XCAS Kappa Team - Epilogue

[DragonHawk]

Fresh from the capture of the XCR Rommel (and subsequent execution of all Resistance officers), Kappa Team was dispatched back to the other side of the Gate. Planet Zeta was still a hot zone; one continent had been effectively neutralized of Snakemen (or so it had been thought at the time) by nearly fifteen regiments of Ascidian warriors, but the other continents were still teeming with aliens. The naval superiority established early in the campaign was critical for the Ascidian military in maintaining their foothold on the planet, but hostile incursions continued to increase in strength. It was feared that simple attrition would carry the day for the Snakemen.

 

An anomaly was apparent though. Snakemen were not known for coordinated behaviour in any sense, but their actions on Planet Zeta certainly hinted at superior command and control. Most felt that it likely that some other entity, such as an invasion brain, was in control. Others felt it just as likely that an aberration in Snakemen genetics had introduced a substantial talent into the Snakeman race.

 

In any case, Ascidian strategy experts felt that the biggest impact on the war effort on Planet Zeta would be achieved by removing this control element from the enemy's resources. Naval intelligence services had already 'pinpointed' the location of the command centre - that is to say, they located the general area the base might be in through communications monitoring - and had coordinated with the 38th Battle Regiment to sterilize and hold the surface. Losses had been heavy though, and army commanders had been obliged to send the 52nd and the 81st as reinforcements.

 

Whether it was greed or something else, army commanders decided that the Snakeman commander would need to be used as an example. Instead of sending in their own, all strike teams attached to Task Force Raptor were retrieved from their remote staging areas and ordered to arrest the garrison commander using any means necessary...

 

- Excerpt from "Historical Perspectives: Ascidian Special Operations" by 2nd Lieutenant Li'nam'us, Sigma Team (ret'd)

Ghost let out a silent breath as he watched Sigma Team advance rapidly on the isolated 'barn', for that is what the structure reminded him. It had a fairly rectangular footprint with a pitched roof. Hell, it was even red. Whether this was some sort of bad alien joke, Ghost wasn't sure, but it wasn't terribly important; any building had the potential to contain an entrance to a Snakeman warren... Ghost's eyes narrowed as the largest Ascidian, not slowing as he reached the door, gave it a running kick, which popped the decayed door off of its rusty hinges easily. 2nd Lieutenant Kevin Ong, Sigma's squad commander, slipped into the building with his team hot on his tail.

 

No shooting, but... Ghost didn't turn, but he heard the sound of Corporal Dias crawling up to his position. "Sir, we've got a communication from Central."

 

What Dias meant was the Army Central Command, the bane of Special Operations' existence. Why they had been placed in overall command, nobody knew. The High Council's army commanders were just looking after themselves, and they issued the most outrageous orders, sometimes against explicit 'advice' from Special Operations strategic staff. The whole situation was somewhat odious, and Ghost was not interested in hearing what they wanted. Still, duty was duty, and he reflected on the great evils of the army's hierarchy as he replied, "This had better be good news..."

 

Dias coughed slightly, giving Ghost a brief clue to the fact that the news was not as good as he hoped. "Sorry, sir, it doesn't look like it. We're being ordered to pull back for uhh... further orders."

 

"It doesn't sound like it, I certainly agree." An urge to disobedience flickered through Ghost's mind, but he reined it in. "Saber," he said into his comm unit, "pull back once you've cleared the barn."

 

"Yes sir, working on it. Just laying the demo charges now.. no surveillance devices, but the portal is here..."

 

"Hurry it up. We've got orders to... redirect us elsewhere."

 

Ong's tone soured. "Oh, damn. Well, ok, charges are set... oh crap"

 

"Weapons" snapped Ghost as Sigma Team sprinted out of the barn. Instantly, Rho Team's heavy weapons, predominantly automatic fusion-powered rifles, riddled the barn. The hissing of Snakemen could be heard inside, but they didn't stop trying to come out. A number burst out of the barn in hot pursuit of Sigma Team, but Kappa Team was there to cut them down before they got too far.

