Aurora

[Xyrael]

Aurora, a beautiful lush world orbiting a B5 class star, its intense blue light a distant yet brilliant sight in the Auroran day. Green trees and brilliant rives cover the paradise of a world, and the only population center exists on peninsula in the southern hemisphere. For thousands of years the people cultivated a society rich in culture and technology, yet environmentally conscious. Careful not to ruin the world they were so fond of calling home, the humble people took much time to nurture their world and coexist peacefully. Only one nation existed to benefit all of Aurora, ruled by a God-King of sorts, the benevolent patriarchs of Aurora had fostered a people of art and peace. The brilliant spires of Aurora's city reached for the heavens. In their strive to maintain the beauty of their world, they had succeeded in travelling through their system. A nearby nebula often spewed asteroids towards the Auroran system, and a small navy prowled the edges of Auroran space to hunt down such threats...
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The Defense Monitor Vigilante drifted through the endless black, it's crew tired and bored. They had checked the sector several thousand times over the past few days, and would soon be due to return for supplies.

Alexis had his feet propped up on the console, his eyes shut. Day or night did not matter in space, one was always tired after prolonged deep space scans. Haimon shook him slightly, and a groan escaped his mouth. "What?"

"It's about time we head home. I've been out here too long, I miss my wife. She's waiting for me..." A klaxon flared through the small vessel, the fifteen men crewing it snapped to the sensors.

"Looks like you're going to be seeing your wife later! We got some action!"

Haimon sighed, looking to the captain.

"Ready the tubes, Gunner." The Captain was a wise and patient man, a man well suited to captain the vessel through long space journeys.

"Sir," Alexis called to the Captain. "This doesn't look like a rock, there's too many of 'em."

The Captain approached the sensor, looking it over, his jaw dropped as it slowly dawned on him. He began to shake in anticipation, and the com crackled for a moment. The fifteen men looked towards the bridge as a crackly voice called to them...

"We come in peace..."

[Ranholn]

Commander Ger’nak of the Xilonog fleet smiled as the transmission ended
“15 seconds till enter real space”
He lifted up his ceremonial blade in his hand “Launch all fighters, send the manned torpedoes out, destroy everything, give no mercy, give no peace. If it in one piece destroy it, if its destroyed, turn it to dust. Let nothing be, we will in one blow turn their race into ours.”
Grunts and cheers went around the command deck.
The Xilonog were not a race of peace, their large build, their green skin and slight tusks. All wearing armor, they were here for war.

The vessels finished arrival into real space, in a flash rocket shaped vessels took flight, hundreds of them, came careening out. With out warning, with out pause, the first victims came.
The loan portal ship they had seconds earlier had told they came in piece was hit in its side by a manned torpedo, the ship hit hard, right onto the torpedoes, causing them to go critical, the ship was ripped in half a massive explosion, moments latter a second engulfed the craft slaying all on board.  Three other manned torpedoes were destroyed.

Ger’nak laughed, as he saw ahead of him the feeble fleet that was out being destroyed. Soon the dozens of massive capital ships opened up main guns. Massive beams of energy sent into the planet. Behind them 3 other fleets dropped into real space.
It didn’t take long for the vastly outclassed space fleet of the planet to be destroyed, and soon massive landing crafts entered the atmosphere. From space capital ship and assault class bombarded all infrastructure and military looking sites. As well as anything that may be a hospital or other soft targets.
The troops that landed ripped out of their landing crafts like devils. They fired on all things that moved. Their orders were complete and under devastation of the planet. The troops power armored legs pushed them forward with vast speed, their augmented hands and eyes let them fire accurate bursts into different homes and buildings. Killing all they saw on a path of destruction.

Ger’nak launched in a privet heavy assault craft. He would land to make the final conquest of this personally. IT would be fun.

