The Aschen Cluster

The Terran Trireme 'Diomedes' followed not far behind the Reverence, careful to stay out of the way of the force-blast from the Reverence's thrusters.

"Now wait-just-a-fuckin'-second!" the captain bellowed to the Aschen Commander, "you think you're just walking out of this? Slip-spacing back to Langara without a care in the world, huh?" The captain turned to a nearby tech-specialist. "Scouter-reports on post-battle life signatures?"

"Confirmed Terran casualties," the crew member reported with a gulp, "at least four."

"I want Seraphim down there NOW and a FULL report on the cause-of-death for ALL of them. If there's so much as an INKLING of disruptor-residue in their bodies I'll have that Reverence for scrap metal!" The captain turned his attention back to the hail, though his words to his crew-mates had been perfectly audible to the Aschen.

"You'd better sit tight, Commander," the captain growled, "you're under the Xenia, after all, and thereby subjugate to Parliamentary decision. You can't just blast off at your own free-will."

The Commander narrowed her eyes. "You Terrans aren't getting the prisoner out from under me, he's ours." She said calmly, before she turned to the AI. "Shields full, all weapons hot, I want our ship combat ready as soon as we breach orbit."

She then took her breath. "Any interference in our Exfiltration will be construed as an act of war and enforced appropriately, I have wounded on board and the Terrorists wounded the Terrans, I assure you my men brought no Terrans to harm, we will continue our present course." She said calmly then she turned to the AI. "Forward MAC Guns online?" The AI then nodded. "Yes, Primary MAC Weapons are online." She then nodded. "Soon as we're free of those Plancks prime FTL drives for jump."

; Admiral Riley stood at the helm CNS Zietgar, a supercruiser and line-ship attached to the Scatterran Navy Task Force dispatched to Sol. Looking at a team display, Riley sent out a mission package to the four other ships following the Zietgar's keel. In an instant, the two Concordia class Assault Carriers peeled away from the Zietgar at a distance of 5,000 kilometers.
"This is Admiral Riley of the Coalition Military Council, at this time the Terran authority is enforcing it's ability to prevent movement in and out of the Sol system. The Military Council and Task Force Obsidian are online to provide support."

At that time, the two Defense Cruisers formed the rough spear of the formation of ships on their journey through the inner system. Less than 10 AUs from Terra, the Coalition ships were able to modify targeting priorities on the vessel in question. When the first rumblings of weaponry came across the Coalition technicians onboard the Zietgar, the starship began spinning up it's low-intensity electronic countermeasures.

"You are in TERRAN space, Commander!" the captain growled again, "you are FORBIDDEN to leave unless given grant by Parliament. You will remain in Terran boundaries until you've had proper clearance for departure. I would like to remind YOU that breaking the Xenia Compromise is an act of war in itself."

"Theta!" the captain's eyes turned to the most recent hail, "thank God Council's on this. I know that ring is half-built, but if you've got a tractor-beam on that thing, it'd be fuckin' wonderful."

Meanwhile, two more Terran Triremes pulled into view ahead of the Reverence.

"'Nero's Fiddle' and 'Joy Ride' standing by," another captain radioed in from one of the triremes, "we've got FIMs primed and Capacitor shields at maximum."

"Start a blockade," the captain of 'Diomedes' demanded, "we can't let the Aschen waltz out of here." The situation indeed looked grim. Even if the Terrans managed to keep the Aschen Reverence at bay, it could be cause for war. War with a nation they most certainly didn't want to go to war with. And yet what were they to do? Law must be upheld. The Aschen couldn't just leave like they wanted to, something had to be done...

And then the Scatterans came in a pillar of light.

The faces of the crewmen on board 'Diomedes' became suddenly relieved. "Thank God for UCON!" the captain cheered. With another Multiverse power thrown into the lot, perhaps the Confederation would be more inclined to listen.

