Setharum Legalis

8/8/2019 Setharum Legalis

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Setharum Legalis

Chapter One:

1459 HOURS MAY 22,2237[ALLIANCE MILITARY CALENDAR]

BRIDGE,UTECCRUISERRESOLUTE,INSIDE TERRA NOVA SHIPYARD/REPAIR STATION,SOL SYSTEMT-2 MONTHS TILL INVASION

As the bridge crew of theResolute went about their duties performing repairs and refitting new components, the

front bridge monitors showed a blond-haired woman in a light blue military uniform speaking into a transparent

headset microphone: This is Commander Charsi Diego reporting live aboard the UTEC Control Ship San

Taigas and this is the United Terran Network News. The Deep Space Fleet is in the process of departing LunasOleron Anchorage, en route for the Manufacturing Hub of Debola Prime. Apart of this taskforce, the UTEC

Interstellar Cargo Cruiser Sutherlandcontains critical components necessary to repair the Debolian Navigational

Relay. These components will return the outer ridge of the network to full functionality. The network was

disabled in a futile attack by the Freedom League against elements of the Ninth Fleet during the closing stages

of the Pirate Wars, rendering transport of supplies and aid to nearly five hundred million Terran citizens almost

impossible and cutting the Outer Rim off from the Inner Colonies. The round trip to Debola is normally eight

months; however, the fleets scheduled to be out of port for the better part of five years, resupplying loyalistoutposts and reinforcing the frontiers from possible Freedom League aggression. First Lord of the Admiralty,

Fleet Admiral William J OConnor, Commander-in-Chief of Alliance Space Forces aboard the Alliance

FlagshipAristotle, made this statement at a press conference earlier today

This was the third time the recording had been played, as it was on continual loop on one of the larger main

holographic display screens that comprised the front half of the bridge. The remaining screens displayed

technical readouts and communication uplinks with repair crews located throughout the rest of the ship, as well

as projecting the image directly in front of the large craft. While not as large as the mammoth Vindicator Class

Carriers or theAristotle, the largest vessel ever to be commissioned under the United Terran ExploratoryCommands banner, the Basilisk ClassResolute was still one of the most impressive-looking vessels moored

within the massive skeletal superstructure of the shipyard.

If anyone was paying attention to the recording it was not obvious. The fact that a significant bloc of the DeepSpace Fleet of the United Terran Exploratory Command was leaving port to transport supplies and equipment to

some of the United Terran Alliances fifteen colony systems was not news to them. The war had badly damaged

the infrastructure of nearly every single colony on the frontier of the Alliance during the bloody nine-year

conflict known as the Pirate Wars. Earth-led UTEC forces battled those rogue elements and isolationist groups

collectively known as the Confederation of Free Worlds over control of planetary systems and resources that the

Freedom League, as they were also called, decreed to be rightfully theirs. The Fleet was also tasked with

deploying occupation forces to those colonies that were ceded to the Alliance. This information meant little to

the crew, as theResolute was in port undergoing much-needed repairs and refit from damage she sustained

during the war and was not joining the fleet in either its humanitarian or military missions.

The image of the reporter that took up a portion of the screen was replaced by the image of a weathered, aging

Admiral addressing massed reporters from behind a podium embellished with the gold crest of the United

Terran Alliance: the stylised depiction of the planet Earth surrounded by fifteen stars in a ring, with the wordsUnited Terran Alliance, Office of Fleet Operations around it. From the ashes of the Old Order, we will

bring forth a new period of peace and prosperity to all Terran worlds. There are no illusions that this will happen

overnight. The next few years will be difficult and more blood may be shed in the interim, but Humanity will

grow and become stronger as a result. In time, we will be able to put this horrible war behind us. Those who

believe our way to not be the right way will see the light from our example and join us in creating a society of

all human races. Our path may be difficult, but our future is bright. The same was true at the Unification of our

great Alliance, concluded Fleet Admiral OConnorbefore the report repeated itself; however, his statement

was more for the benefit of the civilian media services that stood at the foot of the podium.

Captain Louis Augaard, theResolutes grizzly veteran Commanding Officer, was less optimistic, especially withthe notion of leaving the defence of the Home System to a handful of Comanche Class Destroyers and smaller

Aegean Class Frigates under the command of theResolute.


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Why send all the Dreadnoughts on a milk run, and leave picket ships holding the fort in case the Freedom

League decide to steamroll right over us, he muttered gruffly, his words thick with a French accent, causing

some nearby newly appointed junior officers and technicians to look up in surprise from the upgrades they wereperforming. They soon realised that the Captain was talking to himself and they returned to work, but not before

discreetly sharing concerned glances.

Historically, Captain, Dreadnoughts have had more of a morale and intimidatory impact in regions of political

instability than locked up securely in anchorages, remarked a female voice behind the captains chair. Augaardturned to face a black-haired woman in her mid-thirties with the three bars and chevron rank insignia of a naval

commander on the shoulders of her high-collared dark grey uniform jacket. The Commander stepped forwardwithout hesitation and stood by Augaards side; the muted glow of overhead lights glistened off the silver tips of

her collar, denoting her status as a telepathic Psi-Ops Officer, the eyes and ears of Alliance Intelligence; once at

his side she presented a report on the status of the upgrades.

It could be, sir, that Lord OConnor believes that such a mission requires his personal oversight. The Fleet

Admiral recognises your ability to command crucial sectors with minimal resources, especially in the event of

an outbreak of hostilities; that is probably why he assigned theResolute to command the home fleet, as a test of

your bureaucratic abilities. Commander Eloise Salisbury commented almost deadpan before standing at ease

beside the raised dais bearing the Captains command chair.

Louis looked at his executive officer oddly as if she had made a joke before dismissing the thought as soon as it

occurred. Commander Salisbury nevermade jokes, let alone laugh when someone else did; it was not in thenature of the often-reclusive officer. In the twelve years she had been his Executive Officer he hadnt even seenher smile.

XO, now would not be the time to start your career as a comedian, he remarked dryly, reading over the report

before looking up with a concerned expression. How the hell did this happen?

Commander Salisbury did not miss a beat: Number Two Reactor suffered complete core failure immediately

after it was installed, the cause of which is currently unknown to the engineering staff. Thankfully, all systemsthat would normally rely on this reactor were already on auxiliary station power so nothing has been directly

affected at this point. Engineer Kyshamoto has been working on it since 0215 hours and expects some results

within the next four hours.

I have every confidence that Aruku will find whats wrong, especially with most of the stations engineering

department at his disposal; inform him that if repair time is longer than his initial estimate, then he should

requisition another reactor, Louis ordered before signing off the report.

Captain, you have a transmission from the Flagship: Fleet Admiral OConnorhas requested your presence onTranquil Bay before he transfers his flag to theAristotle, reported the communications officer seated behind

him.

Augaard stood, fixed his tunic and turned to his XO, Commander, you have the bridge, inform the flight deck

controller to prepare a Transport for immediate departure.

Understood, Captain.

Louis made a brisk transit through his command preoccupied as to the reason for his summons; there could be

any one of a dozen reasons as to why the First Lord of the Admiralty would want to see him personally, of

which roughly half were positive. However, this in no way settled his thoughts, as the Fleet Admiral had a

history of inviting battle-hardened officers to meetings then reducing them to tears before coffee had beenserved.

Turning a corner, the captain entered the cavernous hangar bay that comprised a sizeable chunk of the

Resolutes habitable under section. It took only a moment before it registered that he had travelled the full lengthof theResolutes 375-metre long hull. Shaking his head, he approached the small Bumblebee-class shuttle,sitting alone away from two lines of military and cargo transport craft. The Bumblebee - aptly named for the

yellow hull and enlarged main fuselage beneath its tiny cockpit - was a cramped four-person vehicle utilisedthroughout the Alliance. Its mission profiles were various, from shuttling VIPs from ship to station, to

facilitating the transfer of personnel and supplies to and from outposts.

Captain, the shuttle is ready for departure to Tranquil Bay at your discretion, the crew chief reported while

cleaning grease and engine fluid off his hands with a rag attached to the back of his jumpsuit.

Understood, Chief, dont wait up, Louis replied before he climbed into the small access hatch and took a seatin the passenger compartment as the flight team ran pre-flight checks.

This is Romeo-Two-Niner to Tranquil Bay Control, confirming flight plan to deliver crew, plus one, to the

Luna surface, the pilot radioed their flight plan through to the military base that coordinated all transport

movements to and from the Moon. The reply from the control tower was inaudible as the small crafts


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thunderous engines strained to make lift-off. Once the craft cleared the gravity-well of theResolute, it rotated

one hundred and eighty degrees and descended smoothly to the pockmarked lunar surface.


