The reason why this story is not classified as a full crossover, is because I have borrowed the aliens and plot from several different science fiction series. But I must mention that the ideas of how Night Fury families and bonding works is not my own. The ideas behind them working are from a story called 'Living Vicariously' by Vigo Grimborne, they are his ideas not mind. I thank him for letting me include them, and I recommend his stories. Even if you like Hiccstrid.
The Unyielding Hierophant. The largest ship ever built for humanity, the most feared vessel across all of Archia space. It was an immense ship, which radiated power. Right down from the main body, which stretched like a tower block, slowly widening into the four massive drive units attached to the back. The ship blistered with weapons, and was a testament to humanities engineering spirit. Constructed from titanium enriched with Gronkle iron, the ship was designed to be the last hope if it ever came down to a violent first contact, and violent first contacts where something humanity was used to.
Way back in the iron era, a group of just five teenagers had changed the world. They had shown, that the firebreathing creatures known as dragons, which lived as wild animals, where intelligent and beautiful creatures. They had disappeared soon after the dragons did. Many rumours took their place. Some say they died, others that they lived happily ever after. Others even claimed they where still alive, hibernating till they where needed. But one thing that no-one argued against, was that when the dragons returned, the humans knew it was for a reason. Studies found that the Hidden world had drowned. A cave in caused thousands of gallons of water from deep under the earths crust to come up. Thanks to some nuclear engineering, the earth itself was saved from drowning, but not before the sea levels rose significantly.
But from this society, a civilization, united by the creatures they stood next to rose. Ideas began to spread, first from Norway, then Great Britain, Asia, America. A united humanity under the Archian Federation. Led by the director, they managed to reclaim all that was lost, and expand into the stars. Fast forward five hundred years and the Archian Federation covered well over 1200 star systems with thousands upon thousands of ships. A primarily militaristic society built on the ideals of the Vikings, it was a powerful nation in it's decisive actions. Resembling a hierarchical society in nature but still keeping elements of a republic with the grand council and the different departments.
One thing was almost certain though, they weren't alone. Soon after reaching space, a horrifying race of insects known as the Rachni spread throughout human space, killing millions. They where repelled by dragon riders, who fought valiantly, till eventually they where extinguished, and the federation breathed a collective sigh of relief, but this was a merely a stop gap. They now knew, better than anyone, that the universe was a harsh and unforgiving place. And that to defend their ideals, they needed a proper military. Thousands upon thousands of dollars into research and development gave them the FTL drive. A special drive which created an oscillating warp field around the ship, allowing it to travel without needing to obey certain laws. This same warp effect also gave them high-end computers, deflector shield generators and high-efficiency thrusters. Artificial gravity was still not viable though. Ships found themselves relying on the incredibly efficient Epstein drive for gravity, stations where built to revolve, and research outposts made use of this same revolving design, but suspended on stabilisers and mag rails.
This eventual progress led to larger and larger ships being constructed. From the McKinley class Battleship, to the Jupiter class Battlecruiser, to the Nimitz class Supercarrier, to the Dreadnought class Flagship, their ships developed and developed until they hit their current size. The flagship of the federation, the Unyielding Heirophant. At 5400 meters it was the largest ship ever built (Not counting the mighty Celestra class Freighters) and was packed with so much weaponry it could probably glass a planet solo. (Not that it would try. A siege cruiser could carry out the same task just as easily).
So as Director Viggo Grimborn sat in the most powerful position in the known galaxy, he couldn't help but let his pride take over for a moment, watching as the massive Martian shipyards released the latest of the federations mighty Donnager class flagships, the Agatha King. The Donnager class was an update to the now retired Truman class. Featuring a new and improved antimatter reactor, the ships could fit twice the amount of equipment, making them the only true jack-of-all-trade ships in the federation with the exception of the Heirophant. They clocked in at a whopping 3200 meters long each, and the particularly attractive sight was the huge VX-24 'Warhammer' Super heavy railgun turrets mounted on the port and starboard hull. The VX-24 could hurl a 200 ton tungsten slug at 1.2% lightspeed, making it the second most devastating weapon in humanity, with the exception of VX-30 'Equaliser' Ultra-heavy railgun turrets on the Heirophants sides. At the size those bad boys where, each gun was actually the size of a heavy frigate, and could fire a projectile every 32 seconds or so.
It was in it's power, that the federation suffered though. Their current drive was effective, but produced so much heat, that on leaving warp, it left the ship visible for the entire system to see. So that was why Viggo had called Lead Researcher Jonsi Oswaldson from the advanced R+D department to his ship. "Director you wished to see me?". The Englishman chuckled, "Yes I did, tell me, are you aware of the main difficulty we have with the warp drive?".
