Imperium of Terra application

[Telros]

Hello, all. I am Imperium of Terra, aka Telros on NS. I would like to redo my application, especially since I was gone so long and I changed my nation. ...

So, um yeah. Just want to reapply. You can delete the old one if you wish. I will wait for a tester to get to me. =P

Oh and if you can, delete the Telrosian Republic Account, thanks.

[Kreshh]

Nice to see you again Telros, I assume you are familiar with the rules so lets get this thing started shall we:

First Test:

An order of religious missionaries originating from a nearby interstellar empire has proven to be quite persistent in its attempts at converting the denizens of your Imperium to their faith. Their message is neither militant nor directly hostile to your regime; however the order does seek to challenge several of your nation’s longer standing cultural beliefs, and as such has proven to be a disruptive influence.

Role-play your government’s response to these missionaries. You are free to be as benevolent or oppressive as you like, however be warned that any overly hostile behavior (such as executions) is likely to draw the ire of the empire from which these missionaries originate, and would therefore best be avoided if possible.

[Telros]

1200 hours, September 14th, 2671 (Military Calendar)\
Aboard ITS Point of No Return, Hidden Section Three Headquarters. Location Unknown

The ITS Point of No Return was a revered ship in the Imperium, as it was the headquarters of the Office of Naval Intelligences ultra-secret cell that only high-ranking political and military people knew of, the cell that had birthed the Spartans and essentially won the war for the UNSC. The group that made the production of Covenant and Forerunner technology possible by human hands.

That cell was Section Three.

With legends such as Colonel Ackerson and Doctor Catherine Halsey, the current leader of ONI, Doctor Anne Trent had a legacy to live up to....and the duty that all three of them shared: The duty of safeguarding humanity.

Fortunately, there was no large threat to humanity this day. Only a small problem that affected the Imperium. Why would it merit such a highly secret meeting then, many would ask. Well, the key problem was it could mushroom into something big, possibly another war, something even the Admiralty, renowned for its aggressiveness, agreed it did not want at the time. The problem this time was one that humanity had struggled with ever since it's inception.....

Religion.

Her eyes shifted down to the holopad which she gently brushed a hand over the refresh control, which sent the stream of data into her glasses, the report sent by CENTCOM on Krylax III flashing into her eyes:

Imperial Central Command, Priority 456-B4
Encryption Code: Blue
Public Key: Hephaestus
From: CENTCOM Facility CC-324
To: Unknown
Subject: Rising concerns on Katari Missionaries
Classification: Black

/file-extraction-reconstitution complete/
/start file/

I will be frank. First of all, I am Lord Governor Paul Simmons, current taskmaster for Krylax III. Ladies and gentleman, we have a problem that threatens to become critical. The Katari Missionaries are here and causing all kinds of havoc, though they have been the nicest damn beings I have ever known.

Well...I better go back. As you well know, as of January 2nd, 2671, the Imperium was met by a nation known as the Katarian Empire, a rather large empire, equal in size to ourselves, and just as powerful, if not more. They were quite peaceful and seemed interested in opening negotiations with us, which we gladly approved of and started. Those negotiations are continuing to this date and the Emperor has decreed that keeping the goodwill of the Katarians is of the utmost importance. So that is why we allowed their missionaries into the Imperium. They were very adamant on allowing their people to come and spread their religion, their “Way of Zarkesh�. Why not, after all? We do have a law allowing freedom of religion, why stop them you may ask.

Well, the problem is the public. This religion the Katari have been preaching runs against every major religion currently in the Imperium today. To briefly summarize the Katari beliefs, they basically say that we are gods ourselves and that whatever we do, good or evil, goes into a “pot�, for lack of a better term, of good and evil. And if we do too much for either side, we will cause the universe to destroy itself in order to fix the error. You can imagine how this would offend Christianity, Islam, Judaism, et cetera. They are asking people to do evil actions to keep the universe in line. To make sure you get the idea, I was given a report detailing one such conversation between a liberal Christian and these Katari priests. It damn near ended in violence, and you want to know why?

The damned alien was suggesting that since the man had been nice all year, to his family and kids, and his neighbors, that he rape his daughter, and kill off a few neighbors, to “atone� for his “abuse� of good deeds.

As you can see, keeping order here has been extremely difficult. I can hardly tell the citizenry to calm down and try to not take their comments to heart when I, the Lord Governor, take offense at their claims. They even dared to suggest I start to enact legislation to force people to do both good and evil, even when they didn't want to, so to “save the universe�

I am at my wits end here. We have had several increases in tension and riots are bound to happen soon. If we allow the public to get at the aliens....we may have to deal with a war with the Katari on our hands. I can only think of two options: Expel all Katari from Imperium space and/or bring them to a facility or planet that they will be safe at, while we negotiate our asses of to counter for the bad effect this is to have.

-or-

We do our best to hold down the situation and send a report to the Katari embassy on Earth, so they can see the problem and hope they can call them off or tone them down. At this rate, our public analysts have predicted that within this week, tensions will explode and we will have full-scale riots and these aliens will be lynched and killed in horrible ways. Reports of conversations in the city are grim, to say the least.

Only one good thing has come from this: I have never seen all the religious factions so united before, and all their whining about the rules being an offense against God have vanished completely.

Makes me almost consider letting them rip into the aliens so I can have a quiet day at the office.

This is the situation, folks, and my resources are not enough to handle it. Whatever the brightest minds in the Imperium can conjure up, do it and implement it, ASAP.

Lord Governor Simmons, signing off.

/end file/
/scramble-destruction process initiated/

Press ENTER to continue.

Sighing, she took off her glasses and set down the holopad, rubbing her eyes. “Well, what do you have to say about this?� The table had several key figures in the Imperium of Terra.

General Jake Morris, the man who controlled all the movements, supply and execution of any operations concerning the Imperial armed forces. He was also one of two people to report directly to the Emperor.

�At least on record.� Trent smiled mentally as she noted that. She reported to the Emperor as well but it was hidden and all files were erased after every meeting. She didn't exist at all in any Imperial records, the perfect ghost. She led ONI with all the resources at her disposal, which was a lot. To put it into perspective, she was the third most powerful person in the Imperium. The first was the Emperor, the second was Fleet Admiral Edward Carlyle.

