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[unwilling-ghost-lord]

soulwitch‌:

“Forgive me, but I do not know everyone’s motives. Some of you outsiders are here for personal gain, and others for noble causes.” Ueda seemed to smile on the display, leaning back a little. “And forgive me once more, though I knew the answer already given your crew’s make up.. I had to ask, placing you in such a position to be unable to refuse.”

“Then, while the big players clash with great pieces of power. We small pawns in our fleets, have one last task before us. To save lives, to battle to the end. To prevent what spreads now, so that others can finish preventing what could spread further.”

“Fight and save people. I will meet your fleet back at the Kansaku Capital world, save all you can as you pass system to system. Escort and transports are abundant, we only need to safe guard them.”

He nods quietly. A spectral smile spreading across his face. Widening. He respected her. Not something that happened much anymore. Especially not for leaders of any sort. But her... yes. He could respect her.

“Well then, Admiral, If we never meet again it has been a pleasure. I don’t think I can bring anything back if this. Lets hope whatever god of death exists here has some form of pity eh?”

He pauses going silent for a little while.

“Lets not go quietly into this night ey?”

Only A Spirit Can

[unwilling-ghost-lord]

soulwitch‌:

“It seems we’ve been set a bad deck of cards from the start. The Kansaku Queen and her allies are pushing to the Matrix, there’s enough of them that they need no support. But that’s left us a rather dirty task.”

“The unbidden are entities of energy, their ships powerful, and their ability to eat worlds, cruel. There is no spirits left once they are done.” Ueda transmitted data to the other, data that showed the rapid expansion of claimed Unbidden space.

“My task is to visit and save as many people as possible from this lost space, protect evacuating ships, defeat the unbidden forward fleets. A task too tall for any of us, even together.”

“Those are my orders, it may not be the most graceful end to a fight, but I will head south to face fleet upon fleet. Then return to safe space for one final stand if we cannot break these portals. What of you? Is your task finished, do you wish for greater glory, or are you too going to help save countless lives?”

“Bad deck? That’s a bit of an understatement.”

Nonetheless he’s listening, defiantly listening, abominations of nature from beyond the veil of space was only slightly above his pay grade. Not that he got paid. Actually he didn’t get much at all out of this thinking about it.... Best not to think about it.

He looks upon the data with actual concern. That was rare for him... or at least it was rare for him to show it so easily. On the various levels of not good this was very high on the not good scale. Actually this might be one of the highest “not goods” he’s ever experienced.

“Alright, lovely, they eat souls, at least I know wee on an equal playing field.”

As much as he always could, as much as he could always tear the essence from the living, he always found it undesirable and he would never completely consume the energy. He was not so cruel. 

“Glory? This was never for glory. Not for me at least. I had a goal, prevent some mad terrible power from rising and escaping this galaxy, stop it from reaching other places and sowing such chaos. That’s exactly what I plan to to.”

He sighs, shaking his head, a lot had happened. Maybe he’d gotten a little off track. Just a little.

“What are my options Admiral? These spirits wish to protect their homes and I will not abandon them. Our goals align.”

Only A Spirit Can

[unwilling-ghost-lord]

He was having fun too!

Things just seemed to be getting worse and worse. First their lovely little celebration was ruined by Cores little broadcast. Now There were reports of abominations of nature coming from divines know where. This was great, just dandy.

“Lord. The Grand Commander has requested to speak with you.”

He groans, not because he was being bothered or because someone was calling but because they called him lord. He hated when they did that. Nonetheless if the Admiral was calling him it was probably for the best.

“Put her on and be quick. We don’t exactly have all the time in the universe.”

It wouldn’t take long for him to be speaking with her, holding his hand up to the side of his head as if he had a phone.

“Yeeellow. This is Spook speaking, leading of a bunch of dead people, Admiral I presume? As much as I’d absolutely adore to chat over a cup pf tea and a good number of biscuits abominations of nature seem to have just come out of rifts in the very universal plane and I’m quite busy trying to figure out what the heck is going on...”

He rubs his face with a hand, his light hearted act fading pretty much instantly

“Please tell me you know what the hell’s happening.”

