Sandra had retreated to her cabin, knowing no safer place other than the bridge, but she knew full well, she would get in the way there, and she would not be welcome. The floor shuddered as weapons discharged from the hull of the ship. Small rounds smashing into the sides fore and aft. Sandra was now truly grateful she did not have a port hole window in her cabin. She had longed for a view from her bed of the beauty of the stars and nebulas of space. Now, she was glad that she was not on the outside wall of the ship and if a round penetrated the hull, she was at least safe. Cowering under her bed with the sheets wrapped around her, the shudders became more bone crunching. "Eve! What's happening? I need you to tell me!" shouted Sandra, her voice trembling and breaking with fear. Tears had started leaking from her eyes uncontrollably as she gave into the anxiety, her stomach was filled with both flying objects and heavy weights as Eve's answer never came. Sandra let out another frightful scream, her skin began to itch and burn as her world collapsed around her. As her vision began to turn black a sudden light blinded her. A hiss filled her ears as someone ran into her cabin. The light blinding her weeping eyes, Sandra could not make out the presence.
"Sandra, it's all okay. You'll be fine. Come on up, I've got you." came a soft soothing voice of a woman. Sandra's brain was working too fast on the itching and burning of her skin to concentrate on the voice. Without a second wasted, the woman pulled Sandra up and carried her to her bed.
"It's okay Sandra, I've got you. You'll be fine."
The Evergreen glided though the constant barrages of small armaments fired from the attack vessels, occasionally destroying one of the fighter craft with the Hellsing Guns in their rapid fire. The Evergreen held strong, as it moved closer to The Pride Of Lions, who manually had to fire their weapons without targetting systems.
Kyril stood in between two helmsmen holding on to the backs of their chairs with whitened knuckles, bracing for unexpected impacts from the pirates constant barrage. "Try and make contact with Captain Simms, I hope he wasn't inside the bridge with the ball of fire..." his voice trailed off as he scanned the blackened hull and smashed windows on a small view screen that had zoomed in on the charred remains. The inside of the bridge was scorched and lifeless. No electrics or humans could have survived a direct hit from the fire ball.
"Maintain course to The Pride of Lions, open fire on the nearest command ship" ordered Kyril to the entire bridge. With that command The Evergreen seemed to pick up more speed, even though she was already heading at full flank. The Evergreens weapons fell silent, taking aim as the slender vessel deflected more small armaments, moving closer to the nearest crimson ship. Kyril noted the optimal range as it approached and his temples bulged with anger as he gave the order, "Open fire."
The Evergreen's midnight blue hull reflected the deadly onslaught from the guns and missile launchers, hundreds of explosive rounds and missiles left their hollowed out launchers with an ear splitting shriek as they sailed through the void towards the pirates. Several missiles found their targets with all of their destructive power, the closest crimson ship veered hard to port as its port thrusters separated from the main body with the destructive blow given from The Evergreen.
Kyril allowed himself a slight smile of vengeance, "Fire on the next one!"
Captain Zhou stared in disbelief as he watched the crimson vessel lose control and begin to tear itself apart. His eyes darting past the crumpling wreckage, to The Evergreen's almost invisible hull the midnight blue blending in excellently with the blackness of space, slightly charred and scarred, seemed a peaceful, but beautiful hunter to Zhou's eyes. Momentarily held in a silent, frozen moment that lasted a life time to him, as he admired the slender shape of her body. The Evergreen's pointed nose turning starboard, revealing it's long thin neck, three thick lines of heavy cannons running down the length of the quarter mile neck. The guns came into full view of Zhou's bridge, he quickly came back to his senses. "Full reverse thrust! Bring us down and about!" jumping to his flat feet, the stench of sweat becoming more potent.
The firepower of The Evergreen was seemingly too great to take on in a straight up fight, Zhou's fleet wouldn't stand a chance. A single barrage took out one of his command ships.
The quarter mile run of guns lined up to Zhou's fleeing ship. Their muzzle's flashed, the thunder shook even Zhou from his feet, He knew his doom was quickly approaching through the timeless void of space. "Emergency flank! Now!" he screamed through the warning klaxon. Every thruster on the ship capable of pointing up, had fired at full speed, the force of the sudden spill of energy into space forced most of the crew of Zhou's ship lift off their chairs slightly. The incoming missiles missed the bow of Zhou's hull by a little more than a centimetre. Zhou quickly regained his footing, his smile widening showing three missing teeth, his gums slightly rotted from the years of drug use. "Ready the big gun! Stun them! Stun them now! Cover our esca-" Zhou gleefully shouted before he was cut short by a second thunderous rumble shake the very heart of his ship.
"Zhou! Red Tide has gone! She must have been hit by the volley that missed us!" the skinny woman spat.
"Call the fleet, call a retreat. Let's get out of here." said Zhou, with defeat trembling his voice, as he slumped back into his throne, shudders shaking his bones.