You are John Mackerel, a lieutenant in the Zair Republic's army, and you are fighting a losing war against a far superior foe. Can you get yourself and your forces out of the Solandas system before your enemies, and something far, far more dangerous, entraps and destroys you?
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A long way from home
- Location
- Chicago
It's 1973, and everything's gone to shit.
You are John Mackerel, and up until 06:00 you were a lieutenant in the Zair Republic's 3rd Army stationed on the planet Jodem near the edge of the Solandas system. Your great grandfather left Earth in 1890 and traveled the stars to settle his family in the far-reaching Zair system. He was not alone. Nearly ten-thousand people formed the first wave of settlers looking to start a new life in the great beyond. The Zair system proved hospitable, and its native inhabitants were easily driven back. The early years were rough, but your great-grandfather and grandfather, as well as their fellow colonizers, managed to clear land, dig farms, and raise towns. By the time your dad was born those towns had grown into cities, and the settlers had formed their own governing authority in the Zair system.
But things started rapidly changing for everyone in the galaxy during the 50's. A great war had swept through the inhabited systems, and the victors were redefining all the rules. Money and peace were the new gods, and intergalactic commerce was the holiest form of worship. The Zair Republic, like everyone else, readily adapted to the new order by the time you were born, with industries, institutions, and its own fledgling military. But it was also experiencing growing pains. The men who'd rose to the top of the governing elite decided that the people of Zair needed to expand, and they set their sights on the Turanda and Solandas systems. It wasn't hard to justify war. Both target systems were home to militant groups with a habit of raiding their neighbors. The Zair Republic simply waited for the right raid, and then declared a war of retribution. You were 19 when this occurred, and like many young men and women, you joined up with the army to serve your nation.
After all, you'd grown up having a fervent frontier nationalism hammered into your skull alongside arithmetic lessons and grammar. All the teachers in the schools were old men who still got hard over their memories of subjugating the native inhabitants.
And what did those fanatical man vs nature fantasies get your generation? A whole lot of suffering and senseless death. Oh sure, at first it was all roses and sunshine. The Zair Republic blew through planet after planet in Turanda. Its military proved superior, and you and your comrades quickly occupied the system. But by the time the Zair Republic forces reached Solandas, things were drastically turning against them. Because it turns out both the target systems were secretly supported by United Miranda in exchange for mining rights. And the massive and powerful UMS's foreign policy dictated that anybody who interrupted their stream of money got royally fucked.
Yes, you were a lieutenant yesterday. And then United Miranda dropped some cutting edge psychic bomb on the Zair command center and wiped out the entire military structure. So here you are, now the commander of the 3rd army and probably a few other divisions, overstretched past your supply lines, facing down the barrel of an imminent UMS invasion. You're outgunned and on your own.
Yeah, things have gone to shit.
You're done with the party lines of glory and conquest. Now you just want to return home to the fiancee you left behind. But things won't be that easy. United Miranda is one thing, but you've also got your own demoralized forces, as well as reports of...something strange, interfering with comms in the Solandas system. So you've got your work cut out for you. If you can survive long enough to figure out an escape plan, you can maybe get yourself and the sons and daughters of Zair home safely before you all die in some alien jungle. But that's a big if, and you're almost out of cigarettes and coffee.
3rd Army Forces (breakdown in the spoiler)
4 Infantry Assualt Divisions
2 Infantry Recon Divisions
2 Infantry AT Divisions
1 Infantry Elite Divisions
1 Light Armor Division
1 Armor Division
1 Mech Division
1 Fighter Jet Division
1 Bomber Division
Infantry Divisions: 4 (80,000)
Number: 20 Lvl1
Attack: 1d20 Lvl1
-Mixed Company Perk (Any enemy attack rolls are directed at the Infantry Division number instead of any attached divisions)
Stances- Entrench (For every 2 turns spent entrenching in a single area there is one Number level added to Infantry Division and any attached divisions. Caps at lvl3. Entrenching can be interrupted and resets.)
Recon Divisions: 2 (10,000)
Number: 5 Lvl1
Attack: 1d5 Lvl2
-Overwatch Perk (Ignores enemy Mixed Company Perk and can target any attached units, or allows another attached unit to do the same)
Stances – Ambush (After one turn preparing in a single area, Recon Division can attack for one turn without being targeted. Cannot be attached to any other divisions)
AT Division: 2 (10,000)
Number: 5 Lvl1
Attack: 1d5 Lvl3
Stances- Ambush
Elite Division: 1 (5,000)
Number: 5 Lvl1
Attack: 1d5 Lvl3
-Overwatch Perk
-Infiltrate Perk (negates ambush stance. Cannot be attached to any other divisions)
Stances- Ambush, Entrench
Light Armor Division: 2 (10,000)
Number: 5 Lvl2
Attack: 1d5 Lvl2
Armor Division: 1 (5,000)
Number: 5 Lvl3
Attack: 1d5 Lvl3
Mech Division: 1 (5,000)
Number: 5 Lvl3
Attack: 1d5 Lvl4
Hunter Perk: (Ignores enemy Mixed Company Perk and can target any attached units)
Fighter Jet Division: 1 (2,000)
Number: 5 Lvl4
Attack: 1d5 Lvl3
-Overwatch Perk
-Thrusters Perk (foot soldier divisions cannot target this unit)
Bomber Carrier Division: 1 (800)
Number: 5 Lvl 3
Attack: 1d5 Lvl 3
-Single Role Perk (Bomber cannot target air units but gets 1 extra attack level against foot soldier units)
Combat Mechanics are mostly handled by the GM. Players just need to concern themselves with general quest choices, though a breakdown will be provided after every battle for those who wish to understand what's happening mechanically behind the scenes.
You recline in your foldable chair inside your tent. The hot dual suns of the Solandas system glare through the fabric, causing beads of sweat to trail down from the brim of your cap. Before you is a table and a hastily erected wooden board with the map of the planet Jodem's main continent on it. Three big X's have been marked on different locations. You shift and work a pack of cigarettes from your pocket. One tap on your knee is all it takes to loose one of the tubes of tobacco. You place it in your mouth, then lean to the side so Lieutenant Moxi can light it for you. The woman is young, with long pink hair, the greens and blacks of the Zair military uniform, and a face that conveys her absolute indifference to the heat and movement around her. You take a deep drag, then let out a cloud of smoke.
"Alright," you say, sighing. "Let's hear it."
Three other officers stand around the map. Their names are Lieutenant Prahm, Major Clifford, and Lieutenant Sette. All three are wearing their Zair military fatigues, and all of them are as sweaty and haggard as you are. Lieutenant Sette gestures as the map, her own lit cigarette dangling from her mouth. As opposed to Moxi, her hair and skin are dark, and her long bangs press down around a serious expression. "Comms went down yesterday, but from what we gathered before then, United Miranda forces are scheduled to land in the starport city of Aliera," she points at one of the X's. "It's currently occupied by planetary defense forces, but we could easily overrun them before Miranda arrives."
You rub your chin as you sip from your coffee. "Alright, that's certainly an option. Meet the UMS forces directly at their LZ. It'd be a fierce battle, but we'd have a defensive advantage and keep them from gaining a foothold."
"I'm more worried about comms," Major Clifford says. He tilts his head slightly. The man is the oldest among the officers present. He's heavy-set, with powerful muscles bulging at the seams of his uniform, and a grizzled face with silver stubble. His eyes are small, but fierce. "Something's happened at the Kashamak satellite station, and it can't be anything good. There's no reason for the comm systems to be down, we cleared that area of enemies weeks ago. I think we should go secure it so we can communicate with HQ."
"What's left of HQ anyways," Lieutenant Sette says. She ashes her cigarette on the dirt floor of the tent.
"Hmm," you say. "That's a good point. We'll need an extraction soon enough, and we'll need comms to do that."
"Forget about all that," Lieutenant Prahm says. He's a young man, younger than you, with sharp features, blond hair, and piercing blue eyes. He wears a necklace of knuckle bones around his neck, something you'll have to remember to talk to him about now that you're commander. Prahm slams a fist on the map. "We need to get to the city of Ramsees, and soon. It's the most defensible position on the planet, and well supplied. We can easily weather the worst United Miranda will throw at us, then once they're spent we can investigate the satellite station or go on the offensive."
You frown as you stare at the map. "Hmm, Ramsees is a veritable fortress..." After a drag of your cigarette, you stand and approach the map.
[] Assault Aliera Starport
[] Reoccupy Khamak Satellite station
[] Hole up in Ramesees City
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Chapter 2: Khamak Station
- Location
- Chicago
Greetings from the Turanda System!
(postcard sent from Zair-occupied planet Harris, November 1972)
[X] Reoccupy Khamak Satellite station
Major Clifford nods. "Of course commander, I'll scramble the jets. A couple flyovers should tell us all we need to know."
Lieutenant Sette drops her cigarette and crushes it underneath her boot heel. "We need to conserve jet fuel, and they could have anti air measures established."
"Infantry recon squads won't cut it," the major shoots back. "Our airforce is better than any counter measures a vanguard might employ."
"That's the type of arrogant thinking that got us in this mess in the first place!"
Three cigarettes and another cup of coffee are consumed as Major Clifford and Lieutenant Sette continue to bicker. The heat is sweltering as the dual suns glare through the tent fabric. The sound of alien cicadas grind in the surrounding trees. You let your mind wander. The two will be arguing for a while longer. It's a command meeting tradition that you had grown used to even before you were promoted. Major Clifford is airfoce, and Lieutenant Sette is the highest ranking member of a military intelligence group known as Arghoul. A word from you would end the matter, but you know they both have personalities that demand to be heard.
Which is why you wait until they're both panting in the heat to intervene. "Send in the infantry recon units," you say. You leave the map board and head for the tent entrance. Lieutenant Moxi follows. You pause as you duck through to the outside and glance over your shoulder. "I want a full sitrep by noon, we'll hit the interstate afterwards."
The planet Jordem's main continent is 80% jungle. And not just any jungle. The planet is home to tremendous mega-fauna that puts the fear of god into anyone who stares at them too long. Colorful plants tower up like monoliths and form a canopy that does little to blot out the sun. Tangled vines, prickly trunks, and highly-evolved wildlife all prove severe obstacles to anyone who wants to make a life for themselves on the planet. Which is why Jodem's first settlers established giant interstates that connected their cities and mining operations. The twenty-lane concrete roads are suspended high above the mega-fauna on giant pylons, and are one of the few ways to circumvent the treacherous underbrush. They were large enough to support Jodem's blossoming pre-invansion economy, and now that the Zair military had landed, they would support its numerous infantry and armor divisions.
Highway 7 is the nearest one to your position. The 3rd Zair army is camped out in a logging site that was hastily abandoned by the locals during the invasion. Word quickly spreads through the ranks that Khamak station is the next target. You walk among the tent rows as soldiers and personnel prepare to move out. The recon squads are already headed off in light armor carriers for the interstate. You pause with Lieutenant Moxi to watch the convey roll past. The recon soldiers filling the vehicles stare down at you with dirt-stained and weary faces. You meet their gazes with a solemn expression. Lieutenant Moxi waits dutifully behind you with a datapad clutched to her chest. She brushes a strand of pink hair behind her ear as a strong gust blows past. Little is said between you two, especially over the noise of the convoy engines. The lieutenant possesses a keen intuition, and you've come to rely on the woman of few words in these trying times.
It only takes a few hours for the recon units to send in their report. It's complete nonsense. You and the other commanders gather in the comms tent as you all hold headsets to your ears. The radio equipment clicks and whirrs as a large generator hums beyond the tent. The frantic voice of the recon squad leader squawks over the speakers.
"-fungus or something! Covering everything! Web-like, strange shapes! Some of them look like people frozen like statues! Spor-kkzzzztttzz- air like snow!"
You frown as you hold your headset in place. "Have you secured the location soldier?"
"-securing impossible, request immediate bomber support of the land surrounding the station!"
