Captain Vebenson Natu stood tall on the bridge of his flagship, the UNS Avarati, the latest destroyer of the UGTR Navy. He was given this ship last year, but he still couldn’t find himself to stop admiring this ship.

His gaze fixed on the star-studded expanse beyond the view-ports. His posture exuded confidence, a testament to his years of training and experience in the service of the Union of Great Terran Republic.

As the heir to the prestigious Natu Family, Vebenson carried the weight of expectation on his shoulders. But he wore it with pride, knowing that he had earned his position through merit and dedication.

Graduating as one of the top students from the Phoebe Naval Institute, he had proven himself time and again on the battlefield, leading his fleet to victory against pirates and outlaws who dared to challenge the might of the UGTR in their controlled and allied systems.

"Captain," came the voice of his first officer, snapping him out of his reverie. "We've received reports of pirate activity near the Enguis Belt Road. Shall we proceed with interception?"

Vebenson nodded, his jaw set with determination.

"We will not allow these pirates to threaten our territorial space. Prepare the entire fleet for the immediate jump. Distribute the coordinates," he ordered with commanding authority.

“Aye captain,” his lieutenant then turned to their bridge crew to issue commands. “Navigation, provide the Jump Coordinates to other ships.”

His command ship hummed with activity as crew members moved with precision, carrying out their duties under his watchful eye. Vebenson's sharp gaze swept over the bustling bridge, his mind focused on the task at hand: maintaining order and security within the sectors under his jurisdiction.

“Captain, fleet ready for Jump Sequence. Waiting for your signal.” his lieutenant notified.

“Good. Jump on my mark,” He breathed himself deeply before his final command. “Mark!”

As his words left his mouth, the entire fleet disappeared in a blink of light spheres, leaving only the light particles that they left.

“Four minutes ETA, captain.” the navigation officer notified.

Now he waits as his ship traverses into deep space, the bending lights of varying colors pass through their ships.

“Captain, we received news from High Command.” His first lieutenant said.

“What is it?”

“We are being reassigned in Jupit-”

“What?” He was shocked at the words and immediately took over the console to read the message for himself. It was a short-encrypted holo message but it told him everything he wanted to know but also never wanted to see.

[Captain Vebenson Natu, submit command to Jupiter Sphere Fleet. The Triachdii Fleet is now assigned under Fleet Admiral Semiramis Natu. Trigarii Fleet will take over your duty. Your fleet must report within 3 Sol days.]

“Fuck!!!” He punched the console to vent his frustration. “Not that bitch again!”

The Natu Family, like many others in the Union of Great Terran Republic, adhered to traditional gender roles, reserving positions of power and authority for men. However, the shadow of his older sister's accomplishments loomed large over Captain Vebenson Natu, casting a pall over his own achievements. While his position as heir to the Natu Family was already secured, thanks to the patriarchal traditions that governed their society, it also meant that his sister's accomplishments were viewed as anomalies rather than celebrated as they should have been.

For Vebenson, it was a source of frustration and resentment. He couldn't help but feel that his own achievements were diminished by his sister's shadow, despite his best efforts to prove himself worthy of his position. As he led his fleet into battle against the pirates threatening their territory, he was driven by a desire to carve out his own legacy, one that would stand on its own merits and finally cast his sister's shadow aside.

As a vice admiral during the war with the Colonial Alliance, his sister had earned accolades and recognition for her leadership and strategic prowess. Her achievements were a constant reminder of what Vebenson had missed out on while attending the Institute. While he had worked tirelessly to excel in his own right, there was always a lingering sense of inadequacy in comparison to her.

Especially after the revelation of his grandfather's words which he had accidentally heard. It was spoken in a moment of vulnerability of the family and had cut Vebenson deeply. A personal insult that struck at the very core of his identity and his worthiness as the future heir of the Natu Family. To hear that his own flesh and blood harbored such sentiments, even if they were expressed in private, stung more than any slight from an outsider ever could.

“I wished Semiramis was the boy.”

This created a rift between Vebenson and his older sibling. It was a wound that festered beneath the surface, poisoning the bond they once shared. No longer were they simply siblings bound by blood; they were rivals, competing for the approval and validation of their family and their society.

For Vebenson, it was a challenge he couldn't ignore.

The desire to prove himself worthy of his grandfather's respect and admiration burned within him, driving him to push himself harder, to achieve greater heights, and to surpass even his sister's accomplishments. Every victory, every triumph in battle, was a step closer to proving that he was the rightful heir, deserving of the title and the power it bestowed.

But beneath the facade of ambition and determination lay a deep-seated insecurity, a fear that no matter how hard he tried, he would never measure up in the eyes of his family. It was a fear that haunted him, driving him to push himself to the brink of exhaustion in his quest for validation.

