Galaxy In Turmoil

"These frostbitten tribal people carry the rusted scraps and faded memories of their forebears, but their heaviest burden is the knowledge that if not for the old civilizations greed, the ice age would never have come." -Vori Historian.

The ships fell from the sky like falling stars. Burning up in orbit as the they spiraled and impacted in thunderous echoes onto the surface of a world whose inhabitants had already endured so much. Nak Thi and its few remaining populace of two thousand had survived a dying sun, volcanic eruptions, and a thousand year ice age as a result of their ancestors tampering with forces beyond their knowledge or control, turning its once lush and green surface into a desolate backwater wasteland of eternal blizzards and far too active volcanoes for any ones well being or comfort. It couldn't possibly get worse here was the common age old saying of reassurance among its people who spent their days huddled around the fire, their elders describing what it was like in those days, When Nak thi dared the dream to expand across the stars in ages long since passed.

It was they who set out and tamed the great comic phoenix. It was they who conquered world after world with its might and sheer power that made them the envy of all.

It was they who misused it and brough devastation and ruin to everything in an instant.

And it is they now who must wander and make sense of what their forebearers destroyed. 

And yet...

The descendants of this great cataclysm watched the chaos in the skies above in growing dread. Them. Survivors who had resigned to remain of their own steadfast choice in a ruined system to try and rebuild. What they had imagined would just be another disaster they had yet to whether in an eternal cycle of misbegotten woes that seemed as common place as the passing of a new year was in fact the final nail in their once great civilizations coffin. It was just none of them realized it yet. But soon they would. They would feel it. That last semblance of hope and the prospect of maybe, just maybe we can rebuild and come back stronger and wiser than before. That was the first thing to go when the fighting above began and would not seem to stop. 

The vicious battle now raging in the atmosphere above over possession of their planets most sacred artifact reminded them that this was the end. They hated outside attention. And now all eyes in the galaxy were on them, or more specifically what they possessed. Their most carefully guarded secret had finally been revealed. Their greatest treasure. And their greatest responsibility to protect no matter how many came. They would not flee. This was their home. They would not abandon it. What they had was little but it was precious. And that meant others in the galaxy would always try to take it away from them. All the more reason to stay and keep it safe from misuse as they themselves had once had.

Inhabitants hid for cover underneath their flimsy scrap metal huts as debris from both sides in a conflict they had no part in rained steel and iron upon them. Many who were just beginning to breathe a sigh of relief indoors were then simply crushed from falling wreckage and engulfed in the exploding aftermath of mushroom sized clouds of smoke and trailing ash. Meteoric blackened craters littered the landscape, the defeaning noise of downed skyscraper sized starship hulls shattering and breaking apart atop very unlucky villages in the distant hemisphere, the sheer impact sending shockwaves throughout the planet in which everyone could feel beneath their fleet. At last one final cruiser went down to splash and be swallowed up by the worlds magma oceans and vanish deep into within the planets core which stood red like an exposed beating heart from orbit that refused to heal. This damaged world had little left of value to offer it had been picked clean and exploited so often apart from one last valued treasure. That was the only thing left. Their legacy. Their curse. Their responsibility to safeguard.

What little warriors they could muster had all gathered for one final defense. The great steps of an ancient temple constructed after the cataclsym as a reminder to never repeat their peoples hubris. A shrine to their greatest failure, and the hope of rebuilding laying deep within.

There, the five hundred prepared, standing steadfast powering ancient single shot blue laser muskets and energy pikes with their hands through mystic bio-energy currents. Hastily preparing sandbag fortifications against the inevitable technological superiority of the Vori and their endless devoted legions and guiding their own fleeing families into the caverns below for protection. Even a few rusty cloudcutter starcraft had been sent up to meet the invaders head on in the skies above. It would be a losing battle they knew, Yet they would not flee. They had to buy time. Each man and woman stood ready to die defending the source of infinite power that had destroyed their solar system so long ago. And the last remaining key of hope for rebuilding their descendant's future.

As the purple and gold ships began to retreat in a blur sensing defeat like shooting comets. Their victors, desperate to claim their prize for themselves began to land quickly hoping to seize the initiative. Orbital bombardment would be so much easier but they needed the artifact housed deep below the surface to remain intact and undamaged. So they would resort to doing this age old tried and true vori way. The brutal direct method for which they were known for.

Fire and terror.

