POLITICS AND SOLDIERS TWO AGENDAS ONE PLANET

By Griffin Vengance

21st Sep 2005

The Captain frowned as his alarm clock woke him, and for a moment he couldn't figure out what was it that was so warm that he was holding.
Then he remembered.
A smile creeped across his face.
He got out of bed slowly, so as not to wake Sarah, then headed off to make breakfast and wash his uniform. It was funny how mundane the task felt compared to controlling the fate of the Galaxy, but considering how happy he felt, who was he to question the meaning of life?
As he proceeded to fry the eggs for his best family breakfast pie, the vid-phone rang, and on the screen came Vice Admiral Ferring, second in command to the Captain as regards to the Fleet. He was wearing a very, very strange expression for a man of incredible stamina and rock hard determination:
Fear.
"Admiral! Thank God you're awake. You need to go to the Saviour immediately; the aliens received reinforcements last night, and are now moving on Twilight Citadel!"
The Captain knew that outside he had his usual, cool facade, but inside he was scared stiff.
"How big are the reinforcements?"
"Around 300 ships, all of which are brand new and some we have never seen."
"GodDAMN! Get the Fleet organized into the orbital net and go to Level 1 Crises Alert. I'll be there in 10 minutes."
"Aye Sir."
His face filtered faded out, and the Captain hurriedly put on his half-ironed uniform, then headed for his apartment door...to be met by his love, fully clothed.
"You heard."
It wasn't a question.
"And you're not leaving this planet without me."
Typical.
And knowing her, he wouldn't be leaving this apartment without her either.
"It'll be dangerous," he warned.
She flashed a grin.
"And who said I'm scared of danger?"
He sighed, and nodded surrender. With a flourish, she opened the door, and the two of them travelled the short distance to the Hangers.
Now onboard the Saviour, the Captain felt he had come home.
"Status Commander?"
"All systems at 100% sir." The old comrade said with pride. The crew had been with the Captain through many battles, mysteries and traps, and they knew each other and the ship better then anything.
"Then let's not waste time. Launch as fast as possible, and go to Tactical Alert. All crew to their stations."
"Aye sir."
As Sarah stepped out of the lift, the crew were momentarily enthralled as both the Captain and Sarah were now getting used to. They hastily went about their jobs, and immediately understood.
They were all extremely disappointed.
The Captain turned forward and sat in his Command chair, happy to be back.
"Leuitenant Terrant, ETA of the enemy?"
"5 minutes sir."
A couple of seconds later, the Saviour's thrusters burned and she lifted up slowly, gaining speed. When she had cleared the City's towering spires, the Saviour sprang out to space, and came into the battered and bruised Fleet.
"Bring us to the front of the Fleet, helm, and get the Fleet-wide comn up for me."
Within seconds, the comn chirped.
In his best leadership voice, the Captain spoke clearly and firmly.
"This is Captain James Gerrous of the Griffin Battle Cruiser Saviour, flagship of both the Griffin Navy and the Skylords Battle-Fleet. Men and women, hear this. We have battled through everything expected, and beyond. We all heard the Call of Duty and rose valiantly, and now the sacrifices of all of those dead in these battles will be ours to honour. We are all that stands between the aliens and the Skylords Galaxy. But these poor guys chose the wrong goddamn galaxy to take, because they are now fighting the best of the best in the entire universe! We are the best warriors this Galaxy has to offer, and they're going to know it! WE own this Galaxy, not them! So now is the time. Now is the time to dig deep down and show them what we're made of...because now we are going to kick ass like pros!"
All over the Fleet, crews cheered.
The Captain cut off the comn.
"Time to kick ass guys."
"Aye sir!" They responded simultaneously.
The Captain grinned embarrassedly at their faith in him. Even Sarah had lost all traces of fear; she looked hard and determined.
"Delta Fleet and SAS, on my signal or if the Saviour is destroyed begin operations. Godspeed."
He didn't even wait for a response.
"Sir!"
"I see them. All ships, engage in Formation Alpha-Gamma."
And so the Fleet changed.


Ju'Mahmee bared his teeth, the Tuy-Rui equivalent of a frown.
"What on Yertayun are they doing?"
His first officer Ger-Ti responded, equally confused.
"High Admiral, they are moving into a circular 'ball' formation. Their most heavily defended ships are on the outside, with their other ships on the inside. It is incredibly complex, but very effective."
Ju'Mahmee smiled; not a very pleasant sight with his fangs.
"Meaning the Saviour is outside."
"Yes High One."
The High Admiral of the Imperial Holy Fleet licked his fangs at the feeling of revenge. In the first battle, the Saviour had been among their strongest ships, and had taken dozens of Imperial ships. Ju'Mahmee's ship Ascendant Justice was nearing destruction when the Saviour had neared, but just before he entered the escape pod, Ju'Mahmee had swung the aft end around, colliding with the Saviour's engines. As he had watched, his love was completely and utterly annhilated. And while Tuy-Rui are incapable of crying, they can scream with grief enough to shatter eardrums.
Even when the pods had landed, the Saviour captain had further humiliated him. Even when Ju'Mahmee had outnumbered the aliens easily, they still destroyed the assualt force. Barely any of the army had escaped, and Ju'Mahmee had been picked up by a transporter back to the Fleet.
And now, as if to disgrace Ju'Mahmee's name even more, it turned out that the Saviour had survived; it had just launched.
"Time to finish this abomination to the Ari-pu. They have rejected our offers to assimilate their galaxy into our own culture. They have resisted our Holy Forces. They have continued their demon ways, but now this is to end! NOW they face the Empire's mightiest warriors! All ships...ADVANCE!