Hey there! I'm kinda new around here, but Im really enjoying this story! I love the historical parts, since Im fascinated by the X-Universe. But I couldnt find any official history about it, so this story of yours is really interesting and exciting! Can't wait for the next part!
Greets
The First House of Argon (Complete)
Moderators: TheElf, Moderators for English X Forum
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The Zig
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Cheers for the comments!
Next part this evening, I think.
Lachvogel - Always good to see someone new! Welcome! Glad you like the story! Hope you're enjoying the forum generally, there's lots of great stuff around. A warning tho - my version of 'history' ain't exactly 'official'. The Argonopedia website is the closest thing I've found to an official history (I hyperlinked it somewhere earlier in the thread) - my story just fills in some gaps!
Yeah, KiwiNZ, it felt good to get a nice bit of hand-to-hand combat in here! I love martial arts, and I thought it'd make a nice change from all the high-tech chicanery - a reversion to the ways of old!! (Actually I had to edit the fight by about half a page cos I got so carried away with it!)
I also toned it down a bit cos I felt it may've been too explicitly violent for this forum. Think it's okay as it is now. I'm not 100% sure what the guidelines are on this. Don't wanna get in trouble with the big, bad mods!
Next part this evening, I think.
Lachvogel - Always good to see someone new! Welcome! Glad you like the story! Hope you're enjoying the forum generally, there's lots of great stuff around. A warning tho - my version of 'history' ain't exactly 'official'. The Argonopedia website is the closest thing I've found to an official history (I hyperlinked it somewhere earlier in the thread) - my story just fills in some gaps!
Yeah, KiwiNZ, it felt good to get a nice bit of hand-to-hand combat in here! I love martial arts, and I thought it'd make a nice change from all the high-tech chicanery - a reversion to the ways of old!! (Actually I had to edit the fight by about half a page cos I got so carried away with it!)
I also toned it down a bit cos I felt it may've been too explicitly violent for this forum. Think it's okay as it is now. I'm not 100% sure what the guidelines are on this. Don't wanna get in trouble with the big, bad mods!
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KiwiNZ
- Posts: 3512
- Joined: Wed, 6. Nov 02, 20:31
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The Zig
- Posts: 458
- Joined: Mon, 1. Mar 04, 22:59
Part Seventeen
Perhaps you know the Argon art of ‘portrait painting’. It’s very old-fashioned, a manual method of recording a person’s likeness. It is essentially similar to ink-etches uncovered in the Bize-Uropa caverns on our own home-world. I dare say most Boron will know something of this practice.
In Argon culture these two-dimensional paintings, while archaic, are quite revered. They are considered an art form and serve a similar function to our own ‘frozen-light’ sculptures.
By far the most well-known Argon portrait is ‘Nathan R. Gunne’. It was painted in the early jazuras after planet-fall. Depicting the Argon hero, it hangs in the Goner Heritage Museum on Argon Prime.
Since Brennan’s victory over the Xenon, Earth has again become common knowledge, and this picture has been widely circulated. It is the picture of Nathan Gunne. I dare say everyone in the universe has seen it by now. The version in the Heritage is known to be a print – a copy – not the original. The mystery of where the original is has been a subject of some controversy and at least one popular fiction. It seemed it had been lost to the ages. So imagine my surprise to find it, of all places, in a pirate base.
‘Not a pirate base,’ I reminded myself. It still felt strange to imagine, ‘this place was an Earth Battleship. It had been Nathan’s home. Astonishing!’
Beneath the portrait, inside an air-tight golden frame, was a ragged, creased and half torn paper photograph of a bluish, cloudy planet.
“It’s real.” K was beside me.
I stepped back. “What?”
“The portrait,” he said. “You did a story on the copy. This is the original portrait... Or were you looking at the photo?”
“I...”
“Earth,” he said.
I looked back to the battered little picture, the little, blue, ordinary-looking planet. “Earth?”
“Believe it or not,” he said. “Nathan R. Gunne had that very photo in his pocket for over forty years. It was taken from orbit two days before the Terraformers got there – the last time he ever saw Earth up close. He used to look at this whenever he felt lost... far from home.”
He stared into the photograph for a while, “I love this photo. Could tell you the name of every continent.”
“I... I’m having real trouble piecing this together. The First House? And you keep mentioning the Xenon? How do the Goner fit in? Now Earth? I... I don’t... And damn it, I don’t even know your name! Can’t you give me any straight answers?”
“Sorry,” he smiled kindly. “You’ve been more than patient. Very professional. Actually, one of these answers is right here.”
“On the wall?”
He nodded.
I looked back to the portrait of Nathan Gunne – above it, unnecessarily, a plaque: ‘Nathan R Gunne’.
To its left was another portrait I recognised from the Heritage, Nathan's young son, Brett. The plaque confirmed, ‘Brett A. Gunne’. Two further along, this time a photograph, ‘Nyola Gunne’ – Nyana’s brother. It was a family line!
Looking along, I saw others I recognised: the General Nida Gunne. Further along, I got to see what ‘Colt Gunne’ looked like. The pictures continued. ‘Tommy Gunne,’ ‘Rael Gunne’. So many pictures, all bearing this illustrious surname. ‘Jove Gunne’. They even looked alike - family resemblance. Arriving at the end, I glanced to my host in disbelief. Staring out at me from the end of this line I saw...
“K... Kelfa... Gunne?” I read from the plaque.
The man bowed.
“You’re..?”
“Kelfa Gunne,” K acknowledged. “At your service.”
“So... you’re the leader? Of the First House?”
He laughed.
“No,” he pointed over his shoulder. “No. The leader – my father – is right through this door.”
...
Perhaps you know the Argon art of ‘portrait painting’. It’s very old-fashioned, a manual method of recording a person’s likeness. It is essentially similar to ink-etches uncovered in the Bize-Uropa caverns on our own home-world. I dare say most Boron will know something of this practice.
In Argon culture these two-dimensional paintings, while archaic, are quite revered. They are considered an art form and serve a similar function to our own ‘frozen-light’ sculptures.
By far the most well-known Argon portrait is ‘Nathan R. Gunne’. It was painted in the early jazuras after planet-fall. Depicting the Argon hero, it hangs in the Goner Heritage Museum on Argon Prime.
Since Brennan’s victory over the Xenon, Earth has again become common knowledge, and this picture has been widely circulated. It is the picture of Nathan Gunne. I dare say everyone in the universe has seen it by now. The version in the Heritage is known to be a print – a copy – not the original. The mystery of where the original is has been a subject of some controversy and at least one popular fiction. It seemed it had been lost to the ages. So imagine my surprise to find it, of all places, in a pirate base.
