It only gets better. Chapter one continued.
The lift reached the bottom and the door slide apart and reveled what lay beyond: store fronts as far as the eye could see and throngs of people looking at many contraband items and weapons and many other illegal things, it had changed in the last fifteen years; in his day it was mostly stacks of crates and small stands. Now it look like an under ground city. He quickly found a holo-map, the Black Hawk was shall in business and shall owned by his old trade days friend Jason Lions; if any one could get him a meeting with some of the pirates it would be him. He continued down the block and took a right down another street. A large glowing sign with the words Black Hawk was on the other side of the street, he crossed and entered; it looked like an old late twenty-first century bar except for the holos that replaced the TVs of old and robot bartender and that instead of shattering when it hit the wall the rubber glass bounced off. He say Lions over by one of the holos of a hovercraft race betting on which one would win on the last lap. He made his way through the crowd. He saw his old friend jump before the other man handed him his credit chips, he placed a hand on Lions shoulder and said," up to the same old stuff I see." Louis Keyes?" He said as he turned and smiled," you old dog! What brings you, a TEC Vice Admiral to my little corner of the galaxy?" He asked, and then his smile vanished and he took a quick look around the room," lets go some where more private Louis." Keyes followed him toward the back of the bar; he saw large gold letters on a door that said "Manager". They entered and Lions closed the door behind them." Take a seat," he said as he sat down behind an oak desk and leaned on it. "Listen to these transmissions; they are from eight frontier colonies." He placed the data disk onto the player and hit play. As they listened to the static filled transmissions from ships and stations in the systems Lions turned pale. Keyes pressed the stop key and they sat there for a moment before Lions spoke up." No no no, not them... What is it you need me to do?" He asked, hands shaking. This was not the first time they had encountered them. Fourteen years ago before the start of the Vasari war they had been exploring a hundred-light years pass the frontier when they came across a small ship in orbit around a gas giant. They hailed the vessel and received no response, but as they turned to leave the gravity well of the planet the ship blazed to life and fired on their engines. They sent a small computer controlled ship with a recording of the route they took and a messges for help and sent it back to Trader Space. After that they lost consciousness; it was during that time he first heard the echos of voices. When they woke up they found them selfs in a cell with an energy barrier in place of bars. After an hour three "humans"... No, not humans any more, they were just as alien as the Vasari that arrived four years later. They asked them questions and then tortured them with their psychic powers. Two months after they had been taken captive twenty Cobalts enetered the system and attacked the ship; disabling it. Trade Order marines boarded the ship and killed or captured all the unknowns. They were brought aboard the ship that had docked with the unknowns vessel. They tried to hack into the vessel's computer network, after an hour without anything to so for their work they were preparing the ship to be towed back to Trader Space when it came back on line and ripped free of the Cobalt it was docked to and rammed another one. They returned home, they were questioned by the Trader Council about what happened. Nothing was ever released to the public, Keyes joined the Trader defense forces ready for the day when they arrived will Lions returned to the Sala Sector. "I need your help to get the Pirate Lords to defend agaisnt them, it will be months before the help I have asked for arrives." I'll see what I can do," he repiled as the color returned to his face." I'll contact you when I have it set up." Keyes got up," see you later then," he said as he walked out the door and returned the shuttle that had brought him.
Vasari seventh and eighth fleets, Kortal flagship of seventh fleet Darkness Rising. Location: Ten light-years from human Sector called Sala.
Fleet Commander Hasla Vesa sat in his chair on a rised platform in the middle of the ship's command center looking over the reports from the scouts." Yes..." They had been right, almost all of the Vermins ships were engage with them. The seventh and eighth fleets had been sent to open a second front agaisnt the humans to draw some of their ships away and weaken their economy. Now they could end this war and gather the resources they needed to continue through the galaxy untill they found an ancient weapon they had found records of that could destroy what was chasing them." All ships are ready for the next phase jump Fleet Commander." One the lesser ranking Vasari said." Open a fleet wide broadcast." He wasted a few seconds looking at the holo of his fleet." Done Fleet Commander." He stood and towered above the Ship Commanders in holographic form." We have been running for ten thousand years, not untill we came across these Vermin have we found anything that is worthy of fighting. Now we shall end this war and one day find the great weapon used by the Kahalsa and reclaim that which is ours!" The crews of all the ships cheered; they readied their ships for battle. This would be the turning point." All ships engage phase drives now." The stars disappeared and space turned purple as they jumped to the system called by the vermin "Orion 485".
