The End

[AztecWarrior]

A clarification:

-This is the official end to my stories.

-I am not going to stop writing after this. This occurs in the future. I will keep writing about the Auraxian Civil War.

-Thus, this merely exists as the final chapter, but I will add more that occur before this.

-I am doing this now because people's interest in PS is waning, and due to recent events, PSU is at risk of closing. Check the Lounge for more info.

[Roswell34]

Ack!! there goes a massive heart attack. new story soon i hope!

[AztecWarrior]

The war was changed.

First off, no longer did soldiers fight in loosely organized outfits. About 5 years from the end, everything was consolidated in the traditional squad/company/battalion/division, etc. organization.

Secondly, naval warfare came into play 7 years from the end. Warpgates were extended allowing ships to travel from planet to planet. The NC was first, deploying a carrier and two battleships to Searhus- which managed to stay NC the entire time they were afloat until the others came in with their own fleets. Ships ranged from carriers, battleships, and missile cruisers to midget subs, torpedo boats, and patrol boats.

As usual, TR ships had guns that reloaded quicker but did less damage, and had more armor. NC ships had bigger, slower guns that did more damage. VS ships had lighter armor and better agility and beam weapons that simplified aiming greatly, being able to aim at your target and not over it.

Anti-aircraft defenses have been revolutionized with the invention of the Sky Guardian SAM. This light, mobile device could be put in an entrenched emplacement, mounted on a structure, or carried by the Skyguard II AA buggy, which gave up its 37mm cannon. It could take down a Mosquito in one hit and cripple a Reaver so badly it had to return to base. Two or three would kill a Liberator, and it took mutliples to knock out a transport.

On the ground, soldiers were now using better guns. Gone were the 9mm weapons. The NC used 6.8mm short rifle cartridges on a much-modified Gauss, called the Tesla. The TR changed to 5.45 short rifle cartridges for their new Advanced Cycler. The VS engineers managed to keep up by boosting the damage of an individual energy cell, resulting in an unchaged Pulsar that did more damage. These changes revolutionized the infantryman's battle.

Armor, too, had been upgraded. Agile now gave 125 units of protection and RExo 215. Cloakers got a flak vest worth 15. It wouldn't stop a bullet, but it would help against fragments. Pilot armor was the same as Agile, but it replaced the heavy helmet with a pilot's headset for their new aircraft, with the loss of 25 points of protection.

Everything else had been upgraded. Tanks were heavier, buggies were faster, and aircraft were better.

Aircraft, especially. The Hornet replaced the Mosquito. It had better engines, a little bit more armor, radar, and the ejection seat. Aircraft now carried missiles- the Hornet carried two anti-air and two anti-ground target missiles, which varied by empire. Once you fired your four, you reloaded from the trunk. The 12mm gun was unmodified, but it now spat out bullets at a staggering 1,200 rounds per minute- you couldn't hear each round going off.

The Reaper replaced the Reaver. It carried a three-barrel rotary 25mm gun firing at 1,500 round per minute. It had radar, ejection, etc. and better missiles, ones capable of hitting a target beyond visual range. It carried four anti-tank missiles and two anti-air missiles, which were reloaded from the trunk once fired.

Bombers and transports were upgraded, and all aircraft were now unrestricted in movement- they could do loops, rolls, and other moves that were restricted earlier.

And so it progressed....seven years after the Christmas two hour truce, the stage was set for the end of the war.

[Rbstr]

wait aztec your not finishing Alamo first?

[AztecWarrior]

Originally Posted by Rbstr

wait aztec your not finishing Alamo first?

No. This is more important. Alamo will be finished, soon.

[AztecWarrior]

It had been seven years since the events in "Alamo". Seven years since the Christmas truce, nine in all.

AztecWarrior, the NC Reaver ace, had been promoted to Major. Rumor had it that he was going to recieve a Cross of the New Conglomerate, the highest award availible. He commanded his own fighter wing. He was credited with hundreds of aerial kills.

The Black Hawks, his last outfit before the reorganization, mostly ventured off into different areas, but they were still friends and collaborators in operations. They went off into different areas, including Cloaker Infantry, MAX Infantry, Airborne Calvary, Armored, etc.

But by then, he didn't care.

