This is a Homeworld fiction story I'm writing. I've only started and it will take a long time to complete it. If you've never played HW or read about it's gameplay and storyline, don't bother reading. You won't understand the basic concepts.

EPISODE 1

Major Trakiir was standing on Deck 5, thinking. He appeared to be watching the fluctuations of hyperspace energy levels, but his memories took over. The Beast had been defeated 4 years ago, when the Naggarok was destroyed. Since then, many independent Taiidan worlds decided to join The Republic. It now ruled over 110 systems, as more and more Imperials deserted and joined it. But the Turanic Raiders never deserted. He was first officer on the Republican Heavy Cruiser Vihalla. Right after the Beast War, Heavy Cruisers didn't seem to have a future. But with the invention of the Fajor Procedure they became immune to infection and the Republic invested heavily in building more of them. The design remained practically unchanged. The Vihalla was returning from a "sweep-up" mission against a small Beast remnant fleet of infected Somtaaw vessels. They were all frigate-class. The Vihalla's commander was Colonel Jubak, a brilliant tactician. Sometimes he even told squadrons of strike craft what to do. Unofficially, of course. He had recomended Trakiir for promotion. Not in rank, but in command position. Trakiir was incredible at maneuvering to fight strike craft. But aboard a Heavy Cruiser, his talent was in vain. Colonel Jubak was taking the Vihalla to rendez-vous with the Carrier Avrok-Maas and its escort fleet. Admiral Kra'din, the commander of the Avrok-Maas, wanted to personally speek to Trakiir. He was in a harvesting mission with his fleet, so he could afford the time.
"Major Trakiir! What are you doing?"
His thoughts disturbed, Trakiir looked up. It was Jubak.
"Sir! I was examining the energy levels, as you requested. Hyperspace transition status gre..."
He looked on the main screen and saw the Carrier Avrok-Maas and its escorts on the starry background.
"Sir..."
"I meant, why are you still here? You should be getting ready to meet the Admiral." Jubak smiled and Trakiir turned to leave. "Good luck, Trakiir! We'll all miss you here."
"And I'll miss this ship, Colonel. And its crew, that I've worked with for so long."
"16 years... I'm sure we'll see each other again."
As Trakiir disembarked and his transport shuttle docked with the Avrok-Maas, Colonel Jubak appointed his new first officer aboard the Vihalla.
Even compared to a Heavy Cruiser, the Carrier was massive. Trakiir went past one of the docking bays, where he saw countless defense fighters. He also caught a glimpse of the hangar, where interceptors were currently being built. Outside, an escort fleet of frigates was patrolling around the Avrok-Maas. Soon, Trakiir was in front of Admiral Kra'din.
"Welcome aboard, Major! I heard of your perfomances and you came with high recomandations."
"Thank you, Admiral. It will be my pleasure to work on this Carrier..."
"On the Avrok-Maas? I thought you were a man who enjoys danger!"
"Yes, but that's nothing more than my personal preference of dangerous missions."
"Well then, do you mind commanding your own ship?"
"M-my own...?"
"You are a Major, so the ship you should receive is a destroyer-class vessel."
"Well, Majors do command Destroyers and Missile Destroyers... I can't say h-how m-much I appreciate..."
"There just -happens- to be a Missile Destroyer on its way here. It was subverted by The Beast during the Beast War, and then captured by a Hiigaran fleet for studies. Soon it was sterilized and they sent it back to us, since it is Taiidan after all. We outfitted it with a new crew, since the weapons systems were still fully operational. All it needs now is a commander."
As he said this, a hyperspace window opened 5 km from the Carrier and a Taiidan Missile Destroyer emerged. But it wasn't painted in the standard replublican silver (the color of most republican ships, including all the others already there). It was green with yellow. Trakiir asked about this, and Admiral Kra'din answered:
"We gave it different colors in the memory of those who died when it was subverted. And also because of its special mission. Didn't I tell you? You're going to Kadesh."
Trakiir was stunned. He never heard of such a place. The Admiral gave him a briefing disk and Trakiir embarked on the transport shuttle once again. On the way he watched the briefing about the Garden of Kadesh. At first he was frightened: with a lone Missile Destroyer, how was he supposed to face the mighty Kadeshi? But soon the objectives appeared: he was going to join and infiltrate. When his shuttle was near the M-Destroyer, a transmission from Colonel Jubak came in. He wished Trakiir good luck (again) and hoped they'll have the chance to fight toghether someday. As he said this, the Vihalla hyperspaced out.
   Once he was onboard the Missile Destroyer, Trakiir was greeted by his second in command, Captain Dirloch. He also found out the ship's name: RMD (Republican Missile Destroyer) Pheonix. As he met the crew, Trakiir saw some familiar faces: Balema, an old... friend, as well as Lupekh, the best missile targeter in the entire sector. After meeting the rest of the senior officers and waiting for the hyperdrive to recharge, he sat down on the commander's seat (which was a rather new feeling for him) and set course for Kadesh.
 

