---Edmund Duke---

“About face, point us right at their leading element.” My deck crew went about my order in an orderly and calm manner. The very image of an elite and properly trained crew. About Chimera’s Rage, the rest of my crew were doing their jobs. Checking, double checking, and triple checking every onboard system. They were checking the weapon systems five times, as ordered.

Our first encounter with a hostile fleet. I frowned as they came into view. The Confederacy, my home...I wasn’t all that sure as to exactly WHY I had sided with Damian Fern, Fallen Magistrate that he was. I only knew it seemed to be the right thing to do. When I thought too long on it, it just faded slowly from memory. While frustrating and causing me to question a great deal, it seemed proper to follow him and his goals. So I would.

“System report?” my second turned toward me, her voice firm and concise as she answered. “All systems are nominal Captain, we are a-go for engagement.” I nodded at that, the motion-heavy and deliberate. I flipped a switch opening ship-wide communications as we prepared to engage the increasing enemy forces before us.

“Crew, this is your Captain, Edmund Duke. I know you all have your concerns, your worries, your fears. I am here to tell you that while they may be well founded, you are all men and women under my command. You do your jobs, you protect your fellow crew. Most of all though, you protect yourselves and make it home safely.”

“Before us stands one of the many Fleets within the Confederate forces. They are growing in number and I know it seems insurmountable odds. Additionally, we are untested, we are unblooded in combat on Chimera’s Rage. Many of you are likely asking exactly why we would engage an enemy that so overwhelmed us in numbers. The answer to that is simple, it lay below us on Mar Sara. Civilians, individuals who cannot fight to protect themselves, relying on us to keep them safe. The children that will be born to grow and play because of our success!”

“We move now to engage our enemy. We move now to bring victory to our Commander, we move now toward glory! All hands to battle stations, and prepare for engagement!” I flipped the channel closed and turned toward my Gunnery Chief. “Opening salvo on those leading elements, central Yamato Cannon three shot burst.”

The thrum of the cannon charging vibrated the ship. My Gunnery Chief called out for all hands to brace for Yamato fire. When the first blast was let loose, a great ball of plasmic death and destruction, the entire ship seemed to jolt back for a moment before reorienting into alignment. Shortly after the second, and then the third was fired.

The enemies lead elements were Wraith Squadrons and what seemed to be Dropships carrying a few dozen Marines, up to one-hundred Marines. Depending upon their size. They all become nothing more than scrap and cosmic dust once the blasts made contact. The series of explosions lighting up the blackness of space.

“Confirmed hit, five minutes to recharge on central Yamato Cannon.”

“Realign orientation toward their central mass. I want us moving down their formations throat.” my Navigation Officer went about ensuring we were aimed exactly where I wished to be. My tactical Officer called out a change in the Confederate Fleet as well. It was pretty obvious that the warping in Battlecruisers was now changing their course of travel the moment they came in, likely having received a com mid jump about enemies in the field.

“Enemy elements changing course and moving within range for their Yamato Cannons, Sir.” Standard tactics, they wanted to blow us to smithereens with overwhelming firepower. If it had been any other ship, they may even have been right.

“Defense Matrix activate and align our starboard and port their flanking Cruisers, open fire as soon as our Matrix goes down from recharging, launch tactical lasers on their central forces.”

I saw six Yamato blasts coming toward us even as the green Defensive Matrix flared to life around Chimera’s Rage. The first two shots were absorbed without complications, the third caused the field to flicker while the last three took it down, the tail end of the sixth blast nearly crippling a thruster. Warning sirens were going off ship-wide as the core powering it had suffered extreme strain. “Fire’s on Engineering Deck, levels 3,8,9. Countermeasures are being implemented, all personnel removed from locations. Repairs beginning.” Shouted my Engineering Officer while I turned toward my Gunnery Chief and calmly stated my order.

“Unleash all Yamato Cannons and begin launching Tactical Missiles with guiding laser points. Bring down those ships and clear our way!” He did just that, taking out two Battlecruisers almost instantly with two Yamato blasts each, the third and final burst round crippling two more on the flanks. It left us with two more Cruisers in range, which we were hitting as hard as we could with our missiles and several key placed laser strikes.

Another went dead in the water as a missile scored a direct hit where their power core was placed, causing massive chain reaction explosions through the ship. I smiled grimly at the display, we had more incoming of course, at least ten more Battlecruisers had left the warp and were heading toward us while enemy Dropships made it to the atmosphere. No Wraith ships were showing on the scanner to have made it there though. “Dispatch the Liberator to take out those Dropships, we will cover it.”

The Liberator was launched with the single objective of limiting the number of Dropships that made it planetside, though more than I liked would make it. “I heard you needed a little help, Captain.” came a cold voice from my personal com unit. Pierce, the Ghost directly under Nova Terra and current captain of The Orion.

