Captain Ellis stood on the bridge of the VNS Titan, the events of the last hour still fresh in his mind. He watched as the Triesenberg fleet began to pull away, maintaining their formation as they initiated their tactical withdrawal. The standoff, for now, had de-escalated.
"Communications, patch me through to the Defense Ministry," Ellis ordered.
The officer quickly complied, connecting him to Minister Thompson. A few moments later, the line was open.
"Captain Ellis, what's the situation?" Thompson's voice came through, direct and sharp.
"Minister, the Triesenberg Fleet has complied with our demands. They are retreating from the area. We maintained our position without any further escalation," Ellis reported, his tone professional.
Thompson was silent for a beat, processing the information. "And they didn't engage at all?"
