Ghost in the Machine

[Jarkov Malachai]

"what can I say? I am a most curious creature, the stars hold many mysteries yet unknown to me and mine as it does your own people and Theres a ludicrous profit to be made from finding the hidden little jewels that are vieled by the stars... may we meet someday. Captain Max." The com was terminated and that tattoo on that one guy more or less... was a tattoo. it didn't move, didn't blink, no bio readings, it was a tattoo plain and simple.

 

[WanderingWayfarer]

Asren Escort Carrier:Stingy Banker

​

Things were getting rather interesting in orbit as the Asren battle fleet slugged it out for control of the planet with the Atlas and its escorts. For the crew of the Stingy Banker, a rather unimportant pawn in the grand fleet battle, their fight was over. For a navigational error led the ship out of position only to be hit amidships with a pair of hellfire missiles, this initial success was further exploited as a flurry of HE shells completely split the Banker in half. Evacuation protocols were immediately activated, the ship AI judging it prudent to jettison the escape pods towards the planet rather than having them torn apart in the orbital battle. With luck the crew could be retrieved after a hard fought victory. And so it came to be that the pods began to descend through the atmosphere in a tight cluster.

 

[Assailant]

[QUOTE="Jarkov Malachai]"what can I say? I am a most curious creature, the stars hold many mysteries yet unknown to me and mine as it does your own people and Theres a ludicrous profit to be made from finding the hidden little jewels that are vieled by the stars... may we meet someday. Captain Max." The com was terminated and that tattoo on that one guy more or less... was a tattoo. it didn't move, didn't blink, no bio readings, it was a tattoo plain and simple.

[/QUOTE]
Maxwell Teller

Human: King of Remnant

Max sighs as the call comes to an end. A crackle comes from the radio.


"Sir, please advise about the monster." Maxwell thinks for a moment on everything he's learned about Galumora before responding.


"Galumora is a pirate. By nature of being a pirate, she's not gonna be one to do things for free. That thing's gonna be looking for something, so guard any valuables. That means computers, engines, weapons, anything it could conceivably take from or with, guard."


"Yes sir!" The line crackles as everyone splits off to guard the engine, computers, weapons, etc. Soon a guard is posted at pretty much every valuable imaginable.

 

[Equipoise]

Spoiler

[media]

[/media]

Everything requires musical accompaniment. Everything.

​

Spoiler

​

ORBIT AROUND THE PLANET

The various ships currently fighting around the planet would have picked up a large incoming fleet of vessels. The readings were quite brief, yet they were large. However, that fact mattered little as the incoming fleet in question quickly appeared. First came the largest ship, a single massive battlecruiser, that was only slightly smaller than the Atlas super carrier. A good pit of it's size came from multiple compartment areas on the bottom of the ship. Then came the not as large, but almost equally as imposing group of fifteen Trasakian battleships. Destroyers came next, numbering twenty. Finally, came the frigates, numbering thirty-five.


The fleet of seventy-one ships warped in behind and above the ships of the Tal'ed.


Commandant Sturm

Commandant Sturm sat in his command chair, watching the scene below through a hologram before him. Four groups of ships were currently engaged in combat below him, virtual trails of plasma and ion weapons arcing from one ship to another. Three of the groups he had no idea about, but one he did. Oh, how he did...


"Tal'ed..." he muttered to himself. The very name bringing back memories of vicious combat. He sat for a brief moment, remembering, before quickly blinking twice.


"Foreigner filth." he spat with a sneer. "Pay them no mind. Continue with the mission."


"Sir, there are Tal-"


"I am aware of their presence. It is, however, of little relevance to the mission. Be mindful that we did sign a treaty with them. Continue."


"Aye, sir."

​

The fleet of ships continued past the fighting, seeming to ignore it altogether. Shortly after passing the ships and reaching the planet's atmosphere, the battlecruiser's compartments opened to reveal the massive folded frames of four Trasakian mobile land-battleships. The land-battleships were then fired down towards the surface, where they quickly lit up in the planet's atmosphere. The mobile landships rapidly began to slow their descent, various dampers and ailerons slowing the fall, until the impacted with the ground. The impact left massive craters and the sound could be heard miles around. Shortly after landing, the ships unfolded their four massive legs. They planted on the ground and, with a loud sound of shrieking mechanics that, once again, could be heard for miles, rose into the air. The landships were at least twenty stories tall, with a massive gun on the side that appeared that it could blast a ship out of orbit with one or two shots.


Which was, in fact, the truth.


The landships then began deploying various light fighters and drones, who then began scanning the area.

 

[Assailant]

Maxwell Teller

Human: King of Remnant

The gang continues to walk until they suddenly hear loud bangs resonating from somewhere a while away from them. Soon a few ships that are surveying the area pass overhead. All of Max's men hide in the grass and pray for them to pass.

