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(Note this is the rabblings of my own mind and not based in any known universe or time line. Enjoy and give coments for improvments or if you want more posted))

It took man kind almost ten thousand years to learn how to use its brain properly, from the first moment it used a branch of a tree as their first tool, too the use of stone, then basic alloys, too the use of complex machines to do the work of a hundred men. Steam, then petroleum based hydro-carbons, then at long last the use of hydrogen as the all powerful fuel, the wonder fuel, a fuel that we as a race could never deplete. The fact that a huge proportion of the air and water of Earth is made up of this wonder fuel was the saving grace of the humans, with out it man would have torn its home world into a lifeless, airless ball of radioactive death, and thats the best case situation. It makes one shudder to think what would have happened if the tests into fusion power and the reactors of the time were shelfed because of the mad ramblings of an ignorant people who as a whole had the IQ level of a small rodent that would hull its self from a cliff.

With this new source of power man took his first tentative steps into space too leaps, then started to run for the stars. Well its own star system, first the moon was colonized, then the first maned missions to Mars too the exploration of the outer rim-ward worlds. With the exploration came the exploitation from the huge mega-corporations, the outer moons held a vast deposits of usable minerals. Europa became the hub for the production and refining of hydrogen and its heavier components which make up the fusion-able mix which is known as engine yogurt, manly because in its liquid state it looks and runs like yogurt, just don't try to eat it as it is kept at a temperature of twenty degrees kelvin.

2250; Man had made the system of Sol well and truly its own, over a hundred space and orbital transfer stations, and countless colonies and home steads. Man had at this point crafted ships that had gravity plates that not only took away the problem of zero G but also acted as inertial dampers, low yield energy collision shielding, sacrificial ceramic armor and could sail across the divide of space at one fifth the speed of light. The cost of ships fell and soon even ordinary folk could cover the cost of buying a second hand ship, this lead to the development of an age old human past time, pirates.

Pirates were the result of the huge mega-corps brutal war between them selfs and the colonies that became independent in there own right. This action would lead to the second of the two solar wars, the first being Mars's independence from Earth. Some of the mega-corporations banded together and attacked the transfer station Goodwin owned by the Titan Mining corporation in Titans orbit. The attack went against all the governing laws of Earth, but out there billions of kilometers from the home world no one cared, in fact the whole attack was hushed up by the other corporations back on Earth.

This unspoken war was fought for all most a year before rumors started to be heard back on Earth, the corporations said nothing to the planetary government when they were called up before a board of inquiry.
There were ten mega-corporations that felt that they were above the standing law of the Colony Independence Charter.

2255; even as the board was asking if the reports clamming that there was a war of commerce being waged, an unarmed cruise ship registered to a Luna Travel LTD was attacked. The vessel called the Starla Princess was in high Jovian orbit on the dark side of Jupiter so the passengers could marvel at the ghost rings, as they could be only seen from here. With out warning the ship came under fire from seven retro-fitted tug ships, armed with homing missiles with chemical based warheads and high energy laser drills. The captain of the Starla Princess had sent a distress signal and launched a locational way point buoy the moment the lead tug opened fire.

The Earth Defense Fleet Ship the EDFS-Warsprite which was refueling at the Europa repair yards responded to the distress call and attempted to rescue the stricken craft, sadly it was too late. The cruise liner was turned into a burning hulk in less than ten minutes with the loss of all 3000 souls.
Starla Princesses data recorder was found by the Warsprite when it was scanning the hulk for possible survivors. Then from the lifeless wreck and with out warning it to was fired upon by the same missile tugs. Yet the Warsprite was no star liner, this was a top of the line Frigate with armor plating, collision Shields and magnetically accelerated rail guns. Even though the Warsprite sustained heavy damage it was able to drive the missile tugs off destroying three of them in the process.

With the Starla Princesses data recorder as well as two of the destroyed tugs data boxes the Warsprite limped back to Europa, as it did so they accessed the black boxes and discovered the identity of the tugs, for during the attack on the liner one of the tugs had not turned off its IFF transponder, it was registered to Eargona Tech corporation. The two recovered tugs boxes said that they in turn were registered to Haywood Corps and Misuri Industries. Eargona Tech was a mining and ship development company based in the asteroid belt, both Haywood Corps and Misuri Industries were based on Earth.

The information was sent back to Earth, the named corporations tried to block or even jam the transmission but they failed and the heads of the corporations were hulled up before the planetary government. That is those that could be found as most of them had left Earth as soon as the news that the EDF ship had tried to rescue the Starla Princess.

Those executives that were found said in no uncertain words that what they did away from Earth orbit was none of the business of any of the Planetary Governments, and that an EDF ship in Jovian orbit was in breech of the Colony Independence Charter, thus had no right to be even out of Earth orbit. This enraged not only Earths governing body but all so that of Luna, Mars, Europa and Io as the few EDF ships that were stationed there were to aid stricken ships as part of the Charter.

The corporations argued that they were not consulted during the signing of the Charter and there for robed them of what was once theirs, theirs being some of the colonies them selfs, that namely of Io, Europa and Titan.

2257; the Corporate Coalition was formed and ceased to not only pay there taxes to what ever world they were based on but also pulled as much of there assets as they could, both physical and financial so that they could set up shop very much like Eargona Tech had done. For their base of operations the outer worlds moons would be the best place, Triton in the orbit of Neptune was chosen. The corporations severed all links to the colonial government of the system and declared them selfs in a state of war.

With the withdraw of the tens of trillions of credits the the planetary banks started to go into melt down the whole of the Colonial government system seemed ready to collapse into chaos, the corporations claimed that this was there first strike, and that with out the trillions of credits that they generated in income the whole system would implode on it self.
They were wrong, some one said that if they are at war with us then why don't we just wipe them from the markets, then wipe the huge slate clean and start anew.

The corporations now calling them selfs the CC implemented a campaign of guerrilla warfare to try and make the new fledgling economy fail, or to get the people to question the reasoning of their governments war, or the corruption that was meant to lay behind the war. When none of that worked they then used sabotage and direct conflicts.
Several station in Earth orbit suffered explosions and killed a hundred or so people, the CC claimed responsibility.

2260; Titans capital colony Titan Prime was destroyed by an orbital bombardment, forty thousand people died. The CC claimed that as it was once one of their installations they had the right to (as they put it,) "Decommission the site by any means they saw fit." This sent shock waves threw the whole of the colonies, if the CC were willing to use heavy fission warheads on a large unarmed civilian installation like Titan Prime what would they do next?

The answer was an attack on the Pearl Harbor Earth Defense Fleet Yards its self. Nineteen heavily converted cargo ships commanded by a Captain Simon "The Monster" McCubery, entered Earth orbit in what is now called a wall formation. Each ship was fitted with four rapid load homing missile racks, ten heavy fission nuclear missiles, six turrets with two rail guns and two forward facing amiable laser cutting beams.
It was no wonder the CC fleet cut a path threw the EDF ships as if there armor was made of nothing more than paper.

The fleet yard was lost to a barrage of nukes. Five thousand and ninety six people died when the yard just couldn't take any more and the reactor went critical. The resulting explosion was so bright that it could be seen from the planet below. What ships the EDF had left renewed their attack, they suffered horrendous losses with many of the out gunned ships making suicide runs. It was reported that the EDF lost over one hundred ships in the attack where as the CC lost only five.
The loss of a fleet yard is a terrible thing but as the CC ships withdrew they in a cowardly attack fired a salvo of ten nukes planet side.

It is thought that over fourteen million people perished as the sixty megaton missiles detonated along the European continent, it was the largest loss of life in a single days worth of combat in human history.

Wile Earth morned its dead on Mars one of the lesser known corporations, a LASCE ship wreckers based on the small moon Phobos, developed an all purpose war ship. It was dubbed "THE VANGAURD" class. Never in the two hundred and sixty years in space had humans needed a battleship. Designed by C J Clark it was to become the benchmark for all new fleet ships to come.

Four hundred meters long with a fully armored hull, six purpose built turrets housing four massive forty centimeter rail cannons, twelve rapid fire laser PDTs (point defense turrets), six Helios micro fusion torpedo tubes; four forwards and two aft, and twenty high energy shield generators, all powered by a self contained one hundred giga-watt fusion reactor.

From the out set the Vanguard was designed to be the best that could be built mostly from off the shelf parts, only the hull, turrets and the main cannons had to be built from the ground up. The first of these new ships was built in the recored time of seven months after the attack on Earth. LASCE offered the new ship as well as the construction license to the newly formed Sol Colonial Government (SCG), it was accepted and pushed into the training of new captains of the fleet. In the space of a year every shipyard that could build the Vanguard did. Nineteen months after the CC decimated the EDF and the nuclear attack on Earth the number of Vanguard class ships was twenty nine with another sixteen close to completion.

It was at this time the EDF was renamed the Solar Defense Force; SDF, and the old EDF ships were now drafted into the newly formed Police Search and Rescue; P-S&R.

During this time the CC attacked and even tried to take the hydrogen refineries on Europa, they reasoned that by taking this statically important moon the CC would be able to bring the Colonial Government and the rest of the solar system to its knees by denying them vital fuel to power their ships, as well as water and oxygen.

The EDF pulled every ship they could, which numbered only twenty into the orbital defense of the moon. Newly retro-fitted tugs and cargo ships for the moment became the fleet, also the development of the semi-autonomous weapons platforms called “Gun Stars” had just finished afew weeks before, armed with six high yield laser cutters with full upper and lower arcs of fire, arranged to be able to fire at lest four of the beams at any one target.

Twenty five of these Gun Stars were deployed only a matter of hours before the forty ship strong CC fleet was detected.
The EDF ships arranged them self in a wall formation half a kilometer behind the Gun Stars, the fleets commander a Captain Holt gave the hold fire order to all ships and to reverse thrust, this gave the impression that they were retreating. The CC fleet had no idea what the Gun Stars were so they ignored them, sailed past and gave chase. Captain Holt waited until the CC fleet was almost upon him then gave the order to come about and open fire.

At the same time both the EDF ships and the Gun Stars unleashed their cannons. The CC ships found them selfs in the middle of a deadly cross fire, cutting beams aft and rail guns forward.

