BattleDoctor looked up at the holographic display in the middle of the War Room. The Prylak had dispersed across the system, splitting into smaller groups and attacking individual targets. This had allowed the Galactica Fleet to quickly destroy the forces still combatting them in the center of the conflict. Apparently the Admiral in command had ordered the Fleet to regroup and form up around the command ships.

"Pinpoint the highest rankign officer there and open a channel to his ship," ordered BattleDoctor.

A technician set to work and after a few moments replied, "High Admiral Fera, on the BattleCruiser G.S.S. Vorik. Patching you through..."

A tired looking Igadzra appeared on a screen near BattleDoctor. It saluted.

"Fera, I want you to mobilize that fleet now." commanded BattleDoctor. "The Zachit are fighting and dying, I want our ships helping out."

"Yes, sir."

-----------------

On the bridge of the Vorik, High Admiral Fera began to shout orders. "Fleet Status report!"

A bridge officer checked his terminal then answered, "The 3rd Fleet has suffered Heavy losses, and the 6th and 8th Fleets are both down to about half strength. The 7th Fleet is in reserve, and is at full strength. The 13th Fleet is doing well, and the 2nd Fleet is low on ammunition but otherwise in good shape. The 5th Fleet is at about two-thirds strength."

"Alright. How are the Zachit and Azdgari doing?"

"Zachit are taking heavy losses. The Prylak have just engaged the Azdgari and the Azdgari are in retreat."

"Right then." Fera raised his voice and ordered, "3rd, 7th, and 8th Fleets are to execute formation 23-B around the Ragnarok. The rest of the Fleets, Standard Offensive Pattern number 4 towards the Prylak and Azdgari. Go."

The Fleets began to shift, with the 3rd, 7th, and 8th Fleets breaking off from the rest of the fleet. The other warships moved into formation and began to head towards the Prylak forces. By the time they arrived, several hundred Prylak ships had been destroyed, and ships continued to explode as the massive Galactica fleet began to encircle the Prylak.

------------------
"It's pretty hairy in there sir, it's Charlie's point!"
"Charlie don't surf!"
Apocalypse Now

At this point, the Prylak had just about 5000 ships, the Azdgari still holding strong with 2000 of their starting 2500, with only a third of their carried Azdaras lost, but Galactica...Galactica had suffered badly. Of ten thousand ships, through the chaos it was estimated six thousand at the MOST remained.

In all the chaos, no-one had noticed Kiarok's ship go down in a blaze of glory from the turrets of a Prylak carrier. Kiarok had burnt in insane flames, and the Azdgari haven't even realised they lacked leadership yet.

However, it was at that time that an Athena, escorted by two dozen Adrenas, entered the system. Not just any Athena - Emperor YooOe's Athena.

Battle orders came to the Azdgari, real ones, the type the Azdgari issued.

"Fire at will," came the order from Emperor YooOe, that single comment, those three words.

Those words spurred two thousand ships forward to engage the Prylak, not in packs, but alone. Two thousand ships went out there, fighting for themselves. Two thousand different plans, two thousand different hearts.

The Azdgari had finally entered the fray unlike they had before. Before they had suffered minor losses and taken down only a handful of Prylak ships, now the losses rolled up, but unfortunately on both sides.

In the first stage of the chaotic fray that could have no organised retreat, a hundred Prylak ships were lost. Azdgari losses couldn't be counted, not without any organisation - YooOe's ship was the only one escorted, and he wasn't leading the battle like other race leaders, he was fighting it.

Estimates rolled in, though. Estimates of hundred upon hundreds of Azdgari ships wasted. But they continued to fight.

For what, some wondered. What purpose had they to throw themselves into the fray in this madness?

Why?

Because they were Azdgari, and this was what they had been born to do.

------------------
That's all very nice, but where are the guns?
- SilverDragon

Vice Emperor RMA task force had been moving from one trouble spot to another, disrupting Prylak forces enough so less powerful ships could deal with the remaining Prylak ships. With the Prylak forces splitting up even further now, possible targets sprung up all over the system. The Azdgari Emporers Flagship was noticed, and the task force headed for it, firing at any Prylak ships it passed, the Fusion beams cutting a devastating blow.

