Dark Hunter's resolution.
Chapter 4: Joint departure, Tartarus.
14th August 2901
Solaris system, New Earth, Island base
"Plans are finalized then. The Underworld Guild has hired large smuggler ships, and the defected Alliance navy ships have sent a few large transports on route to the Garonth VII system. The military branch raid will meet up 30 light years from the system, then move in with their strategy." Said Kirth. La'kias then chipped in his intel:
"The Underworld Guild agents are already moving forwards with their sabotage, but even if it fails, your force shall be enough to get the operation underway, and stave off an Alliance response. I suppose we were lucky that the Dreadnought raids are diverting more Alliance resources to defending potential targets, rather than prisoner of war facilities."
Sha'krii then issued her statement: "My operations are proceeding smoothly. We are gathering intelligence from across the Alliance, and spreading any news to support the NKI to the UIP. At the rate its going, Konurich station is all but completely under our influence. As such, we will establish an influencing hold on Alliance transport routes linking through the station area."
A holographic scan of the Xathana shipyards, in the Xathana system, was brought up next. This was the more difficult target, but they still had time to make plans. Shockwave scanned the hologram, analysing the structural and defensive weaknesses of the entire facility and the defensive fleet around it. He brought up files stolen by Underworld Guild agents and defected Alliance members:
"The shipyards are defended by a single heavy duty fleet, consisting of 2 battleships and their accompanying groups of support ships, meaning 4 cruisers, 6 destroyers, 6 frigates and 6 patrol corvettes. In addition, the facility itself is armed with defensive emplacements of missile launchers, mass accelerator weapons and heavy laser weaponry."
The hologram shifted to reveal highlighted scans of the 3 under construction dreadnoughts, their 12 kilometre long forms dwarfing the defensive fleet ships: "The dreadnoughts are only marginally defended themselves. Each dreadnought has only a small fraction of its defensive emplacements active, but 1 has all its defensive armaments equipped, but inactive. Of the 3 dreadnoughts, 2 are still under main stage construction, and do not have their complete engine or reactor array for their critical systems. The 3rd dreadnought is nearly complete, with the hardware all but completely in place. What is missing still, like with all the dreadnoughts until the final construction stage, is the central programme matrix, namely the AI core, housed in a separate vessel of frigate sized proportions. These are constructed alongside the dreadnoughts, and the most complete ship's AI core is only half finished, and is yet to be programmed."
Sections of the dreadnought superstructures became highlighted in red now, where the exterior armour and hull plating was missing still: "When the NKI ships attack the dreadnoughts, the hardest targets, focusing on the un-armoured sections, and the main reactor cores and engines, should disable them for some time, possibly destroy them. Only the energy weapons are active among those weapons that are online, we cannot count on a chain reaction of uncontrolled explosive warhead detonation."
Next to Shockwave, Alex swore under his breath, thinking: Well, I guess my way of taking the Emancipator down wasn't going to work twice, even if I planned to live if we did it too.
Closing the hologram, Shockwave finalized: "The Xathana shipyard facility attack is incomplete in planning, but finalization of the plans can occur on route to the system. Necessary ships can be routed from NKI strongholds as we travel there. Priority for while the Xathana leaders travel is to ensure the Tartarus facility raid goes smoothly, and to see if any usable intel from any rescued POWs can be used to ease the Xathana shipyards raid."
It was in agreement then. The Tartarus station strike team, consisting of selected former KI forces, Xale, Lexa, Ja'hail Rathor, Azula and Morthas Krithos, would depart in 2 days, to load up and prepare for the attack departure. Leaving 2 days from now also would be the Xathana shipyards team of Shockwave, Norstith, Raxler, Alex, Se'rie and Aru'san, taking their own section of former KI forces with them also, to meet with a fleet near the shipyards system.
15th August 2901
1 day left until both raids left, and the loading of both regiments for the raids was well underway. The forces were being loaded up, and of the orbiting fleet over New Earth, the Liberator battleship and 1 cruiser would go to the Xathana shipyards raid, while 2 destroyers would head to the Tartarus station. The last cruiser, Subjugator, the final destroyer and the 2 corvettes would remain behind to defend the home base.
Inside the underground levels, Xale and Lexa had finished their sparring exercises, and now went off to double check their weapons before departure tomorrow. Inside the same gym, Morthas and Se'rie were sparring each other. Or more appropriately, Morthas was schooling Se'rie in sparring, for he was a much more seasoned warrior, and Se'rie was a rookie, albeit with potential and speed.
