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“So, what shall we do next with John?” Matriarch Szaki asked.

Matriarch Eztuh and Commander Zesta looked up at her. The three Vipers were currently standing around the Tactical Display Table inside Border Station Five’s Command Centre. Other Vipers were going about their duties while the two Matriarchs and the Commander were reviewing the most recent combat drill.

“What do you mean?” Eztuh asked. The light from the TDT made her yellow scales appear bright green.

“Well,” Szaki replied as she placed both hands on the control console in front of her. “We’ve seen how competent John is as a fighter pilot. Why not test him with something else?” she asked.

“Are you forgetting his Mamba exploded?” Eztuh inquired as she crossed her arms and looked over to where Szaki stood.

“No,” Szaki replied, shaking her head, her hood flapping back and forth. “However, that was not John’s fault,” she pointed out, and Eztuh rolled her eyes.

“If we ignore a faulty laser turret,” Zesta chimed in as she tapped away at the keypad in front of her,” his statistics for the drill are well within Naval standards,” she pointed out. “If we factor in the change to his performance after the manual controls were activated," Zesta said as she waved her hands in front of her, moving several new windows around, “then I’m happy to admit that John is a capable fighter pilot, for a male,” she pointed out, looking up at both Matriarchs.

The projection above the TDT changed from a view of the Matriarchy fleet during the drill to one which followed John’s Mamba as it flew about. Starting from the launch and ending with its explosion.

“I concur,” Szaki said, looking over to where Eztuh was standing, and she rolled her eyes again.

“Fine, the male can fly. What did you have in mind?” Eztuh asked as she placed her hands on the console in front of her.

“We run another drill and have John command a ship,” Szaki replied.

“What?!” Eztuh said, surprised at the suggestion.

“We find a vessel, nothing too big, a Frigate or Destroyer perhaps, give John temporary command and see how he performs,” Szaki replied.

“Even if I authorised it, we don’t have any ships available,” Eztuh pointed out.

“We might do,” Zesta said as she detached her Pad from her right thigh and accessed it. Moments later, the projection above the TDT changed to display a Matriarchy ship docked somewhere inside Border Station Five. “This is one of our newest vessels, a Lachesis-class Destroyer,” Zesta made the image bigger as she looked up at the two Matriarchs.

“New?” Szaki said as she tilted her head to the left, “I thought it was receiving a refit?” she asked, and Zesta shrugged.

“Technically, yes,” she admitted, “the shipyards have switched to the latest model. This one has undergone a refit at our drydock over the last few months,” Zesta said.

“Who’s commanding it?” Eztuh asked.

“Lieutenant Zhani,” Zesta replied as one of her staff handed a Pad to her. She read the information displayed on it, pressed her right thumb on the scanner, and then handed it back to the Viper.

“Isn’t she…” Eztuh started to speak when Szaki interrupted her.

“Just like Captain Ema. Her status as Matriarch is paused while she has a Military Career,” Szaki said.

“I’m not sure she’ll relinquish her command,” Eztuh said.

“When I did her latest performance review,” Zesta chimed in, “Zhani stated that she was looking forward to commanding the Destroyer,” she said.

“What if we give John temporary command, and assign Zhani as his second?” Szaki suggested.

“In exchange, we’ll promote her to Captain and give her full command of the Destroyer,” Eztuh said.

“Surely that’s going a bit too far, three promotions?” Zesta pointed out.

“Not really,” Eztuh replied, "achieving the rank of Captain means her Mother will start looking for a suitable mate,” she pointed out.

“You’re hoping she focuses on the promotion and forgets that part of her deal?” Zesta inquired, and Eztuh nodded.

“Just like Captain Ema,” Eztuh replied as she looked over to where Szaki stood, “Zhani’s Military Career will last until she reaches the rank of Captain, and then she’ll be expected to head back home to breed,” she said.

“I know her Mother,” Szaki chimed in, “she’ll be watching her daughter’s career for any chance to get her to return home,” she said.

“I expect her to have already found a suitable Male for her to breed with,” Eztuh said as she looked around the Command Centre. She noticed that several crew members had stopped what they were doing and were listening in on their conversation.

“The joys of being a Matriarch," Zesta said, and Szaki laughed.

“Trust me, it’s worse,” she pointed out.

“Would you like me to inform Lieutenant Zhani?” Zesta asked, and both Matriarchs nodded.

“I’m going for a bath. I’ll contact Admiral Sshuizshallius, have her give orders to John to return to the Station,” Eztuh said as she turned around and headed for the exit.

“And I’m going to watch the next match in the Combat Arena,” Szaki said, turning around as well.

Once the two Matriarchs and their Stewards had left Border Station Five’s Command Centre, Zesta let out a loud sigh. She looked around the room and noticed her Command Staff were all watching her. A nearby Viper walked over and placed a hand on Zesta’s shoulder.

“I’m two ranks higher and yet Zhani’s getting a three rank promotion, plus a Male,” Zesta complained, "just so the Matriarch’s can play some more with that Terran,” she sighed again.

“While we all agree it’s not fair, best not let them hear you,” the Viper said. Zesta looked around the room again, and everyone nodded. She placed her hand on the Viper’s hand and smiled.

“It’s fine,” she replied, “once they’ve had their meeting, he’ll be gone, Zesta said.

*****

Nisha’s bioluminescence glowed vibrantly as she lay on her front inside the nest. Due to the average height and size of Gunnery Vipers, all of their nests, including the one inside the private nestroom near the Gunnery Crew’s quarters, were larger and reinforced. Nisha lay straight in the middle of the nest with her elbows propping herself up so that she could read from her Pad. The bottom of her feet touched the edge of the nest as her long and thick tail ran between her legs, up and down the edge of the nest.

“Are you sure you can breathe down there?” Nisha asked as she adjusted her position. A hand, then an arm, appeared from her left as John gave her a thumbs up. “What does that mean?” she asked.

“It means…” came a muffled reply.

Nisha moved to her right and revealed John, who was naked and lying in the nest directly underneath her. Beads of sweat ran down his chest as he took in several deep breaths, and she eyed his erect cock as it bounced free from her thick thighs. Nisha’s left hand gripped its base, and she slowly pumped it while John caught his breath.

“It means I’m okay,” John said as he looked up and into Nisha’s glowing blue eyes. “I’m glad I met you. We keep trying out new things,” he said, and she smiled.

“I have had more fun in the last two hours than I have had in years,” Nisha replied. She then leaned forward and gave John a very long, passionate kiss. All the while, her left hand kept moving up and down his cock.

“The choker looks good on you,” John said after Nisha stopped kissing. He wiped away the line of saliva connecting their mouths.

“Well, you gave me the printer file, plus I like the design,” she replied. “Now, what shall I do with this?” Nisha asked as she increased the speed of her hand.

“I have a few ideas,” John grunted.

