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Difference between revisions of "Free Fleet"
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The [[Der'em]] were a brilliant, but not powerful race, and had long relied on the fact that they provoked nobody and sought no one else's territory and resources, along with their cloaking technology, which was among the finest known, to protect them. | The [[Der'em]] were a brilliant, but not powerful race, and had long relied on the fact that they provoked nobody and sought no one else's territory and resources, along with their cloaking technology, which was among the finest known, to protect them. | ||
However, it wouldn't save them from the sheer might of Commander [[Mezer Juul]]'s hammer. The Fleet smashed into the [[Der'em]]'s [[Ventosian]] home system | However, it wouldn't save them from the sheer might of Commander [[Mezer Juul]]'s hammer. The Fleet smashed into the [[Der'em]]'s [[Ventosian]] home system and the Der'em could do naught but delay the inevitable. | ||
In a last-ditch attempt to save their civilization, they launched a small fleet guarding an off-world research station carrying an untested prototype of their greatest cloaking achievement yet - technology that would cloak an entire planet - and opened a one-way [[wormhole]], channeling as much energy as they could direct at it. | In a last-ditch attempt to save their civilization, they launched a small fleet guarding an off-world research station carrying an untested prototype of their greatest cloaking achievement yet - technology that would cloak an entire planet - and opened a one-way [[wormhole]], channeling as much energy as they could direct at it. | ||
Due to the fundamental nature of [[wormhole]]s, a one-way wormhole is much more difficult to precisely target. Also, the energy cost to create a temporary wormhole increases faster than linearly with distance, though not exponentially. As a result, there's a rough optimum distance that [[skipdrives]] on [[starships]] use to create their one-way wormholes and instead of skipping across huge distances they skip repeatedly across short ones, at a much reduced energy cost. | |||
In this case | In this case, the Der'em had no choice but to escape immediately, and so, knowing that where they'd end was fairly unpredictable, they opened a massive one-way wormhole and sent their small fleet through it, hoping that they'd find survival at wherever fate took them and that the Free Fleet would be unable to follow. | ||
They made it safely through, but the larger the wormhole, the longer it takes to close, and the Free Fleet was able to arrive and deploy a wormhole stabilizer before it closed, leaving the way open for them to pursue the Der'em | They made it safely through, but the larger the wormhole, the longer it takes to close, and the Free Fleet was able to arrive and deploy a wormhole stabilizer before it closed, leaving the way open for them to pursue the Der'em. | ||
The Fleet pursued, destroying every Human colony they encountered on the way in-system towards [[Earth]], and when the [[Der'em]] caused [[Earth]] to disappear, they continued their destruction, sparing only the prisoners on a penal mining colony on [[Callisto]], one of [[Jupiter]]'s moons. | The Fleet pursued, destroying every Human colony they encountered on the way in-system towards [[Earth]], and when the [[Der'em]] caused [[Earth]] to disappear, they continued their destruction, sparing only the prisoners on a penal mining colony on [[Callisto]], one of [[Jupiter]]'s moons. | ||
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Those of us who made it, we're Omega Company, 'cause there ain't no humans but us. We're the last. We built ourselves quite a reputation too, these 10 years. | Those of us who made it, we're Omega Company, 'cause there ain't no humans but us. We're the last. We built ourselves quite a reputation too, these 10 years. | ||
