a single unscratched RA warship carrying RA's best scientific minds, and information from the crippled pirate warship head for Kayia space to help with design of the drones, and trading of SDM technology.
--------------------------
Horoth and RA patrols are undistinguishable, since the patrols over lap into each other's governments.

Operation: Soup
Objective: (just to remind you) To Clear and scrap debri from RA space, and repair damages done by the pirates.
ETC: 2 posts (speeded up with Kayian help)

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

MOD NOTE: Red, just as a note, you won't be able to analyze the Sub-Space Inhibitor the Pirates had. They only have it on one ship and that ship was either destroyed or was able to escape. Sorry.

------------------
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).

Ok Carno, but maybe there will be some Vague info about it? Oh well, thunder can figure it out.
-----------------------------------------------
Operation: Soup
ETC: 1 post.
-----------------------------------------------
The Silver Warship reaches Kayan space, and is escorted to the main research facility, where the RA scientists disembark, and help the Kayans with their drone designs, and fuse the SDM weaponry into it.

5 Kayan fireflies and 1 RA fighter fly out to explore the surrounding space better, and keep an eye out both for the pirate bases and/or planets to be colonized.

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

"Well," one Kayan scientist said, turning to a RA representitive, "we've finished our first set of preliminary scans on the disable ship you brought - and it is our conclusion that whatever the Pirates used to penetrate the minefield was not on board this ship. The ship was quite well intact for a ship that took as much damage as this one did, even though the computer core and all the data stored there was unsalvagable - kudos to your salvage team for an excellent job. This looks like a pretty standard Pirate vessel - an upgraded version of a Human design called the 'Turncoat'. The only strange thing we've noted in our scans was an unusual sub-space phase variance in some of the outer hull plating. It might not be much, but it could be the remnants of some kind of shield against the mines - or the residue and/or energy signature left by that shield. It will take a much more in-depth scan and analysis to tell us any more than that. What we do know from this scan is that whatever the pirates used to penetrate the minefield, it probably takes the form of a shield surrounding a ship, or something that can enclose multiple ships - as suggested by the absence of any device on this ship."

"One thing we did find, though -" a Kayan security officer said, stepping forward, "was this computer pad laying in one of the corridors of the ship. It doesn't contain much, but there are the names of several prominent pirate officers, as well as mentions and descriptions of the ships they pilot - at least the ones they were using during the raids. As far as intelligence goes, it's not much, but we figured we should share it with you anyway. At least now you know the identities of the criminals who did this to you."

OOC to Redchigh - keep in mind that the Kayan forces will only defend RA planets and vessels - they won't aid in attacks on Pirate bases. (They won't make offensive moves, but will do whatever they can to aid you defensively).

------------------
Ad Astra Per Aspera - "A rough road leads to the stars"

For days reports had been sent to and fro over the disaperence of the Kiran vessels. Many rumors were spoken; some thought the Kiran had made a pact with the Ediens while others spoke that they had swept into the shadows once more. It was decided by a popular stellarnet that a major story was the air. In that they decided to send a news arada to Racet and get interveiws for their next broadcast.

The arada jumped from hyperspace a mere kilo from Racet Port and the small crew expected to be swarmed by Kiran warships and fightercraft, but were disapointed. And shocked. Racet Port was lifeless and the arada's sensors picked up no biosigns at all. Racet Port had been seemed to be deserted and no sign of any Kiran was to be seen. It was said that Racet Port held the last remaining fleet of over one hundred vessels and none were there.

The Kiran Order had vanished and no sign was to be found...

------------------
(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

OOC: Of course thunder.

Operation Soup is Completed, and RA shipyards and planets are completely repaired to previous efficiency.

Scout fleet came back empty handed, so a plan to build a number of shipbuilding stations around the core worlds is being initiated. These stations will be unarmed, and will produce the same construction rate as a planet, but will be mostly robotic to cut down on costs.

The Kayans and Horoth are asked to please send equipment to help with the stations. A Horoth convoy of equipment is on it's way.

