NationStates Jolt Archive

All over the core of the Milky Way Galaxy, Tachyon-Class explorer vessels go from star to star with special sensors looking for something... something to counter the absolute evil that is the Red Dragon.

PZ-239 was one planet that had sparked their scanners interest... a high content of what had jokingly been referred to as "Good Energy," but it was much more than that. The Capsule CEOs knew that every great evil in the universe had an equally great good. The Red Dragon had showed itself, set freed and embodied by Raysian scientists on Optera IV.

A dig had begun on PZ-239... an uninhabitable hell-class planet, 5th in a system of 12 planets orbiting a blue sun in the Galactic Core, 30,000 ly from Sol, full of active volcanoes and devoid of any life, let alone signs of spiritual activity, save for some great point of energy locked inside, possibly two on top of one another. Readings on whether it was good or evil were unclear. One Patriarch-Class Cargo Foldship was landed on the ground at the dig site, emitting a strong radiation barrier around the site, protecting the archaeologists, while a Moroni-Class Assault Foldship was in orbit Guarding the planet.

The space around the planet had been deemed a restricted area, and the entire Solar System, devoid of native life, was under heavy surveilance, with limited access allowed.

No one knew exactly what they were looking for, and this entire project has been deemed classified.

The CCSS Valiance, Capsule Corporation's new Flagship, dropped out of hyperspace near the planet, planning to inspect the dig and check in on their status.

http://www.bateshome.com/jordan/valiance.jpg

OOC: Now, someone accidentally enters the scene lol

"Captain, I'm reading some weird fluctuations in the Sub-Space generator. It seems like a type 3 interference, I'd say we're passing way to close to a systems star."

"Hmmm, that's odd. Jump-Node usually only exist near the borders of systems, how could this one be so close?"

"I don't know sir, but we better drop out of Sub-Space to check it out."

"Permission granted. A science team isn't much good if they never stop to examine anything new. Bring the ships into normal space."

With a flicker of light a massive blue portal opens in space, an Orion class Destroyer escorting two Faustus class Research vessels burts into the system, foloowed soon by it's guarded ships.

"Sir! We have ships in system! They're signaling!"

"What the hell? Who could we meet way out here? Open a channel!"

He slowly turns to face the viewplate, unsure of what he'll face.

The Valiance quickly picks them up on sensors, coming dangerously close to the perimeter of the restricted space around PZ-239.

Commander Sariah Keluma takes the call herself, returning the hail from the Incoming ships.

Commander: "Unidentified ships, I'm sorry, but you have entered restricted Capsule Corporation space. We ask that you please leave immediately."

With relief evident on the Captains face, he adresses the now identified ships.

"Capsule Corporation? Wow, that's a relief. What are the odds of meeting way out here? This is Captain, Third Class, Jacob Cenxio of the Klonor Space Force. We are on a peaceful scientific mission escorting civilian scientists into previously unexplored areas of space. What are you doing out here?"

"We're checking up on a level 8 Classified operation on this planet. Why are you here? Because I'm afraid I'm going to have to ask you to leave, if you can."

"We got some really strange energy interference when we were passing through this star system. From the signature, it seems that the Jump-Node is within 1 A.U. of the sun, and there has never been a documented case of that happening. We dropped out of Sub-Space to check it out. Perhaps we could help each other in our investigations?"

The Captain really didn't want to leave, any interruption in the monotnous examination of lifeless system after lifelss system was a vacation.

The 32nd Exploriation Group was flying past the system when they discovered radio waves from a message.

' This is Capitain Black we are requesting identification of who you are? ' the capitain said wondering why anybody would wanna be here.

The commander notes the other incoming transmission and puts it on hold.

She simply says "Stand By," to the Klonor ships, then switches channels to hear the LoA transmission.

She replies, practically on a script, "I'm sorry, but you have entered restricted Capsule Corporation space. We ask that you please leave immediately."

the TSD Nebulon-B Cruiser Atlessa hypers into the system above the planet PZ-234, they launch a small shuttle to the surface that carries a spare cloaking field generator and some more Troopers for the Garrison.

the shuttles goes to the surface and lands in a small cave, they send a complex Code to a small probe and it deactivates the Bases Cloaking device for 8 seconds, just enough time to land. once they are in the cloak reactivates and the Atlessa leaves the system at maximum speed

' We request a small party of ships to be sent for exploration. ' Captian Black new there was something fuzzy about this.

"He put me on hold? Are you serious? I'm the captain of a giant freaking battleship and he puts me on hold? I like him."

"I'm sorry, we can not allow this. If you have no need to be in here, please leave. This area will be unrestricted when we are finished, which is any time between tomorrow and 5 years from now."

' We are searching for a possible alien lifeform codenamed RedÐragonXC which have been terrorizing planets ' Capitian Black sent a encryped transmission to the SS Kolob ' We request 4 stealth landing craft with infantry to be delivered to us immeditaly '

OOC: Do you mean the CCSS Kolob, MY ship? It's not in the area

IC: "Well, there is definately no life in this system... and the Only Red Dragon we know of is certainly not in this system, heck its probably not in this galaxy."

The commander switches channels back to the Klonor ship. "Please rendezvous with CCSS Valiance immediately. You have permission to approach."

The Valiance is in orbit, near the CCSS Ketchum, the Moroni-Class in the area.

OOC: You mean I'm off hold? YAY!

IC:

"Roger that. We'll have the lead Faustus dock with your ship, the second one wants to run some tests on our Sub-Space Generators, and I just don't want to get to close to your new "big gun" ship. It scares me (he is only half joking)"

The GDSV Einstein slowly moves forward, it's sensor struts spinning as it constantly absorbs data even as it approaches the Valiance. Soon, it is right alongside the hull of the larger vessel.

the Atlessa hypers out of the system once they are out of range of sensors

the Shuttle unloads it cargo and shuts down while TSD scientists start working on the cloaking device to enhance it's range and it's power usage

A blue point source opens up, and swiftly expands to a smooth, infinitely thin blue disk
A large, smooth grey ship with several bumbs along its single hull punches its way out of the disk, blue lightning hundreds of kilometers in length arcs across its hull, but the ship seems to sustain no damage

"Did the jump go as planned? Yes moderatii Rosokov, we have cleared the anomaly, hull SSE levels are returning to normal. We will initiate the next jump within 17 hours"

"Very good kaimov, see to it the arcsmen get a bonus in their Okvad rations"

"Yes sir"

"Scan for any other targets"

"Sir! anomalous readings! there are at least 5 other super-light capable ships within this system! 3 are heavily armed!"

"Open all channels"

"This is the USSSJ zarya, state your mission and purpose for being in this sector"

"This is the GDD Galatea of the Klonor Space Force, we are here on a peaceful scientific mission. Please state your intentions"

A quick nod to the side begins the power rod insertion for the Beam Cannons.

OOC: Trasa, you are on probation from my ignore list, be careful.

IC: Several "landing lights" guide the Klonor science vessel to a landing deck on the forward starboard hull. Umbilicals extend out to the ship, and a small welcome party waits at the airlock.

Back on the bridge, an officer alerts the commander about a few hyperspace disturbances.

Officer: :What do you think it could mean, commander?"

Commander: "I don't know, but i doubt we are alone. Where was it?"

"Near PZ-234."

"Send a ship to investigate."