Ducking from an overhead swipe, Se'rie spun around quickly, her long tail feathers swinging around at speed. Leaping up, Morthas avoided the sweeping attack, and with a single flap of his wings, had kicked Se'rie in the shoulder as she finished her spin. Stumbling back, Se'rie uttered a low screech, using her wings to leap at Morthas from a high jump, her metal covered talons outstretched as she swooped towards him. Ducking and sidestepping, Morthas grunted as the metal talons suddenly swung around unexpectedly, as Se'rie flapped once mid flight as she passed, delivering a roundhouse kick to his side.
"Nice one. Keep it up and you might just start tiring me out." He jibed at Se'rie as she landed. Spinning to face Morthas, she replied: "Start? I think I've been doing a good job so far."
"You're still a rookie though." With that, Morthas half leapt, half glided to Se'rie, blocking a forward jab from her right wing, his leg kicking up to catch her other wing, and grabbing it in his talons. Ignoring her cry of surprise, Morthas threw her to the floor a distance away with his foot. Grunting, Se'rie clambered to her feet, massaging her wing briefly:
"Not bad. I guess I need more training though." Charging Morthas once more, she swiped with her wing edges and talons, while Morthas almost danced away from the attacks. He commented: "Well, it's probably due to the fact that one of your 'instructors' is in a relationship with you. Alex isn't usually soft in any way on his students."
"He's not soft on me in training. Besides, even if it is true, what was he like from when you knew him?" Ducking as she finished the sentence to dodge a wing swipe, Se'rie waited for an answer. Almost smiling, Morthas commented:
"He often gave bruises to others in training, on some occasions broken bones. Many times he pushed himself to the extent that he required work on his mech limbs, or even cracked a few of his own ribs. But now, I guess he's too busy with tedious administration and leadership to go all out in training. Helps some of us match or surpass him, though I already did in hand to hand combat."
"Wait. You beat him in hand to hand drills? And you're wondering why I'm not beating you?" Se'rie asked. Right at that moment, he thumped her in the torso side, nearly winding her, and grabbed her in his talons, throwing her around him and onto the floor. From one Leg'hrul to another, this was a hard hit. With Se'rie on the floor, Morthas pinned her under his foot, smirking boastfully as he commented "No, I was just trying to see if you know a lesson in combat. Know when you don't stand a chance at victory."
As Morthas got off her, Se'rie simply groaned in pain, and lay down on the floor, exhausted.
After Morthas left, Se'rie was still on the floor, too beaten to get up just yet.
As Se'rie gazed up, Alex's face and body filled her view as he stood over her.
"Sparring with Morthas?" He asked. Se'rie groaned in confirmation. Shaking his head, he picked her up by the shoulders, helping her half limp to the elevator. He commented:
"Everyone has a dominant strength. You were unlucky enough to face him and his greatest strength."
"I guess he'll be useful in the Tartarus raid then. Makes me wish he was coming with us." She said weakly. Shaking his head, Alex felt how hot she was under her feather coat, commenting: "No, he wouldn't leave anything for us to take on. Now, you need a cool drink."
Azula was testing out new technology she had been given, developed by Raxler and Shockwave, to enhance her pyrokinetic techniques, or firebending. Her technology consisted of neural implants, relatively easy to install and uninstall with little to no scarring, which helped focus her mind to control the nerve transmissions for the firebending. By boosting neurological focus, firebending came easier to her.
Azula fired burst after burst of blue fire towards a target, roasting the metal frame with the fiery projectiles. She had been going for half an hour, and her power was beyond what she had ever had before. As a consequence, Azula perfected a form of high velocity firebending, allowing her fire attacks to travel much faster than normal, with the same amount of power.
Launching her last fireball, Azula took a stance quickly, clearing her mind, drawing the energy within herself. She could feel the power, the electrostatic buildup, and as she finished her quick movements, she struck out with her middle and index finger of her right hand, pointed directly at the target, and fired. The lightning burst forth, a concentrated beam with arcing bolts coming off it. The target was electrocuted, and blasted in the centre, leaving a blackened scorch mark.
Breathing, she calmed herself, letting her emotions become collected. She perfected containing her emotions when not needed, and as such, she could subconsciously do away with this emotional suppression to fuel her firebending when she utilized it, whether in training or combat.
She was more physically powerful than she ever was before, with her implants and technology she had access to. But she was content, she was happy, she was part of something bigger than this world. And Alex had been right. She could rule this world now, but it was not worth the challenge. That kept Azula in line, her need to be challenged. For once, taking over territory was not a challenge.
Her character was centred around self improvement, which meant challenging herself. Seizing control of New Earth was too easy. Combating the Alliance as part of a renegade group, that was a proper challenge.