[Xyrael]

Loukas stood his ground before the Palace. Massive explosions ripped throughout the beautiful metropolis, a virtual hell rained down upon his fellows as the spires of the magnificent city fell from the skies. The Xilonog rampaged towards Loukas, he readied his rifle towards the horrid green hulks charging him. He squeezed the trigger and closed his eyes, he could hear their savage roars drawing closer. He could feel the recoil of the rifle as lasers fired off, to no effect. He felt himself lifted up with such force, he could see the rage in the eyes of his foe. A blade caught him in the gut, and he fell to his knees. Why am I hated so? The blade slashed through his neck and Loukas fell to the ground. He watched a larger alien stride forth into the palace... the King... Loukas knew he had failed his King, everything was damned.

The Xilonog known as Ger'nak strode forth into the Kings, chamber, firing several shots into the unlucky Aurorans standing beside their lord.

"Why do you kill us?" spoke the King Tiberius.

"On your knees, creature," spoke Ger'nak is a coarse rasp. The King raised his chin in defiance, and a blade ripped through his trachea. He fell to his knees, struggling to scream, and Ger'nak placed the barrel of his gun in the Kings gaping mouth. With a grin he squeezed the trigger, the blood splattered across his green face.

[Ranholn]

350 years latter

"AURORA WILL BE FREE"
The blade fell with a mighty force, the head was cut clean off his blood splattering the crowd around. a Xilonog lifted the head and turned to the crowd "This is what happened to your great leader. this is the man who said if you follow him you will be free. Look at him, look at the damn fools who followed him"

Around the crowed hundreds of bodies were crucified, each had their eyes and mouth sewn shut.

"How things are is how they will always be, to think any other is to be slain."


The crowd dispersed as Xilonog troops moved in, forcing the slaves back to work. The planetary metropolis was all a massive factory. nothing on its surface was natural. Each day raw material was brought down from space, worked and turned into the goods that ran the empire. The Aurorian slaves were forced to work in horrid conditions death and tradgidy was a way of life. For more then 300 years this was how it had been. what ever this planet once was had died long ago, and been turned into a factory.

Perhaps this is how it always will be

[Xyrael]

50 Years Later:

"They can mutilate our bodies, they can ravage our women, they rape our world, they can destroy our minds, but they can never take away our Humanity."

Silently in the night red streams trickled through the steam that rose from the sewers. Several men rushed down the street, and more beams penetrated the darkness. Several heavy built Xilonog men chased after them, their guns propelling a much more powerful energy. One blast ripped into a fleeing Auroran, melting a portion of his body. The Xilonog pushed forward, their armor propelling them much quicker than the Aurorans could run. Several Aurorans snuck behind them, hurrying quietly in their wake. One carried a much larger Laz weapon, requiring a tripod to be set up to fire it. Two men manned it, while another fired a shot to gain the Xilonog attention. Overconfident, the four Xilonog turned to face the massive gun before it spewed a hellish beam, splicing through the armor and flesh of three Xilonog and rupturing the supports within a building behind the fourth. Eight stories of industrial complex crashed down upon the green alien, and the Aurorans were quickly fleeing before Xilonog reinforcements could find them. Similar attacks by seperate cells continued throughout the night. In total, nearly thirty attacks marked the beginning of a new insurrection.

[Ranholn]

The military council of the empire gathered round "it seems these anarchist rebellions have become more then simple strikes, many attacks have gone off, while we have managed to capture or kill hundreds it seems this is more then a small group."

"The entire population could possibly be anarchists, we need to force punishment on all. show them they have no hope of victory"

"we will bring more troops down to the surface and start performing sweeps of the undercity"

Within hours of the attacks the amount of guards tripled, they began to move about to any areas that slaves goatherd. The massive city played against them. They had turned the entire planet into a giant factory/city, and now it provided billions of places to hide. For every cell they found and eliminated three or more escaped detection all together. The terrorists would prove to be difficult to deal with, but they would fail.

