Strand League Covert-ops
It had been two months today since the Nightmare was taken by Lars Magnas dreadnought - two months since the Strand Leagues forces had been crippled by the pirate attack. Now, they had all but recovered. The Particle Railgun, a weapon funded by the Strand League for IGNA fleet ships, had been completed and had been fit on all IGNA fleet vessels in place of forward cannons and thoron beams. The IGNA Citadel had been repaired and stood, a functional line of defence, in Appnyl, headquarters of the Igadzra Grand Naval Arm.
The ZSN had begun the relatively minor operation of developing the Kyhdron phase rocket, to replace the Redfire rocket. These more advanced designs were to be more powerful, fire faster, and have a longer range.
Both the Zidagar Space Navy and the Igadzra Grand Naval Arm had their own military forces four hundred ships strong, and the Strand League itself had formed into a much more powerful government, and had since formed colonies on Inka.
It was now that the ambitious operation to recover the Nightmare Igazrada would take place.
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Underground Chamber, Zidagar HQ, Titan
Admiral Aldaris stepped lightly down into the chamber, far below the Zidagar headquarters on Titan Prime. The crystaline walls glowed a bright purple. Aldaris realised he hardly needed the phase emittion lamp that he carried with him. The Kyhdron crystal farms were always bright, he thought.
This place had been chosen as the site of the meeting as it was perhaps the safest area on the entire planet. What was to pass must be completely unknown to Lars Magna or anyone not part of the scheme itself.
Moving swiftly and silently behind Aldaris was Corsair, shadowed in his purple-black cloak At his side was a kyhdron beamer, identical to the one Aldaris wore. The weapons, however, were not merely for show.
However, all was safe, it appeared. Corsair stepped ahead of Aldaris as the Admiral rose the power on his lamp, making the entirety of the chamber visible. As expected, four Zidagar were sprawling around the chamber, leaning on walls or pacing back and forth.
Aldaris was impressed by them instantly. The one who was pacing made no sound or imprint on the ground, and the others had been so well merged into the crystaline walls that they had been all but invisible until Aldaris rose the lamp up.
The four Zidagar appeared odd, to say the least. They wore cloaks with attached hoods and veils, gloves and boots, all of which were a drab grey. Not an inch of them was bare. The Zidagar standing wore his cloak unfastened. On the inside two turbophase pistols, a kyhdron beamer, a pair of laser sharpened knifes, a number of explosive implements, and various other pieces of equipment were visible. Five cylinder-shaped backpacks sat in one corner.
Good to see youre ready, Aldaris declared, stepping towards the Zidagar standing. Im impressed by the speed at which ZSF assembled you agents.
The Zidagar standing was so shrouded by his veil that his expression was unknown. Zidagar Special Forces are the best. And we are the best of them.
Speed is one of the most important factors in covert-ops, another agent, who had just stood up lightly from his vantage point against the wall.
Corsair took a step forward, and held out his hand. When do we set off?
Aldaris eyes widened. I wondered why there were five packs. Would you deprive me of my Colonel? he asked the agent who stood.
The agent laughed, although his face was still too shrouded to see it. Your Colonel just so happens to be slightly more than that. Welcome aboard, Master.
Corsair nodded briefly. Aldaris hardly stopped himself from gasping out loud. After a moment, he chuckled. Ill be damned. The records showed nothing.
We wouldnt be the best if we could be discovered, Corsair replied, grinning.
Indeed, Aldaris replied, chuckling to himself. Well...when can you be ready?
Well be ready to head for Syter within four minutes, Corsair replied confidently.
Make that three, Aldaris grinned, not believing they would be off for an hour.
Two minutes later, he was receiving a signal from Titan Star Command that the Reaver , a stolen and masterfully battered pirate Arada, had taken off. Aldaris whistled quietly to himself as he made his way through the labyrinth of the kyhdron crystal farm back to Zidagar HQ, all the while wondering just how good these agents were.
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The Reaver , Bargu System
As the Arada made its way swiftly to Syter, the five agents, including Corsair, met in their storage chamber. The chamber was absolutely packed with equipment and weaponry.
The agent who had previously stood on guard in the kyhdron crystal farm, named Vassar, was stood by a large device which glowed blue.
This, Vassar stated, patting the device, is our tachyonic generator, the most secret of Kayan technologies, and absolutely deadly in the wrong hands. He winked.
I must commend you, Corsair said, walking slowly around it, analsing it with a handheld scanner, on the perfection of this fake. The readings are perfect. How did you eventually design it?
Vassar shrugged. We had temporal containment unit down in storage on Rossoni. It already contained a large amount of tachyon particles within a temporal stasis. With the help of the Kayan government, we managed to build a complete fake. Totally useless, except for the fact that if the pirates investigate too far, theyll cause a rather nasty tachyonic explosion.
Corsair grinned broadly. Nice work.
Vassar bowed. Once again thanks to the Kayans, we now have a Kayan-bolt hole of a ship. They were so nice to shoot at this. Were on our way now; were on our way.