 

[Romulus VenZiel]

@Handsome Jack


Trelian Fleet





The large energy signatures given off by the large wormhole and sudden appearance of a massive fleet swiftly caught the eye of a nearby Nafarian patrol fleet. At the urgence of the fleet's captain, it warped quickly within a few kilometers of the Trelian ships. The fleet was rather small in size, only containing about a dozen ships, a few that bore large scorch marks about it's hull. The fleet contained about 11 Razors class Interceptors, each of the long, sleek, T shaped ships directly facing the Trelian ships, their menacing forked prows glowing a dull red as they surrounded a much larger, blockier ship.


It would seem as if the fleet meant to contact the Trelian ships, as a brief attempt at communication could easily be detected, however it was quickly interrupted by the arrival of a second patrol fleet, this one larger than the first. It contained one heavy destroyer, it's V shaped wings hanging down the ship's sides. This new fleet appeared to at first engage the Trelian ships, but both fleets, despite looking as if they were from the same faction, quickly turned on one another, their weapons glowing bright as if they prepared to fire upon one another. Communications between the two adversarial fleets could be detected on Trelian sensors. Now facing one another, the two fleets seemed nearly oblivious to the raging battle going around them, instead now quickly facing off against one another despite appearing to be under the same faction.

 

[Equipoise]

COMMANDANT 'STURM'

"Sir, we have picked up foreign life-forms on the planet's surface. A small vessel with about twenty or so organisms on it. Most are Terran, however one is anomalous. How should we proceed?"


Commandant Sturm gazed at the screen before him, showing an image of the foreigners, a mass of orange and red shapes on the blue-black background of their ship. 'Terrans,' he thought. 'Not of much use. Perhaps relegated to some industrial colony. However, as for the unknown, that could prove useful...'


He sat forward slightly, gesturing at the screen.


"Dispatch a collection team. Weapons are to be set to stun, killing only when absolutely necessary, which is to say if they put up any resistance. I'd like that unknown alive, but it'll still do just as well dead."


"Aye, sir."


MAXWELL TELLER

​

Hiding, it seemed, would do them no good as a nearby drone immediately made a beeline for them.


Upon their disappearance into the vessel, the drone switches to thermal optics, viewing the likely unsuspecting Terrans inside. The drone hovered about their ship for a brief moment, relaying it's find back to one of the many landships currently wandering the area. To ensure it's find's location be known, it fired a single small dart into one of the panels of the ship. The dart entered the panel, locking itself in and sticking there. The dart began pulsing intermittently, a orange-red light showing for an instant before fading.


The drone flew on, continuing to scan the area.


Elsewhere, one of the landships deployed a small airborne troop carrier of around thirty men. The troop carrier quickly began making its way towards Max's crashed vessel. It would be upon them soon.


ABOARD THE TRIUMPHANT

"Sir, more ships have entered the area." one of the officers said, tapping away rapidly at his console. "Size appears to be roughly seventy ships." The officer enlarged a view of one of the ships, one of the many large Trasakian cruisers. His mouth dropped a bit upon noting the telltale signs of Trasakian design.


"Trasakian, sir."


The bridge goes entirely silent. The word "Trasakian", to a Tal'ed, essentially means "genocidal warmongers" [which is a tough thing to be, even by Tal'ed standards]. Reason being is that the Tal'ed have fought numerous wars against the Trasakians; none of which exactly went all that well.


Dae'nal inhaled deeply, fully remembering the Trasakian-Tal'ed Wars of days past. Seeing in his minds eye the event's of when he was just a lowly cadet in the Space Navy, watching the Trasakian weapons rip through the Tal'ed ships, carriers briefly snapping in half before their warp cores detonated. The wars, he recalled, were never that good for the Tal'ed.


"Have they taken hostile action?"


"Negative sir, however their fleet does appear to be in violation of the-"


"Irrelevant. This area is not within the bounds of the treaty itself. Increase fire upon the ships currently engaging in combat with us."


"Yes, sir."

 

[Jarkov Malachai]

A coms message came to Captain Max, the message was simple...


"While I would love to continue our chat as im sure it would be most enlightening, I do believe however, that thou has more... engaging problems to deal with. You seem to have made some people rather unhappy and they are converging on your position. Ta-ta!" end of message.


On another channel, this message was sent to the two creatures currently out of the ship. "Hostiles moving in be prepared... Drak'Moroc ... gather the intel I require then eliminate... the enemy if you would please.


A terran man, one of Max's crew paused where he was 'guarding' the ships mainframe. His face was covered by a clawed tattoo so he could yell and his hands moved on their own seemingly, his face was terrified because in truth he had reason to be. A few minutes ago he was following his captains orders to guard the important systems and then the next, something moving from above, a horrible face with so many teeth oh gods so many teeth inches away from him, then slidinging on his skin, a slithering on the back of his neck, then suddenly he couldn't control his limbs any more and a soft male voice in his ear whispered seductively.


He had tried to get away, he honestly did, activating the rocket boots they more or less all had equipped, he jumped up in the air to get away from the thing calling on the radio. "Contact in engi-" He was cut off as it jumped up and grabbed his foot with one claw, his throat with another and ripped his mask off like it was the wrapping on a small eager childs birthday present... he was then silenced.


