2001

Chapter 21 | Landing Page

The Kadeshi Crusade

A Homeworld Fanfiction

by Crobato

Originally posted May 15, 2001

Appendix

From Jee’nan’s Fighting Ships Journal

Published by:

Kaalel Publications,

Cell Unit 342,

Deck 4,

Mothership, Hiigara

Editor: Jee’nan Kaalel

Assistant Editor: L’jor S’jet

Newstand Copy: 30 Resource Credits

Subscription Fee: 300 Resource Credits for one year, 400 Resource Credits for two years, not including galactic postage and taxes. Taiidan subscribers must check local planetary mail fees and sales taxes.

Read more

Chapter 20 | Landing Page | Appendix

The Kadeshi Crusade

A Homeworld Fanfiction

by Crobato

Originally posted May 15, 2001

Chapter 21 – The Needleship

It was the eve of Unification. There were still so many social issues to be worked out, but the Kadeshi and the Kushans have agreed in principle that all issues will be resolved without military force. The Kadeshi wanted land to settle on Hiigara, but the Kiithid are unwilling to share the real estate. It was then the Galactic Council intervened. Seeing the potential for a long term political crisis, the Council decreed that a percentage of the Homeworld must be shared to the Kadeshi. The Somtaaw argued that if Hiigara is to be shared with the Kadeshi, the Somtaaw should have mining rights to the Gardens. The Kadeshi diehards were inflamed by the proposal, but moderates argued that if the Somtaaw scheme was accepted, a percentage of the mining profits and resources would go to the Kadeshi welfare fund. They still continue to argue.

The vastly underpopulated Kiithids saw an opportunity to recruit members of the disenfranchised Kadeshi population into their ranks. Purists denounced the move, claiming it would taint the Kharakian bloodline. Pragmatists saw, that after successive wars, the Kharakian bloodline threatens to be an endangered species. They saw an opportunity with the compatible Hiigaran bloodline of the Kadeshi. Most of the pragmatists were from the smaller Kiithid, which desperately needed to swell their ranks to improve their political stature, military and economic power. A scheme was hatched by the supposedly Liirhra vassal Hraal Kithid to bring promising Kadeshi engineers to their ranks, a proposal the Liirhra saw the potential and objected. For some of the Kiithid, they saw an opportunity in the large Kadeshi underclass as a source of cheap labor for the industries growing in Hiigara all over and the factory ships that began to teem in space. For the ever opportunistic Somtaaw, the Kadeshi seemed an excellent human resource for cheap mining labor.

Read more

Chapter 19 | Landing Page | Chapter 21

The Kadeshi Crusade

A Homeworld Fanfiction

by Crobato

Originally posted May 15, 2001

Chapter 20 – The Last Song and Planetfall

The songs filled the hollowed rooms and reverberated across the ancient walls. M’jor stood in the deck of the Khar’kusha, the music inspiring his spirit, calming his tension, doubts and fears. The Holiness sings for Kadesh once again. He hoped it would not be the last time.

He thought, was this the very bridge the White Emperor stood millennia ago as they face the hordes of Defilers? If this was so, these decks were the most sacred places, yet there was a sense of mortality in them. The White Emperor was not much different from him, to have stood this very same bridge, won his victories and to finally end in defeat. If the White Emperor was not much different from him, then so was the Great Mother that served in His Service. He must not let these blasphemous thoughts filled his mind—the battle is ahead, faith must be strong—yet the doubts linger. He wondered indeed if Her Holiness the Mother Superior G’yela knew anything about this.

Read more

Chapter 18 | Landing Page | Chapter 20

The Kadeshi Crusade

A Homeworld Fanfiction

by Crobato

Originally posted May 15, 2001

Chapter 19 – The Forsaken

It’s been days and Zha started to get restless. “I’m sure all these relics are interesting but, a girl like me has got to find a place to breath! It’s all stinky and musty here and I’m getting bored.” She made all sorts of whizzing founds trying to imitate the zoom of a star fighter. “I miss my custom fighters.”

Seejuk shook his head. “The fate of two worlds are about to collide, thousands of people about to kill each other, the secrets of the Universe staring right under your nose…and you miss your joyride? You never cease to amaze me.”

She was getting testy. “You know Seejuk, you are old. Old, old old. You like old things. I’m sure you like it here, but I will go crazy!” She pranced up and down the ancient hallways. “I need fresh air! I need space!”

“…and I got work to do, so shut your trap!” Seejuk shouted, heading right back to his analysis. “We would have been recycled into the Kadeshi nutritional processors if it weren’t for this work.”

Read more

Chapter 17 | Landing Page | Chapter 19

The Kadeshi Crusade

A Homeworld Fanfiction

by Crobato

Originally posted May 15, 2001

Chapter 18 – The Children of the Unbound

Was this but a dream?

The waves licked his toes as the soles of his feet grind the sand. The sea was grey, and Seejuk Liirhra knew where he was.

Here, long ago, Majiir Paktu ended the First Migration and changed Kharakian history for ever. Here he stood, in the shores of the great Majiirian sea.

On the sky above, like a new moon, the Mothership hang in orbit.

He too was about to embark on his own great journey. As a child he saw the Mothership lit the sky like a new moon, and wondered where it would go and how it would be like. He built his own model ships, then lit a propellent under them to see them rush into the sky. He developed an interest in archeology and planned pilgrimages to the fabled Somtaaw temples in the Khontala mountains. He dreamed to see the legendary Star Metal Scrolls of the Somtaaw, which he was convinced was an alien artifiact. He had been one of the most promising students in the Academy, specializing in ship engineering and archeology. One day, he will fly with the Mothership, as one of the precious few chosen for the journey.

