OOC: Red, you probably shouldn't stay around Rigel; the Ediens will oftentimes check up on it, and they will attack you.

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

Im not in Rigel anymore... the fleet will be in Kayan space by the time the kayan leader posts.

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"I- I Swear Officer.. The Dwarf was on fire when I got here!"
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"....This is only what I think. We can't in a million years guess what goes on in the snarling, churning bowels of Red's head."
~ESPilot

OOC: According to this part of your post "Soon, surviving RA vessels begin to trickle into the devastated Rigel system" it sounded like you fleet was in Rigel.

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As the RA vessels began to head into Kayan space, suddenly, Admiral Tikera, from the Azdgari Empire, came alongside the RA fleet with his own battlegroup. Hailing Redchigh's vessel, he got right to the point.

"Red, we have a major problem. We've been assembling hundreds of ships for the coalition navy, but we don't know when the Ediens will strike, or how hard they'll strike. I need you, or one of your ships, to go into Pirate territory and do some scouting. Report any Edien fleets you see. Good luck."

And with that, Tikera closed the comlink, and headed off for Bellaraphon, where an Azdgari warfleet was gathering along with an Akrahd and Strand League armada; the Akrahd had accepted the peace offer greatly, and had sent in a fleet of theirs to help the coalition fight the Ediens.

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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).

As soon as the Kayans recieved the message from the RA, preperations were made to recieve the refugee fleet into their space. Five Kayan Gunships were sent to meet the RA fleet, and to guide them to a shipyard/spaceport on the planet Katina in the system of Ebek. It was well away from the battles, and had ample space to house most of the RA ships, plus a enough room and resources to support several major refugee settlements.

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"One day you'll find your whole life has changed - act quick, be brave, your heart will show you the way"

RED ponders the situation, and debates whether or not to send ships to scout Pirate infested space, or let the RA ships be outfitted and upgraded by the kayans... He finally makes up his mind, and within a few hours, a RA Lazira was heading north-west. After several jumps, they dont detect a single thing.. until....

"Sir, I'm picking up a strange energy trace close to here..."
"What is it?"
"I.. Im not sure.. it's in the next system... we need to be closer to it."
"Very well... Navigator? Initiate jump sequence.."

An Hour Later

"Oh.. I whatever we were picking up left a while back... We can pick up the jump trail residue.. We can't tell where it leads though."

"Damnit. Any other signals nearby?"

"Nope... Wait.. this is kinda interesting.. Do you see any debri in the system?"

"No, why?"

"Well, the jump trails have trace deposits of thorons.. There's only one race who's residue has thorons in it.. The Igadzra."

"Interesting... There're known to be fighting the pirates.."

"Well, if they were fighting the pirates, why would their fleet be jumping away from pirate space?"

"Maybe they were damaged and retreated.."

"It's possible, but when ships are damaged, they almost always leave traces of carbon and usually large chunks of debri... You just said there wasn't any debri around.."

"Interesting... yes.. very interesting.. Let's finish our mission, and tell the Kayans about the Igadza trail when we get back."

"I suppose so.. Nothing else to see here, so lets just keep going."

A pinpoint of light appears, and the ship vanishes in it's jump, heading toward next system.. upon jumping in, the scanners light up.

"Sir! Edien Warfleet detected in the next system! "

"How big?"

"About a thousand vessels, sir.. various ship classes.."

"Damn.. Shut down all weapons and shield systems... put them on alert so we can cut them on at a seconds noptice, and get us over to that cluster of asteroids... Weapons Coordinator? you there?"

"Yes, Sir. Weapons powered down, sir."

"Launch a fighter, and send the message to the Kayans and Azdgari about everything we've found out... otherwise the Ediens might detect the message in transit."

"Yes.. ok.."

A small silver fighter darts out of the system, heading southward...

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"I- I Swear Officer.. The Dwarf was on fire when I got here!"
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"....This is only what I think. We can't in a million years guess what goes on in the snarling, churning bowels of Red's head."
~ESPilot

(This message has been edited by -REDCHIGH- (edited 01-25-2002).)

The Gateway, Cerberus, Strand League

“Why did you call on a worn out veteran like me anyway?” Tassar asked Silverdragon, a faint grin on his face. “Is this about the Coalition?”

“Perhaps...” Silverdragon murmured. “But I trust you, and I wanted you by my side, instead of off at IXD Outpost on a waiting list to die.”

Tassar laughed harshly. “You wanted me by your side? Don’t flatter me! I’m all out - too many years of politics, my friend. A position in IXD might be suicidal, but it’s a chance to go down quietly, don’t you think?” Again, his typical boyish grin appeared, but it was a lined grin, and Silverdragon was once more that they were old; both of them.

Silverdragon turned, and took a few steps to the wide window which looked out over the Gateway, and on the horizon the flatlands of Cerberus. The sky was a magnificent purple, but today it seemed ominous - not a lighthearted pink colour, but a dark, brooding purple, with strips of indigo clouds. The Gateway was busy, as usual. “Tassar, an Igadzra never grows too old to fight.”

“I’m sorry, but that’s bull,” Tassar replied, and with four solid steps he was by Silverdragon’s side. “We get old like anyone else. I’m nearly a hundred, and you’re -”

“No,” Silverdragon put in, not wanting to hear it. For he was a hundred and eleven, one year from being disbanded as a ruler, too old to command his people anymore. “My mind is in it’s prime, as is yours.” There was forced certainty in his voice, which already was sounding more frail than it had just a few months ago. War aged people.

Tassar sighed heavily, and turned back. “Let’s not have this argument. Why did you ask me to come here? I somehow doubt you summoned me to the tallest peak of the Gateway to see the sky.”

Silverdragon managed a faint smile. “No, not at all, Tassar.” He turned, and his smile faded to a frown of worry. “The Ediens are upon us, Tassar, as you know. The Coalition has been formed, but no word has yet been received from our allies. It is my thought that the Ediens are now assualting the Horoth...but it would take too long to organise the Coalition. I received word from the Azdgari yesterday - word I would rather have not received. A Renegade Alliance patrol entered the Burtter system a week ago, and among the pirate ships there, was an Edien destroyer.”

Tassar whistled. “So ‘ol Lars has decided to make some allies, eh?”

Silverdragon nodded solemnly. “The combination of the Ediens and Lars Magna is more than we can defend against. I don’t rightly know where the Ediens are right now - they strike so quickly it’s hard to really know - but I assume they are attacking the Horoth, as I said. I can also guess what Lars is doing right now.”

“Consolidating his fleet, upgrading the Vengeance...” Tassar put in. “The chances are he won’t risk going into a battle with the Ediens involved, it would be pointless anyway, so I can only guess he intends to strike not south, but...west?”

Silverdragon walked across the chamber, to a large stellar map of the Large Megellanic Cloud. On the opposite wall was a map of the Milky Way, as it had been before the Ediens had attacked. He pointed to Syter, and then traced his finger across the hyperlinks, through Burtter, NSI-0306, and to the galactic west - to the Azdgari. “They would need to go through NSI-8219, a Kayan outpost in the north. A pity they haven’t managed to place a tachyonic generator up there yet.”

“You think Lars would attack the Azdgari?” Tassar was surprised.

“His navy is already extremely powerful,” Silverdragon replied quietly. “I need your help, Tassar.”

“What with?”

“I’m sending Evaniol to command IGNA, to go through Kayan space, and towards Lars Magna’s lair. I’ve cleared it with the Coalition.”

“So...what do you need me for?” Tassar questioned him.

“I need someone with a fast ship to go to Deneba to meet with Emperor Tasina. I have to remain here, on Cerberus, to mind the show. I should be able to follow along with the ZSN at a later point, but right now we have to see to the Akrahd situation on the border,” Silverdragon replied, turning back to Tassar, letting his hand drop to his side. “Would you mind being the courier?”

Tassar grinned. “I’ll do it.”

Silverdragon nodded. “Good. Any questions?”

Tassar had turned to go, but he stopped for a moment, and murmued to himself. “Just one. What’s the Coalition doing about the Ediens?”

“I’m not sure yet,” Silverdragon admitted. “We need to know which way the Akrahd are leaning first. They’ll be a meeting at that point, but I don’t intend to be there. I intend to be up in the galactic north-east clearing the Large Megellanic Cloud of scum.”

--------------------------------
NSI-8219

“Sir, a pirate fleet has just entered the system!” cried out one Kayan.

General Xavros of the Kayan Navy, the highest ranking officer in NSI-8209, wasted no time. “Prepare the fleets! Have every Kayan vessel in space within four minutes! We shall not surrender this outpost to Lars Magna.”

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

Over one hundred pirate vessels swept into NSI-8219; warships, Laziras, Arada and fighters. At the head of the fleet was an enormous warship, larger than the IGNA Igazrada or Akrahd Battleship. The Vengeance , Lars Magna’s flagship, led the fleet.

The Kayan defence fleet, hardly sixty lightly armed vessels, scrambled to defend the outpost on the planet, Tokan. They charged as one at the pirate fleet, which moved slower, with a certain deadly grace. Kayan gunships strafed the pirate ranks, their turbophase firepower causing critical damage to lighter pirate vessels. But the returning fire, also turbophase, swept the first Kayan charge off it’s feet. The polymer structure of many of the gunships was quite simply melted by the intense heat of dozens of turbophase turrets.

The remaining defenders drove through the pirates, scattered. Meanwhile, a storm of Crescent fighters pounced upon Tokan, their cannons breaching the shield generator which defended the outpost from attack. The defenders regrouped into two wings, and bypassed the pirate warships by the left and right, rushing into the pirate fighter battalion. The two sides made continuous passes at each other, many pirate fighters exploding, but almost as many Kayan Aradas and gunships fell.

The battle was almost seeming equal, when the Vengeance came up from behind the Kayan ranks.

It’s insane captain, Lars Magna, simply opened everything his dreadnought had upon the Kayan defenders, even going so far as to wade through gunships, smashing them apart against the Vengeance’s immense shielding. With back-up from the pirate warships, the Vengeance wiped out the Kayan defence fleet, and made a slow, terrifying march towards Tokan. The civilians there had not had the time to evacuate, and when escape pods were eventually launched, they were simply eliminated by a dome of fighters that surrounded the planet.

A short communication was sent out to the Azdgari and Kayans at the last minute, cut short even as the pirates levelled the outpost.

“Lars Magna...hundred...save us...” was all that was received with any clarity.

With the Kayan base on NSI-8219 destroyed, the pirate fleet receded into the darkness of the Omicron Nebula.

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

Azdgari Central Command, Deneba

“Lars Magna...hundred...save us...” came the communication from NSI-8219, with heavy disturbance making the rest of the signal unreadable. It was heard now by Emperor Tasina, and a group of Azdgari admirals and officers.

“Word was received from the Strand League, confirming that they will be making an attack on the pirate position within the next few days,” stated one admiral quietly.

“How far have they travelled, from the last transmission we received?” asked Tasina, pondering a map of the Large Megellanic Cloud, with the positions of all known fleets marked.

“We received the last transmission twenty hours ago, from the Templar , in the NSI-3020 system,” replied the admiral, checking the documents which referred to it. “They should be entering Rigel in a few hours, where they will rendezvous with our fleet.”

Tasina nodded. “Send a signal to the fleet - to meet with IGNA, and escort them to the pirates. We’ll avenge our Kayan friends,” he commanded.

“And what about you, Emperor?” asked another admiral.

“And all of us!” one colonel half shouted. “We have four hundred ships gathered here, and we’re not using them?”

Tasina sighed. “Once we receive a reply from the Akrahd, this fleet will travel to Galactica, in Kayan space, to meet with the rest of the Coalition armada. You must all remain here for the time being.”

“Sir, a guest has requested to meet you,” came a voice from the door. Before Tasina could even nod to the door guard to let the guest in, a middle-aged yet well built Igadzra appeared at the door, not entirely courteously shoving the doorguard out of the way. Due to the Igadzra’s strength, the Azdgari fell back and almost lost his balance. An angry snarl appeared on his face, before he banished it quickly at Tasina’s emotionless glance.

“Ho there, Tasina!” cried out the Igadzra, walking across the room in what to an Azdgari was a loud stamp. He held out his hand, and there was a shocked pause. The Azdgari were not exactly strict on manners, or respect, but this Igadzra took it to the limits.

For a minute, it seemed almost as if Tasina would throw him out, and then, with a smile, he held out his hand. “Good to see an ally in these lands. I’m sure you’ve enjoyed your look at the wonders of the Azdgari?”

The Igadzra snorted, but the twinkle in his eye betrayed his kind heart. “Nothing compared to the Gateway of Cerberus, if I dare say so!” he jested, and then without being offered, he took a seat beside Tasina.

“I think that the Igadzra would dare anything, for they have not the common sense to know when to stop,” remarked one admiral.

“And do you thus admit that the Igadzra are more daring than the Azdgari?” grinned the Igadzra. “That’s very kind of you, but flattery we don’t need.”

Many of the Azdgari were enraged by the sly wit of this newcomer Igadzra, but at a signal from Tasina, they kept quiet. Tasina turned his attention to the Igadzra. “Tell me, Igadzra, who are you, and what tidings do you bring?”

“I would be Tassar,” the Igadzra replied.

“I’m afraid I’ve never heard of you...” Tasina murmured. “And yet I’m certain I know all the ranking officers within IGNA and the Strand League.”

“Ranking officer?” Tassar laughed. “Not ever, I’m afraid. I used to be in Final Destiny , Silverdragon’s Igadzra Arada strike force, during the invasion of the Ediens. ‘ya remember? We were granted by our Azdgari...conquerers...our own fleet in the situation.”

“Ah, yes, Final Destiny ,” Tasina repeated. “I seem to remember that force was also an enemy of the Azdgari?”

“Yes,” Tassar replied calmly, “but I would not tell my count of Azdgari heads. That is not my business here.”

“And what is?”

“Silverdragon, back at Cerberus, wanted to ask you if you’d like to hunt pirate,” Tassar grinned broadly.

“That, my friend, we have already arranged. We have a fleet in Rigel which will rendezvous with IGNA,” Tasina replied. “I’m afraid the Kayan base at NSI-8219 was destroyed by the pirates, however.”

Tassar’s grin faded to a frown in seconds. “I saw that place on the map. I would have thought, with the Coalition, there would be Azdgari patrols there?”

“The base was relatively undefended. Most of the Kayan fleet has massed in their space - and the same with us. We’re waiting for the Akrahd, although as every day passes it seems less and less likely that they’ll join with us in the Coalition,” Tasina answered him, unperturbed by what other Azdgari might take as an insult.

“Ya know,” Tassar began, “I don’t think this here Coalition’s going to work out. Neither Igadzra, nor Zidagar, nor Azdgari, much like being held back, we all know it. Silverdragon won’t be attending the meet even if the Akrahd join us. He’s trying to convince Aldaris and the ZSN to play nice and come and destroy the pirates. And somehow I doubt you have every intention to follow Coalition orders,” Tassar guessed slyly.

“We do as any Azdgari would do, of course,” Tasina stated calmly, “and I think you’re right - the Coalition will not work as we might hope. But it has worked enough to bring a lone Igadzra to the very seat of the Azdgari command, and that at least is an achievement. Fear not, my Igadzra friend; you will have Azdgari allies when you attack Lars’ stronghold.”

Tassar laughed. “Azdgari allies are one thing - but what of the Rune? Lars Magna has a number of prices on his head, and if you want him dead, it’s best to do it yourself. I know for a fact that Evaniol, and probably Silverdragon too, intend to make something personal of this. I only hope they don’t themselves killed in the process.”

Tasina was silent for a while. “The movements of the Rune shall not be made clear as of yet. It is a great decision I must make; whether I fly to destroy Lars Magna, and risk the Coalition, or whether I stay. Remember, the Azdgari fleet in Rigel has not been cleared with the Coalition to aid IGNA. Already we dance on the borders of acceptable.”

“I think if you cross the line, you’ve crossed the line, and you might as well go the whole way, but it is of course up to you, friend Azdgari,” Tassar replied, his face more serious than before. “I, however, have to dash. Lars Magna is a long way away, and somehow I get the feeling I might have to save my doubtful superior Silverdragon again from the brink of death,” Tassar smiled, his serious face fading. “To the Coalition!” he laughed, and then he was gone, with several heavy treads.

“They are loud,” remarked one Azdgari.

“But that one, at least, has a true heart,” replied another.

--------------------------------
Rigel, Former Renegade Alliance Capital

The peace of Rigel was already broken as IGNA entered the system. A patrol of Edien vessels had come across the Azdgari fleet, and many had quickly launched out of the system to send word to the rest of the fleet. One Edien battlecruiser, however, had been too slow, and like a pack of savage wolves, the Azdgari fleet, three hundred ships strong, pounced on the battlecruiser. The mighty vessel succumbed to the fire, imploding in on itself, and then exploding in a shockwave of blue.

It was then that the IGNA armada, comprised now of five hundred vessels, led by the Templar , entered the system, to see the battlecruiser transform into nothing but stardust and shrapnel.

“It seems we have some friends,” Evaniol remarked quietly to himself, as he scanned through the Azdgari ranks. Also present was a much smaller fleet of the remaining Renegade Alliance. They had returned to Rigel upon hearing that the pirates would now be attacked. The battles fought over Cetax against Lars Magna were not forgotten.

“This is Admiral Varlonar of the 3rd Azdgari Fleet,” came the sound from a communication link. “We would like to offer our services in destroying Lars Magna. Tell us where you march, and we shall arrive a week before you! If you’re good; we may even leave you some scraps.”

Evaniol replied a moment later; “You have become ever the more self-confident over the years, Azdgari. Fly as fast as you can, but we will keep up!” he countered. The contest between the Azdgari and the Igadzra had grown over the years. In comparison, the Zidagar were quite removed. They were the balance of the Azdgari and Igadzra, and neither hated them quite as much.

