Firestorm Generator

Firestorm Generator
Faction	Order of the Talon
Cost	Unknown
Construction Time	Unknown
Building Type	Offensive Superweapon/Tribunal final upgrade
Function	Hijacked Athena Satellite
Constructs	-
Dev. Status	Conceptual

Country of Origin	Palestine
Forged by	Aperta Scriptum Holy Forges
Key Features	» Etheric communication array  » Targeting cogitator  » Stolen Allied authorization codes  » Firing mechanism (large red button)  » Stolen "Orbital Fire Support for Dummies" handbook

"Well, it's certainly more violent than I ever intended. At this level of output, the focusing lenses will likely require replacement in a matter of months if used regularly, but I can't deny that you've turned my satellite into a weapon more fearsome than I ever conceived. Less precise, less elegant, less efficient... but the power you've unleashed speaks for itself."

- Major Lydia Winters appraises what she's been told is an experimental Allied modification to one of her satellites

Background

12th May, 1966

Enciphered Carrier Pigeon Message To the Arch-Conclave of Cardinals

To: Cardinal Marcus

From: Brother-Inquisitor Zacharia

My humble apologies for the multiple pigeons Father Marcus, but Brother-Scribe Joseph is new to his position, and his handwriting is somewhat large.

Our mandate from the conclave was to observe the progression of the Soviet and Allied forces through northern Africa. We made sight of an Allied convoy on the 4th May, heading towards the Soviet outpost on the outskirts of Cairo. We tracked them from afar, and maintained our orders not to engage. We were unable to establish the full size of the convoy, but it appeared relatively light, consisting only of a company of peacekeepers, a small squad of missile armed specialists, 4 infantry fighting vehicles, and two boxy articulated lorries of an unknown classification.

During the night of the 5th, we circumnavigated the Allied force and set up a observation post on a ridge overlooking the Soviet outpost. I have every faith that we remained undetected by either opposition at this point.

At sunrise the following morning, the Allies began aerial bombardment of the Soviet position. We did not suspect the Allies were actually going to engage the soviets, as they had no real armoured support in their convoy, and our observation indicates that the Soviet base was heavily fortified. Initially the Allies targeted armoured divisions, although they were forced to withdraw their bombing campaign when a number of Bullfrogs appeared from the north. We estimate limited Vindicator and Apollo casualties.

At this point, we were confused as to the Allied intentions. They are well known for prefacing their assaults with attacks by flying machines, but there was no supporting ground assault to take hold of the area afterwards! As I remarked this to Brother-Craftsman Paul, one of our hawks noticed the allied convoy. It was heading up the ridge path to our position! I ordered what men we had to be hidden amongst the ridges rocks as best as we could. Our single Cleric track was covered in tent fabric, and disguised to look like a rock. If the Allies had somehow found us, then we would do our best to ambush them!

When the convoy neared our position, they seemed to have no concern for seeking us out. I ordered our men to stand down, and remain observant whilst hidden. The two boxy lorries positioned themselves on the ridge, overlooking the outpost. They did nothing for a period of minutes, until one of the units produced a slim red beam of light, aimed at the outpost's power generator. In a matter of seconds, an immense column of golden light lanced out of the heavens and smote the Soviets where they stood! Again and again, these lorries would shine their red light on an enemy structure or unit, and each time the fire of the heavens would incinerate the target! I was unsure of how to proceed at first. Had the Allies somehow caused the Lord God Himself to intervene in their struggle? Has the time come for His divine retribution to be visited upon the Earth? Regardless of these thoughts, my faith remained unshakable. This had to be some new devilry, brought about by the Allies' godless science. How dare they take up the power of Heaven!

I had no time to muse upon this further, as a Soviet patrol of Twinblades appeared over the ridge. The Allied infantry fighting vehicles and rocket armed soldiers opened fire on the helicopters. One of the rockets struck the lead Twinblade, and it fell from the sky, smashing one of the IFVs to pieces. Father Marcus, forgive me for having disobeying orders, but I believed this "beam of heaven" truck to be of immense value to our Order. As the Allies downed the last of the Twinblades, I ordered our forces to attack. Our footmen were able to quickly kill their battle-wearied missile armed specialists and peacekeepers, and the Cleric track emerged from its seclusion and dispatched the remaining IFVs. As far as I can tell, the Allies have bought our ruse, and believe their patrol to have been destroyed by the Soviets. We were able to capture one of the trucks. We destroyed the other with explosives, hoping the Allies would not realise that only one of the machines was detonated.

Brother Paul was allowed to inspect the truck. After getting nowhere with examining the light emitter device, he was able to somehow activate what appeared to be a large ambiaric device in the rear of the truck. After many hours of work, he announced that it was a device similar to one of our own analytical engines, but using ambiaric force instead of gearwork. The truck gains its potency from a fleet of floating "satellites" that circle the earth in the heavens above. What's more, it must clearly be God's will that we found ourselves at the first trial of this "Athena" system. If this weapon is so new, it is likely that the Allies have yet to fully complete aspects of its design. Such as... security. Brother Paul's investigation of the Allied "computer" has yielded that an installation in western Morocco is overseeing this test of the new system.

With your (and the Lord's) blessing, I would like to execute a plan that Brother Paul has suggested. He believes that with infiltrators, an Analytical Engine, and a number of etheric communications devices, we may be able to claim one of these "satellites" as our own...

May His light shine upon you.

With blessings,

Brother-Inquisitor Zacharia