Changes since Tabere2
- Zagrata now has own ship
- Cura changes place with Gen. Chang
- Cygornia annexes Oceania
- Two Aberis change place with Charna and Quarta
- Gen. Chang went back home and replaced with “The Green Dragon.”
- A new threat, Spherax, is on the horizon
- Kreido, Krakoo, and Mbala joined this army
- Two new “allies” Ga’an and the biometal Fai’Ital
- California is attacked by inclement weather and they had to evacuate their facilities and head to high ground.
- The “Chameleon Device” was analyzed and was installed into several units.
- Anti-Dreadd has a new pulse/shockwave cannon and Crablaw has a new puncture/tearing arm.
- Venar Republic has developed several new suits, including albino, biohazard, flying, and space suits.
Chapter IX -- “The Planning Stage”
FEBRUARY 13, 1998--SHADOMAR CITY, NEOVENIC GASLATORIA
As the participants make their way to the conference room at the Territorial Plaza to talk about the planned operation in Klaxtonia, they discussed their plans amongst themselves for fine tuning. After arriving, they gathered in the auditorium and started to find their places and to get ready to start the meeting. After the program was stated, the first person at the podium is JUX General Sedin and Imperial Armies Rear Admiral Kelson. They spoke about the Mission in Klaxtonia and the fate of the war itself. Kelson said to the audience, “This war has gone on for long enough, we know that the R.O.T. wants that duplicator and they have devised many different ways to get it. We will not let them get to this prize and we will make it our mission to end the war at this point and to get the empire on solid ground.” The audience applauded and Sedin took the podium. He said, “Even though the R.O.T. have come up with man new weapons, we have come up with our own weapons and strategies to counteract them, some have been a secret until today, but before I tell you what they are, I’ll turn it back to Kelson.”
Kelson then bored the audience with their past achievements and failures and the lessons learned from them. He also pointed out how the empire has grown during the war and its postwar future. Everybody had enough and called Martian Forces Field Commander Kzwairn to post his progress. He mentioned how his troops have been implemented in battles and how their skills have turned the tide in a number of occasions. They all agreed that his army is one of the best in the empire. Then the minor leaders came on the stage and embellished their roles while everybody laughed at them. Then U.M.O. General Wazhir and V.R.A.F. General/Co-Ruler of NVG Shadomar talked about how their armies were the greatest armies in the empire and told them of their many exploits and the people they commanded and even told them what they’re doing in Vatara before they left.
Now it’s the time to reveal their new weapons. Wazhir told them about the Laser chaingun, Plasma Bomb, and hyperbombs. The Cygornian Chief Commander told about his reverse bomb, heat ray, and mechanical demolition crew, Sedin revealed his surprise and told them that he had jabernaut/human clones and plans to use them in the battle. Everybody was wandering how he managed to keep it secret this long.
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Meanwhile back at Vatara, the troops are gathered at the palace grounds crowding themselves against each other and not realizing the secrets their leaders had revealed or what was said at the meeting. All they know about is they might be deployed to Klaxtonia and may even have to fight together. Everybody is now wondering about several things: camp “40 stades”, the whereabouts of Draxar, the whereabouts of R.O.T.’s secret base, and how much longer will this war last. The only thing that they know about Draxar’s whereabouts is that he’s on some sort of a mission. The R.O.T.’s base is believed, according to intelligence, to be somewhere between 12 and 40 light-years outside imperial space. Anti-Dreadd’s camp is called “40 stades” because in his mind a stade is 5 paces and he didn’t care for actual distance. So he set up this camp so that he would have a little more privacy and room and not be crammed into a small space with a whole bunch of army units from all over the empire. One more obstacle in this plan is that a very few troops can speak Vataran. But that last obstacle has been mastered by a crash course in that language.
With Draxar hidden on Zagrata’s ship with his girl and two slow bodyguards, they help her detect enemy movements and make sure that they don’t enter Imperial space. So far they only sighted a couple of fighters and destroyed them. The only thing that could keep them company is talking to their crewmates and to other ships. When they learned about this meeting, they were shocked about learning about all of those weapons and secret projects that were conjured up during this time period. And he though he had some great classified projects, so he did some more work on his project while wondering what happened to Robert Zalfôret. On a training vessel, Robert and a few of his goons were going through their daily exercises when a Maadi bumped into Robert saying, “So have you heard the latest news?”
“Robert said, “No, I didn’t.”
“Too bad because they just released this information to all Imperial troops stating the outcome of the meeting.”
“What did they talk about?”
“About strange hybrids, new weapons, a partial invasion plan,”
“What you mean about a partial invasion plan?”
