NationStates Jolt Archive

OOC: This thread exists for a few reasons. One is that the previous thread is moving like molasses and another and myself have been coming up with some wonderful ideas so I figured we'd just skip ahead to the places where we could implement them all. So without further ado, the massive introduction.

IC: The first skirmish in what would be known as the First Initiative War ended in a draw. A complete draw with heavy casualties on both sides of the conflict. Though it could be debated that the 137th expeditionary force renamed The Keepers of Naara could be named the greater victors having emerged from the battle scarred but wiser. As a result of their losses including the flagship 'Purity' the slow, cheap, and quiet military build up 'Cassandra Vi'al the seventh' the new realm legate had initially planned was transformed by Naara's new planetary governor 'Kireas of Umill' into a full reinforcement campaign. The noble legate of course did not appreciate her rule being overridden, even if it was the correct course of action but that would prove to be the least of the initiative's problems. Even now with a force that was twenty thousand strong and growing this galaxy would be as kind as the others though in the minds of the initiative soldiers that didn't mean it couldn't be tamed like the others. And so act two begins, three months later in a luxurious home aboard a star-base located just beyond gate 137...

-the room was littered with two things, finery and datapads, hundreds of them. in high stacks across the silk covered tall 'victorian' style bed fit for a queen. The queen of this castle was a small rabbit canine hybrid clad in what would be better described as a bathrobe looking annoyed as she went though the stack one by one saying-

"Approved..."

-she set this one in a nice 'done' stack a small lady gecko held on the right side of her bed. She quickly picked up another-

"Approved..."

-she tossed this one in a random direction which the girl miraculously caught, picking up another

"-Sigh- Approved..."

-Another random thrown and miraculous catch-

"-Deeper Sigh- Fucking approved..."

#Invalid entry my lady Vi'al. Please only confirm or deny the one hundred thousand ration chips for the third semester#

"Approved!"

-Her shout made the others in the room, two jackal males jump as she slammed the pad on the floor almost breaking it.-

"Lady Cassandra. You've been at this for two straight hours... Perhaps a small break is wiser than breaking simple supply orders."

-The rabbit eyed the leftmost jackal in a way that made him regret speaking at all, she then rolled her eyes and laid back on the fine pillow-

"-sigh- One more... This is why I told Kireas we shouldn't do it this way... Not until I had a decent secretary. Maybe a nice bird or maybe a 'competent' li-..."

-When the woman looked at the details of what was on 'the adjenda' she nearly pressed the thing hard enough to crack the small screen.-

#Thirty five slaves male and female alike specializing in wedding ceremony, procedure and after celebration to be prepared and shipped to Naara upon arriving then released from the Genetic Purification Initiative's matrimony celebration guild to the custody of one Kireas of Umill governor of Naara beyond the 137th realm gate to be delivered on Mother's 1022nd year, (5345 A.D, two years from now).#

"what... the fuck... is this...? What the fuck is this?"

-She shook her head holding her forehead-

"I swear... You give the lower classes just an inkling of power and then all the sudden you're giving up your house to the fuckers!!!"

-she sighed again, everyone in the room trembling in fear even the guards outside shook a bit when they realized who was yelling.-

"And wedding? What wedding? I thought soldiers couldn't marry..."

"M... my lady... Governor Kireas is no longer a soldier and... and the law only stipulates that black and pink class soldiers cannot marry. Kireas has orange class genes..."

-the soft sigh made the right jackal sigh in relief.-

"Who is she marrying? Some nice male who can cook and clean?"

-the jackal shook his head making the hybrid lift an eyebrow-

"Um... Her former chief medical officer Lastra Euonoch. Blue class. Psyonically enhanced, high level psyonic from what I remember."

-the rabbit shook her head disapprovingly possibly already knowing the answer to this next question-

"And they plan to have children?"

-the jackal nodded. Cassandra growled-

"No. No, no, no. I deny this like the angry goddess I am!"

-the second canine spoke up waving his hands as though trying to stop a trainwreck-

"M... My lady... The Euonoch family has much clout in this matter. They approve the marriage, even sponsor it with their finest marble. They've even crafted some fine statues as wedding gifts. If you deny this then... you'll make an enemy of them and possibly the merchant's guild and maybe even the Gumma corporation."

