NationStates Jolt Archive

The four planets in Port Hedland that came under UTF martial law were Haloxia the system capitol, Kytherin the World Port, Kikikas the Agri-world, and Polthan the Dead World. The insurgency was connected on every world and most importantly with the Imperial Crusader Fleets preparing for battle. They even had deep undercover spies in the UTF System Militia such things would be an inevitability of course.


It was standing aboard the starship Hellfire that Kailen and Captain-General Orion prepared their battle operations. Their fleet's arrival had been obscured by Saint Johnas who had managed to draw forth a mighty warp storm. Many could see that the Emperor had touched him by the Aquilla which burned in his eyes. How he had survived the attack none knew but he was a witness to the deceit, trickery, and brutality of their former allies in the United Terran Federation. His entire chapter of Arbites had been wiped out by the sneak attack. He spoke in a reverent tone, "Their forces were heavy at first but scouting reports from the local rebellion have indicated that their presence there has significantly dwindled. However they have a jump gate there which would allow them somewhat quick reinforcements. If we do a coordinated strike we may be able to cut this off before they get all their forces in." Orion spoke next, "I can have my First Company deploy in for a quick and deadly strike on their Garrison. While Lord Kailen makes a simultaneous strike for the Jump Gate here." He pointed to the hololithic display with his great Guardian Spear and gestured to the garrisoned ground forces. Kailen flexed his talons and spoke with a demonic voice, "My Marines will easily overwhelm the enemy forces." He stretched his wings and gripped the rune-blade hanging at his side with careful consideration.

Looking around at the assembled War Council Johnas spoke again his powerful tone carrying his voice to new heights, "Our agents are already ready to deploy in the combat zone we have a large surplus of Guard troops who will be reinforced by the Adeptus Astartes of the eighteen Legions. We also have auxilia Guard regiments from the Rekenian 72nd Division 'Deathbringers' ready to deploy as well. Already Lord Kivpa's men have infiltrated the populace of Port Hedland and readied the resistance for the coming war." The Captain-General was the next to speak, "Our scans of their ships have indicated that they have formidable shielding to protect them from most energy weapons we use however they have a noted weakness to kinetics such as our torpedoes. Borer-head cluster torpedoes and Vortex Torpedoes are being outfitted to every starship of the fleet. We have already seen what a warp drive breach can do to their starships."

Kailen spoke next, "We have forces positioned in the surrounding systems under cloak and they will join us in an assault that will tighten quickly like a noose. We have found that a powerful fortress awaits our assault that will prove quite a hindrance. It is outfitted with a number of heavy weapons to include a Warp Cannon built by the accursed forces of Chaos." His daemonic voice seemed to get more intense as he spoke, "It is time we deal the final blow to their forces we should deploy quickly and decisively to destroy their forces. With the Sword of Kailsheim and my Legion we shall lay waste to their fortresses. We will torch the heretics and wipe out the infidels. Our flaming swords will be beacons of righteous vengeance for the God-Emperor. In the face of our righteous zeal they will falter!" The Saint slowly nodded in agreement he more than any other warrior present in the Crusade wanted blood for it was his close friends and his chapter of Arbites that had been brutally slaughtered by the traitorous scum of the UTF.

As the battle prepared to unfold in Port Hedland heroes were soon to be born from fire and flame.

Treas quickly reloaded his lasgun as a hail of fire erupted from the UTF Enforcers. They had stumbled upon his reconnaissance squad and had managed to separate them. In the insurgency things like that tended to happen and it was a shame when it did. Rolling quickly from cover he fired off three shots from the lasgun as he sprang to his feet in a side tunnel. The catacombs of Haloxia were immense and were the insurgency's greatest weapon against the invaders. As he rounded the corner he knew the Iron Men of the UTF would be quickly on his tail there were three of them left after the initial firefight and Treas was lucky enough to have them all to himself. He made sure to make a mental note about their weaponry. Laughing he sprang from cover and let spray lasfire, "Take this you metallic bastards." As particle beam shots impacted on his carapace armor he fired a well aimed shot from his bolt pistol destroying the head unit of one. The rolling back to cover he thumbed the timer button on a Krak grenade to three seconds. No sooner had he reached safety than the grenade detonated causing a wreath of fire and explosive force to wipe those heretical machines away.

