Authors note: So this took a long ass time to make, but with the announcement of Freedom Planet 2 and getting back into the first game to realize that games like this are a gem in a pile of shit in today's standards, I figured that I would actually continue this story. Not a whole lot to say except I hope you guys still here enjoy the chapter.
Oh and uh, warning; The Wulfer are very uh… violent in this chapter and will be in many others. Is it excessive for a game about animal people that save the world from bad guys? Hell yeah it is, but I'm making this story, if I want furry little creatures to be slaughtered, I'll go George R.R. Martin on you asses if I have to.
Chapter 2: Blood Pack
O-O-O
"What in the name of Fenir is this?!" Exclaimed Lycarious, shocked to see what was in front of him.
"It's an ambush, sir." Pointed out a Wulfer crew member. "A Coalition fleet must have been waiting for us when we were jumping to this quadrant."
Lycarious laid back on his chair, snarling at the smaller massed fleet in front that opened fire on his fleet.
"A bold move, but futile." Commented the Imperator. "Are the Ravager's special weapons ready to fire?"
"No sir. They still need more time to recharge after the jump."
Lycarious took a few seconds to think of a quick strategy, wanting to find a different way to end this fight if his flagship can't do the job, which somewhat disappointed him since the Ravager's special weapons would have made this fight easy to win.
"Engage the fleet and launch all attack craft and corvettes. They'll swarm the enemy with cruiser support close behind while our battleships and the Ravager engage the enemy from afar. I want our carriers to stay close to us." Strategized the Imperator. "As much as I would love to board their flagship and kill the commander and crew, we don't have time for this, not with Brevon so close."
"Of course sir. Relaying your orders to the fleet now." Complied the Wulfer crew member.
Lycarious leaned back on his chair, gripping the edges in anticipation and to calm his nerves.
The Wulfer fleet did as they were told, launching all fighters from the hanger, which have the appearance of sleek arrowheads, along with the corvettes trailing behind the fighters for back up. The Coalition fleet responded with their own fighters as well, the same type of jet like ships Torque piloted before crashing into Avalice, and they intercepted the incoming fighters and clashed into the larger force.
The advantage in numbers is held by the Wulfer as usual, and while the Coalition has some of the best fighters and pilots in the galaxy, even they would have a tough time with such overwhelming odds.
The squadrons of fighters on both sides clashed, craft swarming each other as lasers fired in all directions, missing or blasting away their respective targets. The Wulfer corvettes closed in as well, assisting the already numerous Wulfer fighters as the Coalition craft took evasive actions, trying to avoid the rapid blaster fire of the anti-fighter ships on their tails.
"Captain! Our fighters are being overwhelmed!" Exclaimed Varrick, tracking the various blue blips of Coalition fighters and the many more red blips of the enemy. "We need to pull them back!"
"Negative." Torque said with regret. "We can't risk their strike craft overwhelming us. Tell them to diverge their attention while we focus fire on their cruisers, and deploy all the reserve fighters from their hangers to support them."
Varrick complied with his orders, though he mumbled bitterly about the decision as he ordered the rest of the fighters to launch.
Torqure expected this to happen, and while he knew it was risky to attack so aggressively with lower numbers, it would be the last thing the enemy would expect. Wulfer were usually the bold ones, but Torque had learned from his last battles with Brevon that using an opponent's strength against them could be their greatest weakness. That tactic did not resonate well with the usually cautious nature of the Coalition, but sometimes changes were needed to win important battles.
The larger ships under Torque's command fired upon the Wulfer cruisers, blasting them apart with new long range mass drivers that could take out smaller ships with ease, made for blasting through the relatively weak shields Wulfer ships have and easily punched through the armor. Multiple explosions of cruisers could be seen from Torque's bridge, while the fighter battle in the middle of space expanded in multiple areas of empty space.
"Imperator! Cruiser support is nearly wiped out!" A Wulfer crew member exclaimed.
