Dab: Has there been any word yet from the Defender?
Comm Officer: No sir...
Dab: Send a scout to find the Defender but to stay outside their sensor range. Then to watch where it goes. Meanwhile we will head to Tau-37. Go through Kusari, its fastest.
Navigator: We will need to stop for supplies soon. We will have to stop at Planet Honshu.
Major Alpha and now the whole of Echo squadren were in Kyushu and just finished their search of the system. When he was in Leeds he had been contacted by Constable Roger Black of the Bretonnia Police. He was a childhood friend who had beleived his story when he had been arrested for treason. He had told the Major that he had seen a nomad fighter with the Skyshark at the old Ruins in Newcastle. The Major contacted Nightfall with this information and they both worked out that she must need an old artifact to activate the ruins and that it could only be in Kusari. So now they were looking for information on the artifact as well as the chancellor.
Major Alpha: Sir i have completed my scans of Kyushu and found nothing.
Nightfall: I have found nothing in New Tokyo either. I have a contact who is currently on Helgoland in Sigma 13 go there and find out what he knows, look for the bartender call him "The Informer" He has spies everywhere, in Liberty, Rheinland, Kusari, Bretonnia and the Order he should know something. Meanwhile Dab and the Ableben will be stopping for supplies on planet Honshu, I will go there and wait for him so that I can give him a report on all of this.
Major Alpha: Yes sir i am on my way, Ill contact you if I get anything.
Nightfall switches to the group frequency.
Nightfall: Delta wing you are to fly to Shikoku and search for anything to do with the Nomads. Echo wing you are to do the same in Hokkaido.
Both groups headed to their target system while Nightfall flew to Honshu. It took Major Alpha 45 minutes to reach Helgoland and when he docked he headed for the bar.
I know where it is Cortana, I just have to find it. - Commodore Puddles
"... Now, we create a diversion to let me dock. GC wing Sakura, you may engage at will when we reach the planet. Be swift and precise, I need to dock there, unnoticed. Remember?"
"Roger that! Sakura wing, enter attack formation and engage the enemy!"
Golden Chrysanthemums pilots started theyr attack run on a trader convoy. Four Eagles were swooping all around the frightened traders. A wing of Kusari Police Drakes bumped in as a black unmarked Sabre stealthly disengaged formation with the GCs and cruised to the Honshu docking ring.
"Amazing what a cargo bay of cardamine may do for you if you give it to the Sisters" thought Nightfall with a smile...
The skirmish near Honshu intensified as a wing of Blood Dragons joined in overwhelming the Police. Seconds after, only one Drake was running away in flames...
Nightfall was landing...
He opened a channel to the Ampoliros: "Hawke, make a trip to Malta and load up some cardamine and supplies, then go to Ainu Depot, make that a gift to our Sisters and wait further orders there. I may need you."
He went to the Honshu bar. "Now, we wait for the Lord Captain and news about the search"...
If the stars should appear one night in a thousand years, how would men believe and adore and preserve for many generations the remembrance of the city of God? - from 'Nightfall' by I. Asimov The Outcasts consider Siniestre Nube a sacred place for several reasons. Early explorers discovered a jumphole within the depths of the cloud that leads to a strange world of ringed stars and strange craft. All ships in the burrial ground are placed facing that hole to honor the Alien Spirits. - An Outcast rumor
"Chiana, you're ready to take off... got everything you need ?" a voice came in....
"Yeah, thx, mate. I'm equipted and ready to launch"
She didn't like that guy from control-center.
But at least he gave her a lot of information after that dinner and cup of "coffee"...
SF was said to be near the planet Leeds....
Going the short way would mean to run into their arms.... bad timing.
She wanted to meet Sephirot first. No idea, what to tell her, but at least she wanted to a look at her.
Dublin....
Her cup of coffee reminded her, in Dublin was a jumphole to Leeds - she'd enter Leeds far away from the planet.
Yeah - I'll go backsides the sun and pass Waterford - they won't expect me there...
Said - done....
10 k from the gate to Tau 31 - she couldn't resist to contact the SF-barrier:
"So, Chiana passed you...."
The gate opened and she got swept to Tau.
Deep - deep in her heart, she wondered why she was so lucky - she didn't know why...
The Debris of Freighters, fighters, and explorer vessels passed by as the Isis passed through the Minefield in Tau-23, ghosts of the past.
This is taking to long, and somethings telling me that theres going to be trouble ahead
She closed her eyes, and listened, soon the voice, as though a voice of a small child cmae through the ocean of voices in area, it was a Scout ship she had sent into Honshu, there was some activity already taking place...
Kusari police this matsu 5 where under attack by GC forces, we require assitance......
There was more, sitting in the saftey of a near by Nebula, she watched a black Saber, land on the planet. As a dozen Kusari naval ships exited cruise speed near the battle with the GC.
As she left the mind of the nomad she listened more, there where more, these where coming from behind, one was garbled and hateful, filled with the common thoughts of phantoms, the other, more carefree, but familiar......