“Oh, I know,” Nisha said as she let go of John’s cock and mounted John. They both grunted and moaned as his cock penetrated her. Once it was all the way in, Nisha rocked back and forth before leaning forward, covering John with her breasts. She positioned her elbows so they touched John’s shoulders and resumed reading her Pad. As Nisha lay there with John’s cock deep inside her, she gently rocked herself back and forth.

After ten minutes of Nisha rocking back and forth, the door to the nestroom chimed. Nisha placed her right hand under John, held him against her chest, and shuffled around so she faced the door. Clenching her muscles and then relaxing them, Nisha looked up at the door as she continued her milking action on John’s cock.

“The door is unlocked,” Nisha said as she placed her Pad to her left and rested her elbows. The door slid open with a gentle hiss, and Captain Solsa stepped in.

“Where is John?” Solsa asked as she looked around the room. She noticed the smell and stains on the nearby settee.

“He is in the bathroom,” she said.

“I have orders for him, from the Admiral,” Solsa said as she waved the Pad in her right hand.

“He might be a while. You can leave the Pad for him,” Nisha suggested.

“I think I will wait,” Solsa said. After a few minutes of silence, she looked down at Nisha, “Let me guess, John is underneath you,” she then crouched down and looked at Nisha and the nest.

“I’m here,” came the muffled reply.

Solsa watched as Nisha shuffled ever so slightly to her right to reveal John, however, she made sure not to reveal the fact that he was inside her.

“Hello,” John said as he made eye contact with the Captain.

“Hello to you too,” she replied. “Enjoying yourself?” she asked, and John smiled.

“Quite a bit,” he replied.

“This is for you,” Solsa said as she offered John the Pad. He took it and unlocked it with his right thumb.

“What does it say?” Nisha asked as she wiped some of the sweat from John’s face and chest.

“I’m to report to the Gunship’s docking ring and await a Dropship,” John replied. “It’s going to take me back to the Station where I will receive further orders,” he said.

“You both have five minutes to finish and have a quick shower,” Solsa said, “then I want you both out of here,” she ordered.

“Yes, Captain,” Nisha replied, and John had a guilty look on his face as the Captain stood up and left the room.

“I think she knew,” John said.

“Ha,” Nisha laughed, “any Viper could tell simply from listening and smelling this room,” she said.

“True, I guess,” John replied. “So, I’m pretty close. I think a bit of rigorous bouncing will do the job,” he said.

Nisha smiled at John as she leaned in and kissed him. As her tongue explored the inside of his mouth, Nisha adjusted her position, placing her arms on either side of John’s shoulders, rose onto her knees and subjected him to a punishing series of deep thrusts, forcing his cock deep inside of her. Moments later, they both moaned as John’s cock erupted inside of her.

“Fuck that’s hot,” Nisha said as John’s cum filled her.

“How are we meant to get out of here in five minutes?" John asked not long after they both orgasmed.

“Give me a minute, I have an idea,” Nisha replied as she rested her large head on John’s left shoulder.

A minute later, Nisha moved her right hand underneath John’s backside and held him tightly against her as she struggled to stand up. She used her left hand to help keep her balance as she stood up and carried John, whose cock was still inside her, into the bathroom. They both moaned as Nisha placed John on the tiled floor of the shower, and his cock slid out of her. As the water from above hit both of their bodies, their combined cum spilt out.

Five minutes after entering the bathroom, John and Nisha stepped out into the off-grey corridor outside the pirate nestroom, where Solsa was waiting for them. She looked the two of them up and down, smiled and then gestured for John to follow her. Nisha smiled at John and then waved as he followed the captain.

*****

“But Commander, you can’t be serious?” Zhani complained.

“I’m sorry, Lieutenant, but this comes from the Matriarchs themselves,” Zesta replied.

Zesta was currently standing inside Zhani’s nestroom. The light from above reflected off her grey primary scale colour and the lines of red bioluminescence, which shone brightly on the back of her hood. Zesta’s secondary scale colour of a lighter grey, which had a hint of cream to it, was only visible from the softer inner part of her wide hood, her lower jaw, and down the front of her neck. Zhani was currently sitting naked inside her nest. The light from her nestroom’s recessed lights shone brightly off her recently buffed scales. Her primary scale colour was a rich and dark purple, while her secondary colour, a strong, rich and brighter purple, only appeared on her ample chest, toned stomach, inner thighs and groin. Zhani’s bioluminescence shone brightly. Intricate lines of neon pink appeared on her toned stomach, just under her collarbone and down her muscular back.

“Commander, I have been in charge of the refit for the last few months. Have I done something wrong?” Zhani asked.

“No,” Zesta replied with a shake of her head. “Matriarch’s Szaki and Eztuh were discussing what to do next with John. They decided on this,” she said. “There is an upside, though,” Zesta pointed out.

“Upside? How can there be an upside?” Zhani inquired.

“You’ll be promoted to Captain,” Zesta replied.

“Captain? For what? Letting the Terran command the ship I’ve been refitting?” Zhani complained. Zesta sighed.

“How about you get a male to fuck until the end of the next combat drill,” Zesta pointed out.

“Oh,” Zhani said, realising what the Commander meant.

“You’ll also be assigned a Steward once the promotion reaches Homeworld,” Zesta said.

“Good point,” Zhani replied as she sat up and curled her long tail around her feet.

“John should be arriving by Dropship within the hour,” Zesta said. “Your orders are to show him to the Destroyer, give him a tour, and await the next drill to commence,” she ordered.

“Understood, Commander,” Zhani replied.

Zesta turned to exit the nestroom and looked back at Zhani once the doors had opened.

“Just think, you get a three rank promotion, command of your own vessel, and a steward. Not bad for babysitting a Terran male and potentially sharing a nest with him,” Zesta said as she walked through the door.

*****

“So, any idea what I’ll be doing next?” John asked as he looked at his Pad. The glow from the screen lit up his face.

“Sorry, no,” replied Solsa as she watched John from where she stood.

John and Solsa were currently standing inside the docking ring for Matriarch’s Patience. To enter the small round room, you had to go down a ladder and stand near the docking ring itself. To John, it looked like a heavily armoured iris with a series of manual controls used for opening and closing it.

“Why am I boarding the Dropship here when the Gunship has a ramp?” John inquired. He looked up from his Pad, and Solsa smiled when he made eye contact.

“We are in space,” Solsa replied as she looked down at John. “Unless you want to spacewalk aboard the Dropship, you will need to transfer via the docking ring,” she said.

“Oh, I see,” John replied with a sheepish grin.

Solsa’s Pad chimed, and she detached it from her right thigh. After a few taps, she placed it back and made eye contact with John just as the Gunship shuddered. A green light appeared nearby, illuminating the cramped docking ring.

“That will be the Gunship locking into place,” she said.

A series of beeps echoed around the room, and then Solsa bent down, pressed a few buttons and pulled a nearby lever. John went to cover his ears as loud banging noises filled the docking ring, but before he could, it ceased. The room shook, and then gasses were released as the iris opened. Red light filled the room as John peered down the hole.

