Strange Energies

[Rider]

Far away across the stars, invisble from the "home Quadrant" an event occurs wich happens almost daily throughout the universe. A star goes supernova. However something strange happens this time, followed by the mandatory shockwave, a second wave follows, green, and spreading faster then the light can rebound off it, leaving a surreal effect behind.

as this wave spreads through the universe it pulverises worlds and makes stars implode, but the further it spreads, the more harmless the effects are. as it closes in on the Home quadrant, it's destructive force has disapeared, but it leaves strange effects behind nonetheless. Creatures behave oddly, instincts dissolve or awake, carnivores become herbivores, sentient creatures make desicions they never thought they would make. The universe goes mad!



Lord 152 watches out of the frontwindows of the Dreadnought he is currently commanding. The slaves are resting. There is peace between the species, and the Orz have long since vanished since the last incident¹.

"It almost seems too quiet"

She mumbles. Then all of a sudden a shock goes through the Dreadnought, but the vessel doesn't move. Lord 152's eyes go wide open and she falls to the ground. A loud "Fwump" let's her know that she reached it. After a few seconds of agony, she manages to get up and look around the cockpit, then suddenly a green flash blinds her. Again she falls, though this time she manages to break her fall with 2 of her tentacles.

"What the..." She starts, but she doesn't finish her sentence. She became aware of something... something is missing. She gets up and looks around in search of one of the slaves. "Right, they where resting!" She grabs towards the supports attached to the ceiling of the Dreadnought, and moves herself quickly to one of the Quarters.

"It can't be... it shouln't be... it better be!" She mumbles as she moves quickly from corridor to corridor. "it... ah!" She arrives at the quarters and opens the door without further concideration. The Slave, member of a race long forgotten, opens it's eyes and stares straight in the face of Lord 152. "Ayyeeeh!" it screams, knowing very well that Ur-quans NEVER visits slaves unless it has something to do with execution or getting fired, wich is the same thing.

Lord 152 moves her head in the small quarters and practically touches the frightened slave, wich clenches it's eyes shut, afraid of the faith to come. "Well I'll be..." She retracts her head and ponders a while. The slave, now dearing to look, realises that it isn't dead yet and wonders what is going on. Lord 152 looks down at her tentacles. They are still smooth and shut. A sign that she has no intent to fight or kill anytime soon. Without looking back at the slave she hurries back to the control center in the front of the ship.

She takes the COMM device and hails the nearest Dreadnought. "This is Lord 443, why do you call me Lord 152?" Lord 152 takes the communication device in one of her tentacles and brings it to her mouth. "443, it's gone!" In the other Dreadnought, Lord 443 awaits what is coming next "It's gone! I just moved in a Slave Quarter, practically touching the creature, but I haven't even opened my tentacles!"

In the other Dreadnought Lord 443 holds his com device near his mouth, but he does not speak. Could it be, is The Instinct really gone?

¹ See The Grand Council thread for previous events along this timeline.

[Rider]

Lord 152 looks down on the com. device. She has never done this before. She has never informed other Ur-quan about her personal conditions before. Logically something must be wrong, but inside it 'feels' right. A brief moment passes until Lord 152 realises the course of her mind. It feels right? Ur-quan Lords are to react tactically and effeciently on all situations under all circumstances. "Feeling out a decision is out of the questions, but it feels so good to make the decisions with my heart rather then my mind" a shudder makes Lord 152 regain herself. "What was that?" A brief glimpse at the status monitor shows that it came from the Slave quarters. "Let's check that out and then do some self-reflecting" both her mind and her feelings agree and she grabs for the handles on the ceiling.

Once arrived at the scene, Lord 152 can't believe her eyes! The Slaves have escaped! They all just jumped ship! And by the looks of it, they went for the fighter bay... wich is mechanical... and will only let them through if clearance is given by the commanding Lord... wich is her... wich means.... A scream of rage behind her makes her look back and realise that the creature that was frightened not too long ago has now turned on her and is trying to attack her. A quick swoop gets her head out of the way, making the little critter smash into a wall.