Message to: Thunder
RA have recently noticed that even their previous shipbuilding rate it not enough to recover from attacks, so a project has begun to build several shipbuilding stations around my core worlds. These stations will be heavily armed and shielded, but otherwise unarmed. We ask for equipment, and we will share the designs when they are finished.
end

Project Initiated
Operation: Ant Farm
Objective: to build 5 shipbuilding stations around Rigel.
ETC: 12 posts (shipbuilding is halted, so research is faster), but will be speeded with Kayan and Horoth Equipment

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

The seven newly created cities of Grenits were now fully independant from Sladeria, the original voinian base, and their economical boost had slowed down. Less construction was needed since the population had only grown by a tenth of a percent since the arrival in the Milky Way and the major part of the work had been done during the last four months. The mines were producing enough mineral to supply the Solidarity and a few freighters had been able to sell a few tons to the voinians, when the patrolling fleets allowed them to.

The researches on an upgrade for the trans and multi kinetic weaponery was going on pretty well: the knowledge acquiered with the whg about the tachyon emitters would soon be transferred into the ships. The difficulty to overcome was to create the tachyons particles in a small enough emitter to be fitted in a fighter. The solution might came from the kinetic capacitor, which is abort all Solidarity ships. Originally, more than one hundred years ago, the kinetic energy weapons was based on firing heavy particles at a target. The last generation of kinetic guns was based on producing hydrogen ions which are kept in a magnetic field and are forced to spin since they repel eachother. Then, one at the time, they are fisionned two protons are emitted towards another chamber that makes them collided and them they are expulsed at high speed towards the target. It is from the additional speed gained with the collision that made the name kinetic. The two neutron released are used to colsolidate the magnetic field and box and wasted. They are too neutral to be used with the forces involved in the process.

The tachyon emitters abort the Savior works on the same principle, but on a much greater scale: hydrogen ions are fisioned with a fixed quantity of helium ions in a coled chamber and the constant collisions produces immense amount of tachyons, which in the end, disturbes space and creates a worm-hole, with the help of the sub-space generators. The smaller scale would involve a stronger collision between the two protons in order to dismantle them and create tachyons.

In about four weeks, the Tachy-kinetic weaponery will be ready to test.

------------------
Salutations ŕ la vie

The Battle Of Akrahd, the last stage to IGNA's Operation Proving Grounds, had past it's greatest intensity, or so it seemed. Hundreds of ships had already been destroyed - the system was like a minefield, many ships that lay disabled working as mines, any nearby enemy ships taking the brunt of their self destruct.

It was pure chaos, and the IGNA ranks had been broken. Logistical planning aboard the Templar had been scrapped, and the Defender was suffering a huge number of system failures. Not one crew member dared launch an escape pod, however, for fear of being shot out of the sky.

Sans took quick scans of the area from the bridge of the Templar. Fifty IGNA ships were still in action, brawling with two hundred and fifty Akrahd craft. Planetary defence turrets had been incinerated, at least, but still, the situation was not good.

An Akrahd Battleship, trying to take on two Izagas at the same time, received Sans' momentary anger as he charged the Templar towards the battleship from behind, battering the already damaged ship away into nothingness. Sans sent a quick, sharp message to the Izagas.

"You're both with me. Take the flanks; we're taking a charge-sweep. I want you sending signals to any IGNA ships that come within range. Let's see what we can organise."

The three ships eliminated a pair of Akrahd destroyers, and then met up with a wing of Izars who were fighting futilely with a group of thirty Akrahd gunships and heavy fighters. The two forces battled it out, thirty Akrahd against eleven IGNA. IGNA came out, losing an Izar and an Izaga, at which time four more Igazras broke through an Akrahd sweep to travel with the small yet ever increasing fleet.

IGNA were reforming in one of the most natural, non-tactically sound methods that existed, and their unexpected fleet, led by the Templar, slashed through brawling ranks.

The Akrahd quickly mounted to strike this new fleet, which by some amazing coincidence, was comprised almost completely of Dragon Claw.

Sans blinked, and opened up a scan program, checking through all the ships - thirty or so - that had met with the Templar. They were all Dragon Claw. Smiling faintly, he realised that although he was captaining one of the most powerful ship types in this region, he was working with veterans.

"To the Igadzra!" he cried out joyously, as he sent Dragon Claw and the Templar into oblivion at the hands of the Akrahd horde.

Meanwhile, a squadron of Akrahd Gunships found their way to the Defender, lying alone in space, unmoving. Seven Akrahd Gunships opened up with missile fire, quickly continuing with blasts from their plasma cannons.

The Defender's hull breached. Despites efforts to seal the breach, many Igadzra were sucked into the vacuum of space.

The armour plating of the Defender, albeit light, was ripped to shreds, leaving only the barest remnants of a hull, and sometimes not even that. The ship lay in wrecks.