‘Not a pirate base,’ I reminded myself. It still felt strange to imagine, ‘this place was an Earth Battleship. It had been Nathan’s home. Astonishing!’
Beneath the portrait, inside an air-tight golden frame, was a ragged, creased and half torn paper photograph of a bluish, cloudy planet.
“It’s real.” K was beside me.
I stepped back. “What?”
“The portrait,” he said. “You did a story on the copy. This is the original portrait... Or were you looking at the photo?”
“I...”
“Earth,” he said.
I looked back to the battered little picture, the little, blue, ordinary-looking planet. “Earth?”
“Believe it or not,” he said. “Nathan R. Gunne had that very photo in his pocket for over forty years. It was taken from orbit two days before the Terraformers got there – the last time he ever saw Earth up close. He used to look at this whenever he felt lost... far from home.”
He stared into the photograph for a while, “I love this photo. Could tell you the name of every continent.”
“I... I’m having real trouble piecing this together. The First House? And you keep mentioning the Xenon? How do the Goner fit in? Now Earth? I... I don’t... And damn it, I don’t even know your name! Can’t you give me any straight answers?”
“Sorry,” he smiled kindly. “You’ve been more than patient. Very professional. Actually, one of these answers is right here.”
“On the wall?”
He nodded.
I looked back to the portrait of Nathan Gunne – above it, unnecessarily, a plaque: ‘Nathan R Gunne’.
To its left was another portrait I recognised from the Heritage, Nathan's young son, Brett. The plaque confirmed, ‘Brett A. Gunne’. Two further along, this time a photograph, ‘Nyola Gunne’ – Nyana’s brother. It was a family line!
Looking along, I saw others I recognised: the General Nida Gunne. Further along, I got to see what ‘Colt Gunne’ looked like. The pictures continued. ‘Tommy Gunne,’ ‘Rael Gunne’. So many pictures, all bearing this illustrious surname. ‘Jove Gunne’. They even looked alike - family resemblance. Arriving at the end, I glanced to my host in disbelief. Staring out at me from the end of this line I saw...
“K... Kelfa... Gunne?” I read from the plaque.
The man bowed.
“You’re..?”
“Kelfa Gunne,” K acknowledged. “At your service.”
“So... you’re the leader? Of the First House?”
He laughed.
“No,” he pointed over his shoulder. “No. The leader – my father – is right through this door.”
...
Last edited by The Zig on Tue, 22. Aug 06, 10:55, edited 1 time in total.
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KiwiNZ
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Cool, so now we know who K is. Nice names you came up with there. I guess with the Gunnes leading the lot they have all right to have taken possession of the ship. Having said that, I think it always has been theirs. And it explains how K knew so well how to get the information from the other battle ship.
Looking forward to the next part!
found one little thing at the end.
"I saw a others I recognised"
Looking forward to the next part!
found one little thing at the end.
"I saw a others I recognised"
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The Zig
- Posts: 458
- Joined: Mon, 1. Mar 04, 22:59
D'oh!-
The Zig
- Posts: 458
- Joined: Mon, 1. Mar 04, 22:59
Part Eighteen
Argon all look alike... or so most Boron say.
There is certainly some truth to that – they clearly have less variation than we Boron. But having spent all these jazuras living among them, I have become quite good at telling them apart. It is something I pride myself on. There are many subtle differences that allow the perceptive observer to tell Argon apart: their skin colourings and body lengths, their head shapes, body forms, visible hair and the configuration of their faces. Yet to even my trained eye, this Jove Gunne, Leader of the First House, was the exact image of Nathan R. Gunne.
“Jove Gunne,” he introduced himself. “Good to have you here.”
I half-bowed.
“Thank-you for coming,” he said. “I’m a fan. I’m proud you’ll be telling our story.”
“I’m still,” I started. “I still don’t understand what you want of me. Why am I here? I’m certainly not going to become an apologist for pirate acts. For terrorism.”
He seemed taken aback by this.
“You Boron,” he said. “There’s no moral ambiguity in your minds, is there? It’s just not in your nature, bless you! But, let’s leave that for the moment. Was your journey here okay? Really?”
“Nothing we couldn’t handle,” Kelfa told him.
“I heard about the assassin,” Jove said. “I trust you are both okay?”
“I’m okay,” I said.
Kelfa hesitated.
“It was the one who killed June,” he said flatly.
Jove put his hand on Kelfa’s back. “I’m sorry.”
“The bakami was on us from the start,” Kelfa went on. “He was probably tracking Fu ever since June made contact with him on that trade station. He was tailing us from Argon Prime. I only realised we’d been followed here when his Buster got landing clearance at the docks.”
“What do you mean?” I asked.
“In the Stimuline bar,” Kelfa said. “Security radioed my earpiece. Told me a ship had landed here at the port using my personal landing-key-code.”
“He used your landing key-code?” Jove asked. “How?”
“My guess is his ship was near enough to ‘overhear’ it when we landed. He probably assumed it was just a universal docking-code for the Port. An open key. So he used that.”
“Hm,” Jove rubbed his cheek. “But key-codes are mixed with a time-stamp and encrypted. Heavily encrypted. Unless he requested landing in the same sezura as you, he must have found a way to decrypt it and change the time stamp. Otherwise the automatic response would have denied landing permission outright. That kind of decryption’d take days with an on-board computer. Only a specialised AI could crack it so quickly.”
Kelfa nodded. “And we know what that means.”
“Argon Secret Service.”
“I sent a team to search his ship for anything interesting.”
“Good,” Jove said. “We were lucky here.”
“Yeah,” K nodded. “Gave us the element of surprise on him.”
“We had the element of surprise!?” I exclaimed. “My life was flashing before my eyes!”
“It’s the reason you’re here to talk about it! The warning is what gave me the chance to flood the area with nano-sols – aerosol-nanos. They’re what shorted-out his gun.”
“Right,” I said. “And it never occurred to you to tell me this before he...”
“Listen,” Jove interrupted. “He must have been a Service agent – nothing else fits the facts – so he will have reported in before he landed here. I know for a fact the Navy have been amassing a fleet over the past tazura, and I have good reason to believe it’s to attack us. With that in mind, it’s likely this assassination was to make way for an attack. So it makes sense to assume they’ll attack within the stazura. Clear?”
“I think...”
“I may not be able to stop an all out attack, Mr Jila, so I want you off this station before it comes to that. So time is of the essence. We should get to business.”
