AN: Now this is going to sound stupid but hear me out guys and girls, writing this took a liberal amount of Strongbow cider, at least a combined six fingers worth of Monkey Shoulder whisky and listening to my Nostalgia Playlist on iTunes, which includes hits such as Power Rangers Redux - Go! Go! Power Rangers! (Instrumental), the Airwolf themesong, the OG Knight Rider themesong, the OG Thundercats themesong (Instrumental) and god only knows what other 80's and 90's chesse.
But anyways I digress, the plot is moving along and I want to thank each and everyone of you, the fans, for taking the time out of your lives to read something a West-Yorkshireman from jolly grey England wrote whilst intoxicated and listening to questionable music choices.
Also I'd like to state for the record that I am an inconsistant writer and I am looking for a Beta to make sure that everything stays upto par, I'm also going to ask anyone with a legitimate thought be it the plot or a general critisisim on how the story should progress to hit me up with a PM.
Thanks for taking the time to read this ramble of mine.
See you on that bounce!
November 30th 2151 CE [Common Era] 2207 EMC [Earth Military Calendar].
Hegemony Combined Fleet Alpha, Dreadnought Divine Right.
Bridge / Combat Information Centre.
[10 Hours until Alpha Relay Reinforcement Fleet arrives.]
[Play: Le Castle Vania - John Wick Medley.]
Vice Admiral Mehalek was something of a radical in Batarian culture, while he and his family owned slaves, they were well kept after and were never punished maliciously in a flagrant and public manor, he was a loving husband who remained loyal to his admittedly politically married wife, finding concubines to be of bad taste.
He was a father who loved all of his children equally with each of them set to inherit equal portions of his acquired wealth and owned lands, most of all he was a true patriot, a man who realised an internal threat when he saw one.
Admiral Trentch had just become one such threat, Mehalek's dominant hand was fingering the safety strap holding his sidearm safely in its holster, Mehalek's position gave him some level of protection he was after all the unnamed political officer.
He could take action, he would however have to guarantee two kill shots before he did, Trentch would be an easy kill shot he stood directly behind the man, just close enough to raise his sidearm within the Kinetic barrier the rabid Admiral donned at all times.
The problem was the named political officer supporting the Admirals actions by not taking action against him, the NPO knew full well that an escalation to total war, was unacceptable, the man however stood towards the front of the bridge.
The paranoid bastard was also wearing a kinetic barrier.
The problem lied in the fact Mehalek was not donning his own kinetic barrier, but if he didn't take action the Hegemony was well and truly going to be crushed, not just by the Turian's, but by the greater galactic community as a whole.
Steeling himself, Mehalek activated his omni-tool as he drew his sidearm and before the Admiral or any of the crew could react to meet a threat, they never truly expected Mehalek blew the Admirals brains out. "As the Hegemonies UNPO I declare the Admirals orders to be an act of treason! Long live the Hegemony!"
Mehalek took aim at the NPO and began firing multiple rounds into the mans kinetic barrier, rounds ricocheted off the visible barrier as it was struck by grain sized mass accelerated rounds, the panic caused had left the NPO flat footed, struggling to pull his own sidearm to shoot at the threat that stood some ways towards the back of the bridge.
In their panic and pandemonium nobody paid attention to the sensor suites as they alarmed out from detecting a massive number of nuclear weapons activating on the unknown dreadnought, the open line from the vice admiral had been transmitting his actions to the fleet as a whole.
They had all missed it initially.
Until one junior officer noticed it and announced it fleetwide. "Enemy dreadnought has gone nuclear!" That caught every officers attention.
In just a scant few moments thanks to the Vice Admirals' actions the Batarian fleet had lost its initiative, then it dawned on all of those who could see the sensor readings just how large of a nuclear arsenal the unknown dreadnought was carrying.
Unfortunately for Mehalek his eye looked away for one single second and that was all it took, the panicked NPO fired once, it was a crack shot, the vice admiral dropped like a puppet with his strings cut.
