The Antradi left and promised to send an envoy so humans provided them with a transponder so that they would know it's them coming in and didn't have to scramble the fleet.
Simon and Steuner were sent on a patrol mission along with four destroyers and a dozen frigates a few days later and they had to patrol the systems that were claimed by the council.
These systems were the next target for colonization and in each of them they dropped a beacon that informed everyone that this system is claimed by the Terran Council.
According to the Antradi this was an acceptable stake of claim and most species would respect it.
The patrol was boring as all hell because those systems were cleared out long ago
but it was also used as a training exercise for the new captains.
Going on a patrol with experienced commanders was beneficial to them as they would soon take over the new cruisers that were being constructed right now and another new captain would replace them.
The whole thing took almost a week and there was nothing unusual happening on their route.
Simon even did a two hour stop to do some target practice with energy weapons and all the captains had some fun firing at a designated crater on a small moon.
The new captains got the target at the first shot so Simon and steuner were happy with their performance.
On their way back to Sol they dropped by into the proxima system to see how the colony was doing and when they found that everything was in order they set course for earth.
This was a boring assignment but it had to be done.
The same day they returned ,Mikael and Sanders, who was now a captain of a cruiser, went out for another patrol.
Other than patrol duty the military also helped with transporting materials as there weren't enough civilian ships to do the work and of course the pirate extermination but that was getting a rare thing since most pirates were already dead or just left .
The defense forces maintained vigilance because since they got out into space there were more than a few incidents and they all remembered the pirates who wanted to destroy their planet.
They didn't have to wait for long for another incident.
A fleet of thirty five ships was approaching Sol system and they didn't look friendly.
The fleet mobilized and a strike force under the command of Simon was sent to make contact with them.
As soon as the fleet jumped in they started broadcasting.
-This system is now a part of the Ilmari empire,submit or die.
It was so dramatic that it was funny especially when the scans showed that this fleet was laughable in contrast to the strike force that went out to greet them.
-This is Captain Simon Black commander of the Terran council's cruiser Basilisk.
I suggest that you turn around and leave or face us in battle because this is our system and we don't belong to any empire.
-You have only fifteen ships and we have more than twice that number,this is your last warning: surrender or die.
Hearing that, Simon started to suspect that the enemy either had weak sensors with limited range or they were using some other system and did not detect the rest of the fleet inside the system.
-Listen Ilmari this is your last warning to leave or you will die here.
Simon said with a note of anger in his voice.
And sent the orders to ready weapons and target the Ilmari fleet.
The enemy fleet opened fire but it was almost harmless as their energy weapons were not much stronger than terran point defense lasers and their missiles were flying at a snail's pace in space combat standards.
Simon ordered fire at will and the Ilnari fleet was destroyed within minutes.
After the battle, if you can even call it that,Simon checked a map and found the Ilmari empire.
It consisted of two systems and the note about them was very short "They are a joke".
Well the Ilmari had to learn the hard way that it's not a good idea to challenge humans.
The council decided to teach them a lesson and sent thirty ships under the command of Captain Vega who was now commanding a destroyer thanks to his involvement in the A.I incident.
The Ilmari capitulated almost immediately after their defense fleet got destroyed.
They signed a treaty that forbade them from attacking anyone and allowed only self defense.
This was a war that lasted four days in total and the Terrans suffered no casualties.
Unfortunately the good times ended soon.
The Federation bugs, as they were called by the humans,finally figured out that something was wrong when their science ship didn't return for way too long and sent ships to search for the lost vessel.
It wasn't long when they came to the Sol system looking for their brethren.
They were shocked when more than a hundred ships came to greet them with five cruisers in front.
-This is Captain Simon Black commander of the Terran cruiser Basilisk. You have trespassed into Terran Council space, state your intentions and affiliation.
Simon sent the message as usual.
-This is Captain Thekt commander of the Urakari destroyer Hvarern we are searching for a science vessel that haven't returned and this system was one of its planned stops.
-We haven't seen them ,if this is all then leave our space.
Simon ordered.
The Urakari were not happy that a human was ordering them around.
Not long ago they could capture humans without any problems but now things were different and they had to leave in accordance with the federation law or risk that the humans would complain to the federation.
They also didn't want to die here , they only had seven ships but the human fleet had over a hundred and scanners showed more ships around the third and fourth planets.
And the human ships had a class seven energy weapons and class five shields.
One on one they could win with a human ship but not with this many at once.
Also they had to report this to the federation as humans got very powerful in a very short time and the federation had to have an eye on them.
-We understand and will take our leave.
The bug said reluctantly and soon they're ships left.
Simon was called before the council right after that.
-Is there a possibility that they will discover that we destroyed their ship?
One of the council members asked.
-I don't think so, there is not a piece left of their ship and if we won't admit to it then there is no proof.
-What do you think the federation will do when they report back?
The Chairman asked.
-Honestly i don't know but i think that at most they will send an envoy with the offer to join them and maybe they will return all the people they took from earth.
That would make them a benevolent beings that didn't kill our people and just separated them for their own good.
While we may never know how many people died in their experiments and on the planets similar to the one I was sent to.
-Then what course of action would you recommend?
Another council member asked.
-We should remain our own space nation and build up our forces along with our territory.
The federation is expanding but for now they are still far away from our borders and if we want to have a say about our future then we need to be strong enough to be recognized as equals and also in a few months we will have envoys from other systems visiting Sol and if we can make some allies then there should be nothing to worry about.
Either way it will take years for the federation to reach our borders so we have the time to prepare.