Standing up he took off at a run through hidden passages till he was far enough away that he felt safe enough to walk. Checking and maintaining his rifle as he walked he thought to himself, Damned Astartes stealth squad. It figures they would send us into a dangerous place like that but I gotta admit the intelligence was worth it. Since they've been studying us so we've had time to study them. Looking down at his armor he saw the pits and scars created by the multiple battles and decided he would have to go to the armory and change out his armor when he got back. As he glanced into a nearby pool of water he saw his reflection; standing at a mere 5'6 he was musclebound and bore the Aquilla on his right arm visible through his damaged carapace armor. His face was noble and patrician with blue eyes and short cropped blonde hair. He wore an air of arrogance about him unlike many

Looking around he quickly passed through the hidden channels into the Bulkhead as he stepped in he could see the members of the Hunters of Darkness Fifth Infiltration Squad standing over a hololithic display planning out attacks and future battles. Of to one side the passage to the Forge could be seen lit up by the eternal workings of the Mechanicum while to the opposite side he could see the Astropathic chamber as he walked by the unarmored astartes he tossed the data-disk on the table and continued to walk till he found himself suddenly lifted up in the air by a powerful grip. It was Captain Waric whose face he stared into as his fellow Astartes watched with interest. It was the captain who was first to speak, "You insolent rogue bastard the only reason I tolerate your existence here is because you are a good fighter otherwise I would have executed you a long time ago. You should start acting with military decorum as befits someone of your involvement. Otherwise it could be very bad for you."

Treas stared defiantly back at the Astartes something he was sure they were not accustomed to, "Hey don't make vague threats you won't keep Astartes and listen here asshole I don't take orders from any Imperial servant that's why I left the Stormtroopers Corps. Don't forget that as soon as I can find a way to my Novahawk I'll be long gone from here. I intend to leave this occupied system far behind and you astartes and your stealth squad along with it. Do I make myself clear?" The captain eyed him cautiously and threw him up against a wall. As Treas landed with a resounding thud he felt his carapace armor crack and pulled himself dizzily to his feet. As he regained his sense he started off towards the armory leaving the damned astartes to their work.

Soon he would be out of this hellhole., he thought to himself

Meanwhile Captain Waric sub vocalized to the rest of his squad, "The Raven Guard Infiltration Units are also on standby across the system we have long awaited this day brothers. Now is when we must execute the coordinated attacks. I want everyone on standby to be ready to take back the planetary defense network when the assault begins. Am I understood?" To this he only got solemn nods for the Astartes knew no fear where others would.

On the outskirts of Port Hedland

The Imperial fleet broke Warp in multiple locations across the system three thousand strong and it tightened like a net on the unsuspecting fleets of the Terrans. The battleships immediately let lose devastating salvos of torpedoes and lance fire. At the forefront battle barges and strike cruisers unleashed bombardment cannons and heavy battleships let loose the fury of Nova Cannons.

As the mighty battlefleets swept in the voice of the Saint and the sight of the Adeptus Custodes sent the militia recruited by the UTF into a fervor of zealotry. Where the Terrans had thought they won they only sealed their own fate. The militia began turning on their masters with their own weapons. Not all militia would turn of course but those who wouldn't were summarily executed by their former brethern. For even as the chips in their heads prevented the militia men from doing any damage it allowed them to lower the defenses for the boarding parties. As Battle Barges and Strike Cruisers fell in motion beside the Terran ships boarding torpedoes loaded with Space Marines impacted burrowing their way into the ships before disgorging their deadly cargo.

As all this transpired a message played out with the Living Saint Johnas as it's voice,

Come children of the Emperor rise and give power to your voice. Rebel against the vile heretics and repent for your sins. Show them the wrongness of their ways and drive them from your homes. Show them the Emperor's Light that shines within you all. For I Saint Johnas and the Adeptus Custodes lead this Crusade to strike fear in the hearts of our enemy. For we shall know no fear for the Emperor protects! Burn the heretic, the mutant, and the alien and join us in holy battle! The Emperor's Angels Come!!!