The oldest of all five Fleet Admirals, he had experienced the Covenant-Human War as a mere Ensign and fought in the Human Civil War that came after as a navy Commander. He was the unofficial, de-facto second-in-command to the Emperor. Everyone accepted this, as they were told long ago by the Emperor that if they didn't, he would be glad to see that they didn't bother anyone anymore.

Any dissent was quieted instantly.

A powerful and wise man, he protected the Imperium with all of his wit and skill, commanding the EDF, or the Earth Defense Fleet. He also was the commander of one of four Supercarriers in existence, the Fist of Terra. Carlyle presided over all Naval operations and if any major operation was to be made, it required his approval.

Rear Admiral Melissa Karaih is the woman just under Carlyle. Carlyle orders it to be done, she gets it done. Fiery and temperamental, she is perfect for her job, which is to oversee the defense of the entire Imperium and direct the financing and resources of ONI into the various projects.

Together, they were able to control the Imperium and ensure mankind was safe. Now, they had a weighty problem on their hands. They had to solve what would be known as the Katarian Crisis.

Morris shifted and leaned forward, glancing over the report again. “Well, it has to be said that we must tread absolutely carefully here. The Emperor does not need to be embarrassed by a report of a horrific slaughter of the Katarian ambassadors people in our nation.�

A grunt came from Karaih. “But, we can't keep these people in our nation. Even the most atheist people in the public will pick up the torch and pitchfork to spike the heads of these people for their beliefs. I mean, for the love of God, to suggest to a man that he rape his daughter and kill his neighbors to correct some fucking universal imbalance? They have to be fucking insane!�

“Now, now, Melissa, many people in our history had beliefs that were considered insane yet they helped to make this nation what it is today.� They all turned to see Carlyle light up a cigar and blow out a wave of smoke.

“But, Edward, you can't surely-�

“I don't, Melissa. However, we have to look at the large picture. As much as I am sure many of the weapons researchers and the more gung-ho members of FLEETCOM would love to take a crack at the Katarians, we don't need to fight another war over such a little problem. Yes, their beliefs are messing with the public and run against every moral I have, but, I can't allow a war to start over a religious dispute. We have had enough religious wars in the history of Earth, thank you.�

Jake took off his hat and ran a hand through his hair, before putting it back on. “Then, what do you suggest, Edward? We have two choices, isolation of the missionaries or holding action against the public. Which one will it be?� The Fleet Admiral was quiet, taking a drag and blowing it out his nostrils. After a long, tense moment, he turned to Anne.

“Doctor Trent, I do believe you have a solution to his problem?�

Anne put on her glasses and leaned forward, tapping a key. This activated the hologram projector in the table and information appeared as it started up. Jake and Melissa jerked out of their seats when they saw what it displayed, gasping in surprise, while Edward grunted in appreciation.

“Brilliant, as always, Anne.�

“Thanks, Edward, I try.� Her smile was faked, as what she had planned was much different than they saw. They saw a covert strike force of Section Three spies that would infiltrate the riots and find ways to cut off their support and, working with local police, they would calm the strikes, at least until they could get Katarian aid in stopping their missionaries.

What she had in mind was much worse but it had to be done.

�What I do for mankind.....�


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

Krylax III, Capital City Sharva

In the meeting square of the city, right in front of the Katarian embassy, a large crowd of angry protesters was set up, chanting slogans and holding up signs such as “Death to the spread of Evil� and “Get these aliens away from my children!� A line of riot police, armed with shields and guns with stun rounds, stood in between them and the embassy.

“WHAT DO WE WANT!?� A single man wearing a dark red shirt said “I am happy to be Ant-Katarian� on it and was shouting into a megaphone. The crowd roared in reply.

“NO KATARIANS!�

“WHEN DO WE WANT IT?!�

“NOW!?� The crowd, already rowdy, was beginning to wind itself up, and shouts and screams, as well as insults, were thrown at the police. Beer cans and rocks began to make their way through the air and the police shifted, lifting shields to deflect the items. It was obvious the situation was going to deteriorate soon.

Elsewhere in the city, a group of hidden individuals met. Five people sat at a table, appearing by holograms only, their faces hidden and voices distorted.

The first one, wearing a dark blue business coat spoke. Greetings gentlemen. I see we have Operation: TANTHUS underway.�

Another man, wearing the clothes of a Christian priest spoke. “Yes. The citizens of Krylax have arisen against the Katarian evil and will not stop until it has been exterminated. This “Way of Zarkesh� will be utterly and completely consumed by the might of God!�

The cries of the two other men were heard, one Muslim and the other a Jew. A fifth and final voice spoke up.

“Now, don't get so cocky, my friends. We still have the local police and military forces to worry about. They will be called in when we start massacring those damn xeno's.� The first man who spoke, obviously the leader, chuckled.

“Ah, Lieutenant Michael Harris of the Krlaxian 341st, greetings. Glad you could join us.� The hologram of Harris shifted and it revealed a tanned face, with black hair and green eyes, set in a hard line.

“Indeed. Let's keep this quick and short, time is of the essence. Are all the distractions ready?�

The priest nodded. “The riot at the military bases, as well as several key facilities is being started as we speak.�

“Good. How about the main riot outside the embassy?

The Muslim coughed. “It is well under-way. All we need is to overwhelm the riot police. Fortunately, I have some of my brothers who, thanks to your shipment of arms, are well-equipped to take out the guards, as well as distribute the remaining weaponry amongst the mob.�

The leader spoke again. “Can you keep your end of the deal, Harris? Can you keep the military off our backs?� The Lieutenant smirked.

“I am in command of the city's local resources, as long as you give me those other riots, I can deal with the military.� They all smiled.

“Very well, meeting adjourned.� One by one, the holograms blinked out, leaving Harris by himself. He stood there, looking at something very hard before vanishing as well.

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

Back at the square, the crowd was getting downright vicious. They began to clash with the line of riot policemen. They hammered at the shields with their fists, bottles and anything they could get their hands on. The police retaliated with shock sticks, and smoke grenades, trying to disperse the crowd. It was met with limited success and an even angrier crowd. Sergeant Lister looked at the situation. It was grim, at this rate, open violence was going to erupt and they would have to resort to firing stun rounds. Shaking his head, he began to call the police station for orders when a short cough sounded and he tensed. His eyes widened and then rolled up into his head, as he fell to the ground, blood seeping from a wound in the back of his head. Harris stepped out of the shadows, gripping a silenced M6C pistol. Reaching down at his belt, he pulled up a walkie-talkie and said three words.

