Task Force Ararat was a Hiigaran Expeditionary Force that was dispatched to the Nimbus Galaxy in 9641 GSY (131 AHL). Its missions were to explore Nimbus, find the whereabouts of the previous expedition fleets (which had all failed to return), and to recover any survivors it came across. The force was commanded by Admiral Enoch S'jet.
The player is part of this expedition, being the commander of an unnamed Hiigaran expedition ship along with XO Joanna Naabal.
Background[]
After the sociopolitical upheavals of the Vaygr War and the events of the End Times, Hiigaran society was unsettled. The kiith hierarchy continued to decline in importance as it had since the Homeworld War, with Kiith S'jet, whose Kiith-Sa Karan had become the de facto leader of Hiigara after being declared Sajuuk-Khar, becoming the paramount kiith - indeed, the era immediately following the Vaygr War was known as the Age of S'jet. Ironically, the crowning achievement of Kiith S'jet - opening the Progenitor hyperspace gate network - would be the opportunity disintegrating kiithid needed to rejuvenate their clans.
After the discovery of Nimbus, which was considered unclaimed territory despite the discovery of several sentient cultures, the major kiithid of Hiigara funded the construction of large fleets to explore and settle new systems in the new galaxy. These fleets were to be loyal to the kiith and its Kiith-Sa, moving away from the tendency toward fleet integration into one unified Hiigaran Navy which had developed since the Beast War. Nevertheless, the unified Hiigaran Navy remained the most potent force in the known galaxy and led the exploration of Nimbus; the virtually independent kiithid fleets would follow in its wake to stake claims in the new galaxy.
Planning[]
The fleet was commissioned by Ahab Naabal, a renowned admiral who was a proponent of unified Hiigaran expeditions into Nimbus. While one of many expedition fleets that were dispatched to Nimbus following the Lazarus Expedition of 9631 GSY, this particular force stood out for having a renowned, veteran admiral from the famous Kiith S'jet assigned to it. This may in part have been because Ahab's own daughter, Joanna, was part of this expedition, being assigned to the recently developed expedition ship.
The Task Force consisted of the Riif-Sa, a Hiigaran battlecruiser commanded by Admiral Enoch S'jet, the Khar-Kaalad, an expedition ship, and several escort frigates and strike craft. The player's unnamed expedition ship was last to finish construction, clearing the berths at Duzumi Gate in GSY 9641. The vessel housed a Progenitor artifact known as a Communicator, which was required to operate the hyperspace gates of the Eye of Aarran and could transmit orders to Progenitor vessels.
The Battle of Wiracoda Gate[]
Task Force Ararat arrived in the Nimbus Galaxy's Wiracoda Gate. While the Riif-Sa and Khar-Kaalad held position at the gate and guarded the perimeter, the unnamed expedition ship went on to gather samples of new minerals and retrieve a number of probes which had been cast through the gate prior. The probes however turn out to be destroyed. Sensing danger, Enoch orders a withdrawal through the gate.
The Communicator's signal is rejected by the gate however, and soon after the fleet is beset by Progenitor Drones, Movers, and even a previously unknown Progenitor Vessel, which emerge through the gate as if in response to the rejected signal. Similar to the gate, these Progenitor ships likewise reject the Communicator's signal.
While the fleet is able to deal with this initial wave of attackers, a second, larger wave led by a Keeper shows up immediately after. With no escape route, the fleet starts to take alarming losses, including the T1 carriers Akalon and Haarsuk, and when a second and third Keeper emerge from hyperspace Enoch orders all surviving ships to initiate an emergency hyperspace jump. The Riif-Sa stays and takes the brunt of the Keeper attacks to cover the fleeing ships until it is destroyed. In his final transmission, Enoch tells the player to find a way to return everyone home safely, and to fight their way across the universe if they must.
Aftermath[]
The player's expedition ship, as well as a lone Scouting Frigate named the Acropolis, managed to escape destruction. It has since rebuilt its fleet and is currently traversing the Nimbus Galaxy.
The Khar-Kaalad was missing in action until a stray frequency broadcast by the ship is intercepted by the player at a later date.
Ships[]
The known ships are
- Riif-Sa
- The Khar-Kaalad
- Haarsuk
- Akalon
- Acropolis ( A scouting Frigate)