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On the Ganymede, Halsey had her ships back in battle formation. They were closing on the area where the battle had taken place, edge on, and ready for another fight.
Then her personal communicator went off. She frowned. Who would dare call her on that while she was on the bridge, let alone heading for a battle?
She took it off her belt and looked at the small, furry face there. It was a Restan face.
“Admiral Halsey, this is Captain Tropo of the Restan warship Tropo, also squadron commander.”
Tropo? Why was his name familiar? Then she remembered, looked around, and spotted Captain Talbot. She waved her over to her.
“Yes, Admiral?” she said.
“Go ahead, Tropo. We are a little busy right now, closing on a battle scene and at full battle stations ourselves.”
She saw Talbot’s eyebrows go up when she heard Tropo’s name. That was her confirmation it was her former First Officer on the Mars.
“Yes, Admiral. That is why I am calling. You are approaching our squadron. We have control of the battle scene you mention.”
“What? You?”
Talbot couldn’t contain herself. “Tropo, what are you doing way out here?”
“Hello Captain Talbot. We were sent to shadow you, guard your flank, and stay out of your way unless you needed assistance.”
Halsey was struck speechless. She shot a look at Talbot, who shook her head and shrugged.
“How did you know we were coming out here?” Talbot asked.
“Your Admiral Hooker informed Supreme Authority Tandew who informed our fleet command.”
Halsey found her voice. “So, Admiral Hooker asked you to come and watch over us?”
“Not to my knowledge. I’m not sure where the orders came from other than our fleet command.”
She saw Tropo look away at something off screen, then back. “Please, Admiral, stand down your weapons. We have the situation under control.”
She nodded rapidly, realized she was talking to a Restan who might not understand that, then spoke. “Of course.”
“Captain Bowers! All ships, stand down from general quarters immediately. Those are Restan ships we are approaching!”
Bowers’ mouth fell open, but he quickly relayed the order. The entire bridge staff was staring at Halsey now.
“It seems, everyone, our friends have been providing remote observation and support on our flank. In other words, they had our back!”
She smiled at Tropo. Talbot couldn’t believe her eyes.
“My friend, Captain Tropo, it seems you’ve have a run-in with some enemy ships? Is everyone on your ships okay?”
“Thank you, Admiral, we are all okay. The enemy ship is not, but we did not completely vaporize it this time. We are boarding it and looking for any survivors. It’s possible we could have some live intelligence coming our way.”
Again, Halsey was struck speechless. None of the devils had ever been captured alive. Now, that was a development!
As Halsey’s task force stood down and slowed, Halsey thanked Tropo again and turned over communication to both the Ganymede’s and Tropo’s proper channels.
Now she turned back to the original mission.
“Captain Bowers, how’s our attack coming on those big mother alien ships?”
He stood from bending over his own console.
“Any minute now, Admiral,” he said, and the images of the big alien ship targets, still unmoving, appeared on the wall-to-wall screen in the bridge. All eyes were now glued.
“Captain, make sure our friends the Restans are seeing this. In fact, send it along live to all ships, all bases, including Lunar Command.”
Talbot was still standing next to the admiral. As they both watched, she said, “I told you the Restans were the best allies we could have.”
Halsey nodded. “So, you did. Right again, Captain Talbot.”
Neither looked at the other as they watched the big targets. Did they know death was coming? Could they imagine it, even, that someone would dare even try to kill them? What thoughts went through their horned little heads? Did they have independent, individual thought at all? Most thought they certainly did.
The missiles were bearing down at light speed. It was decided there was no way they could be intercepted short of their target if that speed was maintained. They hardly needed the nukes at that speed, small as they were, they were going to go nuclear on whatever they hit.
But it was good to have the nukes, too.
“Any moment” dragged on. Halsey wondered why there was no precise countdown until impact. Just as she was about to ask that, the huge screen flashed white. The new improvements in resolution Sara Perci had come up with was so real everyone on the bridge, and wherever in human and Restan space someone was watching, automatically shielded their eyes with their arms.
Instead of fading, the white screen became even more intense. Missile after missile struck home on the ships. It was overkill, somewhat, Halsey knew, but better to over kill than under!
Some color began to appear in the image again, then a tinge of blackness at the edges. A lot of the micro-probes providing the original images had been destroyed in the nuclear inferno, but more had been sent trailing the missiles to keep the feed going.
Suddenly the image sharpened completely, and there were no enemy ships to be seen. Had there not been bright orange streaks showing in the atmosphere where pieces were falling onto the planet, it would have made them wonder if the ships had simply moved out of the way.
But they hadn’t.
Clapping and back-slapping ensued on the bridge. Halsey let them have their moment, even smiling slightly and nodding at different members of her staff.
Tallie was looking at her communicator.
“Everything okay, Captain?” Halsey asked her. Before she could reply, Captain Bowers came over
“Admiral! Congratulations! Set course for home?”
Tallie started to disagree but Halsey beat her to it. “No, not yet, Captain. We won’t leave our Restan friends here alone while they explore that ship they destroyed. Set a perimeter, include the battle zone and the Restan ships in our surveillance bubble with our micro-probes.”
Bowers hesitated, but didn’t argue. He went off to relay the orders to his crew and the captains of the other Star-Guardians.
“Thank you, Admiral,” Talbot said.
“Is that what you were going to tell me?” Halsey asked.
“No. Well, yes, but also, may I accompany the Restans when they board that ship? I’ve had some experience with exploring ships after they were disabled by battle. I led the boarding party on the old Tandew.”
Halsey nodded. “I remember reading that. Of course, if it’s okay with Captain Tropo.”
“I’ve already asked him and he accepted my offer.”
“Very well. Just take a squadron of Marines with you. I mean, if that’s okay with Captain Tropo also?”
“I’m sure it will be, Admiral. Thank you!”
She turned and hurried off the bridge.