Part One: The Relief Effort.
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Chapter 1
A steady rumble thrusted through the shiny bulkheads of the freighter Valmont. And soon the vibrations came more frequently and with more intensity. Suddenly a violent shudder went through the ship, and it was forceful enough to throw Ensign Desen Nix out of his bunk and to the floor. Something was wrong.
His roommate Jen Haya was also getting off the floor, and from the way she held her arm, she must have injured it having fallen from the top bunk. "What the hell is going on, Desen!?" she said. By the way her speech was slurred, and by her sloppy attempts to stand up Desen assumed she was still disoriented from the fall. She might even have a concussion. "Jen, I think we are out of hyperspace, but why so soon I don't now. We can't be to Gallonier this fast. And from the way the ship just shook I think there might be an emergency." As if to validate his guess, emergency alarms rang out through the ship.
All crew Alert! We are under attack! All crew Alert! We are under attack...
Just then another intense rumble shook the ship, lighting in the hallway dissipated for a few seconds then reappeared. "Damn it Desen, we have to get to the bridge now," yelled Jan as she rushed for the door. She didn't quite make it; she wobbled at the door, lost her balance and fell. "Look Jan I'll head up to the bridge, you should go to medical, I think the fall gave you a concussion," Desen told her. Jan just nodded and walked towards the medic bay using the wall to support her.
Another heavy shudder passed through the ship as Desen made his way to the bridge throwing him to the floor. It now made sense, those shudders were from enemy attacks. Desen got up an again and took off running toward the bridge. "What the hell is going on, who could be attacking us!" he said to himself as he rounded the corner. He incidentally collided with a passing protocol droid, and they both fell to the floor. "Well excuse me sir! I apologize for the delay in answering your question. But there was no need to tackle me."
"What the hell...That was an accident! Besides I don't have time for this we are under attack. Move stupid droid."
"How rude! And to answer your earlier question I do not know who is currently attacking us. I do not think the captain can identify them as well." With that the droid scuffled off.
Desen rounded the corner and finally made it to the bridge. As soon as he entered he was bombarded by a multitude of panic filled voices.
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The bridge of the Valmont was a thing of chaos. Yelling voices blocked out all other sound. Crew raced back forth between duty stations trying to understand what was happening. And all of them were relying on the Captain for answers. Sadly Captain Rowne was just as lost as them, she didn't even know who these strange aggressors were. She gave a grim nod to Ensign Desen Nix as he entered the bridge then turned to another officer. "Jannen are you sure we don't have any data on these vessels? Keep trying there must be some mistake. Ferard call engineering again, are they sure they can't give us anything? With our engines destroyed we are sitting ducks! I do not want to die here do you understand." She hoped her despair did not show in her voice.
"No luck captain! The computers couldn't turn up any data, not one bit. I don't even recognize the energy emissions. What in the galaxy is that thing," said an almost frantic Officer Jannen, . Then even the normally expressionless face of the Duro Officer Jannen showed dismay as Ferard gave them the news. The engine block was totally gone, they were dead in space.
Captain Rowne was stricken by the news; there was nothing she could do to help any of them now. Had she failed them, failed to keep them safe, failed to keep herself safe? She checked her scanner, half the convoy was destroyed, and the Convoy's escort was totally gone. How could this happen,, she thought. Why did this have to happen... The Valmont was originally part of a large Sanc Union convoy of 24 Super Freighters. A convoy that was on a mission to the planet Gallonier, a very important mission, as Gallonier was suffering from many supply shortages and the ravages of a viral epidemic. With insurgent raids and theft of supplies high, convoys where being sent out with a heavy escort these days. This convoys escort fleet consisting of 3 Versillai cruisers and their fighter escorts, a fleet that Rowne was confident could deter any enemy that might set their sites on this convoy. Yet here we are. Our escort totally destroyed, half the convoy reduced to ash, almost all of our fighters destroyed. And only by one mysterious ship. She laid back in her captains chair, slumping as if all bones had been taken from her body. She sat back and looked out the view port. The strange beam weapons from the enemy ship giving off of its location. Just then another one of the super freighters exploded from the enemy ships firepower. The explosion not even registering on Rowne as she lay in her chair. All of them dead, Pole, Meireda, Gran....... The Captain was so far gone she did not even hear her crew calling to her.