Five of the CC ships instantly exploded into bight balls of flame, the EDF were still under gunned but the Gun Stars more than made up for their lack of fire power. Yet the CC had a new trick up their sleeves, they had out-fitted two of the largest ships into crude single setter fighter carriers.
These fighters were basically a capsule bolted on to a fuel tank, a multi-vectoring plasma drive and armed with an over powered rail gun, ugly as sin but one hell of a mover. It was the first time fighters had been used and they were proving to be very affective in combat against the EDF ships, the EDF ships in turn were unable to attain weapons lock with their rail guns or the missile racks but the Gun Stars could with the cutting beams.

The battle for Europa lasted for two hours before the CC ships retreated due to the over whelming losses from the Gun Stars, it was the fighter support that drew the battle out for that long. EDF losses including the Gun Stars numbered thirteen, CC losses were twenty nine not counting splashed fighters. The Gun Stars proved to be incredibly useful combat unit.

After this battle Gun Stars were deployed at all major Colonial stations, ship and fleet yards, plus the development of single setter fighter/bombers was ordered. There were several more battles that came after, but nothing major came from them, all were fought mostly around Saturn and its moons.
It has now been two and a half years since the attack on Earth and the new SDF is now equipped with the Vanguard class, forty of them in total.

Two rebuilt Vanguards had been converted into carriers called the "Concordia" class, all of the main armament's had been stripped including the torpedo tubes, forty of the new fighters and bombers could be stowed, with the off plain launching system it could launch five craft at a time.

The fighter type called the "Tomcat", was based on a four fixed axis ion drive system with the cockpit on the central plain of the craft, designed for high G maneuverability the pilot flies the craft in a standing position, equipped with two rapid fire rail guns and froward facing energy shielding. The bomber type called the "Hellcat", is almost the same as the Tomcats configuration save that its longer and heaver, under the cockpit were slung four Helios torpedoes, because of the heaver configuration the Hellcat was slower to turn, slower to get up to speed and a handful in a flat spin yet packs one hell of a punch.

The CC was down on man power, quite literary, their personal count was dropping so they developed advance Combat AI (C'AI) to pilot their fighters as well as the development of their own type of Gun Star which was a heavy missile platform.

They also built a high number battle tugs (it is thought that a thousand of them were built during the war), all C'AI controlled and armed with a new kind of weapon. This weapon was called the Plasma Projection Cannon (PPC), it fired a bolt of highly charged plasma at high speed. As soon as the bolt hits hull plating it would vaporize and eat threw the outer skin and fry the delicate insides of the ship, powerful and devastating but as combat tests showed as a weapon it was unreliable with a tendency to over heat and misfire.

2265; The War came to a head when the SDF fleet command thought that it was strong enough to launch a full scale attack. The date was set and the full power of the Sol Defense Force was brought to bare on the CC base on Triton.

Two massive battle stations had been built and were set in geosynchronous orbit with the planet side base. They were set to keep producing drones and battle tugs. Both sides suffered heavy losses but the SDF had the brute strength of the massive forty centimeter rail cannons and the high energy shields on their side.

CC drones (the SDF name for the C'AI fighters,) led the first of the assaults against the approaching SDF fleet commanded by the newly promoted Admiral Sammi Gray on board the SDFS-Aberdeen. The drones were decimated by the Vanguards PDTs, Gray gave the command to “hold the line” even when the drones had breeched the SDF formation. The PDTs coverage wile in the tight wall formation could scratch the drones due to the amassed amount of fire power.

Gray determined that they needed to punch a hole threw the CC's defensive station screen, then EMP the main base, this would knock out the base computer and the whole C'AI combat communication network rendering them effectively stupid. First the fleet would have to deal with the hoard of battle tugs which now numbered four hundred, it was at the hands of these deadly ships that the CC racked up seven kills of the Vanguards but at a loss of over 2/3 of their tugs. The battle stations claimed another four SDF ships.

Gray gave the “fire at will” order which allowed the ships captains too brake the formation and hunt down targets of their choosing.
As the SDF turned the CC fleet and battle stations into burning dust the CC still had their Missile Stars and one other trick, ten retro-fitted mega-cargo ships filled to the brim with Gnat Missiles, with the ability to fire over fifty of these deadly micro-fusion nightmares every twenty seconds. They called them Wasps.

The SDFs PDTs were being ran ragged, both the SDFS-Concordia and the SDFS-Sewell were lost to Wasp barrage yet both carriers had managed to launch all of their crafts, Wing-Commander Kelly Folly the lead pilot of the Concordia led the attack on the Wasps, he lost most of his men but destroyed four Wasp ships as well as most of the Missile Stars before he him self was killed.

Ten thousand souls was the cost of the final battle, it could only end one way, Gray gave the order for "No mercy!"
All the SDF ships that could still fight fired every Helios nuke they had on board at Triton, the combined tonnage of the fire power not only atomized the base and reduced the total mass of the moon by 0.3%. The CC was no more, with out the base combat link the drones, battle tugs and stations shut them selfs down.

Thus ended one of the bloodiest wars of man against man, all in all the death toll numbered close to sixteen billion souls, no other conflict in human history had cost so much and vowed never to let it happen again.

As it always had time continued to march on.

2266; the Sol Colonial Government limited the level of power all corporations could wiled so to the types of crafts and the armament's that they could be out fitted with. This was met with some resentment by the corporations yet they never questioned it.

2275; the first trans Sol Rally begins and is held every five years. The prize for first place is ten million credits. The event takes three months to complete and is won by a Netty Kitty of Io, twice in a row.

2281; came the development of Sub-Light Spacial-Displacement Drive (SLSDD), all SDF and P-S&R are ships outfitted with the new drives. Speed records where constantly broken, speeds now reached one half of light speed. This allowed the for rapid movement around the system of goods and people.

2290; the Sol Rally is won by Amelie Tautou of Ragnar Station in the Belt.

2295; came the development of High Energy Spacial-Displacement Shield Array (HESDSA) technology. Development of Vanguard type-2 is started, a faster, heavily armed version of the old hull design.
The Sol Rally is won by a Charlie Tunbridge of Earth.

2296; the uprated Vanguard type-1B enters services.

2300; Development of work on the new “Sewell” class carrier begins. Construction of the SDFS-Harbinger completed, it is a new Vanguard type-2.
The Sol Rally is won by Kikuyu Swan of Mars.

2305; Sol Rally canceled due to unusually powerful and long solar storms that year. The SDFS-Vanguard is taken out of active service and put in permanent dry dock as a museum ship.

2306; Gurburt Faust hits two thirds light speed, he is officially the fastest human for three hundred years.

2310; the Sol Rally is won by Nina Lex.
2315; the first reports of a pirate captain call Shane Humphries is recorded.
The Sol Rally is won by Netty Kitty for the third and last time

2320; Captain Shane Humphries cripples and boards the star liner Arcadia, he robs the passengers and crew of a total of seven million credit worth of drive fuel, cash, gold and jewels. There is no loss of life. It becomes one of the biggest hists of all time
The Sol Rally is won by a Breda Jones of Europa.

2325; the Sol Rally is won by Jon Cuszak in a new record time of two months and twenty one days.

2328; the pirate Captain Clay Hoggs raids the pirate ship “Jayne's Day” and slays all on board, this leads to the short but brutal Pirate War. Captain Humphries leads a fleet against Captain Hoggs and his brigand fleet. Hoggs is killed when his ship is destroyed by Humphries.

2330; the Sol Rally is won by Admiral Sammi Gray of the SDF in her own private ship, many protest at the win but the governing body stood by its ruling. The protests are with drawn when Admiral Gray donates her winnings to the Sol War Orphan Charity.

2335; the Sol Rally is won by Steven Hertz but is disqualified due to illegal use of SLSDD on the course, the win goes to Howard Kitty, son of three times winner Netty Kitty, “...I'd like to thank Bob my engineer and ship wright, Karna for putting up with me being a bad husband these last few years, but mostly to my mom for with out her none of this would have happened...”
Captain Shane Humphries raids the ALG cargo ship “Jellico” and makes off with four million credits worth of refined drive fuel, gold and several SDF grade weapon systems.

2336; development of the Vanguard type-3 ordered as well as two new smaller destroyer type ships, the Izangi and the Izanami classes.
Captain Shane Humphries becomes one of the most wanted men in Sol after escaping a combined SDF and P-S&R honey trap, with the goods as well.

2337; the SDF and the P-S&R carried on performing the same functions they where meant for. The SDF kept the rising pirate problem at a level that was economically viable, the P-S&R provide aid to stricken ships and kept the peace with in planetary orbits. It was in this year that the most fundamental change to human perceptions of the universe happened, they found out that they were not alone.
The SDF ship Ushini, an old type-1A Vanguard captained by Alex Fluwin was making a routine patrol around Pluto and the Cyclops deep space radio telescope installation, when forty thousand kilometers from Cyclops the SDFS-Ushini detected a strange energy reading in the middle of nowhere. Fluwin gave the order to change course and relay the information back to the dock master of Cyclops. It could be an old CC Drone sleeper ship as every so often one of the relics of the old war would turn up and coarse havoc to any ship or station near by, this is what Capt Fluwin thought it, but sensors saw nothing there.

The energy readings started to spike and go off the scale, then there was a sudden flash of incandescent light, the resulting energy discharged fried the Ushini primary sensors. From the center of the energy spike a ship of unknown configuration sparked into existence. The unknown ship was close to a kilometer long and shaped like a reef fish. Lighting arched along its length and plasma was pouring from what looked like hull battle damage.
Although Fluwin didn't know it he was about to make first contact with the Ayeaina.

"Com's, hail them. Ermm...This is the Solar Defense Force Ship Ushini to unknown vessel, we detected that you have sustained heavy damage, are you in need of assistance?"
There was afew seconds of static, then they answered, in English.
"This is the Ayeaina vessel Le'shera, we have at grate cost come to warn you, the Shera'nar are coming!"

Even as they were saying this the Ushini was picking up another energy spike, then another and another, three spikes, then three jump points formed.
Three capital ships jumped ten kilometers from the Ushini's position, one large ship followed by two smaller ones, ugly armored hexagonal shaped hulls bristling with guns.
"We have been followed, they are here."

The smaller ships fired at the Ayeaina ship while the larger ship made a course for the Ushini and with out warning unleashed its guns. Multiple laser beams lanced towards the Ushini. It was later said by the other races that the human race maybe young, but the one thing that they could do and do fearfully well is wage war.

