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Chapter 6: The Nightmares of the Warp
In the inky blackness of space, large shapes appeared being shown from the systems gently spinning dual stars. These shapes where planets and moons from the system of Verlystyff. Starships and space stations floated in the systems void as well, dead to space as if their power was cut off. Most where destroyed or damaged as if a great beast ripped and teared at them. Some were fused together as if the wrecks tried to eat each other, some simply floated in space with strange fleshy growths growing on it. While many ships and wrecks floated within the void appearing normal, except that the power to the ships where off. The calmness only being broken as ships appeared from immense speeds. Their triangle hulls scarred and pitied from battles and creatures as they made their way to the system. The fleet was known to many as the 41st assault fleet, and they were sent to help the Verlystyff system.
As the ships organized into an assault formation with the carrack light cruisers acting as picket ships. In the middle great Imperial star destroyers moved their flanks protected by the smaller but no less deadly Victory class Star Destroyers. The acclamator assault ships followed their holds filled with troops willing to spill blood for the Galactic Empire. Fighters and bombers flew from the venators and the ISD's like bees from a hive. All the while a meeting was taking place on the Defiler, the flagship of the 41st assault fleet.
"We are currently on the edge of the Verlystyff system." Admiral Gauge said telling the senior officers of the fleet, "Already we received around a hundred distress beacons. All have been turned on sometime during the storm if what their message says is true. I will have the ships conduct an active scan of the system when all fighters and bombers have been launched. What initial reports are saying though is that it's a graveyard out there. Multiple anomalies have already been reported that defy all known laws of realities."
"What about our missing Carracks?" asked Tarkin his curiosity was piqued.
"Yes, and unfortunately it is not good news." Answered Gauge "Carrack light cruisers Ingenuity and Imperial's Hope exited the jump fused together. No signs of initial activity or signs of distress beacon. Already boarding parties are stating that it's a bloodbath in there so far, no survivors or signs of what killed them."
"I suggest we investigate the wrecks for more information" stated intelligence officer Yos.
"How long do you estimate for our arrival of Verlystyff Prime admiral?" asked Tarkin already planning on what to do with new information.
"If we investigate every wreck on our way to Verlystyff Prime, anywhere between six hours to four days depending on what needs to be done." Replied Gauge "If we ignore the beacons then I estimate we will reach the planet within four hours."
"I want information before we put our troops on the planet, board as many wrecks as you can on the way towards the Verlystyff Prime." Ordered Tarkin.
"Very well sir I will have the boarding parties prepped." Gauge said nodding his head to Tarkin, "Each boarding party will have one squad of stormtrooper troopers, two technicians, and two medics."
"I suggest we add a few scientists." Added Yos
"Out of the question" responded Gauge before Yos could even form a reply before he continued by saying, "We have hundreds of beacons out there, if we sent a science team to every single one, they would delay the fleet considerably just to from a preliminary report. Allow my sailors and troopers to at least secure each beacon location before setting a science team. I could inform my men to be extra careful at each beacon to ensure any possible scientific inquiries are not contaminated or destroyed. If that is agreeable to both you and you as well Grand Moff Tarkin?"
Before Yos could respond again Commander Torve spoke with Commander Bailey nodding his head in agreement, "I understand that the emperor wants as many answers as possible, but I won't have my men babysitting a bunch of scientists while possibly being under fire. Allow the stormtroopers to clear out these wrecks so that the science boys can stay there as long as they want. Plus, with science teams in orbit my men will be able to focus on the planet when we get there."
"I agree with Admiral Gauge and our ground force commanders." Spoke Tarkin, "We will be swift and efficient with our tasks. Now what do we know about the planet?"
"We have received no word or distress signal from the planet." Stated Gauge "Initial scans indicate that there is still life on the planet. We see several settlements that were not registered before the storm. We also see multiple ruins of registered settlements from before the storm."
"What information we received about the system indicate that it was colonized by the VeerSic species three hundred years ago." Yos spoke up informing the group what his intelligence operatives found, "As such before the storm hit there where 1 billion VeerSic as most survivors from their home world during the clone wars moved there. The census also shows that there are 93 million near or nonhumans, and 183 million humans living on the planet. We do not know how many are alive or dead until a more active scan has taken place."
"Very well Admiral you have your new orders." ordered Tarkin, "Head to the planet, while on the way I want boarding teams on each of those wrecks. Secure them for the science teams."
