensigns and was listening to his comm bead. He looked up in amazement at Gunther.

"Admiral sir, the Dauntless is reporting that there are about twenty-nine other vessels in the system we've entered. They range from battleship-size to larger, a few smaller ones also. We've nothing but our own technology to compare, but I'd say that not only do they outnumber us but some of those ships are more heavily armed than even the Errant Knight," reported Captain Warrick.

"Why are they here? Anything else?"

"Yes sir...I'm getting more intel now...yes, it seems that there is an orbital station, moving around one of the central planets. A large amount of radio traffic is being detected from its surface. I think its safe to say that its inhabited."

"How are the warships reacting to our presence?" asked Gunther.

"Several are moving onto intercept courses," replied the sensory officer, sitting behind Warrick.

"Oh, sir!" the second comm ensign nearly yelled. "We're getting a broadcast over some open channels. Its a message repeating over in several different languages. One seems to be fairly compatible with our own."

"Can you understand it?"

"The translator algorithms are working on it...yes, we've got it sir. Its like a separate dialect from our Kardhesian Common," the ensign replied. He listened for a bit longer then looked back at the Captain and the Admiral. "They say 'Unidentified ships, you have entered a Greal Galactic Empire sector, please identify yourselves immediately or we will fire on you' and that's about it sir."

"Not very friendly," commented Captain Warrick.

Admiral Kessler however leaned back in his chair and nodded. "It's to be expected I suppose. Bring us to Level 2 battle stations. Pilots to be in their cockpits and ready for catapult launch. Have the Dauntless maneuver to a rear position and have the Errant Knight take a position off our bow. Other than that make no outward signs of hostility."

"Aye sir."

While that was being accomplished Gunther got up out of his chair and walked over to the communications station. The ensign handed over a headset and nodded to him. "I managed to isolate a wave-band which they should be able to intercept." Gunther nodded and opened the channel.

"Attention ships of the Greal Galactic Empire, I am Admiral Kessler of the Dominion of Kardhes. We are an exploratory expedition from our home system. We mean no harm and have no desire to fight you. We did not know that this system was inhabited."

bump

bump

Laxer System

"We've sent the message." said a radio operator.

"Good, now lets see what they will say." said Commodore Kallos. The Catcher halted and waited for a response. He did not want to use the Mauler superweapon unless the Unidentified ships gave him no choice.

"A message is being sent back sir." said the radio operator, Kalls and the rest of the crew listened to the message.

"Attention ships of the Greal Galactic Empire, I am Admiral Kessler of the Dominion of Kardhes. We are an exploratory expedition from our home system. We mean no harm and have no desire to fight you. We did not know that this system was inhabited."

Kallos smiled with relief, just an exploratory fleet! "Send another message back."

"Greetings Admiral Kessler, I am Commodore Kallos of the Superbattleship, Catcher. The Greal Government is interested in meeting with you, maybe later today, to discuss diplomatic relations."

Bridge of the Savage Hunter

Admiral Kessler stared at the readout of the message sent by the Greal ships. It was both unexpected, pleasing, and puzzling all at the same time. Gunter turned to his adjutant. "What do you think Captain?"

"I don't entirely know sir," replied Warrick. "As soon as we said that we're peaceful they ask to have a diplomatic meeting. A very hasty assessment of unknown foreign ships, even if they do outnumber us in capital ships."

"Not everyone is use to our paranoid tendencies," smiled Gunter. "Very well, we'll accept their offer if for no other reason than we can learn more, maybe make a friend, and then be pointed into the direction of the nearest uninhabited system."

Commodore Kallos, I would be pleased to meet with you and to perhaps discuss with representatives of your government. I will put my task force into orbit of the closest planet and then proceed to come by shuttle to your ship, if that pleases you. Admiral Kessler out.

OCC: Greal please bump colony thread.

Bridge of the Savage Hunter

Admiral Kessler stared at the readout of the message sent by the Greal ships. It was both unexpected, pleasing, and puzzling all at the same time. Gunter turned to his adjutant. "What do you think Captain?"

