Zone Game 2

Zone Game 2 continues the Zone Games series revived by the FAO community and took place on 6th October 2007.

A New Threat

Factions: GigaCorp and Belters vs Dreghklar Empire

Commanders: Drizzo and Aarmstrong vs Paradigm and Virulence.

This was the first Zone Game which included more than two factions. With one Belters team and one GigaCorp team pitted against two of the Dreghlar Empire. It was also the introductory game for the Dreghklar Empire, who had never seen action in a Zone Game before. The decision to introduce the faction was made in order to provide some variety in factions for future games, and widen the storyline.

Although there were some issues with the "Allied" teams betraying each other, the game ran as smoothly as could be expected, ending in a defeat for the Dreghklar Empire by the combined forces of GigaCorp and Belters.

Dreghklar Empire Introduction

Date: 12/09/2157

GC Search and Rescue Team 132: "Not much. We managed to retrieve the Patrol Leader’s black box and one of the scout’s gun cameras. That should provide information on who did this."

OP 419: "Good. Return to base immediately. Whoever got that patrol may still be out there."

GC SART 132: "Roger that, Outpost, we're coming home."

Eric Durst, the GSM's highest ranking officer on Outpost 419, was immediately alerted about the find the Search and Rescue Team had made. He cursed his luck for getting the call just as he was about to go to sleep. Immediately he dressed and walked to the conference room. The black box was already present, hooked up to one of the Outpost's computer terminals. A nervous technician and several other GSM officers were already in the room. The technician looked up at him.

"Sir? We uhh ... well, the video cables to the ship's onboard cameras were damaged previously, and they were due to be repaired later this week, so uhh ... I'm afraid there's audio only, sir."

Durst swore, then sighed. "Very well, run it."

After a few seconds of the technician pressing buttons, seemingly at random to Durst, the box came to life, various light flickering across its display. When the recording started playing, the technician stood from the console, allowing Durst to sit at the controls. He then left the room, as he did not want to be caught in the room if it was incredibly bad news. And he had other things to be doing. Now only GSM officers remained. They wondered about what it could be - it could be the work of pirates, Belters, other outlaws, or it could even be the first act of a fresh offensive of the Iron Coalition. Either way the information was to remain classified until HQ had censored sections of the tape, put their spin on them, and proclaimed them fit to release. The tape started, and all chatter ceased. Patrol Leader: "Outpost 419, this is Patrol 413 Lead. We'll see you in a few hours. Make sure the toaster’s working when we get back – You know how I like my bagels." OP 419: (Mild laughter)"Patrol 413, this is Outpost 419. Roger tha-"

Durst fast-forwarded the tape to 5 minutes before termination. He was tired and didn't want to listen to the whole thing. It was nearly pointless and it would take hours. The tape resumed.

Leader: "Scout 773, This is lead. Fred, you’re straying from the route. Please respond."

S-773: "I thought I saw something, sir... maybe a booster trail. I'm not really sure." Leader: "Roger that. Radar shows no contacts… Everyone keep an eye out, just in case."

Patroller 081: "You're probably just hallucinating from all that crap you drank in the bar last night, Fred."

S-773: "Yeah, right, whatever George. You couldn't even handle those four shots. You hadn’t even finished the last one and you were out cold."

Leader: "This isn't a tea party, ladies, now get back to work!"

P-081: "A what?" Leader: “Can the chatter!”

S-773: "Sir! I've got inbound contacts, 7 o'clock high! Range.. Two and a half klicks… There’s two of them!"

Leader: "What?! How did they get to close?!"

S-773: "They were hiding behind a rock, sir!"

Leader: "Damnit… Fighters, get your rears to engage!"

P-343: "What the hell are those things ... sir, the ships seem to have some sort of ... alien design..."

S-773: "I'm getting some sort of message from them ... it seems to repeat over and over, give me a few seconds to clean it."

Leader: "More inbound contacts! @#(!! Situation is too hot for us, pull out! Repeat, pull out!!"

(Several bursts of static that may contain voices)

P-081: "All other patrollers are down, they're too strong for us! (Static, intermixed with warning alarms) Shields down (More warnings) Hull critical... I can't hold her!!” (Transmission terminates the pilot’s last scream S-773: "Oh god ... Sir, I’ve cleaned the message. I’m playing it now.”

Alien: “Your race must be destroyed, it is the will of the Emperor”

S-773: “It just repeats over and over, sir!”

Leader: "Continue falling back to base. They’ll have a warm welcome party. Put on the speed… We can outrun damned near everything."

S-773: "Contacts are gaining on us, sir!"

Leader: "What?! Damn! Drop mines, drop mines!"

S-773: "@#(!! I don't have any mines! I just brought probes!”

Leader: "You idi-" (Transmission cuts off in static)

The feed cut off, and the black box deactivated. The GSM officers sat in silence, soaking in what they'd just heard. Eventually, Durst spoke up. "Well I'll be damned. Send this to HQ via armored transport, ASAP. I think we just made first contact, and damn me again if it's the last, however unfriendly they may be. Get that technician in here, I want to see the images from the gun camera.” One of the officers went out of the room, returning a few minutes later with the technician.

"Yes, sir?" The man's nervousness was obvious, but Durst ignored it. "What about that gun camera? Did you get anything from that?"