"shhhh, this will only be a minute... I appreciate... your ...' cooperation', I shall relay it to my mistress upon my return." Then the damned thing, using his body against its will by forcing his arms into the positions it wanted by brute force, all on the surface of his own skin. After he stopped resisting, whatever it was that covered him was surprisingly gentle in its manipulations of its limbs. Though whatever it was quickly downloaded every thing it could get its... his hands on into a small data cube and then turned off the Mainframe after muttering to itself. "wish I had the time to upgrade that search engine, horrific, obviously not designed in mind for ease of access."


After it had acquired what its Dark Mistress wanted, it swiftly withdrew from his skin, but before the poor terran could do anything the creature said a quick. "I apologize, tis must be done im sure you understand." And knocked him out.


After gently setting the Terran down into a comfortable position the creature opened its maw, chest splitting open right down the middle into a mass of rib like teeth and fangs. It reached into its own chest cavity and pulled out several objects and began, while moving placing them Together in their various positions. "Lady Galumora, I am moving out, I have the Data Cube requested and will now comply with... elimination task."


"Confirmed, use of lethal Force has been approved but please... do so with dignity and grace that befits one of our race. Go and pick a fight not, unless they press one upon you."


It finished grinning and walking up, hefted a weapon that it assembled to its top shoulder, one that most would have called an Anti-Tank rifle. . . or Anti-ship. Stooping low in the small confines of the Terran ship it exited and slithered into the grasslands and those long strands of grass moved not as whatever it was... vanished into the sahara of this strange and wonderous world.


Any scanners trying to lock onto its sudden biological signature would find it hard pressed to do so as it seemed to change and warp with the environment it was placed in. The general area could be told but not much else. even heat sig's was impossible to accurately determine as it changed its own heat signature to match the surrounding area.


"Look out, in the bright of the night,


For the shadow which blocks the light,


just might be death knocking on your door,


Check the windows, check the floor,


the hidden have come,


Let godswill be done,


And the Dredge his willing... scythe."


Red eyes blinked on the still tattooed man, and its 2D face cracked into a huge flat grin.


 
Back on the Kukri, Lieutenant Valerian approached the dark, shadowed throne upon the ships bridge, and did a small bow before asking.


"My Lady I must ask, why are we helping out the Terrans? We have not been paid to do so nor do we owe them anything so why?"


Those coils stop their writhing and shifting in the black. "So my dear Valerian, you feel no compassion for your fellow man?"


The second in command snorted. "Ma'am with all do respect I gave up on my fellow man after I was stabbed in the back and left to die by said 'fellow man.'


Those six, star pupiled eyes blared into existence. "So true Little One.... so true, I remember finding you dying and bleeding out not to long ago now. I brought you aboard my ship and you never quite left it now did you?"


Valerian was a little unnerved when she did that, he knew the Dredge females had the whole thing about lineages and taking on the name of their mothers, but Galumora's mother was the one that had found him like such and he knew she would have never told a soul about that... so how did her daughter know? There was so much they didn't know about the female's those on this ship had chosen to follow... or their counterparts. Also... a 'little while ago?' That shit had happened nearly 10 years ago!


"To answer your question, Little One... all the Council of Ascensions previous attempts to negotiate or initiate talks with Terrans have ended.... poorly as those here well know." That 'poorly' was rolled with anger upon the Ship Mistress's tongue. The crew present instinctively moved away from the command deck, their Ladies 'anger' was a elemental weapon all in itself.


"However, here we finally have a chance to learn more about those amongst the stars and speak with someone more... reasonable. I'd call that well worth the effort now would you not?"


Yes... Valerian Couldn't fault the Dredge's logic. The female continued. "Besides last time we spoke to Terrans officially, they sent back a rather nasty reply, I do believe it was, 'we do not associate with mindless and uncivilized beasts' and then primed their weapons at us." The Creature snorts in the dark, a harsh sound, one of dismissal.


"Says the ones aiming guns at those who have held in the open hand the proverbial olive branch, and we spent forever searching for a live one to... no luck im afraid."


The Science Officer speaks up at that moment. "Ma'am? Those men are moving in and those Land Batleships are not stopping."


The Dredge Matriarch waved her hand's in the air."yes yes yes, prep the Firefly, im sending you the coordinates, do make sure their right darling. I would most hate to have to do substantial repairs on this ship again after last time." The science officer shivered, he remembered last time, he also remembered what happened after last time.


"Then what?"


"for now gentlemen we await our moment." Those eyes glitter. "all good things, come to those who wait."

 

[Assailant]

Maxwell Teller

Human: King of Remnant

The Dredge planned to flee the ship, but by the time it had found what it needed all exits to the room were cut off by Terran soldiers who had received the distress call from the now unconscious soldier. The message may not have been complete, but they were able to gather what it said. They noticed said unconscious soldier and raised they guns to the alien.


"What did you do to that man?!" As one man said that, another quickly responded,


"Dredge knocked out one of our men and stole a data cube, advise!" A soldier called in to Max. Max swore under his breath, but responded.


