Unknown Sector West Gate
'Red wing move around to the east side of the gate and fire on there flank, don't let any of them through, especially any with large cargo bays. Our spies say they are carrying jump beacons and want to push further in the sector.' Communications officer Sarah Oleander said as yet another wave of fighter craft spewed from the gate attempting to push through the waiting defenders.
'Roger that command, they wont get past us.' Red wings flight leader said as he and 30 other fighters moved to intercept the fracturing enemy fighters.
'Why are they so determined to finish us off? They cant know of what goes on in this sector, they only recently discovered it, so why?' Sarah said aloud as she watched the combined might of three fighter wings, 20 plus laser towers, and two on station frigates smash the latest intruders out of there space.
'It doesn't matter at this point Sarah, after they burned our brother and sisters outside of this sector I honestly don't care. We will either hold them off until IT is ready or we will die, questions as to why will not help us here.' A cold voice said from the command throne behind Sarah making her jump a bit, it was the first words her Ladyship had said since the invasion began several hours ago.
'But I just don't see why they would do this? We haven't attacked them, nor have we committed any truly evil crime. If it is about the space fuel, or weapons then they would have stopped after they destroyed the stations down near Clarity's Reach. But to waste there lives and ours, to push us all they way back here. . . its insane.' Sarah pleaded looking to her boss, leader of one of the most powerful independent factions in the commonwealth, for answers.
Her boss was well known in and around the pirate belt that bordered the Argon Federation as one of the most talented pilots and commanders ever to cross those sectors. She was currently wearing her skin tight flight suit, colored black with orange stripes down her legs. Her figure was that of a space athlete, short with a balance of muscle and curves, that showed long hours of zero gee training and a rigorous workout to keep fit but healthy in the dangers of space. Her form was augmented with several robotic replacements, her left eye was replaced with a orange glowing optic that was set in a web of silver veins that ran back around that side of her face and disappeared under her suit at her neck. She also had a robotic tendril that came up from the base of her spine and acted like a third arm or support when needed. Her actual space suit was in fact the throne like chair she was sitting in, it could rapidly unfold and enclose her within its safe steel walls should there ever be a breach in the walls.
Not that, that was likely. This was the flagship of the Rock fleet that was guarding the last stronghold of the Rock industrial empire. The ship was a Brigantine that had been bought from a friendly pirate clan in Brennan's Triumph. Fitted out with Rock industries latest shield generators and capital ship weapons and armor, it would take a battle fleet to threaten this ship. Not to mention its escorting Galleons with there complements of fighter craft, and the dozen corvettes that held position around the massive vessel.
'sigh. . . I cant confirm what truly happened but I believe that the commonwealths main suppliers out near Albion, John Fer Co, wanted to direct the blame for the Terrans new weapons away from themselves. The fact that we were moving in on there operation zone most likely had something to do with it, but they likely just didn't like the thought of a pirate clan going legit and taking away there profits.' O'ren said as she looked at her sector screen observing the movements of her ships.
'Tell the Scrapers to deploy and to collect everything near the gate, we could use some of those missiles right about now.' O'ren said as a flight of scout ships with expanded cargo bays went out to clear the gate of wreckage and find anything of use for the defense.
'Ma'am the Furious Cantaloupe, request another load of flail barrage missiles and that his stores of Hammer Torpedoes is also rather low for what is likely to come through.' Sarah said as the Missile Frigate 'Furious Cantaloupe' moved into station keeping facing the gate.
'Tell captain Del'ivera that he will get his missiles as soon as I can direct supply transports his way.' O'ren said as she directed Lazarus Convoy away from the mines and to take the stockpiled missiles to the Cantaloupe.
'Why in the world did he name his ship that ma'am?' Sarah couldn't help but ask as calling a Minotaur missile frigate a Furious Cantaloupe seemed very odd.
'Captain Del'ivera, on the night of his promotion bought a number of exotic food stuff from the Terrans, very expensive, and he found a great love of one of there foods called a Cantaloupe. A large gourd type fruit I believe, anyway he liked it so much that he named his new command after it. Even named the bombers in his flight after it as well.' O'ren said with a small smile, her captains may be weird but they were the best in all the commonwealth.
'I see. . . well the new laser towers will be online in 3 minutes, that should be enough time before they try again at any rate.' Sarah said as she turned back to her station and watched the flurry of activity going on around the gate.
