Commander Weise looked at the bright, blue skies of planet Gran Canaria. Normally clear and undisturbed, today they were filled with the contrails of dozens of massive cargo ships. The Coalition Enclave, as it had been known for centuries, was being swiftly being evacuated. Each transport was packed to the brim with thousands of Coalition civilians, army troops, and assorted others. Over one hundred thousand people were being moved off planet, and it rather frightened him. Although he had first joined the revolution during McIntoshs coup against the capitalist dog, Aeon, and had spent most of his training in the Galloric system, he was still fold of the Sirus Coalition's ancestral home, and was sad to see it go.
Of course, there was always the prospect of violence, too...
High above, in orbit, hung Admiral Kirk's 3rd Fleet, two brand-new Typhoon Class Destroyers, and four older Fearless destroyers. Supporting them were the 8th Gunboat Flotilla, currently led by Captain Baranov, aboard the CPW Aurora. The Typhoon's were the real threat in that fleet though. With twin Antimatter cannons mounted along the port and starboard, with specially tuned bombardment sights, those two ships could devastate a large portion of the planet within minutes. The others were mostly there for cover from Zoner reenforcements. Gold Wing also flew in support of the 3rd Fleet, led today by Commander Thorvalsson. He was an excellent pilot, and a better leader than his nomal superior, Commissar-Captain Al-Rashid, known throught the fleet for generally not engaging anything, unless he had enough support to choke an elephant. They weren't the best in the fleet, but they were close enough.
Enough to handle the rabble that hung opposite them, anyways. A quarter of the way across the globe, a startlingly simlar looking bag of ships watched the Coalition. Fearless-class destroyers, although newer than the ones flown by 3rd fleet, were still deficient combat platforms compared to the Typhoons. Their fighters and gunboats, although perhaps flown by powerful individuals, had little training as a group, and would hopefully fall apart under the organized forces opposing them.
"Comrade Weise! We're ninety-percent complete! We should have everyone off within the hour!" One of the support officers yelled over to him from the headquarters shed.
"Excellent Comrade, excellent! As soon as the last transport has launched, send the fleet a message, we've got a little suprise in place for those freewheeling hippies!"
Weise turned and strolled towards a small, prefabricated hanger sitting on the edge of the field. As he entered though the side doors, he flicked a switch, and the roof split open, revealing the blue skies and contrails above.
"Commodore O'Jovem!" he called, running towards his bomber, "They're close to being done! We going to launch soon?"
"Eugen, we're not launching until I toll you we're launching, amigo, so get in the cockpit and shut it." Growled the leader of Red Squadron, and the Fighter Corps. "Thirty minutes and we go, gents."
Thirty minutes later, five bombers lifted from the small hanger. Commodore 'Ares' O'Jovem, Captain Yuri Striatov, Commander Eugen Weise, Lieutenant Commander Andrei Zehn, and Lieutenant Commander Zarevho Kaputski. The sixth member of Red Squadron, Captain Miroslav Baranov, was in orbit with his gunboat, but the rest of red squadron was sure they'd manage without him...
Speeding higher, Eugen recieved the transmission. "Commander Weise, this is Ground Control, the last transport has lifted, all Coalition elements are clear, over!"
"Roger, have you advised the fleet, over?"
"Have done, they're moving into phase two as soon as the transports are clear of the planet, over."
"Excellent, we'll join them in that, Weise out."
Red Squadron changed course, and began to creep closer to the zoner fleet. They entered an orbit 10km from their enemies, boxing them in with the main group. As they waited for the transports to clear orbit, a transmission lit in all their headsets.
"All Coalition units, this is Admiral Kirk. We have detected a Zoner Battleship, the Flagheap, approaching in cruise. That unit is capable of turning the balance here, all units execute plan Red Dawn now, I say again, all units execute Red Dawn now! Kirk out."
Dozens of engines lit as Coalition ships across the planet went to full emergency power, as with a blinding flash, the two Typhoon Destroyers launched a pair of massive antimatter torpedoes into the unprotected spaceport far below. Gouts of blazing earth and metal blazed as the Coalition fleet fell into formation around the desperatly fleeing transports. As they did, the Fighters of Gold Wing detached, and raced in on the Zoner fleet, blazing away at their fighters.
"Okay Boyos! Time to earn our pay!" Shouted Ares, leading the bombers into the rear of the Zoner formation. As one, they targeted and shredded a Fearless, the Crater Lake, exploded fire from the engines and began to fall towards the planet, under control, but out of the fight. Commander Thorvaldsson raced past, him and his wingmen hot on the tail of a pair of bombers. As the bombers killed their engines, attempting to turn and engage them, Thorvaldsson sent a torpedo screaming in to meet them, and a zoner died in the vacuum. The dogfight raged around the Zoner fleet, until transmissions from their own command brought them racing back.