This one, she goes by.....Chi, Chiana, hmm If she can slip past the SF blockade, then she is gifted, and I might have a mission for her, but for now I must get to Honshu, Im running out of time.....
------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Kusari National Museum, Planet Honshu, Kusari Space
Where Kargaroth was standing, he could see the hole city, ships coming and going, people walking past on there normal buisness.
There all coming, just as she said, I can smell it, Nightfall is here already, But lets see if I can find what Sister is looking for....
He kneeled down onto one knee, then continued to spy on the thoughts of the man he " Asked " to take a tour of the Museum. As he walked around, most things where worthless, some he reckognized as Building pilons, and cheap trinkets, then one of the Tour guides words caught his attention.....
Tour Guide:And here, we a real surprise, this artifact became active only a few weeks ago, it was found in a Catacomb on the Planatary Arch Asteroid about 85 years ago, long before the Arch was ever there.
She was pointing out what looked to be a Sword, Black obsidian, engraved with glowing green Domkavash writing, it was beautiful, though looked greatly evil.
There was no time to waste, she looked around, and had the Radar operator make sure there was no nearby Outcast ships, Moments later a ball of energy Eurpted from the Bridge and exploded 4K away from the Isis, a Jumphole opened...
Sephiroth: Before we enter, detonate about 5 tons MOX-Fuel, the explosion will keep the Jumphole stable for a while, long enough for us to get the key and come back.
After a large explosion in the Jumphole, the Isis passed through, on to Honshu..........
Alignment:The Outcasts Status: Retired Personal Bio Click here Current Ships:The BlackPearl Base Of Operations:Pryde Villa, Planet Malta
Hidden by the nebula, and running dark, the Oblivion lay in total silence. A wing of highly paid Dragons had swept the cloud earlier, and anyone who should not be there was removed... Generaly with residual momentum sending what was left into the black abyss of deep space. Another wing spaced out, keeping an eye on any traffic headded their way, and thus towards the Oblivion.
But it was a good plan, and nobody came by. So, the Oblivion was kept in total unnoticed silence. One shuttle, an Armored Transport, undocked and slid away from the cloud. Close to Honshu, the pilot gave a quick story about how they had barely escaped detection from the Dragons, fleeing deep into the nubula and keeping dark, just now making it back. It joined the normal traffic over Honshu, and landed on the planet. From the cargo bay, three men stepped out; Some sort of rich person, and his two bodyguards dressed in matching black suits and mirrored wrap-around sunglasses. The bodyguards both had stainless-steel suitcases, the contents and purpose unknown.
The trio headded off to the museum, the haughty man taking on the air of an art connoisseur. They walked around a bit, the rich man lingering on objects that he apparently liked. Few people noticed these all seemed to be Dom Kavash artifacts. When at last, they came to the sword.
"Exquisite, is it not? One of a kind." The connoisseur aproached.
"I hear the one who got this had quite a difficult time getting it. They had to extract the poor man out of an asteroid in the Omicron systems from a large group of Nomads." The man stepped beside Kargaroth and looked at the sword. In a quiet voice, he said, "Although, I would like to see it back in the hands of the origonal owners..."
Kargaroth's head quickly turned to look at the one who had dared to intrude, and the man looked back. A single word, a name, filled the unspoken gap between the pair.
Darkstar.
Hidden under the faccade of the art snob, he gave a slight smile. "Now, is there anything I can help you with? Perhaps a place to talk, unobserved?"
This is the real true story of rock and roll; it was not about anything more then, how to live your life, as a gangster, in sartorial splendor, and turning the world into a place where normality would never return again...- Malcolm McLaren
The pair walked around, the museum, looking at Idle things when Kargaroth spoke...
Kargaroth: This is whats going to happen, Ive found that several key players will be arriving in honshu system soon, Nightfall will be here shortly, if hes not already on the planet, Dab will be coming as well, but Sister has a plan in store for the Ableben, Ive alerted the Kusari Navy that the attacker of Manhattan, will be arriving at planet honshu under the disguise of the Ableben, and the Defender.
Darkstar smiled, while inspecting a rune cover chunk of rock under a piece of glass. Kargaroth continued....
Kargaroth: They will more than likely still land on the planet while shes still here, so you and your men will have to deal with Dab, Gezza might be here as well, along with Some Major,
He grinned then continued,
Kargaroth: And If johnathon, or Korrd shows up, i will rend them personally, The nomads will be securing a escape rout back to the Isis for my sister, once she has the Key then she will return to Newcastle, and release mother......
Alignment:The Outcasts Status: Retired Personal Bio Click here Current Ships:The BlackPearl Base Of Operations:Pryde Villa, Planet Malta
"Sir, Outcasts have confirmed she is not heading towards Omicron Alpha. Kusari is her target."
"Kusari is very vague. Can't you be more precise? Should have figured as much. Well.... See if you can contact Darkstar. If nothing else, I want to be able give him support, should he want it. In the mean-time, shut off all systems except life support, engines, and comms. Move into Kyushu and find a nebula to hide in."
