HOMEWORLD2: WRATH OF THE GODS
CHAPTER 6: FIRST STRIKE
Not all the Progenitor sciences brought benefits to the Galaxy. While they are widely credited for their discoveries in hyperspace and the forging of the Three Cores, they are also the ones behind an alien horror that once ravaged much of the Galaxy.
Desperate times called for desperate measures. The Rebels, in an effort to even the odds, built many terrible atrocities in their mad quest to capture the Three Cores. While the World Crusher is arguably one of their worst creations, there is no doubt that nothing can rival their creation of the techno-organic entity we now call the Beast.
Unfortunately, the Beast was a failed experiment, which the Rebels dumped into hyperspace in the hopes of letting it die there. A freak anomaly in the space-time continuum caused it to be transported millions of years into the past, when the experimental Progenitor ship Naggarok fell victim.
Such are the mysteries of hyperspace.
Where, then, is their "successful" experiment?
Eye of Aaraan Gate 112A, the Great Wastelands:
The Hiigaran carrier fleets were in chaos. Hours ago, the hyperspace gate had powered down for no apparent reason, stranding an entire carrier fleet in a distant galaxy. As science ships scanned the structure for clues, it became evident that something had hacked into the computer hubs of the gate, effectively isolating it from the control of the central Eye.
The commanders of the fleets surrounding the gate had doubts and disagreements on what to do next. One suggested retreating to Hiigara in anticipation of a surprise attack, while another demanded that they force the gate to reopen and charge through to rescue the Exile. Now that Karan Sjet was still out of communications range, they had no leader to turn to for guidance.
As the chaos reached a climax, Gate 112A powered up again, opening its blue hyperspace portal as if to answer the many questions of the observing fleets. A commander decided to send his fleet through in the hope of restoring contact with the Exile, and advanced his carrier to make the jump.
Suddenly, something jumped out of the gate, alarming all who were present. Its design was unmistakable.
A Progenitor Keeper.
While the carrier fleets sounded the alarms and readied for combat, the Keeper calmly broadcasted a signal across all frequencies. Except this time, it wasn't a mechanical voice that spoke.
"We have come for Sajuuk. Prepare for subversion."
With that, the Keeper let loose a crimson beam of incredible energy. The beam slammed into the carrier before bouncing off to hit other nearby vessels. Screams of agony flooded the comm channels as the carrier fleet was subverted by the beam. The other fleets stared in horror, then braced themselves for battle. When the subversion was complete, the infected carrier fleet aligned itself in front of the Keeper, which spoke once more.
"Do not attempt resistance. Join us in our crusade!"
When sensors started picking up hyperspace inhibitor fields and a large infected Bentusi fleet emerging from the gate, the remaining carriers and their ships knew that they were doomed.
Onboard the Sajuuk, hyperspace transit:
Karan heard a cry for help, only this time it was much closer to home. She shut her eyes and focused on the signal, trying to trace its source. To her relief, she achieved contact.
"This is Karan Sjet, I have received your signal."
"Karan… Karan Sjet! Thank the Maker we got through to you! Something's come through the gate!"
"The gate? Do you mean Gate 112A?"
"Yes! The first ship that emerged was a Progenitor Keeper. It infected a carrier fleet and is now moving to subvert the rest of our ships! We're trying to mount a defence, but the infected Bentusi ships are ripping us to pieces!"
"Infected Bentusi ships!"
"We are transmitting all our data on the viral entity now. It behaves similarly to the Beast, but appears to be much more highly evolved. Sensor tracing indicates it's taking orders directly from the Keeper… dammit another fleet's coming through… merciful Kharak!"
"What? What is it!"
"It's… it's a fleet of Progenitor ships! All are of unknown design except for the Keepers, which seem to be used in the role of destroyers… Karan, you have to warn everyone about this! An invasion force as large as this will… AAAAAAAGGHHHhhhh!"
Karan heard the screaming and shouting in her head as the carrier fell to the infection. She cried back in despair, trying to get someone to respond, but it was in vain. Soon, the screaming subsided and was replaced by a deep emotionless voice.
"We have come for Sajuuk, Karan."
"… What are you!"
"You are most simple-minded for Unbound persona. We have come to take what is rightfully ours, and you will give it to us!"
The last message was emphasised as a powerful mental assault, causing Karan to reel in pain. The voice was angry now.
