The Tides of History (an St/Sw cross over)

[Admiral Breetai]

update not too much talking lots of ass whooping Sonof inspired me so I had to take to writing, borrowed one your curse words. preao keeps putting out good work and sorry for the punctuation fail

big thanks to Mike DiCenso for clearing up some of the stuff I missed or messed up on..

brief run down: Rennek and vi'retess and a founder have some three way ham to ham Garros snarks them all and the imperial exterminators run around whooping some ass. Battle on the planet itself is beginning which you know what that means? Ground battles and lots of imperial news network


Battle of Bright Jewell hour 6- outer system


At first the darkness became something thick that he could feel touch and taste then the blackness faded replaced by a grey haze and then colors slowly started to reappear and then lieutenant Hertz let out a loud cry of pain and a loud curse before stumbling to his feet, he looked around the entire command center was leveled pieces of debris falling all over various com officers impaled on rigging smoke choked the air. He sat up grabbing his side ribs were broken he grumbled. Training finally kicked in and he righted himself and paid close attention to his surroundings, the air was light probably due to a hull breach looking over to the entrance to the elevator down to the main vessel he cursed the thing was out doors split open and he could see the massive thing all the way at the bottom. He looked around was he the only one left alive? By the force! He was, all around him lay the dead and dying friends who he came up with at the academy people he had met when transferred aboard this vessel he was pretty sure there wasn’t a senior officers beside the Storm trooper commander and the vessels captain. The Captain! Dread filled him as he scurried around looking for the older man who could have easily been a father to him and a grand father to half the crew, stumbling along he saw a private who had to be eighteen if that crushed to death beneath some metal bars and computers. He frowned before eying a form The Captain was laying limp on the ground his chest torn open he fell next to the youngest officer on the bridge protecting her with his life till the very end.

Sitting back at the com signal he looked out at the void of space, in the far distance he thought he saw small flashes of lights he assumed they must have been weapons fire. The Star Destroyer resolute the first victim in the battle of Bright Jewell ignored by the enemy floated broken in space abandoned and alone.


Imperial star destroyer resolute lower decks:

“This is beyond insane! Bastards just shot us out of the stars and left us floating here!” Captain Pyrex was an older storm trooper who had been stationed as the commander of the garrison on this ship, a member of the 801 he had survived hell and the changeling and gotten out as part of the wounded when Antarez retook the sector, and his detachment had been put on guard duty! His brothers were fighting and dying all over the mid rim and he was baby sitting! The rest of his troopers had felt the same way but when they realized the magnitude of their situation they had wasted no time helping the mechanics and technicians restore life to the floating giant.

An imperial class II Star Destroyer was a beautiful thing, they were tough big and slow, an advancing impassable wall but they also made formidable tombs and the last thing he wanted for his carcass to be scraped off the decks by the Dominion on the way out. Stealing imperial secrets, “Feth this I’d rather fight a Jem’Hadar boarding party then be on clean up duty’ a younger trooper said. Pyrex shook his head ‘no, trust me you don’t “ he said ‘they fight like lunatics escaped from an asylum and they have weapons that stop your blood from clotting” “I heard about that sir” another said tossing rubble out of the way so mechanics could get into a section to restore power. “I’ve heard our suits protect us” ‘Yeah they do, well more then the Jem’Hadar expected any way but the bleed off is still enough to do the job, you get hit in the shoulder and unless they patch you up right quick your done for”

The other troopers shook their heads, a mechanic shrugged ‘seems like it’s all the same you buy in a ground pounding mission or in space, dead is dead and believe me you guys have no idea the stuff that can go wrong on a starship” he said getting air and power back on much to every ones relief. “You know that’s something I been meaning to ask you, the technology those bugs use” Pyrex asked the mechanic ‘what’s it like running their ships?’ “probably worse then anything I can imagine my dad did theoretical engineering for the republic science directory and then later GA Seras and he told me at one time our ancestors contemplated using anti matter was a power source instead of our fission and hypermatter reactors” “and?” “well basically it went critical blasted half the moon they were testing it on off and rained it down on the planet million died man” he said ‘wait so they’re flying around using an unstable fuel source? Are they insane?’ ‘Huh oh anti matter is a secondary power source from what I heard they power their ftl engines and shields with a micro-singularity” ‘no way!’ A younger trooper said ‘who in the universe does that?” ‘you got me- that’s dangerous to the point of stupidity I’ve heard stories about what happens when a singularity goes boom first you get all sucked in and because time acts all funny the nano second it would normally take probably takes years so you get to slowly feel your body being stretched and dismembered and then it goes boom spewing really bizarre radiation everywhere and anti matter too and you run the risk of killing your own ships near you” he said shaking his head “these guys are completely crazy”

Pyrex grumbled ‘why do we have to fight maniacs? Why can’t they just be a conventional enemy’ he grumbled then he touched his head comm. signal coming in finally “engineering has power restored and can get engines going in a few hours” The mechanic nodded ‘told ya boys we’re the best in the empire “he said then watched as troopers got to the section with the elevator to the bridge ‘it’s down” ‘you think the captain made it?’ one asked Pyrex shrugged “I’m not especially sure if the bridge is even there any more” “no it would have to be” the mechanic said ‘other wise we’d all be dead the internal force fields are down in this area ever seen explosive decompression Captain?’ he shook his head a younger trooper nodded “I have it aint pretty” ‘yeah right!” “No seriously parents are freighter operators sir grew up on a ship that was old enough to have fought in the final battle with the army of light” “yer kidding? And that things still flight worthy” “we keep it maintained sir, only thing we can afford really I send part of my paycheck back though hopefully we can buy a new ship in a year”
They all nodded before eying the elevator “I guess that means we should head to the secondary bridge’ Pyrex shook his head “no I want to go up there make sure no ones alive we don’t leave men behind” The mechanic nodded “aye sir” he said ordering his staff to begin repair efforts or get a make shift latter up there.


Battle of Bright Jewell hour 6

Corporal “Iceman’ Morrit flew beside the squadron commander “Maniac’ Wynn gliding through space in shiny new TIE fighters and interceptors, glistening a bright blue as they flew eerily by them. The Dominion had underestimated Imperial research and development and whether it came from Grand Admirals Seras or Martio Batch or Grand Moff Turhain and his blessed station the Dominion choose so foolishly to leave behind the new weaponry and fighters were proving a miracle. After receiving special dispensation from Admiral Rennek the squad name was changed from Imperial squadron Merek to “The Exterminators” the motto had been changed from ‘duty with honor’ to “the only good bug is a dead bug”. Wynn believed this war to be a very aggressive infestation and the imperial soldier’s pest control and he intended to make sure the empire knew it.

They hid in the ruins of a dominion ship running silent only maneuvering thrusters working, he barely felt it though the gravity plating made it seem like he was sitting in some lavish command chair onboard an ISD, the new life support systems kept him cool and refreshed, these modifications had been coming gradually with TIE’s being refitted or scrapped for entirely new ones but one of the concessions for the changing of the squad was piloting an entire squadron of entirely new TIE’s prototypes that if well acquitted in battle would go into mass production. It made him feel like the boss really was a maniac but he figured to the void with suck assumptions. They were ordered to kill bugs and bugs would die! Slowly the visage of a dozen of the bugs appeared swarming an old Venator that was supporting an ISD in battle against a capital ship. Suddenly the exterminators lit up like a supernova and took off the new ties moving an enormously fast speeds darting along the space faster than anything but what the new Dominion modified rebel fighters were capable of. “Maniac to all fighters we got some bugs buzzing around that antique” ‘why is it insects always gotta mess up old stuff? See this is why the galaxy can’t have nice things!!” ‘Wouldn’t it be good to change that?” ‘Agreed”

The TIE’s swarmed the Jem’Hadar fighters dropping proton missiles which smashed into the underbelly of one of the small Dominion ships, individually not that much but when an entire squadron unloaded into you, you went up unless you happened to be a Dominion cruiser that is. Iceman watched as one of the vessels exploded and the TIE’s commanded by “Butcher’ and “big boy” named for one being the son of an actual butcher and the other barely being thin enough to fit in the old suits the TIE officers had to wear early in the war, laid into another they must of gotten off lucky shots into the bridge or something because the ship spiraled out of control and took out one of it’s own. Wheeling around Iceman and one of TIE bombers that came with them moved in for the kill on the third managing to score a critical hit which must have pissed off the commander of the vessel because he fired off a energy beam which vaporized three of his squad mates instantly internally he flinched but took comfort in the cold reality that they had been so far the squad with the least casualties in the entire war. It was a sobering reality that, fighters were so insignificant in some ways still were that with out a frigate or a gunboat as back up they lasted seconds. At Red Dawn an entire TIE squad had been completely exterminated when an angry Jem’Hadar capital vessel rammed them smearing them along its long slim body and moving onto to fight a serious enemy.

The fighter corps had been completely demoralized and broken; you no longer went into battle hoping to become an ace you went in hoping to die quickly and not end up suffocating in space or captured by the Dominion. Though some had taken enemies down with them by and large you went in and expected 70 percent casualties and got nearly 90 percent. All that would change today, Maniac and Iceman had made that vow and so far they had made good on it assisting in the kill of ten Dominion cruisers one heavy cruiser and over one hundred bugs in the opening six hours of the battle. Iceman weaved between poloron blasts and laid down cover fire against some of their torpedoes destroying one and tossing the others off course as two TIE’s and a bomber leveled a fourth.

Maniac dove in against the cruiser dropping some of the new missiles which caused a series of explosions, He had learned how to move in dodging between turbo laser and cap missile fire and hit the same spots that had been hit by weaponry, the reaction time it took was insane and few pilots could match him. Iceman was one of them moving in followed suit and caused what looked like a hull breach just as the ISD a frigate and the Venator went up in flames. Wounded and burning badly it took off after them opening fire as it did. Butcher came on over the comm. Line “holly gods boys what did you do? ‘“We made him angry” Maniac said laughing like a giddy schoolboy over the comm. ‘no!! So that’s why A FETHING CAPITAL SHIP IS CHASING AFTER US!!” Big Boy roared “you are a lunatic you know that’

‘It’s not firing” ‘oh man! No he’s gonna ram us!! Why is he trying to ram us! WHY IS HE TRYING TO RAM US!!” “Exterminators don’t get rammed by bugs they do the ramming come on let’s finish this! Form up beside me squadron move forward!” he ordered, the TIE’s tagged along side the squad leader flooring it towards a battle between an SSD and six dominion capital ships ‘why are we going near those monsters’ ‘because that big girl needs our help big boy! I’ll buy you dinner when we go in for reloading and maintenance “‘if we make it back” ‘hey with any luck big boy’s fat ass will get plastered all over their sensors and they’ll run into the sun!” “Oh hah, hah very funny butcher” ‘shut up ladies and move’ Iceman ordered over the com as he and maniac dove towards the SSD

It was manned by a skeleton crew and they had begun evacuating, the ship was erupting in flames two then a third of the Dominion cruisers erupted in flames blasting apart in the tell tail display of purple and blue and pink and orange that came when Dominion vessels went up, the center of the vessel began to crack and split breaking apart in a sea of fire just as the Exterminators came up directly on top of it, “ho boy this is gonna be close’ Maniac dove the rest of his squad did but the dominion cruiser could not in time and rammed it’s nacelle against the ruined hull and tore it completely off, the vessel spun lurching to the side and smashing into the rear of the dead vessel exploding violently.