You lower the headset slightly and turn to the others. Lieutenant Moxi, as always, stares at you blankly. Major Clifford has his eyes narrowed, and Lieutenant Sette looks deeply troubled. Lieutenant Prahm simply looks annoyed. "So," you say, gathering your thoughts. "Lots of fungus growth has apparently covered the station, and everyone stationed there is gone..."
Major Clifford sips from his coffee and brushes at his silver stubble. "Could be a natural phenomenon, this planet is hell after all."
"A natural phenomenon that drives away a garrison is bad news," Lieutenant Sette says. "If its seasonal, things could be on the verge of getting a lot worse."
"Though the locals haven't mentioned anything like that," Lieutenant Prahm says.
You give the matter some thought, then raise the headset back to your ear. "Recon squad, are we able to approach?"
"zzzbbzzttttt-do NOT approach without clearing the land! I have a score of men down with unknown symptoms!"
You slowly exhale. "Bombing run it is then."
"Are you serious?" Lieutenant Sette says. Her expression and tone reveals how little she thinks of the matter. "Are we really wasting fuel and munitions for a few mushrooms? There has to be another way."
"The Mirandans are nearly here, we don't have time to linger," you turn and gesture at Major Clifford. "Scramble the bombers, we'll be right behind you."
The major grins. "Sir yes sir."
Massive jet engines flare to life as a line of bombers slowly turns. They angle themselves down the makeshift runway that cuts through the logging camp. Their engines glow brightly, then one by one they taxi along the strip. You watch from your place atop an armored vehicle as they raise up past the canopy and take to the sky. Lieutenant Moxi stands besides you, shielding her eyes against the suns with a hand. "Alright," you say, settling back down in your seat. "Let's ride."
The Zair 3rd army moves out. Almost a hundred thousand infantry and thirty thousand vehicles make their way up the onramp towards mega highway 7. The heat of the suns are unrelenting. They cook the surrounding concrete and give rise to waves of hot air that obscure the distance. Every soldier on foot is sweating under his gear, and every surface of the vehicles is scalding to the touch. The bombers disappear over the horizon.
You can hear the echos of their bombing run. The sound drifts over the canopy and the suspended mega highway. Flocks of birds take off in distress, and clouds of insects flit about from the tremors. You keep your binoculars pressed to your eyes as you sit atop your armored car. After several hours of travel, you reach Khamak station.
The massive satellite dish is poised towards the sky. Beneath it is a large collection of buildings, and surrounding them is the jungle. But what catches your eye first is the strange film that seems to linger in the air, as well as the blackened remains of a gooey substance littering the ground. The substance is everywhere surrounding the station, but the station itself is covered by intact....fungus. The soldiers murmur among themselves as you spread the army out among the station buildings and set up a perimeter. The strange growth is composed of dark purples, blues, and blacks. The shape is wrong to. Some of it looks humanoid, like a statue, while others look like a webbed lattice stretching up in a column. You meet the recon squad commander with your other officers.
"Well?" Major Clifford says. "What do you have for us?" He and the others survey the main comm room in the bowels of the satellite dish. You stare up at a large screen with blinking dots upon it.
The recon leader salutes. "We've made contact with several points on Jodem, but unfortuantly the comms didn't last long. Something's still heavily interfering. But we did manage to speak briefly with a 5th army detachment stationed in Valkimer city. Other than them, there's no other Zair Republic forces on the planet. At least, no others responded."
"No news from the rest of the system?" you say, tearing your eyes away from the blinking screen.
The recon leader shakes his head. "Just a lot of scrambled chatter, we couldn't make sense of it before the comms went down." he glances nervously behind him. "And I'd like to talk about..."
"I know," you say, cutting him off. You don't have to look at the table. Two perfectly formed eggs rest atop it inside glass cubes. They were found by the recon squad, and quickly secured into bio hazard containers. Normally you wouldn't give the two eggs so much as a passing glance. But everyone in the room feels it. The strange...otherness, that seems to spread through the air like a noxious gas. You have few proper scientists in the army, the closest thing being Lieutenant Sette's military intelligence agents. You figure you'll hand it over to her as soon as you can.
"United Miranda lands in a couple days," Lieutenant Prahm says. He fingers the necklace of knuckle bones he wears, as if to draw comfort from the gruesome trophy. "We still have time to dig in at Ramsees city."
"I want that fifth army detachment," you say. "But we have no way to make contact unless we fix the station or go directly to them. There should also be at least four other special divisions on this planet, so I want this comm station up and running at some point to reach them."
"This place is surprisingly defensible," Major Clifford says. "We could stay and make repairs. The UMS forces will likely take time to gather themselves."
Lieutenant Sette takes out a cigarette and lights it. "No," she says, releasing a cloud of smoke. "Valkimer city is hardly a fortress, but a good number of soldiers are there. Plus it's some distance away from the UMS LZ, so they'll take awhile to reach us. We should go to them instead of bringing them here."
"Absolutely not," Lieutenant Prahm says. "I could take over Valkimer city by accidentally forgetting to set my parking break on a single tank. Ramsees city is where we should go."
"And remain split off from reinforcements? We need those soldiers! The Mirandans have one of the most powerful modern armies in the settled systems!"
You take out your own cigarette and wait as Lieutenant Moxi lights it. You consider your options as your gaze returns to the blinking screen.
[] Dig in at the satellite station and repair the comms
[] Travel to far-reaching Valkimer City and meetup with the 5th army detachment
[] Travel to Ramsees city and prepare the fortifications
Chapter 2 Battles
- Location
- Chicago
1973 marked the beginning of the little-known Mirandan-Zair war in the Solandas system. The conflict started after the Zair Republic invaded both the Turanda and Solandas systems, which were controlled by regional planetary governments loosely united through a common language and trade. The United Miranda Systems had greatly invested in the two systems, and saw the Zair invasion as a direct threat to its foreign industries. Although not officially ratified by the representative council, UMS forces began operations to drive out Zair forces on February 20th. The planets Irandus and Jodem in the Solandas system were the UMS's first targets, and thus the vastly-superior Mirandan forces made planetfall.
The initial counter-invasion involved both sides respective air forces. Zair's 3rd army was stationed in Jodem with 2,000
5,000
and 5,000
with ground-to-air missiles.
In contrast, United Miranda made landfall in Aleria and immediately deployed over 6,000
The UMS's X-30's were new generation fighters with the ability to operate in both zero-g and atmospheric conditions. In contrast, Zair's Strike Sparrows were only capable of fighting in Jodem's skies. Despite this, the two fighter types were similar in both speed and maneuverability. The intial air skirmishe lasted two weeks, resulting in the destruction of the vast majority of Zair's airfoce and mobile armor divisions. However, the multitude of Zair anti-air measures, especially the HT-Tortoise ground-to-air missiles, kept United Miranda from achieving total air superiority. The second stage of the invasion would require significant ground force maneuvers.
The initial counter-invasion involved both sides respective air forces. Zair's 3rd army was stationed in Jodem with 2,000
In contrast, United Miranda made landfall in Aleria and immediately deployed over 6,000
The UMS's X-30's were new generation fighters with the ability to operate in both zero-g and atmospheric conditions. In contrast, Zair's Strike Sparrows were only capable of fighting in Jodem's skies. Despite this, the two fighter types were similar in both speed and maneuverability. The intial air skirmishe lasted two weeks, resulting in the destruction of the vast majority of Zair's airfoce and mobile armor divisions. However, the multitude of Zair anti-air measures, especially the HT-Tortoise ground-to-air missiles, kept United Miranda from achieving total air superiority. The second stage of the invasion would require significant ground force maneuvers.
Last edited:
Chapter 3
- Location
- Chicago
[X] Dig in at the satellite station and repair the comms
Strike Sparrows streak across the sky in a loose V formation. You follow their smokey trails through the lenses of your binoculars. They shift in the air and angle towards the Khamak satellite station, as well as the landing strip your soldiers hastily constructed. One by one they dip down and extend their landing gear.
It's been two weeks since UMS forces landed in Aleria and began operations to secure the skies of Jodem. Zair-controlled anti-orbital cannons have kept back the Mirandan fleets, but the UMS airforce is another matter. Countless battles have taken place over the jungles surrounding the satellite station. Zair losses have steadily risen to 1,500 strike sparrows and 4,000 mobile armor units. At least 4,000 UMS X-30's have been taken down, but the enemy has almost an equal number remaining in the skies.
"We can't keep this up," a voice says. You lower your binoculars to see Major Clifford standing beside you on the observation platform. The comms satellite towers above you like a protective canopy, giving you shade from the unrelenting suns. The air however is still humid, creating stains on every soldiers' fatigues and gear. The major wipes his brow with a rag and narrows his eyes at the landing strike sparrows. "As it stands we only have tanks keeping them back. Any more skirmishes and our remaining airforce is done for."
You raise the binoculars again. "The Mirandans seem to be easing off the raids. I'm guessing a dedicated ground assault is next."
"We should blow the interstates then," Major Clifford says. "Make them trudge through the jungle."
"We'd have to do the same if we ever wanted to reach Aleria space port," you sigh and take out your cigarette pack. Lieutenant Moxi is nowhere to be seen, so you light it yourself. You let out a few smoke rings. "It's all a matter of how long we think we'll be holed up here."
Major Clifford doesn't respond for a few minutes. The whine of jet engines and the sounds of troop movements drift up to you on the observation deck. Above you, the underbelly of the satellite dish blinks rhythmically with lights. Finally the older man leans over the railing and spits. "We're going to be here awhile. You know we are. Miranda outnumbers us 3 to 1, and they'll only be reenforced as time goes on."
You nod and take another drag from your cigarette. "We've made contact with the 5th army divisions. They'll join us soon."
"It's not enough. Not nearly enough. We need more fighter jets, and the 5th doesn't have any."
With a flick you send your cigarette flying over the railing. You turn away from the camp movements below and make your way towards the massive base of the satellite. "We'll manage major. We don't have any other choice."
Major Clifford follows you without a word.
Things have been tense in the camp. Ever since United Miranda destroyed the Zair command structure morale has been rock bottom. There are no more generals and commanders declaring the glory of the Republic, nor is there any concrete exit strategy or communications with the Zair system. For all the men and women of the 3rd army know, their loved ones could be in danger thousands of lightyears away. Not to mention the fungus. The damn, fungus. The stuff grows on every surface, and spores cling to the air in the morning. Hundreds have fallen sick with flu-like symptoms, and though the soldiers do their best to clear the strangely-shaped fauna, new growths appear like clockwork. Because of the uneasy atmosphere, you've taken measures to ensure everyone is busy. Trenches are being dug, fortifications erected, and endless patrols undertaken in the surrounding jungle. Fuel and food seem to lasting, but only time will tell how long.
These thoughts plague your mind as you near the door. Before you can open it, the door swings open and an officer stumbles out. His face is stricken and his eyes wide with fear. "RUN!" he yells, staggering. You catch him and grip his shoulders.
"What's wrong!"
The officer trembles. "Th-the eggs! The eggs! They hatched! Lieutenant Prahm, Lieutenant Moxi, both are..."
Upon hearing Lieutenant Moxi's name you drop the officer and rush past into the base structure of the satellite. "Commander!" Major Clifford yells. "Wait!"
You pass more panicked officers and technicians as you navigate the corridors. You can hear voices and alarms ahead. You round a corner to see smoke and people coughing. Their hazy figures stumble through the hall. You push past them, your mind blank with fear. Lieutenant Moxi has been your closest companion throughout the campaign in Solandas. Despite her quiet nature, you feel she understands you better than anyone. You can't bear the thought of something happening to her.
The smoke is thick as you enter into the main comms center of the satellite. Technicians with fire extinguishers are battling small fires on the control panels. Screens blink with warning lights and the sirens continue to blare. You bump into a figure in the smoke and grab them. It turns out to be Lieutenant Sette. "Lieutenant!" you yell. "What's happening!"
"The eggs!" she blurts. "I...we were doing some preliminary testing, but they broke the biohazard cases! Lieutenant Moxi and Prahm were enveloped by...something!"
"Are they okay!" you yell.
Lieutenant Sette shakes her head. "A soldier panicked and threw a frag! I haven't seen them since!"
