In a slime-slicked chamber, surrounded by darkness, they watch illuminated screens. Organic projectors swirl screens around in circular patterns so many glistening compound eyes can see. They have never had any real opposition before. It must be analyzed, prodded at, inspected, understood. There are individuals on the screens, a girl riding on the back of an angel, a giant girl, a young woman firing magic. A man in red and blue blazes across a screen, an S on his chest, and they hiss their discontent.

( They Speak )

The crew's fight was desperate and valiant, though their foe seemed unstoppable - the Ohm were unrelenting, tireless, and without number. For every one that fell, three appeared to take their place. As a handful of brave fighters made a final, last-hope strike against the Node in the hopes that it would throw the Ohm into disarray and save this planet for destruction - and as the Node lashed out at them with its hidden might - victory seemed a faint hope at best.

Then in an instant, it all stopped.

On the ground, in the air and in the skies above the planet, the battle suddenly paused. The Ohm ceased their attack, and the crew would get the odd sensation that they were now being watched - no, observed ... and assessed. Before, the Ohm had just been fighting the crew, but now? Now, there was the distinct sensation that the Ohm were aware of them in a way they hadn't been before.

And without any further notification, the legions of Ohm turned all at the same time, as if guided by one singular consciousness, and moved to depart. Their land forces skittered away, and the Shrikes flew into the sky as they returned to their massive carrier ships.

The battle for Zokez II was over as abruptly as it had started.

The crew had fought tooth-and-nail to defend the innocent residents and tourists of the resort world, and to their credit had been able to buy time and space to allow many of them to evacuate to safety. Whoever had not yet been safely evacuated would surely be rescued in the days to come ... in that sense, it was a small victory but a victory nonetheless.

But that was the only victory. The once-idyllic resort world lies ruined, its surface left tainted and scarred by the Ohm. The tropical paradise burns in its death throes, the smoke and fires visible from orbit. Nor will it ever get the chance to heal - the Ohm are not retreating after having being beaten back, but rather seem to be leaving out of their own accord. It may not be the next day, or the next week, or the next month, but it is certain they will return in greater force.

And then this peaceful paradise will be wholly consumed. Until its final death, it will be abandoned and left to rot.

Stacy sends the Observation Deck back down to the planet for her crew. It is time to return home, to nurse their wounds and rest from the battle - to take solace in whatever small victory they can claim. It is time to return to the Bleed - to Stacy's mission.

There is still a duty ahead of the crew ... but now, it seems, the Ohm know they're coming.

The battle against the Ohm raged on, and the casualties on the ground were mounting. Injured crew members got emergency treatment in the field, which largely amounted to patching them up so they wouldn't die sometime within the next fifteen minutes. After that, they were quickly picked up by shuttle and brought back to the ship, where they were sent to a medbay that was getting progressively more crowded.

The situation was growing increasingly dire, to the point that Stacy activated one of the AI's to help out.



"Please state the nature of the medical emergency."

The battle raged on, but while the crew fought valiantly, the Ohm continued to come at them at full force.

Something had to be done, or they would soon be overrun.

Cargn, ever thinking of the larger picture, had released his familiar, Unit XXVI, at the beginning of the battle. It flew high above the battlefield, watching, waiting, searching for one target in particular.

And it had just found it.

The information was instantly transmitted to Cargn via his telepathic link with the machine. Even as he was fighting, he already had a battle plan forming in his head, centuries of experience being put to good use.

++Attention, all units,++ he calls over the comms, ++This is Brother Cargn. I have located the Node. Repeat, I have located the Node. I have currently formulated a plan to strike at it, and am assuming supervision of the ground ground forces for this operation.++

++To the following units,++ he continues, selecting those warriors nearby suited to the task at hand from his omnicomm, ++Form up on my position. We will assume the role of strike team, to destroy the Node. All other units will form up at the designated coordinates I have sent to your maps. You will provide a final push against the Ohm force, covering the strike team, and making an opening for them to penetrate the swarm and make their way to the Node.++

++You have your orders. Good luck, and Emperor's Blessings.++

[ooc: Open! Read here before tagging]

An army cannot function without any support! Which is exactly why what was going down on the ship was so vital to what was happening planetside. Shuttles between the two managed to bring a few of the crew back up and can be used to send supplies back down. It was a vital service in this time of crisis.

