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“All missiles threatening the Craton destroyed!” an officer called out.

“Hev ships one minute until witnessing our light,” another told her.

Siilon considered briefly, pressing her hands together a moment and contemplating, before rising to her full height.

“Contact the Fesha ship,” she ordered.  “FTL, open channel.”

No one questioned her, despite the oddity of the order.  They had a decisive advantage at the moment – they could launch attacks on the Maig before they even knew that her force was here, cutting the time they had to react.

But she had a different idea in mind.

The channel was opened, and she caught the surprise of the Fesha Captain, who would not see the light of their ship for at least two hours.

“Sepht Captain, what an unexpected surprise.  May I inquire-“

“I am calling to inform you that the Mopu System is now an active theater of war,” she said, cutting the being off.  “I am ordering you, for your safety, to leave immediately.”

The Captain took several long moments to answer, clearly looking off to the side for information – probably his systems trying to figure out who she was.

Let them look and know her, she thought.  They’d shiver all the more when they learned.

“Ah, Commodore Siilon, we take your sincere concern to heart, yet we feel our safety is already assured with your gracious-“

“Not acceptable,” she said, and leaned over to speak to one of her officers.  “Have the Ring Ship send two of our tugs over to the Fesha.  I want them out of my warzone, even if they have to drag them out.  Send two cruisers with them.”

Alarm went over the Fesha’s face.  “You would not dare to drag our ship-“

“It is my discretion what I shall do,” she told him coldly.  “You will leave this warzone – one way or another.  You will do it alive and unharmed, whether you like it or not.”

And, most importantly, they would not get to stay and observe the fight from close range.

“We find this most ungracious and injurious and will be filing a grievance, Commodore!  We shall leave, only because of your barbarous threats to our dignity-“

“Siilon out,” she said, and cut the transmission.

A sensor officer looked up.  “Their transmission wavering at the end suggests they’re lighting up for a burn – likely away from us and out of system.”

“Make sure they actually do it.  Have the Hev seen us yet?”

“Not yet, Commodore – but they surely heard that.”

“Good,” she replied.

It meant they knew they’d just started a war.

“Contact the flagship of the Dessei.”

It was opened, and she looked at the Moth-Owl, who seemed solemn – though she thought they always appeared that way, showing only emotion with their crest of feathers.  For her kind, who rippled with color and writhing tentacles to portray endless moods and emotions, it always made them hard to read.

But she knew from the look of the one before her – Councilor Tallei – that he was unsure.  Despite being in command of his people’s fleet, he was a politician, not an admiral.

“With your permission, Councilor,” she said.

He gave her a sharp nod.  “You may, Commodore.  Glory to the Republic!”

“And may the currents be with us,” she replied.

Keeping the line open, she turned to her crew.

“Target lock every capital ship in their fleet,” she said.  “Fire all missiles – I demand a first strike that will leave them bereft of hope.  Artillery ships, prepare long-range smartshells, aim for maximum effect.”

“Aye!” her crew replied, calling as one.

The effect draw a smile to her face.

The massive artillery ships moved ahead from the fleet, their enormous coilguns charging.  When they fired, streaks of light emerged, disappearing out of sight even faster than the waves of missiles already headed out.

“The Maig have visual on us,” a sensor officer called.  “They are attempting to regroup stragglers of the Overlord’s fleet . . .  Forming a new battle line facing us.”

“How long until impacts of the first volleys?”

“Missiles – one more minute.  First volleys of coilgun shots should impact in moments.”

The Hev, far from taking evasive maneuvers, were moving into a tight defensive formation.  It was a rookie mistake, an artifact, she knew, of the damage the Craton had inflicted upon the Maig.  Without an experienced leader, under the stress they were experiencing, they were reverting to the kind of defensive attitude of their ancient ancestors.

It could happen to anyone, really, caught out of their depth.

And it meant they were lining up perfectly to be hit.

“Have the Ringship send a probe through.  I want to see it in real time,” she said.

Siilon had been called bloodthirsty in uncharitable circumstances, and though it was not true, there were times the reputation was useful.  Even now, she did not feel joy at the thought of slaughtering the P’G’Maig.

But she did need to know what havoc they inflicted.

The Ringship activated its massive zerodrive, sending through only a handful of drones that could report back in nearly real-time.  It was a massive waste of power in some senses, and even a ringship with its massive cooling fins and dozens of reactors and geometry optimized in every way to allow for such passages at will could only open so many portals before it had to take a break.

As the feed came back, though, she saw that it was worth it.

“Impacts!” the sensor operator called, before the image resolved.  She was working off the timing, and the math was correct.

The smart shells were bursting, showering the Hev formation with thousands of small pieces of hypervelocity shot.  Each small piece would do less damage, but also dump more of its energy into the enemy ships, and increase the chance of hitting something important.

One ship had a gout of plasma out of its side, and she surmised that a reactor had been hit.  Another had rippling explosions go across its flank as something was set off internally.  Others had very little visible reaction, save for lights flickering, going off, and a clear lack of command and control.

The thought of how many she’d just killed or maimed came to mind, though the impact was superficial as of yet.  She’d contemplate on it later, perhaps feel something, and then move on.

“Missiles incoming in one minute,” she was told.

The Hev formation had far less of a defense against them than even she expected.  The missiles were nearly unchecked as they smashed and blew apart vital infrastructure on the largest ships, even weaving around the smaller vessels that tried bravely to put themselves in the path to take the hits for their brethren.

“All missiles accounted for – 82.5% successful hit rate!”

There was more cheering across the bridge.

“P’G’Maig forces are routing!  Withdrawing in disorganization, Commodore!” the gunnery officer called.

“Shall we fire another salvo, complete their defeat?” her first mate asked.  “Perhaps a nuclear lance strike?”

She saw that the Hev had noticed the observation drones she’d sent in, and warnings of lock-ons by defensive lasers were detected-

The feeds cut out.

“No,” Siilon said finally to her first mate.  “Let them run.”

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