“Exterminators that’s one down and a few thousand more to go” ‘man this is a cake walk Maniac’ Butcher said ‘we’ll be home before lunch


Ord Mantell – Imperial Super Star Destroyer Haydon same time

Rennek smiled as he received reports of the exterminators victory, he watched as the battle raged around the system Dominion vessels had yet to hit Mantel itself though which was what made him worry, they weren’t fighting in a way that made sense for an invasion, they hit the space stations and refineries they hit the orbital platforms where star destroyers could dock and they smashed everything that was of use for repair and construction they obviously were more interested in smashing everything and inflicting crippling damage,

“we’re being hailed by a dominion cruiser’ the words shook him out of his thoughts and he frowned “really? What do they want” ‘they’re indentifying themselves as the command ship of the fleet ‘a comm. Officer said ‘show me” a holographic image of a young male eyed them he had a youthful but rodent like face “you are Admiral Rennek?’ “Who else would I be? ‘ ‘’ any one for all I know your uniforms are so homogenous and boring” he said rolling his eyes Rennek laughed “vorta have terrible fashion sense you know and not even a uniform” ‘that may change I am Kevon” he said “you’re awful young looking to be commanding a fleet’ ‘you have no idea” he replied ‘but I was asked to fight in this galaxy because I have experience fighting humans” Rennek face remained calm that was interesting, “I see how then can this particular human accommodate you” “you can do nothing for me but you can agree to talk to the one leading this war” ‘Vi’retess?’ Rennek asked “I’m not authorized to make deals with heads of state” “not just him, my ship will act as a buffer to enhance the transmission will you concede to speak ““that’s unusual request” Rennek said ‘but I will” Kevon eyed him before he faded replaced by the old vorta near him was a rebel commander the one known as Captain Garros and next to him was a tall gaunt figure with a very smooth face Rennek focused on him ‘a founder?’ he asked “you’ve heard of my kind I see’ the figure nodded it’s head “I am honored’ “no the honor is mine it’s not often I get to speak with gods you know’ “curious there was no sarcasm in your voice” Vi’retess chimed in “well I don’t mean it to be sarcastic you see, he created you he may not wield fantastic powers or control the stars but using advanced technology he has created entire species you may as well be worshipping a god though I would wager the extent of that religious devotion stops with the species he manufactures surely the rest of the Dominion does not worship your kind”

The Ancient one grinned “well that is interesting ‘ he said he was trying to trick Vi’retess into defending his master in front of Garros combining blasphemy with false respect but he assumed the man must not have watched holo news though still he had to give him respect it was a clever trick if a bit base ‘well gentlemen” Garros said ‘I think we are taking up too much of the good Admirals time and too many men are dying while you three battle wits” “the boy has a point master” Vi’retess said to the changeling who chuckled ‘you are right my old friend and I don’t think he’s achieved what he waned so let’s offer him a chance to surrender”

Rennek grinned ‘actually you’ve helped me confirm a thing or two but as for surrender’ he said “I’d have to decline besides I think we both know you’ve got you’re hands full as it is” he said repeating the typical imperial party line about overextension “I think we’re okay” ‘well it’s more than that it’s concern for you too I mean I wouldn’t want to upset your timetable or goal” he said calmly “that’d be more Admiral Antarez he likes doing that and Grand Admiral Guylos seems to think he’s best for the job so my job is to simply hold the line”

Garros frowned ‘you can’t be serious? Admiral Do you have any idea how many of your men have died out there?” he asked ‘you’re supposed to be different” “as in crazy” Rennek corrected ‘not soft enough to flinch at my men doing their duty to the empire” he spat acting the typical imperial stereotype Vi’retess and The Ancient one eyed him wearily “I think we’ve wasted our time” The ancient one said “and yours I apologize, we will try and save as many of your men as possible – nothing is gained in the name of order by indulging in needless sacrifice”

“Of course not” Rennek countered “I’m sure that those sacrificed are sacrificed for a very pragmatic reason after all the founders and the vorta are a pragmatic group of races “

“Indeed’ Vi’retess replied ‘but we’re also very perceptive- victory is life’ he said as the holograms vanished. “Have we received signal from Grand Admiral Enzo?” he asked “We have” a communications officer said, Rennek nodded sitting back down “good” he said “fleet status?”

“We have six ISD battle groups in orbit not counting local defense fleet and the orbital platforms we’ve lost fifteen thousand ships another four hundred have joined the battle from fleet yards in the expansion region. We estimate between three and four thousand Dominion vessels have been lost “ “we’re both approaching half strength’ he said calmly “most of the fighting?” he asked “concentrated in the outer parts of the solar system scattered there is some heavy fighting near the star” she said. He nodded then grinned ‘clever of them” he said ‘spread us out disperse us makes it easier for them as they are used to that type of fighting and it also leaves Ord Mantel some what under defended ““should I recall ships?’ she asked “no, not yet have SSD’s Swift justice, Kadevera Midas as well a dozen ISD battle groups ready for a micro-jump into orbit” he said “on my command ““aye sir”

Allied starbase Red Dawn

Vi’retess sat down eying the changeling who nodded”it would seem not all Admirals in this galaxy are idiots’ he remarked “the grand admirals in general seem a mix of two but these two and Admirals Rennek and Antarez “Pellaeon will be a danger as well if he ever gets to command a fleet’ Garros remarked “Yes, I’ve heard mention of him” Vi’retess said “but he seems obscure and out of the way”

“The dangerous ones always are” The ancient one said as a Jem’Hadar entered the room and nodded The Ancient One bowed his head to Garros ‘well boy it was good meeting you but I just take my leave’ he said “I leave you and the rest of the battles in capable hands’ he said gesturing to Vi’retess who bowed ‘you do me honor oh great founder’ he said with reverence and humility in his voice The changeling grinned ‘yes I do” he said walking off “a good god rewards those who serve him wisely” he said before winking at Garros as if to make light of his own ‘divinity” and then he left

Vi’retess eyed the screen ‘so boy what have you learned?” “That I hate words” to which Vi’retess laughed ‘besides that’ ‘well he knows what you’re planning for sure but hasn’t warned any one or made any move to stop it” “ah, yes and what does that tell you” “that the Grand Admirals likely have a counter for this” ‘not a counter they can’t you can tell that, the frustration is evident in many of their transmissions even if it is extremely restrained” he said ‘no they are likely trying to turn this into a trap somehow and I am not certain to what extent”

“Time will tell I guess”


Imperial star destroyer resolute Battle of Bright Jewell hour 9:

Lieutenant Hertz vision got blurry as the oxygen thinned in the air, he had sat down near the captains chair refusing to sit in it himself and looked around, to die in battle was one thing to give your life for the empire but to die like this after being so humiliated! No the Resolute in the name of Captain Gambit could not be left to slowly rot like this! It was beyond humiliating! He felt helpless, helpless to save himself helpless to save his captain helpless to save the ship and helpless to get revenge! Rage boiled in him until he nearly screamed, assuming he could even scream, and the air was so thin right now he thought he was hallucinating when some one put a breather on his face and dragged him down the shaft. His vision slowly returned to clarity his head felt less light though hurt pretty badly looking up he saw the grizzled face of Captain Pyrex ‘all dead Captain including” he said to which every one in the command bridge slumped back in shock and sorrow, there wasn’t an experienced face in the crew besides the two captains and every one felt like they lost a father figure. “you’re in command now lieutenant” the words hit him like a ton of bricks and he nearly passed out from the weight of it all or he did because he thought he saw the old man’s figure eying him sternly and telling him ‘damnit son this isn’t a drill!”

Rising up he looked around at all of them and sighed “Can’t replace Captain Gambit” he said honestly ‘but my god we can get justice for him!!” he snapped “ship status?’ he asked ”engines are back online and we’re jump capable but that’s about it we can’t maneuver and most of our gunners are dead, all of our fighters have bought it sir” ‘any other ships intact” ‘sixteen gunboats and four frigates, dead in the water but the crew is alive last time we talked”

“get them all on board scuttle the ships and take as many supplies spare parts and ammo we can” he said “I want this thing battle ready the next time our fleet encounters the Dominion” ‘umm sir” a junior officer said ‘we’re still in battle with the Dominion here” ‘what?” Hertz asked ‘aye sir” ‘that’s, wait how long has it been?” “A little over nine hour’s sir” He frowned “what?” Pyrex eyed him “space battles don’t last this long normally? “ Ground battles did some times they lasted months or years, why did a few hours seem too shocking? ‘They can rarely most last little more than an hour “ he looked out the window “most battles with the Dominion aren’t very long with the exception of the opening battle of the mid rim which was really dozens of separate battles that get called “one big offensive’ he said ‘something stinks” he said ‘let’s get ready” he snapped

Vorta command ship Battle of Bright Jewell hour 9

Kevon walked pacing as the large vessel loomed at the edge of the solar system, directing orders to the fleet was the most boring thing imaginable but the battle was going well so far. Costly as it was it was doing its job taking the supply burden off the white facilities until the secondary ones could become active and severely weakening imperial assets, only things tended to go not completely as planned which was evident by the numerous small victories the empire took during this battle. Finally the old visage of Vi’retess appeared near him stood Ar’tech who was fattening up his new body as per usual the human Garros and others ‘it’s time Kevon’ he said Kevon nodded “so the rebels are finished with their little enterprise?” “Yes, and now it’s time to really make this interesting”

“Good” he said coldly before moving to the comm. Station eying the Jem’Hadar he pushed him aside and called it in “Jem’Hadar wings 101 through 800 on Ord Mantel all remaining heavy cruisers to engage enemy fleets with the rest. I want all other cruisers to make a direct run on Ord Mantel’ he paused eying Vi’retess who nodded ‘fire with no discrimination level all orbital platforms and prepare for planetary bombardment” he said coldly

SSD Haydon Ord Mantell orbit

Warning sirens went alive as suddenly hundreds of imperial officers scurried about the command bridge tower; Rennek eyed space calmly though his heart was beating rather quickly “Status report?” “We’ve estimated four thousand Dominion bugs are breaking off attack and heading directly for us as well two hundred of their remaining cruisers!” ‘Energy spikes!’ “They’re opening fire at the edge of their range! My god”
White beams began smashing into shielded stations and ships automatic defenses began opening fire instantly their AI’s responding to attack, hundreds of fighters exited star destroyers and space stations in orbit, Rennek eyed various beams that smashed through planetary shields and though reduced impacted on the planets surface creating small mushroom clouds, poloron torpedoes exploded against planetary shields or stations some hitting the Haydon “alert all imperial troops on the surface! Prepare for imminent invasion” he yelled ‘order all able imperial craft to converge on our location! Do not allow them to destroy sector Capital! Repeat do not allow them to destroy sector capital!”

