Kerik Kildore stood before the tactical map display so shiny he could see the reflection of his aged face and his goldish-white hair that was pulled back into a pony tail. The face of Ava Baxter appearing on the display on the bridge interrupted his thinking.

"All right, Kildore" she said. "All of our forces have assembled and are awaiting your command." Kildore narrowed his glassy eyes at her.

"Did you get the numbers that you promised me, humaness?" Kildore asked her in his slow and baritone voice.

"More in fact" she said. "Thirty full squadrons loaded on your fightercraft carrier, about sixty more to launch from the surface of the planet."

"That's good" Kildore said unenthusiastically, "because as it turns out we're not going to be able to keep as close to the reptilian fleet as we thought."

"Just launch the volley of long-range torpedos on my signal like you promised and we've got this."

"I just want to make sure you're aware of what you're looking at, here. Your fighters will be in a high density and many are likely to crash into each other if they don't accidently shoot each other, and the batteries on the reptilia's ships will easily rip some of them apart. You're looking at facing quite a number of casualties, here."

"We're ready to do our part" Ava said confidently. "Just make sure you're ready to do yours." Her face disappeared from the screen. Kildore turned to where Yaferni Gall was standing.

"Looks like you were right, Admiral Gall. We're looking at the largest fighter battle in the history of the galaxy."

"You underestimate how tenacious outworld humans fight" Gall said trying his best to not sound insolent.

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"You call it tenacity, I call it foolishness" he said firmly sitting down in his chair. "Every one of these humans could make a comfortable living in their own planet or sector, but they'd apparently rather stay here and risk annihilation in a sector that's probably doomed anyways." He took a drink from a shiny, metal goblet.

"It takes irrational bravery to make progress sometimes" Gall said. "That refreshing invigni you're drinking is around because ancient humans were foolish to try and drink concoctions containing alkanols from a microorganisms waste."

Kildore took another drink, seeming not impressed. "Well" he said, "let's see if that brave foolishness will pay off for us today, shall we?" he said with a weak and almost sly-seeming smile pushing a button on the control panel next to his chair.

"All squadrons, begin your assault. Keep the reptilian warships as spread out as you can."

***

"Strigwire, have you received any word from the officers at Alpha Base yet?" Turraski grumbled.

"None my lord" Strigwire said. Turraski let out a light grumble.

"Well, this is the chance for the Fire Flower to shine, Strigiwre. Reduce the human base to rubble and if the elves move in to intervene then blow them to pieces."

"Yes, my lord" Strigwire said.

"My lord!" Gyrod's voice interrupted. "Elven-class fighters, lots of them inbound!"

"Move forward and just ram them!" Turraski spat. "I'm not concerned about them."

"I wouldn't advise that" Gyrod said. "There might be a couple thousand of them. We need to inform all ships to re-direct power to smaller batteries to deal with them."

"How could the elves come up with such an enormous fighter force so quickly!"

"I don't think these are elves we're fighting my lord. These guys don't seem to be intent on leaving alive." Turraski grumbled.

"Go ahead and give the order Gyrod."

"All ships, increase power to smaller batteries, and tighten our formation to give them less room!" Gyrod spoke into his microphone. The first wave of fighters came in swiftly, unleashing a barrage of hot fury attempting to destroy the enemy ship's batteries with no regard for their own safety. Shortly behind them, a bunch of large torpedoes raced in slamming into the hulls of the reptilian ships at the front. At least six of the ships at the front were blown to pieces, being completely helpless to fight them with firepower being concentrated on hitting the swarm of A3 Hadrons around them. The entire area of the battle was illuminated from plasma and polyphoton rounds flying in every direction.