He had spoken with a calmness that was frankly unnerving.
“Okay,” I said. “So what is it you needed to tell me so badly?”
“Right,” he began. “Where to start? Survival is war. And we’re losing...”
...
Argon all look alike... or so most Boron say.
There is certainly some truth to that – they clearly have less variation than we Boron. But having spent all these jazuras living among them, I have become quite good at telling them apart. It is something I pride myself on. There are many subtle differences that allow the perceptive observer to tell Argon apart: their skin colourings and body lengths, their head shapes, body forms, visible hair and the configuration of their faces. Yet to even my trained eye, this Jove Gunne, Leader of the First House, was the exact image of Nathan R. Gunne.
“Jove Gunne,” he introduced himself. “Good to have you here.”
I half-bowed.
“Thank-you for coming,” he said. “I’m a fan. I’m proud you’ll be telling our story.”
“I’m still,” I started. “I still don’t understand what you want of me. Why am I here? I’m certainly not going to become an apologist for pirate acts. For terrorism.”
He seemed taken aback by this.
“You Boron,” he said. “There’s no moral ambiguity in your minds, is there? It’s just not in your nature, bless you! But, let’s leave that for the moment. Was your journey here okay? Really?”
“Nothing we couldn’t handle,” Kelfa told him.
“I heard about the assassin,” Jove said. “I trust you are both okay?”
“I’m okay,” I said.
Kelfa hesitated.
“It was the one who killed June,” he said flatly.
Jove put his hand on Kelfa’s back. “I’m sorry.”
“The bakami was on us from the start,” Kelfa went on. “He was probably tracking Fu ever since June made contact with him on that trade station. He was tailing us from Argon Prime. I only realised we’d been followed here when his Buster got landing clearance at the docks.”
“What do you mean?” I asked.
“In the Stimuline bar,” Kelfa said. “Security radioed my earpiece. Told me a ship had landed here at the port using my personal landing-key-code.”
“He used your landing key-code?” Jove asked. “How?”
“My guess is his ship was near enough to ‘overhear’ it when we landed. He probably assumed it was just a universal docking-code for the Port. An open key. So he used that.”
“Hm,” Jove rubbed his cheek. “But key-codes are mixed with a time-stamp and encrypted. Heavily encrypted. Unless he requested landing in the same sezura as you, he must have found a way to decrypt it and change the time stamp. Otherwise the automatic response would have denied landing permission outright. That kind of decryption’d take days with an on-board computer. Only a specialised AI could crack it so quickly.”
Kelfa nodded. “And we know what that means.”
“Argon Secret Service.”
“I sent a team to search his ship for anything interesting.”
“Good,” Jove said. “We were lucky here.”
“Yeah,” K nodded. “Gave us the element of surprise on him.”
“We had the element of surprise!?” I exclaimed. “My life was flashing before my eyes!”
“It’s the reason you’re here to talk about it! The warning is what gave me the chance to flood the area with nano-sols – aerosol-nanos. They’re what shorted-out his gun.”
“Right,” I said. “And it never occurred to you to tell me this before he...”
“Listen,” Jove interrupted. “He must have been a Service agent – nothing else fits the facts – so he will have reported in before he landed here. I know for a fact the Navy have been amassing a fleet over the past tazura, and I have good reason to believe it’s to attack us. With that in mind, it’s likely this assassination was to make way for an attack. So it makes sense to assume they’ll attack within the stazura. Clear?”
“I think...”
“I may not be able to stop an all out attack, Mr Jila, so I want you off this station before it comes to that. So time is of the essence. We should get to business.”
He had spoken with a calmness that was frankly unnerving.
“Okay,” I said. “So what is it you needed to tell me so badly?”
“Right,” he began. “Where to start? Survival is war. And we’re losing...”
...
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KiwiNZ
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- Joined: Wed, 6. Nov 02, 20:31
Nice resolution. I like it. Argon Secret Service employing the services of an assassin. Ouch. they are a scrupulous bunch, aren't they? 
Not sure how the First House can withstand a full-scale attack of the Argon Navy, I'd say they can't, unless there is a decent number of people in the Navy that'd switch sides at the right time.
Looking forward to the next part!
Not sure how the First House can withstand a full-scale attack of the Argon Navy, I'd say they can't, unless there is a decent number of people in the Navy that'd switch sides at the right time.Looking forward to the next part!
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The Zig
- Posts: 458
- Joined: Mon, 1. Mar 04, 22:59
Switch sides?! As if a Navy Pilot would do something like that! 
Nearing the end here...
Part Nineteen
Jove paused, staring, contemplating me for a moment.
“You think I’m a revolutionary,” he began. “You do, I can see it. You expect me to be some raving fanatic. I think you’ll be surprised. What I want isn’t even unorthodox. That’s what kills me. I’m public enemy number 2, and what I want is really just common sense. That’s it.”
“You want to destroy the Argon democracy!”
“As a last resort,” he countered. “If they don’t give us any other option. If they don’t act we have to. This isn’t about democracy any more... or anything idealogical. Ideology’s irrelevant. This is...”
“If I have interpreted your actions correctly,” I interrupted. “It is very idealogical. You plan to topple a ‘weak’ and ‘corrupt’ democracy, and restore your ‘House of Gunne’ – a ‘strong’ and ‘honourable’ military dictatorship. Something like the Split. I just don’t understand why you think I’d act as a mouthpiece for this atrocity.”
Kelfa made some noise, he was staring at me now in something like shock.
Jove shook his head, smiling. “You’re everything I hoped for! It’s exactly because you won’t be anyone’s ‘mouthpiece’ that I need you. Integrity. When this is all over, people will trust you to tell it how it is. However much the government can slander me and twist my words, your words carry an authority they can't touch. People trust you more than they trust them! And when people hear what we’re really doing here, if they can really understand the importance, it might cause just enough of an outcry as to force the government to act.
“You see? You’re here precisely because I don’t want the damage of a coup. That’s why this little meeting became the House’s top priority: it’s a last ditch effort to resolve this matter peacefully. Without unnecessary bloodshed.”
“No pressure,” Kelfa muttered.
“Right now,” Jove said. “The Navy’s under direct control of the Republic. Senators have complete control. So whenever they need to cut their overheads, who do you think faces cutbacks? Sure, our Navy looks strong, on paper, but in real terms – compared to the competition, that is – our real Navy power has diminished every year since Brennan’s Triumph. Fact. Look it up. And it’s starting to show. When you get back, interview a Navy Admiral. Any one of them. They’ll all tell you the same story. A story of repeated cut-backs, endless shortages, greedy arms dealers and meddling Senators that try to tell them how to run a Navy. Ask any Admiral which he’d prefer: Navy ran weapons production or the current ‘lowest bidder’ system.”
