“With the ultimate weapon, all will bow before me, and be reduced to dust and cinder!”
- - Hand of Retribution
Gathering the Allies[]
Arrival for War[]
Kirta's Gambit[]
Confrontation[]
Kurlos's Death[]
Phase-Hunter breathed hard as he glared at his foe. He had faced all sorts of things, but never anything like this before. Kurlos had all his regenerative abilities, combined with the brutal power of the Ugandalorians. Despite the obvious disadvantage, Phase needed to get close, and punch his lights out. That was his best chance of implementing his battle plan. He focused his one good eye on Kurlos, as the Ugandalorian snapped his right arm back into position. Kurlos flexed his hands and arm, before speaking.
- Kurlos - I know what you plan. You want to snap my neck, my spin, something, stop me from regenerating, right, Mister Wilson?
- Phase - I'm gonna break every part of your skull actually.
- Kurlos - Psh. How stupid. You're going to get close to someone whose armed?
With that, Kurlos pulled out his sword, twirling it before taking a combat position.
- Phase - Sword or not, I'm going to shatter that arrogant skull of yours.
- Kurlos - Ho ho! Such arrogance, from a dirty, sex-crazed walking corpse. Even after all the scars my master gave you, you still act like an arrogant, preening fool!
- Phase - I'm doing this for Barda, don't act like you understand friendship.
With that Phase leapt at Kurlos, landing a light punch on his foe's face, before Kurlos slashed him across the chest, blood spraying out, onto Kurlos' chest and helmet. As he stepped backwards to let his helmet system clean off the blood, Phase did not relent, slamming a punch into Kurlos's stomach, and then punching him across the head. Kurlos spat out blood, before backing away.
- Kurlos - You let me cut you, so your blood would blind me.
- Phase - I only gave you a love tap. Come back here so I can really break your head in.
Kurlos activated his jump pack, kicking Phase in the face, before slashing downwards, and taking his left arm off. Phase grabbed Kurlos' head with his remaining hand, and, as the Ugandalorian struggled to detach, Phase slammed a knee into Kurlos's chest plate, shattering it entirely, and causing the cybernetic Ugandalorian to spit out blood, again. Phase then throw his opponent to the ground, creating a crater where his foe hit. Before Kurlos could recover, he brought back his fist, and slammed into Kurlos's helmet, shattering it, then smashing into his skull, and cracking the armored carapace Ugandalorians developed on their heads. Kurlos's eyes went cloudy as his body tried to heal all the damage he had suffered.
Phase went over, retrieved his arm, and teleported to Kurlos's position. Grabbing him by the collar, Phase brought him in close, eye red with rage.
- Phase - You are a liar and a traitor. I'm Going to crush your fucking head for what you've done
Kurlos said nothing, simply grumbling, before stabbing outwards and gutting Phase hunter. The human warrior coughed, staggering a bit, as Kurlos regained some composure, his skull now in one piece again, snapping back together and cracking into place.
- Kurlos - I have always hated you. You come from the same world as those French bastards. A bunch of lying bastards to the last, all of you Terrans. I despite their Eldarisian friends, for being child murdering zealots. And I especially hate the Hegemony and their war crimes against us. Unlike you, I lost my daughter and sons, proud Koatria they would've been. What did you ever lose? A whore? A sampling of drugs?
- Phase - You don't know anything...
- Kurlos - Unlike your lying, enabling bastard you call friend, the Hand brought me my revenge. He killed the Hegemony's leadership, gutted their empire. Barda never did any of that. Comacar never did. They where weak, just like you. And just like them, you'll die, remembered only as a fool!
Phase glared into Kurlos' eyes, as he swung hard into Kurlos' sword. He repeated this process, punching the sword over and over, his knuckles getting bruised and broken, until he finally shattered the blade. Kurlos was shocked Phase would even attempt such a thing, hardly believing Phase would try it. But the human said nothing, merely bringing back his right hand, and closing each finger one at a time, prepared his fist, before swinging right into Kurlos's neck, shattering the wind pipe and vertebrae. Kurlos gagged and choked, as Phase grabbed him by his broken neck, then one of his legs, and lifted him up, and brought him down on his knee, shattering his spin. Phase threw Kurlos to the ground, staring down at him with pure hatred.