“There is a ladder just inside. Pull the lever once you reach the bottom,” Solsa said as she stepped to one side.

“Okay,” John replied as he held onto a nearby handle and found the top rung of the ladder with his right foot.

Stepping down the ladder, John entered the Dropship and found the lighting had been set low. At the bottom of the ladder, John looked up and saw Solsa watching him. She smiled at John as he pulled the lever and the iris closed.

“Strap in, John,” said a female voice. John jumped and turned around to find a large, orange and black Viper sitting in a nearby crash couch. She chuckled at his reaction.

“Matriarch…?” John started to say, not remembering the Viper’s name

“Szaki,” she replied with a snort.

“Sorry, it’s been a busy few days,” John said as he hopped into the space next to her.

“I can imagine,” Szaki replied. She reached over to her left and pressed a nearby button.

“Yes, Matriarch?” came a female voice.

“Detach from the Gunship and head for the station’s drydock,” Szaki ordered.

“At once, Matriarch,” the female voice replied.

“Drydock?” John said, looking up and making eye contact with Szaki. Her glowing orange eyes narrowed, and then she smiled at John.

“We have decided to give you a command of your own. Temporarily, of course,” she replied.

“Command of a ship. Why?” John asked.

“Everyone was impressed with your performance during the last combat drill,” Szaki replied as the Dropship shuddered. “Curiously, the data indicates a marked improvement after your Mamba’s manual controls were activated,” she said.

“Oh, that’ll be because I have some experience with space combat,” John replied proudly.

“Your UN was at war?” Szaki asked, tilting her head to one side.

“Oh no,” replied John, “Space sims and space combat games. I had a really cool setup back home,” he said.

“Space sim? Oh, like our pods?” Szaki inquired, and John shook his head.

“Nothing as advanced,” John replied. “However, once the controls were active, I found it a lot easier to fly the Mamba,” he said.

“I see,” Szaki replied, “anyway, as I was saying, your new orders are to take command of a Destroyer currently undergoing a refit in Border Station Five’s drydock,” she said.

“If you think I’m capable. Although I don’t have any experience, and surely the crew would object?” John asked.

“Lieutenant Zhani has been overseeing the refit, and she has been given orders to act as your second-in-command,” Szaki replied. “Once you arrive, she will give you a brief introduction to the capabilities of the Destroyer, show you where your Nestroom is, maybe a few crew introductions, and then you will command the Destroyer through the next combat drill,” she said.

“If you’re sure it’s fine for me to be given a Command,” John replied. “I hope I’m not ruffling any feathers, or er..scales,” he said.

“Ruffling feathers? What an interesting phrase,” Szaki said as she mulled it over. “I am not sure if we have met any races with feathers, although there is the…back home,” John didn’t hear who or what Szaki was talking about as she seemed lost in thought.

*****

**Ten minutes later**

The Dropship shuddered, rocked, and dropped suddenly as it landed on the deck of Border Station Five’s drydock. As soon as it had landed, Szaki unfastened her harness and stood up. She turned to face John and stifled a laugh as he failed to deactivate his harness. Bending over, she pressed the button and helped John out of his seat. She made a point of putting her ample cleavage in his face.

“Thanks,” John said as his face went red.

“No problem,” Szaki replied with a smile as she turned around and headed for the door.

John followed behind and watched as Szaki pressed a few buttons on a nearby control panel, and the large door in front of her hissed and then unlocked. Swinging open, the light from the Drydock half blinded John as it pierced the dark gloom of the Dropship’s interior. Szaki stepped through the doorway and down the extended ramp. Following behind her, John looked out and into the Drydock as he stepped through and walked down the ramp.

As he looked around, John realised that apart from the extra cranes attached to the ceiling, unknown machinery dotted around the vast drydock, as well as the spaceship held in place by four pairs of arms, the Drydock wasn’t too dissimilar to the docking bay John had seen when he first arrived at the station.

Looking at the Matriarchy Destroyer, John noted that the curved designs he had seen previously were not present. The very front of the ship was flat and then angled backwards before it ran straight down the majority of the vessel's length. From where he was standing, John could see that the hull flared out at the rear where the engines were located. At the front, above the flat section, the hull extended for several metres before rising. It almost looked like a flight deck from an old aircraft carrier, however, John saw the very large turret sitting proudly at the front of the Destroyer. He also noticed there were six large circles at the front, in three rows of two, stacked on top of each other.

“Using Terran measurements, the Destroyer is five hundred and fifty metres long,” said an unfamiliar voice.

John turned around and looked up as a tall Viper stopped just in front of him. The Viper was wearing the familiar skintight Crimson Nanosuit uniform of a Bridge Officer. John liked how it contrasted with the deep purple colour of her scales as the light of the Drydock reflected off them.

“That’s over eighteen hundred feet. I think,” John said as he just about managed to do the conversion in his head.

“If our understanding of your measurement system is correct, that would be correct,” the unknown Viper replied.

“This is Lieutenant Zhani,” Szaki said as she stood between them and gestured to the Lieutenant.

“Hello,” John said as he smiled at Zhani.

“Hello,” she replied. “I have been told that you are a capable Mamba Pilot, for a male,” Zhani said as she looked down at John.

“Apparently so,” John replied. “Sorry for stepping on your toes, or claws,” he said with an embarrassed laugh.

“Heh, who knew you were cute when you are embarrassed,” Szaki said as she stepped forward and used a claw on John’s chin. He grimaced slightly as he tilted his head up.

“If you will follow me, I will show you to the Destroyer,” Zhani said as she gestured for John to follow her. Szaki smiled as he appeared flustered by her attention, coughed and then hurried after Zhani. She followed close behind and watched as the Lieutenant and John interacted.

“Do you have any information about the ship I can have a look at before we get on board?” John asked.

“Here,” Zhani replied as she detached her Pad from her right thigh, unlocked it, tapped away and then handed it to John. “I have set it to display the ship’s technical model and some basic information,” she said. John took the Pad from Zhani and looked through the displayed information.

Looking at the Pad as he followed alongside Zhani, John saw a green wireframe outline of the Destroyer. It rotated three hundred and sixty degrees, right to left, before stopping at the bow of the ship, and then rotated another three hundred and sixty degrees vertically. Watching the animation, John noticed that there were three other turrets. One sat just above the engine section of the Destroyer, another forward of it on the main part of the vessel’s hull, and then the fourth turret sat near the middle of the ship on the underside.

“Is it me, or are these turrets larger than what’s normally on a Destroyer?” John inquired.

“Huh, you noticed. Impressive,” Zhani admitted.

“I’ll take that as a yes,” John said.

“The Lachesis-class Destroyer is the result of an experiment,” Zhani replied.

“What was the aim of the experiment?” John asked.