A Tachyon-Class Vessel, loaded with 2 Fighters and 4 Mecha, departs from one of the Valiance's bays, quickly hyperspacing over to PZ-234 to run a few scans.


Back on the bridge, sensors detect yet another ping.

Officer: "Commander, yet another ship in the area."

She sighs, and reads from her mental script again, in response to the hail, "I'm sorry, but you have entered restricted Capsule Corporation space. We ask that you please leave immediately."

OOC: OK, no more players please :)

aboard USS zarya

"moderatii, we have a hail from two of the super-lights"

"And?"

"It seems we have intruded into the restricted space of a CC scientific op"

"How can that be? Oskmov trans-control stated No ships at any of the exit points!"

"Seems they were wrong moderatii"

"What of the other superlight? They claim to also be on a scientific mission, however we have detected massive weapons array buildup"

"Open a channel to the CC ship"

"Yes moderatii"

"CC ship, this is the USSSJ zarya, we cannot simply "leave" at any moment, it will take at least 17 hours to properly charge...."

"Moderatii! massive surge in the aft relay, Arc shields are critical!"

"Dapmen it!"

"Impossible moderatii, it is catalytic!"

"Standby CC ship.."

Sariah sighs, then half-jokingly suggests "Well can you just go break down on the other side of the system? If you can't, I guess you can stay here, but you will be under surveilance...." She notices the fluxuations, "Are you in need of assistance?"

A note, none of the Valiance's weapons are on, and most of them are stowed under the hull, semi-concealed and out of use. The Moroni Can't help it, its weapons are permanently deployed, but are currently offline.

Outside the Zarya's aft began to start shedding what appeared to be small mirrors. As a few of the glass-smooth shards passed a large chunk of matter, the asteroid stopped in its milennia long orbit. Dead still.

"Moderatii! Reaction is super-spatial. it is affecting matter within a radius of 500kqq"

"Containmen?"

"Void 3 is offline, Void 2 is at 50% critical, Void 1 is holding"

"open a channel to the CC ship"

"yes moderatii"

"CC ship we are.... errr... temporarily indisposed...."

"Sir, we have a massive energy buildup in the rear of the new ship! I'm reading a cascade, it's overflowing into new areas! Orders?"


"Damn, our first contact and they manage to break down and blow up. Is there any danger? The research those Faustus's are carrying is vital, we'll need to evac them if there is.

"Open a channel!"

"Attention klonor! do not fire! This is not an explosion in the ordinary light..."

"For now everyone else is perfectly safe"

WHOA WHOA WHOA! I did not just write that! My sister popped in while I was in the bathroom, she wrote that. My ships did not fire on you. I'm gonna go back and edit the post.

The commander notes the ship's damage, "Is there anything we can do to help you?"

*moderatii Rosokov mumbles something about almost having an intersol incident on his hands*

OOC: So, we're cool, right? The shooting never actually happened.

OOC: better let CapsuleCorp get a word in their own R.P

OOC: better let CapsuleCorp get a word in their own R.POOC: I'm going to bed, I'll continue tomorrow. if you guys wanna keep doing stuff amongst yourselves, go ahead, but do not interact with any CC ship or anything on PZ-239. And please, do not try to rerite what I already have going, ie. making up what is on the planet or what the red dragon is. if you don't know, you don't know.

OOC: I'm going to bed, I'll continue tomorrow. if you guys wanna keep doing stuff amongst yourselves, go ahead, but do not interact with any CC ship or anything on PZ-239. And please, do not try to rerite what I already have going, ie. making up what is on the planet or what the red dragon is. if you don't know, you don't know.

OOC: DAMIT! the first descent R.P I'm involved in in months and THIS happens..

OOC: LOL i'll be on in...10 hours.

bump?

the Trasian ship responds


Captian Holz:This is Captian Holz of the Trasian starship Atlessa, we where delivering supply's to our research station in the Quasa rei System, we where just passing through and we are almost out.

The Tachyon-Class vessel in orbit of PZ-234 returns the hail, "Trasa? Oh... hmmm... are you aware this is restricted space?"

Captian Holz:no, we where unaware that this area was restricted, we shall leave the area immeadiatly for there is nothing here that interests us and we need to get back to the LV system.

Tachyon: "right... well please get on your way." he says, with an underlying tone of distaste for trasans.

Captian Holz:Affermative, hyper engines charging up. charged, engaging hyperdrive now

the Atlessa jumps into hyperspace


onboard the Atlessa a Leutenient walks over to Holz


Captian Holz:Signal the TSD High command, tell them somthings going on in the PZ system, they almost discovered the Weapons/technology depot


Leutenient Jart:Aye sir, encoding transmission to Priority 2, sending now

officer on the Tachyon-class: "What could those idiots want here?"

commanding officer of the tachyon-class: "I dunno, but I'd keep scanning, make sure they didn't drop anything on the planet down there."

officer: "That planet is uninhabitable... why would they drop anything down there?"

"I don't know, but Do a deep scan on the surface for any energy readings beyond normal... they could have some cloaked ships or something."

"Right sir."

Transmission to the CC vessel re-opened.

"Since the SS ship doesn't seem like it's about to blow up, want to let us in on what's going on around here? I'm sure we could help each other out."

Sariah nods, then transmitts to all in the area. "I can fill you in, but I can't let you go down there, it's a very controlled environment. To sum things up, we don't really know what we're looking for, but we know that there is an equal and opposite force to every great power in the universe, and we are preparing to go to war with one such great power. An evil demigod, the Red Dragon, has posessed a mortal female, and from that she gained immortality and the ability to leave the planet she was exiled to. In doing so, she took an entire Capsule Corportion fleet with her. We are here because there is a high spiritual energy reding, and we're investigating it. based on our last encounter, this could very well be the site of another exiled/trapped demon, but we do not know. We are only hoping that there is something down there that can help us."

She takes a deep sigh, "Now that I have that explained, you can see there is nothing really you can do to help, or is there? We would be glad to help you guys with your ship probelms."

OOC: So there's a possible demon or god down on the planet? Wow. Better break out the fancy weapons that we'll eventually end up using to kill everybody in this thread

All over the core of the Milky Way Galaxy, Tachyon-Class explorer vessels go from star to star with special sensors looking for something... something to counter the absolute evil that is the Red Dragon.

PZ-239 was one planet that had sparked their scanners interest... a high content of what had jokingly been referred to as "Good Energy," but it was much more than that. The Capsule CEOs knew that every great evil in the universe had an equally great good. The Red Dragon had showed itself, set freed and embodied by Raysian scientists on Optera IV.

A dig had begun on PZ-239... an uninhabitable hell-class planet, 5th in a system of 12 planets orbiting a blue sun in the Galactic Core, 30,000 ly from Sol, full of active volcanoes and devoid of any life, let alone signs of spiritual activity, save for some great point of energy locked inside, possibly two on top of one another. Readings on whether it was good or evil were unclear. One Patriarch-Class Cargo Foldship was landed on the ground at the dig site, emitting a strong radiation barrier around the site, protecting the archaeologists, while a Moroni-Class Assault Foldship was in orbit Guarding the planet.

The space around the planet had been deemed a restricted area, and the entire Solar System, devoid of native life, was under heavy surveilance, with limited access allowed.

No one knew exactly what they were looking for, and this entire project has been deemed classified.

