NationStates Jolt Archive

Zimmerman softly spoke out, his eyes peering at the assembly and senate

I have called the senate into extraordinary session because there are serious, very serious, choices of policy to be made, and made immediately, which it was neither right nor constitutionally permissible that I should assume the responsibility of making.

On the 1st of may last I officially laid before you the extraordinary announcement of several nations that on and after the 1st day of may it was their purpose to put aside all restraints of law or of humanity and use their millitary and state to sponsor piracy to destroy every vessel that sought to approach either the ports of TEC members or our nation .


I unfortunately have to announce today that elements of state sponsored terrorism and piracy has claimed the lives of 10,000 Federation civilians The craft were distinguished by unmistakable marks of identity of being civilian, and have been destroyed with the same reckless lack of compassion or of principle. We have found out that elements from the nation of red talons has prosecuted this act of terror , all attempts to contact them have failed. We can only assume that their lack of compassion has allowed this to go unpunished and no statements to be made regarding it.
I was for a little while unable to believe that such things would in fact be done by any government that had hitherto subscribed to the humane practices of civilized nations. International law had its origin in the at tempt to set up some law which would be respected and observed upon the stars.
where no nation had right of dominion and where lay the free highways of neutral space.

It is a war against all nations. Federation ships have been Destroyed , Federation lives taken, in ways which it has stirred us very deeply to learn of, but the ships and people of other neutral and friendly nations have been destroyed and overwhelmed in neutral space in the same way. There has been no discrimination.


The challenge is to all mankind. Each nation must decide for itself how it will meet it. The choice we make for ourselves must be made with a moderation of counsel and a temperateness of judgment befitting our character and our motives as a nation. We must put excited feeling away. Our motive will not be revenge or the victorious assertion of the physical might of the nation, but only the vindication of right, of human right, of which we are only a single champion.


in all our power, we have never thought to be so vulnerable . We will now however pledge our majesty and might to the forces that are fighting for freedom among the stars, for justice, and for peace. I say to you now that I have thought through this decision and what I want to ask of you toady, I do not want a war but I’ve been forced in to nothingness, these things want nothing but bloodshed they fear nothing.. How ever.. Today is a day of reckoning.

We are accepting this challenge of hostile purpose because we know that in such a government, Like Redtalons following such methods, we can never have a friend; and that in the presence of its organized power, always lying in wait to accomplish we know not what purpose, there can be no assured security for the democratic governments of the world.


We are now about to accept gage of battle with this natural foe to liberty and shall, if necessary, spend the whole force of the nation to check and nullify its pretensions and its power. We are glad, now that we see the facts with no veil of false pretense about them, to fight thus for the ultimate peace of the galaxy and for the liberation of its peoples. Just because we fight without rancor, and without selfish object, seeking nothing for ourselves but what we shall wish to share with all free peoples, we shall, I feel confident, conduct our operations as belligerents without passion and ourselves observe with proud punctilio the principles of right and of fair play we profess to be fighting for.


I have said nothing of the governments allied with the Government of red talons because they have not made war upon us or challenged us to defend our right and our honour. The redtalons obvious and unqualified endorsement and acceptance of the reckless and lawless anti convoy warfare without disguise and compassion by the Redtalons mercenary republic is a clear sign of what we must do. It will be all the easier for us to conduct ourselves as belligerents in a high spirit of right and fairness because we act without animus, not in enmity towards a people or with the desire to bring any injury or disadvantage upon them, but only in armed opposition to an irresponsible government which has thrown aside all considerations of humanity and of right and is running amuck.

It is a distressing and oppressive duty, Ladies and gentlemen of the Senate , which I have performed in thus addressing you. There are, it may be, many months of fiery trial and sacrifice ahead of us. It is a fearful thing to lead this great peaceful people into war, into the most terrible and disastrous of all wars, civilization itself seeming to be in the balance. But the right is more precious than peace, and we shall fight for the things which we have always carried nearest our hearts -- for democracy, for the right of those who submit to authority to have a voice in their own governments, for the rights and liberties of small nations, for a universal dominion of right by such a concert of free peoples as shall bring peace and safety to all nations and make the world itself at last free.

To such a task we can dedicate our lives and our fortunes, everything that we are and everything that we have, with the pride of those who know that the day has come when the Federation is privileged to spend her blood and her might for the principles that gave her birth and happiness and the peace which she has treasured. God helping her, she can do no other. .. Thank you.. And Good Day.

The voting process started quickly the votes where tallied.

798 for 50 against. 5 Abstain.

The Federation was now at war... again..

----------------------------------
Several Light years from the RT base over the milky way the 8th fleet had been mobilizing in preparation for this. Its been several days since the attack and no response from the government has kept every one in the dark, two hundred ships mostly escorts and several heavy capital ships including the Hyperion where at the ready, their forms filled the sky.


Their rough ominous metal hulled bodies where silhouetted against the stars, the thousands of them. Admiral Ronald Dugal was in command, he was aboard the Battle ship Hyperion.

He sat back on his chair, he idly rubbed his chin with his hand thoughts racing through his mind, he shifted a bit in his chair the tactical monitors flicking with holo images of the fleet and their destination as well as the sector of space they where heading to. His mind was on the situation ahead. Quietly and silently officers walked around the ship doing what they needed to tensions where high, the neural linked tactical officer and helms officer coordinated with the rest of the fleet . The helms officer looked back and said with a soft nod.


“Sir the fleets ready to go at moments notice, The Senate just passed the resolution declaring war.”


The man stiffed up he planted his hands upon the armrests of the chair, klaxons started to ring out blaring with red and darkening the massive command center, he spoke out with a slight french accent.

“Engage Coaxial jump drive, all hands Battle stations!.”

The ships started to crackle with energy, their forms lighting up with blue arcs of lighting like energy against their rough ominous forms.

The Hyperion went first its form twisted and in an instant it disappeared the rest of the fleet following, crackling energy noises reverberating around their forms . They appeared several million KM from the RTMR station, over two hundred ships, most heavy ships with more than a division of troops.

The massive 6 km Hyperion barreled down on the station its massive guns whizzing and churring , Faster than light inhibitor systems activating throughout the fleet. No FTL would work now, each of the heavy ships powered up their weapons, auto cannons missile pods bec
ame exposed, turrets whizzed and churred to life, Dugal stood up from his chair and with a stiff voice order the tactical officer.

“Open a hailing channel”

“Aye sir” the tactical officer said suddenly a blip was heard he was now on the air. Dugal started off in a demanding and deep voice.

“This is Admiral Ronald Dugal of the Federation 8th rapid reaction fleet, as you most likely have heard by now our two nations are at war, for your cowardly slaughtering of thousands of our civilians, I am going to give your station one chance, one chance to surrender or be destroyed this is your only warning.”

The comns cut, the massive fleets weapons started to crackle to life with energy , the troops aboard hoping they would get a chance to beam in and take out some xeno bastard’s that killed their countrymen, tens of thousands of federation troops where at the ready.

The Hyperion her self started to launch fighters hundreds of them started to fill the sky, the other heavy capital ships holing theirs back. Dragon fury’s formed up in to tactical assault formations ready to strike.

'The Aumanii government demands proof of the event in question. Further, we denounce all forms of violence. Warfare isn't just some game to be played out daily in the Fedral sandbox. It is serious business and those who take part in military action of any kind will not be forgotten, never forgiven.'

~Anonymous contact from the Aumanii ministry of state.

The attacking fleet would recieve a hailing call at nearly the same moment it sent its own, the line connecting rather abruptly to the stations commander, who regarded the mans speech with a raised eyebrow. His purple robes detailing him as being of the telepath guild.

"What is the meaning of this. Your government has made no attempt to contact us, any such calles should have been made to our embassy offices located on this station, and to what attacks do you speak? A state of war since when? I'll have you know that this station is for diplomatic and trade purposes only. As your sensors are undoubtedly capable of seeing this isnt a battle station, yet you come with a battle fleet!"

As the commanders exchanged their opening pieces, the stations security crew was preparing for the worst. They had sent out the alert that a fleet was approaching just before the FTLi field covered the station.

An admiral in the Dragona Imperial Navy one said that For something so vast and empty, the universe is full of coincidental meetings! The phrase looses it's beauty when it is translated into the toungs of humans, but never the less the admiral had a point.

At least, thats what Alptraum Herrscher Gar'kaal thaught as she stood at the window of her ready room and surveyed the somewhat impressive arival of the Terran fleet.

