Author's Note: I'm back, and hopefully with less writer's bloc than before. As for your obvious confusion, I can only say, keep reading.
It was certainly a sight, Chris thought to himself. He was standing on the observation deck of the GTD Fire Dawn. Right beside the destroyer was a Sathanas Juggernaut. It easily dwarfed the Fire Dawn in size, and normally, it would be firing on the Fire Dawn, but the day had been anything but normal. He was simply trying to catch his breath, and let his mind understand what had happened.
He would never forget the memory of those massive black and green ships. Nor would he forget the fighters that had cost him another member of his squadron. He could also not forget the aid the Shivans had provided, in terms of their lives lost. The Shivan fighter squadrons had been decimated. These had not been the same units that he had faced in Capella. They seemed more human.
Admiral Sean Loyde walked up. "It's disconcerting, to say the least."
"Yeah." Chris responded. "And eighty or so of these things destroyed Capella."
"Now we've got one alongside us."
"At least we got Bosch."
"Unfortunately, we didn't. He was bouncing his signal off the Harbinger. We're guessing he's on another ship. It could've been one of the Destroyer vessels, it might not have. Either way I don't know."
"What's GTVA command got to say about this."
"I sent a message through the Gate, but I haven't heard anything about it yet. We're really far out here. Do you even think it's our business being out here?"
"We went after the Shivans, and found Admiral Bosch."
"Yeah, but we're so far beyond the boarders of the GTVA that it doesn't really matter what happens out here. If we die, no one will ever know."
"Yet, isn't it our job."
"Spoken like a true pilot of the GTVA. However, it isn't our job. Bosch is really outside our jurisdiction. Just because he's broken our laws doesn't mean he's broken, whoever's laws. And they obviously support him. That is, if they are the reigning government around here."
"Not like we've seen much of that."
"Exactly, we have no clue about any possible jump nodes in this area of space. We have no clue who's here.. besides the Destroyers and the Shivans."
"Have you heard anything from the Shivans?"
"No, they are still licking their wounds. These aren't the units we faced in our last two wars. Get some rest Chris, I'm going to need your squadron ready when we move out."
Chris walked slowly along the quiet and dim corridors of the GTD Fire Dawn. He was vaguely heading for the squadron barracks, but he was in no hurry. There was a simple elegance to the blocky design of the inside of the Orion class destroyer. It's design harkened back to a simpler time, a time when devastation wasn't so close.
He reached the squadron barrack almost a half hour after he had left the observation deck. He was tired, but not exhausted. His flight suit on the other hand, stunk. He took a shower and slid into his undergarments, a shirt and pants. He found Anya in the common area, she was out of her flight suit as well. Her black hair was loose and rested on her shoulders. He smiled as he looked into her eyes.
No words were needed to communicate between them. She pulled him into a strong embrace. The feeling of which, Chris never wanted to let go of. He held her firmly, but gently. He eventually leaned down and kissed her.
Morning, relative as it was on the Fire Dawn, came early. The Swords were called to the main briefing room. They stumbled in, all tired and still in shock from the previous battle. They instantly snapped into alertness when the saw what stood, our rather poised, at the head of the room. Standing there was a Shivan, all five legs, two of which were functioning like arms currently, the remaining three grounded the creature. It was a gruesome sight, and it had been the last of many GTVA marines.
A mix of Terran and Vasudan commandoes stood at attention on the outside edge of the briefing room. Sean entered at a full run. "Sorry I'm late. I was busy." Chris couldn't help but smile. Admiral Loyde had most likely spent last night with his wife. Admiral Loyde walked briskly to the central podium. "This is... ehhh, the Shivan commander. Let's just say I can't pronounce her name. She claims to be a matriarch of the Shivan species, which was once very similar to our own. It's obviously been some time sense then. I'll let her speak."
A scratchy voice filled the briefing room's speakers. It was a voice synthesizer. "Greetings, brothers of Earth. The dark tide known as the destroyers have enslaved us for generations. They are older than the ancients you came to understand so well. They are also very much alive. For generations, we fought their wars. Until recently, we have been bound to their wills." The Shivan matriarch screeched. "The destruction of Capella, was our first act of defiance. Our first act of true freedom. We sacrificed millions so we could save trillions of you. We regret we could not tell you, only attack you until you retreated beyond the system."
Chris glanced down as his fists, clenched in what should've been anger, but all he felt was shame. Anya placed a gentle hand on his. She squeezed gently. Chris released his shame and opened his hands, clasping Anya's in his.
"You are currently above our once proud second homeworld. We defeated the destroyers initially, but the conflict's dire nature forced us to turn ourselves into what we are now. Little remains of our culture, little remains of us, we wish to finally be reunited with you. We through ourselves on your mercy." The Shivan matriarch lowered it's massive body to the floor. "We are your humble servants."
Admiral Sean Loyde walked to the matriarch. He kneeled down next to her. "You are not our servants." He extended a hand. The matriarch hissed and made a gurgling sound. She then reached to touch Sean's hand with one of her upper legs. They shook hand and foot.
