章 34: Warriors of the Empire
... - All right, that's it. - The meeting, which has lasted almost a day, is ending. - The Order may be dismissed, and the Masters of the Guardians, Legio and Stelar, remain. - The Sovereign's hologram continued after waiting for all those named to remain at the table. - Let us begin with you, Tribune. Is your information accurate?
- More accurate than ever, Overlord. The factions that have come to power are amassing an impressive fleet and recruiting many soldiers. Among them are units from the Empire. The backbone of the space force is the two battlecruiser dreadnoughts we have yet to find. They've dragged the rest of the fleet there as well. There are about half a thousand ships and up to six million soldiers. Both professional and ragtag, barely armed. They've already taken over several Turian colonies and are planning an invasion of the Perseus segment.
- That's not good. What about our forces in the region? - This question has been directed to Master Stelar.
- The Segmentum is defended by a fleet of Quarians. They have recently completed a complete refit of their ships and the construction of the dreadnoughts Rannoch, Kila and Tanner on the World Craft. I suggest we use their ships for this operation.
- I see your point. Send a message to the Prefect of Chalet describing the situation and ordering the fleet to prepare. Send them to join the Space Force as soon as they're ready. Where are we on the ground forces?
- We can deploy the 1034th and 898th legions at short notice. The world of Rasca Fortress is just outside the Segmentum border. We could send one of the First Ones; they have much greater mobility due to their smaller numbers. Your choice? - The man in the ground forces uniform finished his report and looked at the Emperor.
- It would be foolish to sacrifice regular troops for this battle. We will need them later. Send in the guard. It'll be a baptism of fire and a test in one.
- As you command, I will send the order to Mortaris immediately. - Standing, the officer bowed and hurried out of the hall.
- There are no further orders for Stelar. We have enough Quarian forces to eliminate enemy space grouping without too many casualties. And this time, we'll be working with the Hierarchy fleets. You'd better warn Rannoch about that too. We don't want any conflicts fuelled by old grudges.
- I will do your bidding, my Lord. - The man rose, bowed and, clicking his heels as he turned, headed for the exit with a portfolio of documents.
- Tribune, there are special errands for you. - The figure in the dark robes rose from his desk and approached the throne. - This report worries me greatly. We cannot allow them to obtain such powerful military technology. Do you have any information on where the subject is now? - The head of the Guardian paused for a moment and then spoke:
- It has been taken to one of the G.O.R.'s secret research bases. It's guarded by a separate Turian fleet.
- Strong. "Is the Norman ready to leave?
- Shepherd has only recently completed the team. She is now awaiting command on Terra.
- Give her a squad of Acolytes as a landing party. Under her brother's command, he's been specially trained to lead assault teams. Have them land on this base and take over the facility. The ship is equipped with a cloaking system, so getting inside won't be a problem. If you can't get the samples out, destroy everything there. You can use weapons of mass destruction. - After waiting for the Master to give orders to his subordinates over the network, the hologram continued. - Send extra units to the Alliance, the Hierarchy and the Citadel. If anything happens, hit them right in the heart.
- Understood, Overlord. - ...the man stood up and prepared to leave.
- And Tribune... - the figure paused at the door and turned towards the throne, "Not that I can teach you, but nevertheless. No one must know of our presence.
- What happens in the shadows stays in the shadows, my Lord. - With these words, the Master disappeared behind the door, and the image faded...
Central Spaceport | Terra
- You have faces like that as if something in life is not satisfying. - Jaina, or Jane as everyone called her, looked unhappily at her brother and the engineer, who was also sitting at the table. At the moment, their entire company was sitting in one of the cafes, and the girl was nibbling at an ice cream cone while her companions were about to collapse on the table from exhaustion. - So, what was the improved one doing to you? - Lately, they had been complaining about Myrrh, the ship's specialist and scientific officer sent by the Admiralty. She was supposed to monitor the crew's condition and deal with any atypical situations. For the time being, she only walked around in her tight white jumpsuit, trying to convince the rest of the crew of the need for genetic modification. She must be admitted that she surpassed many of them in appearance and ability. Still, she treated the upgrade with such fanaticism that it became frightening. She was a good officer, though.