“They say that they have some of it planned out and make up the rest up it up as they went along.”
“Thanks.”
Then they went along about their business as usual hearing outrageous plans from everybody they meet. On another part of the ship, Sienna was talking endlessly about a bunch of nothing when a superior officer came to her and mentioned their daily routines and the fact that she fell behind and had to catch up on them. As she was catching up on her duties, Zagrata has handed out her schedule for the day and told them of their duties. Cadet Zigmore handed her the weaponry assessments she asked for yesterday and thanked him. The patrol ships were on their way to reposition themselves when two ship of a biometallic origin passed them from 2 parsecs away. Nothing happened as they went on their way to another sector of space still trying to find the enemy hideout.
Back at Vatara, the ground troops were trying out the new tactics and weapons at several temporary facilities. The chaingun destroyed their targets as expected. Anti-Dreadd’s cannon and Crablaw’s arm worked perfectly as they blasted and ripped through a mock ship and troops. The tank flippers were being driven around dodging shots and cannon fire and as expected, flipped over a few tanks. They also talked about how they were to get to Klaxtonia. The armies are to be sent in sections, some will fly there and others will be going by boat. There are some steamboats and transports lined-up for those troops. Bombing drills are also been initiated in the northern section by the Cygornians. Vengo made plans for paved roads throughout the country and some of the soldiers helped out in advancing Vatara to modern civilization status. The generals are also making final adjustments to their invasion plans. Troops are also making their rounds testing weapons, vehicles, and tactics. Most of the weapons worked like they were designed, vehicles have some problems like speed, durability, detection, and strength, but they have found ways to correct those problems. Tactics have improved, especially when it comes to storming buildings. One Forgornian soldier even suggests a saying from the book The Decline and Fall of the R.O.T. which states “When they find the truth behind their power, everybody will want to exploit it.”
Meanwhile King Klaxton has issued this proclamation to his people:
********
By Proclamation of the Government of Klaxtonia:
All students are to leave this country during Spring Break. We do not want to make any unnecessary causalities and fatalities in this particular battle. This is not your battle; all those that remain do so at their own risk. Your safety is our concern and we’re not responsible for those that ignore this warning.
Thanks,
King Klaxton I
King Klaxton I
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During the patrols, several R.O.T. ships, especially the New Raiders, appeared out of nowhere and attacked several patrol ships. They sustained moderate damage and the enemy ships have sustained heavy damage and loss of several ships. Hundreds of enemy troops have been captured and none has of yet revealed their secret location. So they radioed main base and told them of their situation. Main base gave them commands to continue and to repair the damages. What they didn’t know is that some of their ships have appeared within the empire by hyperjumpping past the patrols. Those ships proceeded towards Klaxtonia when they met up with the inner defenses which damaged hundreds of ships and destroyed a few ships. The R.O.T. lost thousands of soldiers and had thousands more taken prisoners.
The R.O.T. has continued busting through the defenses and some have already set up bases in Klaxtonia. They took out the guards with strange weapons and took some of them prisoners. The king and royal family have made out to an undisclosed location and the trophy is heavily guarded. The resistance is hiding waiting for their informants to show up and fork over the info. One day an informant did come and told a resistance soldier “What I heard from those pinheads is that some of their ships, even though they hyperjump, they also come in through Terminus using their portal and the Spherax will be guarding Nokas Solis’s ship. That is why they haven’t showed up yet. I also found on their logs that they come through that point a least 9 times and more troops will show up in the next few days.” The soldier then relayed the info to a courier to taken across the ocean to the main troops. Back on the other side of the ocean, several troops are having last minute adjustments to their arsenals. The troops are also still looking for Niradreadds, who hadn’t showed up during the occupation.
Chapter X -- “The Calm before the Storm”
MARCH 12, 1998--BORDER PATROL
Yesterday, Zagrata and her new crew were on their usual rounds and some were also interrogating the prisoners when Nokas Solis interrupted their routines. He specifically contacted Draxar Cura because he “felt his sword’s presence” and wanted to talk to him. When Draxar saw him, he was shocked that he would choose him. Nokas Solis said, “I have arrived and I’m ready to take your puny army. I also have a new weapon that I want to show off. It’s called the Demoleculizer. With this weapon, my troops overpowered your army and take over Klaxtonia. I also have plans to take my trophy, but I won’t tell you what it is. I also hope that my ‘babies’ won’t hurt you much.”
Draxar said, “I hope you don’t mind if we do a little ‘child abuse’.”
“I don’t mind, besides I want to show you something.” He then turned his view screen on his friends who were on another ship. He then said, “I want you to see your friends and talk to them.”