Varlonar and Evaniol quickly exchanged plans, and Redchigh of the Renegade Alliance was also called upon. The three officers conversed for some time - supreme leader, commander and Admiral - until it was agreed. They would strike in three seperate locations. It was believed the forces that had destroyed NSI-8219 were in Barah, and so that base would be attacked to prevent reinforcements filtering through. When the RA forces had scanned Burtter, they had found a large build-up of forces. The bulk of the Coalition force would strike there.

Syter, the capital of the pirates, and Lars Magna’s throne system, would be struck also, by forces that would bypass Burtter and move straight for the kill. At the head of these ships would be the Templar , and at his flank would be twenty Igazras. Their goal was to locate the Vengeance , and destroy it. It was not mentioned that the third fleet was going on a practical suicide mission.

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

Thunder paced back and forth across what had become the Coalition meeting hall. He was impatient - it had been many days since a message had been sent to the Akrahd, requesting complete peace, and for them to join in the Coalition to defend against the Ediens. No word had yet come. Scouts reported that since the Strand League had pulled out, the Akrahd had been licking their wounds to a degree, and trying to recover their damage ecological status. Just yesterday, Thunder had sent another message to the Akrahd, offering help recovering their crisis, but yet, no word.

“Damn it,” Thunder muttered to himself. “If the Akrahd don’t call soon, we’ll have to call the meeting without them. Our forces will be mediocre without their fleet, though...”

It was then, that another Kayan appeared at the door, his face hopeful. “Sir!”

Thunder turned on the dot, apprehensive. “The Akrahd?”

“We just received word from them, sir. Apparently, they’ve gathered their entire navy up, and are prepared at the desolate system of Quar-Rahd. A group of six Akrahd battleships are waiting in NSI-900 for clearance to approach,” the cadet replied, smiling. “It seems they are willing to join the Coalition.”

“This is excellent news,” Thunder replied, swiftly moving into action, walking to one console at the corner of the hall, and sending out a signal to the Miranu and Horoth leaders, who were still on the planet. Unfortunately, Tasina and Silverdragon had left to attend to their borders. Thunder thus composed a summons to both of them.

(From Thunder of the Kayans, Coalition)
(To Silverdragon of the Strand League, Tasina of the Azdgari)

The Akrahd have agreed to join the Coalition, and will attend the meet, which will take place in four days. Please try and be here. We must organise ourselves to counter the Edien threat.
(end message)

With the message sent, Thunder paused for a moment, wondering. The Azdgari were filled with overwhelming emnity for the Ediens, and the leader of the Strand League had in his own time fought the Ediens ship to ship, and was hardly regarded to be an entirely logical person. Thunder could but wonder what he could expect of these two governments.

Acting on a hunch, Thunder dispatched a Kayan force to Rigel, to follow the IGNA ships, and also to investigate the Rigel system. Last reports showed an Azdgari fleet to be there, but it was entirely possible the Azdgari would go with IGNA to attack the pirates.

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Barah

The pirate strike force had suffered very few losses in the attack on NSI-8219, and had returned to Barah to make the limited repairs necessary. Lars Magna, meanwhile, had headed off to Syter on one of his visits to check up on the situation. Soon, the pirates would make their attack, co-ordinated with Edien aid.

They did, of course, have no intention to stay allies with the Ediens forever. Lars Magna had other plans, that any sane man would have realised to be folly. He intended to annex the Azdgari and the Kayans, and when he controlled the entire northern sector of the Large Megellanic Cloud, he would betray the Ediens to their death while they scattered to fight the last of the Coalition.

The frightening thought was, that whether the pirates destroyed the Ediens or vice versa, their temporary alliance did intend have the power to lay aside all of the Coalition.

Lars Magna, however, had not counted in one thing; that the Azdgari and the Strand League would attack him, before his armies had gathered. The task at hand, to defeat Lars Magna’s navy, was still a nigh on impossible task.

A hundred Azdgari vessels and a hundred IGNA ships entered Barah together, in two long ranks of ships. The pirates in Barah numbered only fifty more than the attackers, and their ships were not of the same quality, although they came close.

The IGNA fleet quality formed into an impenetrable reef, pushing forward slowly towards the pirates. Three seperate barrages of SAI modules crashed into the enemy ranks, mostly targetting fighters. It had been arranged before that IGNA would take out as many pirate fighters as possible, to give the lightning fast Azdgari force free reign among the pirate’s slower vessels.

The pirates reacted instantly. They made for the IGNA reef, and the two forces clashed. The Azdgari, meanwhile, had split into four seperate groups of twenty five, passing round the reef and striking the pirates from the side. Many melees broke out between Azdgari fighters and pirate ships, while the bulk of the pirates stormed IGNA.

Originally seeming invincible, the Izars within the IGNA rank soon ran low on deflector cells. As this attack had been staged quickly, there would be no convoys to resupply the deflectors, either. As the battle time reached fifteen seconds and the Izar’s deflector fell, two of their number collapsed under a barrage of fire that had before then been stopped dead by the deflector.

Still, the Izagas and Igazras were protected, and the pirates were disheartened by the fact that they seemed unable to damage the vessels. Eventually, however, even the Igazra’s deflectors switched off, and the now vulnerable IGNA fleet began taking heavy losses. The pirate number was greatly lessened, but most of the destroyed ships had been fighters or Aradas.

The skirmishes behind the main conflict began to turn up for the pirates. The Azdgari fighters were skilled, but they were being hit by large numbers of missiles, from both the pirate ships and from silos on the planet.

It was then that a pirate reinforcements fleet of two hundred ships entered the system. The battle began to become more and more one sided - the pirate numbers overwhelmed their opponents, outnumbering them more than two to one. Instead of a sea of emerald and sea of gold, there were now specks of gold and emerald littered in an ocean of drab grey.

The SAI barrage was cut, all the SAIs fired off towards their targets, and IGNA began to fall back on turbophase and their particle railguns. But at such close range, the railguns weren’t very effective, and the pirates outmatched IGNA considerably in turbophase weaponry, after the treacheries of Heraphar.

The Azdgari were doing little better. Combined firepower from small pirate teams were elimating Azdaras and Azdara-bombers one by one, and although highly advanced, the Azdgari capital vessels were greatly outnumbered.

Desperately, the two Coalition fleets pulled together, forcing their way through the pirates, taking heavy damage. Combined, yet surrounded, the Azdgari and IGNA fleets prepared for a last stand against the pirates...

--------------------------------
Burtter

The bulk of the IGNA and Azdgari forces, and the Renegade Alliance fleet, found their way to Burtter. Pirate patrols had been heavy in Homeward and NSI-0306, but the Renegades, knowing the Cetax-Burtter corridor all to well, leapt at the patrols with astonishing fury. They took losses that needn’t have been taken, but so much did they hate Lars Magna, there was no stopping them.

When approximately six hundred and fourty hyper exits suddenly appeared in the starfield of Burtter, Lars Magna’s navy formed up on the dot. Present in the system were ten Edien vessels - destroyers and battlecruisers - that had been visiting the navy to give “suggestions” on movements, that verged on orders. The Vengeance was not in the system.

The IGNA armada entered the system first, a huge army that shone golden in the blackness of space; four hundred starships, led by the great Igazrada, the Templar. Had it not been for the fleet the armada met, they would have seemed unstoppable.

Across from them, spread out between two large gas planets that orbiting the star Burtter, were well over a thousand grey-blue Crescent ships. Lars Magna’s navy, or at least the bulk of it, stood grimly as the Azdgari and Renegade fleets followed through, flanking IGNA.

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

“My God...” Evaniol murmured to himself aboard the Templar. The second-in-command of the Templar whispered a short prayer to Ig. “That army is enormous...”

The SiC looked out at the viewscreen before them. “Sir, shall we fire the primary SAI barrage?”

Evaniol shook his head. “Send word to Iosa. He has command. Take us to Syter!” Evaniol ordered grimly. “Waste not one SAI on this rabble. I hunt Lars Magna.”

With that, the Templar and twenty Igazras streaked out of Burtter, where they were perhaps much needed, to hunt down Lars Magna and the Vengeance , in the pirate’s capital - Syter.

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

“Open fire!” Varlonar commanded strictly. “Support the IGNA’s SAI barrage as best we can. Azdaras take the flanks; Azdara-bombers take the far flanks! Don’t let them take us head on!”

The Azdgari fleet rushed into action. The Azdaras accelerated to the sides of the battlefield, but many were intercepted by missile fire. They came about the flanks to attack the pirates, and the Azdara-bombers passed beyond them, coming up behind the gateway between the planets, delivering their heavy payload upon the navy’s still heavily protected rear.

“Don’t let the entire fleet move out,” Varlonar warned. Two systems operators were busy sending out orders to every ship in the fleet. “I don’t think IGNA can hold the pirate charge alone...”

Indeed, the pirates were charging - their entire mass, at least one thousand and five hundred ships, plus carried fighters, were making their way forward in unison, mostly ignoring the Azdaras, as to them they were nought but flies. The Ediens present, however, remained behind, wreaking havoc upon the Azdara-bombers.

“Danor, you have the command,” sighed Varlonar with a taste of melodrama that seemed almost Zidagar. “I’m going to my ship,” he declared, and with that, he set off to his Azdara, which, although a powerful fighter in it’s own right, was practically a suicide ship with the pirate swarm approaching.

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

IGNA once again took the brunt of the pirate’s charge, and were it not for deflectors, they might very well have been pushed to one side within minutes. They stood as best they could, and Iosa worked like a dozen Igadzrans to co-ordinate the firing of IGNA, the Azdgari and the Renegade Alliance to make use of the precious minute IGNA had. It meant little - the deflectors fell, and although the pirates had taken heavy losses, they had had the sense to turn upon the Azdgari while they could not harm IGNA, so little advantage was gained.

The figures were impossible - four hundred IGNA, what was now one hundred Azdgari and fourty Renegade Alliance ships, totalling 540, could never stand up to almost 1500 vessels, especially not after the upgrades Lars Magna had done to all his ships.

The IGNA reef was broken, and they scattered to the side. All sense of co-ordination was lost, and the commanders, Redchigh, Varlonar and Iosa, were left to fend for themselves. Brave and skilled though they were, staying alive in the frenzy of the battle took everything out of them.

If reinforcements didn’t arrive - from somewhere - it would be over.

--------------------------------
Coalition Meeting Hall, Galactica

Thunder shook his head. “They won’t be coming,” he stated. “I don’t know where Tasina and Silverdragon are, but I’m positive that they are living up to their reputations.”

The Kayan official who he was addressing nodded, and walked swiftly to a pair of other Kayans. After a moment, the official and one of the others disappeared, and the third announced the start of the meeting.

Three Akrahd sat now where the Strand League had sat in the last meeting. Rima of the Zidagar, Thunder of the Kayans and RMA of the Horoth, completed the representives there.

“Well...” began the leading Akrahd in a gruff voice, “...what’s this about?”

“We have seen no Ediens!” complained another Akrahd.

“They are here,” Thunder replied calmly. “They have destroyed the Renegade Alliance, and have badly damaged the Horoth already.”

The third Akrahd spat. “Renegade Alliance and Horoth! Our enemies! Why should we side against these Ediens?”

“Because if you don’t, they will destroy you,” came a quiet feminine voice. It was Rima. She was staring down at the table, and many were surprised that she volunteered speech so easily, after having been so quiet in the last meeting. “The Ediens hate everyone. The enemy of their enemy is their enemy - not their friend.”

“And I see no proof that this is true,” replied the Akrahd leader in a dangerous tone. He paused for a moment. “However...we are willing to form the Coalition with you, but we will make no move until we see the Ediens for ourselves.”

Thunder nodded slightly. “That is most likely the best we could hope for,” he whispered silently, beyond the hearing of the Akrahd. Then, louder, he added; “I am glad to hear that you will help us. Perhaps, with your help, this will be a victory, and not a defeat.”

“Victories are difficult to come by against the Ediens...” one Horoth muttered.

The Horoth and Akrahd sat opposite, and the two were snarling at each other viciously. They both seemed very out of place; savages in a room filled with civilised people.

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

“There is still the IXD,” Rima noted, as if to herself. “We have been building a number of IXD vessels, although we yet lack people willing to fly such clumsy ships. However, the Strand League have promised to send some willing Igadzra to us, to captain those vessels.”

“Strand League have already broken the promise to attend,” one of the Horoth said, his voice sounding distant and somehow not real. There was some anger in that voice.

“I assure you, that is with good reason,” came a voice at the door. Everyone looked to the door, to see a figure they recognised - Corsair, second in command of the ZSN. He stepped into the room, making little sound. “The ZSN have gone to Burtter,” he continued, “and Silverdragon with them.”

“And what of Tasina?” asked one Kayan at Thunder’s right.

“I can but assume he also goes to Burtter,” Corsair replied calmly.

“To Burtter!” the Kayan cried, frowning. “Are we not a Coalition? Why do they go off to fight in this war, without first letting us discuss it, and gather our armies...”

“The answer to that is simple,” Thunder put in. “We still need to defend against the Ediens, and yet Lars Magna must be defeated. If the Strands can achieve this, and in that time we can hold off the Ediens...it is the most likely to succeed. But tell me, Corsair, why do you not travel with Silverdragon and Aldaris?”

Corsair’s eyes flashed slightly. “My business is here. The Strand League must be represented, and I was chosen,” he answered. He seemed annoyed to be kept behind.

“Well...let us plan! The Ediens have been assualting the Horoth for many days now, and I have heard no word of the tidings,” Thunder said. “We must gather every ship we have to stop them.”

--------------------------------
Syter
Endings of a Sort

Syter lay mostly silent. No pirates were there; the two hundred ships defending Syter had moved to protect Barah, and Lars had not guessed that anyone would try and pass through Burtter until the battle had ended.

Down on the planet, shipyards were working on another wave of pirate ships. They had been pouring out ships, using Edien shipbuilding techniques, over the last few weeks, and that was why their fleet in Burtter was so immense.

In high orbit over the planet was the Vengeance , with Lars Magna himself aboard. His crew was but a skeleton crew, for many had gone down to the planet to rest and recuperate. Lars, however, with his growing paranoia, stayed on his dreadnought, which he saw as being all but invincible. Indeed, it was more powerful now than the Templar or even the Rune. The titanic vessel lay there, an ominous guardian of Syter, comparable to a wolf resting with one eye open; ready to pounce.

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

“What is it?!” Lars shouted, stepping onto the bridge of the Vengeance , where a large viewscreen portrayed the starfield. His second-in-command and two other officers were on the bridge.

“We have visitors,” his second-in-command replied. “Twenty Igazras, and...”

“And what?” Lars Magna asked harshly, stepping around his command seat and dropping himself into it.

“The Templar , sir. The IGNA Igazrada we fought in...”

“Yes yes, I remember,” Lars replied. “What about reinforcements?”

“We have ships right behind them, sir.”

“Excellent. Open fire.”

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

Evaniol was shocked to see hyper exits appear even as the Templar entered Syter. Through them came fourty pirate vessels, ranging from Aradas to Crescent warships. He quickly sent out orders.

“Everyone, engage the pirates. Destroy them if possible. Otherwise, hold them back - at all costs. I’m going to engage the Vengeance.”

Without a question to his orders, but with some doubts as to whether the Templar was powerful enough to challenge that Vengeance , the score of Igazras turned 180ş and quickly engaged the pirates. Their deflectors were still up, and their SAI loads full, but at the orders of Evaniol’s second in the strike team, every SAI was fired at Lars’ dreadnought, and the Igazras engaged the pirates with turbophase and their particle railguns.

Accompanying the SAIs fired from the Igazra was the Templar’s own impressive armanent. The Vengeance was shook slightly, but otherwise held. The two titans exchanged secondary weapons as they moved towards each other. As they came into range, two sets of turbophase fire bursted outwards, and the two vessels were locked in combat, with only the blasts from enhanced thoron beams or particle railguns breaking the engagement.

“Damn...” Evaniol muttered. “They upgraded that thing heavily. There’s no way we can engage it head on head.” Indeed, the Templar was battered to 50% shields, while the Vengeance stood fast ad 73% shielding, even after taking a hundred SAIs.

It was then that Evaniol received a comm. from Lars’ ship, from Lars Magna himself.

“You think I would ask you to surrender? Ha! Come here, and face my power!” The comm. broke off into maniacal laughter.

His face locked in a permanent frown of concentration, Evaniol brought the Templar up above the Vengeance , and even as Lars talked, he engaged all thrusters at maximum, and headed down towards the dreadnought, all the Igazrada’s fire concentrated on one target - the bridge.

The Vengeance’s shields flickered, but still held. The Templar pulled upward at the last moment, before it crashed into it’s target. As it passed behind it, the dreadnought’s turret fire caused critical damage to many systems, including part of the engine. The Templar’s shields were completely out.

Another communication opened, but all Evaniol heard was laughter. He switched it off, and turned off the comm. systems. His teeth grated. “I am taking you out, Lars...I am taking...you...out...”

The score of Igazras had been overrun by the pirates, however, and the remaining pirates, two warships, moved to the Vengeance’s side to finish the Templar off...

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

It was then that a jade and emerald ship hyperspaced in from the opposite side. It was larger than the Templar , yet not quite as large as the Vengeance. The Rune , Tasina’s personal ship, had arrived, from one of the longest corridors in the Large Megellanic Cloud; Deneba - Syter, across an almost straight line of hyperlinks going from west to east.

The Rune engaged the enemy with the speed and ferocity of the Azdgari. The two warships were swallowed up by phase-neutron fire, and the Vengeance began losing it’s shielding fast. However, even now, the Rune could not stand up to the Vengeance - not even, at least.

The Templar and the Rune struck from both sides at once, pincering Lars Magna in. Although it’s shields were down, the Templar was still powerful, and it’s armour was enough to last it.

