-Chapter 51-
-War World-
-Aleksander Bridge-
Admiral Dugalle watched on the display screens as one of the distant enemy ships seemingly exploded on its own.
"One of the remaining enemy ships that were producing the damaging field effect has exploded sir." reported a crewman.
Sternly but happily Dugalle smirked for a brief moment.
"That leaves one remaining. To all ships focus fire on the designated enemy ship."
The Terran fleet opened fire on the Tal'darim ships. Particle cannons flashed. Missiles streaked and MAC-cannons roared through the void. The Tal'darim replied in kind continually firing crimson beams and unleashing Interceptor drones upon the Terrans. The scales however had tipped against the Tal'darim and before long their fleet lay in ruins, just debris and broken ships drifting through space and the last Rip-field generator ship destroyed.
"The majority of the enemy fleets had been destroyed." Dugalle stated watching the displays. "That just leaves the enemies main fleet. Reorganize the fleet and prepare for the final assault on the Tal'darim forces."
"Yes admiral."
-Inside the World-Ship-
Selvaria walked through a corridor carrying the two Keystone fragments behind her.
"The Terran Intruder!" yelled a Zealot.
Selvaria raised her eyes as several Tal'darim charged at her. One in back, a Ascendant, prepared a psionic attack while the Zealots charged at her bane-blades ignited. Her heart still shaken from the deaths of her team, who she had spent years training left her with no mercy for anyone standing in her way. Pointing her lance down the corridor she discharged a full blast of its energy. The beam cut through the corridor making everything disappear. When the smoke cleared the corridor was molten hot with a large blast hole in the wall at the end of the corridor. Selvaria casually continued on her way.
-Tal'darim Main Fleet-
Sylock slammed his fist onto the hand rest of his chair in frustration. Significant damage had been inflicted on the Terran fleet but at the cost of all four of the Rip-field generator ships and the last of the secondary fleets leaving the main fleet and World-ship wide open to attack.
"If the damned Terrans want to come so badly then let them come. Activate the World-ships Rip-field generators."
The order was given and relayed to the facilities on the World-ship. The Rip-field generators hummed to life producing a massive barrier of deadly energy around the massive moon sized vessel.
"Now let them come." Sylock spoke with confidence.
"Master Sylock I have grave news." stated a Supplicant.
"What is it? and speak swiftly."
"The High Ascendant Nyon is dead. And the Key stones have been taken by a Terran infiltration team. Most of the Terrans were killed but one still eludes capture and is even now fighting our security teams on the World-ship."
"What?" Sylock exclaimed shocked by the news.
The shock of a Terran infiltration team some how getting on the World ship some how, greatly surprised Sylock. Thinking back he remembered the random detonation of one of his Rip-field ships and put two and two together. Realizing the Terrans had gotten onboard his ships somehow.
"Mmm. The Terrans are more cunning then I gave them credit for. Regardless of how they got onboard one of our ships they must have used our own teleport network to arrive on the World-ship. Shut down the teleportation network on the World-ship and trap them."
-Terran Fleet-
Dugalle saw on his display screens (now adapted to show sensor data of the Rip-fields) that a massive Rip-field began expanding across the World-ship its self. But upon closer inspection He saw that the rip-fields actually only covered most of the ships surface not all, leaving small gaps too small for a ship but drop pods for infiltration teams maybe? No that wouldn't work. It would take the combined fleets full ground attack forces to secure even a portion of the world-ship. Dugalle brain- stormed ideas for a while but no matter how he did the math the best solution was to charge in and destroy the enemies damaging energy field emitters. But that would cause the loss of a good majority of the rest of the tri alliance-fleet. Unless they suddenly obtained energy shielding for their ships to resist the damaging energy field. It would take multiple powerful psionic users to create a shield that big and the only ones of sufficient numbers and power to do that were the Moebius foundations Hybrids. With a resigned sigh Dugalle opened a line to the Moebius foundation. Better to owe a favor then lose lives.
-Skygeirr Platform-
Narud finished up his work for the day and stood up walking to the door to leave his office when his secretary contacted him on the intercom.
"Sir I have a urgent call coming in from Admiral Dugalle."
Narud gave a barely visible smirk knowing what it could possibly be about. He walked back to his desk and opened the come line showing the admirals face on the display.
"Hello admiral Dugalle this is Narud. What is it that you wanted to talk about?"
"Unfortunately i'm pressed for time Narud so we'll have to cut the pleasantries short i'm afraid. I'm in need of your Hybrids. Specifically enough to produce energy shields around my ships."
Narud gave a confident puff of his chest as he gave a thoughtful hum.
"I'll save the questions regarding your situation for later. I can provide up to ten Hybrids on short notice but we unfortunately don't have anymore completed and ready for combat at the moment dew to the recent purchase of both Umoja and the Kel-morian's which had depleted our ready stock at the moment."
Dugalle audibly sighed.
"Very well. I have a question. How many of these Hybrids would be needed to create a shield around a cruiser?"
Narud thought a moment stroking his chin as he did the math.
"I believe it would take up to three Hybrids to create a shield of the size required."
"I understand. I'll wire the money to you later."
"Now now Dugalle business deals can be made on more then monetary gain."
Dugalle some what taken a back raised a eye brow at this method of business.
"If not money then what do you want?"
"I recently heard that one of your asteroid colony ships had been all but destroyed when the Zerg attacked your fleet recently. It would take considerable time and resources to restore but I believe the Moebius foundation could make use of such a ship. For a reduced cost to your purchase of the Hybrids."
"Very well then. Its yours."
"Pleasure doing business with you admiral." Narud sing-songed.
-World-Ship-
A explosion ripped through multiple walls leaving dozens of Zealots bodies and body parts scattered along the ground. Selvaria walked over them as the atmosphere began being sucked out. She stopped.
"Now their trying to kill me by pumping the air out. The Tal'darim are certainly becoming creative now that they know they can't match me in combat. Too bad for them im part Zerg so I don't need to breath that badly." Selvaria bit her lower lip realizing she's relying on That side of her nature to survive. "I may not like it but it would be stupid to complain about it now."
Sucking in her pride Selvaria continued moving towards the outside of the World-ship. After wandering for what seemed like a half a hour she came across a alien terminal. She tried using it but she couldn't make heads or tails of the language displayed. She sighed feeling the lose of her team and their diverse set of skills.
"Having trouble?" a gentle inquisitive voice stated.
Selvarias eyes shot open and her heart started pumping harder as she recognized the voice as The Light.
"I... I thought you couldn't contact me on this side of the vale?" Selvaria questioned in surprise.
The soft unisex voice laughed.
"I am but a fragment imparted to you. I have been waiting for you to require my aide. I have knowledge of this vessel. Let me impart the required knowledge so that you may understand the words of this vessel."
"Um yes. That would help."
In a rush of surging pain knowledge of the forerunner language was transcribed onto Selvaria's mind allowing her to understand the text before her. Shaking off the pain and fatigue of the info-dump Selvaria again looked at the text on the terminal. This time she fully understood the meanings of the text allowing her to scroll through the displays to a map screen.
"There's the exit. But It seems that they activated the rip-fields and turned the teleportation network on the World-ship off. Without a ship im screwed."
Selvaria thought the situation over as she and scrolled through the World-ships map coming up to the Tal'darims main and final fleet now orbiting close to the World-ship. A solution to her problems formed in her mind and she quickly made use of the World-ships own teleportation system separate from the Tal'darims. She disappeared in a flash of light.
