PRELUDE: UNION AT WAR

Chapter 2: PRELUDE: UNION AT WAR

1-

PRELUDE: UNION AT WAR

The alien machine paused for a moment as it appeared on top of a mountain of rubble that once had been a housing complex. The dark gray metal giant moved its eight tons of compacted Ultronit armor with purposeful agility. All four of its weapon arms raised.

Section leader Ohnic of the seventh Palace Elite keyed a fire resolution into his command giver while he adjusted the tele-optics of his battle helmet,to compensate for the wafting smoke and dust that obscured much of the battle field.

A Ruthiyk missile battery dug in behind heavy reinforced concrete and the strongest battle shield projectors the Galactic Council forces had available, received the firing solution and four missiles hissed with many times the speed of sound from their launchers, bridged the five Lika distance across the ruins that once were the capitol of the Hilibar Empire, but only one reached its target. The battle robot had destroyed three of them with energy beams. The fourth hit with a tremendous explosion. 12 Grams of antimatter reacted with matter. Tons of debris was instantly vaporized, sun like temperatures melted rock, concrete and steel into a lake of molten magma and the shock wave flattened still standing walls and buildings.

Yet as the brilliant white glow of the atomic fires subsides and the dust and debris settled enough to see, he watched in horror as the alien machine was still there, engulfed in a purple shimmering force field, wading through the molten rock unfazed.

One of his assistants crouching behind the remnants of a shattered temple column, just like the Section leader said with panic vibrating in his voice. "What are we facing, what is this?"

Ohnic clenching his fist, responded. "This is a Union Cerberus Robot. It isn't alone, there must be Union Marines as well."

Whatever the Assistant said was swallowed by an explosion that shook the very ground so violently that both Hillibar fighters were lifted of the ground, A sun bright sphere expanded where the missile battery was. It left behind a perfectly round and smooth crater. Nothing remained, twenty Hilibar fighters, a missile battery and everything else instantly vaporized by a Zero Point Vacuum sphere, the result of the latest Translocator bomb technology of the United Stars.

Thousands of super sonic booms followed in rapid succession, and like thunder followed lightning this crescendo hailed the approach of Union Marines as they dropped with super sonic speed from the sky.

Like a hail storm of hell spawned destruction they descended and fired on anything that moved or dared to be alive.

Hilibar resistance melted away like snow in a smelter furnace.

They watched helplessly as Union Marines and Cerberus robots swarmed over everything, brutally, relentlessly and without mercy killing and destroying anything in their path. No fighter,no civilian, no priest,no egg carrying females was spared.

There was no place they could retreat, regroup or rearm. This was the last bastion, the last planet of the Hilibar.

Once they had been a mighty and proud member of the Galactic Council, serving the Kermac freely and without being forced into service by Kermac Psionics or other means.

For 2000 years they had believed the Kermac propaganda and dismissed the rumors of Union supremacy.

The supreme leader of the Hilibar had rejected the Union Offer to surrender, the Supreme leader who had laughed at the warnings and the Council of the Five Sections no longer existed, the palace and even the bunkers below had been hit by the first orbital barrage.

"Section Leader we must leave!"

"No my fellow Hilibar warrior, there is no place left." The Section Leader raised his Command Giver and activated it to send on all channels. "Those who still hear me, surrender. You have fought well. The Hilibar..."

He could not complete his transmission as a swarm of transmission homing micro-missiles shredded his body and a Union Marine jumping over the collapsed wall, brought down his chain sword cutting the Section commanders aide in half.

-""-

Almost 750 light years from the Hilibar home world, the USS Hammerfaust dropped out of Quasi Space into the Agerath System, strong hold of the Itkkme. Like the Hilibar, the Itkkme were a member civilization of the Galactic Council and one of the most industrious providers of war materials and ships to the Kermac. They weren't fighters like the Hilibar, they were workers and engineers and took great pride in their work ethics and the quality of their products. Their production lines churned out the finest T Bar cruisers and Yiee Battle ships used by the other Galactic Council members to expand the Kermac influence and supremacy across the Universe.

