Outer Sector Outpost 7, Imperial Periphery
"Confirmed! Imperial Navy signatures! Battle Group Sigma-7 arriving!" The sensor chief's cry cut through the stunned silence that followed the announcement of the fleet's arrival.
On the main holographic display, flickering under emergency power, a cluster of new icons blossomed at the system's edge – the unmistakable energy signatures of Imperial warships tearing through hyperspace. Not just a few patrol ships, but a full battle group: cruisers, destroyers, frigates, their combined energy output dwarfing even the 'Crimson Fury'.
Hope, raw and overwhelming, crashed through the command center. Officers who had been grimly preparing for the end looked up, disbelief warring with elation. Some slumped against their consoles, the adrenaline that had sustained them suddenly draining away. The oppressive weight of certain doom lifted, replaced by the staggering reality of salvation.
Valerius felt the shift viscerally. The tension that had held him rigid eased, though the turbulent state of his Wargod energy after the desperate gambit remained, a dull ache beneath his focus. He watched the Imperial icons deploy into standard combat formation, a swift, professional display of power that made the Scorpions' earlier assault seem almost crude.
Commander Vorlag straightened up, the exhaustion momentarily wiped from his face by fierce relief and renewed purpose. "Comms!" he barked, his voice regaining its full command authority. "Establish secure channel with Battle Group Command immediately! Transmit final data packet and real-time tactical assessment! Update them on Scorpion positions – Grid 11 and the cruiser group near us!"
The comms officer worked frantically, bypassing damaged relays. "Channel established, Commander! Sending data packet… They acknowledge receipt!"
Meanwhile, how did the Scorpions react? Valerius focused his Spatial Sense and the System's analysis on the 'Crimson Fury' and its remaining frigate escort. Their relentless attack on the outpost ceased abruptly. The cruiser's energy signature flared, not with weapon charging, but with engine power diverting to maneuvering thrusters. The frigate followed suit.
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"Commander!" Valerius reported sharply. "The 'Crimson Fury' and its escort are breaking off! They're running – heading for the same escape vector as the shuttle!"
"Running?" Vorlag spat, contempt mixing with relief. "Cowards. Can the fleet intercept?"
Valerius quickly consulted the System's projections based on the fleet's arrival point and the Scorpions' current speed. "Unlikely to intercept before they exit the system, Commander. The Scorpions have a significant head start, and their vector takes them away from the fleet's current position. Pursuit would be a long chase into uncharted territory."
Vorlag slammed a fist onto the console, not in anger this time, but frustration. "They hit us, destroy God-knows-what on that moon, send off their prize, and just… run? Damn them!" He took a deep breath, regaining control. "Patch me through to the Battle Group Commander."
A moment later, a crisp, professional voice filled the command center speakers. "Battle Group Commander Actual to Outpost Delta-7. We read you, Commander Vorlag. Situation report?"
Vorlag quickly summarized the attack, the defense, the events on Moon 7C, the departing shuttle, and the cruiser's current retreat, his voice tight with barely suppressed fury and exhaustion. He gave credit to Valerius's tactical analysis that predicted the feint and identified the moon activity.
The Battle Group Commander listened impassively. "Understood, Outpost. Your station held admirably under extreme duress. We are tracking the retreating Scorpion vessels, but concur interception prior to system exit is unlikely without unacceptable risk. Primary objective is securing this system and investigating Grid 11 and Moon 7C. Stand down from Condition Red. Maintain defensive posture until relieved by our designated garrison support elements. Medical and engineering teams are inbound."
The order to stand down felt surreal after the intensity of the battle. Alarms gradually silenced, replaced by the steady hum of damage control systems and the urgent chatter of repair crews. Emergency lights gave way to restored primary lighting in most sections. The immediate threat was over. They had survived.
Valerius allowed himself a moment to simply process. They had held the line against impossible odds. His desperate gambit with the damaged frigate, while incredibly risky and potentially exposing, had bought them crucial moments and disrupted the enemy's focus just before the fleet arrived. The 40% detection risk lingered in the back of his mind, but for now, it was overshadowed by relief and the successful defense.
He saw Kaelen coordinating with the incoming engineering teams, his expression unreadable. Had the fleet's arrival and the end of the immediate crisis reignited his suspicion? Or was he simply focused on the task at hand?
Commander Vorlag approached Valerius as the initial communication with the fleet concluded. "Lieutenant," he said, his voice heavy with fatigue but carrying a new weight of respect. "That was… exceptional command under fire. Your analysis, your timing… even that 'resonance strike'… you saved this outpost."
"We all did our duty, Commander," Valerius deflected, careful to keep his energy signature suppressed and stable despite the internal turbulence.
"Perhaps," Vorlag said, his eyes lingering on Valerius for a moment, holding that unanswered question about the final moments of the battle. But he didn't press. "Get some rest. You've earned it. But stay ready. We need a full debrief, and Sector Command will want to know everything about Moon 7C and Project Chimera."
Valerius nodded. Rest felt like a distant concept. His mind was already racing, analyzing the aftermath, the lingering threats, the mystery of Chimera, the anomaly below, Kaelen's suspicion, and the next steps on his own path to power. The tide had turned, but the currents beneath remained treacherous and deep.