Uploaded Fiction for the Old Guard Stardate 03.06.22 in Sector 50 to GenesisGalaxiesUniverse.com.


THE OLD GUARD
STARDATE 03.06.22
SECTOR 50


Captain Severick floated out of the Assembly Room in his Anti-Grav Wheelchair. He was one of the last ones to leave the meeting. The briefing had taken all day and he was exhausted. The Europa Offensive to destroy the P10A Battleship was a complicated plan, but it had a good chance of success. Much of it depended on how Babylon would respond to their assault and what countermeasures they would implement in advance. There was much to be done aboard the Old Guard before the Offensive launched.

In the hallway outside of the Assembly Room, Captain Severick literally bumped into Captain Melina Dequest, an old flame of his. Immediately, long buried emotions surged to the surface within Captain Severick. If anyone was to be the One for him, it would have been her.

"Oh! Captain Severick! I apologize. I didn't mean to run into you like that."

Captain Severick answered promptly. "No need to apologize, Captain Dequest. The fault is mine. Sometimes I fail to see certain areas around my Wheelchair...blind spots if you will. How are you doing?"

"I'm...fine," Captain Dequest replied in a soft voice as she tucked in her hair behind her ears. When Captain Severick had known her, many years ago, her hair was blonde. Now it was colored black. It was a refreshing change. Her deep blue eyes were still unmistakable, as was her voice. The years had been kind to Captain Dequest, kinder than they had been to Captain Severick, for her skin showed few signs of wrinkles. She looked almost exactly as she did back when she and Captain Severick were together. Her body was slightly larger, but this was normal for a woman her age. Typically, Captain Severick would have towered above Captain Dequest. But since he was now in a Wheelchair, it was she who was looking down at him. It was unsettling for Captain Severick, although he would never admit it.

Captain Dequest quickly tried to shift the conversation away from herself. "I'm so sorry to hear about your legs, Stephanos. I know it must have been so difficult for you to adjust to a Wheelchair. I would have come immediately if I wasn't so far away. My assignment was on the other side of Europa. But I really wanted to be by your side. You must believe me."

"I do," Captain Severick replied as he looked downward momentarily. He recalled the first few days of using his Anti-Grav Wheelchair. It was not pleasant. "But you have your own Ship and Crew that you are responsible for, Captain Dequest. Your first duty is to them, not me."

Captain Dequest went quiet as she studied Captain Severick's facial features. Although weathered, she still found him handsome. She remembered all the times they spent together.

"Please Stephanos, call me Melina. You are not my subordinate and I am not yours. After all we've been through, I think we have earned the right to call each other by our first names."

"Of course...Melina," Captain Severick said hesitantly. "So...what is your impression of Europa's Offensive Plan?"

"I think it is foolishness," Captain Dequest stated plainly. Captain Severick was surprised by her candor, but then again, Melina never had a problem openly speaking her mind. It was one of the qualities he admired about her.

Captain Dequest continued, "To risk so many ships, so many lives, just to destroy one Battleship? I don't see the justification behind the decision. There must be more to this Offensive than we are being told. Surely there are more efficient ways to destroy the Behemoth? And really, how much of an effect can one ship have on the War with Babylon in general? A limited amount, I would say."

Captain Severick thought to himself. He rubbed his beard out of subconscious habit. "You may have a point, Melina. But it is not our place to question Orders. Like those under our Command, those Orders must be obeyed, whether there is agreement or not. I will do my part."

Melina was always impressed by Captain Severick's devotion to duty. "And I will do mine, Stephanos. But surely Captains are allowed to think, aren't they? We are not simple robots following commands. That is why we have our positions. To question, to analyze, to conclude, to ponder, to wonder, to formulate. You think the same thoughts as I do, you simply don't voice them."

Captain Severick went silent. Melina knew him well. Perhaps too well. He did not dispute her claim.

"Where were you anyway in the Assembly Room, Stephanos? I didn't see you in the large crowd. You weren't avoiding me, were you?" She giggled softly.

"Of course not!" Captain Severick answered as if he got caught with his hand in the cookie jar. Few could make him feel embarrassed as Melina could. "Like you, I was simply engrossed in our mission plan. There can be no room for error when executing our roles."

"Yes," Captain Dequest said in agreement. She reached down and put her hand on Captain Severick's cheek. Again, he was surprised by her maneuver. She looked into his eyes deeply.

"You know, Stephanos, I never maintained a steady relationship after you. Oh, I tried, but they all fell short. What we had was something special. So special. And we were so young. So stupid! It just wasn't meant to be between us, Stephanos, as much as we both wanted it. But there are nights...when...when I would have given up my entire command just to be with you."

A tear fell from Melina's eye. It slowly dribbled down her right cheek.

Captain Severick quickly wiped the tear away and then grasped Melina's hand with his own. His heart ached with memories of the past.

"Don't say such things, Melina. We both made our choices in life. And each of our roads has led us here. We should accept that, not wonder about what might have been. That will only lead to heartache. Just know that you are often in my thoughts, a priceless treasure I keep locked within me for the world to never know. You will Always be there."

Captain Dequest smiled. She stood straight up again, withdrew her hand, and regained her composure as a Europa Captain.

"Stephanos...we both might die in this Offensive. Should it come down to a choice between Me and your Duty..."

"I will do my Duty," Captain Severick answered coldly with a hard stare. "For Certain."

"Of course, Stephanos. I know you will. Now, if you'll excuse me, I must prepare my ship. I wish you all the best, Captain."

Captain Melina Dequest kissed Captain Severick lightly on the lips. Then she moved away down the corridor and disappeared into darkness.

AND DEEP WITHIN CAPTAIN SEVERICK'S SOUL, HE WONDERED WHAT DECISION HE WOULD REALLY MAKE IF IT CAME DOWN TO A CHOICE BETWEEN MELINA OR HIS DUTY.

By Norman Dizon (Ichaborn) on Saturday, October 05, 2024 - 05:37 pm: Edit

Uploaded the (PMR8.1) Phalanx Heavy Cruiser SSD for the Prime Sector to GenesisGalaxiesUniverse.com.