“To see if a smaller class of ship would be capable of managing larger guns,” Zhani replied, “plus our Science Division recently perfected making some of our larger reactors smaller, but keeping their output the same,” she said.

“This new reactor, was it installed inside the Destroyer?” John asked, and Zhani nodded. “So, what size ship would this reactor normally power, if it hadn’t been shrunk?” John inquired.

“Grand Cruisers,” Szaki chimed in. John turned to face her, and she smiled at him when he made eye contact.

“You’re telling me you’ve shrunk a reactor twice the size of what this size of ship normally carries?” John asked.

“Yes,” Szaki replied, and she recoiled as John whistled.

“Sorry, never heard a whistle before?” he inquired.

“No. What an interesting noise,” she said.

“So, what can the turrets do? Is it just the power output of the lasers, or are they something entirely different?” John asked.

The party of three had arrived at the edge of where the Destroyer was being held in place. There were several Viper Engineers going about their various assigned tasks, and a few of them had stopped their work to watch the approaching group. A stern look from Szaki forced them to hurry back to work as Zhani turned to face John.

“As our vessels get bigger,” Zhani started to say as she looked down at him, “the power output of the reactors and in turn each ship’s shield generators, becomes powerful enough to almost fully deflect or absorb the energy of lasers,” she said.

“So, if they're not laser turrets, what are they?” John asked.

“Kinetic,” Zhani replied.

“So, that’s why the Minerva has a Mass Driver,” John said as he looked over to where Szaki stood.

“Precisely,” she said with a smile.

“Although the one on the Minerva looks to be too big for simply firing at a spaceship,” John pointed out. Both Vipers watched John as he walked around where they were standing. Moments later, he stopped and spun around. “It’s a planet cracker!” he declared loudly, and Szaki’s smile grew wider.

“Well done, John,” Szaki said. “I was wondering if you might guess its purpose. Matriarchy ships of Grand Cruiser size and above are fitted primarily with Kinetic turrets,” she then looked over to where Zhani was standing.

“Laser turrets will still appear on our larger ships, however,” Zhani started to say, guessing Szaki wanted her to continue. “Kinetic will always be the main armament,” she said.

“Does the Destroyer have any other weapons?” John asked, and Zhani nodded.

“Six torpedo launches at the front,” she replied and raised her left arm, pointing at where they were on the Destroyer. “Each one is capable of heavily damaging Capital Class ships,” Zhani said.

“Are you sure you want me commanding something this powerful?” John asked as looking at Szaki.

“I have already told you we are,” she reminded John, “we want to see how well you fare commanding one of our ships. Besides,” Szaki said as she bent down so her head was level with John’s, “if we gave you a bigger vessel, you would have a Matriarch with you. I suspect you will be too distracted to act naturally,” she then winked at him, and then laughed as his face went red.

“Fair point,” John admitted.

*****

“Where’s John?” Nuki asked as she scooped up some glowing paste with her left hand.

“He’s been sent back to the station,” Shalsui replied as she used her tongue to lick some paste from the bowl she was holding with both hands.

“I thought he would be coming back to the Minerva?” Nuki said, and Shalsui shook her head. A few of their fellow Pilots walked past, failing to hide their interest in the conversation.

“I’ve been informed that while he was resting aboard the Matriarch’s Patience,” Shalsui replied as she placed the bowl back onto the table in front of her. Shalsui picked up her Pad and resumed reading the report on the screen. “Matriarchs Eztuh and Szaki, alongside Commander Zesta, reviewed his combat data and performance,” Shalsui said.

“Do you know what the result was?” Nuki asked. The noise level of the Canteen lowered as conversations paused, each Viper wanting to hear what was being said.

“Admiral Sshuizshallius has informed me that John will be given command of one of our ships,” Shalsui replied. “The Lachesis-class Destroyer, currently nearing the end of its refit in Border Station Five’s Drydock, has been selected to be the vessel he’ll command,” she said.

“Lachesis-class?” Nuki repeated the name, and then her eyes widened, “That’s a lot of firepower for the Matriarchs to give John a command. Are they sure that’s a good idea?” she asked.

“Are you questioning their decision?” Shalsui asked, and Nuki frowned at her Squadron Leader.

“You know I’m not,” Nuki replied, “but a Lachesis-class Destroyer. With its new Core and turrets, if anything were to go wrong…no, this is John we’re talking about,” she said.

“Even if anything were to occur, Lieutenant Zhani will be his second-in-command,” Shalsui pointed out.

“Hmm, I haven’t served with her, but I have read a few of her reports. She seems like a capable Officer,” Nuki said.

“Well, either way, John will not be returning to the Minerva or flying with our Wing anymore,” Shalsui pointed out.

“Shame,” Nuki sighed, “it would have been nice to say goodbye to him,” she admitted.

“It seems John keeps leaving Vipers with broken hearts,” Shalsui said.

“Hah,” Nuki replied, “I’m not in love with him. However, I did enjoy his company,” she said.

“Me too,” admitted Shalsui.

*****

“Have you chosen which Drill to run, Admiral?” Ossih inquired.

“I have,” replied Sshuizshallius. “It will be one that requires several of our larger ships, and will enable John to make full use of his Destroyer’s capabilities,” she said.

“Which means we should be able to gather sufficient data on his performance in a Command capacity,” Ossih pointed out.

“Indeed,” Sshuizshallius said.

“Although that wasn’t very specific,” Ossih pointed out.

“Well, considering what happened last time I chose a combat drill,” Sshuizshallius replied.

“Ha, fair enough,” replied Ossih, “although that wasn’t my fault,” she pointed out, and Sshuizshallius sighed.

“An enemy Lupine fleet will appear, and attack with ships no larger than Cruisers,” Sshuizshallius said as she activated the TDT. “Matriarchy Cruisers and below will engage with the enemy vessels, and the Drill will end with a Lupine Battleship appearing and being the end objective,” she said.

“Sounds interesting,” Ossih replied. “It will be interesting to see how John performs,” she said.

*****

“And this is your nestroom,” Zhani said as she placed her hand against the palm reader.

After a brief pause, it chimed after scanning her hand and then the door opened with a gentle hiss. John followed behind Zhani as she stepped through the door, and the lights came on. Looking around the room, John noted that it was larger than most of the other nestrooms he had been in before, presumably because it was for a ship’s Captain. There were the usual items in the room. A nest, recessed into the floor, larger than any John had been in before, with a few pillows resting on top of the soft fabric. A curved couch, set against a section of the circular wall, with a few square cushions upright. The bathroom was hidden behind a frosted glass door, opposite the nestroom’s entrance.

“John, can I have your right hand?” Zhani said, turning around and looking down at him.

“Er, sure,” he replied, unsure why she wanted it.

Zhani took hold of John’s right hand and placed it on her Pad. The active program scanned his palm, and then the door chimed. Seconds later, John’s Pad started to beep. He removed it from his right thigh, and once it was unlocked, John saw that he had received a message informing him that the Captain’s Nestroom was now his.