The Kermac had promised protection and vowed that no Union War ship would ever come this far.

But the Hilibar fleets protecting them had disappeared weeks ago. The Unifrim, insectoids sent by the Kermac to take their place simply fled.

What defenses remained, crewed by hastily trained Itkkme were pulverized in mere moments by relentless Translocator Cannon fire poured out by sixteen Union Battle Ships swooping at tremendous speeds and behind seemingly impenetrable Para Dim Shields across the planet orbits of this star system.

The orbital ship yards once the pride of Itkkme technology reduced to glowing scrap, causing a terribly beautiful meteor shower of debris in the skies of the Itkkme home world.

The USS Hammerfaust was a planet bomber,one of the Unions most controversial weapon systems.

Captain Stella Summers, stood before her command chair. Her black uniform immaculate as she watched the planet centered on the main screen getting bigger.

"Mr. T'Thakk tell command that we are here and have them confirm the termination order."

The ant like Klack at the Communication station confirmed the order and opened a channel to Central Command. "This is the USS Hammerfaust, approaching mission target. Requesting termination order confirmation."

"This is Central Command, verification codes confirmed. All occupied planets and moons of the system are confirmed targets, commence termination. Crust busters and P Bombs authorized."

"Captain, Command gives green light. Admiral Stahl's commence code verified."

"Open bomb drawers one to five."

The weapon systems officer of the planet bomber touched the necessary controls on his station. On each side of the boxy hull, 1000 meter long panels opened and huge racks were pushed out like the drawers on a commode. Each of the racks held two thousand, forty ton self propelled crust buster bombs. Each of these Deep Penetrators held enough energy to pulverize a small moon.

At the belly of the ship drop shafts opened and a conveyor system moved the first P Bombs into position.

Captain Summers was well aware of the gravity of her next order. She had given this order seven times in the last six month of this war.

She still had a dry throat and nodded. "Helm steady as she goes. Mr. Blueroom commence drop."

The Takkian at the ships helm corrected the ships course slightly to remain on the best attack vector while the Quadi Ped Lieutenant named Blueroom opened the protective cover of the rack release and with an elegant motion swiped his hand across the cluster lights before him, turning them from green to red.

Mechanical claws opened and fusion pulse motors ignited propelling the bombs to 80 percent of light speed.

"Helm turn her to Helio center and increase speed to 20 percent light."

The silicone being that looked very much like a petrified walking pine cone at the helm station confirmed and the huge ship turned its bow towards the systems GIII type star.

The blue and green world, birth planet of a space traveling civilization now wandering off the main screen suddenly lit up with thousands of little bright lights on its surface. The P Bombs had ignited nuclear fires all over the beautiful world.

Billions tons of ocean water turned to superheated steam in seconds obscured the continents and the surface in a matter of moments. Then the Penetrators had reached the liquid core, after tunneling through miles of planetary crust. In an almost surreal image the continental plates were outlined in bright white and then as if creation itself paused to sigh, the entire planet seemed to contract ever so slightly, but only to expand a few moments later and the entire planet exploded in a cloud of elemental fire.

A spherical cloud of fire and burning matter replaced what once was a cradle of life.

True, the USS Hammerfaust had a crew of over 500 beings from all over the Union, but every one knew this was the kind of war only Terrans fought, utterly brutal, relentless and total.

The USS Hammerfaust obliterated two more planets in the system known to hold Itkkme industry, mines and settlements, before accelerating to threshold speed and disappearing into Quasi Space.

Seventy Itkkme miners on the systems smallest planet were the only survivors, staring in absolute horror into the night sky as 5 hours later the light of the destruction of their home world reached their little outpost.

-""-

Sivenfosieven, Command Wizard of the seventh Kermac Space Lord Fleet carefully attached the artificial beard to his chin.. He took great care in tying the light blue ribbons that held the cone shaped appendix like and slightly upwards curved beard symbolically to his face. In the days of old the ribbons really did hold the beards and were still used as a symbol of status and position. The color, width, length of the ribbons and way they were tied were codified in great detail and described in the elevated Scrolls of Greatest Importance.

