Magic vs. technology

[Edric O]

Yeah, I used to be promoting peace, but now it seems that I will lead the armies of Mankind against the evil Elvish forces of Menelmacar. No one patronizes Mankind and gets away with it while I'm around!

Well, anyway, this is going off-topic...

[Anathema]

Whole fleets were destroyed and entire defensive networks were blown into oblivion as the 1st Imperial Fleet moved through Arcan space. Already they had rid several colony systems of the pesky Arcanian ships, and Draenox had signaled high command that the ground invasion of the colony worlds may begin.

Imperator Draenox, meanwhile, sat in his readroom examining the starcharts.

Soon, he thought, we will take the Gaia Beta system, and then nothing can stop our advancement to the capitol world.

[Usul]

I will join with the Arcans as Master Wizard Sorrel (less I'm unimaganative I know).

On the planet Wicca Prime ( ::) ;D) an attack is almost ready.

"Are the forces ready" said MW Sorrel.

"Yes sir we are teleporting now" replied an aide.

"Good, once we attack these colonies here and here the 1st fleet will lose its supply route. Then it will either turn back or continue without resupply and then we shall have them".

"Yes sir. The teleportation is now complete our forces are moving in to destroy communications, supplies and troops".

[Anathema]

.Imperator Draenox was plotting his campaign against the Arcans, when a communication came through to his ready room.

"Sir, we have just received word that the Arcans are attacking our supply stations on our border colonies. The stations are undermanned and will fall shortly."

The idiots, Marcus thought. They had ensured that the supply depots were totally safe and sufficiently guarded. He pressed a button on his desk computer, and send a message.

"Have all my advisors meet me in the meeting room immediately!"

In only 3 minutes time the advisors had gathered in the meeting room.

"You should all have heard now of the attack on our supply depots. The senate has informed me that they cannot provide food and water supplies, or weapons, for the next 2 weeks- they hadn't prepared for such an incident. How long can we last with the current supplies?"

"We have sufficient rations for another week."

"We have enough torpedoes with our current supplies to last the current campaign."

Draenox thought. This campaign would at least require another 2 weeks. He could limit rations, but he'd risk muiteny.

"Very well, this is the plan. Two thirds of the fleet will return and take a quarter of the supplies, wich should be enough for the journey back home. The third that remains here will continue the campaign and will have enough rations for the next two weeks, and then the supplies will arrive. If necessary the rest of the 1st fleet will then join us again."

"Sir, don't you think that we would be most vulnerable with only a third of the fleet?"

"We'll have to make due. I am not calling of this attack and make a mockery of myself in front of the senate. We will finish this campaign, and we shall win!" he slammed his fist on the table, and the room fell silent.

"Dismissed." and the advisors left.

[Dante]

Slowed down by the carnage, the Fleet were quickly caught up with by the Locusian ship.

The assassin had been preparing for days. Meditation, prayer, exercise, everything anyone had every reccommended to be ready for something. She had found that the martial arts had worked best. She watched with glee as a third of the fleet was left behind.

"Wwhath SHalL we brOADCaassth?" The Water Elemental echoed eerily from her console.

"Repair status, do not communicate." The assassin replyed, "We are disguised as one of their scouts, that should be enough."

"Are you *Kt-zzzzzing* ready for the *zzzzzing-crack!* spell?" The Ice Elemental cracked and sharpened as he spoke.

"Ready. Is the floor ready?"

"zzzzz- Yessss..."

The assassin stepped into the circle of candles. It wasn't really nececary for her, but she liked tradition. She hummed. The hum caused the ship to vibrate. The Ice Elemental rang like a crystal glass, the Water Elemental rippled. The assassin smiled as the spell swirled around her brain and then hung in the cabin like a red mist. Which vanished. The assassin sighed.

"It is done." She said, and blew out a candle.

"Iszzzz-t that *kzzz* all?" The Ice Element asked.

"Yes. That spell was prepared and powerful enough for the entire fleet. A third was be no problem. Every one of them has been hypnotised into believing that their crewmates are Arcans. They will see, hear, and feel attacks, and thus will defend themselves."

"KillllLLINggggg EEEaaaAAch otherr-r-rR?" The Water Elemental asked.

