1.1: The Wormhole
Stardate 2285.0613 (June 6, 2285), Alpha Quadrant
Earth, France, Federation Parliament
Admiral's Log: Our work continues to relocate the Romulan refugees to planets outside the blast zone radius. More ships continue to be refitted and deployed from the Utopia Planitia shipyards. I have received reports that several Federation worlds near the Neutral Zone have offered to help the refugees acclimate to their new lives. While the Federation Council is opposed to the idea, I'm sure they will accept it eventually. Speaking of the Council, there are rumors that the Romulan praetor has made a request to the Council. What it may be is anyone's guess.
Councillor Olivia Quest rubbed her eyes as she closed the binder. The day's work of negotiating contracts and sitting on committee meetings had ended. Yawning, she turned to the replicator nook behind her and ordered a drink. The small tornado of energy materialized into a warm cup of coffee, which she removed. Olivia took a moment to savor the taste, but her respite was ruined by the intercom's bell-like chime.
"This is an emergency announcement. All Councillors must report to the Assembly Hall for a mandatory meeting."
Suppressing her sigh, she poured the coffee into her thermos. She was going to need a lot of caffeine.
The assembly was nearly full as she waded through the crowd to reach her seat. Curt greetings were exchanged to one another as they mingled with their neighboring councilors.
"What's going on, Councillor Inkyne?" The felinoid representative greeted her with a soft purr. "I don't know. Everyone was told to report to the assembly chambers immediately."
Standing on an elevated circular platform, the four representatives of the Federation's founding species took their seats. President Nanietta Bacco raised small oak gravel and hammered it on the desk, beginning the meeting.
"Thank you for coming on short notice, my friends. I understand that many of you are confused at why I have called for this meeting. Before I explain my reasons, there is something you should see."
The ceiling lights dimmed and the hologram of a female Romulan appeared in the chambers. The murmurings were silenced when the Romulan spoke.
"I am Praetor Tal'Aura, leader of the Romulan Star Empire. I humbly ask that you withhold your judgment after I have asked my request." She paused for a few seconds before continuing.
"As you know, the impending supernova threatens to destroy our home system and the Empire. It took a great deal of time to call for help from our former enemy. While the rest of Romulus looks upon Starfleet with disdain and distrust, I'm thankful for your efforts in relocating my people." She bowed to the audience, who were surprised by her act.
"I understand the relocation process has been a thorny issue for the Federation. The threat of secession has traveled across the quadrants, my friends. While there are some in the Empire that would encourage secession, I am opposed to the idea. Therefore, I have come up with a solution."
The word "solution" caught everyone's attention and they strained their ears to hear her proposal.
A hologram of a planet in orbit appeared next to Tal'Aura. "After consulting with your revised data, we have found a suitable system outside the blast zone. It will be the new capital of our Empire. I have requested President Bacco to relocate all Romulan citizens to this new system. This order includes the citizens residing on Federation worlds."
The hologram of Tal'Aura winked out of existence and the chambers dissolved into a noisy room. There was cheering from the worlds near the Neutral Zone. Their resources would no longer be diverted to the refugees. Loud chants of "Romulan space for Romulan people" filled the chambers before Bacco hammered the gavel, calling for order.
"The motion to relocate the remaining Romulan population to New Romulus is now brought to the chamber. Councilors, you may cast your votes."
The votes came in a wave of red and green lights, lighting up the room. The computer processed the votes and displayed the results. The majority had spoken: the operation would continue.
Sitting at her desk, President Bacco looked at her padd and noticed an incoming message. It was a brief message and she smiled at it. If she was right, then an evacuation fleet led by a certain admiral had arrived at Romulus.
Streaks of starlights contracted to pinpoints as the fleet dropped out of warp speed. At the head of the fleet, the Odyssey-class dreadnaught USS Verity drifted toward the planet. Behind them were thirty Wallenberg-class transport ships. Four Excelsior-class ships covered their rear. The capital of the Romulan Star Empire grew larger as they approached the planet. Admiral Jean-Luc Picard stared at the viewscreen, wondering how they would respond to their arrival. He was surprised when he received a transmission from the Federation President. At first, he thought she would order him to stand down. Starfleet Command did not want him to go directly to Romulus. Without their approval, it would be seen as an act of war.
Instead, she ordered him to lead his fleet to Romulus. Apparently, the need to evacuate had grown greatly and the Romulans needed their help. Picard was glad they had acknowledged their dilemma. The time for secrecy was over.
The bell-like chime of an incoming hail brought him out of his reverie. Standing up, he took a moment to check his uniform for any blemishes or dirt. Beside him, his second-in-command raised her eyebrows at him.
"I thought you weren't a stickler for uniform regulations?" asked Lieutenant Commander Raffi Musiker. Picard smoothed out the last wrinkle before answering her, "Appearances are a part of my charm, Raffi. The slightest trace of dirt would cause my reputation to drop significantly among the Romulans."
Nodding to the communications officer, the hail came through. Picard's eyes widened when he recognized the figure in front of him. "Praetor, it's good to see you again."
Tal'Aura nodded her head. Dressed in a golden embroidered silk robe and a thick purple shawl draping around her neck, she projected an aura of power to the Verity's crew.
"Thank you for coming so quickly, admiral. The citizens are ready to be transported aboard the ships." Picard noted that despite her stately appearance, she seemed distressed. A fidget of her fingers and other features worried him. He subtly motioned Raffi to order a long-range sensor scan.
"Yes, madam. I believe the transport ships are underway with the evacuation," Tal'Aura momentarily turned away from the screen, receiving reports from her officers. "Is there anything worrying you? Enemy forces in the area?"
The praetor's expression changed dramatically as her face darkened. "Absolutely none, admiral, my forces are capable of defending themselves. Tal'Aura out" The hail closed quickly, cutting off Picard's response. Raffi raised an eyebrow at him. "Something's up, JL" she whispered to him. Picard sighed as he rubbed his temple. "Whatever it is, we must be vigilant."
Hours passed by as Picard drowned in hourly reports from the refugee ships. There were fights between rival gangs, politicians complaining about their rooms, and accusations from the fearful citizens. As he dealt with them, he constantly reminded the officers of their duty: they were here to rescue them, not conquer them. Placate their complaints as humanely as possible. Mogai battlecruisers decloaked near the refugee ships, scanning the vessels for Romulan life signs. So far, nothing bad had occurred.
"Helm, move the Verity to coordinates 023-756-1158 on my mark." Picard suddenly ordered. The sleepy crew stirred awake when they recognized something new was going on. The helmsman nodded to Picard, who snapped his fingers. The Verity moved to the new location, a few meters away from the refugee fleet.
"Weapons station, remain on standby and prepare to charge phaser arrays. Everyone else, proceed with your duties and remain alert." The bridge crew responded with a hearty "Aye, captain!". Picard could feel the rush of adrenaline in his blood. They were coming, but where?
The thunder of an explosion answered his question. Immediately, the helmsman turned the massive dreadnaught around to face her foes and the weapons officer was charging the phaser array.
The Federation ships were unharmed, but a Mogai battlecruiser's shields were flickering rapidly. Opposite to it was a D'deridex battlecruiser. The space behind it shimmered as ten more ships decloaked.
"The Perseus is charging toward enemy one! Romulan ships intercepting as well" the sensors officer cried aloud. Indeed, the Excelsior-class fired its phaser banks at the first D'deridex battlecruiser, its red bolts pelting the invisible deflector shield.
"Incoming hail from the praetor!" The viewscreen changed to show the praetor who was biting her lip. "Damn them all! I didn't think they would do it..." Picard quickly demanded her, "Praetor, what is going? Who are they?"
Tal'Aura closed her eyes before answering him, "The Tal Shiar are here to stop us from evacuating Romulus. When I told the Senate of my decision, they vowed to stop me by any means necessary. It appears they took their word seriously" The Verity shook as photon bombs from above detonated against their shields. Panic ran amok the ship as they reported Tal Shiar reinforcements coming out of warp.