He was a broken man. He'd already spent some time in an asylum. His nerves always felt as if they were on fire. He couldn't relax. He was always jittery, never feeling secure, never laid back. Shell shock. By mid-war, In his sleep, the little of it he got, visions of evil beings, of the war, of horror, always filled his mind. His wing always found him depressed and brooding, except perhaps in combat, when he was excited, mostly out of duty, not any personal satisfaction in taking life.

There was no medication availible except the two-week vacation everyone got yearly, and even then, he simply lied in bed, staring at the cieling, fumbling for more cigarettes, hoping the tobacco would fill the wounds, hoping that it would all go away, hoping that the war would end and he could pick up the pieces of his life.

He loved his family, and his wife, the light in the cave of his existance. She was Special Forces, working for an agency that didn't officially exist, doing missions deep behind enemy lines, sometimes even into enemy Sanctuaries through a gate hack or enemy vehicle piloted by agents in the TR working for the NC. And then that was deprived from him.

-----------------------------------------------------
Three months before the end
NC Sanctuary
3:07 AM
Aztec's Apartment

Rain, rain, go away.

It rained heavily outside.

AztecWarrior, just promoted a Major, was on his vacation. It was his last day. The next day he would return to the barracks at Gunuku on Cyssor- the bases had large scale barracks now. As usual, he was halfway through a pack of Victory cigarettes. The tobacco tasted like manure, but they were cheap, and he was fresh out of his beloved Triple Eights.

He lied on the bed, still in armor, the occasional tear running down his face. The visions, they haunted him. A scene from his latest sortie ran fresh in his mind. He was no longer in the bed. He was in his Reaper, flying with three others.

"VS transports, two o'clock high!" he shouted, out loud. "No escorts." They were still about 5 kilometers away, just a speck.

"Turkey shoot, all right!" shouted out Wince, his wingman.

Aztec closed in and locked onto the target. The missile's guidance system locked on perfectly. The missile lock tone came on.

"I've got tone on the first one. Peregrine away!" he shouted, firing off the Peregrine air-to-air missile. The Peregrine worked flawlessly, slamming into the side of the Galaxy but not knocking it down. It usually took around three or four to kill a beast like the Galaxy.

"Peregrine away!" shouted out Wince.

"Peregrine away!" shouted out HawkEyes.

"Peregrine away!" shouted out Brewster.

After the third, the Galaxy fireballed, buckled and fell to Cyssor in two different pieces.

"Second one's coming up fast- I'll do a cannon run." shouted out Aztec. They both had their afterburners on, him and the Galaxy. They crossed, the rear 12mm turret roaring. Aztec turned and unleashed the 25mm turret on the Galaxy. Shreds were ripped off. He hit the turret, silencing the torrent of tracers coming out of the back. He let loose another missile, blowing off the vehicle door and letting out an ANT.

And that's when it all went to hell.

"Shit, I'm being painted! BANDITS, BEHIND US!"

"BOGEYS....THEY'VE FIRED!"

Aztec turned and fired off flares to distract the VS missiles, which used an energy explosive which was basically a superpowered Comet projectile. It was to no avail. He took a hit to the engine. It sputtered and died out. The other one couldn't keep up the power.

He heard screams over the radio.

The screams.

Someone had been hit in the cockpit.

Aztec began to cry into his pillow.

The Reaper, his steed, down in flames. Ground, sky, ground, sky, ground, sky, tree, explosion.

What had he done to deserve this fate? He never died, he respawned, always. The suffering, the pain, it all continued. He would die in the most horrible way to wake up and die again, like Promethius, the Greek figure, chained to Olympus. For giving flame to the humans, he was forced to have a bird come and peck his liver out, and every day, it would grow back and he would suffer again.

And again.

And again.

His cigarette ran out. He lit another one, and that's when the doorbell rang. He dried out his wet face and walked to the door, his armor weighing a ton. It was some high ranking NC- a Lieutenant Colonel and a high enlisted chaplain. He opened the door. It slid open.

"Major AztecWarrior?" asked the colonel.

"Yes, sir." he said, saluting. "Come in, it's raining."

"Thank you." he said.

"Sit down. Want something to drink? Water, soda, liquor?"

