Chapter 4: The Flight and Flight of Eagles
Yeah, here's where the violence begins in terms of crazed space dogfights. Just read to see how it goes.
Within thirty minutes of leaving the V'malnon homeworld, the enemy was within the visual range of scanners. The numbers were surprisingly in favor of the Federation allies, but how much this would be compensated by the superior military strategy of the Karons was uncertain. Phineas began to say "Cannon to right of them, cannon to left of them, cannon in front of them…" Ferb continued "Volley'd and thunder'd; storm'd at with shot and shell, boldly they rode and well…" Buford (surprisingly) continued "Into the jaws of Death, into the mouth of Hell rode the six hundred." Vanessa, who sat at the helm nervously, said in agitation and informality "whatever you guys are quoting, I wish you'd please stop." "At ease, Commander. It's just poetry" said Phineas. "Poetry that makes me even more nervous…" said Vanessa under her breath. "There's an old saying…'fortune favors the bold'…well…I'd prefer to say that whatever the outcome is, it is all according to a plan…may it be in our favor…Isabella, put me on to the fleet." "You're on, sir." "This is Captain Phineas Flynn. All ships, prepare to drop out of warp at the designated coordinates." They dropped out and saw Karon Warbirds, Raptors, Birds-of-Prey, and Battle Cruisers approaching slowly from where they had dropped out of warp. "Hail them" said Phineas. "No response, sir" said Isabella. "They're charging weapons" said Katie.
"Interceptors, see if you can't do some heavy damage on their smaller vessels first. If there's one strategy I've learned, it's to target smaller and weaker ships first. Do what you can and then get out of there. We won't give them our full force just yet." The Flynn-Class scouts, Ingenuity-Class escorts, and other allied attack ships went in first, hitting small ship after small ship. As half of them were lost after a 3-minute attack, the rest retreated, a few being destroyed before being able to return to the fleet. "Liberty-wings and heavy cruisers, let's take the sides and flanks of this fleet while the others attempt to punch a hole in the enemy lines. If we divide, we conquer." The battle raged on, both sides seeming to prove each other equal matches. As shields of Federation ships had been drastically improved over the past year, this battle was lasting longer than previous ones had a year prior. Still, some Karon ships were even suicide-ramming Federation ships when they became disabled, which no shield could prevent damage from.
Inside the bridge of the cloaked IKS K'lathak (the fleet general's prototype dreadnought, IKS being "Imperial Karon Ship"), Karon General Ch'nok waited without worry, as his ship was massive in size, dwarfing all other ships in the scene while remaining undetectable by all as it lay far off from the battle. "Sir, what are your orders?" asked the tactical officer from his console. General Ch'nok turned in his chair, sporting one eye, his other covered with an eyepatch, from which jagged scars protruded on the edges. "We retreat…just this ship. We'll let the others fare however they may. I want the Phineas. Send the fabricated distress call to the Terran fleet." With that, the IKS K'lathak retreated from the battle undetected and on a course towards earth, to which the quickest path lay through a nebula the allied fleet had already gone through on their way here. Isabella straightened up even more than she already was, frantically saying "Captain, there's a distress call coming in…a Karon ship is headed towards earth…no more than that." "It's probably from this fleet. Hail the Constantine." "It's been destroyed, sir." Phineas looked down for a moment in sorrow that Philip Nuñez, a Captain recently promoted to Rear Admiral, had perished. "Hail the USS Liberty." "Aye, sir. They're fine and responding."
"Tell them to follow us out of the battle and then hail the fleet and tell them that their orders are to fight until the last ship unless any Karon vessels decide to retreat. Tell them that we and the Liberty are leaving the battle to go stop this ship from reaching earth." "The fleet has responded, sir. Which ship is in charge for the time?" Phineas thought for a moment before saying "make it the USS Hood. Captain Josef Khil is always good for a fight." "The Hood has responded, sir. They have now taken charge of the fleet." "Good. Helm, plot a course back to earth. We'll intercept whatever is out there whenever we can." "Aye, sir, course laid in." The Phineas and Liberty shot off from the battle scene towards earth, having to go through the same nebula they had gone through earlier. Any repairs necessary would have to be made en route for both ships. From inside the nebula, the IKS K'lathak was waiting to engage the two craft, General Ch'nok more than eager to see their valor.
Yeah, typical trap: get the main antagonist alone and vulnerable to almost ensure defeat or painfully-won partial victory. This is where the turn is taken to the darker elements. This is the Belly of the Beast, so to speak. I must warn you to brace yourselves for a lot of action, violence, and suspense. Read on if you dare.