Lord 152 turns to the creature, wich is still dazzled. "What is wrong with you?" She asks, in a perticularly sensetive voice. The little creature pauses for a moment and then answers "We need freedom!" a moment of silence passes as the 2 beings stare at eachother, then Lord 152 makes a decision she sworn Never to make. "Alright, I'll let you all leave the ship. Head for the fighter bays and await clearance." The being on the floor doesn't move and just stares back at the big green Lord wich he just tried to attack. "Well what are you waiting for? The fighters can be used as landing craft, and there's a neutral starbase nearby. Head there and everything will be fine." Realising the luck he has gotten into he gets up, conciders attacking the big Ur-quan, but then figures that it got what it came for and it would probably not live the fight so it just should go for the fighter bays and hope for the best.

2 hours later, all the fighter craft have been launched and Lord 152 is alone aboard the giant Dreadnought. She realises that she has to face the Ur-quan council now that she has violated the 3rd rule in becoming a space officer: Never let the slaves take desicions for you, even if you agree with them. "I'm gonna get butchered back there..." just then the comm console lights up and Lord 443 apears. "Say, 152... can I talk to you about something?" Lord 152 pauses, Ur-quan NEVER tolk among themselves THAT informal, especially not while in command of a Dreadnought. "Sure, what's up?" Another informal approach, how very unproffesional... but she doesn't care eitherway. "It's just... I just let my entire slave crew go!" Lord 152 looks at the holographic image of Lord 443 wich seems sad, but also, reliefed. "Yeah me too" she blurts out. The 2 Ur-quan gaze at eachother like they just confessed their love to eachother...



At the Ur-quan Council, supreme rulers of the Ur-quan Space fleet, the highest officers have gathered 'round. "We have a situation of giant proportions on our hands" the Supreme Ruler, Lord 0 begins. The entire board falls silent. "Almost all of our Dreadnought have reported signs of tollerability against the slaves, and ultimatly, the release of those slaves. We have about a dozen armed Dreadnoughts out there each of them equipped with only 1 crewmember, the Lord in charge." The board exchange glances but remains silent. Lord 0 looks 'round the room, and at each of the board members individually. "What are your thougts?" One of the board members, Lord 2 arises and speaks in a slow voice "I think I speak for all of us when I say: Why do these Dreadnoughts need to be armed anyway? What are we fighting? Aren't we preventing a peacefull alliance here? The board falls entirely silent again. They all thought the exact same thing.

Lord 0 speaks in a strong, clear voice "Very well, let's recall all the dreadnoughts and contact the Alliance. Let's tell them we are against the use of armed starships now."

The entire board nods and Ur-quans, smile, for the first time in their lives.

[Culture20]

Meanwhile, further out toward the edge of the Galaxy, The Green Eye of Dogar flares a brilliant emerald hue.  Nearby, the Ilwrath homeworld answers with a reddish-orange flare of its own.  Heard only within the atmosphere of this planet is a brief strain of music, and the voices of an angelic choir: "Hallelujah!"

Any observer flying low over the planet would find spider-like creatures on the surface of the planet, busily constructing gleaming buildings and tools from their own secretions and exposed quartz veins.  They use these tools to nuture any tiny life they find; transplanting some weeds to better soil, caging the last few pitiful surviving Jubbies together so that they can be forced to reproduce.  They have appeared into a harsh land, but that is good; Dogar and Kazon are testing them.  With this life, they will improve the land and make it a better world.

In one of the first and largest buildings built, there is soon a gathering of all of the local spider-beings.  One, clothed in resplendant and shimmering web-cloth, approaches a vacant dias, backwards, never looking where it treads.  The other spiders look down in solemn ceremony.  The shimmering spider does not step onto the dias, but as it is reached, begins to speak.