The CCSS Valiance, Capsule Corporation's new Flagship, dropped out of hyperspace near the planet, planning to inspect the dig and check in on their status.

http://www.bateshome.com/jordan/valiance.jpg

OOC: Now, someone accidentally enters the scene lol

OOC: You find Goku yet? :lol:

OOC: Klonor, Possibly, or it could be a powerful artifact or something.

Steel butterfly... wtf?

Took the words right out of my mouth

IC:

"So there's a possible demon or god down on the planet? Wow. Is there any immediete danger? If there is we need to evac right away, the information the Faustus's are carrying is vital. However, if there's no direct and current threat we'd like to help. Perhaps a penetrating scan of the planets surface? The Faustus's have the most advanced sensors in 4 star systems."

Sariah Smirked, "Oh, I guarantee you, whatever is down there, has been down there for a few thousand, if not a million years. We've been picking around at this planet for a few years now, and I'm just checking up to see how things are going, and then you showed up. We haven't really dounf anything yet."

Almost as if it were on cue, a transmission came from one of the teams on the ground.

"Stand by," she says to the Klonor ship as she switches channels. A private message, but unencrypted, from the planet. "What's going on down there?"

A man appears on screen with a few scientist running around casually behind him, "We found something. It looks like a doorway to a temple or something."

"Well that seems like something we would have picked up instantly, why couldn't we see it?"

"Because it is burried beneath 300 meters of solid lava rock... looks like a volcano eruption burried it... probably even multiple eruptions over thousands of years."

"Can we get to it?"

"It will take a while, we only found it from a deep-earth probe. Perhaps a blast from one of your cannons might do something?"

"Yeah, it would probably do the job... we'll consider it. Keluma out."

She switches back to the Klonor ship, "We found something."

"I heard" (gotta love those unencrypted messages)

"Sorry for eavesdropping, but we need to know what's going on. Perhaps a surgical strike, using a small gun or laser to slice through the rock like a scalpal, rather than using s shot to blow the rock away."

He immedietly turns to his computer and runs through some quick simulations

"The odds are much in favor of leaving the ruins undamaged if we slice rather than blast."

"Who said anything about ruins? The last one we ran into was perfectly in tact, and full of beautiful technology we had never seen before. We hope to actually take something with us this time... and before the Red Dragon finds out we're here. Here, look at this."

*she transmitts a video transmited from the planet the red dragon just destroyed in the other thread*

"That was less than 5 hours ago. We have no idea if she even knows we are here... most likely she does. Anyway, We have a weapon that just might do the trick, its a armor piercing farad weapon, and it should be able to work... whats your option again?"

"Ruins, not ruins, with an Orion here's it'll be a ruin soon enough (The motto of the Orion: Where these ships wander, war is certain to follow)."

He giggles a bit off to the side (It has been a long mission) before resuming his chat

"If you try to blast the rock away you risk damaging or destroying whatever is underneath. Even if you don't damage the structure, there will be extreme heat from the explosion, rock everywhere, it wont be fun. We should use a low power weapon to slice through the rock like a scalpal, so that the structure underneath remains intact and the rock is gone it a much less messy way."

"Any ideas? We have powerful cutting lasers, which would work, but what would we do with the chunks of rock we cut out?"

"Set up a phase-gate (I'll send a pair down). Put one right next to the rock, and another one 1 mile away. As you slice off the rock, it falls into the phase gate and re-appears far away."

"Sounds good. Mind if we handle it? We are trying hard to maintain a controlled environment down there."

occ: should come back into the rp?

occ: should come back into the rp?ooc: if you want to, go ahead somehow.

"Sure, I'll have the Faustus guys that have docked with your ship give you a pair of phase-gates. Just put them on the planet (one next to the site and the other far away) and turn them on. Since they'll be the only two gate opperating there wont be any need to set the coordinates or anything."

ooc; whats happeneing so far>

OOC: Nothing really affecting you. Jump in somewhere if you feel it is right.

IC: "Right. Thank you."

*Time passes*

*The gates are now in place and the CCSS Valiance, with the Klonor Science vessel undocked priorly, has descended down to the planet and is holding the gate over the dig site in place with a graviton beam. Panels covering a starboard laser bank retract, revealing the dual-cannon turrets. Firing one after another, the lasers begin to bore through, cutting a decent-sized tunnel in the ground. Graivton arrays suck up debris like a vacuum cleaner.

After an hour, a 25 degree tunnel is formed, roughly 10 meters wide. The Valiance pulled up out from the planet's atmosphere after its usefulness was depleted. A specially modified Legolas-Class Mecha went ahead of a team of marines and scientists to finish clearing off the last of the rock from the entrance.

In orbit, Sariah Keluma sat on the bridge, wanting to join the marines down on the planet.

OOC: this is good so... tag

Aboard the Zarya

"Moderatii, the catalytic is stable, containment is regained"

"Region unusable"

"Less than a cubic parsec"

"Exactly how much?"

"550k cubic s.u"

"Right, ... that leaves us unable to arc for another 37 hours."

"Yes moderatii"

"How much of the aft is arrested?"

"Decks 3-7, compartment A-K"

"Hmm... Science is still online?"

"Yes moderatii"

"Can we see what's down there?"

"Yes moderatii.... Standard M3 class planet, few super-microscopic lifeforms. There seems to be an archaeo dig Here, and something else here *points to inconsistency in surface mapping*"

"Cloacking technology?"

"It's possible Moderatii"

"Open a channel to the surface, all frequencies"

"Yes moderatii"

"Atention surfaced craft, we have detected possible diffraction shield at coordinates 23.00, 42.90"

OOC: Trasa is on a different planet, just in case you were confused. I am on PZ-239, he is on PZ-234.

OOC:we are aware.

OOC:Same system though, right?

*The Tachyon Class ship in orbit overhears the transmission from the Sovietsky ship**They confirm the energy readings* "Ahah! They are down there! Repeat the same transmission. Let them know we see them too." *they repeat the transmission*

Officer: "Should we deploy?"

"Nah, let's wait for a response. if there is no reply, then we go in."

the Trasian Commander realizes that his base is disvcovered, he inputs a command he hoped he would never use


TSD Commander:Computer, autodestruct command, code:402-834-Dark.

Computer:autodstruct sqeuence engaaged, awaiting final code for countdown


TSD commander: Code: 930-destruction-28


Computer: Code approved, 10 minutes to destruction.


TSD Commander:All hands, i urge all Trasians to go deeper into the caves for i am destroying the main base. alert Peuce.

After receiving no reply, the Tachyon-Class corvette goes lower into the atmosphere, right above where the disturbances are, then repeats the hail. Mecha pilots crawled towards their walkers, hoping to see some action for the first time in a while.

Computer:Self-destruct in 4 minutes

the TSD commander sits down in his command chair, and thinks about Trasa and The LV system.

Commander: "Hmm... wel I guess if no one is down there, they won't mind if we launch a 5 kilogram antimatter torpedo... hmm.. launching in 10 seconds." he counts down audibly, "9... 8.. 7.. 6...5...4..3..2.."

The digging ont he planet is complete. Wanting to see things for herself, Sariah keluma and a few other officers from her staff take a shuttle down to the planet. All are lightly armed, in case of trouble.

Sariah's shuttle makes its way down the shaft and lands near the entrance to the ancient temple or whatever it is.

The team, about 12 in total, stare at the door for a moment, trying to figure out how to open it.

Back at PZ-234

*Forces closed emote, due to lack of roleplay by Soviet Trasa*

Commander: "Zero."

