Virus once again opened a weak comms transmission with DarkStar's cruiser.
"DarkStar, perhaps its time we headed out. We've been monitoring communications, and there seems to be nothing here," Virus paused a moment before continuing, "But we're sure you know that there are some things in Rheinland that might be interesting. We would suggest you send someone in there. We plan on heading into the Omicrons shortly. The Chancellor should at least know what we did with one of her best captains."
"Rhinland... has it's own problems." DarkStar allowed a rare smile. Not the smile of something funny, the smile of a predator.
"I agree, there's nothing here. Why don't you come with me back to Rhinland? Things are happening, and they're very interesting." DarkStar set a course, and cut the connection.
"Punch me through to Admiral Dab. We'll mark this little spot for latter, as a little thing for us Phantoms."
The Hugenot turned and headded out-system.
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
Fleet Admiral Dab and Captain Defel walk across the wreckage of the Rheinland Cruiser that had landed on the news station.
Captain Defel: This place is deserted, the civilians must be hiding.
Flt. Adm. Dab: Cowards. he said with contempt unconcealed on his face.
Thats when a Rhein, former Rheinland, soldier rushed at them with a dagger. As they start to turn towards the would-be attacker a gun bolt slices cleanly through his head.
A man walks up to them.
Captain Defel: Who are you? He says as he starts to pull a blaster from his belt.
Dab: Don't worry. This is Keiran... My body guard.
Captain Defel: WHAT?! You mean that Phantom?
Keiran: Former Phantom. Though I was never really one.
Dab: I sent him to infiltrate them. He is to lure them here, to Rheinland.
Keiran: A task that seems to have succeeded. The missile cruiser is on its way to the Hamburg jump gate to cut off their escape. They are now trapped in Rheinland.
Dab: Good. Now I want you to go hunt them down. Kill Darkstar, he has caused enough trouble already, but keep the Necron alive. I'd like a few words with him.
Keiran walks away. Soon he disappears into the wreckage. Moments later a Eagle fighter shoots out of the inside of the Gunboat. His transportation to get through the sheild and disable it allowing Defel to bombard the planet.
Captain Defel: Whats a Necron?
Dab: We don't know exactly, but they have the Nomad's ablity to take over a human. That is why I wanted him alive, to study him. And to free Virus.
Yes the Necron would soon be in his hands or be destroyed by the lure and power of the alien weapons he wanted so badly to have.
Doc: No change she took three shots in the chest, almost point blank range, how she's live this long is a mystery.
Captain: Is she fit to travel?
Doc:Shes got a strong sense of survival, she should be ok.
Captain: good because where moving to a new system, somewhere far away from all this chaos.
Doc: and what of the Rest of the Fleet?
Captain: Since the Reaper is the only known ship other than the Baltic to make it out of Rheinland, she'll be in command we've already dispatched the baltic to her location. But we can't stay here much longer, im sure bountyhunters already know our location.
Doc: I see your point, well she's strong like i said, she'll be ok.
..........
Alignment:The Outcasts Status: Retired Personal Bio Click here Current Ships:The BlackPearl Base Of Operations:Pryde Villa, Planet Malta
Lieutenant Bish: Sir the rest of the fleet has reported in. Minimal resistance in Dresden, Hamburg, and Stuttgart. The Frankfurt group met some resistance near the shipyard. Vakklu seems to have been stockpiling ships under the chanceller's nose. There was also a fight that insued over Holstein. The group attacke a group of 3 Rheinland cruisers but were minutes late to saving a loyalist cruiser. Vakklu's troops seem to be suspicious of even transports now.
Fleet Admiral Dab: Send some of the Dresden group over there to wipe them out. How many losses?
Lieutenant Bish: onyl 3 cruisers, no battleship losses, and around 20 fighters. Compared to the 13 cruisers 3 battleships and 63 Rheinland fighters that were loyal to Vakklu. I'd say its a good thing that the Chanceller didn't train them too well.
Dab: Any word from Keiran?
Lieutenant Bish: No, he hasn't reported in yet.
An alarm goes off.
Sensor station ensign: Multiple warships detected! Coming from the Taunusfeld asteroid field. They have not responded to our hails.