By Norman Dizon (Ichaborn) on Saturday, October 05, 2024 - 05:42 pm: Edit

Uploaded Fiction for Merlin Stardate 07.04.21 in the Prime Sector to GenesisGalaxiesUniverse.com


MERLIN
STARDATE 07.04.21
PRIME SECTOR


It didn't take long for the Titan Graveyard to do its Job.

An enormous Ball of Plasma that seemed to be Alive immediately engulfed the Breithaupt, consuming it entirely. An unnatural Monster that resembled a Gargoyle ripped the Feihler in half and began to eat the remaining pieces.

That only left the Stumgeschultz, which was still wounded. Unfortunately, Merlin was in much worse shape than the Stumgeschultz. And they knew it.

Merlin headed toward a Patch of Space that seemed to be Swallowing Itself. Anything that approached was sucked in, funneled to who knows where.

The Stumgeschutz followed.

"Stay the course," Captain Elizabeth instructed Fafnir. The small Dragonite nodded his head and complied, staring at the View Screen without blinking.

The entire Bridge was on edge. They knew their lives hung in the balance, depending on what happened in the next few moments.

"We have to go in," Captain Elizabeth said, looking at Una, her Science Officer. "But we have to do it in such a way that the Stumgeschutz will be drawn in as well. With any luck, we'll be able to pull out of the anomaly and they will not."

Una stared into the binoculars attached to her station. Then she looked up at Captain Elizabeth.

"I've analyzed the data coming from the Patch of Inverted Space. It appears that the strength of the pull of objects into the area is lessened along a concave path close to the exterior of the region. I can program the route into the computer banks, if you wish."

"Do it," Captain Elizabeth said as she stared at the View Screen. The Patch of Space drew nearer and nearer to Merlin. There were no stars within.

"The Stumgeschutz is still trailing behind us," Morgause reported. The Guardian Knight was visibly frustrated. She slammed her fist into the console. "I wish we had some weapons to fight them off!!"

"Stay calm, Morgause," Captain Elizabeth said in a soothing voice. "We won't get out of this one by combat. It will take wits. But we will get through it, if we work together and rely on each other."

Merlin veered off slightly to follow the route that Una programmed into the computer. The Stumgeschutz followed clumsily, not having properly analyzed the pathway. They began to be drawn into the Patch of Inverted Space.

In anger, the Stumgeschutz fired a Disruptor Bolt and a Phaser at Merlin, but both missed. They launched a Drone as well, but it was drawn toward the anomaly as soon as it was launched.

Then the Stumgeschutz and the Drone disappeared into the Patch of Inverted Space.

Merlin began to slowly be drawn in as well.

Captain Elizabeth frantically activated the Intercom to Engineering.

"Daedalus, I need all the power we have from the Warp Engines! We have to escape this anomaly or we're all dead!!"

"I'm giving her all I've got!!" the Fat Clockwork Engineer yelled through the Intercom. "She's buckling and breaking at the seams from the strain, Elizabeth!!!"

A loud revving sound could be heard throughout Merlin, like an old car trying to accelerate past its limits. Merlin began to shake violently, causing crewmen in the hallways to tumble over.

Still Merlin continued to be drawn into the center of the Patch of Inverted Space.

"We need More!!" Captain Elizabeth cried through the Intercom. "Work your Miracles, Daedalus! The Crew is relying on you!!"

Daedalus went quiet over the Intercom for a moment. "I could cut Life Support, Shields, and Fire Control to give her an Extra Boost."

"DO IT!!!" Captain Elizabeth yelled. She clutched the arms of her Command Chair tightly. Merlin was spiraling toward its Doom.

The Bridge went dark as every last iota of energy was transferred into the Warp Engines. The revving sound got so loud that everyone had to cover their ears. Then suddenly, Merlin was free from the Patch of Inverted Space.

The lights turned on again as Life Support was once again reactivated. Captain Elizabeth breathed a loud sigh.

Then she saw what was on the View Screen.

THE GARGOYLE CREATURE WAS ABOUT TO POUNCE ON WHAT WAS LEFT OF MERLIN.

By Norman Dizon (Ichaborn) on Sunday, October 06, 2024 - 09:24 pm: Edit

Uploaded the (HER3.1) Nomad Heavy Cruiser SSD in the Hidden Enclave to GenesisGalaxiesUniverse.com.

By Norman Dizon (Ichaborn) on Sunday, October 06, 2024 - 09:29 pm: Edit

Uploaded Fiction for Black Wolf Stardate 02.21.23 in the Yesterday Galaxy to GenesisGalaxiesUniverse.com.


BLACK WOLF
STARDATE 02.21.23
YESTERDAY GALAXY


Captain Lupinus entered the Bridge, annoyed at having been summoned at an inconvenient moment. He took his command chair and stared at the view screen. A gigantic whirling anomaly was before him. Talbot was speechless as he stared into its brilliant depths.

"Report."

Morduug, the Blind Gazer Science Officer answered quickly. "A wormhole, Captain. One that leads from our current location to the Yesterday Galaxy."

Captain Lupinus was confused. He turned and looked at his Science Officer. Morduug stared back at him with white, blind eyes.

"What do you mean, to the Yesterday Galaxy? We are already in the Yesterday Galaxy, Morduug."

Morduug paused before answering. The entire Bridge Crew seemed to be waiting for his next words.

"Talbot, it is a Temporal Wormhole. It leads to our past. But it will not remain stable for long. You must make a decision immediately."

Again, Captain Lupinus was confused. He always seemed to be a step behind and it was beginning to get frustrating. Perhaps it was because he was being forced to deal with a situation he really didn't want to deal with at the moment.

"What decision, Morduug?"

"Whether to take the Black Wolf into the Anomaly in order to travel to our past."

Talbot stroked his black goatee. He wished that Mother Bethany was here to consult, but she was sleeping back in his quarters. He would have to make this decision alone.

A black spider slowly crept up Captain Lupinus' back and onto his shoulder. It was Animus, his Changeling Advisor and Personal Guard. Changelings can take any form except humanoid.

"INDOMITUS cannot be stopped in this era, Captain, you know that. The machine has advanced too far. Even now, every empire in the Yesterday Galaxy has had its borders penetrated by the inhuman A.I. Our current struggle is only delaying the inevitable. But in the past, INDOMITUS is still young, still growing, still learning. If we are going to stop it, prevent it from becoming this ever expanding monstrosity, we must do it in the past, not here. You know what you have to do, Talbot."

