[FT] Ghosts in the Void (IC - Closed) {ATTN: Anshari}

[Glorious Terran Empire]

OOC:Here

7th April, 2458
ITN Oberon [BBSO-175], Orbit over Dagon Planetary Colony and Shipyard, Fomalhaut System

The Oberon arrived with little fanfare to the unremarkable gas giant, though in truth, that is because she and her crew wished not to. Their advanced stealth system covered all spectra of detection, including gravity distortion. They were, to any outward observer, just empty space. The twinkling lights of gas mining facilities in high atmosphere did their best to stand out in the endless sea of lightning strikes below. The storming behemoth of a planet had been seen as a necessary resource extraction and processing point for the primitive fusion reactors which the Empire's Frontier colonies depended on. Frontiers which had been, arguably, illegally expanded by the Prosperity Initiative using their special charter for several functions deemed necessary by Terran Vassal States such as the Dominion of Cassius. That was the reason for the deployment of a Special Force Detachment headed by the Oberon's Captain, Arthur Veracruz. His goal here was to observe and trace fusion fuel and starships headed to Initiative Space. The Initiative owns, de facto, nineteen systems outside of claimed and recognized Imperial borders and thus administers them and their populace like private property.

The slow, lumbering transports trickled in a thin line from the fuel refineries and began to make their way out of the gravity well of the gas giant below. Meanwhile, the Oberon's partner ship in this operation, the Sagittarius, began to calculate their warp trajectories and exit points. They were likely going to the Fomalhaut stargate in order to transit in a group to the Prosperity Initiative's capital system, Heaven, more particularly, the stargate Outer Heaven, and then make their slow way into the system, or later warp out to different destination systems in Initiative space. The Sagittarius launched a missile with a gravimetric dampener and a stealth field towards the formation, which then unleashed its payload of tracking nanites. The freighters had yet to activate shields, still relying on the local anti-meteoroid energy fields around the refinery complex, and so the trackers quickly imbedded themselves into the freighters as they made way to leave. The q-comm relay registered all 7 unique targets and the missile which launched them harmlessly continued on its path into Dagon's oppressive atmosphere to burn up on entry. The evidence was destroyed.

"Archer to Theseus. Pods reporting green. We'll find them later. Moving to shipyards, looks like the 'escort fleet' just finished final prep."

The communication rung quietly but clearly across the Oberon's silent bridge. Had it not been for the onboard AI transmitting mission-critical information to all tactical displays and headpieces, the message would be read aloud by a crewman and would've taken precious seconds.

"Theseus to Archer, be on alert. If noticed, jump to the rendezvous, we're ready to switch to plan Delta if they go hot."

The Oberon powered its weapons and prepared to thunderously exit cloak, and announce a naval arrest or shoot down all hostile vessels. The ship was outnumbered fifteen to one, but the Initiative's Escort Fleet comprised twelve small and older Braeglen destroyers, likely produced for the Dominion of Cassius, and three Braeglen cruisers of similar age. This one battleship, with its bleeding edge hardware, could likely destroy the flotilla entirely before losing shield stability. Captain Veracruz wanted them to head back to Initiative Space, however. He was going to scrape coordinates from the tracking probes and covertly watch the Initiative.

In the coming minutes as all ships began to formation warp, Veracruz would have answers.

Fomalhaut Stargate

The Initiative convoy arrived in total compliance with all traffic and trade laws. They swiftly went through the traffic control as the gatekeeper staff synchronized with the Outer Heaven stargate lightyears away. The freighters entered in a line barely-safe enough to avoid each other's thruster wake, but none of the armed escort joined them. At first, Arthur thought they'd been had, or that the warships would take the days of warp travel to avoid causing a traffic jam, but the tactical readout showed subspace distortions consistent with breach points. "No, surely their line ships aren't fit with-" Captain Veracruz's thought was cut short by the entire formation disappearing into subspace. The distinct traces having the same signature, implying they all safely entered the same subspace pocket. Captain Veracruz knew that he had maybe fifteen minutes to give chase in some way before the waves would collapse back into cosmic background.