Dab: Alert the fighters and launch the battleship from Oder.
Pilot: Sir the shields aren't coming up!
Dab: What?! I want those shields up now!
Pilot: They seem to have no power directed to them. I suspect sabotage.
Right then a fighter shoots out the bay.
Dab: Shoot that fighter down!
The missile cruiser fires at the fighter. The fighter attempts to dodge the missiles and is partly successful, but cant keep up with amount of missiles being shot at it and gets hit.
An escape pod jets out right before another missile hits the fighter destryoing it.
Tractor beam station ensign: Sir we have a tractor lock on the pod. Do you want the prisoner taken to the interigation room?
Dab: No we have more pressing matters right now. Prep my fighter. And get the D*** shields fixed.
Dab shoots out the bay and turns towards the three cruisers heading towards him. Again flying into certain death, that he somehow always managed to live through...
"WHAT!?" DarkStar leapt out of the chair as if electricuted. 'WHAT DO YOU MEAN WE'VE BEEN CUT OFF!?"
"A missile cruiser blocked the jumphole just after we left. It's flying AW codes, sir."
"D*mn them. D*mn them all to hell..."
DarkStar paced back and forth. He finally spoke. "Get me a vid link to Virus. I'd like a face to face talk for once..."
He waited for the connection to be established, then turned to talk to Virus. "It seems we have a slight problem. The AW seem to think they can trap us here, and have moved a missile cruiser to keep us locked in Rhinland. I'm sure it's got backup, so a direct assault would be problematic. However..."
DarkStar paused, as if hearing something else. In fact, he was. *Do not worry, Illuminated One. We shall make sure that you live to fight again.*
DarkStar whispered softly. "Yes, great ones..." Once more, he turned his attention to Virus.
"Change in plans. We're getting out of here."
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
Once he launched out of the fighter bay Fleet Admiral Dab notices that his real prey had arrived... At the worst possible time. But either way if he went after the phantom his cruiser would surely die, the battleship had also been getting trouble and was unable to make any good progress. Just when Dab was sure that Darkstar would yet again slip out of their grip One of the Rheinland cruisers was rocked by a series of explosions.
Dab:What the He**?
An Eagle flies past wearing an all-too familiar design on it.
Dab: Da*nit Keiran I thought I told you to find Virus!
The Eagle starts pounding another cruiser.
Keiran: I thought saving your a** would be a better idea.
Dab fires another Nova into the weakened cruiser destroying its engines.
Keiran: Anyway I tracked him into this system. We had a fight but a Rheinland fighter wing intervened and he escaped.
The first cruiser starts breaking up under the assault from the Huegenot's missiles.
Dab: You deal with the cruisers here I have to get Darkstar. Dab starts turning towards the escaping Huegenot.
I am not about to have this whole operation planned and executed and not get what I came for.
Dab starts shooting the cruiser and deftly evades the return fire. The cruiser's shield colapses and Dab fires off a Nova.
Yes I've got him.
Just as that thought reached his mind something unexplainable happened. The torpedo stopped dead in space then seemed to srash in on itself and eventually blew up.
Dab: What the H...
The Huegenot enters the trade lane and escapes.
Dab: Da*nit! Again he gets away!
Dab turns towards the remaining cruiser and shoots a nova into the bridge and engines. The last of the cruisers break apart.
Dab: Keiran I want that cruiser found and destroyed. Now.
Keiran turns towards the trade lane for once not offering a smarta** remark.
"Ha ha! Fools!" DarkStar rubbed his hands in glee as they escaped through the tradelane. The exited, and drifted towards the Jumpgate to Sigma 13. But something was dropped at the exit of the tradelane... something round. DarkStar, Virus in tow, had already activated the jumpgate, and were about to get away. "Oh, and I left a little present for you..."
Nuclear mines had been used in the war between the Alliance and the Coalition. They were essentialy nuclear bombs, in the hundreds of thousands megaton range, connected to a proximity detector. They were old, and not used anymore because they're considered very dirty. That dosn't make them not effective, however...
"Farewell, Keiran! May you forever BURN!" The Hugenot and Virus jumped, and the nuclear mine, scavanged up from an old technology and even older resources, went off.
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