UGT: 22th Aether 280 a.G.A. / 09:31 a.m.

  Location: ASF Aurora, outer edges of the Woch-Hor'Nubis system (black hole, 49x the Sol star mass), Inner-Noran sector, Ruidan Raider Association, Milky Way

  The transition from hyperspace was smooth, the usual flicker of reality reasserting itself as the Aurora emerged into the void. A split second later, the rest of the fleet followed, their drives stabilizing. Then a sharp series of pings lit up my tactical display, bright red markers blooming across the holographic interface. Hostile contacts. The expected welcoming party. I exhaled sharply, gripping the armrests of my chair. "Fen, full scan. Now."

  [ Already on it. ]

  The sensor readings shifted and refined themselves as Fen processed the incoming data. It didn’t take long for him to return with an answer.

  [ Confirmed visuals on one Cruiser, Three destroyers, and Four frigates. Nothing the SHF couldn't handle without us. But furthermore I’m detecting residual energy signatures deeper in the system. I cannot specify more, the black hole warps all of our scans and they seem to be running dark. ]

  I frowned, narrowing my eyes at the display. "Reinforcements?"

  [ Could be. Either they’re conserving power to avoid detection, or they just haven’t fired up their systems yet. Either way, I wouldn’t bet on those nine ships being the only ones here. ]

  "Of course not. You don’t leave an antimatter production system undefended unless you’re a complete idiot."

  [ Exactly. ]

  The system was filled with different structures of the Association. Industrial facilities, processing stations and orbital depots hung in the void, abandoned yet still intact. This time we actually had a chance to loot some things, hopefully including quite a bit of antimatter. And, if possible, we would get our hands on it before the SHF did. But before any of that, we had to defeat the RRA troops stationed here. Though lacking any way to retreat, giving up an antimatter station without the fight just wasn't something the disorganized Association enclave would do. "Fen, open a encrypted connection to Commander Ashcroft," I muttered.

  [ Done. You can talk now. ]

  "Commander, my crew just confirmed enemy presence. Have the fleet stay in formation and prepare for engagement. The FSF Aurora will provide fire support as needed to stop our ships from getting damaged, but otherwise the stage is clear for your fleet," I said.

  A few seconds later, a response came through. Commander Ashcroft’s voice, firm and professional. "Acknowledged, Captain Lunaris. SHF units are moving into position. Let’s keep this operation clean." Neutral. Detached. He was playing the role of a cooperative officer, but I could tell he wasn’t thrilled about me using his fleet to hold back my own capabilities. Not that it mattered. The potential second RRA fleet was way more worrying to me.

  [ Hostile fleet’s holding position. Not advancing, not retreating. They’re waiting. ]

  I tapped my fingers against the console. "For what? Us closing in on them and their stationary automated defenses?"

  [ Most likely. They know they’re massively outgunned, which means they’ve probably given up on holding onto the entire system. They'll probably try to hold out near the blach hole, where our sensors and weapons are far less effective, partly countering our advantages. ]

  "Then let’s make sure they don’t get a chance to run that far," I stated decisively.

  [ Ah, aggressive maneuvers incoming? ]

  I smirked. "What else? Connect me to the entire fleet this time."

  [ Commander Ashcroft won't like us circumventing him. ]

  "I don't care, do it. Thanks to Admiral Thorrison I'm a step above him in the command chain, however small that difference may be," I said.

  [ Done. You're connected to the entire fleet. ]

  "ASF Aurora, Captain Lunaris, to all units: Maintain formation, but push forward. We’ll take this system by speed. You're backed by us, they won't be able to muster resistance. We cannot let them escape into the depths of the system." A deep rumble coursed through the Aurora’s hull as the engines surged to life, propelling the massive warship forward. On the display, the SHF fleet followed suit, their formations shifting as they prepared for the inevitable engagement. The Battlecruisers and Cruisers started forming a wedge formation around the ASF Aurora while the smaller vessels maintained a flexible perimeter. Meanwhile the enemy ships remained still, holding their ground. No sudden movements. No immediate response. For some reason they planned to face us head-on it seemed. "Fen, any comms traffic?" I asked, eyes locked on the tactical display. Capitulation or a willingness to talk could be one of the reasons why they didn't move towards better defense positions.

  [ Negative. No open transmissions, no hails, no demands for surrender. Either they plan to fight till their last breath, or they still have some more aces up their sleeves, making them believe they're standing a chance. ]

  Did you know this text is from a different site? Read the official version to support the creator.

  A tactical gamble. If they had reinforcements hiding somewhere in the system, they were waiting for the perfect moment to strike. The question was: how long could they afford to wait? Commander Ashcroft’s voice cut through the bridge speakers, crisp and measured. "Captain Lunaris, we need to force their hand. This is not a moment for overthinking our attack, just because the enemy looks confident. The longer we hold back, the more time they have to prepare for whatever they’re planning." I leaned back, tapping my fingers against the armrest. Unfortunately, he was right. This wasn’t a waiting game, or at least it shoudln't be. We had the superior firepower and hesitation only played into their hands.

  "Agreed. We’ll push forward and test their response. If they want to make a move, they’ll have to do it soon," I answered.

