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2024-10-29 19:42:56Cheery corrected him. [Actually, you didn’t even manage to get as far as the burial…]
[Well, someone just did.]
[That’s nice of him. Should we pay him for his services?]
[Only in plasma.] JAD growled. [But first, what’s the latest on the Banshees?]
[They’re coming too fast! The lasers won’t be able to take them all out before they reach us!]
[Main cannon status?]
[Charging at 5%! There’s not enough time!]
JAD grimaced, nose and whiskers all wrinkling together. [Pull back! Emergency boosters…]
[Sir! We don’t HAVE emergency boosters! This is a Meorin ship!]
JAD’s face fell as he looked at the red blips on the sensor screen representing some twenty Tier 7 Banshees swarming at him. [I hate Meorin ships.]
Just like that, the range closed to zero. Suddenly, the Banshees seemed to disappear from the sensor scope. Cheery gaped. [What happened? Where are they?]
Vigil checked a few things and then told her
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Kingdom of the Weak 498. Playing Dumb
“Welcome to Sorrel II. Whether your business is trade or leisure, we have the best amenities and facilities available in the Star System! Currently our market is highly in demand of industrial goods and personal electronics. Our most popular exports are agricultural produce and mineral ores. While you’re here, do sample our local specialty beverages, especially the ever-popular Energy Tonic III, affectionately known as the ‘Medium Blue Potion’! Feel free to visit the tourism hotspot, Three Pines Ruins, but make sure to bring a guide and a proper outfit! Also please be mindful of the larger local wildlife.” In a dimly lit bridge, a dark figure tapped the armrest of the captain’s chair. “Huh. Now that’s surprising. A rural farming planet? How disappointing. It hardly seems worth our time.” “Maybe there’s more to it than farm produce, like rare metals or something.” A lieutenant suggested. “There must be a reason that Mink came here. Maybe she’s only stopping to refuel.
Kingdom of the Weak 499. Steps forward
The issues involving the Quarin and their sudden absence at the time of the bandits’ arrival was a long story, a very long story indeed. It all started with a certain girl stuck on the Starport swearing calamitious vengeance upon Remian, his kin, and all who dared befriend him. Various dread schemes were hatched, but more cautious heads in her clan than hers shut them down. Finally, for the sake of public image as well as overall gain, they settled on a plan not-so-nefarious, at least in the eyes of their peers; the ‘rescue’ of the now-sentient Wilds that were the legacy of their abandoned Familiar breeding programs long ago. This was, of course, in addition to the already heavily burdened ‘rescue’ programs of the natives, and the valuables of Sorrel II in the face of the spreading Undead disaster. With that much more weight to haul around, the entirety of the Estuarte fleet had been tasked to bring the refugees and the goods back home. They did of course lea
Kingdom of the Weak 500. To the stars
500. To the starsTry as he might, they ended up having to take the Recon Frigate ‘Pines’ with them. JAD totally insisted on sending it along to scout the way ahead so the Craggy could avoid mishaps.Without further ado before anyone could start a round of tearful farewells and delays, Remian had the ship launch!Lance in particular was most appreciative of the lack of delays. Phoebe and Ermine, less so. Mindy and Eriane didn’t really care either way, while Gary was too absorbed in studying the electronics of an actual Tau Galleon to even notice. As for Talia, she was already familiarizing herself with the kitchen and rearranging tools, utensils and kitchenware to suit her style.Despite the Woofers’ best efforts on the Gray Fang, Remian had to say that for a human, staying on the Tau-built Craggy was far more comfortable than the adapted Meor
Kingdom of the Weak 501. Seven Years Later
“We’re going to live in space!” Benny yelled. “Yip!” Foxy jumped on her hind legs, leaning on him with both forepaws. The wolfcat cub wagged her tail so hard, it went round in full circles like a helicopter. Seven years after accepting Remian’s Scholarship, Benny Hiir had graduated from Tau’s VR Nuts and Bolts Academy Online with a Grade 1 Starship Engineering Certificate. In a world where most of his people lived their lives farming, fishing or mining, such a qualification was so rare that until yesterday, nobody on their planet had one. Benny’s batch was the first who successfully reached that lofty goal. With it, they also earned the qualifications for something even more outworldly; full residency and a job post on the Orbital Space Station ‘Sky Haven’. In the days when he first applied for the Scholarship and began to see the possibilities in his future, they asked him about his dreams and ambitions. His answer; “I want to build starships that can bring my family across the s
