Age of Dread

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Duel Kopperian Fury: The Desolation of Umwat

Upon entering hyperspace once the fleet assembled and began moving, Fleet Admiral Boris took his time, lingering in his office before inevitably taking the elevator to the bridge. When he arrived, he found ISB Major General Ivana waiting for him. The two stood in silence following the exchanging of formalities. However, while in Hyperspace, one of his officers reported receiving a transmission from the KIF Mochalivi, claiming that it needed assistance.
"Very well. Have us stop at their position first."

"Yes, Your Excellency!" The officer replied as the fleet soon after exited to find the ship torn in half, the lights on the rear section of the hull blinking on and off in distress.

BBori's eyes widened in surprise before hardening his fists.
"Urgh, order one of our shuttles to evacuate the crew." He commanded before narrowing his eyes. "Someone will suffer for this."

After the shuttle returned, he and Ivana were surprised to find they had prisoners with them, two humans wearing only pants, chests bare and covered in tattoos. Pirates or cultists, he couldn't have been sure. But regardless, he awaited for the commander of the ship to briefly him while his officers made note of the wreckage so it could be towed and rebuilt later.
 
Dimitri Sergeievich Yaroslavov swiftly exited the shuttle once it returned to the rack, the dozen or so meter thick blastdoor sealing behind him as the ship's gravity hoist latched onto their shuttle before pulling it into the ready rack.

As the air bay became pressurized, he marched to the door where he met a couple drones from the ISB's security detail. Their red eyes locked onto him while his crew was escorted out.
"Difficult day, Senior Lieutenant?"

"You could say that." He answered in reply, sighing. "I know you have questions and I will answer them. But for now, I would like to get some rest."

"Very well. Go get your rest. But, before you do. Would you mind handing over the log?" The Drone inquired, gesturing to the tablet in his hand.

Dimitri nodded before giving it to him, the ISB agents saluting him before departing as he followed behind them. However, as he did, felt the slight shift as the vessel entered hyperspace.
"Wait, where are we going?"

The two security officers turned to him. "I'm surprised you haven't guessed. Considering it was you who placed us in this position. We are going to the Omwat sector."
 
The fleet again entered hyperspace, the 6 Krova Class cruisers and 10 Kosta Class frigates with him, even if unseen. Yet, as they were going through, a darkness, something unnamed came over them. Boris could feel his core quiver, yet he remained firmly in control. Besides, with what KIF Mochalivi reported prior to its incident, he could only imagine it was this "Dark Crusade" who were responsible.

Not long after, they arrived, the ship's leaping out of hyperspace in formation.1000024810.jpg
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Boris's eyes widened at he stared at the large spiky black hulks in the distance dueling it out with a significantly smaller fleet of strange ships pianted with orange stripes. "Open the comm channel and launch fighters. I don't think it's difficult to assume the black ships are this: Dark Crusade we were warned about."
He commanded.

However, as the officers set about their tasks, the bridge doors opened to reveal two ISB security officers with an Aerospace Officer in tow.
"What is the meaning of this?" Ivana demanded with narrowed suspicion as both she and Boris turned to them.

All saluted before one ISB officer gestured to the Aerospace officer next to him.
"This is Senior Lieutenant Dmitri Sergeievich Yaroslavov, Commander of the KIF Mochalivi. He claims to-" The ISB officer began, only for Dimitri to rush to the console and point at the black ships.

"That's them! The one's who destroyed my ship! They're the one's the Republic needed help against!" He shouted, wings outstretched in rage.

Boris nodded.
"Belay the Comms and target a signal at the closest orange vessel. Tell them help has arrived, and order our ships to engage!" He commanded before marching up to the internal speaker: "Engage the cloest enemy ship!"

As soon as the order was given, all fighters onboard were deployed in short order, forming a screen around Presledov and the rest of the ships as the Korvas and Kostas advanced to complete the wedge. As soon as the Presledov's weapons trained on the first black ship approaching their position, the massive railguns opened fire with EMP/Kenetic rounds in an attempt to damage their shields while the VLS cells on either side of the superstructure began launching their weapons.

The Krovas meanwhile did the same while targeting the second closest ship while retaining their largest missiles for the moment, their 9 large, but slightly less impressive firing rapidly with EMP rounds broke the shields. All the while, dozens of small missiles launched from their bays.

The Kostas stayed beside the Krovas, adding their own railguns and missiles to the mix.