Orion 485 system, pirate base.
The base was being stripped of everything of value before they began the trip the The Maw base." Captain! Vasari ships incoming!" He turned away from the charts he was studying and ran over the sensors station." Show me," he ordered. A view screen snapped on and showed hundreds of Vasari ships just five hundred kilometers from the edge of the gravity well and accelerating toward them. He slamed his fist down on the Com and yelled:" open fire!" The outer defenses opened up on the leading edge of the Vasari fleet as the pirate flak frigates shot down strike craft as heavy cruisers and light frigates poured fire into the alien fleet. He spoke over the base Com now." Drop what ever yout doing and get on board the evac ships!" He turned and walked over to one of the lifts as the command crew fled. He pressed the down key. After a five minute descent he arrived in one of the hangar bays and boarded his flagship, a heavily modified Kodiak crusier." Launch now!" He shouted as he sat down in his chair. As they left the bay they saw a huge fleet of what they had thought were Vasari allies attacking both of them." Who the hell are they?"
Orion 485 system, Advent fleet of Righteous Furry. Flagship Halcyon-class carrier Light of the Unity.
Crusader Shandra watched as the blue space faded and the stars returned." Crusader! Ships of unknown orgin are engaging the pirate fleet, strike craft inbound." One of her crew said. Unknown ships? What are these new foes? "Have the fighters intercept them, try to disable some of the enemy ships." She calmly ordered. Advent fighters raced toward the new threat faster than any other strike carft could, the enemy bombers and fighters took heavy loses. Some made it through to attack, what surprised her and every one else in the fleet was that the bule missiles instead of exploding harmlessly on the shields they impacted along the hull causing the the ship to shudder. As the enemy fleet turned toward the Advent the pirates sped for the edge of the gravity well." If any more of those missiles are launched they are to be shot down or intercepted by fighters." The enemy fleet came within weapons range and fired; the Advent fleet returned fire. Space around the two fleets filled with plasma and beam cannon fire. Two of the Avent battleships fired their heavy beam cannons on one of the enemy battleships, the two powerful beams of energy broke through the shields and tore through the hull, gutting the ship from bow to stern, the AM field failed and the ship exploded taking everything that was to close with it in a fiery death. An entire line of Discipline frigates and Illuminators blew apart from some sort of strange cloud as more of the enemy fleets were destroyed or pushed away. The enemy fleet began to retreat to the other side of the gravity well towards the Advent target. They phased out as they cought up." Damage report on the fleet." Crusader Shandra said, shall shocked at what had happen to her fleet in this battle. Thirty percent of the fleet had been destroyed or disabled; will twenty percent of the enemy fleet was also destroyed or disabled. Only a hand full of the pirate ships had been captured; maybe they could learn of what this new threat was from them." Heavy damage to most of our ships, only us and twenty-three others ships are in fighting shape Crusader." The Advent would have to move more fleets to deal with this new enemy. But for now they would return to the Will of the Unity.
Orion 485, Darkness Rising in orbit above human world Zera.
Hasla pace restlessly across the command center angered at how this battle had gone. This new alien race was powerful, but they could be destroyed. He waited for reports from ground forces on how the capture of this world was going and any information on this alien race that was also attacking them. His plans would be hampered untill he captured shipyards to repair his fleet. He stopped as a voice boomed through his head.
"Who ever you are you shall feel the warth of the Unity for what you have done to this fleet."
He shook his head and looked around to see most of the command crew standing up from the deck as if they had been knocked out of their chairs. This threat is greater than I thought.
Four months later. The Maw system, The Maw base.
