The Black

A quick sharp pain in Legaris shoulder woke him from his spot on the floor of the bridge. His vision was a patchwork of artifacting and dark spots. He recognized the rush of nanites through his blood as his damaged vision began to return to him.

“Legaris, rise slowly. You have taken a massive dose of radiation.” It was the ships doctor.

“I will, get me to my chair.” Legaris grumbled, his strength slowly returning to him as his body was being repaired. He would need a bed later, but for now.. “Someone, give me an update.” he stated as calmly as he couldn’t muster.

“Our main drives are offline, 4 of our 7 main power generators are in emergency shutdown. Shields are at minimum power. Hull breaches on multiple decks are being sealed. We will be ready for subspace in 2 hours but for not much more than a jump for home. Sir, our weapons banks are completely destroyed.” His first officer took a deep breath before locking eyes with his commander, “You are not Devoted. It pains me Legaris, but you must take the subspace shuttle.”

“You Dare!” Legaris began before seeing the pain in his first officer's eyes, “what is it..”

“The Exterminatus Fleet is gone, Legaris. The Rock is gone… All of it. We are all that is left. I have loaded the recorded data from This engagement into the shuttle, along with my personal report. We will need an eyewitness who can help Voralus learn from this failure. You are the best of us… if we are to face This new foe, we will need your mind. You were the only one of us who saw something off. Go, Legaris.” His first officer drew a ceremonial dagger from his uniform and handed it to Legaris. The younger Vorath had just given his superior officer a direct order. By tradition, Legaris had the right to take the man’s life where he stood.

Legaris stood slowly, dagger held in a reverse grip, eyeing his first officer. The younger man put his hands behind his back in complete surrender, then flinched as Legaris’ hand snapped out and blood flowed freely from the first officers left cheek as the blade cut cleanly if shallowly in a line across his face, bisecting his ear. Legaris had chosen an equally old tradition of sparing the younger man and marking him with honor.

“Get that tended to properly, true loyalty is a rare thing. It deserves note.” with that, Legaris walked towards the hanger where the waiting shuttle with its treasure of information awaited his presence.

First in line Magnarus touched his still bleeding cheek. He would allow the mark to heal slowly, preserving its scar with pride, possibly tucking some Flekko mane fibers in it to ensure its prominence. If he survived that is. With the stroke of a blade, his Legaris had both spared him, and given him command of the crippled Vorath Battle Cruiser.

“All hands, this is Magnarus. All surviving pilots to your ships. Launch all fighters and all gunboats. We must hold it while repairs are made. Die well!”

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Mac could feel Lyrians agony as Olympus was engulfed in the fusion explosions that had ended the threat to Delmar. She was leaned up against his shoulder, he could feel her shake in suppressed sobs as 1st fleet prepared their own jump.

The four Eros Dreadnaughts were still firing, albeit at a slower pace. What was left of Gregory’s fleet, which was three quarters of it thankfully, were falling into where first fleet had been defending, replacing their strength and taking targeting solutions from the Eros’ to engage smaller chunks of asteroid not worth a ‘Vulkan’ round. These ships worked together rendered any remnants of incoming ship fragments or asteroid fragments small enough to burn up in the atmosphere of Delmar without impacting its surface. Delmar would have an exciting night sky, and complicated shuttle services to and from their orbital dry-dock for the next few weeks, but the planet was no longer in danger. The remaining Debris was going to take months, if not years to sift through for intel, and clean up.

The UGN fleet was burning back for Port Royal, Kamarin had wisely requested that they return to overwatch of the station while the Sol Navy cleaned up. He had lost 4 brigantines in the fighting and one of his Frigates was badly damaged. Port Royal would aid in repairs.

“Captain, we are detecting multiple launches from the enemy ship. Various sized fighter and attacker craft are setting up a screen.” The Tactical officer of the Galveston Put the sensor composite up on the CIC main screen.

“We go in slowly then, clear the fighters and board.” Harrison offered

“NO….” Mac turned to the Captain, “Bill, we have a small contingent of fighters from Delmar with slip drives. Call up 303 wing, and Martina’s VIPERS. Have the VIPERS load AMRAAMs. Give them the coordinates for 10,000 meters in front of the fighter screen. They will engage first. I will launch with Galveston’s fighters as escort into the ship. Captain, prepare to jump your ship to cut off their retreat.”

“Alright, Mac.” Harrison nodded, and issued out the orders.