The Ushini shields shrugged off the barrage from the Shera'nar lead ship. Fluwin gave the order to return fire. All eighteen of the old forty centimeter Rail cannons were bought to bare, the Ushini gave the large Shera'nar ship a broadside.

All of the guns hit there marks, the Shera'nar vessels shields were stripped in the first barrage, where as the Ushini's shields dropped to just 98%. Four more broadsides and the lead Shera'nar ship was reduced to a burning hulk, then the Ushini turned her guns to the two smaller ships. A broadside to each one was enough to make them dust.

The Ushini took the Le'shera into tow and brought the damaged ship back to the Cyclops docking berths for repairs. Fluwin sent a priority One communication to Fleet Command;

“...--Have made contact with ship not from Sol--Came under fire from three hostile ships hunting down the first--All three hostiles destroyed-Have taken contact ship into tow and will head for Cyclops--Contact ship says that a possible hostile invasion fleet is being staged--Please advise Fleet--...”

The advisement given and the action taken was swift, the Ushini and Cyclops were given orders to facilitate in the repairs of the alien craft. The President of the Colonial Government gave the order for the whole of the SDF fleet to proceed to the Cyclops installation were it was too be briefed about what was to happen.

One hundred old type-1 and thirty of the newer type-2 Vanguards, fifteen Concordia and five Sewell class carriers assembled in a parking orbit around Cyclops in two days.

In four days All of the SDF battle fleet and most if not all of the P-S&R as well as some of the large mega-cargo corporate ships, even afew pirate ships joined the fleet, including the notorious pirate captain Shane Humphries.
The Ayeaina disclosed that in contacting the humans they have lost a sizable force just so the one ship would make it and by making this contact it breeched several interstellar laws but they and some of their allies felt that it was needed as the Shera'nar are merciless in their invasions.

There is a war raging across the stars that has lasted one hundred and fifty human years, a war of enslavement and genocide waged by the Shera'nar. Those races that could be not subjugated were wiped from the universe and the system of Sol was next on their list.
The information given to the SDF by the Ayeaina and Atlian ambassadors on broad the Le'shera indicated that a force of a thousand plus large capital ships were amassing in the Proxima Centauri system less then four and a half light years from Sol and that the date of the invasion was to be in six of the standard human days from the point they entered Sol. The jump point the Shera'nar were to use was the Pluto/Charon jump point as it was the only JP (jump point) the Shera'nar knew off.

One thousand strong fleet with a possible five hundred reinforcements against the SDFs four hundred, this looked like it was to be mans darkest hour.

News of the alien ship soon spread threw the colonies like wild fire, some saw it as the end of every thing that was human, some saw it as vindication in mans place in the universe and some saw it as an opportunity for new business and trade. Yet most of the humans were fearful.

The President of the Sol Colonial Government made one of the most important speeches of all time, President Adnan Khan addressed the people of Sol;
“We as a species stand at a new dawn of history, never before has our race faced at this time a grater challenge to our perception of the universe around us. Ever since man looked up to the heavens we have asked, are we all that is? Are we alone in this universe? We now know that we are not alone. That there is life beyond our beloved star.
“Three days ago a ship of unknown design and origin entered our system, this ship belongs to a race called the Ayeaina and is here on a diplomatic mission of peace. On board this vessel of peace are envoys of two powerful races. They have told us of a threat to not just Earth, but, the whole of Sol and the human race.
“There is a war raging across the stars, a war of good against evil, a war of survival. These two friendly powers have protected us from this war for the last one hundred and fifty years, never wanting or asking for recognition or thanks. But, they can not any longer. The enemy is called the Shera'nar. They have amassed a grate armada of war ships in the next star system to us, this force will be use to ether enslave us or destroy us.
“We must take our place amongst the stars. We must answer what fate and destiny have given us. We must repel this hostile fleet with all the might that we can bring to bare. To that end I have ordered the whole of the SDF, P-S&R and any other vessel capable of combat to Pluto.
“We shall, how ever briefly be a shinning beacon of hope to our new friends. We shall not go quietly into the night! This is our system! By right of birth and blood Sol is ours! We will fight them with every breath we have, we will make them pay dearly for every inch of our space that they try to take! We will never give in! We will never surrender!”

Few political leaders have in history looked as almost god like in speaking and stator than Adnan Khan did that day. The fighting spirit of mankind had been stirred form its seventy two years of slumber but this wasn't a war for money, land, resources or pride.
This was a war for the very existence of mankind.
President Khan offered the Ayeaina Kingdom and its allies a safe port of call in Sol, assuming the SDF and the other human ships were able to hold off the invasion fleet.

Come the day of the expected incursion the number of human ships had swelled to close to six hundred not counting the newly built and deployed Gun Star Mk-III (the old styled laser cutters were replaced with a newer and more reliable version of the old CC's PPC, as well as new full coverage energy shielding, in total the Gun Stars numbered one thousand units). Never before had so much firepower been amassed in one place. Historians estimated that there was enough force of fire to turn a small moon into fine space dust. As it would turn out they would need all that firepower.

The Ayeaina's had advised the SDF Mistress of the Fleet Admiral Sammi Gray (heroine and veteran of the last Solar War) to arrange her fleet facing rim-ward to Sol (because when exit a JP you face the closest massive gravitational body in the system which would be the core star, or Sol in this case), the Ayeaina and Atlian crew on the Le'shera (a “Sorral”class battleship) were amazed by how quickly and efficiently the defensive blockade was formed.

The Vanguards were deployed in a lose convex wall formation forty five kilometers from the JP with orders to “hold the line” no matter what.
The Gun Stars were deployed in flanking positions to the Vanguards in order to force a cross fire between them selfs and the Vanguards main cannons.
The P-S&R Frigates and Pat-Coms (Patrol and Combat covet) were deployed to act as fire support and preform S&R duties on any downed friendly craft.
The mega-cargo ships were deployed behind the JP (A; to keep them out of the main lines of fire and B; their fire could be used to target the enemy engines and lesser crafts).
The carriers were placed behind the main lines of fire and were to act as hospital and fire control ships, locate, identify and paint targets for the fighters, the P-S&R Frigates and Pat-Coms. The pirate ships commanded by captain Humphries were allowed to station them selfs were ever they liked, most moved into formation with the mega-cargo ships.
The jump point was in the middle of what was effectively a spherical blockade formation, a mass fire killing zone.

On the 11th of September 2337, 20:46-SET (Standard Earth Time) multiple energy spikes were detected at the JP, first ten, then twenty, then sixty, then one hundred and twenty jump points formed and the same ugly multiple hexagonal shaped hulls sparked into existence. Forty eight were of same size as the large capital ship that the Ushini had encountered, seventy of the smaller type but two were huge.
Three and a half kilometers long from bow threw to stern monsters. The Ayeaina called these massive ships “Goggele's” which translated is a kind of mythical dragon beast thing, humans just called then battle-barges.
Admiral Gray didn't wait for the Shera'nar to let lose their lasers, Gary gave the order to open fire as soon as they had a red light on the weaps-lock. Written reports can not do the sight of over one thousand Rail, PPC and Mag cannons firing at a single point any justice, only the video and holo-images of that battle can.

Shera'nar were surprised to say the lest to see a wall of ships as they jumped in, even more surprised when they opened fire. The battle-barges and what ever was left of the destroyer and cruiser type ships returned fire.

Red laser beams and plasma torpedoes lanced outward as the blue human weapons arc inward. Fifteen minutes later more energy spikes, another one hundred and twenty ships, another two battle-barges in this wave. The battle-barges tried to arrange them selfs to act as cover to the newly inbound crafts. For four hours the Shera'nar kept jumping in ships and fleet repelled them each time ether by destroying them or making them jump back out. Only the battle-barges could with stand the withering fire from the fleet for any length of time yet even they had to retreat or face destruction.

The historical reports say that over eleven hundred Shera'nar war ships were ether destroyed or crippled, close to sixteen thousand of the reptilian like race were killed. The defensive fleet had losses as well, forty nine of the old Vanguard type-1s were lost as well as twelve type-2s, three of the carriers, half of the Gun Stars were gone as well as the fighters, the P-S&R lost over half its number and three of the mega-cargo ships, the Pirate fleet also lost half of its numbers but due to the gallant command of Captain Humphries their losses weren't higher.

It was hailed as the Grate Defense. It was the first of the three battles for the prime jump point of Sol. Shera'nar had for the first time come up against a foe more deadly than them selfs.

It was said by the captain Irad Nuffl'da of the Le'shera to the Atlian ambassador that he had not seen any thing so beautiful, yet, so terrifying before that battle. And he was a veteran of the Grate Galactic War for the last forty four years, “...it was the way the Human ships easy dispatched the Shera'nar, I've never seen any thing like it, they kept jumping in and getting destroyed! Seeing the destructive power of the Humans scared me...”.

With this first battle won the Le'shera was invited hub-ward for a face to face meting with President Khan and the Colonel Government on board the largest station in geosynchronous Earth orbit, Asgard Station.

Think it is quite an interesting project with some neat ideas but i cant help thinking it would be better as a reference document for a film script or comic. (Many science fiction writers construct what's called a reference document detailing as many aspects of their universe as possible. Purely for themselves so they can create a deeper story and believable universe. Iain M Banks, Asimov, Robert E. Howard and James Cameron are examples). You need a more personal story to frame the universe within. So i would recommend to get your fiction to a wider audience you start work on a short story set within the universe with relatable characters.

Perkustin wrote:Think it is quite an interesting project with some neat ideas but i cant help thinking it would be better as a reference document for a film script or comic. (Many science fiction writers construct what's called a reference document detailing as many aspects of their universe as possible. Purely for themselves so they can create a deeper story and believable universe. Iain M Banks, Asimov, Robert E. Howard and James Cameron are examples). You need a more personal story to frame the universe within. So i would recommend to get your fiction to a wider audience you start work on a short story set within the universe with relatable characters.

You know, your right
This was origanly just a time time of the universe that at lest fithteen of my storys are set in (earlyst to the last story are about 1000 years apart). The more I started to fill out the time line the more it became like a history paper wrinten by some one in a far off time looking backwards using old image, video and sound data clips.
Sammie Gray has her own story as dose Karn and Humphries, plus Sara Naree, Commander Jackson and...well the list gets abit long
Here is the next bit of the Time line...