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The Reaver , Capfal System
The Reaver leapt into Capfal, and Corsair made sure to ignite some hyperspace fuel just as they went out of hyperspace, making a lovely broken down wreck style explosion.
Two pirate warships were on patrol in that area of the system, and they quickly hailed the Reaver. Slightly faster, the Reaver hailed them.
This is Zavakka, out from NSI-834. We were part of a raid on Omerz 12. The Kayan scum blew out our raiding fleet, but a few of uz got to Gal, their capital. Onea their freighters was transporting summat important - we got hold of it, and looksy here. Let us past! We have to show Lars Magna a little prize! came the voice of the infamous pirate, Zavakka of NSI-834. Zavakka was dead, killed by Miranu patrols a month back, with no-one to tell the tale, but the Zidagar Special Forces had managed to get hold of his voice patterns. It might not have been necessary, but it helped.
The pirate ships conferred for a few minutes, and then a reply came.
You might be better off with an escort. My ship will take you to Syter under guard. We wouldnt want any...harm...to come to whatever it is you have on your ship, came the reply.
Corsair turned to the others. By know, they will have picked up considerable tachyon readings, and will have tracked them to this ship.
Sure? Vassar replied.
Yeah, Corsair. Quite positive. Because were still alive.
Corsair quickly composed a reply, although this one was only in text format.
(begin message)
Pirate vessel, the Kayans have severely damaged our vessel. Visual link was cut, and now we can only communicate via message. Our systems are badly damaged, and the device on our ship is quite dangerous. Stay where you are. Your ship would be in danger escorting us.
(end message)
A few more minutes passed, and the pirate warships backed off with a short but sweet goodbye. Vassar laughed.
Wise-asses, Vassar remarked. That message was audio, so if wed replied normally, they would have known we were intruders. Lets go to Syter, Corsair.
Corsair was smiling slightly. These pirates arent as stupid as they might be, but they still arent much of a match for us.
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The Reaver , Syter System
Burtter had not been much more difficult to evade. The Reaver now entered Syter, with two more explosions from ignited hyperspace fuel for effect.
The Reaver hailed the Syter Command, explaining the situation, and requesting permission to land. The ship was scanned thoroughly, and they found Kayan weapons fire, and the tachyon particles of this device. Corsair, or more accurately Zavakka, quickly composed a message and explained that the device was a tachyonic generator, a secret belonging to the Kayans that was taken by a raiding party out from NSI-834.
They bought it, Vassar commented as the Reaver was granted permission to land.
Yeah, and theyll have bought it once were done with them, another agent replied with a grim smile.
Vassar was dressed up as Zavakka, with some flawless cosmetics done to his face, and a scar on his left arm produced by the most perfect of weapons. He was glaring at Corsair, who had delivered those means.
That hurt, you know, Vassar pointed out.
The knife was sharp, Corsair shrugged. It would have hurt more if it wasnt.
Whatever, Vassar laughed. Hey, Danoth, are you ready yet?
Agent Danoth stepped out, also prepared as a pirate.
Corsair turned to the other two; Merlan and Landon. Ready?
The two agents, both clad like Corsair in the dull grey suits of the ZSF, nodded. And then, the computer bleeped. They had come down to the final leg - landing on Syter.
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Docking Bay, Syter
Vassar and Danoth stepped out from the Reaver , to be met by an array of important pirate commanders. Danoth leaned towards Vassar, and whispered quietly in his ear, we could take them all out here and now, Vassar.
Were doing this according to plan, Danoth, Vassar whispered back, his voice sounding stronger and gruffy thanks to a modification to his voice.
Well well, one of the pirate commanders greeted them, stepping forward, nice to see to took the effect. May we see the generator?
Vassar nodded. Of course, come this way...
The two led them into the Arada, and down the main corridor. Meanwhile, the three other agents slipped out right under the noses of the pirate commanders, with their suits turned on. Tiny sensors passed the details of one direction of the suit to the other, meaning that from all directions the agents were all but invisible, as the suits were the exact colour as the background.
Vassar opened the doorway to the storage chamber, and allowed the eight pirate commanders within. He signalled to Danoth, and said, go on, get out of here! He winked slightly, and Danoth got the message, and went to forfill his part in the plan.
One of the commanders went straight up to the device, which sat in the centre of the room, and whistled. And what does it do?
This... Vassar stated, going to the commanders side, ...is the tachyonic generator. Once activated, it prevents enemy vessels from entering via hyperspace.
The pirates crowded around, investigating it thoroughly.
Hey, why not give it a go, just for a moment? Pull down that handle there, Vassar pointed in the direction of the handle.
One of the pirate commanders grinned horribly at Vassar, went to the device, and pulled down the handle. Meanwhile, Vassar leapt out of the room, closed the door, and waited. Ten seconds later, he opened the door again.
Two automatic turbophase turrets had succeeded in mowing down the pirate commanders.
No need wasting good tachyonic explosives, Danoth pointed out.