Animus was rarely mistaken and he was right once again. Animus always saw things that Talbot had difficulty recognizing. But leaving this current time meant abandoning the Commonwealth and the Opposition. How could Talbot do that? And yet, deep inside, Captain Lupinus knew that Animus was correct. Here, the Black Wolf would only make a minor difference. But in the past, with its advanced weaponry, the Black Wolf could become a powerful force. The Commonwealth of the past could be convinced of the threat that INDOMITUS would become and then take steps to prevent it. Other empires in the Yesterday Galaxy could be convinced as well. Nothing was for certain, but the odds of making a difference and saving lives was far better in the past than it was in the present.

The Bridge Crew waited for Captain Lupinus' command.

"TAKE US INTO THE WORMHOLE."

By Norman Dizon (Ichaborn) on Tuesday, October 08, 2024 - 07:09 pm: Edit

Uploaded the (PXR4.1) Feudal First Cruiser SSD for Project-X to GenesisGalaxiesUniverse.com.

By Norman Dizon (Ichaborn) on Tuesday, October 08, 2024 - 07:19 pm: Edit

Uploaded Fiction for U.S.S. Exodus Stardate 01.13.21 in Sector Zero to GenesisGalaxiesUniverse.com.


U.S.S. EXODUS
STARDATE 01.13.21
SECTOR ZERO


Captain Moshe, First Officer Ruth, Chief Medical Officer Owusua, and Six Security Guards materialized on the Surface of Gibeah. The Colony was in Ruins.

Not only were the buildings charred and black from an orbital assault, but there were bodies laying everywhere. It seems the Daemon left no one alive.

Doctor Owusua stared in horror at some of the bodies that were shriveled grey husks. The Daemon clearly fed on them, sucking out their soul and withering their body.

The Daemon were Evil Spirits that preyed on Organic Life Forms. Not only can the Daemon feed on a Helpless Victim, but they can also Possess their Body, forcing them to do unthinkable acts. Fortunately for the United League of Worlds, a Tricorder can easily detect if a Body has been Possessed.

“Fan out,” Captain Moshe told the Security Guards. “Deitrich, Holland, try to find the Colony Registry. We can cross-reference it with the information we have on the Exodus. Our information may be out of date. I want a full list of everyone stationed here, including children.”

“Myers, Sutherland, Secure the Perimeter of the Colony. Setup Warning Beacons so we will be alerted if the Daemon return in any way. Work with Exodus to create Force Fields around what’s left of the Colony. That will take some time, but we will need it eventually.”

“Jacobson, Hanson, Search for Survivors in the Colony’s Buildings. Sensors are one thing, but I want Visual Confirmation in case they missed something. We cannot afford to miss even a single person.”

The Six Security Guards wearing Red Shirts nodded and then spread out to perform their assigned tasks.

Captain Moshe turned to his First Officer. “Ruth, do you Sense Anything Psionically?”

The Tall First Officer with Long Red Hair shook her head. Her Pink Eyes locked onto Captain Moshe’s Grey Eyes.

“Negative, Captain. But my Mental Awareness is Hazy for some reason. Like a Fog. Something is Not Right. Are you sure you don’t want to return to the Exodus, for your own Safety?”

“I need to see what happened down here with my own eyes,” Captain Moshe replied firmly.

Captain Moshe looked concerned. He knew that Ruth’s Psionic Abilities had limited effectiveness when it came to the Daemon.

“Doctor, could you examine the Bodies in front of us? We have to start somewhere and each one must be thoroughly accounted for.”

Doctor Owusua agreed and knelt down next to one of the Bodies. The white coat she wore was in stark contrast to her black skin. Her Tricorder began to hum and blink. She jumped back up to her feet, filled with dread and fear.

“They’re Not Dead!” Doctor Uwusua screamed.

Slowly, the Ten Bodies on the ground rose to their feet. Tiny Red Dots glowed bright in the center of their eyes. Each one stood hunched over, their arms hanging down close to the ground. A low growling sound could be heard.

They are ALL Possessed by Daemons!! Captain Moshe thought to himself.

AND I SENT ALL OF MY SECURITY GUARDS AWAY…

By Norman Dizon (Ichaborn) on Wednesday, October 09, 2024 - 06:49 pm: Edit

Jeff Anderson asked another great question. He commented about how an Admin Shuttle with a PH-3 would affect the Feudal First Cruiser. Here was my response for those interested:

"The Shuttles in Project-X are not like regular shuttles. I'm not sure if this was ever defined in the Project-X Designer Notes or Short Summary, because I held off for so long in defining everything for Project-X.

You can see that the PH-5, the PH-6, and more are the main Phasers in Project-X. So there isn't even a PH-3 in Project-X.

I will take a look at the Project-X SSD's and see how Shuttles fit into the picture. There was one new minor empire, the AVG, that first introduced Shuttles and "Fighters" into the First Cruiser Era. From the AVG, the idea was spread around to the Major Empires (the Republic, Regime, etc.) and adopted."

After looking over the Project-X SSD's, I would say that all Project-X Admin Shuttles are currently Unarmed, simply being used to move things and people back and forth. Additionally, six damage points is probably too much, given the lower amount of damage that the PH-5, PH-6, and others can score. So I would say that the Shuttle Damage Points needs to be reduced on all SSD's, most likely down to 2-3 damage points.

Now, once the Major Empires encounter the AVG and adopt their "Fighter" mentality, the use of Shuttles in Project-X will change...

(also remember that this is only the First Era out of Ten Eras for Project-X. Advancements will change things greatly)

By Norman Dizon (Ichaborn) on Wednesday, October 09, 2024 - 07:00 pm: Edit

Jeff also asked earlier that if ADD's don't affect the Phalanx's Hurricane Missiles (Prime Sector) or the Augusta's Tachyon Rocket (Proto Sector), then does it at least score some minor damage, such as in the case of ADD's vs Shuttles or ADD's vs SCUDS.

I informed Jeff I would need to research the matter further. I would need to review the interaction of ADD's with Tachyon Missiles, Short Range Cannons with Tachyon Missiles, and ADD's with other Alpha Sector "Large Missiles" and "Large Fighters".

For now, ADD's simply do not affect Hurricane Missiles or Tachyon Rockets at all.

