226 (edited by [RPA] Matthias Bloodmoon 28-Sep-2008 06:19:51)

Re: Space: The Third Story.

Katherine. How many years had it been? Matthias stared at her portrait in silence, the worn portrait he had kept in his breast-pocket ever since her death.

~I can't ever make up for letting you die,~ he thought to himself. ~The Aeon came for you in your sleep, didn't they? And to think I'm about to do the same to millions of Talus civilians.~ Images of his old home flashed before his eyes, populated alternately by the two of them, the children he knew he would never have, and nameless Talus, each one with a story of his or her own. A tear, the first one in years, ran down his cheek. ~Can you ever forgive me?~

He looked up, taking brief note of the two survivors of his squad. He looked down at the portrait, knowing this would be the last time he would know what it meant to be human.

He kissed the portrait gently, and as he did, he thought he could sense Katherine's scent once more. He reverently folded the picture, put it back in his breast pocket, then grabbed the detonator, closed his eyes, and turned the key with all his might.

The terrible noise that followed was the last thing he knew. Then, all was blackness.


Blackness. What blackness? He saw nothing but bright light. He slowly came to his senses, realizing he was lying down. With surprisingly little effort, he rose to his feet.

"Matt?"

Matt looked behind him and was surprised to see Katherine Bates standing there, smiling, in the same flowery pastel dress she had worn when they had first met.

"Katherine!" he half-yelled. After a second or so of utter shock, a grin formed on his face. They ran toward each other and embraced tightly, each glad to see the other again.

After another few moments, they stepped back. "Did I miss anything?" Katherine asked, almost playfully.

Matt chuckled. "A little bit of this, a little bit of that. Afterlife going well?"

"It's wonderful," Katherine replied. "You don't realize how limited you are in life until it's gone..." She smiled, but Matt could now see sadness in her eyes. "It's too bad your time hasn't come yet."

Matt raised an eyebrow. "What."

Katherine gently took Matt's hand. "You're not dead yet."

"Eh?" Matt responded, a trace of bewilderment in his voice. "That bomb blast should have been fatal to anyone in the plaza."

"Anyone," Katherine replied, "except my dear Matt." She kissed his cheek. Matt smiled.

"You flatter me too much, Kathy," Matt said.

"I'm just speaking the truth," Katherine responded, putting an arm around his shoulders. Matt suddenly realized that they were at the shore of a lake somewhere in the mountains. He could suddenly feel the cool spring wind. When was the last time he had smelled fresh air long enough to enjoy it?

"The fact remains, you're still alive," Katherine explained, "so you're destined to go back."

"So what's this?" Matt asked, putting an arm around Katherine's waist.

"Somewhere in between life and death," Katherine replied. "I won't pretend I have all the answers, because I don't."

"What am I returning to?" Matt asked.

"Where you left," Katherine responded. Suddenly, she pointed to something on the surface of the lake. "Ooh, look, birds..."

They spent some time watching the flock in silence, enjoying each other's company, forgetting the troubles of the mortal world.

It was Matt who spoke next. "When does it end?"

"When the universe is ready," Katherine responded.

"Not when I'm ready?" Matt asked in reply.

"Sadly, no," Katherine answered, smiling. "That would be cheating."

They stood in silence again for some time before Matt spoke again. "What was it like?"

"I never noticed," Katherine answered. "I went to sleep one night, and when I woke up, I was here. It wasn't as bad as I expected. It's never as bad as one expects."

"Are you angry at me?" Matt asked.

"Not at all," Katherine replied. "You can't protect everyone. And as for the Talus... you did what you had to."

They watched the lake and the clouds for a while longer. Katherine's next words were the very words Matt wanted not to hear. "Our time's almost up."

"Did all of this really happen?" Matt asked.

"Just because everything seems so dreamlike, what makes you think it's not real?" was Katherine's reply.

Matt looked into Katherine's eyes for what seemed like forever, and then they kissed. As they did, the world seemed to melt away, and all was blackness once more.


He reached up through the wreckage. He wasn't buried deeply. Piece by piece, he took each piece of twisted concrete and threw it aside as best he could; soon, he felt fresh air somewhere on his chest. It was laborious, tedious work, but after half an hour, he had cleared away the wreckage covering his upper body, and he could sit up and glimpse the ruins of the palace courtyard.

How long had it been? He glanced at his wristwatch; his suit electronics had been busted in the explosion. He calculated that he had been unconscious for only a few minutes.

With great effort, he extracted his lower body from where it was buried. He dusted himself off, noting the heavily scratched state of his combat gear, and looked around for signs of life.

Another human arm stuck through the twisted metal and concrete; he could hear moans of pain. He immediately set to work clearing away the wreckage. In less than five minutes, he had extracted Captain Miles Devian from the rubble and treated him for moderate wounds and bleeding.

"You're fine, soldier," Matt told him. "Get up."

Captain Devian, with Matt's help, slowly got to his feet. "Where's the others?"

"Three of our men are dead," Matt explained. "All good men; I'll never be able to replace them." He sighed. "That leaves one unaccounted for. Do you have a working lifesigns scanner?"

Captain Devian grabbed his pack and rummaged through it; he pulled out a flashlight-like device. "Here," he said, tossing it to Matt, who caught it deftly and activated it.

He swept the area around them diligently, but the device remained inert. He was about to give up when the device suddenly emitted a slow beeping sound.

"There," Matt announced, pointing to an apparently featureless spot in the twisted metal and concrete.

The two men immediately started working to clear it; after some minutes, they had extracted Lieutenant David Milligan from the wreckage. Lieutenant Milligan was heavily wounded and barely conscious, and Matt and Captain Devian did the best they could to patch him up.

"Why aren't we dead?" Lieutenant Milligan asked, after he had recovered the strength to speak.

"The bomb dispersed the Acid Rain away from the blast site," Matt explained. "As for the blast itself... let's just say we were lucky, and leave it at that."

"We should contact EarthCom for pickup," Captain Devian commented.

Matt nodded. "Sure thing." He pulled out a radio from his pack, tuning in to an emergency channel.

"EarthCom, this is Colonel Bloodmoon requesting pickup," Matt spoke into the radio.

No response.

"EarthCom, this is Colonel Bloodmoon, do you read?"

No response.

Matt checked the radio itself; it appeared to be working. "God damn it, why isn't it working," he grumbled, tuning the radio to a Talus frequency.

"Republic Command, this is Colonel Bloodmoon, can you hear me?"

Static.

"Well, at least I'm getting something," mumbled Matt under his breath, changing channels again to a shortwave Talus channel. "This is Colonel Bloodmoon, UEF Special Ops, can anyone hear me?"

Proud user of Ubuntu 11.10 / 12.04 LTS

Re: Space: The Third Story.

"This is Colonel Bloodmoon, UEF Special Ops, can anyone hear me?"

The voice came over the transmitter

George Smith Patton
"No bastard ever won a war by dying for his country. He won it by making the other poor dumb bastard die for his country."