As he led his fleet into battle against the pirates and outlaws, his mind was always consumed by thoughts of his grandfather's words and the weight of expectation that rested upon his shoulders. With each enemy ship he destroyed, he sought to silence the doubts that plagued him, to prove once and for all that he was worthy of the title he had been born to inherit.

He had spent years honing his craft, studying the art of warfare, and mastering the intricacies of fleet command and doctrine of the UGTR navy. He knew that victory would not come easily, but he was prepared to seize it with both hands.

As his fourteen frigates and twelve destroyers approached the Asteroid Belt, where outlaws were known to lurk, tension hung in the air. This would be no easy task; pirates were skilled in evasion and had evaded detection time and time again. But Vebenson was undeterred. For years, he had studied their tactics, analyzed their movements, and devised a plan to trap them once and for all.

His navigation officer’s voice took him back to reality.

“Ending FTL Travel in 3… 2… 1…”

Vebenson's fleet emerged from FTL travel and he was met with the sight of the pirate's formidable array of modified freighter ships. Though they appeared laughable compared to his mighty fleet, Vebenson knew better than to underestimate them.

These ships may have been cobbled together from salvaged parts and modifications, but they were still capable of wreaking havoc on undefended civilian trading fleets and merchant ships. His gaze swept across the enemy formation, taking note of their numbers and positioning. His tactical instincts kicked in as he formulated a plan of attack.

He knew that a direct assault would be met with fierce resistance, so he opted for a more strategic approach.

"Commander, should I open com with the pirates?" his communication officer asked.

"As much as we want to just send these pirates straight into hell, we still have to follow protocols in handling outlaws and give them a chance to surrender peacefully. If they refuse, then we will engage," he said, then took over as he was given the com as soon as the link was connected to the pirates.

“Attention to all pirate vessels operating illegally within this section of the belt. This is Commander Vebenson Natu, representing the Union of Great Terran Republics Navy. You have trespassed into sovereign territory and engaged in acts of piracy against civilian and commercial vessels. Your actions are in direct violation of the Standard Intersystem Law and Order. And as such, will not be tolerated. I hereby demand your immediate surrender without any resistance and unconditionally... or face the full wrath of the UGTR navy. You have thirty seconds to comply.” He sent an intimidating tone and aura through the coms, something that would always result in the immediate surrender of the outlaws upon hearing it.

One of his crew on the bridge told him what kind of armaments of the pirate ships have and was confident that their armor could bear it effortlessly.

“Commander, I just finished scanning their ship IDs. Although I couldn’t find matches on the registered ships on any corporation, allied systems, UGTR, and even Colonial ships that went missing in our space. They probably were able to delete their ship IDs to disable any tracking software from marking them.”

“How about their main guns?”

“I was able to get information about their armaments. Their main weapons are not a threat to our fleet’s armor.”

“Their engines and speed?”

“They are probably using the standard engines for their modified freighters and on the rest of the ships. We won’t have any problem with any of them… although…” one member on the bridge provided crucial information about the armaments and capabilities of the pirate ships. They detailed the types of weapons and cannons the pirates possessed, expressing confidence in their fleet's armor to withstand the incoming assault. However, the officer stopped himself from continuing.

“And?” Vebenson sensed something was wrong and asked.

“You should see this, sir.” one of his crew said. He gazed in the direction where his crew threw the 3D hologram of the spotted anomaly.

Their attention was quickly drawn to a particular vessel within the pirate fleet—a battlecruiser.

And it was not even a normal battlecruiser but a UGTR Type 45A Brsrkr.

Loyal to its name, it is heavily armored and heavily armed with long-range weaponry with the ability to pound heavily armored ships and defense structures on moon bases or stations.

An overpowered relic during the war with the Colonial Alliance. Although it was an old, phased, and outdated ship, Vebenson knew better than to underestimate its capabilities. In the close-quarters combat of the asteroid belt, the battlecruiser could prove to be a formidable opponent, especially for his frigates, or even damage his valuable destroyers, especially his beloved ship.

Vebenson's brow furrowed in disbelief as his crew relayed the confirmation of the unsettling news that the battle cruiser was truly of Terran origin. But what was even more concerning was the still intact main weapons of the battlecruiser which he knew carried one of the strongest firepower on all L-size UGTR ships.

The question started flooding his mind.

“How could these pirates have acquired such a formidable vessel?” he asked loudly.

The implications of their possession of a Terran ship raised troubling questions about their capabilities and resources. He also started to think that maybe a part of the UGTR navy had secretly sold this ship to the pirates as he couldn’t believe the possibility that the outlaws had the capability to commandeer such a vessel.

