Void Admiral: Tigerian Seperatists vs Noble Housess

 Down in the inky depths of Auran, the Terran Diplomatic Corps team swam/floated/powered across a well lit bubble hall.  Wearing a full immersion suit made pleasent change for the Ambassador. He gestured to the tactical map projected around him. "If you look at your briefing downloads, tonight's combatants are Tigerians, whose ships are painted to match their captain's fur. Their uplifted massive felines hunters ancestors come from Terra, but now want nothing to do with humanity, vs Noble Houses of Ascott, who display the human love for dark grey, wedge shaped spacecraft."

"So, assembled digniatories, the conundrum for you is who to support. From our tactical satellites, you can see the Tigerian Seperatists and the Noble Houses of Ascott have both had issues with the gravity well malfunctioning at the Ashcott Station. Both fleets have been ripped out of hyperspace and dumped all around the platform. They need either to capture and disarm it, or destroy it."

"By pure fluke, the Noble Houses are scattered right around this volume of space, whereas the Tigerians are closely massed to the centre." The Diplonatoc Drone added labels to the projection, and the Ambassador grinned as the Medbot also had added betting odds on various scenarios under them. His team knew the Aurans well 

Normally he did not get advance notice of this sort of gathering, and would be ripped out of whatever he was doing to join in, necessitating him wearing an emergency gell suit at all times. This time, he had power, lights, armour; maneuverability, access to presentation software and more besides. An absolute boon. It was also psychicly shielded, as far as he understood these things, meaning the many Auran nobility present could not hear his thoughts. 

"A small Noble frigate has just done a drive-by on the station. It hurt the Tigerian ship nearest the station too. Note the Nobles have turreted weaponry with larger fire arcs." 

"However, the Tigerians unleash their freedom fighter flotilla, plus a swarm of fighters from their carrier, thats a lot of damage there. You may remember, many years ago, us humans upgraded the consciousness of many other creatures on Terra to human intellectual levels. The Tigerians, who in our past, we nearly hunted to extinction, took offensive this, and promptly left to set up their own civilisation, away from what they described as human brutality. They now relish any chance to hunt us down an exact revenge. Here they hunted down and destroyed that Noble ship. They might gave enjoyed that." Chuckles erupted from the gathered Aurans. 

Excitement rippled through the Auran tentacles present as the Noble ship disintegrated. Beside him, he could tell the Diplomatic drone was in a huff about likelihood it would, at some point, be ripped apart by an Auran tentacle . At least it had put on the bowtie by choice over its mk27 tactical armour which appeared to be painted like a dinner suit, or a penguin. "Why are we here? Yet again we have been requested to perform like some circus pets?" The Diplomatic droid moaned, less than diplomatically over a secure laser transmission. " We are a fully trained Diplomatic team, not entertainers for hire "

"It's because you do such a good job at this sort of thing." The Emperor cut into the ultra-secure laser communication, "and yes, I'm doing this to annoy you my droid friend."

Ignoring the drone and Emperor, the Ambassador continued, "Not much survives that level of firepower."

The small house Medbot had decided to wear a jaunty green sash and a serious set of combat medals, most of which denoted active service in the marines. When asked about this, the Medbot had simply replied "You never asked". It swam along with a prominent medkit slung under its belly. It knew the drill, but the Ambassaor suspected the little droid had an up armoured chassis too.  

"Noble heavy units scored hits on the Tigerians destroyer, a second line ship, as did the stations defence grid. Finishing off one in short effect."

"The Tigeran carrier unleashed its Gatling cannons on the station. Not as damaging as some smaller explosive shelled cannons, but the amount of small, solid shots that weaponry projects more than makes up for it. The Tigeriansare also noted for their individuality and have upgunned this carrier. " A close up shot revealed hundreds a small impact hits across the station. Explosions ripples across its surface,  air vented, flames flicked and died.  The Ambassador could see the Drone had uploaded weapons specs to the Assembled crowds. Various tentacles twitched in manners that suggested interest in this weaponry. 

"Behind the carrier, a Sher Khan class cruiser is stalking a Noble capital ship. Tigerians love nothing more than the hunt."

"The Tigarians, despite utterly crippling the station, moved their carrier up next to it. The carrier has taken a lot of damage so far from defensive fire from thevstation, but its a tough boat. The Tigerians could simply have disintegrated it, but obviously they want the station for themselves. Tigerians are alpha predators, much like yourselves, and unleashing marines boarding parties to 'tidy up' the station would be considered good sport by the Tigerian high command." Various betting options blinked out.

Two grey wedges shaped monoliths hover into view, "As you can tell, the Nobles are not happy about this, and are bringing two heavy units to bear." More betting options appeared, "A burst of speed and maneuverability from the Tigerian Freedom Figthers light ships to get behind the Noble ship on approach, more hits on what is usually an unprotected quarter, but Nobles have rear turrets so might fight back."

Flares of light could go seen dancing across the rear of the Noble ship as cannons and misdikes hit. 

"However, being in range of a battleship when you are a flotilla of corvettes is never wis.," Rhe Ambassador illuminated the volume of space where waves of missiles and fighters tore into the flotilla, "Okay, own up, who had the flotilla surviving that strike in the betting pool?"

Several tentacles waved in joy.

The Ambassador suddenly looked up at the holographic display, his face going pale, 

"The Nobles have chosen to fire on their own station! They must realise that as well as Tigerian marines, there will still be Noble personal both military and civilian on board!" 

The station started to disintegrated, as it did, its core exploded, consuming the Tigerian carrier.

"Holy Zarquin! The infamy!" The Ambassador heard himself say as the carrier ceased to be.

"Well, you might have made a shrewd investment if you had backed the Nobles destroying their own station rather than letting it remain in Tigerian paws!" The Diplomatic Droid laughed, then ducked under a low flying Imoerial tentacle. 

"Sorry yuur Majesty l didn't realise you were backing the Tigerians."

The Ambassador, recovered, shot the droid a look befirentaking up the narrative again. "And one of their Destroyers has turned about to try to take on the damaged Noble ship. If they had any sense they should jump out, but an enraged Tigerian is a dangerous thing."

"The Noble battleship has taken out the last of the flotilla. Its not got any more targets at the moment. The joy of slow moving tech." The Ambassador shrugged theatrically. The Medbot flashed up a caption explaining this humanoid gesture to the Aurans, who being nautaloids, had no shoulders! 

"Sher Khan has turned back into the fray while the remaining Tigerian destroyer is destroyed. Yes, the name is ironic." The Ambassador pointed out on the holo display. 

What followed would be best described as an unleashed torrent of firepower as Sher Khan ripped apart a Noble ship. "Oh, that's torn into the Noble line, but Sher Khan Cruiser is the last Tigerian ship."

"And it was never going to last against the weaponry  of the Nobles battleship. It got some good hits in, but not enough to do anything significant." The Ambassador shook his head at the loss of life. Several Auran digniatories were visibly celebrating the result, while others that held military ranks were communicating about weapons and tactics. 

The Terran Diplomatic team left several hours later, more or less intact. "The evening was a great success, well done all. Terran-Auran relations stand, or swim, at an all time high." The Ambassador smiled, relaxing visibility. 

"More successful for some than others, nice work on the betting pool on the side too". The Drone smiled at the Medbot.

"Very successful, we now possess four extra planetary systems, two mineral rich asteroids, one luxury space yacht and a waterside property near the capital." The Medbot added smugly. "The House always wins."

The Diplomatic Drone started giggling, 'You know, with the Aurans being aquatic, that property is worthless!"