"Aye, sir."
"Oh, and fix whatever systems stress occured during our pursuit."
"What the hell am I doing in Delta ?"
She just woke up and wondered. One fast look at the navigation-comp. and she shook her head....
"I never did these inputs...."
A voice was filling her head. It was smooth and there was a vibration in it, that moved into her bones.
She felt well.... somehow.... as if a brother was taking her in his arms, softly touching....
"You're too late, Chiana.... The key.... it will be taken, before you reach Honshu...."
The navigation changed again. The ship was moving and she could see a black battlestar.
"We've got to talk a bit more, daughter of Chidengo, land and feel at home...."
Chiana was speechless. A key ? Daughter of Chidengo ? Her thoughts circled around the black, shiny battlestar.
"Where am I - What ship is that ? Hell, what happens to me ?"
Slowly, her Talon aproached the landing-area.
"Welcome home, Chiana. We've been waiting for a long time...."
----------------------------------------------------------
As she walked though the landing-bay, she saw a dozen of Nomad-Battleships, Fregates and Fighters.
Blue-skinned creatures - did they have a face? - were leaving behind.
Music.... a choir of thousand voices....
"Yes, this is home.... but how do I know this.... I can see better in here, than ever before in my life...."
As she passes a giant mirror and regardes her face, she rushes two steps back:
Her eyes had chanded the color and the look. Half way between a dragon and a shark.....
Sorry to dismiss you that way. But i have been recalled by the elders. I should not leave them waiting.
After sending back his guest, Korrd was taken back to the elders plane.
Elders --A new enemy is in sirius now. She is called Sephiroth. Her goal is no less than the destruction of all non-gifted people in sirius.
Korrd --I know. Ive seen her through subspace. I think she saw me too, for a brief period of time. At the begining i thought she was a lesser human, upgraded in some way. But ive seen her power rising. She has became...
Elders --She has became strong enough to be considered a threat to all the sector. And the galaxy.
Korrd --I will look for her, and destroy her. She is now heading to kusari.
Elders --No. We need her alive. His body has been taken by an old enemy of us. She was convicted to pass the rest of his laife in the lower 4D plane, until the time of a new trial came.
Your enemy is not the Rheinland chancellor. She is just a host. She was considered as a host when her body was upgraded with nomad ADN. The body is innocent, leave it live. Your mission consist of extracting her from the chancellor body and bring it here.
Korrd --It shall be done. It will not be easy to extract her without killing her body first. But i will do my best.
Elders --You are allowed to use whatever power is required. Secrecy from humans is not required. Humans will be fixed after your quest is done.
Go now. Bring her to us.. alive.
----
Korrd was sent back to his reading room. Dammit, extracting his soul will not be easy. I would have preferred to kill her. That would had been easier
Computer, red alert. he said as he headed to the bridge.
Once on the bridge, he informed to the crew on his plan. To capture her.
OPS --Sir, there is a scout group of AW heading to us. 4 Eagles. They... they have stopped. 11k away.
Korrd --That is odd. That is just outside the range of normal sensors. Fortunately, our sensors have way more range than normal ones. Open a channel.
Korrd --Scout omega 3, this is Korrd. State your business.
O3 leader WTF, they are not supposed to see us that far--This is omega 3. We have been dispatched to look for you. The Lord Captain has been sending messages to you, but you havent responded any.
Korrd --We havent received any message from him. mostly because we were hidden inside a radioactive nebula. That disrupted our long range comunications. BTW, if you are looking for us, why you stopped right outside sensor range?
O3 --We were told to stay out of sensor range to watch you. BTW, may i ask how did you manage to detect us?
Korrd --This ship is not called "Science ship" just because we run a few experiments and do exploring. We are equiped for that task. That includes VLR, ULR and astrometric sensors. We have a sensor range of 2.5-10k for standard sensors. And, 100k-300k for the new ones. And 2000 light years for astrometric sensors.
I have a mission for you. Since we have to keep radio silence to stay undetected, relay the following message to Dab. Tell him we are on Honshu. We will meet him there when he arrives. And tell him not to be so paranoid. Go now.
O3 --But our orders...
Korrd --Just do as i say. it is important that he knows that.
O3 --Yes sir.
----
Korrd --All stations. Prepare to jump to Honshu.
Helm --Plotting course to...
Korrd --Dont worry, i will take care of this. Cloak the ship
Tac --Ship cloaking cycle complete.
As he said that, the strange things happened. The ship phased dissapearded from colorado, and appeared near plaet Honshu. The crew was surprised to see korrd using his powers openly.
Korrd --Leave questions for later. We have work to do now.
Sehpiroth is comming, but she wont make it out of here in one piece. But two.
(If you find any mistake in my English, please let me know via a PM)
(Really, I speak terrible English, so please, tell me if I make mistakes. I'd like to improve it a bit )