The researcher had little difficulty replying, "Creates a hel of a lot of heat. I think Thor's hammer was forged with less. Means anyone who so much as glances at us can see a corvette for Odin's sake". The man continued staring at the Agatha King as it's Epstein drive pushed it away from the system, he could still see the airlock where he had cracked open a mead over to celebrate it's commissioning. "Indeed, can I offer you some refreshments". The man shook his head, "Can I ask what this is about? Not everyday I get an invitation to the flagship of the federation, Eret nearly snuck into my bag".
Viggo chuckled at the thought of rear admiral Eret Eretson attempting to stow away. The poor bastard hadn't been promoted since he took control of the AWS John Paul Jones. "Guess what the leader of the grand council said to me yesterday. He turned round, regarding the researcher carefully.
"The council want a larger military. They just redirected a sizable portion of the budget towards the fleet yards, particular those in Arcturus and Elysium. Robinson wants 10% of the population at least in reserves, he wants to split the marines into their own branch. And the commissioning of seven new fleets. He also wants to clone the Heirophant. Even came up with a name".
The researcher rose, "I will take that offer of a drink, and go on, what name have they got for the second of the class?". He poured a small glass of whiskey.
"The yards near Arcturus just started laying down the hull. And the name their going for is the ASW Long Night of Solace". Jonsi almost choked on his drink, Didn't Jack already have his fun with the not-so-subtle naming of the second flagship Rocinate, naming her entire class Donnager".
"Apparently not, since they're renaming the Freyja class Destroyer when it undergoes it's refits to the Leonidas class. Sometimes I doubt the maturity of our shipbuilders".
"They spent two grand on a team of creative consultants just to name the Arcturus fighter teams FLAMINGO"
"What does that even stand for?".
"Flying Landing And Meanwhile Initialising Non-stop Gnarly Operations".
Viggo barely stopped from choking on his own laughter, "And these kind of people are in my government? What the hell are they dressed like?".
"Usual gear for fighter pilots, 'cept they have a flamingo on their armour. And whenever they enter a hangar they put on sunglasses, and answer any request with 'Flamingos never say die', then start rocking their heads back and forth".
Both men had a good laugh at that. It was a well known fact that the women and men in charge of ship development, weren't just nerds, but liked to give the middle finger to old earth culture.
"Anyway, I need you to start up a new project, and I have the files right here". He passed over a USB stick, which was pretty boring looking. Just a black drive. "What's the project". He buried the drive in his pockets, and finished his drink.
"Project Normandy. I want a fully operation stealth ship, and I want it before the turn of the century".
"Your talking about designing, building and testing a ship in three years? By that time the Long Night of Solace will be halfway done. And they already have the Schematics. But this..."
"Can I have confidence in you Jonsi?".
"We may not do it, But I'll be damned to Helheim if we don't try our hardest". He saluted, before leaving the office, heading towards one of the Heirophant's many hangar bays, while Viggo simply stared as the bay next to where Agatha King had been moored, where a solitary Valkyrie class Battlecruiser was under construction. On the side of it's hull was painted the name. The AWS Valhallarama.
Palevan, Homeworld of the Turian Heirarchy
Primarch Tiberius Fedorian sighed as the darkened skies of Palevan began to roll forth. The thunderstorm season was upon them, just what they needed. With the Asari empire taking more and more territory each month, it was a miracle the Heirarchy hadn't collapsed. They where outnumbered and outgunned completely. For years now, they had lost contact with their last allies, the quarian republic. And now they where alone, against a galaxy spanning civilization which had already subjugated most other races. They had fought valiantly, not giving up a single millimetre without bloodshed. But there where just three colonies between Palevan and the battlefront.
"Commander, I have the reports from Magna fleet shipyards".
He turned away from the windows and beckoned for him to continue, "Go ahead".
"The Harbinger of Magna is still 50% through construction and they're running out of eezo to build it, but the fourth fleet has been repaired and reinforced with the new cruisers and frigates. We can begin hit-and-run attacks on the asari lines soon".
He nodded, "Did Admiral Arterius report in from the Traverse?". The ensign was much more silent, "No sir not yet, the council of Primarchs has declared the Palevan's Revenge destroyed in action, along with the sixth fleet".
He solemnly took this in, before dismissing the messenger, "Thank you ensign, you may return to your duties". The man saluted, before retreating from the room. This was a disaster. Two fleets completely lost, a third heavily damaged and a fourth only just finished repairs. They where losing the war, that much was clear, but he would be damned if he didn't make the blues pay for every spirits-damned step they took.
Way above the city, he could make out a wolfpack of patrol frigates, making their way towards Menae, where the First fleet commanded by Admiral Adrien Victus was stationed. It held one of their 12 remaining dreadnoughts, the Watchful Guardian, and stood ready to defend the homeworld to it's dying breath. Which was likely what would happen, if the situation didn't take a turn for the better.
