Subsequent Fall Part 19: Space Marines

The Crasher shuttles struck the broadside of the imperial's finest ship. The Porcelain Marvel. As the drills dug through the hull Niegel sent a message to the crews boarding. "Shoot to kill and disable each and every piece of tech that will make this thing self destruct." 

"Roger that commander!" The marines slowly fanned out as they took cover in duck away corridors as the empire's last bit of force came and attacked them. The corridors were very tight as the marine's armor was thick and burly offering great protection as the imperial armor was considerably weaker than during the war.

"Sal, Jax, we are being sent a message from Adam." Zane waved his two soldiers in as they huddled around him. "We need to secure the bridge before the marines do." Sal and Jax looked confused.

"Why? Won't the marines just kill the senators." Sal spoke. Zane looked over.

"That's what Adam doesn't want." Jax looked horrified as the three knew Neigel can't control this breed of clone. They are rabid and demand bloodshed. "MOVE!" Zane started sprinting as he, Sal and Jax set their weapons to stun.

The imperial army was confused as their comrades were being stunned rather than killed, even if it was just for a moment. They came back a few minutes after as the marines had secured the engine bay. Keeping the engines from self-destructing by cutting off the relay.

Zane saw the armored door in the way. "BITCH OPEN UP!" Zane fired four thunder rounds in it as nothing happened. "YOU WILL ALL DIE IF YOU DON'T COOPERATE!" Zane yelled through the door as all the senators from across the galaxy were ignoring him.

"At this rate, we are all going to die. There is no stopping the reactor from hitting critical mass." Alisha chuckled as the senators surrounding her broke into applause. Zane checked the map as Sal and Jax looked at the door.

"Wait, you think killing us will matter?" Zane held a drawing from Adam. A one time use for emergencies to escape from a pinch. Looking at it he paused. "Is there no way to revert the core?"

"Not a single one." Alisha started to laugh maniacally.

"Sal, tell the marines to use a controlled detonation of the reactor before it blows the ship to shit and us with it!" Zane pointed. "Jax, make sure to start evac protocol three."

"Three? Ah I see now." Jax understood as Sal sent the message.

"Enjoy suffocating to death." Zane pulled the other two away as the senate looked around.

"Is this a fake out?" One of the senators asked. All that answered was silence. Zane, Sal and Jax were aboard a crasher shuttle as it fell out of the hull.

"They can't possibly stop this station from exploding." Alisha promised to them all as a thud was heard. The explosion happened as Neigel wiped his forehead, the ship was evacuated from his soldiers. "Why aren't we dead yet?" Alisha asked around as there was no longer power to the entire station.

"Trap, check, mate." Zane closed the piece of paper and put it back as he looked at the ship floating motionless as the Astral armada was cleaving through the rest of the empire's remaining ships.

"They are going to suffocate to death. Aren't they?" Sal asked Zane as his tone was somber.

"Unless they ask for help, but I believe they would rather choke on their own stupidity than admit defeat." Zane sat back on the Ambassador as they were safe from harm as they watched the Porcelain Marvel. "Such a shame, some of those senators were cute."

Jax leaned back. "Aren't we supposed to be taking this war thing more seriously? Why does it feel so easy?" He looked behind his shoulder as the ships around him were being pulled inward to the moon.

"You just had to speak didn't you!" Zane hopped over him and pressed the emergency booster button as the Ambassador tried to escape from its grasp. "FUCK ALL SHIPS ARE BEING PULLED IN!" Zane looked to the planet as he saw flashing lights and a blur of color.

"What are you saying? Are we screwed?" Sal asked as everything stopped, sending everyone not stable slamming around. The lights continued to fly around the moon as it turned into a strobe of green and cyan.

"Can anyone make out what is happening on the moon? All bay's report in and fall back!" Astrid yelled through the communications.

"We can't, all engines are fried!" Zane looked at the monitors as they all were going off. "Reactors in all ships are normal but we all are sitting ducks for each other!" Zane looked to his right as the Porcelain Marvel had full power.

"Astrid. Do you have a weapon that can pierce that dome?" James pointed as it started charging rapidly.

"ZETA YOU HAVE ONE SHOT!" Astrid screamed as a metallic clasp was heard above them. He began charging his beam as both sides had a race to the finish. A cyan light blinding everyone outside of Zeta flew upwards and placed something at his feet before fading.

"Amplify." The clone spoke as Zeta felt a surge of power like never before as he started to sparkle. The beam from the Porcelain Marvel opened fire on the Red Merle as the Alpha beam was fired.

The incoming beam was a dark purple with high levels of static. The Alpha beam split it straight down the middle as it's snow white laser cut through to the Marvel and into the moon in the background.

"Holy shit." Zane muttered as the other fighters were still battling it out versus the Independents. As the beam faded so did the Marvel as it crumbled into a light powder. "That was too close. Call lifeboats from the Red Merle to drag us back."

Everyone was shocked by the news and shook to the core at the attack as Zane brushed it off. Astrid rerouted all available and functioning ships to Adam's side as the Independents' capital ship started opening fire on the support ships.