Bugs Itch: The second Bug War

[Abishai]

The tests came back, everything was in perfect working order. All that needed to be done now was to sound the alarm. The Alpha Wolf was headed for a fight. From the intell that he had picked up it was going to be one hell of a battle. . . .

"Engage the hyperdrive, we're going to kill us some bugs!"

[Tassatul]

*The alarm was raised on the Warmonger. The possibility of infestation was great, as the bug flesh had had plenty of time to fuse itself with the ship and hide*

Agrithno looked to Thron. "I want all decks to report in. Someone, somewhere on this ship, has had to of noticed something out of place. We need to move quickley, quicker than the infestation can spread"

"Yessir!" replied Thron, then made his way to the nearest ship computer to relay the information to all decks. Everyone was put on high alert.

Perhaps we can stop it in time. . . if not, this ship must be destroyed. . . everything but the engine itself, which must also be cleansed. . . how did it get to our ship? thought Agrithno.

*Agrithno activated his mechanical legs and walked to the elevator, and punched in the keys for Deck 14, the original engineering bay with normal hyperdrives*

it has already striken the Pop-Up engine. . . next must be the hyper drives, to completely disable us. . .

*The elevator shuddered, then stopped. Agrithno activated the comm*

"Whats going on? This elevator isnt functioning"

*His only reply was static. Something was wrong. Before he could be cornered in one area in case of attack, Agrithno powered up his cutting lasers and severed the side wall of the elevator, makeing a hole large enough to exit. Stepping to the edge, Agrithno looked down the entire length of the shaft. It was deep. Then he jumped across to the shaft wall, and, extending pinscers, dug into the material to hang on*

Engineering will need me. . .

*Agrithno tried the ship comm again, and again only recieved static. Had some renegade ship managed to incapacitate them in their weakened, post battle state? Agrithno hoped his crew was more capable than that, or any chance of saving Tassatul and stopping the bugs was null*

*Agrithno begain climbing down the wall to engineering. The rest of the ship seemed quiet, but perhaps the hull walls were soundproof. Agrithno couldnt remember. He continued down the shaft, foot by foot, untill he eventually neared the engineering doors*

*Cautiously, Agrithno climbed down untill he was just above the doors. Using his cutter beams again, he made a small hole to inspect through. The noise of the beam covered the advance of the bug shock troops from above. Agrithno looked through the opening and saw an entire, functional hive within engineering, already pumping out larvae by the hundreds. He pulled back from the hole just as the bugs sprayed acid onto key parts of Agrithno's walker, disableing but not killing*

**Draconis**

*Tassatul felt a slight twinge, then a whole new consciousness develop within him. A new hive had been created, one separate from the main cluster on Draconis IV. Moblie. Probably on a ship. But at the moment, the bugs were pulling back, and no infestors were attacking the Hunter ships. Perhaps. . .*

. . . kaiou-tur . . . pop-up . . . engines. . . hive . . .

"We have Agrithno! Pull back, we don't need to fight these petty Hunters! The aquisition of the Warmonger is vastly more important than this worthless battle. Fall back!"

[Cobra5]

((I missed everything, lol. Sorry. But I can pick up, I guess.))

*A twinge of dispointment, of anger crosses Cobra's face.*

"I was so close! He must be--!"

*Then, a twitch. A twinge. The feeling of... another. Cobra calms himself.*

He is here... I know it.


((Ok, I guess I have a plan...))

[Tassatul]

*Agrithno watched in horror as the bugs carried his diabled walker-form into the main hive in Engineering. They swarmed about, some tending to eggs and larvae, some moving to attack and take over more of the Warmonger. Agrithno hoped Thron moved quickley, takeing those he could and escaping the ship before he too was infested*

Theres no hope for the Warmonger now. . .and the pop-up engine. . .

[glow=limegreen,1,0]A magnificent achievement[/glow]
*The voices of thousands of beings filled Agrithno's head. One voice seemed to stand out, to be controlling the rest. When he concentrated, Agrithno formed a kind of picture of that voice. A huge being, with wings, almost majestic in its appearance. . . but somehow tainted. The vision passed as soon as it appeared, and Agrithno was left only with a fleeting memory*

[glow=limegreen,1,0]It is time you joined us[/glow]
*Agrithno could feel the engines powering up, and then dissipate as energy was passed into the pop-up engine. Space folded, and the Warmonger appeared deep within Draconis space, surrounded by the Swarm*

((That voice sounds really cool in my head. . .like the overmind, but with a bunch of em, and cooler and stuff. ;D))

[BugHunter]

Top-Knot: "Don't these bugs ever learn!!!"

*Top-Knot, along with four other clan ships were engaging heavily against Jalathas's infested fleet. The #12 clan ship, which was the first one to see the enemy fleet, was being pummelled like crazy by the time they got to the area. Top-Knot and ships #11, #10, #9 went into formation as they approached the first cruiser. Large amounts of cannon fire were directed at the hunters who accordingly evaded as much as they could, but their shields couldn't help but take a good amount of the attack*

Top-Knot: "Gwah! Take them out!!!"

*And with his battlecry, the hunter ships in unison used the strongest weapons on their ships (which are like small ion cannons) and the first infested cruiser went down in giant display of explosions*

Hunter Ships 11, 10, and 9: "Wohoo!" "Yeaaahh!!" "Look at 'em burn!"

Top-Knot: "Boys, pay attention, there are still more ships. #12, sound off, whats your status"

*#12 is still a bit more separated from the other ships. Its in the middle of a volley of weapons fire from two cruisers while being alone*

Hunter Ship 12: " *kzzt* [sounds of battle in background]... We're heavily damaged... *kshht* ..Shields dow... ** ....Damn bugs!! These ships are really strong, sir *kkshh* ...Arrgh, we've been hit! .."

Top-Knot: "Hold tight, #12, we're on our way"

Hunter Ship 12: " [sounds of alarms in background] *kzzt* .. Bloody hell!!!... *kzzhht* [sounds of explosions] ...Gahhh, we've taken too much dam.. *ksht* ...Sorry sir, we... going dow.... *ksshht* ...Pilot!! direct the ship to..ard the first infested cru..ser!! *kzzt* " [com silenced]

*Top-Knot and the other ships got to where #12 was just in time to see #12 crashing into an infested cruiser. Hunters always go down fighting. Unfortunately, the cruise ship, although heavily, heavily damaged by #12's final action, did not get destroyed*

Top-Knot: "Rest now warriors, you've done your time... Alright, 11, 10, and 9 you take out the other cruise ship. I'll finish what #12 started."