It would have taken the damaged ship a month to make the journey but it was taken into tow by the Vanguard escorts, due to the large mass of the Le'shera the two tow ships couldn't reach their top speed but still made to trip in seven days. At the Outer Orbital Boundary Line (OOBL) the Le'shera was allowed to proceed under her own power.

The Planetary Orbital Defensive systems (PODs) tracked the ship but did not power up or lock on as that would have been considered bad form by both President Khan and Admiral Gray, even though some in the Colonel Government disliked the idea of shutting down the defense grid. Out of respect the Le'shera slowed to almost a crawl as it approached Asgard Station pulled a maneuver which looked like a nod towards the station and docked. An interesting historic footnote should be added here about the Ayeaina and the Atlian. In all of this time in Sol, nether race had shown them selfs to the Humans. All communications had been via audio only. Their reasons for this were Humans were fearful of any thing different from them selfs.

A hush fell over the crowd as the air lock ran threw the safety checks before confirming it had attained a hard seal. Slowly the heavy airlock doors slid open and all held their breath.

From the docking port doors came two humanoid shaped figures. The crowd of Humans were amazed by how alike yet diffrent to them selfs they looked.

One was male looking with long silver hair, was garbed in a long and elegant robe of gold, sliver and blue, his hight was tall, had a very slim build and had a skin colour of soft power blue. The other was female looking garbed in clothing not unlike to what the Humans were wearing, she had bright flame red hair, was shorter that the other and had a more human like build to her hight and skin but had pointy ears, almost elf like.

The first was the Ayeaina ambassador Johnnuss'Keb, a prince of high standing in the Ayeaina Kingdom. The second was the Atlian ambassador Kira de'Lash of the Atlian Star Republic.
Johnnuss'Keb had the serous face of a diplomat, stern and hard. Kira de'Lash had a huge beaming smile which you could see she had long canines.

President Khan stepped forward and offered his hand in friendship, “On behalf of the people of Sol we great you and thank you.”
Kira de'Lash stepped forwards took President Khan hand and whether or not it true whispered, “Nice to met you too.”
This is considered as the first formal meting of the three powers and from this point on the fate of Man, the Ayeaina and the Atlian became interwoven. A pact of mutual protection and trade was singed with in the first day of this historic meting.

It took the Le'shera two more weeks of repairs before its FTLCs (Faster Than Light Communications systems) was back online and relayed the news of what had transpired. As it turns out there is a jump point in Earth orbit, at the point where Earths gravitational force is nullified by Sols. When this information was disclose President Khan asked why they did not use that JP, Johnnuss'Keb answered, “...the Shera'nar would have followed us thus a direct path to your homeworld would have been open to them and Earth would be in flames now...”

On how they knew and spoke English Kira de'Lash answered, “...We have been watching'ya and have been amongst'ya race for the last 3,000'odd years. Thats until'ya started to develop high technology. I my self have studied'ya language, customs and history. We can offer'ya a full and accurate historical record for'ya. Ya know, kind'da fill in some'da gaps for'ya if'ya like...”

President Khan more than kept his word on providing a safe port, he dedicated the Bristol Fleet Yard in high Luna orbit to them and ordered it to the location of the Earth JP. Then ordered the construction of two heavy battle-stations at the Pluto/Charon jump point and one at the Earth JP to add to the fire of the Bristol Yard.

Sol was to became one of the most important systems during the war due to the security and repair facilities it offered all friendly ships.
As it turned out nether the Ayeaina or the Atlian had the Sub-Light Spacial-Displacement Drive (SLSDD), or the High Energy Spacial-Displacement Shield Array (HESDSA) technology Humans had developed years before. The SCG offered their new allies both the SLSDD and the HESDSA technology as well as the personal to train them on how to build and maintain them. In return the the Atlian offered the SCG Jump Drive technology (much to the misgivings of the Ayeaina). The Ayeaina offered to let the SDF ships piggy back off their ships jump field streams as well as the construction of a Orbital Jump Gate.

Production of the Gun Stars was ramped up to full and where deployed in mass at the two JPs. Earths PODs was realigned to defend it from a possible JP breech and development of the Vanguard type-3 and the Izangi and the Izanami classes was halted until the Atlian's could see if the ships and power cores could be altered for Jump Drives to be installed, they could with very little alteration to the hull design. The first type-3 would be built in three years. The Izangi and the Izanami classes less than two years.

2338; Humans take their place amongst the stars. Mankind was about to step out side its home system, granted it was with the aid of another and was going where ever the Ayeaina would take them but it was still a grate moment.
It would also see the first and longest field of combat out side of Sol for the SDF.

The Ayeaina requested the assistance of the SDF in the defense of one of their allies homewords, a race called the Nurrma Nee (approximately fifty light years from Sol towards the galactic rim).

Captain Humphries (fully pardoned for past deeds) was given command of a converted type-1B Vanguard the SDFS-Gelligaer. Out-fitted with two new Mass Plasma Projection Beam Cannons (MPPBC) it was now rated as a type-1C. He had command of a fleet of six type-1C, ten type-1B ships and a Concordia carrier. Eighteen SDF ships, twenty five Ayeaina Sorral class battleships against an unknown number of Shera'nar capital ships.

The combined fleet jumped in to the Nurrma Nee homeworld JP, they were too late. The Humans would get to see at first hand the Shera'nar tactic for dealing with planet side life. All that was left in the planets orbit that wasn't burning wrecks or debris was a number of destroyers and two battle-barges. The battle-barges were commencing an orbital bombardment on the planet with high yield plasma bombs. Even being at such a high orbit the fleet could see the devastating effects the bombardment was having, the planets atmosphere was burning in a deep red fire storm. There would be little or no hope of life surviving on the surface.

Enraged by such destruction Captain Humphries ordered his ships to engage. It was said the order he actually gave over the com's was “...To all ships...We are to late...Nee is burning...but by the hell let us make them pay!...Kill them...Kill them all!...”

The SDF ships raced away from the Ayeaina fleet, punched a hole threw the incoming destroyer blockade and went after the battle-barges. The Ayeaina witnessed and the Shera'nar felt the SDF when angered.

The Vanguards guns spat arcs of brilliant blue death in all directions as they homed in on the barges.
The barges stopped their bombardment and tried to face the SDF, as it turns out the battle-barges main armament's are forward facing only and have a limited arc of fire.

The nimbler SDF ships danced a hypnotic dance of death around the huge ships, always managing to staying out of the barges big guns arcs.

The fighters engaged the lesser ships, racking up destroyer kill after kill. To the Ayeaina the Humans looked invincible and it took another ten minutes before they engaged the destroyer blockade.
The barges put up vast amounts of laser fire but it had moderate to little effect on the SDF battleships shields.
A lucky shot from one of the barges massive cannons destroyed a Vanguard type-1B with one hit, what happened next shocked the Ayeaina captains.

Captain Humphries ordered all of his ships to form up on him divert all power to the weapons, then direct all fire at the barge that had killed the SDFS-Lismore. Sixteen Vanguards formed up as if it was one ship and moved as one. If the Humans ships looked powerful before this what was to happen next just awe inspiring.

One thousand giga-watts of energy weaponry was bought to bare on one point of the target ship, for a brief moment that space became as bright as a star.

Needless to say the battle-barge didn't last long. Then Humphries turned his attention to the other barge which had just crippled the carrier SDFS-Indra. The Indra was venting drive plasma and was reporting damage on all decks. The same order was given, the same formation taken, the same fire sequence performed, the same blinding blue light, the same out come.
The second barge was a burning hulk in forty five seconds. Humphries gave the order “hunt and destroy” to all his ships that had not suffered heavy damage.

It was at this time when a massive energy spike was detected back at the JP, it was another battle-barge and its guns were facing the fleet as it exited. The Ayeaina ships didn't stand a chance. One by one they exploded in bight flames as the barge brought its guns to bear on them. Humphries gave the command to reform up and engage the barge.

It was to late, all of the Ayeaina ships had been ether crippled or destroyed and the barge was lining its self up to the JP and jumped out just as the SDF ships came with in weapons range.

Captain Humphries realized that they were stranded.
With no way out and a rescue force would take to long to get there he ordered his ships to take on survivors and to take in tow any of the Ayeaina ships that were not beyond making basic, running repairs or still had hull pressure, then headed for the dense asteroid belt at the edge of the system. He knew that the Shera'nar would send a large battle fleet after them and hunt them down. The SDF ships although being far superior in combat would be crush by overwhelming force of numbers.

Thus began the long and lonely campaign of guerrilla warfare waged by Captain Humphries, it was his kind of war (all of the Ayeaina ships Jump Drives were beyond their limited ability to repair).

Bolting several of the ereparable Sorrals and the SDFS-Indra together and then, in turn bolting that hulk to a large asteroid Humphries built a battle base of operations. It was christened “Tortuga” by Humphries old pirate crew.
Making good as many repairs as was possible with out a dry dock he reformed his fleet using the skills he honed as one of the best pirates of Sol.
He sent his ships out to find any of the Nurrma that was left free and bring them back to the make shift base, or to lurk around the battle wreckage for usable salvage.

Most of the missions which Humphries lead were to harass the Shera'nar slave driven mining operations that was taking place in the inner asteroid belt.

The Nurrma Nee homeworld jump point was laced with Seeker plasma mines by the Shera'nar. These little horrors would be activated by an unknown IFF then be attracted to a ships super heated drive plasma. They would then detonate with a two point five kiloton explosion.
On there own they posed little or no threat. The Shera'nar laced fifty kilometers around the JP with over twenty thousand Seeker mines. Only one corridor was left for their own use. Nothing was going to get in or out that wasn't theirs. The Shera'nar Hierarchy where determined to kill this cut off Human fleet. Due to the fact they never did find Tortuga the Shera'nar dubbed Humphries “Jallkoo” the, “Wraith,” his ragged fleet of SDF, Ayeaina and Nurrma ships “Bo Ethen'kar Nurrma” the “Killer Ghosts of Nurrma.”
This was the last FTLCs contact from Humphries for five years,

“...--Stranded in the Nurrma Nee star system-- Large Shera'nar battle fleet will be or is hunting us-- All Ayeaina ships destroyed or in need of heavy dry dock repairs, SDFS-Lismore lost with all hands-- Do not, I repeat, DO NOT attempt rescue-- The Shera'nar have laced fifty kilometers around the JP with over twenty thousand Seeker mines-- Will continue to stage resistance with the remaining Ayeaina and Nurrma forces-- Will now go to FTLC radio silence-- Fleet Captain Shane Humphries of the SDFS-Gelligaer out--...”