The gunships were quickly halted by one single streak of gold, a lone Izar, broken off from the general melee. It launched it's remaining munitions, only three SAEs, then engaged the gunships futilely.

The Izar was overwhelmed, eventually, although it put up a strong fight. Three gunships were smashed back, right into the Defender, while the other gunships swarmed the Izar.

The Defender took three seperate and large hits on one side, but it's hull held. And in beautiful tribute to the pilots of the Izar, the Defender slowly began falling back through space from the impact. Only extremely slowly, but still moving. By the time the Izar had been destroyed, the gunships had more important conflicts to deal with.

The IGNA's second Igazrada, the Defender, was safe, although it would take an awful lot of work to restore it...

Meanwhile, back at the Gateway, reports were filtering in from the construction bays. The Citadel would be complete in fifteen days. Officials back on the Gateway could only pray for the IGNA armada, hope for their victory.

Not only did the IGNA armada hang in the balance, but the lives of several thousand crack troops on transports only half an hour from entering Akrahd, and beyond that...Igadzra. Beyond that, who could say? If the Igadzra fell, however, it was clear that the Akrahd would move on to fight others.

IGNA had to win at Akrahd, for the good of the Refugee Galaxy, the Large Megellanic Cloud.

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

Citadel Station: 5 posts
(I haven't posted an update since Page 1, I trust this is acceptable)

------------------
Word.

However, the Akrahd were in no position to let the Igadzra win like this. Though they may loose, the Akrahd would fight like warriors. The lead captain shouted over the comlink. "For the Akrahd! No one leaves this fight alive! AAAAAHHH!!!"

The Akrahd charged, but at the same time a carrier and a few fighters and destroyers broke off and headed for the Defender. Launching its fighters, the Carrier then started to blast away at the crippled hulk of the Defender with missiles. The beating had a tremendous impact, and soon, the whole ship was having structural failure problems. It was imploding in on itself. In a brilliant flash, as an Akrahd fighter rammed the Defender in the engine section, one whole half of the might dreadnaught disappeared in a white hot explosion. The rest imploded, and, in a violent fireball, the rest of the Defender disintigrated.

Spurred on by the destruction of one of the Igazradas, the Akrahd fought on furiously. Some disabled ships were towed in and then sent flying at Igadzra vessels. The Templar was an especially big target, and thus got a lot of flying derelict ships.

The Akrahd fleet then moved in closer to prevent spreading out too far and then just charged the last group of Igadzra vessels. Weapons fire flew everywhere as the Akrahd fought on valiantly, confident that they would win. Akrahd Battleships were especially valued, and thus they always had at least 10 Destroyer escorts.

The Akrahd also knew that they had a lot of reinforcements coming. The Igadzra were doomed, and the Akrahd were confident that they would end up victorious.

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

Meanwhile, in Cetax, a large Pirate raiding fleet descended through the atmosphere. Their mission; raid everything and anything left over by the RA when they abandoned Cetax. They managed to salvage hundreds of tons of debirs, a lot of which they stored in stolen Miranu Frieghters. They also salvaged some weapons, spare parts, supplies, etc. Anything that was left intact the Pirates took. After about 12 hours, the Pirates departed once more and headed off to safe space...

-----------

Carnotaur nodded in approval of SilverDragons proposal. "So, there it will be. The IXD shall start recieving funding sometime tommarrow, it takes time to get this all set up. I also might note that you will unfortunately be left out of the fight for the Gadzair system, which will take place rather shortly. Of course, the IXD will be finished, hopefully, in time for the invasion of the Northern Crescent and Azdgari space.

"Also, what do you think of the Network?"

------------------
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).

Some good work had been done with the worm-hole generator: the sub-space generators had been enhanced in order to support the alternative flow of energy that would supply it during the trip. Before the great jump, the sub-space generators worked on continuous flux of energy. Calculs had demonstrated that a split second without energy would not damage the worm-hole, nor would it disturb the fragile equilibrium between the two "dimensions". The energy saved would be significant: about a half a percent could be used for other applications.

The commite that had to decid which method would be used to travel had given its decision: the worm-hole would be open then partially closed until the final destination is reached. This meant that the team had to enhance the both sub-space generators and tachyons emitters to disturb space to open the other end of the worm-hole and to close the other at the same time. This idea had been chosen because it diminished significantly the amount of energy needed and relied on the whg to provided enough safety.

