Starcraft

Vice Admiral Grant W. Lewitz looked over the viewscreen. Thirteen green triangles symbolized his fleet of two carriers, a battle cruiser, four heavy cruisers, five frigates, and an apocalypse class frigate. Orders were to destroy heavy industry on the planet. His plan was to eliminate the global defenses, and secure orbit for troop deployment. Reports indicated the system contained one planet, and an asteroid belt. Defense forces consisted of four heavy cruisers, six frigates, two carriers, and a battle cruiser. An easy win for a competent man.

“Move fleet to warp jump target site in Manjill formation.”

Lewitz watched as the viewscreen showed his fleet move to the warp point, and jump.

Then it happened. The viewscreen adjusted, and showed their new destination. Two red triangles appeared that indicated two lancer cruisers. Blue dots appeared, representing long-range missiles, headed towards the green triangles. Two green triangles expanded, shrunk, and disappeared from the screen. Red triangles representing the enemy lancer cruisers moved away from the fleet. Two frigates down, and zero enemy casualties. Not a good start for the admiral. Now with their shields up, Lewitz gave the order for the fleet to move towards the enemy fleet positioned around the planet, and engage it, ordering the carriers to stay back until ordered to deploy their fighter wings, and bomber squadrons. Two fleets engaging over the world, and lost ships were on both sides. Green fleet, nicknamed “Green Team” had lost its five frigates. Enemy red group had lost the two lancer cruisers, three frigates, and a heavy cruiser. Strangely though, the red fleet was only targeting the frigates. Then the viewscreen showed exactly sixty red dots, and one triangle appear from the asteroid field. This was the enemy bomber squadrons, and a new heavy ship not reading in the banks. Grant’s carriers read the shields go down, and the bombers close in. Disappearing off the viewscreen, Grant had lost his carriers without launching one single space craft from them, because of the quickness of the strike from the asteroid belt. This new enemy group moved to flank his remaining ships.

Lieutenant Blake stepped out of the shadow, and grinned at Grant. Grant just looked away, and gave new orders. “Order apocalypse frigate to move away from the battle, and get into range of the target.” Grant’s fingers danced across the console, and entered the target data, just as the green triangle representing his battle cruiser enlarged, and disappeared under a concentrated barrage. Red group began to target the heavy cruisers systematically, until the green triangle representing the last apocalypse cruiser moved away from the shattered hulks of the rest of the ships. Grant smiled, as he knew the enemy commander would think this frigate was a heavy cruiser, and was running to save the hundred percent casualty limit. That commander would be wrong. Apocalypse frigate 01 launched its missiles at the target cities, showing ten green lines move away from the triangle, and towards a red circle on the planet. Destroying the last of the green heavy cruisers, Grant watched as the lone nuclear frigate attempted to launch its remaining nukes at the closing ships as they closed in, all too eager for their vengeance. However, the lines enlarged, shrunk, and disappeared off the screen, showing the point defense systems of the enemy cruisers working. Except for one green line that managed to get through that was headed straight towards the enemy battlecruiser. Its design threw off a pre-explosion warhead that emitted an electro magnetic burst to shut the shields down for the missile to get through. Penetrating through the two meter thick neosteel it detonated its gigaton warhead. All of the enemy fleet had clustered together to aim for the last frigate. Grant smiled, he had pulled victory from the jaws of defeat. The remnants of the red fleet now moved in to finish off the now defenseless apocalypse class frigate.

Grant stood up, and addressed Lieutenant Blake now. “Mission accomplished, sir.”

Blake smiled, and laughed, “One hundred percent casualties though Grant, I think you are losing your touch with these simulators cadet.”

Grant began to speak, “I was at a disadvantage sir. I was forced to jump through the warp point to enter that area. You gave the other cadet time to plan, and set up his fleet. Sixty bombers hiding inside an asteroid field with some kind of heavy cruiser that can cloak. The point defense systems on my frigates did not activate at the first warp jump, because I am guessing they were surprised.”

