Alternate Dune

[Inoculator9]

(OOC - Ghost, do you realize that 895,000 people is 30 legions? House Ecaz is not particularly militant, and that number is way to big)

Corrino Post:

The Emperor

[Emperor Harkonnen]

The Harkonnen forces were ominously approaching Ix. The force consisted mainly of frigates loaded with shielded close combat soldiers to aid the larger Moritani and Richese forces. But what not even the allies of the Harkonnens knew was that one of the frigates contained a stone-burner, fresh from the newly initiated Giedi Prime atomic industry. The Baron had made it absolutely clear that it was not to be used before the direct order was given by Feyd-Rautha

[Dante]

Message to House Corrino;

Reject our offer will you? You shall be CRUSHED! CRUSHED!

To Bene Gesserit delegation; [hide]

Please accept our humble hospitality during your stay here. I would throw more compliments and nicities in your direction but I realise that the Bene Gesserit can see through such flimsy tricks. Quite simply, I wish to know which side the Bene Gesserit support?

It is of course, my mission and wish to procure an alliance with you. If this is completely out of the question, which I truly wish shall not be the case as I am open to negotiation; I should wish you to remain neutral if at all possible.

Those are my initial offers, with respect,

Viscount Hundro Moritani. [/hide]

The Moritani troops spread quickly through the many caverns on Ix, slaughtering the civilians as they passed. The soldiers put up more of a resistance, but with Richesian reinforcements the forces dug in (literally) and passed though the caverns slowly, taking over one of the countless labs for producing AI.

Intercepted (unhidden) messages from the Mentats revealed a rescue force was being assembled with the Emperor's assistance... speed was of the essance as Houses Moritani and Richese fought side by side against the Ixians.

Meanwhile, in the one capture lab, Richesian scientists approached the unfinished robotic hulks, and powered up the databases...

Message to Richese;

[hide] How about using those leftover AI against the Ix? Isn't irony wonderful? We must capture it before the rescuers arrive! [/hide]

To Harkonnen;

[hide] I realise that this may seem somewhat rude, but I wish to offer a gift to you. Twelve Moritani Sandworms (the mechanical kind, described above) have been dispatched to Arrakis to aid you in the fight. The Atreides will never know what hit them.

Viscount Hundro Moritani. [/hide]

[Emperor Harkonnen]

Message to Moritani

[hide]Your gift has been accepted with great appreciation Vscount Moritani. This seems to go well. What is our next target? your archenemy ecaz?[/hide]

OCC - why do not the other sides posts as well. we haven't seen much of Atreides and ecaz lately. this is starting to become boring if we can't get more sides. even dunenewt who started the thread don't post here much anymore :'(

[Dunenewt]

Maybe I dont post because you lot are God modding

Miles away from the Factories, on the surface of Ix, The Ixian Earl pressed a button which activated the Machines. At that moment the Richese Scientist was slaughtered

[Inoculator9]

OOC - Yeah, your destroying the thread with godmodding.

[Alexander_Ordos]

(OOC: Please, quote what I god moded? >:(? Why can't we atack Ix? It was left undefended. Are we supposed to sit and watch as the whole universe slaughters our troops just because they're the "good" guys? All tech I use was mentioned in the books :-)

With the help of Harkonnen and Moritani, The Nebular, or rather all that was left from it (about 45000), had captured the palace and that meant that Ixian resistance was crushed. The Count didn't like the report though - 55000 was just too much for one planet .House Richese was never a martial House, the army of 400000 was not enough for winning the Imperial war. The Moritanian plan wasn't that efficient afterall. Even with all those facilieties captured, one thing strongly bothered Ilban - Rhombur has escaped! And his escape meant that it won't be long until the Atreides or any other enemy House will come to liberate Ix.

The situation was too dangerous. The enemy numbers were too great. Sylvanis had recently reported that The Second Nebular was ready for duty. The Count looked at the window, from which he saw the whole capital city of ( OOC:What's the Richese capital?). The people beneath were looking like swarms of ants. 65000 dead in three days! Such loses were unaffordable, not to mention the fact that Ilban loved his people. At this moment a strange thought struck Ilban - for what were they fighting? With the Emperor's withdrawal, House Richese didn't have a cause to fight. With the capture of Ix, House Richese could even be outvoted from the Landsraad, that wasn't gone at all! The Count looked at the purple Richesian dusk and finally made his decision. He went to the worktable, activated the holotrasnmitter and contacted Sylvanis. It was time for another millitary meeting...