Those three titans were locked in combat for several minutes. It seemed almost like time meant nothing - the stream of turbophase and phase-neutron fire was constant, never changing. And then, it stopped. the Vengeance’s firing came to an abrupt end, and the other two ships pulled back. It was then that another ship was noticed, which had been hidden by the Rune’s shadow, so to speak. Tiny compared to the titans, a Starglider hung in space. The fast moving Starglider; Tassar’s ship, when he had gone to Deneba.

As the Vengeance exploded, causing damage to all three ships, and knocking out many of the Templar’s weapon systems, a single escape pod rushed outwards, towards the planet of Syter.

As if by some unknown signal, the Starglider moved. The Rune and Templar had not the missiles to fire at the escape pod, nor the speed to keep up with it, and the Rune’s fighters were spent in combat. Thus, Tassar’s Starglider swept in chase, towards the escape pod.

A streak of turbophase fire encased the escape pod, and two SAI modules launched out from the Starglider, of a design originally made by the ITA. they collided into the escape pod as it made it’s desperate descent to the planet.

Shrapnel from the escape pod rained down, seeming rather solemn and quiet after the tremendous battle that had just occured.

It was over - the end of Lars Magna.

--------------------------------
Burtter

Silverdragon had arrived with the ZSN fleet at his back, five hundred more vessels. With him came two hundred Kayan ships, the ships Thunder had sent out on a mere hunch.

ZSN and the Kayans wasted no time. Ziradas and Kayan gunships leapt into action, strafing the pirates that had almost completely overrun the IGNA and Azdgari.

The Renegade Alliance, Azdgari, ZSN, IGNA and Kayans all fought with renewed strength, throwing everything they had against the pirates. When word arrived that Lars Magna was dead, the pirates lost their hearts, and many tried to flee. The Coalition fleet seized the opportunity to charge their ranks, a mass of green, gold, purple, blue and grey.

The pirates desperately tried to turn back, and to fend off their enemies, but it was too late. The Coalition now had the advantage.

In one single charge, they stormed over the pirates, who still outnumbered them to a degree. By the time they broke through the remnants of the pirate ranks, there was nothing left, other than a few packs of pirates ships, which quickly fled.

Meanwhile, two hundred more ships from Deneba had arrived in Barah, and the battle there was won.

Syter, Barah and Burtter were all secured, and the systems further east were left, for now. The battered IGNA fleet returned to SL space for reparations, while the ZSN, Azdgari and Kayan fleets moved on to Galactica.

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

In the Burtter system, the RA were the only race not celebrating the victory. While they were glad Lars was no more, they could not rest..

Aboard the lead warship, REDchigh was issueing orders.
"Engineer, trace the destination of the pirates... "
"Yes, sir... Seems like they are just dispersing randomly."
"Very well! Fleet, split apart into groups of ten, and explore. If you find the pirate remnants, dont hasten to disable and capture them, and if they're too strong, dont hesistate to call for reinforcements."

and with that, the RA fleet spreads throughout the former pirate space, destroying and capturing every lone pirate they see...

------------------
"I- I Swear Officer.. The Dwarf was on fire when I got here!"
------------------------
"....This is only what I think. We can't in a million years guess what goes on in the snarling, churning bowels of Red's head."
~ESPilot

But the battle was not over, nor was it won, for the dark forces of the Ediens had power which far exceeded the power of the Coalition.

As the Coalition ships in Syter, Burttur, and Barah recovered from the massive battles, the Ediens waited, and watched.

Then, when it was finally time, with reinforcements in place, and warships ready for the assautl, the Ediens struck.

A massive fleet of 1,500 or more Edien warships jumped into the Syter system. Their massive warships closed in, but their weapons did not fire. The Coalition fleet fired back immediately with their own massive hoard of firepower.

The Ediens were hit hard, but their shields held and they continued on, charging the enemy fleet. Finally they opened fire with a hellish fusillade which tore through the Coalition fleet, incinerating fighters and sending burning frigates into cruisers. Ships exploded left and right as shield bubbles collapsed and hull plating imploded under the massive barrage.

As the Coalition recovered from the blow, the Ediens pounced on them, anti-proton pulses streaking through space. The Coalition fought back fiercely, but it was no use; they were outnumbered and outgunned by the Ediens, but they could not escape; the Ediens had encircled them.

They would have to fight to the death.

The Coalition charged the Ediens, then pulled back, luring them closer into a terrible dogfight. The Ediens found themselves pitted against a determined and skilled foe, but they fought on nonetheless. The Edien's main weakness was in the area of tactics; Admiral H'nanta wasn't in the battle, he was near Horoth space, so a rather untrained admiral had to take his place, leaving the Edien fleet now up against a well trained and skill adversary.

The Coalition fleet charged one section of the Ediens, forcing them to regroup, which left them opened to heavy fire. In response, the Ediens simply charged in and fired all they had. Their enemies were loosing ships fast, and the Ediens were not suffering enough damage. The Coalition turned to ramming and other desperate tactics. Battlecruisers heavily targeted due to their large size and relative unmaneuverability.

As they were pummeled again and again by SAVs and Glimmer Missiles, the Ediens used their Interceptors to great effeciancy, tearing apart enemy vessel after enemy vessel. The battlegroup was in complete chaos, with hundreds and hundreds of tons of wreckage floating about the system, clogging fleet movements and endangering dogfighting fighter pilots.

But numbers quickly caught up with the Coalition, who were simply loosing too many vessels too fast. Soon the Coalition had been forced from the Syter system. Only a handful of vessels escaped the carnage, which were now demoralized and shell-shocked. They had delt a good portion of damage to the Ediens, but this dark and powerful foe was still quite capable of dealing out even more destruction.

Burttur was the next target. The battle there occured in the same way as did the battle for Syter. The Coalition forces were outnumbered and outgunned, and only a dozen ships escaped from the battle.

The Coalition, however, was lucky with the Barah system; The Ediens mysterious stopped and did not attack this crucial base. The reason was simple for the Ediens; keep the coalition occupied protecting Barah, making sure that they could not protect Horoth space...

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

The Horoth had lived for decades in their "homeland". It was not really their homeland, of course, for they had come there a few centuries ago, as refugees from a war torn Andromeda galaxy. There they had settled and carried on a reputation for extremely good defensive strategists and engineers. They had constructed massive minefields, and the Horath system was equipped with a few battlestations and a powerful shield grid.

However, as the Ediens closed in, little did the Horoth know that they would soon be refugees once more.

The Edien warfleets jumped into the frontier systems at the exact same time, using the element of surprise as their main key to success. The Horoth were a determined and stubborn foe, and their ship numbers which extremely large, and they were already preparing for a possible attack.

But the Ediens had fleets with 800 or more vessels each, and as they attacked, the Horoth captains and pilots wondered if the end of the Horoth had come at last.

Plasma bolts streak across space, impacting against the blue-cyan shimmering shields of the Ediens as a wave of quantum torpedoes were launched at them. As Horoth Sub-Space mines were detonated left and right, the Ediens charged forward, as the occassional stray mine exploded, sending Edien Interceptors flying into Battlecruisers, tearing huge gashes in their hull plating, and exploding soon after into flame.

Millions were evacuated while the Horoth fleets fought on. Millions of innocent Horoth civillians, ushered from their homes on a bright and sunny day, boarded ships of every kind and type and took off for the Kayan Alliance, who now seemed like a beacon of hope to the seemingly doomed Horoth. Confusion was everywhere as the Horoth tried to get as many people off the doomed planets as they could, stuffing 500 or more people into ships only designed to carry 100 passengers maximum.

The Horoth fleets exchanged massive amounts of fire as they hurled mines into the ediens, exploding in massive fireballs. But the giant battlecruisers simply emerged from the flame, like a demon out of hell, their great blue and black hulls shimmering as the Horoth pummeled them with plasma fire. As destroyers exploded and interceptors were vaporized in great flashes or energy, the Horoth were suddenly hit by a massive fusillade of gunpower and pure energy.

Many civillian vessels were caught in the crossfire and exploded as the Ediens and Horoth fought on and on, fighters dueling with fighters, wolfpacks of destroyers hunting Edien battlecruisers, which were proving a major problem for the Horoth, who had no cruiser to speak of. They instead relied of wits, and on numbers in battle. The Ediens were astounded by the amount of resistence such a small government and race put up.

The battles continued for hours, the Horoth just barely hanging on, until at last, slowly but surely, their fleets were crushed and destroyed.

The massive Edien warfleets then hovered over their respective planets, bombarding them with hellish barrages of torpedoes. Whole cities were vaporized instantly as thousands if not soon millions of civillians were slaughtered. It was like the First Edien Invasion; huge warfleets moving from system to system, systematically eradicating the colonies, then heading off to attack the next one.

With the frontier systems annihilated, the Ediens moved onward after recieving more reinforcements.

Horthak and Arath were hit next by the massive Edien battlefleets, who found little resistence, for the majority of the Horoth navy had retreated into the Horath system itself. The story was the same as before; the pitiful Horoth fleets put up as much resistence as they could before being overwhelmed entirely, and then the Ediens slowly pummeled away the planets. One of the moons in Arath was actually blown apart by an extremely intense stream of firepower.

Next system to wall was Otreth, which also provided little resistence. Several million Horoth died in that system, for there was not nearly enough ships to evacuate everybody. But then came a beacon of hope.

The Ediens assaulted Bacreth, and suddenly found themselves not only pitted against a strong Horoth fleet, but a supporting Akrahd fleet as well.

The following battle was massive and unhead of. The Ediens, Horoth, and Akrahd fought fiercely, with ships exploding across the system as even the light of the sun was dwarfed by the amount of gunfire being poured into each other. The combination of Akrahd and Horoth vessels turned out to be quite useful, as the Ediens were also rather puzzeled by the Akrahd Plasma Railgun, which took down many of their vessels.

The battle last for three days, and at the end of that glorious battle, the Ediens retreated. The Horoth and Akrahd had lost over half of their fleet, but the Ediens had been stopped and had also suffered severe casualties. Too weak to continue the battle without more reinforcements, the Ediens surrounded the Horath system and lay seige to that great and glorious base as reinforcements were dispatched from Edien territory...

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

During all this, the Pirates had fallen into dissarray. With the majority of their fleet destroyed, the remnants fell into chaos and confusion, and almost all remaining Pirate forces just set out and attakced whatever their found. Many Coalition vessels were taken down by this mad last charge, but the Pirates definitely got the worst of it. The Ediens saw that with Lars Magna gone and his fleet crushed, the Pirates were of no more use.

The Ediens opened fire on any Pirate vessel they saw, and then began landing troops on Pirate colonies and bases. The many colonies erupted into chaos and total anarchy before the Ediens finally took complete control. All Pirate admirals and captains were executed. Millions were put into prison camps. Cities and towns were burned to the ground as the seemingly unstoppable and hellishly cruel Edien forces marched on.

Within just a week, the Pirates of the New Galaxy had completely disappeared, swallowed up by the dark and evil forces of the Ediens...

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

OOC: SilverDragon, all of your characters and all of your Igazradas escaped the battle, just to make sure you didn't worry.

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

(This message has been edited by Captain Carnotaur (edited 01-26-2002).)

OOC: I think we're now approaching the New Galaxy finale. I'll check up with Carnotaur, but I think that new posts probably shouldn't be made. For one thing, it'd make it impossible to write a finale with people continuing in-character while I'm writing.

And...uhh...Rima/Thunder/RMA/Red, could you all give me an idea what your characters are like, so I don't screw up?

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

OOC: As you all know, GH is coming to an end, and so before the finales go up, there are a few things that need to be cleared up. This post is for just that.

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

Background Development

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

The IC-1613 Galaxy
Part 1
Mysteries from an Ancient Race

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

Fleet Commander Jayro Echthiel looked around at the barren system of Hrekka. Just days before, a massive Voinian armada had fought with an Edien force of equal size. The battle had been long and bloody, and only after two days of constant fighting did the Ediens fall.

Now, with North Tip Station disabled and partially destroyed, the planet of Hrekka a bombed-out ruin, and the Edien battlestation in the system destroyed, the system was floating with thousands of tons of debris. Echtiel was a Voinian dispatched to the system with his fleet to guard the system after the Voinian fleet which made the first assault was called back to Zachit. Jayro was now wondering why the Ediens had fought so hard for Hrekka; it was not of any large tactical importance, and it was not a large colony.

But little did the Voinians know that Hrekka was of massive importance.

There was a jumpgate in the LC-1613 galaxy which lead to Hrekka. Normally the Ediens would have simply used their standard jumpgates to the north of Azdgari space, but Hrekka was different.

Six months after the Ediens had captured Hrekka they detected unusual sub-space readings eminating from the Ji Nebula. Deciding to investigate furthur, they sent a battlefleet of destroyers into the Nebula.

They never returned.

The Ediens then sent in a warfleet of Battlecruisers into the outskirts of the nebula. There they discovered wreckage of their fleet, and spotted an alien vessel which disappeared seconds later into the core of the Ji Nebula.

Immediately Edien High Command on Azdgari was alerted and a fleet of 3,500 vessels was assembled to enter the Ji Nebula and investigate the aliens that inhabited the gas cloud furthur.

The huge warfleet quickly entered the Nebula again using several new jumplinks that had recently been discovered. They searched the Nebula all over, barely missing the Igadzra Republic base on F-25.

Soon, they began spotting more alien vessels. The ships were no bigger than an Edien interceptor and simply stayed far away from the fleet and watched, and watched. The Ediens were convinced that the aliens were planning something, and many captains became paranoid due to the mysterious nature of aliens.

Then, an Edien patrol fleet was reported missing.

Two days later, another patrol was reported missing.

Three days later, Edien captains reported seeing immense energy waves eminating from the core of the nebula, “Ghost ships” moving through the gases and causing mysterious gravity eddies, and more and more of the alien “Watchers”.

Finally, the Ediens assembled their fleet and began the slow journey to the very center of the Nebula.

When they finally penetrated the barrier of interference and energy, the Ediens discovered an inhabitable system. It had an M-Class Planet, not unlike F-25, and was apparently inhabited by a humanoid species. The Edien fleet surrounded the planet and prepared to close in and invade, but they never made it.

An alien fleet of 2,000 vessels jumped into the system. Some of their ships were larger than five battlecruisers put together, and all were emitting a strange sort of energy field unlike the Ediens had ever seen.

When the Ediens tried to hail them, they only got a single, constant, never-ending response...

“...Ji’ting, Ji’ting, Ji’ting, Ji’ting, Ji’ting, Ji’ting, Ji’ting, Ji’ting, Ji’ting...”

The alien vessels, who were presumably Ji’ting, opened fire on the Ediens. The Ediens responded in kind, and a massive space-battle ensued.

The two great fleets fought and fought, with no single victor seeming to win. Energy lances streaked out from the Ji’ting, blasting apart Edien warships as Quantum Torpedoes impacted Ji’ting Carriers, tearing away their shield grids.

The Ji’ting Particle Cannons and Energy Lances were extremely powerful, as were their Sub-Space Cannons, and the Ediens suffered heavy losses. The Ji’ting also seemed to possess sub-space shielding, which lessened the effect of many Edien weapons.

The battle raged on and on, and on F-25, the Igadzra Republic saw the flashes of light coming from inside the nebula, that were being caused by the battle.

After many hours of fighting, the Ediens retreated with 500 ships. The Ji’ting had losses 550 ships, ending up with 450 total.

The battle was quickly covered up by Edien Intellegence, based in Zachit and in Kade. Captains were interrogated, crews were sworn to secrecy, fake reports were created. Very few outside the survivors, intellegence agents, and the high-ups in the Edien military knew about the incident, and they were also quickly supressed.

The Ediens began detailed sensor scans of the nebula, trying to figure out where these Ji’ting came from. They determined that not only that the Ji’ting technilogically advanced and a paranoid and territorial race, but they also determined that they were a threat and had to be delt with.

And so, entered LC-1613.

The Edien force that guarded LC-1613, known as the “Omega Taskforce”, had been supplied with extra vessels and technology. Only the members of the Omega Force knew that they were on a mission to stop a potentially dangerous alien race from assaulting the Edien bases in that galaxy. The Ediens had no name for this alien race, the Ediens had no information on them, only a handful of officers had even seen one of these “phantoms of space”, but they were out there; watching, waiting, the nameless threat that no one spoke of yet many knew was out there.

The Omega Force was now assigned to try and stop the Ji’ting before they tried any offensive action against the Ediens. A jumpgate was constructed which led directly to Hrekka. Around a thousand Edien warships were brought in, and sent into the Ji Nebula.

The Ji’ting were never again seen for the next year. During which, they watched, and waited.

Then, the Silent War began.

The Ediens suddenly encountered a Ji’ting strike force. A small skirmish ensued, then the Ji’ting suddenly faded away, disappearing from sight. Many more skirmishes ensued over the next three years, including three major battles, all except one ended up badly for the Ediens. The Ediens began laying minefields to stop the Ji’ting, but they ran into a problem; they had neglected to stem the growing power of the Pirates, and the Ediens were forced to back off, abandoning any hopes of stopping the Ji’ting.

Nobody ever heard about the Silent War.

Following that incident, Hrekka became a special outpost; if the Ji’ting attacked, they would be stopped at Hrekka, which was why the Ediens protected the system so dearly.

The Ji’ting were never again spotted, and the Ediens never went back to check up on the three abandoned station outposts in the nebula. Many old, abandoned mines now laced the Nebula, making travel extremely hazardous, and preventing the Igadzra Republic from leaving their hidden refuge. The Pirates learned to deal with the mines, and soon made the nebula a Pirate-infested deathtrap.

And now, a few years later, as the Voinians began cleaning up the Hrekka system, totally unaware of the Ji’ting, the Ediens in the LC-1613 had not yet been informed of what the Ediens had done to Hrekka, though the 400 Omega Force ships in Hrekka had been pulled out and moved out of the Milky Way and into Andromeda just in time. When they did learn, it was too late; three Edien Escort Carriers had already been dispatched.