Lastly, Jeff suggested some improvements to the Phalanx's Plasma Shear, which I said would probably be best saved for later as "Technological Advancements". The Plasma Shear as currently shown for the Phalanx is only its most basic form.

Thanks Jeff for bringing up these points.

By Norman Dizon (Ichaborn) on Wednesday, October 09, 2024 - 11:26 pm: Edit

Uploaded the (KAR1.3) Djinn Heavy Cruiser SSD in King Alpha to GenesisGalaxiesUniverse.com.

By Norman Dizon (Ichaborn) on Wednesday, October 09, 2024 - 11:33 pm: Edit

Uploaded Fiction for Columbiad Stardate 04.17.21 in the Pre-History Years to GenesisGalaxiesUniverse.com.


COLUMBIAD
STARDATE 04.17.21
PRE-HISTORY YEARS


Captain Dounia entered the Armory. Here, crewmen rushed back and forth going about their duties with an almost military structure. They were like the Greek Ants transformed into Myrmidons. Leading them all was a stern African Woman with a scar across one cheek.

Captain Dounia approached her Master Gunner. “Makeba Impi, what is the status of the Photon Torpedoes?”

“Ready for use anytime, Captain,” Makeba answered while standing in a stiff posture. She was a muscular, well-built woman who was slender enough to be quick and agile during hand to hand combat. “Just give the word. They are powerful. Each one can hold its destructive force far further than our Phasers. And each warhead equals the destructive force of our Phasers at point blank range. It’s incredible! The Engineers at Terra Command have really outdone themselves.”

Captain Dounia nodded with approval. “And what of the tests they were running to Overload the Photons? Were they successful?”

Makeba frowned. “Negative, Captain. Each time Terra Command tried to Overload the Photons, they blew up in their face! The theory is sound, but they seem to be missing something, some vital component. Perhaps in the future, they will succeed. When they do, the Photon Torpedo will be a weapon to be feared throughout the galaxy!”

Captain Dounia said nothing for a moment. She was speaking with her Creator. “We don’t want to be feared, Makeba Impi. On the contrary, we want to be peace to the galaxy. But if we get pushed by aggressive bullies, I want to know for certain that we can defend ourselves.”

“Yes, ma’am!”

“How are our Phasers?”

“Up to Specs, Captain. The New Capacitor is going to be a big help. We can store enough energy in them to fire each Phaser once. That means we have free shots to fire upfront. But when the New Capacitor runs dry, we will have to recharge it. I’ve been performing accuracy tests with each Phaser to confirm its precision.”

“Well done, Makeba. Carry on with your tests. Our Phasers must be reliable at all times. How is the Wide Cannon?”

“Recently installed, ma’ma! Working like a dream. The Wide Cannon can rotate much further than the Phasers, giving it a 360 degree firing arc. The destructive output of the Wide Cannon is on par with one of our Phasers. I believe it is going to be a very useful weapon in combat, when used in conjunction with our Photons and Phasers.”

Captain Dounia went quiet once more. Again she spoke with her Creator, praying she wouldn’t have to use these destructive weapons. Makeba Impi, who was used to the silent pauses, waited patiently.

“Makeba. I want you to know that I am confident in your abilities. I hand picked you myself for this position out of several candidates. The defensive capabilities of the Columbiad are literally in your hands. Countless lives depend on you performing your duty when the time comes. If you need anything from me, anything at all, feel free to come to me anytime. I am always here for you, Makeba. Is that understood?”

“Yes, ma’am!”

“Together, we will Succeed.”

“Together, we will Succeed.”

“Was there anything else, Master Gunner?”

“Yes, Captain. I submitted a report to you on using Shuttlecraft in combat to supplement our Firepower. I would appreciate your thoughts on it.”

“And you shall it. Keep up the good work, Master Gunner. I want regular reports from you.”

“You will get them, Captain. You can count on me!”

Captain Dounia smiled.

“I KNOW I CAN, MAKEBA…I KNOW I CAN.”

By Norman Dizon (Ichaborn) on Thursday, October 10, 2024 - 08:42 pm: Edit

Uploaded the (MR5.1) Thrace Heavy Cruiser SSD for Mitosis to GenesisGalaxiesUniverse.com.

By Norman Dizon (Ichaborn) on Thursday, October 10, 2024 - 08:46 pm: Edit

Uploaded Fiction for Heirs to Fate - Shepherd Stardate 10.25.22 in the X-Sector to GenesisGalaxiesUniverse.com.


HEIRS TO FATE - SHEPHERD
STARDATE 10.25.22
X-SECTOR


"Give me ship to ship."

Ichalord stared at the Captain of the Poltergeist. The Captain stared back at Ichalord with black, eyeless sockets. For the Reapers were Animated Skeletons devoid of flesh, always shrouded in a black robe and hood.

"Captain Spite," Ichalord muttered in a low voice.

"Ah...Captain Ichalord," Captain Spite replied in a ghoulish voice. "We meet again. I see that you intend to interfere in matters that don't concern you. Let me warn you against such action. It would not end well for the Shepherd. Think of your crew, Captain."

Pree stood right beside Ichalord, offering her silent support. Her single horn glowed brightly at the very tip.

"That's where you are mistaken, Captain Spite. You see, these three worlds are part of Protectorate Space. The Colonists on those worlds are Protectorate Citizens. That means they fall under my protection. I know what you intend to do. Turn around, Captain Spite, and leave now. This is your only warning."

"You are warning me?" Captain Spite answered in an amused tone. He chuckled ominously. "That is laughable, Captain Ichalord. Tell me, who commands the Science Vessel and who commands the Battlecruiser? The Shepherd would be cut to ribbons by the Poltergeist."

Captain Spite paused. His thoughts seemed to be elsewhere for a moment. Then he continued.

"The Reapers do not recognize your claim to this region of space. It is our job...our duty...to cull those who are unworthy of life. These...Colonists will be tested by the Reapers...and if they are not strong enough to survive...they will Die."

A firm, determined look formed on Ichalord's face. His blonde hair with orange streaks was neatly cut. His light orange eyes refused to blink.

"You know full well, Captain Spite, that the Protectorate does not agree with your ideology to 'cull' those who you deem unfit to live. The Protectorate believes that all life is sacred...small or big...weak or strong...young or old. We will do whatever it takes to defend that life...to preserve it...to save it."

