Deep inside the Bering asteroid field, docked with Pacifica Base, lay a ship dreaded by many. Not just by the ship itself, but of what it represented. It was the Hugenot "Blackblade", the flagship of the Phantom Empire and the personal ship of one Captain DarkStar.
Within it's protective shield and hull lay the mastermind behind one of the most dreaded pirate empires in Sirus. DarkStar, however, was no longer serving those pirates, or even himself for that matter. He was sitting on his bed, in deep conversation with "The Masters", the ones who he really worked for.
With the arrival of these 'Unknowns' the world has gone into an upheaval. They are many, and they are powerful... Together. But like any other faction, alone they are weak.
*So we understand. They do not pose much threat to our cause as of now. The best course of action would be to avoid them, or even perhaps help them. You must not endanger the master plan, no matter your course of action.*
Do not worry, my Masters. Sirus will fall to you. There will be no opposition. Even these 'Unkowns' will not threaten you.
*Be sure of it.*
Surely, with the help of the Nomads, there can be no real chalange to you...
*The Nomads are proving... stubborn. They would rather face attacks from us AND the humans then accept our help. We will change their mind, one way or another.*
What are your orders then?
*Continue your nutrality, for now. When the time becomes right you will know. There will be no one to stop us then.*
By your will...
*You must also make your way to Omicron Delta... We must meet face-to-face once more. You will receive a reward for your diligance, a great power that will aid you in the comeing missions.*
I hear and obey, my Masters...
Even those with limited phsychic power could tell that there was activity in Bering, assuming they were in the same system. The Masters presence left DarkStars' mind, and he was once again alone. He slowly went through a series of streaches to get the blood flowing again, and to awaken his body. Moveing to the bridge, he thought of what had happened to him.
The Masters took him, modified his mind, and gave him a purpose. He aquired a ship, a crew, and some things others had never even thought of. His crew had been "Illuminated" as he had, and were totaly loyal to him and the Masters. Well, all but one...
He reached the bridge and began to give orders.
"Get ready to move out. We're going to Omicron Delta again."
"Aye, sir!"
"Make it so... And call Virus to my quarters. We must talk..."
With his orders given, he was confident they would be carried out. He walked back to his room, and awaited Virus' arrival.
Virus walked down the lengthy halls, a left, a right, another right. The ship was not small by any means. He stopped at DarkStar's door, which opened.
"You summoned us." Virus said with his usual double voice. He glanced around the room. No tricks to be found. But there did seem to be a.... Lingering presence.
DarkStar nodded in greating. "We're going to Omicron Delta. There is... someone there I must see. You are, as always, welcome to come along." He flashed a quick smile, more of an automatic gesture than anything else. "After that, things should start getting interesting." "Uh... My, plans for Sirus..." He cought himself before saying 'our.' "Required a correct time. Now, with the arrival of these 'Unknowns', the time may be ripe for us." He stood and began to pace. "However, we will need help... Oh yes, we will need help of a special sort..."
The presence in the room grew much stronger suddenly.
*He must also speak with us.*
Are you sure?
*We are.*
DarkStar stoped stuttered for a second in his pacing, glanced upwards, and then continued on. The presence left but part of it still lingered, as if directly connected with something in the room.
DarkStar stoped pacing for a second, and stared off into space. "Everyone seems to have forgotten about us. But they won't for long... They would be fools to do otherwise once i've revealed my plans." A slow grin crept across his face, and an glint in his eye shone. His grin held no warmth, and in fact was that of a predator about to strike it's helpless and defencless prey. The glint was not merry or chearful, but of malignant intent and perhaps maddness. "Not that it would matter for long..."
He shook himself back to reality, and turned to Virus. "Will you join us?"
Virus stiffened slightly. The presence had just grown stronger, but it had faded..... Slightly. Once again he quickly glanced around the room, but there was nothing, at least visible.
"It sounds to us like a total conquest of the Sirius sector..." He paused a moment, as if in thought, "Where do we sign up?"
An evil half-grin grew on Virus' face.
)(We're bad, aren't we? >.<)(
)(We're not just bad, my dear Virus... We're Evil.)(
"Oh, it's a conquest... of sorts..." The smile never left his face. "Welcome abord. I'd give you a tour of the ship, but you've alread had that. Instead, how about we see what we can do for you? We've managed to get our hands on some, very nasty technology. Berhaps, you would care to try it?"
)(Evil...... Sounds like.... Fun...... MWAHAHAHAHA!!!)(
"New technology..... Its at least worth looking at." Virus paused, "May we inquire as to what kind of technology it is?"
)(Bleh.... Short.... So very, very short.....)(
"Come with me. I'll show you." He walked to and opened to and opened the door, and beckoned Virus to follow. Some twists, turns, and a short elivator ride latter, they reached the armory. DarkStar sent the door code via his nural implant and the large blast doors slid open with a slow hiss.
