Spotlight on:
 |
“For The Nation, Our Lives Are Forfeit”
| Category: Iron Fist Consumerists | ||
| Civil Rights: Few |
Economy: Frightening |
Political Freedoms: Outlawed |
Regional Influence: Shoeshiner
Location: The East Pacific
2
Alliance of The Damned (WIP)
Somewhere in Russland...A dark cloud hangs over the capital of 
Kyoki Chudoku. As a specter in a far off land looks outside the mouth of a cave high up in some snowy mountains, he says aloud, "The Yukkiran forces seem to be having trouble on their airship. We must act to kill Orlov now or we won't get a better chance." The winds howl in response...but this specter is not alone. For just past the mouth of the cave, an even darker shadow lurks. His eyes are tinged in red, his grin a damnation to all happiness. His body sits with an almost awkward disposition which would've led one to believe he was rather...Mad.
"I agree my friend. Although, I have to ask, we didn't have anything to do with that did we?" asks Alexei the Mad of his protege, 'Venus.' He strokes his scrubby beard with a hand clad in black-leather. For the cold knows no compassion for the good nor the wicked. All will know mother nature's cold temperament. She does not willingly discriminate.
Neither do they.
"No...but releasing the Tangled probes now would be monumental. If the Tangled can completely assimilate the ship, then we could hold the Imperial Empress and her lieutenants hostage and force the Principality to work for us," I suggest.
Alexei thinks for a moment. This plan was absolutely ridiculous. Almost ludicrous. But, as the madman smiles, the thought of putting the world on its head first was a thought, then an impulse, and finally, a maddeningly wonderful obsession.
"Ah...I think this will be troubling as our single missile site will be discovered. Buuuuuut," he pauses at the 't,' "No pain, no gain. So," he coughs and wipes his mouth with a random handkerchief pulled from his body, "FIRE THE TANGLED! LET THE ASSIMILATION COMMENCE!! MWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAAA!"
As Alexei roars his laughter into the bone-chilling air, something even colder emerges from the snow-frosted regions of The russland kingdom. Missile silos unknown begin to open and unleash a barrage the likes of which the Principality has never seen. Three-hundred pod-like projectiles exit causing the Russland military and those Imperial Yukkirian Guards stationed in Russland to move immediately to high alert.
"Fire the interceptors!" Yells a Russland officer as the Russland military retaliates. For as the large group of missiles fly over Russland territory, their renown anti-air defenses manage to destroy an astonishing 71 projectiles. Alas though, 229 still manage to make the Russland border with one destination in mind: the Emperor-class dreadnought heavy assault carrier, the pride of Yukkira, the Helios Eternum.
I give Alexei a scrambled-transmitter tuned to the now hijacked open communications arrays of the Principality,
"To the Principality of the MOST WONDERFUL," Alexei spits, "Yukkira. You've made a terrible mistake guarding Orlov. AND NOW, YOUR DAY OF RECKONING COMES! MWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAA! I hope you enjoy my errm, little present." Alexei grins as on his mobile monitor, he sees the Helios Eternum getting larger on the screen. "Once my wonderful pets infest the lower levels of your ship, the assimilation will begin to spread rapidly! AND WE WILL HAVE BEEN ABLE TO WIN A WONDERFUL VICTORY TODAY MY COMRADES!! Um-erm, have fun vomiting blood and having your lungs dissolve."
"Borov, cut that sh*t off," says the Russland officer. The Russland military fires a single MOAB on the missile site, destroying it before it can send anything else out.
Alexei looks disappointed as he sees a plumb of fire and snow explode into the cold winter air. I happen to agree with that sentiment.
"Rude...well, I hope it was worth it."
(I = Venus just FYI)
Aboard the Helios Eternum...
Red klaxons blare a seldom heard alarm. This can be heard all across the expeditionary escort flotilla which was tasked with not only escorting to leader of Russland, Orlov II, home, but to also protect me. For I am their beloved mother and Empress, and the danger of me having been out of country for so long called for extraordinary measures. As I look outside my bedroom window on the Helios Eternum, I can see what's coming.
