Communications officer Li’s face darkened as he listened to his headset. He pulled off one of the earpieces and turned to the Captain, “Sir, I am getting a distress call over the QE-COM relay. It’s a Broda refugee ship.”

Captain Connolly started to turn toward him with a smile on his face and said, “If this is another one of your jokes it’s…”

He froze as he saw the seriousness on the com officer’s face. He couldn’t believe it.

He asked, “You’re serious? Way out here?”

Li nodded his head once and said, “I verified it Sir, they are within jump range. It’s the Super Heavy Transport, “Sweet Meadows,” carrying medical evacuees from Noom Seven. The ground pounders got there in time to stop a full blown Popper genocide but there were still a lot of injured.”

Connolly raised a hand to silence Li and said, “Yeah I read the reports too. What in the ninth circle of hell is it doing all the way out here though? Have you got the QE-COM working well enough to talk to them?”

Li nodded and as he walked back to his station said, “I think so. I just got the final components synchronized to the power systems about an hour ago. It’s rough but it seems to be holding.”

Connolly began strapping into the command harness as he jabbed a finger at one of the panels.

The vacuum suit conformed to his body as he said into the intercom, “All command staff and heads of department report immediately to the bridge. I need you here two minutes ago.”

The sound of running boots on deck plating echoed through the ship. Within a minute all senior officers and heads of departments were standing at attention on the bridge catching their breath.

First officer Alenkov was among the last to arrive, covered in some sort of oily orange liquid. She had been in engineering helping tweak the power systems again it seems.

Captain Connolly nodded to them all then turned to Li and asked, “You have that connection yet?”

Li looked up at the screen and said, “It looks terrible but the audio is solid. Connecting you now Sir.”

The viewscreen resolved into a fading, distortion riddled image of a Broda on a large open bridge.

In crisp military fashion Connolly addressed them, “Broda Transport Sweet Meadows, this is the Space Corps Corvette CX-01. What is your emergency?”

While it was hard to tell from the viewscreen, the audio clearly indicated the Broda was shocked by their communication.

The giant in the command chair said, “This is Captain A’noo of the Sweet Meadows. We were unaware our Human friends had already deployed space combat vessels.”

Connolly nodded his head and explained, “We haven’t. This ship is one of three prototypes designed to test the integration and effectiveness of recently militarized systems. She’s a far cry from what we expect from the production models later. Despite the experimental nature of our mission we are here and willing to render whatever assistance we can. Please explain your situation.”

The Broda began, “We are carrying medical evacuees from Noom Seven. We were attacked by Krador ships during the escape and lost multiple engines. We were fortunately able to jump away before they completely crippled us.”

The Broda shifted in his seat uneasily and continued, “We thought we had escaped them but we were wrong. Roughly two of your hours after our jump, a Krador Hiveship followed into our space. We had made a random jump and they found us. We escaped by using auxiliary power and made an emergency jump. On the advice of our Human protectors on board we immediately started charging the FTL drive again. After approximately two more hours they found us once more.

On the Bridge of the Sweet Meadows one of the doors slide open. A squad of five Space Corps Marines entered. One walked up to stand beside A’noo. Connelly could just make out through the static that the new arrival stopped and requested permission to join the conversation. A’noo readily agreed and the human turned toward the screen.

He stood at attention and saluted. With a mild African accent he reported, “I am Lieutenant Akintola, Sir. I would like to inform you that the Krador have apparently altered their tactics. They have learned that our ships now carry Marines as guardians. To avoid direct confrontation, the Poppers have resorted to destroying ships completely and scavenging the wreckage for food. Also, we have witnessed on Noom Seven a new Krador unit. It is much smaller than the previously encountered vessels. They seem to be launched only by Hiveships and attack in swarms.”

Lieutenant Akintola dropped his hand from the salute and stepped back.

A’noo spoke next, “We have approximately nine thousand eight hundred Broda on board Captain. Can you help us?”

Connelly stared gravely into the viewscreen and said, “I certainly hope so, Captain. Stand by please.”

