“Captain, we’ve entered orbit around Solaris three.” Captain Valyrian walked to her station. “Scan the planet and send it to my terminal, Lieutenant.” A moment passed and a hologram appeared in front of the Captain. She swiped the images and skimmed through the logs. Valyrian looked out the main window. The plant they now orbited was lush with colors of green and blue. The Celestial body reminded her of her own home planet, a place she hasn't seen in over two hundred years. A red blinking icon flickered on the hologram, bringing her attention back to the present. “Lieutenant, what is this?” He turned and his eyes widened. “Captain, Screamers!!” “Battlestations, Code six, Scan that anomaly and find me the source of-“ the ship rocks and sirens started to Blair. “status report, how many Screamers hit us!” the bridge officers hurried to their stations. “Ma’am, our shields are holding at forty-one percent.” Reported one Ensign.
Valyrian braced herself against her terminal. “Ma’am there are four destroyer class ships with an escort of fifty interceptors port side.” Reported the Tactical Officer. The Captain laughed. “Four destroyers against a dreadnought, The Vigilance will tear them apart, Come to bearing ninety-eight degrees, thrusters half power and arm bays Alpha one through Beta twenty.” The ship moved in response to the orders.
“Captain, my report shows they hit us with twenty-five screamer missiles.” Valyrian steady herself and walked to the window. “That all this fleet could muster?” She turned to her Weapons Officer. “ Ensign, target ten missiles to three ships that should destroy the enemy’s numbers.” The ship came to a dead stop. “Captain the ship’s broadside is in view of the enemy fleet.” “Fire Missiles Ensign.” The window filled with smoke as thirty missiles accelerated towards the ships. One ship veered up. The missiles impacted the bottom of the ship and engulfed it in flames. One ship took the whole of The Vigilance’s payload and exploded. The third ship shifted to the left at the last second and the ten missiles detonated pushing the ship. The ship was damaged but still functional.
Beeping erupted from the tactical station. The interceptors were racing towards the Vigilance on an impact course. “I want birds, Lieutenant, now.” Shouted Valyrian. “Falcon, Hawk, and sparrow Squadrons you have the green light.” A green icon appeared on the Captain’s hologram. Valyrian pushed it and the ship shuddered. Bay doors that ran the length of the bottom of The Vigilance opened and dozens of spacecraft burst from the launch bay. “All hands battle stations, All hands battle stations.” Blared the intercom of the ship.
***
Lieutenant Junior Grade Masters ran into the passageway still putting his jumpsuit on. The passageway was filled with pilots hurrying to get suited while trying to run to their briefing area. Everyone arrived at the launch bay suited and listen to the Flight Commander. Out in front was a hologram of the planet they were orbiting along with The Vigilance, four destroyers, and fifty tiny red dots. The Flight Commander was debriefing the Squad Leaders and pilots on the mission and tactics.
Masters could feel the adrenaline pumping. He was eager to get in his bird and do his duty for the Kingdom. “there’s a big fight coming up so if you have any questions or concerns speak up before we begin.” Shouted the Commander. The launch bay was quiet except for the sounds of the deck crew reading the crafts. “Alright, Squad Leaders take charge, remember your training, and good luck.” Everyone slated and scrambled to get aboard their spacecraft. Masters ran to his personal craft and jumped inside. He started checking his gauges and status and the deck crew were going over last-minute maintenance. The deckhand gave him the signal and his ship started to spin towards the center of the launch bay.
“Hawk Alpha-three, how are you looking?” A voice said over Masters’ radio. “Hawk Alpha-three ready and eager to go, sir.” He flicked a few more switched and closed his eyes. The crafts stopped in the center of the bay facing each other all the way down in two parallel lines. Mount brackets slammed into the birds and locked in place. Masters Grinned and opened his eyes. The Mount brackets lifted the ships into shoot tubes overhead.
The ships slammed into place and all was quiet and still. “Hey Gutterrez, have you ever been in a battle this big?” Asked Masters. “A few times when we were at war with the Cancer Kingdom, but that was one hundred and fifty years ago.” The radio was quiet. “What about you Masters, you must have fought in that war?” “No, I was only eight at the time, too young.” The Lieutenant nodded. “Nervous?” The younger officer grinned. “No sir, I can hardly contain myself.” They both laughed and clicked into their Squad channel.
Comments (0)
See all