Assault On Maarlox [IC, Closed]

Acruani Space, Acruani High Ship ZF-391

It was a rather, unique ship for the Acruani, not irreplicable, but the only one of its kind for now. It was factory and store of land units for the Acruani in its own ways. Though calculations and simulations of its efficiency had already been made, there may always be unforeseen errors, no matter how accurate the simulations were. Therefore testing was needed. The Acruani receiving a distress signal from a nearby system left it only two jumps away from the origin of the distress signal.

The first jump to the closest Acruani system being immediate did help, but the recharge time to leave toward's Maardox's system truly didn't help. Meanwhile, communication was attempted, after all preparation is the key to success, and only so much can be done with insufficient data.

"This is the Axon Fortis Overseer of the Hive Queen ZF-391 from the Acruani Collective. We have received your distress signal and appropriate forces are on their way. For now, we require any possible informtion regarding your current situation and enemy ground forces, if possible."

"I'm well aware that the capital is under attack!" Faanes shouted angrily at an uncooperative comms officer from the Confederate Navy.  "But there is a sizeable portion of the new clone army here, almost a whole twentieth!  Half of that is Dothvalian and helping defend the planet, but the rest are cloned humans, all still very young since they were created just before the narrowly averted Third Intergalactic War.  That doesn't begin to cover all the experimental weapons Research And Development has stored here.  You really want them in Invader hands?!"  

"I understand that you're frustrated, Lieutenant Commander," the officer said over the holo.  "But you're not the only major area under attack.  Also the capital, and Malantogue.  The Navy is spread thin enough as it is.  Further we've just dispatched forces to the Milky Way.  I'm not saying we won't, but you're going to have to hold out for now, until some of the other fronts have calmed down."

Then an Invader shell thundered against the roof of the base where Faanes was broadcasting from.  Rubble fell from the ceiling, and the transmission was interrupted, and Faanes swore loudly.  He appreciated the design of the massive underground research complex, then took a look at the cameras.  Something like Invader tanks lined the surface, and they were advancing slowly towards Confederate lines.  If the Confederate defence trenches were breached, then the research facilities were just behind.  

When the transmission returned, the officer said, "You should be able to hold out for a bit.  Maarlox is armed better than most planetary garrisons.  If you thought you needed more equipment, you should have said so to the Ministry Of Logistics before now."  

"Listen you idiot," Faanes said as another shell came down.  "I need reinforcements now to save a lot of the future human population of the Confederacy, as well as dozens of experimental weapons!  Give them to me before the entire klymaa (Dothvalian) base caves in!"  

"Ensign Tanner, who's speaking over the holo?" a commanding feminine voice asked.  

"No one, High Admiral.  A garrison commander on Maarlox, asking us to divert resources.  I've refused, as the Navy doesn't have the resources right now."  

"Step aside, Ensign," the woman commanded.  Soon Faanes was facing a hologram of Admiral Henderson.  She asked in a more reasonable tone, "What's your situation?"  

"Admiral Henderson.  It's good to hear you.  I need help from the Navy.  Invaders are attacking Maarlox.  We have the situation more or less under control at the second, but that's changing fast.  We need help.  The humans of the new clones army have already been loaded onto transports, we just need the Navy to clear a path through the Invader fleet so they don't get slaughtered.  Scientists are aboard as well, except for a few who are supervising the transmission of the data here to other planets.  You know, planets above the clearance of this one to know about."  Faanes of course referred to Faltaron, where the super weapon Subjugator had been hidden for near two decades.  But it had recently been given to the Acruani, and Faanes no longer knew of the weapon's location.  He then continued, "Once transmission is complete, we're going to destroy all the data.  No other reason the Invaders would be here but to steal our technology."  

"Of course," Henderson said, recalling the weapons hidden on Maarlox.  "You'll have your ships.  The Confederate Navy is on its way."  