At the same time, the Presledov maneuvered itself to face the enemy, the frontal super heavy blast doors folding aside as it's primary Shipbreaker Cannon revealed itself.
 
In the hanger of the Presledov, Colonel Yuri Kirillich Yaroslavov leapt into the cockpit of his SK-80K fighter, already loaded up with its standard load out. Buckling himself in and giving the aircraft a quick check, the magnetic lift picked up his aircraft along with 5 others before driving them to the open hanger doors, and dropping them into vacuum. Once out, he ordere"d a roll call for all his pilots as he linked up with his wingdrone. His fellow pilots called in, all 20 present as their loyal wingmen linked to their huds. As usual, he had 3 under his direct command. The robotic fighters targeting fed directly into his.

As the ships fired off their salvos, he ordered the Ai driven fighters to launch their external EMP mounted missiles as many of his fellow pilots did the same before taking their positions surrounding the Krovas and Kostas. At the same time, the first enemy fighters began appearing.
"All wings, form up and fire back!"
He ordered, the fighters swiftly turning to face the enemy, firing off their Interceptors before dashing away to stay out of enemy gun range as Yuri himself did a corkscrew around the tower of a Krova. Even if he knew no one was inside, that wouldn't stop him from having fun as he defended. Using the cover of the ships. Before recommiting and firing his remaining four missiles at seperate targets as the Ai fighters followed his lead, each targeting seperate vessels.1000024802.jpg
 
We are taking heavy fire!

They are coming around! Hold G7!

What the-

AAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHH

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The void caught fire. The blazing of the thrusters pushed the crimson hulls of the Athysian Raider Fleet onwards, as the mighty host emerged from the defiled clutches of the Netherworld, an anomaly in its own right to Realspace. Each of the mighty warships an emblem of Defiance, branded from bow to stern with blasphemous symbols of the Dark Gods that held sway over mind and soul of each and every one of the dying kin that gave will to the infernal engines....

"Lord Hegemon, the Republic Fleet is converging ahead."

The man stood in silence. His eyes fixated on the holoprojection before him, demonstrating the unfolding assault against what seemed to be a prepared enemy fleet. He was not worried. His eyes burning like sockets of pyre, craving for the victory to come.

Victory....

Oh, there was no way but forward, now. It was this point when he proved, for the second time, he was the rightful Exalted of the Gods. The capturing of Darth Fauste was the first of a trail of achievements he had in store, to show the Sith exactly how capable the Athysian Raider Fleet was...
Omwat had held for four years of blockades, sieges and raids of nearby systems, refusing to yield to the Dark Crusade's hordes, making it a shinning beackon of resistance against the will of the Gods. Desmundor Alcademon planned on changing that, in a single mighty strike, making use of the horrifying, no matter how archaic, weapon of Athysia.

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"Begin the assault. Signal the Belerephon to commence their charge. Bring us about."

It had been long since the Athysian fleets had engaged a sizeable force. Back in the Battle with Fauste, he had lost the pride of the Athysian Fleet in a battle that was made legend. Now, he planned to do the exact same, yet without sacrificing so many an asset.

The operators around him, on the bridge, performed well-practiced motions, their manual systems pushed to function as the Athysian Armada accelerated, forming up in attack formations.

The Belerephon was one of the eight massive warships that formed the vanguard, each brandishing yet another cursed sigil to signify their allegience to the Athysian Hegenika that gave power to these dreaded beasts of war.

Around the Belerephon Squadron, twenty Quadrent Destroyers swarmed, manned by numerous lost souls of pirates, corsairs and outlaws brought to the decks of the Athysian corsair fleet to man the largest pirate fleet of Athysian origin, and pride of the Hemstagon Hegenika. Though perpetually at odds, the Hemstagons had pledged a sizeable fleet to the Hegemon's campaign.

Behind the vanguard, thirteen more foul behemoths of the void roared forth, each of them with yet another nightmarish design of bronze spikes, blood red overlapping hulls and numerous cannon barrels, predominantly along the broadsides, hinting to the deadly intent with which they moved onwards.

"Signal the Hemstagons." the Hegemon ordered then. "Let the fire burn."
 
Faith unwavering.

Lust unmatched.

Bane of Life

Knight of Death, yet Defiant still.

Blood dripped from the chains hanging over the onyx chamber, supported by the heptagonal columns marked by glyphs of origin so twisted and antiquate, they had long become symbols of the Athysian occult. The muscles of the legs twitched, still latching to the shards of life yet remaining within the defiled carrion, one of many hooked and hung above by the chains to provide the tormented bloodletting required by the sorcerers beneath.

