we are now trapped. He’s issued orders for all ships to engage the enemy at will.”
“Well that was an inspiring pep talk for the troops wasn’t it?” Gallono stated dryly as he rolled his eyes.
Never in all his years of military service had Hastelloy heard such a profoundly stupid order from a superior officer. The only chance the fleet had was to form up and come at the enemy with a shared defense and focused counter attack when the opportunity presented itself. Focusing fire from multiple ships on a single target was the only way to start chipping away at the Alpha’s numerical advantage. Telling everyone to just start shooting at random ships would accomplish nothing except a crushing defeat. It was clear Admiral Tridget had succumbed to his fear, just like Valnor, except no one was there to slap him back to reality.
As if the insane orders were not evidence enough of the Admiral’s incapacity, the image of the Thorin being pummeled on its broad panels made it official. The crew was not even trying to maneuver the ship to only present the narrow profile to its attackers. What’s more, only a fraction of the weapons systems were firing; it just sat there paralyzed. The magnificent battle cruiser was doomed due to the panic stricken inaction of its crew. “We’re about to lose the Thorin. Move us into Nexus range,” Hastelloy ordered.
“Sir, the troop transports are about to be destroyed,” Gallono came with an update.
“Ignore my last and set course for the transports. Engage, Valnor; now. Those ships carry over two million soldiers, the Thorin has a crew of 100,000. We need to serve the greater good,” Hastelloy ordered with conviction.
The Lazarus arrived in time to collect the crews of the relatively defenseless troop transport ships. As Valnor turned the ship about to head toward the Thorin, the mammoth vessel burst into a ball of fire that quickly dissipated revealing only a debris field where the fleet’s command ship once hovered.
Hastelloy would not miss Admiral Tridget and his nonexistent leadership, but losing the Thorin was like losing his own child. His blood was up and it was time, once again, to show the Alpha what he was capable of doing to them. He spent a few seconds working up a fleet deployment profile on his command consol, and then he had Gallono open a communication channel to reach every speaker on every ship in the fleet.
“This is Captain Hastelloy. The Admiral’s command ship has been destroyed. I am assuming command of the fleet. I’ve just transmitted new orders. Fall back to your assigned positions immediately.”
Hastelloy was heartened to see on his display that the fleet was responding to his command in rapid order. “I’ll keep this brief, but to soldiers like us few words are just as good as many. You know me. I commanded this fleet for the past 100 years and this is not just any fleet, this is the fifth fleet. We are liberators of the Beta system, and vanquishers of an entire Alpha fleet in battle. Our foe is not worthy of your fear; they have not earned it. THEY are the ones pissing themselves because they now face the legendary fifth fleet of the Novi. The Alpha fleet may have numbers but we have each other. Fighting together as a unified force is how we’ll win this day. Believe in yourself, believe in everyone around you, and believe in me. It is a distinct honor to lead you in battle once again. This day will be ours!” With that Hastelloy closed the channel.
Hastelloy swore he could almost hear the manly battle cries coming across the vacuum of space from his fleet. Gallono pound ed his fist on his console and shouted; “Now that is how it’s done. Give me something to kill because I am ready for war!”
Hastelloy let a confident grin cross his face. It had been a while, but he could still channel his inner barbarian and get the troops mentally ready for combat. Now it was time
“Well that was an inspiring pep talk for the troops wasn’t it?” Gallono stated dryly as he rolled his eyes.
Never in all his years of military service had Hastelloy heard such a profoundly stupid order from a superior officer. The only chance the fleet had was to form up and come at the enemy with a shared defense and focused counter attack when the opportunity presented itself. Focusing fire from multiple ships on a single target was the only way to start chipping away at the Alpha’s numerical advantage. Telling everyone to just start shooting at random ships would accomplish nothing except a crushing defeat. It was clear Admiral Tridget had succumbed to his fear, just like Valnor, except no one was there to slap him back to reality.
As if the insane orders were not evidence enough of the Admiral’s incapacity, the image of the Thorin being pummeled on its broad panels made it official. The crew was not even trying to maneuver the ship to only present the narrow profile to its attackers. What’s more, only a fraction of the weapons systems were firing; it just sat there paralyzed. The magnificent battle cruiser was doomed due to the panic stricken inaction of its crew. “We’re about to lose the Thorin. Move us into Nexus range,” Hastelloy ordered.
“Sir, the troop transports are about to be destroyed,” Gallono came with an update.
“Ignore my last and set course for the transports. Engage, Valnor; now. Those ships carry over two million soldiers, the Thorin has a crew of 100,000. We need to serve the greater good,” Hastelloy ordered with conviction.
The Lazarus arrived in time to collect the crews of the relatively defenseless troop transport ships. As Valnor turned the ship about to head toward the Thorin, the mammoth vessel burst into a ball of fire that quickly dissipated revealing only a debris field where the fleet’s command ship once hovered.
Hastelloy would not miss Admiral Tridget and his nonexistent leadership, but losing the Thorin was like losing his own child. His blood was up and it was time, once again, to show the Alpha what he was capable of doing to them. He spent a few seconds working up a fleet deployment profile on his command consol, and then he had Gallono open a communication channel to reach every speaker on every ship in the fleet.
“This is Captain Hastelloy. The Admiral’s command ship has been destroyed. I am assuming command of the fleet. I’ve just transmitted new orders. Fall back to your assigned positions immediately.”
Hastelloy was heartened to see on his display that the fleet was responding to his command in rapid order. “I’ll keep this brief, but to soldiers like us few words are just as good as many. You know me. I commanded this fleet for the past 100 years and this is not just any fleet, this is the fifth fleet. We are liberators of the Beta system, and vanquishers of an entire Alpha fleet in battle. Our foe is not worthy of your fear; they have not earned it. THEY are the ones pissing themselves because they now face the legendary fifth fleet of the Novi. The Alpha fleet may have numbers but we have each other. Fighting together as a unified force is how we’ll win this day. Believe in yourself, believe in everyone around you, and believe in me. It is a distinct honor to lead you in battle once again. This day will be ours!” With that Hastelloy closed the channel.
Hastelloy swore he could almost hear the manly battle cries coming across the vacuum of space from his fleet. Gallono pound ed his fist on his console and shouted; “Now that is how it’s done. Give me something to kill because I am ready for war!”
Hastelloy let a confident grin cross his face. It had been a while, but he could still channel his inner barbarian and get the troops mentally ready for combat. Now it was time
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