"Dogar Is The Protector In A Shimmering Cloak...
The Great Defender...
The Tender-Clawed Savior...
The Bright Star With A Thousand Young!
Kazon Is The Great Hidden Truth...
The Wise Goodness In The Darkness...
The Unstoppable Lover Who Knows Only Mercy...
The Waiting Father In The Web.
These Are Our Gods, The Gods Of The Ilwrath!"

[fluffy_banana]

Khewyn glanced at the trisanium crystal screen. Another Utwig in a small bridge filled it.

"Welcome, to Utwir. What do you wish?"

The response, was unexpected. "I'm here to give you your new orders. Patrol the Beta Librae system. Destroy all Supox vessels you can find. Don't let one ship escape."

Khewyn almost said, "What! The Supox are our friends!", but his orders felt . . . right. Suddenly, he hated Supox. They had tricked and manipulated the Utwig, since Contact. They were horrible beings (or so Khewyn then thought).

So, he answered, "Accepted and confirmed. Powering engines and heading for Beta Librae."

* * *

As Khewyn dropped out of Hyperspace, he saw Supox Blades surrounding his vessel. They had lain a trap!

Then, he felt extreme rage. I must destroy them all!, he thought.

He pressed the Big Red Button. Needle-gun shots showered the Blades, damaging three of the six Supox ships.  As the return barage of seeds charged toward the Jugger, Khewyn pressed the Big Blue Button. A red shield glowed around the Jugger, and absorbed every shot.

In twenty minutes, he had slaughtered all the Supox ships. He felt . . . good. He felt happy.

___________________________

All over the 'northwest' corner of the galaxy, the Supox Wars raged, and the end of the Old Utwig began.

[Tweety]

As the Pkunk were celebrating the day of the holy poot worm, unsuccessfully trying to avoid eating pootworms throughout the day, a wave of force hit their home planet.
At first, it seemed the sky turned green, and Peep felt just like he did after drinking 5 glasses of the Poogy Flower Nectar: The world was again spinning around. Only this time it made him choke on the poot worm he was munching.
After some unsuccessful coughs he managed to spit the half eaten worm out. The half worm, lucky to get a break, scurried away. Then, the other shock hit him and he was reeling again.
The world turned black.
When he opened his eyes again, everything was different.
The sun, mother of life and symbol of eternity, seemed just like a regular class-M star with 89% of the radiation of similar stars of the same size and class, hinting it was going through a phase of turmoil caused by the shock wave...
When he looked around, he saw other puzzeled Pkunk spitting the poot worms they were trying to eat and gazing around in wonder. It wasn't surprising, considering the fact that 45.1% of the local flora were not native to this climate.
The logical conclusion, he surmised, is to incinerate all invading plants to a crisp to restore the balance.
And then he recalled: he had to go to his lowly underrated job as the manager of inter species communications. A job that was somehow saved only for the ill favoured, but now seemed a bit more appealing.
When he got to the office, a message was waiting for him on the screen.
It has arrived percisely 120.5 seconds before the shockwave. The message were from the good humans, but when he thought about it he couldn't think why these extraterrestrials, who were an immediate danger to the Pkunk race, would be called "The Good Humans".
Logically, they, like any other foreign race, would try to exterminate him and all his race members as soon as they've got the chance.
He pressed the beeper button, reserved for emergencies like ordering his secretary to order him Cherry Burger with extra grain.
"Yes sir, how can I help?" came the reply immediately.
He found that curiously pleasing although he remembered he used to like it when she said "Hello Peep, I knew you would call, let me see, I feel you need a foot massage" when all he wanted was a new battery.
Such amazing flakiness was all he remembered, but now it seemed oddly wrong. He wanted to be percise and accurate.
And that stupid emotion, love, so profusly used before... it was a complete waste of time!
All a clever Pkunk had to do is be vigilant of the Evil lurking around. Everyone was a potential enemy, he thought. "Sir?" came the voice from the speaker calling him back to himself. "I will not tolerate this insolence" he said, feeling somehow ashamed that he wasn't  focused and alert. "You will obey me or suffer!" he exclamed.
"Now, contact all of the 'Alliance' races and inform them that the Pkunk are severing the connection with their weak and pitiful organization."
Survival of the fitest, this is the strongest force of nature he thought...
Oh, well, we'll have plenty to kill soon...