A signal went out, and soon after, 500 Cruisers, all refitted with HI-PM turrets, and Fusion beams jumped into the system. While they didnt have the shielding of a BC, they could deal a lot of damage out. Following them was the reserve BattleCruiser fleet of 40 ships. Against the split up Prylak forces, they could do a lot more damage than they could have before. The new task force began cutting a large hole through the Prylak fleet. Its missle pods, while few, obliterated more Prylak ships.

Shortly behind it, the MA force finally arrived. Perhaps they could make the battle more decisive.

------------------

“Shields are down, all but one emmiter is down, and engines have been burst to hell and back. Our hyperdrive is offline and we barely have enough power to keep shields online; the auto-repair systems are operating at a third speed as well. Orders sir?” The weapons officer gave his quick report of the damage. The Raven had been badly damaged on that last run and it looked grim for the flagship.

Sojin tapped his console while thinking on a plan. He brought up a skematic and with some creative thinking managed to clear it up. He turned to the bridge engineer who manned the engineering station of the bridge and said, “Lt., would we have enough power to fire a last burst if we drop our plasma core and hit it?” The engineer looked puzzled for a moment, as did the XO and even weapons officer. All three caught on however at the commander’s plan.

“Yes sir, it would be posible to do, sir. It would but take a moment or so.” Sojin nodded and ordered him on it right away.

Sojin turned his chair back around to face the screen and said, “Rerout everything we have to the weapons and shield grids; that means enviromental, ramscoops, life support, and auto-repair, and sensor cloak. Helm, plot an attack vector to the closest and most densest Prylak fleet. Pattern ‘Stubborn Mule.’” The XO looked at her superior with some humor; this plan was well known because the warship that often executed it refused to just give up. Sojin had given it the name because it reminded him of an Earth creature, the mule, which was as stubborn as a Voinia Jabberwock.

The Raven turned about 180 degrees and rushed into a heavy group of Prylak warships and such, giving and taking fire as she went. Yet when the majestic ship reached the middle of the horde, something happened. The ship stopped up a bit and dropped out a largish glowing rod of sorts. Seconds later, the Raven let loose perhaps her last blast of whitefire barrage as it hit the plasma core.

There was a massive explosion as the core exploded and unleashed an energy wave...

A jump point opened up in the Acholos system and from it came a single ship, one of red and silver that spoke of power and grace. It was the Falcon come to join the fray and it was commanded by Captain Sisay. Seconds later, another jump point opened and into realspace came a lone Zidara, her weapons powered. It was the ship of Captain Jordan, renamed the Calan which meant Retribution in an alien tounge. Fighters came out from both warships and they came to strenghten the quickly falling Zacha forces and clear the way for their parent ships.

Jordan sat in his command chair, looking at the Azdgari ships going at it with chaos and unorganization. “About time someone smart got up on the lead of the Empire. Now there’s the chaotic and suicidal Azdgari people have come to know and love!” Everyone on the bridge looked at him like he were some crazy nut; but they had to admit one thing: he was right.

Jordan opened a channel to his three fighters and ordered them to join the fray. The fighters did as such and opened fire with everything they had, going through the hordes of Prylak ships like a hot butterknife through...well butter. Shock mines were unleashed and forward whitefire cannons were fired into the gaping maw that was the Prylak. The fighters were quickly finished off, but they did enough damage to make their prescence felt. They had made a path for the Calan to bear through and unleash her weaponsfire on every ship close enough.

Aboard the Falcon, Sisay stood in a room filled by holographic images of the battlespace. His wristlink was put to Zacha fleet frequencies and he viewed the battle with awe and rage. Awe at seeing the Azdgari fleets and even the Calan acting insane (little surprise considering Jordan was crazier then any Azdgari Sisay had ever met), and rage because he saw the Ragnorak crippled beyond relief and the tide of battle was turning for the worse.

He quickly pushed it aside and made a wave with his hand. The holograms zoomed in to show a group of eight Zacha fighters and just a bit further ahead the current head of the Galactica fleet’s commandship. “Element Hae, break off vector and go in for a new target; the Galactica commandship. Don’t attack it but assit it. It seems BattleDoctor has lost a lot of admirals this time round.” The fighters veered off and headed for the target and new chore: wacht BattleDoctor’s admiral and make sure he didn’t get blown up.

