Chapter 10 in my Endless fan fiction. Please read,

Ch 1 https://www.games2gether.com/endless-space/forum/38-creations/thread/16426-fan-fiction-the-duke

Ch2 https://www.games2gether.com/endless-space/forum/38-creations/thread/16382-fan-fict-the-missionary

Ch 3 https://www.games2gether.com/endless-space/forum/38-creations/thread/16383-fan-fict-the-vain-god

Ch 4 https://www.games2gether.com/endless-space/forum/38-creations/thread/16386-fan-fict-the-chained-chancellor

Ch 5 https://www.games2gether.com/endless-space/forum/38-creations/thread/16396-fan-fict-the-silver-paladin

Ch 6 https://www.games2gether.com/endless-space/forum/38-creations/thread/16395-fan-fict-the-doubtful-clerk

Ch 7 https://www.games2gether.com/endless-space/forum/38-creations/thread/16394-fan-fict-the-mad-emperor

Ch 8 https://www.games2gether.com/endless-space/forum/38-creations/thread/16399-fan-fict-horatio

Ch 9 https://www.games2gether.com/endless-space/forum/38-creations/thread/16398-fan-fict-the-war-bird



The Ice Paladin



“Enemy signatures detected off the port bow, Admiral!” Chidi Bademdi dropped the reports he held in his hands and jogged to the tactical holo in the middle of the CIC. Out of the slip string node emerged six imperial corvettes and three destroyers. “Comms are open to the fleet, Admiral,” continued his XO, Vice Admiral Shogus.



“Attention all ships, Imperial fleet detected emerging from slip space. Form up in angle formation, prepare to intercept.” On the holo, Chidi’s fleet formed into formation, eight destroyers and two cruisers in the middle of the column, flanked by three batlleships, including Bademdi’s flagship, Rigel’s Revenge.



A junior officer walks to the admiral and hands him a report on the enemy ship with a yawn. The enemy destroyers are arrayed with positron torpedoes and plasmic cannons, while the corvettes are armed with plasma slugs. Their defences consisted lepton shielding and magnetic deflectors and plasma fields. No one weapon would give Chidi an advantage.



“All ships, give them a volley of torpedos, we are going to try and break up their formation and pick off the stragglers.” On the holo, one of the Pilgrim ships began to slip from the formation.

“Oslo’s Regret, get back in formation. You need to tighten up.”



A lazy sigh came over the comms “Yes, Admiral.” However the ship continued to list out of formation and a barrage of enemy torpedoes connected and the holo of the ship disappeared. Chidi pinched the bridge of his nose in frustration, turning his attention to the rest of his fleet. Their formation was sloppy and they were taking heavy damage from the Imperial intruders.



“The enemy fleet is closing in, Admiral,” warned Shogus.



“Alright than. All ships, give them a taste of dark energy.” The holo indicated a blast of beams emitting from the Pilgrim fleet, however the defences from the enemy continued to hold. Another pilgrim ship began to stray from formation, but this time it was coming in too tight and crashed into a neighbouring destroyer. Both ships disappeared from the holo.



Another fleet emerged from slip space. A large fleet of Imperial battleships, sending torpedoes to announce their arrival. “Enemy torpedos closing in, attempting to evade…. we’re hit.” sighed Shogus. The holo went red.



“Simulation failed” said the ship AI.



“Vice Admiral Shogus, send word to the captains, have them assemble in my ready room for debrief.” With that final order, Chidi left the CIC. His men were getting sloppy. They have been running simulations for the past six weeks straight. The fatigue was catching up to them. This was the second simulation they have failed in a row. The last sim was a bitter victory and another loss before that. Now they were all destroyed without even taking out a single enemy ship.

Chidi walked into his ready room and sat behind his desk with a sigh. A data screen materialized upon the desk showing scout reports from neighbouring star systems. Still no sign of Therna Ubantri. Chidi Bademdi is the head of the Paladin Order. The sacred warriors entrusted with the defence of the Pilgrim Nation, and many of his own are now missing and presumed dead. He remembered the argument he had with Ziecheal the day before he ordered Ubantri’s departure.



They were in Ziecheal’s tower on Legacy, in his personal quarters having dinner together. When Chidi is planetside, which is rare, they try to have dinner together at least once a week so they can talk strategy or of their families and hopes. The dinners are an important anchor for Chidi, it keeps him reminded of what he is fighting for. Ziecheal is the embodiment of all Pilgrims after all. He is strong, wise, and carries the weight of them all on his shoulders.

That evening they were discussing the latest transmission from Aaorld Au Brian. Their plates were empty and pushed to the side as they poured over the schematics of a new imperial dreadnought. It was the biggest ship both had ever seen. The size of Legacy and than some.

“I don’t know, Ziecheal. There is something off about this. Why would the Empire be building this ship beyond their own borders? And in an asteroid field at that.”



“I’ve thought about that myself,” said Ziecheal, “It seems to me that they built it there because it is the last place one would expect to find such a ship yard.”



“It’s so close to us, though. They’re almost building it right on our doorstep. This reeks of a trap.”



“That is why I am sending Admiral Ubantri. She has a nose for detecting traps.” replied Ziecheal.



Chidi shook his head, “she has been blinded by this Duke Au Brian. How do we know we can really trust him? “



“I’ve already discussed this with you.” said Ziecheal with a wave of his hand, as if to swat away his admiral’s suspicions.



