Dawn of Archaeon
By Roberticus "Njall" Archaeon
"Sextans A" Galaxy (UGCA 205, DDO 75)
189 years after the Great ReSynchronization (About 2131 ACE)
The sun was just rising on the planet Aegis, the second planet of the Malsluith System. The Great War had ended 14 years ago, but its effects were still being seen throughout the Galaxy. The Lambda Empire had taken the throne of the galaxy from the Millennial Empire, only to have the power ripped from their control and given back to the Millennials, after a devastating war of that spanned a decade and displaced millions of individuals. Aegis had been selected to house the government of the new reign, until the capital was rebuilt and recovered from battle damage. That cleanup was still going on. Until that was done, the government and the base of military operations would remain on Aegis.
High General John Njallsson, Junior Chief of the Imperial operations staff was awakened by the sun's light, which filtered in through the window and into the room adjacent to his office. He reluctantly got up and ready for work, yet again. It might have been the naturally dreary weather of the planet, but the recoveries from these wars seemed to last forever. A so-called glorious war would be declared, millions of lives would be lost or destroyed, and the cleanups would last for many years after. Njallsson looked at the wall clock and realized that he was late for a meeting. He quickly buttoned up his uniform and headed for the military HQ building.
Njallsson dashed up the stairs of the Omega building, which was the acting HQ building for the Millennial Military. He screeched to a halt in front of the command room door, straightened his collar, and walked in. The meeting had obviously started already, because the speaker, Command Marshal Johan Fleciesa, abruptly stopped speaking and looked sternly at Njallsson, as did the rest of the people in the room. Fleciesa gave Njallsson a short nod that told him to take his seat. He did so and Fleciesa continued with the presentation.
"Gentlemen, we have just received reports of a disastrous situation in the Phalanx system. On their way to their bases in the outer reaches of the galaxy, undercover agents of the Lambda Empire have planted a so-called supernova generator on the sun in the previously mentioned system. The planet Riada II is now on a collision course with the sun, which will wipe out the system if the collision happens. General Njallsson, you have been assigned command of a flotilla of ship that are going to assist the system. Get going now, General, time is of the essence!"
Njallsson saluted and ran out the door, heading towards the naval compound.
Njallsson stood of the bridge of his command ship, the Empire-class Battlecruiser Firestorm, and gazed out into space at his rescue flotilla. The flotilla contained two other battlecruisers, one Lion-class support frigate and two Director-class cruisers. His mission was clear. The supernova generator was too strong, but he was to use the Director cruisers (which had huge gravity generators built in) to stall the collision while transports evacuated people from the planet Riada I onto the support frigate.
"Commander, message the flotilla to prep the engines on the ships, and to accelerate to the speed of light on my mark." Njallsson told the ship's bridge officer.
The sounds of huge engine powering up filled the bridge. Njallsson looked through the rear window, and saw the ships were ready. He picked up a speaker that was connected to the flotilla communications web, and gave a crisp command into it,
"Fleet, accelerate to full power now! Do not stop until we reach the Phalanx system!"
He sat down in the command chair, and prepared for the short trip to the target system. He was flung into the back of his chair by the force of the ship traveling at speed of light levels, and mentally prepared for arrival to the system.
The group of ships ground to a near-halt as they entered the Phalanx system, allowing Njallsson to survey the scene. The star was one of the hugest known stars in the galaxy, yet in terms of temperature, it was on the colder side. From the viewport, he could see the star, along with its two closest orbiting planets, which were named respectively Riada I and Riada II. As Njallsson and his officers watched, they could see Riada II slowly moving towards the star. The planet was naturally close to the star, and with the time that had already passed since the Lambda agents had planted the supernova generator, he believed that there was not much time left. He gave the order, and the two Director cruisers put up sun shields and moved into placed, projecting their own artificial gravity fields in an attempt to counteract the generator on the sun.
