Series 1.4 - Impending Encounter
The ground beneath Kel Androxa’s feet erupted into a wave of dust and rock under the weight of the strike team’s hasty insertion onto the jungle world of Kerworn XI. Wielders of the ancient galactic power of UDE-1 were granted near unlimited ability in physical might, agility, and prowess when fully trained in such techniques. Because of this, they did not require the standard type of technology that a military force would utilize when touching down planet side for an assault mission such as this. They instead called upon UDE-1 to slow their decent and cushion them from injury once they reached solid surface below, as it seemed to work in harmony with gravity. The discipline over UDE-1 required for such a high-risk maneuver was not common and this dangerous of an insertion was reserved for the very best the Order had to offer. But this was Kel’s first real time attempting such a landing and his UDE-1 specialty was in explosives and pinpointing the flaws in machinery, not physical tests of those immense abilities.
He hit the ground and he hit it hard.
He tasted a faint tinge of iron in his mouth as he processed the pain that radiated from his legs up into his back and finally residing somewhere behind his teeth. So much of his focus was directed towards the agility needed to make the landing that he found it hard to overcome the pain that was now blasting his senses in waves. Though every Order Controller was able to call upon UDE-1 and utilize the energy in certain ways, very few were able to control multiple aspects of it. UDE-1 could be used to help sharpen senses, boost physical endurance, provide insight into the feelings of others, and to heal from injury among many other things. But Kel was lacking in even just the basics of UDE-1 healing, and he could feel his mind starting to slip away due to the pain; he was about to pass out.
But before the darkness in his vision overcame him completely, he felt a reassuring hand grip his shoulder and a flood of reinvigorating UDE-1 energy flow through his body. The hand belonged to the Strike Team’s resident Shield/Protector Aida Warda. Unlike Kel, she was a master when it came to calling upon the regenerative and protective properties of UDE-1. What she lacked in an assertive personality or combat skills, she made up for in preserving the rest of the team.
“Rough landing, huh? Don’t worry, I’ve got you covered.” She said from just behind him to the side in a whisper that was somehow heard over the booming engines of the starship that they just dismounted from.
While turning his head slightly towards her voice, he gave a reassuring nod that he was okay thanks to her help. Now that he could focus on the mission, he began to scan the area for hostile threats while the rest of the team did the same. They fanned out with Resonator Harnesses completely powered up and ready for any confrontation with Sunder ground forces they were expecting to encounter. They came down in what was a large clearing just outside of the ancient temple that was being used by the Sunder for an unknown purpose. Thick, dense jungles surrounded the entire area and had been slowly retaking the temple for what must have been thousands of years. Had there not been Sunder equipment piles littered around the clearing, it might have seemed as though the entire place had been left untouched altogether since the long-gone natives built it.
“Let’s not wait around for them to notice us first, cover the gap quickly and let’s get inside before they realize we jumped out!” said Commandant Melora Rowe, in her most direct and commanding voice she could so that the rest of the team could hear her instructions over the now fading sounds of the ship.
“Aye, Commandant!” said Kel, in an eager yell of his own. Now that he could breathe again, he was ready to take the fight to the enemy and get a little payback for the Order and the Assemblage.
“Aida and Kel, stay with me. Everyone else fan out and be prepared, we don’t know what we’re going to find once we get inside. But it doesn’t matter, we’re the best there is, and you all know it. Let’s move!” said Melora, while beginning to make her way towards the direction of the large opening directly at the face of the temple’s main structure.
They had gone over the plan dozens of times and all knew what job they had to focus on during the strike, but it helped Kel to hear Melora so confident in their abilities. He had never seen her in action up close and personal like this and he found himself in awe of the presence she had while leading. He had learned of her and her families daring while training to become an Order member and through the Galaxy Pulse news reports on her, but to experience it in person was something completely different. It was as awe inspiring just to feel the way she called upon UDE-1 energy and how it seemed to bend to her will, as opposed to the other way around. He could only hope to ever be a fraction as in tune as she was with it some day.
“I think we have company.” said Yigit, in his usual unalarmed way of speaking that he had.
Through the opening ahead of them appeared a dozen or so hulking beasts of pure muscle known as the Sunder, a mysterious species of aliens from outside the known galaxy, also known as the Other Side. They were intimidating just in look and had already been known to harbor no feelings of benevolence towards the beings of this galaxy. Since first arriving on the edges of known space, they had cut across entire solar system with brute force and speed to match. Not much has been discovered about their motive for the invasion, but they have shown that they are prone to enslaving entire planets worth of people and destroying anything and everything relating to dormant UDE-1 energy consumption or use.