Grining to her self she walked through the door at the far end of the room and entered the bridge of the D.E.S. Kali (http://i256.photobucket.com/albums/hh161/dragonsclaw56/Saboathcarrier.jpg)

"Whats the status of the terran fleet?" she asked calmly, settling into her chair
"200 Terran ships have exited FTL and engaged interdiction protocols. Their weapons appear to be powerd up."
"And the station?"
"I'm having trubble taking a reading."
"Not that it matters, hail the terrans, it seems this assighnment is about to get a little more interesting."

The stations weapons appeared to be in a defensive standby state. power readings could be gathered from points where weapon placements would be most likely, but the readings were on par with a light cruiser, the stations shields flickering to life as shield drones crawled across the stations hull from access ports, projecting another layer of shielding as the shield drones linked up their energy fields.

The shielding was slightly primative, if effective. The lot of it amounting to a decently powerful warships shields by comparison. Non-com ships of various shapes and sizes began to flee the area, moving to put the station between them and the incoming fleet. The commander sending a message to the new fleet. "Another warfleet? What in the name of varta is going on?"

Dugal grinned the battle was afoot apparently they did not want to answer, no matter he thought to himself , he sat back on his chair and spoke out with a soft commanding voice as sensors started to blip and blare notifying the crew of the energy spikes.

He spoke out... In response to the message.

"This is a Call for surrender by the Terran federation 8th fleet, your station is now under federation control. for your prosecution of war crimes against our nation. Lower your shields and prepare to be boarded"

The trade ships, some of the smaller of them managing to get out of the FTLi field, some jumping out, others continuing to accelerate, unable to jump for various reasons.

The commander gawked into the screen, a look of offense and bewilderment crossing his face at the same time. "You cant be serious. Your going to prosecute innocent civilians and diplomats for the acts of some yahoo we've never even heard of? Can you seriously be willing to go through with this?

The commander was thinking quickly. trying to stall for time so the remaining freighters of various sizes and origins could get to safety. I implore you to be reasonable, i can assure you that there are no active military operations against the Federation. What war crimes do you speak of?

Dugal nodded to his tactical officer who started to stream in clear information of ships attacking the convoy, their life signs and every thing pointing to redtalons, signature’s and all. He sat back and waited for a second before speaking out once more the entire event playing out.

“That is what im speaking about, you have ten minuets to comply before we use force. “

The commander viewed the recording with a slight detachment. his mind staying critical.
"How do i know that these readings and recordings are real? And even if they are real, I cannot in good conscience allow you to board this station with hostile intent. Do your people have no semblance of what it is to be properly civil?"

"Your people killed 10 thousand civilians, and you dare talk us down, I would change your tone if I where you, we're the ones with a fleet baring down on your station! we demand to speak to your government about this -now- you've got five minuets left. "

Dugal snapped his blood was boiling now he sank back in to his chair some more.

The commander replied with a half growl. 'We would love to put you in touch with ehads of state, but those arnt located here and your fancy interdiction field is keeping us from getting a call out, so it looks like your stuck with me..." His response was rather flat and stressed. He refused to believe that his nation would attack unarmed civilians, and this commander threatening him with acts of war over an incident he couldnt do anything about.

Dugal smiled and responded the clock ticking down more and more.

"Give us the frequency and we will open the channel"

The commander balked. "I wouldnt give you military comm channels. From what you've displayed, and apparently from what your government has decided our nations are at war. We will not provide you with tactical intelligence. This is a diplomatic and trade station. We will defend ourselves if attacked. Otherwise please leave."

He sat back in his chair, arms crossed and glaring at the screen.

Dugal sighed he didn't want to resort to force but... he stiffed up and started to bark out orders.

“Target Phased Ion cannons, fusion cannons and our X ray particle lasers. Do not fire our fire storms I want to disable the station then board it”

“Aye sir”

the tactical officer said quickly his mind hooked in to the AI, orders where sent to the rest of the fleet to support Suddenly several small guns from the opened gun ports started to recoil with blue white bolts of energy hundreds of them from the Hyperion it self, the rest of the fleet opened up as well, Ion and green blue fusion bolts flew at high C frac speed slashing a fiery trail through the darkness of space.

Streams of bolts crisscrossed each other with different colors as they rushed towards the station. Dark crimson red beams of the X ray particle lasers followed suit they slashed through space their fiery stream of energy focused towards the station.

Thousands of such beams from the heavy capital ships filled the sky adding even more color to the Green and white hot bolts of ion and fusion energy. Several KKM’s followed missile tubes lit up with a yellow fiery hue of energy as the missiles left the tubes rushing at high C frac speed towards the enemy station.

Dugal sat back he sunk down and sighed, enemy FTL was jammed , he heard the sounds of crackling energy fire throughout his ships and the screeches of missile upon missile leaving the tubes, he folded his hands, even if the station fell and was destroyed it was a bunch of terrorist genocidal maniacs any way why should he care?

They killed 10,000 of his people he laughed at the thought his eyes focused out of the holo console the various colors of the ships secondary weapons moving out to lance and take down the enemy shields in order to allow the “liberation” of the station.

Fraking furries he said to himself, nothing but trouble. He sighed keeping his racey thoughts in check to him self, he closed his eyes to the echos of federation fire leaving the ship sounds reverberated and clashed with one another different discharges different type of weapons, and the screech of missiles.

In an instant the stations weapons were bared. Detecting the enemy's opening volley. The point defense guns hosed tungsten steel flachette at 5000 rpm, targeting the incoming missiles, the shields shimmering as they absorbed the opening volley. puffs and flashes could be seen across the stations hull as shield drones overloaded, others scurrying from the far side of the station to reinforce the shields that were falling fast. Half a dozen of the stations quad barrel heavy linear cannons opened up on the enemy flagship. Inside the station, the deck shook and rumbled as the first of teh fire started to eat through. Marines scrambling to their posts as civilians rushed to shelters, sections of the station locking down to vacuum as they were cleared. The station began to deploy its compliment of drone fighters two at a time from its drone bays, 100,000 in total inside the bays, really its most potent defensive measure. The small fighters, armed with a fission reactor and two particle beam gattlings darted out, approaching fractions of C as they started attack runs on the closest UTF ships.

Meanwhile, some of the larger trade ships cleared the FTLi and began to warp out.

Anticipating this the Hyperion’s interceptor grid opened up. Along with the rest of the fleets grid, air defense cruisers designed for this launched specialized drones, thousands of them filtered from specialized launchers floating through the darkness of space , these we’re bomb pumped point defense X ray lasers, high yield fusion bombs exploded inside of them, the resulting explosion filtered out and beams of red fire started to lance out again and again.

Multiple beams from each of these thousands upon thousands of drones, beams lanced out directed via advanced mirrored system towards the drones. Beams of red crackled again and again, mean while Star furies strafed and rushed behind the enemy drones braking formation and rushing behind them.

Trent hawkins the all star ace assigned to various wars was of course in this one as well , he was flying an SF42 dragon fury, his neural link to the fighter allowed him full control, the craft strafed and went full speed, its white hot engines streaming particles behind it. He pressed down upon the control stick in front of him sweat dribbled down his forehead, pulses of fire raced and slashed out in to the darkness towards a drone in front of him, as soon as a volley of fire was shot off he walled it strafing the fighter at high speed turning around in a 360 maneuver in .02 seconds his squad crisscrossed each others flight paths firing upon the drones thousands of pulse rounds per second exited their four cannons.

Mean while X ray lasers and pulse fire from fusion and phased ion cannons continued to target the shield system more and more with high energy fire, the crackles of energy discharges roared out the Hyperion’s form was lit with a cornucopia of color, blue green and red slashed out in to the darkness. Dugal just sat in his chair his eyes peering out at the masses of fire his fleet was pouring in to the shield.

Interceptor turrets whizzed and churred towards the enemy linear cannon shots , pulses of energy rushed towards them, high energetic plasma to destabilize the beam and vape the incoming rounds.

The tactical officer called out loudly as the ship was hit with various rounds that made it through the gird the high capacity shields absorbing the fire and rippling with blue and a white hue every time it was hit.

“Interceptors are at 60% capacity, we’re taking out most of the enemy fire. But some’s getting through. Fighters reporting they have engaged the enemy drones.“

Air defense cruisers started to pour out thousands upon thousands of pulse’s a second towards the enemy drones saturating local space with hellish amount of fire power several fighters had been taken down by the enemy station, the others maneuvered and strafed and engaged what ever drones where left matching their speeds and maneuvers to the fullest.