EPISODE 2

As the Pheonix emerged from hyperspace, Trakiir looked at the red nebula in front of him. He asked Dirloch:
"Captain, do we detect any Kadeshi ships?"
"Impossible to say, sir! Our sensors are jammed by the nebula's incredibble energy output. We are blind."
"This is not good. We have to attract attention. Lupekh, fire two missiles straight ahead! Detonation only on impact!"
Two long-range missiles were fired and Trakiir ordered to move ahead, at half-speed. An hour of quiet passed with no improvement on the sensors.
"Liutenant Lupekh, prepare missile volley! Set them to detonate on contact with dust clouds!"
The 32 missiles were fired, apparently against the dust clouds. This proved to be very effective.
"Sir, we have multiple enemy signatures closing in fast! They're frigate-class vessels, except one. By the Gods, it's massive! Mothership class!"
"So they sent a Needleship. That means we got their attention."
"Sir, small fighters are launching from the... the Needleship!"
"Something is wrong. What are they doing?"
"Attacking at high speed!"
"What the... try to contact them! Kadeshi, we mean you no harm! I repeat, we're here to join!"
"Sir, they're fireing weapons!"
"Evasive maneuvers! Do we have enough missiles for a volley?"
"Yes!"
"Well then, FIRE!"
"First wave destroyed. They're sending a second wave."
"Concentrate on those Fuel Pods... the frigates!"
"Kamikaze! They went kamikaze!"
"I detect frigates with large energy signatures! They appear to have multiple ion cannons! I recommand hyperspacing out immediatelly."
"That won't do any good. Cease fire. Launch an un-coded transmission to Hiigara."
"But it won't get through the nebula!"
"Doesn't matter. Tell them that the Taiidan Republic doesn't hold them responsible for the loss of the Pheonix. We tried to join the Kadeshi, as they asked, in order to show them that the Empire is no more. But we failed."
"Sending transmission... Multibeams closing in! Getting ready to fire... they're powering down weapons? What's going on? The fighters are retreating.
"Those are called swarmers. And our tactic worked. One way or the other, they know we're Republicans."
Soon, the Kadeshi contacted the Pheonix:
"So, you are here to join?"
"Yes, we are from the Taiidan Republic and we want to join you as a gesture of friendship. The Empire..."
"... is gone, or so you say. But the Empire exiled us here. We will take special care of you... Republicans! You may keep your ship. I believe it isn't too damaged."
"Only light damage, nothing we can't repair."
"Good. Those missiles of yours are very interesting. We need to study them closer. We will escort you to the nearest Habitat. Since the Great Evil is soon returning, even if you're spies that doesn't matter to us."
"The Great Evil? We thought that was the Empire."
"All in good time. Wait until we reach the Habitat."
   Trakiir was puzzled. What was this Great Evil? There was nothing he could do to find out. The Pheonix was slowly moving through the nebula. He was no longer needed on the bridge, so it might be better to go and talk to some of his crew members. He found Balema in the Engine Room. She was the hyperdrive officer, currently studying the Kadeshi inhibitor field. Before meeting her on the Pheonix, they haven't talked to each other for 10 years. They've never actually been more than friends, although sometimes... he might have wanted them to be more. But no, that's not the kind of thing he should be thinking after 10 years.
"Can we talk?", he said.
"Sure, just let me finish this thing... done. Now, what was it you wanted to tell me?"
"Why haven't we seen each other in 10 years? What happened... my memory must be failing."
"You remained on the Vihalla, while I wanted to go and work on a space station on improving hyperspace technology. Just being the hyperdrive officer wasn't enough. But after 10 years on a space station... the good old job was put in a whole new light. So how was you life in all this time?"
"If you watched the news, you know my story. And believe me, the Beast War was the biggest challenge for us as a species. That monster... I'm sorry, but I'm needed on the bridge. We have that Habitat in visual range."
 

