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Hey Peeps! This is the Cyborg/Psytron, here again. Let the story begin!

Discovery
Two newly discovered races, the Patriarchs and the Myrmidons, are dangerous in their indifference.
But for the newly formed League of Sentient Races, with The Captain already gone to the Kessari Quadrant,
the League is leaderless and at the mercy of anyone and anything…

Prologue - Explanations

Chapter 1 - Communications Breakdown

Chapter 2 - Patriarch Rescue

Chapter 3 - How to Stun a Chmmr

Chapter 4Proving Ground

Chapter 5 - Assualt Squadron

Chapter 6 - Trial by Combat

Chapter 7Communiheal

Chapter 8 - Swordan’s Fight

Chapter 9The Concord

General Shout-Outs

Behind the Scenes


 

Prologue - Explanations
Oh yes: just a note on pronunciation and other peculiars.
Patriarch is said pay-tree-arc.
Myrmidon is said Mee-er-me-don.
The Patriarchs and the Myrmidons are my own creation. If anyone wants to use them for ANY reason, I will request knowledge of such stuff. But if I have the knowledge of such happening, I am likely to let you.  I’ve already let one person...
The Ilwrath have been renamed the Dill-Rats, in honour of the famous incident in SC2, just before the Ilwrath went on a jihad against the Thraddash. Wonder why the Ilwrath didn’t get a mention in the credits?
And yes, I’m fully aware that the Chmmr speak in CAPITALS.  Maybe when I touch it up, I’ll make it caps. 
Another note on all races: I assume that all races have starbases.  It makes sense, doesn’t it?

Chapter 1 – Communications Breakdown.
Location: Patria.  Homeworld of the Patriarchs.

Mysti, leader of the Patriarch Communication and head of the Order of Green Robes, woke one morning with the intention of furthering his telepathic powers. Then Magica, his daughter, walked in.
"Dad…"
"Yes, Magica?"
"Could you help me with the inflections in the spell ‘fireball’? I can’t figure it out." Magica was planning to become a part of the Red Robes. Mysti couldn’t help much with Red Robes magic, but with the spells required to become part of any Robes Order, any leader could do that. They had to – defeating the past leader required knowledge of another Orders magic. Firebolt was just one of the spells required to get into the Red Robes Order.
"Sure, Magica. Be right down."
But he didn’t get that far…

Location: Midon.  Homeworld of the Myrmidons.
Swordan Midon, leader of the Myrmidons, received an urgent message from the Patriarchs.
"Swordan…Mysti here…help…cloaking purple dragons…attacking…priority one…help…"
The message ended.
Swordan stood up, and went to the Myrmido Conference that was in progress. Usually the leader of the Myrmidons didn’t go to this, as there were more important things to do. But this was special. So he just barged the door open. The person speaking said "What is the meaning of this…oh. Sorry Swordan, just talki…"
Swordan took the communicator. "People, I need the finest star pilots to go over to the Patriarch homeworld."
Someone shouted out from the audience, "Why?"
Swordan said "Because they are under attack! Hang on…I’ll just play back the message I received…"
The message played. Then Combata stood up. "Hang on…that magic must have gotten to them!"
Swordan replied "If it is, then we can go home quickly. But Mysti doesn’t put things on Priority 1 for no reason! It could the alien race signaling that we can show ourselves to the galaxy! And besides, the Patria-Myrmido Alliance must be preserved, no matter what! I, personally will go! Who will come with me?!"
Combata stood up and moved down the front. So did Fighte, Pyroma and Warrio.
Swordan said "Great! Let’s get to Patria now! We will be leaving in 5 minutes or sooner in the Combustors." The Combustors were the battleship of the Myrmidon. They were an very effective strafing ship, firing two streams of flame out of each side, each the length of a small screen. Then there was the special weapon, the Firebolt. It charged like the Melnorme Trader (not that the Myrmidon knew that). The Combustor could not fire forwards, though…which wasn’t necessarily a disadvantage.

Chatpter 2Patriarch Rescue
Location: Patria.  Homeworld of the Patriarchs.

