On the bridge of the Nevermore, Fleet Admiral Semiramis Natu watched with icy detachment with her red eyes as Alpha started their initial barrage as per her command. The formation was a precise one: a ring of battleships, frigates, and destroyers maintaining a consistent distance as they circled the Blitzkrieg, their weapons rained firestorm on the massive pirate ship. It was a maneuver designed to probe the defenses, to test the limits of the Blitzkrieg's shielding system without fully committing her fleet. It appeared like a giant creature being swarmed around by tiny flies while it moved in panic.
The initial volley hit Blitzkrieg's hull, but as Semiramis expected, the energy dissipated across the Blitzkrieg's shields, confirming what the reports from the previous battle had suggested. She was half jealous and silently frustrated by the advanced technology this ship—Blitzkrieg had, that the UGTR had not.
However, a few of the shots that penetrated through didn’t escape her notice. And the railgun shots only confirmed her theory and the data that they had salvaged from her brother’s fleet—the Blitzkrieg was vulnerable to extremely high-velocity impacts. Railguns, capable of launching projectiles at immense speeds, were the key to breaking its shield.
"Energy shields confirmed," Semiramis muttered under her breath as her long white hair floated in zero gravity, watching the telltale shimmer of energy as the Blitzkrieg absorbed the first wave of attacks. "As expected, it had a maximum speed of 400 to 500 m/s. Maintain the pressure. Keep Alpha ships at an optimal distance. I want them to keep the orbiting bombardment to keep their shields occupied. Prioritize the use of railguns. I want their drones out and lay external cover for their respective ships."
Her fleet began to shift again, a well-orchestrated ballet of death. The battleships and frigates of the Alpha, positioned nearest from the Blitzkrieg, began to unleash their railguns, massive weapons designed to launch projectiles at velocities that would destabilize and tear through even the toughest of battleship hulls. Then swarm of drones surrounded their respective ships, flying to protect from any projectile while also laying down laser blasts to Blitzkrieg.
"We’re detecting multiple energy surges across the Blitzkrieg!" another officer suddenly shouted. Semiramis narrowed her eyes, watching as the warning signals flared red across the silhouette of the Blitzkrieg on the holo-display. Dangerous levels of energy were surging. Its once sleek and smooth exterior was now bristling with dozens of heavy cannons and main guns.
Then, it struck back.
A flash of light erupted from the Blitzkrieg’s main armaments, and before Semiramis could issue her next command, the first line of her ships was already being torn apart. Battleships, frigates, destroyers, and corvettes were obliterated in seconds as the high-velocity slugs punched through their hulls with deadly precision. Each shot was a one-hit kill.
Although she and her top fleet officers already knew the capability of the Blitzkrieg from Vebenson’s fleet data, they were still surprised to see it. A pirate ship could one-shot any of their ships with their very own eyes. These UGTR ships were made to receive the punishing brunt of the damage in mind. The low casualty rate among UGTR ships in their previous wars with the Colonial Alliance proved that prowess and reputation, in comparison with the Alliance ships. They finally realize the true immense danger of Blitzkrieg’s armament—which were enough to cripple any of her ships in one direct hit.
Then, another series of rapid railgun shots burst from the Blitzkrieg’s hull, the accelerated projectiles tearing through space at incredible speeds. Each railgun round smashed through the hulls of her ships like they were made of glass. Several of her ships didn’t even have time to evade. In an instant, a dozen more were added to the obliterated ships, their hulls punctured and shattered, fragments scattering like dust.
Semiramis' expression didn’t change, but internally, she noted the power of the Blitzkrieg’s weaponry. The reports hadn’t done it justice. She had lost more ships in those first few volleys than she had in entire engagements in her life. Still, she remained composed.
“A-Alpha is taking heavy losses!" another officer responded. "We’ve lost twenty-six ships in the first volley!"
“Nine s-ships badly damaged! They’re requesting permission to disengage for repairs.” one of her bridge officers called out in alarm.
“Permission granted. And have Alpha reform and maintain the encirclement while increasing distance. I want all ships to continue in evasive maneuvers. Have the drones prioritize the defense of their ships, leave the firepower to the battleships, destroyers, and frigates." Semiramis ordered. The officers around her moved with efficiency, passing the orders through the fleet’s communication channels.
