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【Vision of an Alternate Future】

Arc 1: Ascendance

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【VAF】Chapter║: 24 ─ Encounter

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Jalen : " Is everyone ready?"

Capt-Andrews: " Good to go!"

Capt-Kondi : " Lead the way!"

Isis : " Ready!"

Inara : " Ready!"

Jalen : " Ok then! Execute!"

Inala uses her bottom Energy Crystal to produce the required Electrolaser, and when the artefact’s shields react defensively Inara modulates the Electrolaser to match that of the shields being produced by the artefact. This process allowed a hole to form on the artefact’s shields. And the science team could then proceed to cut a hole in the wreck and enter the vessel.

Sci-O 【UAF】 : " The Shield breach is stable!"

Jalen : " Alright people let’s do this! Breach team 3 follow me in!" after a brief pause as Jalen approaches the hole in the Hull of the vessel "Entering artefact!"

Capt-Andrews: " Breach team 1 Entering artefact!"

Sci-O 【UAF】 : " Breach team 2 Entering artefact!"

Isis : " Setting up security parameters!" after a moment "Security grid active!"

Jalen : " Searching for life signs!" pause "Multiple bio signatures detected, but are of insufficient quantity; possibly food stores."

Sci-O 【UAF】 : " Internal Temperature reading; 8 degrees Celsius. Atmosphere; 5% oxygen. 25% methane, 11% carbon dioxide, 7% helium and 52% Nitrogen."

Jalen : " Isis!" he turns to look at his wife “Secure the bridge!"

Isis : " Will do!" Isis gives instructions to 3 Vanguard teams and they immediately leave the group for the vessel's bridge “All teams go Coms silent until bridge is secure!"

A moment later the 3 Vanguard teams arrive at the bridge, and Guardian Armoured senior Vanglead Kepo Lesedi reports.

Kepo : " Bridge is secure Guardian!"

Isis : " Good!"

Kepo : " Sending data!"

Isis : " I see!" this as Isis receives data on the secure route to the vessel's bridge. Isis then turns to face Jalen "Everything is in place!

Jalen : " Mission Command!"

Capt-Andrews: " Acknowledged"

Jalen : " First objectives met; We are proceeding to the bridge."

Capt-Andrews: " Proceed!"

Jalen : " All research teams proceed to the Bridge!"

Capt-Kondi : " Will do!"

Sci-O 【UAF】 : " Aye sir!"

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At the bridge the Crystalorb Research team begins work on making a data link between the wreck's computers and Inara. This would allow the advanced computational capabilities of the Inara to analyse the vessel's systems and find the data storage centres. Once the data link was established Inara quickly found the vessel's stored data, and the most easily accessible information was the vessel's Captain's/ Ship's Log.

Once Inara finished the decryption she reports to Jalen.

Inara : " Video logs decrypted Guardian!"

Jalen : " Show us the Captain's Log! Start with the last entry!"

The Volumetric displays on Jalen's Guardian Crystal Armour activate with automatic translations.

Vilze : " This is Captain Vilze of the Vipun Empire broadcasting on emergency frequency 110! This is Vipun Imperial Frigate # 4152! To any allied ship; we've experienced critical systems failure as a result of Migon fusion beam weaponry! There are 50 people onboard, and because this class of vessel does not have stasis modules we cannot survive prolonged exposure to the cold! We made a crash landing on this moon because we new that Ice would soften our landing, but since our propulsion systems were destroyed during the battle we can't hope to leave this moon without assistance."

Jalen : " Inara search for records of the initial Migon attack"

Inara : " Searching!" after a brief pause "Found 7 records!"

Jalen : " Show us!"

Inara : " Sending!"

Vilze : " 220000 years ago, when our race was in its infancy we were visited by the Entig Republic. They chose to make contact with our pre-Civilisation culture because we have something that most Civilisations don't; Our natural ability to bend light. It's this ability that eventually drew the Dark ones to us!" pause "They came out of nowhere!"

A Holographic Video projection of 1000 wormholes appears; showing 1200 BattleSpheres emerging and targeting a single location on the surface of the planet with Advanced Fusion Beam weapons. This single attack caused the section of the planet targeted to erupt in a massive Supervolcano, blanketing the planet in volcanic ash, and toxic gases.