[Rider]

Incoming message...


checking for errors... no errors found. Message follows.


From: The Ur-quan
To: All alliance races
Subject: Complete militairy disarming

Content: We, the Ur-quan would like to call a meeting with all the current alliance members. We shall meet in the "Grand Council" conference room. We would like to discuss the matter of Complete militairy disarmament and the finalising of Peace treaty's. The war must end!

Yours truely, The Ur-quan.


End of message

[fluffy_banana]

Only hours into the war, most of the Utwig Home Fleet was transferred to the Supox borders, and the Outer Defense Squadron moved completely. The Outer Worlds were undefended then, so some old freighters were refitted with weapons and recommisioned by the Ministry of War.

These freighters could be finished within two days time, or so the Utwig engineers claimed. Many supposedly inexperienced and second-rate Jugger captains were to change commad to the freighters.

* * *

"With all due respect, admiral, I do not think you realize that you will lose a experienced captain from the war, if you transfer me to this freighter," said Khewyn, after being told that he was to be recommisioned to an old freighter named Blackstar. A Utwig admral stood in front of him, behind a black metal desk. The room was his office, and had several medals on the wall, but otherwise was rather bland, as most rooms in Alpha Librae space station.

"With all due respect, Captain, you have only commanded a ship in two battles, and one only a minor skirmish," said the admiral coolly.

"What about my performance at Beta Librae?" said Khewyn.

"Your battle there was the only reason you were allowed captain status on any ship. Since the war began, we have had to improve our officer's overall quality. You are near the bottom of the list of experienced captains. Be glad you were not pushed of the list, and demoted to ensign. Enjoy your position, Captain Khewyn, for it could certainly be worse."

"Very well. I will report to the docking ports two days from now, and go aboard." Cold, controlled anger filled Khewyn's words.

"Good. I will make arrangements for your new crew to meet you there. Dismissed," answered the admiral.

Khewyn walked from the room, and returned to his quarters on the station.

[Rider]

Lord 152 hangs from a strong girder in the mess hall of the colonisation ship. Hundreds of other Ur-quan surround her, some of them sit silently and eat. Others, such as herself, stare blankly into space, thinking. She notices something moving at the entrance. One of the remainders of her instinct, always to watch the entrance, has now been rendered quite useless as no Ur-quan should pose a threat anymore. "Are you OK?" Lord 443 asks. "You've been sitting here staring at the entrance for quite some time now." Lord 152 looks up to Lord 443 and finds a worried expression on his face. "Don't you think it's strange what happened here?" She asks while bringing the small curagei¹ to her mouth. Lord 443 doesn't hesitate to answer a short "No, I don't" They both stare in front of them again, knowing very well what the reason of that is. Moments pass as they sit next to eachother, when suddenly a scream pulls them back into reality.

"Peace for the entire universe!!" a younger Ur-quan screams! The entire messhall suddenly vibrates with applause and enthousiastic Ur-quans. Lord 152 finds herself applauding to the youngster as well. Lord 443 simply shouts a loud "Yeah!" followed by a short comment to Lord 152 "The guy has a point, you know" Lord 152 nods and continues her applause. The younger Ur-quan, who is known as Lord 1635, is lifted upon one of the tables by the others. Because of his size he had trouble grabbing the higher girders over the tables, and when he's positioned stabely on the table he starts to talk about the dream he had last night, one involving the unity and brotherhood of all Ur-quan, as well as other races, and how it is "their duty" to bring peace to the universe, as they so rudely interrupted it before.

both Lord 152 and Lord 443 exchange a smile as they listen to the youngster, getting the crowd excited about the idea of bringing peace to everybody. Lord 443 puts his tentacle around Lord 152 and she returns the favour by giving him a peck on his 2nd big eye.

maybe the battle and the fury will be over soon.

