"What was that?" The bridge crew was quickly looking about, many looking down at their consoles. Admiral Daala steadied herself. "Unknown ma'am. We're checking now." Daala shook her head, fighting the brief sense of dizziness. It seemed that the entire bridge crew had felt the same sudden shift. She did not have any idea what had happened but she hoped she got a report before – "Admiral, what happened?" The voice was soft but cold. A small hologram sprang up by her command post. "Lord Marek, my apologies, we seemed to have-" The hologram looked past Daala.
Lord Marek was a tall and imposing figure, hard eyes and so young... Daala tried to avoid Lord Marek as much as possible. Of course, there were worse assignments. She had lost many classmates in Lord Vader's fleet. Despite the destruction of the Death Star, Daala had never once faltered in her dedication to the New Order. She had protected the Maw Installation for over a decade before it fell. Her crew had seen her hold them together under some of the most withering assaults, never once raising her voice even in the heat of battle. She was a rock and the crew loved her for it. "What has happened, Admiral? I feel a disturbance in the Force." "I am about to get a report, Lord."
Daala did not look up; instead she held out her hand and waited. Commander Kratas rushed over to the sensor crews and they handed him the report. He quickly passed it on to Daala and waited obediently by her side. Daala stared down at the report for a long moment, paused and then passed it back to Kratas. "My Lord, I believe that your presence is required on the bridge." "Oh?" There was a quiet threat to the word. "According to the report we are no where near our galaxy. All star charts report negative. Hyperspace and gravitic sensors also report negative." Marek was silent for a long moment. "Are you certain?" "I am having the report double checked but –"
Marek suddenly straightened and pointed to Daala. "Bring the fleet to battle alert. We will be under attack very soon." He turned away from the holo projector and disappeared, his back the last thing caught on the hologram as it vanished. Daala did not hesitate. She turned to face the bridge crew. "Bring us to battle stations. Raise combat shields and give me a detailed sensor sweep of the area, now." "Aye sir." Daala pointed to the report in Kratas's hand as she stalked over to the main screen. "Have those readings double checked. I want to make sure that it is accurate." "If it is, Admiral, this could mean we are thousands if not millions of light years from home." Kratas commented darkly as he followed his commander. "One thing at a time, Commander, let us find out where we are before we jump to conclusions." Daala responded softly as they reached the view screen.
Beneath them, the massive yet elegant bulk of the Iron Fist dominated the lower half of their view. The newest Invader-class ship, it was a command ship second to none. Not only did it carry the deadly super laser, it's hull was made out of the same materiel used to make Dark Trooper armor, which could heal it's self after absorbing a blow. It could also take the energy from the blast and transfer that into energy for the weapons or shields. It was also the first ship of it's kind to boast a cloaking device. Around them, several dagger shaped ships were in various escort positions around them. Their pearly white frames shining in the interstellar void. The Star Destroyers were slowly fanning out as their command ship called for battle stations. Daala noted with pride the string of TIE Defenders flowing out along side the Iron Fist, small almost insignificant dots against the enormous frame of the powerful warship. They flew with precision into flowing walls around the warships.
"Fighter screen in place, Admiral." Kratas reported. "Admiral, we're picking up an odd disturbance to the starboard." "Can you endeavor to be clearer?" Daala asked coolly. "I apologize ma'am. We've never seen anything like it. It seems to be objects out of phase with our space, they are approaching at super luminal speed, but it is definitely not hyperspace travel." "That's odd." Kratas noted curiously. "What seems odder is that they are using some form of propulsion we are unfamiliar with." He added with some concern. "Those objects are the enemy. Their intent will be very clear soon." Marek spoke as he strode into the bridge. He was wearing the same training suit he always wore. His black boots clicked softly on the metal floor. His brown hair was kept short giving accent to his eyes. The brown eyes were cold and sharp. "We will be ready for them." Daala replied. "Do you have any more information regarding your assertion that we are no longer in our galaxy?" Marek asked stepping in to face Daala. "Not my assertion, my lord. Our sensors are telling us that these stars do not appear in our charts, even the charts of neighboring galaxies." "Could they be Ssi Ruvi ships?" Kratas suggested. Marek frowned. "No. They are something else. Something cold." He answered in a quiet voice, as if his attention were drawn somewhere else. "Track all weapons on inbound trajectories." Daala ordered. She looked out the view port and seemed to be weighing something. Marek watched her closely. "Have the Adjudicator move out to greet the newcomers. I want the Executioner and the Inexorable to fall back in support positions." "The rest of the fleet?" Marek asked quietly. "We will see what unfolds. We may not need them." Daala answered. Marek nodded slowly. "Objects now within range, slowing…we are receiving communications being broadcast on all possible frequencies, trying to filter one out." 10 huge green cubes seemed to flash into existence out of nowhere. They quickly spread out, nearly encircling the Adjudicator. They glowed menacingly. "Adjudicator looks exposed out there by herself." Kratas whispered to Daala. Daala nodded sagely. "Captain Drayson is a capable man. He's survived more first contact situations than you have read about." Daala answered. "I have a transmission isolated, putting it on speakers."
"-ARE THE BORG. LOWER YOUR SHIELDS AND SURRENDER YOUR SHIPS. WE WILL ADD YOUR BIOLOGICAL AND TECHNOLOGICAL DISTINCTIVENESS TO OUR OWN. YOUR CULTURE WILL ADAPT TO SERVICE US." "It seems we have our answer." Marek stated evenly. "Open a channel to Captain Drayson." "Drayson here, Admiral. I'm standing by on all weapons. We're picking up energy spikes on all these cube ships. Something happened a moment ago, seems they were trying to beam some form of energy to us, we've picked up multiple impacts along our shield grid." Drayson reported smartly. "Orders?" "RESISTANCE IS FUTILE." Daala paused at the ridiculous statement. "Captain, show these would be conquerors that the Empire always resists." Drayson smiled coldly, nodded and the holoimage disappeared.
A heartbeat later, the Adjudicator suddenly fired all her weapons at one of the cube. Half of it exploding debris and hot gasses. It then proceeded to fire on all of the cubes. The other cubes, huge gaping holes and gashes in the armored hull slowly rotated and released a hail storm of green torpedoes. They impacted against the Adjudicator. Green flashes of energy splashed along the ship's entire hull. Without having to be ordered to, the Inexorable and the Executioner opened fire on the remaining cubes. They exploded under the new onslaught. Within a few minutes, the cubes were gone and the space they occupied was littered with debris. "I want bodies brought aboard for inspection. They managed to send out a signal, Admiral. Be ready for a counterattack." Marek ordered. "Of course, Lord." Daala answered neutrally. "Ma'am, we that torpedo barrage took our shields down to 94 percent."
aala nodded while thinking. "Hmm..." Marek turned return to his room. Daala watched him leave her bridge. Kratas felt relief after they stepped off the bridge. He is a strange case, he mused.