[Support dudes and on ship action can go here!]

As soon as the Ohm appeared, Wedge had begun moving. He practically sprinted off the Obs deck, yelling at Stacy as he headed for the hangar bay.

“Stacy, I need our fighters prepped now..” He doesn’t wait for an answer, instead lifting his comm ring to his lips and speaking into it, the message transmitted across open channels to everybody in range with their own rings.

“Attention, Rogue Squadron. Scramble, scramble, scramble! All pilots report back aboard Stacy and to your fighters. This is no drill! Again, Rogue Squadron, scramble! All pilots to your fighters!” He glanced back at the others who had been close enough to the Obs deck to accompany him back aboard Stacy.

“This is it. We’ve trained. We’re as ready as we can be now. This is for real this time.” With that he headed deeper into the ship.

As he arrived in the hangar, he was already discarding the civilian clothing he’d picked up and was half-running, half-hopping across the bay to his fighter as he struggled into his flight suit. His helmet was waiting in the cockpit. He clambered up into the cockpit, kicked the ladder free to be caught by a tentacle and tugged his helmet on. No time for a walk around. He simply had to trust that the ship was in shape to fly. He keyed the comm system on the fighter, as well as speaking into the comm ring.

“This is Rogue Leader to all fighters. Launch as soon as you’re ready. Form up in wing pairs and engage the enemy. Our primary objective is to keep additional Ohm fighters from reaching the planet and from attacking Stacy. Fly your best out there, everyone. May the Force be with us.” With that he, began a quick-start check of his systems, and punched the throttle as soon as he was sure that his fighter wouldn’t explode when he launched.

“Rogue Leader is away, four lit and green.” His fighter slashed out into space, free of Stacy. And the Ohm were everywhere.

( OOC Stuff beneath the cut )

By this point, the Ohm had spread all across the planet.

Destruction spread throughout the cities of Zokez II. There were evacuees that still needed to escape. People that needed saving.

It was time for the crew to do what they did best.

[ooc: Sub-plots! Check here before tagging.]

The reactor may have been saved, but the Ohm's primary purpose in overloading it had been achieved: the planetary defense network on Zokez II was now deactivated.

It was now the true invasion could begin.

A matter of minutes after the reactor had been saved, a number of vast, Ohm Leviathans appeared in orbit above the planet, some of them devouring those fleeing ships they could get their hands on.

Across all of the islands on the planet below, numerous shimmering lights appeared, and out of them poured hordes of Grunts, Grenadiers, Tanks, and all manner of other Ohm types. They swarmed over the cities, destroying everything in their path, and slaughtering anyone unfortunate enough to be caught in their way.

Wherever they went, destruction followed. Left unopposed, they would raze the entire planet without any effort.

But they are not unopposed.

It was time for the crew to finally do what they were Chosen to do.

[ooc: General Ohm fightyness! Check here before posting.]

Morale was high, and everyone had their share of fun, but now it was time to part ways with Zokez II.

As everyone made their way back to the spaceport to be picked up, they could see the Obs Deck waiting for them with ramp open, and large tendrils eagerly moving vehicles and cargo back aboard.

It's about time to say goodbye to this planet...but fate, it seems, has other ideas.

[OOC: PLOT BEGINS! Here's how it goes: A handful of techies and a couple fighty people (as escort) will be on the reactor end of this part of the plot, while everyone else can help out with the evacuation.]

[OOC pt 2: Also, sorry, it apparently wasn't clear that they hadn't actually gotten back onto the ship yet. Plot is obviously taking place on the planet.]