LANDING PLATFORM,UTMCFORT TRANQUIL BAY,LUNA COPERNICUS CRATER,SOL SYSTEM

The large airlock doors to Fort Tranquil Bays expansivelanding platform cycled open, depositing a flight of sixstubby transport craft; their gunmetal hulls appeared to absorb the ambient light from the massive flood beacons

scattered throughout the platform, coating them in long shadows. These vehicles were modified versions of the

United Terran Marine Corps Peregrine Gunship, minus any form of signage or unit markings the heavy

workhorses would normally sport. It also appeared to have heavier armaments and thicker armour. Once theycleared the perimeter of the airlock, they each manoeuvred independently on multidirectional-vectored thrust

engines, setting down onto designated landing pads. The Bumblebee shuttle pod entered the Landing Platforms

pressurised bubble behind the Peregrines and quickly headed away from the heavy transports.

Once the craft was settled on an empty landing pad and its access hatch was popped open, Louis stepped out

onto the grilled deckplates. Quickly clearing the pad, he straightened his uniform and took in the scale of the

operation. Peering over the edge of the landing platform he could see a near bottomless drop, which, Louis

mused, housed the Forts actual hangar bays deep within the lunar crust.

Pressurised oxygen vented from exhaust ports throughout the platform as the Peregrines adjusted to the transferfrom the vacuum of space to the variable gravity of the military base, causing the room to be a cacophony of

sound as it echoed off rocky walls. Louis climbed up one of the many transit gantries that connected the

freestanding landing platforms to the rest of the base, quickly noticing the large numbers of soldiers dressed in

industrial-world urban camouflage-uniforms moving to and from the newly arrived craft that took up the bulk of

the landing field. Most were shuttling cargo crates and lockers from the transports to locations deeper within the

facility; the remainder were at work detaching vehicles from under-tail racks. Around them, base personnel

worked on smaller transports or refitted a number of the unused landing pads. Despite their upgrades, the

technicians appeared to be trying hard to ignore the newcomers, even though their presence did cause murmursto spread.

Louis immediately dismissed these soldiers as genuine marines, as no career soldier wore a uniform that clean,

nor did they fly around in unregistered, modified Peregrines, especially not while wearing urban camouflage

when travelling to a lunar environment. Fortunately, Louis had been serving in the Alliance long enough tofigure out what was going on. There was only one situation when this might occur, the covert transfer of an elite

unit of the Office of Special Operations, as the marines scattered throughout the landing platform wore a

combination of navy blue and drab olive base uniforms or dappled white and grey lunar camouflage fatigues.

Louis pondered why one of these elite combat units was in the Sol Sector to begin with. He shook his head as he

passed a pair of these imitation Marines removing a weapons locker from a nearby stack, and noticed that the

left shoulders of their jackets, usually adorned with their unit insignia, were blank. Judging by the frayed

stitching in its place, it had been forcibly removed. Considering the pride associated with a units insignia these

soldiers were obviously not content in assuming the identity of another unit.

Louis could not remember the last time a unit from the Office of Special Operations was deployed to the Home

system; he speculated that it was quite possibly before the formation of the Alliance, some three hundred years

ago. There was a time when the home system was not known for its stability, he mused, probably before it was

referred to as the Office of Special Operations. He quelled any concerns he might have had about having an elite

combat operations unit stationed near Earth, and hoped that his meeting with Admiral OConnor would provideanswers to his ever-growing list of questions.

As the captain reached the lip of the landing platform, a junior naval officer fell into step beside him amidst the

ever-flowing lines of soldiers. Captain, Im Lieutenant Bridges of the Fleet Admirals staff; sir, if you will

follow me, the Fleet Admiral is currently in the Command Centre. We should hurry, as Lord OConnor departsfor theAristotle within the hour. The young officer motioned for the captain to follow him to a waiting vehicle,

the vehicles radio was broadcasting the local news-net stating the recap of the previous hours stories.

.This disappearance marks the ninth craft to go missing in the Expanse in the last five years. Alliance Fleet

Command states that it is too early to speculate on its fate, but they have suspended all travel into the region of

the stellar phenomena until a proper investigation can be mounted

Terrible thing to happen to them, to just go missing like that, the lieutenant mentioned offhand as the staff car

made its way through the expansive facility passing marines performing daily calisthenics and drill onartificially created parade grounds.


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Augaard nodded absently; while the safety record for UTEC vessels was exemplary, there were simply celestial

objects out in the deep reaches of space that existed, as far as he was aware, to spoil a ships day.

Several minutes later, the vehicle pulled up alongside the base command centre and the Lieutenant led Louisinto a secure meeting room.

Inside the room, the captain noticed a sea of gold and silver as six military officers, two Admirals of various

grades, two Colonels - one from the United Terran Marine Corps, the other wearing the black buckled uniformof a UTSpecOps Legionnaire - and a red-and-black-uniformed woman from Alliance Intelligence, stood or sat at

one end of a rectangular desk opposite him. Among them was Fleet Admiral First Lord William J OConnor,who turned from the conversation he was having with one of the other Admirals, noticing Louis. His weathered

features clearly displayed a lifetime of service to the Alliance, as the rows of medals that adorned his white

jacket testified.

Captain, I am glad you could make it; I hoped to have a little chat with you before I took the fleet out into the

black, OConnor remarked before taking his place at the head of the long table. The other officers followed

suit, leaving a seat at the end of the table free, in which the now nervous captain carefully sat. On the tablespolished mahogany surface was a clear datapad with Top Secret embossed on its opaque cover.

Louis scanned the room, recognising a number of the officers present based on their service medals alone,

before returning his gaze to the Fleet Admiral. Thank you, sir, for this opportunity, he managed to say.

OConnor nodded warmly at the Captains apparent nervousness, and gestured to the officers seated around him .

To my left is Rear Admiral Christopher Jenkins, Head of Operations for the Inner Colonies; Vice AdmiralVladimir Terchenko, Head of Fleet Security; to my right, Colonel Jayant Foteda, Post Commander of Fort

Tranquil Bay; beside him is Colonel Julian Stevens, UTSpecOps. The officer seated closest to you is Adjutant

Commander Alexis Rainwright from Fleet Intelligence Command.

Louis silently acknowledged each of them in turn as they were introduced before Vice Admiral Terchenko

cleared his throat. Captain, we have all heard your reservations about leaving Earth under-defended, and that

the Freedom League is waiting for the Deep Space Fleet to embark on this frontier excursion to launch attacksagainst the Capital. While your concerns have been taken into account by the Joint Chiefs; Psi-OpsCom and

FleetIntel operatives tell a different story and can back up their findings. The Freedom League has been crippled

beyond the chance to be anything more than a simple nuisance to fringe Alliance colonies, and they dont have

any bases in the Core to pose any significant tactical threat to Earth.

Fleet Admiral OConnor nodded approvingly before he started speaking, There is no illusion that this situation

is ideal; in order to form this taskforce we had to strip a number of fleets responsible for protecting the mid andinner Colonies of critical resources. However, we are getting daily reports from the Outer Colonies of piracy,

and continued hostilities from units of the Freedom League who refuse to acknowledge the terms of the

surrender. We need to show the Independent Colonies that we do not appreciate piracy, and threats to Alliance

security will be dealt with severely. This is how we are going to reinforce morale and keep the frontiers on our

side.Louis nodded absently as he looked over the datapad; glancing up he cocked an eyebrow at the Fleet Admiral. I

understand, sir; at this point so soon after war, we need to look to security, but what of the Inner Colonies?

Having so many of our anchorages undermanned will make internal security very difficult.

It was the Adjutant Commanders turn to speak. Aside from the occasional transport violation or freight issue,

internal security shouldnt be a problem for you. Our FleetIntCom and PsiOps assets in the region support theestablished notion that the Inner Colonies have always been too loyal to the Alliance to support secessionists

and terrorism. There has not been a reported case of piracy since in my lifetime. However, Captain, if you are

correct and the Freedom League has developed a way to fool our operatives and have wormed their operativesdeeper into the Alliance than we are aware, High Command has granted you complete control of all Orbital

Defence Installations and planetary garrisons in the Sol Sector. While you will still be required to go through

High Command, if you wish major asset transfers you will have free reign to coordinate tactical strategy withinthe Sector.

Rear Admiral Jenkins leant forward at his end of the table, picking up the datapad that sat in front of him.

Captain, it is not going to be easy; the fleet will be out of effective response range for the next two years. The

bulk of the Alliance will be on its own during that time. Fleet Commanders throughout the Inner and Middle

Colonies may need assistance as not every system is as stable as the Home System, and while they will provideany assistance you may require they also expect the same commitment.

I understand, sir, and thankyou again for this honour, sir, Louis remarked nervously, I can think of at least

five other command officers in the fleet that are more than capable for this task, if not more deserving. He was

still not entirely sure why he was being left in charge of the most prestigious piece of real estate in the knowngalaxy with little more than a picket fence in the way of would-be invaders.


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with any crisis, any situation, military or civilian, in the multitude of environments on which UTA and non-

aligned human colonies operated.

