2140

S.D.N Whirlwind

Ce'luaka Ombri System

Hel'lius Quadrant

Milky Way Galaxy

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"Evasive maneuvers!" exclaimed Captain Gallahan. A near-miss as a kinetic projectile hissed toward the Whirlwind, missing it by a few meters. The blank pitch-black space littered with stars just minutes ago was silent as within seconds of the opening salvos, the expanse cluttered with signs of battles and skirmishes. Da'kunta pirates weaved around in the battlegrounds, toying with the Terran's small craft and Quaxir's. The battle raged unfavourably for the humans and the Quaxir makeshift joint task force. The Da'kunta vessels were barely scratched by primitive Terran weaponry, only acting as support for the Quaxir titan-class ships.

"Captain! Portside hull integrity is down to 50%! Another run of those bombers, we'll be in shit!" said Bran as explosions coming from the left side of the ship rattled the command deck. Da'kunta bombers with Terran fighters trailing behind the destruction, rotating red lights blared throughout the deck. Hal'io and Ambassador Quinn held onto the rails of the command module as they braced themselves. "Hal'io, take Quinn with you and go to the lifeboats!" the Gal'hian merely nodded and sprung into action as he ran out of the command deck with the Ambassador in tow.

"Bran, Give me a complete damage assessment on our port side! Dover, dispatch trauma units to those affected areas!" exclaimed the captain as crew decks burned, and the gaps in the hull compromised the corridor's airflow systems shown on the analysis holographic in the middle of the bridge. The Whirlwind became a disturbed hornet's nest in seconds throughout the battle as thousands of sailors and soldiers worked tirelessly throughout the ship. Human fighters were catapulted from the rear end of the Whirlwind while being engaged by the opposing fighters of the Da'kunta, getting destroyed immediately after taking off. A few fighter pilots manage to slip by and are locked in a dogfight with the superior pirates.

"The entire B deck and the mess halls have been obliterated! Rerouting repair bots and personnel towards the gaps in the portside hull now, captain!" yelled Officer Dover from the intercom post. A Da'kunta battleship shot its full broadside towards a Directorate ship, instantaneously destroying it with one hail of its guns seen through the windowed aperture of the command deck.

"Captain, the Lancaster is neutralized! I do not see lifeboats disembarking from the battlecruiser!" Chief Officer Bran yelled. The burning husk of the Lancaster drifted through space as another salvo from the pirate battleship finished the ship, bursting into flames, debris and shrapnel from the explosion hitting the reinforced apertures of the command deck. "There goes the Lancaster!" exclaimed Bran.

"Set weapon systems to condition three! I want every warhead in this ship concentrated on that sole battleship to our starboard side! Coordinate with Marathon and Harper to maximize damage potential! We're going to blow this fucker to kingdom come!" Captain Gallahan barked the orders. Battlecruisers Marathon and Harper flanked the Whirlwind on both sides, and thousands of nuclear warheads launched from their silos aimed at the Da'kunta warship.

"Redirect our headings to 45 degrees! Angle our rail accelerators towards the warship! Dover, convey the exact orders to Marathon and Harper! We need to give this alien sonabitch everything we've got!" The warheads closed in on the Da'kunta warship, and anti-missile fire reigned in the general direction of the warheads, destroying a few as it enveloped the expanse with small nuclear blasts. Several Da'kunta small craft managed to intercept some of the warheads, but the fighters were not fast enough to avoid the explosions, dying in the process. As the warheads make contact with the battleship's hull, covering a portion of the surface with thousands of nuclear explosions, disabling some of its guns with impunity. The Whirlwind curved throughout the space with the other two human battlecruisers, aiming their accelerators toward the pirate vessel.

The Da'kunta battleship recovered from the nuclear barrage and fired a weakened salvo from its portside, delivering an immobilizing hit on the Marathon battlecruiser. "Status report on the Marathon!" Gallahan shouted throughout the frenzy of the battle as multiple chatters and buzzes from the intercoms filled the command deck.

"The barrage immobilized the Marathon! Weapon systems are disabled from the broadside of the enemy! I see multiple lifeboats disengaging from the ship, captain!" Yelled Bran as he analyzed the hologram of the battleground.

