Rising from the Embers of Sera

by thehappy

The people of Sera rebuild, spreading to the stars. Wars will be waged. Peace will be sought. The Coalition has risen from the ashes to take their right to exist in the galaxy. They will survive...no matter the cost.

4. Chapter Three

Hello my wonderful readers! I am back with the next chapter (obviously) Really don't have much to say except I hope you all enjoy! And to thank the horror of sub zero winter to make me stay inside and write,haha.

Anyway, I don't own any media rights.

Chapter Three

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9th of Bloom 421 A.E. Tenvor'ti. The High Temple of Klorta

Humidity was thick in the air laden with moisture as the supreme priest of Klorta knelt before the ancient statue inside the weathered temple complex. The statue was…towering, a height of easily thirty feet dwarfing the humble servant as he touched his ridged forehead to the sandstone floor.

"May your wisdom and strength guide us…may your words and teachings remain true. May you guide us to protect all life from the vermin who pollute…who destroy…for Klorta is our virtue"

A'til Y'larv was the Supreme Priest of the church and the High Council, his word and decree law for their people. His skin was an emerald green, almost glimmering with the might of his bloodline and lineage that directly descended from their god. Silken robes encrusted with the finest jewels and inlaid with a fabric gold adorned his form, proclaiming his statues to all.

Slowly standing, the male felt solace in the echoing hall of the first temple. All around him, were the old tapestries of long forgotten nations that fell to their cause during the war of enlightenment. Columns rose to a cavernous ceiling, depicting their deity punishing those who would dare harm the nature of life.

Breathing deeply of the pleasant scent from the nearby swamps, He felt a modicum of peace and tranquility in these trying times.

Footsteps disturbed his private thoughts and admirations, causing the priest to turn at those that would dare to interrupt his day. "The military" he correctly concluded, the sashes and leathers of command easily recognizable. The four stopped ten feet away, quickly taking a knee and bowering with lowered heads.

The center one spoke, Lord of Ships, G'yul as his yellowed eyes stared at the sandstone floor. "Supreme Priest. I have the pleasure to inform you that we have taken two of the vermin world's"

"Congratulations. A stunning victory for our brave warriors" the priest smiled, his large toad lips pulling upward as the males kept their submission clear. For none may look upon the supreme priest without explicit permission. "I trust the victories were quite in our favor?"

He watched as the lord of ships tensed, his throat sac turning a small shade of purple to indicate distress. "Supreme Priest…casualties have been…higher than expected against the vermin"

Y'larv's smile disappeared…for he hated unsavory news. "Explain"

G'yul kept his head lowered, a tinge of fear in his voice. If the priest was displeased with his words…the Tribunal Guard would make him regret everything. "The ships they wield are heavily armed at close and long range. We have even encountered vessels larger than our flagships. One of which killed Fleetmaster Tra'nil and destroyed the Bash'vik" He paused, licking a rough tongue over his lips as he felt the…rising anger from the leader of their species. "Losses in ground troops were severe. Over two hundred thousand were killed in a space ambush before they even landed. And the aliens…they fight savagely on the Desert world…several sub-troops formations have been ravaged in the following days by ambush, counter-attacks and firefights among city ruins" He blinked, breathing moist air as he kept staring at the sandstone flooring. "Ship losses for the 4th Subjugation Fleet have surpassed three hundred in terms of destroyed and damaged vessels. Reinfo—"

"Silence"

Turning away from the officer, Y'larv glanced at one of his guards, his yellowed eyes a slit of anger as he momentarily studied the quivering military officer. The guard hadn't moved an inch, the fierce loyalty to the church a surge of pride as he stared straight ahead with his bayoneted rifle gleaming with purpose. There were more around, their sole purpose to live and die for the Supreme Priest.

"Failure against vermin is not permitted under the gaze of our god, Lord of Ships. You are supposed to lead our warriors…and yet they falter against inferiors. Which means you are inferior"

The Tribunal Guards grabbed the cowering officer, dragging his from the temple to enact mortal punishment. The remaining three did not move…did not breathe for fear of incurring the wrath of the priest.

"You will divert the 3rd Subjugation Fleet to support our brethren in battle and to prepare more transports to carry our warriors. We must eradicate this race of vile creatures. Find their worlds and take them, for the will of Klorta is clear"

"We will carry out your orders immediately" one of the military officers proclaimed, his own eyes barely unblinking in dread.

Y'larv turned away, studying the statue of their god towering over them all. "I would like a detailed report of these losses carried out by our former Lord of Ships. Also, a second report will be sent to the Research Cluster to understand this…new race"

"Of course" the males said in unison, rough voices almost a croak.

"Leave me. For this news has been…a displeasure"

The trio started to leave with a scamper, not wanting to risk any more ire. "Oh, before I forget. Have our shipyards lay new ships for the losses caused by that…failure"

"At your wish, Supreme Priest" bowing low, the three were waved away with a flick of a green scaled wrist as the religious leader turned to their god.

"Our fleets our strong. Every engagement sees the foe flee and perish. Within a year, they will be extinct"

Bon'to Ri'kit watched the battles play out with a critical eye, his ears ignoring the distress of the younger researchers at the losses incurred by this enemy. A Klor'vian of modest upbringing from a merchant house, he had been giving the proper respect due to his heritage of soft greens and blue skin tones which had served in his pursuit of knowledge. Having been promoted to the position of High Learned last year when his predecessor stepped down due to illness and old age, Ri'kit promised to keep an open mind for new ideas.

Unfortunately, many thought the technology they wielded against the previous inferior races were enough for every battle. That pathway of thought was proving to be…incorrect. Stopping the holo recording of one of the alien soldiers being killed by cracks of gunfire, Ri'kit could see how troublesome the enemy was being.

"Thoughts? Observations?"

A younger male spoke up, his expanding throat taking hints of red. "Their ground warriors have heavy armor. It takes numerous bullets to kill one. Also…they wield a variety of weapons for infantry warfare which is superior to ours in many cases"

"Indeed researcher. They also favor the defensive, making our warriors come to them. Which means a new generation of body armor's for our brave warriors are in order to survive battle" Bringing up another holo image, it showed one of the enemy vessels disgorging dozens of missiles point blank into Klor'vian ships…which had proved devastating.

"A simple and effective design, yet we never considered it. Why build weapons for close engagements when we have never faced one as a species? A bit of arrogance from our grandsires if I must say" Steepling his fingers, Ri'kit studied the researchers around him. "We must begin work immediately for our next generation of ships and soldiers. However, no production will be warranted unless specified by the High Council. We will solve the problems before us. The priests will be welcome to include these new ideas once we complete them…not before." Ri'kit warned with a gravely rumble. "Once your teams have completed the designs for new armaments and gear for our warriors, I will approve them for viewing by the council…that is all"

Rising quickly as his inferior colleagues muttered new ideas, Ri'kit was in his office minutes later. Sunlight shone through wisps of mist and bog, hiding part of the cityscape beyond. Glimmering towers of emerald stood on islands around the swamplands, stretching for miles and miles as their society flourished with harmony of nature. Many structures were covered in plantlife, a pleasant view for all as birds flew above. Staring for a few minutes at his home, he felt a connection to their world before turning away.

Work was to be done and he couldn't stare out a window all day. Sitting down, he eyed his datapad still showing the first instances of this…species. "How…how did they devise such ships and weapons for war?"

It was a question he couldn't answer.

1st of Reap. Enroute to Convel

Admiral Alya Carmine marched down the corridor to the bridge, passing several crewmen hurrying to battles-stations under the red bathing light of klaxons. Gold trim of her black uniform gleamed under the crimson light, almost slimming her athletic frame as a glare of anger crossed her features. A woman of forty one years, she was one of the youngest to wield such rank in the history of humanity. Of course, military service was almost expected for being born a Dragneel. However, her rank was earned. For hard work, a high intellect and dedication with an exemplary record of service.

Increasing her pace as her burning orange hair bobbed slightly underneath her brimmed naval hat displaying the symbol of the CoG, Alya had fervently wished…wished she had time to visit her husband at Oceania along with her son and two daughters. Nathan was a good man, a Colonel in the 25th army that was always there for their children while she was away for months at a time.

Alya's thoughts momentarily wandered to her son, Trent. He had joined the infantry last year at the age of eighteen, following in his father's footsteps to serve the Coalition. As an officer, she couldn't be prouder of her oldest child, but as a mother…she was worried sick. Especially with this new war. Silently, she thanked the Allfathers that Alena and Lyra were too young for service, but the Toads wouldn't care if she failed to stop them.

Alya crushed the worry, hastening her brisk pace as her ships thrummed through slip-space.

"Nearly two weeks getting to Oceania, another week in transit to Convel, and the Toads were already ahead of us to strike their next target" The thought made her annoyance rise.

She strode onto the bridge, automatic doors sealing behind her before approaching the holo-display table. It displayed the approaching system in its entirety, planets and moons slowly turning in calm serenity.

"Report"

Commander Li cleared his throat, highlighting the colony. "The Toads beat us to Convel by several hours, Admiral. Simply put, they had less distance to cover from Blaze than we did. As we speak, they're attacking the planetary defenses"

"Tell me something I was not aware of, Commander" Carmine warned steadily as she placed her hands on the rim of the table.