You let go of the military intelligence commander and wade through the smoke in the room. Voices cry out around you alongside the whoosh of fire extinguishers. You slow as two shapes rise up before you. The smoke clears, and the shapes are revealed to be monsters.
A female figure seemingly made of blood stands in the middle of the room. Next to her is a strange white and red creature that appears to be a humanoid moth with sharp teeth and powerful limbs. Your eyes are on the blood woman. You slowly swallow. "Lieutenant...Moxi?"
You stand on the other side of the glass wall watching them. Major Clifford and Lieutenant Sette stand on either side of you. There are other officers and technicians present, though they remain in the shadows at the back of the room with anxious expressions. You all watch as the doctor stands and hastily leaves the glass room. He joins you on the other side after being hosed down in the decontamination tunnel. "Well commander," he says, his voice shaky. "Their physiology is completely different now. No pulse, no breathing, I can't even begin to guess how they're moving."
You continue to stare at Lieutenancy Moxi, barely registering the doctor's words. Major Clifford clears his throat. "We should secure them better. Perhaps even bury them. This...this is unprecedented, and dangerous."
"Lieutenant Sette," you say, your voice low. "This is your fault. You did not have my permission to experiment on the eggs."
The woman slowly takes out a cigarette. She doesn't light it. Instead she stares with a solemn expression at the two figures behind the glass wall. "Forgive me commander, I take full responsibility."
"Good," you say, strolling forward. "We'll circle back to that later." you approach the glass wall and stop. Lieutenant Prahm stops pacing and turns to you. You ignore him and stare at Lieutenant Moxi. "Alice."
The blood woman looks up. Her voice comes out low, almost soothing. "Yes commander?"
You resist the urge to close your eyes. It's almost too painful to look at her now. "How...how do you feel?"
Lieutenant Moxi tilts her head slightly, as if seriously considering the question. "I feel...refreshed."
"And...the mission. Our occupation of Jodem. How do you feel regarding that?"
Lieutenant Prahm's exposed maw grows wider, revealing every one of his sharpened teeth. "Why commander," he says, his voice low and guttural. "Simply say the word and we'll kill the enemies of the Republic. I feel as if I could slaughter thousands single-handedly."
You only briefly glance at him, then return your attention to Lieutenant Moxi. "Alice?"
The blood woman slowly nods. "I think...I think I can use my body to fight. I....feel it....in the core of my being. But...there are voices...I don't...I don't always understand what they are saying." she lowers her face into her hands. The red substance covering her body shifts and congeals like an oily ocean.
Lieutenant Prahm's smile remains. "Send us forth commander. The voices are telling me to kill, and I must obey."
You study them a few moment longer as the commanders and technicians watch you in silence. Finally you turn away from the window and return to Lieutenant Sette and Major Clifford. The older man's expression is grim. His voice comes out low, almost a murmur. "Commander, we need to get rid of them. Now."
Lieutenant Sette turns on the major. "And why's that? They say they can fight, and by the looks of them they might be right. We've already come this far, why not allow them to go out in the field?"
"Because Lieutenant Prahm was always a psychopath! Did you forget his collection of knuckle bones??" the major gestures. "Those weren't all from enemy combatants you know! And now he's an unstable, unidentifiable monster that looks straight out of a horror movie! We need to exterminate them immediately and concentrate on the impending UMS ground operations!"
Lieutenant Sette's fierce expression remains. "There has to be a middle ground!"
You watch them argue, then slowly turn back towards the glass wall. Lieutenant Moxi and Lieutenant Prahm stare back at you, waiting.
[] Exterminate them both
[] Contain Moxi, exterminate Prahm
[] Contain them both
[] Send out Moxi, exterminate Prahm
[] Send out Moxi, contain Prahm
[] Send both out into the field
Side Orders (players may choose this option at any point. Will remain an option for many turns)
[] Blow the interstate to Aleria Starport (requires elite or recon infantry)(will make traveling to and from location difficult and dangerous)
[] Blow the interstate to Kamak Satellite Station (requires elite or recon infantry)(will make traveling to and from location difficult and dangerous)
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Chapter 3 Battles
- Location
- Chicago
Mid March through mid April of 1973 marked the beginning of the UMS's dedicated ground assault against the Zair Republic's Jodem occupation army. Republican forces had entrenched themselves in the Khamak region in the eastern part of the main continent, and had gone to great lengths to establish AA batteries and helio-gauss shielding. Immensely superior in terms of military tech and numbers, the Mirandans still found themselves making slow progress in the dense Jodem jungles. Tens of thousands of infantry died on both sides, and entire divisions of mechanized vehicles were reduced to scrap metal. It would take time for the UMS to organize the full brunt of its military might, but its leaders were confident the war would be over and the systems liberated by June.
UMS's goals on Jodem were twofold; gain complete air superiority, and destroy Zair's anti-orbital cannons. By April 18th, the former had been achieved. In order to take out the cannons however, Zair fortifications in the Khamak region would have to be captured. It was for this reason that so many infantry and armor divisions were being thrown in the meat grinder. Though any observer might think that no progress was being made, in fact the Zair occupation army was being steadily reduced with each UMS assault. The Mirandan commanders June prediction was well on its way to becoming a reality.
-Excerpt from Eebrik Sal's 'Forgotten Wars of the 20th Century'
UMS's goals on Jodem were twofold; gain complete air superiority, and destroy Zair's anti-orbital cannons. By April 18th, the former had been achieved. In order to take out the cannons however, Zair fortifications in the Khamak region would have to be captured. It was for this reason that so many infantry and armor divisions were being thrown in the meat grinder. Though any observer might think that no progress was being made, in fact the Zair occupation army was being steadily reduced with each UMS assault. The Mirandan commanders June prediction was well on its way to becoming a reality.
-Excerpt from Eebrik Sal's 'Forgotten Wars of the 20th Century'
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Chapter 4: Last Cigarette in Khamak
- Location
- Chicago
Distant missiles and artillery shells explode. The tremors from their impact shakes the room you're in. You hardly register them. How can you? The Mirandans have been launching artillery strikes around the Khamak station for weeks now. You wake up to explosions, you go through your day hearing them, and they lull you to sleep during the few hours of rest you allow yourself. It if wasn't for the helio-gauss shielding and trenches around Khamak station, the 3rd army would be nothing but dust by now.
No, your attention is fixed squarely on the glass wall before you. It's a containment cell partitioned into two section by a humming electro wall. On either side are Lieutenant Moxi and Lieutenant Prahm. As always, Moxi is sitting cross-legged, as if meditating. Prahm paces, his expression unreadable and his face fixed in a permanent, sharp-toothed smile.
You're sitting in a folding chair, leaning forward with shoulders wracked by weariness. You take a drag from your cigarette, one of the five left you have. Everyone else has already run out. You glance down at the dwindling cig in your hands, then crush it on the floor to save for later. You slowly look back up at Lieutenant Moxi.
The situation in Khamak is rapidly deteriorating. The last of the Zair strike sparrow jets have been shot down and Mirandan X-10 fighters rule the skies. Every day brings a renewed UMS ground assault. Food and ammo are dwindling. Soldiers are falling sick to a mysterious illness. Despite this, morale has strangely been holding. There are two reasons for this. The first being the satellite station. You've made contact with almost all the isolated Zair divisions on Jodem. There are many of them, albeit not as numerous as the 3rd army. But plans are slowly coming together to unite them all.
The second reason is the presence of Lieutenant Moxi and Prahm. Although at first they were widely despised and feared, first contact with alien life has not been as disastrous as many speculated. At least, not for the Zair forces. The Mirandans on the other hand have learned the true meaning of terror. Though you yourself have not witnessed it, field reports tell of both mutated lieutenants killing thousands of infantry, and even armored units. You can hardly believe the quiet woman who stayed by your side previously is now some sort of alien killing machine.
Frankly, you don't want to believe it.
"Well," you say, your voice echoing around the room. "I don't know about you Lieutenant Moxi, but I'm not exactly inspired by my promotion and command so far. Things...things could be going a lot better." She doesn't respond, instead continuing to seemingly meditate. You stand up from your chair and approach the wall. "It's been too long since I've seen home. Too long since I've been able to speak with my loved ones. Coming out here was a mistake. We should have never started this foolish war." Again Lieutenant Moxi is silent. She does however raise her head and meet your gaze. Her expression is unreadable. You brush back your hair and close your eyes. "And just what am I supposed to tell your mother if we get out of this mess. Sorry Mrs. Moxi, I couldn't protect your daughter from my own command staff. She's no longer the woman you knew."
You hear a low chuckle and turn. Lieutenant Prahm is staring at you through the glass wall. Drool drips from his exposed maw, and his wings quiver ever-so-slightly. "Why commander, melancholy doesn't suit you. I much preferred the chain-smoking pragmatist."
"Lieutenant," you say, guarding your expression. "You don't seem put out by your circumstance. I would think your situation would distress you."
Prahm gives a slight shrug. "A matter of perspective and priorities I suppose, at least I've retained my charm."
"Hm," you say, turning away. "I have to take my leave. As always, thank you for your service to the Republic," you glance over your shoulder at Moxi. She continues to meet your gaze. "Try and...get some rest."
"Just a moment commander," Prahm says. He placed a clawed hand to the glass. "I couldn't help but notice on my last outing that the Mirandans are steadily kicking your ass."
You frown. "I wouldn't go that far Lieutenant."
Prahm chuckles. Its a strange sound, and quite unnerving. "Oh but I would. It's obvious to anyone that your losses are unsustainable. How much longer can you hide here? A month? A couple weeks?"
"We're working on it," you say, turning to go.
"I wouldn't think you have many options. Not here. Not on Jodem. And if I was to venture a guess, you're not getting any reinforcements from off planet, are you?"
You don't look at him as you approach the door. "As I said Lieutenant, we're working on it."
"And what if I could offer you a solution?" You pause at the door frame. You can practically hear Prahm's smile, though you refuse to look back at him. "Ahh, that got your attention, eh commander?"
"Speak Lieutenant, my patience dwindles the uglier you become."
"The doctors can't tell you what we are, can they? We haven't exactly been helpful on that front either, because to be honest neither I nor Alice here know ourselves. But I can tell you one thing. Call it a feeling. An instinct. A hunch. Both myself and Lieutenant Moxi have power that goes beyond dicing up men and tanks. In truth, we are creators."
You slowly turn and stare hard at Prahm. He remains at the glass with a smile on his face. Lieutenant Moxi has stood as well, though she hasn't moved from her spot. "Creators," you repeat.
Prahm nods. "Like I said, I can feel it in my very being. If you give me a man, I will turn him into something greater. Something...transcendent."
"A monster like yourself, is what it seems you're alluding to."
Prahm laughs as he bangs his fist on the glass wall. "Commander! Come now! We're all monsters here! At least Alice and I have the decency to wear our hearts on our sleeves!"
"You well refer to Lieutenant Moxi with her proper designations Lieutenant Prahm."
"Sure, sure. But commander, I'm serious. You can't win this fight, now like you are now. It's a numbers game, and in the end you're sorely lacking. But give me civvies, give me Jodem men from the cities, and my fellow Lieutenant and I can give you warriors. More than you could possibly know what to do with."
You stare at Prahm, hard. You leave the door frame and cross the room, stopping before the glass wall. With a flip of a switch you cut off the audio and lights to Prahm's side of the partition. He disappears in darkness. You then turn to Lieutenant Moxi and regard her for a few moments. "Is he telling the truth?" you say, breaking the silence.
She slowly nods. "Yes," Moxi says, her voice hollow. "I feel it. We are creators. I know the patterns and designs of new and powerful lifeforms in my soul."
You swallow and take a deep breath, doing your best to steady your voice. "Alice...if our friendship has ever meant anything to you at all, if the time we've spent together has ever amounted to anything, I would ask you to be truthful with me", she doesn't respond, instead simply staring at you. You take a deep breath. "....are you....still loyal to Zair?"