Missiles of what used to be an unknown origin. That is, until that dirt-faced rat managed to hijack yet again, my communications arrays. I'm going to hang my Technology Minister soon, I think to myself. That thought though is quickly sidelined as the imposing sight before takes precedence.
At three-hundred kilometers out, internal systems indicated that those damned things were headed to my ship. I mean, I'm frankly flattered but that b*stard really has it coming if I ever get my hands on him. I do sincerely hope that Akira manages to catch him. Then...those two can sleep easier at night. I can sleep easier at night.
We can be carefree again.
Oh...the things I'm going to do to him... I think with a murderous gaze. As if the ships themselves were reading my thoughts, the Mirror Force Defense Systems go live. Missile interceptors and anti-missile laser arrays begin a dangerous light show above the capital city of Kyoki Chudoku. However, due to the quality of Russland technology, the incoming missiles manage to deftly avoid taking any significant casualties. "Ma'am, there are still 210 headed our way...brace for impact," says an officer in the command center on a direct line to my room's transmitter. That same officer then begins to broadcast to the entire ship,
-WARNING! WARNING! INCOMING HIGH-SPEED PROJECTILES! BRACE FOR IMPACT! I REPEAT, BRACE FOR IMPACT!-
"No," I say in response over the his warning. The officer stops broadcasting but forgets to turn off his transmitter as he says, "Huh???" I can't help but chuckle to myself. My child, I begin to think, I will not let the Pride of Yukkira be overwhelmed by a terrorist. Yukkira bows to no one. I bow to no one. Except for possibly, Lady Lala. Yes, I continue to think, that little lady is a monster in human skin; cute, but incredibly dangerous. Desperate times though call for desperate measures. And as the words begin to form in my mouth, I can taste them, almost like bile.
For I have failed them again. Father, I begin to think, if you're out there, I'm sorry for being such a failure; please watch over them.
"Ready sanctification...Mark."
Emperor forgive me.
It is common practice for those being sanctified to glory themselves by broadcasting their voices to all those to hear. For my children, serving and protecting me, it is their highest honor to be worthy of blocking a fatal blow for me or my kin.
To me though, it is my greatest failure. A mother should not be protected by her children. She should instead, protect them with every fiber in her body. And as the Shadow-class light frigate known as the Eternum's Glory begins to move, I do their commanding officer homage by acknowledging him for all to know and remember in the coming moments.
"Lord-Captain Yukimura Koei, may all glory and honor be yours this day," I say in a stoic and unwavering voice. It is practiced though, as my heart aches for him and those on his ship. I cannot let it show, lest it be seen as a sign of weakness. And that cannot be afforded in these dire moments. I will mourn them when this is all over, I say to myself.
In addition to all those who will inevitably fall today. Figured me accidentally dropping my tea cup today was a bad omen. An old superstition, but one that seems to find its mark every so often.
"If this is the will of Yukkira, for the nation, our lives are forfeit. FOR THE PRINCIPALITY!" yells Captain Yukimura. Over the intercom, his men and women echo his sentiment, heaping praises and and lauding glories won and lost. For as the frigate moves to intercept the incoming missiles and explosions begin to blossom all across its hull and bridge, Yukimura says one last thing,
"Empress Kirin. Although I never got to meet you personally, please take this to heart and know, I die a happy man today."
It takes years of restraint to stop the tears from falling. For how many of his men and women share those same feelings? How many resent me? How many wished they could've met me? I should go to the lower galas more often, I think making a mental note for later. I will tell Veronica and Arima to do so as well. As stewards to our livestock, we should not be so lofty and out-of-touch with them.
I am such a failure of a mother.
