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  • Subject: [story] To Fall or Fly (new part now up)
Subject: [story] To Fall or Fly (new part now up)
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"they're everywhere!"

Prologue - All Quiet on the Western Arm

Admiral Jones stood at the head of the command table of the UESC Misriah. Beneath his feet the floor of the map room shuddered and bucked with the relentless stream of munitions sent plummeting towards the planet below by the Vulcan class dreadnought. He waited silently as the other coalition chiefs of staff watched the final simulation of Operation Landfall play out on the hologram table.

A light above the door flashed red and the hologram swiftly disappeared. Security was vacuum sealed. As the light turned to green the door opened and a messenger entered. There was no external links to this room, in fear of interception of vital information.

"Yes, lieutenant?" asked Jones, slowly turning to face the open doorway.

"Sir, Citadel 320 has just taken a direct barrage from battle groups Alpha, Delta and Epsilon. Spectrographic pulse analysis is just beginning, but from the current rates we estimate 600 million casualties, of which 170 million Pfhor" the messenger replied.

"Very good. Continue as you were"

The lieutenant saluted and left the room. As soon as the light returned to green the commanders once again turned to the map table. The hologram restarted where it had stopped a few moments ago.

The UESC 3rd Army Group was advancing across open terrain towards the Pfhor position on Zero Ridge. The Chimera Mk VIIs of the 101st Queens Royal Lancers had broken out of the British landing zone and had moved to flank the Pfhor defences that were holding the 3rd Army Group at bay. Starlancer heavy fighters were strafing the battlefield, and elsewhere the German 21st Jagdpanzer division was confronting the Pfhor 563rd Arial Assault Group in an area of light vegetation. Everything was going to plan. It looked so easy.



Major Lee also felt the force of the bombardment as it sent tremors through the ship. He was standing in the troop bay of a Greyhound transporter which waited at full alert in Hangar 16 of the Misriah. He was a soldier of the UESC 1st Company Assault Troop, and they were the elite. He knew his mission would not be easy, and he flicked the safety catch of his MA77 off and on repetitively to calm his nerves before the landing.

The rest of his patrol stood around in the expanse of the hold. The space was meant for almost a hundred men, and in it were eight. The job did come with benefits.

Their assault packs were bolted to the end wall. Fusion generators active; anti-gravity jet packs primed; teleporters primed. These were the pieces of equipment that moved them apart from any fighting force in the galaxy. Not their armour, not their weapons, but their very special backpacks. This single squad could take out a whole army if they were ordered to.



Admiral Jones called for an envoy. It was time to order the attack. The reply came soon enough, and the holograms had long since finished their course. It was time for reality to take over.

The lieutenant entered and saluted. "You called for me sir?"

"Yes," replied Jones. "It is six hundred hours, seventh of July, year two thousand eight hundred and eighty one. "Give the general order for Operation Overground to begin at once."

"Right away sir" cried the messenger, saluted and left.

Now all there was to do was to wait. The day of judgement had come.



Major Lee felt the tremors stop and the gravity lessened before the ships main engines increased power to regain normal orbit. The force of the bombardment was so great that it pushed the ship outwards in its orbit. The hatches of the transport closed, and he heard the sound of magnetic docking clamps disengaging.

"So this is it" said Lee's second in command, Sergeant Mills. "Let's go kick some Pfhor ass." Lee had known Mills for a long time, and this display of confidence meant nothing to him. He knew that Mills had just as many doubts as he did.

The Greyhound manoeuvred out into space, and began its decent towards the planet below. Out of the blast windows Lee could see streams of drop pods and transports in free fall from the other ships in the armada, and as he gazed out at the neat columns a wing of Starlancers blazed past, accelerating towards strike velocity. They would be the only thing protected the many transporters against whatever was waiting below them.



The command room was quiet now. In contrast to the hive of activity it had been a matter of minutes ago, now there was nothing. Just the arduous task of waiting remained; trying to ignore any misgivings that crept into their heads; any doubts or fears. The burden of command was cruel.

Suddenly the door crashed open and the same messenger burst into the room. Admiral Jones spun around and opened his mouth, infuriated by the disrespect of the lieutenant.