A long, tense moment passes. Moxi's red liquid shifts around her body like a tumultuous ocean. Finally she tilts her head. "I...feel nothing, for the republic. The things I knew to be true in my old life seem...irrelevant now. But somewhere, deep inside me, I still cling to old habits. And one of those habits is following you. If I'm being quite honest, when we were first...exposed to the eggs, a soldier through a grenade in panic. I think...I think that somehow interfered with my transformation. I don't think I would have retained any of my humanity if it hadn't been for that grenade," she slowly raises a liquid hand and places it to the glass. "But I do feel something still when I look at you. So do not fear, commander. I will continue to remain by your side, and the urges that war within me can be subdued."
You close your eyes, fighting back the emotion building in your chest. Without a word you turn and leave.
Officers and technicians have gathered inside the main command center of the satellite station. They all stand at attention and salute you as you enter. "At ease," you say, taking your place at the end of a long table. "Give me a status report."
Lieutenant Sette stands. Her long, dark hair is braided in an intricate ponytail, and her uniform has somehow remained crisp and clean throughout the long month of fighting. She holds a clipboard before her. "The latest battle brings us close to fifty-thousand casualties. That's nearly half our infantry forces in a month. Plus our tank and mech losses, and the destruction of our airforce."
"In other words," Major Clifford says, shifting in his seat. "It's only a matter of time now. We can't win here."
Lieutenant Sette nods. "I hate to agree, but yes, that seems to be my conclusion as well. Khamak station will soon fall."
"We've been aware of this for some time," you say. "This was never a secret."
"Yes but now it's a matter of weeks," Lieutenant Sette says. "It's time to come up with an exit strategy."
The other officers murmur among themselves. The atmosphere is anxious. The sound of distant explosions continues beyond the walls. "I think we have two options," Major Clifford says. His voice is tinged with irritation. The pilots under his command are almost all dead, and the bags under his eyes reveal the toll its taken. "We can retreat into the jungle, or launch a unified assault on Aleria space port. Retreating would buy us time, but the Mirandans would easily take over the planet and it's anyone's guess how long we'd last in the jungle. But if we gather the remains of the 5th army, we can launch one, good assault on the space port. If we take it, we can temporarily drive out the UMS and gain some breathing room."
"That's too risky," Lieutenant Sette says. "If we fail in such an assault, we lose everything. We wouldn't be able to launch a major offensive again."
Major Clifford scowls. "Then we retreat into the jungle and wait for them to hunt us down! Those are our options! Fleeing to another city would simply waste fuel and encourage the native population to riot!"
"Are options are not so limited as that," Lieutenant Sette says. You and Major Clifford both regard her. The other officers do the same. The woman takes out a half-smoked cigarette and lights it. More than a few in the room look on in envy. "My Arghoul agents have made contact with a group of Boramen in the city of Finnov. They've offered us their scientific prowess in exchange for protection."
The room is silent. Major Clifford blinks. "Boramen...? Are you out of your fucking mind Lieutenant!" he slams a fist on the table. "Any surviving Boramen from the great war are fugitives! War criminals! We cannot possibly ally ourselves with them!"
"We are about to be overrun Major," Lieutenant Sette says. Her expression is grim. "The Oboras almost conquered everyone thanks to their advanced engineering and chemistry. We would do well to see what weapons they have squirreled away in Finnov. They could very well hand us the keys to securing the planet."
"That would make us the enemy of everyone in the settled systems! Any neutral parties would turn against us! The Boramen are despised!"
"Does it matter? Zair's military is on the verge of collapse."
Instead of letting them continue, you raise your hand. The room falls silent as everyone turns to you. "There is another option as well. Lieutenant Prahm has...offered his services, along with Lieutenant Moxi."
"They're already serving us," Major Clifford says. He continues to glare at Lieutenant Sette. "If they weren't I assume we would have killed them already. But even I will admit they're doing an excellent job of massacring anyone they can find in that jungle."
"They claim they can turn people into warriors. I'm guessing that means creatures similar to them. Prahm wants Jodem civilians."
Another tense silence falls on the room. Lieutenant Sette stamps out her cigarette. "Commander...are you serious?"
"I don't know," You say. "If our options are a risky assault and allying with Boramen, we're already scrapping the bottom of the barrel. We haven't made contact with anyone off planet yet, and for all we know we could be utterly alone in the Solandas system. There are no good choices left. We've been running out of them long before the Mirandans got involved."
"Still," Major Clifford says. "We know nothing about Lieutenant Moxi and Prahm's new conditions. They're the first alien life humanity has encountered, and if it weren't for our current situation it would be the most significant event in our collective history. But their obscene body count has made it so that we can't trust them. That much is obvious."
Lieutenant Sette's expression grows curious. She rubs her chin. "I bet you the Boramen could tell us more about our alien allies. Surely they've set up labs in Finnov."
Major Clifford gestures. "Forget the Boramen, forget the aliens! If we take Aleria space port, we not only drive back the UMS, we have a better chance of contacting someone off world and possibly even escaping!"
For the first time the other officers begin to speak up. Their voices join together as everyone begins to argue. You slowly lean back in your chair and cross your fingers.
[] Launch a unified assault on Aleria Space Port
[] Retreat to Finnov City and ally with the Boramen scientists
[] Find civilians for Lieutenant Moxi and Prahm
Side Orders (players may choose this option at any point. Will remain an option for many turns)
[] Blow the interstate to Aleria Starport (requires elite or recon infantry)(will make traveling to and from location difficult and dangerous)
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Chapter 4 Battles
- Location
- Chicago
December 22nd, 1972
Dear Diary
It's me again! Your best friend Sibby! Of course you're my best friend to. You always listen, and I appreciate that. Nobody else listens to me, and that makes me sad sometimes. But it's okay, father is busy working at the exchange, and mother has her dress shop. They're busy, I get that. I just wish...well, nevermind that. Oh! I almost forgot, merry christmas! I know it's a little early, but I might not get time to write in here again when everyone comes to visit. There's grandma and grandpa, they're coming in from Aleria, and Uncle Joseph and Aunt Evaline from Ramsees City, and cousins Matty and Tianna! I'm so excited!
Uncle's Topher and Nathan are already here, but they're acting funny. I just don't get it. Uncle Topher is always going on about theZor, Zia....Zair Republic, and things like invasions and occupations, but I liked it better when he was funny with Uncle Nathan. They're both so worried, and I think mother and father are too, though they don't tell me anything. Who are these Zair people that everyone's so worried?
January 1st, 1973
Happy New Years Diary!
It's 1973! A year of new possibilities and excitement! And everyone's still here! Grandma and grandpa and cousins Matty and Tianna and my uncles and aunts! They normally leave a couple days after christmas, but this year they stuck around! It's a very crowded house, but I love it! There's so many people to talk to, and I can play games and go exploring with Matty and Tianna (T's my age, she's really cool and has a Bobby Claire record she lets me play on the record player sometimes)
The reason everyone's here is because of those Zair people. Apparently they've invaded the Tur...Turand...Turanda? Turanda system with a really big army. I saw it on the television so I finally know what Uncle Topher and Nathan were talking about. All the people on the news say they're headed here, but why? There's nothing on Jodem except us. The Zair on the televisions had funny uniforms and guns and waved flags and yelled really loudly. They even showed the Zair premier (which I think is a president) giving a speech. He seemed really angry about something, but everyone on the television was cheering so I don't know. Anyways, me and Tianna are going to go down to the malt shop and see if we can't see Mr. Velmer's new speedcaster car! Until next time diary!
January 26th, 1973
Sorry I haven't been writing Diary, a lot's happened...
Everyone's still here of course. And...the Zair are here too now. They landed all these ships in Aleria so grandma and grandpa can't go home, and the news showed them putting up their flags everywhere, even the president's palace! Father says they're headed here, and Ramsees city, so I don't think Uncle Joseph and Aunt Evaline can go home either. Everyone seems...scared, but I'm trying to be brave. We're not supposed to go outside. Cousin Matty says Zair soldiers will kidnap you and eat you if you let them, but I don't know if I believe him. It does seem like they like to start a lot of fires though...
February 10th, 1973
Sorry again Diary, I've been neglecting you. But I promise I don't mean to be! It's just...
Well, Uncle Joseph and Aunt Evaline and cousins Matty and T left yesterday. They said it wasn't safe here anymore, and they're going back to Ramsees city. I think it has to do with food, because a couple days ago father and Uncle Joseph got in a really, really big fight about 'mouths to feed'. I walked by the grocery store with mother the other day and didn't see hardly any food on the shelves, so I think someone's eating it all. I hope they leave some left for us. Oh! But Uncle Nathan and Topher are still here. Uncle Topher keeps going on about someone named Miranda, or maybe lots of Mirandas. She's coming here too apparently, to fight with Zair. I hope things go back to normal again soon...
March 2nd, 1973
I know, I know....I'm sorry diary. I just...well I guess I don't have much to write about, because really there's so, so much! But everytime I pick up my pen I just can't seem to figure out what to talk with you about...
The news is really scary now. The Zair and Miranda people are here on Jodem and they're fighting. Uncle Nathan and Topher have left, so now it's just me and mother and father and grandpa and grandma. There's not much food but mother is trying her best! She manages to cook really good meals still with grandma's help. I heard father arguing with the neighbors the other day. I hope everything's okay...
March 29th, 1973
Grandpa's sick but we can't go to the hospital because lots of other people are sick too. There's lots of explosions in the jungle now. Mother and father don't really talk anymore except when they think I'm asleep. I think...something bad is about to happen.
April 17th. 1973
Dear Diary. This is the last time I will be writing you for awhile. Mother and grandma are sick, so father's taking us all out of the city. He says once we reach the farmland we'll be safer, because we have family there we can stay with. The explosions are growing closer, and people are breaking things in the streets. Lots of people besides mother and grandma and grandpa are falling sick too. I hope the countryside has food and a nice doctor. I probably won't have time to talk to you because I'll be busy taking care of everyone. Don't worry though, I'll write in here again after everything goes back to normal. Talk to you soon, Sibby~~~
Dear Diary
It's me again! Your best friend Sibby! Of course you're my best friend to. You always listen, and I appreciate that. Nobody else listens to me, and that makes me sad sometimes. But it's okay, father is busy working at the exchange, and mother has her dress shop. They're busy, I get that. I just wish...well, nevermind that. Oh! I almost forgot, merry christmas! I know it's a little early, but I might not get time to write in here again when everyone comes to visit. There's grandma and grandpa, they're coming in from Aleria, and Uncle Joseph and Aunt Evaline from Ramsees City, and cousins Matty and Tianna! I'm so excited!
Uncle's Topher and Nathan are already here, but they're acting funny. I just don't get it. Uncle Topher is always going on about the
January 1st, 1973
Happy New Years Diary!
It's 1973! A year of new possibilities and excitement! And everyone's still here! Grandma and grandpa and cousins Matty and Tianna and my uncles and aunts! They normally leave a couple days after christmas, but this year they stuck around! It's a very crowded house, but I love it! There's so many people to talk to, and I can play games and go exploring with Matty and Tianna (T's my age, she's really cool and has a Bobby Claire record she lets me play on the record player sometimes)
The reason everyone's here is because of those Zair people. Apparently they've invaded the Tur...Turand...Turanda? Turanda system with a really big army. I saw it on the television so I finally know what Uncle Topher and Nathan were talking about. All the people on the news say they're headed here, but why? There's nothing on Jodem except us. The Zair on the televisions had funny uniforms and guns and waved flags and yelled really loudly. They even showed the Zair premier (which I think is a president) giving a speech. He seemed really angry about something, but everyone on the television was cheering so I don't know. Anyways, me and Tianna are going to go down to the malt shop and see if we can't see Mr. Velmer's new speedcaster car! Until next time diary!
January 26th, 1973
Sorry I haven't been writing Diary, a lot's happened...
Everyone's still here of course. And...the Zair are here too now. They landed all these ships in Aleria so grandma and grandpa can't go home, and the news showed them putting up their flags everywhere, even the president's palace! Father says they're headed here, and Ramsees city, so I don't think Uncle Joseph and Aunt Evaline can go home either. Everyone seems...scared, but I'm trying to be brave. We're not supposed to go outside. Cousin Matty says Zair soldiers will kidnap you and eat you if you let them, but I don't know if I believe him. It does seem like they like to start a lot of fires though...