Officer: "No response sir."

Commander: "Take us up to orbit and fire."

The Tachyon-Class corvette quickly gains altitude then releases a single Anti-Matter Warheadded torpedo down to the source of thedistrubance.

A bright flash lights up the planet as a few kilograms of anti-matter break free of their magnetic holds on impact. All matter in the area converts into pure energy, and releases a chain reaction, changing everything in the area of about 30 kilometers into a perfectly formed crater. Air rushes into the vacuumus gap where matter once existed.


An officer on the Valiance calls in. "Find anything?"

Commander of Tachyon-Class: "Nothing. RTB."

The archaeologists start to read a series of glyphs on the archway and door. They easily recognize it as a Reformed Egyptian.

One of the linguists reads the words, "The outer writings say this is a Temple, but the writings on the door suggest that this temple is merely a guard tower to a spirit prison deep within this planet. And to open the door, we need to... ...does anyone have any Consecrated oil?"

One of the guards reaches into his pocket and pulls out a small LiquidMetal cylindar. He passes it off to the scientist. The scientist unscrews the lid and lets a single drop of the blessed virgin olive oil run down inside of one of the glyphs. Amazingly, the small drop grows, spreading out until it fills in the entire glyph. It flashes for a moment, then with a quiet rumble, the Marble door slides open.

A bright light beamed through into the lava tunnel. A perfectly preserved biodome garden was inside. Trees, shrubs, grass, and flowers, all gre freely in this chamber, aside from the Hell that was just outside. A marble bridge floated over the middle of the chamber. The team walked through, leaving their weapons at the door. Sariah, as well as the other teammates, recorded everything they saw in their hard memory. No one even notcied what was above them until a scientist pointed it out. Flowing through the ceiling was a brilliant projection of a diagram of the galaxy. Several points points beamed brighter than others for some reason, but the scientists would decipher it later. They recorded everything on the map in erfect 3d holomemory.

At the end of the bridge, another door stood, made of an unusual wood. Sariah half-jokingly but mostly seriously asked "Everyone still Clean?" Everyone nodded and she, now at point, pushed the door open. Before she could take one step into the room, a voice called to her by name.

"Did you guys hear that?" they all shook their heads confused. Sariah signalled for them to wait.

She walked in and let the door close behind her. The room was plain, white, with no evidence of a light source, but somehow, it was well lit.

She felt a wind quickly gust over her, and felt somehow different, though she couldn't understand what had happened.

"Sariah," the voice called again.

"I'm here..." she says, wondering what was going on. She stepped further into the room. A figure behind her placed a hand on her shoulder, which normally would have shocked her, but instead comforted her.

Sariah and the man speak for a very long time. After 2 hours, the Science crew had finished their job and returned to the surface, leaving a mecha there for her escape.

One officer reported unencrypted to the ships in the area with a report, basically of what they saw in the "lobby" and told them that Sariah had been gone for some time now.

The XO of the Valliance receives the report and acknowledges.

Just after the channel closes, an officer hastily gives a report on something happening on the other side of the planet. "Sir, Massive Gravitational Anamoly on the far side of the planet... looks like a very heavy space fold!"

"...on screen."

A bright flash of light, rays bending in akward directions, hovers over PZ-239 on the planet, just barely in line of sight, about 5,000km away. They can't see what's inside the energy, but they read matter materializing. The screen magnifies, then magnifies again and agaion until a picture can be clear. The same battlegroup that attacked the other Capsule Colony a few days ago.

The executive officer stood almost dumbfounded. The officer next to him simply said, "Ummm... sir?"

"Arm all weapons, Fold us over there right now, get the Moroni there to. We need to go after that Big ship, thats the one that blew up the last planet!"

All the officers scrambled to their positions as all systems and crew went to red alert. The Moroni-Class in the area was quickly readied as well.

A message is sent to the klonor and sovietsky ships as the ship enters space fold, "Please, you must help us! Either help us attack that big ship or help get those people off the planet! They got a ship down there, but I doubt they know what's coming! Do something!" the ships fold over quickly to the site of the battle and immediately begin fighting like crazy.

"You heard 'em, I want that planet evacuated, NOW! Transmit an Omega code to the phase gate and get everybody down there up to the Orion as soon as possible. Once the planets clear (the length of time until evacuation completion is the amount of time it will take for every person down there to walk through a phase gate. Travel to our ships is istantaneous (well, not instantaneous, but close enough)) contact the Faustus's, have them move off. Their information is vital."

"Yes, sir. Evacutaion of the planet commencing."

"Good. Charge the Beam Cannons, arm the Laser Turrets, and take the safeties off the Tsunamis. I want a wing of Medusa's in the black in 5 minutes. We're in for a fight."

As soon as the two ships enter into the battle, all guns begin firing, and all shields up. Rail Cannon slugs go flying everywher as the 2 ships weave in and out of the manyu battlecruisers in the enemy group, Laser banks slicing ships open as they pass. Fire hits both shields, nearly buckling them right off. Enemy lasers penetrate straight through theshields of the moroni-Class and burn a good chunk out of the midsection of the ship.

Breaking out the big guns, but not really too big, the Valiance begins firing the Sub-Farad weapons, boring very large holes through enemy ships and cutting deep scars into the sides of the larger ships.

"Sir, why aren't we deploying fighters yet?

"We can't deploy fighters, because we got to get out of here as soon as those people are off the planet!"

"Sir, The Patriarch-Class landing vessel on the planet is mostly packed and is trying to take off right now, the others are being evacuated by the Klonor ships."

"Good, and Commander Keluma?"

"No sign of her, sir."

The valiance continus to fire, taking a good hit or two through the weak shields, impacting the armor.

"Laser bank 6 Off-line! And that Big ship is charging for its attack! Recommend we attack as soon as possible!""

"Charge both of the main guns, we're gonna go after that planet destroyer!"

The two holls each split in half and begin to gather energy between the capacitors. The Valiance continued to fight hard, weaving in and out on its way to the big ship, and soon it began to visibly glow. After a matter of maybe 15 seconds, both cannons were fully charged.

"Target the lower tip of the ship and fire!"


However, these enemies were not stupid, they held the knowledge of the Capsule colonists they captured some years ago, and knew the power of the farad system well.

"Collission Alert!!" an officer yells out, after the order to fire was already given. The beams fire just as a large ship rams into the side of the Valiance. The armor holds most of the shock, but the energy waves are knocked off course, slightly to the left, completely missing the planet destroyer. However, the beam does successfully take out 3 enemy ships and countless fighters.

In frustration, the Valiance fires all available laser banks and rail cannons at the ship that rammed into them, splitting it open and ripping it to shreds.

"Sir, the ship will fire in 2 minutes."

The Valiance comes about and bugs out of the battlefield full throttle. The Moroni-class tries to do the same, but takes a hard hit upon exitting, knocking it out and letting it fall adrift. Enemy lasers and missiles rittle the ship to pieces within seconds.

"Sir! All civilians and military personnell on the planet have been evacuated to the Faustus's!"

"Excellent! Give them a go ahead for Sub-Space entry, take them back to Klonor space."

"Message sent. Sir! The main CC ship has just left the battle!"

"What about the other one?"

"Sensors are reading 2, no 3 hulls. It's been blasted to pieces."

"**** ******** *** ************** ***** ** ******!!!!!! Okay, how long before the Faustus's reach the Jump-Node?"