Sisay looked up at his own ship’s four fighters and saw they were unleashing great havok on the field, dropping shock mines, unloading pursuit missiles and firing like crazy. Saddly they quickly fell in like flies in short order. Sisay then ordered the unthinkable. “All Zacha ships save Hae Element, follow the Azdgari’s example and start acting chaotic and suicidal!” This got a bunch of replies, most of them laughter.

All Sisay said was, “Where the hell is Carnotaur’s fleet?”

------------------
(url="http://"http://pub51.ezboard.com/fquillzfrm4.showMessage?topicID=10.topic")A Pilot's memory(/url)
"Suppose you were an idiot and suppose you were a member of congress. But I repeat myself." -- Mark Twain

The Prylak ships immediately scrambled frantically out of the way of the energy shockwave. Though most made it, several ships were destroyed and many many more were moderately or severely damaged.

Lythrawn looked at the grim situation. Finally, he decided to use a tactic that he had once used against the Haorn to great effectiveness. He ordered all his ships to retreated back to the outlying edge of the system. As the Azdgari, Zachit, and Galactica moved into attack the Prylak, the Prylak charged forward, weapons silent, in a massive wave of ships. Almost like all the ships had lined up in just a big wall and were charging their opponents. At the last moment, every ship opened fire with as much weaponry as they could pour into their enemies as fast as possible.

The result was devastating. The Galactica, Zachit, and Azdgari were taken completely by surprise and suffered heavy casualties. As they stumbled back and tried to recover, the Prylak continued to charged, sending the brunt of their forces at the Galactica fleet. After a moment, they began to spread out their attacks so that they were attacking no one fleet.

Then suddenly, in a flash of blue and white light, the MA fleet of 1500 ships hyperspaced into the system. The Prylak had never seen the MA before, and were quite astonished at their appearence. Carnotaur sent a message to all ships, friend and foe, in the Achlos system.

"The Mercenary Alliance has arrived."

The MA opened up with a ferocious volley of gunfire at the Prylak fleet, sending them stumbling back. As the MA charged ahead, the rest of the fleet also charged forward. The 5 Aurora Battleships were in the front of the charge, using their Ionic Disruptor Turrets to great effectiveness against the Prylak. However, Lythrawn soon made his counterstrike. The Prylak ships stopped dead in their tracks, turned around, and charged into the enemy fleet.

There was a massive volley of gunfire so intense that it nearly incinerated any ship which was caught in the crossfire. Ships exploded left and right, laser and pulse blasts flew everywhere, fighters darted in and out, trying to evade wreckage and disabled starcraft while attempting to engage the enemy in gruelling dogfights.

The Battle of Achlos would go down in history as one of the largest and well known battles, comparitable to the one of the largest sea battles in Earth history; the battle of Jutland, over 200 years ago...

------------------
If at first you don't succeed...Hit it harder! - Me
--------------
Millennium. Its coming, prepare for it.
Coming to the (url="http://"http://www.ambrosiaSW.com/games/ev/chronicles.html")EV Chronicles(/url).

While the Prylaks charge had looked impressive, it was an old tactic, and the Galactica captains had known it for what it was. Their ships had reinforced the frontal shield layers, ready to absorb whatever was thrown at it. While the initial onsalught had blwon many of the weaker ships up, the follow through was not as successful. The refitted Cruiser group had wheeled around, and smashed into the Prylak ships from behind. Its Fusion Beams smashing apart Prylak ships in massed attacks. When the shields went down, they changed targets, with cluster missles storming in seconds later, smashing the Prylak ships apart with sheer inertia.

His ship battered by repeated fire, Vice Emperor RMA sent a brief message to the MA.
-Move your ships to the front. While you've waited, the rest of us have been doing the hard fighting. It's your turn to take the flak.
--------
While the battle rages on, Galactica scientists have gotten back to work. The massive losses sustained have shown new, and better, ships will be needed.

Armour created under millions of gravities is proving to be very tough, most weapon blasts just glancing off it. While not as tough as neutronium, this armour is proving very tough. It should be easy to replace the armour plates on the BattleCruisers, and also to replace the hull structure in future constructions.

Work on an improved Frigate is still on hold.

------------------

A massive jump-point opened in the Achlos system. It grew until the massive frame of the Nedra could be seen. The I'ase had come.