Re: Space: The Third Story.

The Heleriya limped through the vortex that brought it to this godforsaken place only to be nose to nose with a ship of new design.

"Whoa!" Logan exclaimed. Helmond activated the reverse thrusters to keep some distance.

"Power shields, arm weapons, all fighter pilots to their stations!" Logan shouted. "Helmond give me readings, how many ships are we facing?" Helmond worked away while all of the other crew worked also.

"Two sir. They have powered weapons and shields but have not aimed. Recieving hail sir!" Helmond said. He put it on the hologram screen. White static filled the screen.

"Logan Grimnar?" Came a deep voice through the intercom. Logan looked shocked for a moment, only a moment.

"Admiral General Logan Grimnar is currently not here. How do you know of him, and why do you seek him?" Helmond said, looking back over his shoulder at Logan who smiled slightly.

"We know he is on board that ship. We have been seeking him for an age now, and no one will stand in our way Captain Jack Helmond." Said the voice.

"This is Grimnar. Why do you seek me?" Logan asked. Nobody answered and all was silent except a sudden loud beeping and a flash a blue-red light, and when the light cleared, Logan's chair was empty.

Logan opened his eyes after the light cleared and he found himself in a darkish room with just barely enough light to see. A dark figure moved forward.

"Logan Grimnar, Last of the Horakai, and The Saviour. We welcome you with open arms. If you would allow us, we will show you what you destiny will become." Said the same deep voice. Logan stood tall.

"What are you, and why have you abducted me from my command ship?" Logan demanded, knowing full well that he was out manned and out gunned.

"We are the caretakers of you heraldry, the keepers of all that is important. Your lineage is all that mattters on the galactic level for in your blood and through you soul is the means of salvation and the defeat of all who oppose you." The voice said. Logan stared at the figure.

"Show me what you mean and I will deem whether or not you are trustworthy." Logan said, and suddenly his vision became sharp, so sharp that he could see right into the eyes of the figure across from him and in them he saw what they wanted to show him.

A galaxy teeming with life and at peace. Everything was as it should be. All motions were fluid and everything co-existed in harmony. Logan saw himself, at peace with a family he did not recognise. Suddenly, he felt the deepest love for this woman, and these children. He longed to be with them for the rest of his life.

He saw the other Logan as he stepped away from the family to get a better look at them all, and thats when it happened. A flash of flames and all that was left was the flaming remains of what his life had meant to him. The Logan stood planted to the ground staring in shock as tears welled in his eyes. Anger seemed to radiate in waves so powerful the grass beneath his feet withered and burned. The trees in the distance shuddered and exploded into flames and were extingiushed almost instantly. The sky above him turned red and flames seared across the now lightning forked sky. The Logan let out a scream of anguish that speared right through the cosmos, tearing a huge chuck of the solar system away. The stars shuddered at the sudden out burst of power, and the Logan fell to his knees as he wept for his loss.

Here he wept untill his eyes could cry no more and his throat bled from the constant screams of anguish. He looked up and all was clear before him.

The galaxy must burn for what it took. And if that meant he died from the effort, all the better. He walked forwards into Logan as he stood watching, shocked at what just took place.

"There is more, my lord."

Logan spun to a different view. He was above the galactic plane, looking down at the carnage that was the galaxy. fully half of the galaxy was burning with a dark blue fire that could not be extingiushed. Logan saw himself leading an attack against a mighty fleet, but nothing could stand before his wrath. Logan was paralysed at what was unfolding.

"There is more, my lord."

Logan spun to another view. What was before him sickened the man even after what he had recently experienced. The galaxy was fully aflame, and he was drwan to planet in the middle of the galaxy. He saw himself standing before a family of humans. He had tied all four of them up, facing each other. He tortured the youngest daughter untill the screams had died down to a gurgling deep from the husk that used to be a beautiful young girl, ready for what the world was going to throw at her. The parents had been screaming throughout the whole ordeal and their pleas and cries of mercy made the other Logan smile.

"My love was taken from me in the cruelest way, now I wish to do the same to you." The Logan said. He then began to torture the woman in the most inhumane ways he could think of and when the body had died, which was days after the soul had left, he let the man and his son hang by their feet above a burning pit of fire. The screams sustained him for many years, as he kept them alive to fulfil this purpose. But eventually, they died and all the galaxy was dead. The Logan began to feel hunger for the screams and the battle. He felt weak and he knew he was soon to die.

So, in his last act, he created god creatures to watch over the galaxy when it finally would heal, and planted a seed from which he would arise when the galaxy was again ready for his anger.

"There is more, my lord."

Logan sank to his knees as the truth hit him. But it was not over.

Before him he saw the galay as it burned again and again. For days he kneeled and watched, trying but unable to get away from it. The Logan was getting slightly weaker with each rebirth. Then the god creatures turned upon the Logan, realizing he was taking the best of the agony and despair. They forced the Logan into death and once the galaxy was burning fully, they retreated back to the stars, to wait for the next great feast.

Logan stood back up and faced the figure. Hatred for what he had done sprung to his mind. But an even better vision came to mind. The galaxy, at his rule. Everything as he would want, and his wife at his side as his queen. What a vision! Then came the lasting images of the last family of the first great burning. He did not want that to ever happen. Torn between what he wanted and what he knew was right, he spoke to the figure.

"How will I begin?" Logan asked hoarsely.

"You already have the power within. Everything will be laid out bare." The figure said.

Suddenly, Logan had a memory of the Star-God and it's plot to steal his own wife. Revenge burned cold and without effort he reached out and snuffed the life from this thing before. He suddenly was aboard the Heleriya. The command deck jumped around as they saw Logan appear behind them as the last of the blue-red light cleared from the command chair. Outside, the two ships began to burn through cracks appearing in their hulls. Red hot lava poured from every gaping wound and they exploded magnificantly. Logan's thoughts turned towards the Star-Gods and their minions.

"Jump us to Blacken." Logan ordered. Helmond complied without another word. The Heleriya jumped through the Hyper-space window. Within this plane they were met by dark shadows and even darker humanoid figures. They sprung to life and launched themselves towards the ship.

"Drop us out, now!" Logan shouted. Helmond did so, and as the dark blue streaks fell behind, A gigantic fleet appeared before them. Larger then they could see. Logan caught a glimpse of Cy'tan design before he activated the ships Split-stream hyperspace jump. Knowing the Heleriya would likely be destroyed, he asked James and Amanda to join him. They linked hands and concentrated on the ships shields as they flew through the nothingness. With a few seconds left, both James and Amanda had collapsed from exhaustion. With a microsecond left Logan passed out and the shields failed, causing too much friction for the ship to handle. Nearly everything outside the main hull was burned off but they fell back to normal space before anything else could be destroyed. The crew got one look at Blacken before the ship started to fall into the planet's atmosphere.


General Stephen Clarke had just cut the link when he looked outside and saw a black portal open up. A flaming wreck came through at high speeds.