"ETA, 5 minutes."

"We'll need to buy them some time. Weapons, target that main concentration of ships with the Beam Cannons (all five), I want shifting concentrations of Laser fire on the support ships (all the Laser Turrets shoot at one vessel for a bit, then they all shoot at a different ship), and prepare for an immediete Jump. Fire!"

As the Patriarch begins to lift off the planet, Sariah's legolas-Class mecha shoots out of the tunnel like a bullet, heading towards the ship. She pops into a small docking bay on the ship and it quickly leaves the planet. Overhearding the conversation about the Faustuses, the Patriacrch class hails them and lets them know that it can take them with Patriarch-Class in a space fold. The Foldship advances quickly to the Faustsus' position, and begins charging its fold drives.

"ETF 75 seconds!"

"How long until that ship fires?"

"30 seconds!"

"Roger that, we'll be prepared to Fold with you."

The Faustus's, formerly speeding towards the edge of the system, reverse and head towards the CC ship, hoping to escape the attacking vessels.

The Orion's Beams', aiming for the main ship, are blocked by the mass of smaller vessels surrounding it. However, they still work pretty darn well. With the aliens not expecting an attack from the formerly docile ship their shields (or whatever they have) are not focused in it's direction. With a soundless explosion the Beams slice through the engines of two escorts, and the other three Cannons punch right through the hull of a small Cruiser. The Laser Turrets have less success, the shifting fire preventing them from getting any real penetration. However, it does a great job of causing hesitation in the attackers.

"Okay, as soon as the Faustus's are out I want a jump to the edge of the system, then a precise jump back in. Let's end up right next to the Jump-Node so we can get the hell out of there."

A beam of energy pours down from the Large planet-killer ship. Energy continues to pump into the planet, having seemingly no effect at first, but very soon it becomes evident that the planet begins spinning much faster.

As the rotation continues to accellerate, the 2 capsule corporation ships send out their coordinates to the Klonor ships just before folding to a spot barely 2 light years away from the planet.

The defending Red Dragon ships quickly fold out of the area, following the capsule ships, as the planet-killer continues to fire.

Once the planet begins to spin out of control and begins to crack up, the ship simply dissappears. In actuality it is a phase cloak, but to everyone else, it just disappears.

The Valiance arrives at the rendezvous point just in time to warn the Science vessels to clear the area. before the Patriarch-Class Leaves, Sariah's shuttles returnes to the flagship.

TheScience vessels fold again and leave the area to a somewhat safer location.

Meanwhile, the fighters and corvettes on the Valiance begin to deploy. Beside the Valiance, 2 Tachyon Corvettes, 2 Reflex Corvettes, 36 Mecha, 144 Fighters, and 36 Mahonri Moriancumer-Class Gunships are ready to fight the battlegroup that would surely arrive in a moment.

They awaited the Klonor ship and the Red Dragon's Battle Group.

RD Battle Group:

From Tech listing here: http://www.nationstates.net/forum/viewtopic.php?t=89817

1 Heavy Multi-Role Cruiser
2 Heavy Assault Cruisers
1 Medium Attack Cruiser
8 Medium Strike Cruisers
9 Gravship Cruisers
6 Heavy Artillery Ships
2 Heavy Carriers
36 Gunships
48 Heavy Flying Power Armors
90 Light Aerospace Fighters

Sariah looks at the stats of the incoming battlegroup, and realizes that without help, they're deeply screwed.

Thebes System
2.3 ly Away.

Vice Admiral John Ashton faced the viewport at the starfield beyond. His hands were clasped behind his back, his grey hair slicked back, his cool eyes surveying the miriad of stars outside, but also watching the bridge crew mill about in the reflection. In the starboard crew pit, an ensign was hunched over a console technician's shoulder, checking the results. "Sir?" the ensign asked.

"Yes?" the calm admiral responded. "What is it, Ensign?" Task Force 54, under his command, had been dispatched to this dimension after the survey results from the Argus several months before. They had remained hidden, waiting for word to move. Ashton wondered if perhaps, this was his chance to strike a blow for the Glory of Mother Terra. The middle aged admiral was an old time fire-eater, a warhorse who ran his ships with calm perfection. For this, he was both despised and loved by those under his command. But for all his calm, he loved nothing more than the thunder of missile volleys, the jolt of rail strikes, the sizzle of plasma...

"We're registering massive weapons fire in the PZ system. Looks like Capsule signatures on the ships. Wait... we've got multiple spacefolds. They're in Nexus SK-42, multiple contacts folding now, sir."

Admiral Ashton slowly turned, pacing surely acorss the gantry towards the Ensign. "Well, Capsule is our ally. I'd assume that this is the much vaunted Red Dragon Captain Monroe spoke of." He paused, stroked his chin. "Comms. Signal the Capsule ships. See if they need backup. I'll assume they'll say yes. Helm, lay course, power Jump Gates. Alert the fleet. General quarters."

The crew jumped to work, pulsing the signal to the Capsule ships via subspace. Task Force 54, arrayed behind the Battleship Torrent, Ashton's flagship, warmed their Gates. Gun turrets swung into position, missiles armed, racks extended. Klaxons pulsed, and pilots scrambled to their strikefighters as bulkheads sealed. Ashton waited calmly on the bridge of the Torrent, waiting for the response with grim anticipation.

An officer addressed Commander keluma as she entered the bridge, "Sir, we're being hailed by nearby TRSN Ships! They want to know if we need help!"

She smiled, a prayer had been answwered. "Yes, tell them to get their butts over hear right now! Send them the status of both forces."

"right sir."

info on both sides sent.

Ashton heard the reply and nodded. "Prepare for Jump. Slash pattern Alpha, then break into components for battle." he sat down in his command chair. The ships in TF 54 aligned for the Jump. This was Admiral Ashton's signature move, a stylized punch that had earned him the venom of high command years before. Another pulse transmission was sent to the Capsule ships. "Spread your fleet to these coordinates, run full speed outsystem. Draw the Red Dragon into pursuit. Once we appear, wheel about and engage. We are inbound now, ETA Seven Minutes. God speed."

TF 54 roared forward, their antimatter engines pounding out maximum thrust. The Jump Gates aligned. With a blinding flash, space/time shattered, and the fleet was gone from Thebes.

"Well those ships are ETA unknown, they can be here any second. We're just going to be prepared to fight them at a drop."

[tag for later]

With a brief flash of blue the GTD Galatea burst into space, this time un-encumbered by the Faustus's. Ready for battle it has sent the slower science ships back home, and stayed to give the Red Dragon a bit of return.

"Begin re-insertion of the power rods. Start the power ups for the Laser Turrets, arm the Flak Cannons."

"Weapons are armed and ready."

"Good. Launch of a wing of Valkyries and Athenas, we need to be ready."

Sariah couldn't help but smile at the Klonor Ship as it emerged from FTL.

"OK guys, I want a full readiness report."

"Senine Blue Squadron Ready."

"Senine Red Squadron Ready."

"Senine Orange Squadron Ready."

"Senine Grey Squadron Ready."

"StarFalcon Sapphire Squadron Ready."

"StarFalcon Vermillion Squadron Ready."

"TrickFighter Emerald Squadron Ready."

"TrickFighter Ruby Squadron Ready."

"Legolas Cyan Squadron Ready."

"Legolas Violet Squadron Ready."

"Legolas Yellow Squadron Ready."