After four months Graves ship arrived at the The Maw. It was a system that other then for a lone ice planet was infested with wormholes. He was surpirsed to see the huge fleet of ships here, among them was a TEC Kol class-battleship. The speakers came online and a raspy voice that he knew belong to Pirate Lord Mingan Johnson:" Graves, it's about time you got here. After our scouts returned with news of what had happened at your main base we thought you were dead. I'm sure you noticed the Kol class hanging out there, come down to the surface and we can begin the meeting. You'll find out what has been going on and more when you get down here. Out." After months of evading the Vasari and the other fleets as they battled it out it would be nice to relax without worry. Here, in The Maw it would be nearly impossoble for any one to find them. His ship entered the atmosphere.
The Maw system, Kahalsa Super Crusier Dawn Light.
The once mighty warship continued it's sixty thousand year tumble around the the gravity well of one of the many wormholes. If any one had ever stumbled across this massive ship which was four times the size of a Kol battleship they may have started looking for lifepods. For even after sixty thousand years it was in pristine shape, a testament to it's builders careful contruction and unrivaled technological skills. It sensors picked up a faint but unmistakable signal. After thousands of years drifting in space it burst to life, lights flashed on all along it's hull and engines flared to life and it began to check every system to ensure it was at full operational status. It would take time to check the systems. But sensed that it was closing, time was vital.
TEC system Forlong, planet Valen. Status: Advent and two Vasari fleets fighting in system.
The last of the pathetic Infidel ships fell and the fleet of Righteous Furry moved towards the jungle planet Forlong. As they came within weapons range two Vasari Marauders de-cloaked and powered up their Phase-Node beacons. Before the surprised Advent fleet could react and seconds after the beacons came online and they were surrounded by the seventh and eighth fleets." All ships fire! Strike craft launch now! Guardians push them away!" She ordered as the Vasari fleet fired a wave of Phase Missiles and plasma. One of the Marauders exploded under a hundred beam cannon shots from the Illums that continued through the expanding debris field and impacted on a Jarrsaul Evacuater and knocked it's shields out. Hundreds of Advent bombers that had broken through the failing Vasari fighter defense line fired their powerful beam cannons into it's hull; vaporizing deck after deck like a hot knife through butter; destroying vital shipboard systems such as life support and weapon control lines before blasting the command center apart and reaching the main Anti-Matter reactor. The explosions chained up and down the length of the ship de-stabilizing secondary reactor containment fields disintegrating the entire ship and a quarter of the Advent strike craft and eight Vasari light carriers. As the Advent strike craft continued to wreak havoc among the Vasari ships on the left flank some of their anti-fighter/missile ships on the right flank punched a hole through the Advents defense line allowing a hundred Vasari bombers and the second Marauder and a Kortal through the two hundred kilometer gap in the Advent lines, the bombers tore into the heart of the Advent fleet evading pulse laser fire and attacked one of the Halcyon Carriers; Phase Missiles blowing chunks out of it's hull as the Marauder and Kortal blasted surrounding ships away as their shields failed. The Advent fleet lines collapsed under the two front attack." All ships retreat!" Crusader Shandra yelled across the fleet wide Com as the aft section of a destroyed Halcyon that had some how survived the anti-matter reactor breach impacted agaisnt the Light of the Unity's already weakened shields causing them to collapse, the Kortal began to close with them and she knew it was the end of her and the fleet; but before the Vasari ship fired the Discipline vessels fell back behind the rest of the fleet to cover the rest of the fleeing ships, taking the hits that would have destroyed them as they phased out." Damage report!" She screamed as the ship shook." Main reactor is offline Crusader, two beam cannons have been destroyed and secondary reactors are at eighty-nine percent full power." Space returned to normal as they entered the gravity well of the star. She brought up her holo-map and studied it for a moment before ordering a jump to a system that had not been explored. The Vasari fleet snapped into normal space behind them and charged after them as the began to jump. Damn! They will be able to follow us through the jump!
Unknown wormhole infested-system. Advent fleet of Righteous Furry. Status: Chased by Vasari fleet.
