Duel Kopperian Fury: The Desolation of Umwat

[Vladimir Katlinchuk]

As Vladimir knelt in the chapel, he could feel the darkness grow ever thicker. Suddenly, the candles on the mantles blew out, and in his ears, he could hear the howls and cries of wicked things from beyond the mortal realm. Taking a deep breath, he crossed himself before kneeling, closing his eyes. "O' Father. Lend me Thy strength once more. To deliver my brethren from this horror. Have mercy on our souls." When he concluded, he stood up, taking his cross before standing at attention. Suddenly, he turned to see one. Just one candle, struggling to stay lit, an unseen breeze attempting to snuff it out. Turning to his priests, he found they had gone silent, their eyes empty, bodies collapsed to the floor. Oil dripping from their mouths.

Gathering himself, he took a deep breath before he began to speak:

"Hear me and weep, 'O ye wicked and perverted creatures! Know that ye can have no power over me, for the Lord of Hosts strives with us, and in His name, I cast you into the endless void, where ye shall live in the absence of light! Ye have no place here among the living! Return to the blackness that you spawned from, 'O children of devils. Ye wicked and foolish souls, who condemned yourselves unto death through your ambitions and abominations! The Lord hast seen thy works!" As he continued, voices began circling him, the bodies of his priests standing up, eyes still empty, yet pointing in accusation. Still, the Patriarch was unmoved, even as his mind filled with horrors beyond imaging, the scent of blood filling his mind. His soul ached, the anger he felt replaced with sorrow. "How could ye do this to the Lord's children?" He questioned, only for the righteous fury of earlier to return. "HOW COULD YE! YOU DEVILS! WHO DOTH SEEK TO DESTROY THE KINGDOM OF THE MOST HIGH?!" Slowly, inperceptebly, that lone candles flame grew stronger. "YOU FOUL THINGS! GET THEE HENCE FROM MY SIGHT! LEST YE BE SMITTEN OF THE LORD, AND DESTROYED FOR TIME AND ALL ETERNITY! SO SAY I, BOGATYR AND WARRIOR OF THE LORD, ANOINTED AND SET APART TO DESTROY THEE! GET THEE HENCE!" He bellowed, drawing his sword and flinging himself at the darkness. As he did, two glowing personages appeared beside him, tall, concealed with blinding light.

The three of them rushed into the blackness, the unseen creatures crying in pain as wounds of pure light were inflicted upon them.

Death filled the ship, only not the cries of the living, but the damned, squealing and groaning in pain, like hungry beasts pursued by a vengeful sheppard. Until at last, their cries faded, and light returned.

When the Priests stood up from their prayers, they found the Patriarch, laying on his back. A serene smile on his face. When they touched him, he slowly awoke. "Father?" One asked, concerned.

The old drone merely nodded his head. "I'm fine..." He replied before shaking his head to remove the groggyness from his lenses. "Just a bad dream. Please, let us continue."

 

[Boris Petrovi Yroslavov]

Boris saw his life flash before his eye as his own body snatched him up, horrid, empty laughter echoing from the supposedly empty frame as it brought him toward its mouth. Or at least, it was, when suddenly the laughter ceased, it's joints seized, and the body collapsed forward as the bridge crew looked around in confusion. Turning to Ivana, he found her eyes replaced with a yellow X, a worker drone seconds from having it's head ripped clean off. But then the visor glitched. Reverting first to red, than to the emblem combat emblem of the Spetznaz, before finally returning to her normal eyes. She quickly let go of the drone before slowly walking away and dashing out of the bridge.

Boris found similar scenes, with other Razborka drones having nearly murdered their fellows, only to stop, looks of horror on their faces.

Slowly but surely, all eyes turned to him, or rather, his body, and without a word, the Admiral leapt back into his chest cavity.

