THE FALL OF TARANIS
27 Aug 2024Jav Marlo
THE FALL OF TARANISOn June 3309, commander Jav Marlo collected a tissue sample from the Thargoid Hive Ship Taranis. He delivered it to professor Ishmael Palin, and worked with him for several months to develop a new weapon against the Thargoid Titans based on the studies in Guardian technology by the engineer Ram Tah: The Nanite Torpedos. On February 3310 commander Jav Marlo, armed with this new weapon, joined Aegis forces on the final assault to Taranis.
01 MARCH 3310, Hodgkin Dock, Senocidi system.
This is a log by commander Jav Marlo for professor Ishmael Palin.
A huge task force composed by several factions coordinated by Aegis has been clearing the systems around Hyades Sector FB-N b7-6 from Thargoid presence. After weeks of gruesome battles, and with great cost, the Thargoids have started to pull back opening a window for an assault on the Maelstrom Taranis. The time has come.
Jav Marlo and Ayumi boarding the Xenophon at Hodgkin Dock
Ayumi and I armed the Xenophon with the new Nanite torpedoes and headed towards the Maelstrom. We found few Thargoids patrolling the system but we reached Taranis with no issues.
The Xenophon approaching Taranis
We approached the thermal vents on the surface of the Titan that we saw on our previous visits ready to deliver a payload of Guardian nanites on them.
The Xenophon approaching a thermal vent
I shot the torpedoes that penetrated into the thermal vent. A second later we saw an energy surge coming from the vent, it was collapsing. And then Taranis unleashed hell upon us.
Taranis firing at the Xenophon
We kept around trying to avoid fire and relying on our shield cell banks when, exactly as you and Ram Tah had foreseen, the core of the Titan opened and descended to discharge the heat exposing itself.
Taranis exposing its core
It just lasted for some minutes until the thermal vents reset and the core hid again, but enough for an attack run to the heart of the Titan. I signalled the fleet and a massive coordinated assault commenced.
Aegis fleet and independent commanders attacking Taranis
And Taranis defended itself launching hordes of scouts and interceptors and triggering its shutdown field. We lost dozens of ships.
Taranis triggering its shutdown field
And wave after wave we endured. We soon discovered that thermal vent lasers were the most effective weapon to overheat the Titan’s core. Wave after wave we continued exposing the inner core and kept attacking the heart of the titan. All of us, Aegis and independent forces combined.
The coordinated assault on Taranis
For two days we kept the assault, taking turns, despite our heavy casualties, dodging and attacking, orbiting the Titan’s core under heavy fire… until it collapsed. The Taranis core has exploded and all hostile activity has ceased around it. The beast is mortally wounded.
Taranis collapsing
We can see explosions emerging from several points of the Taranis surface. Aegis observers say that the superstructure will collapse within the next hours. There is a high risk of explosion and most commanders have already retreated from the Maelstrom. But I need to see it falling. Ayumi and I are staying.
The Taranis Maelstrom collapsing viewed from the cockpit of the Xenophon
I am taking the Xenophon into the asteroid field around Taranis. If the Titan explodes I hope that 4000 megajoules of prismatic shields would be enough to keep us safe. If not, it has been a pleasure. I am transmitting you now this log to Abel Laboratory. I hope it is not the last one. But please understand, I need to witness this.
Jav Marlo signing out