Warp Gate

With Zar'thra's new command everyone, including the other two Zandari nobility, began following his orders. They didn't know why he had such a sudden mood change, but they were in no position to question his orders. Even if they knew his orders would get many of their ships and soldiers killed. 

As more orders were given the Zandari fleet many ships had their magical shield turned off to power their engines. Many captains of these ships wanted to refuse this order. They knew doing this act would risk their ship, crew and their own lives. Yet, they knew if they disobeyed orders not only would they be killed after this conflict, but so would their families. The captains bit their tongue as they relayed their orders to their crew.

The ships began to pick up speed getting closer and closer. They they didn't remain unharmed. The Battleship York wasn't a weak ship. She was a Capital ship with the firepower of a Dreadnaught! This was especially made by Admiral Halto himself. Her firepower managed to sink dozens of Zandari ships in a few minutes. 

Admiral Halto noticed this. He keenly figured out the weakness of the Zandari ships. First, their ships were slower and unable to use their maximum firepower while using their shields. Second, the ships could lower their shields to increase their speed and fire power, but coming at the cost of defense. Their ships weren't made of strong material like ships in the Federation, but he chalked that up technology differences. 

The Federation focused on science while the Zandari was magic. He was sure there were things the Zandari could do with magic that he Federation couldn't. Even with that being said he did notice something else. The Zandari fleet was holding back. He never fought them before, but he could tell they weren't aiming to sink his ship, but capture her. 

Admiral Halto grinned as he informed the ship to slower the shields and focus on engines. He wanted the ship to reach the gas Giant as quickly as possible. He was eager to get back to Federation space and inform High Command. War was on the horizon. 

Two hours had passed. The Battleship York had taken out little over 3 dozen Zandari Ships. Although during that time some of those ships used a magical spell to warp the entire ship miles closer to the Battleship York. The crew, and Admiral Halto, were taken aback by their sudden appearance. Although, this didn't stop the Battleship York from launching its payload into their hauls destroying them. 

Not only that, but the Battleship York was much closer to the Gas Giant. Tyler had been watching the events unfold through the screens on the Crusader. He was surprised how weak the Zandari appeared to be. From his memories he truly knew how strong the Zandari was and some of their secret weapons. He thought it was odd, but again he never saw the Zandari till technically years later when it was a game. Maybe something happened during then that made them more power than they were before. 

Outside the Gas Giant the entire Zandari fleet was startled to watch as their prey had actually entered planet! They all knew that their ships couldn't handle the intensity of the winds in the planet. The closest ships parked themsleves outside the planet and waited. Although, they all dreaded the command given to them by Zar'thra. He had ordered the closest ships to increase their shields and entire the planet. 

Only a handful of captains followed orders. Entering was certain death, but they obeyed out of fear for their families. Those that didn't listen had just feigned ignorance pretending their communication was jammed by the planet. The ships that hadn't moved were repeated sent commands from the Zandari Council. Zar'thra was informed that less than half the ships near the Gas Giant were obeying orders. 

"HOW DARE THEY DISOBEY MY COMMAND!" Enraged by this he gave out another command to other Zandari ships. He ordered them to attack the ones not moving into the planet till they were destroyed. Following his orders the captains of the surrounding ships opened fire on their once allies. Many of which were friends of those they had to fire upon, but if they disobeyed commands then they too would be killed. 

The outlaying Zandari ships began to open fire attacking the now Zandari traitors. Bright golden beams of magic struck the traitors ships. Those on board were surprised by the sudden attack! It was utter chaos! Half of the traitorous ships turned around opening fire back on those that had attacked them while the other half followed the orders to enter the Gas Giant. They were opening that following orders would appease their master. It didn't.

Those that fled into the Gas Giant were still fired upon while trying to enter the planet. Some were destroyed before they could enter. While those that did enter didn't make it far. The intense winds decimated their shields. Once those were gone the ships were like wet paper in a blender. No one survived. 