"We have an accurate assessment of their forces from outlying sensor stations. Nearly thirteen hundred ships including several transports" Li leaned over the table, dragging the holo pen toward the colony. "The latest data packet indicates that those transports and several hundred of those warships pulled away to Convel VII. Most likely to safeguard as the remainder destroy the HoD network and begin bombardment"

"Which is still a full fleet of over one thousand ships to deal with" Alya stated with dispassion. Based on the layout, she really had two options when the ships under her command entered the system from the south-east. One was to burn hard across the system in the hopes of reaching the smaller contingent somewhere around the lone gas giant…which would easily warn the bombardment fleet in time to hit her forces from the rear. Or…she fought the superior forces locked in combat with those defensive platforms.

"We will attack the main fleet. If they're still engaged with the planet's defenses, we can use that to incur greater losses" She momentarily glanced at the representation of a world home to nearly thirty million Seran's…and knew most would be dead within the coming days. Admiral Alya brushed a small bang near her eye, a lump in the pit of her stomach. She would be abandoning them after one engagement, but the fate of Oasis, Oceania…Tri-Ostri hung in the balance. If she used all her ships in some pyrrhic battle against a numerically superior foe…even more would die.

"How long until we arrive in system?"

"Ten minutes"

She pointed to Convel, the swampy world spinning on its orbit without a care as its large moon lazily turned. "Try to have us enter as close as possible to the moon. It will help us ambush the enemy"

Carmine wished it could be closer, but slip-space drives tended to become problematic the closer they got to gravity wells. A healthy range of five hundred thousand to one million miles was preferred for optimum entrance…which would have to do.

"I doubt we will completely surprise them. At best…maybe we can separate one of their squadrons and decimate those vessels before the majority close to destroy us" That was an outcome she needed to avoid at all costs…a stand up fight. At least, until they were on even grounds in terms of numbers. Looking out the bridge windows at the beautiful hues of purple and blues from slip-space, the admiral knew in a few short minutes, they would be entering combat…a first for her and the 4th Fleet.

"Entering normal space in thirty seconds" the co-pilot stated, her voice crisp and clear across the bridge bathed in the red of battle stations.

Convel System 1st of Reap. 3rd Subjugation (Fleet Two hours earlier)

Fleetmaster Bo'klar had spent hours…days pouring over all the combat data he could glean from actions of the 4th fleet on their journey to this enemy system. Not only how Tra'nil had fared before the destruction of his flagship, but the enemy as well. And after reviewing the data with his sub-fleet commanders, he had come to a horrifying conclusion.

"Their ships have several advantages…" The flagships were larger than his own, stretching longer and wielding more firepower than the Tro'lin. Variety of weapon systems…close and long range capabilities spoke of a militaristic society. And their ground troops… Bo'klar thanked Klorta he had joined the fleet as his career instead of facing those horrors.

In terms of body armor, firepower, and fighting vehicles, the blues had the advantage. Only sheer numbers and surrounding those soldiers could cut them down. He had heard even shooting them point blank in the torso didn't work. It took two to three shots to slow them or kill them…and those damn blue lenses embedded in their helmets made his spine tingle in dread. Like looking at a demon of Belshak…the great polluter.

"Fleetmaster. We've arrived at the outer edges of the system" The lowly crewmember spoke from the co-pilots chair. Many ignored the muttering and self talking of their commander, placing it as a burden of command.

"Excellent. Sweep the system. I want to know what we are facing"

"Your caution is unwarranted, Fleetmaster. There are no ships here and if there are, it is a paltry handful"

Bo'klar turned his head slightly to the priest, his vestments a shimmer of the finest silks among his emerald green hide.

"I have to respectfully disagree, High Priest Fit'hic. The losses have been unprecedented and this foe has displayed tenacity and cunning with ambush strikes" Moving toward the holographic table revealing more and more of the system, he pointed toward the massive gas giant traveling along the far north orbit of the system. "Have sub-master Tor'ta of the 3rd squadron escort the transports toward the gas giant and hold in the upper atmosphere. We cannot afford to risk them in combat" Eyeing the icons of two hundred ships and the valuable transports carrying nearly half a million troops, he felt a…tenseness in his ridges. "We are fortunate that another twenty were enroute to meet with my fleet. Otherwise their numbers after that desert world would be hard pressed" Bo'klar thought of that dry orb and the two ground troops of thirty thousand trying to carry out the war of extermination. The majority had pulled out, reloading transports after two weeks of combat operations that saw many units bloodied. He heard many destroyed settlements had been secured, but the enemy was cunning…always hiding among the ruins to launch small ambushes.

Once again he was glad to command ships in the darkness of space.

Fleetmaster…you dare to hide some of our ships against a species declared inferior by Klorta?" the priest asked incredulously, his voice a dark warble of coming threats.

Bo'klar bit back the condescending remark he wished he could say. But if he did…the priest would call his personal guard to remove him from command. And no crewman would dare to object. Even he would not object to the will of their god. "Of course not, High Priest. I am merely having them wait to begin our wonderful invasion after we have secured orbit of this world. After all, it would be unfortunate to have a repeat and such a loss of our brave warriors before they could land and exterminate the alien scourge"

Fit'hic breathed, his throat sac returning to a neutral color from the slight reddish orange. "You…may be correct. However, if I deem the risk worthy, you will follow the church's command" Bo'klar pressed his right fist over his heart, giving a respectful bow. "Of course. Why don't you make yourself comfortable as we carry on the war?"

Priest Fit'hic nodded slowly, retaking his seat next to the Fleetmaster's own command chair. The Klor'vin turned away, retaking his place at the holo table that fed more and more data to his command as nearly eleven hundred ships moved through the silence of space. "I envy Tra'nil. He may be dead, but at least he didn't have the church breathing down his neck"

Another hour passed in relative silence, his crew working competently to bring a picture of this enemy star system. It was then that sensors finally began to paint of picture of the vibrant living world that was spoke of by advanced recon.

"Fleetmaster! The world the Blue's inhabit is…it's a swamp world!"

"Scan the area! I want to know where the enemy fleet is! It is highly unlikely they would abandon such a gem!"

Clawed fingers flew across keyboards, lighting up green tinted screens as technicians worked feverishly.

"A swamp world, Bo'klar? Colonization to bring the protection of nature under our gaze will please the High Council indeed"

"Thank you High Priest, but first we must clear the infestation of this species. What is the status of the enemy fleet?"

A technician looked up from sensors, his yellow eyes almost pleased. "Only forty eight defensive platforms ring the planet along with some minor industries. There is no indication of enemy ships"

"Scan again, technician. This foe is known to attack from ambush"

Half a minute passed in silence, but the result was the same. "No ships, fleetmaster. This world is practically undefended"

"Very well. Spread our ships out for a broad attack against…this portion of the planet" He pointed, highlighting the night ward side dotted with the lights of cities. Twelve defensive platforms would hinder his initial progress, but they would fall along with the rest in the coming hours. His fleet moved, engines glowing green-white, preparing for assault as the large moon swung silently around the garden world. Lessons learned in the recent past had groups of vessels creating ample space, not wanting to be destroyed by mass counterattacks of missiles. Squadrons were staggered, creating supportive boxes as defensive nets linked together for combat.

"Take the planet" Bo'klar ordered, his face neutral as a biting concern clawed at his mind. "The aliens have fought at every turn, ambushes and surprises that destroyed hundred of vessels. Could the ships we encountered be the limits of their numbers?"

"It appears that the vermin are already on their last legs if they cannot defend a precious world such as this"

It was a pleasant thought, but the fleetmaster couldn't bring himself to believe it. His ships moved closer to the moon and hanging world, a staggered wedge of combat groups headed by Heavy Cruisers, Light Cruisers, and Destroyers as their weapons prepared to fire on the minimal defensive satellites.

The twelve platforms orbiting above the quarter of Convel facing attack began to glow a harsh orange…then fired burning beams of destructive light as the first enemy vessels came within range. Three Light Cruisers were destroyed without taking a retaliatory shot, the HoD system burning through shields and armors with horrifying ease as Klor'vian corpses tumbled from the destruction of dead vessels. Two Heavy Cruisers at the point of the spear burned with flaring shields, the barriers breaking down as frontal armors took the brunt of energy. The remaining HoD had fired at closing destroyers, knocking down barriers as beams tore through bulkheads and compartments to spill even more death among the forward elements, killing seven smaller ships.

Unfortunately for the defensive net, the remaining thirty six platforms could not be brought to bear as they orbited further along the curvature of the planet…away from the Klor'vian fleet. But that didn't mean the twelve would stop firing as Seran technicians poured renewed targets into the computers from reinforced bunkers below the earth.

"Destroy those platforms!" Bo'klar raged, his eyes fuming with anger. He had expected initial losses, but three light cruisers in the first salvo… The satellites fired again, one of them burning a melted scar along the starboard flank of a Plasma Cruiser hit in the first salvo as fresh corpses spilt into vacuum. An adjoining HoD satellite targeted the ship near the stern, a new beam of orange destruction burning through to split the helpless ship into a tumbling third. The front half rotated away, falling toward the planet in an inescapable death plunge.

Twenty of his ships surged toward one, led by another Heavy Cruiser, four L.C's and fifteen destroyers. They fired a rippling of mass accelerated rounds at the stationary target, peppering the heavy shields like a hammer against iron. Disgorging it's signature weapon, the burning blob of plasma struck the platform, dropping the shields to a dangerous seventeen percent as armor shuddered. The ships fired again, moving to stay out of it's firing arc as munitions tore down the last of the shields.

Platform Twenty Five fired another burning pillar of particle fire at a damaged heavy ship attacking one of its brethren, burning though the midsection as melted armor dripped and air howled to expel itself among screaming crew. Taking another hit of plasma, turning thrusters went offline as systems blared under the assault of nearly thirty ships as they bore in to finish the task. Locked into the defensive net, the HoD continued to fight and fire, filling high orbit with dead and dying ships as mass accelerator rounds tore through space at nearly one percent light speed to smash against flaring blue shields.