“It may be,” One of his crew offered a plausible explanation. “—that during the previous war, many ships had been lost or abandoned, presenting an opportunity for enterprising pirates to salvage and repurpose them. It was likely that these pirates had stumbled upon the abandoned battlecruiser and seized it as their own, modifying it to serve as their flagship.”

“Wait, what the fuck is that thing?” Vebenson then saw something peculiar about the features of the ship.

“What thing, commander?”

As Vebenson zoomed the scanned image of the battlecruiser, he realized that the strange shape of the ship looked like a giant hammerhead shark back on Terra. It was not just present on the battlecruiser but also on other ships.

“What the fuck are those things on the ship’s bow? Are those… rams?”

His crew started also to check what he was referring to and they all realized what it was.

“I think those are called rostrums, commander.” his lieutenant confirmed it for him. “Most pirates don’t have a lot of ammo or anti-ship armaments due to how costly they were so, they prefer to ram other ships to immobilize their target during the start of their boarding sequences. And their ships don’t carry much energy to become capable of arming itself with Splicer Ions like ours.”

“I know what rams–I mean, rostrums were but I didn’t know they would use a battlecruiser this way… fucking monkeys.” This realization filled Vebenson with a mix of frustration and anger. Although UGTR ships also use the concept of rostrums through their energy splicers, it was more or less meant for slicing asteroids or debris that will collide with the bow of their ships. But metal rostrums were built by these pirates to tackle and use as harpoons for their boarding sequences which he already knew.

Adding also the audacity of these pirates to lay claim to a UGTR vessel, even if it was abandoned and outdated, was nothing short of infuriating. They had desecrated the legacy of the Terran Navy, tarnishing its reputation with their criminal activities.

Cursing under his breath, Vebenson vowed to make the pirates pay for their insolence. He would ensure that they faced the full force of the UGTR Navy's wrath, punishing them for their brazen acts of piracy and reclaiming what was rightfully theirs.

Immediately, Vebenson issued orders to his fleet, prioritizing the destruction of the battlecruiser above all else.

"Once the battle starts, focus all firepower on the battlecruiser," Vebenson commanded over the coms, his voice firm and authoritative. "We need to take it out before it can inflict any serious damage on our ships. Then prepare for a flanking maneuver, we'll hit them from multiple angles and overwhelm their defenses."

“Destroy it, sir?”

“I’d rather have it destroyed than in the hands of the pirates or outlaws and I won’t have it be sold again by corrupt officials later just because it was a phased-out model.” he gritted his teeth in anger.

“Captain, the allotted time to announce their surrender is done.”

“Any reply from them?” he asked.

“None commander.” his communication officer shook his head.

“Stupid monkeys. Alright, if they want to become space dust, then we will give them what they want! Prepare to advance! I don’t want to waste missiles or torpedoes, use your Main Kinetic Turrets!” Vebenson's voice boomed across the bridge as he issued intricate orders. “They built their ships for close-quarter broadsides? We will give them REAL broadsides. Advance!”

With a final command, he signaled the commencement of the attack, setting his fleet on a collision course with the enemy.

As his fleet surged forward, Vebenson couldn't shake the nagging sense of unease that settled over him. The lack of response from the pirates was unusual. The ships didn’t even turn or even react. It’s like the pirates were ignoring them.

The lack of response from the pirates only added to the mounting tension aboard Vebenson's flagship.

"But why aren't they responding? It's like they're ignoring us completely." another chimed in.

Vebenson frowned, his mind racing with possible explanations for the pirates' behavior. Were they playing some kind of elaborate trap, luring his fleet into a false sense of security? Or had something unexpected happened to render them incapable of mounting a defense?

With the safety of his fleet and the success of their mission at stake, Vebenson couldn't afford to dwell on speculation. Despite the unnerving silence from the pirates, he knew that their orders remained unchanged: neutralize the threat.

"It looks like they've just come from a skirmish," one crew member remarked, their voice tinged with uncertainty. As they closed in on the seemingly unresponsive enemy fleet, the signs of recent battle damage on the pirate ships sparked a flurry of speculation among Vebenson's crew. And the signs of recent damage on their ships only added to the mystery.

"Sir, look at the damage on those ships," one crew member exclaimed, pointing at the scarred hulls of the pirate vessels. "It's fresh like they've just been through a battle."

Nevertheless, he remained focused on the task at hand.

As Vebenson's fleet closed in on the motionless pirate ships, a palpable tension filled the bridge of his flagship. The crew watched in wary anticipation; their eyes trained on the eerie sight unfolding before them.

Vebenson narrowed his eyes, scanning the scene with a mixture of concern and curiosity. The lack of response from the pirates was troubling, to say the least. In all his encounters with them, they had never remained silent or unresponsive.