From his location in an imperial star destroyer Corporal “Iceman Morrit ‘and Maniac watched the planetary siege commence “we got to out there” he said “we gotta help keep the bugs off world” “no “Wynn said “We need to get out into the system keep as many Dominion ships away as possible’ he said ‘right sir” “It’s time for the exterminators to kill some bugs! Let’s move it!!!”

[sonofccn]

Ooh a ground battle, I like those.

Laughed when Iceman and his squadron led a warship into crashing into another through I'm curious what other modifications have been made to their fighters. Is it just life support and grav-plating or are they beefed up in other ways because they seemed to really be tearing into the Dominion fleet.

Really liked the Imperial engineer dishing Dominion power tech, its too dangerous and they are insane!, and to be fair I would have to think twice before boarding a starship with a freaking blackhole as a power core I don't care how "normal" it is for that to be. Singularities and I have an understanding, I stay the feth away from them and they don't come hunting me down and for the most part we make it through the galaxy.

[Admiral Breetai]

I realized something typing up that chapter last night, who the hell are the good guys of my story? can you tell me? Because I mean the GA's maybe but their more pragmatic tyrants then anything else, The Rebel alliance? maybe but they've thrown in with the devil. Vi'retess is the closest thing the other side has to Sidious and they are both complete monsters

Starfleet? Tarses Rainbird and Wildstar might be good people but Dartanis is a section man and he (spoiler) has his reasons for wanting the galaxy to burn around him and probably will try to manipulate things to ensure that outcome when he arrives and several of the other fleet captains are section men and women with ulterior motives and orders that even the fleet captain may know about..

so who the hell are the "good guys" I say this because i think heroes we have in abundance? but I can't tell honestly and I'm the freaken author

By the way you'll be seeing allot more of the resolute and the exterminators they're about to link up with Thanagars roughnecks and the second part of the stories gonna be featuring his rampage of revenge through dominion lines pretty heavily. they do have to avenge their captain after all

The fighters I'll get into more detail with later, including what the Dominion did to the rebel craft. but suffice to say they enhanced the speed and range of the fighters and their guns carry a bit more bang..and of course more bombs. Mind you Dominion lines are suffering badly against the exterminators because it's Dominion policy to ignore fighters as threats this battle might be an eye opener

Ground battle Imperial news and at long last an explanation of why a lucrehulk was in the Andromeda Galaxy..plus even more ground battles..

[sonofccn]

I realized something typing up that chapter last night, who the hell are the good guys of my story?

Imperials or at least elements thereof. Also the Rebellion, they are fighting for the right thing even if they are working for the wrong people, possibly elements of section 31. Still early and they haven't done anything too unstarfleetish. A little brutal but Sisko or Kirk likely would have done something similar in their situation. All in all you are definatly going for more shades of Gray than Lucas might attempt but there are still good guys trying to do the right thing. Garros for the Rebellion, Guylos for the Imperials.

Of course thinking about this made me wonder where my good guys are. I have freaking Nazi Germany, with rocketships, fighting alongside some of the most amoral Imperials this side of Palpy fighting among other things Serpent-men with a superority complex, fishmen who...do not play nice, and brain leeches. Who do you root for in that situation?

[Admiral Breetai]

your story is very much like a Frank Miller comic - there are no good guys just slightly cleaner and stable psychopaths..

that's why I like it lol. your motley crew of opportunistic bastards are probably the best bet for a stable and competent empire

Guylos, Garros Tarses and Luke and Akbar are probably the only true heroes out there you have a point about the Rebellion though.

as for section31 after these battle they'll get their own chapter - Sidious and Vi'retess aren't going to be the only devils in the galaxy and I'll leave it at that.

[Admiral Breetai]

well new chapter up in honor of sonofs recent work and of course the unrestrained awesome of kas and Prea's fics (you guys can't leave us hanging man come on!!) I'm putting out a new chapter not as long as i had hoped but it will continue soon, the war drags on Imperial reporters show bravery in the face of the enemy

a warning to the sensitive the later parts of this might be a bit..shall we say messed up? any ways like always a thousand pardons begged for the poor grammar and I hope you guys enjoy it..


Battle of Bright Jewell hour 12


Loud fanfare blared out as the imperial sigil appeared over the holofeeds slowly but surely it faded to reveal a women dressed in a slick business suit she eyed the projectors intently “fellow citizens of the great galactic empire we interrupted your regularly scheduled program to bring you as promised by our beneficent overlord Emperor Palpatine a live feed from the Bright Jewell oversector some of the images you may see may disturb you but remember to harden yourself! For those watching those loyal imperial citizens you must remember this is a real battle and these men are fighting for your freedom and for the emperor” she said “we take you now live to the battle”

The image faded and the visage of an attractive young women appeared she was outside it was dark there but in the skies above one began to see flashes of lights white blue orange and red and more and more and more “Reporting live from Ord Mantell this is Terry ports it’s midnight now and the battle has been going on for close to twelve hours! Intense fighting has been raging all around the solar system! This unprecedented this is astounding! Thousands and thousands of loyal Imperial citizens have thrown themselves into the maw of the Dominion in carnage filled battles! EVERY INCH OF SPACE IS BEING FOUGHT FOR’ she shouted as a loud explosion went off a dozen miles away producing a mushroom cloud “There isn’t a single piece of space in the system not covered in weapons fire! The Dominion has savagely and indiscriminately opened fire on the planet knowing full well their weapons bypass shields! All around me our brothers and sisters are under violent and rapacious siege by mythical demons commanded by the false preacher Vi’retess!” she shouted over the sounds of weapons fire began deafening her report until she screamed as a Jem’Hadar ran passed her and impaled the man holding the projector another moved attack her but he was killed by a Storm trooper, she moved to hid behind up but she was shot in the back falling limp before the projector.

Quickly the reporter cut off the feed ‘uh, well I never met Terry but judging by her actions she was a loyal and dedicated imperial citizen and her memory will be honored! In the name of Emperor Palpatine we will continue the broadcast we bring you live to Tomassi Rayz in orbit above the planet uhhh may the Emperors will bless you all”
Quickly the feed moved to a middle aged reporter who was standing on the command deck of an imperial vessel ‘Yes hello fellow citizens of the empire, as I report to you I’m sorry to say I was supposed to report from Nova Orion but that was destroyed in the opening hours of the battle instead I come to you live from the Haydon capital ship of the fleet where Admiral Rennek works tirelessly to carry out the will of the Grand Admirals and The Emperor!” he called “I must say I know the rumors about Rennek being touched but I want to put those false vicious rumor mongering and treasonous propaganda to rest here and now! It’s through the Admirals mad brilliance that we are still alive that an imperial flag flies over the Capital! Here everyman women and child stands united and they do so because he is leading us! Mad courage Mad Brilliance and mad loyalty this man will never give up and neither will we!! The Dominion will fall here today! They will advance no more into the mid rims Grand Admiral Guylos and Admiral Rennek have made a promise!

‘Well this has been the most intense broadcast I’ve ever covered as the battle rages you can be assured the imperial news network will be there live. Remember they are fighting for you, dying for you and The Emperor expects you to repay that debt but only with loyalty and love” she said smilingly “good night and to our family in Bright Jewell good luck”


Battle of Bright Jewell hour 15

Commander Aryas pulled his helmet off and set it a sigh wiping sweat from his slightly graying hair and took some cold water from a dispenser. They had been run out of the block they were tasked with Guarding several hours earlier and had to fall back, fortunately for him Ord Mantell was much a great junkyard as it was a major imperial capital. The wreckage around him supported a microcosm of life, homeless and destitute fugitives and drifters even one or two imperial deserters whom he had promptly ordered shot. The ruffians that scurried about playing near him couldn’t have been more than seven or eight years old and yet they had seemingly more experience then most of his own troopers, when the fighting went down it the leader of this particular group of ruffians a fourteen year old boy named “Doc” had grabbed his men and the few civilians they had managed to get out of there before the Jem’Hadar just started indiscriminately opening fire on the apartments and houses. “think this might be to your liking’ above him Doc stood on the wreckage of an old mechanized siege weapon of some kind interspersed with debris of ships and land speeders industrial recyclers long shut down, Aryas caught it, it was an ale of some type. “Alright thanks boy” he said sipping it “Do they normally do that?” “Target civilians?” he asked him Aryas thought about it “I fought them on Naboo and yeah they blasted a section of Theed apart the rest of the civilians surrendered really quick, Exian ran out of the city and kept the fighting going for another hour or two before ordering surrender” he said Doc quirked an eye brow “that’s not what I heard I heard he betrayed the empire” “He did at the last minute the bastard’ he said “we tried to kill him but failed’ he spat ‘they took out a hospital “ he said ‘kids women, they didn’t care” he said coldly “but it was done to minimize fighting to scare people into yielding this time it’s different’ he said “like a bunch of raging spice addicts?” Doc asked “Yeah, kid actually that’s a pretty good description’ he said surprised “it doesn’t make any sense I mean it’s one thing to bust up a block or a bunch of factories or med facilities to deny the enemy and rough up the locals a little but what they’re doing” “like they’re trying to wreck the place” he said Aryas was surprised he hadn’t thought of it that way but it made sense. Dominion weaponry was powerful on it’s own but it seemed to constantly ignore their shielding so in planetary sieges they usually avoided bombardment if they could he had seen it all through out the mid rim but this time it was different. The kid was sharp “you ever thinking about joining up?’ he asked “Thought about it but no ‘he said ‘oh why?” Aryas asked “Imperial policy regarding aliens is stupid’ he said bluntly “whoa kid easy there I mean let’s not get carried away the problems of the republic” ‘sure the CIS was alien lead, but so what? I agree humanity is special and we should probably always take the lead but things only got that bad because we messed up we made a mistake” he said “even using imperial dogmatic logic if we’re so superior we could never have been brought down by the Xenos unless we got corrupt lazy and weak” he said adding ‘besides I know lots of Xenos they never did anything to me on the contrary humans have done more and looked down on me more” he was squatting now looking down to Aryas reaching out for Aryas bottle “yer too young fer that” he said insistently “really? Because yer drinking from my stash” he winked Aryas grumbled and handed it to him the boy took a swig that would make even the toughest imperial mechanic proud “with an attitude like that you should join the Rebellion” he said with a tense tone the boy laughed “yeah right side with the lunatics desperate enough to have brought the Dominion into the galaxy”

