The pilots could feel the battle going on as the ship would rock a little. The tension grew as word of their engagement was allowed. “All Squads have the green light from the bridge, all birds prepare for launch.” The Flight Commander announced. The deck crew evacuated the launch bay. The Bay doors shuddered and slowly moved apart. The air depressurization began and the pilots started their launch sequence.

      A green light appeared on their ships HUD and a countdown began. Ten, nine, eight. Masters gripped the controls, he had been waiting for this moment since they left port. Six, five, four. “Hey Masters, the person with the least kills buys the boys around.” “You’re on Gutterrez.” Three, two, one. Masters was thrown back into his seat as his ships accelerated out of the bay. The star of the system shined right into his eyes. A solar shield covered the cockpit. He could see dozens of ships getting into formation. Lieutenant Junior Grade rolled to his right, lining up with his Squad Leader.

     “All right Hawk Alpha we are going in with a theta formation, keep an eye out on our flanks.” “Aye, sir” responded the squad. The two forces flew right towards each other. The enemy split in the middle as fire bolts went past them and hit the interceptors of The Vigilance. Ships exploded and damaged the oncoming forces of sparrow squads.

     Masters looked towards the two destroyers. “Enhance on Destroyer one.” The computer zoomed his cockpit window, he could see the bay of the first ship. Mages stood just inside the launch bay summoning and shooting fire bolts into the fight. “Sir the enemy is using fire magic, how is that possible,” Gutterrez responded. “There is very little atmosphere but just enough to use fire bolts apparently.” The enemy's small spacecraft was three hundred meters away. “Weapons Arms, Engage Hawk Alpha.” Shouted Gutterrez. Masters armed two missiles and fired at the closest ship. The ship rolled to one side away from one of the missiles but took the other. Seeing his chance, the Lieutenant opened fire with his guns shattering the cockpit of the target.

     “Whoo, one down.” He shouted. The HUD lit up in red as weapons targeted Master’s ship, he dipped the craft down under an enemy and brought it up to gun down another. “That’s what I'm talking about.” He looked over at Gutterrez as the Squad Leader blew up an enemy interceptor. “That makes five for me Masters.” The Junior officer grew serious and brought his attention back to the fight. Firing five missiles targeted at five enemies. No matter how much the enemy moved all five met their marks. The young pilot engaged in maneuvers to get further into the enemy lines. Unleashing his guns he slowly opened his own hole.

    “Masters, I need help, I have two on my tail.” The Squad Leader radioed. Masters pushed his Ship and passed dozens of crafts towards his friend. Two ships were shooting at the veteran. The Squad Leader had a small rearview screen in the corner of his HUD to give him an edge. “Gutterrez, maneuver theta Alpha nine.” Shouted the younger pilot.

    Gutterrez swung the back end of his ship around and accelerated towards the two interceptors that were following him. He shot three missiles and opened fired his guns. The ship he was targeting exploded, along with the one to its right as Masters destroyed it from the rear. A yellow flash came from Gutterrez’s console. His right-wing was hit during his last engagement. “Masters, I’m hit, not bad but I might lose control.” “I won't let that happen, sir.” Replied the young officer. Lieutenant Junior Grade pivoted his craft towards the Squad Leader when it was hit by two missiles from an enemy ship. “NO, MASTERS!” Yelled Gutterrez. 

 ***

    “Ma’am, the enemy forces have been engaged and the destroyers have mages shooting spells into our ships.” Captain Valyrian, stood in front of the window studying the battle. “Ensign I want you to lock an EMP onto the wounded ship.” “Aye, ma’am.” The Weapons Officer typed a few keys and an EMP missile was loaded into a tube. The Captain’s eyes narrowed. “Fire.” The ordinance soared across the battle and into the side of the targeted ship. The missile drilled into the hull and pulsed a signal of interference. The lights flickered and then died. Systems all over the ship started to fail. The reactor that powered the engines exploded and began to spin the ship. The shield that was keeping the mages safe inside the ship died and the mages shot inside the open space and suffocated.

     Valyrian turned her attention towards the hologram. All the enemy interceptors were eliminated. “I want the rest of the Squadrons surrounding the last destroyer and gun down the engines.” The bridge officers hurried with their new orders. The officers were shouting and the hologram showed all the blue dots swarm around the red ship. Valyrian walked to the window and watched as her fighters took down the enemy’s engines. “I want Knights on a boarding craft, Bring the Commanding Officer to me, and interrogate the rest of the crew.” “ Aye, Ma’am.” responded the bridge. She walked out into the passageway and headed towards her quarters. The way was busy with life, crewmen busy with work, but made sure to salute her as they passed by. She stopped to look out a window, and a tear streamed down her face. Death and machinery littered the orbit of Solaris three.

      Is one prince worth all this death and conflict? She thought. Valyrian shook her head, she knew the future of the Orion kingdom depended on them finding the heir. She continued on until she arrived at her cabin. Captain Rashid’s name was still etched on the door. He was the Captain before her that died in a battle on their way to Solaris three. Valyrian always wanted to be the Captain of the Vigilance, but she hoped that it would be when Rashid retired. She opened the door and walked into the living area. The Captain’s Cabin was split into three rooms. There was a living area in the middle, to the right was an office and to the right was her personal room.

     Valyrian unzipped her coat and threw it on a chair. She sat at the end of the bed and sighed. She sat in the dark for several minutes and put her mind to the victory they just won. So many lives lost, why did they fire when we entered orbit? She wondered. She would have tried negotiations for maybe a military truce. She stood up and grabbed her coat. She walked across the living area into her office. She put her coat on and finished buttoning up when a chime came from her comm. She walked around her desk and clicked the glowing icon. “What is it, Commander?” She asked. “Ma’am, we have the Commanding Officer waiting for you outside.” “You may enter.”

     Valyrian pulled her coat straight and walked to the middle of the living area. The doors slid open as the Commander and two knights walked in with the prisoner. Valyrian pointed to a chair and the knights threw the prisoner in it. The Captain nodded to her soldiers and said. “Please wait outside.”

     The Knights along with the Commander left the room, as he was leaving the Commander looked back to see the Captain bring the prisoner a beverage and distaste grew in his stomach.