“Begin Phase One.�

Operation: TANTHUS began with a bang. Local police were overwhelmed in several nearby cities, as massive riots appeared out of nowhere, and began to rip apart their respective cities. They hit the police station first, leaving several police killed and the stations in ruins. Fires raged all over, and local resources and agencies, collapsed and overwhelmed, with many of it's members rioting alongside the growing army. Even the military base was under siege, forcing many of the soldiers to hole up their and keep the rioters out with threat of massive force. The few remaining patrols were rerouted by Harris to go deal with hotspots, which ended up keeping them busy for several hours, cutting off any help for Sharva. This operation would be studied later on and all historians would have to agree that its precision and timing was coordinated perfectly, to the point that it resembled the Imperial military. Within an hour, the plan had moved into it's second and final phase.

The riot police, struggling with the crowd of rioters, were on the verge of routing. They had been forced to make a shield wall just around the entrance, as that was the farthest they could go without the wall breaking. Which it was about to; the weight of the mass of bodies was proving too much, and it began to crumble. PFC Clarkson was gritting his teeth. He had tried to radio Sergeant Lister, but he couldn't raise him. So, he had taken command. The man knew using stun bullets would enrage the crowd and bring the media against them but he had no choice. The riot was in full-swing, the city was burning and the radio coughed desperate reports of overrun police, as well as a few death screams. �It's like a fucking war! Screw it, they want to play hardball, we can do the same!� Raising an arm, he began to shout.

“Men! Take off the safeties and take aim. Be careful to aim away from vital areas. Shoot to hurt and force them back!� They did as he said and aimed over their shields. Clarkson was readying them to fire.

“3!� The crowd roared, charging against their shields one more time. The assault was vicious and it began to cave. But it still held.

“2!� The soldiers tensed, readying themselves.

“1!� Both sides prepared for the violence that was to come.

“Fir-� Something came sailing over the shield wall and, bouncing off the wall, landed at Clarkson's feet. Gazing at it, his eyes widened. Before he could yell a warning, an explosion ripped through the shield wall, as the grenade exploded and sent its shrapnel payload slicing into the riot police, their shields ironically protecting the rioters from the blast. Half of the line was killed instantly, with half of the remainder was severely injured. Those who managed to stand were stampeded over by the crowd. Two Muslim extremists came from behind a pillar, one of them holding the pin of the grenade. Tossing it aside, they whistled and showed off a crate of weapons. The riot roared and within seconds, the crate was empty and embassy was full of screams and bullets, as the killing began. The riot rampaged throughout the building, seeking the Katarian aliens, who by now had been sent to the basement and protected by a Marine fire team.

Harris walked into the shattered embassy lobby and walked to a door that stood to the right of the counter, which was covered with bullet holes. Opening the door, he saw a familiar sight. Four men, a Muslim, a Jew, a Christian and a business man. The leader, the businessman, stood up and waved at him. “Come on in, Harris. You have done a fine job today. We just need to meet here to preside over our victory and move onto the next stage.� Everyone but the leader was shocked, even Harris. Taking a seat, he gazed at him.

“Next stage? This was just to kill the Katarians and send a message that we don't like them and want them out.� The businessman chuckled.

“Indeed. However, I have reassessed the situation and found a favorable option. The government is in disarray, the Lord Governor is currently blockaded in his home by rioters, and local government is quickly collapsing around him. The Emperor on Terra is very far away, and I do believe the people of Krylax III know enough to rule themselves. I say, we push this rioting a little bit further to-�

“-to a rebellion, right?!� The Muslim man stood, his angry gazed locked onto the leader. “I came here to finalize the destruction of the Katarian infidels, not secede from the Imperium! Are you mad?! You'll kill us all with that plan. I refuse to go along with this!� The priest stood up.

“I should have expected this. When good is about to triumph, the Devil rears his ugly head and tries to destroy all we have gained. I, too, will not support this.� The third man stood and stated his intention as well. The leader smirked.

“As you wish.� Snapping his fingers, three shots rang out and the three man fell to the ground, killed by a single head shot. A man stepped out from a pillar. “Ah yes, Private Stevens. Both you and Harris here have done well to aid my cause. I will ensure you get your proper place in my new nat-HURK!� Stevens had walked over and slit his throat with his knife, interrupting his gloating and forever putting his plans out of reach. Harris stood up and walked next to him, watching the man's death throes. Stevens sighed.

“Man, ONI doesn't pay enough these days...�

“Tell me about it, Stevens. This entire plan could have gone to shit real quick.� Harris stretched. “Well, time to activate the beacon, and let HIGHCOM send in the cavalry to clean up this mess and all that.� He began to walk away when he felt a sharp pain in his back and suddenly found himself staring at the floor. Blinking, he turned and found himself staring at the stream of blood coming from a hole in his stomach. Blinking, he looked up to see Stevens shaking his head.

“I was afraid you'd say that. You don't understand, Harris. The aliens don't belong in the Imperium. The Imperium is for humans only; didn't the Covenant War teach you anything? We can't trust xenos, they will only betray us in the end.� Harris shook his head violently, as he began to tremble as he went into shock.

“N-No....you're o-o-one of them...� The soldier smirked.

“The Hand of Mankind? The group that devotes itself to cleansing any xeno thread to the Imperium? Yes, I am, and that is why you must die, Harris. Today, we start the first of many battles to come, to destroy the alien filth of the galaxy and claim it for humanity.� He aimed his pistol at the downed operative. “I am sorry, Harris. I am your friend and I did enjoy the times we had together...but, duty calls you know.�

Harris closed his eyes and a single shot rang out.

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


Doctor Trent blinked as an incoming message arrived. Carlyle glanced at her. “Got something, Anne? It's been a week now, something has got to have gone down by now.� She waved him off and accessed the report. Her eyes shot open and her hands shook. �Oh no...� The council glanced sharply at her, and Carlyle's lips set into a thin line. Something had gone wrong, terribly wrong. Anne never shook like that. Rerouting the signal, Carlyle called up the message:

Imperial Central Command, Priority 2784901-A0
Encryption Code: Black
Public Key: Hades
From: CENTCOM Facility CC-324
To: Unknown
Subject: Re: Rising concerns on Katari Missionaries
Classification: White

/file-extraction-reconstitution complete/
/start file/

Report from: A.I. 2786-M , CODENAME: “Miranda�

REPORT ON CRITICAL SITUATION ON KRYLAX III.