"Water, please." they said, simultaneously. Aztec returned with two glasses of water. They sat down on the couch..

"So, what brings you here, sir?" he asked.

"Major, I understand you've been in a bad condition. However, I have some urgent news, and I think it's best to tell you." said the chaplain.

"Well, go ahead."

"Your wife...Warrant Officer Black Widow...she was on a mission in the TR Sanctuary when she was caught. The TR can't kill her, because she'll just respawn, but..."

"...she's imprisoned." finished Aztec.

"...I'm afraid so. She was on a very important mission. Believe me when I say this, I was her commanding officer." said the colonel.

Aztec stared at the floor. Silence. He'd been a prisoner, quite a few months. The torture...the horrors....he wished to think of it no more, to take his knife and carve it out of his mind. But he couldn't. The wounds were too deep. The electrocutions, the beatings, the stabbings...

"You can't get her free from there." said Aztec.

"Believe me, we're trying. But it will be very difficult, and we can't risk more spies being caught."

Right there, he went into a flashback. Aztec screamed as the TR surrounding him applied the shock coils. He fell to the floor, convulsing, screaming for his life to end. After a few moments, the two snapped him out of hit.

"Oh...oh, not again. J....just....can....if they can, I'll...I'll take her place..."

"They won't accept that."

"...I....I know....j....just....just...justjust...."

He stopped when he realized that it was hopeless.

"....thank you. I can handle this by myself."

"Are you sure?"

"Of...yes. Please, good bye."

"Good bye, soldier. Try not to let it get to your head." said the colonel. The chaplain muttered that it wasn't a good idea to leave him alone to the colonel, and he left as well.

Aztec curled up into a ball and shivered.

[DeepStrikeck]

*cough* rambo ass kicking style time *cough*

[AztecWarrior]

The final battle scene...which, by the way, there WILL be one, will the battle that will surpass everything, ever.

Interestingly, for English extra credit, they are taking stories to the Youth Fair...if I can just condense this all and replace the webbernet names with real ones...we could have our entry right here.

I want THE culminating battle scene. I've already got a huge, massive plot twist that will bend your minds. I've actually spent time not writing just to plan this all.

[Rbstr]

must have a cool scene atleast once in your stories, plz aztec!

[drsomewhere]

Pleasure to read as always. Make haste for all that is holy in this world!

[AztecWarrior]

Three days before the end.
----------------------------------------------------
Galaxy LGJ-22
Planet Azure Rings, capital of the Blue Tribe of the Confederated Vanu League
----------------------------------------------------

Delegates began to come in from all over the CVL. The nine tribes, as always, were in a state of peace and virtual utopia. The shape-shifter Vanu, the real ones, not the Sovereignty.

The rolling hills, full of bright blue grasses and teal rocks and mountains, shone with a piercing red light- the Red Tribe's delegate was now completing the long 34 minute flight, the longest of all the delegates.

Two prowling Mantis Raptors, three-meter beasts which could rip open a human in one slice (and had in a freak Vanu Sovereignty teleport accident), ran from the landing site and the Red Delegate stopped from just under lightspeed flight. Scared into attack mode, one Raptor advanced towards the Vanu, who had used the form of a lightning bolt. The Vanu assumed natural form, which was more or less a levitating reptiloid. It had two legs, a tail, four arms, and a fairly normal face except for the energy crystal in the forehead.

It wouldn't have looked too out of place in a contemporary human RPG.

Redstone, the name of the tribal chieftain, simply concentrated. Technology may have helped, but the mind, the soul, was the true power. The crystal on his crimson skin turned from white to a deep grey, with flashes of yellow and blue and sharp ultraviolet. He transmitted shock and fear to the Raptor, which ran away in fear.

"Works every time." he chuckled.

He hovered over to the capital altar, where the reigonal Blue Tribesmen and women were all bowing. He felt no need for a conference, but respected the decision of his fellow tribesmen. The Blue Capital Temple rose from behind a hill, proudly showing off its beaming blue columns, rotunda, arches, capitals, and statues. It contrasted with the multicolor homes of the other Vanu. All official buildings were in the tribe's color.