"To all Starfleet vessels, hold out as long as you can. Excelsiors, engage the enemy and fire at will. Verity, go to red alert!" Picard shouted. The dreadnaught thrusters burned as it charged into the fray, ready to take down the ships. Tapping his console, he sent the message to Starfleet Command.
At Earth, Picard's message was received and the green light was given. In orbit of Mars, a task force broke orbit as they headed to open space. Aboard a certain ship, a Klingon smiled to himself as the ship jumped to warp speed 9.
"They are here, admiral. Reinforcements are here!" the helmsman cried out loud before an explosion threw him to the carpeted floor. Behind the Tal Shiar forces, the task force burst out of warp. Like the Verity, the Enterprise-E weaved past the Romulan ships, firing its phaser banks wildly. One by one, the Tal Shiar withdrew from Romulus.
"Admiral, are you alright?" Worf asked. Picard smiled at him, "I'm fine, Worf, but are the transport ships alright." Worf glanced down his console, "Yes, admiral. Shields are depleted but the transports are secured." Picard sighed, relieved they were okay. With the reinforcements from Starfleet, evacuation resumed without a hitch, and by midnight, the majority of the population were safely aboard.
"All ships, prepare for warp speed to New Romulus. Hail the Romulan contingent immedi-" The alarm klaxon screeched as the sensors detected an unusual particle. The sensor officer's face was scrunched as she tried to determine whether the console was broken or reporting it truthfully. "Sir, we are detecting graviton particles, sir If these readings are right, it should be - oh shit!" she screamed the last bit as space blew up in front of the fleet, a purple maw widening every second as it swallowed the fleet. The Verity's superstructure strained against the pull, ominously creaking as the ship was dragged against its will. Cooms was berserk with distress messages as captains fought against its pull. But it was too much for them as they disappeared into the darkness.
Cosmic Era 73, Near Mobile Space Fortress Messiah
The imposing space station that was ZAFT's headquarters resembled a semi-conical asteroid surrounded by three metal rings. There was a circle on its left side, which was the fortress's main weapon, Neo-GENESIS. Behind it was four large rocket thrusters embedded deeply into the asteroid.
Within the command section of Messiah, ZAFT Chairman Gilbert Durandal was sitting in his chair, surrounded by real-time images of the ongoing battle. His brown eyes flickered from one image to another, calculating the next tactic. He magnified a particular battle that was going on near Messiah. It involved two ships: a white ship that had two legs and a black ship with red wings protruding from its sides. Behind the white ship was a pink starship with angel-like wings. The black ship was aiming at the white ship, its positron cannon charged and ready to unleash its lance of energy.
"Please, hit that ship" he quietly hoped. If the black ship's aim was true, then it would put to rest the last obstacle in achieving his plan for universal peace.
Far away from the space fortress, Captain Murrue Ramius was in a horrible but classic predicament: being stuck in a rock and a hard place. Directly behind the Archangel was the Eternal, who was fighting off a swarm of ZAKUs and GOUFs. Even with its impressive armaments, the sheer number of enemy mobile suits weaving around the pink ship overwhelmed them. Potshots of rockets hit the Eternal's port and starboard side, leaving behind pink clouds of the explosion.
Off to the Archangel's port bow, the Minerva had finished charging its positron cannon. They had a clear shot at annihilating the Archangel with a single shot. Within a few seconds, Captain Talia Gladys would give the order and the Archangel was finished.
"Somebody, anybody, help us" she silently pleaded to the stars. She knew that Kira Yamato and Athrun Zala were nowhere near them and engaged in a long standoff with the Destiny and Legend Gundam.
"Captain, they just fired their positron cannon!" Time slowed to a crawl as she watched the lance of energy speed toward the ship. The white light blinded the bridge, making everyone cover their eyes. Several thousand kilometers above the two ships, space became distorted as a black hole appeared over them. Almost immediately, the energy beam was absorbed into the black hole as it grew larger. The two ships shook as they were caught by the gravity well.
Andrew Neumann pulled at the yoke, trying to move the Archangel out of the well. The rest of the crew was dumbstruck by this unexpected situation. "There's nothing I can do, Ma'am," he reported to Murrue.
Meanwhile, the Minerva was also having similar problems. "We have no control over the ship, she's being dragged in!" the pilot yelled. Murrue's counterpart, Talia Gladys slammed her fist against the armrest, enraged at the situation. Her first officer, Arthur Trine, turned to face her, bewildered and terrified at this phenomenon.
"We need to recall our Mobile Suits immediately," he recommended. Talia didn't hear him until he stepped in front of her, obscuring her view of the main screen.
"Of course, Lieutenant Windsor?" To Gladys's left, the newly-minted comms officer was already ordering the Minerva's mobile suits to return to the carrier immediately. She nodded at the captain, but she seemed apprehensive.
"Ma'am, I notified our pilots, but I'm not sure if they received it," she said. Gladys stared at the gaping black hole. "Don't worry about it, Lieutenant Windsor. They will come."
The bright yellow words, "PRIORITY ONE" flashed across Shinn Asuka's screen as he relentlessly pursued the Infinite Justice. He weaved through the shots and went with an overhead swing. The massive anti-ship "Arondight" beam sword clashed with the Justice's beam saber. He fired his Vulcans at the Justice, peppering his armor with small-arms fire. Although inefficient against a mobile suit, it could distract one long enough for a counter-attack. The Justice raised its right arm, exposing its side. With a powerful kick, the Destiny's right leg slammed against the opponent's hip. The Justice was flung to the side, tumbling away like a ragdoll.
Shinn deleted the message, only for it to reappear. He growled at the message, annoyed at its timing. What could possibly have happened for the Minerva to send the message. He opened it up, which revealed an order to return to the Minerva immediately. He scanned the battlefield, looking for the ship. His jaw dropped slightly when he saw the ship. Somehow, the carrier was being dragged into a black hole that had appeared during the battle. Both the Minerva and Archangel were being dragged backward, its thrusters were pointing toward the spacetime anomaly.
"Shinn, what the hell is happening?" Shinn turned to see the Legend Gundam fly toward him. There was no doubt that his friend, Rey Za Burrel, was also in disbelief. The standoff had ground to a halt as the four pilots watched their perspective flagships get dragged slowly into the black hole.
"These orders… is she crazy?" Rey murmured to himself. In theory, it was impossible to dock with the Minerva in this circumstance. But the suit would be torn apart from the gravity pull. Rey continued to stare at the Minerva until he noticed a damaged mobile suit drifting toward it. It was covered in dents and holes, but none of its limbs were missing. But Rey immediately recognized the suit and abandoned his fight with Kira Yamato.
"Shinn, we are leaving this fight!" Rey shouted over the radio channel. Shinn was confused until he realized who was piloting the damaged mobile suit. He hissed in anger as he flew after the Legend Gundam.
"Should we head back to the Eternal, Kira?" Kira shook his head from his momentary lull. In the distance, he could see the Eternal under siege, trying to get away from the swarm. He looked back at the Archangel, who had opened both linear catapults and recalled its forces. Six Murasames flew into the linear catapults, safe from the oncoming onslaught. The Akatsuki followed the Murasames in. It turned around and waved at them, apparently, Mu had spotted him and Athrun.
Kira opened a channel to the Eternal. An image of Lacus Clyne appeared on the screen. Kira noticed that her pupils had darkened considerably. Where there was supposed to be pink cerulean was light grey.
"Are you alright, Kira? How is the Archangel?" she asked. She was visibly distressed from the ongoing battle. The screen fizzled for a bit before it became stable again.
"I'm fine, Lacus. I haven't heard from the Archangel. I'm expecting an order any moment now." He frowned as he spoke. He bit his tongue before he asked his question. "Should we follow the Archangel? They are already within the gravity well and they can't possibly escape the black hole."
Lacus sighed and closed her eyes, deep in thought for a few minutes. When she reached her decision, she opened her eyes again. "We will follow them through the black hole," she answered.
Both Athrun and Kira blinked in surprise. This was the first time she had ever said something this crazy before. Normally, all of her orders were logically sound. Athrun argued back at her, cutting into the channel. "Are you insane, Lacus? We won't survive the trip at all. Have you even considered the other risks involved?" he demanded.
