Condition: Null [DiD - Total Xenon Xenocide] - BANKS, RANA - KIA

[Musicker]

Enjoyable story - I look forward to future chapters.

[eldyranx3]

Thanks for reading! I'm only one or two chapters ahead at this point, so updates may come a little slower unless I can get some good play time in over Christmas.

[Epiphany]

Good read, definatly looking forward to more.

[eldyranx3]

2938-05-03 06:44 - Chapter 14- Lost in Space

With ‘Scanner Darkly’ exploring the far west near Aladna Hill, I think I’ve found what could be my first Paranid Sector, Third Redemption. Still, I don’t see any more lucrative and lone MT’s on the Spy network at the moment, so I better see what Jackson wants in the Moon. No sooner than I report to Jackson flying a Tyr than I’m told I’ll be sweeping for hostiles in a lost Terran sector while the Tyr looks for the AGI scientist, Winters. I take the Thor, the Cutlass, and Green Wing as it sounds like Jackson expects speed over brute force.

The gate-less jump does seem all that bad. Worse for the Tyr, as damage control reports micro fractures in their hull. Man is this sector huge. Jackson assigns me to sweep the surrounding sector for possible stations. After about an hour of flight time, we come across a station with a hot reactor. I was personally expecting a gutted shell with how long its been sitting out here. An odd ship departs the station and stops just shy of EMPC range. Thats when some pasty skinned fat man with a Japanese accent comes across the comm.

Winters isn’t around. Looks like he stole their ... um AGI protectors and took off. While Jackson takes an envoy on an away mission, Im told to form a defensive Pear-E-Meter and guard against any incursion. Sure enough both Terraformer and Xenon pop up on the grav. Not a bunch, but enough that the fur ball lights of the station next to us. Green wing forms on my six and shakes off any bogies that think they can take me. Its all over in a brief thirty seconds, and Im glad to see everyone in Green Wing forms back up after the grav is clear.

The AGI’s attack trajectory leads us to this. I’m told to board the CPU ship with a bunch of Terran elite marines, but I don’t think they will get far with no mechanical skill and with this in the way so I pull them back at the last moment. After the AGI White Whale is harpooned, this Ahab is marginally satisfied. But even when I bring the Aldrin dignitaries home, the fireworks seem pyric at best. At least the view is nice. From this high up, you can still see the Cubs Losing!

I have to stay frosty though. Free-roaming AGI still menaces our sectors. I will not rest until they are nullified.

Account: 6,317,201

New Fleet Assets:
(01) USC TP Scabbard - ‘Lost in Space’
(01) USC M8 Claymore - ‘Fail-Deadly’

[eldyranx3]

2938-05-03 08:35 - Chapter 15 - Wildcards

As Sol rises on my hometown of Boss-Ten, I look down through the void of space to the shimmering Atlantic Ocean from the high Earth orbit of the Torus. Its been just three days since the first Terraformer / Xenon wave breached our outer system patrols, but its felt like weeks. Despite stopping AGI development in the Commonweath, free roaming Xenon still threaten our gates. I look over my meager contribution to the war effort and realize its not enough. It will never be enough, but I have to keep building and destroying until the last line of erroneous code is smashed from the Xenon core sectors, where ever they may be.

With the Terran economy resource base stabilized, the next order of business is to grow my personal fleet and halt further Xenon Incursions into known space. Once my fleet can sustain extended combat operations deep inside hostile territory, then I will begin securing Xenon sectors one at a time. Soon, all that will be left will be the broken husks of K’s and stations, drifting inert in the lifeless void of space.

As long as I don’t get myself killed along the way that is.

And if I’m going to grow the fleet, I’m going to need marines and a TM. And I think I may have a new supply of would be grease monkeys turned marines. Still, that's going to take some time to separate out mechanics from maniacs and give the maniacs some halfway serious training. A few quick troop transport missions earn me a quick 6M more credits, so money is not a factor. That MT on the other hand, is going to take some doing.

While Im waiting for the current batch of grease monkeys to finish their training and to begin the sorting process, Ive had to strip out the IRE’s on ‘Scanner Darkly’ to make room for jump fuel. Its got a one way ticket to Aldrin space to see whats out there. It will just have to join the growing list of ships that need that TM for retrieval or rapid deployment. I also commission three more Baldrics to sell off surplus energy and space peanut butter.

After the sorting process I have the my Special Ops team assembled, led by none other than Terran Scot Keppel. In order to motivate them, I send the Wildcards some new Toys to play with. After they begin their 2M credits worth of intense training off in Ceo’s Sprite, I’m left with this bunch of rejects. With a name like Yohulbus, the only thing I expect my mechanic will do is cut the hull. Cho t’Kt happens to be one of the leftovers from Desperate Measures. Little hands says its time to rock and roll.

Begin Operation: Above and Beyond

After a quick refuel at the military base in Eighteen Billion, which Ive decided to deem my unofficial forward operations base, I check Gunne’s Crusade and Hatikvah’s Faith for any TM traffic. Primary targets are Paranid and Pirate TM’s. Secondary targets are Split or Yaki. I’m just not that eager yet to kick the Argon government in this shins after the recent political developments, and since the Teladi just elevated me to Company Manager status after dumping several million credits directly into their military budgets, I dont feel the need to wreck that unless I have good reason.

I jump into Hatikvah’s Faith and within minutes a Paranid TM jumps in under the guns of a Deimos. I bide my time until the M7 turns and leaves through the west gate, then stalk the Helios. A few anti-matter warheads up its tailpipe drops the 400MJ worth of shielding the TM has, and only after I launch marines does the Beetle realize I mean business. His own four escorts launch and buzz around me, pelting my 1GJ of shielding with IREs, but by that time the rejects are in and putting up a much better fight than Disposable Assets did.