As the jumpgate opened in Hrekka, Fleet Commander Jayro Echthiel stared in wonder at the sight. The Voinian fleet instantly backed off, watching the spectatular swirling vortex.

Suddenly, three ships exited the gate; three Edien Escort Carriers, found only in the LC-1613 galaxy.

As the gate closed, the Ediens realized that the Voinians now controlled Hrekka, and they opened fire. Neutrino Railguns blasted away at the Voinians as thirty-some Edien interceptors were launched.

But the Voinians had hundreds of ships, and the Ediens were quickly overwhelmed dispite their advanced technology. All the ships were destroyed except for one Escort Carrier, which was quickly boarded by the Voinians.

No “Important” data was recovered from the vessel, but the Ediens did find a single bit of evidence; in the cargo bay they found a dead Edien officer which had been overviewing a datapad. The datapad was encrypted, and the Voinians decided to ship it off to Kayia to see if the Federation could make any sense out of it.

The second thing they found was a cargo pod. Normally it wouldn’t be important, but the cargo pod had special mini sub-space stabilizers installed, as well as organic armor plating; the same stuff used for Edien warships. Apparently, whatever was inside was very important, but the Ediens could not understand it when they opened the pod.

Inside was a glowing purple crystal.

Nothing more.

The Voinians scanned the crystal and found nothing extrordinary about it, except that it emitted a strange kind of energy which made it glow. This and the pod was also shipped off to Kayia.

The Escort Carrier later imploded after a reactor meltdown. The Voinians pushed aside the issue, deciding that it was just the Ediens trying to test out some kind of new technology.

But there were still many unsolved and ignored issues; what was in the datapad? What was the importance of the crystal? Where did the strange Edien warships come from? And, most important of all, was the matter of the Ji’ting, for they had watched this all unfold, and were uncertain as to the intentions of the Voinians.

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

The IC-1613 Galaxy
Part 2
Mysteries Revealed

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

Commodore Lethai, a fleet commander in the Igadzra Republic Navy, looked at sensor readings from the core of the Ji Nebula. Energy dispersion readings had quadrupled over the last few days, and Lethai was now monitoring the area in case it should rise again, as well as to trying and figure out what exactly was causing the energy buildup.

As Lethai watched, suddenly, the core of the nebula lit up for a single second and at the exact same time the energy dispersion output increased by 29 terravolts. “What the heck is causing that?” he muttered to himself as he walked over to the command console. “See anything?”

“Only sensor ghosts, as usual,” the sensor operator said, glancing from readout to readout. “Hmmmmmm... This is odd. I just ran a sub-space scan. It shows that there has also been a substantial increase in sub-space energy that we didn’t notice.”

Lethai thought for a moment, then spoke. “Run another deep level scan, and pay close attention to these ‘sensor ghosts’. Something tells me they aren’t ghosts...”

The officer typed hurridly on his console, looking at the readouts as the Igazra sensors tried to penetrate the interference in the nebula. He suddenly peered at the readouts, then slowly spoke. “Sir... I don’t know what this means, but I think those sensor ghosts are emitting energy...”

Lethai nodded and grinned. “Those probably aren’t sensor ghosts. They may be ships. Is the NPD installed and refitted?”

A scientist nodded from his station. “It’s all ready to go sir, though I’d caution you on it’s stability in the core of the nebula.”

The experienced command nodded, then sat back in his command chair. “Helm, engage hyperdrive engines. Engage to Sector 5215. Go!”

The Igazra, named the Hera, jumped into hyperspace for the core of the nebula...

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

Two hours later, the Igazra jumped out of hyperspace and entered a system known only as NVX-0001. It was here, at the heart of the nebula, where the energy source was originating.

The scene was one of power and beauty. As Lethai stared, all around him was swirling gas, small and newborn stars shining, with the occassional flash of an energy discharge, causing plooms of colored gases swirling about the core of the nebula. New stars were abundent, some older and larger than others, and in the middle of it all Lethai detected something strange.

There was a planet, not unlike F-25, in orbit around one of the older stars. As they approached it, the sensor officer gasped. “I’m detecting lifesigns on the planet! Lots of them!”

With his pulse racing, the Hera slowly neared the planet, taking sensor scans along the way. But suddenly, a massive vessel jumped into the system, larger than a Voinian dreadnaught, it’s hull shining green as it moved.

As it approached the Hera and slowed to a halt, Lethai and his crew stared at the colossal vessel and its beauty. The alien vessel simply looked at them, and waited, unmoving, until finally a beeping started on the command console.

The aliens were hailing them.

“O-open the comlink...” Lethai said, and immediately an alien appeared on the viewscreen.

It was all blade, through what looked like slits and cracks in its skin glowed blue from inside as it simply stood there and watched them. It was not very humanoid, and looked more insectoid than anything else, though its skin was quite amphibian.

It’s head suddenly turned from side to side, seeming to look at everybody on the bridge. As it cocked its head to one side, the creature spoke in an alien language. “Language translators?” Lethai asked, still watching the alien.

”Working on it, sir. They’re language seems to be quite complex, and our translator is having a hard time understanding it...”

The alien spoke again, but this time in english. “Who are you?”

Lethai smiled a little, then replied. “We are the Igadzra. The Igadzra Republic to be precise. We come from the planet Igadzra, and have lived on F-25, a plant not far from here, for many years. We originally came here because the Ediens attacked us many years ago. Who are you?”

The alien hissed at the name of the Ediens, then spoke. “We know of the Ediens. They once invaded our realm, but we fought and destroyed them.” The Alien cocked its head again in the other direction and continued. “We are the Ji’Ting, and we are native to this planet, and this nebula.”

“Please, tell me about your race,” Lethai said. “We are sending you information on our people, and other peoples of the Milky Way, now. We hope you will find it interesting.”

The alien seemed to nod. It suddenly glowed bright green for a single second, then spoke. “We have added some information on our race to your databanks. We have lived her for millennia, undisturbed, but now we are under threat. Kathrii is under threat, and we must move to stop this threat.

“We are not native to normal space. We live in the domain of sub-space; and that is our first home. We built up a massive civillization there; Kathrii we call it. It is a thing so massive and so beautiful you cannot imagine it. But it is under threat by hidden darkness. That is why we brought our homeworld into this nebula; to keep it safe from the Skri’Neth. We are leaving now; the preparation to transform our final ships in realspace back into sub-space was what caused the energy buildup.

“We hope you will guard our home from danger, until we return. We are going now. Goodbye.”

”Goodbye,” Lethai said, and the alien seemed to smile, if that were possible for an alien that looked like he did. “Farewell, my new friend. I wish I could know you longer.”

The comlink was suddenly cut, and at the same time, nearly a thousand vessels jumped into the system. They gathered around the first ship, which now began to glow bright white, shining as bright as a star.

The vessels began to move around the ship in a circle, going faster and faster until all of them began to shine white light. And with that, suddenly, there was a flash...

...And they were gone.

The Ji’Ting had disappeared back into their domain of sub-space, leaving their planet and 4 billion Ji’Ting under the protection of the Igadzra Republic. The Ji’Ting on the planet were extremely friendly and cooperative, and the Igadzra learned much from them. The Ji’Ting would live peacefully, away from war, until their ships oneday returned to normal space. They supposedly knew about whom the Ji’Ting were fighting and why, but they would not tell anyone.

The news of this amazing encounter quickly spread across the galaxy, with scientists from every known race being brought to the Ji’Ting homeworld to study these interesting little alies. But little attention was paid to the one word that the Ji’Ting had used to identify their enemy; the “Skri’Neth”...

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

The Battle of Hrekka

The Voinian fleet of 100,000 ships jumped into the Hrekka system. Immediately they were faced with an equally powerful fleet of 80,000 Edien warships. The Voinian fleet, under the command of Admiral Yakuza, had been sent to Hrekka to clean out one of the last remaining areas of resistence.

Already most other Edien holdings had fallen. Zidagar space was in the hands of the Federation, Azdgari space was holding out but would soon fall, and all across the North Tip Asteroid Field the Ediens were being systematically hunted down and destroyed.

Already the Battle of The Rock had taken place in the system which once held one of the biggest Renegade bases in history. In that system an Edien fleet of 150,000 ships had been destroyed by a Federation force of 100,000 vessels, commanded by none other than Captain Knight.

Knight was one of the original Captains of S-570; the government from which the Federation was born. Knight commanded his Crescent Warship along with Carnotaur and the other captains; Captain Subterfuge, Captain LoneIgadzra, Captain Specter, and the famous Captain Scorcher, now a Fleet Admiral. It were these people that were Carnotaur’s close friends for years as he explored the stars, along with the little known Delta7 - Scorcher’s younger brother, now a Federation Admiral. And then there was Torch, not a Captain, but instead a computer hacker, working with his friend Firebird (now also an admiral) on Igadzra hacking into military computers for Carnotaur

After the Battle of The Rock, the Ediens had clung onto two main systems; Azdgari and Hrekka, leaving the rest of the systems to slowly fall to the Federation and Voinians. But now the Ediens faced a new threat; the IXD were growing in power, and the Miranu had a sizable force in the Milky Way, built by the Federation, defending their space.

Now it was Hrekka’s turn to fall.

Yakuza gave the order, and immediately a swarm of Voinian Frigates and HVDs zoomed towards the Edien fleet, guns ablaze. The Ediens fell back, hurt badly but still in formation. They fired back a wave of quantum torpedoes, but suddenly a lattice of pure energy formed in front of the Voinian fleet, absorbing the hits from the torpedoes.

It was the Disruption Web, generated by the Voinain Support Cruisers. As rockets rained down on the Ediens from afar, a huge wave of Voinian fighters charged in, followed shortly by the Frigates and HVDs, and then by the Cruisers.

The battle was moving swiftly, with the Ediens taking heavy damage. They were weary from days of constant raids, and they were on the breaking point. The Ediens began to fall back towards Hrekka, when suddenly a mass of Support Cruisers and Cruisers decloaked around the planet. The Ediens were caught off guard and hit badly by wave after wave of missiles as they charged the Voinian fleet.

But then the HVDs and Frigates charged them, wiping out many ships in the rear formation. The Ediens began to scatter and break up, becoming easy prey for the Voinians.

By the time the battle was over, the Voinians had 85,000 vessels. The Ediens escaped with just under 5,000. The battle had been a total success for the Voinian Empire, and it was soon to be followed by more victories for both the Federation and Voinians...

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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).

(This message has been edited by Captain Carnotaur (edited 02-18-2002).)

IC-1613 Galaxy
Part 3
War of the Wraiths

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The Edien War, to many, seemed like the most devastating war ever. It was certainly the largest war the Milky Way or Large Megallanic Cloud had ever seen, and with Andromeda on the horizon, it looked ready to expand.

But this war was not the biggest, nor the most devastating. There was another war; a war of untold fury, which made the Edien War look like a small skirmish.

It happened in a far-off and little known galaxy known as LC-1613.

It began millennia ago, when there was only one major power, or so it seemed. There was the Rodien Empire; a massive star empire which spanned countless star systems, and was three times larger than the Voinians and Federation combined. The Rodiens were smart, and powerful. They were technilogically advanced, using weaponry that made Quantum Cannons seem outdated. Their massive dreadnaughts and battleships reigned supreme, guarding approximately half of the LC-1613 galaxy.

The Rodiens lived in relative peace, only fighting occassionally with one of their small and much less powerful neighboring alien races. However, one day, it all changed.

A Rodien Battleship was scouting in the Koprulu Sector, and suddenly discovered an alien vessel.

It was the Ichaema.

The Ichaema had entered the galaxy years before using an interdimensional jumpgate. They had quickly expanded and setup a small area of territory. The Rodiens decided that the Ichaema, with their non-military technology far exceeding the Rodiens, were peaceful and posed no threat.

The two quickly became friends, and the Rodiens soon learned about the origins of the Ichaema; they came from M86, a galaxy millions of lightyears away, it’s home being in the Virgo Cluster. They possessed an immense amount of temporal technology, and even claimed to be able to travel through time, though they would not share the technology. They had already used it once; they had travelled centuries into the future and scanned a Thorosk vessel in Andromeda, thereby gaining Interdimensional Technology.

The Ichaema stayed in LC-1613, exploring more and more interdimensional technology, until they made one fatal move. They had been able to go through other dimensions, but they were contained to a single slipstream tunnel. However, they soon perfected the technology, and were able to send through a Ichaema Supercruiser into an alternate dimension.

The vessel found itself in a totally different dimension. Long, string-like Nebula’s covered all known space, galaxies twice the size of Andromeda colliding with each other, supermassive black holes, quasars, stars orbiting huge spherical energy masses. Many things simply defied the imagination, for this new realm was amazing in every way.

But the Ichaema, instead of finding a new place to explore, were about to unleash a deadly force.

The Ichaema Supercruiser detected a vessel. A single vessel, nothing more. It seemed to be composed of pure energy, and suddenly it began to move. The ship, which was half the size of the Ichaema vessel, opened fire. The Supercruiser was nearly destroyed and was forced to retreat back into normal space.

But it had been followed.

About thirty tiny vessels, smaller than a fighter, had entered normal space along with it. They appeared to be horribly disorientated at first, but they recovered and hyperspaced out into space.

The encounter was shrugged off, but soon more and more of these tiny vessels were sighted. Within two weeks, the vessels were everywhere. They watched, saw, and knew everything. There wasn’t a system you could go to without seeing a few of these small scouts.

Then, the Ichaema sent in another vessel into the alternate dimension. It scouted for about an hour before it was suddenly attacked by more of the strange vessels which attacked it the first time. The Ichaema then sent in a fleet a warships; they never returned, they simply disappeared, mysteriously.

The Rodiens then began to detect a major energy buildup across the devoid western half of LC-1613. The energy buildup continued, and continued, and continued until finally all sensors were blocked by the mysterious energy reading. The alien scout ships disappeared.

Finally, it happened.

There was a terrific flash of white light and energy all across the western half of LC-1613. In the eastern half, which the Rodiens and Ichaema inhabited, the flash was so powerful it disrupted sensors and communications for hours, billions were left blinded for several minutes, and cities were left without power after their generators were overloaded.

The Rodiens and Ichaema searched in vain to try and find out what had happened. Everything seemed normal, but they suddenly realized what had occured; 398,000 stars and 456,000 planetoids had mysteriously appeared in the western half of LC-1613.

As Rodien scouts searched throughout the galaxy, they did not find much at first, but finally they discovered at least one race that may have caused these strange occurrances; the Bo’Neth.

The Bo’Neth were also severely technilogically advanced, more powerful than the Rodiens, but their navy was somewhat smaller. The Bo’Neth relied not only weapons of power, but of weapons of the mind; psionic power they used to destroy, and it worked. The Bo’Neth were incredibly powerful, and more ancient than even the Rodiens.

But the Bo’Neth were not of this galaxy, nor this universe, nor this dimension.

They came from another dimension, and their own universe, which they called Kathrii. The Bo’Neth claimed that they already knew about normal space, and they had been planning to come to LC-1613 to try and escape an “Enemy” that was plaguing them in Kathrii. The Rodiens accepted it, but the Ichaema were more suspicious, and began to plan more excursions into Kathrii to try and find out the truth. They assumed that this “Enemy” the Bo’Neth talked of were the same ones which had attacked their ships, as well as the ones who had sent in their swarms of scouts.

But before the Ichaema could do anything, they struck.

From the depths of space they came. From every system they appeared. From every star, from every corner of LC-1613, a silent enemy struck.

In every single Rodien and Ichaema system, dozens of strange alien vessels appeared and attacked. The Ichaema and Rodien forces were at first totally overwhelmed, and in a matter of minutes dozens upon dozens of colonies fell.

But they fought back.

The Rodien Star Cruisers regrouped and made massive counter charges, while Ichaema Warships opened fire with their powerful trans-phasic cannons. All across LC-1613, the Rodiens and Ichaema were fighting for the survival of their species.

But they could not hold back this strange and powerful forever. As losses mounted, help suddenly arrived in a rather strange way; the Bo’Neth.

Their warships materialized out of thin air, appearing in all remaining Rodien and Ichaema systems instantly. They opened fire on the aliens, and surprisingly, their technology worked well against them.

Within 24 hours, all battles had ceased. The aliens had been driven off with heavy casualties, with the loss of approximately 27 Ichaema and 45 Rodien colonies. The aliens disappeared without a trace, with neither the Ichaema nor the Rodiens being able to trace them.

The Bo’Neth explained who these aliens were. They were the Skri’Neth , the terror of all Kathrii. They had slaughtered trillions unmercifully, they had eradicated dozens of races, and had destroyed thousands of planets.

The Skri’Neth seemed all-powerful. They relied on their incredible psionic powers for everything; shields, armor, weapons, travel, even their own warships. The Skri’Neth were mysterious; they never contacted anybody else, unless they simply wanted to say something around the lines of “We will destroy you”. They were ultra-paranoid, even to the extent of destroying their own colonies if they became worried that it would remain loyal to them.

Ultra-paranoid and ultra-xenophobic, the Skri’Neth terrorized Kathrii for several millennia before the Bo’Neth were finally able to contain their assaults. But the Skri’Neth soon pushed forward once more. Soon their assaults were continuing to push back the Bo’Neth and several other races. To try and stop them, the Bo’Neth sent out scouts into nearby areas of space to try and find more advanced races to help them.

Probing everywhere with their telekinetic powers, the Bo’Neth then came across a rather unusual time/space disturbance. Entering the vortex, the scout suddenly found itself in a totally different area of space. In fact, according to their sensors, they weren’t even in the same dimension.

Upon furthur scans and investigating, the Bo’Neth Scout determined that they had crossed over an interdimensional rift. They were now in another dimension, rather similar to Kathrii, but it was also different in many ways. They named it “Kaethrai”.