“But that’s not an Admiral’s choice,” I said. “It’s the people’s choice. It’s not perfect, but it’s democracy. People choose. People have that freedom.”
“Then maybe they shouldn’t,” he said. “And don’t give me that look! What I mean is, how can ‘the people’ choose when they are totally uninformed? When people choose – vote – are they really voting on how the military is ran?! Or are they voting about things they actually know about? Things that matter to them? Taxes, economics... I’ve never seen an election campaign focus on military logistics, have you? When people vote, do they know what a candidate’s military policy is? Is that even on the radar?”
He waited a moment for an answer. When I failed to give one he went on.
“They vote with their pockets. On issues that directly affect them. That’s democracy’s domain: everyday issues. ‘The people’ just assume the military will run itself. Which is actually how it should be! It should run itself. The government’s experiment in usurping our defence has clearly failed. We’re weaker now than ever. Dangerously so. Perhaps fatally so. Unless something changes... The First House must retake the Argon Navy. It’s the only way to save the Argon.”
“No,” I said. “You’d become a dictatorship. Even if you didn’t mean to. As soon as you have power over the military, you have effective power over the Argon. What protection does Democracy have against you if you hold all the guns? It’s powerless and you’re a dictator. Is that what you want?”
“No,” Jove said. “You’re wrong. The Argon Federal Bank just controls the treasury – they’re the economic specialists – we’ll control just the Navy – we’ll be the militar...”
“How will that solve these ‘endless shortages’?” I snapped.
“Well obviously we’d need to control the economic supply-chain feeding into the Navy.”
“Which could include virtually every factory in space!?”
“It’s a price that has to be paid! We’re out of options! Honestly. For all your ideology, and your arguments, we’re talking about survival. The survival of the Argon. I’m looking to keep Nathan’s pledge. Nathan R. Gunne made this pledge: ‘to protect all Argon from all attackers’.
“The House promised that. I intend to keep that pledge. If, to grow strong, we have to give up a little freedom... It’s a small price. Not much use in being a free corpse.”
“Strength is the Split virtue,” I said coldly. “The virtue of the bully, the killer, the oppressor. The Foundation Guild always based itself on the virtue of Freedom. If we lose sight of this, what are we fighting for?”
“A noble thought, I’m sure. But strength is not ‘the Split virtue’, it’s the Universal virtue: in the whole universe it’s the one virtue that makes all other virtues possible. Who can say what delicate wonders have been stamped out of existence for lack of Strength to survive? Isn’t that what nearly happened to the Boron? Wasn’t it our Strength that saved you?”
Kelfa watched me from his father’s side.
...
With time running short, we went on to discuss the Xenon. He gave me various pieces of evidence, including holos and photos, to show how the Xenon are evolving. Their new ships, new flight patterns, new tactics. He showed me data to indicate how previously effective battle tactics may have become obsolete. He also showed me some top-secret Navy reports that showed (without wishing to breach any secrecy laws) that the war with the Khaak is going rather worse than most people realise.
All in all, it comprised an urgent call for action.
A call came through the comms.
“Ah!” Jove activated a screen showing the North Gate.
The Navy Fleet was here.
...
Nearing the end here...
Part Nineteen
Jove paused, staring, contemplating me for a moment.
“You think I’m a revolutionary,” he began. “You do, I can see it. You expect me to be some raving fanatic. I think you’ll be surprised. What I want isn’t even unorthodox. That’s what kills me. I’m public enemy number 2, and what I want is really just common sense. That’s it.”
“You want to destroy the Argon democracy!”
“As a last resort,” he countered. “If they don’t give us any other option. If they don’t act we have to. This isn’t about democracy any more... or anything idealogical. Ideology’s irrelevant. This is...”
“If I have interpreted your actions correctly,” I interrupted. “It is very idealogical. You plan to topple a ‘weak’ and ‘corrupt’ democracy, and restore your ‘House of Gunne’ – a ‘strong’ and ‘honourable’ military dictatorship. Something like the Split. I just don’t understand why you think I’d act as a mouthpiece for this atrocity.”
Kelfa made some noise, he was staring at me now in something like shock.
Jove shook his head, smiling. “You’re everything I hoped for! It’s exactly because you won’t be anyone’s ‘mouthpiece’ that I need you. Integrity. When this is all over, people will trust you to tell it how it is. However much the government can slander me and twist my words, your words carry an authority they can't touch. People trust you more than they trust them! And when people hear what we’re really doing here, if they can really understand the importance, it might cause just enough of an outcry as to force the government to act.
“You see? You’re here precisely because I don’t want the damage of a coup. That’s why this little meeting became the House’s top priority: it’s a last ditch effort to resolve this matter peacefully. Without unnecessary bloodshed.”
“No pressure,” Kelfa muttered.
“Right now,” Jove said. “The Navy’s under direct control of the Republic. Senators have complete control. So whenever they need to cut their overheads, who do you think faces cutbacks? Sure, our Navy looks strong, on paper, but in real terms – compared to the competition, that is – our real Navy power has diminished every year since Brennan’s Triumph. Fact. Look it up. And it’s starting to show. When you get back, interview a Navy Admiral. Any one of them. They’ll all tell you the same story. A story of repeated cut-backs, endless shortages, greedy arms dealers and meddling Senators that try to tell them how to run a Navy. Ask any Admiral which he’d prefer: Navy ran weapons production or the current ‘lowest bidder’ system.”
“But that’s not an Admiral’s choice,” I said. “It’s the people’s choice. It’s not perfect, but it’s democracy. People choose. People have that freedom.”
“Then maybe they shouldn’t,” he said. “And don’t give me that look! What I mean is, how can ‘the people’ choose when they are totally uninformed? When people choose – vote – are they really voting on how the military is ran?! Or are they voting about things they actually know about? Things that matter to them? Taxes, economics... I’ve never seen an election campaign focus on military logistics, have you? When people vote, do they know what a candidate’s military policy is? Is that even on the radar?”
He waited a moment for an answer. When I failed to give one he went on.
“They vote with their pockets. On issues that directly affect them. That’s democracy’s domain: everyday issues. ‘The people’ just assume the military will run itself. Which is actually how it should be! It should run itself. The government’s experiment in usurping our defence has clearly failed. We’re weaker now than ever. Dangerously so. Perhaps fatally so. Unless something changes... The First House must retake the Argon Navy. It’s the only way to save the Argon.”