20th August 2901
1 light year from Garonth system.
Staring out the window, Xale muttered: "Great. I almost get carted into this place after fighting Alex first time, and now I'm actually breaking into it."
Not looking up from his console, Ja'hail retorted: "Shut it. The Underworld Guild agents have already begun moving to help sabotage the station. We should be ready to begin in a few minutes, half an hour tops."
Morthas looked out the viewport. Outside, at the meeting point a light year from the facility, the fleet of attack and transport ships waited. The cruiser Subjugator was leading, from the former KI fleet, and was the only true former KI fleet ship here. The rest of the fleet was of 3 NKI defected Alliance destroyers, 2 NKI defected high speed frigates, and 8 military transport frigates.
Turning back, Morthas merely said: "Right about now the riots should be underway."
Garonth system, Garonth VII orbit, Tartarus orbital facility.
"Get me UIP sector fleet security! I need reinforcements! Lock down the bulkheads!" Screamed Warden Gra'til. The Na'vi warden was livid, and alert. Without warning, multiple system failures and cell block openings had occurred stationwide. Now, a full scale uprising was occurring.
On the few video feeds left, Gra'til ground his fangs together as he saw prisoners assault a trio of heavy guard mechs, stripping it of the handheld particle rifles they had used to only take out 3 of the prisoners before being struck. His facial markings glowed with his anger, and only brightened when a male human technician spoke up:
"Warden! Long range sensors and all communications are offline! We're helpless!"
Resisting the urge to smash the human's face into the interface boards, Gra'til engaged the intercom:
"All guards fall back to the main utility sector! All mech units open fire on any prisoners, stun rounds preferable!"
A pair of panicked calls from other technicians sealed the hazards for Gra'til:
"Sir! Short range scanners are detecting an attack fleet approaching! Vessel shapes match known Alliance ship variants, but their IFFs match NKI signature!"
"Incoming boarding craft, headed for the eastern docking silos!"
The tube shaped shuttles flew in rapid speed, firing their thrusters to land on the station docking bay exterior, with magnetic clamps holding them in place. From the underside of the craft, a docking tube extended each, suctioning onto the silo hull.
Inside a station corridor just below the hull, automated guard mechs fired upon a dozen rioting prisoners behind an overturned crate stack. Panicking, the prisoners looked up in fear as the ceiling began to burn, a molten ring appearing in the hull. Alarms blared as a breach in hull integrity was detected, just as the hull circle section was dropped into the hallway.
Leaping down, plasma fire erupted from the rifles carried by the NKI recruit troopers and former KI mech troopers. The guard mechs fired back, killing one recruit trooper and off-lining a KI trooper mech, before they were all cut down by the plasma fire.
As the troopers coerced the prisoners out of hiding behind the crates, more troopers dropped into the station through the cut holes. The boarding craft latched onto the station edge, plasma cutting a hole in the hull, and used energy field disruptors to redirect the backup particle shielding around the boarding tube. Should the boarding craft be disrupted, the station particle shields would quickly take over, doing what they should have been doing, stopping decompression.
Orders were issued, and the NKI troopers and AI troopers began to spread through the station, ordering all prisoners to retreat to the boarding craft they themselves had come in on.
Within minutes, the station became rocked as the attack fleet began lightly bombarding noncritical sections, to divert attention away from the interior problems. NKI forces began to capture the larger ventral hanger bay, making way for the armed cargo shuttles coming in to pick up more prisoners.
Aboard the cruiser Subjugator, Morthas ordered the continued light barrage of the station. However, the stationed defensive fleet of 2 UIP destroyers, having dropped out of FTL jump from a previous position half a light year away, were proving to be an irritation, and he was under orders to disable, not destroy if possible.
Grinding his beak's teeth, Morthas muttered aloud: "There's only so much we can do with EMP missiles and light laser fire." Facing the cruiser's command console, Morthas issued a ship-wide order to the automated gun turrets: "Heavy laser emplacements, target the UIP destroyers at their propulsion and communication systems."
At the Leg'hrul's word, laser fire fired into the distance of space, hitting the destroyers with great effectiveness from 500 kilometres away.
In the record vaults section, Azula fired down the hallway, her blue fire igniting the UIP guards 20 metres away, sending the humans and Klingons into a panic. Turning to face the other direction, she saw a black jet fire towards the approaching Na'vi guard from seemingly nowhere. The jet impacted, crashing the male Na'vi into the corridor, and the black haired male clone stabbed the Na'vi's heart, quickly silencing the guard.