Crusader Shandra rested in her room, staring at the wall. After a month gathering information they had a name to put to these aliens, Vasari. For the last ten years this nomadic race had been engaged with the Infidel and had been close to victory untill they responded with a massive counter attack and beat them to a stand still. And for months now the two Vasari fleets and a new reinforcement fleet had been causing chaos among them and the Infidel. And after this last battle she needed to hide, it was victory for the aliens for now. But they maybe able to lose them in this strange system." All crew to battle stations! Vasari fleet arriving at far side of star." She jumped up and ran to the bridge as the fleet continued to run towards the nearest phase lane. Vasari strike craft engaged with Advent fighters; some of the bombers got through and attacked the weakened Advent ships. They phased out before to much damage was done." "Status report!" She shouted as something within the ship exploded." Secondary reactors are near failing point and we only have two beam cannons online." This was bad, if they did not lose that Vasari fleet they would be destroyed. They enetered the gravity well of the wormhole and race for it. The Vasari fleet appeared out of phase space and opened fire. A Progenitor class-colony ship fell out of formation and exploded. They entered the wormhole, everything in the ship seemed to stretch, it felt like ten minutes but see knew that in the normal universe it was only a second. They exited at the other wormhole near a terrain world. "Crusader! There are Infidel signals above that world; there are over a thousand!" Set course for that world," she ordered. The Vasari fleet appeared out of the wormhole and chased them to the edge of the gravity well. They made the phase jump to the planet and charged right into the heart of the Infidel fleet carving their way through to the planet.
The Maw base, surface of planet Mawsa.
The rumble of the Kodiaks engines died as they touched down in the massive base. He waited as the ramp lowered. Waiting for him were the other six Pirate Lords and the commander of TEC operations in the sector: Vice Admiral Louis Keyes. "Graves, we thought you had bought the fram," Pirate Lord Jessica Flanders said." It's good to see you to, all of you. Even you Keyes," he said as he stepped off and shook hands with all of them." Now lets get on with this meeting, time is finite," Keye said as he lead the way into the base." Now, would you mind telling me what is with all this crazy stuff! The entire sector is falling apart at the seams!" He asked as they continued down the reinforced hallways."Ralsa, Victoria 127 is were it started. They call them selfs the Advent; do you remember that old child story?" He noticed Graves stiffen." Yes... No, it can't be them..." He said holding his hands to his temples." They are more powerful and tiwsted then we could ever imagine. Untill the fleet arrives we are the only defense agaisnt the Vasari and Advent." They reached the center of the base and entered the conference room, they took their seats and began to talk about how best to defened the sector and others when alarms blared through the base." All personnel to rally points! Advent and Vasari ships in orbit." The battle of The Maw base had began.
Vasari seventh and eighth fleets in orbit above Mawsa. Commanding officer of both fleets Hasla Vesa. Status: Chasing down advance Human fleet calling them selfs Advent.
Space returned to normal as they arrived above the planet. They had been wreaking havoc across a hundred systems against the normal humans and these insane mutants. These Advent were a major threat to the Vasari Exile Fleet and would have to be crippled before the rest of the fleet moved through these sectors." Fleet Commander," one of the crew men hissed," there are around a thousand of the Vermins ships in orbit of this world. Our prey is smasing through their fleet to the planet now." Vesa rose from his chair and shouted across all Com channels:" kill all of them! Leave not one of them breathing!" His fleets surged forward into the pirate fleet. Phase Missiles pounded into the vermins hulls blowing craters into their weak hulls as plasma and pulse beams melted through them." Shields have failed!" The ship went into a tumble and sent crew men flying to the deck of into the walls as a Rail Gun round from one of the Vermins Kol class ships closed with them and began to tear the ship apart with it's beam cannons and auto-cannons. But the heavily reinforced super-structure and armored hull were holding... Barely." All ships focus fire on the Vermin battleship!" Fire poured onto the Vermin ship and it began to retreat towards the planet before exploding under a huge barrage of missiles. That was when the other Vermin fleet reappeared from behind the planet having used a sling-shot orbit to gain speed; they tore through both fleets destroying nearly two hundred ships of the normal Vermin and taking out Ravastra frigates and light carriers and a Marauder battle cruiser." Refocus all fire on the Advent ships." He ordered. This Vermin fleet was far more deadly then the pirate fleet and could not be allowed to escape. The heavily damaged Advent ships exploded like firecrackers as their shields failed. The Gruardian support crusiers pushed both fleets away and gave them the time they needed to get to the edge of the gravity well. The eighth fleet continued to wipe out the pirates will the seventh gave chase to the fleeing Advent ships. That was when space inside the gravity well glowed green and something glided out of phase space...