“No,” I said. “You’d become a dictatorship. Even if you didn’t mean to. As soon as you have power over the military, you have effective power over the Argon. What protection does Democracy have against you if you hold all the guns? It’s powerless and you’re a dictator. Is that what you want?”
“No,” Jove said. “You’re wrong. The Argon Federal Bank just controls the treasury – they’re the economic specialists – we’ll control just the Navy – we’ll be the militar...”
“How will that solve these ‘endless shortages’?” I snapped.
“Well obviously we’d need to control the economic supply-chain feeding into the Navy.”
“Which could include virtually every factory in space!?”
“It’s a price that has to be paid! We’re out of options! Honestly. For all your ideology, and your arguments, we’re talking about survival. The survival of the Argon. I’m looking to keep Nathan’s pledge. Nathan R. Gunne made this pledge: ‘to protect all Argon from all attackers’.
“The House promised that. I intend to keep that pledge. If, to grow strong, we have to give up a little freedom... It’s a small price. Not much use in being a free corpse.”
“Strength is the Split virtue,” I said coldly. “The virtue of the bully, the killer, the oppressor. The Foundation Guild always based itself on the virtue of Freedom. If we lose sight of this, what are we fighting for?”
“A noble thought, I’m sure. But strength is not ‘the Split virtue’, it’s the Universal virtue: in the whole universe it’s the one virtue that makes all other virtues possible. Who can say what delicate wonders have been stamped out of existence for lack of Strength to survive? Isn’t that what nearly happened to the Boron? Wasn’t it our Strength that saved you?”
Kelfa watched me from his father’s side.
...
With time running short, we went on to discuss the Xenon. He gave me various pieces of evidence, including holos and photos, to show how the Xenon are evolving. Their new ships, new flight patterns, new tactics. He showed me data to indicate how previously effective battle tactics may have become obsolete. He also showed me some top-secret Navy reports that showed (without wishing to breach any secrecy laws) that the war with the Khaak is going rather worse than most people realise.
All in all, it comprised an urgent call for action.
A call came through the comms.
“Ah!” Jove activated a screen showing the North Gate.
The Navy Fleet was here.
...
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The_Hypo
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KiwiNZ
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Excellent read! All these politics were even at 3am still interesting to read! It is a difficult issue they are debating. Gunne is generally right but has the wrong goals, or at least wrong goals if in the wrong hands. But it appears to really be the only way to strengthen the Navy.
Looking forward to the next chapter!
It is a difficult issue they are debating. Gunne is generally right but has the wrong goals, or at least wrong goals if in the wrong hands. But it appears to really be the only way to strengthen the Navy.Looking forward to the next chapter!
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The Zig
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lachvogel
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The Zig
- Posts: 458
- Joined: Mon, 1. Mar 04, 22:59
Part Twenty
After some quickly exchanged words and a hasty farewell, Kelfa dragged me away.
“Time to go!”
...
Another transport put us in the lower bay of a Nova, just inside the Nova’s main entrance hatch. I followed Kelfa up to the cockpit.
“Get us out of here,” he shouted.
“Right,” the masked pilot sped us out of Old Annie; we shot out into the blackness of space.
Kilometres ahead, what looked like a war-fleet was approaching.
...
Loomanckstrat’s Legacy is feared for many reasons. Of course, it is notorious as home of the Anarchy Port. But it is equally infamous for the extensive, vicious minefields that sprawl across the ecliptic plane. It is littered with mines, they are everywhere. The few safe ‘tunnels’ through the sector are marked by hazard beacons. Explosive death awaits anyone who strays too far. This makes it particularly hard to escape pirates ambushes.
The Navy Fleet were bunched together to fit through the safe ‘tunnel’ to the station.
“Big fleet,” the pilot muttered.
It was. Two Titans formed the backbone of the fleet – large and foreboding. These were supported by four Centaurs, a mass of M3s and some M4s and M5s.
The few pirate fighters and laser towers were pretty meagre in comparison.
“Uh...” I didn’t know how to say this. “Shouldn’t you evacuate the base. They look serious.”
Kelfa nodded grimly.
“The base can’t resist this kind of open attack,” I said. “You don’t have the ships!”
“Think we didn’t expect this?”
“But there’s no way you can...” Then something occurred to me. “By the Queen – is this a martyrdom? Is it? Of course! Is this... Is this why I’ve been brought here? Is Jove planning to immortalise himself here? As a martyr. To get his message across the universe this way? Some kind of propaganda campaign? Is this my part?”
“No!” Kelfa looked shocked by this thought. “Of course not! No. No, that’d be...”
Kelfa hesitated a moment, he seemed to consider it, then he said. “No. You don’t know dad. Jove. We’re announcing our return here. He’s got something planned. He doesn’t tell me everything, but he’s got something planned. Something good.”
“Like?”
“Well...” he winked. “Remember the Shades? I sense an ambush.”
“How many Shades do you...” I stalled. Glancing ahead, I had noticed we were heading right into the Navy fleet. “Are we..? I thought we were making a getaway?”
“What? Oh! It’s okay,” Kelfa said absently. “We’re in a Shade ship.”
“We’re almost invisible,” the pilot confirmed. “The only thing to remember is don’t fly in with the sun to your back.”
Sure enough we glided through the midst of the incoming war-fleet completely unnoticed. They flew right by us. I rushed to the rear turret to watch through the glass.
Kelfa looked at the pilot, confusion growing on his face.
“Jo?” Kelfa asked the pilot. “Shouldn’t you be out there with the Shade ambush?”
“Huh? We’re not active right now. Beta squadron are active. I guess they’re covering it.”
“Beta squadron?!” Kelfa shouted. “They’re not up to this! Beta?!”
“Who are beta squadron?” I asked.
“They’re our back-up Shades squadron. Alpha are our elite. Beta are just promising pilots; pirates and ex... Jo, half of beta are ex-Navy! They’re not... Do you think they’re up to this?”
“Capable? Yes,” the pilot said. “Training them myself. I’d be more worried about them following orders. They’re young. And like you say, a couple only just left the Navy. I mean, they should be loyal, but some might have friends on the other side. That’d be tough. And some of the others are pretty green. I’d be worried about them just sitting it out hidden behind an asteroid.”
“Why aren’t Alpha covering this? Jo? Why are..?”
“Hey! It’s not my call. Jove’s own orders.”
