– by Derek Steele

Act 1 – The Coming Darkness

“All I could see were lights, intense, blinding. My ears were full of sound, so much noise; the earth was reverberating with every boom. I couldn’t move. I was paralyzed by fear. Everything became hazy, I remember a wave of heat washing over my body, and there was nothing. Stillness. Looking back on it I preferred the noise to that uneasy calm, like the eye of an incredible hurricane. The storm came in a wave of explosion. I think I was on the out edge of it, but it was still enough to throw me bodily into the tree behind me. I was dazed and confused, the whole world was shimmering before me, but I remember a second array of lights, far larger than the other, probably a hundred times its size, descend to the earth near it. It looked like three gigantic boxes strapped to each other. The next thing I can remember was the medics leaning over me asking questions that I couldn’t hear above the sound of my ears ringing. I don’t know what else to tell you.”

Paola Zatrann looked over the interrogation before her with a deep sense of worry about her. As CONCORD’s emissary to the fourth planet in the Deltole system, it was her duty to ensure that its inhabitants were affected as little as possible by outsiders. Reports from her fellow emissaries from other planets in other systems were that there seemed to be increasing number of outsider incidents in the Algintal constellation. She couldn’t understand it, with CONCORD’s current ban on outsider influence on planets there had been relatively little to deal with, but this was the third incident within a solar week that this had happened, and that made her anxious. It made everyone anxious.

Zatrann thought it was about time to contact the CONCORD ambassador to Algintal and see what was going on. Thus far she had treated these outsider intrusions as isolated incidents, but her doubts were beginning to get the best of her. She knew what weapon could have been used out there, the “wave of explosion” as the witness had testified. Smartbombs. Smartbombs used on land protected by CONCORD by law. Sadly without a ship class or a destination trajectory the perpetrator of this incursion was unlikely to be able to be tracked. The trail was cold.

Reaching her office she simply said “Communicator”, and the wall sprang to life in a colourful display of activation.
“Welcome back Emissary Zatrann, How may I be of service today?” The voice was at once compassionate, and yet somehow devoid of any human emotion.
“Put me on to Ambassador Theelanis please.”
“One moment.” There was a brief pause as the computer attempted to make contact with the ambassador’s secretary in Jolia. “Contact successful, establishing link now.”
On the screen appeared the perky face of a young Gallentean female who seemed far too pleased to be fulfilling her secretarial role.
“Ambassador Theelanis’ office, how may I help you today?”
“I need to speak to the ambassador right away. It concerns possible violations of capsuleer intervention on my planet.”
“Ah, another one. Well, you’re in luck, he’s just arrived back from a meeting, patching you through now.”
The ambassador’s familiar, age worn face appeared before Zatrann.
“Ah, my sweet daughter,” he said in the tone that always filled Zatrann with warmth, “what is it that you need help with today? If it’s money you need you know you didn’t need to vid-chat me.”
“No, father, but I thank you for the offer. I come before you on business only, but seeing you of course is an added bonus. I have a problem father. Yesterday, for the third time this week, I believe that capsuleers have attacked sections of my planet with no provocation. I can’t understand it, I thought that the anti-capsuleer interaction ban by CONCORD was supposed to prevent this sort of thing from happening, and normally contact with capsuleers is quite limited. Suddenly, growing at an almost exponential rate, they’re attacking and scorching the planet, traumatising its inhabitants. Why is this happening father? Why is this happening to my planet?”
The ambassador looked down, worry and sadness creeping across his face, despite his attempts to hide it from his daughter.
“My girl. There is an impending storm on the horizon. I am not normally allowed to tell the emissaries this, but you are my daughter, so I am prepared to take the risk. The anti-capsuleer interaction ban you spoke of is being lifted at some point in the coming weeks or months. I myself don’t know exactly when, only that it is happening. It was supposed to be kept secret between CONCORD and its high level employees, but in an organisation so big, there are always leaks. Someone has told these capsuleers that this ban is being lifted, and they are illegally scouting these areas to try to find areas of potential worth before any others can legally do so. These intruders are pirates, the enemies of CONCORD, the ones we try to restrict to low security space but always seem to find their way back in. These attacks are not unique to your planet either, they are happening all over the universe, I would be thankful that you haven’t been on the receiving end of the worst ones. Some have been trying to mount a resistance, and have been met with overwhelming force. I can only imagine how bad it will become.”
“What can I do father?”
“Not a lot I’m afraid. Once the ban is lifted, CONCORD has relatively no say in the matter. They will not be responsible for policing the actions of the capsuleers. The best you can do is be prepared for the coming darkness. Hundreds, perhaps thousands ships, industrials, freighters, they will descend on worlds throughout the universe, and they will have little care for those worlds that they will exploit for their own financial gain. Your only real hope for your world is to move its people as best you can into major cities away from mineral rich hot zones. I’ve heard of incidents firebombing of civilian cities in the Amarr Empire, and I don’t think we can trust even the Gallentean capsuleers from not doing the same.”
“I can probably do some evacuations, but not enough. We have enough problems with civil wars on our own without outsiders. Things are going to get messy.”
“They most certainly are. Will you be safe there Paola? I can have you transferred to somewhere else…”
“No father, this planet is my home, and I will do what is necessary to protect it, to defend it, to ensure its survival. I hope that things will not become too difficult, but from what you’re telling me, I have a lot of work to do. I’ll leave it at that father, thank you for telling me this. My love to mother.”
“She sends hers as well. Good luck Paola. Be safe.”

