Lux Introduction, Part Four
Aboard the Reliquary Ship “Shatterstorm,” several weeks prior to the Terminus ad Absurdum of the Pax Z30 system…
Reliquary Ships
Reliquary Ships are relatively large patchwork vessels. The ship is actually comprised of several interconnected but independently operative ships and space habitats. Each module is uaully assigned a specific function. Forges and Engineering bays are common, as are Vaults and residentials. Most common, however, are the spaces filled with Gargoyle troops in their thousands, ready to be powered up and put to good use. Reliquary Ships are designed to break apart for atmospheric reentry and eventual egress. Reliquaries are also called Ophanim, so named for the spectacle they produce on entering atmo and making landfall, each module falling through the sky like a ring of fire. Individual Reliquaries can maintain most ground engagements alone for many months before needing reinforcements and a respite for repairs to the Gargoyles.
Captain: “By the Seven, this place is useless! I may have to call it…get the rest of Omega in here and finish her off.”
Command Crewmember: “Captain?! Is that really necessary?”
Captain: “Pyotr, if you were anyone else, I’d brain you just for asking such a stupid question. Egads, man! We’ve annihilated fourteen of this fucking pansy ass culture’s space stations, twelve moon bases on six different moons, and two terraformed habitats on the fourth planet there. And still, they won’t fight! Still, they won’t embrace their birthright! Their comm traffic is chock full of pleas for a doctor. A bloody doctor! I’ll tell you this, Pyotr, if they do ever find this doctor, I don’t think he’ll be at all What The Fuck they were expecting. It’s pathetic.”
Pyotr: “Of course, Captain Magnus, I see your point. Still…Terminus…”
Captain Magnus: “Oh, I know. Believe me, I’m not itching to pull the trigger either. Especially not after last time…I never want to see Lord Uriel angry ever again. But we may not have much choice here. If they pull one more peace-loving hippy--”
Pyotr: “Captain! Incoming fighters, port side!”
Magnus: “I see them. It’s about time…wait…are those Space Pirates?”
Pyotr: “It looks like it…those are Boarders, Captain…but something’s…not right…”
Command Crewmember: “The engines, Captain! They’re Pink Transparent! That’s a whole fuckload of True Friendship headed our way!”
Pyotr: “Lieutenant Hardie is right, sir. Initial scans show the majority of the Boarders to be unmanned but a few hold lifesigns…running them though the Hat Identification Matrix now…Sir, those aren’t Space Pirates; they’re sending over Space Diplomats.”
Command Crewmember: “Oh…My…”
Pyotr: “Johnson! Can it. And get me a scan on the surrounding sector. We don’t want any more unpleasant surprises.
Johnson: “Yessir Lieutenant Commander sir, sorry, sir.”
Magnus: “Right, then, that settles it. Any of these damned things burrows through our hull, we’re done for. I’m going to go make sure that doesn’t happen. Lieutenant Commander Petrov, you have the bridge. When I get back, I expect we’ll have no more conversations about the severity of this situation.”
Pyotr Petrov: “Right, Captain.”
Johnson: “But Captain, surely you don’t mean to go it alone out there. I mean, that’s a Huge--”
Magnus: “Johnson! Use your head for something other than a place to put your helmet! Of course, I’m not going alone. I want to succeed. Activate the Gargoyles.”
Johnson: “Oh. Aye, Captain.”
Captain Magnus: “They will suffer for this affront. To use this violence and technology to achieve a stagnant peace? Unforgivable. Once we’ve dealt with this offensive assault, I will thereby order Terminus ad Absurdum on this pitiful system. It will be a mercy. For now…Archangelics! Clear the air out there, I don’t want the fuckers raining on my head while I’m murdering their friends. Spirits! Watch out for any manned craft that evade fire and slip past the bigger Gargoyles. The rest of you lot! On me! Let’s clean house.”
Equipment Customization
It’s fairly common for veteran Lux to customize their personal equipment. Seen here, Captain Magnus of the Shatterstorm has his DEUS Mech painted to reflect his Half-Fallen nature, a state of being of which he is inordinately proud. Also seen here is a much rarer creation, the twin Holy Hammer Axes of Annihilation. Each is one half of a Holy Relic, held in awe by the Lux. Only Master Smiths, who worked in BrikHeaven with the boundless energies of True Creation, have the subtle skill required to make them. They never do so lightly. Magnus’ HHAA functions as a high powered Cataclysm Blade (with about twice the power and damage output) but are much clumsier than their cousins.
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