Once the Commonwealth, and the Profit Guild, started hunting down Rock properties O'ren knew it was only a matter of time till they found her true base of operations, and had spent the ensuing weeks diverting her immense wealth, and resources back into this sector. Numerous stations now filled the sector far away from the contested gate. Ore mines, Silicon mines, Solar Power Plants, Crystal Fabs, Missile Fabs, Laser tower Fabs, and many more to produce everything needed to make the sector self sufficient. Once they were up and running O'ren turned to her long time project that was scattered throughout the sectors and brought them all under the protection of her last stronghold.
It was their last chance to escape the furry of the Commonwealth, a truly massive live ship. Built from 6 of the less useful asteroids that littered the sector and encased in a patch work gird of metal and iron that would make any Teladi proud. Each of the asteroids had been tunneled out and could hold several thousand people a piece.
The idea came from the many pirate bases that were truly just large capital ships with docks and some fabrication abilities. This live ship would be able to sustain itself with the farms and ranches inside the hold, and powered from the many solar panels that lined the outside. The thing was a bit of a patch work really, scattered docking ports, weapons hard points, shield emitters and large sections of armor. If the attack had waited another week it would have been finished, as it is they were hoping now to finish the engines and cram as many supplies inside as possible.
Thankfully the research teams and the sensitive material had already been stowed into one of the six asteroids. It would be a shame if they had been taken out from a stray missile.
'Ma'am! They have secured a beacon on our side of the gate! Reinforcements are jumping in now.' Sarah said as multiple flashes appeared near the gate signaling the arrival of many new targets.
'Very well, Mark targets and move to engage we don't want to leave our guest waiting now do we?' O'ren said as the massive Brigantine prowled toward the invaders who were trying to orient themselves after the jump.
'Prepare the lower frontal cannons to fire the Kyon emitters, show them what they have in store should they continue this assault.' O'ren said as half the forward turrets turned and aimed at the nearest target, a Argon Centaur, and fired 4 large pink beams of energy straight into its side.
The Alpha, Beta, and Gama Kyon emitters were the weapons of choice from the secretive Kha'ak invaders. The strange bug like creatures had been using the deadly accurate and powerful weapons to devastate the commonwealth for years. Ever sense O'ren was part of the offensive to Kha'ak sector 492 she had an obsession with the things. Several captured ships and weapons later plus millions in research and development resulted in the Kyon beam cannon. With a range of 6 kilometers it was the longest reaching capital weapon known. Powerful as well as the Centaur was sliced into quarters its shields not even able to handle one beam let alone four.
The destruction of the corvette sent the other invaders into a flurry, doing there best to avoid the lashing pink beams of death. But the true power of the Kyon beams came from there ability to target rapidly moving targets with ease.
'Have the secondary turrets begin firing as well, target the fighters and the jump beacon.' O'ren said as dozens of turrets opened up and began swatting the fighters from the sky. Only for a large flash of light to appear of the right side of the command deck, when it cleared a Argon Titan was parked at less than 1 Km from the Brigantine.
'Open fire with the broad sides now! Don't let it charge up any of its cannons, and someone destroy that jump beacon!' O'ren shouted as the large broad side Kyon emitters began taking chunks of the shield out of the titan. But it wasn't one of the most feared vessel in the commonwealth for nothing, its massive shields could take a pounding before failing and its weapons were some of the best out there.
The captain of this Titan was no slouch either, as it was already maneuvering closer where it would be in a death lock with the Brigantine. It's Photon Pulse Cannons firing a constant barrage of energy into the shields of the Brigantine.
'The beacon is destroyed Ma'am! And the Furious Cantaloupe is reporting a new wave from the gate, more scouts and some heavy fighters. He is asking for clearance for a full barrage Ma'am.' Sarah said as she coordinated with the many captains in the fleet.
'Granted! And see if he can get a Hammer down on this Titan, we can handle it but I don't want to lose shield integrity.' O'ren said as the two giants got ever closer blowing the crap out of one another in the process.
'Missile launch detected! It's not ours Ma'am, its coming from a bomber wing coming around the Titan now.' Sarah said as she detected the previously concealed bombers that had hide behind the bulk of the Titan.
'All beams target those missiles! When they cross the titans roof blow them out and take that Titan with them.' O'ren said with a fierce smile, knowing full well that missiles were a two edged sword, if they detonated too close to your own ship you risk fratricide.
