Ravens of Eternity

232 Chessmaster, Pt The mercenary fleet known as the Sword of Perseus quickly found themselves in an unwinnable situation. Behind them was the station they were hired to protect, and in front of them were the marauders who wanted all the precious treasure inside – medical grade narcotics.

And the marauders known as the Black Gorgon Brigade were notorious in the region for their bold tactics and vicious acts. Many knew they were willing to do whatever it takes to get what they wanted.

That almost always involved bloodshed.

The mercenary officers were clearly afraid of them – their reputation as an unbeatable fleet was widely known among many of the merc companies. Of course, three of their frigates being wrecked in a matter of minutes only strengthened that reputation. And the fear it generated.

Not that Lucifer was in any way bothered or stymied.

Instead, ze focused on the ships currently in the field, what they had, how they moved, where their limitations were. Hir eyes swept across the tacmap in rapid succession as ze connected all the pieces together, like one massive four-dimensional puzzle.

Not that ze could see the future, of course. It was more like ze maneuvered into the future ze preferred most, no matter what hir opponent did.

Their will to power was simply inferior to Lucifer’s own, and ze could never be denied.

–

.....

Sword of Perseus – Frigate Loadouts

Hermes Aerospace “Gendarme” Heavy Frigate [B] x21 (150l x 52w x 35h)

– Hermes Aerospace “Equalizer” Missile Launcher [B] x4

– Hermes Aerospace “QR-120” QuadRepeater Cannon 480mm[C] x8

– Hermes Aerospace “QR-66” QuadRepeater Anti Armor 166mm [C] x8

– Myrmidon Technology HyperPlate Armor [C]

– Myrmidon Technology HyperPlate Repair Module [B]

– Myrmidon Technology HyperPlate DuraBlast Reinforcement Module [B]

–

The Sword of Perseus’ remaining 21 frigates moved into position and bared their port side guns at the fleet of oncoming destroyers. They all fired their cannons in succession, and carpeted the destroyers with their 480mm shells.

Many left clear dents and tears in the destroyer’s thick hulls, but it barely stopped their advance. In fact, they simply turned to their port side and revealed their own massive guns in response.

–

Black Gorgon Brigade – Destroyer Loadout

Terra Nach Mar “Obsidian Shard” Assault Destroyer [B] x5 (515l x 80w x 124h)

– Ragnarok Armaments “Ultimatum” Torpedo Launcher [B] x4

– Ragnarok Armaments “Thunderstrike” Railcannon [B] x20

– Ragnarok Armaments M144 Guided Rocket Pod [C] x10

– Ragnarok Armaments Anti Armor 180mm [C] x10

– Hrothgar Tyr UltRond Modular Reinforced Armor [C]

– Hrothgar Tyr UltRond Belt Armor Extension [B]

– Hrothgar Tyr UltRond Repair Module [C]

–

The destroyers fired back, but with only half their numbers. The results were devastating. Their railcannons tore into the frigate’s armor with comparative ease. Some had even damaged the structure underneath.

It was clear that their guns were top of their class.

But it wasn’t just the fleet ships that were in the mix. Their fighters had also charged towards each other, and met somewhere in between.

Lucifer noted that although he couldn’t get their mecha to engage against enemy fighters directly, ze calculated multiple ways they could support their own fighters.

But put them in the back of hir mind for now.

–

Sword of Perseus – Fighter Loadout

Hermes Aerospace FR-199 Skirmish Airframe [C] x144

– Hermes Aerospace SR-10 SlugRepeater Cannon [C] x2

– Hermes Aerospace EM-55 Neutron Disruptor [B] x2

– Myrmidon Technology TitaMesh Armor [C]

– Myrmidon Technology TitaMesh Repair Module [B]

Sword of Perseus – Mecha Loadout

Hermes Aerospace MI-202 Armored Suit [C] x144

– Hermes Aerospace SR-10r SlugRepeater Rifle [C]