He made a motion to Li and the screen was set to private. He then turned toward the assembled senior staff and said, “I know you have all been working to ready the tests for the heavy laser and point defense systems per our orders. What is the status on those systems and do we have any other capabilities at our disposal?”

Chief Engineer Myers spoke up first, “Well Sir, we have FTL sorted out and the hull is structurally sound and armored. As you know, those are both made by the Broda so they started out fully integrated and operational. The Maneuvering thrusters are a little sticky on the port thruster array, but the starboard seems to be working well enough. “

Tactical Systems officer Kerner spoke up next, “Our primary weapons are for the most part ready. They are limited as you anticipated to heavy lasers and point defense weaponry. I am concerned with the heat dissipation in the case of prolonged use. We were scheduled to do full power tests later today so there is no real way to be sure how they will function in combat. The diagnostics have been coming up green with the low power tests so I am hopeful they will function adequately.”

The Captain looked down in thought and asked, “What about the defensive energy shielding and the FTL torpedoes?”

Myers spoke up, “They’re no good Captain. The Brass ran the calculations and expected we wouldn’t have the power to run either of those in addition to the lasers. They were right. The CX-02 has been tinkering with the shielding for the past month with little success and the CX-03 was supposed to be testing the FTL torpedoes next week.”

Looking at Kerner again Connelly asked, “Did you get that Cheech splitter figured out yet?”

Kerner shook her head, “Yes and no. The device itself is working well, but the energy requirements to place it are still too high for practical use. When I ran the tests I found that between the draw for the laser and the FTL micro-jump it accounts for more than we could actually store in the capacitor banks. It is very promising, but that tech will have to wait for something bigger and more powerful than the CX class.”

The Captain’s eyes wandered to the ceiling plating and then across his crew. He blew some air out and it puffed his cheeks up a little.

He then asked the question that everyone was waiting for, “So, can we do it?”

There was an uneasy silence. First Officer Alenkov finally spoke up with her thick Russian accent and said “We haff to try. Ten thousand Broda are depending on us. Is what we sign up for, no?”

Looking around, the Captain saw everyone nodding in solemn agreement. He was worried he would have to order them. He considered the people who he had worked side by side with over the past two months of 14 hour days. He wondered how many would make it through what they were about to do.

Connelly nodded to the collected officers and turned to face the view screen.

Glancing at his com officer he said, “Ok Li, contact the Sweet Meadows and get us some jump coordinates. After that, QE-COM base and given them a full report. We need to let them know what’s happening. If we don’t make it, Command needs to know what happened out here. The rest of you, get back to your stations and break out the vac-suits.”

The rendezvous with the Sweet Meadows was thankfully routine. In a flash of FTL, they got to within one light second of the massive freighter. A second micro-jump put them right next to her.

Commander Alenkov patted Navigation Officer Perrin on the shoulder and quietly said, “Nice shot.”

The Sweet Meadows had been through a battle zone and fully looked the part. Krador spikes jutted out of the hull at odd angles and large sections of plating had been torn away. For something so huge, it looked remarkably fragile hanging in the void.

If everything kept with the pattern, they had about forty minutes before the hive ship arrived. With some luck the Broda ship would be able to jump out and leave the fight before the spikes started flying. They had just enough time to find and remove the tracking device and implement tactical officer Kerner’s backup plan.

In their EVA’s, they found the tracking device inside one of the spikes embedded in the hull. Unfortunately there was no time to study it. They cut it from the hull and left it drifting in space after disabling it.

When the EVA’s were complete and the crews were back on the ship, it was time to prepare the CX-01 for combat. Everyone got into their vac-suits and checked one another. When the last sections called the all clear the atmosphere in the ship was evacuated.

An eerie quiet permeated the vessel as the last of the air was pumped out. It was the calm before the storm. Some listened to their own breath, some flipped through pictures of family on their HUD’s, some talked quietly to themselves, and some mouthed silent prayers. Everyone was preparing to face death in their own way.

After what seemed like an eternity a voice came over the com, “Contact, Krador Hive Ship bearing 197 by 343. Oh god, they’re right on top of the transport!”