"Dispatch support to those lifeboats and get them on board!" Captain Gallahan barked. The guns of the Da'kunta ship emitted beams, and another salvo was charging. "Their weapon systems are charging up! Dover, transmit orders to Harper! Pearce, arm the accelerators now and be ready to fire on my command!" The captain exclaimed. The officers nodded and carried out the orders. The Da'kunta battleship's weapon's beams intensified in colour. The Whirlwind's and the Harper's accelerators armed themselves and rumbled in intensity over the seconds. 3, 2, 1.

"Fire now!" Gallahan barked as Pearce's face winced, his hands clenched on the weapon system's apparatus. The accelerators fired a flurry of shots onto the weakened starboard of the Da'kunta battleship littered with damages from the nuclear barrage. The rounds pierced the hull of the pirates and collided with the hyperdrives of the ship, causing it to implode. Enemy battleship destroyed.

"Target destroyed!" Captain Gallahan yelled as the crew cheered on. "Gal'hian small craft has engaged the Da'kunta bombers, captain!" Exclaimed Bran as he scanned the starboard side of the deck, multiple Gal'hian fighters swirling through space at insane speeds like the falcons of the Earth. Terran fighters danced with their Gal'hian brothers as they weaved through hundreds of Da'kunta small craft, but the fight was not decisive, with more losses than enemies killed.

"About time those foxes joined the fight!" Said Dover as Gal'hian cruisers trailed behind the Whirlwind and Harper. "Get all essential personnel to the lifeboats just in case." Captain Gallahan followed. The officer nodded and started transmitting to the rest of the emissary P.O.Is.

"Give me a complete diagnostic of the ship, Bran. Pull up the entire battlefield on my holo screen, Xiu. We need to know the status of our fleet," said the captain. "We traded two battlecruisers filled with brave souls for one enemy ship. May god bless their souls," he continued with a mellower tone. The lifeboats of Marathon converged on the Harper and Whirlwind. Overburdened trauma units retched from the sight of the affected sailors. Some with limbs torn from the flesh, incapacitated to the point where one can no longer function.

As the battle still rages on, in the center of the skirmish, the remaining four human battlecruisers, along with the only surviving Quaxiras titan-class ships, traded salvos upon salvos with five Da'kunta battleships.

"Only one present Quaxiras ship still in the fight, captain. Our Gal'hian friends are following our headings closely. Five Da'kunta battleships are still active and engaged by friendlies," said Chief Officer Bran. Closer to the garrison orbiting the binary dwarves, the battle still lingers with the Quaxir titan-class warship barely holding on to its last.

"Take us in, Officer Bran. Plot a course directly towards the battle lines. We will assist in any way we can," said the captain, "Dover, set our fighter squadrons to condition one, they are to protect our fleet formation from enemy small craft, we've barely got out of the ruckus with the bombers," ordered Captain Gallahan. Terran fighter groups maintained a tight formation around the sides of the fleet, ready to intercept Da'kunta's small craft. The Whirlwind and the Harper, with the other three Gal'hian ships plotted their course to intercept the remaining five Da'kunta battleships. Another ball of flame erupted in the expanse as two more human battlecruisers exploded in the wake of the unrelenting firepower of the pirates.

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"Enemy battleships have eliminated Ferdinand and Victor, captain, no visual of lifeboats disengaging from the ships." The husks of the human battlecruisers drifted in the silhouette of the binary dwarves. Debris and bodies scattered throughout the abyss aimlessly in silence.

Sighing with discontent, "Concentrate full power on our sublight thrusters, veer right towards the garrison. Use the space platform as additional fire support," ordered the captain. The entire formation turned away from the fight and towards the Quaxiras garrison in orbit of the two stars.

"Order all remaining battlecruisers to disengage and join our formation. The pirates are well-coordinated, and their battle line is immaculate. We need to regroup and reaccess," said the captain. Within seconds of transmissions, allied warships disengaged from the skirmish and retreated to the garrison's position. The sole Quaxiras titan held no choice but to follow the herd or be annihilated. Enemy battleships trailed sluggishly behind the retreating battlecruisers.