"Who are you?" said a near-dead Mysti
"We are the Dill-Rats. We kill people for the twin gods of darkness, Dogar and Kazon."
Mysti realized that there would be no mercy from the Dill-Rats, and the Patriarch Pentagastars would not be ready by the time these Dill-Rats destroyed Patria. The only hope was to hold off for as long as possible until the Myrmidons came with their Combustors and – if Mysti was good enough – maybe erect the force shield against the Dill-Rats attack. They knew that the weapon was flame based, maybe they could do it…but the only chance for repelling the Dill-Rat attack was only really from the Myrmidons…but Mysti would do as best as he could.

"So, tell me about yourselves…"
"Even our house-pets are rather evil.
Oh, great. That means that there would be cackles if pleads for mercy were attempted. But to hold out was essential…
"Tell us about your ship."
"Why? It is high time that Dogar and Kazon received their latest sacrifice…"
Oh no.
"A new race should please them…"
0h $h!t.
"Do you know of any other races that we can sacrifice to the twin gods of darkness?"
Phew. A chance to hold them out.
"Hang on…we will just check our race database." A good chance.
Then Magica walked into where Mysti was. Mysti said "Ah, here comes my messenger now. Magica, go to the race database and check for any races that we could use as sacrifice for the Dill-Rats."
But that was not what he was saying. Using his superior skills of one-way telepathy, he said "No race database. Radar. Check for Myrmidon. Priority One!" So Magica smiled and said Yes, master. I will do as you wish."
The Dill-Rat noticed this and said "You have good control over your subjects."
"Of course. My messenger, however, is a novice…it may take a short while."
After about 1 minute, Magica came back, and said "They are looking for it now."
Then Mysti opened two-way telepathy link. "One-word answers. Found them?"
"Yes."
"How long in minutes?"
"Two."
Then in open conversation, "Thank you Magica. Please get back to me when results have been found." Mysti then turned to the Ilwrath. "The computers are slow…give us two minutes."
"That wait is too long. Entertain us."
"If you will just wait a minute, I will get Magica…she is good with tricks."
15 seconds pass, and Magica returns. "Come, girl…do some tricks. Play with fire for the Dill-Rats."
So Magica did some simple tricks. The Dill-Rats were enthralled.
And then the Dill-Rats were no longer.
The Myrmidons attacked.
The Dill-Rats were then fighting the Myrmidon Combustors. The Avengers were no match for the Myrmidons. The wings of the Avengers were easy pickings for the flame streams of the Combustors. All three Avengers were destroyed.
The Patria-Myrmido Alliance were ready to show themselves to the outside world.

Chapter 3How to stun a Chmmr.
Location: Procyon.  Homeworld of the Chmmr.
Vzrzn was looking out over the outer outpost of the Alpha Virginis colony when he noticed something. He saw about 10 ships.
Unidentified ships. There were two kinds of ships.
There was a large style of ship that was in the shape of a star set on a pentagon. It had a rotating star that always seemed to face you. The smaller star reminded Vzrzn of a conversation with a human, who told him to be very careful of humans who had that sign on them. Something about ‘the devil’. But were these renegade humans who worshipped this…devil? Or another race totally?
Then there was a smaller ship that was red, and shaped like a comet. It reminded Vzrzn of the Androsynth – but the Androsynth were dead by these…ghosts. Could this be Androsynth? Then a terrifying thought occurred to Vzrzn. What if they were Devil-worshipping Humans and Androsynth, working together? This hit Vzrzn like a slap across the face. It put enough fear into Vzrzn to establish communications to the Chmmr in charge of defense, Bzztrm. "We have about 10 unidentified ships. Suggest you put us on yellow alert, and start loading some Avatars."
"Agreed." The sirens started up, all on-duty Chmmr went to battle-stations. Vzrzn went to Comms. He attempted to contact the vessels. "Unidentified space ships – identify yourselves immediately."
A vision of a man wearing green robes appeared on the communications monitor. He had blonde hair, but there was an old, wise look to him. Doesn’t exactly seem like the image of human devil-worshippers. "We are the Patriarchs. We are a race of people who are brilliant in the magical arts…including communication. This is why you notice me speaking right to you…like telepathy. In fact, it is telepathy." Indeed, Vzrzn noticed that the Patriarchs were talking in his mind. Vzrzn was sure that he needed some R&R now… "No, R&R isn’t what you need, Vzrzn."
"How did you do that, Patriarch?"
"Telepathy. But anyway, I am Mysti. You are, obviously, Vzrzn. You may power down from yellow alert now, Vzrzn. We seek only friendship. And I know that you are a peaceful race. Please, draw up a contract and let us sign it. Our worth is obvious."
"Wait. What is the other style of ship? I can tell you are from the large ship…"
"Yes, the Pentagastar. Well, the other race’s name is the Myrmidon. They are more trigger-happy than we are – that is why we are communicating, not you and the Myrmidon leader. Besides, we are more established communicators than they are – that is why we speak for the Patria-Myrmido Alliance."
"OK…come aboard. You will, of course, have security around you. We apologize for this, but these are regulation security measures.
"Of course. Where do we dock? We’ve got 11 ships…"
Vzrzn gave Mysti docking instructions, and the Patriarchs and Myrmidons were in the Chmmr base.