Black heavy gunships emerged from the clouds and began to land their troops on the outer courtyard surface as blue laserfire and hand held energy blasts erupted everywhere from temple AA guns and rocket launchers trying to knock them out of the sky as they dodged and weaved through the haze of ash and snowfall to pick off the last courageous few remaining Nak-thian pilots, causing them to crash and burn amid the frozen landscape in smoldering wrecks. Heavily armored alien soldiers of a thousand different planets dressed in black insulated winter armor and founded on the principle of hate and vengeance jumped from the ships to trudge through knee high snow, eager to meet the onslaught of the temples few valiant defenders hiding behind cover at the entrance of the steps leading up to the sacred stone pyramid above. 

As the battle raged outside the thick heavy walls. Dozens of Nak- thian's sat huddled for safety and warmth alongside other families deep within the bowels of the temple acting ask a makeshift bunker, quivering in terror and saying silent prayers for each other as the thundering boom of explosions and fighting on the upper levels could be heard above, sending shockwaves through the walls and clouds of dust falling from the ceiling to douse them all in it's dirt and cobwebs. Their bones rattling from the shockwaves and impact above. They all had tried to flee through the secret escape tunnels only to find to their horror that the passage out had caved in. As the men drilled and pushed and dug with their bare hands till they were bloody and raw trying to clear the rubble the sounds of battle grew ever nearer above. Everyone could easily hear the muffled screams and laser fire getting closer and closer as the Vori cleared out the defenders level by level, searching for what they deemed already theirs. The nak thians had fled from one fortress to hideout for months trying to keep the artifact out of the enemies grasp. But today They were out of time. They hoped the rules of war would protect them as they took shelter and sanctuary in a holy place. Trusting in their ancient cosmic phoenix gods to protect them.

The vori didn't care.

Suddenly as the last pair of Nak Thian warriors guarding the door fell to the engulfing sound of a screeching flamethrower just outside, a long dead silence filled the voice of hyms that had once consoled and warmed this sacred place as the bodies collapsed against the barricaded door with a thud.

Nothing warmed this place now but the flames.

The thick heavyset door shattered and was torn off its hinges by a timed explosive charge, the unfortunates having been standing near were crushed under their weight as they fell, unable to clear the blast in time. The black armored soldiers filed into the room through the smoke and embers one after another to form a sturdy line facing the trapped Nak thians huddled in furred blue and grey cloaks on the far side in terror with the incense candles of a raised altar at their backs. A few raised their palms and aimed them upward causing blue bio-energy to amass from their necks to follow along their circulatory systems like glowing river streams to formulate spheres of pure energy held within their palms. They latched hands and unleashed a combined last ditch protective blast of devotion and courage hoping to shield their children and the artifact, unable to get either to salvation in time. A few of the vori were cut down by the unexpected blast but it wasn't enough. They knew the Nak thians were well and truly spent up to this point they had been on the run for so many months. For better or worse. This was beginning of the end.

Hand it over. Snarled the Vori commander stepping forward over his slain men, still trailing smoke from their gaping cauterized ribcage's. I wont ask again. 

The elders stood there panting and pale from exhaustion but defiant as ever for a Nak thian. Some even drew knives from underneath their cloaks.

The commander signaled his men in response. "Open fire on those ones in front."

Those at the front of the crowd had raised their arms in defiance were cut down indiscriminately, with some attempting to shield their loved ones with their own bodies acting as their shields. Those that remained were too young, old, or weak to conjure up anything.

You get one more chance to live. The sinister reptilian khajari vori commander spoke calmly as if dealing with an unruly class of students he resigned himself to teach a lesson against their will. Only one. Where is the artifact?

None of them said a word.

Fine. He said with a disinterested snarl. Have it your way. He signaled his troops to open fire one last time.

A few Vori soldiers actually hesitated for a moment longer this time. Glancing briefly at each other with worried faces of. Are we really doing this? Aliens killing aliens? But as was expected of them most followed their orders or recovering the artifact no matter how many Nak Thians stood in there way. The commandos raised their energy rifles and ignited the tip of their flamethrowers slowly to take their marks. No longer were they brave heroes fighting for a noble cause of alien rights and keeping humans at bay. Now they were a firing squad. But if it meant furthering the grand goal.

So be it.