He arrived in the building and took his seat in the circle, between the Infrared Delegate and the Yellow Delegate. In the corner was the secretary. All Vanu citizens across the realm could listen to the conference solely by concentrating.

"The meeting has begun. The issues at hand are to be addressed in this sequence." announced the secretary.

"One. The Green and Violet Tribes have expressed concern over the Auraxis system war. Despite repeated attempts to end the war, via giving them respawning, a more suited environment to quicken the end, and signals from our Auraxian Core, it has been nine of their years since the fight. Countless have died but all have respawned. The Greens and Violets have developed a plan to end this and resume our normal experimentation on the planets.

Two. The Covenant is preparing to make war upon the Terran Republic once more. They have an attack fleet ready to enter the Milky Way once their council approves this measure. The Terrans are very well prepared, though will be caught off guard. Our telepathers predict large casualties on both sides, but as the Covenant now respawn, this is another useless battle.

Three. The Ultraviolet tribe expresses concern over the possibility of our Confederation being discovered. As we know, the humans in Auraxis know that we existed, and have attempted to access our worlds. What are we to do if they realize that and attempt to make war on us?

Various other issues may be proposed after these three are settled. The Green Leader speaks."

Emeraldin rose and hovered over the rest.

"As we know, our experiment on Auraxis has been disrupted by the human war. Neither the Terran Republic, New Conglomerate, or the Vanu Sovereingty has been able to get the upper hand. We cannot allow them to suffer so. As the Secretary has said, all attempts at finishing this war have failed. No side has even been able to attempt an invasion of an empire's stronghold for years.

Thus, the Violet Chieftain has an idea, though you may not like it."

The Violet Cheiftain rose, the Green Chieftain sitting down.

"As you know, the only reason this war has been able to go on is the respawn technology. Our technology allows them to fight without fear, to die without valor, to keep going. Obviously, the cost in human life will be huge without it. However, it will end.

Neither Bending, BFRs, or the Meteor Passes have proved possible to end this war. Therefore, I propose we deprive the Auraxis system of its respawns. Yes, what we have avoided- death- will occur. However, it may lead to peace...it may even be possible to force the empires to the peace table if we accompany it with a message warning them."

"Preposterous!" shouted out the Orange Cheiftain.

"You want to kill them for peace?" asked the Ultraviolet Chieftain.

"In effect...yes."

"Well, it appears our only option." said the Green Chieftain. "I ask to vote on this measure."

"The Green Tribe requests vote on the issue. Does someone second the proposal?"

"I second it." said the Violet Cheiftain.

"The proposal has been seconded and we will now vote on the issue."

[AztecWarrior]

Three days before the end.
-----------------------------------------------------
Off the coast of Cyssor
NCAN CVN-1 "Independence"
-----------------------------------------------------

"Flight, we are to simply transfer to Gunuku. That's why the Osprey anti-ship missiles are being taken off and the Owl anti-armor missiles being put on. Remember, the Owl needs your laser guidance, or the missile cannot track a moving target. Of course, that's not a problem for stationary targets."

Aztec was going to lead a flight of 12 Reapers and 4 Hornets off of the carrier Independence and to Gunuku. The waves rocked the flatdeck a bit as Aztec stood on the runway, staing at the mostly new recruits. The sea was relatively rough that day, and it would only get worse, as a thunderstorm was predicted.

"There probably won't be any enemy aircraft, as the VS are mostly in the north, but we aren't going to take chances- don't afterburn all the way. We will take off, and from there, obey the leader of your four-man group. Fly in a finger four formation- remember, like fingers on a hand.

I want Group 2 to fly to direct right, about 100 meters out. Group 3 flies 75 meters to the back and right of 2. Group 4 flies 75 meters to the back and left of us, like a big wedge. Let's roll."

"Yes, sir!" echoed across the decks.

Aztec pulled the handle on the side of the Reaper, and the canopy opened. He sat down inside, like countless times before. It was mostly the same as the Reaver, but with three displays inside and a radar warning reciever that beeped when you were being targeted and showed the threats. It slid shut. Aztec hooked up the air tube to his helmet, turned his helmet on, and the heads-up display- infinitely more detailed than the Reaver's, with angle of attack, speed, altitude in meters, radar cone, et cetera- all displayed.

