To expand the dominion

[r3vange]

[color=#FF0000]<span style="font-size:24pt;line-height:100%]3 months later

Outpost Uniform
Planet Nauru




It was quiet night, if you can call it that with the sun high up in the sky. Theodore couldn't get any sleep, not
that he wanted to, instead he was rolling in bed for hours until the console on his desk came to life with an
angry electronic scream.

>>>Taccommessage<<<
>All Core assets are to report at staging point foxtrot<
>Repeat, all Core assets are to report at staging point foxtrot<

Lighting up a cigarette, Ted relaxed in his char but numbing taste of the smoke couldn't hide that feeling of
anxiety, that very distinct gut feeling. Staging point foxtrot. It was a staging point used for one thing
only...Omicron Minor invasion...The Minor invasion

Ted took the lift a couple of floors down, to the quarters of his second in command. Jack was a Core
marine, a good lad hailing from Liberty, he's been of an immense help for the past three months as the
outpost was being built.

[color=#CCCCCC]"Wake up, Jack...Come on."

"Frakks sake, hold your horses" a muffled voice came from the other side

"Ted? It's 2 AM what do you want?"

"I got the call, Jack. The outpost is yours, you know the drill."

"I got it, what's happening man?"

"Don't know but it's big...Jack, if I don't come back, the command is yours, the archives
and all the administrative documents are in my office upstairs"

"Alright man, good luck"

Theodore made his way to the improvised hangars where his AP-18100 was. The ground crews spend the
next 45 minutes connecting him to the fighter, at least 15 different cables and hoses connected to the flight
suit and the helmet to the point where the cockpit looked more like a spider web than an actual
compartment. When finally connected he revved up the twin hydrogen ionising engines and the
accelerations forces crushed him on the seat. The heavy but nimble fighter broke the gravitational pull of
the planet with no problems at all.

When Ted got to the staging point however he nearly swallowed his tongue. In his 7 years with the Core, he
has never seen so many ships gathered in one place. The distinct inverted shark shapes of the Mako-class
battleships, the gunboats and fighters around them like an angry swarm of mosquitoes. Several minutes
later every fighter got assigned to a battleship on which it would dock until they reach low orbit above
Toledo, Theodore got assigned to the Eden. It was a relatively short flight, about 5 hours, so the pilots didn't
exit their fighters. Those five hours sure felt like a lifetime though. The slight lingering sensation of agitation
and fear of the unknown was a hell of a companion for the trip, but boredom becomes bearable with time.
You sort out all of the thoughts in your head, clear up any regrets because those might very well be the last
moments of you being alive. If anyone in those fighters handing on the docking clamps in rows by five right
in the middle of the docking bay said he's not afraid he was probably a liar or a complete fool. Fear is what
saves lives, fear is what drives that primaeval instinct in you to kill or be killed. Just as Ted was lost in those
thoughts the red light right in front of him turned green. He knew what was going to happen so he took a
deep breath and clutched the control stick ever harder. The Mako-class battleship was relatively small so it
didn't have an airlock, instead the decompression was used to give the fighters an initial speed boost. It
seemed as if time stood still when the clamps let the fighter go in a free fall being pulled down by the
artificial shipboard gravity. Milliseconds later the bay doors opened venting shards of frozen vapour into
open space, the escaping air pulled the fighters out violently. As soon as he was out of the hangar, Ted
pushed the throttles forward, the engines roaring behind him accelerated the Manta even further. It was an
ugly sight, the bigger Core units have already engaged the Order defence forces, it seemed as if every
single ship which the Order could launch was there, but the Core although slightly outnumbered were
stronger. Fighter after fighter the defences of Toledo thinned. For every Core ship at least 3 hostile ones
were destroyed. They must have realized they were doomed at one point as Ted could see the distant
shapes of transport ships evacuating equipment and personnel from the planet. Everything was going
perfect...too perfect...