Aryas nodded at that truth be told he himself had no problem with non humans and he heard the Xeno corps had fought to the very last obviously outmatched and managed to destroy many of the dominions allied vessels. He shrugged “they really did make things worse huh?” he asked before getting a com signal grabbing the communicator ‘commander Aryas reporting”

The voice over the communication signal was horsed and intense Aryas immediately recognized General Vilhem Taragyn “General Typhor is dead! Where is Colonel Mitus?” “congratulations Aryas you just earned yourself a battlefield promotion to colonel’ Aryas frowned every one had been killed? “fifty thousand storm troopers in the field are now lives under your command” “sir, last night when I praised that old Jedi General Lord Hoth and his battle tactics I was drunk” the older voice laughed ‘oh come on a promotion is hardly a punishment” ‘with respect sir” the older man chuckled “that’s why I want you in charge now I assume you figured out what those blue skinned lizards are up too” ‘aye sir civilian consultant pointed it out to me” ‘oh is that what stragglers are now?”He grinned ‘’ what do think about that” “that they cannot be allowed to vandalize imperial property anymore” he said “good answer, fight smart son”

“I will sir’ “Victory for the empire”

Aryas turned eying the boy ‘would you kids like to work for the emperor?” He shook his head “how about for me” Doc nodded “alright but we reserve the right to take what ever supplies the dominion leaves behind my people could do with a few replicators”

“Deal”
…………..
Ord Mantell same time

A gloved fist collided with Ik’allon’s face; he spat and brought his own fist down against the massive Imperial storm trooper a man large enough to tower over him. The big bastard had killed seven of his Jem’Hadar soldiers refusing to surrender to death even after his squad had been wiped out and his weapons exhausted. It was a dogged toughness Ik’allon truly admired and respected, a toughness that reminded him of the war against the Federation and it’s allies, among the few Jem’Hadar still alive from that time Ik’allon had fought Klingons and Cardassians Romulans and even Remens but he had come to realize long before that despite the reputation for softness humans were some of the toughest unrelenting bastards in the universe and they simply would not die no matter what. Grim pleasure the only pleasure an honored elder really had filled his mind and he blocked the giants blow bobbing between punches and quickly rammed his fists into the big trooper’s liver, the man winced wheezing he slowly lumbered down. Ik’allon hoisted him over his shoulders hoisting him into the air he brought the man down the center of his spine colliding with Ik’allon’s knee with a sickening cracking sound rubs and vertebrae shattered blood spattered on the inside of the mans mask and darkness took the trooper, who made a gasping wheezing sound as he slowly suffocated to death.

Ik’allon tossed his body aside and eyed the younger Jem’Hadar stalking around them as though he were some ancient Raptor like Dinosaur sizing up the Beta’s of his pack. He snarled lightly and picked his weapons up holstering his gun and carrying his lance he eyed them all “Humans are weak! The Vorta say this! They say in this galaxy they are primitive and demented observe’ he gestured around them hundreds of imperial troopers and Jem’Hadar lay dead “what a vicious animal the human is’ he proclaimed ‘feast upon the carnage he has wrought here! When desperate you will find no greater adversary in the cosmos” he proclaimed before moving to a small box reaching out he took several vials of white handing it to his men. “Victory is life” he said calmly “you have earned life this hour, come let us continue to do so” he said slowly one by one they cloaked fading into the dust and rubble.


On the other side of the planet

A group of Storm troopers moved between alley ways as a series of flashes and explosions dotted the sky “pretty crazy up there huh?” one asked the commander nodded “be glad we’re ground side boys aint no life in the space navy aint no life at all’ he said

“ever fought a boarding action in a spaceship million things can go wrong all of them kill you’ another said ‘why I got out” “Heard you got transferred because you had sex with the bosses Daughter” others laughed the commander’s sudden jerking motion how ever silenced them instantly and every one crouched down directly ahead of them in the open street was a bunch of dead Jem’Hadar and storm troopers all around them lay civilians in the chaos, the commander wasn’t honestly sure which side had killed them which made him a little sick. “take point boys’ he said looking over to the side he saw one of the Dominion armored vehicles it was a tank slender it looked more like a luxury speeder than a siege weapon but these vessels had proved a match for even the toughest imperial walkers and the imperial army quickly learned to respect them for it. It was empty dead Jem’Hadar strewn about it’s pilot’s head had been taken off by suicidal Storm Trooper, He thought about it clearing the area and moving towards the rest of the enemy fighting was doable if they had one of these.

He looked over at his comrades gesturing for the first three to advance near the vessel and take over they nodded and moved swiftly no snipers no traps. No traps his eyes narrowed advancing with the rest of the unit he moved toward the cock pit pulling the dead away “any one know how to drive this thing?”he asked, one of the storm troopers randomly pushed a button, there was a loud high pitched chirp and a building disappeared ‘well we know that one is the fire control button now’ he said sheepishly ‘thank you! Very fething much’ he mumbled ‘load in boys’ he ordered watching his men cram themselves into the vessel, slowly he began playing with the buttons until he felt the vessel jerk forward. He flinched oh damn he wasn’t a pilot! Grumbling he thought about giving months pay if he could just get himself a member of the imperial mechanized army corps

Grumbling as he finally got the vessel slowly moving in a stable direction one of his men yelped he turned eying him almost running into a fallen transport ship “damn what is it?” “Sorry sir it’s just if I’m reading this right they destroyed an entire division just now and, and I’ll be damned Aryas is in command now!!” ‘good fer him” he said “colonels salary will help his kids that’s for sure’ he remarked ‘oh yeah colonels draw a nice Salary” another said whistling ‘how do ya figure a General makes?’ “Think it’s like twenty thousand credits a month” a few troopers gasped and cursed ‘man for that you can buy your own damn land speeder what the hell?” ‘you can buy your own ship for that more or less if it’s a rinky dink one” they all nodded “Grand Admirals must be rolling in money”

‘don’t think you get to enjoy it when you get that high’ the commander said “I’ve seen Guylos and Grant every now and then on holocom meetings they don’t look like they’ve slept since this war started” ‘oh yeah? What do they got to loose sleep over? GA’s rarely get the risk they aint kissing the ground and putting in rack time in planetary junkyards’ ‘no they’re just running the entire war effort and administrating everything across the damn galaxy” he said every one fell silent ‘true boss”

They looked out hearing soft rumbling akin to thunder in the background they noticed bright orange flames and clouds of smoke billowing up into the sky and punched it, soon they were crossing the path of thousands of civilians who were running while Dominion forces opened fire into the crowd hundreds began to drop like flies, as others screaming surrender were stabbed or gutted by Jem’Hadar shock troops alien or human every one died every one bled and every one fell victim to the Dominions wrath.

The commander himself couldn’t stomach it he floored it crossing the civilians the Jem’Hadar themselves looked up somewhat startled to see their own craft barreling towards them and quickly moved to open fire

Too late; he smashed them at high speeds crushing them to pieces one of them who had been kneeling to fire had his entire upper torso torn off. Weapons fire lit up from the vehicle tearing into Jem’Hadar soldiers dropping them like flies, training kicked in and soldiers tore out of the vehicle taking point at various sections opening fire covering the tank one Jem’Hadar called some one over a communicator before getting it’s head blown off at the neck, in a few seconds two similar vessels barreled toward his opening fire tearing into the hull, near the commander one of his troopers a boy of 20 had metal debris launched up his groin and crotch and stomach spilling organs everywhere, he was convulsing the vessel spun and dug into the ground before partly flipping.

The Commander eyed him and did the only merciful thing he could in this situation he shot him dead and grabbed the rest of his men, he was proud these guys did their duty well falling behind the tank and providing support fire. An enterprising trooper took off one of the mounted weapons and began spraying poloron beam weaponry down tearing into and vaporizing Jem’Hadar a lucky shot knocking one of the vehicles into a building. The other kept coming and soon the commander realized it would be on them, he eyed his men and took off running he was going to try and toss a thermal detonator into the tank before it reared and mowed his men down, it inched closer to him he could hear his heart pounding everything seemed to slow down. Then weapons fire from an imperial walker blasted the vehicle apart, the commander sighed looking up at the huge four legged metal monster as it laid suppression fire while various residents could escape

The commander turned and saw something funny out in the horizon then a bright white light he felt hot and then he felt nothing,

Several miles away

Doc and Aryas looked up the sky seeing a white orb traveling quickly down towards a nearby building a bright flash happened and then suddenly he saw it as if in slow motion light gave way to force, windows shattered speeders rolled and he saw a ball of fire bright white creeping like a slender mountain into the sky, on pure instinct he grabbed doc and lunged into a trench.

Inside the ruins and junk, Lieutenant Birch a younger storm trooper had been entertaining Nila one of the young orphans, she was part Arkanan her pretty white hair and elf like ears gave that away, she lacked the totally white eyes though – half human thought she might have been she was about the age of his own daughter and because of that he bonded with her really quickly, currently he was tossing a ball towards her when the rumbling started, almost on instinct he jumped towards her falling over her pinning her to the ground when a wave of intense heat and energy smashed against them

Nila screamed when her friend Birch tackled her she thought he was mad but then she saw it, near their position Tobin another of the gang was talking to a storm trooper, they burst into flames his skin melting off his face his eyes falling out of their socket, burning the trooper seemed to on instinct fall forward to try and in vein and protect Tobin she was sure she was screaming but she couldn’t hear herself. Did she cry? Was she melting? Why did her face and waste feel warm and wet? She looked over another of the little ones seemed to explode, hundreds of tons of metal got sheered off the piles around them churning around them in some demonic vortex in that instant all the junk that was their home for years had been blown off and scattered all around her, she saw friends and a surrogate family troopers burn or fall around them

Then everything went black.

.............


A dozen miles away floating in low orbit General Taragyn watched as a bright white plume erupted spanning two miles erupted into the air twisting and barreling forward branching out creating a burning flower petal like form, lighting seem to strike around the epicenter of the blast the heat rising and then dispersing over miles, the shields of the old Venator could handle it but he knew he had just lost possibly thousands of soldiers.

