General Drakenhart Devion, The new menace

[Kal_Zakath]

The Imperial Symbia continued onwards as Zakath submerged himself in the link, feeling the five kilometre giant around him, the deep pulsing of its power plant, the pain of its many wounds. 'Here goes nothing' he thought, as the Tau fighters swarmed around him and began bombing before him. [Drop shields] instantly three daemons appeared, gibbering on the bridge. He surfaced from the link slightly, and blew two away with blasts from his bolt pistol and slashed at the other, the ancient power sword slicing through its un-flesh easily. He returned to his communion with the ship. [Switch off all non-essential systems, seal the bridge] he took a deep breath [switch off life support outside of the bridge.] He felt the build up of power, released from its previous tasks, and smiled. [All power to main engines, open prow torpedo tubes] the tubes in the prow opened like a multitude of dark eyes as the rear of the ship lit up like a firework throwing Zakath back into his seat with the acceleration. It continued to speed up, nearly clipping a fighter which swerved out of the way just in time. [Open all other tubes... Fire.] Hundreds of torpedos, each the size of ballistic missiles (in fact, they were) sped out from tubes all along the Symbia looking like matchsticks compared to the vast bulks of the ship and hulk. They sped forward, impacting heavily in front of the Symbia throwing up a massive cloud of debris, followed by a massive fountain of dust as a compressed section within was ruptured. Zakath spared a little power for one last broadcast, "Devion! You chaos consorting scum! I will make you pay for your destruction of my home!" he cried down the link - or rather a broadband broadcast, as his defiant cry echoed around the Hael's bridge and in the headphones of the fighter pilots as well. [Fire prow tubes] he ordered, just before impact, and another set of explosions arose into which the Symbia plunged. He was torn from the link and his chair, and crashed through the vast dome of the immaterium viewing crystal - which had until then survived intact. He rather groggily staggered to his feet, and found himself in a ring of Daemons. "I'd run if I were you" he said.
"Why? Your emperor going to turn up?" one of them hissed, spitting the word 'emperor'.
"Him? Oh, he's far away." Zakath answered. "There's only me" he growled, bringing up his bolt pistol and power sword.

[Kauyon]

"Aun we have reports that the Simbia's prow has breached the core of the hulk"
"Is the good captain still alive?"
"We are, amazingly, picking up life signs sir,"
"Lock onto the one thats human and beam him aboard, such bravery albeit stupidity induced should not be rewarded with death."

Kauyon vaulted the three commbanks and picked up the tannoy to deck 16 "Mhurek, target the warp core breach and charge her up don't fire until I give the signal." He switched to Lorana's channel "Lorana, break off and clear out all enemy fighters then get the crap outta there."

[Kal_Zakath]

The Daemons hissed and slithered closer, Zakath rotated trying to keep an eye on all of them, then put a bullet through one of their heads, spraying gore over the wall and it's nearest comrades. The others stalled a second, worried hissing and chittering in their foul tongue running round him. He killed another and their voices stopped, turning into an increasingly high pitched scream - then they charged. The first two to reach him got their throats slashed apart by one swipe of his sword, one behind him catching a bullet in the throat. Then they were apon him in a whirlwind of hissing mutated limbs. He shouted one last time and slashed around him, and clenched his finger around the trigger emptying the clip - awaiting at any moment the cold touch of death.

It didn't come...

He looked around, he was in a (somewhat damaged) transport array, a quite shocked Tau looking at him from the control panel as the echoes of his shout faded away.
"Vereor meus ira"

[Reia Fauchu]

Mhurek stretched a hand down to the heap of a man on the floor and helped him up, "how reckless you humans can be" he said as a smile curled across his face. "Sometimes its hard to tell wether its stupidity or bravery, You look knowledgeable though......." he paused "Captain? so im gonna say bravery." Mhurek placed a hand on the humans shoulder and walked him over to the observation screen. They both watched on, kauyon [and lorana???? i dont know] by their side as the titanic form of the imperial cruiser smashed into furthermore into the hulk. Both of the ships lights started to flicker off until the entire form went into darkness.

[Kal_Zakath]

"It's Admiral, Master Farseer" Zakath murmured, his energy draining with the realisation he would have failed, lost his ship for nothing - he knew the damage he'd done wasn't critical enough. "But hardly that now", he sighed.

[Reia Fauchu]

Mhurek watched as the admiral straightened his eppolettes and wiped a trickle of blood from his mouth. Then Devion appeared yet again on the screen. He began to speak...

[Lorana]

Lorana had to give the Imperial some credit. She got her orders to get out. She frowned but called out orders for her own to prepare. She flipped the firebird over and righted it, giving a giggle at the sensation as her mind righted into place.

"Come here." Lorana said, targeting a fighter that had been doing it's best to evade and get a few hits in to those that had been around her. She tilted her head and narrowed her sights, swerving to avoid a shot from behind that was a bad aim. "Hey. Watch it Angel 3!" She yelled.

"Sorry Angel 1" The apologetic voice came through.