The UGTR ships began shifting into new positions, spreading out in various vectors across the field to minimize the damage. Her mind already calculating more potential losses, the damage that could be sustained as the use of railguns was not without consequence. Once these ships, reached their limit in using railguns, they will become ineffective. She also took note of the rate of damage or casualties on their side per damage progression on Blitzkrieg. The data ratio that they gained in exchange for penetrating the shields of the Blitzkrieg was not cost-effective in her eyes. Her mind immediately began calculating the situation, analyzing the potential trajectories of the Blitzkrieg's weapons and the vulnerable spots in her fleet. She was now weighing whether it was worth the cost; the number of ships she was willing to sacrifice just to penetrate through the Blitzkrieg’s shields.
"Deploy all the drones from Beta and Gamma," she ordered. "I want these drones to take up positions in a crisscross pattern to confuse targeting systems and assist Alpha."
This battle is now a contest of attrition and numbers. In her mind’s eye, the space around Banedog’s Backyard became a grid, a strategic battlefield where every movement mattered. It was like a game of Deios, the ancient tactical board game she had mastered long ago.
The next wave of ships closed in from all sides, firing as they orbited Blitzkrieg, constantly moving with the Blitzkrieg who were trying to shake them off. Her ships were constantly adjusting to avoid its devastating cannons. The space was a chaotic storm of firepower, with energy beams, plasma bolts, and railgun projectiles crisscrossing the void in every direction. Her ship and a few of her escort ships remained at a distance, surveying the battle at a safe location away from the intense exchange of firepower.
"Gamma, start the long-range bombardment," Semiramis ordered. Her voice was calm, and precise, betraying none of the intensity of the moment. "Keep firing. We will bleed that ship’s shield dry."
Her officers moved with practiced efficiency, relaying her commands to the captains of the fleet, while also consistently reporting the status of their fleet. Now streams of communications are rushing in, making the bridge on heightened alert and rushing adrenaline.
“We lost Herlaine!”
“Nimetocena reports engine failure!”
“Vibrozen and Tiber are requesting permission to disengage!”
“We just lost contact with Taj Marhul and Nicovedan!”
“Aguila and Aurea Xi report ship combat status ineffective!”
“Liberatrix and Magnus Gerrha just collided! We lost contact with both!”
“Vesper, Cicurena, Aerope and Bestial are gone!”
“Charnaebu and Elac’bo are sending distress beacons, they lost their entire bridge!”
“Scythia are leaving the conflict zone! They lost control of their ship!”
“Opalmuth and Adamnatu are also sending distress beacons!”
Semiramis could see the whole battle clearly in her mind. Despite the string of losses that kept coming in, she allowed herself a moment of satisfaction. The jamming ship she had discreetly deployed to Banedog's Backyard, days before the engagement had been the right choice. The Blitzkrieg couldn’t warp out of the battle, and now it was forced to engage in direct combat. That was precisely what she wanted. She didn't know the exact technology behind the pirate ship’s warping ability, but she didn’t need to. The technology behind the UGTR’s targeting jamming ships, recently developed by Naval Command, had done its job. Blitzkrieg was now trapped in the battlefield with no way out but to fight. And she intended to capitalize on that single advantage they had against Blitzkrieg. She was setting her pieces in motion.
But Ubel was not a person to sit idly by.
On the bridge of the Blitzkrieg, Ubel stood, eyes wide in manic glee as he watched the battle unfold on his displays. He loved the sight of floating ship debris as he kept exchanging the culture of deadly firepower with the UGTR fleet. His droids worked frantically around him, calculating, adapting, and preparing for the next phase of the fight.
"Captain," one of the droids reported. "Enemy railgun fire is destabilizing our shields. Suggest immediate countermeasures."
"So, they’ve figured out the trick too, huh? I love it when they get smart." Ubel grinned, his heart racing with excitement. “Shit. I don’t want to waste these newly bought drones but I don’t want to give them halfhearted response.”
Blitzkrieg’s hull opened further, revealing new rows of massive cannons, each equipped with its anti-capital ship railguns. In a flash, Blitzkrieg’s weapons tore through the battleships that were able to avoid losses in the previous volley. Then he also unleashed more of his drones, now keeping up with the UGTR drones that were defending their ships. This time, the UGTR fleet took much heavier losses, yet they held their ground, continuing their assault.