"This truly doesn't make sense," Vebenson muttered to himself, his mind racing to make sense of the situation. "Why aren't they reacting? Are they playing some kind of game?"

But as the seconds ticked by without any sign of movement from the pirate fleet, Vebenson's unease grew. It was as if they were facing a ghostly armada, frozen in time and space.

“Commander, pirate ships on fleet’s Main Kinetic Turret range in 10 seconds.”

"Prepare for any possibility," Vebenson ordered his voice firm and commanding. "Fire at the ready."

Engines roared to life as the fleet surged forward, closing the distance with the motionless pirate ships at breakneck speed. Vebenson watched through the hologram’s simulated viewport. His heart pounded in anticipation of the imminent clash; his mind focused on the task at hand.

"Steady, everyone," Vebenson commanded, his voice cutting through the tension like a knife. "Maintain formation and prepare for close-quarters combat. We'll give those pirates a taste of UGTR firepower they won't soon forget."

As the distance between the two fleets dwindled, the hum of engines reverberated through the bridge, matching the rising anticipation of the crew. The details of the pirate ships came into sharper focus. Scorch marks marred their hulls, evidence of recent clashes with unknown adversaries. Yet still, there was no response from the pirates, no signs of life aboard their vessels.

Vebenson's pulse quickened with excitement as he envisioned the coming battle. Close-quarter broadside combat was where he thrived, where his skills as a commander shone brightest.

Then sudden blare of alarms and the frantic chatter of his crew jolted Vebenson from his focused anticipation. He frowned, his brow furrowing in concern, as he surveyed the readings flashing across the bridge's displays.

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"What's happening?" he demanded, his voice cutting through the chaos.

"Unknown entity detected dead ahead, sir!" a crew member shouted, their voice tinged with urgency. "It's on a collision course with our fleet!"

He scanned the empty expanse before them, searching for any sign of the mysterious entity that seemed to elude their senses.

"Are we sure it's not a glitch in the system?" he asked, his voice laced with uncertainty.

"We've checked and rechecked, sir," a crew member responded, their tone tinged with confusion. "The sensors are picking up something massive!"

Vebenson gripped the railing before him tightly, his thoughts racing as he pondered the implications of their predicament. The persistent blare of alarms and the confused chatter of his crew filled the bridge with a sense of urgency. Vebenson's brow furrowed as he waited for his crew to fully scrutinize the readings displayed before them, trying to make sense of the conflicting information.

"We're not seeing anything on visual or long-range scans."

Vebenson's frown deepened as he considered the implications. If there was no visible ship or anomaly in their path, then what could be triggering their sensors?

"Check the readings again," he ordered, his voice sharp with authority. "We need to be certain before we take any evasive action."

The crew scrambled to comply, their fingers flying over consoles as they rechecked the sensor data. But try as they might, they could find no sign of the purported entity that had set their instruments awry.

"It's not making any sense, sir," one crew member reported, frustration evident in their voice. "The sensors are still registering a massive presence dead ahead, but there's nothing there."

Vebenson's mind raced as he considered the possibilities. Could it be a malfunction in their systems, or perhaps some form of cloaking technology employed by the pirates?

The possibility of an unknown vessel materializing directly in their path was a scenario he hadn't accounted for, and it threatened to disrupt the carefully laid plans for the impending battle. He and the crew of the entire bridge gazed around and saw nothing but black deep space between their fleet and the pirates.

"Are we sure it's not an error?!" he asked in great worry.

"We've triple-checked the readings, sir," another crew member confirmed. "The entity is definitely there, and it's closing in fast!"

Vebenson cursed under his breath, his mind racing as he considered their options. With the pirate fleet still looming ahead and the mysterious entity bearing down on them, they were caught between two potential threats, each fraught with danger.

"Activate the Splicer Ions," he commanded. "We'll cut through anything that stands in our way."

His order was swiftly relayed to the rest of the fleet. The crew sprang into action, executing his orders with precision as each ship in the fleet activated the charged blades at their bows. The energy hummed and crackled, casting an eerie glow across the bridge as they prepared to unleash their formidable arsenal., and soon the ships' bow-mounted ion blades began to glow with ominous energy. It was a ram intended against space debris that could also be used to ram any unsuspecting ships.

They closed in on the source of the sensor readings.

And then, the truth was revealed.

A massive wall of black metal slowly materialized before them, Vebenson's heart skipped a panicked beat. He stood transfixed on the bridge of his flagship. His eyes widened in disbelief as the enormity of the vessel became apparent. The sleek, menacing hull stretched out before them, dwarfing their entire fleet with its sheer size. His hands clenched into fists as he watched the behemoth ship loom ever closer, its presence casting a shadow over his fleet.

