[center][img]http://i.imgur.com/YfeTZRM.png[/img] [color=#ffffff]Ｃ[/color][color=#dfdfdf]ｈ[/color][color=#a7a7a7]ａ[/color][color=#cbcbcb]ｐ[/color][color=#929292]ｔ[/color][color=#ffffff]ｅ[/color][color=#e0e0e0]ｒ[/color] [color=#d8d8d8]Ｆ[/color][color=#f4f4f4]ｉ[/color][color=#d6d6d6]ｖ[/color][color=#c7c7c7]ｅ[/color] [color=#ffffff]Ｄ[/color][color=#f7f7f7]ｅ[/color][color=#efefef]ａ[/color][color=#e7e7e7]ｔ[/color][color=#dfdfdf]ｈ[/color] [color=#bababa]ｃ[/color][color=#a7a7a7]ｏ[/color][color=#b0b0b0]ｍ[/color][color=#b9b9b9]ｅ[/color][color=#c2c2c2]ｓ[/color] [color=#bdbdbd]ｆ[/color][color=#afafaf]ｏ[/color][color=#a0a0a0]ｒ[/color] [color=#adadad]ｕ[/color][color=#c9c9c9]ｓ[/color] [color=#ffffff]ａ[/color][color=#eaeaea]ｌ[/color][color=#d6d6d6]ｌ[/color][color=#c1c1c1]，[/color] [color=#cdcdcd]ｏ[/color][color=#d2d2d2]ｎ[/color][color=#d8d8d8]ｅ[/color] [color=#e6e6e6]ｗ[/color][color=#ededed]ａ[/color][color=#f4f4f4]ｙ[/color] [color=#e5e5e5]ｏ[/color][color=#dedede]ｒ[/color] [color=#d1d1d1]ａ[/color][color=#cccccc]ｎ[/color][color=#c7c7c7]ｏ[/color][color=#d5d5d5]ｔ[/color][color=#e3e3e3]ｈ[/color][color=#f1f1f1]ｅ[/color][color=#ffffff]ｒ[/color] [sub]It seems that space slugs do not enjoy humans, not even as food.[/sub] ————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————— —————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————[/center] The knowledge of war was quite big for humans - we had after all experienced decades of war, and had compiled books upon books on the art of warfare. So, it should come as no surprise, that the humans were not too surprised when they heard of the report that there was now war - [i]started by a pacifist empire no less.[/i] We did not interfere, as it was not our place and we likely did not have the power to do so either. Our fleet was 20 corvettes strong at this moment which was barely enough to police our own systems. We did not see a reason in entering a war, as this would 'result in a net loss of minerals anyway.' Instead we focused on continuing our exploration. We were faced with another space station that much resembled that of the curators. We knew what to do now - so we launched an investigation, started communication, and began translating their language. When that was done, these people revealed themselves to be 'the Artisan Troupe.' Some kind of vague space-station filled with good-for-nothings that instead of brigandry had chosen to spend their lives making 'art' and selling it. A worthy goal.. had it not been for the fact that their interpretation of art was very different from ours. [center][img]http://i.imgur.com/CZ7lylP.png[/img] [img]http://i.imgur.com/7zRWB4H.png[/img][/center] We said our farewells to them and did not expect to need their help in the future. We continued our exploration routines and focused on our home systems again, where we decided to upgrade our frontier post on the 'south' border of the Gorothian seaslug empire. Here we built many mining and research stations to mine the plentiful resources and knowledge. [center][img]http://i.imgur.com/gKODRv2.png[/img][/center] While this was happening, we also made a point out of it to actually combat-test our ships. We engaged with some crystals, as we were quite sure we could break them and destroy them. Our scientists, too, were eager to see what the crystals were made of and what we could learn from their ... 'dead bodies.' So to speak. The engagement went swimmingly and we did not encounter any problems, though we lost two ships in the combat as the crystals shot their .. crystals at us. We referred to these as 'shards.' Sadly we could not discover and replicate the throwing of shards as weapons for ourselves, but our scientists did discover that we could use the left-over crystals from the entities as shielding in our hulls, to reinforce them and strengthen them. This seemed like a good idea, but needed to be researched more for us to be sure that it would work. To me, it seemed like a good idea, as the Gorothian threat was growing ever larger and our neighbors had not yet offered their help. [center][img]http://i.imgur.com/KnO64R7.png[/img][/center] As time passed, we also discovered a black hole with a space station nearby. As we translated their comms again, we discovered they were another curator enclave. While this was not so interesting, we did take a nice picture of the black hole in the distance with the spacestation hovering in front. [center][img]http://i.imgur.com/zmEkaod.png[/img][/center] As our science ships continued exploring the galaxy, making our way around it entirely to get to the planet we needed to survey (the last one!) to stop the mass extinction of planet Earth, we also came across something that our scientists referred to as 'a ring world.' This thing was impressive on its' own, as we could not imagine building such a thing let alone having the technology to even dream it up. But as we surveyed it, we found out that the metal was in fact [i]living.