The war for Port Hedland had begun..........

Behind the enemy fleet the darkness of space was ripped open, as flames shot out from the badly battered defenders in front of the enemy as message was sent out on all Terran Frequencies. Several patrol groups in the vicinity of the system had heard the message. Commander Timothy Hanson looked over the comns on the bridge of his republic class light cruiser, he sighed as he placed his hand over his chin leaning back on the leather like chair in the center of the mid sized semi well lit bridge. This ship was the UTS Intrepid it was the lead in a group of five ships on patrol several light years away from the system in distress.

He glanced over the crackly message the static fizzling out some words as the man in the message spoke.

Thios is…… Helland….. attack… need…forces…..

The message was short but clear, the system that sent it was under stack, and it was Federation territory. There were not much of the old generation left on the planet, most of them had passed on nearly half a century ago the second and third generations had been raised terran and new what it meant, they had freedom and they enjoyed it. Timothy growled his hands slamming down on the armrest of the chair he looked up to his tactical avatar witch was already relaying the message to Terran Fleet command in New Sol, he said in a commanding voice that reverberated around the well decorated carpeted bridge.

“I want all available forces in the area to jump in to that system behind that enemy fleet, tell them to form up behind us..”

The Avatar nodded her form glistening gently as she turned over looking up and sending a message out. A three dimensional rendition of space around the system came up, as well as locations for nearest Federation ships, there were eight groups of four ships, including a heavy cruiser in one , the rest were destroyers, un manned assault frigates and light cruisers. It was indeed a mix of light ships, but they would be coming up against heavy ships. He stood up from the chair looking out in to the emptiness of space, a split second passing as he thought of his decision; he looked back to his crew who were obviously awaiting their orders. He sighed heavily, burden now on his shoulders he slumped down for a moment then s back up breathing in deeply saying in a loud voice raising his hand.

“All stations Condition Red; I repeat all stations Condition red … set a course for the port helland system maxim speed.. tell the other ships to follow…”

Suddenly space was ripped open ahead of the patrol group, their mid sized downy and silky bodies twisting forward as they rushed in to crackling portals of energy , The Intrepid was rushing as fast as it could followed by its fellow ships behind it. The republic class was one of the fastest ships in existence. Its lustrous metal body reflected the crackling waves and arcs of energy that flowed past it in the elongated blue tube.

Timothy stood on the bridge looking out as the tube came to an end a bright white light in front of the ship appearing, the republic had burst back in to real space aggressively, its form pricing the darkness as crackling waves of energy reached out from the portal on all sides, closing behind the ship and its escorts that had dropped out of star drive as well, these ships were small compared to the larger ships in the system but they still packed a punch. He watched as burning husks of defender ships flew by his ships bow and entire ships rolling over from being struck it was a bloodbath… but a massacre that would soon end.. he looked over to his tactical avatar as the thirty two ship fleet unexpectedly appeared to the aid of the republic..

“All ships pick your targets and Open fire, I repeat Open fire”

They did not even send a warning or message to the Imperial ships. The republic and her escorts flew towards the battle at high speed performing erratic maneuvers in the darkness of space followed by several ships flanking them, mean while the UTS Orion the Heavy Cruiser maneuvered at high speed strait towards the planet escorted by twelve ships of its own.

Space was lit up as disruptive energy flew from the republic arrays lancing out towards several enemy ships multiple beams crackled lancing through the utter darkness of space the disruptive energy lunging towards enemy vessels, pluses followed by volley upon volley of multi gigaton torpedo fire and C frac fire followed the beams of energy, the ships flanking the republic poured out their fire towards several un suspecting enemy craft.

As the noise of energy fire , torpedo launches and the crackling of graviton drivers reverberated through the republics form , Timothy looked at a message sent by fleet command, he sighed as he placed his hands back on to his lap sitting down on his chair.

“Damn it” he cursed to him self looking up at another panel… he then looked to the avatar and said … “Put me on”

A blip was heard in conjunction with another burst of fire from the republic..