But as the Blitzkrieg took more hits, its massive main thrusters ignited, sending it surging forward with terrifying speed. Semiramis observed the charge, her mind racing through her predicted scenarios. Her eyes flicked to a section of space not far from Blitzkrieg’s current position. There, hidden among the asteroids, were mines—carefully placed and one of the traps laid by Semiramis. The number of these mines should be able to overwhelm and dry out the shields that protected Blitzkrieg. But she knew that she had to do more than just lure that massive vessel to her trap.
“Admiral, Blitzkrieg released another wave of drones!”
Semiramis nodded at her officer and opened up her lines with the squadron of carriers. She turned her attention to the carriers that were hanging back from the main assault. Each one, massive in its own right, housed scores of fighters and drones. They were her second wave, and it was time to bring them into play.
"Captains, you are clear to deploy your drones and fighters. Proceed with the bombardment and interception," she ordered. Her command rippled through the fleet, and aboard the UGTR carriers, the process began.
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"All pilots, report to your stations!" a carrier officer announced over the internal comms. "I repeat! All pilots, report to your stations!"
On the carrier decks, the meticulous process of undocking began. Flight decks buzzed with activity as hundreds of pilots were being prepped for their tasks and missions. Automated systems hummed as rows upon rows of drones and fighter craft were moved into launch positions.
"Fleet Admiral sent the greenlit. All fighter wings are to be deployed immediately," the deck officer barked into the comms, his voice carrying through the noise of the flight deck. “Upon exit, reform with your respective squads and report to your lead!”
Fighter pilots, clad in sleek flight suits, rushed to their vessels, strapping and climbing into their cockpits of sleek UGTR fighters and bombers. The docking clamps released with metallic clunks as the fighters were queued for launch. Engineers rushed to finalize last-minute checks, deck officers barked orders to their crews while drones were released from their holding racks, their automated systems coming online as they floated into the launch bays and the drones into their launching tubes.
"Red Leader-9, ready for deployment," came the voice of a pilot, his hands gripping the controls and was smoothly launched by booster catapults.
The carrier decks roared to life as thrusters ignited, and within moments, the first wave of fighters shot out into space. The docking sequences were meticulous, ensuring that each fighter and drone was deployed in perfect sync. The launching pads were illuminated by traces of bright lines, guiding the fighters out into the void and forming into attack formations. Drones, pre-programmed and armed with an array of high-velocity cannons and missiles, were locked into the launch tubes.
Hundreds of fighters and drones now swarmed toward the Blitzkrieg like a cloud of locusts. They darted in and out of formation, moving at high speed as they converged on the pirate ship. Their objective was clear: overwhelm its defenses, keep it distracted, and provide cover for the larger vessels.
“This is Red Command, begin strafing runs,” one of the carrier commanders ordered. “Drones, focus distraction on their enemy drones. Let’s fight flies with flies.”
The swarm of fighters buzzed around the massive ship, unleashing bursts of plasma fire, missiles, and high-energy laser blasts. They were soon met with the drones released by Blitzkrieg.
Around the Blitzkrieg, hundreds of point-defense turrets whirred to life. The fighters and drones were closing in fast, but the Blitzkrieg was ready. The turrets opened fire, unleashing a barrage of anti-aircraft fire that tore through the incoming swarms. Explosions dotted the sky as drones and fighters were ripped apart by the onslaught, their debris scattering into the void. The UGTR fleet’s barrage had shifted; they were no longer relying on plasma weaponry alone. The railguns were causing his shields more trouble than he’d anticipated. He clenched his fists, feeling a surge of excitement and pressure.
The battle over Banedog’s Backyard was intensifying with every second. Blitzkrieg, surrounded by the UGTR fleet, was putting up a fight far more intense than Fleet Admiral Semiramis Natu had anticipated. She observed with icy calm as her battleships and frigates unleashed their railguns in a concentrated effort to destabilize their energy shields. The energy shields shimmered under the bombardment, still absorbing most of the kinetic force, but Semiramis' tactical readouts confirmed the fluctuations in the shield's integrity. Ubel’s pirate fortress was tough, but it wasn’t invincible.
The massive warship, nearly twenty kilometers long, had initially been charging in a pattern that she had meticulously manipulated and prepared traps in its path.
"Send the next wave of bombers. I want them to hammer the same section of the Blitzkrieg’s shields."