"Flight, check systems." he said into radio. He did so himself by selecting the damage indicator. All systems go.

"Deck Control, this is Blue Flight, requesting permission for takeoff." he said.

"Blue Flight, SCRAMBLE! INCOMING FIGHTERS AND BOMBERS!" shouted a female voice over the radio. Aztec saw Sky Guardians spring from the carrier and leave bring trails. He gunned his engines and performed the vertical takeoff.

"Everyone, we got combat. Stay together, take the fighers, then we'll team up on the bombers. Don't shoot a friendly." he said, before aquiring a VS Hornet in his radar. The missile tone was good. He squeezed the trigger.

"Blue 1, Peregrine!"

The Peregrine dropped from his Reaper, found the IR signal it was to track, and blasted towards the enemy Hornet. The enemy pilot panicked.

"SHIT! MISSILE COMING AT ME!" shouted the VS pilot into his radio. He immediately turned and began performing clumsy evasive maneuvers, dropping flares too early. "HELP!" The missile got closer, speeding faster than its sound. He dropped flare after flare, but it was to no avail. The missile slammed into his cockpit.

By now the NC radio was full of chatter, and four VS Hornets were now long trails of flame. And then it was Aztec's turn. The radar warning reciever found that two aircraft had locked on to him. Aztec's spine froze. Then they launched missiles, both from head-on. Aztec turned to the side, aimed his steed at the sea, and dropped six flares in quick succession. One missile lost lock. The other continued towards him. It was getting close. He turned, and saw it, a bright light from the engine with a long trail of white behind. It was going at about a 45 degree angle to his Reaper. Aztec dropped two flares, then turned towards it. By then, the missile was VERY close. Aztec turned as hard as he could. He could hear the Reaper's metal straining to make the turn. He continued, dropping two more flares. The missile couldn't make a turn like that at its rocket speed. It lost track and sped off behind his tailplane.

Aztec then saw that behind the seven remaining VS fighters were six bombers- one already trailing smoke from a Sky Guardian hit. Aztec turned to get behind a VS Reaper. He was still just too far for a shot- the radar indicated a distance of 750 meters. Aztec liked to shoot at under 400. He hit the afterburner and focused on the Reaper, which was trying to get behind a friendly Hornet taking evasive turns. Aztec looked at his display. .65...that was in kilometers, making that 650 meters. The Reaper turned skyward to follow the Hornet. It began shooting, parts ripping off the Hornet.

"This is Gold Three, anyone, get him off me!"

"I"ve got him!" shouted out Aztec as he lit up his 25mm cannon from the range of 500 meters. The tracers danced around the Reaper. Smoke, then thick black smoke, then flames came from the VS craft. Flames were generally the death knell, so Aztec stopped firing. He saw the pilot, on fire, open his canopy and prepare to eject, but he simply fell out, still burning. Another kill...he hoped that Vanu burned on the way down.

Aztec fired off a quick Peregrine at the burning Liberator II, which was basically an up-armored Liberator with radar and the ability to carry many types of bombs, like napalm, cluster, armor-piercing, HE, mine dispensers, etc. It slammed into the ailing port engine and exploded, sending the craft into spirals, but all thee Vanu got out.

Tracers came up from behind him. A Hornet, on his tail! The Reaper shuddered with gunfire. The right engine took a hit. Aztec did one of his trick moves- instead of trying to outturn the Hornet, which was impossible, he tilted his engines, stopped, and began to go backwards. The Hornet's pilot couldn't keep up, and sped by the stopped Reaper. Aztec turned his engines back, hit afterburner, and destroyed the Hornet with a burst from his gun.

And that was the last VS fighter in the air. His flights blasted away a few Peregrines, as the Sky Guardians came up and slammed into them, and the bombers went down in flames.

Aztec did a quick count- they had lost eight fighters, two Hornets and six Reapers. A positive ratio for the pilots, but not enough to win the war.

It never was.

He led the flight back to Gunuku. As he set down, he realized the courtyard was packed with vehicles. Everyone was preparing for defense. Aztec hopped out and stopped a Private First Class.

"Soldier, what's going on?"

"Command just reported that respawns just failed."

[starrider]

interesting.

[DeepStrikeck]

schaweet! this is when things get interesting!