At the lip of the pressurised landing platform, Major Travis Winters, theLegionsexecutive officer, stood

overseeing the transfer of men and equipment from their outbound Command Ship, high in orbit of the satellite,

hidden from public view by gantry cranes and cargo haulers of the orbital station. The major was a typical

officer in appearance: experienced, supremely fit, confident. He was marked by a shrapnel wound down the left-hand side of his face, the result of a Freedom League grenade that had destroyed his helmets combat visor

during the closing stages of the war.

Around him, troopers were hurrying about in orchestrated chaos, busily transferring crates and lockers from the

unloading Peregrines to storage racks located in warehouses deep within the massive base. Beside the major

stood Master Sergeant Miguel Chavez, theLegions senior NCO, assisting him with the transfer.

Sir, Platform 25 reports that there will be a slight delay with our heavy load transfer. It seems that Lima Two-

Nineteen is experiencing mechanical failure with its magnetic couplings. Tech crews are attempting to remove

the attached Phantom manually, but it is proving a problem to unload the palettes located within its cargo hold.

Estimates are tabbed to be at least half an hour before normal operations can resume, MSgt Chavez reported,referring to the Alliances small reconnaissance and support trucks. Complicating matters is the fact that the

vehicle garage is also overflowing, with the repair crews using that space for storage while they complete

upgrades.The Phantom reconnaissance vehicles were nimble craft, with a capacity for a fully equipped squad of soldiers

plus any materiel they needed for their operation. Their oversized wheels were perfect for almost any terrain,

and their low profile meant they could go practically anywhere and do so virtually undetected. Their defensive

armament was a .57 calibre chaingun on a powered turretbehind the drivers compartment along with composite

ballistic armour plating.

Travis shook his head in disbelief before tugging at the collar of the ill-fitting urban camouflage uniform he was

ordered to wear, wishing that he were wearing the form-fitting, black service uniform that was more of a second

skin to the elite Legion troopers. What is it about technicians that they always decide that force rotations are a

perfect time for system upgrades? For the time being, instruct crew chiefs to park the Phantoms in Grid 3-51,

alongside the parade ground. As for Lima Two-Nineteen we need to figure an alternative, although Im partial to

simply taking a crowbar to the damn thing, he remarked, checking the list ofLegionnaires on the blue semi-

transparent Heads up display screen that partially covered his right eye, and marking off those who had alreadyarrived. He was disconcerted that Colonel Stevens had not returned from the brief meeting he had been called

away to almost as soon as he landed. He ran his retina-tracking reticule over the radar sphere and a single green

friendly officer blip appeared at the far corner, almost as if he had wished it there. This blips appearance on

the radar sphere caused the small device to connect to the owners neural chip, determining their name, rank and

serial number.

Major, if we are going to have to resort to crowbars, I would hope that we would have exhausted all other

options before then, a familiar voice remarked pointedly from behind the pair. At that point, the blips ID tagbecame visible on a clear panel below the HUDs inactive ammunition counter [Col. Julian Stevens].

Understood, sir, Travis replied before saluting the colonel. Master Sergeant, notify base stores, as well as the

Landing Tower; lets see if we can get the techies to stow their equipment elsewhere so we can park our trucksin the garage.

Aye, sir, Miguel replied before saluting and exiting the bay, heading towards Tranquil Bays Logistics office.

Hows our transfer coming, Major? Colonel Julian Stevens asked, before handing his duty case over to asubordinate trooper. Like his fellowLegionnaires, he was now wearing the same urban camouflage, having

changed out of hisLegion uniform soon after leaving the briefing.

Smoothly, sir, Bravo and Charlie Companies are boots on dirt, and Alpha is currently unloading ourPeregrines. Our techs and support crews are still being transported down. Because of the delay caused by the

Phantoms, we are slightly behind schedule. The Cairo ships out to Titan for Service Life Extension in little

under an hour and we still have over two hundred people aboard, Travis reported, using his HUDs retina

tracking ability to access the compiled report from the already large number of lists he had cascaded across one

portion of the screen.

Well get it done, Major, just make sure everyone has their equipment; the last thing we need is what happenedon the Saratoga occurring again, Julian replied sourly, before unzipping his BDU jacket and letting it hang

loosely at his sides.

Another blip appeared on the Majors HUD as another officer entered behind him. The small device accessedthe Tranquil Baysmain computer and identified the individual in question. Travis noticed that while the ID tag


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possessed the gold labelling of a Flag Officer, the officer attached to it was wearing the uniform of a naval

captain. The major shrugged. It seems that we have a visitor, he commented before motioning over his

shoulder, Friend of yours?

Passing through, Admiral? Or is this an official visit? Julian asked turning and nodding in greeting to the

Admiral whose company he parted soon after leaving the command centre.

Just seeing how your move is progressing, Colonel, before I return to theResolute, Louis replied, crossing the

bay to join the two officers.To schedule, thankfully; due to that media frenzy above us, weve been able to slink in through the shadows.

As far as we can tell, no one knows we are here, though these costumes they make us wear whenever we dothis are becoming ridiculous, Julian remarked as the Rear Admiral approached a nearby weapons locker and

inspected its contents.

Excellent to hear, Colonel, the last thing we need to worry about is the media getting angsty about having your

men sulking about watching Parliaments every move, especially with so much of the fleet out in the

backwater, Louis remarked. One of theLegionnaires opened a weapons crate nearby, and withdrew an AR-91

Legion Assault rifle so he could inspect it closer. Yes, very impressive. Colonel, is there anything else yourequire?

The three weeks R&R on Titan Colony I was promised, Julian remarked candidly. Not really, there isnt

anything we require that isnt being shipped aboard. Id made arrangements with Colonel Foteda before you

arrived at the meeting.

Perfect, Colonel, if there is anything you do require, let me know, Louis replied before a nearby loudspeakerchimed.

Admiral Augaard, your transport is ready, blared over the bases loudspeakers.

Louis raised an eyebrow before approaching a nearby wall mount and depressing the mic button. This is

Admiral Augaard; patch me through to theResolute, berthed inside Terra Nova.

Admiral? Sir, I take it that your meeting was beneficial; also, sir, the fleet is about to enter Rift Space,Commander Salisbury reported aboard the Resolute.

Understood, Commander, Im departing here momentarily, Augaard out, Louis replied, releasing the button to

end the transmission before turning to the Colonel and his executive officer. Colonel, Major, I bid you good

day. Id welcome you aboard but there is a chance that the media will start watching me, and it would raise too

many questions.

Julian nodded. Understood, Rear Admiral, no doubt our paths will cross again before our rotation here is

through.Well, in that case, gentlemen, I bid you adieu, Admiral Augaard replied, before heading towards his waiting

Bumblebee. The twoLegionofficerssnapped to attention before tilting their heads in farewell, then returnedtheir attention to the transfer.


HANGAR BAY,UTECCRUISERRESOLUTE,INSIDE TERRA NOVA SHIPYARD/REPAIR STATION,SOL SYSTEM

Louis climbed out of the Bumblebee as soon as its small access hatch had been opened. Stopping just outside

the yellow-outlined hazard zone that surrounded the still-powering-down transport, he saluted the Deck Officer

and Commander Salisbury, who stood beside her.

Welcome aboard, sir, the ship is yours, Eloise remarked before returning the salute.

In that case, I relieve you, Commander.

Eloise clasped her hands behind her back. I stand relieved.

Louis smirked at the old protocol, one that was slowly being removed from service and was generally only used

on formal occasions. Straightening his jacket, he headed for the nearest transit tube with the Commander on his

heels.

Report, Commander,he asked as the lift cars doors opened in front of the two.

Firstly, congratulations, sir; the Fleet Quartermaster is sending you your correct uniform, which should be here

within the next day or so. Aside from that, the Cruiser Flotilla has departed for Debola and the rest of the Deep

Space Fleet has not yet entered the Flight Range; they appear to be making final flight preparations. There is a

component of the fleet in port undergoing repair and refit, and the 63rd

Taskforce is out on exercise near the

Serion Fleet Base, she responded before depressing a control stud, Main Bridge.

How is that that reactor going, XO? Louis asked, turning to face her as the lift car made its way quickly

through alternating portions of gravity and zero-G.

Number Two Reactor has sustained total core failure. It would appear that the technicians unknowingly

destroyed one or more of the distribution nodes when they installed it. There has already been a requisition form


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for a new reactor dispatched to Supply, along with an official reprimand to the technicians who installed the

reactor, Eloise reported. The lift slowed as it approached the bridge.

When is the new reactor scheduled to arrive? Louis asked once the doors opened. Stepping onto his bridge, hetook the cup of coffee handed to him by the aide who seemed to be waiting for him. Due to proximity to Earth,

this was real coffee, not the simulated goo that was normally supplied to Alliance craft.

Due to orders direct from Lord O'Connor to have the Sol Flagship battle-ready, the Quartermasters Office will

have a Type Seven Reactor unloaded and installed within the next two weeks, Eloise reported.Excellent news, we may yet be able to join the rest of the fleet for live trials at the end of the month, Louis

remarked before his communications officer turned from his post.

