* Date: January 24, 2183

* Time: 5:25 AM

* Location: UGS Yorktown Bridge

In the ongoing battle between the A.F.E. battlegroups defending the space station Atlantis, the situation worsened as seventy slip space portals opened and emerged the full might of the Kaynian battle flotilla. The battle continues as energy beams impact energy shielding and hulls of the A.F.E. navy warships, with nuclear detonation peppering the last five Kaynian vessels present during the beginning. But the newly arrived seventy ships would bring their wrath on the exhausted and damaged A.F.E. battlegroups and the space station.

''Luck, get every weapons system we have online! And launch all of our remaining drones and torpedos, battlegroup-wide!''

[Understood- Agh!]

Immediately, the Kaynian supercapital escorts exposed their broadsides and opened fire. The Yorktown was immediately hit with multiple energy beams and had her shielding shatter, causing damage across her hull. The heavy cruiser, Amagi, had quickly restored her energy shielding and faired better, only having damage done on the shields and repairs on the engine were finally accomplished, letting her maneuver again. However, the same couldn't be said with the rest of the battlegroup. The damage sustained by one of the light cruisers was enough to be destroyed by several energy beams, with two destroyers suffering severe damage to their hulls as their shields shattered. The A.F.E. corvettes didn't fare much better, with energy beams destroying their shields and impacting their hulls. Four corvettes were instantly destroyed with no survivors making it out, and one of the four auxiliary ships exploded from the inside due to its shields being unable to stop an energy beam that pierced the reactor.

''Damage report!''

Abraham commanded as he oriented himself to his seat and saw his wife receiving information about what had happened.

[The Yorktown's shield has been destroyed, and several breaches are detected on the hull. The Amagi was able to restore her shields in time, which saved her from the attack. Also, her engines have been repaired, allowing her to participate in the battle finally...]

[...But the rest of the battlegroup are not faring so well. We lost one light cruiser, two destroyers, four corvettes, and one of the auxiliary ships, which exploded from the inside due to an energy beam going through the reactor that caused a reaction.]

The Vice Admiral cursed eight ships in total that were lost just at the opening of the Kaynian frigate escorts. Their super capital hadn't even attacked, and the admiral hoped it wouldn't happen.

''Hell cannon charge?''

[Hundred percent, and ready to fire.]

''Good, let's return the favor. Focus on the escorting vessels first.''

[Acknowledged, sending instruction to the battlegroup.]

The A.I. responded before sending the directive to the battlegroup. Meanwhile, twenty-nine hell cannons were primed and ready to fire at the charging Kaynian escort frigates. When the Vice Admiral's command was received, the captains complied with the order.

''All ships, return fire!''

Gaft ordered, and simultaneously, twenty-nine hell cannons lit up and immediately impacted the energy shielding of the Kaynian escort frigates. Yorktown's super type was enough to bring one of the escort frigates, with the Amagi firing its light and heavy type at another, which also destroyed it. Meanwhile, the light cruisers managed to shatter two of the Kaynian frigate's shields, allowing four destroyers to finish them. The remaining six destroyers also followed suit by destroying the shields of three before four A.F.E. corvettes went ahead and finished them off. The remaining eleven corvettes would prioritize the remaining three. However, only one would be destroyed while the other two had their shields shatter. Thus leaving only two Kaynian frigates to escort the super capital against the A.F.E. battlegroups defending Atlantis.

''Luck, status?''

[Eight Kaynian frigates were brought down by our hell cannon strikes, and the remaining two are severely damaged.]

Gaft cursed that two frigates were still operational. However, now was not the time to complain. The Kaynian super capital was slowly presenting its broadsides, and if that ever happened, his battlegroups would be obliterated. Thus, they needed to retreat.

''Get me a connection with Rear Admiral Oxton Hue!''

[Understood...]

[...Connection established.]

Appearing on his terminal, Abraham saw the stoic admiral shaken about their situation.

''Rear Admiral, we're retreating to the hell cannon platforms to protect them from the flanking Kaynian group's designation A and B.''

''Vice Admiral, I believe that's no longer an option for us.''

''What? What do you mean? We're still following the plan!''

''The Kaynian super capital is turning to expose its broadsides. And if that happens, it wouldn't take long until Atlantis suffers-''

The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.