One of the ship captains radioed back to the Firestorm, "Sir, you're going to want to get the inhabitants off the far planet quick. We're doing our best but the 'nova is still going to happen. I'm going to suggest that it gets done fast so that we can get out of here and not get both ourselves and the survivors killed."
"Roger that." Njallsson replied.
He quickly radioed the support frigate, which let its transports loose towards Riada I. After making sure that the transports were safely away, he settled back, awaiting their return.
-1 hour later-
Njallsson was awakened from his daydream when a message came in from one of the cruisers,
"Sir, the planet has begun what looks like a final rotation. The power of the generator is getting stronger, I highly recommend that we leave ASAP……."
Njallsson frowned as the transmission suddenly cut off. He gazed out the viewport and breathed a sigh of relief when he saw that the transports were coming back into sight. Suddenly, a deafening bang went off, and echoed throughout the ship and the space outside. The terrified voice of one of the Director captains came out through the radio,
"Sir, the gravity generators on the ships are broken! With all due respect sir, there is nothing holding the planet back now, fire up your ship and get the heck out of here!"
Just as that was uttered, Njallsson watched with horror, as the sun actually seemed to absorb the planet.
"NO!" He yelled out.
There was a blinding flash of light, a loud rumble, and then darkness.
Njallsson opened his eyes, and glanced around the bridge. It seemed silent and empty, eerie even. The bridge was dark and shields were down over the windows and viewports. He noticed the incoming transmission button on his radio flashing. He pressed it and acknowledged the caller. The voice of the ship captain came ringing through,
"Ah, sir. There you are, thank the lords that you're okay."
"What happened? Where are we?" Njallsson asked, his voice still a small bit shaky from whatever had happened.
"Sir, the ship's monitors tell us that for some reason, possibly because our engines were prepped or because we were lurking near the edge of the system, when the supernova happened the ship was actually blasted away from the system, at a speed many times the speed of light. According to the navigation logs, we are now in the Archaeon star system, which is a comprised of a medium-sized sun and three planets, which at last check were semi-habitable at best."
"What of the flotilla?" Njallsson enquired
"The other ships are not here sir. I'm guessing that they were destroyed by the 'nova."
The loud opening of the window shields, which happened automatically when the ship's control system thought that it was safe, interrupted the conversation. Njallsson walked over to the window and peered out at the strange system that they had arrived at.
"This place looks pretty lifeless." He remarked to himself
Suddenly, a blue glow caught his eye. He stared across the system and fixed his gaze on the planet, which was orbiting on the far side of the sun. It looked like an ocean planet, but close observation revealed landmasses on it. Njallsson spoke into the radio, directing a question at the ship captain,
"That planet looks amazing. What is it called?"
"It is Archaeon Major sir, the first planet of the system. At last observation of the system, it was deemed unsuitable for colonization, and filed away. It's never really been a high profile planet, or system for that matter."
"It should be. This place is amazing. Its hypnotizing, in fact."
A wave of realization swept through Njallsson's head as he was watching the planet. The Millennial Empire was on a downwards spiral. It had lost its ways and was being consumed by the endless wars and rebellions. Soon, he felt, the empire would be destroyed by endless infighting and would cease to exist. Speaking with new inspiration in his voice, Njallsson gave the command,
"Admiral, set a course for the moon Wyyrllocak I. I need an audience with the leaders of the Rlloca."
A shuttle from the Firestorm set down on Wyyrllocak I, which was the first moon orbiting the gas giant Wyyrllocak and the capital of the small Rlloca consortium, which consisted of all four moons of Wyyrllocak. The moons each had different climates, the first was desert, the second was jungle, the third was ice and the fourth was flat plains. Njallsson stepped out of the shuttle and walked into one of the larger building in the visible area. Once inside, he stopped and stood at attention for the entering Rlloca leaders. Four well-dressed Rlloca, each representing one of the moons, joined Njallsson in the otherwise empty meeting room. The Rlloca as a species could pass for humans if a person saw them from the back, but there is a major difference in their faces. They all have a green lightning bolt pattern on each cheek and their eyes are the colour of ice. All four Rlloca sat and Njallsson started speaking,
"Honourable representatives, I come before you with a single request. I would like your help with…. an Empire."
