| abstract
| - Command Quarter - Sanctuary - Bright white lights gleam from overhead mounts, illuminating the angular gray bulkheads in this broad chamber near the relative top of the Sanctuary colony vessel. Footsteps echo along the riveted deck plates. Security cameras swivel, taking in a full sweep of the domed chamber. Colonial police, Vanguard enlisted personnel and warriors from the Nall Clawed Fist Fleet stand guard outside a pair of large double doors marked with a stylized dove bearing an olive branch in its beak. An archway leading into a high-ceilinged chamber is emblazoned with a glowing blue disc. Another chamber has double doors marked with the icon of a small humanoid figure seated at a desk. A sealed hydraulic door at the extreme forward end of the chamber is marked with a bright crimson circle. Antigrav lifts are available for passage to lower decks. Small Starliner drifts out of the lifts. Small Starliner begins drifting along the corridor at a leisurely pace. Falkenberg is standing in the hallway, lost in thought. From a nearby vent, a tiny fighter emerges. It doesn't look like a Nemoni design... Falkenberg turns and glances at the nearby motion. He pauses and watches curiously. The fighter makes a sweeping pass at the Pride, opening fire with tiny lasers that riddle the unshielded ship. Falkenberg blinks at the tiny laserblasts. He pulls out his comm and tunes to the Nemoni frequency. "...Nemoni ship, is there a problem?" Small Starliner begins to make evasive maneuvers to try and avoid the fighter.. The comm crackles, "The Elyissians have returned!!" Falkenberg frowns. "I'm guessing that's bad? Are you in need of assistance?" The fighter turns hard and makes another pass towards the Pride, unleashing a tiny missile. The missile slams into the port engine of the Pride, completely destroying it and half the wing. The ship begins to bob erratically.. Falkenberg moves toward the fighter, holding up his hands as though moving to swat a fly. "Come here, you little bugger..." The comm crackles, "Please distract it until our fighters can arrive!!!" The fighter manages to avoid Falk's hand, and for the moment ignores the Pride, intent on avoiding this large menace. "I'll do more than distract it..." He claps his hands together hard in an attempt to crush the tiny fighter. The fighter pulls up hard and fires its retros, just barely avoiding the tips of Falk's hands. Angered now, the pilot turns its tiny lasers on Falk. Falkenberg follows the fighter with his eyes, and waits for it to move in a bit...then he takes a deep breath and blows hard in the direction of the fighter. The fighter isn't prepared for this, and it is blown severly off course, smashing and exploding into a nearby wall. Unfortunately, it's 4 friends arrive from another vent... Falkenberg raises an eyebrow. "More gnats." 4 Nemoni fighters appear from the lift, and a fierce dogfight ensues in front of Falk's eyes. Falkenberg watches the fight curiously, unwilling to interfere and risk damaging the Nemoni. 3 more squadrons from both sides join the fray. There are now 30 fighters swirling around the damaged Pride. Falkenberg toggles his commlink again. "Uh...Nemoni vessel, what exactly is going ON here? Who are these...Elyssians?" Small Starliner is struck several more times, and heads for an emergency landing. Small Starliner skids across the deck throwing parks and slowly grinds to a stop. The comm crackles, "The...Elyissians are...our sworn enemies...they...are more than likely attempting to assassinate me...the cowards..." "Where is that cruiser of yours?" Falkenberg asks. "And is there anything more I can do?" He looks at the crippled Nemoni ship... Falkenberg turns and looks at the lift. "There ya go." Small Battleship flies out of the lift at full speed. With a crackle, a soft blue field appears around the ship. It's weapon arrays snap into position and it dives for the fray. The comm crackles, "Alpha squadron, vector 4-3-2. Beta Squadron, vector 4-4-1. Gamma Squadron, vector 5-1-2. Omega Squadron, vector 3-1-3. Stand by to execute.." The shaft door slides open with a soft whoosh. The shaft door slides closed with a whoosh Falkenberg takes a few steps back from the microbattle. The comm crackles.."All squadrons, execute!" The Nemoni fighters break away on their assigned vectors, just at the instant the Nemonus Star opens fire with 20 laser batteries. Falkenberg's eyes widen a bit, impressed. The shaft door slides shut with a whoosh Elyissian fighters are picked off left and right, leaving only about 5. The Nemoni fighters reverse course with experienced precision and pick them off in quick succession. Soon, 15 black smoking smudges remain on the floor. Falkenberg chuckles. "Not bad. Not bad at all." The comm crackles, "President Malcon, are you alright? Please respond.." The shaft door slides open with a soft whoosh. Volanta steps out of the lift Volanta has arrived. Volanta wanders out of Lift 1. He glances about the Command Quarter. The Pride is laying on the deck smoking from a destroyed wing. 15 tiny, smoking heaps of metal lie on the deck. Falkenberg is standing against a wall, watching the