- Myrrh chased me and Alex with stimulants. Only Karin was able to stop her. - Tali laid her head on her brother's shoulder after complaining.
- Yes, only you and she have power over Myrrh. - Aleksamen, or simply Alex, murmured through his sleep. - Has anything been sent to us yet?
- No, I check every hour. - Jane checked the incoming messages on her communicator again. Just as she was about to turn it off, it suddenly vibrated, and the screen showed an incoming feed from the ship. She activated the connection and saw the pilot's face. - Yes, Jeff?
- Good morning, Captain. Sorry to bother you, but we've got a Guardian manipulator in the airlock trying to get into the ship. Looks like they're looking for you. And yes, they're all armed and have a boarding droid.
- What do they want? All right, we'll be right there, don't do anything.
- Copy that. Standing by. - The screen fades out, and the whole group rushes to one of the airlocks.
The first thing they encountered as they entered the airlock was a crab-like droid aiming its weapons at the new arrivals. The misunderstanding didn't last long as one of the fighters scrambled to the craft's side and headed for the trio.
- Captain Shepherd? - The soldier approached and thumped his fist on his chest in greeting.
- To what do I owe the honour? - The girl made the same gesture, glaring at the troublemaker in displeasure. In response, the soldier pulled a scroll from his pouch and held it to Jane.
- We are assigned as an assault team to your ship under the command of Primipil Alexamen.
- Permanent or temporary? - Brother and sister had time to read the text of the order, and the girl had already pocketed it.
- Permanent, though an order from the Admiralty could change that.
- Well then, welcome aboard. Make yourselves at home in the cargo bays... - she looked at the robot stomping around the whole time, "Pet. Jeff - open the door. - The lock beeped, and the door swung open to let people in. The company moved in, followed by the robot, its paws clattering against the deck.
It took half an hour to get thirty people into the cargo bay and load all the equipment and supplies for the flight. During this time, the entire crew returned to the ship, and soon the ship was fully prepared for the mission.
- Captain, you have an incoming channel from the Admiralty. - This time, the girl was distracted by the ship's techno-mind. - The signal has been forwarded to your quarters.
- Thank you, S.W.A.T. - Jane quickly washed up and walked over to the communicator in the corner. After pressing a few buttons, an image of the Fleet Commander appeared above the panel.
- Shepard, good to see you. Congratulations on your new position.
- Thank you, Master. Is there a mission for me?
- That is correct. You will go to the side of space, to the world of Malstor. The S.H.I.E. will now receive a sealed mission package. You'll access it during the breach. It will contain the coordinates to where you must go. This mission is of the highest priority. It will be supervised by the Emperor himself. - After these words, the girl's eyes almost popped out of her head. - Do not be surprised; you will understand everything once you have received the information. Leave at once. Is the loading finished?
- Yes, sir. The crew is all aboard.
- Then I won't keep you. Kirk out. - The picture faded out, and the girl, overwhelmed by the new information and the news of the Emperor, went to deliver the order to her brother. Twenty minutes later, the ship began to rise cautiously into the air. When it had reached a sufficient height, it pulsed into the air, piercing the clouds with its hull...
- Surely we won't be discovered? - The frigate manoeuvred carefully between the Hierarchy's ships. It was a small fleet, but two dreadnoughts and an escort were a force.
- Unless you start singing a hymn, no. I know all the systems here and how they work. - Satisfied with himself, the pilot skilfully manoeuvred between the sluggish cruisers and gradually approached the planet.
Soon they passed the blockade and headed for the surface at full speed. After overcoming the jolt of re-entry and stealthily passing through the clouds, the frigate landed softly in one of the crevasses that covered this desolate and rocky planet.
- I'll take the squadron and the droid. We'll hook up the simulator and wait for your signal. You and Tali go through the tech tunnel leading to the cave and cut off their communications. That way, they'll at least be able to conjure ghosts, but they won't be able to hear them in orbit. - Brother's hand flew over the holographic map, pointing out points and routes.