He had never seen an anti matter warhead detonated those “photon’ torpedoes the Dominion used as back up for their primary poloron torpedoes were truly menacing, a detonation in atmosphere was horrific, to his knowledge they had never done this before. He had to sit down his face pale “monsters spiteful vicious” he said ‘they must all die, they must all die! They killed my boys!’ he roared “kill them all!!”

…………….

Aryas woke up he winced, he was in severe pain and he realized why a metal beam had fallen on his ribs he groaned shifting position to push it aside he coughed what the hell happened? He felt a mass in his arms and looked down he saw the burnt ruined form of Doc and gasped stumbling back wincing as he fell onto hot dirt and then quickly stood up, something warm dotted his face and he realized he was in tears uncontrolled as he looked around, water boiled in the streets all around him the dead and dying choked the air, several were actually moving around screaming in a low moan in horrid shock, he flinched and pulled out a blaster doing the only thing he could do, three shots later their suffering was over, and he was ripping his helmet off to empty his stomach contents to the side. Aryas had been with the imperial army for close to a decade but he had never seen battle at least not like this, brush fires and pirates local rebellions usually smoothed over with out firing a shot. He heaved before looking around, how did he survive? Did the torpedo strike a shielded area? Or inside it as it so often did? It was possible a shield generator was nearby they tended to be shielded as well? Or was he just lucky? His mind kicked into soldier mode he rushed forward to the section with the medical kit inside a transport, it should have been shielded from the bulk of the radiation, was it? Checking he saw that it was and sighed in relief running in he took immediate radiation poisoning medications and grabbed as much as he could before running out. He scanned the area slowly noticed some of his troopers had survived some of the little ones too they were crying screaming. The littlest had crawled out of the arms of a dead storm trooper and started wailing loudly standing there slightly scorched just eying the chaos and howling like a helpless little thing.

Aryas felt weak he wanted to fall down to run away, but he couldn’t he had been promoted and had to lead, instinct and adrenaline took over and he stood up on the ruins eying a young trooper ‘Hetin!” he yelled ‘sir, what happened? “By the force the little ones!” Hetin shrieked “enough!’ Aryas shouted ‘you can’t help them if your blubbering like that, take a deep breathe get some medical supplies it wont be enough but it’ll last us long enough to get some help” he snapped

Eying the rest of the troopers ‘any of you know how to handle a communication line?” he asked in a firm voice “I do sir, but in this mess it’s going to be hell to get a signal through” “I don’t care mister do it” he snapped

..............

Nila awoke from the blackness and narrowed her eyes searched the land around her, she felt hot fluids on her mid section and face and reaching up to touch it she screamed seeing it was blood! Was she burned? Did she get hurt? Would mister Birch ever look at her the same way again if she looked like a monster? Panicking the little one began to sniffle when she felt something holding her down she struggled pushing her way free, staggering up she saw it, it was a man or she thought she saw a man a half man, the rest of him was covered in red, weird stringy material and thick white yellowish ‘sticks” ran inside it she gasped! Was that what people looked like on the inside? This poor man was torn open on one side, she began breathing heavily she wanted Birch, she was about to call for him when she realized that was birch, tears welled up in her eyes in the smoke and chaos she had no idea where she was, she slumped down near Birches body crying softly. She was alone now she tugged on birches remains gently in a futile effort to wake him.

She didn’t hear the moving of debris and dirt nor see the twisted injured Amber fluid that began to rise up a few meters behind her poised like a venomous serpent.

[Praeothmin]

Yup, that's war all right...
Intense action, and gut-churning descriptions...
Very nice!

[sonofccn]

Those poor kids. The only good Dominion is a dead Dominion! Make them pay!

Ahem okay I'm better now. Anyway nice update that really brought the war "home" so to speak.

[Admiral Breetai]

well chapter update but only part of it i plan on doing a little halloween special and will write that up.

more of the battle being set up this ones definitely a talkie as you guys put it, little bit of showcasing the Grand Admirals as more than mere REMF's but you'll get a pretty horrific battle soon enough don't worry, any ways hope you enjoy.

"I must have been one of a handful that got out, those Founders man they did things..and the Jem'Hadar vicious monster: But what happened to the 187? if half of what I heard is true then I got off easy' - Nameless imperial veteran as chronicled in 'fright night: The Horror of Ord Mantell"



Ord Mantell Hour 17
------------------

Ik’allon and his group of Jem’Hadar marched across the city towards the head quarters of the 187th storm trooper division lead by a General who was said to be a Mandalorian and Veteran of the clone wars, it was said this legion fought the General Mace Windu and if this was true they would be worthy adversaries to battle, worthy to fight worthy to die. He was part of an elite task force sent to lay siege to the head quarters a distraction while the main force assaulted them from the buildings, having battered the shields in this area enough now transport the legion would face overt 30,000 Jem’Hadar.

Near him a bird like creature flew landing on his shoulder, the scarlet colored creature was a member of a species native to this galaxy, and Ik’allon had seen them on dozens of world’s carrion eaters today they would feast well. “First there is a bird on your shoulder” his third said somewhat disturbed at the site “do you think me blind fool?’ he asked calmly “no first but it’s’ “it’s a common thing for humanoids and solids to adopt “mascots” for their armies” “indeed?’ a younger Jem’Hadar asked ‘that makes no sense” ‘indeed, but these creatures have adopted us through out the galaxy’ “The blood ravens of the Dominion” one said ‘it does have a certain tactical value third, humanoids especially have an instinctual fear of flying animals and certain land predators and reptilian races’ “ah, so then these creatures flying with us and feasting on the ruins we leave behind?’ ‘is an excellent method of further damaging the enemy’ Ik’allon said “I welcome them “ “I do not understand fear first” the youngest said “why fear such a creature when it can be killed easily” ‘because races who were not made tenth, grew into their position through suffering and death and great conflict and strife through overcoming calamity and disaster and illness those races who evolved to sentient did so by murdering they’re way to the position’ the younger Jem’Hadar soldiers seemed lost in the lesson form the honored elder “then they are strong” “Yes’ he said “and through warring with these violent and perfect murder machines we ourselves will one day become truly strong so we can then serve the founders as the ultimate tool of evolution”

‘ordered chaos through divine and supreme violence” one said Ik’allon nodded “when the founders rule the universe it will be one of absolutes and only the strongest races may serve them in their divine ways”

They all nodded surprisingly enough their eyes seemed to fill with a passion a religious fervor at his words and nodded “honored elder! We would like to go and earn that now!” one said Ik’allon smiled a very predatory dinosaur like smile and nodded “I want you to cut the heart out of the greatest fighters and offer it as sustenance to our comrades the blood ravens’ he said ‘and as a sacrifice to our gods”

The crimson colored bird flew off his shoulders now flying high into the sky, deep down inside it was immensely pleased with the words of its minion deeply pleased.

Orbit over Ord Mantell battle of bright Jewell hour 17

Admiral Rennek wiped the sweat from his face as he ordered several dozen light frigates near him to move to engage two of the Dominions light cruisers, it was a suicidal order but he had to, to free up his own ship to engage the other nine, which began to gradually explode around him now that he had more freed weapons ports “status!” he ordered “Admiral we’ve lost a hundred light turbo laser turrets and seventy medium ones, our rear missile tubes are crippled and we’ve lost two engines, over half the armor has been burned off the front of the vessel’ a technician shouted. Rennek frowned “and those new shields?” he snapped ‘that are supposed to resist Dominion fire power? The new armor!” he roared “it’s why we’re still here sir, if this battle had gone down a few days post Red Dawn it would have been over in the first four hours and we’d be dead”
Rennek smirked “remind me to send Grand Admiral Seras some flowers and Turhain some ale” he said before eying the battle field staring down the long front of the huge SSD he saw several bugs dart along it’s surface dropping a torpedo before being blown to hell and back, the Haydon shook but held fast near him several Imperial class I star destroyers moved to engage numerous bugs fighting with the determination of suicidal mad men. Rennek had never been prouder of those under his command but he had also never been more disturbed, the death toll now was likely to be over two million by now if not more so and the thought disgusted him. He eyed the holographic projector observing fleet movements several very large Dominion ships had been tied up by reinforcements sent by Turhain. Several hundred of his remaining ISD’s were fighting near various space stations but the large majority of the battle seemed bottled up around Ord Mantell, they were trying very hard to destroy infrastructure and land but the tactics seemed to subtly change. He bit his lower lip thinking then rounded eying his aid ‘where is Righteous and Just Fleet currently located?” Righteous and Just was the code name for Grand Admiral Guylos fleet normally it was lurking between the core worlds and colonies the fleet was crewed by Captains primarily recruited from the Alsakan defense fleet, soldiers who had served Guylos during the clone wars and those loyal to such officers, trust worthy at least to the grand admiral. It was a risk but a calculated one, if he thought what would happen was in fact accurate. “they’re on the edge of the inner rim conducting military exorcises sir!’

Quickly moving to a datapad he typed something down and handed it to her “I want a shuttle and a fast pilot jump as soon as possible “see that they get this and forward the information to the Grand Admiral if they cannot they must forward it to Grand Admiral Octavian Grant” he said “yes sir” she said bolting. Rennek turned eying the battle “Have ISD Adas and the Exterminators move toward grid 12 engage Dominion forces there do not allow them to supplement the forces assaulting the planet!”

“Aye sir”

Ord Mantell planet side hour 17

General Krin paced from side to side, in the days of the republic this building had been a court house, during the days before the war it had been converted into a shopping mall full of all manner of decadence and entertainment. Now it was the default head quarters of the 187th, all twenty thousand storm troopers had been mobilized they were one of six legions guarding this planet, this great distraction and currently their other wise legendary record had been humiliated utterly, the forces of the empire driven back his legion one which had a spotless record during the clone wars and against the rebellion was cut down to nearly half and hurled across the planet back to HQ now, twelve thousand furious storm troopers held off Dominion raids and protected civilians. General Taragyn’s orders had been very clear hold position and prevent them from destroying this part of the city and killing every one. Simply enough orders to obey defend and defend against a murderous enemy that was hell bent on turning this planet into one gigantic graveyard.

Near him a clone trooper who had been with him since the old days eyed him ‘sir, reminds me of Dantooine ‘he said Krin chuckled before pulling out his field knife, how he longed to take the fight to the enemy but he was protecting close to a hundred thousand civilians the remains of those that hadn’t been cleaned out by Dominion aggression. He had to admit the manufactured Jem’Hadar made for dangerous soldiers but then he knew that clones were a holy terror on the battle field having lead thousands of them into battle. “They’re different from you these Dominion clones”

‘they aint human’ he said “and they seem touched in the head’ his clone comrade added Krin nodded that much was true they did really seem slightly unstable though he noted there were at least four different Jem’Hadar breeds in active duty, it was hard to tell from first glance they all did look alike but they had subtle differences, some were more intelligent and swift some seemed older and more experienced others stronger and stouter he was sure of it. Imperial scientists disagreed but then again what did they know? He had found Imperial science departments usually lagged behind the army regulars who fought in the field and learned things first hand. Krin looked out “this entire battle has been a farce you know that? A farce and I have a feeling it will claim us all” he said in a reserved tone.

