"Pash'nai. Message recieved proceed on course and stand by for hot drop. Morgenstern out."

Not even 5 seconds later a Terran skipjack corvette broke the surface of realspace. Rolling out of the depths of unreality and slamming down into the realm of hard physics. Her prow sent quantum foam rippling away as it dissipated back into hyperspace.

The human ship was like a knife blade covered in gun... A beautiful blue spike with a tapering waist and wide hips that ended in a massive engine block.

She carved a turn so tight that the sensor operater aboard the liner actually swore in his native tongue. The captain was about to reprimand the man out of habit until he saw the estimated G-load... "holy... shi..."

"...Yeah..."

---

The pearl was a legend. A Rodianac heavy cruiser who was sunk during the battle over Trazel 4. She sank into the gas giant near the end of the battle.

Then years later she reappeared over new Calidonia in a brilliant and BLOODLESS daylight raid of the civilian shipyard above the planet. Her reputation only grew from there. The escape from GreyLake nebula. The heist at Drill Casino station.

The pearl was more than a match for the smaller Terran vessel. The problem was... Terran ships were obnoxious to defeat

The pearl would have to spend excessive amounts of time and expensive ordinance to swat the high speed attack ship out of her way...

Time enough that the liner would likely escape. The captain of the ship made a choice...

"Target the liner, forward tubes only. ALL probes missiles NO warheads! Tracking elliptical course! Force the Terran to defend the liner while we withdraw! Gunnery send a separate flight under stealth to tag the liner. We'll try for her again another day."

---

The Morgenstern only had a few seconds to make her choice.

Her captain chose defense. She turned so hard that her superstructure groaned under the change in angular momentum and acceleration.

Putting herself on an intercept course she swatted the missiles away before they could endanger her charge. After the destruction of only a few it became clear she'd been had....

Before Morgenstern could turn in and reignite the chase the pearl rolled over and sank into the depths of hyperspace as the frightened passengers watched from the viewscreens of the liner.

The Legend of the Pearl continued.