B'jork was standing on the highest guard tower of the water factory. A peacefull dessert was all he could see around. With a proper supply of water, his troops were looking fresh and ready for battle. With five regiments sent to him, these were all remaining Richesian forces on Arrakis, the water factory was turned into a stronghold. The tactic was obviuos - The Atreides won't bombrad the only local water supply on Arrakis. With a strong anti-air defence, the 'thopters won't come close and with worms crawling around a direct ground atack was impossible aswell. The defence was more than perfect. But there was something else that troubled B'jork - the recently arrived regiments have braugh a message from Marino. It said that the promised reinforcements from Richese, won't arrive and that The Count has ordered to stop aggresive actions. "It's going to be a long leisure", thought B'jork...

The 4th regiment was now located at the water factory...

[Inoculator9]

(OOC - The god modding is these huge numbers. 895,000 ; 400,000 ??? My entire Mentat force was 50,000 troops. In the books, House Atreides, one of the larger great houses, possessed about 2 legions, give or take 10,000. These numbers are all inaccurate. And, according to the starter of this thread, your scientists were just killed along with the activation of a huge amount of robots, so Ix shouldn't have been so easily taken over)

[Alexander_Ordos]

( OOC:The robots were activated AFTER we captured IX :-, yes I agree that 895000 is too much, but I also posted, that Richese had about a half of their population recruited, well anyway it's so - Harkonnen will nuke Ix and I will withdraw all my forces...)

[Emperor Harkonnen]

OCC - why would your forces be withdrawn. The stoneburner was not sure to be used. and especially not when they had captured the planet. and also the richese didn't know about it either until the harkonnens told them, which they did not. and also I don't think htat 900.000 troops are too much. but I do think that the great houses such as Atreides and Harkonnen should have several hundred thousand troops. Hitler had millions of soldiers. anyway here is another harkonnen story:

Together the Baron and Piter had planned the most devious scheme. A heighliner was due to Giedi Prime from Caladan with reinforcements to the war on Arrakis. The Great Convention forbids war inside a hieghliner, but still rules are meant to be broken. This resulted in the Harkonnens also paying for a frigate to be transported to Arrakis. And the soldiers on board had their special orders.

On route to the next planet, the Harkonnen soldiers went on board a smaller vessel inside their frigate, arming their weapons before heading towards the Atreides frigates. The soldiers were armed with remote-ignited explosives, rocket-launchers and maula pistols. All Atreides forces were inside their frigates. A total of 10 Atreides Military frigates were located inside the enormous heighliner. The stealthy vessel (not the no-ship) managed to reach the frigates undetected. There were only 7 small Harkonnen vessels, so that meant that some of them had to take out more than one frigate. Each vessel contained approximately 10 soldiers, sappers and fighters.

The first vessel had connected itself to one of the frigates, and all the soldiers entered the frigate, meeting no resistance but unarmed technicians they were soon at the engine room. The Atreides did not anticipate such an attack, therefore there was little or no men guarding the vital engine. The first explosive was placed, and the Harkonnens returned to their vessel. They waited to set off the bomb until the other charges were placed. By now the Atreides soldiers on board the frigate had probably figured out that there had been someone inside their ship. The two next raids were also successful. Luckily the Atreides did not possess smaller space vessels in their current arsenal. The Harkonnen ones were specially made for this, and such vessels had never been commonly used due to the Great Convention. But now they proved valuable. The Atreides had no chance to persuade them with ornithopters in space. That would be suicide. Neither did were the frigates armed, everything went perfect. The fourth squad was commencing its attack. Suddenly the squad was attacked by large Atreides forces.

[Dunenewt]

The Moritani/Harkonnen/Richese forces were having it easy...until masses of Robots loyal to Ix burst through their ranks. Machine losses were heavy but theyt were beginning to get the upper hand.

Whilst the Harkonnen led forces were pre-occupied with the Robots, the Ixians launched Satillites which would defend their planet from Space attacks. Now the evil invaders would pay and they would never see the light of day again. Suboids and Robots fought side-by-side for the glory of Ix.