Now these false beards, that had become synonymous with Kermac culture were often glued or like in his case attached via surgical implanted micro connectors.

The morning ritual of attaching the beard was an important one for every Kermac practiced with spiritual and religious significance and to Sivenfosieven it was the time of day that gave him strength and centered his thoughts.

Kermac beards contained hidden PSI technology. Every Kermac had a MOC approved mind shield in his beard. Those in higher positions, like his also had a small but quite powerful Neuro Ripper in its tip. On very low intensity it was a perfect tool to make servants, slaves and others lesser than him squirm with uneasiness and painful nerve tingling while in the presence of a Kermac Wizard.

He also had a PSI enhancer that increased his psionic abilities. In his case it elevated him into the very rare group of telekinetic gifted individuals. His natural Psionics had the potential for telekinetic powers but his natural strength allowed him to manipulate objects of no more than a few grams at the greatest concentration and exhaustion. With his enhancer he could manipulate almost 50 grams within viewing distance, something he was tremendously proud off as only one in about 100,000 Kermac developed telekinetic abilities.

That his PSI shield was actually quite illegal and not approved by the Ministry of Control was one of the perks a military leader of his level enjoyed.

He too feared the ever present shadowy threat of the Thought Police. Once denounced by a TP officer as someone with thoughts not appropriate for a Kermac, even a man of his position could face the terrible punishment of a Mental Wipe.

While he tied the last knot of the upper ribbon ends and checked the result in a mirror field he had to admit he had many of such non appropriate thoughts lately.

He brushed his long thin hand over his completely smooth skin of his bald head and wondered if he would find time to have a skin bleaching ritual session today. In his self critical opinion he found that his skin was still several shades below the blessed true white of a Kermac God.

Religion was for Thrall species and slaves. Kermac knew and worshiped only one thing, themselves.

He checked the black mascara that lined his eyes and applied more lip white to make sure his lips matched the whiteness of the rest of his face and recited the seventeen reasons why the Kermac were supreme above all.

Making sure he did it loud enough so his aides waiting for him outside could hear him. He spoke the words mechanically as he had lost the conviction needed to recite this required daily sermon with passion: "Above all that exists and lives are Kermac! To all that lives we are Gods and must be worshiped for we are supreme. We are not among the dirt that dares to defile existence, we are elevated..."

He had not even reached the sixth reason when someone rapped against the folding door that separated his private accommodations from the Command Center.

He was aboard the most powerful war ship ever created by the combined sciences and engineers of all who serve the Kermac and this 1200 meter giant was part of a 2000 ship fleet of similar sized ships. He swallowed his anger for being disturbed, he was quite aware that no one would have dared to do so if it was not utterly important.

With a gesture he signaled the door to fold away and it revealed Sub Command Wizard Achnacdrie with a thinly veiled expression of concern. His subordinate said, bowing in the required motion. "My eyes are inadequate to fully appreciate the magnificence your presence bestows upon this universe, my lips are inadequate to..."

"Suspend the litany. If you felt it was important enough to interrupt my recital, then time must be of essence."

"Indeed Magnificent Sivenfosieven, Commander wise and supreme. We received message via Long Range Telepathsthat the Hilibar have fallen. Union barbarians somehow managed to circumvent brilliant tactical defenses planned and implemented by Great Command Wizard Fivtofortwe."

"The fall of the Hilibar was only a matter of weeks and expected. The forces used to assist the Hilibar can now be diverted and bolster the Unifrim to protect the Agerath System."

"Indeed your Magnificent AppMagnificent Apparition of Perfectionarition of Perfection, that is strategy of supreme wisdom, however Great Command Wizard Fivtofortwe might have experienced slight complications in that matter."

"What kind of Complications?"

"Your colleague of highest esteem and almost equal magnificence was so kind and send message via LRT that the Union completely destroyed the Agerath System, they destroyed the actual planets and Agerath and all Itkkme present."