The Hiveship, either by luck or some unknown hyper-accurate jump technology, had exited FTL a mere 1,000 Meters from the Broda transport. The CX-01 was on one side, and the Hiveship on the other.

Captain Connelly immediately sprang into action issuing orders:

“Nav, flank speed. Get us around the Broda so tactical has a clear shot.”

“Com, open a channel to the transport and tell them to get the hell out of here!”

“Tactical, when we come around, I want you to hit them with the Heavy Laser center mass as many times as you can.”

“Engineering, I need you to give Tactical as much power as possible for the Heavy Lasers. We may be able to end this before they launch fighters.”

“Sensors, I want you to put up an analysis of that ship for me. I want to know how badly we hurt it and where those fighter bays are.”

The CX-01 blazed around from behind the Super Heavy Transport and unleashed a furious series of beams from the Heavy Laser battery. The hull of the Krador ship began to glow, then areas of the hull buckled and exploded as the underlying areas decompressed. Chitin and Krador bodies were ejected into space.

After the volley, Kerner’s voice broke into the com, “Captain, we must cease fire. The heavy battery is getting too hot, we need to let it cool or we are going to lose it.”

Connelly’s voice came back calm and collected, “Understood. Cease fire and prepare point defense lasers. Sensors do you have that readout yet?”

Sensor officer Matsouka’s voice came over the com, “It looks like…minimal damage Captain. Surface layers only. We didn’t get deep enough to hit anything critical.”

There was a momentary lull as the Broda ship noiselessly slipped away. The Hiveship sat motionless amidst the slowly expanding cloud of debris from the laser barrage. It was as if it was collecting its thoughts with this new addition to the conflict.

“Sir,” Matsouka’s voice broke in again, “We have movement inside the enemy ship.”

The Captain saw it on his panel. Hundreds of red indicators each representing a Krador fighter was powering up inside. Looking at the readout he asked, “How are we doing on the heavy laser bank Kerner?”

Her voice was crisp, and the stress was causing more than a hint of her German accent to show itself, “Still in zeh red, I would not recommend using it yet!”

“Dammit” he muttered to himself, letting his cool commander façade crack slightly. “How are the Broda?”

His display shifted to a holo showing the relative positions of the ships in a three dimensional space as Matsouka responded, “They are accelerating away at 1.5 G Captain. They report FTL jump capability in 251 seconds.”

Regaining his composure, Connolly looked at the display and said, “We need to keep them distracted long enough for the Broda to get away. Mr. Perrin, Set speed to three quarters bearing 197 by 343. Go straight at them please. When we get in range of the enemy, engage evasive maneuvers. Officer Kerner, when we get in range of the point defense arrays I want you to fire everything we have, understood?

Both voices came back in unison, “Yes Sir.”

Looking at the screen he saw the swarm ships emerge. What looked like two tentacles made of fighter craft flooded out of the Krador Hiveship and began reaching across the void toward them.

They met the disgorged fighters about 300 meters from the Hiveship and all hell broke loose.

Just before their own weapons got in range, the wave of Krador fighters erupted with glowing green projectiles. They impacted the armor of the CX-01 in waves. The Captain saw from the displays they were not pure energy but some sort of plasma-chemical reaction. They stuck to the hull and burned off small amounts before dissipating. A few hits would not do much to the ship, but the thousands that were being fired at them would.

The CX-01 rolled and bucked in evasive maneuvers. Everyone strained in their harnesses as the G-forces shifted under the influence of their desperate attempt to stay alive.

After a few tense seconds of this they were coming into range for their response. Trying to steady her arms against the inertia from the combat maneuvers, Kerner reached toward her console and said through gritted teeth, “Engaging automatic point defense systems now.”

From outside in the perfect silence of airless space the battered CX-01, glowing from the multitude of fading green spots on its hull, erupted into a silent symphony of destruction. Invisible Lasers blossomed from the point defense arrays. A single point of white hot light would show up on an enemy ship then immediately burn a hole straight through.

Waves of explosions rippled through the Krador ships wherever the human corvette went. In response, the Krador maintained their constant onslaught of hungry green projectiles.