"This does not bode well. Continue as diplomatically as possible, but don't let it leave just yet."

 

[Jarkov Malachai]

The Creature didn't even give the men time to finish their call to Max before whipping its tail around the poor out cold Terran and Kicking off into the air with its powerful legs. It spun around in the air and slammed all sixes onto the ceiling with a ship shaking thud, then without pausing it launches itself like a speeding bullet towards the man guarding the exit. The Terran fired either reflexively or was just lucky and a plasma bolt slammed onto the creatures right shoulder where it impacted with a horrific sizzle as the bolt burns on the carbon plated chitin. However it wasn't enough to stop the Dredge from power slamming the guy in front of the exit with the force of a small car and using the man as a jump point to where it rocketed off down the hall. As they tried to follow the thing, the Dredge broke hard, metal screeching under its talons and picked the out cold Terran with three of its claws from its tail and threw him like a football straight at the door way where they tried to follow.


Terran smacked into Terran like some slightly messed up version of Bowling while the other two thought fast and got out of the way in time.


When they got up however the thing had already turned around the corner heading out when it caught a strange smell... the contacts he was warned about. the sizzle of slightly burning flesh drew its attention to the charred and blackened shoulder where it had been shot earlier. Moroc grunted indifferently and continued on down the hall before pausing again and grinning.


As the Terrans recovered and prepared to pursue Moroc, the Dredges voice, one deep, bass like and resonating echoed through the metal halls. "While its been fun.... I do believe I am interrupting your preparations for guests... good luck. They look a hard crowd to please." Hruuu hruuu hruuu . And with that, it was gone.

 

[Assailant]

Maxwell Teller

Human: King of Remnant

The two men who remain conscious looked at each other with grim determination on their face. Luckily, one of them had a medical kit, and began swiftly getting everyone to their feet. Within minutes, everyone was back to normal, with the exception of the one who was pounced on. He sat in the corner holding his ribs and resting while the other four discussed what just happened.


"We need to call in the captain." One man said, looking to the others. They nodded in agreement and called Max. As soon as Max got it, he swiftly answered in a panicked tone.


"Is everyone alright? Your call was interrupted," He said, stoping along with the group as the tattoo'd soldier continues observing the tattoo.


"A dredge got onboard. It knocked out one of our men, seriously wounded another and threw him like a rag doll." Said soldier groaned at the mention of that. "It took a data cube."


"Sorry to interrupt," one soldier added in the call, "But I think this is pertinent information. It possessed me. It... controlled me, forced me to get him the cube."


"What, like mind control?"


"No," corrected the soldier, "I was conscious the whole time. Like I couldn't control my limbs. Like something was pulling my body with strings. I could pull back, but all it did was annoy it."


"Noted. You have baddies coming your way. I don't know how many, but prepare. I don't know what they're after, but be ready. Greet them kindly, but prioritize your safety first, the mission second, and what they want third."


"Sir!" The man yelled before the call ended. Max gritted his teeth in anger and once more called another soldier and set up a comm link with Galumora. When the call was answered, he didn't even wait for a response before beginning.


"WHAT IS THE MEANING OF THIS!" He yelled. He had previously kept calm with her, but she had tipped him past his breaking point. She had caused his men harm, and she would answer for it. "ONE OF YOUR SOLDIERS CAME ON BOARD, CONTROLLED ONE OF MY SOLDIERS LIKE A PUPPET, AND BEAT THE REST OF THEM TO UNCONSCIOUSNESS! WHY!?!?!"

 

[Jarkov Malachai]

Galumora


The Lady of Ravens

​

"Ma'am, coms coming in from that Terran, he sounds slightly Rabid." The Officer said with distaste. Lieutenant Valerian did the sign of the cross, an ancient pagan symbol to be sure but one that had a comforting feeling to it. Ohhhh boy, god help this man, shes chosen him. That thought must have occurred to most of the other Command staff as well for their expressions ranged from everywhere to pity to outright disgust, though Bai'Core looked like his face might split in half from glee.


The com was patched through and the whole bridge listened to the Man rage at the Lady of Ravens, most of the bridge sighed and rested their heads down on their respective desks. This poor... poor sod. Speaking of the Lady of Ravens, Galumora had watched the whole thing, listening with the expression one might have called 'complete disinterest' until he stopped raging at them and said matter of fact.


"I have a single soldier rendered unconscious on my report..... slight injuries to another but I think that's acceptable when the alternative was death. Death, or so im told, has many sayings in Terran history, one that I.... personally find invigorating is "When faced with extinction, every alternative is preferable". I see not what the problem is Captain Max... though do give my thanks to that soldier who proved most instrumental in acquiring what I wanted." The Female said, holding up the glowing blue crystalect cube in one claw. and turned it this way and that, letting it sparkle and glimmer on the Dredge's pulsating claw. It was a carbon copy, not the actual thing but all the data had already been transferred so it might as well have been.


"On another matter entirely, I do hope you wont mind a little something... extra." The shadowed female grinned and terminated the link. That smile grows wider when the crazy bitch gave Valerian a sideways glance and said in a light tone of glee.