Only A Spirit Can

@unwilling-ghost-lord // Redbellion Finale Starter

Their victory felt bittersweet as the reality of Core’s doings started to wash over the galaxy. They’d toppled one threat and another loomed nearby. The Velutarian Fleet and the Fleet brought by the Kansaku Queen pushed onward towards the Extermination Matrix, but neither the Grand Admiral’s Fleet or the Spirit’s fleet had pushed forward.

The Grand Admiral was waiting, watching. hearing the worlds of her people. They all cried out, perhaps even the dead ones did too. To turn and face the unbidden, to face the horde of evil spreading across space. Their homes were at risk, they lives threatened, and the unbidden ruthless.

One large threat toppled, and a galactic crisis now faced them. She’d asked many to die once for her, but now she was asking them to do it once more. To save as many lives as they could for evacuating refugees. “Bring up the Spirit Captain on screen, we’ve an important task to discuss.”

She wished to hear, what the lost souls were screaming to do.

[unwilling-ghost-lord]

He had been one of those celebrating, one of those cheering, it was unfortunate it had ended so soon. 

“Quite the party pooper that Core.”

He grumbled, sighing, thinking. As much as he tried to put humor into it this was disturbing and not lightly either. They had accomplished a grand victory but even still... things seemed like the are more danger than ever...

[unwilling-ghost-lord]

soulwitch‌:

“Forgotten but the deeds aren’t for nothing. Even nothing, everyone with a heart and soul have finally come together in this galaxy. Fears from old crisis are gone, the threat as real was it was, isn’t going away anymore. So we fight.” 

“There’s little I can offer right now, we’re still gathering ourselves. But what I will say, attune whatever ships you have to deal with high powered shields. Get in close, as crazy as it sounds. With their main fleet, we do better in close to avoid their larger energy weapons.”

“And of course, be ready to sacrifice one’s everything.” Ueda added, looking around at those gathered including their spirit leader. “There’s no running from this.”

The Ghost lord nods. He didn’t disagree at all. But the truth was still the truth. They would be forgotten. But sometimes... That wasn’t a bad thing either.

“Alright. I’ll have that set up as quickly as we can. This is no time to dawdle.”

He’d nod. Ready. As far as he was concerned this was inevitable.

“I have been ready to sacrifice for a long time... Battle is our fate. If we can manage this... Manage success... Then it may all be worth it as their titan falls.” He’d chuckle a bit, nodding, before he sighed.

“Is this all? I have many preparations to put into motion. This will be no small task. Victory is necessary and I plan to give us the best chance physically possible.”

Metal and Spirits

[unwilling-ghost-lord]

soulwitch‌:

“There’s little choice, even without you, I would of had to meet the foe while others battled elsewhere. I’m gathering, every space ships, every body we can muster. We have the short end of the stick, with the greatest goal to be taken.” Ueda answered, crossing her arms with a sigh. It was clear this was a lot for her to handle, just one woman trying to tackle a planet.

“Wonderful. It seems, many strive for that mark in this conflict. Though our tale will be that of the front lines, the unsung heroes of many.”

“We will meet them in the Uzhab Vortex. Whatever we destroy, will fall to the void of the nearby blackhole. We will lure them out of Eioafrarvis system, to save the people there. And conquer their titan. We will use the dust and storms of Uzhab.”

“We arn’t exactly on the most stable of ground are we?”

He sighs a bit, shaking his head, this was an unavoidable battle he supposed... it made sense. The extermination Directive had made leaps and strides in their goals... What did they have?

“No one ever remembers the soldiers... Even the generals are forgotten sometimes. But glory is not our goal, peace is, so that does not matter.”

He nods, taking mental note of the location, and the... geography? Was there even geography in space? He supposed it didn’t matter. If their were natural tools they were best used in their favor.

“Right. We will meet you there... Is there anything else of importance? Anything I could use?”

Metal and Spirits

[unwilling-ghost-lord]

soulwitch‌:

“Like the impact of a meteor on a planet, the speed and weight is what counts. The battlemoon as little atmosphere, we simply need something about 10 times the size of our flagship. And something like that can be found near any asteroid belt. Its merely getting it to the speed and direction where it can hit and cause damage.”

