The Evon Experience
by Alex Poff

Chapter 3 To Seek Out New Life…

With all things military in good order the High Council decided it was as good a time as any to explore more of the galaxy. Through our various and multiple Intelligence Agreements with our allies, we were able to determine that most of the galaxy was already colonized. Yes, there were many races that we had not even met and it was certain that many would be hostile but it was also evident that there were systems in far off reaches that had not even been explored yet.

It was determined that a single Battle Cruiser Colony ship escorted by a Superdreadnought TF would make its way to one of these areas of space. The trip would be long and arduous requiring “off road” travel, without the assistance of established star lanes, but the potential benefit could be enormous. A second pocket of our Empire could be established further enhancing our power and economic base. The portion of the galaxy which was chosen was in the extreme south and middle requiring initial travel through our Eolodi allies’ space and then on through uncharted territory via “off road” travel. Volunteers were requested for the mission and it was with no trouble at all that the adventure began. The initial stage of the mission through Eolodi space was uneventful but it was while our ships were making the long trek “off road” that some disturbing developments happened back home in the Tuscanni and Tapau systems.

The Tralaifa were obviously distraught over the loss of the Tapau system and regularly pleaded for its return. They offered little in the way of enticement, however. The High Council, upon recommendation from Labon and Lebak, would only agree to its reintegration into the Tralaifan Empire if sufficient payment was given in the form of multiple advanced weapons technologies. All our counter-offers were declined however and so it was decided that the system would remain in our hands. “To hell with them” smirked Lebak. “If they aren’t willing to pay proper tribute then they can rot, as far as we are concerned.” Labon felt extremely confident in his military ability to hold the planet as well. By this time Mobilization Centers had been established in both the Tapau and Tuscanni systems allowing for immediate and local deployment of reinforcements if required. Additionally, Lebon now held over six hundred ships in reserve with over two hundred of them being our newest 4th generatio n attack ships, both IF and CF. We were extremely confident in our ability to defend both systems.

It was then that multiple incursions began to happen by different and new civilizations. In the Tapau system a fleet of one hundred and eighty warships that we had never seen before engaged our forces. This new civilization was obviously made up of cowards, for all they did was launch missiles and retreat immediately. Hektar was able to successfully group our ships tightly together and our PD weapons were relatively successful in fending off the onslaught. Some ships were lost and others took serious damage and there was no doubt that the interlopers weapons were not to be taken lightly, but to date, we have not encountered this unknown species again. Labon immediately recalled the TF’s that had taken casualties and replaced them with full strength TF’s from our massive reserves, bringing our defensive forces back to full strength. It was then that we finally met the legendary New Orions first hand.

“Red Alert – Proximity Warning” sounded the alarm. Hektar immediately ordered full sensor sweeps of the system to determine the identity of the newest interloper. To his shock and surprise our sensors indicated eight TF’s matching the configuration of the New Orions, which had been provided to us by our Eolodi allies. These legendary beings were supposed to be the most formidable opponent to exist in the galaxy, their weapons of unparalleled strength. Hektar immediately issued the order to surround our lone planet and to take a defensive stance only. With this order given, Hektar was surprised once more when the New Orions did not engage our warships. They merely hung in space, neither attacking nor even responding to our hails. Hektar immediately contacted Labon and the High Council requesting instructions.

The High Council was quite disturbed over this latest turn of events. While the New Orions seemed to pose no immediate threat, they were effectively cutting off our supply lines to both the Tuscanni and Tapau systems, their warships blocking the jump lane and not allowing the passage of our freighters. Both systems were still in need of imports of minerals for industry production and food for the subjugated rocks and also biological food to feed the non-silicoid life forms that did exist on all planets. If they were allowed to stay, millions would die. It was decided that the only course of action was to engage these beings. We simply had to save our subjects in these two systems. To allow them to starve to death was simply unacceptable. Labon sent the order to Hektar. “Attack!”

Hektar’s blood raced as he mobilized his fleet of ten 3rd generation Superdreadnought TF’s. None of the ships under his command had the newest Very Heavy Armor currently in place on the newer 4th generation vessels, but nonetheless, the offensive firepower he controlled was truly staggering. Hektar wheeled the fleet from behind Tapau I and began to advance on the New Orions last reported position. Fighters launched from their bays and missile gunners anxiously awaited the affirmation of a weapons lock, allowing them to fire and engage. It was then that Hektar spat on the deck of his command vessel in disgust. Sensors quickly indicated that the New Orions were nothing more than cowards! They had launched their own missiles and then had fled the system, their tails between their legs like whipped dogs. Hektar shouted “Form up, form up!” closing the ranks of all his vessels so that they were practically scraping each others’ paint in an effort to maximize their combined PD output . Fighters were recalled from the chase, ordered to take out as many of the inbound missiles as possible. In the end, Hektar did all that he could to save his fleet. The sky around Tapau was lit up with fighter phasers and Lightning Generators in a gallant attempt at defense. When the smoke had cleared Hektar had lost two complete TF’s from his fleet. Labon was certain that Hektar could have done nothing else. He immediately deployed two replacement TF’s to the Tapau system, bringing Hektar back up to full complement. And so it went, the New Orions moving back and forth between Tapau and Tuscanni and occasionally disappearing altogether, all the time never staying to engage either Hektar or Coilis, but merely firing missiles and retreating. We were intent not to let them stay each time they moved into either system, so it became a familiar pattern of attack to drive them out and then defend against their inbound missiles, which packed a staggering punch. Labon had no problem with the numbers, beca use we now approached the one thousand mark in reserve ships, but was always deeply saddened by the inevitable loss of a TF in defense of their respective system. Labon and Lebak both hoped for an end to this pattern, either fight or leave was preferable, but we had no way of controlling their actions and the New Orions would never respond to our hails.

Meanwhile, exciting developments were happening in our “Far and Away” mission to the southernmost portion of the galaxy. Our Escort TF had finally entered into a new system, and while it was full of planets that were completely uninhabitable without extensive terraforming, other jump lanes immediately came into sensor view. Our escort TF moved on through another uninviting system into a third called Reann where, to our delight and surprise, a magnate race of Alkari was thriving. We immediately initiated contact. These Alkari already had full knowledge of the disaster that had struck their brothers in the far-off Laan system, but held no malice towards us because we had been unable to defend their brethren. They realized we had done all we could, but had elected to stay silent, believing that had they let us know of their existence other, less friendly species would attempt to destroy them too. We informed them that a Colony vessel was not far behind us and that we would pledge a full ten TF fle et in defense of their system if they desired it. Like their brothers, they granted immediate access for our colonists. Lebak was quickly notified via subspace, who in turn notified Labon. The existing ten TF defense fleet in Selia, under Tovams’ control, was immediately dispatched to the Reann system, with a new ten TF fleet of still 3rd generation Superdreadnoughts mobilized as replacements in Selia. In addition, two more Colony ships, one Evon, one Rhean, were dispatched to the area as well in the optimistic hope that additional planets suitable for colonization would be found nearby. Our escort TF would continue to scout out the remaining jump lanes in the vicinity searching for these planets as well as attempting to determine a shorter route for our inbound ships, already traveling through Eolodi space to the southern galaxy. Lebak and the High Council were thrilled with a “second chance” with the Alkari and Labon was determined not to let anyone hurt these people. “Never again&rd quo; he vowed. Already, construction of a Mobilization Center was underway on Reann II.