"What the hell!?" Clarke shouted as he watched the wreck start a declining orbit.

"This... ...Helmond... ...The Heleriya... ...Respond?" Came a static filled call over the hand held radio.

"What the? Get some retrieval ships for that ship now!" Clarke ordered over the radio. He heard a static confermation. Clarke sat on the command chair and watched the ship, many questions needing answers. One being where the hell was Logan if it was his second-in-command that made the distress call.

Then I lived.

229

Re: Space: The Third Story.

Nai, Nightengael and other Dreamweavers watched.

The complete shutdown of communications had been overkill. The need to slow and end the bulk of the conflicts was had been working but the fear that the unknown had exerted on the galaxy was too much, so they lifted the blocking of communication to just include short range communications. It seemed to be working fine. No major fleets had engaged or attacked any planets now in over 7 days. Though the massing of the Cy'tan fleet near Caduola was definately ringing the dinner bell for the darkones. Already they had been monitoring 16 targets, and erradicated 9 of them. There was some concern about one of the a darkones contact with a human. Typically such contact did not end up with the human surviving, but that is perhaps why they fled to blacken so haphazardly. Nai had dispatched Claudia, one of his oldest dreamweavers, to monitor them. Contact typically involved severe pyschosis when lesser lifeforms encounters the Darkones, and Claudia for some reason seemed concern this was not the first time they had toyed with the subject. She said he was called Logan.

The fact he was now at Blacken was also of concern. This caused Nai to delay the announcement he had planned to make. The others had understood the need for the delay and were okay with it. They had also recently brought online nine new cruisers to support the Scion worlds. There were now sixteen new worlds, and with the Dreamweaver taxed with so many new world rings to construct at once, in so many places, the additional support was welcomed.

They continued to focus on the Darkone activity within the Talus Republic and Talus Empire, making many sweeps to purge this galaxy of any rain weaponry they found. It appeared that the Darkone who had been working to give them the formula was indeed wiped out in their first attack, as they had found no other. The loss of Talusian life was necessary, but the large scale clandestine use of such a volitle weapon still caused much heartache for Nai. That such a wonderful people would cave in to such fear.. fear that existed because anxiety.

As they watched the news broadcasts from various talus worlds, the one thought remained, there was still so much to do.

For those who understand, no explanation is needed.
For those who do not understand, no explanation is possible.

230 (edited by Wolves of Fenris 01-Oct-2008 15:49:23)

Re: Space: The Third Story.

What was left of the Heleriya slowly drifted towards the large ocean on the other side of the planet. The ships that Clarke had ordered had done their job; they had retrieved the crew and the still unconcious Logan but there was nothing they could could do as the ship was far too gone. While the shuttles wound their way back to the Unification the crew turned and looked as the Heleriya begin it's final descent. Not much was left of the ship but it still made a fantastic fireball and there was still a big chunk left as it slammed into the ocean.

Helmond looked as the explosion on the surface died down. He was torn; that ship had been his home for twenty years. He stared at the spot where the hull sank into the ocean untill his view was cut off by the giant hull of the Unification. He stood and addressed the other crewmembers.

"Today we lost Blacken's greatest and oldest ship. And more importantly; our home. Dark times are ahead for us all, but I ask one thing; that we all stick together and help each other through this." Helmond said. It was all he could think of so he turned and walked to where James and Amanda where standing over the body Logan.

"Will he survive?" He asked. James turned.

"Yes, he has healed but he is still in a coma. He still has business to attend before he wakes up." James said. The three looked down at the man. He looked peaceful and the lines of care and worry that creased his face had dissapeared.

Deep down in the subconcious of Logan Grimnar, a battle of words and wills had been taking place from the moment he had collapsed. The four Star-Gods had been tormenting the man relentlessly. Logan retorted the best he could but he not the strength in this place.

"You know who you are now, and you should know we have defeated you before. You were the creator, but we now are. Our new race will begin the domination of the galaxy once you are gone again." One said

"Even now we are moving closer." Another said. Logan turned to face the Star-God that was talking to him.

"We will soon be everywhere. And your beloved Blacken will be the first... Ahhh, the is another is there not?" Another said.

"Yes, we will move when we can. It is filled with thousands upon thousands of souls more then this one."

"You will not touch anything I value!" Logan shouted. Thats when he saw it. Some thing out of the corner of his eyes. A flash of white and it was gone. Suddenly the Star-Gods laughed in unison. It was a horrific sound and Logan knew instantly what it was.

Aboard the Unification, Logan awoke. He sensed the presence of something that did not belong. He opened his eyes and saw briefly what is was. An agent of Nai, to watch over him. Anger flared up and he was standing. He reached out with his mind and grabbed the Dreamweaver in an icy vice-like grip. It tried to free itself but was unable.

"Tell Nai he is not welcome here. Tell him if anything I don't approve happens near this system, I will kill him myself."

Silence.

"DO YOU UNDERSTAND!?" Logan shouted in anger. He squeezed and the Dreamweaver squirmed. "Or shall I kill you and deliver to him your heart instead?" He heard deep within him an affermation and he realesed the creature. It fled instantly.

Logan doubled over with what seemed like pain. Suddenly he stood back up with his arms out stretched and his mouth wide open in a silent scream. A bright white light eminated from his body and expanded. Everybody was blinded as it seemed to spread out beyond the shuttle. It enveloped the Unification and her escorts and then the planet. It reached out into the solar system then it all stopped as fast as it began.

Everybody else stopped stock still wacthing this bizzare show.

"We need to act quickly. I need our fastest ship now." Logan said. Helmond nodded weakly and ran to the nearest console. He typed away and brought up the schematics of the fl33t.

"The Pious Inquisitor is docked and ready to go sir." He said.

"Tell them all to evacuate now, I need that ship on a one way journey. Send a message to all ships to stay in a defensive formation around this system." Logan said.

"Done sir." Helmond said. Logan nodded and turned and exited through the hatch which just opened. He sped off and passed the Command deck on the way. Ignoring the cries of suprise and greeting, he cast a bright ball of blue light into the corner of the room and ran out of the door as the light died out. He entered the control deck for the Pious Inquisitor to find it empty. He smiled and closed his eyes. The ships engines fired up and he activated the Split-Space jump.

It was a quick jump and when he reached his dstination, he found the space was filled with waves of red plasma flowing from what looked like a giant wound in the universe. He knew what was about to happen and rasied a thin barrier around himself as the tear ripped and exploded sending a shockwave so powerful it tore every atom in half thus creating a chain reaction which destroyed everything in a hundred light-year radius.

Around him the ship tore apart leaving him drifting in space. Blackness surrounded him and nothing could be seen. Logan expanded his hands and bright trails of fire spread around him, lighting everything up. He saw a giant figure step through the portal.

"Star-God, I shall now enact upon thee what I have promised." Logan concentrated and expanded his body. It grew slowly to match the size of the God.

