Two 304s flew out of their hyperspace windows followed by ten 305s. They each moved away with their escorts of three 305s. They hovered in place, awaiting the enemy. Two hyperspace windows opened and hurricanes of fire burst from the hive ships. People on the bridge of the Ruyter were calm and ready for the onslaught.
"Launch fighters and two missiles at each hive before they can release fighters." The colonel in charge ordered. "Only fire the APBWs at the hives. Target the dart bays with rail and coil guns." He turned to the comm. Officer. "Make sure the Olifantstromp does the same.
"The unknown ship has been confirmed as anti-fighter support sir." The helmsman said. "They are concentrating on the Hangar bays of the Olifantstromp."
A line of blue flashed into a hive's left side and then again into its right. Four hives exploded as missiles ruptured with their hulls. A 305 fired an APBW into the heart of a cruiser and it split into four pieces. Two missiles streaked towards a hive and incinerated the bridge and front section. Two beams flew up from the ground and struck the underside of two hives.
"Any losses?" The colonel asked his helmsman.
"One 305 is critically damaged and leaving the fight. No other major losses." He replied. "It looks like another force is headed out from a wraith planet though."
"We still have two... scratch that... one hive and nearly twenty cruisers flying around out there." The colonel said. "Get your head in the game."
"Yes sir."
"Battle lookout on screen." The colonel ordered. Two orbs, the planet and moon, were shown in six different screens. Around them flew nearly twenty red dots and about ten blue. A red dot flashed out as a blue dot flew near it. "It's too easy."
"The larger force is stopping at the edge of the system."
"Show me system wide battle lookout." The colonel ordered. The screen pulled out and showed five planets around a large orb. There was a small group of red dots lurking near the furthest planet from the sun. "Show me an inter system battle lookout." The screen pulled out once again to show ten orbs around a red and blue on in the middle. Three of these were red and the others were blue or gray. A red dot was incoming from each of the red planets every minute or so. "My god, send this information to Woolsey and Sheppard."
"This is alarming, three planets so close." Woolsey said. "How was I not informed?"
"The computer configured that these planets were wraith only when we looked it up." He sniggered from his seat in the Ruyter. "I guess your sensor drone network lies."
Woolsey stood up with outrage. "The sensor network does not lie!" He calmed himself and sat down. "the probe was probably destroyed on entering the system."
"Send out task forces to each planet and make a perimeter of this complex." Sheppard said. "It will make the wraith's job to attack a lot harder. And we can call in reinforcements from surrounding planets."
"Call back all 305s in the Pegasus galaxy to patrol this system." Woolsey said. "The 304s can make the perimeter."
"Sir, the force of wraith on the edge of the system isn't getting any smaller. Permission to attack it?"
"Not granted until two 304s reach here."
"Sir! They're moving in!" The helmsman shouted from off screen.
"Well, I don't have to wait do I?" He turned the screen off.
"Get the missiles launched and release fighters. We have to hold them off for two hours. It'll be the longest two hours of your lives ladies and gents."
"Yes sir."