While I take care of the knats buzzing around me with some poltergeist, the two surviving marines clear deck two and hack the core. I’m proclaimed a Tainted Warrior for jacking one of the Beetle’s military assets, but I don't really care. The only good bug is a dead bug.

Operation Complete.

Account: 10,352,711

New Fleet Assets:

(01) Paranid TM Helios ‘Saratoga'
(03) USC TS Baldric CAG

[eldyranx3]

2938-05-03 11:31 - Chapter 16 - Death Blossom

After getting ‘Saratoga’ retrofitted with standard Terran equipment it goes about retrieving ‘Kessel Run’ from Zyarth’s Dominion and ‘Scanner Darkly’ and ‘Lost in Space’ from Aldrin. ‘Scanner Darkly’ only covered about an eighth of the sector, but once I get ‘Kessel Run’ outfitted with ECS and Duplex scanners, that might go a lot quicker. I don’t have any weapons for my MT yet, but if ‘Saratoga’ has to defend herself, Ive got more problems than just that going on.

While I send the remainder of my Terran marines from ‘Lost in Space’ to train at the EQ dock in Ianumus Zero in capital ship repair, I stumble up yet another Xenon Sector, designated X101. Intel is sketchy, but it seems to be a bone yard for derelict Xenon hulks. There’s a rumor of some big grav contacts in there, bigger than stations but in various profiles suggesting decommissioned dread-naughts or worse. I’ll assign it low priority unless there is signs of salvaging activity, but for now I wont bother to peek in there just yet.

I decide to invest in another addition to the fleet while Im at it. It pretty much zeroes out the last of my account, but in the end, I think its looks shiny, mean, and just bristles with EMPC’s. And that’s just the Fenrir’s underbelly! I load up ‘Gunstar’ with about 45 poltergeists, and yes, I set the missile fire probability to 100%, on condition that there are 20 or more ships within range. Once I assign ‘Gunstar’, ‘Eagle V’, and ‘Indiscriminate Justice’ to White Wing and make ‘Saratoga’ their mini-carrier home base, I think its time to marshal the fleet in Eighteen Billion and prepare to drop some Antimatter Retribution on X472.

Begin Operation: Death Blossom

I jump into the East Gate of X472 with my fingers crossed. I breath a sigh of relief when no PPC fire slams into my shields. Just like before, most of the heavy hardware concentrates at the South Gate, ambushing the suicidal freighters that try to run the machine gauntlet. The initial strategy I had laid out involved using Green Wing as a fighter screen for my bombers while they rained righteous fury down upon the frigates, carrier, and destroyer. White Wing would guard my six against that angry mass of LX’s, while my Katana would soak up any stray shots and cause mayhem with its three turrets.

That plan promptly falls apart when I realize the sector is too small for complex fleet maneuvers.

Instead I play a dicey game of cat and mouse, jumping to opposite gates when the Q’s close to range. I take a few PPC shots, but I make sure to charge the jump drive early and often. Instead, ‘Nukem’ Rico’ and ‘Fail-Deadly’ take turns making barrage runs at the massive gob of cap ships. Of the 100 phantoms I took with me, only about 70 of them find their mark as the concentration of enemy turrets prove hard to overcome.

Still, with persistence my bombers clear the last of the heavy assets and jump back to Missile Plex to rearm. While they are picking up more Phantoms, I clear the incoming wave of LX’s with a hail of Wraiths, then jump in the Fleet to deploy as originally planned. A good eight barrages to the Xenon Station drops it, but things get hairy when the remainder of the L’s and M’s swarm my fleet. The action is heavy, and once or twice one of Green Wing comes close to hull damage, but their M4 maneuverability and poltergeist swarms keep them safe.

'Eagle V’ comes out of it the worst, getting nicked up some by a rather determined LX, but the mechanics aboard the 'Saratoga’ will take care of that. And no. Nothing ever touches ‘Gunstar’. An M makes the mistake of grazing its shields, and the immediate space around them fills with missile trails. I was pretty confident there was ten N’s there a second ago.

When the dust settles and my bomber's launch tubes are empty once again, the Xenon Shipyard still stubbornly stands. With great reluctance I recall the fleet back to Terran space and stand guard while White Wing docks to ‘Saratoga’. I’m out of ordnance and out of time. Right before I jump out, the flashes of P2P jump signatures flash just outside scanner range, announcing Xenon reinforcements. With Operation: Death Blossom a marginal success, the Brass congratulates me for not losing a single man during the Op.

I would have gladly popped any one of them in the launch tubes if they were willing to hold on to an Antimatter Warhead, but that's need to know, and neither the Brass nor my crew need to know that.

Operation: Incomplete

Account: 1,671,831

New Fleet Assets:

(01) ATF M3+ Fenrir ‘Gunstar'

[eldyranx3]

2938-05-03 14:32 - Chapter 17 – Ones and Zeroes

While I fume in my captain’s quarters aboard ‘Death Trap’ my Teladi economic consultants inform me that the operational cost of Operation Death Blossom, accounting for jump fuel, expended Phantoms, Wraiths, and inflation, comes to roughly 3.2M credits. The Xenon loss of (1) K, (1) J, (5) Qs, and (6) LXs equates to a loss of roughly 210M credits, for a CCE (Combat Cost Efficiency) of [1|65.5]. My Teladi advisers hiss out with cold blooded assurance that it was a good operation, but I don’t buy it.

