Risen: Shatterverse

A Grim Discovery

"My colleague makes a good point," the African regional commander, Kisasi indicated as she and the rest of the command group joined them. "If they've absorbed additional technology to give themselves flight capability, they could've also bolstered their defensive and offensive capabilities."

"I say we just hit them and find out," Ulyana, the Russian commander retorted. "If we just send probes to investigate, we could lose valuable time."

"Which brings up the question: just how much time do we have?" the Scandinavian commander, Brynhild asked.

"Only one way to find out," Yamato, the Japanese commander said as he stepped forward. "Who's pulling this image data together for us?"

Tovin glanced at Aetohk's silent image before she replied.

"The Vanguard's Operations and Tactics database."

"Ah. That would explain that fellow's presence. Can we look at all of their encounters over the last hour?"

"Tactical, make it happen," Tovin commanded.

"On it, ma'am," the Tactical officer replied even as several of the display units began to come to life. Moments later they were all filling with images almost identical to the first.

"Now, can you make a composite image with all of their relative positions linked together?" Yamato said as they all leaned forward to intently look at the new images.

"Running the translation matrix now, commander," Tactical replied. "Routing the positional data to the main holo platform in the center."

Easily the largest of the displays, the center platform spun light into what appeared to be a segment of a galactic arm.

"Now, using velocity and directional data, extrapolate the origin points for those clouds," the intent Japanese Risen directed. Nodding, the Tactical officer worked over their interface for a few seconds before glowing lines began to appear on the star map.

As the gathered commanders trooped out onto the display floor to get a closer look at the star map, the K Campaign liaison suddenly piped up.

"Admiral Tusk reports multiple hyperspace tracts inbound," they reported.

"Confirmed," the Top Down Station coordinator added. "They'll breach in approximately 60 seconds."

"The additional assets High Command is sending to bolster the fleet," Aetohk indicated, speaking for the first time since the command staff's arrival. "We are in communication with the flotilla commander."

"Very good, Sub-Admiral. Please advise us when you are ready to jump," Tovin replied.

"Affirmative, Supreme Commander. Aetohk out." And the nehvest's image disappeared.

"You'd think that big bastard would be interested in what we're doing with their data," Cooper said dryly.

"I suspect they already know," Harris, the Australian Risen commander said, arms folded as he traced the lines connecting the recorded encounters with a central point several parsecs distant. "That's why they're reinforcing their fleet."

Abruptly the veteran Risen paused to look at one of the miniaturized images, eyes narrowed. Then he was looking over his shoulder at the much larger original.

"Bloody hell, is that a planet?" he asked out loud.

Instantly every eye swung onto the larger original image. The muttering began when they confirmed that the bulge on the cloud's distal edge was, indeed, a planet in the late stages of being completely engulfed by the cloud.

"Does that data fragment have anything on what's going on, on the surface?" Ulyana asked without taking her eyes off the image.

"Tactical?" Tovin said, passing on the question

"The Vanguard squadron that discovered this particular cloud reported the planet was already half covered when they arrived," the Tactical officer replied, reading from a screen filled with translated text. "Since the planet's status was unknown, the squadron's commander decided to not engage and run the risk of damaging the surface. However, they did take a series of sensor sweeps before leaving the system."

Tactical paused there to look up at the gathered commanders.

"Their sensors picked up signs of heavy fighting in multiple locations."

"Whoever they are, they're trying to defend themselves against whatever the K'ethik are doing to them," Kisasi noted. "We should make that cloud our first target. Perhaps we can arrive there in time to save the planet's inhabitants."

"I concur," Tovin said even as the other commanders nodded in agreement. "K Campaign, send the coordinates for that system to the fleet and advise Tusk that their first priority is intervention and recovery. Let's see if we can save those people."

"The Admiral acknowledges and reports that the additional Vanguard assets are now in position. They are prepping to open wormholes to the target coordinates now."

"I only hope we're in time," Kisasi said with a shake of her head. "That cloud is larger than anything we've seen before. Big enough to directly attack a planet."

The African Risen looked over at her colleagues.

"This changes everything."

"It changes nothing!" Ulyana fired back, her expression suddenly hard. "The K'ethik are merely confirming to the galaxy the lengths they are willing to go to support their agenda."

"Which we still don't know," Cooper cautioned. The Russian quickly rounded on him.

"Don't we?" she asked tautly. "I think it's obvious. The K'ethik have taken the Velkin's place as conquerors. If we don't stop them, nobody will."

"We're already engaged in the effort ..." Tovin began, trying to de-escalate. But the fiery Russian Risen wasn't having it.

"Are we, Tovin?" she fired back. "If Max was here, he would've had the fleet already in place, attacking ..."

"But Max isn't here, Ulyana!" Tovin interrupted to tightly remind her. "He's gone after sacrificing himself to see the last of his company to safety before they were crushed by a black hole." She paused slightly to scan over the rest of the command staff's faces.

"All that's left is us. And while we're not World Entity-blessed juggernauts like Max was, we're the best hope the galaxy has right now to avoid being destroyed by an inexplicable K'ethik offensive. But we'll fail if we don't stay focused on the task at hand and not fly apart."

Tovin swung her eyes back onto Ulyana and her compressed-lip expression of doubt.

"That includes you, Commander Ulyana," she tautly reminded the Russian Risen. "If you can't keep it together, I'll find somebody who can."

For a long moment Ulyana returned Tovin's challenging stare with a hard look of her own, long enough that the psyren began to think she would actually have to replace her. Then abruptly the Russian Risen was turning away.

"I'll stay on task, commander," she hissed in capitulation. "As long as we have a task at hand."

"Good enough," Tovin said, fighting to keep the relief out of her voice along with a bit of happiness that the first challenge of her authority had gone her way. "Now, let's do what we can to help those people under attack by that cloud, yes?"