EPISODE 3

The Kadeshi Habitat was indeed in visual range. It was huge and made up of different segments. The whole thing was easily the size of a Mothership, if not larger. It looked like... a coiled-up snake, but that is a far-fetched resemblance. Trakiir thought of his own Missile Destroyer. In recent years, this kind of ships had proven very useful. Nearly 40% of all Republican super-capital ships were now Missile Destroyers. The Hiigarans also seemed to build more of these. Still, the Pheonix was special. Re-captured from The Beast... Trakiir saw something strange near the Habitat. A derelict-like ship that still appeared to be in use. He soon recognized it to be one of the Prison Ships that brought the Kadeshi here. The Hiigarans saw one of these when they went through Kadesh, and left it alone. After a quick scan, Trakiir realized that ship was used for manufacturing fuel. Only then he noticed the Fuel Pods that docked with it to re-fill their stocks. The Kadeshi contacted the Pheonix again:
"Three of your crew members will come on the Habitat for negociations. One of them must be your commander."
"I will come on your Habitat, but using my own transport shuttle.", Trakiir said.
"Very well."
The Kadeshi still showed their mistrust, since the shuttle was "escorted" by an Advanced Swarmer. Soon the shuttle docked with the Habitat, and Trakiir saw for the first time a Kadeshi. As he had expected, they looked very much like the hiigarans. But their eyes seemed a bit larger, deeper, and they were also a little taller. The most striking difference was the skin color. The Kadeshi had completelly white skin, almost ghost white.
"Welcome on our Habitat. We will assign you a... bodyguard while you're here. I am Grik'Jar, high priest of the Light Order. Who is your leader?"
"I am Major Trakiir, commander of the RMD Pheonix. We are here on the behalf of the Taiidan Republic."
"You should know that there is no withdrawl from the Garden. You have joined for life."
"Yes, we know. The hiigarans, your brothers, asked us to establish friendly relations with you. They are our allies and friends. All of us on this ship are volontiers."
This was of course a long series of lies, but it confirmed the statements in the fake transmission they had sent.
"We will show you our way of life, the way of The Garden. Sin'har, show these people around the Habitat. Major Trakiir, you may keep your ship. But there will be 5 Dragon Frigates escorting you at all times."
"I was informed that there is some Great Evil expected to return..."
"Yes... The Prophecy of Kadesh. Do not worry, The Garden is the only safe place in the galaxy, so you can consider yourselves... very lucky."
"And since we are here to establish friendly relations between you and..."
"NO! Do not send any transmissions. If any of you do that, you will all die for this sin."
This was not what Trakiir came here for. To hear that some Great Evil will kill everyone they loved. He experienced probably the same feelings as the hiigarans after the burning of Kharak. But these Kadeshi were fanatics. There was no proof behind their beliefs. As they visited the Habitat, Trakkir learned more about the Kadeshi society. There were about 7 or 8 self-governing Habitats, each with it's own fleet and 3 Needleships. Each has a leader called "Supreme Priest". All of these Supreme Priests form The Senate, which is the greatest Kadeshi authority. The Kadeshi priests are the most influential people, and religion is a part of everyday life. Apparently, they named the nebula after the leader that took them there, Kadesh.
"And that is the last of our farms."
"I understand the way in which you use the radiation to create light, but what about the soil?"
"We originally took dust from The Garden, that we enriched with nutrients. But now we recycle our soil."
"Do you have history books about Kadesh?"
"They are not for outsiders."
And so the "tour" ended. Trakiir was returning to The Pheonix with his officers. They had been rather silent during their visit.
"Dirloch, what do you think of that... prophecy?"
"I don't know what to think, sir. But maybe this will help."
Dirloch reached into his pocket and showed Trakiir a shiny disk.
"What is that, captain?"
"Well, sir, it's a little data disk I -borrowed- from our hosts. I can only guess what's on it, since the Kadeshi writing is so strange. But there is a picture on it showing a priest opposite to a glowing cloud. I just followed my instincts."
"Let's just hope the Kadeshi won't miss it..."
 

