The Return

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KrankysFirebrand48
//Transmission://
"VHAT?!" mumbling in the background.. then barking orders.. Zhank you for zhe warning, wir will be sure to deliver it to zhe Führer!"
//Transmission End//

LeftHandofGod
The research ship turns and prepares to jump.......

LeftHandofGod

ShadowZero My faction is the High Imperium. Boom is the German Space Reich.

boombox
The frigate squadron simply watches, and notes the direction and projected end-point of the jump as the research ship vanish.

ShadowZero

(what is you faction?)

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LeftHandofGod
The coordinates reveal a heavily fortified world deep in the Reichs' territory, as the research ship jumps at war-emergency-speed, disregarding any and all speed regulations..

LeftHandofGod

boombox
The information is filed for later, but in the meantime, preparation on the defenses continue apace. With a sizable war-fleet now built, and defense stations and orbital shield generators and guns multiplying by the day, the admirals and lords commanding the Imperium feel confident in their ability to repel any initial Reich assault.

Nonetheless, word still carries of Imperial scout ships and drones spotted all across the Spiral. The Imperials are desperately looking for something.

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LeftHandofGod
(how the following actions will go down is entirely up to you)
About 2 hours after the research ship left two large, heavily armored German frigates exit hyperspace, close to an Imperial station.. The captain of the leading frigate looks about, when he spots the insignias and colors on the station he turns a shade of pale...
"ALLE MANN AUF DIE KAMPFSTATIONEN!!! NUR WENN SIE FEUERN, DANN ERWIEDERT FEUER!!!"
He looks outside with a stern look; expecting to die, around him men are running around in what seems like chaos...
"Open a channel to zhem."
"jawohl..."

//Transmission;//
"Eh..- Verdammte Scheisse.." he clears his throat.. "Well.. uh.. werent you guys dead or something?"

the frigates shields and weapons power up to overload, they are expecting a heavy fight... even if one could only hope to see a simmer of political peace talk on the horizon..

LeftHandofGod

boombox So a quick note in that Imperial ships/stations no longer actually use much in the way of insignia or markings. Their only distinguishing characteristic is the hull material itself, which is kinda reflective and shimmery. Also, you would not BELIEVE how hard it was to find something that would give me an accurate translation of that phrase there!

Guns all over the station power up and target the frigates for several moments before a singular transmission is issued.
"We keep our own counsel, and we persist still. Test us not, lest the cost prove beyond your ability to pay."

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LeftHandofGod
The captain shuddered quickly, then pulled his shit together, analysing the situation.. not all was lost yet.
//Transmission://
"Zhis is Schwere Schiffsdivision B of zhe 67th Invasionsflotte of zhe German Space Regime, should you fire at our ship or anything belonging to us you will be. e. v. a. p. o. r. a. t. e. d."
//Transmission End//

LeftHandofGod

boombox
The reply is dismissive and mocking. The occupants on the other end of the station know that the Germans are in no position to make threats, and they're enjoying this.
"Take your idle threats and be gone, fools."

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LeftHandofGod
The captain evaluated his situation..
in less than four minutes he could have a whole armored division here.. And he knew, that division would be bad news for anything on the receiving end of those guns..
-"Kommunikation!"
-"Jawohl?"
-"Verbindung aufbauen zur 67sten Flotte! Große Ansammlung an möglichem Feindkontakt, erbitten.. sehr schwere Unterstützung."
-"Wird gemacht."
The communications officer gulped as he sent the message..

LeftHandofGod

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Detecting a communication from the German ship, the station guns draw a targeting solution and send an emergency communication to Fleet Command. All across the system, and rippling further into the Imperium's territory the alert goes out. Then the guns fire, in a blinding flash of light and concentrated plasma.

Drakador_Chaos

LeftHandofGod boombox
In the meanwhile, at another section of the border from which the GSR had entered, a destroyer sized ship left hyperspace and started to observe what was unfolding, interestingly, it had little in terms of weaponry indicating it might actually be civilian... which was unlikely this far out and even less likely to randomly find the Imperial space...
It didn´t initiate any transmissions yet but...
The colorscheme looked rather...familiar.