Sivenfosieven did not blame is Sub Commander for acting the way he did. It was how Kermac spoke and behaved, 20,000 years of Thought Police made this as natural as eating and drinking. He did not blame the other Command Wizard, even though he considered him to be an Idiot. Whatever they threw in the way of the Union onslaught was obliterated, killed and destroyed in a truly terrifying methodical fashion. "What of the Unifrim? Simply speak of facts and refrain from the Form Speak."

The Sub Commander sighed. "Your Magnificence, they fled. They left the Itkkme to fend for themselves. "

"The Itkkme were vital to our war efforts. In that system was one of our most important ship yards. "

"Indeed your Magnificence, it was."

"There is more isn't there?"

"Perhaps the fact that our long range detectors of scout ships have detected a collection of several barbarian space ships heading into this direction. Insignificant of course as they are just Union and it is of course completely impossible for them to ever reach this bastion of Kermac might. This is after all not a system that is home to worthless servants, this is a Kermac System. Defended by none other than the most brilliant Command Wizard. Their inferior technology and stupidity will make them easy prey to our mighty fleet and your brilliant order decisions you will give, is this not so?"

"There is a fine line, Sub Commander. A fine line between using Formal Speech to laud and elevate your superior or use it to express sarcasm. You have long crossed that line of course and your sarcasm is so thick, it has reached your eyes. So spare me your excuses and attempts to convince me otherwise. However do tell me how insignificant that Union Fleet is that is coming this way."

"We think it is the full First Fleet with the Devastator. No other known space craft makes our mass detectors spike that way."

Sivenfosieven was certain he just managed to gain a few shades towards the Supreme White without any bleaching sessions. "Stahl is coming?"

Someone in the Command Center said. "No, your Magnificence, that Union Devil is already here!"

As if to underline these words, the Kermac flag ship vibrated from the Battle Alert Warning Sounds and seconds later shock violently as the first Giga Load exploded nearby.

-""-

Admiral Stahl was not on the bride of the mighty USS Devastator, his Union battle ship of alien origin was under the command of its current CO, Captain Tor Igvar.

The immortal Terran, known throughout the known universe as the Eternal Warrior, felt unable to remain behind the lines and direct his forces from the safety of his flag ship as a man of his importance should have done. Instead he sat in the command seat of an Ajax Class Super Cruiser, he had pulled out of the Surplus pool of Delta Group about a year ago. It carried the Union Fleet designation USS Shadow Hawk and whenever the First Fleet went into battle,he took her out personally, surrounded by a hand picked crew.

It had been an old pre-uniform design 800 meter Super Cruiser, refitted with the most advanced shields and updated weapon systems with an almost fanatic devotion of the Devi's engineering department to make it a ship fit to use by the Old Man. Of course Stahl could have taken command of any ship in the fleet, requested the latest and newest Dreadnought coming off the assembly lines at Ross 129, but that would have been inappropriate in his opinion. New ships were needed for the war effort and assigned to proper commanding officers and crews. Pulling such a resource merely to satisfy his personal ambitions and desires was something the man synonymous with integrity did not do.

Taking an old ship out of a bone yard and crewing it with volunteers was as far as he decided to go. That all this was not exactly the role and position, the supreme commander of all Union Military should take, was of course criticized by Admiral McElligott and pretty much everyone else at Fleet Command.

Sitting on a desk and delegating forces simply wasn't him. He could delegate and direct just as fine, while being in the very center of the action.

While his style of command and his decision to fight himself alongside regular units was scolded and criticized by Fleet Command; it elevated his legend to almost godlike status among the spacemen, soldiers, marines and officers of the Union Fleet. They followed him with a sense of unequaled pride and devotion.

Stahl himself spearheaded this all out assault on the first Main Kermac Star System and the USS Shadow Hawk was among the first ships dropping out of Quasi.

"Brytha make those loaders sweat!" Stahl said to his Tactical Officer. "Keep your barrels straight ahead and sweep the path."

"Aye Sir." The Saresii woman behind the weapon controls said.

"Kolfsen don't slow down one klick.. if necessary plough right through whatever tries to block our approach." " He addressed his Helm Officer and the wild looking Jooltar,perhaps the the only Jooltar on Union Side and most certainly the only one in the Union Fleet, grunted and pushed the Helm System visor before his eyes.