Lycarious snarled at the sight of his ships losing so easily, misjudging his opponents like this was a bad move on his part, and considering the amount of ships Wulfer tend to throw at the enemy, he should have been more cautious on their use.
But the Imperator is in a rush, having no desire to think straight about this battle and had more of his thoughts about Brevon. Had his chase really affected his ability to strategize this badly, he wondered. Regardless, he wanted this to be over, and he assumed there was one other way to do so.
"How long until we can warp out again?" Lycarious asked, impatiently waiting for an answer.
"After this jump, about eighteen minutes sir."
Lycarious had decided then, it was time for a bolder move.
"Get close to their flagship and raise shields to maximum charge. Ready our dropships and tell Commander Ferros to ready his shock troopers in the hanger, and that I'm joining them."
Lycarious walked towards the exit of the bridge, hearing the announcement of the call for boarding actions as the Ravager boosted ahead of the rest of the fleet, which provided covering fire for the advancing ship.
"The Wulfer flagship is speeding towards us!" Darren warned, slight panic in his voice. "Not sure why they would do that!"
"They're going to board us." Torque realized, shocked at the ship speeding towards them. "All cannons, open fire on that ship!"
The Coalition flagship tried their best to fire all guns on the Ravager, but the shields proved more powerful than any Wulfer ship they attacked, the laser fire barely making a meaningful impact on the ship as it sped just above the fighter swarms ahead.
The Ravager meanwhile, just began to prepare its dropships for launch. Multiple of these sleek and rectangular transports specialized in such missions, always effective with rough landing procedures planet side, or for boarding enemy ships with ease.
Lycarious boarded one of such ships, being greeted with the battel ready shock troopers of the Imperium. They wear black combat armor covering them from head to toe, their masks covering their fearsome appearance and yet it somehow only made the wolf creatures more intimidating to look at. The armor is both flexible and durable for such missions, and the troops are armed with laser carbines for the close quarters combat they are about to face.
Each ship carried two squads of eight, this particular dropship including Lycarious and the now late commander Ferros who had just showed up behind the Imperator.
"Imperator." Ferros bowed in respect. "Glad you could join my squad for the slaughter."
Ferros is an interesting figure on the ship, meaning that he was not exactly a typical Wulfer soldier under Lycarious's wing. His fur color is a rare albino white, with his dark red eyes almost like the color of blood, even going as far to paint his armor with crimson streaks and mark his face with red as well in the pattern of claw marks.
Many of his troops in his retinue and on the other dropships were the same, coloring their armor with crimson streaks and wore a symbol of a rabid wolf head with blood dripping from its fangs on their right pauldrons. The symbol of Ferros's elite unit, The Blood Pack, assigned only to Imperators with top priority missions, and the hunt for Brevon was one such priority.
Ferros was also known for his taste for blood and combat, always eager to get into a fight and preferred to use his melee weapons over his actual guns. Sure, he had the usual loadout of a laser carbine and combat knifes like his other soldiers, but he also carried duel gladius swords on his back, apparently a gift from his ancestors that he decided to use in battle and enhanced with special metals to cleave through most foes.
The Blood Pack was no better, and those trained by Ferros himself were also put under his command to become the most savage warriors at his disposal. If one were to describe the Blood Pack, the simplest way is that they are the equivalent to Chasers of the Coalition, but much, much more violent.
While Chasers are assigned to capture their targets and only to kill when necessary, the Blood Pack encourages to kill their targets with extreme brutality and only spares them if their Imperator commands them, but even that is a problem since Blood Pack soldiers tend to get 'carried away' during battle. Lycarious was more than enough to whip the special troopers into obedience, kill a troop or two if needed, but Ferros was always difficult to deal with and long travels made the commander restless.
As long as Ferros had something to kill, he would stay loyal to the cause.
"Of course, commander." Lycarious commented. "I wouldn't miss an opportunity."
"Just try not to go crazy." Ferros joked, taking a seat by the closing doors of the dropship and unsheathed his swords. "First blood is an honor I hold dearly."