2338 would also see the second battle for the Pluto/Charon jump point.
Battle stations Hades and Persephone although far from being completed did have all of their weapon and fire control systems on line as well as there shielding systems. Close to four thousand Gun Stars Mk-II and III were stationed in the same spherical blockade formation that had been so successful the year before (just with new locations for the big ships).
A constant CAP (Combat Air Patrol,) of Fighters, Bombers and new purpose built SDF Pat-Com gunboats were flown with in the blockade.


Four hundred Vanguard type-1 variants were stationed at primary fire points in the formation (the type-2A and B being withdrawn from the line of fire to be upgraded with PPCs and MPPBCs).
Also for added fire support twenty mega-cargo ships were rebuilt to fire fifty Helios torpedoes at a time, a modern more powerful version of the old CC Wasps ship dubbed Hornets.

On the 6th of June, 00:47 SET several massive energy spikes were detected and six battle-barges jumped into Sol. All of the Gun Stars upon detecting non friendly IFFs opened fire automatically, beams of iridescent blue light arc towards the barges. The Hornets let lose their devastating fire and the Vanguards followed suet. The light crafts engaged at will.
The barges tried to turn and face the stations, the forty MPPBCs mounted on each station tore the barges shielding and hulls to bits. When one of the barges did face Persephone and fired its main guns there was a blinding light as the powerful lasers hit the stations shields. Persephone reported its shields were down to 69%.

Admiral Gray (Mistress of the Home fleet) ordered all craft to concentrate all fire at one barge at a time. Cyclops launched additional fighter, bomber and gunboat support. The first barge exploded like a miniature star, a second barge moments later also exploded.
Then more massive energy spikes and another six battle-barges jumped in. Space with in the blockade was to tight for the barges to move and fire. Two collided and ripped them selfs apart across their midships, another was taken out by one of the burning hulks crashing into its mass reaction drive section. The barges had no were to go, they couldn't brake threw the blockade as they were just to slow, yet, still they jumped in six more barges.
More collisions happened as two ships exited the JP into the length of a barge trying turn its self round. The Shera'nar Hierarchy finally scrubbed the operation when it became apparent that they could not breech the Sol prime JP proper.
Capitan Stephane Comort of the SDFS-Férriére said; “...it was like shooting really big fish in a very small barrel with a plasma cannon. They just had nowhere to go...”

Although classed as a battle it would be better to have called it mass carnage. The Shera'nar suffered hornedness losses, seventeen thousand killed, six thousand taken prisoner from the crippled barges, were as the SDF had hardly any (only the fighters, bombers and gunboats took losses).
An integration and prisoner of war camp was set up on the moon Oberon in Uranus orbit.
The Shera'nar would not mount another breeching attempt for a very long time after that but kept a huge force in the Proxima Centauri system

This would go down in history as one of the best (for the SDF,) and worst (for the Shera'nar,) military operations of all time. To this day it is still used at the League of Worlds Naval Academy on Angel Prime as an example of how to defend a Jump Point. The Staff Officer training class also uses both Admiral Gray and Admiral Humphries as the ideal officers in its teaching.

Also in this year both the Ayeaina Kingdom and the Atlian Star Republic where offered by President Khan to establish a permanent diplomatic presence on Earth in order to help foster relations. The Atlian accepted with out hesitation, the Ayeaina took some persuading but soon saw the reasons for it being a good thing for them.

The first of the Ayeaina and the sleek Atlian ships use the Bristol and Portsmouth fleet yards at the Earth Jump Point for the first time.

2339; the Human off world population reaches the one billion mark.
It also saw the sad passing of Admiral Sammi Gray, she died peacefully in her sleep on board her long standing flag ship the SDFS-Aberdeen (an old type-1A Vanguard).
A full state funeral with military honors was performed on Earth. President Khan declared the 31st of March a day of morning for the whole of Sol.

Admiral Constantine Goodwin is appointed the new Master of the Home Fleet. He is not a sympathetic commander but kept in practice the tactics and the combat systems Gray had put in place. His flag ship was the SDFS-Dartford (a Sewell class carrier).

Battle stations Hades and Persephone become fully operational.

Development of the Gun Star Mk-IV is started.

Minor JP breech at Pluto, dealt with swiftly.

Scientist and engineers finish inspecting the battle scrap left over from the year before.
They find that they can with the help of the Atlian engineers recycle most of the Jump Drive components. The rest is hulled to Jupiter to be broken up and reused in the construction of more Vanguard type-2Cs. Any thing that can't be used is tossed into Jupiter's gravity well.

Production of all type-1s to be phased out in the next two years in order to make way for the new type-3A.

Captain Humphries is injured in a daring boarding mission of the Shera'nar ore processing station Illoo'Cogth, in the orbit of the Cogth (inner most planet of the Nurrma system). He liberates four thousand Nurrma and takes two hundred Shera'nar prisoner. Strips the station of any thing of use, then destroys it just before the Shera'nar battle fleet returns.
The SDFS-Gelligaer stays until the very last second so that the transports can get away safely. Humphries makes it look like his ship has engine problems and keeps the Gelligaer's speed below one third. The battle fleet takes the bate and gives chase but lose him when he sun dives (the act of deliberately heading into a suns corona). Shera'nar believed he had burnt up in the sun until he sends a system wide message,
“...--This is Captain Humphries to the Shera'nar battle fleet commander--Better luck next time me'hearty--...”

SCG representatives are invited to the Atlian homeworld Mania. The SDFS-Armageddon (a type-2C) piggy backs the jump stream of the ASR-Yeses and Humans see for the first time a system teeming with life. Mania is approximately sixty light years from Sol, west of the galactic hub. A system with seven planets and one asteroid ring at the inner most orbit of Kali (a G-type class 2 star, the same as Sol).
Ambassador Professor Chris Neppiras will spend the rest of his life on Mania working with the Atlians and will even marry one. Much information is gathered when Neppiras and his team of researchers are allowed to enter the massive hall of records. This is an extract of his report to the SCG;

“...the sea is a bit more green and the mountains a little purple. The sun sets are a dazzling displays of deep reds. Mania is in an ideal orbit (as like Earth) in the life belt, maybe a little closer to Kali which makes it abit warmer and wetter. The Atlians are, on the whole, a very sociable people. Always friendly and willing to help us Humans living on their world to understand them better.
“They seem to be the information gathers of this area of space. Their records go back thousands of years. If I had a hundred life times I would still only scratch the surface of the knowledge that this grate building holds.
“Also regarding the Atlian physiology its self, there is no gentile way of putting this, they are hermaphrodites, males and females are almost identical in build and form. It seems prepubescent Atlia have no sex its only when they go threw puberty they become ether male, or female, or both! Its made for some awkward but interesting conversations at dinner.
“Then there is the native fauna and flora...”
Under Professor Neppiras requests, the Atlians open their schools of learning to the Humans. It becomes a golden time for both academics and scientists alike.

Due to the inquisitive nature of the Humans, always wondering what was in the next book, on the next shelf, or the next data storage drive, the Atlians rediscover lost treasures and forgotten technologies in their vast halls of knowledge.

Cures to age old disease come thick and fast as medical knowledge increases and the Human life expectancy increases to one hundred and sixty years. Even the common cold is finally eradicated...well...sort of.

Development ordered to replace the aging Johnson class frigate called the “Wren”. Development also ordered for a purpose built hospital ship to be called the “Isis” class.

2340; the construction of the Earth Jump Gate is started by Ayeaina engineers. Construction time is estimated to be ten years to fifteen years.

The Atlian Eighth and Ninth Battle Fleet are out fitted with the SLSDD and HESDSA bolt on technology. As well as the P-S&R Frigate twenty centimeter Mag cannon technology, due to power restraints these are the largest Human weapons that could be mounted to the Atlian hulls.

Battle for Wolf 339 is fought predominantly with SDF Second and Third Fleet, Admiral Jack Banner makes the Ayeaina stay behind the line. Some resentment is felt by the Ayeaina at the way they were being treated until the battle starts and it becomes apparent why they were placed so far back, they hold their line and fire only at cruiser and destroyer targets as ordered. They drive the Shera'nar from the uninhabited system after seven months of fighting.

The first Battle for Barnard's Star is fought with the SDF Fourth and Fifth Fleet, as well as the Atlian Ninth Battle Fleet with Admiral Georgie Tunbridge in command. They discover a massive one hundred kilometer long ancient space hulk. Both Human and Atlian scientist are dispatched to investigate the ancient ship. The Ayeaina for some reason seem less than enthusiastic about the find.



The Sol Rally is won by Chloë-Kristel of Luna, Tranquility City; in a pre-Solar War Pug-tug, “...this is like soooo cool, I didn't think the old'gal had it in her...”
Second place was taken by the first Atlian entry to the race Offlie'Packs, “...I am so doing this again next time, its been a blast!...”

First reports of a movement hostile to all none humans called the Xenophon is recored, they are responsible for several attacks of Atlia on Earth.

Voyager 2 is found at distance of 1,046.2333 AUs (1 Astronomical Unit = 149,598,000 kilometers) passing into the inner Oort clouds at the edge of the Sol by the Cyclops telescope.
Even though the probe has long been dead plans are drawn up with in a month to recover, study and then place on display this important scientific and historical craft. The SDFS-Voyager (Sewell class) is fitting chosen to take the two and a half year round trip. All internal missile munition stores and fighter bays are strip, cleaned then rebuilt for food and water storage. She is also out fitted with additional sensor systems as well as triple redundancy of all her critical systems.

It will be the first time a maned ship will venture so far from the systems core to the Oort clouds. The first “Voyager” class explorer type ship is born.