– Hermes Aerospace RP-6 RocketPod Launcher [B]

– Myrmidon Technology TitaMesh Armor [C]

– Myrmidon Technology TitaMesh Shield [C]

– Myrmidon Technology TitaMesh Repair Module [B]

Black Gorgon Brigade – Fighter Loadout

Terra Nach Mar Assault Fighter [C] x180

– Terra Nach Mar Shardthrower [C] x4

– Terra Nach Mar Pulsestrike Cannon [C] x1

– Hrothgar Tyr TruePro Armor [B]

– Hrothgar Tyr TruePro Repair Module [C]

–

Lucifer watched as the two fighter forces met and tore into each other. The fighting seemed fierce, even from just the tacmap alone. Handfuls of fighters on both sides winked out as the moments passed.

Though it was plainly clear to hir that the Gorgon fighters had the advantage. Since they were more or less equal, the larger numbers would eventually eke out a victory. No matter how painful it was to them in the end.

Lucifer sighed deeply as the battle raged on, and watched with trepidation as battle lines fired mercilessly at each other.

Ze felt as though Perseus’ battle tacticians were playing by rules written by someone else. Someone who had likely fought a different kind of a war, in a different kind of era. They seemed tired and rote, which made the Gorgon’s overwhelming firepower all the worse.

On the flip side of the battle, ze thought that the Gorgons were tactically more flexible. Or, at least, they were much more aware of their strengths, and played to them. But they too had underpinnings of “old thought”, which reflected itself with their every maneuver.

The realization caused Lucifer to chuckle in delight.

“Fine!” cried the mercenary captain. “You can have full control – just get us the hell out of this damned mess!”

“Relay that to your fleet,” Lucifer responded. “And don’t you worry too much about the Gorgons. We’ll cut their heads off soon enough.”

“Strategist!” cried an officer. “Enemy destroyers are moving again!”

Outside, the Gorgon’s destroyers swung around, then turned their noses towards the frigates. It was as though they were going to ram straight through their line.

Inside, the Gorgon captain stood on the bridge of the lead destroyer. His face was etched with joy, nothing pleased him like a rousing fight that culminated in the acquisition of piles of loot.

Though he feared this was less of a fight and more of a beatdown...

Still, he kept his chin up and tried to look at it positively. Any combat was better than no combat at all, right?

“Toss a few torpedoes at them,” he said. “Let’s shake them up a bit. Hopefully it won’t be too much for them to handle and make ’em run away. Would be a real shame to pass up a decent scrap.”

He and his officers laughed heartily.

They all sure loved their jobs, and they put in extra effort into their work, always. Fighting, taking, earning. Enjoying every moment of their lives only made it all the more exhilarating. And rewarding.

And so the munitions officer happily issued the captain’s orders through his terminal. They transmitted across all five destroyers, where the torpedo crews loaded up their forward-facing tubes with massive 20 meter long missiles.

Huge swing arms pulled the torpedoes out of their stacked magazine, over to the torpedo tube openings, and slid them in neatly. Weapons technicians checked their readouts, then shut and locked the launch tube doors firmly.

Their terminals blinked green, and automatically sent the OK back to Targeting Intelligence.

From there, automatic systems kicked in, and launched the torpedoes with little fanfare. They blasted out of their tubes with great force, and rocketed directly towards the frigates.

“All frigates, evasive maneuvers!” Lucifer cried out. “Dump three racks of countermeasures each! Blind those targeting systems!”

Perseus’ frigates immediately got into action. Many kicked it into high gear, and maximized their thrusters as they strove to get out of the torpedoes’ way. If any hit, it would have been game over for any of them.

As instructed, they dumped out multiple racks of countermeasures, and the space around the frigates warped slightly. The simplified targeting computers on the torpedoes were baffled by the shifting signals as power signatures ebbed.

It was followed up by bright flashes that interrupted multiple sensor systems, and scrambled their readouts temporarily.

.....