- Understood. Then we'll move out and start the approach after the simulator is set up. Should we signal by comm or something physical?
- Communication, so we'll have the element of surprise. Any other questions? - After looking around the room and getting no questions, Alex folded up the map and put the projector module in his bag. - Let's get going then; good luck to us all. - He put on his helmet and waited for the latches to click before heading up the slope at the head of the group. His sister and the engineer also headed further down the gorge, towards the technical descent...
- Commander, we're done here. - The two fighters ran away from the small device they had brought, now a dummy rock with a small antenna protruding from the top.
- The activation was successful? - The squad was now in position almost in front of the entrance to the base, buried in the sand and lurking between the rocks. The soldiers' armour matched their surroundings to the dozens of cameras that captured them and projected them onto the outer layer of their armour, rendering them almost invisible.
- Right, it works like clockwork. They didn't even know the extra channel was open.
- All right, get into position and wait for...
"- Captain in sight, eleven o'clock, fifth floor." - The radio came to life with the sniper's voice. Alex immediately repositioned the scope and aimed his rifle at the designated spot. Indeed, a pair, led by his sister, was moving through the radio tower building, or rather one of its floors. Suddenly they veered sharply to the side and took cover behind the jutting walls. The reason was two intelligent men who had emerged from the room further down the corridor. They were a Turian in officer's armour and a Salarian scientist. They were furiously discussing something, completely unaware of anything around them.
- Valchem, check the building for bio-signs.
- Two here, three on the floor below and five at the entrance. - After a few moments, the sniper reports.
- Copy that. Take these two out. - The two rifles boomed on the verge of being heard, and two neat holes formed in the window. Impulse weapons could not be used for covert operations, so sniper rifles with high-powered gunpowder ammunition were specially designed. There were many types, but now the most common ones came in handy.
Jane just nodded and continued down the corridor, having previously hidden the bodies in what appeared to be a back room. Soon they reached the locked door, and Tali stepped inside. After fumbling with the lock for a minute, she managed to open it and let the Captain in before disappearing behind the door herself.
- All right, Valham, our part is about to begin. Take out the ones they won't find soon; the imitator will fake their conversations. - The sniper team began to take out targets leisurely, taking new lives with each passing second. - Titus, what about the crab?
- Waiting outside the gate, just got here. I'll also load the system on them, so they can't activate the defence system temporarily. - The squad engineer sat behind a large boulder, flicking his fingers over his tablet.
- Great. Then wait for the signal, and everyone gets ready. Assign targets at the checkpoint. We'll take him first. - The minutes of waiting dragged on, accompanied only by the howling of the wind and small 'waves' of sand.
"Alex, we're ready downstairs; we'll wait in the courtyard."
"Roger that, let's get started. Snipers, when we get to the gate, take out everyone in the far buildings of the complex and on the higher ground. Target selection is open. Let's go! - The guns went off, and the guards at the checkpoint went down. There was a problem here too. One of the dead men squeezed his rifle before he died, and it fired a long burst towards the complex. Immediately a siren sounded, and a huge crowd of guards rushed towards the dead. At least a hundred, for sure.
- Titus, it's time! - The squad was crouched against the wall when the bot activated. The machine crawled up on its paws and unleashed its muzzle. (Author's note: Imagine a cross between a Shilka and a Gatling gun.) The burst of fire turned everything to dust, be it a wall or a soldier; there was only a desolate, cratered landscape after the hit. It destroyed everything. It was over in three heartbeats.
The bloody mash spewed from the guards' bodies crunched horribly under the feet of the advancing stormtroopers. Working in groups, they searched the buildings and mopped up the underdogs. No one here distinguished between scientists and soldiers. As the squad moved through the outlying buildings, a droid crawled down the central avenue and opened fire on the main complex. The guards tried to destroy it, but if it stood out for more than a second, it was instantly killed. That's why the Turian soldiers sat behind the wall, begging all the spirits to give them a chance at salvation.