Chapter 4Proving Ground
Location: Procyon.  Homeworld of the Chmmr.
Suddenly, just after the Patriarchs and Myrmidons dock, the wailing of bells sounded.
"HOLY $H!T!!! What was that!" said Mysti.
"We’re in Red Alert." said Vzrzn.
Swordan, the Myrmidon, sighed. "Oh well, back to the ships."
Vzrzn turned around slowly. "What do you mean, back to the ships?"
Swordan said "Well, I don’t want to be blasted. So I’m either going to get into my ship and blast their butt, or I’m going to run like mad. Either way, I need a fucking ship!"
Vzrzn paused. "OK…just come back alive."
"You got yourself a deal."
The Patriarch crew piled back into the Pentagastars, and the Myrmidon crew piled into the Combustor’s. They, with some Avatar’s, went out to find the enemy.
Swordan said to Vzrzn "Well, what does your ship do?"
"Well, the Chmmr Avatar fires a too-many-to-count terawatt laser. It also imposes artificial gravity on the ship of the Avatar’s choice. These are supplemented by three ZapSats, which fire a laser independent of the Chmmr. What about the Combustor?"
"Well, the Combustor fires a stream of fire out of both sides. It also has a charging firebolt out of the back of the ship."
Vzrzn said "Affirmative. And Mysti, what about the Pentagastar?"
"The Pentagastar has actually got five weapons, one on each point. One is a fusion bolt, one is a lightening strike, one mucks up the movement for a short time, one heals whatever it comes in contact with. Our secondary weapon is basically mind control – we can take the ship wherever we want to for about 5 seconds. Then control is regained by the other ship."
"Thanks Mysti. And guys…I’m getting a message. Hang on a tick…" A few beeps could be heard in the background. "OK guys, they found who is going to attack us. VUX Intruders – they have a propulsion drive that takes them right next to you, then they toast you with their gigawatt laser. They also have limpets, which slow you down. Fight ready?"
"Let’s go" says Swordan.
"Received and moving" says Mysti.
The Avatar, the Combustor and the Pentagastar moved forward together.

Location: Space.  Around the general area of Procyon II.
The Combustor fared better than the Chmmr had expected. It’s strafing abilities, plus it’s speed, proved to be too much for the Intruders. The Pentagastars were barely needed – the Pentagastar merely fired from long range and healed the Combustors that got hit. The Chmmr were not needed. Of couse, Vzrzn decided then and there that the Concord must be signed.
But it was not in his hand-equivalents.

Chapter 5Assualt Squadron.
Location: Procyon.  Homeworld of the Chmmr.
Vzrzn told his superiors that the Patriarchs and the Myrmidons must be allied with the Chmmr.
But then some Earthlings boarded the StarBase. They tried to take Mysti and Swordan prisoner. But when the leader began to have headaches that came from Mysti and the first person to touch Swordan was now receiving CPR, the prisoner squadron backed off. Vzrzn stepped in the middle. "Release the mind-hold, Mysti. Leader of the Earthlings – explain yourself!"
The leader of the Earthlings stood up. "I am Julian. I have it under good authority that the Patriarchs and the Myrmidons are hostile beings. They committed Genocide."
Vzrzn interrupted. "They just blasted the VUX – our enemy, I remind you! – out of the stars. Who did they genocide?"
"The Dill-Rats, as they now call themselves."
At this point Mysti spoke. "We were attack by the Dill-Rats. They attacked us. At no point, in actual fact did we attack the Dill-Rats anyway – the Myrmidons came to our rescue. It was the Dill-Rats who attacked us with their flame weapons – not us who killed them."
Swordan smiled slightly. "Or shall we have a trial-by-combat to decide who is innocent or guilty? Pick a fighter, Earthling. I shall take him on personally, seeing as I was the one who took apart the first Dill-Rat ship." Swordan cracked his knuckles. "Or are you chicken, Julian?"
At this Julian narrowed his eyes. "Swordan, I personally will fight you. It shall be a fight – to the death!"
Swordan shrugged. "So be it. What are the rules?"
"No eyes, no groin."
"I now ask Vzrzn to be the official adjudicator, with Mysti as his assistant," said Swordan. "Unless you wish to dispute that…"
"Not at all. One galactic hour – meet you here." Julian smiled. "Suggest you appoint a deputy in your eternal absence…"

