The Imperators made their way to the ship bay, where they were greeted by the sight of Chief Conflagrator Halvex, a figure who once held a significant presence in their lives. His long, heavy coat trailed behind him, hiding the cables and technology that made up his body and giving him an air of authority that matched the weight of his title within the Citadel.
He had been the one, a century ago, who had first introduced Sahaad and the others to the Imperator program, handpicking them from the masses of children and molding them into the weapons they had become.
Now, he stood before them once more, eyes sharp beneath the gleam of the overhead lights. Halvex looked over the group, his expression unreadable, though there was a flicker of recognition in his gaze. "Impera-zzz-tors," he began, his voice box glitched for a moment producing static as he spoke in that same robotic tone. "It's been a long time, but we have a pressing-zzz- situation that demands your attention."
Sahaad and the rest of the squad stood at attention, listening as Halvex detailed their next mission. The planet Rhys, one of the Citadel worlds, was under siege by a Brood Hive fleet. These were no ordinary attackers; the Brood were a terrifying force, known for their relentless assaults and their consumption of biological energy to feed their ever-growing numbers.
"Rhys's Aegis defenses have fallen," Halvex continued grimly. "The planetary force fields that protect against planet-destroying weapons and-zzz- orbital bombardments were torn down by the Brood, and the Federation Legion is struggling to hold their ground. They've put up a brave fight, but the sheer number -zzz- of Brood forces is overwhelming them."
Zara crossed her arms, her usual calm demeanor masking her growing concern. "And our objective?"
Halvex's gaze flicked to her, then to the rest of the team. "Your job is to infiltrate the planet, locate, and destroy the Brood Mothership that's feeding on Rhys's bioenergy. The Mothership is the heart of the fleet—take it out, and the rest of the Brood forces will collapse into disarray."
Sahaad furrowed his brow, his mind already working through the details. "Rhys is a Citadel world. Why would the Brood even bother attacking it?" he asked. "These planets are industrial wastelands, full of pollution and radiation. There's barely any biomass to feed on. Most of the residents are heavily cyberized or even full automations by now. The Brood usually targets planets with high organic life."
Halvex's eyes narrowed slightly. "That's the question we've been asking as well," he replied. "There's something about Rhys that has drawn the Brood there, something we don't yet understand. The planet's bioenergy readings are far higher than they should be for a Citadel world. Whatever the Brood are after, it's not just the usual biomass consumption. It's something more."
Ji scratched his chin, always the one to think outside the box. "Maybe there's some kind of hidden resource or anomaly we don't know about. The Brood don't just waste time on dead planets unless there's something they're after."
Sia chimed in, "Whatever the reason, we have a mission to complete. We get in, take out the Mothership, and get out before they can respond in force. That's all we need to focus on."
Halvex nodded in agreement. "Exactly. Time is of the essence. The longer the Brood feeds, the stronger they become. You're being deployed immediately. Prepare yourselves—the Federation Legion will continue to hold the line while you carry out your mission, but you won't have much support once you're on the ground. It's up to you."
The squad headed out towards their personal armory in order to prepare themselves for the mission ahead of them.
The atmosphere around them charged with focus and anticipation. This was no simple mission like before—this time, they were facing a full-blown invasion by the Brood Hive. Sahaad and his squad knew they had to be fully prepared for whatever came their way, and that meant bringing out their heaviest artillery.
They started with their standard combat power armor, reinforced for heavy engagement. This time, the armor had been upgraded with extra plating, kinetic shielding, and systems designed to withstand both energy-based and physical assaults. Each Imperator stood at the height of human engineering—a walking fortress, capable of enduring the fiercest combat.
Kato hefted a gravity hammer onto his shoulder, its head humming with power. The weapon could crush through any defenses, using gravitational forces to amplify each strike. The sheer weight of the hammer didn't bother him—his strength made wielding it almost effortless.
Zara armed herself with a pair of phase-weapons—highly advanced blades that could phase in and out of existence, cutting through both matter and energy barriers with ease. She twirled the blades in her hands, testing their weight before holstering them across her back and strapping an inferno pistol to her waist.
