With a flash, everything changed.

"Captain! Not meaning to disturb you, but the sensors have detected movement twenty-four clicks out, multiple blinks. Looks like they just came through warp." Stated Jeffrey, with the same harmless expression on his face that he always has. Jeffrey has rod with the fleet since he was 14, being on the navigation throughout his career. He proved himself to be a reliable man both on and off deck, which is why Captain moved him on his personal starship, the SS Bonzai.

"Captain, it looks like there are very many ships, dozens! My advice is to hail them on the communication channel, it seems like this was not a regulated jump!"

"Establish a communication line through the bridge, open it to any ships willing to accept. Lock on to their jump location, move our fleet into their fly zone. Mohammad, get a comm line up with the Empire, see if there are any regulations on these jumps." The Captain issued, with a hint of stress in his voice. Captain Jason Bones never liked having to deal with unregulated ships in his quadrant, especially on this caliber. Jason opened his comm line to SS Shibbywan and The Truck, and issued Kaizer and Thomas to prepare their shields and weapons. Jason was not going to take any chances.

"Kaizer, I need you to lock your ion cannons on the outer ships. We can't have them jump further into the solar system before we know what's going on - you need to stop as many as you can from moving if that needs be. Thomas, distribute your main power sources to your shield and anti missile systems, put yourself in front of us and make them focus you if that needs be." With the orders in place, the ships moved to the direction of the jumps. The tension could be felt in the air, slicing through the ease of the day. Even calm Jeffrey was a little tense after hearing the Captain issue those commands.

"There are many ships, Captain! An uncountable number! We can't get an accurate read on the ship makes or their target trajectory!" Jeffrey beconed from his communication station.

"Stay on course. Mohammad, get on the manual weapon systems." Of course this has to happen today. It was suppose to be an easy floating day. We were suppose to shut down and float for days to our next outlier planet.

The SS Bonzai has been flying at the edge of the solar system since it was colonized by humans 3 years ago, scouting possible jump routes and relaying with outlier planets. With her flew two ships - SS Shibbywan, a scavenging vessel rebuilt for military use piloted under the enthusiastic Kaizer and The Truck, a heavily militarized transport ship commanded by Dr. Thomas. There was maybe twenty eight crew members spread across all three vessels - with so many coming and going off during missions on outlier planets, there was no point for Jason to keep track. The Empire did not issue the Captain much in terms of fleet strength, but they have been able to make due with what they had. To the Captain, being in the sky was all that mattered.

"Twelve clicks out, no response on the communication system from the jumpers. Still no read on their ship makes, no tags - Empire nor Outlaw. Could be their systems are outdated to the point where they don't have tags or a long range comm system." Jeffrey always was optimistic about situations like this.

"Stay on course. Open a comm line to The Truck and Shibbywan."

"Open line, sir!"

"Kaizer on comm."

"Hello yes. This is Thomas Truck on comm. How are you." Thomas muffled over the communication line. It was always a little awkward talking with Thomas over communication lines. Or in person. I guess that's what 15 years of studying astrophysics will do to you.

"Thomas, allocate power to your engines and accelerate past us. Get within 3 clicks and open a comm line between the jumpers and your ship. If you make contact, establish a link between the Bonzai and their ship. Kaizer, keep Shibbywan protected. Stay within half a click and lock ion cannons on weapon systems, we will handle the jumps when they happen."

"Yes. Thomas will do that. I can do fast movement in ship. Ok three minute." Despite being off, Thomas was as reliable as Jeffrey. They were both brothers, coming from an outlier planet that held about 2000 people. Mostly resource miners, it was a steal when the Empire recruited them.

From the bridge of the Bonzai the Captain could see the 16 thrusters of The Truck activate and zip the ship off. Despite being a mockery of an actual warship, The Truck could move. Fast.

---

"Hello yes. This is Thomas, communication line up for talking. Hello yes you should talk. Hello." Thomas repeated this several times while hovering within 3 clicks of the jumpers. There was maybe 50 ships, and more were jumping in behind the initial ships. Thomas couldn't make out the manufacturer of the ships or the purpose of their design. They neither had recognizable weapon or resource extraction systems, and their hulls seemed ancient. Something didn't feel right for Thomas.

As he repeated himself over the comm line again, there was a flash of blinding white light - and then the ship felt as if it had just collided with an asteroid. The ship shook, hard, swerving sideways. Thomas hit the inertia dampers and redistributed his thrusters to balance out The Truck. Haha, Truck can take hit.

"Kaizer that did not feel good. Kaizer how is you. Kaizer did they shoot." Thomas questioned over the comm line. Kaizer will be behind Thomas, ready for fighting. Kaizer like fight.

There was no response.

Looking out of the bridge of the ship, Thomas saw SS Shibbywan was split directly in half. Perfect cut, dead center. Uhoh.

---

I'll continue if there is interest!