But the thought is quickly shut away as something unexpected heads our way still. Quickly, I begin to run towards my armor-case as over the intercom, the officer from before sounds off,
-WARNING! WARNING! INCOMING HIGH-SPEED PROJECTILE! BRACE FOR IMPACT! I REPEAT, BRACE FOR-
A rogue missile slams into the underbelly of my indomitable flagship, the Helios Eternum, causing it to rock to the right as an explosion rips across part of the lower cargo hold. Uuugghhh, I groan getting off the floor. My left elbow and arm are bruised from breaking my impact and begin to slowly turn a violet shade of purple. Quickly opening my armor case, I begin donning my power-armor but I stop as another siren begins to wail.
It's higher-pitched and is even less seldom-heard than the siren that was heard beforehand. It's enough to make even the most experienced officer shake in his boots. Enough to make a lesser man panic.
For no one's ever managed to board an Emperor-class dreadnought before.
-ALL SECURITY FORCES! ALL SECURITY FORCES! ENEMY COMBATANTS HAVE EMERGED FROM THE IMPACT SITE IN CARGO BAY AREA SEPTA-SEPTA-9-9-2-0. MOVE TO CONTAIN! I REPEAT, MOVE TO CONTAIN! ALL NON-MILITARY PERSONNEL EVACUATE AND MOVE TO THE UPPER LEVELS IMMEDIATELY!-
As I finish donning my armor, I look at myself in the mirror on my armor-case. I am the Empress, I begin to say. Everything will be okay, everything will be fine, just breathe, I continue to say as I make my way out of my room. Waiting for me, clad in their own power-armor, were two squads of Royal Guards, part of the battalion stationed on my ship.
"Your Majesty," says the Captain walking up to me, "We need to move you to safety immediately. The raiders in the cargo hold are nothing like we've seen. If Intelligence is correct, the terrorist has unleashed Tangled, toxic sacs of flesh with bone-blades, the ability to squeeze into tight places, and a knack for reproducing from the enemy dead, upon your ship. I cannot guarantee your safety here."
"That's fine Captain," I say while putting my helmet under my arm, "escort me to the command center and we'll figure out how to rid ourselves of this pestilence."
"Yes my Empress," says the Captain acknowledging my request. As we begin to move towards the command center however, I have the sinking suspicion...
that this was just the beginning.
As the Tangled infestation spreads...
A bone-scythe attached to tentacle-like flesh lashes out and pierces a livestock through his stomach. As he cries out, the Tangled drags the livestock to itself to be consumed and reborn as a Tangled. This happens, over and over again, as the Tangled begin to spread to the lower part of the ship. All-in-all, 400+ Tangled begin to spread to the lower levels, hiding in cracks and corners, slowly spreading their toxic pestilence.
No one is safe as within ten minutes, the lowest floor of the ship is completely filled with gas, the Yukkiran forces coughing up blood as they fall, one by one, to the thick gas created by so many toxins and so many Tangled. As each man and woman falls, their bodies slowly become consumed by the plague that is the Tangled and the situation becomes increasingly dire.
However, as one Tangled is about to find out, neither I, nor the Imperial Yukkirian Guard, are pushovers. For as it manages to climb up an elevator shaft to the upper levels, it stumbles upon me and my Guards moving towards the command center.
"Ah man Empress, that smell must be quite bad," Alexei laughs over the hijacked intercom system. "I do sincerely hope that every last one of your soldiers has a gas mask. And umm, don't mind being assimilated. Bwahaha-HAHAHA-BWAHAHAHAAHAHAHAHAHAHAA!!!!" practically roars the terrorist, the transmission cracking due to how loud he's laughing into his transmitter. "Give up kiddo and surrender to me now. Or my little pet is going to bite you!" He makes a gasping sound, "I do hope that vomiting blood and suffocation sounds like a slightly-pleasant if not downright charming way to go!"
If I had to guess, that dirt-faced rat-b*stard was smiling just about right now.
However, he failed to predict one thing.
I'm no longer scared of monsters that roam in the dark from under my bed.