For one, the Chips don’t use credits. For two, their production efficiency surpasses anything beyond human imagination. Even as I write up this report for USC Intel, four more Q’s have reinforced X472. Where they get their raw materials for production no one knows. I have no doubt that if the Chips wised up and performed a full assault on my one Commonwealth race they could easily wipe it out. Why they haven’t begun a coordinated drive to wipe out biological life is a great mystery.

Either way, its going to take a while for the USC to understand the full implication of my Operation. It will take months for them to appropriate contracts for new shipyards and weapons facilities. Even then our fragile food base barely meets the current demand as is. I don’t know if we have that much time. The Battle to stop Commonwealth AGI development may be over, but the War for Earth has just begun.

While I transmit my report to the Brass, a sudden call comes out from the Federal Argon Installation in Black Hole Sun. According to them, a sudden surge of Xenon activity in X472 suggests 89% probability of a counter attack. Without calling me out directly, they ask for additional support. With no Argon Patrols right now in Black Hole Sun, I can see why they would be worried.

White and Green Wing jump in to help me take care of the three P’s and one L that come through the North Gate. I fire off a Wraith volley for each of the P’s, damaging them at range before White Wing sweeps in for the kills. Green Wing takes off after the L, and five minutes after the counter attack begins, I end it with cathartic zeal. While that helps with some frustration, I grudgingly turn back to my smattering of stations.

Once I raise up enough money through small time troop transport missions and the occasional M3 salvage ops in Terran Space, I expand the Water Processing Complex and Space Peanut Butter Complex in Venus. I still haven’t made a dent in that (04) XL SPP plant scheme in the inner system. While Im at it I plunk down four Large Carbo Cake factories in Venus as well. Afterwards I shift around some Commercial Agents and give the new complex some credits to get it started. Still, no big score shows up in Terran Space, and with the last Xenon Incursion only netting me a paltry 450k, I can’t easily justify the risk to my service men and women when I can transport some marines and get twice that in one go.

There is an anomalous mission that pops up at the Saturn Research Station, though. They need a Terran M5 stat, and are willing to pay 1M credits for delivery. I commission a ATF M5 Valkyrie and send it over, but the Eggheads look at me like Im Boron or something. Turns out only a Rapier will do, and with 'Saratoga’s help, I make their deadline by scant minutes to spare. Still, I look over the stats for the Valkyrie and wonder why I haven’t purchased one before.

With a top speed of 540 m/s, 140 M-sized cargo units, and 5MJ shielding, its the perfect scout for only 50K. It's odd that it shares the same layout as the ATF M4, can you tell which is which? I outfit 'C-Viper’ with the essentials and may send it to Aldrin to help ‘Kessel Run’. Until then something just popped up on the salvage network that requires my immediate attention.

Account: 4,196,720

New Fleet Assets:

(01) ATF M5 Valkyrie ‘C-Viper'

New Factory Assets:

Space Peanut Butter Complex - Venus
(04) Protein Paste Blending Factory L

Carbo Cake Pie Complex
(04) Carbo Cake Factory L

Water Complex
(04) Water Processing Plant M

[eldyranx3]

2938-05-03 17:31 - Chapter 18 – Shockwave and Awe

So after re-negotiating one or two salvage contracts and running a good many transport missions, I have a meager 50M credits to spend. That may sound like a lot, but there has been a slight disruption in the availability of Shockwave Cannons as of late. While looking through the Operational Logs to check on the CAG pilots, I notice that the transponder for 'Parking Ticket' SCC #3 located past the Oort Cloud has stopped transmitting.

I doubt that means the docking bay closed down with the Rapier still in the doors, so that leaves roaming Kha'ak or an errant pirate to blame. Investigation digs up not one but two pirate bases that have set up shop on the very far edges of the Solar System. But what to do with them? The Brass doesn't seem to be all that concerned with aliens ferrying illicit substances through the space lanes. And for now, as long as they behave, I guess I'll leave them be.

But with SSC production now cut by a third, I may have to start producing my own. Sure, there are two remaining hijacked SSC forges in the mid and inner systems, with a few products scattered here and there in Patrol Bases, but it takes three hours to build a single one. Outfitting a -single- Odin would take days. If I am going to get serious about halting AGI, its time to break into the business of Capital weaponry.

My Teladi advisers have calculated that the Large Energy Core in Pluto can supply four SSC forges and its supporting stations. Even after all that, it would still generate 4k energy cells per hour as surplus. I think I'll just do two for now and rely on the mines in the Kuiper Belt. I can always expand the Energy Core as needed too if energy supply falters again. While I'm at it I add two more Phantom Missile Fabs to Missile Plex and commission four more Baldrics to the CAG fleet.

After about an hour of micromanaging thirty or so factories and their CAG's, I say screw it and jump Down South to scratch my trigger finger. Nothing shows up in Eighteen Billion yet but those paranoid Argon next to X472 are more than willing to let me blow machines to bits-stop-one. I bring along 'Death Trap' with 'Die by the Sword' for close escort duty while Green Wing snatches up anything that can outrun me.

The Chips' logic boards must be faulty today. Only two P's with escorts. If the Argon consider that 'Hard' I wanna see 'Trivial'. I can see 'Impossible' being maybe a K and J with escorts, but I have two Claymores locked and loaded. Either way, I send a volley of wraiths after the two P's and close after the M interceptors. Instead of prioritizing the missiles, the two P's instead turn on me with ion shard fury.

Six Antimatter launchers to their front sensor arrays disagrees. I turn back to the escorts, expecting them to swarm me, but instead the N's make for the North Gate. Green Wing jumps North and intercepts them while I blow apart the straggling L's from behind. Easy 1M. The same can't be said of my next Xenon Incursion.