Then Faanes heard the Acruani message.  He replied quickly, "Thank God, someone answered.  High Queen, how would you like to be addressed?  I am Lieutenant Commander Maalks Faanes.  My unit rotates with other elite commando brigades defending high profile targets.  Just before this Invasion began, I commanded Governor Sharp's escort on Drathia.  But the situation at hand.  You see, the Confederacy was working on a secret clone army.  Every Confederate citizen has samples of their DNA taken at birth.  The universe almost had Third Intergalactic War, and so close to it, Governor Sharp decided two things.  First, we would lose many soldiers in the war, and the Confederacy would need more to call up.  But there's another reason, one rather different than a simple need for soldiers.  Foreign dignitaries usually interact with humans, but that doesn't represent the Confederacy very well.  Humans aren't all that prevalent.  This generation is one of the largest they've had in a long time, so they're only a slight minority within the Confederacy for a change.  But the Governor knows that many humans will die in the coming war, perhaps the whole human population of the Confederacy.  Those clones are going to be raised and watched over by the military, but not all those men are meant to become new soldiers.  Many are going to just replace those that die in this conflict.  So we cannot allow them to die, you see.  There are other things as well here, experimental weapon plans that we're transferring before we delete.  The Confederate Navy is on its way to help clear a path through the Invaders.  Our defences are quite strong, and holding more or less for the moment.  I know that can change though.  Also, we don't just have weapons here.  We also have a list of those cloning data.  So, my men have to protect the transports from Invaders on the ground, and buy our scientists time to delete the data.  What would you advise?"  

Meanwhile, outside, Confederate lines were holding somewhat, despite everything.  They were determined to hold the positions, even as a hail of fire came down on them.  The Confederate troops were also smart enough now to use their vibroswords against the men who died.  Even the medics had trisilviate scalpels.  The snipers continued to fire, picking off dozens of Invaders with their quick and well-placed weapons fire.  The other soldiers also died well, manning laser cannons, cryonic mortars that froze crowds of Invaders in their tracks, and laser repeaters constantly spitting streams of potent white photons.  But not all was well.  As strong as the lines were, they had been worn down.  Many laser turrets and ordnance launchers had fallen silent, and soldiers were fighting their risen comrades along with lurching Invaders.  

Of course, these were the lines Rho hadn't yet reached.  He charged with his men towards one, leaving the, behind as Kali increased his speed.  Lasers tried to tear through him, but the beams of white had little effect.  Rho didn't feel any pain.  In fact, he felt better than ever.  Even as blood rushed out of him, Kali filled him with a more powerful, less liquid life.  He could feel her trying to take over, and even allowed her to come close.  Rho had ridden these waves of power before, and no matter the risk, it was always intoxicating.  As he arrived at the line and swiftly began to butcher the Confederate soldiers, Rho thought in a tone of something like amusement, "Wonderful, isn't it, Kali?  My blood, your power.  I'll damn near let you drain me before this battle is done.  But I won't let my will crash.  I haven't finished riding the waves of power you give.  Not by a long shot, darling."  

Now Rho focused on the fight.  He cleanly sliced away the head of a Dothvalian officer with his blade of twisted trisilviate.  Another one, which Rho suspected was human due to his covered face, advanced with a rifle firing repeating rounds of low trisilviate.  It was low trisilviate, so it didn't kill Rho like it would a common Invader.  But it did anger him, and made the bullets hurt like hell.  In a rage, Rho removed a pistol at his side.  A corrupted  double-barrelled, double magazine CI-56, commando issue, it still held cryonic rounds.  But instead of liquid ammonia that killed humans and immobilised Dothvalians in the worst of cases, the Invaders used rounds of liquid carbon that killed everything.  As ice encased him, the man became his own gruesome monument before he ever had a chance to scream.  Still angry, Rho fired the other barrel, which still held photon charges, and caused the statue to shatter in a thousand pieces with a potent white laser.  

His possession high now gone, Rho looked around.  His men had caught up with him, and were also making headway, but without the finesse of their commander.  They were taking losses.  But Rho didn't worry.  He knew they had the momentum needed, so he advanced to the next Confederate trench.  