When the Maadi saw Nokas Solis, he asked who that was. They told him that it’s Nokas Solis. He then turned the conversion over to Zagrata while he warns the main forces. He saw that he was going to warn them and wanted to stop him, but the three wanted him to continue the message. Draxar made out this message, “Ship to Big Daddy...” then he yapped a bunch of Greek letters into code to a machine on a base where it was sent to the rest of the army for decoding.
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MARCH 13, 1998--KLAXTONIA
After several days of occupation, the Klaxtonian Army lay nervous as they guard their trophy. As the troops lined up at their positions waiting to defend Klaxtonia, They and the armies across the ocean saw the Spherax ships and some ND ships surrounding them At first, the enemy ships destroyed several Diamond ships and damaged the communications satellite. Nokas Solis wanted it destroyed, but the dead ones want to save it. After awhile the Imperial Armies turned the tide and neutralized the Niradreadd ships and made it worse by having the biometals dump strange ooze on them. On the NDS ship Vustranoz, the captain monitored the ship and found the ooze. Unfortunately, the ooze ate through the ship at a very fast rate and destroyed several crewmembers. Several other ships are also affected and one of them had to crash land towards Gaslonia. Satellites revealed that it crash-landed 30 km North-northwest of Arrminis. When the occupational army found the crash site they sent out a search and retrieval party to find the ship and retrieved the troops. But at the same time the Gaslatores also sent out a search party and a survey team to capture their technology and arrest the troops. When they were getting to the crash site, the surveyors attacked and captured the army and the informants came forth and helped them to capture the survivors. Later they dragged the ship back to a lab for examinations.
Meanwhile in NVG, the troops boarded the transport ships and came within 40 knots of the Klaxtonian coast. Klaxton wanted the JUX armies to help his army in the fighting. Also in Gaslonia, they went through the ship and took the hyperjump device, demoleculizers, spike bombs, shockwave missiles, and other stuff. Days later, the troops waiting aboard the ships are now being sent to surround Klaxtonia on its southern border. Some of the Gaslatore members are also taking notes on the area so that they can tell their government about the unexplored lands. As they wait to invade, the resistance is putting up a fight against the R.O.T and with the JUX army helping them; they forced the enemy from several buildings. They used robotic hybrids to help them capture enemy troops and confiscate ships and their technology. They also had informants tell the resistance how to work the confiscated goods. They were paid handsomely for their service. And as soon as they figured out how to use them, they put the weapons against their creators.
Wazhir then helped direct the armies already in Klaxtonia to drive the enemy towards the center of the main town. He also told Shrinkmonster of how he wished that he went to college then came out of his daydream and realized if that if he went to college when he had the opportunity, the war would never occur, he wouldn’t be standing where he’s standing now, he wouldn’t have his position, organization, or team. He also realized that the people assembled wouldn’t be together, some of them wouldn’t travel to other planets, or the empire and Jabernaut Union wouldn’t exist without his efforts. Shrinkmonster later told him that he did most of the works while he was roaming about with trading, keeping relations in Klaxtonia, or locked up in a trunk with an oxygen tank. He now remembers the abduction milestone in Gaslonia and shouts and tries to strangle Shrinkmonster for that lousy memory. He finishing recollecting and went on looking at troop positions and barking orders. He later gathered his armor, arranged a security team, and brought Shrinkmonster with him to town. Before he left, he told his troops that he left Malztonke behind to lead them. Meanwhile, the officer-in-charge ordered that the prisoner to surrender their weapons. An informant later told them that they know the location of their H.Q. After they arrived, he ordered the army to bring the prisoners to the nearest dungeon. He then received info the Nokas Solis was in the area and was leaving to more secure grounds. They later found and captured Nokas Solis and tied him up. He now sits in the dungeon away from his troops to keep him from talking to them and having them plot his escape. They later took away his weapons and his powers. They also observed that they saw huge explosions in the sky. The Vatarans didn’t know what the explosions they kept on seeing were. They was later told that those explosions were leading them closer to victory and also told them that the era of our “Dark Sun” was about to set and the final conquest was to begin. All that was left to do now is find and destroy their most secretive base yet. The battle is almost over and they’re ready to destroy the remaining troops in the Alpha Quadrant especially at Annilicon and other known spots. Back in Klaxtonia, King Klaxton heard the news and decides to take the risk by returning home and restoring order.
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Klaxtonia, March 21, 1998 (via Empirenet)--Nokas Solis has finally been captured after almost a decade of escaping and tormenting our fair empire. We’ve received permission by the Imperial Government and the liberating army to speak personally with the notorious Nokas Solis.