"Yes."

[Lord J]

Hearing of the difficulty of the 1th fleet's foray into the fiendish foulness of Arcan space, Enriov Kultas beamsa subspace message carrier to the Fleet's Commander.

"Greetings, I hear you are running into some problems with the Anti-Arcan campaign."

Kultas clears his throat and slides up in his chair, "Perhaps we can work out a deal..."

Kultas suggests a plan that would lead one of the two thirds recalled back to fleet home to SpaceBase 22, where that particular fracton of the fleet will recieve hospitable repair work and re-supply in exchange for added protection against the Arcan threat.

"I'm sure you understand our standpoint, and will act on the Promethan SpaceFleet tradition of back-scratching." he sighs, then nods his head, "Either way, I thak you for your attention, Enriov Kultas out."

Leaning back in his seat, Kultas closes his eyes and clears his throat.

"Very good, Enriov. The peices are coming together." says a voice from the back of the room.

Meanwhile, at the blue nebula, Enarrain Fosley of the Arial passes through and immediatly loses communications contact with SpaceBase 22.

What starts with panicked calls back to the Base, ends with the realization that ships passing through this nebula lose all communication abilities and become invisible to the outside world.

Ordering another, smaller vessal back through, to contact the SpaceBase, the Arial watches the other ship slip through the clouds and slip back through a while later with report.

"What are our orders?" asks Enarrain Fosley of the other ship's captain.

"We are to remain here and keep lookout while they send a construction ship to build defenses."

Fosley grins as he replies, "Good. I don't think the Arcans know about this yet. Get moving!"

[Andrew]

Makala could sense through his spy eyes that a small ship has just left a blue nebula. Eithor the ship was a scout ship or it relaying messages from inside the nebula. He knew that no messages could be sent from inside the nebula to the outside without a messenger.

Immediatly Makala sent a horde of Hatchling Wyverns with trolls riding them towards the nebula. He had been building this army up for the past month and has recently started producing an army of Grandsire Wyverns with Tsurani Spellweavers on their backs. Also wanting to build a transport full of scorpions and spiders.

In charge was a Witch Hag riding a Grandsire Wyvern that had only about 30 years experience. Not knowing what could be in the Nebula, this is but a small army(?) with the weakest of all Wyvern's. It would at least test whatever is in the nebula. and if successful, maybe send more in.

Makala also sent word about his findings and what he was doing to the other grand Arcans

Once Makala is done with the work at present, he will be working on a major strike force full of Black Slayers.

Then Makala plans on spending lots of time researching how to build a multitude of Bulldrake Wyverns and increasing his own power.

In the meantime, Makala's Six wise wizards were trying to perfect Wind Elementals and Dreads, but were having difficulty in making them appear for more than a day.

OT - for pics and info about my units visit this webpage

http://www.hi.is/~eybjorn/krondor/badguys.html

(i beleive that wyverns are bigger than in pic though)

[GhostHunter]

"I thak tu hiki gonder if yak, thall shall move with the force of my arms." Zalak threw his arms up into the air and the ground began to shake as rock flew out of the ground into the air followerd by very large trees. Swishing his arms around they floated in mid air easily to his command, sighing he waved them off and they fell to the green, foresty earth with a giant THUD.

"The time for me to show myself is here, I will do the best that I can to save my world."

And with that he began walking into the tall, dark forest where he moved throughout the muddy ground through and throughout trees and bushes until he came upon a grassy and foggy swamp. Muttering a few words puddles began to ripple upon the surface until the water burst up into the air and a small ship came up.

The door instantly flew open and the wizard crouched in the silver cockpit and grabbing onto the control panel he pushed some buttons which made it lurch into a nearby tree with a crackeling sound.

Dam, that wasn't supposed to happen, argh let me try this again and with that he pressed more buttons making the ship reverse into another tree behind him. God I hate technology.. and with that he grasped onto the controls and the ship flew out of the forest and headed towards space.

"Now you shall feel my wraith."

[Anathema]

"Sir, we're getting reports from all ships that the crew has gone insane, and that they are attacking eachother!"

"We're getting the same reports on our ship! Our own people are attacking eachother!"

