A conspiracy of millions

[MidnightDave]

Chapter 1

Esamir
Andvari Dropship Center

Halbrad shivered in the as the bitter wind once again swept through his concealed position on the mountain-side. This was why he hated missions on cold continents, while providing protection from enemy bullets, his agile armor suit did nothing to protect him from the bitter cold of Esamir. He made a note in the back of his head to ask why his armor, with all its technology, could not include a simple temperature regulator. This bleak continent was home to both New Conglomerate and Vanu Sovereignty sanctuary warpgates, yet the continent showed no signs of any battles taking place, a very unusual situation indeed when the continent bases were evenly split between the two empires. He shook these thoughts from his head as these concerns were of no consequence to his mission and he did not need to be distracted by the mindless wandering of his brain. He pulled up the picture of his target, a commander by the name of Bigdig for the 40th time, an unnecessary action as the image was burned into his brain after three hours of waiting.

Movement in the Andvari courtyard caught his eye and he brought the powerful scope of his bolt driver to bear on the flurry of activity. He saw a man with the uniform of someone with yellow uniform of Battle Rank 20 and Command Rank 5, but was unable to see his face, which was shielded by his reinforced exosuit�s helmet. Halbrad cursed under his breath, as he did not want to alert the enemy to his position by eliminating the wrong target, yet was under orders not to let his target leave the facility alive. He cursed again as he realized that noone was going to salute him, which would have been the sign that the man he was looking at was the commander of all the New Conglomerate forces on this continent. The commander must have briefed his soldiers that saluting a superior officer was a death warrant if any snipers were watching. Then his luck changed, as a private in the customary blue uniform of a new recruit to the traitorous empire went rigid in unparalleled fear and saluted as the commander walked by. Halbrad smiled as the commander went ballistic on the private and nervously glanced around at the surrounding mountains. That was his cue to fire. The crack of his rifle stood out against the stark silence of the mountain as the customized single shot bolt flew from the long barrel of his bolt driver straight into the head of the unsuspecting commander. The unique bolt delivered a single-shot kill to any non-MAX target and was only given to those snipers who were assigned to eliminate specific targets. Halbrad confirmed that his target was down and put his rifle on his back. In any other situation Bigdig could have just respawned at the nearest spawn tube, but earlier in the day a spy in the New Conglomerate ranks had hacked into the spawning computers and removed his matrix from all tubes in Auraxis. The commander was dead.

[MidnightDave]

Chapter 2
Esamir

Halbrad then took out an object that resembled a 21st century car alarm remote and pressed a button on the tiny silver device. A shimmer revealed the way he was able to infiltrate so far into enemy held territory, a prototype mosquito that was especially designed for these types of missions and offered a technology that, before now, was unavailable on anything bigger than a wraith, a cloaking field. He climbed in to the single seat aircraft and reengaged the cloaking device, and took off to return to a continent held by the Terran Republic so that he could report his mission as being accomplished.

Unfortunately for him, a long sighted pilot saw the uncloaked mosquito and had scrambled his fighter squad to attempt to engage the mysterious sniper. Halbrad saw the planes that were scrambled to intercept him and panicked. There was no way that he was going to be able to make it to the Oshur warpgate that was nearly on the other side of the continent. As he flew over the Eisa technology plant, his plane proved that prototype was an accurate description as the cloaking field failed. The turrets on the facility, enhanced by the nearby interlink facility, opened fire and damaged his malfunctioning plane. His plane veered south and he was forced to make a decision, die crashing into the ground or try to land at the ever approaching South East Searhus Gate Air Tower. It took all of his skills as a pilot to bring the crippled Mosquito to a landing on one of the tower�s two air pads. He got out of his plane cursing at the stupid engineers who had promised him that it would be flawless and kicked the side of the damaged Mosquito. Halbrad then opened the trunk and pulled and traded his bolt driver and ammo for a Sweeper shotgun, shells, a repeater, two extra clips, and a REK. As he went down to the tower�s control console, he desperately wondered how he was going to escape this situation. He had no idea of the mysteries he was about to uncover.

[MidnightDave]

I hope u like it, more chapters to come if its appreciated.

I will need names of High ranking NC, VS and TR commanders, as well as commanders of amored, air, and special operations teams for really all empires (I have some big battle sequences planned for later)

[MidnightDave]

Well despite the overwhelming replies and names to work with [/sarcasm] I will post my next chapter.