"Uhh… I have to check sir." The technician sat down at the terminal again, and did more of his magic with the computer. Durst knew the man was the best technician they had, and however nervous he may be, he was damned good at what he did. After a few seconds, the technician spoke up again. "The camera’s memory was damaged in the attack… Uhh… most of the images were destroyed… Uhh... give me a few seconds." Nearly a minute later, an image appeared on the screen, though it was too blurry to tell anything from. Another few minutes passed as the technician brought the image into focus.

The entire room stared at the screen in silence, looking at a ship that was obviously not of human manufacture. They didn't know what to think. Again, Durst broke the silence. "Have this shipped with the box. And make it a heavily armored transport."

06/10/2157/File: 00202

Datanet Transmission:

Some of our spies have managed to get the following conversation off the networks.

---

Durst,

My fleet has lost a few scouts as well. We didn't manage to get any video, but recorded the message and have decoded it to be the same one you allegedly received. I'm not one to trust, but my forces are spread thin, and my scouts have picked up some of your ships' signatures in the area. I think it would benefit both of us if we proceeded to meet this new threat together.

Of course, we'd split the salvage according to the numbers of pilots on the sides. I'd imagine you'd want it for research or something.

Be warned, if it is a ruse, you will be punished most severely.

Sincerely,

Richard Caius

---

Mr. Caius,

There's an old saying - Enemy of my Enemy is my friend. I think with a little work we could make that apply here. It doesn't mean that I have to trust you at all, in fact I'll have my forces watching you like a hawk, but it's best to have as many people against these unknowns.

And it's not a Gigacorp ruse. You have my word on that. There were some good people on that patrol. If it is a ruse by some other power, they will pay mightily.

Eric Durst Commanding Officer, Gigacorp Outpost 419

---

Durst,

Alright, alright, so it's not a ruse. We'll have to be on watch anyway becuase we don't know what these things are going to throw at us. It's probably not their full force, just advanced scouts, so we'll have to be extremely careful.

I'm mobilizing my forces, so all you need to do is tell me where the last sight of them was and we'll rendezvous there. My scouts haven't been picking up any strange unknowns, but I want to get back at them, whoever they are. I assume you do too.

Richard Caius

---

Mr. Caius,

I agree, being on full watch is needed - We don't know who or what are attacking us out there. Let's agree not to attack each other and we can concentrate on whatever this is.

The last known location is in the attached file - It's where our patrol was destroyed. We've had a few sensor anomalies out in the general area as well. Those have also been included.

Unfortunately, due to HQ wanting to know everything about the leak and the incident, I'll be unable to be there personally.

Eric Durst Commanding Officer, Gigacorp Outpost 419

---

>>Logan-17:33225_60147: Giga and Belts working together? I'm going to have to see this to believe it!

>>Monk_312:51414:101091: Hah, I wonder who'll double-cross who this time? My money's on Giga.

>>3rd_Rail:01918:1171651: Now if only the IC wasn't being such an ass, they might have defeated the BIOS!

>>Logan-17:4771_9985_1957: Since when is anyone from the IC not an ass?

>>Sun_of_Spam:36171_283_1: It's probably some new BIOS stealths or something anyway.

>>MuzakMan:1616_1619_8975: I'd still want to get my hands on some of that salvage. I'm hoping Caius pulls through to get this on the market.

>>Sun_of_Spam:36171_283_1: Or you can just buy it from Giga whenever they make a version that automatically cut off your leg!

Date: 07.10.2157/File: 00152 - A New Threat

Report filed by: "Nick H"

With the Rixians somewhat under control, it seemed for a while that all the Solar System had to worry about was the inter-faction squabbling and the BIOS menace. But after a few weeks of tension about a few lost craft, it appears that we, as humans, have a new threat to worry about.

GigaCorp allied with a Belter force to meet this new menace. Stranger things have happened than a Giga/Belter alliance, but the strangest was what they battled: a new race of alien creatures. Before anyone from the Iron Coalition gets skeptical, it was not Rixians, and not some sort of new BIOS breed. In fact, the Iron Coalition did arrive at the battle scene after the main forces left. However, as tight-lipped as they are, no official statement has come through.

The battle reports that are coming in tell of highly agile and speedy craft, large ships, and ferocious troop landings. Whether any prisoners of this new race were captured remains unclear. Belter forces have netted a large amount of salvage, and preliminary reports show that the new alien technology is remarkably similar to ours.

GigaCorp took the brunt of the attacking alien ships and lost several important bases, but the alliance held through and the Belter force provided ample assistance. There have been reports of friendly fire on both human sides, but the damage was minimal and to be expected in such chaotic conditions.

Official statements, salvage reports, and interviews will be posted to the DataNet as soon as they come in.

>>EmDash: 1514:1891717: Who'd have thought we'd have another alien race breathing down our backs! At least our boys showed them what for!

>>3rd_Rail:01918:1171651: Nice to see humans from different sides working together for once. And, of course, the Coalition was nowhere to be seen...

>>Sun_of_Spam:36171_283_1: Huh, I guess it was little green men after all! Good job to the Belters. I heard Giga took quite a licking compared to them.

>>Monk_312:51414:101091: But you don't know if they're green!