"I don't entirely know sir," replied Warrick. "As soon as we said that we're peaceful they ask to have a diplomatic meeting. A very hasty assessment of unknown foreign ships, even if they do outnumber us in capital ships."

"Not everyone is use to our paranoid tendencies," smiled Gunter. "Very well, we'll accept their offer if for no other reason than we can learn more, maybe make a friend, and then be pointed into the direction of the nearest uninhabited system."

Commodore Kallos, I would be pleased to meet with you and to perhaps discuss with representatives of your government. I will put my task force into orbit of the closest planet and then proceed to come by shuttle to your ship, if that pleases you. Admiral Kessler out.[/I]


Commodore Kallos, I would be pleased to meet with you and to perhaps discuss with representatives of your government. I will put my task force into orbit of the closest planet and then proceed to come by shuttle to your ship, if that pleases you. Admiral Kessler out.

"Kardhes? I never heard of them, they must be a new nation." said Commander Terlo. He and the crew were also listening to the message.

"That is all the more reason to start diplomatic relations. We have enough problems as it is with other nations." said Commodore Kallos."Now I better respond to their letter."

A response was sent.

I will be pleased to meet you on the Catcher. The Catcher is the largest vessel here, so it should be easy to spot. I look forward to meeting you.

Admiral Kessler's flagship the Savage Hunter glided gracefully through space until it came alongside the large vessel that they'd been told was named the Catcher. Kessler had ordered the rest of his ships to make a holding pattern some one million kilometers away so as not to interrupt the admiral when he went over to meet with Commodore Kallos.

Admiral Kessler to the command bridge of the Catcher, permission to come aboard?

Admiral Kessler's flagship the Savage Hunter glided gracefully through space until it came alongside the large vessel that they'd been told was named the Catcher. Kessler had ordered the rest of his ships to make a holding pattern some one million kilometers away so as not to interrupt the admiral when he went over to meet with Commodore Kallos.Admiral Kessler to the command bridge of the Catcher, permission to come aboard?

The Catcher made all the arrangements. Hundreds of Marines prepared for a diplomatic ceremony, while Commodore Kallos and diplomatic officials met and discussed what the Empire wanted from this new nation. The Shield rating was lowered, and crews went back to their normal stations.

Permission given, hanger five is opened for your shuttle.

Admiral Kessler's shuttle launched from the forward exit of the carrier and swept swiftly through the space that separated the two ships. It was a normal Kardesian shuttle craft, made to look like an eagle with its wings swept back. It came into the docking bay aboard the Catcher and its pilot brought the craft down smoothly. Within a few moments the walk ramp was lowered and eight Fleet Marines marched out, their rifles stiff against their shoulders. They separated and formed a corridor between them. Then came Admiral Kessler himself, dressed in his polished knee-high officer boots, black trousers, black tunic with golden designs denoting his rank and golden epaulettes. His purple hair was swept back allowing a clear look into his golden-colored eyes.

Admiral Kessler's shuttle launched from the forward exit of the carrier and swept swiftly through the space that separated the two ships. It was a normal Kardesian shuttle craft, made to look like an eagle with its wings swept back. It came into the docking bay aboard the Catcher and its pilot brought the craft down smoothly. Within a few moments the walk ramp was lowered and eight Fleet Marines marched out, their rifles stiff against their shoulders. They separated and formed a corridor between them. Then came Admiral Kessler himself, dressed in his polished knee-high officer boots, black trousers, black tunic with golden designs denoting his rank and golden epaulettes. His purple hair was swept back allowing a clear look into his golden-colored eyes.

Two Hundred Greal Marines, were lined up in their shining uniforms. They carried plasma rifles and were heavily armored, but this was a ceremony. Commodore Kallos was waiting there, he was dressed in a nice black and blue uniform. There was another diplomatic next to him, to anyone, it would be a tall big bug, but he was a Techar. the hanger surrounding the shuttle had dozens of fighters being repaired, armed, supplied, and also being covered with a 'blanket."

"I am Commodore Kallos, of the Greal navy. How do you do?" said Kallos, he had a translator on his so when he spoke, it spoke in a language which these strangers could understand.