The East Lake Bastion didnât look entirely unlike a Big Mac, floating silently through the expansive blackness of the universe. Military vessels frequently came and went from itâs docking port.
Space bastions had become a staple of the modern military, going so far as to be a fair indication of an organizationâs strength.
The Northern Alliance possessed the most, numbering twelve, with the Western and Eastern bastions numbering only five each. Both the Eastern and Western alliances perpetually sought to increase their number, in order to compete with the North.
The East Lake outpost vessel was the weakest of the Alliance, and was primarily responsible for policing the wormhole to the Shattered Starfields. It facilitated long-term patrol of the area through offering reinforcements and soldier quarters. However, it only quartered two battalions, and thus wasnât the most powerful bastion the East possessed. Itâs primary function was to stem the tide of piracy from the Shattered Starfields.
The constitution of the starfield was complicated, to the point where larger vessels couldnât safely navigate through it. With the added threat of pirates familiar with the territory, few dared venture through the wormhole in the first place. The three alliances had once attempted to eliminate the pirate threat in a joint effort, but had only managed to strike at their outlying forces. Their main force wasnât even touched. But the existence of piracy in the Shattered Starfields also had a political component, making the pirates useful in their own way.
âThree minutes until SOL jump point. Prepping for jump.â Lin Guoguoâs enticing voice echoed through the bridge.
The universe outside of the shipâs hull had already begun to change from dark to light. In addition to the indigo keystoneâs protective coating, survey scramblers installed in Zeus-1 also protected it from radar, making it entirely invisible to anything but the naked eye.
âCurrent velocity is twenty times SOS1, preparing for light speed,â Keâer said.
Xiuxiu was next. âMain engine spooled. Shields jump ready.â
âWeapon systems ready,â Mika added.
âOne hundred and sixty seconds to jump point. Sub-light a hundred seconds following.â
Lan Jue sat at his chair, looking over the bridge. His hands gripped two metal spheres which had risen from the seatâs armrests. The lethargic expression that usually covered his face was gone, replaced with a look of concentration.
It was a tense moment, hence his concentration. In this age of space exploration, it was entirely impossible for any single person to stand against the armed forces. The main barrage of one of these bastions was capable of obliterating a planet.
Of course it was not their aim to be disintegrated. Even the smallest mistake could spell disaster. All of the military warships possessed SOL capabilities, so if they were discovered it became a race to the wormhole.
Zeus-1âs bulk already made sub-light travel a veritable miracle. SOL required more than just the shipâs own capabilities.
The pale light surrounding Zeus-1 suddenly became unbearable to behold, a blazing cocoon. All five engines blazed at full power, making the ship look like a giant, flaming bird. The burst of light grew brighter still as Zeus-1 reached full velocity.
The sudden burst of speed caused the entirety of the ship to shake violently. The outer shields had gone from pale red to a deep crimson as they protected the ship from being torn apart.
âEnergy levels normal, acceleration normal.â
Zeus-1 arced a graceful line across the back of the East Lake Military Bastion.
But reaching full power, the ship was no longer hidden from the outpostâs scanners. An alarm sounded, harshly shrieking through space.
âWarning: unidentified aircraft. You have entered East Lake Bastion airspace. Stop immediately, or we will be forced to fire upon you.â The electronic warning was clear, but Lan Jue and the four women proceeded as though they hadnât heard.
Three patrolling ships from nearby had already reacted to the threat. Theyâd positioned themselves to cut off Zeus-1âs trajectory.
âThirty seconds until sub-light. Distance calculated, judged safe,â Keâer assured.
âEastern Alliance White Tiger-class battle cruiser readying main weapons.â Xiuxiu was checking her instruments.
The words caused the atmosphere of the bridge to grow tense.
âTen seconds until weapon fires, and twenty-three seconds until the first White Tiger intercepts our vessel. We can maneuver, but we canât evade their weaponâs lock.â
Lan Jueâs face was as solemn as before, but there remained a distinct sense of calm.
âFirst Whit Tiger has fired a salvo,â Keâer said, her voice having risen in apprehension.
From the port window a small white beam of light could be spied.
Any unknown vessel that refused a check was treated like a pirate by the patrolling military. It accountant for the speed of the battle cruiserâs response.
âImpact in twenty seconds!â
âFifteen seconds to impact!â
âTen seconds!â
âFiring auxiliary boosters!â Lan Jueâs voice rang through the bridge. In the same instant his eyes changed to an ominous azure blue. And in the next moment, his entire body followed suit.
His body vanished in a sea of lightning, the thunderous blast only contained by the protective shield that had been dropped to defend the passengers from outside harm. It served to contain the frightening fluctuations of power.
The top of Zeus-1 suddenly revealed an odd electric glow. From within the center of the main engine, a smaller jet protruded â fitted with a diamond-cut violet power gem. Suddenly, a dazzling blue streamer erupted from itâs depths, swallowing the main engineâs burn into itself.
Zeus-1 shook violently, and in that instant it was as though everything simply stopped. The main engineâs flames became a luminous crystal blue, followed then by the other four.
The reddened shields surrounding the ship grew darker until they were an unsettling shade of maroon. The illusion of stillness dissolved, and the ship launched forward. They were instantly moving at sub-light speeds, but it wouldnât be long before they pushed it even farther.
A beam of white light roared behind them, tearing through nothing but the vast nothing of the universe. The White Tiger battle cruisers looked on as Zeus-1 became an incorporeal blue light, and vanished. They had no option but to turn back to their outpost, stunned and defeated.
âWoo, go boss!â Keâer, Guoguo and Mika cheered almost on top of each other. Even the significantly more modest Xiuxiu sat there with a grin on her face.
Keâer sighed. âItâs great having the boss around. No need for weapons, makes things easier on them. Ten seconds to the wormhole.â
âBattle cruisers have abandoned pursuit,â Lin Guoguo added.
The tearing bolts of power racing across Lan Jueâs body slowly began to recede, and in response the ship began to slow back to sub-light. A grin curled the corners of his mouth.