Federation's Last Stand

Federation's Last Stand

Alternate Universe: Interstellar Fallout

In 2489, the Empire once again declared war on the Federation. The Federation had been peaceful for many, many years, and had let their guard down. When the Empire made co-ordinated strikes, not even the bravest Federal pilots could hold back the unending hordes of die-hard Imperial loyalists. Combat Spectre Gunships, Shadow Stealth Craft Interceptors, Ficon Fighters, Tyrant-Class Bombers, Venom Cruisers, Constrictor Missile Barges... the Empire used everything it had, and the Federation never stood a chance.

Location: Sol III; "Terra"

"Captain, the Fleet is ready. We don't have much time!"

"Let's get on with it, then. The survivors must make it to safety, or we'll never hear the end of this!"

Sirens blared as the fleet assumed defensive positions around the gate. The FDS "Ironheart" was in main position, a battle-hardened Gauntlet-class Battleship with a crew of 200. On it's wings were the "Fury" and "Decimator", Mantii-class Battlecruisers with extensively-trained crews. Wings of Nighthawk Fighters patrolled the areas as the ragtag convoy of Babel Transporters and Extender Freighters loaded up the last survivors.

"Contact, closing at 500 klicks."

"It's a wing of Phantoms, Captain. Firing Decloaker Pulse."

The Fury let loose one of it's special torpedoes towards the signatures of the oncoming vessels.

"Torpedo away. Four fifty."

...

"Four hundred."

The torpedo tracked the fighters as they tried to evade it, faint flashes of light shining off their cloaked hulls.

"Three fifty... torpedo has contact!"

A bright electromagnetic flash signalled the torpedo's explosion, the three Phantoms veering away and coming into clear view as their cloaking systems failed.

~~

"What the hell was that?"

"Some Federal EM Pulse. My cloak just burnt out."

"Mine too!"

"Bastards. Let's show 'em what we're made of!"

"FOR THE EMPEROR!" cried the three pilots - two Ska'ari and one Keldonian - over open comms.

~~

"Oh no... not those three."

"Who?"

"The Phantom Trio. The Emperor's Right Hand!"

"The ones behind the Capella Bombings and the Raid on Alioth?"

"The very same. Hold on gentlemen. This is going to be a hard fight... protect the transports at all costs!"

Two Nighthawk Wings moved to intercept, but were no match for the skill and fanatical loyalty of the Phantoms. The Ironheart could only watch as the craft were danced around and torn apart like so many pieces of paper.

~~

"One down!" A Nighthawk exploded in a shower of metal fragments. "And another one!" Yet another flared up as it spun out of control, wheeling off like a firework before exploding like one, a distinct blue/purple fireball signifying the end of another Nighthawk.

"Hah!" The Keldonian scoffed. "That's the best you can do? I'm flying one handed and I've already taken down four!"

"That's because you're using your bloody tail to control the rudder! We have claws, y'know!" A red-shelled Ska'ari scowled over the comms.

"Can it the pair of you," A mottled blue-green shelled Ska'ari interrupted the pair of them. "...and get out of the firezone. The support is almost here!"

The three quickly veered away as the dark red Constrictors took up firing positions...

~~

"Where the hell are those Unionist Reinforcements?!"

"Give them time, Lieutenant... Jacobson will be here."

"With all due respect, sir, they were due two hours ago!"

"Jacobson's probably gotten his silly ass into another tussle."

"Sir? We're picking up more contacts. The Imperial Fifth Bombard. I'm picking up a dozen Constrictors moving into position six hundred klicks out."

"Dammit, they'll kill their own men! Are they mad?"

"Was that a rheotorical question, sir?"

"...nevermind, prepare for the worst. Countermeasures online, shields on siege mode."

~~

"All batteries, prepare to fire." The Keldonian Captain observed from his Dominator. He nodded solemnly as he heard twelve responses, each confirming readiness from each Constrictor.

~~

"Move, dammit! Move! We don't have much time!" The last Babel slipped through the hastily-assembled gate, and the Extenders began to lift off the loading docks, wobbling through space toward the gate.

~~

"Admiral, disable your gate and stand down. Surrender now or we will fire." The Keldonian glared at the hologram in front of him. "This is your last chance."

"With all due respect, Prince" The Admiral almost spat the word out, barely keeping calm. "...Varrakin, I'd rather die than let my people fall into your hands. I've heard the stories!"

"Admiral Spirrau, I admire your tenacity in the face of danger, but I will track the last of your kind down and exterminate them."

"You haven't a chance, Prince."

"No, you haven't a chance... all batteries..."

...
Prince Varrakin paused, grinning at Admiral Spirrau.
...

"...open fire. I'm sorry it had to end this way, Admiral." The Prince severed the communications link, settling back into his command seat.