Two frigates vaporized and exploded with shockwaves of energy. KKM missiles continued to pour out of the ships screeching towards the enemy station at full speed the sky filled with their yellow hue. Their color accented the already saturated rainbow’s of beams and bolt fire rippling out.
Across the ships hulls pulses and beams lit the grey rough plates upon the ships up.


Dugal heard the chatter through the comns his eyes still closed as he confidently focused, the crackling energy noises echoing through the ship more and more like a surreal dream. He almost floated out of him self, Dugal was a psionic, he had suppressed his psionic powers for ages and had just now started to use them in his life. His admiral’s cap was well placed on his head, he took a pipe and lit it starting to smoke it, the whips of soft grey smoke wafting in to the vents of the ship . His emotions where clam yet he also was a bit agitated, it was sort of an odd feeling being clam and angry with passion at the same time. Sweat started to dribble over his fore head it wasn’t hot on the ship of course not he was just feeling odd all this action around him, being a veteran of the GPI wars he knew what he was doing. He softly ashed the pipe he was smoking putting it back in to his mouth and then folding his hand inhaling gently.

The air defense drones deployed by the AD cruisers also had high rate of fire pulse cannons firing out and blanketing the area with bolts of energy. The AD cruisers also managed to fire MIM-18 Anti matter missiles with kiloton level yields towards groups of drones in order to take them down. Thousands upon thousands of these missiles raced out screeching towards their targets.

Nearby system
WHS Fenris, Andromeda Class Warstar (http://i49.photobucket.com/albums/f252/CanisD/Shipyard/Drawings/OtherGenres/Galactica/battlestargalacticaandrfh6.png)

The red lit CIC of the WHS Fenris was a hive of activity, it had been for the past few minutes, ever scince the trade ships had begun warping in system screaming of a full scale Terran attack on a civillian trade station. The Military Federation had personally had enough of the United Terran Federations wanton aggresion and within minutes of the traders reporting it to Battlegroup Fenris, a request to assist the station was already being passed up the channels to central command. Within three minutes of the request being pased up the chain of command the following response was sent back.

URGENT----CinC of BATGRP FENRIS----URGENT
SUBJ: CODE RED-2, ORDERS
FROM: CENTCOM

UTF HOSTILITY CONFIRMED.......MOVE IMMDEIATLY TO SUPPORT RT CIV STATION. YOU HAVE ROE COMMAND. MAY THE LUCK OF THE WOLVES GO WITH YOU

CENTCOM OUT---MESAGE ENDS

Admiral Joseph Farragut, an grizziled old artic fox flicked his tail and turned around to adress the crew of the CIC. "We have our orders, set a FTL jump for the station, set the battlegroup to full alert, I want the Harbinger and Reqeium leading the advance, the rest of the battlegroup is to form up behind them. Lets show these bastards that attacking civillians is unaceptable!" The crew of the CIC yelled out a collective "Aye, Aye! Admiral!" Before turning back to their stations and respective tasks. Within seconds the whole ship reverberated witht he klaxons wailing the signal to general quaters, and throught the entire battlegroup the voice of the Admiral reverberated.

"This is the Flag to the battlegroup, general quaters, prepare for immiedate FTL jump into possible battlezone, all gun crews to stations. Lets give them hell!"

Back in the CIC Ensin Rodes began the coutdown.

"FTL lock complete........jump in 5....4....3....2....1....JUMP!"

With that one word, yelled across the CICs off all thirty CICs of the capital ships of the battlegroup jumped towards the embattled system, appering just outside the bubble of interdiction. ALready seeing the shooting had started the battlegroup ignited their torches and speed for the station. Broadcasting the message "This is the Battle Group Fenris of the Military Federation of The Wolf Hold, stand down and cease fire, we are here to protect civillian assests in this system"

The station continued to take fire. the sheild drones withering as fire began to come through. A few of the KKM's found power relays, darkening sections of the station, though the independently powered turrets kept up. The sliver cannons strafing the flight paths of enemy fighters as best they could while said fighters picked them off. The larger turrets continuing sustained fire. two of them exploding from enemy fire. Then there was a flicker inside the station. one of the KKM's had impacted one of the drone bays. the drones fission reactors going up in a chain reaction that spread through the innards of the station. Fire rupturing the hull like a ripple from the lower sections of the hangars. Escape pods began to trickle out, only to be cut down by the efficiency of the UTF air defense grid.

Seconds later there was a flash, followed by an energy pulse as the station was rocked, breaking apart as its primary cores began to overload. the station breaking apart as its lower sections were vaporized in the blast.

The remaining drone fighters were picked off easily enough. They werent meant to be deployed in large numbers quickly, despite having a large number of drones, a good percentage hadnt exited their bays yet.

The last of the trade ships, a few of them RTMR light freighters jumped out, having recorded the last of the incident

Dugal sighed he sank back in to his chair it was sad that his ships destroyed the station, the wolfholdian signal was lagging behind pretty bad and it finally came on to the comns, he shook his head, he spoke out to every one on the bridge.

“What the hell happened! We where supposed to take down those damned shields not fucking blow the place up! “

The fleet slowly formed up in to a defensive formation. The defense drones returning to the AD cruisers weapons and shields of all the ships still online.

Dugal responded to the message with a solemn voice.

“Unfortunately you are to late, one of our rounds accidently hit a primitive fission reactor in one of the drone bays as our sensors detected and it caused a chain reaction, this was not our intention but alas it happened “

The fleet continued on its form shimmering in the light of the thousands of stars blinking in the night, the ships starting to charge up their coaxial drives energy noises started to whine and crackle through the ships form, Dugal just sank back in to his chair,. His pipe still hot as he smoked it.

The fleet was now getting ready to depart scanning for any pods or any survivors throughout area of space.

The explosion caught the battlegroup off guard, as they powered towards the station the shockwave buffeted there frontal armour, however it caused little damage. The Battlegroup fully consisted of 30 Capitals ranging from Batlestars to assault stars and up to warstars, alongside were upwards of 60 escorts, light carriers and support ships. Admiral Farragut stared at his screen as he watched thousands of lives disappear in seconds, his eyes jammed open as he saw escape pods shot down by UTF fire. The transmission just pissed him off even more. "Not their intention.....not their fucking intention! They open fire on a civilian station with hundreds of ships and go opps, that wasn't are intention. I swear by my tail I will make every single one of them pay but not now, we need to get survivors out of there." The CIC crew shook themselves from their perpetual state of shock and began running about trying to sort out the mess of a situation they had been presented, the calls of the crewmen began to merge into one big noise.

However one call cut through the chaos..."Escape pods.....quite a few, they must of launched out of the other side of the station." Farragut almost jumped for delight as he began tapping several icons on his display screen, ordering Vipers and Raptors to go secure the escape pods. "Also we are picking up life signs inside some of the wreckage, we have at least 300 survivors in that wreckage. However UTF will get this too, we need to move fast."

"Okay people, all ships are to head straight for that wreckage, launch all but our reserve squadrons, I want the UTF to know we mean business"

As the 90 ships closed on the wreckage, upwards of 7000 fighters, bombers and other small craft ahead of them. At the same time, the initial Raptors were closing with the escape pods. The lead pilot broadcasting..."This is Raptor 4-3, is anyone out there, we have escape pods in sight, Is anyone out there....we are friendly, I repeat, is anyone out there."

A smattering of pods could be picked up drifting away from the UTF ships, having launched from the far side of the station. a weak signal responded to teh raptor. "Raptor? you say your friendly? thank the gods you guys show up fast!"

Roughly 20 pods in total. all careening away from the UTF fleet at breakneck speeds due to the acceleration of launch and the boost from the stations main cores going up.

“Sir we are detecting pods ...”

Dugal sighed and said in response

“Tractor beam them full burn and bring them back least we can do Is give them a place to stay”

“Aye sir”

The SF-43 Dragon fury had Trent Hawkins in it, his squadron formed up with him, hundreds of fighters on each side they started to lock on to the pods going at massively high speeds themselves, they started to slow a burst of white hot particles coming from their engines as they decelerated. A blue hue of a beam started to arc out towards the pods


double the amount of fighters the enemy launched where also being launched and prepared incase wolfhold decided to go toe to toe with the numerically superior fleet.

