Chapter 21: Unexpected Guest.


His sword is low and at an odd angle, more then enough time for me, to kill him. Apollus planned his tactics as his MF flew at top speed on a collision course against the OZ MF. The massive rear booster flared like some mighty comet striking across the emptiness of space. It’s Angular wings shining brightly as each individual thruster also fired at full power.

Both MF closed with each other in less the 30 seconds, Apollus not once wavered his hands, or his flight path. His MF held its course, with weapon held high. At almost 3 seconds before impacting against the powerful TA MF, he hit the fire trigger, causing the MF to perform an almost frontal stab with its lance like weapon. Just as the lance would impact the core of its intended victim, the OZ MF activated its right arm shoulder booster, to full power. Causing the MF to shift slightly downwards. The weapon instead of piercing the Chest, missed by only a few yards.

The same change in momentum also helped its arm swing across that much faster, however because, of the shift in trajectory the blade made contact lower then Marcus had hoped, and slashed through the upper legs of Stricken and part of the left arm.




Marcus MF kept flying forward after finishing his attack. However his moment of victory was cut short. The Y-light frigate, which till now everyone thought was disabled, used its 4 front facing engines to face the Iron Fist. In seconds hundreds of missiles all swarmed towards the mighty ship.

‘Holy shit, INCOMING” Screamed Arturo over the ships open COM system. Immediately crewmembers ran towards the ship defense stations and activated the anti missile batteries. Outside hundreds of explosions all threatened to consume the vessel in a giant cloud of fire.

Immediately all sensors onboard the ship began to go static and give off erroneous calculations and targeting data. The Nav computer switched to manual as the ECM and magnetic pulses cause it to auto shutdown.
“Fuck, ECM, and EMP missiles.” Arturo cursed even more for having fallen for the same tactic twice. Systematically all sensors on the Iron Fist began to switch to manual, or all together shutdown.

“What the hell.” Arturo furiously typed away at his main pilots station. Trying to bring back all the Iron Fist systems back to combat status. He quickly saw the Electromagnetic Pulse counter, and realized the massive swarm of explosions outside the ship where all from jamming missiles. The Iron fist shielding was completely overwhelmed by the EMP, triggering the fail-safe device on the ship of shutting down all essential electronic components, such as the main Nav computer, or systems targeting.

The Massive ships quickly powered up its engines in an attempt to escape the massive ECM cloud that had engulfed it. However, the Y-lights attack was relentless. It fired back at the Iron Fist as if, seeking revenge for its destroyed engines.

“Captain, zthhh….. We…….. Jam…..Asshole..can’t ….” The incoming video and audio transmission of Arturo all but disappeared from Marcus main screen. Drowned in a sea of static, that was all he could hear.

”The hell, damn-Lyhte is attacking. Crap I forgot about him.” Quickly his MF completed a 180-degree turn and flew off towards the now crippled Iron Fist.

Inside the now crippled Stricken Apollus could only silently cursed at himself for being so weak as to be defeated. His MF simply drifted in space, warning alarms blared all around him, as the machine gave out a dire status report to its pilot.

As Arturo maneuvered the Iron Fist as quickly as the ships engines could take it away from the swarm of enemy missiles a massive explosion occurred of the port vow.

“Fuck ME.” Screamed Arturo as he watched the bright light dissipate. Quickly the emergency back up sensor alerted him to the presence of a cruiser class ship on a direct intercept course with the Iron Fist.

“WE GOT COMPANY, heading 234, mark 167-892. No make it 886.” Arturo screamed over the open direct laser communications channel opened between him and Marcus MF.

Marcus, quickly moved his MF to the new assailants location, and suddenly his heart missed a few beats. Heading straight for them at full combat speed was an EAP Attack cruiser. All port guns where full opened and extended.

The Iron Fist was designed to engage at will cruiser class ships, however with almost all combat sensors on either manual or offline the Iron Fist would basically be fighting blind. The Only thing keeping the ship relatively safe, was its M-shield generator.

“Arturo what you waiting for, full barrage now.” Marcus screamed over the open COM link.

“I would if I could, all systems are offline. I am running on emergency backups. Tech crews are already doing repairs. However I can’t target shit, and I definitely cant fly and target manually.”

“Fuck, shit, great, first that shit, then this shit and now more shit Fine I will draw the cruiser and the Y-Lights attention, set a course to escape, once you reach to 2 clicks from this current location, throw a up a screen and I will return to the ship.” Having said this Marcus pulls hard on both control throttles and sends his MF flying off towards the Y-Light frigate. Quickly the Y-Light greeted his MF with a hail of anti MF, missiles and anti MF turret fire. The entrance barrage kept Marcus from being able to get too close to the ship.