-the hybrid lifted the pad to her mouth-

"Denied."

-she handed the pad to the gecko with a deep giggle-

"That bitch won't get anything from me... oh... And my first edict as legate is to enforce a fifty percent trade and seventy five percent living tax. Just to say. hello. well that is if she doesn't meet my terms here."

-the jackals shook their heads and eagerly listened to the message that would be delivered. meanwhile beyond the inter dimensional gate on the still green world of Naara, in the tall structure that now counted as city hall the tall skunkette sighed softly as she looked on the new view screen more importantly the morose Todd in the center of the metallic bridge.-

"I'm only ordering you to patrol the nearby Delan Makio. It's not the end of the end of the world."

#You're ordering me to do a routine patrol with no chance of contact with the enemy... why not order the 'Humility' to do it? She's bigger and has a bigger patrol force?#

"Because. You're closer and I can trust you... can't I?"

#Yes... 'Governor'.#

The skunkette sighed standing then leaning back into a set of female rabbit arms.

"You know exactly why he's angry don't you...?"

The bunny nodded kissing the woman on the cheek.

"And I know he's got to solve it by himself. Meanwhile we have a wedding to plan... With lights and cameras and everything..."

CL HMS Jamaica, IFSN
Unnamed System Designated 8404

Commodore Kimberly W. Torongeau, CO Task Force Jamaica, sat quietly in the position immediately behind and to the right of the cruiser’s captain, which had just been installed in order to accommodate the ship’s role as Task Force Command. Her personal flag hung in the appropriate location on the rearmost bulkhead of the bridge right above the vessel’s individual combat pennant and underneath the Flag of the Empire. She had to suppress an impish grin as she looked at that. This was her first time commanding a Fleet unit and she had to keep up a suitable attitude, which meant no grinning and giggling like a school girl in front of her flagship’s bridge crew, even if she did feel like it.

Her somewhat humorous attitude was slightly dimmed by the reason behind her superiors having given her this command. She was to carry out a strike against the Initiative, hitting hard in a system where they had not yet quite established themselves. The hope was some kind of rapid strike might leave the IFSR in control of the system, and the way open to hit into the Malthus System, where the Initiative forces in this galaxy were based. From there it would be a simple business of crushing the Initiative where it had made its nest and this invasion would be annihilated.

Nobody challenged the Imperial Federated Systems, and lived.

Her entire force was fairly small, but still large enough, she was sure, to get this job done.

First were three light cruisers, Jamaica, El Salvador, and Nauru. All three were a modern hull design, and were equipped with the most efficient plasma cannon available.

Next were five destroyers, one of them a protected, Winona A. Schneider, Robert S. Shea, Tonya M. Dowdy, Jeremy A. Johnson, and James A. Prevento. While not all fully modern in terms of ability, they were still well armed, well maintained, the crews well drilled and highly motivated, with healthy morale. Many were veterans of campaigns to suppress and knock out pirates, an incessant problem in the modern galaxy.

Even more impressive was the heavy Schneider’s commander, Captain Samuel Paige. He had more combat experience than any three of his fellows and was also tapped to succeed into the office of Task Force Command, if anything should happen to Torongeau.

He desperately hoped that he would not have to carry out that aspect of his duties.

Before they left port Torongeau had met with the Task Force’s leading officers, including her various captains, to discuss a plan of attack. Because they didn’t know what was there in 8404 it was decided the destroyers Prevento and Johnson would move in as a vanguard in order to reconnaissance the system. If they encountered nothing, they would hold place in the system while the rest of the Task Force caught up with them. If they encountered as much as one enemy ship, however, they would withdraw to the main force.

It was with this in mind that the Imperial forces moved in.

Delan system

3rd keeper patrol fleet

12:03 hours

The scouts would soon see contacts on the opposite end of the system next to the sole planet in the system a 'tiny' gas giant pulsing violently with stray ions trying desperately to find completion. in comparison to the anti piracy fleet the small patrol force was desperately out numbered, out gunned, and possibly out maneuvered. With the 'flagship' a heavy cruiser the 'Retribution' and two accompanying destroyers the 'Victor' and 'Nike' Now first lieutenant Makio did as he was told. Scanning the system, and seeing if anything was here.