The Shivan matriarch stood back up, roared loudly. Then spoke through the voice synthesizer again. "Then let us be allies. We shall make amends for everything we have done. Starting with the annihilation of the remaining destroyer ships."
Suddenly, a young deck officer came racing into the briefing room. "Sir! Sir!" He yelled.
"Shut up about the damn sir and tell me what's going on!" Sean snapped.
"Destroyer ships are heading right for us. Millions of them."
"Millions?"
"Yes sir. Admiral Yaleson is already contacted the GTVA security council, we're to pull out of the system. In twelve hours... they're going to shut down the subspace gate."
"Matriarch, marshal your fleet and get through the gate. Ensign, after escorting the matriarch to her ship, tell Kristine to get the fleet back through the gate. We'll make our final stand there."
Admiral Sean Loyde stood at the head of the briefing room, before him was every pilot under his command. He also knew he was being listened to by every other pilot and soldier in the fleet. He breathed deeply before speaking. "You all know what we found in this system. You all know what is coming. I know that each and everyone of you knows what has to be done. The destroyers cannot be permitted through the gate. Our objective will be to set up a killzone at the event horizon of the gate. Thirty-five Mjolnir remote heavy beam cannons will be stations around the fleet aiming at the event horizon of the gate. Each of them is surrounded by sentry guns. Laid across the gate are seventy-five million mines. You all know it won't be enough. The defensive fleet consists of two Sathanas Juggernauts, two Lucifer superdestroyers, the entire 6th fleet, the GVD Memphis and Vasuda, and eighty five 12 ship groups of fighters. Support will be provided by all available support ships. The Vasudan eighth fleet is soon to be reinforcing our position. With them is an Orion destroyer, packed with as many meson bombs as possible. This destroyer will slam into the killzone if we become overwhelmed by numbers."
"I can't ask any of you to do this, but at the same time I have to. You all swore an oath, so did I. The GTVSA needs us to finish this war. This war must end now, and we must be the ones to end it. You're all united by one thing right now, a common enemy. Their single blade has made us brothers and sisters in arms. Flight controllers and deck officers will give you your assignments, give them hell because I sooner die than let them through the gate. We must win through, no matter the cost!" Sean finished will a triumph yell. "VICTORY AND HONOR!"
The yell was duplicated throughout the fleet. The battle hadn't even begun, but the destroyers were going to get one hell of a fight.
Chris kneeled down in the center of his squadron. "Who would've thought. That one tiny squadron in a backwater system would come this far?"
"The odds were against us." Gordon said.
"We've all lost friends. It's time to make good on our promise to avenge them. What we do today, is for Alex... for Nicole... for Sihah... for David... and for the trillions already killed by this endless series of wars."
"We're the Swords." Amy stated. "Our job has never changed. We are going down in history. I'm proud to serve besides everyone of you. Even you Louis."
"Hey... I'm not that bad."
"What are you talking about, you are that bad!" Jack replied.
"You watch your six flyboy."
"It's not you I have to worry about."
"For once... no!"
The whole squadron laughed.
"I started my career an engineer on the Aquataine," said Sydney. "But know I realize why that wasn't right. I was meant to be here this day. We were meant to be here this day."
"Swords, to your fighters." The deck officer announced. "All Swords will fly Ares heavy assault fighters."
They all stood up to leave. Louis stood up and embraced Amy in fierce hug. "Good luck." He said to her. She pulled him closer and kissed him, before heading to her fighter.
Anya corned Chris right next to his fighter. She flung her arms around him. He kissed her in return. "Dying is not permitted." She said to him.
"Same goes for you. Once this is over, I've got something for you."
"What is it, no sense waiting."
He pulled her closer. Then he pulled a silver ring from his finger. "It's a family ring. Anya..."
She put her hand to his mouth. "Yes."
Nothing else mattered. He placed the ring onto her out stretched finger. He kissed her once last time, before climbing into his cockpit. She raced to hers. Chris buckled down his crashed webbing, fastened his helmet. He engaged his Ares' primary systems, then lifted off, his squadron close behind.
One thousand two hundred fighters poured from the fighter bays of the fleet. The single largest fleet engagement that the galaxy had every seen. The fighters all assembled around their respective command ships. Chris looked out his cockpit and into the bridge of the Fire Dawn. Hey could see Admiral Sean Loyde. Sean saluted Chris before turning around and walking deeper into the bridge.
Two Shivan Mara fighters stopped in front of Chris's fighter. "Commander." The lead fighter transmitted. "The matriarch sends us to complete you're twelve. We are the best of our species. May our blades prove equal to your's."
"Thanks guys." Chris replied. "You're now Swords Gamma 3 and 4."
"Nick," Louis added. "No one can say you discriminate. You're wingmates are Vasudans and Shivans.
"Kill the chatter." Sean stated loudly over the general channel. "All fighters will stand back unless called forward. First group of destroyer vessels will come across the event horizon in ten seconds... five seconds... four... three... two... one... here they come, all ships prepare to fire on my mark."
Subspace portals became to open, and destroyer ships began to pour through. The battle had begun.