Othlikkore, Othlikk System
Torres and the council watched a replay of the Tenebrean raid on the Solon system of Tecion; D-18 missiles firing, explosions echoing from the surface. It was a frightening sight on the other end, to be sure, and it couldn't be timed better. The council applauded upon the end of the clip, and Torres was filled with relief - something he hadn't truly felt since the collapse of the Jub'li government. More ships had been mobilized towards Eccha, this time carrying cheaper but nonetheless equally effective atmospheric forces to continue the bombings, without having to get any boots on the ground. Space defense had mobilized a further 200 Rhea class Cruisers and three Nyx class orbital space stations, in addition to 600 Vulcan class gunships - the powerhouse of the reinforcements. There was a serious concern over how much more they could afford to sacrifice, but Torres knew that they could not falter - on the international stage and in the heartland. There was simply too much at risk, and the glaring truth of the matter was a burden on Torres' mind. He had confided the next steps of the war with his personal cabinet, people he trusted with his life - but not with his nation. Ultimately, he knew, the choice rested on his shoulders, something that weighed down on his soul heavily. There was fear when one's actions were held up high for the nation to see, but Torres knew he had to make the right choice - and there wasn't much time. However, there was the matter of Eccha; glaring, hellish sites like scars on the once-lush planet. The fusion bombardment had certainly done its job, and much of the Solon presence was left in ruins. But there were just too many things that could go wrong. There had been an idea - something one of his junior staff members had thought of - to set up base on one of the uninhabited planets. The Solons were notorious for populating one planet in each system, courtesy to the delicate atmospheric balance they required to survive, and so they would be setting up base. Printerbots were already stringing up stabilized graphene frames on a nearby moon, while a minority of the blockade force had rendezvoused around the base. Things are looking up, he thought.
Vulan 266EX, Eccha System
The Vulcan had approached the proximity of the Isharan Cutter when they detected the Cheknorov radiation. Sending in a droid to scout, they put on their armored hazmat suits and braced themselves. But nothing could prepare them for the blast that hit every muscle as they entered the vessel - though armored, the Cheknorov radiation's side effects cramped muscles and made it painful to move. There was no permanent damage, but it hurt nonetheless. The droid had discovered a female form - an Isharan 'Unbound' - in a tank, and they had drained it. Estimating 2 minutes before the tiberium reactor typical of Isharan vessels blew, the Maldurii soldiers rushed through the drainage and got the hell out of the ship, barely avoiding the fatal zone. As the ship exploded, the blast took out the secondary thruster on the bottom right, but it was nothing they couldn't replace. They docked in the hangar of the Hyperion cruiser in a reserve fleet, one of them carrying the semi-conscious woman over his shoulder, and unlocked the airlock chamber door. Marching through the corridor into the guest vault, she remained there for her fate to be decided.
"State your name." Inquisitor Korrel had better things to do, and he wasn't fooling around. If she refused, there would be punishment.
"Klore Xlflkreyureu."
"What was your vessel's designation?"
"KL3-84X1. We were patrols."
"What is the purpose of your presence in Eccha?"
We were fired upon by trespassers while on patrol in our home system,"
"Which is?"
"Rumona. Kaesi ships hit us with neutron beams."
"I'd like a contact and jump point for Ishara. Fill this in, and stay here while we decide your fate."
He asked her several more questions, before bringing the information to the ship command. After counselling with Commander Sorrd, they presented the idea of asking the Isharans to join their cause to the Council.
The Enigma, Othlikk System
The Enigma was one of the sixteen spearheads of Maldurii home defense, and the sensors it was responsible for had recently detected two Avadrelij fleets. Communication ensued immediately.
"Halt. You are trespassing Maldurii space without a permit. Please identify your leader and vessel IDs for further inspection. Detail your affiliations and await further instructions. Failure to comply will result in command to open fire." Both had received the message, and all they could do was wait for further news. A request had been sent to Othlikkore for the decision of what to do to these frequent trespassers; there had been another one reported from Jubaal, and many feared it was a sign of dangers to come.
The Rhapsody, Jublaii system
General Maz'rok sighed as another fleet jumped into Jubaal. So many had been appearing in Maldurii space that the sight of a foreign fleet easily generated angst amongst the crew. This one contained some 500 vessels, a worry-inducing number, especially since it meant that, should they have even moderate firepower, the Maldurii would only be barely at an advantage. Sighing, he issued a message. "Halt. You are entering Maldurii space without a permit. Please identify your leader and vessel IDs for further inspection. Detail your affiliations and await further instructions. Failure to comply will result in a command to open fire." Maz'rok tapped his fingers on the table while awaiting their responses.
Othlikkore, Othlikk System
Vice Minister-Supreme Oro Tekkaan swiped through the documents labeled "VITAL". Some things, she knew, would catch the interests of others, but not her. The things that caught her eyes were that the Isharans were a potential ally; the Maldurii forces in Eccha were in a crucial position. She was glad they had contacted Othlikkore for instructions, and their requests had been relayed to the Council this morning. There was a strange hope in the air, as the Isharans had a reputation of being aggressive and easily aggravated, but they could and probably would play a vital role in this war - fingers crossed that it would be on Maldurich's side. The buzz in the political atmosphere emanated through the populace, and it was giving soldiers a boost of morale. There would be time to mourn and celebrate once the war had been won and all was said and done, but hope was in the air. Tekkaan issued the TaMS to Isharan officials, and microseconds later a signal shot off tachyons in a specific pattern towards the Isharan system.