Sir, Im receiving transmissions from the Deep Space Fleet; the Carriers are entering the Rift. His statement

caused the bridge staff to look in his direction.

Seeing a Carrier Task group Rift Jump is always an interesting spectacle, Louis said, before leaning against

the guide rail that ringed the interior of the Bridge.

The after-effects of the Cruisers entering Rift Space caused the Luna Gravity Well to distort, sending a spiral of

red, blue, green and magenta outward from the pole in massive spirals. The normal effects of a single Basilisk

Class Cruisers 375-metre size would last around fifteen seconds, but the effect of one hundred and fifteen

Cruisers entering simultaneously caused the light show to last for several minutes. While it was possible for the

entire fleet to Rift Jump at the one time and was the standard operational procedure, to arrive in the thick of

battle as one Battlegroup, this trip was staggered more for its propaganda than its tactical value.


BRIDGE,UTECCARRIERBELEPHERON,LUNA FLIGHT RANGE,SOL SYSTEM

Captain Horatio Braggins stood next to his Command chair, unlit corn pipe resting in the palm of his hand, as

his Command crew went about the bridge performing their duties.

Compared to the bridge of the smaller Basilisk Cruiser; the bridge of the Vindicator Carrier, was easily twice the

size, taking up a bulk of the tower that extended from the very top of the craft.

Helm, take us to the Flight Range, speed one third, Commander Kyle Anthradge ordered from his position

between the twin Flight Control consoles at the front of the room. Before them hung the massive Holovid screen

that displayed the area of space just above the Luna Northern Pole directly in front of the craft, which was stillovercome by the effects of the Cruisers entering the Rift. At times, the gravity ripples would strike the

Belepheron, causing the massive ship to shudder slightly.Aye, sir, speed reading one third, compensating for gravity disturbance, ETA three minutes, reported the chief

flight control officer from the left console.

Mr Henderson, activate the Rift Generators, commence feed from gravity well, Commander Anthradge

ordered. Standing opposite his Captain with one hand on the armrest of the Command Chair, he noted his

commanding officers unease, but then that could have been anyone on the Bridge.

Aye, sir. Collectors at 25%, we will be at sufficient power to jump in seven minutes, Engineer First Class

Joseph Henderson reported from his post at the rear of the bridge.

Has the Battlegroup reported its readiness? Horatio enquired, before signing off a situation report and handingit to his bosuns mate for transmittal to theAristotle.

Affirmative, sir.

Bridge to all decks, prepare for Rift launch, secure all external antennas and hatches, Horatio ordered before

leaning on an armrest. He didnt need to be a telepath to tell that the crew was uneasy; it was expected, as the

Rift Jump technology, while the backbone of the UTEC Exploration, it wasnt always known for its safetyrecord; ships could end up in two separate locations, at times, ships had be known to simply disappear.

Almost as one mammoth body, the twelve Vindicator Class Carriers used powerful Hylieon thrusters to move

their massive 675-metre-long frames into a tight wedge formation above Lunas Northern Pole and activated

their Rift Generators.

Light emanated from their large parallel engine booms, reaching to their wide blunt noses, causing them to glow

iridescently.

Captain, the Battlegroup signals they are in position, Rift Generation at 100%, Henderson reported before

placing his hand against his earpiece. The task group reads as ready, sir.

Prepare to relay triangulation coordinates to the rest of the Battlegroup. Helm, plot a course to Debola Prime,

Horatio ordered, biting down hard on the end of his pipe, taking his seat and locking it in place. This was the

most dangerous part of the process, under normal circumstances, the Battlegroup would have received up to the


9/24

second navigational telemetry to ensure a safe transit; however with the Navigational Relay damaged, a bulk of

the work had to be done by guess work to prevent the Battlegroup from exiting into a star or other stellar mass.

Captain, all compartments read ready, sir, engineering reports greens all cross the board, ready to commence

Rift Jump at your word, the System Operations Officer reported from his station on the sublevel of the Bridge.

Prepare to channel Grav-energy from collection tanks to the focusing array, Braggins ordered, chewing the

end of his pipe rather hard, as this was the most dangerous part of the jump.Aye, sir, commencing Grav-feed, Henderson reported while inputting commands into his console.

The lead Carrier - theBelepheron - channelled the energy it had generated to her massive focusing array, which

projected it in front of them to the centre of the Cruisers entry point. Initially the point was small, but it slowly

grew in size until it was large enough to accommodate the Carrier, similar points appeared nearby, as the other

carriers performed the same operation.

Captain, the Rift is at maximum capacity, reported Engineer Henderson from his post.Helm, you may proceed when ready, Horatio ordered before locking his chair in place.

Aye, sir.

As one body, the Vindicator Carriers fired a powerful burst from their thrusters, propelling them into what

appeared to be a single swirling vortex of light and colour. In an instant they were gone, leaving behind a lightdisplay as their massive forms used the moons gravity well to propel them at three times the speed of light

through a small rift in the fabric of space.


BRIDGE,UTECCRUISER RESOLUTE,INSIDE TERRA NOVA SHIPYARD/REPAIR STATION,SOL SYSTEM

Despite the day-to-day usage of the Rift Drive, the crew stood awed at the spectacle that played out in front of

them; it was rare to have a Rift Jump so drawn out. Louis resumed stroking his beard as he leant against a

guardrail. Although he had seen plenty of Rift-Jumps in his forty-five-year career, he was impressed at the scopeof the venture.

Commander Salisbury, leant against the opposite railing and shook her head at some of the newer members of

the crew sitting at their posts, with mouths agape, I can see why the media creates such a circus whenever theyoccur, she commented.

The only thing the Rift System is, is an extremely dangerous form of transportation; all this prolonged activity

will render transport between Earth and Luna impossible for about a month, Louis replied,

A number of the newer bridge crew shared concerned looks between each other, especially with a Psi-Ops

Officer, one of the eyes and ears of the UTEC High Command, standing opposite the admiral; deciding to make

no comment on it, they quietly returned to their duties.

For several minutes, the bridge was devoid of conversation barring what was required for the running of the ship

until the silence was broken. Rear Admiral, Luna Command reports that theAristotle has slipped her moorings

and is about to enter the Flight Range, Warrant Officer Gregory Saunders reported from his communications

console.

This should be interesting, theAristotlehasnt ever jumped without a relay marker, Louis commented, resting

a boot upon the dividing step, and taking a sip of his coffee.


BRIDGE,UTECFLAGSHIPARISTOTLE,LUNA FLIGHT RANGE,SOL SYSTEM

The twin-level command deck of the jewel of the UTEC crown, the Liberty Class FlagshipAristotle was a mass

of activity as officers of various ranks rushed about bearing status reports on theAristotle. Reporting the status

of the last transmitted reports on the rest of the fleet before they entered the Rift, and the status of the Flight

Range orbiting one of Debola Primes three moons.

Fleet Captain Chenoa Webster stepped out from her annexe office and onto the lower level of the command

deck clutching a series of reports in her small, gloved hands.

Mr Miller, are we underway? Chenoa asked, taking the command chair from her executive officer.


10/24

Yes, maam, weve disconnected from Olerons auxiliary generators and are under mains power. We will be

entering the Flight Range in five minutes, her executive officer, Commander Anthony Miller, reported,

walking over to check the readouts from the System Operations Monitor.

Excellent, what is the status of the Rift Drive? Chenoa queried, tapping her armrest console to upload the

contents of the report disks that she was cradling in her lap to the main computer.

Still in standby mode, maam. We will need to be within one hundred kilometres of the Gravity Well before we

can commence energy feed, Chief Engineer Benjamin Von-Gallus reported from the engineers console,situated just before the second level of the command section.

Chenoa nodded slightly, before resting her chin on an open palm. Understood. Once we are in position,

commence gravity feed.

Aye, maam.

Comms, contact Luna Observation Posts, notify them of our progress. Whats the ETA for our meeting with

the tenders?

The Fleet Tenders will be in place to guide us to the Departure Point in twenty seconds; from then on, well be

under their control, reported the Chief Flight Control officer, standing behind the twin helm stations in asunken well below the lower command deck.

Perfect, thats one thing we have to worry about. Put the Tenders on the main screen, Chenoa ordered as aseries of heavy thuds could be heard as the Tenders latched onto evenly spaced sections of the hull by way of

magnetic clamps in order to effectively manipulate the flagships course.

The small four-person Fleet Tender craft buzzed around the mammoth 1250-metre long hull that was the

Aristotle like worker bees tending to their queen, cradling her if she was a newborn as they guided her carefully

to the very centre of the Flight Range, aiming her angled nose towards the Departure Point. Their destination

was still under the effects of the carriers departure. While theAristotle was powerful and manoeuvrable for her

size, pinpoint actions required the assistance of more agile and responsive craft to guide her.

Captain, we are ready to begin to bring the Rift Drive online, Von-Gallus reported, inputting a series of

commands into his console.