“From now and until you are ordered back to the Station,” Ossih began as she stood by the doorway, “the Captain’s Nestroom for this Destroyer is now yours,” she said.

“Cool…I think,” John replied as he looked up at Ossih. She smiled at him when he made eye contact.

“The drill will be starting in three hours,” Ossih said as she stepped through the door. “Feel free to spend that time how you wish. However, I recommend you head to the bridge at least an hour before it starts,” she then turned around and walked away. When the door finished closing, John looked up at Zhani and smiled.

“What now?” he asked.

“It is entirely up to you,” Zhani replied, “you are now the Captain of this Destroyer. I do recommend, however, that you go over the technical information for the ship,” she said.

“Yeah, I think I’ll use the next two hours to familiarise myself,” John replied, “will you be staying?” he asked.

“I can, if you would like me to,” Zhani replied, “I have spent the last few months overseeing the refit of the Destroyer,” she pointed out.

“Good point,” John replied, “well, make yourself comfortable, I’ll be right back,” he said, and then John walked over to the bathroom door and stepped inside.

Zhani sighed after the door closed, and she walked over to the couch and sat down. The end of her long tail twitched as Zhani went over the words Commander Zesta had said to her earlier. After a few minutes, the light level in the nestroom lowered, and Zhani guessed John had changed the theme when the colour changed to purple. She thought about lying down in the nest, but Zhani wasn’t sure how John might respond. Several more minutes passed, and then the bathroom door opened.

“That’s better,” John smiled at Zhani as he reappeared. “So, I was thinking we could go over Bridge Protocols, what I might expect during the upcoming Drill, as well as the finer details of the Destroyer,” John said as he walked over to the nest.

“I can certainly help you out with all of those,” Zhani replied as she watched John deactivate his collar as he stepped into the nest. She looked away to stop the bright light from blinding her. Looking back, John sank into the nest with each step before turning around to face her and then lying down.

“It doesn’t matter how many times I’m in one of your nests, they’re so soft and comfortable,” John said as he placed his collar near the nest. He wiggled back and forth where he lay as his legs disappeared.

“They are made from the finest fabrics,” Zhani said as she watched John from her seated position.

“You can join me, if you want,” John said, looking to his right, “although no collar. I know we’ve just met, but as this is my room for now, my rules,” he pointed out.

“How many females have you shared a nest with so far?” Zhani asked as she stood up. Walked over to the nest and then deactivated her collar.

“To be honest, I’ve lost count,” John replied as he shielded his eyes. When the neon blue light disappeared, he looked up at Zhani. “Bloody hell,” he said.

“Ha, you are the first person who has said that to me,” Zhani laughed as she stepped forward.

With her collar deactivated, John watched as Zhani’s weight allowed her to drop quickly to the bottom of the nest. He liked how the light of the room reflected off her dark purple scales, as well as the lighter secondary scales. He noticed intricate designs of bright pink bioluminescence on the more sensitive parts of her body. John watched as her thick thighs and ample chest wobbled with each step. She knelt down next to John before falling to her left, the impact making John bounce in the nest.

“You did that on purpose,” John said, and Zhani smiled.

“I was curious to see what would happen,” she replied.

“By the way,” John said as he looked up and down her body, “just how tall are you?” he asked.

“I believe in your measurements, nine feet tall,” Zhani replied.

“So, you’re the same height as the Matriarchs and Captain Ema?” John inquired, and Zhani nodded.

“I am in fact a Matriarch,” she pointed out.

“Really?” John replied, surprised at the admission. “How are you a Lieutenant and not a Matriarch?” he asked.

“We are allowed to pause our status as Matriarch if we wish to have a Military Career,” Zhani replied.

“Oh, a bit like the British Princes and Princesses,” John said.

“Who?” asked Zhani.

“Sorry, I forgot I’m the only Terran,” John replied. “One of the nations of my planet, you could say, has its own version of Matriarchs,” he said. “Princes would be a male version of a Matriarch I guess,” John said as he watched Zhani get comfortable.

“There are no male Matriarchs,” Zhani pointed out, “there are no Males in the Military either,” she said.

“I’ve seen Males,” John pointed out.

“Those were stewards,” Zhani replied, “a non-Military role,” she said.

“So, how much of a problem will I have with the crew?” John asked.

“What do you mean?” inquired Zhani.

“Well, I’m Male, they’re female,” John said as he gestured to himself and then Zhani.

“You might get the occasional lustful look from some of the younger crew,” Zhani replied with a smile, “however, with regard to you being in charge, I do not see there to be a problem,” she said.

“Really?” John seemed surprised.

“The Matriarchs have chosen to give you a temporary Command,” Zhani said as she gestured with her right hand, “and so no one will challenge it. To do so would result in censure or worse,” she said.

“Fair enough. So, what shall we go over first?” John asked.

“Going over Bridge Protocols will not take too long,” Zhani replied as she edged closer to John.

*****

**Two Hours Later**

“Captain on deck!” shouted a nearby Viper as John stepped through the armoured doorway. The Destroyer’s Bridgecrew all stood to attention and slammed their right fist against their chests.

“I haven’t seen this in a while,” John said to himself quietly.

Looking around the room, John noted that just like the bridge for the Pride and Minerva, the shape was oval with the Helm at the front and Command Chairs at the rear. Steps led up to where the Captain’s chair sat, along with the TDT to its right. Zhani stalked behind John as he headed for the Command Chairs.

“As you were,” John said as he looked up and smiled at some of the crew.

A few smiled back, and then Zhani glared at them, and so they returned to their assigned stations. Stepping up the steps, John noticed the two Vipers waiting for him and Zhani at the TDT.

“This is your Tactical Officer Eszeell and Comms Officer Nossi,” Zhani said, gesturing to both Vipers, who bowed when John looked up at each of them.

Eszeell’s primary scale colour was porcelain white, and her secondary scale colour was a soft pink, which John could only see on the inner, softer part of her hood and her lower jaw, which ran down the front of her neck. Her eyes and mouth glowed a vibrant pink as she looked at John and smiled, showing off part of her long tongue. Nossi’s primary scale colour was coal black, and her secondary scale colour was yellow. Just like Eszeell, the yellow scales were located on the softer inner part of her hood, her lower jaw and down the front of her neck. The light from the TDT reflected off her glowing yellow eyes.

“Hello,” John said as he smiled at both Vipers.

“We look forward to working with you, Captain,” Eszeell said eagerly.

“The whole crew is eager to please you,” Nossi said with a smile. A few of the nearby Vipers sniggered, and a glare from Zhani made them go quiet.

“Thanks,” John said as he turned to face Zhani and looked up at her. “Where’s our Chief Engineer?” he asked.

“Aztia sent me a message before we arrived at the Bridge to say the ship is ready to launch,” Zhani replied.

“Good to know,” John replied.