EPISODE 4

"Where's that translation? We need it now!"
Trakiir asked some of his science officers to create a translation program. They found it quite difficult, and he was getting impatient. This prophecy could have serious consequences if it was true. The data disk contained a full description of the prophecy, there was no doubt about that. But the images only showed starcharts and diagrams. The Kadeshi appeared to be more interested in mathemathics than they look.
"Sir, I don't detect any unusual activity on any Kadeshi vessel. They don't know about the data disk we stole."
"Good, captain. Let's keep it that way."
"Incoming transmission from the Habitat!"
"On screen!"
"Major Trakiir, I do not wish to disturb your crew, but I must send over a science team to investigate your ship's weapons. It was part of our agreement."
"Yes, that's true. We will prepare to receive your scientists."
As soon as the comm link closed, Trakiir gave everyone orders to hide the data disk and the translation work. In the mean time, Balema called him to the engine room for an "urgent matter". He went there having mixed thoughts. Sometimes he thought she had something personal to tell him. But then it crossed his mind that the engines might have a serious malfunction. By the time he got there he felt that an eternity had passed.
"What happened? Is there something wrong with the engines?"
"No, but I have made an incredible discovery. I think there's a way to disrupt the kadeshi inhibitor field! But it's only theoretical work for now. I need a team to start working on the device."
"Don't spare any resources! I want as many people as possible working on this around the clock! I have a feeling we might need it soon."
"Yes, sir!"
"You don't have to call me <sir>, Balema."
"I know that, Trakiir... now I'll go and assemble my team."
Trakiir didn't move from there for a few seconds, as Balema went to find her scientists. Then he wondered why as he went to meet the Kadeshi weapons specialists. I didn't take him long to realize that he could be heading for something he wanted to avoid. But he cleared his mind as he talked to the Kadeshi. It was a simple exchange of formalities, nothing more. Then he went to see the translation scientists and their project.
"Well, sir, we should be ready any momemt now. Just give us a few more minutes."
"Last time we talked you made it sound like it would take years!"
"That was before we started using the Hiigaran language for translation. Many common words are the same."
Trakiir got a message from the engine room. It was Balema.
"We finished building our first anti-inhibitor prototype! It -should- work. We're installing it on the hyperdrive now. We must test it if we want to improve it. It requires a huge amount of energy, so if we want to use it we won't be able to jump too far."
"Excellent work. But we won't test it now. Just get it installed."
He closed the comm link and then one of the translation scientists approached him.
"Sir, the translation program is completed! We can run it now and view the translation of the data disk!"
"Go ahead!"
"Initializing... wait! There's a power fluctuation in the weapon control room. Outgoing coded transmission to the Habitat!"
"Those Kadeshi scientists were spies! Send security over there! Now!"
"Sir, they were monitoring the computers in here! They know about the data disk."
"Multiple Kadeshi vessels powering up weapons! Launching swarmers!"
"Fire missile volley!"
Trakiir opened a comm link to the engine room.
"Balema, do you have that thing installed? Use it, now!"
"Trakiir, don't put your faith in it, it's..."
"... our last hope! Use it! And hyperspace as far as possible!"
"Understood. Powering up... it's working!"
As they entered hyperspace, Trakkir saw hypergates forming in front of some kadeshi ships. If only they'd have enough power to jump out of the nebula...
 

