The Last Post

by Morton T. Smith

I am old and my memory fades. For over 1000 years I have watched this place grow and now I watch it die.

What follows is a brief summery of the events that have brought me to this place. Later I may detail that which I can remember or have learned.

The year, as we count it now, is 157 AE, by old standards that would be 1062 SD. The AE part was a throw away tag that stuck. It stands for After Exodus. It’s funny, Exodus. You would think it meant some vast migration of races and yet it refers to only a handful of people. But those people, entities or whatever they truly were held this place together in a way nobody could understand.

The presence of the Kilneck was the first to go, even though most never knew all of them their presence was still felt across the galaxy. They left on Fold and Ion ship or by other means for places unknown. Wherever they went it was out of the sensory range of the most powerful Bound Necanthrope, those born of the White on Mort. Even the incredible power of the Free Born Necs, those of the Mandrake bloodline, couldn’t detect them. Slayers body disappeared from his crypt and to this day has not been found. Some still search for him on the edges of known space… But I’m getting ahead of myself.

After the Kilneck and Slayer had gone came the Bio War. This lasted for all of three weeks as Stormers from all over the WoP arrived on Mort by whatever means they could find. The space born fleet of the Black Chapter defended to the last man, but probably caused more damage than they prevented. For every ship they crippled attempted to crash to Morts surface and many succeeded, burning away vast portions of the atmosphere in the fusion explosions. Loyal SLA operatives and militia troops fought all across Mort to stop the Stormers from destroying what they had left of their world.

The Black Chapter had seeded Bio chambers on Mort to create loyal Stormers to fight on their side, but even those turned against their creators. The main thrust of Stormer insurgents came from the Ion cruisers from Artery. Their leader, it was later speculated, was Maxon Hagen or at least the genetic double of Hagen as the original was assassinated on Artery. This has never been proven and the body, original or clone, of Hagen was never found. Perhaps it still rests on some street or in some ruined part of Mort City.

As the war raged Stormers that could, made their way to Cannibal Sector One, more specifically to Salvation tower. Necanthropes that were on Mort at the time told of a massive sense of death and lose emanating from the sector, but could not tell what the source was. Most believe it was Digger and those of sufficient knowledge knew it was. The Manchine had become a beacon to all those of soulless birth, it had become their messiah.

Black Chapter, Stigmartyr, Internal Affairs, every department fought side by side to defend Mort, to defend SLA Industries. Unfortunately the Stormer force was greatly underestimated both in number and in skill. Huge numbers of divisions died for the cause. In the end they died for nothing.

Mort was lost. The planets biosphere was crippled beyond repair; even with the atmosphere processors the damage would take centuries to repair. The evacuation of Mort started a few days after the last Stormer was seen entering the Cannibal Sector. Every ship that could escape Morts burning atmosphere did so, rendezvousing with whatever ship was leaving the system. Almost all of the civilian population was left to perish on the planets surface.

A few civilians did survived, this was discovered years later when finally communication with the Shaktarian Home worlds was re-established. The Shaktars had been poised to strike at Mort in the event of Teeth getting out of control, but they had withdrawn when the Stormers devastated the planet.

The Shaktars mounted several rescue missions to Mort before the complete breakdown of the bio sphere.

A few years after the evacuation an old Foldship was recharging just outside the Mort system and is rumoured to have been contacted by something on Mort that claimed to be Digger. This was impossible as the communication was made telepathically to the ships navigator. But if there is one thing I have learned it is that nothing is impossible.

Rumours and hearsay have given Mort a new mystique since it’s destruction. Tails of creatures still wondering the planets ravaged surface abound, stories of the vast wealth that awaits the brave soul that would venture onto the planets surface and the bed time story to scare children, the return of Slayer through the portal that once created Necanthropes.

Once more I digress. The remnants of Morts populace made it’s way to the closest of the SLA held worlds. New Paris was a port of call for many of the refuges. For time, normality returned or at least as normal as things could ever be again. The command structure of SLA had taken a hefty blow. With Slayer dead and central command on Mort destroyed the various departments where left leaderless. Most decisions where made by rather argumentative and disorganised committee. Internal power struggles were rife, from the lowest operative to the highest corporate. To begin with these were settled by discussion, negotiation and compromise, on the surface things ran smoothly. Diplomatic talks began with Thresher and Dark Night and non-aggression treaties where quickly drawn up, signed and broken frequently. This was aggravated by the aggressive and xenomorphic attitude of the Shaktar race to all other races in the New WoP.

The struggle for dominance within SLA came to a head in 17 AE when actual fighting broke out between divisions of Black Chapter and Stigmartyr on New Paris (the new central command centre for SLA). The civil war was quick and bloody as both sides fought for control of the company. Thresher and Dark Night took this opportunity to take control of contested worlds on the edges of WoP space including the old War World Dante’ which was destroyed totally when Thresher destabilised the planets mantel using huge fusion guns on board their Ion attack cruisers, all that remains now is a small asteroid field. In the end none of them would win.

The Shaktarian armies took the opportunity of internal conflict to attack SLA Industries and the Soft companies using every means at their disposal to gain control. The war lasted for three years. In the end the Shaktarian Clans took control of SLA Industries, Thresher and Dark Night.