"I'm well aware of the risks, Athrun. Normally, I would agree with you or any reasonable person that traversing an unknown black hole would be suicide. But right now, the Archangel is being dragged into that black hole without any chance of escape. I am not leaving them behind. Both of you are to return to Eternal immediately. Is that clear?" Lacus answered back.
Athrun grumbled in response and left the radio channel. Both the Infinite Justice and Strike Freedom flew toward the pink ship, blasting away at the GOUFs and ZAKUs surrounding the ship.
Near the Eternal's back, the Gaia was shooting down the ZAKUs with a ZAKU beam assault rifle. A GOUF lashed its heat coil whip at the rifle and the Gaia immediately released his grip on it. It exploded a few seconds, leaving the Gaia with very limited options.
"Not again!" Andrew Waltfield chided himself. The Desert Tiger looked around the debris field, looking for a spare beam rifle. He noticed the torn arm of a ZAKU holding a bazooka floating near him. Andrew ripped the hand away from the bazooka and aimed it at the GOUF. "Take this!" he shouted as he fired the rocket. It slammed into the GOUF's chest, vaporizing it in a pink cloud.
Andrew tossed the bazooka and started salvaging any beam rifles and cartridges within the small debris field. Within minutes, he had two ZAKU beam rifles under one arm and was carrying a handful of the familiar drum-shaped cartridges. As he drifted toward the open hangar, he also saw the DOM Troopers carrying a handful of ZAKU beam rifle cartridges. Mars, the pilot of the second DOM, deposited his handful and nodded at the Gaia as he passed by.
"One minute left, guys. Hurry it up!" he yelled into the team's radio channel. His comrades grunted in response as they deposited their load of cartridges and weapons. Their last run would be extremely important. By the thirty second mark, the DOM Troopers had returned with their salvage. The hangar bay doors slid noiselessly behind them as both mobile suits and technicians hastily figured out where to store their newly acquired weapons.
Aboard the Minerva, a ZAKU Gunner Warrior landed inside the hangar bay and quickly walked over to its MS cage to be properly secured. Technicians and engineers scrambled about in their EVA suits, securing materials for the unexpected trip. Meanwhile, in the captain's personal quarters, Talia was listening to her aces' report on their short battle between the Strike Freedom and the Infinite Justice.
"Thank you for returning to us safely," she said to Shinn and Rey. The two pilots saluted her and left her quarters. On her desk, her computer signaled her that a message had arrived from Messiah. No doubt Gilbert was wondering why his elite FAITH members had abandoned the battle. She accessed it and the Chairman's face appeared on screen.
"Chairman" she greeted. Gilbert nodded at her. "Are you sure you can't escape the black hole, Talia?" he asked. She shook her head and Gilbert sighed. "It's impossible, sir. We tried our best and none of our methods have worked."
The chairman closed his eyes as he racked his brain for a solution. There was none that came to him. He could feel himself tearing up inside, as tears threatened to flow down his face. He composed himself before he continued speaking.
"I'm afraid we won't be able to send you any reinforcements, Talia," Gilbert said somberly. Talia nodded and gripped the armchairs tightly. The screen began to fizzle and the connection broke. She tossed her cap to the floor as despair took over.
She froze as an idea formed in her head. Grabbing a notepad, she hastily wrote it out before it disappeared. Staring at the notepad, she reached for the telephone on her desk and called the comms officer. She didn't like it, but neither ship had a choice.
"Currently, our situation is very grim. We have no way of knowing what's on the other side. As such, we must be careful with whom we meet. Should they attack us, they are considered to be hostiles until otherwise. Once we exit the wormhole, we will be deployed to scout the area and report back our findings."
Standing at the podium inside the pilots' ready room, Rey began his meeting with the orders from Captain Gladys. Minutes ago, she had informed him about the plan before she executed it. Rey wasn't on board with it, but there was nothing he could do about it.
"It is likely the Archangel will end up behind us. Due to the circumstance, we will temporarily be allies with them" The room became cold as everyone, except Burnham, glared at Rey. "I know how you feel. Then again, the enemy of my enemy is my friend." Rey replied.
"Under no circumstance do we attack them unless we are ordered to do so. Right now, Captain Gladys should be speaking with Captain Ramius about a temporary alliance." Shinn couldn't stand it anymore. He screamed at Rey, "How could you agree to this?! You traitor!" Lunamaria pulled him back to his seat as he struggled to punch Rey.
"Do we know if the Strike Freedom or Infinite Justice are aboard the Archangel?" a pilot asked. Rey shook his head. "At the moment, no. Helm reports the Archangel recalled its MS team at the same time we did. Reports indicate six Murasames and the Akatsuki Gundam are inside the carrier. I should note that the Murasames entered the Archangel carrying various beam rifles and cartridges."
Meanwhile, the temporary alliance between the Minerva and Archangel had been hammered out. Both captains had agreed to similar terms before. The only big issue was Lacus Clyne herself. Gladys did not believe it was actually her and argued ZAFT would not be following her orders. Ramius countered that she was indeed the real deal and that she would be the de facto leader.
"Until I meet her personally, I will not follow any orders from her. Is that clear, Captain Ramius?" Gladys said. Ramius sighed and nodded, her efforts spent in vain. "The Archangel will follow your lead. Until then, Gladys" The screen blanked out and reverted to the ZAFT symbol.
"Madam, the Eternal is headed this way. They are following the Archangel!" the helmsman reported. Her computer screen showed the aft section camera's view. The Eternal had survived the barrage and had entered the gravity well.
"There's nothing we can do to stop them," she said. "Is everything ready for transit?"
"Aye, madam. Everything is properly secured. Ready to proceed on your order" the helmsman said.
"Proceed with caution, pilot. Full impulse engines," she ordered. The alarm klaxons rang as the carrier began its unexpected voyage.
Back on the Archangel, Mirallia Faw noticed the Minerva's sudden moves. "The Minerva is heading into the wormhole. Orders, Captain?" Ramius sighed as she gripped the armrest. "Follow behind them, helm, The Eternal will be behind us."
The trio of warships moved in a single file line. Slowly but steadily, they disappeared into the darkness.
Universal Century 93, near the Axis asteroid
The tension was high aboard the Ra Calium as Londo Bell's flagship flew closer to the drifting asteroid. Mobile suit engineers conducted last-minute diagnostic checks on the Jegans to ensure they were functioning properly. Londo Bell pilots were told to be cautious when engaging the Neo Zeon mobile suits. Captains and commanders in the Londo Bell and Von Braun fleets transmitted updated orders and battle plans to one another.
On the bridge, Captain Bright Noa was furious at the events that had occurred a few hours ago. First, he had been tricked by a dummy fleet set up by Char Aznable. A few hours prior to this discovery, both Londo Bell and Neo Zeon had signed a ceasefire agreement on the colony of Londonion. In exchange for disarming their fleet at Luna II, the Neo Zeonists would receive the asteroid Axis from the Federation.
The Neo Zeonists claimed that they would use Axis as a secondary colony for their people. Instead, Char planned to drop Axis on Earth, forcing the Terrans to migrate to the stars for safety.
After launching the dummy fleet to Luna II, the Neo Zeon fleet gathered at the asteroid and prepared for the inevitable battle. By the time Londo Bell discovered Char's trickery, the asteroid's thermonuclear engines had ignited.
The two fleets raced toward the asteroid, hoping to intercept it before it reached Earth. The plan had been to blow up the asteroid with nuclear missiles. That plan failed when Char and his pilots intercepted them.
There was a long skirmish between the two fleets as Londo Bell pilots clashed against their Neo Zeon counterparts. Damaged Mobile Suits returned to their ships for repairs and sent out once more into the battlefield. Most of the time, the grunts were not lucky as they were sliced apart by beam sabers or shot in the cockpit area by beam rifles.
While the Londo Bell fleet engaged with the main Neo Zeon fleet, the Von Braun fleet was under heavy fire by a Newtype squad led by Char's lieutenant, Gyunsei Guss, and several Zeon remnants.