; The Admiral Counselor nodded once to the Lieutenant Commander, Vice Admiral Fred Kleiner saluted him once and grabbed hold of the railing. As he did, the lights of the bridge dimmed a noticeable degree as the Coalition ships went into immediate combat conditions. Weapons were burning online at fast rates throughout the team. As the Zietgar's 6 kilometer length rolled through the emptiness of space, the trio of 4km super-charged railguns became shining indications for electroscopic sensors and threat-identification devices.
"Prepare the forward X-Guns and load Quantum-Fracture warheads. Prepare me a firing solution for maximum efficiency against that Sovrak bucket." He ordered, the serious tone across the Zietgar's bridge. Seconds later, Counselor Riley looked down to a holographic display linked to the Systems Nod.
"Prepare me a jamming countermeasure vectored through the Z's lateral array. I want their heads in the water." He said, watching an electroscopic monitor follow the trinary operating base of the computer virus form in a transmitting cell on the lateral array of the Zietgar.

"The Terrans are making contact with the Aschen sir, shall we disengage approach and establish blockade?" A Junior Lieutenant sounded from the deck below, to which Counselor Riley shook his head and pointed to the Navigations Nod down in front of him.
"Negative, stall approach but maintain aggressive intentions. These Sovraks are going to get a taste of their own medicine, and it's going right down their god damn throat. They so much as twitch I will not hesitate to drop these rats." He ordered loudly, shouting out at the mainscreen as the Aschen Reverence loomed in vicinity of Terra.
"This is the Vice Admiral of the CNS Zietgar; Task Force Obsidian will be moving in to location for established blockade, verify, Terran Command."

The Commander paced back and fourth quietly as she finished her discussion with Laura Roslin, it was then Admiral James Callahan flickered on the screen. "This is the Reverence II Resplendent Fervor, Hailing the Long Night of Solace, we've got the 6th Fleet of Valiant Prudence En-route from Molecay for a rescue operation." He hailed and the Commander lightened up. "How many ships you got?" The Admiral then replied. "Two Second Gens, the Fervor and the Solemn Penance, fresh off the Scorpion Fleet Shipyards, we'll be arriving In-System in three Days, Parliament's calling bloody murder, Terrans better quit flexing their UCON Mallet or shit's going to get heavy, Give us twelve hours, we'll be there armed and ready to crack some heads." The Admiral hailed as the Commander nodded.

"Until you confirm In-System arrivel we have to follow Shaw Protocol." She said before she turned to leave her quarters, after reaching the CIC she entered her code into the Computron. "AI, Prepare for Shaw Protocol, when the clock reaches zero, engage combat maneuvers." She said before she opened a line to the Terrans.

"This is your final chance to release our vessel, you are illegally detaining an Aschen ship in a time of war, a ship that can be defending our home planet from the Belkans, release us, or we will be in a state of war, this is from Parliament, you have twelve hours to comply."

; Admiral Riley stood in front of a holographic display, looking at the cosmic map of the region with various anomalies sounding to faint alert beacons across the screen. Cursing under his breath slightly, the Admiral turned away and grabbed at a wireless transmitter; as he watched a hologram of the rest of Task Force Obsidian move out in a loose formation. Suddenly, alerts began singing across the bridge, bright lights twinkling across the display.
"Sonuvabitch ... You've gotta' be fucking me ... " He said, a cold chill coming down his spine as a single little icon flashed across the display. Riley's stomach churned.
"Get me a broad-com to all ships in the system. Aschen, Terran, everything with a pair of god damned ears." He ordered, having to shout over the alert as it was now sounding in a massive drone. As he watched the screen fade away, another replaced it to show the Terran and Aschen ships spread throughout the inner system of Sol.
"This is Admiral Riley, I need all of you to listen right the fuck up and lock down tight -- The Aschen need to take the shit caked between that pathetic excuse of a skull, stand by and arm all weapons for combat ... "

Turning away from the large view screen, several of the officers in the bridge turned to look at the Military Counselor curiously, before he stood in front of a battlemap with a pre-combat parameter display showing a trio of signatures stamped with a small Belkan icon beneath them.
"Terran Command, there is a Belkan strike group inbound to the system. They've caught the trail of blood and they're following it home -- I won't trust the Aschen to fight with a backbone if you're sticking a knife at their throat. I hate making the call but it is my professional suggestion to disengage this blockade and prepare for combat." He said, stepping away from the display as it flashed, and then another alert sounded.
"Prepare to defend yourselves, gentlemen."