[fluffy_banana]

Experience. That was the word that haunted Khewyn, as he sat on a interwoven fiberchair, in front of his quarters computer display terminal. The fiberchair was attached to the wall, at a comfotable level.

Experience! I've been in the Utwig Home Fleet for drellots*! Not much true battle, but general experience., thought Khewyn angrily.

"Rediculous," he muttered. He knew that he wouldn't have become this angry, before . . . Before what exactly? What was it that made him more volatile, now?

Ah, never mind. Nothing I can do about any of it. I might as well look at the records for my new crew.

He pushed a button next to the display, and it lit, instantly. Text appeared on the screen, next to a rotating, 3-dimensional map of the space station.


Configure or terminate?
[Terminate] [Configure]


Evidently, Station Control hadn't bothered to configure his terminal for him. Oh, well, I'll do it myself, he thought. Khewyn inserted his hand in the control-sphere in front of the display, and manipulated the feelers within to select [Configure].

The earlier text disappeared again, replaced by more.


-Configure Terminal BL-223-
User:
*[enter name]*
Access Code:
*[enter code]*
Rank:
*[enter rank]*
Cybernet Name:
*[enter 'net name]*

[Complete Configuration]


He used the controls to enter the characters "K-H-E-W-Y-N", in the space provided. In a similar manner, he filled out the other spaces and selected [Complete Configuration]. Then, more text appeared.


Record file checked and confirmed. Configuration complete. Terminal BL-223 open.

[Access Data Library] [Change Configuration] [Terminate]


He selected [Access Data Library], and another screen appeared.


To access specific information, insert data code for reference file.

*[enter data code]*
[Read Reference File]

To access general information, insert search words for reference file.

*[enter search words]*
[Search]

[Cancel]


He entered the characters "B-L-A-C-K-S-T-A-R-C-R-E-W", and selected [Search]. The text return was unexpected.


Unable to acquire data. Information restricted to code 19 or higher.

[Return to Access Data Library] [Terminate]


What! Why have they restricted my new crew's data reference files?, thought Khewyn, both surprised and angry. . . . Well, I suppose I'll sleep, now, seeing as I can't accomplish anything yet.

With that, he selected [Terminate], removed his hand from the control-sphere, and rolled onto his bunk. But, as he fell asleep, he was more angry than before, and now worried, as well.

_______________

*Drellots are about equivalent to years, though longer

[Culture20]

The Ilwrath High Priesthood was becoming concerned.  Only recently had they used the Most Holy Hyperwave Device to listen to Channel 44, and discovered that they were not alone in this Universe.  Further, the ones who reached out to them seemed to need their help.  
A message was beamed in the direction of the broadcast, but they received no response.  How long would it take?  Maybe the Ur-Quan had moved, or worse yet: perhaps this "Alliance" had destroyed them.
The Priesthood quickly dispatched orders throughout the populace:
Research a means of traveling faster than light using the principles of the Holy Hyperwave as a guide.  Once discovered, create weapons and protective devices worth of Dogar and Kazon.

In addition, they made a couragous (albeit foolish) effort to contact the Ur-Quan via Multi-band, non-directed Hyperwave broadcast:

From: The Ilwrath
To: The Ur-Quan
Subject: Re: Complete militairy disarming

Ur-Quan Sentient Life-forms:

We, the Ilwrath, Children of Dogar and Kazon have heard your plea on Channel 44 of our mystical hyperwave devices which were placed on our world by the Deific Duo before we were even created.  We have heard your earnest desire for peace, and this can mean only one thing:  a War is occuring.  We assume this to be an unjust war, and your submissive stance indicates that you are suffering casualties.

We would like to offer the protection of Dogar and Kazon upon you. Wherever you might be in the cosmos we will pray for your safety, and should you enter into the reach of the Green Eye of Dogar, we will stand ready to protect you with the meager sub-light vessals that we have recently developed from the other technologies that Dogar and Kazon have provided (may their names be praised).
Should our Glorious gods deign to give us more advanced spacetravel technology, the dormant strength of the Ilwrath will come to your aid, much as the Fangs of Dogar the Protector are often hidden by the Blinding Truth of Kazon until they are needed.  