20 minutes later the VIPERS of Martina’s squadron and Ivars 303 squadron made the jump. These two squadrons had been given emergency slip drives and had them installed in their ships. These slip drives were the bare minimum. Rated for 3 jumps maximum before overhaul, but they were enough for the micro hop needed to engage the enemy. They were being fed telemetry from the Galveston and her more powerful sensors, giving them signatures to feed the 23rd gen AMRAAMs. Gone was “pit bull” mode where a Fox3 would latch on to anything it saw after ship-born radar guidance was lost, now a pilot could feed a radar signature into the memory of individual missiles and fire them with no lock at all.

It wasn’t perfect, Galveston could only get fidelity on 152 of the 400 fighter signatures screening the enemy vessel. Those 152 were the unlucky ones the moment Ivar, and Martina dropped their squadrons back into real space.

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“Fox 3!” Barked Martina into the mic as she loosed every AMRAAM she had on board the moment she was in real space. Every VIPER in her flight did the same, leaving them with guns and 6 internally carried sparrows each. Every Raptor 2 ejected their auxiliary missile pods the moment they were empty, and 25 seconds later, 135 of the 150 targeted enemy fighters exploded...

“Rifle rifle rifle!” Ivar barked over the microphone as his 303 squadron opened fire with their externally mounted Delmar native MAC pods. Another 450 Durasteel MAC rounds bellowed from the Delmar Ranger’s, reaping another 125 kills, before they too ejected their external weights and prepared for the fight. Rangers still couldn’t carry much in the way of Sol weaponry, but the “Brothers Grem” had discovered a way to get the hyper sparrows to work. Each Delmar Ranger fighter only carried 2, but it was a game changer, as the dogfight was joined.

Martina bore her teeth in a feral smile as she watched 303 squadron get to work. After Lyrians had proven that a Delmar could survive many more G’s with proper training, many of Ivars squadron had begun working at improving. Their ships were still limited, but the two forces had developed a “hammer and anvil” approach that maximized each crafts strengths. Martina ripped off two sparrows in quick succession as her squadron focused on keeping the Rangers clear using missile fire. The 303 whipped into their combination thatched weave and concentric spiral Patten allowing them to clear their own tails as well as maximize their own delta v against the enemy. Martina’s raptors soon dove in, most keeping 2 sparrows in reserve and engaged with quick GAU Bursts during their initial Merge. The deadly dance was quickly becoming one-sided.

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Galveston dropped into real space on the opposite side of the enemy vessel with her destroyers immediately moving to encircle. A boarding shuttle launched along with Concord and Galveston’s sub-light-only fighters as escort. Lt Alex Collins, with Galveston’s marine detachment, would be leading a squad into the belly of the enemy vessel. The mission was Board and secure. They had been given images of what their foe might look like, but the warning was that the images were severely out of date.

“30 seconds!! Sensors read gravity, but no atmo!” Called the shuttle pilot.

“Seals on!! “Bellowed Alex’s captan.

Every marine unhooked their armored helmets from their belts and snapped them into place. Activating the Hud and a cerebral link to the sensors and optics inside helmet. Weapons clattered as the standard issue Dessert Tech made MDR-G’s were loaded and made ready.

The light turned green, and the ramp lowered. The marines stormed out and spread through the hanger securing it as they went.

Alex led 2nd squad toward the main entrance as a hiss of returning atmosphere froze everyone as air was pumped back into the hanger. Moments later a massive 3-meter-tall grey alien broiling in chords of muscle stepped out of the main door and froze as it stared at them. The spell was broken as the being roared and reached for a weapon at its hip.

Alex had selected burst fire for his rifle while in the shuttle. He pulled the trigger 3 times, sending 9 Gauss round into the torso of the alien at multiple times the speed of sound. The hall behind it exploded on dark bluish grey blood, organ, and bone fragments as the being fell.

‘So much for surprise’ Alex and his squad rushed the door and worked their way down the hall, they took the first right and were met with a hail of laser fire that scored their armored suit, puncturing Alex’s left arm and glancing off his armored chest plates. A bellowing in a language his on board translator identified as mostly Greek urged the laser fire to continue. His suit sealed itself and his arm seemed functional outside of the burning pain.

“2-1 actual, heavy resistance, no casualties, over.”

*Copy 2-1, standby* the radio responded quickly followed by a tap on his shoulder. Alex turned to find a massive corporal carrying a riot shield and a rotary grenade launcher “You called with a problem” the man’s grin was felt through his voice.