Major Lee and his squad belted down as the Greyhound entered the atmosphere. The blast windows were closed, and rightly so. At that moment incinerating plasma flared around the transport. It was exactly what they would face when they reached the ground.

The ship began to weave; slowly at first, but then faster and more erratically. Explosions could be heard outside the ship. Most of them quiet, but occasionally a loud, piercing detonation as a ship was hit and the fusion core overloaded. Luck was in control now. Lee only prayed to his gods, and cursed the commanders who waited in the ships above. Away from danger and able to relax at will. There was nothing to trouble them.



"Sir, the Icarus is under attack!"


[Edited on 10.15.2009 9:10 AM PDT]

  • 10.07.2009 1:28 PM PDT
Subject: [story] To Fall or Fly
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No matter how many seals are killed by sharks a year, it never seems to be enough :D

I was only to read some of this because i am working on a histroy essay at the same time. I will read the rest later, but as for now, excelent writing. Even though i do not know how good the story line will be yet, the writing its self shows talent.

  • 10.07.2009 8:31 PM PDT
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"they're everywhere!"

thanks, i'm working on a second part righ now, but i've got slightly stuck. i don't want to skip forwards 4 hours and then skip back, but the only alternative is to wait 2 hours... hmmm...

what's the history essay on? i'm doing a piece of course work myself on general haig and the battle of passchendaele

[Edited on 10.08.2009 1:03 PM PDT]

  • 10.08.2009 12:57 PM PDT

Marathon fan fiction? EPIC. WIN.

I don't know anything about the Marathon plot, but it's cool that you do. Maybe you should give a summary of what Marathon's about in the OP.

  • 10.08.2009 3:59 PM PDT
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"they're everywhere!"

Posted by: Wolverfrog
Marathon fan fiction? EPIC. WIN.

I don't know anything about the Marathon plot, but it's cool that you do. Maybe you should give a summary of what Marathon's about in the OP.


i'm going to introduce parts of the plot that are related to the story throughout. i might also add descriptions of weapons, vehicles etc. and pictures. i'll post the second part now. that has more info on the marathon plot.

  • 10.09.2009 8:45 AM PDT
Subject: [story] To Fall or Fly (new part now up)
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"they're everywhere!"

Part 1 - Lost at Sea

The UESC Icarus was a colossal orbital station built upon the remains of the UESC Marathon that had set out to colonise this system almost five hundred years ago. The planetoid colony ship, built out of the Martian moon Deimos, had been the first human vessel to encounter the Pfhor, and the orbital station that it had become was as lethal as the Phobos station that provided defence for its home planet. Although the original colony and its occupants had been completely destroyed by the Pfhor, the aliens were unable to affect the Marathon itself, and instead left it hanging in orbit, fusion cores deactivated while they plundered it of anything useful, particularly the two remaining AIs. Tycho, the science and engineering AI was reanimated in the image of Durandal and used by the Pfhor, and was destroyed along with the Western Arm of Battle Group Seven in the L'lowon. Leela, the ship operations AI, was lost without trace along with the transport ship assigned to take her core to Pfhor Prime. Durandal, the life support AI who left aboard a stolen Pfhor scout ship with almost a thousand of the marathon's crew, disappeared also after the defeat of Battle Group Seven, and no person has heard of him since Robert Blake and his men escaped aboard a Pfhor refuelling ship. It was with the technology aboard the vessel that humanity had learnt the process of faster than light travel, and armed with this they were able to quickly return to Tau Ceti, completing the journey that had taken the Marathon over three hundred years in just under a month.

Admiral Blake sat in the command seat of the UESC Icarus. Unlike his second in command, Admiral Jones, who had wanted to continue the fight against the Pfhor, Blake had decided to return to the colony he was born to serve. He had not wanted to become embroiled in another war against an alien race. Aboard the giant station his life could almost be considered peaceful.

A voice cut through the static on one of the FTL signal receivers on the bridge, down to his left. The voice was faint, but Blake could still hear the urgency in it. The operator turned round and reported. "Admiral, I have just received a distress signal from the UESC Aegean."