 

Ong hopped into the depression beside Ghost, while the other members of his team ran further back into the woods. Without any ceremony or permission, Ong's thumb came down on the remote detonation switch. A heavy 'whump' was followed by a steady hiss.... the collapse of the tunnel entrance followed by an intense thermal fusion charge, intended to seal the entrance to the warren for a number of weeks. "Another hole sealed, sir," Ong said with a shake of his head.

 

*****

 

It had been a whole two damn months, operating out of the wilderness and generally being a royal pain in the ass to aliens everywhere. It was nuisance work though, and Ko was probably one of the least satisfied with their performance... or rather, their tasks.

 

The look on his face must have been pretty sour, as Chavez punched him in the shoulder from the seat beside. "Yo Ko," Chavez said with a snicker, "why the depression here?"

 

"If that's the level of your wit and cunning for the day, Cal, you're in a hell of a lot of trouble, I'll say," returned Ko with a matching grin. "Sorry, I was just mulling over our actions as of late. Pretty sorry stuff, but I guess the army needs us to stay on the offensive while the heal up and try to get more soldiers into action. I heard another regiment was inbound too, just through the gate." He shrugged in a rather non-committal fashion. "At least those poor bastards, the Snakemen, will be spending their time digging rather than... multiplying." It wasn't a very accurate statement in a technical sense, but it would do for transmitting the idea.

 

"Yeah..." Chavez leaned back in his chair to study the shack they were sitting in. It was truly a 'minimum building', designed to house low-level command, control, and communications equipment. The broad table in the center had a 3D projector sitting on top, displaying the stereotypical planetary map. One continent was highlighted in gold; the others were coloured a deep-red. "Well, they wouldn't have pulled us back and relieved the pressure on the Alien territories without good reason." Chavez caught Ko's look, then said in amendment, "Yeah, I know, bigger idiots and all that, but sometimes they gotta be right."

 

"Maybe." Ko was reluctant to argue the issue; on one hand, he wanted to argue just on principle, but on the other, the temporary retreat was something Ko agreed with. "Maybe. I can't imagine what else they'd have for us..."

 

The door opened, and both Ko and Chavez turned to see Ghost, Stone, and Dias walk in. "Good afternoon, gentlemen and lady," Ghost said as he shut the door. "Well, I'm sure you're all interested as to why we've been pulled off the line..."

 

"Damn straight," muttered Ko under his breath, but nobody heard this indiscretion.

 

Ghost tapped projector controls, replacing the planet with a 3D image of a portion of mountain range. "This is our target. By 'our', I mean a collective special operations goal. The General-in-Command has decided," Ghost said with sarcasm dripping from his voice, "that we're to enter this base and capture some sort of smart Snakeman."

 

"You've got to be kidding," said Dias. "How many Snakemen are going to be in that base? Enough that we can't afford to play around."

 

Ghost nodded. "Agreed. We can't do it, it's just not possible. However, Army Intelligence believes that removing this... aberrant Snakeman will push things significantly in our favour for this war. With command disrupted and hopefully no equivalent talents, it's hoped that the Snakemen will fall back into bickering and infighting... We can enter through here," Ghost said, pointing to the destroyed fighter hangar, "but once we get inside, it'll be a big unknown. It'll be pretty freewheeling... just our style. Cal, you're to watch specifically for psionic influence. Paulo, you'll be on medic duty, but we'll need your rifle working, so leave the anyone behind the main line of advance for the following army medics. Ko, you'll be in charge of hacking the system, or figuring out who will... and figuring out where that damn commander is."

 

Ko groaned inwardly. "No information, outnumbered... what could be better?"