Exploring furthur, the scout discovered a race known as the Ji’Ting. They inhabited a galaxy they called the “Milky Way”, and hid inside a large nebula. The Bo’Neth were facinated by the Ji’Ting, and so made contact with them. The two races learned much from each other, but the rather odd thing about the Ji’Ting was the fact that their brains proved to be extremely resistent to psi energy. In other words, Bo’Neth weapons had little effect against them, at least the ones which used psi energy.

After a few weeks, the Ji’Ting made an alliance with the Bo’Neth under the following conditions. First, the Bo’Neth would provide the Ji’Ting with technology to fight the Skri’Neth in Kathrii. Second, the Ji’Ting would only fight the Skri’Neth in Kathrii, for they did not want to show themselves to others in their own dimension. Third, the Bo’Neth would not interfere in Ji’Ting affairs unless the survival of the Ji’Ting race was under threat.

And so, the Ji’Ting began sending thousands of warships into Kathrii. Soon, the Skri’Neth were once again contained, unable to break through the defense line of Ji’Ting and Skri’Neth vessels.

And so, the war continued on and on until the present. While Bo’Neth ships patrolled space to keep a watch out for any more Skri’Neth, the Rodiens began to rebuild their colonies, until more bad news arrived.

The Skri’Neth were not gone at all. In fact, they were closer than the Rodiens thought.

In turned out that when the Bo’Neth entered LC-1613, the Skri’Neth followed. Though still present in Kathrii, thousands of Skri’Neth planetoids were now in LC-1613, and they were preparing for war.

The Bo’Neth pinpointed the location of Skri’Neth territory, and the three races began to assemble several armadas for a preemptive assault on their enemies. Meanwhile, in Kathrii, the Ji’Ting were still holding off the Skri’Neth, but just barely. If the Skri’Neth had not sent a considerable force to IC-1613, the Ji’Ting would likely have been overrun.

As the Rodiens and their allies prepared for war, suddenly, the Skri’Neth struck first. Their warships jumped into the frontier systems and opened fire, but the Rodiens, Bo’Neth, and Ichaema fought back.

The initial assaults were successful, but soon the Bo’Neth began a counteroffensive. The Skri’Neth pulled back to counter this, and then pushed the Bo’Neth out of their own territory.

This never-ending chain of events continued for several millennia. For over 2000 years, they fought endlessly. Dozens and dozens of worlds were devastated; then hundreds, then thousands. Billions were slaughtered as the four major powers fought.

Then, while being pushed back on all fronts, the Skri’Neth launched their automatons.

The swarms of Destroyer Automatons destroyed 295 worlds within a span of a mere two weeks. The Rodiens fought back with their own Hunter-Killer Drones, puzzeled as to where the Skri’Neth obtained the technology to build automatons.

It soon became evident where the technology came from. For as long as the Rodiens could remember, legends told on a lair of demons known as Arad’dur. The demons, known as Den’Char , would one day be summoned and would bring terror to all. It turned out this was based on fact; the Den’Char were real, they had a homeworld named Arad’dur, but they weren’t demons.

And so, from Arad’dur, the Den’Char had been watching and waiting for centuries. From their lair they were summoned; summoned by some sort of instinctive call, from some inner drive. It was the Skri’Neth who summoned them, for the Den’Char had some psi abilities, and the Skri’Neth could communicate special thoughts to them telepathically.

The Skri’Neth wanted to use the Den’Char to their advantage, but the Skri’Neth suddenly realized that the Den’Char were more resistent than others, and they intended to wipe out all life.

They sent a mysterious message to all across IC-1613...

”We begin...”

The Den’Char appeared slowly, but their numbers soon became more and more numerous. From the Northern area they came, from the black world of Arad’dur, huge fleets of ships, armed with devastating sub-space and trans-phasic weaponry. They attacked both the Skri’Neth and the Rodiens, trying to wipe out all in their path, and proved quite powerful against even the Skri’Neth.

With the xenophobic Den’Char now a major player, the war continued on. Deaths mounted on all sides, more worlds were destroyed, countless millions of ships annihilated. The Automatons of the Skri’Neth were out of control, wiping out everything and anything. The Den’Char mastered their automaton vessels better and kept control of them, as did the Rodiens with their Hunter-Killers.

The Ichaema were strangely becoming more and more isolated, more defensive. They would be more loath to send out ships to attack, and it annoyed the Bo’Neth greatly, for the Ichaema helped protect Bo’Neth territory.

But the Ichaema were holding something from the other races, something that could spell the doom of IC-1613.

In their home galaxy of M86, the Ichaema were fighting a secret war, hidden from their allies. All across M86 the Ichaema were being pushed back more and more by their longtime foe; the Za’Gek.

The Za’Gek were amazingly different from the Ichaema and other races. Their body structure was unusual, their anatomy different, their language indecipherable due to its complexity, and their motives obscure. They came from the far off galaxy of M100, and possessed incredible temporal technology.

The Ichaema were slowly pressed back, until at last, the Za’Gek wiped them off the face of M86. Only the battered remnants of their planets remained, along with a handful of other much more primitive races that, for some odd reason, the Za’Gek ignored and did not touch.

The Za’Gek swiftly moved on, fueled by a hate to destroy the Ichaema. Finally, they discovered that the Ichaema had escaped, and were hiding in IC-1613.

The Za’Gek dispatched an armada to IC-1613 to attack and destroy all Ichaema presence. The armada took 200 years to travel to IC-1613, though to the Za’Gek onboard, it took only two hours, for they had been suspended in a time/space field.

The Ichaema were caught totally off guard. The Za’Gek armada appeared suddenly and mysteriously, attacking the Ichaema navy with a huge ferocity. The Ichaema fought back, and with the help from the Rodiens and Bo’Neth, they were able to survive for another 300 years, until at last the Za’Gek annihilated them, and the Ichaema ceased to exist.

The Za’Gek armada, needing to regenerate and repair, waited in the old Ichaema capitol. Meanwhile, the Bo’Neth and Rodiens had assembled each a massive armada with which they hoped to avenge the Ichaema. The Skri’Neth assembled their own armada, and through clever manipulating, they were able to make the Den’Char assemble their own armada as well.

The Bo’Neth and Rodiens had 24 million vessels total. The Skri’Neth had 16 million, and the Den’Char had 14 million. This was all compared to the Za’Gek armada of 26 million warships, as well as six supercruisers and two large dreadnaughts.

The four armadas moved in for the kill. All jumping into the system at the same exact time, the Bo’Neth, Rodiens, Skri’Neth, and Den’Char were about to face the fury of the Za’Gek.

The five races all opened fire on each other at once. The huge first exchange of fire destroyed approximately 4 million vessels total. Then they charged each other, and the Battle of the Five Races began.

The Za’Gek remained near the center of the system as the Bo’Neth charged them. The Za’Gek held them off, then watched as the Den’Char opened fire on the Skri’Neth. The Rodiens fired on Skri’Neth and Den’Char, then charged the Za’Gek fleet with fury.

The battle lasted for a total of two weeks, until the Skri’Neth brought in their massive dreadnaught.

The Dreadnaught was larger and more powerful than anything previously encountered. The Dreadnaught rampaged across the battlefield, annihilating thousands upon thousands of ships easily. The Za’Gek turned the fury of their own dreadnaughts against it, as did the other races, while still engaging each other.

Mysteriously, the Den’Char and Za’Gek did not fire on each other much, and even the Skri’Neth were puzzeled. The Za’Gek Dreadnaughts engaged in a huge firefight with the Skri’Neth dreadnaught for hours, until one of them exploded. The second dreadnaught, near death, rammed the Skri’Neth Dreadnaught.

The following huge explosion wiped away the atmosphere of the planets and moons and blasted back ships thousands of kilometers. When the shockwave subsided, the Skri’Neth dreadnaught was gone. The Za’Gek were there, but suddenly began to fade, and then they disappeared entirely.

Their job was done, but they had sworn to return one day.

The Den’Char retreated with 4 million ships left. The Bo’Neth and Rodiens had 6 million vessels left. The Skri’Neth retreated with 6 million vessels, though the loss of their dreadnaught was a large blow to their navy.

The war raged on for another 500 years, during which the Den’Char became more isolated. The Bo’Neth were the first to fall after that, the Skri’Neth destroying them after a major engagement between the two. The Rodiens fell soon after the Bo’Neth did, finally being destroyed after over three millennia of war.

The Skri’Neth and Den’Char did not escape unharmed. By the time of the end of the war, the Skri’Neth had lost 80% of their navy. The Den’Char lossed 75%.

While those two forces slowly began to recover, and while the still out-of-control Skri’Neth automatons roaming IC-1613, the Ji’Ting, now long forgotten, continued to defend the free races of Kathrii from the Skri’Neth.

Then, just 10 years after the end of the war, a visitor arrived.

A race known as the Thorosk arrived in Kathrii, refugees from a galaxy they called Andromeda. The Ji’Ting were friendly and took them in, admiring their trans-phasic and interdimensional technology. The Thorosk explained that they had come to Kathrii after they had been forced out by a force known as the “Ediens.”

The Skri’Neth were left unaware of the arrival of the Thorosk refugees.

Twenty five years later, another strange visitor arrived.

The Skri’Neth observed a trans-dimensional portal opening in IC-1613, in the middle of old Rodien territory. They called themselves the Edien Empire, and quickly expanded, setting up large bases and facilities. The Skri’Neth watched them, but did not move against them.

The Ediens had several encounters with rogue Skri’Neth automatons, and so assembled a special group known as the Omega Force to protect their holdings in IC-1613.

Then, with the Skri’Neth assaults in Kathrii increasing, the Ji’Ting pulled out completely from the Milky Way to pit their whole navy against the Skri’Neth. They left the defense of their homeworld to a race called the Igadzra.

The Skri’Neth continued to watch as the Ediens suddenly discovered some of the old Rodien data crystals and sent them off. These were the ships that were intercepted in Hrekka, and put away in an old storage area, dismissed as useless.

_And so, we come to the present, with the Skri’Neth still watching...

And waiting... for Revenge..._

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OOC: This is essentially just a little of info that has to do with the sequel to GH, so just enjoy reading it for now.

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Battle of Horath

"Here they come..." Commander Vorak muttered, watching the sensor readouts. "What is the number of Edien warships?"

"Somewhere around 2,000, sir," the Horoth lieutenant reported nervously.

Commander Vorak was the senior officer in the Horath system. When the Ediens had wiped out the majority of Horosk territory, they had surrounded Horath and had lain seige to it. The seige had lasted for a few weeks, and now it was about to end.

The Horoth fleet of 800 vessels, a rather pitiful defense, was now waiting for an Edien fleet of 2,000 vessels. Vorak knew they were all die, but they would all die fighting for the survival of their race. Already the whole population of the Horath system had been loaded up onto frieghters. Once the Ediens jumped in, the frieghters would jump out and make a run for Kayan space, while the Horoth ships distracted the Ediens.

"They will enter the system in 5... 4... 3... 2... 1..."

"Gentlemen, it's been an honor to serve with you..." Vorak said quietly as he watched the viewscreen.

As the massive Edien fleet jumped into the Horath system. Almost immediately dozens of them ran straight into the massive shield barrier that protected the Horath system. The shield warped and shimmered green as the Ediens pulled back, dozens of vessels destroyed, and many others lightly damaged.

"Status of the shield grid?" Vorak demanded.

"Grid Strength at 87%. Grid Power Level fluxuating at 92%. Sir, the Ediens are regrouping and charging back in again!"

"Detonate the mines!!!" Vorak yelled.

Immediately 600 some Horoth Sub-Space Mines detonated in the middle of the Edien fleet. They had been hidden in sub-space, and the Ediens special Sub-Space Modulator had "Disabled" them, but they could still be controlled remotely.

As the mines exploded, the Ediens scattered once more and fell back, with many more of their number destroyed and damaged. "Pull back the grid!" Vorak yelled, the Horoth shield grid now shrinking slightly to conserve strength.

The Ediens now charged in un-hindered, their guns blazing away at the shield grid as thousands of torpedoes impacted upon it. The shield shimmered bright green as the Ediens tried to break through, with Ion Beams shooting forward and striking the shield, causing it to warp, but still it held.

"Status?"

"Grid Strength at 65%. Grid Power Level fluxuating at 71%!"

The Ediens began to unload all of their carried interceptors, now targetting just a single point in the shield grid. Suddenly, with a flash, the shield disintigrated in one section. There was now a large hole in that area, through which the Ediens could enter.

A ships began to slowly pour in, the Horoth charged the area with 700 of their vessels, leaving only 100 in reserve. The Ediens were hit hard, many being hit and thrown back into the shield. Retreating in confusion back through the hole in the shield grid, Vorak ordered that satellites be repositioned to compensate for the breach, and the spherical grid was shrunk back once more. Each time it was shrunk, it decreased in size to allow for better satellite placement, and to help conserve shield strength; the smaller it got, the more consontrated it became.

The shield grid itself was generated by a network of 40 or so Shield Satellites deployed throughout the Horath system. The satellites could be moved wherever the Horoth wanted them to move, and they were always kept inside the grid.

The Ediens now charged once more, using the same tactic of hitting a certain section of the shield grid. It collapsed once more, and the Horoth charged in, but the Ediens moved quicker this time, and 100 of their ships were able to enter before the breach was repaired. These ships engaged the Horoth, keeping them occupied while the Edien fleet blasted away another breach in the grid, and began to pour in more ships.

"Grid Strength at 40%. Grid Power Level fluxuating at 38%, sir! We can't fix the breach!" the lieutenant yelled.

Vorak thought for a moment. "Reposition satellites to fix the breach! Activate auxillary fusion generators!”

The lieutenant sighed. “Power level returning to 48%; breach repaired.”

Vorak grinned. “Now set grid level from Size 5 to Size 6.”

The shield grid suddenly increased in size, smacking against the Edien fleet and throwing them all backwards, destroying dozens and damaging the rest. The 100 Edien ships that got through the breach were destroyed, but the Horoth now only had 600 ships remaining.

“Are the frieghters away?” Vorak asked.

“Yes, sir,” the lieutenant replied. “Grid Strength at 23%. Grid Power Level at 30%, though it may collapse again.”

The Ediens charged in once more, and suddenly fired a massive single wave of weapons fire into the shield grid. The overwhelming power of having hundreds of beams, pulses, and torpedoes striking the it overloaded the shield grid, nocking it down to 9% strength. With no hope left in the grid, Vorak overloaded it with his own generators, causing a shockwave which destroyed several more Ediens, but it was still not enough, even with all of the remaining Edien ships damaged.

The Ediens, with the shield grid no longer a problem, charged in. They had 1,600 vessels remaining, all of which were slightly or moderately damaged, to the 600 Horoth vessels. But the Horoth weren’t done yet.

“Send in the frieghters!” Vorak ordered as dozens of Horoth Frieghters zoomed forward, launched streams of Horoth mines into the center of the Edien fleet. The Ediens swerved to avoid them, but it was no use; multiple explosions rocked the enemy fleet. The Ediens scattered into complete chaos as dozens upon dozens of their vessels were destroyed, and at the same time the Horoth were still firing off their own missiles and long range weapons.

The Ediens had lossed 200 ships in the attack, and they were still in disarray as the Horoth charged in, taking advantage of their confusion. Before the Horoth were forced to retreat, they had destroyed another 100 Edien vessels, loosing 50 of their own ships.

But now the Ediens were mad, and charged in at the Horoth, guns blazing. As Horoth vessels began to fall left and right, Vorak’s ship was hit hard and he ordered the crew to abandon ship. As his lieutenant prepared to enter an escape pod, the Horoth turned. “Commander, are you coming?”

“No... No, I want to die fighting for my people.”

“But sir-”

“Go lieutenant! Go now!”

The lieutenant reluctantly entered the escape pod and launched as Vorak looked at the quickly deteriorating battle. The Horoth had only 200 ships left, and many of them were so damaged they could only ram Edien vessels to do any damage. Taking the helm, Vorak steered his carrier directly into the lead Edien battlecruiser. With a cry of vengeance, Vorak’s shield exploded, taking down the battlecruiser and several other nearby vessels.

The Ediens quickly took care of the remaining Horoth vessels, then charged the planet. They then came across the remaining frieghters which had carried the mines, who rammed any Edien ship they could, and at the same time a hail of missiles came up from the planet Horath, devastating the Edien fleet even furthur.

But it could not stop the black tide, and within a few hours, the Ediens had completely laid waste to the entire Horath system. Horath was devastated and burning, and the wreckage of the Horoth navy littered the system, along with wreckage from quite a few Edien vessels.

The Ediens had lossed 800 ships in the attack, a loss that the Edien Admiral H’nanta had not been expecting. Nevertheless, the fleets mission was accomplished, and the life of the Horoth would never be the same.

Now refugees, the remains of the Horoth retreated back to Kayan space. Many began the long trek to the Milky Way, and then to Andromeda, hoping to find better lives with their friends the Horosk.

The Horosk were, unlike their usual attitude, quite friendly to the Horoth, and quickly accepted them. They offered them new worlds and homes in Andromeda, far behind the front lines, where the Horoth could live peacefully with their brethren...

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

(This message has been edited by Captain Carnotaur (edited 02-18-2002).)

Written by Esponer and Captain Carnotaur

------------------------
Chapter I - The Ediens Move

“Finally...” H’nanta muttered from the Acheron’s bridge. His vessel was in the Syter system, with a contingent of several dozen Edien warships. Word had just come that Edien Command had agreed to send reinforcements - almost ten thousand vessels - and that they would arrive through the rift that his fleet had originally arrived within twelve hours time.

Standing behind him was Commander Jvoran, effective second-in-command of the Acheron. The commander stepped forward almost to H’nanta’s side, as the two surveyed the viewscreen showing the fleet statistics. Ten thousand vessels, all heavily armed and newly produced. To see first combat in the Large Megellanic Cloud.

“With these new ships, I’ll be able to crush this pitiful region,” H’nanta murmured. “Edien Command was right - this place is ripe for the picking, and once it’s picked, the entire Milky Way will fall!”