Kingdom of the Weak 502. The deal with Amber
When the promise of residency and a job at the OSS Sky Haven first came up, Benny’s parents had been excited and they discussed at length what they would do if he qualified. Over the years, they discussed it further and finally decided they were going to move over as a family (bringing your family along was one of the perks of the qualification), find new jobs there, and that they’d do it casually, without making a big fuss as they left. The day Benny received the notice, they’d simply continue their day as normal, come back from work to have a celebration dinner with him, and pack up to leave the next day. Apparently, Amber’s parents had different ideas about what to do if their child gained the qualification. For one thing, they seemed remarkably well-dressed. Benny, Amber, Sam and the rest were all residents of Trailer Arco. That meant that before it was built, they were living in a trailer park, refugees from outlying settlements that fled to the city for safety when the Undead s
Kingdom of the Weak 503. Leaving the world
Benny was worried. Despite the spread and the all-you-can-eat barbecue in front of him, Sam wouldn’t cheer up. He had a dark look on his face and ate very little, very slowly. Meanwhile, Foxy wolfed down lunch in a matter of ten minutes, putting away four plates of meat without taking a break, and then scurried off to the Warrens to play with her friends. Benny was left awkwardly trying in vain to start a conversation, any conversation with a moping Sam for an hour before they finally parted ways. Pensively wandering the streets of Craggy Falls in his Combat Frame, Benny looked around with a sense of melancholy as he realized it might very well be the last day he spent here. Years ago, he had arrived as a refugee with his family from Northsands, a bauxite mining town by the shore of the Black River, fleeing to Craggy Falls for safety as the Undead Risings began. Benny had been eight at the time. That was when he first met Amber and Sam, in a trailer park where refugees from various
Kingdom of the Weak 504. Sky Haven
When Benny first entered his new home, he suddenly felt quite lost. Right at the front door, inside a comfortably carpeted living room. Inside was a full-wall high resolution display showing the most popular view of Craggy Falls, with the water constantly flowing down, making it feel like the entire living room was just a balcony facing the waterfall. Cool air blew in from what appeared to be the main viewscreen and it even had a slightly moist feel. There was a moving machine vacuuming the carpet, disc-shaped and roughly a foot in diameter. But Benny didn’t hear the sound of vacuuming. What he heard was the distant sound of falling water. There were large leather sofas, deep brown and slightly wrinkly, as if they were well-worn, but they had that new-leather smell to them. They were arranged in a semi-circle, with a smooth oval table in between them. The table had strange metal fixations beneath it; Benny had a strong suspicion that it was more than just a table, or at least, would b
Kingdom of the Weak 505. Return to Sorrel
During one breezy morning as Remian was planning some happy times with Phoebe, a shocking announcement arrived across interstellar net. “Attention, all star nations of the Indigo Star Cluster. Due to the Mitigok advance, Gate Warp functions in the following territories will be discontinued; Quarin Coalition Southernmost Territories, Draconian Dominion Tail Tip Region, Woofer Packs United, Meorin Ascendency, Tau Confederacy Eastern Stars, the Uber States, Kanonasia, and all surrounding star systems. “As per security policy, all Gates in these territories will self-destruct to prevent Mitigok Infestation and Gate Network Infiltration. The Gate Supervisory Committee will not accept enquiries, complaints or interviews at this time. “To all those in the affected regions, you have two weeks to exit before the Gates close for good. “Good luck.” Then there was silence. It was like someone hit the mute button on the entire elven world. For a minute, maybe two, it seemed not even the birds
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523. Comms