“This is the UTS republic to all Federation ships… I just got a message from Federation fleet command, we’re on our own for an hour and a half , they already dispatched the RRF how ever this far out it will take a while fro them to reach us, that just means we have to hold out.. we’re out numbered here, and we’re going to take one hell of a beating but don’t forget we’re fighting for our home land here space we took rightfully and we integrated in to our country, we will not and I repeat will not let these genocidal freaks get their mitts on this system, if it’s the last thing we do ! I want all ships to push forward and give them every thing we have, taffy one flank from the left, taffy two flank from the right, We’ll flank from the back, taffy three flank from the top and taffy four and five flank from the bottom keep in a semi loose formation, Make it hard fro them to hit you, flank the hell out of them and graze them with fire .. Republic out”

The ships did just that the loose formation lunged in to space continuing to fire2 bursts of beams and pulses projectiles and torpedoes loose formations of federation ships starting to strafe and flank. Mean while Ensign Benjamin Harris computed in his mind piloting the republic smoothly and swiftly, his personal avatar calculating every move with finite precision, and calculating how to avoid enemy fire even before it struck. Most of the weapons fire of the Federation task force was consecrated on vulnerable sub systems and areas they could hit, scanners and sensors could in fact scan through shielding at the hull structure of the ships to this effect…. Ensign Harris was in a world of his own knowing full well the stakes he was playing piloting this ship… his hands grasped on to the panel in front of him as he worked with the cluster of hyper sentient AI to move the ship and calculate every thing instantly. ..

"The Coven has decided that along with a division of guard members, the astatres of reken will also be joining a force of dratherians to reclaim a system lost to them by the UTF. The Custodes have been call for this one." the servitor hardwired into the room reports. As the last words are spoken the room is filled with murmurs, everyone in the room was thinking almost the same thing, and Loki could hear them all.
Adormange was the first to speak.
“We need to take control of this operation, as a group of equal strength the battlefield should be divided. This would make the fight clean, efficient and fast. We need control to succeed in this battle. If we-'
"Sit down Adormange!" Loki calls out without standing. "As we were told this is not our operation and we will not take control. We are to assist them and for all intensive purposes we are under their command. If they shall fail or even fall we will do what must be done to complete the mission.

Just like that of the Dratherian fleet, a disturbance appears in natural space as the Reken fleet materializes from the warp on the far side of the star. The 72nd Division Fleet compromised of almost 275 warships not to include equal in support craft. At the same time a smaller force of only twenty-five ships. This smaller fleet though similar to that of the division held the companies of Reken's astartes, And at their lead, The Shinigami
The Shinigami, Azrael's flagship, is a Onacron Class Battle barge, the only of its kind. Where it shares the large size of the Dratherians Nova class battle barge, which is where the similarities end. Along with the Triguns, the Shinigami also wields a standard battle barge armament along with, three lance batteries, twenty torpedo tubes supplement.

Mere moments after the Reken fleet materializes a small warp gate appears in the under hive of the capital hive on Haloxia. As the gate gains in size two armored hands protrude from it and pull it wider until it is easily large enough for two men to walk through. As it reaches ample size the hands disappear and are replaced by the shadows of two armored marines as they protrude from the gate, followed closely by a third of slightly larger stature. As the third exits the gate it immediately closed behind him. As the light falls on the three figures glares from their power armor show, yet unlike most armor of its type this armor seemed from a much older style and it had patches of hair protruding from assorted joints. A few audible clicks are the only proof that the three men are communicating. As soon as these clicks subsided the three men move out with almost no sound regardless of their heavy armor.

Underhive, Hive Hiultas Capitol of Haloxia

The underhive was a different side to the Imperial society. As in every society there were scum and they usually took to the deepest and dankest hole they could find to escape the law. For life in the hive cities it was known as the underhive a place that gangers, rapists, thieves, information brokers, heretics, and mutants called home. Captain Waric had made his way through the village of old dilapidated hab units that had been hastily put together. As was befitting his skill no one had sensed him picking his way through the village, well at least no one living. The Captain had a certain disdain for the foul scum of the underhive. They represented all that was wrong with the Imperium and should have been purged long ago. As he waited in the shadowed alcove he saw the wolves enter the disparaged village. His armor and control over his metabolism had wiped away all trace of him by smell and sound. As for staying out of sight well his cloaking shroud had taken care of that. As they approached he saw a Rune Priest followed by two wulfen. Smiling he thought to himself, Ah the 13th Great Company......

