Aschen Marine's Story

There was complete silence, whatever had snapped that twig and rustled in the dead grass and leaves may have still been there, but there was nothing. Silence. The figure watched from the shadows, not just bathed in darkness, but clad in a strange dazzling digital camouflage pattern that made it hard to look at, the pattern moving and almost vibrating causing strain on the eyes.

To make matters worse, the figure wore some kind of device that caused magical feedback, perhaps a pang on the back of the mind, or something that made it hard to garner magical focus on the individual.

The figure seemed to ignore the demands of the one with the bow. Silently he adjusted the strap on his chest plate. He was completely obscured from these two individuals, but completely visible to the rest of his squad, four Marines situated in complete silence several feet behind the Pointman.

He stared at Al'Kaera and he regarded the strange creature. "Never ceases to amuse me." Sergeant Kelby said under his breath, barely audible and at a whisper.

The two would hear a high pitched buzz, followed by a whine, and out of the darkness a figure stepped fourth. His clothing pattern hard on the eyes, and the weapon cradled in his hands unlike the bow that Al'Kaera held.

And the two suddenly moved to take off, resulting in a sigh from the lead man. There would be no fight today.

He held his hands out, the Disruptor rifle loosely slung across his Torso. While, five other seemingly walking from nothingness, all clad in similar outfits, with the fifth man badly wounded, bloodied bandages wrapped around his torso and leg.

He let out a pained scream as they set him down, the scream muffled as his comrade tried to quiet him.

"So much for good people." Kelby huffed, lighting a cigarette.

One of the Aschen Corporals finally spoke up after tending to his wounded comrade.

"Those two could reveal our location to Taiyou scouts, we should neutralize them." Corporal Rising said, shouldering his Disruptor rifle. Sergeant Kelby nodded. "Couple of the Natives in this area I'm guessing, Taiyou'd sooner shoot them than take any intel from them. This looks like an ideal place to make camp for the night, then we need to move to the Icy Peaks and link up with Commander Adams and the Patronus, from there we can get off this rock."

The Corporal nodded. "Specialist Kinney isn't looking too good.. Think he's gonna make it?" He said, turning to the medic.

The Medic shook his head. "Nanites have him stable, but a bullet's lodged in his chest, it's putting pressure on the Aorta."

The Corporal fussed a moment. "Well, I'm going to find those two and neutralize them." He said, flipping down his visor and grabbing his Disruptor rifle, activating the thermal enhancements, which displayed just the slightest variations of temperature, and in the cool night, the foliage that brushed against the two Elves was slightly illuminated. Footprints also shimmered brightly in the soil.

He checked his weapon, then locked and loaded it, before he set off into the woods.

As the Corporal walked off, the Sergeant would hear some shuffling himself, then a crack, and then the sound of gunfire which split the silence of the woods like a firecracker, bullets splintered the stocks of trees as a trio of Taiyou scouts encroached on the position.

The Sergeant growled, and quickly took cover behind a large tree, as bullets continued to pepper their fortifications.

"Frak! They're in the forest!" A Specialist barked, returning fire, sending shimmering green bolts of light downrange.

The brief skirmish suddenly erupted into a full fledged firefight, as the Aschen and Taiyou forces exchanged weapons fire. The Sergeant fired his weapon downrange, pelting Taiyou positions from a distance, as bullets cracked and screamed past him, one of them going so far as to impact his shield. The man flinched, and fired another burst downrange.

The Sergeant felt a sting, as a single Taiyou bullet pierced his shields, armor, and lodged itself deep into his chest. The man fell to the ground in pain, the droll of gunfire fell silent as the last Taiyou soldier fell, his charred body slumped against the tree. The Senior Corporal turned to the Sergeant.

"Shit... Medic! We have more wounded!" He called out, as Kelby held his wound, blood seeping between his fingers.

Tracking the two, the Corporal emerged from the foliage, hands raised and outstretched.

"You gotta help us! My Team! We were ambushed by enemy troops! They got the Sarge and a few of the Specialists!" He called out, blood, mud and dirt caked his eyes, face, and his outfit. The man appeared no older than seventeen, with an over-sized combat uniform, and a weapon slung in his grasp.

Over above the trees a news chopper flew. As the firefight progressed, choppy footage of the battle below was filmed en route.