February 10th, 1973
Sorry again Diary, I've been neglecting you. But I promise I don't mean to be! It's just...
Well, Uncle Joseph and Aunt Evaline and cousins Matty and T left yesterday. They said it wasn't safe here anymore, and they're going back to Ramsees city. I think it has to do with food, because a couple days ago father and Uncle Joseph got in a really, really big fight about 'mouths to feed'. I walked by the grocery store with mother the other day and didn't see hardly any food on the shelves, so I think someone's eating it all. I hope they leave some left for us. Oh! But Uncle Nathan and Topher are still here. Uncle Topher keeps going on about someone named Miranda, or maybe lots of Mirandas. She's coming here too apparently, to fight with Zair. I hope things go back to normal again soon...
March 2nd, 1973
I know, I know....I'm sorry diary. I just...well I guess I don't have much to write about, because really there's so, so much! But everytime I pick up my pen I just can't seem to figure out what to talk with you about...
The news is really scary now. The Zair and Miranda people are here on Jodem and they're fighting. Uncle Nathan and Topher have left, so now it's just me and mother and father and grandpa and grandma. There's not much food but mother is trying her best! She manages to cook really good meals still with grandma's help. I heard father arguing with the neighbors the other day. I hope everything's okay...
March 29th, 1973
Grandpa's sick but we can't go to the hospital because lots of other people are sick too. There's lots of explosions in the jungle now. Mother and father don't really talk anymore except when they think I'm asleep. I think...something bad is about to happen.
April 17th. 1973
Dear Diary. This is the last time I will be writing you for awhile. Mother and grandma are sick, so father's taking us all out of the city. He says once we reach the farmland we'll be safer, because we have family there we can stay with. The explosions are growing closer, and people are breaking things in the streets. Lots of people besides mother and grandma and grandpa are falling sick too. I hope the countryside has food and a nice doctor. I probably won't have time to talk to you because I'll be busy taking care of everyone. Don't worry though, I'll write in here again after everything goes back to normal. Talk to you soon, Sibby~~~
<I'll give players some more time than do a tiebreaker vote. I usually update when I can to keep my momentum going but there will be some days where I'll be too busy. Thanks everyone for playing>
Chapter 5: Probes, Devices, and Singing
- Location
- Chicago
[x] Retreat to Finnov City and ally with the Boramen scientists
The interior of the armored transport shakes, causing you to sway slightly. You brace yourself against the roof with a grimace. This section of the elevated interstate is pocket-marked with holes, and the retreat from Khamak station has been slowed because of it. The Zair forces now only number infantry on foot and light armored vehicles. Your tanks, jets, and mobile armors have all been destroyed during the fighting.
What's worse are the United Mirandan bombing runs that have been occuring since your departure. Every day their jets streak across the sky and unload spectacular payloads of death and destruction. They've forced you off the interstate more than once, both to shelter in the jungle and do avoid the sections of the road they've destroyed ahead of you. Every attack and delay adds to your anger and despair. The morale of the soldiers under you is even worse.
The one bit of good news is that the 5th armor detachments that hadn't joined you at Khamak station are on their way to meet you in Finnov City. The UMS will hesitate to bomb you there, as the city represents an important industrial hub, but you won't have much time before their ground forces catch up to the Zair army.
The armored transport shakes again. You grimace and close your eyes. A radio squawks and draws the gaze of you and the other officers inside the vehicle. A captain turns the dial up. "*zzzzztttt-appeared on the horizon, thirty minutes until we reach it."
It's the vanguard. Their comms means they've reached the city. You shift and unlatch the top hatch. Sunlight pours in as you open it and peer your head out. You're blasted with heat and humidity. Another officer hands you a pair of binoculars. You bring them to your eyes and gaze out in the distance.
The elevated interstate winds like a river up to a series of massive skyscrapers. They rise up from the surrounding jungle alongside giant industrial domes and smokestacks, forming the skyline of Finnov. You lower your binoculars and crawl back down into the transport. "Get ready," you say as several officers close the hatch behind you. "We don't know what kind of greeting those Boramen have in store for us."
You're not exactly thrilled about meeting the Boramen. You grew up on the same stories of the great war as everyone else, and although their insurrections never reached the Zair system, you saw plenty of examples of rebellion and revolt on the television programs. But that was then, and this was now. The starving and weary soldiers under your command need a way out of this mess, and at this point you'll go to bed with anyone to find it.
The armored convoy passes over the factories that form the outskirts of the city. The elevated interstate continues on into the heart of the skyscrapers, finally lowering down to connect with the ground level streets in the center. Everywhere you look seems abandoned. There are no vehicles on the streets, and no sign of pedestrians. Zair recon soldiers have set up camp in the central square next to an imposing governmental office made of white stone and pillars. Lieutenant Sette is among them. She approaches you as your armored transport comes to a stop and you get out. The woman is accompanied by several members of her military intelligence group.
"Welcome to Finnov commander," Sette says. She comes to a stop and salutes.
You gesture for her to be at ease as you gaze around at the surrounding skyscrapers. "It seems we've come at a bad time."
"Everyone's fled or gone into hiding," Lieutenant Sette says. "Once the main bulk of our infantry catch up, I can send them out to requisition fuel and food in the city."
You nod and turn your attention back to her. "I wish it hadn't come to that, but see that you do. We need to feed ourselves. Where are the Boramen?"
Lieutenant Sette points at a major street leading away from the central plaza. "Waiting for you at some restaurant. They're being careful, or cheeky, I can't figure out which. But regardless they're expecting you and-" her voice dies as a figure emerges from a nearby armored transport. They're covered in heavy coats and their head is wrapped up tightly in gauze. Despite the wrappings, red, inky liquid flows down to the figure's shoulders like hair. Lieutenant Sette's expression grows pale. "Commander, tell me that's not..."
"It is, Lieutenant Sette," you turn and nod at Lieutenant Moxi. The bundled figure approaches and comes to a stop. All the nearby officers quickly back up. You gesture at Moxi. "I've decided to trust her, but more importantly, I've decided she makes for an excellent deterrent against mad Boramen scientists. Please show me to this restaurant now."
Lieutenant Sette stares at Moxi a few moments longer. The wrapped figure seems oblivious to her surroundings. Sette quickly recovers and throws a salute. "Right away commander, one of our cars is waiting."
The streets remain empty as you travel along them. Bits of trash blew across it, and a deep pink and purple sunset spreads across the sky. The heat is lessening as the day winds down, but only by increments. You sit next to Lieutenant Moxi and several elite soldiers. Across from you sits Lieutenant Sette. Several days ago you asked her how she manages to keep her uniform in such pristine condition. She had given you a smile and brushed it off. There were many things about the Arghoul commander you were curious about, but Felicity Sette's naturally stern disposition kept even a commander such as yourself from asking about them.
The car slows, then stops. More elite Zair soldiers are waiting outside at the base of a skyscraper. The first floor is lined with glass, and you can just barely make out dining tables beyond. The soldiers escort you and Lieutenants Moxi and Sette inside.
You enter into a lavish dining room. A single man plays a piano in the corner, and all the tables are empty. Save one, in the very center. Several men in business suits sit at it. Standing behind them are dog-folk wearing military uniforms. The hybrid creatures grip guns in their hands, and their expressions look grim despite their bestial features. You take your cap off and tuck it under your arm as you approach the table. One of the men stands and raises a glass. "Ah! Commander Mackerel I presume?"
You nod. "Yes, that's me. Who do I have the pleasure of addressing?"
The man beams at you. Like everyone on Jodem, his features have darkened from the unrelenting suns, though a twinkle remains in his eye. "My name is Doctor Langley, and with me are my compatriots Doctor Grail and Mr. Harker, both respected members of the Boramen party," he gestures at the table. "Please, have a seat."
"I hope you understand that I'm pressed for time," You say. You take your seat and settle in. A female cat-woman server fills your glass with water. "The Mirandans have been chasing us since we left Khamak, and it won't be long before their armored divisions catch up."
"Of course of course," Doctor Langley says, taking his seat. "But we still have some time, no? At least enough for dinner and a nice chat. After all, you won't find this kind of food anywhere else in the city."
Mr. Harker sips from his glass, his expression ambivalent. "It's more accurate at this point to say you won't find any food anywhere."
"Fine," you say. Lieutenant Moxi and your infantry escort remain standing behind you. "But let's start of by framing this discussion. As I understand it, you wish to trade weapons for our protection against the Mirandans."
Doctor Langley nods enthusiastically. "Yes exactly! We Boramen did well enough under the Jodem government, but the Mirandans will surely hang us if they find us. Ah," he gives you an apologetic smile. "But I'm afraid I must correct one thing. It's not conventional weapons we offer you."
You furrow your brow. "Excuse me?"
Mr. Harker clears his throat. "What Doctor Langley means is that instead of missiles or mobile armor, we will give you the means to win wars of scale."
"Wars of scale..."
"Yes exactly!" Doctor Langley says. "Tell me commander, do you know why the 2nd Oboris Empire lost the war?"
You accept a menu from the cat-folk server, but lay it down instead of checking it. "Because you kept sowing the wind and finally reaped the storm?"
Doctor Langley laughs. "Oh how marvelous! And in a way yes! But in more technical terms, it was because we could not out-produce our enemies! The rate at which they manufactured tanks and ships and aircraft far exceeded our own! Thus no matter how many freedom movements we funded across the systems, eventually we could not even defend our own borders!"
"Fair enough," You say. "But what does this have to do with me wining wars,"
Doctor Langley holds up a finger. "Wars of scale my dear commander. Ever since we of the 8th Boramen sect fled here we have tried to devise means of out-performing the industries of even the most advanced star nations! And we have very well done it!" he claps once, his excited expression remaining. "Imagine it commander! Thousands of probes ready to be launched across unexplored solar systems! Each one of them containing factories and automated mining machines! Just one probe landing on a planet with a suitable environment, and it will automatically set itself up and begin building tanks, ships, and soldiers!"
"Soldiers?" You say, blinking.
"Clones," Mr. Harker says. "The process is still a bit unstable, but they generally mature in ten years. In a couple decades you have your very own standing army ready where ever you've sent probes."
"It is as you said!" Doctor Langley says. "You seed the wind, but you reap armies instead of destruction!"
You don't respond for a few moments. The man playing the piano continues, filling the room with lilting music. Lieutenant Sette shifts behind you, as if she wants to say something. You feel your face redden with anger. "Are you...serious??" You smack your fist on the table, despite your best efforts to control yourself. "I have just marched my army for days under constant bombing and ambushes, all for your promise of Boramen weapons of mass destruction, and all you can offer me are probes that take decades to do anything?? Are you fucking mad?? I need weapons that can be used now! Missiles, mobile armor, ships, something!"
Doctor Langley looks distressed. "B-but commander! All wars are won based on principals of industry and production! We know this now! We have unlocked the means of bringing about the final utopia! Surely the Zair Republic understands what we're offering?"
You stand up and point at the scientist. "It won't matter what you're offering if we all die under a UMS assault! You fucked me doctor! You promised me a way to defeat the enemy, but all you've given me is shit!"
"Hold on now," Mr. Harker says. "It's true our probes might not be exactly what you're looking for, but Doctor Langley speaks the truth. With them Zair will never truly fall. You'll be able to raise new armies as many times as you launch them, albeit with few decades of prepartion."
"Fuck Zair! Fuck your final utopia! I just want a way to get my men off Jodem, or at the very least keep X-10 inter orbital jets from turning my army to ash!"