Draenox was shocked. What had come over everybody? This must be some hallucinative spell, cast by the Arcans...

He was just able to dodge a fist from one of the bridge officers. Had he gone mad? Draenox punched him in the face...he saw that all members of the bridge now resembled Arcans...witchcraft! The other officers looked at eachother, and from the looks on their faces they had reached the same conclusion.

"Vent tranqualising gas on all decks. Open a chanel to the rest of the fleet.

This is Imperator Draenox, leader of the 1st fleet. Our own officers are in a state of frenzy on all ships, and I suspect Arcan trickery. All ship captains are hereby ordered to vent tranquilising gas on each deck of their ship to prevent further casualties. Draenox out."

He began to think. Even their magic should be limited by range, he thought.

"Are there any Arcan ships in the vicinity?"

"No sir, all Arcan ships in this system were destroyed?"

Perhaps they were aboard one of their ships...no, they would have been detected. Maybe they disguised one of their ships...

"Execute a level 5 scan of all ships in the fleet immediately."

The science officer did so, and his face showed his surprise.

"Sir, one of our scout ships resembles Arcan warp core configuration! I don't think it's really our ship!"

"Lock torpedoes and fire at that vessel!"

A volley of plasma torpedoes was fired from the flagship and impacted the scout vessel. It exploded in a huge ball of fire.

Draenox noticed that the other bridge members started to look like Promethas again...the spell was over.

"All medical personel that isn't unconcious, I think you have work to do. On all decks, I'm afraid."

[Lord J]

(OOC: Thanks for your noticing me, Andrew, now let's ake this an interesting storyline :) )

"Ok, I want you to spread out over there," says Fosley, speaking to his fellow ship captains, "We must be ready in case anything comes through from the Arcan side."

"Aye, sir!" comes the collective reply.

A few moments later, one of the smaller crafts, with cloaking device, leaves the nebula to scan for Arcan presence on the other side.

"Sir!" exclaims the young science officer, "there appears to be a small Arcan attack force headed this way!"

"Dang! they must have detected the scout ship on the other side!"

"Initiating scan..." says the science officer, "I count twenty wyverns and full troll crews on the vessals! More than a match for us!"

"Indeed, we ust go back through and warn Enarrain Fosley immediatly, full thrust!"

Some time later, Fosley commands his crews to ready battlestations, they must protect the nebula from Arcan attack at all costs.

Fifteen low quality and under-manned ships against twenty Wyvern Hatchlings...

[Andrew]

(OOC - I forget what OOC stands for)

The Witch Hag, Hagre, was determined to show victory for Makala and get a promotion. The trip to the blue nebula had little action until she spotted a small scout ship leaving the nebula and going back in at a fast speed. Hagre thought the ship might have detected them and go back into the nebula hoping not to be seen. Hagre decided to go in and exterminate that ship. Then she got an idea. she would cast a spell on half the trolls(on their wyverns) to look like Promethas ships. while she and the other half would come in at another part of the nebula and attack whatever was in their. Probably just a lot of scout ships Hagre thought. The trolls that looked like Promethas ships would go find the enemy, pretend to be them and when Hagre attacked the Promethas would be surprised at their own ships firing upon them. Hagre chuckled to herself, but then frowned hoping that the trolls would not be detected by the Promethas. But what could a few scout ships do to them? Hagre would crush them with ease. And with giving the final orders she did her part in this attack.

The 2 divisions of Arcans went their ways into the blue nebula, not knowing what lies inside.

* New

The Trolls that looked like Promethas ships, searched the nebula for Promethas ships. They spotted a scout ship heading towards them. The trolls declined destroying this mere ship hoping to find more and to wait for Hagre. The scout ship asked a few questions and the trolls replied with answers that seemed to please the scout ship a bit too much. The scout ship lead them towards a much larger fleet of ships, too many for the disguised trolls to handle, but it would be capable with the help of Hagre and the surprise. THe lead troll noticed that most of the Fleets ships were pointing towards them. this did not look good for them, but if Hagre got there in time this mission might not fail.

Hagre had entered the nebula but found no sign of the trolls or Promethas ships. Hagre ordered the Trolls to do a search pattern for anyone in the nebula.