"This is tactical command, we've lost all contact with out satelites and units in Omicron Delta. Battleship
Eden and her escorts are to go and investigate. Over"

Ted broke off his attack and entered formation with the Eden which was already charging its cruise engines.
About thirty minutes later they were already at the Omicron Delta jumphole, chatter indicated the assault
was going beautifully, the Order were down to a couple of battleships and a handful of fighters. And in that
second just before the vortex pulled them in, Ted saw his worst fear appear right before his eyes. The
enormous almost transparent shapes of the Nomad battleships coming out of the same jumphole he was
going in...thousands of them.

When the Core battle group reached the other side there was literally nothing human built within the Kiribati
asteroid field left. The Freeport and the bases on the far end of the system were alright but within the
asteroid field it was an apocalyptic sight. It soon became clear that the Eden could not do anything instead
she and her escorts were stranded in the Delta system while their drives recharged and nothing but horrible
screams and mixed orders shouted in despair coming from the other side of the jumphole...

About twenty minutes later when the Eden finally managed to get back and again there was nothing.
Nothing at all was left, not even space static. Empty lifeless and burning hulks of ships both Core and Order
orbing a burning planet. Twenty minutes...Two of the biggest fleets sector has ever seen were swept away
for twenty minutes.



***

A little wonder how the battered Manta made it through Nauru's atmosphere, it landed on its side as the
anti-grav generators obviously failed. Ted opened the cockpit and fell down on the ground still attached to
the life support tubes, he hastily took off his helmet leaned on the hull of his fighter and vomited. The
ground crew and Jack quickly rushed to him.

"Ted, what happened man?"

"What didn't..."

"Did you take the planet? I wasn't expecting you that soon."

"There is no planet left, there is no Order left, there is no Core left..."

"Eh?"

''The frakking nomads showed up, that's what's "eh?"!!! They shot our fleet to pieces,
They shot the Order fleet to pieces and torched the planet"

"Our fleet? What the frakk do you mean no Core fleet?"

"WE LOST FRAKKING EVERYTHING!!! Do you want me to spell it to you? Everything that
was in Minor is now a smoking hull fragment, EVERYTHING!

"The frakk are we going to do on this planet then?"

"I'll be damned if I knew, Jack...we just hope for the best, not much of the Core is left,
at least the Guildmasters survived, so we just haul arse until we hear from them."

"It's that bad?"

"It is, Minor is a graveyard...The Core as we knew it is dead..."

---

[Guildmaster Stoat]

Connecting to Secure channel 771-***-*69-***-77...
Password required...
Password entered, verifying...
Password accepted.......



Guild secure line opened.
Message status: in progress ........



Comms ID: Guildmaster Stoat
Target ID: Theodore Geralt


Guildkeeper Geralt

You and your men have not been forgotten. Construction of a permanent outpost on Nauru is to begin forthwith. Should Outpost Uniform be unsuitable for continued development, you are tasked with locating a suitable site with all due haste.

A contingent of two hundred guildsmen is being dispatched to you. These men are for any immediate security requirements you may have.

The first deliveries of construction materials are scheduled for arrival within the month. Get your men motivated, Guildkeeper, there is much work to be done. Any requirements you have should be directed to me.

Stoat
Core Guildmaster

Message status: complete...
Message Sent...
Closing connection...
Transmission ended...

---

[r3vange]

[color=#66CCCC]The months rolled by like the credits of a short
movie, the audience however being the population of Nauru didn't just get up and leave, they remained and
endured even started to expand, not far from the outpost the first earthmovers were already working on a
setting the foundations for what was to be the greatest city in that part of the Edge Nebula. The site was
carefully chosen, over an underground lake which would supply the city with fresh water, the nearby ridges
and mesas would provide an excellent location for SAM sites. The builders worked tirelessly, utilizing building
equipment and supplies flown constantly from Dabadoru station. A core battleship orbited the planet at all
times providing security and research teams continued exploring the alien ruins.