Same setup, but this time throw in a patrolling Dragon M6 Corvette. Given my call sign, what do you think happened? Somehow my wraiths get chewed up by the Dragon's top point defense array a bit too close to its hull. Kaboom. The next thing I know its remaining M8 escorts' IFF flips red as my turrets engage with equal opportunity mayhem. I drop two Split ranks in that Cluster-Flak, not that I really care.

With the Wraith's horrible turn rate, I experiment with a patrolling Q a few sectors away to see if those are more suitable targets. Magic Eight Ball says All Signs Point To Yes. I close down the launch tubes, refuel and rearm the fleet, then call it a day.

Account: 16,688,739

New Fleet Assets::

(04) USC TS Baldric CAG

New Factory Assets:

Energy Core - Pluto
(01) Solar Power Plant L
(01) Crystal Fab L
(01) Silicon Mine L (64 yield)
(02) USC Food Supply Factory L
(02) Protein Paste Blending Factory L
(02) Starburst Shockwave Cannon Forge

Missile Plex - Asteroid Belt
(04) Phantom Missile
(01) Poltergeist Missile
(01) Wraith Missile
(01) Ore Mine L (50 yield)
(01) USC Food Supply Factory L
(01) Protein Paste Blending Factory L

[eldyranx3]

2938-05-03 23:39 - Chapter 19 – '... Die by the Sword'

With all the Xenon traffic going through Family Zyarth up through Ocean of Fantasy, there must be more that just X598 on the eastern frontier of the Commonwealth. Maybe even a Xenon Core Sector. No sooner than I check the Sat Network I've placed though eastern split Sectors than another Q pops up. Its like playing whack a mole. I take a few hours to scout out North past Ocean of Fantasy.

While in Menelaus' Paradise, I'm offered a Xenon Defend Mission from X597. That's one that isn't on my maps. At least not yet. And it looks like the squids' static defense OWP seems to be taking care of business without me. After that spectacle is done with, it looks like some more stragglers pop in through the west gate. Odd. Unless there is another Xenon Sector past that one, namely, X534. Two Xenon Sectors within one jump of each other? I'm guessing that Core Sector has to be around here somewhere.

With food fabs in the mid system reaching saturation, largely due to the complexes Ive created in Venus, I can only think that tech stations will start setting up shop. Its not a sure thing though. There is always the factor of too much of any one single commodity. Either way I probably wont have to babysit the economy unless something drastic happens. I guess from here on out it looks like good old Xenon stomping for me.

First up, a Hard Xenon Defend Mission in Black Hole Sun. Looks like the Chips are actually taking me serious for once. A fair number of P's and its escorts. Ive got White Wing on station to help with keeping the boogies off me, and Ive set 'Die by the Sword' to fly close escort as well. There isn't any close calls, but I do seem to run out of antimatter warheads during the furball. Not a big deal, since I have 'Die by the Sword' to lend me ...

My USC M6 is nowhere to be seen. Last I checked its turrets were happily chewing up L's. I check the operations log and see that the crew of 'Die by the Sword' got a bit too overzealous in taking on the Xenon. I file my post operations report with the Brass and am cleared of any negligence within a few hours. Even the families of the crew are scratching their heads, wondering what possessed the captain of the corvette to make a kamikaze run on the most heavily defended Xenon sector known thus far.

My Teladi advisers estimate the ships loss to be around 15M credits all told, including equipment, ammo, and weapons. Even though I give an involuntary cringe at the number, I can't say I really shelled out that much for her. I knew this day would come. The day when some of my crew wouldn't make it back. A midnight moment of silence for the valiant crew of 'Die by the Sword', please.

...

Hmpp. DIS-missed.

Account: 25,216,102

Fleet Losses:

(01) USC M6 Katana 'Die by the Sword'

[eldyranx3]

2938-05-04 02:39 - Chapter 20 – The Price of Freedom ...

While some families have yet to awaken and receive their tragic news, the war goes on. I retreat back to Terran space in a sullen fugue, taking the odd search and rescue mission. Within minutes a derelict USC M6 pops up on the salvage network on the fringes of Uranus. I hurry and send 'Pressed into Service' over with a small contingent of Teladi mechanics to start patching her up even as I limp her over to the closest Orbital Defense Station. Right before the mission timer runs out, 'But I'm NOT an Alien!' ferries over a smattering of Antimatter Launchers and 200 MJ shields, just in case.

I jump the wreck out to Eighteen Billion while my mechanics fix and outfit the replacement M6. After a transponder change and a jump to Thyn's Abyss, 'Eternal Vigilance' receives word of another imminent Xenon Incursion. Before I can get 'Saratoga' in and deploy White Wing alongside 'Death Trap', a P jumps in with a long trail of fighter escort, cutting me off. Its not so much the P I'm worried about. I'm low on poltergeists and those PBE's sting when concentrated en-mass.

I engage the string of L's and start filling the air with swarms, hoping to thin down the worst of the fire until White Wing can get within range. I smash only two of the L's before Im forced to Emergency Jump just up to the North Gate. My shields start to buckle as the drive charges. Down to 35%. 32%, Jumping. I clear the gate just as White Wing comes within range of the fighters.

Gunstar does its thing and Death-Blossoms the smaller N's while 'Eagle V' seems to distract a L all on its very own. Only a few Ms and one L make it within range of my four antimatter launchers. When the debris disperse, I'm surprised to see this spoil of war. I swing down to finish off the remaining three Ps and then jump the escorts back to rearm and refuel. Aside from that nasty PBE pelting, the Op went down well.

