Xinyun Cluster, Da Ling Er outer system, SSV Marathon, Commander Noah Beek, 0900 April 4th 2157:
I stare at the display sitting in the center of the Marathon's bridge, awed by the Relay show by it. An object that is older than any human civilization to even exist, yet more advanced than anything we have ever built and still in operation. It's these grand objects and the vast ruins spread across the stars that remind me of humanity's small place in the universe, and how far we could go.
"Captain, the Commodore has ordered us to raise our alert level, it's currently T-minus 5 minutes until Relay activation" the words of my XO, a man rather new to the position by the name of Steven Hacket, bring me back from my thoughts. The title Captain still feels odd to me, just a month ago I wasn't one, and less than a decade ago I wasn't even part of any military, just an explorer working to survey the Kuiper Belt for the UNAS's NASA. Now, I'm a Commander of the Systems Alliance, an organization I joined not too long ago, and Captain of the SSV Marathon, a wonderful Hastings class Frigate. 'Has it already been eight years, has time truly passed so quickly?' It feels like it was yesterday I signed up for the Alliance, wishing to see the galaxy opened up to humanity by the Mars Ruins.
I am violently pulled from my thoughts only moments before the Relay is meant to be activated by one of the Marathon's officers shouting "Unscheduled vessel leaving FTL, does not match any known design."
The Task Force is replaced with an image of an odd ship, with two wings and a sharp, almost avian silhouette. I can see what seem to be broadside guns along its port and starboard sides, alongside a pair of holes in its bow, 'a warship than'. "Report" I bark out, hoping none of my fear passed into my voice.
"Unknown spacecraft, 600 meters long, estimated 500,000 to 1,200,000 tons, readings say it is armed" the sensor officer says, unable to hide the concern I feared within my voice from hers.
"Sir, we've been ordered to move between the Task Force and the unknown alongside the rest of the Frigates" the words of the Marathon's communications officer breaks me of my near paralysis. The order is obeyed and the Marathon moves closer to the unknown Cruiser, prepared to intercept any munitions that the vessel could launch and strike at the ship if needed.
Only shortly after I see two lances of light reach out from the unknown vessel towards the task force's flagship, the Athans. "Report!" I shout.
"Weapons fire from the unknown sir, two mass accelerator rounds struck the Athans, shield barely held on the first, and the second broke through, minimal damage though" Marathon's sensor officer responds. Only moments later, the comm officer speaks out "Orders from the Commodore, we're to close with the unknown, reclassified as enemy, vessel and hit it with everything we got." The words come out of their mouth only moments before the image of the Athans strikes out against its attacker, two glowing lances of its own closing with the enemy Cruiser, only for one to be avoided while the other is blocked by the Cruiser's shield.
As the shock wears off, I give the only order I could reasonably give "close in and open fire".
Xinyun Cluster, Da Ling Er outer system, PFS Solana Hanus, Captain Third Class Sanos Partinax, 0900 April 4th 2157:
I look out onto the Solana Hanus's bridge, my crew working hard as we approach our destination in FTL.
"Five minutes until we reach Relay 313, sir" My third officer says. 'Good, then we can get back home and away from this assignment' patrolling the systems between Cyclops Delta and the newly discovered Relays isn't exactly the most interesting way to serve the Hierarchy, especially with Terminus raids not having yet lowered back to pre 2130s levels. 50 light years of near or lightly populated systems, half a year of searching for illegal prospectors or mining operations, almost no contact besides the monthly Courier Drone sent out to predesignated systems. 'At least it's almost over' once the Solana Hanus reaches Relay 313, it will go through back to where she started in Cyclops Delta, and be reassigned to a different patrol, 'hopefully one that isn't so spirit's damned dull'.
I'm pulled from my thoughts by the standard automated warning from a feminine, but lifeless, VI voice "Vessel leaving FTL in 10,9,8,7,6,5,4,3,2,1 leaving FTL".
I do not expect what comes next "Unknown contacts near Relay 314, 14 vessels,"
The report from the sensor officer leaves me shocked but I respond "Composition?"
The response is almost immediate "Nine craft of Cruiser or scale, another Six of Frigate scale. Four of the Frigate scale vessels are moving between us and the unknown Flotilla and closing. Whether they are of military make or civilian is unknown. None of the ships match any classes in the war book, but the algorithm says four are Frigates and one to six are Cruisers".
