Commodore Jin-sho Park ordered the Einstein and the rest of the flotilla to head towards the warp gate. He took a deep breath as he watched the mid-range scanners. Could these Zerg awaken? If that were the case, it would be suicide. As he watched the tactical display he could see the three wraith squadrons approach the dormant Zerg clusters. Over 500,000 units stood in the way of this small flotilla, but they showed no signs of activity or evasion. The only path out of Uramon was through the Zerg swarm that had secured the gate.
Commodore Park watched with apprehension as the wraith squadrons approached a massive body of Zerg Scourge. This would be the telling sign. If the scourge attacked, then it would be only a matter of moments before the entire battle group would be destroyed. The wraiths unleashed several beams of lasers. The targets exploded leaving only their burned carapace and toxic blood floating around the galaxy.
"Guard to Cornerback, Holy cow we've hit the mother load. It's a turkey shoot. Numerous Zerg targets… no resistance…"
The Einstein had powered its Ion Cannon and fired a massive blast at a Zerg Devourer. The creature exploded instantly, completely vaporized by the shot. The neighboring Zerg units did not even move. Commodore Park smiled and then spoke into the TAC COM link.
"All units, the following are your targets of priority, use beam weapons only, save emergency:
1.Scourge
2. Mutas
3. Devourers
4. Overlords…and there are 12,000 of those teaming with Zerg ground units.
Gemini, Taurus, Noah and Puller, follow our ship towards the gate at tactical close assault speed." These ships were lightly armed with laser cannons, save the Puller, which had twice as many laser cannons as the other three. Within a minute, the wraith squadrons were piling up kills. The UED Einstein let loose a ferocious volley at a slumbering group of scourge and within a few moments 24 of the dreaded beasts were vaporized.
"Captain Page, how long can we as a battle group hold up this kill rate."
"About 90 minutes sir. After that the beam weapons will overheat."
Commodore Park smiled. "Yes…I believe you're right. Rogue leader, I want you and your squadrons to rendezvous and land here on the 75 minutes from now. From there, we will warp out. Until then…Good Hunting." Park savored the moment. It was payback time and he was going to be the hammer, while the dormant Zerg forces remained motionless, like a nail. "Captain Page… no mercy… These creatures give no quarter, they should expect none." As he stated those words, Park was no longer thinking about DuGalle and the devastating defeat of the UED fleet months previously, but of Major Mason and of Colonel Conroy, who were close associates and comrades-in-arms. Because of these losses, Park savored redemption as these Zerg needed to know the meaning of the word payback.
"With pleasure sir." The captain replied. The bridge became a frenzy of activity as the tactical battle officers quickly entered target priorities. The lone battle cruiser followed by four lightly armed freighters followed the wraiths into the mass of Zerg units, unleashing barrage after barrage of beam weapons, destroying whatever Zerg unit happened to come across their path.
"Sir…" it was Captain Page, "Our drop ships will be coming back from the surface of Uramon with the last of the Lights. ETA 60 minutes."
"I will be in the ready room. I want us out of here 80 minutes from now. Ready to warp out in case the Zerg have another cerebrate en route to take control of these blasted creatures. By now they would have attacked us. I think you can handle this."
"I'll let you know if otherwise sir…" Page smiled as the one of his subordinates gave thumbs up sign. The Ion cannon had been recharged.
Captain Page now directed the onslaught. "All hands, I want 10 percent power to the shields, 10 percent to life support and the rest to the weaponry systems. "
"Captain Page, sir, I recommend normal battle strength for the shields of the freighters, there is a lot Zerg blood out there and it could eat through our armor if our shields are not at least 40 percent capacity." It was Weapons Security Chief Johann.
"Fair enough, Johann." Page consented.
Park headed to the ready room, safe in the knowledge he had achieved a decisive victory. He could see the floating carcass of an Overlord as it imploded and, with it two giant Ultralisks freezing to death in outer space. A wraith dropped down to add a few laser beams for good measure. The Puller, a freighter accompanying the Einstein, redirected its fire on another prey. The gamble had paid off. Park smiled as he felt the battle cruiser's hull jolt, as the ion cannon had hit an Overlord packed to the gills with ground units. He knew that the Zerg would have attacked and destroyed his flotilla easily had it not been for the bloody combat on the surface of Uramon 18 and the 13th Marines, Light Mechanized Infantry, also known as the 'Lights."