"This is Winne Rhineswurth here, live above the Dark Woods in the Southern Grazing Lands," The popular news reporter shouted over the chopper and gunfire below, "What appears to be an unprovoked firefight, by chance or circumstance, has erupted between Aschen and Taiyou forces."

It was impossible to tell what was going on from up here, but it didn't look good.

"What's going on? Stay tuned as TERRACAST investigates live, on the scene. This was Winne Rhineswurth, with TERRACAST."

"Utinu en lokirim," Maree uttered beneath her breath. "Ta naa neuma." But, Maree sighed and yielded. It did not matter who it was that was injured or needed help, she had always lent it. Such kindness was worked into her very being and there was no avoiding it. Maree was going to help them. She had, after all, been a cleric many years ago. The knowledge had not died with the disuse.

"Mela en' coiamin, put me down. This man needs help. I will help him," Maree said. "I can smell the blood on him and hear the fear in his voice."

"We will help him so that he may help his others. That is all. One man, no more." It was not that Maree did not wish to aid them all, but that her weakness was so prevalent, she had no other choice. The one healing was going to push her into exhaustion to the point where Maree would no longer be awake.

There was a sudden distortion, a crackle, and then a flash of multicolored, rainbow light. This anomaly remained dead center in the bar for several moments, before it opened up, distorted itself, and seemed to create a sideways vortex of multicolored light, which, after several moments of instability, belched a large crate bearing the emblem of some obscure company. The crate was ten feet long and four feet wide, and it crashed through tables, and silverware alike.

The Vortex remained, before it hurled a single human male into the crate, before it collapsed on itself with a deafening clap, not unlike thunder.

The disheveled male quickly regained composure, surveying his surroundings and muttering in a strange language.

"Cá bhfuil mé?"

The young male, appearing no more than twenty struggled to his feet, his weapon, a glossy black Disruptor Mk II rifle hung loosely over his shoulder. After straightening his helmet and goggles, he caught the arm raising to throw a blade.

The man, despite being disoriented rose his weapon, uttering a panicked sequence of words. "De réir na ndéithe!" He called out, stumbling back into a chair. Despite the new surroundings, the man's insignia was easily recognizable to denizens of Wing City, a silver circular phoenix motif on both shoulders.

When both relaxed, so did the individual, lowering his weapon and allowing it to once again come to rest slung across his Torso.

He dusted himself off and turned back to the crate, and then to Kvan and Arien.

"Wot da feck 'appened?" He said in a sharp accent, one that seemed to share a close cousin with other places in the universe.

"Dis In't Lantea." He said, looking around.

The confused man slowly approached the group, watching as the one left to the door, and then he brought his eyes on Vokun and Kvan.

"T'anks fo' da hospitality." He said, looking back to the crate, then he withdrew a small remote like device, which flashed in a strange alien language.

"No Alignment, 'ave no idear where i'm at." He said, pulling up a Chair.

"Corporal Norman McAlister, Aschen Marine corps." He said, introducing himself. "While i'm 'ere might as well grab a pint."

"So, someone care to enlighten me as to where the frak I am?" He said, thumbing through the menu. "'Cause I'm right lost."

"So, who are you lot?":

Deep within the bog the sounds of rustling water echoed midst the cacophony of animal noises and general sounds of the bog.

four shadowy figures clad in ghillie suits, vines, leaves, and other debris slowly trudged through the bog towards the group, their appearance and demeanor obscured by the mud and foliage that covered them.

Something strange and unsettling came from these strange men.

Nare could see the shadowy figures through the trees. He took to heart what She had told him, only to have trust for the Lessards. Keeping that in mind, he instantly did not trust these people. Thinking on his feet, he silently sank into the water and allowed himself to float, having his head stay submerged under the water since he no longer needed to breath. If the Marines came to look at the body, it would appear that he was dead.

Aschen Marine pulled out his remote and then he checked it, it still wasn't able to acquire any sort of alignment. "Drunken Griffon.." He said quietly, before he unclasped his helmet, setting it on the table and revealing short cropped red hair.

"So You're a pirate?" He said, tilting his head to Kvan. "Since the Empire collapsed, Piracy has been on the rise." He said, once a drink was placed in front of him. It seemed up close and without the combat gear, this lone Marine looked no more human than an average Terran.

