High Orbit of Cadre 4
Three weeks after the incident at the grocery store

“Spear Tip Gamma Squadron reporting contact with the Surakari,” Captain Kale-Lee stated.

Her eyes counted the green sensor icons on the wall spanning display screen in front of her. The odds were even in this case and that’s way it was supposed to go.

After the several second delay of light speed communication, the captain received her response, “Understood Captain. Alpha and Delta has engaged hostile forces as well. Beta and Epsilon will make contact shortly. Inflict as much damage as possible.”

Engaging her squadron communications, she ordered, “All ships to maximum combat speed. The destroyers will stay just behind the frigates, but still in range of their guns. All Javelin Missiles Fire!”

Gravity shoved Kale-Lee back into her seat as her Frigate’s engines spurred the warship to thousands of kilometers per hour. Javelin missile bay doors flipped open and launched their projectiles. Pulsing red dots tracked the weapons across the sensor screens as they swarmed the charging enemy frigates. Green icons pulsed as they took the javelin punches.

Plasma lances flashed back at the Heragul attackers. Armor melted away and erupted into space. Kale-Lee’s ship shuddered from two of beams. Deep gashes were rent into its hull, but the flowing active armor system began its resurfacing process to protect the ships critical systems.

Dotted orange circles around each of the Heragul ships on the sensor display defined their effective weapon range. The Heragul frigates closed their distance slightly, preparing to concentrate on the lead enemy warship. Kale-Lee counted down silently in her head until the enemy sensor pings trespassed on her marked territory.

“Unleash Hell!” She bellowed.

Computer simulated sounds of Fire Cannons roared as the weapons silently attacked. Fire Torpedoes from the trailing destroyers joined the attacks. Plasma Cannons answered the challenge. Heragul Sensor pulsed orange as plasma consumed armor and structure. Surakari icons continued to pulse green as shells crashed through the warships. As the enemy frigates raced to wrap around the Heragul line, Kale-Lee selected her prey.

“Envelope marked target,” she communicated to her fleet.

Each of the Heragul Frigates executed a wide sweeping turn, circling the headlong rushing enemy. Torrents of Fire Cannons and Javelin Missiles crossed the Surakari’s path. A single video feed on Kale-Lee’s sensor screen tracked the enemy warship. What looked like distant camera flashes counted the hits on the enemy before a near blinding flash proclaimed its destruction.

Two more Surakari Frigates cut across one of the Heragul Frigates, plasma beams slashing at the armor. Its sensor ping glowed intensely and new dialog scrolled along the bottom reporting the ships detail status. Multiple engine cooling conduits had been severed, diminishing the ship’s safe maximum thrust. Captain Kale-Lee transmitted the code for an individual retreat to the ship.

“Bring our warship alongside Cadria 52, lets take down those Frigates,” the captain commanded.

Kale-Lee’s frigate paralleled the attack vector of the larger destroyer as the two ships hunted the frigate pack. Four javelin missiles from other ships heralded their attack. Cannons and torpedoes chewed through the enemies. Plasma beams burned caverns across the Destroyer, but the heavier warship simply shook off the damage. The first Surakari Frigate’s keel snapped under the ferocious attack and explosions ripped apart a beam cannon on the other.

The Captain’s destroyer escort had suffered a moderate amount of armor damage, but few hits had been passed onto the critical systems. In unison, each of the Surakari sensor pings pulled away from the Heragul squadron. Kale-Lee’s battle was over.

“Spear Tip Gamma reporting a successful operation. Surakari forces are withdrawing.”

After a short while a voice responded, “That makes us one and one so far, A Surakari Battle Cruiser jumped into the middle of Alpha’s fight. They suffered 70% casualties. The other battles are still ongoing. Head back to orbit and wait for further instructions.”

The battle for Cadre had begun and with it, the battle for the Albion Economic Prefecture.