"Launch another q-comm tracking probe. Archer, do it now, target the largest subspace fault-line. We're designating the target with our graviton beam, it usually jams warp drives, but for a small projectile, it should be enough to induce transit conditions."

Another missile loaded with probing devices and a cloaking array was launched with fervor at the designated area, slipping into the spacetime anomaly without evidence of any complication. The probes had a garbled data feed, but one third proved to be a translatable string before the probes all abruptly lost signal.

30th April, 2458
Imperial Palace

The Emperor looked over the reports following the Special Operation to determine illicit fuel allocation by the Initiative, specifically Captain Veracruz's detailed section on the apparent mass utilization of dangerous subspace drives. "It seems we have confirmation. The Initiative has done extensive work to rile up the other side of the veil. A show of force is required."

That evening, the Emperor addressed the Senate:

"My fellow Terrans. We have, wrapped up in our war with the Velutarians, neglected the frontier of vast and ill-explored space towards the rim. We leave an untapped wealth of not only knowledge and resources, but of necessary allies and worlds wishing to join our righteous cause. As of now, there are 47 unclaimed and easily accesible star systems with worlds easily terraformed, and the total number of possible new stars increases further to more than 200 if we include all objects large enough to place life support complexes. This is an opportunity we can ill afford to waste. For too long we have hidden ourselves away. Those systems which are free of claim, I hereby grant unto you all, the people of this Empire. I, Tiberius Maximus, Emperor of Terra and Protector of the Empire Beyond, hereby lay claim to the following systems, as seen here, and distributed to all known and recognized governments. This proclamation will be translated and sent to all other sovereignties. The Empire is expanding. As such, to those systems unexplored, separate of this claim, I hereby order the 23rd Expeditionary Flotilla under Captain Arthur Veracruz to explore and lay claim to all systems free of habitation by sentient life. To any that the captain finds, who have intelligence, he will represent us, and our empire, in its finest capacity for peacemaking and diplomacy. Let it be known. All systems found to be empty by the 23rd will be claimed by the Terran Empire. This deployment will be modest, numbering only 16 vessels at its inception, to serve the stated goal of exploration and of peace. We will go so far as to link our prospective borders with all known human habitation, even those so enviously claimed by Mr. Anthony Corax. In response to his earlier claim of 'exceeding our curiosity,' I say this, as a friendly gesture, Mr. Corax, 'keep stepping.'"

The short proclamation was a direct way to indirectly challenge the business magnate, a way to let him know to be concerned. The data that Captain Veracruz had found justified an invasion of Initiative space, but with the Velutarian War still technically ongoing and drawing a bulk of Naval Forces to ensure border protection, with Prince Arstan's subjugation of the nearby 27 Kingdoms still ongoing, and with the Anshari posing such a risk to the balance of power should all their fleets be borne in anger, the Terran Empire couldn't openly field a war fleet directly into Initiative Space, far from their supply infrastructure. If the colonial spirit was rekindled and new pioneers built fuel depots and harbor structures, a fleet spread into an almost unnoticeable mass of patrol ships could, in secret, amass on the Initiative's doorstep. By sending the 23rd, Tiberius also ensured that he could select ships which could monitor the subspace side of the Initiative's operations. For all he knew, they'd been building a second fleet he didn't know of in there. The probe data sure showed it.

Inner Heaven, Heaven System, Prosperity Initiative

Chief Executive Officer Anthony Corax listened intently to the proclamation on the datapad provided by his secretary. "So the dinosaur wants to start moving again. No matter. Tell Ravenhart that we need to accelerate the plan, we need more hivelinks and he needs to get me more exotic matter. Send in Doctor Rosalind." Corax spoke evenly to his secretary before waiving him out of the room. Doctor Gudrun Rosalind stood at a diminutive 1.47 meters, platinum blonde hair in a bun, with the typical porcelain skin tone of a Scandinavian with low sunlight exposure. "Mr. Corax. You wanted to speak?" The dark skinned man with aged white hair stared at her like an old friend. That meant he wanted something, and she knew. "Doctor. How have the hivelinks faired in projecting a singular will over a group? Specifically, of several different species at once?" She composed herself a bit, not having her reports at hand, instead having prepared for her weekly presentation in two days. "The preliminary analysis shows that the modified hivelinks that we've managed to make from the recovered Purge Fleet vessels have no issue adapting Carbon, Silicon, and Arsenic life bases. We've been able to successfully implant both overseer and slave implants into all races in civilized space. Projected control by test overseers has an upper limit exceeding sample sizes. We've determined that roughly 5000 bodies are around the limit for one collective thoughtform. This is perfect for smaller capital ships and for army divisions. Infrastructure projects in Inner Heaven will be easier once we can clear any side effects, determine no Purge Fleet influence, and get to mass production."

