Chapter X: Greeny's Revenge, Rage of the Slah'ke

Adept sat at the controls of Sorrow, listening into what the Terrans, Plexxans and what Church were talking about. "Greeny, Church. I believe that we need to make plans to retake Sol.” Greeny nodded, Church however was as stoic as ever. Greeny mentioned this “Church is something wrong?” Church snapped out of the distracted state of mind he was in and answered the emperor’s question in fluent Terran. “Yes, this war, its starting to seem like it’s more focused on us than it is on you two.” They both understood what Church meant by you two. Still it was unlike him to act in such a manner of… emotion. Duckman looked to Adept pointing it out to Prmens to go talk to the Slah’ke warrior. Greeny spoke again “Church you want revenge don’t you?” Church could only offer his cold gaze two the two leaders. Narses stepped in “Church, you know this as much as I do, any direct attack on the home systems would be disastrous… even for Adept, Mach, SPQR and the other elites who fight alongside you.” Church submitted to Narses point after a few minutes of silence.

Prmens squatted next to the control seat where Adept was looking at the item his dad had made with such pride. Adept kept the thing by his side to remind himself that his dad died with honor. “So, young Plexxan, it seems we meet again after all of this fighting, I thought I’d never see you again.” Prmens smiled, and let out a small chuckle. “It seems you underestimate us Plexxans a little too much.” Adept nodded at that “It would seem so Plexxan” Prmens again wondered at why Adept sounded so distracted by the small Kosha’Jai, a Slah’ke dagger used as a symbol of honor from many battles. Prmens pointed at it which got Adepts attention ‘What is it?” Adept smiled and spoke in his rough accent “It is a Kosha’Jai, a symbol of honor only earned through many fights, and wars. It was given to my Father by his commander for his countless accomplishments in the heat of battle.” Prmens looked serious for a change and showed Adept several medals he had on his uniform “this one here, the arrow like one with the silver lining and gold is for defending Castor from numerous attacks, the black one is for when I was shot down on patrol and survived, the third was given to me by StarRaider himself for courage, integrity, and when I saved him during a battle.”

Dennis over heard that and wondered for a moment ‘If Adept is apart of the Elite section of the Union then where is his Kosha’Jai?’ Adept was looking at the control Panel, and noticed a message sent by Machinehr telling Adept to dock at a different station, then another message that said ignore that request. Adept dismissed it and followed Machinehr’s orders. Dennis asked a question ignoring what Phantom was telling him about the Slah’ke “Excuse me warrior, but if your apart of the Elite where is your Kosha’Jai?” Adept smiled a toothy grin “I didn’t get one.” Dennis was confused by the statement. “I got a Joshi’Koji… your standing in it” Dennis then nodded and quietly went back to speaking to Phantom about the recent events in the war.

Several hours later they arrived at Saurion in Proxima, Adept had docked in his private Hangar that contained all of his warships, and equipment, being the Lizard he was he doesn’t bother to clean up when stuff such as liquid spills. Everyone then exited Sorrow as Adept using the Slah’ke only hatch exited through the top and hooked up several power cup-links to Sorrow keeping the Reactor on standby incase Proxima came under siege. Greeny was a bit disgusted at the poor condition this hangar was in but it was Adepts hangar a warrior he has come to trust, along with Machinehr. Duckman was a bit happy to see a place as dirty as this, it reminded him of Prmens hangar full of Valiants, and several Paladins, and that Liberator Prmens worshipped.

SPQR already docked, and settled came into Adepts hangar, and saw Greeny looking around a bit appalled by the shape the Hangar was in and especially if Adept was an elite member. SPQR started yelling in Slah’ke at Adept, and he responded in kind, everyone was focused on the two screaming at each other only until Machinehr ran in and separated the two with a scolding tone in Slah’ke, then they began discussing what had happened and Adept began screaming again as SPQR kept saying insults. Machinehr knew they both were pushing each others buttons a bit too fast for his liking. Machinehr then separated them both...literally by throwing them across the Hangar and backed out orders demanding they both apologize to each other, and fear what Machinehr would do next they both complied with Machinehr's wishes.