The twenty four raptors were forming up around the escape pods, with one hundred and twenty raptors in the wings. "This is Raptor 4-1 to RT escape pods, keep burning for our battlegroup, they will pick you up" Suddenly sensors began beeping onboard the Raptor and Wing Commander Brakfield, or Raptor 4-1 cursed loudly. "Frak! We are picking up tractors heading for your position, just keep burning, we will deal with the tractors." Flicking the radio channel to the rest of his raptor group. "Okay 4 squadron we need to make sure these escape pods get clear to the fleet, I and some volunteers need to fly in the way of these tractors and break there lock, just long enough so we can have ships pick up the escape pods"

A Chours of voices all responded to Brakfields request as all twenty four pilots voulunteered to try and save the escape pods. "Well, well Raptors 4-15,23,12 and 14 you are flying missile raptors so you cover the transports, the rest of us pick a tractor and get stuck in!" The twenty raptors began to fly into the tractor beams trying to break the locks.

The Alptraum Herrscher had sat and watched all this with calm indiferance. She had little qualms about the deaths of so many. She regarded it as a favour to them. After all, she WAS, like most of the members of this fleet, a member of the Death wing, the berzerker wing of the militery that worshiped death more than anything else.

She showed the first sign of emotion when the Phi-breed on the bridge informed her of the presance of pods, with life sighns on board. Even then, it was just a slight hint of anoyance.

"Launch Intercepter wings to take out the pods, let the terrans distract the wolf hold ships and dispatch void reapers to engage strike craft that try to stop them"
"Yes Alptraum-Herrscher " a chorus of voices said over the comm channels before the ships dispatched their craft.

The 50Strike fighters (http://www.brickshelf.com/gallery/darcoarco/Others/KPA/KASC/Constantine/constantine_a.jpg) sped through the void of space with their engines flairing before veering off course to engage the aproaching rapters while the void reaper heavys tried to catch up.

The S42 Dragon furies strafed to avoid the incoming raptors, the turned 360 degrees in .02 seconds, firing off several pulse cannon bursts across the incoming crafts bow.

“We’re not here to kill then”

Trent spoke through the comns, his fighter squadron coming to back him up SF42's where all over the place. Craft rushed pased strafing and locking on to the enemy fighters from top bottem side to side, constantly on the move keeping their locks on.

“If you shoot at us you will destroy these... pods”

another message came out from Trents Star fury the white hot particle streams of his engines fading out in to the darkness of space, his tractor beam still lancing out.

Several other squadrons one Led By Col. Martinez Had been called up and launched from the fleet, the middle aged Colonel pressed his hand on his control stick, his neural link blinking and blipping as his craft came over the enemy formation.


Quickly a burst of white hot particles came out of one of the thruster quads, the Fighter Turned 180 Degrees facing down towards the enemy ships, the entire squadron now had them in their sites , they where still moving rather quickly.

Another several Squadrons Moved up Zeta and Delta, they covered the fighters focusing their attention upon the raptors and other fighters in view of the pods.

The pods continued to accelerate towords the Wolf hold fleet. two of the pods doors slid open. Chaff flared began to launch from the two open pods, these pods happened to contain the last of the marines that had been on the station. They were equipped with C10mk2 rifles.

Fredrick had barely made it into the pod with the rest of his team before the section he had been in had been gutted by nuclear fire. "Theta team, keep your eyes up. i'm picking up heat corona's coming in and we've got fed aircraft everywhere... where the hell is fleet command..." he broadcast a signal to the federation fighters.

"Release us immediately. you've already done enough damage here murderer's... Leave us be!"

Dugal stiffed up to his chair a smile came over his face, he spoke out loudly through the comns to Trent.

“Prepare for tactical jump Keep those pods in Two, set course for star base 155.”

“Aye sir”

he said loudly suddenly every ship and fighters hull started to glow with blue crackling lighting like energy. Space folded around them their forms warped and where flung to a distant point of light, the entire fleet was gone now.

An Instant later , star base 115 was enormous its massive form dwarfed even the Hyperion, the fighters had released the pods.

The star bases transporter room started to lock on to all life forms inside of them.


Containment area 09.. A massive high powered force field was set up between multiple bulkheads. The slight blue hue and angelic hum of the fields reverberated through out the large area, Transporters would beam the survivors there.

Mean while several teams of marines and Medics had come through multiple large doors just outside the force field. Their Particle Impact Rifles whined as they charged up, Pulse rifles sizzled as their clips where inserted.

Medics stood by with several suit case like devices metal and chrome colored. All of them where warring Battle field Powered armor , the medics had red crosses upon their armor, their masks and opaque visors covering their heads as efficiently as the other armored units, they had a bunch of devices in large wrist and arm mounted containment units.

The marines on star base 155 where from the 29th frontier division a well trained garrison.

The marines held their rifles to their chest their opaque visors containing high tech HUD units like the medics only these where made mainly for killing and combat. Their personal force fields where active, several lightly armed semi armored security officers also came in.

FIA Agent Richard Johnson came in with the semi armored officers and several other MIB, he nodded to the sergeant at arms and spoke out.

“Ok when they get here give them what ever medical aid they need, then their mine .. Is that clear?”

“Yes sir”

The Marine said with a nod, waving to the transporter chief to start beaming.

Upon arriving in the containment field, the twenty suited marines took defensive positions around the civilians, who included human and neko, as well as a few anthro's. Half a dozen wore black and red robes with purple trim. The marines crouched with rifles at the ready as the black robed individuals stood, drawing black bladed katana's and assuming defensive stances. One of them calling out. "I am acting commander Damien, Haven Trade station. What is the meaning of this. I demand that we be released at once!"



Meanwhile, back at Haven, a small fleet dropped out of warp almost on top of the station. The ships immediatly began to fan out, carriers deployed fighters. scouring the wreckage of the station for any signs of life. Emergency tugs showing up and began to deploy boarding teams into the larger sections, securing the movements of the debris as much as possible. They had reports of a few survivors that had been lucky and had been sealed in the upper sections. Luckily help arrived on time. It was now that the task of counting the dead came.



ORBAT (Former Haven space)
1- Pegasis class command carriers
2- Ragnarok class superdreadnoughts
6- Cutter class Dreadnoughts
6- Cerberus class dreadnoughts
6- Victory class strike carriers
20- Destiny class Battleships
50- Kergerin class heavy cruisers
20- Wolf class missile cruisers
100- Drone frigates
262- Hunter class frigates

“Relax” The chief MIB in the room said walking over to the field looking at the man with the blade he smiled.

“ I am Richard Johnson Federation Intelligence Agency. We’re here to interview you and confirm reports of a war crime one of our ... admirals committed.. Also if some of your people are injured allow our medics to help you”

The medics waited to here the one on the other side of the field to agree to let them through. Richard went on to say...

“We want your people to sign statements that point to admiral Dugal as the perpetrator of war crimes..Its only a small repentance to say the least. “

Richard Johnson never liked Dugal he and the career military man never saw eye to eye on any thing, Johnson was convinced this would get Dugal out of his hair once and for all..

Damien growled, focusing his Talent, searching those present and reading their feelings, possibly surface thoughts. The other robed figures were doing the same. The marines kept their weapons at the ready, their sleek black power armor was obviously meant for close combat.

Damien responded slowly, slightly adjusting his stance to face the man. "I do not wish any more blood-shed. We will keep our weapons..."


Haven incident site--

To Ih8 vessels "What is the nature of your fleets presence. Respond immediately, do not test our patience."

To wolf hold ships. "We would like to thank you for your assistance. we would like to enter into further diplomatic proceedings when the opportunity presents itself."

The smaller ships began to ferry sections into groups as teams scanned and searched them. The first calls of survivors came from the lucky few who had been in sealed sections inside sections. a small few of the shelters survived, but the dead continued to be counted.

The capital ships moved into defensive positions around the rescue effort. their weapon systems online and shields up.

hey would note that the FIA officers where telling the truth and offering no objections to being surface scanned. Richard sighed and said in a diplomatic voice.

“Your people need help, I want to take one of you to question you, with out your weapon, you will not be harmed. Unlike Dugal we do not kill civilians. You can scan me as you wish to confirm this”


Richard smiled and held a hand up about to motion to the guard to beam him out of the containment field.

Medics got ready to be beamed in they stood their in their armor various instruments for scanning healing and anti-pain

As the banter went on between the FIA and the Red Talons people, one of what appears to be Robert Johnson's men watched the proceedings from the shadows. All the man known as Damien would know was that he was wearing a long coat and a fedora and he was a smoker.

A scan would find that the man's mind was very strong for an FIA representative. Strong enough to fence away the telepathic queries. Still, he would remain quiet for the moment and let Richard Johnson run the show for now...

The survivors, most of which appeared to be familes as well as some in uniform. The uniformed survivors were clutching sidearms, those without any weapons were huddled together.