Ichalord glanced at Pree who stared back affirming that she agreed with him wholeheartedly.

"And this 'Science Vessel' is quite capable in combat, as you are about to find out. I believe the time for talking is over. Diplomacy will not resolve our differences. There is only one way."

Captain Spite's skull nodded from underneath his black hood. "I agree," he said right before he cut off transmission.

Ichalord and Pree quickly took their seats. Then Ichalord gave loud, decisive commands.

"Charge the Plus Photon Torpedoes. Plus Phaser Capacitor to maximum. Both Shield Regenerators on standby. Full Reserve Power. Ready the Slipstream Drive. Activate the Pulse Generator. Stand ready to repel Boarding Parties. Begin preparing Two Wild Weasels."

"LET'S TEACH THESE REAPERS HOW A PROTECTORATE 'SCIENCE VESSEL' ACTUALLY FIGHTS."

By Norman Dizon (Ichaborn) on Friday, October 11, 2024 - 09:13 pm: Edit

Uploaded the (PMR9.1) Dark God Heavy Cruiser SSD in the Prime Sector to GenesisGalaxiesUniverse.com.

By Norman Dizon (Ichaborn) on Friday, October 11, 2024 - 09:16 pm: Edit

Uploaded Fiction for Merlin Stardate 07.07.21 in the Prime Sector to GenesisGalaxiesUniverse.com.


MERLIN
STARDATE 07.07.21
PRIME SECTOR


Just before the Gargoyle Creature could pounce on the Merlin, a vessel Phased In from Another Dimension. And it was huge.

It was a Dark God Dreadnought.

Captain Elizabeth stared at the View Screen in disbelief. Ships of the Dark God were rarely seen, if ever. Many believed their existence to be only a myth. And yet here was one so close that Elizabeth could make out the fine features of their hull...

The Gargoyle Creature turned to gaze at the Dark God Dreadnought. It formed a look of recognition. Then it leaped to attack the large starship.

A barrage of Dark Matter Torpedoes and Dark Matter Pulsars pummeled the Gargoyle Creature before it could reach its target. The Monster screeched furiously. It turned away to flee deeper into the Titan Graveyard.

The Dark God Dreadnought hovered in front of the Merlin, face to face with her. She said nothing, did nothing, only stared.

Quickly, Captain Elizabeth activated the Intercom. "Chief of Security! To the Bridge - NOW!!!"

Elizabeth turned to speak to Brimstone, her Communications Officer. The beautiful, green Butterfly Woman listened to the Captain attentively.

"Transmit on all Channels. Signal our Surrender. We are unable to fight. Request visual communication to negotiate Terms of Surrender."

Quickly, Brimstone did as she was instructed. After a couple of minutes, Brimstone shook her head, frustrated. "I'm sorry, Captain. No reply at all. They must hear us, but they don't want to answer."

Captain Elizabeth couldn't understand how the Dark God Dreadnought knew of their situation. And then she remembered that she gave Brimstone an order to transmit a Distress Call on All Frequencies right before they entered the Titan Graveyard. The Dark God Dreadnought must have heard it.

Suddenly, a Black Figure slowly emerged from one of the Shadows on the Bridge. It was Dusk, the Merlin's Chief of Security. He was composed purely of Dark Matter.

Dusk stared at the Dark God Dreadnought on the View Screen. Words escaped him.

Then the Dark God Dreadnought slowly turned away. It moved away from the Merlin and slowly melted away, once again Phasing into Another Dimension.

Dusk walked over and stood beside his Captain.

"Why?" Captain Elizabeth asked Dusk. "Why did they save us?"

"My people have reasons of their own," Dusk replied in a hollow voice. "Their agenda does not always match conventional logic. Just be thankful they chose to intervene in this case, I'm sure they benefited from our survival in some way."

Captain Elizabeth went quiet as she considered Dusk's words. It was highly disturbing to think that there was some Invisible Empire freely moving about, working toward whatever dark ends they wished to.

Dusk turned to leave the Bridge. But he said one last thing to his Captain first.

"If my people are here in the Titan Graveyard, Captain, one thing is for certain..."

THEY ARE SEARCHING FOR ANCIENT TECHNOLOGY TO GIVE THEM THE UPPER HAND.

By Norman Dizon (Ichaborn) on Saturday, October 12, 2024 - 09:47 pm: Edit

Uploaded the (50R7.1) Pyrian Battlecruiser SSD in Sector 50 to GenesisGalaxiesUniverse.com.

By Norman Dizon (Ichaborn) on Saturday, October 12, 2024 - 09:50 pm: Edit

Uploaded Fiction for Old Guard Stardate 03.11.22 in Sector 50 to GenesisGalaxiesUniverse.com.


THE OLD GUARD
STARDATE 03.11.22
SECTOR 50


Captain Severick worked closely side by side with his First Officer, Descry Brookside, in his Ready Room. The two had been working for hours non-stop reviewing the Assault Plan on the Babylon P10A Battleship. It was crucial that Descry be just as familiar with the Plan as Captain Severick, should anything happen to him during the battle. The two were extremely weary. Suddenly, a chime indicated someone wanted to enter the Ready Room.

"Enter," Captain Severick said through an Intercom so the person outside the door would hear it.

In walked Angelica Ursinus, the Old Guard's Chief of Security. She was a young, athletic woman with broad shoulders. Her jagged facial features seemed to have been carved from a rockface. Short black hair curved around her head.

Captain Severick and Descry Brookside paused to give Angelica the proper attention. They were both caught off guard by her sudden appearance.

"I'm surprised by your presence, Security Chief," Captain Severick stated. "We were just reviewing the Plan for the Europa Offensive. I trust this is important?"

"Very, Captain," Ms. Ursinus responded gruffly. She was not known for beating around the bush. The Security Chief was always direct whenever possible. "We have a Critical Situation aboard the Old Guard that the two of you must be aware of."

Captain Severick glanced at his First Officer. She returned the look of concern.

Ms. Ursinus placed a tablet in front of the Captain and the First Officer. The display showed a summary of data from several different sources. Captain Severick and Ms. Brookside stared at it while they listened to Ms. Ursinus explain.