"Captain, the Quaxiras titan is hailing us," said Dover. A hologram of the battle map turned into a transmission line as a familiar face showed itself. "You dare run away from the battlefield? You Terrans are as unimpressive as I thought you were!" exclaimed Captain Torqhy through the intercoms.

"We are not running, Captain Torqhy. We need to regroup and reform a proper defensive position around the garrison platform. Their battle line is impenetrable, their flanks protected by small craft squadrons. We cannot win in a slugfest," said Captain Gallahan.

"And what do you suggest we do, human? Do you dare lecture me about tactical merits during space engagements when your race has only recently been uplifted? Do not make me laugh," rebutted Captain Torqhy.

"You already lost two of your Titan warships, you arrogant prick! We need to work together to survive this!" exclaimed Captain Gallahan as he faced the unrelenting Quaxir captain in the eyes.

"The 3rd Silverin battlefleet of the Yerningans has been hailed, captain! We need not be afraid and keep fighting so these cowards cannot run when the Ascended fleet arrives!" said the Quaxir captain.

"There won't be anyone left to save if we die in the process! We hold near the garrison and use the leverage as support. I have already lost four of my ships, I will not lose one more soul onboard for your glory!" The captain refuted. "Captain! They are advancing closer!" said Chief Officer Bran. The five Da'kunta vessels rapidly sped up and chased down the formation, disregarding the garrison's defences.

"Captain Torqhy, you reinforce the garrison. Your capital ship packs more of a punch than ours do, we'll veer right and left towards the flanks to try and get around their frontal armour!" Captain Gallahan yelled at the Quaxir, visibly upset as the human ordered him around like a pet. Captain Torqhy agreed with the ape to an extent. He merely nodded and ended the transmission.

"Captain, the Quaxir listened. They are disengaging from the battle line, and are moving towards the garrison," remarked Bran.

"Dover, order all fighter wings on an intercept course when we maneuver right and left towards the flanks. We cannot take another sortie run of their small craft." The captain said. The officer nodded as the intercepters outside the Whirlwind regrouped in formation around the fleet.

"Xiu, enlarge the battlefield in the centre of the bridge," said the captain as a holographic frame of the entire sector enlarged itself in the middle of the bridge. The Quaxir titan and the garrison sat in the middle of the map, flanked by the binary stars. The north of the map advanced the battle line of the remaining five Da'kunta battleships. The disposition of the remaining six human battlecruisers and three Gal'hian cruisers sat along the left and right sides of the formation. "Hold our current position and angle our heading to 325 degrees. Pearce, arm the accelerators and replenish our warheads," said the captain.

"This manuever is suicide, captain. We cannot match their firepower with ours," argued Officer Bran. "Hull integrity is down to half, our ammunition almost dry, we cannot win."

"We buy time, one of the Ascended fleets has been alerted to this incursion. We must hold and fight," said Gallahan. "Alert all ship personnel to status 3. Be ready to disembark on lifeboats should it come to it," finished Gallahan. Determination and fear sat on the faces of the crew, watching the Da'kunta ships slowly advance. Their faces turned into anger, action, and adrenaline as the battleships began firing their weapons. The human capital ship rumbled in intensity as the enemy battleships scored a hit in the snout of the ship.

"Damage assessment, Bran!" exclaimed the captain as he and the command deck recovered from the shot. "Deck A1's rail accelerator batteries have been destroyed and are non-operational! Ammunition compartments have imploded! Deck G26 and G22 are compromised! Hull integrity is down to 35%!" Officer Bran replied.

"Full power on thrusters, evasive maneuvers right now! Take us inwards before another volley scores a fucking hit!" ordered the captain, "Dover, put Captain Tanner on the intercom!" Gallahan yelled. The enlarged battlefield turned into a transmission with the captain of the Wellington. "Tanner, swerve left with Chijiu! Me and Harper will take right! Let the Quaxir provide fire support in the middle!" Followed the captain as another barrage hardly misses the Whirlwind, rumbling in its path.

"This is madness, Gallahan, and you know it! We must hold positions and wait for allied support! They took out the Ferdinand in one salvo!" rebutted Captain Tanner. "I suggest we reel them closer to the garrison and flank from there!"