"A stealth cloak," He heard one of his crew murmur incredulously, his mind racing to comprehend what he was seeing. "But at this scale..."

"A cloaked ship?" Vebenson asked. "But how...?"

His mind raced with possibilities, trying to comprehend how such a massive vessel could have remained hidden from their sensors until now. This was no ordinary pirate trickery – this was something far more advanced, far more sinister.

"Evade!" he immediately ordered. "Full thrusters, hard to starboard!"

His crew sprang into action, fingers flying over controls as they worked to execute his commands with precision.

"Prepare for impact!" a voice in the bridge declared, their gaze fixed on the black wall of metal ahead. The bridge crew buzzed with urgent activity, their voices a frantic symphony of confusion and alarm. Vebenson watched in awe and fear as the sleek, black hull of the unknown vessel loomed ominously before them.

Breaths held for the outcome of their desperate maneuver.

Their ship shuddered beneath them as they engaged the engines at full power. This was the same with the other ships of his fleet, veering sharply to avoid the looming threat ahead.

Finally, safe from any risk of collision, the giant ship passes harmlessly through its fleet. But Vebenson was not one to back down from a challenge.

"Status report," he barked, his voice cutting through the chaos.

“No ship loss!”

"What do we know about that ship? Give me a three-dimensional scan!"

His officers scrambled to provide answers, their fingers flying across the consoles in a desperate bid to gather information. Then a 3D diagram appeared in front of them after his crew managed to scan the entire entity.

Vebenson's jaw tightened as he took in the enormity of the situation. A ship of such colossal proportions was unlike anything he had ever encountered. Its sheer size alone made it a formidable adversary, and he knew that they would need to proceed with caution if they were to stand any chance against it.

"Bring up a tactical analysis of the enemy ship," he ordered, his voice steady despite the rising tension in the air. "I want to know everything we can about its capabilities and weaknesses."

As his crew worked frantically to gather the necessary data, Vebenson studied the holographic display that materialized before him. The ship's design was sleek and angular, with ominous-looking designs bristling along its hull. He scrutinized every inch of the holographic representation, searching for any potential vulnerabilities they could exploit.

It measured approximately 20 kilometers in length while its design was foreign from any known sovereign systems with its angular lines and features. The imposing massive size with intricate details reflects power and dominance.

“Oh god…”

The scale of this behemoth was beyond anything he had ever encountered, dwarfing even the mightiest vessels in the UGTR fleet.

“What in the actual fuck… this is much larger than Nidhogg…” Vebenson compared this ship to the largest supercapital ship the Terran had in their navy.

“It’s obviously impossible that these pirates had commandeered or manufactured such a ship! Get me its ship ID and signatures! Anything!” he demanded immediately.

Then he received a detailed analysis of the ship from one of his crew.

“I already scanned the ship, commander, and found nothing. Not even a mark of a corporation.”

Then as if he remembered something, the pieces of the puzzle fell into place in his mind, and Vebenson's expression hardened. Vebenson's mind raced, piecing together the fragments of information before him– it all clicked into place with chilling clarity.

“It all made sense now – the damaged pirate ships, their lack of response, and now this colossal vessel appearing out of nowhere.” he covered his mouth with his palm as he slowly realized their situation. These pirates may have stumbled upon something far beyond their comprehension, and they had paid the price for their audacity.

"They were attacked," he muttered to himself, his voice tinged with disbelief. "Attacked by this... this black ship."

The realization sent a shiver down his spine. Whatever this ship was, it was far beyond anything he had ever encountered. And if the pirates had been foolish enough to provoke it, then they were in for a world of trouble.

But Vebenson saw opportunity amidst the chaos.

“So there’s no ID that claimed its identity or which sovereignty it belonged to?”

If he could defeat this mysterious adversary, it would be a victory that would elevate him to legendary status within the UGTR Navy. He would be hailed as the savior of the sector, the hero who vanquished the unknown threat.

"We may have just stumbled upon the opportunity of a lifetime." He also considered the possibility that this was most probably a Colonial supercapital ship that got lost in a trial jump.

Still, even if this was not the case, it changed nothing.

"Prepare to engage the vessel," Vebenson ordered, his voice cutting through the tense silence on the bridge. “Ignore its size and think of it as a large target.”

“We are not going to make a dialogue commander?” his lieutenant asked.

“Dialogue is only for those who are known, this one is an unknown trespasser. Besides we don’t have a procedure for this kind of situation,” he replied.

Weapons systems hummed to life, targeting computers locked onto the massive ship before them, and shields were raised in anticipation of the impending battle. The entire fleet turned around and headed directly to the rear of the giant ship.

