Trying a new story, seeing how it goes.
This story takes part 30 years after the forged alliance game, warning AU-ish (I'm making it up), so I've upgraded some of the units like;
CZAR has 2 templates, 1 for space (plasma ports instead of glassing beam) and 1 for planetary bombardment... or something like that, probably going to change it.
The Rhazghoul are pretty much the Zerg in everything they do in this prologue, they won't turn up in later chapters.
Quote's of the day,
"Ask not for a lighter burden, but for broader shoulders"
United, we stand. Fractured, we fall.
Inside every writer, inside every artist, is a god who wishes to see the world changed.
"Italics"-Language Barrier
"Normal"-Compatible
"Bold"-Psychic Talking
The Power of 3
The Lucky Number
Ajax was a proud member of the Coalition but he will always be of the United Earth Federation, the UEF, first and foremost. He is a respected and admired Field Marshal, mostly due to his command skills and partly down to the way he treats those around him.
He'd joined the Coalition 264 years earlier, 196 of those years fighting the Rhazghoul, an overly aggressive race that attacked the Coalition on first contact and 62 years after the end of the Seraphim war.
He is currently working with Arathorn of the Cybran Nation and Gautama of the Aeon Illuminate to push a Rhazghoul base off the Cybran world, Shono.
With a wave of his hand, Ajax highlighted all 45 spare 'Titan' heavy assault bots as well as 8 'Demolisher' heavy artillery units. Placing then twisting his hand, the battlefield projection in front of him, it turned until he had a better view. Staring at the projection, Ajax 'pinched' the landscape and moved the projection towards the Rhazghoul base. Blinking, Ajax cursed and brought a hand to the side of the projection and tapped the red, triangular, Cybran's symbol, calling up Arathorn's ACU.
Once Arathorn's video feed stabilized, Ajax could see the Cybran of his companions for the mission. Arathorn had dark skin that clashed with his cybernetic implants that were evident across his face, his eyes glowed a slight red and hexagons dotted around the outside of his face with enough for his black hair to cover his scalp. His cold, calculating eye's stared back. He looked almost robotic, but not quite.
As the feed stabilized Ajax reached to the other side and pressed the smooth, green symbol for his Aeon companion.
It took a second, faster than UEF or Cybran but then, the Illuminate were always slightly ahead.
Staring back at him was the ethereal looking Gautama. She had a thin, green film over the front of her face, pale skin, 2 glowing stripes pointing from the opposite eye off the middle of her cheek and some white hair peeking out from her, white, hooded robe.
"They've started growing something... something big." Started Ajax, causing both of them to frown slightly.
Ajax tapped the 'structure' on his map, 'pinging' it's location to his team-mates. After a moment, Arathorn nodded.
"It is within range of my artillery, would you like me to begin bombardment?"
Ajax nodded before replying, "Yes, but keep your artillery under stealth."
Arathorn nodded back but stayed on the feed while he carried out his orders.
Turning to Gautama, Ajax continued, "Time to turn the pressure up."
Gautama nodded once before her factories started up again.
With the plan put the way, Ajax closed the feed to his fellow commanders.
Looking back at the map, Ajax pinched the organic 'sludge', zooming out.
Swiping his hand, he brought his view back to his base and poked the 24 free T3 engineers, highlighting them.
Bringing his right hand to the holographic table to his right, he activated the projector and started reconstructing a Fatboy. While also thanking the Cybran who invented the idea for Commanders to customize their units using said holographic table.
Placing 3 templates for his engineers, Ajax was surprised when Gautama opened the channel again. But not as surprised as to what she said.
"I've found their ACU, it would seem they are supervised instead of swarming." She stated in a serene tone.
"So, they do have ACU's? We haven't seen one before."
Arathorn's channel opened as well, showing a slightly disgruntled expression.
"They have finished growing their structure, it is a quantum gateway."
Ajax's eyes widened, the Coalition hadn't seen a ACU from the Rhazghoul, let alone a gateway. This was turning serious, fast.