Damien lowered his blade slowly, sheathing it, gesturing to the rest of the survivors who warily lowered their weapons. The marines attaching their rifles to their backs.

Damien spoke slowly. "None of our number present require medical assistance, we were the lucky ones... so to speak..."

He continued after a moment "I will volunteer for questioning. But my blade stays with me as a matter of honor. Likewise those of us that are armed will keep our weapons. You have a long way to go to earn our trust Mr. Johnson. I believe you mean us no harm, and we mean you none. Yet you have a rather large number of armed military personnel." He turned to look over at the man in the fedora and long coat. "He is not one of your people... His mind is closed. Who is he?"


OOC: CW, your guy got picked out because of three things, one, he's the only one present that was mentally closed, two, the people around him wouldn't recognize him as one of their own, and humans have a nack for thinking about things completely different from their job. Third, he's the only one out of uniform. the question of his national origin is an assumption based on the listed facts.

To wolf hold ships. "We would like to thank you for your assistance. we would like to enter into further diplomatic proceedings when the opportunity presents itself."


The battlegroup could only stare as the escape were snatched from their grasp. The raptors and vipers that had been trying desperately to save them careered around space as the tractor beams had knocked them off their respective courses. Meanwhile in the CIC admiral Farragut was beside himself with anger "Bastards! God damn human bastards! Innocent civilians dead by their hands. We will avenge them, however we have to clear up around hear. Get me the battlegroup"

The comms officer pressed a few buttons and then nodded, "You are connected to the battlegroup skipper"

With a sharp nod he picked up the microphone "This is the flag to the battlegroup, all engines to answer full stop, stand down gunnery crews, return to station keeping. That is all." Placing the microphone back down he looked at each of the faces of the CIC crew, an array of canine species, he looked at each one and in that cold voice of his, promised retribution. "I will not rest until this has been avenged my friends, I will not ask you to follow me, but do not stop me, so will you support me?"

A low murmur went around the CICs and then one of the youngest crew members spoke out "So say we all!" Soon the entire CIC took up the chant. "So say we all! So say we all! So say we all!" Farragut smiled wildly but the chants was cut short by the comms officer. " Transmission from RTMR ships sir."

"We would like to thank you for your assistance. we would like to enter into further diplomatic proceedings when the opportunity presents itself."

"Get me a channel" The comms officer simply pressed a single button and nodded. "This is Admiral Farragut of the Military Federation of The Wolf Hold, we are at your disposal, it is a shame out diplomatic relations come about over such horrible circumstances"

The response came rather swiftly. On the bridge of the Heavens Dawn, one of the few Pegasis class vessels in the fleet. Its captain nodded as the comms officer reported that they had received a response. A reply was transmitted almost as quickly. "I couldnt agree with you more. would it be possible for us to send over a diplomatic party to formalize contact?" Came the admirals response.

-Second fleet Headquarter Beta Durani system 1800 hours EST-

“General Smith, I take it you’ve read the report on the Haven incident.”

Said a suited man sitting behind a rather large glass desk, he looked at a younger man with brown hair and blue eyes, with a blue Space Force uniform on.

“Yes”

He responded folding his hands on his lap. Smith didn’t know where this man was going but he idly listened and humored him. He was of course the man giving him the orders at least directly from Earth.


“Good, I take it you have read the reports then, let me get to the point, our long range probes left in the wake of the ninth fleet jumping out of that system has detected that a redtalons fleet is in the area, now they have friends.. Its wolf hold. We don’t know what their doing. The second fleet ordered directly from Fed Gov and the senate under your command Smith is to head in to that system.”

Smith stiffed up so this is what it was all about he thought to himself, his eyes focusing upon the man in black, he responded with a simple.

“Yes sir”

The man in black just smiled and leant back upon his chair he said.

“ You are in charge of operation Quick Switch General, Do not let the TA down. Elements of the fifth and sixth fleet will join you, they are already waiting at various jump points Time is of the essence we don’t know how long they will be there. Good luck. “

Smith stood up and saluted he then turned and walked out of the door way, down the long winding hall towards the transporter room. The second fleet was made up of at least 30 capital ships the flag ship of the fleet was the TAS Agamemnon a heavy cruiser, General Marcus Smith was his name and he was now the leader of the fleet that would take this conflict to the next level, seeing as the TA had no idea where any other red talons fleets where, it was logical to pounce on the ones they found, but they weren’t fools.

The Agamemnon was formed up with several other heavies and other escorts the rest of the large 200 ship fleet around it. Their grey forms glinting in the systems star light, the masses of ships started to spool their coaxial jump drives.

Mean while the ninth fleet under General Malcolm Hague as contacted last minuet, the combined fleet would have a strength of over 450 sips, and at least 70 capital ships . Over 1500 Star furies.


Space was torn open as ship after ship jumped fleets small task forces fighters all jumped. Over both the red talons fleet and wolf hold fleet hundreds of ships jumped. Over 450 ships various sized vessels, the massive heavy cruisers where flanked by peace keeper class ships the cruisers dwarfed every other ship in the fleet with their massive metal behemoth like forms , the second fleet made up of 200 ships jumped in on one side of the enemy formations, in an assault wall pattern . The second 200 ships ninth fleet including the TAS Hyperion her self jumped in on another side. It was kitty corner.

Marcus stood up from his command chair , his XO was already barking out orders through her wireless comn head set. A blip was heard and Marcus spoke out with a forceful commanding voice.

“This is the Terran Alliance ship Agamemnon to red talons vessels , you have entered Terran claimed space withdraw immediately .”

Knowing they wouldn’t listen hundreds upon hundreds more fighters poured out from the ships fighter bays, they filled the sky in long lines forming up in to three dimensional X formation each one of them twelve fighters per squad.

Weapons started to crackle to life, missile tubes opened, auto cannons went at the ready shields hummed over every ship like a protective layer from the gods themselves. Terrans had positioned probes hidden around the area several light years out in case any unwanted reinforcements came in.

Every ship in the fleet had engaged their FTLi blanketing the area with massive amount of Inhibition.

Marcus folded his hands on his lap once more, he awaited their answer if any, the massive cruisers bore down upon the alien ships with hundreds of escorts and thousands of fighters. The Agamemnon her self had a significant escort around her, thunderbolt destroyers hundreds of fighters . SA-40A Thunder Furies and SA-42H Dragon furies made up the entire fighter compliments.

Separate squads strafed and crisscrossed each-others firing arcs for optimum coverage. The other 50 ships flanked the two walls defending them with heavy weapons and air defense cruisers.

The response was almost instantaneous, it was accompanied by power core flares across the system as the entire fleet went to tactical alert, weapons systems charged and came online as shields went up.

"Attention Terran vessels. What do you mean your territory, this is Red Talons national property we're hovering over! Your nation is responsible for the deaths of approximately 415,247 Civilian trade personnel and diplomatic officers. NOT TO MENTION THE MEN WOMEN AND CHILDREN YOU ABDUCTED. This is a rescue operation to save civilian lives! By what shred of humanity can you perform these actions!" What followed were a few words that the translation systems wouldnt catch, nor would they ever, but their meaning was conveyed rather eloquently.

The naval vessels began to form up into wall formations, The Heavens Dawn taking the center, covered on either side by a Ragnarok class, Other capital ships forming up into smaller wall formations. Frigates moving to flank all of the larger ships, drone frigates slipping back with the non-com ships as their clouds of drone fighters joined the frigates. The lot of the fleet began to move up out of the pincer tactic.

Noncom transports fleeing the area, some of the larger ships towing chunks of the station with them as they accelerated away from the area, all of them moving into a moving clump of ships that clustered together.

**********
Sixteen hours after the station's destruction...
**********

Gerard Conrad was one of the few Gaians serving in TRIAD's Defense Fleet, and he'd managed over the course of eight years to work his way to commanding a destroyer class vessel, the TEDF Mark of Truth. At the moment his ship was serving in an expedition of TRIAD vessels sent to investigate the ruins of the RTMR Haven trade station. It was hoped that someone from the trade delegation on the station may have survived, and Gerard's orders were to spare no effort or expense to determine if there were indeed any survivors.

The Mark of Truth was selected as fleet flagship, under the command of the Marduk GN-549-A. Early on, this particular Marduk had picked up the name Gina, and accordingly tended to adopt a slightly feminine mode of speech, personality, and body design. Gina's role was to oversee the fleet operations, while Gerard commanded the ship itself. In addition to the Mark of Truth, two other destroyers and twelve frigates comprised the forces of this task force.