Jvoran grinned by H’nanta’s side. “Eleven hours, and thirty seven minutes, Admiral,” he said. “Then we can take this galaxy for the Empire.”

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

The stars were seemingly sucked into an expanding ball of swirling white and cyan that swept across Syter. Through it, like a shadowed, ghostly corpse creeping with deathly haste out of it’s crypt, they came.

A fleet larger than the Large Megellanic Cloud had ever seen; a fleet larger than the navies of all the races there combined, even in their better days. Ten legions of darkness, marching in painful order; not a ship out of line. The sight would have sent a shiver down the spine of any who knew they must face it - and who could, in the New Galaxy?

A fleet a fifth it’s side had eliminated the Renegade Alliance, routed the Horoth, and destroyed over three thousand ships, killing millions upon millions of innocent people. Now, reinforcements had arrived, and whatever hope might have been left...was gone.

And through this all, Admiral H’nanta of Omega Fleet, member of the Edien Council, grinned evilly.

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

Wearied, the untitled Silverdragon brought his Igazra down towards the Gateway, his face showing more worries that it had in many years, since the Ediens first attacked his homeworld.

Beside his ship was the Templar , a burnt out wreck. It had been badly damaged - again , Silverdragon thought with a sigh - in the battle with both Lars Magna’s dreadnought and the Edien fleet. Many good soldiers had been lost in the two battles.

“How can I even tell them...” he muttered. “How can I go to my people and announce to them the destruction of our fleets?” He let out a deep sigh. “The Ediens have come for us, and we face our end...”

With those words, the silence was broken as docking command began issuing orders on the available bays for an Igazra. Silverdragon didn’t listen - all bays would be available now, and for a long time.

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

“What? Patch them in.”

“Yes, sir.”

“Wing Commander Denath reporting. We have been hailed by an unidentified alien race - they are requesting an audience.”

“What are their...”

“Transponders report ‘Horsok’, sir.”

“They’re allies of the Sladerei and Horoth. Agree to speak with them...”

Fleet Admiral Voriian of the 57th Horosk Defence Fleet reviewed the signals intercepted with seeming interest. “These Azdgari hold strange council over us.”

“It appears that the ships we contacted are now making contact with their command, Admiral,” replied another Horosk, who, floating in an eery way over the bridge, was squinting at a tactical status readout of the system they were in - Deneba - that stood before them on one of the many viewscreens in the Horosk bridge.

“Yes. From the conversation ensuing, it appears they are going to -” Voriian began.

“We’re being hailed again, Admiral,” the Horosk put in.

“This is Wing Commander Denath of the Azdgari Patrol. We welcome such a mighty Horosk presence, and would regard you as friends if you would, although we must ask as to your business here. Do you know of the Edien invasion?” came the hail.

“We well know of the Edien invasion, Wing Commander Denath,” Voriian replied. “Four of your days ago a small number of vessels belonging to our brethren the Horoth came into our territory through the wormhole, and told of the horrors the Ediens had made occur within this galaxy. Do you not call it the Large Megellanic Cloud?”

“We do, at that, although mostly we simply call it the New Galaxy,” replied Denath. He quickly tried to get to the point. “And so you come to help us?”

“We do, in our own way. The Ediens in Andromeda outnumber us too greatly for us to make a move, but it appears that there, in this Large Megellanic Cloud, they have not yet secured a position. It was decided that we should teach the Ediens a lesson, for we are greatly saddened to hear that our brother’s homes have been destroyed. Revenge is what we seel; revenge for over a century of death, war, and now this latest terror that has been brought upon our friends and brothers. Three days ago I was ordered to come here, to destroy the Ediens. What do you know of their numbers?”

“There were two thousands ships when we first arrived. I would safely say only half that now remain,” Denath stated. After a moment, he blinked. The enormous Horosk fleet had stunned him at first, and he had not gone as far as to count ships, but now, he realised, there were well over five thousand vessels. He wondered how well this armada might fare against the Ediens, well knowing how advanced their foes were. He was uneasy, however, for the Horosk spoke quietly and in a way strange to him, with a sort of gutteral voice, and even without a visual communication Denath could sense great differences in their cultures.

There was a long pause, before Voriian sent any communication, and then it was one quieter and more withdrawn than previously. “Strained for resources, and overconfident, are the Ediens. So few ships cannot hope to make victory. Perhaps they will send for reinforcements; perhaps not. It would be like them to place the annexation of such a backwards galaxy as a test for a young fleet commander in their ranks.”

The communication was swiftly cut. Denath’s Azdara wing headed for the planet, while word was sent again to Azdgari Command of the Horosk’s replies, and their current actions.

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

“It is good that we have allies, at least,” Tasina said, walking now confidently across the digitally created field of the Federation’s Network. Faintly, he was able to reach out in another place - reality, as it were - and type onto a console in front of him the commands required for a glass of the most potent Azdgari raiders drink to appear in his hand.

“Yes, although the Horosk may prove dangerous allies to have,” replied Silverdragon, on the other side of the galaxy in truth. In this world, he sat on a comfortable seat, slouched. Several other important characters were present - Helena of the Miranu, yet not Rima herself, Thunder, and Admiral Vanare, a Federation officer sent upon a Coalition request to the Federation, of aid. He came with only two hundred starships, however, due to “increased tensions along the border”.

“From what we know, the Horosk are respectable, if not entirely within our comprehension,” argued Admiral Vanare. “I have it under best authority that they can be trusted, and it appears that they are our best hope in this situation. Though I admit they are a strange culture...”

“Nonetheless, how many times has one evil overthrown the other, and in the aftermath cast aside it’s weaker allies?” Silverdragon replied in question. “Look to the Ediens and Lars Magna for example, if you will.”

“This argument has no purpose,” intercepted Thunder of the Kayans, trying his best to act as a peacekeeper, as it appeared Admiral Vanare and Silverdragon did not get along very well. “Our problem now is what move we make, and what move the Ediens will make.”

“Indeed. Our task lies on the battlefield now!” stated Tasina. “The Horoth have been devastated, and the Renegade Alliance scattered to the winds. The Ediens practically control the entire north-eastern quarter of this galaxy, and will soon look to a new target. The question is; where?”

“That is the question that we’re all asking,” Thunder murmured. “They could strike south, of course, towards the Akrahd. Akrahd space is closest to Horoth space, and their fleets have recently made an impression on the Edien ranks.”

“I don’t think so,” replied Silverdragon. “Akrahd space is riddled with defences, and hidden in it’s own nebula; they even have help from what remains of the Horoth. The Ediens have no reason to throw themselves at it, not yet. I believe that they are still holding to haste, and they are attempting to damage us as much as possible before...”

“Before the Federation arrive,” Helena mused.

“No, I meant, before we gather our f-actually, wait.” Silverdragon paused, and then nodded with a grin. “You’re right, Helena! Whoever’s leading this force is wise, and he knows that the Federation might very well send thousands of ships to defend us.” He gave a strange look towards Vanare, almost mocking.

“And thus the Ediens will probably now strike one of the races that came from the Milky Way,” Tasina stated. “If they attacked the Akrahd, they’d be playing right into our hands. We’d have at least three weeks before they could lay ruin to the Akrahd, in which time we could muster our forces, and more Federation ships could arrive. As it is, they want to break us - and quickly.”

“If that is so...” Thunder began slowly, “...then why have they halted their attack for now? It’s counter-intuitive.”

“Reinforcements,” Helena said, once again quietly and almost to herself.

“My dear, you’re a gem,” Silverdragon laughed. But then his face creased into a deep frown. “They were likely waiting for reinforcements to arrive from Andromeda. By now they will probably have arrived, I’d imagine.”

“Then they’ll strike anywhere, any time now,” Tasina frowned. He drank the vile substance that he had in the glass in his hand. “I would suggest we gather all the forces we can within two days, and then keep high alert. Or better yet, strike soon! What ships are in Galactica now?”

“Six hundred Kayan vessels, eight hundred IXD ships built in the Milky Way, the Miranu and the Strand League, and two hundred Azdgari craft,” replied Thunder. “One thousand six hundred vessels in total.”

Tasina nodded. “I have five hundred ships in Deneba, and six hundred more vessels either gathering in Osara or defending the borderworlds, for it is my thought that here the Ediens will strike next. Admiral Vershaw has regained much of his devastated fleet, and is waiting in Hazarin. Silverdragon, what forces do you have in your space?”

With that, Silverdragon was silent. Slowly, after a minute, he stood, and walked several paces back and forth, and then stopped. “Our IXD produced ships are already in Galactica,” he muttered.

“And the ZSN and IGNA fleets?” Tasina asked.

Silverdragon sighed. “The Battle of Syter was a great one,” he whispered. “We have nought but the Templar , and my personal Igazra. However, the shipyards are busying themselves at building a token force, to at least represent the Zidagar and Igadzra in the upcoming battle. I’m afraid you won’t be able to expect an armada, however. This is the third time since we came here that our navy has been destroyed, and the shipbuilders have grown used to hearing ‘Build with all haste, or all is lost!’, and it has lost it’s potency, and otherwise, there is no time.”

“If you’d have listened to the Akrahd, they would have helped you build your ships...” Vanare muttered under his breath so no one could hear.

With that, it was Thunder’s turn to sigh. “Sixteen thousand vessels, six hundred Azdgari, at best a thousand of the Akrahd, and these Horosk reinforcements, against God knows how many Ediens. They could have brought a whole host of reinforcements through.”

“You forget,” Helena said, “that four hundred of the Miranu are gathered. They will come to Galactica now at all haste.”

“But where will they strike next?” Silverdragon murmured. Where?

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

Osara Minor stood relatively quiet. Lately, trade had been at a loss. The Renegade Alliance, who imported many goods demanded at Osara Minor, were gone. Many exportations where now not needed, or else the captains dared not go out into space. Even the larger colony at Osara now seemed a great distance away.

Fear reigned in Osara Minor, and soon that fear would be justified.

They knew exactly when, it seemed, and exactly how many would be needed.

It was only a hundred Edien ships that hyperspaced into Osara Minor that day, but with the gathering mainly at Osara, Osara Minor was not ready. Fifty Azdgari ships could make some defence, but they were as nothing, as too many were Azdaras, and most of the Edien ranks were destroyers or battlecruisers.

Too quickly it was over. The Azdgari defence fleet scrambled, but as they tried to group themselves over orbit of the planet they were hit by a long range barrage. Their numbers dwindled away quickly, to a point where there weren’t enough ships to even charge the Ediens. Frightened, they made to flee, but were all destroyed.

It was then that the Edien fleet slowly and menacingly made their way towards the now defenceless planet, charging their ion beams to prepare to strike the colonies below. The Ediens had no intention to do anything here but destroy. Admiral H’nanta Battledoctor, the wicked officer that led the Ediens, was there only to clear the galaxy out, not under orders to take any slaves. Colonisation might occur much later, but that was not his goal.

The Azdgari navy, however, were faster and hardier than the navies of the Renegade Alliance, or the Horoth, and before the Ediens could lay waste to the colonies of Osara Minor, slaughtering millions, the ships that had amassed in Osara arrived, led by the Rune , hyperspaced in.

Tasina himself was there, as he had been in Osara during the conference with the other Coalition members, and had left the meet before it’s end when word was received that Osara Minor was under attack. Against the Coalition’s will, he had gathered every ship in Osara and Klak, and had them fly to Osara Minor as fast as they could.

Five hundred Azdgari vessels launched themselves at the Ediens, flights of Azdaras sweeping through the Edien ranks, each wing choosing a heavier Edien warship to attack. Azdgari mining techniques, only thirty years old at the best, proved extremely effective, as Azdara-bombers zoomed between the Edien forces and the comparable safety of the ever moving Azdgari lines to deliver their firepower. Many did not return, although almost all paid their price upon the Ediens.

The Azdgari were furious, and their bravehearted leader worked them up to new levels. And it was thus that their forces, who outnumbered the Ediens, yet only just outmatched them, took their enemies by storm. The Rune made a lonely charge into battle, and began a daring fray with a trio of battlecruisers, often with interceptors or Azdaras moving in to shortly make their presence known before they were blasted apart mercilessly, the Edien battlecruisers destroying friend or foe without a care.

Almost at a signal, the three Edien battlecruisers, one being the command ship of the commanding officer in that fleet - not H’nanta - exploded in unison, and with that, it seemed the battle was over.

A victory had been won, however dearly. The fleet settled down towards the planet to prepare itself. And it was thus that they made their deadliest mistake, for even now, just shy of a thousand Ediens took the Osara system by storm, seizing the opportunity.

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

“Evacuate! Get as many people out of there as possible!”

An Azdgari general was shouting orders to various officers. He was unheard. The defending fleet had fought only briefly with the Ediens, and then, outnumbered ten to one, it was incinerated. Shrapnel had fallen down across Osara Prime.

Chaos reigned as the Ediens made their way down to unleash their fury upon the planet. Every shipyard was a warzone in it’s own right as citizens of the Raiders of New Azdgari made their own desperate ways to land-to-space escape pods and shuttles. Many began to take off, but in the confusion they headed directly towards the Ediens, and were seen no longer.

The general suddenly stopped, realising it was hopeless. “May others fare better than this,” he murmured, and with that he slowly pulled out his pistol. “I have no honour left. I do not wish to die to Edien torture, or the fires of their cannons.” With that, he put the pistol to his temple, and he closed his eyes tight, as if to distance him from the deed. He squeezed the trigger, and beads of sweat poured down his face. He suddenly realised he was not dead - his fingers had slipped off the trigger.

“You fool!” came a cry from behind him. “We don’t have time for that. Hopeless or no, we have to try and get everyone out.”

The sound of the new officer’s voice was muted by the sound of the pistol this time discharging into the general’s temple, and the following thud as the once proud officer fell to the ground.

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

Finally, almost as if the Ediens had from their great warships been enjoying the sight below, or tiny specks futilely attempting to run from them, the bombardment began. The headquarters on Osara were the first to go, it’s shield matrix buckling under overwhelming firepower, and it’s tough tritanium outer core disintegrating. With an enormous explosion, the internal reactors collapsed, and the city was set alight.

Staring upwards towards the hands of doom that were streaking down, the Azdgari stood as one, their watering eyes seeing their entire lives before them, and finding nothing that meant anything to them. The end had come for them, and it seemed inevitable to them that the Ediens would conquer all - not just this galaxy, but the Milky Way also. They could not be stopped; an invincible foe, it appeared, who came with unimaginable numbers and held an intent to kill all.

And then it was over, and the light was about them, and they died together, millions upon millions, many still massed at the foots of the shipyards, where they died in row upon row.

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

Tasina swore. “Where did they head after that, sergeant?”

“Four hundred broke off to attack Klak, and the other six hundred appeared to be going towards NSI-711...and to Deneba,” the sergeant replied grim-faced.

“We have five hundred ships in Deneba, and five hundred more here. If we move quickly, we should be able to cut them off,” Tasina murmured.

A lieutenant ran in and handed Tasina a report. “It’s a message from Admiral Vershaw. He says that he’s engaged a large Edien raiding party, and he won’t be able to help us with his ships.”

Tasina swore silently. “The Ediens must have known our fleet movements. They timed it all perfectly so that Vershaw would be unable to help...”

“Where do we march for now, though? Straight towards Deneba?” asked the sergeant.

“First, to Klak. We’ll destroy them there, if we can, and then move on to Deneba. The Ediens will regret this attack, I can promise you that,” replied Tasina, grabbing a neutron pistol and stuffing it into his belt. “They want a war; they got one...”

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

“The Ediens have struck,” Tasina declared wearily as he re-entered the Coalition’s Network. Present at this time was Vanare from the Federation fleet, and a Horoth, although it was not RMA. A Horosk known as Voriian was also there, and he had been long in talk with the Horoth there. Sitting in the corner, not seemingly in any part of the conversation, was Silverdragon of the Strand League. “Osara Minor has been saved at the cost of Osara, and they are attempting to break their way to Deneba. Our fleets were scattered, although we are going to cut them off at Klak, and then make a stand in Deneba.”

Voriian turned slowly at the arrival of Emperor Tasina of the Azdgari. He made a small sign of request, and then spoke in his detached voice. “The Ediens do not yet know of our presence in Deneba, I believe. Fear not, Azdgari leader; they shall not break us.” The Horoth by his side seemed equally confident. Five thousand Horosk ships remained in Deneba, and as word had been received that the Ediens had abandoned all other efforts and were now moving straight for the Azdgari home system, they had remained, with the Azdgari fleet of five hundred. The second Azdgari fleet was giving them a cautious chase, but dared not engage them yet.

“One thousand won’t break you,” Silverdragon agreed, “but we already assume that they have reinforcements, and it would be foolish if they didn’t use them.”

“We will fight against however many they send, Silverdragon,” Tasina replied. “How quickly can Coalition reinforcements come to our side, though?”

“The IXD, Kayan and Miranu fleets will be in Deneba within two days,” Silverdragon answered slowly, turning to look at Tasina. “I’m afraid the Strand League still have no fleet to come to your side yet.” He looked much older, even after so few days. He looked his part, as one hundred and eleven years old. Igadzra generally stayed in something of a prime state until one hundred and eleven, where they began to deteriote rapidly, but the speed at which Silverdragon aged was greater. “The Akrahd appear surprisingly helpful. Their fleet is crossing Kayan space even now.”

“Indeed it is,” came the voice of an Akrahd as he entered the Network, materialising in one corner. “We will do whatever we can to destroy the Ediens, though...” He rubbed his arm, which was in reality broken in a battle with an Edien fighter squadron. “...It would be easier with some better technology.”

“And whatever you can to destroy us, I’ll wager,” Silverdragon muttered at what he thought was an inaudible level, but the Akrahd gave a low growl, as if he may have heard.

“My fleet will arrive in Deneba in but a few hours,” reported Vanare. “At this moment we are in hyperspace to Deneba Minor.”

