It had been a week since Mags had been released from service and it had been a busy one she went back home to Petit and after taking over as the CEO for her mom's company Valhalla and in a calculated move used a substantial amount of money influence and favors to both naval and intelligence to buy the abandoned Syndicate escorts from Varandal under the guise of opening a new company named Loki that provided Alliance fleet Vets a chance to put their training and their entire lives to meaning again by keeping tabs on the syndicate to ensure they didn't attack the alliance again and to make a little money.
When the ships arrived Mags looked over their readouts fourteen ships three Heavy cruisers five light cruisers and six of their Dest….HuKs all of them in fleet readiness the damage had been repaired their fuel cells filled from the wreaks not only in Varandal but also Atalia a freighter loaded with extra munitions, fuel, and parts scavenged would be arriving in a few days.
As for crew they had started arriving hours after the hiring ads went out every flag rank imaginable showed up from Fleet Captains to fleet Admirals who had been released from service the ones who remained understood the new ranking that would be used and none of them were to happy but the ones who saw that as a deal breaker were already gone Admirals were now bridge officers Rear Admirals were now section leaders and fleet Captains were now enlisted and senior enlisted including dozens of serving intelligence officers and actors who would be playing the role of Sub CEOs and CEOs should they have to communicate with syndicate worlds officers or officials. Also with the closing of so many training academies hundreds of students arrived their training cut short.
For almost a week the fully crewed former syndicate ships sailed around going through a new training to stay together running simulations allowing their new users a chance to get used to their jobs again. Each Heavy cruiser had a pair of syndicate shuttles salvaged from wrecks installed on their underside under some fake armor camouflage. A pair of Valhalla company freighters was dressed up to look syndicate one was loaded with salvaged tools, parts, weapons, and fuel. Where the other was turned into an Auxiliary for fleet repairs they couldn't handle resupply yet the code in the syndicate reactors would only read syndicate built power cells they didn't know why yet same for the weapons.
Mags was paying attention to the news and when word reached her the first fleet had been deployed to investigate the enigmas. Mags decided this is the best opportunity to go and see what's what
"Loki-1 its time to go and have a peek we are ready they won't be form up on LHC-1 in formation 1 and accelerate .1 light for the Varandal jump point" the ships of Loki formed up into a three pointed triangle each point formed by a Heavy on either side was a light cruiser and a HuK and in the center was the oddball light cruiser and two HuKs providing close escort for the pair of freighters.
A rather boring four hour trip to the jump point was filled with simulations and drills two days in Jump space when they arrived in Varandal they saw the fleet was indeed gone the only warships here were a couple of Destroyers their IFF broadcasting Varandal defense force IDs Mags in a slightly altered Fleet Captain uniform stood and signaled to the communications officer former Fleet Admiral Jones now a Senior Lieutenant to open a channel
"This is Admiral and CEO of Loki's first task force Maggie Jonson we are on our way into syndicate space please contact Admiral Timbale he can testify that my intentions are honorable to the Alliance. To the Honor of our Ancestors, Jonson out"
To Jones she ordered .1 light to the jump point for Atalia to witch he nodded and they continued on. About three hours later they saw a red shift on the six destroyers and lone light cruiser in the system not in dry-dock followed by a reply
A young woman wearing the stars of an Alliance commander appeared "this is Commander Susan white in command of Varandal defense force light cruiser Gale you are trespassing in Varandal space and hereby ordered to hold your position."
thirty minutes inched by until a new alert as sensors detected a blue shift as the ships returned to their original position as another message came in. the same woman appeared "This is Commander Susan white on the Gale you may continue on your busness