RIOTS STARTED AT 1250 HOURS. FIVE SITES HIT BY MASSIVE MOBS.

LOCAL AGENCIES STATUS: FAILED.

LOCAL POLICE FORCE STATUS: SCATTERED

LOCAL MILITARY STATUS: SURROUNDED

LORD GOVERNER STATUS: KILLED

LOCAL GOVERNMENT IN DISARRAY.

KATARIAN PACKAGE STATUS: DESTROYED.

EVIDENCE OF PLOT BY FRINGE GROUP “HAND OF MANKIND� FOUND.

OUTBOUND MESSAGE DETECTED FROM KATARIAN MISSIONARIES AT 1255 HOURS. CUT OFF SHORTLY AFTER.

DESTINATION: EARTH.

BODY OF SECTION THREE OPERATIVE 04567832-H, CODENAME “Harris� FOUND.

MISSION LOGS OBTAINED AND ATTACHED TO THIS MESSAGE.

ORDERS?

/end file/
/Attachment: “Mission Logs.txt�/

The entire council was stunned. Krylax was now a mess, with a rampaging population and a dead Lord Governor. To compound things, the Katarians were dead and a message was sent to their staff at Earth on what had happened before dying. Their faces grew stretched and grim. Carlyle opened the attachment on his personal holopad and read it, his eyes hardening. Once he finished, he turned to Anne. “You do realize the gamble you took has backfired and we know face a crisis?� Trent could only nod, as she slumped back into the seat, tears running down her face. Carlyle sighed and put his face in his hands.

“God help us all.....�

[Kreshh]

Well done.

Test 2:

As part of their overall strategy 'The Hand of Mankind' has released a certain 'parasite' on the Katarian. Naturally, this situation has made for awkward relations with the Katarian Empire. You are now tasked with both smoothing over (or breaking off ) relations with your neighbor, as well as 'containing' this organism before the outbreak becomes unmanageable.

Good luck.

[Telros]

0600 hours, September 18th, 2671 (Military Calendar)\
Aboard ITS Point of No Return, Hidden Section Three Headquarters. Location Unknown

Soon after what was quickly known as the “Krylax� incident, trouble had hit the Imperium hard. The Emperor had been embarrassed in front of the entire Katarian delegation, as the report from the now-dead Katarian missionaries was received by them and relations instantly became strained to the breaking point. They had withdrawn their delegates and so far, negotiations had been done in FTL messages only. Not only that, but the “Hand of Mankind�, the cult that had been growing under the collective noses of ONI, had reared it's head, causing rebellions in five systems. Local forces in these systems were in disarray and were fighting for their lives against the well-organized and well-equipped cultists. The cult demanded that the Imperium take zero tolerance policy concerning xenos, killing or expelling all Katarians from their nation.

And they had a single demand which they adamantly supported and had even caused rebellions on planets to get their way on this.

They wanted the Imperium of Terra to declare war against the Katarian Empire and to completely wipe them out. Destroy every single Katarian, and take their resources, planets, and technology for our own. So, it wasn't hard to imagine the amount of stress that ONI, HIGHCOM, and the Emperor was facing at this time. Once again, the council that ran ONI met aboard the Point of No Return. A week had passed and, with all the brewing problems, they now had a significantly more critical problem on their hands.

Doctor Trent sat their, her eyes dull and faraway, focused on staring at one spot on the table. General Morris had dark circles under his eyes and Rear Admiral Karaih sported a cast on one arm. Fleet Admiral Carlyle sat down, with a pot of coffee, looking absolutely exhausted. “Alright. Let's get down to business. The Imperium is reeling, the public is wanting to know what is going on and the pressure the Hand of Mankind is putting on Congress is increasing everyday. I hope you have some good news.�

General Morris sighed. “Well, I have some good news as well as bad. The good news is that we have managed to force a beachhead on all the planets under attack by the Hands, and have landed ground forces. However, as you can see from Melissa's cast over here, that took some doing and we had many casualties.�

Carlyle closed his eyes. “How many?�

“We lost three battlegroups, as well as four patrol detachments.� They all winced at the numbers. That was around thirty-six ships lost in combat....and thousands of lives that had been lost. And that was not even considering the damaged ships and the wounded.

“What of the ground forces?�

“So far, reports are coming in, but they are holding. They have secured their beachheads, linked up with surviving local forces and established strong defensive lines. Currently, we are preparing to launch Operation: JUDAS and destroy the Hands forces. Estimates are coming in, and frankly sir, it's going to be a long campaign unless we commit all our forces there.� He quieted and they all paused. They had not devoted all they needed as the possibility of war with the Katarian Empire was very real, especially with the increasing hostilities of Katarian missionaries and Imperial citizens all over the Imperium and the souring relations between the nations. If one more horrific event happened, it would push the Katarians over the edge and the war would begin.

And the recent problem fit the bill for such a situation. Carlyle looked over to the Doctor. “Anne?� She looked up at him, eyes slowly focusing to reveal raw emotions of despair and self-loathing. She was still guilty over having been tricked by the Hand of Mankind. “Anne, we need to know what is going on about this “infection� HIGHCOM has received reports about.�

Nodding, she leaned forward and tapped a key. The map of the Imperium, the twenty systems and nine colonies appeared in blue. All embattled planets appeared red. “This is the current situation in the Imperium. As of 1345 hours yesterday, we received word of a strange infection plaguing the Imperium. When we checked to investigate, we found a strange scenario. All the inhabitants of the cities where these reports came up found that every Katarian was coming down with some sort of illness. Further searching, found that humans were unaffected. We checked all available poison areas and found the water heavily contaminated with a new kind of parasite which we cannot identify. It is built to attach to Katarian cells and act like a virus, taking over the cell with its small size, using its to reproduce and infect other cells. The end result is the Katarians fall sick under flu-like symptoms, then boils appear on their skin, crack, and bleed. Then, their organs and bones liquefy, followed quickly by the skin. The medical team has concluded that when looking at the rate the disease spreads, and the conditions of the Katarians, that the disease had a rate of five weeks until death. It appeared to have been introduced while our attention was drawn to the problems on Krylax, so they have another four weeks to live.� Taking off her glasses, she gazed at the information dully.

“As you can imagine, if their leadership finds out, this will probably push them over the edge.� Karaih growled.

