The Terran-Shivan Alliance: A FreeSpace Story
By Woolie Wool
Chapter 1: Initial Contact
PROXIMA CENTAURI SYSTEM
0950 HOURS
The GTF Myrmidon fighters of Alpha and Beta wings streaked from the GTD Assassin. The voice of Alpha One, Captain Joel Dirstein, rang inside the other fighters: Alright, pilots, proceed on patrol to the waypoints. If you encounter Shivans, break and attack. Once they are destroyed, continue your patrol." Beta Two, Gal Nu'uk (Beta Wing was composed of Vasudans) muttered to himself, "When will I get a serious combat mission?".He spoke too soon.
Five minutes later, red blips appeared on the fighters' radar. "Incoming hostiles, 2300 meters out!" Alpha one barked. "Target and destroy!" The hostile SF Dragon fighters broke formation and attacked, but their tactics seem a little unusual. They began strafing the Myrmidons from the sides instead of pursuing them, attacking from all angles.They deftly avoided the Mymidon fighters' missiles and guns. "I'd swear these pilots were human if I didn't know better," Alpha three remarked. "You arrogant Terrans always think you are the best pilots in existence," remarked Beta one. Suddenly, 20 blue blips appeared on the radar. "The blue blips turned into large red ones, as a smattering of Molochs and Rakshasas as well as a Demon emerged from subspace. A human voice started speaking on the fighter's intercoms. "This is the TSD Doomgiver, a Demon-class destroyer in the Terran-Shivan Alliance," the voice said. "Surrender or die, but if you are a Vasudan, don't surrender. Just die." The voice laughed evilly.
Suddenly, swarms of GTF Ares fighters poured from the Doomgiver's fighter bays, arranged themselves into a wall of fighters and stopped, guns facing the GTVA fighters. "They have Terran fighters!" shouted Beta three. The Doomgiver blasted Beta three's ship with an AAAf beam (not SAAA) a second later. "We are intercepting your transmissions so we can tell who's a Terran and who's a Vasudan." "Then you might as well take out our whole wing, muttered Beta one." Suddenly, three AAAf beams shot through Beta one, Beta two, and Beta four, the remaining ships in the wing. "Damnit, you killed our Vasudan friends!" shouted Alpha one. The mysterious voice snickered. "The rest of you have a choice: Surrender to the TSA or be destroyed. You cannot escape.Alpha two always disliked Vasudans, and he felt that this was his opportunity to realize his dream: attacking Vasudans without fear of a court marshal. "I surrender! I wish to defect to your faction!" he blurted out. "Traitor!" Alpha four snarled, her face exhibiting her sudden rage. "I'll kill you, bastard!" The strange voice continued talking. "Anyone who wishes to defect should come aboard the Doomgiver as quickly as possible. Our fighters will cover you and dispose of your...ex-comrades."
Alpha two and Alpha three sped off as the two others attacked the TSA fighters. The Ares fighters overwhelemed them, blazing away at the pilots who kept their allegiance with Kaysers and Harpoons. Alpha four fell, then Alpha one shouted "Damn you two and your new damned friends to hell! If I must die, at least I can rack up a few more kills!" as he furiously blasted away at the bogeys, killing six of them before an AAAf from the destroyer did him in.
"It's kind of sad to lose old Captain Dirstein," Alpha two remarked. "He was a great pilot." "Destroyed the Ravana and Santhanas, saved Capella, over 450 confirmed kills..." Alpha three reminisced. The two sped off into the Demon's fighter bay, escorted by three Ares fighters.