Nemoni fight wind down. The comm crackles, "I..am fine, Admiral..just..a little shaken. It seems...the Elyissians are back..." The comm crackles, "So it would seem, Mr. President. Shall I put the fleet on battle alert?" Volanta slowly approaches the scene, he walks over next to Falkenberg. He is very careful where he steps. Falkenberg nods to Volanta. "Officer. You just missed a little fireworks display." The comm crackles, "A wise..precaution, Admiral...Admiral Alveron is obviously up to his old tricks again...he will not come with just fighters...I am sure his 12th Destroyer squadron is lurking nearby with his flagship along with it..." Volanta looks down to the crashed ship, then over to Falkenberg. "It looks like it..." No sooner does the President make his prediction, then from out of the lift flies 4 small black destroyer class vessels and one large battleship sized vessel... Falkenberg frowns. "Uh oh. They didn't fare so well against the fighter attack...this does not look good." Volanta looks to the lift, "What do we do?" he looks back to Falkenberg for answers. Falkenberg shrugs. "I don't know...I managed to take out one fighter easily enough until the Nemoni liner could get help. I suppose we could shoot down a couple of those things..." What sounds like muffled red alert sirens come from the open hangar bay of the Star. It turns to face this new menace. The comm crackles, "I hate it when you are right, Mr. President. All hands, battlestations! Shields to maximum, arm all weapons. Tactical, switch laser control to automatic, charge up the nukes!" Volanta pats his sides, "I'm off-duty... I don't have my side-arm..." "...Nukes? On second thought...." Falkenberg turns to Volanta. "We may want to leave. Soon. Small nukes are still nukes." The four destroyers flank the large Nemoni battleship and begin opening fire on the battleship's shields.. Volanta nods and backs away, just as the destroyers start to fire. The Elyissian gunners were ready for the Nemoni's tactics, and quickly take out their fire control center.. The Star's weapons go silent.. "Of course...we could probably just slam-dunk a couple of those things if we could grab hold of them...but I don't really want to be irradiated today." Falkenberg sighs. "And I suppose some government types would suggest there are diplomatic implications. Aw, hell." The comm crackles, "You need new material, Admiral Delco. This time you won't be so lucky. All ships, continue barrage! DESTROY THEM!!!" Volanta keeps backing off, "The Nemoni don't look too good..." Falkenberg turns and looks at Volanta. "We should probably do SOMETHING. I kinda like the Nemoni." He steps toward the battle, and reaches for one of the destroyers, hoping to grab hold of it. 10 Nemoni fighters emerge from the Star's hangar bay and begin attacking the destyoyers. Their weapons are useless against the cap ship's shields. The ship isn't expecting Falk's move, and is grabbed. The laser turrets continue firing tho, stinging Falk's hands.. Volanta mutters somthing under his breath and moves in to attempt to kick one of the Elyssian destroyers. Falkenberg growls at the stinging sensation, and hurls the ship down the corridor as hard as he can. The destroyer is unable to recover from Falk's strength, and smashes into a nearby wall. It explodes with a bright flash, flaming pieces of the ship falling to the deck. The shaft door slides shut with a whoosh Falkenberg grins. "That's what I'm talking about." He turns and grabs for another ship. From the lift, 4 more destroyers arrive from the 12th. Volanta's kick connects with one of the ships, and it's engine explode with a flash. Unable to maintain altitude, it drops to the deck like a rock. The shaft door slides open with a soft whoosh. Leach steps out of the lift Leach has arrived. Volanta winds up for another kick, this time on the cap ship. Falkenberg frowns at the sight of the new arrivals, but continues to grab for another destroyer. Bu this time, the Star has taken a serious pounding. It's shields fail, and begins taking damage to its hull. Leach says, "whats going on here?" Falkenberg and Volanta are trying to save the crippled Nemoni ships from an attack by several small destroyers. Leach whips out his pistol Leach says, "where are they?" Volanta's kick connects with the Elyissian battleship, but this one is able to withstand the kick. It turns its laser emplacement son Volanta and begins firing stinging shots at Volanta. Leach fires a single shot at the attacking battleship Volanta jumps back. He yells to Leach, "Officer, Hand me your nightstick!" The shaft door slides shut with a whoosh Falk successfully nabs another of the destroyers. The shaft door slides open with a soft whoosh. Falkenberg hurls this one in the direction of the battleship. LeBeau steps out of the lift LeBeau has arrived. Leach's shot bounces off the shields of the battleship, and it then turns its laser emplacements on Leach. Leach gives his stick to volanta Leach is struck by many stinging laser shots, burning little holes in his uniform. Falkenberg and Volanta are trying to protect two crippled Nemoni ships from attack by a hostile force