The actual power of both generators was sufficient to come across the the worm-hole, but the energy needed to do so would have requiered the same mass of power plant. But this would have counteracted the by augmenting the mass that had to be moved. Now the scientists had make the emitters and generators resistant enough to supply the enormous energy that was to be "detonnated" in order to open the worm-hole to the other side. Also, a few more tons of energy capaciators would be needed to supply the additional power.

The small station now acted like a real one, it was now orbiting around Grenits and shuttles could tranferts goods to continue the construction. It was almost ready to be officially open, but not to construct space-farms or ships.

------------------
Salutations ŕ la vie

What are you talking about, Carno? Cetax wasn't abondoned. It's still a commercial port, as just the built up residential and industrial zones were destroyed. The low-lying outfitting ports were passed over. Even so, it was NOT abandoned. Edit the post to include killing the defense fleet, or forget the assualt.
---------------------
Operation: Ant Farm
ETC: 8 posts
---------------------
Above Rigel, 5- 300mX120mX90m rectangular frames can be seen in orbit., swarmed with Kayan, Horoth, and RA vessels carrying 2 meter thick metal plates, and space crew, soldering on the plates of armor.
---------------------
10 borrowed kayan fireflies are scouting surrounding northern systems, looking for hyperspace residue from pirate vessel. They are ordered to stay out of sight, and return immediatly if they find anything.

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

With the increased feriocity from the Akrahd, IGNA was forced to respond accordingly. The pilots of Dragon Claw weren't to be underestimated, of course.

Derelict ships, Akrahd ships especially, cannot be towed quickly, and it is impossible for a vessel to tow another ship while firing at full efficiency. IGNA ships played the dangerous game of blasting at the grappling hooks (tractor beams, whatever), then turning their attention to the towing ships.

At least a full half of attempted "hurled derelicts" missed completely now, and IGNA took the opportunity to show the Akrahd what they were dealing with.

The Templar, surrounded by Dragon Claw, charged forward through knots of the Akrahd, trying to recover from precision attacks from Izars, knocking their towing effects out of line. Turbophase and beam fire swept havoc, but the Akrahd mass was so large many ships weren't even in range.

After breaking past the Akrahd rank, however, IGNA did something different.

A small barrage of SAEs took the Akrahd's capital planet by storm, and followed by turbophase, quickly eliminated many Akrahd bases...and hundreds if not thousands of Akrahd people. The IGNA played many dangerous games - fear and anger manipulation being one of them.

No captain could fight as well knowing his homeworld was in danger, and as the IGNA turned back to meet the oncoming Akrahd, they fired on the planet while the Akrahd were still out of weapon's range.

IGNA's plans, however, were as insane as ever. Turbophase weapons lined up for the fire, their ships moved ever slowly back towards the planet. Meanwhile, Izars pulled up to the flank, as Igazras and Izagas prepared. Once the Akrahd took a step forward, IGNA would charge.

If the Akrahd moved anywhere else, IGNA would pull back, and fight the fight within the atmosphere of their capital planet...

...and if the Akrahd did still charge, Izars would sweep to the side, and Operation Blast the Hell out of the Akrahd Army by Smashing Them Against Their Homeworld would take place.

This battle here and now would fall to the IGNA - it must. As for the battles after...only the future would tell.

(Message to Horoth & Azdgari & Kayans)
(From Sans, in the Akrahd System, aboard the Templar)

We're taking on the Akrahd at their heart, but after that...things are going to be tough. If you can spare ANY ships, please do so. We need you.

For the common cause.

(end message)

------------------
Word.

MOD: No, Cetax was completely blasted apart. That was the Pirates main objective. There may have been some people left alive, but on the whole, Cetax was completely ruined. Any ships in the system would have been destroyed anyway.

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

It looked bleak for the Akrahd.

But the Akrahd NEVER gave up a battle.

The Akrahd fought on, not thinking that they would loose for a minute. With extreme losses mounting, the Akrahd were loosing ships fast. The less ships they had, the faster they lost ships.

But the Akrahd now had a surprise for the IGNA.

An Akrahd reinforcement fleet of 150 ships jumped into the Akrahd system, a little ways in back of the Igadzra fleet. This caught the Igadzra somewhat by surprise, as they were busy dealing with the other Akrahd ships, just enough so that the reinforcements did not get hailed by a barrage of SAIs as they closed in and opened fire.

The hail of gunfire blasted apart several Igadzra vessels as they became swarmed by dozens upon dozens of Akrahd vessels. Among the reinforcements were several Akrahd Battleships and over 20 Akrahd Carriers, a rare sight and a powerful one.