"Divert all power to our weapons systems," Vebenson ordered. "Prepare to engage the enemy at maximum firepower. We may not have the advantage in size, but we have the advantage in skill and firepower. The pirates can wait."

Then a command echoed across the fleet.

“Open fire!”

The entire fleet unloaded their firepower from their kinetic turrets, sending deadly projectiles. The one-sided blast of firepower was fierce and intense, erupting in a cacophony of explosions and gunfire as Vebenson's fleet clashed with the giant ship. His ships pressed silently forward in space, their weapons blazing as they unleashed a relentless assault.

Then Vebenson watched in stunned disbelief as the spherical blue wave of energy rippled outward from the point of impact of their attacks, signaling the presence of an energy shield – a formidable defense that his fleet had not anticipated.

"Shields!" he exclaimed grimly, his mind racing to adapt to this unexpected development. "They have energy shields!"

The realization sent a ripple of concern through his crew and the fleet.

Energy shields were a rare and highly advanced technology, typically only employed by the most advanced military vessels and employed only on their static defense stations due to how costly it was to maintain on ships. To encounter them here, wielded by an unknown adversary, was a waking call that this was not an ordinary ship.

But Vebenson refused to be deterred. He remembered the information about the ship and a plan began to take shape in his mind. They would need to find a way to bypass or overload the enemy's shields, allowing them to deliver a decisive blow. With a swift command, he ordered his ships to adjust their approach.

"Those energy shields will not generate for long under intense fire," he instructed, his voice steady despite the mounting tension. "We'll bring down those shields and show this interloper what we're made of. Fire at will!"

They directed the firepower of the fleet toward the shimmering barrier that stood between them and their enemy. With each volley of plasma fire and missile salvo, they sought to weaken the shield and expose the vulnerable hull of their adversary.

But even as they unleashed their arsenal upon the mysterious ship, Vebenson felt like he was struck by a sledgehammer.

If this ship fell into the wrong hands, it could spell disaster for the entire Union. And worse even, if this mysterious vessel truly possessed undisclosed technology, it meant that the creators of this ship possessed capabilities far beyond anything the UGTR had anticipated.

His mind raced with the implications of this revelation.

If this was a colonial ship, how had a colonial ship found its way into UGTR space undetected?

If this was not a colonial ship, how had this ship found itself undetected until now?

And what were they doing here in the Asteroid Belt?

The answers to these questions eluded him, but one thing was clear – they were facing a threat of unprecedented magnitude.

"We cannot allow this ship to remain unchallenged," Vebenson declared, his voice resolute despite the uncertainty that gripped him.

His crew on the bridge nodded in solemn agreement, their faces reflecting the gravity of the situation.

"Send out a distress signal to all nearby UGTR stations," he commanded, his voice cutting through the tension on the bridge. "Inform them of the situation and request immediate backup."

As his crew scrambled to carry out his orders, Vebenson's mind raced with potential strategies. They would need to find a way to penetrate the enemy's shields while keeping it contained on the belt.

“Message sent commander.”

“Good! The only thing that we needed is either to deplete its energy that maintained its shields or keep it from escaping while we wait for the reinforcements!” he said and added. “Divert power to our long-range missile systems. We'll overwhelm its shields with a concentrated salvo of high-yield firepower."

Now the entire fleet re-calibrated their weapons systems and primed their missiles for launch. The UGTR fleet shifted its focus, unleashing a barrage of guided missiles aimed at the critical components of the enemy ship.

As the missiles streaked through space toward their target, Vebenson held his breath, his eyes fixed on the tactical display. For a moment, it seemed as though their plan might succeed as several missiles breached the outer layers of the enemy's shields, exploding in fiery bursts against the hull of the ship.

And he wouldn’t let the enemy’s shields take a rest.

"Then divert power also to the fore cannons," Vebenson ordered. His crew obeyed without hesitation, diverting additional energy to their weapons systems as they continued their relentless barrage. The space around them erupted into chaos as streams of kinetic projectiles and volleys of missiles streaked toward the enemy ship, each impact sending shockwaves rippling across its shimmering shield.

The energy barriers shimmered and crackled with the intensity of the incoming fire, but they showed no signs of weakening.

But to his dismay, the shields held once again, repelling the majority of the missile strikes with ease. No matter how much firepower they unleashed, the enemy's defenses held firm, repelling their attacks with apparent ease. Vebenson gritted his teeth in frustration, realizing that their firepower was not enough. It was clear that their efforts were having little effect against the formidable defenses of the enemy vessel.

"We're barely making a dent in their shields!" one of his officers exclaimed, their voice tinged with frustration.