"Sajuuk belongs to us!"
"No… no… I won't let you…"
"GIVE US THE SAJUUK!"
"NEVER!"
With all her might, Karan broke the connection and slumped unconscious in her wired cubicle. Alarms went off and immediately, medical crews barged in to render help.
"Karan! Are you alright!"
"She's out cold. Quick, prepare for emergency treatment!"
The ship shuddered with a great groan, throwing everyone off their fleet. Without Karan's conscious control, the Sajuuk now teetered around perilously in hyperspace. The Three Cores' energy output began to fluctuate, and the Trinity stability was lost.
Outskirts of Tanis ruins:
The large hulks drifted silently in their place, obscuring the light from the stars and casting shadows across large expanses of space.
A hum resonated through the region as a large Progenitor ship dropped from hyperspace.
As its jump window closed, the hum ceased, and the place was quiet again.
Onboard Tanis Base:
General Qwaar Somtaaw was readying himself to leave for Hiigara when a message came through from Tanis Control.
"General! Sorry to interrupt, but we need you here now!"
"What's going on?"
"Our sensors just picked up a hyperspace signature of incredible energy on the outskirts of the ruins. Judging from the energy signature, it's most probably the Sajuuk!"
"A mis-jump must mean that Karan is in danger! Inform my crews, I'll go in immediately!"
"Yes General."
He left his belongings where they were and raced down the corridor, which was now echoing with blaring alarms. Pilots were scrambling into their fighters for immediate departure to secure the area, while frigates were undocking from the huge base. At the end of the seemingly endless corridor, the Somtaaw Command Ship Paaura awaited. A third generation Explorer-class vessel, the Paaura was built with the primary purpose of war.
As Qwaar entered his ship, he hoped that he would not be too late.
Onboard the Gatekeeper of Sajuuk, the Great Wastelands:
Captain Soban had been tending to matters on the bridge for a few hours now, and was on the verge of collapsing from exhaustion. As he retreated from the bridge to return to his quarters, the communications officer dashed his hopes for a good rest.
"Captain! We somehow managed to receive something despite the damage!"
"Great, can't anyone get any sleep around here…" he was feeling really annoyed now. "What is it?"
"It's a distress signal from a region about four point five light years east of here. It seems to have come from the Hiigaran carrier fleets overseeing the Eye of Aaraan Gate 112A. They report massive casualties and something about a virus subverting everything."
"That sounds bad. Engineering, what's the status on our repairs?"
"We fixed seven out of twelve of the conduits, and should be able to execute short jumps not exceeding fifty light years of distance. We'll be starting repairs on communications systems soon."
"Hmm, given our current state of damage it would be unwise to charge in to offer help. We shall remain here to complete repairs. Sensors officer, try to get our Progenitor ultra-long range sensors on the area."
The Dreadnaught focused its advanced sensors on the distant battlefield. Another recent discovery, the Progenitor ship's sensors appeared to be capable of doing basic scans from distances of up to a hundred light years. As the sensors brought a basic view of the battle onto the screens, the bridge watched solemnly.
There were no survivors. All Hiigaran vessels had either been destroyed or infected by the intriguing mixture of Progenitor, Bentusi and viral ships. Now the red dots were entering hyperspace, as indicated by their blue ping signs. The ships' hyperspace trajectories scattered from the decimated area, one of which was approaching their position. Captain Soban knew what that meant.
"I think we've been spotted. We can't survive a battle in our current condition. Helm, plot a hyperspace course for the nearby Kadesh nebula. I would hide anywhere else, but given the circumstances… Engineering, has the Grand Core been secured to the ship?"
"Yes, and we've reconfigured the hyperdrives too. Hopefully we'll be able to tow the thing into hyperspace along with us."
"Alright. Helm, engage hyperspace module!"
The Gatekeeper fled into hyperspace with the Grand Core attached to its belly by a series of space-titanium cables. Captain Soban hoped that their homecoming journey to Hiigara had cleaned out the Kadesh nebula completely, otherwise they'd be in really deep trouble.
Onboard infected inhibitor station Bravo II, Coruc-Tel System:
Our Selves fear.
We can feel it.
It is coming.
The end is now.
Onboard the Legacy of Kharak, Coruc-Tel System:
The Hiigaran fleet had completely eradicated the infected fleets surrounding the inhibitor station. Now, the battlecruisers were moving in for the final kill. Acolytes were already swarming the doomed station, blasting away its armor with their pulse cannons.