Blake fully snapped out of his thoughts, and his mind became focused upon the task in hand. "What sector was the report from?" he replied, but the real question on his mind was 'is it the Pfhor?'

"Sector TC five, thirty seven, eighty nine, sir."

"Do they have any information on the nature of the attack?"

"I'm broadcasting a reply now sir."

The thought of the Pfhor returning to Tau Ceti preyed upon Blake's mind. The atrocities committed against his people, both upon the Marathon and on L'lowon, were vivid in his memories.

"Sir, the Aegean is not replying."

Blake's military instincts responded. "Scan the entire sector. I want a report of any anomaly in that area."

"Sir, the scans results were negative. No debris found, to an accuracy of ten cubic metres."

This was confusing. Blake thought for a moment, and then he ordered a scout craft to be dispatched to explore the area. He hadn't expected a situation such as this. All he could do now was wait for the scout ship to report.




Stephen Hall was a mechanical engineer aboard the UESC Icarus. He was a second generation colonist, and had originated from Mars. Currently his work involved maintaining the gargantuan docking and repair apparatus in Hangar 96. This was one of the large hangars, and could easily fit an entire dreadnought. Currently it was occupied by the UESC Entropy, a Thunder Class cruiser, one of the two most advanced ships in the UESC fleet.

Hall wiped his oily hands on his orange overalls, and pulled a power wrench out of his belt kit. He unscrewed the ceramic plating over the main power junction and continued his inspection of the giant docking clamp. He checked the main power leads. He checked the control wiring. He checked the auto firing electromagnetic system. He checked the mechanical override. Everything in working order.

The only thing that was unusual for Hall was the sight of the vessel's commander running across a suspending walkway towards the ship. Hall watched him for a moment, and then moved onto the next stages of the maintenance. Surely a commander running didn't mean that much? Hall continued with his work, but he felt somehow uneasy for a reason that he didn't completely understand.



"Sir, the Mirata has been attacked."

Blake snapped out of his thoughtful state for a second time. "What do they report?"

"We received a mayday signal, and then the message ended sir."

"So whatever attacked the Aegean is still there then."

"No sir, the Mirata was attacked in sector TC five, thirty four, sixty two."

"They're getting closer. We can't risk sending another reconnaissance craft. Do a full scan of the entire system immediately."

"Sir, are you certain? The sweep will take over two hours, and the FTL transmitters cannot be utilised by anything else while it continues."

"Yes. It is a risk, but I believe it is our only chance to identify the attacking craft before it attacks the Icarus; if it attacks the Icarus."



Hall was puzzled. During his inspection he had found a main fuse blown in one of the docking clamps that was not in use. The fuse had been fine last time it had been used, and no power had been routed through this piece of equipment since it had been deactivated. He could not think of how the fuse had gone; another strange event that would only increase his anxiety that he did not even understand. He called for a replacement part to be brought.



Admiral Blake sat nervously in his chair. He had been waiting in silence for over two hours now. He just wished that the scan would finish so that the operator's voice would break the stagnant air.

"Sir, the scan is complete"

"Has it been analysed?"

"Yes, and the results are negative. There's no other craft in the system sir."

"There must be something. What attacked the Aegean and the Mirata then?"

"I don't know sir, but whatever it was it's gone now."

The first salvo slammed into the station at that moment. Even through the mass of the planetoid the fierceness of the impact could be strongly felt, and it was sustained. For a moment there was chaos on the bridge, and then the command crew went into automatic response mode and voices rang out as commands were issued to all aspects of the ships systems.

"Comms station, re-scan the sector! Get a visual report!"

"Aft engineering centre; start the Bussard! We need orbital repositioning thrust!"

"Damage control; have any bulkheads collapsed?"

"Life support, isolate high risk areas to minimise system damage!"

"Activate all Trident systems!"

Information and reports were being relayed all across the ship to the command room, and even within its confines there were many transitions occurring. The main centre of action was centred on this final operative.

"Trident active; relative co-ordinates tracking. Sir, do we launch trident?"

"Fire at will" replied Blake.