Countless Salamis Kai and Irish-class light cruisers were blown up by the Neo Zeon squad, who were supported by Musaka and Sadalahn-class cruisers. Eventually, the squad was recalled to the asteroid when one of its thermonuclear engines was about to be destroyed by Amuro Ray.
Unable to continue the assault, Bright recalled his forces for repairs and rest. The short stalemate was punctuated by long moments of silence as pilots and officers stared out the portside windows at the drifting asteroid.
Inside the ready room, it was crowded as the officers and pilots waited for Captain Noa to arrive. Those seated at the tables sipped at water bottles, exhausted from the fighting. The ones standing in the back talked with their friends about the new battle plan.
The door slid open and everyone turned to see the Captain enter the room. In unison, they saluted the captain, who saluted back at them. Turning on the tactical map, he surveyed the room and saw their tired eyes staring back at him. Bright saw Amuro ray, Londo Bell's ace pilot standing next to technical officer Chan Agi.
Gripping the podium's side, the briefing began. Pointing to the map, Bright highlighted a map of Axis's thermonuclear rocket engines.
"As you know, the missile barrage failed and the Von Braun fleet has sustained numerous casualties. Reinforcements from Side 2 and 5 are joining us for this assault, I have received word that the 88th Fleet is on its way."
This little bit of good news brightened the pilots' spirits slightly. But Bright had told them the worst part yet.
"In twelve hours, Axis will crash into Earth, causing a nuclear winter. It will be nothing like Operation British. Millions of people will die and the survivors will suffer. If we don't stop it from crashing, that is the result. Londo Bell will not let that future become reality.
This plan involves destroying the asteroid's four massive thermonuclear rocket engines. If all four engines are disabled, it will lose momentum and eventually stop. But if that fails, the Ra Calium will infiltrate Axis and deploy Mini Mobile Suits. The Mini MS will plant nuclear explosives inside the asteroid, causing it to split apart. It's our hope that each half will avoid the Earth"
A pilot sitting on the floor raised his hand. "So what if that fails too, sir? If one half starts falling to Earth, what are we supposed to do?" he asked nervously.
That was the question he didn't want to answer, but Bright didn't have a choice. Of all the plans he made in his life, this was the stupidest one ever. He shut his eyes for a moment before answering.
"Should it occur, ensign, all MS teams must push the asteroid back. The Ra Calium will intercept it and push it back as well."
The crowd became a wild frenzy as pilots and officers roared at the veteran captain. To suggest something so absurd was insanity. The pilots were horrified by his decision to recklessly toss the MS teams into the fire. It was suicide for them and the moble suits couldn't withstand atmospheric descent. On the other hand, the officers were infuriated with Bright and called for him to resign his position as captain and commander of the Londo Bell corps.
Bright held his hands up for silence and the crowd slowly quieted down. "I understand I am asking a lot of commitment from you. These are dark times and everyone is scared. I hope that none of these scenarios occur and we can solve this dilemma easily. But that time has passed, gentlemen. Blood has been spilled and we can only answer back in greater force. We launch in an hour. You're dismissed."
Bright was escorted away from the ready room by Amuro. Outside the room, the duo walked to the hangar bay, where the engineers repaired the mobile suits for the upcoming battle. Bright stared at the messy hangar bay, his eyes were glazed and unfocused. Amuro stood next to him, watching the engineers swap out an uncharged e-pac for a charged one.
After a moment of reflection, Bright blinks his dry eyes and sighs heavily. "What's wrong, Bright? What's troubling you?" Amuro asked.
"It's the plan, Amuro," Bright answered. "After the barrage failed, we all realized this is the last assault on Axis. I don't even know if it will work."
"You led plenty of assaults, Bright. We came out safe and sound every time." Amuro assured. Bright glanced at the ace pilot, narrowing his brown eyes at him. "Yes, we came out safe and sound, but someone made a sacrifice to get us out of trouble. There will be casualties, Amuro, and we will never get those people back."
Axis asteroid
For the Neo Zeon forces, the operation was going smoothly. The EFSF had failed its nuclear missile barrage thanks to the Newtype pilots intercepting the missiles. They also gained some reinforcements in the form of Sadalahn-class cruisers and Gwandan-class battlecruisers. The old Zeon remnants were given a warm welcome by the Neo Zeonists as they embraced one another.
Watching the celebration from above, Char Aznable turned away from the spectacle and consulted the tactical map on his desk. In fourteen hours, Axis would crash into the Earth and cause a massive nuclear winter. It would force the Terrans to migrate to the stars and in time transform them into Newtypes, completing his dream.
Despite their first victory, they had lost a number of mobile suits. The infantry division was made up of Geara Dogas and they had lost thirty units. The replacements for the suits were older Mobile Suits, such as Zaku IIIs and Doven Wolfs.
Inwardly, he cursed himself for not demanding cruisers with a higher MS capacity. He had learned that the Clop-class cruisers carried six mobile suits, just two more units than the Musaka's four mobile suits.
There was a knock at the door and Charr allowed his visitor to enter the room. His visitor turned out to be Quess Paraya herself. The daughter of the deceased Earth Federation prime minister, she was madly in love with Char and wanted to prove herself to him. Gyunsei had reported she was an excellent mobile suit pilot, having a record of ten kills.
She had been given the Alpha Azieru mobile armor to use against Amuro and she was pleased with it. Gyunsei took her aside for a training exercise inside an abandoned part of Axis. Char was surprised by her arrival, but before he could say anything, Quess hissed at him like an angry cat. Her eyes gleamed in the light like sharp daggers.
"Is it true, Char?" she asked. Char stood up from his desk and smoothed the wrinkles on his uniform. "True about what, Quess?" he asked innocently.
She pointed a finger at him, "You never loved me, Char. You're still in love with a dead woman!" she accused him. Char didn't give away any sign of weakness, but he noted that his lieutenant had betrayed him by revealing his deepest secret.
It was true she was still in love with the deceased Lalah Sun. She had been killed by Amuro during the One Year War. Both men felt her dying screams and emotions as her Mobile Suit exploded. Since then, he never forgave Amuro for killing her.
"That's a lie, Quess. That woman is out of my life, both physically and mentally," he said to her. Quess did not seem persuaded by his answer. "Then what about Nanai? What are your feelings to her?" she demanded.
"I see her as an excellent tactician, nothing more than that." Char lied. He took a sip from his glass of water. "Is there anything else, Quess?" he asked. She shook her head and turned to leave the room.
Char used his Newtype powers to track her movements before sighing with relief. He pondered for a while, whether he wanted to confront his lieutenant now or later. Gyunsei was loyal to the cause and determined to follow his leader wherever he went. But Char suspected that he had other plans. He didn't have proof, but there was a gut feeling about it.
Stabbing the intercom button, he summoned his lieutenant to his room and awaited him. Gyunsei knocked on the door before entering. He saluted Char and stood at attention.
"How was the training exercise, Lieutenant?" Char asked as he examined the tactical map.
"Sir, the training exercise was a success. After a short tutorial on the control, we engaged in a mock battle through the simulation modes on our mobile suits. She managed to beat me, sir. I say she's ready for the frontline." Gyunsei said.
Char nodded as if he had expected this. "That's good to hear. I will inform her of myself. Anything else, Lieutenant?" he said. Gyunsei shook his head, "Nothing, sir"
"Are you sure?" Char asked. Gyunsei suppressed a flinch when he realized he had been found out. "We.. had a small talk about the upcoming battle." he lied.
"Really? Are you sure it wasn't about telling her about my former lieutenant?" the Neo Zeon leader said. "Because she came here five minutes ago, telling me that you told her about Lalah Sun."
The jig was up and Gyunsei gave up his ruse. He bowed to his leader, expressing his apology. "Forgive me, sir. I told her without realizing the consequences." Char stared at his lieutenant, unable to say anything. The leader wanted to punch the lieutenant's face repeatedly, but doing so would lose his lieutenant's trust in him. On the other hand, Gyunsei would not learn his lesson and would repeat the mistake.
"Were we not at war, I would have demoted you to ensign permanently and strip you of your mobile suit," Char said. Gyunsei flinched at the threat, terrified of losing his Jagd Doga forever.