"Treasonous cur!" the NPO spat at the corpse of the fallen vice admiral. "Now fire the nuclear arsenal." He barked towards the stunned crew. "No sir. If we fire, we are all dea-." The NPO following the late admirals actions shot the disobedient officer. "Do. It. Now. I will see my line avenged."
The NPO with emotions flaring had just given up on just why he had given the Admiral his silent blessing. "No." Another junior officer stood only to be silenced by another gunshot. "Traitors all of you!"
Activating his personal omni-tool he quickly overwrote the weapons station interface and remotely fired the Divine Right's nuclear weapons.
November 30th 2207 EMC [Earth Military Calendar] 2151 CE [Common Era].
Turian Frontier Space, Agamemnon System.
SSV LION R-106, Combat Information Centre.
"Sporadic nuclear weapons launch! Half of the enemy fleet has launched Nuclear Ballistic Weapons; the other half of the enemy fleet have killed their nukes in the tubes sir!"
"Vampire! Vampire! Vampire! Intercepting with CIWS!" The Lion's CGO barked out, my hands gripped the war table, my knuckles turning white, the war tables display automatically marking the vessels which had launched their nuclear weapons as priority targets.
My next action could quite possibly see me court marshalled, the Batarian's had however proven themselves to be too much of a threat, Holding my wireless a few inches from my face I made my decision. "This is the Captain, fire at will, I repeat, fire at will!"
The vibrations I could feel throughout the ship told me all I needed to know.
Meanwhile the sun was beginning to set on Agamemnon, the one hundred and sixty strong viper complement had effectively neutered any armour support the pirates, slavers or mercenary groups had managed to deploy into the city.
That wasn't to say that the Turian forces on the ground had it easy, but it sure had levelled the field some more, it was at that very moment the fading light became blinding in one single moment.
Looking up one would briefly see a second sun, it didn't take a genius to figure out the fact that a massive nuclear strike had occurred, the miniature sun quickly dissipated the electro-magnetic pulse was so massive that even though it took minutes to travel to Agamemnon proper, the unshielded civilian grade electronics began to short out, flicker or outright blow out.
Bathing some sectors of the city in a darkness that would require any further fighting to be undertaken with low light aids such as night vision optics or thermal optics.
November 30th 2151 CE [Common Era] 2207 EMC [Earth Military Calendar].
Turian Frontier Space, Agamemnon System.
Turian Sixth Fleet, HNV Spirit of Palaven.
Command and Control Centre.
It had been Half an hour since the SSV Lion had completely and utterly turned the Batarian Fleets to nothing more than dust and echoes the eleventh fleet had just joined the defensive line, word had come though the Admiral in command of the Eleventh that two reserve fleets were being pushed into service to make up for the losses incurred during the Fight for Agamemnon.
"Communications make contact with the SSV Lion, it's time I had a face to face with our friends." The call made was curt and to the point, the SSV Lion had given a set of instructions and a set of codes for the internal flight pod batteries to recognise the shuttles and their escorts as friendlies.
Within ten minutes Admiral Gavilan Nyx and his aide alongside two squads of Turian Cabals were en-route to the galaxies most durable dreadnought on record.
"Gavilan watched through the open doors of the cockpit as his shuttle approached the maw that was the portside flight pod. "This is Shuttle Tiberius we're transmitting codes and requesting clearance to land."
"Shuttle Tiberius we're ready to receive authentication codes now, please don't deviate from your flight path…. Codes are good proceed to Deck Lifts B-1 and B-2, both will be marked with strobing lights call the ball."
"I have the Ball."
Gavilan had to admit he was more than a little excited to see what made the Lion so unique, it's durability was unrivalled, not even the Quarrians' contracted to produce the next generation of Hierarchy Dreadnoughts could compete with what the Humans had produced.
