Vanquisher: The Remnant

Chapter 2

A man stood on the bridge of the Tempest III, staring out into the vast expanse of space. He admired the little flecks of light that shone out from the matte canvas that was space. In his solitude, he felt insignificant. The endlessness of the void that he looked in the eye and the bridge of the massive ship he stood upon contrasted his existence. They were both large and intimidating, while he was a mere being tasked with overcoming and controlling them.

His silence and isolation was broken by one of his subordinates, Deck Officer Loval, a quiet but steady woman. She had no quarrels with getting the job done, even if it meant sacrificing herself in the name of The Remnant. She brought forth a hailing, a summoning from a commander down on Ruakku. The commander requested a meeting with him, a task that he was hesitant to take. Ruakku wasn't the most ideal of places to meet. The small planet was a host of pirates and mercenaries, all bound to pick a fight with anyone and anything. Its hostile crowd didn't suit people like him too well. He pointed at two soldiers who were standing on the bridge and beckoned for them to follow him. He and the troops traversed the massive ship, headed for the hangar. They boarded a small shuttle that they would take to the swamp planet.

The flight there was a quick and easy one, save for the entrance into the atmosphere. The ship rocked like an asteroid tumbling through space. Once they had passed the first few layers however, the ride smoothed back out. The pilot set the ship down a decent distance away from the outpost. The shuttle's thick landing struts sank into the marshy landscape a little bit. The man and his men set off for the outpost.

Upon reaching the outpost, the man and his escorts awaited the invitation in. A gruff man opened the door and smiled, "Ah yes, Commander Colmor. I have been awaiting your arrival. Come, let us discuss our matters over some beverages," he turned to one of his subordinates. "Fetch us something a little... fancy. I don't want our guests to be disappointed with their trip."

Colmor was lead by the other commander to a spacious room. It was anything but inviting, but what it lacked in comfort it made up for in functionality. It seemed to serve many roles, mainly dining and recreation. Colmor noted that if their escapade went well, he'd recommend this base get a remodel. He sat down across from the commander, his two escorts taking up seats at his side. Colmor could tell they didn't care for this place but they did their best to hide it.

Colmor took a whiff of the thick, Ruakku air, awaiting the commander's commencement of the conversation. The subordinate that had been sent to get drinks had returned with a bottle of vodka, a clear concoction of alcohol and a hint of strawberry. Colmor accepted the drink graciously and took a sip, the hard alcohol hitting him like a wave. He managed to down the drink and then he leaned forward. If the commander wasn't going to break the ice, Colmor would. He took a deep breath and looked the commander in the eye, "What did you want, sir? I didn't come all the way out here for us to wallow in silence."

"Sorry, Colmor. I was just... well... nevermind. I had you come out here because I wanted to hear your course of action against the Orient. They're getting a little too ambitious for my likings and I want to know what we're going to do to stop it."

Colmor sat back in his chair. A wall of contemplation shrouded him. He didn't really think too much of the topic, just that someone was bound to speak up eventually. Now he had to come up with something on the spot that would decide the war. "I say we eradicate them. Immediately."

"Immediately? With all due respect Colmor, you're sounding a little too ambitious yourself. We can't just go out there and wipe them out that easily. There has to be some measures put forth into dealing with them effectively. Do you agree?"

Dammit Colmor, why did you say that? A hint of regret probably flashed across his face but he didn't care. "Yes, sir. I totally agree. No immediate eradication."