Admiral Gauge nodded his head before barking a string of order to the crew. What none of them knew was that the warp never leaves anything alone.
Floating serenely in space was a Class A-type passenger liner. With its smooth hull and artistically placed windows. The ship was considered a luxury to many who got to ride in its splendid halls and sleeping quarters. Only the rich could afford to take a jump with this ship. Its name was The Floating Sun, and its distress signal was on. When it set off Verlystyff Prime it carried nearly 800 lives on board during the storm, with its engines blasting to full power to get to a hyper point. Now it was floating dead to the void, its engines cold, not even the interior lights were on. It was as if all power was lost.
Speeding towards The Floating Sun was an Imperial gunship, its pilots expertly evading debris from other ships. Within the crew compartment sat 4th squad of 3rd platoon in 5th company within 2nd battalion of the 603rd Stormtrooper infantry Legion. The clones in their white plastoid stormtrooper armor, their weapons, and equipment. KK-639 was checking his own E-11 blaster rifle to ensure its reliability. His squamates in the compartment did either similar rituals with their own weapons or checked the vacuum and air supply of their own armor. All the while the two medics and two technicians checked their own equipment and blaster pistols.
"All right troopers listen up." Shouted LR-903, their sergeant of the squad "We are boarding The Floating Sun and determine if it needs rescue. All we know it's an expensive passenger liner and its distress signal is on. We are to enter the ship through a shuttle bay at the rear of the ship and go to the bridge which is a few decks up and in the bow. If we encounter any survivors, we are to ask the condition of the ship and its crew. If survivors are hostile, we've been given permission to use lethal force thanks to Grand Moff Tarkin. Technicians that have been assigned to us will lead us to the bridge and later to the engine room if need be. Any questions?"
"Where do you want us sergeant." Asked a technician indicating to his comrade and the medics.
"You are to stay in the center of the formation." Replied LR-903.
"30 seconds" radioed the co-pilot from the cockpit.
"Alright troopers let impress the locals." Shouted LR-903 as he loaded his E-11 "For the Emperor!"
"For the Emperor!" shouted back the squad.
The sound of hissing and weapons charging was heard in the troop compartment as weapons where loaded and vacuum seals engaged. All the while the medics and technicians moved to the center of the compartment in case of a fire fight. As KK-639 readied to run out of the dropship, he felt a shudder run through the gunship. Then the doors opened into the darkened hangar bay of The Floating Sun. The stormtroopers ran out of the gunship, their weapons pointing into the inky darkness of the hangar waiting for something to happen. The gunships spotlights turned on to blind and disorganize any attack upon the troops. Yet nothing happened no shot was fired not even a sound was heard.
Within the hangar bay where a few boxes covered in grime and a destroyed shuttle. With cockpit glass smashed in as if something was trying to get in.
"4th squad secure the hangar, no telling what's in here." Ordered Sergeant LR-903 as stormtroopers paired off to secure the hangar. He pointed to the medics and technicians and ordered, "Stay here until the hangar is secured."
KK-639 paired off with EP-875, a trooper who seemed too giddy with explosives as they searched the hangar. One eye watching his squad mate the other looking at the hangar. As he searched, he noticed the boxes and containers looked ransacked almost as if an animal went through it. Once finished with the sweep of the darkened hangar LR-903 called them all back.
"Alright I don't like the looks of this EP-654 and TO-544, you stay here and guard the ship." Ordered LR-903, "BM-248 and XC-774, you take point. I want YT-904 and YT-905 to be rear guard, the rest of you pair up with a medic or technician and keep them safe. Turn on headlamps, we don't want to be surprised in the dark if anything happens."
As the troopers entered the pitch-black hallways of the ship a foreboding sense of thought entered KK-639's mind. What and who would smash a cockpit viewport in when they could just use the hatch. What's more is it still on the ship.
As the troopers marched in the hallways and passageways, no signs of the crew or passengers were found, as if they up and left the ship. Dirt and grime covered the floor of the hallways and the air was thick with dust particles.
"It's strange" voiced AN-876 "I would have thought we were going to have contact as soon as we entered the hangar. Not this ghost ship."
"Be glad you weren't with the First Battalion on the cruiser Imperial's Hope." Replied LG-666. "I heard those boys are still cleaning the blood out of their boots."
"Or the 4th assault in the other one." Said YT-904 while his older brother YT-905 took over watching the back, "Both were fused together one a blood bath the other completely empty. With life scanners still reading the crew. Yet nothing as if they were invisible or something. So, KK-639 what do you think we are going to encounter?"
