The Black

Admiral Krurog Morgatar was the commander of the Fifth Inquisitorius Battle Fleet. He stood on the bridge of his flagship, The UGN Wrath of Conformity. His flagship was a 40 kilometer by 130-kilometer monster with 12 main drives primary propulsion and 6 main drives in blisters amidships pointed forwards for deceleration maneuvers. Her primary weapons consisted of 16 orbital array laser cannons. They were arrayed about her dorsal and keel in pairs of two emitter super firing turrets. She bore six class four reactors with the ability to charge all 200 of her weapons power banks and 500 of her shield power banks in under 6 hours. With a full charge. Every weapon on the ship could fire for 18 hours continually before exhausting her weapons banks. A Friggates shields were designed to withstand planet-to-orbit ordinance and energy weapons, and most engagements that Krurog had commanded rarely saw his flagship below 80 percent of her shield bank strength.

Krurog himself, a Thermian, was a contrarian among his peers for his preference of fighting his fleet from a frigate instead of a carrier, and for fighting from the front... His fleet consisted of another frigate, the Hand of Security, the assault carrier Devine Unity and three brigantines; Insured Reliance, Protectorate’s Claw, and Loyal Servant.

“Admiral, we are receiving an official response from the Confederation. They assure us that the situation is under control.” The Comms lieutenant reported.

“Admiral, if I may.” it was his flag, Commodore. He was the only soul on board who knew their true orders, “long-range sensor relays picked up on of our satellites’ signals.” He refrained from openly voicing that the inquisitor satellite was launched by their… insurance policy... “It is picking up massive power readings and multiple ships of unknown origin in very close orbit to the planet. It may be… prudent… to assume they are under duress…” He stated diplomatically.

“I see, prepare the fleet to jump I want the Brigs in a screen in front of us, Wrath and security will be in formation with the Unity. All vessels charge all banks, we jump in 7 hours.” He turned to his first officer as the crew bent to his will, “Send a full report and confirmation or authorization over the priority channel. Request a decision within 6 hours.”

Krurog watched as his first mate nodded and left. Pirate Barges often showed up on sensors as unidentified because of their cobbled-together nature. No two were ever alike, and the mix of different ships’ signatures present in the scavenged hull sections always forced the designation through on the sensor algorithms. Something felt off. The power readings from the Inquisitorum’s automated spy were too high to be real. They were higher than the mythical capabilities of the long dead Corth’ Founders. His orders were clear on that point, use any and all legally plausible means to get into Delmar space. Acquire ‘The Demon’ and its ship, while ostensibly helping Delmar recover from a crippling Pirate Invasion. This was a well-used page from the Inquisitorum’s book. The Mayhem created by the ‘pirates’ was always so great that the missing target was often forgotten or assumed dead upon the UGN’s and the GHO’s departure.

He stepped off the bridge to his ready room to pull up the charts for the Delmar home world one last time.

_________________________________________________________________________________________________

The epic battle of whom got to make breakfast had turned into a tag team feast of epic proportions, only to be interrupted by all 4 of their Chrono’s going off with scramble codes. 303 wing would meet them in the air as Mac and Lyri scrambled into their G suits. A car was just landing to pick up Gwen and Clint as Concord Roared into the air, burning hard for The Black.

The moment Clint and Gwen were in the car, Gwen activated the car’s headrest viewer. “Darclemus, what’s the situation.”

“We have a possible Galactic Unity Inquitorial Fleet inbound for Delmar. We do not know how they knew about the pirate attack, but If they decide to stretch the treaty; they will jump in to ‘assist’. We are an old race. We have seen this before. We suspect that their true goal is the acquisition of ‘the demon’.

“That would be me” a familiar voice, slightly backdropped by a familiar howl, cut into the conversation. “I may or may not have threatened to nuke a UGN cruiser for preparing to fire on Lucid Traveler.”

Clint choked for a moment on his water, “You, what?”

“I may have disabled them, flown up to their bridge, and armed every nuke on Concord for them to have a good look. If you haven’t noticed, this part of the galaxy is lacking in highly radioactive compounds that we use as fuel.” Mac finished.

“Wait, you use fuel more energetic than our own?” Darclemus had been letting R and D do their own thing, while he focused on diplomacy.