''Because that's the point!''

''And leave Eden's hell cannon platforms at its mercy.''

The Rear Admiral pointed out and halted Abraham's retort. Vice Admiral Gaft was taken aback by the Rear Admiral's response. Disobeying the command of your superior was considered punishable by demotion to the highest degree, and it seems that Oxton didn't care about its implications since he knew his death was near.

''Gaft, when Vice Admiral Accelerate stated that during the battle of Babylon, the Kaynian super capital didn't do a thing, but now, it is. You and I wished this thing would do the same here, but it's not the case...''

''...The Kaynian dreadnought's objective is to wipe us.''

Gaft soon figured out what the Rear Admiral was talking about. If it's true, then Eden may fall just like Babylon. That must be the reason why the Kaynians split their flotilla. They needed to get rid of the defending fleet first, which the super capital was about to do, and at the same time, deal with Eden's hell cannon platforms, hence why two groups of thirty Kaynian ships were passing through Atlantis and not attacking it.

''Then what do you suggest we do?''

Abraham wondered how his counterpart would modify their plan. Suppose things were going south real fast. Then, the rest of the Second Fleet might not even be informed when to strike the Kaynian flotilla.

''Take the Amagi, three destroyers, and five corvettes and defend the hell cannon platforms as best as you can while I distract the super capital. Atlantis will still fall, but at least we did all we could to delay them. When the Kaynian groups A and B started making landfall on Eden's surface, I think you what to do.''

''You're sacrificing yourself and the remaining ships of our combined battlegroup.''

''Yes, but it's the only way...''

''...Get out of here, Vice Admiral.''

Gaft held his breath; if he did this, Oxton and the rest of the battlegroup would be left to their demise, but with the situation at hand, it was the only way they could make a difference.

''Very well. Give them hell, Rear Admiral.''

He was giving his thanks to his counterpart. The connection was immediately disconnected. Thus, the Vice Admiral would turn to his X.O. and give her the command.

''Luck, inform the Amagi and our strike group. That we will be retreating to the hell cannon platforms.''

[Understood, my dear.]

Luck responded as the Yorktown began to turn around with the mentioned ships attached to it. The strike group of ten—consisting of one battle carrier, one heavy cruiser, three destroyers, and five corvettes—was heading to Eden to prevent the destruction of its hell cannon platforms by the approaching Kaynians.

* Date: January 24, 2183

* Time: 5:35 AM

* Location: Atlantis Space Station

An explosion erupted from the hangar of the Atlantis Space Station as the two remaining Kaynian escort frigates fired wildly. But the defending battlegroup wasn't just going to let that happen. Thus, they fired in return at the alien ships to distract them away from the space station.

[WARNING ALL PERSONNEL. PLEASE EVACUATE. WARNING ALL PERSONNEL. PLEASE EVACUATE.]

The program A.I. in charge of the space stations' ailing systems announced as thousands of military personnel ran to the hangar and boarded a craft to safety. The evacuation was spearheaded by officers and commanders who guided their subordinates to safety. Among them was Commander West of Sword and Shield.

''Merci, what's the status of the Howling Knight?''

[Our shields only sustain light damage from the shockwaves.]

''Good, inform the others that I got I.C.E. personnel incoming for evac.''

[Acknowledged.]

The others were escorted out of the space station on escape pods with I.C.E. personnel given the luxury of boarding Ghost stealth ships if any were present. A standard protocol was placed by President Orion Epta to ensure the safety of any agent belonging to I.C.E. during a Kaynian invasion.

[I didn't expect our enemies to come to Eden this early.]

I.C.E. agent Indigo said as she ran beside agent Thomas. The two were currently following the lead of the Ghost Commander. They were lucky that they were interrogating him about why he didn't enact the self-destruct sequence when they were captured. However, when Vice Admiral Abraham Gaft called, it was discontinued, and when the Kaynians arrived. The commander was obligated to evacuate them due to the protocol about I.C.E. agent safety.

''Indeed, madam Indigo. And here I thought things were looking great, but it seems things have taken a turn for the worse.''

[Indeed, Agent Thomas, but let's focus on our evacuation. We wouldn't want to inconvenience the commander, after all.]