Platform Twenty-Five killed three more destroyers and damaged a light cruiser before it became floating slag, compiling a total of thirteen enemy vessels destroyed or damaged. An average enjoyed by most of the defensive net even as more took increasing damage.

Bo'klar kept his emotions in check as the battle began to turn his way. Watching the holo display, his yellow eyes quietly counted the lost vessels. Most were destroyers, small and easily replaced. But… "Twenty two Light Cruisers Destroyed…Another Forty seven Destroyers and Three Heavy Crusiers…dozen's of more ships damaged…has it only been a few minutes?"

"Bo'klar…what is the meaning of this? Why are your ships having such an issue with only a quarter of this worlds defenses!?"

The fleetmaster kept his calm, taking a deep breath through his nose slits. "High Priest…each of those platforms is practically a floating Battleship in terms of shields, armor and offensive weaponry. It is our good fortune that we only need to destroy a quarter to begin our invasion of extermination"

He eyed the status of the defensive satellites, their number down to seven as his numerical advantage made itself known. The third fleet was committed, pouring more fire into the defenses as Bo'klar felt unease growing in the pit of his stomach.

"This is too easy…This species doesn't use proper FTL…somehow, they mastered a form of wormhole technology. Surely their ships know we are here" Looking at the system displayed, he studied the dead inner worlds. They were airless…bombarded by high radiation and solar winds as they swung around the star in the close proximity of a shared year. "I know some of their ships survived. Escaped with damnable ease through those rips in space. Did they really abandon this world to our mi—"

A piercing alarm blared with a scream, stunning the ears of many as the crewman at tactical practically went blue with dread.

"FLEETMASTER! I'm detecting over five hundred spatial ruptures!"

"WHERE!?"

The technician hastily input commands, trying to get a read as several nearby vessels of the 4th fleet did the same. His eyes went wide, betraying a renewed horror. "NEAR THE MOON! WEAPON RANGE IN… ONE HUNDRED FORTY SECONDS!"

"Have the 3rd Squadron continue the assault of the planet! 2nd Squadron to form up on our flank immediately! 4th Squadron…must be relieved before they are overwhelmed" Rushing to his command chair, Bo'klar almost sneered as Fit'hic leaned over. "Fleetmaster! You nee—"

Bo'klar turned, his eyes brimming with anger. "I suggest you let me fight my ship, High Priest. Unless you want to become spinning debris" Turning away with a sneer, he pointed a clawed finger at the pilots. "All power to the sub-thrusters! We can't afford to be hit in the flanks!"

"YES FLEETMASTER!"

Engines flared hot, pushing the Klor'vian Dreadnaught and most of his fleet into a rapid turn in a desperate action to face the enemy. However…the Fleetmaster knew of the vile dread for the looming fate for the 4th squadron. They had been stationed closest to the large moon, staggered under his own orders. And the blues would reach them first…

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Alya Carmine knew the surprise ambush of her ships would be survived by the enemy as they inevitably closed over the ammonium atmosphere of Convel's moon. Red lighting storms cracked far below her fleet, almost a harbinger of war. Steady humming vibrated through her feet from the movement of her flagship, the vessel almost chomping at the bit to kill the enemy.

Muttering to herself, she watched as her fleet pushed forward in a large wedge. The Toad ships were staggered into sections, the furthest presented with ample time to turn. In fact, only the closest squadron of two hundred ships would take flanking damages as the enemy attempted to turn in haste and close.

At best, she had a mere two minutes before the majority of their fleet linked up with her targets…and turned the tables.

"They've adapted far too quickly…" Typing some rapid commands, she opened a channel to Rojas. "Admiral. We stick to the plan. We'll create a wall of fire as we punch through the closest group"

"Acknowledged. Let's just hope we can make it count"

"It'l be worth it" Carmine stated, her voice bare of emotion and joy as she watched the icons of her lead ships.

Twenty thermic slugs rushed out mere seconds later at 1.1% light speed, a burning charge of superheated materials followed by a wave of fusion torpedoes racing toward the Toads that numbered a total of two hundred nine ships. Destroyers slowed, waiting for the large ships to catch up as crews reloaded fresh torpedoes to launch.

Defensive lasers and missiles sprung out to meet the first wave as the first Toad ships fired mass accelerated rounds at human ships in a bid to kill their foe. Space became blinded by exploding warheads and flying munitions, both sides trying to shoot down the standard rounds as several struck the human Dreadnaughts flying straight into the maws of carnage.

Most of the vessels had managed to turn in time to bring their main armaments to bear, firing varying calibers of slugs at 1.0% light speed as defensive lasers shot down torpedoes screaming in on burning fuel.

However, not all Klor'vian vessels would be spared death and destruction. Of the nearly three hundred fusion missiles launched on the heels of Thermic lances, twenty three made it through defensive laser batteries to smash against shields in blooming suns. Twelve Klor'vian destroyers died among fusion fire, leaving twinkling shards and debris in their place as their crews died with a brief scream. Five light cruisers became flyable slag from the near misses of another six detonating torpedoes breaking down shields to pave the way for the burning lances of superheated metals. They tore through the outer armors and inner bulkheads, killing hundreds of crew on their passage as the vessels struggled to fall back with air and water vapor streaming through slagged hull breaches.

Those five ships barely escaped death as more took their place as a blocking shield.

Impacts flared against Coalition barriers, many against the two dreadnaughts and her accompanying battleships, but impacts against the destroyers were far more devastating even as they made a second torpedo run under the burning twin beams of HoD fire from the twin Dreadnaughts Mt. Trendil and Embers of Victory. The battleships Hannover, Galangi, Embry, and Bryneton added their own weight of Hammer of Dawn fire, creating an orange wall of particle energy that raced past another salvo of nearly three hundred fusion torpedoes and Thermic Lance slugs. This didn't even include the 10kg shells flying from the assorted Battlecruisers…all directed at the closest enemy squadron that rippled another salvo in desperate defiance over the roiling ammonium moon.

Another one hundred seventy shells of varying size sped toward the enclosing human fleet, accompanied by searing blobs of green plasma that were hungry to kill and maim ships as they rapidly followed the first fusillade.

In a small oddity of time and space, both massed salvoes reached their enemy's defensive envelop at the same time. Blue and green lasers intercepted missiles and heavy slugs in a desperate attempt to protect their respective vessels as the vacuum above Convel's moon seemed to explode in destruction. Many were shot down, destroyed by outgoing laser fire, but the CoG still took damage as lasers burned through vacuum.

Admiral Carmine felt her flagship take several hits from the Toads, but had to push it away for now. A relay blew behind her, sparking across the decking as her ship took several more impacts. The acrid stench of burning electronics were harsh, but the defensive battery net was holding strong under the guidance of the battle computers. Because frankly, the speeds of these incoming shells were too fast for mortal eyes. Only the algorithms of high capacity computer tracking could prevent a sizable portion of incoming fire breaking through and smashing her shields.

"Shields at seventy three percent!"

Alya heard the shout of her ship's status, but she was more concerned with her fleet and the enemy. Eleven of her destroyers were ripped apart under the force of nine and seven kilogram slugs from enemy light cruisers and destroyers, their smaller hulls incapable of bearing the brunt as their shields broke and armored rendered to snatch hundreds of human lives in moments. Another seventeen destroyers took heavy damage, barely surviving the blows as air streamed from broken cracks in the hulls, the vapor quickly freezing into shards of gases.

The twin Battlecruisers Lintonberg and Banfor shuddered from enemy plasma strikes as their defensive nets couldn't halt the vile energy. Shields flared a sickly blue before the enemy weapon started to eat through armor, melting and burning to open forward sections to vacuum as human lives were snuffed out. Enemy destroyer shells ripped through Lintonberg brief moments later, smashing down bulkheads and inner workings, barely missing the engine room as the nine kg slug exited near the stern in a bursting of shattered armor.

Nearly a third of Lintonberg's crew was killed, a total of five hundred thirteen dead as her engineers worked feverishly to bring shields back online among the ruin and mangled inner workings. She was only saved from certain destruction as Vulture interjected, the undamaged Battlecruiser taking several hits that rippled across her shields as her defensive lasers shot down errant shells.

The Cruiser's Savango, Pesanga, and Straussburg were heavily targeted, each taking a hit of roiling plasma as the energy ate their shields in an almost carnivorous manner. Alarms blared among the ships as their shields barely held at ten percent…which quickly fell to zero for Straussburg as a trio of 9kg shells broke through her flaring defensive lasers. The first furrowed along her starboard flank, sheering away outer plating in a scream of metals. The other two however…found the bridge and killed the ship's leadership in a devastating explosion that ripped through the bow sections, leaving a mangled ruin of bodies and bent structural supports.

It was only through the quick thinking of the chief engineer that saved the ship from further destruction as the vessel retreated through an emergency slip-space breech, leaving a wave of dead bodies to fall toward nearby gravity wells.

The Klor'vian squadron commander tried to take out the capital ships, targeting a large portion of their fire on the vessels. Most of those munitions never reached Admiral Carmine's flagship, intercepted by point defense as it flared and arched with harsh blues.

But the roiling balls of targeted plasma were a different story. Unable to be intercepted by anything the CoG could wield, six of those weapons broke through. Bryneton and her sister ship, Embry each took a blob of plasma, the green material splashing across shields that crackled and popped trying to keep out the melting energy. Embry shuddered, her starboard shields almost breaking under that devastating blow as her laser batteries screamed to keep enemy munitions at bay.