The onyx floor was marked by a heptagram, made of white onyx, which contrasted the black dressed floor. There, her thin fabric dress caressed where her naked feet stepped on, stained by the blood coalgulating after untold time in decay. The scent of the burning embers shrouded the chamber with hallucinogenic sensation, opening the gate she had walked through so many years ago. The white hair flowed down her pale skin like a waterfall frozen on time; The dark shadow of her emptied eye sockets draining to the dark marks of tears perpetualized on her corrupted face.

There, Murnuri extended her thin arms; Nails long and curved, thin enough to allow the ever so dim light caused by the embers to cast shadows through.

Shadow and Flame

Death and Rebirth

In a field of Void

The Eyerhea performed gentle motions while standing in the very center of the heptagram, as if dancing to soundless music in manner most exotic. The Force around her twisting and turning, the Dark Side screeching cries of insanity that would drive many a soul deranged, and yet, Murnuri continued the foul ritual. She could not be taken by thoughts like such; The Dark Side had little sway over her mind, hollow and chained long now to the will of entities despicable and demanding, she had grown to be a vessel of their will, and so her own will had become theirs...

"Echoes, in the Void, Death awaits the Feast"

Her soft voice sung, causing an echo in the chamber.

"Hear my call, Lord of Fear, lend thine Host thy Wings"
 
"All hands, battle stations! We hold them here!" the Captain exclaimed in the comms. His hands shaking, the very knowledge of what the scanners showed filled him with dread.

"We got over thirty enemy ships inbound!" the operator reported. "We see nothing in the hyperspace scans! They are coming from nowhere!"

The Captain shook his head. His blue eyes fixated to the view beyond the transparesteel of the bridge. His fleet consisted of three Valor-Class Cruisers and a dozen Thranta corvettes, at least those were capable of offering any resistance to the enemy armada. It was a matter of time before Omwat would be overran, yet he could not accept that in this case, they were not even given the time to prepare proper defences.

However this armada came to the system, the Republic scanners could not detect. And now, it was a race against time...

"We need to hold them here until the planetary shields go live. Signal the General on the ground. We need her quickly!"
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The republic ships accelerated, some of them not yet fully prepared to deploy in an active engagement, for the alarm had not reached them in time.

One after the other, they moved into position, making final preparations to received the enemy's onslaught. The sheer numerical advantage and the size of the capital ships alone made any prolonged engagement a suicide... And yet, what worried the Captain more was the possibility of enemy vessels breaking through the Republic fleet and entering Omwat....

This would be a major catastrophe.

And then... it happened...


"Captain, sir!" one of the operators shouted.

"What is it?" he asked

"I am detecting numerous masses coming from hyperspace sir. Its... its, sixteen distinct sightings, moving in formation."

"It cannot be." the Captain shook his head in disbelief. Whoever this new fleet approaching was, it would effectivelly flank the Republic position. As the new fleet emerged from Hyperspace, the scanners showed clearly them entering attack formation. Whoever this was, was not coming as a witness.

"Uhm... sir?" the operator turned to him. "They are attempting contact with us. They are offering assistance!"

The Captain's eyes widened.

"Assistance!?" he said in shock.



A single transmission attempt is made by the Republic Fleet, towards the Copper ships approaching.

"This is Captain Yolan Koren, Republic 51st Fleet. We need your support to hold the enemy off until the planetary shields are online! We cannot allow them planetfall!"
 
As the KIF Presledov turned to engage its main cannon, one of the officers turned to address the Admiral. "Your Excellency, we have received a signal from one of the friendly ships!" The Razborka drone shouted.

Boris nodded.
"Very well. Put us through." He replied as the Officer saluted before doing as instructed.

"This is Captain Yolan Koren, Republic 51st Fleet. We need your support to hold the enemy off until the planetary shields are online! We cannot allow them planetfall!"

Boris puzzled briefly at the mention of a planetary shield, but shook his head before clearing his throat. It had been a long time since he'd studied the language. But he was confident he could maintain his clarity.
"This is Fleet Admiral Boris Petrovich Yaroslavov of the Kopperian Aerospace Forces and Commander of the 9th fleet. One of my Junior Officers reported that he contacted you prior to the Interception of his ship." He stated before again examining the fleet composition of both sides, and quickly understood he was vastly outnumbered, even if potentially not outgunned. Even with their help, it wouldn't amount to much. "I am afraid this force was all I had on such short notice. While we shall see what we can do, I will not sacrifice my subordinates for the sake of holding something which cannot be held."
 