  [ Oh, I like where this is going. Just say the word, and I’ll get rid of their fleet. ]

  "Not yet. Let’s see what they'll do first," I muttered, connecting back into the fleet-wide channel. If we emptyied our entire opening salve at a distraction, the situation could be disastreous. I'd rather wait until we at least reached effective weapon range. "All units, advance at full speed. Do not fire until I give the order. I want them to act first." Engines roared to life as the fleet accelerated, the black void streaking past us. The enemy formation remained unchanged. Until, suddenly, it wasn’t.

  [ Oh, there we go. The Frigates are shifting position and spreading out. Destroyers moving to cover their flanks. And... yep, their cruiser just lit up its targeting systems. ]

  "They’re truly committing," I said, watching as the red markers shifted across the display. "Looks like they’ll try to slow us down with the Frigates while their heavier units reposition. Standard delaying tactics. They want to draw us in before hitting us with something bigger. But that won't work on us.

  [ Exactly. Want me to swat those frigates before they start being annoying? Unlike the SHF fleet, we're already long in weapon range.]

  "Not yet. Let the SHF handle the lightweights, we’ll focus on whatever they’re hiding in the dark." The SHF Battlecruisers and Cruisers surged ahead and past the ASF Aurora, their weapons locking onto the incoming Frigates. The first volleys of the battle lit up the void, streaks of plasma and kinetic rounds racing between the two fleets. The SHF fleet advanced steadily, moving in formation, while the RRA ships used their slight range advantage to fire first, forcing the SHF into a defensive approach.

  The SHF’s Cruisers and Battlecruisers, in an effort to shield the smaller ships behind them, absorbed the brunt of the opening salvo, their shields flaring as they redirected power to counter the incoming fire. The RRA’s frigates and destroyers focused on precise, long-range strikes, trying to weaken the SHF ships before they could get too close. I studied the battle from the ASF Aurora’s holographic interface. The SHF was holding formation well, but the longer they allowed the RRA to dictate engagement range, the worse it would get.

  "Fen," I said, "analyze their firing patterns. Are they coordinating their shots, or is this a standard engagement?"

  [ Checking now, give me a moment. ]

  A second later Fen highlighted the key trajectories on my interface.

  [ Looks like they’re playing it safe. Focused fire on shields first, then they’ll go for hulls. Their Destroyers are maintaining the backline, relying on their range rather than closing distance. Obvoiously, that's no longterm strategy with the SHF closing in way to fast. But they're probing and this tactic means that the fluctations I detected are definitly warships lying in wait for a moment of weakness. ]

  So they actually weren’t committing fully yet. They were testing the SHF, feeling out weak points before moving in for the kill with the suspected reserve fleet. A smart move, but unfortunately for them one I could exploit. Instantly I opened a channel to Ashcroft. "They’re probing us. If we keep playing their game, they’ll wear down your ships before you even get a good shot off."

  "I’m aware," he answered curtly. Seconds later, I saw his Frigates and Destroyers breaking away from the bigger warships, spreading out in an attempt to force the RRA to readjust. A calculated move but also risky. If they failed to flank properly, they’d get picked off before they got into proper range.

  [ Bold move, but I like it. Seems like someone shows more trust in us than expected. ]

  I kept my gaze locked on the tactical display. The RRA ships were starting to adjust to the SHF movement, refocusing their fire to counter the flanking ships. The SHF fleet had forced them into a tactical shift. "Now we see if it works," I muttered. "Do not yet engage. We'll only intervene should a SHF ship truly come at risk of being destroyed." By now, the battlefield was alive with weapons fire, the SHF fleet pressing forward with methodical force. Plasma bursts and railgun rounds carved through space, illuminating the engagement with brief flashes of destruction.

  The RRA Destroyers tried to maintain their range advantage, their plasma batteries hammering away at the advancing SHF fleet. One particularly focused volley targeted an SHF Destroyer on the right flank, aiming to cripple it before it could reposition. Fen was already acting before I even got a chance to say something.

  [ Incoming volley, I'll intercept it. ]

  A dozen of ASF Aurora’s Disintegrators fired in perfect sync. Green beams lanced across the void, slicing through the incoming plasma projectiles with eerie precision. The energy blasts simply vanished, consumed by the destructive force of the weapons before they could reach the SHF destroyer. Obvoiusly, I didn’t stop there. "Return fire. Target the lead Destroyer."

  [ On it. ]

  Gauss cannons roared as the ASF Aurora retaliated. High-velocity antimatter rounds slammed into the RRA Destroyer’s shields, punching through them, as if they didn't exist at all. The ship rocked violently as the antimatter rounds exploded inside it, its armor caving outwards, only for the ship to detonate in a violent explosion. Ashcroft’s voice crackled through the comms. "Efficient as ever, Captain."

  I ignored the comment. "Their formation is breaking," I simply stated. And it was. The RRA fleet hesitated, momentarily thrown off by the sheer speed of the ASF Aurora’s intervention. They had expected to trade fire, not to lose a destroyer in seconds. After all, they didn't expect the ship, still far outside the expected weapon range, to suddenly counterattack. That hesitation, however, made me uneasy. A trained military force shouldn't react that way.

  [ Their movement’s off. That’s not normal battlefield hesitation. They’re about to pull out their ace. The fluctations we noticed earlier activated. Eleven ships, now powering up. A Battlecruiser, two Cruisers, three Destroyers and five Freighters. ]

  "Well than, it seems like they're about to truly commit than. Let's give them a fiery welcome."