The exception to this and to all other events in the twenty years that followed the collapse of Mort was Static and the Ebon race. Throughout this time of struggle they had hidden their ships, their worlds and their race from the eyes of SLA and have continued to do so since then. Now they to are beginning to pass into the stuff of legend. Although there are still a few Ebons around their numbers dwindle each year. They have become mystics and travellers that wonder the galaxy hunting down the Mandrake Bloodline and eradicating it where they can.

For as the Shaktars brought order to the WoP, which was broken into clan protectorates and inducted into the Shaktar religion, the Foldship Yung returned with generations of vengeance on the mind of its crew. The Yung had been gone for almost 1000 years and had brought with it the progeny of that 1000-year exile. They brought hundreds of Foldcraft of all sizes and classes from super dreadnought to fast attack frigates and the most terrifying force of all, the Free Born.

In all my years I have never seen a sight as horrific as a Free Born Necanthrope. These creatures manifested as from hell itself where given life in the depths of space. With no White and no control of the Ebon council the Ebons on board the Yung evolved at an accelerated rate as did their powers. These beings, after centuries of control by Intruder and the council, could at last harness the true power of the Ebb and warp it into their bodies.

They harnessed their power… the power to burn worlds. The Shaktars, the humans even the Wraiths fought bravely, but in vain. Slayer would have been proud. The Ebons, to the surprise and relief of the other races, came out of hiding to face what they considered an age-old enemy. As did the Bound Necanthropes.

Teeth and his forces, believed to be destroyed on Mort, were among the first to attack Mandrake. The battles fought by Teeth’s forces were among the fiercest in recorded history and surprisingly one sided. The Yung and its fleet tore the Bound Necanthrope apart in a matter of hours. I witnessed the destruction of the fleet, all the pain of the Foldships as the burned and died. A few Bound Necanthrope ships escaped and hide in the outer-reaches of the WoP.

Then the invading fleet made their way through the rest of the systems that constituted the New WoP. Mandrakes decimation of the WoP was thankfully quick and stopped when they reached Mort and found it already destroyed. As if bereft of purpose the Mandrake fleet broke up and dispersed throughout the galaxy. Making their homes on whatever world they could control. The remnants of the other races also dispersed.

SLA Industries was no more. The mighty empire that had lasted for centuries took all of 25 years to be left in ruins. There are those that still live in the old WoP clinging onto whatever they can. Most species that populated the WoP can be found around the galaxy, the occasional colony here, a few scattered systems there life goes on. Even some of the old divisions of SLA survive. These are now roving bands, gangs and small armies that hold onto the ideas of SLA in a twisted form of ritualistic worship of all that has gone before.

Which brings me to now. With most of the original habited worlds of the WoP destroyed by war the only other place left to go was the Black Stump. This area of space was a forbidden zone in the time of Slayer but now was a chance to start again for those that had survived the holocaust. There was found a myriad of new races and life forms some hostile but most congenial by WoP Standards. Even the feared White Earth was still. Only the remnants of a pre-industrial civilisation remained, crying for their long lost god.

The Shaktars have faired well, with the founding and control of several resource rich worlds. They now are very wealthy as they control the majority of the shipping lanes in the Stump. The new empire has grown and keeps in constant contact with the original home worlds in the old WoP. They have also become the major information brokers and govern over trade and territorial disputes with the various races of the Stump.

The Wraiths have not been as fortunate, the home world Polo was stripped bare by the Mandrake forces and the majority of the Wraith clans were completely obliterated. The remnants of the race now wonder the galaxy as hired assassins and scouts. Those that chose to settle live on the polar caps of various worlds throughout the Stump.

The Brain Wasters are all but a memory, hunted to extinction by the forces of Mandrake and some of the few remaining Bound Necanthropes.

As for the Necanthropes little is seen or heard of them. Teeth is known to be dead as are his most trusted Unions, all lost at the battle with Mandrake. Those that survived the massacre hide in the darker areas of the galaxy or have found sanctuary among the Ebon people.

The Frother clans were decimated during the Bio War and never recovered their strength. They are now all gone save a few who still hold onto the traditions of their great, great grandparents. Without the constant abuse of their bodies by SLA drugs the genetic traits that identified the Frothers will soon be diluted and they may well become part of the human race again.

The humans, as is their way, adapted and now populate at least 50 worlds I know of in the Stump. With various factions of the Humans still fighting for supremacy it is possible that one day they may again rise up and take control of a New World of Progress. But without the leadership of one such as Slayer, this is a long way off and I doubt I will see that day.

The Ebon race is still the greatest mystery to many. They all but vanished during the destruction of SLA Industries, and with the exception of a brief return to try and stop Mandrake they have remained the “invisible” race. Stories abound as to the whys and wherefores for their self imposed excommunication from the other races but few will ever know their true purpose. Popular belief holds that they are manipulating races and armies of the Stump from their hidden places, but few if any can say to what end.

Through all this destruction, struggle and rebirth a darker cloud hangs on the horizon. From deep within the Black Stump is a race of evil creatures that are hell bent of killing all other living things that do not fit their genetic ideal or at least ‘changing’ them to fit their needs. This race could still rise up and take away all that has been done to rebuild… if they do, if that is their will we are all doomed.

I have seen their plague bombs destroy planets in hours, their ships ‘eat’, for want of a better description, Foldships and their armies fuse, bond and consume races in gruesome planetary assaults, using the blood and bone of their enemies as weapons.

I grow tired and the suns are setting… time to rest.

Information laid down by

Virgil, Bound Necanthrope Scribe
Royal Court Records (Personal)
Halo