Nothing can explain the look of horror in the faces of the researchers as they began to understand the true power of the enemy the human race would one day face.

Capt-Andrews : " Oh my God!"

Capt-Kondi : " Gone in just seconds!"

Sci-O 【UAF】 : " Planet Killers!"

Jalen : " How can this be?"

Isis : " So that's how they do it!"

Captain Vilze continues.

Vilze : " They made no demands! They gave no explanation! They just simply arrived and destroyed our homeland in just seconds." the tentacles on his head turn bright red as a sign of anger "Billions of Narvpun were killed! This is the price we paid for our arrogance! We ignored the warnings of our friends the Entig, and our leaders were convinced of our ability to repel a Migon attack, but we were wrong." pause "For the next 4 Earth years we fought the greatest enemy our people have ever faced, we brought our full might to bear against this ancient evil, but it was not enough. Our 40000 ship strong fleet was soon reduced to 4000 Galaxy Class Warships!" an Image of a large MotherShip appears "In a final act of survival we expanded our last colony ship and placed 1 million of our people in stasis modules onboard the Ship we named Last Hope. However the Migon attacked and we were forced to launch the Last Hope into Nth Dimensional Hyperspace before the new jump drives were installed. The ship is on course to the Entig Republic, and it may take many millennia to reach the target locations moving slowly in Hyperspace. My ship and others were given the responsibility of leading the Migon away from the Last Hope, and its route is unknown to us, but all of us hope that we have fulfilled our responsibilities and our duty. This is Captain Vilze of the Vipun Empire onboard the Vipun Imperial Frigate # 4152, and I make this recording as a warning to any who finds this message; Prepare yourselves, Save yourselves, Evil is coming!"

Jalen : " Inara; search for any records of Hakum and alliance!"

Inara : " Ok!" pause "There!"

Vilze : " 150000 years ago the Entig Republic returned to our homeland Vipun and found our Civilisation prospering. The Entig were very pleased to discover that our Civilisation had survived the initial stages of our development. We soon learned that the Entig had returned to warn us, to help us survive the dangers that were to come. For a long time we could not understand what kind of power would make the Entig afraid. The Entig Republic gave us Hyperspace technology and Advanced Weapons. We gained Advanced knowledge on Galaxy Class Interstellar Warships designs that transformed us into a major Galactic Civilisation. 60000 years ago we made contact with our only neighbours the Naw Consortium and the Bunar Federation, and together we formed the Vipun Alliance. Though the Naw and the Bunar were not as advanced as the Narvpun they made good progress, and when the time came they were ready to fight. The first indication that our Civilisations were under attack came with an assault on a Naw colony by the reptilian allies of the Migon 600 years ago. Until that initial attack our peoples began to believe that the Migon were a myth, and that the Entig Republic was afraid of ghosts. The Hakum seem to be the only known allies of the dark ones, and for whatever reason they serve as the heralds of the Migon Federation. Our analysis indicates that there are 3 Classes of Hakum; 〘1〙 The Scouting Division that looks for Civilisations and minerals, 〘2〙 The Colonial Division that colonizes areas of valuable resources and 〘3〙 The Migon Escort Division who's primary role is to escort Migon BattleSpheres into battle. The Migon Escort Hakum Division is the most powerful of the Hakum, and the colonial group is of medium strength, with the scouting group being fairly basic in their capabilities."

The screen begins to show large battles showing Naw Consortium, Bunar Federation and Vipun Empire capital Ships involved in a large battle with Hakum Sky Blades, Hakum Sky Daggers, Hakum Sky Swords and Hakum Sky Spears

Jalen : " By the Source!"

Capt-Andrews: " Are those Fusion Beams?"

Capt-Kondi : " Hakum Sky Blades, Hakum Sky Daggers, Hakum Sky Swords, Hakum Sky Spears armed with Advanced Fusion Beam Cannons?"

Isis : " This must be the Migon Escort Hakum Division."

The broadcast continues.