"Valerian, do be a dear and raise Nagashira for me if you would please and tell her that she is... requested on the bridge."


The Lieutenant shivered but affirmed the order.


Somewhere, in the darker bowels of the ship, where man dared no go uninvited, the PA system crackled to life in a medium sized room.


"Weapon Masters, you are hereby requested by the Commander to come to the Bridge... and you both know that's not a request so get your fat asses up and if you break this speaker like the last 12 I will have those asses of your-" It cut off as a fist the size of a watermelon slammed into the speaker and blasted out the back of the wall into the hallway. That clawed hand withdrew back into the darkness... away from the showering sparks and then a horrific sound echoed out from the room


"ZZzzzZZZZZzzz" the snoring shook the room and awakened the rooms other occupant and was loud enough to wake the dead.


@Atom

 

[Assailant]

Maxwell Teller

Human: King of Remnant

Max grit his teeth in anger as he slammed his fist into the ground.


"DAMN IT!" He screamed to the world. The other soldiers looked at him in concern and confusion, wondering just what could have gotten him so angry. He continued to hit the ground, screaming to vent out his frustrations. When it was over, he got up with a sigh. He turned to one of his men. "Do we have anything valuable we can spare for Galumora?" The man looked shocked at him.


"W-why sir?"


"Because... we need to buy back the data cube. We don't know enough about them, nor is our ship in good enough order to attack."


"But, sir! The data cube has nothing important on it. Just some ship diagnostics, basic bios of the crew members, and..." The man paused as horrible understanding passed over him. "The coordinates of Drift." Max nodded grimly.


"There's nothing on there that she'd want personally, so that means she intends to sell whatever she gets. Only thing on there that's valuable is the coordinates of Drift. If that falls into Xeran hands..." He paused as understanding dawned on everyone.


"Game over," a soldier said grimly as Max nodded.

 

[WanderingWayfarer]

Somewhere in Nafarian Space...

​

The Nafarians. They had always intrigued Arimius, truly a barbaric race that took after the Syhelians. Long had he watched as the Nafarians sprawled out across the stars waging war against lesser beings. Yet now they proved their own weakness as suspicion was beginning to unravel the threads of unity. And while Arimius regarded the Nafarians fondly, it was a passing interest, what seemed more exciting is if they tore each other apart. And so it came to be that his ship, the Merciless, found itself near Nafaria, broadcasting a civilian distress signal as it lay in wait for some hapless prey. With luck, a civilian signal wouldn't warrant a response that he couldn't handle personally.

 

[Romulus VenZiel]

j

 

[Assailant]

Maxwell Teller

Human: King of Remnant

Max's soldiers in the ship look around the ship, trying to fix more and more in preparation for the oncoming forces. One of them looks out to see ships nearby. As soon as they notice this, a comms alert comes in from one of the ships. A soldier answers it and very quickly his eyes widen.


A comms alert from the mother ship comes in to Max. He sighs and picks it up.


"What is it?"


"Sir... it's the... it's the Nafarians." Max's eyes widen and he practically chokes on nothing. What?!?!





"P-patch them in." Soon the crackle of comms comes over Max's radio, and Max gives himself a friendly disposition. "Greetings from Max of Remnant!" He says in a friendly tone to whoever's on the other end.


@Romulus VenZiel

 

[WanderingWayfarer]

Nafarian Fleet





Rather than a civilian ship in distress, the Nafarian captain was confronted by a Hellion class Super Destroyer, it's weapons and shields already fully charged. Declining any hails, the Hellion immediately opened fire, a barrage of lighter 'roguetonium' arcing out from it in a brilliant crimson light to obliterate the lowly interceptor. Strangely enough the Hellion seemed to be refraining from utilizing its full firepower. Leaving the Interceptor at least enough time to scramble a distress call though not enough to escape its impending doom. Meanwhile Arimius paced the empty bridge of his 'Hellion' disappointed at such a small turnout to his welcoming party. Nonetheless, Arimius relished the chance for combat.

 

[Romulus VenZiel]

@Assailant


Nafarian Ships





As soon as Max opened communications with the Nafarian ships, the image of a pale faced Nafarian appeared on the screen for those on board Max's ship. His red eyes peered down onto the humans, almost as if judging his very existence. Jet black hair lay combed back atop his head, neatly combed back, exposing his forehead.


"Greetings human filth." He purred instantly, his words flowing through the mics. "By the order of Ven'Zi-" He halted himself, choosing his words carefully.


"By the order of the Imperial Nafarian government, we will that you immediately surrender your ship to our control and guide us to your home world for immediate assimilation into the Imperial government." He leaned forward, staring directly into the eyes of the human of whom he believed was max, not aware of the fact that Max was planet side. "Refusal to comply will result in your immediate destruction and consequential invasion of your home world and any colonies you have under your pathetic rule."