Vebenson’s mind raced as he assessed their options again. It was clear that their conventional weapons were ineffective against the enemy's advanced shielding technology. The only downside of this massive ship was its size and slow speed, making it easier for them to harass it with their firepower. But they would need to find another way to penetrate the defenses of the massive ship if they had any hope of emerging victorious.

"We need to find a weakness," he muttered to himself, his mind racing as he searched for a solution. "There has to be a way to penetrate those shields."

A glimmer of hope flickered in his mind as he recalled the data from their initial scans of the enemy ship again.

However, he was not able to voice out his plans as his ship was suddenly shaken in great intensity.

“What happened?!” he demanded an answer.

“The enemy ship commander! It opened fire!” one of his crew answered.

“Euphoria and Muszyr took a direct hit! We lost contact with the Euphoria Command!”

And on the three-dimensional Holo display of their battlefield in the void, he could see the 3D figures of his two ships losing control and now floating debris in space. But before he could issue a rescue or salvage crew to these two ships, he was interrupted by more alerts from his bridge.

“We are detecting multiple deployments of weapon turrets across the hull of the enemy ship!” another of his crew replied.

As the enemy ship unleashed its devastating barrage of energy cannons, chaos erupted across the UGTR fleet. Several of his ships were obliterated in a single shot, their hulls torn apart by the sheer power of the enemy's weapons.

The sudden onslaught from the enemy ship caught Vebenson and his fleet off guard, wreaking havoc among their ranks with devastating precision.

"Evade incoming fire!" Vebenson shouted, his voice laced with urgency as he struggled to maintain control amidst the chaos. "Return fire! Break Formation and spread out! We can't let them pick us off like static targets!"

His fleet scrambled to execute his orders, maneuvering their ships frantically in an attempt to evade the deadly salvos from the enemy ship. The remaining vessels of the UGTR fleet unleashed a torrent of firepower in response, their weapons blazing as they sought to cripple the enemy's offensive capabilities.

But despite their efforts, the enemy's cannons continued to rain destruction upon them, picking off their ships with ruthless efficiency. Vebenson gritted his teeth, his mind racing as he searched for a way to turn the tide of battle in their favor.

Vebenson knew that they were running out of time. With each passing moment, more of his ships fell to the relentless barrage from the enemy ship. Desperation gnawed at his insides. Despite their best efforts, the enemy's shields held firm, deflecting the majority of their attacks. The UGTR fleet found themselves locked in a deadly dance of evasion and counterattack, struggling to find a way to break through the enemy's formidable defenses.

The enemy ship seemed to anticipate their every move, swiftly evading their attacks and retaliating with deadly precision. The UGTR fleet found themselves locked in a desperate struggle for survival, their every maneuver countered by the overwhelming might of their mysterious adversary.

Then he decided to use his last card.

“Use the railguns!”

With a determined look, Vebenson gave the order to unleash their main weapons. His entire crew and even his officers looked at him in disbelief.

“But commander! We would be static targets for the enemy if we use the rail guns!” his lieutenant argued.

Railguns take up a lot of power of any ship that it won’t be able to move or use its engines, as such it would only be used to pound enemy defense structures.

“Divert all of the energy to the railguns!” he repeated, sending his unbroken resolve to defeat the enemy by any means. His crew then looked at each other and nodded. They quickly scrambled to complete his orders.

The railguns, their most potent armaments, came to life with a white cloud of energy bursting. As it unleashed torrents of high-velocity projectiles toward the enemy ship, Vebenson held his breath, watching intently as the rounds slammed into the massive vessel's shields.

To his relief, he saw the shield flicker and crack under the onslaught, a sign that their weapons were having the intended impact effect.

"We're finally making a dent in their defenses! Keep the pressure on!" he bellowed, his voice laced with a mix of urgency and determination.

His crew responded with fervor, adjusting their aim to target the weakened sections of the enemy's shield. With each successive volley, spiderweb-like cracks kept materializing and fading across the barrier, evidence of the UGTR fleet's relentless assault.

Vebenson watched intently as the enemy's defenses faltered under the sustained barrage, his eyes alight with a flicker of optimism.

"Focus fire on those weakened areas! Let's bring that shield down!" he commanded, his voice cutting through the chaos of battle.

The UGTR fleet continued to rain down fire upon their adversary, their railguns blazing with renewed intensity. With each salvo, they hammered away at the enemy's defenses, inching ever closer to breaching the barrier and striking a decisive blow against their formidable foe.

"Keep firing!" Vebenson shouted as he urged his crew to press the attack.

The UGTR fleet redoubled their efforts, their railguns thundering with renewed fury as they focused their fire on the damaged sections of the enemy ship's shields.