"Mahonri Moriancumer Green Squadron Ready."

"Mahonri Moriancumer White Squadron Ready."

"CCSS Nu, Reflex Class, Ready."

"CCSS Mu, Reflex Class, Ready."

"CCSS Omega, Tachyon Class, Ready."

"CCSS Phi, Tachyon Class, Ready."

"CCSS Valiance currently shifting into full battle mode, all Gunners ready, Laser banks Deploying, Rail Cannons charging, Particle Bolt Cannons charging."

The scene outside the Valiance was extraordinary, squadrons of mecha and fighters and gunships and corvettes orbiting around the ship in defensive paterns resembling a model of an atom. Concealed ports yet unopened uncover themselves to reveal smaller farad guns in 8 banks of 16. The forwards hulls of the ship split vertically and prepare to generate energy for the Farads.

Lastly, a heavy shield erects itself around this ship in a quick bubble-shape flash.

"CCSS Valiance now ready."

Sariah's smile grew brighter, this was quite exciting for her, the first action the ship's crew would ever really see.

"Commander, The Red Dragon ships are beginning to defold, 100 km forward."

"Sweet, they couldn't have falled for this any better. Are the Main Guns Charged?"

"Yes sir."

"Fire the port farad at the first clear signal, and the starboard at the next immediately after."

"Right sir. Weapons armed and fully charged."

The twin farad cannons glowed brightly, ready to unleash their fury.

"All ships, clear vector 001 mark 355."

The gunner saw a ship take shape as it droppoed out of defold, a medium battlecruiser. "Firing now."

The port hull released its energy straight at the ship, striking it the instant it completed its entrance into realspace, before it could even activate shields. It never had a chance. The ship blew apart at the seems from all the energy being pumped straight into it.

The next signature was a pair of Heavy Artillery ships. "Firing number two," the gunner said quickly, she could almost feel the heat from firing both farads right after each other, and in the same manner, both ships exploded apart.

"Shields back up."

"That ought to be a good warning to them," Sariah stated as the rest of the Red Dragon Battlegroup dropped into realspace. "All groups, move in!"

And with that, the entire mass, a ship with glowing red hot farad plates and smaller ships orbiting around it, all moved in full speed. "Squadrons, you know ytour roles, go at it. All batteries, fire."

The many rail cannons and beam weapons on the Valiance began to fire as missiles and lasers and beams fired simultaneously from every ship in the battle group.

"Klonor ships, We will have even more backup in a few minutes, feel free to join us!"

"We have enemy ships dropping into real-space! Distance, 500 km forward."

"Excellent, we have some space to blow the **** out of them."

"Sir, CC ships are firing! One, correction, three enemy ships down!"

"Damn, one of these days we need to steal us a copy of those Farad plans. Strap one of them otno the Colossus and nobody'd mess with us."

"Yes, sir. However, we have more pressing issues. We are also receiving a transmission from the Valiance."

"Well, put it on."

Klonor ships, We will have even more backup in a few minutes, feel free to join us!

"You heard her, they've rolled out the welcome mat. Move the ship forward. Fire all weapons at the designated areas."

"Yes, sir. All weapons firing."

Almost before the announcement came the effect, the full force of the Orion unleashed.

The two forward Beam Cannons spear forward, striking out to clear a direct path. The side and rear three Beams all aim at a single point, then spread out like the fingers of a hand, each finger slicing into the hull of a Dragon ship.

[tag+bump=this post]

The fighters obviously reach the enemy group first, each squadron taking a ship and bugging the crap out of it with constant buzzing and bombing of anti-air, then going in for kills. The Gunships come up on the medium vessels, digging into the sides and etching long scars with their farad weaponry. The Corvettes launch missile volleys and heavy weaponry against the smaller ships. Meanwhile, the big ship Valiance goes after a Heavy Multi-Role cruiser, obviously a command ship.
http://www.bateshome.com/jordan/sdf-8.gif

They are locked in a total fight, banks of beam weaponry firing back and forth, Rail cannons slamming into each other's armor.

"Sounds like we have a duel, guys!" Commander Keluma says, noting the fight witht he command ship, "Concentrate all fire on that ship!"

Suddenly a trio of Mark V NP Carriers defold about 1000km away from the Red Dragons forces.
"SHIT!!!!!" explamed the captain of the lead carrier as she saw the firing and the mass amounts of ships.

"Commander, New ships defolding into the area."

"TRSN?"

"No, Phalanix!"

"Oh... uh... ask them if they want to help, otherwise tell them to get lost."

"Right, sending a hail..."

Ashton winced as his stomach roiled under the forces of Jump Space. Even after all these years, it still made hime queasy. There was a shudder, and the ship lurched into real space. With a ripping flash in time/space, the TRSN Task Force flashed into existance, still under full thrust. They emerged between the Red Dragon ships, firing full broadsides from their rail turrets. The Torrent, between two of the larger vessels, delivered three triple rail salvos to port and starboard, and its SLAM boxes hurled hundreds of short range AM rockets. As it cleared the two ships, its four dual plasma turrets spoke, splashing the inferno across the Red Dragon armada. Throughout that vile battle group, the other two battleships unloaded their matching arsenal, as did the four Phalanx destroyers and the two Hydra cruisers. The missile ships emerged among the Capsule and Klonor fleets, their payloads lunging from their external racks and belching from internal tubes. All in all, the four Ticonderoga class Cruisers spat six hundred Capital Missiles in that first volley, then reloaded the internal tubes, while the externals were now depleted until they could pause the battle. Behind them, the four Storm carries each launched a Strikefighter Wing, while the eight Flurry's spat out sixteen more squadrons in total. The picket ships dropped back to shield the carriers and missile ships, while the tenders ducked behind the line to resupply.

Ashton stood on the bridge as Task Force 54.1 (that's Battleline, as opposed to the Support Group, or TF 54.2) cleared the Red Dragon fleet and pulled among the friendly fleets, banking around to lend support to the others. In the confusion of the Jump and sudden broadsides from among their fleet, 54.1 had taken only light hits and no critical damage. Ashton knew that wouldn't last once this fight degenerated into the slugging match, and maneuver became a mere illusion. He sat down again, crossed his leg over his other, watching the command graphs. "Take us back in." Ashton sent and open hail, "Sorry we're late, but we like to make an entrance."

OOC: Waiting for damage posts. TRSN Ship Stats (http://www.nationstates.net/forum/viewtopic.php?p=2046510#2046510=)

OOC: In the future, feel free to post your own reasonable damage posts against NPCs... I trust you ;)

IC: Sariah smiled at the new destructice ability, "Glad to see you guys drop by!"

Many of the medium cruisers crumbled under the TRSN force.

The Fighter and Mecha squadrons easily decimated the Red Dragon fighters that had been launched... however now a second wave was deploying from a clamshell-shaped carrier, which split in half and let its contents spew out instantly swarming against the CC fighters.

The Valiance and the Largest Red Draghon cruiser had been locked in a duel for some time now, and both their shields fell around the same time.

"Senine Orange and gray squadrons prepare for attack run pattern Keluma 307, immediately! Legolas Cyan and Violet squadrons, cover the Valiance, we're being attacked at point blank!"

The enemy fighters, seeing the shields of the valiance fall, began doing bombing runs across the top of the hull, taking out banks of beam weaponry and point-defense turrets. Mecha began landing on the top decks, trying to break into the hangar bays, now shut up with armored doors. Groups of Legolas mecha began to return to the Valiance, skating acros the hull and taking out enemy mecha.