The screen briefly became transparent and then began to display an image of the planet below.
“Is there anything else I can do to help you, Emissary Zatrann.”
“No thank you computer,” Zatrann sighed, defeated, “Just send me the planet’s representative. I think we have a long debate ahead of us.”

Act 2 – Invasion

Planetary court was in session, and the major representatives from the planet and the CONCORD representative were all in argument over the current issue of mounting a defence initiative, evacuating cities or just letting capsuleers destroy the entire planet with their naked profiteering. Like the millions around me, I stood in Victory Square watching in a state of anxiety as our leaders battled over what would happen to us, the little people. One thing was clear, doomsday was coming, and it was inevitable. The CONCORD representative had been notified that CONCORD was lifting the capsuleer ban on interacting with planets in the coming weeks, and I could see that all blame for our current situation was being placed squarely on her shoulders. She was flustered, but she held her own, even amongst all the anger and tension in the court. Of all our leaders, I put my faith in her. Her vote was for the evacuation of many of the citizens into three of our major cities and for the rest to migrate into designated “Low Strategic Value” areas in an attempt to avoid confrontation from the capsuleers. She also demanded a truce between all warring factions currently fighting between themselves, and unifying the world against the impending capsuleer incursions. While everyone knew this was unlikely, I still admired the force with which she spoke and the determination to do what she thought best for our people.

There was an audible crash heard over the video screen. Every representative looked in the same direction and began getting up from their seats. The transmission turned to static. Everyone began looking at each other in wonder, talking amongst each other in an attempt to understand what was going on. All of a sudden two pinpricks of light appeared in the distance, rapidly growing larger. The pinpricks reshaped into ovals as they sped above me and slammed into the Federal Administration Building.

My vision blurred, my ears ringing, I struggled to my feet amongst the dirt and the ash and the rubble, trying to see what was going on. I heard another volley pound into the building and my flight mechanisms finally kicked in. I ran. I ran as fast as I could in the opposite direction. I ran past burning buildings, blood soaked bodies reaching out for a lifeline that would never come, past the ruins of a military training post. Everything was in chaos, everyone was in panic. We never thought we would have to prepare ourselves for this; our planet has lived in peace for centuries.

I found a Quafe warehouse that seemed relatively intact and I rushed in, losing myself in the crowd that was doing the same. Once I got inside I headed to my right, out of the way of the incoming crowd, trying to find a place to breathe some cleaner air. I saw in the centre that some military personnel from the now demolished training camp had brought with them a mobile shield generator. It seemed that for a while at least, we were safe.

Once the military had completed their setup, they went about trying to fix the video screens to try to get a mayday broadcast out and hopefully receive some news of who or what was attacking.
“I’ve got a signal!” yelled one of the mechanics from across the hall. At once a dozen officers converged on him, talking to him and amongst themselves. One of them prepared to make a speech.
“Ladies and gentlemen! May I have your attention! We have currently erected a mobile shield generator. It should keep us safe for approximately five hours with our current battery reserves. We have also managed to fix a video screen well enough to receive, but we cannot yet broadcast a signal. Rest assured we are doing the best we can, and we hope-“.
He was cut off by a high pitched squeal from the video screen and then a transmission coming in, as clear as day, or at least, as clear as day was before the attack.
“Fellow citizens. I am Paola Zatrann, representative of CONCORD to this planet. Just recently we were attacked by unknown assailants in multiple locations around the planet, including station Alpha, the location of the High Court. Only a few have delegates from the station have successfully made it out. The station was completely obliterated. I am placing the planet under CONCORD jurisdiction and we will-“. The signal cut out and was replaced by a much more terrifying one.