It was Ashes of Victory that took the remaining three strikes of plasma, the horrid weapons shattering her shields as the final energy burst splashed along her starboard flank. Armor melted with a hiss, breaking and cracking as two of her defensive Boomshot batteries and four laser clusters became nothing but broken and rendered scrap. Dozens of crew were killed, several outer sections opening to the harsh vacuum of space as destroyed systems sparked among superheated slag.

But as these hammer blows fell upon the fourth fleet in those vital first thirty seconds, the 4th squadron of the Klor'vian Chaliphate found itself on the receiving end of far more destruction.

Eight burning beams of orange energy had erupted from the capital ship batteries, their destructive force crackling with power as they burned past the wall of outgoing fusion missiles and lances to eat through heavy cruiser shields. Simply put, five of the largest Klor'vian vessels stood no chance as their barriers broke, the beams of particle energy smashing through hull armors to wreak destruction among the inner workings. One of the stricken ships simply exploded, the HoD piercing the nuclear powered engines moments before as the others became floating air-streaming wrecks of half melted armor and vacuumed bodies.

Of course, the loss of these ships left vulnerable gaps in the linked defensive net, which the Toads would experience in the coming moments.

Fusion torpedoes screamed into the gaps among Thermic Lance slugs and 10Kg shells, wreaking a horrid cost as nearly a third of the torpedoes managed to reach targets. Sixty eight fresh suns gave birth for several seconds among the ravaged squadron, their 30kiloton yield more than enough to shatter shields and crack armor. Forty seven Klor'vian destroyers vaporized instantly, their remains becoming nothing but floating flotsam above the storm wracked moon as shards blew outward on random escape velocities. Seventeen light cruisers and two heavy's became twisted wrecks of ruined systems and broken hulls spitting out air and water, their unpowered spins disgorging more corpses into space as the CoG ships continued to close to knife range among the curvature of the moon.

"Admiral! The rest of the enemy fleet will hit our port flanks in twenty seconds!" the crewman ducked as sparks flew past her head, blown relays spitting burning electrical embers across her console and the nearby decking. A man lay nearby, his groans of pain hollow among the shaken bridge as a corpsman tended burns across half his face.

Alya Carmine clenched her teeth, a contortion of pain from a shard embedded in her side. Blood leaked down her black uniform, the twisted metal from an exploded relay biting and sharp. The three plasma strikes had been jarring, breaking her dreadnaughts shields as the third caused havoc among a long stretch of her ship, creating several feedback loops of blown systems on conduits.

"I'M WELL AWARE! DAMAGE REPORT!" the admiral shouted, the metal still sticking out from her left side as she hissed.

"Shields are at five percent and climbing! Outer Starboard sections five through seventeen are gone! Two Boomshots and four laser clusters destroyed! Damage control teams are already on site!"

"The enemy squadron?"

"Nearly half destroyed! The rest of their fleet will be in effective firing range in ten seconds!"

"Order all ships to prepare defensive batteries! We'll blow through then make for the enemy vessels attacking the colony! They're still engaged with the HoD defensive net…like sitting ducks" Alya smiled a cruel smile, even as the rest of the enemy fleet fired from her port flank.

"More ships will die…maybe even my own, but we can't let these bastards take this planet without a payment of blood"

"ORDER SUB-MASTER AL'BIK TO RETREAT NOW!" Bo'klar bellowed at one of his minor officers, his voice a harsh croak of dread matching the purplish red hue of his throat sac. Even as his squadron flew with the support of the 2nd and the remains of the 4th fleet to engage the Blue fleet, he could see what would befall those unfortunate ships.

Nearly seven hundred of his vessels fired from extreme range, shells ranging from 18kg to 5kg to streak toward the enemy in the hopes of destruction. Their blue laser defensive net came to life, with more than ample space and time to destroy most of his attack. Only fifty shells made it through to destroy another twelve of their smaller vessels as the range for plasma strikes was still too great. Damage was done to their mid sized ships, many taking hits among bare armor…but it wouldn't be enough to save the 4th squadron as the vermin flew between the moon and the battered vessels.

"They're using my own ships as a shield…" Bo'klar thought in horror. Even if he fired again…all he would do is cause further torment as mass accelerated shells made no distinction between friend and foe.

"Are there any firing solutions?" the fleetmaster asked hollowly, his tone already knowing the answer.

"No Fleetmaster…not without destroying our own ships…"

Space rippled moments later with four hundred launches from nearly every Blue ship as they flew among the tattered wrecks and vulnerable pockets of his own vessels, their engines burning harsh even as their flagship flew damaged.

Klor'vian ships tried to stave off death, but it was a futile attempt as the isolated pockets of vessels became overwhelmed by the knife range barrage. Fusion suns burned bright, devastating the remnants of the 4th squadron as shield generators burned out, armor sizzled and buckled under nuclear fire…or in the case of destroyers, simply vaporized into flotsam.

Only seven destroyers, nine light cruisers, and one heavy cruiser escaped death, but their state was hardly a victory as their hulls leaked air…melted armor burned harsh reds. The enemy launched a second salvo of missiles despite their short range, hoping to distract Bo'klar as he sneered in fury. Their own defenses were ample enough to deal with those short range munitions. It was simply a waste of effort or defiance.

The opportunity to fire once more had presented itself to the Fleetmaster as the Blues sped toward the planet. "FIRE EVERYTHING AT THOSE SHIPS!" He yelled in holy fury, his throat sac a burning red as he stood and pointed across the vastness of space.

As one, his fleet fired in pursuit of the enemy, hoping to wipe them from existence. Defensive lasers burned as the shells drew closer, their trajectories ruined as nearly ninety percent were destroyed before they even reached the hated ships. Some made it through, creating a harsh wreckage or destroying without compassion among the fleet as nearly twenty smaller vessels blew apart to rain their remains among the poison shrouded moon.

"They're making toward our newest world! Do they really think they can stop our honorable eradication of their vile species!?" Fit'hic asked, his yellow eyes widened in surprise anguish.

"No…No they are not…"

The defensive net was being rolled up among that sector of the planet, but those damned batteries were still firing at the 3rd squadron as the blue fleet worked its way behind them…then loosed a veritable fusillade of particle beams, thermic lances, mass accelerated shells and several hundred missiles into the defenses of the Klor'vian vessels that had hastily tried to turn in time…only to open themselves to Hammer of Dawn beams.

Shields burned while armors cracked and melted, breaking to disgorge brave warriors to fall toward the swamp planet. Caught between a rock and hard place, Bo'klar could give honorable credit to sub-master Ja'rae. He fought…hard. Defensive nets shot down hundreds of those terrible torpedoes, ripping the upper atmosphere with green light and burning flares as the two forces enclosed. Even as his own ships tried to close under another fusillade of hundreds of shells to give supporting fire to the 3rd squadron, the conflagration increased. But it would not be enough as burning orange beams tore Ja'rae's command Cruiser, Jiin'kil in two moments later.

The Blue's only preformed a rapid pass, leaving a trial of roiling suns of fusion fire to claim nearly fifty ships before they sped from the planet and retreated into those breeches in the universe.

"Send the loss assessment to my quarters and assist our wounded ships. Have the 2nd and 3rd squadrons resume the bombardment at once" Bo'klar ordered a minor crewmember before standing. Clenching his fist, he lowered his temper before looking at High Priest Fit'hic. "I would be honored if you oversaw the bombardment and eradication of the vermin, High Priest. Unfortunately, I must take a proper count of our losses"

"Of course, Fleetmaster. Your brave warriors earned a valuable world for the Klor'vian Chaliphate today. Please attend to your duties while I oversee the eradication"

Bowing without another word, Bo'klar left the bridge as his ships resumed their attack upon the vulnerable world. Reaching his private quarters, the proud officer felt the small vibration of their main cannon firing…no doubt at a city below as he sat at his green tinted desk. The touch screen of his computer glowed, showing the battles assessment.

"By Klorta…over three hundred fifty vessels destroyed. Another eighty seven damaged against a mere sixty three enemy losses…" It was a harrowing fact. A fact that sent a shiver among his ridges as his mind wandered to the enemy. Their vessels were heavily armored and shielded, the weapons devastating at almost any range as he studied the list of losses once more. "How many more such victories can we afford?"

In total since this war of extermination began, their naval forces had lost nearly a full fleet's worth of ships in terms of destroyed and damaged. And based on the worlds they had found…the fleets they had faced… "We aren't even close to their inner systems. At this rate…"

It was an impossible thought. Something that no Klor'vian had ever considered in conquests of the past as a haunting shiver chilled his ridges and scales with fear. "We might lose if this trend continues…and if the tide turns…Our people will be at the mercy of the blues" he finished aloud, the words like ash in his mouth.

And Bo'klar had a horrid suspicion if their god abandoned them, that they would start losing battles…these aliens would not be merciful.

His flagship vibrated again, sending devastation to the planet below as the Klor'vian fleet continued the eradication of sentient life to protect these worlds in the name of their god.

J3VIII-223 System 4.5 lightyears from Convel. Three Hours later

Alya Carmine could still feel the raw surgery stitches along her left side as she propped herself up on the medical bed. Glancing down at the fresh, raw stitches along with the pinkish bio-foam, she supposed she had been more fortunate than many of the injured crewmen around her. Cries of agony…rapid footsteps of medical officers tending among the copper stink of blood and fear. Many had burns or flesh peppered from explosions, others flesh ravaged by exposure to vacuum as they lay almost still from the near deaths on nearby beds.