[Alexander_Ordos]

Count's workroom was filled with millitary personell again. Everyone pointed their attention to the holoscreen, as the Count spoke up:

- This Imperial plot is much more twisted than we suspected, generals, said Ilban placing his gaze on Sylvanis and the other generals standing beside him. The Emperor now supports the ATreides instead, he aquises the Harkonnen and threatens their allies, as you can see, the Emperor states himself as a enforser of law and peace. He also states our occupation of Ix as "unfair" and illegal action. His Majesty promised to send his Sardaukar to aid House Vernius...

- So The Emperor realises that he has made a big mistake, while trying to dispose of the Atreides. As he stood at the brink of war with the whole Imperium, he ran from the Harkonnen cause like a rat running from the sinking ship. The Corrino assures himself that if he helps the Atreides and their allies to defeat us, they will let him keep the Lion throne and call him The Just Emperor again, - sugested Sylvanis, seeking approval of the Count.

- Point well taken Lord Sylvanis. The Emperor IS affraid. But I'm really not sure if the Alliance will "excuse" the Emperor. We still remember the last Landsraad meeting. It stated directly, that the reign of House Corrino must end. So it's obviuos that rather playing a single or a double game, the Emperor will loose. - nodded Count Ilban.

- But even so, my lord, -exclaimed Sylvanis, we're fighting two enemies or rather the whole Empire! - as these words flew throught the meeting room, the Lords became restless. "We're doomed !", someone screamed...

In fact,the Count didn't expect such reaction of his millitary command, but it was the perfect time for purposals...

- Silence Richesian lords! - said Ilban with iron voice, House Richese can still benefit! - silence stood in the room, The Ix is ours!, House Harkonnen and House Moritani are still our allies. We haven't broken the Convention! YET, we can not continue millitary actions. I say we withdraw our troops from Ix, leave it to the Harkonnens. Meanwhile we'll send a delegation to the Landsraad and see what diplomatical approach could be taken to the current situation. I, as you all, don't want to fight the Sardaukar or the Alliance - With House Corrinos against us, that'd be too risky...

A murmurr of approval could be heard in the meeting room...

The battle for Ix became real hell, The Coalition troops were still tired and almost celebrating the victory, when swarms of battlemechs charged them. The machines were unshielded so the lasguns kept them back for a moment, but there were just too many of them. Richesian style organised retreat, soon turned into chaotic getaway, as throngs of suboids joined the battle. It was impossible to fight them in small Ixian caverns. All the gloriuos Coalition forces were running towards the frigates for salvation.

Commander Orton was standing on command bridge of one of the capital ships "Brilliance" He was awaiting further orders from the Count, but the holochannel was sending him quite other reports. Orton couldn't unpuzzle the image, but as the signal became clearer, he realised that all of his troops together with the Coalitional forces, were actualy "retreating". As the signal became even clearer, Gen. Orton could hear sounds like "We're outnumbered...they're everywhere....these are thinking machines..". The general didn't think long until he contacted the frigates located on the Ixian surface and ordered them to execute imediate evacuation. When Orton raised his head from the holotransmitter, he spoted rocketlike thing rising from the planet. He didn't know what it was, but he decided to analyse them AFTER they're hit. All 'thopter squadrons were sent from both capital ships to wipe them out. Richesian air force was strong, so the drones were succesfuly "removed" from the orbit. Leutenant approached Orton:

- Sir, our ground froces have been succesfully evacuated. We fetched all Coalitional forces aswell. All the ground forces are removed from the planet.

- Good timing, I want to see the ground commander imediatly! -said Orton in rather a gentle tone. Genereal was trying to hold his panic. In less then a minute, the ground forces commander entered the room or was rather carried into it. Medical skills were not neccesary to see, that the commander was badly wounded. There was no time for mercy, Gen. Orton required fresh information:

- Report commander!

- There were thinking machines....whole swarms of them...we didn't stay a chance, said the ground commander choking from his own blood. Then he died.

- Thinking machines...Jesus! destroy the planet! - said Orton almost screaming.

- Sir?, the leutenant was confused.

- Destroy the damn planet! Use all the stoneburners we have!

- But..., -The leutenant looked with fear at the general.

- Anything is acceptable, but this violation of Great Convention is too much...

The leutenant suddenly remebered about the Butlerian Jihad and noded in approval. All the seriuos events flashed through the time streams. The first Ixians, Tio Holtzman, The Tleilaxu invasion. The last flash was the reawakening of the thinkig machines. The guardian of Ix screamed in agony, as the stoneburners landed on the planetary surface and in an instant, the great planet of Ix was no more...