From his outstretched hands a thousand times a thousand thin beams of pure light speared towards the God. It raised its arms to delfect the blows, but there were far too many to defend against and where the light hit dark gaping wounds were left. The God screamed in pain but steadied itself. It lunged towards Logan with it's hands and arms flaring up. Logan leaned back to avoid the reaching hands and conjured a spear in his hands which he thrust through the creatures stomach. The scream rent space and it flailed back with the spear still in it.

Logan sensed another presence so he raised his hand high and clenched his fist. Lightning crackled beneath his closed hand and he pulled back and struck the Wounded Star-God in the side of it's head. The God exploded with a mighty fiery bang as Logan turned to face not one but three Star-Gods in a V formation. The lead Star-God sent a wave of molten lead at Logan while the other two followed with two giant balls of magma.

Logan speared himself straight through the attacks taking a little damage. He ploughed into the first Star-God with his hands together. The God reeled back but Logan kept up the attack. His body was beggining to fall apart, revealling a Dark light beneath. He morphed his form to that of a sword and lunged himself at the next God. They scattered but regrouped almost instantly sending balls of lightning and fire at him.

Logan was growing exhausted with every attack and when he retreated to try and cast some light at them, they pressed the attack and all three were beating him around. Logan was being pummelled and minutes later he was barely concious.

Then it hit him. How to stop the Gods permenantly. He only hoped he had enough time to execute his plan. Logan staggered as fast as he could away from them and drew himself to his full height. Around him light appeared and was sucked into his body. The Gods tryed to get to him but the light stopped them from moving.

Fear filled the Gods minds and they tried to flee but they couldn't. The light grew and grew and Logan felt every breath came in ragged breaths that pained him increasingly with every passing moment. His eyes began to drop and his arms began to fall, but not before he shouted a word of command and his body exploded with enough force to rip the Gods apart.

When the flames died away nothing could be seen.

No Logan or Star-Gods.

Nothing existed in this region of space now and no-one would know of Logan's sacrifice, but they would know of his triumph.

Then I lived.

Re: Space: The Third Story.

"Sir... We have another report." Someone said to Garrus. He looked up slowly. It had been the longest week of his life. The Talus Empire had collapsed and surrendered Sovereignty to the Republic, which then recalled all Talus to the Kalnoky System, the hub of trade and military strength, plus it was the closest system to Blacken. Then the attacks came. Scions ships, dozens of them, had begun raids all along old Talus borders, running down ships and bombarding bases.

"What happened this time?" Garrus said and grabbed the report.

"Sir... It was Locus Prime. They've razed it to the ground, Sir. The entire military facility."

"I think General Draeg was right, they're after Acid Rain storages. That

George Smith Patton
"No bastard ever won a war by dying for his country. He won it by making the other poor dumb bastard die for his country."

232 (edited by Nai 07-Oct-2008 07:06:39)

Re: Space: The Third Story.

Claudia watched Logan. He was completely deranged. She was amazed at the loyalty of the men around him. The effect the Darkones had were definately easy to see. She watched. Observed, as the Dreamweavers always do. She found herself impressed by the level of programming that the Darkones had done on him.

There were moments though she could not quite understand. His seizures were very brief, but each time he went through a seizure, there was some measure of evolution of his programing. This was very much one of the most advanced programming she had seen by the darkones in a well over a thousand generations.

The effects of the siezures lasted literally a second upwards of two seconds, but whatever corner in his brain was very much in full swing and she had been surprised of his resiliency. It was rare to see someone of such character. The darkones had choosen wisely.

But, she was totally caught off guard as she was observing, when Logan struck out with his conscience. Her initial reaction that of an Abomination! But he reached out to her mind and she soon realized it was not of the Darkones. It was something else. And it spoke. She had not had such an event occur to her in her thirteen billion years of life. Not since the Ad'mini walked this existance. She knew the Ad'mini, and it was definately not an Ad'mini, but something of great power. It gave her a warning not to harm Blacken. She was surprised that this creature of great power did not understand.

She withdrew a short way, to continue her observance, it was her mission, and a creature of such power would understand her motive she though. She continue to watch him, being dedicated in her mission.

It was when then that she saw the star gods. They were of a differnt nature than the ones they warred far in the past. So she knew the barrier was intact. But she realized it was time to depart. More help would be needed. In her lingering moments to see what would happen, she witnessed the battle and the battle Logan had with the star gods.

It brought a tear to her eye. She understood now.

She closed in on the the bridge where Logan once stood, and entered through the window, in full observance to all. Her radiance lent a blue glow throughout the room. In her great age, her glow far outshined the radiance that Nightengael had shown. He wings also in full regalia. The bridge guards opened fire with no effect, their energy fire just passing through her as if she was not material, Holden called to hold the fire from the guards.

"What do you want Scion?"

She did not respond, Claudia waved her hand over where last she saw Logan to be, a ripple of energy traveled through the boundies of space as could be witnessed. Only a shimmer of atoms where Logan once stood appeared, affixed in his last moment of battle. Even now in her mind, she could witness his last calling. She notices too the crew and security seeing the fading shimmer of where their hero, Logan, once stood. She heard their gasps and their choking up of such emotion. She too felt it. She collected up a few of the atoms that once were apart of logan, and placed them in a scared looking pure gold case.

She waited. She still watched the final shining image of Logan slowly fade. He was gone. It brought a tear to her eye, every time a great hero died, she cried. This was the same each time, and she knew then that Nai had sent her as he had foreseen these events.

"Captian Holdmond." She said softly, gazing as the last shimmers atoms haze drifted away.

"Say what you have to say Scion." The captain said, with sincere concern in his voice.

"The Scion will trouble you know more. Know that we are intercepting now the Darkone and their agents that are gathering to feast on the fleets that you would call here. They may assemble in peace. I have lifted the dampening feild over blacken, I would hope would be a sign that there could be dialogue between us.

"When we heard of what happened to your home, and after seening the capacities that you exhibited time and time again. Nai, whom I server, took what remants of it remains to a planet you would call Eden.", she still gazed at the lingering shine of Logan We presented it's remains to the Tree of Wisdom. It directed us to restore to you a new homeworld." She walked over to a science station and touched it. The screen saw the scanners fire up. They had not been working for some time, and had not worked in the direction of any Scion worlds. She looked down and it scanned through several star charts zooming in over and over, and eventually pulled up an image of watery world much like the pictures of Earth. It has a double world ring system about it, and many large Scion terraforming construction vessels in orbit.

Several of the crew looked longingly at the planet.

"We were able to restore much of the native wildlife, though it is not complete. Too much died when your planet died. We have done what we can to create an sustainable ecology there."

"I will take and present to the Tree of Wisdom these few last remains of Logan, as they must be honored, not just by you, but for all the universe. His sacrifice will be known of for all of eternity."

She lifted her hand, and in it a device materialized. "When your ready for your new home Captian. Press this button, it will upload the security protocols for you and your people alone to know. I have another gift for you as well Captain, as this planet is beyond the means of your starships."

