{This is a story I'm currently working on. Once I finish I'll be putting it into an attatchment and uploading it somewhere, since the text+format here doesn't do it justice, but I'll probably lay it all down here as well.
This is just the prologue, don't want to give too much away yet. Its my first story based on the X Universe, but I do alot of personal creative writing myself. Let me know what you think, even though its just the prologue )
Akatosh
An X-Universe Story by Xydonus
*Prologue*
Space.., the cosmos, the universe, are complicated mechanisms in which we have yet to fathom. Yet we live amongst the unknown everyday. We search for new meaning, new understanding, yet we fail to comprehend the richness of it all. We take for what is granted, for what is given to us. We spoil ourselves with the luxuries that life has to offer. Yet we never stop to ask ourselves: Why… must it be this way. When does it end? We have committed ourselves, through our flaws, through our failures, our hopes and dreams, into a never ending circle of war, death and rebirth. We cannot break the cycle… But I can try.
I have seen chaos in its raw element. Pure chaos in which our eyes were never meant to see, but continue to gaze into the abyss as it unfolds along with it the consequences of such ghastly sights, while our children are forced to watch and at the same time, try to comprehend the logic of it all. There is no logic in war however, just pain, suffering and death. Yet we hope for the end to come soon, to be quick and merciful to us all. I know though, I know we won’t get that, and I can only hope it will not end in such a way. I have never asked for this responsibility, but I have been burdened with it nevertheless.
Sometimes, I can hear them, or at least sense their presence, as I walk the now empty corridors of my ship. Lost souls… my crew, my family, people who I have let down, who trusted their lives to me. It doesn’t get easier, it never does. I know that, if I do get through this, if we… get through this, I will have lost something dear to me. I am not referring to my family, to loved ones past and gone, but my humanity, my very being.
I have this foreboding sense of anger… this blackness in my heart for what has happened. No, its not anger… its Rage. Pure rage for what was done to us. Worse of all, I do not know where to direct it. We, as a race, have sat idly by and let this happen to us. I do not know if its self-pity that I feel, self-hatred for what has transpired, but I do know we have asked for this, in one way or another. That may seem cold, but that’s all I have got left.
And now its time for justice… that’s what they say to me. There is no justice in what I’m about to do. Just revenge, it’s as simple as that, and I will enjoy every moment off it. For the suffering that we have been forced to endure, for the anguish, for the painful memories that will haunt us all for years to come… Yes, maybe we can scrounge up a little bit of justice in this god awful mess.
I’m going to remember this… for the right reasons or the wrong, but I’m going to remember, and I’m going to savor every moment. They say time is a healer… not for me. I have been living with an open wound since day one, and right now I’m about to close that gaping wound. Rage is all I have left, and that’s all I need right now.
The Xenon will pay for what they have done and I will not stop until every last one of those damn machines has been wiped out…
Personal Log #423-425
Admiral Jarek Husk
Status: Signed Out
-End of Line-
Last edited by Xydonus on Thu, 17. Sep 09, 17:54, edited 1 time in total.
Note: I have changed the name of Jarek MaKane to Jarek Husk, for all future references.
Chapter I – The Circle Collapses
Space isn’t the ideal habitat for life forms to dwell, yet they do so despite the everyday hazards that one would encounter. From gamma radiation, to particle dust clouds, to asteroids drifting in space and meteorites traveling at colossal speeds, from dangerous nebulae that can cause a ships systems to go haywire, to gravity wells that can pull an unwary traveler to his doom… Yes, if you’re weak out here, you die. It’s as simple as that.