'Fire now!' O'ren said as the perfect chance came, the missiles had stayed close to the Titan coming just over its form to attack. Smart if they hadn't been detected but the entire sector was littered with satellites and laser towers, nothing went on with something seeing.
The missiles 'Tomahawk Torpedoes' detonated in an spectacular display there fury being spent in the emptiness of space and the nearby Titan. The Titan listed as compartments were blasted open and entire decks were exposed to space, its powerful shields unable to take the laser fire and the missile damage anymore.
'Missile launch detected! Multiple missile launch detected, coming from the Furious Cantaloupe, the gate is clear and looks like several are heading toward the titan.' Sarah said as the scanner once more filled with the red lights of active missile fire.
Two streaks of fire slammed into the wounded Titan exploding in a fury only surpassed by the FireStorm Torpedo. The Hammerhead torpedo is the capital killer of the missile frigate world. Fast numerous and powerful, these things can clear a sector in 2 barrages.
The Titan itself could take no more punishment, the gaping holes in its body visible for but a second before the massive engines went critical vaporizing the entire thing in a furry of white light. Leaving behind only scrap and navigation hazards.
'Navigation, move us back toward the gate and get the clean up crew on this hulk as soon as possible. No need to waste high quality armor like that, may even get some shield generators out of it.' O'ren said as the Brigantine moved back into position with its escorts.
'How did our shields hold up this time Max?' O'ren asked Max the damage control coordinator.
'Very well all things considered, took six broadsides on the nose and only lost 37% shield integrity. With out the enhancements any normal brigantine would have lost all its shields.' Max said as he monitored the energy readings from his panel.
'Well it wouldn't be much of a flag ship if it was the standard fare.' O'ren said with a chuckle as she thought about all the things done to the ship.
Weapons technology from the Kha'ak, advanced shielding from the Paranid, cargo hold improvements from the Teladi, thrusters from the Split, and energy distribution systems from the Boron. Not to mention trade secrets stole from the nearby OTAS headquarters. In fact most of the tech was stolen our salvaged from other factions.
In total the ship boasted 44 turrets, 10 to each broadside, mounted with the medium range but powerful Kyon accelerator cannon. 8 forward mounted turrets, half with the long range Kyon beam cannon, and half with pirate incendiary bomb launchers. The upper and lower firing arches consisted of 6 Flax Artillery Arrays each. And the rear 4 turrets were armed with the smaller Cluster Flax Arrays.
All this heavy fire power consumed massive amounts of energy but with a new Boron designed power core with a heat waste recycle function, sustained fire from all the axis was possible. The new shield generators were also powered by Boron tech allowing for faster recharge time and greater power distribution along the hull. Which was nice since the Brigantine had a total of 10 GJ of shield power at its disposal.
Nice fat armor plating for the head and sides allowed for prolonged slugging matches, with weaker armor to the top and bottom to allow for improved acceleration at the cost of potential fighter damages.
No on board hanger for fighter screens but fitted with a pure pirate designed alternative. With the advent of drone frigates that can deploy hordes of drones to fight for it the pirates came up with the 'drone in a box' plan. Easy enough to build, simply use any surplus container cut off one side and fit it with a simple open, close mechanic. Fill with drones and attache to the side of a ship. When in danger the container is released and the drones attack in a swarm function. This Brigantine has 6 mounted on the bottom with 40 drones to a container.
All these improvements make the Obelisk one of the most dangerous ships in the commonwealth. Right up there with the new Boron Megalodon, the Xenon I and the Terrans, Kyoto and Valhalla. The Obelisk might be a fast predator with some serious bite but, its competitors were behemoths of massive power and might, fielding more firepower and fighters than any three capital ships combined. And they never flew alone, always supported by the most powerful fleets available. Thankfully they were a long way from here, tied up in the recent conflict in the Terran border.
'The live ship is reporting on the first test firing of the engines Ma'am. Systems are green throughout and no problems detected in the firing of the different classes of thrusters. The salvage is being stored or slapped on as we speak' Sarah said as more reports keep coming to her console.
