Discovery Gaming Community

The Rheinland Cruiser Saarbrucken was commissioned in 769A.S. to help rebuild the Rheinland Fleet after the losses incurred against the GMG.

As it neared completion it was retasked as the personal vessel for the Cheif Rheinland diplomat. This man reported directly to the Chancellor and was in charge of maintaining diplomatic relations with all other Houses. The Saarbrucken was renamed into something more fitting, the Heilige Eins.

When the Nomads took over Rheinland they recognized the importance of cultural icons like the Heilige Eins. Their interest in the vessel grew until it disappeared into the strange nebula in Frankfurt for a week. When it came out there was a strange glow around it. It unsettled people because it could only be seen if you weren't directly looking at the ship, almost as if another ship, a ghost ship, was mimicking its every move.

When the Nomad war started the Heilige Eins was seen in and around Rheinland. Hunting for...something. Where ever it went vessels of all types aided it. Rheinland Military, Hessians, Republican, they acted as their own fleet. When ships left the fleet they couldn't remember what had just happened. It was like they didn't exist for that time.

Just before the Nomad Hypergate was opened the Heilige Eins disappeared. Nobody knew where it had gone, or what it was doing. Nothing was heard about it for 16 long years. Rumors persisted, but nobody knew anything.
Until now...

A Rheinland cruiser slowly slid out of the Taunusfeld to confront 2 RM fighters and bombers near the Sigma 13 JumpGate. "Unidentified cruiser! Identify yourself!" the flight leader barked.

"Dies ist die Heilige Eins" Inside the cockpits one of the pilot's face went white. He knew that name..

"Obergefreiter we need to get out of here now!" he shouted.

But his commander never responded. The 4 fighter craft turned as one and fell into formation with the Heilig Eins as it disappeared again into the Taunusfeld.

Later that day crews on Alster recovered a lone Wrath. His flight logs showed his flight group exploring the alien minefield in Frankfurt. One Wrath hit a mine and exploded. The remainder of the flight group were ambushed by Unioneer fighters. Only one Flieger managed to escape into Hamburg. When questioned, the last thing he remembered was docking with the trade lane to the Sigma 13 JumpGate.

A Rheinland Cruiser in Sigma 13 is an unusual site, to say the least. To see one approaching Naha, comms silent, was even odder.

As Heilig Eins encroached on Naha's flight control zone fighters and bombers were scrambled to counter this strange vessel. As they readied their guns, a pulse seemed to emit from the ship. The GMG pilots were stunned and unconscious as the cruiser glided on by. Gunners on Naha opened fire, but their shots splashed across the shields, doing no damage. As the cruiser returned fire a trade convoy bound for Honshu appeared out of the trade lane. Almost as an afterthought the cruiser swatted them from existence, leaving hapless humans drifting in escape pods as several fuel tanks on Naha ruptured.

Apparently having satisfied whatever mysterious goals it had the cruiser turned to go, as a Kusari Naval Destroyer, summoned by Naha, arrived from Honshu. The destroyer wasted no time in opening fire. Almost amused the Heilig Eins turned and returned fire. The battle was even, with both shield generators about to give out, when a Nomad Gunboat appeared from out of nowhere, right behind the KNF vessel. With all her shields facing forward the destroyer's back became molten metal instantly, and with the reactor offline all she could do was leak oxygen while the gunboat recloaked and the cruiser flew away.

A Rheinland cruiser and escort were dispatched to deal with the Wilde vessel known dubbed Abschnitt. The last reports had it causing trouble in Stuttgart.

As the cruiser, fighters, and gunboat threaded through the debris fields generated by exploding transports Abschnitt suddenly shuddered, as if it was excited. The surviving officers swear they saw the thing grin. Twin Pulse cannons shot out balls of energy, shattering the gunboat's forward shield. In the confusion of officers yelling orders, and enlisted men running around to fulfill those orders, nobody noticed the fighters suddenly stop moving. When they formed up again, it was an attack formation. Their guns and light torpedo shots pierced the unshielded armor of the gunboat's rear half, with shots hitting the reactor. The chain explosion left no survivors.

In shock commanders aboard the cruiser demanded explanations from the fighters. No answer came except a hail of plasmafire as the fighters strafed the cruiser. And then the Heilig Eins was sighted off the port bow. It cruised right up near the Rheinland cruiser, and blasted away. Joined by Abschnitt the cruiser's shields did not last long. With multiple holes in the armor the captain gave the order to abandon ship. Leaving the stunned fighters to guard the few escape pods that made it out, Abschnitt formed up with the Heilig Eins and they both disappeared into the golden nebulae of Stuttgart.

One thing was clear, these were not the last attacks of this kind. Rheinland would have to be ever vigillent of this new vessel, and it's seeming ability to control un-infested human minds.

CNS Broadcasts the next day warned citizens to approach strange vessels with caution, and reminded them that der Gottkanzler would prevail with their loyalty.