After the barrage was finished and the screams finally stopped. A faint sign of movement could be seen moving trapped behind the burnt bodies. Under the corpses of her parents was a young girl. With short red and gold hair, pointed ears, and blue glowing tattoos under the eyes on her cheeks that looked like spread out majestic bird wings. She was crawling away and bleeding from her forehead. Her right arm seared to a blackened and mangled stump from an sudden burst of flame. It was a withered dead thing, already crumbling to ash and trailing soot behind her like black chalk pressed against the stone floor as she dragged herself away. It had faced the majority of the impact in order to protect what she now cradled. But her left still intact, clutched tightly to her peoples most sacred item, undamaged and undisturbed, refusing to surrender it to her dying breath for all their sakes. The other artifacts had all been taken. This was the last one. And she a child, the last left alive to defend it. Yet she would keep it close still as she had been taught all her life. She was its sole protector now that there was no one else. In her hand rested the future of her people.

Take it from her.

What of the girl? Asked a bald blue skinned Lokorian. Looking back at the child collapsed and bleeding on the floor. Her once glowing tattoos now flickering like a dying blue candle in the pitch darkness of the room.

Leave her. We have what we came for.

zzzzzz....Ready for extraction....target aquired. The vori Commander spoke into his radio filled with static.

The commander ripped the sphere from her tight grip. Inspecting it curiously with the thought of "so much bloodshed for so little a thing" before tossing it into a cheap container box held up by another soldier. the girl flinched and ducked for cover, how foolish were invaders she thought, not realizing the immense danger he was putting everyone in this room in by jostling it so carelessly. The Lokorian saw the look of terror on the girls face as the others filed out of the room and it confused him. She thought it was from the sight of the big armored warriors that they were. But it wasnt.

She was no longer looking at any of them. If anything She was far more afraid for the wellbeing of the sphered artifact as if the whole world depended on it. Looking at it with pure dread as it was carried out. It was as if looking at devastating storm you knew was coming on the horizon but no one else knew or cared to see.

The lokorian in his long service fighting for the vori had faced overwhelming hardship time and time again, seen nightmares no ordinary person had ever seen and was seemingly growing used to danger. But that look..

That concern look of her's terrified him. And he resigned himself to keep as much distance from the artifact as possible. But just as the men were about to leave a frantic call came through on the leaders channel.

Commander!! The Vori admiral spoke through his radio. The Comm have regrouped for a coutner attack. Theyve broken through our incursion fleet above you! Their heading your way right now to take the artifiact!! Get out of there now!!

The girl could vaguely remember the rest it was all such a pained blur. The sound of panicked heavy black boots escaping up the stairs, the familiar heavy engines of Comm ships hovering on the roof above to let snowtroops propel downward on cables, and the tired bloody back and forth battle closing another chapter as the Vori attempted to flee with their prize, hoping to win just once against their hated Comm enemies who were always one step ahead of them. The long silence afterward indicated that they didn't make it or get very far.

She was glad. That meant there was still a chance.

After waiting for the coast to clear and the sound of laserfire to cease, she crawled over the dead Vori bodies who had tormented her just moments ago and snatched the sphere with one hand from its crate and attempted to flee with all her remaining strength, hoping that both sides had killed each other as they always did, only to see a group of victorious humans blocking her way picking off the last remaining vori soldiers.

We'll take that young lady. One human calmly said condescendingly as if she were a stray dog in his view.

The humans in their elaborate purple, white, and gold armor simply took the artifact from her desperate screaming grip with as much dispassion and lack of care as the Vori had and left without another word. She chased after them level after level upstairs but was unable to get very far she was so weak, by the time she had reached the fiftieth level at the top she had lost so much blood, she finally collapsed unable to take another step further before fading into unconsciousness. So close, and yet still so far.

And so the humans left, Leaving the anihalated Nak thians in the ashes of their ruined world now truly robbed of everything of value. Victims of a conflict they had no part or say in as always.

The humans got what they wanted yet again. They always did.

Hours passed by as the girl stood crying among the fleeting familiar comfort of her now extinct people, knees clutched to her chest, and drowning in the painfull overwhelming knowledge that she had failed them in the hour when they needed her most. She wanted to die. She wanted to resign herself to this temple she would make her tomb. But some part of her told her.

Get up. You still have a job to do.

She finished choking on her sobs and wiped away her tears. The voices were right. She knew she couldn't stay here. She was hurt. She was hungry. And she was cold. But most important of all. She had to reclaim the artifact no matter the cost. She had to find help somewhere. There had to be survivors. There had to be at least one. She couldnt be all alone. The nak thians always endured as was their way.

Didnt they?

