Humanity Endures

Part 12 - Bravery and Bloodshed | Chapter 4

Xertaza, her mind flushed with an intoxicating mixture of strategic and tactical information, and being supplied with copious amounts of MECS, was in a state of utter focus, blended with overwhelming anticipation of a Loyalist victory — even if this was a victory that seemed distant, it was not yet impossible, and this was why Xertaza continued to struggle rather than plot her retreat. However, not even extreme quantities of MECS, and the sensation of absolute focus which pervaded her mind, could eclipse the excitement Xertaza felt once she received the best news since the battle had begun: Heralax Tekran was near her ship.

For the first time since the beginning of the engagement, Xertaza was in a position to not only impact the course of the battle, but to, perhaps, end it entirely.

Being accompanied by a small fleet, and being pursued by a similarly-sized force that was led by both Terilan and Lassarha, Heralax's ship was, according to current tactical projections, bound to cross almost directly through Xertaza's force, thus placing her in a unique position. She could join Lassarha's pursuing fleet in an attempt to destroy the Harbinger conventionally, she could continue fighting in the sector that she had been assigned like nothing had happened, or she could choose to be simultaneously unpredictable, senseless, and perhaps even heroic, by attempting to do to Heralax what only one commanding a Tehkria-class can do: move in for a head-to-head ramming maneuver. The move itself was suicidal — if the Harbinger didn't break off, both craft would end up as nothing but a mass of densely compacted metallic debris, floating across a system that contained innumerable masses of metallic debris, but there was consolation to be found in the fact that if Heralax didn't move out of the way, his rebellion would be instantly crushed along with him. Even if he did attempt to evade Xertaza's ramming operation, the engagement would allow the Ruthless and its escort a tantalizing, close-range broadside at an already heavily damaged vessel. Conversely, the entire Nahmatiixian fleet would get a similarly tantalizing shot at her ship as well, but the First Imperator had rightly said, "Sacrifice turns the wheels of progress," — any risk was worth getting a good shot at Heralax Tekran, for if this shot were to connect, it would be heard throughout the remainder of human history.

***

The hundreds of thousands of fighter craft swarming around Theten in a surprisingly open region of space were outnumbered only by the shattered wrecks of former combatants, as his squadron, together with a few others, charged their foe. Dozens of craft Traitor before him were quickly ripped open or split in half, all while many times that number of Loyalists flying astride Theten's own fighter suffered the same fate; the two formations passed through each other, exchanging fire all the while, until a nuclear detonation from a nearby frigate duel melted a good quarter of those fighting and scattered whoever remained. As tens of thousands of fighters from both sides rushed in towards the now-vacant, slag-filled space, eager to secure more territory for their cause, Theten, his ship scratched and battered, yet still lethal, ordered what little remained of his own squadron into formation and prepared to charge into the maelstrom of shrapnel, fire, and death for the tenth time in under five minutes. Another instant, however, and this order was overridden by the Ruthless itself; initially, an adrenaline-influenced Theten was immensely disappointed and almost furious with the decision, yet when he learned why his squadron was being recalled, this fury gave way to a wave of childlike anticipation. Not wanting to delay the departure of the Ruthless, Theten and his squadron soared back towards their carrier ship with due haste: Heralax Tekran was in Xertaza's sights, for the first time since the dawn of the battle, and Theten did not want to miss the result.

***

Xertaza scarcely waited for her ship's remaining fighters to return, before ordering the blast doors of all intact hangar bays sealed; Heralax Tekran would not wait for her pilots, and neither could she. As the Ruthless's vast engines produced a glorious array of flame powerful enough to smite a frigate, propelling the ship suddenly and jarringly towards the Harbinger, many of Xertaza's crew members felt their blood move towards their legs only to be forced upwards by their genetically engineered hearts; Xertaza, a physical marvel accustomed to space travel, suffered even less than all the others aboard.