I jump back into Terran Space to check on the economy. Within a day of deploying my Carbo Cake factories, they seem to be a victim of their own success. The mean value of the C-Ration in Terran space has bottomed out, odd since almost all the Terran missile fabs eat them up at a breakneck pace. Between that and Water, missiles were always hard to keep in stock. There is enough of a secondary resource market for water that I'm confident will keep my water processing complex busy, but for now, I shut down the Carbo Cake Pie complex.

For the next hour or so I work the search and rescue angle, and I only have to renegotiate the salvage contracts for two more Katanas and a Cutlass. There's a few military transport missions that show up for 3M each. I like easy money. The oddest job I take is delivering some replacement parts for a Pirate Base's Nav Computer. It's not illegal per say, but I still consider it a small dirty deed done not so dirt cheap.

It did help pay for my newest ATF shipyard commission, though. I cant wait to take her out of drydock.

Account: 1,408,722

New Fleet Assets:

(01) USC M6 Katana 'Eternal Vigilance'
(01) Xenon M3 L 'Blown to Bit-Stop-One'
(01) ATF M7 Aegir 'Kharak'

[tidurlagi]

Wow, an Aegir. That a good ship.

[eldyranx3]

Wow, an Aegir. That a good ship.

Indeed!

2938-05-04 07:01 – Chapter 21 – Why Anti-Matter Matters

Some astute USC Captains I used to work with noticed I went from the Fenrir straight to the Aegir, skipping right past the Vali. The Vali happens to be a sore spot among USC engineers, for several reasons.

One, its slow. Its as slow as a Baldric, so it fails as a convoy escort. Two, its turrets are miss-matched, with an antimatter launcher option on the right flank, but non on the left. Three, it has the smallest cargo capacity of the three Terran corvettes, only 850-L sized cargo units. Four, it has the worst turn rate of any Terran corvette. Its only benefit is an extra 200MJ shield slot.

Its price tag? A whopping 14.4M credits. The Vali is what happens when the USC locks itself into a defense contract.

The Aegir on the other hand, is one of the best Frigate designs in known space. Its actually faster than the Katana, sports almost twice the turrets of the Yokohama with nearly 270 degree SSC coverage, and carries almost 10,000 XL-sized cargo units, more than the Tyr. The only thing that could make the Aegir better would be PSP options in the forward batteries.

While eight antimatter launchers are nothing to sneeze at, for a M7, its forward range and punch can be somewhat lacking. It was designed to compliment the Skinir M7M, but I think I will save that tactical appraisal for when I own one. Now that I have this massive powerhouse in my personal fleet, my chances of survival against anything but a K just increased ten fold.

Its too bad that it pretty much taps my credit reserves. Looks like Im going to have to call in 'Eternal Vigilance' and 'Death Trap' in to gut their weapon load outs. Outfitting the full compliment of seven SSC's in the top, bottom, and back turrets pretty much taps out the whole Terran Economy as well. Once I get more credits, two more SSC forges are going to be a top priority. Before 'But I'm NOT an Alien!' can snatch up some Wraith Missiles, my business contacts in PTNI headquarters sends me an Emergency Distress Call.

Seems some Q is on a direct intercept course with PTNI, and while their Shrike is on station, they would rather pay me 250K to halt the Q rather than pay for Gauss cannon ammo. Like the P, the Q is surprisingly nimble, weaving between the rows of asteroids with perfect machine precision. Several times automated collision warning klaxon blare on the command bridge as my side turrets close within meters of their pockmarked surfaces. The Q plays a dangerous game of cat and mouse in the asteroid field, but in the end makes a tactical error and spins on its side, exposing its turret-less belly.

The Aegir's eight forward antimatter launchers open up, annihilating its shielding. The side launchers kick in as they come within range, bringing to bear up to six more depending on my ship's angle. The massive amount of antimatter burrowing into its thin hull plating sparks a reactor core breach, blinding the command bridge momentarily. There is a false sense of calm as the Q's PPC fire halts, its massive hulk drifting for a few seconds without power right before a massive nova and shock wave slams 'Kharak', dropping the shields down to 87%.

And this is why Antimatter Matters.

Without needing much escort, I begin a systematic seek and destroy of all wandering Q's seen on my Nav Sat Network. Besides being immensely fulfilling, the Q's even drop some booty here and there. While in Black Hole Sun, there is a simultaneous two pronged attack from the Xenon which 'Kharak' handles beautifully with the assistance of Green Wing.

While I play recycler the space lanes, I send 'But I'm NOT an Alien' out to refit my two corvettes with some Antimatter Launchers to give them back some bite. Within fifteen minutes the Baldric sends this disturbing message. Great. A single M7 outfitting strips the USC of 80% of its weapon supply. If I don't do something drastic, I may not have a homeworld left to come back to.

Account: 10,530,370

[eldyranx3]

2938-05-04 10:21 – Chapter 22 – Homeworld

After blowing apart a few straggling Xenon patrols in Thynn's Abyss, I have to come to a hard decision. Either I can return to Terran Space and hope for a salvageable M7, or I can raid a Xenon Sector and recycle a few cap ships in the hope that one or two of them might drop some decent sell able goods. In the end I decide that busting up some chips is a win win situation. More dangerous, yes, but unlike the captain of 'Die by the Sword', I hope to be a bit more strategic about it.

While I offload half my Antimatter Launchers from 'Kharak' to 'But I'm NOT an Alien' and send them back to my corvettes in the Asteroid Belt, I drop some Nav Sats in the long stretch between Black Hole Sun and Grand Exchange. I want to make sure I catch any wandering Patrols before they make their way up through Terran Space. Once I plant enough Sats, I think Im ready to make a gambit for my homeworld.