Propping herself up, her abdominals cried under the harsh lights as a navy corpsman hurried past to attend a female crewman the next bed over. She had taken the brunt of an explosion, shrapnel flaying her right side and legs as a doctor worked feverishly to mend and heal.

There was nothing Admrial Carmine could do here. Flinging off the simple white sheet of bedding covering her, the admiral found herself still in her uniform pants and boots…and only a sport bra to cover her breasts.

"Damn…damn those fucking toads" she whispered before snatching up her nearby naval cap and jacket. Resting the cap upon her burning orange hair, she slowly shrugged the jacket on…it's clothing stained with her own blood as her body ached from movement. She felt sluggish and slow, but that wouldn't stop her as the fresh stitches screamed.

"Admiral! You need to return to bed. You were just in surgery and can't be moving" a nearby navy nurse cried out while hurrying over to try and stop the officer.

"Duly noted, but if I can walk, I can command. And if I can command…then I can fight" Carmine turned, looking at the overflow of injured, some of which were on emergency medical cots under bathing harsh lights. Some groaned, cried with anguish as the worst were tended to. "Make sure my bed is put to use, I have a fleet to fly" Marching through the medical bay doors, the admiral saw more injured overflowing the nearby corridor as she moved quickly.

"Damn those plasma cruisers…"

Being the closest medical bay to the bridge, she was only walking for a few minutes, passing her own quarters and emergency repair crews hurrying to fix damage. Stepping onto her bridge, she eyed commander Li studying the dispositions of their vessels of the system.

It was uninhabited, a cluster of radiation blasted proto-planets circling a violent purple giant. Several asteroid belts circled in haphazard ovals around the outer gas giant, it's blue shimmer barely unique as the ships of her fleet stayed in a far orbit of the giant planet.

"Admiral? I thought you were recovering from surgery?"

"No time for that Commander. Report" Alya ordered sternly as she strode up to the holographic display. Ignoring the discomfort of movement, she kept her face neutral.

The man sighed, the loss of life heavy in his eyes. "We lost sixty three ships, including the Cruiser's Vanguard and Saratov. Nine Battlecruisers were destroyed along with fifty two destroyers…most from the run toward the planet against the bombardment fleet" He paused, running a hand over his shaven head. "Including the Ashes of Victory, forty eight vessels took damage. The worst off is Straussburg and Lintonberg. They'll need to be towed back to Oceania. Another twenty nine vessels can make it under their own power, but are in no shape to fight. The remaining seventeen can effectively make emergency repairs, but the gaps in our hull and defensive net on our starboard side will make any further engagements risky" He brought up the list of KIA, the scrolling names a soft blue that numbered thousands…including three hundred eighty seven of the flagships own crew. "I suggest we join the damaged ships to get proper repair's"

Alya Carmine looked over the tallied losses, her face grim. The fourth squadron under Rear-Admiral Laghari in command of Bryneton had taken the brunt of attack, losing nearly a full third of her ships in the battle.

Today she had lost thousands of men and women under her command, but she had no doubt that the Toads were bombarding Convel at this very moment. It was quite possible millions had already perished.

"I've lost nearly twenty percent of my forces, but…that still leaves me with nearly four hundred total vessels…"

"Are the sensors in the Convel system still broadcasting?"

"Yes, but it looks like the Toads are starting to hunt them down. Seventy percent are already offline"

"Show me the latest data" Carmine ordered. A nearby crewman nodded, her blonde hair a matted mess as she quickly assessed the system. The holographic display changed, showing hundreds of red icons flooding the helpless system. Over eight hundred ships were around the planet, no doubt continuing the bombardment. Another small group of fifty was traveling the outer reaches of the southern system, no doubt hunting down any mining operations and the sensor stations.

The image flickered, the southern part of the system going dark as the FTL linked sensor net took another blow. But…a group of nearly two hundred were moving northward past the gas giant, away from the invasion and genocide of her fellow Serans.

"Now where do you suppose those ships are going?" she asked rhetorically as Alya slowly stroked her smooth chin.

"A possible survey squadron? They could already be trying to search for more of our worlds?"

"But they're heading north away from our territory…Extrapolate the likely heading of those vessel's"

Crewmen complied, feeding data into the computers as the Admiral waited for a few precious seconds. The visage of space drew outward, showing a straight line leading to undiscovered systems.

"Admiral. Their current bearing takes them out of known Coalition Space to galactic North, destination unknown"

"They could be possible supply ships…or damaged vessels…or transports heading toward one of the Toad worlds or naval base's" Carmine mused loudly, the gears in her head already turning at the possibility.

"Admiral. We can't simply take the whole fleet on some chase in the hopes of finding the Toad homeworld. We would be leaving Oceania and Oasis practically undefended" Li reasoned, already sensing the actions that Alya would take.

"I wouldn't do something that foolish, but if we can find their nearest point of supply and reinforcements…it would give these bastards a taste of their own medicine" the woman reasoned simply as she brought up the current status of the 1st squadron for her fleet. She knew her flagship had taken damage and losses…but with the loss of only six destroyers, the unit was still mostly full strength.

"Connect me with Admiral Rojas"

Communications complied, a simple affair that had the visage of the man appearing in the next thirty seconds over the holo table as a tiny figure.

"Alya? Shouldn't you be resting?" the man asked with a cocked brow, his image flickering blue.

"I can rest later, Rojas. Right now, I see an opportunity to strike back at the enemy" A few keystrokes sent the data projections of the enemy to the fellow Admiral, his face taking on a thinking tone.

"You plan on following these ships and leaving Oceania undefended?"

"No. You'll fall back to Oceania with the remains of the fifth and the majority of my fleet to resupply and repair. I'll take the first squadron and try to get a layout of the Toad territory…and hopefully sow some well deserved destruction" Alya lightly smiled, her side flaring once again, but she held fast.

Admiral Rojas nodded, his own mind weighing the risk and benefit. "Very well. I'll inform High Command once we return. I'll assume you'll be running dark?"

"Goes without saying. No incoming or outgoing communications. But we will have to hurry. Estimates have that retreating contingent leaving Convel in…" Carmine studied the assessed data, her eyes lightly narrowing. "Thirty Eight minutes. My squadron will need to be in the next system before they arrive"

Rojas popped off a lazy salute to his equal, the holo image of himself flickering again. "May the Allfather's protect you. Good Luck" His image disappeared after that, leaving the tactical holo table churning with stars and voided space. The vast majority of the ships started to leave over the next few minutes, rippling breeches in the universe swallowing them whole as they made their retreat.

"Lay in a course to…" her wound flared, causing a harsh stab of pain as the woman pointed to the adjoining star system. Most notably, the second asteroid belt around the red dwarf and a half broken planet. "Hide…our ships here. Do not engage the enemy. We need them to lead us to their world's.." Carmine ordered, her right hand grasping the recent injury in her left side.

"At once, Admiral" the pilots said in unison, laying a new course for the one hundred three ships of the squadron to follow. It took thirty seconds to build the twisting energies and exotic particles of the slip space rupture, but the Ashes of Victory was soon moving into the swirling blue and purple breech, the ship leading her charges to the next system.

The familiarity of the tunnel bathed the bridge in a pleasant coloration of light colors, marking the start of their journey.

"We're under way. Now you return to your quarters and rest" Commander Li stated with a concerned look, his bald head a light gleam under the bridge lights.

"I should be here when we em—"

"Do I need to pull rank? We can't have you falling over dead because you're being stubborn"

Alya Carmine wanted to shout and berate her fellow officer…but dammit. "He's right"

"Eight hours. Wake me in eight hours" Turning to the doors leading to the connecting corridor, she felt the pain growing harsher. "Med's probably wearing off…"

"Crewman. Assist the Admiral to her quarters. Make sure she's comfortable before you return" Li ordered with a small tug of his lips.

"I'm not some frail cripple…" Breathing harsh, Alya felt a young man lend his arm and shoulder as they made the journey to her quarters…

8th of Harvest 421 A.E. System HVII-673. 512 light years from Coalition Space. (forty three days later)

Five weeks. Five weeks of watching…hiding and stalking the Toad contingent on their journey from system to system. Of agonizingly slow movement…of waiting in asteroid fields…the crackling electrical storms of gas giants. Moving in from the outer edges of each system as Seran ships followed the escort ships and the damaged vessels they protected.

And it had finally paid off as Coalition Ships hung high above the planetary elliptical.

Sitting upon her command chair as the bridge bathed in red light, Alya Carmine grinned wolfishly as the passive sensors revealed the star system before herself and her ships.

Five planets orbited a healthy yellow sun, bathing the third world in life giving light. The spillage of transmissions from the planet had been intercepted, communications between the two hundred ships and the presumable ground forces or leadership. But those wounded vessels weren't moving toward the planet itself. No…they were making way to the shipyards orbiting the fifth planet that was a stunning orange gas giant with roiling purple storms.

"Defenses?" Alya whispered, her tone barely heard, almost as if she risked being discovered by the enemy race.

"Aside from the ships we followed? Only ten light cruisers around the shipyards. Most traffic appears to be freighters and supply ships. No orbital defenses detected around the enemy planet" the female crewman at sensors reported.

It was incredulous. To leave such a populated world without even simple defensive satellites or orbital batteries. "Is it arrogance? Pending construction? Or they simply didn't bother?" Frankly, the reason didn't concern her. All it did was make her raid easier.

"What's the planet population?" Carmine asked the crewman, who typed in rapid commands.