However, just as Blitzkrieg was about to enter the zone Semiramis had planned, it veered off-course, moving with unnatural agility for a ship of its size. This maneuver struck dozens of her unsuspecting ships and hundreds of her bombers, colliding with Blitzkrieg’s shields. All of them didn’t have time to react as the movement that Blitzkrieg made was so sudden and was not anticipated. Then it turned again on the opposite side, colliding with more ships, fighters, and bombers, causing havoc in the UGTR encirclement. This also allowed Blitzkrieg to punch through the swarm of ships and drones.
Semiramis watched the exchange, her eyes narrowing slightly. Something was off. The Blitzkrieg wasn’t continuing in a pattern like she had anticipated. Instead, it repeated a pattern of turning sharply away from the minefield she had deployed. Its engines flared as it maneuvered with unnatural agility for a ship of its size. And it seems she was not the only one who noticed this.
Her officers also stared at their tactical displays, jaws agape as the massive titan-class vessel performed what seemed like impossible maneuvers. Its movements were swift, fluid, and completely unnatural for a ship of its size. Semiramis narrowed her eyes in suspicion. The maneuver was too agile, too precise for something as massive as the Blitzkrieg. The giant ship twisted through space, making a sharp turn that no vessel of such behemoth size should be capable of.
"Impossible…" one of her officers whispered.
"How?!" another of her crew on the bridge asked, disbelief evident in his voice.
Then they all realized that there was a sudden distortion of space around Blitzkrieg had mysteriously pulled other ships and collided with its shields.
"No ship that big should be able to turn like that!"
“Report of sudden Spatial Distortion in the vicinity! Epicenter at the Blitzkrieg!”
“Admiral! We lost Minthanar and Vos Maiur!”
“We’re losing contact with Ophelia and Varagrar!”
“Navarre, Hymdra, and Cherubyd report losses on their fighters due to collisions!”
Despite her officer’s surprise, she remained cold and calculating.
Semiramis’ mind raced, calculating the potential causes of the sudden maneuver and the bending of space. Her tactical mind was already adjusting, factoring in the Blitzkrieg’s newly discovered ability. This maneuver had to be using some kind of gravitational manipulation, perhaps even an extremely space-bending technology. This must be related to the warping that they had heard about—or was close enough.
--
Back aboard the Blitzkrieg, Ubel wiped the sweat from his forehead, his pulse racing.
“Holy hell!” Ubel yelled his disbelief, adrenaline coursing through his veins. He grinned like a madman. “They’re not allowing me to warp out, huh? But nothing’s stopping me from bending space.”
He had pulled off the maneuver, but it was incredibly risky, even for him and Blitzkrieg. He had never attempted something this ambitious with a ship of this size before. This wasn’t like flying one of his smaller ships back in the game, where he had mastered the intricacies and mechanics of the space-bending warps to outmaneuver enemies. Trying to pull off a short burst warp to artificially bend space around his ship was pushing even his limits. The Blitzkrieg was no frigate or battleship; it was a twenty-kilometer-long vessel. And bending space to make it turn like a nimble fighter wasn’t something done lightly. But it worked. His ship had pivoted sharply, destroying many of the unsuspecting ships of Semiramis that surrounded his ship while also giving unpredictable movement, causing havoc on the UGTR fleet.
“Status report!” Ubel barked to the droids stationed at their consoles, his voice tinged with excitement. His heart was pounding, a mix of fear and exhilaration coursing through his veins. Now he just wanted to confirm how much structural damage he gave to Blitzkrieg with his little maneuver.
"Shields holding at 88%," one of the droids reported in its mechanical voice. "Hull damage at 2%."
“Hahahaha! Yeah, it seems I can’t afford to do that again.” This made Ubel realize that instead of the UGTR, he was the one who damaged his ship for the first time. And he felt bad.
“Sorry, my girl.” He patted his armrest again. “That was just a test, so I won’t do that again.”
And if he had a human crew inside Blitzkrieg, they would have got serious complications or even injuries internally—whether organic organs or inorganic implants. It was fortunate for him and the would-be human crew that they were not in Blitzkrieg as he did this dangerous maneuver.