Most holy praises to Dogar and Kazon,  
and good wishes for you,
Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-men,
The Ilwrath.

>Content: We, the Ur-quan would like to call a meeting with all the  
>current alliance members. We shall meet in the "Grand Council"  
>conference room. We would like to discuss the matter of Complete  
>militairy disarmament and the finalising of Peace treaty's. The war  
>must end!
>
>Yours truely, The Ur-quan.

They knew that Alliance members might hear the communication, but little did they know how close the most Hyperwave-sensitive of the Alliance were...

[fluffy_banana]

Ten freighters were refitted, and sent to the edges of Utwig territory that day. One of them, named Blackstar, captained by an Utwig called Khewyn,  did not. Instead, it went curving through Supox space, avoiding ships, but steadily moving towards the Supox homeworld.

***

Khewyn, once on board the Blackstar, found his true  orders in the database on the ship.

He was not, after all, guarding the edges of Utwig space, but on an important mission, simply covered up by the story of guarding edges of space. Instead, he was the the captain of a devastating weapon, one to be launched on the Supox's home planet . . .

***

Meanwhile, the Utwig Council, knowing the Supox were soon to be finished, the Weapon almost having reached it's target, decided to send an attack elsewhere. The Ur-Quan, somewhat weakened,  close, and ripe for attack on one of their border colonies (a quite productive one, at that). Twenty-five Speeders (developed just before the War of the Nest) and ten Juggers were swiftly charging to their target.

[FreakyM]

Somewhere in the Orionis Constellation, a Small Umgah Colony was just getting a rude awakening.. A Kohr-Ah Cleansing Fleet dropped into orbit as from nowhere, and began with the ususal "Introductions"..
"We are the Ur-Quan Kohr-Ah. We cleanse our destiny. You will soon die. Make whatever rituals necessary for your.. Species." And just at this moment, it seemed as if  a shock-wave of some kind hit the system. Everything fell silent for a second.. The Kohr-Ah continued, While the Umgah started begging for mercy, " We have heard. We are.. un.. moved... the cleansing.."..." What have we done?!!!"..

[fluffy_banana]

Khewyn was sitting at an empty conference table in Blackstar's briefing room. He'd just dismissed his officers, after issuing the neccessary orders.

He knew he should be doing something, but he wasn't sure what. I suppose I could check the Ultron's status -- for the fourth time this hour, thought Khewyn.

Standing up, he walked to the single door, and opened it. He went down a lift-tube and met a Utwig going to his station. He nodded, and the officer nodded back*, and they went their ways.

Finally, he reached another door, and passing through it, he saw many wires and tubes connected to the large box that was the Ultron. Never before would the Utwig have 'desecrated' the Ultron like this, but now they could barely care less.

The Utwig had found the 'true' use of the Ultron -- as a weapon. It was a Precursor terraforming device, and thus could be used to turn the Supox's homeworld into a world of lava and volanic ash.

Utwig technicians scurried about the massof tubes, wires and haphazardly attached consoles and controls.

The Ultron was really only part of the actual weapon; it simply directed Utwig machinery to do the neccessary work. After exploring the Ultron's store of information, Utwig scientists designed the machinery from the aforementioned data. Interfaced together, the Ultron would manage the terraforming project while the machinery carried it out.

The Blackstar's orders were to board and capture a Supox Blade, and load the machinery and the Ultron unto the small vessel (after clearing it of resistance). Then, a single pilot would land on the Supox homeworld with the Blade, and activate the machinery. It would be a suicide mission for the pilot, but there was no shortage of volunteers. All wanted to strike serious blow to the Supox Empire.

It was then that klaxons sounded. It appeared the Supox had found them.