"Senine groups orange and gray ready!"

"Firing heavy beam cannons."

The nodes on the tip of the Valiance light up quickly, then expel a mass of energy that drill several holes straight into the enemy ship, punching right through the armor.

Without any delay, the senines moved towards the holes and fired a swarm of over one hundred heavy missiles into the ship. They all fled as the Valiance backed up, firing rail cannons and beam weapons at the cruiser. The 5 mile long RD Cruiser began to bubble and bulge, exploding from the inside while trying to contain itself at the same time, but it couldn't help itself for long... the entire ship blew apart at the seems, bulging pockets of contained explosions popped like pimples, releasing energy into space. Debris flew everywhere as the ship exploded.

This happened almost simultaneously as the destruction of its sister ship, a heavy assault battlecruiser of roughly the same size, handled swiftly by the TRSN ships.

This, however brutal and painful to the Red Dragon battle group, did not stop them. Every last fighter launched and began firing volleys of missiles everywhere... this would be a battle to the death.

On the Valiance, Mecha that had managed to evade the Legolas began to break through the hangar doors. Marines with heavy artillery began to set up in the bays, ready for a fight.

"Looks like all hell just broke lose. Launch fighters and wake up the experts," the captain says as she slumps down into her comand chair and suddelny her nural interface begens pumping out information to her.
"Oh and ask the CC ships if they need help and tell them we arn't going to blow up like tha tlast batch that ran into them."

Sariah smiles ater hearing the transmission, "New orders, Fire at will on all Red Dragon ships! They're the ones with that eerie red glow!"

Mecha continued to pick red dragon fighters off the decks of the Valiance as it pulled in between two medium cruisers. Firing all banks of Beam cannons at either ship, they rip them in half down the sides, which begin to cascade explosions and large system errors in the enemy ships.

"Rodger that. Our fighters are on route to the area and charging weapons."
-----------Cryo-chamber----------
OOC:Anyone notice that I always have one on board?
IC:
Quickly 55 tubes open and slowly out of each a figure in black and green armor steps out and begens wrunning towards the exit to the ifghter bay. A 66th tube opens and a pure black figure steps out and begens walking towards the bridge to meet up with the captain.
--------------Fighter Bay Launch Area-----------
As qucikly as the alert sounded the pilots were already moving ther Pulsars and Longswords towards the desgnated launch catipult. It was like a well preformed deadly play going on towards its final act as each brave soul was launcheed towards there unknowing deaths in the void

A swarm of enemy plasma cannons hit a tachyon-Class in the middle of an attack run, so in an honorable move, having no chance of surviving, the crew armed every anti-matter warhead and slammed into a smaller cruiser, taking out moth ships in a chaotic chain of explosions.

Ashton stood calmly on his flag bridge, watching the battle rage with silent fury. He took in every detail with professional calmness, never even wincing as the ships blinked on the battlenet and the chatter rose to a tempest. TF 54.2 picked their targets with cold precision, concentrating their missile barrages on one ship at a time. That ship would shoot down some, shields would stop others, but each of those warheads was pure AM, and one would be enough to cripple or kill... and there were hundreds of these missiles in each volley. With range and impunity, the cruisers picked off their targets. Ashton spoke softly, but was heard over all the noise in the bridge. "Close with them. Let's give them a full barrage."

"Yes, sir!" Captain Hyaki replied, then turned to below orders to the battleline. TF 54.1 began to rumble forward, their giant cannons recoiling as the rails sought targets. But now there was return fire. The TRSN Battlenet coordinated the defense, destroyed most of the incoming fire, but energy weapons began to penetrate. A destroyer erupted at the midsection, shattering under the fire, escape pods jettisoning. The other ships collected the pods as they passed, and another ship slid into the battlenet vacancy. The TRSN fire blasted another Red Dragon ship, sending it drifting away. The fire shifted to a new target, every gun on every ship seeking the same target. Efficiency was key to Ashton's doctrine, and efficiency was a cruel mistress of battle, exacting a toll on every enemy the Battleline met.

And now the Strikefighters were closing with the Red Dragon fleet, making a run before the Line could close. They blasted forward with lethal speed, rushing through the Red Dragon formations, breaking into five strike groups. They wove through the antifighter weaponry and enmey fighters, never breaking from target. The strikefighters were dieing, by ships and by squads, but they would not break. They wheeled about in the Red Dragon ships' drive shadows, spinning on their reactionless sumps and discharging their payloads. Each fighter carried four AMSRM (pronounced Amsram) missiles, designed to penetrate at close range and detonate a small AM warhead. They were notoriously short range, but their power made them the fighter pilot's choice Anti-Shipping missile. Five Red Dragon ships were consumed as their drives and power distribution centers were immolated. The surviving Strikefighter wings shot through the blasts, ripping clear of the enemy fleet.

Ashton watched his command plot. The returning fighters wouldn't be able to make another strike like that, they were already at half strength. "Have them outfitted for Space Superiority and redeployed as a screen." He looked back to his window as the Line Force Beam range. He grinned ferally, "Let's test that new Beam, shall we?"

OOC: Everyone tag this thread: http://www.nationstates.net/forum/viewtopic.php?t=91050

The following remain in the Red Dragon's Forces:

1 Heavy Assault Battlecruiser (big ship, though badly damaged now)
2 Medium Strike Cruisers
2 Gravship Cruisers
3 Heavy Artillery Ships
1 Heavy Carrier
12 Gunships
18 Heavy Flying Power Armors
23 Light Aerospace Fighters

IC: "Commander, the artillery ships are targetting us!"

"Charge the farad barrier, starboard capacitor. Target all cannons on those artillery ships, do as much damage as you can!"

The starboard hull split in half again and began to charge energy as the Valiance continued to weave in and out of ships Cannons fired like carzy, cracking open the front of one of those ships and causing the energy build up to break lose, making the artillery ship explode.

"Charged Commander! Enemy Firing in 5...4..3..2.."

"Barrier up!"

In a swirl of energy, a heavy spherical green wall erected around the Valiance, vaporizing a part of an enemy ship that had just gotten too close. The barrier grew to full strength in less than 2 seconds, plasma swirling over it and reinforcing the shield.

The first enemy beam hit hard, similar to a farad beam, sending overwhelming amounts of energy into the barrier. The Valiance's farad barrier countered with equal force, allowing it to be protected from harm, but when the second beam hit a few seconds later, all hell began to break loose. The artillery ships sustained a beam for several seconds, pumping energy into the barrier at an incredible rate.

"Farad systems destablizing! We're running out of power!"

"Flood the fold capacitors and open up the port hull farad to 25%, I want as much energy as you can!"

The Farad barrier flickered, then regained its strength, putting out enough energy and focusing it towards the two beams, just long enough to survive every last ounce of the Artillery ships power.

The barrier collapsed violently as soon as the beams faded. The capacitors, both inside and outside, were seriously overheated, and much of the outside hull glowed hot red. Power went down to emergency temporarily, and the shiedls could not be reactivated yet.
"Fighters, we need cover! All hands brace for impaxcts!"

Just as the Commander had anticipated, several enemy fighters and ships began bombarding the Valiance rapidly. Bullets and rail slugs pierced right into the molten armor, tearing small holes in the ship, while enemy plasma weaponry burnt right through, hitting some internal syste,ms hard.