'A war book that has always been incomplete' at this point, it is an accepted truth within the Hierarchy Navy that, despite Naval Intelligence's best efforts, the Navy's war book is lacking in data on a large number of civilian and military designs. One off vessels (both uniquely built and heavily modified), obscure classes, even an entire Dreadnought once ('boy was that fuck up one for the history books'), the war book simply lacks information on lots of ships in the galaxy, so while not having a single identifiable ship in a formation of such size is odd, it is not impossible. "Arm weapons and kinetic barriers, why the Cruiser confusion?" What is of greater concern is how an unknown Flotilla managed to get here without the patrol knowing, especially with that much firepower. 'Are they Terminus raiders?' The idea is not without merit, my mind brings up an event only a week ago where a raider destroyed a Freighter in Goliath Delta. 'Perhaps the Terminus presence in the area is greater than the Navy thinks?'
"Five of the vessels have designs in line with Cruisers instead of any type of civilian transport, but appear to be lightly armed for their size." The ship's sensor officer says.
'Perhaps armed Transports, to carry troops, supplies, and any loot they take? But why are they here of all places?' A disturbing thought crosses my mind "Relay 314 is a Primary Relay, right? What direction does it go toward?"
The sensor officer begins to type at her station, bringing up the information I wished for " Coreward and anti-spinward." They hesitate for a second "The projected path goes deep into the Terminus Systems."
I released a hesitant breath 'So they came through the Relay. They might have been using it for months, or even years to strike into Citadel Space, damn bastards' I look up to the projection in front of me on the bridge, seeing that four of the unknown, no, Terminus Frigates have moved between us and the Flotilla. "Redesegnate five tentative Cruisers as armed Transports and give me estimated combat power." My words carry steel within them.
"Cruiser spears to be slightly smaller than us, and its engines appear to be oversized and unsophisticated, same with the rest of the ships, perhaps they're from a minor race in the Terminus Systems, it would explain why we don't have any of the ships in the war book." The sensor officer did not mention the Frigates, as was expected 'The mass of all four combined probably would be less than the Hanus's fuel tanks, they are no threat. And if the ship's are low tech, than we might be able to win this, not like we have a choice' If the Flotilla belongs to a Terminus group, than they will not let a Hierarchy Cruiser that has seen both them and their path into Citadel Space leave in one piece, and the Hanus can't escape at this range before they could open fire, so they must fight.
"Designate vessels as hostile and open fire with the main guns on the Cruiser" The order is dutifully obeyed and two lances of light leave the projected image of the PFS Solana Hanus, each hitting their mark only seconds later.
"Two hits, one shield penetration, grazed their ventral port. Enemy Frigates are closing in." Just as the sensor officer claimed, the four small Frigates began to close the range between them and the Hanus, each firing their small, pitiful cannons as fast as they could. At the same time, the wounded Cruiser launched its own attack, a pair of projectiles moving towards the Hanus, one missing in its entirety, but the other hitting her near the prow. "We're hit, no penetration, shields holding strong." But only moments later the same officer shouts "Contacts, enemy Cruiser and armed Transports are launching Fighter and munitions. 24, 48, 72 and rising of the former and 16 of the latter"
'Why have so many Fighters' Confusion fills me on why any combat formation would have so many of the near useless craft 'perhaps they're outfitted for planetary assault and are deploying the Fighters out of desperation? Anyways, without any Frigate or Destroyer escort, those munitions may be a problem.' "Launch Fighters" on my command, the Hanus's 15 Fang class Fighters launch from between its armor and hull, preparing to intercept the incoming missiles.
"Nine enemy contacts have left through Relay 313. Relay reoriented to unknown coordinates." Hanus's sensor officer says. 'So they have a base beyond the Relay in an unknown Cluster. That will be a problem later on. But right now, the fight at hand takes precedence.' I look to the projection, seeing that indeed the armed Transports and civilian craft had left the system.
