"Patch it through," Archer ordered, his voice firm despite the unease gnawing at him.
A gaunt face with slanted eyes almost covered in black and gray hair appeared on his console showing signs of cold detachment that was not lost on Archer. Archer couldn't help but feel a surge of resentment toward the man who had seemingly abandoned them in their time of need.
"Lieutenant, what's your status?" Edward Faul's wispy voice cut through the tension on the bridge.
"We've sustained heavy damage, Commander. Our hails were unanswered and we encountered heavy attacks from unknow assailants" Archer replied evenly, though his frustration simmered beneath the surface. "We've lost the Romme, and the Tame is barely holding together. We're currently evading our pursuers and are about to rendezvous with the LNS Stopher ."
Fauls nodded, his brow furrowed in thought. "We've just received your distress signal. The Charger is on her way, but they're still a few minutes out. Hold tight."
Archer clenched his jaw, the bitterness of betrayal tainting his gratitude for the promised reinforcements. "Understood."
As the transmission ended, Archer couldn't shake the feeling of isolation that settled over him. They were alone out here, surrounded by enemies and uncertainty. But he couldn't dwell on his anger or his doubts, not now.
"Status report," Archer demanded, turning his attention to his crew.
The bridge crew sprang into action, relaying information about the ship's condition and the status of their pursuers. The tension in the air was thick, but beneath it lay a sense of determination.
"We need to buy time until reinforcements arrive," Archer declared, his voice steady despite his turmoil. "Klimt, keep scanning for any sign of their approach. Comms, continue broadcasting our distress signal on all frequencies. And helm, keep us on course toward Luminis."
The crew nodded in silent acknowledgment, their faces set with determination. Despite the gravity of the situation, they remained resolute and professional.
As the minutes ticked by, the tension on the bridge only grew. Every shadow in the darkness of space seemed to hold the promise of danger, and every blip on the scanners sent a jolt of adrenaline through Archer's veins.
As the Lietinna surged forward, hurtling through the void of space toward their rendezvous point, Archer couldn't help but feel a sense of unease gnawing at him. They were running on fumes, facing an enemy they didn't expect or match, and the uncertainty weighed heavily on him.
The passed in tense silence as the Lietinna raced through the vast expanse of space. The crew worked tirelessly as fatigue threatened to overwhelm them and Archer could sense the tension building with each passing moment, the anticipation of help and relief almost feeling tangible.
A few minutes later, Archer spotted two large marks on their short-range scanners which he ascertained to be the Stopher and the Charger.
The crew braced themselves as the Lietinna dropped out of HLT, the stars blurring into streaks of light as they emerged into real space. Archer's breath caught in his throat as he surveyed their surroundings, his eyes scanning the darkness for their allies.
And then, suddenly, they were there. The LNS Stopher and the LNS Charger loomed before them, their sleek hulls gleaming in the light of nearby stars. Relief washed over Archer as he watched the ships come into view, a sense of gratitude flooding through him at the sight of their allies.
4 smaller ships were hovering around near the much larger LNS Stopher as if they were protecting, Archer immediately identified them as type 2 escorts, presumable under the command of the Stopher. He turned to his comms officer and spoke as he stood up from his seat:
"Send a hail to the Stopher and the Charger and all allies on a secure channel," Archer ordered, his voice tinged with excitement.
The crew worked quickly, their fingers flying over their consoles as they established communication with the other ships. Archer waited with bated breath, his heart pounding in his chest as he awaited their response.
The forward display monitor immediately flickered as the faces of Commanders Faul and Michelas came on screen followed by 4 others, 3 females and 1 male. Archer curtly nodded his head before speaking:
" We counted 6 enemy type 2's and 1 type 3 chaser. No identifying information. The LNS Matril was dead in space surrounded by an active minefield and the Romme has been destroyed. The LNS Tame will join us in a few."
As soon as Archer finished speaking, Lt. Commander Naimes' face also appeared on the screen as her ship approached the group from the distance.
Commander Michelas nodded back at Archer as he spoke:
"Our long-range scanners are not showing the enemy in pursuit. It unfortunate about the Romme, but we don't have time to mourn. Prepare for an immediate counterattack, the Stopher will take charge of this operation until we get further direction from either the 5th or the 7th fleet commands. Any questions?"
Archer felt helpless at the fact that the commander was planning a counterattack, but he wasn't surprised. However, he was more focused on the gaunt face of Commander Fauls who had an imperceptible look. Fauls immediately leaned back and spoke:
"The Orionis system seems awfully busy for an area supposedly patrolled by the 5th fleet so you must have an idea who these mystery assailants are before we dive headlong into battle?"
Commander Michelas' face scrounged in apparent disdain as he spoke with a disdainful tone:
"The Orionis system is a barely inhabited border system, and the 5th Fleet is in charge of the Ignis System not Orionis. It would behoove the Commander to be careful with his insinuations."
"Hah, big words coming from you Commander. It would indeed behoove me to be careful, but not of insinuations, but of incompetent plans made by imbeciles. Regardless, our 14th Combat wing will secure Luminis and wait for further instructions. You can go on your fool's errand but excuse me for not going into the situation blind."
Archer couldn't help but have an incredulous look fall on his face as he looked between the two commanders. The other officers on the screen seemed less perturbed by the development of the conversation, but they still couldn't hide the helplessness on their faces.
Silence descended on the bridge as the two commanders seemed to stare at each other, although it was Commander Michelas doing most of the glaring while Fauls simply leaned back on his chair with a hand on his cheek and a derisive look on his face.
A few seconds later, Michelas simply shook his head and spoke:
"As expected of Infamous Fauls the Late . You always find a way out of your duties. No matter, we'll go take care of this, you sit here and wait."
Archer saw a cold light flash across Commander Fauls' slanted eyes before disappearing. He simply smiled and spoke:
"Chase, Naimes, join me on the Charger for a debrief."
The screen immediately turned black as everyone dropped off the call. Archer watched as the LNS Stopher and her escorts slowly drifted away presumably to prepare for HLT towards Orionis to counter attack.
He felt an odd sense of relief that he wasn't heading back to battle, but he also knew that this life of his almost guaranteed that this wasn't the last time he would have to face enemies and who know how long he has before he meets a fate similar to Daniel Esmer's.