Zander


"We're close to the LZ! everyone prepare for combat!" A Nafarian sergeant roared, stepping into the dropship's troop bay. Decked in heavy, grey armor, the sergeant's name was Zander, and while none could see it, he bore a maniacal upon his face. He carried with him a rather muddied history, known for his insane battle tactics and little regard for troop safety in favor for mission success.


Despite his infamous history, his troops listened, checking their HUDs and slamming fresh clips into their rifles, causing lines of red light to pulsate across the gun's body. They soon passed straight over Max's position, he could easily see the three black drop ships as they cruised above the trees. Fortunately for them, the Nafarians did not appear to see them, however it looked as if they were landing close by.


-Nafarian controlled space-





@TheOnionofShrek


The captain's eyes widened. Could this be another skirmish? There had been so many reported recently, with those getting into disputes over which of the three still unofficial sub factions. Despite this however, the navy rarely lost a ship to the skirmishes, and instead the skirmishes were usually broken up by detatchments from Rofiria, sent by general Velsus who would swiftly settle the dispute by gutting the aggressive ship's engines.


"Charge all weapons! And hail the ship once more!" He ordered quickly, his voice beginning to shake. He knew his ship stood little chance against a Hellion.

 

[WanderingWayfarer]

~Nafarian Space~





Arimius lounged in the command chair, noting with boredom the frantic hailing of the helpless captain. On a good day he might've responded. But having to take the form of a Nafarian for future communications irked him. He felt the form reeked of hypocrisy since the Nafarians resembled the humans they oppressed so much. And so he didn't bother to respond, instead targeting the Interceptors communications array so he wouldn't be bothered with its plaintive cries for help before continuing with his systematic destruction, taking enough time that hopefully a distress beacon would be deployed.

 

[Assailant]

Maxwell Teller

Human: King of Remnant

They look down on us as beasts. So be as civilized as possible. Be kind. Even with that said, Max's eye still twitched in anger.


"I'm afraid I couldn't do that even if I wanted to. See, our data cube has been stolen. The coordinates of our home planet have been lost. Our ship is also destroyed, only the comms system survived." Never mind that I memorized the coordinates and that the ship is fully operational... well, mostly operational. "I also don't have any colonies but one under my control. I represent Remnant, of the planet Drift." He continues in his friendly voice.

 

[Romulus VenZiel]

Arimius


@TheOnionofShrek





The ships lasers switly cut through the Razor's shields after a few salvos, hitting the coms array soon after. The trembling captain took a seat, remaining silent for a moment while his crew awaited patiently for orders. Without his coms array he was without reinforcements, and it would be some time before a fleet would be sent to check on his last known coordinates.


"Sir, orders?" The lieutenant asked.


"Return fire... Give them everything we've got and prepare for warp." The captain droned back, hoping, rather fruitlessly, that he could get his ship away from the hungry hunter before him.


Max





@Assailant


"Oh, so I supposed you are an important figure among your people?" The captain asked, refusing to give the human his own name. "Then I suppose your people would put an important price on your head? Very well then! You have earned your worth human, you live, your soldiers however will perish beneath our boots. If you have any care for your men I ask you once again Maxwell, will you submit to our rule?" The captain questioned.


Zander





The ships sunk low beneath the trees, hovering mere feet above the soft dirt as each dropped three Valtrike speeders from their bellies. Zander looked to the men and women in his command, waving his hands, ordering them out of the ship.


"Alright boys and girls! Let us hunt some humans!" He yelled with delight, jumping out of the ship as the rest of the soldiers followed suit, imedeatly sweeping the area, ensuring that it was clear of all possible hostiles.


Each soldier knelt, roughly forty grey armored Nafarian legionaires, their rifles stuck outwards as Zander approached one of the edges. He quickly barked a quick order, ordering nine soldiers in lighter armor to the Valtrikes. They were swift to respond to their leader's commands, jumping on the sleek speeders as they rushed through a newfound opening in the Nafarian perimeter. They slipped through the trees in three squads of three, one of them unknowingly heading in Max's direction.


"Alright troops fan out! If you see a human, gun them down. No questions asked!" Zander ordered giddily, sauntering forward with the rest of his troop, his weapon, a menacing roguetonium powered close range shotgun angled casually towards the ground, his eyes fixed forward.

 

[WanderingWayfarer]

Nafarian Space


The Captains orders for warp were quickly rendered pointless as the next salvo tore apart the engines. The Razor's desperate counter salvos rebuffed by the Hellion as if they were firing blanks. Growing bored, Arimius decided on a more merciful course of action. His Nafarian form vanishing before reappearing on the bridge of the Interceptor. Before anyone could react, Arimius lashed out, psionically dominating the insects surrounding him and forcing them to kneel before him. Drinking in the terror he felt lurking below the surface of their professional exteriors.


"Nafarians, how weak and despicable." He drawled, his red eyes sweeping over the crew in disinterest. "Take note that this is your destiny, to kneel before your betters and await your own inevitable death."


Asren Alliance





Survivors of the Stingy Banker had been gathering for quite some time now, and a secure if somewhat rudimentary camp had been set up planetside as they awaited extraction. Small recon teams of marines are dispatched towards various discrepancies on the crude sensors they had at their disposal, namely such things as the Remnants crashed ship, the Nafarian legions, and of course the giant planet destroying walkers.

