Challenger

"I would've thought that they would have it out on the front lines. Maybe if I pry a little more it'll come out." Arthur said to himself as he continued attacking.

"Sir, it seems like a single enemy fighter is breaking our formations." The intelligence officer stated.

"That must be the Stern-S, send out Asterion." Bernard ordered.

"No, sir. It's an XM-3 and it's the one that disabled Klaus' ship." The intelligence officer replied.

"We won't take any chances. Send out Asterion." Flint ordered as well.

Back in the White Whale, the maintenance crew are removing the long range weapon system on Asterion when they were given the order for Asterion's sortie. Charles ordered the crew to hurry and swap the load outs before calling over Kjēl.

"This new load out you gave me is still in the works. I haven't fine tuned everything yet so don't push the output." Charles stated as he handed Kjēl a data sheet.

"This is gonna put a lot of strain on the reactors. We don't have to use this load out yet if it's not ready." Kjēl replied as she read the data sheet.

"Your target is a high mobility customized XM-3, you're gonna need as much output as you'll need." Charles informed Kjēl.

"I'll be careful then. Hopefully Asterion can hold out long enough." Kjēl stated as she wore her helmet.

Kjēl hopped inside the cockpit of Asterion just as the crew finished swapping out the load outs. Kjēl is given the battle plan before she launches out. She immediately picks up Arthur on her on her radar and she made a beeline for him.

"Veronica, keep those other ones distracted. Damien told me to take care of this one." Kjēl stated as she began firing on Arthur.

"What do you think I'm doing? And who said you could boss me around with that kind of attitude, huh?" Veronica asked in a condescending tone.

"So this is the ship they're all talking about. Same as the last one, the movements are sloppy." Arthur commented as he evaded all the attacks.

"We just started but this guy is as pesky as that bossy woman. Even their evasion patterns are similar." Kjēl mumbled to herself as chased after Arthur.

"Where the hell is Klaus? I need backup here!" Brook exclaimed as he got chased by two enemy fighters.

Bernard and Gerard finished escorting the retreating forces and they quickly returned to assist the Gunderhild fleet. Within an hour or so, other reinforcements will arrive to help repel the enemy attack. In the meantime, they have to make due with the Gunderhild fleet.

"I didn't see you replenish fuel and ammo." Bernard commented.

"I didn't have time to. This will do for now." Gerard replied as he adjusted his settings on the control panel.

"You watch our backs then. Transfer all your output to your weapons and save up your thrusters." Bernard ordered.

"I'll be gunning for that black ship. Keep it as still as you can." Gerard added.

"I'm cutting off my comms. The audio's gonna be dirty anyway once we get there." Bernard stated as he turned off his comms.

Because they use a communication system that translates audio to light signals and a receivers systems that reverse the process, there would be too much light from explosions causing random frequencies to spike and flood the transmissions during combat. This technology has been innovated so much and has been the primary use of communication in space ever since humanity has set sail in space. From the orbit of Mars all the way beyond the inspection line are scattered relay points that receive and relay light messages and forms a network that makes it able for quick and easy exchange of messages across the vast distance of space.

"Once we're done wrapping this up, support Kjēl. She seems to be having trouble with that red copycat." Veronica ordered as she sat back and drew a deep sigh.

"General! Please retrea-" A soldier shouted before getting cut off by an explosion.

"Tsk. I was expecting that they'd perform better since they were the best of their squadrons. What a disgrace on my battle record." Arthur said in disgust as he pulled away from the engagement.

"I'm not done with you yet. Where do you think you're going?" Kjēl whispered under her breath as she punched the throttle on Asterion.

"I'm not too late for the party, right?" Bernard asked as he covered Arthur's retreat.

"You again? I don't have the right load out for this fight." Kjēl said in frustration as she turned around as quickly as she could.

Bernard pursued after Kjēl and forced her to go through the space debris. Kjēl took advantage of Asterion's thick armor and brute her way through the smaller clumps of debris that would normally be dangerous for other ships.

"Now you're just playing dirty. I can tell that you're getting desperate." Bernard mumbled to himself

"Hold on out a little more, Asterion. Just a bit more." Kjēl nervously said as she watched the warning signs for the reactor.

A large warning sign popped up on the monitors and Kjēl cussed as the safety measures kicked and shut off the reactors. Asterion's exhausts began spitting out smoke before the thrusters turned off causing Asterion to crash into a large piece of debris. Kjēl braced herself inside as she frustratingly tried to rebooted the main systems.

"Damn it! Move already!" Kjēl shouted as she frantically moved the levers back and forth.

"Found you." Bernard mumbled as he stopped beside Asterion and shot at it.

Kjēl pushed the buttons and and pulled the triggers just as Asterion booted back up again. Asterion blew a hole through the debris and flew through it to escape. Kjēl saw an open hangar bay in a wrecked ship and went inside.

"That's the last of my fuel. I'll wait for him to enter my sight and I'll shoot him this time for sure." Kjēl whispered to herself as she waited.

"I guess luck isn't on my side. Tch." Bernard said in frustration as he looked at his low fuel gauge.

"That's it, come closer and I'll blast you to nothing." Kjēl smirked.

"I'm asking for a momentary cease fire. I'm low on fuel and I've run out of ammunition. I know that you hear me." Bernard announced.

"That voice...I know that voice." Kjēl said in a shaky voice as she let go of the joysticks.

"I'm coming out, I'm unarmed." Bernard stated as he opened the cockpit and climbed out with his hands up.

Kjēl grabbed a pistol out of the gun compartment and climbed out of her cockpit, aiming it at Bernard.

"A child? Those Alliance dogs..." Bernard gritted his teeth as he looked at Kjēl.

"Why are you here?" Kjēl asked as she lowered her gun and recognized Bernard.

"Wait, you're Veronica's sister...!" Bernard exclaimed as he pointed his finger at Kjēl.