"What do you mean?" asked KK-639 as he looked down a side passage another darkened passageway.
"Are we in a ghost ship or did it simply lose power." Said YT-905 as trying to get him to join the conversation.
Before KK-639 could voice his opinion a shout from BM-248 said "contact!"
As weapons were raised and prepped to open fire. Sergeant LR-903 ran to the front with a medic and asked while searching the darkened hallway "What is it?"
"We don't know Sarge" replied XC-774 his weapon pointing down the hallway "All we saw was a shape move into the upper airducts. Couldn't get a clear look at him."
"Alright let's go, stay on alert we may have a survivor." Ordered LR-903.
As the squad drew closer to the air vent KK-639 became more alert, something was off, the air felt different.
As the squad surrounded the air vent one of the medics drew closer saying in a calming voice, "Its ok, you can come out now. We are with the Empire; everything will be alright. We can help you."
A soft growl came from the vent and KK-639's eyebrows scrunched up. Why would a Wookie be on this ship, what's more why would he hide? KK-639 thought but before he could voice his comment to the medic.
The medic drew closer he said "That's right we're friends. Why don't- Aaaaahhhhh"
Within a flash, two meaty and blood covered hands grabbed the medic and pulled his upper body into the air vent. As the medic screamed in fear and pain the rest of the party grabbed him and began to pull as yelling erupted. "Shoot it!" "I can't get a shot!" "Get him out of there!" "We're trying but whatever's got him is strong!" All the while the medic screamed in both pain and fear.
With a tearing sound the body of the medic was torn in half, with those who were pulling falling on the ground with a weighty thump. The medics lower body ripped at the waist with blood gushing onto the floor and walls. The intestines leading up into the air vent like a sick sort of trail. A menacing growl erupted from the air vent as the creature lost its prize.
"Shoot it!" Yelled LR-903 as he began to open fire.
Within seconds nine blasters from the party shot up the air vent, metal warped and was scorched from the constant barrage. The hallways lit up in a display of red lights as bolts of energy left the troopers blaster to punish the one who would harm them. Then as quickly as it began it stopped. Silence filled the hallway as the clones held their breath waiting for the creature to fall dead.
What they were not expecting was a weighty thump as a body fell from the air vent. What it was, was the rest of the medic's body, scorched from the blaster bolts. Before the stormtroopers could get over their surprise a shape jumped from the air vent and into the center of their group. The creature was once a Wookie but it was forever changed. With an elongated snout like a wolf, the Wookie had one reptilian eye and one insectoid eye. Its once brown fur, was matted with blood and pus from numerous boils and wounds across its body. Its two hands had sharp talons that dripped with the medic's blood. It was hungry for more meat as well.
Quick as a flash the mouth of the creature snapped around AN-876s head. Plastoid and bones cracked as blood exploded from the head as the powerful jaws snapped closed. Coating the Wookie in yet even more blood, before anyone could fire the Wookie whirled around and tore out YT-905's still beating heart. As the now lifeless stormtrooper fell to the floor of the hallway, blood gushing from the hole in the chest. The hallway erupted in flashes of red as bolts of plasma sang forth from the trooper's weapons. Near twenty shots must've hit the Wookie in KK-639s opinion before it fell dead. In that time, it claimed the life of BM-248 with his throat ripped out from a clawed hand and wounding LG-666 with its other hand.
As the medic worked on the groaning form, a feeling of dread was heard. As if a hive has been woken, screams and shouts of hunger could be heard throughout the ship.
"You two pick LG-666 up!" Ordered LR-903 pointing to the technicians, "We are leaving! Shore party to dropship come in dropship!"
"We read you shore party" replied the pilot over the radio, as KK-639 and the others jogged down the hall ways.
"We are conducting an immediate exfil" Shouted LR-903 "We have encountered stiff resistance and already four are dead! Be prepared for a fight within the hangar"
"Copy that engine are being warmed and weapons armed. We're waiting for you over and out" replied the pilot.
"Contact behind us!" EP-875 yelled as blaster bolts added to the noise.
KK-639 looked behind him and saw both YT-904 and EP-875 standfast firing into a large crowd. The beings that where once sentient looked mad and mutated in strange ways. Some had claws and pincers for hands, others had different eye's or to many eyes. Some were enlarged by strange tumors while some had limbs and body parts impossibly shrunken. Not one was the same. All shared the same look in their eye's, a look that had an impossible hunger to sate, and they were crawling over their dead to reach the shore party.
