Connor stood shoulder to shoulder with Liz in the early morning formation. It was morning as far as ship time was considered but his fatigue had quickly melted away. It wasn't the first time that Hamilton had ripped them from their dreams by banging on the door to their quarters and shouting for formation but this time felt different. There was tension in the air.

"Listen up. It's time to move against the Sharlah. Every day that we sit here watching them, more people die and they get stronger. Captain Vokov and I, along with her other advisors have come up with a battle plan based on the intel gathered by our stealth scout ships.

Obviously this isn't a hit and run operation like we are used to. This is going to be bloody. A lot of people are going to die today."

The breachers glanced nervously at one another and murmured.

"The question that you need to ask yourselves is - are you willing to die to bring our people to their new home. To show our children a real sunrise and put real grass under their feet. Are you willing to sacrifice yourselves to give them a way out of this life of killing and piracy?"

"Yes Sir!" Came a chorus of replies all across the formation.

"What is our role in this?" Connor asked and was met with an annoyed look from Hamilton for speaking out of turn.

"Our role, Beach Boy, is the same as always. We breach our target and we kill whatever is inside."

"Do we have a target?" Connor asked.

Hamilton smiled with a face that only a mother could love. "Oh yeah, we have a target. Suit up with your full battle load, pray to whatever fucked up deity you people worship, fuck one last time if you need to, and then report to the pod bay. This is the real one."

----------------------------------------

Ash stepped through the inner airlock and back into the common area of the Solent. It felt good to see it again but it also felt like he hadn't been there in years. The familiar smell of it's recycled oxygen brought back a lot of memories, both good and bad.

Jayden smiled at him from the kitchen. "Welcome back Captain."

"Jay, where have you been? I haven't seen you in weeks?"

"Volkov had Ruo and I cooking up something special for the lizards. Top secret."

"Really? Is it so top secret that you can't even tell your Captain?"

"They have a nuclear bomb." Charlie's voice said bluntly from the kitchen speaker.

"Charlie what the heck?" Jayden grumbled.

"You.. made a nuclear bomb?" Ash asked incredulously.

"Well, I didn't make it exactly, I just modified our cargo bay with a new launcher that will get it far enough away, via hyperspace, before it lights it's own propulsion for a run at it's target."

Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit.

"Excuse me?" Ash asked. "It's here, on the Solent?"

"Yeah, you didn't talk to Volkov yet did you?"

"No Jayden, I did not but I will right now. Where is Ruo?"

"She's working with the other Captains to hammer out all the details. This was her idea by the way." Jayden said and took a sip of his coffee.

"Ash I have Volkov on the comms in your quarters and I need to speak with you privately." Charlie said.

----------------------------------------

Ash walked into his quarters and closed the door. A hologram of Captain Volkov and Mei Ruo was waiting for him on the desk.

"Captain Miller."

"Call me Ash, please."

"Ash, good to see you again. Your AI informed me that it already told you about the nuclear weapon in your cargo bay. I'm sure that was an unpleasant surprise. I assure you it is safe."

"I certainly hope it is, being that our ship is still attached to your maintenance bays. Do you mind reading me in on the details now?" Ash said with an edge to his voice.

"Of course. I've been working with my advisors and Lieutenant Commander Ruo on a battle plan. We're going to split our fleet into two sections before jumping into the battlespace. The first group consisting of the fastest vessels we have, battleships and cruisers, will jump into the system and launch every hyperspace capable missile in their magazines at the Sharlah's rear guard which should have their own hyper missiles.

While this is happening, the other half, roughly seventy five capital ships, destroyers and super destroyers will be stealthed and gliding forward under minimal power. As the Sharlah fleet is turning to face group one, group two will power up and launch everything at them. You will be with the stealth group.

This will obviously stir up the nest. As soon as group one is able, they will jump away and join us for the battle."

"Ok, so far this makes sense. Where does the nuke come into play?"

"In the chaos of the initial engagement you will launch it into the biggest cluster of Sharlah ships. It will cause massive damage in a small area but it will serve as an EMP to a much larger area. It should cripple any ship within range, at least temporarily. This will allow our breachers to board their ships and gut them from the inside."

"Okay, I like that, and you armed our ship as well correct?" Ash asked.

"We did. Kate can run you through the specifics, but you have sharp teeth now and a military grade energy shield. You will have to disable your shield to fire the nuke, your AI knows this." Volkov said.

"Very well Captain Volkov. It was a pleasure to meet you and good luck out there. We have no choice but to win."

Volkov and Ruo both nodded knowingly. "Good luck Solent. Volkov out."

"Ash, it's just me now." Charlie said quietly.

"What is it Charlie?"

"A lot of things. First, I have to question the wisdom of carrying a nuclear weapon into battle, one that was modified by pirates."

"I share your concern.. I didn't approve that."

"What if they can remotely detonate it? I don't trust them. They can get rid of you as soon as you are out of range for the EMP."

"I trust Volkov and she needs us to talk to Dottir leadership, whatever that ends up being. They have a lot to answer for when this is all over and they need us to speak up for them."

"I don't trust Ruo either." Charlie snapped.

"Wait, why not? Why don't you trust Ruo?"

"Because I know what she did. She's not some war hero that fought to the bitter end. She abandoned her ship without giving the order for everyone to do that. She wanted an escape pod. She left her crew to die."

"You know this?" Ash stood up from his desk.

"I know this. She is a coward and she'll do the same to us. Don't let her back on the Solent and don't trust these pirates Ash. My job is to protect you and I'll do that at any cost."

"Charlie, I don't like this tone from you. You're a valued member of this crew, and I share your concerns, at least about Mei, but I'm in command of the Solent."

"You are in command Ash." Charlie said dryly.

There was a pregnant silence in the room before Ash said "Thank you." and turned to walk away but the door didn't open as he approached.

"There is one more thing. The Syndicate is coming to collect a debt."

Ash froze. "What do you mean? The money from Loukios?"

"From Volkov." Charlie said and opened the door to his quarters.