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Desen heard the crew calling to the captain, but it seemed she was lost in another world. The desperation of the situation probably overwhelming her. Desen had to admit, he also felt incredible dread. The enemy vessel had just taken out the Remadi, and was now firing on another ship, the Arciara. The attackers didn't even bother to ask for surrender, the enemy ship just seemed intent on destroying all of the convoy's ships. Even escape was not possible as all of the Remadi's and now the Arciara's escape pods were summarily destroyed by the enemy ships escort fighters. Just then another one of the Sanc convoy's last fighters buzzed by the front viewport, it was being chased by the strange starfighters that detached from the enemy ship. The strange fighters were responsible for the complete decimation of the Sanc convoy's fighters and the destruction of the Valmont's engines. Desen hoped the fighter might escape, he hoped that it would warn someone about the attack. But from the way those small things were chasing it, like a swarm of Deju Beetles hungering for meat, he doubted it could escape.
A strong rumble shook the ship. Desen looked out the viewport, the Arciara had just died less than 1 kilometer from the Valmont. The sight filled Desen with horror, but he was even more fearful when he saw It. There it was, visible by the light of the explosion of the Arciara, the enemy ship. It was ovoid in shape, as large as he imagined it would be. Its hull was smooth, the color of gold or brass, and covered with many intricate designs and protrusions. It would have been beautiful even, if it wasn't the instrument of this convoy's death. . That fact shook Desen now, and the weight of his situation threatened to make him fall into despair like the captain. Instead he decided to keep trying to do something, anything. He got back on his comm. system and resumed hailing the ship again; he had to try something even if it was futile. He looked up from his station; the large elegant thing was now at close range, its guns ready to opened fire. The strange energy projectiles shot out and hammered the transport, alarm claxons rang as the ships already damaged shield system collapsed. Desen kept hailing the enemy vessel it was all he could do.
"Please! We surrender; there is no need to destroy us! Why are you doing this!? I repeat. Please! We surrend..."
The enemy ship opened fire again, a full barrage, the bright energy filled the Valmont's viewport as it reached its target. Desen was oblivious to the screams of the crew, he just put his head down on his console.
Then there was nothing...
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There it was again more of the foolish things transmissions. Like it would help change things for these......these primitives.
"Attendant" boomed Verdant Haesilis, like a strong chime in the attendant's head. He nodded, he already knew the Verdant's request. Such was the level of communication possible for their kind.
"Nothing sa'un Verdant. Just more transmissions. Strange they know no help will come..." he said as he put the signal on speaker.
"Please! We surrender; there is no need to destroy us! Why are you doing this!? I repeat. Please! We surrend..."
"Don't be unwise Attendant," Verdant Haesilis mindliked. "They are contacting us young one, they are begging for mercy." The Verdant rose from his seat of command. The "primitives" ships had barely put up any fight, this was boring him. The young attendant went to turn off the transmission, but the Verdant halted him. "Leave it up, I am in need of…amusement." He was one of the few that were required to learn the beastlike languages used by the lesser beings in this galaxy. Such devolved creatures, using spoken language, it was almost quaint.
He looked out of the viewport of his magnificent vessel just as the ship's current target erupted in a brilliant flare of death. Just then another attendant walked up to the Verdant, executing a deep bow before she reported her information.
"All enemy fighters destroyed sir, none escaped."
"Excellent." He whispered, pleased with this encounter's events. It was yet too soon to reveal themselves to this galaxy. Time was still needed for his masters' forces.
The forces of the Sa'ree.