DracoLunaris
Lord Zee
Fetzen
Noctis
King of Rats
Crispy Octopus
Eviledd1984
DX3214The light on grass lands began to fail as the hulking figure slowly mounted the high hill, the last rays of the setting sun bathing it's decorated dark grey armor and blank mask in a blood colored light before finally disappearing with the sun. Planting the butt of its polearm in the soft soil the figure's head slowly moved from side to side surveying the land before it, the rolling hills stretching on for quite a ways before giving way to the tree line the signaled the start of the large forest. In all that the terrain was only truly broken up once, by a town in the distance, which already had flickering lights coming to life as the dark of the night settled. It was at this town the figure stopped it's observations, staring directly at it as the sounds of what appeared to be a celebration drifted over the grass and hills to the figure.
As it watched the town another materialized from the darkening night, slimmer of form it wore much lighter armor, but the same blank mask. It almost seemed to skulk out of habit as the climbed front of the hill to stand beside the larger figure, who didn't even look down as it addressed the newcomer, its voice deep and low as it resonated from beneath the mask. "Your late Nea, I was beginning to think that I would have to wait here all night."
The slimmer figure of Nea dropped to one knee beside the larger figure, leaning forward it was obvious this was not out of respect but simply a resting position. He own voice was soft an light as it drifted from behind her blank mask, "I am sorry Field Marshal Thi, still better I am late than alerting them to our presence."
The Field Marshal hummed slightly in agreement "This is true. Anything new to report tonight my Nea?"
Nea shook her head "Nothing new, their defenses have not changed substantially, as well as their routine and patrols. The buildings we marked earlier still have the highest concentration of civilians and their vital points have not changed, they are also still unaware that we are even operating in this hemisphere, let alone this close."
"So tonight will be the same then?"
Nea nodded "It should be, first they will celebrate the day's victories and sacrifice to their gods, then they will change guards and settle in for the night, as they always do. At least I don't see why they would-" Nea stopped as the Field Marshal held his hand out in a closed fist and before flattening it out, the hand sign for "Listen carefully". She strained her ears but as she did she heard something, tiny pops, barely audible over the sounds from the town. She looked up at the Field Marshal, who she swore was smiling beneath his mask.
"And you are absolutely sure about your targeting marks?" Thi asked in a slightly bemused tone. As he looked away from the town to return the Nea's gaze, who could only nod in agreement. Looking back at the town Thi only said one word "Good."
As if to punctuate the word a droning wail began to fill the air, at first it was as soft as the pops, but over time it grew louder and louder. As it did Nea stood and turned, all her senses trying to pin-point the source of the sound. But even though the sound grew louder, she could not yet see what was causing it, the grass lands empty, save for the night mist that began to well up from the ground. "A bit early for mist isnt it?" Nea thought to herself as she peered into the mist, but the more she peered the more she saw. As her other senses took over she began to "see" that it was not mist at all, but Karilac soldiers covered by clouds their collective Ventri, all were marching forward at a deliberate pace. She couldn't get a precise count, but she figured it must have been near two to three Company's at the very least.
Tracking them she saw them near the town, but tore her gaze away as the droning wail became so loud it began to drown out all other sounds. At this point she finally tracked the source, a wing of four fighter bombers in a diamond formation that streaked overhead as they barreled for the town as fast as was safe in Atmo. Splitting their formation they all turned towards specific targets, two heading for two multi-storied office buildings that had been marked as strong points, one towards the broadcast building the Nur'Xal had converted into a comms post, and the last streaked towards the power station on the far outskirts of the town.
As they passed over their targets, each released a canister in lieu of a traditional bomb, each of them falling fast from the low flyby. One smashed through the side of the strong point building, the second bouncing before skidding into the foundations. Both the power station's canister and the one for the comms station never even touched down, for as the were only a scant few meters from the roofs of the buildings, all the canisters detonated simultaneously. At first there was no sound as the four chain reactions began, sucking everything around them, even the sound, into the implosions that boiled at the core where the canisters once were. This was only for a split moment however as the implosion cores all hit the critical point and detonated, the massive shock waves ripping all they touched apart, the escaping energy and matter creating a deep metallic thrum that reverberated through the night air, even going so far as to make the two on the hill take a slight movement back.