-Aleksander-
Dugalle watched as the Moebius foundation ship arrived with the Hybrids. They were swiftly transferred to three cruisers along with a special cargo Selvaria her self had brought but as of yet had not used.
"Are you sure about this plan sir?" asked a officer typing away at their terminal.
Admiral Dugalle standing by the display window scoffed.
"I was not aware that a commissioned officer and a Lieutenant no less could question a admiral."
The Lt. stammered.
"Ugh sorry sir. I didn't mean anything by it."
Dugalle turned from the display window returning to his command seat.
"It's fine Lieutenant. Sending the cargo along with the ships seems reckless considering its contents. But I have faith that Selvaria is alive and will find her way to it."
"Right sir" the lieutenant replied as he read a statues report. "The Hybrids and their handlers are in position on the ships."
"Very well then launch the assault team." the admiral replied.
The three heavy cruisers with the Hybrids departed launching towards the World-ship with the Hybrids and their handlers on board. Almost casually they approached the World-ship nearing the Rip-fields area of effect. Then in unison the Hybrids formed psionic barriers over the ships allowing them to enter the rip-field unscathed.
-Main Tal'darim Fleet-
Sylock watched as the three Terran ships entered the range of the rip-fields area of effect with seemingly no damage.
"Their producing a psionic barriers?" Sylock questioned some what confused.
If they had such a ability then why didn't they used it eariler He wondered.
"No matter. Turn them into scrap."
At Sylock's order the main Tal'darim fleet deployed five battle-ships to engage the smaller Terran force. In minutes the three ships found themselves out numbered and out gunned by the five enemy battleships. But despite the danger they held strong by the grace of the Hybrids powerful shields. But strong they may be they would fail eventually which was where the second part of the mission came in.
-Worldship, Outer Hanger-
Appearing in a flash of light Selvaria opened her eyes blinking from the disorienting transition. Surveying her surroundings Selvaria found herself in a large expansive hanger that was large enough to be at least a few kilometers long at least one kilometer high and three deep.
"Big!" she commented, her voice echoing.
Focusing on any structure or opening She soon spotted a building along the wall almost a mile high. In a burst of speed Selvaria dashed across the flat floor of the chamber quickly crossing the distance and leaped into the air boosted by her own telekinetic force. She landed on the structures balcony producing a considerable echo. Inside the structure the walls glowed before projecting a variety of control panels and displays. Typing away on the holo-controls Selvaria open a com channel with the Terran fleet.
"Selvaria to Admiral Dugalle. Selvaria to admiral Dugalle come in."
A few seconds pass. The wall display changes showing the Admiral on the bridge of the Aleksander.
"Ah there you are. How's the mission going?" Dugalle questioned.
Dropping her head a moment as the shame of letting her team mates die hit her Selvaria sighed a second before turning back to the display.
"I have the Keystone fragments. But my team was wiped out. Im currently at a hanger on the outer shell of the World-ship awaiting pickup."
Dugalle hesitated taking the report in.
"Im sorry for your... team. Losing them was a blow to our fighting forces and Morale. At this moment the enemy has deployed a damaging energy field across majority of the World-ship limiting our fleets movement and approach vectors. But I've already sent a small force of three ships to destroy the emitters that produce these damaging energy fields. Also one of these ships is carrying the special cargo that you had brought on our expedition."
"Really. I could use IT right about now."
"The ships are currently engaged in battle with five Tal-darim battleships. Their holding out, for now, but it's only a matter of time till they fold."
"Understood Admiral Dugalle."
Selvaria using the terminals connection to the sensors brought up a image of the battle. Hundreds of miles away five Tal'darim battle-ships were pounding three UNSC ships as they drew closer to the World-ship. Selvaria was surprised to see that the three ships had psionic barriers up but instantly knew why when the Hybrids life signature appeared on the display.
"Seems Dugalle finally gave into Narud." she muttered.
Selvarias hands danced along the controls bringing up the cargo of the three ships. She quickly found her cargo and with a few control inputs teleported it to her location. A loud thud echoed from the hanger floor below drawing her attention. Returning to the balcony she spotted a large cargo container far below. Hopping down she landed softly walking to the giant container.
"It's been a long time hasn't it." she says as if talking to a old friend.
Touching a panel she opened a hidden compartment along the containers hull pressing a button inside. Humming to life the giant container's hull opened splitting into three segments on top revealing a M.S.(mobile suite) unit. With the Keystones she hoped onto the humanoid robots upper chest and activated a hidden button. Several armor plates folded back revealing the cockpit. Hopping in Selvaria placed her hands on the pure Ragnite control sphere's. They glowed reacting to her psionic energy activating the whole mecha. The Mobile suits eyes flashed a moment as they glowed while the cockpits armor plating closed back over the cockpit and the displays activated showing a 360 degree view of the outside. A HUD appeared superimposed on the displays showing the M.S.'s name 'Heavens Blade'.
"Ok lets get out of here. I've been itching to use Heavens blade in real combat and now's the time."
Raising one hand Heavens blade lifted its self out of the cargo container standing up. The mecha looked like a more advanced version of the G-Zero mobile-suite that Selvaria had created with her friends all those years ago. Heavens blade how ever had a series of extra Ragnite plating scattered across the matted gray frame.
"Activating barrier psi-skin."
A flowing golden color covered the Heavens blade making it mostly golden in color. Then the back pack unfolded deploying a pair of expanding wings and two extra Ragnite cores that attached to the lower sides of the upper back just below and to the left and right sides of the main Ragnite core reactor. Reaching to the inner side of the cargo containers opened doors the Heavens blade pulled out a short lance along with a round shield on the other container door.
Heavens blade turned around looking to the massive wall or rather door that blocked her escape.
"Right I for got to open the door."
With a burst from its thrusters the Heavens blade boosted up to the control terminal and took a autopiloted hovering position. Selvaria hoped out of the cockpit and hit the door controls before quickly returning to the Heavens blade. Moments later the massive door to the hanger slowly slid open. Selvaria boosted over to the opening waiting for the gap to widen enough for her to fly out. Finally outside Selvaria made a bee line for the closest UNSC ships that had brought the the Heavens blade to her. And like she had predicted the Tal'darim ships are completely focused on them leaving themselves wide open for a ambush attack from behind.
Aiming the Heavens blade's lance the weapon expanded elongating to over twice its initial size. Energy lines started forming across the lance gathering at the tip becoming a orb of highly compressed psionic energy. Then all at once the energy was released projecting a beam towards the Tal'darim ships. Shooting through the void with a spiral wake of tail like lines the beam struck one ships rear engines piercing right through the shields and tearing into the hull. Secondary explosions ripped multiple holes through the ships rear compartments cutting power to the weapons as the ship went silent and drifted. The other ships quickly took notice counterattacking with their rear facing weapons.
A crimson beam shot towards Selvaria as she put up her shield. Scattering like rain drops the beam washed over the Heavens blades energy barrier projected from the physical shield. Boosting out of the beams path Selvaria accelerated quickly gaining ground on the Tal'darim ships. She charged up her lance and fired, again piercing through the enemy ships shields. While the shot blasted a giant hole in the side of the ships hull, the ship unlike the first was still able to shoot back.
"Can't slow down or they'll get a bed on me. Guess I have to gun it and cut right through them."