'The Furious Cantaloupe reports that its stock of missiles has been replenished and the convoy is heading back to the mines. Also the scrappers have cleared the gate and are moving to the jump beacon site to begin salvaging. Just got a report from our spy in Home of Light, seems like a battle group of mixed Argon and Boron frigates with fighter support is moving up and holding position on their side of the gate. He is unsure but rumors speak of a capital group heading this way, Titans, Colossi, Rays and Sharks with frigate and corvette escorts. He will report more when he can.' Sarah listed off as quickly as she could before diving back in and filtering out the less important messages.
'Inform the live ship to get fully shielded and move everything it can back on board. Once its finished we can move out of here. Also get one of the frigates to use a tractor beam to tow one of the special asteroids in front of the gate. Leave some presents behind for our future guest.' O'ren said as her battle group began falling back from the gate and clustered around the massive live ship.
The live ship was a flurry of activity as drones, fighters, freighters, and corvettes moved huge pieces of steel into place where workers quickly bolted or welled it on. Not needing to be air tight as it was just a armor cover for some of the more vital insides. Looking like the pirate blast claw that had its armor platting jut off and act as a throwaway for the more vital insides.
Each of the pieces of armor that were newly mounted received a small solar panel and any kind of shield generator that could be fitted behind it. It didn't need much, just enough to survive the rigors of a jump into uncharted space. Without shields things have a chance of fusing with the ship along the way or with anything at the jump site, followed right after with structure failure and death.
With the last of the armor pieces in place and the final light ships docked it was time for the bigger ships to latch onto its form. The frigates and corvettes easily sliding into positions where they would be safe. The two galleons had a bit more trouble docking as there bulk kept bumping into the ship.
'If they cant fit properly then tie them down with steel binds, lash them in place if you must!' O'ren said getting anxious as more and more forces began piling up on the other side of the gate.
Once more drones burst forth towing long cables of steel cable that wrapped around the fat galleons. Though that left no room for the Obelisk to dock.
'Ma'am! Our spy in Home of Light just got taken out, but he sent a report saying that the Argon One was in the system!' Sarah said with some fright as everyone knew of the Argon One.
The ultimate projection of power for the Argon and the model for which every colossus was made after. Only piloted and crewed by the very best of the commonwealth, it was a ship to be feared even more so than the flag ships of other races. For where the Argon One goes, the might of the entire Argon federation is behind it.
'Damnation! Have the live ship charge its jumpdrive and jump as soon as it can, we will follow once it deploys a beacon. Have the stations set to automatic and use production format Zulu. That should be enough to ruin this sector for a very long time.' O'ren order as she knew time was running out.
With hundreds of AI ships slaved to the factories settings and with a massive grid of the sector they began filling every nook and cranny with mines, laser towers, satellites, drone containers, and other hazards. Even mounted laser towers on asteroids and put capital shield generators with them. Denying the resources to anyone to enter the sector. Left unchecked this place would be a death trap of insane size.
'Readings from the gate Ma'am! 100 no 200, 300 plus fighters with what appears to be freighters as well?' Sarah said in surprise and shock. With such small craft they could easily avoid the asteroid in front of the gate, and were in fact pushing it back for the larger ships to come.
'Wait, the freighters are releasing drones! Similar numbers for them as well, frigates and corvettes now leaving the gate, 14 frigates and dozens of corvettes. Two of the frigates read as missile carriers.' Sarah said with growing worry, this was a significant portion of the Argon fire power, to spend them on taking one pirate sector. . .
'We will never get a better target, blow the mines around the gate, clear the fighters and drones first then target the missile frigate.' O'ren said with a grim smile on her face as the stolen Terran antimatter mines began detonating within the attacking forces.
From this distance they looked like tiny short lived lights as each mine destroyed anything around it. Turning the gate into a massive kill zone and graveyard.
'Scanners read that most of the fighters are gone now, same for the drones and freighters, both missile frigates must have tried to launch a barrage on the asteroid at the gate, as they are completely gone as are 3 of the frigates around them.' Sarah said with awe as the powerful explosives hidden away inside the giant rock consumed those closest to it.
'Wait. . . im getting readings from dozens of jump beacons, they must have been released and rode the blast deeper into the sector. Multiple contacts are jumping in now. . . Ma'am the Argon One is now in the sector.' Sarah said as she could visibly see the Argon One even from this distance.
'Tell the live ship to hurry the hell up, we don't have very long.' O'ren snapped as she watched as countless capital ships continued to jump in and disgorge even more fighters and bombers into her sector.