- Phase - You'll never understand what Barda did for me. Even when I didn't deserve it, he gave me a chance. I wasted that chance once, and he lost his life, but I'm not going to waste it again. Your Hand may have taken my brother from me, but this journey to stop him, forged both me and Kirta into far better people then you could ever know. Just like her father, she made me a better person then I ever could've hoped to be by myself. And that is how you lose.
Kurlos glared up at him with empty, hate-filled eyes, looking animalistic and savage even as he lay there, slowly regenerating his wounds. Phase place a foot on his chest, before lifting it up and stomping down again, shattering his ribcage.
- Phase - You hold onto the past. You let it control you. But me, I'm sticking with the future. That's where the Clett family has guided me. First Barda, then Takanius and Kirta. I don't know where else they'll lead me, but I'll follow. Because they made me into something more.
He grabbed Kurlos by the collar, and dragged him to the edge, over the abyss that ultimately would lead to the plasma generator at the core of the station.
- Phase - You have my abilities, right? Then you know being disintegrated is the only thing that can kill me, right? And you, by extension of course.
- Kurlos - I must live! I must...avenge...the fallen!
- Phase - Revenge is petty. Remember them instead, as I will remember Barda.
He threw his opponent screaming over the edge, even as the Ugandalorian clawed at him arms, struggling to stay on, all for naught, however, as Kurlos fell over the side, disappearing into the pit. Phase stood there stunned for a moment, before falling to his knees. The cuts to his hands, legs and especially his stomach bleed profusely. He did not even try to remove the bit of the sword lodged in his stomach, too tired to move. His eyes grew heavy, before he felt a calming presence beside him. He turned himself around, eyes half closed, sure that he was finally going to die, and this was heaven or something. Instead, he saw a familiar red-armored warrior beside him, his eyes widening in surprise.
- Barda - Hey, Phase! Phase! Don't fall asleep yet!
- Phase - Barda...?
- Barda - You have done well my friend.
Phase felt tears welling up in his eye, but did not stop them, simply staring up at his friend in shock.
- Phase - I'm sor...sorry I failed you...Barda, please...I'm sorry.
- Barda - No, none of that. I must thank you. You protected my daughter, helped my son keep his Order of Protectors in line. You avenged me. You've done more then enough. You've come a long way, from that irresponsible mercenary. I wish could've seen it to the end, Brother. You do what you do. I'll be waiting for you.
Phase said nothing, merely reaching out to his friend, trying to blink away the tears as Barda turned and began to walk away. After walking for a bit, his friend looked over his shoulder, and smiled warmly.
- Barda - You can't die yet. The world still needs you. My daughter still needs her teacher, my son his advisor, both their uncle. Hold your position. That's an order.
- Phase - ...Bar...da.
His friend disappeared, seemingly vanishing into light, as Phase sat up and looked on. He wanted to say something, to move, but couldn't find the strength to. He just sat silently, like a statue for several minutes. Finally, he stood up once more, the dried blood now caked across his body. He looked over the edge, where Kurlos had fallen, to back to where he last saw Barda.
- Phase - Thank you, Barda. You'll always...be in my heart.
He began walking towards where Kirta had gone, staggering away. He had to see Kirta through. No matter what happened, he had to make sure Kirta won this, so they could all go home. He dragged himself to the throne room of the Hand, breathing heavily. His job of protecting Barda's children was not over. Not even close.
End of Retribution[]
Kirta stood before the Hand, both of his guards dead at her feet, sword drawn and ready, as he turned to see, making a sound as though he was surprised.
- Kirta - I've returned from hell.
- The Hand - So you have. I must send you back then.
- Kirta - Not until I take you with me. You killed my father, his friends. You've flung our people into a war.
- The Hand - A war we can win. I might have underestimated your Clan before, Kirta. But if you stand by me, with our combined forces, we could devastate the Xonexi and the traitors that turned against us.
- Kirta - Like I would ever turn my back on my allies. You can go fuck yourself.
- The Hand - I was worried you would say that. Then I must kill you, to preserve our people and protect them. Such is the true pursuit of justice.