At your discretion, Lieutenant, I am not about to make any mistakes, Chenoa ordered, leaning forward in her

chair.

Understood, Captain. Bringing primary coolant tanks online, preparing to bring reactors six and seven online.

Engineering, prepare to shunt drive plasma to the Rift Drive from the fusion generators. Bringing Grav-

Accelerators to full power. Well have enough power to jump in six minutes, Von-Gallus communicated to hisstaff deep in the recesses of the flagship.

Understood, notify all decks: secure all external hatches and antennas, lock all weapon emplacements into

standby position and secure all ordinance. We are going to do this by the book, Chenoa commented before her

bosuns mate approached to collect the reports she carried to deliver them to their specific destinations.

TheAristotles four massive engine pods, each the size of a frigate glowed bright red, as the gravimetric energy

flowed through them, arcing out from Lunas Northern Pole, into collection tanks deep within her hull. Due tothe size of theAristotle, it wasnt practical, or environmentally safe, for it to use the conventional Rift Drive

found on the Basilisk or the Vindicator, simply because the power collection requirements would tear any

planetoid it collected from to pieces. In order to combat this, theAristotle utilised a modified version of thesystem often utilised to send Rift Probes, while still referred to as the Rift Drive, instead of creating a tear in

space bridging the two regions together, it created a wormhole-like vortex, bridging theAristotles location, and

its destination, via a corridor in subspace.

Maam, Collectors are at full capacity, Von-Gallus reported as the command deck lighting darkened as power

was diverted to more critical systems.Aristotle, this isthe UTNS Santa Monica, weve been monitoring your progress, give the word and well cut

you loose, reported over theAristotles speakers.

Fleet Admiral, we are ready to depart, any final orders? Chenoa asked before turning to face the Fleet

Admiral, who stood in front of the large open observation level that separated the main command deck from the

wardroom, which took the entire upper level.

Fleet Admiral OConnor placed a hand on the guardrail, and retrieved the glass that sat on a small pedestalnearby.

You have a go, Captain, take us into the Rift, the Fleet Admiral ordered, before bringing the glass to his lips,and downing a portion of its clear contents.


11/24

Santa Monica,this is theAristotle,detach as soon as possible, were about to enter the Rift, so get the hell outof here, we dont know how your little ships will fare from the shockwave, Chenoa ordered, before locking her

chair into place. Helm, take us in.

Aye, maam.

The front portions of theAristotles engine pods started to glow electric blue, before all four points fired a

steady stream of neutrinos and anti-protons into four precisely targeted coordinates. Each of these four pointsmarked the outline for which the Rift portal would be created. Once these four points were secure, a fifth beam,

emitted from the crafts large navigational deflector fired a single pulse towards the very centre of the four otherpoints. Once the pulse had reached its programmed distance from the ship, it exploded.

Initially it appeared to have failed, as nothing happened, before, seconds later the area of space between the four

points appeared to tear itself in two, and erupt in a giant swirl of colours. For a split second, theAristotle hung in

space, before her massive thruster banks roared to life and propelled her into the small wormhole, which closed

in on itself as soon as it entered.


BRIDGE,UTECCRUISER RESOLUTE,INSIDE TERRA NOVA SHIPYARD/REPAIR STATION,SOL SYSTEM

The entire bridge crew stood, or sat in silent awe at what they had witnessed, before one after another theyreturned to their duties, each bearing embarrassed expressions as they realized that those around them had

already done so, as they still gazed at the dissipating gravimetric residue.

Rear Admiral Augaard stood next to his command chair in amazement; nothing in his forty-five year career hadprepared him for what he had just witnessed. Running a hand over his face, he returned to his normal state,

Wellthat was interesting, Rear Admiral Augaard remarked before closing his open mouth and fixing his

jacket, Okay people, back to workwhy in the blue hell are you all still standing about lollygagging for? You

all have things to do.

Chapter Two:

TWELFTH AGE OF THE REIGN OF THE GREAT MISTRESS,GREAT HALL OF THE DARK ONES,SUPREME COMMAND SPIRE,

KALONARDRA, EXACT COORDINATES UNKNOWN

Naira Seville, the self-proclaimed Queen of the Night, Mistress of Destruction, ruler of the Kalon Swarm,reclined atop her throne, residing for the most part, in darkness, her throne constructed from the dismembered

limbs and skeletons of those who have fallen before the might of her warriors, the still slick surfaces glistened inthe flickering light of hanging flame torches. Her clawed hands clasped together in delight as her loyalest

followers updated her on their progress of the Great Cleansing.

Her six principal Swarm Masters stood before her with their accompanying Lysarian guards. Lysarians, great

hulking brutes of muscle and spines, but possessing the comparable intelligence of a stump. To make up for

their lack of judgement they possessed zealot-like genetically imprinted loyalty to their Masters over all others.

They had their bodies augmented to give them unrivalled strength, and a series of spikes running from the tops

of their shoulders to the tips of their short, serrated tails. The Swarm Masters themselves were massive seven-

foot creatures, with great heads lined with rows of dark razor-sharp teeth, their backs and shoulders covered in

rows of sinister-looking spikes from their neck to their tail. Situated on their shoulders was a set of smaller arms,

which at their tip were scythe-like claws. Their eyes were dark, heavyset, and blood red.

My Queen, the Lythar are on the run, my minions have wrought great destruction upon the Wretched Ones;

their outer colonies lie in flaming ruin, and their fleet in disarray. I must ask why the Greater Swarm has been

recalled to the Homeworld, remarked the largest and oldest of the Swarm Masters, the fact that he referred to

the hereditary enemy of the Swarm by name, clearly showed his frustration.

The reason is simple, My Dear KriTora, it is because I have decreed it, which should be enough reason for you.

I have discovered something rather alarming within our space. A small primitive craft invaded our domain, it

did not stand long and it was destroyed; it is not the ship that concerned me, but what it carried. Now, my

children, tell me what you see?] Naira replied before raising a clawed hand as a twisted series of tentacles

descended from the recesses of the high vaulted ceiling. They carried a large piece of dark grey hull armour,

with an emblem laser etched on one side, and painted in white. The tentacles dropped the hull plating on the

spongy ground and returned to the recesses.The Swarm Masters walked around the large hull fragment telepathically conferring between themselves before

they assumed their original positions at the foot of their Queens throne.


12/24

[It is a hull fragment from a small vessel, non-Lythar in origin; it is also a compound non-indigenous to our area

of domain.] Swarm Master LoqToza offered as he ran a scraping of the material around in his claws, sniffing it

tentatively.[It bears markings, arboreal-type planetoid surrounded by fifteen additional stellar objects; this like the

metalloid is not one that we have encountered before. Mistress, what does it mean?] Swarm Master JakMoraz

suggested, shaking his head slowly.

KriTora shook his head as if dismissing something before turning his back on the rest of the Swarm Masters;turning to look directly at his ruler, [My Queen, were any of the crafts inhabitants taken alive?] he queried

before grabbing a small unidentified creature from a pouch on his waist and devouring it whole, purposelymaking loud crunching noises.

[As a whole, it would seem that the species is weak and insignificant; however, those we captured proved

entertaining.] Naira replied, looking over her shoulder to a section of wall that fell away forming a doorway; in

its place stood a pair of Lysarian Guards. Once the doorway had completely formed they entered the Great Hall,

by the time they had reached the central dais, the wall had reformed.

The brutish forms of two towering sentinels quickly filled this opening, pushing a small creature into the Great

Hall before them. Between the two stood a pitiful-looking creature, its small weak pink body appeared comical

when put beside its demonic handlers. At one point prior to its capture, this creature wore a grey jumpsuit, but

was nothing but a mass of shredded strips of fabric.

The creature tried to escape but was felled due to a sharp snap of the heavy chains attached to its puny neck.Its presence caused many of the Swarm Masters to shake their heads disbelievingly; how could something so

pitifully small and physically inferior pose the great Kalon Swarm a threat?

Please, this is all unnecessary. I assure you, I am Captain Nathaniel Goldstrom of the United Terran Alliance;

we are here on a mission of peace, were explorers. We only seek peaceful coexistence, the form called out,

trying to free itself from the grasp of its handlers, but failing miserably.[It is a physically inferior species, lacking any natural-forming defensive systems worth mentioning other than a

rudimentary telepathic ability. Collectively they call themselves Humanity. They do appear to have one thing

going for them; they refuse to die.] Naira remarked as the Lysarians paraded the human captain around as if he

was a show dog.

[My Queen, why bring thisthis thing into our presence? This abomination is an insult to the greatness of those

warriors whose cranial crowns adorn the walls of this Great Hall,] KriTora scoffed as the other Swarm Masters

inspected the human.[Because, KriTora, this is the future of our enemy, not the Lythar, and its pitiful Imperium. They may be weak

now but if left unchecked, they could pose a greater threat than the Wretched Ones.] Naira stated, rising from

her throne to walk among her War Council. [Need I remind you, KriTora, that this creature is no taller than I,

and you all bow before me.] At 59 the seven-foot, Swarm Masters towered over her, but they were dwarfed by

her powerful presence.

