“Roger sir transmitting encrypted data. Packet delivery confirmed, the admirals sent confirmation and are moving to obey. Eta on the 5th will be 1 hour sir.”

“Good job Halsey go get yourself some tea, things are going to get messy.”

___*___*___*___*___*___*___*___*___*___*___*___*___*___*___

“Bryan It has been 2 hours, tell Beerman we are lifting off.”

“Roger Frank, I will let him know.”

“Ship, accept authorization code Oscar, Delta, Indigo, November,”

“Virtual Intelligence Online, authorization code accepted greetings and salutations First Mate Vergil. Knightstalker reports ship operable and combat ready, please call me Penny.”

“Roger Penny, call me Skipper. Combat status level 1, all hands prepare for quarters. Penny set course for positive 20 degrees horizontal, 30 degrees vertical, all course corrections to be relative.”

“Aye Skipper, Compliance. Course Set, Combat status engaged.”

Then over the comm.‘s in a gruff prerecorded voice came those archaic and semi infamous words.

“This is not a drill,… This is not a drill…. General quarters,… all hands man your battle stations.”

As the rest of the ships crew finished their preparations Yessi getting into her fighter with the rest of her wing following, the Ai’s double and even triple checking their combat systems. Scarr and Wolfe loosened the joints to their Mechs, while warming up their engines. As the princess was reading and Henry watching at the bridge, Frank continued issuing orders.

“ Activate artificial gravity and inertia control fields.”

“Aye Skipper, Compliance.”

“Good, Penny, all ahead 1/8, adjust course to increase 5 degrees vertical per mach. Upon reaching 70 degrees, halt angular increase, then ahead ¼.”

“Aye Skipper, Compliance. Lifting off in…5, 4, 3, 2, 1, Liftoff achieved.”

“Good, notify me once we have reached orbit and then maintain a semi geosynchronous low orbit.”

“Frank I have several questions.” Henry said looking confusedly around. “Why no music, you didn’t go through all this when you assaulted the Cruiser that was chasing us…”

“Simple that lone ship was barely considered a threat, this is going to be a knock down drag out fight, and there is a good chance we will sustain some damage.” Frank said with a grin “This is actually going to be fun for us to stretch ourselves out a little bit.”

“Ok, I have more…”

“Not right now Henry” Bryan said then he turned and looked at Frank we have cleared interference and are being hailed by the fleets, also we are being hailed by the people off the 3rd moon.”

“Raise the 3rd. Put them on the main viewing screen.”

“Aye.” Bryan said while his hands flew over the control consoles in the bridge. “Rendering image… and done.”

“This Is Don Lean, of the Order of wandering Immortals Requesting to speak with the head of the Council of immortals.“

“This is First Mate Frank Vergil, acting head of the council. Speak your peace.”

“I am here with bearing a secure encryption channel to the acting head of my order, and here to provide any and all assistance required.”

“We wont be able to contact him right away we have more pressing matters to attend to.”

“I understand Sir, I am here to provide any assistance, we have a large fleet hidden in the debris fields, we will be able to tie up and take down at least 2 fleets possibly 3 if we are lucky.”

“fleet numbers?”

“2 Athena’s, 3 Zeus, 8 Poseidon’s and a Large number of long range small crafts that can launch from the moon.”

“What of the debris field?”

“They trained in that sir, it is their home turf, statistically they will have a 5 to 1 lower casualty rate than others while combating in there.”

“Great hahahaha, have your men coordinate with our wing commander to assault with fighters at the same time. I want you to draw 2 fleets into the debris then leave the other 3 to us, Get the one that is approaching from behind your moon, and 1 of the ones blocking it from here. If you finish first we will coordinate an assault. If Vise versa we will assist you and give you some information on how to contact us afterwards.”

“Very well then, We will commence our assault as soon as you leave the red zone of the planets gravity well.”

“Aye Don Lean, just give us a few to take down the Orbital defense systems, and also we will owe you one for your assistance. Just know we never forget a debt.”

“Understood, and don’t worry about that Sir, till we speak again.”

“Roger Signing off, take care Don.”

Frank looked over to Bryan and smirked, “so it seems we have more friends than were expected, after this fight we are going to have an interesting time.”

“You’re telling me, maybe we wont need to pick up some androids after all.” Bryan replied with a grin while grinning back.

“Skipper we have now reached geosynchronous orbit, speed had increased to mach 35 and is now stabilizing from orbit.”

“Good Penny, slow speed to retain our orbit. Solomon, activate shields and ECM. Mark allies for non interference, then maintain counter measures and shields to full activate and maintain the Hard-Light Shields, and Plasma Generators. Activate the Repulser Fields, and Energy Fields, as needed in combat. Go for maximum energy efficiency with those three area of impact only.

“Scarlet aim for and mark targets, long and short range planetary defense forces. Use surge type torpedoes as to overload all computer systems. We don’t want to destroy them, just take them out for a while.”

“Ghost, Inert Rockets, knock them slightly off course, that way when they get back online it will require them to focus on regaining proper orbit as opposed to fighting.”

“All hands prepare to engage. Penny?”

“I am Combat Ready Skipper.”

“Good, Slow to Mach 15 for targeting purposes. Upon marking accelerate to 20 and notify me.”

“Aye, Skipper Compliance.”

“Hey Frank,”

“What Bryan.”

“Why the explanation for everything I know what you’re talking about.”

“Cause poor Henry is looking a little lost and I didn’t want him to ask too many questions later.”

“Fair enough. Oh and Frank,”

“Whhaaatt.” he said we a faux exasperated sigh.

“You ever want to respond to those fleets who are hailing us.”

“Oh, them… Sure we have a few seconds.”

“Pulling them on screen.”

A Theriocephian wearing the livery of a second fleet admiral of the N.I.D.F appeared on the screen

“I am…”

Frank interrupts him suddenly.

“Look I don’t give a flying monkey fuck who you are, surrender and withdraw your ships. This is your only chance.”

“WHAT!! HOW DARE YOU TALK TO ME THAT WAY, YOU ARE GOING TO DIE IN A VERY BRUTAL MANNER. IF YOU HAVEN’T TAKEN A LOOK, LET ME TELL YOU, YOU ARE SURROUNDED AND OUTNUMBERED.”

“This is the C.O.I Knightstalker, you have been given a chance to surrender. Prepare to be destroyed boarded or obliterated. Bryan cut the Comm.’s.”

“Skipper, Targets have been marked. Prepared to execute.”

“Penny, AI’s, on my mark execute maneuver….

Mark.”