[Dante]

The wreckage floated in the vacum of space. Red blood drifted like ribbons around the rapidly dissloving ship. Globules of water floated in tiny spheres. Two of them impacted to form a larger one. A third flew into them. Slowly, a shape was formed. A large, man-sized sphere of water. It rippled for a moment, and then glowed. With a flash of light, it was gone.

***

The crewman wiped the sweat from his forehead as he reached for the glass. He had just been released from sick bay, where all the injured, hypnotised crewmen had been sent to. He drank deeply, and then refilled the glass. He stopped. Paused, and twitched his head, as though to hear something better. He shivered for a second and dropped the glass. It smashed into glittering pieces as the crewman ran from the water cooler and back to his station.

The Water Elemental felt pleased as it read the man's brain. The assassin was dead, the Ice Elemental rebuilding in the unpressuried and open cargo hold of the ship. She remained, and she had a plan.

[Lord J]

(OOC: OOC means Out Of Context, or Character, depending on who you learned the meanings from ;) )

The acting captain of the scout ship reports to Enarrain Fosley.

"Sir, the captain I spoke to seems to think he has a right to be here, something about orders to fortify the area."

"I see," says Fosley, "But you believe this is a lie?"

"Not exactly. Thier answers just seem a little...pat, if you know what I'm saying."

"I know indeed." Fosley then nods, and says, "Ok, I've got a bad feeling about this too. Let's keep our distance for now, as we have no right to fire on Promethan ships."

"Aye sir."

A few moments later, Enarrain Fosley contacts the lead ship.

"Hey! Hows it going, James?" he asks of the person on the viewscreen.

The picture seems to shiver a little, as if the communications is in a state of flux, causing a grin to cross Fosley's face as the impersonator answers, "Ehh...Yes! How good it is to see you...uhh...Enarrain."

Knowing full well he had never seen anyone like this in his life, Fosley coughs, covering a nervous chuckle, and continues, "Well, we have the area here full covered. I'm sure you are glad to help, but I doubt we'll be seeing any problems for some time."

The impersonating troll nods with the conversation, know that's what a person is supposed to do. Fosleys continues, "So, if you would, go ahead and return to SpaceBase 22, I'm sure they'll be happy to see you. Enarrain out."

The troll stands back from his viewscreen in question. Trolls are interesting creatures, mighty in melee fighting, and good at following orders. But trolls are not very bright, a fact known by most races in the universe.

After thinking for a moment, he orders the screen back up and recieves Fosley's image.

"Yes? May I help you?"

The impersonator glances down, then back up, maintain eye contact, "Umm...Yes, we cannot leave."

"You cannot leave?"

The man looks momentarily stumped, then says, "No."

Fosley's grin drops from his face, going into his best mode of acting, he says, "Are you certain? Your engines seem to be working well..." Fosleys looks away, then back, as if checking his sensor readings, "James, I know you've had some trouble following orders before, but you must leave the system."

"I...Cannot."

"I see..." says Fosley, stalling briefly while he sends a coded message to all other ships, "In that case, "James", you are commiting an act of insubordination. Which in wartime is the same as treason."

Fosley stands to his full height, forcing his face into a stony expression he does not feel, having forced his quarry into a corner. "Which carries the penalty of death."

The signal seems to waver again as the impersonator assimilates the message. "But--!"

"Close the channel," orders Fosley, as the viewscreen blinks, he says, "Raise shields and weapons, prepare to fire."

If I'm wrong, this could be bad. But if I am correct..., visions of promotion and honor dance in Fosley's head.

"Fire!"

The IPV Toggle, a construction ship, enters the nebula at just this time with a small compliment of space fighters and frigates.

"What the--?!" says the captain of the Toggle as the fight begins. Seeing the first blast of energy from the Arial disrupt the Arcan ship's cloak, however, changes his tune considerably.

The captain of the lead fighter ship beams a message to the Arial, asking if assistance was required.

"No, I think we've got these guys covered," says Fosley through a barrage of fire, "Your job is to protect the construction ship and building projects."

"Aye sir."