"Eefrit, the inhibitor station has powered up its inhibitor field! I am unable to charge the hyperspace module now!"
"All right then. All ships, engage and destroy the station ASAP!"
Admiral Eefrit took a look at the tactics screen showing him all the details of the battle. Casualties had been surprisingly light, with the loss of only one destroyer and three flak frigates. Now the screen showed the super capital ships approaching the station for the final slaughter. As the first ion beams raked across the station's hull, the unthinkable happened.
"Eefrit! The Beast is transmitting a message across all frequencies!"
"Huh? Patch it through then, Yuno!"
"… Stop your attacks, Hiigaran Parts! If our space shield falls, then all Parts will be taken by the Self!"
"Shut up, you foul monster! I thought the Beast was smarter than this, but your lies won't get you anywhere!"
"You do not understand, Hiigaran Parts! The Self is all-powerful! It will take us Parts…"
"Yuno, shut the channel."
"Channel closed. Eefrit, battlecruiser Solar Sword is reporting the destruction of the inhibitor field generator."
"Good. Finish off the station!"
"Priority alert, Progenitor hyperspace signature detected behind Bravo II!"
As Yuno spoke the words, a yellow hyperspace window opened behind the stricken station, revealing a Progenitor Keeper. The ship seemed to study the infected station for a few moments, then it broadcast a loud message for all to hear.
"You are a failed experiment. Termination of failed specimen initiated."
The Keeper fired its infection beam on Bravo II, and the Hiigaran fleet was subject to the worst screaming they had heard in their lives. The Beast virus was screaming now, as though it were being torn apart by something greater. Eefrit stared in horror as a new organic layer spread throughout the inhibitor station, dissolving the material that belonged to the Beast. Within seconds, it was all over.
"What in Kharak's name was that! All ships, withdraw, I repeat, WITHDRAW immediately! Yuno, can you get anything on what we're dealing with?"
"I'm scanning the Keeper and Bravo II now… Alert! I'm picking up Bentusi hyperspace signatures!"
"Bentusi!"
"… Unfortunately it seems that the Bentusi vessels have been infected as well. Sensors count two tradeships and at least a dozen Bentusi ion frigates. They are launching their Super Acolytes! The Keeper is also emitting an inhibitor field! We are trapped!"
Eefrit knew that this was not good. After a moment's consideration of the next strategy they should adopt, he shouted out his orders.
"All ships, gather into a defensive formation around the Legacy now! We don't know what we're dealing with, so stay clear of the Keeper and station at all costs! All fighters, cover the Mothership and capital ships from the Super Acolytes!"
The admiral watched as the fleet gathered to form a sphere around the Legacy of Kharak. This was going to be one heck of a battle.
Onboard an Acolyte II fighter:
Luca was now racing to fall back and cover the fleet, but his onboard computer started chirping warnings. Their squadron was being pursued by a very nasty group of Super Acolytes.
As the squadron leader, Luca yelled an order into his intercom. The acolytes broke formation and scattered, while the Super Acolytes followed suit. He saw two bright yellow beams dart by his window, grazing the right cannon of his fighter. Luca swore and jerked his fighter to the left. He needed to get that Super Acolyte off his tail somehow.
Luca then remembered the "surprise" the Acolyte II engineers had promised. No other pilot knew about this since there hadn't been time to brief the pilots on the new ability, whatever it was. He flipped open the console and saw the green button. Wasting no time, Luca slammed the button with all his might.
The fighter's drives screamed in protest as the Acolyte II released a powerful bolt of energy that hit the chasing Super Acolyte. The Bentusi fighter was knocked back and sent spinning out of control. Luca stared in disbelief, then realised that it was a mini-repulsor system they had installed on the new ships! He quickly swerved the ship around and brought the mass drivers to bear on the doomed Super Acolyte, at the same time trying to inform his squadron mates about the ability.
As Luca made short work of the enemy ship, the sensors started to beep angrily again. He glanced at the screen and screamed at everyone to disengage and fall back. Swiftly, the acolytes made formation and blasted off at maximum burn to join the gathered Mothership fleet.
Onboard the Legacy of Kharak:
"This does not look good. The Keeper is advancing at the tip of the Bentusi formation. It is being covered by at least a hundred Super Acolytes. It's definitely going to try to infect as many ships as it can before the Bentusi ships come within range!"
