While in hyperspace, Kolthas Naabal sat in his office with his feet up and listened to Karan outline the test. "We'll arrive close to the Khar-Selim, which has been traveling the last ten years on traditional drives to reach the outskirts of the system. If there should be a problem with our hyperdrive, the Khar-Selim will provide support and re-supply." Kolthas grinned.

"Hopefully, of course, that won't be a big deal." Karan chuckled.

"Hopefully. However, it's always good to have a back-up plan." The Commander sighed and leaned back in his chair.

"Gaah, I'm too young for this job." Karan seemed amused.

"I'm younger than you are, Kolthas." He snorted.

"Yeah, I know. It's just... I mean, I'm not even barely trained in this. It's a bit odd to have me command the whole fleet." Suddenly, alarms blared.

"Coming out of hyperspace in five." He jumped from his chair, and raced to the bridge.

"Paint me a picture, Karan." She hesitated.

"We must have misjumped. I'm not picking up the Khar-Selim. I'm beginning to search for them." Kolthas stepped into the indentation in the bridge deck, and the hologram flared to life. He spun, surveying the Mothership and its surroundings.

"I've got a b-" Kolthas overrode the tech's words, trying to dispel the same feeling in his gut.

"Don't say that! It just makes it worse." Karan came back on line.

"I'm picking up an odd signal, but that's it. Recommend that we send a probe to investigate." Kolthas snarled.

"This isn't good. Harvester Alpha, begin collecting. Kilaar Squadron, protect it. Research, how's the new chassis coming?" The scientists reported back quickly.

"We finished a little while ago. Right now, we're working on corvette drives." Kolthas began to pace.

"Right. Get cracking." Suddenly, he sprang out of the hologram and raced out of the bridge. A few techs exchanged glances, but they all worked on monitoring the situation at hand rather than evaluating their Commander's mental health.

Kolthas arrived at the Engineering section a few minutes later. Thanking Sajuuk for elevators, he dashed out of the lift and scattered a few green workers. He grabbed a sketchpad and began to scribble furiously. After a few minutes, he handed the pad to one of the engineers and grinned.

"Send that to the research ship. That should help." With that, he raced back up to the bridge. In the small elevator, he heard Karan laugh.

"Once an engineer, always an engineer, eh?" Kolthas grinned.

"Well, it's what I do best."

A few minutes later, he heard the research ship report in. "Thank whoever sent that design idea; we just put the finishing touches on a light corvette. We're trying to crank up the chassis and get a heavy corvette, but it'll take a while." Kolthas touched the image of the research ship lightly.

"Try adding a second turret." The scientist sighed.

"Yeah, Commander. We've already got that designed in." Kolthas shrugged and shifted the view over to the harvesting Alpha. They were nearing the odd signal, and he tapped the harvester.

"Alpha, head on back. Don't get too close to that signal, just in case it's trouble." He sighed and cut the connection. "Right. Come on, lads, don't take too long getting that corvette designed..." Ten minutes later, he got his wish.

"Commander, we got it done. We still need to test-" Kolthas cut him off.

"No time for that. I'm going to build five of 'em." The scientist gasped.

"Commander, there still may be bugs we have to work out. We don't know if the power demands are too great. The corvette may tear itself apart!" Kolthas sighed.

"We don't have time. Consider this your testing. Hey, if we aren't lucky, you may even get a baptism of fire." He broke the link and sighed.

"Karan, get the assembly lines rolling. Five heavy corvettes and a probe. Send the probe to the source of the signal as soon as it's done." She whispered from beneath his feet.

"Probe away, one heavy corvette on its way out. I'm patching the feed in to your station." He watched as the probe zoomed in towards the unknown signal. What he saw shocked him and sickened him at the same time.

"In the name of-" It was the Khar-Selim. At least, what was left of it.

Karan gasped. "What happened?" Kolthas shook his head and touched the images of the heavy corvettes, labelled Lrahii Squadron.

"Right, you lads get ready to escort-" Suddenly Karan spoke calmly but hurriedly.

"Unidentified ships closing fast. At current speed, they'll be here in thirty seconds."

"Lrahii Squadron, stand by to intercept. Go evasive if they start shooting, but return fire." The incoming ships appeared on the hologram, and Kolthas snarled.

"Those aren't-"

"Lrahii Squadron taking fire! Engaging attackers- got one." Kolthas' voice rang out, strong and clear.