And Cap'n Maddox? Well with all respect to Commander [[Mezer Juul|Juul]], bless his hairy hide, Cap'n [[Maddox Khan|Maddox]] is god. Wouldn't be standing here today without 'im. Saved us all multiple times... and if he's god, then [[Akari Lane|Akari | And Cap'n Maddox? Well with all respect to Commander [[Mezer Juul|Juul]], bless his hairy hide, Cap'n [[Maddox Khan|Maddox]] is god. Wouldn't be standing here today without 'im. Saved us all multiple times... and if he's god, then [[Akari Lane|Akari]]'s his angel of death. | ||
If he tells me to rip a new asshole in a planet, I ask how many clicks wide he wants it, and then I shove my foot so far up that rock's new shitter that folks on the other side are choking on my toejam. | If he tells me to rip a new asshole in a planet, I ask how many clicks wide he wants it, and then I shove my foot so far up that rock's new shitter that folks on the other side are choking on my toejam. | ||
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In 30 A.E. Commander Mezer Juul's flagship was destroyed in battle by the Bushraki during the Bushraki War. Maddox and Akari Lane took over as co-Commanders of the Free Fleet, which was especially notable as Humans were a very small minority in the Fleet. | In 30 A.E. Commander Mezer Juul's flagship was destroyed in battle by the Bushraki during the Bushraki War. Maddox and Akari Lane took over as co-Commanders of the Free Fleet, which was especially notable as Humans were a very small minority in the Fleet. | ||
In 35 A.E. | In 35 A.E. the Free Fleet defeated the [[Bushraki]] and [[Vendal]] with the help of the newly-formed [[Song Dominion]] thus ending the [[Bushraki War]]. | ||
By 50 A.E. | By 50 A.E. Maddox and Akari were aging, and retired. Their 36 year old daughter, [[Tamiko Lane Khan]] took over as Commander of the Free Fleet. | ||
In 72 A.E. the [[Ishvana]] attacked again, during the [[First War of the Ishvana]], and is resisted by the [[Song Dominion]], in loose coordination with the [[Celestine Ascendancy]]. | In 72 A.E. the [[Ishvana]] attacked again, during the [[First War of the Ishvana]], and is resisted by the [[Song Dominion]], in loose coordination with the [[Celestine Ascendancy]]. | ||
In 74 A.E. the planet Song was utterly devastated in a massive, unexpected and final attack by the Bushraki and Vendal, who | In 74 A.E. the planet Song was utterly devastated in a massive, unexpected and final attack by the [[Bushraki]] and [[Vendal]], who then retreated. | ||
==[[Tamiko Khan | ==[[Tamiko Lane Khan|Tamiko's]] Gambit== | ||
However, as a refugee fleet was fleeing, [[Tamiko Lane Khan|Tamiko]], who had already hired out the Free Fleet at extortionate prices to help the war effort, saw an opportunity and took it. She had acquired a cast-off [[Celestine Ascendancy|Ascendancy]] cruiser and, while broadcasting Ascendancy transponder codes, had it blow up a portion of the refugee fleet, killing 2 million souls. The [[Song Dominion|Song]], outraged, blamed the [[Celestine Ascendancy|Ascendancy]], who vehemently denied any knowledge of the attack. | However, as a refugee fleet was fleeing, [[Tamiko Lane Khan|Tamiko]], who had already hired out the Free Fleet at extortionate prices to help the war effort, saw an opportunity and took it. She had acquired a cast-off [[Celestine Ascendancy|Ascendancy]] cruiser and, while broadcasting Ascendancy transponder codes, had it blow up a portion of the refugee fleet, killing 2 million souls. The [[Song Dominion|Song]], outraged, blamed the [[Celestine Ascendancy|Ascendancy]], who vehemently denied any knowledge of the attack. | ||
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The Song-Celestine alliance thereby fractured, and the [[Song Dominion|Song]] ransomed themselves even further to pay the Fleet to fight for them against the [[Celestine Ascendancy|Ascendancy]] in what became known as the [[First Empire War]]. | The Song-Celestine alliance thereby fractured, and the [[Song Dominion|Song]] ransomed themselves even further to pay the Fleet to fight for them against the [[Celestine Ascendancy|Ascendancy]] in what became known as the [[First Empire War]]. | ||