She cleared her throat and came back to attention as Corax stood up straight. "Hell with side effects. Focus on confirming no outside influences in the tech and launch the first mass production batch. We'll make the colony at Agartha the testbed, iron out side effects there. Get to it, and if Doctor Greaves has an issue, volunteer her for your next experiments. Utopia waits for nobody. We have to make it. There is a place for you, Gudrun. Dismissed."

[Glorious Terran Empire]

PROSPERITY INITIATIVE

May 12th, 2458
Vigilance-3 Station, Orbit over Agartha, Apotheosis System, Prosperity Initiative

Gudrun Rosalind walked swiftly through the control station into the bridge, her guards all informing the staff at gunpoint of their volunteering to the Nirvana program. Some officers disagreed, a group of maintenance technicians had attempted to steal a shuttle and escape, and now she was going to have a chat with her colleague, Howard Greaves, about his previous doubts of the program's benefits. He'd taken a group of security and engineering personnel to the bridge and holed up to prevent entry. No doubt Howard had already begun transmitting to the Terrans like the rat he was. It mattered very little to Gudrun what that meant when she had the doors blasted through with breaching charges. Her soldiers did their duty, as they were meant to, keeping her safe. She knew that many of hers died. She knew that some of them suffered still as she entered. She knew their suppressed consciousnesses all screamed, but she didn't comprehend the actual feeling or meaning behind it, simply compelling others to fix the still living drones and carry the bodies out. She almost forgot to recognize when Howard was brought before her, almost didn't notice the obscenities he was slurring at her, his impediment likely due to the broken jaw that 467 gave him during apprehension. 467? Names were useless but it still felt perverse to think of the man holding her apoplectic colleague as a numbered drone, least of all when she was in his head. It was strange to feel a man's memories, identity, and emotions, and clinically force his body into actions without care for all of those. What was she even here for? Ah, right.

"You contemptuous, monstrous, vile cretin! You've subverted the very soul of all these people! You're a monster, and so is Corax! Anthony! I know you're watching this too! Fuck you, you piece of-!" Gudrun waved an arm dramatically as 894 injected the probe into Doctor Greaves' spinal column, the device quickly severing all voluntary nerve endings, encasing the brain and lancing through it with wires and quantum communications devices. The control was taken in an instant. She knew he was afraid. His face before her looked back empty and lifeless, but she knew her longstanding colleague was fuming, raging, demanding death indignantly. She felt his fear, his shame, his loss, his regret. She felt the regret he had for not accepting her previous advances, as if it would have prevented this. She mocked him with a kiss, before recalling through him that he'd sent a message. The contents of it were typical of the circumstance. The destination of the transmission was not her expected one, however, and she was amused to find that he'd told a known resistance cell. He'd contacted the Liberator and its crew. The vessel was the flagship of a motley fleet of pirates and freebooters that disagreed early into the Initiative's corporate control over the region, and launched raids with stolen Initiative ships onto Initiative assets. The Liberator was a mighty Cherubim class Braeglen designed battleship. It had a hull over a kilometer long, several dozen hardpoints for the largest battleship armaments, ridiculous armor plating, a function Trans-Dimensional Ripple Drive equal to any Terran Jump Drive, superior systems for energy shield projection and propulsion, all in all, it was a great ship. Unfortunately, Greaves' memories confirmed it was in her new testing area. This whole system needed a rinsing of such a threat. She called for a hunt across all communication channels that had prevalence. As soon as she did so, she felt her own will come into a sort of fugue.