 

This operation did nothing to solidify relations between the Emperor's fighters and the High Council's line troopers. While the operation and the actions taken by the Special Operations teams in the depths of the Alien base would become footnotes in mainstream military history, it was perhaps the most pivotal engagement in the latter portion of the conflict. Also of note: this was the last mission executed by Kappa Team in a cohesive sense. Shortly after this battle, Kappa Team operatives would be transferred to other commands in order to provide them with "greater command experience"...

 

- Excerpt from "Historical Perspectives: Ascidian Special Operations" by 2nd Lieutenant Li'nam'us, Sigma Team (ret'd)

[knight_of_the_ravens]

And at the moment the bullet exited his head, Calvin did'nt even feel himself dropping to the floor, could'nt even hear Kaitlan Stone's plea to stop himself, but this was'nt a mistake...it never had been...it was a fate written into his mind years ago....and all that came after it was the time to talk it over inside his memories and relieve himself of his worries and stress while he talked with this second soul....the ethereal remained within his mind and took on the memories of his father...in the instant life becomes death, when you are standing on the border, time stops existing to you....even after brain death do you have the time to look at yourself inside.

 

"Hello Cal." said his "father"...the ethereal intended on having a serious conversation of life it seems. "Hello father" replied Calvin.

 

"Should I be the first to congradulate you on leading our entire generation on the paths to suicide? Why we all have killed ourselves..." said his father "HAH!!!...you know nothing, you killed yourself in vain!...a selfish thought because you could'nt avenge mother's death, so you had to abandon your son...Do you even KNOW what i went through before all this? How I tried to keep your name alive?"

 

"Son...I could say the same to you...how you decided to KILL yourself over a woman" said his father, "if I was looking correctly, I'd say you were in love with her."

 

"No....it was nothing like that...I only worried for her, the dream would've ended up happening alot worse if I had not reacted the way I did, I mean, I could've killed them all if they were'nt aware of it"

 

A tormenting shrieky laugh poured from the ethereal mind "Actually that would've been ME to do that dirty work for you" it whispered.

 

"This is ALL your fault! If only you had'nt made the stupid attempt to control me, even though you knew my capabilities to counter you" Calvin said

 

"Oh?...is it the blame game now? I tell you, the move I made was the smart and right one at that. I mean, more likely if i took control of your friend and put you in the predicament of shooting her you more likely would've destroyed my body anyways and then coaxed me out of her brain after putting her into an unconcious state...seems I made the right choice. I managed to kill you anyway" whispered the ethereal.

 

"NO, I killed me!...even though you may have caused it, I over powered your stupid ass, and at the same time managed to over power an ethereal mentaly...showing it to be possible, that your are NOT the strongest mind in the universe" thundered Cal.

 

The ethereal shifted back to the form of his father, "Is that was this was all about? gaining power? though you won't even live to tell the tale about a human over powering an ethereal...Cal I thought you did'nt live for the game of pride."

 

"No...this was about Stone...I did'nt want to be the one to kill her...I mean...we had so much fun together, joining Kappa Team was too awsome and exciting to be true...and she was even teaching me to use a bo staff...though i seemed to get my ass kicked every time" Cal smiled at the thought.

 

"So keep those memories even in death....right now your team is more likely already gone doing their own things, this could be years after your death, or they could still be standing over your body at this moment...in this place, there is no time. two seconds here can be an eternity out there...or it can become the other way around. It all depends on how it wants to flow, but soon we are to become non existant, even this place will fade."

 

"Well, I hope the best for them...I hope they became great people, and live out the rest of their lives." Cal said, as the place began to fade away.