Trident was the main attack system aboard any UESC ship or station. It consisted of three high energy attack systems that all used the vessels fusion generator. Electro-magnetic rail and gauss accelerators used electrical energy from the generator to propel a large solid, high explosive or armour piercing shell at high velocities. Aboard the orbital stations the cannon were individually mobile, allowing a much greater field of fire than that of the ship board guns. Also used were high power fusion cannon, which fired an ion particle stream at the target for the electrical discharge to travel along; the same method as bolts of lightning use. The third was the use of fold enabled munitions; devices that could be transported directly into the enemies midst. Along with the conventional weapons of the fleet which includes conventional and fusion torpedoes the system has presented a strong front against any enemy encountered. The system did however rely on continual and uninterrupted delivery of huge amounts of power, something that is not always possible in a battle situation.

"Sir, the Bussard is preventing Trident from operating at full potential."

"What is the alternative?"

"Without the Bussard active the incoming fire will put the Icarus into unstable orbit sir, there is a chance off atmospheric entry."

"That is not a chance that we can afford to take. What does damage control report?"

"We are taking heavy damage in sectors alpha and bravo sir" another operative replied. "The aggressors are using some kind of high power particle beam."

"Aggressors? There is more than one ship?"

"Yes sir" replied the comms operative. "Scanning shows a collection of vessels in the region of several fleets force."

This was not a good turn of events.

[Edited on 10.19.2009 11:06 AM PDT]

  • 10.09.2009 9:43 AM PDT
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"they're everywhere!"

Engineer Hall was in the process of replacing the fuse when the first bombardment hit the Icarus. He stumbled as the impact force sent tremors along the gantry he was standing on. The fuse slipped out of the slot in which he was secured and slipped between the railings. Hall watched it fall for a moment before he ducked to avoid the cover as it swung round. He saw a ripple travelling along the gantry towards him and decided that it was time to go.

He bolted in the opposite direction and was almost thrown into the air and over the barriers by the shock wave. He could vaguely distinguish other mechanics and engineers who were also trying to make their way to safety. He was shocked by the appearance of a number of blue clad security officers, but they appeared to be helping the escapees rather than hindering them.

At that moment the lighting in hangar 96 suddenly went and the vast expanse was plunged into darkness for a few seconds before the ominous red glow of the emergency lighting spread throughout the hangar. Hall knew that this meant that the fusion generator was running at maximum capacity, but why?

Hall's question was answered by a sudden feeling deep inside him that was known by all space farers; the steady increase of gravity during acceleration. The stations Bussard Ramjet, the device used the propel Deimos to its current location, kicked in. He also felt the slight intensity of the atmosphere which indicated massive build of electrical potential.



On the bridge action was concentrated around the trident station. Fusion power had been built to the required levels, and now the fight back was ready to begin.

"All stations, fire at designated targets!"

The magnetic accelerators fired first, their huge payloads propelled at incredible speeds towards the target, and guided in by AI controlled thrusters for precise accuracy. The fusion cannon focused ion beams, and huge tendrils of white light flashed between the Icarus and the enemy fleet.

However, the surprise advantage of the aggressors gave them a vital advantage. Beams of highly charged particles spread over the Icarus. Fusion cannon discharged into the ship itself, and munitions detonated in the firing chambers, causing huge damage. It seemed that the further this battle proceeded the greater the advantage would become.

"Sir, we have reports of multiple sector bulkhead breeches! Bulkhead doors are malfunctioning, we have mass decompression imminent!"

"Seal the bulkheads, whatever the cost! We cannot allow for the station to lose pressure! Get some engineers in vacuum suits down there."

"Sir we're having problems in the FTL network. Fold enabled weapons are faulty, teleportation is being upset by something."

"Sir, aggressive factions approaching; looks like a boarding party. Defence units are on standby."

"Sir, life support systems have been damaged. Cryo units are in emergency override."

"What areas?"

"All areas sir, including vaults."

"Contact the units down there and tell them to evacuate. It is highly unsafe. Repeat, it is highly unsafe, evacuate immediately and seal the sector."

  • 10.19.2009 11:07 AM PDT

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  • 10.25.2009 11:59 AM PDT