[IC] Eternal Galaxy: Shards of Starlight - Part I

[Koishi]

Venturia
Helios System
Planet: Duon

---

"I wouldn't be surprised at this point if it was even a dragon or somethin'." Mima replied.

---

Venturia
Celestoria System
Planet: Mortem

---

The Reaper continued down the halls, placing it's hands on the wall for a seconds, sending a pulse of electricty through it, knocking out cameras throughout the base.

It wouldn't want to ruin the surprise.

It walked through the halls, the stench of death wafting behind him. It was close now, and justice would soon be served quickly, and harshly. For it was judge, jury, and executioner, and it's wrath was above all that opposed it.

It was death, destroyer of worlds.

[Kristia]

Venturia
Celestora System
FreightShip

Mara used her HUD to see from the shipīs cameras the whole mess, a patroling ship was starting to board the current one she was staying ("Great, just when I finish one thing, another starts") she thought getting closer to one of the entrances

The bioroid was checking her arm braces to see that everything was on top notch and crouched near her vesselīs hangar door ("Since the little one can teleport, she should be fine from any harm I hope, so right now I have to focus on getting out of this place") the white haired thought going towards her ship

[Cucoo5]

Venturia
Sol Inceneron
Planet Werban's lower atmosphere

Ember sighed and quickly got between Spear and Nhiome. Once she did that, the others broke off their attack pattern and regrouped with Ember. Without communications, she watched Nhiome go. "The fool will kill himself. Might as well help him survive." She then gestured for the others to follow her out of the planet's atmosphere.

------------------------------

Venturia
Helios System
Planet: Duon

"Oh no, dragons are only in Egale system. None here in Helios." Nero explained.

-------------------------------

Venturia
Celestora System
NGO Patrol Ship

With the freight ship secured inside the hangar of the Beta Class Battle Cruiser, the infantry opened one of the hatches and started to climb in. Anankerisa stood nearby, behind some creates, watching.

[Kristia]

Venturia
Celestora System
NGO Patrol Ship

Opening a hatch in her vessel, Mara was preparing some precaution protocols for the ship. She didnīt build ships just for transport, so in the case of anything, they either had a defense mechanism or when the time comes, a nice autodestruction sequence

("Ok, this guy is ready for the party, but where are the guests of the event?") the thought came to her mind as she went to another corridor of the ship.

[bookdragon2000]

Venturia
Sol Inceneron
Near Planet Werban

Nhiome quickly locked down all the steering engines so the ship would hold its course, autopilot was still down, so he couldn't use it. He went back to the cargo area and using the materials he recently obtained, did some rough welding repairs that would hold for a while, at least the entire ship wouldn't decompress the moment it enter space.

He returned to the cockpit and waited as he finally exited the jammer's range, the fighters were no longer shooting at him, but with his now functioning, after rebooting, cameras, he ascertained that they were still following him. No matter, he had greater worries at the moment, namely the delta fleet and the holes in his ships. The welds could hold for the moment, but if he were to increase beyond his current speed, which was similar to a transport's, his ship would like be torn apart by the engines. He activated his remote and sent a command to his base within Sol Inceneron. Meanwhile the fighters did not seem interested in attacking. But since he was out of the range of the jammers, they could probably communicate again, he did not want to be distracted yet, so he shut down his communications devices within the ship except for his remote.

Soon, another of his ships appeared, this one was calibrated for extra speed and only had one pulse cannon in front and the special projectile gun he placed on all of his ships, the shields of this ship was nonexistent, even a near miss could rupture the hull. This was why he did not use it for raiding, but he found it to be an excellent emergency ship, it was called ShiroiKame. He remotely controlled it, loaded a projectile and fired it straight at his own ship. The tow extended between the two ships and this bullet, using the same principles of the gas bullet, punched through the hull with the tow attached, sealing the hole behind it, clattering into the cargo area. He then shut down the engines on Kuroikame and remotely steered ShiroiKame towards one of the moons of Inopia, then he set it on autopilot.

He now turned on the communications devices. " Now that you have nearly destroyed one of my ships, what do you want? I already told you I'm not interested in joining, besides why would you want a dead man in your group? Never mind that, you can answer later, once we get to my base, I assume you are following me and I cannot outrun you considering what you did to my ship, so you might as well come along. It shouldn't take too long, about 15 min or so." He went limp in the cockpit chair, he was exhausted, having had to endure the gravity of Warben, and fight 2 combats in one day. He hadn't slept in about a day. He knew most people on the planets still chose to follow the 24-earth hour days. But he used a different system of 36-earth hours days, since he was usually in space, "day" and "night" did not really affect him. So he ran a few experiments, giving himself no method of keeping track of time, and just ate and slept when he felt like it, he found out that he had been leading 36-earth hour days, so he decided to use that. According to his clock now, it was about 2645. He stretched his cramped muscles as he watched as Inopia as well as its moons grew larger in the windscreen.

