Difference between revisions of "Battle of the Sarkeen"

A Sarkeen looks like an absolutely massive, mutated normal Cleax, with a gaping maw, multiple long tentacles that look like mutations of the many ‘arms’ of a normal Cleax, and long tentacles. Although we've never captured one, they appear to move via some kind of internal plasma railgun system. They generate plasma, somehow, and then shoot it out of orifices on their body at incredibly high speed, though using what mechanism, we don't know, propelling them forward. They're similarly able to deal immense damage by firing near-steady streams of plasma at opposing starships through their multiple tentacles, each of which is centrally controlled by the Sarkeen's single brain, and which act together with perfect coordination.

A Sarkeen looks like an absolutely massive, mutated normal Cleax, with a gaping maw, multiple long tentacles that look like mutations of the many ‘arms’ of a normal Cleax, and long tentacles. Although we've never captured one, they appear to move via some kind of internal plasma railgun system. They generate plasma, somehow, and then shoot it out of orifices on their body at incredibly high speed, though using what mechanism, we don't know, propelling them forward. They're similarly able to deal immense damage by firing near-steady streams of plasma at opposing starships through their multiple tentacles, each of which is centrally controlled by the Sarkeen's single brain, and which act together with perfect coordination.

As the alliance opposing this Cleax invasion fought to secure what appeared to be imminent victory, a handful of what we now know are Sarkeen arrived at the battle site, to the galactic southwest of the [[M'hamid Cluster]], at the Voidgate we simply know as the [[Cleax Gate]] today.

As the alliance opposing this Cleax invasion fought to secure what appeared to be imminent victory, a handful of what we now know are Sarkeen arrived at the battle site, to the galactic southwest of the [[M'hamid Cluster]], at the Voidgate we simply know as the [[Cleax Gate]] today.

At first, the opposing forces weren't even sure the Sarkeen were a weapon. Perhaps these were their leaders, come to negotiate an end to the war, they wondered, though all previous attempts at communication with the Cleax had been ignored - they weren't even sure if the Cleax were receiving their signals. Warily, they allowed the Sarkeen to approach the flagship of Emperor [[Lin Sber'ana]] of the Ait Benir and his complement of guardian starships.

At first, the opposing forces weren't even sure the Sarkeen were a weapon. Perhaps these were their leaders, come to negotiate an end to the war, they wondered, though all previous attempts at communication with the Cleax had been ignored - they weren't even sure if the Cleax were receiving their signals. Warily, they allowed the Sarkeen to approach the flagship of Emperor [[Lin Sber'ana]] of the Ait Benir and his complement of guardian starships.

== The Battle of the Sarkeen ==

== The Battle of the Sarkeen ==

They threw their might at the Sarkeen and the other Cleax, but found themselves overwhelmed. In desperation, Admiral Argo ordered all forces to concentrate their firepower on the Sarkeen, and to ignore the other Cleax forces. It was a strategy sure to cost them dearly, as the Cleax forces would be free to simply flank and open fire, but as it was the Sarkeen who had tipped the scales from imminent victory to imminent defeat, he felt the risk had to be taken.

They threw their might at the Sarkeen and the other Cleax, but found themselves overwhelmed. In desperation, Admiral Argo ordered all forces to concentrate their firepower on the Sarkeen, and to ignore the other Cleax forces. It was a strategy sure to cost them dearly, as the Cleax forces would be free to simply flank and open fire, but as it was the Sarkeen who had tipped the scales from imminent victory to imminent defeat, he felt the risk had to be taken.

The few Lha Ti present at the Battle of the Sarkeen were among the most powerful of their race, able to survive deep space and propel themselves with void kith alone. They made directly for the Sarkeen, one of the few other races capable of surviving in hard vacuum minimal equipment, and certainly the largest they had encountered. The Lha Ti themselves are enormous creatures who spend most of their time underwater where their bulk is supported, and while the Sarkeen are yet substantially larger, the Lha Ti are simply unequalled in their mastery of void kith. Just as importantly, they are biological beings, and are unaffected by the EMPs and the spore clouds the Sarkeen possess.

The few Lha Ti present at the Battle of the Sarkeen were among the most powerful of their race, able to survive deep space and propel themselves with void kith alone. They made directly for the Sarkeen, one of the few other races capable of surviving in hard vacuum minimal equipment, and certainly the largest they had encountered. The Lha Ti themselves are enormous creatures who spend most of their time underwater where their bulk is supported, and while the Sarkeen are yet substantially larger, the Lha Ti are simply unequalled in their mastery of void kith. Just as importantly, they are biological beings, and are unaffected by the EMPs and the spore clouds the Sarkeen possess.

The Lha Ti began to unleash raw void kith on the Sarkeen, trying to crush the life out of them, who retaliated with blasts of plasma, gravely burning many of the Lha Ti. Bravely, for they were in ships vulnerable to the Sarkeen, the Rek moved forward, adding the heat of the stars to the attack on the Sarkeen, shattering their bio-electric shields.

The Lha Ti began to unleash raw void kith on the Sarkeen, trying to crush the life out of them, who retaliated with blasts of plasma, gravely burning many of the Lha Ti. Bravely, for they were in ships vulnerable to the Sarkeen, the Rek moved forward, adding the heat of the stars to the attack on the Sarkeen, shattering their bio-electric shields.

Three Sarkeen fell under this onslaught, and suddenly, entirely without precedent, they began to pull back, taking the rest of the Cleax with them. Admiral Argo ordered his forces to continue pouring fire into the retreating Sarkeen and Cleax, but not to pursue. Between losing Emperor Lin Sber'ana and the immense losses taken by the forces opposing the Cleax generally, Admiral Argo saw little gain in risking pursuit. This could be a genuine retreat, or it could simply be a trap.

Three Sarkeen fell under this onslaught, and suddenly, entirely without precedent, they began to pull back, taking the rest of the Cleax with them. Admiral Argo ordered his forces to continue pouring fire into the retreating Sarkeen and Cleax, but not to pursue. Between losing Emperor Lin Sber'ana and the immense losses taken by the forces opposing the Cleax generally, Admiral Argo saw little gain in risking pursuit. This could be a genuine retreat, or it could simply be a trap.

The decision was made to leave the Cleax to themselves, but to carefully watch the Voidgates adjacent to the now-named Cleax Gate for any signs of aggression, and for the several hundred years since then, there has been none. On the other hand, the Cleax are now present in galactic southwestern Starmourn in numbers far greater than during any of the invasions, and their potential is an issue of permanent concern among the races of Starmourn.

The decision was made to leave the Cleax to themselves, but to carefully watch the Voidgates adjacent to the now-named Cleax Gate for any signs of aggression, and for the several hundred years since then, there has been none. On the other hand, the Cleax are now present in galactic southwestern Starmourn in numbers far greater than during any of the invasions, and their potential is an issue of permanent concern among the races of Starmourn.