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Post by Lute on Dec 28, 2016 16:02:29 GMT -5
It had been a long time since Onyon wore battle armor. He stood on the bridge of his cruiser, looking out the transparisteel viewport at the dreary of a desert planet below. Kabocha was one of the most ancient of the Frieza Force held planets. The Pukinpa Dynasty had always bowed before their Frost Demon lords, and paid their dues. Loyalists to the end.
Today, they would be bowing down before a new queen.
A single cruiser didn't stand a chance against an entire fleet of Frieza Force ships. But, there were Saiyans aboard the ship, willing to fight to the death for their new Dominion. From what Onyon understood, the announcement of a unified Saiyan people had gone to much of the amusement of the Frieza Force, and even the Galactic Patrol. Few took them as a serious threat. He knew he would end their laughter today.
He gripped the collar of his armor with both hands and turned, facing his men, standing stalwart as possible. He towered over most of them by a good foot and a half, so it wasn't too hard to seem intimidating. Many were fresh faced Saiyan youths, or old and worn veterans. There wasn't much in between. Such was the way of those who lived to fight. Death often took its harsh toll.
"Ten of you will don stealth vac-suits and head into the void. You're going to concentrate on distracting or eliminating their destroyers and space defenses. They won't be expecting attacks from space-bound infantry. Get up close and personal if you need to. We will drop ten attack pods outside of the battle zone for you to fall back to once you've completed your objective. You'll then join the rest of us on the ground assault."
A handful of Saiyans could deal a lot of damage if utilized properly. Onyon hated leaving his men floating in the abyss of space, but they didn't have a navy capable of contending with the Frieza Force.
"Rumor has it that Lord Rime is visiting the Kabochian king. This is the perfect chance for us to take down one of the Frieza Force's influential leaders. That will certainly get their attention."
There was a mixed murmur of excitement and fear among the crowd. Saiyans were brave and noble warriors, but most of them were not stupid. Taking down a Frost Demon wasn't the simplest of tasks. In fact, Onyon wondered if he were even prepared to face such a foe in his current state. During his heyday, he wouldn't have batted an eye at the notion. But, he had been in retirement for awhile before Queen Radia's arrival. His age was getting to him as well.
He pointed his finger, selecting the strongest fighters he had in the group. None of them winced at being picked for this much harder and risky mission. Many in the mercenary world would have called it suicide. One rupture in their vac-suits and they were dead before long. That wasn't a glorious way to die, at the least bit. But, these were warriors fighting for a cause greater than themselves.
The selected fighters pulled on the jet black vac-suits and slipped on the helmets. It was silent aboard the cruiser, the only sound a chorus of clicks as and the hiss of sealing atmosphere.
"Your suits are equipped with cloaking devices and signal dampeners. It will be near impossible for them to find you visually and with scanners. If you keep moving, you should be safe. Fight well, honorable warriors."
Onyon the Black Lightning put a fist to his chest. The selected soldiers mimicked this salute and then filed off the bridge, headed for the nearest airlocks.
"The rest of you, let's get this ship into position."
As the cruiser lurched forward closer to the planet, they were pinged by the spaceport command and the destroyers positioned there. Onyon had the signals ignored. It didn't take long before a half dozen destroyers swept in, their bulbous disc shapes looming towards the sleek Saiyan cruiser.
"Drop the attack pods."
From the rear of the cruiser a dozen or so attack pods were dropped. They would drift on inertia closer to the battlefield, and hopefully by the time all was done any surviving warriprs could get into one and make their descent.
The airlocks popped open and the covert Saiyans slipped into the black. Onyon had no idea about their positions. The stealth vac-suits did their job well, that was for sure. Before the destroyers even moved into intercept range, they started to take fire from his warriors.
Streaking beams and spheres of ki were hurled into them, causing their shields to flare hot as they struggled to deflect. Onyon watched in cold silence as battle ensued. The shields went down on the lead destroyer and it was engulfed in a barrage of ki bolts, erupting and exploding with a brilliant flash. The other destroyers broke formation. From the bellies of the vessels Frieza Force soldiers, clad in sealed battle armor and wielding arm cannons poured out into space. Many were incinerated by Saiyan blasts in an instant.
It was all out war and Onyon loved it.
"Good, we have them distracted. Take us down to the citadel. We have a date with Lord Rime and the King," Onyon said.
The excitement was rising in his chest now he. He cracked his knuckles and smiled.