The vulpine slept in the center of the bridge, wheezing softly as he sat in his new command chair. in his mind he was on his old vessel, in a dark tube standing in the middle of what appeared to be a zero gravity firestorm, time stood still as well as a faceless figure on the other end.

~You have to live... You have to go on.~

it said, Makio walked closer to this faceless figure but the more he walked the further the female voice was from him. He started to run despite his lung feeling like it was going to pop out.

"I can't...!"

He breathed out as he ran on an eternal treadmill getting faster and faster.

~You have to try... So much is depending on you. So you have to live, and you have to wake up.~

With that the treadmill stopped leaving the fox in a world of darkness until he heard a persistent male voice from his right.

"Commodore... Commodore... Sir? Commodore? Sir we've nearly completed our scan and the area seems... Hold on. Sir there are two contacts are in the system beyond the storm giant. Both, imperial. From these readings they look like destroyers."

Another voice came from his left.

"They're probably scouts for a larger force sir... We should let the rest of the fleet know we've got possible visitors."

The vulpine hated his new crew, they were slow inexperienced, fresh recruits out of some Noble's training academy somewhere. People that other fleet commanders didn't want. he huffed softly nodding to his left at his new iguana XO. Seeing what his two new 'friends' did.

Unnamed System 8404
IFSN Task Force Jamaica
12:05 Hours

“Commodore, we’re receiving a burst transmission from Commander Rickers, aboard the Prevento. He reports unknown contacts in the system. He is moving in now to investigate more closely, and requests we remain on alert.”

“Get me the Schneider,” Torongeau commanded. “I want to speak to Paige in person.”

Her orders were carried out by the enlisted man at the comm station, and moments later, a middle-aged man in Navy field dress appeared on Jamaica’s view screen.

“Commodore,” said Captain Paige. “What can I do for you, sir?”

“Rickers tells me he has possible contacts in system. What do you think?”

“Sir, at this point, I feel we have to assume they are Initiative vessels. I would suggest we immediately bring all ships to General Quarters, and have the scouts look more closely as it is possible they are neutral ships, though I doubt that right now.”

“Well, if they’re neutral, wouldn’t going to General Quarters be a waste of time?”

Paige seemed almost to sigh for a moment.

“Sir,” he began again. “If they are enemy contacts, which seems most likely right now the kind of time we save ourselves going to GQ right now could prove invaluable.”

“I see,” said Torongeau. “Very well, Captain. See to your ship.”

“Aye, sir,” Paige said, and with that, the transmission was cut.

“All ships to General Quarters,” Torongeau ordered. “Instruct the scouts to move forward into the system, but to slow down, and to retreat at once if the contacts are hostile.”

******

Forward Reconnaissance Unit

HMS James A. Prevento and HMS Jeremy A. Johnson, the two destroyers sent forward to look into the system, “steamed” ahead in line abreast formation. They swept the system, a heavy, active scanning program. They also moved slowly and indirectly to the unknowns and kept a very close eye on them. Each ship has her 4 torpedo tubes loaded, plasma weapons ready to fire, as the distance between them and the “bogies” closed steadily.

3rd keeper patrol fleet

-Their visitors were finally in range to be displayed on the bridge's small view screen. The imperial ships still appearing like small dots on the screen, the cruiser's superior sensors possibly the reason the governor sent him here in the first place. Makio thought for a moment as his comm officer was making the call to the rest of the fleet warning them of a possible invasion.-

"Lets announce ourselves. Seaman, how long until help gets here?"

The avian shook his head

"It's going to be at least two hours before they can make it commodore..."

The vulpine snorted angrily, the task force should be five minutes away by now. The bird continues seeing his superior's anger.

"The 'humility's' having trouble with it's gravity drive and their hyperspace field control device has shorted... Their repair teams are going to need some time to make her space-worthy again much less combat-ready."

Makio shook his head again that didn't make sense why not send everyone in the task force but he soon came to a realization as to what might be happening.

"Tell lieutenant clarkson that I will tell the governor exactly what he was doing when I asked for reinforcements as I was overrun by a full imperial gun-fleet! And ask him is keeping everyone's libido in check is worth having to say exactly 'why' he didn't come when I asked so nicely..."

The vulpine shook his head again, coughing slightly now holding his chest.