Somewhere along the line, he’d lost consciousness. George only realized it when he woke up to a splitting headache. “Ow.” He groaned. “What... where...?” “We’re on the way back to Sorrel.” Grace told him, appearing by his bedside. And it was a bedside, he realized. He seemed to be in the Kara’s Medical Bay. “I’m sorry. We had to retreat.” “Our... people?” George managed. “The HAC Troopers made it back. The Mechs... did not.” Grace paused. “We have the refugees though. And the Robotic Assembly Plant for Mining Drones. That’s all they managed to grab.” George slurred. “Mech pilots?” “Alive, if battered.” “Good. Alive is good.” George sighed. “This... didn’t go so well.” “Hey, at least we got the guys we were trying to save, and some machinery on top of that. You might say it was a success. A costly one, but a success.” “Casualties?” George asked. “Plenty of injuries to go around, but no deaths. So far.” Grace paused. “Some of the really badly injured might change that before lo
- Kingdom of the Weak
522. Second Aid Mission
“Were these really the best you could do?” George asked, eyeing the six hulking figures in front of him hesitantly. “Mmm.” Juni grunted. In front of them were six brand new Mechs. 2nd Generation products, they were armored weapons platforms on legs, with jumpjets for the signature ‘jumps’ that earned their generation the nickname, ‘Jumpers’. Or were they? George wasn’t entirely sure. When he looked at them, they really looked more like 1st Generation Walker-types. Those Jump Jets seemed to be an afterthought, an added equipment haphazardly strapped to their backs. “Would they really work right?” Juni shrugged. Given the time and materials he had to work with, George supposed he couldn’t expect better. He had only just received 2nd Gen tech. Until now, he’d been working with 1st Gen expectations and schematics. One of these Mechs seemed a bit worn, evidence that it had been built quite some time ago, and only recently been modified for George’s requests. “Fusion Cell for power, Pu
- Kingdom of the Weak
521. Next Step
It turned out that they also needed to acquire salvage rights to haul away ‘scrap metal’. Fortunately, that was a simple affair now that they had local currency. 50 USD and the matter was done. Grant, being the nearest specialist on matters of scrap to their location, graciously offered to transport their ‘scrap’ directly to their vessel out of sheer goodwill. Finally Benny and Sam went to try out the barbecued skewers. At Grant’s recommendation, though, they didn’t go to the Starport roadside stall. They ended up at another roadside stall run by a ‘foreign refugee’ someplace downtown not too far from Grant’s workshop. There, each skewer was loaded with rows of thick, juicy beef sausages, and only cost 20 USD for 10. Benny stretched. “Not bad for our first day. We’ve got three days here, don’t we? But we’ve already got half of what we wanted.” “What’s the other half?” Sam asked. “Technical manuals on engineering, power and propulsion. Tech, basically.” Benny yawned. However, whe
- Kingdom of the Weak
520. Uber States Colony
“Black Fang, you are cleared for docking. Follow the designated path and welcome to Trifer, colony of the Uber States.” Benny stood on the observation deck of the Black Fang below the bridge, listening to the conversation between the comms officer and the dock authorities. He eyed the massive sprawl of structures and smoke emitted below and wondered. “This is what they call a ‘small’ colony?” The colony was bigger than Craggy Falls, Kara-Goth and Nightshade City put together. “Just how many people live here?” Benny asked next. “According to our sensors, about half a million.” The bridge crew told him. Okay, that was less than the human population of the Sorrelian Migration, which, after including the Cumin survivors, was over 800,000. They shared the sensor feed with Benny, Sam and Foxy. Looking at the scope, Benny realized that most of the colony below consisted of machinery and robots. Furthermore, what he saw on the surface wasn’t even half the colony. The entire complex went
- Kingdom of the Weak
519. Scoop
That evening, Benny and Sam left with Tim’s battle group, headed for the nearest Uber States outpost with medicine in the cargo holds. This left only one freight galleon to ferry materials and regretful space miners from the surface to Sky Haven. “It’s going too slow.” Remian decided. “I need to call Raven.” With Mindy busy trading across star systems, Raven had inherited (bought over) her airship fleet and company on the surface. They built more gunships and scout ships than freighters these days, mainly focused on providing recon and fire support to ground forces fighting Undead. But it was those freighters Remian needed now, the bigger the better. “We need them refitted for extreme high altitudes, as high as they can go.” Remian explained. “Also we need them spaceworthy, at least up to low orbit.” “You want our airship freighters to fly into space?!” Raven spluttered. “Yes, but not on their own. I want them to haul cargo and passengers as high up as they can. Around 30km woul