EPISODE 5

The Pheonix was in hyperspace when the Kadeshi spies were captured. Trakiir asked to see them personnaly, while they were in the containment room. Through the force field, the Kadeshi looked pale green.
"Talk, you traitors!"
"We are not traitors. We serve Kadesh. You have defiled the Holy Garden."
"All we did was take a data disk so we could learn about that... prophecy of yours."
"The Great Evil will find and destroy you! You fools! If you stayed in the Garden, you stood a chance, but now... WE DIE FOR KADESH!"
The Kadeshi took some sort of needle from their hair and stuck it hard in their arms. They fell down almost instanteniously.
"Medical teams to cont. room! Quickly!"
But it was too late. The Kadeshi had killed themselves without leaving any trace. Trakiir had nothing left to do than return to the bridge and wait for the autopsy.
"Major Trakiir! The hyperspace module is super-heating! We must exit hyperspace!"
"Very well... let's do this."
The Pheonix exited hyperspace in uncharted territory. There was no sign of any other ship on a 300 km radius. But they detected a very large field of moving asteroids, 75 km away. Trakiir decided to set a course for that field, since he didn't want to take any chances. In the mean time, he went to see the translation of the data disk. It was projected on a large viewing screen.

"5000 kra'dims ago, we were driven out of our home, the Great Garden. The Great Evil came like the flash of a pulsar. The Tardiins [Taiidan], once our close brothers, forged an alliance with the Evil. It was a dark light that enveloped all and emptied us. The Tardiins assumed control of the Great Garden and drove us off. But the Great Evil followed. It wanted to consume us. We could only survive by splitting our convoy. Group Green continued its journey, while Group Yellow, our ancestors, were lead by the great Kadesh into this Garden that sustains us now. Group Yellow carried most of our technology, so the Great Evil followed us. But the Garden of Kadesh, as it is now called, was the doom of the Great Evil. As Group Yellow moved towards the center, they encountered the Core Pulsar. As its beam stroke the Cloud of Great Evil, it simply burned away to the inner ship that sustained the Cloud. The now-dead Ghost Ship drifted away, fading from memory. But the Great Evil will return, 30 kra'dims after the Tardiins will be removed from power. The Evil will consume all, only the Garden will survive."

Trakiir was shocked by the content of the disk. The images showed this "Great Evil" as some sort of glowing cloud, constantly changing colour. The Ghost Ship was indeed the known alien vessel that was currently outside Kadesh. As he was thinking about it, Trakiir got a message from the bridge.
"Sir, we have multiple hyperspace signatures! They're Kadeshi!"
 