He pulled out the Axe of High Kings from behind, gripping it tightly in both hands, as he stepped forwards, his white and gold armor dulled by the smoke and burn markings from past battles, but still showed brilliantly. Kirta griped her blade tightly in both hands, and rushed at the Hand, slashing at his neck and chest, cutting and slicing as quickly as she could. The Hand backed away, blocking each blow, as he struggled to hold his ground. Finally, he planted his foot behind him, and parried Kirta's last blow, before slashing at her stomach. Kirta narrowly missed, the blade cutting the armor and part of her skin, but only causing a flesh wound.
She did not stop, side stepping his next strike, and aiming a stab at his neck, which the Hand countered by raising his axe up and deflecting the blow behind him, before turning around and punching Kirta in the helmet. She merely growled, and slammed her knee into the Hand's stomach. The elder warrior backed away, head to cocked to the side abit, and studying his foe.
- Hand - I must admit, you are stronger then I expected. Your battles alongside the Hunter, Wilson, have obviously re-forged you.
- Kirta - *coldly* It's all for one purpose, to end you.
The Hand swung his axe over his head, aiming to cut Kirta in half, as the Mendel woman jumped backwards, before charging at her foe again, stabbing at his chest. She managed to dig into her foe's armor and part of his flesh, before the warrior, turned his body slightly to deflect the blow off his shoulder armor, and slammed the blunt end of his axe into her helmeted face. Kirta backed away, staggering and grunting in pain, as the Hand pushed his assault, striking ferociously at his foe repeatedly. Kirta barely managed to block each strike, almost falling to her knees with every blow. He pressed his advantage, cutting at her, and slicing into her left arm, then her right left, cutting through the armor and jump suit to draw blood from her.
Kirta grabbed her helmet and tossed it away, as she regained her footing. She remembered what Phase had taught her of an aggressive foe, one so focused on victory, that they forgot their true advantages. Spitting some blood to the floor, Kirta breathed heavily as the Hand prepared to strike again. As he attempted to bisect her again, Kirta stepped to the side, slashing into his leg, and taking a chunk off, she cut upwards, slashing his chest plate in half, as well as his helmet. The two pieces of his helmet fell to the ground, as he backed away, sputtering and cursing. She stood up, and walked towards her foe, ready to finish him off.
- Kirta - I don't like to finish a foe while he's weak...but I make an exception for you. I don't feel a single shred of regret for you at all. How many people are you getting killed to follow "your" path of vengeance? Fathers, mothers, children? Of our people, of our allies, of the other powers. If I have to put you down like a dog, then so be it. You earned it.
The Hand said nothing, merely glaring up at her, left hand clutching his axe desperately, the other hand holding his bloodied face as he grumbled something under his breath.
- Kirta - Speak up. I want to hear you beg a bit before I end you.
- Hand - I shall burn you away from this world, as I shall with all impurities!
He grabbed her by the face, moving faster then she thought possible for any creature, and soon, a burning sensation began to spread out from the area of his palm, burning into the side of her head and eye. She gasped in pain, and dropped her sword, only able slam an elbow strike into his ribs, with satisfying crunch, causing him to stagger to the side, holding himself in pain. The two glared at each other, Kirta taking a fighting stance, as the Hand gripped his axe with both hands.
- The Hand - You still wish to fight, even without your sword?
- Kirta - A true Warrior never gives into despair.
- The Hand - You know nothing of being a true warrior. All you have done is betray your people to the French and the Xonexi scum.
- Kirta - Then finish me, if you know what it takes to be a warrior.
The Hand said nothing, merely charging toward Kirta, axe low to the ground, as he prepared to finish her. Although vapor still rose form her injured face, Kirta knew exactly what she needed to do. The Hand prepared to swing at her neck, and cleave her head off, but Kirta moved to the side, narrowly dodging the axe as it swung towards her stomach again, and slammed a punch into his upper arm, throwing everything she had into the hit, and digging her punch in further, until she heard a snap, and the arm bent a slight angle. The Hand fell to his side, dropping his axe, and rolling away, and landing on his injured arm, causing him to rage at his foe, for a brief moment, before stopping and falling silent.
Kirta approached prepared to finish him off, before she remembered another lesson, one that Phase had reminded her of, but she had learned long ago form her father and mother. Never corner an animal, especially one already injured. She came to a stop, all to late, in front of the Hand, caught up in her thoughts for a moment, as he rolled back around and grabbed her by the face, eyes wild with rage and agony. He squeezed down, his clawed fingers digging into skin, as he looked her in the eyes. She gripped his hand, trying to dislodge it, but he had an iron grip upon her.