"Gudrun. I take it this won't be a problem? We have deep pockets and plenty of ships, just let me know now what needs to be done about this Pirate Leader." Anth- NO! Master Corax's voice rang through her skull like the voice of an almighty god. "Not a problem at all, Sir. I will have an itemized list ready as soon as possible. Thank you, Sir. I will also begin work on the colony. Thank you, Sir." She couldn't help it, every fiber of her being was his. She couldn't work or think against him if she tried. He'd seen it all from the start. He'd known, he had her memories. She was an Overseer, yes, but HE was the Overseer of all Overseers. HE was as a god. Gudrun's focus onto this fact was cut short when he relinquished control back to her. "Take care of it then, Overseer Rosalind. Overseer Havaseri will bring a fleet to bear as soon as you have specifications.


TERRAN EMPIRE

May 15th, 2458
ITN Oberon [BBSO-175], Imperial Shipyards over Neptune, Sol System

Arthur Veracruz, now made an acting Commodore for his own fleet, was scared for the second time in his career. The Oberon was loaded with some nonstandard equipment in the interim, a Mobile Supply Depot and Retrofit Harbor, designated Longstrider 1, was loaded into the cargo hold and outfitted for a jettison and anchoring to any local gravity well. Additionally, the Navy had seen fit to install a new sapient Artificial Intelligence, named Titania. The irony of it- or her? Name was not lost on Arthur. "Communications, how many are we still waiting on? I see the Sagittarius is with us again, but what of our other escorts?" A voice rang out from the communications station of the bridge in response, "Aye, Sagittarius is in position and standing by, all four Omniscience Battlecruisers have joined our formation ready for jump, we have all eight Avalon Class vessels also in our formation, ready for jump. On your command, Commodore, we can move ahead with the Operation." That sounded wrong to Arthur, not the Commodore part, but the part where she reported a full fleet. "What about the Alcoves?" Arthur asked aloud, to which the communications officer replied, "Already began the long-distance warp to the area. They'll be largely tasked with rearguard and defending Longstrider 1 once deployed." That made sense, warp boats had to either leave early or trudge up the rear when the majority of a fleet could jump around. "Very well, begin final procedures for departure, we need headcounts done and all stations accounted for before we begin. All craft, begin pre-jump checks and head to designated coordinates before we jump in synchronized formation. Sagittarius, cleared to jump ahead and scout the first system out. If the destroyers arrive before us, advise them of our expected landing area and have them standby."

All stations began to sing their tune and the ship was suddenly alive with activity again. "Anything I should do besides monitor the situation, Commodore Veracruz?" The feminine voice and hologram of a uniformed humanoid female coming from his control panel reminded him of the newest crew member. "No, Titania. Pipe up if there's anything out of the ordinary if we haven't already noticed or addressed it. Thank you." The little hologram saluted him before disappearing. He wondered to himself whether this would be a blessing or curse in the long run. Outside of the stated and public goal of exploration, which the Sagittarius would do much better, or the goal of diplomacy, which the slow Alcove destroyers could've likely handled, the hidden objective was to perform subspace tests with the fancier fleet elements and perform an additional three tasks in doing so; the task of determining safe parameters and how to safely transit to use in possible wide-scale application of the tech, locate any hostile elements and gain information or obstruct their goals, and find archaeological data in subspace. It was a nightmare to do all five tasks at once, and so the AI was supposed to help with much of the data processing in subspace. That part of the expedition wasn't set to begin until they were half way to Initiative space, though, so much of it was fanfare and finding a good spot for Longstrider to be deployed.

"All ships, begin jump sequence on my mark. 5... 4... 3... 2... 1... Mark! All drive crews, synchronize with specified waveforms, all hands, prepare for imminent jump."