"Thank you, Overseer," Faanes said evenly.  "We'll continue resisting on the ground.  We'll continue resisting on the ground.  Transports are ready to take off, and surrounded by mountains, so they should be safe from artillery.  As for the research facilities themselves, they're also inside mountains.  The trenches the Invaders are attacking now are in valleys, but they are slowly getting closer.  We'll await your assistance on the ground, and appreciate anything else you may send.  I'll contact you as the situation here develops."  

Now the the garrison commander radioed a new contact.  A voice of someone calm but under pressure said in a clear, educated, and feminine voice of High Confederate, "Dr. Kenaaros here."  

"Hello, doctor," Faanes said brightly.  "Situation is relatively under control out here.  Lines one and two are broken and overrun.  Line three is holding, but reports vicious fighting.  There are several more defensive trenches before the facilities are in danger, but how goes the data transfer?"  

"As well as can be expected.  All files are being copied.  Most are complete, and only a few major ones still need to be copied.  About fifteen percent of the data has been transferred to Faltaron."  

"The Faltaron system?  That planet is supposed to be above top secret.  We're the only people on Maarlox who know about it, only about a thousand more in the entire Confederacy do.  Are you sure it's a good idea to reveal the REAL headquarters of our Experimental Weapons Programme?" Faanes asked nervously.  

"We have no choice.  Besides, the Subjugator was moved almost a year ago," Kenaaros said.  "Now if you'll excuse me, there's a great deal remaining to save."  

"Of course, doctor," Faanes said.  He then resumed communication with the Overseer and said, "Hello again.  We've transferred and destroyed fifteen percent of the information in the base." 

Maarlox Orbit, Confederate Navy Task Force

Suddenly, a task force of eighty Devastators including the recently repaired Ghostbreaker, suddenly exited hyperspace.  They immediately opened fire on the Invader fleet, which consisted of about a hundred ships.  Over a fleet comm, High Admiral Henderson said in a commanding tone, "No power cuts today!  Direct all surplus power to forward weapons and shields, but no cuts to engines like we usually do.  Try to move as aggressively as possible to break up the Invader formation.  Our goal today is to clear a path for the transports below.  They're filled with fortieth of the new clone army, a sizeable subset of the human portion.  They are also very young, and being human, they are the future leaders of the Confederacy.  Any one of them could be a clone of you, so do not waver in your efforts.  Let's send the Invaders back to the darkness."  

With that, the Confederate Navy began its attack on the Invaders.  

The Acruani ships, having jumped earlier and being already in defense formation, were closer to the Invader ships. Their almost transparent bluish shields shone around them as the begun to advance. When the super laser hit the first shield, it seemed to shine even more getting a more opaque color. Two of the Acruani ships seemed to detach to the sides of the formation before returning fire, several streams of lasers coming from the side of their hull shot at the incoming wave of fights, specially the ones going towards the Confederate Navy.

From the other capital ships, thicker laser streams were fired towards the Invader ships clearly aiming to carve a path towards the planet. At the same time, the Hive Queen seemed to 'bloom', stopping its movements towards the planet and slowly beginning to change shape as it released a number of light and heavy fighters which rushed in unison towards the xenomorph fighters.

The explosion of the mines and the subsequent avalanche managed to temporarily stop the Invader advance, killing off many of them, and at least, buying a little more time for the Confederate garrison. Even so though, the Invader forces from behind continued their advance, seemingly not that affected by the destruction of their comrades. Some of the tanks had been destroyed, while other had been swept by the avalanche, but the remaining tanks were now buried in the mud and land, partially covered, stopping their movement, but also making them much more harder to hit, as now, only their turrets and parts of their upper sides were visible. With the more than 180 degrees turning capability of the turrets, the buried tanks could still fire, acting as small bunkers, supporting the advance of their kin.

The Invader soldiers coming from behind, simply advanced over the dead and buried bodies of their comrades, continuing their advance, despite the danger of the mines. Noticing the explosions of the mines, the Invader artillery units started to improve the accuracy of their fire, obviously trying to hit the enemy mines before their own troops would reach them. The battle continued, but as always, the Invaders seemed to have near limitless numbers.