Vilze : " We think that the Hakum Migon Escort Division use the same type of vessels as the other Hakum Divisions precisely to confuse their enemies. The first time we encountered the Hakum Migon Escort Division we assumed that they were the same as the other Hakum ships we faced before, but we were wrong, and many of our people paid the price for making that mistake. The Hakum Migon Escort Division Ships have more Advanced Armour, and they use materials similar to those used by Migon BattleSpheres. Our analysis indicates that these ships may have been built by the Migon themselves." Hakum ship schematics appear on screens "The shapes and sizes are identical to other ships of the classes, but these ships only carry 2 plasma Cannons, and additional Multidirectional Particle Beam Cannons. The Hakum Sky Blades, Hakum Sky Daggers and Hakum Sky Swords all carry 2 Advanced Fusion Beam Cannons of progressively powerful output. The Hakum Sky Spears and Hakum Sky Super-Spears carry 4 and 6 Advanced Fusion Beam Cannons respectively. The hulls of the ships of the Hakum Migon Escort Division are made from advanced Migon materials, and the Ships seem to have massive Migon energy generation and reserves. How ever there is hope!" the tentacles on his head turn blue as a sign of him being calm “It looks like the hulls of the ships of the Hakum Migon Escort Division are not as thick as those of the Migon BattleSpheres, and if a ship has enough energy reserves to overcome their shield they can destroy them. Larger may actually be better in this case!" with a hopeful demeanour "This is Captain Vilze of the Vipun Empire onboard the Vipun Imperial Frigate # 4152, and I make this recording as a message of hope, so that any who finds this message may learn the secrets of victory! That there is always hope!"

After they view the message Jalen opens a channel with mission command.

Jalen : " Mission command this is Jalen!"

Capt-Andrews: " Acknowledged Jalen!"

Jalen : " Have the principals been informed of what we’ve just learnt?"

Capt-Andrews: " The decrypted data has been sent to our Governments. The United Atlantic Federation has designated the recovery of the Vipun Imperial Frigate # 4152 to be of highest strategic value. To that end they are sending 3 BattleGroups including the Atlantis BattleGroup."

Jalen : " What about the African Federation?"

Capt-Andrews: " They indicated that all they have to spare at the moment are 4 Nubia Class Destroyers."

Jalen : " Is that enough?"

Capt-Andrews: " We have more than enough, but then again after what we've seen?"

Jalen : " I agree!" Joint Communications Channel from Naole interrupts "Yes?"

Naole : " I'm feeling anxious!"

Capt-Andrews: " We are all feeling anxious!"

Jalen : " You don't understand Captain!"

Capt-Andrews: " I do, and now that we've seen what we face we are all a little afraid!"

Jalen : " No you don't understand! If Naole is anxious, it means that the Council of Elders is anxious! We are all connected!"

Capt-Andrews: " What would make your Council of Elders anxious?"

Jalen : " The Council of Elders as a unit is intuitive!" Jalen does not disclose that the Spirit Stone is also extremely intuitive, and that it is the Spirit Stone's power that senses the danger. The existence of the Spirit Stone remains a closely guarded secret "They can sense intent!"

Captain Kondi joins in.

Capt-Kondi : " What sort of intent?"

Capt-Andrews: " I'm guessing bad intent!"

Naole : " The Elders are having difficulty seeing us clearly, and that can only mean that negative energy is close!"

Isis : " Could it be Hodian?"

Naole : " No! The energy is potent, possibly Circlean; Either way we have to prepare."

Isis : " I Understand!" She extends the Joint Communications Channel to all Crystalan Ships "This is fleet command! Activate Red-Con One! Assume battle formation! Inara send Strab to pick us up! Master Naole, please return to Crimson, I may need you to...!"

Naole : " Ooh Hell!" Naole interrupts Isis as 50 wormholes form some 2000 km from the BattleGroups "Something is coming through!"

Isis : " Identify!"

Naole : " It's the Hakum!" Hakum ships emerge and open fire "Take cover!"

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Onboard the UAS Boston Captain Andrews was trying to keep his people calm in the face of overwhelming numbers.

Capt-Andrews: " Damage reports!"

Eng-O : " We have hull breaches on deck 16,19,26 and 27 Sir! 2 Reactors offline, and energy supply down by 20%"

Capt-Andrews: " Weapons?"

Wpns-O : " Weapon systems active"

Capt-Andrews: " Fire at will!"