The capital ships unlucky enough to have a jump beacon in the middle of a mine field suffered tremendous damage and became further hazards for anyone jumping in behind them. But even those losses meant nothing to the Argon Federation as new ships jumped in to replace those lost. Laser towers were swatted from space and the cloud of drones from both sides were making a mess of things. Mining stations exploded as capital weapons cratered there surfaces and breaking them apart.
All the devastation was currently enclosed to the zone near the gate but it wont take them long to fight out of that mess and into the main production areas. Thankfully the Live ship was finally jumping out, just in time too as the Argon One itself came around one of the forward asteroids and caught site of the lone Obelisk.
'Receiving a message from the Argon One, should I play it Ma'am?' Sarah asked extremely nervous with that giant filling the forward screen.
'If you would be so kind, lets see what our guest have to say for themselves.' O'ren said as she leaned back in her throne.
'O'ren Rock, the mastermind behind this entire debacle, I was expecting someone a bit more hideous to be honest.' Star General Brenien said with a chortle.
'I'll take that as a complement General. And I must say you live up to the posters quite well.' O'ren returned, in the age old banter of commanders everywhere.
'Yes well, pleasantries aside you are well aware of what must happen hmm? We simply can't let some pirate lord, sell trade secrets to our war enemies now can we? And all this senseless loss of life could have been avoided if you had simply surrendered back at Brennan's Triumph.' General Brenien said with a grimace of distaste as one of his wounded Titans finally went critical and went up in a burst of white.
'I couldn't let that happen, what would the other pirate clans say if I let the Argon take one of our most profitable sectors. Besides I wouldn't want to turn the sector into Brenien's Defeat, it just doesn't have the same ring to it.' O'ren said with a smile seeing him color at the slight.
'Under Argon Federation laws I am supposed to ask that you surrender yourself for judgment, but we both know that wont happen. So instead I will simply say this. This sector, the one you have spent years hiding away from the people, where you have plotted the downfall of the entire commonwealth, will now become your tomb, and a reminder that pirates and traitors will never prosper under the Argon federations watch. All ships move forward and engage!' General Brenien said with all the pomp and arrogance of a man of his station before he cut the line and the opening stages of battle was joined.
'Ignore the Argon One! Roll us onto our side and give me full horizontal thrust away from their fleet, angle us toward the projected jump beacon from the live ship! Fire all turrets and keep the broadsides trained on capital ships only, target the closet frigate and work your way up. Flack Cannons go to missile defense and fighter suppression. Launch Wasp Missile swarms and Hurricane missiles at the more clustered fighters, keep them spread out and disorientated. Have the long range Kyon beam cannons target solar power plant M Beta with a 37 degree tilt.' O'ren snapped called sending her ship into rapid motion, dodging the first wave of PPC blast and returning with its own weapons.
'Ma'am why are we firing on our own station?' Odswell the weapons manager asked even as he followed her order.
'Have you ever seen a fully loaded solar power plant before? They no longer take in the suns rays and instead reflect them to prevent over charging there capacitors. Look see what happens?' O'ren pointed with a smirk as the pink bolt of energy hit the reflective material at an angle, reflecting it back out into space and right into one of the wounded Boron Rays. Shearing off the back half blowing the entire thing to shreds.
'Keep doing that with any ship that is wounded, I will make him pay the full price for there aggression.' O'ren nearly snarled only to be knocked from her throne by a massive detonation.
'What in the blazes was that?' O'ren said as she got back into the throne and initiated its combat mode, clamping her in.
'Unknown, whatever it was it came from the Argon One, took out half of our shields though.' Max said as he turned one of the cameras onto the closing capital ship.
Unlike most capital engagements which revolved around broadsides and whoever can put in more fire power and avoid more return fire, the Argon One had very small broadsides only 4 each. And only 2 official forward facing turrets. And one very secretive and very deadly hidden one. A massive plasma cannon mounted spinally with heat vents throughout the hull. Plasma cannons were rare in capital ships and the only reliable one was the high energy plasma cannon found on heavy fighters. And even that one had problems with crazy radiation and heat distribution. None the less it was still the most powerful fighter weapon in existence. An upscale one with proper installation and protection would be terrifying.