Most of the torpedoes screamed past the frigates, confused by their robust electronic countermeasures. One unfortunately grazed one of the frigates, and detonated on impact. Its explosion rocked through the frigate itself, and knocked many of its crew to the floor.

Worse, its inner tanks ruptured, and caustic fluids splashed on the frigate’s armor. Corrosive nanites immediately ate away at the carbon structures within the armor. They moved with such speed that the frigate’s repair module barely had time to react. It didn’t take long before a quarter of their portside armor was devoured.

The Gorgon captain flashed on the Perseus frigate’s comms displays. He sported an incredibly wide grin, and was practically laughing as he addressed his opponents.

“Hey mercs,” he said. “I know ExoCene Pharm pays you all a great deal to stick around and guard their vaults. But we’ve got a great need for their meds, so pretty please, get the hell out of our way.”

Perseus’ captain was immediately incensed with his opponent, and retorted angrily. It was clear that his fleet was being looked down upon, and that was something he just couldn’t bear.

“Unlike you Gorgons,” he cursed, “we’re a company of principle! We’re bound by contract to defend this station, and we won’t run from that duty. Definitely not from a bunch of slavering dogs!”

The Gorgon captain simply nodded his head in admiration.

“We’ve got principles too, you know,” he retorted. “But just ‘coz ours don’t match don’t mean yours is better, you hear?”

“I don’t know how you came to believe that wanton looting is somehow rooted in principle,” said the Perseus captain. “But we’re gonna show you just how wrong that belief is.”

The Gorgon captain laughed heartily in response. His officers joined in, and could be heard in the background.

“You?” he began. “Show us? You’re not gonna win against us! We’ve got bigger guns, bigger ships! All your little frigates are gonna do is melt in front of our railcannons. But hey, fine, if you all wanna up and die protecting some profit-guzzling corpo, it’s nonna my business.”

The Gorgons all laughed again, this time more raucously, as though they were witnessing the best comedic act of all time.

So much of their glee was evident that it began to wear at the Perseus’ officers. Lucifer watched their morale drop significantly from that single encounter.

“Anyway, I’ve got an offer for you poor saps,” continued the Gorgon captain, “anyone who has different principles is free to hang back. And if you choose to join our ranks, you can even get a share of the loot. That’s a good offer, right? Better than what ExoCene signed off on, I’m sure of that.”

“I’ve got a counter-offer,” said Lucifer. “Surrender now and we’ll let you leave. Whole and unharmed. If you don’t, you’ll never leave. Deal?”

The Gorgon captain’s eyes went wide, but not with surprise. It was more like amusement. He knew he had battlefield superiority with his destroyers. At worst, Perseus could cripple one or two of them, but not without getting wiped out in the process.

“Leave?” he guffawed. “We’re not going anywhere until we’ve got some of that sweet ExoCene loot in our collective holds.”

“Alright, you’ve made your choice,” replied Lucifer. “You ought to leave us information on your next of kin. I’ll be sure to inform them of your unfortunate demise.”

The Gorgon captain’s mouth gaped open as Lucifer’s insult bore itself into his head. He looked at the Perseus officers on his comms display, and noted that Lucifer was dressed far differently from them.

Clearly, Lucifer wasn’t part of them.

“Who the hell is this bitch anyway?” he cried. “And who gave her the right to talk?”

One of the Perseus’ officers immediately spoke out in defiance. And also in defense of their own capabilities. They maintained their pride, despite the odds they faced.

“You ever hear of Lucifer, you goddamned wastrel?” he said. “Well you’re about to find out why he’s called the-”

Lucifer immediately cut off all comms, and the Gorgon captain winked off their screens. Ze shook hir head disparagingly at the officer who blurted out hir name.

“Try not to reveal our hand early, alright?” said Lucifer. “Battles are won by those with the most information, and how decisively they act in accordance. Always be careful what you reveal of yourself, especially to your enemies. Now, let’s hope that my name doesn’t make them too cautious.”