Perhaps the most disturbing thing about the invaders to Kel was that they seemed to glow a pale white thanks in part to a sort of energy of their own. It was eerily like UDE-1 yet obviously different in both how it interacted and how it looked. No one had quite figured out just what it was, but it seemed to give them a power all their own. Only it was much more visible, and their entire look was as if designed around showing it off. They wore bright white colored armored that only seemed to radiate the energy that much more and carried bladed weapons that looked as though they were enveloped within it as well. They were in stark contrast to the agile, nimble shadows that Order Controllers created as they moved.
In a matter of moments, the two groups would clash for the first time.
He hit the ground and he hit it hard.
He tasted a faint tinge of iron in his mouth as he processed the pain that radiated from his legs up into his back and finally residing somewhere behind his teeth. So much of his focus was directed towards the agility needed to make the landing that he found it hard to overcome the pain that was now blasting his senses in waves. Though every Order Controller was able to call upon UDE-1 and utilize the energy in certain ways, very few were able to control multiple aspects of it. UDE-1 could be used to help sharpen senses, boost physical endurance, provide insight into the feelings of others, and to heal from injury among many other things. But Kel was lacking in even just the basics of UDE-1 healing, and he could feel his mind starting to slip away due to the pain; he was about to pass out.
But before the darkness in his vision overcame him completely, he felt a reassuring hand grip his shoulder and a flood of reinvigorating UDE-1 energy flow through his body. The hand belonged to the Strike Team’s resident Shield/Protector Aida Warda. Unlike Kel, she was a master when it came to calling upon the regenerative and protective properties of UDE-1. What she lacked in an assertive personality or combat skills, she made up for in preserving the rest of the team.
“Rough landing, huh? Don’t worry, I’ve got you covered.” She said from just behind him to the side in a whisper that was somehow heard over the booming engines of the starship that they just dismounted from.
While turning his head slightly towards her voice, he gave a reassuring nod that he was okay thanks to her help. Now that he could focus on the mission, he began to scan the area for hostile threats while the rest of the team did the same. They fanned out with Resonator Harnesses completely powered up and ready for any confrontation with Sunder ground forces they were expecting to encounter. They came down in what was a large clearing just outside of the ancient temple that was being used by the Sunder for an unknown purpose. Thick, dense jungles surrounded the entire area and had been slowly retaking the temple for what must have been thousands of years. Had there not been Sunder equipment piles littered around the clearing, it might have seemed as though the entire place had been left untouched altogether since the long-gone natives built it.
“Let’s not wait around for them to notice us first, cover the gap quickly and let’s get inside before they realize we jumped out!” said Commandant Melora Rowe, in her most direct and commanding voice she could so that the rest of the team could hear her instructions over the now fading sounds of the ship.
“Aye, Commandant!” said Kel, in an eager yell of his own. Now that he could breathe again, he was ready to take the fight to the enemy and get a little payback for the Order and the Assemblage.
“Aida and Kel, stay with me. Everyone else fan out and be prepared, we don’t know what we’re going to find once we get inside. But it doesn’t matter, we’re the best there is, and you all know it. Let’s move!” said Melora, while beginning to make her way towards the direction of the large opening directly at the face of the temple’s main structure.
They had gone over the plan dozens of times and all knew what job they had to focus on during the strike, but it helped Kel to hear Melora so confident in their abilities. He had never seen her in action up close and personal like this and he found himself in awe of the presence she had while leading. He had learned of her and her families daring while training to become an Order member and through the Galaxy Pulse news reports on her, but to experience it in person was something completely different. It was as awe inspiring just to feel the way she called upon UDE-1 energy and how it seemed to bend to her will, as opposed to the other way around. He could only hope to ever be a fraction as in tune as she was with it some day.
“I think we have company.” said Yigit, in his usual unalarmed way of speaking that he had.
Through the opening ahead of them appeared a dozen or so hulking beasts of pure muscle known as the Sunder, a mysterious species of aliens from outside the known galaxy, also known as the Other Side. They were intimidating just in look and had already been known to harbor no feelings of benevolence towards the beings of this galaxy. Since first arriving on the edges of known space, they had cut across entire solar system with brute force and speed to match. Not much has been discovered about their motive for the invasion, but they have shown that they are prone to enslaving entire planets worth of people and destroying anything and everything relating to dormant UDE-1 energy consumption or use.
Perhaps the most disturbing thing about the invaders to Kel was that they seemed to glow a pale white thanks in part to a sort of energy of their own. It was eerily like UDE-1 yet obviously different in both how it interacted and how it looked. No one had quite figured out just what it was, but it seemed to give them a power all their own. Only it was much more visible, and their entire look was as if designed around showing it off. They wore bright white colored armored that only seemed to radiate the energy that much more and carried bladed weapons that looked as though they were enveloped within it as well. They were in stark contrast to the agile, nimble shadows that Order Controllers created as they moved.
In a matter of moments, the two groups would clash for the first time.