Around key factories and installations low mech air ships were brought in as well as heavy armor and weaponry. Curfew were imposed, all found breaking were killed on site, food rations were decreased and so were luxuries. Statements released saying any who turned in a terrorist would receive work leave and luxury increases, they would play on their greed and suffering.

[Xyrael]

Anya read the statement with disgust. She looked to her son, his eyes filled with what tears they could muster. "I will see you my son," she whispered to him in agreement.

"Soon," he replied.

She shuddered before leaving for the factory, her handbag held tight next to her. The factory was tall and bleak, a thick layer of pollution nearly hid a small Xilonog craft floating above. Two armored men scowled at her, but let her past.

Female, more frail than the rest, they obviously thought.

She entered the factory wordlessly, many of her fellow workers had not shown up today. She did not have the heart to allow them to come, she had faith in her peers, they would not turn her in. And indeed they had not. She made her way to the Xilonog overseers office, conveniently located next to the bulk of the machinery in the factory. Her hand reached into her bag and she flipped a small switch. Faint clicking began to tick, slowly growing faster. She walked into the office of the Xilonog overseer, scanning the imprint on her hand, registering her for another day of work. The clicking was faster.. it would not be long.

She walked to the machinery as it slammed down, no doubt producing some luxury for the filthy creatures that enslaved her. She didn't want her son to grow old building such pleasures for the vile creatures. How filthy they were... the ticking grew faster, faster...

A massive explosion ruptured the factory, the blast wave collapsing several buildings around it. The Xilonog guards leapt for cover, uninjured.

Meanwhile, across the massive globe spanning city, the Xilonog had uncovered a massive cell, nearly 200 members large. They were fighting bitterly in the ruins of what used to be a power plant. Their purpose there was unknown, but the Xilonog had foiled their attempt to do whatever they were doing, and now an intense firefight raged between the two sides. The crowd stood awed by the spectacle of so many Aurorans fighting the Xilonog, and word began to spread about hope. Whether the cell died or not, the people could slowly open their eyes to see they had a chance.

[Ranholn]

"This is a Statement from the planetary council. Do to resent terrorist attacks new regulations and rewards are in place. No longer will anything but work issued clothing be allowed in any factories or power facilities. If a terrorist is captured their family will be held as equal perpetrates of their crimes. If a terrorist is turned in, their family will not be punished and the person who aided in keeping the peace will be rewarded. The reward will be a 3 week vacation on resort planit facilities, as well as a bounes of three times the normal yearly luxury alotment, this reward can be increased for leaders of the terrorists that are turned in. Curfews will now be placed on industrial areas, anyone found in breach with out work orders that are duplicated in the database will be shoot on the spot.

Do not give into the terrorists they will only destroy you"

[Xyrael]

More gunfighting raged throughout the globe spanning metropolis as civilians grabbed whatever they could find and took up the fight. Auroran bodies littered the streets as inexperienced men, women, and children fought on reaching for the flicker of hope they had seen.

But the Xilonog were cracking down on organized activities, and neighbors turned in their friends fearing for their families lives. Though not common enough to be reliable, it was coupled with random searches and arrests. There was fear amongst the freedom fighters that the arrests and accusations would turn into a witch hunt, but so far the accusations by fellow Aurorans were at a minimal.
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A cloud on silt and rubble filled the narrow spaces between several buildings as a tenement collapsed, tens of people were dragged into an alley where muffled screams and silenced gunshots were the only testament to the end of their lives. Several women weeped as they watched the Xilonog walk away.

"Why do they fight, it's pointless. Now their family is dead," sighed one woman to another.

"I pray they'll be together in heaven."

"I pray I won't be joining them soon."
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"We need to do something about these leaks and the civilians, we need the people to calm down. If everything turns to chaos, they'll take us down faster!"

"I realize that Valerius, but what are we to do?"

Valerius pondered for a moment, "We need to take this beyond simple terrorism, we need to organize a movement."

"But how?"