Begin Operation: Cyclon and Thanks for the Photon Cannons

Primary Objective is to loot capital salvage drops. Secondary objective is to thin out Xenon forces. So, I think I'll hit X598 first. There is plenty of room to maneuver down there, with amble time to hit and fade if needed. Alright, all hands: Battle Stations!

I jump through the South Gate and immediately my IFF klaxons blare. Opps. Wrong gate. An EJ to the North Gate brings the tactical situation more in my favor. The plan is to sit by a gate and pick off frigates and anything larger with long range bombardments. White Wing babysits 'Fail-Deadly' while I slide deeper into the sector acting as AWACS. I'd send something smaller, but with P2P Jump technology, something like this might happen.

Its a Trap!

With each barrage I send, another Q seems to jump in system. I loose count of how many ships I nuke, but the most that X598 seems to offer is a single HEPT. The one thing of interest lays off in the far distance. I didn't notice that gate before. Either way, maybe I'll have better luck in X347. Despite the flame war that is going on, it doesn't offer up much better, a single Ion Disruptor and some stray crystals. In my frustration I nuke the station and recall 'Fail-Deadly' after spending close to 500K in ordnance.

Primary Objective: Fail
Secondary Objective: Complete

After losing money on the Op rather than gaining it, I jump to Eighteen Billion to take a Very Hard Xenon Defend Mission. I barely have time to clear the gate before my worst nightmare jumps in and almost gives me a Rear Admiral. My tactical appraisal rings true, as I almost buy it before I can jump clear of ion shard range. Another five seconds and that 33% of remaining shielding would have meant but two things: Jack and ****. And Jack left for Jupiter.

I call in 'Nukem Rico!' for a bit of payback. Stupid machines.

Account: 15,643,422

[eldyranx3]

2938-05-04 12:11 – Chapter 23 - A Wolf in the Fold

After the issue with the K, space turns ominously quiet. No Q's show up on the Sat Network, and despite jumping all about Down South, the Xenon seem content to stay in their sectors. At least for now. Aside from a single 3M military transport mission in Terran Space, nada. With the downtime I pick up a M/AM Launcher forge and stick it into the Pluto Energy Core.

While I could continue expanding the Core outward, Im hemmed in by the orbital logistics dock to the south and the docking clamp to the north. For some unknown reason, the SSC forges barely take up any room at all, while the M/AM launcher forge is almost the size of a large mine. I think the next building project will be a Weapons Plex somewhere in Uranus or Jupiter, depending on ore availability.

Its too bad that the USC doesn't have a lucrative contracting niche for station construction like they do Down South. Then again, its not like we Terrans have a free market economy either. Its all Bust and little Boom. Except when it comes to raw firepower anyway. With no easy credits coming my way for the time being, I check over my mechanics and maniacs in training, but they still seem to be busy shooting up beetle dummies with EMP rifles.

While checking Nav Sats I notice one of the Argon Corporations, Jonferson Space Dynamics Division, seems to develop bio-scanning technology. With all the political developments unfolding in Circle of Labor this past week, I doubt they are going to let me waltz and just buy the equipment. Nor will the Argon take kindly to an ATF officer sending in some operatives to break in and steal said tech.

What I need is a covert plan that doesn't tie me in with Terrans. Because of recent Xenon protection efforts in Black Hole sun, the Argon have relaxed their security enough for me to slip a mole, namely Scot Keppel, into JonFerco HQ. After he reports back a list of the corporation's freighters and current whereabouts, a plan hatches to jack one of their freighters and use it to sneak off with one of their bio scanners.

Begin Operation: Wolf in the Fold

Strange how the RNG God of the Xenon can work in my favor. With a Xenon PX and escorts making their way back to X347, I slip discretely into 'Blown to Bits-Stop-One' and jump into Scale Plate Green. Using some PBE's I looted from recycled Q's earlier, I convince the freighter pilot to bail or suck vacuum. After transferring some 25MJ shields from 'Saratoga', I send 'Wolf in the Fold' to JonFerco HQ to have Keppel sneak me a bio scanner on the sly.

To anyone looking on the outside, a random Xenon L just shot up a Tech Hauler, a Paranid TM came by to offer assistance, and the Company freighter with original transponder went back home to roost.

The only fly in the ointment on this bit of cloak and dagger occurs while I wait for 'Wolf in the Fold' to transfer over the bio scanner. Out of nowhere this Unidentified Flying Object buzzes by, a bit too close for circumstance. USC Intel doesn't have anything in its data banks about it, and it's design doesn't correspond to any known Commonwealth race. Looks like things just got a lot more complicated.

Mission Complete

Account: 9,186,449

New Fleet Assets:

(01) Argon TS Mercury – 'Wolf in the Fold'

New Factory Assets:

Energy Core - Pluto
(01) Solar Power Plant L
(01) Crystal Fab L
(01) Silicon Mine L (64 yield)
(02) USC Food Supply Factory L
(02) Protein Paste Blending Factory L
(02) Starburst Shockwave Cannon Forge
(01) Matter Anti-Matter Launcher Forge

[eldyranx3]

2938-05-04 14:21 – Chapter 24 – The Clone Wars

With the ability to pick and choose which marines are worth contracting, I might be tempted to start looking into more boarding ops. While in Menelaus' Paradise the perfect target popped through a gate: a relatively unescorted Boron Kraken M7M. What were the squids doing sending a missile frigate into the sector for? I got my answer when a massive, two pronged Xenon Invasion occurs.