John turned around and headed for his Command Chair. He smiled when he noticed it had been adjusted for his size, and held in a laugh when he saw how big Zhani’s chair was compared to his. Sitting down, John looked at the keypad and paused.

“Is something wrong, Captain?” Zhani asked as she approached the Command Chairs.

“I’ve forgotten which one is for internal communications,” John replied as he looked up at Zhani. She rolled her eyes, and a Viper nearby sniggered.

“It’s this one,” Zhani said as she pointed to one of the buttons, “and this one is for external communications,” she said.

“Thanks,” John said as he smiled at Zhani. Clearing his throat, he pressed the correct button on the keypad.

“This is the Captain, make preparations to undock. All station crew are to leave immediately. Engineering, bring the core online and prep engines for departure. Gunnery Crews, I want all turrets ready to fire as soon as we exit the station. Damage Repair Teams, make sure you’re ready to repair any simulated damage during the upcoming Drill,” John sat back in his chair and relaxed.

“Well done, Captain,” Eszeell said.

“Different to how a Matriarchy Captain speaks, but I am sure the Crew will get used to you,” Nossi said.

“Thank you,” John replied.

“Receiving confirmations from all stations, Captain,” Zhani announced after a few minutes had passed. “Engineering says the Destroyer is ready for departure, the Airlock has signalled that the last of the station crew have departed,” she said.

“Agamemnon to Station Command, requesting permission to undock,” John said after he pressed the external comms button.

“Agamemnon?” Eszeell mouthed as she looked up at Zhani, she shook her head before either of the two bridge Officers said any more.

“Who is this?” asked a female voice.

“Captain John Lawrence, commanding the Matriarchy Destroyer, Agamemnon,” John replied.

“What’s an Agamemnon?” the female voice asked.

“What are you doing?” asked another voice. John thought he recognised it.

“I am sorry, Commander Zesta, but we have received a request to undock. I do not recognise the name of the ship,” the unknown voice replied.

“Let me see,” Zesta said, “ah, John, sorry Captain. I see you have given the Destroyer a name. Bear with me,” she said, and something caught John’s eye.

Looking up from his Command Chair, the view screen showed that the Drydock’s hangar doors had started to open. Docking guidelines appeared in front of the Destroyer, projected from the ceiling above, and a nearby crane arm started to move out of the Destroyer’s way.

“Clearance has been granted, Agamemnon, good luck with the Drill,” she said.

“Thank you, Commander,” John replied. “Helm, activate the Gravitic Drive, undock us from the moorings, bring engines to one quarter and take us out,” he ordered.

“Aye, Captain,” replied the Viper.

Inside Agamemnon’s Engine Room, the Gravitic Drive powered up and started to spin as power was fed into it through reinforced cables. The Destroyer’s engines thrummed to life as the mooring clamps disengaged and moved backwards, retracting into their casings. Thrusters along the hull of the ship fired as the Agamemnon lifted itself out of the Drydock and headed for the shielded doors. Once the whole of the Destroyer had passed through, the engines roared to life and pushed the vessel forward. Thrusters fired once more as the ship changed course.

“Agamemnon to Ruination of Minerva,” John said as he keyed the external comms.

“Go ahead, Agamemnon,” said a female voice.

“We’ve cleared the Station, requesting permission to take her out for a spin before the drill starts?” John replied.

“Spin? You want to spin the Destroyer?” asked the female voice.

“Sorry, it was slang,” John apologised. “I mean, would it be okay if Agamemnon flew around and made sure everything was working fine?” he asked.

“One moment, Agamemnon,” replied the female voice. “Admiral Sshuizshallius has granted your request to ‘take Agamemnon out for a spin’,” she said.

“Understood, Minerva,” John replied.

Standing up, John walked back over to the TDT and, with his Pad in his right hand, he accessed the nearest keypad. Everyone watched as John followed the instructions displayed on his Pad, and after a few minutes, the TDT changed the hologram projected above. The bright green wireframe hologram displayed Border Station Five, the nearby planet, and the Matriarchy Fleet.

“Is there a firing range?” John asked.

“No,” Zhani replied with a shake of her head. “However,” she accessed the nearest keypad, and after a few buttons were pressed, the hologram zoomed out, “there is an asteroid belt nearby. We can use it for target practice,” she said.

“Helm, set course for the nearby asteroid belt,” John ordered.

“Aye, Captain,” came the reply.

The Agamemnon turned to the right, flew past and away from Border Station Five and the Matriarchy fleet. Twenty minutes later, they arrived, and the Destroyer slowed to a stop.

“We have arrived, Captain,” the Viper said.

“Thank you,” John replied. “I’m thinking,” he said and pointed to the nearest asteroid, “that we move over here, fire at a few rocks to test the turrets, and then try some manoeuvres," John suggested.

“It is not too different to what the Matriarchy does,” Zhani said. “I suggest we use this attack pattern,” she suggested.

John watched as Zhani tapped at the window in front of her, and then, once again, the TDT changed. It showed the Destroyer with a line emerging from the front, heading toward the asteroid belt. He noticed that it weaved in and out among the different-sized rocks, and had several target markers or objectives.

“Looks good,” John said, “Eszeell, make sure the Gunnery Crews are ready for combat,” he ordered.

“At once, Captain,” she replied.

*****

Red lights flashed, and sirens wailed as Gunnery Sergeant Sassi stepped through the armoured doorway and into Turret One’s magazine room. The final layers of her Armoured Nanosuit appeared as she looked around the room, watching her Crew moving large racks of ammo, performing checks on equipment, and running a final test on the turret’s controls.

“I want us ready to go in five minutes,” Sassi shouted, “we’re not going to disappoint the new Captain,” she said.

Activating her helmet, Sassi stepped toward the door to the turret’s control room, passing by several of her crew, dodging one of them who was manually loading a shell into the rear of the turret. With the aid of a pair of robotic arms, the oversized round was easy to manoeuvre. Sassi’s HUD lit up her face inside her helmet as the Armoured Nanosuit ran final checks, shortly before she plugged herself into Turret One’s controls.

“Turret One to bridge,” Sassi called out as she pressed the Comms button.

“Go ahead,” replied Eszeell.

“We are performing final checks and should be ready to fire shortly,” Sassi reported.

“Understood. You will be glad to know you are ahead of the other Gunnery Crews,” Eszeell said. Sassi grinned as her HUD fed her information from Turret One’s computer.

*****

“Captain, all turrets are ready to fire,” Eszeell said as she looked down at John.

“Understood,” John replied as he looked over to the front of the Bridge. “Helm, increase speed to maximum. Follow the route set by Lieutenant Zhani,” he ordered.

“Aye, Captain,” the Viper replied.

“Eszeell,” John said as he looked up at her, “I want the turrets firing sequentially, fore to aft, as we approach each target,” he ordered.

“At once, Captain,” she replied.