[Anshari]

Deep Space - Anshari Scryer Shard 3, Fleet of Siirda
May 10th, 2458

Mosir stared out into the abyss of space. The void outside visualized within his vessel’s command and control center. He took this moment of silence to think. About his mission and its importance to his people. The Anshari safeguard the secrets of those who came before with fervent devotion. Their knowledge, their technology, their gifts. Were the rightful property of their children. The Anshari. To lose such gifts was seen as sacrilege to the most hardliner followers of the Covenant. Even ignoring the faith tied in with his mission, the strategic and economical implications of losing such technology to their rivals: the Terrans, is far too great a risk. Mosir’s thoughts were interrupted by his lesser, a younger Anshari female tasked as his right hand. “Sire, our luminaries have reported back their findings. The Scryers report several planets within a 20 lightyear radius containing possible artifacts left behind by the divine.” she would flick her hand and a holographic replica of the local star cluster would illuminate in front of the two. She would raise her hand and point to various systems, which would highlight in a greenish hue with each touch. “Five of these planets are hosts to various sentient lifeforms. All of which not natural inhabitants of these worlds. Our probes were unable to ascertain as to who these creatures are, we will need to send a second flight to identify.” She paused for a moment. “The other three are on lifeless worlds, no alien activity within a 5 lightyear radius of each of these three systems. I recommend investigating these systems first, there is less risk involved. At least until we can determine who the aliens are on the other five.” Mosir remained silent. His right hand is correct. Moving on one of the five inhabited planets risks a confrontation that their Shard is ill equipped to handle. Of his ten ships underneath his command, only one has any true planetary assault capabilities. Mosir waved his right hand away, she knew he needed time to decide on their next course of action. The visualized exterior vanished, returning the room to its natural state. An empty chamber with a projector retracting back into the floor. As Mosir turned to the exit he tapped the terminal next to the exit. “Bridge.” the terminal spoke. “Prepare Nua and Airos, they must be ready to deploy within 3 cycles.” Mosir replied. He exited the room right after.

Mylith Mining Outpost AY-662-3, System AY-662
Approximately 15 LY from Samsara
May 10th, 2458

Excavation anima drones buzz between the outpost and the high clouds of the local gas giant. Like worker bees to flowers, they feed on the materials that make up the gas giant’s upper atmosphere. The mining outpost’s shell houses a hollow interior, a hive of busy drones depositing their cargo and then returning to their operation. The harmonious discord is abruptly halted by a hail of weapon fire. Energy blasts and missile detonations throw off or destroy the drones while the station struggles to scramble defenders. Those who do move to defend the station are quickly dispatched, paving the way for tick like ships to puncture the hull of the outpost. As the battlespace cools, the station is surrounded by alien vessels, organic and bulbous in shape. Blockading the outpost from any interference. Inside the station, a lone communications officer rushes to the comms terminal inside the Station’s control center. She discovers quickly that her connection to the Anshari’s psionic matrix is disrupted. Bewildered and desperate, she quickly radios on an open, superluminal frequency the following message: “Attention, this is Attendant Li Eris Mas’Mylith of Outpost AY-662-3 requesting assistance from any vessel within range. We are a unarmed gas mining outpost in service to the Mylith Mandate. We’re under duress by unknown assailants. Please help us.” Before she could continue her message the frequency was jammed. She lamented for a moment before her thoughts and prayers were interrupted by the sound of loud crashing against a metallic surface. The xenos have boarded the station.

[Glorious Terran Empire]

TERRAN EMPIRE

May 15th, 2458
ITN Oberon [BBSO-175], Uncharted System Designation LS-1, Uncharted Space, Terran Imperial Claims

The jump was about as smooth as Arthur could've hoped for. No nausea, no strange tingling, no sensory issues, and he could still feel his own heartbeat. This was a good sign, all things considered. What wasn't, was the sensor readouts showing Errant, or "Antecedent" signatures in system. This typically meant an Anshari reclamation force was either nearby and ready to give him grief, or was not, but they seemed to know when such "temples" were "desecrated," and always made an incident of it at the Gatehouse Station in Ak-Morinia, the official neutral zone between the Terran Empire and the Anshari Nations. The ramifications that this mission had were of the least concern to the diplomatic corps. Everyone was told of the new border demarcation. If it weren't for the subspace side of the mission requiring top priority, Commodore Veracruz would've jumped at the chance to rile up a theocrat and announce his acquisition of the ruins to show that this was, in fact, Terran territory. The LS, or Longstrider, systems were claimed by the Empire, but not explored. Two weeks had gone by without formal counterclaim, and so it was clearly within the jurisdiction of the 23rd Expeditionary Flotilla to enforce the Empire's stake.

