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Date: July 15, 2591
Location: Herycus City, Yerdan Homeworld
Dr. Phillip Houghtson sat at his desk studying the recent information brought to him about the Rift. "A most intriguing situation, this Rift. It has been over three centuries and we only now are discovering it's true nature. I wonder why time was not spent on this before?"
"Perhaps," replied the visiting Dr. Yoiur Uiets, head of the Yerdan Scientific Research Department, "our peoples were too involved in merely confining the enemy that they didn't care about how they got here."
"Good point. Unfortunately it appears they have only treated the symptoms and not the disease. Let us hope that we can gain control of this Rift before it is reopened by the Others," Houghtson looked across his desk at his alien friend. His ridged forehead and deep set eyes stared back at him with fear in them. Uiets feared that the Others were already on their way to this galaxy.
Date: 0923 SDT
July 16, 2591
Gerald Listening Post, Western Front
"Sir, I'm getting something from the location of the Rift. I think you'd better get a look at this."
Commander Petersons walked over to the Sensor Division of his Command Center. "What is it?" he asked the officer.
"As far as I can tell there has been an increase in the activity in the energies. This could just be some sort of natural occurence but it looks like the Rift is breaking down the fabric of space."
"Better safe than sorry. Lt. Jones get sector command on the line and inform that the Rift is experiencing energy fluctuations and may be reopening."
No sooner had Sector Command been contacted then the Rift opened. Not all at once but the tear in space reappeared. In a matter of minutes the tear would become a portal.
Date: 0937 SDT
July 16, 2591
Farragut Military Base, Kiota III (Four Lightyears from the Gerald Listening Post)
The massive military base was not just one building but a hundred or so spread out over the entire system. Over one hundred dreadnought class starships were stationed here. Along with these behemoths were the new Excelsior class battle ships. The large boxes dwarfed the smaller dreadnoughts both in size and in power. These masters of war were the staple of the UPA Space Fleet. Most of the ships sat in dry dock, or the space equivalent, being serviced and refueled. In orbit over the fourth planet was the largest of the space stations of this system. The Hub was a rather large box surrounded by six smaller spheres connected to the main facility by conduits and passage ways. In the main facility existed the Master Control Room. This was where Sector Admiral Thomas Williams made his decisions. It was also where he was when word of the Rift reopening reached the base. Regional Admiral Kilnered also ordered the Sector Fleet to respond. A full minute after the order had been given and a full five minutes after the Rift actually reopened the 15th Sector Fleet was spooling engines and preparing to open warp tunnels. Williams was going to give those mysterious aliens a message they would never forget.
Date 0940 SDT
July 16, 2591
Merigold Regional Command
Regional Admiral Kilnered ran with his advisor, Commodore Harolds, to the main dock to board the flagship of the Regional Fleet. The Enterprise floated in space. The name held by other space vessels of fiction was a mere coincidence for it was the titan of the sea that this titan of the void was named after. The US Aircraft carrier Enterprise had served her nation well and this relatively new battleship had yet to prove herself. But now was not the time to wonder how the ship would respond to attacks or how the soldiers would react if it was destroyed. Now was the time to move. As Admiral Kilnered and Commodore Harolds reached the bridge the 14th and 16th sector fleets warped into the system. Followed shortly by the 2nd Fleet. Now 3500 ships strong the response fleet spooled engines and warped to the Rift.
Date 1238 SDT
July 16, 2591
Location of the Rift
The massive fleet of 4000 ships hung in a half circle around the Rift. All weapons were ready. All shields were raised. And every one held there breath waiting for movement from the other side. Then it happened. A ship was coming through. A small spherical ship sped through the Rift and came to an abrupt stop. Suddenly beams of light started flashing from it to the outer portions of the Rift. Admiral Kilnered demanded to know what it was doing.
"The best I can tell it is stabilizing the Rift," said Sensor Chief Offons. "It's probably not even armed."
"This is probably more dangerous than any weapon. We have to stop it, now!" replied Commodore Harolds.
"Agreed. Lt. Chief tell the Washington to dispatch three wings of heavy fighters to destroy that thing," ordered Kilnered.
Thirty small fighters flew out of the 2nd fleet's flagship, the Washington, hangar and headed towards the alien ship. The light beams were becoming more intense by now. The fighters broke into three groups and began strafing the ship with energy bolts. Unable to withstand large amounts of energy, of this nature, the alien ship quickly blew apart.
"Offons report," ordered Kilnered.
"The Rift is now more stable thatn ever and won't close of its own accord ever again. If we want it to go away we will have to close it our selves. If that ship had been left go for another five minutes the Rift would have been permantely opened." replied Offons. "The Others will be soon to follow and i don't think they will be as easily destroyed..."
His last statement hung in the silence as the sensors began to pick up movement on the other side...