CORE: RECOGNIZED
POWER: RESTORED
FUNCTIONALITY: RESTORED
WARNING: OVERHEATING RISK
WARNING: ADMINISTRATOR NOT RECOGNIZED
WEAPON SAFETY: OFF ON
SERIAL DESIGNATON B: ONLINE

With a cough, Boris slowly rose to his feet, his chest cavity sealing shut as cool liquid metal encased it before hardening, repairing his uniform in the process. With a sigh, he turned to the crew, still frozen, eyes trained on him. "What are standing around for? Get back to your posts!" He shouted, and without a word, the crews swiftly picked themselves up and got to work. Meanwhile, one opened a container, releasing tiny metal crickets, who made quick work of all the spilled oil before being put back into the container and placed into a small compartment inside a panel. Even still, he shook as he sat in his chair, core shivering in his chest. Quietly, he lowered his head, and for the first time in several years, he prayed. "Father, forgive me. My soul is afraid. Give me the strength to see this through. Amen." When he concluded, he one of his officers. "Order our weapons to destroy what's left of that ship! Fire another round of anti-matter! Once it's gone, engage the next of their large ships. But make sure to load more anti-matter once the EMP breaks their shields!" He commanded, the weary Razborka drone saluting before relaying his orders. Even if they would likely run out, he had a sinking feeling that what he and his crew endured was thanks to that ship, and he had every intention of leaving no trace of it before repeating his actions against the next.

 

[Anatoli Sidorov]

It was finally time! After months of building and sea trials my Ekranoplans were finally taking off for their first space trials that would include maneuvers in space, a hyperspace jump and tight maneuvers between asteroids before returning back to Terraria for evalutaions and final checkups before they were to be loaded with their weapons and missles. Finally my dedicated scouting force would be proven in feasability and capability along with the commanders I chose for the job. In total 4 Ekranoplans, a white one and 3 grey ones lifted off from Anatoli Shipyards and ascended to space. while we started with some combat maneuvers around Lunania the ekranoplans proved to be not too agile but they would accelerate fast enough and I reached the conclusions that they would be good ambush vessles, hard hitting but lightly armoured and they could distract an enemy fleet and drag it to a main force staying hidden somewhere. After completing a multitude of maneuvers we initiated our first hyperjump to a asteroid formation. Once we completed the hyperjump we started maneuvering around them as fast as we felt comfortable to do so with Natalya and Svetlana being a bit too good. As we were running around them suddenly Yelena shouted at me:
Y- Commander, multiple unclassifed contacts to our 10 oclock behind two rows of asteroids.
As I slowed my Ekranoplan I checked what had Yelena so worked on and once I did I immediatelly realized why she was so worried. Just as she said, beyond th cover of two asteroid rows a great battle was going on. way bigger than the one I faced when I was attacked by those pirates. Then I grabbed the radio and signaled the rest of the Ekranoplans to retreat immediatelly to the shipyard while me and Yelena would stay back to ensure that we were not detected. As the other Ekranoplans where retreating me with the help of Yelena stabilised our Ekranoplan behind some asteroids and stayed to observe the battle going on. immediatelly our eyes where drawn to a huge explosion that occured on a very ugly constructed ship with spikes and no regard for aerodynamics. As me and Yelena manipulated the Ekranoplan's radars to focus and check the state of the ship two very small tracks departed it and went towards the other's side hugest vessle.
Y- Does it say on it's side KIF Presledov????
A- what do you mean?
Y- Here check my screen.
On it in Cyrilic indeed was written KIF Presledov.
A- That ain't one of our ships. I was stupid enough to focus on dual purpose ships and none of my desings yet are anything like that.
Y- Then who's ships are these. There are some smaller ones that also have cyrrilic writings on them.
A- Damn... we will need to investigate it furterther. What do you say we stay here and observe until it's all over and then go and see who the hell is the leader of our sister civilization, probably? After all maybe we can start a nice civilisation exchange. I said and we powered down all none essential equipment and continued observing the battle taking place in front of us.


The Ekranoplan hidden behind asteroids.