The first of the strong point buildings was, for lack of a better term, simply gone. The second was leaning forward as the remaining struts gave off a strained sigh. The broadcast building was torn down to its foundations, which lay covered in shattered rubble. With the power station fared no better, causing all the lights, save for the light given off by fire, to all snap off.
Nea stared in a stunned silence, simply looking at the devastation caused by the implosion bombs. But as she looked her comms crackled to life, the symbol of a general order appearing on her HUD, and Thi's voice filling her ear. "You all know your orders, cleanse this town of any hostile presence. If you come across civilians that can run, send them to the designated extraction zones, if they are hurt but can be moved, get other survivors to move them. If they are a hopeless case however... make sure they no longer suffer at the invaders hands. Discordant's, you know what you have to do, stay your flame for where it is needed most. Go forth and give them all the sister's peace, I want to be out of here before daybreak."
With that the Karilac soldiers surged forward silently, the moon light illuminating their forms in a ghostly pale light as it filtered through the dust clouds kicked up by the air strikes.
As it watched the town another materialized from the darkening night, slimmer of form it wore much lighter armor, but the same blank mask. It almost seemed to skulk out of habit as the climbed front of the hill to stand beside the larger figure, who didn't even look down as it addressed the newcomer, its voice deep and low as it resonated from beneath the mask. "Your late Nea, I was beginning to think that I would have to wait here all night."
The slimmer figure of Nea dropped to one knee beside the larger figure, leaning forward it was obvious this was not out of respect but simply a resting position. He own voice was soft an light as it drifted from behind her blank mask, "I am sorry Field Marshal Thi, still better I am late than alerting them to our presence."
The Field Marshal hummed slightly in agreement "This is true. Anything new to report tonight my Nea?"
Nea shook her head "Nothing new, their defenses have not changed substantially, as well as their routine and patrols. The buildings we marked earlier still have the highest concentration of civilians and their vital points have not changed, they are also still unaware that we are even operating in this hemisphere, let alone this close."
"So tonight will be the same then?"
Nea nodded "It should be, first they will celebrate the day's victories and sacrifice to their gods, then they will change guards and settle in for the night, as they always do. At least I don't see why they would-" Nea stopped as the Field Marshal held his hand out in a closed fist and before flattening it out, the hand sign for "Listen carefully". She strained her ears but as she did she heard something, tiny pops, barely audible over the sounds from the town. She looked up at the Field Marshal, who she swore was smiling beneath his mask.
"And you are absolutely sure about your targeting marks?" Thi asked in a slightly bemused tone. As he looked away from the town to return the Nea's gaze, who could only nod in agreement. Looking back at the town Thi only said one word "Good."
As if to punctuate the word a droning wail began to fill the air, at first it was as soft as the pops, but over time it grew louder and louder. As it did Nea stood and turned, all her senses trying to pin-point the source of the sound. But even though the sound grew louder, she could not yet see what was causing it, the grass lands empty, save for the night mist that began to well up from the ground. "A bit early for mist isnt it?" Nea thought to herself as she peered into the mist, but the more she peered the more she saw. As her other senses took over she began to "see" that it was not mist at all, but Karilac soldiers covered by clouds their collective Ventri, all were marching forward at a deliberate pace. She couldn't get a precise count, but she figured it must have been near two to three Company's at the very least.
Tracking them she saw them near the town, but tore her gaze away as the droning wail became so loud it began to drown out all other sounds. At this point she finally tracked the source, a wing of four fighter bombers in a diamond formation that streaked overhead as they barreled for the town as fast as was safe in Atmo. Splitting their formation they all turned towards specific targets, two heading for two multi-storied office buildings that had been marked as strong points, one towards the broadcast building the Nur'Xal had converted into a comms post, and the last streaked towards the power station on the far outskirts of the town.