Vassar nodded. Okay, get the device onto the docking bay. Then well see about getting it somewhere where it can do harm. Meanwhile, Ill be changing back. Quickly now, we dont have much time.
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Nightmares Bay, Syter
Blast. The sound was quiet. One pirate fell down to the ground, blood expanding from his chest. Another blast came a second later, and the second guard fell. Corsair stepped out, nano-sniper already going back into his cloak.
The three agents slowly approached the blast doors to what they knew to be the bay of the Nightmare , intended as a secondary dreadnought bay. They knew this chamber would be huge, but as they should be, they were confident.
Corsair quickly set down plastic explosives around the blast doors, and signalled the others to step back. They all turned on their all-situation sensor goggles, and waited for the explosion.
The door exploded violently, and fearlessly the three of them ran straight out. Two pirate guards lay dead around the door.
Sixteen more guards were around the huge bay, but they struggled to even see the three agents. It would take them at least a minute to decide to activate the scanners on the Nightmare.
Kyhdron beamers were out in a flash, firing accurately at the pirates. The pirates swept the doorway with fire, but the agents had already moved away. Realising they would get hit, they ducked under a console to the right of the doorway, and Landon pulled out a large device -- a mSAI launcher. He held it up, and a tiny version of an SAI launched out, and went hunting pirate. Two more quickly joined it. The pirates had clustered up, and thus their ranks exploded from the mSAIs. Corsair and Merlan then rose above the console and finished the pirates off with deadly accurate shots from kyhdron beamers, seeing clearly through the smoke.
The three agents then ran towards the Nightmare as its sensors were charged up. They had made their way to the entrance ladder just in time, as two pirates swept out, able to see them through sensor implants. Corsair gunned them down in mid-run, and then they were inside.
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Corridor to Nightmares Bay , Syter
At least twenty pirates went storming along the corridor to stop the mysterious attack on the bay. All were heavily armed, and equipped with sensors which would see through the cloak that these agents were armed with.
Move move move! We dont have much time! screamed the leader, neutron blaster in waving hand.
When he promptly exploded, followed quickly by his entire party, there was some confusion. Or rather, there was no confusion, as everyone was dead. Danoth suddenly appeared from behind a small ridge in the wall. Sensors or no, the pirates werent about to see an agent who didnt want to be seen.
Hmm...nice explosion. Im gettnig to like tachyons, Danoth noted. He also noted that the corridor was somewhat destroyed, and there were some angry pirates from two floors down waving blasters. At that point, he decided to make it to the Nightmares bay.
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The Nightmare was quickly swarmed by the four agents. Another score of pirates had been examining it, and at least fifty scientists, but they fell all too quickly to the agents attacks. Subterfuge was hardly needed; they simply walked into the room, and cleared it out.
Within ten minutes, they had regained control of the Nightmares systems, and received word from the Reaver.
Hey, guys, Vassar said. I cleared out the rest of the pirates heading your way. I think its safe for now. Im heading to the bay now, to set up to cover-up. Get the Igazrada out of there.
Affirmative, Corsair replied. Well take it to Burtter under cover. ZSN ships should be en route by now, or waiting in Makta for orders.
Ill make sure they know when to head off, Vassar said. All luck, Master.
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Syter System
The Nightmare rose out of the atmosphere of the planet, and was quickly hailed. They explained that Lars Magna had requested that the Nightmare be taken to Burtter, and there they would receive further orders. Corsair made sure to note that Lars had mentioned the vessel might need to be taken to NSI-0312, which would give them cover if ZSN vessels werent prepared in Makta.
The pirates believed them, but assembled an escort of six warships. They werent too worried - they would receive word from Lars about the matter in 15 hours, and they believed that the Nightmare would take that long to reach Burtter. However, they were wrong. Strand League engines were better than pirate engines, if not by much.
Meanwhile, Vassar had covered-up the situation in the Nightmares bay, and had escaped in a warships cargo - which just happened to be one escorting the Nightmare. He quickly began high level covert-ops. He intended to have control of the warship in eleven hours, before it reached Burtter. After all; he needed to contact the ZSN and tell them to be ready.
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Burtter System
The Nightmare entered Burtter, and was directed to the planet. No word had yet arrived from Lars - it was too early. The pirates had been shocked by the Nightmares speed, and were not entirely prepared.
It was then that communications engaged rapidly. Vassar had taken over the warship from the inside within two hours, and the ZSN fleet was coming to the hyperspace exist any minute now.
The pirates guided the Nightmare towards the planet of Burtter, when one hundred ZSN ships leapt into the system.
They met one hundred and fifty pirate vessel, although the engagement was quick. Fourty pirates were eliminated at the loss of twenty ZSN vessels, and then the ZSN and the Nightmare were gone. Vassar was now aboard the Nightmare , and the warship he had captured went up in flames as the self-destruct he had begun hit zero.
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Word.
(This message has been edited by SilverDragon (edited 01-02-2002).)
Thunder, spread the word. 