Suspension
Obeying his strong sense of discipline Captain Houser contacted Commander Kraszyek through the tactical communicator.
"Glad to see that the latest marvel of Commonwealth technology has come to our rescue."
Said the 'raven' with an ironic smile.
Houser ignored the sarcasm.
"I am receiving the tactical data from your command ship now, what line of conduit do you suggest Commander?"
Kraszyek quickly answered with a hard tone.
"My 'suggestion' is to converge immediately on the target, my astrocrafts will retire momentarily to attack in conjunction with your battlecruiser, launching a wave of electroplasma bombs and nuclear torpedoes to disrupt the shields and I also 'suggest' to do it now, before they drift apart."
The look on the 'raven's face showed all the animosity he felt towards Zhenar Xhan and his men.
"End of transmission Captain."
Houser, which heartily reciprocated the hostile sentiment, acted rapidly, the enemy was already trying to separate to avoid to offer a single target.
The Commonwealth battlecruiser jumped ahead at sub-luminous speed with the distortion field activated.
The three enemy vessels begun to maneuver trying to take advantage of the respite offered to them by Kraszyek's battle group.
A fatal mistake, due to fear and the usage in battle of an untested weapon.
Their respective distortion fields interfered with each other when they tried a fast propulsion push.
What that until that moment offered a formidable defense exposed them to lethal danger.
The astrocrafts of the Commonwealth broke their sub-formations by attacking separately, a pointless tactic in normal
circumstances but that in that situation permitted to land blow after blow on the enemy at minimum risk while favoring Houser strike.
A powerful strike, hovering pass the enemy three nutron bomb were launched, one of the enemy battlecruiser was soon reduced to a ball of molten metal still in fusion.
Another was so badly damaged that lost half of his section, killing most of the crew, an easy target that was completely
destroyed by the subsequent pulse cannons' barrage.
Only one managed to distance itself avoiding the brunt of the attack, but was
quickly chased by the battle group reinforced by Houser's battlecruiser.
Seeing how desperate the situation was the surviving ship abruptly stopped, shutting down the distortion field and sending a surrender signal.
All the battle group took position awaiting for orders, as was customary in such cases.
Being the nearest ship Houser ordered to open a communication channel with the enemy.
At first the signal was greatly disturbed, no images were shown, a stream of unintelligible words began to flow trough
the speakers.
Puzzled Houser asked his communication officer to send the transmission to the Field Commander through the tactical
communicator as hierarchy imposed.
The answer startled him.
"Commander Kraszyek has cut every communication a moment ago Captain."
"What?"
Immediately after Houser surprised reaction a signal appeared on the sensors' screens.
An astrocraft was advancing towards the enemy vessel at hyper-luminous speed.
It was Kraszyek, in that moment the enemy ship was a perfect target.
Before anyone could react the unknown battlecruiser erupted in a ball of neutronic plasma.
Houser watched the whole scene with an increasing sense of anger.
"Open a channel with Kraszyek, immediately."
The 'raven' appeared on the screen.
"Captain?"
He said with a relaxed expression.
Houser maintained his composure with difficulty.
"Please explain your conduit, the enemy was surrendering and we could have gained precious informations by interrogating the prisoners."
The expression of the 'raven' was of absolute contempt.
"War could not be fought half-hearted, I swept the first occasion to eliminate a serious danger for the security of the
central Sectors;besides, I don't have to justify my actions to a subordinate."
Houser coldly replied at that dismissive attitude.
"I will be sure to give a full report to the Battle Marshall, especially of your use of nutron bombs."
"Whatever."
Responded Kraszyek with a wave of the hand.
The communication was abruptly closed.
"En route for the Green Company headquarters."
Ordered Houser adhering to the directives of the Gamma Protocol.
Velhar Kraszyek watched with indifference the battlecruiser leaving the quadrant and gave order to his officers to return to
preside the key defense points of their assigned sectors.
While departing from the battle scene his brother contacted him.
"Was it a wise move Velhar "
He asked preoccupied."
"It would have been more unwise not doing such move."
Replied the 'raven'.
"That vessel wouldn't have provided any useful information or help to us, but could have been used against us."
Druszieck didn't look convinced.
"The Battle Marshall won't like this."
"Who cares?If he want to confront the forces trying to take over the Commonwealth he will need us, and even so we are still a formidable opponent for whomever wants to fight us, our only concern is if they would reach an agreement at our expenses.In that case we will give them hell."