"You have betrayed my trust by telling her of my deepest secret. In fact, I don't recall telling you about Lalah Sun." Char said.
"It was in the old files, sir. Kept and preserved by the Zeon remnants." Gyunsei said.
Char sighed and grabbed the lieutenant's shoulders. "I'm willing to let this go, but do it again..." The unspoken threat made Gyunsei nod his head rapidly. Letting go, the lieutenant exited the room with haste.
Alone, Char leaned back on his chair and savored the silence. Everything was at peace for the moment. He gasped when he felt a tremor in the mental landscape. For a brief moment, there was fear. He dismissed it as a trick on the mind. Delving deep into the mental landscape, he expanded his reach, observing his troops. Turning his gaze on the EFSF fleet, he felt a wave of emotions emanating from the Ra Calium. Determination mixed with the sour tang of fear.
He was snapped from his landscape when the alarms screamed. They were coming to stop Axis. He quickly changed out of his leader uniform and into his orange pilot suit. Descending the elevator, he entered the hangar bay, where the Sazabi sat waiting for him. The head cockpit had been fixed by his long-time mechanic, Arlette Arledge.
Boarding the Haro-like capsule, he sank into his seat and began the pre-launch procedure. Fingers flying over buttons and panels, he received the green light to launch. Bending its knees, the Sazabi's thrusters began to charge up for its catapult launch.
"Char Aznable, Sazabi, launching!" he shouted and pushed the thruster lever to the max. The mobile suit shot out into open space like a cannonball and headed to the no man's land between Axis and the EFSF fleet.
Ahead of Char, he could see Quess and Gyunsei dueling against his archrival. Amuro weaved and dodged the incoming funnels while scoring a hit on the massive Newtype Mobile Armor. He mentally commanded his own funnels to attack Gyunsei's weak spots while defending himself with the rest of the funnels. Four white rectangular funnels flew toward the yellow Jagd Doda and fired at its legs.
Gyunsei dodged at the last moment and recalled his own funnels to defend himself. It became a battle of attrition as they wore each other out. Raising his beam rifle, Char fired at the white Gundam. The shots bounced off the anti-beam coating on the Gundam's shield as Amuro took a good look at the Char's mobile suit. Clipping his beam rifle to his backpack, he whipped out the beam saber and ignited it, a column of pink ionized Minovsky particles contained by an I-field sprouted from the hilt.
Both the Sazabi's and Nu Gundam's beam sabers clashed against each other, producing white light from its intersection point. Breaking the connection, they backed off and launched their respective funnels. A flurry of beam shots filled the empty space between the two mobile suits.
Amuro gritted his teeth as he pushed Char back and fired several shots at the Sazabi. Char easily dodged the shots before he flew back to Axis. Checking the rear camera, Char smiled as Amuro took the bait.
The maze-like interior of Axis would prove to be a challenge for Amuro as he weaved past the sharp corners while chasing his foe. It reminded him of their climactic battle at A Baoa Qu, where he dueled Char in the Zabi's stateroom.
The red blur disappeared from his view as Char rounded another corner. As Amuro flew around the corner, a barrage of beam shots crashed into his shield. Char had deployed his beam funnels to stall Amuro as he retreated outside of Axis.
Amuro blinked his eyes as the glare from the Sun blinded him. He could see the Earth in front of him, its blue oceans and green land masses stared back at him. The Nu Gundam shook as a beam shot hit its back.
Floating several meters above Amuro, the Sazabi had fired a beam shot at its backpack unit, causing it to sputter out for a few seconds. Char charged toward his archrival like a mad bull, his beam ax-sword in his right hand, ready to stab the Nu Gundam's chest.
"Take this!" Amuro shouted and rammed his shield into the right arm's joints. It screeched as the shield made contact with it. He flicked a switch on his control yoke, firing a missile within the shield. The resulting explosion tore off the Sazabi's right arm as it was flung into space.
Char cursed as he flew away from his arch-rival. He couldn't afford to lose any limbs in his battle. The two ace pilots aimed their beam rifles, targeting each other's head unit. Time slowed to a crawl as the pilots prepared to squeeze the trigger.
It was at this moment when both pilots felt a damp chill down their spines. There was a feeling of menace and hatred that stopped them in their tracks. It was menacing and foreboding that the two sides paused their battle, each pilot and officer feeling uneasy.
"Char, what's going on?" Amuro murmured. He recalled his funnels to his backpack, each one straightening themselves. He holstered his beam rifle to his back near the waist, ready to run.
Char didn't answer his arch-rival as he concentrated on the uneasy feeling. Whatever it was, it came in front of the asteroid. He shut out all the external influences and focused on his mental strength. It was faint, but he heard a disembodied voice.
"Who are you? What is your purpose?" he shouted into the mental landscape. The voice answered back. "We are the Sentients, destroyer of worlds."
Char flinched, reeling from the ominous message. "All units retreat immediately. Cease battling and retreat!" he shouted. The Zeon pilots looked around, confused at the order. They didn't know why until it appeared.
Out of nowhere, a gaping purple maw exploded in front of the asteroid. The asteroid's surface trembled as the black hole began pulling the combatants in. Pilots rushed back to their ships as mobile suits rushed inside the hangars to secure them. Ships were turning away from the black hole, their thrusters pushed to the maximum limit as the captains tried to outrun it.
Char buried his beam saber into the rocky surface as the black hole pulled at the Sazabi. The suit rattled violently as Char fought with his controls. There was a rumble and he saw the white Gundam slide down the rocky surface, its right hand outstretched.
Amuro grunted as he grabbed the Sazabi's remaining hand. Pulling the Zeon suit up, he pushed his thrusters to the maximum limit, streaking across the rocky surface. The Federation ace pilot could see the hangar bay in the distance, the refuge from the coming storm.
He gently tossed the wrecked suit into the bay. The Sazabi floated toward the wall, where it bounced off. Meanwhile, The Gundam had steadied itself by planting its feet into the ground. He glanced at Char, who had left his suit and activated the shutters. The shutter gates closed, sealing the room. The emergency air scrubbers roared as it pumped oxygen inside the room.
There was silence before Amuro broke it. Taking off his helmet, he checked the monitor to ensure there was oxygen outside. He pooped the cockpit open and stepped outside. It was stale, but it was still oxygen. Char had taken off his helmet as well and was sipping a water bottle.
"Shall we do a ceasefire for now?" Amuro said as he climbed down the Nu Gundam. "For now. Unless you do something funny" Char said. Amuro nodded to his rival, content with the agreement.
They may hate one another, but if the situation required them to work together, they would grudgingly set aside their differences temporarily.
20 BBY, Lola Sayu, Citadel Prison
Lola Sayu was an unusual planet in the Outer Rim territories. The planet was cracked in half, exposing its dull yellow core of sulfur to space. Craggy granite mountains pierced the purple-reddish skies while rivers of lava churned below. Such a place was inhospitable for colonization, but it was the perfect environment for a prison.
During the Jedi Order's long reign of peace, they constructed a special prison on the planet to contain its rogue followers, who would languish there until they repented. Those that resisted were subjected to unspeakable torture until they died.
Currently, the prison was controlled by the Separatist warden Osi Sobeck, who relished breaking down any captured Jedi. He would watch the interrogation droid stab the prisoner with a sharp lancet, smiling to himself. The sight of the Jedi begging for mercy was a fantasy he wished was reality. Unfortunately, they were stubborn to the bone, refusing to give up their secrets.
Standing in front of several monitors, Osi shook his head at the incompetent blockade that was being torn to pieces by the Republic fleet. He had expected too much from K2-B4, the T-series tactical droid who was his second-in-command.
"Sir, we found them" a droid commander behind him reported. He whirled around to face the droid and shook its shoulders.
"Where are they?" he shouted at the helpless droid. The droid commander stabbed a button on the console, which displayed the Jedi rescue team's position. Apparently, they were on an island in the middle of a lava lake.
He smiled at the display and snapped his fingers. "Deploy the commando squads to the location. I will be coming as well." The droid commander saluted Osi and carried out his order.