On the outskirts of the camp a group of storm troopers patrolled the area wedged between two huge piles of junk was a pathway leading out to the city streets and that was a point of worry, routine patrols crossed that area every hour on the other, this particular group had walked this area about seventy times now. “I don’t get it why don’t we just toss some thermals in there and let gravity do the rest” ‘and bring a few thousand tons of metal and rubble down? “ another asked “exactly” ‘not the best of things to do could be all sorts of stuff in there, plus the noise would alert the enemy to a weakness in our perimeter , no it’s enough we’re - wait hold on’ the tension mounted as the commander held out his hand ordering his men to squat taking position behind various piles of rubble. The commander gestured to another trooper who moved slowly forward holding his gun tight as though it were some sort of charm, moving forward he saw the source of the noise, it was one of those thrice damned blood colored avian menaces! It was then that he noticed he was eating the bloated rotten form of a storm trooper the sight of one of his comrades being feasted on was too much and he opened fire cursing. Others ran around him restraining him the command turned eying the limp form then looking forward he saw another and another and another rotting in the midday heat the sun had begun to set now and it painted a ghastly picture deep violate rays over a crimson sky as the sun dove beneath the horizon the light cast an eerie shadow over the bodies of his fallen brethren. ‘it’s just buzzard get used to it we’ll be seeing more of them” he said

That’s when they heard a noise followed by another metal fell aside and they turned all guns pointed at the pile of rubble and as the commander was about to find the words to open fire he found only a horsed cry of surprise came out of his mouth.

Coruscant Imperial capital same time-

The sun had already set over this section of the imperial city, Guylos observed the battle from the war-room various grand moffs ran around issuing orders or taking reports from their own sectors Enzo and Grant had both departed Grant to work the cityscape to prowl the wealthy and the powerful as he always did though now more with the purpose of gaining information, it was said on Sereno whispers of treason again echoed in the dim air and Grant was hot on their trial. Enzo had departed earlier to do a series of interviews, Guylos now sat alone with a series of admirals and generals “any information on Dustig ‘he asked “no Grand Admiral so far they haven’t made their move’ a young captain who was serving as an aid remarked, Guylos nodded the boy was competent but he believed in the party line a little bit too much for his comfort. Another technician ran in ‘We have it! Finally live feed from Ord Mantell’s surface “he blurted out his skin was pale his tone was grave Guylos concluded it was a most revealing view. “Show me” The Grand Admiral ordered, the holographic feed vanished revealing Ord Mantell buildings had been leveled the planet was burning ‘the 172nd has been completely wiped out” one of the aids remarked numerous imperial officers began whispering there was a tone of awe and perhaps fear in his voice. “BLASPHEMY’ one fat admiral shouted ‘that’s impossible at no point in the new orders history has the empire ever lost an entire legion!” “Not possible!” “I’m sorry sir” the aid said ‘but this is a confirmation but General Taragyn himself!” “Then he is an incompetent and a fool!”

Guylos rose firmly ‘I do not know Taragyn personally but I know his record, during the clone wars he held out for seven months cut off from supplies and under siege under the command of the traitorous Jedi Dooku himself” he said firmly “though he lost thousands of clones he was no fool and diverted enough resources for us to retake the sector” he said ‘that man is not an incompetent”

“So Grand Admiral with respect are you proposing The Dominion army is capable of killing an entire imperial legion! That implies they are better than us!” Guylos shook his head but the Admiral pressed further ‘such views in the mind of a Grand Admiral no less and one of the heads of the council! I wonder if one such as yourself should hold such thoughts” he said “it might lead to questioning ones ju-” Guylos moved forward grabbing the fat mans neck and hoisting him up the man flinched gasping as the Grand Admiral showing surprising strength for a an arm chair general held him high, his eyes burned with the fires of one who had seen combat who had fought and bled and had seen the deaths, ordered the deaths of many young men and women. “I left my family at a young age to combat the traitors I have fought for the emperor since he was a republic chancellor ‘he said firmly ‘I served him through dozens of campaigns I missed the birth of my oldest son and wasn’t even able to be there for him when he died” he continued as the man choked “I have ordered millions to their death! I have done so on the belief of an idea! An Idea embodied by the empire and the emperor himself! I will not have my loyalty question by a morbidly obese spice addict who never did anything in his life worthwhile, who’s never known the hardships of battle! Who bought his way into power with rhetoric and his families wealth and expected to reap all the rewards with none of the work” he dropped the man “This is War Admiral even the best soldiers in the entire universe will know death and some times that death is so final so tragic it causes the end of all his mates” he eyed him before eying the others who stood now firm and tall with both fear and respect in their eyes “I am here to serve the empire and the imperial throne I am entrusted with the war effort if any of you feel you can do this job better show me’ he said firmly ‘take your fleet to bright Jewell and meet the Dominion in battle! Do I have any volunteers?” Apart from the Admirals gasping there was silence Guylos turned and eyed the man ‘and you, you do not offer yourself as a volunteer after such an accusation!” “My lord Grand Admiral” the man wheezed “I am needed here to defend Coruscant” “The Imperial capital will not be attacked when all of the Dominions forces are committed to the mid rim! Surely if you are brave enough to accuse me of treason openly then you must be brave enough to head into battle”

“I sir, I’ ‘ENOUGH” he shouted before gesturing to some storm troopers “Admiral Martus “ he said firmly “I am relieving you of your command for insubordination and seditious rhetoric, you are to be held until this war is over and then exiled form imperial space under pain of death’ ‘My lord Grand Admiral wai’ “get this peace of filth out of my site’ he snapped before turning to the image of burning buildings and burned bodies “This is what waits for us!” he shouted ‘if we do not fight the enemy as one people! One Empire, infighting and petty ambition will destroy us do you all understand” he roared they all nodded. One Moff rose up ‘if I may my lord Grand Admiral’ he said respectfully “we have been here in the war room for seventeen hours straight all of us, perhaps a brief recess is in order?” he asked another chimed in “War does not take a recess the soldiers on the front line do not recess when tired or stressed we cannot break”

Guylos nodded “while I agree with our esteemed fellow I would reason that an hour for dinner is permitted we are after all the minds of the war machine it is unfortunately a different set of rules that we play by then our common soldier’ he said another general rose a young one his eyes burned with the indoctrination of the empire “you wish to be there now?” he asked “as does Thanagar as does Jaxor as does Turhain and I would wager were he still alive so would Suroc” the man nodded ‘if only all of those present shared your vision sir’ he bowed and began to leave others followed.

Guylos sighed he had dodged a blaster bolt there, wondering if he handled it right he turned eying the group as they left and typed up an order of food, sitting down he eyed the image of war the fires and sighed it reminded him of events that happened twenty years prior. A month after the rise of the empire and to prove his loyalty he had volunteered to hunt down a rogue Jedi general and the clones who had refused to obey. Guylos had always regretted the mission he had killed a Jedi he had admired and it was one of the first choices he had made that took him down the path that lead him to doubt the empire. He remembered after the battle was over and vessels burned in space he was told the Jedi had been captured and was to be executed, it was when commodore Thanagar told him the force user had wished to speak with him before the end. Guylos conceded and had arrived to speak to the man, in truth his emotions were far less concealed back then and the Jedi saw through them

I do not fear this era of tyranny because I have seen it’s end: I see a ocean of gold and rising from that ocean I see a clergymen a priest and in one hand he holds the reigns of power in the other a beacon of light and from his mouth comes words of deception and from the river of gold arise a horde of purple locusts! I see imperial tyranny drowned in oceans of blood! I see stars dying as mothers weep I see carnage in the streets as the false priest delivers the galaxy from the sith in a crucible of blood shed and treason! I see the emperors bloated carcass swollen floating in the void as the ruins of the empire stink I see the lofty capital itself the jewel of the cosmos fall and from this fall comes liberation freedom in the form a laurel covering stars and from this apocalypse I see deliverance through treason! The pathway to coruscant will be opened and for the first time in a thousand years it will taken! Delivered to the enemy by an Admiral in white! This apocalypse this end most brutal will bring about salvation if we survive it...I wonder are you that Admiral in white? Will you force the end to bring about the beginning?

Several years before that he had asked Yoda to look into his future he wanted to know if his son would be healthy fire I see! Change painful change

Guylos was taken aback by the prophecy then and dismissed it as lunacy his rationalized Yoda’s own words as the masters sense of humor he was known to be capable of pranks some times even hazing and maybe it was merely chiding a rude boy for disturbing his meditation with such a request. But now on the eve of the final battles of the mid rim, a golden ocean a preacher? He looked at his white uniform.

What was he doing?

Ord Mantell- same time

General Krin sat back in a seat as he watched imperial troopers try and reestablish contact with Taragyn after the atmospheric detonation it was swiftly becoming a nightmare to get through atmospheric radiation that’s when he heard it the shooting the shouts the profanity he gripped his knife and ran out a dozen troopers with him outside he eyed the scene taking place in front of him

‘my word” he whispered “The dead...They’re fighting us!” he snapped

Above the battle which now became chaos incarnate a blood colored bird slowly took the form of a tall smooth flat faced humanoid extending his hands his fingertips slowly liquefied seemingly connection to a strange mist, the changeling smiled moving his hands around laughing and singing to himself playfully as he moved around like a puppet master.

Nothing scared solids quite like death and nothing was scarier then the dead rising.

[Admiral Breetai]

Those poor kids. The only good Dominion is a dead Dominion! Make them pay!

Ahem okay I'm better now. Anyway nice update that really brought the war "home" so to speak.

I should compile your reactions for an imperial news network broadcast man!

don't leave me posting material alone though lets keep this section alive.

Yup, that's war all right...
Intense action, and gut-churning descriptions...
Very nice!

yeah I was thinking of 'bare foot Gen' the anime when writing that scene up..youtibe it if you dare.

I wanna thank you though you inspired me with that space zombie stuff thanks to you some changlings are about to do something especially horrific

[sonofccn]

Yeah! Space Zombies! Just in time for halloween.

So ah is Guylos an augment or something? Part Klingon perhaps? I mean he just freaking lifts up a fat officer and it doesn't even seem to strain him. Anyway keep up the good work.