"Best estimates based on radio and other communications place the population between forty and seventy million. Most likely a colony world"

Carmine almost smiled, the prize before her almost unbelievable to be real. "I'm sure I don't need to remind any of you what this species plans for our people. Their actions speak of genocide…just like the locust. No mercy will be granted…just like the mercy the Toads visited upon Aspho, Blaze, and no doubt by now, Convel" Alya stood from her chair, clasping her slender hands behind her back. Eyes set firm below her hair of blazing orange, she gave the order. "Attack the undamaged ships first, priority on the Heavy Cruisers. Once we've destroyed all their naval assets, we strike the shipyards…then the colony"

"At once Admiral!" The men and women around her complied, almost feverish in their seekage of revenge against this hated foe.

One hundred three ships moved downward into the system at full speed, homing in on the escorts and wounded that numbered a full two hundred and sixteen that had barely made it a quarter across the orbital plane.

Attacking from the high rear, Coalition ships burned on sublight as their engines flared hot across the velvet of vacuum. Nearly thirty minutes of a high speed burn gave ample time to the Toad ships to turn, their own vessels arcing upwards as they made a desperate bid to save their wounded comrades.

Two Heavy Cruisers, twelve light cruisers and nearly eighty of their destroyers raced to meet the Ashes of Victory. Followed by the Battleship Embry, four Longshot Cruisers, Sixteen Battle cruisers, and eighty one destroyers, the weight of capital ships would turn the day against the toads.

Carmine's Flagship fired from extreme range, two burning beams of orange particles beating down the lead plasma cruisers shields in a flare of energies as the enemy fired that dreadful plasma of roiling green. Quickly following up with an 18kg shell in her follow up salvo, the shell ripped across the closing space to smash through the enemy bridge, killing the commander in the blink of an eye. The other Heavy Cruiser had fired, adding to the plasma threat as it sped between the closing fleets.

Being the target of two plasma bolt attacks, Ashes of Victory jinked in a bid to avoid those harsh munitions that could make dreadnaughts bleed. She avoided the first by a hair's breadth of three feet, but the second burned across heavy shields, beating them down to fifty eight percent. Damage control scurried along corridors, making way to blown relays to ensure shields would recover as the flagship returned fire once more.

But the battle had been decided from the first moments. Even as both sides opened up with barrages of mass accelerated rounds, the sheer weight of weapon destructiveness favored the Coalition. Laser batteries and anti-missile defenses went to work, a roiling storm of blues, greens, and bursting munitions under the distant glare of the yellow sun.

One hundred sixty two fusion torpedoes were launched en masse, burning across vacuum from the destroyers as some of their shields flared from hits. Joined by 10kg slugs from the battlecruisers and 12kg Thermic lances from the Longshots, the wave of destruction raced with fresh HoD fire from the capital ships to reach the Toads.

The enemy shot down one hundred twenty three of those torpedoes, but it wasn't enough to halt the formations of thirty nine miniature suns blooming against their ships. A mere few moments passed, and the enemy lost twenty eight destroyers in nuclear fire. Eleven of the L.C's became crippled, mangled wrecks, a fate that was quickly remedied as Coalition fire ripped those vessels apart to spill their crews among the dead of space.

Another trio of Hammer of Dawn beams tore through that first damaged Heavy Cruiser, breaking it into spinning flotsam and corpses. The four Longshots fired at the second Plasma Cruiser, their lances burning through shielding that rippled and collapsed under the superheated materials.

The Toads returned fire, but their formation had been ravaged…the line broken as their few larger vessels tried to rally their destroyers to fight. Their lone cruiser only managed a second shot before she was cleaved in half by three searing beams of particle energy. Engines exploding twenty seconds later, she was hardly the last as the two surviving light cruisers tried to fight and lead their surviving sixty destroyers to hurt the Seran ships in some way.

Their fate was sealed in the following minute as a fresh salvo of fusion torpedoes raced among the fearsome power of the first squadron. With ravaged defensive nets and trying to stave off the incoming shells ranging from ten to eighteen kilograms, the fusion torpedoes were vastly more effective. Nearly half made it through…and it was more than enough.

Eighty suns grew and burned, swallowing the vast majority of those smaller ships, leaving nothing but wreckage and spinning debris. Only three vessels survived that barrage…and air streaming wrecks that glowed from melted hulls were no match. They were quickly eliminated, leaving no survivors among the escorts as the human's quickly turned to the ships trying to limp away to the shipyards.

And for the first time since the war began, humanity lost no vessels. Yes, nearly a dozen were damaged, two destroyers badly mangled with nearly a quarter dead crew, but so far…a stunning victory.

A crewman studied the data before her, eyes blank and indifferent to the beasts that waged war on her people. A renewed sweep of sensors brought new updates, something that the Admiral would like to know. "Admiral. The ten light cruisers are fleeing the system"

"Can we catch them in time?"

"No ma'am"

"Very well. Bring up the damaged ships trying to flee" Staying silent as the vessels were displayed, she really had no pity for them. Most were…broken. Ravaged by thermic lances, shells and Hammer of Dawn fire even after this long journey. Frankly, she highly doubted they posed any threat to her current command.

One of those damaged ships caught her eye…a plasma cruiser. Zooming in, she could see the broken port side exposed to space as girders and supports lay twisted among the ruin. No doubt repair crews had done their best, but the ship was hardly a threat.

"That one. We'll be dragging it back with us. Not only for technology, but we need to learn more about this enemy. Their weaknesses, industry and capacity. All the others can be destroyed"

"At once, Admiral"

The coming action wasn't a battle…but a one sided slaughter of wounded. Most of these vessels didn't even have working defensive nets, let alone full weapon capabilities. Compiled with broken hulls, fried electrical systems and shields along with staggering losses among their crews…and their deaths were fast under the massed wall of shells that tore them asunder over the next minute.

Leaving the lone Heavy Cruiser under guard of a Battle cruiser and ten destroyers, the rest of the squadron made way to the orbital fleet yards near the gas giant of the outer system.

The shipyards were large, the metal works a dull green as the orbital industry glowed with light. Stretching outward and upwards, the orbiting structure almost looked…pyramidical among jutting construction struts and most likely, habitation arms for the workers.

Dozens of berths were filled with half completed ships, or housing those still in the midst of repair from earlier battles with the Coalition. If any of them could flee…it was far too late as Alya Carmines forces rapidly approached.

The admiral didn't even need to give the order as her vessels opened fire, wreaking destruction among the industrial zone. Hammer of Dawn fire ripped through half completed ships, marking their funeral pyres as Thermic Lances burned through the fabrication plants with frightening ease. Girders and supports broke away under the impacts of 10kg shells smashing through the light skinned habitation sections, spilling more of the enemy into the dead orbit around the gas giant.

"Shipyards are destroyed, Admiral"

"Good. Now make way to the colony. We don't know how much time we have until reinforcements arrive" Crossing her legs as she sat upon her command chair, Alya could feel her ship moving at top speed to the living world.

Still, it took nearly an hour to cross the system on sublight before they came into orbit around the planet as sensors began to sweep. Angling downward, Ashes of Victory pointed to the planet like a large rifle along with her companion vessels making ready for bombardment.

It had one moon, a gas covered orb of browns and reds that was tidally locked with the world of blue oceans, green lands, and occasional desert. The planet itself was a Pangea type, a solid landmass that faced away from the tidally locked moon.

Cities could be observed from orbit, many hugging the coastlines while a few lay inland among heavy forests or swamplands.

The technician at communications tensed, his job to record every bit of data from this world falling to the wayside as a transmission bore through. Turning, he faced the flag officer with a cocked eyebrow. "Admiral? I think…We're getting a video communication from the planet below"

Alya rose her own brow at this, surprised that these monsters would even attempt to talk. "So…they burn our worlds with no reason, but once the shoe is on the other foot…fine. Show me" She uttered, her voice flecked with anger and hate.

She knew the Chairman would want to try for peace if possible, but any further thoughts were discarded as the visage of a toad appeared. The creature was wearing what looked like silk garments, the collar embroidered with small gemstones. Its face was a sneer, the lips of dark green curled back as the yellow eyes blinked vertically. The beast began to shout…scream in a fit of rage in a language that none of the humans could begin to understand.

"MALNI! MALNI! Trennor misk dra! Te vould fo Bo'link wint tesit! Klorta wes sen vu dra!"

(Beast! Beast! Vermin must die! The world of Bo'link will resist! Klorta will see you die!"

A chopping motion from Carmine ended the call, the tone of the enemy very clear as she moved past the hateful communication. "I want all ships to target every urban center. From major cities to small towns. Full range of weapons are allowed"

Tactical and weapons quickly went to work, a brief blink of three seconds before the young lieutenant gave an assenting nod at the sitting Admiral. "Target locked on the largest city along the western coast. The rest of the ships are waiting on your order's"

Alya Carmine didn't hesitate. After all, these weren't people…just monsters that managed to reach the stars to wage a genocidal war against the Coalition.

"Fire!"

Two beams of super heated energy raced downward, burning through clouds and the atmosphere before slamming into the center of the urban sprawl. A wall of fire immediately raced outward, killing hundreds of thousands in a roiling firestorm that turned most to ashes in the first three seconds. Buildings blew apart or were toppled, the glass facades of windows blown out by the approaching pressure wave as the firestorm from the twin blasts raced down roadways and boulevards, killing without mercy.

Embry's attack had a similar effect to the city fifty miles north, the singular Hammer of Dawn beam sowing a genocidal wave of destruction among thepopulation of three million as the searing temperatures killed indiscriminately.