EPISODE 6

"Identify ships. What are we facing?"
"It doesn't look good, sir... 7 MB frigates and 5 Fuel Pods, each loaded with Adv Swarmers."
"How in the name of Sajuuk can we take on those MBs? Suggestions?"
The bridge of the Pheonix was silent.
"Fine. Stay on course to the asteroid field. We'll try to hide there until our hyper-module is ready. We cannot jump home through Kadesh, so we'll have to head for the Galactic Edge. Lupekh, keep the missile pods open, ready to fire on those swarmers. Balema, give me your best engine thrust!"
"Understood."
"Right away."
The Fuel Pods launched their swarmers. Trakiir noticed their aggresiveness. It's like they had some sort of personal vendetta. From time to time, a bright flash would fill the screen. Another swarmer gone. And some blood-thristy pilots even slammed their ship into the Pheonix's hull. The Kadeshi didn't seem to value their lives too much.
"How far away are those 7 MBFs?"
"15 km and closing. We can just barely make it."
"Hyperdrive?"
"60% charged."
The swarmers were being mopped up by the Pheonix's missiles. Only about a dozen were left. The hull was being repaired by the ship's engineers. Trakiir thought there was nothing left for him to do on the bridge, so he left Captain Dirloch in charge and went to study the Kadeshi data disk. There were few scientists on the ship, but they already had their theories. The "Great Evil" had been codenamed The Ghost. Most of the Taiidan data on it was based on the Ghost Ship. The Kadeshi disk showed it as some sort of energy field around the Ghost Ship. It had ameoba-like movements. Any ship that it touched seemed to become derelict.
"It might use the energy of other living creatures to sustain itself."
"But maybe it somehow takes over the computers."
"In any case, it doesn't seem to <infect> like The Beast."
Trakiir walked in the room and presented his suggestion.
"We could try to make computer models of that thing, to see what could be the physics behind it. But the thing we should really be studying is The Ghost's return. Where did it came from?"
"Hyperspace...?"
"It is not The Beast. It uses a ship, so it must be from within our Universe. Another galaxy, perhaps."
"Why not ask the Bentusi?"
The question came as a shock. Why didn't they think of that before? The Ghost was in the galaxy at least once before. The Bentusi should know about it. But Trakiir was now called on the bridge.
"Sir, we reached the asteroid field. ETA for the MBFs: 2 minutes."
"Good, now take us behi... WHAT is that?"
"By Sajuuk! It a Lord Carrier! The Turanics are here!"
"GO TO RED ALERT!"
But the Lord Carrier was more interested in the Kadeshi. Trakiir ordered to hide the Pheonix in a dense dust cloud and wached the battle. The Kadeshi MBFs blasted right through the asteroids, leaving only dust behind. The Carrier launched fighters and corvettes. The MBFs could not hit them, but they concentated their firepower at the Carrier. 10 Ion Array Frigates de-cloaked and opened their huge arrays like the wings of some alien predator. But one of them was blown to atoms before it could even fire once. The others stood no chance against the MBFs. One by one, the Turanic ships were sliced by the blue ion cannons. Once the IAFs were gone, the Carrier was again receiving the heavy pounding. So far only one MBF had been destroyed, with another one being crippled. But the Lord Carrier was losing air from its decks and venting plasma. Suddenly, its back section collapsed, the upper cabin falling on the engines. The huge explosion that resulted left behind a half-destroyed Carrier, but it still had its ion cannons. And its hyperdrive. A gate opened in front of the Carrier... and closed. The remaining crew of the Lord Carrier was probably in great shock. But after a few seconds, they all died in a giant fireball. But what closed that hypergate? Trakiir had an idea, and it was soon confirmed. The Pheonix detected a huge signature not so far away. A Needleship... heading right for them.
"Balema, we don't have any time left! How's that hyperdrive?"
"99... 100% charged! Ready to jump!"
"Take us as far as possible! Take us... to Kharak!"
 