Greeny then stepped in speaking to Machinehr. "Mach I need to go back to Sol..." Machinehr looked the Emperor in the eye. "No." Phantom yelled demands of complying to the Emperor's wishes or she'd kill Machinehr... which she regretted having a worried SPQR right in front of her before she knew it, and Dennis tried to react but was tossed down onto the ground by Adept. Machinehr stepped forward. "This is so the one we need most is not lost, the same for you Duckman." Prmens tensed up and reached for a weapon, this was treachery, then Duckman put a hand on Prmens arm telling him to relax, and let Machinehr say what he wanted to originally say to them. "You both do realize this is so we are distracted from the main force that will be assembled by Walt, and the hired pirates he controls." Greeny narrowed his eyes, angry that Machinehr hadn't told Greeny sooner, being short fused already he exploded "Machinehr! Why didn't you tell us this sooner!?" Narses sighed and put a hand on his face as Speed Shot and S117 shook their heads, they've seen the Emperor when he gets like this... its not to pretty to see, or to be apart of. Adept looked at Greeny as he yelled at Machinehr "So you knew about this attack and yet you didn't tell us? Machinehr! did you try and assassinate me through the Kolari?!" Machine roared with aggravation "No! I did not Emperor, please if you would let me explain to why I didn't tell you, it was because I could not tell you, because I did not know that it was going to happen until my attack force had entered Brood space in Eltanin! Therefore I did not refuse to inform you nor Duckman! If I knew that something like this was going to happen I would have sent Tomglomerate with his scarab fleet to engage and dissipate the Kolari Duke John A. Howard!" Duckman was taken aback that they even knew the light bulbs name "Excuse me overlord, but How do you know his name?"

Machinehr relaxed his voice speaking in the Terran native language. "We've been fighting the Kolari and the Brood for some time now Duckman, it was inevitable that we made a hit list to try and end this useless and stupid war." Adept nodded because he was tasked at least three times to take out the Duke that had taken Megrez from the Union. Adept and him were practically bitter enemies, and probably would rest till one of them is dead, or the war is declared over. Machinehr then spoke again "We know several Kolari leaders including Clever Trevor, Ian, Blue_Beetle, The UED, and their main commander Marc7005. For nine years we've known these Kolari and for those nine years we've tried to take them out countless times we have succeeded on only one. Greym, the one who kept ravaging Böotes, Vega, and Sirius." Duckman and Greeny were unmoved by the new information but it helped. "So those pirates killing our people slaughtering all who ran those trade routes were hired by who?" Adept narrowed his eyes and spoke before Machinehr. "Marc7005." Machinehr nodded in confirmation as the two faction leaders looked to him. "Adept if you please you could tell them the story." Adept nodded and let go of Dennis. "It was found out when I took Halo out for a routine escort for a bunch of Slah'ke government contractors, when we were ambushed by a pirate named GUN_fire, we lost three transports of irreplaceable shipments of much needed food, and medicine. When a pirate by the name of Cold fire came out of nowhere in a Zealot aptly named The Destroyer and pinned GUN down. GUN made a run for it getting away, soon after that we discovered Cold was a Kolari unsympathetic to the Kolari Star Empire’s goal, along with a Slah'ke Pirate Inferno they aided the rest of the convoy to a Terran planet strengthening our treaty with our Factions." Greeny nodded, Adept seemed to be quite the busy lizard in the past and present. Its no wonder he was apart of the Elite.

SPQR then spoke. "I later ran into an incursion with GUN FIRE, I forced him to submit the information on his employers and let him go, that's when Machinehr, declared war on the Kolari Star Empire... and that's when Duke Howard began to show with his entourage of warships, setting our planets ablaze committing grand acts of genocide.. compared to the others Trevor and Howard were the most... kind when it came to marcs orders, they would give apt warning before they'd set planets ablaze." Greeny nodded again fully understanding now. "Narses, send a signal to the fleet in Markab to arrive here." Narses pulled out a small box, and pushed a small purple button in. Several hours later as everyone was relaxing the Terran Assault fleet arrived, countless Invincibles, and dominators, along with Federation ships, including StarRaiders Paladin, and Duckmans refitted Invincible, BattleHog. Adept stared out the window, watching the ships enter the system, as did SPQR, then a Slah'ke warrior ran into the room where the two friends were. "Your ships are ready." Adept showed his teeth growling with hate. as did SPQR. The Kolari thought that they had seen the end of the Slah'ke war fleets terrifying the two would show them. Machinehr had his Zealot MechWarrior, Church had his cloaker fleet deployed, as did Tomglomerate. Adept still showing his teeth noticed that the Terran have gone back to their ships the fleet brought with. This was war... like the good old days. SPQR got into his Invincible as Adept, got into Halo.

Greeny noticed the few Union ships breaking off from Saurion. Narses noticed that it was considerably larger than it originally was.

The Slah'ke were up to something, something out of place though. Dennis had reported an immense number of hyperspace ruptures, only caused when large amounts of Zealots entered systems, but the Slah'ke... they didn't have anymore war fleets did they? two Zealots entered, then four, then thirty, then fifty, then one hundred. Two Slah'ke Kosumak'Alkosi (Elimination fleet) had entered, five hundred Zealots in total. The rage of the Slah'ke was at its peak, now the Brood would feel the rage of angry reptiles, and their Human allies. Machinehr spoke into global: "This Terrans is the Kolira'Kashaf (Kolari Inquisition) We Slah'ke have waited for the right time to use our forces against the Kolari, and now we can." Machinehr gave the order for the Brokji'Kashaf (Brood Inquisition) in Procyon, and the Terran fleets followed the large Kosumak'Alkosi fleet, to make a race suffer a much deserved punishment.