The void over Omwat burst alight, as the first beams of plasma blazed between the Athysian vanguard and the Republic fleet. Republic Liberator Starfighters took off from the Valor Cruisers, while the Thranta corvettes pushed forth, in an attempt to focus fire towards the leading enemy warship, the Belerephon. The Republic flagship, Faith Karala, launched a proton torpedo salvo, followed by twelve bombers, quickly closing the distance to engage the massive enemy hulk.

As the Copper navy emerged from hyperspace, some six Quadrent-Class Destroyers turned in almost choreographed synchrony and headed towards the newly emerged enemy. Each of them following yet another unreasonably unstable pattern of maneuvers, as their quadriple plasma cannons protruding out the bow begun charging, readying for the coming clash.


Onboard the hangars of the Belerephon, chaos reigned. Multiple fighters were brought up, warming their deafening engines, while engineers rushed left and right commencing last minute checks and repairs, fuel hoses spread like serpents across the hangar bay and pilots rushing on their designated crafts. War cries called on irregular intervals, as one after the other, swarms of Buzzard Fighters took off, vomited out the belly of the Belerephon with deadly intent.

Three distinct swarms of Buzzards emerged from within the Raider Fleet, escorted by numerous Quadrent Destroyers, presenting the first wave against the Republic navy...



Back in the Republic flagship, the captain stared at the screens.

"All ships, power to shields. Prepare point-defence batteries."

Weapons systems energized into action, as the numerous tinny turrets mounted on the hulls of the ships started rotating, the artificial intelligence intergraded within already tracking the coming hostiles.

"I understand" the Captain spoke in the comms channel with the Copper Navy.

"We will hold them off as long as we can. If you may, please, get as many people as you can from planetside off system. I am dispatching all my available shuttles to aid the effort. Our duty is to die here. They have suffered enough."
 
Boris felt surprised as he watched the opening stages of the engagement unfold. Only the six destroyers breaking off from the main opposing fleet, seemingly uncaring of his opening barrage against the closest large ship. Regardless, it didn't take a genius to order a change in target. "Have our other ships engage the destroyers. Power to weapons!" He commanded before hearing as the comms buzzed with the response from the Republic.

"We will hold them off as long as we can. If you may, please, get as many people as you can from planetside off system. I am dispatching all my available shuttles to aid the effort. Our duty is to die here. They have suffered enough."

The Admiral smirked despite himself as he observed the enemy's actions. Perhaps there was something he could do as he watched the largest of the enemy ships push into the Republic Forces. "Perhaps I was mistaken. I presumed the enemy would engage us immediately with their largest vessels. However, it seems they are more interested in finishing you off." He replied before turning to his navigator. "Aim the Presledov at the lead ship heading towards the Republic fleet. Focus the railguns on it. Once their shields are done, follow up with the Shipbreaker!"

As the destroyers closed in, they were met with concentrated fire from the fast firing railguns of the Krova Class cruisers and Kosta Class frigates, hitting them with emp and Kenetic rounds, followed up by explosive rounds once the shields were down.

Meanwhile, the fighters swiftly returned to Presledov for re-arming before again being launched and adding their EMP missiles to the fight against the destroyers. Hoping to destroy them before they ever got close enough to fire back.

Meanwhile, the only Slava Class Battleship in the 9th fleet aimed it's weapons at Belerephon, opening fire with all eight heavy railguns loaded with EMP followed up with the Shipbreaker.
 
Not far from the bridge of the Presledov, several figures dressed in priestly garments knelt in quiet prayer inside an ornately decorated room, their voices focused, acting almost as one as they had since even before arrival:

"-Holy, holy is the Lord God Almighty. Praise be unto him now and forever.
In memory of Thy Great mercy O' Lord, we thank Thee.
Deliver us from this surrounding darkness.
Deliver us from the hands of our enemies.
Have Mercy, O' Lord, have mercy.
Amen."


When the prayer concluded, the wooden doors opened as several crew entered, their florescent eyes seeking until they came upon him, Patriarch Vladimir Borisovich Katlinchuk. "What is it that you seek, my children?" He questioned, voice gentle as the crew took off their helmets and caps.

"We wanted to recieve blessings before the enemy begins to engage!" Replied the lead one.