My gaze turns toward the projections of the Frigates, and see they are closing in on 500 kilometers from the Hanus "Once they reach 500 kilometer from us, open fire on them with the broadside guns" 'Any farther and all the shots would miss, wasting ammo and, more importantly, heat.' A few moments later, the Hanus's broadside guns begin to fire, round after round flying off to meet their target. Few hit at this range, but enough reach their targets to whittle down the Frigates' shields. I believe I feel each round reverberating through the ship, reaching me, but I know it is only an illusion made by my own mind.
The shield on one of the Frigates fails, letting several rounds strike the ship's bare hull. The vessel falls behind its brethren, before lighting up in an antimatter fueled explosion. Not long after, another round penetrates the shield of the enemy Cruiser, ripping a deep gash into the dorsal port of the ship. Only a few seconds later, two more rounds hit the Cruiser, damaging it greatly.
Things cannot go my way forever, and the first major threat to reach the Hanus is the Frigates. While another of the small craft was taken down by the guns of the Hanus, the two remaining vessels have reached within a few dozen kilometers of my ship, and are soon to pass it. "Vampire! Vampire! Vampire! Eight contacts from enemy Frigates closing in." Without me having to say a word, the automated point defense lasers begin to lance out at the missiles, taking down a number of them, yet three manage to make it through. I think little of this until they detonate, actually shaking the bridge and causing it to fill with chaos. "Enemy missiles emitted some form of mass effect field, Our shields are down and there is surface damage across half the outer hull." 'The spirits were those things!?' Only then do I remember about the missiles and Fighters coming this way, most likely filled with similarly deadly payloads "Turn all broadside guns to point defense, maximum power to Guardian Lasers, redirect power from the main guns if you have to!" I shout at the top of my lungs, hoping it is not too late.
Xinyun Cluster, Da Ling Er outer system, SSV Marathon, Commander Noah Beek, 0910 April 4th 2157:
A vicious grin comes to my face as I gaze upon the handiwork of the Marathon and Salamis. 'It may have cost the Cannae and Yamen, but it was worth it to show whatever these things are can bleed.' And that proof was desperately needed, as the state of the Athans seemed to prove otherwise. The Cruiser, most powerful in humanity's arsenal and other a few years old, is on its last leg; the final shot from the unknown Cruiser having ripped through one of the main guns and half a dozen other systems, leaving the ship half functional at best. 'Even if we win, the Athans is in for months of repair time at best, scrapping at worst.' The if part of that thought seems to fade from my mind as waves of Alliance Fighters close in on the 15 unknown craft, just finished with taking out the missiles launched earlier.
While the Exploration Cruisers left the system early in the battle, the possibility of losing such expensive, and costly, vessels outweighing the limited firepower they would bring, they did not escape without leaving a helping hand for their defenders, their entire Fighter compliments. Over 200 F-50 Trident Fighters move towards less than a tenth that number of opposing Fighters like a massive pack of wolves closing in on a herd of sheep. They barely last a few moments, none of the Tridents even slowing down to engage them, simply striking out with their mass accelerators as they pass, destroying the formation to the Fighter.
Before the Fighters can make it to their true target, the Marathon and Salamis have already turned over and have begun firing their main guns into the Cruiser, each round that hits striking true on the hull, a far cry from hopelessly crashing into the vessel's shield like they were mere moments ago.
As the first wave of Fighters reach near point blank range with the Cruiser, they release their payload. From each Trident 6 small torpedoes are ripple fired, the combined number reaching dozens and then hundreds and then over a thousand in mere moments. The point defenses of the Cruiser fire at the munitions like a wounded beast striking at its hunters, but it proves to be not enough. The torpedoes explode upon the hull of the Cruiser, mass effect fields ripping it to pieces in the blink of an eye. The fields do not reach farther than the outer layers of the ship like the larger missiles launched by the Frigates and Cruisers could have, but the hundreds of impacts devastate the vessel all the same.
After the final torpedo detenates, and the FIghters begin their deceleration burns like the Frigates, the Cruiser is unrecognizable, a lump of twisted and warped materials sitting in the void, barely in one piece and certainly not combat effective.
My awe at the grand sight is interrupted by the Marathon's comm officer "Sir, the Athans reports that its bridge crew is dead and the Salamis says their Commander is too, you're the highest ranking officer in the system now and both ships are requesting orders."
'…Well shit.'