Your voice rings out around the dining room. The piano player quiets his playing. The three Boramen at the table stare at you. The dog-folk behind them bare their teeth and finger their rifles. Your own escorts do the same. Lieutenant Moxi and Sette remain silent. The third Boramen, Doctor Grail, slowly stands. He's hunched, and his eyes are hidden behind dark sunglasses. His voice comes out in a wheezing whisper. "If it is jets you want stopped, than we may be able to provide such a thing. We brought with us plenty of half-finished projects when we fled the empire, and some of them are even completed. Among them I believe we have a device that...disrupts, the atmosphere. It will be temporary of course, and you will be unable to use any of your own jets or planes, but it will buy you time."
You stare at the scientists until you finally calm down. You slowly exhale. "Very well, hand over this device, and anything else you might have including those probes. The Zair Republic will make use of it all."
Doctor Langley grins. "Oh wonderful! Outstanding! It is good that Obaris and Zair joined together to realize the final utopia!"
"Forget the utopia," you say, standing. "We're just trying to get out of here alive," you gesture Lieutenant Moxi forward. "One more thing, I need your scientific expertise on something," Lieutenant Moxi stands before the table and begins unwrapping her gauze. The Boramen stare in confusion. "This here is one of my former officers. Upon reaching Khamak station we encountered strange fungal growth and discovered two eggs. They hatched at an inopportune time and infected Lieutenant Moxi here, as well as one other."
Lieutenant Moxi finishes unwrapping her head and reveals her red, inky features. The men at the table gasp. Doctor Langley stands. "No...impossible! Is it...a real alien?? Not one of the seed-races or a beast-folk??"
"We believe so," you say. "But we were hoping you might know something."
Mr. Harker's expression is grim. He takes a long drink from his glass, as if trying to reassure himself. "We're of course aware of the fungus you speak of. It's only appeared recently, but it's caused people to fall ill. This however...."
"This is wonderful!" Doctor Langley says. "Real alien life! Contact with a lifeform not found on earth! You must give the specimens over to us immediately for study!"
You glance up at Lieutenant Moxi. She doesn't seem in the slightest bit perturbed. You're still not sure of the situation, and the Boramen have proven somewhat a disappointment, but perhaps you can finally find some answers as to what the eggs were back at the station. "You can have Lieutenant Prahm," you say, turning your attention back to the scientists. "But don't harm him. He's still one of my mine."
"Yes yes," Doctor Langley says. "Of course!"
You sigh and take out your last cigarette. "I'll have my soldiers escort you to where my military intelligence division has set up camp. You will do everything under their supervision."
Doctor Langley looks surprised. "Ah...you mean, now?"
"Yes now," you say, gesturing at the elite infantry. The Boramen hesitate. Their dog-folk guards growl. Finally Mr. Harker stands.
"Very well commander, we look forward to our new alliance,"
"Hmph," you say, lighting your cigarette. After everyone's left you nod at the chairs opposite you. "Sit Lieutenant Moxi, Sette." They both obey. Moxi's expression is blank, but Sette gives you a small smile as you pass her the cigarette. You let out a large cloud of smoke and pick up the menu. "We haven't had much time to talk lately, how are you?"
Lieutenant Sette simply makes a noise of satisfaction as she drags on the cigarette. It's likely the first she's had in days. Lieutenant Moxi says nothing as she picks up a own menu. Perhaps it's habit. Perhaps she's simply mimicking you. Or perhaps Lieutenant Moxi is actually hungry. "I'm fine," Moxi says. "How are you commander?"
"Decidedly not fine. Without a Boramen super weapon, I suppose our only choice is to take Aleria space port now. We'll have to utilize that atmospheric device and hope for the best."
"We still have options," Lieutenant Sette says. "The Mirandans don't want to destroy Finnov, at least if they can help it. Half the factories here belong to them, after all."
Lieutenant Moxi stares at you as you study the menu. Finally you look over the brim of the laminated paper. "Something you want to add Lieutenant?"
"There is...another option." She says. You arch an eyebrow. Lieutenant Sette turns to her, as if remembering the strange woman is sitting beside her. Moxi seems pensive, which is a strange expression for a liquid creature to wear. "I think...I think something is coming. To Jodem. I can hear it singing as it travels through the system. It is coming closer."
You slowly lower your menu. Lieutenant Sette adjusts the collar on her jacket. "That...sounds ominous, Lieutenant Moxi," you say. "Can you elaborate?"
She shakes her head. "I don't really understand it myself. The singing is faint, as if some part of me is damaged and can't hear it clearly. But I know...I know it's coming here to change things. To give birth to new life, as I sometimes feel the urge to do so myself. But...it is greater than I am....so much greater. It will take time, but I believe it intends to envelope the planet..."
"Envelope the planet..." Lieutenant Sette says. She massages the bridge of her nose. "That does not sound good."
"If you wait for it to arrive, you can take Aleria. The enemy ships waiting in orbit will not stand a chance when it passes by. It will devour them. And once it makes planetfall, you can leave."
You remember your cigarette and take it back from Lieutenant Sette. You have to, your hands would be shaking otherwise. "You seem...uncharacteristically certain Lieutenant."
She meets your gaze. "There is little I can say that I know to be truth. But I know something great is coming, and its arrival will upend everything. The chaos may be your only chance to escape without losing the lives of your soldiers."
You hold each other's gaze. Finally you crush your cigarette out on the table. "Lieutenant, I would do anything to go back in time and stop us from ever leaving Zair. I haven't been able to tell you this, but I'm sorry. For everything. I hope you can forgive me."
"There is nothing to forgive commander. Life always changes, and to stop is to die. You may feel regret at my change, but for me, it is nothing more than waking up one day with extra arms. Do not concern yourself with me."
Your throat feels dry. This is the most Lieutenant Moxi has ever said to you. You pick up your glass and drain it. Lieutenant Sette taps a finger to the table. "Although Alice- ahem, Lieutenant Moxi's suggestion is interesting, there is another way."
"And what's that?"
"You won't like it, but the Boramen probes can surely shuttle a good number of our forces offplanet. Whatever their intended purpose, they're still rockets. You won't be able to load everyone, but many might make the journey home..."
You remain silent. The cat server approaches and waits to take your order. The piano player slowly resumes his playing.
Your options are limited, and all of them carry consequences...
[] Use the atmospheric device and launch an attack on Aleria Space Port
[] Wait for the coming 'thing' Lieutenant Moxi mentioned and take Aleria in the confusion
[] Use the probes to escape with a portion of your army
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Chapter 6: The Wrong Song
- Location
- Chicago
[X] Wait for the coming 'thing' Lieutenant Moxi mentioned and take Aleria in the confusion.
Curiosity is a failing, I guess.
[X] Wait for the coming 'thing' Lieutenant Moxi mentioned and take Aleria in the confusion
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[X] Wait for the coming 'thing' Lieutenant Moxi mentioned and take Aleria in the confusion.
You think long and hard. About how everything came to this, and what you want out of the mess. The piano playing continues in the background. For some reason, it sets you on edge. Lieutenant Sette orders coffee from the cat-server as she waits. Lieutenant Moxi remains motionless. You agonize over the terrible choices you're faced with. There are few that don't end in senseless death. Take the space port after Mirandan jets are grounded, wait for something terrible to make planetfall, or leave a portion of your army behind and flee as fast as you can.
You finally make your decision as Lieutenant Sette is digging into a meat and vegetable dish. The intelligence officer pauses and glances at Lieutenant Moxi. Her voice comes out low, obviously so as not to distract you. "Do you remember how we always used to trade food in the mess?"
Lieutenant Moxi slowly turns and stares at Sette. After a beat she nod her head and sends ripples across her liquid flesh. "Yes Lieutenant Sette. I do."
"You were always really picky, you know that?"
Lieutenant Moxi doesn't respond, though you could almost swear you see the faintest hint of a smile on her face. "This thing," you say, drawing both their attention. You gesture vaguely as you try and organize your thoughts. "What guarantee do I have that it won't slaughter us as well as the Mirandans?"
"There is no guarantee," Lieutenant Moxi says. "You simply have to try and get off-planet as it is coming down to the surface."
"Since Aleria has a space port and ships," Lieutenant Sette says. "It seems it's a matter of racing against time. Can we seize the ships from the Jodems and Mirandans before they realize what's happening?"
You gesture at a roll on Lieutenant Sette's plate. She makes a face, but passes it to you. You take a bite and chew thoughtfully. "They would need to be incredibly distracted, or overwhelmed. Otherwise we'll be shelled and bombed to pieces," You eye Lieutenant Moxi. "Will they be distracted?"
She doesn't respond for a few moments. The piano music has grown softer. The cat server waits patiently nearby with a pitcher of water. Not close enough to be accused of ease-dropping, but certainly within refilling distance. Finally Lieutenant Moxi nods. "They will be distracted."
You throw the rest of the roll in your mouth and stand. "Very well then," you say, chewing. "Call a command staff meeting, we don't have much time."
Lieutenant Sette gestures at her plate. "Commander, this is the first decent meal I've had since leaving the Turanda system."
"Then get it to-go," you say, heading for the door.
Lieutenant Sette scowls. Lieutenant Moxi stands and moves around the table to follow after you. "You'll have to get the bill," Moxi says as she passes Sette. "It seems I have forgotten my wallet."
Several hours pass as night grips Finnov City. The horizon is lit up with faint oranges and yellows. It can only be Khamak station burning. You gaze at it from a balcony in one of the hotel skyscrapers. The Zair command staff has commandeered the building for their use, and now each floor is filled with comms equipment, technicians, and officers. The location was specifically chosen for belonging to a prolific UMS mining tycoon. After all, no matter how powerful the Mirandan military is, they're still beholden to their masters. And you have to admit your accommodations are nice. Nicer than anything you're used to.
A knock sounds on the door. "It's open," you call over your shoulder. Bootsteps sound, and then Major Clifford appears. He's holding a bottle of scotch and two glasses. The man wears a friendly expression, though you can see his weariness and anger around his eyes. The Major has lost all his pilots, and the last of his bombers are now burning, abandoned along with Khamak Station. "Commander," he says. He gestures with the bottle as he joins you on the balcony. "I was thinking after a command meeting like that, you could use a drink."
You give him a small smile. "You are absolutely right major."
The command meeting was indeed tiring. Tensions were high, stomachs were empty, and the Zair forces were beginning to feel more than just trapped. It was an incredibly dangerous combination, and that was before you gave out your new orders. Nobody liked the idea of waiting for a mysterious object to make planet-fall. Not only was it met with skepticism, but the plan itself had many technical hurdles. With the 5th army's arrival, your infantry forces numbered close to a hundred thousand again. And it was a thirteen hour drive from Finnov to Aleria space port. On foot it would be weeks. And even if you seized enough vehicles and fuel from the surrounding city to make the journey, your convey would still be sitting ducks for the UMS bombers.
This meant that a large part of the journey had to be undertaken after the approaching foreign object pierced the atmosphere and struck the surface. Your forces would be driving for hours through dangerous conditions and a mysterious alien arrival. It was an incredibly risky plan any way you looked at it, and yet it was still your best option.
You accept a glass and take a long sip, then turn back to the railing to watch the distant explosions. Major Clifford comes up beside you and also gazes out. Neither of you speak for awhile and simply nurse your glasses. Major Clifford breaks the silence as he turns to the chair where he set the bottle. "You've been letting the mask slip a lot lately." he says, refilling his glass.
You watch a distant explosion as you sip from your glass. "Have I? I suppose I was never suited for high command. I would have been happy to remain a lieutenant."
Major Clifford snorts. "Your disillusionment is well-known commander, and it does make you rather popular with the rank and file. But you should be careful. Whether you like it or nor, you were named commander, and we all hope to return to Zair one day. Our Republic places great value on towing the line."
You drain your glass. "One step at a time, Major."
"You have a fiancee at home, yes? I imagine she's rather proud of her loyal Zair betrothed."
You hold out your empty glass for Major Clifford to refill. "Let's not talk about my fiancee. Let's just concentrate on what lies ahead."
"And Lieutenant Moxi? When I say you've been letting the mask slip, I mean it commander. Everyone sees how you look at her. You should be careful. She's not like us anymore. And you need to maintain your composure. It's the only way people will follow you."
You slowly take back the empty glass and set it on the railing. "It's not like that Major," you walk past him towards the room. "I'm just tired and trying to salvage this mess."
