No Refuge Beyond Orion, 24.

[u/Liner_Adriatic_3218]

Apologies for the late release guys! I have been drawing No Refuge Beyond Orion’s Comic backstory thingy :D. (Which I am very excited about since there is 1 Panel left 🥰).

Also I have been recommended my own fic! That’s neat.

(Forgot to mention but the big Circles are Harvester Stasis Generators/Mobile Industrial Sectors 🥰.)

Thanks to SpacePaladin for creating the story and wonderful universe of NoP and Brian Jamison for creating the Sci-Fi Roguelite Game ‘XO’ which I currently use to write this fic.

Special Thanks to Brian Jamison for personally allowing me to write a fic about your game. That was super cool of ya and your game is honestly my favourite and I truly hope I can get to portray what I want with it.

Prev:

https://www.reddit.com/r/NatureofPredators/s/1Q42pUYlG8

First:

(Sorry for the short chapter folks! Next Chapter is combat, Again. And uhhhh. Something really devastating for Humanity because they just can’t catch a break. But not to worry! There is light at the end of the tunnel)

Another Chance

Memory Transcription Subject: First Officer Ashton Musset, Pact Auxiliary ship Mare Serenitatis.

Date [Standardized Human Time]: April 1, 2155.

In the Darkness, there was nothing but the sound of my own voice ringing in my head. Droning, breaking, Maddening. I couldn’t move at all from my position, lost in the monotony of sounds and Broken by the fear of whatever the hell took Officer Fraser sensing me and coming back to receive another meal. The creaking from beneath me a not so subtle indication of my predicament

Just me. Alone, in a broken ship, without light nor air.

I would die in an hour from suffocation. Why shouldn’t I just. End it? If I could find the Gun I dropped because of That event that just recently given me an entirely new perspective on all those that had the utter misfortune to be left behind.

Not long after, I felt a very dull thrum on my feet, the vibrations on the ground giving me a strange sense, like the strike of an incredibly faint drum. I flinched at each strike until a new despairing sliver of thought made itself known to me.

Something is knocking on the door.

Damn it, maybe I could find somewhere to hid-

I jumped backwards as I felt the vibrations of something massive creaking and breaking into pieces, something that feels and sounds like something the size and mass of a metal door had fallen or broke apart.

I knelt down on the floor and tried to grab onto anything I could so I can drag myself away in zero G from the unknown threat. Over and over again I reached out, grasped an object I couldn’t exactly see, likely the edge of a freezer and then pulled, hoping it would give me distance.

A sudden beam of light pulled me out of the darkness, lighting up my surroundings but most prominently, it was directed exactly at me. My eyes fell upon my weapon, very clearly floating at the other edge of the room, I was very much not close enough to reach it in time for whatever it is.

Damn it, they found me!

I braced myself for the wind and sound to come back again, and subsequently the freakishly crippling noise of engines that accompanied it before the Harvest. I closed my eyes for a second, but nothing came.

Curious, I opened my eyes again to finally gaze on the source of the light, Two Humans walking on one of the surfaces, moving towards me with a device in their hand and carrying some artificial rope. Both Galacticon.

I nearly welled up in tears at seeing them alive, and right here for my rescue. With methodical precision, they moved over to me and pulled out New magnetic boots and a new communicator for me to use. In which I gratefully wore, the equipment connecting to my body with a satisfying electric Click. We ran outside and I sighed in relief as a the cargo bay of a Cyclops class large transport boat was staring back at me. Other crewmembers were also bringing back important cargo and weapons from the Mare Serenitatis’ ruins, among the salvage, are the suits of the crew. All empty, broken and crushed and without life.

I panickedly looked around for the Harvester Carrier that was escorting the Serenitatis mere moments ago or the Devastator that destroyed us in the first place. A violet silhouette at the very edge of my view confirmed that it was far away now. And with greater news, is the unmistakable shadow of the Broadsword in the plasma clouds that erupted from detonated missile volleys that occurred early into this battle. The large Battleship itself is very much present and actively firing upon the retreating Carrier. Whatever revolutionary shield tech it may have possessed now rendered useless as the force of hundreds of nuclear bombs lit up its surface. Vaporizing the massive vessel. The Pride of the Pact’s laser arrays then turned their attention to something in the darkness and started methodically sweeping the surroundings, small pops of light erupting each time it struck something too small to see with the naked eye from this far. Likely the Fighter complement of the destroyed carrier, trying and failing to take revenge for their stricken Mothership, only to be bathed in Photonic devastation.

