Disclaimer Notice: I don't own Andromeda, nor do I own anyone in this fanfic, nor am I profiting from this.

Also, please don't condemn me if it turns out bad - it's my first fanfic. Please Read and Review

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Chapter 1 - Division and Civil War

It was only 2 weeks after the Collector-influenced trial of the Andromeda crew, mainly Dylan Hunt, by Collector Pish-Tryan and the Triumvirs. Already the Restored Systems Commonwealth had divided and turned on itself. Tri-Lorn fell out of favor with the Collectors and Pish-Tryan became Tri-Pish, replacing Lorn, who in turn led 400 of the Commonwealth's 2700 worlds out with him. They united to form the True Systems Commonwealth, with its capital on Castalia.

The Andromeda Ascendant just Slipstreamed into the Castalia System after fending off several RSC Cruisers.

"Dylan I'm receiving a hail from Castalia," Rommie announced. "It's Tri-Lorn."

"Put him through," Dylan replied. Rommie complied and Tri-Lorn's face appeared on the main screen in Command Deck. "Hello, Tri-Lorn."

"Welcome to the capital of the True Systems Commonwealth, Captain Hunt," Tri-Lorn answered. "But I'm afraid the current situation does not call for any pleasantries or celebrations. The RSC has attacked a member world, Katrania. We were able to keep the enemy at bay until they sent for reinforcements. We were forced to flee the system. From what I hear, the Katranian Home Defense fleet is holding their own, but without necessary supplies, they will not be able to survive."

"What do you want me to do?"

"Go to Katrania. Stop the blockade and try to save as much Katranians and their planets from death and destruction as possible. Good luck, Dylan." The com-link ended.

"Alright, I haven't had a good battle for about a day now! I've been getting bored," Beka took Slipstream controls.

"You heard him! Slipstream!" Dylan ordered.

It was quite a difficult route to follow, even for Beka. When they fell into Katrania System, they saw about 200 Cruisers surrounding the only inhabitable planet in the system (Katrania). The RSC ships seemed not to notice the Andromeda. They were concentrated on another skirmish with the Katranian Home Defense fleet.

"Dylan, a hail from the RSC Commander," Rommie announced.

"Accept, Rommie."

"Greetings, Captain," the face that appeared was a woman, in her late 30s, with long blonde hair. "I am RSC Commander Janya Seirun. You have no jurisdiction to be here, especially since you betrayed the Commonwealth. You have two choices: 1) You can leave now in one peace and let us do what we must with Katrania, or 2) You can remain and be blown to bits. Which shall you choose?"

Dylan cut off the com-link. "Extend Battle Blades. Load all offensive missile tubes and fire on my mark."

Outside, the battle blades extended and locked into place. 15 of the RSC Cruisers came toward the Andromeda and opened fire.

"And... mark!" Dylan ordered as the shockwaves from the missile impacts trembled throughout Command Deck. Immediately, numerous projectiles fired from the ship. Most of the RSC Cruisers veered off out of the way but 2 were hit and burst completely.

"Hail Commander Seirun". Dylan commanded. The com-link opened and her face reappeared on the screen, now filled with rage. "I believe you know my answer to your ultimatum."

More Cruisers broke from the blockade to face the Andromeda, but none had much success. The ship just glided towards Katrania as if it was nothing. Until suddenly the remaining Cruisers unleashed barrage upon barrage of missiles at Katrania. Several capital cities immediately exploded with explosions visible from space. Seirun hailed Andromeda again.

"If you won't let us take it, then we will gladly destroy it!" She screamed.

"WHAT?"

"Oh yes. The Cruisers under my command have Atomic Pulsers that will vaporize the entire planet within minutes! You lost, Hunt!" With that she cut off the com-link. The Cruisers ceased their barrage as the planet was already burning. They began charging and after a few seconds beams of light shot into Katrania's atmosphere and surface. The planet was now completely on fire.

"Dylan within half an hour that planet is gonna explode on us!" Harper said.

"The RSC Cruisers are fleeing into Slipstream. Should we follow?" Rommie reported.

"No. Let's round up the surviving Katranian ships, whether refugee civilian or military Home Defense doesn't matter, as quick as we can and go back to Castalia before we get pummeled by debris from the planet." Dylan said. It took only 15 minutes to pick up the Katranian ships. Only 30,000 out of the planet's original 2.4 billion were left.

Back on Castalia in the Presidential Palace, Tri-Lorn was not happy. But he was not worried about the Katranians.

"Dylan. I have received bad news."

"There's MORE bad news? Come on! First, more than 2 billion people are slaughtered, now you tell me there's more?" Dylan reacted almost with rage.

"I have just received a distress call from Ne'Holland, our secondary capital. Hundreds of Magog Swarm Ships have been spotted in the outer system. Allow me to play it back for you."

Then, on a screen appeared the face of a distraught King Erik, who had ascended to the throne only about a year and a half ago. "Tri-Lorn. Please contact Captain Dylan Hunt. Magog Swarm Ships have been spotted in the outer system. Hundreds of them, with probably thousands of hungry Magog total in all of them. They are not doing anything yet - just waiting... But I don't know how much time we have left. Our astrologers have spotted anomalies in Grylon System, not too far away from us. Gravitational anomalies that are so strong that they are affecting Rottabur, our outermost planet and its orbit has been thrown out of whack. We do not know that is causing the anomaly. I have ordered an evacuation of the System but I fear we will not make it in time, and the Swarm Ships may attack just when we attempt to leave. Please help us!" The sound turned to static and his last words after the final plea for help were inaudible and then the message blinked off. Tri-Lorn was also distraught and Dylan was speechlessly terrified.

He took the recording back on his ship and played it to the crew. Harper vomited at the thought of the Magog.

"Dylan the anomaly in Grylon is caused by the World Ship." Trance told him. "The Magog have begun their invasion. Wherever the Magog are, the Abyss is always there as well."

"Yeah well he picked the perfect time to attack. Not only is the Commonwealth split into two, but one of its factions - the more powerful faction - is influenced by his servants. Not to mention that the Nietzschean Union is in shambles. The Prides have gone back to petty differences after Tyr died. They won't be able to pull together to fight the World Ship."

Trance pulled him aside. "Dylan this is beginning of a great war. This war will be decisive and it will take a while. I have a limited sense of the Magog and their activity and right now they're VERY active. They won't just invade and kill and be done with it - they will hold the planets and terrorize the inhabitants to feed the Abyss's hunger for suffering. Once he is satisfied, he will destroy the Tri-Galaxies and the Magellanic Clouds. We must gather resistance and unify."

"But we have less than even half a thousand planets on our side. The RSC is trying to kill us for betrayal and its controlled by the Collectors - minions of the Abyss - so they're not going to help us. The Kalderans care more about their Magellanic Clouds than anyone in the Tri-Galaxies. The Nietzscheans are busy settling centuries-old grudges... And did I mention that the Collectors are with the Abyss?"

"Dylan not all Collectors are on the Abyss's side. Some want to destroy it just as much as we do. They just have a different perspective on how things should be dealt with when the war ends. Unfortunately the Collectors that control the RSC are the ones most-heavily influenced by the Spirit of the Abyss. By the time they realize that they'll gain nothing but death in this deal they made it will be too late..."

"Yeah... I know..."

"It's the Second Coming of the Terror, Dylan. We must defeat them or this time there will be no Quarantine Zones because we'll all be dead..."