The ice planet of Arantia was an influential member of the Trade Union. The minerals that were mined solely on their planet allowed them complete control over pricing. When the nearby planet of Earth wanted a cut of the profits for giving Arantia mining technologies, the Arantians refused. Tensions rose, until Arantian sympathizers started a guerrilla bombing campaign on Earth.

War broke out between the two planets, and the rest of the Trade Union sought to quell the violence, but to no avail.  In secret, the advanced Earthen war machine produced technology that could scorch the surface of a planet from orbit. Engineers fit the weapon onto the largest battleship ever constructed, hoping that it would not have to be used. However Earth leaders voted to use the weapon immediatly, and the USS Monitor was launched.  Its mission was simple: obliterate the Arantian's capital city, and claim the resource-rich planet for themselves.

Arantian leaders learned of the construction of the battleship, and begged the Trade Union for help. Fearing Earth's growing military might, the Trade Union did not respond to Arantia's cries. Alone, and virtually defenseless, Arantia prepared for the worst.

And it came.

The USS Monitor arrived with the early morning light. Not wasting any time, the commander of the vessel powered up, and unleashed the energy of several suns onto the surface of Arantia...

http://www.jasonbriney.com/ship.htm


~BRiney

(...weee)

Oh dude, that was amazing.  The detail was great, expecially something like the heat from the rear rockets refracting light like a hot slab of pavement in the summer.