Risen: Shatterverse

Stellar Vagrancies

Then all eyes were drawn to the screen as what looked like a storm abruptly appeared in the upper atmosphere. A storm that rapidly grew in volume and reach as it started sending vicious slashes of plasma ripping up into the cloud with a decent amount of affect.

"I think that's your answer, commander," Tusk replied. "Tech level four but able to control their own weather." She turned to look down onto the command bridge. "Science?"

"Confirmed, Admiral," the Science officer quickly replied. "The local species have built what appears to be massive tesla coils across every landmass. These not only provide an ambient energy field that allows efficient transmission of energy to any and all locations, but also appears to be part of a network that gives the locals the ability to modify their weather at will."

There was a pause as the Science team quickly worked over their interfaces for a moment. Then the Science officer was looking back at the command dais.

"They've ionized the upper atmosphere, ma'am, in such a way, it's shattering the network bonds within the clouds and breaking down their assault fronts. They are, for the moment, holding the clouds at bay."

"Huh," Tusk said with a frown. "Would you imagine that!" Then, a bit louder: "Science, give me everything you can scan from that coil network. If it's that effective at level four, then a level nine like us should be able to make it even more so!"

She then reached out to touch a comms station built into the railing.

"General Tate, we're dropping your vanguard in five mikes. The clouds have been blunted by some sort of ionizing field the locals are creating. But that's also dumping large numbers of larva directly onto the surface where they may be re-establishing their networks and building assault forms. Prepare to face significant k'ethik ground forces when you arrive."

Tate nodded before replying through his suit's comms.

"Understood, Admiral. We're boarding the dropships now. We'll be ready for drop in two mikes." He then looked over at Grint, who was just sealing his own armored suit.

"Significant ground forces," he said, the sound of his voice bringing the avatar's head back up to look over at him. "More bugs like Lansik?"

Grint frowned before his visor swung down and locked, stowing his assault rifle as it did.

"Hope so," the dorvaldi avatar replied. "I'm not in the mood for some ridiculous mod those jobby tuggers have dreamed up to frell with my day." He took a step to the nearest monitor and called up a view of the planet they were rapidly approaching. "Any reason we can't just hit the cloud with Hammer's Shrikes now? Before they put more larva on the ground?"

Tate frowned himself. It was an excellent question, actually. The disruptor Shrikes have proven themselves already in battle. Why weren't they deploying them now to take the clouds completely out of the picture before the situation on the ground got any worse?

Tusk grimaced as she looked at the readout built into her command chair.

"Engineering! What's the status now on those damn disruptor Shrikes?? We've got k'ethik to kill!"

"Sorry, Admiral," her chief engineer replied over the comms. "We're assembling them as fast as possible with the teslas we have on hand. We should have a full salvo ready in five minutes."

Tusk's expression tightened. Five minutes? That'll be two minutes after landing ground forces! She glanced at the chrono on her readout. Then she was tapping her comms.

"General. Buckle in."

"Copy that, Admiral. We are good to go," Tate quickly replied.

Nodding in satisfaction, Tusk turned to her Tactical officer.