In 75 A.E. [[Tamiko Lane Khan|Tamiko]] threw away two entire attack groups of mixed Song and Free Fleet forces against the Ascendancy, doing so in a way as to make it look like the Song commanders under | In 75 A.E. [[Tamiko Lane Khan|Tamiko]] threw away two entire attack groups of mixed Song and Free Fleet forces against the Ascendancy, doing so in a way as to make it look like the Song commanders under her were at fault for their stunning defeat. | ||
Desperate, the | Desperate, the Song council, made up of civilians, gave Tamiko what she asked for: Direct control of the [[Song Dominion|Song]] military, so that she could integrate them completely with the Free Fleet and thereby maximize their power vs. the [[Celestine Ascendancy|Ascendancy]]. Tamiko hoped to use this power to establish an Empire of her own. | ||
In 76 A.E. [[Tamiko Lane Khan|Tamiko]], now having control over the Song military as well as the Fleet, promptly overthrew the civilian Song government, commandeered a military space station orbiting the ruined planet Song, and established a new military order for the [[Song Dominion|Dominion]], with herself as Empress. | In 76 A.E. [[Tamiko Lane Khan|Tamiko]], now having control over the Song military as well as the Fleet, promptly overthrew the civilian Song government, commandeered a military space station orbiting the ruined planet Song, and established a new military order for the [[Song Dominion|Dominion]], with herself as Empress. | ||
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Maddox somehow got one of the [[Grensuhlians|Grensuhlian]] Elders to journey to the trial, and it forced open Tamiko's mind, whereupon they discovered that Tamiko had killed the refugees, not the [[Celestine Ascendancy]]. | Maddox somehow got one of the [[Grensuhlians|Grensuhlian]] Elders to journey to the trial, and it forced open Tamiko's mind, whereupon they discovered that Tamiko had killed the refugees, not the [[Celestine Ascendancy]]. | ||
Perhaps not surprisingly, this made no difference to the [[Song Dominion|Song]] - their people had suffered and fought for years against the [[Celestine Ascendancy|Celestines]], and whatever crime the Celestines didn't commit to start the war, the Song believed the Celestines had done far worse since in the following war. | Perhaps not surprisingly, this made no difference to the [[Song Dominion|Song]] - their people had suffered and fought for years against the [[Celestine Ascendancy|Celestines]], and whatever crime the Celestines didn't commit to start the war, the Song believed the Celestines had done far worse since, in the following war. | ||
Maddox declared that: | Maddox declared that: | ||
*He would not stand in the way of whatever justice the Celestine decided was appropriate for Tamiko. | *He would not stand in the way of whatever justice the [[Celestine Ascendancy]] decided was appropriate for [[Tamiko Lane Khan|Tamiko]]. | ||
*He would not permit the Song to take revenge on the Celestines after the revelation that the war had been set up by his daughter. He promised that whichever side launched an attack would see he and the Free Fleet - the remnants of which rallied around him with Tamiko's defeat - come down on them hard, and as both sides were quite weakened and their people sick of war, it worked. A detente was formed, for awhile at least. | *He would not permit the Song to take revenge on the Celestines after the revelation that the war had been set up by his daughter. He promised that whichever side launched an attack would see he and the Free Fleet - the remnants of which rallied around him with Tamiko's defeat - come down on them hard, and as both sides were quite weakened and their people sick of war, it worked. A detente was formed, for awhile at least. | ||
*He, Maddox, was leaving both the Song and the Celestines behind. He'd had enough of this fucking government bullshit and that these governments were just as bad as the ones back on Earth that ended up with him mining frozen hydrogen on some god-forsaken moon in the middle of nowhere. He was leaving, and he was taking the Free Fleet with him, along with anyone else who wanted to come. | *He, Maddox, was leaving both the Song and the Celestines behind. He'd had enough of this "fucking government bullshit" and that these governments were just as bad as the ones back on Earth that ended up with him mining frozen hydrogen on some god-forsaken moon in the middle of nowhere. He was leaving, and he was taking the Free Fleet with him, along with anyone else who wanted to come. | ||