After helping to clean up the invasion, I wonder just what lies beyond the Xenon gates I have not dared to peek through yet. 'C-Viper' ends up scouting out X101, X534, and X597 for me. While X597 appears to be empty, a K and a J are guarding the entrance to the other two, so I wont risk sending forces in just yet.

I spend a few hours scavenging off the machines, mostly just small time drops, but one decent one. The only close call I have is almost colliding with a Q in Split space. I even get an inert M and L on my scanners, enough to almost form a TM wing. I just need another TM. You know what that means.

The first order of business is sorting a small bunch of rejects to throw to the grinder. I end up sticking in one of my coverted covert ops members to round out the five person squad, but I'm not really sure he's going to make it back. Or maybe its a she. Its hard to tell with those damn reptiles. Aren't all the females clones anyway?

After a few hours of checking the Sat Network in around Gunne's Crusade and ’s Faith no decent Paranid TM's show up on the grid. I poke 'Eternal Vigilance's sensors into Perdition's End and find something with potential. I ease through the space lanes, coming up behind the TM with gentle rolls, trying to fly casual. Considering my low standing with the Beatles, Im surprised I'm still allowed in their space.

Things get tense when an unwelcome patrol frigate pops in through the west gate. It slides above me without bring to bear any of its turrets, but Im ready to charge the jump drive just in case. Once its way on the south end of the sector I get close enough to scan the TM. Its at that time when I realize I forgot to transfer over the bio scanner, not that I'd send my clones into this laser mincer.

My search for another TM takes me halfway across Down South and back. I spend a few more hours checking the Sat Network, but each target has issues. One gets too close to a gate to make a good go one at it. Two show up in Thurak's Beard, not exactly perfect hunting grounds. I scan one which turns out to be hacker proof, the other one gets mauled by some turrets I forgot to disengage.

There is another that shows up in Perdition's End, escorted by not only a Deimos but a Zeus task force as well. Frustrated I peek deeper into pirate space in a sector called Dana's Chance. A pirate TM shows up, but gets vaped by its escort's own missiles somehow. Things are looking pretty dismal all told until finally a Paranid TM shows up back in Hatikvah’s Faith under fire from a pirate Nova. No marines and no static defenses. My rejects should be able to take it.

I get lucky for once and make a run at the TM while the escorts are docking. No ducking and weaving, no issues with getting the shields down, and better yet, I'm parked right by its airlock. The marines latch on without issue, just as the escorts decide that they better do something about the attempted jack. Things don't go so well on deck one.

Things don't go very well on deck two either but my remaining four star fighter hacker drops the last beetle with an EMP bolt and hacks the core. Only after do I transfer over a 200MJ shield do I realize that the TM is a Split Boa. Well that was a few million down the hole and a day lost in training for a 500k ship. Time to seek out some more warm bodies and get that Xenon Wing formed.

Account: 28,368,010

New Fleet Assets:

(01) Split TM Boa 'AGI Express'

Gold Wing:
(01) Xenon M3 L 'Blown to Bits-Stop-One'
(01) Xenon M3 L 'Improbability'
(01) Xenon M4 M 'Crash Dump'

[tidurlagi]

Hmm, few AGIs at AGI Task Force. Interesting.

[eldyranx3]

Hmm, few AGIs at AGI Task Force. Interesting.

The Teladi mechanic assigned to 'AGI Express' complains that 'Improbability' starts up from cold reactor shutdown at random intervals inside the Boa's hanger. I attribute the issue to salvaging the L at 1% hull integrity and lack of OEM, Xenon approved replacement parts.

2938-05-04 21:22 – Chapter 25 – To Boldly Blow Up ...

With few good and reliable meat-shields for picking I decide to clean out the training barracks In Ceo's Sprite and the three Military Outposts that Im on good contractual terms with. That's going to take some major credits and some time, but Im not sure I want to tap into the Argon marine pool just yet. While terms with the Argon are lukewarm at the moment, the Brass still has qualms about letting potential spies on my fleet assets.

I may have an economic solution for that. With my recent efforts in weapons manufacturing, ore and energy seems to be on an upswing. A few enterprising Argon have tripled mining operations in Circle of Labor, hoping to make some money off the ore deficit in our core Terran sectors. With all the Xenon Invasion defense of the Commonwealth lately, I've clawed my way back up to 34M credits. I decide to plunk down two Ghoul Missile fabs to the east gate of Jupiter to take advantage of that cheap ore and energy. Shadow Missiles will soon follow.

While Im making room for more meat shield clones a decent scavenge operation in X598 nets me another M and some more goodies. My first Xenon wing is complete. I'm torn between having a carrier or a missile frigate as my next acquisition. I've already built up a stock of seventeen SSC's and cant wait to outfit them. Planning ahead really pays off. Hence the Ghoul Missile Fabs, After moving around two Master Dealer Commercial Agents, they start pumping out missiles in preparation for the next combined assault on X472.

After the usual round of securing for Xenon Incursions, I decide to explore past the fringes of known Xenon space in my ultimate search for the Xenon Core sector. The first thing to do is to tackle exploring X534 and X597. Using 'C-Viper' as bait, it lures the K and J away from the South Gate to X534 long enough for 'Nukem' Rico!' to blow them out of space. After clearing the remaining P's out with 'Kharak', I notice some Yaki flying in from the West. Investigation turns up another gate to an Unknown Sector containing an intact but derelict Teladi ship.

Nothing much shows up in X597 except the gate to X596. Nothing in there worth noting aside from two Q's hanging out. Xenon 101 on the other hand, shows up something that I never expected. After informing USC Intel, I get the go ahead to steamroll the sector. If the Argon are right, there's something in there that cant allowed be to repaired.