"Take them out. Banwu, prepare to head over to the Khar-Selim to retrieve data record-"

"Lrahii Three, return to Mothership for repairs."

"Lrahii Two, took a hit on my fuel line, need-"

"Lrahii Two, this is Fleet Command. I've got you on my screens, fall back to Mothership with Three."

"Lrahii One, enemies defeated. Wait, no! There's another wave!"

"Lrahii Squadron, fall back to Mothership. Lrahiis Two and Three rejoining the fight."

"Thanks, Command."

"Second wave destroyed."
"The hell! They've got missiles! I can't shake- taken damage, but I'm still good."

"Sweet Sajuuk! They're coming in again!"

"Lrahii Squadron, full power to weapons. Take them out fast."

"Lrahii Four, taking heavy damage, fall-"

"Eject kid, eject!"

"Four has ejected, sending rescue shuttle."

"Third wave destroyed." Kolthas sighed as he relaxed from his tensed position.

"Lrahii Squadron, form up on corvette Banwu, and escort it to the wreckage of the Khar-Selim. Banwu, I want to know what happened."

"Lrahii Four is in the hangar bay. He's hopping mad." Karan chuckled as she reported on the downed pilot. Kolthas grinned, as he mentally thanked her. She had run the whole battle, keeping his people alive, and working in perfect sync with him.

"Right. Get going, Banwu. Lrahiis, look out for more raiders."

The Banwu reached the wreckage soon, and Kolthas watched the salvage corvette begin the hunt for the data recorder. Meanwhile-

"Lrahii Squadron! Above you!" The heavy corvettes angled up and fired, eliminating a smallish fighter.

"Yess! That's five!"

"Nice job, Three."

"Whoah, in the name of- that's a carrier up there, right?"

"Steady, Two. Incoming hostiles, I read two corvettes. Three, Five, track the second. Two, you're with me." The corvettes split up and set up strafing runs on the incoming ships.

"Careful, Lrahiis. Don't get within range of that carrier."

"Yes, ma'am! Aaah! I'm hit!"

"Calm down, Two! Peel out and repair at the Mothership."

"Four's back!"

"Hey, good to see you again, lad!"

"Another group of fighters coming in, prepare- damn, they're fast!"

"Have lock-"

"Eat this, you scumbags!"

"Coming in for landing."

"Copy, Two, guidance systems locking on. Three, roll left!"

"Sweet Sajuuk! Thanks, Fleet Command. That could have been bad."

"Five, pull to the-"

"Banwu has prize, returning to Mothership-"

"Lrahiis, cover fire."

"They're running!"

"Falling back to Mothership."

"Two is repaired and refueled." Kolthas grinned.

"Nice job, Lrahiis. No losses this time. Oh, and Three, you're buying drinks."

"Gladly, sir." Karan spoke to him once again.

"We have the data recorder. Replaying last entry." The holoscreens turned black, and the bridge crew turned to watch and listen.

"This is science vessel Khar-Selim, on the day of the Mothership hyperdrive test. So far, all is normal. Awaiting-"

"Sir, we're picking up a hyperdrive signature."

"But the Mothership isn't supposed to be here for another hour!"

"Sir, I'm picking up multiple signals. They're, ah, they're not ours."

"Well, I know that, you fool! Get me-"

"Sir, we're under fire. Reporting breaches on all decks. They're- they're-"

"Khar-Selim to Mothership! Khar-Selim to Mothership! If you are receiving, abort hyperdrive test! Repeat, abort hyperdrive-" The recording trailed off in a squeal of static and Kharakian screams. Kolthas looked pale.

"Oh, shit. If there's another force penetrating deeper into the system..." The hyperdrive engines thrummed as Karan brought them online.

"Preparing hyperdrives." The holoscreen returned to normal, and Kolthas selected the harvester.

"Alpha, gather everything you can find." He broke the link, and turned to a tech nearby. "Get me Engineering. Tell them to build me five more salvage corvettes." He sighed. "Karan, as soon as we arrive at Kharak, warn the Missile Control Center. I want every planetary defense center online."

Finally, all the corvettes had been produced, the harvester had sucked the area dry, and the hyperdrives were warmed up. Kolthas turned to his executive officer once more.

"Engage them, lad." Karan responded instantly.

"Hyperdrives online. Let's go."