Bloodwing twisted as she dove through the wreckage of a Cerva'hannsu vessel, screaming away from her pursuer. She lashed out with her rear disruptors as her enemy closed.
Riov Shiarrael t'Dharvanek clenched the armrest of her command chair in an iron grip. Her ship was already severely wounded from the first Cerva'hannsu punch through Bloodwing's shields, and the secondary configuration was weakening. "Shields on full."
His riov's grim growl made the arrain at tactical wince. "Riov, rhe apologize, but--"
Shiarrael was on her feet in an instant, whirling to face him. "Arrain tr'Hwer." Her eyes narrowed to slits as her voice became silken and dangerous. "Rhe would suggest au do as au have been told."
Tr'Hwer swallowed nervously. "Ie, Riov." A few button taps diverted what remained of Bloodwing's auxiliary power to her shield systems. "It is done, Riov, but the Cerva'hannsu--"
A powerful explosion ripped at Bloodwing's shields. The mighty Warbird bucked wildly, shaking most of the oira crew from their stations and toppling Shiarrael to the deck. All recovered quickly, but the Riov was the last to rise, emerald blood dripping from a gash above her right eye. "Cloak the ship," she snapped, waving one of her officers off.
Bloodwing shimmered and vanished, hiding her crew in the relative safety of her cloaking device. The Cerva'hannsu squadron disengaged, still wary of the predator in their midst, but knowing her to be badly injured if not disabled. The silence on the oira was calm, deadly, and stoic.
Several moments passed until the Cerva'hannsu squadron reformed their patrol. Bloodwing followed them silently, her disruptors ready for another kill.
Shiarrael resumed her seat, a dangerous half-smile on her face. "Disengage the cloak. Shields at maximum, or whatever's left of the emergency system."
"Ie, Riov."
Bloodwing flickered back into view and leapt for the heart of the Cerva'hannsu formation, disruptors and torpedoes ripping into her targets with deadly force. The ship was still quick despite the damage done to her and narrowly evaded the return fire.
A Cerva'hannsu ship banked unnoticed behind Bloodwing and fired with deadly accuracy. The Warbird shrieked as her engines exploded. She reared, unsteadying what remained of her crew. A second Cerva'hannsu cruiser obliterated her weapons, leaving Bloodwing crippled and toothless.
"We are helpless," Arrain tr'Hwer pronounced in the deadly silence.
"Send the signal." Shiarrael's voice was tight and flat in the face of defeat as she stood and faced her tactical officer. "Send it now."
"Riov, it is too soon. Interceptor is not in position. She cannot possibly--"
Shiarrael advanced on tr'Hwer, her eyes dark with passionate anger. "Any longer that we wait, and we will all be dead. Rhe have already lost many good soldiers. Bloodwing is wounded too severely to continue. Au worry about it being too soon? How many more must die before au agree that it is time!? Send. The. Signal." She turned and stalked back to her chair, dropping into it moodily.
"Ie, Riov."
The coded distress signal reached through space toward Starbase Republic and Interceptor. Shiarrael hopped it was not too late. "Elements, protect us, for we are in the Shadow of Death," she murmured. "Spare us from these Cerva'hannsu demons and save my children from a bitter end."
Her children, Bloodwing's crew, recognized that murmured sentiment as prayer and bowed their heads in deference. "Elements, protect us," echoed around the oira.