Jedi Master Even Piell felt he was having a heart attack. The tightness in his chest didn't let go as a wave of fatigue threatened to overcome him. He collapsed on the rocky floor, gasping for air. His vision was blurry but he recognized Ahsoka's figure as she helped him to his feet.
"Master Piell, Master Piell! Are you alright?" she asked, her eyes widening at his pale face. The Togruta checked over his body, finding no wounds on him.
"I… I'm f-fine" he stuttered aloud. The tightness slowly disappeared and he took deep breaths to steady himself. He stared at the dead hunting dog, its neck crushed by the Force. He hadn't meant to do that. He had been distracted by the crab droid attacking him when he felt a chill behind him. Piell turned around in a split second to find a giant wolf launching itself at him, its yellow fangs glistening in the light of the lava.
He was terrified and shocked by its appearance. He raised his hand at the wolf, willing the Force to push it away from him. But the wolf was too close to him. Time slowed to a crawl as Piell silently screamed for help. In desperation, he clenched his fist.
The effect was instantaneous as the wolf's neck was crushed by an invisible and mighty hand. Its eyes bulged out of its sockets and its pink tongue rolled out of its mouth. The corpse sailed past Even and landed on the floor, splayed out on all four feet.
The Jedi quickly scrambled to the floor, shocked at his actions. It was necessary that he survive for he had crucial information on the Nexus Route, an unknown and unexploited hyperlane network. He had to tell the Council where it was located and which planets it led to.
Dusting off his brown robes, he nodded at the worried Ahsoka. She was relieved that he was still alive. Now, they just needed to wait for the others to arrive. It wasn't long before Obi-Wan and the others arrived on the island.
"How long till they get here?" Anakin asked as he clipped his lightsaber to his belt. "A few more minutes," Obi-Wan said, sitting down. He wiped the sweat from his forehead, grimacing at the heat.
The wails of STAP machines caught their attention as the weary rescue team picked themselves up. Clone troopers and officers raised their blasters at the coming noise while the Jedi ignited their lightsabers.
Both Rex and Cody could make out the tiny forms piloting the STAPs coming closer. They tightened their grip on their blasters, waiting for the right opportunity. Looking through the binoculars, Captain Wilhuff Tarkin could see the smug grin on the warden's face. Hanging the binocular's straps around his neck, he walked to the edge of the island and aimed his blaster at the warden's STAP. His hands shook as he tried to aim at the machine.
Tarkin blinked his eyes to keep the sweat from blinding him. He wiped it away from his forehead and steadied his shot. It was closer now, the STAP's repulsor engine cresting above the lava river.
He moved the barrel just above the warden's head, waited, and fired. The blue bolt of energy arced over the river, flying straight into the warden's forehead. A blue hole sizzled between Osi's eyes and he fell off his STAP, the lava consuming his corpse as it slowly sank into the river.
"Good shot, Captain" Rex remarked, patting Tarkin's shoulder. The officer couldn't believe it himself. Somehow, he managed to kill the warden at a long distance. "I was just lucky, Captain Rex," he said and re-holstered the pistol.
The remaining STAPs paused momentarily, floating over the spot where their commander died. After two seconds, the droid lieutenant pointed his fingers at the rescue team. The droid squad never made it to the rescue team as photon missiles vaporized them to scrap metal. Two Jedi starfighters circled above the rescue team and maintained a defense perimeter as a modified LAAT gunship landed on the island. The glaring light from the searchlights dimmed to reveal a masked figure standing inside the gunship.
Master Plo Koon beckoned the team to hurry inside and they clambered on to the gunship. "What took you so long, old friend?" Piell asked as Plo Koon shook his hand. "The space battle is still ongoing, Master Piell. You might want to hang on to something." Plo Koon replied as the door slid shut.
The Kel Dor Jedi master rapped his knuckles on the wall, signaling the pilot to leave. The gunship rose into the air before gunning the engines to space. The two Delta 7B starfighters flew past the gunship, prepared to intercept enemy starfighters.
"Admiral Coburn, we have secured the VIP. Recall our fighters and get us out of here!" Plo Koon ordered. "Yes, sir. I will see you aboard." Coburn replied and the transmission was cut. The two starfighters broke their formation as the pilots returned to their respective vessels. The gunship descended into the Triumphant's hangar bay, Plo Koon's command ship.
The team stretched their arms, tired from the fighting and pent-up stress. A clone medic scanned Piell to check his condition. The lights in the hangar bay suddenly flickered, momentarily leaving everyone in darkness. Slowly, the lights turned back on.
"Power surge issues, Plo Koon?" Anakin teased the Kel Dor master. Plo Koon shook his head, looking around the hangar bay. "This is the first time I've seen something like this," he said worriedly. Striding toward a comm console, he contacted the command bridge.
"Admiral Coburn, status report" he demanded. "Sir, our sensors are detecting a multitude of signals. Sensor team is swamped at the moment, but they claim it's consistent with a gravitational well."
Coburn's statement was confirmed by a series of metallic groans and pops as the superstructure strained under the influence of the gravity well. Plo Koon gripped the console until it subsided. Once it subsided, he nodded at his fellow Jedi. They had to see how bad the situation was.
Entering the command bridge, the external bridge windows were crowded with clone officers hugging it. Standing at the holotable, Admiral Coburn stooped over the image and shook his head.
Plo Koon paused to steel himself before he glided toward the admiral. "How bad is it, Admiral?" he asked. Coburn turned to face the Kel Dor, his brown eyes filled with fear.
"It's bad, General. The chances of this happening to us is too slim" he said. The crowd moved away from the window as the officers returned to their console stations. The Jedi rescue team stared at the monstrosity that was trapping the fleet.
The black hole singularity was a pitch-black bottomless space-time sphere floating several kilometers away from the fleet. The Jedi could feel the black hole dragging the ships inside it. There was a constant tug in the Force as if it was being pulled inside.
"So what do we do now, Master?" Ahsoka asked. Anakin stared at the black hole, trying to think of solutions. All of these solutions could work, but he didn't have time to implement them. He turned to face Obi-Wan, whose face was grim.
"Contact the Jedi Temple and inform them we have a major problem," Obi-Wan said softly and Anakin nodded, heading off to the holoprojector.
Minutes later, the faces of Master Yoda, Master Windu, and Chancellor Palpatine filled the holoprojector as they were informed of the fleet's dilemma. The creases on Yoda's face grew deeper as he meditated, looking for an answer in the Force. For Mace Windu, he was more than concerned about the situation. In fact, he felt a bit terrified for his fellow Jedi. His eyes widened at the sight of the black hole as it pulled the vessels inside.
Like his Jedi counterparts, Chancellor Palpatine was terrified by the dilemma. His hands trembled when he saw the fleet's position near the black hole. But inside his calm demeanor, Darth Sidious was raging. He had carefully set certain battles that would eliminate the Jedi one by one. It was a fluke that would unravel his plan to destroy the ancient Galactic Republic.
"Are you sure you can't escape it?" Mace Windu asked, his brown hands steepled together. Admiral Coburn nodded.
"If the Separatists learn of our situation, they will wipe us out. We need reinforcements, Chancellor." Kit Fisto said.
"I understand, Master Fisto. They will be sent to your position as soon as possible. In the meantime, inform your fleets of the situation. May the Force be with you." Palpatine sternly said and his hologram disappeared from the board. Minutes later, Mace Windu excused himself from the meeting, leaving Yoda as the last person in the meeting.
Yoda sighed deeply and shook his head. He had searched deeply through the Force and the Force had no answers for him. The only thing he could do was give a bit of inspirational wisdom.
"Do not be afraid. Trust in the Force to guide and protect you." he somberly said and bowed to the stranded Jedi. The Jedi bowed back to their grandmaster before Yoda disconnected.
The room was still and silent before it was broken by Ahsoka, who tentatively spoke up. "Should we call our fleet here, Master?" she asked nervously. Anakin had covered his face with his hands, deliberating on that question.
"I don't think that would be a good idea, Ahsoka," he said, crossing his arms. As much as he wanted his own personal fleet to be here, it would be stupid to trap more ships inside the gravity well. At the very least, he should inform Admiral Yularen and update their progress every hour.