“Damn! Patch me through to Jove,” Kelfa ordered.
The Navy Fleet had reached the Anarchy Port. Through the rear-turret window, I saw them spread out into the clearing around the port. The imbalance was staggering. A huge Argon fleet versus about ten Orinocos and a lot of scouts. This looked like a massacre. But the Shades, could they... would they tip the balance?
A communication went out on all channels.
“This is Admiral Hope of the Argon Navy Flagship Thraddash to Pirate Base. Surrender or be destroyed.”
Jove Gunne appeared on screen. “Join us or leave in peace.”
“Negative. Stand down or be destroyed.”
“We all want to protect the Argon,” Gunne said. “Let’s not fight each other for the sake of weak, lying politicians. Join us.”
“Negative. You have one mizura to stand down.”
“No!” Gunne shouted. “You have a mizura to make the right choice: ‘just follow orders’, or do the right thing.”
Silence.
“The cowards who sent you,” Jove told them. “Sent ahead an assassin for me and my family. A murderer they freed from prison and paid – paid more than they pay any of you – to kill me, my children. One of whom is six jazuras old. These are the people you’ll die for? Kill for?”
Silence.
“Government exists by consent. It’s our right to over-throw them. When they’re leading us to destruction, it becomes our duty to do so. Open your eyes. Better men than you are with us. Navy pilots. War heroes. People you respect. Is it wrong to reclaim our honour? Is it wrong to take responsibility for our own protection?”
Silence.
“Twenty sezura,” the Admiral said flatly.
“Damn you,” Gunne said. “Open your eyes. You can kill me, but that won’t make me less right. Others’ll see the truth and they have no choice but to fight. Truth’s more than me, truth’s immortal.”
More silence.
“Knock us down,” Jove said. “And we’ll rise again.”
Our Nova had cleared the mine field now. We were turning back to face the action.
“5 sez,” the Admiral said.
The Navy force looked overwhelming.
All at once the sky lit up. The Navy were attacking. The Port's laser towers were gone almost immediately, and several First House Orinocos fell in the first volley. The fighters that remained tried to hold back the unstoppable force of the Navy. The Centaurs swept in, shooting everything in sight.
“The Shades will be there,” said Kelfa. “Watch for them.”
The two Titans blasted through the pirate line and moved in to attack the Anarchy Port directly. This Beta squadron were certainly taking their time. Photon Pulse Cannons blazed away from the Titans, burning into the Port’s shield.
“Any sezura,” Kelfa’s voice wavered now. “Any sez. They have to defend the base!”
The Titans were right over the Port now. I spotted the distant after-burn of a Hornet. A moment later a huge explosion rocked the Port.
“Where the hell are Beta?” Kelfa whispered.
More tiny after-burner trails and a series of explosions rocked the Port.
“No!” I uttered. “Surrender.”
To lose such an historic artefact was beyond contemplation.
“Where the hell are Beta!” Kelfa shouted. “Jo, you have to take us back in.”
“I...”
A huge explosion burst from somewhere on the station. It triggered more explosions. Debris and fire blew in every direction from the Port. A series of explosions rocked through the structure.
“No!” Kelfa said, his eyes wide.
The Anarchy Port broke up in fire before our eyes.
...
After some quickly exchanged words and a hasty farewell, Kelfa dragged me away.
“Time to go!”
...
Another transport put us in the lower bay of a Nova, just inside the Nova’s main entrance hatch. I followed Kelfa up to the cockpit.
“Get us out of here,” he shouted.
“Right,” the masked pilot sped us out of Old Annie; we shot out into the blackness of space.
Kilometres ahead, what looked like a war-fleet was approaching.
...
Loomanckstrat’s Legacy is feared for many reasons. Of course, it is notorious as home of the Anarchy Port. But it is equally infamous for the extensive, vicious minefields that sprawl across the ecliptic plane. It is littered with mines, they are everywhere. The few safe ‘tunnels’ through the sector are marked by hazard beacons. Explosive death awaits anyone who strays too far. This makes it particularly hard to escape pirates ambushes.
The Navy Fleet were bunched together to fit through the safe ‘tunnel’ to the station.
“Big fleet,” the pilot muttered.
It was. Two Titans formed the backbone of the fleet – large and foreboding. These were supported by four Centaurs, a mass of M3s and some M4s and M5s.
The few pirate fighters and laser towers were pretty meagre in comparison.
“Uh...” I didn’t know how to say this. “Shouldn’t you evacuate the base. They look serious.”
Kelfa nodded grimly.
“The base can’t resist this kind of open attack,” I said. “You don’t have the ships!”
“Think we didn’t expect this?”
“But there’s no way you can...” Then something occurred to me. “By the Queen – is this a martyrdom? Is it? Of course! Is this... Is this why I’ve been brought here? Is Jove planning to immortalise himself here? As a martyr. To get his message across the universe this way? Some kind of propaganda campaign? Is this my part?”
“No!” Kelfa looked shocked by this thought. “Of course not! No. No, that’d be...”
Kelfa hesitated a moment, he seemed to consider it, then he said. “No. You don’t know dad. Jove. We’re announcing our return here. He’s got something planned. He doesn’t tell me everything, but he’s got something planned. Something good.”
“Like?”
“Well...” he winked. “Remember the Shades? I sense an ambush.”
“How many Shades do you...” I stalled. Glancing ahead, I had noticed we were heading right into the Navy fleet. “Are we..? I thought we were making a getaway?”
“What? Oh! It’s okay,” Kelfa said absently. “We’re in a Shade ship.”
“We’re almost invisible,” the pilot confirmed. “The only thing to remember is don’t fly in with the sun to your back.”
Sure enough we glided through the midst of the incoming war-fleet completely unnoticed. They flew right by us. I rushed to the rear turret to watch through the glass.
Kelfa looked at the pilot, confusion growing on his face.
“Jo?” Kelfa asked the pilot. “Shouldn’t you be out there with the Shade ambush?”
“Huh? We’re not active right now. Beta squadron are active. I guess they’re covering it.”
“Beta squadron?!” Kelfa shouted. “They’re not up to this! Beta?!”
“Who are beta squadron?” I asked.
“They’re our back-up Shades squadron. Alpha are our elite. Beta are just promising pilots; pirates and ex... Jo, half of beta are ex-Navy! They’re not... Do you think they’re up to this?”
“Capable? Yes,” the pilot said. “Training them myself. I’d be more worried about them following orders. They’re young. And like you say, a couple only just left the Navy. I mean, they should be loyal, but some might have friends on the other side. That’d be tough. And some of the others are pretty green. I’d be worried about them just sitting it out hidden behind an asteroid.”