The old drone nodded, a hand stroking his grey beard. "Have you the faith to believe only God can save you?" He questioned.

"Yes Father!" They replied without hesitation.

The Patriarch nodded. "Then come. Let us commune together." He replied before walking to the alter, fetching his cross and ointments before returning to the crew and placing his olive oil dipped hands on their heads as his fellow priests bore witness. When he concluded, he stood before them. "In the name of the Father and Son, I bless you, with the power of His Holy Priesthood. Be bold, my sons. The Lord is with us. This darkness shall not infest our halls. Amen."
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As the Athysian fleet approached the Kopperians, they could feel a pressure in the force. Not darkness, nor even light, but a gentle radiance pushing against them like a wave. Something was there. Something that shouldn't have been. Resistance.

But not the pitiful resistance of the Lightside, even if there were similarities. No, this pushed back, like a shield that expanded to encompass them.
 
As Yuri and his fellow pilots again engaged the enemy with their missiles, he watched as the enemy fighters closed in with a smirk. "All pilots, hostile craft incoming. Don't let them reach the Krovas and Kostas, but stay within range of their SAMs and point defense!" He commanded as he fired his Interceptors once he locked onto the closest enemy fighter. "This is where the fun begins!" The Colonel cried as he maneuvered into position, pressing a button on his console, an electric guitar blaring out as he maneuvered into position alongside his wingdrone and his section of Ai fighters. Firing the rest of his missiles at various craft as they got closer as the others did the same. The more they killed before they got into dogfighting range, the better.
 
The heat from her lips still imprinted on him, as she pulled her head back, her long, gold-adorned nail denying him the last sip of his drink of passion. His eyes openned to the feeling of the sharp nail against his lips. Her black eyes burning like charcoal, to the fires of the Dark Side.

"Now, then, you hunt." she whispered, in manner so serene, it provoked maddening rage within him. He knew well, this was not the work of his mind, but the tendrils extended by the she-witch that had tasted the blood of his tongue. He knew the sensation of her spells, as the drive through which he flew his fiend of metal into battle.

"Come back with tales of glory..." Her words made of witchcraft, each phrased in a voice fueled by malice and depravity, turning ever more twisted as she spoke her last. "Or never return..."
He offered but a smirk.

She brought her palm against his lips, as if to collect his scent, befoe curling her long curved nails, weighted by gold and silver, piercing the inside to bleeding. Her palm then tapped against the wing of the Hoplite, leaving a tinny yet mark of her own thick blood.

"I shall be there, to hear their Fear..."

He lifted himself from against the wing, and turned, climbing on the crimson craft of Athysian War Machine, adorned with bronze rims and sharp durasteel spikes. He slid into the cockpit, narrow and clustered with wires, cables and foul machinery as if the very consoles were gutted.

The transparreglass seals over him, as if the very Hoplite he piloted swallowed him in.

The Witch stepped backward, consumed by the roaring of multiple other engines of similar foulness, as the hangar grew restless.

"Come, now.... Roar for me, for we fly to battle." he muttered, as he wrapped his hand around the throttle. The engine silent.

"Roar, infernal one."

Rage built up within the Athysian, his eyes turning blazing flames, as lightning sparked by his hand, slid into the mechanical gauntlet.

"ROAR, damn you, SCREAM SCREAM SCREAM!!!"

He bursted in wrath, punching against the cockpit as with each of the strikes, yet another blast of lightning burned. And then...



ROOOOOOOOAR


The large turbines swung into action; The boosters vomitting hot-burn inferno; The very Hoplite itself shook as if the engine willed release from the chains of its own circuits. The deafening cacophony of the Hoplite's fiendish engines music to the ears of the pilot, who befell into maniacal laughter, as the weapons of his machine of Death twisted and calibrated.

One after the other, the Hoplites spilled out of the Belerephon, the second wave of the blasphemous choreography of ritualistic carnage unleashed by the Athysian Raider Fleet....



The void shined with blinding light and squaling of shells. The vanguard of the Athysian Fleet haloed by the purple circles of foul Force. The opennign barrage from the Copper Fleet finally biting onto the Athysian shields. Across her hull, the Belerephon was showered by blinding electric blasts of the EMP payload of the Slava Battleship. On the upper decks of the Belerephon, the very ground shook by the impact, yet more devastating was the strain put to the Force, defiled and flayed around the warship in manner most twisted and perverse, in place of Shield Generators.