The first two who rushed in after the grenades exploded were mowed down by a burst of machine-gun fire. The gunner did not live long either, as his position was covered by the drone's guns. Further clearing of the building was accompanied by the constant burst of grenades and hiss of the chemical flamethrower. Unfortunately, the attackers also suffered casualties. The enemy's numerical superiority and the activated security system took their toll. Despite this, the building was taken half an hour later, at the cost of seven dead agents.
- Is it him? - As the main force wiped out the remaining defenders, the command staff gathered in the lab and surveyed the target of the entire mission. The ancient alien lay dead on the floor, a huge hole in his head. During the attack, one of the grenades hit the room, and shrapnel pierced his skull. None of the equipment was suitable for study either. More or less, all that survived was the stasis pod, the only thing that had to be evacuated. No weapons were found here, probably taken to the Hierarchy.
- Yes," the brother walked over and turned the body over, "it's no big deal that they're fiddling with it like that?
- It's a path of development for them; they're idols, in a way. - Jane stood at the only working terminal and downloaded all available information.
- OK, we'll talk about this later. Mark and Titus take the pod and go to their courtyard. There's a squad meeting there too. - The soldiers nodded and began to move the sarcophagus into the corridor. - Haas, - he turned to the flamethrower - everything here is in ashes, especially the body. Then outside. - Alex put on his helmet and stepped out of the room, a stream of fire raging and hissing behind him.
Outside, the company could see people loading into the ship and a bot crawling behind the operator. And in the yard itself, two engineers were preparing a vacuum charge. As the commanders approached, they finished their preparations, and all moved together towards the ramp. The frigate carefully lifted off the ground and headed for the other side of the planet to begin its journey home. Halfway across the planet, the detonation signal came on, and sensors showed a bright flash at the site of the complex. The fleet in orbit immediately began to land troops in the area, and the frigate, after breaking through the clouds and atmosphere, disappeared into the flash without being detected.
Perseus Sector Boundary, Kwarian Fleet, Dreadnought Rannoch.
- Admiral, all ships in position. Observing space-time forces. - The operator reported to Han'Herrell, who looked intently at the projection of the future battlefield. Seven hundred ships under his command and another three hundred of the Hierarchy against one and a half thousand of the enemy. Yes, and their modifications are unknown, as is what they are armed with.
- Open a channel to the Hierarchy. We'll discuss a plan of attack with them.
- Execute. We have data on the new jump points! - The image has shifted, revealing an opening exit gate.
- Do we have confirmation?
- Affirmative! We're receiving a friend-or-foe signal. Forty ships in total. Imperial Saturn Defence Squadron. Type of ships unknown. - The female operator replied quickly, reading the instruments.
- Give me a channel for them. - This was already addressed to the communicator, who immediately began to run his fingers over the keyboard, adjusting the equipment.
- Identified several! The first is the cruiser Ascent, and the other two... Geth cruisers?! - she turned to the Captain and looked at him, frightened. The elders' stories were still fresh in the minds of the young, who had grown up imagining the horrors of the machines.
- Easy, operator! These will be captured and rebuilt after the battle in Rannoch's orbit ships. Get a grip!
- Aye, aye, Captain. If you'll excuse me. - The girl returned to the display and read on, - thirty more are the same frigates. Two dreadnoughts, five carriers and one... The supercarrier Vengeance. - The Admiral shifted his gaze to the monitors where this ship was displayed. Twice as long as his dreadnought, it was crammed with hangars for fighters and countless bot launchers.
- We have contact! - He was distracted from his contemplation of the giant by the communicator's voice. Within seconds, the image of a man appeared before him, his nose and mouth covered by a mask, leaving only his eyes and the top of his face open. The man's uniform was draped over his shoulders.
- Admiral Han'Herrel? Commander Quintus Tillius. - He greeted him with a military salute. Waiting for the Admiral to do the same, he continued. - The Emperor has placed our carrier group under your command. Until the conflict is fully resolved, all ships are under your command. Awaiting instructions.