The A.I. agent commented as they continued to follow the Ghost. It wasn't long until the stealth ship, Howling Knight, was spotted and its hangar bay doors lowered. The commander and the I.C.E. agents he had gathered swiftly boarded the stealth ship. The bay doors immediately began closing when the last agent was onboard.

''Bishop with me.''

''Understood.''

Immediately, the commander of Sword and Shield barked out his orders to get a hold of the situation. They needed to get off of Atlantis before the Kaynians blew it up with their dreadnought.

''Nomad, Tale tend to the agents, ensure their injuries are dealt with.''

''Affirmative, sir!''

''Crystal!''

Moving past the two Ghosts, West and Bishop left the hangar bay. Their concern was now to take off of Atlantis and head to Eden. Running along the hallway leading to the bridge, the duo hastened their pace as the faith of the U.G.E. was at stake. It wasn't long until they reached the bridge, the doors slid open, and they were greeted with a three-hundred-sixty-degree view of the space station's hangar through multiple cameras scattered across the ship's hull.

''Merci, get the Howling Knight airborne and have us out of Atlantis!''

[Already in progress.]

True to her word, Merci was already pushing the reactor of the stealth ship in overdrive for their emergency takeoff. The hover pad thrusters immediately lifted the Howling Knight while the engines roared.

''Bishop, is the cloak functional?''

''Affirmative, commander, but the repairs on the cloak were nearly half done. We could only cloak the Howling Knight in a limited time.''

''Good enough...''

''...Once we're off of Atlantis, get it running. We'll support the Marines on the surface of Eden. Hopefully, we could use the Howling Knight's armaments and deter Kaynian Sential siege units while cloaked."

''Understood!''

Although limited, West didn't mind that his ship's most potent tool could only cover them for so long until it broke. But still, he could make do with it.

[Commander West, Howling Knight is ready to take off. Fusion Reactor performing at peak efficiently, and engines one and two are prepared for afterburn thrust for immediate launch.]

''Good, get us out of here!''

[Engaging thrusters.]

Whatever was within the stealth ship was magnetically grounded on a surface. The afterburners roared again as the stealth ship blasted off through the burning hangar of the space station. Everyone on board held onto whatever surface they could find as they endured the launch. And it wasn't long until they reached space and felt the G-force whining off.

[We have espaced Atlantis.]

The A.I. stated as everyone onboard breathed a sigh of relief, but their troubles were only beginning.

''Merci set course to Eden, and Bishop, activate our cloak for our approach.''

''Roger.''

[Of course.]

The two immediately went off and performed their task. The dark-skinned Ghost, with the aid of his A.I. Archer. Set the cloak online, and a sphere enveloped the hull of the Howling Knight, making it invisible. However, unbeknownst to them, the Kaynian super capital was about to fire its energy cannons at the surviving A.F.E. battlegroup and the space station.

[Warning energy build-up detected.]

''Where?''

[The Kaynian super capital...]

[...Oh my god, it's broadsides. It's about to fire.]

In the distance, West saw the Kaynian flagship exposing its mighty broadsides at the A.F.E. battlegroup and Atlantis. The energy cannons glowed in unison as they prepared to fire. Meanwhile, the remaining A.F.E. warships unleashed hell on the super capital. However, its energy shielding deterred any hell cannon strike, nuclear torpedos, or laser fire from piercing.

'No.'

The commander whispered as he saw the Kaynian ship preparing to engage. Suddenly, a flash of light blinded the bridge of the Howling Knight and incapacitated everyone within a fifty-thousand-kilometer radius. It didn't take long until the two Ghosts recovered. The first thing they saw was horrifying. The battlegroup was no more. There were no explosions or debris, just nothing.

[The battlegroup is no longer present.]

Merci informed them as she performed scans to determine what had happened. However, to West, it was obvious that the A.F.E. battlegroup had been vaporized. Meanwhile, the space station was a wreck, and whatever part that wasn't vaporized was beyond recognition. Debris and bodies floated through space as the Kaynian dreadnought officially destroyed Atlantis.

''Atlantis space station has fallen, sir.''

Bishop stated as he observed through his terminals, with West clenching his fist at the sight of the destroyed space station. Nonetheless, this was reality, and it would dictate the future of Earth and her people.

''I know...''

''...Merci, punch the engines. We need to hurry.''

[Right away.]

To Be Continued.