Valerius pulled up a map of the city, carefully looking it over. "The old subterranean rail lines aren't functional, but they are close enough to connect with the sewer lines. It's not pleasant, but the labyrinth beneath the city can give us access to anywhere we want to go."

There was a low rumble as silent arguments broke out. Valerius quieted the crowd with one finger, pointing to a large subterranean room. "Behold, gentlemen. Our new headquarters. Lucius, go to the markets before curfew. I'll have some of our boys make some pamphlets, anyone you feel is trustworthy bring them to me."

[Ranholn]

Strike forces began hitting more cells, but they also began to notice something in the cells. Most that they have hit were not fully functional, they seemed to be all preparing to move somewhere. They would have to try and contact their moles and sources. see if they could learn what was going on/

[Xyrael]

"I don't know where exactly they've gone," cringed an Auroran snitch as he spoke to an overbearing Xilonog. "They've been accumulating weapons, and I think they've gone into hiding."

"Why?" the beast asked.

The Auroran shuddered in fear, considering his options instead of snitching on his comrades. "They... they're planning a city-wide war. This new guy, Tiberius I think. He's getting people together somewhere under the city. Lots of people, I don't know much more than that."

The Xilonog looked at him with disgust before relaying the information through his com. Several explosions could be heard in the distance as the ground shook. An entire city block had collapsed several miles away. Xilonog soldiers were rushing about, looking for any Auroran responsible. Sporadic fighting broke out and civilians fled for their lives as stray Xilonog rounds peirced their bodies. Streams of light trickled from windows and it seemed as though there were dozens of Aurorans firing back at the Xilonog who fired blindly into the creeping shadows. Their armor was deflecting many of the gun rounds, but as two green aliens fell to the ground they grew panicked, firing at spectres and wraiths that haunted the darkness. The Auroran fighters quickly fled into the shadows as the Xilonog regrouped for a counter attacked. Following their enemy into an empty alley they found nothing but a vacant valley of steel and ceramite.

[Xyrael]

After nearly a year of little combat, creating a lax environment among the Xilonog, the Aurorans struck in force. Several thousand men quickly surrounded a Xilonog military post, breaching it's ill guarded walls and forging ahead to the armory while the Xilonog's struggled to form a counter defense. Armed with stolen Xilonog weaponry, the resistance fighters fought back against their oppressors.

A general massacre ensued, and thousands of weapons were stolen, hundreds of Xilonog lay dead. The base had called for reinforcements, but as they arrived the Auroran's had relocated via sewers to another sector of the sprawling urban empire. In a large commercial sector, in view of hundreds of Auroran 'citizens', the resistance fighters attacked a Xilinog prefecture. After only fifteen minutes, the firefight ended with the razing of the police structure. Word of the attacks began to spread, but already the resistance fighters continued with their well planned attack.

Several more attacks were staged, all in visible areas. Xilonog power armor was undone by the power of their weapons, and energized matter easily melted away the armor. The citizenry watched as Xilonog soldiers, for the first time in several hundred years, backed down from combat with Auroran's. Word quickly spread of the resistances success, and a global strike of all sectors except farming was enacted, encouraged by the resistance.

[Xyrael]

Time seemed to pass dreadfully slow, and little word had been given by the planetary council to the Xilonog forces on Aurora. The resistance movement seemed to swell with numbers, until finally a line had seemed to draw itself across the globe. The free world teemed with renewed exuberance, and workers quickly copied the Xilonog weaponry, producing quantities en mass to fuel the war effort. Little effort or though was put into tanks, but high powered Lance's were still produced to rip fortifications to shreds.

The enigmatic yet charismatic head of the resistance, Valerius, had taken it upon himself to proclaim the Auroran people free. Word quickly spread to the Xilonog controlled sectors, and revolts were becoming common. After nearly 400 years of oppression, the Xilonog had found themselves in a war they could not win. They struggled to maintain control, crucifying thousands of Auroran civilians in a display of cruelty and malice that only fueled the Aurorans.