“Who goes with Ubantri?”



“Her fleet of course.”



Chidi sucked on his teeth. “We cannot commit what we can’t afford to lose.”



“What would you have us do, brother? Shall we sit and wait, do nothing? Will we bide our time until this ship is completed and comes to us?”



First Chidi had thought to suggest they wait for Sophon support, but he thought better of it. He did not like how much faith Ziecheal had placed in the Sophons. When Rigel was invaded they were the first to flee. And now they have lead them to this world in exchange for their prized artifacts. Chidi did not know what game they were playing, but he did not like it. Nor did he like the way Lrhan Amirmoez was always staring at him like she wanted to dissect him in a lab. Of course now an entire armada of Sophon war ships orbited the moon of Xenophros claiming to have the interests of the Pigrims at heart and Lrhan Amirmoez had been mysteriously reassigned. It remains to be seen what they will do if the strength of the Empire arrives.

“Send a single corvette with a boarding party. If it is a trap escape will be easier, and our losses minimized. Above all we must be patient”



“Patient?!” Ziecheal’s voice was rising in anger “We were patient leaving the Empire! We were patient when their fleets massed for Rigel! I will give the Empire a show of strength that they will not forget! That is the end of it!”



Chidi could forgive Ziecheal of his anger. He left his wife and one of his sons behind on Rigel after all. The weight of the Pilgrims was beginning to take its toll on their leader. Emotions were clouding his judgement and he had closed his ears to the possibility that Aarold Au Brian could be leading them to a trap.



Shogus stepped into the doorway of his ready room, breaking him from his thoughts. “Your captains are ready to see you, Admiral.”



Chidi nodded and waved him inside. A dozen of his captains followed the Vice Admiral inside. Chidi’s cool eyes inspected them one by one. The captains looked tired and haggard. Most had allowed beards to grow on their faces, their uniforms were unbuttoned, and loose over their pants. The Pilgrim military branch had kept its traditions from the Empire, recognizing the need for discipline, and these great military men and women before him were too tired to honour such traditions.

“Had this been a real invasion,” began Chidi, “We would all be dead and our people on Xenophros would be in dire straits.”

“Admiral …” started one of his captains. Chidi raised his hand to silence him.

“You all need a reminder of what we are fighting for. Three weeks shore leave.” The room gave a sigh of relief. Chidi was disappointed that more of his fleet were not born and raised on ships and stations. Chidi felt at home among the stars, with the hum of a drive core underneath of him. But most Pilgrims wanted the feel of terra firma beneath their feet. “We will return to Xenophros, take 48 hours to yourselves than I want you all to meet me at the Kartal memorial. We are going hunting.”





The yellow and blue stars of Xenophros were high in the sky when Chidi and his captains met at the memorial of Gero Kartal. On the beach, jutting out of the sand was a scrap of steel, all that remained of the hull of Kartal’s Missionary ship. The rest having long since been cleared away or sunk deep into the ocean. Engraved on the steel were the names of the fourteen dead missionaries, including Gero Kartal, though his body had never been found. Chidi had led the search and rescue mission. That day was still a vivid memory in his mind. Gero’s ship had crashed into the ocean, after being hit by a series of torpedoes. To this day the attackers have eluded them. First they thought the attack came from the moon, but Lrhan was quick to deny that suggestion. Now it seems the attack came from the ocean. Most of the ocean floor was mapped and surveyed, however a large portion of the crushing depths still remained unknown to the Pilgrims. Days after the incident missing crewman had washed up on the shores of this beach without their escape pods and with no memory of the events after the crash. Gero was not among them.



Opposite the beach was a wall of dark green, foreboding vines and thick trees loomed over the white sands of the beach. Inside the tree line is a diverse ecosystem of poisonous plants, shy colourful birds and delicious Xenoboars. Fiercely territorial beasts sporting three tusks along either side of its head, two eyes with a third on its forehead. Without further delay Chidi lead his people into the jungle to catch a boar.



Hours later, after the blue sun set and darkness spread across the world, Chidi and his party emerged from the jungle onto the beach, carrying the carcass of large xenoboar. They built a large fire and began to cook the beast along a spit as their ancestors would have.

Chidi looked out on the calm water of the ocean. The reflection of the moon could be seen on the still water. Many twinkling blue lights could be seen among the moon like stars. The Sophon armada. The smell of the meat filling his nostrils. The water began to ripple than bubble. His captains took notice and gathered around in wonder. A glow of light could be seen beneath the water. The captains shouted in alarm, Chidi grabbed his kinetic rifle and took aim at the ocean. A great beast burst from the water. A gelatinous creature which shone with a warm blue inner light. An amoebas. With a great shudder it regurgitated a person out onto the sand.

Gero Kartal rose to one knee, barfed bile and liquid out onto the beach and climbed to his feet taking large breaths. “Air! Air! Oh its so good to breath the air again!”



Chidi stepped forward, his rifle still pointed at the creature. “Gero! What.. Who..”



Gero turned toward the amoebas “What, him? That’s just Gary.”



Chidi stared coolly at Gero. “Gary?” The creature quivered and pulsed with blue light. If Chidi didn’t know any better, he’d swear the creature was laughing.