Aero couldn't help but admire the outcomes of Sid's tactics. While the Innocent Bystanders possessed all advantages from the start, Sid's preparations, skills, and tactics multiplied those advantages many times over. Not only did the chaff torpedoes give cover for Legs and his space marines, they also cut the potency of the Phalanx capital ships against the attacking interceptor group. As Legs worked to capture another destroyer for the Wraiths, Bystanders interceptors, as well as the Wraiths' fighter group, splashed every torpedo bomber in sight. At the same time, Sid's own boarding party hijacked the adjacent generator ship, which protected both captured ships from destruction.

Now, Aero watched as Legs experienced the same power-high that Sinn went through a week prior.

Glee painted Legius's face as flashes and bursts of flame lit the space surrounding the former Phalanx destroyer. The Wraiths marines used every weapon available to wreak havoc on the Phalanx escort fleets.

“It's much easier when you don't have a hundred torpedo bombers to fend off,” Aero sighed. “And you can thank Sid for taking care of them for you.”

Sid said.

Legs turned to face off screen.

Later? How much more of a later is there? Two of the seven Phalanx ships were already captured and the second Bystanders fleet of six capital ships was soon due to arrive. Aero already questioned why the Phalanx commander still stood his ground. Rather, Aero suspected Sid held back his second fleet's entrance to lull the opposing commander into a false sense of security.

Legs asked.

Sid said.

Same thing you told me, Aero thought. But April has already run out of frigates within firing range. The first Phalanx fleet by the gate already collapsed and retreated before the marines' departure. Their capital ship escorts now lay decimated thanks to Legs' hostile takeover of a destroyer. “When are they due? I was expecting them about two minutes ago.”

Sid smirked and mimed the checking of a wristwatch.

As if on cue, a Bystanders destroyer passed through Twin Arcs gate. Thirty seconds later, another destroyer emerged. After three minutes, the five Phalanx capital ships faced a force nearly three times their size. As Aero predicted, the Phalanx commander finally signaled a retreat, and the enemy fleet withdrew toward Articus Gate. Now all that's left is to capture the station and facilities in this system and we can go home.

Sid said,

That's just two assault cruisers, Aero thought. What about us?

What the fuck? Aero froze. Wait, no, seriously!?

“Oh God…” April gasped. “He's going to chase down their fleet.”

“Not just that…” Aero paused. “Articus is the Phalanx capital. Their factories, shipyards, and biggest space stations are all in that system. If Sid's invading, he's planning to smother Phalanx and leave them with nothing to stand on.”

“I guess that explains the torpedoes,” April said.

Aero cringed. “Looks like we don't have a choice on this matter. Helm, maintain distance and follow the flagship to Articus Gate.”

Sid said.

Legs asked.

Because, unlike the Phantasm, Sid doesn't have to replace that destroyer if it sinks, Aero realized.

Sid said.

Legs shouted.

Sid sighed.

“Just do it Legs,” Aero said. “This is what we signed on for.”

Sid said.

Legs grimaced.

“Data link active,” the comms officer reported. “Comm link active.”

Aero glanced over the holomap. Battlefield status? Two orbital defense stations in range, four assault cruisers, and a generator ship. Also another three stations by the far gate. Our side? Two friendly destroyers and escorts… To Aero's dismay, only pieces of the captured Phalanx destroyer could be seen by the time Phantasm entered Articus.

Sid's image appeared on screen,

“Roger,” Aero said as Sid's face vanished. The enemy station orbited fifty klicks away, well within torpedo range. “Helm! Align with Station Bravo. Gunner! Target Station Bravo. Launch all IDTs as soon as possible.”

“Yes Captain!” the helmsman replied.

What about Station Alpha? Aero checked his viewscreen. Lightning arced across its central core as Caramel Toffee and Moose Tracks bombarded it with MPTs. The torpedoes would likely disable it within seconds.

Eight plasma trails shot by as their own torpedoes launched. Each torpedo tube reloaded and fired another every second.

Phantasm's systems suddenly crackled and whined.

“What's wrong!?” Aero asked. Was that massive shield capacitor discharge?

“Station Bravo just hit us sir!” an NPC said.

“Whoa!” April jumped. “That one hit took our shields down by twenty percent! What the heck is that station armed with?”

“Fuck! It's an positron cannon,” Aero said. “Focus shield power forward!” Wait, calm down, that gun should have a recharge time of ten seconds. We have enough time for Lily to link up.

“What's that mean for us?” April asked.

“It's a primary weapon for large ships, battlecruisers,” Aero said. “That thing alone has more firepower than five assault cruisers.”

“Sir! They just sank destroyer Moose Tracks!” Sensors said.

Shit. Now we're the primary, Aero thought. “Kill main engines! Increase generator output by twenty percent! Raise shield power as much as you can. We need to buy thirty seconds.”

“Yes sir,” Engineering said. “Forty-five seconds to overheat.”

Between the station's positron cannon and the cruisers' ionic disruptors, Phantasm's shields would fall at a rate of three percent per second after Aero ramped up the generator and shield power. If Legius took fire from two stations, he wouldn't have lasted twenty seconds.