This weapon coupled with the Argon ones hanger bay for 60 fighters was why no one ever bested the Argon One in all it years of service. The yawning caverns were even now releasing there deadly load. A mix of Argon Eclipse heavy fighters and the Argon Nova, a dive bomber in the space age. Dangerous even in untrained hands, these were the best of the federation.
'Shit! Blow the drone containers have them field against the fighters, keep them off our back. Load up a disruptor missile and target the Argon one, launch it with some rapier missiles to throw off their targeting.' O'ren said as the drones covered her ship, and kept the fighters from getting in any true attack runs.
The disruptor was a pirate designed missile meant to disable ship systems and engines with little hull damage, good for boarding actions or in this case to gain a tactical advantage.
'They are charging for a second shot!' Odswell shouted seeing a clear spike in heat along the Argon One.
'Eject 100 containers of Ore! Block there shot before it lands,' O'ren said as several of the cargo bays opened up and emptied there cargo out into space.
Just in time too as another fat wave of hard green radiation was spat out of the front of the Argon One, vaporizing dozens of drones and losing some cohesion in the released Ore, before it swept over the Obelisk sending the ship reeling as its shields faltered, and armor melted along its sides.
'Shields are out Ma'am! Hull damage along the right side is minor, the armor plating took most of the damage.' Max yelled over the blaring alarms as he worked to direct crews and drones to any damaged section.
'Where is that missile at! Once it hits get us a lock on the live ship and its jump beacon, we cant take to much more of this.' O'ren said as her monitor took a view from the missile itself.
It was closing in on the Argon One, its lack of turrets for missile defense telling as every single on of the rapier missiles struck, though with no noticeable damage to the shield. From the missile it was clear that the Argon One was now venting heat to ready for the next shot, all that heat probably messing with its sensors. Whatever the case the disruptor missile flew uncontested into the shimmering shield and released its electronic killing payload.
The effect was obvious as the green glow of the plasma cannon immediately died and the heat vents began shutting down, some even blowing open as the excess heat demanded escape. The engines died and were forced to restart, which for a capital ship engine restart takes hours to do.
'While there down get us out of here!' O'ren said watching with no small amount of fear as the fighters deployed even more jump beacons around her ship. Boron Sharks and Rays were appearing all around her ship, countless threshers and hundreds of fighters swarmed toward her ship.
'Incoming weapons fire!, Missile launch detected! Multiple Missile launch detected.' Sarah said as her scanner showed thousands of contacts for missile launch.
Jump charged at 10% 20, 30, 40%
'Have the drones intercept the closest missiles!' O'ren shouted knowing that firing the turrets would slow the jump time.
50, 60 70% charged
The last of the drones made a valiant effort to protect there home ship as they flew into the oncoming missile destroying themselves and several nearby targets.
80, 90, 100% Engaging Jump Engine. The countdown finished as the view screen filled with missiles and laser fire, before becoming the familiar off white blue of jump space.
'Sigh that was too close.' Sarah said as she slumped down into her seat.
'Agreed our shields were gone and our armor was already weakened, that last bit would have been overkill to the extreme.' Max said as the shields slowly came back to life.
'Good job everyone, we made it, now lets just sit back and enjoy the peace till we arrive at the live ship. Where exactly did it end up at anyway?' O'ren asked as she opened up her known space map.
'Ummm I don't know, didn't really have time to check where it was.' Sarah said with a strained laugh, as she calculated the possible arrival place.
'Well since nothing that big has every jumped before, we thought the cost of energy cells would likely be exponential after a certain weight. Which we should have passed by several million tons. Sooo. . . . it should be here.' O'ren said pulling up the most likely place it would be only to have a negative response come back.
'That doesn't look good, where did the liv~ ahhhhhhh!' O'ren said only to scream as a large black and purple swirl of condensed space loomed directly in front of the ship. Unable to maneuver in jump space the ship plunged straight into the heart of the anomaly.
The giant Obelisk had gone through what no sane man would venture near. A wormhole. Sarah was right about the cost of energy being exponentially greater for a factor of weight. However as a Jump speeds up a target ship it becomes heavier the faster it goes, increasing the cost. Making one giant cycle of speed, mass, and more power. And once the live ship became fast enough, heavy enough, and charged enough, it simply fell through this plane of space. Leaving behind a gaping wound, called a wormhole. Space however likes to clean up after itself making such things very short lived. Closing shortly after the Obelisk flew through it, following the live ship into the truly unknown worlds beneath.