[Cucoo5]

Venturia
Celestora System
NGO Patrol Ship

"Split up, search for any crew that might be trying to hide anything. We're here to figure out what they're doing here." The captain of the infantry squad gestured for each section to go down the various corridors.

------------------------

Venturia
Sol Inceneron
Near Planet Werban

Ember shook her head. "Darling, we're not following you, but I think I'll personally take that offer up." Ember switched to her squadron's channel. "Break off, go see if you can distract that Alpha Division squad that's after the young fool." Spear, Dragor, and Vulpes did as they were told and turned off the other way. When they were well on their way, Ember returned her attention to Nhiome. "A word of warning, boy. Electronic warfare won't work on the newer ships here. The Strike Fighters, NGO, and Guardians are all equipped with systems specifically designed to make that tactic nearly null and void. The only form of electronic warfare that works is jamming a connection between cruisers and smaller vehicles. You need better equipment. I can help with that."

[Koishi]

Venturia
Helios System
Planet: Duon

---

"Can we just get through with this already then?" Mima asked.

---

Venturia
Celestoria System
Planet: Mortem

---

The Reaper finally entered the control center, tilting it's head at the sight of the commanding officer.

"You think you could escape from your past?" The Reaper's voice sounded like several speaking at once, as he readied kunai in his hand, behind his back.

[Kristia]

Venturia
Celestora System
NGO Patrol Ship

Looking through a camera, the bioroid finally saw some of the patrolling soldiers and she then thought of what the little one said ("Play a game, huh? letīs see if you enjoy this") she thought with a genuine grin while starting to hack some systems

Meanwhile in a corridor where some soldiers were walking, the fire sprinklers started releasing water and the sealing doors closed blocking the exit. The lights soon turned off and a voice was heard

"How about we do some testing? the bioroid said through the intercomm

[bookdragon2000]

Venturia
Sol Inceneron
Near one of Inopia's moons

Nhiome couldn't help laughing. "Their newer ships protected against electronic warfare? Of course I know that, who the hell do you think I raid? I already developed better equipment, I develop most of my own weapons. I have already found ways to still continue using that tactic. I sabotage the ships, not destroy them, and how else better than electronic warfare? The only reason I had to use that relatively unsophisticated jammer was that it was against many ships, not one. Anyways...We're here, see you in the station, just wait at the docking area while I finish the repairs."

Nhiome remotely piloted his two ships towards one of the smaller and insignificant Inopian moons that was tidally locked with Inopia. So the same side was always facing Inopia, an ideal choice for a base. He steered his ships towards the side that always faced away from the planet and entered his undergound station. This was one of his oldest bases and thus the most sophisticated, at first he had to dig using pulses to blast away at the rock, but he acquired drills and materials and slowly built up a base with life support systems. He released the tow and after docking ShiroiKame, carefully and slowly turned on the engines of KuroiKame and docked in one of the two remaining available slots. The station could handle 5 ships and 2 were already taken up by the 2 ships he kept stationed here. 1 was hidden from view, the one where his 3rd (and final) ship was under construction, that slot was in another part of the station. The remaining 2 would be perfect, the moment he finished docking, he donned the suit and clipping a tether to the hull of KuroiKame, he began working on the repairs, making them more permanent, then he fixed the hull sections damaged by the speed and heat of this solar system. Then,keeping his helmet and his suit on, he went to the docking area, bringing along the crates of resources to find the leader of the black roses.

[Koishi]

Venturia
Celestoria System
Planet: Mortem

---

"You are found to be guilty of the killing of the scientist Tyl Regor. How do you plead?" The Reaper said, and the air was filled with silence for a couple of seconds.

"You are guilty as charged. The punishment..." The Reaper pulled out the kunai.

"Is death." The Reaper threw it's kunai at his legs, making him stand on his knees. It calmly walked forward and pressed the officer's head down, pulling out the scythe, putting it under the head, and pulling up, his head coming cleanly off.

Justice had been served that day.

