Chapter 9

“Sam, I’m going to go out for a ride in my FAC. Wanna come?”

Laughing Sam says, “No DD I’m fine here. I wondered when you’d want to take it out. Hahaha. If you need me I’ll be here. But you will take a Security detail with you! They are fully trained to fly the FAC as well. And I’ll let Trank know you are going out for a joyride.”

“Ok, thanks, Sam.”

“1-1 did you get that? Have your team meet me at our Launch Bay.”

“Can do Sire. We’ll be there ready to go.”

I go to the launch bay and see my FAC and 3 others waiting to go. The 3 others are already manned and are waiting on me to get changed and get aboard. I quickly get changed into my flight suit, get onboard my FAC, and head into the cockpit. I belt myself into the pilots’ seat and ask if there are any Furst on board to act as co-pilot or sensors and weapons.

I receive confirmation that there are 2 Furst onboard instead of the normal 3, as usually the Guardian Prime didn’t pilot the FAC. I laughed and told them I HAD to play with my toys!

I ask for a systems check and am told we are green and ready to go.

“FACs 1, 2, and 3, this is FAC Leader. Confirm readiness to depart,”

All 3 confirm in sequence so I get departure approval from Flight Operations and we lift off, heading towards the Launch Bay exit and outer space.

I tell the 3 other FACs to stay within 2 km of the nearest FAC and we were just going to fly around the outer edge of the solar system for a while then head back to the flagship. We open the throttles a bit and it is such as rush even if we didn’t hit FTL speeds!

We had been flying around for about 30 minutes testing the various systems when one of the Furst tells me he is picking up a weak distress call from a Confederacy ship. I ask if he is hearing anyone respond to the distress call. He says no one is responding. I quickly message Sam asking if she’s coming and in the blink of an eye she appears onboard.

“FACs 1, 2, and 3, this is FAC Leader, lock on to the distress signal and we will go and investigate it. I want everyone to power up weapons and shields now. Cloak now as well and remain cloaked until I say otherwise.

When we arrive at the scene of the distress call only FAC 1 and I will decloak, and only when I say so. And Sensors I want a full sitrep as soon as we arrive.”

Sam and another voice say yes Sire. I tell Sam she is my PA and to let the Sensors and Weapons Furst do their jobs. We really open the throttles now and hit FTL speeds very quickly and are soon arriving at the location of the distress call.

Upon arriving we see a large round Swarm ship fire on a Confederacy ship taking out its engines. There are 4 smaller Swarm ships heading towards the Confederacy ship and it appears they are going to try and board it.

Sensors tells me the big ship is called a Hive ship and would easily overwhelm and destroy the smaller Confederacy ship. Sensors say it appears there are only the 5 Swarm ships and the 1 Confederacy ship in this area of space at the moment.

I ask Sensors what kind of damage a hit from that big Swarm Hive ship would do to us and am told we could take a few hits before anything started nearing a critical stage.

I tell FAC 1 to stay on my wing and FACs 2&3 to take covering positions.

FAC 1 and I position ourselves between the Confederacy ship and big Swarm Hive ship and I have both of us decloak.

“Confederacy ship this is Guardian Prime of Arkadia. It looks like you may need some assistance. Anything I can do to help?”

“Hell yes, whoever you are. We could surely use whatever help you can provide.”

“Confederacy ship we will do what we can.”

“FACs 2&3 decloak and have weapons target the Swarm Hive ship. 2 “jumpers” each full load. Fire with me on my mark. FAC 1 target and destroy the 4 smaller Swarm ships.”

The bombs are called “jumpers” because they are “jumped” to the target via weapons using targeting sensors and transporter tech. The sensor contacts the target, the weapon is fired, and the bomb then picks up the info from the sensor, and immediately “jumps” to the target.

I hear Sensors say, “The Hive ship has fired on us. Contact in 4, 3, 2, 1 contact. Shields at 85% and regenerating. No damage.”

“FAC 1 fire when ready. FACs 2&3 fire weapons with me in 3, 2, 1 fire.”