The Longshots compiled their Thermic Lances to strike a medium sized city in the center of the landmass, a continuous bombardment of slaughter that burned through whole districts as the Battlecruisers lent their weight of shells. And the destroyers? They simply launched their fusion torpedoes at urban targets below. Amounting to another one hundred sixty warheads of 30kiloton range, they burst upon the land, leaving the skeletal remains of buildings, workplaces, and the dead among firestorms of superheated flame and ash as the larger ships continued to fire upon any viable target.

The destruction of the colony took nearly an hour, sowing a death toll of nearly sixty eight million as the surface burned a harsh glowing ember.

"Status?"

"Estimates put the destruction at nearly ninety nine percent, Admrial. Any survivors will be highly disorganized and demoralized"

"A shame we don't have invasion forces to finish the job…this world would be a welcome addition to our territory…" Alya mused. "If they plan the same for us…then I'll plan the same for them" Sitting straighter, her orange hair seemed to burn with victory. "All ships retreat to Oceania. Make sure to tow our enemy prize. We've done what we came to do"

Turning, the first squadron linked up with the rest of their comrades, towing the broken cruiser into the spinning ruptures of slipspace, leaving the ashes of Bo'link behind them as the firestorms continued to burn across the devastated ruins…

Convel. Sevoburg, 14th of Bounty 421 A.E.

Sergeant Lea Kaliso crouched behind the shattered wall of the police station, waiting patiently for the enemy to approach from down the roadway. A woman with jet black hair, it matched the facial tattoos of her family along with the bronzed skin of being a native. Considered beautiful, Lea Kaliso had been a Gear for almost two years when the war began…and it soon came to her home.

She had been damn lucky her parents and three siblings had reached safety before the bombardment…but so many had not been that fortunate. Hell, she didn't need to even look at the nearby roadway covered with the abandoned wrecks of civilian vehicles…along with the rotting corpses of colonists too unfortunate to be caught in the bombardment. It was a nightmare of ruin.

If she were to look out the third story window nearby, the twenty three year old woman would see half the ruins of Sevoburg flooded. The nearby levee along the river had been destroyed in the opening bombardment, filling nearly sixty percent of the city streets with river water…or tidal incursions from the nearby coastline. And while it wasn't too deep in most places, it had completely flooded most of the lower sewer system…which had been a terrible loss among the civilians taking refuge two months before.

Very few made it out alive. In fact, if Lea had to guess, only three to four hundred thousand Serans were still alive on Convel today…and the Toads wanted to make that a big zero based on how mercilessly they killed any non-combatants they found. Children…women…retired grandparents. It didn't matter…just killing and slaughter.

It made the hatred easier.

At least the Toads had crappy body armor, but their rifles could get the job done if given half a chance along with their own tanks. A weapon that held twenty rounds and could sport an attached bayonet of steel, she had seen fellow Gears fall to them. Command knew that Convel had been invaded by nearly half a million of the green bastards, but they had a whole planet to cover in their campaign of genocide while the Gears could ambush and melt back into the ruins which helped the fight.

That, and the fact that the 28th army still fielded nearly sixty thousand Gears along with armor despite losing nearly a quarter of their strength in the first two weeks from heavy fighting. But those precious vehicles had to be kept hidden…the Toads loved to smash any sizable units from orbit…which is what happened to the 9th 11th and 22nd Battalion's as they moved to counter-attack at Kasil. Nearly three thousand men and women…only seven hundred twelve survived to retreat after that terrible push. After that…small units of company sized or smaller were to lead ambushes and strikes. Anything larger would bring a mass accelerated shell upon their heads.

Although, from what command had reported, the majority of the Toad Fleet had pulled back from Convel two weeks ago, leaving a mere one hundred warships in orbit to guard their transports. Where the rest of those ships went, Lea couldn't guess…but it probably spelled trouble for the CoG.

"Sarge…I spotted movement. Approaching from the west. Looks like recon was right" A whispered transmission from Private Mechel hummed in her earpiece.

"Copy. Look alive Gears" she whispered before double checking her lancer. Taking a small peek across the roadway of cracked pavement and stinking corpses, Lea knew that eight of her fellow Gears were hunkered down in that four story apartment building…or what was left of it based on part of the corner torn away.

Sergeant Kaliso commanded Zulu Three, part of Ilima company and the twentieth battalion stationed in the ruins of this fallen city. Lightly slapping an errant bug that landed on her neck, she could feel the humidity and the ozone stink of coming rain.

It would help cover their movements. That, and maybe wipe away some of the sticky sweat and grime she felt clinging to her skin. After all, she hadn't bathed in weeks.

The sounds of marching footfalls grew louder, a rustling of equipment and that…grunting speech of the Toads that simply sounded like a throat clearing of phlegm. It reminded Lea of the old videos of the locust, a sentiment widely shared by many Seran's.

Lea felt the first raindrops fall upon her black hair, the water coming through the multiple holes in the roof above as she kept still and silent.

The first Toad passed, the being keeping a healthy distance between itself and the nearest soldiers. Stepping onto the rotting head of a dead child with a crunch, the monster grunted, pausing to kick of the slags of flesh as more of the platoon continued to march past.

They were cautious, moving with rapid care…and not daring to walk too close together. They had learned rapidly…far to quickly that massed formations against the Gears resulted in extreme casualties.

The rest of Zulu squad lay in wait at the far end of the street in the ruins of a restaurant, just waiting to spring the slaughter.

Sergeant Kaliso didn't have to wait long as her Grinder team opened fire on the lead elements from across the nearby intersection. Bullets spat in an arching fire of tracers and lead over the roadway, springing the beginning of the ambush. Three of the enemy fell under the stream of lead, bodies collapsing like ragdolls as she moved to the window.

"KILL THEM ALL!" she yelled out as the street came alive with snapping gunfire and screaming aliens. Aiming at one of the creatures sprinting toward a tipped over police car, the woman squeezed off a ten bullet staccato into its back. The toad writhed, screaming that alien howl as green gore splashed the roadway. Ducking back, bullets cracked through the gaping window, slamming into the far wall as the carnage of battle grew stronger.

Staying low as her Gears kept up the pressure, Kaliso moved along the broken wall toward the next window. Glass and brick shards crunched beneath her boots, more felt than heard as Private Anders fired out of the window. The blonde woman ducked back to reload, bullets snapping the rain laden air where her head had just been.

Lea aimed downward into the conflagration, thirteen dead Toads already littering the rubble choked roadway as their green blood flowed. The remaining twenty had taken cover among the tangle of wrecks and rubble, occasionally popping up to return fire to the Gears surrounding them.

Five of them sprung up, breaking cover as their comrades unleashed a fusillade of screaming bullets at presumed targets, trying to prevent the squad from taking the group's lives. Surging toward the police station, the five fired as they ran, hoping to reach cover.

Sergeant Kaliso fired, striking down one of the creatures as its head exploded like a grapefruit, but the rest reached the front doors of station, no doubt closing with the Gears stationed below. Alien shouts over the revving of chainsaws and snapping gunfire surged the rest of the Toads to run toward the building in a sprinting crouch. She had to duck back, rounds cracking past her head as the enemy lay down a heavy marching fire.

Her Grinder crew cut down four more in an orgy of lead and screaming flesh, joined by the raining fall of grenades from the apartment across the way. In total…seven were killed in the short journey…which left nearly half the enemy platoon to contend with.

"Anders! With me!" Lea quickly called as she raced toward the stairwell in the middle of the station's floor. Running past ruined desks and destroyed computers, the two women took up defensive positions at the top of the staircase. Utilitarian concrete, Private Anders had the benefit of having one of the support beams as part of the block that attached to the descending handrail.

Sergeant Kaliso rapidly tapped her radio, linking with Zulu Three. "Converge on the station, Gears. I have a feeling I just became outnumbered"

"Hell Sarge. We've been outnumbered from day one. This just gives us more shitheads to shoot"

"Just get your asses over here" Lea ordered with a short tone as bootsteps rapidly clamored that first floor flight. Gunfire picked up outside, her squad laying down fire to the ambushed Toads trying to turn the tide in their favor.

Ten seconds later, the first trio of Toads appeared at the bottom of the concrete steps, their bayonets glistening with crimson blood. Anders threw a frag, the orb flying downward to land on the bottom step behind the sprinting enemy.

Kaliso didn't wait for the small explosive to burst. She opened fire on the closest, six bullets punching through that crap armor to ruin its chest in a mangle of flesh. The other two dropped to their knees halfway up the stairs, rifles pressed to their shoulders as they lay down cover for another two just reaching the bottom landing.

Maybe they didn't see the frag…or thought they could make it past. Whatever the reason, it exploded at that moment, ripping the fresh duo into horrid pieces as green gore splattered the nearby steps.

Grunting snarls erupted from the Toads, their hatred and fury apparent as the two screamed and ran forward, firing from the hip. Lea blindfired around her cover, Anders doing the same as bullets cracked into the concrete supports of the top landing.

A howl of pain erupted from one of the enemy, two bullets taking it in the kneecap as it collapsed in an agony of screams and shattered bone. The last Toad reached the top, jabbing its bayonet toward Anders in a blind fury, trying to perforate her skull as the blonde woman took a glancing blow that split part of her temple in a cry of pain and sliced skin.

Kaliso didn't give the Toad another chance. Revving up her lancer, the tanned woman with facial tattoos plunged the spinning blades into the neck muscle of the enemy. It screamed with a nightmarish agony as green blood spattered both female's armor, bits of viscera flying as it's back muscles came apart. Wiping away bits of green and gore, Lea turned to the stairs as the last enemy tried to reach its fallen rifle nearby.