He subsequently addressed Vokun. "There's not much to see, we're all 'uman." He said, turning to the crate.

"Bifrost went wrong, probably a solar flare." He added, turning back to the immortal.

The Marine turned to Kvan, and he shrugged somewhat nonchalantly. "I am just in it to support my family, I don't question the motives, I just follow orders."

With a brief swig of his drink, which had finally been placed before him. "The Bifrost... I don't know how it works... but the eggheads at the University of Minos say.." He then took a napkin and he drew two dots on the napkin, one on each corner.

"They say it works like this... the distance between these two points may seem vast." He then folded the napkin, lining up the two dots. "Until you do this. The Bifrost was the codename for the Project, because of the multi-colored effect."

He turned to the crate, and he approached it, pulling the lock away, and opening it to reveal an array of weapons, microfusion cells, food and medical supplies.

"I wonder how I'm going to get back home."

The Marine looked to Kvan as he tried to explain the Bifrost, and the Marine simply shook his head. "No." He said, shrugging. "We're folding space, It's like... Teleportation." The Marine explained, making sure the contents of the crate were intact. "So we're outside our own dimension.. in a nexus of dimensions?" Superior Aschen education was starting to show, even this basic jarhead had a basic grasp of the sciences.

"Hmm." He then looked to the Bifrost recall, and began to input slightly altered coordinates, causing it to lock onto the Bifrost hub by routing through a nearby black hole.

"Okay, seems to work..." He said, turning back to Kvan. "Our ships don't run on Wind, they run on something else."

Once the crate was secured, he smiled at Vokun and Kvan. "Perhaps we'll meet again ay?" He said, pressing the button causing the clouds to swirl menacingly around the Drunken Griffon.

"I need to take this shipment to it's destination." The Clouds dropped a powerful vortex that seemed to wash over the bar, and the Marine, and his crate vanished in a brilliant flash of multicolored light, leaving nothing in his wake, as quickly as the clouds came, they had cleared.

AHSC Fleet of Profound Solitude
Reverence II 'Far Sight Lost'
Reverence II 'Profound Solitude II'
Admiral Gina Inviere

498 Reverence I Carriers
1,000 Battlestars
1,000 Various support ships, Cruisers, frigates, etc.

The Far Sight Lost was the first Reverence II to jump in directly to the starboard of the Cybran Armada, the massive 30km long Reverence II Supercarrier had winked in with a glimmer of white light, which skimmed from bow to stern, causing the entire ship itself to flicker into existence.

As soon as the ship had gotten it's bearings, Inviere went wide eyed as the AI reported in.

"Attention, We have DRADIS Contact, two one one carom one three nine. Unidentified IFF, Analysis confirmed hostile, recommend condition one."

Inviere quietly listened to the AI's report, before she nodded. "Action stations."

The light turned from a violet to a deep red, and the AI chimed it's report. "Action Stations, Action Stations, Set condition one throughout the fleet... this is not a drill."

Inviere cleared her throat and she began to manipulate the tactical holographic system, before 2,498 other Aschen ships jumped in, winking in one by one in rapid succession, followed by the second Reverence II, the Profound Solitude II, it's gleaming hull glinting in the sunlight, as it positioned itself in a broad flanking maneuver around the Cybran fleet.

"Terrans you better get frosty, We're preparing for a hot dump of your ships for combat preparations." Nagala said on the radio, manipulating her holographic interface as the Profound Solitude made a wide loop around the Cybran fleet, and she broadcast her message.

"Attention unknown vessel, this is the Reverence II Profound Solitude II, identify yourselves or we will fire upon you."

Bringing the massive Aschen supercarrier around, shields began to flicker, and massive, gaping hangar bays opened up to expose Terran trireme vessels mounted on long catapulting rails.

Nagala got back on the channel with Captain MacDuff.

"Initializing magnetic acceleration launchers, hold onto the life bar and keep your hands and feet inside the car at all times." Nagala said, looping the Reverence II around.

"AI Bring Turbodisruptors to bear for full broadside, Salvo fire."

The AI complied, and the second Aschen supership began to power weapons, while the first also began to open it's gaping hangar bay, exposing Terran ships mounted on catapulting rails.