Cadet Ryld burst into the room, and started yelling at Cadet Grant; frustrated at his almost assured victory against the undefeated Grant. Other cadets walked past the door, some with a scowl on their faces, and others laughing at the outcome.

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After a year, all fifty cadets managed to arrive to class before the professor began his lecture. Grant came to these classes every day, expecting to learn something new, but he never did learn anything beyond his considerable knowledge. Finally becoming bored of writing down what he already knew he slouched in his desk, pretending to write down what the professor was saying. He slowly turned his head, and stared at the girl sitting immediately to his left. Scribbling out a mistake she shook her head, and her dark brown hair moved with the motion. Her body was athletic to say the least from their physical training. Grant was so entranced he did not notice the professor walk up to his desk, or even Lieutenant Blake enter the room, or even the whole class turn their attention towards him until the girl he was staring at finally looked at him. Smiling, and looking away his eyes met the professors.

Lieutenant Blake walked over to him, and addressed him curtly “So Cadet Lewitz, decided to take a break, and enjoy the scenery have we?”

Grant turned his head, and paused, responding with hesitation in his voice, “No, sir.”

The professor broke the silence, “If you were paying attention, you should be able to tell me the difference between a boarding operation with tag alpha versus a boarding operation with tag omega.”

All of the cadets looked at Grant waiting for him to finally screw up just as the rest of them had. Grant sighed as he knew the professor had not even come close to beginning lecturing on boarding operations in any of the classes, and that no one here would have the answer unless they were paying exact attention, and used implied reasoning.

He responded, “a tag alpha necessitates the use of any onboard material requested by the stationed commando team. A tag omega operation is endgame. It uses all available personnel that have above a rank D combat rating, or are needed for mission success. Every single piece of equipment that can be used is. Failure means a strip of rank, and a return to citizenship if you are in command of the operation.”

Everyone in the room except for one person gaped at Grant Lewitz. This rival cadet of Grant voiced what he thought, “come on Lewitz, stop bsing us, and just admit you are wrong, and were not paying attention.”

Various cadets began to nod, and quietly talk. Lieutenant Blake just smiled, and looked at the professor, who was the most shocked person in the classroom. Blake addressed the outspoken cadet, “stop showing your impotence, Grant is right about the tags, and now you just look like a moron for speaking out.”

The professor, finally coming out of his stupor, asked “where in the hell did you learn that?”

Grant addressed the professor, “from the files my father gave me.”

The professor smirked, “those are restricted materials, I will need your code number, and your father will be punished, severely.”

Grant stood up, and spoke firmly, “My father is an admiral of the Confederate navy, he controlled the fleet at Korhal, and was transferred to the New Expeditionary Force.”


The entire classroom looked at Grant, now seeing who he really was, son of an important admiral. Grant coolly slid back into his seat, and once again turned, and stared at the brown-haired girl sitting to his left, this time she was looking at him as well.

This was interrupted by the professor who looked pissed. “Since you apparently know the material, you can take the final exam today.”

Grant did not take his eyes off of the girl, and simply replied “Okay, that is fine with me.”

Walking over to his own desk the professor pulled out a packet; it looked like a freaking book. Slamming it on Grant’s desk along with a writing utensil, and some extra paper, he ordered, “Move your desk to the front of the classroom, and start. You have two hours.”

Cadets turned, and watched the show. Grant moved his desk, and began to take the test. His mind methodically searching for the answers that were in his memory from the files he had studied. Cadets did not put their heads down, but watched with fascination as Grant scribed his answers on the sheet for an hour. Finally, a puzzled look came across his face after an hour, and the faces of others in the room grinned.

The professor strode over, and addressed him mockingly, “having trouble?”