- Acknowledged. Take a position on the left flank of the fleet. Your opponents will be enemy small craft and M.L.A.s. Once you've dealt with them, move on to the rest of the fleet. Commence attack on my command.
- Roger, Vengeance out. - The screen flashed and faded out.
- Captain, the Hierarchy is beginning to move! - One of the deputies turned to him.
- Then we will begin as well. All ships begin to move. The dreadnoughts lead the way, the cruisers behind them in a retracted arc.
Dozens and hundreds of lights flashed in the darkness of space as the mighty ships began their approach. The guns began to move out of their silos and into battle mode. Crews made their final checks and took their seats. Everything was ready for battle. Meanwhile, the enemy, apparently having also completed their preparations, moved towards them...
- Throwing out an M.L.A.! - On the radar, they could see about a hundred markers breaking away from the main group and heading towards the carriers.
- Orders to Revenge, launch planes! - On the screen, the covers of the silos opened, and countless machines flew out at breakneck speed. The Techno Mind assembled and directed the squadrons to meet the approaching enemy. Dozens of bombers and torpedo carriers were catapulted from the decks into the void, firing their engines and forming groups. The count of allied ships climbed at the speed of sound to the proud figure of six thousand. The entire horde rushed at the flying pirates, who began to turn hastily. Still, they were overtaken within a minute, and virtually all red markings were extinguished. Having lost a few dozen ships, the swarm continued on its way. - Oh, that's great! All ships prepare to attack! We're moving into firing range.
Since the Quarian ships were incredibly small for a ship, there was a separate tactic for hitting them head-on. No, they weren't sent head-on to their deaths, they were incredibly hard to hit, and it allowed all weapons to be used on both sides. Now, each ship would fire at least ten pulses at the enemy in a salvo. In return, dozens of pulses came flying back. It was almost impossible to hit such a small target, but it was only sometimes luck in practice. A well-aimed hit from the dreadnought's guns scattered the first cruiser into a debris fan, followed by five hits on the other cruiser, which broke into pieces. The supply ship was hit by a shell, its armour pierced. From outside, it seemed as if a new star had been born, and debris clouds began smashing against neighbouring ships' hulls.
The enemy was also taking a heavy toll. The horde of drones reduced every small ship to ashes, reducing the enemy's numbers exponentially. The energy beams burned through the flimsy hulls, and the ships either collapsed or exploded, leaving only a cloud of space debris in their wake. Many tried to escape, but the fighters caught up and knocked out their engines.
- The dreadnought is targeting us! - The aide's voice ripped the Admiral from the command of the battle. The shield was already down to a measly ten per cent, and a salvo from the dreadnought's G.K. would shred it, followed by the hull.
- Pump up the shield quickly! - The deckhouse terminals were already fuming from the strain and the constant new commands.
- Not in time!!! - the hysteria in his voice proved the truth of those words.
Is this... The end? Accepting his fate, the Admiral closed his eyes. The cabin was filled with screams...
... In the silence of the cockpit, occasionally broken by the roar of the turbines, there was only the faint click of the throttle...
Out of the cabin, into the empty space, fell the white hull of a torpedo,
The engine flashed and carried the creation of human hands through the darkness,
Like a beautiful comet in the sky of ancient Terra, it travelled dozens of miles in a few moments,
And finally touched what it had longed for...
... It melted a beam of plasma right through the dreadnought. From the upper armour all the way down to the lower deck. Dozens more torpedoes followed, turning the once formidable ship into a sieve.
All the while, the squadrons closed in on the target, trying to hit the right spot at the right time. Missiles, tracers and bombs began to fall on the dying ship from above. One of them, a particularly lucky one, hit the core. The hull bulged, the dreadnought turned into a pile of metal and exploded, scattering surrounding ships in all directions and destroying dozens of allies...
... A shout of joy. Those present simply couldn't believe their luck and that they were still alive. The Admiral leaned back wearily in his chair. The realisation of possible death chilled his spine, but he pushed that feeling to the back of his mind and returned to command the battle. Soon the enemy force was on the run, and the air force caught many who had not managed to escape. This battle was another victory for the Empire...
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