Surface of Mawsa, The Maw base.
Keyes and the Pirate Lords each commanded their own fleets, keeping them as will organized as they could in the chaos that was the space battle. He watched as his flagship the Kirkland was destroyed. That was when the first warning of the attack on the base it's self came as the ground shook and small rocks fell from the ceiling as Advent heavy transports opened fire on the massive AA-defense turrets." Advent ground forces landing two kilometers out. All personnel to northern perimeter defenses." The voice of the bases AI said as the last of the turrets fell." How the hell did they get pass our sensors?" Mingan yelled as the base shook from more beam cannon hits." They are more powerful then we could imagine." The battle in orbit was lost as the pirate fleets fled from the battle, the crews no longer obeying ordereds from ground command will the last of the TEC ships made a charge right into the Vasari fleet ramming the alien ships." Vasari troop transports enetering atmosphere. And heading for the western perimeter." This was not going will. They would have to evacuate the base before the Advent or Vasari forces breached the base perimeter.
Surface of Mawsa, Vasari landing zone half kilometer from human base.
Surface Forces Commander Kasla Nada looked out over the landing zone as troops marched from their transports and rode armored combat vehicles from hover tanks to the massive Reaper Combat Walker which he stood upon. It was the ultimate war machine and look like a giant spider two hundred feet high. And is heavily armored and armed with three heavy pulse beam cannons and plasma turrets. Not one had ever been destroyed in combat. And now it lead the attack on the vermin base." Fire forward pulse beams on the human bunkers." He ordered. Two green beams shot out and blasted the enemy defenses away. He was thrownto the deck along with most of the crew as a pair of Advent fighters flew by. He stood and open a Com to the plasma turrets:" Destroy the Vermin fighters!" He shouted as rounds from pirate tanks hit. It was a good day for a battle; and he would win it.
Surface of Mawsa, Advent landing zone two kilometers from Infidel base.
Crusader Adam, commander of the fleets ground forces waited for the last of the Advent hover tanks to line up along with the foot troops in their massive shining white armor. It was rare in the Advent for a male such as hin self to be at such a rank; but he was the most powerful male Advent in over two centuries. He had a talent for ground engagements that few others in the Unity could rival." We will destroy all the Infidel and those filthy reptiles! Now ready your selfs for the caming fight," he said in a calm and commanding voice. The warriors roared in approval. He took his place in his own battle suit." All forces forward!" The Advent forces mowed through the forest toward the Infidel base. The tanks crushed the trees will the foot troops in their powered armor followed behind. They reached the Infidel base within ten minutes. As they cleared the ridge line they saw the massive Vasari attack force tearing into the Pirate/TEC forces. What stun all of them was the massive spider-like walker blasting Infidel forces. He had standing orders from Crusader Shandra to capture any Vasari technology more advance than theirs. Will the Advent had mastered energy weapons for their ships they shall used what were now called sulg-throwers on the ground; but they had also mastered Rail Gun tech which they used for the main weapons on their tanks and shoulder mounted rapid-fire Rail Guns for their state-of-the-art powered armor. It was a ture marvel of Advent technology, powered by their mental powers alone; it enhanced the wearers strength a hundred-fold and allowed them to smash through two meter thick walls." All tanks fire on the Vasari walkers legs; do not destroy it, only disable it." He ordered. The air before them felled with lighting-bolts as the tanks fired their main guns; but it only bounced off of the walkers thick armor and drew it's wrath. The pulse beams blazed across the Advent tanks leaving behind flaming hulks." Scatter!" He shouted as it fired again. Most of the foot troops had lived through the first attack will all but three tanks had survived. He lead them toward the Infidel base, it was the only good cover for hundreds of meters.
Vasari Reaper Combat/Command Walker.