“What does HIGHCOM predict our chances of winning the war?�

Carlyle spoke. “About the same as the Katarians. If we do go to war, we both are very equal, so we will have a long war on our hands and how we plan out that war will dictate victory or defeat. However, we need to focus on dealing with this parasite. How many systems are infected, Anne?� Doctor Trent was quiet, not saying anything.

“Anne.� Her hands trembled and her eyes watered. Karaih slammed her fist on the table.

“I told you, she is fucking useless. Not only did she lie to use about what she was doing but she can't pull herself together after a single mis-�

“ENOUGH!� Morris and Karaih looked startled at the doorway, while Carlyle sighed. A man in rich, dark blue robes embroidered with fine silver lining and a silver crown with dark blue jewels set in the sigil of the Imperium. Emperor Nathan Avarei the First walked up to the table, his eyes glaring at Karaih. “She knows her mistake and has, personally apologized to me. We have enough enemies from the Hands and the Katarians possibly, we don't need infighting to weaken us further!� Anne burst into tears, quietly sobbing. The Emperor waited for her to finish and compose herself before speaking gently. “Anne, show us how many systems are infected.�

Her hand managed to reach forward and push a key. The map shifted and they got a glimpse of the task they had in front of them. No less than six systems were infected, the five that were being fought over and the nearby system of Karvei. Four more systems turned orange. “We suspect that efforts to spread the parasite here are already underway.� The Emperor sighed and rubbed his eyes.

“Very well. Carlyle, you and Karaih lead the efforts to box the spread of the parasite into the systems it has already been given a foothold in. Once we have quarantined it, then we can focus on removing it and saving who we can.�

“Doctor Trent, you are to head the intelligence efforts to track down the leader of this cult and the drive to find a cure for the parasite.�

“General Morris, you are to defeat the rebel forces and bring those worlds under full Imperial control once more.� They all nodded in agreement and left one by one. Doctor Trent sat alone, gripping the table with white hands. Gazing around to make sure no one looked, she pulled out a tablet of pills and took some, before she got up and left.

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

A month later......


�We will not re-enter your space until you can prove to us that these cultists cannot strike us at Earth. They have already proven themselves more than you can handle. Do you expect us to believe your claims of protection when your forces have suffered three severe losses against mere rebels?� Nathan resisted the urge to scream. He had tried every possible diplomatic trick in the book and anything else he knew, but the Katarians had not budged. Not only that, but relations were so tense that the entire navy was at Code Yellow and border patrols between the nations had doubled. Both sides were just waiting for the other shoe to drop....or for both sides to relax.

He gritted his teeth at the mention of the defeats. The battles of New Angria, Vlexis Prime and Sigma Octanus IV had gone horribly wrong, with the rebels unleashing hidden reserves of tanks, artillery and aircraft. They had been hidden in the brush, where sensors could not penetrate and via underground tunnels, had flanked the Imperial forces and a full-scale slaughter had ensued. Both sides suffered heavy losses but the Imperials had been driven back to their lines and nothing had been gained. The other battles were going well but harsh and taking longer than expected. The rebels were entrenched heavily and progress was slow.

“But, we have scrounged the planet ten times, there are no-�

“Silence, human. You have wasted enough of our time. Send us a message when you have some worthy to talk about.� The screen died and the Emperor clenched his fists in absolute rage. They had just mocked him, the leader of the Imperium! His temper was at the breaking point, and if things did not go well soon, all hell was going to break loose.

He hoped that the council was doing better than he was....


0800 hours, Planet Reach, Secondary Military Base and Primary Shipyard Production Center\
Imperial Medical Facility 02A.

“Ma'am. We have something.� Doctor Trent leapt out of her bunk and yanked on a labcoat. Her hair was greasy and unwashed, along with the rest of her body. The coat was stained dark yellow with dust, filth and spilled chemicals. Her eyes were haunted and bags piled up under her eyes. She looked as if she was ready to collapse. The fire in her eyes belied all this, as she moved with a purpose. “Show me.� The scientist led her through winding corridors. The place had bright lights and clean walls, something which was harshly contrasted with the condition of Doctor Anne Trent. Friends and fellow co-workers had seen the way she was acting, and it frightened them. To the point that they sought their counselors, and discussions on her behavior made the psychiatrists come to a conclusion:

She was on the verge of a mental breakdown.

She had a nervous twitch, she had random fits of anger and she was bone-thin, showing erratic eating habits. Combined with reports of her rising addiction to one of her medicines, the psychiatrists feel that she needed care. However, when confronted, she denied everything and ordered them to silence. Due to her rank, they had no choice. But they knew that if anything happened to the cure project, Anne Trent as they knew her would cease to exist...and insanity would take hold....

Walking into the lab, she saw the rest of the team, three people, one man and two women.

Alexi Benedin, a Russian scientist specializing in Biology. He was quiet man and proud, but always friendly and willing to explain things to others.

Sara Katavsky, a fiery woman with a PHD in molecular biology. She had a short fuse and fought with everyone, but she had brilliant ideas and did the impossible.

Kara Smith, an energetic woman who constantly spoke in simple terms, enabling everyone to understand what she was saying. She worked in the field of medicine.

And the man who had entered with her, Benjamin Coster, a brilliant man who worked in the field of genetics.

Together, with Anne, they had worked on the problem of the parasite. Now, she had hope that they had found something. Walking up, she nodded at them. “What do we have?� Alexi nodded to her.

“We figured out that the parasite has a key element in its path to killing the Katarian host. They take over cells, yes, but they head straight for the head, and using it, they follow the bloodstream to the other organs, taking them over and liquefying them. They destroy the heart and the brain last. With a combination of drugs XV-5739027493, and GH-36753946392, we have something that will block them from doing that as well as locking them in place, making them go into hibernation until we can find a way to destroy them.� Anne smiled.

“Kara?� The woman nodded.

“This facility is hard at work perfecting the cure. Within the week, we should have it ready for production.�

“Good work! We should inform the Emperor of this!� They all nodded in consent and began heading to the console.