Read more

Chapter 16 | Landing Page | Chapter 18

The Kadeshi Crusade

A Homeworld Fanfiction

by Crobato

Originally posted May 15, 2001

Chapter 17 – The Purification

The Multibeam Frigate materialized from hyperspace. The Bentusi had told him earlier to go to the Karos Graveyards. It made sense for Seejuk. Connect the points of Kadeshi encounter in a star map and it seems headed for the Graveyards. But what would they be doing in the graveyards? Both the Taiidani and his own people refuse to send a fleet to engage the Kadeshi in the Graveyards. They fear the Junkyard salvagers. They fear the superstition and myths in the Graveyard. They fear its another its another trap.

The Kiith’sa had met and discussed that the best strategy now would be the one they have not played. Instead of being lured by the Kadeshi into a trap, it’s time to lure the Kadeshi into their trap. The bait was Hiigara itself. There was no way the Kadeshi could spring a trap in the very space around the Homeworld. The great Mothership lay in orbit. The Kuun-Laan was undergoing repairs and would be fully operational but minus its siege cannon. The only other siege cannon would be in the Faal-Corum, which had been recently installed. A combined Allied armada was amassing, ready for the final battle.

Read more

Chapter 15 | Landing Page | Chapter 17

The Kadeshi Crusade

A Homeworld Fanfiction

by Crobato

Originally posted May 15, 2001

Chapter 16 – The Four Warriors

Zha and G’yela woke up in the Pool of Dreams, the Handmaidens supporting their bodies so they will not sink or drown. They were given robes, and Zha was led to a special room. She was not allowed to leave it, but it wasn’t a dirty prisoner’s cell either.

“Please leave us,” G’yela ordered the Handmaidens, who objected in their facial expressions but gave in to the orders anyway. “I will be safe. The prisoner will do no harm,” G’yela said.

“What are you going to do with me now?” Zha asked.

“It is in the desire of the great Angels, the Tiamat and the Council, that I must keep you alive. To execute a Farer would bring great disfavor from all the Angels,” G’yela said. “Besides I need you. For the first time I felt a kindred spirit. I hide this great secret from my own people, that I bear the power of a Farer. It is a great burden only another Farer can share.”

Read more

Chapter 14 | Landing Page | Chapter 16

The Kadeshi Crusade

A Homeworld Fanfiction

by Crobato

Originally posted May 15, 2001

Chapter 15 – The Sin of the Father

The battered Mule and her task force hyperspaced shortly outside an Allied base. A Kushan task force awaited them, perhaps in caution and hostility at the presence of a Lord class carrier with a task force of feared Ion Array Frigates and captured Kadeshi Multibeamers. But the Kushan task force quickly deployed into a parade formation. Their weapons powered up, energy and plasma cannons shot into the empty dark spaces, creating a spectacular fireworks display. Fighters paraded, then rolled in various acrobatics.

They are being welcomed as heroes.

But Seejuk Liirhra sees no joy in the welcome. He has promised the crew, who in turn, has sworn, for the return of their popular Segura captain and princess. Without Zha, the ship and its crew would be nothing. This would be the end of an Inner House. The ship would be assimilated to the other Houses, the crew disbanded and sworn to a different allegiance. This would also be the end of this ship and its spirit, the end of a place they also call their home.

Read more

Chapter 13 | Landing Page | Chapter 15

The Kadeshi Crusade

A Homeworld Fanfiction

by Crobato

Originally posted May 15, 2001

Chapter 14 – The Pool of Dreams

The battle raged for hours, but it had degenerated into dogfights with strike forces. Large ship capital forces in both sides were heavily damaged, and avoided another toe to toe fight. Then the Kadeshi battlegroup faded out of the battle and hyperspaced. It was hard to tell who won or lost, but the best he can say it was a draw that heavily bloodied both sides.

Casualties were heavy. But there was one casualty Seejuk could never take off his mind. He thought he was battle hardened enough to shrug off all thought of death of his comrades. He stared at the empty captain’s chair. He thought he would see her there, smile, chuckle, and even tease once in a while. But the chair remained empty. The bridge crew were mournfully quiet.

Damn, she said she promised she will come back. He sighed. Casualty reports were flowing in. Salvagers were out doing their thing, trying to recover anything that has value. Resourcers were out trying mine stellar material that they may use for repairs.

Read more

Chapter 12 | Landing Page | Chapter 14

The Kadeshi Crusade

A Homeworld Fanfiction

by Crobato

Originally posted May 15, 2001

Chapter 13 – The Cannon

“All battle stations!” Zha ordered. “All recon fighters regroup to the Mule at once! Maintain cloaked running for all fighters. Do no engage unless ordered.”

Everyone was focused on the screens. The Allied forces were intent in getting even, and they have sent the Kuun-Laan escorted an array of Kushan and Taiidan capital ships. Behind the great walls of capital ships were X formations of fighters and walls of corvettes. Under any other circumstance, Zha would be excited to see the Somtaaw Explorer ship, the Kuun-Laan, known throughout the Galaxy as the Beast Slayer. This was the ship that killed the Beast and with that act, avenged for her the death of her father. But other circumstances were overriding that joy.

“The Siege Cannon is powering up,” said one of the officers in the bridge. The energy signature of the Siege Cannon was like a beacon for all the energy scanners.

Read more