[sachmo]

Norak Continuum in Check

2407.1-.2

The fleet was gaining strength. This month both Glory and Remorhaz launched Nemesis Class C Frigates, the RSS Gallant and the RSS Mercury respectively. Both ships were ordered to reinforce the Xillantha Defense Fleet orbiting Fort Justice.

In the Xillantha system, the planet Fort Justice was able to breathe a sigh of relief as both Rage fleets made for the wormhole leading to the Lundra System. This did not disappoint Rear Admiral Sakazawa, as he currently had a fleet consisting of one destroyer, one frigate and a system patrol ship. He believed he could make do with what he had, but as for guaranteeing the well being of the colonists on Fort Justice he was not sure. Any delay by the Rage was another day for the Navy to strengthen his fleet.
Commandant Hunter watched nervously as the first production M1 Blazer Assault Craft was hauled into the compound. This was the prototype of the actual production model, the final design of the assault craft his troops would be riding into battle. By the end of the month, he expected to have around 17 Blazers built, enough for almost an entire company. Meanwhile, the training facilities on other planets would be producing troops also, and the workers at Glory Space Yard were hard at work building the first production troop transport. They expected to launch her within the next two months. Then, his Marines would ship off to try and help knock the Norak Continuum out of the war once and for all. With the Blazer in production, Hunter believed that they could.
Time to suit up, he thought. Today would be the first actual combat drop of this final model of the Blazer, and Hunter intended to be along for the ride. He strapped on his combat armor and headed for the Blazer.

Captain Jager was ready for anything. They expected the jump to take them into Norak space. In fact, she half expected to run straight into a Norak fleet. As Nemesis and Furious finished the jump, they found themselves in a strange system. The Regotha system had three stars; a blue, a white, and a red star. Gina believed that it was the first system that they had found with three stars. The light given off by them was dazzling. All three stars mixed to give the system an almost purple glow, with green halos. The view was breathtaking. All of the planets were clustered in the northeastern quadrants of the system. Three worlds in this system had Norakian presence on them. The largest was Regotha I, a rock world with a carbon dioxide atmosphere. Sensors showed about 63 million colonists on this world. Second was Regotha II, a tiny rock world with a carbon dioxide atmosphere. There were about 61 million Norak on this planet. Third was Regotha III, a rock world with an oxygen atmosphere. There were only 14 million colonists on this world, with the majority probably on the colony ship parked in orbit over the planet. This planet would be a prime target for the Space Marines, whenever they were ready. Captain Jager sent all of the data back to fleet, and then made course for the asteroid field present in this system. Within hours, she was informed that all of Gamma Fleet less RSS Intimidator was headed for the Regotha system. Jager was to hold her fleet and observe until Gamma could join them, which shouldn’t take more than a month.

2407.3

The first company of Space Marines was officially deployed. The multi-purpose transport RSS Marne headed for Salvation, then Black Hills to pick up two more full companies. The full battalion would then be transported to a landing ship, which would head for the Regotha system, where the first ship to surface invasion in known history would take place. The men were in high spirits, and looking forward to the journey.

In the Regotha system, Commodore Lu ordered Gamma Fleet to make for Regotha I. Zeta Fleet, consisting of Nemesis and Furious were ordered to guard the warp point.
“Captain Jager, the Norak colony ship is within range.” Commander Olaf Svenson said. “We could jump her if you would like, and still be between anything the Norak could launch and the wormhole.”
Gina weighed her options. The XO was right, even if the colony ship slipped past them, they could easily catch her before she made the wormhole. If any other Norak ship tried to slip past, they would be in fine intercept position.
She looked at the Commander. “Alright, Mr. Svenson, set a course to intercept that colony ship. Sparks, radio Furious and pass the word along. Let’s get moving, folks. We don’t want that colony ship to get away.”
Gina watched as her crew jumped to the task at hand. They were getting very good. Everything went like clockwork. She smiled, thinking of the early days before the war, when she and her crew were getting to know each other. Now they were a unit, confident and deadly.

2407.4

Glory launched the RSS Mongoose the first troop transport in the Remorhaz Navy. She moved to rendezvous with Marne for the transfer of troops.

In Regotha, Zeta Fleet closed on Regotha II, determined to intercept any ship attempting to get to the southern wormhole. Across the system, Gamma Fleet headed inexorably toward Regotha I.

The Xillantha Defense Fleet received some much-needed reinforcements as the frigate Gallant and the destroyer Honor arrived and joined the fleet.

2407.5

The month opened with Gamma Fleet destroying the Norak colony on Regotha I. Zeta Fleet was also able to destroy the Norak colony on Regotha II, and scout out the wormhole from the system. The Knoglam system was devoid of any planets. Was it possible that Regotha III was the Last Norakian planet in the galaxy?

The Research Guild made a significant breakthrough in propulsion technology. The Contra-Terrene engine was discovered. This engine relied mainly on anti-matter to provide the locomotion. It was also discovered that an extra anti-matter “booster pack” could be added to the engines, to provide another factor of speed. Unfortunately, the process consumed the pack in the process, along with anything in a two-foot radius. So the Guild created an anti-gravity suspension mount for the “booster pack” which would allow it to be fitted on ships and activated whenever the crew needed extra speed. With the anti-matter drive, the scientists believed that they could create a weapon that would use that same anti-matter to overload and destroy an enemy ship’s engines. Of course this would require additional research.

In the Yakura System, Remorhaz colonists landed on the planet Yakura II, and renamed the settlement Timmeron. This colony was now the furthest Remorhaz colony to date. The System Patrol Ships Falcon and Peregrine were already in orbit around the planet, but low on supplies. The colonists started constructing a supply base. This base would expand the frontiers of the Remorhaz Society.
The Marne and the Mongoose met up over Black Hills. All of the Space Marines were transferred, and Mongoose headed for Glory to pick up the Last Company of Marines. Before she left the system, Mongoose would be loaded with a full Regiment of Space Marines.

Remorhaz launched another frigate, the RSS Midguard. She took up garrison duty in orbit around Remorhaz.

The Rage front was still quite. Other than their unexplained movements into Remorhaz space, they had attacked no Remorhaz world since Cirius was destroyed. The Admiralty began running scenarios, trying to find the best course of action to pursue against them, once Norak was taken out of the war. They had come up with nothing concrete yet, but Grand Admiral Urian always had something up his sleeve. Depending on what Zeta Fleet found on their next jump, the Navy might be able to come at the Rage from three sides, depending on the wormhole configuration. Time would tell, but the Grand Admiral had to smile. Yes, the Navy would make the Rage pay for starting this bloody war. It was only a matter of time.

To be continued...