In a quadrant that occupies space which stretches across thousands and thousands of light years in what we know of as the Milky Way Galaxy, lays a self contained area called, X-Universe… In this pocket universe, is a small number of isolated races who live out their lives, defying the odds of survival in space and living amongst one another in relative content harmony, which isn’t always the case however. They have though, remained in isolation for sometime, free to do as they please without outside influence, other than those of their neighbors. It has always been this way, that is, until now…
With the recent arrival of the Terrans, and Earth coming back into the picture, things have heated up somewhat within the X-Universe. Only a few months had passed since the Terrans unexpected arrival in Heretics End, and so it is of no surprise to see that paranoia and tensions fill a room quicker than a corpulent gas cloud. If anything, the Terrans were the least happy of all. If it wasn’t for the actions of Kyle Brennan, first contact could have resulted in an interstellar war. However, after several months of “getting to know you” meetings, and negotiations, relations were eventually improving.
While the Terrans were still naturally xenophobic, the rugged curve of diplomacy eventually smoothened out. The Teladi, the Boron, the Argons and surprisingly, the Paranid, were all gracious and welcoming when it came to the Terrans. However, there was an exception, the Split… It is well known that the Split harbor a grudge against the Argon, specifically for preventing them to annihilate the Boron. Seeing the Argon along with the Boron gaining a new found ally was not an attractive prospect. Whether this grudge will ever manifest itself, is yet to be known. For now though, the Split continue to receive their invitations to the Terrans diplomatic venues and continue to attend, smiles excluded though.
So it has been four years to the present… four years of peace, and four years since the Terrans made themselves known to the isolated races of the X-Universe. The Khaak incursions have ceased, without any hint of an explanation, other than military theories.
The Xenon, apparently aware of the Terrans presence, have ceased their small scale raids and even resorted to abandoning regions of space formally occupied by them.
Pirate activity has been severely reduced, and Brennans Triumph, a system known for high pirate activity and shady dealings, has been returned to Argon control with the help of their new found allies, along with plans to liberate other systems.
All in all, moral couldn’t be better. The economy is slowly recovering from the scars of old wars, and the races within the X community are closer than they have been in sometime. Technology has jumped up several scales with the introduction of Terran based technology, allowing for greater understanding between the races. All in all, it is indeed a golden age, a new era…
Last edited by Xydonus on Thu, 17. Sep 09, 18:27, edited 1 time in total.
‘It is a long time, but I think its overdue, and this is the sort of thing we need to boost the ranks you know’.
‘Easy for you to say, but you’re not the one being replaced’, came the snappy reply, followed by a quick follow-up, ‘Sir…’
‘It is what it is Commander. Don’t think of it as a replacement, more of a temporary assignment, besides we need you on a more, how would you say… tech savvy ship? The Dauntless is a good ship, and right now the only available one. You’re a good man, too good for this rust bucket’, came the response from the Rear-Admiral.
It wasn’t well received, as the Commander made it clear, shifting uncomfortably in his chair, leaning so his fist firmly press’s against his chin, and his free hand feverously tapping against the desks woodwork.
‘I don’t like it though, I don’t want it… but I have no choice, do I?’ continued the Commander.
‘You know the answer to that… Hogan, look, me and you go a long way back, maybe I can pull a few strings, at least maybe get you assigned to another class of ship, its unlikely to happen, but it’s the lea-’,
‘-Nah, forget it. Appreciate it though but, Dauntless is my assignment, right…’ the Commander said, cutting off the Rear-Admiral in mid-sentence.
‘So there’s no need to make me look like a coward, running away from an assignment, ha!’ he said in a rather abrupt cheerful tone. His facial expression however didn’t match his sudden change of tone. The Rear-Admiral felt like he was telling a mother she lost a son…
The Commander got up behind his desk, and walked towards the only cabin view available: A tall window frame, which stretches from the floor to the ceiling, and ending in a curved arch, giving a slight askew view of space above. It gave the room a rather moonlight appearance, making it quite bright even without artificial light, although it wasn’t bright enough to read without it. Commander Joseph Hogan was in deep thought. Twelve years of military service. Awarded the highest honor along with the Navy Star, served with distinction aboard several ships, in several conflicts, and what does he get? A tap on the back, a handshake and a sending off, to serve on the Dauntless, a god damn worthless frigate… His thoughts were blackened with betrayal, and its all about politics, he said to himself.