"Stahl to Devi, what is keeping you? Captain Igvar light up some flares and tell them we're here."

The Devi responded and her turrets fired in salvo tact, every 30 seconds the biggest mobile Translocator cannons in Union arsenal coughed Exo load after Exo load into trans-dimensional space only to re-materialize inside shields and past armor deep inside enemy vessels and each time a Kermac Battle ship was vaporized with a suddenly expanding temporary mini sun.

The Kermac did not give up without a fight, their FTL Line Cannons did pack a wallop delivering the energies of fusion bomb explosions compressed in a tight focus of only a few centimeters through an ISAH field like compression and acceleration field. Enabling Kermac Line Cannons to engage an enemy target with translight speed. There was little that could withstand a direct hit. Kermac Psi Powers were one reason the Kermac were so powerful and ruled over the Galactic Council, their Line Cannons were the other reason, it had been that way for many thousand years. Now there was the Union with Battle ships bigger than anything since the Celtest disappeared. Their cursed shields withstood the Line Cannons and it took the combined hits of at least three Kermac Battle ships and all their cannons to crack the shields of a Union Ship long enough to cause serious damage.

After the attack wave of Union Battle Ships, sixteen Forestal Class Carriers arrived and launched Wolfcraft Fighters and Thor Gun Boats. Swift Destroyers protecting the carriers with deadly TL Sniper fire.

Several Union Battle Ships were seriously damaged, but the Kermac and their Thralls had nothing to equalize the incredible fast Wolfcrafts. Once again the true value of space fighters was demonstrated. These were not the Nul or the Dai who also had fighters, few space faring civilizations considered the use of one pilot attack craft, none of the known Galactic Council species did.

Wolfcraft fighters were heavily shielded, had Translocator Gatlings, Quantum Plasma Cannons and Loki Torpedoes and thanks to their size and fast speed almost impossible to hit, even for Kermac Computronic aided target acquisition systems.

The Saresii Tactical officer of the USS Shadow Hawk resisted wiping of the sweat from her forehead as her hands punched in energy reroute commands to the shield generator systems. The Super Cruiser had lost starboard shields and aft shields flickered with less than 20 % and were down to the last shield layer.

The temperature on the bridge was almost unbearable as Stahl had life support and climate controls turned down to an absolute minimum. Every iota of energy diverted to the bow shield projectors.

More than once since this attack run had begun, the Shadow Hawk plowed right through the barely dissipating energy clouds of enemy and friendly fire alike.

That they could have retreated at any moment return to the safety behind Union Lines was an option no one on this ship even considered. Stahl wanted to reach the Kermac World and deliver the Devil's Bunch attached to an external hard point at the keel of their ship to that planets Capitol and seat of the local Wizards.

A Devil's Bundle or Devil's Bunch was a set of 12 Loki torpedoes connected to each other like a bundle of fire wood and released simultaneously. (This was actually an invention of Stahl during the Y'All war when he bundled the then common SHIROC anti ship missiles to knock out Y'All ships.)

The reason for this attack was to destroy the well defended and protected Wizard Tower and by doing so neutralizing the Psionic Influencers the Kermac used to press their will on the Thralls fighting for them at least in this region of space and to neutralize their ability to communicate with Long Range Telepaths sitting in bunkers underneath the wizard tower.

The Bundle released at a distance where it could no longer be intercepted, made its way and obliterated the city, the Wizard Towers and the Psi Enhancers. Many of the remaining Kermac ship crews suddenly experienced complete confusion as the psionic oppressive will that pressed them to risk life and health to defend the Kermac was suddenly gone and the tactical commands given by their telepathic communication fell silent.

The entire First Fleet, all four Battle Group clusters had now arrived and the outcome of this space battle had never been in any doubt, but the action led by Stahl himself ensured a fast and decisive victory and the details of this fight were added to the many stories told among the crews and citizens of the Union, about Admiral Stahl.

This was the first Kermac Planet that was ever attacked in over 20,000 years and the first to fall in Kermac history.

-""-