Grant replied with a confused tone, “Yes, I am done with the test, except for one question asks what formation you would deploy a carrier, two heavy cruisers, a frigate, and three light cruisers in. However, it does not give the task or an enemy group likely to be encountered. Standard deployment would be in Enliign formation, but there are still other possibilities with what is encountered, and task assigned.”

Snatching Grant’s paper, he replied coldly, “I’ll just give you that one as a freebie.”

Walking over to his desk, he took out another packet from a hidden compartment. Opening it to the first page he sat down, and glanced from Grant’s answers to his new packet. Searching for mistakes, and growing more frustrated the professor threw the packet down, and walked out of the classroom, replying as he left, “perfect score.”

Lieutenant Blake almost let the shock be displayed in his face. New plans began to formulate in his head, this kid had real potential and could be a fleet admiral some day.

Beginning to speak to the class he said, “Academy Naughvin requires attendance for two years, and the passing of the final exam by everyone. Since the professor is not here today, Grant can lecture the class.” Coolly taking Grant’s desk, and placing it in its original position, he sat down, and waited.

Grant was just as shocked as everyone else in the room. Standing up slowly, he approached the professor’s desk, looking at the grains of the oak. Stammering, he switched to the basis facts that he knew by heart that hadn’t been taught yet.

“Each ship is powered by at least one fusion generator. This energy is distributed throughout the ship’s systems by a computer placed in a room overlooking the generator’s housing. The flow of energy can also be changed by the ship’s captain at his chair, which can be overridden with a code at the generator room. Each shield produced by a ship is constructed by protons and neutrons bordering a plasma state, which also inhibits physical contact. These shields are held in place by a powerful magnetic field which is created by large magnetic field generators, which is why larger ships tend to enjoy a greater shield capacity. These shields redirect the explosive force of warheads away from the shield, which was why lasers began to be largely produced. These lasers attempt to punch through the shields by creating a hole in the shield, which sucks the other shielding away from nearby sectors, collapsing them in a domino effect. Most shields tend to have an exchange rate of five hundredth per inch, but with one collapse greater than two centimeters in the shielding it all will collapse. There are two methods for depleting an energy shield besides shooting blatantly at the target. One is to attempt to hit their shield at one specific point fast enough to collapse their shield early, which was why a more fluid shield was developed. The other method involves spreading laser strikes across the shielding, attempting to collapse the shield by having them transfer some shielding before being hit. The fluid shield is housed only on the largest of ships since even more magnetic field generators must be used to prod shields to strengthen certain areas. Newer carriers and battlecruisers have fluid shields to allow boarding craft, and fighters to leave and enter in sections where the shield can be turned off, but it takes a minute at the least to cycle from the shielded to unshielded state in just one section. Generating a shield, and reaching its full strength can take up to five minutes, which is an eternity in space combat.”

Grant began to shake as he looked over the other cadets. Taking a deep breath he looked at the assembled class again, and decided to continue lecture on boarding parties, since that subject had been sorely lacking in the class.

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Commander Grant W. Lewitz looked out the viewport of his flagship, the Indomitable. He was not focused on the assembled task force, but on the task given to him by the Confederate Council at 0500 hours this morning. Sighing, he left the room as its metal plating began to slide into position. It might be the last time he saw the construction yards. Force the Kel-Morian combine to stop militarizing their forces and grant the Confederacy control over the mineral rich colonies in 0586 sector. The 0586 sector would be used for resources to increase the size of the Confederate army, and hold as a buffer zone between the Combine and the Confederacy.

“Lieutenant Commander, move the fleet across the border at co-ordinates 501-196 of sector 0589.”

The Lieutenant’s fingers glid across his console for a few seconds, “we will be there within the hour commander.”