He turned to see the face of his friend, or more of an old colleague than a friend. Commander Joseph Hogan is a man of many emotions, but he knows when to stay behind the line.
‘Will that be all, Admiral?’ he finally said, breaking the awkward silence.
‘For now, look, this exchange program is important. There are many benefits to-’,
‘-Benefits! How is it beneficial if an in-experienced pup takes over an Argon Navy Cap! With a crew he hardly knows, how in blazes is that beneficial to us? Not to mention he’s a Terran!’ Hogan shouted, there was quite a strong echo within the room, mainly due to the metal frameworks, but the Admiral didn’t move an inch despite the volumes bearing down on him.
‘… I understand, I do,’ said the Admiral, reaching for the diplomatic card, ‘but why do you think we are giving him command of your ship?’ replied the Admiral.
‘Well I know why, the ship is going to be in dry-dock for awhile, and I figured you wanted him to oversee the repairs, get to know the crew… without actually flying the ship into the sun? That’s not the point though is it, its politics! Nothing to do with gaining experience on our side, its just keeping our friends happy,’ Commander noticed that the Admiral smirked at this remark.
‘Ha, you know how the top brass think, that’s for sure. Yes, pretty much. Look, this is only temporary; his assignment is less than four months. Ship is in dry-dock for over two months, so don’t worry about her, or your crew, it will workout, we will be keeping an eye on him. From what I hear, he’s one of their best… and this, mind you, is the first time a Terran officer will be in command of an Argon Colossus Class ship, so naturally we are taking the necessary precautions’, said the Admiral, smiling.
The Commander, with a vague expression of puzzlement, turned and gazed outside into deep space.
“It’s not the ship I’m worried about. This exchange program is a joke, and you know I deserve better than the Dauntless. Don’t get me wrong though”, he said, turning to face the Admiral…
“I’m delighted to get off this death trap, its falling apart and we all know a refit is out of the question… But handing over my crew, some of whom I worked with for years, to a Terran who’s never stepped aboard an argon ship before is asking for trouble”, said Commander Hogan.
A small red flash suddenly lit up from the confines of the cabins desk, along with it a faint but audible noise. It was familiar to that of a buzzer. A hand reached out and firmly pressed the small grey nozzle that was situated beside the flashing light, ‘Yes?’ said the Commander. ‘Sir, Rear-Admiral Kale’s presence is required by Vice-Admiral Hagosha, Sir. It came through the secure line, Sir.’ Said the voice on the intercom, ‘Understood’, came the response from the Commander, as he released the nozzle.
‘Best be on my way then’, said Admiral Kale, ‘Do me a favor and keep a cool head when the Terran arrives, I believe he’s due to arrive within the next day or so, but they are an unpredictable lot, Terrans that is’.
‘I’ll… try to keep it cool’, the reply came, followed by a faint smile. ‘What’s his name again?’ asked the Commander.
The Admiral, who was just turning for the door, pondered for a few moments while staring into a nearby wall… ‘Ah yes, Hutch, o no… wait, Husk, Jarek Husk, Commander Jarek Husk, yes, apparently he’s a tough cookie… Enjoy’, he said, smiling, as he stepped out of the Commanders quarters.
It has been almost 802 years since humanity’s brush with extinction in 2146, in the very first Xenon war, or known back then as the Terraformers war. Back then, the fictional thought that an AI Intelligence could rise up against its masters, or evolve to the point of self awareness was never considered nor even mentioned during the construction of the original Terraformers. After all, they were just machines. Complex sophisticated machines that relied on remote instructions, algorithm programs and the ability to operate in hostile environments. Terraformers…
It is indeed a sad truth that even the most simplistic errors in the course of history can have such dire repercussions. So when a software update for the Terraformers was sent out across the vastness of space, and was received by the Terraformer fleet, no one back on Earth or any of their established colonies, had any idea the catastrophic results that the update would have. The update itself contained numerous errors as well as causing deletion of some very important algorithms. These disastrous errors caused the entire Terraformer fleet to not just Terraform planets, but to erase life as we know it.