[/i] An impressive thing, and our scientists thought they might've been able to replicate it. The application of that was something I could not think of but the scientists assured me they would find some material use for it. That was satisfying to hear, at least. We might earn minerals off of it. [center][img]http://i.imgur.com/SGldAma.png[/img][/center] The following years were of little importance, perhaps, in the grand scheme of things. Greater things were afoot, though the Human empire did not quite realize that yet. We grew our empire and improved on our infrastructure, building new food plants and power plants, and mining up more minerals than ever before. But nothing we did could possibly save us. This will likely be my last journal entry, as the Gorothians have declared they will harvest our meat. They have declared war. [center][img]http://i.imgur.com/rvWq7eX.png[/img][/center] [hr] The following is a compilation of precursor artifacts found by a species that inhabited Sol and it's surrounding regions a few million years later. The human race had fallen, but their memory had not - that is, if the species could find enough of the artifacts. [hr] [center][img]http://i.imgur.com/MeIlmMs.png?1[/img][/center] “Sir, we have confirmation that the Gorathian fleet is approaching Alpha Centauri space-port.” “Order space-port to engage.” “Copy. Alpha Centauri, you are cleared to engage targets at will. God speed.” “... do we have a visual on the fight?” “Coming up now sir.” In front of the military general, a screen flickers momentarily before a nearby scout ship transmits a video signal, showing the carnage occurring directly above Alpha Centauri. As the mass drivers of the space port whirl up and begin engaging targets, it takes down a mere three corvettes before the fleet overpowers it and shoots it down. The spaceport breaks up into pieces and the pieces drift away, some of them heading towards the planet. The destruction that will be caused by these massive pieces of steel would be unimaginable, but before they can even land on Alpha Centauri, the fleet rolls on it's axis and begins shooting it's drivers at Alpha Centauri. The hits, which are enormous, can be seen from space. “By God.” “Sir, we have lost communcation with Alpha Centauri south colony. North colony is reporting heavy losses and Gorothian dropships approaching. They are requesting exfiltration, but there are no ships left to exfiltrate them. Please advise.” “... close down the comms to Alpha Centauri. Bring report to high command that Alpha Centauri is lost and should be considered Gorothian territory now.” “Sir?” “You heard me. They're dead - we can't do anything for them. Scramble the fleet and order them to approach Earths' spaceport.” “... yes sir. Shutting down communications to Alpha Centauri. ... God help them.” “There is no God, dead or alive, that can help them now.” [hr] [center][img]http://i.imgur.com/uBdQjUD.png[/img][/center] As the fleet positions itself above Earth, just like they had done in Alpha Centauri, the debris from the human fleet being destroyed is already starting to enter the orbit towards Earth. They had attempted to escape towards Earth when it was clear that the 30 corvettes could not win the battle against the 64 enemy corvettes and the cruisers they had brought along. It had been futile, as during the escape the remnants were shot down with remarkable ease. The Gorothian forces continued their display of superiority, shooting down at Earth, bombarding it and obliterating whatever resistance was still there. While the military of the UNE scrambled to organize, VTOL ships flying to and fro, attempting to centralize some form of military resistance, the Gorothian dropships once again approached. From the apartment of the man that was once the advisor and assistant to the Chancellor - who had died during the initial stages of the war - you could see clearly the shells raining down on earth as the Gorothian forces entered London. In the streets, combat roared. The First Defense Garrison of London prepared to repel the attack, taking up a stand near the UNE headquarters. The gunfire was louder than one would think, the characteristic shots of the human guns rivalling the strange and foreign clacks of the Gorothian weaponry. At first, the gunfire had been fierce, but over time screams, yells and black smoke took over. In the headquarters themselves, the garrison was now trying to hole up after a mere fifteen minutes of combat. For every Gorothian they had killed they had lost five men themselves. As they protected the front entrance, building a chokepoint out of debris and whatever machine guns they left, a shell from orbit hit the building, blasting an opening in the top. Whoever wasn't dead right away would die almost immediately at the hands of elite Gorothian forces that were now entering in a dropship through the new hole. Deeper down in the headquarters, the scientists were busy destroying or preserving whatever they could find. The humans did not intend to give the Gorothian an even bigger advantage over the next civilization they attempted to conquer. It wouldn't matter ultimately - the sea-slugs-in-space found little use for whatever humans had cooked up, considering their own technology far more impressive. One scientist was busy moving a desk to cover his door, barricading himself in to buy some more time for himself to destroy whatever scientific things were on his personal computer. Just as he was dragging the desk somewhat close to the door, the door swung open, revealing two space-slugs staring at him. He quickly reached for a pistol, but one of the Gorothian scumbags grabbed his arm and came closer with it's face, it's two mustache-tentacles moving when it did. It unleashed a roar of sorts, and then the other seaslug raised its' gun and mowed the scientist down with a barrage of at least thirty bullets. The clack of the gun would alert the rest of the hallway to their presence, but the Gorothians were okay with that. They wanted the humans to fear them, so that whoever would be caught as slave would serve their new master faithfully and would not think of stupid things like 'rebellion.' [center]Such ended the reign of the United Nations of Earth[/center] [hr] Sorry for a lack of pictures of the war, I was too busy yelling 'what the fuck' at my screen when I saw the declaration of war to realize that I was still in the progress of writing the AAR. I hadn't expected for the AAR to end so soon, but there's nothing left to really do, as they took both Alpha Centauri and Sol, and I don't have anything left I can work with. :lol