Chapter 4: The 13th, Assault

"Admiral, we have breaches on deck…" the young communication officer paused franticly reading his flashing console, taking in the information, ensuring the numbers were correct.

"Deck three, fifteen, eighty, and thirty-six," he said,

"Do we know the assault ship's location,"

"Working on that sir" the young officer responded, trying to maintain his dignity. It was his first experience with real action, where lives hung in the balance.

"Where is my XO," the admiral bellowed slapping his hand twice on his command module.

"Executive officer Estes is located on the fourth deck" The computer replied instantly.

With a slight nod, the Admiral acknowledged the construct. Assault on a platform this large was rare. Being in service of the Federation for over fifty years, he thought he had seen it all. This was different, which for the first time in a very long time began to unnerve him. In a wink of an eye, the unknown enemy had destroyed all of the platform anti-ship guns, lasers, and its sensors while simultaneously launching several breaching pods that had burrowed deep into his platform, like writhing maggots in rotten flesh.

"All response teams have been activated, sir," another officer added,

"Keep me informed"

"Sir, we have secondary sensors being launched now,"

"Launch in a global spiral pattern, we need to find the head of this cunning snake and cut its head off."

"Yes sir, spiral global pattern" acknowledged the communication officer.

"Give me a status report on our external weapon capabilities."

"All of our external guns have been disabled sir, we are prepping repair teams now, awaiting your command." The weapon officer answered.

"Hold off on the repair teams, contact the launching decks, I want squadron one, three, and five out in open space now."

"Aye sir"

"XO Estes trying to reach you, commander." Said the construct.

"Patch him in"

A sliver of static followed by loud booms, followed by screams and shouting filled the command deck.

"We have heavy fighting on the fourth and fifth deck heavy casualties"

A hush fell upon the command deck, no one had ever heard the XO sound out of sorts, let alone fearful. The Admiral raised one bushy grey brow in deep thought as he processed.

"Fall back, take the corridors between the two decks, try and cut them off, isolate the intruders."

Admiral a tall but rail-thin man exhaustedly leaned against his command module; his mind raced to try to get his mind wrapped around the situation. He was hoping this was his last assignment. An admiral on a Jupiter class platform was supposed to be easy. Just kick back, relax, deal with some of the excitable young officers and sort out the many complaints between the civilians. Dealing with a full-fledge assault was not on his to-do list. Hoping those brutal days were long gone, a sigh escaped his thin trembling lips. His command module, full of multiple windows streaming videos of the action in real-time.

"Officer McCown, send the repair squads to reinforce the defense teams."

"Aye, Admiral,"

A platform siege was a long and drawn-out event, admiral June's mind raced on a way to end the siege in case his crew couldn't repeal the threats. As of right now, it wasn't looking good as he looked through the vid feeds trying to get an idea of the bold assailants. Freezing a frame of enemy intently looking at the enemy, frustrated he sent the image to his communication officer module, and the construct.

I need to know who you are, he thought. In a galaxy teeming with life, there were so many beings, including humans. It was obvious that the intruders were humanoid, but so were a number of other beings within the galaxy.

"Admiral," the construct started.

"It would seem that the boarders are a drop team."

The admiral blinked in confusion, A drop team, why would someone deploy a drop team on us. He thought. His gaunt long face seemed to age another decade at the thought of repealing a well-armed, highly motivated drop team.

"Are we able to identify this drop team?"

"I'm on it." McCown declared.

The command deck lights flickered once, twice than blackness fell upon the deck. Causing multiple panicked gasps and moans. The backup power initiated, expelling the darkness.

"Power Grid seven, Three, and fifteen are down Admiral, redirecting down now." The construct announced.

"Closely monitor the power grid, prioritize all power to the life support system and defense."

"Are we able to get a count on the intruders?"

"An unknown number of assailants, their armor seems to have some sort of cloaking quality our systems cannot make any sense of it."

"That is unacceptable!" slamming his hand on the console,

"Do we have any damn answers? All you have been telling me is 'I don't know!" he sneered. His thin lips pulled back like a cornered badger.

"Huh, sir" a small voice peeped.

"What is it" sighed the frustrated Admiral.

"Squadron five has found an anomaly, sixteen hundred kilometers out."

Excited to finally hear some good potential good news, The admiral looked down at his command module locating the area of space.

"Assign Squadron-Five to recon, fire off a cluster of seeker drones to investigate. Give them the green light to obliterate anything that isn't ours"

The old admiral's eyes started to gleam with the excitement of battles of old. An old warrior inside of him started to rustle, like an ancient mummy in a long-forgotten tomb. Surveying his deck, he took in all the panicked young faces as they stabbed at their consoles trying to gain as much information as they could. As they should, their life will depend on it.

Leaning over his module he looked like a pastor getting ready to preach to his congregation.

"Gave me your attention, now," he said, his voice sturdy as steel.

"We are in a position with an unknown enemy who has breached our hulls causing chaos. I know you are inexperienced and scared. Hell, I am too. For now, I implore you to push those thoughts aside and put your faith in these old, but capable hands." Raised his skeletal hands crisscrossed with blue veins wrapped in parchment paper. Making a strong fist slamming it down on his module.

"This is our home, this is where our family lay their heads down every night, I want, no I need you to give me everything you have to expel these bastards who dared to board us!"

The command deck erupted in a show of devotion to their admiral, each young face carried the resolve and foolish bravado of youth. Each hoped this would be a movie-like ending. That their deeds of holding off a drop team would be written in the stars for generations can gaze up in awe of their bravery.

"Admiral, the drop team has been identified." The construct announced, shattering the buzz of excitement.