 

[Katrina Yaroslava]

Katrina observed the continuing battle between her Cruisers consisting of the Urozhu, Polkovna, Admiral Dimitri, Gorlovka, Svetogorsk, and Narvansk, her ten escorting Kosta Class Frigates, and the two remaining enemy destroyers. Watching as the enemy maneuvered and swooped through the void, attempting to avoid their railguns while hitting them with vollies of plasma fire.

While the Cruisers were mostly untouched, several of the frigates were forced to withdraw due to severe damage to their frontal armour, retreating behind the formation while the majority remained in place, their SAMs and CIWS systems focused on the swarm of enemy fighters.

All the while, missiles continually fired from the VLS cells, followed by the odd railgun shot when a firing solution could be found on the chaotic enemy vessels.

However, the Vice Admiral suddenly paused as something eminated from the flagship, like a gentle wave flooding her senses. Her mind felt clear, her chest warm. She took a deep breath before sitting down, her legs feeling weak. "Comander! Are you alright?" One of her subordinates inquired.

She groaned slightly. Her head feeling light, as though she were floating. But, in an instant, it was gone, and Katrina's focus returned to the scene at hand. "What happened?" She asked rhetorically as she was helped to her feet by the Razborka drone.

"I don't know, Vice Admiral. But are you alright?" He questioned again, his tone concerned.

Katrina shook her head and gestured him away. "I'm fine. It was nothing serious." She replied firmly, the two sharing a salute before the Razborka drone returned to his post, and she continued observing, trying to figure out what had come over her.

 

[Boris Petrovi Yroslavov]

With the ship having recovered from the shock of the previous event if it could be called that. Boris watched as a second volley of anti-matter munitions slammed into the remains of the horrid ship. Yet, to his astonishment, most missed, and those that hit did little more than blow even larger holes in the giant black hulk of broken metal. He sighed. "Ceasefire. Change focus to the next closest large ship and load EMP. If the missiles are reloaded, fire them as well." He commanded, his voice still not having fully recovered from the shock and horror of a few minutes ago. Without a worded response, the crew carried out their tasks, the nervous silence hanging over them like blanket. No one made a sound aside from the beeping, clicking, and moving of feet.

Suddenly, his mind filled with worry as he realized there were still too many of them. Surely, they would come for him soon, sending everything they had to ensure to remove his greatest advantage: range, and time. Looking at the screens displaying the battle between the Republic and these Dark Forces, he nodded to himself as he stood up and gently moved aside the drone sitting at the comms. "May I?" He questioned, the communications officer standing up as the Admiral again activated them. "This is Fleet Admiral Boris to Captain Yolan Koren. What is the status of your evacuation?" He questioned before also realizing it would likely be safer to leave with them rather than immediately returning to Kopperian space. "And what is your intended destination once completed?"

 

[Ivana Alexandrova]

Ivana ran as quickly as she could, hands over her face, her composure having disappeared. She wanted no one to see her, even getting to the point she considered climbing into the ventilation shaft to hide. But, soon, that thought departed, replaced by a feeling of crushing guilt. She had nearly killed a Worker Drone. In front of the entire bridge crew. Her, a Major General of the ISB, consumed by a nameless hunger and a lust for oil. She could feel it, taste it on her tongue. Her mind filled with ecstasy at the thought of ripping it open and drinking every last drop... Only to be snapped out of it at the last moment. Right before she had done the unthinkable. Even still, how could she bring herself to face them? How could she expect anyone to trust her again? What if the Admiral had her removed? "Major General? Is something wrong?" Someone asked, and Ivana stopped before slowly turning, finding a Worker Drone carrying a rifle. One of the security personnel, with another beside him. His green eyes filled with concern.

Taking a deep breath, she steadied herself. "I- I believe so. I just needed a moment. I'll be returning to the bridge now." Ivana stated before saluting the drones, who responded in kind, before both went their separate ways. At first, she thought about doubling back and returning to her quarters. Yet she instead did as she said, arriving to find the Admiral standing at the comms station. All trace of the mess from earlier removed.

 

[Murnuri Hemstagon]

Darkness...