"Deal with that asshole. I'll check ahead"

"Gladly, Sergeant" Anders winced as she moved to execute the fallen monster. Blood trickled down her temple, the fresh wound still flowing.

Sergeant Kaliso moved downward, barely flinching from the crunch of skull under a heavy boot and the cessation of agonized moans. Coming to the ripped open corpses, she found the silence horribly deafening before moving to the stairwell that led to the first floor. Leaning around the supporting vertical beam, Lea shouted downward. "Zulu! What's the situation?"

"Three of the bastards managed to slip out the back. Rest are toasted. But Private's Manik, Trevors, and Blane are KIA. They got overrun by the Toads" Corporal Fessback shouted back, his gruff voice carrying well.

"Shit. Alright. Collect their tags, weapons and ammo. We can't waste it" She ordered while descending the stairs. Coming to the bottom landing, the harsh stink of voided bowels, roasted skin, and death greeted her from over a dozen Toad corpses.

The fallen Gears had obviously fought, evidenced by the five dead corpses around them despite the broken armor ravaged by gunfire and the near severed head of Manik. She saw her dead Gears stripped of their essential supplies quickly and efficiently, a furor of movement by her surviving troops.

"We're heading out. I'm sure they'll be sending more assholes to kill us…or just try to blow us up from orbit"

Grunts and mumbles were the Gears reply, but Lea wasn't going to really complain so long as they followed her lead. Moving outward to the roadway, the stench of bloated bodies would soon have company by the freshly killed. Sprinting past, Zulu Three faded into the back alleys and rubble of Sevoburg to reunite with Ilima Company in the ruins of the northern factory district…

Oasis. 15th of Bounty, 421 A.E.

Fleetmaster Bo'klar sat on his command chair, watching as the infantry transports flew down to the desert world below in their efforts to eradicate this species. Face grim and drawn, his throat sac was displaying no emotions as the spinning wreckage of Blue ships floated among the rendered defenses of this world.

By all accounts…this was a stunning victory. His trap against the enemy had worked, enabling him to destroy nearly one hundred of their ships and damage another estimated eighty in a high speed pincer maneuver over this latest conquest. Granted, seventy of those vessels were destroyers, it was still a glorious achievement to cripple the enemy fleet.

Of course, he lost sixty vessels in the battle, most notably two of his heavy cruisers, ships that were quickly proving their worth. Taking the planet had been without cost itself, a loss of another twenty three vessels in order to pave open the path and get behind the defensive envelop to ensure orbital superiority. After that…the bombardment began…and lasted for days. Only now was it deemed acceptable to begin the slaughter of the remnants, a campaign assured by the groundmaster to be over in days.

But Bo'klar knew better. Even the first world he had taken months before still crawled with the Blues, their soldiers fighting from the broken ruins and causing untold casualties on a daily basis. And the swamp world…the priests wanted it to be cleared as rapidly as possible, but the enemy had other plans.

"By the estimates of my technicians, my fleet has killed nearly sixty million of this species…and yet…they fight like savages on the surface. In space, we carry the day…but losses continue to pile up. Then of course…the slaughter of Bo'link…"

The Klor'vian Chaliphate has never suffered such losses, and yet, even with their fleets pressed and worlds burning, the Blues managed to find and enact a genocide against their youngest colony of the ten habited worlds.

The news had enraged…caused anguish and sorrow…promises of death for all the enemy for causing such unwarranted devastation against their chosen species.

"You look disappointed, Fleetmaster. You have brought another great victory for our people, and bring well deserved eradication for their crimes against Bo'link" High Priest Fit'hic stated, his large green lips pursed in a small smile of pleasure as he eyed the world below, its cities still glowing from the bombardment.

"My apologies. I'm just thinking of our next course of action. After all, many of their large vessels did survive the recent battle"

"I'm quite confident you will find more of their worlds. After all, our glorious fleets continue to push them back. It is only a matter of time until they break"

"Of course. You are correct" Stroking his chin as his leathers pressed against his scales and ridges, Bo'klar knew what a lie it was. "The fourth is basically a shell of itself, numbering a mere one hundred seventy vessels. Combined with my own ships and the meager reinforcements of repaired vessels…I can barely muster nine hundred for our combined forces" He thought of his fellow Fleetmasters in the 2nd and 1st to the East. While their battles had been somewhat…easier, they still had taken several hundred losses, dropping their total strength from sixteen hundred to barely thirteen hundred as the enemy fought raids and ambushes in dead systems in a fighting retreat.

"How long? How long until we beat them?"

Oceania System. 3rd of Frost, 421 A.E.

The construction workers, engineers, and fabricators had worked a miracle at the Crysla Shipyards. A feverish fury of round the clock work, of non stop construction had finally bore fruit.

Standing on the bridge of Ashes of Victory, Alya Carmine watched the vessel ease out of the construction berth of the orbital yards orbiting Oceania IV… a serene gas giant of purple and yellow that was almost calming to gaze upon.

She had been regarded as a hero upon her return, striking a devastating blow against the Toads along with the towing of a derelict enemy vessel. A much needed boon to intelligence and research to fight this foe. Some whispers had her up for the Onyx Star, the highest military honor. But frankly, she had no time to waste on ceremonies, especially with the enemy so close. If they wanted to pin some medals on her bosom, they could wait after she kicked the Toads from human territory.

Reasserting her gaze to the target of her interest, Alya found herself impressed.

The Coalitions first Assault Carrier, Azure Ocean was ready. A ship stretching 1.2 miles in length, she was built for war. While aesthetically, the carrier was an angular, ugly box of harsh gray and steel, that really didn't matter. What mattered was her Dreadnaught grade armor and shields. Her bristling laser and anti-missile batteries. And of course…her offensive power.

Two hundred twenty fighters and eighty bombers would call her home among the pilots and crew. It was the perfect vessel to spring upon the Toads, especially with the recent loss of Oasis.

"Have Captain Paduk begin his shakedown exercises. I have a feeling we'll be needing his ship very soon" the Admiral commanded, her gaze falling on her nearby fleet.

Industry was surging, repaired ships finally rejoining her fleet along with newly christened destroyers, Battlecruisers and Cruisers, including her own repaired vessel. While she wished for a slew of newly planned Dreadnaughts, they simply didn't have the time. Those ships took nearly a year to build, and at the start of the war, none had been on the table for construction. That of course has been changed, several new hulls were being lain in the other shipyards…and she heard of a new Monitor class. Something that would make her current flagship almost a Cruiser in comparison.

In the two months she was gone on that deep space raid, the fifth and third had fought hard…taking heavy losses of Oasis. But those gaps in her command were being filled, bringing their combined forces to a resurged six hundred vessels in the last two weeks.

It would have to be enough. The first and third fleet were still guarding Tri-Ostri, the only ships to protect the inner worlds as the rest of the fifth and second were doing their best to keep the enemy from Prescott.

"If we can stop them here…It could turn the tide…" Alya turned, looking at the bluish star outside the bridge window that was Oceania. "Thank the Allfathers my husband sent Alena and Lyra to our family on Sera on one of the colonial transports. They'll be safe there"

The woman at sensors with purple hair went rigid, her eyes going wide as she turned to face the Admiral near the windows of the bridge.

"Ma'am! Deep space sensors have picked up the enemy fleet approaching the system! ETA in two hours!"

"Alert all ships" Taking her command chair as the bridge became a bathed red of battlestations, Alya Carmine pursed her lips as she watched Azure Ocean form up with her command in the next few minutes, joining a slew of hundreds of vessels as they began to slip through the vastness of the star system.

The enemy was coming…and this was a battle she couldn't lose.

Contact War Development Index. Circa 421 A.E.

Assault Carrier: Raven Nest Class

Length 1.2 miles

Armor: Tungsten/Chromium Steel 215 centimeters thick

Crew Compliment: 5,700

-300 pilots. 80 bombardiers

Computer Systems: Class V Battle systems

Primary Weapons: 220 Fighters. 80 Bombers

Fighter: Nose mounted blue laser light cannon

-four 5kg Fusion Missiles

-Protective shields

Bomber: Crew of Two

-Eight 10kg Fusion Missiles

-Protective shields

Defensive Armament: Sentinel Point Defense

-Anti-missile batteries

Class V Shields

Two Fusion Engines

Slipspace Drive 33 light years per day

Monitor: Anvengad Class (Under Construction)

Length 2.1 Miles

Armor: Tungsten/Chromium Steel 300 Centimeters thick

Crew Compliment: 8,100

Computer Systems: Class VI Battle Systems (possible implementation of A.I)

Primary Weapons: Hammer of Dawn Battery x4

-30kg Spinal Mass Accelerator Cannon. Fires at 1.9% light speed.

Secondary Weapons: Twenty Boomshot Batteries

-Capable of firing six fusion missiles each. 30 kiloton yield

Defensive Armament: Sentinel Point Defense

-Anti-missile batteries. Supporting laser clusters

-Class VI Shields

Four Fusion Engines

(Current development estimates put new slip space drives in place for final construction phase. Possible range of 60-70 light years per day)

Phew! That was a long chapter to write! But lots of fun and both species managed to bring devastation. Hopefully, I'll have this conflict wrapped up in the next 6 chapters then I can bring in the COUNCIL! Hell yeah!

Still, I hope everybody enjoyed this current chapter and leave some positive reviews. Flamers and Trolls will be deleted.

This is thehappy signing off.