Jon stood on the bridge as Atlantis made her way to the outer markers. Earth's Revenge and Titan were in formation with Atlantis. Since they were all fold capable, they wouldn't have to time the jumps to match. Jon left the Scythe on patrol and Captain Vaes in command.
Vaes watched them fold as they passed the outer marker. He turned back watching Carla from across the room waiting to see what she would do.
Carla briefly looked up, "Flight this is Control."
"Flight here," a male voice said.
"Double the current patrols."
"Roger that Control."
"Control out," Carla said, turning to Tactical.
"Ensign Kane, has the Scythe started her in system patrol?" Carla asked.
"Yes Sir."
Carla turned and looked at Vaes as he smiled in her direction. Vaes turned to look at the viewer as Carla walked up.
"All patrols started Sir," Carla said, stepping up beside Vaes.
Vaes nodded, "You did well, keep up the good work."
Carla smiled an inner smile.
"There, I think that will do it," a man said stepping back from the terminal.
"Daddy," A little girl said.
"Yes darling?"
"How long before we're rescued?"
The man looked up into the sky, "I don't know honey, I hope they'll find us eventually."
The man and his family had been stranded for five years. He had built a small home close to a lake and his wife had set up a garden. The man looked back down at his daughter and smiled. She reminded him of his other wife, who he hadn't seen in a long time.
"Finish your studies then you can go out and play," He said, bending over and giving her a kiss on the cheek.
The little girl nodded and turned back to the terminal. She was studying at a high school level and would be studying at college level in two more years. He stepped out of the house walking around behind it. He ducked under the protective cover, stepping up close to the fighter. He ran several diagnostic programs and checked her power levels. He had managed to repair most of the damage to her from the crash landing. At night he took his daughter up and trained her to fly the fighter.
They couldn't break the gravity of this planet because of the damage done. But he could patrol the area around his house to make sure the large predators that roamed at night never got close.
His wife stepped up under the covers and wrapped her arms around him, laying her head on his shoulder.
"You know Husband," She smiled. "As much as I like being stranded here with you on this planet. I really wish someone would come along and rescue us so we could get back to our wife."
He turned and smiled, pushing her hair behind an ear, "I know, I've done everything I could."
She nodded leaning her head into his chest and sighed in contentment.
In the background he listened to his daughter's history lesson, "The Star Dancer..."
Atlantis' small fleet exited fold, turning to the next fold point. Deatra stood next to Jon at the railing as she watched the viewer. Atlantis stood on the other side of Jon watching the events unfold.
Jon looked over to Atlantis, remembering when Mike finally brought her back on-line.
"W... what happened," Atlantis asked, appearing in front of Jon.
Jon looked at her, "You had a malfunction and we had to take you off-line. Do you remember?"
"I... no," Atlantis said as she closed her eyes and scanned her memory banks.
Mike nodded as he stood at the holo-terminal in case he needed to deactivate her.
"Atlantis," Jon said slowly.
"Yes Sir."
"Do you know who I am?"
"Captain Jonathan Hunter, my commanding officer," Atlantis stated.
"What are your directives?"
Atlantis closed her eyes and started reciting them, "One: Obey the officers and crew within their authority. Two: Protect the ship and crew, if by some action the crew becomes disabled. Three:..."
"Stop," Jon said, "easier question. With royalty on-board, how does that conflict with you'r protection of the ship and crew?"
"Royalty is afforded no special privileges on board, unless given by the commanding officer. They will be treated as dignitaries while on board but have no command status."
"Good, Atlantis resume your duties please."
Atlantis nodded and faded out.
Jon turned to Mike, "Good work."
"Thanks, but I will want to watch her routines for awhile until I'm sure she won't lapse back."
Jon nodded, "Keep me informed, please."
"Sure thing, boss."
Jon smiled and headed for the bridge.
Jon smiled turning his attention back to the viewer.
"Sir we have a hyperspace event forming," Tactical reported.
"Condition Red," Jon replied. "Patch me into the Earth's Revenge and Titan. Tell them to hold fire until I give the order."
The lights dimmed and turned red as battle stations was called on all ships.
"You have an ID yet?" Jon asked
"Getting it now Sir," Tactical reported.
Jon watched the ship emerge from Hyperspace, the viewer labeled the new ship as the Marudas. Jon watched as the ship made no move towards them.
"Sir, she has multiple hull breeches. Her main power is off-line and she's running on secondary power. Her shields are down and weapons off-line. I'm also reading life signs, but there's only about 350. Their main engines are off-line."
"What's her regular crew compliment?" Jon asked watching the Marudas.
"2100 crew Sir."
This didn't seem right to Jon, he had seen the power of the Marudas first hand. Something was definitely wrong with this picture. He turned and looked at Deatra, she was concentrating.