Ships started pouring out of the Nedra, while the commandship itself stayed away from the main battle. There were, after all, civilians on board.
------------------
"The people want to engage in fighting," said Vaten. "They want to learn how to use proton rifles and grenades. We should offer them basic training, in case this ship somehow manages to be boarded. Remember, there was a shipwide vote on whether we would engage in the Battle of Achlos. And the result was that we would."
------------------
4,500 ships raced towards the fighting. Meanwhile, deep within the secret chambers of the Nedra, the scientists continued their work...

RESEARCH PROJECT
Title: Daemon heavy cruiser
Time till completion: 6 posts

OOC: The Nedra may engage in the fight later, if moderation permits.

------------------
"Why should I brag? The bards can do it for me -- and with music."
Ertai, wizard adept

The zidigar ship manages to help get the Hera through into MA space, thanks largely to the fact that most of the MA ships were out of the space. The Hera finds the rest of the Zidigar fleet, and joins it, sends a message to Rima, asking if there are any shipyards near by to initiate contruction of Q'an ships, but upon finding that Rima is gone to battle, the Lone hera decides to do what it can, and reluctantly sets off towards Achlos after landing and allowing it's shields and weopons systems to recharge.

Soon, a barely noticable jumppoint opens in Achlos, and a single ship enters realspace, and speeds toward the Nedra. after it is close, close enough to hit ith a radium rocket but not to be hot by the Nedra's fire, it sends a message.
::To: I'ase Nedra::
:inter-system message:
I'ase, we have noticed that this battle will likely make history in this galaxy, and many others nearby. For the length of this battle, we will forget our past, and ignore our future battlkes sure to take place still, but for now, the nedra has one more powerful escort...
:end message:

with the last words, the Corsairs are immediatly launched, and the Hera's radiation cloak flares for an instant, showing the Q'an's willingness to fight on..

------------------
All the problems we face in the United States today can be
traced to an unenlightened immigration policy on the part of
the American Indian.
--- Pat Paulsen

(This message has been edited by -REDCHIGH- (edited 09-18-2001).)

The Prylak fought with the Zacha, and Galactica, and the I'ase, but they fought them in standard battle for the most. However, every time the Prylak tried to move, the Azdgari were following them, like leeches.

The Prylak charge had barely effected the Azdgari, as those Azdgari green ships surrounded the Prylak - they were not in the least together, but spread apart in their own space.

Azdgari tactics were overwhelming Prylak ships, who tried to concentrate on a Galactica threat and then found themselves swarmed by a lone Azdgari, or sometimes a few.

Meanwhile, back in Azdgari space, the Galactica Dreadnought was being converted, and nearing it's final stages. A paint job had rendered it pure green, and two large fighter bays on either side had been fitted - twelve Azdaras.

Due to the Azdgari art of improving this and that, recalibrating something else, the new Azdgari Battlecruiser, once an old Galactica Dreadnought, had been made much more powerful. However, the Azdgari needed some more help with it.

-From Azdgari High Command-
-To Rima of the Zidagar-

We are constructing a new vessel, the Azdgari Battlecruiser from an old Galactica Dreadnought. We would appreciate some aid with systems upgrades to provide more space, as we know you can do this.

As a sign of our goodwill, we will send an Athena to you, which afterwards you may keep, as well as the shield calibration of the Azdgari Battlecruiser, to show our trust.

- End message -

Meanwhile, the scientists of the Azdgari were preparing to make a "false" shield calibration. The Zidagar would think the Azdgari were offering them something which would mean their weapons could easily destroy any Azdgari Battlecruiser that might go up against them, but in actual fact the false calibration they would give the Zidagar, would be much less effective.

------------------
That's all very nice, but where are the guns?
- SilverDragon

Galactica shot at some Prylak ships. They shot back. Some ships from each side blew up. Every other governments ships made no move for some reason, so nothing happened with them.

(This message has been edited by RMA (edited 09-19-2001).)

MOD: Denied, RMA. You can'y control other players anything like that. Denied, denied, denied......

------------------
That's all very nice, but where are the guns?
- SilverDragon

I'm sorry I have to do this, but this thread has gone on for a VERY long time, and is over the limit for it to be locked. Create a new topic and link to this one.

------------------
EVula
(url="http://"mailto:evula@evula.com")mailto:evula@evula.com(/url)evula@evula.com