"For the Dominion!" the warriors aboard his ship shouted. |
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Post by Lute on Dec 30, 2016 14:22:51 GMT -5
Queen Radia studied the events unfolding from her private suite aboard the cruiser. Onyon was the Supreme Commander. That meant that she had entrusted him with leading the entirety of her military forces. It was a bit boring for her, having to sit on the sidelines. Radia much preferred to get up in there and help with the fight herself. She also had to keep the lives of her men in mind. She wouldn't be able to live with herself if they befell a horrible fate while she hung back like some kind of weakling.
The downside of being Queen was she had learn to balance that with allowing them to live and fight as warriors. Leave them to die and she was a bad leader, baby them and she was insulting their pride. Still, she didn't think they would have much of a problem getting past the fleet of Frieza Force ships.
Onyon's experience in hundreds of conflicts proved to be exceptional. His plan to use stealth infantry fighters in vac-suits was something she had never seen before.
She would have approached it far differently, more than likely using attack pods to bypass their ships and land directly on the planet. That would have put her men on top of the enemy land forces, where the orbital support wouldn't do much. It was a standard tactic for forces with weak naval strength. Yet, there was one major flaw--and that was the fact that it was much harder to leave when enemy destroyers and cruisers were waiting to snipe your attack pods on the way out.
Onyon had solved that singlehandedly.
The Saiyan cruiser entered the atmosphere, flames filling Radia's viewport. The desert landscape of Kabocha fell into sight. There were sprawling dunes, stlawart mesas and sweeping steppes, each of which spread out for as far as her eyes could see. There were sparse ponds and lakes dotting the countryside where the little bit of water on the planet pooled.
The Kabocahans, like many other early spacefaring societies had nearly devoured their homeworld's resources. She knew they often got shipments of liquid water, to supplement what little they could pull up in their wells and filtering systems.
The Grand City, as it was known took up half the horizon. Perhaps in ancient times the grand towers and skyscrapers had once been beautiful to behold. But, what she saw was a gritty and dilapidated metropolis. Many of the core Frieza Force worlds were this way. They had suffered through war and over taxation for centuries. She would fix that, once this was all over. The Kabochans would be celebrating her name in the streets as their liberator.
The ship didn't set down, but instead came to a hovering stop roughly ten miles out. A swarm of defenders, a combined army of Frieza Force Infantry and Kabochan Royal Guard flew over the sand as a moving cloud of bodies. Her own soldiers poured out of the cruiser and within moments there a violent struggle ensued.
The Saiyans were outnumbered ten to one, yet they fought with untold tenacity. They shredded their enemies. Beams of energy flickered and flashed through the air. Great explosions rocked the air and ground, hurling smoke and fire into the sky. Bodies pelted the sands as they plummeted from the skies.
Radia sighed. She already had donned her battle armor prior to the jump from hyperspace. She slipped her scouter on and clicked it a few times, putting it in scan mode. Her quarters were rather lavish, for a Saiyan. Most lived very spartan lives, possessing little. There was a mannequin made into her shape, that bore a regal crimson cloak with furs around the neck and a brooch bestowing the royal Saiyan crest.
She donned her cloak and proceeded to the hangar. The main door was open and Onyon was standing there, arms folded. He watched the battle. She approached and set a comforting hand onto his shoulder.
"That plan was brilliant," she said. Had to give credit where it was due.
"Thank you, Your Grace. It won't be long before Lord Rime is drawn out. He won't let his forces be completely annihilated. That will be an embarrassment," Onyon said.
"Are you sure the infamous Black Lightning is ready to take on a Warlord of the Frieza Force?" Radia asked, in a teasing manner.
"Hah. I may be old, but I am not obsolete. I will prove that to you, my queen. You have opened my eyes to what we can become. We Saiyans will rule this universe, as it is rightfully ours for the taking."
Smoke and ash rolled through the air, engulfing the entire cruiser before being dragged away by the wind. Radia tried not to wince at the readings she was getting from her scouter. The Saiyans had taken more losses than she anticipated. She had somehow convinced herself that they would walk away from this fight unscathed. A foolish notion.
Onyon scoffed at the same data she was. His face looked more upset than concerned. "I'm going to enter the fray."
"I have your back, Supreme Commander," Radia said. The entire ship bucked as he kicked off, his aura flaring up around him as he soared into the melee.
With the Black Lightning on the battlefield the tide turned in a near instant. Black streaks of ki splashed across the sky. Enemy soldiers fell in droves. The Saiyans rallied behind their commander and the enemy defense broke, most falling back to the city or scattering in random directions, escaping the Black Lightning's wrath.