Stepping from the shadows the Captain smiled letting his shroud deactivate, "I am Captain Waric Fifth Infiltration Squad of the XVIII Legion. I assume you are the legendary warriors of the Space Wolves 13th Wulfen? If you'll follow me then we will discuss the battleplan." As he turned and stepped into a nearby hab unit a holosphere lit up the inside.

In Space

The fighting between the ships grew far more intense even for the meager Republican fleet assembled they were a devastating force that managed to take out a few light cruisers here and there. However the Imperium was not to be easily outflanked and soon crisscrossing grids of battleships opened up broadsides to attack the enemy Republican ships. Meanwhile the Space Marine battlefleets began to close in on the planet and to use their specialized skills to punch through the defenses to land their troops.

OOC Apologies for the meager post a better one is being written fore the next round

The trio turns, bolters drawn, as the astartes leaves the shadows. "I am Captain Waric Fifth Infiltration Squad of the XVIII Legion. I assume you are the legendary warriors of the Space Wolves 13th Wulfen? If you'll follow me then we will discuss the battle plan." Is all he said before he turned into a nearby Hab. As he turned into the hab they lower their weapons and Sternhammer activates his inter suit comms.
“What do you think about this?

“Seems like a trap.” replies Jilaon.

“The Dratherians knew we were coming.” counters Halas.

“And the warp gate could have warned the enemy.” argues Jilaon.

“He is on with the Dratherians, i smell their work abour him. we will follow him and listen to what he has to say. But stay on your guard. It is not hard to replicate tec once it has been observed, I do not trust him.”Sternhammer cuts them off to silences the argument. He steps forward through his guards toward the mysterious astartes, his thunder hammer hefted over his shoulder. Moving smartly behind him Jilaon falls in step behind Halas, his chainsword and bolter on his hips with a hunting lance in both hands a compliment the eviscerator in Halas’. “Start talking captian, and make it quick, we do not have much time.” Sternhammer pauses turnign his head to the roof of the hab as he removes his helm. "I can smell their taint."

When the Marines entered a glowing hololithic engine displayed the Hive and a network of catacombs beneath it. Certain areas were highlighted in red and it was these that would obviously be objectives.

Waric nodded to the ancient Rune Priest and said, "Put your worries aside friends. I am here to brief you on the specifics more importantly why you were summoned to this particular Hive. When the Terrans took control of this world they neglected to destroy her planetary defenses but rather occupied it's Command Center. What they don't know is that there is a Battle Center for emergencies like this. For once the Mechanicum thought ahead and for this we are lucky." A small smile crept across his face as he threw the veiled insult at the adepts of the Omnissiah.

Locking his gaze with Sternhammer the Captain continued, "I need you and a taskforce of your men to take with you some Techmarines from the Iron Hands and occupy this Battle Center located deep beneath this hive. Currently it is sealed against any invading forces however I have no doubt in my mind that once the planetary defense network is under our control that the Terrans will go after it. That is why I need your millenias worth of combat experience to take and hold this center for as long as possible. Of course this would give you a chance to show up Dorn's Fists but more importantly the sons of the Lion." Stepping forward he offered his hand in a grasp of friendship, "Then maybe afterwards we could enjoy some of that famous Wolfsmeade? In the name of Russ and Kivpa of course."

Sternhammer plugs a mobile holo display into the engine. “
We understand what is asked of us and we shall do as asked. We shall lead the techmarines of the Iron hands to the objective and secure it until it is no longer needed.” He states as he removes the mobile display and plugs it into the pack on his armor as it is uploaded into his helm memory. As soon as the download is complete, he unplugs it and hands it to each of his men as they do the same to their suits. “Are you up?” He questions over the helm comms.
“One up.” Jilaon replies.
“Two up” responds Halas.
“We require the location and the mode that you wish to have the Iron hands arrive. Once they have arrived we will move most haste to the objective and we will contact our unit on the edge of the system through our own means. Once that is done they will contact you and your allies and inform them of are parameters.”Sternhammer states as he deactivates his external comms and switches to the internal. ”Prepare for the arrival of the rest of the squad.” As soon as the words are spoken Halas and Jilaon turn and exit the room and melt into the shadows of the hive outside the hab. Once the two marines had left sight Sternhammer removes his helm, his graying fur falling loose as it is released from the helm. His eyes look the captain in the eyes. “Time is of the essence, you better be ready for what you are about to unleash in the wolfen. We are unlike anything you have ever seen. ”