Problem was Confederate Intel showed a vast improvement in the Combine’s troop numbers, combat readiness, and the level of warfare technology. The board of the Kel-Morian combine controlled three of the thirteen Terran worlds, and controlled numerous mining settlements, and outposts, not to mention the political sway the board held over corrupt officials, and the industrial manufacturers. They had started receiving new military hardware shipments from various suppliers over a year ago, under the pretension that they were using the hardware to fight off pirates. The board even bought a Confederate battle cruiser for anti-pirating missions. The Kel-Morian combine’s naval fleet now had approximately one battle cruiser, and four carrier groups according to Confederate intel.

The Council stopped selling hardware to the Combine as of yesterday at 1300 hours, and at 1500 hours decided to send a response to change the combine’s mind about discontinuing sending resource shipments to the Confederacy. The Council was confused since the resources would be used solely to construct a new fleet in defense of that quadrant. The cabinet of the Confederate Military Forces decided a quick strike was needed, and so the assembled task force of the Indomitable, the carrier Drakenvin, and two heavy cruisers, the Indestructible, and the Destructible were to strike the first blow.

Lewitz was beaming with anticipation of his first live battle, besides the occasional scumbags that called themselves rebels, and pirates. He would turn twenty three tomorrow. His mind began working through all of the important information he had learned at his days back at the academy Naughvin. The Commander threw his cigar down, and crushed it beneath his boot as he watched the ships of his task force, he could not call it a fleet, begin to accelerate to the border. No point in jumping into an ambush with your shields down.
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“Commander, deep comsat has revealed a carrier group positioned around the planet Calnos. Radar detects four light cruisers moving from the warp points back to the main carrier group.”

His fingers dashed across the console, and it lit up. The commander walked over, and looked at the glowing screen.

“IFFs indicate light cruisers are local militia, but the carrier group reading is KMDC, it is not in the database, must be some new name.”

The light cruisers would reach the carrier group before he could intercept them, and destroy even one.

“Lieutenant, what is the composition of the enemy carrier group?”

“Sir, it consists of one behemoth class carrier, four light cruisers, and two heavy cruisers, plus the four light cruisers returning.”

The commander smiled, whoever was in charge of the opposing fleet in this sector was competent. Lewitz remembered a passage from a book he had once read, “the better a commander is, the less brutal he has to be.”

“Lieutenant, prepare the task force for engagement. Deploy Indestructible, and the Destructible in flanking position around our flagship. Call up the infantry: Alpha company, Charlie company, and four squads from Delta, and get them some boarding craft. Delta squads will be using the Dramen protocol on one heavy cruiser. Alpha and Charlie company will be using Revlan protocol on the other. Prepare to deploy alpha through gamma fighter squadrons, and call up bomber squadrons alpha through beta after I give the order for the fighter squadrons to deploy. Make it happen Lieutenant.”

The command bridge officers burst into a flurry of tapping at their consoles to get the task force ready for engagement. Lewitz, however calmly sat down in his chair.

“Sir, enemy cruisers moving to engage.”

“Ignore fire on the heavy cruisers, and concentrate on the light cruisers. Deploy fighters, and bombers. Epsilon through Gamma squadrons will escort bombers to attack the light cruisers not engaged, and Alpha through Charlie squadrons will escort Alpha, and Charlie companies to first heavy cruiser and Delta fighter squadron will escort the Delta squads to their target. Have Deltas fly in the back of the first boarding parties, and break off after initial landing parties begin to ensure they make it to the target. Have the Drakenvin stay back, and prep to receive returning squadrons.”

“Sir, transmission coming through. It is from the enemy carrier officer.”

“Patch it through.”

“This is Commander John Slauden of the Kel-Morian Defense Force. Leave this Kel-Morian space, or we will be forced to open fire. This is your only warning.”

“Sir, he ended the transmission; Deployment is underway.”