Chapter 6Trial by Combat.
Location: Procyon.  Homeworld of the Chmmr.
"Pyroma, I appoint you as temporary leader of the Myrmidons, should I happen to be killed by this earthling scum," Swordan was heard to have said.
"John, I appoint you as leader, should this genocidal freak happens to kill me," Julian was heard to have said.
Vzrzn’s clear voice travelled through the air. "Gentlemen, your preparation time ends now. Approach the ring, wear the clothes you wish to fight in. No hard armour." Julian was wearing Kickboxing shorts with a T-shirt saying "Assualt Squadron Leader." Swordan was wearing a red tracksuit with Swordan’s coat-of-arms emblazoned on it. "Bow." The two fighters bowed. "Prepare." The two fighters stepped back. "Fight!" Julian went forward, Swordan stayed still. Suddenly, Julian threw a kick to the stomach, but Swordan caught his leg and flipped it back over Julian. Julian landed on his butt – his ego the only thing that was bruised. Julian got up – he now was more wary. He knew that this was not a match that was going to be won lightly. Swordan then moved forward, and Julian was staying still. The crowd was breathless. Then Swordan threw a punch. This was the same type of punch that Swordan used against the Earthling who had just recovered from a heart attack – not that the fighters knew that. The fighters only knew that the other person must die. Swordan’s punch seemed to be going in slow motion to Julian. His body was just as slow as the punch seemed to be. The only thing that was going quickly to Julian was the questions in his mind.
"Will this punch connect?"
"Am I strong enough to survive it?"
"Will my squadron be tortured by these freaks?"
"What was the name of that person that he had an affair with?"
And finally, "Is there a heaven or hell?"
The punch connected, and Julian proved strong enough to survive it. He did fall to the ground though. His ribs were broken. He would die. But he still stood up, wanting to prove himself worthy of being the Assault Squadron Leader. He ran towards Swordan, a move which took Swordan by surprise. Julian did an uppercut to Swordan’s chin.
Julian then breathed his last breath.
Swordan was knocked out.
Swordan won…the Myrmidon’s were innocent. Swordan was dragged from the ring, and was put into the Sickbay.
Then Mysti remembered. To be unconscious was to be death for a Myrmidon, usually. Another Patriarch was needed…the Head of the Order of Healing!
Now…how to get that person…

Chapter 7Communiheal
Location: Procyon.  Homeworld of the Chmmr.
”Vzrzn – I need your help,” said Mysti
”What for?”
”Sending a message.”
”Help the communicators communicate?  Why?”
”I need an urgent message to the Patriarch Homeworld, as loud as possible.  That’s why I need your help.  I can barely reach the Patriarch homeworld as it is…and that’s going slowly.  I know that the Chenjesu were fantastic communicators, and you are part Chenjesu…”
”Mysti, I’ll get the Amplification device set-up for you.  With this guy, you could send it so loud that the Thraddash could hear you.”
”Thank you Vzrzn.”
”I will have to be in the broad-casting room with you, though…”
”Fine by me.”