OOC: Well now, two vs. one is hardly a fair fight. ;) TFU said it was ok if I joined in, just to add a little more character-based RP to the whole thing, hope nobody minds. Pics of my race: pic1 (http://www.blizzard.com/us/inblizz/fanart/images/screens/ss028.jpg), pic2 (http://rsrc.jeuxmac.com/articles/2002-04/screens/585.jpg), pic3 (http://images2.wikia.nocookie.net/wowwiki/images/thumb/3/32/Pandaren.jpg/200px-Pandaren.jpg), pic4 (http://images.tabulas.com/61489/m/pandaren.jpg), pic5 (http://images2.wikia.nocookie.net/wowwiki/images/thumb/2/22/Balance.jpg/180px-Balance.jpg), pic6 (http://images2.wikia.nocookie.net/wowwiki/images/thumb/0/0a/Pandarenbrewmaster.JPG/200px-Pandarenbrewmaster.JPG), pic7 (http://images3.wikia.nocookie.net/wowwiki/images/thumb/3/3e/Pandaren2.JPG/779px-Pandaren2.JPG), pic8 (http://img185.imageshack.us/img185/5238/personalsamwise010cqo3.jpg), pic9 (http://www.battle.net/war3/images/pandaren/wardancer.jpg).

IC:

It was quite a normal imperial pandarian dinner, the Emperor sitting at the head of the long table in his blue-golden imperial robes, occasionally looking down the line of guests with his benevolent furry face, returning a smile now and then, chatting with his neighbours. The young (yet extremely prominent) Mangix Thunderkeg was seated beside an elderly duchess, one which he usually tried to avoid at all costs.
"After all," said the Duchess, "there are certain things you can't get away from. Right and wrong, good conduct and moral rectitude, have certain well-defined limits."
"So, for the matter of that," replied Mangix, "has the Galactic Empire. The trouble is that the limits are not always in the same place."
Mangix and the Duchess regarded each other with mutual distrust, tempered by a scientific interest. Mangix considered that the Duchess had much to learn, the Duchess thought that Mangix did not exceed the ethical standard which circumstances demanded. "Of course," she resumed combatively, "it's the prevailing fashion to believe in perpetual change and mutabilty, and all that sort of thing, and to say we are all merely an improved form of primeeval bear - of course you subscribe to that doctrine?"
"I think it decidedly premature; in most people I know the process is far from complete..."
"And equally of course you are quite irreligious?"
"Oh by no means. The fashion just now is a buddhist frame of mind with an agnostic conscience; you get the medieval picturesqueness of the one with the modern conveniences of the other."
The Duchess supressed a frown. She was one of those people who regarded Buddhism with patronizing affection, as if it were something that had grown up in her kitchen garden.