As they passed over their targets, each released a canister in lieu of a traditional bomb, each of them falling fast from the low flyby. One smashed through the side of the strong point building, the second bouncing before skidding into the foundations. Both the power station's canister and the one for the comms station never even touched down, for as the were only a scant few meters from the roofs of the buildings, all the canisters detonated simultaneously. At first there was no sound as the four chain reactions began, sucking everything around them, even the sound, into the implosions that boiled at the core where the canisters once were. This was only for a split moment however as the implosion cores all hit the critical point and detonated, the massive shock waves ripping all they touched apart, the escaping energy and matter creating a deep metallic thrum that reverberated through the night air, even going so far as to make the two on the hill take a slight movement back.
The first of the strong point buildings was, for lack of a better term, simply gone. The second was leaning forward as the remaining struts gave off a strained sigh. The broadcast building was torn down to its foundations, which lay covered in shattered rubble. With the power station fared no better, causing all the lights, save for the light given off by fire, to all snap off.
Nea stared in a stunned silence, simply looking at the devastation caused by the implosion bombs. But as she looked her comms crackled to life, the symbol of a general order appearing on her HUD, and Thi's voice filling her ear. "You all know your orders, cleanse this town of any hostile presence. If you come across civilians that can run, send them to the designated extraction zones, if they are hurt but can be moved, get other survivors to move them. If they are a hopeless case however... make sure they no longer suffer at the invaders hands. Discordant's, you know what you have to do, stay your flame for where it is needed most. Go forth and give them all the sister's peace, I want to be out of here before daybreak."
With that the Karilac soldiers surged forward silently, the moon light illuminating their forms in a ghostly pale light as it filtered through the dust clouds kicked up by the air strikes.
-------
Field Martial Imera leaned forward towards the Holo-map of the battlefield, its shimmering form constantly being updated as time passed, it's dull colors the only light in the Command Center. For now the tide of battle seemed fairly constant, its ebb and flow never reaching out of a manageable state. Still something nagged at the Field Martial's mind, her thoughts a constant race as the map zoomed in on a hot-spot. The lighting of the room turning a ghostly green as a squads of Discordants unleashed a wave of flame from their arm mounted weapons, covering a couple squads as they shifted positions.
It was this very thing that the Field Martial found troubling, not the act itself mind you, as the precedent for a total destruction of an enemy had been set even before the first Scourge War. No, what unsettled her was the extent that she had been ordered to carry the destruction to. Any ground they gained, any left over corpses, and especially any forsaken tech, all were to be put to the flame. This totality of destruction whispered of an ulterior motive for the order, the kind of thing that made generals and soldiers alike nervous.
Imera thought on this some more as the map shifted here and there, each new change bringing a different perspective. Finally she shook her head, it was not her place to question or worry about what the Prelate's motivations for giving orders was. Hers was simply to see them done, and done well.
"Mistress Imera"
A voice sprung to life within the Field Martial's ear as her comm clicked on, sighing Imera replied "what is it Baliss?"
"A new wave of pods from the super ship heading towards landing site C, your orders?"
Imera made a soft growling sound When are they going to bring that blasted thing low and give it peace? she silently grumbled before answering "Same as usual, make a push right before they land, focus any spare AT fire on the pods as they touch down, those that survive the interceptors that is." Imera paused as she looked at the map, her hands itching for combat, her Ventri begging to be fed. Making a snap decision she grabbed her slim blade and Shard Pistol, and begain to make her way to the exit of the command center as she once more activated her comm to her subordinate officer "You know what, gather my guard and four squads of your best men Baliss, I will handle this one myself."
It was this very thing that the Field Martial found troubling, not the act itself mind you, as the precedent for a total destruction of an enemy had been set even before the first Scourge War. No, what unsettled her was the extent that she had been ordered to carry the destruction to. Any ground they gained, any left over corpses, and especially any forsaken tech, all were to be put to the flame. This totality of destruction whispered of an ulterior motive for the order, the kind of thing that made generals and soldiers alike nervous.
Imera thought on this some more as the map shifted here and there, each new change bringing a different perspective. Finally she shook her head, it was not her place to question or worry about what the Prelate's motivations for giving orders was. Hers was simply to see them done, and done well.
"Mistress Imera"
A voice sprung to life within the Field Martial's ear as her comm clicked on, sighing Imera replied "what is it Baliss?"
"A new wave of pods from the super ship heading towards landing site C, your orders?"