The walker shook as the high-velocity slugs impacted on the thick leg armor." Were did that fire come from?" He asked his sensor officer." From the ridge commander; it is the Advent Vermin." This could make his job a lot harder if the got inside the base and captured or killed the commanding human Vermin before they reached them." Bring forward pulse beams around and fire on them." He ordered. The huge warmachine turned toward the Advent forces and fired destroying most of their heavy vechicles. They scattered as the pulse beams took out another tank." Ready the transport." He said as he turned and headed toward the vechicle bay; he had to capture the human commanders before they escaped of taken by the Advent. By the time he arrived the armored transport was prepped. He enetered the armory and donned his nano-armor suit; it was the standard combat suit since the fall of the Empire. It could take multiple pulse beam or Rail Gun shots before failing, and given enough time and resources from it's surrounding the suit's nano-bots could repair any damage done in battle. And instead of the hand-held weapons used by many of the alien races they had faced; the main pulse weapon was intergrated into the right arm of the suit, which keep an enemy from easily disarming them without taking the entire arm off with it. He stepped out back into the bay where twenty Vasari Warriors were suited up and ready for the fight ahead." The Vermin shall not keep us from victory; this day will belong to the Vasari! Man your stations and prepare for glory in the coming fight!" The Warriors rised their right arms high and gave a warriors-battle cry and marched aboard the transport. Nada took his place at the command station and waited as the systems were doubled checked. The voice of the bay commander came over the speakers:" Command Transport One you are cleared." The walker kneeled and lowered a ramp; the Command Transport rumbled down and raced through the failing human defenses at sixty-miles per-hour. They arrived at one of the massive doors that lead into the base's vehicle bay. He called back to his walker." Blast this door out of our way." He ordered." Yes commander." Came the reply, a moment later two green pulse beams cut through the heavy metal door. They enetered the bay and cleared it of the Vermin defenders with the transports weapons. Nada rose from his chair and ordered his troops to follow. They left the transport behind and spread out; moving from crate or vechicle to what ecer else there was for cover. He ordered explosives placed on the reinforced door. They took cover and a few seconds later the timer on it went off and blasted the door into the wall behind it." Grenades into the hallway." They charged in after the small explosives went off. They came face to face with three towering figures in white armor with bule visors where their faces would be. They opened fire.
Surface of Mawsa, The Maw base: Commanding ground forces officer TEC general Jone Harland. Near vehicle bay N-4.
"Retreat! Pull back, all forces pull back to the ships for evac." He shouted over the Com system in his helmet as another blast from the Reaper Walker destroyed four tanks. He and the squad of marines with him made a ran for the vehicle bay as the massive blast doors began to close; they and the last of the troops made it through as the doors closed with a thud. "Move it people! Get to the ships double time." He ordered. They enetered the hallway and closed the door behind them. One of the marines screamed:" What the hell is that thing!?" He turned the way the marine was pointing and saw a massive powered attack suit; before it could open fire the ground shook and the thing tumbled to the ground, he hit the key to close the door between them and the armored giant." Lets get out of here before that thing gets through," he said as they got; they arrived at the hangar after fifteen minutes." Jones! Good to see you made it, thought they got you." Keyes said as he and his marines walked over to Graves Kodiak cruiser." The rest of the ships have left, lets get out of here." Mingan said, they saw Vasari troops enter the hangar as they boarded the ship and blasted off into orbit.
Fifteen minutes earlier in vehicle bay N-4.