"Actually never mind belay that order... We'll handle this... Ourselves if need be but radio everyone. As far as everyone's concerned this is an invasion force. Do you understand? Does everyone here understand?"

The seaman nodded already getting several task forces to respond. As well as all the other officers on the bridge they nodded softly too.

"Helm. Take us closer to the destroyers. Flank speed. Tactical I want to rain plasma down on them before they have a chance to jump out of the system. Fire as soon as we're in range. Comm. Tell the destroyers to stick close in fact I want them to lock shields with us. internal lock formation. If this is what I think it might be then we've got one... -cough- -cough, cough- -cough- -gasp- -gasp, breathe- ...We've got a fight coming."

Forward Reconnaissance Unit

Even at long distance, Commander Russell Rickers didn’t like what he was seeing, and as his two-ship scouting force moved forward, his anxiety only worsened. He had hoped this invasion would meet no resistance, and they could move in unchallenged, though now the idea seemed very foolish. The enemy could read maps as well as anybody. If they lost out here, the IFSR would have a staging point right into the GPI heartlands, as it were. With a horde of ships and soldiers bearing down on them, from a few systems away, Romandeos had a chance at forcing a favorable peace.

His fears were confirmed as the range was closed up more.

“Captain,” the man on the Tactical Station called his attention. “We’re close enough to be 100% certain, now. Contacts are GPI ships. I count three contacts; one heavy cruiser, and it looks like she’s got two destroyers with her, probably escorts. Looks like a security unit here to keep an eye on things. No evidence of more substantial hostiles.”

“Have they spotted us?” Rickers asked.

“Based on what we know about GPI ships, almost certainly.”

Rickers nodded.

“Very well, Helm, prepare-”

“Weapons discharge!” The shout from the TS changed the atmosphere on the bridge with instant effect. The air seemed to literally electrify with energy. Rickers swung in to action immediately.

“Tactical, fire torpedoes at the contacts! Helm, evade that fire! Comms, instruct Harris he is to fire torpedoes and evade, immediately! Once you’ve done that, signal Jamaica we’re in a hostile contact and need immediate assistance!”

His bridge crew had gone in to action before he was done speaking. Both ships fired off a reply volley of four torpedoes for a total of eight and had swung off in opposite directions in order to avoid being struck, Prevento going left, Johnson right. Each ship then directed her course back to the main body of the Task Force.

It worked. Though both ships did endure some grazing blows to the energy shields they’d had enough distance between themselves and the enemy to avoid most of it. It was a good initial exchange. Now all they had to do was survive the next one.

Meanwhile…

“Commodore, we have word from Rickers confirming the unknown contacts are enemies. He reports both ships of the reconnaissance element are taking fire. They are evading and have as yet taken no serious damage, but request we expedite our arrival.”

“Do we have any information on the hostiles?” Torongeau asked, leaning forward.

“Rickers has transmitted what he has to us already, sir.”

“Very well; new orders to the Task Force: All ships to force’s best speed. We are moving in to engage confirmed hostile units.”

3rd keeper patrol fleet

Makio grunted softly the dull 'thud' of the explosions outside his shield grid making the purple energy orb outside the fleet bulge inwards before righting itself.

"Damage report. All ships."

"Commodore... The victor and nike report that all systems are still at full operation though their shield generator heat-sinks are at quarter load. Ours were not affected by the blast. Otherwise all systems are green fleet wide."

The vulpine sighed, coughing slightly after the report the pain in his chest was growing but he didn't care. He was needed just like his dream said.

"Good. Tactical are we gaining or losing those vessels?"

The female sighed softly as she answered makio

"Losing sir... And fast. We're simply too heavy to catch them."

"Order our escorts to peruse them alone sir?"

The com's officer perked up, the vulpine waved the suggestion away.

"No break off pursuit with hard turn to port."

the ship lurched to port the ship's rear guns tracking the enemies now, giving a final send off to the offending vessels before going silent.

"Now Com. Have our escorts activate their starboard shields individually and latch onto us. Long range beams. Tell them to try and push us away and then tell us how much force they're pushing us with..."