EPISODE 7

The Pheonix emerged from hyperspace next to the devastated Kharak. The Taiidan Republic had placed autoguns in low and high orbits around Kharak, as a gesture of good will to their Kushan allies. Kharak was a pilgrimige site for Kushans, and they don't want pirates around. Trakiir sent Republican recognition codes to the autoguns' computers. Now the Pheonix had much better protection.
"Any sign of the Kadeshi?"
"No, sir. All is quiet."
"We should call in reinforcements, just in case. Signal the nearest friendly fleet and call the Republican Senate. The Ghost could be a serious threat."
"Understood... Checking starcharts... The nearest fleet is the one of the Kushan warship Faal-Corum. They're scheduled to be around the area of the Great Wastelands right now, on a mission to destroy a Raides base."
"I think the Kadeshi took care of that problem... Call the Faal-Corum. Send them a briefing on The Ghost. And prepare long-range communications for sending a Code Red message to the Senate. All Republican assests should go on full alert. It appears the Empire has been allied with The Ghost before, so the Imperialists could attempt it again."
The Pheonix stood between a few autoguns, waiting for the Faal-Corum. Everybody on board talked, speculated, imagined... The Ghost was a hot subject. But with no extra info, all they could do was talk. So far, the only facts about The Ghost were that it is some sort of energy life-form that can either take over ships or at least disable them. But now the Faal-Corum was arriving.
"Attention, RMD Pheonix! This is the Kiith Somtaaw warship Faal-Corum. We have come to assit you while you charge your hyperdrive and repair your ship's hull."
"Greetings, Faal-Corum. I trust that you had no trouble with the Turanic base."
"They seemed out of resources and their Outpost was crippled already. We couldn't explain it."
"The Kadeshi paid them a visit."
"Kadeshi? You met the Kadeshi?"
"We did more than meet them... we got all our data on The Ghost from them."
The Faal-Corum had indeed a very large fleet. An Archangel-class Dreadnaught and 3 Deacon Destroyers, as well as about a dozen frigates. They took position close to the Pheonix, which had its hyperdrive 70% charged. But then disaster followed.
"Major Trakiir, we have 15 hyperspace signatures on the other side of Kharak. They're Kadeshi! By Sajuuk, they brought that Needleship with them!"
"I'll try... to reason with them. Attention Kadeshi fleet! We mean you no harm. Why did you follow us here?"
"For countless generations we never strayed this far from the Garden. But we are here for a purpose. To warn you. The Raiders tried to stop us and they paid for their insolence. You ran from us... to your own death. Now the Great Evil is comming. We will return to Kadesh. Join us, for it is your last hope!"
The Kadeshi fleet jumped out, leaving Trakiir in deep thinking. But he was awakened by his first officer.
"Sir, there's something strange near the Kharaki sun... some sort of gravitational anomaly."
"On screen."
That was when Trakiir learned the true meaning of terror, as his worst nightmare came true. The Ghost... WAS THERE.
 

EPISODE 8

"We MUST leave! Hyperdrive stats?"
"85%... we cannot jump."
"Then we will run! Tell the Faal-Corum to follow us! It's a matter of survival!"
As the Pheonix turned away, the Faal-Corum stood its ground.
"Come with us, Faal-Corum! RUN!"
"We will fight this thing. It's no match for our powerful fleet."
"Have it your way. It was a pleasure to meet you. Pheonix out."
What followed was terrifying. The Pheonix used its conventional drives to run away, but the Faal-Corum fleet stayed and tried to fight that glowing cloud. But their weapons didn't harm it. The first ship it touched was the Dreadnaught. As The Ghost made contact with it, all life signs on the ship suddenly dissapeared. Its computers seemed to shut down and all power was gone. The Dreadnaught became a drifting derelict. The Faal-Corum now began to understand the threat and began to retreat. But it was too late. The Ghost was heading right for it and it soon catched the warship. The Faal-Corum sent a last message to its fleet:
"This thing is comming for us... it's trapping us... enveloping the ship! Save yourselves!... Run... arghhh!! It's emptying us... losing... control... mem... data... arghhhh!!!"
The Faal-Corum had the same fate as the Dreadnaught, but it was a far bigger tragedy. There were 10 times more people on the Faal-Corum than that Dreadnaught. But the massive warship didn't just lose all sign of life and went derelict. It began to get dismantled, apparently by the Ghost.
In the mean time, Major Trakiir was whaching the massacre from the distance, as the Pheonix was very far now. The remaining fleet of the Faal-Corum hyperspaced out. The last message of the Faal-Corum had also been received on the Pheonix. But now they picked up a message... from The Ghost:
"Inferior water-life... do not try to oppose us. We will integrate your energy patterns within us. YOU WILL BE ONE WITH US!!!"
After a few seconds, Balema awakened Trakiir from his deep thinking.
"Let's go! The hyperdrive is charged! Let's go while we still can!"
"Ah, right... Engage hyperdrive! Take us to republican territory!"