I used to think that nightmares were confined only to your dreams. Like how fish only swim in the sea and birds only fly in the air. But one day, they, showed up. Out of the desert sands that were once our homeland. I remember when their leader simply walked through our front door and took my father away from me without a second thought; claiming our Throne for their own.
And from what I remember, those damn b*stards looked way more scarier than this sack of wasted flesh.
Without needing for me to say a word, the Guards begin to fire upon the Tangled as it roars down the hallway. Slashing through several unfortunate bystanders in the way, as it spews toxic fumes, a spit of light manages to ignite the fumes gathered around it causing a small explosion that knocks me and everyone else near off their feet. Getting up off the floor for the second time today, I look around. A small fire rages in the hallway around some unconscious bystanders. A couple Guards are laying on the ground in awkward positions; I highly doubt they'll be getting up. As my Captain helps me to my feet, I motion towards the command center's door as I say just so that he can hear,
"I'm going to kill that dirt-faced piece of sh*t terrorist. Just wait until Lord-Commander Akira gets her hands on him. Just. Wait."
My Captain shudders. No one's managed to make me this mad. Not ever. Because no one's had to audacity to. At least, up until they showed up...
As we enter the command center, I make a swirling notion to the Lord-Overseer in charge of not just my flagship, but the flotilla. "Seal the doors and lock us down," I tell him. As all essential personnel begin to flood through the doors behind me, my Royal Guards begin to take up defensive positions around the command center floor. Two more squads also join us to reinforce the security. Around me, I can hear the vent and shaft shutters falling into place. They begin to segregate those of us within the command center from the rest of the flagship. Kind of like how at the core of an artichoke, there's a hard center not like the rest of its soft flesh. Or how in chimera herds, those too young to fend for themselves are located closer to the middle while those old or charged with defending the herd are located on the outside.
My children were forming a literal physical barrier between me and them. And I was willingly letting this happen. How did it come to this? Why is it coming to this? How can I make amends?
All these questions in addition to multitude of others fight for attention in my head as the blast doors seal shut and our isolated life support systems come online.
This command center was now both our safe haven and quite possibly, our tomb.
"Overseer. Report."
"Well," begins the Overseer in charge of my ship, "I have good news. And I have bad news."
Great... "What's the bad news?" I ask taking a deep breath.
The Overseer pulls up a holographic display in addition to blowing up I-SPY live footage from the Chudoken borders. In the video feeds, a host of unidentified aerial platforms with IYG insignia scrubbed or scratched out, rapidly approach. The holographic display shows their position relative to the flotilla's. And the distance was closing.
"A moderately large flotilla is rapidly approaching. No hails. No chatter. Nothing," he says matter-of-fact.
To which I respond, "It's the Warmind."
The chatter stops. I think a transmitter got dropped. And the only sounds going were the beeping and humming of the machines.
My Overseer clears his throat, "Forgive me Empress, but the Warmind does not have access to the materials to produce these, nor the factories to build these. The encroaching platforms must be from rogue elements within the IYG."
In response, I quickly pull up a data slate with information provided to me by Imperial Intelligence, "Just before the missile barrage was launched, Minato reported that over the last several months, a spat of unexplained factory queue back-ups and work-orders began to occur at several sites across the Principality. In addition to this, several Nemesis-class cruisers were reportedly going into maintenance due to engine problems only for the ships to disappear...The Warmind is gathering an army. And this flotilla is just the tip of the iceberg."
The dead silence in the room belies the tension heavy on everyone in the room. A terrorist? With an army? Unthinkable. However, inaction as well was also beyond unthinkable, and I refuse to be laid low by rat-faced dirt-bags who send mindless sacks of flesh and metal to do their bidding.