Flying through space, Agamemnon’s engines grew brighter as the reactor sent more power. Starting from the front of the Destroyer, Turret One turned to the left, Turret Two turned to the right, each one facing a direction opposite to the one in front. As Agamemnon reached the start point, Turret One opened fire. First the left, then the right barrels fired, their Kinetic rounds forcing them to recoil backwards. At the rear of the turret, a large radiator started to glow as heat was dumped into it.

“Data is coming in now, Captain,” Nossi said as she read the data scroll in front of her.

“How’s it looking?” John asked, looking up at his Comms Officer.

“Each time a turret fires, its Gunnery Crew improves their reload time,” Zhani replied.

“Out of curiosity, why not have an autoloader in each turret?” John inquired.

“We do have them,” Zhani replied, “however, we have found that Gunnery Crews are still needed,” she said.

“So,” John said as he looked at the TDT, “while the turrets are busy, I thought we might also test out the Destroyer’s other systems, such as its sensors,” he suggested.

“What for?” Nossi asked. “We have done plenty of simulations while the ship was in Dry Dock,” she pointed out.

“Those were simulations,” John replied. “I think it would be a good idea to make sure everything is working properly,” he said.

“I recommend we do a sensor sweep here,” Zhani pointed to a section of the planned route, “there will be less chance of the asteroids interfering with Agamemnon’s sensors,” she said.

“Looks good,” John replied, “Nossi, when we arrive at that point, I’d like a full sensor sweep of the Arroganza system, active and passive sensors. After that, we can see how much of this system the ship can pick up,” he ordered.

“Understood, Captain,” Nossi replied.

“Helm, I’m sending you coordinates. When we arrive, I want you to stop and wait for further orders,” John called out.

“Aye, Captain,” came the reply.

“What do you want the Gunnery Crews to do?” Eszeell asked.

“Have them cease fire by this point,” John replied, pointing at the hologram in front of him, “and instruct them to have their Turrets face forward,” he ordered.

“I will relay those orders now, Captain,” Eszeell replied.

“Also, cease fire with the Destroyer’s Torpedoes, you never know when we might need them,” John ordered.

*****

“Admiral, thirty minutes until the drill commences. The fleet has reported that they are ready to start the next Drill,” Comms Officer Aszu said.

“Thank you, Aszu,” replied Sshuizshallius.

“Is John still at the asteroid belt?” Ossih asked.

“He is,” Sshuizshallius replied.

She stood up from her Command Chair and walked over to the TDT. A few seconds later and the hologram above adjusted to reveal Agamemnon and several asteroids of varying sizes. As Ossih looked at the hologram, several of the rocks exploded before their holograms disappeared.

“What was that?” she asked.

Sshuizshallius turned to face the TDT, and she tapped away at a nearby keypad. Seconds later, and a new window appeared, and then the image zoomed in. The Agamemnon flew through the asteroid belt, its turrets firing as it passed several large asteroids. The hologram of the Destroyer showed that its turrets were pointing opposite directions, and as everyone around the TDT watched, they fired.

“It appears that Agamemnon is firing at the asteroids,” Sshuizshallius pointed out.

“Why?” Ossih asked.

“Judging by the data we’re receiving from the Destroyer,” Oki replied as she moved several windows around in front of her, “they are performing Live Fire exercises,” she said.

“I imagine Agamemnon's new Captain wishes to test the capabilities of his new ship,” Sshuizshallius said. “We often use Asteroid Belts with little value as unofficial firing ranges,” she pointed out. A large explosion lit up the faces of each Viper standing around the TDT, and once the light dissipated, a section of the asteroid belt disappeared.

“Hmm, looks like they’re testing the Destroyer’s Torpedoes,” Oki said as the Agamemnon flew amongst the asteroids.

“Is that wise?” Ossih asked as she continued to watch the live feed.

“The Destroyer has plenty of Torpedoes on board, plus Border Station Five has a more than sufficient stockpile,” Sshuizshallius pointed out.

“Plus, they can make more if it becomes necessary,” Oki said.

“Well, I hope John orders them back to the fleet before the Drill starts,” Ossih said as she turned around and headed for her Command Chair.

*****

“The computer has finished analysing the sensor scans, Captain,” Nossi announced.

“Can you set the TDT to display the results?” John asked as he pulled his attention away from the screen at the front of the bridge.

“Certainly, Captain,” Nossi replied.

John watched her effortlessly manipulate the controls of the TDT, opening multiple windows filled with scrolling text, closing them, adjusting the projection floating in front of everyone standing around the TDT, zooming in, then out again. Her hands moved over the controls with practiced ease and, minutes later, she was finished.

“So, what am I looking at?” John asked as he looked up at the hologram rotating above the TDT.

“This is a full sensor sweep of the Arroganza System,” Nossi replied as she gestured to the hologram floating above her. “We are here, not too far from Border Station Five,” she said and pointed to the blue icons near the planet. Agamemnon's blue icon was located at the nearby asteroid belt.

“What are those?” John said as he pointed to a series of circle icons.

“Those are the Monitor Satellites,” Nossi replied, “they can pick up the energy discharge caused by ships exiting the Vortex,” she said.

“Why is that one blinking?” John asked, pointing to a blinking Monitor icon. The satellite was located at the far side of the Arroganza system.

“I am not sure,” Nossi replied.

“If I recall,” Zhani chimed in as she used a nearby keypad, “one of the Station’s patrol ships was sent to investigate it,” she said.

“I assume they’re still investigating?” John asked. He looked up at Zhani and noticed she was frowning.

“This does not make sense,” she said.

“What’s wrong?” John inquired.

“It says here that the vessel was sent hours ago, and yet there is no report from them,” Zhani replied.

“Is that unusual?” John asked.

“They should have been back by now,” Zhani pointed out.

“Hmm, let me see,” John said as he accessed a nearby keypad.

Zhani stepped to one side and watched as John, with help from his Pad, used the TDT to focus on the blinking Monitor Satellite. Once the hologram shifted to the Satellite’s location, it zoomed out, and several new windows appeared. One contained data on the Patrol Vessel, another gave an overview of how the Monitor Satellites functioned, and a third contained a list of everything that was being tracked. Zhani noticed John frowning.

“Helm,” John called out in a commanding tone, “I’m sending you a waypoint, head there at full speed immediately,” he ordered as he looked over to the front of the Bridge.

“Aye, Captain,” the Viper replied.

“Eszeell, have the turrets stand down. I want them ready for combat,” John ordered.

“Yes, Captain,” she replied.

“Combat?” Zhani said, “What makes you think something has gone wrong?” she asked.

“A patrol ship is sent to investigate a malfunctioning Monitoring Satellite,” John started to say as he gestured toward the hologram floating above, “and hours later, its objective is still unfinished, and we can’t detect the vessel,” he said as the nearby crew watched the conversation.

“I recommend that you contact the Minerva before we head toward their last known position,” Zhani suggested. John turned around and walked over to his Command Chair. Sitting down, he cleared his throat before pressing the External Comms button.

