Ch 1.
From one war to another.
A great fleet traversed the hyperspace lane, thousand of ships, crewed by the battle hardened veterans that had just won a war cut their way through the great hyper space void between one system and the next.
This was the Imperial 378th battlewing. Commanded from the ship the Vampire's Vengeance by the recently promoted Rear Admiral Metternich Per Pelasgiamus. The Fox of Marengo, the vanquisher of Admiral Yemen, Headmaster Metty, Malus 'the Evil One'; and his most recent nickname 'Conqueror of Galiana' the mighty world class fortress.
Metternich was a unique creature amongst the Empire, his hair was black as night and shortly trimmed, but not in a military stile, more like a summer style.
His skin was dark blue, which was not unheard of in the Empire but not entirely common and finally his eyes where perhaps the most unique thing about him, for their retina was a blue one, but his sclera was of a bright glowing red, which combined with his skin and his voice which was low and a bit gruff made him a very imposing visual figure.
His uniform consisted of black leather boots, black pants that were secured to his waist by a belt, along with as sheathed sword on his left side, a dagger on the back side of his belt, and a one handed crossbow on his right, his chest was covered in a black tunic, on his shoulder pads where three golden bars that symbolized his rank of Commodore First Class.
On his chest where it curbed to his sides was two lines of gold buttons united by a series of golden ropes that traversed his chest, they where for both decorative and practical purposes, since the real buttons where on the inner side of the left flap of the tunic.
He looked like someone who was born for war, who belonged on the battlefield, who would stand when others would fall, that was something no one could deny! Too bad he was a coward.
For three years I've ducked down, ran away and generally used every means available to avoid the frontlines only to stumble into the worst of the fighting only to survive, hailed as the man of the hour and before the minute was over I was then sent to even more dangerous missions.
A tearing of paper was heard, Fire and flame danced for a moment before the piece of paper that contained those words was no more.
With that Rear Admiral Metternich per Pelasgiamus gave out a sigh of relief and despair as he almost written his own death warrant with that.
The Empire thought he was a hero. The Fox of Marengo, Headmaster Metty the Empire called him.
Malus, which meant evil one was his newest nickname given to him by the Volunians which he had now helped defeat.
A hero to many, a monster to the same number, but in truth he was just a poor soul who wanted nothing but to get out of the fleet, escape the war and never come back.
It had been a long and hard few years since he had been forcefully drafted onto the fleet of Commodore Crackerjack, sent to every dangerous area of the galaxy, won, gotten a promotion and sent into an even bigger meat grinder, now here he stood.
From a drafted recruit he had risen in three years to join the admiralty and mow had his own battlewing of 5.000 ships that he was currently leading on practice maneuvers from his flagship the Vampire's Vengeance.
He was tired, so very tired, so much do that he had forgotten how the Empire's military deals with cowardice in their ranks.
But he recovered his senses, destroyed the evidence and as always he had prevailed.
" I should get a kriffing medal. But then again the burning didn't result in the death of million upon millions do I guess it doesn't qualify as praise worthy " he gave out a bitter chuckle as he stared blankly into his red eyed, blue skin reflection on his farview screen monitor.
His future seemed grim to him, he had just taken the Fortress World Galiana, the Galaxie's Gate to the West. Because of that he might as well have painted a bigger bull's eye on his back with the words ' Line starts to the left' for how many enemy fleets would now see him as the prime target.
The right was reserved for his superiors in the fleet that where his ' allies' who seemed eager to shove him into that Frey.
And all he could to was smile and say ' Yes sir ' while trying his best to avoid the grinder.
He had to smile to his superiors.
After all being rude to a bunch of hardened killers with millions of ships and trillions of soldiers at their disposal did not exactly do wonders for Metyernich's health.
He chuckled at his own joke as some of his despair went away with that.
When all of a sudden a sudden a dragon with a backpack and cup of tea barged into his room.
" Here's your kava sir. Also Commodore Horatia would like to have a word. " Lieutenant Butz, his aide said to him and handed Metty the cup.
Which was followed by a great tarantula that was thumping a bible coming into the room. Namely a Caratian called Horatia T.J Jackson.
" Forgive the disturbance sir. But it seems ever kind Providence has given us as a strange test of fate, my forward division has just transmitted strange activity from hyper space and I would like to advise that we go to full alert "
"Granted Horatia. Though it could have come a bit sooner. We just finished the staff meeting half an hour ago and now we gotta bring everyone back just as they have returned to their command ships"
" Heathens rarely care for any politeness or code of conduct sir."
" How do you know heathens are the cause of this Horatia? "
" As long as there are the faithful there will always be heathens sir "
Horatia said and Metternich gave out a laught at the supreme conviction that with which she said it as they made their way to the conference room.