“So Nokas Solis, how did you manage to escape from us after all of those years?”
Nokas Solis blathers out, “But I’ve been tormenting with you for these last few years, it’s the organization who’s been blasting your hides for that long. Besides, I have no idea what happened to the founder or the leaders before me.”
“So where have you kept your forces for the last few months?”
The guard then came to us and told us that they weren’t allowed to give the information to the general public. He then told us that were all right. “My captivity is short, but I’ve grown to experience how my troops have managed these confines.”
“You’re lucky that they didn’t kill you like most of your men, I hope that the judges hand down the sentence that you deserve.”
“Your justice was kind to my men. All they did is to put them in prison till, what was it 2000, or was it 2012?”
“I believe that our visiting hour is almost up, any last words before we go?”
“Even though that you got rid of me, you still got the three to contend with. How will you deal with already dead men?”
“We’ll figure out a way and thanks for talking to you.”
“Danka, Bonardisa.”
That concludes our history-making interview with the leader of the R.O.T, Nokas Solis. We look forward to the day that the war is over and we will declare victory.
Chapter XI -- “Other Matters”
When the Chargos commission came to see Wazhir and his army, he was tending to personal business and they instead talked to Mortalika. They asked for the troops that wanted to come to Chargos to reorganize their army. Several troops have applied for relocation, others applied for a discharge. Meanwhile Berrican applied for relocation because his tenure is ending and wants to move in with Draxar, but his cousins and a couple of his uncles decided to stay another term. They also wondering if they’re going to have a good reception at Chargos and if the fact that they want out of a horrible weather system qualifies for a faster pullout. Everybody is getting tired of the horrible weather and some wanted to leave before they get more damage or a possible tornado.
When Berrican arrived after the end of his tenure, he brought along a whiptail and a shadow wing. They talked about politics, really dangerous politics, especially about making their country the center of the empire. Not everybody that heard it liked it, but Berrican said that’s only a possible route. While he was there, he worked on refining his powers and his attacking skills. Cura found out that he was been bugged while he tried to explain the secrets to his fellow Martians. After he found the bug, he used it against them even though he doesn’t know whose bug is it and why it’s there.
The R.O.T base was being studied and examined from ceiling to floor to see what the best plan for an invasion is. They see several entrances, but they don’t see how they can knock out those guards. They’re still also figuring out communications relays to tell the army that the base is ready for invasion. While they were seeking ways to advertise their location to the waiting army, they spotted several ships with hyperjumpping capabilities and long-range communications. Now only if they can get pass the troops. While they were figuring a way out, the R.O.T. were figuring out how they were keep the organization going without a leader.
There’s also an informal meeting on trade and politics in the Zeta Empire on Tel-Arit V. They mostly discussed improving trade relations and current political nature. For instance, when Cygornia and Pandasia was fighting about minority rights and occupying each other, they ruined each other relations and Cygornia blocked trade with them. They apologized for the troubles and restarted relations. Pandasia did that very quickly so they can chase down their real enemies, the jabernauts. Their blaming them for the war, since they have some of their people at the same places as them. They also claim if they let a transplant kill all of those alleged R.O.T. members, the war wouldn’t have occurred in the first place. The jabernauts then claim that since the alliance with the Venars and the Gaslatores that they will be pushed back. The Pandasi also say since their alliance with the Dreadds that their relations with the jabernauts have improved.
Now Wazhir is starting to wonder how the war got started, and if in fact the Strocians used diplomacy with the R.O.T. He then asked the JUX representative about the origins of the war. All the representative said was “We tried to talk them from taking over the country, but they wouldn’t listen to us and they said that we have been doing everything to stop them including killing a few of their members.”
Wazhir said, “So the dead were members of R.O.T”
“How did you know?”
“We have heard of the situation from various sources that a foreigner killed them.”
“Yes, a foreigner has killed them and when found out about it, he was sentenced to death.”
“Do you know what the foreigner looked liked?”
“He looked like a flesh creature.”
“What sort of flesh creature?”
“He had fur all over him, and has claws.”
A Pandasi said, “Did he look like one of us?”
The representative said yes. After they figure out a piece of the war puzzle, they talked on some more about the war and other matters such as closer relations with the Ga’an and the war trials for the remaining members of the R.O.T. After they discussed their matters, they went back to their home planets while Wazhir, Swedar, and Trakia visited Cura just to see how he was doing and to see the area around his new base. After they saw that, they went back to Earth and landed at U.M.O. East base and talked to the troops to see if the place was running normal and also to check on their prisoner. Their prisoner checked out fine and was willing to give some more information about the R.O.T. including: sublons are second in rank to the general and have held temporary post as generals, he was restored to life only twice, and that a code was being transmitted to some of remaining troops in the sector about finding the base.