The hull alarms started to show areas of buckling armor. The Captain’s 3-dimensional image of the ship showed bright red flashing overlays on critically damaged sections of armor.

He flicked on to the ship wide channel and said, “This is the Captain, all personnel within three levels of the outer hull are to immediately relocate deeper into the ship. We are about to have multiple hull breaches.”

His screen lit up with solid red overlays indicating additional critical system damage as Kerner’s voice broke in, “They took out the power relay for the port and aft point defense arrays.”

Straining against his harness during a particularly high-G move he forced out, “Status on the Broda?”

This time it was Alenkov that responded, “One minute seven seconds!” she said, stress clear in her voice.

There was a hull breach in the aft engine compartment and Meyer said over the com, “Captain, the coolant system took a major hit down here. I have to power down the system to avoid a meltdown.” With that, the primary engines completely lost power. They were on auxiliary thrusters now.

Immediately the strain of the harnesses relaxed as the ship stopped its wild acrobatics. For as taxing as it was physically, he immediately began missing the feeling of being thrown in three directions every ten seconds.

His instruments notified him of a power buildup in the FTL drive of the transport. It looked like it worked. They were going to get away.

“Well, at least it was a noble death,” he thought to himself.

Just then everything stopped. The cloud of ships swirling around them dissipated.

Apparently the Krador noticed the power buildup too.

The Hiveship and its swarm broke off in a high acceleration pursuit of the transport ship. Connelly tapped a few calculations into his console and realized they wouldn’t have enough time to make the jump. At the rate the fighers wer closing with the transport, they would have time to knock out the engines. Once the Krador disables them, they could come back to finish off his crew at their leisure.

The Hiveship was firing spikes now. There were dozens of the big ones being launched. They were full of Krador soldiers. If enough of them hit the Broda transport the marines on board may not be able to fight them off.

The swarm was approaching the Sweet Meadows now. He looked over at his displays and said, “Kerner, it’s time. Take the shot. It’s their last chance so drain the capacitor.”

She looked back over her shoulder at him solemnly and nodded.

“Perrin, line me up,” she said, while keying her controls.

The front of the battered and broken corvette turned toward the Krador and their fleeing prey. Kerner keyed the commands into the controls. She checked her calculations. She checked them again, then exhaling a long breath lightly tapped the consol.

The shot missed the Krador Hiveship completely.

It didn’t hit any of the fighters in the swarm.

Kerner had aimed at the Broda transport.

Specifically, she targeted the Cheech beam splitter they had placed on the hull.

Kerner hit the bull’s eye at 217 Kilometers.

Hundreds of individually targeted shards of the Heavy Laser blast reflected back out of the splitter. The crew all saw the remains of the swarm cloud explode. Twenty seconds later the Broda transport vanished with a flash of pale blue. The spikes that had been launched from the Hiveship sailed through the now empty space and continued on into the deep abyss.

Then everything went black. The capacitor had been fully drained.

It took about 30 seconds to regain enough power to get the systems rebooted. The drive core was damaged and everything was sluggish. When the screens turned back on nobody liked what they saw.

The Hiveship had turned around and was coming back.

The sensors started coming to life. First visual, then heat, and the others followed soon after. Tracking systems came up and indicated a group of spikes headed toward them. Not the large kind that had soldiers on them, but the small kind used to simply destroy.

Maneuvering would power up far too late to make any attempt to move out of the way of the projectiles. They were as good as dead.

It was in the moment of this realization for the Captain that Matsouka’s voice broke the silence, “Uh, Captain? I am reading a new contact. Unless my sensors are going crazy it’s about to pull into view.

All eyes were on the viewscreen as the CX-02 rose up and interposed itself between the CX-01 and the incoming volley of projectiles. With some minor flickering and fluctuations it had a mostly steady cocoon of glowing energy surrounding it.

A lively female voice with a British accent chirped over the com, “Jack Connolly, who said you get to come out here and have all the fun?”

The Captain could barely believe it, “Lucy, you little minx. I am never going to live this one down, am I?”