"Have the Sagittarius take point of the Errant signature, we need to evaluate the details and if possible, organize ground operations. Deploying Longstrider 1 now, Anchor Point Coordinates broadcasted, all vessels, this will be our preliminary port of call and base of operations. The crew on Longstrider 1 is tasked with detailed analysis of any information we bring or any unique artifacts, cultures, languages, and biological samples we provide, so give them something to do. As for the Errant archaeological site, Longstrider 1 servicemen and one of our escorts are expected to assist. Escorts, fan out in system and gather detailed information for the colonial rush. Battlecruisers, prepare subspace drives for synchronization. Once all escorts return, we'll be dropping in and establishing a baseline." There was much to do, and a deceptively short time to accomplish it. "Titania, what's the probability of Anshari interference in either the event of their presence within, say, 15 light years, second outcome for a lack of detailed information."

The AI hologram cocked her head innocently before speaking. "66% repeating minimum, variations increase to as high as 100% dependent on which Mandate has military jurisdiction and presence. Should the nearest be Mylith, with Mylith jurisdiction, the probability is at minimum for interference, with no expected hostility unless provoked. If the Mandate fleet nearest is Vinskar as well as the Vinskar holding direct jurisdiction, or the Regency holding Jurisdiction directly, it is guaranteed that interference as drastic as an attack will happen. It is unlikely that there will be a fleet capable of outright destroying this task force in this region, as it is within our sphere of influence. If the Ansahri weren't aware of the artifacts, the science teams and guards should be tasked with destroying the evidence with a matter-antimatter bomb once finished, or upon discovery. We don't have the firepower to resist an escalation force should a large war-fleet be detached from the Dusk Veil directly." The news wasn't good, but it still left a degree of chance. The newly-minted Commodore came to the conclusion that weakness should not be displayed. The Terran Empire has so far learned not to attack the Anshari or presume superiority over them, but the reverse of the arrangement had yet to take the modern Ansahri culture. The Ansahri still tended to act with impunity outside of perhaps two of their member states, or "Mandates," and the ruling body was staunchly supremacist and took a religiously hardline stance against the Terran Empire. Veracruz was glad to remind them of that. While it wasn't a guarantee, he was still in range for support to be jumped into system to escalate, should heavy fire support be necessary. "We will not be deterred. Let the department of Xenological Relations know that this archaeological site is here, but also inform them that we intend to find its secrets, for the betterment of the Empire."

As soon as the probes returned data, he was proven wrong. The data had a different technological signature on inspection, the site was boobytrapped. Upon a gravimetric pulse making contact, a savage-looking ship appeared and scanned the probes which had caused the emergence. Subspace splashes were detected in spacetime, leading to a much more pernicious threat identification. The vessel had disappeared in another fluctuation of subspace, with its fault-line disappearing much quicker than any Terran or Braeglen design would produce, leaving it up to chance to follow.

"Shit. Titania, update X-R to our situation. Promethean presence suggested by new data. As soon as we can confirm in subspace, we'll update again. Requesting permission to launch in formation to subspace, no intent to engage any Promethean assets in subspace, we're simply looking to see if there's an Errant presence there, as our sensors were confused by this discrepancy. Surface teams to standby until we determine the importance of the Promethean sighting."