She was a madd, eight eyed fanatic who made Metty glad that she was on his side.
Then he remembered he just laughed at the giant, trained killer, crusading tarantula and looked at her with dread as he moved his hand near to his sword.
In fear of her his eyes lit up as a sign of his panic, but to those that witnessed it they mistake it for eagerness for battle.
Horatia had noticed that and smiled
Thankfully she smiled at that! Showing that the laught was in appreciation from a kindred spirit and eagerness to defeat the enemy, responding faithfully to what she said, instead of the genuine mocking laugh towards a crazy person that it wsd
Even so Metty made a note to be careful next time, for out of the mighty Imperial fleet of which he was part off there where at least ten people he knew that he did not want to piss off.
Horatia was one of them, and the other nine was in front of him.
At the conference table stood some of the most vicious killers that he had ever met, and all of them where his subordinates.
" My lord! Commodore Adrian de Morowetz, his knight and chief of Staff said first as they all rose and gave a salute.
Adrian was an Avian an eagle like humanoid race and he was one of the most fearsome warriors from its lot, fearsly loyal to Metty he was both his bane and his blessing for his might had saved Metty many times over, but each and every time that the young Rear Admiral had in the past tried to downplay play his victory so that someone else would get thrust instead of himself in the spotlight and as such on the enemy spear wall Adrian would misinterpret that as humbleness and would trumpet Metty's 'glory' to others, contributing to the admiral's misfortune of always being sent back into the grinder.
" Indeed it is. Please tell us what do you make of this and what should we do Admiral? " Commodore Third class Oscar von Raqianus said in a half challenging manner.
He was a Tetremadian, a rave that appeared human except for its four arms and piercing green eyes.
To many other commanders someone like Oscar would have been the bane of their existence. For he was this battlewing's most successful officer while at the same time he subtly challenged the admiral's authority and wanted to outshine him.
Metty gladly handed him the wax and shine each time, happy to give up his ' I'm a pincushion for Swords front row seat to other's in exchange for a more economically viable back row.
But each time he tried to fail against Oscar his efforts would result in him somehow winning the political play of power.
"Just as soon as you brief me."
Metty said and Oscar blushed in embarrassed at his oversight and stood down.
And with that front row seat it was for poor Metty as he sat down at the round table. With Adrian to his right and Oscar to his left, Butz stood behind him, next to Oscar was Commodore Antonius de Palamese an Eschimariom, a black long haired centaur like creature that had an eye patch over his right eye and a bushy beard.
Next was Commodore Valyria Treakle A Calabenecan, a giant insect like humanoid with locust features was next, followed by A Melorian, a being that was made out of thousands of small yellow insect like creatures was what followed. Whose was Commodore Tarkan el Balamarus.
Commodore Georgaian followed, he was a Galapagian, a species that had a turtle's body, a mouth filled with razor sharp teeth, a bipedal frame and two upwards curbed long tusks coming out of its mouth.
Then came Commodore Dalius a Tumescan, a great raptor like beast who was holding what appeared to be a lollypop in its mouth.
Standing a few feet away from Dalius was Lloyd Colomas 'Candlestickmaker' Firebark, a tall and milk skinned glass wearing four eyes( and it wasn't a mean act, he literally had four eyes and was wearing glasses) who was Metternich chief engineer.
Finally there was the commander of the infantry Colonel Werner Von Braun, a Caninian, a great black furred wolf like humanoid that ended this lineup.
"We have detected a great energy wave of unknown properties; we estimate that it will hit us within sixteen hours."
Lloyd brief him before the whole ship started to shake uncontrollably from the strength of some great force that struck the Vampire's Vengeance along with the rest of Metty's battlewing forcing all those in the room and the fleet to brace for impact.
"Sorry boss, science is a bitch!" Lloyd said in apology to the Admiral.
And just as abruptly as it struck, so did it disappear and tranquility to be restored.
"Find out what happened!"
"Yes my lord! This is Commodore Adrian I want a full damaged assessment now and status update!" Adrian said to a comm crystal embedded in the table and a flurry of universas monitors lit up from its surface.
"What the? It's blank, the whole map area is blank, this is complete new space!" Oscar said in surprise, eyes wide from shock.
"That storm must have knocked us North of our lines, we must be in Federal territory at least, Republican at worst, darned bitch, I'll have her flogged for this!" Commodore Tarkan bellowed out.
"Forgive me for saying this Tarkan, but I doubt even you could flog a storm, cause you know well a storm!"
"Valyria there are three certain things in life. Death, taxes and if something exist a sergeant can find a way to flog it, and I was the best sergeant in the whole fleet before I became an officer!" Tarkan puffed his chest proudly, all 500.000 of them.