"Note the Encrypted Information being transmitted in the Logs at specific times. Also notice the different workstations being used, along with the Personal ID's. It will alarm you to know that these workstations were only the end source. The person using them bounced the data through many different terminals, effectively hiding their tracks. I traced the pathways, but they led to dead ends. Whoever did this knew exactly what they were doing to avoid detection."

A grim look formed on Captain Severick's weathered face. His brow furrowed.

"Also note that this was done during peak hours, when there was a influx of massive personnel and data transmission throughout the Old Guard," the Security Chief added. "This helped to mask their activities."

"Have you been able to Decrypt the transmissions?" Captain Severick asked in a tone laced with anger.

"Not yet, Captain," Ms. Ursinus answered. "It will take time, perhaps more time than we have before the Offensive begins. But I was able to determine where the Encrypted Transmissions were sent."

Captain Severick and Descry Brookside stared at Angelica with bated breath.

"Babylon Space."

Captain Severick's hands clenched into fists.

"Yes, Captain. I'm afraid it's true. I couldn't believe it either. But we have to face facts."

THERE IS A BABYLON OPERATIVE ON BOARD THE OLD GUARD.

By Norman Dizon (Ichaborn) on Sunday, October 13, 2024 - 09:48 pm: Edit

Uploaded the (PXR5.1) Gypsy Merchant Cruiser SSD for Project-X to GenesisGalaxiesUniverse.com.

By Norman Dizon (Ichaborn) on Sunday, October 13, 2024 - 09:52 pm: Edit

Uploaded Fiction for Columbiad Stardate 04.18.21 in the Pre-History Years to GenesisGalaxiesUniverse.com.


COLUMBIAD
STARDATE 04.18.21
PRE-HISTORY YEARS


Captain Dounia sat across the desk from her First Officer, who was also her Science Officer. His name was Mister Octo. Mister Octo was the product of Advanced Cloning and Evolutionary Acceleration. Basically, if you take an Octopus and look into its future a Billion Years from now, Mister Octo is the result. He was truly one of a kind. It was immediately clear to Terra Command that Mister Octo was superior to humanity.

“Welcome to the Columbiad,” Captain Dounia said with a smile on her face. “I’m excited to have you here. I know that, should anything happen to me while we are on our mission of exploration, you will take good care of the ship and the crew. I’m interested to know what you think of the Columbiad so far. I know that you have sharp attention to detail.”

Mister Octo said nothing for several moments. He only stared at Captain Dounia with his strange, alien eyes without blinking. Finally, he said in a gurgling voice, “Permission to speak freely, Captain?”

Adeena was taken aback by Mister Octo’s request. Still, she wanted each member of her Crew, including Mister Octo, to feel a sense of trust and open honesty with their Captain. As much as possible, she didn’t want them to hide things from her. The environment she wanted to create aboard the Columbiad was one where there was Freedom of Speech.

“Of course, Mister Octo. Please do.”

“While you and Terra Command may be proud of the armaments on this new vessel, they are woefully inadequate. Imagine facing a foe that has 10x more powerful weapons than our own. We would certainly be destroyed. Now imagine 100x. Now 1000x. By my calculations, these foes absolutely exist in deep space. It is only a matter of time before we encounter them. You might say that we are a simple goldfish entering a huge lake full of sharks.”

Captain Dounia understood the point that Mister Octo was making. She nodded. “Continue.”

“Our top speed is also deficient. Not only will we be unable to escape adversaries that are pursing us, but we will also be unable to effectively close on an enemy vessel from a distance. It will simply take far too long. To put it simply, Captain, we need more speed.”

A strange thing to say when referring to Warp Drive, Adeena thought to herself. “Continue.”

“While faith in a higher power can often be a source of strength, your faith, Captain, can be a detriment to this mission. It clouds your judgment and keeps you from being objective. Instead of seeing the universe as it is, you see it as you wish it to be. Instead of approaching situations from a rational, scientific viewpoint, you approach it from a religious perspective. This is extremely dangerous, especially in a Captain that leads a Crew on a Starship.”

Adeena could see that Mister Octo had no problem speaking his mind. She would be counting on that in the future. Every First Officer must be able to speak their mind, especially when those thoughts contradict the thoughts and actions of their Captain. “Continue.”

“While your Crew is full of specialists, they lack cohesion and unity. It takes time and shared experience for people to bond together and become one. As the Columbiad is first setting out, this hasn’t happened yet. This separated condition is dangerous for our mission. There is a high probability that there are those who resent having to take orders from you, who hate our Special Ops members, who hate me, who dislike Robots, and who believe that life owes them something. These negative crew members, as I call them, are like a poison slowly killing a healthy body. We do not know the true intentions of the Special Ops crew members from Inner Terra. While it is unlikely they would betray us, they most certainly may have their own agenda and reasons for being on board the Columbiad. This is something we must keep in mind at all times. Finally, stating that, Together we will Succeed, as you and Terra Command so often like to do, is therefore Hypocritical, since your Crew is most certainly not Together.”

Captain Dounia had failed to consider some of these things. “Continue.”

“That is all, Captain, although I may add more at a future date. I appreciate your willingness to allow me to speak freely.”

“Always, Mister Octo. I assume that you have remedies for each of these…areas of concern?”

“Indeed I do, Captain. You already have my full and detailed reports, along with analyses and projections, on your computer. I would appreciate a prompt response so we can begin implementation right away.”

“Already have on my computer…?”

Mister Octo’s otherworldly eyes squinted sharply. The seven foot tall humanoid Octopus moved all of his tentacles in a coordinated, singular pattern.

“I ANTICIPATED OUR CONVERSATION TWO DAYS AGO, SO I SENT YOU MY REPORTS YESTERDAY.”

By Norman Dizon (Ichaborn) on Monday, October 14, 2024 - 05:35 pm: Edit

Uploaded the (50R8.1) Odrium Heavy Cruiser SSD in Sector 50 to GenesisGalaxiesUniverse.com.

By Norman Dizon (Ichaborn) on Monday, October 14, 2024 - 05:40 pm: Edit

Uploaded Fiction for U.S.S Exodus Stardate 01.14.21 in Sector Zero to GenesisGalaxiesUniverse.com.


U.S.S. EXODUS
STARDATE 01.14.21
SECTOR ZERO


“FIRE PHASERS!! STUN MODE, WIDE BURST!!!”