The Nurrma Nee system is saturated with Shera'nar battleships and cruisers on the hunt. Undeterred Captain Humphries manages to disrupt ore production again by boarding a Mega-ore transporter. Again Humphries is wounded, badly this time by a plasma grenade. He loses his right arm and eye in the blast. Even so the raid was successful. They made off with the ship long before the Shera'nar battleships arrive.
Ayeaina and Nurrma medical staff at Tortuga perform life saving surgery on the wounded captain, the doctors implant an bionic servo eye. Then graft a self powering exo-lifter arm to the chard stump that was his arm. Two days later against the doctors orders he leads yet another boarding party. This time on a slave transfer ship.
It is said that Humphries after seeing the Nurrma slaves being slain then vented into space as they were boarding, forced all ninety two Shera'nar crew in a cargo transfer air lock and flushed them into space. As to whether this report is true or not is unknown. Yet, it does come form Nurrma Nee accounts them selfs. Use of the Human saying “...Eye for an Eye and Like for like...” by the Nurrma is said to come from Humphries as he pushed the eject button.
No SDF or Ayeaina record of this action by Captain Humphries can be found.

Tortuga's population hits forty five thousand. The Mega-ore transport ship is striped of its drive components, fuel tank and communications gear, then bolted to Tortuga. It is use to produce basic food stuffs in the hold.
The captured slave ship is also striped down, bolted on and used as living quarters.

2341; Construction starts by LASCE on the super sized “Belesama's Forge” construction yards in Mars orbit. It takes ten years to build and will become one of the largest stations ever built for two hundred years.
It is so big (fifteen kilometers from bow to stern) that it can be seen with the naked eye from the planet below.
It will become one of the Wonders of the League of Worlds

The Atlian Eighth Battle Fleet all by its self engages the Shera'nar in the Phekda star system (seventy five light years from Earth, east on the galactic rim). The Atlian put in to practice all that the SDF Fleet Command had shown them on combat tactics, formations and battle lines. Even though the Battle for Phekda is a draw (both sides withdrew from the system) the Atlian fleet had shown it now had the upper hand.

First Human base/colony out side of Sol is set up in the Barnard's Star system. It houses the scientists and research engineers that are investigating the ancient hulk. Atlian Hall of Records is used to finally translate some of the text on the massive ship.
Mooshar'Arn is the name of the ship gleamed from the translators work. Only afew written accounts of this name are found in ancient Ayeaina creation myths. The Ayeaina suddenly show interest in the find when asked about Mooshar'Arn.

“...In the beginning there was only darkness, then, there was Mooshar'Arn. It is said to be home of the ancient Gods and Goddesses the “Polli Essst Narb Hool”, or loosely translated in your language as “Those Who Are The First Ones”. They are the grate creators of all.
“They could give birth to stars, make dead worlds come to life and bloom. They are said to have given my race the gift of thought and words thus putting use above all other life on our world...”

The Ayeaina ask to be allowed to visit the hulk and to treat is as a site of religious importance. Both the Humans and Atlians agree to the request and the three races start to piece together the past of the grate Mooshar'Arn. It will become on of the Ten Wonders of the League.

Atlian records show no evidence that the First Ones ever existed but concede that even their vast records don't go that far back into the history of the Galaxy.

Construction of the SDFS-Izangi and the SDFS-Izanami is completed. Both ships show an inherent problem with the Jump Drive spacial/distance computation systems.
Human computers are unable to understand the master trans-dimensional physics codes used by the Atlians quantum crystal computer systems.

A micro-mechanical engineer by the name of Tara Martel (or just Taz) wile looking at an old clockwork watch comes up with the solution, logic gears on the micrometer scale would be able to (admittedly much slower then the crystal tech) calculate the required numbers.
Bench tests show it performs the jump calculations constantly and accurately every time.

The Taz Nav Com system is fitted to the Izanami and works perfectly on the test jumps between Earth and Pluto. The Taz Nav Com is fitted to the Izangi and all future Human ships. Due to the limitations of the logic gearing system at that time the jump range is only forty four and abit light years.

Work begins on retrofitting all type-2 Vanguards with bolt on jump drives

Captain Humphries destroys the “Decca Con'Asse” the Shera'nar heavy battle-barge flagship in the Nurrma Nee system in a costly assault in the orbit of Nee.
The Nurrma see their once green lush world dead and become uncontrollable with rage. He loses the SDFS-Hartman the SDFS-Bradly and SDFS-Baltimore as the Nurrma ships brake the battle formation. When Humphries gives the order to withdraw the Nurrma ignore him and carry on the fight.

He not pleased but has no choice but to carry on with the assault. Just under half of the Nurrma forces are destroyed. The SDFS-Gawain and the SDFS-Men Shen are also lost in the engagement.

2342; President Adnan Khan is voted in to a second six year term of office.
He vows to stamp out the hate driven Xenophon Movement and rout out all those attached to it.

The Xenophon movement is band and all those who are openly active members are arrested for racial hatred crimes, the movement goes underground and is said to have hidden members in the highest ranks of the SCG, SDF and the P-S&R.

Battle of Bessel's Star (sometimes called 61 Cygni) is fought with the SDFS Fourth fleet. The binary star system is liberated in two months of fighting.

Battle of Ross 154 (V1216 Sgr) is fought by the newly out fitted Atlian Sixth Battle Fleet. The battle for the red dwarf is short and won in three days. It is the first clear victory the Atlians have had for along time in the grate war.


Battle of Epsilon Eridani is fought by the Twelfth Royal Ayeaina Battle Group out fitted with bolt on HESDSA tech. Though still lacking in fire power the Battle Group wins the battle for the Type=K2 star with minimal losses due to the new shielding.

Construction of SDFS-Bellerophon the first of the Vanguard type-3 fully jump capable battleship is completed. Passes all space and jump tests with flying colours. Full scale production starts.

Construction of the last Vanguard type-1s is fittingly completed at the old LASCE construction yards on Phobos (the same yard that built the first Vanguard).
It is christened the SDFS-Gray after the late Admiral Sammi Gray.

Development ordered for a replacement of the aging Tomcat fighter and Hellcat bomber called the Valkyrie multi-role fighter. Wing Commander captain Katier Rax becomes the lead test pilot of the Valkyrie project. Many of the developments made by this project will end up both in military and civilian ship designs.

The SDFS-Voyager locates and brings on board the Voyager 2 probe. It has at some point suffered a collision as it is found in a fast counter clockwise lateral spin. The 3.7 meter high-gain antenna (HGA) is heavily deformed, the magnetometer boom is bent and twisted and the three Radioisotope Thermoelectric Generators (RTGs) are cracked open. The Golden disk is intact with no damage detected, most of the arcane internal systems are found to be still operable when a low power feed is passed threw the probe.

Wile the Voyager is in the Oort cloud it begins a scan of local mass formations. The scan shows large amounts of water ice and an unusual mix of stable free forming hydrogen/helium isotopes with in the ice. Pre-refined fuel. This information was sent back to the SCG.
Being so far from the systems core mining and transport back to Europa would be uneconomic so the Europa Mox Corporation (owned by the Europan planetary government) started development of a massive city refinery ship so that the processed fuel could be shipped back to the core. Five of these ships are built, Piper Alfa was the first to see service.

Captain Humphries devises a plan to clear the JP of the Seeker mines. He knows that the Seeker mines home in on all unknown IFFs as well as heat.

What he proposed to his captains and engineers was the building of a mine sweeping magnet.
It would involve finding a huge six kilometer diameter asteroid (minimal size in order to withstand the continual mine hits), tunneling out to the core and fitting it with the SDFS-Indra's IFF transponder. Then fitting it with high impulse mass reaction drives, Nav systems to steer it and a reactor to power it. Then aim the huge mass towards the JP.

The SDF captains understood but both the Ayeaina and Nurrma need to be shown what Humphries meant. He drew what he was proposing on the briefing room bulkhead (note* Humphries is not known for his artist skills), using stick men, a potato shape thing, stars and lines he outlined the plan.
All agreed and soon scout crafts were looking for a suitably large chunk of rock.

2343; An odd three year lull in the war.

Shera'nar ships refuse to engage the SDF and withdraw when they know if a SDF fleet is near. Shera'nar will still engage Ayeaina and Atlian ships.

The Pathfinder jump capable probe is built by the Valkyrie project team.
Admiral Goodwin orders it to be jumped into the Proxima Centauri system. The probe is instantly fired on by the amassed Shera'nar fleet. It lasts for nineteen second before it is destroyed by a barrage of heavy laser fire. Yet it manages to transmit most of its information.
The data sent back shows the Shera'nar have mirrored the SDF blockade formation with five hundred battle barges and what appear to be crude Gun Stars, any plans for an assault into the Proxima Centauri system are put on hold.

Most if not all of the Atlian Star Republic's Battle Fleets is now fitted with bolt on SLSDD and HESDSA technology, it is also remodeled after the SDF in form and function. Work begins to try and outfit the Atlian ships with ether the aging forty centimeter Rail Cannon (RC) or the Plasma Projection Cannon (PPC) tech.
Atlian Star Republic also purchases the construction licence for the Vanguard type-2A and 2B from the SCG (with the added permission to alter the original design specs for the inclusion of their computer and jump drive tech). In return the ASR sell Jump drive components at below cost values.



Human population on Mania hits fifteen thousand and integrate with the Atlians society incredibly well. The SCG have an embassy built in in the capital city of Valdez.

Atlians on Earth is numbered at twenty thousand and increasing. Earth becomes a favored visiting destination for the wealthy Atlian houses.

Captain Humphries battle worn forces help with the evacuation and withdraw of a Nurrma civilian station in the orbit of the outer most planet called “Fong'goo”
As the fleet arrives the Nurrma station is taking heavy fire. Hoping to draw the Shera'nar fire from the station and the unarmed ships he moves the fleet between them. Humphries gives the “Fire at will!”
Red and blue weapons fire lanced between the two fleet. Once all of the Nurrma ships had reached a safe distance Humphries ordered the fleet to disengage from the fight. Sadly the SDFS-Ajax, the SDFS-Nasr and the SDFS-Resilient are lost as they cover the retreating unarmed Nurrma refugee convoy.
Ten thousand Nurrma lives are saved by the selfless acts of the SDF ships.
For two days no one sees Humphries after they returned to Tortuga.
Reports say that he had locked him self away to write letters to the dead crews families as he did with all the ships he lost under his command, some say he got really drunk, yet most accounts do say they heard crying coming from his quarters.

