As promised, the (I hope) highly-anticipated sequel to Book I of the Omnivers Chronicles! Prepare for an insane amount of action and drama, suspense and intrigue and all that awesome stuff we call epicness. The Omniverse Chronicles has just become bigger and much, much badder. Without further a-do, *drumroll*... chapter one!
Two Weeks
"Verpine Two, you've picked one up!"
"I see him".
"This is Thor Seven, I'm beginning my run. Need some cover fire".
"On it, Seven. I've got your tail".
"I'm a woman, idiot".
"Can't hear you; too busy covering your ass".
"Seven and Five! Mutual respect. Remember that".
"Copy, Thor Leader".
"This is Two; I can't shake him!"
"Thor Two, this is Commander Renn. Come about the Void's portside. PD guns will get you out".
"We will?"
"Yes, you will".
"We will".
Another red and blue explosion lit up space. From his vantage point on the Voidflare's bridge, Zander Renn squinted. He refused to look away from the raging battle before him. He stood fast against the assault on his senses. Only the quivering black fur at the base of his neck betrayed any sign of strain, and that was hidden behind a raised collar. His tail swept from side to side impatiently, brushing against the cold metal floor.
He hated the universes in that moment. Why had they seen fit to literally steal him from his home, almost kill him several times over and then dump the responsibility for the same thing happening to thousands of others on his shoulders?
Two weeks. It had been two weeks since the madness that was the Lombax Civil War had started. Two weeks since he had been labelled an enemy by half of the race to which he should not have belonged. Two weeks since he, somewhat ironically, had fired the first shot. Two weeks of running from Jerec's fleet; of watching the fledgling 'Greater Polaris Security Sphere' steadily assimilate planet after planet after planet.
Two weeks of being the second most powerful lombax amongst the Loyalists, but of feeling more helpless than ever.
"Sir! The Liberty is taking offensive position".
Zander did not need to move his head, nor even his eyes, to focus his attention on the prow of Jerec's flagship, heading straight towards him. He had kept it in his sights ever since the battle started. From this angle, it resembled no more than a floating box, but that was just the forward-facing surface. To either side, he knew, lay rows of death-inducing barrels.
"Move to engage, pilot".
It was a good thing the Voidflare had plenty of plasma of her own to spare, and plenty of hull.
The chaotic panorama before Zander shifted smoothly to the right as the pilot angled the omega-class battlecruiser to port.
Seemingly by some unwritten agreement, the Liberty soon mirrored the move, revealing her armour-plated broadside.
"Increase power to starboard weapons and shields", said Zander quietly but clearly.
"Increasing power".
There was silence on the bridge as every crew member made a silent prayer to the powers that be. They had all gone through point-blank broadside engagements recently, and all knew that no capital ship, even one as well-crewed and well-equipped as the Voidflare, ever came out of one unscathed. You could probably have labelled each of the cleaner hull plates with a death toll.
Zander cursed the Liberty's bridge for taking so long to come into view, but when it did, he sighed. The distinctive white outline of Jerec, the co-consul turned self-proclaimed dictator, could not be seen. Zander wished for one occasion where Jerec chose to meet him face to face. He would have relished the opportunity to order all batteries to fire directly at the Liberty's bridge.
Everyone finished their prayers as the two ships passed each other. They were so close you could have taken a running jump between them.
"Steady", warned Zander.
The rest of the battle was forgotten while each ship blocked out half of the other's field of vision.
Someone somewhere blinked.
"Open fire!" roared Zander.
The Voidflare once again lived up to its name as it brightened the dark void of space in a supernova of firepower. The shields rippled as they struggled to fend off the heat of the blaze erupting from the guns.
A moment later, the Liberty returned fire.
The bridge rocked as round after round impacted the Voidflare's broadside hard.
Zander almost fell over but refused to grip onto the handrail in front of him intended for exactly that purpose. He dared the universes to knock him down now. He had been knocked down enough. The line had been drawn.
And to think, this orbital battle was merely for permission to use planet Igliak's surface; to be allowed access to Meridian City, the capital of the Polaris galaxy.
The battle to stop a certain golden-furred, brown-striped hero from being vaporised where he stood right at that moment.
It wasn't so heartening to know that Zander had three ships against Jerec's fifteen.
Ratchet really needed to hurry up.
I've really enjoyed writing all these action scenes. I truly have. And this one I certainly think is one of my better ones. I'm quite excited for the next few chapters. They all have pretty intense battles going on. Oh and yes, I have a detailed chapter-by-chapter plan now! Do tell me if it shows.
Any guesses what Ratchet's doing in Meridian City while the fleet is trying not to get... un-existed? I can tell you it's not getting churros (although I wouldn't blame him if he stopped for one on the way. Damn those things are yummy).
Aaanyway... Reviews! Nao!