Codex Updated: Ships of the Federation
Loki class Corvette
Size: 295 meters
Appearance: Similar to Leonidas class from 'The Expanse' (This is purely for your own curiosity)
Mass: 195,000 tons
Crew: 450
Armament: 2 'Thorston' Pattern Light railguns, 42 Haddock Ballistics 40mm PDCs, 12 Torpedo Tubes
Powerplant: High-energy Zero Point module, RT800 S-Series Epstein drive (Cruiser class)
Auxiliary Craft: 2 Repair skiffs, 6 L-Type Planetary dropships, 12 'Aurora' Assault Fighters
Lore: A versatile and reliable ship, the Loki class is manoeuvrable and fast. Possessing one of the fastest Epstein drives available and being able to keep up with gunboats and gunships, the Loki class is usually used in fleet screening, thanks to its huge PDC complement.
Strident class Frigate
Size: 670 meters
Appearance: UNSC Paris class frigate but with less broadside weapons compared to class
Mass: 400,000 tons
Crew: 900
Armament: 1 Spinal VX-12 Foehammer Railgun, 40 Haddock Ballistics 40mm PDCs, 16 Torpedo Tubes
Powerplant: RT600 Q-Series Epstein drive (Frigate class)
Auxiliary Craft: 2 Repair Skiffs, 8 L-Type Planetary dropships
Lore: An extremely tough and resilient ship, the Strident class is usually relegated to patrolling planetary shipping lanes and law enforcement, where more force than a single corvette is required. Possessing a unique honeycombed Gronkle Titanium hull, the Strident is unusually strong for it's size, being able to outlast cruiser weight ships.
Leonidas class Destroyer
Size: 800 meters
Appearance: A much smaller version of the UNSC Spirit of Fire from Halo
Mass: 500,000 tons
Crew: 1010
Armament: 1 Spinal High-velocity Magnetic-hydrodynamic projection cannon, 2 Spinal VX-12 Foehammer Railguns, 20 Haddock Ballistics 40mm PDCs, 20 Torpedo Tubes
Powerplant: Dual RT800 S-Series Epstein drives (Cruiser class)
Auxiliary Craft: 12 QEC Scout drones, 8 L-Type Planetary dropships
Lore: Known for being glass cannons, the Leonidas class packs more power per square meter than any other ship. It's spinal Hydro-projection cannon (Nicknamed Cobalt Lances) has a massive yield and is extremely powerful. Unfortunately this makes the Leonidas class very weak for it's size, and it demands the presence of frigates and corvettes to protect it.
Resilience class Defence Cruiser
Size: 1010 meters
Appearance: Similar to Donnager class Battleship from 'The Expanse'. Extra railguns are mounted on the two extra mounts seen on the dorsal and ventral hull, while the light railguns are on the side of the lower bow mounted part (The bit without the torpedo tubes)
Mass: 680,000 tons
Crew: 3200
Armament: 4 'Jorgenson' Pattern Medium Railguns, 2 'Thorsten' Pattern Light Railguns, 72 Haddock Ballistics 40mm PDCs, 20 Torpedo Tubes
Powerplant: Dual RT600 Q-Series Epstein drive (Frigate class)
Auxiliary Craft: 32 'Aurora' Assault Fighters, 18 'Pulsar' Attack Bombers, 12 L-Type Planetary Dropships, 24 Broadside boarding pods, 6 Repair skiffs. Can replace 12 fighters for a single Patrol Torpedo Boat.
Lore: A versatile and sturdy design, the Resilience class is a utility ship designed primarily for supporting destroyers and frigates in battle. Capable of acting as staging grounds for invasions thanks to a large cargo bay, they are usually present to coordinate communications across engagements.
Thor class Cruiser
Size: 1320 meters
Appearance: Shape is roughly similar to UNN Agatha King, but much more bulky, and with four additional railguns near built on the broadsides.
Mass: 890,000 tons
Crew: 4000
Armament: 2 'Hofferson' Pattern Heavy Railguns, 4 'Jorgenson' Pattern Medium Railguns, 80 Haddock Ballistics 40mm PDCs, 32 Torpedo Tubes
Powerplant: Dual RT800 S-Series Epstein Drives (Cruiser class)
Auxiliary Craft: 36 'Aurora' Assault Fighters, 20 'Pulsar' Attack Bombers, 20 L-Type Planetary Dropships, 24 Broadside boarding pods, 4 Repair skiffs, 2 M-Type Planetary support gunships
Lore: The mighty Thor class, the hammer of the Federation. Designed above all for multi-use, the Thor class is extremely adaptable for almost any role. They work well solo or in fleet groups and carry a troop complement considered large for their size, and have a dedicated force of onboard dragons for defence.
Odin class Light Carrier
Size: 1800 meters
Appearance: Similar to the Jupiter class Battlestar, but with the flight pods (the two long bits either side) slightly closer to the main hull.