Location: Patria.  Homeworld of the Patriarchs.
”Mydrrin, we are getting a message from the Hyper-Spatial co-ordinates 74.2:226.8…or thereabouts.”
Mydrrin was a grey robe, and leader of the Grey Robes – which, technically, made him leader of the Patriarchs.  He nodded.  “Yes, that is where Mysti said he would go…what does it say?”
”Well, I’ll play it for you…”
Mysti’s clear voice – though with some strange static electricity – came though the speaker.  ‘Whoever is manning long-range communication today, this is Mysti.  I need to you to get the Head of Healing.  NOW!!!  Swordan, head of the Myrmidons, is unconscious.  I don’t need to remind you that unconsciousness in a Myrmidon is basically death.  SO HURRY THE FUCK UP!!!”
Mydrrin was taken aback.  What could have made Swordan unconscious?  Doesn’t matter.
”Magica!” Mydrrin yelled to Mysti’s daughter, who was passing.  She stopped and went to bow low to Mydrrin, but Mydrrin stopped her.  “Time is of the essence, child.  Go get the Head of Healing, tell him that I want him here now!  And tell him that I’ll explain why you didn’t do that bowing crap to him instantly.”  Magica hesitated.  “Go child.”  Magica went.
Eventually the Head of Healing, Sorce, came.  “Sorce, what are the fastest ships here?”
”They are the Pentagastars, Mydrrin.”
”Do we have any Patriscouts, Sorce?”
”We might…”
”Well, you are taking one to Procyon.  Swordan is unconscious.”
”Shit.”
And right then Magica walked past.
”Good one Sorce.  Now look what you just did.  You swore in front of Magica, an apprentice.  Well, you know what you have to do…” Sorce knew well.  He had to become the apprentice’s servant from sunrise to sunset.
”Mydrrin, may I do this at another time?  I have to rescue Swordan.”
Mydrrin nodded.  “Only if you swear on your rank and title that you will be her servant from sunrise to sunset on the first day of your arrival back at Patria.”
”That will be done, Mydrrin.”
This was done, then Sorce was traveling on the way to Procyon.

Chapter 8Swordan’s Fight
Swordan’s eyes fluttered open, then closed.  There had been a white robe among the Patriarchs, and Swordan was being kept alive by him.  But being kept alive – barely alive – was all that could happen.  Swordan would die soon, because the white robes’ power was draining.  Mysti realized that it could be up to him – with no Grey Robes, and no other White Robes, he was the best qualified to keep Swordan alive.
Good thing he had learnt some White Robe spells.
The White Robe was starting to show signs of pain.  He was quickly racked with pain – through the combined effects of taking pain from  Swordan, and the fact that his magical reserves were draining.  Mysti revised the White Robe spells he had learnt, then started healing Swordan, at the same time saying to the young White Robe ‘Let go.  I’ll take it from here.’  The White Robe let go.  Drained of his energy, he stumbles, and was quickly helped to his feet by Talisma, a handy Red Robe, and Combata, a medium-to-high-ranked Space-Myrmidon.
And then, suddenly, a message came through on the comms system.  “This is Sorce, Head of the Order of White Robes of the Patriarch race, on the Patriarch Scout Vessel Patriscout.  Members of our race are on your starbase, and the leader of our brother-race is dying, and only I can save him.  Request permission to dock, alien race.”
The person on the comms system transmitted back “Request granted.  Welcome to the Chmmr Starbase.”
The Patriscout docked without any troubles.  Sorce was directed to the Sickbay, where Mysti was still trying to treat Swordan.  Mysti was not racked by pain – his magical resources ran deep.  But he was running out of spells.  He was already on his last spell.  Sorce started chanting, Mysti stopped working his magic.  Sorce fought with Swordan’s unconsciousness for a short time, then Swordan realized that he was on the brink of consciousness.  Swordan started fighting.  Sorce brought him back from the dead.
Swordan had won.
The Myrmidon race was cleared of all wrong-doings, and the Patriarchs and the Myrmidons were free to sign the Concord.

(By The Way, the Assualt Squadron was never found. – C/P)