The corporal didn’t wait for an answer, he slapped the riot shield down as laser and plasma bounced off it and casually thumped out three grenades. All laser fire ceased, and he stood, “CLEAR!” He shouted. And 2nd squad plus a very large and very pleased corporal continued their advance into the bowels of the ship.

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Magnarus watched the feeds from inside of the ship. His men were being slaughtered en mass. These short stocky intruders were using weapons he had never seen before, they cut through his men’s bodies like butter. The Vorath had been genetically selecting for reproduction, durability, and intellect in equal measure over the last several million years. The average Vorath Soldier class could shrug off most infantry standard laser and plasma weapons known to be used in the pathetic conflagration that the Corth had built as “The Galactic Unity”. Vorath weapons were designed to be able to take down a Vorath, and yet these abominations carried weapons that dismembered his men bodily… and when hit with weapons that could fell one of his own… refused to die... Some of them were injured and pulled back to their boarding craft. But few had actually perished.

“Get closer” He ordered. It was a stopgap at best. “Get close enough to lay hand on these smaller creatures and rend them bodily asunder with blade and claw” he finished.

The repairs were not complete. The ship did not possess enough main power to properly overload and self-destruct. They would not be repaired in time.. There was nothing left to do here. He walked over to the command chair and withdrew his spear and plasma pistol, and prepared for his final stand.

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Lt. Collins pied the next corner and waved his squad around. They had seen a marked drop off in resistance as they advanced though the ship. It set into the pit of his stomach like a forest that had just gone too quiet.

He raised up a halt signal as they came to a series of doors. ‘fuck’ He swore internally as the ambush scenario registered…

(by 2, left side) he hands signaled as he turned to move to the first door. A meaty hand clamped on his shoulder. He turned to find the stone face of Sgt Kurt Heinrich. The Mountain of a German gave him an all too familiar “This is not officer’s work” look familiar to butter bars of ages past. Alex began to protest but the big man simply shouldered past him to take his spot in the stack, shuffling Alex to the 3rd position. Alex signal’d the breech once 1st squad had caught up. The private upfront reached for the door just as both doors on either side of the hall, the one they were about to breech, and the one slightly further down exploded into the hall from some sort of detonating charge.. and Alex found out why resistance had been so light.

1st and 2nd squad together had seventeen men left from various casualties throughout the boarding action. The two doors had indeed exploded into the corridor as part of the ambush. From each door poured a flood of 3 meter tall grey giants. Alex was flung backward as his stack was scattered by two of the beings coming through his door. Alex eyes flew wide as a massive spear cevered the arm of his Sargent and a second was driven through the private in the lead, severing the man’s spine as it was driven through the front of his neck, getting lodged in the backplate of the dead marines armor. Half of 2nd squad was too close, and 1st squad was bellowing for them to clear the lines of fire. Alex rose to find himself face to face with one of the massive beings, it fired on him as it closed, hitting Alex multiple times in his chest armor that somehow held. Alex began to backpedal trying to raise his rifle only to have it swiped away by the spear in the being’s other hand. The two weapons tangled, and the Alien dropped in favor of a massive dagger strapped to his waist. The young Lieutenant used the exchange as his opening. Reversing his direction, Alex dropped low, bending all his experience in training, and his football tight end play from college to his will. He lunged forward, just passed the slightly out-of-position blade and drove his shoulder into the stomach of the alien, lifting him bodily off of the ground and driving him with all the force alex could muster into the floor plating. The alien let out a wheeze of surprise and regained his composure only just in time to see Alex place his sidearm underneath the aliens chin and pull the trigger.

“STAY DOWN!!” Alex heard a human howl from behind him as the remaining rifles in action bellowed their wrath down the hallway. The remnants of the second squad had fallen back to first squad, and they had formed a loose firing line as the stack had fought for its life. The men stacked with Alex never broke, they simply died where they stood, and Alex added the rest of his magazine to the barrage. 40 aliens had charged them in the ambush. His stack of 5 had taken down 9 before they had fallen. 2 aliens made it around the corner of the corridor before the shooting stopped.

Alex looked over the carnage and found what he sought. He stumbled over to the body of the Sargent who had been his mentor. The Big German was still breathing but was quickly bleeding out from the stump of an arm he now possessed.

“You God dam Crazy fucking Kraut… If you survive this, I’m buying you AMERICAN whiskey, and making you drink it” He growled at the man who was fading in and out of consciousness.