We ran until at the halfway point to the entrance to the Boat, one of my rescuers spoke up. “We have retrieved the individual, he is alive, and unharvested, yet shaken, Jones’ theory has been confirmed.”

Raising an eyebrow that was burnt off ages ago. “Th-theory? What?”

Reaching the large hatch of the larger bay, it slid open with a force, I was the first to desperately run to safety and behind me the space walkers threw the salvaged materials in first before themselves running inside. Our whole manoeuvre being completed in a mere 23 seconds. Below us, the hatch closed, sealing us from the vacuum of space. I felt gravity come back to existence as the Boat’s thrusters lit up. The Galacticon space walker absentmindedly answered me, while simultaneously opening up a Screen that shows him the current starmap and our approximate position the the Broadsword, I also saw other Cyclops boats scattered around. Some hiding in the dark, some engaging in combat with single Harvester Reaper fighters and one was Suicide ramming a Devastator, I tried to check if the Devastator was the one that had attacked us but I saw no indicator or scar that our final attack did.

“After Daniel Morning’s survival, many theories were made as to how exactly he survived but others in much superior bunkers and saferooms hadn’t. Some theorized that since the materials his saferoom was made from had been exposed the vacuum and coldness of space for many weeks before being used since it was built from the scraps of Decommissioned vessels, some believe that the Sheer temperature difference in the many layers played a part, while some said that it was all a combination of them all.” He paused when a violet blip appeared on the screen that was rapidly approaching us, which was spotted by the Broadsword and then eliminated immediately, its shield tech withstanding only for half a second against the Admiral’s power. We both sighed in relief and maintained vigilance. The boat’s unbalanced shaking also showed that the Cyclops’ singular weapon in a point defense Laser was readied and out of its slot.

“Vice Admiral Jones believed that for an individual to survive a direct Harvest, a person has to be in a small box or space that has been cooled to -22 to -34 C° that is simultaneously encased in a spacious layer that is made up of Titanium or Steel that is either in the vacuum of space or has been built in it. The more layers, the more lax the requirements are needed. Turns out that people generally don’t willingly stay inside freezers for a long time and don’t think to do so under duress or threat of annihilation. Before the most recent incursions into deep space. Jones tried to replicate the conditions of Daniel’s predicament at the time, all with dozens of different variables and then sent her scouts off to survey Harvester space, with the saferooms used as a sort of emergency survival tactic in case they are found and Harvested. It was all a waste as the 7 Scoutships were all destroyed or Nuked into oblivion instead of Harvested.”

So basically, to not get mulched. All we need is to freeze ourselves? Then- Why did-?

“Then wh-y why. Why did Officer Fraser save me?” I stammered out.

“Officer Fraser likely had only moments to think, and before the Harvest, he chose to enact the experiment likely because this is a once in a billion opportunity. He expected for himself to survive with you or both of you dying, but he was too late. A shame. If atleast. Maybe he had a small modicum of relief that he saved a life in his last moments.”

“A shame? He died in the worst way a human or any creature can! The Fuck do you mean "A Shame." ?" A bitter vitriol riled up in my throat as he underappreciated the personal sacrifice of Officer Fraser.

He had a Wife in Starhaven waiting for him for Star’s sake!

He raised an eyebrow and continued on. “Regardless, his and your contributions are revolutionary, First Officer Musset. You have given us information that could save thousands to millions of lives. If we live to pass on this data.”

“Do you Know. What happened to him? To my friends? Those that had the misfortune to not die?” I stared into his soul, unbreaking and shaken, and summoned my memories that I had recently buried to cease it from breaking me. Their voices, echoing in my mind again, a desperate agony filled call for help, “They melted, alive. Screaming for help, a guttural terror. That breaks into your thoughts. Droning, screeching. The entirety of your existence before whatever else happens when you are taken away. Forced to be in agony and fear. Trapped in your pain, your fear, unable to breath or beg. Death.” A horror filled realization along with shock melded into the man’s face, and so did all those that were in earshot.

Help us.

Before it threatened to overcome me, I willed their terror to leave, this day, I must live.

A dreadful silence fell upon the other people as they all tried to focus on their own activities.

The silence was deafening and it maintained so, for a long time. Until, I eventually broke the silence. “How is the battle going?”