"Then you shall have that wish granted."
The Dropships were ready for takeoff, launching from the hanger bays and into the deep space, the Ravager positioned just above the Coalition flagship as the dropships descended above.
"Dropships incoming! Our flak fire can't hold them off!" Varrick exclaimed worryingly. "We're going to get boarded!"
"What is he doing?" Torque said in disbelief. "Prepare the self-defense forces! This is going to be rough!"
It didn't take long for the Wulfer dropships to reach the hull of the Coalition flagship while dodging the flak fire, hovering just above the ship and prepared to open its doors.
"Ready masks!" Lycarious commanded, with all the Wulfer putting on their combat masks with oxygen canisters, and even Lycarious bringing his own gold colored mask.
The doors of the ship opened, along with many others across the hull surface, preparing for the boarding operations that were about to take place.
"GO! GO! GO!" Ferros ordered, the shock troopers activating their jetpacks to hover in space and descend on the Coaltion ship, with Lycarious and his men landing near the bridge while other shock troopers would take point in other areas.
The Wulfer landed easily and softly, as two shock troopers got out handy laser torchers to cut through the ship hull, cutting a circle to have their point of entry that would lead them below a large hallway connected to the bridge.
Coalition Self Defense Force troops, all in grey and orange armor with laser carbines of their own, waited patiently as they covered the door and the hallway ahead, the claustrophobia of the metallic halls are nothing compared to the tension of awaiting invaders. The troops gripped their guns steadily, under strict order by Torque to let no Wulfer to the bridge, lest the fleet lose its leadership.
…
…
…
Silence filled the halls, while alarms for boarding actions went all around, there was nothing that could be heard from the door across the hallway to the other side they faced. SDF troops were behind that door as well, taking point at the area where Lycarious and his squad was at, along with a few more squads nearby.
Muffled laser fire went off from behind that same door, screams of troops being blasted were being cried out and then silenced on a whim.
*BOOM*
An explosion rang out at the door, the metallic doors bursting wide open and dazed the SDF troops from the blast. When the dust cleared, Lycarious could be seen pointing towards the troops with his cybernetic arm, while letting the shock troopers from behind move forward and blast away.
Wulfer shock troopers were some of the best the Imperium had to offer, well known for their quick and vicious attacks when the enemy least expects it, proving that by cutting down multiple SDF troops at once. The remaining survivors opened fire as they took cover, blasting just a few down while Ferros charged forward with his gladius swords out.
The commander removed his mask, wanting his foes to see his crazed look as he sprinted towards them, deflecting the lasers across the room with his blades. He didn't waste time with slashing away, first destroying the laser weapons before cutting through their armor like paper and sliced through their flesh. It became more of a bloodbath with blood flying across the walls, Ferros leaving no one left standing as the other Wulfer advanced while putting a laser bolt in every corpse to make sure they were dead.
Swift and deadly, but messy for Lycarious's taste.
Lycarious moved ahead, passing through Ferros who was just about finished with licking the blood off his swords.
"Commander, I understand you have carnal pleasures. But try to control yourself until we wipe out the crew." Lycarious scolded.
"As you wish, Imperator." Ferros complied, walking over to the door that leads to the bridge, ordering the shock troopers to plant a charge as two more squads approached from behind to join in on the door breach.
"Captain! The Wulfer have breached our ship's hull and boarded! We have intruders coming to our bridge from the left!" Varrick warned once again.
Torque knew he had to prepare for a real fight now. Wulfer navy was one thing, but Wulfer soldiers was something he feared far more than any other threat the Imperium had to offer.
"READY WEAPONS! TAKE DEFENSIVE POSITIONS!" the SDF sergeant ordered his men, numbering in only twenty that spread out the large bridge area.
Torque armed his own weapons along with the other crew members, expecting to face a heavy assault.
*BOOM*
The explosion blew the bridge doors wide open, as Wulfer shock troopers out of the smoke, every Coalition crew member and trooper opened fire on the bold assault, cutting down many of the advancing Wulfer from their defensive positions. The shock troopers returned fire, sending their own laser fire at the Coalition crew and engaged in a tense standoff.