PROSPERITY INITIATIVE

May 15th, 2458
Asteroid OA-10573, Apotheosis System, Prosperity Initiative

The Liberator was labeled the top priority. Overseer Messoya Havaseri, a first-generation Overseer of the Nirvana program, had been gifted with a high natural psychic sensitivity at birth. His new life had expanded that power dramatically. The reverse-engineered technology that the Initiative provided him gave him a domineering ability that came naturally through the hivelink devices. Whereas newborn Overseers would have difficulty in becoming overwhelmed by the consciousnesses that needed to be suppressed, a natural psion like Messoya could block out their screaming voices. He had under his direct control almost 7000 crew, with some sentients for auxiliary decision making stationed on ships that he wasn't personally present on. Overseer Havaseri was stationed aboard a mighty Seraphim class vessel, the Azrael, of Braeglen design, like much of the Initiative's realspace fleet assets. The vessel was a top-of-its class battleship that could hold up to even Terran designs with their post-empire retrofits. The escort craft were Zealot class cruisers, 14 of them, split between himself and two junior Overseers assigned to his network. They couldn't be subsumed like his own sentients, but the impulse to follow his will was only trumped by Mr. Corax himself interposing in the operation.

Messoya studied the rendezvous point over the asteroid. He wondered where the Liberator was, as the space around the asteroid would be impossible to hide in, the reflectiveness of the craft was impossible to hide in the asteroid itself, and the asteroid hadn't been officially mined, so there was neither a dock, nor a registered mining cavity wide enough for the ship to hide in. The Liberator wasn't a solo craft, either, but it's insultingly hard to hide a kilometer-long tungsten-iridium stick in his proverbial yard, despite his quarry accomplishing such a feat.

He was very enthused when a mining barge arrived that matched a stolen ship in the registry. Overseer Havaseri was about to have his forces open fire when it launched a probe and then fled to subspace. He almost had time to order a subspace pursuit, when the Liberator and its support fleet of destroyers, cruisers and a battlecruiser arrived from subspace and opened fire. Messoya had little time and he could feel the first few deaths of engineering and gunnery crews. The enemy gained the initiative, but the coordination of a collective was unbeatable. The disorganized pirates lost three ships in the time that they took to match that number. When Messoya's battle formation was suddenly flanked by stealth craft unloading kinetic bombardment at alternating targets with the Liberator itself. Overseer Havaseri had to then coordinate a warp-out retreat with two cruisers sacrificed in rearguard pursuit. This was not going to be an optimistic report to fill, but the silver lining was gained in both experience and tactical data. The Liberator's tricks wouldn't work twice. "To you, the battle. To me, the war." Overseer Havaseri said before contacting command.


GALACTIC VELUTARIAN EMPIRE

May 12th, 2458
GVNS Vakmana, Neselk-Mog, Fennoria Sector

Captain Riggon Falslekk received the order to immediately warp into the uncharted regions with his patrol unit, and then double checked the demands. He was not able to reconcile in his own mind the purpose of such a task, but the official decree an hour later confirmed the true motive. The Grand High Empress had decided the Terran declaration of the annexation of the space lawless and to be a sign of both barbarity and banditry. Like many of his contemporaries, the order of such a regal and annointed figure were taught to be the word of the gods. Unfortunately, the issue was that many were not brought up as Captain Falslekk was, these days. No less than seven usurpers or rebels had proclaimed themselves the lawful or righteous heads of the Velutarian Empire.

There had not been a time of such disarray and weakness in the past 5,000 years, and yet his Empress, Japra Fenn, had somehow arranged it. She was gripping her power by a thread. Several fleets had been lost in reent time and many more systems were taken by, the Terran Empire. Their newest prospective conquest turned into an outright crisis of legitimacy in less than five years. The Empire itself was already facing a growing resentment from the working class. The decadency of the ruling class knew no excess. The military had become bloated, dated, and lax in its efforts. The Terran Empire, with its advanced technologies and excellent military doctrine, had not only broken the advance of Velutarian territories, but forced back such new acquisitions by nearly two millennia.

Their newest attempt at expansion, the Terrans', that is, was to be halted by a deployment to both contest the Terran claim and to pacify the local savages, bringing them into the Velutarian fold. Unfortunately, the Velutarian Civil War distracted things. Falslekk was the only captain in range to deploy before the year was out, and so he did diligently. His arrival would bring him near to the fringe of the Terran Expeditionary Fleet. Should Falslekk catch them unawares, his seventeen battleships may yet decide the outcome of his career. Captain Falslekk truly expected the history books to refer to this as either "The Velutarian Reassertion," but he could settle for "The Terran Bungle."