"But there are other things," she continued, "which I suppose are to a certain extent sacred even to you. Patriotism for instance, and Empire, and Imperial responsibility, and 'dominion over palm and pine' you know," quoted the Duchess hopefully. "We mustn't forget that we're all part of the great Pandarian Empire."
"Which for it's part is rapidly becoming a suburb of the Sith-lead Galactic Empire. A very pleasant suburb, I admit, and quite a charming Galactic Empire. But still a suburb."
"Really, to be told one's living in a suburb when one is conscious of spreading the benefits of civilization all over the galaxy! Philantropy - I suppose you will say that is a comfortable delusion; and yet even you must admit that whenever want or misery or starvation is known to exist, however distant or difficult of access, we instantly organize relief on the most generous scale, and distribute it, if need be, to the uttermost ends of the galaxy." The Duchess paused, with a sense of ultimate triumph.
"I wonder," said Mangix, "if you've ever visited what remains of the latest planet to be blown up by an Imperial Deathstar?"
"Gracious, no, child! Why do you ask?"
"I didn't, I only wondered. And even your philantropy, practised in a galaxy where everything is based on competition, must have a debit as well as a credit account. The young ravens cry for food."
"And are fed."
"Exactly. Which presupposes that something else is fed upon."
"Oh, you're simply exasperating. You've been reading philosophy till you haven't got any sense of moral proportion left. May I ask if you are governed by any laws of conduct whatsoever?"
"There are certain fixed rules that one observes for one's own comfort. For instance, never be flippantly rude to any brooding, black-robed young man you may meet in mercenary bars or government palaces throughout the galaxy. It always turns out to be Vader's latest apprentice."
"The restraint must be dreadfully irksome to you. When I was younger, boys of your age used to be nice and innocent."
"Now we're only nice, one has to specialize in these days of turbulence and aggression...

...which reminds me of my visit at your sister's place. You see, they had asked me down to shoot, and I'm not particularly immense at that sort of thing. Actually, I'm lethal with a firearm, I just deliberately miss because I feel sorry for the defenceless creatures. Anyway, they tried to tease me at the dinner table about not being able to hit a bird at five meters, a sort of bovine teasing that suggested cows buzzing round a gadfly and thinking they were annoying it. So I got up the next morning at early dawn - I know it was dawn, because there were bird-noises in the sky, and the grass looked as if it ha been left out all night - and hunted up the most conspicuos thing in the bird line that I could find, and measured the distance, as nearly as it would let me, and shot away all I knew. They said afterwards that it was a tame bird; that's simply silly, because it was awefully wild at the first few shots. Afterwards it quieted down a bit, and when it's legs had stopped waving farewells to the landscape I got a servant to drag it into the hall, where everybody must see it on their way to the breakfast-room. I breakfasted upstairs myself. I suppose it's bad luck to bring peacock's feathers into a house; anyway, the hostess had a rather turbulent and aggressive look in her eyes when I took my departure later that day..."

Present day

The memory slowly faded, as Mangix Thunderkeg awoke from the dream. He peered around in the semi-darkness (Pandaren have excellent nocturnal vision) and decided immediately that something was wrong. He didn't base this deduction on anything that he saw though, for he was safely hidden inside a crate, anonymously stored away in the cargo bay of an anonymous freighter, which, unfortunately, was currently located in the not-so-anonymous-anymore system of Port Hedland. The young and prominent Pandaren master had taken to traveling as of late; like all great Brewmasters he had to tour the galaxy in search of the best ingredients, in order that he may complete his examination-beverage, and gain the ultimate degree in mastership, which only few Pandaren possessed, the Emperor being one of them. He usually hitched a ride with traders and miners, and sometimes, as in this case, he decided to travel as a stow-away.

Mangix flexed his psionic powers a little, as he tried to trace the source of the many alarms that were sounding off through the entire ship. He scanned the immediate vicinity, hooking up with the onboard computer and essentially hacking it, he could move up the chain of sources, until he got a picture of what was going on. The proximity alarm, was caused by a huge warship that had forged up alongside, and taken down the shields with a couple of broadsides (that explained the damage alarms). The intruder alarms were obviously caused by the boarding party... why hadn't the warship simply destroyed the freighter, or simply ignored it... the thought led Mangix in a new direction, and he checked the cargo log. He had done this before deciding to embark on the voyage, but had mainly been interested in the ship's destination rather than it's cargo, which incidentally had been weaponry. Yes, there it was... some parts of the list were classified, but he was sure that whatever it was the ship was carrying, it was valuable, and it showed on sensor sweeps. Time to change ship, he decided.

As he emerged from his crate into the empty cargo bay, he grasped his staff in a firm paw, activating it. Tiny cracks in the material emanated a greenish light that indicated the power stored within. He wiggled his ears and started moving towards the bay entrance...

OOC: Basically my character is located in a freighter which, just before leaving the system, found itself surrounded by Dratherian ships. It's then attacked and boarded by Dratherian troops, or at least that's my suggestion... dunno if it works for you... just improvising... sry about the long post...