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General Grendel knew he would get only one chance to break through the lines of enemy ships and contact the Hive's military fleet.
He hoped Yaddle got to the fleet first, but General Grendel didn't want to rely on Yaddle. He had to make sure he contacted the military fleet himself. The General knew the captains of the fleets. He knew they wouldn't believe Yaddle and he wanted to make sure they were coming back.
He walked to the area of the spaceport. General Grendel had told Marlena a little lie. He was a good pilot, but that was a long time ago. He hadn't piloted a ship since he was a commander, and he couldn't remember that far back.
General Grendel found the entrance to the spaceport. He saw several of the fighter pilots, dressed and waiting for them. Fergun was among them. They all saluted the General.
"Okay," he said. "We got the Hive's defenses working, but we need to contact the fleet. Fergun, I want your fighter pilots to split into different teams and help me break through the Vvong enemy lines."
Fergun said, "General, with respect, you haven't piloted a fighter ship for a while. You should go with me."
"I don't want to be a burden, Commander Fergun," General Grendel said. "It will be an honor. And I have a plan."
"It will be my honor."
"Okay," said the General. "I'll go with you."
Fergun looked over at his group of fighter pilots. They only had twenty-five pilots there. "Let's go. You have your mission. General, follow me."
He followed Fergun to the new fighter planes. General Grendel heard the new ships had been redesigned but was not ready for the ship that he saw in the hanger bay. The fighter ship had a long straight nose that tapered almost to a point. The wings were small, about half the size of the previous ship, and the tail was slim. The most impressive things on this vessel were the two large guns mounted on the sides of the hull.
"Impressive," General Grendel said, "but does it handle and fight well?"
"Yes, I designed it for fighting the Vvong. Climb on board. There is also an extra gun if you decide to help."
General Grendel saw a gun protruding from behind the pilot’s cockpit. It was small, but General Grendel knew looks could be deceiving. He entered from the side and got himself situated on the seat behind the pilot. He strapped on the Holo helmet.
Fergun said, "Are you ready?"
"Yes."
"The controls to the gun are standard. Press the Holo button to start. Strap yourself in."
The fighter ship powered up, the engines purring. Ahh, General Grendel thought, I’ve missed that sound. The ship lifted toward the exit.
Marlena's voice came through the intercom. "Good luck, pilots. We will pray to the gods for your safe return."
General Grendel felt a touch of pride as he heard his daughter's voice.
Fergun said, "Your daughter sure makes a fine officer."
"Yes, she does."
***
THE HIVE'S FLEET OF ships were aligned in a "V" formation.
Fergun's craft was located in the far right of the fighter ships. "We will get the Vvong ships off the shields first."
General Grendel was about to speak but saw flashes of light.
Fergun said, "Evasive maneuvers. Break up in teams. The enemy is coming toward us".
The General looked at the massive Vvong battleships and small enemy fighter ships streaming out from the bottom.
Fergun said, "This is going to rough. General, please man the rear guns. Be careful of my tail."
"Don't worry. I used to be a tail gunner for a brief stint."
"Good, because here we go."
General Grendel saw two ships flanking Fergun’s. They started to speed up and it was almost as if they moved at the speed of light. They veered downwards toward the Hive's shield. A few of the enemy Vvong ships detached from the shield and moved straight at them. General Grendel saw other Vvong ships coming from the rear.
The General touched the control of the rear gun. A Holo-screen came up before him. It depicted his position in a 3D image with the gun pointing outwards. The controls changed to a first-person view. The Vvong ships were suddenly in his view.
He pressed the fire button. General Grendel saw the enemy ships explode in bright flashes. They suddenly veered away.
General Grendel said, "I got them. Where are we going?"
He leaned closer to look at the screen before him. The Hive's shield was down. The Vvong enemy ship had stopped concentrating on them and streaked toward the Hive.
Fergun said, "We need to defend the Hive. All fighters move in defensive positions around the Hive. My team, follow me."
Fergun flew his ship toward the awaiting armada of Vvong battleships. It was suicidal, but he already knew their plan and didn't like it at all.
General Grendel said, "How far do we have to be to transmit the broadcast?"
He’d prerecorded a special broadcast to send to their fleet. Hoping they would get it, General Grendel felt flushed and then angered at the predicament they were in. If he’d known Duke Volterus was the traitor, he could have done something. He even believed now it was the Duke's plan to send them away to Earth so, they would be out of the way.
"We have to do a Holo jump away from the Vvong ships. They're blocking all transmission for several galaxies from our position." Fergun paused. "Okay, on my mark, fire the torpedoes."
Their ship was flanked by two fighters. They all were equipped with special weapons that could pierce and destroy large spacecraft, but these Vvong ships were as large as small moons.
"Incoming!" a voice chirped into their Holo-comms.
General Grendel shot several precise blasts at the enemy ships coming toward them. He hit two but missed the three flying in from behind.
Fergun moved their ship to the right and then downwards. The Vvong spacecraft was following directly behind them. Explosions surrounded them. They veered again.
Fergun said, "That fire blast was not coming from the Vvong fighter ships. It was coming from the large battleship. Team, I want you to concentrate your missiles at the ship that shot at us."
General Grendel saw the ship Fergun was talking about. It was a large hulking spacecraft that made their Hive space station look small. He wondered why Fergun want to concentrate on the large ship. General Grendel’s thoughts faded away as he saw more enemy ships speeding on a course toward them.
"Fergun, the large ship doesn’t care about their own small crafts."
Another huge red blast billowed toward them. Fergun was fast, and he sped off to the right and the blast destroyed the Vvong ships following them.
Then General Grendel though he understood. The large Vvong ship was scared, and was firing at them in desperation, but that could be not the case. Could it?
Fergun flew into the maw of the ship. Lasers sprouted from all over the surface pelting them with firepower. Fergun was a skilled fighter. He flew around the lasers. Captain Grendel saw his opening. He shot several magical blasts into the hull of the large Vvong ship.
He saw explosions erupt from the surface of the vessel. It didn't stop the hulking ship from firing at them, but General Grendel felt he had staggered and surprised the Vvong enemy.
Fergun said, "Are you ready?"
"What? Yes, but what are you going to do?"
They were too close to the ship to start a Holo jump.
"Don't worry. This ship has something different. It was taken from a new design."
Fergun weaved and spun around the large battleship. They moved to the backside of the Vvong ship where the large engines sprouted.
"Fire!" Fergun commanded.