Hope had risen it's head once more

Outside the facility

Two Marines lay sprawled out on the ground. One has his head torn apart and gore covered his body and where his head should be, the other had a huge hole in his chest. Eight men stood at the entrance, in formation and listening to their commander. Three were watching the door, two the perimeter, and the rest were crouched around the commander. “Alright, Squad Alpha will enter the facility, destroy the security systems and cameras, as well as the long range communications. Then you are to lock all the exits and guard them. Squad Beta, my squad, we are to hunt down and eradicate all personnel, starting with the barracks, and destroy the cure. We cannot allow them to finish their project and stop the parasite. The Guardian commands it. Any questions?� They shook their heads.

“Let's move then. Marcus, get the charges on that door. Let's start this party.�

“Yes sir!�

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

The facility shook slightly and the group paused. “What the hell was that? It had to be something big to cause the entire facility to shake.� Kara shook her head.

“Whatever, the Platoon Hawk will take care of it.� They continued to head for the communication room, unable to hear the chaos going on in the halls....


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

“Maintain suppressive fire on that door. Where is Jenkins and Parkins?!� Lieutenant Halls swore as he aimed his assault rifle down the hall and unloaded, spitting hot lead in red-orange tracers slicing the air with a whine and impacting into the wall opposite of them, forcing the intruders to hide around the corner. Privates Kalvor and Jamal were on either side, one firing a battle rifle, the other a plasma rifle, keeping the enemy pinned down. Several bodies littered the hallway, which testified to the speed and lethality of the attack.

He didn't know how they got in or who they were, but somehow, the intruders broke down the doors, killed both guards and came this way to the barracks. They got Carson and Betts as they were coming out of the bathrooms and lit them up, spilling the corridor with blood and bits of flesh. Parkinson and Cox had rushed out, and engaged, as the Lieutenant was gathering Kalvor and Jamal, as well as yelling orders to Sergeant Damay. Cox had been hit in the face with a plasma grenade and the ensuing explosion had splattered their gore all over the hall. The scene reminded him of a holo of the battles between the UNSC and Covenant ground forces. Now they were stuck in a fixed position, along with their enemies in the same situation and firing at each other.

To make things worse, they didn't have any of their armor on, while their enemy did, making them more vulnerable, which was proven when Kalvor took a needler round in the shoulder, tearing up his arm and causing him to roar, sending a hail of bullets down the hall. The enemy countered with more bullets and they ducked their heads.

“Goddammit, we are getting picked apart here. Sergeant, where are you?� Static answered him. “Sergeant! Sergeant! Report, Sergeant Damay�. The comm squealed and a deep voice came on.

“I'm sorry, Lieutenant, but the Sergeant will no longer be able to help you, nor will his two friends. I would advise surrendering, if you do so, we will make the end quick.� Halls shut off the comm. “Bastards...Fuck it. We will fight till the last men!� Kalvor and Jamal nodded, smiling, before invisible hands cut all of their throats and left them to bleed out on the ground.

Beta Squad deactivated the active camouflage and chuckled. “Damn, they were annoying. Thank God that Intel got these suits from that armory for those annoying drop guys, else we would have been stuck there forever.� The commander stepped over the bodies, policing the ammo and weapons.

“Cut the chatter and move, there are some stragglers to mop up.�

“Yes sir!�

As Beta Squad began to hunt down the rest of the Marines, Alpha Squad was in the Power Room, which held the stations that powered the facility. One of them was taping on the last charge onto a station as the rest stood guard.

“....and then she says, “Damn, you are in the Hands of Mankind? Isn't that....dangerous?� The guy's movements revealed he was excited about this story. “So, I told her, 'Yeah but I am fighting for you baby, to remain clean of xeno filth' and she giggled. Man...best night of sex I have ever had.� The other guys shook their heads.

“That's nice, but we don't care. You almost done down there?� The guy applied the last charge and nodded. They quickly exited the room and moved a safe distance away down the hall before activating the charges. Thunder sounded as the generators turned into molten slag and darkness fell over the facility.

“Good, that will disable the communications until we can find the long-range sensors.�

“Roger�

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

By now, Anne was worried. The power had gone out, they could not raise the Marines on comms and dull thumps and staccato sounds echoed throughout the base. For the base six minutes, they had crept through the facility, trying to find the communications room. They weren't sure what was going on but they had to act fast if they were to get their message out. Now, instead of reporting their success, they were calling for help. “Found it!� The hushed voice of Sara cut through the quiet and they rushed to the door and gripping it, forced it open. Entering and closing it behind them, they assumed positions around the room.

“Booting up emergency power....�

“Aligning dish.....�

“Readying message....

“Signal at 23 percent and rising....�

Anne stood their, waiting, her hands clenched. �Come on...come on....come..on...� A burp sounded and the screen flashed on to show a blading man.. Blinking, he squinted his eyes.

“Ah, Doctor, good to see you. What is going on over there? It's hard to see with all the lights off.�

She spoke hurriedly. “Sir, we have lost power and have lost local communication, as attempts to raise the Marines have failed. We need a team sent to help aid us and restore power.�

He nodded. “Alright, I will scramble a team. You will ne...ed.....give.......codes.....� The screen began to fizzle and turned off. Anne whirled around.

“What happened?� Alexi's hands raced over the controls.

“I...I don't know. We suddenly lost long-range communications. I have no idea why!�

A thump sounded.

“We just lost short-range communications and all security sensors are gone.� Anne's eyes widened and her hands shook.

“No...� They looked at her. She raced for the door.

“The cure, they're after the cure!�


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

The commander gazed at the room. So pristine, so clean. All the best technologies the Imperium had at its disposal to stop the parasite. Too bad they didn't guard it well-enough. “Destroy everything. We can't risk the cure getting out and mass-produced. The Hand of Mankind depends on us!� They all nodded and set to work. The commander smiled.

Soon, all would be in place for the Guardians triumphant victory over the Imperium...and the aliens.


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

Anne and the rest of the group race down the halls, following Anne as she raced for the medical bay. Her heat thudded wildly and her breaths came in gasps. �They can't be destroyed....they musn't!� Reaching the door, she found it open and fear tore at her heart. Stepping in slowly, a scene of total desecration and destruction met her eyes. Machines were torched, computers smashed, file cabinets turned off, piles of paper were on fire....and the precious vials of the cure were smashed on the floor. All their hard work over the past month...ruined. Tears ran down her face as she sank to the floor. Covering her face with her hands, she cried. Sara knelt and comforted her as they gazed in shock at the scene. Alexi was the first to realize.