Captain Moshe, First Officer Ruth, and Doctor Owusua fired their Hand Phasers, shooting out a blast of red energy. A brief shockwave was felt as the beams impacted with the approaching Ten Possessed Colonists. Still, the Possessed Colonists lumbered forward like Zombies hungry for Flesh.

“TO THE COLONY HEADQUARTERS, QUICKLY!” Captain Moshe yelled. Phasers had limited effect on Possessed Daemon Bodies.

Luckily for the Trio, the Possessed Colonists were slow and clumsy in their movements. It wasn’t too difficult for the Landing Party to outpace the Zombie-like Creatures. Soon, they arrived at the Headquarter’s Front Door, which was unlocked.

“Captain,” Doctor Owusua said while catching her breath. She didn’t get as much exercise as she should. “If there’s any way to Save the Colonists...they’re still Alive…just Possessed by Daemons.”

“I know, Doctor,” Captain Moshe answered with a determined look on his withered, old face. He stroked his grey beard out of habit. “That’s why I gave the order to fire on Stun, and not to Kill.”

“We know that United League Scientists can force the Daemon out of a Possessed Body in a Lab Setting,” First Officer Ruth commented. “But out in the open like this, with them moving in random, unpredictable patterns, it will be nearly impossible. We would need to Capture and Restrain each one. And the Daemon could leave the body at any time to move about as a Spirit.”

“Come, let’s get inside before the Possessed Colonists catch up to us,” Captain Moshe instructed.

The Trio entered the Colony Headquarters and closed the door behind them, locking it firmly. They were inside of a Control Room which included a Stairway to a Second Level that overlooked the surrounding area. There were open windows on the Second Level for easy viewing of the perimeter. Computer equipment, chairs, clipboards, drawers, and filing cabinets filled the First and Second Levels.

“Exodus, come in,” Captain Moshe said as he flipped open his Communicator. “Exodus, do you read? This is the Landing Party. Beam us up immediately.”

“I’m sorry, Captain, but we can’t get a positive lock on you. There seems to be other organisms nearby. They are giving off strange readings, like they are neither dead nor alive. Their close proximity to you is causing interference, preventing a clear lock on. We can’t beam you up!”

Doctor Owusua looked worried. She stroked the two large pieces of her Afro. “Well, I always knew I was going to Die. I just never thought it was going to be by being eaten by Zombies!”

First Officer Ruth stared at Doctor Owusua with slight annoyance. “Really, Doctor, there is no need for over exaggeration. Should the Possessed Colonists apprehend us, I highly doubt they would feast on our flesh. In fact, it is more likely that they would…”

“Quiet, you two!” Captain Moshe barked. “I thought I heard something in here…”

Deitrich and Holland appeared out of the shadows. The Two Security Guards wearing Red Shirts shambled forward unbalanced and uncoordinated. Their eyes glowed with small red dots in the center. Clearly, the Two were Possessed by Daemons.

“I’m sorry, Captain,” Deitrich said in a deep, growling voice while pointing his Phaser at Captain Moshe. Holland also had his Phaser drawn and pointed at Ruth and Doctor Owusua. “But you’re going to have to come with us. The Daemon are going to take great delight in interrogating you to uncover all of your United League Secrets!”

Captain Moshe began to sweat. His grey eyes darted about, looking for something that could help him. Nothing presented itself.

Zombies outside. Zombies inside. The Exodus cannot beam us up. And now we have Phasers pointed at us.

What’s that Old Saying?

OUT OF THE FRYING PAN…INTO THE FIRE.

By Mike Grafton (Mike_Grafton) on Tuesday, October 15, 2024 - 08:22 am: Edit

Zombies to left of me, zombies to the right, here I am! Stuck in the middle with you...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ln7Vn_WKkWU

By Norman Dizon (Ichaborn) on Tuesday, October 15, 2024 - 09:27 am: Edit

LOL!

By Norman Dizon (Ichaborn) on Tuesday, October 15, 2024 - 11:51 pm: Edit

STORMBRINGER PLUS HEAVY CRUISER SSD
THE Y-SECTOR
Link to the Stormbringer Plus Heavy Cruiser SSD


THE Y-SECTOR

STORMBRINGER SHIPS
(YSR1.1) HEAVY CRUISER PLUS (CA+):

The Stormbringer Plus Heavy Cruiser was a feared and dreaded opponent in the Y-Sector. Armed with three Plus Antiproton Beams, one Plus Antiproton Lance, seven Plus Antiproton Phasers, and two Short-Range Autocannons, the Stormbringer Plus Heavy Cruiser was especially deadly at close range. Like all Plus starships in the Y-Sector, the Stormbringer Plus Heavy Cruiser was equipped with Plus Batteries, a Seventh Shield Generator, Vector Drives, and a Particle Core. Noted vulnerabilities included weak Aft Shields and a limited number of Shuttles. The Stormbringer Plus Heavy Cruiser carried two Antiproton Wake Devices for defense against seeking weapons and shuttles.

DESIGNER NOTES:

Creating the Stormbringer Plus Heavy Cruiser was not an easy task. From concept designs to SSD creation to final balancing, developing the Stormbringer Plus Heavy Cruiser was time consuming and challenging. The biggest hurdle came when comparisons were made between the Stormbringer Plus Heavy Cruiser and the Protectorate Plus Heavy Cruiser. As the Protectorate Heavy Cruiser is the first starship for the X-Sector (setting the stage for everything that follows), the Stormbringer Plus Heavy Cruiser is the first starship for the Y-Sector.

Like the Omega Sector is different (in terms of the Technological Paths it chose to follow) from the Alpha Sector, so must the Y-Sector be different from the X-Sector. Omega starships were weaker in general versus their Alpha Sector counterparts, so I decided to incorporate this aspect into the Y-Sector. Plus Batteries in the Y-Sector hold 4 points of energy, while Plus Batteries in the X-Sector hold 5 points of energy. Pulse Generators in the X-Sector generate 10 points of energy, while the Particle Core in the Y-Sector generates 8 points of energy.

In terms of Slipstream Drive Technology, the Y-Sector chose a different form of implementation. The X-Sector uses the Slipstream Drive to move forward, but the Y-Sector uses its Vector Drives to move sideways. This results in a type of Sideslip Displacement, but one where the Y-Sector starship can change its facing (just as X-Sector starships can). This difference in how the Slipstream Technology is used leads to different Tactics in the Y-Sector than in the X-Sector.

