Season 2 Finale

In the weeks following the destruction of the Vigilant Outpost, the Dominion began a series of lightning strikes and quickly isolated Oryx facilities and operations the STX system. Across the galaxy, news outlets and security forces are reporting conflicts throughout most sectors.

The Galactic Observer

Breaking News from the Attien Combine: Unofficial sources report several Arcologies are experiencing catastrophic failures in critical subsystems. Rising tensions between the lower castes and the bureaucracy have only made the situation more volatile. Reports of explosions followed by toxic fumes emanating from the atmospheric filtration systems have claimed large numbers of the Combine citizens. Tune in for the latest on this developing story…

Pact Worlds News Network

Pact Worlds On Alert: Open skirmishes on and in space around Apostae between Drow House forces have begun to destabilize the planetary government. Reports are coming in of the capital city, Night Arch, on fire as factions battle their way across the city. The Blood Barracks has secured the Black Door region for evacuees while the House Alliance is in disarray seemingly devolving into ancient feuds. Tune in for the latest on this developing story…

Steward Security Bulletin

A Priority Yellow Alert has been issued for territories in the Vast. A significant increase in Dominion Fleet sightings has been reported in fringe territories of all sectors. These fleet ships are considered hostile and should not be approached. Please report any sightings or activities to your local Steward operation center.

Galactic Conflict

For over a thousand years the galactic core has settled it’s territorial squabbles and developed more diplomatic methods of resolving conflicts. Now, an old player has returned to the fray, intent on sowing discord and reigniting conflict.

The Dominion embodies purposeful chaos. Not just the run of the mill, random, universal chaos. They orchestrate chaos to expose flaws and weaknesses of their enemies. Masters of subterfuge, backed by powers more ancient and alien than anything else in the universe, the Dominion have been forcing civilizations to evolve or go extinct for millennia.

The destruction of one of their VoidWalker assault ships seems to have awoken them from a long slumber. They dispatched their forces, reactivated their agents and quietly began seeding the distrust, hate and envy required to ignite all-out war among the existing powers.

Peace is always so complacent and easily disrupted.

Barbarians at the Gates

For the last few weeks the crew have been participating in the active defense of the Terminal and coordinating skirmishes against Dominion forces that emerge from their strange jump portals. After destroying the Vigilant Outpost, Dominion forces moved through the STX system, quickly isolating and occupying facilities and outposts. Communications from the STX system are limited and any production has been hijacked for Dominion purposes.

The Confederacy has committed four flights of their Hammer fighters to the defense of the Terminal. Their other combat forces have been recalled to Ara Arcturis to bolster their local defenses since the Dominion have apparently developed the ability to open jump gates within the nebula. Construction efforts on the Hyper Gates has redoubled as logistics become more critical.

This episode opens with the crew on the edge of the nebula, battling group of Dominion vessels that ambushed a blockade runner leaving the STX system full of laborers and researchers trying to escape the Dominion.

The crew were dispatched to rescue the blockade runner. They called on the Drow cruiser to assist, since last reports indicated a Dominion Battlecruiser is involved. Just outside the nebula our heroes emerge from transit and the fight begins.

The enemy interceptors and fighters engage first to harry the new arrivals while the destroyer and battlecruiser stay focused on their prize caught in the larger ship’s gravity beam.

The Drow launch their own interceptors and fighters to engage the enemy. Our crew and the Drow cruiser engage the destroyer first. Opening salvos grind both sides as torpedoes and particle beams flash between ships. Between the firepower of the cruiser and bomber the destroyer is disabled. One of the enemy fighters is nearly disabled as the smaller ships speed back to the battlecruiser. The gravity beam releases the blockade runner after the battlecruiser absorbs a full barrage from the bomber and cruiser without flinching. The small ships dock on the surface of the battlecruiser which apparently targets its disabled destroyer and opens fire. As the ship explodes, disrupting target locks and sensors for a few seconds, a jump portal opens and the battlecruiser exits the field of battle.

The blockade runner manages escape the nebula’s dampening effects, they’ve sustained too much damage to engage their drift drive safely. The Drow cruiser opens a gate and everyone reaches the Terminal safely.

Message in a Bottle

The crew escort the runner back to the Terminal safely. As the refugees are being processed the crew are contacted by Commander Sawyer. Apparently, there has been a development of specific interest to the crew.

After reaching the ready room Commander Sawyer opens a data feed from an old friend; Gideon.

“Hopefully this message reaches you. The Dominion forces have been hassling our operations here on Z4 but they have not directly attacked us. This provided us time to gather intel to assist in kicking these bastards out of the solar system.” A projection of the STX system loads. “Best we can tell, their forces are limited to a handful of those battle cruisers and their support ships. Guess they haven’t figured out how to scale up their jump portal generators for anything larger.”

“Also, the TK League have sensed something growing near Z3. It’s psychic thing and it takes alot of people to sift through the cosmic noise, but it’s definitely there.” More detailed images of Z3 load. “It appears that the Dominion have started… growing… a stardock.” The image zooms in and there appears to be some sort of organic structure in orbit adjacent to the Z3 outpost.

“We receive the occasional comm burst from hold out facilities on Z3. The Dominion forces are rebuilding that research facility we uncovered. They’ve also apparently re-established their off-world gateway. That’s bad news for everyone. Know anyone with a bomber?” Gideon smiles and the message ends.

Commander Sawyer turns to the crew, “Now, where could we find a bomber?”

With high explosive ordinance in the bomb bay, Strig plots a course to land them as close as possible to the atmosphere of Z3.

On exiting transit, the crew find one battlecruiser in orbit with a few interceptors on patrol. The interceptors immediately move to engage the crew as Strig dives hard into the planet’s atmosphere. Drax, Bosho and Zopa man the plasma cannons and fire at their pursuers. A very well placed hit by Drax knocks the core out of one of the fighters and it spins out of control. Coming in hot, Strig brings the ship out of it’s dive and makes a pass above the target. Gun emplacements open fire as they flyby. Ignoring both the interceptors and the defense turrets, the crew target and blast the designated soft spots on the complex. After two runs they managed to breach the facility defenses enough to drop the explosives. Drax locks on and expertly lands the charge directly on target. As strig turns into a power climb, the facility explodes. The resulting blast and debris engulfs their last two pursuit ships. Time to exit the scene.

Zopa checks the sensors and finds the battlecruiser waiting for their emergence from the atmosphere, with more ships. With limited escape options the crew decide to attempt an ill advised maneuver. Strig sets course for the Terminal and punches the transit control, while still in the atmosphere. Everything goes black…

Not in Kansas Anymore

As the crew comes to, some are more disoriented than others while alarms and lights are flashing across all the boards. Bosho and Drax, having avoided most of the effects, gather up the rest of the crew and cycle everyone through the medical bay. No serious injuries and apparently no pursuit the crew takes some time to reorient themselves. Zopa hits the sensors to determine where they are, expecting the Terminal to be close. No sign. Then he notices the readings. Months have gone by.

Strig and Bosho assess the ship systems and determine that several subsystems are heavily damaged, the transit drive is showing some unknown error state.

Glack and Kallie’Dar cycle the scanners. They find no familiar constellations or nav points. Sensors pick up celestial bodies, planets, and a primary that emits only the slightest level of visible light but massive amounts of infrared radiation. Checking the ship’s nav log, apparently they’re ‘home’…

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Thus ends the second season of our intrepid crew’s story. Will there be a third season, it’s always possible.

Thanks for following our adventures.