“Space is vast, we only need it to seem like a passing meteor, until we change its direction ourselves, I’ve sacrificed a third of my fleet to propel our meteor. Build into it, weighing it down. That is why I need more bodies, and we’re not alone.”

“The Tatari and another fleet will join us. It will be, a grand offensive. Though I cannot even guarantee I won’t by its end, be one of the spirits sitting in your ship. But I assure you. We can win.”

The ghost lord would nod.

“So you have your little present already on route for delivery. Everything is already on the move, the pieces are finding their places, all you need is help...”

He would rise from his sitting position, a ghostly grin spreading across his none-existent face, this was exactly what he needed and it pleased him quite a bit.

“That I can offer! Consider my forces and I under your command for this mission. We will join you in this assault against such an unbeatable enemy and mark our place in this conflict.”

He’d gesture around him at the ship, his army, those risen who’d fallen in battle.

“That was the point of all this after all... Anyhow. Where do you want us?”

Metal and Spirits

[unwilling-ghost-lord]

soulwitch‌:

“A fool’s plan perhaps, there’s little planning to be done with ship to ship combat against such a beast. We might win against the escorting fleet, but this is no super weapon with a core at its base to explode. Its a planet that’s covered like a ship. It even propels itself, but those engines are so vast one part will not take the beast down.” 

“But it is a planet. It is slow moving.” Ueda started to explain, “Like any planet, a large asteroid would erase its surface features. We might not be able to move a planet like a battle station, but who says we cannot hurl the large hunk of rock movable at its surface. Why not three?”

But there were glaring issues, surely a planet had defenses for this. “Our plan is a fool’s hope. Perform a miracle against the escorting fleet and create a gap in the planet’s defenses. As if we were going to land a force, a section damaged enough or occupied enough it cannot focus on firing our rock out of space.”

“We keep our battle moving, we keep their fleets engaged with us, but always outside of their planetary batteries. Then we strike the planet, we focus the side with all our remaining power. We batter a hole, we force a gap for an extinction level asteroid to plummet.”

“A cracked hull, will break. Even for a planet sized ship, a crack that big. Its hope. Its something. If we do not, more souls will add to your ranks. But the souls in your rank will wonder why we, they, did nothing to save all this life. I’m sure even you wish not to see that much loss.”

He was silent for some time, listening, thinking. It was justification, all he really needed to be frank, but he wasn’t going to simply leap from his position with happy glee. He had to keep up appearances at least.

“Even a mad plan, a plan crafted by fools, is better that no plan at all.”

You can almost see him smirk under his hood... Before it disappears entirely and he resumes a more serious face.

“Believe me. Frankly the lives lost already is unacceptable. Souls on a scale unseen to myself have been wretched from their mortal bounds before their time. I have no intention of allowing more to be rended away like the weeds in a overgrown garden.”

He sighs, rubbing his fore-head a bit.

“Alright. We will join you in this battle. But riddle me this... where in the universe are you intending to get such a meteor, how do you intend to move it, and most importantly how do you intend to conceal it so this plan isn’t discovered?”

Metal and Spirits

[unwilling-ghost-lord]

“You’d be surprised.”

[unwilling-ghost-lord]

soulwitch‌:

The Grand Admiral kept standing, resting at ease. The ghosts were unnerving to many, but Ueda seemed keen on keeping calm, remaining focused. Eyes looking on those who saluted, and of course, saluting them back. Even if she didn’t know them personally, they were brave souls, and her heart still tugged at not being able to help more of them.

“We’re both strangers to odd occurrences today, I’m sure we can both do without too many treats between us.” The Grand Admiral looked steely in her eyes, extending her hand for the ghost to take, even if they could or couldn’t it didn’t matter. It was the gesture that mattered.

“As of 48 hours prior to my arrival, the Union Armada is assembling at a signal shielded location in Kansaku Space. In one day they will strike South to save all remaining Kansaku and Asseimono worlds in one grand sweep, hopefully overrunning and cutting off Directive forces.” Ueda explained without a moment’s notice, given context before she could say the next part.