 

[Atom]

AWAKEN THE BORG

The battle is space was, largely, a stalemate. For every bit of damage done to the Atlas class it would return it in full to both fleets. It would appear that one of the fleets would have to retreat in order for the atlas class to begin taking a lead, otherwise the odds were great that the three fleets would grind themselves down to nothing.


It was a shame that would not happen...


A sudden rip in space tore open from behind the Atlas Class carrier, a large silver blur approximately the size of a small dropship erupting from the rip to punch directly through the Atlas Class carrier in a flurry of metal and fire. Immediately all fire from the Atlas ceased and, in essence, it was dead in space.


The silver blur erupted from the other side of the Atlas carrier and continued towards the planet with no loss of speed.


-Planet Side-

A boom spread throughout the sky as the silver blur smashed through the sound barrier and into the planets atmosphere, coming down in a ball of fire before it rapidly slowed, somehow coming to a perfect stop from such a drop to rest on the surface. It was in fact a dropship, the material a dark silver and obviously very strong given it’s lack of apparent damage. But the dropship was not remotely as dangerous as what it released. The ramp slid out and down as the side opened, and from within walked out something ancient and powerful.


The being looked to be entirely of metal in structure, most likely the same metal as the ship. It’s eyes, small red orbs set within it’s face, confirmed that it was likely that this being was of machine origins. The being’s eyes scanned the surrounding landscape with pure malice.


“So...this is where they hid her...to think it took me this long...but no matter. I will destroy her, and then I will use this planet...yes...” It mused to itself, strutting from the dropship to a rather inconspicuous plot of grass.


“Administrative code Beta Omega Ranger Gamma....” the being ordered. There was a short pause before a panel arose from the ground and the being began typing away at it. The being seemed to pause a moment before it spoke again, “So....you are awake...and fighting me? Hah, no matter, you can do nothing to stop me.” it mused, tapping away furiously.


“Heheh, see? Minds well sit back and await your death...” it mused as the panel flashed. The being stepped away and turned to face the destruction in the distance. “Authorization code Delta Echo Alpha Tango Helios, activate planetary defense grid.” It ordered with a grin.


Within the next few moments multiple ports rose from the ground, releasing a variety of robotic soldiers that, without hesitation, began firing upon anything and everything that wasn’t one of their own.

 

[Jarkov Malachai]

Troop ships flying in, soldiers advancing upon the downed human ship, things were looking rather bleak for Max's men and his crew. However, as a certain little tattoo relayed, they never gave up hope and didn't seem to give one single mighty frick for a surrender of anything or too anyone.


The thud, crush, thud, of the massive walking machine continued closer, ever closer, ship penetrating weapon locked onto the downed little fighter. The 5, now back up and about humans watched it with grim faces, watched the drop ships fly in and deposit their loads of armed and armored men.


As the dickish Nefarian captain continued being a dick to the humans on board the ship, the call suddenly seemed to falter and then fade out completely to a black screen as audio video was down but audio was still operational. A by now, all to familiar to Max, sing song melodious voice opened up on the channel.


"Helloooo! oh what is this? having a confrontation without me are we Gentlemen, oh why im wounded! Now now then, we cant have that now can we?" you could vision that horrific, multi jawed, so many teeth white as light, grinning. "Here we all are gathered here and all you can do to the Good Captain Max is insult him? how truly.... barbaric and short sighted... I do so despise hypocrites." That word hypocrite was sound with an underlying rumble which seemed to vibrate the air around the com system for each respective member of said chat.


The call was then split for a private chat to the Terrans Captain Max, the message was a simple line of text. "Darlings I suggest getting your mens heads down hmm?"


The humans and other members of other factions assault force couldn't help but notice that a slight ripple behind the menacing, ever advancing land walker of doooooooooooom.... dooooom The Humans ducked into the ship that were there but heard this final message from the Lady of Ravens.


"And what displeases me... I eliminate from the equation."


The land walker suddenly had space and time rip open behind it and the tell tale signs of heavy thrusters bellowing their fury filled the air as the once proud and mighty mech of Doooooooooooooooooooooooooooom... found itself split right down the middle like a butter knife through some rather soft margarine. Time went in slow motion, the silver metal colored nose of the Dredge cruiser The Kukri finally emerged from the from of the Land Ship, fire billowed from its cannon and the entire thing blasted off, flying in a spiral smoke trailing behind it where it crashed upon the grass covered plains. The sonic shockwave of the ship roaring through the now split in two walker was joined by something else entering the atmosphere at high speeds so it went unnoticed as of the moment. The ships speed in the atmosphere had kicked up a ridiculous amount of dust which only increased when the Land Walker slowly... oh so slowly fell to the ground in its separate pieces, groaning metal and twisting joints created a melancholy chorus of sounds as it hit the surface with an earth shaking thud. The formerly metal killing machine now lay in a smoking wreck, it was almost sad to see such a mighty creation fall. Almost.