“You Bastard. I’ll show you what happens when you fuck with the 181st” Marcus quickly performed a double barrel roll, and as he came out of the maneuver , flew up next the ship and slashed at one of its Port engines. The scar quickly erupted into fire as plasma, from the engine began to escape from the gash in it. In several seconds the engine was severed by explosive bolts, and quickly detonated, as the plasma left inside became unstable.
Now having assured the interest of the Y-light Marcus headed off towards the ever-looming cruiser. At around 200 miles the cruiser began launching anti-MF missiles. The OZ mf twisted in its flight path bearing to extreme angles to avoid them, and would then return to its original intercept course. As soon as Marcus entered his weapons attack range, of about 8 miles from the target , he began to power-up his main fusion cannon.

On board the cruisers laser and machine gun fire also greeted him apart from the endless wave of missiles. Having to concentrate on dodging the deadly hail of enemy fire, there was no way for Marcus to be able to, slow down enough in order to lock on to the cruiser.

“WE reached 2 clicks launching ECM screen now.” Arturo’s face came amidst static in his video.

“Perfect. I am on my way.” Saying this Marcus pointed his cannon as best he could to the Cruiser and fired. The massive beam of destructive energy exploded from the cannon, and headed as if to swallow up the entire cruiser.
Instead, the uncorrected momentum of the MF causes the beam to all but miss its intended target.

“God Damn it.” Cursing at them under his breath Marcus quickly turns in the direction of his ship and flies out to meet it. His MF leaves the battlefield as Crimson Red comet.


Several Hours later: Onboard the Iron Fist.

“Well we certainly hit a new low. Almost get him and then what, we somehow manage to just let them go and we run away.” His hair was pulled back and tied into a tight ponytail. One hand into a fist the other holding up his head as he sat in the captains chair inside the ships briefing room.
“I wouldn’t say that, I mean you did get direct orders to return to earth, so that means something bigger then Red Fury or Lythe must be going down.” Vladimir spoke up as he sat arms behind his back and his feet placed conferrable on top of the table.

“Sir, we really had no choice but to retreat. We suffered an 80% system failure, all our main communications targeting weapons control, navigation, and everything was taken offline. Had we stayed I doubt we could have even gotten off a single round.” Krista spoke up as she used a small remote control to display the schematics of the ship and show a complete systems report.

“Thank you miss Obvious. Anyone else got anything else they might want to add here.”
Marcus just laid his head on top of his crossed arms on the large oak conference table. He was in no mood to hear anything, about anything. The fact that twice he has had to retreat in the face of Lythe is eating away at his pride.

“Yeah, I like to say something. Once, I got a BJ from a woman that turned out to be a man later on.” Drake spoke as he raised one hand. He looked seriously at Marcus.

“………….” Marcus just stared back at him, with an expresioneles face.

“I just thought I get that out in the open, I was drunk, so I could not tell, anyway I trust you guys.” Drake said with half a smile on his lips.

            Almost instantly Vladimir, Arturo, Natasha and Marcus all began laughing hysterically. All laughed except Krista, who just sat looking cheapish at the rest of the group.

And father wants me to marry this man. What is he thinking. No way I would ever allow this to happen. She thought to herself as she watched the commotion inside the room.

“Ok, ok, fine how long before we reach Kuat.” Marcus asked as he tried to regain his composure.

”In around 3 days or so.” Arturo spoke between laughts.

“Ok meeting dismissed, Arturo set up a 24 hour surveillance of all our systems, I don’t want anyone getting the jump on us.” Marcus spoke as he got to his feet and stretched.

“Already taken care of sir.” Krista spoke up as she to got up from her chair.

Both Marcus and Arturo looked at each other.

“Well that’s what I like to hear, thinking ahead. Good. Consider yourself promoted, to two levels above whatever your rank is now, I forgot. Anyway I been in my quarters anyone needs me just scream or something.” Having said this the captain of the 181st walks out of the briefing room letting the metallic door slide shut behind him.

“Congratulations on your promotion Krista. You know he must be really impressed for him to promote you like that. You are lucky, keep up the good work. We definitely need people like you around.” Arturo shook Krista’s hand and then walked out of the briefing room, again the metal door slid shut behind him.

The rest of the 181st all left, and went t their respective quarters. All except 1, Natasha, ever sense that night, when she had the first glimpse into the real Captain, she felt she had somehow changed a bit her attitude towards him. Before she just saw him as a way to further her own goals and ambitions. The only reason they wherever intimate, was due to pure physical attraction, and convenience. Now however she felt as if she somehow had to help him. Heal whatever that deep wound he carried like a cross, with him, always bleeding from it always hurting.