Grabbing the transmitter from my Overseer's transmitter from his command chair, "Prepare to engage the enemy flotilla. Prep the Legions for rapid deployment...this humble capital of Kyoki Chudoku just might turn into a warzone." As all shipmasters send their "affirmative," I put down the transmitter gently, then proceed to immediately slam my fist against his chair making everyone flinch in the room. "EMPEROR DAMN HIM!" I exclaim.
Just what the hell did he want? The Throne? My destruction? My daughter? Or was that low-life piece of chimera excretement just a dreamer who wishes for the world to burn?
Taking a deep breath though, there was still a bit of information left to take in.
"What's the good news?" I say.
Pulling up video feeds showing the Tangled roaming the lower decks, my Overseer says, "I've figured out a way to purge these toxic sacks of flesh out of our ship."
That's great news! But wait... "If you've figured out how, why haven't you done so yet then?"
The Overseer gets up from his chair and takes his cap off...well, so much for good news.
"Because it involves blowing up the ship, your Majesty," he says with a bow, "I apologize but this is the only thing I could think of."
The Helios Eternum was the first Emperor-class dreadnought to leave the factory-bays of the Citadel-Fortress' massive manufacturing complex. After the Nobility, it is the Pride of the Principality manifest.
Yes, blowing up the ship would prove that the Principality could be hurt. Yes, should it be grounded, all will know that today, the Pride of Yukkira was laid low by terrorists.
But Yukkira, will not be beaten. Not by wasted flesh. Not by cybernetic-nightmares straight out of hell. Not by mundane insignificant little terrorists.
Because as the Imperial Empress to the country I love so dearly, I will always find a way to make things right.
"Do it." Two words said so solemnly tha they could've been a prayer. I wonder what gods are out there I think to myself. More to the point, what I have done to anger them?
For today, those fickle deities have won a victory in their thirst for chaos and destruction. As my Overseer orders for the ammunitions for the cannons on the lower level be detonated, I begin to wonder if I did something wrong. Internal camera feeds begin to show an inferno ripping through the lower levels of the ship as the blast doors on the upper levels fall into place. A ripple like a great wave or tsunami ripples through the hull, as the Tangled become consumed in flames of their own making.
My own flames have also consumed me, I say lowering my head. Even my own daughter outshines me now.
But my sunset, I feel has not come just yet. For as the pride of my nation begins to fall down like an avenging meteor upon the Earth, I can slowly feel something growing inside.
I will not bow down to the fates just yet.
After the Helios Eternum crashes...
As the smoke begins to settle the few (6) tangled which are not burnt to an unrecognisable crisp gather together to form two organisms and amalgamate into much larger Tangled, with one hiding in the crashed shipwreck and awaiting the leadership to leave the sealed room.
The other slithers across the streets to make it into Orlovs recovery room. Alexei though, looking at camera feeds both inside the dreadnought and from traffic cameras showing where it landed, stands almost confoundingly giddy. Picking up the transmitter with a notable fidget, Alexei says,
"You...you blew up your ship to save your own skin Your Majest-y? Encore! Encore! Good show my good ol' chap! A toast to your almost convincing victory over your plight I say! Now, if you'll excuse me, I now need to stuff my sorrows over being twarted, once again, into a brown paper bag stuffed with the remains of my squeaky-toys of Orlov and Katarina look-alikes. *squeak! squeak!* I have lost good mon-sewer, now I take it you should address that other problem...ta-ta for now my lovely!" Alexei hangs up the transmitter before thrashing everything on a nearby table onto the floor. Bottles crash and papers get ruined.
"I hope she dies to my little present waiting for her. DON'T YOU AGREE VENUS?!" He shouts at me. Alexei can be such a troll sometimes. It's what makes him likeable. For a dirty-rotten terrorist at least. "Venus, get me a link to the Warmind's ships, if you would please." Immediately going to the control console, I begin to hack into one of the frigate's communications systems. Easier said than done.
The code was sprawling at a magnitude that I didn't anticipate but after a couple moments abated to a rather chilling voice,
"Yes?"