- The Hand - You lost this day. Destiny has smiled upon my actions, those guided by justice. It shall see you dead, and see me rise ascendant, and destroy the Xonexi. The powers of light granted to me are beyond a traitor such as you.
- Kirta - You forgot something, Hand.
- The Hand - ...What?
- Kirta - I too, have Elemental power to call upon.
Before the Hand could react, Kirta sent hundreds of volts of electricity coursing through the Hand's right hand and up through his arm. The Hand screamed in anger and pain as the volts fried his arm, and left it a smoking husk. He back away, holding his arm, as Kirta slammed a foot into his face, knocking him onto his back. She held her own face in pain. She had to take a few volts coming back at her in order to pull it off, but it had worked. She had damaged his strong arm. She shook off her pain, as she slowly approached the Hand, who was on his knees now, as smoke rose from his damaged arm, The Hand grimacing in agony from the wound.
- Kirta - Hurt myself a bit to pull that off, but it's worth it. I have you exactly where I want you, your strong hand down. Any last words?
- The Hand - Kirta, you clearly are the strongest warrior. I can give you command of the Pact, we could destroy the Xonexi together.
- Kirta - I don't want to live in the Pact if your in charge. I won't stop until your dead.
The Hand seemed to understand this, shaking his head sadly as he looked at Kirta intently. She drew her right hand back, over her father's pistol, holstered and ready to go.
- Kirta - I know you have your own side arm. Come on, out with it. We'll draw. One final shot, and then we'll see whose truly favored by fate.
The Hand considered this for a moment, as he drew back his cloak a bit, and raised his left hand to his waste. He breathed in, as he faced his opponent once more.
- The Hand - I am guided by justice itself! My actions cannot be defied!
He gave a shout to the heavens, as he drew his pistol, but Kirta already had her own pistol out, firing right at the Hand's head, as the Hand fired in desperation at her. His blaster bolt hit her in the side, in her ribs, as her shot lanced straight through his forehead.
- The Hand - But...How?
- Kirta - You lost to your own fate. To follow the path of justice and be a true warrior, means putting others before yourself, even those you may hate. You lost before the first strike.
The Hand fell on his back, eyes glazed over, his last moments, last seconds spent in disbelief. How...how could a mere child with barely any battle experience do what her father had failed to do? He stopped breathing shortly after, as Kirta fell on her knees, utterly exhausted. She breathed in deeply, shaky as she looked down at her foe's corpse, uncertain of what lay ahead. She struggled to her feet, and moved towards her sword. She had to finish this, before anymore lives where lost today. She stopped, however, as a light glowed to her right. She wasn't sure what to think of it, and turned, only to see her father, in his traditional red armor and cape, but surrounded by a heavenly glow.
- Kirta - Father?
- Barda - Kirta, my dear. You've...You've changed so much.
- Kirta - Dad, I wish...I could've stopped earlier, perhaps, you would still be alive.
- Barda - Don't blame yourself, my little girl. You've grown much since our last saw you. You've become more then a women, or a warrior. You've become a true leader. While I would've loved to have seen such a journey through, I am glad you experienced it.
- Kirta - Dad, What happens now? To you, to me and Uncle Wilson?
- Barda - *smiles* I journey to the beyond, and meet my Father and Grand-father. You, you have work to do. Finish what I started, bring these Clans together. You've come this far. You can finish it.
- Kirta - I couldn't have done it alone.
- Barda - None of us could've. Just as Phase helped you in your journey, you helped him. You're good for each other. Look out for him, and look out for the rest of our family.
- Kirta - I will father, I swear it.
- Barda - *Nods assuredly* Then, I have no regrets of this life. I cannot hold off death any longer. The Oversoul awaits me. Good bye, Kirta. You will be a great High Queen of our Clans.
He disappeared into a shaft of light, his body slowly fading away, as he gave her the thumbs up, smiling proudly. Kirta smiled back weakly, returning the gesture, as tears began to fall from her eyes. She struggled to her feet, as she heard another figure approach. She turned to see Phase-Hunter, heavily wounded and barely standing, but alive none the less. She smiled as her uncle staggered forward, a determined smile on his own face.