He and Ahsoka retreated to a private conference room to contact the admiral. Like the others, he was shocked and bewildered at the Jedi's predicament. To Yularen's surprise, Anakin exhibited some caution when he offered to travel to the rescue fleet. Instead, the Jedi general would provide hourly updates to their situation.
"Very well, General. I will await your orders." Yularen said and disconnected from the meeting.
Anakin rubbed his eyes and noticed his disheveled state. "Why don't we get some sleep, Ahsoka? We've been at this for a while now," he said. Noticing how tired she was, she nodded wordlessly and left the conference room.
As she climbed into the bed, her eyelids dropped for a second. "Maybe Skyguy can solve this and we can go home. I mean, he's great with machines." she thought before she succumbed to sleep.
"I have a vital task for you, Grievous."
The cyborg warrior raised his head at the blue holographic image of Count Dooku. For a while now, he has been forced to command his forces aboard the Invisible Hand, a vessel he found unworthy as his flagship.
"What do you wish me to do?" he rasped at the hologram. Dooku smiled at him and the appearance of a familiar ship jolted Grievous to life.
"Recently, our friends have made two of these ships. One of them will be yours again, the other will belong to General Trench."
Grievous scowled at the name of Trench being mentioned. He didn't like it when someone was trying to interfere with his plans.
"The Jedi rescue team has succeeded the prisoner. However, it appears they have been trapped by a black hole. Destroy them before they call for reinforcements. If they try to enter the black hole, follow them, and finish your mission."
As Dooku paused before he disconnected. "Additionally, Ventress will join you aboard your new flagship. I expect the two of you to work together. If any of them return alive…"
The unspoken threat was enough to subdue the cyborg, who nodded toward Dooku. Satisfied, the count flashed a grim smile at Grievous and disconnected.
The jolt of heavy laser fire woke the Padawan up. She was still groggy from her awakened state when another jolt made her fall down on the metal floor. The metallic taste of blood filled her mouth as she got up on her knees. Looking at a mirror, her bottom lip had split open a little bit. She dabbed at the wound with a white cloth dipped in water.
Clipping her lightsabers to her belt, she checked the time on the clock. At least ten hours had passed since their dilemma began. Her door slid open to reveal Captain Rex waiting outside.
"What happened, Rex? Did they find us?" she asked. The clone captain nodded and they walked down the corridor.
"Six hours ago, a Separatist frigate arrived at the prison to investigate the loss of contact. The moment they exited hyperspace, they got stuck in the gravity well too. The problem is that they are off our port bow, so they got a clear shot at us. Heck, they probably called for reinforcements!" Rex added as they entered the bridge, which was a flurry of activity. Officers and gunners were at their stations, trying to protect and monitor the ship's status.
"Target the batteries!" Coburn shouted and the gunners executed his orders. The no man's land between the frigate star destroyer was filled with crimson and emerald shots aimed at each other.
Meanwhile, the holotable was occupied by Anakin and Plo Koon, who was watching the battle's progress. Neither side had attempted to deploy their starfighter corps due to their proximity with the black hole.
"Sir, Skywalker's and Kenobi's fleet have arrived." a sensors officer reported. Anakin tapped the console to speak with Yularen. He quickly relayed his orders to Yularen, ordering the Resolute to target the frigate's exposed stern. Kenobi's fleet would guard the rescue fleet's starboard side.
The Separatist's frigate was in its death throes as explosions rocked the ship to pieces. One final explosion in its midsection sealed its fate as it was split in half. The crew officers silently watched as the destroyed frigate drifted toward the black hole.
"Anything coming out of hyperspace?" Plo Koon asked his admiral. Coburn shook his head as he checked the latest update. "Nothing sir. But, they will be coming here soon. Our reinforcements have arrived, sir."
Lurching from hyperspace, an assortment of Republic starships flew in a tight formation. Arquitens, Charger c70s, and CR90s formed a defensive circle around their more heavily armed but slower cousins, the Accalmators and Venator-class Star Destroyers. Casting an arrow-shaped shadow over them was the gigantic Maelstrom-class battlecruiser.
It was an impressive battle group that would have terrified any Separatist fleet if they weren't stuck in their predicament. Right now, they were nothing but easy pickings for the Separatists.
"Sir, I'm receiving transmissions from the rescue fleet. Jedi General Jarrus Deht, Luminara Unduli, Ki-Adi-Mundi, and Commander Barriss are here." Kenobi frowned when he heard the names. Why send more Jedi to their deaths?
The alarm klaxons rang as the sensors detected multiple ships dropping from hyperspace. Several Providence-class and Lucrehulk-class vessels appeared behind the Republic fleet and began firing at the troop transports. Emerald bolts fell upon the translucent shields on the Accalmators as they tried to fire back.
"Additional Separatist ships have arrived, sir." a sensor console officer as he checked their hyperdrive signature. He scrolled through the database until the computer found a corresponding match. The blinking image of the ship caused him to drop his jaw.
"That's impossible.." he murmured. The clone sensor officer refreshed the database to make sure it wasn't a fluke. It came back with the same result and the officer called for the admiral.
Admiral Coburn jumped down into the cramped floor and hovered over the sensor officer's shoulder. He tapped the screen with his finger and looked at the officer. "Are you sure, officer?" he said. The officer nodded his head and sighed heavily. On the screen was a two-dimensional figure of a Separatist ship. It looked like a meaner version of the Providence-class ship, with more turrets and batteries. But its most distinct feature was a disk-shaped protrusion in its center.
Climbing back to the bridge floor, he pulled Master Pel Koon to the holotable. Pel Koon said nothing when the bald admiral presented the hologram to him. His shoulder sagged slightly and the creases on his face grew deeper. It was evident that the Jedi was depressed.
Pel Koon's memory of losing his first fleet flashed across his eyes. He suppressed a shudder when he saw the giant circular shockwave of ion energy rushing toward his fleet.
"Make a fleet-wide broadcast and tell the captains to follow me. We're going through the black hole."
Coburn gaped at Plo Koon in disbelief. "You can't be serious, sir" he whispered.
"I meant what I said, admiral. We don't have a choice. Now, carry it out." Plo Koon walked away to confer with the rest of the Jedi.
The order was carried out immediately and the pilots steered the Triumphant into the black hole. The others followed the command ship without a word as their shields flared from the oncoming Separatist barrage.
Aboard the newly-constructed Maleficent, Grievous' eyes twitched as he watched the Republic fleet enter the black hole. He pointed at the black hole and issued his command.
"Follow them at all costs."
Maccrage was free at last. The last heretic ship had been blown apart by the Ultramar Auxilia fleet as it fled for safety. The auxilia commander had voxed their report to Marneus Calgar, who delivered the news to him. Lord Gulliman nodded at the Chapter Master, pleased to hear his month-long campaign was over.
With the planet freed of its Chaos taint, they could focus on building up their forces for retaking the Ultramar system. He remembered Calgar telling him that the main fleet had arrived at the Taratella system. There were reports of both Chaos and Ork incursions on the planet.
Rising from his throne, he took a moment to collect his thoughts. After cleansing Iax of the virus bomb's deadly effects, the Ultramarines and their forces returned to their home planet to resupply and repair their ships. They swore to free the remaining planets from the clutches of the Chaos Marines. The chapter split apart to form their vengeance campaigns and departed to their destinations. The only Ultramarine company that did not join their brethren was the Chapter's veteran Marines. During the battle on Iax, they had sustained several injuries and many were unable to join the following vengeance campaigns.
The sunlight warmed his face as he inhaled the sweet mountain air. While he understood the need to press their advantage, even he needed a respite from the raging war. The primarch closed his eyes, letting the breeze ruffle his hair. But the respite was over when there was a thunderous sound from the heavens. In an instant, he drew from its scabbard the golden blade that held the Emperor's psychic essence. His eyes flickered, trying to find the enemy. Gulliman gazed skyward and nearly dropped the sword.
Hovering over the planet was the gigantic mouth of a black hole, the pitch-balck maw widening every moment. It covered the sky, turning day into night within seconds. Across the planet, the citizens gasped in surprise. They cried out, dropping to their knees and praying fervently.
