The Pride of Stars slowly headed towards where Grendal Outpost was located. Her port landing pylon was buckled and leaking atmosphere. Large holes dotted her hull from her recent battle. Half of her systems were off line and a quarter of her crew was dead. A large hole in her hull burned with internal fires, it used to be her bridge.
On the secondary bridge a corporal stood in the spot where the Captain's XO usually stood. She looked at the dead Outpost displayed on the fuzzy screen. It was their last chance, if the outpost was operational they could effect repairs and maybe escape back to Harthes system.
The ship was falling apart around them as she slowly made her way towards the outpost. The battle had happened suddenly and with out warning. The 35th Tactical Fleet had been on a routine mission to gather information when a massive Keteshed fleet suddenly appeared.
Three Days Ago
Kalisto Sector, 35th Tactical Fleet
Captain Jules watch the displays as information started pouring in from their scout ships in the surrounding sectors. Rumor had it there was going to be a surprise attack from this sector. He had been ordered to investigate the possibility that it was true. So far he had not uncovered anything out of the ordinary.
"Tactical have the Neopolis take up position in quadrant 4 send the destroyers Zagatah and Ceias as support. Have them set up patrols in system, and set status yellow," Jules said. He lifted his coffee and took a sip of the hot beverage, it invigorated him. He loved the taste and how it warmed him inside.
In his forty plus years in the service he had never been in battle. He had come close, but never seemed to end up where it happened. As a cadet he had studied all the tactical manuals and excelled in his studies. He had graduated with honors and was given his first command at the age of 23, the youngest Captain on record. The upper brass seen him as to valuable and always kept him out of harms way. Then again that was something he always guessed, his mother was a high ranking official and was most likely pulling strings.
His crew had served him faultlessly and most stayed their whole career with him. His ship ran smoothly and was always ready at a moments notice for an inspection. The engineering crew was the best in the fleet, he had seen them pull down a hyperspace generator and repair it without the use of a space dock. Because of the little miracles he and his crew managed to pull off, the Pride of Stars was the ship to serve on. It was even classified as a teaching vessel, turning out some of the best cadets in the fleet.
Jules' first command had taught him something he would never forget. Never underestimate an opponent no matter how small or how big. It was the only mock battle Jules ever lost, he vowed to himself to never lose another. He had over 200 mock battles under his belt, 199 of them wins. The one he remembered the most was the one he lost, it was a haunting reminder of just how uncertain things could be.
He walked over to one of the main windows and pushed a button, lifting the blast shield that was in place. Sometimes he hated the damn shields, always dropping in place at condition yellow and removing him from the view of the sea he sailed his ship in. The stars danced in the darkness as he watched the ships of his fleet going about their duties. He reached down and stirred the spoon that was still in his mug. It was times like this he was at peace, it was like nothing could bother him as he lost himself in the stars that were his home.
The hum from his ship calmed his nerves as he sank deeper. In the back of his mind there was something that didn't feel right. It was the first time in a long time he felt restless.
"Captain?" his XO said. She was now standing next to him. He hadn't noticed her approach.
He let go of the spoon, it drifted slightly before settling, "Hrm?" he said as he pulled him self back as he looked at her.
"I asked if we should secure from yellow and launch patrols."
He turned his gaze back to the window, "No, stay at yellow status. Launch two extra patrol groups and have the alerts standing by."
She had never seen him like this and she was suddenly worried, "Sir, is something wrong?"
"Hrm," he said turning back to her. He thumbed the blast screen shut, "No, everything fine. I just want to be ready just in case the rumors are true. I don't want to be caught with my pants down."
A small smile split her lips as an image filled her mind and left quickly.
He shook his head, "Don't even." He laughed.
The worry left her as she laughed, "Aye Sir as you command."
Jules nodded as he turned towards his ready room, "I'll be in my ready room, continue all sweeps and I want reports every half hour."
"Yes Sir," She said saluting.
Admiral Laques watched as the positions of the Zaeous Fleet were displayed on the table before him. Surprise would be on their side when they jumped into the system. Laques knew the Commander of the Zaeous fleet, he had met him at a conference once during peace talks between their empires. This Jules wasn't an ordinary starship Captain; he was a brilliant tactician and not someone to be taken lightly. He hoped the man would surrender instead of dieing in the coming battle. He knew Jules well enough to know he wouldn't go down with out a fight.
"Send word through the fleet, silent running until other wise notified," Laques told his Comm Officer.
"Aye Sir, relaying orders now," the Officer reported.
Laques turned and walked towards his command chair, "Tactical, rig for silent."
"Rigging for silent, Aye Sir," Tactical repeated.