“Dar, your largest class 4 reactor is a quarter of one of the two fusion cores on Concord… and Concord makes less than 1 100th of the power output as the smallest escort that the Ambassador brought with her” Mac stated flatly, “It’s one of the things that we are offering in trade. Fuel and energy technology.”

“I see” Darclemus stated.

“I need Mac on the bridge of Tranquility. From the reports, he will be a face and a voice they recognize. I may need that.” Gwen offered.

“Very well, Mac, Lyri?” Darclemus asked?

“On it, Fizz get me a vector” Mac barked.

“On it.. 228 mar…” Lyrians voice was cut off as they left the channel.

“…. Fizz?” Gwen looked the question to Clint.

Clint just chuckled, “Now that’s a story I need to hear.”

15 minutes later, the Sol shuttle was airborne with Admiral Gwen and Commodore Stevens onboard.

_________________________________________________________________________________________________

Mac eased Concord into Tranquility’s massive hanger bay. She held station-keeping while the ground crew sputtered and soared around in zero g attaching the Hanger Moorings to Concord magnetic hard points. Soon she was safely tied to the deck

“Remember, no gravity here. I’ve heard they put gravity in the living quarters and the essential hallways. But we will be floating for a bit.” Mac instructed as he popped the canopy seal. The hanger had been repressurized some time ago. “Wait for them to run a line. We use the line to get to the exit.”

Soon they were soaring through open space, with a line in one hand as it guided them toward the hanger corridor entrance. Lyri and Mac flew down the cooridors until they got to the center main artery of the Ship. Tranquility was a massively wide based triangle with two huge forward-facing hangers on each side of her prow. The Main Bridge was right up front near the bow. Mac landed easily and Lyrian thumped down next to them as they began to walk toward the bridge. Lyrian noticed many of the crew men and women gasp as she walked by. She realized that she was firstly in a skintight void suit, and secondly, the first non-human they had ever seen. The corridor was in familiar earth 1g, and Lyrian felt the familiar weight of it as they reached the bridge. The doors Hissed open as They stepped through only to be followed by Admiral Gwen and the Commodore.

“So, what’s the plan” Mac asked.

“Standard High orbit Defensive formation.” Admiral Gwen barked, “Get me whoever is in charge of the Delmar survivors.”

“Commander Folmuri responding Ma’am” the Coms officer responded after a few minutes.

“Put him on…. Commander, I recognize that I am not in your military; However, I want to politely request that you fold in between Holden and Jezero. I ask this for your safety. Should we be joined in battle, our Dreadnaught Hathcock will be the first to fire. She is designed to make hits at semi-interplanetary distances. Getting anywhere near her discharge energy cone could destroy your ships.” Admiral Gwen was polite but firm. She needed them where they were asked to go, “I also need you to fill out the formation and help protect Tranquility. She has the most powerful sensors and is designed to provide fire control to an entire battle group. We will link you into the network as well.”

“I see, I will request permission from the Council; but will preemptively fall in as requested. I do appreciate the courtesy. Do we know what the timetable of the attack will be?” He finished, nodding to his own Coms station.

“The Sol fleet will be holding this position oriented toward the beacon until Delmar hears back from the UGN confirming their fleet’s stand-down order. I do not have a timetable at present.” Gwen admitted.

“We will stand with you. Folmuri out” The Delmar Commander cut the communication and the sensors showed the surviving Delmar Patrol vessels, none bigger than a destroyer class, fell into the formation and were linked to the Digital Sensor field provided by Tranquility.

________________________________________________________________________________________________

5 hours later-

Krurog scanned his sensors as they jumped into Delmar space. There was a still rapidly expanding debris field from the initial pirate ‘engagement’.. ‘Good, more political cover’ he then turned his attention to the long-range scans as they rendered an image of a fleet in high orbit... His eyes narrowed; these were not pirate ships…. these were not Delmar ships, some of them anyway.

“Hail them” He rumbled.

“They are responding, Viewer and audio only.” The Con reported.

The view screen extended across the observation windows and a strange command center appeared. Four beings one of them significantly taller than the others, and one a Delmar female in a void suit were standing in the middle of the Command room. The Male in the Delmar Void suit. He recognized.

His eyes Bored into the Demon as he spoke, “I am Krurog of the 5th Inquisitorius Battle Fleet Responding under exigence to a report of unidentified Vessels placing Delmar under Seige. All non-Delmar Vessels are to Power down weapons and shields. Prepare to be boarded.”