Mass: 1,600,000 tons
Crew: 8000
Armament: 2 'Hofferson' Pattern Heavy Railguns, 90 Haddock Ballistics 40mm PDCs, 50 Torpedo Tubes
Powerplant: Quad RT800 S-Series Epstein Drives (Cruiser class)
Auxiliary Craft: space for up to 400 Fighters or bombers. Also carries 30 L-Type Dropships as standard, 4 M-type gunships and additional space for strike craft, skiffs, dropships or gunships. Also has massive cargo bay for carrying additional ground vehicles, and docking points for 'Archangel' Support platforms.
Lore: Designed to carry out planetary invasions all by itself, the Odin class is truly a proper carrier. Their hangar bays are connected directly to the cargo bay, and allow it to diversify it's loadout significantly. The fighters and bombers can be deployed almost instantly thanks to magnetic launch bays built onto the flight pods stacked either side.
Ares class Battlecruiser
Size: 2300 meters
Appearance: Similar in design to the mid section of the Leonidas class from 'The Expanse', but with the fore hull of the UNSC Infinity and the rear hull of the UNN Agatha King.
Mass: 1,800,000 tons
Crew: 8000
Armament: 2 VX-24 'Warhammer' Super-heavy Railguns, 12 'Hofferson' Pattern Heavy Railguns, 260 Haddock Ballistics 40mm PDCs, 140 Torpedo Tubes, 3 Heavy High-velocity Magnetic-hydrodynamic projection cannons
Powerplant: Quad RT1400 X-Series Epstein Drives (Capital Ship class)
Auxiliary Craft: I can't be bothered to write this, but just accept that their have a large craft complement. A few hundred of strike craft, dozens of dropships, boarding pods and more space for Patrol Torpedo Boats, gunships however a much smaller cargo space due to it's higher reactor size.
Lore: Carrying more weapons than the Donnager class, the Ares class is the most recent ship in the Archia arsenal and carries the most advanced reactor in all of known space. It is an extremely powerful warship, though is somewhat less able at carrying strike craft
Donnager class Flagship
Size: 3200 meters
Appearance: Similar to the fore hull of the UNSC Infinity, attached to the rear engine mounts of the MCRN Donnager.
Mass: 2,000,000 tons
Crew: 11000
Armament: 2 VX-24 'Warhammer' Super-heavy Railguns, 12 'Hofferson' Pattern Heavy Railguns,, 210 Haddock Ballistics 40mm PDCs, 100 Torpedo Tubes, 2 Heavy High-velocity Magnetic-hydrodynamic projection cannons
Powerplant: Quad RT1400 X-Series Epstein Drives (Capital Ship class)
Auxiliary Craft: I can't be bothered to write this, but just accept that their have an absolutely massive craft complement. Hundreds of strike craft, dozens of dropships, hundreds of boarding pods and more space for Patrol Torpedo Boats, gunships and a large cargo space.
Lore: Recently introduced, the Donnager class could take on any ship and likely win. Being armed with such a massive weapon and fighter complement makes these ships completely impervious to most tactics. Many say that the only way to take on a Donnager class is to 'Have the bigger fleet and pray'
Heirophant class Super-flagship
Size: Classified
Appearance: Like a large version of the Donnager class flagship from above
Mass: Classified
Crew: Classified
Armament: Classified
Powerplant: Classified
Auxiliary craft: Classified
Lore: The unholy offspring of high quality engineering, thousands of tons of materials, good physics designs, and a mountain of guns. Never engage this ship, if it arrives in-system. Lay down weapons and surrender unless you have an entire nation behind you.
Codex Updated, Alien Empires
Turian Heirarchy: A militaristic race of avian humanoids from the planet Palevan, turians are strict with a clear-cut military structure, and a large emphasis on honour. They are roughly 6 foot 8 and have thick plates covering their bodies to protect them from solar radiation. They resemble lizards on first looks, but are actually more bird-like with long, swept back fringes. They are dextro-oriented, meaning their DNA is the opposite direction than humans.
Asari Empire: A hegemonic and ruthless empire, the Asari are aliens which are startlingly like humans. Their skin shades vary between aqua blue to deep purple and many have tribal or clan tattoos. They see other races as beneath them and needing of 'teaching' which is why they have a tendency to absorb any other race into their government.
Quarian Migrant Fleet: Kicked from their homeworld by a race of AI, the Quarians have an extremely weak immune system, and are often seen in envirosuits which are highly decorated with that specific clans colours and patterns. (Clan Zorah for example has purple swirls, Clan Raan is light blue patches). They wear opaque helmets reflecting their clan colours and are seen as beggars and thieves by the Asari. They live on a flotilla of ships with only 17 million quarians left and are excellent engineers and scientists.