The Brotherhood

[Lucend]

Above the Cretan skies, the first AW/Corsair war....

"Sir! I've got two AW on my tail..."

"Hold them off until we can spare a Centurion wing."

"But sir!"

"Thats an order, pilot."

All was quiet on the day of the attack, the Corsairs never expected such a large force to come seemingly out of nowhere...

"Hellfire Legion gunboats and bombers, sirs this is getting very heavy up here!"

"Don't worry commander, I'm sending for a detachment from Leon and Cadiz, they should be here any moment now."

In all the centuries the Corsairs existed no one unifying faction was able to bring all the families together under one roof. Eventually the Benitez familia was able to gain enough power to assume dominance over the other families through brute force.

"This is Emperador Huerez Benitez from the Emperador Council Chambers in the Capital City. Cruiser squad, what is your situation?"

*static*

"Are there any more capital ships left in this frequency?"

"Aye sir, it's the Talos, the cruiser squadron was taken down by a joint AW/HF bomber wing. I'm attempting to hold off Silvanus's Dreadnaught, but we're down to 2/3 hull. Requesting additional support, or our front line will fail."

"This is Bomber wing Zeta, attempting to reach command I've.... *static*"

"Bomber wing Zeta, what is your situation?"

"We can't hold the out against this firepower! I've failed yo...*static*"

"Centurion wing Alpha, I want you on Zeta's tail...."

"Sir! Talos again, I'm picking up a signal from around the Omega 41 Jumphole."

The allied Asgard Warriors and Hellfire Legionnaires pounded the Corsair line relentlessly. Each bloody inch was taken back by some foolhardy maneuver on the part of the losing side's pilots. They seem to be at a dead lock, both sides having exhausted too many resources to pull back now. Then, an arrowhead line of ships broke the green and red light.

"This is the Brotherhood Flagship Altaneria engaging all enemy targets, sorry gentlemen, but we ran into a bit of trouble getting here. Sephardi, take your wing on the usual targets while Costello and Montoya take on the stationary targets."

The voice from the Altaneria came from a very recognized figure

"Emperador Benitez! We have an Outcast Dreadnaught on scanners!"

"I was wondering where they were hiding, we can't survive much more of this. Contact our reinforcements and tell them to protect the flagship Talos at all costs, they should be jumping into system now."

"I can't contact them, the relay on the docking ring is damaged..."

"Well then get in a Titan and deliver the message personally then."

"This is the Talos, did command order a retreat? Respond."

"This is Emperador Benitez, no we didn't order any such command, what is the situation Talos?"

"Zeta and Alpha squadrons are retreating. The enemy is closing in on us sir."

The Emperador made a mental note to punish both of their families before he drew his last breathe, but before he could order any more commands, a bright flash of light lit up the Cretan sky. The Talos' reactor had gone critical.

"Damn it! Alpha, Zeta squadrons, respond. Form up and protect the docking ring at all costs."

The Emperador's message was met with nothing but static. In space, the Outcast Dreadnaught sailed through the space formerly occupied by the now crushed Talos. When the ship came into the light of the Red Dwarf, the name could be clearly seen. The Altaneria.

"Elder Don, we are in bombardment range of the planet. The orbital defenses are down."

"Good. Target the Council Chambers, located in the Capital City.

Fire!"

A white fireball barreled through Crete's atmosphere, it's destination plain for anyone who was paying attention to the battle overhead. Emperador Huerez had ordered all his advisers and military commanders to evacuate the building, leaving him in the deserted command room. His face gaunt at what had just transpired. The Emperador Council Chambers was adorn with the best the artifact trade could buy, most notably the paintings of all the Emperadors that had served throughout the history of the Corsair civilization. Each looking down at the small, but important terminals that now lay deserted.

The explosion could be seen from space, the Capital City lay in ruins and the Council Chambers, seat of the government of Crete, was nothing more than ashes. Transports were leaving the planet as fast as they could take off. Aboard the Outcast Flagship, everybody was cheering.

"We've done it! We've won!"

"Elder Don, would you like to address the allied fleet?"

"Yes, I think I would like to."

"This is Elder Don Pedro Maniaco commanding the Brotherhood flagship Altaneria, a very well done job brothers. This day will be recorded in the history texts."

Pedro stepped away from the comm system and strolled the deck of the Outcast Dreadnaught. The Elder Don took off his cloak and sat in his command chair, a badge being clearly displayed amongst others.

---

"The thirteen saloons that had lined the one street of Seney had not left a trace. The foundations of the Mansion House hotel stuck up above the ground. The stone was chipped and split by the fire. It was all that was left of the town of Seney. Even the surface had been burned off the ground.
Nick looked at the burned-over stretch of hillside, where he had expected to find the scattered houses of the town and then walked down the railroad track to the bridge over the river. The river was there."

Osaika Moto, the Fall and Rise of a Kusari Farmer

Juan Lucendez, √ Corsair