“It was an attack! The Hands came here and destroyed it! Destroyed the cure!�

“How right you are!� A loud bang sounded and Alexi's brain exploded onto the wall. As he fell to the ground, the Hand aimed his pistol at Kara and fired three shots. The bullets hit her chest and neck, causing blood to spray and throwing her over a ruined table and onto the floor. Benjamin grabbed a shard of metal and lunged, only to have the soldier move faster than he ever could and, gripping the shard, stabbed it deep into his kick and kicked him into a desk. Sara had her firearm out and aimed it at the man. She always carried a firearm, as she felt she would need it someday. She was right.

“Don't move! Don't think about moving, you bastard!� The man grinned and turned to her.

“Drop the weapons! Hold your arms in the air!� The man did as she said, dropping the pistol and holding his arms. up. She smiled grimly. “See you in hell, you motherfuck-� She was interrupted mid-sentence by a loud cracking sound and her head turning at a right ninety degree angle. Her neck broken, she fell to the ground dead. Anne was so horrified, she was going into shock and her body trembled intensely. Another Hand appeared and looked at the fallen Anne.

“Pathetic, to think this is the mighty Anne Trent? Pfff...more like the mighty leaf!� The other man laughed and headed for his gun as the second Hand aimed a battle rifle at her head. “Say goodnight.� His finger began to pull the trigger when an assault rifle blared and the full clip sliced through him, destroying his shield and cutting his spinal cord, dropping him like a rock. The other Hand spun, only to meet an energy sword going for his head. As his body dropped, headless, Private Parkins grimly put away the sword and reloaded the assault rifle. Behind him, Jenkins stood grim watch, checking to see if the enemy came. Kneeling, he picked up Anne.

“Ma'am, we need to move!� The Doctor stared at the soldier, surprised to see him alive. Her eyes revealed that she was in shock and Parkins cursed. Taking out a needle, he dosed her with morphine and put an arm around his shoulder. He would help her walk. “Jenkins, let's move. We need to get to the hangar bay.� The other man nodded and they headed out of the room.

The facility had a Pelican which carried supplies and people back and forth, as well as an escape option. If they could reach the hangar bay undetected, they could escape and warn the Lord Governor.

After traversing hallway after hallway, they came to the first set of doors leading to the hangar bay. “Jenkins, we made it. Get over here.� When his partner did not reply, he turned.� Jenkins-oh shit!� He saw two Hand soldiers standing there over the corpse of Jenkins. His head was turned grotesquely to one side, obviously he had been surprised, muffled and killed. Tossing the Doctor behind him, he let loose with a barrage of bullets. The soldiers moved to either side of the entryway, their shields flickering. Jenkins swore as he saw them preparing to return fire. Plasma bolts scorched the plates around him as he took cover behind a box. Moving around the corner, he fired a trio of bursts, and nodded in satisfaction as one of them cursed, his shields depleted. They soon learned and had him pinned with plasma fire, unable to return fire. Slowly, they made their way to his position.

About halfway there, however, they heard a loud hiss and both parties froze as they saw the Doctor standing at the doorway, which was opening. She motioned to Jenkins who leapt into action, running after her as she tore through the doorway, firing his assault rifle behind him as he went. “The Pelican's this way! Hurry!� They ran as fast as they could, pursued by a hail of plasma bolts. The final door opened and they rushed through it. It closed behind them and they found another Marine. Private Coorla. He had been hiding here the entire time. “Coorla, you cowardly bastard! Good to see someone else alive.� The man whimpered and clutched his rifle.

“They're all dead, aren't they?� Jenkins nodded grimly.

“Are they coming?�

Another nod. Coorla readied his needler. “Then lets rock and roll!� Anne began to power up the Pelican, turning on systems and going through pre-flight checks as fast as she could. A beeping sounded as the door began to cycle. Jenkins and Coorla readied themselves. The door opened to reveal the remaining six Hands who opened fire, which the Marines responded with in kind. Plasma fire, needler shots and bullets tore the space between them. If the Pelican did not lift off soon, they would all die. Coorla was hit by a trio of bullets from a battle rifle in the chest and went down, his needler flying through the air to land near the Pelican. Jenkins swore and reloaded, putting in his last magazine. He would have to make it count.

The enemy commander grinned. “There is no escape for you, you might as well give up now.�

“In your dreams, asshole. If you want it, come and get it.�

“So be it.� A hail of fire overwhelmed his cover and a plasma bolt punched him in the soldier, knocking him to the ground. The commander walked over, and put his boot on Jenkins.

“You Imperials are all the same...weak and mouthy. The Hand of Mankind shall see to it that the fate of humanity is in better hands.� He aimed his plasma rifle and Jenkins closed his eyes. He had done his platoon proud, there was nothing else he could do.

“Fuck! You bitch!� His eyes snapped open to see a large metal bar on the ground and the Doctor standing in the loading bay of the Pelican, eyes angry. The commander snarled. “You want to die so soon? Very well then-� Before he could say more, Coorla's needler appeared in her hands and she unloaded the entire clip into the commander. They all watched as he cried out in despair and then exploded in a pink cloud, sending his blood, gore and body parts everywhere.

“Come on!� Jenkins bolted at the sound of the Doctors voice, strained and hoarse. The Pelican's jets started to activate as he jumped aboard. One of the squad turned to fire at them when a garbled scream sounded as Coorla jumped at him, holding a primed plasma grenade. As the hatch moved to closed, the last sight they saw was a blue flash and Coorla and the Hand's outline. With a roar, and a rush of flames, the Pelican burst out of the hangar and headed for the capital. Alpha Squad stood there, teeth clenched, looking at the dead bodies of their commander and the last member of Beta Squad. One of them began to head after the Pelican when one put a hand on his shoulder.

“Don't. This works into the Guardians plan, seeing as that when they report in, they will have to show that the cure is destroyed and all their people here slaughtered. And when the full power of the Hand of Mankind is revealed....the final blow will have been struck. Now, let's go. There is bound to be several Imperial fire teams on route here.� Nodding, they slunk into the shadows and vanished.

Another victory for the Hand of Mankind.


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

En route to the capital

Anne was curled up in a ball in the hold, and Jenkins had put a blanket over her. Taking over manually for the Pelican, he had gotten into contact with the Lord Governor, who was worried about their lost transmission. He was finishing the summary of what happened. “....then Private Coorla sacrificed himself to distract them and we left. We are five minutes from the city.�

The Governor nodded. “I see. Well, I have sent Marine fire teams to clean out the facility and capture the bodies.� Jenkins sighed.