 

"Well even in this type of end, the last thing i can say is that you lied to me." Calvin said. "How is that?" asked his father. "About heaven" Cal said, "heavens not true....I don't see shit"

 

(In that, all fades away and even the memories are gone...there is nothing left to do but remain as a shadow on the planet for the rest of its years)

 

 

<<Kappa Team was fun you guys....even though I had always dreaded the end of these sims, I think we ended sort of well...now lets work on starting a new one as soon as possible, cause I'm really up for it, and I hope you guys feel the same way...lets get something going that becomes even better than Kappa...though i doubt that is possible ;P>>

[DragonHawk]

A friend once asked me how important it was to defeat the Aliens. "Very important" I said. Boy, I was naive then. Defeating the Aliens is important, to be sure, but not it is not the end goal. The end goal is humanity's survival (and hopefully dominance), our free determination of the future. Back then, the Aliens were the ultimate oppressor... but I know better now. Other things, nameless now but perhaps not for long, are waiting with malicious intent. We shall always struggle... we shall persevere, and one day, long millenia from now, I hope we shall be victorious.

- Except from the personal journal of Lieutenant Commander Derrick Ko

 

System YT-7842-D, 15 October 2096

 

Defending border bases is difficult enough, but this remote radar outpost is another story. I didn't think the information we had gathered was so pivotal. Fleet movements are important, to be sure, as is the significant amount of data that was obtained through our various reconnaissance patrols, but in an objective sense, this is a tiny facility with a very specialized purpose - to find out what is going on in the Alien core territory. The Alien holdings are vast, and our invitations during the peace extended only to the relative border of their domain. One would think that the Aliens would let us amuse ourselves with seemingly irrelevant data; hardly worth destroying.

 

My judgement is not infallible, as the Alien interdiction vessels would suggest. I felt the presence mere minutes before, a presence that I hadn't felt in years. It was a presence that was utterly familiar, and that was a product of artificial psionic conditioning... or bonding, perhaps. If it were someone else, I might not have detected it, but for him (for I think of it as a him) it was like an air raid siren.

 

Dumb luck for this base, really. I ordered the fighters and shuttles prepped immediately. As protocol, we took backed up all information to a portable machines weekly, and I wanted that information preserved. I wouldn't sacrifice the technical staff - they were the first priority for the shuttle with their valuable cargo. Two of the fighters also took older copies of the databank, and these would safeguard the shuttle. Within minutes, the small convoy departed, leaving another shuttle and two more fighters. Once they were gone, my troops trashed the main databank.

 

We ran out of time though. Alien jump-interdiction corvettes warped into near-space just as the shuttle jumped out; I thought of it as a stroke of uncommon luck, but in reflection, the uncommon luck would have been for us to escape as well. I digress though. In addition to six interdiction corvettes, the Alien mothership also spat out a cruiser, three frigates, two destroyers, and fifty-six fighters (according to the computer, anyway). It was obvious that nothing was intended to escape.

 

Resistance would have been futile, and I was loathe to waste lives when he would certainly send in worthless drones. Maybe I'm getting tired... and cowardly. In any case, I issued orders to stand down.

 

I will put faith in the Alien commander, for in my experience, he has been respectful of the Paronnen Accord. It's strange that such a genteel protocol has fallen over our relationship with the Aliens since the last war. The War of 2077 was extremely brutal, and both sides were demolished heavily (again) before it petered out. It didn't end through any particular victory, but through mere attrition. The Aliens, if nothing else can be said for them, understand the objective aspects of war, and do not proceed when there is nothing to gain. The Paronnen Accord, which was intended to formally reduce the scale of the conflict in the years after, has been respected for almost two decades now.

 

And here they are... I can feel them now... The psionic presence is almost overbearing now. The Ascidians, as fortunate as they are, cannot feel it. It presses my mind extremely though. I feel this will be my last journal entry, and I hope it will give an accurate accounting of these most recent events to my colleagues.

 

Ko sighed as he put the pen down. He was 58 years old now, a veteran of both combat and command, and while the years had treated him well physically, the mental burden felt heavier than he thought was fair. Still, life was not fair, and he bore it with his usual stoicism.

 

The Alien combat shuttles were landing in the compact shuttlebay. Ko watched impassively through the observation deck window as each of the three shuttles disgorged Alien soldiers. The shuttlebay had room for one more; did the Alien intelligence know that the base had two? How did they know?