[Andrew]

The trolls were under fire and lost the element of surprise. The casualties were high at the first of the fight, but they fought back fiercly and had one advantage; They looked like the enemy. About half the trolls were destroyed when the lead troll decided to lead the rest right next to the enemies ships and disperse. The trolls attacked firing fire from the wyverns and other magic weapons from the trolls staffs(which looks like promethas weapons to the promethas, and in the confusion the Promethas hesitated to fire upon them because they wanted to be sure they weren't firing on friendlies. The trolls only managed to destroy 1 promethas ship and severly damage another before the enemy figured out who was who. Seeing that he had lost the battle, the lead troll began to retreat anywhere's away from the battle. Before the troll could get far, the Flagship for the Promthes fleet fired a missle(or laser, whatever it is they fire) and destoyed him.

The trolls lost the battle, but weakened the fleet, causing fatigue and loss of some resources.

Hagre could sense weapon fire nearby. Knowing She lost the element of surprise, she was not sure what to do. She had to join the battle, because she would not be welcome back on Makalas island without victory. She knew that if she didnt return, Makala would know something would be wrong and thus didnt need to send someone back to tell Makala of her incompetence. At once she ordered the trolls to go where the battle was. Before Hagre died she would show the dirty Promethas what she was made of.

[Dante]

The man ran into engineering, weapons blazing. He felled the guards at once and then set upon the workers and scientists. The Head engineer went down. Systematically the man destroyed the consoles one by one, and then started to fire on the ship's core.

Flowing around the man's bloodstream and intimately insinuated into his body tissues already, the Water Elemental felt pleased. Soon her job would be done and Draenox's ship itself would be blown to smithereens. An alarm sounded overhead, relaying the disaster all over the ship. The Elemental squeezed the man's brain, controlling his actions. She forced him to hit the button that sealed the massive doors of the core room. The huge, metal plates slid shut with an echoing clang. The Elemental resumed her methodical destruction.

[Lord J]

The final blast sent the dying wyvern revolving end-over-end before it finally exploded in a firey flash.

"Well, that's over." says Fosley to his compatriots.

"If I know anything about Arcans, that's anything but true..." replies a bridge officer, earning him a stern look from the Enarrain.

However, the communications console bleeped before anything was said, put on speakers, the construction ship reported, "Energy Turret Array Alpha construction complete. Now initiating Beta construction."

"Good. Then," says Fosley, glaring at the bridge officer, "If your premonitions are correct, that is an extra point of defense."

The bridge officer looks chastened, and keeps his mouth shut.

[Andrew]

Hagre was getting closer the the Promethas. As she got closer she could see that they were already building defenses, and such and she was outnumbered. This difficult situation called for radical measures. Hagre put the best Troll in charge as she was about to sacrifice herself, to make the other trolls better. She summoned all her powers, chanted some words, and slowly the wyverns seemed to get more energy and more fierce looking. Also a think black mist, enveloped all of the trolls, and there surroundings until nothing could be seen. The trolls got into formation and headed towards the Promethas. The mist took form of a Wyvern that spanned about 5 kilometers across space. From the Promethas point of view it would look like a giant black Wyvern was headed there way with a fierce look. This trickery would surely endow fear in all Promethas. Hagre dissapeared into the black mist.

[Lord J]

(OOC: Why not cast a good, old-fasioned spell of fear on the ships while you're at it? ;) I'll let you write the battle, consider it fair turnabout :) )

The central science vessal, cloaked and sent to the edge of Promethan territory within the nebula, sends a communique to Enarrain Fosley aboard the Arial, and starts heading back to the fleet's location.

"Sir, it's the science vessal Tiern, with news of a gigantic Wyvern headed our way!" says the communications officer aboard the Arial.

Fosley turns slowly to the communications officer and drawls, "Gigantic, huh?"

"Sir!" interrupts the science officer, "If you'll just look onscreen--!"

Fosley whips his head around to see a huge, black, beautifully deadly Wyvern Lord heading direct thier way.

"Oh, crap."

The comm console beeps, and the communications officer says, "Sir, it's the Toggle, they're reporting thier work on the Energy Turret Array Beta complete, and they are preparing to begin construction on Gamma. In the mean-time, they want to know what we are going to do about the Wyvern. Sir."

"We'll put our heads between our knees and--" begins a bridge officer.