The voice came over the com again, with more than a little hint of mischief, “Not on your life flyboy.”

Her tone got more serious and she said, “We have the shield mostly sorted but it’s not perfect. We may still be in for some chop. Brace yourselves in case any get past us.”

The cloud of spines flew past them at cruel speeds. The shield held for the most part, but one got through when the shield flickered. It left a deep gouge in the angled armor of the CX-02. Looking over his displays, it was clear there was no serious damage. The rest of the spines were deflected harmlessly away.

Captain Connolly keyed on the com and asked, “Lucy, we’re pretty banged up over here. Did you get any of the offensive systems operational on your bird?”

She responded, “No, but I did speak to Monty. He should be showing up any…Oh, there he is.”

A pale blue flash of light sparkled for a moment in the sky off to his subjective left of the Hiveship.

Over the com, a new deep voice with an Australian accent burst in, G’day ladies and gents’, I understand someone called for an exterminator?”

A long metal tube dropped out of a bay on the belly of the CX-03. It trailed a wire behind it that tethered it back to the ship. It was an FTL Torpedo. There was what looked like a bolt of lightning that momentarily connected the ship and the projectile and in a pale blue FTL flash the torpedo was gone.

At that exact moment, the Krador Hiveship shattered in a blast of brilliant white light.

It was over.

After a moment of silently taking in the sight with the bridge crew, Connelly turned to his first officer and said, “Have all departments report in. I want a casualty report as soon as possible.”

A few minutes passed as damage and casualty reports filtered up to the bridge. Everything took on a sedated kind of activity as the reality that they survived slowly worked its way into their minds. People slouched a little in their harnesses as their core muscles complained at their recent abuse by high-G maneuvers.

“Captain,” Li said, “I have Captain A’noo on QE-COM.”

Looking up he said, “Put him on screen.”

The distorted image of A’noo resolved on the screen, “Captain, I have patched this communication feed through to all the screens on our ship. We wish to all express to you that there are no words in the Broda language for the gratitude that we hold for the actions of you and your crew. Generations will remember your names for what you did today. If I may be so bold, how many of your crew died in saving us? Some of the herdmothers wish to honor their memories to the calflings.”

Connelly looked at his first officer with a questioning look. She nodded her head in the affirmative. He then gestured toward the screen for her to make a report.

She spoke with a hint of something in her voice, “Forty eight injured. Three are in serious but stable condition in the medical bay.” She turned to Connolly and continued, “There were no deaths Captain. We had hull breaches in five areas of the ship. Enemy fire penetrated two decks in at some of those places. When you pulled the crew back you saved many lives.”

“Good,” he said. There was much less energy in his voice now.

Captain A’noo quirked an ear and turned his head. He began keying his pad and said, “Captain, you should see and hear.”

The screen resolved into split feeds of the various cargo bays full of refugees. All who were able stood tall with heads lifted upward. They were producing a resonating vibration almost like a chorus of a single tone. Ten thousand Broda voices had joined together to honor and celebrate their rescuers.

After a few minutes the sound died down and the Broda captain again filled the screen. He said in an almost reverential tone, “Thank you.”

At that, the connection was closed. The bridge crew stood in silence for a moment and looked around. Some had tears on their cheeks. Others sniffed slightly. Some beamed with smiles you could see halfway across a system.

Connelly looked around the room at his crew and felt a deep sense of gratitude for them. They put it all on the line and did what needed to be done. In his book every one of them were heroes.

After a few more moments of silence he said, “You did good today people.”

He slowly began detaching the harness as the exhaustion kicked in and the adrenaline began fading away. When he finished with the last strap, his legs gave out and he dropped down to a knee. Alenkov’s strong arms were at his side in a moment. She silently helped him back to his feet. He looked her in the eyes and nodded in thanks.

It was then that he noticed it. She had something strange in her eyes as she looked at him that he just couldn’t place. Looking around the bridge, he saw that everyone was looking at him in the same way. The intensity of it was nearly overwhelming. It was fierce and aggressive. A second later it dawned on him. He understood what was in their eyes.

It was pride in the man that led them through five minutes of hell.