"We'll be sitting ducks here if we hold our position! They will keep on firing! We cannot take another one of their salvos! Perform the flanking maneuver now while we still have our thrusters intact! Follow us in!" yelled Captain Gallahan as another volley missed the ship, zipping past the command deck ferociously. One of the Da'kunta battleships deployed their small craft, swarming in numbers as they headed towards the Harper and the Whirlwind. "Enemy small craft detected! Order all fighter wings to intercept and destroy, do not let them come close!" exclaimed the captain as hundreds of interceptors disengaged from escort formation to engage the enemy bombers.

"Pearce, aim for the thrusters at the rear of the pirates! A few rounds from our accelerators, and their hyperdrive implodes! Set weapon conditions to three, prime the warheads! Captain Tanner, it's now or never!" yelled Gallahan through the madness of the battle as hundreds of Terran fighters engaged in a dogfight against enemy small craft.

"Fine! We'll circle right, you go left! Wellington out!" said Captain Tanner as a barrage from the Quaxir capital guns reduced one of the Da'kunta battleships into a molten slug. Counterfire overwhelmed the shield of one of the Gal'hian cruisers. Another volley fired destroyed the Gal'hian cruiser as the rounds punctured through the hull of the ship and scored a direct hit on the ammunition deck.

"Pearce, do not fire until my command!" yelled the captain as the Whirlwind continuously closed the distance towards the Da'kunta ships with the Harper and one of the surviving Gal'hian cruisers trailing behind.

"The enemy is deaccelerating, captain! They are reversing their trajectory and are veering towar—" Before Officer Bran finished, a shockwave rocked the command deck as another volley from the enemy sent the ship into chaos, stopping it in its tracks.

"Is everyone alright!? Status report now!" exclaimed the captain, disregarding the disarray before him. "Main sublight thrusters are not responding! We are dead in the water! Hull integrity is down to 15%!" replied Bran.

"Order all personnel to the lifeboats!" yelled the captain through the local intercom of the ship. He then slammed a button on his command module. The ship blared crimson red as alarms rattled the contours of the deck. "Abandon ship! All personnel abandon ship now!" the captain yelled as the command crew ran towards the nearby lifeboat in the adjacent hallway connected to the bridge. Another salvo from the Da'kunta battleship finished the Whirlwind. Lifeboats disengaged from the lifeless husk of metal drifting through the battle. Several others from the command deck sat on the lifeboat with Gallahan.

Looking out the window of the lifeboat, the Whirlwind burned, then another ripple hissed past the lifeboat as it hit the Harper and destroyed it in a single volley. The remaining Gal'hian cruiser disengaged and retreated from the battle. Several Da'kunta fighters tried intercepting the surviving lifeboats but were engaged by the remaining human fighters still swerving through space.

With the rays of Ce'luaka Ombri's dwarves peeking through the windows of the lifeboat, the captain inhaled a deep breath, "It was an honour serving with you all gentlemen, we regroup in hell," said the captain as the pirates destroyed the remaining human interceptors. The Da'kunta fighters closed in on the lifeboat.

A tidal of surprise washed through the crew's hardened faces as all the Da'kunta battleships and small craft performed emergency jumps and disengaged from the battlefield. Hundreds of space distortions trickled slowly adjacent to the garrison station. The Silverin fleet has arrived. Sleek white vessels emerged from hyperspace with pointed snouts resembling ice spikes and a circular component that orbited the ship. The enormous vessels glittered in the dark expanse, quite easily 5 kilometres long.

One of the Yerningan's capital ships approached the lifeboats at speeds unfathomable. The Yerningans gathered the lifeboats and brought the surviving crew onboard the flagship. In the flight bay of the ship, several interceptor-like vehicles disturbed the glaring white compartments of the vessel. Birdlike creatures with a downward-facing beak and six eyes worked their duties gracefully on the deck. A crowd formed when the Terrans disembarked from the lifeboats. Captain Gallahan met with Hal'io and the Ambassador in the flight bay as Yerningans stared at the humans muttering to themselves. They then gave way to a Yerningan dressed in a ceremonial-like outfit flanked by armed escorts.

"You fought well, humans. My name is Grand Admiral Natex'ik of the Va'yerning Domain. I extend Gala'ad Le'quls's greetings and come with me. There is much to discuss."