With that she faded and flew through the bridge window. She turned and held her hands out, and the engine flashed a bright blue, and were replaced with a Scion looking star drive. She moved over the ship and parts of it flash over and over as she upgraded the vessel. She flew off leaving behind a shining new ship.

Just before Claudia made her exit from the system, she stopped, turned around and gave the blacken system, and it's occupants one last gaze.

With that she shot off into deep space.

For those who understand, no explanation is needed.
For those who do not understand, no explanation is possible.

Re: Space: The Third Story.

General Michael Camore and Admiral-General Robert Baines were seated across from each other, with mountains of paperwork piled arond them. They seemed to have given up on the most of it for they were talking while shuffling through the paper.

"So your saying Logan appeared on an enflamed Heleriya which crashed into the ocean," Camore asked, holding his fingers up and crossing them off. "He scared of the agent of... whats-his-face, Then he somehow stopped the comms blackout then took our fastest ship. And that was five hours ago. Did he say anything else?" Camore asked, sighing heavily.

"His second-in-command Captain Jack Helmond has explained everything, he should be finished with the questioning now." Baines  answered. As if on cue, the datapad in the middle of the table lit up. Both men turned their own pad's on and sifted through the data.

"If this is correct then Logan possibly has stopped the Star-Gods from entering this galaxy." Camore said. Baines looked up.

"You know what that means?"

"Yes I do Robert. Although we have system wide comunications that won't do very well in the long run. Send a message to all members of the Alliance; Blacken is our safest place at the moment. Ask them to rally here if they can so we may discuss our next move." Baines typed a message to all courior ships to make hast to all known leaders of the other races.

"There is nothing in this about Logan returning. Do you think he is dead?" Camore asked.

"I bloody well hope not! I feel as though he is. If so then we have lost a great leader." Baines said, lowering his head.

They were silent for a moment. A beeping sounded and the only door to the room slid open.

"Captain Jack Helmond, reporting for duty sirs!" Helmond said firing off two smart salutes. The two Generals stood and saluted back. The three men sat back down.

"Helmond, we are here to talk about your service to the Blacken Space Fleet. As you know we have just pronounced Admiral-General Logan Grimnar KIA. We also have just recieved his will and several personal logs which were entitled to me. In them are his thoughts about his crew and other aspects of the fleet. Foremost in his logs are your services to the Flagship of the fleet." Camore said, and Helmond nodded. "He pointed out your abilities and your leadership qualities. If Logan were here he would of done this himself, but as your ranking officer, Admiral-General Baines will do the honours."

"Captain, I grant you the rank of Commander. You will be given a ship to command. May you serve well." Baines said standing and shaking Helmonds hand.

"Thank you both. I will fulfill my duties to the best of my abilities." Helmond said. His chest swelled with pride as he stepped out of the room.

"So what of our new ship design?" Baines asked. Camore stayed standing when Helmond left and walked over to the comms. console in the corner of the room.

"The basics have been completed. The materials we have and the same for man power. She is being built as we speak and she should be ready within a month."

"Will we be able to mass produce the ship at all?"

"No, unfortunatly. We only have plans for one although more are not out of the question. Have you thought of any crew yet?" Camore asked leaning against the wall.

"I have not although I am up for the job." Baines answered.

"Very well. We do need to get back to this paperwork and atleast get half done before tomorrow. Also the burial for those lost on Logan's adventure will be the first priority. I do hate the empty caskets. Send a message also to any founding members that a memorial for Logan will take place here in two days." Camore said and as he walked to sit down he thought he felt a gust of wind by his side. The windows were closed as was the door.

"Did you feel that?" Camore asked.

"Feel what?" Baines said without looking up. A curious expression appeared on Camore's face as he sat down.

"Nothing. Now our power distribution can be streamlined..."

Then I lived.

Re: Space: The Third Story.

The interior of the Kyrozch mothership was like a maze, with twisting and turning passages at odd angles arranged without rhyme or reason. Occasionally, Carl would see a spider or a worker drone scurrying past them, but none of the Kyrozch he passed paid him any heed.

"I have a weird feeling about this place," Argus commented after some time.

"What's that?" Carl asked.

"Something is watching us," Argus responded edgily.

Carl had to agree. Something was evidently observing them, probing them, seeing how they reacted to this alien environment. And there was a sickening familiarity to it.

He sighed. "I think we're getting closer."


They soon came to a massive organic door. Set into the center of the door was a large eye, looking right at them.

"Do we knock?" Carl asked rhetorically.

As if in answer, the door emitted a strange, discordant animal sound, folding open before them to reveal a gigantic chamber with something in the middle.

"What is that?" Argus whispered.

Carl looked at it; it appeared to be a slumped human figure in a massive organic throne, with green beams of energy emanating from its head and flowing into the surrounding walls.

"Whatever it is, I think it has some answers," Carl responded. The two men entered the chamber; the door closed behind them with a squelching sound.

The throne rotated around; the figure raised its head slightly, its eyes glowing with an eerie green light. Carl could see now that the figure was gravely wounded, sustained only by the lifeforce of the Kyrozch mothership.

"I've been waiting for you for a long time, Kainolar," an ethereal voice echoed all around them.

Carl did not recognize the name, but immediately understood that Argus was the one being addressed. Argus was cognizant of this fact too, and he stepped forward.

"Who are you?" Argus asked.

"It has been a long time since anyone asked me that," the voice responded. "I have had many names, assigned to me by countless peoples throughout countless times. Your kind calls me the Fisher King, and it is that that you may refer to me by." The lighting of the room changed. "You have come a long way to find me, Kainolar. As have you, Kronalus." Carl recognized the name and knew immediately that he was being addressed. "If only you knew what has befallen your world. Time does not pass linearly here. Even now your beloved people are suffering, your world torn asunder."

The eyes scanned the two of them. "You have many questions," the voice continued. "But I grow impatient. Make your queries brief."

"What does Lord Galahad want of you?" Carl asked.

"You are a knight of Lord Galahad's court," the voice responded. "You know the answer as well as I do."

"What do you want?" Argus asked.

"The same thing any injured man wishes for," the voice replied.

"Who do you want?" Carl asked.

The eyes flashed brighter, and the world seemed to dissolve around them. "The one true Son."

In a maelstrom of light, the two of them appeared next to the Borealis grid terminal, in the middle of a throng of confused onlookers.

"I think it's time to get out of here," Carl commented. "Let's find our ship."

Proud user of Ubuntu 11.10 / 12.04 LTS

Re: Space: The Third Story.

Elliot Grimnar and her daughter Amanda Grimnar waited next to the communication console siting next to the door. Ever since Logan had darted off the shuttle without even looking back, both women had cried their fair share of tears. When the bulleton went out that Logan had been pronounced KIA, they both did not cry. They already knew he was gone when the PI jumped away with no-one else on board. They both sat there untill A beeping came from the door and Robert Grimnar walked in. The look on his told them he already knew. The three stayed in the room for the whole night, mourning the man they loved.


