Final report.
The Drengin weren't doing much- but I didn't really care. I'd decided that I'd get involved. It was time to go to war. I began developing the planetary invasion line while I designed and built new ships. Heavy fighters, a simple yet powerful frame that provided ample space for my needs- the Butterfly. With my Mayflies guarding the planets, I set up the Butterflies (Beam 6, Speed 4) into 4-ship squadrons. Then, when there were three squadrons ready, I crossed the border and flew straight for Earth. The second fleet split off, heading towards the planets at the Arcean border, while the third headed for Mars to clear the orbit. The Butterflies lived up to their heritage- battle after battle I destroyed my foes. Earth had a Fleet Manager, so things went quickly.
Meanwhile, back in my own systems, I'd completed the Advanced Troop Carrier. My colony ship, the Scorpion, served as the basis for a new vessel- the Emperor Scorpion. Capable of carrying 4000 troops at high speed, it would give me the chance to conquer the land where I'd already mastered the sky. The Terrans were not idle however- their small outpost between the Arceans and Yor served as a staging point as they attemped to return the favor. They did not anticipate that the war machine ground on- fleets of Butterflies, paint still fresh, joined with the Mayflies to crush them. Several troop transports were destroyed along with their escorts.
Finally two Emperor Scorpions arrived in the sky above Earth; the battle was swift and merciless. I had a 5:3 advantage, and I had 8 billion shock troopers to their ten billion citizens. The Terran Federation was like a human being- cut off the head and the body dies. With the loss of the capital the Terran Federation's influence disappeared like paper before a fire. More conquests claimed more planets- soon they were down to three at the very edge of the galaxy.
As if on cue, the Arceans asked for help against the Drengin, and the Terrans surrendered to the Drengin. It was easy to convince the Arceans to ally with my empire- my Butterflies were more powerful than anything in the sky. I could have relaxed and ignored the war, but the Drengin refused to accept my offers of friendship. They would not declare peace with my allies. And if there can not be peace, then there can only be war.
With the Yor and Arceans buffering me from the formerly-Terran corner, and Terran space swathed in the colors of the Thalans, I turned my attention to the Drengin homeworld. The troops I had sent across the stars had exhausted my population, but not my industrial might. New fleets of Butterflies supplemented the old, and I declared war on the Drengin by annihilating four troop carriers headed for the Arcean homeworld.
As I closed in on Drengin space, I reorganized my fleets. Five heavy fighters versus the two or three the Drengin fielded at a time. Shipping lanes were easy targets, following the trails back to the Drengin worlds. I destroyed the air cover over two, taking them out of the battle. The third, the homeworld, was heavily protected. Eight ships, ranging in power from Damage 4 to Damage 8. I gathered my fleets and send for more Emperor Scorpions, using the Terran worlds to provide me with more fighters. When the Emperor Scorpions arrived, I first gained the second planet, securing it with five thousand men to their two thousand. Next, Drengi itself.
Two fleets of Butterflies swept silently into orbit, each one facing a fleet of four ships- four ships that were easily destroyed. An unnoticed spin center on the ground explained the ease with which it was conquered- was I the only one without this? A vote, requiring all states to share four technologies with the rest was likely to blame. Regardless, I sent in my troops. 5:3 ratio, and it was 4500 troops versus 10,000. I opted for a Core Detonation. The battle was fierce, but ultimately I won.
There were a mere four Drengin worlds left, and my population was exhausted. They had no ships, and I had fleets in orbit above each. Their economy had been destroyed, their homeworld conquered. I had become the supreme military power in the galaxy, along with the supreme cultural power. And so it was a question- press on with the war and claim an allied victory, or rest, find peace, and replace my legions of warriors with consumer icons?
I chose peace, and the Drengin acceded. I also discovered an ongoing war between the Arceans and Yor, with the Yor (surpisingly) winning. I negotiated a truce, and peace was restored to the galaxy. A peace that was to last for all eternity, as my merchants once more moved through the silence of space, bringing our wares, our music, and our culture to everyone. Three small areas of color- purple, red, and yellow, were all that stood out against an unending field of pink. The Thalans had conquered the galaxy.