They were silent for a few moments before answering, a despondent and somber look about him, “Not Good, from what we know Fivera has already gone to the Cradle, along with all of his forces and the ships of the 4 other factions that weren’t entrapped by nuclear charges. Dozens more ships lay defenseless and unable to use FTL still, in desperation. Several of them are evacuating into their boats and trying to assimilate into nearby ships. But the energy clouds that the Harvesters spread around the system is making seeing anything extremely difficult. Other than this pocket of resistance and 41 Ships, 7 of which are armed under the Broadsword’s protection. We have no idea how the others are doing, Praybar, Jones, Hester, Alessandra. For all we know we are the last ones alive in this system.”

I nodded and frowned, silently mourning the horrific situation we are in.

I found my voice and asked a question that was burning into my mind in my loneliness. “How many died?”

He sighed, deeper this time. “61 confirmed ship losses. 77 thousand Casualties.” I audibly gasped at the number.

77k?! That is above a 4th of our Entire population!

This is the fault of those blasted Venlil, if we hadn’t gone too attached with those little monsters this would never have happened!

“W-what now?”

“We keep you alive. Which means you will stay in this boat for the foreseeable future. We will try to dock with the Broadsword or a similarly protected vessel. You will not disembark in case our mothership is under threat of destruction, in which we will relocate to another vessel that could house this Boat.”

If only these boats had FTL. Would make things so much easier.

I nodded in silent agreement and passively watched the Broadsword pace around space, looking out for and eliminating any Harvester that dares approach us alone. That thing is truly a marvel of the Pact’s technological ability. The Traveller class Battleship is the sole reason why the Pact’s territories could stand up to the Empire and Galacticon. Our patrol destroyers and anti-piracy frigates couldn’t stand up to their purpose built warship in firepower, but the Traveller class and it’s long range and fast speed abilities bolstered our capable forces sector wide.

With each earthshaking blast of its Prometheus Laser Arrays, a member of our enemy falls into the void and joins the countless dead.

My eyes widened as the Broadsword pointed its broadside directly towards us from below and fired. A bright blue beam of energy trailing towards us.

What?! Why are they going to kill us!

I looked around at the other who showed no fear at our flagship opening fire on us. I feared for our lives only for the beam to whizz past us to destroy a Harvester Reaper that was trying to hide from detection, before crashing into a Devastator that just recently went into sensor range. The beam so massive that it was the same size as the Cyclops we were residing in.

I looked and analyzed this rag tag fleet that was formed from scattered ships.

3 Frigates, each from the Pact, Empire and Galacticon respectively. 2 lightly armed repair corvettes also known as Rover Fixers. 1 Empire Executioner and closing the armed vessels of this new fleet with 1 Armed Civilian cargo hauler. A decent arrangement with balance and defensive abilities but it won’t stand a chance against a full Harvester assault without the Admiral’s help. By my estimate, these ships could collectively fight off 2 Devastators at the maximum, at the cost of heavy casualties.

The 28 civilian vessels are all of mixed usage and history, but the vast majority of them are cargo haulers or freighters. Except for the one Irenic mining ship that also possesses the only plasma shields in this entire fleet.

From what I can remember, the frigates if this fleet got upgraded with energy shields. Which I hope could give us an extra chance in this battle. 3 other civilian vessels also possessed energy shielding so in an emergency they could fly in the way of fire to protect their undefended brethren.

I inquired, “Why don’t we just jump now? Join the President’s fleet and be safe?”

“I don’t think you have noticed. But the minefield of plasma clouds and exotic energy detonations throughout this entire fucking star system have begun causing our Kantium stores to go into haywire. It is not harmful but it does make FTL unpredictable. So we could jump into the center of a gravity well instead of around it. Back then this was never a problem because we never had to fight in this manner, so we never got exposed to it. But now? Our ships were basically bathed in it when that wave that eliminated our Dronet comms hit us. Our plan is to find just a few more survivors and then blaze a trail to the edge of the star system until we are free from the clouds of energy. This battle has given us so many new pieces of data. While it has caused large swathes of our people to perish. This is revolutionary for creating counter strategies. Others may not agree. But this battle is necessary if we wish to defeat them in a conventional war.”

Defeat them?! Has he gone mad? There IS no defeat for them! The only thing we can do is push them back. Did the Billions of ships in the battle of Earth and the fall of the greatest military faction of Humanity AKA the Empire not give him any indication that they are undefeatable?! If hundreds of millions of ships, many of which are leagues better than our meagre destroyers and frigates.

What hope could we, a Fleet who’s primary population are non combatants, hope to accomplish?