At one of the larger contruction yards on Blacken, Commander Jack Helmond was overlooking the construction of his new ship.

My new ship, he thought. It was odd to be thinking that.

He had chosen the crew from the Heleriya to be his crew on this ship. It was due to be finished within a week.

Jack looked over the schematics for the ship and marvelled at its design. It was the same length as the Heleriya; about one thousand nine hundred meters. Most ships from Blacken had to follow that size for resource reasons, but now Jack knew another reason.

The new Collosus-Carrier class ship was to be ready in a month. He had read over those designs also. It was dome shaped with a ten kilometer diameter. Five starships could be docked easily on the underside of the dome. It is to be a Base-Ship, fully self-sustainable no matter where it goes. Jack had been asked to be one of the five commanders to be going with the Base-Ship and he said yes.

I still need to think of a name for this ship, he thought as he turned and walked away.


In the command room, high above Blacken, Camore and Baines had completed half of the paperwork and were now walking around the balcony, which circled the whole building. They were speaking of the developements across the whole planet.

The planet was at a state of peace and also part mourning. Everyone had heard of Logan's death and they had all payed their respects. They knew that with his death they were protected from an enemy that had hunted them for so long.

The Kallum had been beaten back and Blacken had not been attacked for some while. The scar the land had obtained from the many battles had healed. The two generals walked back inside and continued to sign off the paper work.

Then I lived.

Re: Space: The Third Story.

George Smith Patton
"No bastard ever won a war by dying for his country. He won it by making the other poor dumb bastard die for his country."

Re: Space: The Third Story.

Green lightning. Everywhere he looked, bolts of eerie green energy. His vision was clouded, but everything was pervaded with a spooky emerald glow.

Suddenly, he was cognizant of being in a large chamber. He saw the throne in the middle, could see clearly the beams of energy emanating from it. He was floating; he could not clearly feel his feet, but he knew that they could not be touching the ground.

The giant throne rotated, and he saw a glimpse of the figure in the middle - what looked like a wounded old man. The figure raised its head and looked right into his eyes; it regarded him with interest for a few moments. Suddenly, he could hear thunder. A flash of light.

"You are Galahad the Chosen One," the figure said. "Lord Galahad the Redeemed is naught but a pretender. You must come home and seek your destiny."

A pause. The glowing green eyes flashed brighter.

"You can heal me. You are the One True Son. You have the power to set things right."

Green light now streamed out of the figure's eyes in visible beams.

"The Source grows weaker every day, sapped of its strength by the greed of the masses. Where there is life, there is death. Mankind has separated the two, extracting life, but they pollute the Source with the waste. Novictum, the antithesis of the notum people value so much. Do you understand?"

The figure's entire head was now glowing with a blinding green light that sent more tendrils out to meet the walls.

"I am dying. The world is dying. But you have the power to set things right."

The room was now one single mass of pure green light, and it was impossible to see anything else.

"Come home. You can heal me. You are the Chosen."

He could not even see himself now. Patches of his vision were going dark. Soon, there was nothing except blackness.

"The One True Son."

Silence. Then, another voice. Loud. Overpowering. His eyes flew open.

"Good morning, Robert Grimnar. It is zero six hundred Blacken Standard Time. Today is October..."

Proud user of Ubuntu 11.10 / 12.04 LTS

Re: Space: The Third Story.

The LAC sped downward, in a lazy arc, over much of the central Human city on Blacken. Richard and Garrus had been talking about a new concept to Garrus; fishing. Then the Co-Pilot came into the back cabinet, spoke briefly to Garrus in their native tongue, before going back to the cockpit.

George Smith Patton
"No bastard ever won a war by dying for his country. He won it by making the other poor dumb bastard die for his country."

239 (edited by [RPA] Arocalex 09-Oct-2008 22:48:25)

Re: Space: The Third Story.

Jeodan had once again retreated to the ocean cities of Neptune it was within these great cities that his old commander lied, the man whose position Jeodan had filled. All the lights emanating from the cities on the ocean floor actually send a faint shine all the way up to the ocean surface. Small pieces of plankton shined ever so gently. Great fishes cycled the edges of the lights that shone almost straight up. The Cy

Not many people know this, but I own the first radio in Springfield. Not much on the air then, just Edison reciting the alphabet over and over. "A" he'd say; then "B." "C" would usually follow...

Re: Space: The Third Story.

Somewhere on the other side of the galaxy, a cubical ship cruised along at unfathomable velocities.

Cruel and heartless, a cube of cold metal 3036 meters on a side, an eerie glow emanating from its heart.

Existing with a singular purpose. To assimilate new life and new civilizations.

It was unconcerned with the mechanisms that had dropped it in this galaxy. It was unconcerned about the fact that it was now disconnected from its mother Collective.

Neither were the tens of thousands of seemingly mindless drones aboard.

The ship's only purpose, as it regarded it now, was to establish a new Collective and carry out its primary mission until such time as contact with the mother Collective could be reestablished.

This it would do with efficiency that would undoubtedly be frightening to the species it would inevitably subjugate. But not to itself. To itself, fear was irrelevant.

Above a certain planet, the cube parked itself into a stable orbit. Invisibly, it scanned the surface. It found a city. It scanned the lifeforms on it. Species 10126, Kallum.

The cube fired a single beam of energy that sliced straight through the city's deflector shield and destroyed the main power station, rendering its pitiful defenses useless.

The cube fired a torpedo at the city center. The projectile exploded upon impact, releasing a black cloud of nanites into the air like a swarm of wasps.

As the nanites found hosts, turning them into even more drones, the Collective spread onto this planet. An eerie voice pervaded every corner of the city.

"You will be assimilated. Resistance is futile."

Proud user of Ubuntu 11.10 / 12.04 LTS

Re: Space: The Third Story.

Jeodan Walked around Blacken, greeting people, asking what they thought of the recent events. As far as their knowledge of the recent events reached ofcourse. He found there were many that were disgruntle at the Scion for killing so many people and also to the republic for killing even more, many more. Of their own people. The images only now started pouring in slowly from the conflict that killed so many.

Jeodan couldn

Not many people know this, but I own the first radio in Springfield. Not much on the air then, just Edison reciting the alphabet over and over. "A" he'd say; then "B." "C" would usually follow...

Re: Space: The Third Story.

Most of the invited leaders and others had arrived on Blacken, and were amusing themselves untill it was time. The Ceremony had been planned out and was already set out. The last touches were being applied as people ran to and fro.

The whole of Blacken command were already seated and were waiting for the rest. Then from the speakers around the cities, a low bell could be heard, ringing three times. Every body who heard it knew what it meant. Respected persons from all around made their way towards the ceremony grounds.

It was being held on the same ground as the memorial for the first battle of Blacken; the biggest battle fought within the system, and the battle that began everything.

As the grounds began filling up, Camore leant to his left and whispered to Baines.

