SinisterSpiders
Meow
- Joined
- Apr 25, 2012
- Posts
- 3,625
It felt like the day was simultaneously speeding past and going far too slowly. Jase and Vera stood at the helm for hours. Vera was so focused on the battle outside of their window that she hardly realised how tired she was. The constant sounds of explosions and the lights from them had her dizzy, and she was too preoccupied to realise that eating may have been a good idea.
The PEACe and Coalition ships continued to attack Hive. They had the advantage that they wanted, but the Hive forces were far more numerous than they had predicted. It was a tense few hours as the side in the lead changed more times than Vera could have counted. Each new explosion, each new movement of every ship, was a small but vital part in the overall battle, one that could be won by either side.
"How are the Rebels coming along at the base?" Vera barked, one of the people from the comms team turned to her, appearing to be concentrating on the transmissions she was listening to.
"They are reporting that their ships are coming out. The Hive ships defending it, and the Rebel ships thought to be infected by Hive, they are slowly being beaten back and we've seen a few ships of refugees fleeing-"
Then, everyone looked up.
There, at the edge of the asteroid belt was an explosion that was bigger than anyone in the command center had ever seen before.
"REPORT!" Vera called out.
The woman who was on comms blinked for a moment.
"Radio silence from the Rebels based on the belt Ma'am," She said, clearly concerned.
A few moments passed.
"Reports coming in from Rebel rescue vehicle," One of the other comms team said, his face grave. "It... It appears that every Rebel ship from that base- Hive infected or refugee- they were rigged to self-destruct."
Vera felt that information like a stab in her heart. It took every part of the energy in her fatigued body to remain standing. She turned, looking to Jase.
"Concentrate all of our forces on the remaining Hive ships. No retreats," she said in a low voice, a suggestion for him to consider.
Vera refused to think of all of those people on board those ships. She refused to think of an enemy that would destroy their own forces so easily and carelessly as their enemies. She refused to think of how their tactics would come to represent them for the rest of the war.
Vera could feel her heart pounding in her chest, blood roaring in her ears.
"Vera, you need to eat. You need to sit down," Sam's voice piped up in her mind. Soothing, calm. Vera gritted her teeth against it.
"I will relax when I feel my forces have a chance in this battle," She replied in her mind.
The PEACe and Coalition ships continued to attack Hive. They had the advantage that they wanted, but the Hive forces were far more numerous than they had predicted. It was a tense few hours as the side in the lead changed more times than Vera could have counted. Each new explosion, each new movement of every ship, was a small but vital part in the overall battle, one that could be won by either side.
"How are the Rebels coming along at the base?" Vera barked, one of the people from the comms team turned to her, appearing to be concentrating on the transmissions she was listening to.
"They are reporting that their ships are coming out. The Hive ships defending it, and the Rebel ships thought to be infected by Hive, they are slowly being beaten back and we've seen a few ships of refugees fleeing-"
Then, everyone looked up.
There, at the edge of the asteroid belt was an explosion that was bigger than anyone in the command center had ever seen before.
"REPORT!" Vera called out.
The woman who was on comms blinked for a moment.
"Radio silence from the Rebels based on the belt Ma'am," She said, clearly concerned.
A few moments passed.
"Reports coming in from Rebel rescue vehicle," One of the other comms team said, his face grave. "It... It appears that every Rebel ship from that base- Hive infected or refugee- they were rigged to self-destruct."
Vera felt that information like a stab in her heart. It took every part of the energy in her fatigued body to remain standing. She turned, looking to Jase.
"Concentrate all of our forces on the remaining Hive ships. No retreats," she said in a low voice, a suggestion for him to consider.
Vera refused to think of all of those people on board those ships. She refused to think of an enemy that would destroy their own forces so easily and carelessly as their enemies. She refused to think of how their tactics would come to represent them for the rest of the war.
Vera could feel her heart pounding in her chest, blood roaring in her ears.
"Vera, you need to eat. You need to sit down," Sam's voice piped up in her mind. Soothing, calm. Vera gritted her teeth against it.
"I will relax when I feel my forces have a chance in this battle," She replied in her mind.