“Why aren’t Alpha covering this? Jo? Why are..?”
“Hey! It’s not my call. Jove’s own orders.”
“Damn! Patch me through to Jove,” Kelfa ordered.
The Navy Fleet had reached the Anarchy Port. Through the rear-turret window, I saw them spread out into the clearing around the port. The imbalance was staggering. A huge Argon fleet versus about ten Orinocos and a lot of scouts. This looked like a massacre. But the Shades, could they... would they tip the balance?
A communication went out on all channels.
“This is Admiral Hope of the Argon Navy Flagship Thraddash to Pirate Base. Surrender or be destroyed.”
Jove Gunne appeared on screen. “Join us or leave in peace.”
“Negative. Stand down or be destroyed.”
“We all want to protect the Argon,” Gunne said. “Let’s not fight each other for the sake of weak, lying politicians. Join us.”
“Negative. You have one mizura to stand down.”
“No!” Gunne shouted. “You have a mizura to make the right choice: ‘just follow orders’, or do the right thing.”
Silence.
“The cowards who sent you,” Jove told them. “Sent ahead an assassin for me and my family. A murderer they freed from prison and paid – paid more than they pay any of you – to kill me, my children. One of whom is six jazuras old. These are the people you’ll die for? Kill for?”
Silence.
“Government exists by consent. It’s our right to over-throw them. When they’re leading us to destruction, it becomes our duty to do so. Open your eyes. Better men than you are with us. Navy pilots. War heroes. People you respect. Is it wrong to reclaim our honour? Is it wrong to take responsibility for our own protection?”
Silence.
“Twenty sezura,” the Admiral said flatly.
“Damn you,” Gunne said. “Open your eyes. You can kill me, but that won’t make me less right. Others’ll see the truth and they have no choice but to fight. Truth’s more than me, truth’s immortal.”
More silence.
“Knock us down,” Jove said. “And we’ll rise again.”
Our Nova had cleared the mine field now. We were turning back to face the action.
“5 sez,” the Admiral said.
The Navy force looked overwhelming.
All at once the sky lit up. The Navy were attacking. The Port's laser towers were gone almost immediately, and several First House Orinocos fell in the first volley. The fighters that remained tried to hold back the unstoppable force of the Navy. The Centaurs swept in, shooting everything in sight.
“The Shades will be there,” said Kelfa. “Watch for them.”
The two Titans blasted through the pirate line and moved in to attack the Anarchy Port directly. This Beta squadron were certainly taking their time. Photon Pulse Cannons blazed away from the Titans, burning into the Port’s shield.
“Any sezura,” Kelfa’s voice wavered now. “Any sez. They have to defend the base!”
The Titans were right over the Port now. I spotted the distant after-burn of a Hornet. A moment later a huge explosion rocked the Port.
“Where the hell are Beta?” Kelfa whispered.
More tiny after-burner trails and a series of explosions rocked the Port.
“No!” I uttered. “Surrender.”
To lose such an historic artefact was beyond contemplation.
“Where the hell are Beta!” Kelfa shouted. “Jo, you have to take us back in.”
“I...”
A huge explosion burst from somewhere on the station. It triggered more explosions. Debris and fire blew in every direction from the Port. A series of explosions rocked through the structure.
“No!” Kelfa said, his eyes wide.
The Anarchy Port broke up in fire before our eyes.
...
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lachvogel
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KiwiNZ
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The Zig
- Posts: 458
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The Zig
- Posts: 458
- Joined: Mon, 1. Mar 04, 22:59
Part Twenty-One
I stared at that broken station.
The explosions had died down, and where the Anarchy Port had been, just the outer hoop of the smashed station spun emptily in the void.
Kelfa stared, speechless.
The main cylinder, the core of the station, had been thrown backwards and half blown away by the force of the explosions. Debris littered the area, and tiny bursts of flame – the last echoes of the destruction – burst out from that wrecked core-cylinder making it spin randomly in the void. Debris trailed all around. It was a sad sight.
Morale broken by the loss of their base, and facing over-whelming fire-power – with still no sign of Beta coming to their rescue – the last Orinocos cowered within that wrecked outer hoop of the base. Even the Navy seemed surprised at how quickly they had won. The glorious fleet moved in for the kill.
The Anarchy Port’s core cylinder had spun a full half-turn when another small explosion came from the end, cancelling the spin. Another blast at the rear sent it gliding in toward the Titans. They looked almost like...
“... Manoeuvring jets?”
With a flash, the last of the debris was blown away like a shed skin, and the Loki – sleek and mean – emerged from the wrecked core. With that tell-tale purple glow, a shield rose, and flashing bolts shot from Loki’s nose into the belly of the Titans.
Ion Disruptors.
One Titan had lost its shield now and the Loki was turning on the other. As the Earth-ship turned, its turrets opened fire on that first, shield-less, Titan. Plasma fire tore holes through the Navy flagship, as those Ion Disruptors locked onto the second Titan; now, its shields too fell away.
The mass of the Navy fleet had just started to react when, sharply, Loki began to reverse. Rather than pressing home its advantage on the Titans, Loki backed away – surprisingly quick for such a large ship. It had dashed back several kilometres before the Titans had managed to turn. The Navy fleet were regrouping to follow, and still Loki was picking up reverse speed.
Boom!
Without warning, an explosion hit one of the Centaurs. It seemed it had gotten too close to a mine, when... Boom! It was hit again, another mine. The explosion crippled it. Then Boom! another explosion kilometres away, this time a Nova destroyed by a mine. Another explosion claimed a small group of Busters. Boom! Another explosion. And another. Explosions followed one another, faster and faster now.
“What the..?”
Then I noticed. The hundreds of tiny specks shifting in the night; the minefield was moving! The mines had been activated somehow – magnetised perhaps – and now the whole field was collapsing in on the Argon fleet. Space lit up with explosions – explosions like stars – thicker, faster, bigger and brighter until it hurt my eyes to watch.
Amid the chaos, a bigger blast marked the end of the Navy flagship, the Titan Thraddash. The other Titan was making a dash; flames streamed from its sides, burning off its own leaking oxygen. A sinister cloud followed it. Mines. In a cartoon way, it looked like a chase. The Titan was trying desperately to pick up speed, to outrun them, but now it was headed straight for the crippled corvette. It was too late to turn. They ploughed headlong through the lame-duck corvette. The corvette was obliterated and the Titan, critically, was slowed...