The vulpine tried to breathe, he was on fire but no one knew what to do only he knew this plan for now. After this he could sit in his chair and sneak in one of the ancient pills med bay gave him. His adrenal glands were already overtaxed but they'd have to hold out a bit more, just a bit more until this battle was over.

"Also."

He managed to add managing to avoid a full on fit here.

"-cough-, -breathe- have them deactivate everything and put all power to their shield grids. Then have them form up twenty meters from the border of the combined grid and deactivate their engines too. The only thing they should be powering are their shields, their life support system and their weapons, partcularly their point defense systems."

He was nearly done, the vulpine snuck gradually towards his command chair trying not to eye the left arm too hard.

"Helm when they tell us how much they're going to be pushing us away, I want our starboard thrusters to counteract their push. Keep them at least more than twenty meters away from the over-shield."

The bridge was electrified, huddling to follow their commander almost oblivious to his internal struggle in their fervor to prepare for the absolute worst. a light humming sound droned on in the bridge before muting down to nothing.

"That's it sir."

The panda tactical officer announced a smile coming over his muzzle. The fox clapping his hands in joy at the fact that not only flagships had the ability to accept 'pushes' from gravitational shields.

"Our hulls are attached via one half of the fleet's shield grid and our other vessels are awaiting further orders."

"Countering them with five percent from our fore, mid, and aft starboard thrusters commodore..."

"Good. Now com link up tactical with the nike and the victor's tactical officers or whoever's... -gasp- directing their shield grids I need you all to get on the exact same page. The exact same letter of the same word even tell them everything even if you have to fart."

He turned to his right, nodding softly at his helmsman.

"Helm. When the rest of the enemy shows up I want them on our starboard side. we're going to broadside them every second they're here and I want you to announce every little move were putting this ship though, even if it's a five degree turn."

The panda brightened up getting the idea as most of the bridge crew did.

"Tactical. I want our escorts facing the enemy at all times, though we're going to be firing over them... With that in mind can you still hit the enemy if they level with us?"

The other male sighed softly knowing how hard that would be and the repercussions if he did fire on his own countrymen but he nodded.

"It'll be tough I might wind up grazing one of our escorts but I can do it."

The fox finally sat down in the chair, almost immediately popping open the secret compartment in his chair and taking the adrenaline. Actually it would be considered a steroid though both were illegal on the bridge though his XO would say nothing at this point. they needed a genius and he did not fit that description.

"Good every thing is in place. Now we wait..."

Bridge of the Xiscapian Imperial Warship Shadow Hunter, flagship of Task Force IV, The First Exploratory Fleet...

"Sir, with all due respect, I don't believe you have fully considered the potential ramifications of your actions."

Rear Admiral Inritus, scientifically classified Vulpes Vulpes, sighed heavily to himself, running one long, slender finger down his slate-colored furred snout, looking down at the creature before him. The commanding officer in charge of the First Exploratory Fleet was still quite amazed and somewhat miffed that they were out here at all. In his eyes, he, the ten thousand plus personnel, and twenty vessels should be within the Kitsune Empire, guarding the colonies and assisting the Coalition against the Danaversian menace, not all the way out here because of some communications somebody intercepted. Inritus didn't know who made it or how it had come about that he needed to be here, but he was aware that, if High Command had its way, he never would know either. The Shadow Operations guarded their secrets jealousy, and trying to figure them out was simply begging for a swift demotion...or worse.

The Rear Admiral was especially unsatisfied with having to babysit the scientific contingent of his fleet, such as the leading advisor before him. The idiot was convinced that First Contact with this oh-so-important new people/race/nation, or whatever they were, be as diplomatic and nonthreatening as possible, which was why he was proposing they start out with a single ship. Inritus had made his share of First Contacts before, and he knew that sometimes people didn't take kindly to a race of talking, technologically advanced foxes, and when that happened, you needed as much firepower on your side as possible. And, in spite of the insane amount of power the scientists held over the expedition because of the authority granted to them, he grudgingly had to admit the fool's idea had merits. If the enemy wished to fight, and underestimated them, they could be outflanked or outmaneuvered by the additional warships Inritus could summon with impunity, seeing how the size of his force had recently increased by two.

