Terra Orbit—Imperial Fleet
The Imperial ships fired long-range magnetic cannon salvos at the stellar dragon, one humming bolt after another.
These cannons were both ultra powerful and diabolically precise, though they were limited by only being capable of firing one shot at a ti before needing a moderate recharge ti. This limited their usage to huge targets like cruisers and battleships, making them slow and awkward weapons against agile targets like corvettes.
But only ultra-heavy weapons like these could pierce the thick skin of a stellar dragon!
And when every magnetic cannon fired upon the sa target, this slow pace of fire beca almost aningless. After thousands of cannon shots blasted through the void to pelt the shell of this titanic, petrified creature, the stone surrounding it began to break under the impact.
***
Azerof's Mothership
While the salvo happened outside, Azerof t on the bridge of his ship with the admirals of the Imperial fleet.
One admiral, staring at the combat analysis readout with excitent, said, "We've done it! We've just pierced the thick layer of cryogenic stone that was protecting this creature!"
Azerof was relieved to hear that his strategy had worked. He'd been worried that so unknown property of the shell might have rendered it invulnerable to even weapons as powerful as a magnetic cannon. Finally, so good news! He said, "Perfect, continue the shooting rhythm! Ensure that there's no gap. The creature can likely regenerate its defenses if we give it the opportunity. Ensure each ship is diverting sufficient power to its weapon-cooling subsystem."
Then he turned to another officer. "Vice Admiral Vega, do you estimate our firepower will be enough to kill this creature before it wakes up from its sleep?"
The Vice Admiral was looking at his own data readout, peering at all the information his subordinates were sending him from their databases. "It's hard to say at this ti. From my studies, if this type of creature completely wakes up in such proximity to a planet, there won't be much left to save. Whatever our chances are, the only possible strategy must be to continue our efforts. We must eliminate it before it becos a threat."
Suddenly, another grouping of shots impacted one of the stellar dragon's stony wings right where it connected to the body. The huge appendage snapped off and spun in space, shattering against the body itself! A field of broken pieces several kiloters in diater floated away, occasionally interrupted by another magnetic cannon shot.
Azerof let out a cheer. "Yes!" Finally, he could fix the mistake he'd allowed to happen.
Everyone else on the bridge burst into triumphant cheering as the wing shattered. This was proof that their weapons would destroy their target! Though there was no bringing back all those who had already died because of this thing's appearance, it seed like a sure thing now that their weapons would be more than adequate to prevent anything further from happening.
Azerof turned and with an authoritative voice said, "Congratulations, everyone! Once the dragon is totally destroyed, don't forget to send a squad of elite troops and scientists to extract its heart. That sort of prize is worth several billion."
Suddenly, an officer said with alarm, "My Lord! We're detecting a gravitational anomaly! A fleet is approaching through hyperspace!"
Azerof answered with surprise, "What?! How is that possible?! All admirals cease fire! Turn your ships towards the coordinates my ship is broadcasting and get into battle formation!"
But it was too late. The Federation's massive armada was already erging from hyperspace.
The data officer said, "It's... it's Grand Admiral Oskiol's Federation fleet! Accompanied by millions of civilian ships, I think! They're broadcasting no military signatures!"
Azerof couldn't help himself, but began throwing a tantrum. "How is that possible?! We've already defeated them! Their fleets must be inoperative for at least several months!"
One admiral said, "Lord Azerof! The unidentified corvettes are attacking from the front line on the right flank!"
Azerof could hardly believe his ears. "What?! Suicide attacks?!"
Another admiral said, "The left flank is overwheld! Oskiol's fleet is attacking us savagely, with hardly any respect for defensiveness!"
The data officer suddenly gasped, "Lords! These corvettes… they're being piloted by Eternals! Their energy signature is increasing exponentially on the planet!"