And he was going to be the first official point of contact between Human Systems Alliance and the Turian Hierarchy, unofficially that honour remained with his daughter, the sheer elation he felt hearing her voice was a feeling few could comprehend let alone describe.
The Lift was surprisingly fast considering it only took sixty seconds from start to finish and his eyes could only widen seeing the airlock hanger blast door slide aside to present the Admiral an honour guard.
Alongside a ships band of all things. [Play: The Throne Room and End Title – John Williams.] The music was in stark contrast to what the Lion was playing on the secondary communications channel, but it was no less impressive, considering the band's song was something inspirational to listen to.
It was like a song of triumph.
And considering the feats of the Lion and her crew, alongside Agamemnon's initial defence force it seemed somewhat fitting, eyeing the rank and file assembled he noticed Turian Marines mixed in with Human Marines, Turian Sailors beside their human Counterparts each standing shoulder to shoulder as equals, brothers and sisters each of them.
In fact, for a Turian crew to mix in as they had, it was a cultural acknowledgement that they truly believed that Humans should be treat like citizens of the Hierarchy proper, something the council of Primarch's truly believed would never come to pass.
Looking towards the centre of the room stood two officers, one a human male dressed in black with gold trims a sash looped from his right shoulder to his left hip and golden tassels hung and looped under his right armpit, insignias were on his collar and shoulders.
His wrists had several gold bands with the uppermost band having a loop, it was a unique way to identify rank, but Gavilan knew it held cultural and historical meaning, his left chest adorned several colourful patches probably denoting campaigns or minor awards.
But the three medals adorned proudly on his chest caught the Admirals eye more than anything, Turian vision being much sharper at longer ranges he could see the embossed lettering. Long Service and Good Conduct medal followed by an Accumulated Campaigns Service medal and a Distinguished Service Order medal.
His daughter stood donning the Turian equivalent of an officers dress, it was a form fitting suit with a scapula adorned with traditional Turian markings and awards her arms were bare aside from two sets of traditional leather criss-crossing bindings that covered her forearms, the same bindings were on her shins wrapping around her calves.
A navy sash looped from her right shoulder to left hip adorned with medals, awards and given honours very few officers of equivalent rank held as many as his daughter adorned with pride.
The pair were quick to approach him, turning to the Officer Commanding the SSV Lion he gave and received a salute from the surprisingly 'Asari' looking alien. "Permission to board Captain."
"Permission Granted Admiral." As soon as he stepped from his Shuttle Gavilan was greeted by, the good captain barking out. "Admiral on the deck. Honour guard present arms!" The entire guard saluted the Admiral in perfect sync, all the while the band continued to play in the background.
Gavilan Saluted them all in return. "Admiral before we begin may I address everyone present?" The Human captain made a gesture. "Please Admiral."
"Ladies and Gentlemen of the SSV Lion and the HNV Invictus, it is with great pride I welcome our lost sons and daughters home, as it is only right you shall each be awarded for your bravery and your unflinching loyalty to the Hierarchy, I also want to thank the crew of this fine vessel, I and the Hierarchy owe you a personal debt."
Gavilan took a second to let that information settle in. "Once official contact between the Hierarchy and the Systems Alliance is made I will personally be requesting that you all receive Turian Medals and Honours for your actions this day. We honour our debts." Saluting the assembled guard once more the Admiral and his guard made their way towards the arms which connected the pods to the main body of the SSV Lion.
It took fifteen minutes for everyone to get settled in the senior officers club, two lieutenants one Human and one Turian already hard at work serving alcohol and snacks, whilst we had gotten to some casual talk about the Lion and her capabilities, we were waiting for a bunch of junior rates to finish reorganising the tables and putting the fine china on show.
I smiled when the Lion's CAG walked in with an escort to present two boxes to me personally, two boxes which had been stored in my personal safe for the entire journey, aside from myself, Ka'mara, her father and his entourage consisting of his aide and guards, the senior Montressian officers were present to begin the talks to officially initiate first contact with their Turian 'neighbours' the word of course being relative, after all we were dealing with a fuck ton of space, even if said space looked minuscule on a Galactic map.