This information lets them draft several proposals for a peace plan. They hope that these plans would help them end the war. At the same time that they were making drafts, their reputations as oppressors followed them as they looked at the occupation of West Harasoca. As they look at this situation, they were thinking how can a country that claims to be so peaceful can occupy its own citizens? When they were seeking an answer to that question, they looked first to the fact that the country has little experience at self-government then they looked to examples in other countries. Then they used this information to compare U.M.O.’s savageness to others. The brutality of this empire is no better than the R.O.T’s when it come to the treatment of its citizens. As they ponder this question, another had popped up, who will take control of the new Chargos group?
They was going to let Wazhir lead the new group, but he had other plans and wanted to go to the Venar Republic to handle their problems. Freddie can’t help either because he’s going with Wazhir, so that leaves them with a few other choices, Staracer, Mortalika, Matthews, and Dark Cougar. They first examined Staracer, they noted that he held grudges. Then they looked at Mortalika and saw that he was a clone / hybrid and had some experience with leading a army, that this can be a deterrent because of his genetic nature. Next, they look at Matthews. He has great plans and has some abilities to lead an army, but they can cite his youth as a deterrent to him being a leader. And finally they look at Dark Cougar. On first examination of him, it seems that he has little experience leading troops in battle and they also complained that he going to treat them like he does Nightbird, his “toy”, other than that, it seems that he can be their next leader.
Meanwhile, Berrican (Beiru xi’an), Whiptail, and Shadow Wing tried to escape from Pandasia with Cura’s sister, Elisha when were followed by several black copters and Cura’s clone, so the best they can do is fight back. They fired on the copters, downing two and Whiptail damaged the clone by destroying his back end. Unfortunately, their plan failed and they had to break it off. Shadow Wing and Whiptail escaped while Berrican turned back with her in tow. He was later place in the brig while they told him of the damage report when Pandara said, “Do you how much it’ll cost to get those things fixed? Lots and lots of money, and finding replacement parts, that’s next to impossible.” After a few days and knowing that his friends actually made it back to Mars and told about those plans, he was moved to another holding cell awaiting his fate. As he was being brought to trial, he distracted the guards, blasted a hole in the wall, and flew off. Now they started to look for him, but couldn’t find him because he hid on some obscure planet. The inhabitants that he found there are green, slimy and have five eyes around their face. What he also found out that they were friendly and were glad to help him hide for the time being. After several days, he decided to risk capture and headed towards Draxar’s ship, PAS Xi’an Chadong. After several days, they lifted his charges with the condition that he takes them to the planet where he hid. He hesitated, but after awhile he took them there and then has the charges cleared. He got to bring back one of the aliens with him. After showing them where he was and convincing one of the aliens to come back with them, he was cleared and the alien is in a laboratory being studied.
New information has came in yesterday and they found out that there was an archaic Annilic language. They used this language to figure out how the ancients lived and especially how they fight. With this discovery, they found out that most of the original members of R.O.T. are of Kralji origin and have strong trade with the Hriti tribe. Also, even though they used primitive technologies, they’ve managed to rule an area near present-day Orokana. The downside to this discovery is that they used early chemical warfare, which is now outlawed, and germ warfare, also outlawed. That leaves us with stampede tanks and the fact that most of these people back then didn’t engage in interplanetary travel. With these and more weapons, they set out towards the border zone and the R.O.T. hideout. The informants also told them that they still have supporters inside the hideout ready to assist in the invasion.
Chapter XII -- “The Final Conflict”
JULY 10, 1998--BORDER ZONE
As they set forward with some of the empire’s finest ships towards the border with Zeta, they pause at a spot. They were told if they got any closer, the R.O.T would know about their approach and set off their alarms. All they can do now is wait until the base is ready for takeover. Meanwhile, inside the base, the infiltrators are getting the base set up so it can’t fight back the invasion. Their plan involves dismantling the weapons and alarm systems. Their only problem is that the main weapons control is being heavily guarded. They tried to get past the guards, but they failed so they decided either to distract them or punch their lights out. They chose the former and while one of them keeps the guards distracted by talking endlessly the others are disabling the defense systems. After they disabled the defense systems, they moved on to communications in order to signal the invasion. Fortunately for them, they can detect them because their communications range is larger than their weapons range. After the infiltrators gave their instructions on differentiating them from the loyalists, they gave the OK to invade.