Lewitz stood up, and walked over to the viewport, and watched as the wraith fighter wings were deployed by both sides. He smiled as he walked over to the viewscreen, and glanced at the formation of the battle groups. The new triangles representing the boarding parties, and bombers appeared moments later. He knew what the outcome would be. In a standard naval battle, he would lose. The enemy officer had deployed his cruisers in a stacked formation now. The eight light cruisers in front in a wide formation, similar to what a skirmish line represented in the eighteenth century, would advance to cut off a quick escape, and provide a screen from the boarding parties. The two heavy cruisers following tightly would engage his battle cruiser. The enemy commander had deployed his fighter wings to intercept his bomber squadrons. The carrier was standing back, but was still close enough to launch bombers at the Indomitable when it showed signs of running to intercept it. The light cruisers lacked a solid deflector shield, but still had enough firepower to put at least one of his heavy cruisers out of commission early. That is why he had to deploy his fighter wings early. The two heavy cruisers themselves had a solid deflector shield, and could eventually overpower his flagship. The enemy commander would probably then launch his bomber squadrons to finish off his flagship, and his heavy cruiser if it was left. He would lose his two cruisers, and be forced to flee, and might lose his battle cruiser if the enemy commander was good enough. He would only have destroyed three enemy light cruisers, and would have lost his two heavy cruisers. Lewitz would not be turned into a failure by these odds.

“Lieutenant, begin first field test of Yamato Cannon on inner right light cruiser to open a gap for the boarding teams, and fighters. As soon as the Yamato is about to fire, order all squadrons to go through before they can close it. “

“Sir, Yamato Cannon firing sequence initiated. This is Lieutenant Owens, all naval squadrons deployed head for co-ordinates 125-730, and put your faith in me my brothers.”

The com burst with a series of amens from various fighter pilots, and boarding party pilots. If one listened closely at that time, they could have heard the prayers of a few various marines on the boarding craft. Then the board from the com on the bombers lit up, and God speed was heard crackling over the com.

Indomitable’s hammerhead lit up as a nuclear reaction coalesced into a ball of red energy formed by the magnetic fields. When it reached its peak level, the computer automatically shut down the front part of the magnetic field containing it, directing it into a beam. Lancing out at the target, it struck and vaporized the light cruiser in a spectacular explosion. A cheer echoed throughout the bridge.

“Sir, firing sequence completed, enemy light cruiser is destroyed. Boarding parties and escorts have made it through untouched by light cruisers, and are proceeding through on target. I have ordered bombers to target light cruisers on left flank, and their escorts are providing cover. Enemy fighter squadrons have engaged escorts, and bombers have begun engaging targets. Escorting fighter squadrons of the boarding parties have suffered some casualties from the heavy cruiser bombardment. Revlan protocol is still in effect. Parties have begun boarding, and Delta has made it through unscathed. All ships deployed are in full engagement.”

Lewitz looked at the digital viewport, and watched the action unfold as he knew it would happen. He tapped the screen displaying the enemy fleet position with his finger, and began to smile.

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The Confederate heavy cruiser Destructible opened fire on the light cruisers closest to it. The shields went down almost immediately under the first barrage. A light blue flare absorbed the first blast, and then the red needles just went straight through, surrounded by blue coronas, hitting the hull of the light cruiser and pock marking it with laser blasts. The returning barrage of the light cruisers did not penetrate the heavy cruiser shields, and only caused it to begin to glow a dark blue.

The fighter squadrons of the confederates escorting the bombers showed their superb training. The escorts broke off, and released their missiles at the intercepting enemy fighter squadrons even before they had a chance to arm their missiles. Mopping up the rest of the enemy fighters they waited for further command.

Confederate fighter squadrons escorting the boarding parties were not so lucky however. The fighters drew the fire of the heavy cruisers, and succeeded evading most of the heavy batteries until the barrage stopped, and new enemy fighter squadrons began their attack runs, obviously a veteran group from its first salvos. The tight maneuvers, and chaffs of the Confederate fighter pilots could only evade so much. Their pride however, was in accomplishing their mission. The boarding parties made it to the ship, and Delta had made it to theirs. The Delta squadron wraiths now joined the fray of the fighters near the heavy cruisers.