Chapter 3

Esamir
South East Searhus Gate Air Tower

As Halbrad hacked the control console of the abandoned tower he began to review his options for escaping enemy territory. He had an engineering certification, so he could try and repair the damaged Mosquito. He was sure he could repair the damage that the turrets had caused, however the prototype cloaking mechanism was another story altogether. Suddenly, he remembered the spy in the New Conglomerate ranks, a Terran Republic operative that was disguised as a low-level grunt. Halbrad racked his brain trying to remember the name that a loose lipped Command Rank 4 had mentioned back in the sanctuary. As if a light-bulb went off in his brain he remembered, Midnight, yes that was his name, Midnight. After the tower was hacked he rushed down to the spawn level and accessed an equipment terminal to get a Nano Dispenser, commonly referred to as a glue gun, to repair his damaged plane. As he climbed the stairs to the air pads on the top of the tower, he realized that the Mosquito sitting on the roof was a bright red target to any passing planes and cursed as he realized he should probably deconstruct it. Loathe to relinquish his only means of transportation, he decided he would repair the damage and try the cloaking device one more time. When the nano-technology repaired the holes in the fuselage he took out his remote and tried cloaking his plane. As the shimmer of the activating cloaking device covered the Mosquito, he breathed a sigh of relief. He then tried engaging the engines and cursed yet again as the cloaking device failed the instant the engines became heated. So, he realized, he could keep the plane hidden while landing, however, in the air he was sitting duck � he would have to walk.

Esamir
Andvari Dropship Center

�YOU IDIOT! I SHOULD SHOOT YOU FOR SALUTING HIM, YOU GOT HIM KILLED!!� The replacement Command Rank 5, a tough old soldier by the name of Deathbat screamed at the private who had effectively signed Bigdig�s death warrant when he saluted him. �I would kill you myself, but you aren�t worth the effort. Get this puke out of my face, kill him and delete his matrix from all spawn tubes� he said to a nearby soldier. The private was dragged kicking and screaming from the room by two grunts with jackhammer shotguns. He turned to the base commander, �Lets get Eisa ready for Quasar�s arrival, this meeting with the Vanu Sovereignty is too important to screw up. AND FIND ME THAT DAMN SNIPER!� As the frightened base commander hurried away to do his bidding, Deathbat radioed Quasar, the leader of Death 2 All, one of Auraxis�s most powerful and largest outfits. �Sir, all of the preparations will be completed by the time you arrive.� A shadowy voice replied through the personal communicator, �It had better be, if our alliance with the Vanu is successful, we will wipe the Terran Republic from the face of Auraxis.�

[MidnightDave]

ya know, a few responses might be nice, some constructive critizism from the seasoned writers would be appreciated as this is my first fan fic.

[Red October]

Ok.......keep it up.....

[TheN00b]

Wow, its great so far. I like hwow you incorporated new technology without making it too overpowered. Keep it up, it rocks.

[MidnightDave]

thanks guys, all I needed to hear, writing chapter 4 now

[MidnightDave]

Chapter 4

Esamir
South East Searhus Gate Air Tower

Halbrad knew that his only chance of survival was to contact the spy Midnight, however, according to the data records that he could retrieve from the hacked tower, Midnight was stationed at Eisa, the technology plant in the center of an island. It would be a very long and quite fruitless run as getting past the bridge guards without some form of cloaking vehicle would be impossible. He decided that he would suit up in an infiltrator suit and run to Kvasir, the amp station to the southeast of his position. From there, he could hack the vehicle terminal and grab a wraith, an all-terrain-vehicle that used the same technology as his infiltrator suit to cloak the moving vehicle. Unlike his prototype Mosquito, however, this usage was proven and had not failed in the 5 years he had been riding wraiths. When he exited the tower, he shivered in the bitter cold, and began the run to the backdoor of the nearby facility.

