Prologue
October 4th, 2082
Caelum IV, Iravian Outer rim
10:46 pm planetary time
“I swear to god if this is some false alarm, you both are getting graveyard shifts for the rest of 2082.”
The 2 Sensors Officers looked at each other nervously as Major Markus limped through the crowded control center of Caelum IV’s sensor array division, kept awake through an ocean of coffee and an nearly endless reserve of annoyance towards his subordinates.
“Sir… for that to be the case, uuh, there would need to be a malfunction in our s-s-satellites.” The right hand officers stammers as he began to sweat profusely as Markus approached the pair.
“Alright Lieutenant…umm…”
He waves his hands in the air, a lackluster attempt to try to remember a name.
“Lieutenant Dirk, Sir.”
“Dirk, ah. As I was saying, what seems to be getting you in a panic tonight?”
“A gravity, uhm, fluctuation, sir.”
Markus sighs. “Lieutenant, this situation happens every week with you. I understand you… irrational fear with these fluctuations, but all you need to do is-”
“Plug in the reading into the database? We already did sir,” the left hand lieutenant gravely said, as she stared at her screen, “I made sure to remind Dirk to test our readings before calling you down. We got the real deal here, sir.”
Markus put his hands on the tops of the 2 officers chairs, leaning forwards.
“Well, why was this so important to call me down? All you need to do for an incoming celestial object is call the navy they’ll take-”
“It matches perfectly s-s-sir.”
“It matches what Dirk, you need to be more specifi-” Markus’s eyes widen with realization.
“... Put the readings on screen now. The reading from now on the right, the reading from october 2nd, 2081 on the left.”
Both readings popped onto the large screen in the middle of the control. They matched almost perfectly, except the new reading’s magnitude was more than 10 times larger.
The entire room stood still for a second, as everyone realized what this meant. Many had taken place in the ceremonies for the 1 year anniversary of the attack of their planet, the battle still fresh in everyone’s mind. Then, the room was filled with a whirlwind of panicked action and muffled yells.
Across the planets, sirens began to scream.
They had returned.
Caelum system,
11:21 pm planetary time
The Iravian defense fleet prepared itself for battle. Just a year ago, many of the same ships and men that crowded the void tonight had fought for Caelum’s safety. They remembered the lives lost, those who sacrificed themselves for the lives of others. But, they weren’t the same fleet from a year ago. They had rebuilt and grown stronger than ever before, massing hundreds of vessels to defend their families, their friends, their fellow countrymen. They had repelled the maladrom once, and they shall do it again. Spirits were high as they rushed to their positions.
Few worried. Fewer spoke to loved ones.
Soon, a black sphere formed far into the void. The vessels of the fleet grew silent, preparing for the fight to come. They weren’t ready when they first attacked, but now they would show these invaders why irav owned the stars.
A bright flash of light filled the space of Caelum, brighter than the star itself.
When the light faded, what once was empty space was now filled with a tide alien vessels. They moved like spectres, flying at the iravian fleet at all angles.
The fleet burst into action, yet were only able to let off 1 volley before the first ships were upon them.
On the planet below, as the people panicked in the streets, many stopped to watch the macabre lightshow in the night sky.
They watched in silence as Iravian ships were blown apart.
As the system's defenses so rigorously built up were washed aside.
As a white light consumed the sky, blinding all with its power.
Then nothing at all.
October 5th, 2082
Orbit of Caelum IV,
12:01 am, planetary time
As the planet cracked apart below and the debris of the system’s defenders drifted past, the alien fleet spent no time leaving the world. Their ships, unlike those of the attack a year ago, were covered in ornate carvings, detailing the legacy of their people, the worlds they had destroyed, the species they had exterminated. This world was nothing special. Just one rock in a endless expanse full of them.
As soon as they had arrived, they left, leaving only ruin and desolation in their wake.
REPORT:
Oct. 4
10:46 pm
Caelum system reports gravity anomalies matching those of the maladrom. Outer ring defense fleet deployed to engage w/ emergency maneuver.
11:21 pm
Iravian outer ring defense fleet meets enemy in battle.
11:27 pm
Loss of contact with IorDF.
11: 43 pm
Loss of contact with Caelum system. State of emergency established.
Oct.5
12:23
Regain contact with IorDF.
Almost all vessels were destroyed.
Caelum system was targeted with anti-planetary weapons, Caelum system is presumed to be dead with no survivors, excluding the fleet remnants.
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All across terran space, rifts in space are detected in systems. Iravian, Atmoran, Timerian, Norian and Loracian worlds alike will soon find themselves thrust into a battle for survival.
Many will not survive the coming days, Fewer still shall emerge unscathed.
The war to come shall be unlike any other in human history. There will be no grand victory nor spoils of war. Instead, humanity shall fight tooth and nail to safeguard its survival and all that they had built.
This is the start of The Third Contact War.
