The bow of the ship cut through space like a knife, the black sea of stars overtaken by the endless asteroid field around them.
Inside the ship's navigating bridge... illuminated by a purplish, blue glow, and surrounded by half a dozen crewmen... the navigation console projected a map of the local area.
"The Ropesk sector, eh? No wonder we've hardly seen a ship worth mentioning!"
"Yes, well, it is an Autonomous Dominion in a remote frontier sir." The other answered. "Do you really think he's here though, in a place like this?"
The Captain smiled, arms folded over his chest, watching the flow of information on the screen beside him.
"Oh he's here all right."
"Really?"
"I can smell him."
The white, blue light shone upon her face, and he watched the smile spread, rows of white teeth sparkling despite the light. Her vibrant red hair hung around her shoulders, side-swept fringe framing her soft round face and wide cheekbones. Her brown pants and long sleeve, dark red and black top accentuated her body.
While people feared the name Valantin the Pirate, the name of Aloiza the Gladiator sent them running for cover. With looks that could kill and a personality like fire, Aloiza was a woman who controlled any situation she was in.
And it showed. For not just anybody could be Valantin's first mate.
"Heh. If you say so Captain."
The words had barely left her lips before the alarm sounded overhead, echoing throughout the ship. Throwing his First Mate a questioning glance, he watched as she consulted with the operator beside her.
"An enemy?" Aloiza asked, confusion written across her face.
"Well, well. I'm surprised that anyone in this sector would pluck up the courage to challenge me." Valantin said aloud, Aloiza thinking along similar lines.
"It doesn't look like Ropesk Security?"
"It appears to be an Anti-Pirate Patrol from the Central Elgavan Forces." An Operator called out, interrupting their conversation. "What do you want to do Captain?"
He stepped away suddenly, following his First Mate as they entered the bridge.
"Those fools..." He said, looking up through the viewport. "They forget their place."
"The enemy is getting ready to fire sir."
"Crush them!" He told her, calling out from the captain's dais in the middle of the room. He watched her face light up with an excited smile as she turned to the bridge crew, calling out orders.
The ship shook as the enemy released one volley, then another. They might as well have been throwing rocks, the CORSAIR could take a real beating; and he should know, he'd built her after all.
Aloiza stood in the middle of the bridge, operators calling out to her as she almost bounced around with excitement.
"Prepare to bombard the enemy ship." She called out. "Fire!"
He watched as one of the ships exploded in a ball of fire and light, scattering debris amongst the rocks.
"All guns stand by, we'll reduce their whole fleet to ash."
"Roger." The Fire Control Coordinator answered. "Disabling artillery energy limiters. Weapon systems charging to full power, 35, 69, 88, mark. Targeting systems locked, barrage firing in three, two, one..."
He could practically hear her squeal in delight as the other four ships exploded in similar fashion, like dominoes to the wind. He could bet everything he owned that the Ropesk Sector hadn't seen a light show like the one just now.
"That's the end of them."
"Bah. That barely even broke up my boredom." Valantin said, annoyed. Turning to Aloiza, he continued speaking. "Think I'll lie low for a while. It shouldn't be long before we get a hit"
"Aye Captain!"
Aloiza, hands on her hips, turned to the bridge crew and began shouting orders again.
"Shutting down the inflation inverter. Switching to inertial navigation in thirty seconds."
As the crew continued their shutdown routines, he turned to step off the captain's dais, watching as Aloiza walked off the bridge, brushing past him as she headed for the door... he a step behind.
And as the CORSAIR switched to inertial navigation, the ship continued ever deeper into the maze of rocks that lay just beyond the milesk sector, unaware of the engagement currently taking place along one of the dominion's main starlanes…
"Unidentified vessel, stop right there! This is Ropesk territory, no one is allowed passage without express permission! Halt or we will open fire!"
The three Ropesk security ships chased the intruder down one of Ropesk's major starlanes, hot on the heels of the mysterious ship that continued on its current course.
"We repeat! Halt immediately or we will open fire."
The ship's pilot, a silver haired woman, threw the DAISY into a series of dodges and weaves as laserfire peppered the space around her.
"Seems to me you already opened fire!" She barked. "Nobody likes a guy who's too eager to pull the trigger, you know what I mean?"
Her words echoed as the ship shook; head bobbing around in her seat. "What the...?"
The attacks continued, spraying laserfire across the hull as she threw it into a spin.
"Damn you! So you want to die that bad do you?" She called, tightening her grip on the controls. "Fine then, have it your way. I'll gladly knock you into Grus. Turn the DAISY around! Switch to AS mode!"
The ship's computer called back to her in a steady monotone voice. "Anti-Ship mode: Roger. Halting I3 warp engines. Switching over to battle engines."
It wasn't even a contest. After two hits to the enemy's bow, the ship broke in two, light erupting in multiple locations across the exterior.
"Phew. Looks like what they need now is a scrap collector."
She had only taken her eyes off the screen but a second, before two more security ship's arrived, one managing to squeeze off a lucky shot that rocked the DAISY.
"Grus!"
The controls stopped responding, and the electrical systems seized up for a few seconds before the ship spiralled out of control and towards the planet below.
"Agh! This is not good."