[My Queen, were we able to ascertain the location of their Homeworld?] LoqToza enquired, inspecting the

captive as if he was a piece of livestock.

[We were, however, it took some convincing, it would seem that this species latent telepathic ability is

difficult to dominate.] Naira replied before projecting the collective memories of the human crew to the grouped

Swarm Masters.

0854HOURS,MAY 22,2237[ALLIANCE MILITARY CALENDAR]

UTECEXPLORER,OPHELIA, IN ORBIT POLARIS RESUPPLY AND COMMAND STATION,HARTONIS PRIME,PEGASI SECTOR.

Captain, we keep losing assets in the Singari Expanse. Now we are not sure if it might be because of some

natural-forming phenomena or those rumours of pirates hiding in the nebulas are true. I want the Ophelia to find

out, the holographic representation of Admiral George Yeager ordered from a small monitor near the captains

chair, as the small explorer left the confines of the Polaris Resupply and Command Station. The station was inorbit of the remote Tridium Mining colony of Hartonis Prime, one of the few loyal colonies this far from the

Core Territories on the frontier.

I will do what I can to find out what has happened, but if we cant enter the Expanse or find ourselves over our

head? Captain Nathaniel Goldstrom asked, seated in his small command chair, as his Command Staff went

about their duties.

If after the five days youre scheduled to be out of port that you still cannot find a way in or locate any pirate

strongholds, return to base, and well coordinate a proper course of action.

Captain, we are clear of the stations gravity well, and weve been cleared to enter the Pulse Stream andcommence core start-up, Pilot First Class Charles Burgundy reported from the front console.


13/24

Admiral, well be in touch in a week, whether we find out whats happening. Keep a candle in the window for

us. Opheliaout, Nathaniel replied before swivelling his chair to face the front screen. Helm, engage Pulse

Generators, take us to the Singari Expanse.

Aye, sir, entering the Pulse Stream, Burgundy replied, inputting the commands on his console.

The small Atlantis Class Explorer manoeuvred away from the large orbital military complex and activated its

small Pulse Thrusters. Too small and underpowered to use the Rift Drive used by larger craft, the Atlantis classused pulses of antimatter to propel it through space known as the Pulse Drive. While an effective and safe

method of exploration compared to the Rift Drive that the larger fleet vessels possessed, it was by no means asfast or efficient, as ships utilizing it never actually entered subspace, nor could the engines be used on craft over

a certain weight, restricting their usefulness. Aside from Atlantis explorers and a myriad of probes, Pulse Drives

were primarily used by independent and government owned cargo freighters and larger personal yachts

travelling between nearby systems.

The small crafts interior was filled to capacity with all manner of equipment and sensors. Due to its size, it

cramped corridors and low clearances made this difficult; the forty-four members of the crew did not complain;

the Atlantis Explorers had been at the forefront of exploration along with their companion Basilisk Class

Cruisers since before the foundation of the Alliance.

Captain Goldstrom leant back into his chair as his Command Crew went about their business. His Helm Officermade minuscule course corrections when the Ophelia momentarily veered off its programmed course; his

astroscientific/executive officer was hunched over her console studying every single piece of information the

ships powerful sensor array was acquiring. His communications and psionic operations- intelligence officers

were going over the records received from now-lost probes and freighters and his Gunnery Control Officer

stood to the side of the bridge and coordinated with his staff in the Armoury, preparing the ships defensive

armament.

Charles, thanks for coming out with us. I know youre technically a civilian now, but we wont be out here

long and youll be back to married life, speaking of which, you havent said much, how is your new life treating

you? Nathaniel queried as his Helm Officer sat upright after programming another course correction.

Well, sir, Carolines happy that my terms of service have been met, shes really excited about returning to

Sirius Major, his Helm Officer replied, turning his chair around to face the rest of the bridge.

Well, youve done us one hellof a service, youve earned it, Nathaniel replied, his Astroscientific Officer

turning her chair also.Sir, we have an object coming up on our scopes. Not sure what it is, but it could be one of our missing probe,

she reported, bringing up the object on the main viewer.

Well that was quicker than I expected. Take us out of the Stream, Mr Burgundy, Nathaniel ordered, leaning

on one armrest, pushing his thoughts out of his mind.

Aye, sir.

The object was roughly twelve metres in length with long wings at each side ending in a pair of sharp hooks;

under each wing was a pod of unidentified origin, its front ending in a great gaping maw. It appeared to be

damaged, as it was leaking a blue fluid from under one wing. It had a series of running lights that ran the length

of its organic looking hull, which were, for the most part, non-functional.The space in front of the Ophelia split in two as the small craft exited the Pulse Stream, small wisps of matter

and energy flaring behind the ship before the opening closed in on itself.

Analysis, Ms Havilland, Nathaniel ordered, leaning forward as the ship grew closer. Helm full stop ,

commence generator recharge cycle.

I take back my comment about it being ours; Im reading biological and metallic components grafted onto eachother into one form. Im not picking up any engines or weapons in the conventional sense. Or definite crew life

signs for that matter, but then the object itself is coming up as one big life form, Commander Sarah Havilland

reported, pressing buttons on her console bringing up her readings onto the main viewer. Once there she

highlighted the different sections of the alien craft as best she could against the human definition of what a ship

was.

Mr Sovora, attempt communication with the alien craft, Nathaniel ordered, standing and walking closer to thescreen to get a closer look at the unknown craft. What the hell are you, my little friend?

Aye, sir, Ensign Mikhail Sovora replied, inputting commands into his console. This is the UTEC Explorer

Opheliato unknown vessel. Please identify yourself. Do you require assistance? he enquired, pressing his handagainst the receiver earpiece.


14/24

After a few minutes Mikhail turned to his captain. Sir, Im getting nothing from them, not even background

chatter. Ive never heard anything so quiet, he reported.

Mr Burgundy, bring us alongside; Mikhail, continue trying to raise them, Nathaniel ordered before turning to

his Gunnery Officer. Steve, I want a firing solution ready should we require it. Prep the Ares Cannon for firing,

but do it quietly, we have no idea the level of their scanning capabilities.

Understood, sir, Ill get onto it, reported the Chief Gunnery Control Officer before relaying the information to

the Armoury.Expecting something, sir? Sarah Havilland asked, turning her chair to face the captain.

Im hoping to be proved wrong XO, but until we can determine their stance we can only prepare for the worst,Nathaniel replied as the Ophelia approached the alien craft, which hadnt appeared to acknowledge the larger

crafts presence.

Range reading 100 metres, Burgundy reported, Still reading no reactionfrom them.

Captain, it could be that they are unable to respond, Mikhail suggested, running through various

communications bands as the ship came to a stop.

Sarah looked up from her console, Captain I am detecting an internal hull structure over there, while myinstruments are having difficulty scanning inside the hull, it does appear to have a breathable atmosphere in

there.

Nathaniel turned from the main viewer and looked directly over to over to his Gunnery Officer, Prepare a

boarding party, I want to know whats over there, he ordered, approaching the gunfire control station.

Aye, sir. Bridge to the Armoury, prepare Marine Team 7 to board the alien craft, Lieutenant Colonel StevenAlchin relayed to his subordinates.

Suddenly the alien craft appeared to notice the Ophelia; its front pair of running lights flashed a venomous red

before it attempted to assume a defensive pose.

Captain, weve got movement with the other ship, I dont know what it is, but I think we pissed it off, Sarah

reported as the craft started to move its wings as if to keep it aloft in space.

Mr Burgundy, back us up. A conflict is the last thing were looking for, Nathaniel ordered, leaping over theguardrail that separated the front of the Bridge and his Command Chair before bringing up his own console.

Aye, sir, Charles replied, entering the commands, as the pods on the alien craft started to glow.

Captain, Im detecting a power build-up in the alien craft but Im not able to determine its purpose, Sarah

reported, studying the readings on her console.

Mikhail, tell them our intent. Charles, bring us to a defensive position. Take us to Level Two Battle Stations,

Nathaniel ordered, resting his chin on an open palm.With his call of increased preparedness, all the consoles on the Bridge, and those throughout the ship, pulsed

orange, informing the crew of the possibility of hostile or hazardous action. All over the ship, men reported to

battle stations, power was diverted from sensors to the ships weapons systems and engines and the ships

marine contingent reported to the armoury to be equipped in case the Ophelia was boarded or they were

required to perform boarding actions themselves.

After a few seconds, the pods on the craft powered down and returned to their previous state.

I think we convinced them we dont want a fight, Charles commented, seconds before a pair of green bolts of

energy rocketed away from the crafts underwing pods.

Incoming energy discharge, impact in 5, Sarah reported before grabbing hold of the handrail attached to thebottom of her station.