After they heard the signal, the Fai’Ital proceeded to fire on the base. While they were firing on the base, they got word that the Zetas will help them and they accepted their offer. When a number of ships got close enough, they boarded the base and got most of the infiltrators onto their ships, they proceeded to battle and looking for vital equipment. Some of the troops got to slash the enemy to scrap and others got the chance to help their spies dismantle the base. Most of the enemy vehicles were destroyed, but some were kept as war trophies. After several hours of fighting, the invasion armies finally reached the command center and found the higher officers and their leader. Before the enemy got the chance to shoot them, Iron Cutter and Mortalika got to their confused leader and held them a gunpoint. Mortalika then made this ultimatum, “If you shoot us, your leader will die. You have no choice but to surrender and to accept our conditions. If you don’t accept our offer, either you all will be shot dead or captured. You have five seconds.” They accepted the offer and the surviving troops and their equipment were hauled off to their ships. After everything useful was carried off the base, they planted a nova bomb at the center and set it for 15 minutes. The Zeta left first with their share of the spoils and about the time the base was sent into oblivion, the Imperial invasion has barely cleared the blast zone. Now all they got to do is figure out how to end the war and to punish the enemy. Now all they got to look forward to is ending of the war.
After the battle, the various members of the invasion fleet and the infiltrators met at the nearest starbase while their captives were herded onto a holding ship. While at the base, they were celebrating their latest victory and figuring out their next move. Most of them were wondering whether they were still more enemy troops out there and if they have to fight them. What they found out is that the only thing that they’re going to do is to try to end the war. They took the drafted treaties in hope that they will accept at least parts of them. After they achieved an agreement, they drafted the Balzeni treaty. After reading all 4 pages of it they agreed to it and went ahead with their signatures. After a few more explorations and encounters with the remaining troops, either they died or the surrendered and signed the Balzeni treaty, thus ending the war. When the news of the war’s end traveled throughout the empire, everybody celebrated. Some tried to figure out whether it’s for real or not, and some tried to figure out the shape of the empire now that the war’s over. After they rounded up the remaining enemy loyalists for trial, they went to Pyramid City to parade their troops and weaponry. Later, they reunited with their families and talked about the war.
After a few hours, Cirkronus decided to return home but once he got there he was surprised. He just found out that his beloved emperor has been deposed. Raco and he then decided to visit him. He was surprised that Cirkronus actually completed his mission. After a few minutes of catching up, he told them that the new emperor was going to have his family killed. He also told the location of his daughter. Once they got there they talked to her about the situation and decided to go back to their empire. She said yes and took her 3 young brothers and left. When they finally arrived back on Annilis, she was shocked and they had to tell her where she is and how they do things. Raco also offered her to help her father. She reluctant said yes and they plus Staracer, Megaraco, and White Porcupine went back to help her. As soon as they got back, Cirkronus, Raco and the daughter left to try to free her father. When they finally got in, he declined the escape plan and wanted instead to wait and see what’s going to happen to him. A few days later, they found out what they were going to do to him. They brought him out to the Grand Stadium and had him shot execution-style. Staracer was never so shocked in his life; he could never bring himself to shoot an enemy at point-blank range. They later came back and told Wazhir and Gen. Dark Cougar the bad news. They consoled him and Gen. Dark Cougar then reminisced about the times he spent on Annilis.
After they had partied for a week, they went back to their old H.Q. one last time to look at it and to load their things onto a transport ship. In addition to the troops stationed there, some more people decided to help as well. The commission told them that they would have temporary facilities until their new base is built. They also have to go through the grounds to remove their “toys” and training equipment. After they arrived with their equipment, they put it in the temporary unit and the materials at the construction site. After they had put and set up the equipment, gen. Dark Cougar let everybody except Anti-Dreadd and Brainsmasher on “shore leave”. He needed those two to help him with the office work.
For shore leave, they stayed at a familiar hotel where an incident occurred when Lemuria, Pandara, and two others arrived to take care of them. During the first night, Raco laughed at the idea of Anti-Dreadd and Brainsmasher doing office work and kept everyone awake and cranky. A drill sergeant found out about this and was searching for a punishment. What he saw was Kreido marching around the hotel with a full pack on his back. He saw this and decided to tell him about his plans. Kreido accepted and had Raco doing his practice. For a couple more days, everybody walked around and explored their new surroundings. When their shore leave was over, they went back to their temporary facilities to continue their training and upgrades. Meanwhile a few soldiers were called to the war trials for questioning. The people called were Draxar Cura, Berrican, Zarco, Terminux, Nokas Solis, General Hota, Groznyy, Cikronus etc. And while they are there, they can’t have any contact with the outside world for they fear that they might accidentally give away vital information. Except for what made past the censors and didn’t give away any information on the trial. Meanwhile Dark Cougar was being question for his early involvement in the war. They claimed that he deserted them just to save himself. But he said he left the country so he wouldn’t be caught by the R.O.T secret police. He then sends Anti-Dreadd, Brainsmasher, and Nightbird to Annilis to gather the needed information. He also gave them a list of people to contact and transportation.