The Mooshar'Arn has been thoroughly explored. No remains of the First Ones is found, in fact no remains of any kind can be found leading the research teams to believe the ship had been abandoned. A make shift life support system is installed in the areas where the teams are working and need the freedom of movement.
Metallurgical subatomic aging tests place the oldest parts of the ship at close to thirty million years old.
The grate Mooshar'Arn's main reactor is found to be intact but no one knows how it works. Data from the Hall of Records have limited information on such types of power sources as it is thought to be a matter/antimatter annihilation chamber. No attempt is made to power it up as the unknown systems may have been powered down for a reason. Every part is meticulously examined, documented then disassembled from the huge mechanism.

2344; A suitable asteroid is found for Captain Humphries mine sweeper plan. It is a iron/nickel based rock with a diameter of just over 7 kilometers at its thickest point. Work begins on fitting the parts needed to make the plan work.
It is now Captain Humphries brakes FTLC radio silence.


“...--Fleet Captain Humphries to Admiral Gray of SDF Home Fleet Command-- Have taken heavy loses over the 5 years in the fight to protect and liberate the Nurrma people-- The SDFS-Ajax, SDFS-Baltimore, SDFS-Bradly, SDFS-Gawain, SDFS-Hartman, SDFS-Men Shen, SDFS-Nasr and SDFS-Resilient are to be reported as lost in action-- Will soon have a key made that will open the jump Point to you, will send details later as to why and how--...”

The return transmission Humphries receive from SDF Fleet Command wasn't what he expected.

“...--Admiral Constantine Goodwin, Master of the SDF Home Fleet to (acting) Fleet Captain Humphries on the SDFS-Gelligaer-- Admiral Gray is no longer with us Privateer, I have command now-- You WILL take your orders from me-- The lost ships have been logged, will need details of how, why and the full JUSTICATION as to why so many of my SDF ships were destroyed for no good reason under your command-- I expect a FULL report of your activities for the last 5 years in your next transmission-- You are no longer authorized to engage ANY Shera'nar forces-- You are to await for our arrival--...”

“...--(Fully commissioned) Fleet Captain Humphries to Admiral Goodwin of the SDF Home Fleet-- DO NOT, I REPET DO NOT ATEMPT TO JUMP INTO THE NURRMA NEE SYSTEM!-- JUMP POINT LACED WITH OVER 20,000 MINES!-- Have attached a plan to open the JP as well as a FULL account of my actions to this transmission-- The loss of the SDF ships are fully justifiable, unless the protection of unarmed civilians and the prevention of the enslavement and extinction of a whole race is unjustifiable?-- Authorized or not I will continue to engage the Shera'nar where ever and when ever the Nurrma need my assistance-- If you feel the need to arrest me for this, then, Admiral Goodwin I will see to it that upon your arrival I will surrender my self to you, then face a court martial on Earth for my actions here in Nurrma Nee--...”

“...--Admiral Constantine Goodwin, Master of the SDF Home Fleet to the Pirate known as Shane Humphries-- How dare YOU presume to tell ME what to do!-- I give your report no credence and as such I have dispatched the SDF Seventh Fleet to Nurrma Nee-- At this very moment their ETA to JP breech is 7 hours from the time of this transmission-- You and all of your pirate crew are to proceed to the JP and be arrested by Admiral Reynolds for disobeying a direct order!-- This base you built call Tortuga will be decommissioned by cannon and torpedo and then the Fleet is to withdraw from that dead and worthless system-- The Nurrma are not Human so there for none of my concern, only seeing you and the rest of your kind infront of a firing squad is!-- ...”


“...--Fleet Captain Humphries to Admiral Goodwin, of the SDF Home Fleet-- Are you mad!!-- The mine sweeper is not built yet!-- You have just condemned those ships to death!-- CALL OFF THE BREECH!!-- CALL OFF THE BREECH!!--...”

But, Admiral Goodwin didn't call it off and ordered the Fleet to jump. What ships Humphries could get to the Jump Point got there just in time witnessed the SDF Seventh Fleet be utterly and completely destroyed by Seeker Mines as they jumped in.
All the communication channels were filled with over laying locked open channels filled with distress calls and the cries of the dying.
Humphries and his captains are helpless, they could do nothing but watch in horror as the mines keep hitting the dead and the dying ships.
Sixty ships lost in fifteen minutes. Fifty five thousand souls were dead or dying in open hard vacuum. It goes down in history as the worst loss ever for the SDF, it is ranked as high as the Charge of the Light Brigade for criminal military negligence.

“...--Fleet Captain Humphries to the murdering bastard!-- I told you, I bloody well told you not to breech!-- Their deaths and blood is on your hands!-- This is also an open transmission on all frequency to the whole of Sol-- No, to every one-- I have attached all the correspondence between us as well as the video footage of the breech so that all can see what you have done Goodwin!-- May your soul burn in what ever hell you believe in for this!--...”

The message was indeed broadcasted to the whole of Sol, at first people thought is was some kind of Shera'nar ploy to discredit the Master of the Fleet until people looked carefully at the video. Ten minutes after the broadcast relatives of those who were stationed in the Seventh Fleet started to call the Sol Defense Force headquarters on Earth and asked questions.
President Khan couldn't believe his eyes and ordered that Admiral Goodwin should report to him on Earth right away under armed guard, by force if necessary.

Admiral Goodwin's ship the SDFS-Dartford disappears before the summons from Earth reaches Pluto, it was last seen heading out into deep space away from the core in a convoy of ten new Vanguard type-3s and ten Higgins and Loki class gunboats.
As the investigation teams later found out the SDFS-Dartford (as well as the rest of the rogue fleet) is maned by crew members that had sworn oaths of loyalty to Goodwin, it was also discovered that Goodwin not only had strong ties to the Xenophon Movement, he was high in the chain of command.
Several other SDF ships disappear at the same time around the system.

Two hours after Captain Humphries broadcast President Khan called an emergency Sol wide press conference on Asgard Station. The mood was somber as SCG representatives and journalist from all the news groups took up a standing spot in fount of the makeshift lectern. President Khan's face was wrought with sorrow as he stepped up and his voice was as thin as a Martian wind whisper. He took a moment to compose him self before he spoke.

“...As most, if not all of you know by now, the Seventh SDF Fleet has indeed been destroyed...The video footage is real...We have confirmed it with Captain Humphries. It is not a Shera'nar plot to weaken our spirit. This was the act of a heartless monster who had little or no regard for the lives that he commanded...
“...Captain Humphries had informed Admiral Goodwin that the Jump Point was not safe to our ships, he even begged the Admiral to stop the jump. Yet, Admiral Goodwin ignored him and knowingly sent 55,000 souls to there doom.
“Captain Humphries has fought valiantly with his small force alone in the Nurrma Nee star system for five years. Protecting the displaced, freeing the enslaved, rendering aid to those that needed it most, ideals that we the Human race hold dear to us. He has seen the devastation the Shera'nar will wreak on a conquered system, to a conquered race..
“A full investigation will now ensue to find out how and why such a grate loss has happened. Even though I have ordered that Admiral Goodwin is to be brought to Earth under an armed guard, he has gone into hiding like the coward he is with no doubt the Xenophon Movement!
“I have given permission that any ship that encounters the SDFS-Dartford is to report it immediately and engage if possible. I will bring this worthless excuse of a Human Being back to Earth to stand trial for is actions!...
“Let this be a message to those that are with the outlawed Xenophon Movement. You and your kind can not and in fact will not be tolerated in Sol or any where were all sentient life exists. You will be hunted down and brought to justice...”

An ASB (All System Bulletin) is sent out for the arrest of Goodwin. The SDFS-Dartford if seen is to be disabled and taken into tow to any SCG, P-S&R or SDF station, were upon Goodwin is to be transported back to Earth to face
trail for the deliberate disregard for intelligence, massive lose of life and hardware.
The few Pirate factions that sill existed (the Medici family, the Stepsons and the Honshu) in Sol from this point on had no further dealing with the Xenos (as they called them).

This is a text transcript from an audio interview with the ex-pirate Bunty “Mad Dog” McGregw from “Sol 9 News”

“...we maybe Piratez, but, nah. We nawl longer have any ting tah'do with dat bunt'ch of nut job'z....I'm'z tempeted tah'just turn them in me selfz...not for dah'money, but, yah'know, for dah'princzble of dah'ting...Captain Humphries? Yah, I know him, I'z ha'z known him since we'z woz knee iye to a Sally-Wag. Hiz ah'good Captain tah'hiz crew...Wot 'I'z' think of him?...Hmmmmm...He be one of dah'Navy now, but dah'Marz boy haz don hiz grand'dadz gud name proud...”
(Note* I had to read this afew times as well)

It's hard to read because of spelling and grammar errors man, it seems interesting but is in desperate need of a spell check and proof reading, it's pretty fundamental stuff, using ' too ' instead of 'to' is the least of it.

(The spelling and the gramma mistakes unfortunetly go hand in hand with dyslexia, there is only so much F7 can fix. That and I have no one I can ask to proof read it for me ether )


2345; In Nurrma Nee the mine sweeper is built and awaiting on the other side of the Jump Point is the Fourth and Sixth Atlian Battle Fleets.
The mine sweeper is set on course to the JP but, due to the kind of drives being use the sweeper will not reach the mine field for three agonizingly slow weeks. Additional equipment was fitted to the sweeper like, over two thousand Nurrma small weapon turrets, most of the big laser cannons from the derelict Ayeaina ships and, the HESDSA and PDTs cannibalized from the SDFS-Indra and the now wrecked SDFS-Hilliard.

At 05:74 -[03/10/2345]- LST (Local System Time) the sweeper had slowed for combat and approached the JP at a speed of 200mps (meters per second). Humphries orders his diminished fleet (of seven SDF and three Ayeaina) to form up on him in Wall and followed the sweeper at a distance of five kilometers aft.
A fleet of thirty six Shera'nar battleships and four Battle-barges had been assembled at the mouth of their corridor. Captain Humphries had a stroke of luck here, they were on the other side of the large field to the Shera'nar battleships.