"Have the Earth's Revenge and Titan hold position here. Launch flight groups Red and Green, have them go in close and do a fly by. Move us into boarding range, let's see if we can find out what's happened. Open a ship wide and ship to ship channel."
"Channels open Sir," Com said.
"Flights Red and Green launching," bridge LC officer reported.
"People of the ADF (Alliance Defense Fleet) we're going to be boarding the Marudas to find out what happened. While I know a lot of you have no great care for the Invaru. I'll not let us sink to their level by killing helpless people. I think that whatever happened to her could have a severe impact on us, it is in our best interest to render aid to those people. Some of those people could be our friends, allied with the Invaru rebellion. If that is so we owe it to them to make every effort to rescue them. Thanks, that will be all."
Jon turned to the officer sitting at the security console, "Inform Captain Paxton to ready boarding parties."
"Yes Sir," the officer replied.
The Atlantis slowly moved along side of the Marudas as Earth's Revenge launched more fighters. The Titan edged close to cover the Atlantis in case it was a ruse. Once Atlantis was close enough, two assault shuttles launched and attached to the Marudas. Fifty marines lead by Marc and Bish poured into the Marudas.
"Sir, incoming transmission from the Marudas," Comm reported.
"Put it through," Jon said.
"Captain Hunter," a voice said, a fit of coughing stopped the voice.
"Yes, this is Captain Hunter," Jon said frowning, "do I know you?"
A shallow breath preceded the voice, "Yes, this is Captain Prasuh of the Invaru 23rd Fleet. Captain, I request asylum and medical aid for those of my crew left. I unconditionally surrender to you, my ship is yours."
Jon's eyes widen as he listened. Deatra gasped and murmuring started on the bridge.
"Oh Captain, I have ordered what's left of my crew to not interfere with your boarding parties, please send some medical teams. We must leave here as soon as we can, they followed us and will be arriving soon."
Jon paled at the thought of something that could do this to the Marudas. He turned to the Comm officer, "Get medical teams over there and engineering teams ASAP. I want that ship running and in hyperspace back to the station. Have the marines bring the command crew back to the Atlantis and tell them they shouldn't have any resistance."
Two hours later Jon was standing in medical looking at Prasuh. He was asleep, two arms broken and six ribs. Andie had been able to stabilize him and was working on the other people from his crew. The Invaru on board the Marudas actually helped the marines and medical crews. Engineering crew received help from the few remaining engineering personnel. They had power restored to the hyper drive and main engines, but the Main Reactor was a lost cause. The Bridge reported that the Marudas was headed back to Ghost Station with a skeleton crew. The Invaru that had been rescued were dispersed among the three ships in Jon's fleet, they were all under heavy guard.
"How long will he sleep?" Jon asked Andie.
Andie looked at the read outs, "I don't know, he's taken massive damage, it was blind luck I was able to save him."
"It wasn't blind luck Andie," Jon said smiling at her. "You just know your stuff. I'm assigning additional marines here and I want to know the moment he wakes. I need answers, this is all wrong. We're supposed to be fighting these people not helping them. Something just isn't right. I'll be on the bridge, we're leaving now that the Marudas has jumped." Jon turned to leave.
"I'll let you know the moment he wakes Captain," Andie said turning to another patient.
As Jon stepped out into the corridor the lights dimmed and turned red.
'Condition Red... Battle Stations... Unknown ships entering the system... Captain to the bridge... ' Atlantis's voice blared.
Jon took off running for the bridge.
Gilas watched the ships exit Hyperspace. They were like nothing he had ever seen before. The largest was as big as his ship and looked like it was made of black crystal. At first the new ships just sat there as though waiting for something, then slowly they turned and started for the Atlantis.
"Bring us up close to the Atlantis." Gilas Ordered, "Prepare for combat. Send a message to Fleet Command explaining our delay in returning home."
"Maneuvering for position," Con reported.
"Message away," Comm reported.
"Reading on the ships?" Gilas asked turning to Tactical.
"Uh, nothing Sir, it's like they don't exist. I'm not getting any life signs or energy readings."
"Nothing at all?" Gilas asked turning back to watch the ships.
"No Sir, nothing just empty space."
Gilas frowned.
Bill stood up and walked to the railing as he watched the ships approach. The Titan was approaching Atlantis in a defensive maneuver, all weapons were powered up.
"Back us off slowly but keep us in range to lend support. Ready all Squadrons for launch. Bring weapons on-line and shields to full power. Signal the Atlantis requesting orders."
As his orders were carried out Bill watched the lead ships weapons lance out and hit the Atlantis. Her shields didn't deflect the blow.
"Direct hit on Atlantis minor damage to several decks," tactical reported.