Brace for impact. Mikhail: inform Polaris Station; tell them what has happened. Armoury, prepare three rounds

across their bow, just a little warning shot to show that we arent to be messed with, Nathaniel ordered beforethe green bolts struck the Ophelia amidships, causing the entire ship to shake, followed by another volley, then

another.

Scratch that order Armoury, Steve, I want you to target that damaged pod. Prepare three rounds, full charge, Iwant an updated firing solution immediately, Nathaniel barked while gripping the arms of his chair. The force

of the impacts threw about those on the Bridge unlucky enough to not have a firm handhold.

Damage to decks seven, eight and ten, section fifteen through twenty, minor casualties, Mikhail reported.

Firing the Ares Cannon, sir, Steve reported pressing a firing button on the guardrail console in front of him.

The Ophelias main gun, the Ares Cannon, was a magnetically accelerated gauss weapon, fired three large 10-gallon drum-sized projectiles towards the alien crafts damaged weapon pod at an equivalent speed of Mach 12.

Two of the three rounds struck home on the outer covering, breaking it open; the third missed and struck the

seam attaching the wing to the body, and severing it.

The craft fired off a round from its one remaining weapon pod before turning and attempting to flee, leaving along trail of globular viscous fluid.


15/24

Cease fire; get repair teams to damaged sections. Mr Burgundy: plot a pursuit course, but lets keep our

distance. Bring that wing aboard, I want it studied. Sarah, what have we got on long-range sensors, whats in

front of us? Nathaniel queried before discovering that somehow, during the skirmish, he had been cut along the

side of his face.

The alien craft appears to be heading towards a binary star system deeper in the Expanse, five planets orbiting

the larger of the two stars. There is an debris cloud at the terminus of the planetary belt. Im picking upKeblonite, and a number of radioactive heavy metals I cant identify without close up intensive analysis. It

would, however, be enough to mask our presence, if youre planning on continuing to follow it, Sarah replied,bringing up the requested information and displaying it on one of the many screens that comprised the main

viewer.

The question remains, are there any more of these things where were headed? Nathaniel asked, cleaning his

wound with his jacket sleeve.

Ive tied the aliens bio-signature into the sensors, sir. There appears to be a group of them, numbering about a

hundred, maybe more, I couldnt tell you for certain since we know nothing of this creature. However, finding

this less than a week from the frontier is more than alarming, Sarah replied before the inter-ship intercom

beeped.

Hangar to Command Deck, Commander, the salvagers have left the hanger, youll have your wing in 10

minutes.

Sarah stood, Sir, Ill be in the Lab.Understood. Mikhail, have we received a response from Polaris? Nathaniel asked as his aide handed him acup of coffee.

Yes, sir, we are to continuewith our orders, but we are also to discover what exactly that thing was, Mikhail

replied, pressing his hand to the earpiece.

So much for that early discharge, Charles commented to himself, before monitoring the ships course.

Youll get it, or Ill personally transport you to Sagras, Nathaniel remarked before leaning back in his chair.

Do we have enough in the tanks for one more jump?

Aye, sir, we have enough power to get us to the planetary system, but that will be about it, Charles replied,

updating the course into the ships main computer.

Then by all means, youre not a civilian yet. Once that wing is aboard get us underway, plot an overtake

course, I want to be there before it does. Bring us as close to the debris cloud as you can, and give us enough

speed to drift into it, Nathaniel ordered before downing the remnants of his coffee, and making a disgusted

face, after discovering that it had gone cold.

The Ophelia hung motionless as four small salvage craft left her ventral hanger bay and sped towards the wing

that was slowly rotating, propelled by the fluid leaking from its nearly destroyed weapons pod.

Okay, Beta Four, grab the extreme edge. Beta Three, Heath, assist him. Raoul, latch on near the weapons pod,set your radiation shields to maximum. Ill guide you guys in, Beta One ordered as he carefully manipulated

the controls of his small salvage craft, before thumbing his own radiation shields to maximum.How in the hell

are we going to get this bloody thing into the hold? He thought as small pieces of debris ricocheted against the

massive transparent Tridium composite cockpit dome, causing small dents to form in the reinforced covering

that took up the entire front of the fragile craft.

Hey, boss, how in the hell is this hunk-o-junkgonna get inna the hold, its gotta be at least a mile long, Raoul

asked as the two claws attached to the underside of his craft latched onto the aliens wing.

You just take care of moving it, Raoul, let me worry about how its going to fit.

Warrant Officer, Ive got a bad feeling about this, the claws are cutting right through this thing, Petty OfficerHeath Freeman remarked as the claws penetrated the spongy substance that the wing was made of, causing it to

seep a blue liquid,

Youve always got a bad feeling about everything, one of the others muttered.Good lord, sir, the wing, itsits bleeding!

Say again, Petty Officer, you say the wing is bleeding? Beta 1 queried as his salvagers slowly moved the

wing underneath the Ophelia that was drifting towards them.

Affirmative, sir, the wing is bleeding; blue fluid is seeping from where we punctured the surface. What should

we do? Sir?

Beta one sat there stunned.How can something live out here in no atmosphere?Yesoh of course, get thatthing to the cargo hold. Lets get the hell out of here, this is starting to freak me out, he ordered before tapping

his controls.


16/24

Sarah buzzed around the science lab like an agitated bee, checking every instrument that she had at her disposal.

While her subordinates scrutinized over the shreds of information the ship had recovered of the alien ship and

the following brief engagement it had.

John, tell me what youve found. Im a little sceptical about Warrant Officer Gerges comment that this thing

was alive. Hell, Im sceptical about my own sensor data, Sarah ordered as she remotely dissected the alien

wing, which now took up the entirety of the Ophelias cargo hold, via giant robotic arms. Due to the unknown

nature of the alien craft, the hold was sealed off from the rest of the ship.I dont know what to say, maam,Warrant Officer Gerges assessment was close, but not entirely accurate.

Analysis of the liquid contains hemolymph as a major component, as well as a hydrocarbon retardant compoundI have never seen before, in a sense, this is blood, but for what we know it could just be a coolant compound.

That, coupled with your early scans, does support the fact that it was, for the most part, alive, John replied, as

the console he was working on ran checks on a vial of the alien liquid.

Im still not convinced by what Ive found, but even if we cant perceive it possible, it doesnt mean that its

not. Relay what weve discovered to the Science Council, maybe they can figure out what the hell it is, Sarah

ordered as the intercom beeped. Science Lab here.

Sarah, weve reached the planetary system. Report to the bridge, Nathaniel ordered.

Understood, sir, Im on my way, Sarah replied before turning to her subordinates. Keep monitoring the alien

craft until it leaves range, transmit all tactical data to the Armoury, everything else to the Science Council,

Sarah ordered before leaving the lab.

The Ophelia exited the Pulse Stream just outside the fringes of the Planetary Belt. At the speed they were

travelling, if their presence had registered on alien sensors, it wouldnt have made any difference as seconds

later the Ophelia had entered the safety of the Keblonite and radioactive fields within the debris cloud. The

cloud itself appeared to consist mostly of destroyed vessels and hull fragments, most were of an alien bronze or

obsidian colour, but UTEC warship-grey hull fragments also dotted the field.

Engine cores are cold, sir,were drifting; it will be at least 25 minutes before we can jump again, Charlesreported, facing the rest of the bridge. Until the Pulse Generators recharged from ever-present background

radiation, there was nothing he could do. Outside using the ships chemical rockets to make minor changes to

their position when the errant Keblonite deposit or some of the larger hull fragments in the field strayed too

close to the ship.

Understood, I dont think were going anywhere anytime soon anyway. Those aliens we picked up before

arriving would pose a problem, Nathaniel commented before rising and walking around the bridge to regaincirculation while under the pretence of inspecting the bridge systems. Cut all external power, I want us to have

the appearance as just another hulk. Deploy the Sensor Drones; send them to the periphery of the cloud.

Aye, sir. Drones away, Sarah reported from her console. Drones will reach the extreme edge of the field in

36 seconds.

From an underside launch tube, high-speed baseball-sized Sensor Drones sped towards the edge and out of the

interference of the radioactive materials. While the Keblonite, a substance used in UTEC power cores, generated

enough electromagnetic radiation to cancel out the magnetic resonance signature created by the ship herself, it

also flooded the surrounding space with Cherenkov radiation rendering the ships sensor suite useless, while the

Tridium/Titanium/Uredinium Composite Hull Plating was dense enough to protect the crew from the radiation.The Sensor Drones, utilising point-to-point direct communication, acted as the eyes and ears of the Ophelia as

she hid in the nebula.

Drones at the limit of the debris field, sir, receiving telemetry now, Sarah reported before displaying theimages the Drones transmitted back to the Ophelia.

I dont like all this hiding; we know these things are weak at the wings. I propose we gather as much data as wecan about these little bastards and then blast the hell out of them, Steve commented. The seasoned marine

tended to keep his thoughts to himself; the mere notion that he was voicing his opinion was enough to cause the

Command Crew to pay attention.