of small destroyers and other ships. Leach continues firing multiple shots at the ship while tring to dodge the incoming shots Small Battleship finally succumbs to the battle, and drops to the deck. The destroyers continue to press their attack. Leach says, "my uniform!" Volanta grabs Leach's nightstick and turns on the Battleship again, smashing at it with his good arm. Falkenberg glances at Lebeau as he finishes hurling one of the destroyers. "Hey LeBeau, give us a hand. The Nemoni are in some serious trouble, and I gather their President is on the downed liner." LeBeau walks off the lift and smells the ozone of weapons fire and spys the 'small' armada and the few people trying to intercede. He can't quite decide if this is a serious situation of a rather humerous one. Leach leaps for the attacking ship trying to smach it The Elyissian battleship launches a volley of 4 missiles towards Leach just before Volanta's swing with the nightstick connects. Leach ment smash The Elyissian battleship is broken in half by Volanta's swing, and the pieces fall to the deck. Falkenberg frowns. "Hmm. Maybe these guys are more dangerous than we thought." LeBeau shakes his head and sighs sliding his trench coat from his shoulders and moves forward waving it like a banner towards the attacking ships. Volanta shouts some encouraging thing in Volspak just as he sees Leach fall. He quickly rushes to Leaches side, pulling his back from the conflict......" LeBeau shakes his head and sighs as he recieves word rather quickly from Falk about what is going on. Sliding his trench coat from his shoulders he moves forward waving it like a banner towards the attacking ships like a screen. Leach leaps aside in a attempt to dodge Falkenberg grabs for another destroyer, apparently enjoying his game of toss-the-starship. Volanta steps on the forward half of the Battleship, grinding it with his heel The missiles fly past Leach, but they turn out to be homing missiles. They reverse course and slam right into the hollow of his back. Leach screams and colapses Volanta kicks the front half as he watches Leach scream and collapse, he rushes to his conrades side, dragging him away from the conflict. Falk's other starship-made-football smashes into another destroyer, knocking both into a light fixture and causing quite a satisfactory fireworks display. The shaft door slides shut with a whoosh The last remaining destoyer shows keen survival skills and turns to make a run for the lift.. Falkenberg smiles at his handiwork. "Powerful entities or tiny little ships. Makes no difference to me." Volanta attempts to reach into the minds of the entire ship with a vicious psionic attack... Maybe lots of little minds are easier to take down than one big one.... Leach suggests attacking the bright crew first to Volanta LeBeau continues to swat away at ships until they are either destroied or fleeing. He turns around and shakes out his coat for any lose pieces before sliding it back on. "So jus wha happen dis time, an I tink ids almos time to fumagde da ship if we keep seeing dis scene play o'er an o'er." The last destroyer suddenly veers towards the wall and smashes into it, exploding with another bright flash. Only one Elissian ship remains intact, the destroyer which Volanta kicked out of the sky. Leach needs medical care! Falkenberg looks at LeBeau. "You've seen these little buggers attack the Nemoni before? As for what happened, I was standing here, when the Nemoni starliner floated by. It's not armed. A fighter atacked it. They asked me to keep it busy till help arrived...one good gust of breath took care of it, but other fighters showed up. Then came the Nemoni Battleship, and things were looking good, until the enemy fleet arrived." Volanta smiles, as his attack was apparantly successful. He kneels down by Leach, "Hold on buddy." He takes his comm-link from his side. "And from what I gather, the starliner has their President aboard, and he was the target of the attack," Falkenberg adds. What looks like thousands of red specks have begun crawling over the burning Star. Tiny streams of water appear all over it, as the Nemoni crew fight to put out the flames. Volanta says into his commlink, "This is Officer Volanta, we have a medical emergency on Deck 1... One victim..." LeBeau walks over and looks at the starliner, nodding distractedly to Falk "Yea dis sord o attack has happened a couple times befo, nodding dis big doh jus a single ship o two." He motions to the liner "Day all ok en dare?" The comm crackles, "We...are fine in here...thank you. I...have only suffered a broken arm... We are grateful...for your assistance..." Falkenberg nods. "Any time. Consider it my way of apologizing for um, needing to borrow one of your homeworld's monuments, and the damage we caused in the process. You going to be able to repair your ships?" Volanta turns Leach over onto his stomache, he tears the clothes off Leach's back to better assess his wounds. LeBeau glances at the flaming wreackage of the Star and the tiny people trying to put out the flames. He turns back to the Liner "Yu need someone to carry yer ship back to da police station?" The