Inside the information vaults, Lexa and Ja'hail skimmed through the records of prisoners, only looking at high profile prisoners. Most were Alliance spies or operatives, and one a captured field commander. But one entry caught their attention, one who was being kept in an interrogation wing, and was also a UIP race member.
"Jarothes Hutreck, male Grey, age 39, taken in for crimes of treason, counter espionage. Last treasonous act committed was the exposure of rogue KI members sabotaging Varya station AI network. See documents on Alex Hunter requested interrogation upon capture."
As she read, Lexa realized they had found who had ratted them out for the infiltration run at the Varya battles, the mole inside Zoran's network. He was here, and he was alive. And, he might be able to explain his actions, and be a useful asset, or die. His choice.
Ja'hail saw her look, and said: "I know, I say we get him too. Let's get him, the interrogation wing is a few corridors away. I'll radio a squad to make sure the way's clear for us."
"Yeah. I'm pretty sure Alex will be pleased to find out who we got." Lexa said. Although she was averse to unnecessary violence with many of the people she had killed being in self defence or deserving of death for their acts, she did not like traitors. And this Grey, Jarothes Hutreck, was a traitor to his race, a traitor to the UIP and almost cost the infiltrators their lives at Varya. He would pay, whether with his life, or with useful intel or skills for the NKI's purpose.
The evacuation was underway, with prisoners fleeing to docked cargo ships and the boarding craft, some already departing fully loaded. NKI forces, organic and synthetic, covered any passages leading to the docking bays.
The rest fanned out, looking for stragglers or usable intel or equipment. One squad was already in the interrogation wing.
The door slid open, and before the five's eyes, they saw the squad of 6 synthetic former KI troopers engaging the 4 guards in the interrogation wing corridor. Within seconds, Azula fired a large blue fireball, igniting their armour and flesh, sending the guards, 3 Humans and a Romulan, screaming to the floor in agony.
Ignoring the pleading guards, Ja'hail set up a defensive position for now with the 6 sythetic NKI troopers, while Morthas accessed the cell doors. After a few seconds, he had hacked the local console, and unlocked the doors. Pointing to the only occupied cell here, Morthas said to Lexa and Xale: "Get inside, restrain him as soon as I remotely release his bindings."
"I'll help Ja'hail set up a clear path to the docks." Said Azula, setting her carried heavy plasma handgun and plasma submachine gun pistol to fire at their highest rate of fire. As the firebender went to join the mercenary and the 6 synthetics, the clones marched into the opened cell.
In his interrogation chair, Jarothes's large, black eyes swelled. If possible, his small grey body's skin would have turned white. Inside marched 2 humans, formidable looking. Their helmets obscured their faces, but they were armed to the teeth with guns and 2 swords each.
"Jarothes Hutreck. You're coming with us." Said the male, his voice a oily drawl, and hinting at unpleasant, yet eagerly anticipated events. As soon as he said that, the grey's bindings sprung loose, prompting him to rub his thin wrists and ankles sensitively.
"Massage your skin later. We need to get you off this station." Said the female, seizing him by the wrist, yanking him to the floor of the interrogation cell. Relieved, yet fearfully, Jarothes said: "Thank you. I was in here like usual, interrogating, my guards, you-"
"Shut up!" Barked the female human, hitting Jarothes hard enough to send him to the floor, the grey crying in pain from the blow. Not giving him time to recover, Lexa picked Jarothes up, swinging him over her shoulder like a sack of potatoes, marching out of the cell. Xale followed, amused at Lexa's temper coming out at the knowledge of what this Grey had done to himself by ratting out the Varya infiltrator team.
A few odd firefights later, and the group had encountered a blockage. A section of station passage had depressurized, and the automatic bulkhead doors had sealed the way. Morthas called for a boarding craft to make its way to the section they were in, as it was on the hull's edge.
Just as he finished the call, a sharp intake of breath from their token Grey prisoner alerted them to an advancing group down the hallway. Turning, Morthas and Ja'hail armed themselves, while Lexa handed Jarothes to a synthetic heavy trooper that accompanied them, as she armed herself with Azula and Xale.
A mad glare on his face, fangs bared, Warden Gra'til winced as the plasma burns on his left arm stung once more under the healing patch. The Na'vi male aimed a heavy rifle at them, flanked by 4 of his most elite soldiers, each also carrying heavy rifles. He hissed in a low, dangerous tone: "If there's one prisoner I will not let you take from me, it is that traitor. Either release him to me, or I will gun you down, and I do not care if he dies in the crossfire."