---

[r3vange]

[color=#66CCCC]The plans for Athenia city came through. It will
have 6 quarters named after figures and places of importance to the Guild Core. An artificial river, created by
pumping water out of the underground lake several miles south of the city, will separate the city in two and in
turn create an environment suitable for agricultural development downstream. The quarters will be as follows:

Spaceport: The spaceport will be the transportation hub of the city, receiving civilian and military ships alike

DeVirgo Quarter: Mostly residential area with many high-rise buildings.

Sheffield Quarter: The Sheffield quarter will house all of the administrative buildings, located conveniently next
to the main residential area

Trinity Gate Quarter: This quarter will feature the main entertainment venues of the city, nightclubs, shopping
malls,

Varrus Quarter: The industrial area of the city

Texas Quarter: Secondary residential and recreational area

---

[r3vange]

[color=#66CCCC]For the first time in months Ted had the time to sit
down and relax. The window covers folded up as the midnight light filled his living room. He resided as most of
the recently moved citizens a high rise building in the Sheffield quarter. The city was still largely under
construction reminded by thousands of tiny flashes from the welding in the distance, but people started moving
in anyway. Two days ago the floodgates were opened and the artificial river filled its pre made concrete bed.
Ted himself grew up on New London, but this place...this place felt like home. Perhaps it just felt good seeing
something new be born after witnessing so much death and destruction in Toledo's orbit. Yeah, home...

Another thing which he personally oversaw were the Air exchange units located in the desert about 60 miles
East of the city. Nauru had a breathable atmosphere, though quite stinky due to the high content of hydrogen
sulphide which gave the air the smell of rotten eggs. Nauru also had 26 hours out of 27 hours a day of
sunshine, which allowed for a special type of air exchanger to be created, using solar power the exhangers
broke down the hydrogen sulphide into hydrogen and sulphur, in a little under one year all traces of the
compound will be removed from the atmosphere

---

[Pepe]

[font=Trebuchet Ms]

### Connection Established ###
### Incoming Transmission ###

Transmission shows a fat man,
hardly packed inside a camera view.
Man is having a typical miner's smile - honest and wide.



Intercom displays details:

Name: Coop Cooper
Ship: BHG|Core-Condylura
Location: Dabadoru, Omicron Delta

Coop's eating at the moment. You have never seen sandwich so big.

[color=#FF6600]


Holidays? What holidays? That'€™s what I said to Guildmaster Stoat when he mentioned I deserved to take some days off. I guess he had two weeks on his mind, but my silly reaction gave me two days instead. Actually Kiva, my fiancee, thinks like that. Woman... *kinda smiles*

So... two days off. Kiva needs to go shopping. She could do it every day (and some other things, to be completely honest, hehehe). So, she''€™d like to see The Jewel of Nauru: Athenia City. I''€™ve searched and have found this Welcome to Nauru advert. I like it. That man loves food, almost like me, I''€™m very sure. I will certanly drop into a decent sandwich there, so why not! We are leaving tomorrow, I can'€™t wait! Kiva is jumpingto the sky of happiness!

(3 days later)

Well, I said MAYBE I can find a sandwich in the firstplace... That advert for Nauru is not OUR Nauru in Delta. Oh no, not at all! It was an ancient advert for some ancient planet. Damn neuralnet...

Nauru is a pretty dry place, a planet of sand and rocks. It'€™ is one big construction site. Terraforming facilities are everywhere. Air is pretty ok, but it stinks like rotten eggs. You can feel it as soon as you land on the local airport. We were waiting for armored (yes, yes, armored) bus to take us to the city because someone put a Mako class ship all over that little starport! Well, they had to do it, as there was some base siege in Zeta, so ship needed to be resupplied fast. Never mind, we embarked into an armored bus little later.