“Yeah,” replied Silverdragon. “A pity you couldn’t send the specifications for Federation hyperdrive!”

“That’s top secret, as I’ve told you before! You’re bloody lucky that we can even send 200 ships with the trouble we’re going through fighting the Ediens!”

“We don’t have time for arguing,” stated Tasina, stepping in as a peacekeeper once again. “The Battle of Deneba is, I fear, only ten hours from beginning. The Ediens have already passed NSI-711 by. It is good that the Coalition and the Akrahd and the Federation are all coming to our aid, but the battle should be over before you arrive.”

Silverdragon then sighed. “Let’s hope it isn’t, because otherwise it might not bode well.”

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

At all times the Coalition Network was now a place of council, as leaders passed back and forth from the Network to talk with the others, and decide upon actions. Silverdragon was always there, in the corner he had taken for his own, and had been there for the last four days straight, leaving rarely and not for long.

The Coalition had hardly been idle. Shipyards were busy, fleets were being gathered, and their forces were beginning to look hopeful, especially with the arrival of so many Horosk. However, even that news failed to restore hope when a Azdgari scout from their second fleet reported that another Edien force was chasing them , and even in hyperspace they were gaining on them.

And thus, there was a great race to Deneba, involving almost all of the fighting ships in the Large Megellanic Cloud. However, it would be the Ediens who reached there first.

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

------------------------
Chapter 2 - The Battle of Deneba

Deneba. This is where it had all begun. After the Ediens had stormed into the Milky Way, destroying all in their path with the ease of a raven’s flight, thousands upon thousands had assembled everything they had, and prepared to leave their ancestral homes, to the Large Megellanic Cloud.

And thus they came to this new galaxy, at Deneba, home of the New Azdgari, known as the Star of Flight by many, and not only because the refugees had fled here in the beginning - every planet within Deneba’s orbit saw the star sweep across the sky in between half a standard hour to three hours. The Deneban days were short, as the Star of Flight did not slow for their lives. The Azdgari had described Deneba as a new spirit, young blood, and thus, while the other refugee races went east and south, the Azdgari remained at beautiful Deneba, and there they rebuilt their former glory as best they could.

And it was said that Deneba would never fall as long as an Azdgari soul drew breath. Indeed, none had attacked Deneba in all it’s years, and yet still the Azdgari strengthened it’s defences. Some older Azdgari said that the Ediens would come once more, and that the day of reckoning was nigh. Thus, Deneba had never been considered an ecological colony, defended well by the border.

Deneba, the Star of Flight, seat of the Azdgari Command, and the portal to and from the Milky Way.

And now the day of reckoning had indeed come.

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

The Azdgari garrison of five hundred vessels were all alert when the Ediens arrived. Azdara-bombers made patrols back and forth along the edges of the star system’s recognised orbit, where hyper-exits would appear. The other ships remained in close orbit of Deneba Prime, not yet willing to break up their ranks.

The Federation fleet, led by Vanare, remained with the Azdgari garrison. The enormous Horosk armada remained further away from Deneba Prime, closer to Deneba itself. Tensions were high. The Azdgari reinforcements reported that they were six hours away - and that Edien hyperdrive put them almost six hours ahead at this point. Every Azdgari in Deneba knew the immediacy of the threat, and those not in their ships were keeping as up to date of the situation as they could.

And then they came. Hyper-exits suddenly materialised in space, and one Azdara-bomber pilot was so unfortunate as to not even see them come - his ship lay in the direct path of an Edien battlecruiser as it appeared through the exit. The comparatively pathetic bomber barely fluxuated the battlecruiser’s massively powerful shielding.

Hyper-exits appeared everywhere, and Azdara-bombers rushed without a word to command, deploying plasma mines at the Ediens. They then attempted to retreat, although they had underestimated their enemy.

The Edien armada was five thousand strong.

The Azdgari garrison, under pressure from Emperor Tasina, held their position, as did the Federation and Horosk. Several Azdgari pilots who had trouble obeying orders leapt out to provide cover for the routed bombers. Azdgari Command struggled to maintain order within their ranks.

Eventually, after a painful thirty seconds, all the Azdara-bombers that would fall back into the Azdgari ranks did. At that point the Ediens halted briefly to consider the situation. The Coalition and Edien armadas were out of range of each other by even the longest ranged of weapons.

The Ediens stared across the seemingly infinite depths of space, predators watching their overbrave prey, waiting for the opportunity to pounce. Tension built up quickly between the two ranks as Tasina and H’nanta both began to think out the situation.

Eventually, Admiral H’nanta of the Edien fleet had the entire five thousand strong force move to engage the Horosk, ignoring the much smaller and insignificant Coalition force. The two alien titans met in combat, exchanging fire.

Emperor Tasina, aboard the Rune , quickly seized the opportunity. The Azdgari fleet moved around the flank of the two engaged forces, and struck the Ediens from behind, even as the front rank of their forces retreated to the back to recover their shields.

The Azdgari made it known to their enemies that they were not the prey.

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

Like a pack of wild wolves, the Azdgari wreaked havoc among the Edien’s rear rank. They then split into two seperate forces of almost five hundred ships, including fighters, and bypassed the Edien force to meet with the Horosk; deadly Azdaras weaving into their enemy’s ranks occassionaly to strike.

However, the Azdara pilots were hard pressed to dogfight with the faster, more powerful Edien interceptors. Many were quickly hunted down and destroyed by the interceptors, and even more fell to the overwhelming firepower of the heavier Edien ships as they risked to engage them.

But the Azdgari fought on, the thirst for revenge fueling their every effort. Soon, however, they were forced to retreat with heavy damage, but they had done their part; many Edien warships were destroyed, and many others were badly damaged, but that mattered little to the seemingly unstoppable fleet of 5,000 vessels...

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

The huge wave of Horosk vessels seemed to literally collide with the equally large wave of Edien vessels. Horosk Carriers launched swarms of fighters as concussion beams lanced out and struck Edien warships.

The Horosk were powerful, but not as powerful as the Ediens. It was because of this that they relied on mines to survive; their navy could not successful engage the Ediens and win without major losses, but they hoped to try and do that in this battle.

The Ediens struck back, Ion Beams tearing apart Frigates with ease as wave upon wave of quantum torpedoes flew into the Horosk navy. The Ediens charged and attempted to flank the Horosk, who were probably saved by the actions of the Azdgari, which forced the Ediens to pull back slightly.

Suddenly the Federation fleet came from the side. Though small and outnumbered, Federation warships were much more advanced than either the Horosk or Azdgari, and it showed. The Ediens scrambled as Vanare’s ships tore through the lines of Ediens, quantum pulse fire exploded on Edien shields.

The two great sides fought on and on, in a seemingly never-ending exchange of firepower and energy. Lances of light streaked from either side, their beams tearing through shields and armor as torpedoes and missiles flew in giant waves towards the enemy.

The Horosk and Federation regrouped then charged the center of the Edien line. At the same time, the Azdgari charged once more, but they were beaten back and soon encircled themselves. All seemed lost for the battle as the Ediens inflicted heavy casualties upon the coalition, but hope soon arrived.

Seemingly out of nowhere, a fleet of 650 Azdgari vessels materialized. Many of them were either bombers or aradas, and as they swooped down upon the Ediens, Tasina beheld one of the great creations of the Azdgari; the Invincible , the second Azdgari Supercruiser, recently completed in the shipyards at Hazarin.

The Invincible was led by none other than Admiral Vershaw. The Azdgari admiral had been able to make it back to Deneba just in time with his well-trained and highly feared fleet, and Tasina was glad he did.

The 8th Azdgari fleet, led by the Invincible , charged into the fray. Azdgari Bombers swooped down and laid down a wave of mines, then pulled back. The Ediens charged them and ran directly into the minefield. Startled by the explosions for a moment, the Ediens began to recover just as Vershaw pounced on them again.

Soon the 8th fleet had broken through to the rest of the Azdgari, and were now battling their way through the Edien fleet, phased-neutron pulses streaking out as dozens of SAD modules hit the hundreds of Edien warships.

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

“A report from the fleet in Deneba...” The Edien officer said, handing the pad to H’nanta. The Edien admiral looked at it and tossed it away and growled. “Just what we need; more blasted reinforcements for the Azdgari... I thought you said that the 8th fleet was busy in Hazarin!”

“They were ,” the officer replied. “Apparently the Azdgari were able to destroy or scatter our raiding party, and then get to Deneba. But that’s not all of the bad news; our position here in Inphid is threatened; a scout reported that the IXD have a fleet in Cheym. If they move into Burtron, we’ll be cut off, and both of us known that none of us want to fight the IXD.”

H’nanta cursed, then looked at the map. “Order the fleet in Deneba to prepare to pull back if ordered.” What seemed like a glorious battle for the Ediens, was now turning out to possibly be quite the opposite...

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

The Azdgari fleet swept down on the Ediens once more, pummelling them with all they had. As they passed, the Azdgari headed off towards Deneba. The Ediens turned to follow, but were slowed by the Horosk and Federation. Suddenly, however, they too turned around and raced back towards Deneba.

The Ediens charged in, preparing to open all they had upon their enemies, who were now clustered around the planet. But as the Ediens approached, suddenly, the coalition fleet opened up with a massive barrage of weapons fire. From the nearby moons and Deneba itself also came a wave of missiles, launched by planet-based missile silos.

As explosions rocked the Edien fleet, the Horosk and Coalition charged in, their guns blazing down death. The Ediens reeled under the attack and moved away, with their enemies still hot on their tails. Many ships fell under the precisely timed onslaught as the Ediens regrouped.

As the Ediens prepared to make a charge headlong into the center of the Horosk, however, a fleet of 300 Miranu vessels entered the outer edge of the system, followed shortly by another group of 350 Akrahd warships. The Ediens prepared to meet this new threat, when a message from H’nanta came in; Coalition forces were moving in from all sides on the fleet in Deneba, and the IXD were preparing to move into Burtron. The Ediens would have to pull out from the battle with 3,500 vessels remaining, and retreat back to Barah.

As the Edien fleet turned tail and began to exit the system, the Horosk charged in, firing off what long range weapons they could before the rest of the enemy fleet exited. They now had the ugly task of cleaning up the damage the Ediens had done.

The Federation had lossed approximately 100 vessels. The Azdgari lossed four hundred and fifty vessels out of the 1150 ships engaged in the battle. The Horosk faired no better; they escaped with 3,000 out of their 5,000 original warships.

As the wreckage was cleaned up and the fleets regrouped, reinforcements arrived from the Milky Way. Two hundred Federation warships were allocated to Vanare, while the Horosk got another 2,500 vessels, though 500 of them were to be used only for defense.

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

“Well, it looks like we’ve finally won our first major battle against the Ediens,” Thunder stated, somewhat happily, for this was the first good news that had come in a long while.

“Yes, but I still say we assault the Ediens again while we have the chance!” Tasina said impatiently, ever the Azdgari warrior.

“That’s harder than you think...” a voice suddenly said. Thunder at once reckognized it as the gutteral voice of the Horosk admiral Voriian. It was indeed an odd voice, as if the Horosk was trying to gurgle water at the same time. The Horosk immediately appeared out of nowhere, hovering as usual. “My scouts report that the Ediens have massed a large fleet in the Barah system, and it’s at least 9,500 vessels, if not much more. They were pushed back there by the presence of the IXD in Cheym, but they won’t stay for long.”

“How did you know that?” Rima demanded. “You never told us about you scouting anywhere?”

The Horosk kept a blank expression. “We have our ways,” he replied. “But either way, we must choose what we are going to do now.”

Everybody kept silent, taking in this new information and thinking over all the possibilities. Rima spoke first. “Can’t we just surround them and make sure they don’t get any reinforcements, so we can slowly destroy them?”

“That’s impossible to do, especially with our depleted numbers,” Vanare responded. “You’d need at least three thousand more ships to do that properly, and that’s a number you don’t have.”

“But a number that the Federation easily has!” SilverDragon said, extremely aggrovated. “The Federation has thousands of extra ships that you deny us! If you could just give us 1000 Federation warships, the Ediens wouldn’t be any problem!”

“We HAVE given you help! As much help as we can!” Vanare roared. “We have you 800 IXD vessels which should have been used against the Ediens in the Milky Way!”

“The Horosk are fighting for their lives in Andromeda against immesurable odds, and they give us more ships than you do!” SilverDragon responded.

“Everybody calm down!!” Thunder yelled, and Vanare and SilverDragon stopped and eyed each other menacingly. “The Federation has done all it can, and I think we should just try and...”

“Wait...”

Thunder stopped and turned to Vanare, who had spoken. “The Federation may be able to help with this problem, but I doubt I’d be able to convince the High Command of it...”

“What’s your plan?” Thunder asked, giving SilverDragon a quick glance, who had kept silent.

“The Federation has been planning for weeks to assault the Edien stronghold in Azdgari. Since Kade is the exit point that the Ediens used to get here, once Azdgari is taken, we may be able to take Kade, go through the sub-space rift, and take the Ediens from behind. Our forces would be able to surround them, and push them into a major battle with the Coalition and Horosk and some Federation forces. It’s a long shot, but I think it might work.”

Thunder smiled. “Get right to it. In the meantime, we’ll assemble our forces here, in Deneba. Once the Federation attacks, we’ll move into Burtron. Let’s move!”

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

Battle of Azdgari

Captain Subterfuge looked across the massive Federation fleet. Over 350,000 Federation vessels, accompanied by the 85,000 Voinian ships from the Battle of Hrekka, and 25,000 more ships from Admiral Nahar. There was also a special group of reinforcements; 900 IXD warships, 500 Miranu vessels, and 300 Kayan vessels (built by the Federation for the Kayans to use against the Ediens). Their target; Azdgari. There was approximately 450,000 Edien ships in the system, which wasn’t too nice a number of ships to engage, at least not for Subterfuge. Turning to Captain LongeIgadzra, who stood behind him, Subterfuge asked, “Is the fleet ready?”

“It is; prepped, armed, refueled, and ready to blow off some Edien heads,” LoneIgadzra replied, grinning.

Subterfuge nodded, then spoke to the fleet. “All ships, enter hyperspace for the Azdgari system, and may forture favor the foolish...”

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

“Sir, we are entering the Azdgari system.”

“Captain Subterfuge to all ships; open fire!!”

The Federation fleet entered the Azdgari system, and without a moment of hesitation, opened fire on the Ediens. The Ediens weren’t expecting such a quick barrage and scrambled to counter as the IXD fleet charged into the fray.

Lauching a huge wave of bombs into the middle of the Ediens, the IXD momentarily pulled back as hundreds of Edien ships exploded instantly, sending shrapnel and debris into nearby vessels, destroying them as well. The IXD then charged back in, this time supported by the Miranu and Kayans, as well as some Voinian ships.

As the Ediens fought with the IXD, the Voinians were moving around the flanks, and the Federation was busy unloading all of their own ammo into the Ediens. Once they had no more missiles or torpedoes, the Federation charged in, their guns blazing and taking down hundreds more Edien warships.

The IXD proved extremely useful; already hundreds of enemy ships and damaging thousands more. The Ediens were reeling from the charges, and were now forced to deal with the Voinians, who were flanking them and pummeling them with weapons from behind, as a backup fleet of 200 IXD vessels jumped in and blasted the Ediens back with another charge of AX Bombs. The Ediens reeled under the assault, but charged again.

This gave the Voinians the opportunity they were waiting for. The Voinians, Miranu, and Kayans moved around then struck the Ediens full force from behind, nocking hundreds of their ships out, then retreating under the cover of Support Cruisers and Disruption Webs.

Cloaking all of their ships, the Voinians moved back. Suddenly, a group of about 500 Support Cruisers decloaked near the planet and three moons and started to hammer the Ediens with long range missiles.

The Ediens turned and charged the Voinians, splitting their forces into two groups; one group would fight the Federation, while the other would fight the Voinian support cruisers.

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

“Just what we were waiting for. Decloak warships!” the Voinian commander ordered.

The Ediens had fallen into a trap. As their group moved to engage the Voinians, suddenly the rest of the Voinian fleet decloaked around them and opened fire. It was a total slaughter; the Ediens were wiped out quickly and without much trouble, and and soon the Voinians turned to face the first group.

That group also fell quickly, and the Feds and Voinians moved to take control of the planet and moons.

After nearly eight years of occupation, the Azdgari system was finally free from the Ediens. All across the Federation, it’s Azdgari citizens celebrated the victory. In the New Galaxy too, the Azdgari celebrated the liberation of their homeworld. But the battle was not over yet.

The Federation and Voinian forces moved on to Kade, quickly taking control of the station there. They then travelled through the sub-space rift, and into the Syter system.

The Ediens there proved small in number, and were quickly overwhelmed by the Federation force of 10,000 vessels. As Federation warships moved forward, they captured Burtter and secured the remains of the Horoth worlds.

The Coalition then moved their own fleet into the Burtron system, blocking off the Ediens, except for the Homeward system, which would soon be taken by the Federation.

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

H’nanta roared at the latest report. “The Federation! Where did the Federation come from!!” he yelled. “Curse them... Have they taken Homeward yet?”

“Not yet sir, but a fleet is moving there now. If we want to escape, we must leave... Now.”

H’nanta muttered and nodded. “Order the fleet to move out towards Homeward.”

“Where to after that sir?”

“Where? That only time will tell...”

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

------------------------
Chapter 3 - Tides of War

“Engage at will,” Tasina’s command came to the Azdgari fleet. “Destroy their rear rank if possible; retreat at 25% shields.”

Even as he gave the orders out, he brought the Rune around towards a damaged battlecruiser. A streak of energy struck the Rune’s front, almost breaking through the shielding.

Tasina himself went to the command of the Azdgari flagship, and he targetted the battlecruiser under phase-neutron turrets, and opened fire. It’s shields were blasted apart quickly, but the mark in the Rune’s shields from the exchange was less than promising.