With a cruel smile and a determined expression the 'raven' closed the communication.
Karl Chas was now in the tactical room of the Green Company headquarters where he transferred after the delegations of the Representativity and the Directorate left the briefing room.
There he received the first communication from Zhenar Xhan since his battle group departed.
A complete success, coupled with the reports of Norian Dhen from Karhyen was safe to assume that they regained complete control of the fringe sector.
In other circumstances that would have been an occasion for celebrating, instead the war seemed only at the beginning.
A new communication came to distract the Battle Marshall from his grim mood, Wulfen's Militia was approaching the quadrant, requesting for a private encounter with him.
Surprised Karl Chas observed the report.
"They have important information to discuss with me and are bringing here a captured enemy Captain for interrogation, is this correct?"
"Yes sir."
Answered the officer deputed to cypher communications.
"We have already verified the encrypted signature of the orders' certificate Commander Wulfen sent us, it's a seven
grade consignment from Field Commander Norian Dhen."
"I see, something that can only be communicated to the Battle Marshall in person."
Noted Karl Chas.
"Grant them access to the system and give dispositions for the positioning of their astrocrafts in one of the allotted stand-by zones and take in custody the prisoner, when all the operations had been completed send Commander Wulfen to my private quarters, I will receive him there."
"It will be done sir."
And with this the officer departed, leaving Chas wondering, perplexed, about that new development."
Lupus entered the private quarters of the Battle Marshall, greeted by the old commander that accompanied him to a seat.
"I am sorry for not giving you a better welcoming Commander, sadly there are very pressing concerns at the moment."
Said Karl Chas taking his place behind the desk.
"I assume that you have been already debriefed on or current situation."
Wulfen nodded.
"I understand Marshall, from what I have been told the Gamma Protocol has been instated, likely due to the apparition of
three hostile battlecruisers, which affiliation is still unknown."
"Exactly."
Replied Chas with a neutral tone.
"Maybe this documents will help to shed some light on the whole matter."
In saying so Wulfen handed to the Marshall an envelope with the captured papers.
For long minutes Karl Chas perused through the writings, most of the material should have been deciphered and its genuinity confirmed, of course, still, most of what was there shouldn't have been in the hands of the enemy, and some of the memos in there clearly indicated connivance with the Jehnizars by high ranking officers of the Commonwealth.
If the veridicity of the papers' content would have been ascertained that's would have put the Battle Marshall in a very
troubling position.
He had already opposed a critical decision of the Commonwealth institutions, as far he should have to go if what was in there was true, or should have be better to make a step back to avoid a possible civil war?
The Marshall heavily pondered for long minutes, then he looked Wulfen straight in the face.
"Commander, I hope that you would understand what I a going to say and will bear no ill will afterwards."
Chas was visibly uncomfortable in saying this.
"Your contributions to the Green Company and to this campaign has been commendable, and from the reports I have received you have gone beyond the boundaries of duty many times to accomplish your missions."
With a sigh he continued.
"Nonetheless due to the circumstances I am forced to ask for you and your militia to be integrated under the direct command of the Green Company headquarter, this basically means me."
This would have been meant that from that moment on Wulfen would have been subjected to the direct orders of the Battle Marshall and officers appointed by him would have be assigned to key posts inside Wulfen's militia, a situation rarely heard of, usually the assignments were on a voluntary basis, that was practically a cooptation.
Chas gravely added:
"Unfortunately, if you refuse, I will be forced to give order to disband the Wanderers militia."
The Marshall waved his head nervously.
"I will be honest Commander Wulfen, you have been already involved too much, you have knowledge of secret materials that could compromise the stability of the Commonwealth and with the uncertainty laying ahead I have to take precautions."
He was looking firmly Wulfen in the eyes now.
"And of course I will need valiant commanders at my side."
The Marshall waited for the response, Wulfen's expression was inscrutable.
____________________________________________________________________________________________________
A)Accept, the Green Company needs you.(winning option)
B)Go rogue, refuse the proposal, Wulfen priorly has already created a militia on his own, restarting would not be a problem, there are many opportunities in the Commonwealth for a 'freelance', especially in the upcoming confrontation between the different factions.
C)Feign acceptance and escape with your militia at the first opportunity, probably you would have to fight tho.
If someone, anyone, will want your help in the future they will have to pay your price.