Deep within the hollows of the Onyx Chamber, blood poured like rain from the hooked captives hung above her. The Eyerhea bent, falling on the ground as her arms stretch forward, her nails clawing the onyx underneath them.

PAIN

Her body bled black essence, blood decayed and stirred so far into corruption, no longer she was the one to feel, but bare mark of her Dark Patron. Wind blew, unseen and frozen, even in the absence of any a natural cause, sourced within the Realspace surrounding her.

The Eyerhea's body twists again; Irrespective of her surrender to the forces summoned by her own calling, the very tissue that composed her protested the perversion of reality inflicted upon her.



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The voice exhaled demonic, composed of cries overlapping to form a cacophony that matched the grim reality of what was to come.

The Belerephon turned sharply to starboardside, the broadside gunports openning like gaping maws ready to devour. Her bronze-adorned forecastle bearing symbols of the Athysian Dark Gods, crowned by spikes on which mynocks were impaled against, in a mockery of fearmongering mentality reserved for the most horrid a mind to conceive.

Lightning sparked from the belly of the beast. Cannons charged, as the behemoth of a warship accelerated to engage the Copper navy, trailed by none, craving to join the battle that had already begun in earnest....
 
"SHOW THEM PAIN"

The Witch-Captain cried in feral ecstasy. The pale braids of her hair whipping across the burning console, as her hands dove into the lightning-bound machinery.

The Imvonvol twisted like drill, readying to pierce. The deflector shields begging for reprieve, as the Copper fleet barraged against the Hemstagon Corsair flottila. Each of them an experienced raider, turning and maneuvering in manner maniac and disordered, further hardening the task of trailing their ships for the Copper fleet. As the Imvonvol scissored in the void, clearly marking the Presledov as her query, spiralling in ever-increasing frequency to manually avoid the barrage.

The void caught fire.

One of the Quadrent Destroyers, its shield generators succumbing to the pressure of the explosive shots, bled flames sourced in the far-malfunctioning life support, spraying the empty void around her with burning oxygen mix. A final shot would suffice, for her spine to break and shatter, casting dozens of suffocating corsairs into the void. Starships jumped from within her, as if to escape, yet they turned and pushed to a vain counter-attack towards the Copper navy.

The last of the deafeningly noisy starfighters cracked open and shattered against the Presledov's hull, inflicting no damage but the black stain of burned metal.

Another Quadrent screamed aflame.

"FIRE!"

One after the other, the remaining Destroyers unleash their deadly plasma, each couple of them aiming one of the Copper frigates. Their broadside guns, now in close range, engage recklessly the surrounding Copper warships, as if in an attempt to further attract the firepower towards them.

The Imvonvol, however, had a target chosen already....

In a sharp dive, she fires her plasma aimed at the midship section of the Presledov, risking enough to close the gap between them prior to firing, for the ship's defense weaponry to batter the Deflector shields enough that numerous shells pierce clean through overcharged gaps of the unstable shields, gnawing open entire sections of her portside forecastle and broadside. Layers upon layers of decks stacked in inhumane manner to support her flayed into exposure, corsair crew sucked into the void almost instantly.

The Imvonvol turns upward, disengaging from her target regardless the damage inflicted, if any....

The blastdoors segregating the decks close shut, sealing the fate of many a crew member...
 
Dimitri desperately pointed the fleeing form of the Imvonvol, rage etched on his face. "You will not escape this time!" He screamed, any sense of discipline vanishing from his vengeful form as he turned to Boris. "Admiral, I beg you! Avenge my ship!"

Yet, Boris turned to him with indifference. "Senior Lieutenant. Your ship will be back in action soon enough. But I am afraid there are more pressing matters than your personal grudge." He turned to the ISB agents, who nodded before helping the officer down and the three left the bridge. Once Dimitri made his exit, Boris focused his attention on the massive ship making its way toward the fleet, which was currently making quick work of the smaller enemy vessels. As he did, he began humming, his eyes briefly replaced by his hud displaying: Скачать MP3. На Маленьком Звездолете (Download MP3. On a Little Starship) as his right hand switched to a guitar head.

The bridge crew didn't require further orders as one opened the telecom. "Main guns load anti-matter! I repeat, main guns load anti-matter!" Shouted the Captain. As the entire ship shook as the shipbreaker fired at the Belerephon. The colossal weapon recoiling back into place as the blast doors shut behind it, sending a massive shell screaming at Belerephon.