So when the Terraformer fleet arrived to Earth, having already killed off the colonists on Alpha Centauri along with most of the other colonies, Earths defenses were pretty much non-existent, and as a direct result, suffered horrific casualties. Cities were devastated; some were flattened to the ground.
Millions of lives were lost at the hands of the primitive but powerful colonization weaponry the Terraformers utilized. The dense regions of China and Asia suffered the most, then along with America and half of Europe who were utterly destroyed. The onslaught would have continued, if it wasn’t for a courageous pilot by the name of Nathan R Gunne, who, having already assembled a massive fleet on the other side of Earth, prepared to engage the enemy in an attempt to lead them away from Earth.
It worked… Having grabbed the attention of the Terraformer fleet, Gunne led them through the Earth gate which leads to Brennans Triumph, and subsequently destroyed the gate, trapping himself and the Terraformer fleet within Triumph, causing Earth to be isolated from the X-Universe for many years to come.
While the plan worked, Earth was left devastated. The death toll was believed to be under a billion. The Terraformer fleet only had a few minutes to reign down terror, but that’s all they needed to cause the widespread chaos and destruction. Humanity was left to rebuild. With virtually no space fleet and USC being non-existent, the outlook for the Terrans was bleak to say the least.
Fast forward to the present day in which the year is 2948 or 772 as known within the X community. Humanity has survived, evolved technologically and morally, but with a more cautious approach. Past mistakes will not easily be forgotten. Earth has retained its beauty, but to a keen observer, the battle scars can be seen. Cities have been built upon new foundations, some have been renamed, and others have been left for land projects, but all in all Humanity trudges on, trying to forget those painful memories.
In one of these cities, lays the proud and prestigious United Space Command’s (USC) headquarters. Set amidst New Germany’s new capital, Munich, it is here in which all manner of activities take place, from private diplomatic negotiations with other races, to military decisions, strategic planning… Pretty much anything to do with the space authority, it falls within the boundaries of USC.
The Terrans space fleet however is relatively young, when compared to the likes of any of the X races, even the Argons. Despite this, the Terrans excelled on a technological level while lacking a head start. Within the USC HQ also lie the residential officer’s area.
Calling it a residential area wouldn’t be doing it justice. This is a vast open wide scenic complex, containing gardens, pools, parks and all sorts of amenities, as well as housing the high command along with their families. It is often used as an alternative to men and women who are away on extended duty in Munich, and usually their family would come along and reside in the area, make new friends and see the surrounding landmarks.
One particular residential house is of interest, and that’s the one that belongs to a senior officer, Commander Jarek Husk. Right now, he can be found sitting in his study, reading some obscure book and pondering what he’s going to have for dinner later on.
The study itself is rather elegant, but maintains a simplistic appearance. Everything that resides in this room is what you would normally find in a study… A desk, a USC NavCom, a relatively old style bookcase containing a wealth of knowledge, although this particular item isn’t found in more modern studies, usually a LAD is more common (Library Database Assembly)… and even a makeshift bar is here, although this is actually a long counter table made out of fine red oak, upon it lays a stretch of cloth, and underneath the table itself is an assortment of liquors, along with bottles that contain strange colored liquids, possibly off-world ones. Jarek is a simple man, with simple tastes… except when it comes to drink.
It is quite quiet here. Even in a busy compound such as this, there is relative silence. The nearby spaceport doesn’t commit traffic over the USC HQ, due to security reasons, so there is little to worry about when it comes to noise here… However, moments of tranquility are short lived when you’re a family man like Jarek.
“Dad! You in?!” came the rather abrupt and loud words.
Jarek lost his concentration. He looked up from his book to the far side of the study, staring expressionless at the large leather-bound door, waiting for it to be opened. After a few seconds, and some rather rushed footsteps beyond the study door, Jarek’s private sanctuary was invaded by none other than his loveable Daughter, Amber.
‘Dad, You deaf!’ she said, striding into the study towards her fathers desk.