“Indeed, you’re late for the party Pierce. I need your Automated Wraiths sent out in a sortie, target their power core sections and engines. Any we cripple I’ll send out Marine teams to try and take the bridge and add to our fleet.”

“Understood” came his calm reply, and then explosions began ringing out amongst the enemy, our Wraiths were making use of their stealth function and moving in to cripple the enemy forces. I was thankful none were manned though because I saw the friendly count go down all the same. The result of explosions taking them out in the blast, or enemy Wraiths and laser fire scoring lucky hits.

The Liberator pilot came on the com, the young woman that was its pilot informing me of her mission. “Ten Dropships were taken from the equation, Sir. Twenty had already entered orbit and begun moving to land when I arrived. Permission to follow and engage with extreme prejudice.”

“Granted, keep them off, Commander Fern. We will manage the enemy here.” Manage them we would as well, already The Orion’s Wraiths had crippled another two Battlecruisers while my own missiles had destroyed a third. “Lion’s Fang recharged, awaiting firing orders.”

My Gunnery Chief had apparently decided to simply name the cannons. I’d discuss it with him later. “Angle Starboard ten degrees...FIRE!” our freshly recharged Yamato Cannon opened another salvo, destroying two more Battlecruisers almost instantly. We had taken two Yamato blasts ourselves without the Defense Matrix but our armor plating held firm. Even now, the Confederate Battlecruisers were beginning to try and about-face, to retreat at maximum speed with the overwhelming assault from both Chimera’s Rage and The Orion. I allowed a grim smile to grace my face once more. “Send out the Marines I want those crippled ships under our control asap, ensure there are mechanics on board to get the systems up and running enough to move them planetside. Pierce! I think Damian could use you as well. I’ll hold any further incursions back.”

A quick affirmation of my orders and The Orion was turning around to head back planetside. I looked on as my own Marines in their shuttles were moving to take each of the Crippled Battlecruisers that had not ended up destroyed in the crossfire between us and the active ones. Five in total, more than enough to start our fleet. Assuming that man, Swann could actually do what I had heard for them all.

---Fernando---

Vection was firmly under my control. My men had swept through their remaining defenders like so much chaff. We were now moving toward the next Settlement, Jedal. This one still had some of its Militia, more than a skeleton crew, according to previous reports.

Leading ten Marines and three Medics behind under the command of a more experienced Marine, Holt, we set out for it as well.

My only thought was to hurry, take everything possible and move to reinforce Damian. I’d received a com from Nova. She had informed me of the situation they were dealing with and the increasing number of enemies. The only good news was that the air was free of enemies, for now. With luck, that Edmund Duke would hold all the enemies main air forces in orbit and away from Bastion. “Move out, on the double. I want this sector under our control before sunset! Our Commander and those in Bastion are bleeding and dying to ensure we retain this chance! Show them it was worth it!” A resounding ooh-rah met my words and we marched without rest toward the next settlement. We had a job to do, and little time to do it.

---Nova---

The fighting had begun again little over fifteen minutes ago. My com channel was open and monitoring each feed in my hospital bed. Green all but hovered over me in silence. It was frightening, apparently, that bullet to the stomach had shredded something important and she refused to tell me.

“Green, go. I’ll be fine, I promise.” I said, far more weakly than I intended to make it sound. She smiled at me a bit before shaking her head.

“Can’t do that Nova. Damian would kill me if something happened to you and I wasn’t here to counter the problem.” I narrowed my eyes at that. “What did he say, exactly?”

She repeated what he said, in a disturbing imitation of his voice. “‘Green, keep her alive or you’ll be joining her.’ I have a strong desire to remain among the living, so here I stay.” I sighed at that, frustration welling up inside me over the entire situation. I heard his voice on the com a second later, screaming for assistance, that he was under heavy fire from enemy reinforcements. The word ‘Goliath’ being mentioned. I felt my eyes widen and looked at my stomach a bit, then at Green when all positions reported being under heavy fire and unable to assist.

I closed one eye, wincing at the pain and raised my left hand toward Green, a pistol appearing there. Some skill I had obtained because of Damian, I just wasn’t sure how. “Green put a patch kit on me and give me a Stimpack. I’m leaving.”

“Now listen here…” - “GREEN! Do what I say!” She did, and I was leaving the Barracks at a stagger a moment later. The pain of my stomach trying to rip itself to pieces almost flooring me every step of the way. I grunted from the exertion, ignored the pain as much as I could and hefted my rifle before cloaking. “I’m on my way, Damian.” I said into the com, a big and resounding reply came through. It was what every woman ever wanted to hear as well.

“Get your tanned ass back into the Barracks and on the fucking bed, I’ll manage!” I didn’t respond, my Commander needed help, so I was going to help. All the other Ghosts were busy behind the enemy lines anyway. “Nova! Damnit all to...NOVA!” I smiled a bit, he wasn’t happy. Tough, I’d do my job. I started jogging then, still ignoring the pain and moving toward his position.