In the automated super heavy railguns of the Presledov, the previously loaded EMP shells were exchanged for kinetic shells with a hollow section located immediately behind, containing an unassuming orb suspended in a magnetic field. The mechanical loading system shifted as these were pulled from the racks before being shoved into the guns, followed by the shell casing. Once loading completed, the 8 super-heavy guns fired, their shells creating a streak of light as the electromagnetic rails inside the barrels lit up, driving the shells at ludicrous speed toward the oncoming hulk of the Belerephon.

They flew far faster than any could react before slamming into the armoured beast. All struck home, the kinetic shells burrowing 8 holes in the side. At first, nothing seemed to happen, until alarms sounded from the projectiles, followed by a seemingly small initial explosion as the orbs inside broke loose. Following the initial flash, a massive Shockwave pushed out from each before returning again, followed by 8 blinding explosions that covered the entire ship and it's surroundings in light as bright as a newborn star.1000024924.jpg
 
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Silence...

The shallow waters adopting the blind darkness that consumed any and all reflections above, causing a strange mirroring void that cast shadow to the pitch black deep below. The surface still. Her pale skin bare against the darkness, an anomaly that bled of black shadow, as if in an outworldly process of reaching a new equilibrium that, presumably, would render her very presence immaterial. Her hand reached outward, as if to catch something that never were. Her hollow eye sockets bleeding black ooze, as if crying in blood that wasn't her's.

Though her mouth openned, the very attempt of offering her lungs the most desperately craved air brought her to the realization of the state she found herself in. Eyeless, and yet she saw. Mindless, and yet she thought.

Lifeless....

But unliving....


She attempted speech, yet the hollows of her soul denied her the chance....

Far from her, to what from her position felt as if barely an inch away, a light, casting barely a form, in the midst of the crushing shadow, loomed over the bogs. She reached out again, desperate to reach it, yet she failed yet again... The despair devolved. It turned into Fear; faceless, and meaningless.

Not yet! Not yet!!

She wanted to cry out.

Shadow morphed behind her. Unbeknownst to her, for she was far too consumed by the very presence of the Light, the shadow gathered and stirred, until it took the form of an entity without race, or face or flesh to bind it. It approached, and yet the Eyerhea paid no heed still.


"One, of Flesh"


Her own voice echoed, as if she cried from the far distance. The Eyerhea suddenly froze still, as if washed by a primordial sense of Fear that paralyzed every muscle in her being.... Eyeless, she saw. Mindless, she realized...

Lifeless, she Died, in the presence of Death.

"Two of Sight"

The voice cried again. The entity approached ever still, while tendrils extending from its morphing shadow reached out over the Eyerhea.

"Three, of MIND"
 
As the massive enemy ship exploded in a brilliant flash of light, the tall imposing figure of Vice Admiral Katrina Mikhailova Yaroslava watched from the bridge of the Krova Class Cruiser KIF Urozhu. Turning to the Captain, who seemed dazed by the explosion, she stood up before firmly tapping him on the shoulder before clearing her throat. "Captain, order our ships to keep engaging the fighters and destroyers."

"Huh, wha-" The Captain began, only to nearly leap out of his seat as he found himself faced with her impressive figure looming over him. Her expression subdued, professional.
1000024927.jpg

"Y-Yes, at once!"
He replied with a snappy salute before turning to the intercom: "Attention all crew! Direct main weapons to the closest destroyer! Have our secondary weapons focus on their small craft! Make sure none break through to Presledov!"

The Vice Admiral nodded gratefully before walking to the desk next to the Captain's. "Open the comm channel. Let's make sure none of our comrades are caught unawares."

Without a word, the drone at the desk saluted before handing her the comms and Katrina quickly ordered her crews to maintain their orders from the Fleet Admiral.

Even though hardly any time had passed since the presumed destruction of the enemy flagship. The crews of the other Kopperian vessels had had a brief moment of pause as the spectacle unfolded. Yet. With her timely command, the cruisers and frigates quickly returned to their duties, their weapons focusing on the closest remaining destroyers, including the damaged and flee Imvonvol as it attempted to maneuver out of their firing arcs.


Across the void, missiles, shells, and other projectiles flew from the Kopperian fleet, bringing death and destruction in their wake. All the while, the crews stood by, executing their orders without fear or excitement. Just cold professionalism.
 
Blood poured out of her mouth. Black, and sticky, it was dotted with shards of broken glass, of which origin could be not reasonably tracked. Murnuri reached out with her hands, her pale skin rittled with bloody marks, from which blood kept pouring over the onyx floor, now littered with decaying limbs, and fallen chains. The chamber grew hot. Burning heat, originating from beyond the bent blastdoor that once isolated the chamber from the rest of the ship.