She'd broken them off to better cover the area. She worked alone while others worked in two. No doubt Doc would chew her up one side and down the other if he knew. But, what he didn't know didn't hurt him.

"Bye." Lorana said, firing on her target after assessing where to hit. It clipped it just in the right place, sending it spinning into another fighter which exploded as the two collided in force. She giggled and checked her screen, slightly disappointed there was not more. "Angels, pull back to the Ha'el 2." Lorana said, pulling back into the direction of the ship.

After landing within the Ha'el, Lorana took off the helmet and climbed out. She wiped the sweat from her forehead. She looked around, waving for someone to come refuel. "The Imperial on that ship is on this ship. He's with Kauyon and Mhurek."

Lorana took off at a run up to the command deck. She almost paused as she saw two Tau carrying a large box. She shook her head and just jumped over it and took off again without even a single scratch for any of them.

Appearing on the command deck, Lorana saw the man, but stood at the back, watching the imperial ship go crashing into the hulk. She stood there, as her body caught up with her mind. And she nearly fell over, but, lucky, another Tau had caught her arm. She nodded and walked down to where Kauyon, Mhurek, and Zakath were standing as Devion appeared on their screen.

[Kauyon]

"A brave effort Kauyon." Devion clapped slowly, "But not good enough" Kauyon turned around so his back was at the screen. Mhurek is the Mal'Caor ready to fire. To Kauyon's immense satisfaction he gave a brief nod. Kauyon turned around again and couldn't resist a parting jibe.
"So you have us where you want us." Out of view he was signalling with his hand for tactical to target the exposed warp core. "Where's Cisco?"
"It appears he was shot down by the pilot designated... " He checked briefly, "...Angel 1. This is of no consequence to me." Kauyon smiled gently, the repartee sounded so casual it was almost funny.
"Any last words, my blue friend, before I blast that pretty little dinghy of yours to dust?"
"Only four,"
"Oh?"
"Mal'Caor fire code Y'eldi."
The look of surprise on Devions face was almost comical, the pure beam of white/silver light hit the warp core dead on, three pulses shot down into the already flagging hulk gutting it entirely and sending the command section into a burning flat spin.
Devion was screaming in rage as he tore open a hole in the warp and leapt through it. After that the connection severed.
Kauyon turned around, grinning and adressed the human in front of him.
"Admiral... Zakath isn't it?"

[Kal_Zakath]

"Indeed" Zakath said straightening. "I am Admiral Kalin Zakath, Lord Symbia and Deputy Commander of the Third Imperial Eastern Fringe Fleet" then he smiled ruefully, "Or was when I left - I expect I'll have been reported dead by now. I owe you my thanks, Master Aun. I will repay the debt in anyway I can." Zakath placed his fist over his heart and bowed stiffly - due to inexperience, wounds and the sword sheathed across his back.

When he straightened he smiled and shook his head, "If I'd just listened to you I'd still have my ship".

[Lorana]

Lorana watched him and tilted her head slightly then straightened as she noticed one of her pilots come in through the back. She looked at them and shook her head abrubtly and they took off again. She grinned a little.

At the words of her killing off Cisco this round, Lorana couldn't quite wrap her mind around it. She had almost forgotten about him when she was out there. She was just having her usual fun.

Lorana smiled over to Zakath, "Your..." She was going to say idiocy but thought differently, "actions saved one of my Angels. I'm sorry it took your ship to do it but I thank you for it." She bowed her head slightly. While it had annoyed her someone was running into her zone before, she had to give him a little respect.

[Kauyon]

"Aye and if you had listened to me I think I would have lost much more than just this ship." Kauyon straightened up and cracked his knuckles. "It is good to see that there are human's out there who don't insist on using my entire name to adress me, I think Master Aun may be slightly excessive though, please call me Kauyon we are equals after all." He adopted a businesslike stance, "Also in light of your... actions," he felt insanity was slightly harsh, "I would like to offer you position as lead helm officer here on the bridge. If you need a mindlink I can have one of our engineers hook one up. Just promise me you won't crash into anything without my permission." Kalin nodded and Kauyon motioned to the seat and asked an engineer to jury rig a link. "And make it wireless, I think we have enough things to trip over."
Mhurek was looking like he was about to make a statement and Kauyon gave him a questioning expression.

[Reia Fauchu]

Mhurek took kauyon to one side, "In light of present..." He paused "Tenseness in the warp, I think a wired link would be more appropriate, We cant have our new friends thoughts beeming across the length of the room while he is at the helm, He would be much to suseptable to confrontation by.... you know who I mean. Atleast secure all psycho mechanical links until he atleast knows who cisco is, You have seen first hand what having a psycher inside your head can do to a man."

[Kauyon]

"Hmm," Kauyon contemplated this for a moment. "I trust your judgement on this Mhurek, make it so." HE began to walk away and then turned. "I think you should be the one to tell him, you have a talent for storytelling and I don't want to deprive him." Smiling, he followed Lorana to 12 Aft. Time for a victory drink.

--The End--