[Admiral Breetai]

Yeah! Space Zombies! Just in time for halloween.

So ah is Guylos an augment or something? Part Klingon perhaps? I mean he just freaking lifts up a fat officer and it doesn't even seem to strain him. Anyway keep up the good work.

some of the Grand Admirals decided to keep in shape after they started flying desks he happens to be one of them besides who says it wasn't with out strain? do you show weakness in front of a bunch of impressionable minds after you all but called traitor? He'll go see a medical droid about that strained muscle later

[Admiral Breetai]

well you wanted Zombies in space? you've got it and allot worse, I hope I've made the founders scary. Update on the Resolute and the Exterminators and right back down to the ground, i tried to as gory as oldschool horror movie as i could with out becoming campy and cheesy there is a war going on after all hopefully I succeeded, maybe this will prod prea sonof and Khas to get on with the fic writing

any ways "Tides Of History " Halloween edition


“I remember it mostly because, they had taken our dead and used it against us, and how in the middle of this miasma and horror we saw the Jem’Hadar cutting out peoples hearts and offering them to the changelings in some sick ritual – see the propaganda ministry kept talking about how the Dominion saw them as gods I think they’re wrong that night we saw something unnatural but it wasn’t divine “ Imperial stormtrooper "Fright Night:Horror of Ord Mantell

A blaster bolt tore across the field impacting into the chest of a dead civilian a little girl who body was severely burned by the detonations in the atmosphere. Her chest split wide open and her entire body jerked back violently before pausing and slowly and eerily raising forward before lunging at one trooper slamming him onto the ground with unnatural strength, they struggled he opened fire with his blaster pistol rotten radioactive fluids spurted everywhere tarnishing white armor with a sickly rust like pallor, one of the troopers young enough to have only graduated secondary school a year or so prior pulled his mask off to vomit at the sight, another corpse this one the dead ruined remains of an imperial officer with metal that had been fused into his arm and head by the explosion thrust his mangled limb forward the young trooper gasped wheezing he made an inhuman moan and fell forward blood spraying everywhere, near him a hundred troopers opened fire on the dead officer his body exploding scattering festering parts everywhere. From his position near private Jan “Actor” Mercin, “Deck” one of the few clones left over from the original unit suppressed a shudder he had never witnessed anything like this in all his years of service even the dark jedi under Dooku never did anything this disgusting and he had to admit, new guys old guys non-clones all of the dead rose like some ghoulish monstrosities and began attacking them. He pushed Jan out of the way of another one before launching a punch hard enough to cave in the corpse’s skull; he flinched when he realized it was a clone one of the new guys who had served with him for over ten years. “Damaging the nervous system does nothing” Jan shouted “you have to blow the head off completely or torch the suckers” he roared tossing a thermal detonator into the crowd blasting hundred to pieces near them both several dead storm troopers began to twitch.

Then Deck felt something wet and warm wrap around his throat and he felt himself dragged back a few paces, he was gasping for breath what ever was grabbing him was unbelievably powerful wheezing he fumbled around pulling a blaster pistol from his side and opening fire in the tear, the tension slacked and he stumbled forward his vision hazy and blurry, barely able to focus he rounded opening fire again this time with a discarded blaster rifle the dead troopers head came clear off. Something pressed against his back and he turned on instinct to find General Krin himself blaster raised near him “Actor” (called so because he had been a pretty well known child star on holodramas then a classical theatre actor before joining the Imperial army a few years ago “patriotic duty” was something Deck could never understand, he merely regarded them as interlopers) was wrestling a Jem’Hadar down skewering him with his own lance and lopping his head off, he guessed taking fencing lessons to play roles in those old movies actually paid off? Or the kid was just insane either way, he dragged six or seven Storm Troopers toward the General and soon they were commanding a small force fighting off these monsters. Deck frowned “Sir with respect get back in the facility”

“Facilities overrun by Jem’Hadar’ he yelled, that’s when the building exploded behind them ‘hah now it’s on fire can’t go back there now” he said opening fire before looking back and frowning “Damn Deck are you trying to gross an old man out” he snapped ‘sir?” ‘your neck that aint a necklace y’know’ Jan looked eying what General Krin mentioned and frowned nearly throwing up in his helmet, apparently one of the dead had attempted to choke Deck with it’s own intestines Deck tossed it off and fired at another one of the zombies “we gotta find out how the hell they’re controlling these things” he yelled Krin nodded between the Jem’Hadar and the dead the 187th stood on the brick of utter defeat, he looked around he thought he saw a figure standing on the ruins of a building but his vision blurred as something slammed into the right side of his head, Krin stumbled back bringing his weapon forward opening fire on the young boy who had just moments ago taken his helmet off and been killed! This was insane he as furious and disgusted, his head hurt something fierce he was sure that he had a concussion maybe worse but didn’t think about that now more of the dead began to rise, he continued to open fire gutting through several of the Jem’Hadar for some reason they didn’t rise when dead? Reluctance or just genetic stubbornness he shrugged it off and belted away they ended up reinforced by several troopers two carrying rocket launchers and one carrying a automatic blaster, the larger trooper held it and just unloaded on the dead, rotten flesh and mist and armor fragments sprayed everywhere, Krin felt himself becoming sick but he was sure it had more to do with his damn head injury than anything else. He moved forward lunging a blade into a Jem’Hadar rounding he launched a powerful blow into the mid section of one of the dead before cramming a thermal detonator down his throat running like hell he chuckled feeling like a kid again the explosion tossed him and before his men could help him get up he was opening fire, he didn’t really feel sore just dizzy and lightheaded. Deck laid off cover fire on some of the dead as he The General and some hundred or so Storm troopers fell into a trench that he was sure was filled with radio active liquid all of them would be spending hours in a medical bay after this. “They’re singing those bastards!” one of them yelled Deck and Krin looked up eying the Changelings who stood on the buildings now counting six they were in fact singing “’the hell is that” he said ‘dancing up there like some ghouls” he hissed Actor frowned “I know this tune!’ he shouted ‘what ya do?’ he asked the boy nodded “aye sir!” he said ‘it’s this epic about an ancient war between Jedi and Sith with this one Sith lord who used some kind of magic to make hideous monsters” he said “to use them against their enemies” ‘sir they’ve been here awhile’ Jan muttered Deck cursed ‘ironic bastards’ he hissed Krin nodded rubbing his forehead “listen boys I want you to’ he trailed off his head really hurt he opened his mouth heard nonsense come out, he shook his head eying them he gestured with his hands the troopers nodded before turning. One pointed a rocket launcher on one another on the second several other imperial officers prepared blaster rifles for sniping. Five out of the six were covered and Deck had to admit that he derived a sick sense of pleasure when all the weapons fired and he heard the shrill loud cries of the founders as they got blasted into pieces.

The one that remained turned its attention towards them and suddenly became smoke, the dead everywhere fell limp “He’s coming after us” Jan yelled Deck nodded ‘but the rest of the legion don’t have to fight two enemies at once” he said watching as smoke flowed through the air towards the trench.

Ord Mantell: Hour 18

Aryas and what was left of his men and the little ones continued to lay suppression fire as they made their way towards the head quarters of the 41st Storm Trooper Legion apparently since his was all that was left of the 172nd he would meet up with the 41st temporarily become part of a new legion. Aryas didn’t like that but considering the gravity of the situation he had no choice, 172 HQ was right at the dead center of the explosion 80% of the legion had been wiped out in a single detonation and his was all that was left of a once proud legion, slipping through the ruins he turned back eying one trooper who nodded he gestured to the little girl who moved forward she was small and sleek and was an excellent sneak, Aryas had begun to rely on the natives pretty heavily as he found they knew what they were doing and had a very strong drive to fight. Inching along she stopped spying the headquarters and frowned, there was ruins everywhere and a Venator that looked like it had fallen out of low orbit smashed through the HQ before splitting in half the rear was loose on the floor burning the front seemed to be imbedded into the ground, she frowned and crawled back. Aryas sat back after hearing about that, it was likely the entirety of the 41st was either dead or dying then, or maybe they scattered and took the fight to the enemy off their grid? It was possible in this pandemonium when most of the command staff was wiped out instead of staying and fighting it was shameful to admit that imperial armies seemed to scatter and run fighting wildly with no sense of discipline. It was a weakness imperial HQ was struggling hard to overcome, while they had a huge and powerful army it was a very inexperienced one. He thought about it, heading back was impossible now if they moved forward they could probably scrounge up medical supplies and weapons from the vessels ruins maybe even call Taragyn to let him know what had happened. The thought dawned on him, what if this was Taragyn’s vessel? If it was, effectively they had no leadership on the ground what so ever! He nodded deciding to go through with it “alright every one let’s move out! Leap frog”

‘why does it stink so bad’ one of the little ones asked several of the Storm Troopers agreed there really was a very strong smell of decay in the air.


Bright Jewell system

.................



Maniac and Iceman ran with over a dozen pilots through the crew area down towards the docking bay as the ship shook violently bulkheads were bursting and everything was burning “Big boy I want you in the troop transport’ he said eying Butcher ‘take the shuttle” Maniac ordered ‘the rest of you get in the god damn TIE prototypes’ he yelled several younger pilots paused uneasy “listen kids your imperial fighter pilots! Members of the exterminators’ he yelled ‘we’re nuts and we kill bugs! So get in the TIE’s and let’s go do some pest control!” they all nodded taking off towards their respective vessels, everything else happened so fast the ship erupted in flames and the exterminators bailed hauling ass out of the burning SSD as it rammed a large Dominion capital ship taking it and it’s escorts with it.

“Who in the name of every god in the cosmos allowed that demented idiot Nilus to command a superstar destroyer?” Maniac yelled every one agreed he had cursed Rennek for a weakling and jumped deeper into the system to hit behind Dominion lines, the result was the loss of ten thousand fighters twelve ISD’s and he didn’t want to think of the total tally of lives, several frigates burned around him as they bobbed and weaved avoiding dominion fire “Status report” Iceman ordered “We’ve got six thousand Dominion ships between us and the planet we aint making it back sir” Big Boy said from his vantage ‘we also struck gold the ship I’m in loaded with provisions weaponry credits medical supplies and equipment” he said ‘I think it was supply for the ground but there is some stuff we can use ourselves’ “that would work if we had a ship’ butcher in toned Big boy cut him off ‘Actually sir we may have one the resolute I’m picking up its silhouette she’s pretty banged up but she is flight worthy“

‘Alrighty then!” Maniac shouted “let’s go get ourselves a new ride” he said taking off towards the direction of the sensor profile.

Aboard the Resolute
...............