Tamiko was executed via firing squad at dawn the next day. Maddox watched, and those who knew him well said they felt him turn into an old man as her lifeless body tumbled to the ground. | Tamiko was executed via firing squad at dawn the next day. Maddox watched, and those who knew him well said they felt him turn into an old man as her lifeless body tumbled to the ground. | ||
==[[Scatterhome]]== | |||
For nine years, the Free Fleet searched for somewhere suitable to live. Ideally, they wished to find a system with at least one broadly-habitable planet that was unoccupied, but none they found met their requirements, and eventually, with resources running low, they agreed to establish a permanent settlement in an asteroid field. These asteroids were found to be rich with raw materials, that they could trade for other supplies, and as a bonus many of the asteroids were nothing but huge chunks of water ice, which could be broken down into its component atoms for oxygen and fuel, or melted to supply the burgeoning settlement with water. Effectively, they had found a source of recoverable water larger than anything a planet could provide. | |||
There, Maddox ordered the construction of [[Scatterhome]], so-called because it's a giant community built on many different asteroids in the area. | |||
==The Fleet Splits== | |||
In 93 A.E., [[Maddox Khan]], arguably the most influential Human in that race's history, died, and yet another Human commander rose to power - a woman named Liao Harris. | |||
Resentful of this control and popularity the Human race seemed to enjoy in the Fleet, despite being a small minority, a sizable population of its non-Human members mutinied, led by Harris's second-in-command, a fiery W'hoorn named [[Sere Umox]]. After a brief skirmish, the former Lieutenant Umox took with him nearly half of the fleet's ships and mercenaries. Under Sere, these mutineers became the [[Iron Corsairs]]. | |||
In 210 A.E., the Free Fleet participated in the alliance that defeated the Ishvana's forces during the [[Second War of the Ishvana]]. | |||
In 318 A.E. the Fleet skirmished against the [[Iron Corsairs]] near the [[Carnine Nebula]]. The Fleet won the day and a tentative cease fire was agreed upon. | |||
==The End of the Fleet== | |||
In 422 A.E. the Fleet was hired by [[Temejin Corp]], a [[Shen]] megacorp, to blockade a remote planet under [[Selassian Hierarchy|Selassian]] control. Once the Fleet was on duty and far from a [[Voidgates|Voidgate]], the [[Iron Corsairs]] emerged from a nearby asteroid belt and completely wiped out the Fleet in an overwhelming ambush. | |||
Though there would be mercenary groups in the future to use the name [[Free Fleet]], this was the end of the storied Fleet. | |||
==Notable Members== | ==Notable Members== | ||
*[[Mezer Juul]] - Supreme Commander of the Free Fleet | *[[Mezer Juul]] - [[Tukkav]]. Supreme Commander of the Free Fleet | ||
*[[Maddox Khan]] - | *[[Maddox Khan]] - [[Humans|Human]]. Supreme Co-Commander of the Free Fleet, leader of Omega Company. Married to Akari Lane. | ||
*[[Akari Lane]] - | *[[Akari Lane]] - [[Humans|Human]]. Supreme Co-Commander of the Free Fleet. Married to Maddox Khan. | ||
*[[Kemran James]] - Sergeant of Omega Company | *[[Kemran James]] - [[Humans|Human]]. Sergeant of Omega Company. | ||
*[[Liao Harris]] - [[Humans|Human]]. The Supreme Commander of the Free Fleet whose rise to power precipitated the mutiny by [[Sere Umox]] and the formation of the [[Iron Corsairs]]. | |||
*[[Sere Umox]] - [[W'hoorn]]. [[Liao Harris]]'s second-in-command who led the mutiny that split the Free Fleet and formed the [[Iron Corsairs]]. | |||
[[Category:Free Fleet]] | [[Category:Free Fleet]] | ||
[[Category:Organizations]] | [[Category:Organizations]] | ||