"Comrades, while I'm normally amused by this, I find that perhaps we should focus on our current predicament before we trade barbs." Antonius said and Georgaian gave a nod of approval.
"It isn't the Federal lines or the Republican ones. I had a comm check and I found no military or civilian transmission that corresponds with this what so ever, if it was the system would be flooded by them, even if they where centuries old. I think that wave sent us into uncharted territory."
Dalius said, raising his head from his universas and while sucking on his lollipop he was taken aback by the many stares of surprise and shock from his fellow commanders.
"What's with the shocked looks, I'm not an idiot! It's not such a big deal that I did the smart thing before anybody else!" The Commodore who commanded 500 ships boldly said…..then pouted and sucked on his lollipop. The image itself made it easy for them to forget that Dalius truly was an exceptional officer.
"Of course Dalius, it's just your efficiency surprised us." Metternich said playing the peacemaker.
"Oh, alright!" The Commodore said perking up and once more sucked on his lollipop and smiled with his great set of raptor teeth.
"He's a competent fleet commander not an idiot, he's a competed fleet commander not an idiot!" Metty has to chant in his head in order to fight off the image.
"Well I guess the sensible thing to do would be to find out what the hell happened, any suggestions ?"Metty asked.
"We're receiving preliminary start chart analysis now, we should have information on what happened and potential jump points within the day, until then there's not much I can do." Lloyd said.
"I've received information on the current system, I have a course plotted for the nearest inhabited planet my lord." Adrian said.
"Commander, may I suggest that we maintain fleet disunity and a lack of cohesion and that any damage to our external appearance that does not affect our fleets combat capabilities we maintain, so as to whoever we have first contact with, to have them perceive us as what we are, a lost fleet instead of appearing to be a faraway invasion force from unknown lands." Oscar gave his advice, which was good, it was such good advice that Metty immediately felt his stomach ache in fear and worry. When Oscar gave out useful advice that did not also contained a veiled challenge to Metty's authority then it meant trouble.
"It's official then. Whenever the man that tries to usurp your position helps you out honestly it's official. We're in deep shit!"
"We will make as Oscar has suggested. We have already fought one hard war against Volunia and we have an upcoming one with the Federation, and by Zamolxes we do not have a need for more enemies, the fleet will proceed to first contact and we will avoid any confrontation, today no Imperial dies!"
"Especially me!"
The young Rear Admiral's eyes blazed away as he said the words and felt fear grip him, though the sight of his red eyes going away was misinterpreted by those gathered as eagerness to face this new obstacle and either avoid it, pass it or smash it. Along with his words of how no one dies today the high command of the 378th battlewing all smiled in appreciation and admiration for their commander 'bravery' and 'charisma'. Even Oscar, gave a genuine smile at that as Metternich ordered them to their commands.
Commodore Oscar smile truly was genuine as he rose up and saluted before leaving the table, yes he wanted to beat me Metty, yes he saw him as a rival, but he truly admired the man and respected him
And since he proved that he was up, at least for now, to the task of leading them so Oscar would be loyal, tomorrow was another matter, but for today he would. And one day he would surpass Metternich, but not yet for now he would follow and learn from someone who was in front of him.
Dalius, his closest friend followed in Oscar's wake, he could only take a few shallow breaths and give a discreet shake of the head, he loved his friend, but he also thought he was a bit to 'eager' in his career ambitions.
Valyria followed, her mind going through the various commands she would have to issue and gave a slight worry for their immediate future. Tarkan also felt this and he coped with it by thinking of which exquisite uniform and hat he would pick from his collection. If today would be first contact then as a representative of the Empire he would look his best, and if there was a war and he either fought and died he would also look his best, no sense not to in his opinion.
Georgaian and Antonius where the next to leave.
Antonius thought's where more on how to help his fellow officers that himself.
As for Georgaian, he did not despair at all, things could be worse, he firmly believed that, they were alive, their ships where intact, they were fully stocked and their crews where all veterans and most important of all they were alive. In his opinion as long as there's life there's hope.
"Sir we are receiving a hail from what the nearby planet." Butz reported.
"Put it trough here." Adrian said and monitors in the table all morphed into one big one, that showed a very, very ugly face before them.
"Greetings, I am Rear Admiral Metternich and this is my Chief of Staff Adrian and my aide Lt Butz, to whom do I have the distinct pleasure of addressing?"
WAAAAAAGHHHHHH!
"See, I told you all! Filthy heathens!"
One could almost hear Horatia smug thoughts over the void of space, but smugness was a sin, so Horatia quickly said a prayer so that she may be clean when she starts butchering orks. As their journey through hell began.
PS
I am also the author of B:ASOE, I;m doing this to get over my writers block for my next book.