- Kingdom of the Weak
518. We should call Remian
“Relax, I’m not asking you to build them from scratch. You’ll need to remodel a Galleon and a trio of our current Dropships. We do want proper Mech Carriers in the future, but for now, we need to deploy urgently, so we’ll just remodel what we have.” Ermine brought up some projections. “The Mechs in question are going to be Light Walkers, designed and built by J-Armory. Juni’s had a workable prototype for a long time, but it’s never been needed until now. Live testing is scheduled to start in three days. They’re powered by Fusion Cells, the kind that looks like dustbins, so you won’t need to worry about fuel lines, just cell-swapping. You won’t need to worry about replacing the He3 in the Fusion Cells either; spent cells will be sent back to J-Armory for recycling or refueling or whatever it is they do. Same goes for the weapons; Jamie’s J-Arsenal will handle maintenance and replacement and all that. The ship only needs to carry the Mechs, deploy them, and run basic maintenance. Repai
- Kingdom of the Weak
517. Objectives and Objections
They met online the next day. Remian opted out, letting them handle it. Upon bringing up the subject of the Woofers’ request for more aid across different planets… Ermine snorted. “I refuse.” “What?” George stared. “I refuse to help them.” Ermine said stoutly. “I know that you guys all have some sort of savior syndrome, and it’s something that Remian seemed to have passed down from the very beginning, the sort of meddlesome hero complex that has you all trying to save the world at personal cost, but I’m no hero. I’m Tau, and we’re practical survivalists. We simply can’t afford to go around saving everybody. We need all our strength and resources to save ourselves. As for the Woofers, as a collective, they are a Class 5 Star Civilization, a whole class more advanced and stronger than us. They have their own governments and their own fleets. Let the Woofers help the Woofers.” Xiao Yan cut in. “As you say, they are a Class 5 Star Civilization. Since you’re talking about praticality, t
- Kingdom of the Weak
516. Changing Gear
“Go, go, go!” green light flared in the bay of the Dropship as the floor fell away. George and twelve other figures were unceremoniously dumped on the ground nine feet below. They landed with heavy impacts. George staggered, realizing the gravity on this world was at least twice what he was accumstomed to back home. For a moment, he regretted leaving his Frame back on the ship, but they were here to clear the bandits out from a city center, meaning tight spaces, narrow access points, and needing to take care to avoid civilian casualties. Or at least, that was the plan. George and his squad had been deposited on the outskirts of the city, at the very border of a suburban district. “Incoming!” someone yelled. George crouched as something exploded; the ground shook and chunks of dirt flew through the air. “Get to cover! Return fire!” George called, even though he wasn’t entirely sure where the attackers were, exactly. The guys diving behind nearby garages and a public toilet clued hi
- Kingdom of the Weak
514. Out there
Quite predictably, the first of those calls to reach Sorrel II was from their dear friends, the Woofers. Three Paws explained it. [This is from Kelso III. It’s an agrarian world, roughly eighty hours’ flight from here for our fleet. Local gang bosses have titled themselves warlords and suppressed the citizenry with brute force. They take whatever they want, and demand whatever payment they like, on pain of death or torture. Local law enforcement has been completely overrun and even planetary militia couldn’t save the settlements under their control. The best our local paws could do is contain the situation and prevent it from getting worse.] Remian sipped hot coffee. Eighty hours flight for the Woofers Fleet should mean a bit less than seventy for the Tau fleet. “That’s rough. But what’s the point of calling us here to tell us this?” [We can help them. Just one division of your fleet could make a huge difference against these local gangs.] At the moment, the Sorrelian fleet consist