"Is that the Cy'tan, Jeodan?"

"Yes, he is. I wasn't sure weather he was coming." Baines whispered back.

The seats were almost full and the command were getting ready to begin.

Then I lived.

Re: Space: The Third Story.

Garrus looked up from his plate. It was completely cleared, except for a last bit of bacon, which he had just grabbed. One of the Talus Enders had walked up to him, standing perfectly at attention. He slipped the piece of bacon into his mouth and, while chewing it thoroughly, used a napkin to wipe his mouth. He gave the Ender a questioning glance.

"Sir, you instructed me to alert you when Colonel Bloodmoon had arrived planet side. Also, Jeodan Deathsquad is on Blacken for the funeral ceremonies as well, I know you had wanted to see him."

"Ah, yes I did. Thank you... If you want, Captain, you can finish Richard's plate." Garrus said and nodded his head to the few remaining pancakes, with a small side of hash browns. Then a bell rang out three times. They all looked at the door when that happened. Both Richard and Garrus stood immediately, Garrus gestured for another Ender to pay for their meal, as the rest gathered their things.

George Smith Patton
"No bastard ever won a war by dying for his country. He won it by making the other poor dumb bastard die for his country."

Re: Space: The Third Story.

A nameless Cy

Not many people know this, but I own the first radio in Springfield. Not much on the air then, just Edison reciting the alphabet over and over. "A" he'd say; then "B." "C" would usually follow...

Re: Space: The Third Story.

Jeodan had arrived to the ceremony just as soft classical music started playing through the speakers at the lowest possible volume.
The entire setting was pretty simple. A small stage next to the about to be unveiled mural and an open field next to it where a lonely coffin resided. At the very edges of the open field tables and seats were set.

With many officers attending from Blacken and multiple high ranked diplomats from the various alien races all dressed in their finest clothes. What was perceived as finest clothes of course differed, much to the annoyance of some humans that found most of them to be plain weird while others happily conversed with them.
Jeodan was happily explaining how they infiltrated the Kallum world to a group of humans that had amassed around him, at first probably to get a glimpse to the alien, the man and the stories.

Not many people know this, but I own the first radio in Springfield. Not much on the air then, just Edison reciting the alphabet over and over. "A" he'd say; then "B." "C" would usually follow...

246

Re: Space: The Third Story.

The video feeds of the CotC coverage of Logan's demise had been very scrutized due to the recent actions the Dreamweaver had done. Some large Talusian world had experienced a severe backlash against it's members, so all efforts possible had gone into the production coverage on the Funeral processions and ongoings. They had hired the best news coverage and consultants that could be had. A sizeable donation had been made to his surviving family members. Being one of the only networks able to broadcast, it had been afforded great viewing audiences. Though much anguish was displayed amoung viewers regarding the Scion and the CotC newsnetwork, the reverence that was paid to Logan offerred a means for common discussion, much of which helped diffuse the strife at most local levels of the Alliances communities.

Highlights covered many of the movements of Logans' family, and friends. Even had coverage of Carl, Joedan and others at times.

As they watched the news broadcasts from various Talus worlds, the one thought remained, there was still so much to do.


Meanwhile, in a Cy'tan lab, the first simulation models of the communication blocking technology was unfolding. The simulation model showed a wire rolling into series of pipes, and coming out in multiple different directions. What they were explaining to the non-science officials in teh room is that the blocking technology existed on an atomic level. The phenomenom they discovered seemed radiated towards various Scion ring worlds thus the reason they suspected it was what was responsible. This phenomenom was represented as "pipes" a tubual component in subspace that they had discovered being throughout the entire galaxy, except for around Blacken. What it appeared to do is act to increase the space time in an area where the traverse of the energy wave which they used for long range communication and sensor systems, such that as the energy wave entered into the proximity of the wave it would essential re-divert the wave such that it either broke up or would be caught up into the piping, almost like being caught in a spider web.

Although there were a number of hypothesis as to what they were, the most mathematically accepted model showed it to basically be for simulation purposes it's own little universe.  As these models were developed it became very disconcerting that it showed when an energy wave would hit "dead-on" with one of these tubes, the energy would be absorbed into the system, and thereby displace whatever was inside the "tube" and therefore could be "instantaneously" transported throughout all of space to whatever was creating these disruptions. If that device was able to also receive information, then, as the theory goes, the Scion would know instantly. One scientist even was quoted as saying, "the Scion would know before they would, even if we were accross the street, and they were in another galaxy."

An physical example was then displayed to the community of scientists, showing a copper wire, "simulating the communication beam" being interested into a rack of plumbing tubing. He stated that as teh copper wire went into the sytem, it would get rolled this way or that, such that at the end of the short video, the copper wire came out basicalyl right back in the direction it was inserted. Several other video's had then coming out all sort of directions and angles. On one test the wire hit the tube head on and perferrated the tube, in which in a bordon tube at the one side of the display, moved a meter, showing the displaced volume of water. This was explained to be how the Scion could be not only blocking the communication but also being able to recover it and use for themselves. It would appear that the Scion are able to monitor these waves, and filter them based on their content. Military traffic seemingly the one they are filtering at the moment.

The officials at the meeting got all excited, but then asked the very important question. "So you have a way to work around this, to allow for us to communicate?"

The reply was "No. Not yet. We don't even know if we are right about this. But it is the best we can come up with, and closest model to what is working."

For those who understand, no explanation is needed.
For those who do not understand, no explanation is possible.

Re: Space: The Third Story.

"Good to see you again, Carl."

Carl nodded and shook Garrus's hand. "Good to see you again, too. What have I missed?"

Garrus clicked his mandibles thoughtfully. "A lot. Things have gone to hell in a handbasket. We were getting along just fine with Bloodmoon on our side, then the Scion decide to show up and screw up everything. Whaddaya know?"

Carl shrugged. "Maybe it's for the better."

Garrus raised an eyebrow. "For the better? Really? Blocking military communications throughout the Alliance is for the better?"

"Oh. That's different. Nevertheless, don't you think they just might have our best interests at heart?"

Garrus thought for a moment. "I don't think I follow."

Carl shrugged. "Maybe we just need to give the Scion a chance, really. They might turn out to be all right after all." His gaze moved to the human accompanying Garrus. "I don't believe we've been introduced, sir," Carl addressed him.

The man nodded and smiled. "Richard Hearn, Republic Director of Foreign Affairs."

"Nice to meet you, Director Hearn," Carl said, as they shook hands. "General Carl Reddington, UEF Military Service."

"Call me Richard," the man said. Carl smiled.

"I guess you can call me Carl, then." Carl turned back to Garrus. "So what exactly did the Scion end up doing, anyhow?"

"Like I mentioned, Alliance-wide communications blockage. I think some of the Cy'tan said their scientists were working on the problem, but nothing's come through yet." Garrus suddenly looked less pleased. "The other thing the Scion have done is gone after our ships. We think they're targeting our Acid Rain, which is, unforunately, most of our space force. We were able to figure out what was going on in time to save one of our core battlegroups, but the Scion have completely shredded the rest. Cruisers, frigates, anything carrying even a single Acid Rain warhead - all wiped out. Production facilities, too - we lost most of our military presence in literally half an hour."