"Are her shields up?" Bill asked
"Yes Sir, whatever they shot just passed through them. Although I got some brief power reading and it looks like the shield reduced the power by one quarter."
"Sir, Captain Hunter is transmitting," com reported.
"Put it through."
Just as Jon stepped onto the bridge Atlantis shook violently almost knocking him off his feet.
"Minor damage to several decks," Tactical reported, "Shields didn't deflect the blow they're still at 100%."
"You know I'm getting tired of getting my ass kicked and tossed to the ground," Jon muttered to himself. "Comm put me through to the other ships."
"Link established," Comm reported.
"This is Captain Hunter, shields are ineffective. You are ordered to stand down and retreat, Atlantis will cover your fold and follow once you're clear. Make for home base, we will rally there."
"They are acknowledging Sir and report one minute to fold. Three minutes to fold point," com reported.
"Con, keep us between them and these ships," Jon said turning his attention to the viewer.
Atlantis appeared next to him as Deatra arrived on the bridge.
"Atlantis any idea of who they are?" Jon asked as he watched the ships maneuver.
"No Sir, they're not in my data banks," Atlantis reported.
"I have heard stories," Deatra said, "Of a race that was made out of crystal. The stories say they're undefeatable and no one has survived an engagement with them."
"Wonderful," Jon sighed, 'Why me?' he thought.
Atlantis's batteries targeted the nearest of the ships and fired. The ship's shields flared as it shrugged off the beams. It rotated on its axis and returned fire, striking the Atlantis. Jon grabbed Deatra as the ship rocked, steadying her.
Atlantis reported the damage, "Hull breech in decks 10 — 14, containment fields in place. Minor damage to Launch Bay Alpha, damage and medical crews responding. Shields ineffective."
Torpedoes launched streaking towards the enemy ship, but never reaching it. It was like they got confused and disarmed flying in separate directions. A second ship started launching small copies of itself, that streaked towards Atlantis.
"All hands brace for impact," Jon shouted.
But the small objects started firing striking Atlantis. Damage reports started flowing in too fast to be reported. Reports from multiple decks reported seeing people disappear.
"They're fighters Sir," tactical reported, "should I order ours launched?"
"No charge the fold drive," Jon said, "I want out of here the moment the others have folded."
Nothing Atlantis did repelled the black ships. By the time the Earth's Revenge and Titan folded Atlantis had lost one eighth of its crew and had multiple hull breeches.
"Sir Titan and Earth's Revenge report fold successful," com reported.
"Two minutes to fold point Sir," con reported.
"We don't have two minutes," Jon shouted, "plot an in system fold for the fourth planet."
"Plott..." Con started to say as he suddenly disappeared.
Jon leapt to the console and hit the ENGAGE button.
Right before Atlantis folded a beam lanced out cutting into her hull and severing several important connections. Atlantis appeared in low orbit of the fourth planet.
'Warning... Main reactor off-line... Secondary Main on-line... Magnetic Drives at 25%... ' Atlantis' voice blared.
Atlantis started to tumble in the pull of the planets gravity. Jon started to feel the pull of the tumble as he stepped back when another ensign took control of the con. Jon slipped and fell sliding across the floor, trying to grab something for support. Most of the people on the bridge were strapped in at their stations. Jon watched as Deatra slammed into a wall and passed out as the centrifugal forces got stronger. Jon slid to a stop against the wall and started trying to pull himself towards Deatra's unconscious form.
'Warning Centrifugal forced exceeding safety limits... ' Atlantis's voice blared.
Suddenly Atlantis hit the atmosphere of the small planet and her shields started to glow.
'Thermal shields on-line... Temperature climbing... One minute to shield failure... ' Atlantis's voice blared
Atlantis tumbled as the officer at the Con station tried to stabilize her, even though he was close to passing out.
A man sitting and reading to his daughter next to a fire heard the sonic boom. He and his daughter looked up to see a fire trail in the sky. His wife ran out to see what the noise was.
"What was that daddy?" the little girl asked.
The man looked up at his wife, "I don't know honey, but I'm going to find out."
His wife nodded in agreement as the man set his daughter down and took off around the house.
He pulled the cover off of the fighter and climbed into the cockpit, firing up the engines.
"Fourth planet Sir," a gravelly voice said.
"Order the fleet into orbit around that planet, then send in fighter patrols," A cloaked being said. His voice was deep and grating on the nerves.
He reached out to the male Invaru held in front of him, "Time for dinner."
A crystalline hand touched the man's head and started to glow. The Invaru's face slowly paled as it sunk in. The Invaru fell at his feet nothing more than a corpse that slowly dissipated into the air, leaving nothing behind but clothes.
"I want the man in charge of that ship brought to me, find him," the cloaked figure snarled as he leaned back in his chair.