Crimson Ambition

Prologue

Ghaul; "I will decide while the cage is under construction. Stay strong, princess. I will return victorious, or not at all."

Caiatl nodded as the hologram faded, the storm clouds giving way to the Traveler lazily hovering over a city bordered by an immense wall, a large tower ahead of them. Ghauls grip tightened on the arm rests as a communication came through from another Cabal.

Cabal; "Dominus, that tower appears to be their command center."

Ghaul replied with a knitted brow.

Ghaul; "Open fire, low yield warheads. Make them suffer."

Cabal; "All ships focus fire on the tower."

A deluge of rockets poured into the tower, causing explosions all throughout the upper structure, prompting Ghaul to huff in amusement.

Cabal; "Dominus, the citys anti-air defenses are still online; the Psion virus was countered swiftly!"

Ghaul groaned quietly as an even more immense ship passed overhead, harmlessly absorbing the anti-air fire as it expanded into a six pointed star shape, glowing a yellow-ish orange at the rear thrusters.

Ghaul; "Hmm... Someone was expecting us, it would seem. Have the Immortal circumnavigate the tower, the rest of the fleet shall keep the ground forces occupied until the cage can be erected."

Cabal; "What about an assault on the cage, sir?"

Ghaul chuckled as he stood, approaching the window.

Ghaul; "They wouldn't dare fire on their precious Traveler. We need only occupy them long enough to take their power... Then, victory is certain. Deploy squadrons to the tower!"

Cabal; "Yes, Dominus."

Ghaul watched the cage attach itself to the Traveler and begin expanding; long wires of metal and machinery to encircle the sphere. He lost sight of it as the ship moved to circle the tower clockwise, the boom of guns and drop pods being launched filling the observation deck.

Ghaul; "Get me a view of the tower."

The window fizzled with static, the view changing to the starboard side of the ship, circling around to the opposite side of the tower; the side facing the Traveler. He crossed his arms over his chest as the tower was broadsided with missiles and drop pods.

Cabal; "Sir, Psions on the ground are intercepting a transmission."

Ghaul; "Patch it through."

The voice that came over the thrones speaker was Human, feminine but stern and laced with worry, a twang of desperation as well.

"Zavala, the last of the shuttles is away; but the Speaker... He never made it. I'm going to look for him."

Ghaul growled quietly as the transmission cut out.

Ghaul; "Have any Psions detected this "Speaker?" If not, begin searching immediately!"

Cabal; "They're on the hunt, sir... Dominus, the Glykon Volatus is picking up a Human ship departing for orbit. Ground troops say they've captured Ixel."

Ghaul clenched his fists with a mix of a growl and a hiss.

Ghaul; "Send a Cruiser after them. Wherever they go, deploy fortifications and begin mining operations. Prepare construction for a shipyard as well; I'd rather not have all our forces kept exclusively on Earth."

Cabal; "Understood, sir."

Iago came alongside Ghaul once more as a shadow of a ship passed across the window, its silhouette barely visible through the screen.