Hertz gripped the side of his chair as the vessel shook violently ‘turn us about protect our vulnerable side” ‘no use sir “the bugs swarmed him opening fire on the vessel, several turbo lasers landed a series of hits impacting on shields causing one of the vessels to veer off course and smash into another they exploded but debris smashed into the Resolute ripping a dozen turbo lasers off and sheering a piece of the command bridge off. ‘Well, that’s two down” he said dejected ‘keep firing we’ll take these guys”

No sooner had they managed to get real repairs underway when a horde of Dominion locusts swarmed them, the Resolute had a reputation to maintain though and was fighting hard even if it was futile, they managed to destroy five but the rest overwhelmed them and they were taking heavy damage, what little fighters they had left were destroyed pretty swiftly which seemed usual for the imperial fighter corpse, they were now fighting at reduced capacity and partially blind and loosing ground very fast. “Sir I’m getting a signal from a vessel, no groups of vessels Sir! It’s an imperial fighter squadron identifying themselves as “The Exterminators” they’re requesting permission to join in the battle”

“Permission granted” Hertz said hurriedly.

As the Exterminators came close to the battle butcher whistled ‘look at that’ he said The Star Destroyer looked ruined it had holes in it that looked ten or twenty meters wide, it had no command bridge to speak of and the wedged tip of it had been blown off leaving a deep looking trench all down the center traveling close to a hundred meters, it looked more like a deep gash, like something had torn into flesh there, it must have been in a titanic fight “This guy I know his voice it’s Hertz!” ‘What are you kidding me? That little kid is in charge?” Maniac laughed ‘well good for him I bet the old man is proud wherever he is” he said they had volunteered to teach his academy class fighter maneuvering and proper tactics and then six months ago had given them a touch up course as a way of paying off their “extra duty’ for an insane stunt they had pulled before a Grand Admiral. Hertz had impressed Iceman a little some one inexperienced and naïve but one who had a good deal of potential. “alright come on let’s join this party” TIE fighters and interceptors dove in some bombers that had tagged along from the battle now caught up joined in and soon the bugs were moving away from the ISD opening fire with bright white beams destroying two fighters before a dozen new missiles tore into the ship killing it in fire, Hertz quickly opened support fire gutting two vessels the remaining vessel tried to run but Maniac led the newer initiates on a strafing run that split the bug in half.

Hertz slumped back in his chair sighing ‘we’re receiving a hail from the Exterminators ‘the technician laughed ‘Sir the only good bug is a dead bug’ she said Hertz laughed “tell them welcome aboard the Resolute “

Ord Mantell: hour 18 “Fright night’ hour two
.............

General Krin fell to the side his vision blurry his head was hurting really badly, Jan was giving him medical aid but he was sure he was bleeding in his brain and would probably require time in a Bacta tank to recover the damaged cells. At least speech had been restored and he was able to talk again that was good, he could curse and bark orders. One of the Storm Troopers let out a startled yell when he realized the trench had numerous dead who had fallen in after the explosion. Those bodies soon began to rise as the water churned an amber colored creature rose up as mangled burned bodies lunged at various troopers. Krin rose up weakly and tried to open fire but a long tendril pierced his side, blood spattered from his mouth, the changeling moved forward slowly the ooze swarmed around him. Krin thought he heard laughing. Then everything erupted in fire.

…………

Aryas and his group entered the rear section of the Venator; sparks erupted from the room and from the sides, wiring hung down in various locations and the dead lay in mangled heaps all over. As they entered the medical bay he saw several Bacta tanks smashed one had a patient inside it and his entire torso was impaled now on a slab of broken glass. He swallowed “alright get these bodies out of here” he snapped “any word on survivors?’ ‘none sir, but there seems to be allot of movement towards the front of the wreckage lots of dead in that area, my guess is the bulk of the crew was in the underground section. “Another trooper said

One of the Orphans managed to restore power at that point the sudden eruption of lighting caused several troopers to jump “excellent engineers’ he said looking around ‘tell me something kid can you get communications up?” he asked the kid thought about it and frowned ‘can you give me like three hours?” he asked, Aryas nodded “be done by then” “yes sir!” he shouted and him and some smaller ones scrambled off with a few troopers.

Others were getting medical aid, Aryas turned eying a group that returned carrying a wounded Imperial officer ‘Commander this one we found at the edge of the broken part of the vessel, we also found a weapons locker fully stocked and opened” he said The wounded crewmen eyed him “this thing, it looked like a little girl, called itself Nila, we brought her in General Taragyn opened fire on the little thing, he sensed a trap, the girl it became’ he could barely finish his sentence Aryas gave him some water “Sir! A hundred of our men are down there, with that thing!!”

Aryas frowned Taragyn was the brains of the entire planets military if he fell, it would be even more chaotic and the empire would be deprived of another good officer. “Alright guys I want twenty of you arm yourselves” he said ‘get explosives, incendiary anything that can make a huge boom and lots and lots of weapons and let’s head down there’ he said ‘underground sir?” one asked Aryas nodded “let’s kill a god” he said coldly.

It took them several minutes to climb down the cadaverous ruined form of the Venator, pieces of the vessel seemed stuck in old sewer systems entire chunks torn out as the ship fell down deep down into the planet, they slid down at one point finding an ancient mass grave, thousands of dead Jedi from hundreds and hundreds of years ago likely one of their religious wars. One of his troops wanted to take a picture, he brushed him off ordering him to move down along the chasm, as they crawled deeper Aryas felt something wet on the metallic hull and frowned it was blood and some disgusting ooze “turn on your atmospherics’ he said they all nodded, they had heard horror stories about what had happened in other sectors with the changelings and really they wanted to avoid that desperately. Once they landed on the floor that ooze was everywhere, slowly they made their way forward ‘sir it’s process biomatter’ every one flinched at that ‘Well now we know how a really injured changeling heals itself’ Aryas said suppressing a shutter, imperial intelligence theorized they could ‘consume’ any type of matter converting it into the same substance their bodies were made of if really desperate it would explain how incredibly hard to kill they tended to be. He imagined the likely tried to avoid it and wondered if all this process sludge was about it was likely to mess with their heads ‘This thing might have butchered half the crew just to make a point, keep your eyes on the ball boys’ he ordered as they made their way in. The stench became overwhelming as they got in closer and soon they began to hear all sorts of horrible noises and one of the troopers let out a gasp, Aryas turned and eyed what he saw and nearly fell to his knees.

It seemed to him, that there was some form of mesh flesh like yet thick and sturdy dark colored with pulsating irrigation systems that appeared vein like. Fluid and tissue pumped through them slowly being converted, the acrid stench of burn flesh and thousands of blaster bolt scorch marks dotted the mass of flesh and tendrils, the storm troopers put up a horrific battle to defend their general this thing was severely mangled and desperate but also furious. He turned and saw what looked like the left side of a face and some hands, eyes blank said facial features contorted in utter agony as they were slowly absorbed by the monstrosity. He turned eying one trooper who was still alive, his insides had been spilled hanging loose over the floor his legs and waist had been absorbed as well a portion of his back and elbows, the wound should have killed him yet he was still alive! This was feeding off him and sustaining him at the same time, he growled but knew he couldn’t open fire other wise he’d provoke the founder. Walking towards him he grabbed the soldiers chin holding his head up ‘Trooper’ he called, the mans eyes were dull blank like an invalids his tongue sloshed around in his mouth, he could barely focus to do more than moan in a dull lulling manner. Aryas swallowed and pulled out a stimulant injecting the trooper, slowly eyes focused on him and a loud horrid scream filled the air ‘KILL ME BY THE FORCE PLEASE KILL ME’ he yelled ‘listen to me trooper General Taragyn!’ he yelled ‘KILL ME’ “General first” he snapped, slowly he eyed him ‘taken deeper inside it wanted his knowledge’ “where!!” ‘Through the corridor’ he groaned “please...Kill me’

, Aryas took out a thermal detonator and put it on a timer’ and moved away there was nothing else he could do to for that man. Other troopers looked around eying the walls, it was some twisted disgusting scene, they could see bone matter and hair in some areas with naked pinned soldiers by the hundreds moaning and screaming as their bodies were gradually absorbed by the founder, moving closer they cried out even more begging to be killed, they inched closer and found Taragyn, he was on his knees, shirt off, the old man had tendrils sticking painfully out of his back, the skin was torn off and his spinal column could be seen, weird clear micro-tendrils wrapped around his nervous system seemingly sneaking his way up his spine, Taragyn was mumbling to himself. Aryas knelt down gripping his head ‘Sir Can you hear me’ he asked, Taragyn nodded its sleeping’ he said”we messed it up good’ he said laughing’ “I think we fell on it too’ Aryas nodded ‘what happened to you?’ “Another one got in, we managed to kill it but it damaged our ship beyond repair” he said ‘sir? Another one? Are you sure” ‘it turned into some grayish powder’ he said ‘they do that when they die according to imperial intelligence’ he said Aryas nodded “what’s the status?” he asked wheezing “Krin is holding his own last I checked, but the 172 and 41st are wiped out’ he said not telling him he landed on the 41st Taragyn nodded ‘survive this battle don’t let them do this to any other soldier of the empire” ‘aye sir” he said Taragyn eyed him “they fear us humans” he told Aryas ‘they fear us” Aryas nodded, the two officers eyed each other for a long time before he handed Taragyn a pack of Thermo detonators and incendiary fluids set to a timer. He turned and started running off with his men they passed dozens of troopers half absorbed screaming begging for death.

This entire sequence was the scariest most abhorrent thing he had seen in his entire life, his men some of them would later eat a blaster bullet from the shock of what they had seen others would carry on, what he knew though was as a people they would never be the same, not after this.

From her position inside the engineering room Kyra sat with her older brother who were handing tools to several imperial officers and their colleague, ‘oh look Aryas is coming back’ she said watching men scurried up the huge gaping hole in the center what followed was an enormous red plume of fire that belched out of the ground warming the cold air and blowing around like a maelstrom before vanishing

Kyra smiled she thought it was so pretty ‘oh nice fire works’ she laughed ‘looks like they had a hell of a fight down there’ her brother said. Kyra didn’t know what happened everything was still so pretty. She ran to give Aryas a big hug thanking him for the fireworks before blinking

Why did he look so pale?

[sonofccn]

Founder bad! Bad, bad bad! Nice update but I'll never look at Odo the same again.

[Admiral Breetai]

Founder bad! Bad, bad bad! Nice update but I'll never look at Odo the same again.

that's the idea

I apologize for being to late and so absent I have some chapters of your marvelous work of fiction to catch up on and Preao's but this will come soon.

Battles conclusion and the death of a certain hero.

Zsinj is going to be making an appearance soon up to his usual treasonous stuff