After they came to Annilis, they immediately went to the first person on their list and talked to him. All he knew about the question that he did a lot of work and helped out in the cause. They found all the people that used to work with Dark Cougar with just a few days and the first five people on the list. Anti-Dreadd then talked by videophone back to Chargos and told him that he got his support and that they’re gathered and wants to talk to him. Not seeing or hearing from them in a long time, he went ahead and talked to them. After he got his evidence in, they dropped the case and he was looking forward to visiting Cougaria.
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A few months later, Lemuria went on a wild driving spree through Pandasia and was heading towards the airport. The police had to stop him before he reached the airport or he would have left the country. But he didn’t get to the airport and still escape capture for now because he and his car got transported onto a ship and they cleared him for exit. When he got onto his ship, the Pandasi were still chasing him until Cura and Berrican went after him. They got to him and convince them not to fire on that ship. When Cura decided to go back, it got hairy. He decided to do a bunch of stunts, including cloaking and almost baking into Cygornian space. When it’s all over Cura decided it was best if he transferred his sword to Lemuria. After the transfer, the other Dragonblades got wind of it and recognized the transfer. They also decided when the fiasco is over with that they go to NVG and settle. Meanwhile they went to their usual duties when they got notice that their ship was to be docked to a Cygornian fighter. They went to the other ship, indistinguishable from the others. In fact, the only way that they were noticed by the Cygornian shipmaster was the fact that Draxar knew a few words of Cygornian. They were shower around the ship and were asked to do a few repairs, when they were transported to the future.
When the ships were transported, they didn’t know where or when they were and because of that, they sent a few crewmembers to check things out. It so turns that they met up with hybrids and the fact that the Imperial government had converted from Jabernaut-centered politics to Pandasi-centered ones. One of the hybrids they met was a Dimandi-Ga’an-reptoid mix called “Jada”. She was an unusual character and she demonstrated some of her powers such as ripping open forcefields and a move called “Supersonic trash”. She would mate with them if it wasn’t for the fact that she was married, had children, and lived in another time period. While she showed them what it was like in her days, Lemuria was trying to figure out how they wound up there and to get her back. After a few days, he came upon a solution, thanks to the Ga’an, a miniature time machine. He then told Jada that he had finished coming up with a device and he’s ready to use it. He then activated it, sending Jada back to her own time. After she left, he destroyed the machine so it can’t be used again.
Meanwhile back on Chargos, Dark Cougar was excited about going to Cougaria. They wanted to know why he was excited. He said, “It’s been my dream to go home, the home that I never knew and because they chose me for a delegation to the war meeting there.” He then chose 10 “1984” and Slovax units to serve as security detail, Staracer in case he decides to do a little more “sightseeing,” Nightbird and a few more soldiers to accompany him, and Mortalika to head the base in his absence.
NOVEMBER 13, 1998--COUGARIA
When Dark Cougar arrived in Cougaria, a homecoming party greeted him by the citizen and the other participants that showed up to talk about the state of the empire. He then went about sightseeing and commenting the sights with Staracer. They also said that they’d tell Draxar when they find his parents. The next day, they did and they came up to their hotel room and they chatted in the hallway. They gave him the reason why they left him behind and he accepted it. Staracer later told Draxar that he wanted to talk to him in private. Draxar then left and asked him what’s going on. He said a few things and then went back out. The meeting then started and they went to the Cougarian Assembly Building and sat in the legislative hall with some of the most important people in Imperial politics. Some of the thing they talked about was economics and the recession, the war, and unity. After a few days, they left and went back home agreeing on nothing.