Terran Republic Sanctuary

Nervously pacing around the command center, General DeAtHwIsH asked a nearby communications officer, �Have we received word back from Halbrad yet?� �No, sir, no word since his last check-in, nearly two hours ago,� the trooper responded, �The answer hasn�t changed since you asked seven minutes ago.� The General sneered, �Don�t be sarcastic with me, this is a serious issue, his mission is critical to the survival of the Terran Republic. I just hope he makes it.�

Esamir
Kvasir Amp Station

Halbrad reached the backdoor of the facility, and went up to the purple IFF panel and realized that he was in Vanu territory, however, oddly enough, there were hardly any guards at the facility, which was quite unusual given that it was right next door to a New Conglomerate-held base. As he hacked the IFF with his Remote Electronic Kit, he wondered why the Vanu and New Conglomerate were living in such apparent peace on a highly contested continent. As he entered the back door, he headed past the barracks on his way to the vehicle pad. He heard conversation and stopped, thinking he should know what was going on. He turned on his audio amplifier implant and listened. �Will our meeting with the New Conglomerate be secure?� asked a muffled voice. �Yes, Sir, all of the precautions are being made as we speak,� a shaky voice responded. Halbrad was perplexed as the New Conglomerate and Vanu Sovereignty were hated enemies of each other, and they would rather shoot one another rather than look at the same sky at night. �Are you sure we should be doing this? I really don�t like the prospect of meeting with the smurfs,� a third voice asked, using the common derogatory nickname for the New Conglomerate troops, due to their blue uniforms. �An alliance between our empires would benefit us all, so don�t make a fuss about it,� the first voice barked. Halbrad was stunned, an alliance between the Vanu and NC would mean certain death for the Terran Republic, he had to warn his superiors. Being careful not to make any noise, he made his way to the vehicle pad and hacked the terminal. Selecting the wraith as the vehicle he wanted, the world around him went momentarily black as he was transported onto his vehicle as it drove away from the pad. He instantly engaged the cloaking device and sped off towards Eisa, desperately trying to make sense of what was going on here.

[TheN00b]

Awesome

[Jabberwocky]

Man, it really kills me to see such good writers get so discouraged when replies don't come in quickly. The lack of replies is not due to the quality of your story, it is due to the "freshness" of your story. Give it some time, I'm sure you will get tons of replies in about a week or so. I have really enjoyed your story, it's very straightforward, it flows well, and it has a lot of action.

Writers and readers of this forum, really need to help support new stories when they see them. Just take five minutes out of your time and give them a read. Who knows, you might be pleasantly surprised. I know I was.

[MidnightDave]

ya your right jabberwocky, i was just a little nervous as it was my first fan fic lol, chapter 5 will be coming either later today or tommorrow

[Jabberwocky]

Believe me, I know the feeling. Its a shame that writers here have to almost beg for people to give a simple reply.
SUPPORT YOUR FAN FIC WRITERS!!!!!!!!!!!

/rant over

[MidnightDave]

Well I officially have no life here is chapter 5


Chapter 5
Esamir
Eisa Technology Plant

Halbrad felt secure on his wraith, cloaked to the world and quite protected from the eyes of passing jets. He waited just off one of the bridges that went to the island that the technology plant was on. He was waiting for his opportunity to slip past the bridge guards that protected the island. As he felt the ground shake and heard the rumble of approaching armor, he knew he had his chance, and prepared to infiltrate the island. When the vanguard convoy was close to the bridge he drove, very carefully next to a vanguard and matched its speed, which was very slow compared to the wraith�s top speed. At this low a setting, he was practically immune to the shimmer that came with moving the wraith and was easily able to slip right under the noses of the watchful guards. When he was a fair distance from the guard post, he punched his wraith's speed and zoomed away from the convoy to find a place to dismount and hide his ATV.

Terran Republic Sanctuary

�Sir, it has been over four hours since we last received contact from Halbrad, I�m afraid that we must classify him as missing in action and assume that his mission has failed,� the nervous technician told General DeAtHwIsH. �I know,� the commander sighed, �Prepare for battle, mobilize all units, assemble at the Forseral warpgate, we will move to Oshur in three hours.�

Esamir
Eisa Technology Plant

After finding a suitable location far away from the normal traffic of the base, he crept, silently and quietly, towards the back door of the facility. When he got to the door, he habitually took out his REK only to find that the base was neutral? While he was contemplating why a tech plant on a contested continent would be neutral, he felt a knife touch the back of his neck. His entire body froze while his life flashed before his eyes. A voice whispered behind him, �Don�t even twitch, or ill shove this through the back of your neck so fast, you wont have time to feel it. Now uncloak yourself.� Halbrad complied as he wondered why he had not been killed yet, it was not customary to let spies live. As he turned around his face widened in shock at the man staring back at him, he could not believe that it was him!

[Jabberwocky]

Suspense! Dun dun duuuuun!