Switching her lances mods Selvaria attached her shield to the Heavens blades left forearm and took the lance with both hands. The energy output of all three Ragnite reactors peeked and a massive flood of energy gathered along and at the lances tip. The four spikes at the base of the lace extended helping to focus and concentrate the energy. Flashing beam shot towards Selvaria as she evaded boosting around flying in a spiraling zigzagging pattern closing the distance as she accelerating all the way. While the Tal'darim ships focus was divided the three lightly damaged UNSC cruisers focused their fire on the lead center ship. The vessels shields quickly reached their breaking point and failed. The rip-fields effects instantly started eating away at the hull as the Tal'darim ships dissolved away.
Selvaria neared her target as their scattered attacks closed in on her stopping her from evading as freely as before. The Heavens Blade made the smallest adjustments as it shifted its position by just meters evading the now rapid fire beam shots. But it didn't matter as She had closed the distance and crashed into one of the battleships. In a flash of light the lances gathered energy collided with the Tal'darim battle ship piercing through its shields. The Lance buried into the hull and the Heavens blade continued on its way ripping out a giant gouge through the hull causing considerable internal damage as Selvaria zoomed past.
Shifting her direction upwards Selvaria hit the boosters at full power to change her direction. Seemingly enraged more at the loss of another one of their ships the remaining three Tal'darim ships counter attacked focusing more on Selvaria then the Terran ships. But small, fast and maneuverable Heavens Blade easily evaded their attacks and returned fire damaging another ship causing it to lose half its weapons dew to internal damage. The special lance weapon the Heavens blade held was capable of piercing energy based defenses more easily using the reality warping effects of psionic energy in a way unique to this weapon. It was still just a prototype but a working proof of concept. With four of their ships disabled or destroyed the battle shifted in the Terrans favor. However in desperation or zealous courage one Tal'darim ship accelerated violently crashing into a Terran Cruiser and destroying both vessels.
With two ships saved Selvaria returned to the mission destroying the Rip-field generators. The two cruisers and Heavens blade quickly made their way from one generator to the other destroying them in short order while fighting off wings of Scouts and Interceptors. Before too long a large hole had opened up in the World-ships defenses allowing the rest of the surviving Terran ships to close the distance and directly assault the final Tal'darim fleet with impunity. While no larger then the other fleets what made this fleet different was the Mothership which served a the fleets capital ship. The power of said vessels was documented in Ghost reports that had observed fleet battles during the Great war. The power of such vessels gave Dugalle pause so he held off on the attack just out of enemy weapons range temporaraily.
-Aleksander Hanger, One Hour Later-
Selvaria now in a pilot-suit sat on the cat walk leading to Heavens blades open cockpit. Minor damage from the previous battles was being repaired by engineers while she waited for deployment orders. The rest of the fleet had been deployed already to soften up the Tal'darims forces.
"I see your using it then."
Looking down Selvaria saw Dugalle himself on the hanger floor.
"Admiral? What are you doing here?"
"What I can't inspect my own ship. I just felt having a look at the famous M.S. you designed. It certainly is impressive."
Selvaria slid under the handrails of the catwalk dropping several meters to the hanger floor.
"It's a considerable upgrade over the Original G-Zero used in the battle of Alpha Centauri." she stated pridefully walking up to Dugalle.
"Vice-admiral Stukov." Dugalle said pausing a moment wondering why He hadn't reported back yet. "Had read the battle reports of that battle of Alpha Centauri ad nauseam. He's always been interested in combining psionic based tech to normal systems and research of the like. He was always the type to prefer research to combat."
Selvaria glanced at Dugalle.
"So where is he? I would have thought he would jump at the chance to see the Heavens blade up close and in action?"
Dugalle met Selvarias eyes.
"He's currently inspecting the Hybrid breeding program of the Moebius foundation. He's should be back to the expedition fleet when we return."
Taking another sip of her water Selvaria returned her gaze to the Heavens Blade.
"I see. Well He had been bugging me to let him see the Heavens Blade a few times. I had not intended to use it on this expedition but since I already have I suppose I could give him a peek when we get back."
"Warning enemy attack incoming!" warned the intercom.
"I should return to the bridge." Dugalle stated tipping his hat towards Selvaria before walking away to the hanger entrance.
Selvaria jumped back up to the catwalk handing her drink to a technician before hoping into the cockpit. The M.S.'s armor plating closed over the cockpit and the surrounding personnel got out of the way as the restraints and catwalk retracted. Walking with steps that sook the hanger Selvaria moved to a connecting airlock chamber that connected the inner and outer hangers. The doors closed and the room depressurized removing the air before the outer doors opened. Stepping out into the outer hanger Selvaria moved her M.S. to the edge of a pair of lines along the floor. A damaged fighter flew in to another part of the hanger, caught in a landing net. Remote bots and hanger crews in vacuum suits put the fire on the fighters hull out and pulled the pilot out quickly sending them to the medical ward.
As Selvaria was watching this the control crew prepared the procedure to launch the M.S. A trio of Tal'darim fighters flew towards the Aleksander dodging and weaving through the Point defense fire. They launched missiles impacting along the hull blasting out large chunks of the armor. The Aleksander's point defense guns reoriented and fired blasting two of the fighters into molten slag. The last Scout fighter ducked to the side of the Aleksander and flew along the ships side. Passing the hangers it spun around using its main engine to break before turning its nose at the Heavens blade. Selvaria, warned by the sense detection systems of the Heavens blade tied into her own senses allowed her to feel the enemy, aimed the Heavens blades lance at the fighter discharging a thin beam piercing straight through it. The craft exploded in a shower of shrapnel.
Selvaria turned to the exploding fire ball watching it fade. The hanger control crew were shocked a moment before pulling themselves together and going back to work.
"Uh... Heavens blade cleared to launch." said a flight controller.
Wordlessly Selvaria launched out of the Aleksander's hanger boosting up and above the Aleksander. The remaining forces of the tri-alliance fleet were engaged in a fierce knife fight battle with the last of the Tal'darim forces with the Aleksander and a few other ships hanging back for support. Dozens of allied and enemy fighters were swarming around the Aleksander in dogfights between fighters. Detecting and locking on to several enemies fighters Selvaria charged up her lance and fired in multiple directions blasting a dozen Tal'darim Scout's out of the air along with twenty Interceptor drones. Scanning the area She noticed a dead zone in which she couldn't scan in.
Looking up Selvaria noticed several more Tal'darim Scouts appearing from out of nowhere in that direction. Boosting that way to investigate the Scouts opened fire on her launching missiles and shooting their photon blasters at her. Selvaria defended with the Heavens blades shield barrier blocking the attacks easily. The Scouts were easily dispatched with a few shots from her lance but as She continued in the same direction several Tal'darim Arbiters came into visual range. The scanners didn't pick up anything so Selvaria reasoned that they must be paired with Corsairs that they were keeping cloaked. A flash of light brought forth several more Scouts.
"I see the Arbiters are warping in reinforcements and cloaking the Arbiters and the Arbiters are disrupting the Fleets scanners so they can't detect or lock onto them at this range."
Knowing exactly what's going on Selvaria stopped her approach aiming her M.S.'s lance at the group of Arbiters. The newly arrived scouts attacked showering the Heavens blade with missiles and energy projectiles. The energy barrier and shield covering the mecha blocked most attacks but still knocked the Heavens blade around. Several dozen missiles struck doing minor damage as photon blasters bolts pinged off the skin barrier. The lance fully charged discharged shooting a wide beam that covered several miles. The beam washed over Multiple Arbiters, Scouts and Corsairs overloading their shields and melting their hulls before exploding. As the beam subsided all of the enemy forces were either heavily damaged or destroyed. With the cloaking and disruption fields destroyed the Aleksander detected and fired upon the remaining enemies finishing them off.