In space, the crewmen crowded at the glass windows, marvelling at the size of the tear. A flash of light blinded them as they covered their eyes. When the flash faded away, Macragge's surface was covered by a thin film of violet energy. Confusion abounded in all the ships as they tried to contact the ground forces on Macragge. None of their hails, psychic and non-psychic, reached their brethren.
As the humans scrambled to call for aid, the Warp was in turmoil. The flowing stream of energy churned ferociously and the demons howled, craving for flesh and blood. The Chaos Gods had temporarily put aside their enmity and probed the mysterious rift, poking it with tendrils of energy. They knew it was an alien portal, but they did not know where it led to. If there was another world that did not know the glory of Chaos, the Gods would send their heralds through the portal. The problem was which God was going to do so.
Their arguments developed into a messy fight between the four entities, causing the Warp rage furiously with each clash. Dipping his hands into the black cauldron pot, Nurgle threw the foul liquid at the crimson-skinned Khorne, who simply slashed at it with his bone sword. Meanwhile, Slaanesh dodged a deadly swipe from the Architect of Fate, Tzeentch.
Meanwhile, the Emperor of Mankind was making his move. For ten thousand years, he watched his empire crumble slowly as it was besieged by all sides. Time and time again, mankind struggled to survive, barely escaping its dark fate. He had tried to help by empowering certain people to become his Living Saints or sending impending visions of the future to psykers. His efforts often led to mixed results.
But now, there was a chance he was able to do something for his people. For the first time, the Chaos Gods were distracted; their baleful gaze turned at the extradimensional rift above Macragge. Gathering the immense psychic energy he had stored for centuries, the Emperor concentrated on sending ethereal clouds of energy across the galaxy. When the clouds clustered above the planets, the Emperor raised his clenched fist above his head and howled with rage. His wrath, shaped into massive lightning bolts, descended from the heavens to smite his foes.
The day he fell upon his hated foes was known as the Day of Vengeance. On every world, soldiers of the Imperium recalled the sky erupting on fire and lances of lights spearing the demons and xenos to oblivion. They were turned to dust, their souls cast into the same abyss Horus's soul resides. Lost heroes and ships were blasted out of the Immaterium, adrift on unknown planets or regions of space.
On Macragge, the Emperor's sword given to Gulliman shined brightly, engulfing those in its vicinity. Gulliman blinked his eyes, the light slowly fading. In the distance, he could see the silhouette of a man coming closer to him. The crushing pressure emanating from the Emperor made him gasp for breath. The atmosphere was much more intense here compared to the time in the Golden Throne.
When the smoke cleared and the fires extinguished, he spoke to them telepathically. Their eyes skyward, humanity listened to his message.
"Children of the Imperium, heed my words carefully…"
The Emperor spoke about this new threat to the Imperium, that it would consume them. He spoke of Macragge being dragged into a portal that led to an unknown world and that Chaos had set their eyes on it. He did not know where or what laid beyond, but he knew both Macragge and the world beyond would be defenseless against the forces of Chaos. So, he ordered selected Imperial forces to travel to Macragge and defend it until they returned home.
His voice faltering and growing hoarse, the Emperor shut off the telepathic connection and retreated further into the endless corridors of the Warp.
They came in waves of ships, pouring out of the Warp. Battle Barges and Strike Cruisers of various Space Marine Chapters flew together in packs, while the Imperial Navy's Battlefleets were spread apart. Five fabled Ark Mechanicus of Martian fame joined the growing convoy, led by Archmagos Cawl. In the fleet, there were representatives from every faction, from the Adeptus Custodes to Collegia Titan. Above the planet was the warp-capable star-fort Galatan.
On Macragge, the Victrix Guards were teleported back to the ground. Many were groaning in pain, unable to process what had happened to them. Cato Sicarius shook his head and looked around. He quickly stood up, turning around to look for the primarch.
The primarch was nowhere to be seen.
Gulliman stood in front of the Emperor's silhouette. His flickering body was covered in darkness, save his eyes, which shone like stars. "Why are you here, father?" Gulliman asked. He flinched when a booming voice answered him.
"To grant you a gift." the Emperor said. Raising his hand, he placed it on top of the primarch's head. Searing, hot pain flooded Gulliman's body as he cried out. It felt as if everything in his body was burning, melting away into a puddle of blood and gore.
"You are the embodiment of me. You have my strength, wisdom, charisma, and many more. But, you also bear my weakness. It is that weakness I intend to correct with my gift."
The pain vanished as Gulliman's eyes became glazed and milky. He found himself floating in space, surrounded by many Imperial ships. He felt a tug at his chest as he was pulled into the maw. His body flew through the portal, the dark winding tunnels streaking past him with blinding speed. There was the crackle of lightning and deafening boom of thunder when he exited the rift.
The primarch found himself standing in a long hallway. Everything around him was obscured changing shades of grey. But the person in front of him was not affected.
He had a pear-shaped head and a small leaf-shaped faceplate. Black diamond-shaped armor covered his body. On his chest was the insignia of an eagle spreading its wing upward. A shield covered its chest while a globe sat underneath it. A pair of revolvers were attached to his thighs, his left hand resting on the pommel of his sword.
Gulliman leaned forward to decipher the words on the shield, but his vision went black. When he regained his senses, he was back at the same spot as before. The Emperor's shadowy figure towered over him, but Gulliman could tell he was tired. His posture was slumping forward, his breathing ragged.
"Describe to me what you saw" the Emperor commanded.
Gulliman exhaled slowly, calming himself before he spoke of his vision. He told him about the strange figure that stood in front of him, describing his armor and weapons. The Emperor nodded his head, "It appears my gift has worked well."
Gulliman was confused as why his father gave him the power of foresight. He knew how it affected Sanguinius when the vision came. They always came at inopportune times, catching the Great Angel unaware. Even when he was pressed by others about the vision and its meaning, his brother did not know its meaning.
"My time grows short, son. Protect Macragge and return to me alive." With a flash, the primarch returned to the real world. Clutching his chest, he wheezed and gasped for air. He saw Cato Sicarius rush to him, carefully moving him to a sitting position.
"Are you alright, my lord?" Cato asked. Gulliman nodded his head, grunting weakly. "Let us return to the shrine."
Away from Maccragge, the four Chaos Gods were seething with rage. In their midst, the Anathema had attacked them. Their forces were depleted and their powers temporarily weakened. They had not suffered this setback since Horus's death. The massive human fleet did not go unnoticed and they decided to assemble their own fleet. The problem of appointing a leader was avoided when they called forth Abbadon.
The champion of Chaos Undivided bowed his head to the four gods sitting above him. Behind him were the traitor Primarchs.
"What is your command?" he asked.
"Follow them into the rift and kill them all!" Khorne shouted from his throne, pounding his fist on the giant skull serving as his armrest.
"Killing them is important, but spreading our power is equally important, Khorne" Tzeentch admonished. Khorne growled and raised his sword at him.
"Yes, that I agree with," Nurgle said as he stirred his cauldron. Slaanesh hissed in approval as he reclined on his seat. "In that case, I will take my fleet and follow them." Abaddon relished the dream of tearing apart the resurrected primarch limb by limb.
"We will allow you to use your fleet on one condition." Horus spun on his feet, scowling at the gods.
"Do not use the Blackstone Fortress as a last-resort weapon." Slaanesh warned. Horus remembered crashing the fortress into Cadia, destroying the planet. It's destruction led to the expansion of Chaos space, cutting the Imperium in half. But the alien fortresses were few in number. Wasting a vital resource was unacceptable for the Chaos Gods.
"I promise, my lords." With a bow, he teleported back to his flagship, the Vengeful Spirit. Elements of the Black Fleet had left already the rendezous point, pursuing the Imperial fleet. Pointing forward, he telepathically ordered his ships to follow the fleet.
Author's Notes
As I said in my previous AN, it's crossover time! The following chapters will be from different perspectives, but they will meet one another in some way.
As always, I look forward to your reviews and suggestions. TPT out