“...--Fleet Captain Humphries to the Atlian Fourth and Sixth-- A fleet of thirty six Shera'nar battleships and four Battle-barges have been assembled, but their on the wrong side to us!-- Am about to kick down the door-- Fire up your Jump Dives and be prepared to jump--...”

At a range of fifty kilometers from the edge of the field the Sweeper was bought to a halt, the mines locked on and started to move towards the Sweeper at their top speed of 40mps.

This is when the Sweeper came to life. All of the weapons on the Sweeper fired at once. Brilliant SDF blue, deep Ayeaina purple and vibrant Nurrma green lanced out from the sweeper into the swam of inbound Seeker Mines. Described by one of Humphries crewmen as “...demented spud shaped glitter ball of death...with a halo of small nukes”

“...Humphries to the fleet, go to lose wall formation and target all inbound mines. Splash as many as we can, we've only got one shot at this!...”

The wall of fire is set up at a minimum range of ten kilometers and obliterated the mines as they approached. After 35% of the mines had been destroyed the Sweeper moved forward towards the JP, all the time slaying the incoming mines. The Shera'nar ships that had not mistakenly tried to go round the field were now heading down the corridor.

“...--Fleet Captain Humphries to the Atlian Fourth and Sixth-- WE ARE IN!-- WE HAVE THE DOOR OPEN-- PREPAIR TO JUMP, THEN HEAD TO ATACHED NAV COORDINATES-- DO NOT, I REPET DO NOT DEVATE!-- START YOUR COMPUTATIONS AND JUMP--...

Just as the Shera'nar battleships came with in max weapons range the first twenty five Atlian Sleek battleships jumped in. The Atlian ships opened fire as they moved to their way point. Instead of the Atlians normal yellow lasers there was SDF brilliant blue.

“...--This is Fleet Admiral Phee'ko to Fleet Captain Humphries, nice to see'ya. Will be sticking to'ya plan to the letter so I'll make this short! Ya'battle, ya'command! Request permission to join'ya fleet and engage the inbound Shera'nar battleships for'ya--..”

Humphries whole heartedly gave permission and the Atlian's engaged the Shera'nar proper. SDF 40Cm and 20Cm Rail auto-cannon and PDT fire poured from the Atlian battleships. Jump after jump of Atlian battleships entered the system, Humphries issued orders to each, most he committed to the Perimeter Wall of Fire, others to engage the Shera'nar.
Soon one hundred and sixty Atlian ships had entered the system. A beachhead had been made.
55% of the mines had been destroyed and only now were the battle-barges and their escorts coming in to their weapons range.



“...Humphries to all ships, if you can, target the barges first, remember to fire and maneuver. Humphries to The Free Nurrma Nee Reserves...THIS IS YOUR MOMENT! CRY "HAVOC!" AND LET SLIP YOUR SHIPS OF WAR, THIS FOUL DEED SHALL BE MET ABOVE YOUR BELOVED NEE!

“WITH CANNON, MISSILE OR GUN! FIGHT! BY THE GRACE OF YOUR DEAD AND UNJUSTLY SLAIN RECLAIM YOUR SYSTEM! MAKE THE SHERA'NAR PAY FOR THEIR FOUL WRONGS! ENGAGE THEM! ENGAGE!...”

One thousand Nurrma ships of different sizes and configurations raced in on the scanners and made for the Shera'nar. Many have wondered why Humphries didn't use the large Nurrma force at the beginning of the battle.
The reason being because the Nurrma fleet was made up of rebuilt civilian ships, with mining laser drills and with little to no shielding or armor. These weren't the well trained SDF, these were just ordinary folk driven to do extraordinary things.
He knew that they wouldn't last ten seconds in a massive exchange of fire, but now with the Atlian Fourth and Sixth soaking up most of the hits the chances of the Nurrma surviving in combat increased dramatically.
The battle lasted for one more hour before all mines and Shera'nar forces are destroyed, heavily crippled, or no longer a factor.

Once the four Mega-transporters with their Gun Star load had Jumped in the beachhead was made a stronghold. The Gun Stars Mk IV were deployed in the standard Blockade Alfa Formation. The Mega-transporters positioned them selfs side on adjacent to the JP and acted as the fire control ships. The Sweeper was then stationed at 10km from the exit facing the mouth.
The Forth and Sixth Fleet took up SDF battleship recommended combat positions in the blockade.
Then the Hospital, Supply and Construction ships arrived as well as six Titan class tow ships. The Titan's were ordered to proceed to Tortuga under escort then take the station into tow and be bought back to the JP.

Three days after the battle of the JP, Tortuga its now familiar adjacent position. The Nurrma Nee provisional government on Tortuga formally asks the SCG and the Atlian to establish a permanent presence in the system. Both governments agree to share the responsibility of protecting the system.

Sol Rally; It is the first time shipyard work teams enter the Rally. It is one of the closest races so far. Fifty ships enter, ten of which are purpose built Raceship teams. As well as the inclusion of a new gate race in the Saturn rings.
The race is won by Katsuhiro Morimoto of Molyneuw Station, The Belt in a Custom Kitty.

2346; The second Battle for the Barnard's Star system is fought. Admiral Georgie Tunbridge manages to hold the line against a Shera'nar fleet (far out numbering hers by 5 to 1) until a relief fleet jumps in from Wolf 339 and Sol an hour after combat starts.
The Shera'nar fleet shields not only look different when SDF weapons strike them, but also they are able to take more damage.
This battle lasted for five hours before it is won. Even with the vastly improved shielding the Shera'nar is still forced to withdraw and retreat back to Proxima Centauri.
Examinations of the wrecks, in particular the shielding systems, shows it to be incredibly smiler to the Human HESDSA tech. To smiler to have been develop by the Shera'nar alone. In fact it is discovered that the shielding systems were reversed engineered from HESDSA captured from the lost SDF ships in Nurrma Nee.

The SDF's new Seventh Fleet is formed and dispatched to Nurrma Nee. Under the command of Admiral Roy Ofodeu the Seventh (with the Atlian Sixth,) hunt down the remaining Shera'nar ship.
Nurrma Nee is now fully liberated.
Captain Humphries and all that is left of his original Vanguard Type-1 fleet are recalled to Sol, Humphries is aloud to take as long as necessary to make sure the system is secure before he hands over command to Admiral Ofodeu.
Captain Humphries returns as a hero. President Khan not only makes Humphries a Admiral of the Fleet but also honors him and all SDF and Ayeaina personal involved with the Nurrma campaign with the Colonial Medal of Valor.

Tortuga is mined out and rebuilt by the SDF Engineering Corp. At the request of the Nurrma the bolted on ships are to be fully integrated into the super structure of the station and made fully habitable.
The power cores of all the bolted on ships are replaced by two CHCC Type-8A (Case Harden Closed Core) fusion reactors built in the heart of the eight kilometer long rock. Full coverage, purpose built HESDSA is fitted as well as a low impulse ion thruster array. Also six of the new 160Cm MAG Rail cannon turrets, forty eight Mass Plasma Projection Beam Cannon (MPPBC) clusters and one hundred PDTs, are bolted on to prime fire points. It takes two years to complete.



The Jump Gate construction site is attacked by ten unresisted SDF fighters and gunboats, seventeen Ayeaina are killed in the well planed and carried out operation. Their goal was to disrupt and cripple construction, not to coarse as many deaths as possible. The investigation that followed shows that the POD and both ship yards had their weapon systems disabled by a remote command.
Video footage shows on one of the fighters its registry number and is traced back to the rogue carrier the SDFS-Dartford.
This brazen terrorist attack is appalled by all in the SCG and leads to the strengthening of the PODs around all the planets and moons. Goodwin becomes one of the most feared terrorists of Sol.
Additional Gun Stars are deployed at all vulnerable possible target site.

2347; The Xenophon movement is renamed by its self as the Xenos and started to broadcast to the whole of Sol their hate filed views over EM carrier waves. The PS&R manage to trace the location of each of the broadcasts but it was located almost a light week away and every time there was a new broadcast it is beamed from a different location on the other side of the system.

The first Valkyrie fighter prototype is built and tested in the Belt. During one of its test runs (extended range, maneuvering and flight time test,) it and its observation craft are fired upon by twenty modified Xeno Tomcats. All medium and long range Com channels are jammed and the SDF ships can't call for aid.
The observation craft is disabled but not destroyed.

“-This is Wing commander Banks to the Valkyrie pilot, stand down and eject or we will open fire- Don't bother calling for help we have jammed all Coms but the short range- Give us the Valkyrie and no one needs to get killed-”

“-Captain Rax, they must not be allowed to get there hands on the Valkyrie! -Make a run for it Katier!-” Captain Adams shouted on the Coms “-RUN!-”

The lead Xeno fired on captain Adams craft and destroyed it.
Rax wasted no time in activating all of the Valkyries systems to full combat readiness and punched it to full thrust.

(*Note; Then as like now you can't use the sub-light D drive, or commonly called skipper drive in an asteroid field with out smashing into a large chunk of rock.)




Captain Rax headed for the best navigational aid that could be seen with the naked eye, the sun.
She used all of her skill to dart in and out between the asteroids, all the while the Valkyries voxcom shouted collision and weapons lock warnings.

“I'm so going to have to fit a mute switch to you!” Rax shouted back at the computer.

Rax knew what the Valkyrie could do, pulling loops, weaves and jinks she avoided all that was infront and behind her.
The Xeno Rail weapons fire flew past and hit the odd meteor but only scored glancing hits on her shields. Several of the Tomcats collided with each other, some slammed into bits of rock and soon their number was down to ten. Now it was time for Rax to fire back.
With a grin on her face she Kick'n Spin'ed (the act of disabling the flight assist and spinning a full 180 degrees to face the craft on your six and then hitting full thrust,) and she returned fire. The quad linked micro PPCs sparked into life and spat high energy plasma at the Tomcats. One was splashed after Rax's opening volley.
Surprised by the maneuver and the fire power the Tomcats broke their formation and scrambled to get on to Rax's six.
Rax flew like a demon.
None of the Tomcats could get a positive weaps lock on her and she seemed to some how always be on their six.
One destroyed, then two, then three, then four.
All the while Rax had her Coms locked open and the Tomcat pilots could hear her laughing with glee as she dodge their fire. “-Run little Kitty!- Run!- Wha-ha ha!- Not so nice to be fired on is it!-”