[u][center][h2]Kasius System[/h2][/center][/u] 

The sky on Kasius was clear blue, without a cloud in the sky. At first it appeared to be a terrorist attack of the highest caliber when a distant explosion just outside of the atmosphere signaled the Divine Class Command Ship's explosion. So great was it that even those on the ground directly facing it could feel the slightest tremor in the air, like a small wave passing over them. If it were terrorists, the act would have ended there. 

Less than a minute later, unidentified flying objects began to descend rapidly onto the planet in a uniform but ruthless fashion. As they came closer, they slowed down and became more visible. They were ships, resembling the heads of axes. Despite their slowing descent, they hit the surface none too softly. A few of the ships crushed various Varusch Troops and a small contingent of AC-350 Assault Drones. When the dropships were done landing, it was the beginning of the end for the Agonis hold over the system. 

As the ships began to open, hundreds of thousands of Hexanagallion Reavers, Warriors, and Destroyers waded out onto the Kasius surface and began to systematically tear apart any who stood in their path. Oh, the songs would not omit how formidably the Agonis collective was, of course. Krux would see to that, for as he observed from his Harbinger Commandship above, he noted that the various troops of the machines were much more of a challenge on the ground than in a dog fight. He grinned, his mandibles curving. 

So were his troops. 

He watched as an orange plated Reaver disemboweled a Varusch Brute and ripped the head off of a tiny Khraal conscript, only to be gunned down by the curious biomechanical abomination known as a 'Rejected Chimera.' The Reaver's armor held for a moment or two before his center was torn to shreds by the bullets. Krux continued to gaze and nodded with satisfaction as a fellow Reaver, clad in similar orange, attempted to exact justice against the monstrosity. He leaped from cover to cover through the hail of fire, before rolling out into the open and taking 3 bullets before slicing into the fleshy center of the beast. It didn't kill it however, and the Reaver ducked a heavy swing of the thing's gun, grabbed the device and heaved the off balanced thing with all of his might, sending the creature end over end to hit the ground hard. As it slowly began to get up, the Reaver began hacking it apart, before taking out its Scythe pistol and ending the things life. How Krux wished he was down there to aid his brothers. 

Soon. 
[@Sigma]
[hr] 
[u][center][h2]Entering Musashi Space[/h2][/center][/u]

The Harbinger Command Ship was the largest vessel in the HRF's fleet, second only to the artificial Homeworlds they create to substitute entire planets. This Harbinger was dubbed H'arkruk, or [i]The Cleaver of Worlds[/i], and at its command deck was Warmaster Daixanos. His great armor of Gold with red outlines signifying his system glinted in the overhead lights. He stood at the center of the deck, upon his platform. He had not been upon his personal ship in many years, since he had last conquered a system and had not been stationed as the Warmaster of Raulek and the Fel'Blade system (and all its vassal systems). It was good to be home. 

At H'arkruk's fore and back were 50 Predator class Frigates. They were only a show of force, and not meant to be used unless absolutely necessary. It would not be long before they reached the Musashi system. He had sent a transmission out to request an audience with the Nation's leaders. They had not replied back as of yet, but he was confident they would shortly. It would be hard to ignore an armed fleet. "Divine Light, give us guidance." he whispered.
[@Darkspleen]
[hr]
[u][center][h2]Xeno-Barbarian Space[/h2][/center][/u] 

This was a fine night, if Warmaster Gatar had ever seen one. He sat within a field of his brothers, surrounded by stars in the sky and corpses on the ground. He was surprised they could still see the stars in the sky, for what roared beside him was the largest group of (purposeful) fires the system had seen. He nodded to his battle commanders as they joined around him, having flown in from the other planets of the system. They sat down and began to eat on the field of victory. Behind them, Hexanagallion warriors heaved Tisk-Tiski and ApSankar bodies into the fires as the commanders devoured the remains of what was left of their enemies. 

"A good fight. I had forgotten how hard ApSankar's die." one of the commanders said, biting into a cooked arm of the aforementioned enemy. "I had not fought their kind since I was first blooded." A few of the other commanders agreed with nods, and they began retelling old war stories as they enjoyed themselves. Gatar sat at the center of them, his metal appendage shining in the firelight. He had lost it fighting ApSankar's dozens of years ago, and it gave him pause. 

It was a weight they all felt, he knew. Even as the Battle Commander spoke and reminisced and laughed, he knew they felt it too. The times were changing. For centuries, the HRF had purposefully stayed their hand from invading the barbarians, for they provided a good fight for the younger warriors. No need to exterminate them. Let them come at their forces and hold them back year after year. But now, this conquering heralded an end to their previous way of life. An end to their way of preparation. It heralded an end, but also a beginning. Where would it lead?