Need I remind you, Major that we have been ordered to observe the aliens, not slaughter them en-masse. Now

cool your jetsbefore you say something you can be tried for, the softly spoken Psi-Ops Officer, Sub-Lieutenant

Alexandra Serapova commented, standing in the corner of the bridge. Her words and her telepathic presencequickly silenced the Marine.

Still wishing you were home? And miss all this? Mikhail commented sarcastically to Charles who glowered

sullenly as his duties werent necessary.

Charles laughed hollowly before turning around, What in Gods name is that?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hemolymphhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hemolymph


17/24

I dont think any of us could have said it any better, Mr Burgundy, Nathaniel remarked dryly, leaning againstthe bulkhead.

The system was filled with hundreds of the small alien craft, flying in groups amongst the rings of the third

planet or in the gassy mass that was the second giant, chasing one another, almost playing games. Nevertheless,

these small ships werent what concerned the Command Crew.

A series of larger ships appeared, each one easily hundreds of metres in length and with massive, almost tusk-like appendages on either side of cavernous gaping jaws which were lined with rows of three metre-long teeth.

While the smaller craft had one pair of wings, these larger monstrosities possessed two, which counter-beat eachother. Under the first pair of wings, two massive weapon pods nearly as long as the smaller craft resided. Above

the opening was a pair of sinister red running lights and a series spikes along the ships dorsal plane. These craft

travelled alone throughout the system at whim; if any of the smaller craft got in their way, they were simply

devoured.

Transmit this to Polaris Command; tag this as a Priority Alpha Threat. Charles, how long until the Generators

are fully charged? Nathaniel enquired. He knew if it came to engaging these aliens, the Ophelia would be

destroyed with no trouble, this was an outcome he didnt particularly want to face.

The cores are at 21% charge, it will still be at least 20 minutes before we can make a jump back to Polaris. At

the current charge well get to just outside the system, but who knows how many of these things are out there.

Not to mention that once we leave the debris well be quite royally unless these things disappear from our driveplane, Charles replied, checking the outputs from his console.

Stow the attitude, Mr Burgundy. How soon should we be able to jump if were discovered? Nathaniel queried.

Without a set course, we can jump in 15 seconds. If we stay in here, we run the risk of hitting a Keblonite

deposit or larger hull fragment and being ripped to shreds. If we jump out of it, well be a nice little pile of

smoky debris when we emerge from the Stream, Charles replied.

Neither really is an option I want to have to consider. However, should we be discovered and we have to jump,I want the maximum distance we can reach. We may have to call on your piloting skills to keep us intact.

Then youre lucky, Capn, cause I have the best hands in the fleet, Charles remarked, leaning back in his chair

and cracking his knuckles, chuckling to hide his apparent nervousness.

Captain, the damaged alien has entered the system, Sarah reported as she manoeuvred the Drones to buddy off

each other to strengthen the signal.

On the viewer, Commander, Nathaniel ordered, slumping into his chair.

The damaged alien craft slowly entered the system; its closest brethren approached it carefully, as if querying

what happened to it. They then proceeded to surround it; some even briefly touched it with their wings as if

consoling it.Are they ships, or creatures? Since theyve clearly shown signs of independent thought? Nathanielthought.

One of the larger ships approached the damaged alien, moving its tusk-like appendages in agitation. The small

colony closed ranks around their damaged companion, flapping their wings in an attempt to ward the larger ship

away.

After a few minutes the larger ship lost interest and moved on, the smaller damaged craft flashed its running

lights in a seemingly random pattern.

Uh oh, Alexandra commented before placing a gloved hand across her mouth.

What is it, Lieutenant? Nathaniel asked, turning to face the psychic officer.

Its talking about us, its updating the rest of the aliens about usIt saw us head in this direction. I dont wantto take a page out of the Lieutenant Colonels book, but destroying it when we ran into it doesnt seem to be that

much of a bad idea now, she replied. Her voice didnt falter, but the look in her eyes clearly displayed the

terror she picked up from the aliens and the crew.Do they know we are here? Nathaniel asked. Despite his years in service to the UTA, this whole sequence of

events disturbed him greatly.

I wouldnt put it past them, one or two of them did mention seeing something enter this area of space,

Alexandra replied, utilising her powerful telepathic abilities to listen in on the aliens communications.

Were screwed, arent we? Mikhail asked, looking at the other officers.

Not just yet. They may have spotted us for a second, but it doesnt mean that they saw us enterthe system. Wemay not be in trouble, Alexandra reported before severing the link and falling to her knees.

Problem, Lieutenant? Sarah remarked, leaning against her console, clearly amused with the Psi-Ops Officersdistress.


18/24

None of your concern, Commander. Captain, the aliens dont seem that interested with us, but their emotions

were too strong for me to continue to monitor them, Alexandra remarked, taking deep heavy breaths while

sweat stained her black jacket, glistening off her silver-tipped collar.

Well at least thats something to be thankful for, Nathaniel remarked.

I would not be too sure of that, Captain, Sarah remarked as a pair of the large Beastships turned and headed

towards the debris field.Commander, can you confirm they have spotted us? Nathaniel asked, sounding concerned.

Sarah studied her instruments furiously, praying to all that was holy in the universe that they weremalfunctioning, before stopping and looking at the captain. Confirmed, sir, projected trajectories will intercept

our current location.

Nathaniels response was predicted but necessary, How?

I dont know, sir! The Keblonite should have masked our presence, there is no way they could have penetrated

the radiation fieldunless, Sarah stopped and glared at the Psi-Ops officer. You! You brought them onto us,

didnt you! Of all the things you could have done, alert them to our location is by far the dumbest you couldthink of, she berated the Lieutenant, as the image of the beastships grew closer.

I did no such thing, Alexandra stated before looking at the captain and the frown that now adorned his face.

Honest, sir, I didnt leak our location to them, III She stopped as her pupils dilated, rolling back into

her skull, standing motionless, pupil-less eyes staring at the bridge crew before her mouth quivered. The voice

that came out was not her own, its timbre was dark, sinister, multivocal.

You have trespassed on the Domain of the Great Swarm and wilfully fired upon our kin, these actions are

reprehensible and judgement has been made. Your punishment will be imparted immediately. Alexandrastarted to circle the bridge, unfocused eyes staring at each member of the bridge crew, her blank expression

lacking any trace of humanity, giving her the appearance of an automaton. Nathaniel cautiously stood from his

command chair and blocked her path as she neared the outer rail that connected the gunnery stations to the rearof the ship.

And who is this that we are speaking to? he asked, placing his hands at his sides, palms upwards, in an

attempt to appear non-threatening. Despite the general hope of encountering alien life in the galaxy, the Alliance

did not exactly have a standing order when it came to first contact, especially if that first contact included the

mental subversion of a member of ones crew.

Alexandra cocked her head at an awkward angle and stared at the captain; her lips quivered once more, as if she

was fighting whatever had taken control of her.We are the Swarm. We have existed from the beginning, wewill exist in the end, your craft will be destroyed, and your minions will willingly offer themselves to us as

compensation for your crimes. Her head jerked violently to one side before her eyes focused on Nathaniel.You will surrender your ship to the will of the Swarm, your pitiful attempts at hiding from us will not succeed,

this form has already told us your location; your destruction is assured, there is much this form can reveal.

Nathaniel shook his head as she spoke, noticing in the corner of his eye the two marines that stood at the

entrance to the bridge were cautiously reaching for their sidearms.

Is there a way for us to speak to your leaders? So that we can plead our case to them? he asked, wishing that

the Alliance had spent time teaching her captains in how to deal with alien life.

Your attempts at negotiation are futile. Your sentence has been declared.Your presence is an affront to ourgreatness, your death will be severe for your transgressions against us.By this time, the two marines had drawn their pistols and approached the Sub-Lieutenant, attempting to take her

into custody. As the two neared, Alexandra grabbed one by the throat; twisting her hand, she sheared the

marines throat, sending him gurgling to the ground. Ducking a forearm strike from the second marine shebrought her right hand up, connecting his nose with the palm of her hand, the audible crack echoing in the tiny

room as she broke it. As the marine reeled backwards the lieutenant grabbed his tactical vest with both hands

and brought him towards her; sinking her teeth into his neck she pulled back with a clump of the marinesthroat. Once the two Marines lay incapacitated on the deck, Alexandra stepped closer to Nathaniel; when she

was less than a metre from him, she outstretched her hand as if ready to take hold of his throat. At that point she

froze, her body visibly attempting to resist the control of her alien subverter. Her eyes regained their focus,

staring straight at the Captain. Im sorry, she muttered in apology.

Before anyone could react, Alexandra drew the service dagger that hung from her belt and embedded it to the

haft into her bare neck. She stood motionless for a few more seconds, before collapsing, blood streaming downfrom the wound, staining her uniform.

The bridge crew were stunned at what had just transpired. Nathaniel stood staring blankly for a second as he

Setharum Legalis

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