The trick was he had activated a short burst of warp, not to open a rift or escape, but to use the pseudo-bending of space that was part of the starting process of Warping. By manipulating the space around the Blitzkrieg, he created a small artificial gravity well that pulled the ship in the direction he wanted. It was like skipping through a folded map rather than drawing a straight line. The maneuver gave him the agility of a much smaller vessel, and at the same time, pulled in ships that were near the artificial gravity well that he had made, colliding with his shields. Thus, these new shipwrecks added to the space debris around Banedog’s Backyard.
“Let’s do another test!” he yelled in full glee.
--
On Semiramis’ bridge, her officers scrambled to keep up with the data pouring in. Blitzkrieg was now turning the tables, evading the carefully placed minefield Semiramis had prepared for its original path. The mines, strategically deployed in advance, were supposed to cripple the ship’s shields if it rammed through them—but the Blitzkrieg’s unexpected shift had rendered them useless.
Semiramis ignored the noise around her, her mind already working through this new development. She calmly watched as the Blitzkrieg, rather than continuing on a straight line as she had expected, executed a maneuver that defied the very laws of physics governing such large vessels.
“Status report about the damage progression on Blitzkrieg.”
“Admiral,” her chief tactical officer called out, “Railgun impact confirmed on Blitzkrieg’s shields. Minimal penetration, still no damage to the hull.”
She knew that the railguns were their best shot, but the energy shields were absorbing nearly all of the kinetic force. She had severely miscalculated. The massive railguns, usually capable of punching through the thickest armor, were barely scratching the Blitzkrieg.
“Keep firing. Maintain distance away from the Blitzkrieg in case it will increase its agility again. Focus on saturation attacks” she ordered coldly.
“Yes, ma’am,” the officer acknowledged before relaying the orders.
Outside, the battle was still unfolding in a deadly ballet. Her frigates and battleships still moved in their assigned elliptical patterns, constantly adjusting their vectors to avoid the Blitzkrieg’s devastating long-range artillery and possible erratic movement. Despite their evasive maneuvers, many had already fallen—one well-placed hit from the Blitzkrieg was enough to vaporize them. Their desperate broadsides fired in salvos, but the Blitzkrieg's shields, shimmering with a ghostly blue hue, absorbed each shot with impunity.
Semiramis clenched her fists as she saw five more battleships disintegrate on the tactical screen, its explosion barely registering compared to the hulking behemoth that was the Blitzkrieg.
“We just lost Madharma, Vauntilus, and Evenstar!”
“Artificer and Los Segundo report heavy damage to their hull!”
One of her officers approached, standing ramrod straight as he gave his report. “Admiral, the current remaining combat-capable ships are thirty-three of the corvettes, twenty of our frigates, and 43% of our fighters. Destroyers and battleships are holding on with 50% on losses, but ammunition reserves are depleting rapidly.”
“Admiral,” another voice came from her communications officer. “Captain Tarquin reports heavy losses in Gamma lines. They’re requesting permission to fall back.”
She considered for a moment, her mind racing through the available options. They had tried to flank the Blitzkrieg, tried to concentrate their fire, and yet nothing worked. Every tactic they used was met with Blitzkrieg’s advanced technology, easily annihilating the UGTR ships.
“I severely underestimated this ship,” she muttered.
This statement made her entire bridge crew freeze. They never heard their commander, Semiramis regret or even show admission of a mistake before. She would always show decisiveness. No matter how many overwhelming signs of defeat or destruction were in front of them, she would always prove right after with results that proved that she was right with her course of action. Then she turned towards them as if she had forgotten what she just uttered.
“Deny the request,” she said after a pause. “Tell Tarquin to maintain pressure. We can’t afford to lose our momentum.”
“Yes, Admiral,” the communications officer replied, quickly relaying the order.
Semiramis took a breath, steadying herself. The initiative had slipped from her fingers. The Blitzkrieg was an unparalleled vessel, a ship far beyond the technology her fleet had at their disposal. She had assumed that energy shields of this magnitude were only effective for static defenses or planetary bases, not something mobile like the Blitzkrieg.
But these assumptions had cost them dearly.
“Bring Nevermore into formation. Prepare the heavy railguns. We’re going to engage them directly.” She turned to her navigation officer.
“Admiral?” the officer blinked, hesitating for a moment.
“You heard me.” Semiramis turned her red eyes sharply to him. Her floating long white hair made her gaze more dreadful than usual. “We’re joining.”
“Aye, ma’am. Nevermore is preparing for the max burn.” The officer nodded.
What she and others didn’t notice, was her split-second smile.