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[@Dragonruby]

The scar in real-space did not go unnoticed. Even before it could be picked up visually, sensors throughout the star system began to wail as the hole widened and unique patterns of radiation emerged. It was not the usual flare of neutrons and gamma radiation common in Ouroboros space. As the enraged reddish hue of the vortex grew larger, the first satellites to detect it were hailing the nearest warhost, relaying the data as quickly as it was gathered. The vortex stabilized at the L4 point of a moderately sized ice-covered world. The world itself was orbited by a small formation of warships, the personal escort of Lord Amenmesh. 

---

"The observers could not recognize the engineering of the craft." 

"Very well. Al-Saga, inform the heretic that he is to maintain his position. I do not want him interfering. Al-Ninsil, continue to search the hulk. The archive is not far."

The Lord made his way back to the landing craft on the ice world's surface, nearly a kilometer away from the wrecked Church spacecraft they were investigating. Within the hour, he was aboard his warship again, stepping aboard the bridge as the command crew began to hail the unknown craft that had just dropped into real-space.

"My Lord, we have made an attempt to hail the vessels. They are seven in number and appear to be armed. Our engineers were unable to identify their origin. Please forgive our initiative. I feared for your safety while you were planet-bound."

"All is forgiven. You have done well. Plot us a course to bring us in orbit of the L4 anomaly. Make all crews battle-ready."

"As you bid."

The Lord retreated from the command deck, floating down the corridors to his personal quarters before acceleration planted his feet to the floor. As the escort party began their maneuver to the anomaly, Amenmesh stripped himself of his environmental hardsuit and donned instead his battle armor.

---

It was a matter of hours before the party neared the unknown spacecraft, and the Ouroboros escorts-turned-battlegroup had received no signal that could be accurately pinned as Ophisian in origin.

[i]Xenos, then,[/i] Amenmesh thought to himself. He and a few others aboard his personal craft had already donned their armor and were prepared to board the unknown vessels if necessary. Several of the escorts had boarding parties prepared as well, loaded into small armored shuttles with great sharp claws on the forward ends.

The warhost slowed, falling into a wide orbit around the L4 point and the vortex-like anomaly, their gunnery crews having already acquired firing solutions on the unknown vessels. Lord Amenmesh was the most reserved of his brother-lords, not keen to shed blood or sacrifice his people in what looked to be an uneven battle. The battlegroup was outnumbered, with only four warships to the unknown party's seven. Amenmesh could only hope his was the first shot fired.

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