"General, you know perfectly well that we do not ally ourselves with any Empire, nor join with them. The tales of slavery and endless wars drove us away a long time ago, you know that. That is why we have our exclusive consortium here."
"I'm not talking about the Millennials. I'm on a self-assigned mission to start a new one. When I was looking at the planet Archaeon Major, I came to the realization that the Millennial Empire is slowly heading to it's own peril. I am going to try and secede from the Empire, but I believe that I will need the help of your people to do it. If you accept this proposition, I promise that your people will have equal representation and rights in the Empire, as well as all privileges given to humans and any other species who happen to join."
"We will think on it General. We may accept, we may not. Now go, your audience is done."
Njallsson nodded and left the building. He went back on board the Firestorm and ordered the bridge officer to make a course for Aegis.
Once they got back, Njallsson make preparations for his final departure. He told the captain of the Firestorm to keep the ship ready and to message loyal captains of other ships to get ready for leaving. Njallsson then went to the headquarters of the army unit that he commanded, which was Army Group Echo-42 (storm commandos), and told the commander to send the men of the unit to the waiting battlecruisers and get ready for the departure that seemed to be looming closer. The exception to this was the 1st Regiment, which was tasked with accompanying Njallsson to the Omega building. After making sure that all these military taskings were in place, he set off towards the Omega building.
As it just so happened, the command room of the Omega building was set up for a presentation for all of the military heads. The military representatives were in the middle of listening to a presentation from High Admiral Consolual when the door burst open and Njallsson came down the main aisle, accompanied by the commander of Echo-42. He walked up to the podium and pushed Consolual out of the way. He announced into the microphone,
"Gentlemen, ladies, I have a announcement. Effective immediately, I am leaving the service of the Millennial Empire. I, along with my loyal soldiers am leaving too form an empire of our own. The way of the Millennial Empire has been forgotten. We are going to a new place in order to uphold the values that Millennial was founded on, but have now been lost. Friends, allies, rivals, I bid you all farewell."
Njallsson stepped away and hurriedly left the building.
"Let's go." he said to the commander, "Before they try and detain us."
The commander signaled the men of the guard regiment to follow them, as they made their way to the naval dockyards. As they were marching, a large shadow started to seemingly move across the sky. Njallsson stopped as the sun was blocked out completely, causing everything to look like shadows. Just as he was looking up, the sound of a pistol being cocked rang out. He looked around and saw that his group was surrounded by a large formation of millennial troops. The leader of the opposing troops came to the front and said,
"Mr. Njallsson, you are a traitor to the empire. Emperor Roanieso has ordered the execution of you and all that you associate with. Goodbye."
The millennial troopers raised their weapons and prepared to fire when huge orbs of energy came rushing from the sky and slaughtering the millennials. Njallsson glanced skywards and saw their saviors, two Rlloca battleships, which were 38-kilometer long capitals ships armed with some of the best weapons in the galaxy. He looked at his radio and saw that there was an incoming transmission from the Rlloca battleship. He answered it and the voice of one of the Rlloca came through,
"General, the consortium has decided to accept your offer of an empire. We are here to give you an escort to Archaeon Major where our leaders, as well as interested leaders of other planets and races are going to meet with you an finalize the founding of the empire."
"Very good." Came the reply from Njallsson, "We're on our way."
Njallsson and the escorting storm commandos arrived at the naval dockyards and boarded the Firestorm. He gave the take-off signal and his fleet of 35 battlecruisers rose into the air, through the atmosphere and into space. The battlecruisers, accompanied by the two Rlloca battleships accelerated away from Aegis towards the Archaeon system. As Njallsson gazed out the viewport, he thought,
"This is a new beginning. The dawn of an empire. The dawn of the Archaeon Empire!"