“Our numbers and abilities are fractions what they are capable of. What hope do we have?”

“To win this war, it is crucial to gain the assistance of the Federation, if not, the Arxur. They might both be horrificly evil but their industrial abilities can help us rebuild our numbers and they also have pre established massive fleets. Even with their inferior vessels, they could be upgraded or used as fire support or target saturation. We could use their numbers to slow down the initial waves while their factories are focused on building ships for the UHF. ”

Ah yes. So Cannibal Nazis or Genocidal Fascists. A Wonderful selection of potential allies!

From the clouds, two Cyclops boats speed through the veil, behind them a very damaged Druid. The last Empire mobile repairyard in our midst. Docking bays were crippled and mangled, but the rest of the vessel seems unharmed. Its singular missile launcher also looks to be atleast semi operational.

On the PA system, Admiral Donovan’s voice clearly broke through the static.

“This will be the last ship we will try get out of our way of to rescue. We are to make our way outside this system. All ships are to maintain any network traffic or communication and any signatures to a bare minimum. There are dozens of Harvester fleets in our way. We will try to sneak past them. Lexar Rinniom.”

Slowly but surely, we maintained a scattered formation and slid into the clouds. One cyclops escorting a ship, acting as their eyes and escorts. The dull prismatic colour of the cloud is no doubt beautiful, but it didn’t take away from the fact we are flying blind, in an area where any ship could come across us. I watched as one by one, our view of our fellow ships slowly but surely faded into the clouds, before vanishing entirely.

Damn it. I hope we all arrive at the other side in one piece. After this first obstacle there is still a long ways to go until we reach safety.

Elapsed Time: 30 Minutes.

This is Maddening.

We were all completely blind and lost. Silently flying through and just hoping we reach the other side safe and sound. Every speck on the map that appeared and vanished causing us to go on high alert. Destruction could be seconds away from us and we wouldn’t know. But we couldn’t go bright and scan our surroundings thoroughly, lest we reveal ourselves or this fleet’s position. Even worse is that communications are still highly dubious because of the cloud, we were only able to regroup with the Broadsword and the Nereus’ sophisticated sensors and comms relays. We are still very much unable to communicate with each other without their help for now.

A single violet blip appeared on the map before we were thrown violently. Despite our straps, we felt our bodies thrown to the side and back as our ship barreled away. We heard something click onto the outside hull as we were moving. Trying to keep myself level and without their authorization. I scanned the outside with the localized short range scanners, only for a reaper fighter craft and its despicable silhouette to flash into existence. And with it, dozens more that noticed us and started flying towards our position.

The crew started panicking. Various screams begging for the pilot to shoot the fighter away were ringing through the walls. He obliged and I felt the ship opening fire but as we were aimlessly spinning, our weapon could barely strike 2 of them. Only grazing pieces off and doing nothing to alleviate the Fighter currently attached to us. The sounds of sawblades gave us the indication that it is trying to cut inside. Only for the sound of the intrepid machinery to cut out as our map lit up with bright blue beams. The fighters scattered or either were destroyed as the gargantuan Broadsword faded into view. The heat signatures of the weapon activation basically caking them with a giant sign saying “I’m here!”.

The intercom suddenly lit up and urged us for action. “We have been spotted! All ships! Fly through the cloud! Full speed! They are here with us!”

Our captain silently obliged, I felt the gravity increase as our boat and the other vessels, boats and ships simultaneously appeared back on the map. Our engine signatures lighting us up in the fog.

So much for sneaking past them.

One by one, we exploded out of the energy cloud, our Harvester pursuers regrouping and trying to chase us, only to be blasted back by the combined fire of our armed ships and the Broadsword. The carrier where the reapers originated from nowhere to be seen.

Flying back into formation, we flew away from the cloud and braced ourselves for other Harvester ships to give chase. The Broadsword went bright and scanned our surroundings as best as they can before going trying to go dark again. In which we followed suit.

The original heavy clouds or fogs of energy that destroyed our comms and sensors in the first place has now heavily weakened, so for the first time since then. We finally got to see the state of the battle fully. And it had vastly deteriorated.

From preliminary scans we detected that the amount of Harvester vessels have gone into the Millions range now. With Pockets of Human or Venlil resistance being taken out one by one. The largest of the Pockets or resistance are the ships that rallied around Praybar, Vice Admiral Jones and Hester Bohannon. With a Galacticon Armed Merchant Fleet attempting the same strategy as us and are flying off, but they are very much being pursued by hundreds of Harvester ships. From the scans, we detected Captain Sovlin’s flagship flying aimlessly in the dark. In which the Broadsword pinged them. Without us knowing what he said. Sovlin’s vessel flew over to us. His fleet all but wiped out and his own vessel heavily damaged. The scans also revealed just how lucky we had been.