[Cucoo5]

---------------------------------------------------------------------------~~Chapter 1 | Guardians of Helios~~---------------------------------------------------------------------------

"HYAH!" Aion led the charge and aimed for any NGO fighter that came near him.
Target lock
Aim
Fire
A dozen Sparrow rockets ripped through the air like angry hornets, shredding through a fighter that had taken damage before.
Rolling out of the way of another fighter he took aim at one that crossed in front of his targeting reticule and opened fire.
Fighter after fighter went down.
Dodge, dive, sweep, spin, target, fire.
Aion cut through the NGO Drone fighters like a knife.
Enemy fire from 6 O'clock.
Dodge.
Enemy fire from 10 O'clock.
Grazed.
Shields down 24%.
Ascend to 50,000 meters.
He shot upward full throttle. He gritted his teeth as he could feel the G-force acting on his body, slightly lessened by G-Dampeners, a weaker version of G-Diffusers.
Enemy Fighters in pursuit.
Dive.
In an instant, Aion fired the bottom nose thrusters of his fighter and whipped around using gravity to his advantage.
He plummeted towards the oncoming fighters.
Faster than the eye could blink, he fired six warheads, which annihilated one of the four pursuing drones, and unleashed his guns on two others, taking them down with ease.
Then he utilized the Nova engine of his fighter.
In a flash, his fighter itself ripped through the remaining Drone fighter, cleaving it in two.
He readjusted his trajectory aiming for fighters that were about to attack from the right, but Joe took them down with his payload of warheads and heavy cannon fire.
"Nothing like some target practice, eh, Arrow?" Joe laughed like a maniac. "Gotta love these Drones!"
Regrouping, Aion and Joe flew in formation, destroying anything in their path. "You gotta wonder why they even use Drones." Aion responded as he took down another three weakened fighters.
"As thick as flies and ready to be swatted! WOOHOOO!" A fighter exploded at near pointblank range of Joe's forward cannons.
"How's your shields holdin?"
"With that last one, 73%. Yerself?"
"76%, got caught in crossfire."
"Hahaha! Not bad, not bad at all!"
"This is Transport Delta 8 to Silver Leader! Another Transport is inbound to our location!"
"What?"

***

"I'M NOT GOING TO DIE TODAY!!!" Nero shouted as he pushed the throttle of the Transport to maximum. "HELLO BOYS! I'M HOOOOOOME!!! AHAHAHAHAHAAHAAA!!!"
"Transport Delta 8 to Delta 9, What's your status?"
Nero opened the channel back to the other Transport, reaching past the actual pilot, who was tied up. "This is Transport Delta 9, everything is fiiiiiine~ We just needed to relieve our pilot of duty, since he didn't have the balls to charge headlong into this skirmish. Oh and tell Commander Sullivan, as Head Defense Coordinator, I WANT A RAISE! Kthx over n' out." And with that he slung back into the seat. "HA CHA CHA~!!!" he then began to maneuver wildly over to Transport 8. Everyone inside held on for dear life.

***

Kiara stared wide eyed. "Oh gods save those poor people...how did Nero get in control of a transport?!"
"Who the hell, in the name of Venturia, is Nero?" Aion asked as he kept pace with the transport, effectively clearing a path to one of the nearby Zeta Carriers.
"I'll explain when we get out of this mess."
Nero's transport quickly managed to make it into the safety net that the Hunters had set with their formation. Aion shook his head. "Nero, is it? Are you even supposed to be flying that thing?"
"Hell naw~"
"Heh, fair enough." He then redirected his attention to the matter at hand. "We're almost to the Zeta Carrier. C'mon, ladies! One last push!"
"And we'll be in time for dinner!" Joe smiled broadly.

The Hunters and Transports hurtled forward to the Zeta carrier. A gunner saw the group and contacted the main hangars. "Oi! Get the hangars open! we got transports inbound!"
"Open the main hangar doors!" shouted one of the officers.

"BRACE FOR IMPACT!!!" Both Nero and the pilot of Transport Delta 8 threw on reverse thrusters in a mad attempt to slow their transports for the crash landing.
SCRAAASH!
First Delta 8 then Delta 9 skidded to a stop inside the hangars as Aion's squadrons broke off and reformed an escort formation for the Carrier.
"HUFF! HUFF! H-HEY!! NOT BAD FOR MY FIRST TIME FLYING ANYTHING, HUH?!?" Nero looked back at everyone onboard.

***

Fleeing the battle, The hunters successfully escorted the Zeta Carrier to the Alpha Division Fleet which was engaged with a fraction of the NGO fleet.
All of the fighters managed to land in the main Maverick hangar.
"Our first fight as Delta Division mercs." Joe said, finally catching his breath. "Shouldn't we go back out there and help?"
"No...not now." Aion then switched to the group channel. "All ships, status."
The squadrons made their report, all reported positive. Until...
"This is Gold Squadron...we lost Evan."
"What?! Evan?!? No-!"
"Dammit, Evan..."
"Those bastards got Evan..."
Aion closed his eyes and kept silent.
Joe saw him from where he was. "Arrow...this is war. You can't save everyone."
"I know..." Aion then addressed everyone again. "We lost one of our own today. A superb pilot and a close, and forever dear friend. All we can do now is honor him and his sacrifice to protect and ultimately save these two transports. He saved the lives of our own ,and those we don't even know."