"I think I know you. Weren't you once some big shot teacher in a military academy or something? Funny what your students would think seeing how you let all this happen." Lexa said, gesturing with a nod to the chaos around the station by its corridor walls. Meanwhile, Azula was subtly looking along the corridor walls along the 10 metre gap between 20 metre gap between them. She noticed the circuits and ridges, and hatched a plan. Using her visor, she texted the plan to the synthetic troopers, and to her fellow humans, Kro'nogri and Leg'hrul allies.
"Warden Gra'til, sir. Our internal comms show their forces are still evacuating our prisoners, and are in force. I suggest shooting them now, and retreating." Said a Vulcan trooper, her voice laced with no emotion, her words radiating caution. Laughing a bit, Ja'hail commented: "First part's a bad suggestion, second part's a good suggestion. I'd take the second part if I were you."
"I will not be made a fool of in my own facility, lizard. Men, open fire, kill these alliance members and human traitors." Gra'til's men made to fire. At that moment, the humans, Morthas and Ja'hail, stepped aside, as 3 synthetic troopers fire impact detonation grenades halfway between them, small enough in yield to not damage them, but enough to shatter the hull between them.
Air instantly began to funnel out of the corridor into the vacuum of space, a rushing tornado leaking out of the swiss cheesed section of corridor. Over the screams of panic and localized alarms, the bulkhead sealing doors between them shut off the 10m metre section.
Clapping Azula on the shoulder, Ja'hail commented: "Nice call on blowing the hull." As they saw the burning hole begin to appear further on the wall down the opposite way of he corridor, their docking boarding craft, they wondered if any of the guards had been caught in the depressurization.
"Sir, we lost Guards Yeh'reil and Grant." Said Gra'til's Vulcan female guard. Snarling, losing his cool, Gra'til smashed the bulkhead door in front of them, where two of his guards had been sucked into space before it sealed. Bellowing in frustration, Gra'til shook with anger, swearing in Na'vi under his breath, his translator not going that low in volume.
Whirling to face his guards, he said in his coldest voice: "Find a way to raise our comms network. Report the failure of the facility defence. And get to an escape pod to the surface of Garonth VII. UIP patrol will pick us up there."
Not a few hours later, and the NKI convoy was already on route, the cargo vessels having bee transferred all the prisoners, save one. Any information that could be used from any prisoners would be taken on route back to Alliance space.
On the bridge of the cruiser Subjugator, heading back to the Solaris system, Morthas looked at the consoles, commenting to a nearby Xale, Lexa, Azula and Ja'ahil: "Our mission was a success, with roughly 80 per cent of the few thousand prisoners rescued."
"Yeah, well, let's hope that the shipyard raid goes as well, if not better. They should be starting it in a day or so." Commented Ja'hail.
21st August 2901
3 light years from Xathana system.
"Stealth recon fighters are back." Comm'd an accompanying NKI destroyer. On the Liberator's bridge, Nortsith responded: "Excellent. The findings are what we expected. Send in the destroyers, bombers and fighters first. We'll drop in with the cruisers and 3 battleships when the enemy defensive fleet squadron line is broken."
Dropping communcations, Norstith got another call: "Infiltration team ready in the hanger." Responding to Alex's call, Se'rie being near Norstith on the bridge, she said: "We'll give cover fire as planned, but don't do anything foolish. We need results, not heroes."
Amused at his niece's double meanings, Norstith said: "I know this is counter to the chain of command, but do as she said. It is the best thing to do from a tactical point of view."
"That and you don't want to tell me what she'd do to me as her boyfriend if I came back after doing something stupid. Whatever, ready when the time comes." Said Alex's voice.
In the Liberator's hanger, with the dozens of fighters and bombers ready, and the few boarding craft, Alex sat inside Aru'san's cockpit compartment, concealed inside of her frame's torso, the compartment opening from carefully concealed flaps on the back. He said to Aru'san: "Ready for your first mission?"
"As ready as I was programmed to be." She responded.
"I can confirm that her hardware and software guarantee a high level of survivability." Comm'd Raxler. He would be flying, like Shockwave, in space, though he would latch onto Shockwave's attack craft mode, like a remora fish to a shark, during transport between targets.
"In any event, as long as we can punch through the defensive fleet, we should have a simple mission. Simple, but I fear not easy." Commented Alex.
"Are missions like this ever easy?" Shockwave rumbled over the comms.
"According to statistical probability and analysis of assets on both sides, no." Responded Raxler.
Fourth chapter done, and I am getting the first missions out of the way quickly, but as well done as could be done.
Please read and review if you feel I could improve, but I can't without feedback.