Actually, armored bus not the only way to reach wonders of Athenia. There is another way of transport, but I''€™m little afraid of plains, jets, balloons, dirigibles... But, I promised Kiva we will do it next time for sure *canny smile*.

I was surprised when we finally got there. Athenia is a shiny jewel, all brand new and almost finished city! It is pollution-free completely! There is even a RIVER splitting the city in 2 parts. Having a fountain is very fashionable here, so all buildings are surrounded with water and green, green plants. Parks are full of water and breath-taking exotic vegetation. People'€™s clothes reflect all that water and personal freedom as well. I noticed some nice girls wearing very very transparent shirts! Kiva didn'€™t notice me steering and taking this photo, I hope.

Seems that APM is supplying a lot of Military Vehicles for Nauru colonization. Maybe next time they could supply some car parts as well?

I must admit that even commercial area is like one big park. Place is much greener than it should be in a such short time (monts? A year?). There is not even a trace of that rotten eggs smell from the outskirts around starport. Strange pyramidal structures are all around the city and all fresh air apparently comes from there. Nomad tech involved? Maybe... I don't know. Anyway, Kiva was in a mood for running from one shop to another, so I just showed her where to find me later, when she gets tired. And I went to the search for a decent sandwich. Yummy!

There... are... no sandwiches... on Nauru. Just that... stuff... Try to beleive, this is: steak, meatballs, grilled calamari and hamm and eggs for breakfast. I think I will not have my second breakfast today... Luckily, it is just two days off.

Night. Night at Athenia lasts just a little more than an hour and night just falls too fast, like PooF! But it's awesome and night walk was astonishing. Nauru has no moon, but that Mako in low orbit was nice replacement for it. Makes me feel somehow safe, as Yaren base is still active on the other side of planet. Athenia is a city of a million lights. Some buildings are still under construction, but those are not lightened, so all city looks much better at night. During that one night hour all residents are in a special mood, feasting all night, doing crazy things. With crazy girls in transparent shirts, hmmmm... Kiva was chattering all evening, she was so happy to tell me all about her shopping adventures. Damn... she figured somehow I wasn'€™'t listening. I mean, how could I listen with my belly so empty? No sandwiches on Nauru, just that healthy... stuff...

So we went to see our hotel. More surprises. Hotel was white, grass was green. Antigrav bed was awesome, making Kiva''€™s lil'€™' night creativity goes wild, hehehehe. Nighty-night... *smiles happily*

Coop's big hand appears all over the screen and reaches OFF button with unique clumsiness.

### End of Transmission ###
### Connection's Off ###

[Pepe]

[font=Trebuchet Ms]

### Connection Established ###
### Incoming Transmission ###

Transmission shows a fat man,
hardly packed inside a camera view.
Man is having a typical miner's smile - honest and wide.



Intercom displays details:

Name: Coop Cooper
Ship: BHG|Core-Condylura
Location: Dabadoru, Omicron Delta

Coop's eating at the moment. You have never seen sandwich so big.

[color=#FF6600]


(next morning)

We got up earlier to visit Omega monument. Omega was built recently, for the memory to all our guys killed at The Battle for Minor. It is large, letter omega shaped, with garden building in the base. Visitors can mourn their passed friends and relatives there. There is a stone in the middle of the garden, with a sword in it. Kiva was too sensitive about all that thing, kinda more than just sad, like we all are. I never saw her like that. She even brought some nice flowers we bought (flowers are most expensive thing on Nauru). But her mood was moving from bad to worst. I asked her if she lost someone in that battle. She refused to answer. When I pushed a little more about that subject, she just got mad on ME! She was looking around madly, like planning to get that sword out from the stone! She even told me I'€™m jealous like a fool! Ha! ME? Damn woman...

So, after that we went for a more shopping. Yeah... Great... Just boring TV for me tonight, I can see thet already...