Having delt with the first situation Selvaria boosted away to deal with the main battle.
-A Hour Later-
A Tal'darim battleship exploded with another being boarded and taken over. Dugalle had ordered the capture of several enemy ships including the Mothership. Selvaria had helped destroy or disable multiple ships with her Heavens blade, which thanks to its Lance's shield piercing systems can cut through most known shield types. Both forces Terran and Tal'darim had been gravely depleted from the fierce battle. But now only ten Tal'darim ships including the Mothership remained. Boosting past a enemy battleship avoiding its point defenses Selvaria closed the distance with the Mothership. The three mile wide capital ship deployed hundreds of Interceptors to drown out the Heavens blade as it closed the distance. A flood of Photon blaster fire streamed towards Selvaria like a wall of light.
Despite the amount of fire power heading towards her Selvaria was calm and simply raised her M.S.'s shield. The literal wall of energy attacks crashed into her like a ocean wave. But the Heavens blade took the hits and pushed its way through the withering fire and passed the horde of Interceptors. Bursting through the swarm of drone fighters Selvaria spotted one of the the Motherships hangers and dashed for it. The horde of Interceptors turned around making a hollow semi sphere shape as they turned around and chased after Selvaria as they continued firing. A moment later several MAC shells and a hundred missiles ripped through the densely packed hordes of Interceptors almost annihilating them completely.
With her back safe thanks to the flanking UNSC fleets Selvaria turned and swerved avoiding the Motherships point defense fire as she crashed into the hanger. She raised her lance and fired through the hanger destroying hundreds of yet to be launched fighters, drones and other craft. Turning the hanger into a burning debris pile. With her entrance cleared of hostiles Selvaria grabbed her personal weapons (Lance and Shield) and exited the Heavens Blade. Security teams of Tal'darim Zealots and a few Ascendants rushed into the hanger to secure it. The Ascendant fired psionic blasts while the Zealots dashed around her flank to ambush her. Gathering energy into her lance Selvaria countered with a 360 degree swing that sent a shock wave out in all directions stunning the Tal'darim momentarily. Selvaria dashed up to and impaled the Ascendant before blasting the Zealots at range.
With the hanger now secure Selvaria sent a signal to the UNSC, Umojan and Kel'morian ships flanking the Mother-ship while the Aleksander flanked around the other side diverting the Mother ships attention. The fleet deployed dozens of dropships that quickly flew into the hanger and landed. Quickly off loading their Marines and several Mantis exo-frames to secure the beach head on the Mothership. Outside the Terran forces continued pressing the attack deploying more and more forces via dropships into the Mothership at multiple points as the Aleksander fired its Valkov cannons. The beams clipped the Mother-ships edges completely missing the main hull but depleting the shields. The Tri-alliance fleet unleashed a hail storm of fire heavily damaging the Mother-ship but not destroying it.
In the Motherships bridge Sylock fumed as his ship was being defiled by enemy forces. Despite the heavy losses inflicted upon the Terrans they continued to press onwards almost suicidally.
(Growl) "These Terrans are more more tenacious then I had first thought. It's like their possessed."
"Lord the Terrans are slowly making their way to the bridge and engine room. What are our orders?" asked a supplicant.
"Start the self destruct. The countdown is to begin once they reach the bridge." Sylock growled.
"Yes my lord."
The supplicant programed the Motherships self-destruct but just before the final input could be programed a flash of light washed over the bridge as a dozen UNSC Ghosts standing back to back appeared in the middle of the circular room.
"Terrans!" a Zealot shouted in no small surprise.
Almost robotically the Ghosts raised their rifles and opened fire showering the surprised and unshielded Protoss with armor piercing explosive shells. Three Tal'darim were dead before Sylock and others ignited their Bane-blades. Lunging at the Terrans Sylock slashed downwards cleaving ones head off and in a flash lunged at another impaling him. The remaining Ghosts pulled out Psi-blades of their own and started parrying the attacking Zealots and Ascendants attacks.
"Die!" Sylock shouted his words filled with murderous intent as he formed multiple psi-orbs, launching them at the Ghosts. They deflected or parried the orbs before counterattacking themselves. Two Ghosts gestured towards several Supplicants crushing them into the wall via telekinesis while the another three Ghosts created a conflagration of fire with their pyrokinesis and burnt five more Supplicants alive by causing the air around them to combust into a fire storm inside their own shields. The Tal'darim burned alive in their own shields creating a scene that even Sylock was momentarily stunned at.
"A cursed Terrans begone!"
Sylock psi-dashed forwards creating a psionic scream at point blank range stunning several Ghosts. He hacked and slashed dismembering several and bisecting one at the waist before the last two fought him off. His rage and fury was at it's peek when he remembered the self destruct input commands had yet to be implemented. Glancing over at the holo-terminal he scoffed.
"Very well then by my own hand will this end."
He dashed over to the console moving his hand to press the final button to start the countdown. The two Ghosts extended their arms catching Sylocks hand with their telekinesis. The two struggled to hold Sylocks arm back not knowing exactly what it was that he was trying to do but knowing it wasn't good.
"I...Will not... Be denied." Sylock struggled taking a step forwards slowly overwhelming the Ghosts and moving his fingers closer and closer until they nearly touched the holo-controls. A millimeter away from pressing the controls a knife flew across the room impaling Sylock in the back of his head.
"Aaaa!" Sylock screamed as his body collapsed backwards with the blade buried in his skull.
The two Ghosts turned to see that one of their comrades missing his lower torso had hung on to life just long enough to help them. Giving a last grunt of satisfaction the Ghost fell back dead. A last act of heroics before dying of their injuries. Minutes later Selvaria and the marine forces with her stormed into the bridge. The room could almost be considered a gore house with the number of bodies that were dismembered laying around. The surviving Ghost that had been teleported on the bridge with the World-ships teleportation systems were standing at attention with the bodies of their fallen comrades lined up along the floor by the wall and the Tal'darim bodies lined along the center and far side of the room.
Selvaria looked around taking in the carnage before walking up to the surviving two Ghosts.
"Good work you two."
"Thanks ma'am." a female Ghost replied.
The male Ghost spoke up.
"I think the Tal'darim leader was trying to use that console over there to activate a self-destruct. He seemed really keen on pushing a button on it but Samuel stopped him before he died."
The Ghost gestured to the body of Samuel resting peacefully with his hands placed together on his chest.
Selvaria nodded glancing from Samuel's body to Sylock's corpse which still had the knife in the back of his head.
"I'll make sure he gets a full commendation along with you whole team."
"Thank you ma'am." the male Ghost thanked.
-Aleksander Bridge-
Dugalle sat content with the majority of the fighting done with. The Motherships bridge and engine rooms had just been taken along with a few other ships. Though loses were high. The last remaining Tal'darim ships decided to suicide ram into several Terran ships killing all hands on board both vessels rather then surrender or flee. With all Tal'darim forces outside the World-ship finally dealt with Dugalle breathed a sight of relief. But this was not the end as the World ship it's self had to be cleared. But with the World-ships own Teleportation network under Terran control it shouldn't take too long to take the whole ship.
