Chapter 3:The Burning

"How far is the optimal range for "it"?"Jalsek asked?

"20 Kilometers sir,should take about....20 minutes,wait detect multiple hyperspace signature 15 kilometer out,looks to be about 6 full Hiigaran battle fleets incomming"Kiirvas replied

"When do those Hiigarans ever give up Kiirvas?"

"We're about to find out sir"

"so be it"

The 6 battle fleets approached the taiidan armada,really more of an act of desperation rather than commen sense.Like the single patrol fleet before it the incomming fleets were badly outnumbered.However the hiigarans were becomming desperate Jalsek could tell,they were doing anything and everything they could to try to stall the taiidan fleet including sending out ships with fresh recruits from the Hiigaran academies to slaughter.

But the inevitable would still come.

The Taiidan and Hiigaran ships opened up,ion beams,energy cannon and missles roaring at each other at high speeds impacting their targets.It was not a safe place to fly a fighter around but the Hiigarans did so anyway,many fighters getting caught in the crossfire and getting destroyed.

"Tell the carrier with "it" to keep moving at full speed to the optimal firing range,give it a barebones escort"Jalsek ordered the comm officer

"Aye captain"

The carrier lumbered forward,a small escort of just 4 Rhino class assault frigates and a dozen flyswatter class multigun corvettes following it.It was a gamble,since all the plans could be foiled if the attacking Hiigaran ships noticed the lone carrier heading towards the plane.

They didn't notice it.Yet...

It was only a matter of time before the Hiigaran ships realized what was going on.At once all of the enemy ships began moving towards the carrier but it was too late for them.The carrier was already 10 kilometers away.

But not before the republicans arrived.

The republican fleet hyperspaced nearly on top of the Imperialist carrier carrying "it".At first there was a bit of confusion,as by a stroke of republican luck there had been a hyperspace miscalcuation and the task force had missed the inted hyperspace point.

But they recovered quickly.

Ion beam after ion beam scarred the Carrack class carrier as it continued moving towards Hiigara.The Rhinos broke

off of their escort to buy some time for the carrier but they could only buy a scant 5 minutes as the Republicans poured their firepower at the 4 assault frigates,destroying them in record time.

Than the carrier stopped,its destination reached.

The republican fleet fired at the carrier again and the carrier began to leak fusion "bubbles".At this rate it only a few minutes before the carrier would be destroyed and the plan a failure.

A few minutes however,was all that the carrier needed.

The republican fleet fired once again and the carrier began to go aflame,a sure sign that the ship was severly damaged.Escape pods flew from the carrier as the Republican ships continued to pound the carrier,and than a last salvo put the Carrack class carrier out of its misery.

Too little.Too late.

"It" the horrible atmosphere deprivation device escaped from the doomed ship just as the carrier exploded.The device was both a source of relief for the imperialists.

And a source of dread for the Hiigarans.

Meanwhile on Hiigara....

Little Rinta Kaalel looked on the window of her house.It was nighttime on Hiigara,and it was still a half hour before her bedtime and it was a clear sky over New Tiir,the Hiigaran capital city.She looked out of the window,seeing bright stars which doted her window like a painting.Suddenly she saw a new bright streak coming across the sky and she pointed at it.

It was the last thing she ever saw.