"Chief Scientist," he struggled, gray tail flicking back and forth in agitation, "I will humor you, but please don't operate under any illusions. Just because they might have fur doesn't mean they're nice people, according to Intelligence there was a significant amount of combat in the area recently. We will be going in at a quarter nominal strength, but I am doing it solely for the tactical advantage it will afford me, not" his orange eyes flashed, "because I think it will make us look more peaceful. This is a war fleet, Chief Scientist, and you are standing in a Battleship."

"I understand, sir," the Chief Scientist, a bespectacled Homo Vulpes type with brown hair, sallow skin and tawny fur bowed slightly, tone bland. "I will stay here for Contact, if you will permit me." He sounded respectful, as he should when such an empathise was placed on politeness, but Inritus knew he was being quite dry and sarcastic, wounded by the Rear Admirals condescending words. Normally Inritus would have felt guilty, but at the moment, he simply didn't care.

"What's our status?" He murmured to his X.O., a attractive red-furred Vulpes Vulpes with brilliant yellow eyes. The other was bent over a console, and only now looked up. "T-minus seventy-four seconds from designated point."

"Right," Inritus nodded to the Communications Officer in his gray uniform, "inform the Stand Alone, Ferret, Ghost and Passion to drop out of Jaunt with us, all others are to standby for further orders."

"Yes sir!"

The Stand Alone was a Wasp class Cruiser, and the agile ship could hold her own against both small craft and larger vessels. The Ferret was a Annihilator class Destroyer, made for destroying anything the size of a frigate and smaller, and also acted as an effective PD AA platform. The Ghost was a Nova class Carrier, holding over two hundred strike craft equipped with the latest technology, even if the vessel itself was aging. The Passion was a Protector class Medical Ship, unarmed and not as fast or as durable as her warship brethren, but easily capable of taking on several Companies worth of wounded soldiers or civilians and providing them with the best care that could be found in the IV Fleet. The Shadow Hunter herself, a Dominator class Battleship, was a capital killer, the one thousand, five hundred meter long vessel bristling with a plethora of cannons. Just these five ships by themselves held an entire Brigade of troops, several wings of small craft, tens of thousands of weapons and were crewed with the well-trained, patrotic, determined kitsune of the Xiscapian Imperial Navy of the Kitsune Empire.
They were ready for anything.
Or so they thought.

The task force exited the glowing deep, stormy blue portal that linked the Jaunt tunnel with realspace, with the Shadow Hunter in the lead, flanked from above by the Ferret and the Stand Alone, with the Ghost further behind and lower, and the Passion beneath them all as if trying to remain inconspicuous.

"Detecting energy signatures! It's weapons fire!"

"Shields up at maximum, give me a report!"

In the background an officer seized a vox. "General Quarters, all hands, man you battlestations!"

A few seconds went by.

"Rear Admiral, it appears there is a conflict between two destroyer or frigate sized vessels on one side and two of the same classification on the other, with a cruiser-type in support. Imperial databanks indicate that the larger force is the one we've been sent to make contact with; the smaller force is unidentified. There appears to be more vessels of the same design as the unknown entity making their way to the battle, a force of three cruiser types and three destroyer-frigate types."

Inritus sighed again. He hated situations like this, where one didn't know anything about the fight or the people aboard, who would be hostile, who would be friendly, if he should assist a side, stay neutral, or GTFO. Sending a message to the fighting vessels would probably be ignored or at least not answered in any acceptable fashion, so a burst transmission, text only in Galactic Common, was sent to the largest leading member of the incoming vessels, Inritus hoping to intercept them before they could engage so he would have some idea of what was going on. It might have been his job to initiate contact with one side, but they were busy at the moment and it still stood that he knew nothing about them. Just to be proactive, he sent a tight-beam transmission to the GPI heavy cruiser, which he assumed would be the command ship. Chances were either both sides would lie, or worse, be quite blatant about whatever crimes they had committed, but there was no way he could get the full story in a combat situation any other way.

Message to Unknown Fleet:

Greetings and warmth to you, unknown entities. This is the Xiscapian Imperial Warship Shadow Hunter of the First Exploratory Fleet of the Kitsune Empire of Xiscapia, requesting an update on the situation so as to better asses variable options available to us. Our weapons are powered down, we are not hostile, repeat, not hostile towards you.

Yet. Inritus thought. An identical message was sent the other way.

