“The platform’s database hasn’t either,” Marcus added.
“We need to treat this as first contact scenario,” Commander Threshal ordered. “There’s no evidence, yet, that those unknowns are hostile.”
More and more ships were emerging from the jump point. There were at least a dozen squadrons of destroyers in the system now.
“The Hagel is approaching the outlying wave of unknown vessels now,” Marcus informed Commander Threshal. Most of the ships that had come through the warp point had taken up defensive positions surrounding it. Only one trio of destroyers had continued to move deeper into the system. According to Marcus’s data, it was on an intercept course for the Hagel.
Commander Threshal reached around Marcus to open a channel to the patrol ship himself. “Captain Rucka, this is Commander Threshal aboard Defense Platform Alpha.”
“Ma’am,” Captain Rucka acknowledged her hail.
“These ships are of unknown origin and their intentions are questionable at best. Nonetheless, we need to avoid starting a confrontation if possible. Is that clear?”
“Yes, ma’am,” Rucka said. “The Hagel is running hot, shields up and weapons readied, but we’ve made no move to target any of the unknown vessels.”
“Good,” Commander Threshal said. “Do not fire until fired upon.”
Marcus frowned, knowing that the commander’s order was a death sentence for Rucka and his crew if the aliens did prove hostile. One lone patrol ship couldn’t possibly hope to survive the combined firepower of three destroyers unless the alien’s tech level was far inferior to that of the Solar Federation. And from the size of the jump point the aliens had opened, that was a highly unlikely proposition.
If the ships in the wedge-shaped formations were truly destroyers, they moved about chunkily compared to their Solar Federation counterparts. They were also smaller. Their hulls appeared to be heavily armed, however. That could mean their shield tech was lacking, or it could simply mean that their race was one that thrived on war and such additional armor was standard for their vessels. If the aliens were a race that thrived on war, Cerebus VI was in some serious trouble.
“Mother of the Holy!” Mikal cried out, calling Marcus’s attention back to the bridge’s forward screen.
Another ship was emerging from the jump point. It was easily twice the size of the Endeavor shipyard and resembled something out of the worst kind of nightmare. Missile tubes covered its hull, concentrated on its bow but also running along the entire lengths of its sides. Large spikes protruded from its hull at random intervals. Marcus had no idea what purpose the things served, but they certainly added to the gigantic ship’s already fearsome appearance.
The Hagel was now close enough to the trio of alien destroyers that had broken off from the main body of alien ships gathered around the warp point that it had slowed and brought itself to a dead stop in space. The three destroyers it faced had halted as well, as if they were staring down the Hagel and waiting on the patrol ship to make the first move.
The Pinket, the other patrol ship in the system, was closing fast on the Hagel’s position. Though the patrol ships really weren’t much smaller than the three alien destroyers, they seemed fragile and extremely outmatched to Marcus.
“Maybe we should have gone on the offensive when we had the chance,” Mikal said.
Commander Threshal snorted. “We never had the chance and you know it.”
Marcus noticed a comm. signal coming through on his screen. “The aliens are transmitting something, ma’am.”
Commander Threshal stared at him waiting for him to continue.
“The platform’s translator software is unable to make any sense of it, ma’am. The aliens are transmitting it on all frequencies, though,” Marcus told her.
“Frag it!” Commander Threshal was growing frustrated. “This could be our only chance to talk with them before they do open fire.”
Marcus frowned as the transmission came to an end. Moments later, Marcus detected large power surges aboard the three destroyers facing down the Hagel and the Pinket. The alien ships were bringing their weapons online.
“This is Defense Platform Alpha,” Commander Threshal screamed over the comm. to the patrol ships. “Get out of there now!”
The engines of the two patrol ships spiked in power as their captains tried to bring them about and make a run for Cerebus VI. As they did so, the three alien destroyers opened fire on them. The patrol ships and the alien destroyers were within beam weapon range of one another. Energy danced along the spikes of the alien ships, coalescing into bolts that blasted outwards at the retreating Solar Federation vessels. The Hagel’s shields pulsed blue as the bolts struck it. They held less than twenty seconds before they flickered out of existence, and the sustained fire of the alien vessel slashed a long groove along her side. Atmosphere vented into space from the Hagel’s deep wound. A second barrage of energy beams ripped into her from another of the alien vessels. This time, there were no shields to dampen the amount of damage the beams did. They must have struck something vital because the Hagel erupted into a blossoming ball of orange fire. Debris spun away from the explosion as she died instantly.
The Pinket was lucky. She was further away from the trio of enemy ships and only one of them attacked her. Its energy beams raked across her stern, but her shields held long enough for her initiate evasive maneuvers. She went into a roll, twisting out of the alien ship’s line of fire as she continued to build up speed.
“She’s not going to make it,” Mikal commented.
“Let’s see that she does,” Commander Threshal said. “Marcus, lock onto those alien ships and let them know that we’re here.”
Marcus didn’t smile. He knew that as powerful as the orbital defense platforms around Cerebus VI were, they, too, didn’t stand a chance against the amount of enemy ships already in the system, much less anything else that came through the gigantic warp point.
“Yes, ma’am,” Marcus answered, “Targets acquired.”
He stabbed a button on his console. “Missiles away. ETA- two minutes.”
Commander Threshal, Mikal, and Marcus watched the missiles as they closed on the alien ships. The Pinket continued to make a desperate run for the planet. So far, her luck was holding. The trio of alien ships had only taken a few additional pop-shots at her. It was as if they were playing with her, knowing they could end the chase at any moment of their choosing.
Marcus noticed new data scrolling across his personal screen. “Commander, the large alien vessel is powering up its weapons!”
Commander Threshal slammed a balled-up fist into the wall of the bridge. He didn’t need to ask what the large vessel was targeting. All three of them already knew. It didn’t take a genius to figure it out.
The large alien vessel spat volleys of missiles, each hundreds strong, towards the shipyards of the Cerebus VI system. They streaked across the void towards their targets.
“The Endeavor is launching her fighters, ma’am,” Marcus almost shouted, his emotions caught somewhere between excitement and sheer panic.
“It won’t be enough to save her.” Commander Threshal frowned, leaning over Marcus’s shoulder to read the available data on the missiles approaching the shipyard. “There’s too many of them and she launched too late.”
As the Endeavor’s fighters rushed to intercept the inbound missiles, the missiles that Defense Platform Alpha had launched reached the trio of alien ships pursuing the Pinket. Marcus had spread out the missiles among the three ships. Twelve targeted each of them. The lead alien ship’s shields flashed as the missiles collided with it. Missile after missile hammered them. By the time all twelve missiles had expended themselves, the alien ship’s shields were down and one of the missiles had torn away a solid chunk of the ship’s forward armor. The second alien ship fared much the same. The shields of the third collapsed much sooner, though. Three of the missiles from Defense Platform Alpha smashed into its hull, their detonations tearing away most of its forward armor and even managing to piece its forward structure. The third alien ship was also knocked slightly off course by the explosion of the final missile. It righted itself quickly to rejoin the others.