Carl cringed. "Damn. They must really hate the stuff." He turned to Richard. "Has Foreign Affairs tried to make contact?"

Richard shrugged. "We don't know how anymore. Ever since they started going after our Acid Rain stockpiles, they haven't been interested in talking."

Carl gave him a suspicious look. "Really?"

"Well, okay, the fact that there's never been ample time to open a channel during an encounter might factor into that," Richard elaborated.

"Fair enough. But I still think the Scion aren't all evil. Maybe they have some redeeming factors?"

"And I think you're a little too trusting of strangers," Garrus pointed out.

Carl shrugged. "Strangers helped me last time. Had they not, I'd still be charting star systems, trying to find a way home."

Garrus nodded. "Point. I've read your story."

Carl smiled. "Have you?"

"Yes. It's remarkable. You're a true survivor."

Carl shook his head, chuckling. "No. If you want a true survivor... I suggest you look over that way." He pointed to Colonel Matthias Bloodmoon, bearing scars from his latest mission, limping towards them.

"All right, Colonel?" Carl called out.

"Never been better," Matt called back.

"Did I miss much?" Carl asked him as he approached within conversation range. Matt shrugged.

"Just the usual, General. Sent on a suicide mission... escaped by pure luck. It's times like these when I believe there is a God."

"Ha," Carl replied. "Looks like I've missed a lot." He nodded sadly to the plaza. "It seems I've missed the passing of one of my closest friends."

Matt nodded solemnly. "He was a good man." He turned to the Cy'tan who had just arrived. "How do you do, Jeodan?"

Just then, a voice rang out from the loudspeakers. "May I have your attention, please." Jeodan nodded to Matt in reply to his greeting; then, the group turned reverently towards the plaza.

"Today, we are gathered to honor the passing of Admiral-General Logan Grimnar, hero of the Blacken Space Force. Admiral Grimnar was a great man: loyal, faithful, and skilled beyond measure. He had commanded the Blacken Space Force ever since his arrival in late 2206, just four short years ago. He had helped guide Blacken from a small, humble settlement to a significant Alliance power. He had defended our people from its enemies, not once, not twice, but every time in the last four years. He was a warrior, a diplomat, a pioneer, everything you could ask from a Blacken citizen. Just a few short hours ago, he made the ultimate sacrifice, forsaking his own safety to destroy forever the enemies that have hung over our heads for so long, the Star-gods, arbiters through the Kallum of Earth's destruction, now no more. For his selfless service to the defense not only of Blacken, but also of all other sentient beings, we honor him now."

Dead silence echoed throughout the plaza as everyone present seemed to bow their heads, quietly paying their last respects to the fallen Admiral.

For Carl, the reality of what was happening drove all other concerns out of his mind. It was beginning to dawn on him that he had lost probably the closest friend he had ever known.

He heard the voice speaking again, but he was no longer paying attention. The years of war had callused his soul, but he still had in his heart a deep, profound depression: the realization that a man he had known so well, placed so much trust in, spent so much time with, would now never again come home.

Proud user of Ubuntu 11.10 / 12.04 LTS

Re: Space: The Third Story.

As though from a great distance, the ceremony was playing out before him. It was odd but fitting. Everyone was bowing their heads in respect. Tears welled up in his eyes as he saw Carl Reddingtons face lined with anguish. He reached out with a thought.

<Care not Carl. I will be here in thought.>

He looked up.

<Do not worry, just care for my family> He did not wait for a reply but seemed to drift away on an unseen breeze.

Then I lived.

Re: Space: The Third Story.

The man continued to speak: "Logans life was far from boring as many of you know the true story begins here on blacken with the battle that changed almost everything, but one must not think that the journey before the battle was any less difficult or perilous..."

A tear flowed from Jeodans eye flowing along his nose. Jeodan wiped it away. A blacken officer standing next to him noticed and asked in the lowest possible voice. "Whats wrong? I know it is sad but I have never seen a Cy'Tan cry to this day."
"It is the combined sadness here. I can block out happyness, fear, excitement or pain from my mind, but your sadness flows freely from your minds to mine. And with so many people... I can't help it. It's a flaw all Cy'Tan share. And its not getting better with low level telepaths in the room."

Not many people know this, but I own the first radio in Springfield. Not much on the air then, just Edison reciting the alphabet over and over. "A" he'd say; then "B." "C" would usually follow...

Re: Space: The Third Story.

Garrus barely knew him, but that didn't stop Garrus from shedding a tear. He had served with Logan on more then two-dozen occasions, including the suicidal assault on the Kallum Palace. He could almost taste the sorrow as he breathed, as if it hung in the air itself. But then, as suddenly as the tear came from his eye, Garrus wiped it away. Perhaps, he reflected, that was the biggest difference between Human and Talisian cultures, we don't cry. He looked around briefly, seeing almost every Human shedding tears, it seemed that only He, the one bred to show no fear, no sorrow and no pain, could have the heart cold enough to sit, dry-faced at such a time.

Garrus saw Jeodan, several seats down, wipe away a single tear and that seemed to relax him. He breathed deeper, allowing himself the first taste of true sorrow since his childhood, now knowing that if a Cy'tan, a true warrior breed, had cried then so could he.

It was now, as he let himself drown in the sea of sorrow around him, that Garrus began to reflect on his past. He cried not only for Logan, but Logan's Family, whom Garrus had aided to kidnap and torture, as well as for Thresher, whom Garrus had knowingly left behind on the Kallum home world. The images flashed through his memory. He remembered the group running down a hallway, gunfire flying past them, as the Kallum slowly gained on them. Jeodan and Thresher were badly injured, so the rest were slowed in an effort to carry them with. Garrus had listened to him, had consciously stand him up. And then, later, Garrus had consciously closed the ramp, sealing Thresher's fate.

Garrus thought of his family, whom he had either deserted or killed. He thought of the people of Blacken, whom he had caused untold sufferings upon, during his service to the Kallum. Lastly, he thought of his own people. His people, whose blind faith in his judgment came from his willingness to butcher them, planet-by-planet, system-by-system. The Talus Civil War had barely raged a few weeks, one of the shortest wars of all time, yet it's death toll was one of the highest in all of Talisian History. And that, he knew, was from his baby. Acid Rain, Garrus's dream weapon, with which he could finally lay waste to the Kallum and get his revenge.

The man's voice began again. Speaking of Logan's heroic deeds and traits. In what seemed like seconds, multiple Officers of Blacken Space Command made short, sweet speeches about their experiences with Logan. About how he was always there to help, or to save the day. He briefly heard Carl

George Smith Patton
"No bastard ever won a war by dying for his country. He won it by making the other poor dumb bastard die for his country."