"Kjel, how was the new set-up?" Charles asked.
"It was fine but we gotta fix the issue with the particle storage tank." Kjel replied as she took off her helmet and unzipped the top half of her suit.
"You should get some rest before they get back." Damien ordered before handing Kjel a towel.
Kjel nodded as she wiped the sweat on her neck and headed to the upper deck. Back at the docks, Veronica and Brook were still engaged with the stationed garrison fleet.
"Just five more minutes and we'll be out of here!" Brook exclaimed.
"This feels like the longest five minutes!" Veronica exclaimed in response as she spun her ship.
"Brook, move to position. We'll be coming to the pick-up point." Damien ordered over the comm line.
"I won't let you!" Bernard exclaimed as he fired at Brook and Veronica's squadron.
They suddenly broke formation as Bernard broke through their squadron. Despite the Orion being faster and more agile than the Stern-S, Bernard was still able to take out two of them before going after Veronica.
"Not this guy again. Get off my tail!" Veronica furiously exclaimed as she began performing evasive maneuvers.
"Gerard! Come in, I need you to hit a target!" Bernard exclaimed as he kept chasing after Veronica.
"Lure the target to me. I switched machines, get it as close to a standard's effective range." Gerard replied as he launched in a standard XM-3.
"I'll bring it to you so you better be there!" Bernard shouted as he fired at Veronica.
"Veronica, it's trying to pick you off. Lure it to the White Whale's flight path." Brook ordered.
"Got it." Veronica responded before putting her ship on maximum thrust.
Bernard kept in hot pursuit of Veronica while Gerard followed a predicted flight path intersecting Bernard's. Back on the White Whale, Damien just received an update on Brook's situation. Damien immediately ordered Kjel to be ready to launch on Asterion. He also informed the rest of the maintenance crew to speed up the repairs on Asterion and have it combat ready in two minutes.
"Charles, are we good to go?" Kjel asked as she zipped up her normal suit.
"We took off the long-range beam cannon but we weren't able to return most of the armor plates." Charles replied before climbing out the cockpit.
"This will do, I won't really engage the enemy head on. I just need to buy Veronica some time." Kjel added before wearing her helmet and sitting inside the cockpit.
"Kjel, Brook said that the enemy is luring Veronica away from the rest of the squadron. I want you to launch as soon as we pick up Brook and the others." Damien ordered over the comm line.
"Copy." Kjel mumbled in response as she booted up the monitors.
Gerard informed Bernard that he was already in position, hidden among the clumps of space debris. Bernard fired in specific angles and directions to keep Veronica inside Gerard's line of fire but he had a hard time with how faster Veronica's Orion was. Bernard's custom Stern-S was vastly upgraded from the original machine so he can surpass the specs of the current mass-produced fighters of XenoMars. This meant his custom unit could be on equal footing with the Alliance's standard fighter. The only problem is that he's up against the most feared Alliance ace pilot, Veronica Schwitz. They've encountered each other several times before in small skirmishes along the asteroid belt but all encounters ended in deuces. They were on the same level of piloting skills but Bernard had one advantage over Veronica in their current battle. Bernard had Gerard's support while Veronica was picked off from her group.
"This is so bothersome. Where the hell are you guys? I'm getting beat up here." Veronica mumbled to herself as she evaded Bernard's attacks.
"I have a visual on the target, a crimson red Orion. Give me the signal and I'll put a round through it's fuselage." Gerard stated.
"I've just sent you the pre-designed mission plan I've prepared beforehand. Follow it and fire at will." Bernard ordered.
"Pre-designed? This is absurd, is he really my brother?" Gerard mumbled as he saw the mission plan.
As Bernard and Veronica continued their graceful waltz, Gerard got into position and began shooting at Veronica's ship. The graceful waltz fell into chaos and lost it's delicate melody as Gerard interrupted them, it turned into what could only be described as jazz.
"Kjel Io, Asterion, launching." Kjel stated before heading out on Asterion.
"Bernard, my radar's picking up an incoming ship!" Gerard exclaimed before steering his ship towards the unknown.
"It's her." Veronica mumbled before smirking.
"Oi, I've come to pick you up." Kjel stated over the comm line before firing at Bernard and Gerard.
"I won't let you stain my honor a second time!" Gerard shouted as he engaged Asterion head on.
Kjel dodged most of the shots and flew past Gerard, coming in to chase off Bernard as Veronica retreated. Bernard gritted his teeth in frustration and slammed his fist onto the side monitor, shattering it from the impact. It was as if he was a predator who lost his prey once more.
"Bernard, we need to retreat. We can't take on their entire force." Gerard ordered as he left the cluster of debris.
"I'll be right behind you..." Bernard mumbled as he pulled away from the engagement.
"Kjel, return to the ship. We've already picked up Veronica." Damien ordered.
On the brothers' return to the port where the garrison fleet was stationed, they were escorted by Viktor and the rest of Bernard's fleet. Viktor rushed to the landing bay the moment they arrived and searched for Bernard's Stern-S. Once he found the ship, he climbed up to the cockpit only to see blood inside as Bernard stared blankly onto the main monitor.
"Captain, are you hurt? There's a lot of blood, we should have a doctor check on you." Viktor worriedly recommended as he reached his hand into the cockpit.
"It's just a small cut, don't worry. I'll go get it cleaned up in my quarters. Please have the maintenance team repair and tune my machine." Bernard ordered with a smile before climbing out of the cockpit and heading towards the Catalyst.
"Alert my father and the Gunderhild fleet of the situation here. Have them mobilize our forces in Mars' orbit." Gerard ordered as he took off his helmet.