Shields up, Red Alert
The disruptor lasers boomed from the titan, unleashing a phalanx of lasers headed towards the leviathan. Admiral Brent Snocom stood at the bridge of the Titan issuing orders. “Sir shields are down, all fighters are destroyed”. “Understood Corporal, Initiate Delta Protocol 10054” Evacuate all personnel to forward bulkhead to escape via emergency escape pods.
“Sir, power is down to 19%, all personnel have escaped via escape pods, it’s only you and me”. “Initiate collision course with enemy control ship” The Titan picked up speed as pieces of it were stripped away. Admiral Snocom sat in the control chair with his co-pilot, his face set in a fixed grimace. “10 seconds to collision course … 9 … 8 … 7 … 6 … 5 … 4 … 3 … 2 … 1.
The hover car raced towards the shipyard at phenomenal speed. Keith Snocom was at the wheel. The metal framework of a huge ship was visible on the distant horizon.
Keith gazed at the metal framework and shrugged at the mega structure. He entered the United Colonies recruitment centre and applied for a position.
5 years later…
“Hey Alice, I’m busy. I got a position on the newly constructed Death Star. Alice gleamed at Keith, her bright green eyes beaming. “Why do you always have these stupid jobs. “?Why don’t you live a normal life?”. “Alice, I’m going.
“Well then, you better be back”
“Flight systems check, status report” Prepare for separation from space dock. “On my mark”.
Keith stood at the warp control area and gazed at the massive cavernous interior of the death star.
Admiral Smith sat in the captain’s chair. “Sir all escort ships have separated from space dock and are awaiting commands. “ Admiral Smith said, “What’s the word on our fighters”. “All 3.2 million fighters are in our fleet carriers and are ready for warp sir. “Keith, warp systems check”.
“Let’s hit it” “Maximum warp”. Helmsman Clark pushed the lever forward as all the stars receded into the background. The ships energy levels went plummeting down due to the high warp transit. The escort ships shot out with a blur of light.
Arriving at Wolf Reiser in 3 … 2 … 1 … The Death Star decelerated as broken pieces of Dreadnoughts, Titans and Cruisers rained like a rain of destruction around the Death Star. “Take evasive action”. “Bearing 235”. The Death Star lurched at a 40o angle and narrowly missed the hull plating of a Leviathan. Through the tangled mess of metal, armour, dead soldiers and electronics, Keith saw a huge capital ship arming its weapons.
“Shields are at 46% captain, the weapons are powerful sir, another hit like that and were dead”. “Initiate emergency countermeasures. “Red Alert”. The Death star’s disruptor turrets came to life and unleashed a withering burst of disruptor fire at the enemy ship.
Admiral Smith took in the situation around him. “Sir, Escort ships are arriving here in 30 seconds.
As Keith struggled to the bridge of the Death star, the enemy ship armed it’s weapons for another shot. Without warning, the enemy ship exploded, hit by a transphasic torpedo.
“The escort ships have arrived captain”. “Good very good.
Just as the Death Star was about to leave, a billion photon rounds illuminated the space around the death star. The Death Star engaged countermeasures as one escort dreadnought spontaneously exploded in a shower of deadly shrapnel. The fleet turned around and to their horror, a larger fleet escorted by billions of fighters appeared in their field of view.
Keith hurried to the main forward bulkhead of the Death Star and engaged the primary weapons. As this was happening, the enemy’s fleet came into view. It consisted of 10 Death Stars in the centre, with Leviathans surrounding them. Thousands of Titans occupied the middle ring and the outer ring consisted of hundreds and thousands of Dreadnoughts with billions of fighter escorts. All this was surrounded by a planetary shield and ring.
All this against a fleet with one damaged Death Star and a million fighter escorts.
Keith saw the aerial armada through the main forward bulkhead and was shell-shocked. The enemy stopped and a face appeared in the HUD on the Death Star’s bridge.
“Good evening Captain”. “I could tell my name but why bother”. “The largest and most technologically advanced fleet in the world has surrounded your fleet”. “In advance, I request that you surrender your ship and come aboard the control ship for a cease fire”. Refusal would be unwise. The screen went blank.