Ringing my glass to catch everyone's attention, I addressed everyone in the room. "Before anything else is said, while we are celebrating our victories here and now, let it be said that the fight is far from over, men, women and children are still fighting on the ground, so let it be known here and now that this gathering is being used to expedite the signing of a mutual relief, non-aggression and defensive pact, this is not the official ceremony in us offering a full alliance that will have to come to pass at a later date when the enemy is no longer laying siege to the population of Agamemnon and their stalwart defenders, be they civilian, civil or military in nature….."
I gave a small pause to let the information sink in. "That being said a certain level of decorum must be presented in any signing of any official documentation between two or in this case three peoples."
On the table three matching documents were laid on the table, each needed to be signed by three representatives and witnessed by three others, placing the two packages in the centremost of the table I lifted their lids.
"Admiral Gavilan Nyx. On behalf of Humanity, the Systems Alliance, Earth and all her colonies I wish to present two 'gifts' the first, a full first contact package with a full historical record of Humanity and our origins, the second I would like to present a flag."
Lifting the immaculately folded weathered and worn white ensign, from its container. "This Admiral Nyx is the Royal Navy Ensign, it is a flag which belonged to our oldest commissioned vessel in the Systems Alliance Navy, HMS Victory."
Gavilan took the flag in his hands, looking towards me he asked. "May I?" I gave him a nod, opening the flag between himself and his aide, they opened it fully, the flag when opened was somewhat surprisingly the right orientation.
"Simplistic yet striking I must say that the Hierarchy will be more than proud to display this flag in the atrium of the Capital Building on Palaven, just how old is this HMS Victory?" I smiled. "Admiral Gavilan HMS Victory is four hundred and twenty nine years old, she's currently berthed at dry-dock two in His Majesties Naval Base Portsmouth, open to the public for tours, she served with distinction during her active service until she was retired, she later survived between the years of nineteen fourteen to nineteen forty-five devastating attacks that sent most other modern vessels for the time to be sea bed or to be scrapped."
"I'll be sure to pay such a vessel a visit before I die, I must say that your people have a naval tradition as strong as our own, take pride you are in an exclusive gathering." Small chuckles broke out. "Please, Admiral after you, once this signing has been done and witnessed, I can officially offer you, our assistance by putting my compliment of marines, their attached armour and air elements on the ground."
With the decorum and pomp done with, I let the Montressian observers introduce themselves fully without myself interfering with the talks nothing could be pinned against the Systems Alliance if things didn't quite work out.
Stepping up to one of the nearby intercoms I had Smollet patch me through to the medical bay for an update on the Lion's gun crews, it was somewhat fortunate that even though they had all suffered massive doses from radiation exposure the armour had done more than an excellent job at keeping the crews from cooking in their own juices.
Though it wasn't without its price all of them would suffer with debilitating and often times outright crippling bouts of pain, most would die from cancer in their later lives others much earlier, I would have to live with the fact it was my call which put them all in this position.
Half an hour later the Montressian-Turian talks had ended both officers smiling and saluting one another, things seemed to be on the up and up.
Gavilan was quick to approach me asking only a single question. "Captain, just how many marines can you spare?" I smiled….
To Be Continued….
AN: There is a not so subtle Star Wars reference in here, if you caught it well done, you're as much a nerd for all things Star Wars as I am, that makes me a happy guy.
Thank you all for 13.5K views, a special thanks to the 151 of you who've decided to follow me on this jorney, as well as the 104 of you who favorited this hot mess and I can't help but smile at the 39 reviews that have been left so others know what they are getting into.
Enough of this sappy crap, expect a follow on sometime soon, I'm knackard and going to hit the hay in the meantime enjoy the fact I left you all on another cliffhanger, a pretty naff one but a cliffhanger none the less.
GRLS signing off.