The sentinel stations were dotted on the edge of the Empire, massive floating constructs intended for re-supply and repair of both military and commercial vessels, as well as to provide an early warning in case of possible invasion. Several miles across the oval space station they were approaching was the nearest one to Earth at only a week's trip away, as well as being the one that was on a straight line course towards Throne world. "Are we picking up any signs of activity?" Allison Tennison asked her crew once they finished dropping out of slip-transit, the cruiser Liberty's Sword racing through normal space at a respectable percentage of the speed of light. Ensign Kayla Shen shook her head, her pink hair flowing around her face as the communications officer answered, "No response to standard hails." Amara spoke up from her tactical station, "No energy readings, Captain, but the station could be in some kind of silent running mode." "Thoughts?" Allison looked towards her second in command, brown hair falling delicately into the young captain's eyes. "They might go into silent running if there was a military presence nearby," Commander Laurel D'ken confirmed. Allison made a face then hit a communication device on her seat as a recorded message rang out, "Battlestations, all crew report to battlestations. This is not a drill, repeat, this is not a drill." "Going to half acceleration," Sharin said from navigation, the blonde smiling slightly, "military shields on-line." "Glad we had some time to drill," Jenna murmured, remaining in her seat by Allison. Normally as a non-crew member the black haired woman would be asked to leave the bridge, but under the circumstances they weren't going to push it. On the corner of the main screen Roma's image popped up as the android asked, "New orders, Captain?" "Hang back slightly," Allison ordered the smaller patrol craft, "you've got an edge in speed and maneuverability, I'd like to save that for emergencies." "Understood," Roma signed off. The sleek cruiser slid back, slowing down a bit to tail the much larger cruiser. Of course the ship was dwarfed by the station it approached, even as the station looked small beside the gas giant it orbited, floating in the rings of ice and rock. "Shen, try to hail them again," Allison said as they swept in to the station. "Station theta-one," Kayla said into her voice module, "this is the heavy cruiser Liberty Sword, please respond." "Ma'am," Amara's voice was sharp as the tactical officer reported, "unidentified vessels coming around the gas giant!" "Sharin, restore speed and angle us towards them," Allison said crisply, "Amara, identify them and what's their weapons and shield status?" "Full speed," Sharin responded, pressing the smooth control panel. "Running sensor data through tactical computers," Amara said seriously, "I can tell you that they're running with weapons active." "Prepare targeting solutions," Laurel said, "but don't lock in, yet." Jenna lay her hand on Allison's arm in silent comfort, but otherwise she kept quiet. This was Allison's moment, in a very real way, as well as her first chance to use the weeks of training that they had all been doing. 'And she can do this,' she thought calmly. "Number of vessels?" Allison asked crisply, still only seeing a few shining specs up on the bridge's viewscreen. "Two vessels," Alex Keron spoke up from where the black haired young man worked over the sensors, "looks like Star Empire ships, though our computers are still trying to confirm." Allison looked over at Laurel even as she dropped her voice, "I thought the ship's computers automatically identified enemy ships?" "That's the theory," Laurel said wryly, "but we don't have much hard data on the Star Empire's vessels, at least not when the Sword left. Until we have a few enemy encounters, the computers won't be able to identify them exactly." "Lovely," Allison muttered. "Roma and Marilyn are hailing on an encrypted line," Kayla reported. "Put them on," Allison responded. The bridge of the smaller vessel was serious as Marilyn handled her ship with a professionalism very different from her usual vapid manner. Beside her Roma looked up grimly, "I assume new orders, ma'am?" "Take advantage of whatever cover you can to get behind those ships," Allison said crisply, "if they prove to be hostile, use your initiative." "Will do," Marilyn nodded, then they signed off. They slid through the gas giant's debris rings, massive bands of dust and ice that were held by the massive proto-world's gravity field. On the screen the shapes of the other ships began to come into resolution, the bulky, round shapes that were studded by triangular constructions. "Until we have confirmation that these are enemy vessels," Allison said as she studied the images, "I want you to hold fire, Amara. If these are friendlies, we don't want to be responsible for shooting them down." She smiled without humor, "Of course, if they shoot at us you're free to blow them out of space." Amara smiled slightly, "Got it." "Kayla, any progress on contacting the station?" Laurel asked thoughtfully. "Still silent," Kayla answered. She touched her headpiece, her eyes widening slightly, "We're being hailed by the ships!" "On screen!" Allison barked. The older man who stared out of the screen had a thoughtful expression on his face, his gray tinted black hair swept back from his face. He looked mostly human, as far as that went, only the violet color of his eyes and the oddly pointed look to his face making him as non-human. "Unknown vessel," Allison said carefully, "this is Captain Tennison of the Empire starship, Liberty's Sword. You are trespassing in Empire space, please explain your presence here." "Unknown vessel?" he raised an eyebrow. "I would have thought you'd recognize a Star Empire destroyer by now, we've defeated enough of your ships with them," he smirked. He leaned forward, "Well I am Captain Taiho, and we're here to claim that station." "I'm afraid I can't let you do that," Allison responded, surprised at how calm she felt. "And how do you plan to stop me?" Taiho asked. He shook his head "Our destroyers both out mass and out gun you." From out of the atmosphere of the gas giant the patrol boat emerged, coming up silently behind the two destroyers, electronic countermeasures making the smaller ship nearly invisible. Buying time Allison said, "I must formally request you leave this system." Taiho actually laughed. "You can't back that up," he scoffed, "and if you're counting on the station for aid, don't. The electromagnetic pulse-wave we hit them with fried all non-shielded electronics on the station, they're helpless." "Oh, I wasn't planning on relying on them," Allison said as Roma brought their small craft within point blank range of the Destroyers. "Now!" With savage glee Amara activated their weapons even as Sharin began to move their ship. Energy cannons and missiles raced out, locked on the enemy even as they moved to dodge. Taking the cure Roma and Marilyn opened fire, taking one Destroyer completely by surprise. With it's shields focused on the front the energy weapons of the patrol boat cut through the ship's hull with ease. Lancing right through layers of armor, electronics and conduits they stabbed into the engine room, slicing into the fusion bottles that powered the great vessel. In conjunction with the fire from Liberty's Sword it was enough to turn it into a fireball. The tide turned, the superiority of numbers reversing itself in a shocking instant. The second destroyer, reeling from the destruction of it's brother and under heavy fire from both vessels chose the better part of valor and began to pull away, moving faster and faster as it went. "Should we pursue?" Sharin asked eagerly. "no," Allison said firmly, "we've done enough, for now." She paused, expression going grim, "And we need to make sure the crew of the station are all right, too."
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