But their momentary success was short-lived, as the enemy ship retaliated with devastating force. Energy beams lanced out from its cannons, slicing through a few of the UGTR frigates with merciless efficiency. Vebenson gritted his teeth, his heart sinking as he watched some of his ships fall one by one again under the onslaught.

His crew worked with focused precision, adjusting their targeting systems to exploit the weakened sections of the enemy's defenses.

"Maintain fire! We can't let up now!" he commanded, his voice unwavering despite the grim situation. "Keep pounding them until they collapse!"

Then, three shots from their fleet’s barrage of railguns finally made it through the shield and struck the hull of the giant ship which gave hope and cheers to their hopeless situation.

But their cheers of victory died on their lips as the UGTR crew watched in disbelief.

The railgun slugs, despite breaching the shield, seemed to have little effect on the hull of the giant ship. The captured footage of the impact showed how, instead of penetrating or causing damage, the projectiles' destructive power was absorbed, and their kinetic energy nullified as if the massive vessel were impervious to their attacks.

Vebenson's brow furrowed in frustration as he processed the impossible sight before him.

"How is that even possible?" he muttered, his mind racing to comprehend the situation.

"It's shrugging the shots... impossible… this doesn’t make sense!" his lieutenant muttered, voicing the same confusion that gripped them all.

His crew scrambled to analyze the data, searching for any explanation for the impossible feat they had just witnessed. But the readings provided no easy answers, leaving them grasping at straws in the face of this baffling new development.

Several more railgun slugs penetrated the shields. But same as before, the blackened hull of the giant ship just absorbed the energy that was carried by their projectiles.

"It's like the hull itself is alive, it's... it's absorbing the kinetic energy," " one crew member remarked, voicing the incredulity that hung heavy in the air.

The enemy's technology seemed leagues beyond their own, rendering their most powerful weapons ineffective.

Vebenson's mind raced as he tried to make sense of the situation. Whatever technology the enemy ship possessed; it was unlike anything they had ever encountered before. And if they couldn't find a way to counter it, their chances of victory were slim at best. It defied all logic and reason, leaving him grasping for answers amid battle.

As they struggled to come to terms with their grim reality, their adversary wasted no time in unleashing its devastating firepower upon them. The UGTR fleet found themselves outmatched and outgunned by the mysterious giant ship.

The massive cannons of the enemy vessel swiveled with deadly precision, targeting the UGTR ships with ruthless efficiency. Vebenson could only watch helplessly as the first salvos of energy blasts of kinetic destruction streaked through space, tearing through the ranks of his fleet with terrifying speed.

“Commander! What are your next orders?!” his lieutenant asked in panic.

But he could only open his mouth in shock as he continued his gaze on the hopeless situation they were in.

Explosions blossomed across the void as the enemy's onslaught engulfed them, ripping through the hulls of their ships with relentless force. Despite their valiant efforts, the UGTR fleet stood little chance against the overwhelming might of their foe.

Vebenson's heart pounded in his chest as he watched helplessly, a sense of resignation settling over him as he braced for the inevitable. Seeing that their commander had lost the ability and sanity to issue orders, the lieutenant took the initiative and sent out an immediate statement to the fleet.

“Retreat! Reform at the designated rendezvous point!”

The surviving UGTR vessels veered and scattered, desperately trying to evade the deadly salvos raining down upon them and escape the unwinnable battle. Their weapons systems blazed to life, unleashing a barrage of ineffective retaliatory fire against the colossal enemy ship.

In that fleeting moment, amidst the chaos and destruction, Vebenson Natu, proud commander of the Triachdii Fleet, knew that their last stand would be remembered as the first encounter between the UGTR and this unknown ship.

Regret weighed heavily on his heart, a burden too heavy to bear as he grappled with the crushing weight of failure. He had dreamed of glory, of carving out a legacy worthy of his name, but now all those aspirations lay shattered at his feet, scattered amidst the wreckage of his ambitions.

As the volley of fire intensified, Vebenson's ship became a prime target, the giant ship's guns fixing their sights on him with chilling accuracy. With a sinking feeling in his chest, Vebenson braced himself for the inevitable impact, knowing that their fate had been sealed. He knew that his time had come.

Then, in a blinding flash of light, oblivion consumed them. The last thing Vebenson saw was the brilliance of the energy blast as it tore through the heart of his ship, engulfing everything in its path in a fiery inferno.

Amidst the chaos and devastation, there was only darkness. The echoes of their defeat faded into silence as the void of space reclaimed its own, leaving nothing behind but the lingering memory of a battle lost and lives sacrificed in the name of duty and honor. The void enveloped him in its cold embrace, he silently prayed that their deaths would not be in vain.