***

Meanwhile, a large squadron of Juggers and a smaller one of Speeders had just jumped out of Hyperspace at an Ur-Quan Kohr-Ah colony. The Jugger squadron's leader was Admiral Ambar, Third Lord of the Fleet.; the Speeder's was one of the most expert pilots in the Fleet, Captain Chylli.

About three Kohr-Ah Marauders were in the system, but were still vastly outnumbered by the fifteen Juggers and six Speeders. The Utwig squadrons converged on the Marauders, about to strike.


*The Utwig Navy's officer were never very formal to each other.

[FreakyM]

The Kohr-Ah fell totally silent. Death 255 had never questioned the morality of The Doctrine, nor had he ever felt that weird feeling he had right now. Was it that which the lesser races called.. quilt? He thought about all the aliens he had "cleansed" in his life. He thought about his own kin, the Kzer-Za, and felt.. quilty? Quilty for killing them. Meanwhile, Death 001, the Kohr-Ah Supreme Overlord,sent out a hurriedly put togethter message to the Kzer-Za leaders..

****
FROM: The Kohr-Ah


TO: The Kzer-Za
SUBJECT:....
....we have realized the wrong that we have done to you, our own kin, and the sentient beings of this galaxy...we..should meet..and discuss this matter. Perhaps at the point of our senseless war, the Crateris system?

-Kohr-Ah Death 001

*******
Meanwhile, in the colony under Utwig attack:

The Utwig ships dropped in as from nowhere, and immediately opened fire on the colony. In one single minute, every Kohr-Ah on the planet was aboard their Marauders, and began to desperately defend themselves- to no avail. There were just too many enemies, and they had the surprise on their side. In just ten short minutes, the colony was history, and the utwig had only lost one single vessel due to a badly timed shielding during a F.R.I.E.D. blast. The colony´s leader, Death 076, managed to send a garbled distress call..

*******
From: Death 076
To: Death 001
Subject: We are under attack!

The alien race called the Utw..*.. have attack..*..
Colony under fire..*.. hree Marauders..**..
Hurry..***....
<silence>..

********

[fluffy_banana]

The Utwig had timed their operation well. Minutes after the Kohr-Ah Marauders were destroyed, a transport-Jugger full of armored Utwig dropped from Hyperspace.

The Speeder and Jugger set up temporary defensive positions. Meanwhile, the Utwig transport landed on the former Kohr-Ah colony, and unoaded it's forces. The armed Utwig cleared the colony of any remaining Kohr-Ah, and started refitting the colony for Utwg use.

A few hours after that, three contracted civilian transports landed, filling the colony with Utwig colonists. Five of the remaining fourteen military Juggers departed, to reinforce defenses elsewhere.

The colony was now of the Utwig Proctorate.

***

Khewyn ran to the bridge, doors sliding open at his touch. In five seconds, he was there. Purple lights ran along all the walls, and klaxons continued.

"Captain, there's a hull breach at Level 3, and Needle-gun Two is out!" said the Utwig officer at the Sensor Monitor.

"Route tactical controls to my station, Helm!" said Khewyn quickly. The Utwig at Helm did as he asked in less than a second.

The tactical control screen appeared on his station, and he took command immedietely. Three Blades surrounded him, and they were closing.

He pressed the Big Blue Button. The shield went on-line. It absorbed every Supox seed. Unfortunately, they stopped firing before it fed much energy into the ship. Khewyn turned off the shield.

They veered away, and preesed the Big Red Button, launching an array of needle-shots at them. A couple hit, doing a small amount of damage.

The Supox returned, and continued their fire, but again, Khewyn's shield stopped them. He repeated this tactic, until they fled. He tried to destroy them first, but they got into Hyperspace before he could.

The Supox know Blackstar exists, but that doesn't mean I cannot still accomplish my objective, thought Khewyn.

***

More Juggers and Speeders moved to the former Kohr-Ah colony. The Utwig were going to use it as a forward base and spearhead to the forces, driving forward from there.

Nearly a fourth of the Utwig Fleet was pouring into the colony's system, and the Utwig planned for more to come.