The waiting had been than Crusader could bear. He'd known he could not move against this enemy hastily. Their ships were too well protected for that, and the Gunship fleet alone would not have been enough. But despite the logic of biding his time, Crusader couldn't help but feel rotten about it. While he waited for the Zacha to mass their strength, even more of southern Miranu space had fallen. If they didn't move soon, there would be nothing to protect.
Word had come that the forces at North Tip Station had been driven back. More than half the fleet was destroyed, the rest of which limped back to Hizdriar with Thunder. At least we won't have to worry about Renegades coming from there now. Besides, the renegades weren't the true threat anymore, were they?
But now, at long last all was in order. The first mighty fleet was gathered. 10 CW's had arrived, along with a huge number of Zacha Aradas and fighters. More would be coming, as shipyards all over the North Tip were churning out vessels as fast as they were capable. Many of these would be piloted by Zacha; others by volunteers or recurits who refused to stand by and watch the dreadful events unfold.
They could wait no longer. They had to strike, now. The second wave would just have to catch up at a later time.
"Zacha Crusader," someone said. Crusader looked up to see Zacha Jos Delbar there. A long-time vetern and a good fighter, although rumored to be a tad crazy at times.
"Yes, what is it?"
"We've had a new arrival. A pilot by the name of ESpilot....he thought through a Voinian raiding fleet to get here, and wishes to aid us in our struggle."
Crusader nodded. "Very well, make him an honorary Zacha member until this is over. We need the help we can get."
"Yes, of course.....sir, may I ask you--"
Crusader cut him off. "I know. You want to know how I knew enough about the enemy to plot their defeat."
"To be blunt, sir....yes."
Crusader sighed. "My friend, it is no secret that I am of a race different from what is usually seen here, in the Crescent. These Voinians....I knew them, once. And I knew them because my people were enlocked in a struggle against them. I am a member of the human race."
Delbar gasped. "You? An actual human? But how--I mean, we've heard of them, but none of them have come up here before."
Crusader nodded. "All those years ago, I was a different person. My government--the United Earth--had been at war with them for years. It was a life and death struggle--the battle frontier was a stone's throw away from our homeworld. But I didn't care about any of that. I was a mercenary pilot, one of the best. But I was a mercenary without a soul. One day the Voinains approached me with the intent of hiring my parmanent services, offering a payment more than I could have ever dreamed of. But the money I took was blood money. At first I did what they asked. I defected, I roamed among them. As I earned their trust, I was commanded to lead entire warfleets against the UE. But then I realized the horror of what I was doing. One day, we launched an all out attack on a world called Verril prime. We prevailed, but what followed was an atrocity beyond description. They bombarded the world--they totally destroyed it, Jos. And once the surface was scarred, they entered the atmosphere and destroyed all traces of civlization. All those lives....gone. And I was to blame. I led that attack."
Silence.
"Ever since that day, I knew what I was doing was wrong. I secretly defected and left. But I had nowhere to go. The Voinains wanted me dead once they learned I'd gotten up and left, and the UE would have killed me on sight had I returned. I was an outcast everywhere.....so I left. I didn't know where I was going, I just left."
"Then I came here. I was amazed by the Miranu's peaceful society, their desire to expand and grow--just like the humans, but without division or petty squabbles, or pollution. Then I learned of their troubles in the North Tip, and of the fighting force known as the Zacha who defended them from attack. Here I saw a way to atone for my transgressions--a way to start again and make up for my horrible mistakes."
"But now, they have come. I can only assume my race has fallen. The Miranu are next, if they are not stopped. But we MUST stop them, Jos. I WON'T let my mistake be repeated."
Suddenly, an officer barged in.
"We've just gotten an urgent transmission....its Mira. They're hitting Mira, sir!"
"What?" Delbar said, even though he knew it was true.
Zacha Crusader drew himself to his full height. His eyes narrowed, his face was set. A former destroyer of one world, it was now his duty to save another--and the rest of Miranu civilization.
"Send a transmission to the entire fleet. We're going to slaughter these bastards. Every one"
"Sir!"
Within moments, 15 Crescent Warships, 250 Miranu Gunships, 300 Zacha Fighters, and 300 Zacha Aradas sped off to Mira at top speed......courage in their hearts, vengeance in their souls.
Crusader followed, and instructed ESpilot to do the same......
TO BE CONTINUED
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(OOC NOTE: Everyone, please do NOT do anything involving telling the story of the Mira space fight, I want to handle it since it coincides with my little plotline here. Thank you! Will continue this tomorrow, in all likelihood)
(This message has been edited by UE Crusader (edited 04-21-2001).)