The Sargent just groaned as Alex whipped out his tourniquet and sinched it up, staunching the man’s loss of blood.

“Sir, this way, sir” a medic stated as he gently grabbed Alex by the arm, “sit down Sir”

“Im fine, tend to Kurt” Alex blinked as he registered his own slurred words, then got a confused look as he started to waver. He looked down to find an alien dagger buried to the hilt just above the side plate of his body armor, “Fuck” he got out before coughing up a lung full of blood and crumpling to the ground.

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Magnarus was the last of twelve Vorath, they stood at the door to the CIC where they had been pushed back to by these Aliens and their insane weapons. He suspected that he knew why his men fell so easily, but the fog of combat had kept him from deducing anything of real merit. The doors pounded as these short HEAVY and deadly beings reached the blast doors. This would be their final stand.

His ears quirked when he heard a familiar tongue if somewhat clipped, “This is Captain Galanis of the Sol Federation Marine Corps. Surrender now, and I can guarantee you fair treatment.” The strange voice said, in Magnarus own native language ‘how the void do they know our language’.

“The Vorath Don’t Surrender, Take us! We die well this day” Magnarus roared back, only to be immediately assaulted by an explosive detonation that blew the blast doors inward. His remaining men were quick, and Laser fire filled the manufactured gap for a full minute until a small device clinked into the room. Magnus roared as His eyes were seared with a light almost as bright as the atomic detonations that crippled his ship. He dropped his pistol and shook his head just to have his knees kicked out from under him. He dropped to one knee and looked up, just in time to see a being with fury in his green eyes, a full beard of Brown with hair atop his head to match, and a lit cigar in his mouth as he looked down at Magnarus

“Who said anythin’ ‘bout Dyin” the 1.9-meter-tall Captain Nico Galanis gave the Alien an evil grin around his stogie.

Magnarus began to move, only to feel a titanic Hammer of pain at the base of his neck as the grinning man clubbed him with the but of his rifle.

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*Ship secured, bringing her under tow now, Ambassador* the Voice of Mac filled Gwen with relief as the last engagement of this symphony of carnage wound down.

“Confirmed, Deliver the ship to Delmar orbit. I will get permission to use the shipyard to properly get to know our prize” Gwen stated before standing up from her seat. She looked over at Aiericastum to see a significantly paler grey awash over the being’s body.

“No one has done that in several million years…” She stated before straightening her seat inside of the Golems head, “I must go. I will send you to you… USN Houston. I cannot be seen any more than I already have. Ambassador, they will send more. My Sensors have some data on where the attack may have come from. I will have the data sent to you. Good day Ambassador.”

With that Ambassador Gwen was flung from the Corth ship and into the command deck of the Houston with a flash of light. “Oh, I don’t like that.” Gwen growled just to hear the report that the Corth had departed without so much as a farewell or a thanks.

“Ambassador?” The Captain of the Huston quirked an eyebrow.

“I’m starting to not like the Corth” Gwen steadied herself against a bit of railing, “That is not a fun way to get around, Report.”

“Preliminary data is 17 dead, 12 wounded, Admiral. The Galveston reports one subspace signature trail heading away from the captured ship. We think it was launched just before we made the jump to board. We have 7 captured Vorath. We are transporting them to Galveston’s bridge... They are… not what we expected... The combat footage will be in your inbox by end of day.” The captain nodded.

“Get me a shuttle. Have Galveston make for Port Royal. I will meet them there. We built in some proper containment facilities there for larger species.” Gwen stated.

“Hanger 2 should have your shuttle, Ambassador” Houston’s Captain stated before nodding to her as she departed the bridge.

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Aiericastum sat back in her chair as he ships soared toward the Deep inner systems of the Unity. Her ship had recorded the entire engagement. It had been both horrific and enlightening as to where Humanity had gone since the Cataclysm. Humanity’s ability to wage war was a paradox of Primitive Brutality and an almost scientific sophistication that Had taken the Vorath completely by surprise. Aiericastum had intercepted the internal sensor and optical footage from the Boarding action. Watching Humans engage in hand-to-hand combat with Vorath had not happened since the beginning of the Lithral civil war. Her thoughts were interrupted by a beeping from her console.

‘Ah’ Aiericastum thought as she began scrolling through the data on the screen. An emotion clawed its way through her psyche as she began to dig into Information as it scrolled by.

Hope