-Sometime later-
-Char, High Orbit-
The Azure-swarms capital ship the Tamashī no ki entered a lower position over Char near the boundary between high and low orbit. Half of the planets Over-swarm defenders had been wiped out with the Azure-swarms fleets replacing them in orbit. The remnants of the Over-swarms fleets were concentrated over their final strong hold in the largest mountain range on the planet. The D.Z.K.(Draconic Zerg Knight) deployed from the Tamashī no ki piloted by Ellen. A azure liquid washed over its surface forming into ethereal skin, armor and wings.
Ellen leered at the displays in the DZK's nerve center.
"This has dragged out long enough. The Overmind is near a full resurrection. It's new body must be almost fully completed by now?"
Looking to the multi-layered living defensive dome wall of enemy Behemoths, Leviathans and Barnacles Ellen sighed.
"Typical of Zerg to use suicidal tactics to protect their commanders. This is why I wanted to avoid a prolonged war with the Overminds swarm."
"Hey you could go with the simple solution and just vaporize the planet." Red-Ellen stated from her place deep in Ellen's subconscious mind. "It would be so much easier. Come on come on. Can't let the Overmind resurrect now can we."
Ellen sighed at her other half's prodding.
"While doing such is well within my power it would be a significant drain on my powers and require the Tamashī no ki's full output. If some other group like the Moebius foundation or Amon's forces attacked right after that it would be disastrous. I and the Tamashī no ki are left vulnerable for hours when we use up that amount of power all at once."
From Her prison in the deepest part of Ellen's subconscious Red-Ellen scoffed.
"Pfft. Boring. This is why the Overmind and Amon are still around making trouble. Your too dame cautious. We have a huge army billions strong, a fleet millions strong and the power to blow up whole damn worlds. This is why I hate you. Your such a fucking worry-wart. Always holding back because your worried about unforeseen fallout. I can see why were so different now. Im the much cooler adventurous and aggressive side of our personality while your the overly cautious and stuck up side whos always worried about how others see you. You may be cunning like me but you lack the balls to be, how shall I say. Vicious when push comes to shove. And your also still a TOTAL VIRGIN AFTER HUNDREDS OF FUCKING YEARS!"
Ellen sighed.
"If you want to talk about qualities and flaws your the uninhibited violent side of Our personality. Just because I haven't done anything like, THAT doesn't mean there's anything wrong with me. I mean its normal for lots of people to go their whole lives without marrying or having kids or even having sex."
Red-Ellen burst into laughing.
"I agree with how you see me. BUT. Geeze your so pathetic giving that lame ass excuse. Just give me control of our body and I'll make sure your I mean our first time is totally mind blowing."
Ellen gave a dead-pan expression.
"If I gave you control you would have Abastein creating tentacle monsters to conquer the galaxy just for laughs."
Red Ellen laughed even harder.
"Yeah I'ed totally do somthing like that. Goddamnit im so fucking horny I could really use a fucking dragon dildo in me right now. I'ed even fuck a damn Protoss. Their cock's must be gigantic since their two meters tall on average. HAHA!"
Ellen rubbed her temple in exasperation and irritation.
"I hope you never get control of my (sigh) Our body."
Red-Ellen gasped in shock.
"Oh!. How you jinxed it. Im definitely going to get our body now."
Ellen turned her attention to the massive battle below.
"I don't believe in superstitious stuff like that."
"Never say never B.I.T.C.H."
In the far distance the Azure-swarm and Over-swarm forces battled unendingly. Each gathered like walls of living ships one above and one below in relatively close knife fight ranges. Living ships miles long bombarded each other as each side tried breaking through the enemy lines. And far below a land war raged as Azure swarm forces poured into the holes in the planetary defenses depositing millions of Azure-Zerg onto the planets surface to besiege the ground positions of the Over-swarms defenses.
"The Overswarms defenses and forces have been worn away sufficiently by now." Ellen thought. "One last major strike and their defenses will break."
"On that I agree. Lets blow them the fuck up!" Red-Ellen agreed.
The DZK descended towards Char entering the atmosphere over the Overswarm's final defenses. Sensing the incoming threat nearly the whole of the Over-swarms fleet orbiting the mountain range fired on the DZK launching all manner of bio-weapons skywards. Multiple formations of Azure-swarm Behemoths and a few Leviathans were ripped to pieces in the over-whelming focused barrage. Swerving and zigzagging in quick movements the DZK evaded the worst of the attacks powering through the storm of Scourges and Spines. Slamming into the closest enemy Behemoth Ellen gave a single punch from the DZK shattered the Behemoths armor sending a shockwave through its body so strong it pulped most organs in the creature. With one Behemoth falling from the sky Ellen attacked all the surrounding ones in a flurry of punches and kicks. In the close quarters melee the weapons of the Behemoths and Leviathans were all but useless as the DZK could easily fly around and between their attacks with only a lucky few shots connecting but ultimately doing minor damage against the psionic aura coating the creatures body.
The DZK hammered the Over-swarms outer defenses so hard so that a rain of dead Behemoth corpses crashed into the lower layers creating a domino effect that created openings and chaos in the lower layers of the defenses of the around the mountain range.
"All right their defenses are weakening. Attack." Ellen ordered.
The Brood queens of the Azure-swarm heard and obeyed ordering a full bombardment of the area around their empress. Scourges and Psi-spines rained down like a torrent of deadly rain that slowly ate away at the Over-swarms forces until a massive hole was opened up around the DZK.
"Now charge into the hole in the enemies defenses!" ordered Ellen.
Making tactical short warps Zavara and Navash's broods appeared all around the DZK driving a massive wedge into the enemies defenses. Ellen watched on as her brood queens fleets smashed into the Over-swarms forces overwhelming them with the blitz attack. As she floated there among her swarm confidant of victory Ellen felt a shiver run down her spin as a unbelievably massive warp gate opened over Char.
The massive former Forerunner world-ship exited slip-space over Char at a distance of twenty thousand kilometers. On the bridge of the massive ship a group of over a hundred Hybrids stood in concentric circles with their human handlers. Each Hybrid had their hands on a pair of pillars pouring their psionic energy into the ship to power and control it.
"Azure-swarm and Over-swarm forces in sight. Beginning assault to retrieve the keystones." The collective voice of the Hybrids spoke resonating through the hole ship.
The world-ship rotated to face the planet Char with the side with the most undamaged Rip-field generators. The generators activated creating a massive expensive field that started tearing through the Azure-swarm that entered its area of effect. The psi-ablative creep layers and psi-armor helped to reduce the rip-fields damaging effects but not completely.
Looking up at the descending world-ship eating away at her fleets in higher orbit Ellen felt a wave of apprehension wash over her as for once she was taken completely off guard and had no counterplan.
"Shit! shit! shit! where the hell did they come from. That ship could actually move? Damn!"
"My empress." Na'kool reported. "The alien vessel is creating a damaging field of influence that is slowly eating away at our forces. I estimate no less then one hour for our forces to suffer catastrophic losses."
"Rock and a hard place?" commented Navash.
Ellen thought hard about who was responsible for sending the World-ship to Char but quickly decided it didn't matter. All that mattered was ending the Overmind and getting out.
"We'll divide the fleet. One half assault the Overminds fortress and the other half focus on getting on board the World-ship and destroying it from the inside."
"What of you our Empress?" Zavara questioned.
"I'll..." Before Ellen could reply a massive psionic disrupting wave hit the whole of Char and every Zerg in the system.