As she stumbled through the hallways clutching the black stump of her arm, stepping over slain Vori, Nak thi, and Comm warriors to come to a halt at the entrance with the shining light of the setting sun and burning atmosphere to greet her she loomed upward. Watching as the last of the debre fleet crashed and burned to the surface and the comm fled into space victorious once again having stolen the last of her peoples treasures.

I dont care. A voice in her head told her. I;ll find a ship. Ill find a way to track them down. And regain what they stole from us.

If it takes the rest of my life. I will find it.

She heard the patter of armored heavy boots slowly approaching behind her out of the tunnel shadows, ripping her away from her vow of revenge. She picked up a knife from a dead nak thian and raised it with her good hand.

Before her stood the Blue skined Lakorian from earlier. He was wounded from the side of his head and was trailing purple blood behind his now limping gait. But he still had his rifle in anticipation of any remaining comm soldiers and set its red strobe light and barrel right on her. 

The two stood there for a long moment unsure of what would happen next. Neither side running. Neither side speaking or making the first move. The girl already certain of her death at the hands of these invaders who had taken her peoples last shred of dignity and hope from them. The vori commando inched closer, his yellow hellish eyes glaring at her in the dark like a shungari hawk eyeing a helpless abandoned chickelt with a bit of fight left in it still.

And yet strangely instead of firing his gun. He lowered it. Unable or too cowardly to finish the job his comrades in arms had started. He hesitated which was strange to her. Vori never hesistated. The commando sighed in defeat, folded and holstered his rifle on his back before kneeling down to be eye level her. Removing and setting aside his sinister red helmet as the two lone survivors of what be known to posterity as the battle of Nak thi stood face to face. Two aliens still suffering under human oppression.

Hold still. He said grabbing tightly on to her left arm as she tried to stab his face. He injected a vial of nephatil into thestump of the arm to dull the pain and keep her alive. She flinched and teared up at the sudden jolt of pain. She hated it. She hated him. And... and....

Stay here and don't move. He ordered angrily before backing away out of her reach. I'm sending someone to pick me up, if you want, I get you out of this mess. If you want to stay here, by all means.

She nodded. Knowing there was nothing left for her here now. And this could be her way to recover what was rightfully her peoples responsibility to protect.

This is JB 4825. My squad is dead. The mission...is failed. I repeat, failed over. He glanced over his shoulder. I have one civilian. Injured in grave condition. Please advise and send med evac as well.

Acknowledged. The other voice sighed in defeat. Sending extraction craft. Just hold put. We're leaving the system. And I don't think were coming back after this.

As if I had a choice.

What of your commander the voice said hopefully. Whats his status?

JB afforded a brief smile he tried to smother.

Dead.

I'm sorry. Was all he said down at her. It wasn't supposed to be this way. but don't worry. I made him suffer before I ran.

And with that, the Vori soldier donned his helmet and left her alone in the burned out ruined temple to sit outside on the temple steps to watch the sky burning in the snowfall and wait to be picked up. the lone soldier and the last of the Nak thians alone for the first time in their lifes stranded on a planet now truely devoid of anything worthwhile in a galaxy still engulfed in an endless turmoil since before either of them were born and would they feared would continue long after they were gone. Which thankfully wouldn't be today.

The ship arrived a day late to recover the dead and more importantly, any Vori or Comm weapons and tech of value that had been left behind that could be salavaged and reused for future conflicts. White Med droids that blended with the landscape bandaged JB's head and leg and cleaned and disinfected the civilzian girl's wound before giving her a cheap millitary prostetic that was far too big for her size causing her to stoop to one side before calling it a day. She glared at the droids once or twice throughout the painfull procecure as she sat there fidgeting in vengefull mournfulll silence for her lost arm, parents, people, home, burned temple, and stolen artifiact. Mostly she just looked up at the stars, thinking about what had been lost, and how to possibility ensure its safe return to where it belonged.

Jb didn't care what she did after this. He didn't care about anything really anymore. But she still did. At least she still had something to believe in. After today. He sure as hell didn't anymore.

As the Comm commando survivor grabbed his helmet under his arm and walked up the gangway of the vessel he turned to the girl who stood reluctant to leave the homeworld she had never left before.

You coming? he said as he took a seat. Last chance. I suggest you take it.

You aren't going for him a voice in her head told her.

Youre going for it. That ship is a means to end. Use it.

I will she vowed to herself. And one day...

I will have my revenge.