“Of course not all fronts can be left. My task force remains in Acadian Space. And what comes our way, I’m sure you’ve seen. That moon sized ship. So I’ve come to ask you for help, your ghosts, your brave souls. A simple task that asks far too much of those who’ve given their lives already once.”

“Will you topple the prize of the Extermination Directive with me?”

“Isn’t that the Truth...”

Spook would nod, the ghost lord gesturing for the other spirits to leave, as he took her hand and shook it. If she expected him to kiss her hand she wasn't going to get that. Just a simple hand shake. That’s all he thought necessary.

He’d sit in the air and listen carefully. This was important, a plan of great relevance, the ghosts had been eager to get to the fight, to take the fight to the Directive, he had been reigning them in until now. But this? This was great news for him. He would hide his enthusiasm however.

“Your asking me to join your battle against the directive? To send these souls against one of its most powerful weapons? As much as I want to immediately agree I want to know if you have a plan first.”

“I assume you understand my hesitance. I have pulled these souls back from the other side. I do not want to throw them right back by putting them in a battle I am not sure they have a chance in.”

Metal and Spirits

[unwilling-ghost-lord]

The ghosts would phase in through the walls, the ceiling, anywhere really. On guard, not knowing who to expect, maybe even expecting the beginnings of a battle. Once they had seen the Admiral however... Most of them disappeared. Those that remained would solute. It shouldn’t be suprising they remember her from when they were alive. That ever so important Admiral... The one that was spoke at the first assembly. Who couldn’t remember her?

In short order the ghost lord would appear himself, actually floating through one of the ships doors like a normal person. He... had a mug of tea within one of his floating hands and the great sword, that old cracked blade, floating behind him. He’d make a face when he was her, a surprised and slightly confused face, he clearly hadn’t really believed what the spirits had told him. He’d quickly recover however and took one a more dignified stance.

“Hmmm... Well then. This doesn’t happen every day. Unfortunately I don’t exactly have any biscuits to offer you... Hrmm.” He’d sigh and shake his head.

“But I suppose you arn’t here for tea and biscuits. Which raises the question...”

“Why are you here Admiral?”

Metal and Spirits

@those-who-know-darkness // Starter for Redbellion

Coming upon this ghostly fleet and its leader, the legendary Grand Admiral would have little to say, perhaps she had seen too many weird things lately, or perhaps she was weary. Coming aboard these fixed and changed ships, Ueda would call out, telling her entourage to stand down. “Please inform your leader is my arrival.”

“There’s much we have to discuss.”

[unwilling-ghost-lord]

Spook would sigh, his head in his hands, as he floats around the assembly. Things weren’t exactly going how he would have liked...

“First that unnerving feeling... Now they decided to side with those mad animal people? Divines!” He shakes his head a bit, inhaled, then sighed. Trying to relax. He’d return to his fleet almost immediately.

[unwilling-ghost-lord]

The great sword floated before him. Cracked, old, even slightly rusted in some places. It was nothing special within this universe of spaceships and technology... well. Nothing special unless you counted its age. It floated there, a time capsule to the past, almost mocking him. He’d sigh unhappily.

“I hate that I had to do this... To bind myself to this old thing... But it was necessary.”

He’d sigh. This was a safety mechanism, a back up, if he were to somehow be defeated he... well... wouldn’t be permanently. The Sword held a large portion of his power within this universe. It was a pain to be frank, he hated binding himself to things, it was fundamentally against his own nature. Yet in a way he had to. If he lost to much power he would be pulled away, right back to his ghost world, this would keep him here past that. This would allow him to at least keep his army in this world if he was lost...

“Why must this be so divine accursed complicated and difficult?”

[unwilling-ghost-lord]

"Hrmmm...."

It was never going to be an easy feat... Hundreds upon thousands of lost souls... All pulled back, strengthened, given form. So much energy... Sure, he had made sure they sustained themselves for the most part. But they were still all tied to him, chained to his being, he was their anchor in this world... And if he faded... So would they.