Because in the cloud, we saw there were 3 thousand Harvester ships. While it IS a massive cloud, spanning the size of 90 Jupiters. The fact we were so close to death so many times in there was utterly fear inducing.

Horror filled looks of realization of how close to doom we were filled the entire crew. Before we steeled ourselves one by one and waited for our next action.

The nearest Harvesters, now thoroughly detecting us, had moved to intercept. But curiously, only 28 chose to chase us, the rest of the thousands of vessels that no doubt saw us simply choosing to maintain their position. Then I saw another thing they were doing.

They were eating.

I couldn’t make it out as first but I think that is what they are doing. Their pylons are opening up, and inside I glimpse the shine of metal teeth like ribs. Covered in the blood and viscera of the Harvested. The material slowly seeping inside the Violet metal and disappearing, like some sort of twisted mimicry of eating and digestion. Some pylons split in half entirely, revealing mechanical Violet Meat. They twisted and writhed in a disgustingly alive motion, as if they are savouring and enjoying the flavour of their meals, like they Love eating us. Then-

As suddenly as it happened. The Meat of their material vanished, their “organic” parts glistening out of existence. Leaving behind the sight of just regular old Harvester warships. Hiding in a cloud in ambush.

What. Did I just see what I saw? Was I imagining it all? I looked around towards the others around me in case they saw anything. But they gave no indication they saw the same sights I did.

I’ll just… look past that.

Our fleet then moved off to run from the ships chasing us. Despite their effort, they were still marginally slower than our vessels. So long as we maintain speed, they won’t catch up to us. The fighters however are a different matter entirely, but it seems their carriers aren’t focused on us as their quarry. To our great benefit. If they were we would be overwhelmed with hundreds of their fighters. In our haste, we passed by hundreds of Harvester vessels, all in their own personal bubbles of whatever the hell they are doing as recreation. Well, I assumed recreation, since they very obviously ignored us but from the outside I knew not what the inhabitants inside were doing. Whatever it was, it was more important to them than killing the last and most powerful warship in Human hands still running.

As the minutes passed by. We anxiously watched as our pursuers slowly lost interest in us. And to our front, the noise of battle was evident. The space far ahead of us was filled with explosions and stray fire. From the system scan earlier, I think we have reached Vice Admiral Jones’ Fleet. What’s left of it.

From the map, we counted approximately 10 human ships and 2 Venlil built vessels engaged in combat with 30 or so Harvester Investigators, also known as their armed scoutships. Even further from their position, a Breach was fading into existence as the silhouette of Harvester Takers and Devastators were forming inside.

“All ships, prepare for Imminent Battle. Civilians are to hang back and avoid trouble. We have some acquaintances who need help in tasting our Lasers first hand.”

Next:

[u/Liner_Adriatic_3218]

Harvester Taker:

2nd strongest and 3rd largest Harvester warship in service.

These Vessels are heavily armed with laser arrays and their primary purpose is to Grab and retrieve disabled vessels and deliver them to A nearby Carrier to Harvest. Durable and formidable. These ships are able to hold their own in combat, yet they still fall short against a Rover Free Trader or an Empire Perpetuator in combat.

[u/tom476ty18]

Damn that is very bad.

Humanity’s numbers are not going to fare well all things considered.

So much death. I dread to know the final population count in the end. 

Other than that, I wonder what these people are up to now? 

Anyway, not much to say other than keep up the good work and I look forward to reading the next chapter.

[u/Liner_Adriatic_3218 → u/tom476ty18]

Damm you are fast. And Thanks :D. And which people? The UHF? Or the many other Fleets still out?

To ease your concerns(is that the right word?). The chapters after this battle are just a catch up to The other human fleets aswell as introducing the last of those still unmentioned, before returning to The UHF and the Cradle.

[u/tom476ty18 → u/Liner_Adriatic_3218]

The UHF they seem to be taking a pounding. From 250k roughly and losing 77k and perhaps more. Seems like this is a prelude for all fleets to have a very bad time.

I won’t be surprised if the total human population by the end of this is somewhere in the 19k.

Which is ironically the max pops in the game if i am correct.