Begin Operation: Drawing the Line

With the J and K pulled from the North Gate, 'Nukem' Rico!' should have sufficient clearance to pave the road. At least they left some good drops. With the immediate space around the gate clear I realize the target is just outside Phantom Range. Looks like Im going to have to escort 'Fail-Deadly' and 'Nukem' Rico!' deeper into Xenon Alley. All it would take would be a single K doing a P2P jump and I could lose the fleet. Its risky. But I, Mankind, can't afford to sit back and do nothing. The Xenon ingress must be stopped at any cost.

They invade our space and we fall back. They terraform entire worlds and we fall back. Not again. The line must be drawn HERE!

'Kharak' charges down the alley with my two M8's behind. Two PX's break off from the fighter screens and attempt to intercept, but I take one out a range with Wraiths while I pulverize the other with a barrage of antimatter. I slide into Phantom range and USC Brass gives the signal to go weapons hot.

FOX TWO!

A single L makes it past my SSC coverage and strafes 'Nukem' Rico!'. Now's not the time to wish White Wing was on escort; losing 15M of M3's along with the MT and both M8's would be worse. For once the [EJ%] function works as advertised, and 'Nukem' Rico!' pulls out of X101 just as the shipyard's superstructure gets erased from existence. I recall both bombers back to Terran Space and relay the message to Earth.

Mission Complete

Account: 23,272,284

New Factory Assets:

(02) Ghoul Missile Manufacturing Facilities – Jupiter

New Fleet Assets:

Xenon M4 M 'Flip Chip'

[Musicker]

Looking forward to more! Keep up the great work, extinguishing the Evil Electronic Entities is a most noble cause!

[eldyranx3]

2938-05-05 04:40 – Chapter 26 – The AGI Strike Back

No more than ten minutes passes after I blow the shipyard before the digested protein paste hits the air circulator. I knew blowing up a major Xenon asset would cause a few ripples Down South, but I have no idea it would cause a tsunami of machine mayhem.

Simultaneous enemy grav contacts ping across the Nav Sats in Black Hole Sun and Thynns Abyss. With most of my nuke reserves depleted from Operation Drawing the Line, I dont know if I can hold the Xenon at bay. I stop two J's from crossing Split space and no less than thirty Q's from moving deeper Down South through the fringes of Argon space. But no matter how many I smash, the machines just keep coming. I almost buy it when a swarm of Q's make their way to the South gate in Black Hole Sun and I jump into one.

With a thirty minute lull in the action I cobble together the seed for an ATF M7M Support Complex at the North Gate to Jupiter. Its not much, two Shadow Missile and a Keris fabrication facilities for now. With four Phantom fabs still not meeting fleet action needs, Im hoping a good op nets me enough to get the fabled Skinir.

The defensive culminates in a strong push by the Xenon with a J, K, three Q's, and four P's in another two pronged Xenon Invasion of Black Hole Sun. Somehow things are so hectic a stray Phantom slams into my bridge. That would have been, as the Argon say, 'A creative way to commit suicide'. I take Green Wing on station to snatch up any N's that try to make a break for it, and in the hour long battle, I earn close to 30M. After jumping clear to Heretic End and letting my battered shield charge back up I reassess the strategic situation near X472.

That's when I notice the Boron have decided to take a Task Force into X472 through Thyns Abyss. I can only guess that its in response to the AGI counter offensive to their Argon Allies. Still, I have 'C-Viper' peak into X472 to see if a Boron Carrier and two Frigates will manage. Not with a K, J, and four Q's on station they wont!

Not that I really care that much about the Squids, but maybe if I can pave the road a bit for them, they might have a chance of taking X472. 'C-Viper' does its thing and lures the mindless constructs away from the East Gate. I assess my nuke supply. Fourty Phantoms. Not good, but it will have to do. I jump 'Nukem' Rico!' in and send two barrages each after the J and K. The J goes critical and the K lists a bit from the staggering force of the barrage, but remains in operation with 48% hull.

After sending the remainder of my ordnance to finish the crippled destroyer, 'Nukem' Rico!' is dry, and I jump the M8 back to the Missile Plex to refuel. That's when the Shark jumps through the East Gate, and Im left with a hard decision. Do I stay and fight? Do I jump clear and let Odin sort them out? Ah screw it. From range, I blow one Q out of space with seven Wraiths, and knock the shields of another down to half.

That effectively splits the Xenon forces, and while I tangle with the damaged Q, the carrier's M3 escorts takes on the Xenon fighter screen. The two Threshers help the carrier with its PPC run on the station, but the remaining two Q's move to intercept. I send my remaining two volleys of Wraiths to distract them, but it ends up doing more harm than good. I have to apologize twice for friendly fire as my Wraiths explode too close to the Shark somehow.

The Shark ends up taking a nasty broadside by one of the Q's, but manages to take it out before retreating from the field of battle. The two Threshers mop up the remaining Q as the carrier's fighter screen retreats. It was close, but in the end Im still out of nukes and the Boron are falling back.

I send my report back to USC Brass and reluctantly jump out.

Account: 52,352,669

New Factory Assets:

ATF M7M Support Complex – Jupiter
(02) Shadow Missile Construction Facilities
(01) Keris Drone Factory

[Master of the Blade]

HOW many Qs? I can't get that much Xenon firepower to migrate no matter how much of their hardware I blow up. I want your Universe! (One of my main sources of income is pillaging the wrecks of Qs and other Xenon battleships for big guns.) Nice job on stopping that little wave!