Wpns-O : " Aye sir!"

Capt-Andrews: " Coms open a channel to fleet command!"

Coms-O : " Aye!"

Capt-Andrews: " This is Captain of the United Atlantic Federation Destroyer Boston broadcasting on EarthCom 001; we are under attack at grid GG54171! Requesting assistance!" The captain now turns his attention to bridge officers "Surveillance talk to me!"

Surv-O : " I'm reading 18 Sky Blades, 30 Sky Daggers, 12 Sky Swords and 8 Sky Spears! All Fusion armed!"

Capt-Andrews: " Tactics?"

Tact-O : " They're focusing their fire on the Crystalorb Group!"

Coms-O : " Captain the Intrepid wants us to regroup in Hyperspace!"

Capt-Andrews: " I'm not taking orders from a ship! We have people on that moon!"

Exec-O: " We have more people on the ships Sir!"

Tact-O : " If the Crystalans leave we'll be destroyed sir"

Surv-O : " I'm picking ups the blue baby ship Cobalt heading straight for us sir!"

Capt-Andrews: " Coms, inform Cobalt that we're regrouping, tell him to follow us in! Navigation retreat to designated position"

Nav-O : " Aye Sir!"

Coms-O : " Aye Sir!"

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In the relative safety of Hyperspace the Expedition regroups and conducts repairs on their damaged Ships. Crystalan Ships being more heavily armoured have survived the brief battle better than the other Ships in the Expedition, and only one Crystalan Ship the Icnus took serious damage as it protected the Intrepid from multiple Fusion Beams aimed at the Formation leader.

One of the 3 Nubia Class Destroyers forming part of the African Federation Exploration BattleGroup had been destroyed, and the United Atlantic Federation deep space Exploration BattleGroup had lost one of its 3 Apollo Class Destroyers and one of its 2 Frigates. With the destruction of each of the ships came the possible loss of thousands of lives, and more lives were still at stake because those who survived the destruction of the ships faced a cruel death at the hands of the Hakum.

Onboard the Intrepid Naole is on Joint Communications Channel with all Crystalan Ships and Commanders.

Naole : " How are we doing?"

Icnus : " Emergency procedures are under way! My systems are stable!"

Intrepid : " All other ships are reporting Minor damage to their skins, but all in all we are Battle ready"

Naole : " Protocol says that as the highest ranking officer I'm to assume command of the BattleGroup, and we all know that we are not suppose to leave our people behind. I can't make this decision alone! Do we wait for reinforcements, or do we go back in for our people?" Naole puts it to a vote, and all senior staff indicate a desire to return to the battlefield "Icnus, you'll have to stay here with the baby ships and the non-essential personnel."

Icnus : " Will do commander!"

Intrepid : " We need a plan, because we are outnumbered!"

Inara : " But we are not outgunned!"

Crimson : " Though the odds are not in our favour!"

Naole : " We need to decide on objectives!"

Icnus : " Personnel transfer is almost complete Commander!"

Intrepid : " What if we ignore the smaller ships!"

Naole : " It's risky!"

Crimson : " We would all take serious hits!"

Naole : " Yes, but then we could focus our attacks on the Fusion Beam Cannons of the 12 Sky Swords and 8 Sky Spears!"

Intrepid : " Yes! If we don't try to destroy them, but only aim to eliminate their offensive capabilities we remove them as a factor in the battle!"

Inara : " What about the 18 Sky Blades and 30 Sky Daggers?"

Crimson : " That's a total of 96 Fusion Beam Cannons!"

Kiran : " There in lies the problem! We don't have enough Ships! The longer we are in there the higher the probability that we'll never get out!"

Naole : " First we take out the offensive capabilities of the Sky Swords and Sky Spears, and then we take out the offensive capabilities of the Sky Blades and Sky Daggers. If the Hakum are smart they'll run, and that's what we want."

Intrepid : " It is?"

Naole : " Yes! We don't need a total victory, but what we seek is a symbolic victory!"

Crimson : " Convince them that even their most advanced warships are no match for Crystalan Ships."

Naole : " Exactly!"

Icnus : " Personnel transfer complete Commander!"

Naole : " Alright! It’s time!"

Intrepid : " Let's do it!"

