The Last Resort

[NECRO-99]

A rift in hyperspace opens near the edge of the system, and a wave of Torches appear. In unison, their afterburners burning red, all rush to the contested area. A thick, guttural voice crackles over Axiom communications channels.
This is Captain Kwamph of the Star Smasher. We will assume a defensive perimiter around the slower ships and attempt to fend off any attacks. We will not engage unless engaged ourselves, or if an ally falls under attack.
We've also recently added something to our craft; it may seem redundant when we use them, but they've got good purpose.
Something does seem different about these Torches...A section of the group moves into position near the Maulers, a second around the Crusiers, and the third begins a circle pattern past and around the two fleets.

[fluffy_banana]

The Utwig fleet at the Human's homeworld(comprised of eight Juggers and four Speeders) sent this message to the Thraddash contingent: "What are these modifacations you have made to your Torch vessels, Thraddash allies?"

[NECRO-99]

The static crackles again across the comm-link, and the Thraddash are heard arguing in their native Thradd language. A few chuckles, a snort, and Kwamph speaks again.
Well, we will ready the devices, but not activate them...yet.
With that, the already large exhaust ports on the Torches expand! The overlapped layers of metal, assumed to be a visual modification extend, making the Torch afterburners about half again as big as they were. The flame jet ports also expand in size.
Not only that, but we took a nod from your Supox friends. Take a look near where the ports connect to the hull!
Sure enough, large hydraulics are seen on the top, two sides, and bottoms of the connective area between the ports and the hull. Just for a show, Kwamph moves them back and forth, up and down, and side to side.
Now we'll REALLY be able to cruise!

[Tweety]

<Then suddenly, all of the forces around in the Alpha Centauri system hear a cackle and a Pkunk appears on the comm screen>

Will you please stop talking and stand still, so we can attack you and get over with it.

It is hard enough as it is, I feel so bad about killing my beautiful friends.
Well, the Thraddash and the Druuge are not beautiful at all and we do not know how an Utwig looks without a mask... umm... leave it.

I am so sad about having to attack all of you...
I will have to travel to the 4th plane of noexistance to clear my concience before doing that.
Plese stay put... and don't move.

[fluffy_banana]

Fleet Tactics Commander Jizlek transmitted this message to all of the Axiom fleet leaders: "We must plan before the attack. First, should we take a offensive or defensive posture? There are advantages to each. Ambush will not be usable in this case, as they already know we are here. I suggest defensive. Our Juggers will use Energy Needle cannons to break the first attack, and force them to re-group. Then, before they can re-organize their fleet, the Skiffs could drop out of Quasispace next to the Pkunk ships and start evasive manuevers. The Thraddash should use similar tactics (excluding the use of Quasispace of course)This will distract them allowing a few Druuge shells to strike. Before the Skiffs get to damaged the Arilou ships should retreat, drawing the Pkunk back towards our Needle guns. The Chmmr should stay near our Juggers, using similar support. When the Arilou retreat, the Avatars could (using Tractor Beams) speed them even faster toward the main Axiom fleet. That would allow the Arilou to get behind the Pkunk, giving further advantage. By the second round of this, I am sure the Pkunk will peacefully surrender. We do not want violence, but this seems to be the only course of action."

[Gill_Bates]

<As debates as to whether to attack the Pkunk or not rage, Thousands of strange devices appear around the solar system.
They are all connected with each other through a huge metal frame and are driven with a planet sized afterburner.
The devices themselves resemble Ur-Quan Dreadnaught engines although they emit strange green glow.
The devices flare for a second, and then...

The solar system begins to waver as forces pull at it from various positions.

As the Pkunk commanders order their fleet to attack, an enormous shockwave disrupts the Alpha Centauri system, sending Pkunk and Axiom ships alike like dry leaves hurtling through the system.

Some of the ships explode but then order is restored and the remaining ships try to regain position and control.

A deep feeling of anxiety spreads all around the system as all of those present feel that something has gone terribly wrong.

Both of the sides now stare with a stunned silence at each other awaiting the next move.
>

[fluffy_banana]

The Utwig Fleet Tactics Commander's Jugger, Lancer,
was very heavily damaged by the shock wave.
Only 3 Utwig were left aboard. The Tactics Commander managed to find the rest of the Utwig fleet, or what was left of it, after a few hours. The other ships weren't in much better condition; most barely even had engine control. Once all servicible Utwig vessels were found or salvaged, they attemted to send a message to the remaining Axiom fleet. A few weak responses came from various ships, but it seemed no one knew the cause of the shockwave.