The fleet had set out from another trade outpost less than a day by Slipstream from Haven's position, and were now on their last Slipstream jump. Once in that last system, the fleet would have to resort to space fold drives to travel the last bit of distance out of the galactic ecliptic to reach the site.

The plan was to sync the fleet's fold drives to perform a formation jump to a point roughly five light minutes from the previous location of the station. Hopefully at that range there wouldn't be any significant debris to endanger the fleet.

Everything went well up until the actual space fold jump...


**********
Former Haven Site - TEDF Task Force - Mark of Truth - Bridge
**********

Warning klaxons were going off less than a second after the jump was initiated. Gerard could already see several of the ship's status displays covered in red-tinted messages. Crewmen hurried to deal with the most urgent and make sense from the chaos. Gina slid into her Fleet Command station while Gerard pulled down the crash harness over his gel-chair, "Report!" He just about had to scream to be heard over the alarms.

The tactical officer was the first to respond, "Sir! We appear to have jumped into the edge of an interdiction field. The unstable spatial topography impeded our fold jump. I am reading negative response from the frigates 'Statistics and Lies' and 'Evident Discovery'. The rest of the fleet are off course, scattered over a two light minute radius from expected jump points."

Gina frowned as she processed the information, "Comms, get me status reports from all fleet vessels as soon as possible, forward all incoming reports to my dataspace."

As the Comms officer nodded and started sub-vocalizing into his headset, Gerard was already attending to other matters. "Engineering, how bad is our damage?"

The Marduk manning that station consulted it's displays, #Not as bad as it could have been Captain. We have minor pressure breaches in two sections, they are being attended to already. Missile arms two and three are non-responsive. Spinal mount number two is offline due to unspecified damage, Vizier is assessing that damage next in it's task queue. The heaviest damage was the space fold drive; subsystems are either non-responsive or totally destroyed. We won't be making a fold jump without a shipyard to replace half the drive's subsystems.#

While Gerard was digesting that bad news, the tactical officer caught his attention, "Sir! Passives are reading massive vessel presence. We are getting data from eight light minutes out from our present position, approximately four hundred warship class signatures jumping into local space!"

Which meant that what the sensors were seeing happened roughly eight minutes ago, and by now might be a pitched battle. "Can you get any identification on those ships?"

The officer just shook her head, "Not at this range and resolution. I'm requesting Vizier begin launching sensor drones at first opportunity Captain."

The Gaian nodded and turned to the shipmind's emitter, "Agreed. Vizier, sensor drone launch is tasked as highest priority!"

#Acknowledged Captain, launching drones.# Came back the digital entity's response, right now it was too occupied to project it's avatar.

"Comms, alert the other ships to launch their sensor drones and slave incoming to Fleet Command, with your permission Commander?" Gerard turned to Gina for the last part.

The Marduk smiled back and nodded to the Comms officer, #Thank you Captain. I will be monitoring incoming data in the Fleet Command dataspace.# After which she leaned back and closed her eyes, patching her consciousness into the ship's digital reality network.

**********
Former Haven Site - TEDF Task Force
**********

Over the next three minutes, each of the remaining ships engaged it's displacement 'flicker warp' drives and moved back into formation with each other. Along the way they each disgorged between three to nine hundred small, one meter spheroids; the standard TRIAD sensor drone. Each was equipped with a wide array of passive sensors and active scanners, a displacement drive for maneuvering, and an ansible-type FTL comms relay. The drones began spreading out into widening patterns, moving at 200 PSL to get into position. The wide 'cone' pattern of the drones allowed a very fine resolution of incoming data, and by the time the fleet was regrouped, they had managed to identify all known ship types and affiliations.

((OOC Note: My ships entered the area roughly eight light minutes away from the Red Talon, Wolf Hold, Terran fleets. What they initially saw was a eight-minute delay on the Terran arrivals. By the time my ships have realtime data, almost ten minutes will have passed for the rest of you. Feel free to respond in realtime to my arrival if you have FTL sensors though.))

OOC: ORBAT (finaly):
2 Saboath heavy cariers
6 Sabertooth battle cruisers
4 Vucot Science frigates
3 Han'shu med carriers
40 Shrike scout/ destroyers

IC: Alptraum Herrscher Gar'kaal had been sat glairing at the viewscreen since fighters had been recalled. She was anoyyed with how the Terrans had abandoned them, but was please to see they were back and entering a standoff with the Redtallon ships and was emersed in thaughts of who had the most people to slaughter when she was snaped back to reality by her tactical officer shouting to her about the ariving TRIAD ships.

Frowning she ordered a hailing frequency be opened to them, and simply said "TRIAD vessles, here me. This conflict has nothing to do with you, for you have no intrests in the TEC, in which case you'd be breaking the agreed erms of the TEC, and have no other businessi n this system, atleast none we will allow. Leave. Now!" and the channel was cut.

Once she had finished speaking she turned to the Phi-breed at the back of the bridge and said "Take us into formation alongside the red-tallon ships."
"Alptraum Herrscher?" the Phi-breed said, puzzled "Our orders are to observe the system and we are obliged to assist the Terrans."
"I am aware of that, thank you. But you forget the primery mission of the Death wing, as laid down by Deces and Sha'our. The imperials themselves can not challenge that mission, now take us into position!"
"Verywell, Alptraum Herrscher!" the Phi-breed sighed and moved the ship off, the rest of the fleet following her.

A text message was rellayed only to the Red tallon ships (sorry but I have a horrable feeling someone will try to be a noob with that informtion :S) as the fleet aproached, the message read
We will not offer condolences for you recent losses, such is against our sacred duty.
We shall not apologise for our suport of the terrans, such is our imperial obligation.
However. We shall offer our support in this battle for such is our sacred mission, to dispatch the living to Kashir!

“Yes our space, taken in reparations for the killing of 10,000 Terrans. “

Marcus said, the bridge was rather quite now blips from the various holo consoles the only thing sounding around the massive command center.

Marcus said to his Xo as he noticed a large three dimensional projection of the local space and the positions of fleets and ships.

“ Have a tactical reserve standing by behind every fleet. Charge main guns. We’ll press the issue, open fire!”


“Aye sir”

his Xo said quickly, she sat down at her station taping upon her consoles gently. Out in the darkness of space, weapons crackled to life, blue green and red beams of fiery death lunged out towards the red talons fleet, followed by thousands of pulse cannon fire and streams of missiles. Followed suit, yellow streams of particles streamed from the missiles back side thousands upon thousands of KKM’s and high yield missiles lunged forth from the horse shoe shaped lines , heavy main guns fired pulses of high yield energy fire, the Agamemnon her self charged her main guns firing them bolts of white hot energy flew lighting up the darkness of space. The horse shoe formations lit up thousands of beams pulses rounds from auto cannons, missiles and KKM’s all in salvos one after the other. From all sides fire crisscrossed the darkness of space tens of thousands of rounds and beams and missiles all flinging like brimstone and daemonic lighting. Thousands of fighter escorts and gun ships all protected the flanks of the heavy capital ships.

Meanwhile hundreds of smaller ships atlas class light cruisers, Peace keeper class Medium cruisers, air defense cruisers and thunder bolt class destroyers began moving and maneuvering at high speed out flanking the enemy formations. Their formations where cone shaped in contrast to the other horse shoe formations. Fighters where present in the cones as well, the fast moving formations rushed towards the enemy.

Several wedge formations of siege frigates hung out on the flanks. Their mass drivers and long range missile tubes opened up streams of fire poured from them as the fast moving skirmishers maneuvered five degrees to the bottom and top, the lighter ships began to close more and more their turrets whizzed and churred, crackling energy powered them up. The TAS Cumberland was in charge of the fleet.

Captain Richard McDougall was in command, he sat back upon his chair crossing one leg over the other his eyes focusing upon the tactical positions of all the ships, he grinned slightly watching the fire come down from the TA fleet crisscrossing towards the enemy fleet in front of him.

He softly spoke up as he shifted and stiffed with in his chair.

“Open fire and advance.”

With that order the small fleets of fast ships strafed and maneuvered rushing at high speed beams of energy flew from the Atlas light cruisers, followed by fusion pulses. The thunder bolts strafed and flew at ultra high speeds around firing their gravatic discharge pulse cannons and neutron beam cannons, the green and yellow hues enhanced the utter rainbow of colors already present in the battle.

Fighters stood back In defensive positions, air defense cruisers started to release thousands upon thousands of X ray laser drone missiles and point defense drones.