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NOVEMBER 26-30, 1998--VELE VIGARTE, CHARGOS
When the troops decided to take time off and have a feast, they decided to invite Zagrata and Draxar over. They came along with Berrican, Lemuria, and a few Panduras. She came because the Imperium told her that she needs to dock her ship every once awhile for maintenance and she said that she needed company to go back with her. For company, she chose Targa and Vagra because of their bond to her. Dark Cougar gave to go-ahead for their transfer. They got fat as usual and talked about the last time Zagrata had gotten fat. They got into a few fights and rested at the gym. The Pandurans told Draxar and Dark Cougar why they had chosen the former for their campaign for equality. They wanted independence, but Draxar talked them into greater representation instead. Some of them didn’t like his answers, but after telling them of his stand and willingness to help, they went along with the decision. The reason that this problem wasn’t discussed was because the Pandasi kept it to them and they didn’t let outsiders know anything about this. That is until Draxar became a “citizen” and forced them to talk about it. He then had a few conversations with a friend in the NVG and his family. Robert and Gracie’s sisters also knew of the plans, but kept silent on their part. HRH Chang Li almost declared war over this issue until Dark Cougar threatened to make the problem known to the rest of the Imperium and that declarations must go through Imperial legislature. They backed down and let Draxar’s sister and family to leave the country, but Draxar still must serve their army. They also got word that the trial might last another few months and details are still unknown as to the convictions of the war criminals.
More troubles have developed when Koalastan still demanded the return of territory and people from Pandasia. They rebutted that the territory is theirs and they won it during the war. While they were sorting out the past, Kreido gave the crew a big surprise--he said “Ich bin ein Juden” and told them how the Rideaux came to be Jewish. After the shock, he was more or less different and they went about their business of finding who is guilty.
FEBURARY 28, 1999-- STROCIA
The verdict of the trials has come in and they found the R.O.T. guilty of all crimes against the empire and Strocia. Nokas Solis has been given life in prison for subjecting subject people to torture and death. Chemhotten has been given death by acid for massacring people on several conquered planets. General Hota, for aiding Chemhotten the massacre plans, is sentenced to death by acid. Draxar Cura, Robert (Grosanko) Gruzman, and Marcus Zelon Berricanus has been honored for their part of advancing the knowledge of the empire. The infiltrators were rewarded for their part of the war by having their charges taken off the record.
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Cura and Berrican, after learning that they been cleared of all charges and being honored for their work, were relieved about the news and hope for the better. Now all they got to do is to figure out how to get the Pandurans to make peace. Some have refused that option because they think its sounds like surrender. Cura comforts them that it’s more like “coming to terms” with the Pandasi. He also said that it’s better than going to war with them. He also reminded them that independence is not their real goal, but just to be treated as equals. Pandasia has finally agreed to adjust its borders with Koalastan according to the population reports.
In other news, Cygornia has decided to expand its borders to include ancient people, probably ancestors of the Cygornians. The Empire has decided to set up a central bank and open up more space routes to outside the empire. The Zetas were delighted of this news, as it will bring the two empires closer together. A crystalline group has been travelling the empire a few months ago testing a strange wormhole device. They seem to come from another galaxy seeking a shortcut across the universe. They came to us after we stopped them and asked them what they were doing. All they said that their device is a secret and must not fall outside their group. They also promised to test their device somewhere else. We haven’t heard from them since.
The hybrids have a hidden problem; they tend to demoleculize after several years and disappear. The first victim was Ultrana, she disappeared a few years after creation and it is feared the same fate awaits the other hybrids. They also found that creatures that are part robot disappear slower than those who weren’t do. Anti-Dreadd was worried about this and he was relieved. Krullex, on the other hand, might not have to worry about this problem because she and her “children” were results of an enemy project and thus aren’t considered hybrids.
What happened after the last entry is that the hybrids had demoleculized, save Mortalika. Iron Cutter didn’t make it, but she has a replacement waiting somewhere. Cirkronus has managed to transport most of the rebels from an alternate Rome and brought them to Chargos. Zagrata is still flying her ship and hasn’t come across any more trouble. The future team has by now taken their place on Chargos and still waiting for a battle. Mbala, after several violations, was sent back to Cougaria in disgrace and was replaced by Shamla. Montier also had new company when he was joined in the robot project by Felipe Getorak and built JANDIS and “Big Bruiser”. Staracer retired and was replaced with another Martian Lieut. Commander and a few more Commanders.
JANUARY 3, 2020, VELE VIGARTE, CHARGOS
What they found out mostly came true, even Nadan (Anti-Dreadd) survived and Mortalika was placed into a mechanical shell. Everybody else left or stayed on to help the new recruits to the new Chargos fortress. Unfortunately, Cirkronus, concerned about returning home, left the force and wound up in his refugee camp, sulking about the fact that there’s nothing he can do about liberating his home, only the fact that he has to wait. In the meantime, he was dragged to Annilis and to the home of Howard Matthews so he can cool off and to be cared for. Meanwhile, Montier, JANDIS, and Felipe continued to develop more attack robots. After a while they continued with the new configuration to do business as usual.
THE END, OR IS IT?