- Phase - I ain't dead yet, you still need your uncle.
- Kirta - Uncle Wilson, relax. You need to heal.
She draped his arm across her shoulders, as she helped him to the control counsel, one connected to the Hand's entire fleet. Phase-Hunter placed his feet firmly on the ground, as Kirta glanced over at him. The battle raged in front of them painting the room with reds, blues and greens as laser fire danced in front of them, and ships fired upon one another. Phase focused on the battle as he spoke his next lines, with some difficulty.
- Phase - We started this journey together. We finish it together.
She nodded, as the two made their way to the counsel, Phase pressing the button, as Kirta leaned in to speak.
- Kirta - All Mendel fleets. Repeat, all Mendel fleets. This is Kirta Clett, of the Reclaimers. Your Hand of Retribution is dead. Stand down and surrender, or die this day. The war is over.
As she said this, her own warriors re-broadcasted the message across the entire battlefield, to all forces in the area, Xonexi, Mirusian, Cyrandian. As the message went, the fighting slowly but surely died down, as the ships stood silent, the only sign of the fighting was the smoking damage endured upon some of the ships, and the hot guns of the warships. All was deathly quiet now. Kirta overlooked this entire thing, hardly able to believe what she saw.
- Kirta - From a small rebel force, to standing at the head of an empire, alongside friends and former enemies. This path has been a strange one. Thank you, Uncle Wilson.
Phase merely nodded, as they surveyed the fleets gathered all across the void, as a small flotilla of Mendel vessels refused any aide. They called off all attempts to raise them, and jumped into hyperspace, zooming out of sight. Kirta furrowed her eyebrows, as Phase sat down on the cold iron floor.
- Phase - Must be loyalists to the Hand. That's bad.
- Kirta - It doesn't matter now. We've decapitated their leadership. Let them run headless. We'll celebrate the peace while it lasts.
Closure[]
Niyra walked through the ruins of a Hegemony planet the wind blowing up great clouds of dust and whipping her long black hair about her face. The earth, once a rich, moist brown was now cracked and black, crunching beneath her boots as she walked. The sun burnt down harsh through the thin atmosphere, the only shade being provided by the red clouds of dust rolling through what was left of the planet's sky and the twisted, blackened, slowly melting buildings still glowing slightly with slag. Every breath rasped through her nostrils like sandpaper. As for people, they were there, buried with their own earth, structures, and within piles of one another.
- Niyra - The Hand sure did a number on this place.
She heard something shifting about and looked at a pile of bodies and saw an Hegemonic Supersoldier with black and silver armor, one of the Death Head Legion. The Supersoldier lunged forward and grabbed her hand. Niyra couldn't see his face or eyes behind his helmet, but she could tell that his expression was a pleading one.
- Death Head Supersoldier - Why, why? They killed everyone they could. Women, children, no mercy, no remorse, no pity. No hope.
- Niyra - No less then what you deserve.
- Death Head Supersoldier - Wh-what do you mean?
Niyra smiled slightly.
- Niyra - I remember you. You showed up at the Academy hunting down Koatria Cadets, specifically me. You killed everyone you could. Women, children, no mercy, no remorse, no pity. No hope.
- Death Head Supersoldier - I remember you too. You were the one who reversed time, undid everything me and my Chapter accomplished.
- Niyra - Why yes I did, and then the Hand came and undid far more then that. In a rather similar way that you tried to undo everything we worked for.
Niyra looked around again and her smiled turned into a slight scowl.
- Niyra - Too similar if you asked me.
- Death Head Supersoldier - But it's not right. Do you think we liked our orders? Do you think we didnt regret them? Yet we carried them out because that was our duty. The Hegemony is our lawful government, and its wishes are our commands. The Hand is a renegade, loyal to no one. This sort of retribution is not fair.
- Niyra - *scoffs* No it's not right, but it's entirely fair. Terribly, horrifically fair. Even though your conscience told you otherwise you still carried out your orders. You choose duty to authority over duty to your own morals, which reeks of weakness. Regretting something, but refusing to act on it does not make you any better.
Niyra then activated Baskerville, which happened to be contained in the hand the Astartes was holding, the searing white claw shredding through armor and flesh severing the Astartes' hand. The Astartes stumbled away from her and to his feet. He grabbed his boltgun, and, with a clinical precision only a supersoldier could have, aimed four shots at Niyras head. Every shot missed as Niyra stepped out of time to evade them and she smiled slightly again.