The cloud of mines casually overtook it, many drifting into the engine ducts and docks. The whole tail-end of the ship exploded bright as a sun. The back half of the ship was vaporised – just as the dead nose flew onwards, much faster now, flames pouring out behind as it burned off the last fleeting oxygen. It finally smashed through a witless Nova on its way to oblivion.
...
The explosions were dying down at last, and the fleet was mostly gone. A crippled Centaur and some bewildered M3s and M5s remained. They looked lost, shell-shocked.
Those few Pirate Orinocos now emerged from their sanctuary, shielded in the Anarchy Port’s still-functioning hoop section. They attacked ruthlessly. Loki flew back into the fight, amazingly fast. Disrupters stripped shields, and the turrets did the rest. The Navy ships were massacred.
The last few Navy M5s broke away and dashed. About half-way to the gate they were met by plasma fire and impulse rays that leapt from the shadows to consume them. So there was Beta squadron.
...
We sat in a stunned silence.
Kelfa burst into laughter.
The pilot and I stared at him for nearly a mizura before he recomposed himself.
“What?!” He asked. “Oh, what? I’m wrong to laugh? Forget that! It was us or them. Jove gave them fair warning. They shouldn’t have come here. This is our home. It’s their fault.”
A beep. The pilot pressed a button.
“Jila,” Jove Gunne’s voice over the comm. “Consider that a demonstration of my message. The Virtue of Strength. And don’t forget what you’ve seen here.”
And Loki, this ancient Earth-ship with its ancient power, paraded past in front of us.
...
I stared at that broken station.
The explosions had died down, and where the Anarchy Port had been, just the outer hoop of the smashed station spun emptily in the void.
Kelfa stared, speechless.
The main cylinder, the core of the station, had been thrown backwards and half blown away by the force of the explosions. Debris littered the area, and tiny bursts of flame – the last echoes of the destruction – burst out from that wrecked core-cylinder making it spin randomly in the void. Debris trailed all around. It was a sad sight.
Morale broken by the loss of their base, and facing over-whelming fire-power – with still no sign of Beta coming to their rescue – the last Orinocos cowered within that wrecked outer hoop of the base. Even the Navy seemed surprised at how quickly they had won. The glorious fleet moved in for the kill.
The Anarchy Port’s core cylinder had spun a full half-turn when another small explosion came from the end, cancelling the spin. Another blast at the rear sent it gliding in toward the Titans. They looked almost like...
“... Manoeuvring jets?”
With a flash, the last of the debris was blown away like a shed skin, and the Loki – sleek and mean – emerged from the wrecked core. With that tell-tale purple glow, a shield rose, and flashing bolts shot from Loki’s nose into the belly of the Titans.
Ion Disruptors.
One Titan had lost its shield now and the Loki was turning on the other. As the Earth-ship turned, its turrets opened fire on that first, shield-less, Titan. Plasma fire tore holes through the Navy flagship, as those Ion Disruptors locked onto the second Titan; now, its shields too fell away.
The mass of the Navy fleet had just started to react when, sharply, Loki began to reverse. Rather than pressing home its advantage on the Titans, Loki backed away – surprisingly quick for such a large ship. It had dashed back several kilometres before the Titans had managed to turn. The Navy fleet were regrouping to follow, and still Loki was picking up reverse speed.
Boom!
Without warning, an explosion hit one of the Centaurs. It seemed it had gotten too close to a mine, when... Boom! It was hit again, another mine. The explosion crippled it. Then Boom! another explosion kilometres away, this time a Nova destroyed by a mine. Another explosion claimed a small group of Busters. Boom! Another explosion. And another. Explosions followed one another, faster and faster now.
“What the..?”
Then I noticed. The hundreds of tiny specks shifting in the night; the minefield was moving! The mines had been activated somehow – magnetised perhaps – and now the whole field was collapsing in on the Argon fleet. Space lit up with explosions – explosions like stars – thicker, faster, bigger and brighter until it hurt my eyes to watch.
Amid the chaos, a bigger blast marked the end of the Navy flagship, the Titan Thraddash. The other Titan was making a dash; flames streamed from its sides, burning off its own leaking oxygen. A sinister cloud followed it. Mines. In a cartoon way, it looked like a chase. The Titan was trying desperately to pick up speed, to outrun them, but now it was headed straight for the crippled corvette. It was too late to turn. They ploughed headlong through the lame-duck corvette. The corvette was obliterated and the Titan, critically, was slowed...
The cloud of mines casually overtook it, many drifting into the engine ducts and docks. The whole tail-end of the ship exploded bright as a sun. The back half of the ship was vaporised – just as the dead nose flew onwards, much faster now, flames pouring out behind as it burned off the last fleeting oxygen. It finally smashed through a witless Nova on its way to oblivion.
...
The explosions were dying down at last, and the fleet was mostly gone. A crippled Centaur and some bewildered M3s and M5s remained. They looked lost, shell-shocked.
Those few Pirate Orinocos now emerged from their sanctuary, shielded in the Anarchy Port’s still-functioning hoop section. They attacked ruthlessly. Loki flew back into the fight, amazingly fast. Disrupters stripped shields, and the turrets did the rest. The Navy ships were massacred.
The last few Navy M5s broke away and dashed. About half-way to the gate they were met by plasma fire and impulse rays that leapt from the shadows to consume them. So there was Beta squadron.
...
We sat in a stunned silence.
Kelfa burst into laughter.
The pilot and I stared at him for nearly a mizura before he recomposed himself.
“What?!” He asked. “Oh, what? I’m wrong to laugh? Forget that! It was us or them. Jove gave them fair warning. They shouldn’t have come here. This is our home. It’s their fault.”
A beep. The pilot pressed a button.
“Jila,” Jove Gunne’s voice over the comm. “Consider that a demonstration of my message. The Virtue of Strength. And don’t forget what you’ve seen here.”
And Loki, this ancient Earth-ship with its ancient power, paraded past in front of us.
...
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KiwiNZ
- Posts: 3512
- Joined: Wed, 6. Nov 02, 20:31
COOOOOL! Very nice battle! Love the idea with the mines. You mentioned the rumours of moving mine fields before and put it nicely in action. That fight will have hurt the Navy more than the fights in Presidents End or Omycron Lyrae, or about the same as those two together. They clearly need new leadership ... and better ships
Looking forward to the aftermath.
Looking forward to the aftermath.
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The_Hypo
- Posts: 1642
- Joined: Sun, 7. Mar 04, 02:10
That was unexpected and very cool!