Tson

LeftHandofGod boombox
A Hospitaliers scout fleet manifolds in at the edge of the system, and raises it's stasis fields, it broadcasts peace signals on all frequencies and sends a general systemwide transmission showing a grizzled Hospitaliers Major, familiar to some here.

++This is Major Kamen of the Sector 37 general Hospitaliers, We request an audience with the leaders of the present warring powers in regards to a galaxy wide emergency, we come in peace, and we request respectfully that you receive us as such.++

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LeftHandofGod
"oh fick-"
the cap's ship is torn apart in a hellfire of plasma, but only seconds later an absolutely massive fleet appears just out of range of the Imperials:

on the flagships bridge:
"Zhey have attacked us! Revenge!!!"
"Calm down, Karl. Let us not overhaste."

Drakador_Chaos
the ship is ignored for now... but several guns face into its direction just to be sure.

Tson
//Transmission://
"Zhis is Oberflottenkommandant Heinrich von Riva of zhe 67th Invasion fleet of zhe Reich, vhat is zhe matter zhat you want to discuss?"
//Transmission End//

LeftHandofGod

Drakador_Chaos
The station commander's eyes widen as she fumbles for the communicator. "Greetings, cousins. Many stars shine upon you. How may we be of assistance?"

Tson
The response is flat and uninterested. "We want nothing of what you bring. Leave, and don't let the plasma fire catch you in the rear thrusters on the way out."

boombox
Another transmission is sent out to the fleet. "Leave. We bear you no inherent aggression, but we will not tolerate you or your allies maintaining a presence within our domain."

Tson

boombox LeftHandofGod
++We have been notified of a pressing matter that affects all in this galaxy, this threat is severe enough for Solaric command to call a crisis meeting, and as long standing allies the Hospitaliers are helping in the effort to rally the people of the galaxy, I understand that there is a conflict between your people, but we request that you consider a ceasefire given that some extragalactic asshat is tampering with the galactic core, and may very well be intending to blow the entirety of this galaxy to blazes if nothing is done about it.++

Drakador_Chaos

LeftHandofGod
A transmission returned with a female voice, hoever none that was known to them...
/Transmission Start/
"Oh, as of currently, I have no specific wishes, I had been sent hear to talk, to observe your actions and advance and listen to your future plans, to establish contact to be short...
But it seems you are busy starting new wars. I will wait here until you are finished dealing with... this.
Be wary, I will be watching."
/Transmission End/
...the transmission closed again, this had likely been a diplomat, judging by the attitude a noblewoman of either one of the old houses or merchantguilds...

LeftHandofGod

Tson
A plasma turret on the station rotates, and fires a blast of plasma in the Solaric fleet's general direction. "What care have we for such things? We were driven out, our hearth worlds and domains sacked and burned. The heart of our civilization is now beyond any worries this galaxy can conjure. So I say again begone! Lest you be driven forth."

Tson

LeftHandofGod
The beam is absorbed by the Stasis field surrounding the ships, and there can be heard a variety of curses from the major, who roars into the communications.
++WE WERE ON YOUR BLOODY SIDE YOU INGRATES! YOU BLASTED SUPERIOR SONS OF A @!&£$! NEVER CHANGE DO YOU, TRY LOOKING SOMEWHERE THAT ISN'T THE INSIDE OF YOUR DAMN POSTERIOR FOR A CHANGE!++

LeftHandofGod

Tson
"And why should we look to aid you? You who only come when there is something you require. No, I think not. Now leave."

Drakador_Chaos
"You misunderstand. We have no wish to wage war, but these ingrates refuse to merely depart and leave us in peace. Nevertheless, our hearths and halls are open to you. Shall I summon an escort, so you may meet with our leaders as of the moment?"

KrankysFirebrand48
The drones that wind up near Imperial space are shot down in short order. The Imperials will brook no interference from outside powers. Meanwhile, Interdict generators power up all across Imperial space, leaving only a narrow and very heavily defended corridor for incoming and outgoing traffic.

KrankysFirebrand48

@LeftHandofGod
Unmark drones start showing up everywhere. In all the systems surrounding the one the encounter went down in as well as old HI territory. They look for HI owned systems and the fleets around them.

Fort_Master_Gustav

KrankysFirebrand48
The drones that dare go into the old HI territory find nothing but scraps and debris, abandoned systems. Many, many are lost to natural anomalies within the region, generated from the war.