Holorecords of A.I's used on Ix were imediatly sent to the Landsraad...

(OOC: I'm sorry Dunenewt)

[Emperor Harkonnen]

OCC - First of all you said leave it to the harkonnens. that would have been impossible cuz the harkonnens did not send many troops to asist on ix, so the harkonnens wouldn't stand a chance.

Second why would the thinking machines be that good? if the humans had such technology they would surely find some way to use them without having to use AI to make them work.

And third destroying Ix get's a little out of hand. The harkonnen stone burner was only meant to harm large areas of the planet not to destroy the whole thing. therefore I don't think richese should do that either, but to late now :)

(why did I bring in, no-ship, atomics and thinking machines in the first place :-X )

[Dunenewt]

OOC - Now to save this thread.

The Ixians laughted as they saw the nearby planet X blow up. The Coalition forces had found their AI manufacturing plant, although how they went to X instead of Ix was a mystery...

[Emperor Harkonnen]

all harkonnen forces retreated to Giedi Prime, confident of success. Feyd was angry that he did not get time to use the stone burner before the richese did.

occ - dunenewt please ask the other people here, playing Atreides, Ecaz and other important parts to write more. or replace them

[Alexander_Ordos]

(OOC: Yep, I'll be waiting for others to post aswell :-)

[exatreide]

OOC - Now to save this thread.

The Ixians laughted as they saw the nearby planet X blow up. The Coalition forces had found their AI manufacturing plant, although how they went to X instead of Ix was a mystery...

unless i read it wrong. thats god modding....

[Dunenewt]

Well you did read it wrong as you obvously havent read the whole thing ::) . Read the whole thing before you make judgements as me and Alexander have already discussed this and maybe if you payed a little more attention to this thread we would be getting somewhere. Are you going to come up something helpful and continue this thread or are you going to not bother and be replaced by someone who gives a damn and will be helpful.

[exatreide]

No one ever mentioned X you made it up. Thats as bad as what i did to Setera back in the first KYA Setera war....

But like i said i may have mis read. I did read the hole thing, mostly skimmed it but it all said IX. not X....

You will not question the wisdom of this goverment. or your posts will be terminated by home land security and this thread locked.......

(That was me going Iron fisted incase you didnt notice, If its not god modding tell me whare they said X and not IX and i will apoligze. :))

[Vanguard3000]

It doesn't say there is no planet X...

[exatreide]

::)

[Alexander_Ordos]

(OOC: Even though my story was true and logical, it's a bit unfair to kick Dunenewt out of the game :-. In fact if we all start using atomics, this thread will soon turn into god-mode spam >:(, so the best way to fix the course, was Dunenwt's version ;))

[Dunenewt]

Thank you Alexander :)

Now where were we

[Dante]

*Mutters* I go away for a day or two and what do you lot do? Honestly...

Viscount Moritani was pleased. Not ecstatic, but pleased. Unknown to anyone other than Moritani and her allies (HINT, do not read if you aren't my ally!), [hide] planet X was not completely destroyed. Moritani troops lived in the old palaces and laboratories deep underground, while the surface of the planet was slowly eaten away. The AI controls had been located... and not destroyed. The Ixians had used them... so too would Moritani. It was justice. Richesian and Harkonnen troops had had time to escape. Not true of Moritani. And now the planet was theirs, even if it was a hollow shell. And of course with the technical equipment available... Richese? Are you interested? [/hide]

Meanwhile, the few Moritani troops that had escaped the crumbling X did NOT return to Grumman.

Message to allies,

[hide] Well? With X gone we can attack Ix! Or, if the Emperor is threatening you too much and you haven't the guts to stand up to him, I say we move on Junction. The Guild is currently leaderless. I suggest we take over. With their planet in our hands we hold their most senior Steersmen and spice stockpiles, they will obey us. Perhaps a council of the three allies should govern the Guild from now on? And then, we could threaten Kaitan herself... [/hide]

The Viscount grinned. "Am I a genius or what?" He asked the empty air.

[Emperor Harkonnen]

occ - only the evil houses should be allowed to use atomics ;D

message to moritani:

[hide] We need our troops on Arrakis, and to stop the slave rebellion on Giedi Prime. If we stop this rebellion we might reinforce your troops later in your attack, however I can provide you with advanced weaponry. Interested?[/hide]