Prosperity | Atop Munchkin's Pass
BGM: Legend of Dragoon - Uneasy State https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-EYcM5zakqA
Virodhi Phorma stood atop the low mound, staring out at the small colony before him. It might seem a poor logistics choice to bring the bulk of his army all the way out to the colonies, where few of these villages could even put up a fight. However, with the caravans coming in soon, it was good that a large portion of his force was here. Better to take all of the precious goods with. And more than that, he simply wanted to smash any sort of hopes the colonists might have and watch them squirm under his army's thundering boots. The black form looked off his left shoulder, at his current right-hand man. These Venturian soldiers had been forgotten and forsaken by their own people, left to die on Prosperity. They lacked the knowledge to create and maintain large farms, so they did not bother. The uncolonized territories were widely lawless and unforgiving.
As his lieutenant stared longingly at the helpless colony a mere short march away, one could see that his sense of duty had all but left him, replaced now with naught but scorn and yearning. Phorma turned to face the camps below him. Three thousand troops were packed ever so tightly in the small valley below. The camp fires and makeshift tents contrasted the advanced anti-personnel weaponry the troops used to wield. However, by this point, after decades of no supply runs from the rest of the galaxy, they had run out of ammo and simply turned their rifles into powerful melee weapons of all sorts. Surely it didn't matter. They had Phorma: The strongest warrior of them all.
Wordlessly, Phorma turned from his perch and descended into the camps. Tonight they would rest from their long trek. Then tomorrow? They would strike the village, and burn it to the ground.
Alcyon Space | Space Station "Heaven"
About an hour passed with no real activity on Heaven, and a voice came back over the intercom.
"Attention, all hands. Attention, all hands. Heaven will be jumping out of system shortly. All non-essential personnel are advised to report to their quarters. Repeat, Heaven will be jumping shortly. All non-essential personnel are advised to report to their quarters." the voice said. Anyone who wasn't essential to this jump had already made their way home, though.
Inside the bridge, the crew was rattling off protocol to each other to make sure this jump was as safe as possible.
"Blast shields closed."
"Hangars locked down, nothing's moving in there."
"Inertia dampeners online."
"Gravity normalized throughout the station."
"Jump-drive Green."
"Navigation, Green."
"Engine, Green."
"Coordinates locked in."
"All systems nominal!"
One of the Lords stood tall above the bridge crew, overlooking their work until they finally gave the all-clear signal. When they did so, the Lord spoke his command.
"Heaven, Jump!"
And just like that, Heaven left the system in which Alcyon lay.