“Agamemnon to Minerva,” he said.

“Go ahead, Agamemnon,” a female voice said.

“Requesting permission to break from the planned Combat Drill and go investigate a missing Patrol ship,” John asked.

“Permission granted,” the voice replied after a few minutes.

Moments later, Agamemnon’s engines flared as more power was fed into them, all five turrets ceased firing and returned to facing forward, and its torpedo ports closed. Thrusters along the starboard side of the Destroyer flared as the ship steered to the left and headed off toward the malfunctioning satellite.

“Are you sure our sensors didn’t pick up anything that isn’t meant to be in the system?” John asked as he stood up.

“If they did, Agamemnon's computer would have flagged it,” Nossi replied.

“Well, I think it would be best if we kept an active scan going, just in case,” John said as he walked back over to the TDT.

“Very well, Captain,” Zhani replied.

*****

“Start the Drill,” Sshuizshallius ordered.

“Activating the holo emitter,” Oki said as she placed her hand on a nearby control.

Rising ten feet from the hull of the Battleship, the Minerva’s diamond-shaped holo emitter glowed as arcs of green energy sparked across its surface as it activated. As before, shapes of various sizes and colours appeared around the Matriarchy fleet as the emitter cycled through the test phase. Once complete, several Lupine ships of various types appeared and moved into an attack formation.

“Launch fighters,” Sshuizshallius ordered.

“All Wings, launch,” Oki said, and then she adjusted the TDT to show the exterior of the Battleship.

“Minerva to all ships, commence the attack,” Sshuizshallius commanded.

“The fleet is moving to engage the approaching Lupine ships,” Oki reported.

*****

“Captain, sensors have detected something,” Eszeell said as she adjusted the TDT.

“Are we close enough to see it on the main screen?” John asked.

“We are,” Eszeell replied, and then the exterior view of the Agamemnon changed.

“What is that?” Zhani asked as John stood up from his Command Chair and walked toward the main screen.

“Can we zoom in and get a better look?” John asked as he stopped next to the handrail that separated the Command Chairs and TDT from the rest of the Bridge.

“Yes, Captain,” Nossi replied as she started to use the keypads in front of her. Moments later, the image zoomed in and focused.

“Those are Matriarchy escape pods,” Zhani pointed out as a few of the Bridge Crew gasped. She noticed John hurried back to his Command Chair.

“Action Stations, escape pods detected, prepare for retrieval,” John ordered as he pressed the Internal Comms button.

Throughout the Agamemnon, sirens blared, crew hurried to their assigned stations, and Rescue Teams prepared to retrieve and aid anyone alive inside the escape pods. The Viper flying the Destroyer steered it toward the approaching group of escape pods, and as it got closer, she powered down the engines. The thrusters at the front of the Agamemnon came to life as they slowed the ship down.

“My scans of the escape pods show no damage, and while their power output is low, I am reading stable life signs,” Nossi reported.

“Do we have a Doctor on board?” John asked as he walked over to the TDT.

“We do,” Zhani replied, “she has just reported in to say she is hurrying for the airlock,” she said.

“Nossi, are we able to communicate with them?” John inquired.

“I have tried,” Nossi replied, “however, their Comms seem to be down,” she said.

“Once they are on board, have whoever is in charge report to the Bridge,” John ordered.

“With permission, I will head down to the airlock and take command,” Zhani asked.

“Granted,” John replied. Zhani bowed her head and hurried for the armoured doors.

*****

“That’s two Frigates destroyed,” Aszu reported.

“Thank you,” Sshuizshallius replied.

“How are we faring?” Ossih inquired.

“The fleet is doing well,” Sshuizshallius replied, “our Mambas are managing to keep the Lupine Fighters busy, and our ships don’t appear to be having much difficulty,” she said.

“Where’s John’s Destroyer?” Ossih asked as she looked at the TDT.

“He should be…” A bright flash of green light from the TDT interrupted Oki.

One of the icons close to the Minvera disappeared. Moments later, a second, then a third, bright flash of light occurred, and two more icons disappeared. Alarms blared inside the bridge, and Crew members hurried about.

“We’ve just lost three ships,” Aszu announced, “the Matriarch’s Faith, Fall of Belleros, and Bane of Dracones,” she said.

“What happened to them?” Sshuizshallius asked.

“No idea, I’ve tasked the computer to find out how they were destroyed,” Aszu replied.

“I suggest we halt the drill until we know what is going on,” Ossih suggested.

“I’ve already issued the command via the EMCOM system,” Sshuizshallius replied.

“Admiral, the computer has finished, and I’m relaying it to the TDT,” Aszu announced.

The four Vipers standing around the Tactical Display Table watched as the hologram floating above appeared to rewind, stutter, and then replay the last few minutes. It showed Border Station Five with the Matriarchy fleet orbiting the planet nearby. Lupine fighters and ships flew in as the combat drill started, and then waves of Mamba Fighters launched from the Minerva, as well as Frigates and Destroyers moving in to engage enemy Capital ships. Minutes later, an explosion rocked Matriarch’s Faith shortly before it exploded. Fall of Belleros and Bane of Dracones each had multiple explosions along their hulls, and then they too exploded.

“There,” Ossih said as she pointed to something on the hologram. “Pull it back by ten seconds,” she ordered. Aszu used the keypad in front of her and as the hologram reversed, everyone looked where Ossih was pointing.

“I think that’s it,” Sshuizshallius said as she pointed at something. After a few button presses, the hologram zoomed in and focused to reveal a long tubular object.

“Damn, an Ericius torpedo,” Aszu said.

“Battlestations!” Sshuizshallius shouted as she slammed her right hand against a large, round button near where she stood. “Contact the fleet, have them ready for an imminent Ericius attack,” she ordered.

“At once, Admiral,” Oki replied. She went to send the order but the TDT flickered.

“Whoa, what’s going on?” Aszu said as the hologram glitched.

“What’s wrong?” Sshuizshallius asked.

“Something is interfering with the incoming data,” Aszu replied.

As if to emphasise her point, the hologram floating above the TDT spun clockwise while turning on and off, spun counter-clockwise, displayed static, random shapes and colours before switching off entirely.

“Admiral, I believe we’re being jammed,” Oki reported. “I’m trying to contact the rest of the fleet, but something is interfering with the ship’s communications,” Oki said.

“Can you override it?” Sshuizshallius asked.

“I think so,” Oki replied, “Engineering is trying to boost our signal strength, and they’re bringing the ECCM online,” she said.

“Are we able to scan for any approaching Ericius vessels?” Ossih asked as she looked at Sshuizshallius.

“No, not while the jamming is active,” she replied, “hopefully, the station and the rest of the fleet are doing the same as us,” Sshuizshallius said.

“Engineering reports the jamming should be countered within the next five minutes,” Ossih reported, and Sshuizshallius sighed.

“A lot can happen in five minutes,” she said.