"He died as a true Guardian of Helios."

---------------------------------------------------------------------------~~Chapter 1 | END~~---------------------------------------------------------------------------

Venturia
Sol Inceneron
Near one of Inopia's moons

Ember landed her fighter in the base. The cockpit opened and she jumped out. She dusted her deep green jacket. The coattails jutted out slightly. She then looked up and saw Nhiome. her green eyes seemed to sparkle slightly as she walked towards him. In her mid thirties, Ember was tall and seemed to have a certain authority about her. across her lower back were two hand guns, slightly larger than most and modified with rapid fire capabilities. "So you're the little darling."

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Venturia
Celestora System
NGO Patrol Ship

"What...? Someone's tapping into the systems. Find the source!" The infantry began to organize themselves to break through the doors and proceed. They eventually set the charges and blasted through. "Spread out!"

[Kristia]

Venturia
Celestora System
NGO Patrol Ship

Oh boy she was enjoying this, for every door opened, another two would close. Water sprinklers would activate from wherever corridor they would enter as distorted alarms would sound around them

("Come on little test subjects, letīs see how you play on my playground") the bioroid thought getting out of the console and running to another safe place

Mara got into the service room with some escapes routes and a small console to keep playing with her mice

[Koishi]

Venturia
Helios System
Planet: Duon

---

Mima didn't say a word, but calmly floated over and slapped Nero across the face.

"Baka." Mima said.

---

Venturia
Celestoria System
Planet: Mortem

---

It's work done, The Reaper simply walked back through the halls, disappearing into the shadows like a ghost.

Eventually, it reached a bluff outside the base, and behind it, it decloaked a small spaceship, somewhat shaped like a UFO, with long tentacle like appendages on the back, but with no visible viewport. A hatch opened on the bottom, and it stepped inside, the hatch closing, and the ship departing the planet as the base seemingly exploded.

[Cucoo5]

Venturia
Celestora System
NGO Patrol Ship

Suddenly, a pulse hand gun was placed against Mara's head. "Ah...you must be the bioroid. How quaint to find you here." A man with deep red eyes and grey spiked hair was standing behind her. His black coat, which resembled a variation of the Strike Fighter's commanding officer uniform, was buttoned up slightly, with the collar up. Red streaks patterned the jacket and his weapons. A single edged Energy Sabre, or what appeared to be an Energy Sabre, hung from his belt. "You must be wondering where you went wrong with your little game with my troops to let me slip past your net." He smiled as he backed away and lowered his gun. "Ah, that is the question...isn't it?" He turned while keeping an eye on her. "My men are merely looking for things out of the ordinary...but I have a different goal." He turned back to her. "Where is the girl? Was she here?"

----------------------------------------

Venturia
Helios System
Planet: Duon

After a brief silence, everyone in the transport applauded Mima.
"Amen, sister. Amen."
"Suddenly, I like this girl."
"She'll fit in juuuust fine."
"He had it coming to him..."
Then the female patrol walked up to Mima and placed a hand on her shoulder. "Remember how I said we always question what he does?" She smiled. "Now you know why." She patted Mima's shoulder then made her way out of the transport with the others. Nero remained in the chair, dazed.

--------------------

Venturia
Celestoria System
Beta Division Flagship

A long range sensors officer turned to Commander Suria. "Ma'am, there was a large explosion on Mortem."
"Explosion you say? Might be the NGO. Chart a course, we're heading to The edge of the solar system!"
Mortem at this time of year was on the edge of the system near the point where one would be close to Egale System...

[Koishi]

Venturia
Celestoria System
Orbiting Mortem

---

The Reaper sat in a chair in the middle of the main, perfectly circular room, the only light coming from the large orange hologrphic display around it. There were many sides. One side showed large or local event going on, another with a view of the galaxy, and another side with a view for all angles of the outside of the ship. It tapped a few keys, making the entire ship invisible. Now was a time for a short break, to find more unjust waiting to be punished. It scrolled through the list of news and local communications networks, both civilian and military, marking possible notes, points, or targets of interest on the 3D map. He couldn't stay for too long, as reports were probably already sent out about the destruction of the base, or overall, just a large, unnatural explosion. Hell, they could have already sent out someone. Wouldn't surprise it. Military forces had a habit of getting on it's nerves form their quick responsiveness.

But who knows? Maybe they'll bring someone unjust enough right to it.

---

Venturia
Helios System
Planet: Duon

---

"You have five seconds to get out of that chair and explain, or i'll slap you again." Mima threatened.