She knew better than to assume victory was at hand. A few heartbeats later, a giant mass of ki appeared above the city, a single orb that grew to planetoid size within an instant. Beneath it, she could see a speckle of a form that was the creator. The ki was a bloody orange in color and the entire sphere danced with chaotic golden electricity.
She knew what this was. The attack was a Super Nova, the same ability that had ended numerous planets. It was one of the most notorious in the Frost Demon's arsenal.
Her scouter struggled to calculate just how much power was behind it. This was no doubt formed by Lord Rime himself, the levels she did see matched the data she received about him. Once the entire thing was casting light over the city and desert. Finished charging it, Lord Rime gestured his hand and the entire thing rolled forth, threatening to engulf the Saiyan army and cruiser whole.
Radia's eyes went wide and she hovered off the deck. Maybe I should?
The giant orb stopped mid flight and her scouter buzzed as Onyon's power level spiked in response. The Supreme Commander was now in a wrestling match with the Super Nova.
She flew out of the belly of the cruiser and closer to the battlefield. She told herself it was to get a better view, but in reality she was ready to jump in if things went south. She didn't want Onyon to die for no reason. He was far too useful. |
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Post by Lute on Jan 3, 2017 11:53:45 GMT -5
Onyon roared as the Super Nova slammed into his oustretched hands. Immediately the colossal power behind it became apparent to him. It was pushing him back drastically, as if he weren't even there to stop it. He couldn't allow this.
He was the Supreme Commander of the Saiyan Dominion. All of his men were directly behind him. They were depending on him to protect them and to prove his strength as their superior. If he died... it would be an honorable death, but it would put the queen in a precarious situation. She would be forced to show her hand so early in the war. That wasn't at all desirable.
"I may be an old man," he muttered to himself. "But, I'm not ready for the grave, not yet!"
The great sphere crackled and swirled with chaotic orange and yellow ki. Black ropes of ki burst out of Onyon's arms, shifting and crackling like arcs of lightning. They spread across the surface of the sphere. He pushed back with all of his might, exerting the very limits of his power. Both of his arms were seared and blistered up to the elbows as his palms sunk deeper into the surface of the great sphere.
"Never underestimate the power of a Saiyan warrior!" he shouted.
The sphere finally stopped moving. He matched its force, but he couldn't do it for long. Arching his back, he scooped it up and hurled it into the sky. The Super Nova sped off into space, shrinking from sight within a few moments.
Onyon fell from the sky and landed on both knees, a crater spreading out beneath him from the impact. Droplets of sweat rolled down his skin and gathered at his brow. Both of his arms trembled from the pain.
"Impressive. You bust be Onyon the Black Lighting,"a cool voice said.
Onyon looked up under haggard eyes. Standing in front of the sun, wreathed in its light and glow was Lord Rime. For a Frost Demon he had dark purple, almost black skin. Each of his hardened armor plates on his head and shoulders gleamed a bright azure. His long tail swished behind him casually. Both arms were folded and he had a snarl of frustration on his face.
"And you're Rime," Onyon said and spat in the sand. "What is it they call you, the vengeful?"
Rime floated down, landing inside the crater with Onyon. They were mere feet away now. Onyon clamored to his feet and wiped the sweat from his big forehead.
"I find that name inaccurate," Rime said and wagged his finger. "I much prefer the moniker Lord Rime the Just. You see, I deliver justice swift and without mercy. For that many are blessed."
"Hypocrite," Onyon said.
"What was that?" Rime replied.
"I said. You're a gods-damned hypocrite," Onyon said and grunted. "Thinking you stand for justice. What justice do you know? You and your entire organizations are nothing more than filthy pirates and murderers. You have no honor."
"Well, your kind have profited from our murderous way. That makes you no better," Rime retorted.
"That's true. But, we don't claim to be just and lie through our teeth about who we are. We live to fight. And we will fight to see our Queen's vision come true. That means all of your kind will be broken and cast aside. Our goal is to eradicate the Frieza Force" Onyon said.
"You're just savages. Lord Frieza wiped you out once, but like cockroaches you crawled back. Looks as though we shall have to resume the good work he started. And this time, no mercy to any of you," Rime said.
"This war has been long anticipated. Don't forget, it was Saiyans that defeated Lord Frieza and his father. Unfortunately, they didn't finish the job and dismantle your filthy empire. The Dominion will do that."