For during the commotion, the ship had released something else to the planets surface before warping off again and unleashing a furry of missiles down at the ground to cover its retreat.


Something, that upon seeing its foes, both those of flesh, and those not felt not fear... but adrenaline, and a sense of... anticipation.


A coms message to the Dredge that had infiltrated Max's ship earlier. "You are to assist your sister in her...endevour however she sees fit. Do not disappoint me." Moroc swore to itself. well this just got about 10X as tricky, now he had to worry about murderous Females as well as trigger happy soldiers and crazy robots.

The Lady of Ravens

​

Back on the Kukri however, the Science Officer finally made a finding on an opening into the planets surface and one that didn't lead into giant abyss's or lava pits or Borg robots. He relayed this to the Lady of Ravens who stared at the Coordinates of the passage leading to the massive power source that led them all here as well as the many... many new contacts that seemed to be popping up on all avenues of the planet.


"Captain Max is the closest, relay this message to him and the data on where it is located at. He gets his precious home word coordinates back, but we have partial dibs on the Core." She commanded in a softy voice.


Valerian stared at his Ship Mistress in a mix of awe and horror. "You knew... you knew something like this was going to happen didn't you?"


"No little one, I did not, I had suspicions to be sure but absolute knowledge no... The Cube was simply an... insurance policy in case the good captain found the Core first."


The lieutenant shook his head, there was a reason that Galumoras mother was one of the most feared Pirate Queens ever to roam the stars, he was just reminded of how closely the daughter resembled her... gods that was a scary thought.


Another Message to Captain Max. "My good Captain Max, it sems we are now pressed for time, I will offer you a deal which entitles you getting your Data cube back and a way off this quickly devolving rock but in return... partial ownership of whatever it is you.... find down there. 50/50 hmm? After all I am risking my ship and crews lives for something that might not even be worth it when I simply can... fly away and give this cube to people who are so much more interested in a certain planet and get paid oh so handsomely for it too. What do you say?"

 

[Atom]

Taeral leaned forwards in surprise. He had not expected a new party to arrive on the scene and make a mockery of the Atlas so quickly and apparently without meaning to. And as subsequent scans of the dropship would reveal as it disgorged a single metal humanoid onto the surface, this party knew far more of the planet than anyone else. With these facts in mind, Taeral decided it would be prudent to make contact with this newcomer face to face. And so at a mere impulse he descended from the Retribution down to the surface a handful of meters away from this metal figure.


“And to whom do I owe the pleasure of speaking to?” He inquired.


The being turned it's head slowly, regarding the newcomer without much other than contempt. "It matters not, the only thing that matters is who you think you are to speak to me?" It asked with a tone of perplexment. With a sudden thought it remembered that the days of its terror had long since passed…


“I’m sorry to say that in my millennia of existence I have yet to hear of a being such as you. Please, enlighten me to my ignorance.” Taeral said apologetically, though he would’ve liked to say it sarcastically. While there was no denying the beings power, he was confident that a half dozen Syhelians could make short work of it.


The being chucked softly, "You act like a welp like you is worthy to know of one like myself. What is your purpose here? To bow to me? If so you should start soon... your presence is annoying..." the being said with a smirk.


“My purpose here is to discover the use of this...planet. To that end you are useful.” Taeral said, his patience with the being wearing thin.


"Me useful to you? Oh please... You entertain me, I believe that's about the furthest extent of your usefulness to me though... perhaps you should go before you get in my way and I decide to rend the flesh from your body?" The being replied with unhidden malice.


Taeral at this point was done pandering to this...thing. Without bothering to say anything else he raised his pistol, emitting a void-powered beam at his adversary more to see what the effect would be than anything else.


The being took a step back as the pistol fired, avoiding the shot with a look of boredom. "Well. Now you die." It muttered, sounding bored and unintimidated. With a sigh it began approaching Taeral.


yeah


Taeral would immediately back off, continuing to fire. He didn’t want to imagine what this thing could do in close range if he was unprepared.


The being growled, more out of annoyance than anything else as it shifted it's position with each shot. "I'm not interested in wasting my time with you.." he growled before two bright lights from behind him properties


propelled him forward rapidly. His arm raised up quite quickly, his hand curling around Taeral's throat and halting his retreat.


Without hesitation Taeral grasped for his knife, empowering it with the void until it was a thing of pure blackness and plunging it into his adversaries chest.


The being paused, looking down, "Hmmm certainly something new...I hope you won't need that... oh you won't. You'll be dead." It said with mild amusement. The being reared its head back before delivering a vicious headbutt to Taeral, lifting him up afterwards before slamming him to the ground on his back and regarding him with callous amusement, "last words?"


There was a fading glimmer of amusement in Taerals eyes. “You speak as if I am already dead.” Even now his psionic presence was rapidly vacating the broken body, leaving it an empty husk.


The being regarded the husk with the slightest if curiosity before his arm released a bright beam of light, disintegrating and then absorbing it. "Interesting...."


- collab between @TheOnionofShrek and @Atom -