Ellen in the DZK drifted amongst the now chaotic battle as none of the Zerg forces could now communicate and if they could it was difficult and greatly limited in range at best.
"Aah! What the hell? This. It must be a psi-disruptor."
Breathing a sigh of relief Ellen felt her control over the DZK was unaffected. Turning around she headed for the Tamashī no ki. If a psi-disrupter was being employed then a psi-booster would be able to counter it and there was nothing stronger then the Azure-swarms capital ship. The DZK dodged and weaved through the chaotic mess of a battle leaving the atmosphere. Ellen however had long felt that a scenario just like this would happen one day and so prepared by granting most of her Azure-Zerg a slightly higher intelligence and more developed instincts for just this scenario that allowed them to act with better independent decision making.
And more importantly the Azure-swarms brood queens were powerful enough to power through the Psi-disruptors effects some what at least. Their range was drastically more limited but at the least they could control their broods to a limited extent.
This allowed the majority of the Azure swarms forces to continue their mission of destroying the swarms enemies. Following the Empresses final orders the majority of the Azure-swarms forces split into two groups. One assaulting the World-ship and the other continuing the assault on the remnants of the Over-swarm. Both hordes had little coordination but one objective. Annihilate their enemies.
-Aleksander, Far edge of the World Ship-
Dugalle sat at his commands chair. The bridges displays showing the Azure swarm splitting up just as He had hoped.
"I must commend you for granting us the use of your Psi-disrupter technology Narud. It's making both Zerg swarms little more then directionless mobs."
Narud smirked enjoying his playing of the predictable Terrans.
"Im glad to be of help admiral. The Disrupters are making the Zergs hive mind virtually useless. Even the Azure swarms forces have lost most of their ability to coordinate their forces. But from their movements it seems the Azure swarm has remained able to at least guide their forces. I believe the World-ship even with the Hybrids guarding it will fall to their living wave attacks in a little over one hour."
Dugalle glanced over at Naruds face on the display.
"That quickly."
Looking back to the World-ship on the main display Dugalle wished Stukov was here to offer advice and act as a sub-commander. He Looked back too Narud on the display-screen with a stern expression that belied thoughts of suspicion.
"Are you sure the accident was just that?"
"I assure you admiral that Im having the investigation thoroughly looked into. Your free to send your own people to look over the wreckage."
Dugalle stroked his chin.
"And your sure the body was never found. It seems suspicious that not even a speck of blood would have been left considering the state of the shuttle and that the pilots bodies had been recovered."
"It is most suspect that Stukovs body has yet to be found. I can only speculate that It fell into a deep crevasse as the shuttle split into two while free falling after losing its engines."
Naruds answer at least satisfied Dugalles suspicion a little bit.
"I believe I will send some of my people to investigate the incident. In form me if anything more is discovered."
"Of course admiral. Though there's always the chance that this was a act of sabotage from the Dominion."
"I'll take your suggestion into consideration Dr. Narud. I have a battle to win for now so till next time."
Narud nodded and cut the transmission. Dugalle looked back as the Azure-swarms fleet bloody and heavily damaged from pushing their way through the Rip-field collided with the World-ships main hull and began burrowing inside or blasting their way in through the many hangers scattered across its surface.
"Arm the nukes." the admiral ordered.
Several of the bridge crew typed away on their terminals.
"Bombs activated sir."
"Good. How much longer till the reinforcements from the fleet and our allies in Umoja and the Kel-morians arrives."
"From the last report they sent it will be another two hours until they arrive. Our combined forces took a considerable hit from our battle with the Tal'darim but since the fleet was a combination of all three forces the damage was kept lower then it other wise would have been. Im surprised the Umojan and Kel-morians are even willing to devote more of their forces in this venture."
Admiral Dugalle huffed with a grin.
"Considering we captured several Tal'darim ships and all their technology the alliance of our three factions has been proven to be quite profitable for them and us. Once we reverse engineer the Protoss technology the UNSC's technology will leap a head at least a few hundred years. And though it will be sad to destroy it the World-ship is better used as a trap for the Azure-swarm as no other vessel will catch their attention as well as it. I would have liked to let our researchers more time to discover its secrets but sadly we don't have such time."
-Zavara-
Within her Alpha-Leviathan elder brood queen Zavara watched as the nearly directionless hordes of her Brood now surged back into space to assault the moon sized ship producing the rip-field that even now tore her forces apart molecule by molecule.
"Where are they?" Zavara thought as she directed her small fleet of Leviathans in a hunt for the emitters producing the damaging energy field.
All of her Overseers and Overlords died in minutes to the damaging effects of the moon sized ships destructive energy field. But the Leviathans were more then able to do the same work as all Behemoths and Leviathans were long before evolved with the same advanced sensory abilities as the Overseers. The countless eyes and sensors of the Leviathans scanned the World-ships surface detecting gravitational disturbances at dozens of locations.
"There. All ships fire." she projected.
Each of the leviathans in her small fleet was commanded by a lesser ranked brood queen who were the only ones strong enough to power through the Psi-emitters jamming effects. They received their masters orders and obeyed directing their bio-ships to attack the Rip-field generators along the World-ships surface.
The small fleet under Zavaras control turned aiming their main weapons and fired. Dozens of locations were bombarded by psi-spines traveling thousand of meters a second. Their speed and piercing ability allowed them to reach the generators before disintegrating in the rip-field like the Scourges and Glaives. Explosions flashed across the World-ships surface as the generators were blown to pieces one after the other. With the majority of the rip-field generators down the damaging field effects subsided. The remaining forces in Zavaras brood sped up as they assaulted the World ship with a renewed vigor despite the psi-disrupter still jamming the majority of Zerg communications.
While the Azure-swarm was at least some what focused in at least knowing what direction and targets to attack the Over-swarm was more rabid and chaotic. Though they had stolen many of the evolutions the Azure -swarm had over the course of the two swarms war against each other they had not created brood queens as a lieutenant to the now few Cerebrates left. This left a huge gap in the Over-swarms command structure as the Cerebrates while powerful enough to break through the Psi-emitters disruptions, their range was still severely limited. At most they could command a few thousand Zerg in a couple kilometers around them. Millions upon millions of other Over-swarm Zerg were rampaging killing each other or wildly attacking some what better coordinated Azure-swarm forces. The Cerebrates shifted their strategies to funnel the rogue Zerg towards their enemies while staying alive now constantly moving and directing Zerg as they enter the Cerebrates range of control.
-Surface of Char, Nysha-
The moment the psi-disrupters effects hit Greater Brood queen Nysha's brood she had followed procedure in mitigating its effects by gathering her brood together in a concentrated force evenly distributing her Brood queens across the territory she had secured so as to create a over lapping network of the now much more limited ranges of her commanders greatly mitigating the psi-disrupters effects. The range of her forces were severely more limited and her armies were forced to stay in a close range of the other commanders and officers.
But seeing the opportunity for what it was Nysha instead of hunkering down and staying in one place used the lack of large scale coordination of the Over-swarms forces moved her forces in a large concentrated mass of death that annihilated the enemies uncoordinated and often scattered forces easily. Even as enemy copies of Ravagers and Harbingers bombarded her forces by land and air those attacking groups were quickly wiped out without support from other Zerg breeds as would normally be the case. As Her amassed armies pushed deeper into the final defenses of the Over-swarms territory Nysha herself crested a hill seeing the chaotic melee below. Her forces and the rogue Over-swarms armies were tearing through each other. Coordinated Azure-swarm Ravagers and Mutalisks, crawling on the ground tails flipped upwards, shot artillery bombardments over the hill annihilating clusters of enemy forces. The gaps in the enemies forces allowed Nysha's forces to slowly push onwards wiping out large swaths of the enemies forces.