"Covering fire" roared LR-903 over the noise as both he and KK-639 turned around to begin firing into the crowd.
Both YT-904 and EP-875 turned and started running to rejoin the group. Before they made it, they were engulfed in a wave of bodies, each one wanting to feast on the living troopers.
"Get back to the dropship" screamed LR-903 as he watched YT-904 s head fly in the air like a ball. Both KK-639 and LR-903 turned to run to the hangar, discipline forgotten.
"Thermal…Out." Gurgled EP-875 as his body was ripped apart from the crazed people each one fighting over him.
As KK-639 ran to the hangar a flash of light and a resounding boom echoed the corridor behind him. With a heavy heart he knew one of his friends had died as he wanted, in an explosion killing as many enemies as he could. As he ran, he watched in horror as the floor burst from under the technician's feet pulling both the technicians and the wounded LG-666 with them. Screams erupted from the hole as the creatures began to feast. Both he and LR-903 jumped over the hole, while his last brother VF-994 rolled a thermal detonator into the hole.
The surviving party, LR-903, KK-639, VF-994, and the last medic ran as an explosion erupted yet again. Stopping the crazed beings from chasing them. Then to KK-639s horror he heard a second explosion, then a third, and then a fourth.
With a cry of alarm, he yelled "VF-994 you idiot, your thermal is blowing up the ship!"
"Sorry for saving you and the sarges life!" yelled VF-994 back.
"Double time ladies, I'm not losing anymore troopers in here!" ordered LR-903 as he ran behind the medic who was leading the group.
Finally, after what seemed like an eternity from running away from those creatures and explosions the hangar was in sight. As the Medic waved the survivors past the blast doors, he slammed a hand on the controls. Delaying the creatures and the explosions from following into the hangar.
With dread forming in his stomach KK-639 watched in horror as both TO-544 and EP-654 were firing nonstop with the squads E-Web into a horde of more creatures. They swarmed over their dead to the stormtroopers screaming as they did so. Like a living unstoppable wave, they continued to get closer and closer. Then he heard a desperate panicked scream from behind him, as he turned, he saw a massive creature larger than any being had the right to be. With eight large powerful arms and muscles bulging from under the skin. The creature had burst from the hangar deck throwing the metal around as if it was paper, and grabbing the medic in the process. Its single large eye was in the center of its massive forehead. Its two mouths roared in success as it ripped into the medic, ending his screaming. Sprays of blood and gore erupted, coating the creature in blood as it lumbered to the dropship.
KK-639 turned and ran to the dropship all thoughts of discipline gone, meanwhile both LR-903 and VF-994 where laying covering fire for TO-544. EP-654 was covered in bodies, tearing into him like a pack of akk dogs. TO-544 finally got onto the dropship and it began to take off. KK-639 could hear LR-903 yelling at the pilots to wait for KK-639, but either they did not hear him or ignored him it did not matter. With a jump KK-639 leapt toward the now airborne dropship. His gloved hand brushing against LR-903 fingers before fate intervened. A massive hand grabbed him and pulled toward it. Like an ancient sea creature grabbing its prey before eating it.
KK-639 watched as the dropship sped out of the hangar into the void as he was brought closer to the creature. KK-639 screamed and begged for the creature not to continue, but it did not care. KK-639 screamed in his final moments all the while the dropship sped away from The Floating Sun.
The Floating Sun drifted in the void of the Verlystyff system. Like a queen amongst the void as madness and death toiled away under her hull. Creatures fought and died for food within its decorative hull fighting to sate their insatiable hunger. Not caring that their ship was being destroyed from VF-994's thermal, as it rolled into the ship's reactor. Creatures of different sizes and shapes were burnt alive as fires raged out of control. The Floating Sun bulged and warped as it could not hold back it's dying form, exploded into a million pieces. So ended the horror of that of The Floating Sun forever lost within the void of the Verlystyff system.
Within the 41st assault fleet dropships returned from their missions. Their cargo contained either shellshocked stormtrooper squads, the wounded, or nothing at all. The screams of the wounded could be heard throughout the hangar bay of the Defiler. Each boarding party told a different tale of horror. Some told of beautiful beings that tortured its victims, others said that they encountered actual ghost ship hearing the wails of the crew as they searched it. Some parties found slaughter within the many wreck's, others told of ships crews and passengers long since dead due to starvation or old age. No matter what the story was the troopers all agreed on one thing, they were sent on suicide missions.
