[Unknown_Enemy]

The war against the Xi’Chung was approaching its conclusion. For months, Eden’s children had been hunting insectoid spaceships, and now, twenty seven VoidTigers had established a permanent base of operation in the alien homesystem. The next phase would be the cleansing of the beast’s nest. However, in orbit of Xi’s homeworld, the enemy had built around 30 ships massive beyond belief. The Xi’Chung called them “cruisers”, and their mere existence made the Overmind uneasy, but as the insects never managed to defeat Eden’s Children in battle, he instructed his fleet to set up a resupply depot and resume operations as planned.

However the Xi’Chung fleet attacked first. That day, the Overmind learned that no battle plan survives first contact with the enemy : Xi’Chung cruisers wiped out Eden’s fleet and glassed the outpost. In a swift move the bugs had destroyed the threat to their Hive and paved their way to a murderous counterattack. Eden’s Mind thought about recalling VoidTigers on guard duty near the KanesS frontier, but they were very far away from the front line. Xi’Chung warships would have all the time they needed to rampage Eden’s newborn worlds before their arrival on the battlefield. So he settled for another course of action, he decided that two previously conquered systems could be sacrificed. These were used as bait for the beasts by setting up minefields and some satellite defense on warp point. While it did not destroy any enemy warships, it did manage to damage some, slowing considerably the enemy. Meanwhile, the Overmind began to analyze the reasons for this disaster.

Technology.
The Alien ships were more advanced than my VoidTigers.

So far, the Overmind had been convinced that it was the most advanced being in the quadrant, but he tried to maintain balance between civil and military technology. Now, he was facing a specie which concentrated all their efforts in hull size and weapon systems. As a result, the Xi’Chung achieved superiority in both of these subjects. These points needed immediate answer.

In orbit of Xalow3, two small frigates were waiting the nine Xi’Chung cruisers that had been heard emerging from the warp point. When the enemy finally arrived, the tiny ships ignited their engines, on intercept course with the huge warships. They were still out of weapon range when the first explosions occurred. The Overmind had made sure that all space around the planet had been carefully mined. Seven out of nine cruisers were destroyed immediately. The remaining two were damaged, but still tried to attack the frigates. The little ships easily avoided enemy beams, and returned fire. Both ships were mounting the latest model of shield depleting weapons. With a few shoots, both enemy ships shields were gone. Only then the wounded warships were approached at point blank distance, and hundred of small pods were fired at them. As soon as the pods reached the Xi’Chung ships, tens of thousands tiny worms started to pierce the hull using an organic acid. Once they arrived inside, they started to hunt every single living thing in the ship. The worms were specifically designed to burrow into a Xi’Chung shell, reach their nervous system and take control of it. In a matter of minutes, the 2 ships were filled with Xi Chung Zombies.

Once created, a Zombie had a maximum lifespan of 24H, but it was more than enough to bring the cruisers in orbit. Then, the crew was disposed of and both cruisers were analyzed. Despite their differences, Xi’Chung and Eden’s technology shared some common ground, so both ships were fully salvageable to create bigger skeletons and better weapons for Eden’s VoidTigers. In a single move, the advantage taken by the aliens had been cleanly wiped out. To remain fair, it has to be said the idea of taking control of an enemy ship to steal the technology developed by your enemy was not of the Overmind’s design, but came from the KanesS buccaneers. The Overmind had not been enthusiastic about the idea when he first examined it, but he developed it and created two frigate class VoidHawk, which were deployed near the frontline. These two ships just saved the day.

Four months later, 23 Xi’Chung cruisers had stormed and glassed Xalow3, leaving nothing alive behind them. In the meantime, the Overmind had finished further researches on weapon systems. He was again ahead of the insectoids. As soon as the prototypes were accepted as conscious, every single world between Eden and the frontline began to grow VoidTigers at maximum overdrive, tapping happily on the massive mineral and organic reserves the Overmind maintained. However, five shipyards grew a different kind of beast : cruiser sized VoidBears. These massive brutes were equipped with best model of both shields depleters and planetary napalm bombs. They were designed as planet busters.

When the Xi’Chung fleet finally arrived near Eden’s newborn worlds, 27 VoidTigers and 5 VoidBears were assembled in orbit of the largest planet. While not fully trained, their mere sight was enough to send the Xi’Chung running. Once they were trained, they would be send to storm the alien nest, but the Overmind feared that more than one fleet would be needed to cleanse the enemy homeworld. However, it was time to end this madness.