boombox Ultranova Tson
At the passage, the ramming ships hit the dreadnaught like the fist of God, spitting it open and sending an odd energy pulse racing across the battlefield space. But as Rommel and the front part of the fleet readied to jump into the passage, they saw the High Imperium's final trap unfold.
The energy wave, from where the Imperial engineer had set the reactors to overload, caused several scattered FTL drive units to momentarily power up and begin to attempt to shift into hyperspace at differing wavelengths. The conflicting FTL bubbles in such a small volume of space prove to be too much for the already strained hyperspace gate. Never intended to withstand this sort of punishment, the front end of the passage begins to unravel...violently. As the flickering blue light of hyperspace surrounds his ship, Rommel can see writhing, lashing tendrils of higher-dimensional energy tear through the GSR fleet behind him like the ships were made of paper.
And the effects aren't limited to just realspace, either. As the few remaining GSR ships rocket forward towards Taros, crawling veins of malevolent purple distortion race up from behind them, and far ahead Rommel can see even the Imperial ships taking some damage from the phenomenon. Only one thing is certain from this point.
The gate to Taros has been sealed, and only the damned may enter....
Meanwhile, Geran looks back after Hans, then glances at the pilots. "Maybe we don't have the time, but we NEED that sword! Hold on."
Then he runs after Hans desperately. "Fuhrer! Please listen to me, we need you with us if we are to succeed! That sword is vital to our efforts."
And in a grand cathedral on Taros, a man hangs from bloody chains as he listens to Pieron's message and weeps. In the shadows, metal gleams and shifts and a voice rumbles from the shadows.
"WHAT'S THIS, THEN? TEARS FROM THE MIGHTY IMPERATOR? FOR SHAME. NEVERTHELESS, THE KNIGHT'S GRAND GESTURE SHALL COME TO NAUGHT. YOU MAY YET WITHHOLD THE FULL COMMAND CODES, BUT MY CONTROL OF THE ENGINES IS MORE THAN SUFFICIENT FOR THIS."
In the spaces between the stasis fields of the EC ships, pinprick singularities appear, minuscule in size, but with massive gravitational fields. As innovative as the stasis technology is, it can do nothing against the gravitational shear forces that proceed to shred several larger cruisers in mere seconds.
Back in the cathedral, blood drips on the altar and the man's labored breaths are harsh in the silence. Then a soft chuckle, almost a purr is heard.
"YOU SEE THEN. MY POWER GROWS, AND THE PIECES ALIGN. MY VISION IS AT HAND, AND NONE MAY DENY THE COMING GLORY. YOU SHALL BE THE INSTRUMENT OF MY WILL TO WIPE THIS GALAXY CLEAN AND BEGIN AGAIN. SO LET IT BE SAID AND DONE."
In the higher orbit of Taros' inner moon, a teenage girl watches the devastation and turns away with a resigned set to her shoulders, seemingly addressing the ceiling. "No hope for it now, Dougan. Send the broadcast, and we'll fit as many through as we can."
"We always knew it would come to this, m'lady. The lords of the Assembly may strive and rail against Fate all they wish, but the tides of destiny nevertheless win out in the end. This was set in stone from the moment your mother thought to use the Elder Shadow as a tool. Now we can but seek shelter from the storm."
Its piece said, the voice falls silent and a single signal ripples across the Taros system. Come Forth. Then the massive orbital construct begins to spin, delicate interlocking parts twirling as space seems to bend and swirl in its middle before igniting into another portal, similar to the one just collapsed, but far larger, and much longer. The vast masses of civilian craft suddenly surge forwards, all racing to get to the passage beyond, jostling for position on this new Exodus.