The Litan'ka used up one month's reserve of Resources, barely a dent from the maximum total stored from the planet they Cracked earlier. Captain walks the grounds of the coordinator a serious face. Sheep beside them as they prepare the next generation of workers to work under Queen. There's no time to mess around, but that's normal for the Cravers. Unlike humans and their descendents, Cravers are a hive mind of machine versatility and decisiveness.
A section of the work force are building and maintaining the Craver replication system. Another section working maintaining the propulsion systems of the anit-matter missile array. There are many other stations on this vessel, but what Captain holds their breath for is the genetics section. Mechanical and biological parts floats on screen and many buttons light up and dim at random intervals. Their hands are immobile, flinching before pressing a button as they check the screen again and again.
"Captain, are you gonna start the SDNA processing or not?" Sheep asks. "Does this have to do with the other side?"
Captain slams the desk and grabs Sheep by their neck, "How dare yo-" They calm and set Sheep down. Practice Captain. Practice. Use your word processors. "Sheep, this is a very important mission. I can't go messing it up."
Sheep looks at the SDNA keyboard, a Synthetic DNA board that can fill the DNA requirements for basic function of Cravers. This machine can create all sorts of generations, one for dialogue has never been done. Are they going to defect? Is that what Captain's worried about? They can just kill them if that was the case. They should let Captain know.
Sheep grabs Captain's forearm and looks into their red eyes slowly turning white, "I'll kill any defects, Captain."
Captain is taken aback--it worked. Communication works like a charm! This is great! Must make sure the next generation has persuasive traits, diplomatic traits and understanding. He types on the keyboard with ease and match the parts as normal.
Whirring and hisses emit from the SDNA synthesizer, information flowing towards the assembly line as chips set on the back of the new generation's heads download the sequence. Sheep gives a nod as their eyes flicker their green glow before turning back to red and Captain returns the gesture. A subtle code of determination and trust. After setting the new generation on go, it'll be another three months before they are complete.
Captain shakes his head as they walk towards the weapons array, "After this there will only be two months left to find allies. I hope I can make her proud."
"You'll definitely make the colony proud Captain. You have a talent of getting things done around here." Sheep says, although now a new thought penetrates their mind--they shake it off, "Besides, its not like you to feel defeated before a fight."
Captain chuckles. The door opens by another worker walking out with toxic material--Plutonium--with their bare hands and Captain quickly darts a look at them, "Hey! What are you doing?! Place it in the BIN before walking out next time! Just because your generation is immune to Radiation doesn't mean others don't have it!"
Sheep looks up to Captain, this is something they would miss if Captain died. For them to feel such defeat with this task means its important. The only other time they felt that way was when Queen made Sheep their Mentoree. They never felt this way if it was a battle, plunder or raid against other planets and other species.
"Sorry, Sheep. I'm just a bit on edge with this new Nebula we're heading towards." Captain says, picking up a high velocity magnet bullet and placing it in their HVRC.
Sheep smiles and places a bullet in a seperate gun and aim into the hologram target system, "Ah, the High Velocity Railgun Cannon. Wonderful choice. Are we on a date? Best place to take Queen, Captain."
"What are you on about?" Captain asks. He does know what Sheep is saying however. They've been working hard for years to be able to become Queen's favored. Date, huh? "Where did you get this word from?"
Sheep places the settings on the target system to many ships, unintelligent and tier 1 shields. Basically, easy mode. A wide grin on their face placing their cannon to set, "These are your preffered settings, Captain. Shall we begin? We have to practice if we are going to overrun those maggots."
Sheep turns to see Captain's hands... shaking. Actually shaking. This was always their settings. Always. The battle against the Velarions, easy. Rekereks, easy. Hell even the Polybuses were set only on Medium! If they are shaking only in practice, they are fucked. Sheep lets go of the cannon and place their hand on Captin's hand, "Captain. Place the correct settings. We must practice."
Captain is slowly changes the settings. Many Ships, Intelligent, Tier 7 Shields and silently places their hands on the cannon, "Press start, Sheep."
Sheep's mouth paralayzed open for a few seconds. This is probably the hardest mode ever. But they only have one question to ask, "Captain, are you sure you don't want to put it on Very Intelligent?"