The Akrahd fought now not for the defense of their empire, but for the salvation of their race as a whole. They knew that if the Igadzra won, and if the Horoth invaded, they would be finished easily. They had to win this battle.

As troops and ships amassed on the Horoth border, those Akrahd had little knowledge of the massive battle going on in their homeworld system...

------------------
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).

Kayia

All was quiet in a small part of Kayia's main port. Yet there had been a good deal of specualtation among certain merchants as to the disapperence of the Kiran fleets. The specualation often finished by all agreeing that the Kiran Order had forseen that the war against the Ediens was hopeless and they had decided to flee. This turned out to be more the case with the abandonment of Racet Port. It had been stated in a message sent to the Federation that Racet Port was to be given back to them until the war's end then handed over to civillan hands.

In the late night of Kayia's main starport, two large and massive sounds were heard from a certain area. It had come from spot where the Commonwealth ships had been docked at. Two massive ships raised up from the port, one of them a colony ship and the other one of two battlecrusiers. They ignored all hails sent to them by port control and reached outer orbit. Inside eight minutes they had opened jump points to slipstream and were gone, not a trace in sight.

------------------
(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

In Jaleis, the scientific council had received its new offices. New laboratories, larger than the ones abort the Savior and capable of realizing more realistic tests, before the prototype session. The military had its private section, but had to operate under the Solidarity-council's orders. Since the Solidarity navy was small, and that the enemy was not immediatly at the gate, it did not really matter.

From Sladeria, the research team working on the stellar defense mecanism brought its ideas and laboratory materail to Jaleis. There, they started to work on the integration of two turrets on the space-farm. Obviously, it would be relativly easy to had less that sixty tons in the center of a space-farm measuring 170 meters of radius. The problem was to control those probs from any where and to ensure that the communication between the operator and the turrets could not be interfered. The idea was to make those defense weapons independant and able to reconnize enemies. The Solidarity-council had decided to instal passive and active means of detection in order to destroyer any ennemy ship. The inboard computer would have to be able to distinguish Sladerei, Federation, Voinian and Edien vesssels. Passive detectors were to be IR, mass detector, and for the active part: both long and short range sensors. A message would be sent to the space-farms and then they would defend the Solidarity.

In less than two months, the system would be tested. Untill then, some ingineers will have to work, for the glory of their future, so the glory of their children's past.

------------------
Salutations ŕ la vie

"So..." Sans muttered. "The reinforcements have arrived."

"Yes sir. And the transports will arrive any minute," one logistics officer sighed.

Sans managed not to swear. "Okay, let's just hope we can get those transports and their troops down onto the Akrahd bases. We'll try and swarm them on the ground...while we continue fighting in space. How many ships do we now have?"

"Fourty," the officer said, his throat dry.

"Fourty against three hundred," Sans sighed. "We go down with glory."

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

Fourty IGNA vessels moved to protect the transports, trying to get them through to the bases while providing covering fire, but were forced to turn and meet the Akrahd full on and leave the transports.

The situation was hopeless, but every IGNA knew at least the dent they had already made in the Akrahd Navy.

The latest word at the Gateway spoke of these reinforcements, and thousands of Igadzra began taking to their ships and fleeing to Miranu and Kayan space.

The chaos in Akrahd was matched by the chaos in Igadzra space.

Everything hung in the balance now...

------------------
Word.

The Horoth get the message from the IGNA, and Horoth and RA vessels begin to collect over the newly repaired Rigel. Several large Horoth vessels are being out fitted with SDM's and launchers, to thank the Horoth for their protection. Horoth vessels are being amassed around joint station to go where needed.
-----------------------
Above Rigel, the rectangular stations almost resemble stations. The underlying frame is still visible in some spots, and the interior is still perfectly hollow, but the construction if going as planned.

Operation: Ant Farm
ETC: 7 posts
-----------------------
Remaining RA ships are completely rearmed and repaired, and the RA ship count is about a hundred, but shipbuilding is halted to speed station construction.

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

The Akrahd fought in close quarters with the Igadzra, but then withdrew a bit and surrounded the Igadzra fleet, out of primary weapons range. They hailed the Templar. "Surrender yourselves or we will destroy your ships."

Sans grins broadly at the message. "Akrahd scum, I must say I doubt your ability to perform the latter, and thus do I find the former even more unacceptable. Perhaps you should spend your time at your weapons, Akrahd."