Sia and Ji grabbed their electromagnetic railguns, massive weapons capable of firing projectiles at hypersonic speeds. The sheer power of these weapons could pierce through armor plating and even some of the toughest biological structures of the Brood. Sia took a moment to adjust the scope, fine-tuning it for precision shots, while Ji tapped the side of his railgun with a smirk. He grabbed a phase-spear, a spear that had a phase-blade attached, and holstered it on his back.
Nate hefting his plasma-heater rifle—an imposing weapon that incinerates anything in its path with intense heat. It was huge even for an Imperator, requiring two arms to operate.
Sahaad opted for the void weapons, some of the most experimental tech available to the Imperators. Void weapons didn't rely on conventional energy or projectiles—they used quantum disruption fields to tear apart matter on a subatomic level. A small handheld device expanded into a sleek rifle that hummed ominously in his grip. He admired the design before stashing it on his back. He also picked up a wrist-mounted energy shield, which would allow him to protect his team in close-quarter engagements.
With their main weaponry out of the way, the Imperators also strapped equipped the standard weapons that they were drilled to always have in their possession. Wrist-mounted rockets, standard phase-blades, voltrex pistols, grenades, and the pulsar rifle.
Sahaad glanced at his team. Each of them was ready, the weight of the mission clear in their eyes.They headed back to Halvex now completely armed for combat. "Understood," he said firmly. "We'll get it done."
As the Imperators prepared to board their ship, there was a moment of reflection among them. The Brood Hive fleet wasn't something they had faced before, and the idea that they were targeting a Citadel world—a planet designed for industry and war, not for sustaining life—raised unsettling questions. But for now, they pushed those doubts aside. Their mission was clear.
Halvex watched them as they boarded, his expression hardening. "Remember, Imperators," he called out as the bay doors began to close. "Rhys is counting on you. The Federation is counting on you."
With that, the ship's engines roared to life, and they launched into the cold, vast expanse of space, heading toward a planet shrouded in mystery and danger.
As the Imperators emerge from warp, the sight before them is nothing short of nightmarish. Rhys, a once-thriving citadel world, was now ensnared in a grotesque shroud of black, viscous fluid that clinged to the planet's surface like a living organism. The surface was devoid of life, a harsh industrial landscape of tough Crythium and metal, obscured by swirling clouds of thick smog that blocked any semblance of blue sky.
Above the planet loomed the Hive ship, an organic monstrosity that pulsates and thrums with a life of its own. Its surface was slick and glistening, undulating as if breathing, while countless appendages writhe around it, stretching and curling in erratic motions. The Imperators could feel the vibrations from the ship reverberate through the hull of their craft, a low thrumming that resonates in their bones, a dark reminder of the alien presence that now threatens the Federation.
As they stared into the abyss, the Hive ship's myriad of eyes blink open, revealing endless depths of darkness within. Each eye seems to follow their movements, studying them, judging them with an unsettling sentience. The mouths that dot the surface of the ship open and close, gnashing and grinding with no sound, a silent cacophony that evokes a primal fear. They gnawed at the void, hungry and waiting, but no words escape those grotesque maws.
"This is it," Sahaad states, his voice steady. "We need to be cautious. We don't know what we're up against."
"Yeah, no kidding," Nate replies, his eyes wide as he scans the sight before them. "That thing looks like it could swallow a planet whole."
Zara adjusts her arms, her gaze unwavering as she studies the Hive ship. "Focus on the task at hand. We need to get in and engage the mother ship on the planet."
"Right," Sahaad nods, rallying the group. "We'll breach the atmosphere, and then we'll assess their defenses from closer range. Stay alert and watch each other's backs."
As the Imperators steady themselves in their seats, a small appendage of the black fluid detaches from the Hive ship and drifts toward them, pulsating and producing shrill vibrations that reverberate through the hull of their ship. The unsettling sound echoes in the confined space, sending a shiver down Sahaad's spine.