comm crackles, "It would be helpful if you could take our vessels back to our outpost..it is on deck 2. We have..repair and medical facilities there.. The Star's crew is successful in putting out the flames. Volanta speaks to Leach as soothingly as possible, "The doc's on his way... Hold on, buddy." The Star's crew begins filing back into the Star. LeBeau looks around at the ship remains litering the area "Alrigh, jus which ones ar yers dat yu wan taken back to yer oud pos? The comm crackles, "The Star, and my ship, the Pride.." The comm crackles, "They took us by surprise, unfortunately..our reserve forces have not yet arrived to replace those which defected with Richardson..." The shaft door slides open with a soft whoosh. Freyssinet steps out of the lift Freyssinet has arrived. The remains of about 10 tiny starships lie burning on the deck, while the Star and the Liner remain somewhat intact and also on fire. Freyssinet enters with a medical outfit, and looks around who called. Leach has a hole in his back from the four little missiles Volanta is crouched beside Leach, still smoking from his back. He shouts to the doc, "Doctor, over here!" LeBeau nods, not really sure if the Nemoni can tell or not and he leans dow nand gently as he can put his hand on the Pride and lifts it and tucks it under one arm. Freyssinet runs to Leach as fast as her crutch allows it, and knells to examine him. Volanta stands and backs up, letting the doctor do her stuff. Freyssinet scans Leach ; and asks Volanta. "What happened ?" Volanta motions to the tiny wreckages, "The Nemoni and Elyssians are at it again. Leach got his with some Elyssian missles, probably capship busters..." LeBeau looks around and realises he can't really take both ships and calls over to Volanta "Hey yu min picking up da oder ship, I can no take both ad da same time?" Freyssinet examines the unconscious vanguard. She talks her commlink "2 nurses and a brancard" Volanta reluctantly leaves Leach's side and walks over to LeBeau, "OK, I got it." He very carefully picks up the craft. The shaft door slides open with a soft whoosh. Thazz steps out of the lift Thazz has arrived. 2 nurses enter. Seeing the doctor, they come The remains of 10 tiny starships are lying on the deck, burning and smoking. Thazz paces into the Command Quarter, glancing at those people there. He blinks, looking at the shattered remnants. "What happened?" Freyssinet is kneeling beside Leach. She helps the nurse put Leach on a brancard. LeBeau motions to volanta to follow as he makes his way to the lift. He speaks towards the Pride which rests in his arms "Where es yer oudpos exactly?" The Nemoni direct LeBeau and Volanta to their outpost. Nemoni Outpost At first glance, this office seems to contain a hobby fancier's layout. A closer examination reveals that it is in fact a complete habitat built by the Nemoni. The entire complex is built on a waist-high counter that extends out from the walls on all sides by 3 feet. Situated in the center of this office is a podium with a built-in vid-com unit. It is wired into the far wall counter, indicating that this can be used to communicate with the inhabitants of the complex. Volanta walks into the outpost area, Nemoni craft in hand. He rests is gently on the ground outside the city. LeBeau looks around in awe, this being the first time he has seen this "Uhmm, jus where should we pud yu guys down?" Several emergency vehicles come driving down the spaceport to the landing pads, in anticipation of the incoming damaged ships. Volanta notices the starport and quickly move the Star over to it. LeBeau quickly notices the busy scene and walks over and gently sets the Pride down on the landing pad "Dare yu go, anyting else we can do...sed a guard by da door o something?" The comm crackles, "That would..be most appreciated..at least until we can initialize our defenses.." Volanta points to the vents, "We should have engineering weld those shut." Volanta hmms, "In the mean time..." He grabs his comm-link. The emergency vehicles let out a barrage of red and white speks which begin entering the ships. LeBeau glances to where Volanta is pointing and nods "Dat would be an idea, dat wit a guard o two oudside should keep dis area safe fo da time being. Volanta speaks into his comm-link, "Two officers to the Nemoni outpost on deck 2." Volanta turns to LeBeau, "Done." LeBeau looks around "We should ged goign den, we hav done all dat we can an we ar jus a distraction an en da way if we stick aroun. Two Colonial Police Officers walk into the Outpost. Volanta turns to 'em, "Hey guys, I need you to watch the outpost for a while. There have been some attacks recently, and I don't want anything bad to happen to Sanctuary's honored guests." The guards nod and move to their posts, outside the door. Very slowly, several laser turrets around the outpost come to life, and begin patrolling the airspace. Volanta nods to Lebeau, "OK, let's go." He begins to walk out of the room. It would seem that some of the Star's crew didn't survive their ordeal, as the flag flying above the city drops to half mast..
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