"Your being stupid again... Waisting so much energy on this battle that has nothing to do with you."

That voice... He knew that voice very well. It was a womans voice. Not the commanders... No she was with his growing army of ghosts. No... This one he knew very well. Far better than the commander.

"I think you underestimate the severity of what is happening here."

No immediate response... Silence... He didn't bother looking. Hr knew he wouldn't see her. Its not as if she could be here in form.

"Something must be done here. I cannot leave it to its current state. Uncountable souls have already been lost and something worse could still be coming."

Silence... Prolonged. It felt like that moment lasted an eternity. Like he was waisting away every second nothing was said. But... In time... The voice replied.

"You will work yourself to dust, spend all of your energy, and when you can no longer fight back? I will drag you back here... To your rightful place. Ghost king."

He'd slump... Most of his spirit gone in that moment.

"... I know."

[unwilling-ghost-lord]

“I can hear them... souls calling out, all different, all strange...”

“Makes me almost wish I couldn’t. Yet here we are...”

[unwilling-ghost-lord]

His departure back to the Assembly had been delayed. The Risen spirits wanted to speak with him, particularly the commander, he supposed it was inevitable. Though that did not make it any easier for him. To be frank... he hated being the leader.

None the less this needed attention. The Ghost Lord would float into the room, perhaps one of the most intact rooms they had, where the commander waited. At this point she was more of his conduit to their forces, to the people he had risen, he did not directly command them he had her do that. But that also meant anything wrong came through her. It was how he best wanted to deal with this. But it also meant she had quite the weight upon her shoulders.

“What is wrong?”

If he sounded annoyed it was not because he had meant too. This is not something he was eager to do. But there was no real escaping it for him. The pains and woes of the Risen dead were his to bear now. He was the one who brought them back after all.

“Lord The spirits are restless over the loss of the Senji. Both those of Bammun and Sabatoni are restless at the loss of the Senji. They were a friend to both.”

The ghost lord would nod slowly, sighing. to be frank he felt the same. Out of all of the Empires that was probably the one he liked the most. They were critical to rebuilding after this was all done... It was dreadful they were gone.

“Trust me, I understand, I very much liked the Senji as well. But Hope is not lost... Well I hope it isn’t. As far as I know the Senji ambassador still lives. I hope there is hope there.”

There was a prolonged silence between the two... then the commander spoke.

“I will tell the men then... but one last thing. What do we plan to do about this?”

The ghost Lord would sigh, shaking his head, he didn’t really have a specific plan. Only fragments of idea’s that could be used to get a leg up on their enemy.

“We need to raise more Spirits to our army.... But that will wait. Right now I want the Kill bots rebuilt and I want willing spirits to inhabit them. We will be sending them back into the Directives space for information. I am also considering sending some broken ships adrift in that direction. We will harness our advantages as best we can. Otherwise... I am considering trying to take back Senji space. But it would be unwise to rush into that.”

The Commander would simply nod. The ghost lord would sigh, turning away, and preparing to leave.

“I will be going to the assembly now. If you need anything summon me. Otherwise remain on standby and defend this system.”

With that the Lord leaves and the Commander is left to command.

[unwilling-ghost-lord]

It would start slowly, dead ships becoming to become active once more, Kill bots disappearing, and rumors of a force growing. A force of spectral power and allies thought lost. Soon those rumors would be proven reality. 

Every ship lost to Core and their armies, every ship upon the allies side within the system, had risen once more and was wiping the system clean of the Kill Bots inhabiting it. A tide of fearless undead spirits and ships rising from the ashes of lost battles to take back what was theirs.

 But the ghost lord was not at its head. He was not leading the armies directly. Instead he seemed content to stay far back and watch this all unfold, gauging in a way how well the ghosts did and the capabilities of Cores Kill Bots. They did not impress. But that could be attributed to the speed and unpredictable nature of his attack. Either way it was a success.

The real question now was what next? He knew so little about the enemy overall. But... he did have an idea of how to learn.

“Bring in the Enemies destroyed equipment. It might be of use. I must leave and head to the Assembly soon. You are not to attack the enemy Until I return.”