Chapter 9The Concord
Of course, the Patriarchs and the Myrmidons were shaky on how to draw up a three-way alliance.  The Patriarchs were even more confused – since they considered that the Chmmr were two races, Chenjesu and Mmrnmhrm.  So it was a FOUR-way alliance to them.  The Concord was drafted up by the Chmmr, but the Patriarchs and the Myrmidons were unwilling to sign it.  Their Patria-Myrmido Alliance could be in danger by the Chmmr, Swordan and Mysti realized.
Then Mysti suddenly kicked himself.  Which was rather funny, seeing as he was in front of the entire Chmmr Collective.  “Chmmr, we couldn’t sign this concord even if we wanted to.  The most I could do would be to say that the Green Robes were in support of your cause.  Our Leader is still back at Patria.”
The Chmmr spirits seemed to sink.  Vzrzn said “Well…is Swordan the Myrmidon’s Leader?”
Swordan stood up.  “Yes, I still am.”
”Good.  Mysti…”
”Yes, I’ll send a message.  They will be here in a few days, because the number of Patriscouts at Patria is…low.  In fact, the only one we have is here.”  Mysti gestured to the docking bay.  Vzrzn looked puzzled.  “Well, we didn’t need to go exploring, did we?  We just needed defensive warships.”
A message was sent to Patria.  Eventually, Mydrrin arrived.  After a briefing by Mysti (Which took almost 2 hours) and another one by Sorce (which was really brief), the Concord was signed.
The Patria-Myrmido Alliance was still intact.
The Chmmr had allied with the Patria-Myrmido Alliance, on the condition that the Patriarchs saw the Myrmidon’s as their first priority, and vice-versa.  The Chmmr had agreed.

The Concord was signed.
’Would it be this easy with everyone else’, Mysti wondered.  ‘What other war-mongering species out there will we have to bow to, not just sign with?’
Swordan had gotten to the stage with Mysti that he could read Mysti’s mind as well as Mysti could read Swordan’s.  “Don’t sweat, Mysti.  The Patria-Myrmido Alliance will not know defeat.”
Mysti hoped he was right.  So did Swordan.

C’est Fini!

General Shout-Outs
Well, where to start?
First of all, my family...Well, you get the idea.
Next, to Atarex, G9 and that guy who had the first SC page (the guy in the Taalo section on the BSS...you know who you are). Great job on your homepages! They started my off on my homepages...yeah, back when I couldn't understand how to get a homepage on the web...stop laughing at me!
Well, of course to the entire BSS and all of the SCWC...wasn't for you, I wouldn't be wasting my time...um...INVESTING my time doing this. SO IT'S YOUR FAULT THAT I AM GETTING C's AT SCHOOL!!! OK...maybe it's partly mine...FINE, it's all mine!
And of course, to my trusty computer...my good ol' Pentium I 166. Yippee. (Well, I didn't pay for any of it...*shrug*)
And, saving the best till last, the reader. Yeah YOU. I'm surprised, actually. Why aren't you reading Eddie Moonchild's stories?
Well, thanks for reading up till here.

Behind the Scenes
Well, what to say? A Behind the Scenes look at the story made up by the Internet's home-grown Schizophrenic. Oddly enough, the second story was finished first. Well...that's schizophrenia for ya!
Why did I write something about the Patriarchs and the Myrmidons? They are my race. Short chapter, everyone can go home now. Look, I'd write Star Clone-trol with them in it, but I wouldn't know the first thing about the 'C' Language, other than the fact that it IS a computer language!
Why the Chmmr with the Patriarchs and the Myrmidons? Well, I kinda like the Chmmr (eat ya heart out, Angelfish!). I don't care what you say, the Chmmr ship kicks ass. It's also a lot easier to write the Chmmr, because...well, they are predictable! From what I've seen, the only unpredictable machine is Jhe-Qir of the Mmrnmhrm. And he's on Sanctuary (so read the story! It kicks @$$!).
Why have the Assualt Squad? Basically, the Myrmidon did basically wipe out the Dill-Rats. IIRC, the Dill-Rats were decimated by the Thraddash, and the Dill-Rats just won. Their entire strike force was at the Patriarch world, and their fleet got their butt kicked by the Myrmidon. They were nearly wiped-out - to a degree that the Humans, with their antiquated technology, couldn't see them. And again, the Patriarchs and the Myrmidons kicked butt!
Why have Mysti dying at the start? Easy. The Myrmidon's saved his butt, then he saved theirs. Good karma.

Well, that's about all I can say at the moment, as I want to get around to finishing my other story (which is going to be huge). So...

********* i gess i wil C U SOONA Ratha Than LAYTA *********
ANDREW SMITH ** Cyborg/Psytron
http://interranet.faithweb.com/
cybor.psyt@interranet.faithweb.com

********* From the Internet's home-grown schizophrenic *********