The Reminder
Chapter 1
Contact
He was a tall man in his late fifties, his head bare and his body gene bulked in reward for his many years of service. A bionic arm replaced his right arm which he had lost in a fight against the Confederacy troops many years before. His skin was tan in the few places scar tissue hadn't grown. His entire left side of his face was a menagerie of bionics and scars. Taii Kenshin began his routine inspection of the Damocles-class star fortress, the halls were empty and he could hear his footsteps echo down the dank corridors. Many of the halls had fallen into disuse and disrepair, the constant battles they fought to survive had taken a large toll upon the ashigaru that took care of the ships interior and exterior components. Taii Kenshin thought back on the time when the Damocles was in its prime, strong and populated. The Teitoku (admiral) had ordered that half of the fleet docked within the Damocles to be scuppered and the fission cores be saved to power the other ships.
"All hands to their stations" an automated voice sounded over the broadcast speakers.
Taii Kenshin rushed down the corridor now filled with red lights and alarms loud enough to make his head ring. He arrived at his command node of sector Ichi, sitting down an ashigaru ran up and handed him a data sheet.
"Enemies of The Nichi Hanshu (Sun lord) have ambushed us as we dropped out of warp space my lord, we think they are Coalition murmured the Ashigaru (ensign).
"I can read that on the data sheet, you little shit!" Taii Kenshin replied caustically. Turning to the command console in front of him, he prepared to link himself with all ashigaru gunners under his command. Their minds and his would become one, creating the most efficient means for control of weapons during space battles.
"Incoming enemy projectiles, kyukyoku no tate (ultimate shield) at full. Brace for impact men!"
The enemy's torpedoes struck the lower portion of the shield and exploded harmlessly off the ultimate defensive system built by the finest minds of the Oligarchy before its fall.
"Taii Kenshin, prepare to return fire," crackled the stalwart voice of Teitoku (admiral) Nobunaga.
"Open fire you bleeding maggots!" The thought coursed through thousands of men each squad manning a gun capable of smashing through the shields and armored plate alike. Aiming these weapons was no small task, but Kenshin had been working at this post for at least a century and he had the guns prepped and targeted on enemy battle cruisers.
"End their miserable lives now Kenshin; send down the fires of vengeance upon their naïve heads." Teitoku Nabunaga's voice filled with hatred for his foes filled the air.
As the Damocles lowered its shields a shock wave shook it to the very core. Enemy torpedoes and ordinance had breached the lowered shields. Alarms sounded and the lights flickered. Kenshin temporarily lost his link to the gunners and many of them misfired. Still, many hit their targets and half of the enemy fleet was turned to rubble.
"Damage report, now!" roared an enraged Kenshin.
"My Lord, the outer halls and corridors have taken minimal damage in the south eastern wing. Casualties are at a minimum. Two hundred and fifty seven crew members are reported dead or wounded. All primary systems including shields, weapons, life support, and engines are online and undamaged." The ashigaru reported with efficiency.
'Very good. Now back to your station boy." Kenshin smiled to himself. "Contact the Teitoku (admiral) I need to speak with him; it's time we made these dogs remember the might of who we once were."
Boarding
The plan was simple. Go in, kill them, scupper the fleet and leave the wreckage to send the Coalition a message. It was a simple message. No one can ignore the rebirth and growing might of The Remnant.
Kasai-Sogo (fire general) Masamoto had led the forces of The Eimin (super soldiers) for as long as he could remember. Being handpicked by the late Lord of Ragnarok as a child and sent through training had made him the man he was today. He surveyed his squadron of thirty men; each had been recently awakened from the ancient vaults under Jigoku's icy surface. They had not been witness to the last battle where the Council of Daimyo had been tricked into deploying the main forces of the Oligarchy onto the Fields of Isis. There they had waited until the death throes of the Star Child were felt by every soldier on the field.
"Men, today we are going to board, massacre, and destroy a ship with our bare hands. The soldiers of the Coalition are no match for us and our righteous fury. Today we win back the glory of our forgotten empire!" The final words were screamed into the void of space as the launch door opened and one by one the boarding torpedoes launched and began their journey towards the enemy.
"Engage gravitational compensators. Kochiku get the damn blow torch, I want this to run smoothly," Ordered Masamoto as he turned and began issuing more orders to Yuya and Chika.
The men scrambled across the ship's hull like spiders and soon two breach heads had been opened and secured.
"Yuya, I want you to take fourteen men and enter the left breech. I will take the other fourteen and enter the right breech. Meet up back here once you've completed your mission of purging the ship. I want ten minute updates. If you miss one and you're still alive, I'll kick your sorry hide into the void myself," Masamoto ordered into his radio.
