The Battle for Earth
IntroThe command nexus of the Dreadnought’s bridge was filled with wispy grey smoke that drifted across the bridge, slowly choking the crew at their stations that were strewn across its walls, all of them frantically operating the systems that controlled the ships systems. Small explosions from overloaded systems periodically blew out, creating more smoke which joined the already smoke filled room as fires ignited deep inside the damaged systems. A figure sat calmly in the captain’s chair in the centre of the damaged bridge, hands clasped together in front of him and elbows resting on the chair side as he observed everything falling apart around him, his face shadowed by the black hood of his coat draped over his head, hiding his features.
A cry came over from an officer on one of the consoles to his left. ‘Manoeuvring thrusting damaged, Sir, Weapon systems offline, life-support has failed on decks 1, 2 6, 7 and 8.and are venting atmosphere in some places. Hull breaches across the stern, bulkheads and protective plating have contained the majority of the breaches, however, we’ve lost 95% of our life-pods. We still have main engines and rear projectile weaponry’
The figure inhaled deeply, then slowly stood, his eyes never moving from room sized view-screen in front of him that dominated the bridge, the shape of another Dreadnought filling most of the display that make the surrounding mayhem of activity from all the other ships littering the screen seemingly insignificant by comparison as lasers and missiles flew silently across the screen from one side to the other, striking other ships and causing equally silent explosions.
The figure continued to stare at the dreadnought until he finally spoke in a deep commanding tone that rose above the noise so that all could hear. ‘Helm, engines ahead, ramming speed’
The dreadnought accelerated, its speed getting faster and faster as it headed directly towards the other dreadnought, the image on the screen increasing in size as the distance between them closed with each passing second. As the huge ship filled the entire screen making even the small windows visible the figure audibly sighed, knowing what was to come and refusing to look away. And then, there was blackness.
Chapter 1
Warrender awoke like a coiled viper striking as he sat bolt upright in his bed. His body was covered in sweat, the sheets damp with perspiration and he sat there for several moments, panting to catch his breath, eyes wide and fully awake as he raised his hand to wipe his face, running his hand through his thick black hair. His hair felt greasy, but it could easily just be his clammy hands.
It was that same dream again, every night for the past 3 months since his energies had started to manifest themselves within his mind and body.
The few mages they had, assured him that he would eventually get used to the recurring dream, that the pain and intensity would lessen over time as his powers grew and could learnt to control them, until he would eventually barely even notice them during his sleep. But knowing that didn’t help much in the here and now when he could barely sleep at night. His Uncle, the senior of the small order had personally explained the significance of the dream, an echo of the past in which the Emperor of the Cakari had laid down his life in the ultimate sacrifice to destroy the evil Warlord Arromahn with the hope of the Cakari securing victory in the Great War and regaining control of the Zerrelian Empire.
In his final act during the great war 4000 years ago, the Emperor had driven his crippled dreadnought into that of Warmaster Arromahn’s, destroying them both in a fiery explosion and leaving no trace. It was said that the Emperor, whose energies were the strongest of all their kind had rampaged through the minds of the Cakari upon his death and his last memory was now etched into the very mind of every Mage alive and new born to come, manifesting itself into a recurring dream, almost as if a reminder of what they were fighting for.
Four great races had come together that day, with hopes of ending a bloody war that threatened to consume the entire galaxy. Trillions died daily across the empire as each world boiled over into civil war, great cities were blown to dust by bombs and orbital bombardments, others suffered from neglect and battle damage as combat spilled through the streets as factions fought for control of resources to aid the war effort. This level of death and decimation continued throughout the galaxy as the Zerrelian Empire began to crumble apart at the very core. Soon after, the Meklar and Dragoanis Empires were forced to enter the fray as fighting started to spill into their own territories, turning their own worlds into battlegrounds of foreign invaders and risking the stability throughout their own Empires.
The Dragoanis, a reptilian and ancient race old and wise and almost resembling dragons from the Lore of a planet called Earth, their mage like powers rivalling that of even the Cakarian. They sided with the ruthless Marthans faction of the Zerrlian race.
The Meklar, a robotic race, rumoured to have been created by an ancient and now dead race, their bodies resembling that of a wingless fly as they glided on 8 fluid like metal legs. They sided with the Emperor and his Cakarian faction.
It was in the heart of the Telron system, the homeworld of the Cakarian Emperor that these four factions came forth for the final battle that would hopefully bring an end to the civil war and bring stability back to the galaxy. For two whole days, millions of ships criss-crossed the black sky above the Emperors homeworld, from the tiniest fighter to giant Dreadnoughts, every ship played their part to try and outsmart their enemy. All around lay wounded and lifeless ships, wreckage drifting across the battlefield, colliding with anything in its path and causing yet more damage as the death toll rapidly increased. Were it not for the discovery of the Aegis generators several years before, an immensely powerful form of energy which had been installed into every Cakarian ship, the Cakari would have been swiftly defeated from the overwhelming and outnumbering forces of the Marthan and Dragoanis fleets.
At the apex of the battle, it became clear to the Emperor that both sides would be utterly decimated and neither would be able to seize control from the resulting stalemate. Arromahn however, believing his victory to be assured and showing the true depths of his lust for power, betrayed his allies, the Dragoanis. Ordering his ships to lay waste to the Dragoanis fleet before they could react to the betrayal.
Seizing his chance, the Emperor knew what he must do as he ordered his crippled Dreadnought to ram and destroy the Marthan flagship in order to destroy Arromahn and end his hold over the traitorous rebels that followed him. With their leader dead it would hopefully be enough to throw his entire fleet into disarray and allow the Cakari to seize the initiative and bring an end to the war once and for all.
Shortly after the destruction of the Emperors and the Warmaster ship, a blinding flash erupted from capital city of the planet below, a huge wave of energy rose up into the sky and rippled across the globe, swallowing the planet whole in fiery electrical energy. As quickly as it had started the energy dissipated into nothingness, leaving an empty void where the paradise planet had once hung in the black sky. Gone were the giant cities of the Emperors homeworld that dominated the continents and touching the sky, gone were the countless trillions of people who lived upon its surface. There was no debris, no survivors, nothing, just an empty void where the planet had once been.
With no one in charge to co-ordinate and continue the battle the various factions quickly deteriorated into disarray. The bickering between senior commanders preventing any force from effectively taking command and co-ordinating a response against their enemies. One by one the remaining battered and bruised battlegroups still fighting ground to a halt and one by one, each started to withdraw from battle to regroup, unsure where to concentrate their efforts.
There was no victory that day, countless trillions of soldiers lay dead, floating in space or entombed within the wreckage of their ships. The vast fleets of each race lay in waste, beaten and destroyed, left to drift aimlessly among the stars, lifeless and powerless. The fleets that had survived the epic battle were forced to withdraw back to their own worlds to protect what was left of their shattered empire and defend against possible invasion.
The glorious age of the galaxy had ended dramatically and quickly, and in its wake, a new darker age arose. An age of distrust, of hatred and desire for revenge. Without a leader to guide them or ability to seize control the war was left to continue, and has done so to this present day.
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