You grew up on a farm. It was a large plot of land compared to the neighboring fields. The dirt rows were neat and organized, and maintained by native laborers and giant robotic combines. You were the eldest of two boys, and were raised by a loving mother and father. Mornings you would do chores and go to school, and in the afternoon you would do more chores and homework. By evening you'd be free to run around the fields with the neighboring kids under a vibrant gold-tinted sky.
Your father was a good man, but he was also a liar. He lied about everything with a smile on his face. People, events, feelings, the weather. They were small lies, and didn't make sense to you as a child. All the things he said could be easily proven false. And yet he continued to lie, always with a smile. In truth it hurt to be so causally deceived on a daily basis, but your mother simply brushed it off with a laugh and a suggestion to go out and play.
Despite your parents love, you grew mistrustful because of your father's compulsive lying. But by the time you left the farm as a young man, you understood everyone lied. They lied about themselves, their motivations, and their feelings. The biggest lies of all you heard from those with power. They claimed things that couldn't possibly be true. About the unrivaled greatness of the Republic, and the noble future that lay in store for it. But everything they said was in sharp contrast to what you saw. Zair was not powerful. A few men had grown rich, and had convinced everyone else in the system that they shared in their glory and privilege. But they didn't. For every new governmental building raised, an aging neighborhood lay neglected. Countless resources were expended to maintain the facade however. An admittedly powerful army was built, and an impressive educational system implemented. But at the end of the day, it was still all a delusion when compared to the vast galaxy.
When the republic sent out the call to arms, you joined the military like everyone else. Perhaps you had finally begun accepting the lies. Perhaps you wanted to make them true. Or maybe you were just looking to get away from the life your parents had carefully prepared for you, including your fiancee and eventual ownership of the family farm. Whatever the reason, your great grandfather's legacy as a settler helped you to raise through the ranks quickly. And then you meet Lieutenant Moxi.
Lieutenant Moxi did not lie. She did not pledge the oath of loyalty, nor did she recite the settler mantra. Lieutenant Moxi hardly ever spoke. You weren't drawn to her because of her personality, or her disposition, or interests. You were drawn to her because she seemed to lack all these things. A perfectly blank slate, incapable of deceiving. Was it wrong? Almost certainly. Lieutenant Moxi's quiet nature was likely all an act after all. A carefully constructed disguise to survive in a brutal military hierarchy. But if it was a facade, it was the one you actually allowed yourself to believe in. She quickly became your friend. A statue incapable of giving falsehoods.
And now...now Lieutenant Moxi's mask was slipping. Despite her alien visage, she spoke, and exhibited emotions, and will. She was more of a real human now than she had every allowed herself to be in the past. And worst of all, there was a chance she was lying to you about everything.
It took three days to gather everything that was needed for the race to Aleria Space port. The city was searched top to bottom. The few vehicles that remained were commandeered. After they were all collected, Lieutenant Sette's military intelligence agents took squads of infantry and searched the surrounding farmland for more. Every day, more and more of the 5th army's scattered detachment's arrived. And every day, the UMS ground forces grew closer.
Then one morning, the sky grew dark.
Clouds gathered in thick layers, obscuring the dual suns of the Solandas system for the first time since your arrival. Lieutenant Moxi informed you that the approaching object had arrived. Hours later, tens of thousands of vehicles set out from Finnov city. You yourself led the procession in an armored car. Behind you rode infantry, officers, and technicians in a convoy that stretched back as far as the eye could see. Ahead of you the skies grew darker. Lieutenant Sette and Moxi rode in the same vehicle as you. They waited silently as you peered out from the top hatch. It was dangerous keeping so many command staff in one vehicle, but at this point you were going all in. Deep down, you knew if this failed, it would be over regardless of precaution.
For one tense moment, the sound of Mirandan jets grew close. Their screaming engines sent a chill through your body. You watched them grow closer, and closer, then suddenly veer away. You furrowed your brow in confusion as you studied the sky with a pair of binoculars. You almost dropped them when you noticed something emerging from the overcast sky.
You didn't want to believe your eyes. It was a massive point. It protruded down like a spear, then slowly lowered. More and more of the object emerged from the clouds like an upside down mountain. Its surface seemed to be made of flaky stone, and giant holes pocket-marked along its faces.
It was a pyramid.
"What the hell..." Lieutenant Sette says, poking her head out of a side window. "What is that!"
You duck down and look at Lieutenant Moxi. "Is that...?"
She slowly nods. "It's here. The one who sings."
You hear something fall on the armored vehicle, followed quickly by another hard impact. You raise back up to discover rain. But not normal rain. The objects that fall from the sky are like small clumps of flesh. Wherever they landed they burst apart in a sticky black substance. You swallow and force yourself to bring your binoculars up to your eyes. You find the pyramid again. It continues a slow free-fall towards the surface. It's miles away, but you know the impact will shake the planet.
"Go faster!" you yell as you bang on the roof. "Tell everyone to go as fast as their cars will allow!" you duck back down inside as the comms officer relays the instructions through a headset. The armored vehicle's engines grind. You quickly latch the viewing hatch.
The rain grows harder. The fleshy lumps begin to cover the interstate and the surrounding jungle. Their explosions smear the sides of every car and truck in your convoy. Dread wells up inside you as you catch a glimpse of the falling pyramid outside. It's mere moments before it impacts.
It finally strikes the earth. The tremor sends up a wall of torn trees and megafauna. You watch as the shockwave passes over the interstate. Your own vehicle shakes violently. Behind you you hear the sound several cars flipping over the barrier into the jungle below. The tremors continue after the wall of debris passes. You can't bring yourself to look out the window at where the pyramid impacted. Instead you grip the comm's officer's shoulder. "Tell them to keep going! Tell everyone to keep going! Don't slow down!"
It takes the entire day to reach Aleria space port. Dark fleshy clumps form a layer across the elevated interstate. It clings to wheels and axels, rendering several of the smaller cars immobile. The convoy only briefly slows to let the stranded soldiers into another truck. You keep everyone moving as the skies grow darker and darker. In the distance, where the pyramid landed, you can see a faint, pale-white glow.
Aliera space port is on fire. Or at least, the city surrounding it is. The port itself rises up like a mighty column. Its upper-half disappears among the clouds. Ships rise up throughout the flaming city, clearly trying to escape the destruction. You point through the windshield at the fleeing vessels. "Hurry! We need those ships! We can't let them take off!"
The UMS military is strangely absent from the city outskirts. Your convoy enters into a surreal maze of metal buildings covered in black, fleshy goo. Mushroom statues in the shape of people fill the streets, frozen like the ashy victims of Pompey. There are other strange growths as well. Winding latices form columns that reach up for the sky. Pointed, multi-colored thorns stick out at odd angels from buildings. A hazy yellow cloud falls in gentle waves from the clouds.
Lieutenant Sette stifles a cough as your armored car blows through groups of mushroom statues. "Shit," she says, wiping her mouth. Her glove has spots of blood on it. "I...I don't feel good."
"Lieutenant Moxi," you say, turning to her. "What is going on."
The liquid woman slowly rises and leans towards the window. She peers out like a curious child on a sunny day. Finally she looks over her shoulder at you. "Hurry. You must reach the space port before it's too late."
You stare at her with a mix of anguish and anger. It changes to grim determination. You grip the comms officer's shoulder again. "Send out the word. We're getting as close as we can to the space port, and then disembarking,"
The order is sent out through the radio. It only takes a few more city blocks before the UMS military is finally discovered. The Mirandans have set up barricades and checkpoints as they try and keep the people of the city back. Men, women and children struggle to overcome them. Mirandan soldiers fire into the air in warning. They don't notice your convoy until too late.
The Alerians part with screams as your vehicles blow past. You slam into the barricades and knock them back. The rest of the fleeing Zair soldiers follow in their own cars. The Miradan soldiers are shocked, but only for a moment. The air quickly fills with gunfire.
Luckily there are few UMS tanks or mechs present. Zair soldiers quickly disembark and return fire. Behind you the Alerian mob breaks through the remaining barrier and surges over the Mirandan soldiers. You quickly draw your service pistol and look for the quickest route to the space port. It looms in front of you like an imposing mountain. Blinking lights along its surface seem to promise safety. The rain continues to fall, filling the streets with dark clumps. You cough up blood, then find a street and point your gun. "This way! Follow me!"
Lieutenant Moxi and Prahm take the lead. The two alien creatures cut a swathe of bodies through the Mirandan military. Their movements are fluid, almost as if dancing. They flit around in blurry leaps that are too quick for the human eye to follow. Everyone they pass ends up diced into thin, vertical layers.
It seems the UMS forces were in the process of looting the city, as instead of armor, the vast majority of vehicles behind the barricades turn out to be supply trucks. Metal crates filled with precious metals are overturned as you and the other Zair soldiers swarm past. Blood soaks the street alongside the black clumps. The yellow haze grows thicker as it falls in torrents from the sky. Led by your two alien allies, you and your forces break through into the space port. There are even more Mirandan soldiers inside, but by now you can tell that the vast majority have already left. You're not sure where they are. Likely waiting at the top of the space port in the upper atmosphere. It takes several hours, but your army of almost a hundred thousand Zair military personnel fight their way up. Each hall, corridor, and mega-stairwell is taken. The UMS forces seem to have little fight in them. The higher you go, the more of the planet Jodem you can see through the massive windows that panel the space port's side. The entire surface is covered in darkness and shadow. The rain grows thicker, and thicker, smearing across the glass and slowly obscuring your view. You feel terror rising up within you, but fight to replace it with fury.
Lieutenant Moxi and Prahm make quick work of the Miradans guarding the top of the space port. The UMS fleet is nowhere to be seen in the upper atmosphere. You can only assume they've retreated. What you do find is a Mirandan merchant fleet being loaded with ores and previous metals. It only takes a few deaths to seize it for you and your army.
Your ears are ringing. You sit hunched in a command chair staring out through the massive viewscreen of one of the merchant ships. Below you is the planet Jodem. Its entire surface is covered by purple and gray clouds. You can't see a thing through them. What you can see is the series of flaky, stone pyramids, covered in holes, sinking through the atmosphere. They pass through the clouds with gentle ripples. You catch brief glimpses of the surface every time, but it's only darkness. You don't know if its shadows, or an ocean of black goo.
Jodem slowly grows smaller in the viewport. The remains of the 3rd and 5th Zair armies fill the holds of the merchant fleet as you flee the planet. You managed to save just about everyone, even the Boramen science teams a few of their hybrid animal servants, as well as a handful of Alerian citizens. The farther you draw away from Jodem, the more of surrounding space you can see. The pyramids stretch out into the great beyond like a spiral. It was if someone had thrown a handful of leaves at a pond, and captured their descent in slow motion. You couldn't see the end of the spiral of pyramids. You have no idea where they originate from, whether inside the system, or beyond it.
"What are they," you say. Your voice is subdued, almost a whisper. Lieutenant Moxi and Prahm stand next to you. On your other side stands Lieutenant Sette and Major Clifford. You all stare out the window at the pyramids.
"I don't know," Moxi says.
Lieutenant Prahm's smile grows. His body is soaked red in the blood of his enemies. "It is a truly beautiful song they sing. Alice may be unable to tell you anything, but I know what we're looking at. The perfect organism. Unblemished creation. What it births will be even greater."
"So you're a poet now," Lieutenant Sette says, glancing at the alien.
Lieutenant Prahm gives a slight shrug. "Just be happy I'm still my old charming self. If that singing wasn't so wrong, I might have lost myself down there."
"Wrong?"
Lieutenant Moxi nods. "It's not...our song. Our song is different. Lieutenant Prahm and myself belong to something similar, but different. Its very important, to know which singing is right, and which singing is wrong. The final song that is left...will determine everything."
Major Clifford snorts. "Enough of this nonsense. We just barely escaped by the skin of our teeth, but now we have to decide where to go next."
"Palios obviously," Lieutenant Sette says. "It's the forward operating base in the Turanda system, and where we'll find the highest concentration of allies outside the Zair system."