The Belerephon, Pride of Kardir, and Bane of Setrion, had bled. Her spine torn open, her intestines spilled in radioactive flood in the void, a grotesque remnant of what once was the mighty spearhead of the Hemstagon Raider Fleet, had now been reduced to a carrion. Sparks hinted to last remnants of activity, though malfunctioning and bleeding flame and emptying life support systems.

Death has claimed the Belerephon. Signal the Blood Spear.

The comms rung, as if their function served any a purpose now onboard the wreckage.

Death has Claimed the Belerephon.

The transmission echoed in the onyx chamber, as if a thousand throats cried out from beneath the chains of the Netherworld, loudly enough to break out into Realspace in the form of ghastly whispers, besieging the mind of the Eyerhea.

Death.

But none knew Death like she did...

Her claws reached down to the disemboweled corpses of the scattered crew, blood levitating like ether by the gradual absence of the artificial gravity, as systems bled out and gave way to the dark embrace of the cold, unforgiving Void...

"Sing for me, sisters all!" she gasped. Air no longer enough to fill her lungs, yet the crawl to the nearest corpse was too far for her to reach.

"Sing the song of CARNAGE"

---

Hymns of damnation were sung in litanies drenched in foul blood and captive torment, as the spiked ships branded with the tridented star of Hemstagon Hegenika shifted from the engagement with the Republic Fleet. A dark aura usurped the Void, as if the Belerephon had twisted from a frozen tomb, to a beackon of blasphemous wrath, now finding name upon the Kopperian Fleet who had dared strike such mighty a blow upon the Masters of the White Desert. Three warships, about half the size of the Belerephon, led the charge, followed by a pack of Quadrent-Class Destroyers, with a swarm of Buzzard fighters already in the void, forming up after disengaging the Republic Fleet.

The massive batteries of the warships spat hellfire.

And so, the void between the Hemstagons and the Copper Navy blazed alight, with missiles, plasma, and proton beaming rampant. Flame crowned the leading warship, as Kopperian missiles landed on its upper hull, shattering spikes and flaying off the multiple layers of armour that dressed the trice-cursed warship. Life signs were detected, ejected after the blasts in the void, being lost soon after, as the burning thruster engines advanced onward...

 

[Aola Cliyerslan Vilbolra]

This is Jedi Master Aola Cliyerslan Vilbolra

The enemy is breaking formation! We are charting escape route now! Sending data.

The second Thranta Corvette cracked open by the weight of the Athysian barrage. A well-aimed Quadrent shot finally delivered the fatal blow, cracking the neck of the ship. The Valor Cruiser, not far behind the dying Thranta, bled too. Her engines burning, one of the thrusters already bent by the failing shield generators. Screams flooding the transmissions, as the crew onboard desperately trying to isolate their deranged comrades who cannibalized their own, after a failed missile barrage from the enemy.

"They are using Dark Sorcery!" the Jedi onboard cried out. "We must get out of here FAST!"

The Jedi's pleads were continuous, and ever-increasing in intensity. Barely a handful of transports had made it to the orbit, with one having already been shot by the raiding Quadrent Destroyers, the wreckages of the latter scattered across the republic blockade. As the main force of the Athysian Fleet pushed further, the intensity of the engagement spiked.

They are splitting up! We have located an openning to their Gravity Wells. I am sending jump coordinates now. We cannot wait any longer. Our ships are not going to last!

The Valor Cruiser roared aflame, as blueish radiant light blazed from her intestines, cracking the armour open in a massive explosion of energy that cast the nearby ships aside with its shockwave....

 

[Boris Petrovi Yroslavov]

Boris ignored Ivana for the moment before he squinted in confusion as the feminine voice echoed over the intercom:

"This is Jedi Master Aola Cliyerslan Vilbolra

The enemy is breaking formation! We are charting escape route now! Sending data.
***

They are splitting up! We have located an openning to their Gravity Wells. I am sending jump coordinates now. We cannot wait any longer. Our ships are not going to last!"

Came the reply, followed by the drone at the desk turning to him abruptly. "Your Excellency, we have received the coordinates." The communications officer said once Aola finished speaking.