The raiding group slipped quietly into the Terran system, almost undetectable, save if one were watching the far side of the body known to the locals as Jupiter. According to the star-charts they'd wrested from the Coalition it was the largest planet in the system, and the most logical place to jump in, should they require discretion.

And my, how it did come in handy.

The sharp edges of the single Klinge class battleship sliced through the upper layers of Jupiter's clouds, its eleven kilometer breadth visible like a naval vessel of old in the ochre seas. Hauntingly it sailed, assessing the details of the system and whether it was worthy of the group's attention, this being their next stop on a long road through the local sector. Given, the first and most logical step was to scan the world below for any hint of an Aboraz presence which was, thankfully, absent.

It seemed that there was more planet that was of more value than the others, if not denoted only by their developed infrastructure, and, after consulting the Coalition star-charts, they determined it to be the planet known as Terra, and it seemed to harbor, according to the data, Aschen. Imperial High Command would be informed of such.

The battleship's three five kilometer Klammer escorts took up a position of an inverted triangle about it, their position, in combination with the points of the Herald of Rienzi, forming a star of David. The Raubtier destroyers moving into a circular screen, its diameter reaching into hundreds of kilometers, forming a GARDIAN shield as the sensors of the Herald looked to the developing conflict. It seemed that a Coalition force was present, challenging an Aschen vessel. Curious. Imperial High Command would be fascinated with this. Perhaps their Scatterran cousins weren't so barbaric after all...

Captain Ashton Macduff was just pouring himself a particularly tall glass of scotch when Ranida radioed into the 'Diomedes'. Belkans...? That was impossible, wasn't it? The Belkans were a UCON problem... an enemy so distant and unmentioned in Terran life that they were as legendary as the boogey-man. Never in a million years did Captain Macduff anticipate seeing Belkan ships on his monitoring screen.

"It is my professional suggestion to disengage this blockade and prepare for combat."

Point taken.

"Battle stations, EVERYONE!" Macduff patched into the comm-link for every Terran Trireme and Seraphim in orbit, "unidentified warships, seven hundred million miles and closing fast off sector K6. I want every Trireme pulled into stand-by. I want our FIM's at full 54, our Capacitors operating at maximum. Have the Fiddle and Ride break blockade and prepare Railguns and DECs seperately. Bradley, how soon can 'Xerxes' Bane' pull into our sector?"

"ETA two minutes."

"Have that pike at full magnetosphere and ready for ramming. I want the full output of that fusion reactor put towards its ion stabilizers. Have the 'Redemption' start charging its EMS Compressor."

"Right away sir."

The admiral groped at his glass, taking several gulps of the mirky liquor before patching back into the Aschen hail. "Listen Commander, in case you didn't notice, the situation has just escalated far beyond a petty quarrel between our worlds. Whoever this new threat it, it gives indications of hostile intentions. The firepower of your Reverence could be of great help to us if things come to violence." Where the hell were those Council ships?

Alessia nodded and then she frowned. "I'm suspending the Shaw Protocol under executive directive, all hands prepare for Action stations." She ordered, and the AI Complied. "I am suspending the Shaw protocol and commencing Action Stations." She replied, and the Reverence II kicked on it's engines at a full burn and then it wiggled it's way out from under the ring.

"Engines are at full burn, our approach is one hour and counting, Belkan ships will be in MAC Range in thirty minutes." The AI Reported, and the Commander nodded. "Planck Packs are active in this sector, once we break Mars' orbit, we'll be able to use FTL, when we're free I want a tactical jump close to the Belkan formations, we'll pick them off one by one." She said, accelerating the ship forward as it broke from Terra's orbit.

"We're in Singularity range, I've locked the cannon onto the main vessel, calculated all gravity anomalies, I shall fire."

The Commander nodded. "Punch it."

The Reverence spearheaded out from the formations, closing the distance between the Belkans and itself.

"You Galmonging Belkan Curs, this is for the Combined Fleet!" The Commander screamed as an energy surge tore along the dorsal section of the ship.

"Forward Turbo-Disruptors online, I need them engaging those escorts while I tango with the lead ship." The Commander ordered.