"Fighters, this is the Trotski, requesting support, the Flagheap is creaming us, oh gods, oh sh-" Static filled the line, and as the enraged fighter corps turned, they saw one of their own Fearless' falling out of formation, spitting lifepods, and burning down into the atmosphere. The guns of the Zoner's Flagheap, still trained on the failing destroyer, reached out and plucked a transport from the sky, killing thousands of Coalitioners in a second, before the order to cease fire came.
Now, with blood in their eyes, the Fighters and Bombers raced towards the flagheap, desperate to exact revenge for their dead. The Zoner fleet behind them engaged their cruise engines withing the atmosphere, risky, but tactically sound, and raced past the red-lined fighters to meet their larger consort. Firmly in place, and with a solid shield of fire around them, their was no way the fighters alone could penetrate their screen, and Ares reluctantly gave the order to sheer off. Engaging cruise, they fell into formation with the transports and capital ships, and made their way back to Omega 52, and safety.
The exodus was complete. Now they waited for what it would bring.
Jack Handey Wrote:I can picture in my mind a world without war, a world without hate. And I can picture us attacking that world, because they'd never expect it.
On the bridge of the Juggernaut [TAZ]Flagheap, the spinning pearlescent Fnordette known as Shamus O'Shaunessy was processing events and issuing dozens of orders per second to the ship's robotic and primate crewmembers.
SRT shuttles had been launched, and were combing the surrounding space for survivors, both Zoner and Coalition. Scans had located the Crater.Lake, grounded at Crater Lake of all places, and repair vessels and droids had been dispatched to make her spaceworthy. Tactical had veriified that no Coalition vessels remained in 49, and course had been set for the 50 hole to insure that none returned.
Urgent communiques flew back and forth. Both Mama Dis and Malaclypse had been acknowledged. The Flagheap had its mission, and would complete it regardless of cost or danger.
But meanwhile, the consciousness that "was" and "is" Shamus O'Shaunessy was stunned and devastated.
As a human, Shamus had been recruited here at Canaria.. saved from a life of drug-dealing and running from authorities by Reggie Waverly and the Discordians. He had helped build the Waverly LLC financial empire here at Veranda Incognita. He had accomplished the crowning achievement of his life here, by flying a bloody planet into Dr. Artifice's monstrous ship. And, he had died here of an unfortunate accident, only to be resurrected as a Fnordette through the magickal powers of the Uli Rouge vortex.
Shamus "shook" himself, and clamped down on the human emotions he felt. There was a job to do.
On board the Reaper Flagship "Silent Edge" Lohingren sat on his chair deliberating his next plan of action with his enemies. The Corsairs had been quiet recently and his forces where growing tired of sitting around on standby, Alpha at the moment was fairly quiet and nothing was going on. He thought long and hard about who he would move on next, Moving on the Corsairs at the moment may cause a chain of events that would take away his chance of striking another enemy force by surprise for quite sometime.
It was then 1st officer Vega approached him, "Archon!" What is it Vega, cant you see i am thinking here! Yes sir, sorry sir but this is urgent. Well what is it then you bumbling buffoon! Well sir, it seems something has happened at Omega 49, the Coalition forces have fled the area, and opened hostilities with the Zoner forces there. Really now Lohingren replied with a sleek grin upon his face... That is interesting news, you are dismissed Vega. SIR!
Later that day, Lohingren contacted Salfied his personal smuggler, *click click* whats up b*click*oss, How many times do i have to tell you not to call me boss you sorry excuse of a human being! Sor*click*ry bo.*click*Sir, Anyway i have a job for you to do on your way back from Liberty space. What job would t*click click*hat be sir? Head through Baffin on your way back. There i want you to deliver this message for me, Lohingren starts punching in some keys and transmits the letter to Salfied. R*Click*oger that big*click click* chief, i will be entering Baffin shortly, make sure it gets there Salfied.
Salfied entered Baffin Via Coronado, there he sent a hail asking for the highest ranking member of the Council.
This is the Reape*click click*rsTradingInc vessel 005 reque*click*sting a audience with the hi*click click*ghest ranking member of the Council here. Well sir that may be a problem due to some recent events. *click*On the contrary my little peace*click click* loving compadre, this is very much got to do with your current situation.
***Incoming Transmission***
From: Lohingren Rala'state
To: Salfied ReapersTradingInc005
Salfied, You are the last man i want to speak their leader your to damn stupid, Just give him the damn message and be off, and don't forget to moon their goddess on the way out, it will make them respect you that much more.
*Click click*Aye aye sir.
***Transmission Out***
Okay *click* i got a message for your lead*click click*er, it contains a offer from our Archon. Out of the beauty of his heart and soul, he wishes to contribute supplies and other such *click* goodies toward the situation you have in your beautiful system of 49. I shan't give you *click click* any explicit details here. Please just hand the message over to your superior.
Ok Reaper, Safe journey.
Ah *click click* before i go, i forgot Salfied drops his trousers and gives his butt a good shake Farewell Zoners.