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Authors: Mike Smith
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Three minutes and a little less
than 170 kilometres from escape.
The communication from Elsie was not unexpected but for the
first time in his life Jon felt the weight of command bearing down on him.
“Lieutenant… Elsie,” he acknowledged his second-in-command
reluctantly.
“What is your situation?” she inquired brusquely avoiding
his gaze.
“Damage-control computer reports that the port engine is
damaged beyond repair and it has been shut down.”
“Tactical computer reports that the fleet’s fighters will
intercept us in a little under two minutes,” Elsie reported matter-of-factly.
Jon had no response. The squadron continued to fly onwards
in tandem, in silence for a few moments more until Elsie shifted her gaze to
Sofia and uttered the words that Jon had been expecting, but dreading to hear.
“We all swore an oath.”
Jon closed his eyes in despair; they had all sworn the same
oath. To protect the Emperor and his family, at all costs, at any cost. Jon
was not a man to take such an oath lightly, and neither were his squadron, his
friends… his family. Refusing to open his eyes and stare into the face of his
second-in-command, refusing to order their deaths he just whispered. “I cannot
order you to do this.” Finally opening his eyes he stared at Elsie who offered
him a soft smile.
“I would never ask you to make such an order, Jon.” Finally
looking across at Sofia, who seemed frozen in shock. She added, “Princess,
it’s been… fun.” Sofia looked up, surprised at the kind words from the
Praetorian.
“Sofia, you can call me Sofia… anytime,” she replied.
“Sofia,” Elsie replied seeming to try out the name before
she nodded in thanks. For a moment it seemed to Jon that an unspoken
communication passed between the two women, then after a small nod from Sofia,
Elsie once again turned her gaze towards Jon.
“Good luck, Commander! I think it’s time that the
Praetorians taught this bunch of idiots how to fly. I’m amazed that they
haven’t collided with each other by now…” She laughed as the communication
ended and Jon watched on the sensors as one by one the Praetorians flipped
their fighters and accelerated back towards the incoming fighters; leaving the Eternal
Light to finish her journey… alone.
*****
As a young boy, the tactical officer on the Imperial Star remembered sitting on his grandfather’s knee being recounted endless stories of
acts of great heroism and bravery. Of soldiers refusing to surrender, to fight
to the last man and woman because they knew that their cause was just and
right. Of parents standing between their children and those that would harm
then, of many selfless acts of heroism and courage. Never in his life did he
think he would observe such an act until he watched on the sensors as
one-by-one the Praetorian fighters reversed course to engage the on-coming
fighters. Sacrificing their lives to allow the lone shuttle to escape.
“The 58 th squadron is reversing course to
intercept the approaching fighters. The Eternal Light is remaining on a
direct course for the FTL jump point,” the officer reported humbly. If the
Praetorians were prepared to sacrifice their lives for the occupants of the
shuttle, the tactical officer was going to damn well show them some respect for
their decision. The announcement stunned everybody on the command deck, which
fell silent for a moment, as if also in respect for their sacrifice.
“That’s suicide,” Pendleton uttered in disbelief. “They are
outnumbered at least 9-1.”
“They lost two fighters passing through the fleet,” the
tactical officer reminded the Captain. “The odds are closer to 12-1. They are
going to sacrifice themselves to buy enough time to allow the shuttle to reach
the FTL jump point.”
Nobody on the command deck had a response to that statement.
*****
Most fleet engagements of the past few hundred years
than 170 kilometres from escape.
The communication from Elsie was not unexpected but for the
first time in his life Jon felt the weight of command bearing down on him.
“Lieutenant… Elsie,” he acknowledged his second-in-command
reluctantly.
“What is your situation?” she inquired brusquely avoiding
his gaze.
“Damage-control computer reports that the port engine is
damaged beyond repair and it has been shut down.”
“Tactical computer reports that the fleet’s fighters will
intercept us in a little under two minutes,” Elsie reported matter-of-factly.
Jon had no response. The squadron continued to fly onwards
in tandem, in silence for a few moments more until Elsie shifted her gaze to
Sofia and uttered the words that Jon had been expecting, but dreading to hear.
“We all swore an oath.”
Jon closed his eyes in despair; they had all sworn the same
oath. To protect the Emperor and his family, at all costs, at any cost. Jon
was not a man to take such an oath lightly, and neither were his squadron, his
friends… his family. Refusing to open his eyes and stare into the face of his
second-in-command, refusing to order their deaths he just whispered. “I cannot
order you to do this.” Finally opening his eyes he stared at Elsie who offered
him a soft smile.
“I would never ask you to make such an order, Jon.” Finally
looking across at Sofia, who seemed frozen in shock. She added, “Princess,
it’s been… fun.” Sofia looked up, surprised at the kind words from the
Praetorian.
“Sofia, you can call me Sofia… anytime,” she replied.
“Sofia,” Elsie replied seeming to try out the name before
she nodded in thanks. For a moment it seemed to Jon that an unspoken
communication passed between the two women, then after a small nod from Sofia,
Elsie once again turned her gaze towards Jon.
“Good luck, Commander! I think it’s time that the
Praetorians taught this bunch of idiots how to fly. I’m amazed that they
haven’t collided with each other by now…” She laughed as the communication
ended and Jon watched on the sensors as one by one the Praetorians flipped
their fighters and accelerated back towards the incoming fighters; leaving the Eternal
Light to finish her journey… alone.
*****
As a young boy, the tactical officer on the Imperial Star remembered sitting on his grandfather’s knee being recounted endless stories of
acts of great heroism and bravery. Of soldiers refusing to surrender, to fight
to the last man and woman because they knew that their cause was just and
right. Of parents standing between their children and those that would harm
then, of many selfless acts of heroism and courage. Never in his life did he
think he would observe such an act until he watched on the sensors as
one-by-one the Praetorian fighters reversed course to engage the on-coming
fighters. Sacrificing their lives to allow the lone shuttle to escape.
“The 58 th squadron is reversing course to
intercept the approaching fighters. The Eternal Light is remaining on a
direct course for the FTL jump point,” the officer reported humbly. If the
Praetorians were prepared to sacrifice their lives for the occupants of the
shuttle, the tactical officer was going to damn well show them some respect for
their decision. The announcement stunned everybody on the command deck, which
fell silent for a moment, as if also in respect for their sacrifice.
“That’s suicide,” Pendleton uttered in disbelief. “They are
outnumbered at least 9-1.”
“They lost two fighters passing through the fleet,” the
tactical officer reminded the Captain. “The odds are closer to 12-1. They are
going to sacrifice themselves to buy enough time to allow the shuttle to reach
the FTL jump point.”
Nobody on the command deck had a response to that statement.
*****
Most fleet engagements of the past few hundred years
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