Imera made a soft growling sound When are they going to bring that blasted thing low and give it peace? she silently grumbled before answering "Same as usual, make a push right before they land, focus any spare AT fire on the pods as they touch down, those that survive the interceptors that is." Imera paused as she looked at the map, her hands itching for combat, her Ventri begging to be fed. Making a snap decision she grabbed her slim blade and Shard Pistol, and begain to make her way to the exit of the command center as she once more activated her comm to her subordinate officer "You know what, gather my guard and four squads of your best men Baliss, I will handle this one myself."
-------
The great Hive ship hummed, its own wounds staunched and healing, and the shipmaster hummed along with it. He couldn't deny the sound, it had been a good fight, losses had been sustained and wounds taken but it had been a very, very good fight. Breathing deep he began to let the energy slowly wind down, there was still work that needed doing after all.
Looking out over the fleet he let the reality of it sink in, that while the Krall were broken and routed, the Dominion forces had also been bloodied. His view panned over whole ships, wounded ships, crippled ships, and others that just seemed to drift in the void. Still most seemed combat able, and with even with more reinforcements jumping into system within a few hours, including a couple of repair ships, a sense of certainty touched the mind of the Shipmaster. It was a sense that even the Hive Ship seemed to feel, a sense that they could, and they would hold this orbit.
A flash of light snapped the Shipmast back to reality. It had not originated from one of his ships, instead it came the still living Krall super ship, as a Kimo Dreadnought's beam carving a jagged line in its side, exposing the soft interior beneath.
One last loose end.
Opening up channels to three of the most unwounded battle ships the Shipmaster got sown to work "Ships Hammer Of Wrath, Unbound, and Void's Will. Move into range of the super ship to assist the Kimo in their destruction of it. Target any intact subsystems with your main cannons, but aim your torpedoes for any gaps in their armor opened up by our allies, I want full salvos into that monster. An I shouldn't have to say this, but stay out of the way of the Kimo dreadnoughts, the last thing we need is for one of you to be gutted by your own stupidity."
Looking out over the fleet he let the reality of it sink in, that while the Krall were broken and routed, the Dominion forces had also been bloodied. His view panned over whole ships, wounded ships, crippled ships, and others that just seemed to drift in the void. Still most seemed combat able, and with even with more reinforcements jumping into system within a few hours, including a couple of repair ships, a sense of certainty touched the mind of the Shipmaster. It was a sense that even the Hive Ship seemed to feel, a sense that they could, and they would hold this orbit.
A flash of light snapped the Shipmast back to reality. It had not originated from one of his ships, instead it came the still living Krall super ship, as a Kimo Dreadnought's beam carving a jagged line in its side, exposing the soft interior beneath.
One last loose end.
Opening up channels to three of the most unwounded battle ships the Shipmaster got sown to work "Ships Hammer Of Wrath, Unbound, and Void's Will. Move into range of the super ship to assist the Kimo in their destruction of it. Target any intact subsystems with your main cannons, but aim your torpedoes for any gaps in their armor opened up by our allies, I want full salvos into that monster. An I shouldn't have to say this, but stay out of the way of the Kimo dreadnoughts, the last thing we need is for one of you to be gutted by your own stupidity."
-------
The small craft exited the mass relay without any pomp or fan fare, its escort of two modified corvette classes taking their positions on ether side of the craft as all three ship's engines flared to life. Aboard the ship the two emissaries finished their final preparations, each securing a highly stylized mask to their face, the faded blue color barely visible over the dark lighting of the ship. Though both held their air of calm, a muttering rose from each. One last quiet prayer as the Kimo home planet came into view, as they muttered the four armored honor guard soldiers formed two columns on either side in preparation for docking.
-------
Summery: The Karilac have begun to engage the Krall on the surface of the Saraphim's home-world, engaging in a scorched earth tactic they are more concerned with containing them till the Kimo begin air operations. In the south of the Home-world the Karilac have dispatched a significant force which, acting with the weeks of undetected surveillance, have launched a series of brutal surprise attacks.
In orbit the Karilac fleets have called in more reinforcements and have begun field repairs until repair ships arrive with the reinforcements, or they are given access to orbital stations. Still they have dedicated some ships to assist in the killing of the Super Ship.
Karilac emissaries have finally arrived in the Kimo's home system.