What counter attacks the Cerebrates attempted were feeble and suffered from not having numerous powerful lieutenants like the Brood queens. The way Ellen had architected the Azure-swarms Essence was to keep the Brood queens essence separate from the majority of the others. Meaning a normal hive cluster can not create a Brood queen. Only a Brood queen can create another Brood queen and because the Empress had made a long standing order when the two swarms began fighting that all Brood queens were to stay away from direct combat as much as possible the Over-swarm had not gained any Brood-queen essence and as thus was not able to re-create them.
This was now the major difference between the two swarms armies. But up until this moment it had mostly not mattered dew to the Cerebrates powerful psionic abilities and control capacity. But now that the Cerebrates range of communication was severely cut they were left almost completely helpless against the Azure-swarms forces and their own former rampaging hordes.
Sensing a Cerebrate close by Nysha sent a brood wide order to swing left into a low valley as killing any Cerebrates at this point would only be all the more devastating. Multiple hive clusters were ripped apart and overwhelmed as Nysha's brood surged through the valley. Only minor ambushes from air and land forces slowed her advancement. But what really made everything more hair razing was the occasional Behemoths or Leviathan bombarding the surface randomly or their corpses crashing to the ground. The sky almost rained blood and corpses as the Over-swarms fleet forces were now tearing themselves apart in the sky's overhead. Cresting another hill Nysha finally sighted the Cerebrate with her own eyes in the far distance. It was encircled by swarms of Zerglings, Roaches and Ultralisks'. With additional Mutalisk's and a few Guardians and Harbingers circling over head.
Instantly the airborn forces attacked. Nysha sent her Impaler's and Hydralisk to the front lines showering them with countless spines that filled the sky. Droves of Guardians and Harbingers fell dying as they struck the ground and were impaled. Ripped to pieces by the hail of spines flying skywards. Simultaneously Nysha ordered her Ravagers and ground locked Mutalisk to bombard the Cerebrates location forcing it to burrow and retreat. Both broods ground forces clashed in a furious melee leaving bodies and limbs scattered all over the volcanic valley floor.
Tracking the Cerebrate by its psionic signature Nysha moved her forces chasing it around the valley while coordinating her lesser ranked Brood queens to kill as many enemy forces as they could. The Cerebrates may have a much more limited range but they can easily regain control over any rogue Zerg that enter their range. Nysha knew that they could effectively replenish their more limited forces numbers this way and so taking a risk ordered her brood to change their formation from a massed sphere to a half circle. Nervously Nysha watched through the countless eyes of her Brood queens as her brood became a thinning stretched out line that encircled the Cerebrates forces. Rogue Zerg on the outside and Cerebrate controlled forces on the inside. Her broods numbers dropped fast as the enemies on both sides attacked her now thinly distributed forces.
But never one to let a opportunity slip by Nysha her self blitz attacked the Cerebrates position ripping through its guards with her elite Alpha-Zerglings, Alpha-Hydralisks, Hunter-killers and a few Ultralisk's plowing through the enemies forces while her Roaches guarded her elite forces flanks. Finally in range She unleased her psionic might blasting holes in the final guards surrounding the Cerebrate. Finding it's self alone and under assault the Cerebrate burrowed again in a attempt to flee on its own but was quickly crippled when a series of psi-orb's blasted rows of legs off the Cerebrates side slowing its burrow long enough for the Alpha Zerglings to rip into its side. Nysha watched as her Alpha-Zerglings tore the Cerebrate apart and devoured it. Some pushing their way into the Cerebrates body and eating it from the inside out.
Turning back to the mountain from which she sensed the Overminds regenerating body Nysha let her brood gorged themselves on the bodies of their fallen enemies restoring their strength before moving out once again.
-DZK, Char Orbit-
As her swarm split into two forces Ellen recovered from the sudden shock of being severed from her swarms minds.
"Damn. This must be a work of a psi-distrupter. I wouldn't have guessed the Moebius foundation was capable of creating one that could jam even my telepathy."
Ellen reoriented the DZK so she faced the Tamashī no ki.
"I better check on the keystone. Obtaining it must what the world-ship is here for."
Boosting away at sub-light speed the DZK streaked away towards the massive living ship. Upon arrival Ellen sensed that it had not been attacked nor are their any enemies around. But something was still off. Warp gating the DZK into it's hanger Ellen exited the bio-weapons nerve center and traveled up the zero-g tunnel to the Tamashī no ki's nerve center. Upon arrival Ellen sensed something was a miss as a faint residual energy filled the room. She instantly dashed through the room to her private chamber close by. It was a recreation of her old home in the original space platform created on earth.
The domed ceiling showed the space battles going on outside with the massive world ship over head taking up one third of the view. Walking on the stone walkway to the house Ellen's eyes darted around keeping her guard up. A little paranoia is healthy. Halfway to the completely normal looking two story white house with red roofed house a glint of light catches Ellen's attention. With the reflexes of lightning Ellen back flipped barely avoiding a slashing attack. Feeling the bloody nick on her neck quickly healing Ellen grinned menacingly as the pain felt familiar.
"Long time no see Selvaria."
Ellen instantly formed a spherical barrier of aura enlarging it outwards. The barrier pushed a invisible intruder across the room into wall. Quickly sensing the cloaked intruder against her barrier Ellen formed her aura around them.
"Long time no see mom."
The intruder replied aiming her invisible weapon at Ellen and fired. Ellen twisted out of the way as the beam burned a hole into the stone side walk turning it a small pool of molten magma.
"I see your still trying to kill me."
Selvaria produced a powerful counter aura negating and pushing Ellen's off her allowing Her to fall to the ground.
Ellen snorted forming a layer of aura over her praetorian symbiote suit and creating a pair of aura swords in each hand.
"Last time you got the better of me. Im not going to let you off that easy this time."
Selvaria scoffed sheathing her sword and drawing her lance and shield.
"This time your not going to be able to run away."
The two stare each other down for several seconds. Then in a flash they instantly dashed forwards crossing blades. Sparks fly as their weapons connect. Strikes parried, attack's evaded and blocked in a whirlwind of attacks. The two fought swiftly moving as quick as lighting both dashing around the chamber. Wild and stray shots blasted holes into the walls and ceiling disrupting the image projected on them. Their fight took them across the large chamber as their attack's only became more fierce and destructive.
"Why can't you just die!" shouted Selvaria as she fired her lance.
Ellen blocked the shot with a hexa-shield barrier.
"Why do you want to kill me so much? Don't you know that it's a paradox."
Ellen continued dodging and parrying multiple attacks.
"It's literally impossible for you to kill me because if you did then you wouldn't exist to kill me either."
Selvaria kept attacking fiercely each of her attacks stopped or avoided.
"Because its a order from the Light!"
Ellen furrows her brow at the name.
"The Light huh. Well even if it was possible for you to kill me. I wouldn't let myself be defeated by a bratty upstart like you."
Selvaria's expression turned to pure anger and rage.
"Bratty! Your one to talk. Your the one that dropped me on that hell hole of a planet and caused all those people to suffer just for the sake of my test. I won't ever forgive you for being so cruel."