Even though they were inside the planet Admiral Halto had secretly released sensors just outside the planet to keep a watch on the enemies movement. He had watched all of the chaos play out. Realizing how ruthless the Zandari were. He wondered if it would be possible to incite a rebellion in the Zandari Empire just like what they were trying to do in the Federation. 

As he contemplated this the Battleship York had finally reached its destination! Everyone waited with bated breath. Admiral Halto had ordered all power from the guns to the shields while maintaining engines. He also ordered all those manning the guns to report to hidden bunkers in the ship. Many on the ship began sprinting to the bunkers. They were all worried that entering the Gas Giant would end up killing them all. They could only have faith in the Seer Tyler. 

"Brace for impact!" A crew member on the Command Deck cried out as the ship entered the intense winds of the Gas Giant. 

The ship shook violently as it entered the Gas Giant. The winds carried razor sharp debris that began to eat at the shields of the ship. The deeper the ship went into the planet the more damage the shields took. The gravity of the planet drastically increased rocking the ship harder and harder. Many on the ship could feel the ship rock violently and some started to pray! 

Admiral Halto kept his eye on the status of his ship. They were only a quarter the way into the planet, yet the ships shield was below 45%. He began to grow worried that Tyler was wrong about this supposed Warp Gate. Knowing the risk Admiral Halto used one of his own skills to temporarily enhance the shield of his ship. It was a huge strain on his energy supply. This was on account on the size of the ship. Although Tyler knew that Admiral Halto was still in the early stages of his advancement and hadn't mastered his new found talent. 

The shield around the ship changed from a cool blue color to a radiant green! The shield was much more durable. Its durability increased from 43% to 167%! Once the shield activated the ship slowly started to shack less and less till it was completely still. As still as possible in a Gas Giant. 

Another hour passed as the ship went deeper into the planet. Even with this new energy shield the ship only managed to reach another 2 quarters inside the planet before it began to flicker. Admiral Halto had used nearly all his energy keeping his ship intact. The shields color changed from its vibrant green back to its neutral blue hue. Once it was back to his natural color it began to flicker more and more before it turned off completely! 

Everyone on the ship felt this change! The haul of the ship began to be torn like paper. The sharp debris in the Gas Giant shredded the metal of the ship. Admiral Halto had mentally summoned repair bots to weave in and out of the ship repairing any and everything it could. Hundreds of beetle like drones scattered through out the ship. 

These beetle drones carried large sheets of metal to plug up any hole in the ship. There were hundreds. Many of which opened up catching unlucky drones or even some of the crew who happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time. Those caught in the violent winds of the planet were shredded into a red mist. The Admiral watched powerless as members of his crew were killed before they realized what was happening. Seeing this he vowed to get revenge on the Zandari for putting them in such a position. 

The Battleship York accumulated more and more damage as it went deeper into the planet. It was a viscous cycle. The deeper the ship went the more damage it took and the more damage it took the more the crew desperately pleaded for Seer Tyler to be right. Some crew members who had watched their friends die before their eyes cursed the Seer. They began to feel he had lied to them and was the true spy of the Zandari! 

While every member of the crew had their own thoughts they were all lost on the sudden realization that the ship was no longer shaking. Many began to slowly open their eyes with tears welling up. They were thankful their prayers were answered!

Through out the ship projections of the space they were in were shown to everyone aboard. Everyone was amazed by the sight before them. At the core of the planet was hallow. It was as though they had entered a shield both controlling and keeping the winds of the Gas Giant from entering. Floating in the very center of the planet was a large box shaped structure half the size of the Battleship York. 

Admiral Halto was stunned in awe of the sight. Being a mechanic he could immediately sense that the simple looking structure had more to it than what meets the eye. Just being this close he could already feel the immense power it held. Able to keep this Gas Giant together as a shield, but also how it was able to hide itself for how many hundreds of years?! He couldn't say, but his thoughts were cut short by a communication call from the Crusader in Hanger 11. 

He accepted the call seeing Tyler's face appeared on screen. Just one look he could tell Tyler was proud of himself almost telling the Admiral 'I Told you so'.