[Tweety]

<Then a clear voice sounds in all of the ships, a voice of a Pkunk speaking. Those ships with working comm screens also see a ruffled Pkunk looking happily at them...>

Greetings friends. I am Jay, new commander of the Pkunk fleet after our former commander's ship suddenly exploded. Well, they were shot, so it's not so sudden.

Alas, dear friends, we, joyful and gleeful birds of happiness have been misled to hurt our beloved friends!

It seems that an evil toad with enormous psychic powers was present on one of our ships, and it transmitted to our leaders some bad omens and portents forcing them to choose a wrong side of action.

Although we Pkunk are enlightened and spiritually gifted, we are not invulnerable to this kind of trickery.

We cannot say who would be evil enough to introduce this being into one of our ships, but we are very happy to inform you that it was somehow on the ship that exploded!

So now, we are actually in debt of the one who destroyed  our ship.

We must find the humans and apologize to them.

We are sorry for all the trouble we caused.

We shall even tell your fortunes for a decade for free as a compensation for all the trouble.

But wait! where are the Humans? and the circle that disturbed us?

Gone, they all are!

[NECRO-99]

The static crackles over the AxiComm again.
This is uh...well...Commander, I guess, Shugka of the Brutalizer. Kwamph and the Star Smasher were destroyed in that large blast-y thing. We don't know what the hell that was, but would like to be informed.
Also, the Thraddash believe the Pkunk ships to either be lying to try to get us to stand down, after seeing our mighty force present, or are clearly suffering from sort of insanity, and need to have their ships disabled and towed back to their homes. Personally, we'd like to start shooting, but, well...we'll just wait. In the meantime, we'll do a little number we learned!
Some loud shouting in Thradd is heard, and the detachments break formation from around the Druuge and the Earthling fleets, and form a line facing the Pkunk. They all simultaneously engage their new Turbothrusters. Glistening blue/white flames spout from the backs of the twenty Torches as they go rocketing at speeds that seem near insanity. As they cruise, Shugka comes back on the AxiComm.
You see, we found out that our new propultion systems' leftover fuel fumes have minute traces of Phosphorous, Actinium, and Boron. Although the chemical reaction that takes place within the fumes is yet unresearched, it plays chaos with anyone's scanner systems.
Sure enough, all scanner sweeps in the area of the turbothrusting Torches comes up extremely scrambled. Shugka speaks again.
We suspect that it has something to do with the extreme radiation of Actinium, but we're still doing research. Anyway, those clouds spread over time. If we can manage this move, it'll screw up the Furies' readings and give us time to figure out what to do!
The Torches charge directly at the Furies, engines burning bright. At about 500 meters, the entire wing's engines cut, and tilt to point up at about a 45 degree angle. They re-engage the engines, and arc their craft down HARD. After about four or five seconds, it becomes clear what they're doing; the Torches are circling the Furies with the scanner-jamming leftover emissions of their engines. They wind up pointing at a slightly off angle to the main Axiom fleet, and begin heading back to it. As they head back, they begin using short bursts of their turbothrusters in seemingly random patterns and at random times. The Utwig tactician realizes it's to throw off any further readings should the Pkunk try to advance through the jamming anyway.
There, let's see them try anything NOW! Harg harg harg!

[ErekLich]

A message comes from the Druuge ships, who are now pointed at as many Furies as they can be.

"If what you say is true, how do we know that you are even now free of the Dnyarri influence?  How do we know that this is not another ruse?

[Tweety]

<The over happy Pkunk responds immediately>

Hello dear Druuge friend, or not so dear as you seem to not like us so very much.

We are not enemies anymore! This cannot be a happier day!
And in order to demostrate our happiness, we are leaving this place and will conduct our meeting in the Vela system away from the Human worlds.

We are ready to return Vela to any Human.

Regarding your question. Has any of the Axiom members been attacked by our people?

Even in our desperate situation ,we have only used the harsh words this evil (or should I say dead evil) toaddie placed in our too trusting and powerful minds.

And now, we are free! Weeee!
We can now assist all of you, and give you our love and joy and happiness.
I can tell your fortune for free.
For example, my dear Druuge commander, you have been cheating on your ship mates in the last 7 card games where you won all of their money.

Umm, I see that you shake your fists at me, Is that the Druuge way of saying: "Thank you, oh mighty and beautiful bird!"

<The Pkunk swallows hard and then continues...>
If you do not want us here, and I get some bad emotions right now, we shall leave immediately to Vela.