-------------------------
OOC: Eeeh...hell, I'll try to finish. By the way...the Principality fields no dedicated navy.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C7HL5wYqAbU
(Taiko is a form of drumming in Japan, that particular link will take you to Kodo's O Daiko - God of War) *RAAAAAGGHHHHH!*
[spoiler=Alliance of The Damned Pt. 3]
A battle rages outside of the now grounded Helios Eternum. As the opposing flotillas begin to clash, sounds like thunder and lightning begin to follow streaks of fire and explosions. Orion squads face off in perilous contests of aerial skill and dog-fighting. A stray escort becomes an easy target, but an enemy unaware even more so. Soon, falling wreckage begins to rain from the sky as escorts destroy one another.
And that is just the beginning. For the mighty battlefleet of the Imperial Yukkirian Guard is not one to be trifled with, even against its own. Missile slits on destroyers launch screeching silos of death. Frigate gun batteries light up in rapid-firing blazes. And imposing heavy cruisers unleash white-flashes of energy at one another in an attempt to rip the other's armor off and destroy the soft flesh within. Even with the dreadnought down, its own power supply remained sufficient enough to continue to run the on-board sensory arrays.
"Cruiser-1-4, give me another broadside on that frigate swinging around on your left flank. Destroyer-5-2, HIT 'EM AGAIN! I repeat, HIT THAT B*STARD AGAIN! I DON'T CARE WHAT YOU HAVE LOADED, BLOW THAT FRIGATE TO KINGDOM COME!" I shout over the intercom while looking at the holographic display. As the shutters begin to raise on the command center, a loud explosion greets its occupants as an IYG destroyer throws just about everything into a single, massive barrage aimed at an enemy frigate on it's right side. The frigate first glows a magnificent red-orange before the heat cracks its generator core enveloping it in an explosion that glows brighter than the sun.
"Empress!" Shouts an officer from across the command center, "Our flotilla might be pushing them back, but they've deployed all of their drop pods across the capital. We cannot contain this situation!"
I walk over to the officer in question, drags him off his seat and throw him against the floor where Royal Guards restrain him. "Get him out of my sight and find me someone capable. We will contain the Warmind and we will limit civilian casualties. This is not Aozora's problem. This is the Principality's. If any Guard here thinks that we cannot take care of our own problems without getting others involved, leave now or face my wraith!"
Turning around, I chant as I head for the door, "Who are we?"
All reply, "Imperial Guards ma'am!"
"WHO ARE WE?!"
"IMPERIAL GUARDS MA'AM!"
"Damn straight!"
The doors of the command center, now unsealed, open for me with a hiss. Stepping out into the hallway, I activate my personal transponder,
"Deploy the Legions and the Guard. I will personally coordinate all forces from the field. Shipmasters, primary directive: eliminate all enemy combatants and make safe the city. Use extreme caution when bombarding the city. Attempt to avoid civilian casualties at all costs. We will contain this threat. Understood?"
All reply, "Yes Empress. Moving to comply."
Almost immediately, a new wave of drop pods are unleashed. This time though, there is a difference. Whereas the first wave landed wherever they did, destroying shops, homes, and property indiscriminately, this second wave was less destructive. Most landed in open streets and in already partially or already destroyed buildings. A few here and there accidentally land on a car or two, but none of the damage caused now was intentional.
The Shipmasters moved to obey.
As I disembark my dreadnought though, a small chill goes up my spine. Waiting patiently, it didn't dare hunt those fleeing around the dreadnought. It was me that it wanted...
Perfect.
It roars at me toxic fumes and acid as if to challenge me. A feral creature I guess. Finding the hilt of my saber, it crawls out of its crevice like some forgotten hermit crab without a shell. Immediately, my Guards move to defend me.
"Let it come," I say to them.
A few look at me but none dare waver. For to them, I was their mother. And to me, they are my children.
And I will protect them. I draw my saber, its polished gleam made even more obvious in the sunlight. At the center of the blade,