I can see the Swarm Hive ship being ripped apart as Weapons from both FACs state, “2 “jumpers” fired, contact with Hive ship. Hive ship destroyed.”

“Huh, maybe a little overkill.”

“Maybe just a little Sire. Though 2 “jumpers” per FAC, full load, ensured there would be complete destruction of the enemy ship.”

FAC 1 hits the 4 smaller ships simultaneously, destroying them as well. “Good shooting FAC 1. Looks like the Swarm are done for now. Sensors let me know if anything pops into the area.”

“Yes, Sire.”

“Confederacy ship this is Guardian Prime. It looks like we don’t need to worry about the Swarm for the moment so let’s see if we can get you squared away. Do you have anyone in need of medical assistance?”

“Our casualties are in the MedBeds already Sir and should be fine in a few hours. Our engines are gone though so we are more or less dead in the water.”

“Confederacy ship, man I hate saying that, could you please tell me your name Sir and if your AI is functioning? And you can call me Guardian Prime.”

“My apologies Guardian Prime. My name is Capt. Arbuckle of the Confederacy Navy. Yes, my AI is functioning as are all other systems except engines. I have to thank you for saving our ass. If you hadn’t happened by we’d be Swarm mcnuggets about now. So who are you and how did you stumble upon us?”

“Thank you, Capt. Arbuckle. I am Guardian Prime of Arkadia and the Guardian Solar Systems, and 1^st of the Furst. Basically, that long-winded title means I am the Ruler of Arkadia, the Guardian Solar Systems, and of a race called the Furst.

We were doing some test runs with my FAC, my “Fast Attack Craft”, in Earth’s solar system, and heard a weak distress call so we decided to come and investigate. Upon arriving we saw Swarm vs Confederacy and it was an easy decision to do our best to help.

How did you manage to end up here?”

“We were in a fight with the Swarm several sectors away but got cut off from the rest of the Confederacy ships and the return route home, and had to fly in the opposite direction while trying to shake the Swarm.

We arrived in this system and were almost immediately hit by the Swarm that were already here.”

“Well we probably don’t want to hang around here just in case more Swarm decide to show up, so what say we see about getting out of here? Are you able to repair your engines?”

“I’m told the engines are kaput and need replacing. No chance of repairing them. Any chance you can help us get home?”

“Did you want to send a distress call and wait for help, or would it be alright to see if we could somehow tow you home?”

“Since you are the only one to answer our distress call I don’t want to sit around and see if someone else ever does. I’d appreciate a tow or any other way you can help us get home.”

“Sam, can we tow the Confederacy ship with our FACs?”

“You could Sire, using all 4 FACs, but it would be slow going. However, the Confederacy ship will easily fit in the landing bay of your flagship and it would be many times faster than towing with the FACs.”

“Ok Captain, you heard my PA. I’m going to contact my Flagship and get them to come here and we’ll give you a ride home.”

“Commander this is Guardian Prime. I want you and Shields 1&2 to come to my location asap and for Shields 3&4 to remain in Earth’s solar system. Time your speed to arrive here so there is still ample fuel to take the Confederacy ship to its base and return to Earth’s solar system.”

“Yes, Sire. We shall arrive in 4-5 minutes.”

“Thank you, Commander.”

“That would be great Guardian Prime. Any idea what time your Flagship will arrive here?”

“My Commander tells me they will arrive in approximately 5 minutes Captain. I’ll have my FACs land first, then a tractor beam will grab your ship and bring you inside the landing bay.

At that time if you and your people will leave all weapons on your ship, you can all come and hang out in the landing bay, and we’ll see if we can’t get some food and drink for you.”

“That would be great, Guardian Prime. Would you mind our conks coming too? It would make around 24 of us and we’ll leave our weapons on our ship.”

“I have no problem with your conks coming as well, Captain.”

My Flagship and 2 Shields arrive and I hear some panic on the Confederacy ship, and someone asking whose freaking ships are those?