The Constrictors whirred to life, internal machinery extending the retractable missile pods, the firing crews adjusting sensors to compensate for distance.

Then they fired the full barrage. Each Constrictor carried a payload of 48 missiles loaded into their launchers, and two reloads. With each volley numbering at 576 missiles and two spare volleys, any chance of weathering the rain of explosive death was slim.

~~

"Commander, picking up more contacts inbound from PJ3373.

"That better be Jacobson..."

The Admiral looked at the incoming cloud of missiles worriedly.

"Five hundred and seventy six, sir." The lieutenant looked up at the Admiral, then back down at his console.

"I know. 576 missiles, each with a name on them." The Admiral checked the overview again. Each missile a small red blip, heading towards a small encampment of green blips... with five grey blips bearing toward the Imperial fleet - deep-cloaked Unionite Gunships.

~~

"Sir? We're almost on top of them."

"Excellent! I bet we had Spirrau worried! Beta, Delta, screw up those missiles with some projected ECM bursts! Psi and Omega, launch your missiles at the Prince's Dominator. I'll handle the Constrictors."

Jacobson laughed maniacally as his Horpor decloaked, swooping down atop the line of neatly organized and poorly-armoured Constrictors. Two exploded in thermonuclear fireballs as their unfired payloads went up with them, the Horpor swooping away for another run.

The other four craft - all Chitin-class, concentrated on their assigned tasks. Psi and Omega, sinister black-painted craft, unleashed a volley of electromagnetic missiles on the Dominator, ripping through it's shields. Beta and Delta wheeled off, decloaking and starting to disperse the missile formation.

~~

"It's about damn time!" The Admiral grinned, the crew of the Ironheart cheering as Jacobson and his men decloaked right on top of the Imperial fleet.

"Sir, the missile cluster is starting to break up... I'm counting 500 still on course."

~~

"Damn those Unionists!" the Prince growled and staggered to his feet as another explosion shook his Dominator. "Phantoms... dispose of Jacobson at once!"

"It will be done, Prince." The Keldonian of the Trio closest comms as the three fighters veered off towards the assaulting Chitins, hammering on the Union shields with bursts of laserfire.

~~

"Psi here, taking fire."

"Bloody Phantoms. Keep at it, boys... I'll deal with the Phantoms for now."

"But what about the Constrictors?"

"Spirrau can handle the damage if any get past Alpha and Delta."

Jacobson adjusted his cap as he pulled back on the controls. Hold together baby, I know you won't let me down. He gently pats the console and focuses on the task at hand again.

~~

The Admiral glanced back. "Are they done yet?"

"Just two more Extenders, sir."

"Bloody things move slow... Fury, Decimator, move in and buy them some time!"

The Admiral sighed as he gave the order, knowing the two ships would no doubt be destroyed as their Captains saluted smartly and gave their orders, the two Mantii cruising toward the oncoming formation.

"Captain, we're picking up Imperial Reinforcements. It's Prince Veereth's Fleet. I'm counting Veereth's Mooncrusher and well over a dozen Dominators, as well as a massive support fleet of Spectres and Shadows."

"By the Chancellor's frilly little pink lace socks... hold fast men! STAND YOUR GROUND!"

~~

"Sir! Sir!"

"What is it, Marcus?" Jacobson raised an eyebrow as he opened the comm.

"Spirrau has given us the order for us to retreat. He says it's too dangerous. Prince Veereth's fleet is on it's way. He sends his regards and says we should head back to the Union and start evacuating."

"Spirrau never heard, then."

"That there is no Union?"

"Aye. The distress messages must never have made it to the Federation. We're the last of the Union, boys. Let's not die in vain." Jacobson grimaced as he closed the comm and let off another burst of fire.

~~

"Goddammit, get that idiot off my tail!"

"He's too fast! I can't hit him!"

"Bloody Humans!"

~~

"Admiral? The last Extender just went through the gate. It's starting to destabilise already."

"How long until it collapses?"

"Only five minutes, sir."

"Gather up as many as you can. Leave only a skeleton crew. Lieutenant, I want you to take a dropship and get through that gate."

"But sir!"

"No buts, son! You're young and have a job to do. The Chancellor may be dead, but somebody's got to organise them over there. I want you to go through that damn gate, and make sure it stays closed, understand?!"

"I... I..."

"As the Acting Chancellor, that is an ORDER!"

The lieutenant nodded shakily as he rose and saluted, then ran off to gather up as many as he could.

Admiral Spirrau cursed under his breath. "Chancellor give me strength..."

~~

"Prince, we must go now! This ship will not last much longer!"

"...alright. We will meet up with Prince Veereth's fleet."