 

"Commander..." The Lieutenant started... then stopped. Ko felt the psionic energy flow around him, and didn't need to turn to see what had happened. Instead, he taped the journal to the underside of the table as his Ascidian bodyguard fell around him. "Bloody typical," Ko murmured as he straightened up.

 

Four Sectoid soldiers, armed with short plasma boarding rifles, swept into the observation room. Ko recognized the features, and labelled them: the previous generation's soldier drones. They were there to absorb hits and to make sure the room didn't contain any hostiles. They were expendable... and they didn't give a rat's ass about non-Ascidian targets.

 

If the timing and the situation had been less serious, Ko might have grinned in amusement at the fifth Sectoid. Dressed in something of a long, flowing cloak, the Sectoid was the exact image of Commander Raalik Tizt, the fleet officer who had been responsible for seeking and destroying Kappa Team in its days of infancy. Since then, Ko had served as a prisoner then guest of the somewhat eccentric and ambitious Sectoid... And perhaps Raalik Tizt was one Sectoid that Ko would call a friend.

 

They shared many views, and adherence to duty was one of them. Raalik Tizt was a fighter first and foremost, and it was obvious he wanted possession of whatever was in the base. He also had his own agenda; the Sectoid pulled out two long daggers, traditional Sectoid duelling weapons.

 

Ko still remembered his first duel against a Sectoid gladiator, conducted in the presence of a planetary governor. The relatively harmless appearance of most Sectoids made it difficult to take them seriously, and that had almost cost Ko his life that time. They could be deceptively fast and quick-thinking, planning the critical strike many exchanges in advance.

 

Ko was up to the challenge though. The katana slid free of its scabbard, the scabbard was dropped to the floor, and Ko rose to jodan-no-kamae. He was towered over the Sectoid in that posture, and planned to use every advantage he could get.

 

Tizt did not look fazed, but Sectoids did not show fear like other species. Instead, Tizt closed quickly. His blades flashed out in complex patterns, aiming to confuse Ko, but long decades of training and practice automatically sorted out true maneuvers and intent. The katana flicked down almost on instinct, driving down towards Tizt's large head, but the Sectoid halted the blade's descent with the edge of his own. Ko used the momentum to drive the blade lower, then quickly kicked out, sending Tizt onto his back.

 

Ko darted forward, but Tizt was back on his feet too quickly. The twin blades flashed out again, but Ko swept them aside with a heavy stroke and grazed the Sectoid's left arm. The Sectoid recoiled from the blow, but Ko pressed his advantage, with quick, solid strokes that put Tizt on the defensive.

 

The duel lasted for ten minutes, longer than Ko had expected. The end result was inevitable though; the improvements that Tizt had made were not enough. In quick succession, Ko cleaved through the Sectoid's hand, then sliced cleanly through its round belly, spilling its internals onto the floor.

 

"Bravo." At the sound of the acclaim and clapping, Ko turned to confront the real Commander Raalik Tizt. Tizt was wearing a garish purple... something, some garment that defied categorization. It was comical. "Bravo indeed. A most impressive showing."

 

Raalik Tizt was unarmed, so Ko allowed himself the luxury of a confident smile. "For someone of my age, certainly, but you are to be congratulated as well. Your newest model is much more proficient than the previous ones."

 

"One step at a time, my friend. Come, sit." Tizt indicated the chair behind the table and sat down himself. "Neither of us want bloodshed, so let us talk and come to an agreement."

 

"Agreement?" Ko sheathed his sword, but kept it at his side. "With such a force, I'm sure you do not require my agreement to anything."

 

The Sectoid's face didn't change, but Ko could feel the wave of amusement radiate from Tizt. "No, that is true. We can take what we want. We are here for a purpose though. Where is the other shuttle?"

 

Not 'is there another shuttle' or 'where are the other shuttles'... 'where IS the other shuttle'. He knew. "I'm not sure what you mean. We've only got the one."