‘No I heard you, just thought if I didn’t say anything you mightn’t find me’, Jarek replied, to which he managed a smile. He was clearly tired.
‘You alright?’ she enquired.
“Yes, just exhausted… Sorry’, he said while rubbing his eyes and putting down the book, ‘just reading up on some of the different cultures and customs”, he said, while trying to contain a yawn.
‘You’re overworking yourself you know, no point learning about which hand to greet a Teladi with when your going to be too knackered and end up punching him instead, hee’, she said, as Jarek let out a mumbled giggle followed by a yawning.
‘See, you’re too tired to laugh even’.
No matter where he is, or what condition he is in, Jarek would always have time for Amber. At 17, she was full of energy and full of bubbly-ness that usually made people respond well to her. Jarek sometimes felt guilty that he couldn’t keep up with her level of enthusiasm for things. He knew he didn’t’ have her energy, but he always felt alive inside just talking to her.
‘Wasn’t that funny’, said Jarek.
‘It was… anyhow, wanted to give you some good news, although you probably heard, right?’ enquired Amber.
‘Jason?’ replied Jarek.
‘O, so you have hea-’,
‘-Yeah I heard, good for him’ Jarek said abruptly.
Amber’s bright expression changed into a mix of puzzlement and a mid-frown.
‘Thought you be excited! Or has the news sunk in too deep?’ she said.
‘He made captain, I’ll congratulate him when I see him’ Jarek said, maintaining his expressionless features, although in secret he knew she could read him, and all he was trying to do was maintain a barrier.
‘Still, you don’t seem joyful about it. Captain! Come on! I was talking to him on the COM and he said tha-’, she watched as her father got up, did a stretch, and went over to the other side, stretching out his back while not paying much attention to what she was saying nor making eye-contact.
‘Ah I see, if he made Captain while in the USC, you’d be happy’, she said.
‘I’m happy either way… forgive me if I’m too tired to express that’, said Jarek, in a stronger tone.
Amber knew it wasn’t the exhaustion though. Jarek has always resented his son for joining the Argon Federation. It has been 3 years since he left Terran space to join up with the Argon Navy. Jarek has never understood why Jason did what he did. He always figured that his son would have a career in the USC, not some obscure alien fleet, even if the Argons bear resemblance to humans. Far as he’s concerned, Argons and Terrans are completely different, both racial and non-racial.
‘Wish you two would sort your differences out. I don’t see what the problem is’, she said, huffing almost and folding her arms tightly.
‘You wouldn’t see the problem… Anyhow’, Jarek reached down behind the counter cabinet, and brought up a large bottle containing a label written in some obscure language.
‘Fancy some err…’ Jarek took a glance at the label, ‘No idea what it is but it’s quite good’, he managed, pouring a small amount in a glass for himself.
‘No thanks Dad’, replied Amber.
As Jarek took a few sips, Amber reached over and picked up the book her father was reading earlier on. She opened it and quickly flicked through the pages, occasionally stopping and concentrating on a particular page.
‘Inter-species mating habits?’ said Amber, lowering the book and glaring across at her father.
‘So? It’s a book about the culture of the different races, what you expect?’ he replied in his defense.
‘Didn’t expect you to bookmark it!’ she shouted.
‘Ah yes, well, you know what your mother is like… I’ve got to be careful, don’t want to be fathering some split human-insect now do we’ he said, letting out a grin. Although surprising to him, Amber appeared shocked at hearing this.
‘Split are not insects Dad! Jeese, you’re not even off the planet and already you’re starting to sound like a racist’, said Amber, in an underlying serious tone.
Jarek let out a few laughs, and emptied another glass container containing the thick blue liquid.
‘When you’re my rank, you can say what you want and get away with it’, he said, winking at his daughter. ‘Right, what time is it? Got to get ready for this flight out’ said Jarek, dropping the glass onto the counter and rubbing his eyes once more.
Last edited by Xydonus on Thu, 17. Sep 09, 17:42, edited 1 time in total.
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