"Rapid cooling! now!!"

"Rapid Cooling System engaging commander!"

In an effort to quickly cool off the hull and regain structural integrity, the Valiance sent tons of liquid nitrogen through a massive piping system around the hull, freezing and icing over many systems and cooling off the armor. The ship stopped glowing, but every light on the outside went dim from the lack of power.

For the moment, the Valiance looked dead in the water... Engines off, Lights off, weapons off, shields off... and now the hull stopped glowing.

Fighters swarmed around to pick off annoyances, as the crew of the Valiance watched the enemy die off from the Overwhelming forces.

Ashton gripped his chair as the Torrent rocked again from another strike. A sensors officer called from behind, "Sir! The Capsule Command ship is without power and under assault!"

"Redeploy our squadrons to lend assistance. Activate flak systems." Ashton ordered.

"Yes, sir." The Fighter Coordinator replied, realigning the squadrons.

It was TRSN dogma that a ship could either defend itself against fighters, or it could rely on friendly fighter support. Fighter support was the preferred action, but if it became untenable, then the ships were not without formidable defense mechanisms. Attempting to run both countermessures and a fighter screen would result in inconceivable blue-on-blue incidents, and would do more damage than assistance. So, with their fighters rushing to aide the Valiance, the Battleline began to defend itself.

Gatling turrets and laser batteries tracked anything small and moving, shattering fighters under barrages of fire. AFM (Anti-Fighter Missiles) leapt from rapidly moving launch boxes. Then, the flak shield started. The plasma turrets began to fire destablized magnetic bottles. These bottles rapidly deteriorated after leaving the gun, and filled the space with expanding plasma. This wall of fire was a defense and jamming for incoming fire. But the TRSN ships carried their own sensor arrays designed to penetrate this sudden interference, and another of the Medium Strike Cruisers disintigrated. The missile fire destroyed the second before it could reply, and Ashton gave the order, "Close on that big ship. I want to behead this group. TF 54.2, target their Arty Ships. Neutralize their range. Anyone care to lend assistance, this is going to be bloody." And TF 54.1 rolled further into the inferno.

The first things to regain power were the point-defense turrets. Their gunners cheered as they regained control, blasting away at enemy starfighters and mecha and gunships making passes.

Lights soon flickered back on and then all systems. The twin hulls closed up, now cool enough, and the ship turned into a big fork-shaped brick again.

"OK men, lets go after those artillery ships first!"

Beam cannons and Rail cannons whailed like crazy, bombarding the artillery ships and crushing their shields quickly. A pair of Reflex corvettes came in and punched critically damaging holes into the ships with Farad beams, followed by a swarm of missileboats and MCs coming in to tear the artillery ships apart at the seams.

"All ships, your next targets are that carrier and the big battlecruiser! Finish them offr immediately!"

TF 54.1 closed on the huge ship, belching fire and slugs at the enemy ship, ignoring everything else with complete focus, leaving the defenses to the Battlenet controlled point defense. The damage from nearby Red Dragon ships was punishing, shattering a frigate under their fire. But the firepower the battle line released onto the big ship was worse, tearing it asunder. Pieces broke away as the rails punctured it. Ashton motioned, and the new Capital Beams charged.

The beams were the evil brothers of tractor beams, seizing pieces of superstructure in their vice grip and ripping away chunks from the big ships hull, then smashing those same pieces back into the ship, using its own mass as a club to batter the ship. The beams tore away the sensors and gun emplacements, smashed the hangar bays closed. The beams converged on its main battery and tore the section away, destroying the focus ability.

Now Capsule was closing as well, and the big ship was listing hard, fire emerging from its hull as the combined forces punished it. Task Force 54.2 had reloaded again, and the wave of missiles spelled doom for the big ship. Tens, then hundreds, of missiles passed through its broken defenses and smashed against its hull, then into its guts. The ship lost power and began to drift, shattering and breaking, again and again.

"Sir, the enemies are slowing their fire and beginning to take defensive positions."

"Hmm... Increase fire, I think they're going to--" she was interrupted by beeps across the bridge.

"What is that?"

"Massive gravity disturbance... now a massive space/time disturbance... looks like a massive space fold!"

"What is it?"

"It could be the mothership! That one that fired on our colonies!"

"Concentrate all fire on that disturbance!"

Every rail cannon and every beam weapon fired straight up at a 12 mile-long mass materializing directly above the battlefield. Enemy ships fled towards it, looking for safe haven.

"Sir! We have a massive ship inbound! We're reading mass up twice the Colossus!"

"Oh, ****. It must be that planet killer. What are the other allied ships doing?"

"I'm reading mass fire, they seem to want it dead, sir."

"The've got the idea. We can't get into a long drawn fight with a ship of that size, we need to take it down now. Do we have any Harbingers onboard?"

"No, sir. We were on a science escort mission, remember?"

"Right. Well, remove the safeties on the Tsunamis, and get a wing of Medusa's into the void. Once they're clear target all Beam Cannons on that ship. Keep the Lasers working on the smaller ships, but I want the Beams to slice that thing in half, now!"

"Sir! Spacial disturbance in sector seven! It's a space fold... it's twelve miles long!" The Lieutenant at the sensors desk spun to face Ashton.

Ashton nodded. "Concentrate all firepower on that location! Tell TF 54.2 to stand by on bombardment. As soon as that thing pops out, unload everything they have on that ship! Refit fighters for Anti-Shipping and launch. Let's slaughter this beast now!"

The last of the Red Dragon ships quickly dock with the mothership, and then as quickly as it came, it dissappears. It took several hard hits, but when it leaves, sensors do not detect a space fold, but rather a slip into another subdimension, out of phase with reality. The entire battlegroup has gone invisible and untouchable as they make their escape.

Sariah sighs. "You know, that is really starting to get annoying."

"What the hell? You know, that is really getting annoying. Are there any ships left in system?"

"Only allies."

"Well, I guess that's good. Bring the fighters back abord, stand down from Tactical Alert. Set a course from home. Once we're sure we're done here Jump us back to Gamma Draconis. It's time for a bit of R&R."

She sighs again, and then orders all ships RTB and stand down to yellow alert. "thanks for your help guys, this will most definately send a message to the Red Dragon... Let's go home. The Valiance is going to go check up on the helios system next, do you guys have any update of what is going on over there? I understand there is a TRSN presence there."

"Well, that's it. Are all ships aboard?"

"Yes, sir. We're all set."

"Very good. Let's get the hell out of here."

With that order the GDD Galatea leaps forward into a shimmering pool of blue that is a Sub-Space Node and heads on home.

"Cowards." Ashton declared as the Mothership vanished, the last of the missile salvo from TF 54.2 vanishing behind it into the Dimensional Slipstream behind them. "I hope they get hit in the Void. Would serve them right." Ashton turned back to the crew. "Assess damages, then rendevous with our allies."

He saw the reports. "Hmm... Capsule? Could you go there without us? We need to put to port to repair and reload. We've taken heavy damage, some ships are dry-dockable, and our new weapons burned out our arrays."

Sariah nods and closes the channel. Within minutes, the Valiance leaves into hyperspace.

The figure in black armor finaly reaches th bridge of the PSN Firestorm IV and sighs as he looks out at the chaos that had taken place there.
"Call back all fighters and report to High Comand about this. We might need better equipment if we handel a force like this."