 

"Come now." Tizt's eyes shimmered slightly. "I've seen enough of this base to know what should be."

 

By 'seen', Tizt meant that his minor army had gone through the base already, and the leaders had reported in. Damn psionic connections. "I'm not required to tell you, under any convention of war, where that shuttle went to. You know that, so you shouldn't even bother asking."

 

"Ahh. I cannot be faulted for trying."

 

"No, I suppose not." Ko's eyes flicked to the guards that were still present. "So, minus the shuttle, how can this little base serve your needs? It is a somewhat long trip from the homeworlds with such a large fleet."

 

Tizt was not amused by the facetious tone that Ko had adopted. A distinct business-like overtone was conveyed with his next words. "The elimination of this base is the top priority. We have judged that your accumulation of information has reached critical levels, and it must be halted." The impersonality of it, the use of the hive 'we', made it clear that Tizt was acting on higher orders.

 

Has it? I didn't think so... I hope someone else figures it out. "Well, that seems to be complete," Ko said.

 

Tizt's voice (and psionic flow) softened. "I also have another purpose... One that is of my own initiative." Tizt paused, then asked, "Do you remember what you saw during your stay with us?"

 

It was a civil allusion to Ko's capture and residency within the Alien territories during the War of 2077. He had seen more of their territories and understood their military and social psychology better than any other human or Ascidian. During a psionic experiment, he had also glimpsed far more of the external pressures on the Alien military, and since then had strove to find more concrete evidence of their domain, strength... and fears. "I remember what I saw - the marvels, the fascinating society - and I also remember what I saw."

 

"Your people think of us as the ultimate enemy. They have no idea what awaits them," said Tizt matter-of-factly, pointedly focussing on the implied topic. "You saw[ though. You know your fight cannot end, even if you manage to defeat us. Your impulsiveness will cause trouble... it has caused enough trouble as it is."

 

That was a vile jab at the start of first Alien War. Ko had seen the proof and it was utterly convincing, but that was ancient past that could not be changed. "If we can overcome you, certainly the possibility exists that we will grow strong enough to..."

 

"No. You know it will take time, and you will not have as much time as we have had. This brings me to my offer." Tizt leaned forward. "You have tried to penetrate deep into Our territory, and it has been a hard-fought engagement. Fruitless effort so far. I can see what drives you though. Despite your words, you do not feel that this information would help anyone but yourself. You want to know because it disturbs you to know a threat exists but not see it coming."

 

Ko remained silent, but gauged Tizt himself. The psionic overtone was intense but candid. Could such a thing be faked?

 

"I would offer you a chance to learn everything you desire and more... in exchange for your service." Tizt leaned back, his offer on the table.

 

"That is not possible. I have an oath of fealty to the Emperor." Ko shook his head, but his hand ran along the length of his sword's scabbard. "My duty to the Emperor is everything."

 

"As far as what I ask of you, I do not ask for you to renounce the Emperor. Think of how this will benefit the Emperor... and your fellow humans, should you be even moderately successful." Tizt's eyes shimmered again. "You still have a number of years to serve your ideals. Would they be best served here?"

 

Where could the greater good be done? That was the question that had haunted Ko as he flitted from one remote outpost to another over the past decade. The search for the answer always seemed to be just over the next hill, but he had been disappointed every time. He had always wanted to make the biggest impact, the biggest play, all ultimately for humanity's survival...

 

 

Lance Corporal Derrick Ko

 

Lance Corporal Derrick Ko continued to serve with Ascidian Special Operations after the original Kappa Team was dispersed. He was commissioned and led assault teams until the War of 2077, where he was captured. As Commander Raalik Tizt's guest, Ko toured a number of Alien holdings before being released in 2086. He commanded the Unified Military Intelligence Department until his capture from a remote Ascidian information gathering outpost. He was never heard from again.

 

However, 23 years after his disappearance, Nova Alpha Omega received a package from an unknown source... containing a battered katana and numerous volumes of a personal journal.