Legacy of the Void Fleet

The massive warships vibrated as their enormous energy and kinetic weapon systems swiveled toward the targeted flanks, preparing to unleash a devastating barrage upon anything lurking within or around the asteroid nearby.

Heavy ordnance tore into space as explosive kinetic shells and concentrated plasma beams suddenly struck the nearby asteroids, exploding into blinding clouds of small fragments that flew in all directions across the void.

It was definitely a terrifying display of firepower, but as powerful as it was, it unfortunately failed to strike anything other than the dead stone that made up the asteroids.

”The acting commander of these pirates is a fool. Does he really think we’ll stay in the same position after taking down their people? Huh?” Lieutenant Baku snorted.

”Well, nothing can be done about it immediately,” Lieutenant Patrick said as he joined Baku, shaking his head. ”No matter what, this is an opportunity. We should begin the execution plan, right?”

”We certainly should,” Lieutenant Baku agreed. He looked toward the leading pirate ships. ”Two destroyers!”

Two Annihilation-grade penetration plasma missiles rushed toward them at nearly the speed of light.

SWISH! SWISH!

Traveling too fast for the Red Bull Gang’s destroyers’ point-defense grids to intercept, the twin Annihilation missiles slammed directly into the two destroyers’ shields, piercing through them before smashing into their hulls. Both missiles easily punched straight through the prows of the two warships.

The kinetic force behind the missiles shattered their bulkheads, even severing the structural spines of the advanced Tier-3 destroyers. This triggered violent secondary explosions from within, quickly splitting both warships from bow to stern. The continuous explosions that followed tore their already-split hulls into even smaller fragments.

At the exact same moment, nearby, the Phantom Dagger piloted by Lieutenant Anu suddenly emerged from stealth beside the Red Bull Gang’s frigates.

Anu accessed her control panel and immediately brought the Phantom Dagger’s weapon systems online as she dropped out of stealth.

The weapon batteries on either side of the cockpit and at its front turned toward the pirate frigate ahead. Two gleaming, large-caliber cannon barrels extended forward.

The six pulse laser cannons fired in succession, easily piercing the frigate’s shields and lightly damaging its physical armor. A series of craters appeared across the frigate’s hull.

The auxiliary and main thrusters blasted to life, pushing the Phantom Dagger’s speed to another level as it quickly closed in. Anu took aim and fired the dual long-barreled cannons, sending a barrage of shards that swiftly tore through the already damaged hull of one of the frigates.

Lieutenant Anu wasn’t finished yet. She immediately pulled away into a sudden reverse turn, preserving all the momentum she had built up.

In mere moments, she closed in again on the Red Bull Gang’s dumbfounded frigate and took aim with the cannons once more, pointing them directly at the pirate vessel.

The cannister shards shot out once again, ruthlessly piercing the defenseless frigate and punching multiple holes through its hull. Even its cockpit seemed to be blasted into nothingness.

At the same time, while Second Lieutenant Anu was carrying out her attack, forty-eight more mechs dropped out of stealth behind the Red Bull Gang’s main fleet, which was clustered around its flagship and three remaining frigates. Second Lieutenants Chase and Daku also emerged from stealth alongside them.

Lieutenants Baku and Patrick led their respective squadrons forward, like swarms of predatory hornets targeting the pirates’ flagship. Meanwhile, Chase and Daku charged their pulse batteries and began bombarding the two frigates simultaneously.

Lieutenant Baku charged ahead while Lieutenant Patrick’s squadron stayed behind, splitting into three groups. One remained behind Baku’s squadron, providing cover and supporting fire, while the other two charged toward the remaining frigate under Patrick’s command.

Lieutenant Baku was practically going berserk. Coating his Aether Shield in a thick layer of mana, he shot forward like a missile toward the Red Bull Gang’s last destroyer and its flagship.

His spearhead, enhanced by the mana, slammed directly into the flagship’s shields, making them ripple violently. Small cracks even began to appear across their surface.

”Dammit! What the fuck are you all looking at?! Get that thing away from our shields, dammit!” Colt shouted, finally regaining his composure after everything had happened far too quickly. They had lost four ships in an instant, and now they were under direct attack.

”Ah, yes! Yes, sir!” one of the terrified pirates replied.

Immediately, the weapon systems mounted along the bulkhead of the Bull Horn destroyer rotated toward Baku and launched a suppressive attack.

”Tch!” Baku clicked his tongue as he saw the incoming fire. He immediately pulled back while firing his rear-mounted plasma cannons in succession, neutralizing the attack.

Just as he withdrew, about six missiles rushed past him and struck the Bull Horn’s shields once again.

BOOOM!

Multiple explosions erupted around the ship, almost completely engulfing it in flames.

Baku didn’t look back to see where the attack had come from. He already knew. It was none other than his own ship, which had finally arrived.

”Everyone, bombard that pirate ship’s shields for me!” Baku ordered, mentally taking control of his own ship and commanding it to launch an attack on the Bull Horn.

”Dammit! Dammit all!!” Colt roared, growing even more furious as he watched the enemy mech easily retreat before launching a retaliatory strike.

”Blast that mech! Blast it for me!! Take it down! I want all our weapon systems to focus on that damn mech!!”

He was breathing rapidly, his face beet red as if he were about to spit fire. Yet even in this situation, with rage clouding his judgment, Colt still couldn’t seem to issue any useful orders.

”Point-defense systems! Don’t let those attacks hit our shields, dammit!!”

”Hey, you!” Colt suddenly pointed at the pirate managing the communications system and barked, ”Get the leader on the comms! Tell him he needs to get back to the ship immediately, or else we’re done for!”

”Ah... Ah, yes, Vice Captain!” the pirate replied, immediately turning to glance at the screen in front of him.