The Indestructible focused all fire on one light cruiser, except for the one battery that shot a few times at the light cruiser the bombers were going for, bringing down its shields with one shot, and swiveled to concentrate its fire on the other light cruiser. The first bombers released their payload on the light cruiser, the explosions wiping out the command bridge. The second wave released their payloads on the ten light laser batteries, wiping them off the face of the ship.

The two KMDC heavy cruisers began their barrage on the Indomitable. The volley of red laser beams connecting to the shield, and beginning to make the shield glow a continuous, dark blue. The KMDC fighter squadrons began to fall back to their carrier, and so the Confederate fighters returned to theirs. Destructible, Indestructible, and the Indomitable were left on their field of battle versus the KMDC cruisers, but still held their fire. Red lasers filled the distance between the two battle groups, the gaps being between the Indomitable, and the two KMDC heavy cruisers. The battle cruiser was concentrating its battery fire on the two light cruisers nearest it. The missiles being preceded by a barrage from a laser battery on the cruisers so the missiles would not impact on the shields, even though the heavy batteries destroyed the light cruisers battle armor in its first salvo. The two light cruisers being targeted by the missile salvos tried in vain to shoot down the incoming, spiraling missiles with their few laser batteries, because light ships lacked point defense systems. All of the missiles in the salvos hit their two targets; the missiles causing an explosion along the whole side of the light cruisers, blowing approximately half of the ship off. All of the Confederates shields were beginning to turn a bright blue. The same tactic would be used against the first Confederate ship that had its shields go offline, but with less of a spectacular effect. Soon some of the batteries of the KMDC heavy cruiser began to stop firing even though not being hit by one laser, or a staiken missile. This was the heavy cruiser Alpha and Charlie companies had paid their visit to. The two light cruisers under the barrage of the heavy cruisers, and battle cruisers neoSteel armor plating began to tear away, and the infrastructure of the craft was torn to shreds. The last two cruisers were the victim of the staiken missile barrage. The enemy carrier stayed where it was, and held its ground. It deployed its remaining fighters, and the three bomber squadrons it carried. The last remaing KMDC heavy cruiser managed to punch through the battle cruisers shields, and scar the neoSteel battle plating of the Indomitable before it was silenced forever by delta squad in a spectacular explosion. Indomitable began to accelerate towards the planet Ralnos.

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Lieutenant Owens addressed the Commander stiffly, “Enemy fighter squadrons withdrawing sir, they destroyed some of the boarding party craft. Our fighter squadrons are at half-strength, and I ordered them to withdraw. All shields are above fifty percent. Delta Squad has radioed in, and they are almost near the target point. Alpha and Charlie companies have been slowed down by the loss of some of their members, but are almost at the command bridge. Alpha Company Captain Knewel died in his boarding craft.”

Commander Lewitz sighed. He stood up straight, and addressed the Lieutenant Commander, “I think it is time we gave those light cruisers a staiken surprise, they can not get away now. Order the heavy cruisers to begin staiken protocol two.”

Lewitz checked the shields, and they were at one percent. He switched to the tab of the Alpha, and Charlie company, and saw they were right outside the enemy heavy cruiser’s bridge room. It was not over yet for Commander Lewitz though.

Owens voice was one of distraught now, “Sir, Delta Squad has reached their objective but are pinned down; patching through now.”

“This is Staff Sergeant Farwell, we lost the lieutenant, and are pinned down by enemy marines. We need backup. Can you send alpha company troops to get us out of here?”

Grant W. Lewitz strode over to his chair, and sat down. “Cut the com Owens.” Owens did so, but with some hesitation. Lewitz opened a compartment on his chair, and a console popped up. He entered his memorized twenty seven digit/letter alphanumeric code after pressing the keys slightly to get to the right screen. The heavy cruiser exploded, and the faces of the crew turned to Commander Grant W. Lewitz.