"You will, sir. There is no room for me." The Ska'ari nodded.

"...you are right, Count. Do not worry."

"I do not, sire. I have served the Emperor from birth, and do so unto death. I die with honour."

"Rest easy, Count."

With that, Prince Varrakin hurried off to his escape craft, to meet up with Prince Veereth's Mooncrusher.

The Ska'ari sighed as he watched the Keldonian run, then turned back to the crew.

"Make him proud."

~~

Alpha and Delta horribly miscalculated. As the second volley was launched, they were caught offguard and decimated, fragments of red metal skewing through space wildly. Fury and Decimator recieved the brunt of the barrage, taking severe damage, though they fired several shots off and managed to, by sheer luck, take out several of the Constrictors. The survivors fled as fast as they could, leaving the two hulks slowly ticking down to their inevitable demise, reactors set to fireball them when Veereth's Dominators closed in...

Ironheart withstood the third, weakened volley, shaking it off easily. Jacobson laid the final blow on Varrakin's Dominator, though Varrakin managed to escape, and the remainder of Jacobson's team wiped out the last of the Constrictors, and held off Veereth's forces as long as they could, though eventually they succumbed to the sheer numerical advantage of the Imperial Force. Fury and Decimator exploded as planned, inflicting significant damage to Veereth's Mooncrusher, as well as taking out three of the Dominators.

Ironheart was the only one left, defiantly staring down Veereth's Mooncrusher. It had to hold out as long as it could...

~~

Admiral Spirrau once again prayed to the Chancellor and prepared himself. The lieutenant gathered all the survivors he could and prepared the dropship. It slowly rose into the air and swooped off toward the gate, going as fast as it could.

~~

"...finish him." Veereth growled as his fleet opened fire on the Ironheart, mercilessly firing every weapon they could at it.

~~

"Hold on guys... this is gonna be a close one..."

~~

"A final blow for the Chancellor."

Spirrau flicked up the protective cover and pressed the button underneath, the massive cone between the Gauntlet's arms slowly opening as charge built up, bolts of energy flickering between the two spars as the massive cannon charged.

"FOR THE CHANCELLOR!"

Spirrau gripped onto the console as he pressed the button again, the built up power firing off as a massive beam, tearing two Dominators apart and shearing Veereth's Mooncrusher, slicing off it's starboard side. The beam quickly dispersed, however, as the Ironheart began to break up.

"Forgive me..."

The Admiral closed his eyes and pressed one last button, the Ironheart's self-destruct mechanism triggering, a massive explosion ripping through space as it tore itself apart in one final effort to hold off Veereth's forces.

~~

The lieutenant swore as he saw the Ironheart explode and put his foot down, the fireball rapidly catching up as the dropship gunned it for the gate, the craft rattling violently.

"This is gonna be a close one... hold onto your lunch!"

The dropship slipped through the gate as the explosion clipped it's tail, sending it spinning through the portal into the unknown and destroying the Earth-side gate in another fireball.

~~

Location: Skies of an unknown Class M planet soon to be named 'New Terra'

The survivors looked up at the skies, watching the ancient hovering gate. Suddenly, the portal closed, a small, smoking speck growing larger and larger, tumbling wildly down towards the ground.

"By the Chancellor!" several onlookers exclaimed as they saw it was a Federation Dropship.

It slowly regained control, trailing smoke and losing altitude as it plummeted toward the makeshift camp.

"GET OUT OF THE WAY YOU IDIOTS!" yelled one of the slightly brighter onlookers, a Sergeant in his late fourties.

Survivors scrambled for cover as the dropship closed, then slammed into the ground, bouncing once or twice and cutting a deep furrow into the earth as it screeched to a halt, sparks spraying as one wing tore off. Slowly, it finally stopped, the canopy jettisonning. The lieutenant shakily undid his harness and stood up, climbing out on top of the slowly cooling and smoking dropship, pulling off his helmet, the survivors inside climbing out.

He grinned madly and flashed a thumbs up as the survivors peered out from behind cover and the crew dusted themselves off, wiping their brows.

"Citizens of the Federation!" The Lieutenant's voice rang clear over the silent sky. "Though we may have been defeated by the Empire back in our own galaxy, we have escaped them! Admiral Spirrau and many more brave men gave their lives so we could escape here, to our new home! No more will we have to suffer at their hands! We are free from the Empire, and this... this planet... is our new home. Welcome to New Terra, ladies and gentlemen."

"Welcome to the birth of a New Federation. Let's not waste any time."

He wiped his brow and slid down off the dropship, surveying the landscape...

"Welcome to freedom, men." He muttered to himself as he strode off toward the main encampment, away from the dropship, the ragtag band of ex-Ironheart crewmembers following him.

Fin.