Unbeknownst to them, Anne had woken up and unlike her shocked expression before, she held a blank but determined one this time. Quietly taking off the blanket and crossing the deck, she came to the locker, which when opened, revealed several bottles of pills, a medical kit, and a pistol with a single clip. Her eyes stared at the contents for a long time before she reached for what she wanted.

She had only thing left to her.....

“You just get the Doctor and yourself back here, so we can-�

The echoing sound of a pistol shot and a slight thump was heard and the Governor and Jenkins turned. “What was that?�

“I don't know sir...� Putting it back on autopilot, he went into the back and managed to hold back a cry.

Doctor Anne Trent, the leader of ONI and a brave woman, had finally broken when everything she had cared so much about had been destroyed. She had finally snapped, as the psychiatrists had predicted and had chosen to end her own life. With that single pistol, she had given up. Jenkins bowed his head.

“Governor...I have another loss to report.....�

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

The council, at least those that remained, met once more at the Point of No Return. Carlyle and Kariah. With Morris gone battling the Hands and the death of Doctor Trent, the atmosphere was grim. Karaih was absolutely exhausted and devastated by Anne's death. While they had their differences, they had been close for many years and her suicide had hit her hard, as she felt her harsh criticisms had driven her to do it. Carlyle had visible signs of strain but being in command, he had to remain calm and focused. The door hissed and the Emperor walked in, eyes still wet from having read the report on Anne's death.

“Greetings Melissa, Edward. Now, are they any details about the attack you can tell me?�

Edward sighed. “The Hands had our technology. Our suits, weapons, everything. The Marines weren't ready and didn't even stand a chance. The fact they managed to take out half of the force is a miracle, considering the entire attack took place over a ten minute period. We weren't able to recover the bodies as they were missing, taken by the remaining Hands. We also found this.� He held up a holopad. “We managed to crack it.�

“What did it say?�

“We don't know, they just finished cracking it.�

“Play it then, Edward.� Leaning forward, he pressed a button and it coughed and sputtered, to reveal a large man wearing power armor that was beyond even the Spartans own MJOLNIR. It was bulky, red and covered with human insignia from ages past. It had gold trimmings and covered everything but his head, as his helmet was in his right hand. He had bright blue eyes and dark brown hair. “I am the Guardian of Man, leader of the Hand of Humanity. I have left this message to tell you the extent of our might. As soon as you touched that button, you sent two signals. One to our massive armada which has been waiting to come and ambush your forces, and take those systems for our own. The second was to the Katarian space, showing live video feeds of the deaths of their citizens in your hospitals.�

A stunned silence filled the room as they realized what they had just set in motion. The Guardian smirked. “Oh and there is data here on how far our reach really is. Have a nice afternoon, Emperor.� The message died out and a folder appeared. Edward, with trembling hands, reached forward and tapped it. A map of the Imperium opened, showing the infected systems and what was in danger from Anne's report. The data coming in from the holopad shifted it and caused the colors to change. The Emperor gasped.

“No....�

A total of twelve systems, out of the Imperium's twenty, were infected, and the remaining eight were in danger of falling. The comm beeped. They all stiffened. No one could contact them, but they did get redirected messages from all over the Imperium. Whatever it was, it had to be bad to be redirected here. Karaih reached over and opened the channel. The face of a Navy captain appeared. He looked anxious, as the bridge crew worked frantically. “Admiral, we are reading multiple Katarian battlegroups invading our space at multiple vectors.� The screen shuddered. “They are launching a full-scale invasion and-� The screen flashed white and went to static. As they were hit by what happened, another window popped up. This was the crew of Sensor Station Archimedes.

“Commander, we are reading over eight hundred ships that just appeared in the Korval system! They have overwhelmed all our forces there and are invading the planets there! You have to warn HIGHCOM!� Yet another window opened, revealing a dirty and bloody General Morris.

“All Imperial forces, execute Omega Three. I repeat, all Imperial forces execute Omega Three now!� There were several Marines in the background, unloading their weapons at an unseen enemy. Mortar and artillery rounds exploded everywhere as plasma whined and bullet shrieked through the air. A Skyhawk flared overhead and exploded. “The enemy has overwhelming numbers; the bastards kept them hidden until now and are just ripping us to shreds. All forces are to abandon Operation: JUDAS and fall back to their respective rally points. All force, execute-� The screen went dead. Karaih burst into tears and Carlyle laid back in his seat, face in utter shock. The Emperor gripped the table.

The very thing they had feared had come to pass.

War with the Katarians. Except now they had to fight on two fronts, against the Hand of Mankind. Standing up, he took a breath and prepared himself. “Admiral.� Carlyle looked up.

“Yes milord?�

“Prepare the Imperium for war. The Imperium is to go to Code Black and all forces are to be marshaled. The industries are to switch to wartime production and get our media machine going. Prepare this Imperium for war as quickly as possible. Inform the public that the Katarian Empire is going to war with us, but keep any and all reports of the Hand secret. Many people will sympathize with them and we need to be as strong as we can be for the coming conflict.�

“Karaih, prepare the fleet. You are in overall command of the defense of the Imperium on the Hand front. Carlyle, you will fight the Katarians. If General Morris survives, he will command the ground forces for the Katarian theater, and General Morrison will command the forces deployed against the Hands.� They nodded and began to set to work. The Emperor walked out of the room.

May God watch over us all.....

[Kreshh]

Well done, although you totally missed my 'subtle' hints that you should release the Flood.

For your third test, I encourage you to wrap up this mess. I don't care who wins, just so long as awesome is served in generous helpings.

[Telros]

Sorry I missed that. I also wanted to be original. I can easily edit, if it makes it that much more awesome? =P

And will do.

Glad to see you have liked it so far.

[Kreshh]

Well seeing how AZN has more or less declared that he would turn your nation into a smoking glass crater if the Flood were ever to be released, I wouldn't bother. Besides, it works well the way it is.

Just concentrate on the third test; you're basically in as it stands (unless you biff in a major fashion).

[Central Facehuggeria]

Just concentrate on the third test; you're basically in as it stands (unless you biff in a major fashion).

Indeed.

*Finger tenses over the 'activate account' button.*

[Telros]

0-o...where has AZN said this?

*cowers in a corner*

And glad you like my stuff. I thought I was going to do worse than I am now...>->