---

In space, the battle continued, the Invaders continuing to concentrate the fire of their superlasers on one ship, before bombarding it with kinetic weaponry, increasing their chance of destroying it. One by one, the Invaders were trying to take the enemy ships out, while obviously searching for the enemy flagship, trying to destroy it as early in the battle as possible. The fighters were practically swarming in between the fleets, making quick strikes on the enemy ships, before returning for their lines, choosing a more irregular way of fighting.

Noticing that the enemy ship was heading for it at full speed, the Invader lead ship opened fire with its superlaser, trying to keep the Devastator away.

For the Acruani ships on the other hand, the Invader ships fighting them immediately changed their tactic, bombarding them with synchronized hits of their kinetic weapons and missiles, many ships concentrating their fire on only one Acruani ship, destroying it, before moving in to the next. This battle was far from over, and the Invaders still had the numerical advantage.

In the black shadow of space 800 kilometers away from Maarlox, a Suprion fleet came in from a wormhole,numbering 300 heavily armed Sanctifier warships. By heavily armed, they are elite warships, veterans from the wars the Suprions fought for thousands of years. Each was as strong as five Type IV battlestars put together, making them extremely formidable. In addition to the 300, there accompanied them an additional 1,200 various other ships. They include several superbase World Destroyers, a substantial number of support, the Vanguards(which can replenish shields), and the dreaded Predators(agile, deadly and small fighters). They advanced relentlessly, prowing through the Invader fleet ; they focused on one ship at a time to ensure destruction.

They sent messages to Maarlox to inform them of their presence.

The appearance of the Suprion forces seemed to change the mentality of the Invader forces in the system. They had a mission to accomplish. Everything standing between the troops of the Order of Eris and their objective had to be eradicated. By all means necessary. Playing time was over.

Invader ships started to jump all around the Suprion forces, with one clear objective. To destroy the ones who dared to interrupt their nice playing around with the Confederates and the Acruani. Invader bases and superbases. The dreaded Cataphracts, the heavily armored superbases inspired by the Colonial battlestars. The long but agile Triarii heavy cruisers. Just as usual, the ones who were known as Low or Lesser Invaders by the races of this part of the universe spotted a large variety of types of ships and weapons, probably borrowed from everyone they had fought over the centuries.

The Invader forces completely barred the way between the Suprions and the other allied forces in the areas. The bases started to spawn and launch the dreaded nameless light, medium, and heavy xenomorphic fighters, that in their usual swarm like formations, started to attack the Suprion attacks, weakening their shields, fighting and fighting their fighters. The superbases started to fire their Ragnarok Superlaser Cannons at one enemy ship at the time, while the bases maintained a continuous powerful kinetic and laser barrage. Even if their surprise attack started well, the Suprion forces were now losing their momentum, being on the verge of being surrounded.

As Invader ships continued to jump in, the allied forces soon started to feel the feared jamming influence of the Makers, which disrupted communications, and made FTL traveling in the area... not exactly impossible, but obviously not recommended.


Maarlox, Landing Platforms

While the attention of the Invaders was clearly set on other things, a small number of light and fast Invader fighters quickly noticed the transport fighters, recklessly flying at a fast speed, strafing them from a low altitude. The objective of the Invaders was clear. As many enemy casualties as possible.

Maarlox, Fifth Line

The assault of the Invaders furiously continued, with Rho leading the assault, unstoppable. The lines of the Invaders were boosted by lighter type of fast tanks, which were now quickly leading the attack. With the enemy under the slow barrage of the Howitzers, and the quick, deadly, and burning barrage of the Wurfrahmen rockets, the Invaders were advancing at a even higher speed than before, using all their arms, from rifles to heavy machine guns. And back, where the first line was, the Nebelwerfern were set in.... and they opened fire.

Rockets were launched in the atmosphere above the base, exploding and spreading white clouds through the air, filled with heavy metal irregularities, sucessfully jamming most of the communications around the entire area. And if that wasn't enough, the Nebelwerfern, living up to their name, started to fire at the Confederate lines. And a white fog was released...