I'€™m genius. There is no girl with the mood so bad that can'€™t be improved in a fancy restaurant OR ballet. As Nauru is dry planet, fancy restaurant means '€“ UNDERWATER restaurant! AND ballet! I mean, we were watching underwater ballet during our lunch! Man... show was so beautiful. There was that girl that was cursed to become a swan every night. So, her boyfrend couldn't reach any of her... hmmm... talents. How sad! It must hurt a lot! Kira was smiling and crying all the show! But... *sighs* What would I know, I'€™m just a miner for hire *Coop'€™s trying to hide a tear in his eye*. I'€™m not a damn sissie! But all that ballet pretty softened Kiva back and we are ok now.

We just walked for hours after that show. Kiva was taking my hand so tight time to time. She had "that" look in her eyes, lucky me. I guess she was sorry we had that fight in the morning. Or maybe more?...

Anyway... We spent one more great night in that awesome hotel. No pictures of THAT, of course!

And... so here we are now. Back home. Great two days! Thanks, boss!

Sorry, I must hurry now, I have a huge sandwich to take a care about! Cya! Ta-daaa!

Coop's big hand appears all over the screen and reaches OFF button with unique clumsiness.

### End of Transmission ###
### Connection's Off ###

[Pepe]

[font=Trebuchet Ms]

### Connection Established ###
### Incoming Transmission ###

Transmission shows Pepe.
He looks tyred.
BW Transport ship is covered with space dust.



Intercom displays details:
Name: Pepe
Ship: APM-Capricorn
Location: Dabadoru, Omicron Delta

Camera gets ON.

[color=#FF6600]

'€œPepe, great work on getting the deliveries through. Almost done now, thanks to you.'€ I noticed almost a smile on Mr. Stoat'€™s face when he said that. We work for money of course, but relations between Core and APM do not stop at that point. So'€¦ what to say? I was glad to hear that. I'€™ve never seen any Core officer smiling, as well. They all just stopped smiling after that terrible battle at Toledo. *sigh*

________________________________________________________________________________

We went to country side this time. Construction sites were everywhere. First air filtering facilities were humming deeply on remote places that can''€™t be used for something else. I was specially happy because of the fact that air arround Athenia smells better now. Well it'€™s not A La Roses flavor yet, but air smells like WATER. Yes'€¦ WATER.

________________________________________________________________________________

During air filters construction water was found - deep under Athenia. A lot of water, actually. Enough for a first lake on a planet. Industrial Materials and H-Fuel were available now, so water pumps started to work very soon. First underground water reserves are expelled now, so military will use that empty space for...'€¦ hmmm...'€¦ something military.

________________________________________________________________________________

Now Athenia river is flowing from lake Stix, giving a chance to some new kinds of exotic Nauru plants. Gash'€¦ I'€™m spending more and more time here. Hmmm'€¦ Maybe I'€™'ll buy a house, instead of sleeping in the hotel every time'€¦? And in a year or two I will grow some FLOWERS! I must tell good old Coop that flower's prices here are going down dramatically, he-he-he.

________________________________________________________________________________

And where is water, there'€™s a food. There is no fish yet (we need to releise small ones in first), but several kinds of grain and one fruit tree were planted and we will soon know if it can grow on Nauru. Can you imagine this: you enter to shop and say: One Nauran bread, please. And you get it. And it'€™s tasty. And no one laughs when you ask for a bread on Nauru!







NEXT DAY:



So'€¦ After 2 days visit, Mr. Stoat packed his things and left. I guess he'€™ll do some hauling himself. That''€™s how things work in APM, God bless it. Every house was build by placing first little brick.

But one issue stays yet. A painfull one'€¦.

*Yaren base shows on the horizont, on its everyday round over Nauru'€™s sky. Dark feeling spreads over, from heart to heart on its path. Time for children to come home, both of them. Some people are closing their armored windows, not to look at that dark hostile base on the sky.

Pepe raises his hand and reaches OFF button.

### End of Transmission ###
### Connection's Off ###