1210 Hours,
Command Deck
HDS Hamburg,
Ultra Dreadnought class Battleship
Battlefleet Titan (50,000 ships strong)
Just outside Solar System 1921-01-2

Having been through the little known area of the Solar System surrounding the target planet, the Battlefleet Titan sat waiting. The Supreme Vice Admiral of the entire Cybran Navy sat aboard his own ship, the HDS Hamburg. The messages being received from the smaller Cybran Fleet, Olymp. The messages were somewhat alarming that there were more Nations than expected. The Supreme Vice Admiral turned to the lower Admirals that operated his command deck with a yawn, "Holen Sie sich mehr Kräfte in dieser Galaxie, habe ich ein Gefühl, Krieg ist über ausbrechen. Wir müssen zu bewegen in und unterstützen unsere Flotte in der Solaranlage. Ich möchte eine Nachricht zurück zu Oberkommando verlangt, dass wir die anderen BattleFleets hier haben auf einmal."

He turned in his command throne, his eyes glancing around the place as the crew got set to work. He knew that there would be people trying stuff back home, but the agent Steven Lindemann was more important with the information he had. He put his cap onto the floor, looking at the lines of information displaying on his screen, "Nehmen Sie Kurs auf der anderen Flotte, möchte ich die wahre Macht unserer Kräfte hier zu zeigen."

And so it began, the vast movement of the Battlefleet Titan slowly started to power up its thrusters, pushing towards the movement of the other forces, hopefully not too late.

1211 Hours,
Command Deck
HDS Feuer-Spitze,
Kammerjäger class Battleship
Battlefleet Olymp (5000 ships strong)
Solar System 1921-01-2

Scythe swallowed, taking control of the Comms with a sigh, "This is Vice Admiral Scythe of the Cybran Battlefleet Olymp. Captain Santez, that is where you are incorrect, your people have taken our Civilian, who had safety became a member of your little planet. You should be aware that I have just had word from a number of other Battlefleets in the sector, that they will come in a use force in order to stop your torture of Cybran Civilians. I have orders to bring down the full might of the Cybran Nation down onto anyone that stands in the way of the units trying to retrieve our Civilian. If this Civilian has done anything like hakcked into your database, he will be executed for his crimes onboard this ship."

He turned, cutting the comms for a moment before turning his attention to the new AHSC Fleet, "Reverence II Profound Solitude II, this is the Cybran Battlefleet Olymp, of the Cybran Nation. We are here to stop the torture of our civilian stuck on the planet of which the people of the Terran Fleet will not release. This mission will go hostile if you move in closer to us. We will fire. I repeat, we will open fire. Over."

SEC Battle Group Fury
Command Ship: Triumph
Fleet Command Deck
Combat Ships: 1,200


Grand Moff Tarin stood on the command deck of his super carrier, clutching the railing tightly deep in thought. The comm traffic played through the bridge and left an ere silence for the crew as they waited for orders. With an exhale of breath Tarin finally spoke. "Send a coded message to the Terran fleet pledging our full support for their defense and get me High Naval Command on screen." He ordered. Officers began to scurry as the comm crews sent the message to the Terran fleet. "SEC Nav Command on Screen Sir." A female officer stated.

"Command this is Grand Moff Tarin, Calling for activation of Emergency Protocol One, The situation above and on Terra seems to have taken a turn of the worst. I am requesting the 6th fleet be rerouted from the docks and activated for combat effective immediately. They are to group up with The 7th Marines and 6th Armored before leaving SEC space and are to drop in behind this mess and wait for further orders. Security Code Delta Bravo Seven Echo." He said and there was a nod from the officer on screen.

The admiral looked over the scene as of now the fleet was at weapons down. "All Shields up Form up in a supporting position port-side to the Terran's. We are not to fire unless fired upon, all crew members are to report to battle stations. Alert Tiger Squadron, and Ready two drone Bomber squadrons. We are moving to condition red have damage control crews report for combat as well. We are going to have to hold if until the 6th fleet arrives." He said before moving swiftly across the fleet command deck to his chair and strapped himself in. He opened a comm to Captain Williams the Triumphs Flag Captain. "Captain the helm is yours Keep us safe." He said in fleets of this scale they fleet command and bridge were placed in strategically different locations giving operational capacity to two sectors and also keeping single ship command and fleet wide command separate.