Major Clifford stares at Sette. "I was hoping we might rescue more detachments from Solandas, instead of abandoning them to the Mirandans."
"We're abandoning them to that," Lieutenant Sette says. She gestures at the dark mass of clouds covering Jodem, as well as the falling spiral of pyramids. "We need to get as far away from that as possible. Even someone like me recognizes when we're hopelessly outtmatched."
"Perhaps Jodem is its only target," Major Clifford says. "Would you really abandon everyone? Even your fellow Arghoul agents station elsewhere?"
"I would if it meant escaping the black goo, and the mushrooms, and the sickness." Lieutenant Sette says. "You saw the same thing I did. You think those creepy statures just happened to be shaped like people? Those were people, and there seems to be no rhyme or reason to who was changed. We didn't change, but I'm still coughing up blood, so I want to get far, far away."
Major Clifford turns to Moxi. "Is this the only target? What else do you know lieutenant?"
"I..." Lieutenant Moxi begins. Her voice sounds uncertain. "I'm not sure. There's too much noise...it's everywhere....it's, I can't tell which is which, and where anything is...."
Lieutenant Prahm's smile falters. "We're both damaged. Cut off. We know as much as you do Lieutenant."
"There is a Zair fleet stationed around orbit on the planet Enrir in Solandas," Major Clifford says. "At the very least we should reconvene with them!"
"No," Lieutenant Sette says. "We get out of this system. Now."
You slowly turn your attention back to the viewport. Jodem grows smaller as the merchant fleet travels. But you can still make out the spiral of alien pyramids drifting through space towards the planet's surface.
[] Take the time to attempt rescue missions for other Zair forces on nearby planets
[] Look for the Zair fleet stationed around Enrir
[] Leave the system for the forward operating base in the Turanda system
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Chapter 7: The Lies We Tell Ourselves
- Location
- Chicago
[X] Leave the system for the forward operating base in the Turanda system
The pyramids unnerve you. A lot.
Humanity first left Earth during the age of legend. The first man to travel the stars was an Indian prince with a thousand names and mythologies built up around him. He was obscenely smart, and used all his wealth to build a ship of glass and stone. Allegedly the next group to reach space were the people of Atlantis, though this is often cited as pure fantasy. Regardless, anytime someone had the means and ambition to travel to space, they did so, right up until the colonizing race began in the 19th century.
Because so many different groups had left earth throughout its history, the great European powers found that all the nearby systems were already inhabited. There were altered humans, constructed beings, and animal hybrids, all the descendants of the first settlers. Of course these creatures were marveled at during subjugation, but afterwards they were assimilated back into the fold as Earth expanded its borders further and further. They were just the products of foreign environments and human ingenuity, after all.
But whatever Lieutenant Moxi and Prahm were, was not native to Earth. And the sheer alien nature of their existence set off alarm bells ringing in your head whenever you looked at them. They were wrong, dangerous, the other. And somewhere deep down in the most primal part of your brain, you knew you needed to put as much distance between yourself and the pyramids raining down on Jodem.
"We're returning to Turanda," you say as you stare through the viewport. "Contact the gate garrison, tell them we're coming. And open a channel to all remaining Solandas forces that the commander is ordering a system-wide retreat."
Lieutenant Sette and Major Clifford share a look. "Communications aren't working commander," Sette says. "Either the Mirandans or..." you can tell she's trying not to look out the window, or at Moxi and Prahm. "Something else has interfered with our signals."
"Send it anyway," you say, leaving the viewport. "The gate garrison won't open fire on a merchant fleet until we're able to use short range comms, at the very least." You make your way to the captain's quarters. The previous owner had kept it sparse, with only a few pictures of family, a bed, a chair, and a liquor cabinet. You help yourself to a bottle and settle down in the chair. Three glasses of brandy later, a knock interrupts your dark thoughts. "Enter."
Compressed air is released as the door opens. Doctor Langley and Mr. Harker stand in the frame. "Commander," the doctor says. He grins as he enters. "I hope we aren't disturbing you?"
You glance at your empty glass, then set it on the table. "Not at all, what is it?"
"It's about the alien lifeforms," Doctor Langley says. His demeanor reminds you of an eager child. You can only wonder how such a man got involved with the ruthless Boramen.
"But first," Mr. Harker says. "We would like to revisit the terms of our alliance. As I understand it, we are returning to the Turanda system?"
"That is correct," you say.
"Then," Mr. Harker says. "I assume we can expect full immunity for any crimes committed by our organization and former countrymen?"
You don't answer for a moment. You're unsure what Mr. Harker's role in the Boramen is, but the man's personality is in sharp contrast to Doctor Langley. If the latter was a puppy, the former would be a hawk. "Sure," you say. "Full immunity. Though I can't guarantee we won't all be standing trial in a Mirandan court soon."
Mr. Harker gives you a grim smile. "We'll take the small victories commander, and leave the larger questions for the future. Thank you, that puts me and my fellow Boramen at ease."
"Now," Doctor Langley says. "Let us talk about your Lieutenant Prahm, and what we just witnessed on Jodem!"
"I'd rather not," you say. You pick up the brandy bottle and take a swig.
"Oh but we must! Your men are starting to fall sick, and have been for some time if I understand correctly! This and that are related!"
You narrow your eyes. You hadn't allowed yourself to think about it yet, but it was true that soldiers had been falling sick since Khamak station. "Do you know something?"
"I know that physiological change takes energy, and so far I haven't been able to pinpoint the source of that energy. And when we traveled through Aleria I saw many fungal statues that I believe were formerly human. But there were also humans had not been transformed under the same conditions. There is a trigger, you see, but I can't figure out what it is."
"My sick soldiers, are they in danger?"
"I have no idea!" Doctor Langley says, his excitement growing. "Your Lieutenant Prahm was unable to provide me with any insight as to the nature of his transformation, and the few limited procedures I performed on him revealed his body is less than it appears! There's no circulatory system, no organs, just tube-like structures running through the entire length! I couldn't even find a brain in the x-ray! With so many unknowns, I would like to request permission to separate the sick and begin immediate study. If one of them transforms, I want to record everything!"
"I want my people cared for medically, not dissected. Permission denied."
Doctor Langley frowns. Mr. Harker clears his throat. "I will admit our scientists are a bit over eager at times," he says. "But I can promise both medical care and scientific progress if you'll indulge Langley. He's the genius behind our cloning program, and understands biology and chemistry far beyond anyone else in our party."
You don't respond for a few moments. In truth you just want to be left alone. You take one more sip of brandy and wipe your mouth with the back of your hand. "Fine, prioritize medical care, if I find out you're cutting open my people I'll hang you myself."
"Thank you commander!" Doctor Langley says. "You'll see! A breakthrough here will change everything!"
The Solandas gate seems mostly abandoned. There are a few Zair cruisers left to protect it, and a skeleton crew to activate the tunnel, but other than that you can't find a ranking officer higher than a captain. You give them the order to remain at their station to assist anyone else who might retreat from Solandas after you. The garrison is nervous, but agrees.
It takes several days to travel through the tunnel. Tension on the ship gives way to hope as you near your destination. The soldiers can sense your desire to return to Zair, and have completely entrusted you with their lives. No one talks about what was witnessed on Jodem. It would break what little strength of will remains.
You exit the gate in front of the planet Palios. You are immediately greeted by the 1st, 3rd, and 4th Zair fleets in orbit. After a tense series of communications, you are given permission to land.
Palios is a planet covered in water and darkness. The Turandan sun does not reach the planet, and thus it orbits in perpetual night. The oceans of the planet are also still like glass. Being on Palios is like staring at a mirror in a dark room. The only light comes from luminescent algae that sometimes floats to the surface, and the giant rigs that the Zair government has taken over from the locals.
Many of the rigs are large enough to house cities. The largest of them is called Goppy, and it is here that the Zair forward operating base was established in haste as the 2nd and 5th fleets moved to enter Solandas. The Zair bases grew more established as the fighting dragged on. Now that three other fleets now orbit Palios, the rigs are practically filled to the brim with republican forces.
You gaze out the window of your landing shuttle as you pass over inky-black waters. There are no waves, nor ripples. The planet-wide ocean is truly as still as a grave. In the distance lies the vibrant glowing lights of rigs rising up out of the water. Your landing shuttle grows closer and closer, and then you arrive among the spires and mega-structures of Goppy.
"Presenting Commander John Mackerel of the Solandas unified front!" an officer yells.
You stroll into the command center with Major Clifford and Lieutenant Sette flanking you. The room is covered in monitors and holographic displays. Men and women wearing Zair military uniforms turn and salute you. All save one group in the center. They turn to you, revealing three men and a woman wearing the uniforms of fleet admirals and a system commander. You make a beeline for them and come to a stop.
"Greetings commander," One of the men says. He's a fleet admiral, with sharp features and gray-speckled dark hair. "And welcome to the Zair forward operating base in Turanda. My name is Admiral Glenn of the 1st fleet, and with me is Admiral Quigley of the 3rd fleet, Admiral Verce of the 4th, and Commander Shetland of the Turandan expeditionary force." the two men and woman all nod to you. Admiral Glenn tilts his head slightly as he studies you and your companions. "I must admit to some surprise at seeing you here Commander Mackerel. We have not received comms from Solandas for some time, and the new high command had not sent word that they made contact with you."
"All communication is cut off in the Solandas system," you say. "Jodem is lost and the other planets will soon follow. There is a new alien threat present, and our entire Republic is endanger."
The woman, Admiral Quigley, frowns. "Alien threat? Surely you are mistaken."
Your expression grows hard. "I am not admiral. I witnessed unfathomable horrors on Jodem. People turning into plants, black rain, and alien pyramids falling from orbit. We must immediately retreat to the Zair system and prepare for its eventual arrival."
The admirals and commander all share a look. Admiral Glenn narrows his eyes. "I'm afraid what you're suggesting is unthinkable commander. It appears you have prematurely abandoned your post, or worse, deserted. The Zair Republic is preparing a new assault from Palios. Our fleets and ground forces will be launching into Solandas to drive back the Mirandans once and for all."
Admiral Vence, a portly man with a handlebar mustache, nods. "Indeed commander. Had you waited a few more days, you would have received innumerable reinforcements."
"Forget all that!" You say. Your voice echoes around the command center, causing the technicians and officers to quiet down. You gesture in anger. "Did you hear what I said about aliens! And even in their absence, the Mirandans would have crushed us! Solandas is a lost cause! This war is over! We must return to Zair immediately and prepare for the worst!"
The admiral and commander don't respond for a few moments. Admiral Glenn raises his chin and stares down the end of his nose at you. "Those are words of treason, commander. The Zair Republic will not fall, nor will this war end in a loss. We have the means, the men, and the courage to drive out the Mirandans, and we will do so as soon as we are done gathering our forces. Any claims of aliens can easily be attributed to a nefarious new weapon developed by the Mirandans, much like their psychic bomb."
"We must stop them before they can use more of these weapons against us!" Admiral Vence says, shaking a fist.
"Although I should have you court-martialed for abandoning your post," Admiral Glenn says. "I will instead offer you redemption. You will lead our assault into Solandas, and you will help us drive out the UMS forces. As is befitting your rank and original mission."
"I am not a general you can order around," you say, gritting your teeth. "I am the commander of the Solandas expedition forces, and I have authority outside your fleet chain of command."
"These are orders from Zair high command," Commander Shetland says. "We have restructured since the cowardly attack on our command structure, and our new military leaders have set in motion a plan for victory. You can either join us, or stand trial commander. The choice is yours."
Admiral Glenn nods. "Glory to the Zair Republic commander, forever and always. We will triumph, with or without you."
You stand there in shock. The hushed murmurs of the watching officers and technicians echo around you.
[] Refuse, present Moxi and Prahm, as well as the Boramen scientists
[] Agree, lead the combined Zair forces back into Solandas
[] Pretend to agree, then flee in the merchant fleet at the first opportunity
[] Pretend to agree, then have Lieutenant Moxi and Prahm take out the admirals and commander
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