Republican flagship RSV115 "Emancipator", command post.
Jed heard some bustle in the corridor. He saw a whole group of operators coming in, and they took their places without a word in front of the consoles. Only one remained standing, next to the seat where the countermeasures specialist was serving. This one, totally absorbed by his screen, didn't even raise his head in front of the newcomer.
After a while four Death Troopers appeared on the bridge, flanking an officer who stepped forward at the railing. All greeted him.
"At ease" replied the admiral. "The post remains in combat communication"
"Yes sir!"
"Do we have full control of the ship?"
"No sir. There's still the air conditioning, but they're fighting like dogs to keep it" said the specialist who was glued to his console.
"Can they cut the renewal?"
"Yes, but for the entire ship. If they decide to suffocate us, they're condemning themselves at the same time"
There was silence, then the admiral said:
"One problem at a time. Right now we need to lose the fleet"
The monitors came on. Lushke raised his head and asked:
"Navigation, what's the status of the Reps?"
"Two frigates are behind us. They are maneuvering to block our channel"
The operator leaned over his screen and added: "Two more are on their way to join them. Estimated time five minutes"
The Admiral turned to the wheelhouse.
"Do you have control of the bow thrusters?"
"Affirmative"
"Full starboard rotation! Stop for thrusters!"
He pulled a transmitter out of a jacket pocket, turned it on, and gave the same command, reversing the side of the maneuver.
The two destroyers slowly began to turn in place in reverse, like the two blades of a pair of scissors.
An NCO then spoke and addressed Isse.
"And the prisoners? What shall we do with them?"
"We can eject them by the capsules" intervened another trooper. "It'll waste some time for the Reps"
Isse thought about it for a moment and then finally said, pointing to Jed:
"Throw the techs out, but we're keeping him"
"Why Commander?"
"Because the Reps are still holding out and we may have to negotiate"
"An emissary, huh?"
"That's it"
The operators were mentored and taken to the pods. Jed spoke uninvited:
"You know you condemn them. They'll be swept away by the thruster stream when you go into hyperspeed"
Isse replied: "You're a pro like us. What would you have done?"
Jed fell silent.
"We must leave to Providence its share of the work" resumed Isse with a smirk. "We may envy their fate in three hours..."
Assault frigate "Hoth's Revenge II", command bridge.
The tension had risen step by step with the information gathered by the shuttle. The captain ordered the communications console:
"Tell the shuttle to return. We know enough"
"We know what?" Asked the navigation officer.
"You haven't figured it out yet? It's obvious though!"
"Are they going to attack us?"
"No. They're going to slip through our fingers in hyperdrive!"
He added to the console's attention:
"Tell the "Space Queen IV" and the other two to come closer to us as well. We have to plug the channel to prevent it from escaping!"
"He can always go out the front..."
"In front are the devourers. We have to get him here and now!"
The two frigates began their maneuvers.
"The shuttle is approaching, Captain!" Announced a console.
The station fell back into routine for a brief moment. Usual orders, repeated coordinates, secondary parameters...
All of a sudden, they all freeze. The destroyers had just started moving.
"Reverse rotation of destroyers in progress!" Announced the navigation console.
The announcement had been made without any real necessity, because everyone could see the maneuver perfectly.
"They're turning around" said the navigation officer with a flat voice.
"General alert! Ready to fire!" Ordered the captain to the Fire Concentration Centers.
"That won't stop it..." murmured the navigation officer.
"I know it won't! But we're not going to stand idly by!"
The intercom console operator addressed the bridge.
"Captain, the shuttle has arrived. Admiral Rousseau wants to see you immediately"
The officer made an annoying gesture.
"He's just lost his ship and he's still finding a way to stick his nose in!"
Nevertheless, he got off the bridge and told the navigation officer: "Take command. I'll see what he wants"
Destroyer Imperial II, ESV262 "Destiny Blade", command post.
The two men that Louchké had greeted as he left were steering the heavy vessel without a word. The silence was only disturbed by the crackling of the listening transmitter.
The rotation had just ended. The four frigates were now in the middle of the main bay of the station. The sizzling ceased and they heard the voice of the admiral.
"End of rotation. It's your turn now"
"Roger" replied the helmsman after pressing the transmit button.
They donned their helmets, tested their suits for leaks and then returned to their stations.
The helmsman said to the engineer:
"Full ahead!"
The levers were pushed at full power. The ship began to pick up speed.
"How long until contact?" asked the engineer.
"About four minutes. It will be brief"
They were sailing at dead reckoning because all stations were off.
"Too bad we don't have the turrets anymore" said the engineer.
"Yeah, but "The Cobra" had to choose. Sting or bite"
"And he bit..."
The frigates were getting bigger by the minute. The blackness of the void was beginning to fade from the Republican battery fire.
"In thirty seconds the shield will no longer hold" announced the helmsman.
Assault frigate "Hoth's Revenge II", command bridge.
The commander and the admiral had returned to the bridge together. It must have been a heated discussion because the two men had closed faces. They took their places on the bridge.
The captain looked at the bay and the screens and saw that the two destroyers were facing him like two javelin spikes.
"They just finished their rotation," said the navigation officer who had just given up command.
He added: "I think they will force the passage"
The detection console announced: "Imperial Destroyer accelerating rapidly!"
"Fire from all rooms!" Ordered the commander.
"And pass the order to the other frigates!" shouted the admiral who had just woken up.
The operators got busy. The detection announced:
"Captain, collision in three minutes"
"It's strange, it's not firing..." remarked the navigation officer.
"It must be almost empty" replied the captain. "Maybe they want to use it as a battering ram..."
"Or as a firebrand. Or blow it up in the middle of our formation"
This simple sentence made the admiral jump.
"Blow him up! But what a horror! We have to go back all the way!"
The captain made a great effort on himself to stay calm.
"Admiral, it's unlikely. The explosion would also blow up their ship..."
"What do you mean "their ship"? It's mine that they've treacherously seized!"
Mostly because they outsmarted you, couldn't help but think the officer.
T the firing console announced: "Their shield still holds"
"Is that all you can put on them?" asked the Admiral.
"At this distance, yes. They're too close now"
The destroyer was now caught in the crossfire of the four frigates. At first, nothing happened.
Then, all of a sudden, a beam broke through and an orange fireball began to hatch on the upper deck. It was quickly followed by other blooms.
"At last", the commander thought. "It's starting to break through"
He turned to the communication post.
"Concentrate fire on the command post!"
The rays converged, but the ship kept moving forward.
"Collision in one minute, Captain!" Announced the detection console in a tense voice.