Lieutenant Commander Owens stood up, and left the room without saying anything, but the whole bridge crew kept on staring at Lewitz.

Lewitz sighed. “Ensign, take over the vacant station we still have a battle to win.”

The crew slowly turned back to their posts, and began their work again. The new ensign became startled out of what happened, and ran to his post. He slowly sat down, and just simply stared at the screen, stunned with what had transpired.

Lewitz screamed, “get out of the station now!”

The ensign jumped out of his seat, and returned to his previous post. The commander hit the keys furiously, ordering the heavy cruisers to initiate staiken protocol two again, and finish this battle. Grant checked the radar, and saw the outlay of the remnants of the enemy battle group. He began to accelerate towards the planet, and started a firing program. He ran to his chair and entered his memorized twenty-seven digit alphanumeric code. Lewitz flew back to the chair and plotted a course outside the range of the fighter screen. Destructible, and Indestructible began to accelerate. Grant maneuvered the battle cruiser away from the enemy, and towards the rest of the planet. All he needed was to glance the outer gravity pull of the planet. The viewscreen showed a transport leave Indomitable, and board with the newly captured heavy cruiser. The ship began to head to the warp point as well as the rest of his force except for his battlecruiser.

“This is Lieutenant Haukins. Confederate attack group warping out, hope you know what you are doing commander.”

As soon as the signal for it was heard, Lewitz slammed the button, it broke, but its mission was accomplished. The Apocalypse class missile sailed away from Indomitable, and tore towards the one, and only heavily populated center of Calnos. Grant plugged in the coordinates for the auto pilot to head towards the warp point, and jump back to Confederate space. As the missile was in the atmosphere, six heavy cruisers, and a carrier warped in; just in time to see the mushroom cloud above where their colony they failed in defending was, and to watch as the battle cruiser headed to its warp point. Carrier Vengeance deployed its compliment of bomber squadrons, and they combined with the screen to form six full squadrons of bombers ripping towards the Indomitable. Their plan was to disable the ships engines at least, and launch the one of a kind Apocalyptic bomber, from the lone behemoth class carrier Vengeance.

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Grant now saw his plight. If he kept his bridge crew under control he could have made it, and made his mark in history as a brilliant general. “Lieutenant, ETA on intercept time, and time for us to reach the warp point.”

“Sir, the bombers will be within their optimal firing range in one minute thirty seconds. We will reach the warp point at two minutes. We will begin charging warp drive at one minute to give us exactly two minutes. I have diverted power from forward laser batteries to engines to charge the warp drive. Shields are at ten percent, but I am reading shield buster IFFs on the first bombers. Sir incoming transmission, patching it through”

“This is Lieutenant Commander Owens, I have been authorized by Captain Ausen to relieve you of command under Section 89, article 207 of the Confederate Military Charter. Reinforcements will be there in thirty seconds. I am in control of operation money maker. We know your situation. Just keep your course.”

Lewitz frowned. He would be relieved of command, and placed on some backwater world, or in some post where he wasn’t in charge of peoples’ lives. Lewitz sighed, and stated sadly, “Understood, Lewitz out.” He slumped in his chair, and let the bridge crew keep the ship going. His dreams shattered once again by someone else. A new confederate battle group consisting of four heavy cruisers, two carriers, and six frigates jumped in the system and took up a flanking position of the battlecruiser. Grant looked at the crushed cigar, stood up, and left the bridge not to glorious applause for winning the first engagement of battle groups between terran factions, but to the sound of his own boots sounding lightly on the metallic floor.

So was the result of the first battle; enemy death toll of over five-hundred thousand. No Confederate loss of a ship, and the destruction of eight enemy cruisers, and two heavy cruisers. Confederate casualties totaled one-hundred and nine wraith fighter pilots, and several marine squads plus the few transport pilots.

So began the Guild Wars.

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