Sid appeared on-screen.

“Lily better not be late,” Aero said. Or this ship will sink before we link up.

“Eighteen seconds.”

Sid said. He maneuvered his own ship before the Phantasm, and Caramel Toffee shielded the Phantasm from the station's cannon.

“Thanks,” Aero said. “Thirty seconds now.”

“Roger,” Aero replied as Sid's face vanished from his screen. Aero expected Doctor Fred's arrival in under fifteen seconds. “Engineering, reduce generator output by ten.”

“Yes sir. Generator overheat delayed to forty seconds.”

As strong as that cannon was, the attached station couldn't maneuver. Sid exploited this with his ship's positioning and split its damage between the destroyers. Though the weapon could eliminate both ships in minutes, their generator ship support, Doctor Fred, arrived the system seconds later.

Lily said.

Sid said.

Within expectation? We're all just pawns in your scheme, aren't we?

Lily gave a playful salute.

With the three ships linked, the Innocent Bystanders' foothold in Articus stabilized. When one ship's shields fell, the other took its place in the line of fire. Without the second defense station, Phalanx lacked the firepower to press back the Innocent Bystanders' attack.

Soon, the full strength of their fleet flowed into the Phalanx capital. Sid moved his fleet as a god on the battlefield. His ships advanced without fear of destruction. His opponents faltered as all resistance was brutally squashed. Yet Sid's forces did not the raze the Phalanx possessions. Rather, they robbed each structure of its shields with a storm of ionic disruptor torpedoes, then inundated and disabled them all with magnetic pulse torpedoes. Stations, factories, and shipyards all fell into the Innocents' hands one by one.

The Temple Wraiths could only watch as the Innocent Bystanders consumed everything.

God that took too much time…

The Pillars of Creation poster on his wall slowly came into focus as Mark awoke from his VR dive. His digital clock read '9:47 PM', over four hours since he started. With a groan, he stood from his chair and stretched. Sid's words continuously ran through his head. One more system and you can build a second medium shipyard? You conquered four systems today!

“Battle's still stuck in your head, isn't it Mark?” Ivan sat upright on his bed stretching his arms.

“We knew he was up to something,” Mark said, “but I never imagined he'd have the gall to claim all four of Phalanx's systems in one night.”

“Not just the systems,” Ivan said. “He threw MPTs at every station and structure in each system, not to mention the assault frigates and generator ships for good measure. That Sid literally stole everything Phalanx possessed, including that destroyer Legius boarded. That's definitely making front page headlines on every Parallax news site.”

“Yeah. In hindsight, I can't believe I didn't see it coming.”

“Hey, we finished the job as intended,” Ivan said.

Mark sighed. “I suppose it was as Sid intended from the start.”

“What's wrong with that? It's another job done. We got the credits, and he even gave us an extra ten mil bonus since it took so long.”

“Now I realize what you meant by 'it feels like I lost',” Mark said.

“Oh, really?” Ivan asked.

“Negotiating ability, tactical genius, charisma and leadership…” Mark sighed and dropped back into his chair. How does he even manage all that?

“Yeah, he's a little too perfect an org leader,” Ivan said. “But we got what we wanted too, so why does it bother you?”

“I don't know.” Mark turned to face Ivan again. “Wait, why are you smiling like that?”

“Come on, be honest with yourself,” Ivan said. A glowing smile plastered his face.

“What do you mean by that?”

“You never planned to be a hardcore player or anything,” Ivan said, “but you're still proud of your accomplishments as a strategist in Parallax right? Not that you're boastful or anything.”

“Maybe a little,” Mark said. What does that have to do with anything?

“Oh, come on,” Ivan nagged. “You think I don't know how it feels to have Sid grind my pride to dust? He just proved himself ten times better than the lot of us combined. The question is, what are you going to do?”

“Isn't that obvious?” Mark sighed. “Learn from what I saw and improve for next time.”

“Exactly! You want to get better. Right?” Ivan grinned.

“Yeah,” Mark said. “It's obvious now the Wraiths wouldn't survive long without my support. Most of them are as battle crazy as you are.”

“Oh please,” Ivan sighed. “You tell yourself it's just to kill time and support the org, but are you really that dense? Playing Parallax is something you want to do for yourself. There's no way you'd spend up to four hours a day on it otherwise.”

Is it? Mark paused. He did start playing Parallax Gate precisely to counteract the tedium of his classwork. He did accept the position of fleet commander in the Wraiths to help Ivan's budding community grow. But, was there something more to it? “I guess you're right.”

“Then welcome to the club,” Ivan said, “though you were already in it without realizing. We saw the pinnacle of Parallax with our own eyes today, and that's our goalpost from now on.”

“You mean you plan to reach Sid's level?”

“Not just me,” Ivan said. “We're going to build the Wraiths into something even stronger than those Innocent Bystanders will ever be. You're in right?”

Mark sighed. “You're asking that now?”

“Great! Then next time, we'll be the ones to make headlines.”