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Onboard the UAS Boston Captain Andrews is overseeing repairs, the surveillance and tactical officers notice the activities of the Intrepid BattleGroup and bring it to the Captains attention.

Surv-O : " The Crystalans are making a move Sir!"

Capt-Andrews: " What are they doing? Are they leaving?"

Tact-O : " I think they're going back for their people Sir!"

Capt-Andrews: " What? Against those odds?"

Tact-O : " Looks like they're going in Captain!"

Capt-Andrews: " Get me Captain Kondi of the AFS Venga!"

Coms-O : " Aye Sir!"

Capt-Andrews: " Captain I'm looking at my screens, and I don't understand what I'm seeing!"

Capt-Kondi : " I see it too Captain!"

Capt-Andrews: " Are you planning to go back in without us?"

Capt-Kondi : " Mission objectives have changed Captain! Your BattleGroup profile does not meet current objectives!"

Capt-Andrews: " I'm in command of this mission Captain!"

Capt-Kondi : " You were the Designated Expedition Leader! However since the Expedition is over, and the Vipun Imperial Frigate # 4152 is destroyed, things have therefore changed! Fleet Command has ordered that I follow protocol!"

Capt-Andrews: " And that is?"

Capt-Kondi : " The Highest ranking officer assumes command of the African Federation Forces, and in this case that is Field Commander Naole!"

Capt-Andrews: " Field Commander?"

Capt-Kondi : " Yes, the rank of an Admiral!"

Capt-Andrews : " God dammed it Kondi! I have people down there!"

Capt-Kondi : " So do I Andrews!"

Capt-Andrews : " I need to be there!" he signals his Coms officer "Get me Naole!"

Coms-O : " Aye Sir!"

Capt-Andrews: " Commander! Admiral! Guardian!" his head sinks into his shoulders "If you're going back in, then I want to be part of it!"

Naole : " This isn't a rescue party Captain!"

Capt-Andrews : " Then it's payback?"

Naole : " This is about sending a message to the Hakum!"

Capt-Andrews : " A message? You're going back into the fire to send a message?"

Naole : " This is about more than this moment Captain, and if the Hakum leave here believing that they've shaken Human resolve then many more of this type of ships will return, costing more human lives. We must draw the line here Captain!" Naole's face filled with resolve and intent "They must understand that even their most Advanced Warships are not enough!"

Capt-Andrews : " I get it, and I still want to go!"

Naole : " Do you understand what you're asking for? We won't think any less of you if you stay!"

Capt-Andrews : " I do!"

Naole : " Then talk to your people and remove all nonessential personnel from your ships and transfer them to Icnus!"

Capt-Andrews : " Will do!"

Naole : " Captain Kondi!" Naole gains Captain Kondi's attention "You and Andrews won’t be jumping in with us, but you'll be conducting long range manoeuvres. Once we draw the Hakum forces away from GG54171, you must move in and conduct recovery operations on the moon, save as many as you can! If some of the Sky Blades come for you then you'll be on your own, but I'm confident you have enough to deal with them! Good luck!"

Capt-Kondi : " Likewise Commander!"

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Onboard the Intrepid Naole is on Joint Communications Channel with all Crystalan Ships, Crystalan Commanders, Captain Andrews and Captain Kondi.

Naole : " To all Crystalorb Elements! We are going in hot, therefore reaction times will have to be quick, and there is an increased possibility of collisions. So do your best to avoid them! Keep a tight formation! We are going to cut straight through them!" Naole's face gets serious "The Hakum have tipped their hand, but then again we also have a few tricks up our sleeves! Today the reptiles will understand that we are not prey! Today they will understand that we are not inferior! Today the reptiles will know with certainty that they can not win!" Naole is on the Joint Communications Channel with all Ships "To all ships! You know what you have to do! You know what must be done! Most of all you know what's at stake!" Naole's voice becomes calming "It's OK to feel fear! It's OK to be afraid! But it's not OK to be a coward! This is our moment! Our time! And if this is our last, then so be it! War is hell people, and by God we will give them hell!" There are Cheers on all the ships in the BattleGroups "Here we go again!" pause "Execute!"

The Intrepid BattleGroup opens wormholes to normal space and enters them.

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