"Commander, we'll be in range in fifteen minutes."

; Admiral Riley watch a holographic weapons relay, sighting two Chimaera anti-ship missiles launching from the silo base topped with a trio of 2.6mT MIRV warheads. As it sailed through space, the modified gravity-projectors set the missile in a high-velocity arc through the solar system. Racing through the empty expanse, the flight-time of minutes began counting down from a launch clock displayed at his side. In front of him, an audioprogram created a hardened uplink to the TNG Commanders.
"Put me through to the Prime Minister ... " As he requested the link, the Vice Admiral beside him clutched at the railing, shouting into a headset linked to the rest of Task Force Obsidia as the first squadron of ships made long-distance contact with the Belkan enemy.
"Christ, Riley, the Heg came out of god damn nowhere. What are they doing this far from the Garden?!"
"I don't know, but we'll kick them back down whatever god damn hole they've come from." He said, watching a loading screen in front of him.
"Prime Minister Cranford this is Admiral Riley of the Military Council; a Belkan force wasn't expected to make it this far through the galaxy for another year. We believed they would be focusing major priorities against the Coalition. When the Aschen retreated from the Razorbacks, they inadvertently gave Belkan pathfinding units now locations of interest."

"This is the Admiral Counselor to all allied units -- a Belkan scouting team is present in the system, assume that Hegemony reinforcements are nearby and ready to commence operations against Task Force Obsidian and the planet of Terra. We need to hit those Belkan ships, and knock them down before they can get the call out to the rest of the group. All ships, fix targets and ready ordinance for immediate deployment." He said, pointing to a hologram of the Aschen starship.

"This is the CNS Zietgar holding for long-range precision striking to the Aschen Reverence. Commander I need eyes up close on those Belkan ships,

; (C)
"Commander, I need eyes up close on those Belkan ships, you get me a firing solution right through their forehead and I'll overlook that gagglefuck planetside you called an arrest. How copy?" **

It seemed that their arrival stirred up more of a shock than they had anticipated, no doubt egged on by the efforts of the Coalition forces they had found upon entering the system. How baffling it was to see Scatterrans bending to the will of such creatures. Were one not in possession of a strong stomach, it might actually cause them to wretch. The captain of the Herald, a middle aged man by the name of Gunnar Seibold, still sat reclined in his seat, two fingers placed over his lips in though, braced by a thumb on his chin. So quick were these beasts to resort violence, it was obvious who the civilized party was in this encounter. High Command would be informed of their hostility, to be sure. Taking his fingers and motioning to one of his subordinates, Seibold gave the order for one of the Klammer cruisers to depart, and with a flash it was gone, returned to the body of their force in the Razorbacks.

The forces deployed in the Local System, as well as Terra, was now on the agenda of the Imperial Navy.

With a sigh, Seibold leaned forward in his seat, taking in the reports of initial engagement with the Coalition with a disinterested nod. The GARDIAN lasers of the Raubtier picket dealt easily with the stand-off munitions, the force remaining still for a moment as they assessed the situation. Now the Terrans, Aschen and Coalition mobilized against them.

And all they had to do was show up.

There lay only a couple of moments before the Belkan vessels jumped again, the raiding group now positioned on the far side of Pluto in only a matter of less than a second, the Byfröst drives served them well. It was, at this, that Seibold, with Klammer cruisers moving to flank their Klinge flagship, make a rather unprecedented decision. The Herald hailed the Coalition's own flagship, the captain's words echoing hauntingly,

"Hail, cousin."

That's racist, Az

Without getting shot out of the sky by Defenses, or vaporized by shields.

(Boo?)

Aiyanna powers her power tools.

Check?

The Detention cell of the Long Night of Solace sported your typical appearance of a brig. However this particular cell was altered to prevent the use of magical energies, with forcefields and electrically augmented walls to prevent brute force escapes, and a trinnium-alloy magic-inhibition collar would be snapped around Blackjack's neck, with a reinforced Trinnium chain that ran to a locked loop in the center of the room. The idle drone and buzz of forcefields was the only sound that adorned the room. And Blackjack would likely find his clothes to be that of a bright red jumpsuit. Trinnium binders bound his hands to a cord that ran to the collar, and a second cord that ran to ankle cuffs, which were looped around reinforced rope around the waiste. There would be enough slack on the cords to move the hands to eat and drink, but walking would be difficult.