"Sajuuk protect us. Yuno, set the Mothership into full reverse! No matter what happens, the Legacy must survive! All capital ships, engage the Keeper at maximum range!"
The Hiigaran battlecruisers opened fire with their long range ion cannons, and ion beams impacted the Keeper which had activated its energy shielding. Upon seeing that there was minimal shield disruption, Yuno locked onto the Keeper's shield signature and transmitted the new targeting data to the fleet. The ships recalibrated their weapons and fired again, this time with the full support of the destroyers' torpedoes as well as the other ion cannon frigates.
The effectiveness of its shield lost, the Keeper succumbed in a flash of light. Unfortunately, it fired off an infection beam at the nearest battlecruiser, and the beam leapt from ship to ship. Screams cut through all frequencies as captains initiated the Naar Directive, burning off sizeable areas of their vessels. Eefrit watched and quickly decided on a change in tactics.
"All damaged battlecruisers fall back at full burn! Destroyers and carriers, cover their retreat! All other ships engage the infected Bentusi now!"
As all four smoking battlecruisers turned around slowly, their hulls groaning under the massive stress, the acolytes and ion cannon frigates swept forward to engage the advancing screen of Super Acolytes and Bentusi frigates. Meanwhile, the destroyers fired off all their weapons at the massive tradeships as they shifted into position to protect the battlecruisers, which lent their support with another salvo of ion beams. It was then that a squadron of Super Acolytes broke off from the main fighter battle and headed straight for the Legacy of Kharak.
"Priority alert, the Mothership is being targeted. All systems tracking and engaged!"
Yuno sent the command, and the Legacy's point defence systems kicked into high gear. Pulsar turrets emerged from their cocoons all over the Mothership and started blasting at the approaching fighters. A few were brought down, but the surviving Super Acolytes fired their ion cannons, gouging trenches across the Mothership's armoured hull. They didn't get a second chance to sweep the Legacy¸ as a few squadrons of pulsar gunships soared in and dispatched them.
"Damage report!" Eefrit yelled over the din.
"Minor outer hull damage, repairs are underway. Eefrit, one of the tradeships is going down!"
Eefrit turned to the viewscreen and saw their acolyte fighters blasting away from the crippled tradeship. The Bentusi mothership was badly scorched and ugly holes peeked through its organic armor. Seconds later, the ship exploded in a fiery blast that damaged its neighbouring tradeship badly. The second tradeship still continued to pick off destroyer after destroyer with its triple ion cannons. Now only two destroyers were left of the initial seven. Once that screen was gone, the tradeship would slaughter the carriers and then the battlecruisers, if it had the time.
Time, however, was not something the tradeship had. Having destroyed the defending Super Acolytes and frigates, the rest of the Hiigaran acolytes and ion cannon frigates concentrated their fire on the last tradeship. The Bentusi craft blew up in a dazzling array of light and Admiral Eefrit held his head down in silent prayer for the now liberated Bentusi.
"All hostiles eliminated. I have received a transmission from Tanis Base, reporting that they need help in assisting the Sajuuk." reported Yuno solemnly.
"Sajuuk? What happened to Karan!"
"They say she was knocked out by a mental encounter with the enemy, the same enemy we just fought off. I have transferred all hyperspace coordinates to the hyperspace module. However, Tanis is beyond jump range."
"Well then, all strike craft dock immediately. All other ships, activate Sync Jump Algorithms and stand by for hyperspace jump. We're going to need all the combined quantum waveform energy we can get for this one!"
"Running Sync Jump Algorithm now. We will fall short by four light years, but we can still recharge and jump again. All fighters report that they have docked with the Mothership and nearby carriers as well as battlecruisers. We are ready to jump."
"What about the infected station? Did you find out anything about it?"
"I have attempted to scan it, but the new virus seems capable of blocking sensor scans. All viral activity has gone dormant now, perhaps this is due to the loss of the tradeships and the Keeper."
"I guess we shouldn't take any risks with the station for now. Launch a probe to monitor the station, then we can jump."
"Probe launched, hyperdrives synchronised with the rest of the fleet. Initiating Synchronised Hyperspace Jump!"
The Legacy of Kharak and her fleet entered hyperspace, while the probe that remained stared at the infected station with its electronic eyes from a distance.