"Arathorn, keep the bombardment up, destroy it. Gautama, let's see if we can push them off this planet." Ajax face turned serious, this was the first time the Rhazghoul put a leader on one of their planets... they may be able to push the organic creatures off the planet, and then, turn the tide and push back.
The Cybran commander returned his attention back to his board, before Ajax could ask him anything he looked back up and stated.
"I will see if I can hack them and see where the gateway's destination is located."
Ajax breathed out a silent sigh, "I was about to ask you if you could do that." He revealed.
Bringing his attention back to his board, he noticed Gautama was already sending 3 CZAR's towards the Rhazghoul's fleshy, lumpy, ACU. Smiling slightly, he brought his hands over the holographic inter-phase and zoomed out slightly before selecting the newly completed Fatboys. He'd modified them for a small artillery barrage before the Fatboys actually got in range.
Once he'd selected the Experimental's he also highlighted 230 more 'Titan' T3 heavy assault bots before sending them to the front while the CZAR's went around the back, to the organic ACU.
Bringing the view back to his base, Ajax started sending engineers to build a 'Mavor' super artillery, a game ender, with a grim smile. Surrounded by shields and a Illuminate experimental resource generator, there was nothing the Rhazghoul could do.
Panning his camera to overlook the enemy's ACU and placing his hands on the armrest Ajax let his armoured command unit link up to his system, letting him control the ACU as if it were his own body.
Mentally, he tasked his factories to send T2 'Mongoose' Gatling assault bots to assist the Fatboy's in their distraction.
After that was done he maneuvered out of his base, towards the Mavor. Once he got there he set the ACU to assist the construction of the super artillery just before disconnecting from his link.
Panning the camera back to the front lines showed mid barrage from the Fatboy's and the 'Pillar' T2 heavy tank fighting the Rhazghoul organically grown forces, with cliffs to the North-West and a river on the other side, one would be less inclined to anticipate ambushes.
However, Ajax wasn't a beginner in this war, but a Veteran, so the regular fights for supremacy over and under water and the mobile artillery aiming at the hoard climbing down the cliff face were to be expected in his opinion. It was a shame the Coalition hadn't thought of that idea before, so many new advantages to be gained. But now they did, and Ajax allowed a small, brief smile as he saw a swarm of 'Monkeys' and 'Spiders', from the UEF and Cybran respectively, climb the cliff-face towards their almost helpless enemy. It was slightly odd that the Rhazghoul would spawn melee units to scale walls when the Coalition sent mini-rocket and laser toting wall crawlers to counter them.
If anything, the Coalition would start winning and pushing back the fully organic and hyper aggressive race.
Ajax snapped out of his musing when the suit beeped at him, telling him the construct was complete.
Selecting the Mavor, Ajax panned his camera to the front lines. Seeing the Fatboy's decimate the enemy he turned his attention to the enemies ACU, where he saw the CZAR's close enough that the artillery would be just as likely to hit them as the enemy.
Deciding to go with his last option, he targeted the gateway.
Suddenly, his mind was assaulted. A darkness seemed to seep around the edge of his vision, pulsing with each word the psychic presence uttered.
"Creatures of monsters and metal," it rasped, "if I am to fall, I shall take you with me."
Ajax's vision cleared as the presence drained away.
His attention quickly turned to the Rhazghoul's ACU, which, to his pleasure, was burning under a Quantum Beam of a CZAR.
He would have celebrated the victory, if Arathorn hadn't hooked up to his ACU, a panicked look plastered on his face.
"The gateway's finished, but the power it is drawing is skyrocketing."
Panning his camera back to the portal, Ajax was just in time to see the organism explode into a quickly expanding... nothing.
He didn't have enough time to think on what was going to happen before the shock-wave hit him.
Let's wrap it up there.
Disclaimer, I do not own Supreme Commander. It is a good game, but not made by my imagination, the Rhazghoul are based off the Zerg but not actually the swarm... those guys are mine.
ONE QUESTION.
Who do you want to go where?
Like, Ajax to the Mass Effect universe or all 3 to the Warhammer universe. The choice is yours.