[AztecWarrior]

Aztec ran inside to find the ranking officer. He walked in to find, just outside the front door, in the main room, officers running about, high ranking ones. Colonels, Brigadier Generals, and the like. They were glancing at computer predictions, maps, like it was going out of style. Aztec checked the monitors:

AT BASE:
-114th Armored Platoon "Hell on Wheels"
-17th, 73rd Cloaker Squad "Phantoms, Banshees"
-5th MAX Squad "Big 5th"
-1st Bomber Wing "Ground Pounders"
-42nd Airlift Squadron "Herculeans"
-ARRIVING: 13th Fighter Squadron "Unlucky Enemies"
-EN ROUTE: 14th Fighter Squadron "Double Sevens"

For ground troops and vehicles, they were divided into squads of 10 and platoons of 30. Air units were squadrons and wings of the same amount.

"Who's the ranking officer?" shouted out Aztec. They needed to change the display to show that the Unlucky Enemies were ready.

"I am." said Lt. General Harlowe, behind Aztec. "Lieutenant General Harlowe, commanding this base's armed forces." He had on the general's dress uniform with enough medals to sink him if he ever fell off a boat. And he deserved them- Aztec had seen him, even as a Colonel, leading charges in battle.

"Major AztecWarrior, commanding the 13th Fighters. We've arrived, but we lost a few aircraft. 14th Squadron should be coming after us, and we can regroup to near-wing stregnth."

The 14th was commanded by Lt. Major Flameseeker- a longtime friend of Aztec's. They had fought together back in the day.

"How many did you lose?"

"Eight out of sixteen, sir. We got jumped taking off from the Independence."

"Damn. We need every fighter we can, we're going to form a defensive line. We don't want to take casualties with respawns out- we're going to reinforce the bases in the north. I'm supposed to take my force for a counteroffensive- and you're part of it."

"Yes, sir."

"Once the 14th gets here we can do some real damage- we're going to do an Air Calvary assault right behind them. Can them up real good."

"But what about the TR in the east?"

"Too few of them to make a difference, and we have some reserve forces ready. How are your pilots?"

"They're pretty shaken, sir. Most are new recruits. Now that we don't have..."

Aztec remembered his wife.

"...respawns?"

She can't respawn...they'll kill her, those bastards will kill her... He buried his face in his hands.

"Airman, you all right?"

"Nothing, sir." he raised up. "It's....my wife. They have her imprisoned in the TR Sanctuary. POW. If they kill her now..."

"Good God....can you pull together?"

"Yes, sir....this operation is too critical."

"Good...just don't think about it yet. Think about it when you're on the tail of a TR aircraft."

"Heh...never did like those bastards."

A messenger ran up to the general.

"Sir, we just got word that the TR are breaking through. Command wants you to hold on, that Honsi, the subcap, is going to be their target.

"Damn...I'll agree to that. We can't be eliminated. We'll go protect the subcaps- tell everyone to mobilize, we're going NOW."

"But, sir..." said the messenger.

"Hey, if we lose this subcap, that leaves us with two. And if they manage to hack one more, we are in deep shit and we lose this base. I'm not going to wait for Command to get off its ass and tell us that we need to retake a subcap. The 14th will just have to catch up. Tell Control to tell the 14th to meet us at..."

"I don't think so." said a voice. They turned and it was the Commander of the Armed Forces, the 5-star General Wilson.

"Reports are in that the TR already have cloakers in the base- an assault right now would be dumb. The TR already control the western half of the continent and outnumber us. Furthermore, I have just recieved word that we just lost Faro, the northern subcap..."

-Technology Plant Faro has spawned an LLU! It must be taken to Ekera Amp Station within 15 minutes or the hack will fail!- flashed across Aztec's hud.

"Just failed." completed Aztec.

"We will stay here. We can't give up Gunuku, and our populations just declined with all those people not respawning. If we try to defend the two other subcaps, we'll fail as the other empire can hack the other. Face it- we need to fall back here."

"Yes, sir." said both Harlowe and Aztec.

"We're going to be hit from the west and north- give them hell, General." said Wilson, as he left through the door.

"Two empires converging on Gunuku. I'm going to love this." muttered Aztec.