There were forcefields, reinforced doors, and a special airlock system that kept the room sealed, with a two-chamber entry system to prevent escape, along with numerous failsafes. Ten armed soldiers in combat skins, and the Desk Warden.

The silence would swiftly be broken by the sound of boots on the metal floor, as a single individual in a suit was seen approaching the cell door.

Blackjack was sitting down in the cell, playing around with the bells on his uniform. Periodically he break the bells, exposing the balls bearings within the spherical structures. He had collected quite a large amount of the ball bearings and was now currently juggling them around in the air in as complex a pattern that he could manage with his chains constricting him. As the footsteps approached, he sighed and began to throw the ball bearings at the forcefield one at a time with no real reason. The only emotion he seemed to exibit was boredom at his curren situation. As the footsteps approached he began to whistle a tune known as Yankee Doodle.

Malcolm Barrett looked to the two armed guards flanking him on either side, then he slid a cardkey and the voice on the machine spoke. "Cleared, Malcolm Barrett, LDA." Silently the Agent stepped into the first security chamber as the first force-field disengaged.

It was then the two armed guards filtered in behind him and kept their weapons drawn and primed, it was then a reinforced plazen glass door slid open, and Barrett stepped forward, the door then closed behind him, and a hissing was heard before the door to Blackjack's cell opened up and the LDA Agent stepped inside.

"Mr. Blackjack, it's a pleasure to see you." He said, setting the files onto the metal slab that served as a sleeping platform.

Blackjack continued throwing the ball bearings, this time at the two guards. He didn't throw them hard enough to be threatening, just annoying. "I don't believe it's such a pleasure considering I'm currently locked up in chains within the bowels of a Rev 2. I've got to admit, you're thorough." He paused for a few moments, continuing to throw the ball bearings. "Do you want to know what the most chaotic environment is, right now? You'd think it might be war or maybe sports. However as I'm sure you're well aware, the most chaotic environment is inside a casino. Games of chance are so full of chaos you wouldn't believe. People betting their lives, their houses, their families in some of the worser places. All those dice throwing, balls spinning, cards dealing. It's about the farthest away from order you can get, even with the House rules. Though I'm sure such an esteemed individual such as yourself has never been to a casino."

Malcolm Barrett cleared his throat as he went through the file. "Chaos is an integral factor of life, but so is order, you cannot have chaos without order, and you cannot have order without chaos, but that is irrelevant, do you know why you are here, Mr. Blackjack?" He said, as he flipped through the dossier, turning one page after another.

"You're here because you're being charged with virtually every crime we have a law for." He said, flipping another page. "Why don't you tell me your side of the story?"

Blackjack sighed. "That's a common fallacy most people have actually. They assume that you can't have one without the other, that order must exist because chaos certainly does. But that is simply false. There are places where chaos reigns supreme, where any attempt to put order on the situation would result in failure. Still, as you say, it's irrelevant. What's also irrelevant is you questioning me, seeing as I know enough about your jumped up excuse for a legal system that I'd be convicted even if there wasn't massive evidence against me. Still, I suppose prison wouldn't be that bad of an experience. As for virtually every law, I don't believe I'm being charged with adultery or breaking and entering yet. although you might want to drop any treason charges seeing as I'm not a member of the Confederation. Oh, and call me Blakjack. Mister Blackjack was my father."

Malcolm Barrett continued to thumb through the file. "It was a metaphor, you're being charged with Terrorism, Crimes against Humanity, Murder, Espionage, Illegal entry, Weapons Trafficking, and Conspiracy to commit Terrorism." He said, listing off the charges. "You're considered by many authorities, not just by the Aschen, but the Coalition, the Taiyou.. to be the most dangerous individual alive. I want to know what stake did you have in the murder of one of our most esteemed agents?" He said as he turned to face Blackjack, looking up from the file. "Pumping her for information, what did you stand to gain?"