Lord Rime vanished and Onyon braced himself, eyes searching the battered sands for him. His tail swiped down and the Black Lightning deflected it with his forearm. Above him. Onyon turned and threw a heavy punch. The Frost Demon caught it in his grip and twisted his arm. Onyon flowed with the move, swinging his legs around for a heavy knee towards the face. It was caught by the Frost Demon's other hand. They remained, struggling for a long moment before breaking away.
The two exchanged blows in a violent fury. Each time they collided the sand was displaced in great clouds. Mesas and stone structures crumbled. Saiyan and Frieza Force solders were blown back, eventually retreating to a safer distance as to not get involved.
Blow for blow, it seemed they were evenly matched. However, Onyon could feel the fatigue wracking his body. He had already exerted himself in stopping the Super Nova. He was truly pulling on his reserves to fight Lord Rime. The Frost Demon showed no signs of letting up, but perhaps it was just composure? Such an attack he formed had to have cost him. At least, Onyon hoped that were the truth.
"What's the matter?" Lord Rime said. "This can't possibly be it. The Black Lighting's power is supposed to be legendary."
Onyon flew straight, wrapping his large arms around the Frost Demon's torso. he then pulled him into a crushing hold and plummeted downwards. Both of their bodies broke through rock and stone and slammed into the earth like a meteor. In the center of the gigantic crater formed, Onyon stood alone. Rocks and debris rained down all around him. Lord Rime glided in above him, having escaped his hold at the last minute.
Trying to catch his breath Onyon wondered if he could truly win this fight. His arms and legs burned with soreness. He gathered what little ki he had left in his body. It was now or never. Victory, or death. The Supreme Commander pressed his hands together and then drew them apart. Shadowy bolts chased by amethyst light unfurled from the center of his palms and down the length of his forearms, dancing across his elbows.
"Ah, the infamous technique," Lord Rime said.
Having summoned the Black Lightning, Onyon only had a few moments to strike before he was out of ki. Lord Rime pressed the attack, and Onyon's eyes widened. A foot crashed into his jaw, snapping his head to the side. He felt a tail snake around his throat with a vice grip. Next the knew, he was moving through the air. The tail released him and he went flying like a bullet into the Grand City. A great swath of buildings were blown apart, hurling chunks of sandstone, glass, and steel into the air. Kabochans screamed in dismay as they were crushed and battered by the vicious tide of rubble.
Onyon lay at the end of a large trench, his chest rising and falling slowly. Pain lanced through him like heated shrapnel as he stumbled to his feet. Blood trickled down his head from open gashes. He coughed and fell to one knee, both of his eyes bleary.
Lord Rime caught up, landing with one foot atop a piece of bent and twisted rebar and balanced there.
Onyon looked down. The black lightning still surged and flickered across his forearms. The power he summoned hadn't faded. Now, he had to use it. He disappeared and appeared beside the Frost Demon. His fist crashed into their ribs with resounding force. A great burst of black and purple flashed outward, snaking with tendrils towards the sky. He loosed a steady barrage of strikes. Lord Rime tried to defend, but found himself pushed back through the city. More buildings were laid waste to, stone and steel crumbling and shattering as if it were paper and sticks.
Lord Rime was bleeding now, from deep puncture wounds on his torso, arms and face. He screamed in rage and held his finger out. Onyon's eyes went wide. He was point blank. This wasn't going to be good. A fuschia ray of ki plunged into him and out his back, straight through his lower abdomen. The black lighting surrounding his arms disappeared and he collapsed sideways, clutching his stomach.
It was over.
"You filthy ape. How dare you!"
Lord Rime's tail swung up and then down with blinding speed. This was it, the killing blow. Onyon didn't close his eyes. He wouldn't yield, even in his moment of death. However, it never made it.
"What?"
Radia stood beside him, grasping the tail. Her eyebrows were furrowed in anger. Onyon watched as she squeezed and yanked sideways. Her strength was beyond anything he witnessed before. In one swift move, she had pulled Lord Rime's tail from his spine with a sickening squelch and a splatter of crimson. Lord Rime screamed in agony and jumped back. The Queen let go of the tail and chased after him, grabbing him by his face. Her nails sunk into his flesh and she lifted him up, bringing him face to face with her.
"Your death is just the beginning," she said.
And then Lord Rime was engulfed in a massive blast of ki. When Radia finally stopped firing it, there was nothing left but drifting ashes and an enormous smoking cavity in the earth.
She grabbed Onyon's arm and slung it around her shoulder. "You fought bravely, Supreme Commander. But, you can't die yet. I still have use for you."
"Yes--my queen."
"Kabocha is ours, thanks to your brilliant strategy." |
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