Giving the officer a look that promised death and dismemberment, Fosly yells, "Shut up! Tell the Toggle to continue work on project Gamma. Get on the horn to the lead fighter ship and tell him to prepare battle-stations."

"Aye, sir."

[Dante]

The entire ship shook as the core ruptured. It was now only a matter of time...

I only wrote that in the hope that people won't forget this thread...And will reply to it.

[Anathema]

"Sir, core breach imminent!" an officer yelled.

"What? Shut it down!"

"Engineering reports they can't stop it. We have to eject the core now!"

"Eject the damn thing!"

A large pod ejected from the upper side of the huge flagship, the Apollo, and then exploded in a big, yellow fireball. The upper side of the ship almost completely shattered.

Draenox attempted to grab to his chair for safety, of no avail. He was thrown to the other side of the bridge by the tremendous quake, and consoles blew up all around him. When the quake had stopped, he stould up again, and noticed smoke coming from almost all consoles on the bridge.

"Damage report."

"Deck 12 is half gone...extensive damage to deck 11....warp engines destroyed."

"Damn...well, we're lucky to still be alive. Any chance we'll be able to repair the damage?"

"No sir, it's to extensive. The ship will have to be towed back to a shipyard."

"Damn again. In that case I declare the Goliath to be our temporary flagship- inform the captain of the Goliath."

Draenox resented the thought of having to send back the Apollo, wich had been his flagship for years. But this incident would not stop him. The fleet was drawing closer to the capitol system every day...

[Dante]

The Water Elemental drifted. She could not be hurt, she had no nerves. She floated as molecules, seperate. Bound only by weak, magic bonds. That threatened to break any minute. She began to pull herself together.

The Ice Elemental felt the jarring of the ship as the core was ejected, although he didn't know what it was. Being at the bottom of the ship, he was safe enough. But there was a high chance that the ship would be evacuated now, and he'd be no use then. He sat in zero gravity, and concentrated. His mind spread, watching the entire crew. He passed over them all, searching. At last, he found Draenox. Slowly, subtly, he entered the man's mind. At was immediately forced out. With a mental blow like a punch, the Ice Elemental reeled back, ricosheting of the wall with a loud clang. He hadn't been careful enough... and now he was discovered. Still, they couldn't get to him without landing the ship. He slipped through the hole he had torn in the Hull's outer plating, and started the long crawl towards the bridge. On the outside.

Back in Locus, another ship sets out. This one is larger than the first, and can teleport a maximum of four times before running out of life support systems. Unlike it's predecessor, this ship is disguised as a comet, not another ship. It carries two humans, a summoned Magma Demon, and a summoned Dust Demon. This ship uses it's first teleport to arrive just out of range of the fleet's scanners, and then moves in.

Time until next ship is built: eight posts.

[Mad Rhetoric]

Ugggh...I'm starting over!Promethas

-----------------------------------

Captain Rend was yelling out orders to his crew."Engage hyper-drive!Bring all probes back in!"There were Promethan people stuck in that nebula,and he had to go help them.

[Dante]

Ok... Must try to keep this thread alive...

Weakened, drifting, the Water Elemental didn't have the power to move, not enough energy to teleport. She slowly let gravity pull her together...

The Ice Elemental made his way along the hull of the stricken ship. He stopped just behind the bridge, and searched. It took him six minutes to locate a slight bump in the surface, which he latched onto with his claws, digging a hole into the outer plating but carefully leaving the inner cushioning and plating intact. There he waited...

This spell has not been days in the making, nor even hours. But powered by the Magma Demon, it can be done. In the ship disguised as a comet, a force arises...

"What are you going to do?" Asked the pilot, fiddling with the delicate controls.

"It's a simple mind-altering spell." Grinned the caster. "Not like the last one, that was designed to attack the entire crew of a ship."

"And this one is different in that..."

"It is only powerful enough to affect a few select people; in this case, everyone on the bridge."

"What will it do?"

"You should know that already. It will make them read their instruments wrongly, and make them believe that the ship is about to self-destruct. They will evacuate in the escape pods, and on the captain's pod is a little surprise..."

"And if it doesn't work?"

"It will. But just in case, our plan B is already in position... Casting.....Now."