Their pulse cannons auto guns and micro missile arrays charged up and ready, MIM15 Nike multi kill missiles also where loaded at the ready should enemy fighters attempt to close and attack. Various SA-42 Dragon furies and SA40A Thunder Furies where prepared to knock down enemy missiles drones and even C frac shells.

Ultra advanced laser systems from air defense cruisers would identify incoming ordinance and fire, interceptor grids on all ships where active and ready to fire. . This would be.. The start of the second battle of haven.

CIC-WHS Fenris

"I couldn’t agree with you more. would it be possible for us to send over a diplomatic party to formalize contact?"

Just as quick to respond, "Sure, I can jump on....a.........shit! We got a problem" Farragut dropped the microphone as he watched the DRADIS screen lit up with contacts, dropping the microphone he just stared and listened as the DRADIS controllers struggled to keep up with the contacts.
"DRADIS alert! Multiple contacts approaching 95 degrees, 2,4 designate as Foxtrot 1."

"DRADIS alert! Multiple contacts, UTF fleet, designate Foxtrot 2"

"More DRADIS contacts! Jesus that beast is huge. We got super-cap part of Foxtrot 3, designate Sierra-Charlie 1

"Sir, they are trying to encircle us, we need to break out. Otherwise we will get pummelled" Colonel Marcus Fielding, the XO of the Fenris, had already analysed the UTF disposition, it was quite obvious, they were taking advantage of space being a 3D environment. The sheer amount of UTF ships as well shocked the CIC crew and probably the rest of the battlegroup, Battlegroup Fenris consisted of 90 ships, this fleet numbered over 400, however they had no intention of going queitly. Farragut had made a personnel oath to see the UTF burn in hell.

Farragut resumed his position at the centre of the CIC and began to snap orders "Engines give me a 90 degree relative incline to the plane of ecliptic and flank speed. Weapons charge load nukes, get the KEWs ready, flight control order the CAP back they are going to get slaughtered and comms relay all of this to the battlegroup, formation Foxtrot-Zulu 4"

"Aye aye, skipper!" The collective call of the various officers in charge of each division was loud and resounding, each had determination set on their face. With those orders the whole battlegroup began to rotate on its axis heading straight upwards, trying to break out of the UTFs closing bubble. The torches of the combined battlegroup sending a blue arc across the sky.

"Sir! UTF ships are opening fire!"

"Who at? Us?!"

"Wide angle fire, they are lighting up this whole zone! "

"We cant win this! I know we said we would help these people but not at the cost of this many lives. Cut engines! FTL begin spooling up the drives, weapons fire at will with flak and KEWs, also get me firing solutions for our nukes. We are going to leave the UTF a nice big present when we leave"

"Aye aye skipper. You do know that it will be a blind jump?" The XO called out as the ship rocked from a minor hit, scrambling for a hand hold on the central console. However despite the XOs reservations the FTL officer began spooling up the drives, whilst the comms board relayed the orders to the rest of the battlegroup, green lights flicking on the fleet status screen, confirming that they had received the order and were spooling up their drives.

"Battlegroup stands ready with nukes and FTL, firing solutions have been plotted, we only await your order." Fielding obviously had come around as the ship was now taking hits every few seconds from UTF fire, he was monitoring the status of the battlegroup though the central console. Just as it seemed they were about to escape with all of their ships, Fielding slammed a fist on the console before calling out to the CIC crew "We lost the Ferogash! The WHS Ferogash is gone! Bastards!" Whilst the WHS Ferogash had only been a light escort, it was still lives lost. Families that would have to be told, another 347 flags to be folded and passed on, 347 empty graves to be dug, 347 families destroyed and 347 names carved into Farraguts mind.

"Blast those murdering sons of bitches back to the stone age! Give me the battlegroup!"

"You are linked sir!"

"This is the Flag, all ships in the name of the Ferogash send these murdering Terrans back to the hell pits that spawned them! Fire all missiles, once your magazines are empty, jump out!"

The outer edge of the battlegroup rippled with fire as the first ships to fire were the missile destroyers, launching as many missiles as they dared before jumping out. the Battlestars and other larger ships had bigger missile banks and more tubes to fire before they would jump out but fire they did, taking more minor damage in the process. The all fired and jumped until the WHS Fenris was the last one left being the biggest, it had many more missiles. In total though with combined warhead nukes, there was in total over 600,000 nukes heading for the UTFs top fleet, all of them taking different vectors and angles, hoping to minimise the damage they took.

"All banks are empty, that’s it we are dry, want us to load the reserve banks?"

"No get us out of here! Just give me two minutes" Farragut yelled over the sound of the fire fighting team that was putting out the fire in the CIC. He fought his way through the press of men to the comms board. "Get me a line to the RTMR Fleet"

"Connected" Came the terse reply.

"This is Admiral Farragut, sorry but I am not willing to lose 90 ships in a hopeless fight, good luck. Take my advice and save your service men and women, they have no need to die in a fight with no positive gain." Cutting the link and nodding to the FTL officer, he began the countdown. His baritone voice echoing around the halls. "Jump in 5....4....3....2....1....JUMP!" With that the Fenris jumped, hoping not to end up in a sun.

((OOC: Placeholder for future post.))

Air Defense cruisers started to pour fire in to the darkness of space, the blackness was filled with hundreds of thousands of pulses streams of them ripped through the darkness of space. X ray drones exploded beams of red energy slashing through space towards enemy missile fire. Tens of thousands of micro missiles per tube lunged out one after the other, they screeched towards enemy missile fire , Interceptor grids on the capital and lighter ships lit up, thousands upon thousands of pulses beams and missiles supplemented the air defense and drone fire . Bomb pumped X ray drones continued to pour out exploding and targeting enemy missile and incoming fire . Fighters strafed and turned three hundred and sixty degrees nearly instantly their pulse cannons firing ripping bolts of blue white energy towards incoming enemy fire.

Several smaller craft where torn to bits, they exploded in a fury of fire and metal as they where hit, shields on the larger craft where rippling and glowing with a soft blue hue.. The Federal Fleet began to move forward and down to intercept the retreating craft while the ninth fleet moved up from the bottom and the strike and skrimishing forces moved in to the 0 axis point.

**********
Former Haven Site - TEDF Task Force - Mark of Truth - Bridge
**********

Vizier was unused to military service. Normally Vizier was installed aboard transport ships, and dealing with the constantly changing data and situations of a warship was far different from hauling freight. Still, two years of service aboard a military vessel were part of Vizier's contract before it would be allowed to purchase it's very own ship. Right now, Vizier was considering the possibility that it might not get to finish those two years... #Captain, Admiral, I am relaying new data to your tanks.# The digital entity routed the tactical data coming in from the sensor drones, as well as the recorded comms message transmitted over two minutes ago.

"TRIAD vessles, here me. This conflict has nothing to do with you, for you have no intrests in the TEC, in which case you'd be breaking the agreed erms of the TEC, and have no other businessi n this system, atleast none we will allow. Leave. Now!"

#That was transmitted from the indicated vessels roughly two minutes ago. Thirteen of our drones received the transmission and routed it over ansible. The leading edge of our drones are now in realtime range of the Federal vessels. They have begun massive bombardment of the Red Talon ships. It is unlikely the Red Talons will be able to resist this scale of firepower for long. Vizier's modulated voice actually held a note of concern, something Gerard and the other organic officers picked up on, looking to each other for support.

Gerard sighed as he reviewed the incoming data, even as it was brought in by the drones. Gina opened her eyes and turned to the officer at the comms station, #Comms, open a data channel to the drone closest to that ship that tried to hail us. Use whatever transmission equipment is aboard the drone.#

The Tejhiik nodded and ran the necessary commands through the ship's collective dataspace, then turned back to Gina, "Line is open Admiral."

Gina nodded and pulled her headset mic into position, speaking evenly and clearly, #Attention unknown vessels. Our task force was ordered to this location to engage in search and rescue operations, in the hopes some or all of our personnel aboard the Haven station might have survived. We request identification of your authority to order us out of this area, as to our knowledge this place is still Red Talons territory unless or until relinquished by that nation. As you are no doubt aware, even now the Federal Union seems intent on taking this place by force, but until this battle is over or the Red Talon forces concede, this area of space is still under Red Talon jurisdiction. We will abide by any requests to remain out of this conflict, however we will begin our SAR operations immediately.# A quick hand sign to the comms tech and the line cut, the message transmitted.