She made attempts to lift herself up, yet she could not muster the strength to do so, burdened by the heavy chain that had fallen over her.

"No...!" she spat, her teeth shattering glass that had yet remained within her mouth. "NOOO!!!!" her desperate cry deafening, casting waves of Force energy across the very ship, while she could feel the fabric of the Force withdrawing away from her, like a nerve of a limb after an amputation.
She dragged herself around the onyx, trailing a bloody path as she did. Her pale hair a nest of myriad shards, blood and debris.



The void grew silent.

Reverberance of the apocalyptic explosions still traversing the empty space, which now was littered with scattered parts of the Belerephon's shattered hull. The ship itself was cracked open, multiple layers exposed so thoroughly, the once proud warship was held together by its own spine, that though ravaged by the explosions, had yet to give in so much so that the ship would break apart....

Instead, it loomed in the void, an undead husk that refused to yield to the horrific weapon unleashed against her...

Silence followed. Occasional sparks of light shined on random parts of the tattered hulk, as systems clung on to the last remaining energy that coursed through the vessel's veins.

And then...

Pop...

Pop......



These were no sparks of failing life support, or system fluctuations....

Cannonfire cast two projectiles that trailed a path of proton propulsion towards the Slava... The shots themselves, arguably considered large enough for tracking, or heavy enough to cause any major damage, or otherwise unredeemable by the vessels shielding... It was at that point that, upon the coming of the shells, a cold sensation was cast against the Slava. Inexplicable shift in temperature, or so it was felt, contrary to what any thermometer would indicate, combined with a sudden feeling of a faceless Darkness making itself known onboard the Slava through the Force...

As the shells landed on the Slava, they shattered against the hull, seemingly not living up to the legacy of the legendary warships they originated from...

But that wasn't it... For the Athysian wickedness stretched far beyond conventional weaponry, or concept of war...

As the shells shattered, the crystals within turned to ash, causing a sudden wave of Dark Side energy across the vessel.
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Shadows of black shade, made of aethereal essence that originated far beyond what Realspace had to offer, hovered in, passing through durasteel armour in an immatereal form, as they made their was into the ship's decks. Famished, and bleeding of their own form, these demonic entities flooded the ship's corridors, attracted by the very footprint of the Drones onboard in the Force, craving to devour each and every one of them from within, in a sudden overwhelming assault on their psyche, willing to feast on whatever essens lies beneath the exoskeleton, or worse, claim the remnant corpses as vessels to further feast, deeper onboard....
 
As the explosive light filled the sky, Yuri and his pilots continued their deadly dance with the enemy. The music blaring through his cockpit as he zigged between the friendly cruisers and frigates, only to poke out and engage the odd isolated target before immediately going defensive. Unfortunately, several of his comrades had lost their fighters, and either sat floating in the void impatiently waiting for rescue, or had ejected and used missiles or grappling hooks to cling to the nearest friendly ship before boarding. But overall, despite the sheer number of enemy craft, they were holding thanks to the fire support of the frigates and cruisers.

Suddenly, he spotted a group of several fighters, and he smirked as he banked in pursuit, his wingdrone following as they closed in, unaware of what had just occurred aboard the flagship.
 
Suddenly, Boris felt the temperature within the cabin grow cold as he watched the enemy hulk inexplicably continue moving. "Hit them again!" He commanded. Or at least, that is what he wanted to say, as his throat felt as though it froze over. He coughed, once. Then again. Soon enough, he began to grow weak as his coughing grew, oil mixed with blood from his earlier meal pouring out of his mouth. His core shook, voices surrounding it, whispers as unintelligible as they were horrifying.

As it turned out, he wasn't the only to be affected, as the worker drones operating the communications looked on as the other Razborka drones in the room fell into a similar state.

Ivana, fangs bared, eyes glitching between red and yellow, flailed on the floor, her hands switching to razor claws as she scratched at the steel flooring like a cat.

Eventually, Boris felt a severe pain in his chest, only to "watch" in horror as his vision shifted to the lens of his core being violently ejected from his body. When he turned back, he watched in horror as his now empty body stood up, sharp teeth bared, chest cavity bleeding oil, visor empty. "W-what is this!?" He cried at last, the flesh surrounding his core flapping with every word he spoke.1000024928.png
 
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