Laques caught his reflection in a mirror surface before he took his seat. Streaks of grey ran through his black hair. He reached up and ran a hand through it thoughtlessly as he looked at his reflection. A scar ran from just below his left eye intersecting his mouth and ending just before the end of his chin. That scar had nearly cost him his eye sight, he reflected back on the battle. He had been sent to quell an uprising on one of the outer worlds when his ship ran into pirate trouble. The fighting had been hit and miss for days as they played cat and mouse. During one of the engagements a panel next to him had exploded sending a piece of shrapnel flying. The doctors had told him later if the concussion hadn't thrown him back he would have lost the eye. His coal black eyes took in the stubble present on his face. He would need to shave and soon, he had always been one of those if it's good enough for you it's good enough for me Captains. He never asked his crew to do anything he wouldn't do and shaving was one of those things.
Laques pulled his gaze away as he turned back and took his seat. Now it was time to wait and plan. Once again his thoughts turned back to Captain Jules as he tried to think of a way to spare the man in the coming battle. Laques sighed inward as he realized he was soon to engage a person who had come to respect and even befriend. Life was never easy and war made life just that much more difficult.
History remembered moments such as these, the clash of titans. Battles fought not for peace or to protect one way of life but for the sole reason of expansion. Each side thought the other the aggressor, none knowing the truth of the matter. Someone sitting on a throne somewhere decided he wanted more power and more subjects. There was always some King or President somewhere that made this his primary goal. History has shown us countless men who had tried and failed.
King Dewas was one such individual. He gathered forces and waited for the correct moment to attack the Zaeous Empire. Dewas did all this while shaking Emperor Masdof's hand in friendship and peace. King Dewas encouraged trade with the Zaeous Empire appearing to support them in trying to bring both empires closer together. While all the time plotting against them, waiting for the time to be right to attack. Emperor Masdof had suspected something wasn't right from the beginning, Dewas had never been a man to agree to peace so quickly.
Masdof had kept his spies in place and waited for any word of a deception from Dewas. What he didn't know was that when the plot had finally be uncovered and the massive fleet build up unmasked, it was too late. Dewas was in a position to strike at the very heart of the Empire. He also had no idea that most of the information leaked had been a ploy to separate the fleet of the Zaeous Empire, weakening them.
The day Masdof ordered Jules to take his fleet to the Kalisto Sector thousands of special fighting force built by the Psi Corp had mysterious accidents. Their ship exploded or self triggered it self destruct. The heart of the Empire was torn out in less time than it took to blink an eye. Dewas sat on his throne grinning as the report came in, his last order before ordering the attack was the round up and execution of every known spy across his Empire. In a day the Zaeous Empire was almost defenseless, its fleet spread thin across their territory and the dangerous Black Op Section crushed.
The Pride of Stars drifted across the expanse of space as small fighter craft flew their rounds. On board Jules stood at his planning table trying to figure out what was bothering him. Something about this whole situation wasn't right. There was nothing here, besides that why would they come in from this direction. The jump routes here aren't connected to any main travel routes. There were no major planets or outposts along these routes. It just didn't make sense, where they were sitting it would take three days for any transmission from Fleet HQ to reach them. They were cut off and alone sitting here, unless...
Jules spun around, "Mr. Moros order all vessels to suspend scouting missions and to regroup at our position."
Moros the communications officer got a questioning look on his face, "Sir?"
"Do it, do it now for god sake and hope it's not too late."
"Aye Sir."
As Moros started sending the recall transmissions the world fell apart.
"Captain, I have incoming hyperspace events," Kaji report from tactical.
Jules felt his stomach drop, "How many?"
"Counting 62 different events, Sir."
"My god, Condition Red. Abort the recall, order all vessels to make for HQ."
Jules sat down in his chair, "Spin up our hyperspace engine and prepare to engage the enemy."
Lights dimmed across the vessel and deep red light came on. A shimmer in space surrounded the Pride of Stars briefly as the shields came to life. Fighters launched from various vessels, hoping to give them enough time to get their hyperspace engines charged up. The first enemy vessel to come out of hyperspace was the Sword of Light, no one fired.
"Incoming transmission from the Sword of Light," Moros reported.
Jules watched the large carrier slow as she exited hyperspace, "Put it through."
Laques' face replaced the ship on the screen, a smile spread over his face when he saw Jules. "Jules, my old friend. How are you?"
"Doing very well Laques, and you?" Jules stood up and stepped towards the screen.
"I'm doing ok, my wife sends her best."
"Tell her I said hi and my wife has some recipes she wants to send her," Jules couldn't help but smile. Laques' wife was a very beautiful and charismatic woman.
"Of course..."
Jules interrupted him, "Let's just be frank with each other."
"Ok..." Laques drew the word out.
"So, old friend. What brings you way out here and with so many ships."
"I could ask the same of you. You're out in the middle of no where with a sizable fleet."
"We're on a training and scouting mission."
"Oh? Scouting for what, if I may ask."
"This and that, you know how training missions are. The brass send you out to nowhere and tells you to scout for anything out of the ordinary." Jules shrugged.
"Have you found anything of note?"