Gerard watched, then leaned closer to Gina when she was done, "I hope you're not intending on taking us into that mess?" His gesture at the holotank gave little ambiguity exactly what 'mess' he meant.

Gina shook her head slowly, #No Captain. Our vessels would not make any difference in that battle, and the unknowns are correct in one assumption. We have no business in this fight. Oder all ships to approach the remnants of the Haven station. Vizier, begin bringing in the sensor drones to begin search procedures, but leave a third of them to monitor the battle.#

An acknowledging chime came from Vizier's emitter, while the comms officer saluted and got to work...


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Former Haven Site - TEDF Task Force
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Thankfully the Terrans' interdiction field did not quite cover the ruins of the Haven station, which allowed the TRIAD ships to continue to use their 'flicker warp' Displacement Drives to approach the debris field. The destroyers themselves slowed to a stop on the edge of the field, while the more agile frigates entered under sublight, drones flanking out in all directions. The active scanners aboard the drones began illuminating every chunk of the station large enough to possibly hold survivors, scanning both for heat sources, as well as the PID transponders every TRIAD citizen held within their body.

While the frigates were busy inside the debris field, the destroyers moved around to keep the largest pieces of the former station between them and the ongoing battle, while the tiny drones kept vigil and recorded the second Red Talon massacre.

As the fleet reached a point about equal distance Fleet admiral Gregori Alphonse growled, drawing his katana. "All vessels we have our exit, orient to Z axis, zero degrees, ahead full, fire all tubes, all guns fire at will, keep the door open."

The fleet, now in a general spherical wall oriented up on the lead of the Heavens Dawn. The 3km assault carrier's main engines lighting up with blue torches, their heat corona's flaring as they oriented into a cone formation pointed up, the ships rapidly accelerating as their deck guns traded lock targets, each barrel discharging every other second. The 12 5 meter deck guns Of the Ragnarok, and the Calypso, targeting the capital ships of the terran main fleet now on their side, Discharging with enough force to crack a planets crust. The carier taking the point of the formation as it began to rapidly accelerate, Hellcat interceptors deploying multikill torpedoes as Dragon corvettes deployed their torpedoes. Their light particle turrets targeting incoming enemy missiles. The cruisers, battleships, and frigates aligning into flanking positions, every deck gun in the fleet orienting on the Terran ships encircling them at the top of their formation. Missile tubes across the fleet deploying Multikill torpedoes, spamming micro missiles into the space between the two fleets, as antimatter charges flared in the darkness of space.

The bow of the Heavens Dawn Lit up with six beams of yellow white light, the beams tracking across space as the beams tracked across the terran's capital ships as well as support ships. The beams maintained their charge for a good ten seconds before they stopped. The Anti-capital linear gattling cannons acquiring and tracking enemy fleet ships based on distance. The ships rapidly accelerating out of the enemy formation, their particle drives going silent as vernier thrusters fired, the ships twisting around with swift grace, reverse thrusters firing to continue to accelerate backwards, Their guns continuing to fire even as they turned in space, tubes continuing to deploy torpedoes as fighters deployed anti-fighter missiles, their four condensed particle beam cannons cycling their fire on full automatic. Across the fleet frigates continued to target enemy fighters and support vessels with their mega-particle beams. A few frigates exploding as enemy fire battered the fleets hulls.

The Second fleet had stayed with the ships attempting to “flank them” of course their was no flanking in three dimensional combat, the masses of capital ships and escorts that made up the second fleet started moving in closer and closer gunning the engines of their ships. Admiral smith just sat back upon his chair he simply placed a cigar within his mouth, he sighed gently he looked over to his executive officer and then to the three dimensional tactical map exhibiting forces moving up and to the right, he rubbed his chin a bit taking out his cigar that was billowing with smoke and a red glow in its ashy tip.

He waved his hand

He smiled, he took out his cigar and ashed it putting it back in his mouth and taking a deep drag, he folded his hands upon his lap and folded them speaking out with a slightly muffled voice but not terribly muffled though.

“Send our skirmishers in, move in front of them if you have to, send a message to the other fleets to move in to position beta gamma alpha, the element forces we have are to rush in to the enemies center line”

“Aye sir”

His Xo nodded she sent the message out, the fleets began to move, another salvo of fire rained from above and came from bellow like a hellish expression of death himself, beams slashed and lanced out crackling with energy, missiles and rounds screeched behind pulses rippled through the darkness, the fleet had started to move at high speed, tens of thousands colors filled the night sky, roars and crackling discharges reverberating through every ship in the fleet.

It was as if the god of war himself was present blessing the fleet, and hurtling in to the battle with a full fatal fury. Smith just sat back his eyes focusing outside, he saw the masses of fire being unleashed from his fleet every side was lit up with hellish amount of fire.

The glow of blue white particle streams grew more intense as the fleets began to bare down. The skirmishers and task force elements lunged forth fire from them filling up the night sky with more of the hellish glow that was already present, they would move in to the center of the enemy formation , salvos of fire coming from each side of the ships as they maneuvered tens of beams flinging out lancing at the enemy screeching and slicing through the darkness. Smith just looked on, a smile across his smooth cheeks, his admirals hat placed well upon his head. He shifted and stiffed in his chair crossing one leg over the other.

The second fleet moved in slamming in to the enemy formation figuratively of course, their tight nit numerical horseshoe formation turned and banked in unison the Agamemnon it self lighting up with the first volleys of what would be a full scale attack by the Terran fleet. Thousands of beams missiles and pulses crackled shrilled and sliced through the night sky, the colors of the various energy beams and hues around the missiles made this a symphony of color and beauty.

But this beauty was death it self coming to claim the lives of countless men, the enemy fire ripped through several smaller ships including a few frigates a light cruiser and hit a few destroyers. The latter where damaged the former destroyed, the glow of incandescent fire lit up the sky as the frigates went up, the light cruiser was aflame its hull charred and billowing with white and orange hot streams of hull plating. Gallantly it fired back its undamaged cannon and missile backs opening the next salvo.

The fleet fired salvo after salvo, by this time the ninth had moved up from behind its horse shoe formation lighting up with a massive volley of energy weapon, pulse fire and projectile fire.

Almost as if a phalanx was marching towards an enemy formation with their near impenetrable wall of weapons to the front. The masses of beams and the utter volume of fire from both fleets ripped through the sky like demons from the portal to perdition it self. The task forces and skirmishers had moved in to their own position keeping up with the enemy movements , they moved towards the center of the enemy “flanking” maneuver.

Ships on the side of the horse shoes turned their turrets to the side, the churrs and whizzing of the turrets reverberated through the ships, as the terran forces moved in the side facing turrets on those ships from both fleets began to fire hundreds more beams and pulses and heavy weapon fire lanced out from them crackling through the stars. The god of war would smile upon this day indeed. Blood was being shed on both sides.

The skirmishers and task forces got closer to the enemy ships firing off their own deadly salvo of fire towards their engine systems behind. The TAS Churchill was on her side, she was an atlas class cruiser, her fusion pulse cannons and ion bolters recoiled as they fired towards an enemy ships engine, pulse after pulse raced out towards the ship.

SA-42H Dragon furies escorting SAB-43 War hammer gunships came up from behind the church hill strafing up and firing off volleys of fire. 60mm pulse cannon fire, followed by missiles and heavy capital ship missiles from the bomber and 45mm rapid fire pulse cannon salvos from the star furies ripped through the sky supplementing the Churchill pulse and missile fire.

The non-com ships, escorted by the fleets contingent of drone frigates reached the edge of the interdiction zone, once the last ship was clear the lot of them flashed with bright blue-purple flares as they vanished from the area, almost at the same moment, similar flashes lit up amongst the fleet as the drone frigates exited their jump in formation with the rest of the fleet. Bringing their ECM systems online to foul enemy comms, The fleet tightened its formation, dodging around enemy vessels as their weapons systems continued to pour fire into enemy vessels.

"Admiral, rescue vessels have safely exited the combat zone." Came the voice of the sensors officer. The admiral nodded . "Right, our job is done here, all ships initiate emergency jump procedures, recall strike craft, our job is done here."

Across the fleet, magnetic and gravitic readings would begin to rapidly climb as the remaining strike craft fell back to the carriers. frigates and destroyers covering their retreat as the fleet continued to fire. Mega-particle beams and linear cannons lighting up space with their white and blue flashes, the fire not really concentrated so much as it was suppressive fire in every direction. The drone frigates powering up their tac-jump field arrays, giving the fleet a stable area inside the interdiction zone. The fleet vanishing all at once in hundreds of blue-purple flashes.