Yuya's squad entered the ship through the right breach. As they made their way through the dank and poorly lit corridors they found themselves set upon by the soldiers of the Coalition. Slaughtering their way through the inferior and poorly trained soldiers on the ship was easier than any training exercise Yuya could remember. The enemy fell like wheat before a scythe, their blood painting the Eimen's armor red. The metallic smell of blood filled Yuya's nose. "How long had it been since he had seen action on the battle field," he wondered.
"Spread out flamers to the front. Form Burn and Purge formation. Keep your eyes out for hostilities." Yuya swept his gaze across the dark corridor, "Nothing," he muttered to himself. There was never a foe truly worthy for him to fight all fell before him.
There was a sudden burst of gun fire and an Eimin pitched backwards as his brain matter coated the Eimin nearest to him.
"Get down. Return fire, fire at will, any foreign entity is an enemy," barked Yuya through his radio.
"Sir, they appear to be woman in Kozane-do (power armor)!" observed Chika.
"I don't give a rat's ass what they are or who they are. They've spilled our blood! It's time to make them pay for it!" bellowed Yuya.
The woman put up more of a fight due mainly to the fact they were armored, well equipped, trained and seemed to disregard every shot, and... seemed to be praying. They took down five more Eimin before the last was put down.
"Damn those bitches, damn them for all they've done," lamented Chika standing over the bodies of his fallen sen-yu.
"Curse their names later we have a mission to complete," consoled Yuya.
They slowly finished their sweep of the ship and fell back in good order to the rendezvous point. They met up with Ippan-teki Masamoto who would soon sport a new scar under his right eye from a sword wound. He had a similar experience with the armored woman, having lost four of his squad but finishing his sweep and setting the charges successfully.
"Let us depart from this hellhole, men. You have brought glory to our name, and you shall be honored for your deeds." Masamoto's grin was broad as he prepped the torpedoes to return to the ship.
When they returned to the ship they watched as the final half of the fleet was destroyed in a blazing inferno.
A ship wide broadcast was issued by Teitoku Nobunaga "Valiant soldiers of the Damocles today we have sent a message, not only to the Coalition but to the empires of this galaxy. We have said that we are still a force to be reckoned with and all who stand before our might will fall to our blades. Train today so that you may live tomorrow. Long live the Remnant. May we regain the glory of our old empire!"
End (editing needed)
The Damocles began its long journey deeper into Coalition territory.
Deep in the bowels of the star fortress Gunso (sergeant) Yuya meditated upon the boarding of the enemy frigate, the fight had been rough. The corridors had been narrow, confining, and they smelled of fear, he could tell that. They had been poorly maintained and many of the bulkheads had rusted shut. When would he fight the glorious battle he knew awaited him in the future? He knew not, all he knew was he must train.
On the bridge sat a hulk of a man, clad from head to toe in armor black as a night of the full moon. His hair matched his armor and was styled in an old world crew cut. His eyes were pure white and completely blind to the physical world, his other senses were sharp as ever though.
"Teitoku Nobunaga, the boarding action was successful and we have put the bodies of the fallen to rest." Reported Kasai-Sugo Masamoto
"Well done Masamoto, your warriors will be needed in our next battle. We will be landing on an outpost planet of the Coalition and must be prepared for battle at any given time," replied Teitoku Nobunaga.
"Sir may I ask you to relay a message to The Nichi Hanshu (sun emperor)," Questioned Masamoto?
"Indeed I shall, but you know he may not heed your words. You may be my close comrade but the ancient texts say the Nichi Hanshu must remain impartial to all," said Nobunaga in hushed tones.
"My request is simple sir; I wish that you ask The Nichi Hanshu to reconsider his decision of attacking the Coalition. I fear it may be the doom of us."
"Kuso-Sugo Masamoto, you never struck me as the one to skirt away from a fight," mocked a voice from the shadows.
"My Lady Shi, we did not expect your presence upon the bridge at this hour!" The two men responded simultaneously, as a tall, slim woman clad in dark green armor, with two Shikoro-Ken (swords of destruction) strapped to her side. Her skin tanned yet completely devoid of scars which was peculiar for any warrior serving with the Remnant at that time. No living being upon the ship had ever seen her face; it was always covered by a mask she had won off the Bloodless Harlot a well-known wych lord. She had killed as a young warrior before she had been chosen by The Lord of Ragnarok. Her origins were rumored to be the same as the Star Child's, for every coin has two sides.
"Obviously you did not" Shi said with contempt.
"My apologies my lady, but I am concerned only with the survival of our people and culture." Said Masamoto suitably chastised.
Lady Shi swept her head across the room stopping for a second to inspect each man. She began walking around the room and spoke. "I have seen this much, I know that this war will be our salvation if we play our cards right. Allying ourselves with religious fanatics of either side is foolish." Shi held up her hand as the two men started to object. "It is time for us The Remnant, The Forgotten; to carve a new empire from this galaxy, ruling our enemies with fear and power!"
Lady Shi then left as quickly as she appeared melting into the shadows as the two men stared at the spot she had once been standing.