Onboard the bridge of the Defiler a meeting was taking place between the Yos, Admiral Gauge, Grand Moff Tarkin, and a scientist named Dr. Veecoor.
"We will end all boarding actions with these ships." Commanded Tarkin, he read to many reports of these boarding actions going horribly wrong. "We already have nearly 50 confirmed dead, 100 wounded through various means, and nearly 400 missing. We are being bled dry before we've even entered the planet. Something that may be more important than this!"
At this various hologram of Commanders nodded. While the commander for the 603rd infantry legion, who went by the name Bailey, stated, "One of my squads had to blow up a passenger liner in order to escape. The sergeant reports that the crew and passengers mutated beyond recognition and killed most of his squad because they turned cannibal. What's more cam footage shows a mutant of considerable strength and power hiding within, we cannot take this form of attrition especially if there is a planet to consider!"
"But we must explore those wrecks!" protested Veecoor. He knew that everything they learned from those wrecks can better their understanding of the Leviathan nebula and strengthen the Empire.
"We're hardly exploring anything anymore." The aggressive commander of the 4th assault legion called Torve snorted, "Hate to inform you Doctor but all we retrieved are four beings. Four! Each one has strange mutations to them that we do not know if we can cure or even reproduce. Each one is also stark raving mad saying 'stay out of the shadows they'll see us' over and over again. It would be kinder in my opinion just to end their suffering. Not worth my troopers live's for four beings who may or may not live long or give us any new information."
"It's something new that we didn't know before. Such as whatever drove them made stayed in the shadows while they were in the nebula, or it forced mutations on them somehow." Retorted Veecoor.
"I didn't see you on gargantuan one-alpha-rancor" stated Baily, referring to the largest wreck in the system. It was fused with twenty other ships each one somehow working in harmony. "I lost 20 troops just to be forced to pull back from creatures I never seen or heard of before. They didn't care for their own lives or safety they just wanted to kill. Chances are the fleet would destroy it. Imagine what would happen if their hyperdrive is working and they land on a planet."
Before Veecoor could continue his protests Yos nodded and stated, "Their right, we are learning very little at our current pace. Intelligence currently believes that there is a high probability that the planet may actually be highly mutated. Though when we drew closer to the planet, we received radio signals of all things."
"What guarantees do we have that the planet was affected at all" Yelled Doctor Veecoor "For all we know they simply regressed to an earlier technology level; this happens all the time to colonies when there aren't even anomalies. We must continue studying these wrecks to actually come with conclusive data anything less would be catastrophic to the fleet and army!"
"What could we possibly gain from continuing combing these wrecks while I lose supplies and manpower." Asked Gauge
"Well for one we may find non affected survivors, but the main point is we can see how this storm affected them." Answered Veecoor "If we understand the storm our men on the planet could be better prepared to deal with any threat on the planet. Who knows, maybe those new settlements are unmutated survivors that are both mentally and physically fine. We won't know without an example we can compare them to"
"As much as I agree with you doctor," began Tarkin "we all have to remember this is the first system that we are scouring. The emperor is looking for results not hypothesis and theories at the moment. So far, all space anomalies show a distressingly low probability of anything that can further the Empire's cause. We must make planet fall to see the status on the beings as well as possibility of anything that can strengthen the Empire or show progress on this endeavor. As such I am ordering all boarding parties to return to the fleet at all haste. We are heading to the planet. Look at it this way doctor you will learn how the storm affect the planets population now."
"What about the missing boarding parties?" asked commander Snapper commander of the 999th heavy armor legion.
"We will wait for one hour before heading towards Verlystyff Prime. If they are not back within one-hour consider them lost." Replied Tarkin his voice was hard and unyielding.
"Very well sir" nodded Torve, knowing that most likely his soldiers where dead anyway.
"Admiral Gauge." At this the Admiral snapped to attention "You are to begin destroying any wreck that has power to its hyperdrive or sub light engines. You will use your carracks and a few bomber wings. We must ensure that none of these wrecks appear over an imperial world. No one must know what has happened here."
The various leaders nodded in understanding before leaving to carry out their orders or turning off their holograms.
As Tarkin stood on the bridge of the Defiler staring out in the cold expanse of space. He swore that he heard a distant laughter and the screams of the creature on those wrecks. He steeled his heart knowing that his that this expedition must succeed or all would be lost.