"We need a victory here, not a stalemate! I need options!" Major Verle called.
The tactical officer regretfully shook his head. "Sir, we can't afford to divert more firepower to focus down the sandmen escorts one by one. All twelve escort vessels won't hesitate to accelerate and catch up to our slower supply train if we reduce the pressure on any of them! With the absence of the Finmoth Regal's complement of mechs, we don't have the mechs to spare!"
A twelve-escort sandmen fleet was a significant force to be reckoned with to any force. The Flagrant Swordmaidens only managed to hold on due to arming their melee mechs with spare ranged rifles, but those mechs quickly started to run out of ammunition.