"Withdraw from our system immediately. If you want us to spare you, withdraw," the Akrahd ordered.

"Akrahd, I'll say this but one more time. Charge your weapons and meet us in combat, or would you rather be a coward?" Sans responded.

"We are the Akrahd. We do not run from our enemies. Prepare to be destroyed."

"Ave'yra kantaur meila ai!" Sans responds in Igadzra tongue, switching the comm link off.

The two fleets charged, but the Akrahd had a split second lead over the Igadzra, which gave them time to charge in and fire off their weapons quicker. The two fleets continued to duel, and caught in the fray were some of the troop transports from the Igadzra. Several were destroyed by Akrahd warships before they returned to the main battle.

The fight for Akrahd raged on, with the Akrahd gaining more and more of an advantage over the Igadzra...

------------------
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).

It didn't take long. Just a few minutes, ten at the most.

A barrage of continous plasma fire simple exploded rank after rank of the IGNA armada. There was no time to react, and soon what was once the IGNA armada lay in wrecks, ten disabled Igazras floating lifelessly through space, their crews convinced all dead by Akrahd sensors. Dead not by the weapon's fire, but more likely suicide. The end had come.

In the centre of all the weapon's fire was the Templar.

The once proud golden battlecruiser of the IGNA - of the Igadzra - stood in the centre of a mass of grey Akrahd vessels, dwarfed in comparison. The first, and now the last, Igazrada stood, representing what was left of the Igadzra's hopes and dreams, of their lives.

In that eternal moment before it happened, everything happened.

Sans stood up from his command seat, the bridge empty. Everyone had "excused" themselves. He could not say how disappointed he was, to think that many would have laid their lives aside for fear of Akrahd torture.

Stepping forward to see the viewscreen as the deadly Akrahd navy poured forward towards the Templar, Sans sighed deeply.

"This day came long before I expected it. Templar, our days did not last long, but they lasted long enough that I shall miss you," Sans whispered to his ship. "Igazrada Eliminator-class Titan Fighter...the flagship of the IGNA, the military leader of the Igadzra, one of the most advanced 'warships' in the Large Megellanic Cloud in which I am cursed with living."

Sans stroked his hand over the main console. "It is my fault we die today...my fault...all my fault. My fault that the IGNA has collapsed, and that now the Akrahd shall swarm upon the Igadzra bestowing upon them the death they bestowed upon so many others."

Looking up from his idle examination of the console Sans saw the Akrahd ships before him, filling the blackness of space with grey. He shivered, unable to control his fright for a moment, but then found calm. His hand went to his badge of honour within IGNA ranks, which he wore on his golden and black uniform. His hands tightened around it, and without unclipping it, he tore it from his coat, and hurled it at the viewscreen, tears in his eyes.

"I have failed my purpose...I have failed my people. I have brought upon them a fate they don't deserve. And there is nothing I can do. Nothing at all."

His voice faded to a whisper, once again stating the old Igadzran proverb "Ave'yra kantaur meila ai Igadzra", which translated as:

We are more than minds, we are more than shells. We are the Igadzra.

It's not true, any of it. We are just minds, and shells. There's nothing about us, no power we have. We fought the Azdgari, we fought the Zidagar, and we fought the Akrahd, for no purpose other than...than what?

The Templar was barraged by plasma fire, but Sans didn't return fire. He supported his weight on the console, crying, crying until he found himself.

"Nay," he muttered, "we are the Igadzra. And I shall die an Igadzra."

Standing straight, he folded his arms behind his back, and watched as eternal oblivion embraced him...

We are more than minds, we are more than shells. We are the Igadzra.

We are the Igadzra...

Igg protect me...

------------------
Word.

(This message has been edited by SilverDragon (edited 11-07-2001).)

(From Emperor Tasina)
(To Helena)

Helena, I am launching a quick raid on Kedan as we speak. If you wish to join me, do so. I also wish to talk about taking back Bokac, and giving it back to the Loyalists, whom we need to preserve. I have a new type of ship: the Viper-class escort carrier. It has proven to be extremely effective against any type of ship, with both Azdaras and Bombers. I am sending some to attack Kedan. After, I may go on to Bokac with them, sending reinforcements. Your ideas? I await your response.

(end msg)

Tasina did just as he had said he would. He took ten of his new Vipers and sent them, with Arada backup, to raid Kedan. He hoped it would go well...

------------------
"I may detest what you have to say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it."
Voltaire