Boris nodded despite not fully understanding who this Jedai was and why he was speaking to her and not the Captain from earlier. "Excellent. Send the coordinates to the fleet and tell them to prepare the Jump to lightspeed. But make sure our fighters return first." He replied before turning to the gunnery officer. Already knowing exactly what he was going to do: Eliminate at least one more ship. "Focus the entire fleet on the lead ship. Hit them with EMP, then kinetics and high Armour piercing. Launch our ICBMs at the others. The blast should blind them long enough so we can escape. If it doesn't at least cause major damage."

"Yes, your excellency!" Both drones replied before relaying his orders to the rest of the fleet. Yet, once again, he could feel the shadows encircling his ship, only this time, they dared not enter. Though for what reason, the Admiral could only surmise as being the Lord's work.

The rest of the fleet maintained their formation while the remaining fighters returned, with most having been written off and abandoned by their pilots who then boarded friendly vessels and escaped inside. Others... Weren't so fortunate, their cockpits destroyed by plasma fire. Their bodies and cores melted into slag and burnt flesh in an instant. The same could be said for most of the autonomous craft, nearly all of which were destroyed. In all, only 24 fighters returned, 16 of which were piloted.

The fleet suffered also, with many Krovas and Kostas sustaining heavy stripping and superficial damage, only surviving thanks to their rugged and compartmentalized designs. They may not have been elegant, but there was good reason each design had stuck around for nearly a millenia with minimal changes.

But, as always, these ships weren't only difficult to eliminate, they bit back against the foes tactically inferior numbers. Railguns and missiles tracing across the sky as plasma and Proton beams roared back. Though far fewer than in the beginning of the engagement. At least one the Kopperian side.

As expected, the Kopperian vessels took a beating, yet none broke under the enemy's disunited and sparatic fire. Athysian rage pitted against the calm, procedural certainty of the Kopperian ethos. But, despite their seeming advantage, it was obvious to the Admiral that this was a losing battle in the long term. Thus, there was no reason to commit.

As soon as the last fighter returned to the Presledov, every single rail gun and the Presledov's shipbreaker tore into the lead Athysian cruiser, followed by brilliant flashes of nuclear fire against the hulls of the surrounding warships.

By the time they'd recovered, the Kopperians had disappeared into the void, in pursuit of the Republic's battered forces.

 

[Desmundor Alcademon]

Bloodletting and firestorm graced the void, as the Kopperian navy clashed with the Hemstagon mighty spearhead. The Quadrent Destroyers shot plasma, while the heavier warships rattled in foul barrages, fueled by wrath and thirst for vengeance. Amidst the chaos of the engagement, the horrifying Kopperian arsenal, once again, shocked the cold void, as one of the three leading Athysian warships cracked open; Generators failing, reactors collapsing into themselves, as shockwaves of radioactive energy and Dark Side backlash screamed across the empty space.

The Athysian comms flood with boiling rage...

Kyanopogon is killed

Nyarmadoryith is bleeding​

We lost contact with the Hounds​

All units, target is fleeing!!

This is Bracheg's Demise to all Stolarchs, rally to the Crownship.

Another, final open transmission was sent in all frequencies. The voice belonged to a man speaking in grim, harsh tongue. The transmission itself would be distorted highly, hinting to some sort of malfunction, or primitive means of relaying the signal in the emptiness of Space.

This is Desmundor Alcademon, Prince of Bassilicor and Hegemon of Athysia. Remember the fate of this planet, for it will bare the mark of Athysian vengeance.

The skies of Omwat blazed in blue light, as the massive mushrooms of Proton bombs shook the planet from crust to core. More and more Athysian warships made it to the Atmosphere, as the Republic Fleet and Kopperian Navy fled the system, each unleashing yet another deadly payload upon the planet, as if in utter ignorance of any meaning behind the act, save for the intent of inflicting atrocity, swift and ecumenical, so far from the renown bloody planetary assaults conducted by the Dark Crusade.

And yet, the desolation of Omwat, had barely just begun....