The Y-Sector did not develop Shield Regenerators, instead creating the Seventh Shield Device. This Device, which could create a Seventh Shield, was used on all Plus starships in the Y-Sector. Is the Seventh Shield Device the equivalent of Shield Regenerators? Only Playtesting will tell. The two are certainly different, both functionally and tactically. To balance the incorporation of a Seventh Shield, all of the other Shields on Plus starships in the Y-Sector had to be reduced.

The X-Sector standardized Gatling Phasers to counter seeking weapons and shuttles. In the Y-Sector, the Short-Range Autocannon completed this role. Essentially a Short-Range Cannon that could fire like a Gatling, the Short-Range Autocannon was carried by all Plus starships in the Y-Sector.

Plus Phasers in the X-Sector were easy enough to implement, because everyone used the PH-1 (for the most part). But in the Omega Sector, there are many different kinds of Phasers. A decision had to be made about how Plus Technology would affect Phasers in the Y-Sector, and ultimately, I decided that each Omega Phaser had to have its own Plus variation. Therefore, the Stormbringer Plus Heavy Cruiser carries Plus Antiproton Phasers.

The Antiproton Wake Device is a simple device used to defend against seeking weapons and shuttles. However, since it has the ability to damage ships as well, other applications and tactics also exist.

The headaches began when I defined the Plus Antiproton Beams and the Plus Antiproton Lance. Originally, the Plus Antiproton Lance would Triple the Damage if the target was in the FHR. However, this resulted in an Alpha Strike of approximately 250 (at Range 0), which was too high. Also, while comparing against the Protectorate Plus Heavy Cruiser, it opened up a different can of worms because the Alpha Strike Capabilities of the Protectorate Plus Heavy Cruiser, the Reaper Plus Battlecruiser, and the Shadow Legion Plus Lord Manta did not make sense. I was forced to address this second issue separately (which took additional time and labor).

In the end, I decided that the Plus Antiproton Lance had to be toned down in order to bring down the Maximum Alpha Strike, so the Triple Damage feature was discarded. It was replaced with a rule which stated that if the target was in the FHR, Maximum Damage was used for the Plus Antiproton Beams, but the Final Damage was still only Doubled (and not Tripled). This brought the Maximum Alpha Strike down to Plasma Alpha Strike levels, which was acceptable to me since, while the Plus Antiproton Lance (and its Beams) were direct-fire weapons, the FHR was very limited in Firing Arc, making the chance of it reaching maximum potential a rare occurance.

Regardless of reducing the Plus Antiproton Lance and the Maximum Alpha Strike, the Stormbringer Plus Heavy Cruiser remains a lethal adversary (as a Plus starship should be). Between the Short-Range Autocannons, the Vector Drives, the Antiproton Wake Devices, the Seventh Shield Device, and the Plus Antiproton Lance, there are plenty of new tactics to be developed for the Stormbringer Plus Heavy Cruiser. For the Y-Sector, the stage has been set, for Plus Technology has now been defined and the road can now be paved for all future Y-Sector Plus starships to come.

By Norman Dizon (Ichaborn) on Tuesday, October 15, 2024 - 11:58 pm: Edit

X-SECTOR SSD REVISIONS
Link to the Protectorate Plus Heavy Cruiser SSD
Link to the Reaper Plus Battlecruiser SSD
Link to the Shadow Legion Plus Lord Manta SSD ** TO BE UPLOADED **


As I designed the Stormbringer Plus Heavy Cruiser for the Y-Sector, it became necessary to compare it against the existing Plus starships from the X-Sector. It was then that I realized that there was something fundamentally wrong with the three existing X-Sector SSD's, something that I managed to miss when I first created them.

The X-Sector began with the Protectorate Plus Heavy Cruiser, which was capable of generating a maximum Alpha Strike of roughly 130-140 points of damage. So when I created the Reaper Plus Battlecruiser and the Shadow Legion Plus Lord Manta, in order to maintain balance, I made sure both of their maximum Alpha Strikes were roughly 130-140 points of damage as well. This seemed correct and fine at the time.

However, after coming back to them while creating the Stormbringer Plus Heavy Cruiser, I saw the errors clearly. The issue is one that is not immediately apparent, because it does not manifest itself on the SSD's in any way. That issue is one of Arming Length.

The Protectorate Plus Heavy Cruiser takes two turns to arm its Plus Photon Torpedoes (like the Federation). The Reaper Plus Battlecruiser takes one turn to arm its Plus Disruptors (like the Klingons). The Shadow Legion Plus Lord Manta takes three turns to arm its Plus Plasma Torpedoes (like the Romulans). This was all done on purpose in order to maintain the Tactical Framework of the Basic Set.

But herein lies the problem. The Protectorate Plus Heavy Cruiser is taking two turns to deliver 130-140 points of damage. The Reaper Plus Battlecruiser is taking one turn to deliver 130-140 points of damage. The Shadow Legion Plus Lord Manta is taking three turns to deliver 130-140 points of damage. One can immediately see that, over the course of many turns, the Reaper Plus Battlecruiser will deliver far more total damage than the other two simply because it fires more frequently. Because the Plus Photon Torpedoes and the Plus Plasma Torpedoes take longer to arm, the maximum Alpha Strike for the starships that carry them must have Higher Alpha Strikes. This only makes sense and matches what the Basic Set establishes.

To correct this issue, the Protectorate Plus Heavy Cruiser received two more Plus Photon Torpedoes, increasing its maximum Alpha Strike potential. The Shadow Legion Plus Lord Manta received two additional PL-S Torpedoes and the two PL-F's were upgraded to PL-G's. The result was that the Reaper Plus Battlecruiser had the lowest maximum Alpha Strike (because it can fire every turn), the Protectorate Plus Heavy Cruiser had the second highest maximum Alpha Strike (because it can fire every two turns), and the Shadow Legion Plus Lord Manta had the highest maximum Alpha Strike (because it can launch every three turns). Now all of this matched the Design Framework established in the Basic Set.

Each of the X-Sector SSD's has been updated and labeled Version 2.0. Each R-Section Description has been updated to match the revised SSD's as well.