He and the other four Warriors dropped to the floor and opened fire on the armored titans; but it barely dented the armor slightly. The massive warriors began to retarget on the Vasari troops. Nada rolled back out into the bay along with the other warriors; one of them was to slow and was tore apart by hundreds of high-speed rounds." Take cover!" He yelled as the titans moved out into the larger bay. One of the Vasari Warriors jumped into a human tank and turned the turret toward the white armored giants and fired. One of the suits seemed to power down; and the shell from the tank slowed and came to a stop and turned around and sped back into the barrel as the Vasari Warrior jumped from the turret. The explosion sent the tank turret into the air and also sent the Vasari Warrior tumbling through air into a wall, the suit powered back up and resumed firing on the entrenced Vasari. That was when he noticed a large crate held by a crane arm; if they could get those armored behemoths undered they could stop, he thought." Try and get them under that crate hanging from the crane." He ordered. Three pinned down Warriors threw grenades at the enemy; they made a run for cover near the crate along with other nearby Warriors as the grenades exploded blinding the giants for a moment. They poured fired into the behemoths and drew their attention and the they charged at the Vasari under the crate; the Vasari ran as the white giants came within three meters and dove behind a tank as they fired." Drop the crate now!" He shouted across the Com; the Vasari at the crane controls dropped the crate on top of them. It seemed to crush them under it's weight; they cheered at the victory over the giant warriors but it died down as the crate rose off the ground and was tossed across the room. The behemoths stood up and fired on the nearest of the shocked Vasari tearing them to shreds as the survivers dove back behind cover. And then when it seemed they were all going to die a pair of Vasari tanks entered the bay and fired on the armored warriors; the heavy weapons on the tanks tore through the armor of one of them blasting away the suit and what ever wore it from the waist up. The other two turned and ran for the door, the tanks fired again and killed another one; the last one escaped into the hallway." Tank Commanders; cover the door that thing escaped through, rig the door farther down." He ordered, shaken from the battle with the enemy warriors; in all his years battling the Vermin he had never face anything as strong and tough as these armored giants. The door blew in and two Warriors moved into the hallway to make sure it was clear." There is no sign of the armored giants or humans commander." One of the Warriors reported." All Warriors move up and secure the hallway." After a few tense moments and no sign of the enemy warriors he lead his Warriors deeper into the Vermin base. They entered a hangar deep inside the base as the human commanders boarded one of their heavy cruisers; it blasted off and raced off into the sky. Then eight more of the armored giants enetered the hangar and the Vasari ran back into the safety of the hallway and hightailed it back to the otuer base. They boarded the transport and raced back to the troop transports with the rest of the Vasari forces.
Advent squad lead by Crusader Adam two minutes before battle in bay N-4.
The last of the Infidel in this section of hallway fell and they continued through the base. Adam rounded a corner and saw a squad of TEC marines; but as he warmed up the Rail Guns a massive blast shook the ground and caused him to fall. The door between them closed and he got up and walked up to the door and tried to bash it down but the heavy door was to tough and as he turned and he and his squad moved back down the hallway the door into the bay exploded; they turned and took the force of the grenades blast. They stood there waiting for what could only be Vasari troops; four of the aliens entered and stopped, stun by the sight of the Advent warriors. They fired on the Vasari and the aliens dropped to the ground and fired on them with no major effect on the tough armor, they aimed lower and the aliens rolled back the way they came; one of them was cought in the hail of bullets." Move into the bay, kill them all." They entered the bay to see the Vasari hiding behind any bit of cover they could find. Adam saw one of the Vasari troops take control of an Infidel tank and turn towards them; he cut power to his suit and prepared to repell the tank shell. Time seemed to slow as the tank fired and the shell raced toward them, he concentrated on the tank round and brought it to a stop and turned it around and pushed it back into the tank barrel as the Vasari jump out. The round detonated setting off the others and sent the turret into the air along with the Vasari trooper. He powered the suit back up and they continued attacking the Vasari, killing two more of them when several grenades landed in front of them and blinded them for a moment will some of the aliens ran toward the other end of the room. He saw the crate, if they want us to walk right into the trap lets give them another show of Advent power, he thought and the two warriors agreed. He would instill fear of the Advent battle suits into the Vasari farther with another show of their mental powers. They charged at the Vasari and as they fell back the crate dropped on top of them; they all powered down their suits and lefted the crate and tossed it aside and stood undamaged. They killed four more of the aliens when two of the enemy tanks entered and fired killing one of his warriors." Retreat!" They ran for the hallway but before they reached it he other warrior was cut down; but he made it and charged deeper into the base back the way he came. After a few minutes he was near the bay where they had entered." Come with me, the others were killed by Vasari tanks." They followed him down another hallway and after a few more minutes they came out in a hangar and saw a Kodiak launch. There were Vasari troops on the other side; they saw the Advent and ran." Crusader, I have found the base command center." One of the warriors called over the Com." Gain any data you can from their computers." It only took a minute to hack into the computers and download all the information that had not been deleted." Done Crusader. We have all that can be gained here." He opened a Com channel to what was left of the rest of the Avent forces." Return to the LZ." It took them twenty minutes to reach the transports; they returned to the pair of carriers that had been left to pick them up. They would meet with the main fleet later if they survived.
Mawsa orbit. Kahalsa Super Cruiser Dawn Light.