Message to GPI flagship:

Greetings and warmth to you, unknown entities. This is the Xiscapian Imperial Warship Shadow Hunter of the First Exploratory Fleet of the Kitsune Empire of Xiscapia, requesting an update on the situation so as to better asses variable options available to us. Our weapons are powered down, we are not hostile, repeat, not hostile towards you.

Now he waited to see what would happen. They might all ignore him, they might both give him the truth, they might decide to devote part of their forces to trying to wipe him from existence, they might lie to cajole him over to their side, anything could happen. Inritus knew he truly needed to wait until after the battle was concluded to do any fact finding, but what if friendlies were at risk of annihilation? He couldn't just stand by, and he knew a little from the previous conflict in the area, enough to know if they tried to lie to him, but the fact of the matter was he really didn't know who either of the sides were, or what they stood for, or what they were fighting about.
It was said all things would be revealed in time.
He tried to be patient.

ooc wow Xiscapia talk about better late then never

((OOC reserved for post))

((Requesting permission to muck about and cause some mischief))

OOC: Reserved, looks fanciful.

((Requesting permission to muck about and cause some mischief))

Yes I'm sorry but no I don't really want everyone and their dog showing off big fleet erections in this thread. I know I should have had that at the forefront but again this was made when I was a noob.

The lieutenant sighed deeply as his bridge crew screamed 'new contacts' he rubs the bridge of his nose surpressing a cough. "Everyone remain steady. Send that to the whole fleet, we don't need to start war with someone else."

"lieutenant. I'm reading something strange from the new contacts... They're all vulpine but... not."

The fox lifted an eyebrow, eying the squirrel quizically.

"They are and they aren't foxes you're saying."

-The female nodded eagerly not thinking much about the oxymoron she reported. Maiko coughed in his hand slightly sighing angrily-

"Hail them and start to pull back from the imperials... I mean the ones that are trying to kill us, not the ones that 'will' be trying to kill us."

The message back read

#Greetings imperial vessel, it's unfortunate you have entered a combat zone otherwise we could send a proper diplomatic party and have an equally proper welcome. The other vessels you see here are from the empire of Romderos (I'll spell that right eventually) a nation we are at war with. They are 'homo-sapien' if you are familiar with the term. The reason for this battle is that they have invaded this sector with a full fleet with the possible intent of using it as a bridge head for an invasion of our home world. We have no malice towards you our distant cousins, but we will fire if fired upon. We have claimed this planet and this sector if you are peace keepers then please convince our enemies to leave.#

The commodore observed the data that was coming in from the enemy, he lifted an eyebrow at the 'strike craft' vessels that the 'carriers' were... Carrying.

"Who in their right mind uses strike craft offensively?"

He mutters softly huffing into his hand, the steroid finally kicking in and preventing another coughing fit.

What is that?
What's what?
That.
Oh that... um...
Well?
Aha, it is detecting other craft sir.
Aha...

Commander, for lack of a better word, Zez Izz Ioez floated back to his command console which hung from the ceiling of the Model-3 Gun-Ship Tectonic Tremours command room. The command room was essentially a sphere with consoles spaced at varying intervals along it's surface, others also protruded from the sides into the open for the more important or essential operators.

Tectonic Tremours was currently a stretched blur across space hurtling towards the chosen system of interest, travelling the indistinct line between subspace and realspace their actual vessel was several A.U's ahead of the blur they left behind as a trail; thus, they were undetectable visually untill they began to re-emerge from subspace. Gradually, as they lowered their immersion field, they were dragged back into realspace, slowing to relative speeds and subsequently becoming visible once more; they headed in system at a safe tangent towards a number of vessels which seemed to be engaged in either an acrobatic lightshow or a battle. Zez opted for the latter.

Tectonic Tremours was a 800 meter long vessel, shaped somewhat similar to a flat topped submarine, technically it's designation was Gun-Ship, flac cannons protuded from it's sides, and assorted antenne, turrets and other protudements dotted it's top surface, now in realspace it reverted to it's fusion engines to push it along. Although clearly detectable, made so by it's various signatures, the trail of ionied particles it's engines emitted and a faint nuclear signature from it's reactor, it didn't open any form of inital contact, preferring to watch and monitor, and to see who as interested in their presence here the most for that would be most revealing.