"I still have a little pride left. We'll ease our way there. But here's why I placed these settings. Press Start."
"Yes, captain."
Sheep presses the button and they arm themselves. Bracing for a slaughter. The ships show in the hologram to match ships they have owned in the past till now that are equal to the settings. There are ten waves of ships heading their way and it shows 'Wave 1' in red as place their fingers close to the trigger. 'Start! Good Luck!' displays and both of them start firing. It takes them a total of thirteen seconds to destroy just a fighter. That's unacceptable. Not for their likes. It should be a minimum of two seconds, if not instantaneous.
Captain is silent. Shooting round after round targeting weak spots, shield generators, turrets, torpedoes. This is just like how it was in training. They haven't had this kind of training since birth. They were programmed to be studious, to be wise--but why are they so cautiously optomistic? So negative? Finally a large battleship crumbles and explodes. They look down at their time as the first wave is finished.
"Captain..." Sheep says.
"Don't say it."
"Its..."
"DON'T SAY IT!"
"Ten minutes and forty-nine seconds! Captain."
Captain slams their hand on the training machine, hard. There's still nine more waves and they already want to quit, but they have to see for themselves how bad it is. The slam spoke volumes. Every worker in the room stops working awaiting orders, scared shitless.
"Back to work!" Captain yells.
The workers without skipping a beat carry out their original orders. 'Wave 2' appears on the screen and both grip their cannon handles. Sheep stares forward, this time they won't make a disgrace of themself again. Captain closes their eyes and takes a breath.
"Whatever you do. Don't look behind you."
"Yes, captain."
Wave after wave they shoot down fighters, battleships, coordinators, bombers, and finally they get to the carrier ship. What they call 'Sister'. The last thing their creator said before she died is said. They have immense hatred for Sister. If they ever find the colony where Sister is they'll destroy them with no mercy. Planet and all. Every last one of Sister's race will be eliminated. None of the Cravers will step foot on Sister's filthy planets. They don't even deserve to be collected for resources. All of them will happily die destroying Sister's race.
Sheep screams out their pain and anger destroying ship after ship after ship. Explosion after mind numbing explosion. Louder and louder they push through yelling to drown out the noise. Just help Captain. Just help Captain. Mitigate the damage. Mitigate the damage!
Captain practices locating weak shield points and taking their shot, but the shields converge to that point quickly and slow down the bullet enough to weaken the impact--realizing however, they were shooting at a non-vital impact point. A point where the cannon will do the most damage. Captain grits their teeth and squeezes the handle harder--taking their next shot.
Even though the Sister bombards them with railguns, torpedoes and lasers; something new pops up on their radar. A bright flash of light comes from one of the ships weapon array. Obviously its a railgun, probably around the same caliber as theirs. The hull should take care of it. Time however slows down, and not even that can make Captain's reaction fast enough to realize that its a different kind of railgun. One they apparently used to have and thrown away, the name is forgotten.
Blam! It slams into Sheep's gun and it turns off signifying complete destruction and they're is deemed dead. Captain couldn't speak in time to warn them, he looks back and sees the same flash. They try to move, even their reflexes are too slow as--BLAM!--it destroys their cannon and themselves too.
'Training Simulation Terminated' the screen shows and reverts to its dormant state and the results show up.
Captain holds Sheep and looks into their white eyes, "Listen Sheep. On the count of three we look back."
"One." Captain starts.
"Two." Sheep says.
"Three." Captain says and turns with sheep.
'Colony ships destroyed - 4,000,000,000,000,000,000
Enemy ships destroyed - 2,000,000,000,000
Colony Status - WIPED OUT'
"Wiped Out?" Sheep asks. "WIPED OUT?!"
"Imagine if I put it at 'Very Intelligent', Sheep." Captain says.
Sheep grips Captain's forearms and breathes, "Not. Gonna. Happen. We will not die! Not this colony!"
"We'll need allies." Captain says. "Go search for anyone that might listen to us. We have a long five months ahead of us."
"Yes Captain! Keep practicing! I suppose you'll need a full roll call soon correct?"
Captain stares at the results again. Hell no we aren't going to die. Queen loves this Colony, "Make it happen."