Sahaad ordered the pilot to step away and let him take control. The pilot agrees not wishing to confront the black monstrosity that was slowly approaching the ship.
"Get ready!" Sahaad shouts, his eyes narrowing in concentration as he grips the controls tighter. "It's coming for us!"
Without hesitation, he engages the ship's weapon systems, feeling the familiar rush of adrenaline course through him. He targets the advancing appendage and fires the cannons. Bright blue bolts of energy erupt from the ship, illuminating the darkness around them with brilliant flashes.
The explosions rock the area, creating a cascade of brilliant blue light as the rounds strike the fluid. The black appendage writhes and convulses, shrinking under the relentless barrage. Sahaad watches as the vibrant explosions consume the appendage, reducing it to mere wisps of black vapor that dissipate into nothingness.
The vibrations cease, replaced by an eerie silence that settles over the ship. The crew exchanges tense glances, their hearts pounding in their chests.
"Did we get it?" Zara asks, peering out the viewport, her breath catching as she scans for any signs of the tendril.
Sahaad nods, letting out a breath he didn't realize he was holding. "Yeah, but we can't let our guard down. That was just one of its appendages. We need to stay vigilant."
"Agreed," Nate adds, already reaching for his plasma-heater rifle. "If that was just a taste, I can't imagine what else is waiting for us out there."
Sahaad maneuvered the ship into a stable orbit, parking it far from the looming presence of the Hive ship. The massive organic structure pulsated ominously above them, its tendrils stretching toward the surface like grotesque limbs seeking prey.
"Time to deploy," Sahaad announced, his voice steady despite the tension in the air. He lead the squad to the rear of the ship, where a row of sleek drop pods awaits. Each pod was designed for rapid descent, engineered to pierce the atmosphere at incomprehensible speeds, resembling small meteors streaking toward the planet's surface.
As they enter their respective pods, the interior hums with energy, the metallic scent of the confined space filling their nostrils. Sahaad takes a moment to ensure each of his teammates is secured and ready for launch.
He directs the pods to land near the capital of Rhys where the mothership is most likely to be.
"Everyone good?" he asked, receiving affirmations from each member.
"Let's get this over with," Nate replied, adjusting his grip on his plasma-heater rifle.
Zara flashes a determined smile, while Kato nods, his focus unwavering. Sia and Ji exchange a quick glance, their expressions a mixture of excitement and resolve.
"Commencing launch sequence," Sahaad announces, the pod's systems whirring to life. The countdown begins, and the adrenaline pulses through him as he secures his harness.
With a sudden jolt, the pods detached from the ship, hurtling into the void of space. Sahaad felt the surge of acceleration as they plummet toward Rhys, the atmosphere heating around them as they pierced the clouds.
"Five seconds to atmospheric entry!" Sahaad called out, bracing for impact.
The world outside blurred into a cacophony of colors and shapes, and a deafening roar filled his ears. Then, with a violent shake, the pod breaks through the lower atmosphere, the ground rushing up to meet them.
"Brace for impact!" he shouts, gripping the sides of the pod as it slams into the surface of Rhys with a bone-jarring crash. The pod buried itself partially into the ground, and alarms blared indicating arrival.
"Pods deployed!" Zara's voice cuts through the chaos, and Sahaad quickly checks the status of the squad.
"Let's move!" he commands, releasing the hatch and climbing out into the hostile environment. The air was thick with smog, and the ground was littered with remnants of previous battles—broken machines and the detritus of a once-thriving world.
The air was lit with the flashes of light and dust, gigantic walking human-like abominations destroying the various architecture. Sahaad noticed the sight of soldiers holding off the brood hordes.
As the team gathered outside their pods, they scanned the surroundings, tension crackling in the air. The Hive ship loomed above, casting an ominous shadow, its presence felt even at their distance.
"Stay low, stay alert," Sahaad instructs, his voice steady as he lead them into the battlefield. "We need to move toward the nearest friendly garrison and assess our targets."