- Niyra - Strange isn't it, I remember you and yours pointing guns and killing innocent cadets and now you don't want to die yourself. How bizarre.
- Death Head Supersoldier - I am not afraid to die. Fear has no hold on me. If you want to kill me, scum, then do it.
- Niyra - A waste. You are but meat to grind in the corpse grinder of war, then. Fear has its uses and it's purposes.
Three shots range out and three massive, bloody holes that one could look through like portholes appeared in the Death Head's body which then hit the ground, face first, with a dull, wet, thud. A crimson river of blood began to flow the wounds down a slopping hill. Niyra followed the river of blood to the bottom where it pooled with other rivers of blood. Next to the pool was a tiny, slightly wilted, white flower. The only thing growing in this wasteland of a planet. Niyra sat down on a rock and stared at the little white flower.
- Niyra - Now what in the world are you doing here?
She heard footsteps, but didn't turn, she knew who it was.
- Niyra - Hello, Takanius. What are you doing here?
- Takanius - How'd you known it was me?
- Niyra - I have my ways, now what are you doing here?
- Takanius - I wanted to talk to you.
- Niyra - Then sit down and talk. I'm all ears.
Takanius sat down beside her and swirled his foot about in the bloody dust before breathing in deeply.
- Takanius - Is revenge wrong?
- Niyra - Why do you ask?
- Takanius - The Hand killed all these people for the sake of revenge, including my father. And then Kirta killed the Hand for the same reason. I really don't want to put them in the same boat, but everyone keeps acting like revenge for any reason is wrong.
- Niyra - Takanius what have I always taught you?
- Takanius - That balance is important in all things.
Niyra nodded and held out her hand letting a crimson ball of radiation form in one and a blue one in the other.
- Niyra - It is said that there are two virtues that, just like darkness and light, stand in opposition to one another, kindness or mercy and severity. However, like darkness and light, these two forces need each other, lest severity becomes tyrannical and destructive while mercy lays waste to the very substance of justice and righteousness.
- Takanius - What are you trying to say?
- Niyra - Look around you we can both say that what the Hand did here to the Hegemony is undeniably wrong.
- Takanius - It's all too similar to what they did to us.
- Niyra - Exactly, and while what the Hand did was wrong, is simply letting people get away with atrocities any better? What does that tell them? That committing atrocities is right and that they have the right to do so?
- Takanius - I don't know.
- Niyra - Take your time and think on it. Now consider your sister. She sought revenge, but throughout the whole thing she only sought revenge on the Hand. Never once did she hurt an innocent, one who did not deserve her blade, or was not trying to hurt her in turn. The Hand destroyed all he sought, all that was in his way, even all that was merely nearby in his quest for vengeance. Revenge is neither inherently right or wrong Takanius, few things are, it's the extent you're willing to go, where you draw the line, and who you're willing to hurt to have your revenge. That is what determines right or wrong.
- Takanius - Ah, okay.
- Niyra - And besides, with the Hegemony gone perhaps we'll be able to move forward past our bloody history and onto the future. Time is a funny thing.
The two were silent for a bit before Niyra suddenly reached down a scooped up the patch of dirt the flower was growing from in her hands before presenting it to Takanius.
- Niyra - Here, take it. Take it far from this place. Give it rich soil to grow in, clean water to drink, let it soak in warm, golden sunshine, and tend to it carefully. If you do that then maybe something born from all this death and destruction may become beautiful one day.
Takanius took it gingerly and looked at it in slight awe. So fragile and yet it had hung on.
- Takanius - Thank you.
The Kraken Sleepeth[]
The ringing stopped and the ripples ceased as Accel Space returned to the sate it had been in before the war. Deep within the gulf of psychic pressure silence returned. The rumbles and shifting calmed as its great head drooped again and was covered by its tentacles. The polypi went back to their soundless singing and the great bulk grew still again. It had not awoken, certain actions taken above had stopped that and with the hatred slowly seeping away it may never awake. But it was not dead, even an eternal, everlasting peace could not kill it. It would remain until the apocalypse itself came and one day it may still awaken, but for now it was calm and still.
The Kraken sleepeth.