They were indeed hurling themselves suicidally at the Imperial fleet… because for them, dying only served to reinforce their troops on the planetary surface! Azerof angrily replied, "Damn Feds! They're allied with the Eternal Coalition! Do they have no self-respect?"
An admiral said, "My Lord, we're being overrun on every flank! We must retreat or we'll suffer catastrophic losses! All our weapons systems are tuned to attack the dragon. Most of our ships are still struggling to pri short-range and dium-range weapons!"
Azerof, still furious, replied, "We will never retreat, you coward! Alert our ground troops of the Eternal reinforcents… and prepare nuclear missiles! Those don't need to be ward up. If we fail today, the Eternals will slaughter our people on Terra as they did on Era and Cronos I! I refuse to die like a sheep. We will fight to the end!"
***
Ruins of the Valor Temple—Respawn Zone
The temple had long-since been leveled by all the fighting. Nobody who looked upon the zone at this point could possibly believe that it had ever been sacred ground, nor that it had ever contained incredible treasures like the Skill Books which players had once studied.
At this point, the Imperial Army controlled the entire area. Anti-personnel mines had been laid out by the millions surrounding the area, so that even soone who escaped the soldiers themselves would be blown to pieces before they got very far.
To contribute to this containnt zone, every remaining building in the area was riddled with snipers. They lost no ti in firing every ti an Eternal appeared, draining their levels without any opportunity to react.
As soon as a player reached Level 1 and the cosmic light that shone on their forehead dimd completely, a Special Forces squad captured that player and brought him outside, where he was deposited into a heavily armored vehicle which deported him to a specially designed prison.
An Imperial sniper had just finished his daily "tour of duty." He and his companions joked about this due to the sheer number of kills they acquired in a given day. It was as though they killed an entire war's worth of enemy combatants in a single shift!
As for today, the sniper had single-handedly killed a good hundred players. Less than so days and more than others. He climbed up to the roof of his "nest" with the rest of his unit to take a rest. They were watching a beautiful spectacle in the skies above, a blossom of fire as a nuclear missile exploded.
The newcor said to his commander, "It seems those Federation dogs still want to shed the blood of the human race on Terra! Can't they just roll over like good dogs and accept their deaths?"
The commander replied, "Bah. No wonder, really. They supported that traitorous Chancellor Souley even at the end. A man who wanted to replace our race with filthy xenos from abroad! Without the Supremacists, humans would probably have disappeared years ago.
The sniper replied with a contented sigh, "Hail Azerof!"
The commander answered, "Hail Azerof!"
Suddenly, landmine explosions burst from down below!
The commander beca imdiately alert."What?! Anti-personnel mines! An Eternal is trying to escape! Everybody at his post!"
But before anyone could react, a surge of bright cosmic energy surged from the temple ruins, illuminating the whole area!
Sohow, millions of players with strong cosmic signatures burning on their foreheads had all respawned at once.
The commander gasped, "How is this possible?! There shouldn't have been even a thousand players of such a high power level left on Terra!"
Above them, in the atmosphere, one could see trails of fire and hear the sonic booms of ships entering the atmosphere.
Hundreds of thousands of corvettes were descending from above!
Suddenly, the commander's radio buzzed. It was an ergency communication from Azerof!
"To all Terran forces! The enemy has overwheld us and is attempting to invade Terra! I order all Imperial forces to repel the attackers! For the Imperium of Humanity!"
***
At that mont, all players received a ssage.
Server Announcent: The conditions are set for a large-scale PvE event on the planet "Terra" in the system "Terra Pri."
Server Announcent: The event "Liberation of Terra" has begun. All participants will receive double EXP and GC rewards for Imperial NPCs killed in the event zone. This event will last for 3 hours.
The players' corvettes wasted no ti in pelting the gathered Imperial Army below them using laser cannons. At the sa ti, the newly respawned players eagerly surged toward the last few buildings still standing in the area, thirsty for the blood of the NPC bastards who had tornted respawning players for far too long.
The ti had co to take back their destiny in the world of
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