3.05: Showdown at Home – The Showdown
DS Day 276-290
Where: Yvara
Bifzik could now hear the whispers of thousands of Qek-nodes nearby. A front-line was forming, and it was going to be a viscous battle. The Qek had new forms; genetic constructs made from genetic-merging of several alien species and beasts. They were here for one reason – to take the Majjvara, Queen of the Yvarema.
By this time, the word had circulated that a battle was brewing, greater than any they had fought thus far. Nothing could stop it. However, even with the resources of the Farstar, the could not possibly hope to win. The Yvarema had no warriors in the population. It would be a short battle.
However, the Majjvara had a solution. It was not the best solution, but it was the only solution. The Majjvara and her palace were the obvious center to the Yvarema reproduction. Every generation of Yvarema was created in the palace. The palace was vast, with 60 floors above ground, and another several hundred reaching several kilometers down. Each level was linked to the Majjvara, who directed the creation and development of each Yvarema embryo. In doing, the were forever linked to the hive-mind sustained by the Majjvara.
However, she did not have the knowledge or the genetic samples to create a warrior. She needed to understand all the aspects of a warrior; the passion of the hunt, the honor and duty of a soldier, the hate of a fanatic… all needed to be encoded into the Yvarema genetic code. Nothing was left to chance.
She explained that she had the ability to take the knowledge and genetic samples of other species, and encode them on to her constructs. However, she would only do it if it was voluntary, because there was some risk. Also, this would interrupt and perhaps destroy her current work on the next generation of Yvarema. Some of the next population would be lost, used in the creation of a warrior class.
She asked for volunteers… the best warriors the Farstar could offer.
Samarion, Dervious, Gorak, Kl’aal, Sooni, and the best of the Night Terrors were among the volunteers. The process was going to be painful and vigorous. Their bodies would go through untold stress. They were ready for the challenge.
They were first put through an intensive medical physical, headed up by Seedar. The Majjvara tried to explain the process to her, and she had rough understanding of what was supposed to happen, but wasn’t sure how it was being accomplished. It would serve well as a research subject some other time.
Individually, they were escorted to a chamber where they were hooked up to an elaborate apparatus. All left the room except the subject, and after an impressive light show, the subject was removed from the chamber. The process took days, making some nervous. Each day, Bifzik reported on the Qel-net activity, and each day they seemed closer.
When it was all said and done, the creatures that arose from the bio-gen chamber were amazing, and frightening. The power of a Starwolf, the combat prowess of a Mandalorian, the stealth ability of a Defel, the directional instinct of a Sullustan, along with the collective combat knowledge of the Night Terrors and a few others from the Farstar, behind the power of the strongest Yvarema. They were massive creatures.
“We can’t let this creature of this planet…” Samarion said to the others. “It poses too great of a threat. We must have the Majjvara agree to contain them.”
They produced hundreds. Bifzik could only guess a the number of Qek forces, because some of the lesser beasts were not connected to the Qek-Assemblage. These beasts ranged from basic beasts-of-burden to the bio-tech equivalent of tanks.
The creatures were assembled, armed with weapons from the Farstar, and Qesya’s arsenal (which turned out even more vast than ever expected), and soon the battle-lines were formed. The showdown was near.
*****
The sun rose in the south west, the ever present odd mist rising from the numerous geysers that littered the surfaced. From with the trenches dug by Yvarema worker drones, a mixture of Farstar crew, Night Terrors and Yvarema warriors waited from the inevitable. Battle…
The rumble was first, followed by a dust cloud at the horizon. The Qek force was immense. The front line was made up of horrendous beasts, claw-like swords, tentacles, fangs, and spines all designed to shred armor and flesh. Behind them were more beasts, each line seemingly different from the next. The Yvarema lines readied.
The noise was almost unbearable as the attack force approached. Yvarema scout ships launched to attacked the numerous flyer-beasts the Qek had conjured up, while the Forsaken X-Wing squadron engaged the Qek cruisers orbiting above. When the two masses of combatants met, there was a silence a second before that was deafening, then a thunderous crash that could have been heard light years away. Blaster and slug thrower fire was as thick as fog, screams of the dying rang out like a chorus. The Night Terrors had trained the new Yvarema warriors well, setting up flanking maneuvers and suppression fire with the best of them. However, they were most effective up close, ripping Qek warriors limb from limb.
The battle tides turned more times than one could count, with surges and regroups on the hour, for hours on end. However, the primary defenses set up around the capitol city. Some skirmishes had broken out inside, and fires were burning on the outskirts, but after the last Qek surge, the Majjvara palace was still intact and untouched. It was becoming clear the Qek were fighting a loosing battle.
The long battle ended after 3 days of fighting. The new Yvarema soldiers served them well, but Adrimetrum and the others realized something about them. They, as New Republic representatives, had given this species the ability to wage war with a very powerful soldier, made up from the genetic samples and psionic impressions of the best soldiers the Farstar (and the New Republic, they’d like to think) had to offer. If they could create enough of these creatures, they could easily be considered a threat. This disturbed Adrimetrum the most, because what they were saying sounded a lot like what the Empire had based most of their policies on. So the slaves now become the masters…
Something diplomatic had to be done. The Captain then, of course turned to B’Dorbeck. To him, the solution was simple. Negotiate with the Majjvara that she would only generate enough soldiers for defense, and store the extra soldiers they had there on the Ferryship. They had already determined that the ship was meant for colonization, so it was tailor-made for their needs.
The mop-up after the battle was long a tedious, and long. The rebuilding process would be complete long after the Farstar left. Adrimetrum set a departure time, and the crew did all they could to help. Resupplied and refreshed, the Corellian Corvette set coarse for the edge of the system, readying another Nuniok Dak Sullustan to jump them across to unknown space.
Gunthar chose to stay behind, and raise Qesya’s child on board the Ferryship. However, Dajus and Hasslock both had a feeling that they would see him again.