Jules glance down at the counter for the hyperspace engines, less than 2 minutes. "You mean besides a large Keteshed battle group?" Jules asked slowly looking back into the eyes of his friend.
"Battle group? No, this is a training fleet. Perhaps you could help us with some exercises."
Jules didn't like where this was going, "What kind of exercises?"
"Oh I don't know... Say some boarding and capture procedures? It would be most helpful."
Jules glance back down at the timer just over a minute left, "I don't know, let me talk to my command staff and maybe we can set something up."
Laques smiled, "Perfect! I'll be waiting your call back."
The screen faded, changing back to the view of the much larger Keteshed fleet. Jules turned around and was staring at his white faced XO. Jules looked around and noticed everyone on the bridge was staring at him. He knew what each of them was thinking at that moment, their death.
Laques' first officer, Harwor, walked up to him and looked at the screen displaying the Pride of Stars. "So what do you think Sir?" he asked while studying the ship before him.
"Hrm?" Laques asked as he looked over at Harwor.
"Do you think Captain Jules will allow the training mission?"
Laques looked back at the screen, "No... no I don't."
"Then he's a fool not to surrender, he dooms all his crew to death in a senseless battle," Harwor spat.
Laques spun around on Harwor, grabbing him by the front of his uniform. He slowly picked the young man up off the floor. Harwor's eyes grew wide as fear ran through him, his Captain wasn't someone you pissed off. He had only seen Laques pissed off one other time, the marine never made it to the brig.
"You had better watch your tongue when speaking of things you have no idea about. That man is better than 50 of you on any given day and on any other day I would gladly give my life to protect him. He is my friend and I have sworn to him that if anything ever happened to him I would protect his family. He has taught me more in the short time I have known him than I have learned in years of service. This is a sad day, to lose one of his abilities and compassion. Now get down to the auxiliary bridge and get this ready. I wouldn't be surprised if Jules got out of this battle without a scratch."
Laques tossed Harwoe back towards the lift, "Yes Sir, I'm sorry Sir I didn't mean to offend." Harwor bowed as he shuffled back towards the lift.
"Just learn to hold your tongue when you don't know what you're talking about and we'll get along fine." Laques glared at the man until he was gone from his sight.
Laques turned back towards the screen, "How long?"
"Less than 30 seconds until they are hyperspace ready," Kronan, the tactical officer, reported.
"Have the Anchor come in and bring the dampeners online. We can't allow them to leave. Get me a report from the other sectors," Laques said taking his seat.
Annesse reported from the Comm station, "Reports have already come in, all ships report success."
Laques sighed, "Fine, have them join us here when their sweeps are done. Order the other ships of the fleet to prepare for battle. Set us to Status Red and prep fighters for launch."
"Anchor entering system Sir, reporting all dampeners online and at full power," Kronan reported.
"Now old friend understand your position and surrender, for your sake and mine," Laques muttered under his breath.
Jules watch as the displayed switched to the new arrival. Now the choice was his to make, fight or surrender and save countless lives. He looked at the reading on the new ship, dampening fields. No escape now, unless they took out the new ship. Registry showed it to be an old style Keteshed freighter, not much on the armor or shields. The Pride of Stars could easily take her, it might buy enough time for the rest of the fleet to jump. He looked over the table before him, it looks as though to get the best coverage she had to jump in slightly out of position. The rest of her fleet wasn't in a position to cover her.
"Sir, I have a delayed transmission coming in from the scout ships," Moros reported.
Jules looked up at the pale face, "Spit it out Mr. Moros."
"They've been destroyed all I'm getting are the emergency beacons, identifying them as destroyed in combat and their last position."
Jules nodded, he had expected that. When Laques had jumped in he knew what was going to happen to the scouts. He had it pretty much thought out when Laques called again. Jules walked back in front of his command chair before accepting the transmission.
Laques' face betrayed his feelings, the eyes showed his sadness, "Jules, so can we proceed with out training exercises?"
Jules smiled, "Thanks Laques, but we both know what's going on. You've always been a good friend. I just received the beacons from the scout ships."
Laques' face fell slightly as a tear ran down the side of his face, "My friend it doesn't have to be this way..."
Jules smiled, "You know it does, I can't betray my people any more than you could yours. Just do me a favor if you would be so kind."
Laques looked back up, "Anything my friend."
"Make sure my wife and daughter are taken care of. Tell them... tell them I love them and I don't hold you responsible for your actions. I'm sending you a private transmission; you'll understand it once you look it over. Let my daughter grow up as if she was yours; show her all the caring I have seen in you. Promise me this."
Laques stood up, "I promise you on my life they will have the life you wished for them and your daughter will grow up loved. I ask the same of you for my wife if something should happen to me."
"Thank you I will this I promise. Now take care of yourself and your crew so I don't have to."
"You too."
Before the screen died both Captain started giving orders each watching the screen until the other disappeared.