A man stood on the screen. Scarred and clearly a veteran of many a conflict, he had the eyes, the face, and the voice of one that has experienced, and bee a party to, the enslavement of worlds, and he clearly enjoyed his work.
“Good morning our poor defenceless victims, I trust that those of you who are still alive are well minus an arm or two. My name is Trelek, and we, dear friends, are capsuleers, and damn fine ones at that. Your measly defences have been swept away, leaving you no means of forcing us back. We plan to pillage and mine your planet dry, stripping it of every resource that has any remote value. This of course, is not likely to be in line with your plans for the planet, but make no mistake, if you fight us, things will only get worse, let me assure you. I politely request that you surrender, fully and unconditionally, control of the planet to us, and then maybe we’ll consider not cleansing it.”
The screen split into two halves, one with the capsuleers and one with Emissary Zatrann. Clearly they were on a direct line that was also being broadcast live across the planet.
“What right have you to do this? This planet is under CONCORD jurisdiction under my order! I have called for reinforcements and-“
Trelek interjected.
“Darling child, you have absolutely no right here. CONCORD has lifted their ban, sooner than I thought they had planned too. Quite a timesaver. They will not be coming. We are here first, and this planet is ours. Please, Enjoy your stay,” Trelek’s gleeful face turned to one of brutality, “as short lived as it may be.”
The capsuleer’s side of the screen went dead, and Paola was left looking down in defeat. She raised her face and delivered an improvised speech.
“Ladies and gentlemen. They are correct. Moments before the capsuleer’s attack on Station Alpha, I received word from CONCORD High Command that the ban on capsuleer planetary interaction has been lifted.” She bowed her head. “CONCORD will not be coming. I am deeply sorry. I thought we had more time.” Paola signed off.

Act 3 – Aftermath

Paola’s entourage was visibly shaken from their tumultuous journey from the wreck of Station Alpha to a secure bunker in a province below the planet’s largest body of water, most of the people on there were a lot less fortunate. The reports that were coming to her were that the two largest cities had sustained major attacks, and their next three had minor attacks on them. Millions were dead. Millions more were injured. The planet was gripped by chaos and there was no-one coming to save them. Shortly after delivering her speech, Paola collapsed.

She woke up a few hours later. She was lying on a bed, feeling very dizzy. When she came around and became aware of her environment, she realised she was not on her own. An unfamiliar face was looking at her from the doorway.

“Ah, Ms Zatrann. I’m glad you have recovered. We are evacuating you immediately. Please come with me. There is a transport ready to take you back to Jolia where you will be safe with your father.”
“No, I cannot leave. This is my planet, I am responsible for it.”
“You can communicate with your people just as well from Jolia, where you will be safer. Now come with me. I’m not asking this time.”
“No! I-“
“Nurse, sedate this woman.”
“What? You can’t do this!” screamed Paola.
“Then come with me NOW!”
Paola sighed her sigh of defeat. She’d done that too many times recently. Her life was just happening and there was nothing she could do about it.
“I’ll come.”

As they exited the atmosphere, Paola looked out of the porthole of their armoured shuttle, witnessing a heavy battle between a small contingent of Megathron class warships that were engaged against the pirate capsuleers.
“They’re buying you time,” said her mysterious guardian as he was piloting the shuttle, wired in, “evidently your father wields some serious power. Brace for warp.”
Paola braced herself. Moments later the gate to Colelie appeared in the front viewscreen. They jumped.

As the ship went into warp towards the next gate, Paola’s pilot unstrapped himself from all the gadgets and gizmos that were required for manual piloting. He somewhat ungracefully stumbled through the door to the small cargohold and dropped onto one of the seats opposite Paola.
“Well, we’re on autopilot now, you should be to your father soon.”
“Who are you?” Paola, exhausted, asked, mumbling.
“Ah, of course, my apologies. I myself am a capsuleer.”
At that, Paola became wide-eyed and suddenly, full of an angry energy, leapt upon her pilot. She was put down quite quickly, but not before landing a decent punch on the man’s jaw. Holding her hands restrained, the man bent down to whisper into Paola’s ear.
“Now I’m going to forgive you for that and put it down to the circumstances. Before I let you go, I need you to know that I am on your side. I am not a pirate and I have, and never will, attack civilians. What happened to your planet is wrong. I want to fix that. I’m going to let you go now, but be sure that if you attack me again it’s lights out. Deal?”
“Deal.”
The man released her, and they both returned to their seats, Paola facing what she now believed to be her captor.
“Ok.” The man said, “I’ll start from the top. Yes, I am a capsuleer, and I want to help you. I am not the only one either. There are good people in this universe, and we want to help. There is a movement rising since the planetary interaction ban was lifted. We are not ready yet, but in one, maybe two years, we will be launching offensives on those pirates that are abusing this new interaction. They will grow complacent, they will be unprepared. We will be victorious. Let me make this clear, right now it is all just rumours, but one day it will be possible. It operates in secrecy and until the time is right, it will stay that way. It has a codename, a name for freedom and for retribution. Its codename: DUST 514.”