The Dawn glided out of phase space in the middle of the battle. The AI that controled the ship; Observant Tangent, with the Jorala nearly upon them why were they wasting time with whatever pity squabble they have with this race that could not wait? Observant Tangent hailed all ships in the gravity well." Stop this fighting at once! There is no time to waste with battles agaisnt each other. The Jorala will arrive within two years! We must contain them at once! We must activate the Gaia Array." All the ships in stopped firing and halted whatever they were doing; it used the powerful tractor beams to pull in ships near the planet and all the fleets and telaported them aboard. It turned away and phased away. The leaders of both fleets and the TEC and pirates had been taken and the Vasari till the Advent of the Kahalsa. The Vasari ships then noticed that the ship had created a phase lane thay could follow. Both fleets for the time being make a shake alliance.
Chapter Two: Marathon Run
Vasari front, Vaga system, TEC foward shipyard world Arcida.
Admiral Bernard Kane looked out the massive view port at the shipyards, they were the largest for light-years. And among the ships under construction was the first of a new generation of capital ships and his new flagship: The TEC Marathon. The Marathon was far larger than a star base, it was more powerful than anything used by them or the Vasari. And now, after four years it was about to leave and join with battle group seven, part of first fleet in the Zasa system. He saw it's massive engines came to life and it slowly moved out of the gigantic construction factory. The Marathon was a fleet in it's own right. Instead of the auto-cannons used by other ships such as the Kol and Marza it was armed with twelve Rail Gun turrets like those used as defense platforms but with a new ability to to fire four rounds at once, and along with two dozen missle launcher using captured phase missiles. And a heavy Rail Gun that would be able to knock away half a Kortal's shields. It's armor was an inch of Neutronium, the ship's has no shields, but the armor was far stronger than any shield system they had, he didn't now how they got the stuff. It required the most powerful anti-matter and fusion reactors and the strongest and best anti-gravity generators the TEC had to keep the armor from crushing the ship. Anti-matter reactors had for the last two thousand years been the main power source of ships since fusion had been pushed to it's limits, but they used micro-fusion reactors and normal sized reactors to power many things on planets because they had never been able to make AM reactors as safe at the same size, the reson they had fusion reactors was space, they used the best tech they had to build a ship that would be nearly unstoppable. He watched as his new flagship as moved through the gravity well of the gas giant as part of it's two day shake down cruise to make final system checks. In a few weeks they would be causing chaos among the Vasari. He listen as reports from the ship arrived about it's status." Anti-Matter reactor CF operating at maximum strength; fusion reactors at max power. Anti-gravity generators holding armor in place, no hull sections collapsing." The count continued as the ship made a full trip around the gravity well and was preparing to jump a heavily damaged Sova carrier appeared next to the Marathon only five kilometers away."Their hailing us sir." The station Com officer said." Patch them through," he ordered. After a moment a voice that sounded tired came through." This is Captain Richard Nelson of the North Wolf, TEC battle group seven first fleet. We were attack by a massive Vasari fleet, over a thousand ships; and some moon size mobile station. The rest of the battle group is gone." Every person in the room froze at this news, a new Vasari fleet; the largest fleet they had ever fought before was two hundred ships." This is Admiral Bernard, were they able to follow you or maybe plant a tracking device?" If that fleet arrived here and destroyed them the half the front could collapse within a few months. "We made several random jumps from four stars and no Vasari ships appeared in system, about the tracking device there hasn't been time for a complete sweep of the ship, sir." If this part of the front fell only Tribune and a few other worlds would remain in their way toward Earth... And even those fortress systems would not last long against this. "There's room in bay C-seven. Arcida command out." They needed to call for help if they found a tracking device. "Once they dock I want ever inch of that ship checked for tracking devices. Send a scout to the star and have a second wait to jump there on my with orderd for the other to jump to Tribune." With the Marathon and the hundred and fifty other ships they had they may just stand a chance.
Vasari stirke force ten in Phase Space approaching TEC system Vaga.
Fleet Commander Vaor Gahis paced restlessly paced waiting to engage the fleeing Verim ship that had escaped the battle. This would be easy, this small force would be enough to destroy it before they could inform them about the moblie city of Vasar.