Ferros charged ahead of his forces as usual, sprinting towards the SDF troops with a bloodlust matched by none, not even Lycarious. Two unfortunate troops were cut down by the rabid Wulfer, their bodies sliced in half as blood gushed on the ground.
"COME TO ME PREY!" Ferros shouted with rabid delight. "LET MY BLADES TASTE YOUR BLOOD!"
Lycarious was disgusted by the act.
If Ferros was only incompetent, the Imperator would have gladly snapped the beast's neck and choose a replacement. The Imperator did not doubt his skill in combat or think his rank was not deserved, but the commander's state of mind could prove detrimental in the long run unless he was in a campaign of conquest.
This was all one big hunt, not a war against worlds.
"Troopers! Charge in close quarters and take out the rest of the crew!" Ordered Lycarious over the heavy laser fire. "Run and gun while you charge and when close, strike your blades in their hearts!"
Now this was a proper attack. The Coalition are strong at long range, but when it came to close quarters or melee, the so called outdated and barbaric tactics of the Wulfer Imperium were useful. The shock troopers unloaded every bit of laser ammo they had at the SDF troops, cutting them down sue to the surprise of such a quick and brutal charge, before dropping their guns and began to slice and dice their foes with Ferros, joining in the carnage while Lycarious stood back.
Such slaughter was not worthy for the Imperator to take part in, he may be in a rush to Brevon, but he tried his best to uphold his moral standards when he could. That, and he could not participate in such actions like his without affecting himself, something that his medical officer had advised against. Lycarious still went into melee battles plenty, but not when the Blood Pack was around.
With most SDF troopers dealt with, the Wulfer attacked the rest of the crew, and from there it became a true slaughter. Most did not have weapons aside from Torque, so feeble attempts to pick up weapons from fallen soldiers were met with blades through their heads. The captain of the ship easily lost control of this situation, despite managing to blast away a few of the savage warriors, he had no choice but to pull back with whatever survivors of the crew were left.
Torque tripped on one of the bodies of his crew, looking to see the mangled head of Darren, riddled with blade punctures as blood poured from his mortal wounds. Torque could feel a hand lifting him up to see Varrick getting him up, along with a pair of SDF troops providing cover.
The pair managed to reach the bridge door to the far left side while the Blood Pack dealt with the rest of the crew, and Torque could only look back in shock and horror of what had come of his crew. Wulfer troops slashing off limbs to prevent escape as they stabbed downed crew, another trying to crawl away only to be stabbed through the neck, any other survivors pleading for surrender and went down on their knees to beg for mercy.
"Please! Don't kill us!" Torque could hear a panicked crew, only for Ferros to bite down on his neck and rip his throat out with his bare teeth, a grotesque sight that can never be erased from the captain's mind.
The captain lost his crew once more.
"Captain!" Varrick exclaimed, breaking Torque out of his trance. "We need to go!"
Toruque nodded, focusing on fleeing and ran with Varrick out of the bridge doors and towards the escape pods. The two SDF troopers would have followed behind, but Ferros managed to leap forward and slice one trooper's arm off and impaled the other on his swords. The SDF trooper being impaled could only cry out in pain as Ferros lifted him up, the other trooper trying to crawl away.
Lycarious brushed past Ferros, who was busy enjoying the moment of his foe's demise, and grabbed the other fallen soldier by his neck to snap it with his cybernetic hand. He looked back to see the Blood Pack was more interested in spilling blood on the floors rather than pursue the survivors, letting out a sickened snort as he left the bridge. He had seen worse than that, but only wished it were Brevon and his forces.
"Damn Blood Pack." Lycarious growled to himself, pursuing Torque and Varrick and heard the howls of victory that echoed through the blood stained bridge.
The feral victories of the Blood Pack.
O-O-O
Disclaimer: I do not own Freedom Planet.