1 Descen (1/2)

”Red Alert! Red Alert! All crew proceed in battle station!”

A loud siren accompanied by an explosion shook their spacecraft. Various personnel of the ship is scrambling about to get to their stations.

”Damage report?”

The steel door opened and Captain Heather with his son immediately asked without waiting for the door to close as he entered the bridge.

”Rear shield – 9% damaged, All their missiles are targeting our thrusters. Our enemy seems to plan to just immobilize our ship!”

Officer Laila answered as she checked on her monitor the damage. She noticed that all missiles are aiming their ships aft.

”15% damaged!”

”Put all power on rear shield!”

”Yes, Captain! Shifting shield priority.”

”Maximum output activated on rear shield.”

After a few more bombardment, the damage reached 24% on their shield and the ship's shaking came to stop.

”Have you recognized this fleet? How come they've closed in without being detected?”

”Yes. That's the newest battle cruiser of Meredith Empire – 'Executor'. If it weren't for the mines we sent out before, they would have gotten even closer.”

As the comms office answered the captain, he immediately projected several feeds of the spacecraft on the center screen. Everyone in the bridge noticed that their numbers aren't small.

'No wonder'. Captain Heather realized why their radar wasn't able to detect this stealthy spacecraft.

Everyone was aware of this new battle cruiser of this invasive empire. Executor is a medium-sized vessel with excellent manoeuvrability and high firepower accompanied by the most advanced stealth technology of the Empire.

Although its size is way smaller than their Dreadnaught-Class Zymeth, their spaceship's current firepower is at its lowest.

They have just left a battlefield and on their way back to resupply their munitions. They have discovered a few relics of an alien technology but before they could leave the place, they have been ambushed by their business rivals.

Yes, the Dreadnaught-Class Zymeth isn't a part of army from some Nation or Empire but owned by a business tycoon which is Captain Heather himself.

They no longer hired someone to protect them on their business trades in space but have their own forces to protect themselves.

Unfortunately, they have no means to resupply and seek reinforcement on their branch that is still three standard hours away from their current location.

His trip to Asteroid Bul'Zar was to retrieve a certain relic from who knows how many millennias ago. He invested a lot on this dangerous trip causing him a lot of loss on his trade business. Heather never expected this trip has attracted a lot of attention. They made sure that this expedition was kept in secret.

”To think that even this Meredith Empire will be involved in this, at least they probably don't want to destroy the relic we have retrieved”

Captain Heather looked at the several dozens of Executor circling around their ship. He noticed that a flagship that has previously been in stealth mode appeared behind a cluster of these Executor.

Everyone in the bridge could only feel helplessness seeing this Imperial-Class Arcane Star. If it was only these Executors, they could have maximized their shield and propulsion to escape this entrapment ignoring the firepower of these medium-sized Cruisers. Even though they have few munitions and could not retaliate massively, they are somehow confident that they could withstand the shots of these Executors.

”What's your order Captain?”

”Let's wait. They will contact us.”

He was confident as he believed that the empire wants to acquire the goods without any damages.

As soon as he said this, a contact immediately arrived and the comms officer asked permission to the Captain. But before that, Captain Heather looked at his son then to his subordinate.

”Shin, execute protocol Last Cycle.”

He was looking very seriously to Shin a retired lieutenant in the army who nodded with the same determination as his Captain.

”Wallace, follow Shin and he will help get you in safety.”

Wallace was a bit reluctant leaving the bridge. Although he was only 15 years of old, he contributed a lot in the previous battle at Asteroid Bul'Zar which has a very treacherous environment. But looking at the situation and how his father looked serious, he knows that there isn't any room for argument this time.

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He was also aware about the current status of the ship. Aside from the shield they could rely on. They only have a few missiles and hadron beams they can use before their canon will fail. Even their Mech Frame only has 6 left from the previous hundreds. They could never win this upcoming battle.

”Yes, father. Please be careful”

Wallace could only abide to his father's order leaving with his Uncle Shin.

After the door closed, Captain Heather heaved a sigh before nodding to the comms officer to accept the audio-visual call of the enemy ship.

”Mr Heather, we meet again.” A deep and calm voice echoed in the room as they saw the representative of their enemy ship. They all looked to this stern soldier in his mid-thirties sitting on the captains sit.

”Solon, so it was you!” Captain Heather looked at the familiar person on the screen. Everything now makes sense to the captain.

”I never knew you were such a high ranking officer of Meredith Empire.”

The captain gritted his teeth as he tried to contain his anger and disappointment in his voice. Solon was delighted seeing Heather came to realization.

”You know why I'm here Heather.”

'I will never hand it over to you Solon.'

Captain Heather said in his mind as he looked at one of the small surveillance screen on the bridge. He noticed that the preparation for Last Cycle Protocol was almost completed.

'I'll buy time as much as I can. It's all up to you Wallace. Farewell, son.'

***

”Uncle Shin, what's with the protocol?”

Wallace asked as they walked along the hallway. He noticed that they weren't going to the shelter but actually to the warehouse where the relics where left in stock.

”It is to safeguard you and the relic, Wallace. You have to survive in this place. The relic could not be handed over to anyone. This relic is the fruit of your mother's research.”

Uncle Shin answered as he opened the door to the warehouse. Several tied containers can be seen on the right part of the room.

Wallace was astounded that the relic that his father tried to obtain at all cost has some relation to his mother. He never expected it.

He was only aware that the relic could earn them a huge sum of money.

'It seems there are still a lot of secret in this relic.'

He would like to ask a few more questions but they obviously don't have enough time.

His uncle Shin stopped momentarily and pressed some few control buttons on his wrist guard.

Whoosh~

A room was seen after the walls on the left part of the room was split open.

What Wallace saw is a very impressive ship. It was a small ship that looks like a luxury Corvette-class spaceship.

Uncle Shin urged him to go in.