Charging up her lance Selvaria threw her shield. Ellen batted it away with one blade as Selvaria fired her lances charged shot. Crossing her aura blades and putting a barrier up Ellen took the shot head on. The blazing energy the same kind her former body was destroyed by washed over her barrier as the force of the beam pushed her back little by little. Bending her legs Ellen held on as the force of Selvarias attack only intensified. Gritting her teeth Selvaria poured all her energy into the attack doubling the beams intensity and size. The radiant energy burned the grass as the beam carved a half pip gouge out of the ground. Loosing her footing Ellen was pushed back. Charging Her blades She released twin aura blades that cut a X path through the beam scattering it into four smaller streams blasting holes out of the walls as the reactive force threw Her backwards into the house. Parts of the ceilings images cut off from the damaged from the fight leaving only a part of the World-ships image.
Selvaria gasped out of breath but felt a little better at finally striking her target. But She quickly reeled back in fear as Ellen casually walked out of the hole in the house now holding two items in either hand. In her right hand was a red bio-lance consisting of three spiral tendrils that converge into a sharp tip with multiple pointing spikes hooked backwards along the surface. And in Her left hand was one of the original Valkyrur shields that she had stolen years before during the raid on Gallia to obtain Ragnite for the Azure swarm.
"The kiddy gloves are coming off bitch."
Lifting her bio-lance Ellen took aim and fired, sending a red beam towards Selvaria. She evaded just in time but staggered from the intensity of the blast. Landing on her feet Selvaria looked up to the sight of Ellen dashing towards her. Raising her shield Selvaria blocked a strong kick that imparted enough energy to send Her reeling backwards. Ellen flourished (spun) her Lance and thrust forwards. Selvaria blocked with a barrier only for the tip to pierce through. Reacting near instantly she raised her shield blocking the bio-lance's tip. With a simple twist of her wrist and lance Ellen shattering the barrier and raised her arm swinging downwards. Selvaria blocked but the force pushed her back several feet causing her feet to carve two trenches in the ground.
Selvaria leered back towards Ellen and charged. The lances hum with energy as they clash together. The two Valkyrur staring each other in the eyes while their weapons grinded against each other. Dropping her shield Selvaria drew one of the blade's at her waist and unleashed a flurry of slashes. Ellen backed up step by step skillfully evading and blocking each malicious strike.
Leaping a distance back Ellen dug her feet into the ground pulling her lance back rapidly gathering a huge amount of energy. Then with a strong swing sent a shockwave flying so strong it ripped a wide trench in the ground as it traveled. Reacting like lighting Selvaria raised her blade and swung down cutting the shockwave in half and creating a Y shaped trench. The split halves of the shockwave hit the edges of the house behind her. Red paneling and parts of the house are sent flying as windows shatter and brake as the split halves of the shockwave impact the walls.
Selvaria grits her teeth knowing her time is running out.
"If that had hit me head on I..."
She was only able to get on board the Tamashī no ki because of the blood she shares with Ellen causing the ship to recognize her. But that won't matter If any of the Brood queens return from the battles on Char and the on the World-ship then the mission would be a bust.
Selvaria smirks.
"Heh! Guess I have no choice then."
Raising her lance into the air She opens a pair of warp-gates behind her. From the portals came a pair of twin Hybrids. Both with pure ivory white bodies that looked more developed then the others with armored white bodies with blue glowing lines and areas along their body.
"For the Light."
"Die!"
Raising their arms the twin hybrids fired off a quad rapid barrage of psi-blasts. Raising the Valkyrur shield Ellen blocked the attacks easily. Dashing around the chamber and behind Ellen Selvaria slashed at Ellens neck. With a clang the red lance blocked the golden sword. Without looking back Ellen had blocked the strike.
"Shame your too predictable Selvi." Ellen mocked with a stoic expression she aimed at the Hybrids.
Feeling rage at the name her deceased friend Hibiki used to call her, Selvaria thrust with her lance. Ellen back flipped through the air over Selvaria's head and spin on her heels landing a round house kick on Selvarias back with considerable force. Selvaria went flying across the chamber between the Hybrids and into the house smashing through a wall. Both Hybrids glanced back a moment as their summoner was punted like a toy.
"Now to deal with these two." Ellen took a thrusting stance gathering a spiral stream of energy on her lance and dashed forwards at the Hybrids.
One Hybrid continued it's ranged attacks while the other caught but up a barrier. Ellen's lance shattered the barrier easily but was slowed enough for the Hybrid to catch it in one hand. Giving a annoyed snort Ellen single handedly lifted the Hybrid and with a flick of the lance threw the Hybrid into the wall. The second Hybrid raised its arms forming giant psi-blades and began slashing at Ellen. Ellen blocked the strikes with lance and shield while forming several phantom blades behind her. One by one the aura blades started dancing in the air blocking the Hybrids attacks while Ellen watched the Hybrids movements intently. In the split second opening between the Hybrids attacks Ellen thrust her lance forwards impaling the Hybrid. The Hybrid's eyes burned in pain as the lance slowly pushed further into it's chest.
Pushing the debris off her self Selvaria found that she was in the house of her both future mother and current enemy. Shaking off the pain of having been kicked so hard and into a house from a hundred meters away she stood up. Blinking Selvaria looked through the hole in the wall as one Hybrid attacked Ellen from behind and missed as Ellen rolled away before counter attacking with flurry of beam shots from her red-lance. Both Hybrids blocked the attacks and split up flanking Ellen from both sides.
"Now's my chance to find that Keystone." Selvaria reminded her self.
Walking away with a hand on her side and a slight limp Selvaria looked around quickly surmising the Keystone wouldn't be on the first floor. Selvaria quickly went up the stairs to the second. There she found several seemingly normal Terran bed rooms with a master bed room at the end of the hall. It was there she found a master bed. She scoffed at the room knowing the truth. Walking up to the bed she sighed.
"Your pathetic mother. Trying to live in the past as a human in a den of monsters. Your just covering up your nature."
She turned to the closet sliding the door open and gave a laugh.
"She's soo?"
A Hybrids head crashed through the wall rolling along the floor followed by Ellen leaping in through the hole in the wall. Selvaria turned to Ellen extending Her aura to retrieve the Keystone and attach it onto her back.
"Sorry but your going to have to put that back." Ellen sternly demanded aiming her lance at Selvaria.
Selvaria stared daggers at Ellen.
"Your pathetic. Im embarrassed to carry the same blood as you!" she shouted.
Ellen visible shocked hesitated.
"And what's so wrong with remembering where I'm from. I created this house to keep my self centered and not become arrogant at controlling a Zerg swarm."
Selvaria shrugged, scoffing with a somber laugh.
"Really. Your just trying to keep the illusion of normalcy in a mad world of your own creation."
Ellen was again shocked at that proclamation as much as Selvaria was shocked at how much it effected Ellen.
"Your... just a monster manipulating others, even your own family to get what you want. Do you even know what you really want! I bet you thought you were really kind to not kill your own parents during the war on earth huh."
Ellen thought back to her own mother and father lowering her lance. And how they must have felt at the fact they lived in a era where aliens were killing people all around them. She knew that some of her fathers military friends had dyed in the First Zerg war but had tried keeping her self distracted. In that moment of hesitation Selvaria opened a warp-gate portal and escaped with the keystone.
Ellen grunted in anger as the portal closed. Then sighed as she wondered what exactly happened in the future between her and Selvaria. She even wondered why she would have chosen that name.
-Chapter End-