"He we have things never before seen, or even thought of. So far, only the Phantoms use it. I actually intend to keep it that way." He walked over and pulled a blaster pistol off the wall. "This is one of my favorites... Regular blaster pistols work on the same principle as Photon weapons, exciting a packet of photons to high energy levels, then giving them a rather large kick out of the gun. Fairly short range, but it fires as fast as you can pull the trigger so long as the energy cell is charged. Not this gun though..." DarkStar took an energy cell from an Ammo Dispencer, and slid it into the weapon. The side vents started glowing blue, and let out a light fog. "It's rather heavy, generates a lot of heat, and uses energy cells up quickly, but it is far better than any blaster on the market today." A line of targets on a fireing range were illuminated, and DarkStar fired off a shot. A bright blue/purple bolt sped down the range and blew one of the targets apart. "These blasters use Nomad technology, replicating the effect of their ship-based blasters but in a handheld form."
He set the gun down on the range, and walked over to a small side door. "This is the Mourge." The door opened, revealing walls lined with gigantic suits of armor. The Space Marines from Warhammer 40K certainly had a fan. "Powered armor, far superior to that of conventional armor. It's big, it's bulky, it's not quiet, but it can withstand the force of any weapon one could expect to be arrayed against it, barring heavy vehical mounted weapons and ship-based cannons. And the power supplies that carge the suite can also power some heavier versions of our blasters, in essence they could carry small Nomad Cannons."
"The last weapon that I want to show you is one of my favorites... We'll need a live target for this, however." They left to mourge and made a quick traverse of the ship to the Brig. Here, Navy pilots, captains, luteniants, and even a general were kept under high guard. "Isolate one of the pilots." Two guards opened the door and draged out the pilot in question. They took him to a secure room and shoved him in. "You'll have to watch through that window. You havn't been given the... implants, that protect you from this weapon." The guards escorted Virus to the next room, where a large window looked into the room where DarkStar and the pilot were now alone. This was the viewing room for what was normaly an interrogation.
DarkStar pulled out a small cilinder from his pocket, about the size of a small pen.
"You expect me to talk?" The pilot inquired.
"No..." DarkStar thumbed a button on the side of the cylinder. Two ends poped out, and a strange buzzing started comeing from the strange device. The pilot looked confused, almost dazzed, and got a nose-bleed. It started to become more severe, and the pilot had to sneeze out blood in order to breath through his nose. Then his fingernails started bleeding, then his eyes and ears, and quite suddenly he was screaming. "I expect you to die." Blood began to run out of every opening, and still he screamed... Untill he started gurgling, drowning in his own blood. the man fell, still bleading. He stoped screaming, and just lay there a large pool of blood growing around him. He was quite obviously dead.
"It works on focused soundwaves." DarkStar thumbed the button again, and the ends snapped back inside. "First it confuses their mind, ensuring that they won't shoot you. Then it starts working on the internal organs, bombarding them untill the chemical bonds break, quite litteraly liquifying their insides." He tucked the weapon back in his pocket. "It's an area-of-effect weapon, so that's why I needed you in a different, sealed room. Myself and my crew have a special implant that negates this weapons effects, so we can stand it. I'll be sure you get them once we reach Delta."
)(If you know where the last weapon is from, you get another cookie. First person to PM me gets it.)(
)(No.... I expect you to die! That's.... From Austin Powers, Dr. Evil, I believe, said that...)(
Virus was amazed at the power of DarkStar's weapons, "We see that you've been... Busy." Virus almost lunged at DarkStar, but managed to catch himself. <Damnit Virus! Are you trying to get killed!?>
"Then let's go."
)(It was origonaly from a Bond movie, "Goldfinger" if I remember correctly)(
A crew-member came running up to DarkStar as he beckoned Virus out. "Sir, I think we found something you might be interested in..." He handed him a data-pad.
DarkStar glanced down at it, reading. As he read, his eyes grew bigger, then a slow vicious smile spread across his face.
"This... this is very good. Thank you ensign."
"My pleasure, sir."
DarkStar turned back to Virus. "It seems as if the Cambridge Research Institute has decided to make a rather bold move; One that had put them at my mercy... This is a chance we cannot let pass. Set course for Yaren at once!"
"Aye aye!"
DarkStar rubbed his hands together in glee. "Oh, this will be most enjoyable! I'm sure the Nomads will be pleased with this!"
)(Right... Of course.... Austin Powers is almost completely ripped from James Bond. It was Goldfinger with a giant laser I think.... Man its been almost a year since I've seen that movie...)(
Virus watched and listened intently. "Your working with the Nomads?"
Arouk knew all to well that the Nomads had a few powers that were beyond him. And that if one tried to steal his host, there was a good chance it would succeed. One thing he dreaded, was going back to his astral form.
For a second, dread showed on Virus' face but was quickly replaced my a malicious grin.
(And for those of you who think that dread is fear, it isn't in this case. Here is means "To anticipate with alarm, distaste, or reluctance."
That is all.)