Omega Force: Rebellion (OF11), стр. 68

in the formation, none of the things she would have normally associated with their military. The 405th commanders quickly reassessed their new tactical outlook and adjusted their formation to compensate. Now that there was a new threat on the board, more fighters were launched after the Phoenix, and the ships that had been loitering to cut off routes of escape began pushing back down towards Miressa Prime. At the same time, a six-ship formation lead by one of the battleships began pushing hard up towards the Eshquarian fleet. It was an impressive display of quick thinking and coordination.

"Something's happening in the Imperial formation, Captain," one of the tactical officers said.

Kellea manipulated the controls and took a look at what the officer was talking about. The computer pointed out a spike in the power signature in one of the Luex-class battleships, as well as new targeting scans coming up. The formation had been mostly dormant since the first opening valley that had destroyed the entire HDF fleet, but now it looked like that was about to change.

The Luex surged ahead, her main drive flaring on the sensors, charging straight ahead for the incoming ConFed ships. In quick succession, two more Imperial ships lit off their main drives and also drove forward, falling in behind the battleship. Targeting scans littered the threat board, and the opposing ships locked each other up for missile strikes and rushed to close the range so they could bring their main guns to bear.

"Incoming transmission, Admiral…another broadcast from the Luex that's on the move."

"Let's hear it."

"This is Captain Mavog of the Imperial battleship, Zenoah, and this is my message to you: Eshquaria will never submit!"

"That was it," the com operator said.

"What the hells is happening around here?" Kellea mumbled.

"I think I now understand," Scleesz said. He'd been so quiet she'd almost forgot he was there. "This was supposed to be a show. A demonstration of ConFed military superiority. I don't know how, but those ships were under ConFed control, but something went wrong…those missiles were never meant to touch the HDF fleet. The 405th being here is a contingency, not part of a strategy."

"I'm afraid I don't understand, Councilman."

"I will explain it to you if we make it out of this system, Admiral," Scleesz promised. "But for right now, I think we can surmise that the crews of those Imperial ships are retaking their vessels, and now they want blood."

"Burke," she said, the word sounding like a curse.

"My guess as well, Admiral," Scleesz said calmly.

"Intel! Assuming the entire Imperial fleet here is fully operational, what are their chances against 405th?" Kellea asked.

"It's too close to call, Admiral," came the answer. "We've been running the numbers in real-time based on our best intelligence for all known vessels. Now that the dreadnaught appears to be out of the fight, the two forces are evenly matched."

"Captain Essel, please alert Taskforce Starfire to be ready for their initial jump at my word," Kellea said.

"Admiral?" Scleesz asked.

"I don't trust you, or the ConFed," she explained in a pleasant voice. "My entire taskforce is sitting outside the system, waiting for my word to jump in if needed. When I call, if I call, twenty-one more Cridal ships loyal to me will arrive. That includes five Fend-class destroyers and ten Terran Victory-class heavy cruisers."

"I believe that prudence might be the best—"

"I believe we're witnessing the genesis of a full-blown civil war that will determine the future of the quadrant, Scleesz. I don't intend to be caught back on my heels if this situation escalates."

"Of course, Admiral."

Mok watched the two fleets come together on the remote sensor feed he had coming over a slip-com channel from the Sarafin. The cargo ship was still sitting out in the outer system amongst the other civilian traffic, pretending to be prepping for mesh-out. His rage at Burke had subsided somewhat, and now he watched with great interest as the Zenoah tore down into the system on a collision course with a 405th battleship.

He couldn't help but swell with pride as the Imperial ships, once turned back over to their crews, mounted an offensive without hesitation. Their political Fleet Masters may have sold them out and betrayed their people, but the line officers were still fighting for the pride of the Empire and their very freedom.

"The Phoenix is moving towards Miressa Prime, still being pursued," Similan said.

"Perhaps he's going to strafe the High Assembly, or bomb a cultural landmark," Mok deadpanned. "It's possible he's going to just fly around and terrorize the populace until he becomes bored by that and decides to try and light off another brutal civil war in a different system. It's always hard to tell with him."

"If I may be so bold, master, I—"

"Similan, I am well aware of your feelings on these things." Mok cut him off. "I'm having a bad enough time right now, and I don't think I could handle a lecture from you on why Jason Burke is right and I'm wrong."

"Very well, master," Similan said, not bothering to refute his boss's assertion at what he was about to say.

"This isn't a total loss if Captain Mavog can get those ships out of there before the ConFed calls in reinforcements and boxes him in again," Mok said. "Admiral Colleran would be wise to leave with the Defiant while she has the chance, but I'm afraid her personal feeling for the people involved may be clouding her judgement."

"What of Omega Force?"

"Jason Burke just shot down a ConFed dreadnaught," Mok sighed. "No matter what happens here today, he'll be labeled a terrorist and hunted down relentlessly. Even if our side wins, I don't think he'll live long enough to know about it. If he was smart, and assuming he survives this fight, he'd melt the Phoenix down for scrap, change his appearance, and go back home."

"What do you think he'll actually do?"

"Something equally stupid as shooting four XTX missiles at a ConFed dreadnaught. He can't help himself. What's worse? The idiots