After getting a report from some of his Azdara scouts that the Ediens were no longer in Barah, Tasina had taken off with 500 of his ships to try and track down the Ediens. He was now in Cetax engaging a fleet of 1,500 vessels. It had at first looked like only 250, but more ships soon arrived, and now the Azdgari were in a rather bad situation.

“All ships regroup! Try to punch through their flank!” Tasina ordered, his fleet now surrounded.

“Sir! More incoming ships?”

“Just great... More Ediens...” Tasina muttered, but instead of Ediens, suddenly a group of 600 IXD vessels jumped into the system.

The Ediens were rather surprised to see the IXD, and reeled back as the IXD inflicted heavy losses upon their enemies with a charge of AX Bombs. As the Ediens retreated back in confusion, the Azdgari turned to give chase, but the lead IXD vessel hailed Tasina.

“Blasted Azdgari! Get out of there before you get yourself killed!”

Tasina reluctantly agreed, and they headed back to Homeward. Upon arriving in the system, Tasina hooked back up with the network...

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

“Thanks for risking half my fleet just to save some Azdgari which screwed their own fleet!” IXD Commander Tassar complained.

“I agree; that was downright stupid of you to go off and chase the Ediens like that!” SilverDragon concurred.

Vanare said nothing, and Thunder sighed. “Tasina, I must agree with them. You should not have done that. But what is done is done, I supposed.”

Tasina shrugged. “How was I supposed to know that 250 ships would turn into over a thousand? If the Ediens hadn’t brought in those reinforcements, I would have won!”

Thunder shook his head. “Look, let’s see what we do know about the Edien’s fleet movements besides them luring the Azdgari into traps?”

Vanare spoke first that time. “Well, we know they’re probably not in one of the old Renegade Alliance worlds. I sent my force to Akrahuy to meet up with the Miranu and Kayan ships there, as well as the newly built IGNA and ZSN ones. We later moved on to Rigel; no Ediens anywhere, and Specter agrees; his forces have been monitoring out passages out of that area; no Ediens.”

“Hmmmmmm...” Thunder thought for a moment. “What if... They went to Darkstar?”

Vanare frowned. “Darkstar?”

“It was the old headquarters for Lars Magna in the NSI-009X system. Azdgari intellegence discovered it after it had been abandoned. The Ediens definitely know about it, but they may think that WE don’t know about it. Then it would make perfect sense to hide there, seeing that ‘no one’ knows about it.”

Tasina nodded. “That would make sense. And if so, I say we attack now.”

“Always the aggressive one...” SilverDragon murmured.

“I must agree with you. My forces are ready, the Miranu are ready, the Kayans are ready, the Strand League is ready; we should strike now,” Vanare said.

“Then let’s get going; the longer we wait, the more time the Ediens have to try something against us!” Thunder said, enthusiasm filling his voice.

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

The forces of the Large Megallanic Cloud had been summoned.

In the Cetax system, a former Renegade Alliance colony, a massive force had been gathered to fight the Ediens. Approximately 5,000 Horosk, 400 Kayan, 150 IGNA, 300 Miranu, 300 Federation, 800 IXD, 150 ZSN, and 1000 Akrahd vessels had been gathered. There was also the IGNA Igazrada Templar , and the IXD dreadnaught Executioner. The Azdgari Supercruisers Invincible and Rune were present among the Azdgari ships. There was also a new arrival, and an interesting guest; the Horosk Command Ship Phoenix. A newly built ship, the Phoenix was the first of her class, and upon completion was sent straight to the Large Megallanic cloud for its first trial in combat. The Horosk were very secretive about the powers of their new ship, and only said “Wait and see” when questioned of its abilities.

Standing on the bridge of the Invincible , Azdgari Admiral Vershaw gave the order. “Hyperspace to NSX-009X.”

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

The huge fleet of 8,100 warships bursted into the NSX-009X, or Darkstar, system. Amidst the glowing gases that made up the Omicron Nebula in which Darkstar was hidden, the Coalition fleet was immediately confronted with the Edien warfleet; approximately 11,000 warships. Among them there was a dozen or so vessels which the Federation could not identify; they were Tarantula-class Assault Cruisers, and the newest addition to the Edien fleet. They were as fast as a Destroyer, but packed a much large punch, and were also equipped with a single upgraded Ion Beamer.

The Coalition charged the Ediens head-on, their weapons blazing as they unloaded all they had into the Edien Empire. The Federation fleet stayed back, using up their missiles and torpedoes, and then they too joined the fray.

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

“Okay pilots, drop your socks and grab your throttle! Move to position 21.109A, and engage the enemy! Yeehaw!” the Azdgari wing commanded yelled as dozens of Aradas, Bombers, Azdaras, and Federation Azdaras moved around to the rear of the Ediens and began to hit their enemies with all they had.

The Ediens swooped back down on them with wave upon wave of Edien Fighters, but then the Horosk came. A huge flight of Interceptors launched from the Phoenix and several nearby Carriers pounced on the Ediens, tearing apart their interceptor wings and forcing them back.

The Azdgari weren’t about to give up their title of the supreme fighter pilots.

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

“How the heck did they know where we were located?!” H’nanta roared on the bridge of his flagship, the Acheron. “Engage their fighter wings! Strike Groups 5, 9, and 11; charge the enemy!”

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

The IXD made charge after charge into the center of the Ediens line, but they were too powerful. Dozens of Coalition ships fell in droves as the Ediens fired away with their great Ion Beams and Quantum Torpedoes, and at the same time fending off every push the coalition made to try and get at the flagship of the fleet; H’nanta’s personal vessel.

Suddenly the Federation grouped up and charged, driving straight through the Ediens and disorganizing their formation. By the time the Federation had completed their attack run, the Ediens were in quite a bit of chaos, with their packed formation now scattering as the Coalition and Horosk charged into the gap.

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

“All ships; fire at will! Fire at will!” the Kayan fleet grouped up with the Miranu, slowly using up all their ammo, then slowly charging into the center of the Edien fleet. Though battered from all sides, the Horosk did their best to cover for them, but it was no use.

As the Kayans and Miranu backed off, suddenly a wave of Edien Battlecruisers charged them. But before the Ediens could fire, the Horosk command ship Phoenix zoomed over to them and unleashed a hellish barrage of Proton Pulses into the Ediens, forcing them to retreat with heavy casualties.

The Phoenix could hit ships from afar with its Concussion Railguns, and with its powerful Proton Pulse Turrets for close-range combat, the giant command ship was a sight to behold.

Moving in between the Miranu and Kayans, the Horosk ordered them to get as close to the hull of the Phoenix as possible. The Kayans and Miranu did so, and suddenly with a flash a sort of lattice of pure, green energy surrounded the Phoenix. It was spherical in shape, and provided a sort of high-power shield.

The Phoenix plowed through the Ediens line, destroying or blasting back anything that came in contact with its energy field. Finally the Phoenix deactivated the field when it was close enough to the Acheron , and the Miranu and Kayans immediately pounced on the vessel.

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

“Move in and blast the daylights out of it!” Kayan Commander Lasin yelled.

The Kayans and Miranu hammered the Acheron with all they had, but the battlecruisers shields were upgraded and much stronger than an ordinary battlecruiser, and thus it could take a lot more.

“Lasin; report?” Kayan Commander Akiva yelled.

“Not good, Akiva! We need help NOW!!”

“You just got it!”

The voice was that of SilverDragon, onboard the Templar , followed closely by the Nightmare. The two giant dreadnaughts zoomed through the Edien lines, blasting apart anything that got in their way. Following them was the ZSN and IGNA ships, providing heavy cover fire.

The new Strand League force blasted through the Edien fleet, then finally began providing the Miranu and Kayans with heavy cover fire, scattering the Edien line as multiple Edien warships exploded under a hail of SAIs.

The Ediens were beginning to regroup, however, and slowly began to push the Coalition back, but then the Akrahd made their move.

Though they had been originally standing back, using their railguns, missiles, and rockets, the Akrahd now threw all 1,000 of their ships straight into the Ediens. The resulting chaos on both sides turned into a slaughter; for everybody. Dozens upon dozens ships fell in seconds. Huge explosions rocked the system as the Ediens and Akrahd dueled it out, each side taking huge losses as the two engaged massive amounts of firepower.

By the time it was over, the Akrahd had 150 damaged ships remaining, and had killed 600 Ediens.

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

As they fought on and on, suddenly the IGNA and ZSN forces found themselves surrounded by Ediens. As they tried to fight their way out, the Miranu sent their ships to aid.

But unfortunately, H'nanta moved too fast, and the Miranu were surrounded as well.

SilverDragon fought on and on, but it was no use. The Ediens had then totally surrounded, and the coalition was loosing badly.

But suddenly, there was a great cry over the com systems. "Remember Daedalus!!"

It was Redchigh! He had watched the battle from afar with what remained of the Renegade Alliance fleet; 250 vessels. Now they charged into the fray and battled the Ediens with such fury that their enemies took extreme losses and were forced to pull back. The other two command ships in the fleet (non H'nanta's) tried to stop the RA advanced, but failed, and were promptly destroyed...

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

“Watch out for that-”

The Kayan gunship, which was Commander Lasin’s personal vessel, rocked from a massive explosion as an Edien interceptor rammed it in the side. The vessel shook and strained, then finally stopped when it bumped into another Kayan gunship.

“Damage report!” Lasin yelled, getting up from the floor.

“Weapons and shields are gone. Hull armor at 39%. Left side severely damaged with multiple hull breaches!”

“Dangit!” Lasin said as he watched the Acheron begin to charge his vessel, it’s ion beam powering up. “I would like to say that I’ve never had a better crew...” Lasin started to say, when suddenly a voice sounded through the com system.

“Here I come, Ediens!”

It was Kayan Lieutenant Lakira! Lakira’s gunship zoomed pasted several Edien destroyers, then headed straight for the Acheron , its guns ablaze. The pulses seemed to have little effect on the Edien Battlecruiser, but the gunship kept going.

“Noooo!” Lasin cried out as the gunship rammed the bridge of the Acheron , killing H’nanta instantly. The battlecruiser’s bridge exploded and began to burn as the vessel began to drift crookedly.

It drifted like that for a while, then, suddenly, it exploded in a massive fireball and shockwave. Lasin narrowly avoided it as the battlecruiser sent out tons of debris and shrapnel into space.

The Ediens, with the loss of their flagship, were thrown into dissarray, but the Coalition wasn’t winning the battle yet...

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

“Oh no...” Vanare said slowly over the comlink to Kayan Commander Akiva.

“What is it?” Akiva asked.

“The star in Darkstar; it’s about to go supernova.”

“WHAT?!?” Akiva shouted, deathly worried.

“That’s right; it’s going to blow any second now. We just noticed it on our sensors. If I was you, I’d be leaving... NOW!”

The Coalition ordered an immediate retreat. All at once they turned tail and headed for the edges of the system. The Ediens, perplexed, regrouped and fired off waves of Quanutm torpedoes. The Akrahd scrambled to get away as fast as they could, with their hyperdrives not powering up as fast as the others.

As the Miranu and Kayans began to hyperspace out, followed by the Federation, there was suddenly a massive blast of light and energy that bursted throughout the system. Sensors were overloaded or blinded completely, and many viewscreens fizzled and overloaded due to the intensity of the blast.

The star had gone supernova.

The shockwave and ball of stellar gas rapidly expanded throughout the system, going thousands of kilometers per second. The Ediens, who had not seen this coming, were caught off guard and scrambled to try and get away. Whole planets were blown apart and vaporized as the shockwave shot through the system.

The rest of the Coalition fleet hyperspaced out, just as the remains of the once grand Edien fleet, 2,000 some vessels, were vaporized by the shockwave in a huge ball of fire and light. The whole contents of the system were destroyed, planet, base, debris and all.

The Battle of Darkstar was over.

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

Within a week, the Ediens had been all but exterminated from the New Galaxy. Their fleet destroyed, and Admiral dead, they had been thrown into chaos, and days later finally destroyed.

The Coalition had paid dearly for the victory, however. The Horosk lossed 4,000 vessels, and the Akrahd ended up loosing all by 25 of their ships. The rest of the Coalition had lossed about half of their own fleets, though the ZSN and IGNA faired better than most.

The Akrahd faired more badly than everybody else thought. Despised the people and blamed for the heavy losses inflicted upon them at Darkstar, the Akrahd government was overthrown and replaced by a radicalist government bent on domination. The Strand League acted immediately, sending in ships to attack and destroy the Akrahd at all costs. With aid from the Horosk, they were now surrounding the capitol world of Akrahd, and would soon begin the last assault into their lifelong enemies...

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

“Admiral Corsair to all ships; fire at will!”

The fleet of 400 IGNA and ZSN vessels charged the Akrahd fleet of 500. The two sides fought for what seemed like hours, exchanging artillary and close-range fire. For a race outmanned and outgunned, the Akrahd fought bravely and confidently, and dragged the battle on for hour after hour.

The ZSN surrounded the Akrahd with their speed then closed in as the IGNA fleet charged into the midst of the Akrahd formation. The Akrahd held them off with their Plasma railguns, but it was not for long.

Soon, the wreckage of Akrahd ships littered the system as the Strand League armada moved on to the planet and began to land swarms of assault troops, overseen by Admiral Lyat Corsair himself.

Within two days, the Akrahd had surrendered, and the Strange League had won The Second Battle of Akrahd Prime. For months they had fought against the Akrahd, and now they had finally won. All that suffering and death was finally avenged.

As the system and planet were cleaned up, and the Strand League began to difficult task of rounding up the remains of the Akrahd ground forces, Major Sharvaer and his platoon came across something unusual.

On a high mountain overlooking the Akrahd capitol city, they found a great black, stone tower. What kind of stone it was made out of they could not tell, but they found an inscription upon it, written in Akrahd...

This monument is dedicated to the Akrahd Arkadi Tribe, and their Great Warrior Acasha. This monument is a sign to the other tribes that the Arkadi are the supreme tribe, and that they will conquer all

Two days later, while Major Sharvaer was investigating Akrahd information on the mysterious monument, he stumbled upon this report...

_To Akrahd High Command
From Arkadi Tribe Command

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

We are under heavy attack. The Horoth and Horosk are closing in on us from the north, and the Strand league from the west. Our tribe cannot stand up to them; you must contact the other tribes and send for reinforcements. We cannot escape them... We cannot escape them... They will attack this system within a few hours... Please - send help..._

The message never made it out to the other tribes, but the Strand League were now sure that the Akrahd tribe they destroyed was not along, and there were more, much more tribes out there, and they would someday want to avenge the Arkadi tribe...

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

With the final victory over the Akrahd, total peace was finally restored to the New Galaxy... At least for now.

Just recently, Thunder had spoken with the Federation Fleet Admiral Scorcher. He reported that the Ediens were still holding stubbornly onto their remaining bases in the Milky Way, but they would soon be captured. Now Thunder was enjoying a nice relaxing day at his vacation home on Galactica. With a gentle breeze blowing in from the beach, the Kayan sat there, reading a book, trying to enjoy some peace in such a war-torn galaxy.

Drinking some special whine imported from the Milky Way, Thunder put away the book he was reading and looked up to see none other than Arada Pilot; the former emporer of the Azdgari. “Why, what brings you to Galactica?” Thunder asked, smiling.

Arada Pilot smiled. “A man has to have somewhere to retire to, doesn’t he?” he and Thunder laughed as Arada Pilot sat down in a chair. He didn’t say anything for a moment, as if he was thinking deeply about something.

“I wonder if true peace will ever be gained...” Thunder said, half to himself.

Arada Pilot shook his head. “True peace is impossible. Temporary peace; yes, but wars will always come. Disagreements will always occure.” He turned to Thunder and smiled slightly. “But we shouldn’t loose hope. It is people like the Kayans, Miranu, and you, Thunder, that bring what peace there can be to this world. In a world filled with people like the Akrahd and Ediens, the universe needs those few people whose purpose is to make peace, not war.”

He laughed slightly to himself, then took a glass of the whine Thunder had for him. He raised it high. “To peace in our time!” he said, drinking it down.

Thunder smiled, drinking it then putting the glass aside, staring out onto the beautiful Golden Horizon...

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The Large Megallanic Cloud Galaxy is now officially closed!!!

A very very big thanks to everybody who participated in Golden Horizon as part of this galaxy!

Thanks to; RMA, Rima, Thunder, Redchigh, Arada Pilot, Lord Asriel, and SilverDragon!

It’s been great playing this webstory!

-Captain Carnotaur

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

(This message has been edited by Captain Carnotaur (edited 02-25-2002).)

Nice work! Other than little bits about my characters I'm bound to moan about, it's great. I like it. Sorry I could only write the first ten pages.

Esponer

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Word.

Well a few words to the big three behind the pre-finale and the 1/3 finale.

I'll continue reading and enjoy these futuristic views of our world.

Continue on!

Good writting to all of you!

Nelson

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Salutations ŕ la vie

Thanks Nelson! And give an extra special thanks to SilverDragon; he came up with most of the outline for the finale, and I just wrote a lot of it out.

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

Hi everybody Remember me? Well......here I am 2 1/2 years later and I need to finish up my empire eh? What do you think? Carno this ain't gonna work.
(quote) **Originally Posted by CaptainCarnotaur a.k.a. Mr Controlling:) Anyone else want to argue? Well I'll tell more of the story.

Now that Kryptauros had been shot, he went to a magical place and got magical powers. When he woke up, he was healed of his wound and got really angry at a lot of people. He got so angry in fact he went into Super Saiyan 4 mode and beat the living FART out of everybody that was his direct enemy. SD is gone, RMA is gone, etc. Anybody else wanna fight? lol....jkin you guys. Keep this going. I only read the first page of this one and re-read over the main stuff in the other ones. So Keep at it gentlemen.

Austin....ImmortalFirefly....Kryptauros

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Reech is coming.
Get ready for it.
**